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Chapter 498

<Nice to Meet You> Stage competition venue.

[Enjoy your weekend afternoon! The meeting of stars, the collaboration of the century, <Nice to Meet You> is about to begin!]

The MC, with years of experience, read the scripted lines smoothly. The audience responded with enthusiastic cheers and applause.

[The theme for this competition is ‘Millennial 2000’! The stage is set with the theme of the 2000s.]

[The participants have chosen artists from genres they wanted to collaborate with, and these collaborations have come to life. Please look forward to seeing what kind of performances have been created.]

The MC quickly summarized the voting rules.

It’s simple. If you enjoyed the performance, press the button! It was the usual spiel given at every recording, but there were quite a few first-time audience members this time.

“I can’t believe I’m actually here.”

“Jaehyun, thank you. I get to do something nice for my parents after this.”

All these people applied after hearing about Cheongryeo’s appearance. In other words, many of them were fans of VTIC who hadn’t been regular viewers before. And that was a double-edged sword in this competition. If Cheongryeo didn’t deliver a performance worthy of first place but still won due to audience votes, it would be controversial. However, the fans sitting there had little to worry about.

“It’s Jaehyun, after all.”

The longer they had been fans, the stronger their faith became.

VTIC, especially Cheongryeo, was never disappointed with their performances.

[Now, the curtain rises on that special stage.]

And finally, the third themed competition of Season 7 began.

Waaa- With polite cheers, singers and artists came out to perform. Here, the singers were mostly established artists favored by the middle-aged and older generations. This means there were no boy idols like VTIC.

“Oh.”

As the fields were different, Cheongryeo’s fans viewed it quite favorably without any sense of rivalry.

“That’s good.”

“Everyone’s doing well.”

Pure evaluations were made smoothly.

There were quite a few unconventional performances. The 2000s popular musical song performed by an opera singer and a former rapper had a hip twist to its old-fashioned charm, and the collaboration between a master acrobat and a dance singer, though slightly dissonant, was quite impressive.

“Wow!”

Especially for the younger VITC fans, it resonated even more. Since they didn’t watch the program much, they weren’t familiar with the program’s typical ‘audience-pleasing’ stage setups, which made it feel fresh. And they would imagine Cheongryeo’s stage in their own way.

“Who did Jaehyun perform with?”

“It would have been really cool if Jaehyun performed with an opera singer.”

Sometimes, due to a lack of guest stars or mismatched pairs, there were stages where singers performed together, but no one thought Cheongryeo would have done that.

“Hmm, to do better than these people…”

There were even a few stages that made them worry slightly that Jaehyun might make a mistake.

And as time passed, the 6th stage began. It was the second–to–last performance, and the MC finally opened the long-awaited stage.

[The performer for this stage is… the global KPOP artist representing South Korea. It’s VTIC’s Cheongryeo!]

Waaa!! Wow! The fans, who had already sensed it when the word ‘global’ was mentioned, were already cheering enthusiastically. Even those in the middle-aged demographic who weren’t fans had a positive reaction.

Everyone had heard of VTIC, whether through the news or on WeTube. There was anticipation for a famous celebrity! Those eyes gauged just how well they would perform.

Amidst the overflowing adrenaline, the MC continued, adjusting the tempo.

[And the collaboration partner chosen by Cheongryeo is…]

There was a brief pause. And just when the audience’s curiosity reached its peak, a thunderous announcement was made.

[National idol! It’s TeSTAR’s main vocalist, Park Moondae.]

“…??”

“…?!”

What?

Unlike the middle-aged audience’s casual reaction of ‘Oh, it’s the young idols,’ the Cheongryeo fans in the audience were internally shocked, doubting their ears.

Why is TeSTAR being mentioned here…?

“Cheongryeo did that?”

“Hey, Shin Jaehyun!”

Some fans screamed that they would rather listen to a recorder prodigy from kindergarten.

[Now, let’s meet them! Collaboration starts!]

Without a moment to collect themselves, the stage began with the MC’s shout! The lights came on, illuminating the dark stage.

“…!”

The fans instinctively held their breath and focused their gaze on the stage. But… there was no singer. A single-standing microphone stood alone in the spotlight on the outskirts.

Whooo- A short gust of wind echoed. In that silence, a familiar piano riff melody filled the air. It was a well-known accompaniment. And then, cutting through that quiet background sound, came a minor key chorus.

– Snow falls in my winter

Wrapping around my cheeks

A cold yet cozy warmth

And you

It was a hit song from an emotional hip-hop group that was popular in the mid-2000s. The song followed the formula of featuring a famous female solo artist in the catchy chorus. That featured part is now sung by Jaehyun’s splendid male voice.

–Um, umm- Um, umm-

Um, umm

It was a lonely humming. The emotion that is infinitely close to the original, singing the bittersweetness of love after a breakup.

“…”

The one singing it wasn’t Cheongryeo.

“Park Moondae… is it?”

Despite the minor key, the clear and refreshing voice made the audience listen intently. The subtle piano accompaniment and humming softly resonated through the audience seats.

-Yes

As the accompaniment by major key continued, it was originally the moment when a faster rap should come in with a brighter atmosphere along with the band sound.

-No

“…!”

The note fell even heavier. Thud. A graceful yet somber piano accompaniment laid down heavily. Over that weighty minor key, the tempo of the accompaniment slowed down… becoming even more sluggish. It felt almost dangerously relaxed and dark. And then, a silhouette appeared.

– A night with the lights off

Our yearning hearts

“…!!”

Cheongryeo!

The singer, equipped with a head mic, walked out from the perimeter.  Just that movement alone made the stage feel completely filled. The navy-blue stage shirt paired with black slacks made him look fantastic.

“Whoa!”

However, even as the audience’s suppressed cheers erupted here and there, some people were puzzled.

“Huh?”

The song Cheongryeo was singing. The melody was familiar. But… it wasn’t the song ‘Winter Love’ that had been playing earlier.

-The voice of love is heard.

<Heat of a Summer Night>. Like the previous song, this one was also from the 2000s. However, it was a song by a female solo artist known for her sexy concept. Moreover, unlike the original fast-tempo techno dance track, this version unfolds with a slow tempo and heavy accompaniment.

– Summer Night

A hot and ecstatic moment

Movements that slightly hinted at modern dance or waacking were performed by a solidly built figure. The dancers filled the stage with synchronized movements, adding to the splendor. The movement of the lights, the unwavering live vocals, and the precise details with perfect dynamics created a dance that evoked catharsis.

Just with that, the stage felt tightly complete. The natural ease of someone who has been on stage for a long time captivated the audience.

– I’ve been waiting, you know

While condensing the original song’s splendor and sexiness, the much slower, static, and heavy tempo added a touch of wild artistry. The unique tackiness of old-fashioned pop songs, which could easily sound frivolous, was completely suppressed and vanished without a trace.

“Wow, that’s insane.”

“He could have done it solo!”

“Then why is Park Moondae in front…?”

The fans, lost in their stream of consciousness, were completely absorbed in the stage.

-This moment becomes eternal

Ignite the flames of love

Summer night

In the meantime, the performance, both relaxed and weighty, smoothly carried the stage, and in the blink of an eye, the first chorus was over. And then, the music paused for a moment. Cheongryeo walked towards the standing microphone on the outskirts, the sound of shoes echoing.

“…”

The audience held their breath again, watching and waiting for the next catharsis. Suddenly, someone else appeared under the spotlight from the opposite side.

“…!”

Park Moondae. The singer with neatly arranged soft blonde hair, grabbed the standing microphone on the opposite side. And then the accompaniment flows again.

-My love is in winter

Even when spring comes, in my heart

“…?”

The previous accompaniment used in Cheongryeo’s continued seamlessly, without any sense of discord. And Park Moondae’s melody blended in perfectly, naturally.

“Huh…?”

It connected two songs from the same era that used similar composition techniques. However, the mood and lyrics were completely opposite. Thanks to that, a very peculiar atmosphere was created.

A narrative point was formed. A brief love of a summer night and an eternal winter’s farewell.

-Snowdrift, never melting

The warmth of an eternal winter

Woo- A clear and firm strength was added to the once lonely voice, rising along with the accompaniment. The vocal ad-lib soared to the climax without any unnecessary flourishes, sounding pleasant.

– Snow falls in my winter

Wrapping around my cheeks

A cold yet cozy warmth

The sound climbing to the high notes effortlessly reached the ultra-high notes, extending elegantly and beautifully.

– Yes, you

And then, the melody and lyrics continue.

-You and me

in summer night

Cheongryeo’s song bursts in. The two of them took turns singing their parts as if they were sharing a single song.

-Don’t miss the chance

At the climax of the rising note, two massive spotlights illuminate the center of the stage. The two people on stage began to move.

“…!”

The two who came to the center moved in sync with the building accompaniment. It was a mirror choreography.

-Summer Night

Hot and enchanting

(Voices are heard)

Their movements blend, and their lyrics intertwine.

-My love is in winter

(in summer night)

Before they knew it, the two had switched songs and continued singing seamlessly.

-A moment into eternity

(The warmth of eternal winter)

And the final verse.

-And you.

The performers stopped their choreography and faced each other. And then, they harmonized and elevated the song.

-Yes, you!

You, you, u- uu, umm, umumm

The string instruments resonated powerfully. And the choreography reached its climax.

–Um, umumm, um, umumm, um, umm…

The humming of the two melodies blended perfectly, creating a delicate harmony. The two movements fit together like a mirror, executing a complex pair choreography. Their feet cross, their torsos twist, and they hold each other’s shoulders, filling the empty spaces like acrobatics without a single error.

All those seemingly smooth movements required perfect control of their limbs to appear graceful. In other words, performing these moves while humming in perfect pitch live was an almost unreal sight.

“Wow.”

“…”

Their gaze is fixed, as if drawn in.

A composition that only a performer with an extremely high understanding and proficiency in dance stages, specifically KPOP stages, could achieve.

“Ah…”

So, a few fans understood why Cheongryeo chose Park Moondae.

“I see.”

“If he wanted to do something like this, he would have chosen an idol.”

However, there were some misunderstandings. In reality, Park Moondae couldn’t perform the choreography for this climax part alone with his current skill level. But through sheer practice, Park Moondae managed to cover it by copying the short 30-second choreography ‘exactly like the counterpart.’ Moreover, if the person who has developed effective methods to imprint choreography on the members for decades personally drilled each move into them.

For a moment, the impossible Jaehyun becomes possible. And at the peak of that ‘impossible’ synchronization, a short but definite high-pitched harmony rises above the brilliantly built-up accompaniment.

– A hot and ecstatic moment

I’ve been waiting for it, you know

Catharsis!

–Wh-whewhewhewhe!

In sync with the brass accompaniment, facing the audience back-to-back, the stage that started in winter ends on a summer night.

Thump!

“…”

And just like that, the stage was over. A performance fitting for an idol infused with the artistry suitable for this program.

That atmosphere! And the exquisite arrangement and live performance, even the acrobatic choreography. It was the essence of a performance.

“They nailed it.”

“It was insane.”

Waaaah!! The audience erupted in cheers that sounded like screams. It wasn’t just fans cheering; it was a reaction to the performance.

[What an incredible performance!]

Even the MC’s comment sounded sincere.

Soon, the two people on stage smiled slightly, bowed politely to the audience a few times, and then gracefully returned to their seats. Although it was for voting, the result was practically already decided. The fans already knew.

“This is a sure thing.”

Even if it airs, no one will criticize Cheongryeo for taking first place. That certainty filled the fans and the audience with excitement. However, most of the fans who came to watch the show were left with confusion and questions.

“How did he end up doing it with Park Moondae?”

“What was that crazy song choice?”

And that curiosity was soon to be satisfied.

On the weekend, the main broadcast would feature the process of the two teaming up, giving them some screen time.

these Chs are commissioned if you want your series to be translated you can contact us at discord for your favorite series.

Reed chapter first at Utoon.net