Chapter Fifteen: Call Me Baby

ith each other freely. As a fan of Sunny, I don't mind at all, and I even envy their way of getting along.""Don't ask such a silly question... kkkk Ah, this little brother is really interesting. He's...The official website is simply a paradise for EXO fans. For a time, all kinds of analyses of hints and metaphors kept appearing on the screen. Even Kim Ji-hee, who thought she had already lost her fandom, was getting quite excited by it, wishing time would just jump directly to March 1st at midnight.

The hatred and disgust I once held toward Bian Bai Xian has dwindled somehow. Unexpectedly, the passion I once had for XO has inexplicably resurfaced from deep within my heart, swirling in my mind and refusing to dissipate.

Especially after watching Chi Jingyuan's individual trailer and the final maze scene, my mind suddenly became active again, only the object of longing has changed.

There was more than an hour left until March 1st at midnight, the release time for EXO's first-ever pre-release single album "e", both in audio and video format. Kim Ji-hee took advantage of the free time to leave the official website and go to other forums to see what others thought of the teaser she thought was great, but she unexpectedly found that online, there was a wave of criticism and negativity. Black fans and opposing fandom were particularly active:

"Exo's teaser this time is really playing with smoke and mirrors, I watched for ages and still couldn't figure it out, what solar eclipse superpowers are they talking about, what's going on"

"Indeed, couldn't you just release a simple teaser for the main song Why do you have to go with all these flashy gimmicks"

"The photos are terrible, the people in EXO are all ugly and have pointy faces, it's disgusting to look at."

“Well... I also dislike that group, but you can't just randomly slander them. You can't deny the fact that their average looks are probably the best among all current male groups. Even if you want to hate on them, at least aim for the specifics, like bad posture, plastic surgery, short stature, small eyes, dating rumors, or being a "grass powder" fan, instead of just throwing around insults that make us fans look disrespectful.”

“The visuals of this group are undeniable, with Ji Kyeongwon's face and aura being so pleasing that even as a guy I find myself enjoying the view. It’s no wonder his female fans are so numerous and enthusiastic (I wonder why he isn't an official face). However, there are too many other issues...Looking at the recently returned artists, I haven't found any particularly popular ones. Even though this group seems to be declining significantly, there aren't many groups that could rival them either. I estimate that only Myth and VIXX could challenge them. With both of those groups returning this week, it directly clashes with this group's comeback. 4U also has a good momentum in this comeback and could potentially compete with them.”

"4ute is a girl group impossible to beat, the boy group fanbase just outnumbers them. We still have to put our hopes on Shinhwa and VIXX, brothers remember to vote for Shinhwa and VIXX when the boy groups are promoting, I really want to see what their expressions will be like in the second week if they lose their number one spot, it's bound to be interesting."

"Vote 1, I'm so looking forward to it! Just thinking about the expressions of those delusional fans when their idol doesn't get first place in the first week, they can't believe it but have to face the fact that their idol's popularity is declining, wow, just thinking about it gets me excited!"

I'm not just going to vote, I'm also going to buy albums from Myth and VIXX!

When Kim Ji-hee saw the forum she clicked on, it was filled with sarcasm and insults towards EXO. She felt a pang of sadness in her heart, and at the same time, a surge of anger welled up inside her. She couldn't help but type on her keyboard to defend EXO: "Actually, EXO's popularity hasn't dropped that much. Their sales are still top-tier in the music industry. And the individual teasers for this comeback were really high quality. Some of the hints and metaphors they used were really good."

But just moments after it was posted, those active black fans saw the comment that clearly favored the fandom and were instantly excited, swarming like sharks smelling blood:

"I don't understand, and I just don't get why people who are fans of him would be interested in all the hints and metaphors he throws around. What's the point of all these gimmicks The songs aren't good and the performances are awful, it's a complete waste."

"Haven't scrolled down yet Go take a look at the pre-order sales for EXO's debut single album "e". I checked this morning, and it was over 400,000, right It's only been ten days since pre-orders opened. Last year, the group's previous comeback, mini-album "Addiction", had a pre-order of over 700,000, which broke records at the time. I remember very clearly. Now, after so long, it's only sold 400,000, and sales have dropped by nearly half. This level of fandom isn't considered a decline Then what would be considered a decline Can fans open their eyes and use their brains"

"LOL, their best-selling album this time got cut in half. If the audio and MV come out and it turns out to be a terrible song, there will be even more drama."

"Due to the limited configuration and tracklist, singles usually don't sell as well as regular albums. With such impressive pre-order sales this time, it's already a great achievement."

Kim Ji-hee was really angry when she saw these comments and retorted, her blood rushing up and making her feel quite irritated. Without realizing it, she naturally stood on the side of EXO fans. However, facing the onslaught of black fans who clearly presented data, she also felt that her defense seemed a little powerless.

"Forget it, let's just wait until v comes out and then look at the data." These replies made his eyes redden. He stared at the screen, hatefully looking for a while, used his mouse to close this forum filled with black fans, clicked on s's official website, leaned over the keyboard waiting for the upcoming release of v, slammed the table angrily, and muttered to himself in frustration:

Just watch. Wait and see.

…………

What time is it Has it been announced yet

In &'s dormitory, Jiang Shiqi put on her clothes and sat on Sun Shengwan's bed, pulling the blanket slightly over.

"No, there are still ten minutes." Sun Seungwan pulled her feet in a little, making room for both the long-seated Park Jihyo in her bed and the recently arrived Kang Se-ri. She leaned against Park Jihyo who occupied the center spot on the bed and glanced at the phone she had placed in front of her. After checking the time, she answered quietly.

I finished work a little earlier today, and after I showered, they all gathered in this room to wait for EXO's comeback title song MV to be released.

This is very interesting because not only is Jiyoung a good friend, but they're also more concerned about this comeback which is very significant for EXO. They're also curious to see how this grand project will turn out since the company has put in so many resources. They wonder if it will have a big impact on their own comeback in half a month.

Of course, it's mainly out of curiosity and concern.

"A few days ago, Jingyuan gave me a gift, but no one else came. I want to see what they've been busy filming for so long." Ginger Sheqi remembered the scene of her birthday dinner invitation being declined a few days ago, and she felt a little dissatisfied, wrinkling her nose.

Pei Zhu-hyeon was comfortably sitting on Son Seung-wan's bed, covered in her clothes and blanket. At the same time, Son Seung-wan's face was rubbing against her shoulder, enjoying a body massage. They were both very content at that moment.

Staring at the phone screen, at s's official account on the website, waiting for it to refresh. Watching the slowly ticking time made me a little absentminded.

She actually didn't have that many thoughts, she just simply wanted to see Ji Jingyuan's v.

Especially after receiving that photo, which she now flips through frequently, a picture of him with his smoky gray hair taken from a direct angle. And after video calling Ji Jingyuan during the Spring Festival, she was very curious about his appearance in the music video for his new song and looked forward to it.

She originally planned to curl up alone in bed, but Sun Shengwan suggested watching a movie together and discussing it afterward. She agreed, finding it more atmospheric to watch with someone else, so she naturally went to her bed.

On the side, Ginger Qi also squeezed over to the left, and the three of them huddled together, warm and comfortable. However, their hair didn't seem to be completely dry yet. When they brushed it over, it was slightly damp.

"Here we go, here we go."

Just as Pei Joo Hyuk was lost in thought, Park Soo Ryung sitting on the opposite bed and Kim Ye Rin who had already moved into the dormitory shouted excitedly. She hurriedly came back to her senses, refreshed the webpage, and together with the two people who had suddenly come closer to her, looked at the screen and clicked on the song title that had just appeared after refreshing:

callbaby

……

On the other side, in JYP's trainee dormitory, Nako Yabuki was curled up in her bed, holding a brightly lit phone and constantly refreshing the page, waiting for V's update.

Updating at midnight is indeed a bit late, even though she trained very hard today and has to wake up early tomorrow, but for her everything is a small matter.

This period of time, Nami has been exceptionally busy because she was selected for the company's latest survival audition program and started special training. She practices and prepares a lot every day, which is tiring and exhausting. Although she had learned ballet for a long time before and also specialized in K-pop dance, because her practice time was the shortest and her overall foundation wasn't very good, she naturally has to work harder to achieve her goal.

Most of my time is spent practicing, leaving no room to pursue my idols.

Since the last time "Unborn" aired and its ratings contract was signed, Nanami has not seen Kyung-won again in person. The special feelings she had been nurturing in her heart had also subsided considerably. However, that feeling born out of impulse did not disappear after returning to rationality. Instead, after repeated contemplation, it seemed to become even more certain of its authenticity, becoming richer and more profound with time.

The more one cannot see, the more one tends to focus on it.

Besides, a few close friends of hers would often tease her and make fun of her. Sometimes, when she thought about it, she felt a prickling sensation in her heart, like being scratched by a cat.

And today, Exo's V's unveiling is also something she has been looking forward to.

At the same time, there are several people living in the JYP dormitory, including Zhou Tzuyu, as well as other female idol groups who have a good relationship with Park Ji-won and other EXO members. There are fans like Kim Ji-hee who have been eagerly anticipating and hoping for their idols' comeback. There are also curious onlookers wondering if EXO will return to their former glory or falter. And finally, there are numerous black fans, even more obsessed than the fans, hoping that EXO will release a terrible song and fail miserably.

They were in different locations, but at the same time they logged into s's official account page, refreshed the webpage, and saw the main song v and information that had been made public.

Single album "e".

The main song is "callbaby".

After a quick glance at the album and song introductions, I couldn't wait to click in.

After a brief loading screen, the black screen slowly brightened. Then came a light, upbeat drumbeat. Accompanied by the drums, a sleek, heavily modified Lamborghini Gallardo in a sky-blue color with a massive wing that seemed to reach for the heavens, glided into view from the outside.

At the same time, the camera panned left to focus on a close-up shot. On the left side of this underground parking lot-like setting, there was a neat row of luxury sports cars. The red, white, blue, and green colors were extremely cool looking. Each car had an exaggerated exterior design. Well-known brand logos like Ferrari, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz were dazzling to the eye. The moment that shot entered your vision, it instantly made you think of the atmosphere of wealth.

Just as the camera panned across a white Mercedes-Benz coupe, Zhou Tzuyu who was watching v couldn't help but smile. Though the license plate was deliberately covered, she instantly recognized it as the same car that Ji Jingyuan had driven that day.

Remembering the scene in the car at that time, she couldn't help but show a sweet dimple.

While Minami was startled, she involuntarily sat up.

This car's design is quite eye-catching, she could easily tell it was the Mercedes SLS AMG model she had seen in magazines before.

She had seen this type of Mercedes near her company not long ago. She remembered it well because she had witnessed the same company's trainee Tzuyu getting into it.

This kind of car, a coupe worth nearly one billion won, shouldn't be common throughout all of Seoul. So coincidentally, another identical one appeared in EXO's V

A flicker of doubt and suspicion crossed her eyes. She decided to finish watching first, then go back and observe carefully afterward. For now, the priority was to watch on.

The roaring engine fell silent, and Kai stepped out of the car, sitting down on the hood. After a few seconds of staring at his surroundings, a gust of wind whistled through the air.

"Call baby."

"The streets were bustling with extravagance and noise."

"callbaby."

"People are alienated and silent from each other."

After a bit of shaking and swaying at the front of the car, the song officially began. The opening melody and lyrics immediately caught the attention of many, making them feel like their hearing and vision were completely captivated.

As Kai fell back, his face turned upwards, letting the camera in. The four members appeared on the open-top Lamborghini that was initially obscured by him. Right after that, he started the official chorus part of the song.

"Another one-shot How does EXO always play this trick"

Only after seeing the beginning did some people can't help but complain in their hearts. Fans are naturally very excited, but those who don't like it will naturally swallow the next sentence "He is quite handsome".

"Hey girl, eternal version of a fleeting moment."

"A fateful moment.

"

"In an instant, it pierced my mind and soul."

"Swift as lightning, it cuts through the world."

Singing his part while moving around the stage, under his guidance, the camera's view moved indoors. As he crossed over the sofa and sat down, the long-awaited Chi Jingyuan finally appeared on camera.

He was wearing a simple black and white striped short-sleeved shirt and trousers that looked very neat and fit, his very eye-catching silver-gray hair attracted all eyes to himself. He was wearing a pair of dark sunglasses, a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, casually sitting on the sofa and following along with the movements. Finally, he cocked one leg up in a nonchalant way and leaned back against the sofa.

Even though this shot doesn't have any lyrics, everything he does feels like singing. He appears as if he's the center of the whole frame, making you unconsciously focus all your attention on Ji-seong, completely overlooking Jin-da beside him.

Speaking of, the best app for reading and listening to books at the moment is the Source Switching App, .huanyuanapp, install the latest version.

"Oh, wow, this look…"

"Wow, he's so handsome!"

Jin Se-qi couldn't help but cover her mouth in surprise as she looked at the screen. However, before she could finish a word, Kim Ye-lin on the opposite side screamed. Looking up, she saw that the new maknae was waving her hands and hitting the bed like a fan, her expression extremely excited and shaking non-stop.

Even Pei Zhuhyun and Zhou Tzuyu, who had seen this outfit many times already, still felt a strong impact. Seeing it in reality is one feeling, seeing it on V-hub is another completely different feeling. Pool Kyungwon, who is naturally attractive, really digested this outfit and hair color perfectly.

"...."

And the first time Nan saw Chi Jingyuan like this, she was completely lost for words. Any doubts she had about the sports car earlier were instantly forgotten. A jolt of electricity ran through her, a tingling sensation from deep within that almost made her drop her phone.

Before this comeback, she was always aware of EXO's styling for each return, but none had given her such a stunning feeling.

It was Dokyeom's part now, as he sang and danced to the lyrics, Jihoon also got up from the sofa following him. Amidst the fans' exclamations, he casually tossed aside his sunglasses and walked over to a table with him, propping his hands on top. He met up with Seungkwan who was already waiting there, and the three of them stood together in this dorm setting.

You penetrate my parched lips, awakening me.

"The titswag girl!"

"Sodo don't wait, don't wait too long."

Three people walked away from the table. Under the lead of someone, after several unorthodox hip bumps, Ji Jingyuan walked towards the camera with a smile and sang his part while getting closer and closer. Wu Shixun followed behind. The two bodies interacted back and forth under close-up shots of the camera. Finally, Ji Jingyuan pointed at the camera with both fingers and waved his left hand forcefully. The camera quickly turned following the wave. Six members who were already in position appeared in the shot. The first chorus officially began.

This pseudo-one-take v technique is truly breathtaking. The extremely natural camera cuts immerse the viewer in the magnificent and stylish dance under guidance.

The world is full of wonders.

"It is hard to distinguish truth from falsehood."

"callbabycallbaby."

"Call baby, call baby."

After the first verse was sung by six members, there was a collective pelvic thrust as a group. Kim Jong-hyeon, Wu Shixun, and Doh Kyungsoo, who were not in the camera view before, quickly entered the scene. They stood in the front row C position and danced with the other members.

"It was you who made me find my existence."

"My world, you are one of a kind."

"You're the one."

"Girl, you're the one."

"callbabycallbaby."

The dynamic and highly addictive melody, like a chant, keeps swirling in your ears. The chorus elevates the already immersive rhythm even further. The rhythmic and synchronized group dance is both characteristic and incredibly cool. The nimble and unrestrained movements and positional exchanges are dizzying, you can only be completely absorbed in the video as if possessed.

Whether it was the side-to-side shoulder taps, the continuous jumping and switching positions, or even the iconic hip turn, everything left a deep impression on everyone.

"Lost and sinking deep in the darkness."

"In that darkness."

After two consecutive transitions, the second verse and chorus ends. Guided by several members, the camera quickly pans to the side, where Baekhyun appears in the frame, singing his lyrics with deep emotion. Kai then joins, along with the other two, as they enter from both sides. The three stand in a line before the camera, continuously crossing arms and performing movements.

When it came to the third part, a very familiar harmony entered the ear. We saw Chi Jingyuan from the right naturally introduce himself into the camera with his right hand, softly singing in a nearly soul-purifying melody. The camera zoomed in on Chi Jingyuan at the front for an ultra-close-up shot.

In the frame, Chi Jingyuan slightly raises his head and looks coldly at the camera, appearing very powerful. To the beat of the melody, he keeps retreating while forcefully singing out a burst of intense anger:

"It was you who gave me a new life!"

This series of shots truly shocked the audience watching v at this time. Screams came from countless rooms, perfectly blending into soulful harmonies. The continuous individual cooperation, the close-up appearance that made people scream, and the harmonious and perfect singing voice directly formed a killgpart that instantly killed fans and passersby.

"Oh, this shot is too beautiful."

"The harmonies are really amazing, Jingyuan's vocal ability..."

Jennie and Seowon harmonized, a bit wistful as they sang. In the middle, Seulgi sat quietly, fully engrossed in the playing video.

Now, most of the song's shape has already emerged. Although Bae Joo-hyun's attention is mainly focused on Ji-kyeong Won, overall she thinks this debut title track is really good. Whether it's the melody or the arrangement, it sounds pretty nice, especially the choreography is really cool.

On the other side, Minami was from the moment when Pool Jingsheng appeared on screen, she kept her lips pursed and stared intently at her phone screen, not missing a single second. At this time, the progress bar of v in her phone was about to reach the end. Exo9 members were performing the final group dance in an open field. Watching, watching, she suddenly couldn't help but let out a cry, then fearing that she would disturb her roommates, she quickly covered her mouth.

Suddenly, the screen transformed into a striking black and white display. Pool Jingyuan gracefully moved from the right side to the center of the formation, taking command as EXO's main performer. After several sharp movements, all members of EXO simultaneously leaned back, spreading their hands behind them. They then executed a series of incredibly synchronized wave motions on the spot.

Then, like crabs, the EXO group moved synchronously to the left in a parallel manner. While moving in an organized and neat way, they also performed rhythmic and feel-filled movements. The entire scene was very exciting, both in terms of aura and visual impact, reaching its full value. This special group dance at the end seemed to elevate the previous parts.

"call baby call baby."

"call baby call baby."

"A thousand times, I would never tire of call girl."

Before Namina could react, with EXO's nine members standing and posing for the ending pose, the video ended. The footage of EXO and aespa’s logos that appeared afterward was completely ignored.

She recalled the several impactful and memorable scenes she had just seen, as well as that unforgettable ash-blonde hair color. She directly dragged the progress bar to the front, her eyes glued to the screen while she murmured in a hushed voice:

"Calling"

"Wow, this song is really good, especially the choreography. Did you guys see that crab step at the end I..."

Before Jiang Shubi could express her feelings, she was interrupted by a commotion of shouts. Pei Zhuxuan, who had just finished watching and was slightly immersed in it, frowned slightly and looked up at the opposite side.

On the other side, the two maknaes were already excitedly bumping into each other. Park Soo-young was just waving her hands and dancing to the beat. The most energetic Kim Ye-rim had already gotten off the bed and started performing the dance from "Call Baby," which they had just watched. Even though she only wore sweatpants, she didn't seem cold at all. She sang excitedly, "Call baby, call baby."

Watching this little sister pat her shoulders and move over there, she had quite the EXO vibe going on. Bae Suzy's eyebrows relaxed and she couldn't help but chuckle softly, but she still spoke up to interrupt Kim Yerin's solo dance performance: "Keep it down, Huiyoung unnie is coming to give you a lesson later."

"Hee hee..." Kim Ye-rin wasn't afraid at all. After laughing twice, she sat back on the bed and started teasing Park Soo-yeong. She still occasionally blurted out, "Callbaby..."

The lyrics, which are repeatedly sung throughout the song, combined with its incredibly catchy melody, have left a truly deep impression.

Who knows how many people have said this, heard it, or thought it at this very moment.

……

And even though it was already madrugada, several large online music forums were still bustling with activity. Clicking into one, the top few trending topics were quite eye-catching:

"Great job!"

Peninsula Asteroid

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