Chapter 141: End-of-Year Stage (11)

Chapter 141: End-of-Year Stage (11)

“Thank you for your hard work. Please stay on stage for now," said the stage director just as our first rehearsal stage wrapped up. He sounded utterly drained.

“Huff... Huff..." I stood there with my hands on my knees, lowering my head and gasping for breath. It was only the first rehearsal, but the sheer size of the stage and the need for rapid transitions had me winded in no time.

“Shall we proceed with the next rehearsal?"

Prompted by the staff's question, I straightened up my back and raised my hand. “Sorry, could you please turn up the vocals a bit?"

“Yeah, for sure.”

While the stage was being reset, the behind-the-scenes camera, which had been filming from the back, moved up to start filming us.

“Please don’t film us while we are resting, noona. It’s embarrassing," Jin-Sung protested as he was lounging on the floor. Then, he came over to me and started to dance.

“...Jin-Sung is always so entertaining."

He really hated showing any signs of weariness. It seemed he had come over to practice with me, but I wanted to save as much energy as possible. Therefore, I just contently watched him.

Suddenly, Jin-Sung stopped dancing, started swaying his hips, and playfully hit me with his arms. “Come on, hyung, let's practice."

“You are very enthusiastic, Jin-Sung. That’s good. But remember, we need to conserve our energy for the actual performance."

Jin-Sung flinched at my words and resumed practicing, this time with slightly less vigor.

“I know, I won’t overdo it."

Thankfully, or maybe unfortunately, Jin-Sung had been more mindful about overexerting himself ever since his leg injury, so he heeded my advice.

“Wow, it's so high up here!" Goh Yoo-Joon's voice came from above. When I looked up, I saw him standing atop a large set piece, looking down with awe.

“Am I really jumping from here? It’s safe, right?"

“The staff have checked multiple times, and it's totally safe. There has been a similar setup in the past two years, and we haven’t had any accidents, so don't worry, Yoo-Joon."

For the storyline in Chronos's upcoming song, Goh Yoo-Joon's role involved a dramatic exit by backing off the prop, which to the audience would appear as if he had vanished into thick smoke. In reality, he'd be making a backward jump onto a safety mat. However, even with the mat, the jump was a bit daunting.

“It's scary but seems fun. Should I give it a try now?" Goh Yoo-Joon, who seemed a bit apprehensive, quickly regained his confidence and leaped down to the mat with ease.

Until just a moment ago, everyone was tense with nervousness. But now, we seemed much more relaxed, thanks to the smooth progression of the rehearsal. The main concern, however, was the sound system. This was KEW’s first time hosting such a large-scale year-end stage, and the sound was inconsistent.

The sound in our in-ear monitors was slightly off during “Blue Room Party,” and the MR was either too loud or our voices weren't coming through clearly during “Parade.” Such issues were common in large-scale productions, but for people like us with limited experience, it was a cause for concern.

“Let's run through Chronos's set once more. This time, start with the video."

The rehearsal resumed.

***

The sound issues persisted in the second and third rehearsals. Despite our meticulous practice, there were not only technical problems but also mistakes from the staff. Hence, as the rehearsals progressed, the director started showing signs of irritation.

“Really?" Goh Yoo-Joon's hand froze in mid-air.

“He suggested increasing Chronos’s involvement in songwriting, like with 'Blue Room Party.’"

“Wow, that’s great!" exclaimed Goh Yoo-Joon, his face lit up with excitement. To be personally invited by the meticulous Producer Do to contribute to the new song's lyrics was clearly a thrilling opportunity for him.

The manager observed the conversation and added, “I was hesitant to bring this up, given everyone's busy schedule."

“Yes? What is it?"

“What is it about?"

“There were complaints about cigarette smells in Yoon-Chan and Jin-Sung's room. So, after our success with 'Blue Room Party,' I proposed moving out of that building. The approval just came through.”

Silence enveloped the table. Jin-Sung, who had been enjoying his pork cutlet, stopped and looked up with wide eyes. He asked, “Are we moving?"

The manager gave a slight nod and replied, “Yes, soon. The exact location hasn't been decided yet, but it should be settled by the end of the year-end stages."

“Wow, really? Finally! I've suffered so much because of the smell!" Jin-Sung feigned tears of joy.

“Right? I am sorry that we couldn’t resolve this earlier. We can’t let you stay in a building with a disgusting smell. It’s also not good for your health.”

“Oh my gosh. Can you please stay as our manager forever?"

“Yeah, the thought of Hyung being our temporary manager is really sad."

Jin-Sung and Yoon-Chan’s words made the manager smile wistfully.

“That's not for me to decide... But while I’m here, I will do my best. I’m sure someone even better will come along."

‘No way! No one could possibly be as attentive as Manager Su-Hwan!’

As I expressed my disappointment with a look, the manager averted his gaze and resumed eating. We quickly emptied our plates as everyone was hungry, and soon we got back into the car and headed toward the venue. We had been animatedly discussing potential houses for our move, but as soon as the stadium came into view, we fell silent and tensed up again.

“Look at that, there are so many people."

“It looks like they are the audience."

“Right? You can tell by the light sticks and banners they are holding."

It was 1 PM, and despite the ongoing rehearsal, the area outside the stadium was already brimming with people. Lines of fans from various artists were forming, including our own fans, the Rings.

Was it our growing affection for the fans? Until recently, the presence of other artists' fans would have made us nervous, but now the desire to present our best performance to our own fans intensified our tension. And this wasn't just me. The other members also displayed a mixture of determination and anxiety on their faces.

“Let’s stay sharp and give it our all. Even if there are issues with the MR or microphones, we will just keep going," Joo-Han said with conviction, and the response from the others was robust.

The main rehearsal was next, and then the live show would roll. We were all determined to finish without a hitch, driven by nothing but the desire to succeed.

1. Doenjang-jjigae (Korean: ????) is a Korean traditional jjigae (stew-type dish), made from the primary ingredient of doenjang (soybean paste), and additional optional ingredients vegetables, seafood, and meat. It is one of the most iconic and popular traditional dishes in Korean cuisine ☜