Chapter 44: The Techniques of an Idol Who Never Fails

I thought of a hundred different things to post on the X bus. While I was pondering, Min Jihoo and Han Hyoseok were being incredibly annoying beside me.

"Bro, add an exclamation mark!"

"You don't have to listen to him, but please listen to me."

Such nuisances...

Ever since they received separate tracks and were included in the tracklist, the two became very close.

After a short rest at the dorm, we gathered in the living room to check the choreography drafts we had received. The music video shoot was in two days, so we didn't have much time. We planned to first familiarize ourselves with the choreography visually.

The choreography video was filmed in TRV's practice room, led by Min Jihoo, who created the main choreography, and Han Hyoseok, who toned it down to prevent it from being too intense due to the song's characteristics, along with UO.

This was a stage with more dancers than our members, a performance of pure freshness that Firstlight had never attempted before.

A dancer with my name tag performed a cute move and disappeared during my part.

"Can you do that...?"

Since this was the first time we had such a cute concept, Hwang Saebi, who was usually the most nervous, asked me. I replied boldly.

"Of course, why not?"

"Hey, I can't do that..."

"Is being cute really that hard? No, it's not..."

"It's being cute that's the problem. Being cute is easy. Yeah, yeah."

Hwang Saebi interrupted me and took over. It seems I used to say this a lot to Kuk Sun-a. Thinking back, I was quite annoying.

After the choreography video ended, Min Jihoo looked at the members with sparkling eyes, clearly hoping for praise. So I deliberately ignored him and said,

"Ah, I'm tired. I think I'll sleep."

Hwang Saebi immediately understood and responded,

"Let's have a midnight snack. We have to practice from dawn. Who wants to eat?"

"Bro, let's order chicken feet."

"Sure, let's order that too."

When everyone agreed to have a midnight snack and started suggesting what they wanted, Min Jihoo held down Park Sunjae and Shin Jiwoon, preventing them from getting up. His expression clearly showed he was upset, so Hwang Saebi finally spoke up.

"To be honest, he's a genius."

"Yeah, I don't want to praise him, but he's honestly a genius."

Even after my response, Min Jihoo kept looking around. So An Joo-won patted his back and said,

"Alright, you're really amazing. The others were just teasing you."

When the members chuckled at An Joo-won's words, Min Jihoo finally relaxed, covering his face with his hands.

"Ah, don't. I was really worried if the choreography was bad."

To which Han Hyoseok scolded him,

"How could it be bad? Why were you worried?"

"You were secretly worried too, right?"

"Seriously, how could anyone not be worried here?"

"Bro, the pre-chorus choreography was made by Hyoseok."

"Really? I didn't know. It's not his usual style. He did a great job."

"Exactly. It's just fun and exciting without any flashy parts."

The members seemed to like it, discussing the parts they enjoyed. Min Jihoo, who received a lot of praise, was the loudest. In the midst of this, he didn't miss the opportunity to discuss any parts he wanted to modify or add.

After writing down what the members said, we watched the choreography video again.

I imagine everyone was visualizing themselves on stage in their heads. That's our job, after all.

While I was imagining the stage, I dozed off and was woken up by the members.

"Bro, let's eat the midnight snack."

"You guys eat. I'll sleep."

As the members got up from the sofa to eat, I climbed onto the sofa and tried to sleep in a corner. The members looked at me in disbelief and commented.

"Go to your room and sleep."

"No."

"Why are you sleeping here? You always say you like it when we gather, but you like it the most."

I heard Shin Jiwoon's accusatory voice. I wanted to say I was too tired to go to my room, but I didn't have the energy. Strangely, the smell of food, the members' chatter, and the sound of the TV drama played like a lullaby.

* * *

The choreography looked easy but was composed of movements that required a lot of strength. What made it even more challenging was the need to manage our expressions to match the bright and cheerful mood of the song.

We practiced day and night for two days, so by the time we were on the bus to the music video shoot, everyone was almost asleep.

But I couldn't fall asleep.

I was too excited.

"I can't even remember the last time I saw the sea..."

This music video was mostly shot in a studio, but there were some beach scenes. I tried to remember the last time I saw the sea. Since my sister went abroad, I hadn't been to the beach, so it must have been before I was ten.

The memories of playing with my family were so good that they remained as happy memories in my head.

The shooting location was a cafe on a hill overlooking the sea. We had rented the building for a week, and the production team had decorated it like a home. It seems that nowadays, good places always have cafes.

As soon as we entered the building, which was already set up for the shoot, the members' faces lit up.

"Wow, the sea looks amazing."

Following Min Jihoo's comment, the members followed suit.

I also enjoyed the sea after a long time. The weather was so nice that the sky looked like it had been color-corrected, with vivid colors.

This music video had an acting part to match the lyrics about a fresh first love.

The main character was An Joo-won.

"No, no, no."

Surrounded by the members teasing him, An Joo-won pushed us away with the most miserable face I had ever seen.

"Please, just..."

We chuckled and teased him a bit more before backing off. An Joo-won, who didn't want to act twice in front of the members, managed to finish it in one take.

The other members also did their individual shots inside and around the building, and it was finally time for the group choreography with the sea as the background. Hwang Saebi, unusually acting like a leader, said,

"Think of it as our first stage and focus."

"Wow, the leader."

To Shin Jiwoon's comment, I replied,

"Don't tease him, or he might not do it again."

"Ah, right. I won't tease him again."

Hwang Saebi waved his hand as if it was a waste of energy to get angry and the choreography started immediately.

With the good weather and the beautiful background, the moment we started the choreography, I was confident that the fans would love this music video. The choreography had many partner parts, and every time I made eye contact with the members, I could see that they were thinking the same thing. The members' passion was evident in the lively choreography.

After one round of the choreography, the staff, as the first audience, clapped and cheered.

"Firstlight, amazing!"

"Wow, this is really... This is going to be a hit."

We finished the shoot in high spirits.

* * *

The beach shoot took two full days. The members took turns napping in corners of the set. At that moment, a status window appeared.

[Emergency!]

[The video's 'likes' are approaching 100,000]

[When the video reaches 100,000 'likes', a new roulette will be unlocked]

[345 likes remaining to complete the mission]

[342 likes remaining to complete the mission]

[337 likes remaining to complete the mission]

It was close, but the rate of increase was a bit slow.

I quietly took out my phone and opened YouTube.

On the YouTube homepage, videos from TYT's new survival show, "The Sure," were recommended. A new survival show was ongoing.

Without looking closely, I quickly went to the "Clear Day" video and stealthily hit the 'like' button. Then I walked around, urging the members and staff to 'like' it. Fortunately, they all did so willingly. Hehehe...

[...]

[...]

[...]

[The video (Clear Day) has reached 100,000 'likes']

[A new roulette can be unlocked]

[Currently, 1 roulette can be used simultaneously]

[Do you want to check it?]

Wait, hold on.

If I do this now, I can't open it, right?

Just as I was about to check what the roulette was, a TRV staff member appeared with a gift box.

"Mr. Haewon, we were supposed to give this to you just before the comeback... but the company thought it would be better to give it to you sooner."

"What is it?"

Curious, I took the gift box from the TRV staff member.

I was about to fall asleep waiting for my turn, but I was suddenly excited and woke up. I tore open the packaging with the knife the staff member gave me and checked the box.

It was a custom in-ear monitor.

I was speechless for a moment, and the members gathered around.

"Quick, take it out!"

Encouraged by Min Jihoo, I took out my custom in-ear monitor.

It had a subtle purple gem design, and on the left side, it said "Sea" in Korean.

"How did you know...?"

I asked, and the staff member replied,

"The members told us that you like purple and that the name of the cat you had when you were young was 'Sea'."

I remembered telling that story.

When I was young, during a family trip to the beach, we found a cat and brought it home. We named the cat "Sea." It was already quite old at the time and lived with us for another five years.

To me, Sea was both a friend and, at times, an adult. It was a very mature cat.

I didn't particularly like the cat at first because it wasn't very social. But I became close to Sea after my sister, who the cat loved the most, left for England at the age of twenty.

When I missed my sister, I would go to her bed and cry. I think it was hard to endure the first loss in my ten-year-old life.

When I woke up, Sea was always sleeping next to me. I gradually got used to sleeping with Sea.

After my favorite person left, Sea often played with me, and after that, I decided I would never keep another pet.

So, Sea was my first and last cat. I wanted to write a song about that cat someday.

"Ah, I feel really strange... No, I shouldn't get emotional every time I see the in-ear monitors, right?"

I grumbled, and Shin Jiwoon said,

"See, I knew you'd pretend to dislike it even though you like it."

"When did I pretend to dislike it? I just like it."

"That's the attitude of someone who really likes something, isn't it?"

No, how much more do you want me to like it...

I ignored him and examined my custom in-ear monitor. It wasn't too flashy, nor was it too plain, which was just my style. When I tried it on, it fit perfectly.

"Ah, it's so good. Thank you. You guys are a bit helpful too."

Before the members could pick on the "a bit" part, I quickly took off the in-ear monitor and handed it to Park Jungwoon, the manager who takes care of the in-ear monitors.

"I want to get on stage soon."

Before Min Jihoo could shout "Me too," Han Hyoseok quickly covered his mouth. I was grateful.