Chapter 82: Debut (5)

Chapter 82: Debut (5)

The showcase video had been uploaded, presenting our fans—who were already acquainted with our dance skills and stage charisma as reigning Pick We Up champions—with the title track that radiated hit vibes from the first note. On top of that, idol companies like YMM and UNET were backing Chronos's debut, so it seemed like we had hit the jackpot.

The reactions from fans who witnessed our first-ever stage were a mixed bag. Some were in awe of our live vocals that pierced through the AR, while others scratched their heads over the oddly split vocals in “History.”

Onstage, we concentrated on the performance seriously, but the real reason behind the vocal split—be it a technical glitch, our sheer vocal power, or a collective aversion to lip-syncing—remained a mystery to our audience.

Yet, one thing was clear. Some fans out there had thoroughly enjoyed our performance. A fan-run UTube channel even uploaded a video titled “The Idol Who Hated Lip-Syncing.” It was humorously edited to capture the fun essence that the uploader felt, drawing in not just Chronos’s fans but also casual viewers who discovered us through the algorithm, adding another highlight for the newly minted fans.

***

“Our kids are lucky, talented, and good-looking. What are they lacking?" The manager was abuzz with excitement over our first variety show shoot.

With a cool head, I responded, “The answer is our witty personalities."

“...” He seemed like he wanted to disagree, but his constant glances in the rearview mirror said otherwise. We were adept at straightforward answers, but apart from Lee Jin-Sung, we were all quite shy. Even Goh Yoo-Joon, the face of extroversion at YMM, struggled when dealing with adults.

Finding no comeback, the manager finally conceded with his lips pouting. “Well, it's a great opportunity to get noticed. Give it your all, just like during Cha-Cha."

We didn’t know during the survival show shooting, but it turned out that the director of Flying Man had met with Director Lee Won-Jae and took a liking to us. What was initially a two-member opportunity had turned into an invite for the entire group. Thanks to him, we were on our way to shoot Flying Man with High Tension members.

We sported neatly styled yet comfortable hair and outfits reminiscent of a college campus wardrobe. The journey was lengthy, with two stops at rest areas along the way.

“Hyung, can I get a hotdog at the next stop?"

“Oh, sure—"

“No!" The stylist immediately shot down the manager's approval. “You are in sponsored clothes, so no hotdogs. Eat something less messy, like roasted chestnuts or steamed potato." This chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com

“I'll wrap the clothes up in a blanket. Chestnuts can be messy too, you know." Lee Jin-Sung's relentless pursuit of food was on another level even after he had eaten a full meal.

“You'll gain weight if you keep eating like that."

“I work off what I eat, so it’s okay, right Yoo-Joon hyung?"

“There's only so much exercise you can do, you know? Sigh." After observing the playful banter between Lee Jin-Sung, the stylist, and Goh Yoo-Joon, I shifted my gaze to the passing scenery outside.

After our long-awaited debut, changes brought about by me joining Chronos and our variety show appearances had finally settled down. Now, the future that I knew would unfold slowly. In my mind, our title song was the first sign of the future I knew, and the second was Flying Man.

Goh Seong-Cheol had been a regular cast member of Flying Man since its first broadcast fifteen years ago. When I was very young, he used to be an actor, but now, he had become a familiar face on numerous variety shows while also managing a shoe business. In the not-too-distant future, he would become a criminal and retire from the entertainment industry after causing a major incident.

He was married but apparently had secret meetups with some fans and then shook them down for money. When that scandal hit the news, he disappeared, right around when I was getting my feet wet as a trainer.

Though it had not unfolded into a full-blown event yet, his reputation was already tarnished to the point that people didn’t want to meet him. However, fate had other plans, leading me to engage in a cheerful face-to-face shoot with this asshole.

“Ridiculous,” I muttered under my breath.

“Hy..hyung? What is going on? I said I don’t want a hotdog!”

“Huh? What are you talking about?” I asked.

Jin-Sung whined, clinging to me for reasons unknown. I patted him on the back while contemplating how to navigate the upcoming broadcast. After all, the idea of fraternizing with a criminal, even for the sake of the show, was unappealing to me.

After a moment of contemplation, I replied, "Well, maybe being with Il-Seok hyung would help me get more screen time?"

Il-Seok and Woo-Seok laughed exaggeratedly at my response. “Hyun-Woo seems to be a very honest guy."

“I've watched your performance videos."

“Oh, thank you!" exclaimed Goh Yoo-Joon and me at the same time.

“You two are friends of the same age, right?"

“Yes, that's right. We've been friends since middle school," answered Yoo-Joon.

“We started as trainees then, so he was the only friend I could hang out with." This was before Han Jun joined us. After that, Yoo Il-Seok and Woo-Seok kept asking questions and making small talk to ease any awkwardness. They were indeed true professionals at variety shows. Gradually, our tension eased as we conversed with them.

***

After about thirty minutes of driving, we arrived at a scientific institution nestled in the mountains. Members of High Tension, who seemed to have been captured like us, had arrived earlier and welcomed us.

“How long has it been since you guys last saw each other?"

Ji-Hyuk then answered Yoo Il-Seok's question, “It's been a while, right? We've been too busy to see each other since our debut."

“Have you met separately after the competition?"

Ji-Hyuk pointed at me in response to Goh Seong-Cheol's question. “I occasionally meet and keep in touch with Hyun-Woo, who was in the same Team D as me."

“What about the others?"

Joo-Han raised his hand and replied, “Jin-Sung and Yoo-Joon from our team seem to be in frequent contact with other teams."

After asking about our recent activities, Yoo Il-Seok turned to Director Han Bu-Joon. “So, what are we doing today?"

- Today's theme is 'The Return of Tag MT Memories.'

“Return of Tag?"

Director Han Bu-Joon nodded.

- Considering we have young and energetic guests today, we thought it'd be great to bring back Flying Man's signature content, Tag, which we haven't done in three years.

Tag was a cornerstone of Flying Man, almost synonymous with its identity. However, due to the unchanged line-up of members over fifteen years and them getting older, it eventually ceased.

- The teams are as you are standing right now. If someone steals your prop, you're out. The final winner will receive a grand prize.

“Sounds like the original Tag."

- Right, but there's an unlimited revival system. We'll play several games from now, and you can earn revival tickets through them. You can use the tickets to come back into the race after being eliminated. Are you ready?

I nodded solemnly. My goal was to win, get screen time, and keep our members as far away from Goh Seong-Cheol as possible.

Director Han Bu-Joon beamed and announced.

-The first game is 'Jump Over Score Ninety! Coin Karaoke.'