Second Try Idol

“Is there such a song among Chronos' tracks?" someone asked, breaking the silence of the room.

“I only know ‘Fantasy Spirit,’" one of the other cast members replied with a shrug.

“Do you know ‘Red Riding Hood Cha Cha?’ Isn't it referred to as ‘Cha Cha’ for short? But what about ‘Kang Joo-Han?’ Does Joo-Han have a special mission or something?" another voice chimed in, turning toward the production team with a puzzled look.

“Ah, ‘Kang Joo-Han’ is actually a song too," I clarified, feeling the eyes of the room on me.

Ji Byeok-San caught my uneasy expression, chuckled silently, and playfully teased, “Hyun-Woo, you seem troubled. Hahaha! What’s so daunting about this song?"

“Given that the opposing team’s song is ‘Cha Cha,’ it suggests our track is no less remarkable. Isn’t that so, Joo-Han?" Kim Do-Rim questioned.

Joo-Han responded with a broad, confident smile and an affirmative nod. “It’s certainly not ordinary."

“But why do you seem to enjoy this so much, Joo-Han?"

“Hyun-Woo, can you hum it a little in my ear please?" On Jeong-Woo proposed and leaned in closer. His request was cut short by the production team who stepped in to settle everyone down.

- These tracks are not part of Chronos' official albums. They are just some fun ones they’ve sung before.

“Ah! I knew it! I couldn’t possibly be unaware of a Chronos track! I am quite a fan, you see," Gun-Seok exclaimed, throwing a heart shape with his hand at the camera.

“What? Don’t lie! Do you even know the members' names?"

The challenge was thrown back with a smirk. “Of course, I do. Obviously!" he retorted confidently.

“What are they then!"

“...First up, Yoo-Joon. And this here is Jin-Sung."

“If you start with 'first up,' it means you don't really know their names.”

“What about the rest?"

“Yoon-Chan… uh, and… Over there is Hyun-Woo!" Suddenly, the cast members were thrust into a rapid-fire naming of members. Though the director’s initial briefing had been briefly interrupted, the exchange seemed to have provided ample entertainment for the cameras.

Entertainers who specialized in variety shows indeed possessed remarkable verbal agility. The game of naming members was precariously navigated by Gun-Seok, who managed to name all members with hints from Joo-Han.

- To briefly elaborate on the songs, ‘Red Riding Hood Cha Cha’ is a track Chronos performed on a competition show before their official debut.

The backstory added a layer of nostalgia to the conversation.

“I recognize this one. The show was quite popular, right? It even trended on UTube for a while."

“Yes, that’s right. It became quite the topic," I confirmed, proud of our collective achievements.

- And ‘Kang Joo-Han’ is a brand-new song, freshly released three days ago.

“Really? A song that's only three days old?"

- It’s a song exclusively released to their fan club, but it has received such positive feedback that we think everyone is eagerly anticipating the music video.

The director explained with a sly grin, evidently pleased with the choice. Knowing the true essence of “Kang Joo-Han,” the members struggled to contain their laughter since they were aware of the inside joke.

- ‘Kang Joo-Han’ was composed by Chronos' very own Hyun-Woo and Yoo-Joon. It was dedicated to the leader Joo-Han.

“Wow, a song crafted for him? Then it must be truly special. Even the title is brimming with love.”

“Ah, what? Let us also perform ‘Kang Joo-Han!’”

The cast playfully bickered as they were caught in the moment, evidently coveting the new track.

I tried to maintain a serious demeanor to align with the director’s narrative. I locked eyes with Goh Yoo-Joon, who was standing across from me, and failed to suppress our chuckles.

“Pff, haha!"

“...Hah."

Goh Yoo-Joon burst out laughing first, and I, too, succumbed by lowering my head to hide my widening grin.

“What? Why are you bowing your head, Hyun-Woo? Why are you trembling? He keeps shaking over here. Hey, can you raise your head?”

“Yoo-Joon also burst out laughing? What's going on here? Why are you behaving like this?"

The perplexity in the air thickened as the cast members finally began to notice the charged expressions among the Chronos members.

The unmistakably loud laughter of Goh Yoo-Joon echoed through the studio. I lowered my head as I felt everyone’s curious eyes on us. We were swayed and pressured to divulge the secrets behind the song's lyrics, but we resiliently just shook our heads and did not yield to the pressure.

Seeing the situation getting out of hand, the director stepped in. His voice cut through the chatter with authority.

- Before we proceed to shoot the music video, shouldn't we first get a clear listen to these two songs?

“That's right, that's absolutely necessary.”

- Members of Chronos, please step forward and present each song.

The director instructed and gave a subtle cue with his eyes. All members moved to center stage with a mix of anticipation and amusement in their movements.

Though we were aware of the plan because of preliminary discussions, the reality of performing felt absurdly comical. It wasn't just the challenge of performing two of Chronos's notorious 'laugh mines' back-to-back but doing so right after coming off stage. The requirement was to don the "Fantasy Spirit" costumes and break into the “Cha Cha” dance.

“Oh my, what are we going to do? I know this routine, but I never thought I’d actually watch this performance in person," Joo So-Dam said. His voice was followed swiftly by the whimsical prelude of “Cha Cha.”

“Did you actually use this song for an audition? Really? That's incredibly bold for you, Chronos!"

“Cha Cha” was a soundtrack for a children's animation, but it involved a dance routine that was surprisingly complex. We couldn't perform the song in its entirety, so only crucial segments were edited for the performance.

The stage began with an innocent and refreshing vibe as we danced in "Fantasy Spirit" costumes, adding a whimsical touch to the routine.

Performing this live added to the humor, which was a tactic we willingly embraced to inject fun into the performance. Every member likely recalled the self-promises made during their audition days and reinforced their on-stage personas.

‘I am charming and adorable. I wield a beautiful magic wand as Cha Cha,’ each of us probably

reaffirmed internally.

As expected, Joo-Han was the most exhilarated, while Park Yoon-Chan dedicated himself fully to the routine despite the embarrassment. Goh Yoo-Joon managed a dance filled with a mix of embarrassment and hilarity, while Jin-Sung committed wholeheartedly.

To be honest, since our team’s essence was inherently playful, I danced without overthinking. I just fully embraced my role as Cha Cha.

The cast members’ praises rang out and further lifted the spirits in the room.

“Hahahaha! Excellent performance, you are doing great!”

“Chronos really knows how to put on a show!”

As Jin-Sung moved to take center stage, the atmosphere shifted palpably.

“Uh oh? What’s coming up next? What now?” the crowd murmured in anticipation.

“Yeah! That’s the Chronos spirit! Let’s see something spectacular!”

Jin-Sung bent deeply. His movements were fluid like the swinging of a pendulum and led into a dance break that showcased all the refined dance techniques he had perfected over time.

In a setting like this, where the dance was meant to be serious, eliciting laughter rather than mere awe was challenging.

As the audience continued to commend the coolness of the performance, I took center stage. My expression was more intense than ever, and I declared with the biggest energy I could muster, “The most powerful, magical pen- dan- tttttt-!”

Indeed, it was the renowned Magic Pendant. The crowd erupted into laughter, and I retreated, filled with a gratifying sense of having been entertained thoroughly.

‘I made them laugh!’ I was overwhelmed with joy from the humorous impact.

“Performing comedy in that costume is no easy feat,” Ji Byeok-San remarked as the "Cha Cha" stage came to an end.

“You guys…”

“Wait, Hyun-Woo.”

“Yes?”

The participants naturally spotlighted me, because I had delivered the final, impactful moment.

“You sang the ‘Magic Pendant’ part with such a composed face? Wow… Wow, I didn’t realize Chronos could be this entertaining.”

They were genuinely surprised.

“Ah, thank you.”

“Don’t thank me for laughing! Hyun-Woo! You, you are a real idol!”

“Ah, haha. I’m not sure why, but it feels fantastic when things get funny."

In “Red Riding Hood Cha Cha,” the art lay in shameless humor. Therefore, the laughter usually centered around me, Joo-Han, and Goh Yoo-Joon, who typically didn't seem the type to crack a smile.

Jin-Sung brought up the dance break while Yoon-Chan glossed over his part without a word. However, Yoo-Joon, ever the instigator, playfully brought up an episode involving an old adult Cha Cha costume with the line 'Is Cha Cha a joke?' to ensure the spotlight remained on us.

“Wow, I haven't laughed this hard in a long time."

“I find it irresistible when handsome guys engage in such antics. It's hilariously overwhelming."

Next up, the stage was set for the eagerly awaited “Kang Joo-Han.”

“This song baffles me. I can't quite grasp it. What could it be?"

The production crew passed the hand mics to me, Goh Yoo-Joon, and Joo-Han. Then, they prompted us to step forward once more.

“What's with Joo-Han’s face? Why the gloomy look?" Kim Do-Rim asked.

I gently clasped Joo-Han’s shoulders and said, “He needs to capture the right emotions."

“It’s quite a melancholic tune," Goh Yoo-Joon chimed in.

“It’s a sad song? That's surprising. I was expecting another comedic hit."

“If it's a sad song, crafting a music video should be straightforward."

Ji Byeok-San and Kim Do-Rim seemed pleased at the prospect of an easier task. Although, whether it would turn out as they expected remained to be seen. They should have looked at the director’s sinister grin.

- Shall we begin?

“Yes, let’s start." Goh Yoo-Joon said, shedding his somber demeanor to slip into his character.

Ah, can you hear me? …Ah! Don’t laugh, Suh Hyun-Woo.

I didn’t laugh.

Goh Yoo-Joon pushed me, and I stumbled back only to return the favor with double the force.

“What?"

“Why?"

The cast voiced their confusion. It was probably unknown to them and perhaps even to the director, Yoon-Chan, and Jin-Sung that “Kang Joo-Han” had been designed to start with a narration. We ignored their bewildered reactions and carried on with our lines in all seriousness.

Hey, don’t even think about making it funny. Just face away.

I didn’t laugh, and it wasn’t meant to be funny, okay? You laughed by yourself and then blamed me.

"Wow, Hyun-Woo hyung has really improved his acting."

“Dang…”

The youngest members echoed the cast's astonishment. Joo So-Dam couldn't help but burst into laughter and teased, “You didn’t know that’s how the song started? This is so funny.”

Hello everyone. We are Goh Yoo-Joon and Suh Hyun-Woo.

Today, we are excited to share a self-composed song that we released just three days ago.

Yes, that's right.

“How on earth are we supposed to make a music video out of this!"

“But it’s undeniably funny."

“Was it supposed to be a song or a stand-up comedy routine?"

‘Ah, you don’t hear anything, Hyun-Woo. You must not laugh. There is nothing for you to laugh about, nothing.’

I maintained a deadpan expression as I continued with the script.

We created the piece in just thirty minutes! Think of it as our little present to Joo-Han hyung, who's always crafting solo tracks for the members.

Yoo-Joon had long since let go of his solemn facade and was beaming.

We created it in thirty minutes, convinced Joo-Han hyung in five seconds, and recorded it in ten minutes! Let's listen!

Composed and performed by Yoo-Joon, Hyun-Woo, and of course, Joo-Han. The title is “Kang Joo-Han.”

Just then, Joo-Han diligently captured the emotion up to now, seized the mic, leapt forward, and unleashed the song with fervor.

♪ Hah! ……WOO- I AMMMMM KAANG Joo-Han!

“...What?"

“Hahahaha! Hahaha! Hahahahaha!!!!"

As Joo-Han belted out the tune, the cast couldn't contain themselves and erupted into laughter. The set devolved into joyful chaos.

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