ALL NOVEL Chapter 317
Chapter 317. Youth Sniper Project (2)
-Are we good? Is everyone in frame? Should I bring the lights? (Why do you even have lights at home…?)
-I ate too much; I don’t think I can go back to Seoul… Ah, I’ll just live here….
-Maknae, how about you climb that mountain peak over there? Your stomach will settle in no time. (…I think I’m all better now!)
-It’s a shame Eunchan isn’t here.
-Let’s all come back together next time. We can always come again.
The video that was uploaded on iTube simultaneously with Hajin’s post began with a shaky view and the members chatting quietly. As if the camera was being fixed in place, the clattering sound was followed by the screen finally focusing properly on the members.
Not too far, not too close.
A distance where you could see the faces of the six members, excluding Eunchan, just right.
In the center, a bonfire burned, creating beautiful flames. Around it, the members, with bare faces and dressed comfortably in casual clothes, sat gathered in camping chairs.
It was the same attire as the selfies they had previously posted on the Bluebird account.
-Are you done, hyung? Can you see our faces?
-Yeah. It’s coming out well. You can even see the sky in the background.
-But the stars won’t show up, right…? There are so many stars tonight; I wish I could show them to the Destis.
-The Destis might say that the stars in your eyes are enough.
-Wow…. Listen to him. As expected of the Yu-Sa-King, he’s different.
Just as the playful voice that was close to the camera was recognized as Hajin’s, he finished setting up the camera and appeared within the frame. Wearing a white short-sleeved T-shirt and casually draping his favorite black hoodie over his shoulders, Hajin naturally approached the empty seat among the members and took his place.
*Sizzle—*
The video was edited with a noise-filled sound effect. The scene cut short moments, showing the members’ appearances changing repeatedly from the same angle.
They raised their drinks together, engaged in lively conversation, burst into laughter, got up and bickered, pointing fingers at each other—such scenes passed quickly.
Whether it was the slightly tilted angle reminiscent of CCTV or the members completely unaware of the camera, as the audience, it felt almost like peeking into their daily lives.
-So, shall we… start now?
After a long time laughing and chatting, Hajin set the mood.
Then, Siwoo, who had been sitting in the middle, stood up briefly and disappeared off-screen. When he returned, he was holding a light brown acoustic guitar, a memento from his father that he always carried with him.
Dressed simply in a gray hoodie and sweatpants over a loose white short-sleeved T-shirt, Siwoo tuned the guitar strings with an unusually serious expression. After adjusting the sound a few times, he nodded, grabbed the pick he had been holding in his mouth, and got into position.
-Shall we?
With a brief signal, the guitar melody, filled with the atmosphere of dawn, flowed from Jung Siwoo’s hands. Accompanied by acoustic music, the screen naturally blurred, and a clean white title appeared over it.
**
**
**
*Spring is blowing in.*
Without a smooth backing track or a high-performance microphone.
The song began with nothing but the raw recording of the music and their voices as captured by the camera.
The first verse was sung by Taehyun, whose voice was sweet.
*Here and now.*
*I’ll share my spring with you.*
The video transitioned with a rough cut while the song played on. It seemed like this was the first footage Hajin had taken after getting a camcorder. The members could be seen awkwardly or curiously looking at the camera at the dormitory. In the background, you could faintly hear voices saying, ‘What, did you buy it?’, ‘Film us too!’
In sync with the gentle yet not boring guitar accompaniment, Haru and Siwoo’s harmony continued.
*With a smile filled with the scent of flowers,*
*A gentle breeze signaling the beginning,*
*A thrill blooming splendidly,*
*I wonder, did it reach you too?*
The lyrics and melody, reminiscent of a spring breeze, mingled naturally with the faint sound of the wind and the chirping of insects in Siwoo’s guitar accompaniment. The scenes in the video depicted the spring days of Kairos that Destis didn’t know about.
From their walk back to the dormitory after practicing for the year-end stage, to the time they played around while eating at a restaurant near the company, even the thumbnail of the flower viewing scene played with a touch of artistic graphics.
**
There couldn’t have been a more accurate description.
*To grasp this spring,*
*We crossed a long winter.*
*Where do you stay now?*
*Perhaps you’re still passing through the chilly times.*
Hajin hummed the melody with his sweet voice, almost like reciting poetry. At some point, he messed up the lyrics, and you could hear every bit of the teasing comments, ‘No, you messed up again.’, ‘Maybe he just wants to rewrite the lyrics like that?’
The video briefly showed Hajin glaring at the members as if scolding them while singing. Along with the sound of pleasant laughter, the members, comfortably seated in camping chairs, all began to sing the chorus together.
*I’ll be by your side, here.*
*Until your spring comes.*
*Let’s walk together.*
*Until our spring is within reach.*
‘Wow. This is so… youthful….’
Perhaps because their previous title track had a school band concept called ‘This Isn’t a Carol,’ seeing the members sing in casual clothes with a free-spirited vibe made it feel like they were on a graduation trip as friends, drawing viewers in even more.
The crackling sound of the bonfire and the night sky painted in darkness behind the members added to the sentimental atmosphere.
Now, the members in the video were gradually coming closer to the present.
-It’s the sea!
-Haru, slow down.
-Just let him be. He’ll probably fall and cry a little before he comes to his senses.
Hajin had beautifully captured the moments from their recent vacation in Namhae. Although a storm of events followed soon after, leaving only the scenes at the beach to be used in the video…
The sight of the members running freely along the seaside without any worries was simply too beautiful.
After much deliberation, Hajin decided to record those moments too.
*Starting something new,*
*I know well that it’s not easy.*
*But it’s okay. It’s okay.*
“Uh…? Is this Eunchan’s voice…?”
Kang Hadi, who had been immersed in the nostalgia brought on by the song and video, suddenly froze, covering his mouth in shock. The voice that had just come through the speakers was undoubtedly Eunchan’s, who was currently hospitalized. But Eunchan hadn’t gone to Gangwon-do, so hearing his voice was strange.
‘Come to think of it….’
Realizing something, Kang Hadi hurriedly searched for his wireless earphones and connected them to his phone. He rewound the video by ten seconds and pressed play again, listening to Siwoo’s guitar as it transitioned from the chorus of the first verse to the second.
And shortly after.
It was clear that the song, which had been a live recording up to this point, seamlessly transitioned into the actual studio version.
“Crazy, crazy…. I thought they were just releasing an unreleased song…? They recorded this? When?”
Since Eunchan’s voice was included, it must have been before his accident.
Despite the busy schedule from ‘This Isn’t a Carol’ to the year-end activities, when did they prepare such a perfect spring song? Kang Hadi barely managed to contain his overflowing fangirl feelings and focused all his attention back on the music video.
*We already know that we can do it together.*
*You already know that, don’t you?*
If ‘This Isn’t a Carol’ pushed forward with a lively and fun anti-Christmas carol concept, this song was full of the spring energy that might cross your mind as you stroll down a flower-filled path.
Starting with the ensemble created by acoustic instruments centered around the sound of the acoustic guitar, the chorus, where all the members sang together like a group chant, was so evocative it seemed to create new spring memories just by listening.
Moreover….
“Wow, are these brothers singing too?”
Even Doha and Yugeon, usually responsible for the heavy bass and intense atmosphere in Kairos’s songs, had singing parts!
*Spring rain falling as if it could be caught,*
*The afternoon sunlight pleasantly breaking apart,*
Though Yugeon, who usually received evaluations like ‘at least his tone is good,’ managed his part decently, Doha’s part was so nervous and cautious that it was hard not to laugh as a listener.
In any other song, his singing might have been considered an unexpected blemish, but perhaps because of the overall vibe, even Doha’s clumsy and awkward singing felt like part of a nostalgic memory.
*What season are you passing through right now?*
*Even if you haven’t yet reached this spring,*
No, rather, because of the voice that conveyed how carefully he sang every line, it felt as though it might even bring tears to the listener’s eyes…!
“The day I shed tears listening to Doha’s singing… I can’t believe it….”
Still, he really isn’t good at singing, our Doha.
While thinking such
thoughts, the members in the music video continued to present Destis with all the springs they had experienced.
From the everyday moments they spent with Eunchan in his hospital room to their recent trip to Gangwon-do.
Just as Hajin had mentioned, they seemed to be doing well.
The nightmarish days of the past few weeks seemed to have been nothing more than a ‘bad dream,’ as the video was filled entirely with their joyful and happy everyday moments.
*I’ll be by your side, here.*
*Until your spring comes.*
*Let’s sing this song together.*
*Until our spring is within reach.*
Haru’s clear voice, which always felt like it purified the eardrums, brought a brief pause to the song.
At the same time, the image of the members laughing together in Eunchan’s hospital room faded out.
‘Is it over?’
Just as Kang Hadi was about to check the timeline of the video, thinking it might be the end, the screen slowly faded back in with a loud noise. Unlike the previous footage, which had shown their off-stage lives, this time it showed Kairos in a more familiar appearance.
-Don’t get hurt today, don’t get sick, don’t make any mistakes, and even if you do, don’t let it show….
-Is it just me, or is the chant getting longer and longer?
-Just think of it as a spell, it’s easier that way.
-If you’re going to do it, could you pray instead? I go to church, you know.
The members, with their flashy makeup and well-coordinated stage outfits, were gathered in a circle, hands clasped together.
It seemed to be backstage before they went on stage, with leader Hajin and the members gathered to shout their chant.
‘Ah, this is the first stage for “Over the Night”.’
Recognizing the moment from the clothes and hair the members were sporting, Kang Hadi pressed his lips together, feeling an inexplicable surge of emotion. Having watched them since their survival show days, seeing them as one team like this made him want to cry for some reason.
In the video, Hajin, with his characteristic bright smile, shouted loudly.
-Now, here comes the real chant. Kairos―!
In the next moment, the video rapidly cut to different scenes.
Starting with the first music show performance of ‘Over the Night,’ clips of the chants from all the stages Kairos had performed on were edited together.
In each shot, the members, always in different outfits and makeup at different venues, were gathered in a circle, hands clasped together, as Hajin shouted, “Kairos!” one after another.
-Let’s go up!
As the members lifted their hands toward the sky, responding to Hajin’s lead, Kang Hadi found himself struggling not to cry, scrunching his eyebrows.
The climax was the final chant video.
-Our goal is―!?
-Desty!
Backstage at the year-end stage where Kairos won their first rookie award, a scene too memorable to forget.
As the members and staff cheered loudly and energetically shouted their fight song, the song that had paused burst out again like fireworks.
*I’ll be by your side, always.*
*Until your spring comes.*
*Let’s walk together, please.*
*Until our spring is within reach.*
The heartwarming melody sung together by all the members blended with the video of Kairos’s performances and the Destis waving their light sticks in the audience. The brilliance of the spring they expressed was enough to make one’s heart swell.
*Finally, you and I*
*Can be each other’s spring.*
*Here and now,*
*I’ll share my spring with you.*
The lyrics Hajin had written with all his heart reached the Destis across all time.
It was a deep love confession celebrating the return of spring.