Chapter 69: Chronos History (13)
Regardless of whether the people around knew Chronos or not, they started gathering around Joo-Han and me. In the end, we were surrounded by a sea of cameras and a chorus of whispers, so Joo-Han and I exchanged knowing looks and forced smiles. “Looks like we won’t be able to observe the shoot, right?”
“Yeah, seems like it.”
Everywhere we moved, the crowd mirrored our steps. Knowing that we’d just be a distraction if we stayed, we distanced ourselves from the shooting scene and went back toward the set.
One of the fans exclaimed in excitement, “I am your fan! I can't believe I'm meeting you here!"
I responded with gratitude, "Thank you!"
“What are you guys doing here?”
“Haha, it's top secret.”
As if leading a parade, we guided the crowd back to our set’s entrance and briefly stopped there to chat with them. The sound of cameras clicking was almost comforting by now. “Do you know who we are?"
The crowd shouted back, “Yes!"
Visibly pleased, Joo-Han probed further, "And who are we?"
The enthusiastic reply erupted, “Chronos! Kyaaaak!"
“I love you!”
Seeing their enthusiasm, we both bowed respectfully, touched by the recognition from people who knew us even before our official debut.
“Oppa, can I get your autograph? I was at your last Pick We Up performance! I couldn't make it to the fan meet, but I'm a true fan. Waaah!" The girl beside me, clearly an earnest fan, was overwhelmed with emotion and cried. Seeing this, I moved toward her. “Why the tears? Aren’t you our fan? You have the chance to look at us now." As I leaned in, she bashfully took a step back.
“I'm just so happy. Could you please give me your autograph?" she inquired.
After she handed me a piece of paper, I teasingly asked, “Which member is your favorite?”
"Eh, sorry?"
“Which one of us do you like the most?" I was intrigued, wondering which member held a special place in her heart to bring her to tears. I was jealous and intended to relay it to that member later. Blushing, she timidly pointed at me. “Hyun-Woo oppa... Ah... I really... really like you, oppa."
“Me?" I was surprised, and she eagerly nodded. “I, of course, adore all five of you, but... I keep rewatching Pick We Up for you! Eagerly awaiting the reality show..."
“What is it about me that you like?" Though I knew I should have simply signed and moved on, I continued to ask, driven by genuine curiosity. It was my first time engaging so closely with a fan, and I was curious about what made her cry.
“Well, I love... uh..." As she scrambled to fix her hair and reply, I gently brushed back a stray strand of her hair, intently listening to her. I wondered if the surroundings eerily got quiet because I was too focused on her words.
“You’re amazing on stage, your singing, your dancing... your dance lines are like ballet."
“Ballet?"
"And your charm shines not just on stage but in the little moments too..."
“What little things?"
It was an unplanned expression, but its authenticity seemed to resonate well with the director.
I shifted to a more relaxed posture and angled my head for optimal camera visibility.
“Cue!”
The set soon echoed with the melody of “Parade,” and I stared straight into the camera lens, singing with a detached air.
The fleeting splendor will vanish with nightfall
Join me
You will want to see me entrapped in an illusion once more
You need me...?
Yet, the shooting was far from over.
***
“Hyun-Woo isn’t really acting, is he?"
“No," replied the manager.
“He suddenly looks so drained. Is he exhausted already?"
The manager remained silent at the stylist’s words. Suh Hyun-Woo’s expression during the performance seemed distressingly lackluster. Although Hyun-Woo's drowsy indifference appeared to satisfy the director, Joh In-Hyun felt a sudden, worrisome drop in Hyun-Woo's energy now. “What happened to him so suddenly? He looked fine just moments ago."
“Did he get stressed about his acting?"
“If it were stress, he would've floundered in the previous scene." This seemed more like a sudden dip in his physical condition rather than mere nerves.
“Are they getting enough rest?"
“Ummm...” Joh In-Hyun hesitated to answer, well aware that claiming they were well-rested would be far from the truth. The demanding debut preparations and reality show filming were eating into their sleep, pushing them to exhaustion. In the end, the intense focus on Chronos's debut had inadvertently led to neglect in member care.
He had initially believed Kang Joo-Han was doing a commendable job handling the members' well-being pre-debut...
Thwack!
“Ouch!"
The stylist team leader smacked Joh In-Hyun's back sharply, and she shouted, “Make them sleep before they collapse! Why overwork them before they’ve even debuted?"
“...It's because the showcase is so close. Anyway, they don’t listen even when I tell them to rest! They would either sneak off to dance in the dorm after late-night practices, or play Just Dance at the dorm."
“Still, you should force them to rest. Remember Sae-Yeon’s collapse? You were heavily criticized then."
Joh In-Hyun recalled a time when Kim Sae-Yeon of Allure, whom he managed, collapsed at the airport due to exhaustion from an undisclosed extreme diet. Unaware of it, Joh In-Hyun had forced Kim Sae-Yeon to deal with the tight schedule, and this incident caused lots of trouble for Joh In-Hyun.
“I haven’t been to their dorm as they seemed disturbed by it, but staying with them until their debut is unavoidable. With the strain from dance practices and recordings, they need something to lift their spirits. Sigh, the debut is meant to be a joyous journey, not just a grueling process," sighed Joh In-Hyun.
“Heh, got it." The stylist patted Joh In-Hyun's shoulder and then left to attend to Hyun-Woo's makeup.
‘A way to lift their spirits.' Indeed, these soon-to-debut talents deserved some joy. Joh In-Hyun regretted his lack of attention amidst the chaos and pondered for a moment before picking up his phone and stepping out of the set.