Second Try Idol

Reina subtly observed Callia Lawrence from the corner of her eye. Hidden behind sunglasses, Callia's expression was unreadable with her arms crossed and lips pressed together in a firm line. This indicated her usual resilience.

However, the typical stream of complaints that usually escaped her when she was discontent seemed absent today, suggesting that Chronos' performance was capturing her interest more than she'd anticipated.

“The member currently singing is Park Yoon-Chan. He's known for his high vocal range and the incredible delicacy of his voice," Reina commented.

“...”

Yoon-Chan swayed to the rhythm with his light smile and relaxed demeanor. Everyone loved his kind of charm, and this made his voice appeal to a wide audience.

After a moment of attentive listening, Callia expressed her desire to explore more of Yoon-Chan's repertoire. “I want to hear more songs performed by this member."

It was clear that she appreciated the song Yoon-Chan had chosen. His selection was characterized by its buoyant rhythm and frequent shifts between registers. It definitely highlighted his adeptness at transitioning smoothly from lower tones to a striking falsetto and back again.

Park Yoon-Chan had heeded Reina's advice during practice sessions and decided to focus on the high notes where his strength truly lay. He had glossed over the lower ranges that didn't suit him as well. Given the song’s charm lay in its recurring falsetto, seamlessly blending the lower and higher notes could transform it into an exceptionally delightful performance.

Callia was intrigued by this display of meticulous craftsmanship in Yoon-Chan's performance. She found herself longing to hear a delicate song sung with the same level of dedication from start to finish. She was convinced his voice had the finesse to truly elevate a delicate composition, highlighting its subtleties with grace.

Reina nodded with a wide smile. “You should watch his live performance during practice. I'm familiar with a piece that particularly showcases his talent. I will ask him to sing it for you."

Callia nodded crisply and shifted her attention to Park Yoon-Chan. She contemplated his slight nervousness and questioned whether he had the capability to carry an entire song solo. Yet, the ambiance created by his voice was undeniably appealing. Its softness, serenity, and warmth invited listeners to relax and immerse themselves fully in the music by offering a glimpse into his personality and making the performance all the more endearing.

‘So, he had such a voice.’

“Quite a bold song choice for someone with such a caring voice. But it's definitely a good choice," Callia murmured to herself.

Typically, someone with such a lovely voice would select soft, mood-enhancing songs to emphasize their strengths. How did he end up choosing a moderately fast-paced jazz-pop song?

Reina then pointed towards Kang Joo-Han on the stage. “Today's lineup was personally curated by the leader, Joo-Han. He's not just talented at composing songs, but also boasts a broad musical spectrum and impeccable taste."

Callia's gaze shifted to Joo-Han. She hadn’t given him much thought at the beginning, but in that moment, Joo-Han’s gaze shifted toward Callia as he was softly smiling, listening to Park Yoon-Chan's song.

Callia got startled, almost looked away, but then she realized she was wearing sunglasses and boldly met Joo-Han's gaze head-on.

Joo-Han's attention stayed on Callia.

‘Why is he staring at me?’

It was not merely out of curiosity, but with a recognition of her focused observation. He smirked slightly as if acknowledging her presence, and nodded.

“Who's Joo-Han smiling at? Callia? He's always had good stage presence, right, unnie?"

“Joo-Han? Yes, his manners were impeccably outstanding yesterday."

Reina and the production team conversed about Joo-Han's smile, but Callia, the direct recipient of his acknowledgment, was left momentarily speechless. It was as if an unspoken connection had sparked between them in those brief seconds of mutual recognition.

“..."

“..."

Joo-Han and Callia continued their silent exchange. Their gaze locked for what seemed like an eternity.

“Joo-Han seems to be in high spirits today."

“Indeed. The solid performance by the members must have eased his mind."

“..."

‘What the heck? Kang Joo-Han is blatantly challenging me right now.’ His gaze held no trace of wanting to ingratiate himself with Callia or impress her. Instead, it was filled with a proud defiance. Although this was an unexpected standoff, both global superstar Callia and Joo-Han, relatively unknown in the US, sensed a mutual recognition in each other.

‘He must be like me.’

Park Yoon-Chan finished his performance and Goh Yoo-Joon followed. Kang Joo-Han finally averted his gaze from Callia by turning his attention to Goh Yoo-Joon. To Callia, this shift seemed almost like a directive. ‘Stop glaring at me, and focus on Goh Yoo-Joon’s performance without causing any troubles.’

Well, of course, this could have been Callia misunderstanding. Kang Joo-Han was merely smiling without uttering a word on stage.

Callia's expression turned into a frown, which reflected her confusion and slight irritation. “…Reina, about that leader—"

Her words were abruptly cut short as Goh Yoo-Joon commenced singing, capturing everyone's attention with his melodious voice. As Callia's gaze swiftly shifted toward Goh Yoo-Joon, Reina couldn't help but smile. It was almost as if she had anticipated her reaction.

“I had a feeling he'd become your favorite member. His voice… Doesn't it resonate well with the song you crafted? It seems like a perfect match."

“…Yes, it does," Callia admitted, unable to tear her eyes away from Goh Yoo-Joon. The voice that so captivated her was precisely what she had in mind when she composed a particular piece. It aligned seamlessly with her musical preferences.

Any previous annoyance from her encounter with Kang Joo-Han dissipated as she lost herself in Goh Yoo-Joon's performance. She tapped her fingers rhythmically and focused intently on the music. Her lips protruded and her brow furrowed in concentration.

Even the pleasant voice demonstrated stable skills and brought a smile to her face that had remained stubbornly sullen until now.

Callia reflected and acknowledged the value of the moment they were sharing. “This is quite pleasant. Reina, I'm glad I took your advice. I certainly regret my hasty departure yesterday."

“See? I told you," Reina responded with a nod, validating the worthiness of the Chronos members’ stage presence, a stark contrast to the disappointing amateurs Callia had been exposed to previously. This realization led to a gradual erosion of her preconceived notions. Despite their amateur status, they possessed undeniable talent.

As Goh Yoo-Joon's song concluded, Kang Joo-Han took the stage with confidence and expressed his gratitude to the audience. “Thank you for staying till the very end. The member who just sang indeed has the best voice among us, haha. Now, please allow us to introduce ourselves a bit more,” Kang Joo-Han said and set the stage for a more intimate connection with the audience.

As the band members gracefully exited the stage and rearranged the setup, Kang Joo-Han announced, “We are actually singers from Korea, specializing in dance music."

This revelation elicited a wave of surprised murmurs from the audience, given the group's previous pop performances devoid of any dance moves.

Kang Joo-Han was unfazed by the audience's reaction and seamlessly transitioned. “Given this wonderful opportunity to perform in front of you all, may we present our own dance track?"

Despite a few attendees departing, the majority remained. They were swept up in the lively atmosphere and were eager for what was to come.

“Our next piece is titled “Joy” in Korean and “Sunrise” in English. We promise it will be an engaging experience. We hope you enjoy it."

The Chronos members expressed how grateful they were for the audience's attention, then meticulously took their right spots to deliver an extraordinary show.

“Is the solo part over already?” Callia, who had been watching with interest, seemed to have somewhat calmed down. She was aware that they were dance artists and had enough interest since they were performing live instead of lip-syncing like the day before.

However, she had enjoyed the solo performances of the first two members so much that she wanted to see solo performances from the other members as well. She thought it was a bit disappointing to move straight to the group song.

“There's a duet song left after the group song. But the performance they are about to show will also be very good. I'm sure of it," Reina assured her.

“…If you say so, I trust you."

Callia felt quite disappointed but trusted Reina's judgment.

“The member who just sang… Is he the best singer in the group?" she asked.

Reina shrugged. “He's among the good singers. The main vocalist is—," Reina pointed to Hyun-Woo. “—that member with the light hair color."

“Then, I wish I could have heard his solo song, too. Isn't it hard to showcase your skills in a group song?"

“That might not be the case. Just wait and see," Reina’s displeasure was now gone, and she was enjoying Callia's anticipation. Callia looked disappointed but obediently nodded and turned her gaze back to the stage.

“Right. We should watch and see."

Despite being indulged by those around her and acting capriciously, Callia remained close with Reina because they were very compatible musically. Also, Callia obediently followed the advice of those close to her and revealed her emotions too easily, which Reina found endearing since Callia acted younger than her age. However, she didn't seem to expect much since the parts of one song were divided among five people.

“Still, I will be able to tell the group's vocal harmony. The main vocalist's skills might not stand out.”

Even without Callia noticing, Reina shrugged and gave Kang Joo-Han a thumbs-up.

‘Joo-Han, you made an excellent choice.'

“Joy” had a part during the climax when Hyun-Woo hit high notes. The notes were not only high, but also sustained for a long time, making it a topic of discussion among K-POP fans and industry insiders. More so, Hyun-Woo himself had faced significant challenges during the album preparation phase, so Kun-Ho had even given him personal lessons.

It was such a challenging piece that Reina's boyfriend, Kun-Ho[1], had to personally pass down his technique. Reina anticipated that Callia, who showed little interest, would likely decide whether or not to be a producer during this filming period because of “Joy.”

1. WHAT THE HECK? What a small world :0 They are such a power couple! ☜

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