Chapter 456: What Should We Do From Now On (20)

"The Promise" stood out as distinctly different from Eden's usual songs. It was a ballad that would seamlessly fit into an album of mine or Chronos as it had a timbre and essence that aligned more with our style.

If it reminded people of anything, it would be "Once Again," a heartfelt piece gifted by Joo-Han. Though it may seem out of place in Eden's discography, its inclusion on the setlist was inevitable since I was the one behind its composition.

♪ As the horizon unfolds before me,

Each of us walking our own paths

I can't see you,

But I know how you feel

Having already danced and shown a variety of performances, the audience's immersion was not significantly disrupted even when the mood of the songs suddenly changed. I was not used to composing, but I managed to create a really credible and good song with Reina's help. Using a large screen to enhance the immersion while singing also proved to be a masterstroke.

♪ Though we can’t meet,

I hope with all my heart,

We find happiness

As promised,

My dear old friend.

As the song concluded, the melody of the accompaniment subtly shifted.

"Huh?" A murmur rippled through the crowd when some people recognized the familiar tune. It was a melody both nostalgic and novel. The audience, particularly the Rings, quickly caught on that this was the introduction to "Once Again." To be exact, it was a token from Elated’s Joo-Han that I had artfully woven into the arrangement.

Though I couldn't express it outright, the song conveyed my earnest intentions. As the last note lingered, I scanned the sea of faces before me. The debut performance of "The Promise" had been a resounding success, as it thankfully resonated well with the audience.

"Thank you." I bowed my head in appreciation and began to explain the song briefly. "This song was written while thinking about my past colleagues."

When I said this, the audience probably thought of the Sequence members and other colleagues who had quit back when they were trainees.

"Though it’s now hard to see these friends of mine, we made a promise before parting ways that we would become happy someday."

It had always been a challenge to find true happiness with the members of Elated. Oftentimes, we could only manage to repeatedly tell each other "Let's stay happy" because it was too hard to actually show it.

"Even though we've each taken our own paths, we made a promise to find happiness without having regrets. Now, as I stand here alone performing, I recall that promise."

Memories of the last time I saw the Elated members unexpectedly brought a smile to my face.

"I’m actually very happy right now. I’m keeping our promise, and I hope they are too. Yes, I crafted this song in hopes that you all might find as much happiness as I have."

I paused to gather my emotions before continuing to watch the audience's reaction as the live performances flowed seamlessly.

When it was time for the final performance, I introduced the band and dancers who had shared the stage with me today. Then, I stepped back into the spotlight.

"Yesterday, we mixed lively dancing with a calm finale. While many of your reviews mentioned being moved to tears or enjoying the performance, only a few mentioned having fun."

There were fun elements like the dance parts and surprise guests, but because we ended with a melancholic and quiet song, the reactions of the people didn’t quite reflect that fun. This was rather disappointing. So, this time, I intentionally arranged the setlist with brighter and more joyful songs toward the end.

"This setlist was prepared hoping to see many 'fun' reviews."

But no matter how hard we tried to lift the mood, a hint of sadness in the final remarks was inevitable.

"Today marks the last day of Eden’s concerts. I am immensely grateful to all of you who came to see my performance, as I am to our band, the dancers, and all the staff who worked tirelessly to make this concert a success, especially Producer Reina. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all."

It was a concert that came together through the efforts of countless people. With so many to thank, my closing speech almost turned into an award acceptance speech. Since it felt like giving a speech, there were still others I had to mention, who would feel terribly overlooked if I didn't.

"My family and, most importantly, my group members who really took care of everything during the concert preparations, they all helped me so much to keep my sanity."

Due to Eden's concept, I hadn't mentioned this until now.

"This concert has truly made me more grateful in many ways. Thank you very much."

The cheers and applause filled the air.

I bowed once more to the fans and began the last song before the encore. The final song was "Sending My Heart," a track from Eden's first album.

♪ On a quiet night,

I gaze upon your sleeping face

Do you know my love for you?

I hope you realize how much I love you

It was a soothing song with lyrics that subtly expressed gratitude, perfectly aligning with the tranquil night. The lyrics appeared on the large screen behind me, which synchronized with the melody.

Our team affectionately called it Eden's Fan Song, and I wondered if the fans were aware of it. I had never explicitly stated it was a song for fans, but I believed the lyrics alone had conveyed my feelings adequately.

Just before this song, the atmosphere had reached its peak, and the floor was drenched with confetti. This left a lingering effect that hadn't faded at all. Everything I saw and heard while singing this piece was beautiful. I sang with all my emotions until the dim lights brightened once more, and only then did I truly realize the concert had ended.

I stood quietly while looking at the fans, then smiled with gratitude. "Thank you very much."

I stepped down from the stage with a broad smile. The exhilaration hadn't faded. Of course, there was still the encore to come...

As I approached the behind-the-scenes camera, I muttered. "Wow, this is really fun. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this excited. There’s a different kind of thrill from a Chronos concert—"

"Eden! We need to get ready for the encore!"

"Okay!" Regrettably, I couldn’t finish my thought and hurried off to the waiting room for the encore. It felt like the slightest touch might bring me to tears. That was how happy I was. The experience of leading the entire concert solo was something I would never forget.

***

"Good job, Hyun-Woo."

As I opened the car door right after the concert, Joo-Han was there to greet me. I was startled not just by his sudden appearance, but more so by how haggard his face had become.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really... I felt bad for missing your concert, so I came to pick you up."

"Have you been sleeping well?"

"Not really, but... Anyway, get in."

I got into the car and looked again at Joo-Han's face. "Is writing the Christmas song really that hard?"

"It's tough, but I'm managing now." He reassured me by handing me a coffee and leaning back in his seat exhaustedly. "I just managed to send it over to the company before coming here."

"So, are you done with work now?"

"Technically, yeah." Joo-Han sighed deeply. The bags under his eyes were dark. He was clearly drained, given by the way he was drinking his coffee as if it were his lifeline. "I swear, I’m never writing a carol again."

"Yeah... Fair enough."

Right now, Joo-Han's expression was that of a completely drained office worker.

"This one is Su-Hwan hyung’s first project as the head of the label, so I just did whatever he asked of me." His tone and choice of words become rougher by the second. "I am never doing this again. I’d much rather work alone. It's far less stressful. This is just-"

"..."

I silently straightened my head and faced forward. Well, he had to speak clearly. Whether he was collaborating or working solo, he drove himself to the brink of exhaustion.

Joo-Han didn't seem to expect a response, so he continued in a casual manner. "So, there’s only a week left until the carol recording. Since the concert is over, take some time to recuperate, and memorize the lyrics."

"...A week? Alright, got it."

The lyrics wouldn’t be extensive, being for a collective performance by all of the label artists. I expected my part to be one or two lines.

"Ah, right. You've been assigned an important part. There are quite a few duet sections, so you will need to listen to the guides and practice regularly."

"A duet? With who?"

"Who do you think?" Joo-Han gave me a look as if the answer should be obvious.

"Goh Yoo-Joon?"

"No, Kun-Ho hyung."

"What do you mean 'who do you think?’ It’s a duet with someone I didn’t even consider."

"The label picked him because he is the most popular. That’s what Supervisor Kim told me. It’s good. You were supposed to sing a duet with him at the label concert anyway. Consider it a teaser."

I wearily watched Joo-Han speak, then nodded as if I understood everything. A duet for part D of the Christmas song wasn’t much of a burden.

"Phew, so now the Christmas song is next on our schedule." I turned my head toward the opposite window and exhaled.

The concert was over. Although there was still a shoot with Bearview left, today marked the end of Eden’s activities. Soon, I would be diving into end-of-year preparations.

In the quiet car, both of us were tired. Joo-Han glanced at a distant building and then patted my back. "Hyun-Woo, hang in there."

Near the concert venue was the studio setup for Bearview’s

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channel shoot. Soon, the car parked in front of the studio. Tae-Seong and I got out together, while Joo-Han, who had only stopped by briefly, returned to the dorms with the road manager.

I watched the car disappear and then looked up at the shooting studio.

"Ugh, what is this?"

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

A banner emblazoned with 'Welcome! My Muse! My Love! Suh Hyun-Woo!' covered the entire building, blatantly announcing it was Bearview’s

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shooting studio. From a distance, I could see Bearview, dressed dramatically, rushing toward us with a camera crew.