In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe-Chapter 152:

Translator: MarcTempest

Editor: Rxel

Chapter 152

When Woojoo returned to his seat with a feeling of ecstasy.

As soon as he sat down, his younger siblings looked at him and simultaneously reached out their hands.

“The trophy.”

“I’m going to touch it first.”

“Let me see that.”

Woojoo was about to give it to Bijoo, who was right next to him, but he gave way to the other members first, saying he would take it last.

Junghyun held the trophy in his hand and stared at it blankly.

His eyes were not as calm as usual, but he looked like he had a lot on his mind.

He did that for 10 seconds.

Junghyun leaned toward Woojoo and whispered softly, “Thank you. Hyung.”

“I’m grateful too, Junghyun. You worked hard.”

Woojoo smiled and patted his shoulder.

They looked at each other with a happy face and nodded.

Then, he pointed at the youngest ones.

“Look at them.”

Bijoo and Junghyun turned their heads and laughed in surprise.

The two youngest ones were sharing the trophy and admiring it.

This was a sight he had never seen before.

They used to get along like cats and dogs, but now they had the trophy with ‘New Artist Award-New Black’ written on it in their eyes.

Woojoo too. And them too.

This trophy seemed to have some magic that made people more emotional than usual.

Now that everyone had finished admiring it and it was Bijoo’s turn to get the trophy.

“I’ll take the trophy.”

The staff on the scene took it away, saying they would keep it for them.

“Uh.”

He was stunned and then quickly saddened.

They comforted and consoled Bijoo, who was sad.

The conversation time was over soon.

The VCR ended and the lights came on, and the stages of other singers began.

These days, even the reactions of the singers watching the stage were uploaded as fancams, so they had to be careful about their behavior.

But they didn’t need to consciously give any reaction.

They just admired it.

Oh, wow, and wow. They said to each other, cool, so cool.

The first stage after the new artist award was Scarlet.

They sincerely admired the girl group of Lemon Entertainment, who debuted two years earlier than them.

They heard that they were talented and saw their videos, but seeing them with their eyes was different.

They looked like minions who were bouncing around just a while ago.

But now they were waving long, black cloths in the air and dancing.

Wow. They were all main dancer level there.

Even though there were only four of them, the stage felt full.

Every time they made delicate gestures, some energy came out of their fingertips and filled the empty space.

Woojoo watched their stage carefully.

Hand movements or steps. Things that they could use later, like stage directing.

The other stages that followed were the same.

Because of the nature of the year-end awards stage, they all prepared with determination.

Woojoo learned practical tips from the senior singers on how to handle the gaze in the spacious auditorium.

He also observed how the ballad singers handled the high notes and how to make them sound better.

He copied the useful movements.

It was a place where they could see the stages of the top singers in Korea directly.

Sometimes when Woojoo was frustrated, he lifted his body slightly and looked at the movements of other senior singers.

If he compared it to a game, it was like real skills were pouring out from everywhere, so he had to collect them quickly.

When they saw Woojoo, the younger ones giggled.

“New Black, get ready.”

They got up from their seats at the call of the staff who came with the intercom.

The awards were divided into three parts.

The performance that ended the first part was their main stage.

***

At the same time.

While New Black was changing their clothes and waiting in the backstage, the idol community was full of live posts.

-Scarlet today, all of them are so pretty

-They’re good too… Honestly, if they weren’t a small girl group, they would have gotten more time in the later order

-Daisy’s rapping voice is really addictive

-Oh, Cha Woohyun is here

-His voice is so good, really…

-I don’t like that their song style is always the same, but they sing well.

As the stage reviews came out after each performance, the topic of New Black, who would be the last act of the first part, came up.

-Are they really good enough to close the first part???

-They’re overhyped, seriously;; They don’t know their limits.

-It’s probably because there are a lot of Lemon actors in the awards lineup this time???

-Wow, the comments… Grab some chill and leave the rookies alone.

Because TNT’s fans were the most numerous, there were comments saying that New Black was not at the level or skill to close the first part.

The six-minute finale of the first part.

If they added Something, it would be 10 minutes, as if they were doing a gymnastics show, there were sarcastic remarks.

-Oh, it started.

-Fireworks is my favorite song among the recent ones…

-They’re so good at live singing, really???

As soon as New Black’s Fireworks appeared on the live streaming screen, positive comments came up.

A stage that minimized the choreography and focused more on the vocals.

As soon as the praise came up, more comments followed.

-They can sing well, sure.

-Honestly, New Black is not a performance group, right?? They should just stick to vocals, not dance;;

-?? Mediocre dance skills.

As they were talking like that.

Fireworks ended and the lights that had been darkened came on again.

[New Black | Masquerade]

Along with the caption that appeared on the screen, the outline of the stage gradually became visible.

The bright red lights that surrounded all sides.

The lights that shot out sinister rays here and there focused on the stage.

Along with the cheers from the audience, twenty-five men who were on the stage took their positions and stood.

They were dancers.

Before the singers appeared, it was time for the professional dancers to raise the atmosphere of the stage with their dance.

The men who wore the same tuxedos and masks that covered their entire faces.

Soon, an elegant but somewhat uneasy intro flowed out.

The sound of a clock ticking mixed in.

Tick, tock, tick.

Like wind-up toy soldiers, the dancers moved in a staggered manner.

When they split into five groups.

With the fiery red VCR in the background.

Along with the drum sound that made the heart beat, the dancers threw their bodies to the rhythm of the music.

The dance that captivated the eyes of the viewers was followed by exclamations from various places.

-Wow… The dancers are dancers.

-They’re so good, really?????

-Just put them on stage instead of New Black.

Meanwhile, after the dancers’ performance ended.

It was time for the singers to appear, but New Black was still not showing themselves.

Usually, this would be the timing for the singer to come up on a lift.

“…?”

When the audience on the spot and those watching on TV tilted their heads.

When the audience near the stage, who already knew the situation, smiled with anticipation.

A change occurred in each of the five groups divided into seven members.

As one by one they took off their masks in the center surrounded by the other six, the faces of the New Black members were revealed.

As they took off their masks with expressionless faces, their outfits changed quickly while the camera zoomed in on them.

They turned their clothes inside out to reveal red suits.

They untied their bow ties to make them long ties.

When they pulled off all these transformations gracefully.

At the same time, a post went up on the idol community.

-Where are all the people who said they’re not a performance group??

While praises for New Black were posted, a familiar intro played.

It was their second album title track, Masquerade.

***

When the impressive intro echoed in the gymnastics stadium.

From the moment they appeared among the dancers who were dancing brilliantly, New Black’s stage stuck in the audience’s memory.

‘They’re good. These guys.’

Most of them were fans who came to see their own singers.

They knew New Black, but only through funny memes, so they thought of them as ‘handsome but funny guys’.

But they revised their evaluation as they saw the performance with their own eyes.

The song Masquerade itself was good, but they felt like they understood why they won the Rookie Award.

They did a great job.

It was hard to believe that they were rookies who debuted this year, with such stable skills.

‘They dance really well.’

They all performed flawlessly, without a single hole in their dance.

They must have practiced so much, they didn’t even look at each other, but their spacing was perfect when they dispersed and gathered.

And the choreography.

They wondered how much they paid for the choreography, not to mention the refined quality, they admired the movements.

The shape changed like folding paper in real time.

It seemed like there might be some meaning behind the shape, enough to make them wonder.

On the other hand, there were two things that the audience on the spot remembered from New Black’s performance, apart from the stable live and outstanding dance.

One was the main dancer’s solo choreography in the first verse.

The blond member who was crouching on the side with the dancers lightly moved his body and returned to the main stage.

He flew like a bird.

He sang in a soft voice and slid onto the stage, then stamped his legs.

He spun his body and drew a curve in the air with his long legs.

He looked so light, as if there was no gravity.

Even then, New Black’s main dancer smiled and sang without any difficulty.

And the other thing they remembered was the third verse part.

While the other four members were standing in place and doing light choreography, the camera captured the red-haired member.

In the music that stopped

Take off your mask

And show me your smile for me

The member who was reciting the lyrics walked from the right end with a languid expression.

He touched the shoulders of the members one by one and used them as pillars, and his expression changed subtly every time he walked.

His expression changed once more every time he brushed past a member and swept his hand over his face.

The point was how the atmosphere changed in an instant with his graceful hand movements, as if he was adjusting his mask.

The audience who saw him up close were captivated by his appearance.

Meanwhile, his light falsetto voice filled the stadium.

Of course, this performance that captivated the audience’s eyes was not the result of the member’s practice alone.

There was also the help of someone who scolded and coaxed and taught him how to act.

There was also the help of someone who practiced the choreography with a kind face and no sleep.

There was also the advice of someone who said he didn’t want to hear him sing like that and taught him about singing while whining.

There was also the help of someone who secretly brought him snacks.

But the audience didn’t know any of this, and it was just a scene that was amazing and memorable to them.

Soon, the highlight of the third verse began.

The section where they exploded everything they had built up until now.

While fireworks popped and the smell of gunpowder filled the stage, the song also burst.

The dancers and the members gathered in the center of the stage, and the leader of New Black took the center and matched the movements.

The one who had the best balance in all aspects, such as vocals, dance, and physique, took charge of the powerful choreography.

Woojoo, who drew the eyes as if he was sucking them in, performed the song and dance in the center.

The fireworks soared once more, and the members’ faces were sweaty from the intense choreography, but it was a good spectacle.

When the loud cheers started to be heard on the spot for the first time.

“The reaction is good, right?”

Manager Seo Minki whispered as he watched the members’ stage from backstage. Director Yoon Seokhwan smiled.

“I couldn’t ask for more.”

The members of New Black, who were checking the enthusiastic response from the scene, looked satisfied.

When the dance break was over and the New Black members took their ending pose, panting for breath.

Unlike the cheers that started out of courtesy, this time, sincere applause and cheers filled the gymnastics stadium.

It was a successful first year-end stage.

***

They finished the stage successfully, but they had no time to enjoy the reaction. They were exhausted under the stage.

Rihyuk was dizzy and gagged over a plastic bag, and Bijoo leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths.

Even Woojoo, who had good stamina, drank two or three bottles of water each.

It seemed like they were panting for a long time until the second part started.

As Woojoo fixed his makeup and returned to his seat, he asked, “Rihyuk, do I smell?”

“Your face doesn’t smell, so get it away from me.”

“…”

Woojoo was bothered by the sweaty and pungent smell, but it was okay because the other singers who performed before them were similar.

Woojoo watched the second and third parts of the award show with a comfortable mind.

He was relieved that the stage, which he was most worried about, was over.

It felt like he had lifted a heavy stone off his shoulders.

The stage was the heaviest stone among them.

Because this was their real year-end stage.

Unlike the year-end stages of the three major broadcasters, which ended in a cut of two minutes and a few seconds, this was the only place that guaranteed them more than six minutes of time.

Woojoo felt a lot of pressure to do well, but he thought they did well.

Thanks to that, he enjoyed the atmosphere of the award ceremony with a big smile.

-Yes, the digital song of the year is Something’s Jang Sowon and New Black!

-Thank you. This year really…

Woojoo stood behind Jang Sowon, a senior who was tearful as she spoke her acceptance speech.

Woojoo also learned from watching the performances of popular groups like TNT and Teen Spirit, thinking, ‘That’s how they decorate the stage.’

When they all waved their hands to the audience at the end.

They also had a congratulatory time with TNT, who won the Artist of the Year and the Album of the Year.

Gu Seonwoong, who held a bouquet of flowers, greeted Woojoo with his fish eyes, pouring out tears and snot.

“Thank you. Woojoo. We’re happy that you’re doing well.”

He tried to hug Woojoo with his face covered with snot, so he avoided him carefully and said, “You too, Hyung. Congratulations to everyone. You deserved it.”

“You guys deserved it too. Congratulations to New Black.”

TNT, who had been shut out of the main categories in both award shows last year, was in tears.

Woojoo thought they would have cried too if they had received the awards they should have received last year a year later.

Woojoo also lightly comforted Taehyun, who was tearful as he waved his hand to the fans.

On the other hand, their New Black team was in a cheerful mood overall.

“Hahaha, good job, everyone!”

“Good job, everyone!”

“You all worked really hard today!”

Woojoo took a selfie with the dancers who had shone with them on the stage, and thanked the choreography team leader and the members.

They were so kind to accommodate all their difficult requests without any complaints, so he felt more grateful to them.

The dancers left, chanting “New Black! Meat! New Black! Meat!” as they heard that the company had prepared a dinner for them. The passers-by smiled at their cheerful voices.

The stylists, the managers, and the various company staff.

Woojoo thanked them all, and then they moved to get in the car driven by Dowon.

“Bijoo, are you going to hold that the whole time?”

“I didn’t get to touch it earlier. I’m going to hold it until I go to bed.”

Everyone smiled warmly at Bijoo, who was clutching the trophy in his hand. Woojoo patted the shoulders of his younger brothers and smiled.

“You guys did a great job. Really… I never thought we would win the Rookie Award when we met last year.”

“I know, right. Last year around this time, we were practicing hard for the year-end evaluation.”

“Wow, goosebumps. It’s been more than a year already.”

“Yeah.”

Woojoo felt that time was really fast.

It had been over a year since he met these guys.

“Time is really fast. Too fast to be sad.”

“Yeah,” Bijoo said with a smile. “So I wish we could go a bit slower today.”

“Me too.”

“Me too.”

They looked at the moon in the night sky and admired it for a moment. Then, Junghyun said with a sigh, “We didn’t take a selfie.”

“Oh, right. Let’s take one quickly.”

They gathered around Bijoo, who was holding the trophy, and took a selfie.

About 100 shots in a row.

They decided to play rock-paper-scissors to choose the best one to upload on SNS later, since they were all picky about their looks.

Jiho pouted his lips.

“Wow, Woojoo Hyung won again.”

“Hey, isn’t it weird? I’ve never won against him in rock-paper-scissors. Not even a tie.”

“What’s so weird about that?”

"It’s weird that he always wins. It’s like he knows what I’m going to do… "

Oops.

“Maybe you’re just really bad at it?”

Thanks to the youngest, who chuckled, Woojoo was able to get out of the danger zone.

As they walked like that, they saw the choreography team and the other staff leaving separately.

Jiho swallowed his saliva as he looked at them.

“They’re lucky. They get to eat meat.”

“Just hang in there. We’re done with the music show on Sunday. Let’s grill some pork belly at the dorm then.”

“Yay! Junghyun Hyung, Woojoo Hyung said he’ll buy us meat. Meat! I say go, you say gi!”

“Go.”

“Go!”

They laughed as they watched the youngest run ahead with Junghyun, shoulder to shoulder.

Maybe it was because he secretly gave them snacks during practice.

Jiho’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Junghyun.

Rihyuk said with a tongue click, “That kid. He doesn’t know that we bought those snacks ourselves, right?”

“He doesn’t.”

“It’s better that way, right?”

They smiled as they walked behind them.

The wind was very cold, but it was a beautiful and splendid night.

***

At that moment.

There were people who felt more ups and downs than New Black, and they were the three men who were eating pig’s feet in the office.

“Gyuwan.”

“Yes, boss.”

“I’m asking you again, just to make sure… How much did that stage that Scarlet and New Black did cost in total?”

“About 400 million won.”

“…For 15 minutes?”

“Yes. There were fireworks and flames, too. And the labor cost was huge. They used a hundred dancers for both teams. And then there was the VCR production and the set cost…”

“Wow.”

The director exclaimed without tact.

“Every time those fireworks went off, a hundred million was going up in smoke.”

“To be precise, we burned 440,000 won per second…”

Park Kyuho’s hand trembled as the pork trotter slipped off his chopsticks.

A moment of silence.

“…”

The three men silently devoured the pork trotters. They tasted strangely hollow today.