Chapter 108
Chapter 108
The stage was still dark.
In the lightless void, a mysterious, heavy bass sound resonated, sounding like the movement of a massive, clunky machine.
DOON DOON DOON DOON DOON DOON DOON DOON
The majority of the fans had already listened to the song countless times through streaming, but the sheer power of hearing it live was on another level.
The tempo was faster than expected, building a sense of tension.
Then, an electronic sound pierced through the air.
Dvvvviiiiii—!
It was that thunderous riff melody from the trailer.
And as if startled by the thunder, the stage lights flashed on like a bolt of lightning.
Under pale lights devoid of any warmth, a stage set resembling a back alley from a sci-fi game was revealed. However, school props like desks and chalkboards were scattered about as if they had been discarded.
The members of TeSTAR stood with their backs turned, each facing a different direction.
Cha Yu-jin slowly turned forward, tilting his head with a sharp snap.
—Do not trust it
There is no justice
Oooohh—.
The moment the low-pitched singing rap ended, the striking riff melody vanished.
In its place, a Moombahton rhythm unfolded.
It was rhythmic but balanced on a precarious edge that wasn't quite "joyful," and an early first dance break kicked in.
It was a synchronized choreography centered around Cha Yu-jin, carrying a slightly mechanical feel.
The moment Cha Yu-jin disappeared behind the formation, the song truly began.
—Even looking back, I can't tell
Umm
What exactly happened
—Target Target Target
GOT IT
As I run, as I snatch it away
The vocal melody was completely different from the trailer song.
For some unknown reason, this sub-track, "Better Me," was structured as if it had only sampled the accompaniment from the trailer song.
However, this version was a much trendier dance track, the kind an idol would typically release.
Thanks to that, TeSTAR was practically flying across the stage.
The composition was so intense it made one wonder if they even had time to breathe.
—This vivid feeling
(It won't be erased, it won't be forgotten)
Even now, I know
(I got that CODE)
As they entered the pre-chorus, Kim Rae-bin and Keun Se-jin’s vocals intertwined and spread out.
The two performed a somewhat aggressive pair choreography, as if trying to snatch each other away, before splitting apart.
Then came the second pre-chorus part.
As Park Moon-dae stepped forward, the electronic sound from the trailer suddenly returned.
Even the lyrics that flowed out were similar to the trailer.
—I will never die
Like I did before
I’m gonna keep ME
Alive—!
His high note soared cleanly.
While the vocal melody was entirely different from the trailer, its difficulty was undeniably just as high.
Park Moon-dae sang this high note continuously while performing dynamic choreography that involved weaving through and pushing off the other members.
And he did it with a somewhat sorrowful aura.
‘Wow...’
Kim Rae-bin’s fan forgot to cheer and watched in awe as if she were watching a survival competition, before quickly snapping out of it to focus on the stage.
Kim Rae-bin finally came out for the chorus!
With a sharp, glaring gaze, Kim Rae-bin sang the chorus with a hint of melancholy.
—BUT.
It’s just confusing
Since when was it?
I’m just confused
Umm
How far does it go?
The chorus returned to the Moombahton rhythm, with low, flowing vocals loosely layered over a sharp beat.
Then Ryu Cheong-woo stepped out to take over the next lines of the chorus.
—Could be confusing
What is it I want?
May be confused
Umm
How am I supposed to do this?
The lyrics and atmosphere suggested a sense of wandering, yet it felt strangely significant and abstract.
Combined with the stage, choreography, and costumes, the performance looked like a journey of wandering through a dystopian world rather than reality.
Because of this, the neon signs and mechanical devices that could have been distracting actually enhanced the slightly gloomy undertone at the heart of this intense song.
—Take me and get that might
As soon as the melodic chorus ended, the second verse choreography became even more intense and complex, accompanied by Cha Yu-jin’s biting rap.
—This distant feeling
(Trying to erase, trying to forget)
Still, I know
(I got that CODE)
As if climbing endlessly toward a breaking point, more elements were added to the accompaniment, and the beat grew increasingly powerful.
Then, the moment the chorus was supposed to explode after the bridge.
Instead of a drop, the song cut all accompaniment. Only that intense riff melody returned, standing alone.
Dvvvviiiiii~!
In a state with no beat, the final chorus exploded, competing solely against the riff melody.
—BUT.
It’s NOT confusing!
Who I am
I’m NOT confused
Oh!
I’ll find a BETTER ME
Taking the baton from Ryu Cheong-woo’s vocals, Park Moon-dae hit the final ultra-high note and held it.
His vocal volume was so immense that the AR backing track could barely be heard.
‘Holy crap!’
The audience let out internal screams.
When listening to the digital track, both the riff melody and the vocals were so sharp that it felt fatiguing after a few listens, but seeing it as a performance made it incredibly dramatic.
Furthermore, the Moombahton rhythm that resumed immediately afterward was incredibly catchy.
—BETTER ME
With a bright grin, Keun Se-jin leaped to the center for the final dance break.
The accompaniment from the first dance break was rearranged.
As if the conflict had been resolved, a lighter and more upbeat atmosphere followed.
However, the choreography became even more flashy with increased footwork, making it even more impressive in terms of difficulty and spectacle.
—BETTER ME
Only as the song neared its end did they sing the title—which had popped out as a variation hook—one last time, bringing the song to a close.
The internal screams immediately burst outward.
“Waaaaaaaah!!!”
“Whoa!!”
“Oh my god!!”
The sub-track performance, which practically screamed that it was made for the stage, was a brilliant production that satisfied both the eyes and ears.
The best part was that since they would be recording multiple times, the fans would get to see this stage a few more times!
TeSTAR, seemingly out of breath from a song with no room to rest, staggered and panted while waving and giving their thanks.
Some members even lifted their tech-wear accessories to fan themselves, looking overheated.
A moment later, Ryu Cheong-woo spoke to the staff.
“Huff... huff, the next take... Yes? Just like this?”
The expressions on TeSTAR’s faces brightened.
“Wow, they said we got it in one take!”
It was a bolt from the blue for the fans.
‘No!!’
Since the rehearsal had been finished early due to equipment checks, that single performance was all the fans got to see!
But of course, there was no reversing the decision. Realizing the situation too late, the TeSTAR members tried to pull some cheap tricks.
“Director, don't you think our voices sounded a bit off just now?”
“I didn't see the camera!”
But it didn't work at all. Consequently, they apologized and showed off some aegyo and dance moves before disappearing.
“....”
And so, the fans ended up leaving the recording studio just 20 minutes after entering.
All they had in their hands were cream bread and Americano from a famous local bakery that TeSTAR had supposedly prepared.
‘...Kim Rae-bin!! Park Moon-dae!! Who told you to be that good!!’
Kim Rae-bin’s fan tore into the cream bread, not even realizing how nonsensical her thoughts were.
It was so delicious it made her even angrier.
That evening, the performances for both TeSTAR’s sub-track and title track finally aired for the first time.
Perhaps because the General Manager had been fired and there had been many recent incidents, the company at least gave us time to sleep during promotions.
Thanks to that, I was able to check the reactions to the first stage at the dorm at midnight.
On sites like WeTube, the title track naturally had more views, but on social media and community forums, the reaction to the sub-track was almost equal.
I clicked on a post with over five hundred comments.
=========================
[TeSTAR’s sub-track this time]
: (SNS Video Link)
It just aired on MusicBOMB, and honestly, the stage reaction seems better than the title track.
=========================
The opinions were generally positive. There were occasional trolls just throwing bait, but those guys appear everywhere.
Of course, among those comments, I found the topic I had expected.
It was roughly that kind of vibe.
‘It was worth the points.’
Of course, reactions expressing suspicion popped up here and there, but they didn't develop further.
That was because I had already laid the groundwork in advance.
Hmm, as expected, since a plausible excuse was provided, people just brushed it off.
‘It was lucky the company was already planning to switch salons.’
Thanks to that, I was able to raise my Appearance to A- without any issues.
And as for why I invested in Appearance... it was because Ryu Cheong-woo, who was recently B+, had moved up to A-.
...Since he had suffered so much during Aju-sa, it seemed the aftermath of that finally fading was showing now. Even to my eyes, the sparkle in his eyes had improved.
Anyway, if things continued like this, I would be the only one left at B-rank and become fodder for frame-by-frame comparison posts, so I invested now while the timing was right.
‘It was a good choice.’
Oh, and I put another point into Singing to make it A+.
After practicing the final chorus of that sub-track repeatedly, I had a strong feeling that my throat would give out eventually, so I had no choice.
‘It’s a bit of a shame, though.’
I felt like I could have raised Singing naturally if I had waited just a bit longer. But with the comeback right in front of us, I couldn't help it.
‘I should save the one remaining point as planned.’
I shrugged and turned off my smartphone. Since my schedule started at an hour close to dawn tomorrow, I had to sleep immediately.
‘I’ll look into the title track reactions more tomorrow.’
The next day, while waiting for a music broadcast and checking the title track reactions, I heard some strange news.
“You guys have a variety show shoot scheduled for next week~”
“Oh~”
“Where?”
“I hate birds.”
Amidst the lukewarm reactions from those who hadn't escaped the trauma of Humans Who Know When to Stop, the manager gave a thumbs up.
“It’s a variety show where you ride horses and shoot arrows!!”
“...!”
In that instant, everyone’s eyes turned toward Ryu Cheong-woo.