Chapter 41

Debut Showcase (2)

I ascended the stage through the seemingly long staircase. The stage, wider than I had imagined, revealed itself. We had to fill this stage with our presence alone.

Each of us took our positions and exchanged encouraging glances with the members before the song began. Then, we slowly took deep breaths and waited for the music to start.

The world I opened my eyes to was so wondrous.

All the members opened their eyes at once. The scene before them resembled a starlit universe. I was responsible for the intro, singing a short phrase before moving into formation.

But I'm scared, yet I'm thrilled

Looking for you, I'm waiting for you

At the beginning, Hyung Chorok, with his falsetto, drew attention lightly.

Hyung Chorok, whose name means "green," wore green lenses and had bright emerald hair, along with futuristic thin-framed glasses. This gave him an almost otherworldly, unrealistic feel.

As a modern dance major, Hyung Chorok had an exceptionally wide range of joint movement, allowing him to express even the same movements dramatically. He used his entire body to convey the feeling of opening his eyes to a new world and desperately waiting for someone within it.

I'm hoping for a miraculous encounter

Give me memories, something I couldn't see before

Color me, with your hands, with your colors

Next was Oran's part. Oran, the lead vocalist, sang the ambiguous lyrics with a breathy, youthful voice, skillfully controlling the tension.

Oran, with his light brown permed hair, wore a beret-style knitted cap. His cute appearance and bright smile made it seem like the viewer's soul would be purified.

If hope still struggles to survive in this desolate land, Oh?

I won't give up, waiting for the day of your salvation

Even if we are the only ones left breathing in this abandoned world, Oh God, I won't give up, meeting your salvation today

Seohun, who took over the next part, wore a thin knit top instead of a shirt, with brown hair and golden lenses.

Seohun's rap was free of any pretense or exaggeration, almost like reciting a poem.

His deep, clear voice and smooth flow, combined with the emotional lyrics, made it feel like listening to a prayer. In fact, Seohun was a devout Christian.

Imprint you on me and engrave me a tattoo that never fades

The chorus, though short, was a crucial part because of its high notes, so I had to take it. I looked straight at the camera and slowly swept my hands down my body.

The title track was called 'Imprinting.'

It had a slightly seductive atmosphere, as it meant to ask someone to imprint themselves on me, like a newborn duckling imprinted on its mother, never forgetting the first encounter.

At first, it wasn't like this... The story of a duckling imprinting on its mother and never forgetting the first meeting turned into a plea to be imprinted.

Anyway, the reaction from the audience was not bad.

Congratulate me, welcome me, my new beginning

I'll overcome, no matter what the future holds

Encourage me, support me, like a bird hatching from an egg

I'll fly, even if my wings are clumsy

I hope to bring you joy with our very existence

Bakha's part was a challenging section that required a fast rhythm and a light, agile body. Bakha, with her bright hair, ran and smiled.

Despite the complex choreography, she managed to perform her part smoothly, thanks to her dancer position.

From the beginning of heaven and earth, that day

If someone said we would meet after a long time, would you be joking?

Personally, I liked Jiyoon's rap lyrics the most. The use of the word "joking" was to rhyme with the next line.

The first day I saw a new light

After a long time, if we meet, everyone would say it's a joke of fate

Jiyoon, with his black hair and cat-like lenses, wore an unbuttoned shirt. He rapped with a relaxed attitude, and his skills stood out even though he was holding back.

The short dance break in the middle was handled by Hyung Chorok, with Bakha joining in to perform a pair dance.

Imprint you on me and engrave me a tattoo that never fades, imprint you on me and engrave me a tattoo that never fades

Oran took the main melody, and I added harmonies to finish the song. I ended the title track with a pose that looked like I was choking myself with one hand.

Clap, clap, clap, clap?

As the song ended, applause and camera shutter sounds filled the air.

"One, two. Hello! We are Theora, full of endless possibilities!"

We completed the stage without any major issues, and a wave of joy washed over us.

* * *

The high school girl was captivated the moment she saw Theora in a TV commercial. She thought it was strange for anyone not to be drawn in by such stunning visuals. From then on, she began searching for information everywhere.

She found out that Theora's official account was holding a lottery to invite fans to the debut showcase. Without hesitation, she applied immediately.

She was confident that she would easily get an invitation, thinking it was a group that hadn't even debuted yet. But that was a mistake.

"Did I underestimate it...?"

The result of the lottery was a rejection. After the lottery, the official account was flooded with comments from disappointed fans who didn't win an invitation.

"There are so many people like me..."

She had no choice but to watch the showcase online.

She had even planned to skip school and go to the live hall if she got an invitation. The live hall, which was not easy for a newly debuted idol group to use, had quite a few seats...

It was a disappointment, but it was a done deal. The high school girl sat in the living room and connected her TV to her phone. She could watch on a large screen while her parents were out.

The live broadcast was on, but the showcase and press conference hadn't started yet. The Theora commercial video was playing, and the audience's situation was occasionally shown.

"Wow! They must be looking forward to Theora."

After all, they were advertising on public TV and had a ten-million-audience director shooting their music video. The agency was investing heavily, to the point where it could wobble.

Hanul was known by name but was slightly lacking to be considered a major agency. They had produced two idol groups, but the girl group was considered a second-tier, and the boy group a third-tier. They were far from being called an idol powerhouse.

"Are they trying to make a big splash this time?"

The agency, which had been actor-focused, was transitioning to a full-fledged idol producer. They were showing their determination to put in all their efforts. The results would soon be clear. At least, the audience sitting densely in the seats didn't look bad.

The front seats of the live hall were occupied by journalists and related personnel, and the back rows seemed to be filled with fans who won the invitations. The majority being women confirmed this. They were marketing with their outstanding visuals, so it wasn't the right time for male fans to join yet. The song was only being revealed today.

"The song is good. It's strangely addictive."

It had only been a few hours since the release, and it was hard to gauge the reaction to a newly debuted group. She felt an urge to discuss Theora with someone.

She was disappointed not to get an invitation. But seeing the number of live viewers, she felt comforted knowing there were many like her. I'm not the only one who couldn't go.

She got up to get some orange juice but sat back down when the showcase started. She couldn't miss even a moment while she was in the kitchen.

Before the live performance, the music video played on the screen. Even though she had watched it repeatedly, it felt like a real movie on the large TV screen and with the sound.

"Where did the director's experience go? And he's a ten-million-audience director, Juyoung."

Some reporters were so captivated that they couldn't take their eyes off it. Maybe they were seeing the music video for the first time? She nodded, thinking it was understandable since they were here for work.

The music video ended quickly. The theme conveyed throughout the video was intuitive. It introduced Theora's world and expressed innocence.

She had read the lyrics before coming to the showcase, and they felt provocative depending on the interpretation. Maybe they couldn't write more directly because they were young?

The stage darkened after the music video ended. When the view brightened, Theora, with their vibrant hair colors, was there.

The screen showed the members' faces in full, without any humiliation. Their attractive appearances and lens colors made them seem almost otherworldly, like virtual characters or dolls crafted by a god.

A future bass pop with a bright, unique, and somewhat nostalgic atmosphere. It felt sophisticated. While it wasn't currently trending, it seemed like it could become a new trend.

The live performance was impressive. Their seasoned singing skills, despite being new, made the listening experience comfortable. She would have been anxious if they had missed a note or the beat, but Theora showed clean live skills.

The dance looked effortless, but upon closer inspection, the choreography was highly complex. The dance position members performed better, but overall, they were all skilled dancers.

They showed a sharp, synchronized performance, with even the angle of their arms perfectly aligned. It wouldn't have been surprising if there were a few standout members in Theora, given their visuals.

"Is this the level of a newly debuted idol group?"

Even watching it live, she couldn't believe it and just blinked. Whether these were kids born to be idols or Hanul had honed them with great effort, it was a hit.

"Bro..."

The word "bro" slipped out of her mouth. Some members were actually her seniors, and some were her juniors, but anyone who was good-looking and talented was a "bro."

She had to ask her friends at school tomorrow if they had watched Theora's showcase. If they hadn't, they would be missing out on life.

"No, I need to contact them right away. A true friend can't let a friend lose out on life, even for a second."

She confirmed that the press conference would follow the title track performance and picked up her phone. She glanced at the press conference while texting her friend and then gently put her phone down.

She didn't turn off the screen because there were encore performances of the B-sides.

"Is this more like a press conference or a flirtation?"

It was a fierce battle between the reporters trying to create controversy and Theora trying to avoid any pitfalls.

The messages from her friends perfectly captured her feelings.

She was glad she didn't drink the orange juice. If she had, she would have definitely spewed it out.