Chapter 205. Kairos (4)
Unlike the intense intro, the song had a soft rhythm and melody. The band sound, which emphasized the drum and electric guitar, was impressive.
_At last, we faced our night._
In hyung’s voice, I could feel the overwhelming excitement of meeting a very old friend.
Stepping on a card that had turned to ashes, the members, dressed in white shirts and black slacks, continued their choreography. I was sure that in the teaser, their hair was dyed in various colors, but now all the members appeared with black hair in similar styles, which was puzzling.
_Leaving eternity behind_
_The sun that I found in you._
In a desolate open field.
People in identical clothes, with identical hair, and identical black masks, moved briskly at a uniform pace.
At the end of the camera movement, which slowly zoomed into the center, stood Eunchan in a black uniform, staring at them with an empty expression. His cold, jet-black eyes focused on the camera, and after a brief moment of contemplation, Eunchan flicked the silver Zippo lighter to light a flame.
Then, the scene changed.
_(Let it shine, shine)_
_Hello, us_
_It’s not unfamiliar, Bebe._
The saturation, which had been close to black and white, returned to a bright and warm tone. Unlike the dusty ruins, Eunchan woke up in a dreamy space where cherry blossoms of spring and fallen leaves of autumn were mixed together.
As Eunchan looked around, Haru and Taehyun, dressed in casual campus outfits, ran toward him and welcomed him. When the camera showed the opposite side, it caught Hajin and the remaining members waiting for Eunchan, waving from the top of a rounded hill.
Soon, the choreography scene appeared with a rhythm that burst forth like fireworks.
_We’re running,_
_Running over the moonlight._
“Wow, he’s really good at singing.”
A voice in a pleasing high tone, tinged with a slight huskiness, carried the melody smoothly. Hawon, who had diligently followed Miro Maze, knew it was Siwoo’s voice.
The chorus, filled with a sentimental and overwhelming emotion that seemed perfect for a university festival where the sunset might soon fade, matched well with Hawon’s rather picky taste in music.
Contrary to the mood of the song, the dance performed by the members in the music video was tightly choreographed, leaving no room for the eyes to feel bored—a point that Hawon found interesting.
_Heading toward you, holding a star_
_(Over and Over)_
_It’s okay to wander a little_
_It doesn’t matter._
With refreshing music as the BGM, the members’ joyful and happy daily lives were depicted with quick and sensory transitions.
When a scene showed them splitting into two teams of three to play a basketball game, Hawon recalled the time when Hajin, who was deeply into basketball, persuaded him to play together.
Hajin’s skill with the basketball hadn’t gone anywhere, as he easily bypassed Doha and Yugeon with a flashy dribble before making a dunk, wearing a loose denim jacket over a white tee.
[Beeeeep—!]
As Taehyun, who was acting as the referee, blew the whistle and declared victory, Haru and Eunchan, who were on the same team as Hajin, jumped up and clung to him. Unable to bear the weight, Hajin fell to the ground, and the remaining members playfully looked at each other before rushing over to pile up on Hajin, forming a human pyramid.
When Doha and Yugeon’s rhythmic rap continued beyond that, it felt like watching a scene from a bright and lively youth movie.
_We’re running,_
_Running over the midnight._
This time, Hajin’s voice, much more refined and smooth than when heard at karaoke, carried the chorus melody. His soft yet powerful mid-range tone, different from Siwoo’s huskiness, gave the same melody a distinct feeling.
Even so, as Hawon thought to himself that his hyung’s voice was the most pleasant to listen to, he refocused on the music video.
It was a scene where the members, who had been riding a shopping cart and wandering around an empty mart, walked through the streets at night carrying food they had collected. From the back, Hajin, with red hair and silver piercings, approached Eunchan with a meaningful expression.
_Heading toward you, holding a star_
_(Over and Over)_
_Don’t be afraid if it gets dark for a moment_
_It doesn’t matter._
[……?]
[…….]
Hajin handed a card to Eunchan.
When Eunchan flipped the card over, there was a sentence written in red letters over the spade ace symbol. Eunchan looked up at Hajin, as if asking what it meant, and Hajin smiled a bright but sorrowful smile.
Then, the scene changed again.
_We will eventually_
_Cross this night._
From that moment on, the story in the music video progressed at a fast pace.
Eunchan returned to the ruins, where the members, now in shades of gray, brushed past him, having lost their expressions and memories.
There seemed to be some roles for Haru, Siwoo, and the other members as well, but the scenes transitioned too quickly for Hawon to catch everything.
Hawon, who was slightly impressed by the close-up of Siwoo’s face, which seemed to hold a backstory, made a small resolution to ask hyung exactly what the story was about next time.
_Greet the morning,_
_A blue as sharp as ice._
The red playback bar had already passed two-thirds of the video length.
Just as the music video seemed to be approaching its conclusion, the song also appeared to be reaching its climax.
_A dreamlike memory,_
_Makes me breathe._
Eunchan repeatedly tried to light the lighter and head toward the unknown, uncertain whether it was an illusion or reality, but soon the lighter broke, and he couldn’t see anything anymore.
Just as Eunchan, trapped alone in the ruins, was about to despair, Haru’s golden hair, like the White Rabbit that led Alice to Wonderland, appeared and guided him somewhere. The vision that began with Haru soon changed to Siwoo, then to Doha, Yugeon, and finally to Taehyun.
_Wait for me._
_I’m coming to you right now._
An ad-lib in a high pitch that seemed to take one’s breath away burst forth, harmonizing with the band sound that rained down like a meteor shower, repeating the final chorus.
And before long, Eunchan reached the starting point of the long and endless corridor shown in the teaser.
On the walls of the corridor, the same words written on the card Hajin had given him were sprayed with graffiti.
Upon discovering this, Eunchan ran vigorously toward the end of the corridor. As if to hinder him, the corridor began to collapse, but Eunchan continued to run with all his might, his image alternating with those of the other members, except for Hajin.
_We’re running,_
_Running over the lonely night._
The ad-libs and doublings filled the earphones, leaving no gaps in the sound.
At the end of the corridor, where Eunchan finally arrived, a towering, enormous house of cards appeared. And in front of it, Hajin with red hair, who had been waiting for Eunchan, turned his body and smiled brightly.
_Heading toward you, holding a star_
_(Over and Over)_
As if it were a singing competition, the members’ voices, exchanged one line at a time, enhanced the song’s appeal and the story’s immersion.
As Eunchan, catching his breath, slowly approached Hajin, Hajin disappeared like a mirage, leaving only the spade ace card he had given and a new Zippo lighter behind.
_No matter what obstacles there are,_
_It doesn’t matter._
Eunchan picked up the card, which had the words _It doesn’t matter_ written on it, and this time, as if he knew exactly how to use it, he lit the card with the lighter. Then, he threw it at the giant house of cards in front of him.
_We will eventually_
_Cross this night._
The enormous house of cards went up in flames.
The ruins collapsed.
Eunchan, who was watching it all from the world of ruins, and the six members dressed in their outfits from the real world.
As the camera slowly zoomed out, the text _Kairos_ was handwritten across the screen, marking the end of the video.
‘…It’s like a movie.’
With the thought that the last scene was like a game cinematic, Hawon was about to end the video.
_Zzzi, Ziizzz―_
Is it not over yet?
Suddenly, white noise echoed through the earphones, and Hawon checked the screen again.
Then, this time, another space appeared, neither as cold and bleak as the ruins nor as excessively dreamy as the otherworldly space—it had a realistic filter.
Someone was shown reading a red, luxurious book in a close-up. The realistic sound effects made it seem as if it was telling us, “This is the real reality.”
– _Dan Haru! What are you doing?_
A voice calling Haru came from the right earphone, bringing out a sense of space.
The camera shifted, and just like the boy in the ruins, Haru, with his calm black hair, dressed in a school uniform, was shown lifting his head toward the people calling him.
As with Haru, six other boys, each wearing a school uniform in their own style, were waiting for him from the opposite side.
– _Come on, let’s play a round
of basketball._
– _Ah, yes! I’m coming now._
Haru nodded, closed the book, stood up, and walked toward them.
However, the camera remained fixed on the empty classroom, focusing on the single book on the desk. Beyond that, the audio of the seven boys chatting and playing around could faintly be heard.
– _…But you know._
As the camera slowly zoomed in on the desk where Haru had been sitting, Hajin’s narration from the teaser was heard once again.
– _Is that important?_
The camera, getting closer and closer, eventually focused on the cover of the book Haru had been reading.
The book, with a red background, black patterns, and a golden border, was luxuriously designed, and its title was emphasized.
– _Take a guess._
– _What is real?_
And with the sound of something burning and crumbling, the screen went dark.
The replay button appeared on the black screen, signaling the end of the video.
“…….”
To prevent the next video from playing automatically, Hawon clicked to stop it.
His thoughts after watching hyung’s first song and music video….
‘I have no idea what it was about.’
Hmm. It was very confusing.
No matter how much I thought about it, it seemed wise to ask hyung later to explain what the storyline was.
‘…But the song was good.’
Not just because it was hyung’s song; the song was genuinely pleasant and fun to listen to.
It even gave me the feeling of listening to an anime OST from my childhood…. Considering that I, who have no interest in K-POP, enjoyed it, it’s probably a well-made song, right?
<_Our Hyung: Hey_>
<_Our Hyung: Dude_>
<_Our Hyung: Heeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy_>
While Hawon was lost in these thoughts, hyung’s messenger, which he had said would be silent due to his schedule, pinged once again.
<???>
<_Weren’t you going into your schedule?_>
<_Our Hyung: Just took a quick break in the waiting room._>
<_…? But why?>
Curious about what he wanted this time, Hawon entered the academy lecture room, waiting for hyung’s reply. Fortunately, the class hadn’t started yet.
<_Our Hyung: How’s the song?_>
<_Our Hyung: How is it?_>
<_Our Hyung: Did you watch the music video?_>
<_Our Hyung: It’s awesome, right?_>
<_I’m about to start class._>
<_Our Hyung: Didn’t you watch it?_>
<_Our Hyung: You watched it, right? Didn’t you?_>
<_Our Hyung: It’s awesome, right? ㅇㄸ_>
<_Our Hyung: Hurry up and say it’s awesome._>
<_Our Hyung: My hands are shaking right now._>
As usual, he was overreacting.
Hawon chuckled at hyung’s silly concern.
After a moment of thought, he quickly typed out a reply.
<_It’s awesome._>
<_The music video was cool too._>
<_Your part was the best._>
<_I’m going to class now._>
<_Bbyong._>
…I’ll ask him about the music video interpretation later.
Shrugging his shoulders, Hawon quickly turned off his phone before hyung’s reply could come in.
He could only hope that these few embarrassing words would serve as a small encouragement to his hyung.