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Chapter 180: Joy (17)

Our manager, who had been observing us with a hint of amusement, was soon called away by the show\'s director. A classmate had been eyeing us curiously from a distance and approached with hesitant steps, stopping in front of us. Then, he cleared his throat awkwardly. “Yoo-Joon, and uh... Hyun-Woo."

“What\'s up?"

“Um, could you guys help me out with something?"

His name was Choi In-Seok, and he seemed nervous as his eyes darted between Yoo-Joon and me. He acted like Hee-Su and Joon-Hwan when we first talked to them. Despite being relatively unfamiliar with each other, it seemed that Yoo-Joon had broken the ice with him during the breaks. He was being the approachable class president he was.

‘But why does everyone avoid eye contact with me?’ Perhaps it was my fault. I might have been giving off an intimidating vibe without realizing it.

With a reassuring grin, Yoo-Joon responded, “Hey, no need to be so formal. What do you need help with?"

I nodded in agreement and said, “Yeah, how can we help?"

Choi In-Seok\'s face lit up with relief, and he handed us a piece of paper. His voice was filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension when he said, “I\'ve got this mission for the upcoming relay race."

Goh Yoo-Joon unfolded the paper and revealed the mission.

[Make your homeroom teacher laugh during the relay race.]

“What does this even mean?" I asked, puzzled by the unexpected task.

The mission seemed as bewildering to us as it was to him. Choi In-Seok sighed deeply and explained, “I mentioned wanting to try something fun during the initial interviews, but I never imagined it would come back to haunt me as a mission."

Choi In-Seok extended his smartphone toward me. On the screen, a UTube video was paused in full-screen mode.

“Can I watch it?" I asked.

“Yes," he replied, and I hit the play button.

The video was titled “A Typical High School Relay Race,” and it showed male students getting ready for a relay race on a sports day.

As the starting flag dropped, the students were about to sprint off... but then, they started walking slowly instead and struck poses like models on a runway as they made their way around the track. Laughter erupted from the onlooking students, and the bewildered voice of a teacher could be heard over the microphone.

Suddenly, one of the runners pushed a fellow student aside and started to run. Then, he started kicking off a series of humorous skits prepared by each runner.

Yoo-Joon looked at the mission paper with a chuckle and then back at Choi In-Seok. "Do you really want to do this?"

“Yeah. I totally get how Hee-Su felt now. Never thought my casual comment would turn into a mission."

“That\'s absolutely hilarious," Yoo-Joon laughed.

“So, I\'m going around asking everyone in the relay to pitch in. Can I count on you guys? Please." Choi In-Seok\'s earnest plea was directed more at me, as if my approval was crucial.

I awkwardly nodded. “Sure, we will figure something out, In-Seok." I deliberately used his name in an attempt to break the ice. However, Choi In-Seok seemed oblivious to my effort and quickly left after thanking us profusely.

“Ah, Hyun-Woo, you even used his name to warm up to him, but it looks like it didn\'t work."

“It\'s not like that," I replied and brushed off Yoo-Joon\'s teasing attempt.

I handed back the earphones and pondered our next move. “So, what\'s our plan for the relay?"

“What plan?" Yoo-Joon asked and feigned ignorance.

“In-Seok\'s mission. Everyone\'s probably got something funny lined up. Don\'t you think we should aim to be the highlight?"

Yoo-Joon wrapped an arm around my shoulder and reassured me, “Don\'t sweat it, Hyun-Woo. You are naturally hilarious."

I shrugged off his arm with a frown as I got annoyed. If Yoo-Joon was all about jokes, I needed to come up with something concrete. However, because of the exhaustion, my mind was foggy. I found myself questioning the essence of humor as if I\'d forgotten how to elicit laughter entirely, even debating whether to bring Cha Cha or not.

“Just trust me, okay? When we go with the flow without a fixed plan, that\'s when we truly shine," Yoo-Joon finally said, a spark of mischief in his eyes.

“What are you even talking about?" I asked as I was perplexed by his cryptic words. However, Yoo-Joon simply headed toward the center of the auditorium.

Just then, a staff member finished setting up the field and called out robustly. “We will start filming now. All students, please gather at the starting point of the relay!"

Thinking I had nothing better to do, I decided to head over to where the students were gathering, still contemplating singing a song or two as I ran.

***

The production team thoughtfully provided mats that blended with the cold auditorium floor, ensuring the cast wouldn\'t have to endure the discomfort of sitting directly on it.

As we sat on the mat, our team\'s relay athletes naturally gathered around me and buzzed with a mix of excitement and strategy. Someone then asked, “Hey, have you two figured out what you are planning for In-Seok\'s mission yet?"

“Us two?"

“Yeah, I wanted to ask earlier, but you two seemed deep in conversation with your manager, and I didn\'t want to interrupt." The question was laced with genuine interest. Pyo Ri-Su, our team\'s third runner, was the one asking the question.

With a sly grin, Yoo-Joon said, “Well, we haven\'t told Hyun-Woo just yet, but we\'ve got a plan up our sleeves."

“What? You are keeping secrets now?"

“Just trust me, brother." Goh Yoo-Joon lifted his palm for a high-five. Though his antics often bordered on the suspicious, Yoo-Joon had a knack for lightening the mood with his well-timed humor. I decided to play along and meet his high-five with enthusiasm.

Pyo Ri-Su seemed a bit lost in the whirlwind of our banter as his head tilted in confusion. However, as I reciprocated Yoo-Joon\'s gesture, he shrugged it off, deciding not to dwell on the mystery.

“Anyway, we\'ve been brainstorming on our end too. We think it\'s about time we synced up with Hyun-Woo,” said Pyo Ri-Su.

The relay lineup was set with Yoo-Joon leading the charge, followed by myself, then Pyo Ri-Su, and one more runner to bring it home. Yoo-Joon and I had our strategy locked down, as did Pyo Ri-Su with the final runner. Hence, it was now crucial for Pyo Ri-Su and I to synchronize our efforts.

I asked, “Any strategies in mind?"

With a confident nod, he replied, “Actually, yes. There\'s a key move I need you to pull off."

My curiosity was piqued. “And what might that be?"

“Don\'t just hand off the baton like it\'s a routine pass. I want you to throw it. Throw it as far as you can to me." Pyo Ri-Su\'s tone was earnest, and his gaze was intense, hinting at the gravity of the task at hand.

I couldn\'t help but smile at his determination. “Okay."

The PE teacher soon laid out the relay\'s rules for us. The simplicity of the task belied the excitement it stirred. It was a half-lap relay around the spacious auditorium. We then walked to our spots with support from our teammates.

I took my position as I was ready for the baton exchange, doing a few warm-up drills to shake off the nerves. My eyes then locked on Yoo-Joon, who was at a distance, and I wondered if I would be able to react appropriately to whatever Goh Yoo-Joon was planning on doing.

The tension was palpable as the first runners poised themselves for the start, and the silence was punctuated by the collective heartbeat of the competitors. The sharp sound of the whistle marked the start of the race, sending a surge of adrenaline through my veins.

The crowd erupted into cheers, each group rooting for their team with fervent enthusiasm. Yoo-Joon dashed forward, his hair tousled by the morning\'s styling session. With each stride, he drew nearer.

On the other side, our rivals were already deep into their skit for In-Seok\'s mission. I caught a glimpse of Kun-Ho, whose expression was a mix of surprise and amusement. He was sharing a light-hearted moment with the PE teacher amidst the chaos.

“Suh Hyun-Woo!" Yoo-Joon\'s voice pierced through the clamor, his solo charge overshadowing Team B\'s theatrical efforts. His call spurred me into action, and I paced my run to match his approach.

“Suh Hyun-Wooooo!"

‘Huh? Why is he not slowing down?’

A collision seemed imminent.

“I am sorry!" His apology was almost lost in the wind as he breezed past me, leaving me in a state of bewildered stillness.

“...What?" The moment left me speechless, my mind racing to comprehend the unexpected turn of events. I stood frozen, the absence of the baton in my hands stark against the backdrop of Yoo-Joon\'s retreating figure.

Everyone started laughing at my bewildered look.

‘That bastard.’ The realization hit me late, and I found myself sprinting with all my might. I was hot on the heels of Goh Yoo-Joon.

“Yaaak!"

“Hahaahakkk!"

“Hand over the baton!" Passing the baton to Pyo Ri-Su had become my singular obsession. In an unexpected turn of events, this spontaneous game of tag drew not just laughter from the students but also from the teachers. Their amusement was clear in the air.

I charged forward with relentless energy and managed to catch up with Goh Yoo-Joon. He was sprawled on the ground and fiercely clung to the baton, refusing to hand it over. Given our history of scrappy wrestling matches, I resorted to a quick bite on his arm, and this promptly made him relinquish the baton.

Because Goh Yoo-Joon kept running until the last moment, my actions were limited to standing dumbfounded. I chased after Goh Yoo-Joon, snatched, and tossed the baton away.

...It somehow felt like I had managed to guarantee a decent screen time in the chaos.

In the meantime, Pyo Ri-Su chased after the baton I threw. With a dramatic roll, he reached the fallen baton, scooped it up with a grand bow, and was then lifted onto the shoulders of jubilant fellow students. They carried him triumphantly to the next runner.

The relay started with lighthearted fun rather than a competitive spirit, but as the last runners took their marks, it transformed into a serious race. The final stretch became a fierce sprint for those last contenders.

At the climax, the last runners received the baton almost simultaneously and burst into a powerful sprint. In the end, Team B claimed victory, albeit by a narrow margin.

Following the adrenaline-fueled relay was the Memory High’s talent showcasing. True to expectations, a thirty-minute interlude was allocated for setting up the stage and for the students to get their acts together for the talent show.

While the students busied themselves with their preparations back in the classroom, Goh Yoo-Joon and I made our way to the changing room to slip out of our sports gear and into our uniforms. We then headed out to the car waiting in the schoolyard.

Knock knock.

The car window slid down, and we hastily clambered in, cautious not to attract any unwanted attention.

“Yo, welcome back. Did you manage to capture some good scenes?"

“Jeez, what have you guys been up to? Your hair\'s a total mess, seriously."

“Any injuries to report?"

The moment we got into the car, a flurry of concerned questions greeted us. The members were all there, dressed in their stage outfits.

“Just got back from a run."

As I attempted to smooth down my tousled hair, Goh Yoo-Joon presented his arm to Joo-Han with a dramatic flourish. “Take a look at this, hyung. Suh Hyun-Woo went and bit me. Man, it hurt like crazy."

Seeing the bite mark, Joo-Han couldn\'t help but chuckle and shake his head in disbelief. “I bet you did something to provoke it."

“That\'s not fair. You are always siding with Suh Hyun-Woo."

“He\'s not wrong, though. You did take off with the baton," I intervened, gently lowering Goh Yoo-Joon\'s arm which was still thrust forward in accusation.

“Typical Goh Yoo-Joon move." Joo-Han tsked in mock disapproval before turning serious. “Look, you both must be worn out from all the running, but the real challenge is just ahead. You do know we\'re about to showcase our new song for the first time, right?"

“Yeah!"

This talent show was no ordinary event, as it also served as the grand stage for the premiere of Chronos\'s latest hit. Although the broadcast would barely do justice to the new song, as it only gave us and the other members mere seconds of airtime, for us, it was about more than just those fleeting moments. It was about delivering a full three-minute performance that truly belonged to us.

“Yoo-Joon and Hyun-Woo, you will be in your school uniforms, standing out from the rest of us. No matter where you are, keep the energy up and perform your best. And watch out during the acrobatic parts; we can\'t afford to be injured. Also, the sound system\'s tricky, so let\'s stay sharp for the live vocals."

Joo-Han\'s words were echoed by the collective resolve of the entire group, underscoring the gravity of the moment.