Chapter 390: Red Rouge (9)

“Great job today, everyone! See you next week!”

“Bye! Your performance was amazing, guys...”

The Rings' voices were tinged with sadness as we waved back. We kept our hands up until they were out of sight. Then we rolled up the car windows.

“Great work, everyone. You all stayed sharp and did well this week,” Joo-Han said, his voice filled with pride.

“Seriously, I am so glad we didn’t make any mistakes.”

“Right? Our Jin-Sung really pushed us hard in practice, and it paid off!” Goh Yoo-Joon said playfully while draping an arm around Jin-Sung’s shoulder.

It was 7 PM, and our first week of music show promotions had finally come to an end. We were relieved that we managed to get through all our performances without any incidents or big mistakes. For the first time since our comeback, Chronos could relax a little and feel a bit more at ease about not making mistakes.

Unlike previous albums, where the tension eased after the first broadcast, this time the pressure was immense every time we took the stage. It was inevitable with so many dancers and intricate stage movements. This time, we knew we wouldn’t be able to let our guard down throughout the entire promotion period.

Jin-Sung beamed a smile with pride. “We are finishing practice early today! Actually, Tae-Seong hyung, can we go straight to the dorm?”

Tae-Seong nodded as he glanced at Jin-Sung through the rearview mirror. “Yes, I’ll take you guys straight to the dorm. You’ve all worked so hard these past few days.”

“Yeah, it’s time to start thinking about our condition,” Joo-Han added. He turned to Jin-Sung before murmuring, “Thank you.”

Even though we weren’t practicing today, our schedule was still packed. We were currently on our way to the next filming location.

“There’s a lot of UTube-related filming these days, huh?” I remarked.

“It’s the CEO’s idea,” Tae-Seong explained.

Our last schedule for today was a performance and interview shoot for a famous UTube channel. Lately, all idol groups had been focusing heavily on UTube marketing regardless of their agency. It was a fast way to gain recognition, and the filming process was quicker and more relaxed, allowing for more creative content that could attract new fans.

“I know this UTuber. Isn’t he super rich?” Jin-Sung asked.

“Yeah, he is. It’s amazing. How much money does he have to invite popular artists every week to perform and do interviews?” Joo-Han replied, looking intrigued. He shifted his gaze to Yoon-Chan. “Yoon-Chan, aren’t you acquainted with him somehow? It seems like you would be.”

Yoon-Chan shyly nodded. “He is my dad’s friend’s son.”

“...Really? No way. I’m in the same group as someone with such boujee connections~”

The UTuber hosting this shoot, known as Stew Rion, wasn’t backed by a company but was an incredibly wealthy individual. Although it was not confirmed, he was rumored to be the son of a CEO of a major company. I heard his dad was someone everyone would recognize by name. He was more interested in entertainment than business and invested heavily in it.

Stew Rion gained public recognition through UTube by using his wealth to invite his favorite artists and create top-tier performances. This earned him the title of a successful fan. His channel boasted a staggering 3.5 million subscribers and gave him celebrity-level status. And Yoon-Chan called this guy “uncle.”

I couldn’t quite remember the name of Yoon-Chan’s dad’s company, but it made me wonder what kind of world Yoon-Chan grew up in.

“So, is it thanks to Yoon-Chan hyung that we are able to appear on this channel?” Jin-Sung asked.

“No, no!” Yoon-Chan shook his head vehemently.

“Really?” Goh Yoo-Joon echoed as if just realizing something.

“Yes, my uncle doesn’t invite people based on connections. He is very sincere about his favorite artists... He only invites groups he truly likes.”

It was clear Yoon-Chan didn’t want to take credit for Stew Rion’s genuine interest. And it was true. Ji-Hyuk from High Tension was close to Stew Rion, and he said they had been turned down because High Tension’s vibe was too laid-back for his taste, despite their connection.

I had always wanted to perform on Stew Rion’s channel, so this was a fantastic opportunity. Known for his passion for the entertainment industry, Stew Rion had a knack for stage design. He always ensured that every artist’s performance was exceptional.

Moreover, he funded everything out of his own pocket, not the company’s. Artists who performed on his channel always spoke highly of the experience, and I’d been looking forward to the chance for us to do the same.

His knack for planning, staging, and directing performances, combined with his considerable wealth, allowed us to try out various costumes and perform on imaginative stages that we couldn’t even attempt on broadcast networks.

I couldn’t help but get excited, especially since the filming location was none other than the folk village where we shot "Ario 愛." We would be performing both "Red Rouge" and "Ario 愛" there.

“Hey.” Goh Yoo-Joon called out, interrupting my thoughts as we neared our destination. He reached over the seat to poke my shoulder.

“What’s up?”

“Have you seen the fan reviews from our first recording?”

“Oh, right. I meant to check them earlier but got sidetracked. Why are you so eager for me to see them? Did the Rings tease us that much?”

“It’s not about teasing. Just take a look.”

Apparently, the incident where Yoon-Chan’s outfit got caught on his shoe during the first recording spread quickly among the Rings. I knew it would get out fast, but I didn’t understand why Goh Yoo-Joon was so insistent in making me look at it.

I didn’t expect the rehearsal review for "Red Rouge" to be solely about me and Yoon-Chan, and I figured there’d be all sorts of evaluations. So, I planned to read the comments once I was mentally prepared.

But, thanks to Goh Yoo-Joon's persistence, I searched for the first broadcast’s rehearsal review on

BlueBird

.

As soon as the search results popped up, I understood why Goh Yoo-Joon had been pushing me to look.

- But seriously, this is hilarious HAHAHA How can he have such a soulful look? That expression is priceless! 😂

- ( ◕‿◕ ) Exactly this expression, like a parent at a kindergarten talent show lol

- For those who don’t know about the ( ◕‿◕ ) incident, here’s a summary: Yoon-Chan was wearing this super flowy outfit during the “Red Rouge” rehearsal, and his clothes got stuck in his shoes. Hyun-Woo, who was heading back to his spot after his part, noticed this and rushed to help untangle the fabric from Yoon-Chan’s shoes. He tried to handle it quietly, but the fans were already watching them closely. When it didn’t work out, Yoon-Chan just took off both those clothes and his shoes to go perform his part, leaving Hyun-Woo visibly flustered, tidying up the outfit with a soulful ( ◕‿◕ ) look.

(Suh Hyun-Woo’s soulful expression.jpg)

- LMAO He totally had a protective guardian look on his face 😂

- This is Hyun-Woo hyung’s proud expression

(Suh Hyun-Woo tidying up Park Yoon-Chan’s outfit, looking immensely proud with a close-up of Hyun-Woo’s face.jpg)

Did I really make that face? The photo looked like it had been taken secretly by a mischievous fan. In the picture, I was watching Yoon-Chan with a gaze that went beyond pride, almost soulful. My expression resembled that of a parent watching their grown child prepare for an interview while folding laundry.

What on earth? Sure, I thought Yoon-Chan handled the mishap well, but I didn’t realize I’d look so emotional about it.

I scrolled further and found the original photo showing my face along with Yoon-Chan’s bare feet. It was even more ridiculous.

“This was the whole point of you being annoying, right?”

I asked Goh Yoo-Joon, who replied cheerfully. “Yup! Now, instead of the cat emoji, the Rings are using the soulful emoji for you! Congratulations on your image makeover, Suh Hyun-Woo~”

“Your tone annoys me. Don’t talk to me for three days.”

I ignored Goh Yoo-Joon and scrolled further down. What about the actual reviews of the broadcast?

Fortunately, I found plenty of those too, alongside the rehearsal reviews. Interestingly, there were more reactions to “Ario 愛” than to “Red Rouge.” While “Red Rouge” had trended massively when the music video was released, it seemed the stage and choreography for “Ario 愛” had drawn significant attention regardless of it being shown for the first time,

- Honestly, Ario 愛 is a masterpiece. If they perform this at a concert, I might faint...

- The grand set, the pristine members, everything was perfect... Mr. Su-Hwan, live forever and keep up with your work!

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

- Ario 愛 turned out to be totally my type of song aww ❤️

- How does Hyun-Woo manage to look like that during his solo dance? His ability to immerse himself in the world of the song is incredible. It’s like YMM only recruits geniuses.

- How amazing is Ario 愛? I need to watch it soon... if it weren’t for exams... ugh

- Hyun-Woo’s emotional depth in his compositions always makes me feel like crying 😣

- I love Hyun-Woo’s delicate and sorrowful expressions during his solo dance

(Suh Hyun-Woo’s expression during solo dance.jpg)

While “Red Rouge” had received great feedback, I felt relieved seeing the positive reactions to “Ario 愛” because it was a song I personally put a lot of effort into writing. Despite being a wonderful song, it was softer and more mellow compared to the title track “Red Rouge.” I liked it, but I was worried about how the Rings would receive it.

As I scrolled down, I saw more comments from Rings who had watched both “Ario 愛” and “Red Rouge” on the broadcast.

- This is the best example of what happens when a CEO (a.k.a. the Photo Album) truly believes in an artist’s musical talent and star potential, providing unwavering support. Other agencies should learn from this.

It seemed our first broadcast had already become legendary among the Rings.