Chapter 46
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Keyword Music Stage Practice (1)
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A few days later.
In Kim Seok-hyun's studio that we visited again, we got to listen to the completed arrangement of [Rose-Tinted Circus].
Richer accompaniment than the original song, added electronic instruments, and even all the sound effects I'd requested for the latter half of the stage—they were all perfectly implemented.
‘Pretty good?’
The members who had been bobbing along to the rhythm exchanged glances and let out exclamations.
Soon, as the song's flow shifted, the section for the rap part arrived.
“You put the rap here.”
I'd been worried it might feel awkward if the beat suddenly changed midway,
but seeing the seamless transition into the rap part, admiration spilled out naturally.
“Wow.”
And then the dance break section.
“Wooow.”
“What? This is insane.”
“The beat is no joke.”
When the song ended, all the members broke into smiles and clapped.
Seeing their reaction, Kim Seok-hyun shrugged one shoulder and cleared his throat awkwardly.
“How is it? Like it?”
“It's not just that we like it—it's amazing.”
“The beat just drills right into your ears, wow….”
I gave him dual thumbs up with both hands and smiled.
‘Composers are composers, after all.’
Kim Seok-hyun, looking us over, spoke up.
“But didn't you say you have to make new choreography for this song?”
“Yeah. We'll have to create new choreography, of course.”
“Right. Good luck with that. Time's tight, though—you sure you'll be okay?”
“We'll make it work somehow.”
We'd decided to go with new choreography that incorporated additional moves, since the existing one had too soft a vibe.
Just thinking about memorizing the new routine already had worries flooding in.
The other members didn't seem concerned, but there was one person I was worried about….
Eun Hae-sol.
‘I wonder if he'll pull it off.’
He'd improved since before, but I was anxious about whether he could master the choreography in such a short time.
I clenched my fist tightly and resolved myself.
‘I have to make sure he gets it down.’
With that, we wrapped up part assignments and recording in record time.
There were a few notes that were tough for me to hit, but nothing I couldn't manage.
‘I need to keep practicing.’
That wrapped up the arrangement.
Next up was….
‘Choreography.’
It was time to meet the choreographer who'd create the routine for our Keyword Music stage.
* * *
Inside the meeting room.
Choreographer Choi Soo-ah was seated when we entered.
“Hello.”
“It's been a while.”
She was the one who'd made the choreography for our debut track [Blue Sky Below], so we were already acquainted with Choi Soo-ah.
We took seats across from her and dove into a serious discussion about the stage.
“How are you planning the stage?”
Choi Soo-ah asked, her eyes sparkling.
“Well, for starters….”
After explaining the overall stage concept to her, we talked about what kind of choreography would fit.
“The theme is criticizing malicious commenters, and the concept is a circus.”
“Hmm. Got it.”
Choi Soo-ah nodded as if she understood, having heard us out.
“We want a circus that's not fun and exciting, but one that feels eerie somehow.”
“Eerie?”
I elaborated further.
“I want the audience to really feel our agony through our circus performance. That's the only way the theme I'm aiming for will resonate with them.”
Choi Soo-ah nodded and replied.
“Ah, I get what you mean. You guys from Manwol's Boys want to infuse the dance with a sense of torment, right?”
“Yes.”
Her expression turned a bit peculiar.
“Hmm. That's tricky.”
It really is tough, huh.
Gazing into space as if lost in thought, Choi Soo-ah finally spoke.
“But it's intriguing. I've always wanted to try choreography with an artistic theme like this someday.”
An artistic theme?
I hadn't really thought of my planning as artistic….
I was just grateful she saw it that way.
“Anyway, shall we listen to the song?”
I turned on my smartphone and played the arranged [Rose-Tinted Circus].
As she bobbed to the beat while listening, Choi Soo-ah's eyes changed. It looked like she was envisioning the choreography in her head.
The members huddled together and whispered.
“She's already working on the choreography.”
“Wow, she seems like a genius.”
When the song ended, her face finally lit up.
Song Yu-bin asked cautiously.
“Choreographer, what did you think?”
“I think some solid choreography will come out of this.”
“Really?”
What is it? Can choreographers tell just from one listen whether good choreography will work for a song?
I was seriously impressed.
“I'll send you a video once the choreography's done.”
“Yes.”
“And with that, meeting adjourned!”
I had no idea what was happening, but the meeting ended so coolly it felt like we could just walk out.
As we walked down the hallway, we chatted with the members.
“I'm curious how the choreography will turn out.”
“We might've picked too tough a theme.”
“What? Regretting it now?”
“No way.”
The theme really was challenging.
I cupped my cheeks with both hands and shook my head vigorously.
‘Don't waver.’
I hadn't planned this expecting it to be easy.
We have to pull it off somehow.
‘Please let the choreographer nail it.’
A few days passed like that, and we received the choreography video from Choi Soo-ah.
“Guys! The choreography video's here!”
Everyone's eyes turned toward the door.
We saw Baek Si-woo running over from afar, waving a tablet.
“What?”
“Let's watch it quick.”
The members gathered around the tablet and started watching the video.
“Hmm….”
Amid the members silently watching, I alone closed my eyes softly.
A sigh of relief soon escaped me.
‘Perfect.’
Not too difficult, but not slack either—a solid performance.
This would do just fine.
‘The dance break section matches exactly what I described.’
One slip in the arrangement or choreography, and the whole stage would've been ruined, so I'd been on edge constantly.
Only now did the tension drain from my body.
‘No. It's not time to relax yet.’
All that's left is practice.
The composer and choreographer had built us a solid foundation—we just had to execute it well.
Cha Jae-hyun, watching the video, muttered.
“How long do you think it'll take to learn it?”
“About three hours, I think.”
The members' faces changed at Song Yu-bin's words.
“Three hours?”
“Really just three?”
“Yeah. Should be around that.”
Song Yu-bin. I'd known he picked up choreography fast before,
but was he getting even quicker? Or was that just my imagination?
Then Baek Si-woo patted Song Yu-bin's shoulder.
“As expected from our main dancer!”
“I'll learn it all and help you guys out.”
“Thanks!”
No sooner had he said it than Song Yu-bin started following along to the smartphone video.
While Song Yu-bin worked on memorizing, I scanned the choreography video on my phone.
‘Overall, the moves feel sharp and refreshing.’
Dance break section.
Song Yu-bin does a solo in the center, then members join one or two at a time to sync up the performance.
Eun Hae-sol, who's weak at dance, got a part without the tougher moves. Smart.
I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes.
‘This should be manageable.’
But soon after, I realized that was a naive assumption.
* * *
Accidents happen suddenly, in the places you least expect.
Especially at the most critical moments.
‘Damn it.’
In front of the dorm.
Song Yu-bin was sitting on the street, grimacing in pain as he clutched his ankle.
“You okay?”
Behind the members surrounding Song Yu-bin, my eyes met those of a woman grinning with bared white teeth.
I wanted to rush over and yell at her for what she'd done,
but I had to hold back.
“Shouldn't we get him to a hospital?”
Song Yu-bin stood with the members' help, tried hobbling away, then collapsed back to the ground.
That's when Baek Si-woo shouted at the woman across from us.
“What the hell are you doing? Hey?”
Just moments ago, as Song Yu-bin was heading into the dorm, a sasaeng fan had charged at him like a maniac. He'd twisted to dodge her and sprained his ankle.
Looking at Song Yu-bin like that, a thought crossed my mind.
‘If Song Yu-bin gets injured, what do we do about the Keyword Music stage that's right around the corner?’
Suddenly, my breath caught.
‘Are you insane?’
With an injured person right in front of me, thinking about the Keyword Music stage made me feel like trash.
‘A person's hurt—does that even matter right now?’
But my mind was already racing through the fallout from Song Yu-bin's injury.
Like, how to fill the huge gap if he was out.
Or who to put in the dance break center spot.
Those thoughts kept pouring in relentlessly.
“Heh heh heh.”
Laughter from the sasaeng across the street reached my ears.
Her creepy voice made my face twist up reflexively.
“Get lost.”
Yet she showed no sign of backing off even an inch.
I felt like my head was about to explode.
“I said get lost.”
Then she leaned forward and asked.
“Eun-ho. Don't you recognize me?”
I grimaced and looked away. Whispering quietly to the members.
“Manager's not picking up?”
Baek Si-woo nodded with a dark expression.
“Let's try the section chief instead of the manager for now.”
“Should we just get Yu-bin inside the dorm first?”
“She'll probably follow.”
“Oh. Right.”
Should we call the cops? Who knows what this woman might do if we leave her be.
As we floundered in the sudden chaos, the sasaeng giggled and spoke up.
“Eun-ho. You really don't recognize me?”
I decided not to even look at her, much less respond. Sasaengs just get more excited the more you engage.
Then she took a step toward me. I hurriedly stepped back, but she grinned and said.
“It's me! Kim Bit-na.”
The familiar name made me glance at her involuntarily.
I'd thought she looked familiar. Was this the Kim Bit-na from the fansign?
“You're the one who told me to go by Bit-na, remember?”
A chill ran down my spine.
Just then, I spotted the manager sprinting toward us from afar, yelling.
“Hey! You there, what the hell are you doing!”
As the manager arrived, Kim Bit-na quickly vanished into an alley.
The manager gave chase, kicking off a wild pursuit.
Meanwhile, Song Yu-bin just lay there on the ground, clutching his ankle.
Watching the scene, I covered my face with one hand.
‘This is driving me nuts.’
He couldn't stand, so it looked like a sprained ankle…. That would definitely mess with dancing.
“Let's get him to the hospital first.”