In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

"Do you have no tact?"

"Hmmm."

"Do you really have to ask if it’s a finished version at a time like this? Ugh. You’re worse than me and I’m the maknae."

The younger ones’ scolding flew in, but I couldn’t help it.

No.

You have to know in advance to decide how to react. If it turns out to be finished and I say, ‘It’ll be great once it’s finished,’ like last time, that’s a disaster.

"..."

Biju’s eyes thinned as he smiled—the scariest kind of Biju face in my book.

Smiling, I let my words trail off.

"Please pretend you didn’t hear that..."

"No, hyung. I think it’s okay to be curious."

"Right?"

"I just don’t think it’s appropriate for this moment."

"..."

Jiho shook his head.

"Your younger brother wrote a song, and as the older one you couldn’t even start with ‘good job’—you ask that instead."

"I’m sorry."

"Apologize! Apologize!" the younger ones chanted, and I bowed my head.

"I’m sorry. I have sinned greatly."

When I said I’d shut up and listen quietly, the younger ones giggled.

Maybe we’d inhaled beer vapor from the air. Their faces looked extra cute and pretty to me.

I was definitely tipsy.

"Alright. Then we’ll play it."

"Yes!"

As the staff got the track ready, Jiho and Junhyun pressed their heads together and beamed.

They were imitating music-show MCs.

"A summer night in the southern hemisphere! A major rookie has arrived with a hot new track~! He’s NewBlack’s signature dancer, right?"

"Yes. Kim Biju’s new song is here. The title is ‘Cases.’ Shall we listen right now?"

"Music, go go go~!"

At the sight of these perfectly in-sync dorks, the writers broke into seal claps, satisfied grins on their faces.

And finally, the music started.

[tss tss tss]—a snare, then a soft pop melody layered in to open the track.

"Ooh..."

If you had to pin down the vibe, it felt sweet.

At the same time the melody walked its own calm path. A bit of echo gave it a slightly reflective mood.

Just as I thought the intro was well built, a voice flowed out.

With a word like hello

our story began

through four summers

and four winters

to here and now

Biju’s signature clear tenor rang high.

The lyrics moved from trainee days to how we met.

It sketched that awkward first meeting,

then, through metaphors, our time in the practice room, debut at last, and that first concert—

and over the drums building the main line, an emotional chorus landed.

"Stay together

till we die

stay together

till the grave"

We all burst out laughing and collapsed.

At the main dancer’s clingy voice promising to go all the way to the grave together, we were sobbing with laughter.

"Hahahahaha!"

I laughed on the ground till tears pricked my eyes.

When Biju crooned in his soft voice, "Let’s go into the grave together, yo," I completely lost it.

Looking embarrassed, the man himself said:

"I couldn’t think of a good line. I just sang what came to mind..."

"Yeah, we should probably change that line."

Wiping my eyes, I sat back down.

Rubbing my belly from laughing too hard, I met the younger ones’ eyes, now dewy.

But they weren’t dewy from laughing. They were the kind of eyes that got dewy from something moving.

"..."

"..."

I probably looked the same.

I thought the laugh in the middle had covered the tear that slipped out, but judging by their faces, not even close.

They sipped their beers.

"Ahem."

"Ahem-hem."

While the staff behind the camera giggled, "Staff cried, staff cried~!", we cleared our throats.

"Yes."

"It was a very beautiful song. ‘Cases.’"

"A little moving."

We wrapped the moment with a small, self-issued round of applause.

Biju fidgeted and asked:

"How was it? Everyone?"

"It was so good."

Shockingly polished, too.

Was it early ’15?

I’d known he’d been studying composition on and off since then, but I didn’t realize he’d come this far.

"I didn’t know our second wrote this well."

"It’s not like that. I think I just got lucky with this one. Producers always say sometimes a song just falls into your lap."

"No. This isn’t luck."

"Really?"

I could feel a delicate hand at work in many places.

"Yeah. You made it really well."

"Whoa..."

"Your composing improved a ton. On that note, you should join me and Junhyun on the foundation work for ‘Coin.’"

"Sigh..."

Biju covered his eyes like he’d been caught red-handed, and we all burst out laughing.

Red-faced behind his beer, Ri Hyuk chimed in:

"I could feel the sincerity. I think I know what you wanted to say to us..."

"Look at Ri Hyuk hyung’s face—so red!"

"It’s the booze. It’s the booze."

While the fourth and the maknae bickered, Junhyun bumped a fist out toward Biju.

They knocked knuckles with a soft thump.

Maybe because of Biju’s ‘Cases,’ the air turned warm and fuzzy. The staff were smiling like, How cute, and we were smiling at each other in our own way.

"But Biju."

"Yes?"

"It also kind of sounds like a fan song."

"Ah. It is. It’s about a meeting, and not just us—our manager hyungs, producers, the Travel Diary staff."

The staff cheered.

"And Souffle, too... I wrote it with the meaning that all these chance meetings gathered into who we are now. So ‘fan song’ fits. It’s for everyone."

Looking at our pretty second smiling delicately, I thought for a moment.

Then parted my lips.

"Then how about we put it on this album?"

"This one?"

"Yeah. Honestly, it could go in as-is and not be weird at all. It’d be great as a concert ending song, too."

"Oh, right."

The maknae agreed.

"It’s exactly that vibe. The kind of song you sing while waving goodbye at a concert."

"It does have that mood."

"That’s why I liked it."

At our words, Biju smiled and said:

"If you all like it, I like it."

Sadly, the "tell your heart" corner ended with Biju’s ‘Cases.’

Usually, if someone sings Verse 1, the others volley back with Verses 2 and 3.

But since Biju’s song single-handedly carried it all the way through Verse 4, it felt weird for anyone else to add a speech.

Like a relay story where one person just did the ending, too.

"On that note, we’re going to skip ours!"

"Wooaaaah!"

Biju blurted, flustered:

"No, I wanted to hear the others’ messages..."

"Wooaaaah!"

"This is unfair. Wow. This is seriously unfair."

At Biju’s deflated, bewildered look, we surrounded him and cheered.

"Since when does it end with ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) only me?"

"Right here~"

Chugging his beer, the maknae leaned on Biju.

"Your message was too touching. Honestly, there’s nothing more for us to add."

"Yeah. These should stop at Verse 1 and 2."

"But I still want to hea—"

"Wooaaaah!"

We burst out laughing at our second, lips jutting like a sulky sparrow.

With our hands on Biju’s shoulders, Junhyun and I said:

"Come on. Let’s go see the night sea!"

"Night sea!"

Humming the lyrics of "Night Sea," we left the barbecue site with the younger ones.

About a twenty-minute walk brought us to the shore.

[whoooshhh—]

[swash—]

Waves lapped gently on Kangaroo Island’s beach.

"Wooow..."

Under the full moon, the sand glittered like stars.

And overhead, an astonishing number of stars were scattered.

"..."

It must have been a very moving moment; with his hand over his mouth, Ri Hyuk looked up, on the verge of tears.

"It’s truly beautiful."

We felt the same.

Gazing blankly, then smiling, Junhyun said:

"So this is what they mean by ‘the stars are pouring down.’"

"They say today’s weather is perfect for stargazing."

Since we’d come to Australia, the weather had been clear, but being summer, there had also been a lot of clouds.

Tonight was a flawlessly clear sky, not a cloud in sight.

"Wooow..."

While the staff murmured in awe, we spread a mat on the sand. Then flopped down on it.

A night where the stars really shone.

Even with the camera lights dimmed, the stars glittered like jewels, easy to see.

"Looking at this makes you feel so strange."

Biju said dreamily:

"Someone could be living on one of those stars. And the aliens living there are probably looking at us and wondering, Are there people on that star?"

"True."

"Do aliens really exist?"

As we talked, our science guy slid in with a quiet voice:

"Humans can’t live on those stars."

"Huh?"

"By definition, a star is a celestial body that emits its own light. At that brightness, we’re talking at least several thousand degrees. Most life would vaporize in an instant."

"..."

"If anyone lives out there, it’d be on the unseen planets around those host stars. In other words, the probability of intelligent life on those stars is basically zero."

As the mood froze—not just the staff but us too—Ri Hyuk kept rambling astronomy.

"Ri Hyuk hyung."

The maknae spoke calmly.

"You need to be good to us."

"Why?"

"Because we’re the ones who’ll be your friends."

"..."

If it were anyone else, you’d have to pay him to be your friend—at that, Ri Hyuk bristled.

"I have lots of friends."

"Name who. Not Sbo’s Giwon or Namu hyung."

"Uh..."

"No Teen Spirit!"

"Th-then..."

"Cha Woohyun sunbae doesn’t count either."

"..."

With Ri Hyuk speechless, we burst out laughing.

While someone kept grumbling in the background, I pushed myself up on the mat.

"It’s getting a bit chilly. Let’s head back."

"Okay!"

But then the kids...

"Uuup we go..."

"Oof."

"Uuungh."

Something was off as they stood.

Only Junhyun popped up easily; the rest clutched their temples with a groan.

I went over to a wobbling mantis named Ri Hyuk.

"Ri Hyuk. What’s wrong?"

"Uh... is this an earthquake?"

"Huh?"

"The ground’s shaking."

"What are you talking about? Why would the ground shake?"

Right then—

Jiho, who’d been sprinting across the white sand, stopped and said:

"Huh?"

As if a shocking truth had dawned on him, surprise spread over the maknae’s face.

"What now?"

"I-it’s really shaking!"

"Huh?"

"Is this what it means that Earth is rotating? Is this what it feels like when Earth turns?"

We looked to the staff, but they only shrugged, clueless.

I turned to Biju, who at least looked the most normal.

"Whoa. The ground is shaking."

He was weird too.

Just as I was growing suspicious at the younger ones suddenly talking nonsense—

[whooo]

A sea breeze blew in, and a faint smell—like alcohol—drifted by.

"..."

Only then did I realize.

When Biju’s song played, they’d felt awkward and kept sipping. While I was drinking cola, they were drinking beer.

Judging by what’s gone, it looks like at least a few cans per person.

"Kya-hahahaha!"

While Biju, Jiho, and Ri Hyuk held hands and danced, shouting, "The Earth is spinning! Wow! It’s turning!", I looked to Junhyun.

"Junhyun."

"Heh heh heh."

"Junhyun?"

"Heh heh heh heh heh."

He stood like a wooden totem pole, cackling, cheeks flushed.

"Kya-hahahahaha!"

"..."

"Ukyakyakyak!"

"..."

Ah. We’re doomed.

And then...

"Ugh. Why is the ground spinning."

Maybe it was the alcohol on their breath.

My head went fuzzy and the ground began to turn.

The world spun round and round; a strange first-time sensation took over me. My gaze drifted to the bright moon.

"Huh?"

Someone was there, overworking the rabbit on the full moon.

"Grandma...?"

And—

That was my last memory.

The next morning.

I woke from a dream with a pain like my head had split in half.

In the dream, leeches kept chanting, Compose, compose, as they stole my ideas and ran off to found Leech Company.

"Whew..."

First, the bright sunshine stabbed my eyes.

Parched, I grabbed a water bottle lying nearby and chugged. Only then did the inside of a cabin with bedding laid out come into focus.

"What is this."

I had no memory of coming here.

No memory of laying out the bedding either.

"..."

While I was wondering what on earth had happened, the sleeping breaths around me turned into the younger ones waking one by one.

Mostly the same reactions.

They grabbed a water bottle with trembling hands, then, "Huh?" as they came to.

"Hyung."

The maknae asked:

"Why are we here?"

"..."

"What is this? I swear we were watching the stars on the beach."

Rubbing his temples, Ri Hyuk said:

"Let’s each say the last thing we remember."

"The Earth spun."

"Before the Earth spun?"

"We watched the stars..."

"And before that?"

"We drank."

"..."

"..."

Our faces grew grave together.

"Ah..."

With a gloomy face, Biju said:

"Why did I do that. This is so unprofessional."

"We really need to reflect on this."

Even if it’s a trip, this is a shoot. I felt self-reproach and regret for getting drunk.

Rolling his eyes, Junhyun asked:

"We didn’t make any mistakes, right?"

"Who knows."

We all groaned, contorting.

I felt incredulous.

"None of you know your limit?"

"You have to drink often to know your limit."

"You’ve never even been drunk?"

"No."

"You’re always calling me a lightweight, but a few cans and you were gone."

"It was because of Biju hyung’s song... If I didn’t drink, my face was going to explode."

Since they hardly ever drink, none of them seemed to know their limits.

I said to the younger ones:

"First we should go find the PD and apologize if there was any problem. That part’s on us."

"We’ll go with you, hyung."

"Get dressed first. Wash your faces."

We were just stepping out of the cabin after getting dressed when—

The door opened, and the managers were standing there. Hyung Wonseok, plus Minsu, Jongwan, and Jiwun.

"Are you up?"

The managers respectfully handed over hangover remedies.

"Seems you overdid it last night."

"Ah. Thank you."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes."

Answering dazedly, I asked:

"Did we, uh, make any mistakes yesterday?"

"..."

The managers shook their heads, smiling.

"No."

"Then why the faces?"

"It’s nothing."

Taking the bottle back from me, Minsu said:

"It’s an honor to be NewBlack’s manager."

"Sorry?"

"If you head to that cabin, the PD is waiting."

"Ah, okay."

Without knowing why, we headed for the cabin with the PD.

We met the staff along the way as they packed up gear and made preparations.

When we greeted them with awkward faces—"Hello..."—the staff burst out laughing and nodded.

"Good morning, our Black boys."

"Uh. Yes."

"Let’s power through the shoot today."

"..."

The maknae swallowed and asked:

"Did we make some huge mistake yesterday? It sounds like you’re trying to cheer us up."

"Auuugh..."

What on earth had happened?

We kept asking, but they only laughed and dodged.

[knock knock]

"Come in."

We opened the door. Inside, the PD and writers were looking at a map.

They burst out laughing the moment they saw us.

"Why... why are you laughing?"

"It’s nothing."

"No, seriously—did something happen yesterday?"

"It’s a secret."

"Please tell us. We’re begging you..."

"Secret."

"Find out when it airs," the PD said, and we clutched our heads in agony.

What on earth had happened?

"NewBlack’s Travel Diary Season 2"

The scene of NewBlack pleading for mercy rippled away, and the picture shifted to a flashback.

Under a full moon, the five of us sat huddled.

Our eyes were a little glazed as we laughed.

Wooju: I love you.

Junhyun: Me too. I love everyone.

Biju: Love you. Heehee.

Jiho: My hyungs are always the best. Hee-hee-heet.

Then Ri Hyuk suddenly sprang up and stood against the full moon.

Wooju: What is it. I love you.

Junhyun: I don’t know what it is but love.

Ri Hyuk: Everyone, listen up.

Eyes wide, Ri Hyuk made a strange motion, then shoop—drew a big heart.

Then he went pop and added a Cupid heart.

Ri Hyuk: I love you a lot.

Members: Liar!

Ri Hyuk: I mean it. Hold on a sec. With this vibe, I have to read this once.

Swaying, he began reading from his phone memo, which he said he’d prepared for the reality.

Ri Hyuk: To my beloved members.

Members: He said beloved members! Heekeke!

Ri Hyuk: I know I’m clumsy at expressing myself!

Members: He knows!

Chattering back and forth, the members finished the reading, then hugged each other.

Wooju: You really are my world. Each of you is my truly beautiful world.

Biju: Am I a beautiful person?

Junhyun: Oh. The world turns, turn turn—sh-should we go eat pork cutlet later?

Ri Hyuk: Let’s go to Namsan. I’ve never ridden the cable car.

Jiho: On Namsan stands that pine tree~ armored in iron~ I am a Korean~ Wooooow!

Ri Hyuk: Look at that. King Jiho is drunk~

It was a jumble of babbling and shouting I love you! Love you! at each other, letting our true feelings out.

After sitting quietly for a bit—

Wooju: Let’s go. See Grandma.

Jiho: Grandma?

Wooju: Yeah. I have to see her in a dream.

Jiho: If I try hard, could I see Grandma too?

Wooju: Not easy.

You could practically smell alcohol wafting out of the screen.

"Let’s go dream!"—the members marched toward the cabin like a line of ants and even laid out the bedding neatly.

Then they stepped back out, went to the staff and managers, and began thanking them, saying they loved them.

One by one, holding hands, the members listed things they were grateful for from Season 1, and the staff wept along with them.

A wistful caption appeared below.

[That day, NewBlack shouted “love” a total of 492 times..☆]

It was the birth of the clip Seo Ri Hyuk most wants deleted—and the moment that led the NewBlack members to declare a ban on drinking.