Second Try Idol

Chronos performed "Joy" live while being conscious of Callia, who had previously dismissed them as mere dancers. Since the song was familiar to the members and they had sung it multiple times, the stage flowed flawlessly without any difficulties.

Some impromptu moments were cleverly swapped to engage with the audience in English. It was a twist that not only filled the gaps, but also sparked lively interactions. It definitely enhanced the vibe of the performance.

Chronos stood out, not just for their dance that rivaled professional dancers, but also for their steadfast vocals that didn't falter. Even the song's complexity wasn't toned down to match their choreography. It was evident they were more than comfortable on stage.

The Korean staff and Reina, who had seen Chronos' performances on numerous occasions, reacted with simple nods of appreciation, a 'well done' here, a 'good job' there. However, the performance struck a chord for Callia and the American audience, leaving an impression that was hard to shake off.

‘They are just dancers.’

‘They are just dancers.’

‘They are just dancers.’

Callia's own dismissive thoughts echoed back at her. However, as the performance unfolded, she realized they were far from just dancers. They were perfect entertainers, masters of both dance and song. She was hit with the realization of her arrogance just as Reina had cautioned. She had seen only a sliver of Chronos' talents and judged too hastily.

“I need to get ready for my stage. I will be back soon, Callia," Reina said and excused herself to prepare for her duet with Suh Hyun-Woo.

However, Callia remained transfixed by Chronos as her gaze was unwavering. It was a stark contrast to her indifference from the day before.

Chronos' stage was more than just a performance. It was an experience. The melodies were catchy, the staging innovative, and certain members began to shine amidst the group, particularly Suh Hyun-Woo with his striking platinum blonde hair.

Park Yoon-Chan sang with a soft and calm voice, and Goh Yoo-Joon’s tone perfectly matched Callia’s taste from the start. Her gaze initially followed the two familiar faces, but she found herself fixated on Suh Hyun-Woo at some point.

Of course, being in the center all along meant he caught more attention than the other members, but shifting someone's gaze onto himself when it was already on another member was no easy task. His expressions and movements when dancing made it possible to see Suh Hyun-Woo as an incredibly appealing individual.

During the highlight, Callia's lips finally parted as the poetic melody continued and Suh Hyun-Woo's high notes stretched out for a long time amidst the members dancing with a more dynamic choreography than before.

“...Are they famous in Korea?" Callia asked her manager, speculating that a group of such caliber surely had a significant reputation back home.

The manager confirmed their fame with a hint of frustration borne from past conversations.

“They are super famous! You simply accepted Reina's request when deciding whether to meet the members or not instead of listening to me! They are a really famous group."

If they weren't a famous group to begin with, they wouldn't have been able to cast Callia Lawrence for the show. Therefore, the manager was nervous every time Callia boldly made dismissive remarks in front of the camera.

Of course, they asked the production team to edit it, but if this scene were to be aired by mistake, Callia wouldn’t be able to escape criticism in Korea, where Chronos was mainly active. The backlash in Korea might not have a huge impact on Callia, but who knows? It was said that the influence of global K-POP fans was formidable these days.

Despite the manager's frustrated outburst, Callia nonchalantly nodded. “Really? Alright, they seem fine."

Her tone was still condescending, but Caliia’s acknowledgment brightened the manager's expression. “So, we are continuing with the broadcast?"

“Yeah. Go to the production team right away and tell them to send me the full audio files by email after today's live."

“Alright, got it."

The “Joy” performance concluded.

After that, the duets of Suh Hyun-Woo and Reina, as well as Kang Joo-Han and Lee Jin-Sung followed. Then, the second street performance was wrapped up. Unlike the first performance, which was tense, a bit chaotic, and even involved lip-syncing, today's show was satisfying for Chronos in many ways.

***

After the show, we first expressed our appreciation toward the band members who had worked hard. During a brief break from the cameras, we helped the production team clean up the stage and followed Su-Hwan to a meeting room prepared at the accommodation.

“Hello!"

“You did great today. You guys were really good. I couldn't help but applaud till the end."

“Right? I told you they were good."

“Reina, I already knew Chronos was a group of talented kids."

We entered the meeting room. Our manager, Reina, comedian Cha Yi-Seul, and composer Seon In-Ha greeted us.

“Sit down. Take a seat."

As we sat down awkwardly, the three of them halted their conversation and looked at us warmly.

“Callia Lawrence will be here soon. It seems like she is talking with the production team for a bit."

“Oh, okay!" Joo-Han replied with a relieved smile. He had been eager to show off our capabilities to Callia. With cameras around and seniors present, he definitely was in his good leader mode now.

While we were discussing today's performance and future schedules, someone knocked on the door.

“Excuse me."

Finally, the celebrity of the celebrities, Callia Lawrence, entered the meeting room with an interpreter. Reina naturally engaged Callia in conversation, and Cha Yi-Seul and Seon In-Ha exchanged greetings and introductions on the spot.

We awkwardly stood up and looked around until Callia greeted us with a broad smile. “I look forward to working with you. I really enjoyed your performance. It was great."

“Ah, thank you!"

“Thank you!"

We responded with all the sincerity we could muster, thinking, ‘Joo-Han will give a longer answer.' Everyone turned to look at Joo-Han.

Callia's friendly smile stiffened a bit as she turned to him.

‘Hmm? What was that?’

It was a slight stiffening that could be easily brushed off, but there was a subtle atmosphere that could only be felt much closer than the camera's range. Joo-Han clearly noticed her expression, but he kept his polite business smile and spoke in English.

“It's an honor to meet you. We are fortunate to show you Chronos' performance. We look forward to working with you."

“Sure."

The two shook hands before sitting down in their respective spots. Haha, everyone seemed to be acting normally. Maybe I was overreacting.

After a brief exchange and introductions between the members and Callia by switching between the interpreter and English, Reina appropriately cut in and looked at me.

“We called you here today mainly for greetings. You worked hard on today's performance. Suh Hyun-Woo, you will lead the members back to the accommodation. You can practice or rest. Joo-Han, could you stay behind for a moment to discuss the next schedule with us?"

“Yes."

“Alright, then." I stood up with the members and bowed. “Thank you for your hard work. We will head back first."

“Sure, go rest."

We would officially start performing on various stages, with Callia joining us as a producer. Therefore, today's meeting between Joo-Han and the production team would last a long time. It was a break time for us until we got the details of the meeting from Joo-Han.

The members left the meeting room to do their own things. Yoon-Chan seemed tired, so he went straight to his room, and Jin-Sung grumbled about going to work out if it weren't for the bulk-up ban as he headed to the practice room with the camera.

“Uuuugh!" Goh Yoo-Joon stretched his arms and stood up.”Man, I'm totally exhausted. But going to bed now just seems like a waste, doesn't it?"

“Maybe, maybe not."

“You’re not tired? I need to hit the shower and maybe unwind with some gaming. I'm just zapped."

“Hold up a sec." I managed to stop Goh Yoo-Joon in his tracks as he was about to make a beeline for his room. He spun around, gave me a look that screamed, 'What now?' and tilted his head to the side. “If you've got nothing to do, how about we grab food? Could do us some good."

“Ah, dude, I'm totally exhausted. Drag Jin-Sung along." Goh Yoo-Joon let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders drooping.

I bit my lip. Ever since returning to the past, I had never felt nervous facing Goh Yoo-Joon, but now even speaking to him or making eye contact felt a bit tense. It was so weird.

“But we've gotta eat, right?" I asked.

“...Is there something you want to talk about?"

“Uh, not really, I just thought we could shoot the breeze over some food."

Well, that wasn't entirely true. There was something on my mind. It wasn't fully organized yet, but it was something that I felt the need to broach with the members.

Silence hung in the air for a moment. Goh Yoo-Joon just looked at me and nodded. “Alright. Let's go eat, Suh Hyun-Woo. I've got a few things I've been meaning to ask you anyway. When was the last time it was just the two of us grabbing a meal?"

His playful tone cracked me up, and we made our way out of the accommodation together. We braced ourselves for a heart-to-heart conversation, ideally away from the prying lenses of the camera crew. This was usually considered impossible without Su-Hwan’s permission.

Despite our reluctance, the production team was adamant about capturing our outing, even suggesting we film ourselves with a self-cam if having them tag along felt too intrusive. They held our hands and placed the cameras tightly in our palms.

***

Back in the meeting room, the lengthy discussion was finally drawing to a close. The session had been fruitful. The key takeaways included Callia's commitment to penning an original song, a concert venue being secured, planned TV appearances, and the potential release of a DVD.

Callia had agreed to lend her full support during the filming process, and was surprisingly forthcoming with her contributions. She seemed to value this newfound connection with Chronos and offered to craft an original piece for the group.

Of course, it wasn't out of sheer goodwill but rather a calculated gesture since she bet that this act of generosity toward Chronos would yield tangible rewards. Furthermore, Callia had managed to secure a venue that had been initially booked under her record label's name. This ensured it was apt for Chronos' fan base and the expected audience size. This event promised to rival the magnitude of the last festival gig that Reina had managed to book.

Along with this, Chronos secured two sessions for international interviews and aggressive social media promotion with Callia. This aspect was promised to be kept secret and not to be revealed in the broadcast, leading to the slight hope that Chronos could appear on TV as 'the K-POP idol mentioned by Callia' with a bit of luck.

These were the proposals laid out by Callia today. In response, Reina and the Again After Rainfall team suggested they would consider releasing a full concert DVD if they could have exclusive use of the venue provided by the record label.

Kang Joo-Han had been attentively following the discussions, and he couldn't help but beam with excitement.

“We will wrap up the meeting here. Thank you everyone for your hard work."

The cameras were switched off as the meeting concluded, marking the end of the shoot in the meeting room. Reina, Cha Yi-Seul, and Seon In-Ha were visibly drained as they sprawled out in their chairs. Kang Joo-Han remained seated quietly and patiently waited for the seniors to exit the room before making a move.

It was then that Callia called out to him. “Joo-Han."

“Yes?" Joo-Han was somewhat caught off guard and quickly rearranged his expression before turning to face Callia.

“...”

The gaze Kang Joo-Han directed at Callia was definitely colder and more guarded than when the cameras were rolling. Callia pretended not to notice the icy look and responded with an equally blank stare. “I'd like to hear your thoughts as the leader on this original song. I was hoping we could have a moment to talk, just the two of us, without the cameras."

“Ah, understood."

“..."

“..."

Crackle, crackle, crackle.

Was it necessary to have such a tense standoff over such a simple exchange? Amidst the sparking tension, Kang Joo-Han stood up.

“After you."

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