Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: This Life is Space Star 25
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As the stage lights brightened, the set came into view.
Two benches.
The New Black members were seated separately on each.
On the left: Kim Bi-ju and Kim Jung-hyun.
On the right: Seon Wooju sat holding an acoustic guitar.
His long, pale fingers moved, and with a clear guitar sound, the song's accompaniment began.
At the same time, the TV subtitle appeared.
[Jang Sowon X New Black - Something]
The Lemon Entertainment PR team staff let out exclamations of admiration.
"Whoa, Seon Wooju."
"I heard he played guitar, but I didn't know he was that good. When did he practice?"
"He's always been good with instruments. It's in his family."
"Is that even good? Honestly, anyone who goes to an academy for three months can play at that level."
"Yeah, yeah."
"No, really."
"That kid won't have to worry about starving wherever he goes. His face does all the work."
Seon Wooju on the broadcast looked incredibly polished.
A man sitting cross-legged, playing the guitar.
His handsome face combined with full makeup created a beauty that surpassed most actors.
It was a close-up shot that naturally drew an "oh" of admiration.
The scene transitioned.
In front of the three men on the benches stood a man and a woman.
Jang Sowon and Seo Ri-hyuk.
The two, dressed like college students, gazed at each other.
The first verse came from Jang Sowon, smoothly approaching Seo Ri-hyuk.
Skilled stage presence, vocal ability, and gentle delivery of the lyrics.
You don't know my heart, I don't know yours
But you know it too
Our relationship that's not quite ripe yet
Something flows in between
It was a soft song.
The breezy melody, evoking first love even without people around, and the refreshing vocals amazed the live audience.
A song that sounded a bit whiny.
But not annoying.
It was addressed to a guy who didn't understand her feelings.
Jang Sowon lowered her mic slightly, and the part passed to Seo Ri-hyuk.
An icy impression.
A haughty aura like winter snow, yet somehow sharp with thorns.
But when his part finally came, it felt like winter had passed and spring arrived.
The chill faded, revealing a warm, soft smile on his face. The voice flowing through the mic was like a spring breeze.
At first, I thought you were the spring breeze
Not the petal on my shoulder
Who are you, tickling my heart?
You said we were friends, but it's different for me
His voice was so steady it was hard to believe he was a rookie.
What's between us? I'm still confused
So—
Jang Sowon and Seo Ri-hyuk both held the mic, looking at each other.
The lovely gaze of a couple in the flirting stage.
From today, I'm gonna flirt with you
Catch you, who seems catchable but slips away
Narrow the gap between us
Hold your hand, which seems graspable but isn't
Walk the line between lovers and friends
From the second part, the rest of the New Black members joined in.
-Listening live makes it even better
-But the main vocal does everything, the others just chorus?
-Why bring the rest if that's the case lol
-I knew Jang Sowon was good, but these guys are solid too.. great harmonies
Some questioned why the other New Black members were there, but the reactions were positive both online and offline.
For one, Something was currently the hottest hit song.
Regardless of the other members' involvement, Jang Sowon and Seo Ri-hyuk's live skills were carrying the performance.
Of course, there was a reason the parts were concentrated on Seo Ri-hyuk, the main vocal.
Initial part distribution.
They recorded fairly, dividing parts equally by N/1 per member, and it was perfect.
Vocals that captured each member's color, and overall harmony.
But after hearing the finished track, the New Black members and Jang Sowon had to redistribute the parts.
Jang Sowon's one line.
"No matter how I listen, I sound like the girl managing a fish pond?"
That was the issue.
The song quality was flawless, but they overlooked the theme: flirting.
Flirting.
The push-pull between man and woman.
Having four distinctive male vocals with one woman created a weird vibe.
The woman seemed to be seducing four men at once.
The other four men seemed caught in her fish pond, flirting with her. A strange scene.
So they had to redo it.
One man and one woman.
That resulted in the current Something.
From today, I'm gonna flirt with you
Catch you, who seems catchable but slips away
Narrow the gap between us
Hold your hand, which seems graspable but isn't
Walk the line between lovers and friends
As we added harmonies to the chorus, I smiled.
* * *
With the debut performance over, the tension released.
I was so nervous that as I came off stage with the guitar, I nearly collided with the boy group waiting to go up.
Jung-hyun grabbed my collar, thankfully, or it could've been an accident.
Not just me—the other members relaxed too. Especially Ri-hyuk, who looked soul-drained, sprawled out.
"Good job, kids!"
Back in the waiting room, Jang Sowon hugged us one by one.
But she was exhausted too, collapsing onto the sofa and chugging water.
Her face slightly flushed.
Under the spotlights and the crowd's heat, a blush had risen.
Ri-hyuk was the same.
"Good job, Ri-hyuk."
"What good job."
"You did great. You were so nervous this morning I was worried, but you flew on stage. You nailed the debut."
"When was I nervous? Ah, what. Why's everyone laughing?"
We all burst out laughing.
Especially the maknae, smirking openly.
Who was the one with stomachache, sitting in the bathroom for 20 minutes since morning?
He tried to act cool, but his snow-white face flushed red was kinda cute.
Like a fierce baby who messed up mom's makeup.
So-won sunbae chimed in with a smile.
"Yeah, Ri-hyuk did the best."
Under her praise, Ri-hyuk fully melted. Then something light landed on my shoulder.
"Hyung, I'm sleepy."
"Ji-ho, no sleeping now. Your face'll swell."
"Just five minutes."
"No."
I shrugged my shoulder, but he didn't budge, trying to nap.
This kid could sleep in a trench using his helmet as a pillow amid flying bullets.
"But your head's really light."
"Is that an insult or compliment?"
"Compliment. Lighter than most girls."
"Hm? How do you know girls' head weights, hyung?"
At Bi-ju's words, the others' eyes turned hyena-like.
Conspiracy glances exchanged in 0.1 seconds for a roast.
"This hyung played around in his youth. A lot."
"Confess. How many shoulders has that head been on?"
"Now I see Something was about you."
"Really? The lyrics were your story, leader?"
To the curious Jang Sowon, I waved my hands denying it.
These guys.
Chuckling helplessly, I grabbed a snack from the table.
"Oh, this is good."
"Look at him changing the subject."
"For real. Try it."
Man, this is really good.
Soft and fluffy texture. Like a special bread? I passed some to the dongsaengs.
Similar reactions.
"What's this snack, sunbae-nim?"
"Oh, that."
Jang Sowon said.
"It's a dessert called soufflé."
"Soufflé."
Gotta remember that and buy some later.
Little did I know what that would lead to.
* * *
Time to announce the #1 candidate.
For the encore, Jang Sowon sunbae and our members went up on stage.
TNT stood beside us.
Maybe Han Tae-hyun mentioned it, as some looked surprised seeing me.
We exchanged eye greetings and stood in front of the camera.
Front row.
Surrounded by all sunbaes, we naturally shrank a bit.
"This week's Music ON #1 candidates: TNT's Blink and Jang Sowon and New Black's Something."
Tension hung in the air.
Especially with the massive TNT fandom occupying the front seats. Most visible banners were theirs.
"Digital streaming, preference, broadcast, album scores. So who will be the #1 winner?"
On TV, comparison screens would show scores rising, but here, nothing was visible.
We just waited for the MC's voice.
"Yes! Jang Sowon X New Black's Something! Congratulations!"
Hearing "Something" felt like time stopped.
My heartbeat thundered in my ears.
Glitter confetti rained from above.
Maybe because of how I felt.
It was like stars falling from heaven.
Gazing at the glitter, I looked at the members beside me.
Bi-ju's eyes wide, hand over mouth. Jung-hyun choking on glitter dust.
Ri-hyuk head down, holding back tears.
The maknae just grinning for some reason.
MC Jeon Yu-bin handed the trophy to Jang Sowon.
The audience and fellow singers on stage clapped.
Fans of the seated singers shook their lightsticks to the outgoing Something.
In this frozen moment, Jang Sowon grabbed the mic.
Eyes teary, she started her acceptance speech, but I couldn't hear a word.
Just dazed.
Couldn't believe it was real.
Suddenly, the mic was in my hand.
Time to speak as New Black's representative.
Our grandma watching TV at the diner, Yoon Seok-hwan and company staff in the waiting room, singers and audience here, and our members.
Faces flashed by.
In 0.1 seconds of blanking.
I gripped the mic, smiled, and started the prepared speech.
"Thank you so much. It feels like miracles keep happening even before debut."
It was true.
An emotional moment.
Just last November, I was a regular 20-something prepping for CSAT.
Now, four months later.
Standing at #1 on the longest-running terrestrial music show.
The highest spot on the stage I once dreamed of.
A place requiring humility.
After thanking the company and those we owed, I wrapped up.
"Please love Something a lot, and we'll work hard as your Soufflés to repay the love."
Laughter erupted here and there.
Why laugh?
Jang Sowon whispered.
"Leader, you just said Soufflés."
You know that feeling?
Every hair standing on end.
In front of laughing singers and audience, I grabbed the mic to fix it.
"Our tablet..."
Ahh.
"Please love New Black~!"
So-won sunbae took the mic and covered for me.
Despite the slip, kind looks flew our way.
They found the rookie's mistake cute.
TNT nearby and other groups chuckled, audience too.
I'm doomed.
This'll be preserved forever.
Embarrassment overdose.
* * *
-Our tablet uh...
"What an idiot."
At the diner, Madam Kim Deok-soon sighed while peeling onions.
"Does so well, then messes up."
"What's wrong? If it were me, I'd be dancing with shoulders if my grandson got a trophy on TV."
"If you don't know, shut up. Do you know how much grief that kid caused?"
"Grief?"
The kitchen auntie peeling onions with her asked.
"Doesn't look like a troublemaker. And so what if he is. Sis, these days looks are everything. Face first, face second."
"Just the face?"
"With a face like that, even bad deeds seem less bad. Look at my grandson. So pretty. But last time I visited, guess what? Tells me not to come anymore. Says it's hard on his mom. I nearly cursed but held back."
"Yeah."
He took after his parents, handsome.
"With looks like that, even mischief looks less mischievous."
Madam Kim Deok-soon watched her grandson in the Music ON ending credits with subtitles.
Heavy makeup.
Already face-value king, looking even handsomer on screen.
Eyes bloodshot from tears tugged at her heart, pitiful yet proud.
"These onions are so damn spicy."
"Sis, peeling with goggles and still spicy?"
"If it's spicy, it is! Why the nagging!"
"Jeez, temper..."
Then, the door bell jingled open.
A helmeted biker entered with a huge wreath.
"Kim Deok-soon?"
"Me."
Madam Kim Deok-soon removed her goggles and approached.
"What's up?"
"Need a signature here."
"Huh?"
"Flower delivery. Sender's Seon Wooju."
"Yeah, my grandson."
"He asked for exactly on time. Sign here."
The deliverer left right after.
"Sis, what's that?"
"Oh, never mind!"
The kitchen auntie rushed over, fussing at the grand opening-sized wreath.
"What? From your grandson?"
"Oh, whatever."
Left: [World's Prettiest Kim Deok-soon, Thank You and Love You.] Right: [Sender Secret]
Baffled at first, but not bad.
"Heavens."
Madam Kim Deok-soon smiled bashfully.
"Making trouble."