In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

Breath catches in my throat.

They’re pressing from above, arms flailing from the side, and my legs are trapped between someone else’s legs.

This mess... what a mess...

“Hey hey hey Joonghyeon don’t move”

“Aah who is this untangle my arm arm”

“Does it hurt?”

If I were to describe our state... it’s like a hairball a cat coughed up We’re all tangled up, eavesdropping, fell over, and wrapped together Limbs binding limbs

“Stay calm stay calm”

“You calm down don’t shout in my ear”

“Let’s calm down first guys on three we go quiet one two three”

Silence

“All right now let’s talk calmly Joonghyeon slide your left arm back Biju turn your body slightly”

“Like this?”

“That’s right Hyunhyuk you’re useless so stay still”

“What?”

“If I pull my leg out like this...”

Ta-da

“We’re free”

“Wow”

“Phew”

We finally break free and grin at each other This is teamwork I nod contentedly when a voice comes from above

“Hyungs?”

We freeze

In the chaos I’d forgotten one thing until now There’s a shadow above us and we exchange ominous glances

“What are you doing down here”

We’re doomed

“So you were eavesdropping after all”

“E-eavesdropping We’re...”

We bristle reflexively, then sheepishly call to Hyunhyuk

“Hyunhyuk Can you find a fancy word to spin this situation—something with a Chinese character vibe”

“Uh wait a sec”

Joonghyeon cuts in

“Wiretapping”

“Hyunhyuk don’t make it worse Just eat your jelly”

“Here hyung have one”

Sugar-free konjac jelly pops into my mouth Meanwhile the four of us sit in pairs on the stairs

“Hm...”

In front, Jiho paces like a magistrate thinking, “What should I do with these idiots”

We all avoid his eyes because we deserve it

“I have a question”

“Yes ask”

“When did you start hearing?”

“Not much Maybe about twenty minutes from the middle?”

“Ah what That’s almost the whole thing You liars said you didn’t hear much”

“Sorry...”

We bow our heads deeply and Jiho sighs Then he looks to Hyunhyuk

“Hyunhyuk hyung”

“Uh hm?”

“You always preach about privacy whenever I visit your room And now this is different?”

“....”

I’ve never seen Jiho out-logic Hyunhyuk startled, Hyunhyuk stares away Jiho calls to Biju

“Biju hyung”

“Yeess...”

“I’m really disappointed in you Hyungs like the rest—”

We open our mouths to protest but Jiho’s cold gaze silences us

“I didn’t expect you too would eavesdrop down here”

“Sorry Jiho”

Biju apologizes sincerely

“I was worried That’s why I stayed But Hyunhyuk said he was worried about what was being said inside That the guy would deny knowing you after talking your ear off”

“He’s right”

I add

“I thought we should be witnesses if that happened”

“You didn’t have to”

Jiho softens but still grumbles

“I recorded it just like hyung said”

“Good job Jiho”

“Right? I did well... ah, not like that”

He coughs awkwardly and we laugh Even he, who first told us to stop laughing, cracks a grin

Jiho plops back down in his spot

“Aish I don’t know”

He’s annoyed but still pouts A complicated expression

We scolded him for eavesdropping because of those feelings Hearing they heard everything is embarrassing and awkward

“So you heard almost all of it?”

“Yeah”

“Even my monologue?”

“...That too”

“Ah ah... aah!”

He rakes his hair and I beckon

“Come here sit with us”

“....”

“Eat some chocolate”

“....”

He approaches with a sulky face We scoot apart to make room and I fish chocolate from my pocket It’s intact I unwrap and hand it to him

“Here”

“Alone...?”

“Yes”

It’s not approved but the others seem fine with it Jiho eyes the chocolate, then splits it into five pieces and shares We’ve all grown up, our baby

We sit in silence, melting chocolate, for a few minutes

“But...”

Jiho speaks softly

“I did the right thing, right?”

“What?”

He leans against Biju

“Refusing the offer just now”

“Hm Well”

I hesitate how to answer but decide to be honest

“From the team’s perspective it’s good But from your own perspective maybe not”

“Really?”

“His words weren’t wrong We think you could succeed as an actor”

Even I, a layman, saw his potential No wonder Assistant Director Jo invited him to act

“But from our side we’re grateful For what you did too”

“It wasn’t that special”

Jiho shakes his head

“I just did what hyungs would”

“Then why is your mouth twitching?”

“...Chocolate sugar rush”

He coughs and we laugh Biju strokes Jiho’s hair Joonghyeon splits his own chocolate in half for Jiho Hyunhyuk offers his share

Jiho soaks up our attention like a smug cat

He’s adorable

And admirable

I hadn’t realized how seriously he took group activities He’s always practiced hard but lacked purpose He came to this path aiming to act, not idol This explains a lot I’d wondered what I’d say if he chose acting after the third album

Today’s twist was that he cut it off so decisively I’d thought he’d be tempted

When he said group activities come first, I was glad hyungs’ hidden expressions were unseen by him

Biju nearly cried, hands on his cheeks

“In any case I... I”

“Hmm?”

“You think I’m promising a bright future?”

“Um...”

“I’m giving up a promising acting career to roll with you hyungs You’re responsible for me”

We looked at each other

“We?”

“...”

“Jiho That’s not how it goes You’re responsible for us”

He made a face at our jokes about becoming his butler, cook, cleaner, villa caretaker with 10-billion won salary

“Aish I should record this to show Soufflés hyung’s sly side”

“And claim no one knew”

Hyunhyuk’s grand narration and our snickering enveloped him He sulked briefly, then cheered up and silly talk continued for a while

As Jiho nibbled chocolate he said

“Ah this is good Why are you so delicious”

“Hm”

Joonghyeon tilted his head

“But isn’t it scary from the chocolate’s perspective? A giant saying ‘You look delicious’”

“True Poor chocolate...”

“I doubt inanimate objects have feelings”

“Grandpa said don’t take anything in nature lightly Even /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ a pebble on the road is precious”

“...Why am I always the one cast as the trash”

We clapped and laughed

The topic quickly shifted to “Why is chocolate so delicious?” While we chuckled

“But is it just me? Isn’t it weird? At this time of day, employees cram through this exit”

While I froze, Hyunhyuk continued

“Oddly when we sneak chocolate, no one comes in”

“Why’s that? I like it”

“Right”

“Yeah Hyunhyuk’s right People really don’t come in. Why is that?”

Outside the fourth-floor emergency exit

A big guy stands guard An employee pausing on the way to the roof exit hesitates

“Manager Wonseok?”

“Hello”

The music-team manager greets politely The employee snaps his fingers as if to say got it Then makes a conspiratorial face

“NewBlack’s kids sneaking snacks again, right?”

“Yes”

“It’s funny The whole company knows except them”

The employee waves “Thanks for your work” Manager Wonseok bows

Then an A&R staff member spots him exiting the office and asks

“Is Woojoo in there?”

“Yes”

“Eek”

The A&R staff scurries off and we laugh

[From Woojoo] “Hyung create a sense of urgency”

[From Woojoo] “Now is the 절타”

Manager Wonseok punches the keypad

Me “절타?”

Woojoo “Perfect timing”

Me “Ah got it”

He clears his throat and opens the exit door

“Ahem”

Immediately we hear

“Eek!”

“Hey hey”

Whispered shrieks like lizards and hurried footsteps down the stairs

Manager Wonseok chuckles quietly

That day after practice I told Director Jo’s story to Seokhwan hyung

Jiho was scared to talk to him alone so I went

After hearing the whole tale, Seokhwan hyung said

“Hmm”

A mysterious smile

“You did that today?”

“Yeah”

“Darkness is under the lamp He was pulling strings in secret”

His tone was gentle yet terrifying The math genius spun his pen, then concluded

“You guys stay out of it Send me the recording I’ll handle the rest”

I don’t know what happened next

“Hello”

“...”

When I ran into Director Jo at the company, he avoided my greeting silently So I guess he sorted it out

Seokhwan hyung said only that it was resolved I didn’t ask for details Sometimes ignorance is bliss

Time flies

Comeback prep, shows, shows, and more shows

We did radio live with our brothers and dropped jokes on talk shows Mainly to promote the third album

“Hello we are NewBlack”

We also had events with the History Exploration Squad SNS popularity rose, and HBS proposed a public signing event It was a signing for the general public and had many funny moments

“My child is a fan”

I looked at the daughter as the mother spoke The baby sucking her fingers peered at me

I looked away

The mother panicked

“That can’t be Our child is a fan...”

She handed me a signboard reading

“To Hyesun”

“Yes”

I waved at the baby hiding behind her mother

“Hello Hyesun”

“I’m Hyesun”

“Oh uh...”

At the mother’s whisper others lined up to get autographs hung their heads and sniffed

It happened a lot Mothers with children said “My child is a fan” but the kids were too young to know history

Except one

“Primitive man uncle”

A boy pointed at Hyunhyuk Hyunhyuk clasped his reddened face with both hands

Meanwhile the most popular was Jiho Perhaps thanks to the drama buff People recognized him often Nearly a dozen times I heard “Hey that’s the Slip guy” as people passed the venue

“Hello”

Mostly they wore stunned expressions I’d do the same The rough James and crooks turned out to be calm hyungs And polite Officer Heo clapping and laughing

“Hello”

I even saw familiar faces Some Soufflés in office attire on errands smiled at me

“Oh you’re even more handsome in person”

They tried to look ordinary so I returned a warm smile and waved

“Nice bag charm”

“Oh”

They laughed awkwardly at the NewBlack keychain on their bag Then got Hyunhyuk’s Korean history notes signed, beaming

Moments like that amaze me That I can bring someone joy

While the person ahead was getting signed, I waved to the smartphones filming

“Our History Exploration Squad posts twice weekly on HBS MeTube So please subscribe and like”

“Please”

“Thank you”

Placing Jiho in the center, we raised our arms to form a giant heart Soufflés laughed all around

Later I googled it—the spookiest heart I’ve ever seen

As our History Exploration Squad soared on SNS and we were invited to events The two pillars of our pre-comeback activities—PBS Challenge and Melodic Discovery—reached their finales

– “Congratulations Song Bohyung!”

On the last Wednesday of March The fifth round of Melodic Discovery before six hundred spectators ended with trot singer Song Bohyung’s victory

Cha Woohyun won twice, NewBlack once, Lisa once, Song Bohyung once

In the first season’s final stage, Joyuri Band had no song left

At first I thought it was heartwarming—no eliminations or bottom-rank announcements—but now it seems the cruelest format

After the finale, Joyuri Band silently packed instruments and exited like Rocket Gang’s defeat

“Great job great job”

Though we’d see them again on the bonus stage, we shared kind words with Lisa and Song Bohyung

Lisa was visibly delighted by the gift we gave her with Lisa-joa

Song Bohyung said she loved the gift and offered leftover sparkly costumes

“Thank you...”

Someone covered my mouth

“It’s fine”

“We really love the sparkles”

“Wear them a lot”

Those meanies

They keep me from wearing any pretty clothes

Anyway after meeting senior singers, I faced the person I’d labored most for the gift We even rehearsed with Hyunhyuk as actor stand-in in the waiting room

“Hmm”

Cha Woohyun held the gift box and asked flatly

“What is it?”

“It’s a gift we prepared”

“A gift? Why?”

I answered

“Because you recommended us, we got the OST and cameo. We’re so grateful we prepared this”

“It’s tea good for the throat”

“Hyunhyuk prepared it”

Like urging a shy child, we nudged Hyunhyuk forward

“Say hello You wanted to greet”

“Don’t be nervous”

The senior’s gaze shifted to Hyunhyuk Hyunhyuk timidly stammered

“I-I prepared it”

“I see Thank you”

He patted Hyunhyuk’s shoulder then walked off He returned to tap each of our shoulders once before leaving

“I guess she’s happy”

He says so little you can’t tell from his face But she said she’d post it on SNS so I guess she liked it

Inside the car

A big hand picks up a tea bag from the gift box The manager in the passenger seat speaks

“Hyung”

With the SNS upload screen of NewBlack and Cha Woohyun photos up the manager asked

“What should we write?”

“Do we have to? It’s a personal gift”

“We should. NewBlack’s kids are doing great These days You should at least ride their coattails”

“Hm then...”

Cha Woohyun leaned back and said

“I received a gift from NewBlack”

“Yes”

Manager tapped out the post

“It feels good”

Taptaptap

“I’ll enjoy it from now on Thank you”

Taptaptap

“Want to check?” 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“No You’ve written it well Just post it”

@cha_cow

(Cha Woohyun and Kim Joonghyeon stand solemnly like two statues Centered, NewBlack members stand like weeds around them)

A special gift from our NewBlacks!

I feel so happy ><

Tea good for the throat Thank you I’ll drink it well!!

#MelodicDiscovery #Good_juniors #NewBlack

“...”

NewBlack members watching SNS in the practice room gawked