Chapter 471: What Should We Do From Now On (35)

Unlike the tense atmosphere backstage, singing with Kun-Ho felt like a breath of fresh air. His gentle gaze seemed to reassure me, saying it was okay to make mistakes. His voice also guided me effortlessly.

I decided to let go of some of my tension. Although it was a dream to share the stage with a senior I looked up to, this was also a song we sang at a joint concert for everyone. All I had to do was enjoy the moment.

As we harmonized and immersed ourselves in the song, Kun-Ho's playful eyes suddenly signaled me to come closer.

‘Huh?’

I widened my eyes and approached him. He gestured for me to wave in a certain direction. Even before looking, I knew where he was pointing. It was a spot I had already noticed and been happy about during the opening. It was where Hee-Su and other friends were sitting.

I turned my head to greet them with Kun-Ho, and I couldn't help but smile. They had always been so supportive, and seeing them there was heartwarming.

"Pfft, oh."

That sound was picked up by the microphone, and the fans started to laugh. Not because of my voice, but because my friends’ faces were clearly shown on the big screen. It was impossible not to laugh.

Hee-Su was holding up a Chronos slogan and was completely engrossed in the performance, while Joon-Hwan was covering his face in embarrassment. Lee Cheol-Min was shaking his head as if Hee-Su was ridiculous and avoided looking. Daniele was excitedly waving at the camera.

Hee-Su, who had always shown interest in Chronos, had apparently ended up buying our merchandise. I quickly turned my gaze away from him and the others. The Rings laughed again at my reaction, but I pretended not to notice and tried to finish the song in a serious manner.

However, that didn't go as planned because Kun-Ho was swayed by the friends’ antics. Anyway, the "Goodbye Snow" performance ended smoothly.

"Hyun-Woo, great job."

"Thank you."

Kun-Ho patted me on the back and asked the fans for applause while I bowed to the audience and left the stage.

"Thank you! Well done!"

As soon as I came down from the stage, Jeong Gyu-Chan, the announcer in charge of the talk session of this joint concert, appeared. He had been frequently seen at YMM events since our debut showcase, and he seemed like a fixed host for YMM events by now.

Goh Yoo-Joon had been watching the performance from backstage, and approached me as soon as I walked down the stairs.

"Hey, you did well. It was great."

He was also a big fan of Kun-Ho, and must have felt special seeing his idol and friend share the stage.

"Well, I messed up at the end because I made eye contact with the others," I said.

"You didn’t mess up at all," Goh Yoo-Joon said. "You were great. Ah, capturing emotions and laughs! Professional indeed!"

I shook my head at Goh Yoo-Joon’s teasing and watched Kun-Ho’s interview. Since Kun-Ho’s performance was the last stage of the first part, we had time to leisurely watch the concert.

"Wow, Kun-Ho. I usually enjoy listening to your songs," the host Jeong Gyu-Chan said.

"Thank you."

"Your songs are like a staple of playlists! Everyone seems to love them."

"Really?"

"There are many songs that must be included in the concert’s playlist. Today, we had a wonderful time listening to Kun-Ho’s symbolic songs live."

As Jeong Gyu-Chan said, Kun-Ho’s songs were indeed a staple in playlists. Since his group disbanded and he began releasing solo albums, he had released many popular and melodious tracks, including movie and TV show soundtracks. Therefore, many of his songs were likely to be on people’s playlists all over the country.

"Especially today, the performance that left an impression was the one you just did with Hyun-woo, ‘Goodbye Snow.’ What are your thoughts about performing together again?"

"Yes, Hyun-Woo and I have quite a connection. The way we keep running into each other feels like destiny."

"Oh, that's interesting. Even after

Graduating,

seeing you maintain this strong bond is really wonderful for us fans. So, was it decided just like that for the concert? To try singing together?"

Kun-Ho playfully used a dialect, mimicking the manner of announcer Jeong Kyu-Chan. "Exactly! Since we don't get many chances to perform together, why not make good use of this opportunity?"

Jeong Kyu-chan continued with a beaming smile. "It’s such a great honor for me to be at YMM Entertainment's first joint concert. Kun-Ho, how are you enjoying it? Could you please share how you are feeling right now?"

"How I’m feeling right now? I’m really enjoying my time and I feel quite relaxed."

"Oh, relaxed too? Why do you feel that way?"

Kun-Ho paused. He reflected before answering. "Perhaps it's because of the sense of belonging? While the stage is exhilarating, it’s this feeling of doing something with family that brings a fresh and nostalgic joy. I miss the old days."

"You miss that?"

"Yes, I was just reminiscing with our juniors backstage." Kun-Ho gestured toward the backstage, his expression tinged with a mix of pride and longing. "It turns out all my juniors are now part of groups."

Ah...

His fans let out a chorus of sighs. It was a bittersweet acknowledgment of his words.

"...Why the long faces, everyone?" Kun-Ho asked his fans, baffled yet amused. "Everything is alright, no?" he asked, and laughter rippled through the crowd.

Even though his group had disbanded, the bond with his fans filled the void of loneliness. Having been together for so long, they now shared a comfort resembling that of friends or family.

"Anyway, it's quite unusual. While there are many groups where this isn’t the case, our juniors seem to have formed incredibly strong bonds among themselves."

"Ah, right. The groups at YMM are particularly close-knit."

"Maybe it's because they've been friends since their trainee days. There's a strong sense of camaraderie, and watching them reminds me a lot of my time as a trainee. Seeing them dance and sing with such passion brings back memories of when I was just like them."

When the interview turned to discussing group dynamics, Jeong Gyu-Chan’s expression shifted to one of mischief. I couldn't help but laugh upon seeing his familiar playful look.

Having been on the receiving end of Jeong Gyu-Chan’s playful interrogations several times before, I knew what that expression meant. It was the look he reserved for moments when he was about to make a request that would fluster the interviewee.

Unaware of this playful trap, Kun-Ho was still steeped in nostalgia. Jeong Gyu-Chan seized the moment as expected and asked, "Just missing those days isn't enough, though. Right, everyone?"

"What?" Kun-Ho fell right into Jeong Gyu-Chan's playful trap.

Noticing this, Goh Yoo-Joon placed his hand on my shoulder and signaled our upcoming role. "Hey, get ready to step in."

"Did you see this coming and decided to stick around just for this?"

"Maybe? Kinda?" Goh Yoo-Joon grinned and started warming up with some old dance moves. It was the choreography from one of Kun-Ho's iconic hits during his idol days.

"Well, then,” Jeong Gyu-Chan continued, “Let's seize this chance to revisit some old memories. Now, Kun-Ho. Do you remember the choreographies and songs from the old days?"

"...Pardon me?" Kun-Ho looked at Jeong Gyu-Chan with a mix of disbelief and amusement before reluctantly nodding. "Well, yeah? We practiced so much, so I might at least remember the choruses."

"Shall we see it right now?"

"...Are you serious?"

"Staff! Do we have the track ready?"

"You didn't conspire with Supervisor Kim about this, did you?"

"Supervisor Kim? What are you talking about?"

Kun-Ho shot Jeong Gyu-Chan a suspicious glance. It made sense, considering Supervisor Kim had hinted during rehearsal that he might coax Kun-Ho into performing that choreography.

Jeong Gyu-Chan shrugged and feigned ignorance. "Who knows?"

"Ha! I knew something was up!" Despite his incredulity, Kun-Ho chuckled and stood up, ready to dance.

"Ooooohhh!!!" The fans erupted with anticipation, and their voices were heard all over the venue.

A staff member brushed past us, giving Jeong Gyu-Chan the okay signal.

"Yes! The track is ready. I don’t know which one, though. Hmm! Anyway, this will be a real treat for the fans. Shall we?"

"Yes. But, really, I might have forgotten it."

"Oh no, no backing out now. Let’s have the music!"

As Kun-Ho stood waiting for the song to start, Goh Yoo-Joon and I quizzed the nearby staff in unison. "Which song are you guys going to play?"

"What’s the name of the track?"

"Can we join him on stage?"

"Can we dance behind him?"

"Uh, yes?"

Amidst the momentarily flustered staff, Su-Hwan approached us, visibly tired. "The track is ‘Circle,’ and yes, you can go out and dance. But hold off just a bit. Let Kun-Ho take the stage solo first."

He spoke to us with a knowing smile, then gently nudged us forward for a better view.

"Ah, ‘Circle.’ That’s the..."

"Yeah, that's the song from our first group evaluation."

Soon, the iconic song "Circle" from Kun-Ho's days as a group member reverberated throughout the venue.

"Ah! This song!" Jeong Gyu-Chan’s enthusiastic exclamation was met with cheers from fans who were thrilled by the nostalgic tune. Kun-Ho began to dance softly, his face lighting up with a gentle smile.

Meanwhile, Goh Yoo-Joon was practically bouncing on his toes, ready to burst onto the stage.

Just then, a desperate shout came from behind. "Hey, hyungs! Wait for me! I want in too!"

When I turned around, I saw Jin-Sung hurriedly making his way toward us.