In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

The youngest one’s graduation ceremony ended without a hitch.

Well.

There was a bit of a commotion.

Someone got teary-eyed after being grabbed by his older sisters. Someone else, who laughed and said “my boy could do that,” got hauled in too and cried his eyes out.

From the spectator’s seat, it was a wildly entertaining graduation.

“Are you enjoying this? Me getting dragged like that?”

We nodded at the youngest, who was glaring at us.

“Peak entertainment.”

“I don’t remember anything being that funny.”

“It was a little funny....”

When I said it was a shame there wasn’t popcorn and cola, the youngest widened his eyes, but it wasn’t much of a threat.

“I will never forgive my hyungs who abandoned me there. I mean, while your youngest brother was suffering like that.......”

“You are our little brother, yes, but those ladies are his blood.”

“Blood is thicker than water.”

“......”

When Junhyun chimed in, we high-fived him with a “well said,” and the youngest’s eyes grew even more prim.

While Biju picked up a slice of pickled radish and popped it into the youngest’s mouth, I asked:

“Want spicy fried chicken?”

“Yes!”

“What else? We’re eating until we burst today~”

“Order that assorted seafood with mushrooms too.”

“What is that? Hold on.”

I read the menu note that said it was a dish with seafood and mushrooms and added it right away.

Plates were already piled like a mountain on the table.

We’d ordered a feast to celebrate the youngest’s graduation, and once the number of plates passed a certain threshold, the head chef himself came out to recommend dishes and take our order.

“Ahhh.”

The youngest burst into a happy smile.

“I still can’t believe I’m graduating. Back in middle school I was like, ‘ugh, when will this ever be over?’ But time really flies. Feels like we’ve been together so long.”

Watching the youngest chatter happily about this and that, we smiled too.

“Congrats on graduating.”

“So now you admit I’m an adult?”

“Admitted.”

“In that spirit, how about one sip here...?”

He finished and stole a glance at us.

Biju asked:

“One sip? One sip of what?”

“Come on. You know. What’s the one thing I’d call ‘one sip’?”

“Hmm.......”

“That liquid where even a single drop could knock Wooju out.”

“Ah. Alcohol.”

Biju beamed.

“Absolutely not.”

“...Why? I’m of ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) age now, I can drink. In fact, since I’m an adult, I can do what I want.”

“Jiho. What’s tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? To— oh.”

The youngest deflated.

“Reality show filming starts tomorrow, huh.”

“Look at you remembering the schedule. Truly grown-up now~”

At Ri Hyuk’s mocking tone, Jiho nodded breezily.

“This one’s on me, I admit it~”

Then he suddenly widened his eyes.

“Huh? That’s huge, isn’t it?”

“What is.”

“Didn’t I feel super adult just now? An adult who can admit his own mistakes....”

“Before you become an adult, wipe the black bean sauce off your mouth.”

“Tch...”

“What’s ‘tch—’? Speak like an adult.”

“Goodness me......”

The kind of exclamation an elderly person would make made us burst out laughing.

Even after graduating, our youngest is still our youngest.

We don’t say it out loud, but every time we see our fifth growing up well, we feel proud and pleased.

Twisting noodles around his fork, Ri Hyuk said:

“By the way, did everyone pack? We leave for the trip tomorrow.”

“I prepped in advance.”

Biju answered right away, while the other three scratched their heads.

“I forgot because of work.”

“Me too.”

“For a trip, you just need your body, right? Even if our clothes smell, fans can’t smell them anyway.”

“We can smell them.......”

“Yeah, let’s not. Junhyun.”

While the three were talking like that, Ri Hyuk sighed.

“This time, please pack properly. Don’t be the person who borrows socks every day because you ‘don’t have socks.’”

“Waaah......”

“And I hope no one treats me like a pharmacy, handing me cash and asking for painkillers or antacid.”

“You took fifty thousand won.”

“And as for you, Junhyun—”

“Whatever it is, I’m sorry in advance. It’s my fault.”

Next to the main vocalist nagging, Biju was carefully nodding along.

We all bowed our heads.

“Our mistake. We’ll pack meticulously....”

Still, since the trip starts tomorrow, we should have some time left. Or so I thought.

At least until we arrived at the lodging.

“......”

We finished the meal at the Chinese restaurant and got to the lodging to find mini-cameras set up in the living room and kitchen.

Every time we moved, a motion-tracking camera whirred and turned.

[whirr]

I wondered if they were filming that “we’re leaving for our trip tomorrow!” bubbly mood unique to the night before.

“Why are you here already?”

The production team came in with our managers, smiling.

The PD read from a script.

“NewBlack’s Travel Diary Season 2, Australia edition! The long-awaited first day of the trip has arrived.”

“Huh?”

“The first day of the trip, Wooju.”

“No, the first day is tomorrow, isn’t it?”

We’d clearly been told the trip would start the day after the graduation, so what was the PD saying?

Blinking at us, the PD continued:

“The Sydney trip starts tomorrow morning.”

“Yes. But...?”

“If the trip starts tomorrow morning, you have to board a plane tonight to be starting tomorrow morning, right?”

“Huh?”

“The nonstop from Incheon to Sydney takes about ten hours and thirty minutes. Therefore.......”

“We have to leave tonight... oh.”

Right.

The four of us went “oooh” in unison, and next to us, Ri Hyuk asked with an incredulous face:

“You didn’t know?”

“Nope.”

“Isn’t that way too obvious?”

“No, it’s just that on the calendar.......”

The Teen Spirit monthly wall calendar caught my eye.

On February 10 there was a circle for Jiho’s graduation; right next to it, on February 11, it said “Travel Diary begins!”

The handsome boys flashing white teeth looked like they were mocking us.

“......Am I an idiot.”

And here I was thinking about what to do with the younger boys on the reality show, what to bring the crew, how to make them laugh.

The PD said:

“We got intel that you didn’t know, so we came early. Behold: ‘NewBlack Packs.’”

[Da-dun!]

We instinctively dropped a variety-show sting, and the crew burst out laughing.

“With that, we’ll give you about one hour and thirty minutes to get ready starting now. Please pack as quickly as possible.”

“Okay!”

“Please pack as light as possible. This season’s concept is a youth trip, so.......”

We scrambled and started packing.

Thanks to the help of the cleaning fairy and the housekeeping fairy, we were able to pack quickly.

Thud.

“Just pack clothes. I already prepped the rest.”

Plastic bags full of travel supplies got stacked neatly into the suitcases I, Junhyun, and Jiho were packing.

“Ri Hyuk!”

“Ah. Don’t hug me!”

“I love you! Our little brother!”

“Love youuu!”

Our dear fourth.

While Ri Hyuk was procuring the items needed for the trip like he’d prepped them in advance—

The camera director murmured in awe.

“Where is Ri Hyuk even getting all that?”

“I have a go-bag. I pulled things out of that.”

“A go-bag?”

“Yeah. Bags you prep to sling over your shoulder and run in case of a natural disaster. I pulled from there.”

When he told them about the five bags in his wardrobe, the directors got intrigued.

Before long, the male crew members were crowding around Ri Hyuk’s go-bags.

“Does that crank work?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s see.”

“This one runs off its own generator.”

[whirr]

When Ri Hyuk cranked the lamp handle, the lamp lit up.

The tech guys—who light up at the sight of gear—went “oh wow!” and eyed the contents of his bag with worshipful gazes.

“You guys aren’t the types who’d be useless at anything, are you. Whatever you do, you’d survive.”

“Survival-type idols. You really are a true ‘survival’ idol group.”

“Man. This would be great for a remote-area shoot.”

We laughed at that while packing, and then the PD and writers kicked off an impromptu segment.

[NewBlack’s Travel Diary Season 2 — Episode 1: And So the Trip Began]

Lodging living room.

NewBlack’s main vocalist stands there, just a little flushed.

“Yes! While the members are packing, I’ll take a moment to tell you about our go-bag.”

With the crew cheering, Ri Hyuk revealed the contents.

“First and foremost are emergency rations and water. You also need first-aid meds and a flashlight. A phone power bank, and a rain poncho. It changes depending on the type of disaster.”

Calmly, the main vocalist explained how to pack for scenarios like a zombie apocalypse, a blackout caused by an EMP, a volcanic eruption.

With his face bright, he lifted a Geiger counter.

“This measures radiation. It was the very first thing I bought after we got paid. I haven’t had many chances to use it, but.......”

He excitedly explained the scientific principles of measuring radiation.

Across the bottom, a long chyron scrolled quickly.

[Please remember this is the idol healing travel reality show “NewBlack’s Travel Diary Season 2.”]

A pre-interview rolled.

With a matter-of-fact face, Ri Hyuk said:

“To be honest, I think I’m responsible for this trip.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m the only normal person in this group.”

Over the interview, his face and voice echoing faintly like a reverb, we heard:

“Geiger counter!”

“If something explodes....”

“I heard Australia has a deadly spider. A black widow. If you get bitten here.......”

Another line flashed reminding viewers it was a healing reality show.

The other four members sat slack-jawed next to the hazard-briefing main vocalist.

He tilted his head.

“What’s wrong?”

Like droopy cats, the rest of us mumbled:

“The trip.......”

“I don’t want to go anymore.”

“I’m too scared to go now.”

“Are we supposed to leave right now...?”

Seeing the members with dewy eyes leaning on each other, the crew burst out laughing.

Ri Hyuk tapped a tablet and held it out to the four.

[sizzle]

A video of deep-frying—oil roiling and crackling.

The four’s eyes snapped open.

“Let’s go.”

“Australia! Wait for us!”

“When do we leave?”

Perking up instantly, the members bustled as hopeful captions rolled under the frame.

[NewBlack’s Travel Diary Season 2]

[Starts right now!]

Our plane departed from Incheon and went straight down over the Pacific to Sydney Airport.

Ten hours and thirty minutes in the air.

After sleeping for ages on the plane, we woke up in Sydney.

“Nice and quiet.”

If this had been an officially announced concert tour schedule, the airport would have been packed with fans.

Coming in on a private schedule, the airport felt sparse.

There were plenty of travelers roaming around, but for us, this level was the pinnacle of “quiet.” At least we didn’t have to worry about being jostled from all directions.

“Wow......”

A clear sky through the terminal glass.

They say the southern sky is beautiful. Australia’s morning sun greeted us in a blaze.

The youngest snapped photos.

“It’s so weird that it’s morning here too.”

“The time difference with Korea is only two hours.”

“How is that possible? We flew ten hours and it’s only a two-hour difference?”

“Time zones are set vertically on the globe.”

“Ah, like this?”

We patted the twenty-year-old who’d just learned how time zones work and headed out of the airport.

Taking off his sunglasses, Junhyun said:

“But coming abroad definitely has its perks. Feels like no one recognizes us.”

“True.”

“Guess the PD had a reason for choosing this.”

With cameras trailing us at the airport, foreigners only tilted their heads like, who are those guys?

No one recognized us.

“Hey! Blue Moon!”

A British-looking college kid waved, high-fived us, and kept walking.

“.......”

“.......”

“.......”

We scratched our heads and put our sunglasses back on.

“Blue Moon got way too big.......”

“Ehh.”

“I wanted to go somewhere no one knew us.”

Maybe it’s because airports are full of all kinds of people.

Anyway, when we stepped out in our light fall outfits—

“It’s not cold.”

“Every time we come to the southern hemisphere, it’s wild. The seasons are flipped.”

In Korea we had to bundle up in heavy coats, but here a warm summer day welcomed us.

Today’s high was 26, the low 19.

We’d been in an average of minus nine before the flight, so our bodies couldn’t cope.

“Why is the sun so strong?”

There was a reason the crew were huddled in the shade. It felt like being sterilized by UV in real time.

Maybe this is how the plastic cups at Kimbap Heaven feel.

Before we started filming, we slathered on sunscreen and gathered in front of Sydney Airport.

“Okay!”

Wiping beads of sweat, the PD spoke.

“Welcome, from the bottom of our hearts, to NewBlack’s Travel Diary Season 2!”

“Waaaaaa!”

“As you know, this reality show’s concept is a youth trip. True to that, you’ll plan proactively and handle whatever situations come up at your destinations.”

“Okay!”

“With that in mind, you may not use your own cards or cash. You’ll operate only on the budget provided by the production.”

The new managers—Jongwan, Minsu, and Jiun—came over and carefully collected our wallets.

Then each of us received a white envelope, which we handed to Junhyun.

“Appointing the treasurer.”

“I’ll serve with pride.”

I tapped his shoulders like I was knighting him, and Junhyun placed a hand over his chest, pleased.

The PD asked:

“Any reason you gathered all the cash and offered— I mean, gave it to Junhyun?”

The youngest asked:

“PD, do you know what the safest place in the world is?”

“The White House?”

“That’s... not wrong, but nope! It’s Junhyun’s chest.”

He does break things well.

But once something goes into his arms, he never gets pickpocketed, never loses it—he just doesn’t let go. The PD was impressed.

Biju smiled, satisfied.

“Even Wooju can’t steal it!”

“Correct. I can’t steal it either.”

We told them even in France we almost reverse-pickpocketed a pickpocket, and the PD looked intrigued.

While the treasurer flashed a peace sign near his eye and smiled warmly, the PD continued.

“Let me stress this again. Manage your budget strictly. You may earn extra funds from time to time via games or quizzes, but you must make the most of whatever you get.”

“What if we go make money?”

“Feel free to do that too.”

The PD said:

“So, with the rules understood... we’ll begin today. Since you’re not used to the weather yet, the real backpacking begins tomorrow. Today, you’ll do a Sydney tour with a guide, package-tour style!”

“Waaaaaa!”

“Now! Let me introduce your guide!”

A man walked out from behind the crew.

A thirty-something Australian with black hair and a neat mustache—someone we knew well by face.

Fluent Korean flowed from the handsome man’s mouth.

“Hello, I’m Jett Miller.”

“Waaaaaa!”

“I’ve been working as an actor in Korea for two years. Nice to meet you!”

He was a foreign actor who often played such roles in Korea. He came on variety panels a lot as “Jett the Aussie,” too.

Jett bowed to us.

“It’s a true honor to meet NewBlack. I’ve always followed you as a fan.”

“Ah. You can speak comfortably, though.......”

“I could never, to such senior legends of variety.”

“But your age.......”

“Does age matter? If you’re successful, you’re a senior.”

We burst out laughing at the handsome man flashing his white teeth.

His “K-patch” was exceptionally well installed.

“Do you live in Sydney?”

“Yes. I was here to see friends, and the Travel Diary team happened to cast me.......”

As he said that, once the opening shoot ended, Jett raised a hand and whispered to me:

“Honestly, that was a lie. I flew in early from Korea because I wanted to be NewBlack’s guide.”

“R-right.”

“Please take care of me, seniors! Make me a variety star!”

“......!”

The foreign actor bowed with theatrical fervor, ambition blazing, and we clasped hands and smiled broadly.

“Just leave it to us.”

“!”

“We’ll get you screentime.”

“I’ll give it my all!”

Feeling the genuine bond of seniors and juniors with our moved Australian actor, we began the one-day Sydney tour in earnest.

First stop was Sydney Observatory Park, about twenty minutes away by car.

An observatory built of brown brick.

“This place was originally a fortress that got converted into an observatory. If you come in the evening, you can actually do stargazing.”

“Oooooh.”

“S-stargazing!”

“But more than stargazing, the view is so beautiful that... it’s more active as a photo spot.”

Just like he said, we could see the whole city from the hill.

Sydney’s skyscrapers and the steel trusses of the Harbour Bridge all in one view.

Under the warm sunlight, the lawn was full of people shooting. Some had giant telephoto lenses all on their own.

Couples cuddled on benches, and down on the grass it looked like a wedding shoot was happening.

“Nice......”

We took off our sunglasses to snap a few pictures, when—

A commotion broke out at the far-off wedding shoot.

“New... NewBlaaack!”

A shrill scream cut across the hill.

“Huh?”

“Uh-oh?”

From between the wedding-shoot crowd, the bride clutching her bouquet started sprinting straight at us.

[thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!]

A feral smile flashed on those red lips.

“I’m a Souffleeeee!”

Seeing the bride sprint toward us with a crazed grin, we smiled brightly and—

“Aaaaaargh!”

“What the— scary!”

“Why are even our fans like this!”

All of us turned tail and bolted in different directions.