In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

"People on the Move" cast members widened their eyes when they saw us holding the documents labeled "Street Boys."

"Street Boys?"

"Yes. We’re the managers in charge of Street Boys."

"...Hold on."

Park Hobum narrowed his eyes like a tiger sizing up prey.

He asked Eunsung,

"Bina."

"Yes, hyung~"

"Isn’t Street Boys the group NewBlack is closest with? I think Hanjo even came out with us when we did the special forces episode."

"That’s right."

Eunsung tattled cheerfully.

"And they were on Ju Sehan with us last time too."

"Right. Right."

He seemed to mean when Hanjo, LB, and Giwon joined the NewBlack tasting segment on Ju Sehan.

The People on the Move cast protested to production.

"Junki, isn’t this way too disadvantageous for us? If they’re best friends, they’ll know everything starting from food preferences."

"Exactly!"

As the comedians clamored that it was unfair, Producer Do Junki answered,

"Yes. Our production team thought a lot about that part. But unfortunately there was no helping it."

"Why?"

"In the music world, there aren’t many groups who aren’t close with NewBlack...."

"Ah."

"Makes sense."

Seeing the cast nod as if enlightened, we burst into laughter.

"Rookie idols are the ones with fewer points of contact with NewBlack. We did try to book them, but sadly most agencies were reluctant...."

We could guess why.

We pictured a rookie boy group sharing a music-show waiting room with us.

— "Well, since we’re managers today, please rest comfortably."

— "No, we can’t if our seniors aren’t resting."

— "You don’t have to sit at attention."

— "This is more comfortable."

The awkward air would hang over the entire shoot.

Which wouldn’t be fun either.

Hearing that Street Boys was the option production arrived at after much fretting, the cast accepted it.

"Even if it’s disadvantageous, it’s fine!"

Eunsung clapped to fire everyone up.

"We’ll just win!"

"That’s right!"

"Even if it’s NewBlack, we’ve got years in the biz. We know manager work better."

"Our odds are higher."

While the People on the Move cast traded lines about having the advantage thanks to experience,

Ri Hyuk raised his hand.

"Producer!" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Yes."

"How are we handling driving? We do have someone who can drive on our team, but it’s not ideal."

"Who can drive?"

At eldest Lee Pilseung’s question, we pointed at Junhyun.

He gulped.

"...We’d better find a driver."

"I drive well."

Junhyun protested, eyes wide, but no one believed him.

It was true, of course.

It’s just that with the image he’d built up, no one believed it.

This is why a person should live normally day to day.

"...I really do drive well."

We patted sulky Junhyun in passing and listened for the producer’s answer.

"We’ve already contacted your company. A separate driver will be assigned."

He added that a supervisor would be attached to each team.

"In this special, it’s crucial that you take the lead as managers! You won’t get help from anyone. From music-show rehearsals to radio and variety schedules—you’ll handle it all yourselves."

Producer Do Junki grinned and shouted,

"All right! Enough boring explanations! Now we’ll move to the agencies that will become your new homes! That’s all!"

Amid the production crew shutting cameras down and packing up, the People on the Move cast said their goodbyes.

"Have a good shoot!"

"Thanks for your hard work. See you in three days!"

Each team boarded vehicles heading into Seoul.

It was the moment People on the Move’s extreme-job experience—Manager Special—truly raised its curtain.

Inside the car, with cameras installed.

We craned our necks toward the tablet in Ri Hyuk’s hands.

"...."

Ri Hyuk looked at us, unimpressed.

"Why are you looking from such weird angles? Doesn’t your neck hurt?"

"Is this our first broadcast, hyung? This is the angle that comes out best."

At Jiho’s words, we all nodded.

We’d mapped out the camera positions and were twisting our bodies just so, tilting our necks to look most handsome.

"...You guys really fuss over that."

After smoothing his blond bangs with prim little strokes, Ri Hyuk briefed us.

"Street Boys’ agency is DNS Media."

"We know."

"They started as a label called Dinosaur Entertainment. DNS is from Dinosaur."

"Dinosaur Entertainment...!"

A T. rex roared kwa-ang in my head.

Dinosaur Entertainment, really.

It fit the naming for why DNS Media’s CEOs Im Hyunsik and Park Gyuo are such close friends.

"Wow, thank goodness it’s DNS."

The youngest’s eyes sparkled.

"If it were still Dinosaur Entertainment, I might’ve gone there. An agency named Dinosaur."

"Dinosaur is legit."

While the two fools went "dinosaur..." and blushed, Ri Hyuk continued.

That Street Boys have a senior girl group called La Vie en Rose, and who else is on the roster.

After confirming info we mostly knew,

"I hope the kids are doing okay."

The topic shifted to Street Boys.

Ri Hyuk shrugged.

"I texted with Giwon recently—he said they’re insanely busy with music shows right now."

"It’s their busiest time."

Hanjo had told me today was their last music show.

We’d talked about meeting up after the holiday to hit a board game café together.

"They won’t know we’re coming like this. Heh heh heh heh."

"Ha ha ha!"

Just picturing Street Boys bug out their eyes going what the— made me grin on reflex.

Maybe this is why kids love surprising their parents.

"Sheesh, how old are you all, really."

"Then don’t join in when we surprise them, Seo Ri Hyuk."

"Why? I’m joining."

As Ri Hyuk blushed and stuck to us,

Biju declared with resolve,

"This time we’re going to take really good care of Street Boys."

"Of course."

"We’ll make them cry tears of gratitude."

While the writer in the passenger seat hesitated, we waved at the camera.

"Hello! Concrete!"

"NewBlack is going to take care of your idols for two nights and three days. Ha ha ha!"

"We’ll show you managers with all-time talent."

Waving at the camera and shouting Street Boys’ cheer—"Go Street!"—we heard the passenger-seat writer turn.

"Right, the Street Boys members still don’t know, right? And you’ll be working as managers this time."

"Ah, yes."

"Through the agency, we’re planning to hand Street Boys fake business cards in advance. Do you have any preferred names?"

It sounded like they’d make cards, like Chief Manager So-and-so from Some Company.

"One moment."

We quickly divvied up tasks among ourselves. As usual, Ri Hyuk’s tablet showed a hierarchy of boss and flunkies.

We assigned ranks and filled in aliases.

Junhyun asked,

"What are you going to be, hyung? Chief Manager Ujuseon?"

"No."

Ujuseon has been used too much; it’s stale. The moment Street Boys saw it, they’d know.

Muttering Seon Uju, Ujuseon... something clicked on my tongue.

"Joo Sunwoo."

"Oh. Sounds like a real person."

"I’ll be Chief Manager Joo Sunwoo."

"Nice. The name sounds hyper-competent."

We celebrated the birth of Chief Manager Joo Sunwoo, the evil manager, and submitted the list to the writer.

By then the DNS Media building had come into view in the distance.

It was our second visit to the DNS building.

We’d been there on Christmas Eve 2014 to rehearse for a joint year-end stage.

Memories bubbled up of us huddled in the practice room, scooping Baskin Robbins ice cream.

"Nostalgic. Really."

"That was when the legends of Liberal Arts and Sciences appeared on stage."

I told tactless Junhyun,

"Potato Manager, keep quiet."

"Yes, Chief."

We all laughed at sulky Junhyun, then looked out the window.

"Wow...."

That exclamation wasn’t from us; it was from the writer in the passenger seat.

She seemed stunned by the number of sasaengs lined up around DNS Media’s building—close to dozens were waiting.

They seemed to be waiting for Street Boys to return and practice after the music show.

Counting heads, the writer asked,

"There are so many fans. Is it always like this?"

Glancing at the camera, I smiled and nodded.

"This is amazing. Are these... all scribbles?"

"Yes."

On the walls down to the underground parking lot of DNS Media, "Street Boys!", "Namu♡", "Gyuo♡Hyunsik" and the like were plastered.

I’d thought only our company was like that, but it seems similar here.

Soon, after the People on the Move crew from two vehicles and our team met up in the underground lot, a guide scurried out.

"Welcome! Oh! I’m really a fan!"

"Hello."

"If it’s not rude, could I at least get a handshake?"

We bowed and shook hands with the PR staffer who offered both hands.

"Please take care of us."

"Oh no, I should be asking that. Was the trip all right? I heard traffic is heavy today."

"Yes. We came comfortably."

Beaming almost excessively, the PR staffer led everyone along.

Destination: the third floor.

A hallway lined with orchids and album posters like a movie theater.

After a newest album jacket photo of Street Boys in red jumpsuits giving a thumbs-down, a meeting room appeared.

"Hello!"

"Oh— wow, it’s really NewBlack...!"

Three men and one woman.

Seeing them pop up and clap, we laughed and took seats.

After friendly greetings, we got right to the point.

"All right!"

We clapped our hands and grinned.

"So what shall we do?"

"Yes. You’ll be Street Boys’ managers from Sunday tomorrow until Tuesday morning."

Another staffer continued.

"Today, you’ll receive training with us for the day. You need to learn manager duties."

"Yes. So we split roles among ourselves in advance."

"Did you?"

As the managers looked at us like we were cute, we said,

"I’m taking overall command."

"I’ll monitor the members’ moods, identify difficulties, and resolve them."

"I’m in charge of food and treats."

"Schedule management."

"Odd jobs..."

The managers burst out laughing.

Then they praised us for dividing well by strengths, and asked,

"You all know the members’ names, right?"

"Yes. Hanjo, Rex, IP, LB, Giwon, Saebom, Younghan, Yugeon, Moong. They split into rap, vocal, and dance lines...."

"Then our new song too."

"We’ve been listening."

The managers paused, then asked,

"What did you think?"

"It’s good."

"...!"

They reacted like critics had given them a five-star rating.

"Ahem."

Regaining calm quickly, DNS Media’s management team continued.

"We’ve already given the members a heads-up that there will be a reality-variety shoot."

"Yes."

"You said you’d hand over business cards later. When the members arrive, we’ll tell them new managers are coming."

"Yes!"

Then came an orientation on manager work.

We learned parts we hadn’t known as singers, and confirmed things we did know from watching our managers.

"We don’t need to handle face time, right?"

"You know face time?"

"Yes. Meeting with the producer before going on a music show, right? So they can set the lineup."

"...You know way more than we expected."

Every time we knew something, they clapped and said we were impressive, which felt oddly embarrassing.

Maybe because we always asked, "What’s that?" whenever our managers did something, we had lots of chances to act like we knew.

Biju said fondly,

"Wooju hyung takes care of a lot, always. He says a producer needs to know the business besides making albums."

"He’s meticulous and relentless. This guy."

"It’s not for nothing we entrusted him our brains~"

Everyone laughed at the maknae’s sunny line.

I smiled at my brothers bragging that they’d entrusted me with their brains.

"Use yours too."

"Flunkies don’t need ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) that."

Still, maybe because we acted like we knew, the trainers got excited and taught us more.

From small tips like always carrying power banks, to what to do during broadcast rehearsals.

We focused hard through the orientation.

All that remained was memorizing.

"Memorize, flunkies."

"Yng."

"Okay. First to memorize everything gets the gummy worm king!"

"And you?"

"I memorized while listening."

While I used gummies as bait to make the younger ones memorize,

I asked the managers,

"You said tomorrow’s first schedule is HBS music show? Pre-recording."

"Yes."

Then it happened.

We heard a lively commotion from afar—Street Boys must have arrived at the company.

Debutmates who knew nothing.

"Then...."

We asked with a smile,

"First up, we’ll have to go wake the members at dawn, right?"

"That’s... right?"

My heart was already thumping.

Street Boys’ dorm.

In the hip-hop group’s place—a villa split across two floors—quiet breathing and snores drifted.

[AM 03:23]

Only the red digits of a bathhouse-style clock glowed in the dark.

A living room with reality-show cameras installed here and there.

— There’ll be a reality shoot.

— A reality shoot?

— Yeah. They’re coming to wake you at dawn. They might wake you in some weird way, so don’t be too shocked.

— I’ll tell the guys.

The Street Boys members felt something was off.

"A new manager is suddenly coming too. What is this."

It was confusing, but with week two of music shows and the last broadcast ahead, there was no time to care.

Two weeks of sleeping at dawn and waking at dawn.

So they’d said whatever and dove into bed.

— What’s this about a new manager tomorrow. Chief Manager Joo Sunwoo?

— Here’s what I think.

Gamnamu glared with his signature thick brows.

— Generally, when strange things happen? If you guess NewBlack, you’re right.

— To such a claim, I give you Wooju hyung’s famous quote: If you’re going to talk nonsense, whisper it to your pillow.

— Ah. But the name does feel kinda sus.

— Right?

— But your credibility is zero because you believe in UFOs.

— UFOs are real....

No one listened to Gamnamu.

They just hoped the new manager would be decent and competent.

"When you look at NewBlack, they do incredible work...."

But they didn’t know NewBlack themselves were coming.

So, while the Street Boys members were snoring and drooling as usual,

[beep]. [beep.]

The door opened.

"Uuugh...."

As the youngest, Giwon, hazily roused, flailing,

sssssssss.

From the living room came a noise like giant cockroaches scuttling.

Half-opening his eyes, Giwon turned over.

"We caught the roaches last time."

A dim light from the living room leaked through the half-open door.

And then—

"...."

Giwon jolted.

"What just went by?"

Something huge, moving stealthily, scraped-scraped across the floor.

Creak.

At the sound of a door opening, Giwon pulled the blanket up to cover his mouth as the huge thing slid closer.

"Wh-who...."

On the edge of fainting, he watched a giant grub wriggle up and cast a shadow over his bed.

Blinking, trembling under the blanket, Yoon Giwon said,

"Huh?"

"Mm? You were awake?"

Above a beetle-like puffer jacket was a handsome face with bold lines.

Junhyun waved like raising a bear paw.

"Giwon, hi. Good morning."

"...."

"I thought you were sleeping so I came in quiet, but you were awake."

"Yes...."

He opened his eyes, and NewBlack was in the dorm.

As Giwon blinked, not understanding what trick this was,

ssssssss.

Seeing someone move almost along the wall like an assassin, Giwon blinked again.

"Um...."

He almost said, Are you going to kill someone?

Without turning his head, Junhyun said,

"Wooju hyung is going to wake Hyeonjo."

"Ah."

Meanwhile,

Lee Hyeonjo, lying in a princess-pink bed, barely opened his eyes at the presence.

"Production?"

He was about to wake gracefully.

"...What?"

A crew member approached the bedside and just stood there.

So he opened his eyes and turned his head—

Swish!

"Hm?"

The person who should have been there had vanished.

Sensing another presence, he snapped his head around, but swish—gone again.

Hanjo blinked.

"Who...?"

Then, from behind him, a low voice popped up: peekaboo.

"It’s me."

"Kyaaaaaa!"

Startled, Hanjo swung the pillow in his hand, but it cut through empty air.

At once, a phone light switched on and a mischievous face floated up.

"Dodged~"

"Hey!"

At the goblin looming in the dark, Hanjo felt like he might faint.