In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

We secured seats near the window.

“Goodness me! Goodness!”

“Yes, ma’am, we are New Black!”

“Oh my…”

The mothers, clad in hiking attire, widened their eyes in surprise.

Whispers among the other passengers could be heard, “Is that New Black?”, “They are New Black, aren’t they?”

A primary school student turned around abruptly and almost screamed to his parents in a hushed tone, “New Black!”

I felt a surge of pleasure.

“Ahem…”

Donning sunglasses, I casually swept back my hair…

“Hey, only one person should do that. It looks weird if we all sweep our hair back at once.”

“What’s the big deal?”

Rihyuk shrugged nonchalantly.

“We’re already known as the weird ones, so what does it matter?”

“Hmm, you have a point.”

“Right. And if anyone should step back, it should be you, Hyung. You always get so much attention.”

We whispered and bickered quietly until we felt the stares of the people around us.

“Guys!”

“Hyung!”

“We get along so well~!”

“Totally~”

We feigned a warm and friendly atmosphere, which soon led to genuine laughter among us.

Chattering away, we gazed out the window at the scenery beyond.

The morning sea of the East Sea.

The rippling waves reflected the sunlight, and seagulls flew in the distance.

“The view is truly magnificent.”

Bijoo nodded in agreement to my remark.

“We chose a great spot, Hyung. Once we set off, we can enjoy the sea view.”

“And watch the waves!”

“It’s my first time on a boat like this, not a cruise or a yacht. It’s incredibly fascinating.”

While we pressed our noses against the windowpane, absorbed in the view, Rihyuk checked his motion sickness patch and said,

“Laugh while you can, it might be your last chance.”

“…?”

“I did some research yesterday, and apparently, the seasickness on the way to Ulleungdo is no joke.”

Jiho, who was nibbling on a morning chocolate, replied,

“That’s why we took the seasickness medicine.”

“…It doesn’t seem like that’s going to be enough.”

“Well, Hyung, you are quite sensitive, so it might be a bit risky for you.”

As Rihyuk feigned indifference, Bijoo teased him with a beaming smile.

“Pretty boss~ Pretty boss~”

“Do you even know what that means?”

“Yeah. A friend told me it’s a trendy new slang term. Pretty boss~”

Bijoo blinked playfully, repeating “Pretty boss~ Pretty boss~” to Rihyuk, who seemed to enjoy it.

Then, Junghyun asked,

“Do you actually know what ‘pretty’ means?”

“Isn’t it just a root word used by our seniors in Teen Spirit, plus being sensitive?”

“No, no. It means ‘beautiful.’”

“Not ‘sensitive’?”

“Nope, nope.”

“Oh.”

As soon as Bijoo learned the correct meaning, he abruptly stopped calling out “Pretty boss.”

“What? You thought it meant ‘sensitive’?”

“Uh…? Where’s that plastic bag? Rihyuk, don’t you need a plastic bag?”

As Bijoo pretended to rummage through his bag, ignoring the question, we all clapped our hands and burst into laughter.

That’s when the mothers standing by the nearby window approached us.

“Excuse me.”

“Ah, yes. Would you like to take a photo together?”

“Could you take a picture of us?”

“Sure…”

After a while, Junghyun took the phone and snapped a photo of the mothers.

“Oh my, a celebrity took our photo!” they laughed heartily and then asked us for a photo as well.

“Us too…!”

“Could we possibly take a photo with you?”

That seemed to be the cue, as other passengers nearby began to approach us one by one.

“I wanted to join in the conversation, but the five of them were having such a good time that there was no way to interject.”

“I often hear that from the staff. They say our audio never has a dull moment.”

“I was surprised to see it’s just like what I see on TV. Are you filming in my hometown?”

“Yes, it’s a special feature on visiting Ulleungdo.”

As the three-week collaboration period for “Now, My Hometown” approached its final week, the increased public interest was palpable, perhaps due to our lifestyle-focused approach, like yesterday’s visit to a famous cockle restaurant in Gangneung or the MiTube videos of our café visits.

It felt like positive attention.

There used to be a bit of distance, but lately, we’ve been treated like friendly neighborhood faces on TV.

From a distance, a grandfather among a family of travelers asked in a booming voice, “Hey, has everyone taken their motion sickness medicine?”

“Yes! Have you taken yours, sir?”

“You must take it. The waves in the East Sea are incredibly high, and they can cause severe seasickness.”

“I’ll keep that in mind!”

I greeted the grandfather, who looked at me as if I were his own grandson, with a smile.

He had offered to buy motion sickness medicine from the shop if needed, but he quieted down when his wife chided him to stop fussing.

Meanwhile, our bags had swelled with oranges and snacks given by those around us.

Of course, we reciprocated their kindness.

“Now, everyone together!”

Using our stage experience, my siblings and I waved to the tourists.

“With hearts aflutter and swaying~”

“If you take the ferry, you’ll reach Ulleungdo~”

The passengers clapped along and sang with us as we practiced the Ulleungdo Twist for the opening of “Now, My Hometown.”

“Woahhh!”

After the pre-departure performance.

The captain’s announcement about safety precautions came on.

“For passengers experiencing motion sickness…”

Jung-hyun commented, “It seems many people get seasick.”

“Indeed. They emphasize it a lot. Maybe there are quite a few who are prone to it…?”

“But we’ve taken our motion sickness medicine.”

“Just in case, let’s each take a plastic bag.”

As we murmured among ourselves and Lee-hyuk closed his eyes, taking deep breaths, that’s when it happened.

Vroooom-

The speedboat began to depart.

In that moment.

We truly understood what ‘speed’ meant on a speedboat.

“…!”

The boat, traveling at 60 km/h, cut through the waves of the sea.

Splash-splash-splash!

White foam crazily struck the windows as the boat began to rock violently up and down.

Each time the boat rose and fell, it felt like the chilling drop of a Viking ride.

And in less than ten minutes…

“Ugh! Ughhh!”

We all clutched plastic bags, starting to retch.

From the managers to the stylists, everyone silently retched with their eyes closed.

The only ones at peace were the production crew of “Now, My Hometown.”

“The waves aren’t too bad today.”

“Right.”

“It was really rough when we followed the squid fishing in Gangneung.”

The reporter, assistant director, and writer, looking as relaxed as if on a leisurely picnic, wore enviable bright smiles.

However, there was one among us who remained serene.

“Close your eyes.”

Our youngest, with a Buddha-like smile, seemed at one with the waves.

A soothing baritone narration, like a lullaby for REM sleep.

“Now, close your eyes and feel yourself become one with the waves. Life is full of ups and downs.”

We glared.

“Hey!”

“Stop with the ASMR, Jung-hyun!”

“From now on, if you open your mouth, you’re Lee-hyuk!”

“Yeah. Speak, and you’re Lee-hyuk!”

At our fierce protest, Jung-hyun snorted and clamped his mouth shut.

“Nghhh! Nghhhh!”

Poor Lee-hyuk could only curse in muffled groans.

Ulleungdo.

An island in the East Sea, home to roughly 9,000 residents, adorned with beautiful natural scenery…

“Ugh…!”

“Gah!”

I clutched my trembling legs as I disembarked from the boat.

“Land, land!”

“Finally, solid ground!”

I never knew the earth could be so welcoming.

Was it because of the three-hour speedboat ride that had me racing across the waves? Stepping onto land, I felt tears welling up.

The managers and other staff took deep breaths.

“Oh my…”

“It’s as dizzying as when we performed in Hong Kong.”

While the production crew from my hometown smiled warmly, I gripped my churning stomach, trying to settle it.

Especially Rihyuk, his face was pale, almost on the verge of fainting.

Passengers patted our backs as they passed by.

“Goodness, your already half-pale face has turned completely white.”

“Are you okay? Do you need some medicine or something?”

I assured them I was fine and wished them a pleasant journey.

After about ten minutes, I had regained my composure. I asked my younger colleagues, who were wiping away their cold sweat.

“Overcome?”

“Overcome.”

Their nodding heads confirmed their recovery.

While the production team set up for recording, we strolled around Jeodong Port.

“Wow…”

The scenery was incredibly beautiful, perhaps because of the clear day.

Behind us, rolling hills, guesthouses, sashimi restaurants, and homes stretched out in a line.

In front, under the clear blue sky, equally blue waves frothed and rippled.

The salty sea air, full of the ocean’s unique brine, was carried over by the cold wind.

“Beautiful.”

Starting from Yongin in Gyeonggi Province, through Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Gyeongsang Provinces, and finally to Gangneung in Gangwon Province.

The small theater tour, which replaced music broadcasts for just over three weeks, ended with yesterday’s performance.

Today was the very last day.

You could call it a special episode, a visit to Ulleungdo.

“…”

The thought of leaving here and returning to Seoul filled me with a bittersweet feeling.

Together with my siblings, we gathered at the harbor, taking in the winter seascape, and snapped a photo.

“But about that Ulleungdo soufflé… If we suddenly appear with a ‘Ta-da!’ they’ll be so surprised, right?”

“They’ll love it.”

“I’m not sure. There’s only one person who sent in a story. I’d feel overwhelmed if it were me…”

“Still.”

I said with a smile.

“They don’t know we’re here.”

“Well, that’s true.”

As we chatted, each of us holding a mini flag given by the production crew from my hometown.

Murmurs.

I turned my head towards the sensation of being watched and saw over a hundred residents observing us.

“…?”

Some looked like they’d come straight from squid cleaning, others from their fishing boats.

Whispers of ‘New Black’ buzzed through the air.

And then.

Fluttering-

A middle-aged man emerged from the crowd, unfurling a banner as he walked.

[★Welcome to Ulleungdo, popular singer New Black★]

The production crew from my hometown exclaimed in surprise.

“The mayor has come out.”

“…?”

“We sent an official document yesterday regarding filming cooperation. It seems he’s here because of that.”

“Do mayors usually make an appearance like this?”

The assistant director said with a start.

“No. I’ve seen village chiefs show up, but this is the first time for something like this.”

At that moment, our thoughts drifted elsewhere.

“Maybe all the residents knew we were coming?”

“Well, I’m not sure…”

As the production team was flustered, muttering “We don’t know… we really don’t know…”, the mayor of Ulleung County approached with a hearty laugh.

“Ah, my! Newbleaction!”

“Hello!”

“Oh my, such distinguished figures you all are! To come here today to revitalize the economy of Ulleung County…”

Blushing at the unexpected praise, we all looked away, not knowing where to set our eyes.

Us?

We came to meet fans, but somehow, we’ve become the saviors called upon to boost the local economy.

The onlookers seemed to share the sentiment.

When we mentioned ‘local economy’ during our performance, it felt like the crowd would cheer ‘Wow!’ if we handed them the mic.

“Like New Black, the super popular singers…”

“Ah, yes…”

Every time someone mentioned ‘super popular’ or ‘top-class’ singers, my hands would cringe like the forelimbs of a Tyrannosaurus.

Rihyuk’s face began to flush red.

“Anyway! We’re counting on you today!”

“Let’s take a picture!”

For some reason, we also took a commemorative photo with the locals.

Even the production crew joined in, and we all ended up striking a ‘Ulleung Island! Fighting!’ pose with our fists clenched.

As soon as the warm welcome was over, we hurriedly split into rental cars with the production team and fled.

“Oh, how embarrassing.”

We stretched out our fingers one by one, shivering from the cold and embarrassment.

It’s not wrong to say we’re popular singers.

Most of us prefer subtle attention and aren’t quite resistant to this kind of overwhelming interest.

Minki, who was driving, said,

“It’s because your recognition has grown so much. It wouldn’t have been like this with other idols.”

“Really?”

“If you compare the public’s affection and recognition from your first hometown appearance to now, there’s a huge difference. To the twenties and thirties, not knowing you guys is like being a spy, and to the middle-aged and older generation, ‘My Hometown Now’ is a must-watch.”

“…It’s as we wanted, but still embarrassing.”

The younger generation follows us on Mitube, while the older generation watches ‘My Hometown Now’ or the local morning news.

Winter Small Theater Tour.

This national tour, planned to increase our public recognition while meeting fans, seemed to have concluded successfully.

Even those who knew little about idols were saying, “New Black! They must be really famous!”

However…

We started with the intention of spreading our name far and wide.

“…It seems we’ve received more attention than we thought.”

No one, not even the company, expected such a response.

It all started with a unique point that exploded in popularity.

“It’s all because Junghyun did that thing.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Ever since Junghyun went ‘Eummeo~’, our recognition has skyrocketed.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Rain is good for crops, but a flood makes the farmers sad.”

“Ah.”

We all nodded in agreement with the youngest’s apt analogy.

We expected a downpour, but suddenly we’re in the midst of a flood.

“Sigh, sigh…”

“I’m an attention-seeker. I can adapt.”

With that mindset to shake off the pressure of ‘revitalizing the local economy,’ we headed to the next filming location.

Then, a banner caught our eye in a village.

[Congratulations ★ Popular 5-member group New Black visits Ulleung Island ★]

At that moment, a wave of anxiety hit us.

“Still, that banner might not be hung in the neighborhood where our Soufflé lives.”

“Right.”

“It’s a big village, so it makes sense.”

As we exchanged these thoughts, an announcement reached our ears.

Ah-ah, dear residents-

Today, the popular singers- New Black are visiting Ulleung Island to shoot for PBS My Hometown and also provide a fan service of singing to their fans-

We ask for your cooperation-

Let me remind you once again-

Silence fell inside the car.

“…”

Simultaneously, we pictured Soufflé, our fan from Ulleung Island, probably feeling nervous.

There was just one fan who had sent in a story from Ulleung Island.

I never imagined my favorite singer would cross six hours of ocean just to meet me, their only fan on this island.

“I better go find them,” I muttered to myself.

My siblings nodded in agreement.

Sitting on my bed, I took deep breaths. At 17, I had never felt such nerves.

“Stay calm…”

The face of NewBlack, my favorite band, flickered across the ceiling.

“Aaah!”

Calm was the last thing I could be. Even when the morning broadcasts blared about NewBlack’s visit, I had laughed it off.

‘There must be other fans.’

That’s what I thought until a text from Lemon Entertainment arrived. The members would visit in the evening.

The message asked for the home address of ‘Squid Princess,’ the only winner in Ulleung County.

“Aaah…”

If only I hadn’t chosen such a ridiculous nickname.

‘Who could have known?’

I had expected to join a group viewing in a place like Gangneung, not that they would travel three hours by boat from there, covering nearly 180km to reach me.

The pressure was immense.

The thought of facing all five members alone filled me with dread.

“What should I say to them?”

I had never attended an offline event.

And what if…

‘They’re completely different in person?’

I only knew them from TV and YouTube, so their real personalities were a mystery to me. Even TeenSpirit, known for his gentle smile, had rumors of being quite the opposite offline.

The door creaked open.

“Hey, Heewon. When is NewBlack coming?” my mom asked.

“Uh? I think… they said in the evening.”

“We should prepare some food. They might be hungry.”

I didn’t know how to respond, so I stayed silent.

The group chats with my school friends were buzzing with excitement.

“Where are you? I just saw NewBlack!” “I caught a big fish while fishing!” “They’re running around the mountains like they’re flying!”

The community of Supple fans was posting live updates from Ulleung Island with photos.

As the news started to dwindle, I heard the crunch of gravel.

A car was entering our yard.

My heart raced.

Then, the doorbell rang, and I rushed to the entrance.

I could hear boisterous laughter and see the silhouettes of handsome figures.

“Are those singer kids here?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Oh my. They’ve come all the way to our house.”

My father, clearly annoyed, opened the door.

And then, a bright light flooded in. The backlit silhouettes of the handsome members were accompanied by clear voices.

“Junghyun, turn off the light stick.”

“Okay, hyung.”

The world-brightening light went out.

In front of Junghyun, who held a torch-like light stick, the members of NewBlack revealed their pale faces.

“Ta-da!”

All five spread their hands in a surprise gesture at the entrance.

As if to say, ‘We are your gift.’

“We’re here!”

“Oops, uh…”

“Our… oh…”

The members of NewBlack hesitated as they tried to call out a nickname.

Woojoo greeted with a slight hesitation, “Hello, Princess Hanchi.”

“Oops.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time, father and mother. Hello!”

Their faces were so handsome that just looking at them seemed to brighten the world.

While my mother exclaimed in surprise, my father silently watched and then invited them in.

Soon after, a fruit table was set in the living room.

Amidst the strangely awkward atmosphere, the members of NewBlack respectfully knelt down.

“So, I hear my daughter is fond of you.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

It was when a kind smile appeared over their distinct features that I thought my father’s face softened with a peculiar fondness.

Woojoo spoke politely, “We are indeed your daughter’s singers, sir.”

“I shall permit it.”

“…Excuse me?”

“…Eh? Oh. Please, come in.”

A slip of the tongue seemed to send a wave of laughter through the living room.

The mood gradually became more relaxed.

Meanwhile, the members of NewBlack explained the purpose of their small theater tour and the background of their visit.

“It wasn’t easy coming all the way to Gangneung, and we thought it might be impolite to summon you.”

“We also really wanted to see Ulleungdo.”

“We weren’t sure, so we brought some gifts…”

The members rustled envelopes as they presented them.

“For father, we’ve prepared some liquor.”

“Oh my!”

“And for mother, a set of cosmetics…”

“Oh dear!”

The parents’ eyes widened at the gifts, thinking it would be rude to come empty-handed.

The parents, who usually questioned what was so great about the celebrities on TV, were now filled with immense satisfaction.

“Now that you’ve brought liquor, would you like to drink with us?”

“We have minors among us, and I can only handle a drop, sir.”

“Hmm, you don’t drink, that’s good.”

My father’s expression brightened even more as he looked at NewBlack.

‘No, dad, that’s not it.’

I felt embarrassed, as if he was looking at potential sons-in-law, and I squirmed like a squid.

Twinkle, twinkle.

The members’ eyes sparkled as they looked at her.

“By the way, who do you like the most among us?”

“Oops…”

“It’s not that you have to say I’m your favorite, but we need to decide who will speak.”

“Rihyuk oppa.”

“An excellent choice.”

NewBlack’s main vocalist smiled and handed out an invitation.

“To Princess Hanchi and family living in Ulleungdo, we invite you as guests to NewBlack’s small theater tour ‘Encounter.’”

“We invite you to the last performance on Ulleungdo!”

Her expression brightened at the news of being invited as special guests to a performance that would also include local residents.

I had been worried it might be a burden if they were to sing at our home.

But it was a relief.

At the same time, a sense of happiness filled the void.

Just like the way they appeared on TV, I wished NewBlack, who visited our home today, wouldn’t leave.

“…”

The members reached out to the touched squid princess and said,

“Shall we go then, Princess Hanchi?”

I felt happy, but it was a bittersweet soufflé because of my parents, who kept laughing and holding their stomachs.

Still.

‘It’s so wonderful…’

I was incredibly happy.

So much so that I wished time would stop right there.

The venue was bustling with people.

Fluttering—

The banner waved in the wind.

[ Ulleungdo’s Story Winner – A Special Performance for the Princess! ]

I already dreaded getting out of the car as whispers around me questioned, “Who exactly is the princess?”

“Just write that I’m a squid!”

That’s even more embarrassing!

It was a soufflé that began to suffer from excessive consideration.

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