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Chapter 118: The Singer in the Memories (3)

“Mmm.” Our new schedule sparked a moment of serious consideration from our head hair stylist, her gaze fixed on my lackluster hair hue. “Hyun-Woo, what do you think about going platinum blonde? Hye-Ri, do you think that’s cool?"

“Platinum blonde? Well, it should fit pretty much any upcoming concept," Hye-Ri concurred, nodding with enthusiasm. "I think platinum blonde would look good on you."

Oh boy. I recalled my former student from my trainer days saying, “Once you start dyeing, your hair color becomes a revolving door, and the scalp of a dye-hard member doesn\'t get a say until it\'s too late.”

Now, I was living the dye-hard life.

“You know, light-haired guys always pop in those fancams."

“Right? Especially Hyun-Woo\'s type. The more flamboyant they look, the brighter they shine. Please make it happen."

“Okay!"

‘Oh no. Looks like my scalp\'s in for a scorching session today.’

The relaxed and natural vibe of “Blue Room Party” had translated to low-key makeup, effortless hairstyles, and simple shirts with slacks. But now, we were all decked out again after the break.

Chokers tight enough to be leashes, frilly medieval-inspired white shirts, black trousers, oversized jewel earrings... Our stylists went all out for this event, recognizing that our upcoming performances of “Parade” and “Chronos” demanded attire far from our usual “Blue Room Party” aesthetic.

“I\'ve always favored this concept. Chronos kids just suit the glitz."

“Excuse me. I want to dye my hair like that of Hyun-Woo hyung for the next album. Can I, Hye-Ri noona?" Jin-Sung eyed the bleach being mixed for my hair, and he was pestering Hye-Ri with his dyeing wishes.

‘But no, Jin-Sung, you\'ve got to cherish your scalp health while you still can.’ I silently watched him almost activate a trap card on himself.

I hadn\'t even felt the bleach yet, and my skin was already prickling at the mere thought of the impending pain. Why on earth did he want to dive into this torturous process?

Hye-Ri, however, chuckled and brushed Jin-Sung off. “Jin-Sung, wait till you graduate!"

“But Yoon-Chan got to dye his!"

“Jin-Sung, you are a year younger than Yoon-Chan, right? You look great as you are."

“Tch." Jin-Sung knew too well there was no budging Hye-Ri. Despite his disappointment, he quickly turned to get his makeup done.

The chief stylist laughed heartily, playfully cupping Jin-Sung\'s cheek. “Jin-Sung is handsome enough without it! Heal up soon, and let\'s focus on skincare, shall we?"

“Ah, ma’am!"

“Your skin\'s a bit rough, baby Jin-Sung."

“I\'ve been losing sleep lately. My skin\'s usually good."

“Is it because of the schedule?" asked the chief stylist. As she fixed Jin-Sung\'s hair, Jin-Sung shook his head.

“Partly, but there\'s this persistent cigarette smell coming from the apartment below or somewhere."

The persistent cigarette odor had been a constant challenge since we moved into the dorm, but recently, it had become unbearable. Jin-Sung was currently expressing his frustration with it.

The manager observed him briefly, jotting down notes in his notebook before turning to me.

“Hyun-Woo, I\'ve emailed you some of Yeong-Yee\'s old Tenten performance videos. Watch them with Yoo-Joon and learn the choreography and lyrics ahead of time."

“Ah, thanks." What a timely present. I had been fretting about where to start with Tenten\'s stuff, as they weren\'t exactly from our generation.

“Hyun-Woo, we are starting on the root bleaching."

“Whew... Okay!" After steeling myself, I nodded. The chemical felt cool on my scalp, but soon enough, it would turn into a fiery tormentor.

I glanced around and saw Yoon-Chan wearing a similar expression. Together, we endured the pain, and my hair transformed into a pure platinum blonde.

“Hyun-Woo, it was tough, but the fans are going to love it."

“Yeah, it\'s pretty. Thank you." For the next album, I would beg for a return to black from the start.

“Su-Hwan, the boys are all set!"

“Thanks. Good job, everyone. Chronos, let\'s get moving."

“Okay!" As we prepared to hit the stage for the music broadcast, the clouds that had obscured the sun in the morning had completely dissipated by evening.

“The humidity\'s insane."

“Might rain again soon."

As Yoo-Joon and I mumbled to each other, Joo-Han breezed past us into the car and warned, "Be extra careful on stage, it\'s going to be slippery. Especially both of you, Hyun-Woo and Yoo-Joon."

“Got it."

Jin-Sung was nursing an injured leg, so we had agreed to let him handle his vocal parts while Yoo-Joon filled in for his dance segments in “Parade.”

The wind was howling, hinting that more rain could be on its way. The car rumbled on toward the event venue. Joo-Han was busy rehearsing his mid-song banter, while the rest of us silently honed our stage personas. The manager caught our reflections in the rearview mirror, casting a glance back at us.

“I will give you a heads-up while we are on the way," announced the manager in his even tone.

“Yes? About what?"

“The first song \'Parade\' is scheduled to be live, but if the rain returns, even that might be off the table. Just wanted to prepare you," he explained.

“Ah, can\'t be helped. Got it," we replied with a collective nod.

“If you end up having to lip-sync, we will turn off your mics until it\'s your cue to avoid any mishaps, so please don’t sing out loud or do something unexpected.”

“Oh, right, sorry..." we mumbled, a bit sheepish. Throughout the ride, the manager continued to list things we needed to watch out for. Meanwhile, the rain played its own unpredictable symphony, stopping and starting without warning.

“Hyun-Woo, Yoo-Joon, be extra careful not to slip. If you feel unsteady, it\'s better to simplify your moves," Joo-Han cautioned us.

“Guess I will have to put some extra strength into my legs," Yoo-Joon murmured.

I glanced back at him from my seat and shook my head. “No, that will just make you slip on a slick stage. It\'s better to go with the flow, like you are in a rehearsal." Putting too much force, especially on a slippery surface, usually ended in a less-than-graceful tumble.

“Ah, really?"

“Yeah, let\'s prioritize safety, even if it means dialing down the moves," I assured. Ever since Jin-Sung\'s injury, safety had been our primary concern.

“We\'ve arrived," the manager informed us as the vehicle came to a halt behind the college stage. We then stepped out and made our way to the makeshift backstage set up by the school. After that, the stylists sprung into action, and Yoo-Joon hastily grabbed me to rehearse our pair dance.

After a brief discussion with the event staff, the manager returned with an update. “Today\'s first song will be lip-synced."

“Understood!"

In the thick of our busy preparations, the event organizer checked in. “Is Chronos ready?"

“Yes!"

“You are on in five minutes."

With that directive, we all congregated around Joo-Han and discussed.

“Let\'s use the safety version of our cheer today."

“Okay!"

“Let’s!"

“Be careful!" It was a new chant we\'d adopted post-Jin-Sung\'s injury.

We followed the staff\'s lead onto the stage. After a college presenter introduced us, we got up on the stage and were met with a different kind of cheer from the packed music shows.

“Whoaaaaa!”

Countless cameras and phones pointed our way. With a smile plastered on my face, I stepped onto the stage and promptly assumed my position for “Parade.” The stage lights emitted a gentle warmth, but at this moment, a light drizzle commenced just as the song kicked off. Just like that, fears of slipping added to the already charged atmosphere.

As “Parade” filled the air and we started moving, we were all keenly attuned to our surroundings. Things seemed to be going smoothly. Keeping a vigilant eye on the slick stage, Yoo-Joon energetically executed the choreography in Jin-Sung\'s usual position in front of me.

While most of the audience remained oblivious to the substitution, emitting general cheers, a few discerning fans visibly acknowledged Yoo-Joon\'s performance with pride, occasionally murmuring "Well done."

I smiled at them and blocked Yoo-Joon\'s chest with my cane, and then he grabbed the end of it.

“Oof!"

“Oh, sorry." I almost took a tumble due to Yoo-Joon\'s enthusiastic pull, but it ended as a minor hiccup, and “Parade” concluded without any issue.

“Wow! So good-looking!"

“Amazing!"

The mic was handed to us, and we assembled at the center of the stage for our greetings.

“Let\'s formally introduce ourselves. Two, three, one!"

“Hello, we are Chronos. Thank you for having us!"

Joo Han kicked things off with enthusiasm. "Wow, what an electrifying crowd! We\'re absolutely loving the energy here." Then Yoon-Chan chimed in, "This is our debut performance at a college venue—"

That was when it happened.

“Uh. Ah." Yoon-Chan stuttered as a moth started fluttering around him. Uncharacteristically flustered, he attempted to evade it. Was he afraid of bugs? Without hesitation, I extended my hand, capturing the moth and swiftly releasing it offstage.

“Thank you. Oh, I\'m sorry."

“No problem!" The cheerful atmosphere easily absorbed the little mishap, easing our nerves for our first college stage.

Yoon-Chan sheepishly grinned and continued, “Actually, this isn\'t just our first college show but our first event in general, and it\'s shaping up to be an incredibly fun memory. Alright, let\'s move on to the next song! The second song is \'Chronos,\' a track from our debut single The Parade. We hope you enjoy it!" With Yoon-Chan\'s words, we all set down our mics and took our positions.

“Chronos” was a song we\'d only ever rehearsed in the studio post-Pick We Up. It could have been unfamiliar to the audience here, so I felt a twinge of concern, almost as if we were debuting a new song.

The other members got off the stage, leaving me alone in the spotlight as “Chronos” started with my solo dance.

Before the music started, I took a moment to collect my thoughts, lowering my eyelids in focus. When I looked up again, I was struck by what I had overlooked in the excitement of our initial performance—the drizzling rain, the audience holding up their phones to film me, the lights blurred by the rain, and above all, our dedicated fans. Some had even set up tripods, recording me with professional precision.

I took a deep breath. I couldn’t make a mistake in front of all these cameras. If I slipped, it would forever haunt me, teased by the members and fans alike.

‘Let’s... Let’s be safe...’