Second Try Idol

“We’re here. Let's get off."

“Ugh, I’m dying."

“I was on the verge of passing out."

After a three-and-a-half-hour drive, we were already a bit tired before even starting our performance.

Joo-Han usually didn’t suffer from motion sickness, but he seemed to have a tough time as he opened the car door wide and stuck out only one leg while still sprawled out. “Ah... I feel so drained. I will just rest here until they’re done setting up the stage for the shooting."

The other members quickly got out, not wanting to stay in the car any longer.

I had slept soundly for three hours, so I stayed in the car with Joo-Han for a while, trying to shake off sleepiness instead of motion sickness.

“Ah, ah, ah-, bu-, bur-!"

After warming up my voice and enjoying the peaceful outdoors, I suddenly got up and left the car. Although I was very sleepy, the drowsiness completely vanished as soon as I stepped outside and felt the breeze.

As I was stretching and getting ready for filming, Jin-Sung approached me out of nowhere and handed me his phone.

“Hyung, Hyun-Woo hyung."

“Huh? What, you want me to take a picture of you?

“Yeah. You always know what I want even without me having to tell you!”

Jin-Sung seemed to have put extra effort into his appearance today, and was already striking various poses before I even opened the camera app on his phone. He was definitely pleased with the sponsored outfit.

“Just a sec... Done." I was about to take the picture as I usually do by lying down on the ground, but I was abruptly stopped by the stylist rushing over in horror.

“Suh Hyun-Woo! Your outfit is sponsored too!"

“Ah, right. I am sorry." I had forgotten the stylist's delighted expression when she mentioned we had received a particularly expensive sponsorship since my focus was solely on shaking off sleepiness.

Instead of lying down, I crouched to take Jin-Sung's picture. Besides that, I responded to impromptu interviews conducted by members with the camera on, participated in being spun around like a centrifuge as they suddenly grabbed my hands, and eventually spun away from them, taking this as my chance to escape.

I heard Callia sincerely saying we were weird while I was playing along, which was why I ended up hiding behind Goh Yoo-Joon and Yoon-Chan to catch my breath. Soon after, the camera approached us, and the shooting naturally resumed.

“Guys, see that? The stage in the middle of the square."

“Are we performing there?"

“Of course! It's huge, isn't it?" Reina proudly said. It was evident that Reina had worked hard to find us a spot and tried her best within her capabilities to grant us the best stage possible.

I expressed our gratitude softly. “...We will really give it our all."

Reina patted me on the back, saying that was enough. She then informed all the members, “Today's performance will be held there, and Ellen Hall is over there."

Reina extended her arm, which was previously pointing at a podium, farther to the right to indicate a building. The structure was adorned like an antique cinema, and Reina shared that it comprised four levels from the basement to the third floor, all designed as small theaters. Our shooting location was the basement.

“We have some time before the show, so let's head to Ellen Hall for a brief rehearsal," she suggested.

“Okay!”

***

“Yoo-Joon and Hyun-Woo, you’re up first."

“Got it!"

We followed the director's cue and made our way to the stage. We were eager to present the passionately awaited same-age unit to our Rings and had meticulously prepared for this performance at Ellen Hall.

“It's hilarious that we are performing together.”

“I know, right?" Yoo-Joon replied. Sitting side by side, we found ourselves uncontrollably laughing every time our eyes met. The situation was reminiscent of the awkward chuckles during our "Christmas is Ours" rehearsals, and the embarrassment of that time seemed unable to erode.

“You two, same-age buddies! Look over here," called Joo-Han.

“Eh?"

We turned our heads only to be greeted by the crisp sound of a camera shutter clicking into action. In that fleeting moment, Joo-Han had skillfully captured a snapshot of us, and was now exchanging nods of approval with Su-Hwan. Both seemed content with the shot.

“What's this? This is absolutely ridiculous~"

“Just leave him be. I'd bet my entire fortune that this picture is going to be Su-Hwan hyung's next screen saver."

“You know you are broke, right?"

“Unless you are offering a loan, I'd appreciate silence."

Goh Yoo-Joon's laughter filled the air. He couldn't stop boasting about the hefty sum he had received for his lyrics, while I couldn't help but feel that my own payment was at least a year away.

“Just ask, 'Hyung, could you spare some pocket money?' and I might just lend you some. Who knows?"

“Hyung, could I have some pocket money, please?"

“Ah, why are you actually asking that?"

“It turns out that living in the US isn't cheap. The banknotes in my wallet are thinning faster than I expected."

Our conversation was as trivial as it could be. We continued talking until the distant laughter of the audio director reminded us that our every word was being captured. We sheepishly fell silent as we suddenly became conscious of the recording.

“Alright, let's get started. I want you two to take this rehearsal seriously, alright?"

Reina, ever the professional, echoed the director's usual demands. She was perhaps a bit more stern, given the presence of the cameras. We nodded and quickly recalibrated our emotions for the task at hand.

The song we were about to rehearse was no light-hearted tune. It demanded our utmost sincerity and emotional depth, a stark contrast to the jovial “Christmas is Ours.”

***

The producers and cast became serious. Especially among them, Reina and Callia were watching us as if they were judges on an audition program with a heaviness that was almost overwhelming. The lighting flashed down on us. It was so intense that it felt excessive under the burden of so many gazes.

I ignored the discomfort of the lights and timed my voice to start with falsetto before diving into a rollercoaster-like drop to low tones. I focused on not making any mistakes.

♪ You are a different wind

I feel a different scent

It's different from the person I've met,

At the end of my part, Goh Yoo-Joon started singing.

♪ But it won't be bad.

I'm looking forward to it.

Though we used to laugh out of awkwardness just by making eye contact, we were surprisingly comfortable singing together. Before we knew it, we became serious and harmonized our singing while looking at each other. Our voices weren't perfect together, but they matched well enough, and the emotional depth we put into the song made it comfortable to sing together.

The lights were too bright and hot to see the expressions of the audience, but their invisibility somehow allowed us to concentrate and continue singing better.

***

As the two sang, Callia went into full study mode. She put on her glasses and furiously jotted down notes. She recorded the capabilities and characteristics of the members. For instance, she noted that Goh Yoo-Joon had the best voice in the low range, and that Suh Hyun-Woo consistently produced good sounds across various ranges, especially in high parts. Although his voice was not to Callia's taste, he had a voice that was incredibly attractive.

Surprisingly, the main focus in Callia's notebook was not Goh Yoo-Joon, but Suh Hyun-Woo.

Setting aside her personal tastes, she recognized a distinct quality in the track revised with Kang Joo-Han that resonated with the group's essence. This was particularly true for dance numbers, where Suh Hyun-Woo emerged as the undeniable focal point.

From yesterday onward, she couldn't help but notice an allure about Suh Hyun-Woo. Her gaze was initially fixed on Goh Yoo-Joon, but inevitably shifted to Suh Hyun-Woo, almost as if drawn by an unseen force.

“Those two… Their voices match better than I thought. I was worried they wouldn't because all the members have such distinct characteristics in their vocals."

“…Yeah, that's right. They must have been singing together and harmonizing since their trainee days. There's also the fact that they sing with consideration for each other."

Callia glanced at Reina. When Callia showed interest in Goh Yoo-Joon, Reina was only interested in Suh Hyun-Woo. It wasn't very noticeable since Reina cared for all of Chronos, but Callia knew the face of someone captivated by another's talent. That was exactly the look Reina had when she looked at Suh Hyun-Woo.

Callia laughed and said, “Reina, you seem ready to give that member a song."

Reina laughed belatedly and hid her expression. “Shh."

Only Callia was next to her, so she was the only one who saw Reina's meaningful expression as she put her index finger to her lips. The conversation between the two ended as soon as they heard the harmony between Suh Hyun-Woo and Goh Yoo-Joon.

After the performance of the two, Reina continued to watch the stages of the next members until the end. She murmured, “We should upload this as soon as possible. I want to show it to as many people as we can."

***

Meanwhile…

“Wow, shit... it's over..."

In a corner of the broadcast station's editing room, Manager Han Gyeol-Joon collapsed with a curse. The previous Again After Rainfall season had had its challenges, but season two was even more demanding.

Due to the nature of street performances, there were always eyewitness accounts popping up on social media. For Chronos, their domestic popularity was so significant that eyewitness accounts were frequent even without international recognition. Therefore, mentions of Again After Rainfall Season Two on the internet naturally occurred.

The filming had not yet finished, but the buildup of anticipation due to promotional efforts and UTube fancams was already increasing public expectations without any effort from the broadcast company. Under upper management's orders to post something quickly, Han Gyeol-Joon had no choice but to edit while crying.

“Ah, shit. There's still a long way to go until the broadcast..."

What were they supposed to do if they were asked to create content already? Real tears flowed from Han Gyeol-Joon's eyes, who was overwhelmed by frustration.

“I'm going to quit this job after this is over. This time for real. Mark my words. Seriously."

After lying down listlessly for a while, Han Gyeol-Joon got up and sent off the video he made. “Time to go home…”

The video he edited was uploaded to the official UTube channel of Again After Rainfall an hour later.

[Pre-release] Editing clips of our babies made my gums dry[1], Watch how they play #AgainAfterRainfall #CheckThisOut #Rings

The title was quite long. The video featured Suh Hyun-Woo happily video calling with the members while lying on a bed, and Goh Yoo-Joon and Lee Jin-Sung walking and talking on the phone around the streets. The clip quickly spread across various social networks, scavenged by Rings like hyenas on the hunt for hints.

1. Because they smiled so much lol ☜

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