Nineteen

I had to meet the people in the costumes' department regarding a change that was being made to my outfit for the upcoming live stage. Once my work there had been done, I set off on my way back to the practice room where the others were already practicing.

"Choi Jeongwoo." An actor signed with our agency, Moon Jisung, stopped me in the hallway. He was with his Manager and they seemed on their way out. "I heard your cover- the one you and YoonJae released 2 days ago. I have to say, that song 'I Loved You Before' has been one of my favourites ever since Say6 released it. I was so moved not only by the fact that you chose that song, but also by your version of it."

I beamed and bowed. "Thank you so much, Moon-ssi. I have always loved that song too. I'm glad you liked our version of it."

"Come on. Say6 themselves gave you a shoutout. Everyone's loving it." He clapped my shoulder. "I just wanted to appreciate you too."

Jaehyeon and I had been plenty happy with our cover but we had never expected to receive a shoutout from Say6 themselves. That was a huge boost and surprise for us.

"Thank you." I bowed again, happy. "Are you on your way out to the studio, Moon-ssi?"

"Yes. I'll spread some love for you too." He winked and left on his way soon after.

I couldn't help throwing a few celebratory dance moves right there before proceeding to the practice room. I wanted to tell Jaehyeon about it immediately.

A lot had happened since our return from Thailand. We had had our first fan-sign event in quite a while too. We had always looked forward to interacting directly with our fans and this time had been just as exciting. We were always hearing their voices and receiving their support from our own places and so, to meet at least a few of them directly meant a lot. To talk, joke, thank and get to know them in person, even if for just a few minutes and even if I could not remember all of them later on. The opportunity itself was precious- for them as well as for us.

We had also gotten a chance to perform 'To You' as guests on a high-rated music show. That pushed us higher on the Top 100 list. We were right up there with the rest of the globally popular groups and their songs. Even though it was just that one song, we were where people would see us even if they were casually passing by. Honestly, we were starting to get optimistic. The Music Awards was coming up. Even though we had debuted nearly 4 years ago, we had not won even a single award yet. People were talking about it on Twitter too. They were saying that we stood a good chance this year. We had not wanted to get ahead of ourselves so while we were all aware of it, we had not discussed it much. The K-pop scene was constantly changing, after all. Anyone could release a song the next day and it could hit number one overnight too. Nevertheless, we were optimistic.

And then we released the cover of 'I loved You Before'. We had covered it simply because we had wanted to. The response was so good though that we were considering releasing more covers.

Hanseol finally came out and announced that he wanted to release a few tracks himself and take his solo career forward. We were all more than happy to support him. He was already having serious talks about releasing the mixtapes within the coming 2 months as well.

Things were really looking good for us at this point.

I ran into Manager Park just a corner-turn away from the practice room. "You're here, Jeongwoo-ssi. You can go in. The others are still there."

"Okay." I nodded. "Are you going somewhere, Manager-nim?"

"I have to meet a few people regarding your next live stage."

"Oh. Okay." I waited a moment to see him off and then returned to the practice room. "I'm ba-"

"Aish. Tough luck!" Yeojun face-palmed immediately on seeing me. "Changmin Sunbae had just come looking for you. He left just about 20 seconds ago."

"Hyung had come?" Damn it. If only I had not run into people on the way here! "It's okay. I'll talk to him later. Had he said anything important?"

"No." Mingyu replied. "He was just dropping by on his way out to work."

"It's okay then." I shrugged. It couldn't have been helped. He was probably busy. Had he been free, he would have either waited or dropped by the costumes' department.

"Your outfit's been sorted?" Mingyu enquired.

"Yes." I nodded. "It's looking good with the additions."

"That's good then." He looked around at the others. "Shall we go from the top again then, since Jeongwoo Hyung's also here now?"

"Before that- Hyung," I jogged up to Jaehyeon. "I just ran into Moon-ssi."

"Our actor Moon-ssi?" He asked.

"Yup. He told me that he liked our cover." I let the pride show on my face.

"Really? That's good news." He smiled too and gave me a fist-bump.

"We should do a cover with all of us sometime." I looked at the others. "Let's do it."

"Calm down. Let this one sink in first." Hanseol chuckled. "We'll work on more later."

"Next time, let me choose the song." Yeojun raised a hand.

"We will discuss. Later. Let's practice for now. We don't have much time left for today." Mingyu reminded us.

"Just… one more thing." Jaehyeon spoke up. "It's already been so long since Blue Ink released. Don't you think we should start considering our next move?"

"We can all think about it. Right now, the priority is Hanseol Hyung's mixtapes though. Once those hit the streets, we can focus on developing our new album. I'll talk to Manager-nim about it too."

"Thanks, Mingyu." Fair enough.

"Let's get back to practice." He smiled at me before announcing again.

Nearly 2 hours went by in practice just like that. It was only then that we stopped and begun warming down. In the silence that set in after an intense run-through of all our routines, as we collected ourselves, something occurred to me.

"Guys, what if we change our concept for the next live stage? Not the coming one but the one after that. We should have enough time to pull it off. Just a few minor chances in the choreography but the costumes and all that… like… maybe horror? Or something…"

"Horror?" Jaehyeon asked.

"Ooh. Or dystopia." Yeojun pitched in, clearly happy with that idea. "Let's take 'Yeongweonhi Norae' and make it dystopian! It could turn out to be really dark."

"It doesn't have to be dark." Jaehyeon said.

Yeojun and I shared a glance. We had the same opinion. "It does." I spoke. "See. I was thinking. While 'To You' is peppier and yet moving a song, 'Yeongweonhi Norae' is a softer and more good-natured song. It would be really unexpected and creative if we could take such a song and make it give people goosebumps. I agree with Yeojun- a dystopian 'Yeongweonhi Norae'."

"Dystopian…" Mingyu thought about it. "That doesn't sound bad at all."

"I have no objections." Hanseol nodded too. "That could work."

"Hyung?" I looked at Jaehyeon for approval. It took him a moment more of thinking but then he eventually agreed.

"It might just work."

"You hesitated though." Mingyu picked on that.

"Yeah. I mean, the idea is good but… why would you want to do that to such a nice song? Given the lyrics, it can even give people nightmares." He voiced his opinion.

"We could follow it up with our usual routines as they are." Yeojun said. "Once in a while, doing something unexpected like this can help keep True on their feet."

"That is true." Mingyu nodded.

"So? You think it's doable?" I cross-checked.

"It is." Mingyu said.

"I can help rearrange the music a little to give a more dystopian feel." Hanseol offered.

"I'll help too." Jaehyeon volunteered. "Besides, you're already busy, Hanseol-ah. Don't drive yourself up against a wall."

Hanseol chuckled. "I'm doing just fine, Hyung."

"Let's put Jeongwoo Hyung in a really dark costume and put him in centre. With the right lighting, I'm sure that the blue hair is going to work perfectly well with the concept." Mingyu looked me over.

"Me? Centre?" I asked in surprise. I was not a main dancer.

"You do have quite a few lines in 'Yeongweonhi Norae'." Hanseol thought it over.

Jaehyeon also supported the notion. "You are the one catching eyes the most nowadays too."

They did have a point. I was already doing good on the regular routine for 'Yeongweonhi Norae' too. Even if we did change it up a bit to fit the concept, it wouldn't be too much. I should be able to handle it. "Okay. Let's plan it out." I really could pull this off. "You know that I'll need all the practice that we can possibly get if you're putting me in the centre."

"We know." Yeojun, our Dance Team leader who knew that fact the best, said. "You're not that bad though, Hyung. Give yourself some credit, won't you?"

"Aw. Thanks~" I gave him a grateful smile.

"Mm. We're done here for now." Mingyu said and looked at Hanseol. "Are you going to change now and leave, Hyung?"

"Yes." Hanseol nodded and checked the time. He had to go to the recording studio.

"Then the rest of us can sit down and discuss our plan of action for next week's program."

Just as Hanseol went in to change and the rest of us sat down to discuss, Manager Park entered the practice room. "Jeongwoo-ssi."

"Yes, Manager-nim?" I responded from where I sat on the floor between Mingyu and Jaehyeon in the circle.

"Ah." He called me over by hand gesture. "Come fast."

"Hm? Where to?" Jaehyeon asked me as I stood up.

"I don't know." I shrugged. "Manager-nim?"

"He'll be back soon. You can all continue working on whatever you were discussing." Manager Park said. "Jeongwoo-ssi and I just need to stop by Kim PD-nim's office. You'll hear the details soon."

Kim PD-nim?

"Ah." They watched on in confusion as I left with Manager Park. Once we had stepped out of the practice room, I asked him. "Why does Kim PD-nim want to see me?"

"It's about what you had told me. About Minsu-ssi and you."

I perked up immediately. "You mean the collab? Has Kim PD-nim agreed?"

"He has no reason to object." Manager Park said. "He just wants to confirm with the both of you before officially announcing it."

"Oh."

"Minsu-ssi's there too."

"Oh?" Hyung's there too? "I thought that he had gone out for work."

"They just got back." He informed me. "Minsu-ssi's just as eager as you are in pushing this idea so Kim PD-nim wanted to get you two together when you were both in office."

"Mm. Okay." The collaboration… was actually going to happen.

"Excuse me." I said and bowed as soon as I entered Kim PD-nim's office. Manager Park had followed me in after shutting the door. In front of Kim PD-nim's desk stood the man himself- Yoo Changmin- and Manager Nam.

Changmin and I exchanged a smile. That was actually the first time that we were meeting face-to-face after our drinks-date.

"Jeongwoo, done with practice?" Kim PD-nim enquired.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Good." He looked between Changmin and I and folded his arms across his chest. "So, you both want to collaborate?"

"Yes." Changmin spoke up. "We have already spoken about it."

"I would like to work with Hyung." I seconded it.

"Do you have anything in mind? Any idea, any concept… something that you want to work together on?" Kim PD-nim asked.

I shook my head. "Not as of yet."

"Then why do you want to collaborate?"

"Because it's us." Changmin spoke this time. "Jeongwoo and I have a long history and we have worked plenty well together as trainees before. We wanted to work together again."

"I remember you two- the trainee duo that never seemed to split." Kim PD-nim nodded, looked at the floor and then regarded us again. "Fine. If two of my artists want to collaborate, I won't stop them."

I was smiling even before I knew it.

"Thank you, Kim PD-nim." Changmin bowed and I followed. "We won't disappoint you!"

"It'll be a lot of work though." Kim PD-nim said. "Both 04:00 am and S.T.A.Y are occupied with a lot of work and with K-Soul working on his solo tracks, S.T.A.Y is already short of one member full-time. Jeongwoo, it would be better for you to start on this after K-Soul releases his mixtapes and finishes promoting. Since you are just five members, I do not want two of you getting so busy that the other three are unable to handle everything on their own."

That made sense. "Yes. I understand."

"And how long would that be?" Changmin asked.

"He's releasing the mixtapes at the end of the next month. So, a little more than a month considering promotions and S.T.A.Y's own schedule?" I replied. Ah. That sounded quite a while away.

"I see…" He nodded, a little disappointed at not being able to start right away. I felt happy just seeing how eager he seemed about this.

"You're free to meet up and begin discussions as and when you can." Kim PD-nim shrugged, then let out a small laugh. "It's nice to see that you both are this close even after all these years."

Changmin sighed and leaned against my shoulder by an arm. Kim PD-nim's last statement had dispelled the official atmosphere altogether. "Of course, we are. We grew up here together. What we do now… we have learnt together. Being members of two different groups is not going to change that."

It… almost did but let's not go there anymore.

"Then, why don't you work on something along those lines?" Kim PD-nim smiled. "I'm sure you will have plenty to say about each other and your friendship."

"We haven't decided on anything yet but this is one of the two or three that I have in mind." Changmin replied. "We'll work things out and keep you posted."

"Good." Kim PD-nim nodded. "Then you both can get going. You still have stuff left on your schedules for today, right? You will have all the support you may need from both your Managers, me and DayBreak. I wish you luck."

"Thank you!" Both Changmin and I bowed.

Kim PD-nim seemed genuinely satisfied with our proposed collaboration. He exchanged a few words with our Managers after that and then, we left his office. The moment we had stepped out and shut the door, in the hallway, Changmin exclaimed in joy and pulled me into a head-lock. "We're doing this, Jeongwoo-ya!"

"Yes, Hyung." I laughed. My chest felt all warm with the excitement. Although we had discussed this before and known that Kim PD-nim would agree, to actually get the official green light was nothing short of pure joy.

Changmin and I would be working together!

Our Managers shared a knowing look. It was Manager Nam who spoke first. "Now, Changmin-ssi, would you stop sneaking away in between schedule to see Jeongwoo-ssi?"

"That applies to Jeongwoo-ssi as well." Manager Park pitched in.

We had caused them some trouble by disappearing on and off, hadn't we?

"Mm. Can't promise you that." Changmin nudged his head against mine before separating from me. "At least you'll know where to find me, Manager-nim."

They knew at least that much already.

"Then…" Changmin turned to me and placed his hands on his hips, smiling at me. "I'll see you."

"Yes, Hyung." I nodded. "I'm looking forward to working with you."

"Me too." He nodded, held my gaze for a passing moment longer before turning to walk away.

Ah. I've never liked watching Changmin walk away…

"Shall we go?" Manager Park asked. "The others will be waiting for you."

"Yes." And it was getting harder for me to walk away too. "Let's go."