In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

“Goodbye” topped every music chart site the very next day.

No matter which site you checked, a beautiful leaderboard of “Goodbye,” “Nakhwa,” and “Kkotnori” greeted us.

“Wow.”

I exclaimed in awe as I frantically took screenshots.

“This is the best reaction any Music Core performance has ever gotten.”

“I know, right? And we didn’t even have a button-bursting scene this time, yet the views are insane.”

“What? Did we outperform the button scene? Button?”

Ri-hyuk’s face lit up. That button-explosion clip was still among the top five most-viewed Music Core moments.

He thought we’d finally knocked it off the list, so I showed him my phone.

“Not even close.”

“Why? How come?”

“Sure, ‘Goodbye’ set a record for views in a single day. But look—related videos are still showing ‘Your Button.’”

“Nooo!”

Because people clicked the related-button clip after watching the live “Goodbye” video, its views shot up.

“Congrats! ‘Goodbye’ is at number five—and ‘Your Button’ is at number four now.”

“Congratulations—congratulations—congratulations!”

We clapped like monkey puppets, teasing him.

“Ugh... I really want to delete it.”

“Give up, hyung.”

While someone Googled “learn hacking by yourself in 30 days” on a bookstore site, views continued to climb.

“Hyung, look at this.”

Biju called me over.

“It’s the ‘Goodbye’ MV comment section—fans left so many heartfelt comments.”

“Really?”

“And in Hangul.”

“...Oh!”

Happy to hear they were Korean comments, I scanned the screen.

– 02:37 A letter dedicated to everyone who has become stars in this world

– Today is two years since my grandfather passed... I hope he’s happy there. I love you, Grandpa.

– Thinking of my father after a long time. Thank you for making such a beautiful song, Uju.

– Listening makes me reflect on so much... childhood memories and all these past moments.

– The lyrics are so goodㅠㅠ

– I don’t know how long it’s been since I heard such a pretty song

I smiled reading how much comfort the song had given them. If I could, I’d hold each commenter’s hand and sing it to them.

Just as I was about to like each supportive comment...

“Wait, hyung.”

“Hm?”

“I already liked that one, so if you click it, it’ll unlike.”

“Oh—you already clicked.”

Biju’s likes were on nearly every top comment.

“Then make it count as you not clicking...”

swipe

“As though I didn’t click...”

I swiped down dozens of times, but for hundreds of comments I passed, every one was already liked. I glanced back and saw Biju smiling quietly.

“Does your finger hurt...?”

“It does, but it was worth it, hyung.”

I laughed at his reddened thumb. When I asked how °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° many he’d liked, he laughed that he didn’t even remember. I’ll have to buy him a stylus later.

By the way...

“Oh, screenshot that. Screenshot.”

“There’s a column too—wanna read it?”

“Did you see it? They called it the power of a self-producing idol when they saw you wrote the song, Uju hyung...”

Not just Biju—everyone was thrilled. Even yesterday, they’d silently wept and applauded seals-style at the broadcast. They were as happy as I was at the positive responses to my singing.

I realized it was probably because of me...

“We need to save these. How many times do we get moments like this? You could count them on one hand, right?”

“...”

“So to be remembered for something this cool—agh!”

I flicked a playful scalp-bite at the mischievous spirit beside me.

Thus passed our music-show waiting time with web surfing.

“Let’s prep for the France schedule early.”

“Already?”

“It’s already next week—it’s June.”

Jiho, checking the calendar, widened his eyes.

“Wow, time flies. I just went back to my hometown, and now we’re halfway through the year?”

As a starving student would, ignoring lunch-kid relief, he opened his memo app.

K-Pop Concert.

K-net was hosting a joint concert to promote Korean culture. As the main performer closing the show, we were the most anticipated act on the lineup. Last year’s survey had us among the most-wanted Hallyu artists to see live.

Because we’d have many interviews and event greetings, we needed to keep our stories on lock.

“We’ll do the interviews in Korean anyway. It shouldn’t be a big deal.”

“Right. Just speak from the heart.”

Actually, we needed to rein in just those two.

“Jung-hyun.”

“Yes, hyung?”

“Remember when you did English lessons with me before our first overseas tour?”

“No. I remember what we ate though.”

I’d asked him to translate “Please rest comfortably” into English back then. His masterpiece reply:

“Uh... what was it? Rest in peace?”

Technically correct, but RIP is used to pray for the deceased.

Ri-hyuk and Biju winced as if reliving it.

“I saw it that day—overseas promotions exploding right before my eyes.”

Biju whispered to me.

“He always slept through English class in high school. He’s a rapper.”

“It was first period. What can you do?”

Mid-joke, Jung-hyun caught my expression and nodded, “I’ll do as instructed.” Jiho nodded too.

We gathered the brothers and reviewed the TF team’s briefing book.

“How many years since France–Korea relations were established this year?”

“130th anniversary.”

“What’s France’s capital?”

“Paris.”

We quizzed each other with mini-questions while managers prepared expected interview talking points. I mimicked a stern older sister scolding Jiho, who was quivering.

“Monsieur Wang.”

“Y-yes.”

“They say it’s France–Korea relations’ 130th anniversary. When you think of France...?”

“Uh, that....”

“What comes to mind when you think of France?”

The maknae, sweating cold beads, stammered.

“Uh...?”

Straining to answer, he hesitated.

“Byungin Yangyo?”

Pfft!

Ri-hyuk choked with laughter at that unexpected answer. As staff collapsed in laughter, I ran my trembling hand through my hair.

“Jiho. Anything else?”

“Uh....”

“Say something else.”

“Uh....”

“Jiho?”

Soon overwhelmed, he clutched his head.

“Aaah, I don’t know! Stop copying my expression, hyung! My head won’t work!”

Hahahaha!

While everyone laughed at his genuine terror, the managers were still giggling from the Byungin Yangyo answer. I caught their eyes and silently congratulated them.

Saturday evening.

As NewBlack moved from a mini fan meeting to another fan sign, PBS aired the latest Mister Producer episode.

“Such a good songㅠㅠ”

“The fan song will be great too”

“They say their debut’s early or mid-June? When will it air on the show...?”

“I still can’t believe Chugi-seok hasn’t unfollowed NewBlackㅋㅋㅋㅋ”

“I see popular celebs on TV and think ‘I want to be friends with them,’ but NewBlack’s... hmm...”

Episode four featured A-TEN recording their fan song under NewBlack’s direction. It should have been a calm session—but:

[Hyaaaah!]

[The sound’s gone! I told Jung-hyun to talk? It’s back! Wow!]

[Oh dear! I’m dead!]

The scene was pure chaos. Chugi-seok, shouting “Freedom!” as he snatched Biju’s socks, was hauled off by Jung-hyun.

Model Joo: “When you go to the countryside as a kid, there’s a millstone. Granny uses it to grind beans.”

Producer: “Yes?”

Model Joo: “Those beans were us.”

Her tearful interview was so funny it made everyone laugh.

“This is so comedic.”

Watching ragged contestants prepping for debut was touching yet hilarious. Then there was NewBlack as producers—nonstop gags and physical comedy between the two groups made for a perfect Saturday night variety special.

Like episode three, ratings hovered around 25%. Viewers mostly thought:

“I wish this ran forever.”

Their chemistry was so good—it was impossible not to grin watching.

Just as people were Googling “MiP idol special period”:

– “‘Mister Producer’ first recording... debut getting closer”

– “‘MiP’ ATEN records fan song with NewBlack”

– “[Exclusive] ATEN’s debut imminent... showcase June 7”

The media buzz reflected the show’s popularity. The biggest draw was the upcoming showcase news.

“Soon, huh?”

Everyone was invested in this record-breaking rookie’s debut.

“They said the single drops Tuesday after next?”

“They’re really debuting.”

“So the single will drop then? And the MV?”

Teaser articles surfaced of ATEN’s members practicing in the studio. Reports claimed fans had spotted MV shoots. Online speculations and columns predicted how ATEN would perform in the industry.

– “With the whole nation watching, will ATEN...?”

– “Biggest midyear music issue... competing with NewBlack?”

– “Interest heats up as ATEN debut nears... MV teaser coming soon”

Sensational headlines dominated the entertainment pages. While most viewers awaited the debut with excitement, another group cheered even louder when watching episode four:

“Taehyunㅠㅠㅠ” 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

“It’s been so long since your variety appearanceㅠㅠ Taehyun”

“Sound the drums”

These were fans thrilled to see a member back on TV. Screen captures of the mint-haired member giggling went up in real time, and fans praised every expression change.

“Were they starving for this...?”

As Soufflé nearby devoured all the content, Taehyun’s fans felt something unique:

“Hm?”

It was their bias’s reaction. Despite a friendly image, he can be selective about people—but seeing his comfort habits up close felt oddly touching.

“They must be really close.”

I’d thought they seemed friendly on ‘Sintokki,’ but seeing them now, their bond from trainee days onward was obvious.

“I like that.”

Knowing their favorite—who usually lives like a practice machine outside fan apps—has such a good friend made me happy. Watching Taehyun so at ease on variety warmed my heart.

Other idol fans seemed to agree, posting positive reactions. Particularly, ATEN’s playful exit after roughhousing NewBlack became a hot topic:

– “So savageㅋㅋㅋㅋ they just got their fill and leftㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ”

– “Taehyun and Uju are legit bestiesㅋㅋㅋㅋ”

– “So heartwarming after ten years of knowing each other”

– “What was that Bora-kai photoshoot Taehyun did? Link please”

– “Their mutual mockery vibe is real BFF energy”

– “Surprising combo todayㅋㅋ but I knew—still so cool”

Though people talked about their friendship, it was the first time seeing such an unexpected pairing. Fans joked about sending $5k for a song:

– “Should we actually commission a track?”

– “Nope, just kidding—doubt it.”

Hope ran wild that he might get a song for his solo album, but most dismissed it.

“Get a clue.”

Although the other side offering would be fine, us clamoring for it would cause trouble. If it blew up, NewBlack’s fandom would attract too much attention. This year’s boy-group scene was shaping up as NewBlack vs. TeenSpirit, so it was best not to mix things.

And really, it was unlikely.

“But man, if it happened... that’d be insane.”

Getting a song from the hottest composer in the industry would be big news—but NewBlack itself makes headlines if you find 50 cents on the street. If it happened, it’d be huge, but...who knew?

Meanwhile:

[ATEN covers Biju’s “Nakhwa” part on SNS]

The next day, another top idol went viral for covering Biju’s line from “Nakhwa.” Their “gok, gok, goooook” rendition was an entertaining meme for outsiders.

As the public wondered, “They’re close, huh?”—

– “[MiP unaired] There was Taehyun... but he wasn’t there”

PBS cleverly released that day’s unaired footage on MyTube, paddling hard for views. TBC and K-net also reuploaded special NewBlack clips, each vying for attention.

“...”

Meanwhile, HBS’s MyTube manager shed tears alone.

“I want in on this too.”

Since last year’s year-end stage, Scarlet and NewBlack haven’t appeared on HBS’s music broadcasts. Instead, every Sunday at noon they upload in-studio performance videos:

[NewBlack – Nakhwa (Studio ver.)]

With top-notch camera work, fans preferred these. Plus they added a special dance practice video. They weren’t shouting “Screw you!” outright, but everyone knew why they posted on Sundays.

“Ahh.”

The HBS music show producers winced as they watched real-time trending. Unlike rival stations reveling in success, they sat glumly. Their biggest issue was that they couldn’t escape seeing NewBlack anywhere: on the toilet, on MyTube ads, on commuting radio, and even their kids at home demanding, “Why didn’t you get me a NewBlack autograph, Dad?”

“Who knew they’d do this well?”

As HBS’s staff lamented, their MyTube manager wept alone among the triumphant networks.

“Done.”

I smiled contentedly as I popped in my earphones. The album track I’d promised Mr. Han was nearly finished.

I nodded along to the melody drifting into my ears.

Not bad.

“Hmm...”

Ri-hyuk beside me turned his head.

“What’s up? Ears ringing? You okay?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“Why does everything go so well when I treat it as someone else’s problem? Like when I wrote ‘Attention.’”

“No pressure, hyung. That’s why.”

With that, he put his eye mask back on.

“If it’s nothing, don’t touch me. I’m going to sleep.”

“Sleep well.”

“Don’t say weird words—otherwise I’ll really have nightmares.”

“A squid.”

“Aaah, shut up.”

I laughed watching him wriggle in the airplane seat. I checked the track one more time before sending it off to the TJ A&R team. A few more tweaks and it’d be ready.

Though I approached it lightly, I reviewed every detail carefully—for my name was on it. With the work done, I played my idol hits playlist on my phone and looked around at my brothers.

“Sob... sob.”

Biju was watching a time-travel romance film, crying at every turn, while the maknae murmured over a new “Watch?” game video, drooling.

Catching Jung-hyun’s eye, he made an “OK?” gesture. I showed him my in-flight snack—my trusty Bruce—and he smiled warmly.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our plane will land at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in approximately fifty minutes...”

“Hurry up,” I thought, peeking out the window. Ten minutes... twenty... thirty.

I’d toured South America before, but Europe was new—and fascinating.

“Is this like Gyeonggi Province?”

I glimpsed green fields and low, white buildings. I closed my eyes, waiting for landing.

Soon we touched down smoothly. Relief washed over me.

“You okay, Uju?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

As Seok-hwan briefed us on our one-night, two-day schedule, we stepped into the arrival hall.

“Wooooaah!”

A decent crowd of Soufflé waved banners to welcome us. We smiled and waved back.

“Bonjour!”

Greeted in rehearsed French, they blinked in surprise—then cheered. Our French Soufflé loved it.

Just then, a reporter with a camera approached and asked in English,

“May we have a brief interview?”

“Yes, of course.”

After a few questions, we laughed as we shared our feelings about coming abroad. Then the reporter asked,

“What comes to mind when you think of France?”

“Yes!”

Our maknae shot his hand up, eyes shining with joy.