Chapter 472: What Should We Do From Now On (36)

Kun-Ho nonchalantly began dancing. Each step seemed tentative as he was dredging up the choreography from the recesses of his memory. The song was an old favorite, and while bits and pieces sporadically floated back to him, there was a palpable sense of him questioning whether he got the moves right.

As he fumbled through the intro with uncertainty in his footing, everything clicked when his part started playing. Suddenly, his movements were fluid and confident. This was a testament to muscle memory kicking in flawlessly. It was as if the years had peeled back, and he was once again the performer from those earlier days.

During this brief interlude of nostalgia, a staff member gently nudged us toward the stage's wings. "It's time for you to go up now!"

"Got it, thank you!" Jin-Sung grabbed Goh Yoo-Joon’s and my hands with his infectious energy, then led a swift charge onto the stage. Our arrival seemed to electrify the air by intensifying the crowd's cheers into a roaring cacophony.

"What? Why the surprise?"

The unexpected escalation in fan fervor caught Kun-Ho off guard. This prompted him to turn and laugh—a big, hearty laughter that could be heard between the beats of the music. We couldn't help but mirror his joy. Our smiles were broad and genuine as we took our places behind him, seamlessly blending into the dance.

This was our cue, our moment to shine alongside a legend.

♪ Now is the time!

Our turn to step up.

This is hot

With a single strike,

Drive out the darkness!

"Circle" had been a massive hit in our youth. It still held its ground with its energetic lyrics and dynamic choreography, seemingly crafted to dominate any stage across the globe.

"Wow! Oh! Wow, you’re doing great! Really great!"

The shouts came from all around as we nailed the choreography, which we had practiced to the point of perfection. We synced effortlessly in a visual symphony of movement.

"Chronos has joined us out of nowhere, but... Hey, why are they so good? Better than the original, better than even Kun-Ho?" Jeong Gyu-Chan shouted in excitement.

"Ahaha!" Laughter bubbled up from the crowd and mingled with the beats.

It seemed that the sudden intrusion turned into a delightful event, thanks to Kun-Ho enjoying the cheers of the fans and the antics of the juniors.

"How can you remember all this? I think I forgot almost everything," Kun-Ho admitted, his tone a mix of amazement and bemusement.

Of course we remembered. It was merely one of his many songs to him, but it was an anthem we had adored, emulated, and danced to countless times in our rooms while dreaming of stages just like this one.

"Yeah!" Jin-Sung rallied the crowd as the song wound down. We bowed gratefully, first to the fans who had fueled our dreams, and then to Jeong Gyu-Chan and Kun-Ho before making our way off the stage.

"Thank you!" we chorused.

It felt like we had stormed through and left a wake of energy and nostalgia behind.

"Feels like a storm just passed. What was all that?"

"We need to call them back and talk about this, don’t we?"

"Should we? Just a moment please." Jeong Gyu-Chan peered backstage where a staff member was signaling a definitive NO with crossed arms. "Ah, unfortunately, the Chronos members can't come back because they’re preparing for the next performance."

"What? Were they really just here to dance?" Kun-Ho's voice carried a mix of bewilderment and amusement, sparking another wave of laughter from the audience.

Indeed, our sole intent had been to dance and to revel in the moment. However, now we were being ushered back to the waiting room.

"No time! Eat quickly and change your clothes," a staff member directed. We had thought there'd be a lull after Kun-Ho's stage, but the backstage was a flurry of activity, pushing us to prepare for what was next.

The first performance of the second part would be held by Allure. Immediately after that, there was a joint performance by three other groups.

***

The second part of the concert began with Allure's iconic "Goblin."

"I never thought I'd hear this song again."

𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"It used to be a staple at our end-of-month evaluations."

"Right. There's no trainee from YMM who hasn't tackled ‘Goblin.’"

"Hyun-Woo was the last, wasn't he?"

As Chronos and Sequence members gathered backstage and watched the seniors take the stage, we shared their thoughts for the cameras while reminiscing and half-wishing "Goblin" was part of our joint performance. But experiencing it live in its original glory performed by Allure felt profoundly right. They were made to perform this song on their own.

Lost in the performance, I barely noticed Joo-Han tapping my back. "Hyun-Woo, don't just watch. Come here."

He pulled me back to the present. It seemed I had been swept up in the spectacle without even realizing it.

Joo-Han gathered everyone from Chronos and Sequence, creating a bustling circle of excited chatter and shared laughter. Seeing us gathered in a circle, Supervisor Kim and the staff shared a conversation filled with laughter.

"It's so crowded here!"

"Hahaha!"

"It's really been a long time since I've seen them like this."

"I’m getting a bit emotional."

We exchanged glances, each of us overwhelmed with emotion. Here we were, together, in this very moment that seemed almost surreal. It was true that not all of us were here, but seeing how once disheveled trainees were now gathered in triumph was nothing short of remarkable. We had all given up on our dream and carved out our own paths before I regressed in time, yet here we were again, reunited.

As the members came together with hands joined in solidarity, Joo-Han said, "Alright, let's stick to the original!"

"Let’s!"

"Ace this!"

"Yay!"

"Yes!"

The unified cheers of Chronos and Sequence echoed through the air, earning a round of applause from the staff.

The Sequence manager was caught off guard by the seamless cheer. He turned to Supervisor Kim before exclaiming, "I thought this cheer was something the Sequence kids just came up with. Was it actually from their trainee days?"

Supervisor Kim responded with a warm nod. His face reflected both pride and nostalgia. "Yes, they’ve been using it since they were trainees. It started as 'Let's debut!' but would later change to 'Let’s do well!' or 'Don’t make mistakes!' whenever things got tough."

"Chronos still uses that cheer," Tae-Seong added. Sequence’s manager widened his eyes as if he couldn’t believe it.

"That’s right," Supervisor Kim continued, "It’s a tradition they’ve all adopted. These days Chronos often says 'Be careful!' since they tend to get injured frequently."

Despite some members feeling that Supervisor Kim viewed us more as financial assets than artists, he undoubtedly knew us better than anyone. His journey with us was extensive. He had been there from the beginning of our trainee days until now.

After rallying together, Chronos and Sequence members shouted their respective cheers once more. We did it a bit quieter this time, and shouted group-specific clusters with our staff members joining in the camaraderie.

"Let’s!"

"Be careful!"

This was Chronos' rallying cry for the day.

"Let’s!"

"Win!"

And this was the spirited call of Sequence, a cheer full of the raw energy typical of unscarred newcomers. We were uncertain of exactly what they were winning, but we fired up all the same.

Moments later, the stage for Allure's "Goblin" darkened, which signaled the end of the performance. The abrupt blackout stirred a murmur among the fans, and amidst this, Team Oldbie hastened onto the stage. As Team Newbie of Allure made their descent, akin to passing a baton...

"Kyaaaaa!!!"

The fans erupted in cheers, despite the lingering darkness. They could instantly recognize the changed lineup. The ones who ascended and those who remained were Team Oldbie, the ones who had endured being trainees for the longest time.

On the giant screen above, the term

Oldbie

flashed, revealing the name of this sub-group.

As the lights flared back on, the performance reignited without delay. The first stage of our joint performance was "Moon Sea," specifically the invigorating

Pick We Up

version of the song.

♪ Moonlight shining on the black sea

Da-Win sang the opening verse. For Perfumes, this stage was the premiere of a remixed and unfamiliar version of "Moon Sea." It was a nostalgic treat. For Rings, it was a long-awaited revisit to a beloved performance.

***

"Wow, this is insane. This... this is too much. I can't handle it. Aaaaahhhh!!!"

It was inevitable that the audience would erupt in cheers upon seeing the new lineup. Kim Go-Ri and Kim Hyang-Su became one in spirit and started to chant loudly in unison.

Black sea! Illuminated by the moon! Allure is beautiful!

Black moon! Reflected in the sea! Chronos is beautiful!

When "Moon Sea" was first released, there was no concept of company-crafted cheering chants. It was up to the fan clubs to devise their own chants, practice, and deploy them during performances.

Although these chants were embarrassingly over-the-top to the point of making even Allure blush back in the day, they now perfectly expressed the passion of Perfumes and Rings. It was a stage they had longed to see again, a combination they had dreamed of witnessing.

True to their word, having practiced together countless times during their trainee days, the coordination of Team Oldbie while performing "Moon Sea" was impeccably synchronized. Despite significant differences in age and years since debut, the disparity in their experiences was evident. However, they melded together seamlessly, as if they were one single group.

♪ Black sea

‘Bed? Beeeeed!? YMM knows the fans too well.’

This was what all the fans were thinking at that moment.

After moving the idol groups to a label, their performances became more intense. The company seemed to have a profound understanding of what stirred the fans’ hearts.

Perfumes and Rings were bustling with excitement. Perfumes were especially utterly captivated by the more ethereal and intense remix of the competition compared to the original, unleashing cries of overwhelming appreciation.

♪ I will leave you in the water

Meanwhile, all eyes from the Rings were firmly on Suh Hyun-Woo. "Moon Sea" was practically synonymous with Suh Hyun-Woo to them.

The legendary stage that first etched Suh Hyun-Woo into the public's memory had him sing the beginning of the song while lying down on a bed. Rings had longed to see this performance again, they

really

wanted to see it...

‘This guy is no longer simply adorable, but incredibly hot now!!!’

His maturity and the added layers of experience only amplified his impact on stage.

"Insane, Suh Hyun-Woo!! That... that gaze!!"

Rings could do nothing but effusive praise and shout about his commanding presence.