LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 196
Chapter 196
The Chronicle concert ran for a full four hours, including the encore, leaving behind a deep sense of exhilaration and corresponding fatigue.
The setlist wasn’t filled with ballads to make it loose or anything like that.
Considering that Chronicle now had members in their forties, it was truly an impressive display of stamina.
Orca, who had agreed to enjoy the concert as a kind of study tour and learn from it, also felt something from today’s experience.
“How does Senior Seong-young maintain that energy from start to finish? I’m exhausted just watching.”
“Seeing Senior Joo Yeon-ho and Senior Muk Hye-sung never waver on high notes gave me chills.”
“At the start, Senior Do-kyun’s low notes… even as a fellow man, I have to say it was so sexy. And today’s concert was all live band, right? Their stamina is no joke…”
“I liked how the stage setup and VCRs were integrated smoothly instead of appearing out of nowhere.”
“Ah, now I think I get why Kang Ji-woo always wants to do concerts. It’s no joke.”
“Right? Maybe it’s because they’ve been doing it for 20 years, but every time they sync up perfectly, I get excited. I hope they have another concert next year. I want to come again.”
The members’ gazes turned to the unusually quiet On Raon.
“What about you, Raon? You’re the biggest fan of Chronicle among us. How was it?”
“Huh? I….”
Noticing On Raon’s somewhat dazed expression, Gyun Seong-ha spoke up.
“Looks like he wasn’t listening to a word we said.”
In truth, On Raon had been preoccupied with his own thoughts.
“No, I was just thinking we should go quickly….”
Watching Chronicle run around singing under the hot lights must have been exhausting, but watching a long performance was quite tiring as well.
Kang Ji-woo, who was sitting next to On Raon and noticed him unusually excited without any sign of fatigue, held onto him, sensing that if left alone, he might head back to the dorm or the company by himself.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but we should at least say goodbye properly.”
“Ah.”
Snapping back to reality, On Raon awkwardly laughed, gathered his things, and followed the staff.
That night, a post featuring selfies with Chronicle members in the concert waiting room was uploaded on Orca members’ SNS.
[ORCA]
– (Photo) We went to the Chronicle concert today! The seniors were so amazing; I think I fell in love about twenty more times todayㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Thank you for inviting us!! And Aerie~~! Let’s have our concert soon!! Definitely!!! I’ll make you fall in love with us on that day
#Orca #ORCA
#Raon #RAON
– Wow, you went to the concertㅋㅋㅋ Raon, you’re already a successful fan, but keep walking the path of a successful fan ㅋㅋㅋㅋ !!
– (Video) A video of us dancing to “Chu Chu Chu” at the Chronicle concert has been uploaded. The big cat who loves to play with adults was so excited, it was a cute cat-dog moment
– I’m an Eternal, but now seeing our nephew makes me smile warmly and feel so grateful. Thanks to the new sides of Hye-sung oppa coming out these days, I think I can continue being a fan for another 20 years.
– Today was hilariousㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Yeon-ho: If you’ve been here for 20 years, your nephew is my nephew
Hye-sung: No
Eternal: Then let’s make our nephew
Hye-sung: Okay
Yeon-ho: (Betrayal)
Raon: ?????
– It’s so cute seeing how excited Raon is after going to his favorite senior’s concert on Twitter, and the promise to make us fall in love with him makes my heart flutter, but it’s still so cute that I can’t resist smiling.
* * *
At the Seed headquarters.
“Huuu….”
On Raon, after changing out of his sweaty and damp clothes from the stuffy concert hall, entered the studio prepared at the company.
He worried that someone might be using it, but luckily it was empty, probably because it was the weekend.
“…….”
His heart was still pounding as if he were standing in front of a giant amplifier.
The volume was so grand and the intense lights illuminating only five people in the vast concert hall couldn’t be compared to music shows or events.
But what he liked the most was the sense of breathing together with the people in that time and place.
The passionate voices of Chronicle fans, the Eternals, swept through his body like flames.
“I’m so jealous….”
Now, On Raon felt certain of what had inspired him even during the end-of-year stage.
Back then, weren’t the various fans at the event singing along to the year-end hit ‘Present’ together?
‘A song that we and our fans can sing together passionately during a concert.’
Even the voices of other people’s fans made his heart race, so how incredible would it feel if his own fans did the same?
And with a song that I created!
Once I had a clear image and purpose for the song I wanted to create, everything proceeded smoothly.
The unfinished and sluggish processes I had experienced up to now hadn’t been entirely in vain.
By meticulously piecing together the parts that had remained incomplete due to trial and error, a new song that perfectly suited my taste was gradually coming to life.
The effect of the talent ‘Favorite of Creation’, which had been dormant since I first acquired it, also kicked in, and I became completely engrossed in my work, almost severed from the outside world.
The members were worried about me as I holed up in the studio, which was usually Seo Moon-gyeol’s domain, for three days and nights, skipping several meals.
Even Kang Ji-woo, who was usually the most sensitive about taking care of health and meals, couldn’t stop me, given my frightening level of concentration.
Whenever I occasionally stepped out of the studio to drink water or use the restroom, I looked noticeably gaunt.
Was I going to collapse like this?
Knowing On Raon’s inherently poor stamina, despite his mysteriously fast recovery this year, the Orca members and Seed staff were united in their concern for the company’s youngest member.
There was nothing they could do but prepare snacks for On Raon, who refused proper meals, saying he would get an upset stomach if he ate them now, and brought them into the studio.
“Oh, he came out.”
The studio door slowly opened, and On Raon stumbled out, rubbing his face.
“Isn’t he just coming out to go to the bathroom?”
“No, that’s the face of someone who’s finished.”
Recognizing the subtle joy on On Raon’s dazed face, Seo Moon-gyeol shook his head and said.
“Really? Then…”
Trusting his capable younger brother, Kang Ji-woo gave the order.
“Take him away.”
Gyun Seong-ha, who had been waiting, quickly ran to On Raon, grabbed his arm, and moved him to a comfortable resting place.
“Are you going to sleep?”
“Yeah. But I’m hungry…”
“Right. Gyeol said you’d be done around now, so we got some porridge. I wanted to make it myself, but because of filming… Anyway, it’s heating up now, so wait a bit. Eat and then sleep.”
“Uh-huh…”
“Did you sleep at all?”
“A little…?”
“So, I’m curious about what great thing you made to go this far.”
“Do you have the file now? Can’t you let us hear it?”
At those words, On Raon, who had been nodding off with his head down, suddenly lifted his head and refused Ban Yo-han’s request in a particularly clear voice.
“I’m not going to let you hear it.”
“What? Why!”
“Because I’m embarrassed. It’s the first song I made.”
Despite his words, his face showed not a trace of embarrassment. Ban Yo-han, who often used similar tricks, was at a loss for words.
“…How is that the face of someone who’s embarrassed?”
“Look here.”
“Hey, I’m allowed, right?”
Kang Ji-woo confidently interjected, causing Ban Yo-han to frown.
“Hey, why do you think you can listen if I can’t?”
“Are you and I the same, ranked fourth in Raon’s favorites and me at second? Second is a silver medal, but fourth is no medal.”
Next to him, third-ranked Gyun Seong-ha nodded busily, and first-ranked Seo Moon-gyeol approached, smiling as he entered with the porridge.
“People are the problem. They only remember the medalists. That’s why our country’s arts and sports development is slow.”
Before Ban Yo-han’s nonsense could make everyone’s head hurt further, On Raon interrupted.
“Hyung, you can’t either. Neither Gyeol hyung nor Gyun Seong-ha can. No one can hear it.”
Seeing On Raon speak firmly but cheerfully, no one could immediately ask why.
They didn’t want to make On Raon, who showed clear signs of fatigue from several sleepless nights, more tired with pointless arguments.
On Raon, who had an unexpectedly high wall, was also quite stubborn.
“Okay… Just eat the porridge.”
“Uh-huh.”
He answered that he would eat, but his briefly awakened mind was clouded again, and he nodded off with a blank expression, his mind in turmoil.
‘Who should I ask to record the guide? It’d be best if I sang it myself, but my unique voice will give it away. Muk-ssem is out of the question because it’ll be too obvious that it’s me, and I’m not close enough with the senior artists in the agency… Someone trustworthy… Someone who won’t tell anyone…’
He had a clear reason for not wanting to reveal that he had composed the song.
Then On Raon’s eyes completely closed.
He was at his limit, not even thinking that he could recover through grace.
‘I’m so tired I could die. Let’s just sleep first and think later…’
Kang Ji-woo’s nagging to eat something and then sleep faintly echoed in his ears, but it didn’t matter now.
Watching the sleeping On Raon, Kang Ji-woo felt a bit uneasy, wondering if another singer might steal their group’s youngest member’s first song, perhaps someone like Chronicle, whom they had seen in concert a few days ago.