Chapter 67: Chronos History (11)

It was well past 2 AM by the time Jin-Sung and I managed to smooth things over and exchange a few words. A lingering bittersweetness filled the air as we finally called it a night, but we had wrapped up everything that needed to be addressed.

The next day, all the members, the choreographer, and the team staff collectively agreed to lower the difficulty of the choreography during the chorus while opting for more eye-catching movements.

Time wasn't on our side, as we had roughly three days to master it. Despite the tight schedule, a marathon practice session ensured that we were ready with a polished routine for the music video.

A week after the tiff with Jin-Sung, I found myself back in the salon chair, bracing against the familiar sting of bleaching. “Noona, I seriously can't endure this anymore."

“Is it too painful? Burning, right?" asked the stylist. Shuddering, I nodded, and the stylist checked my hair before nodding in agreement. “Let's go wash it out."

Since there hadn't been any stage performances, I had let my black hair grow out. The agony of getting my hair dyed for the music video was intense, but seeing the final result somewhat eased the pain.

“Hyun-Woo, you really suit any color. I realized that the first time you dyed your hair, and Hae-Ri's eye for color is exceptional." My hair, freshly stripped of its old dye, was now ash purple. Park Yoon-Chan went for a wine red, while Joo-Han stuck with his color.

“But hyung," asked Joo-Han

“Yeah?" our manager answered.

“Don't you think all of our costumes are quite different from each other?" Joo-Han's question elicited a confirming nod from our exhausted manager, who had been busy with his phone. “Exactly. It’s all part of the music video's concept. I'll fill you in on the details at the site."

Joo-Han wore a casual shirt, Jin-Sung was in a tidy uniform, Park Yoon-Chan sported a school uniform, Goh Yoo-Joon was in a suit, and I wore a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, paired with bronze-colored suspender pants, exuding a handmade watchmaker vibe. Each outfit was wildly different, reflecting the group's diverse concept, yet there was a lack of coherence overall.

The team mentioned that they invested a considerable amount of effort, especially considering it was our first music video. It seemed to be a narrative-driven piece, aligning with the song's universe rather than focusing solely on choreography.

Beside me, Jin-Sung was enthusiastically snapping pictures with the group phone, particularly fond of the fake scars on his cheeks and his uniform. I said, “You're going to be a hit once you get your own social media. You really love yourself, don't you?"

Jin-Sung shot me a glare. “Celebrities are supposed to crave attention. Come here, hyung. Let's take a photo and put it on

BlueBird

."

Just then, our manager swiftly intervened and grabbed the phone. “No, that's not allowed. Planning to leak spoilers without permission?"

“Alright, I'll just take pictures instead of uploading them. Can we post them after the concept's revealed?" asked Jin-Sung. Hearing this, the manager reluctantly handed the phone back. Jin-Sung then pulled me in for several more shots, showcasing his flair for diverse expressions and poses.

“Time to head out!" Following the manager’s command, the members and staff hurried to the cars. Given the larger group, we split into two vehicles, but the presence of cameras still added to the cramped feeling.

- It's been a while since we've seen you all dressed up.

After the cameraman commented, I responded with a bashful chuckle and a nod. “Yeah, it’s been since the

Pick We Up

days. Feels kind of strange."

- You look fantastic. The fans will definitely adore this look.

“Really? We are working hard, hoping they'll like it."

- So, have you and Jin-Sung made up?

The cameraman's question caught me off guard, causing my bashful smile to vanish. I glanced at the camera in bewilderment, then the cameraman awaited my response with a sly grin as if he knew what had happened. “We didn't... actually fight."

“Don’t lie!" Goh Yoo-Joon leaned in, invading the frame. “Come on, you and Jin-Sung were crying together after that practice room incident. Right?"

“What? That’s not true! Don't spread rumors!"

- Did you two really cry that day?

I shook my head vehemently, denying Goh Yoo-Joon's embellished tale. Yoo-Joon then added, “I woke up because it was loud that night. It seemed like they were making up, so I stayed out of it."

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

“I didn't cry. It was Jin-Sung who did."

“Ah, hyung!"

“

Waaah!

Hyung, your way with words,

waaah!

I knew about it!" Joo-Han mimicked Jin-Sung from the passenger seat, setting off a wave of laughter among the manager and other members.

“Ah, that’s enough. Even you, Joo-Han hyung.” I shot a blaming look at the cameraman. “You knew all this time...” The director had mentioned that he would use that footage for a pre-release clip, yet they still dredged it up to tease me. They were a

bit

mean,

tsk

tsk

.

“Anyway, I have decided not to fight with Hyun-Woo hyung anymore. It really upset me.”

“Yeah, we are best friends now.”

Then Goh Yoo-Joon chimed in, “Umm... Writer Song, when's our pre-release clip going live?"

It had been a while since our initial shoot, and the release schedule was expected to be tight, aiming to capitalize on the remaining popularity of

Pick We Up

. Director Lee Won-Jae, famed for his timeliness, probably had something ready for release. However, despite his apparent satisfaction after the amusement park shoot, there was still no news about our preview.

The writer looked at her phone and then flashed a sly grin. “We are in the middle of editing. We should see about two episodes drop within a week. I'll ping In-Hyun once they're up."

“What’s in them?"

“Yeah, what’s the content?" The members fired questions, and the writer shrugged nonchalantly. “How would I know? Only Director Lee and the editors know about it. However, don’t stress out. Director Lee has a knack for making everything entertaining."

“Remember the ‘Red Riding Hood Cha-Cha’ video? That was epic."

“Hyung, did you see that thumbnail?"

“Is it the one with the text 'I'm Serious Now?’" Goh Yoo-Joon and Jin-Sung burst into laughter.

‘Fine. I will let you have fun teasing me.’

The teasing about the “Red Riding Hood Cha-Cha” thumbnail had been ongoing for months, coming from the members, my family, and even Team D members, so it hardly fazed me anymore.

“We're nearly there. Cover up with blankets as you get out, just in case."

“Got it."

“Whoa, check out that building. It's massive!" Goh Yoo-Joon gawked at a colossal gray structure outside the window, and our manager chuckled through the rearview mirror. “That's where you'll be shooting. The company went all out, so you'll be blown away once inside."

The car came to a halt, and the following vehicle's staff quickly got off, busy doing their jobs. Our stylists distributed blankets quickly and gathered their belongings. Joo-Han instructed, “Let’s move fast so we don't delay the stylists."

We exited the car and followed the staff into the building, an imposing concrete structure that looked like it could be brimming with dust. Inside, we opened a huge door to a space buzzing with the sounds of hammering and drilling. A crew member spotted us and called out, “Chronos has arrived!"

Despite their welcome, we found ourselves rooted in awe. “No wonder our costumes are so mismatched..." The sheer scale of the setup was mind-blowing. We stood there, gaping, endlessly marveling at the sight. “Wow... Incredible... Seeing this in person is unreal. Isn’t it, guys?"

“All this, just for us?"

Inside the vast studio were five distinctively themed areas, each room grand and imposing, matching the vastness of the studio. It finally became clear to us why our costumes were so diverse.

“Chronos, over here, please!" After soaking in the scene, a staff ushered us toward the director.

“One, two, three! Hello, we're Chronos. Thank you in advance!" As we introduced ourselves, the director’s stern expression melted into a kind smile. “Oh, you’re here? I’ve been following your show. You’ve all been doing wonderfully."

“Thank you!"

“You guys are taller and better-looking in real life. I am looking forward to working with you today. Go over there to get updates on the MV’s details.”

The shooting concept was like this: there was a world where the realms of fantasy and contemporary life intertwined. Each of us was from different worlds and became aware of the others through a unique connection. In this story, Joo-Han and Jin-Sung hailed from a fantasy realm, while Goh Yoo-Joon and Park Yoon-Chan resided in the modern era. My role was to be the conduit linking these divergent worlds.

“We decided to call the setting the Chronos Universe," the team elaborated. It was a distinctive universe for Chronos that would be gradually unveiled across multiple albums.

Goh Yoo-Joon expressed his awe in a low voice. “I always thought only the big labels undertook such grand concepts." The notion of a group universe symbolized the agency's robust support and the group's potential to carry out such an extensive project. The success of

Pick We Up

had indeed opened doors for us.

“During our time with Allure, we wished for something like this, but it wasn't feasible. However, your triumph in

Pick We Up

and the ensuing momentum swayed Supervisor Kim to persuade the company's head.”

“That's incredible. I'm literally getting goosebumps," Goh Yoo-Joon responded. The fruits of our hard work were manifesting promptly, a befitting reward for the members who had been toiling since the competition's end.

“Alright, let's start the shooting! Joo-Han, you're starting in Area A." With Joo-Han engaged in his scene, the rest of us had some downtime. We either observed the filming, horsed around in front of the camera, or indulged in snacks set aside for us while we waited.

Jin-Sung was engrossed in taking photos with Park Yoon-Chan, using the manager's phone. After spending some time with Jin-Sung, Goh Yoo-Joon approached me with his playful banter. “Hey, Suh Hyun-Woo, Mr. Hyun-Woo~."

I reproved him, “Sit still! Or else, how will you keep up with the group dance later?"

He whined, “But I'm bored, Mr. Hyun-Woo~."

“Shut up," I insisted, pulling him down onto the chair beside me. Although I was a nineteen-year-old boy, my mindset was more like a leisure-loving office worker in my twenties.

He quietened down for a bit and then resumed his playful demeanor, so I shouted, "Director, look at him! He's lost his 'sigh man' image!"

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

As I tried to fend off Goh Yoo-Joon's light-hearted punches, he suddenly straightened up. “Why so low on energy already?" I remained silent, my gaze fixed on Joo-Han, who was in a room bathed in violet light, playing a clear glass piano beneath a grand chandelier.