Second Try Idol

Chapter 158: End-of-Year Stage (28)

Darkness had descended over the venue, and the only source of light was the flickering light sticks held by the fans. Anticipation filled the air, with the hum of whispered speculations drowning out the cheers. Everyone could see the Rings’ excitement, as they fixed their gazes on the colossal screen, their hearts racing with the thrill of the unknown performance.

In the shadows, the silhouettes of dancers quietly moved and set the stage for the spectacle to unfold.

Impatience bubbled up amongst the crowd, and their voices blended into a chorus of eager pleas. “Start the fucking stage! The suspense is killing us!"

Da-dum. Da-dum!

As Kim Go-Ri’s anticipation reached its peak, a deep, resonating drumbeat vibrated through the venue, its pulse echoing in the chests of every spectator. As the drumbeats thundered, the giant screen came alive and mirrored the rhythm with bursts of white smoke that danced in the air.

“What? What is this? What's happening?" The audience was wrapped in an exquisite tension, as they saw a delightful prelude to the impending performance.

The drumming had filled the air with its rhythmic pattern, gradually fading and leaving a charged silence in its wake.

‘Are they coming out now?’ Everyone leaned in with bated breath, waiting for the moment to break.

Instead, a sudden, ear-splitting crack of thunder shattered the silence and sent a ripple of murmurs through the darkened venue.

After the thunderclap's echo dissipated, a hush fell once more, and a solitary spotlight pierced the darkness, converging on the center stage to reveal Kang Joo-Han.

“Kyaaaaaak!”

He was sitting gracefully next to a transparent glass piano straight out of the "Parade" music video. When the fans saw this, a collective gasp followed by thunderous applause erupted from them. Yet, Kang Joo-Han remained undistracted with his fingers poised over the piano keys. They embraced a soulful rendition that captivated every heart in the room.

“This is unreal... It's ‘Once Again’...” Kim Go-Ri murmured under her breath, barely audible over the crescendo of cheers. She was careful not to let her own voice disrupt the enchantment of Kang Joo-Han's piano solo.

As Kang Joo-Han concluded the iconic MV part, he cast his gaze upward. With that, the spotlight dimmed and shifted to the main stage, which was now bathed in light.

There, Lee Jin-Sung was taking the center spot, surrounded by Goh Yoo-Joon and Park Yoon-Chan who were all adorned in lace and jewels. Their attires were a striking contrast to those of the dancers. This part was known for its high-energy, fast-paced choreography, but it seemed to have been transformed.

Now, the dancers flawlessly executed a sequence of fluid, harmonious movements choreographed to the innovative piano arrangement of "Parade." Each movement was distinct yet perfectly synchronized, showcasing the masterful reimagination of the choreography, which left Kim Go-Ri in awe of the creativity.

As the performance unfolded, Kim Go-Ri soon recognized that this segment was intended to transition to Suh Hyun-Woo as the centerpiece. However, Lee Jin-Sung and the dancers skillfully adapted in his absence. Their movements conveyed a sense of being puppeteered before elegantly clearing the stage with a roll to the side.

Then, the music came to a sudden halt. ‘One, two, three.’ As Kim Go-Ri silently counted, Goh Yoo-Joon's voice softly filled the air and weaved a spell over the audience.

Let the sky fall

Let the sky fall

Let the sky fall♪

Kim Go-Ri was overwhelmed with emotion and exclaimed, “Waaah... This is too much... Yoo-Joon, I'm overwhelmed!"

“...Please, either cry or shout, but not both," chided Kim Go-Ri's friend, Park Go-Ri, who seemed calm but was secretly scanning the dimly lit side stages for Suh Hyun-Woo.

‘Where is Hyun-Woo? Is he not performing at all? He will grace us with a song while sitting, right?'

Kang Joo-Han was likely preparing to join the others on stage as he had completed his piano section. Yet, there was no sign of Suh Hyun-Woo.

Amidst the search, Park Go-Ri spotted a cluster of silhouettes huddled on the dark side of the stage. Their presence was barely discernible.

It was you who came into my world♪

The moment Park Yoon-Chan's solo started, Park Go-Ri's devotion was unmistakable. It was her favorite part of the song. “Yoooooon-Chaaaaan!!! You own my heart!!!"

Just as Park Go-Ri's attention momentarily shifted to Yoon-Chan, the music paused. Then, a burst of cheers erupted from the opposite side where Park Go-Ri had just been looking. The audience's focus swiftly moved to the side stage, where an unexpected scene unfolded.

There, Suh Hyun-Woo appeared on an ornate chair with his chin resting on his hand, his gaze impassively sweeping across the crowd.

“Shirt! What the fuck! Your chest! Oh my gosh, Hyun-Woo! I am going to die because you are too hot!”

Clad in a shirtless jacket, Suh Hyun-Woo sent Kim Go-Ri into a frenzy. As all eyes turned to him, he gracefully lowered his hands from the armrest and straightened his upper body. This cued the music to resume.

Even if the sky falls and the ground crumbles♪

The dancers surrounding Hyun-Woo took a step back and widened the circle around him. From above, it looked as though they formed a diamond shape formation around Hyun-Woo at the center. As the first verse concluded, they knelt on one knee to ensure Hyun-Woo stood out even more prominently.

Hyun-Woo's expression subtly shifted. After that, the lighting darkened simultaneously and took on a somber, crimson hue.

You will be by my side

Skyfall, Skyfall♪

It was hard to put into words, but... “Gosh... Check out Hyun-Woo's visuals..."

The interplay of lights, his striking outfit, and the artful makeup complemented Suh Hyun-Woo's confident grin and rich expression. His enveloping voice also urged the audience to immerse in Chronos’s world.

As Suh Hyun-Woo's performance captivated everyone, the screen behind him used to be veiled in mist. However, it soon parted to reveal a crimson moon, setting the night theme. So, the concept alchemist Chronos had chosen the allure of the crimson moon and the enigma of the night for this stage.

The moment Suh Hyun-Woo's solo ceased, the dancers who had been crouching on the ground surged toward him with such fervor, completely engulfing him in their midst.

“Lee Jin-Sung, pure genius! Absolute genius! Fucking genius! Ah... Jin-Sung... Hyun-Woo... Jin-Sung..." Park Go-Ri might not have caught every word Kim Go-Ri uttered, but her sentiment was clear enough.

A glimpse into Chronos's world through the behind-the-scenes VTR revealed that this entire spectacle was the brainchild of the choreographer and Lee Jin-Sung. Everyone also marveled at the stylist's creativity, Suh Hyun-Woo's stage magnetism, and Lee Jin-Sung's brilliance. Yet, this was merely the beginning of the performance.

Guided by Supervisor Kim's philosophy that they should compensate for any lack of financial firepower with sheer talent and determination, they crafted a "Parade" like no other.

As the spotlight on Suh Hyun-Woo dimmed, the crimson moon on the backdrop embarked on a journey across the venue, eventually casting its glow on the main stage, where the four members awaited.

The fleeting splendor will vanish with nightfall

Join me

You will want to see me entrapped in an illusion once more

You need me♪

As the chorus swelled, Lee Jin-Sung performed a mesmerizing duo performance with Goh Yoo-Joon on behalf of Suh Hyun-Woo. After that, the stage was filled by a troupe of shadowy circus performers from the second verse. Despite any potential shortcomings, the collective efforts of everyone rendered the stage a masterpiece of perfection.

***

“Well done, everyone!"

As I stepped off the stage without a hint of fatigue, I felt somewhat regretful. However, I made sure to extend my gratitude and applause to the dancers and circus performers who had embodied the energy and movement in my stead.

“It must be a tough break for you,” said one staff member to me.

“Not at all, I literally did nothing. Thank you for everything!" I handed off my in-ear monitors and mic to the staff and headed to the dressing room with the road manager, feeling an intensified pang of guilt for not sharing in the physical toll of the performance.

Upon entering the dressing room, I was met with the exhausted gazes of my fellow members.

“Ah, you guys did great. It was quite the sight from the sidelines." My attempt to blend into the room elicited a variety of breathless responses.

“You sound as if you weren't even part of the show."

“Let it be. He's probably been reflecting on himself up there again. Hyun-Woo did his part too."

“You were fantastic as well, hyung." Park Yoon-Chan rose from his chair and made space for me to sit.

“Thank... Thank you," I murmured, feeling even more awkward as I moved toward the offered seat, only to be whisked away for a quick change by a stylist, who then helped me change into a suit.

The second session of the SES New Year Party unfolded. The members—or rather everyone but me—managed to regroup. Their breaths had steadied, and their faces showed no signs of the earlier exertion as they engaged in lively interviews and reactions to wrap up the broadcast.

No matter how much praise was lavished upon us for a flawless show, this performance left me feeling somewhat unfulfilled. In any case, the curtain had closed on our second year-end performance.

***

In the conference room of YMM Entertainment, anticipation and exhaustion hung in the air in equal measure. Despite the demanding schedules brought on by the year-end performances, we couldn’t neglect the preparations for our second album.

Supervisor Kim and Chronos team staff were visibly worn from the UNET Awards preparations, and we were as tired as them. Amidst the fatigue, a glimmer of hope shone through—I had finally received the doctor's clearance to dance again. Well, of course, he told me not to go all out right off the bat.

As the final chords of our second album's title track concluded in the conference room, each of us started to share our impressions.

“It's got a lively bounce to it, doesn't it? The last time I heard it, it had a slightly more ‘History’ vibe.”

“Yeah, and what's with the intermittent pauses in the track?" Goh Yoo-Joon couldn't help but ask, his curiosity piqued.

Joo-Han, the composer of this song, answered. “We are planning to intersperse those pauses with dialogues, sound effects, and a dash of acting.”

The room fell into silence, and then I asked, “What exactly does that mean?"

“We are going to fill those silent moments with ad-libbing. It's what gives this song its unique flavor, kind of like when Yoo-Joon and Hyun-Woo gave their rendition of that musical performance,” replied Joo-Han with a sly yet familiar grin, sending a slight shiver down my spine.

Everything suddenly clicked. Joo-Han's unexpected push for a musical song during the SES special year-end stage selection must have been for this moment. He was likely eager to see how well we could incorporate acting into our performance.

Supervisor Kim saw our hesitant looks and stepped in to provide further clarity on Joo-Han's vision. “As Joo-Han mentioned, our experiences during The Parade made it clear that there's a need to highlight each of your presences on stage, alongside the choreography.”

Mr. Seong added, “The crowd responded really well to ‘Blue Room Party’ because it showcased your stage presence so effectively. That's why we asked Joo-Han to craft this song with that concept in mind."

They envisioned this song to transcend the dance movement in “Blue Room Party,” which allowed for both intricate choreography and a playful vibe. “We are planning to inject some memorable moments throughout the piece, and we've already pinpointed a few. Want to review the lyrics sheet?" Supervisor Kim suggested and prompted us to take a closer look.

On the lyrics sheet, a peculiar line caught our eye. “See there, 'Oh! Look at that leaf tumble down! (Giggles)’ That's a scripted dialogue."

“Dialogue, really?" That line was designated for me.

“I've thought through the entire choreography for this bit," Joo-Han announced with an air of excitement.

His vision involved me dashing from behind right after Goh Yoo-Joon wrapped up his part, leaping onto his back, and reaching out as if to catch a drifting leaf in this “Oh! Look at that leaf tumble down!” dialogue.

The rest of the members were to respond with a collective giggle and infused the verse with a playful vibe.

This whimsical first verse, which was the opposite of the emotionally charged second verse, was enriched by a live band as per my suggestion, carrying the weighty themes of new beginnings and sad farewells of school life.

Amidst our collective uncertainty, Supervisor Kim quickly flipped his notebook to the next agenda item. “Now that Joo-Han has walked us through it, we need to balance our preparations for the UNET year-end stage with the new song. That includes, of course, dance rehearsals. Oh, and we've secured an aesthetic school for the music video shoot."

Supervisor Kim's accelerated speech indicated significant progress had been made on the new album during our year-end stage commitments.

“Next up, Su-Hwan, let's review the schedule.”

Manager Su-Hwan then opened his planner, revealing additional plans. “The theme of our new song revolves around new beginnings and graduations. Coincidentally, KEW has approached Yoo-Joon and Hyun-Woo for a seasonal variety show appearance."

“Us?" we echoed in surprise.

“Yes, filming is slated from early January through early February."

The proposed show was tentatively titled Graduating, and it aimed to recreate a virtual classroom for individuals who couldn't complete their school journey for various reasons. Primarily targeting celebrities, it aimed to simulate the senior year of high school leading up to graduation in February.

“The show's concept revolves around fostering friendships among peers, immersing participants in an authentic school life experience, and culminating in a graduation showcase. It aligns perfectly with our song's theme, making it an ideal platform for promotion."