Second Try Idol

Chapter 176: Joy (13)

“Ugh, ah. It's so cold and spooky..." Jin-Sung shivered as he saw the eerie sight of the school grounds. The deserted school field was like a scene straight out of a schoolyard ghost tale, and the impenetrable blackness engulfed the school's interior.

Even I, who usually shrugged off creepy settings, found the atmosphere unnervingly sinister.

“Chronos, could we gather for a moment?" One of the film crew members called and rounded up the scattered members who were enjoying a brief rest. He then unfolded the storyboard for the music video, just as he had explained briefly during the day.

“Let's go over the shoot plan once more."

“Okay."

“We are diving straight into the music video's highlight scenes. All five of you will be dashing through the school as if caught in an intense game of tag. You will chase and be chased."

“Okay!"

“It will be dim even with the lights, so please be careful. Yoo-Joon and Yoon-Chan, follow me outside please, and the rest of you will start inside with the director."

“Understood!"

The staff member headed toward the school gates along with Goh Yoo-Joon and Yoon-Chan. While the day's shoot had been split into the juniors and seniors, the night's shoot divided the teams into those from the reality of the last “Parade” video (Goh Yoo-Joon, Park Yoon-Chan) and those representing a fantasy realm (Kang Joo-Han, Suh Hyun-Woo, Lee Jin-Sung).

The night school setting resembled something out of a TV drama, with an eerie atmosphere permeating every corner, from the dimly lit hallways to the shadowy classrooms. It was no wonder Jin-Sung had been clinging to Joo-Han and me; his fear was palpable, amplified by the ominous ambiance.

“Relax, there's no such thing as ghosts," I said to reassure Jin-Sung.

“...H-hyung, you don't get it! I can barely make out the other side of this hallway." Jin-Sung's grip only tightened, prompting a deep sigh from Joo-Han.

I glanced toward the corridor's end that Jin-Sung had pointed out. It was pitch black, but there wasn’t anything lurking there.

Feeling slighted by our lack of reaction, Jin-Sung grumbled and then glued himself to the manager. “You guys have no sympathy!"

“We are about to start filming." It was only when the director's voice cut through the silence that Jin-Sung's face became visible again.

***

“Please run to the end of this corridor and look terrified as if you are being chased. Also, do glance back a couple of times."

“Got it."

In the school corridor, the crew member briefed me about the scene before stepping out of the camera's view. At this moment, the cameraman who would run alongside me did some quick stretches.

“Just start running when we cue you."

“Ready!"

“And... action!" At the director's cue, I bolted down the hallway.

My face was etched with fear, and I sprinted as if my life depended on it. Sure, there were a few hiccups, but the mistakes became fewer as I grew more comfortable with the filming process.

“Great job. Just wait here till Jin-Sung makes it."

“Will do."

The cameraman who had raced down the corridor with me gave me a thumbs-up before sitting down a short distance away to adjust his equipment. I waited for Jin-Sung's arrival, while the cameraman engaged in a quiet chat with the lighting crew, which made the wait less awkward.

But after a while...

“It seems like he is taking his time..."

There was no sign of Jin-Sung. Well, perhaps he had trouble nailing the scene, as it had been long enough for him to even circle back to the director's location.

As I stood up to glance down the hallway, one of the lighting crew members chuckled. “Jin-Sung's scene is heavy on facial expressions, so it might take a while. Or perhaps he's already done, and Joo-Han is filming now."

The camera operator chimed in. “Just hang tight, they will be heading this way soon enough."

“Ah, okay. Thanks."

I settled back into my seat, not particularly fond of idle chatter, but the wait was beginning to fray my patience. My eyes wandered from the corridor to the classrooms and out to the school field.

Near the school gates, Goh Yoo-Joon was engaged in a shoot. His posture indicated he had just arrived on set. With a guarded expression, he scanned the surroundings, his stance a mix of seriousness and humor.

Meanwhile, Yoon-Chan was standing by the manager, watching Goh Yoo-Joon.

“Manager hyung?"

‘Wait, didn't Su-Hwan hyung come with us? When did he go over there?’

However, I didn't dwell on it too much. He had always been the type to move quickly and efficiently, darting around to ensure everything was in order. As I mulled over these thoughts and waited a bit longer, suddenly...

Thud-thud-thud!

Jin-Sung came running up with heavy footsteps, breaking the silence.

“Heave, heave, heave!"

“Great job."

“Oh, I'm exhausted," said Jin-Sung as he dropped down beside me, panting heavily. He looked like he had just run a marathon.

“You've done well. Where is Joo-Han hyung?"

“Ugh, filming... pant... just started."

“Just take it easy, catch your breath."

It seemed like we had to wait a bit more. I patted Jin-Sung on the back and offered him some comfort as we faced the long corridor again. Jin-Sung then clutched at my arm, and I sighed softly.

“Oh, right. The manager hyung said it's okay for you to head back now. He's been making rounds in the corridor with the staff for a while and even warmed up a heat pack for you," said Jin-Sung.

“Ah, I guess the manager must have joined the other team while waiting. I saw him chatting with Yoon-Chan outside."

“Huh? What's going on?" Jin-Sung peeked out the window, and when his gaze landed on the manager, he tilted his head in confusion. “When did he get all the way over there? I was just talking to him before I sprinted here."

“In moments like these, it feels like our manager has a few clones of himself."

As I stood up to gaze out the window once more, a camera staff member let out a puzzled “Eh?".

He then asked, “Did your manager tell you that we could head back to where the director is?"

“Uh? Yes. He mentioned it since I've been making you guys wait for quite a while..."

“That's strange. We were informed by the director to wait here. Seems like there's been a mix-up in communication."

A lighting staff member joined in the conversation. “It looks like we should just continue to wait here."

Jin-Sung nodded awkwardly and accepted their firm stance.

After a brief moment of watching out the window, Joo-Han and all the staff made their way toward us after having swiftly wrapped up the corridor scene.

The next scene was set in a dimly lit classroom. Once again, it was my turn to step in front of the camera.

“Hyun-Woo, you are in the midst of a mysterious game of hide and seek with someone unknown."

“Understood."

“Imagine being so terrified that you are hiding with your mouth clamped shut, afraid even to breathe."

I nestled into a crouch behind the lectern.

“Alright, let's get started. Cue."

I was doing my best to channel pure terror with my hand firmly over my mouth. Then, a “knock-knock” resonated from the desk's surface. It seemed the staff were lending a hand to amplify the scare factor.

I flinched at the sound, and my eyes darted around in feigned horror. It felt as though I had been transported straight into a scene from a horror flick.

“Cut! Okay, Hyun-Woo, you are getting more natural with each take. That was perfect on the first try."

“Thank you!"

“Now it's Jin-Sung's turn."

“Ready!" Jin-Sung stepped into the frame, his face etched with apprehension.

I sidled up to Joo-Han and murmured, “Who was the one knocking on the lectern earlier? They really nailed the timing."

Joo-Han's brows furrowed with a look of confusion, and he asked, “What do you mean? Who knocked?"

“Did you not hear that? During my shot, someone gave the lectern a couple of good taps."

“No, that's not right. Maybe it was just you moving and accidentally hitting it? There was no one else near it," Joo-Han replied as he draped a heat pack around my neck.

‘Hmm, that’s not right.’ The sound was like a deliberate knock, and it came from a part of the lectern my body hadn't even touched. As I pondered this strange occurrence...

"Aaaargh! Aaaah!" Jin-Sung suddenly let out a shriek of terror after glancing through the classroom window into the corridor.

“Yikes, you gave me a fright! What in the world!?"

Usually, Jin-Sung was only whiny around us when scared. Because of his scream, the director was placing his hand on his chest as he was genuinely shocked.

Jin-Sung slumped to the floor, his face a mask of imminent tears. “In the corridor... there was... someone..."

“What?" Both the director and Joo-Han turned their heads toward the hallway. “There is no one there. It’s just the reflection of people here because of the lighting.”

“But, that’s not it...” Jin-Sung shook his head in a mix of frustration, fear, and a myriad of emotions evident on his face.

“It was a girl... in a school uniform...” Jin-Sung's timid admission left the director exchanging puzzled looks with the staff. Then, he turned to Jin-Sung and asked, “Why don't you take a short break? Or would you prefer to reshoot right away?"

Hearing those words, Jin-Sung clutched at his chest, his face reflecting the turmoil of someone teetering on the brink of tears. “I will do it now. I'm sorry."

Beside me, Joo-Han’s nose was red from the cold, but he still shot me a sly grin. “He saw something. He definitely saw something. No doubt about it."

“Hyung?"

Joo-Han looked at me with a mischievous smile. “Hyun-Woo, what happens when you see a ghost while preparing an album?"

“Huh?"

“It will become a huge hit. Muhahaha." Joo-Han's sinister laughter was almost frightening.