In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

“Basketball?”

I tilted my head. It wasn’t our turn yet. Though puzzled, I stood for my teammates waiting. Waving to my brothers who said they’d come cheer later, I asked Tae-hyun.

“Isn’t it ages until basketball?”

I glanced at my watch. We still had an hour until standby.

He nodded.

“Well, yeah. But none of us have tried playing together.”

“Oh.”

Since we only knew faces, he seemed to suggest a quick practice before the real game. I tried to recall our team members.

“.......”

Feeling eyes on me, I turned to see someone watching with a puzzled look.

“What?”

“A bit weird.”

“I’m always weird.”

“Oh, right... no, that’s not it.”

He looked at me as if seeing a stranger, scratched his head in disbelief.

“This is really strange.”

“What is?”

“Going to practice, hyung looks too....”

“Too?”

Had I unconsciously made a strange expression? Members teased I’d smirked oddly whenever I shot an arrow. As thoughts swirled, Tae-hyun spoke out.

“You look too relaxed.”

“......?”

“When dancing you freeze up whenever anything physical comes up. But now you seem totally at ease.”

“......huh?”

Indeed. When I was a klutz, my body stiffened whenever I needed athletic nerves. Now that was gone. In archery, and even now heading to a scrimmage with strangers, my body felt completely at ease. Realizing this, I halted in my tracks.

“Hyung?”

“......I’m...”

Relaxed before exercise.

“Amazing......”

My world. Such a thing existed. As I wore a moved expression, the other only blinked.

“Why suddenly amazed?”

“There is. That.”

I smiled.

“You don’t have to know, man.”

“Oh, what is it?”

Ignoring his questions, I headed down the stairs to the basement. The sunshine streaming through the windows felt as warm as my mood.

Auxiliary Gym. On basement level 2 of the indoor arena, preparations were nearly complete. Staff milled about at ease while teammates gathered to stretch. Hanjo and I did national exercises and looked around.

“That banner over there—isn’t it from the Roll Cake fans?”

“Yes, it is. And...”

I whispered with a hand to my mouth.

“They’re Souffle.”

“Oops......”

As Hanjo said “oops,” I laughed and looked. A black banner in Gothic script read Basketball-ya, Zenmin-i do well—clearly from Souffle. Beside it was one saying Our Haljo Fighting—by the Cement fans.

“Oh. That’s from the Concrete fans.”

“Concrete, actually.”

We exchanged embarrassed looks and burst out laughing. Hanjo said,

“The fans will fill that up later, right? Our members will cheer from down there.”

“Yeah, I’m nervous.”

“I’m worried too. I want to do well......”

Though I wasn’t nervous about just playing basketball, doing it in front of fans made me jittery. Unlike archery where I simply shot, here I’d move all around. It was team play; teamwork with my teammates mattered as much as my own skill.

“Alright, everyone gather!”

Tae-hyun, our captain, called us over. Standing awkwardly shoulder to shoulder with strangers, he held up paper.

“Before the coach arrives, I want to set the entry list. I don’t know your skills or play styles, so let’s scrimmage...”

He eyed the court.

“Half-court play. We’ll split into two teams of five.”

Though ten idols in total, only five play at once. Players rotate, but first lineup matters, so everyone was eager.

“Question.”

TinSpirit’s Hwi-yeon raised a hand politely. Tae-hyun nodded, and Hwi-yeon asked,

“What about teams?”

“Um... let’s split by choosing. Whatever.”

Ten idols immediately gathered hands. Someone led a chant:

“Then flip it over...”

“Flip it?”

They murmured.

“Isn’t it deddenjji?”

“I know it as ttenttentttoyo.”

“In my area it’s fold it over and flip it, national rule......”

After quick votes, they settled on “fold and flip it.”

“Fold and flip it!”

After a few tries, palm orientations split exactly five each.

“......!”

They lifted heads to see teammates. Hanjo and Tae-hyun’s team of five stood opposite us, which included Wild’s Woo-san and...

“Ah, damn I’m thirsty.”

A teen tempest of a pretty boy guzzled water. Then Hwi-yeon, locking eyes with me, thrust a water bottle.

“Want a drink?”

“No thanks......”

“But you haven’t touched it.”

I laughed and waved it off.

“I’m not thirsty.”

“Oh.”

He then drained it.

Thump! Thump!

On the court, basketballs thudded under practice dribbling. As I watched, Hwi-yeon said,

“Hyung. Good at basketball, right?”

Ah. Startled.

“Well... I don’t know yet. Even if I’m good, probably not ‘amazing good.’”

“No, you will be.”

“......?”

Curious about his reasoning, I looked # Nоvеlight # at him. He answered confidently:

“People good at archery are good at basketball.”

“.......”

“Because...”

Because...?

I stared, and he said matter-of-factly:

“Because that’s me.”

Oh. He just wanted to brag. I offered an impressed look and he nodded.

“Please be good.”

“You too, senior.”

With no strategy talk, the game began. Sleeve rolls distinguished teams—ours had rolled sleeves. Feeling the cool air in the unheated arena, I swallowed.

Thump! Thump!

First possession belonged to Tae-hyun’s team. Hanjo dribbled seriously. His wrist snap and dribble showed he’d practiced basketball as a hobby. I thought he looked like a handsome college senior dribbling. Then Hanjo accelerated, bent low, slipped past his marker, and passed.

Meow.

As the ball landed in Tae-hyun’s hands, our team flooded forward.

“Block!”

I moved toward the players near the hoop. Moving my body felt unfamiliar. I couldn’t adapt. I’d practiced one-on-one with Joong-hyun, but a sudden team match scrambled me. Yelling around, players moving, my eyes spun.

“Block! Block!”

“......!”

Uh oh.

Tae-hyun, lowered, used a paint move and approached me. In a 0.5-second flash, I thought I saw the opponent’s lips twitch in a smile as he tried to pass.

“......?”

Instinctively, my body moved. I can’t describe the feeling, but I sensed what to do. I extended my hand calmly toward the angle he advanced. And...

“......!”

The ball passed from his left to his right hand and landed seamlessly in mine. The spinning ball snapped into my palm.

“......?”

“......?”

Surprised, he and I stared. I’d succeeded...? But no time to linger. My heart pounding, I turned and carved out space for a shot. Wow, that worked. Even dribbling felt surreal.

“Pass! Pass!”

“Block!”

Our team shouted for the ball as the opponents swarmed me. Seeing no clear passing lane, I decided. Only one choice. Kneeling, I performed the shot motion I’d practiced. Jump smoothly, elbows in, launch at a moderately high angle, spin from fingertips as I flicked the ball with my right hand.

After the shot...

“.......”

All eyes tracked the arc of the ball. The perfect parabola landed directly in the hoop.

Swish!

Without a rim bounce, the net whispered. A small cheer rose.

“Nice!”

“Well done!”

Beaming teammates came to high-five. Hwi-yeon patted my shoulder proudly.

“See? Good at archery means good at basketball.”

Our team grinned. The opponents were surprised but impressed. Since this was only a scrimmage before the real game—where we’d play together—it was good. Hanjo passed with a smile.

“Woo-joo is definitely in the starting five.”

“No, just lucky.”

I waved my hand to deny, but even I thought stealing the ball and making that shot looked pretty legit. Meanwhile, the captain who had to pick the squad looked dazed at me.

“What the heck.”

Tae-hyun blinked. As other teammates moved to positions, he fidgeted in confusion.

“So you stole the ball from me to... no, that’s not it. This....”

“Stop denying it.”

I laughed, but he still couldn’t smile.

“This is unbelievable... can it even work?”

“Honestly, you got lucky just now.”

“.......”

I felt proud, yet a thought flickered: maybe it was a fluke. I needed more tries. On my way back, one thing hit me.

“Oh, right.”

“......?”

“I forgot to say this.”

Still stunned, he looked at me as I grinned.

“Thanks for the assist.”

“Hey!”

I dashed away laughing at his shout. After archery he’d teased “You know nothing about basketball,” “Dribble? You?” This was my satisfying reply. Ah. That felt good.

Spectators began entering the auxiliary gym. As production cameras framed angles and sound checks ran, coach Yoo Seong-hun calmly reviewed the starting lineup for today’s team “Left Hand Only Helps.”

“Tae-hyun, Hwi-yeon, Woo-joo, Hanjo, Woo-san...”

He checked the five names on paper, then looked at their faces: a handsome playboy; a pretty boy; an otherworldly being; a university student council president; a handsome Doberman. As he scanned the lineup, fans cheered and called their idols. From the bench, idol members raised their hands, cheering.

Coach Yoo asked,

“Will this be the starting five?”

“Yes, coach.”

Captain Tae-hyun answered.

“They’re all good, skills are similar, but after the scrimmage we agreed and picked these five.”

In other words, they played once together and chose the best without objections.

“Captain, wait.”

“Oh, yes.”

Coach looked down at him and quietly asked,

“In your view, who should be first out?”

“They’re all so good......”

“Speak freely.”

“Well, Hwi-yeon seems a bit off today.”

He smiled as he replied. Coach Yoo nodded, understanding the diplomatic phrasing.

“Then who’s indispensable?”

“I’d want to say me, but......”

Tae-hyun pointed to one name.

“NewBlack’s Woo-joo?”

“......He’s good.”

“Is he?”

Coach Yoo frowned. He’d coached basketball at last year’s Idollympics. Tae-hyun from TNT was known as a decent basketball player among idols. He’d expected Tae-hyun to be the team ace, but...

“How good is he?”

“I can’t describe it. Not super strong or technically brilliant. His skill isn’t outstanding, but in teamwork he really stands out.”

“Hmm... got it.”

He motioned as if the discussion was over. Details could wait for the actual game.

As Coach Yoo’s gaze swept to the bench, he noticed someone hydrating.

“......Quite handsome.”

He thought that merely posing as a totem would draw massive cheers.

“So he’s really that good?”

He wasn’t sure at first glance. But watching the team, he saw members occasionally glance at Sun Woo-joo while interacting with their fans.

“A look of fascination......”

He wondered what had happened in the scrimmage. Meanwhile, after “Left Hand Only Helps” entered, the opponent team began to enter.

“Waaaah!”

It was “zi-John Basketball” led by last year’s MVP Jun. Ten in red uniforms waved as they entered. Perhaps due to their flashy lineup, this year’s strongest contenders, they entered confidently. Their lips curled in smiles.

“We’ll win this match.”

The opponents seemed weak. Apart from TNT’s Tae-hyun, no standout members. Hwi-yeon and Woo-san were good but others of similar skill lined up here too. And the other two were rookies. One had shown archery prowess, but basketball required team play. Moreover, their team included a Daydream member who’d been on his school basketball team since grade school.

Commentary voices rose:

-Oh, they look formidable.

-This year’s top contenders among four teams, led by last year’s MVP Jun.

-He was phenomenal last year too.

As “zi-John Basketball” headed to their spots, something odd happened. Opponents usually show tension, but...

“......?”

They looked surprisingly relaxed. As if they’d prepared a special move, they smirked slyly at them. Their green uniforms too?

“What is this?”

Like Slytherins, their expressions. Feeling uneasy, he watched as their lineup took positions, noticing glances at one member. The NewBlack leader who’d shot like Jumong in archery. Actually, it was the four handsome fans in the upper seats waving placards that caught his eye.

-Genmin-ah your face is welfare

A huge poster of Woo-joo’s face on a gold medal waved by all four. But what drew their attention wasn’t the strange poster but their expressions.

“What’s that about?”

The NewBlack members, not even playing in this match, looked smugly confident.

“.......”

At that point, something felt really off.