In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

With the invited singers’ performances finished, the opening ceremony came to an end.

While the production crew quickly assembled the ssireum set, the idol members each headed toward the waiting room.

And then

“Haha-hat!”

“Where do you think you’re running off to, Sun Woo-ju”

“......”

“You’re right in the palm of our hand~”

I, who had been fleeing down the waiting-room corridor on quick steps, was immediately caught by those two from TNT.

They clung to my shoulders like acrobats, making it impossible to move forward.

“My little brothers”

“Us?”

“Not you two. These seniors here”

At the sound of “seniors,” the pair clamped their ears with a shriek, and I stretched out my hands desperately.

“My little brothers please rescue me from these wicked yokai”

“Me rescue you? Why”

“......”

As I lost my words at the bratty youngest’s retort, Han Tae-hyeon flashed a sly grin and offered a high-five.

Jiho’s hand met his.

“See Jiho Shouldn’t you just leave him? This hyung”

“Yes I was going to do that”

“You all must be hungry right? During album prep you’d be on a strict diet”

Han Tae-hyeon and Jang Han-byul dug into their pockets and produced chocolates and candies.

Our little brothers completely melted at the heartfelt bribes.

Even Junghyun’s eyes lit up at the sight of a Chupa Chups as he murmured in awe “These seniors are good people...”

Our kids, stuffing snacks into their pockets so the managers wouldn’t see, broke into bright smiles.

“Go ahead and chat comfortably”

“......”

My cheek trembled at the betrayal.

The two TNT members giggled and said “We’ll take him for a bit” as they hauled me off.

All around, eyes swiveled toward us.

Other groups wandering the corridor watched us with curious gazes, as if wondering what we were to each other.

An Ace member greeted Jang Han-byul in passing and, curious about my relationship with him, one of the Chinese members answered.

“Childhood friend”

“Um Han-byul”

Whenever Junghyun said something odd, I felt like Ri-hyuk was massaging his temples.

Laughter escaped me at the “childhood friend” line, and Madam Zhang looked puzzled.

“Did I say something wrong”

“Explain it Tae-hyeon”

My original lackey nodded and explained the term’s meaning.

“Aha”

Today, TNT’s foreign member had learned another new word.

As we greeted passersby in the corridor, we finally reached a quiet lounge.

We each grabbed a drink from the vending machine and handed them out, and their faces lit up.

“Everyone, starting now we will do the national calisthenics Ha!”

“Ho-it ho-it”

“Ha-ha-hat”

I flicked the ones following someone else’s lead and laughingly said

“Hey I didn’t do that”

They shook their round eyes and heads.

“No, you totally did Didn’t you almost spit out your drink backstage”

“Yeah I thought I was going to choke too”

I could picture them laughing at me doing the national calisthenics while waiting back there.

I laughed watching the two chugging their drinks.

They looked like kids who had only grown taller.

Earlier with the other singers they’d been dignified, like “I am your senior,” but now they were just elementary-schoolers.

“How are the hyungs and the others Doing okay”

“It’s the same as always”

I’d heard that as soon as the overseas tour ended they were all busy with individual schedules.

We chatted briefly about recent news.

Ji-hoon had joined a new drama in a supporting role, Sun-woong hyung was working on a mixtape, and Seung-je was preparing for his solo debut—a light bit of chit-chat.

“What about your group? Preparing for the concert right”

“Yeah, not much time left now”

Just over two weeks remained.

They applauded congratulatingly and bowed their heads.

“Congratulations on the concert hyung”

“Thank you seniors”

They bowed in return, celebrating me.

Tae-hyeon and Han-byul stared into space, clicking their tongues.

“NewBlack already has a concert”

“Hyung Didn’t you debut just last summer They’re really quick”

“Why are you two so moved”

They replied, laughing as they watched me more moved than they were.

“I was the most excited whenever concert talk came up back when we were trainees”

“You reacted like ‘Who is it Who announced a concert’ whenever anyone mentioned it”

“No way It wasn’t that much”

Tae-hyeon protested.

“If you go to the company archive there’s footage Even then I was a kid from Gunsan... pfff”

“Oh my You look thirsty Here drink Drink plenty”

He tipped the can under Han-mo’s chin and poured the drink in.

Han-byul raised his hand.

“I have footage too Here”

“You drink plenty too”

“Pfff”

He snatched the phone playing the video.

It was probably from the birthday party: seventeen-year-old Sun Woo-ju in a party hat shouting “Hey hey Make your wish for the 100th-anniversary Silver Town Concert before the candles go out”

Embarrassing.

The two watched the video together and burst into laughter.

“Wow What a memory back then”

“Hey hey 100th-anniversary Silver Town Concert pfff”

TNT’s two members mimicked it and I rolled my eyes.

It wasn’t that extreme, but I had to admit I’d really lit up at any mention of concerts since I was a kid.

Because they said there was more evidence.

“Honestly Which idol doesn’t like concerts”

They shook their heads.

“No It’s just that you had an especially strong feeling about concerts”

“Right It was no joke”

“So when concert prep time came, I’d remember trainee days sometimes”

“Even overseas when I saw foreign grandmas in floral outfits I thought of you hyung”

I knew what they meant.

Lately, preparing for a concert, I often thought back to that time too.

The trainee ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) days when I’d shout “Concert!” and dream of a rosy future flickered through my mind.

Perhaps because of that, behind the smiling faces looking at me now, I caught glimpses of my younger self.

“Come to think of it......”

I nodded and gave them a warm smile.

“You guys have grown old too”

“......”

“Time really is fair”

They shouted in protest, but we kept talking about old times until we finished our drinks and stood up.

Our schedules were tight too.

Soon there would be the archery preliminaries.

I cheered on the two heading into special-album prep, and they returned the sentiment.

“Hyung make your concert prep go well”

“You guys make your album prep go well”

“Thanks Hearing NewBlack has a concert makes us so happy We hope it goes great”

As Han-byul offered those warm words jokingly he said

“Of course let’s not overlap comebacks”

“Comeback?”

“We refuse to have our comeback coincide with yours Every time our songs drop they top public picks How could we compete”

Han-byul chimed in that Teenspirit, whose comeback overlaps with ours, must be pretty nervous too.

It was such a flattering way to put it we laughed it off.

“See you next time”

Waving to the two who kept congratulating me on the concert as they left, I thanked them with a wave.

In the morning the women’s ssireum took place.

While a four-member girl group ravenous for meat swept the ring, we devoted ourselves to practice in a corner of the indoor gym.

“Viju Lower your chin a bit more”

“Like this”

“Yes keep that And soften up a bit on the release......”

Every time Viju and Jiho drew their bows I stood close to check their form.

Thanks to last Lunar New Year’s archery experience, both had become a bit more proficient.

Their arrows clanged into the eight- and nine-point rings each time.

Then

“Whoa...!”

“Though I hate to admit it they really shoot well”

Every time I flicked my fingers, my arrows hit the ten-point center.

Teenspirit members shooting nearby clapped with “Ooh”

When even the final arrow landed in the ten, the younger members’ eyes widened with joy.

“We’ll win again this time right”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself but I have a good feeling”

“Junghyun”

“Ah sorry”

When we teased him, Junghyun scratched the back of his head.

But despite his words, our feeling was indeed good.

I looked at the cluster of arrows packed tightly into the ten ring and spun around.

“Do you see it mortals”

“We see it”

I pointed at the target with my fingertip to the chanting members.

“What do you see”

“We see victory”

“That’s right It is the mark of victory”

“That’s it~”

We burst into giggles and chanted a crude cheer “New Black New Black New Black” in off-beat rhythm, shaking the Teenspirit members’ hands in distress each time .

Deciding to be quiet for the other teams, we approached Wonseok who was filming with a camera.

“To our Soufflé fans”

“Please look forward to it”

“We will once again challenge for a gold medal in archery”

“Challenge~”

We all clenched our fists and flashed bright smiles.

After filming the behind-the-scenes video for MiTube, we stretched lightly to limber up.

Waaaah

The audience’s cheers drifted in faintly.

With the ssireum over and the women’s archery preliminaries in full swing, the cheers made it clear the competition was fierce.

And right after the women’s preliminaries, the men’s archery first round—our match—was about to begin.

Junghyun, twisting his arm like a pretzel, asked

“Hyung Who are we up against first”

“We’re facing......”

I scanned the bracket posted on the wall.

Then I pointed to the rookie boy group listed directly beside NewBlack.

“Hmm~ Can you feel this atmosphere” 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

While waiting for the women’s match to end, I stood at the entrance when Eun-seong suddenly appeared behind me.

“What atmosphere”

“The aura of victory”

Eun-seong inhaled deeply, wearing a triumphant smile.

“The humidity, the warmth, everything points to my victory Sergeant, sorry but I think I’ll win”

“Your confidence is always impressive junior”

“It’s confidence with evidence~”

Holding his bow like “Sir I’ll win for you,” Eun-seong chattered and I glanced around.

“Looking for something”

“Wondering where our fans are”

“There they are”

“There”

“No way That’s way over there”

“It is”

A distant cluster of fans sat in the top stands, holding placards like dots under a microscope.

“Our fans are many”

“Not all of them are APLB fans They corralled all the debut groups’ fans up there”

“I see”

“But why look for fans Why”

I turned and smiled at him.

“Be good to the fans Eun-seong”

“?”

“Those are the people who like you”

I chuckled at the trembling opponent.

But the trembling lasted only three seconds. Suddenly my junior, as if recalling something, babbled on.

“Oh right When we leave later want to greet our fans too”

“......Me”

“Within APLB fans you’re quite famous hyung They call you ‘U-baji’”

“U-baji”

“It’s a blend of Woo-ju and father It’s the nickname fans gave you for sending me out into the world”

Is that a compliment

Being the one who sent Eun-seong into the world.

To me it felt like unleashing a kraken into the Pacific and receiving thanks.

“NewBlack and APLB We’re heading out”

After the final match ended and at the FD’s direction, our team and APLB entered the arena.

We waved both hands to the Soufflés trembling “Do well”

We also greeted Eun-seong’s fans.

APLB fans, who had been scattered, stood and did a belly-button salute, and we burst into laughter.

But our laughter was brief.

Seeing Junghyun waving “Do” and Ri-hyuk waving “Well” from afar, Viju, Jiho, and I nodded seriously.

“The match will begin”

At the announcer’s cue, one person from each side stood up.

On the other side, Haru, APLB’s maknae and leader stood, and I stood for our side.

“......”

I started first.

Taking a deep breath, I inhaled the cool indoor-gym air.

After a breath or two to steady my chest, I raised the bow.

Feeling the taut tension at the string’s end, I looked at the target and gently released my hand.

Thwack

The arrow struck dead-center in the ten ring, and I turned with a smile.

“Waaaah”

The Soufflés and the juniors waved their “Do-well” slogans vigorously.

I high-fived Viju and Jiho, laughing.

From across the way, the camera director wore a serene smile, confirming my perfect shot.

Meanwhile, Haru of APLB, staring at my ten, swallowed and scored an eight.

NewBlack [10 10]

APLB [8 9]

After two rounds, with us up by three,

It was my turn again.

And then the unbelievable happened

“Welcome to the 2015 Chuseok Special Idol Sports Festival Men’s Archery Preliminaries”

“We have the leaders and aces from both sides”

Announcer Baek Sang-joong, sitting at the commentator desk, spoke.

“This is the first time the rookie boy group APLB will participate I heard they practiced a lot”

“Yes I heard they even rented an archery range for days of intensive practice”

“Their eyes are filled with deadly intent”

The three tense faces appeared on the left screen.

True to the reports, leader Haru had scored eight and nine.

“They’re good”

“But the opponent couldn’t have been worse They had to face NewBlack last year’s champions in the preliminaries”

“They were the team that eliminated TNT, the favorites last year”

On the right screen, NewBlack’s three members sat with a calm yet confident air as gold-medalist commentator Yang Hee-seon spoke.

“Especially Woo-ju, whom I highlighted during last Lunar New Year’s special—his form is excellent I secretly watched their practice... his stance is even more stable than before”

“Amazing Indeed a point to watch whether he misses a ten again this time”

NewBlack’s visual member drew back his string with one eye closed, his long lashes casting a shadow.

When the string flew forward with a swish

Woo-ju’s third arrow created an upset.

“Oh...!”

“Oh? Oh!”

Surprised exclamations burst out across the indoor gym.

Even the one who did it stood there thinking “What is this What”

The commentators murmured.

“The arrow split the arrow”

“What How did he do that”

The third arrow had embedded itself in the second, a true Robin Hood arrow.

The two arrows, bound by angle, looked like a broken branch fused as one.

“Amazing What just happened here”

“Commentator, what is this situation”

The archery-veteran commentator said with a mystified “Hoho”

“That’s called a Robin Hood arrow It’s rare but I didn’t expect to see it here”

“Is it extremely rare”

“It happens occasionally in the athlete village When I was at the Olympics I pulled it off once too”

The former national team archer smiled warmly recalling the moment, leaving the commentators stunned.

“What That means it’s ridiculously difficult”

Soon the arena microphone explained to the crowd that the score counts as ten as well, and the Soufflés roared “Waaaah” waving their slogans.

APLB members looked utterly deflated.

Meanwhile, Woo-ju of NewBlack stared at his hands in disbelief saying “It really works” as the camera panned over laughing idol members and fans.

“According to my search the probability is extremely low? Less than 0.001 percent”

“Wow Pulling that off”

“Look at the expressions of NewBlack and APLB members They’re all amazed up close”

The scene of the two arrows merged into one brought everyone near the target wide-eyed.

“What are they doing now”

“They’re clasping their hands”

“They’re making a wish They can’t resist”

As both groups clasped their hands and murmured wishes, laughter spread through the gym, turning it into a shrine of wishful faith, while MC Baek Sang-joong continued with a cheerful grin.

“Three consecutive tens NewBlack has the momentum”

“Right Unless the following shooters miss terribly, NewBlack is bound to win”

Although the commentators’ words couldn’t be heard in the arena, on screen NewBlack’s relaxed smiles showed they sensed victory.

Outside the arena

“Hmm”

Manager Seo Min-gi, munching a hotdog at the snack stand, blinked at the sight of the six peacefully strolling toward him.

It was Do Won-seok and NewBlack.

“What what Why How are you guys here at this hour”

“......”

“What happened What’s with that odd branch”

“......”

Woo-ju, holding the twig-like branch in stunned bewilderment, answered.

“I succeeded at the arrow split”

“What You succeeded at that”

“Yes But... we lost”

“You lost? Why”

NewBlack members swallowed their tears as they spoke.

“The arrows Junghyun and I shot......”

“The arrows”

Unable to continue, Ri-hyuk stepped forward.

“I’ll explain Instead of them Their two arrows collided with that lucky arrow and landed in the blank area”

“......”

“They hit the white part beside the target”

Do Won-seok took over the stunned Seo Min-gi’s explanation.

“The opposing team was even more shocked”

“......”

“They won without doing anything”

“......”

With moist eyes, the members sobbed clutching the lucky arrow, wailing “Noo” in convulsions.

Seo Min-gi blinked.

‘I’m not sure whether to be happy or not’

They’d secured the best outcome—an early end before the concert—but celebrating felt strangely complicated.