In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

“What is this? How did this happen?”

“Explain it to me, hyung.”

When we opened our eyes groggily, Joong-hyun scratched the back of his head as if it were no big deal and answered.

“We were on the same futsal team yesterday. After the game ended, he asked if he could call me hyung.”

“Out of the blue?”

“Yes. Out of the blue.”

My brothers and I looked at each other.

By this point, I was really curious about what on earth had happened yesterday.

According to him, he had just gone to play goalkeeper, but it sounded far from ordinary.

Jung-gun from Wild, the senior group above us, came over and tapped Joong-hyun on the shoulder.

“Did you get home okay last night?”

“Yes. Hello.”

“Thanks to you yesterday, it was really fun, man.”

With that, those who had been on the same team yesterday greeted our guy warmly.

Of course, not everyone did.

“Whoa......”

Some people were terrified when they saw Joong-hyun.

TNT’s leader, Gu Seon-woong, widened his eyes like he’d run into a monster and then backed away.

What’s with him Why was that hyung acting like that How could playing goalkeeper provoke such strong reactions I genuinely wondered.

“Oppas, hi.”

At the bright voice, we looked around and then glanced down.

A tiny glutinous rice cake in a black tracksuit was waving. It was Daisy, her hair dyed blonde.

“Oh, hi.”

I smiled and greeted her. Then I greeted the other Scarlet members standing behind her.

“Hello.”

Ara smiled and spoke teasingly.

“What’s up Why are you using banmal only with Nayeon?”

“Should I use it for you?”

“No. That would be awkward......”

I laughed at those who were shy around me.

Scarlet, the senior girl group from our agency that debuted first, was wearing the same black jersey with three white stripes that we were wearing.

The so-called L-team uniform.

The teams for this Idollympics, with over two hundred participants, were organized by agency.

For example, TJ Entertainment was Team T. DNS Media was Team D.

Gathering groups from the same agency led to friendly chatter here and there.

We were no exception.

Our leader, Ara, placed her hand to her mouth.

“Amazing. Did the CEO come by your place too What did he say?”

“He didn’t say much. He told us to be careful with our bodies. He said if we win he’d buy us composing equipment.”

“Wow. Look at the favoritism.”

Another member, Bom, called to Ara.

“Sis The CEO said he’d only buy us meat.”

“See That’s too much.”

While the other members nodded, Ji-ho asked,

“But didn’t you girls eat twenty-five servings of flower-cut steak last year?”

“......”

“The meat restaurant owner said you four ate like a wrestling team.”

With Joong-hyun wearing a look of inner camaraderie, I held back a laugh.

The Scarlet members cleared their throats.

“Well, that was......”

“Honestly, I was starving that day. At fancy places one serving is like a crumb.”

“Just thinking about it makes me mad.”

“Hey. Girl groups can eat meat too, right?”

“Why are you picking on me?”

Avoiding the teasing hyungs and unnis, Ji-ho hid behind me with a sad face.

We all laughed at that sight.

While waiting together in the same spot, we made light conversation.

“Okay, okay, let’s all shout fighting together.”

Ara, the eldest, stretched out her long arms. She brought her hands together lightly and shouted “Fighting.”

“L-team, let’s enter!”

At the staff member’s call over the intercom, we all started warming up.

Ara took the flag and, leading the Scarlet members, walked ahead while we followed behind.

Through the dim corridor.

“Waaaah!”

With a bright light, cheers echoed.

As our eyes adjusted to the light, I took in the spacious Goyang Indoor Gymnasium.

Souffle Where are our Souffle?

Scanning quickly, Bi-joo tapped the back of my hand and nodded toward one direction.

From the distant third-floor seats, I saw people waving.

“Waaaah!”

When we waved back energetically, the Souffle did a wave in return.

I loved it.

Having woken at three AM and still half-asleep, seeing our Souffle felt healing.

Like a 0.8 Kim Deok-soon moment.

We happily waved when it happened.

“......?”

“What is that over there?”

We, entering with bright smiles, blinked at the banner positioned where the Souffle were gathered.

-You are our gold medal!

...read the touching message.

On a black background were five gold medals each with our faces photoshopped in the center.

Because they were gold with just our faces, we looked like monks without hair.

Like five golden Gung-ye.

When we stood there with dumbfounded faces, the Souffle giggled in delight among themselves.

“.......”

When did things get like this I wondered.

It was nice to be so close...... but recalling the warm, gentle Souffle of the past, my eyes grew moist.

Shik! Tak!

A sleek arrow flew and struck the eight-point ring.

“Waaaah I hit eight points!”

“Ji-ho.”

“Yes?”

“The fletching color facing your body is wrong. You need the different color part facing that way.”

“......Okay.”

Our maknae made a wounded expression and complained.

“You didn’t have to point that out so harshly. You could have praised me first then corrected me.”

“Aww, our maknae did well.”

“Heehee, really?”

“So let’s correct the parts of your stance that are off.”

“.......”

Supporting the pouty maknae’s arm from behind, I coached her.

Beside us, Bi-joo was practicing archery.

Shiiik! Tak.

An arrow struck the nine-point yellow ring. Bi-joo smiled brightly and then snapped her head toward me.

“Hyung, did you see? I just hit nine points.”

“Good job, our second.”

While correcting the maknae’s stance, I gave a high-five to the second who was thrilled.

I seemed to put more effort into praising the kids than coaching.

This was the indoor practice room of the gym.

The corridor had targets set up so we could warm up in advance.

While Ri-hyuk and Joong-hyun cheered on Scarlet in the same L group, I was checking my siblings’ stances.

-Waaaah!

A muffled shout drifted in.

Outside, the girl group archery preliminaries were underway.

Since we were in prelim group one, we would compete as soon as the women’s division ended.

And our first prelim opponent was...

“Ha, so you were hiding here.”

A scoffing voice came from somewhere.

Turning my head, I saw Han Tae-hyun and his crew strolling over.

I smiled and said,

“Hey, don’t appear with lines like a third-rate villain.”

“A third-rate villain, huh.”

The other looked incredulous.

“That’s harsh. Doesn’t it give off final boss pretty boy vibes?”

“You seem like generic cannon fodder.”

“......I’ll someday post a review of hyung’s personality online. Prepare for a million anti-fans.”

He probably didn’t have time for the internet.

The grumbling guy soon approached with a smile.

Our kids greeted the trio from TNT who had quivers at their hips.

Tae-hyun waved his hand.

“Don’t bother greeting them. They’re just Woo-joo hyung’s lackeys.”

“We’re not his friends, we’re minions.”

At our maknae’s sad tone the others burst out laughing.

Then, seeing me coaching Ji-ho, he asked subtly,

“Hyung is really mean to you, right?”

“He’s no joke. He nags a lot and if something’s off he stares until it’s right.”

“I know that feeling. I know it well.”

TNT’s junior line, Seok Ji-hoon and Ji Han-bin, chimed in.

“He’s a tiring hyung.”

“Every monthly evaluation I thought I’d die from overwork. I seriously considered taking out insurance back then.”

“Phooey phooey.”

I waved my hand and said,

“Bi-joo, Ji-ho, don’t listen to those mean things...”

“Really? What was it like?”

“He’s really curious about your past, Woo-joo hyung.”

Why did your eyes light up like that?

“Curious Do you want to come here I’ll tell you everything.”

“We have lots of grievances too.”

“.......”

Seeing these scheming kids teaming up made me feel a prick of resentment.

They say raising children is useless.

Watching the old kids and new kids gang up, my cheek trembled without me realizing.

I told Tae-hyun,

“Hey, stop disrupting our practice and take your kids away.”

“We came to practice too.”

“There’s space over there. Big and open.”

“The lighting there isn’t great.”

“Then we’ll use over there.”

“Oh. We just got bored and came to hang out. A perceptive person would play along.”

“Fine, fine.”

I gave a half-hearted reply to the grumbling guy and then started practicing holding the bow myself.

He widened his eyes.

“Huh? Your form looks good.”

“I’ve practiced a bit.”

“Wow. You’ve changed.”

Clapping as if deeply moved, he said,

“You’ve changed. Our Sun Woo-joo doing basketball and archery. What a change of pace.”

“Thanks a lot.”

I smiled, nocked an arrow, and drew the string. He watched my stance and tilted his head.

“......Strange. Your form is solid.”

“I practiced.”

“But you’re not the type whose body can be improved by practice, right?”

“.......”

“Is it not true?”

“Really. I guess I don’t even have luck with people.”

To be surrounded by only people like this.

Looking sadly at the ceiling, I heard,

“Hey, Tae-hyun.”

Ji Han-bin, who had been chatting with our kids, said,

“They say Woo-joo hyung shoots really well?”

“What?”

“They say he’s good.”

“......Are you sure you heard right? That it’s not someone named Ju-hyung Woo-ssi?”

“Dummy. Really Woo-joo hyung.”

But even the speaker looked puzzled.

As if telling me to explain, they all stared. I shrugged.

Then I released the string I was holding.

Shiiik! Tak.

“.......” 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Showing an arrow that landed exactly at ten points, I let a quietly triumphant look linger on my face.

See that My changed self......

The three of them approached me at once.

“Look at that bow. Who makes it?”

“It’s definitely the twenty-first century. The age of science.”

“Is it from some research lab?”

Seriously, these guys.

At my incredulous look, Bi-joo and Ji-ho clapped and giggled.

-Yes, men’s archery prelim Group 1. TNT versus NewBlack.

With announcer Jung Hyo-jin’s voice, the commentator’s voice continued.

-TNT is a strong team that reached the finals last year. Han Tae-hyun, Ji Han-bin, Seok Ji-hoon. Personally, I was impressed by Han Tae-hyun’s performance last °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° year, so I’m looking forward to this year as well.

As the commentators’ conversation continued, the broadcast camera captured the participants on site.

Those sitting in the three seats on each side.

On the left were the TNT trio looking relaxed but somehow anxious, on the right were the nervous rookie NewBlack.

-Now, starting with TNT’s Han Tae-hyun.

As the green-haired popular TNT member stood up, enthusiastic cheers erupted.

Smiling as if accustomed, he picked up his bow.

Bringing the string to his cheek and slowly closing one eye, a fan who shouted “Kyaa!” covered her mouth, bringing a smile to the venue.

A calm silence.

Shiiik! Tak.

With each release, he hit 8, 8, and 9 points in succession.

Though the indoor twenty-meter distance without wind was advantageous, it was still a respectable amateur score.

‘Even I think that was good.’

Proudly, Han Tae-hyun waved to the fans and returned to his seat.

Then he glanced at Sun Woo-joo sitting calmly beside him.

‘Let’s see what you can do.’

Watching the one who had been bragging about being good at archery, he curled a slight grin.

‘He can’t do it. That hyung.’

Having seen him for years at TJ, from the legendary Yeouido Park incident onward, Sun Woo-joo was a nightmare in every physical field.

‘Although his dancing was iffy.......’

He was flustered by the opponent’s suddenly immaculate dancing, but that was only dance.

Other parts shouldn’t have changed drastically.

Unless he suddenly got a supernatural power like in a movie.

-Now, contestant Woo-joo. Your turn... Wow. The venue is buzzing.

As soon as Sun Woo-joo lifted his bow and appeared on the scoreboard, the venue stirred.

Idol fans usually ignore anyone but their idol, but if the visuals are striking, it’s different.

The appearance of a rookie idol member stirred the venue.

-During the women’s prelim, it was when Girls On Top’s Joo Hana or Scarlet’s Rina came out. Now it’s contestant Woo-joo.

The camera caught a Souffle holding a placard reading “Woo-joo, you are the treasure of this nation, genius.”

“.......”

Woo-joo cleared his throat and gripped the bow.

His long lashes fluttered down as he gently closed one eye, and silence fell.

The audience involuntarily held their breath.

In a picture-perfect pose, Woo-joo drew the string.

-......?

The former Olympic champion commentator at the desk tilted her head.

‘His stance is incredibly stable.’

Had he been on an archery team?

Just as she thought that, Woo-joo gently released the string.

Shiiik! Tak!

“Waaaah!”

As soon as the arrow struck, cheers erupted.

“......!”

At the same moment, the TNT trio leapt to their feet with mouths agape, and NewBlack’s members did the same.

-10 points! A perfect 10!

-He smashed the camera lens!

The arrow had hit dead center of the ten-point ring.

Souffle screamed, Joong-hyun of NewBlack waved a placard singing “Let the music play~,” and Ri-hyuk beside him, ears bright red, covered his face.

But amid the chaos, NewBlack’s Woo-joo maintained a composed expression and simply reloaded.

Two arrows left.

As the excitement in the venue subsided, Woo-joo drew the string again.

Shiiik, Tak!

Silence fell briefly before cheers rang out.

-10 points!

-Again? Another 10 points!

And the final arrow.

-......Another 10 points.

-From his first idol sports festival appearance, ten-ten-ten, the CEO must be grinning from ear to ear!

A middle-aged person holding a phone bearing the message “Scarlet, NewBlack we love you ♥” was captured on screen with a happy face.

After the third perfect 10, Woo-joo covered his mouth with both hands.

As if thinking, ‘Is this for real?’

Had he not covered his mouth, the audience would have seen his lips shape “Oh my gosh” in amazement.

“Waaaah. He can really do it.”

Murmuring in wonder, Woo-joo sent hand hearts to fans with a happy smile.

Then he returned to his seat and high-fived his members.

He gave the stunned TNT trio a cheeky smile as if to say, ‘See?’

“.......”

The TNT members, led by Han Tae-hyun, were wandering in their muddled thoughts for a long while.

‘What is that Who is that thing?’

They felt like they were looking at an alien in Sun Woo-joo’s skin.

Nothing made sense.

Han Tae-hyun was especially dumbfounded.

‘I can’t lose to that hyung in anything involving the body.’

He felt struck by an unexpected blow.

“.......”

Maybe because of that.

After Woo-joo’s ten-ten-ten, every time a TNT member drew their bow, their fingertips trembled.

-Ah, 6 points. The hand slipped.

-The shock was big just now.

-Will NewBlack take the win easily at this rate?

Though it was still early, the flow of victory in the arena was clearly tilting to one side.

At the same time.

Yang Hee-seon, the Olympic gold medalist commentator in the booth, blinked.

“......?”

Announcer Jung Hyo-jin lowered her mic and asked,

“Are you okay, commentator?”

“Something’s off. That contestant Woo-joo.”

“In what way?”

“Hmm, it’s just......”

She couldn’t figure out how to explain.

His posture with the bow and other movements were impossible for an amateur.

He looked like a pro, as if he’d considered wind direction in a real match, not just shooting short distances indoors.

‘Feels so familiar......’

At first she thought it was because he was a rising idol, but it wasn’t.

‘His stance is so familiar, and I’ve seen it somewhere...... Ah?’

Suddenly realizing, Yang Hee-seon gasped.

She noticed the faintly smug smile Woo-joo had for about 0.1 seconds after shooting.

She muttered in a flustered voice,

“......Senior?”