In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

Souffle were cute again today.

“Grrr... waaah!”

“Waaah!”

The way they screamed as if trying their best to sound cute was cute. In other words, the way they tried to be cute was what made them cute...

“Wooju! Yeah! Throw away the floral patterns!”

Who said that.

Who just said I shouldn’t wear floral patterns?

I quickly turned my head, but I could not find the Souffle who had shouted it.

“Wooju!”

“Jiho! Jiho! Chocolate here! Look here!”

“Yes! But where’s the chocolate?”

Fans were calling our names from all over.

After posing in front of the photo wall installed inside Gocheok Dome, we faced the red carpet MCs.

“Hello! NewBlack!”

“Yes, hello. We are NewBlack!”

After making playful idol poses toward the cameras, we turned our heads toward the MCs.

The announcer in a white suit asked:

“Your outfits look amazing today! What’s the concept?”

“A concept like 007 agents attending an awards ceremony. Clean black toned tuxedos!”

Then the male MC beside him asked:

“Come to think of it, Wooju isn’t wearing floral patterns today!”

“Yes.”

Then I explained.

“It may look like I wear floral patterns a lot, but actually I don’t. Maybe once or twice a year... three or four... around thirty times. Somehow the perception spread that I wear them a lot. Everyone! I don’t wear floral patterns that often!”

“Is that true? Members?”

“It’s a complete lie.” 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Ri Hyuk’s warm statement made the MCs burst out laughing.

“Speaking of which, all the members became ambassadors for fashion brands this year, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

We nodded.

After I became an ambassador for Leblanc, the younger members also became ambassadors for famous brands one by one.

So the clothes we were wearing now were tuxedos sponsored by each brand.

“You all shine so brightly. Truly.”

After modestly responding to the overly flattering praise, we answered the final question of the interview.

“When you think of NewBlack, you think of the stage, right? Recently the Gwanghwamun concert and the Sangam finale concert became huge topics.”

Another MC continued:

“Then how about today’s stage?”

It was exactly the question we had wanted most.

The purpose of this year’s MCA.

The goal of the stage we would present at today’s awards ceremony was simple.

A fun stage.

After the Sangam finale concert was broadcast live, people had begun saying, “NewBlack stages are really fun!”

Our goal today was to show viewers watching on TV just how cool and entertaining our stage could be.

“Hmm.”

Biju took the microphone and smiled.

“Today we’re going to show a very fun stage.”

“A fun stage?”

“Yes. I can’t reveal the details... but I can guarantee it will be a very fun stage.”

“Now that you say that, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Looking at the camera, the members and I exchanged our lines.

“Cool.”

“Stylish.”

“A fun stage!”

“Please look forward to it today!”

Ri Hyuk finished with a shy wink, and our red carpet schedule ended.

As the MCs guided us inside, they began saying goodbye to the cameras.

We were the last to enter on the red carpet.

Normally other singers would enter after us, but now there was no one behind us.

“This is strange.”

“It’s a first.”

Smiling broadly, we walked inside together.

Gocheok Sky Dome.

Idol fans who had entered the stadium smiled warmly.

Because.

“Ah, it’s warm.”

The morning’s lowest temperature had been minus three degrees, and the wind outside had been biting cold.

Fans wearing long padded coats sniffled as they searched for their seats.

Those sitting near the stage lights smiled even more warmly.

‘So this is why cats stick their faces near heaters and burn their whiskers.’

Soon people would start complaining that it was too hot, but for now it was warm.

After warming their bodies that had been frozen by the cold, people began looking around inside Gocheok Dome and smiling.

‘Wow!’

The giant screen displayed the caption [2017 Mango Chart Awards], instantly creating the atmosphere of an awards show.

Just as many people ended the year watching drama awards or music festivals, for idol fans a music awards ceremony felt like the moment that closed out the year.

Who had been the hottest?

Whose song had made the biggest impact?

But unlike last year, the atmosphere this year was not particularly tense.

‘NewBlack will probably win three awards.’

Every year the internet filled with predictions about the grand prizes.

In all three grand prize categories, NewBlack was showing overwhelming numbers.

[Prediction for this year’s MCA Grand Prize winners]

(graph organized by category.jpg)

If you combine digital scores and voting percentages, it looks like NewBlack will win all three grand prizes.

Even if second place in each category receives all the judges’ points, they still can’t overturn it.

Unless something strange happened, NewBlack was practically guaranteed to sweep the grand prizes.

The special characteristic of MCA was that it only considered digital chart performance and voting.

Not only had the album recorded 999,999 first week sales, but the second full album had been a huge hit on digital charts as well, with the title track Coin and even its B sides.

Dokkaebi, which had been dominating the digital charts since January like a fish in water.

And.

When all digital results were combined, the overwhelming Artist of the Year.

Because of that, there were also complaints.

While debates continued over those complaints.

“Waaaaah!”

“Seolha!”

“Oh my! Look at our persimmon tree. It’s dried up and turned into dried persimmons!”

Whenever singers entered and took their seats in the artists’ section, cheers erupted.

‘Wow.’

People gasped as they saw idols and famous singers in person for the first time.

‘Wow... they’re really pale and insanely pretty...’

Top girl groups like Serenity and Scarlet appeared, showing off their long legs.

‘Ohhh!’

‘Wow the aura...’

People also admired Street Boys, the boy group famous for their rough image. A nine member group radiating a strangely sexy aura.

Then Teen Spirit appeared as well.

‘The boys here are really pretty.’

Cheers erupted for the six members walking gracefully inside.

Then.

“Waaaaaaah!”

A deafening scream rang out, and idol fans nodded knowingly.

‘It’s them.’

Them.

The protagonists of this year had appeared.

Handsome men wearing elegant tuxedos and bow ties stepped in, and idol fans stood on tiptoe.

And.

‘Wow.’

Those seeing NewBlack in person widened their eyes.

This was unbelievable.

‘They looked goofy on TV!’

Their proportions were so good that they looked much taller in person, and their aura was incredible.

‘Ri Hyuk actually looks really cool. Sharp.’

‘Why do fans call Jiho a baby? Their definition of baby must be different from mine.’

‘Who called Kim Junhyun a baby bear? That’s more like a baby dinosaur.’

Idol fans looked bewildered at the rather sturdy “baby.”

Then Wooju appeared behind them and screams exploded.

Wooju had dressed up more than usual today, wearing sparkling accessories.

When he brushed his hair back with a hand wearing several floral rings, the sight looked heavenly.

“He’s ridiculously handsome. Seriously...”

“So that’s what they mean by someone who looks even better in person. I’m the opposite.”

“Look at the lackeys acting proud.”

Laughter spread as people watched the members shrugging their shoulders proudly around their eldest.

And after the protagonist of the year had finished entering.

[Please organize your surroundings.]

7 PM.

The lights dimmed.

Finally, the first year end awards ceremony of the year began.

Starting with the opening stage, the first half of the awards ceremony progressed quickly.

[What music awaits us this year?]

The typical awards show introduction about “music uniting us all,” which nobody paid attention to, passed by.

The Rookie of the Year award was presented, followed by the annual Top 10 digital awards.

We also went up midway to give our Top 10 acceptance speech.

“Thank you!”

Most of the first half was watched comfortably.

Our stage would be the last one before the grand prize awards in the second half, and until then there were no categories we were likely to win.

Kelly Nelson, a rising British singer songwriter who won Best Pop, gave a speech.

Then the Best Indie and Best R and B awards followed.

‘That person will win.’

‘It’s that person.’

It was not difficult to predict the winners.

Unlike the Korea Music Awards, which nominated many people and left the result uncertain, this ceremony only invited artists who were likely to win.

When the Indie category nominees were shown, for example, the only nominee present at the venue was Hong Saetbyeol.

“There are a lot of girl groups this year.”

“It feels different from last year.”

Unlike last year, which had been dominated by boy groups, the rise of girl groups this year was noticeable.

The girl group survival program on TBC that I had appeared on as Kim Deokchun.

The girl groups from that show had become the fuse that made the digital charts explode.

“Waaaaah!”

I smiled proudly at the cheers for Scarlet.

I poked the friend sitting next to me.

“Hanjo.”

“What.”

“See that. I composed that intro.”

“I know.”

As Scarlet performed their synchronized choreography, I called him again during the chorus.

“Hanjo.”

“What now.”

“That chorus. I wrote it.”

“......”

Hanjo looked like he did not want to be bothered.

Laughing loudly, I listened to the song I had composed.

After that came the refreshing stage of the girl group High Color.

Then a duet between Hong Saetbyeol, the singer songwriter who had become the hottest artist this year while we were absent, and ballad singer Yoo Jaechan.

Soon after came a performance by indie singers Peter Pan and Strawberry Pirate Crew.

“Beyond the horizon~”

“The treasure waiting for us at the end~”

“We thought it would be there~ but it wasn’t~”

I hummed along with the cult hit of the year.

Ah. This feels good.

Since there were many live performances by singers we rarely saw on music shows or joint concerts, it felt wonderful.

Just as I was enjoying the first half of the stages.

Even before the nominees appeared, the eyes of fellow singers sitting in the artists’ section all turned toward me.

It felt as if all twenty thousand people in Gocheok Dome were staring at me.

“What. Why are you looking at me.”

“If it’s not you, who else would win, hyung?”

“Hey, you startled me.”

Yeonhu, who had blown lightly into my ear from behind, smiled mischievously with his drooping eyes.

“The real question is this. Will it be Wooju, Wooju Sun, or Kim Deokchun?”

“What are you talking about?”

Just as I said that.

The first nominee appeared on the screen in the “Songwriter of the Year” VCR.

[Not Fine – Kim Deokchun]

Laughter burst out as the name Kim Deokchun appeared with the music video of Scarlet’s Not Fine.

“Waaaaaaah!”

“Hahahahaha!”

The nominees continued appearing, but among them I was the only one present.

The entertainer Mo Beomju, who came out as the presenter, laughed and called my name.

The members stood up laughing while holding their stomachs.

Street Boys members bumped fists with me.

I avoided Scarlet’s enthusiastic high fives with polite handshakes.

“Uh... yes.”

Holding up the trophy that read [Best Songwriter of the Year: Kim Deokchun], I gave my acceptance speech.

“First, I want to thank the members of Scarlet. If they had not sung this song, I would never have won this award. Thank you very much for giving me such a great opportunity.”

Scarlet fans waved red flags that looked somewhat ideologically dangerous and cheered.

Holding up the trophy, I said:

“Two years ago I won as Wooju, last year as Wooju Sun, and this year as Kim Deokchun. At this rate, maybe next year I’ll appear with another name.”

People laughed at my joke.

“But at the same time, I’m happy because it means I’m meeting you through many different kinds of music.”

It was my gentle, roundabout response to criticism that I had been dominating the charts lately.

In other words, I was saying I did not care about those complaints.

And.

“I still have a lot to learn. I want to become a composer who grows by learning from many different artists.”

Not only with NewBlack activities, but next year I intended to collaborate with even more singers.

People could criticize me behind my back if they wanted, but it would be better if they worked with me instead.

I tried to convey that message indirectly, though I was not sure if everyone understood it.

“Thank you!”

But when the first half ended with the stage of Wonder Child.

“Wooju.”

“Hello, junior.”

“Um... Wooju...”

I smiled at the singers who approached quietly backstage.

Starting with Hong Saetbyeol, then ballad singer Yoo Jaechan, and Peter Pan and Strawberry Pirate Crew.

I exchanged contact information while speaking secretly with the hottest singers of the year.

Most of them worked in different genres and had different methods of making music, so it would probably help me a lot.

“Fufufufu.”

As I laughed happily while bouncing slightly, Ri Hyuk approached.

“Is it all done?”

“Yeah.”

“We have to go prepare for our stage now.”

“Right. Let’s go.”

After looking at the new contacts with satisfaction, I started walking.

Today’s ending stage.

Since we had prepared many things, there were countless details to check from the beginning of the second half.

“Waaaaaaah!”

Cheers.

Screams.

Thunderous roars.

As the awards ceremony entered the second half, the audience’s cheers grew louder and louder.

Serenity performed Candy Love and Party Girl, their spring hit, dancing to EDM beats.

Street Boys performed a ten minute stage after recently edging out Teen Spirit with their repackaged album.

Then Teen Spirit performed a glamorous stage themed like a casino.

Considering Wonder Child had closed the first half, most of the major fandom groups had already performed.

‘Now what remains is...’

Only NewBlack’s stage and the grand prize awards.

As the stage of the nation’s idol group approached, the cheers grew louder and louder.

‘They say it’s incredible.’

After the Sangam concert, countless posts had appeared saying, “NewBlack performances are insane.”

Just as people wondered how fun it could possibly be.

Complex stage structures rose into place.

Then the lights went dark and cheers exploded.

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

A VCR appeared on the giant screen behind the dark stage.

Meanwhile, the silhouettes glowing in the backlight made Souffle scream.

‘It’s Wooju!’

The VCR content was simple.

Wooju sat inside a subway with a surreal atmosphere, quietly looking outside.

Above the screen showing the video, the text announcing the next station kept changing.

[THIS STATION]

[Something ◀ Firework ▶ Masquerade]

Wooju placed his palm on the window and looked at the scenery outside.

The camera stayed fixed on him, so viewers could not see what was outside.

But his acting was so vivid that it stirred the imagination.

‘What is this? NewBlack’s music universe?’

When the Masquerade station passed, red shadows flickered across Wooju’s face as seductive music played.

Whenever orchestral arrangements appeared, Wooju’s expression changed subtly and cheers followed.

And finally.

[Coin ◀ METRO ▶]

When the train arrived at the terminal station, Metro.

Ding.

A sound like an elevator chime rang out and a door opened in front of Wooju.

At the same time, the scene transitioned to the stage.

“Waaaaaaah!”

As the close up shot showed Wooju slowly raising his head, the audience stared in fascination.

When the headset microphone became visible on his shadowed handsome face.

His red lips opened.

“From now on

We are getting—”

As the intro melody of Metro began, Wooju hummed softly and moved his fingertips.

Then he slid his arms forward and placed his hands on the shoulders of the dancers on either side.

‘Oh.’

A lift stage raised high above the ground.

Wooju performed graceful synchronized choreography with the dancers.

‘Wow...’

He wore a black harness over a white shirt.

For some reason, Souffle considered it a very happy fashion choice.

“Gwaaaaaah!”

Since the theme of the song Metro was about reflecting on one’s own heart, the choreography seemed to express confusion and emotional turbulence.

The lead dancer moved erratically.

Meanwhile the lift stage slowly began to descend.

‘Wait!’

Souffle screamed.

‘No!’

One of the dancers placed a suit jacket over Wooju’s shoulders.

‘Ahhh!’

‘Why put it on!’

But the disappointment lasted only a moment.

Soon he joined the members standing on the extended stage, and the screen displayed the five members together.

Rhythmic drums.

The futuristic sound of future bass began playing as the members bounced lightly to the rhythm.

‘Metro!’

NewBlack’s new song that had ranked number one on Billboard for five weeks.

Thunderous cheers erupted as the performance reproduced the same Metro stage seen at the Sangam concert and on Billboard.

Five full minutes.

From the intro to the chorus of Metro, as Souffle jumped wildly while singing along.

‘Huh?’

Only Ri Hyuk, the main vocalist, remained on stage.

Everyone else flowed away like a receding tide.

Then the curtain at the back lifted.

Something enormous that had been hidden until now appeared.

Souffle’s eyes widened.

‘That’s...!’

The moment they saw it.

Souffle finally understood why the singers had said today’s stage would be fun.