Biju smiled and said.
“Thanks for the food, hyung.”
“Mm.”
As Biju picked up his chopsticks, I said,
“Make sure you chew it well.”
“Yes.”
“How’s the bulgogi? I think I put too much soy sauce...”
“Not at all. It’s really delicious, hyung.”
“Try the croaker too.”
Just as I was about to offer him the spicy pork, Ri-hyuk interrupted .
“Biju hyung, let him eat.”
“That’s right. What if he gets an upset stomach from you telling him to eat this and that while staring at him?”
I laughed awkwardly at my brothers’ remarks. Today, more than usual, I just wanted to feed them whatever I could. It made understand why Mrs. Kim Deok-soon used to cook every delicious dish whenever there was an exam back in elentary school. I couldn’t dance in their place, but I wanted to help out at least this way.
“Sigh...”
I let out a regretful sigh without realizing it, and Biju asked,
“What’s wrong, hyung?”
“I should’ve studied harder in elentary school.”
Ri-hyuk ignored and told Biju to just keep eating. The youngest chid in instead.
“In elentary school, you’re supposed to play, hyung. Look at —I wasn’t good at studying, but I still beca NewBlack, right?”
“That’s sothing to be proud of.”
Ri-hyuk clicked his tongue.
“Since you spent elentary school that way, you don’t even know the title Alibaba. Have you ever read any of the recomnded books?”
“They’re just recomndations, hyung. Do you eat the recomnded 1 kg of sodium in a day?”
“I would.”
“Really? Well, you can’t help it then.”
Watching our childish back-and-forth, Biju burst out laughing, and the two younger ones quietly laughed too. Biju, looking around at us, gave a grateful look.
“I was nervous about today’s recording. Thanks to you, I feel a lot more relaxed.”
“Is it helping?”
“Yes. The food you made is delicious. And being all together like this...”
Biju continued.
“We’ve always stuck together until now, but being apart and thinking I have to do sothing on my own makes nervous.”
“Just go and relax, hyung.”
Ri-hyuk said with a grin, breaking the soft mood we were drifting into.
“It’s not like you’re going to the military. It’s just one day of recording.”
“The military...?”
At those words, our eyes drifted into space.
– I, Wang Ji-ho, will beco a proud man of Korea!
– Don’t worry too much, hyungs. Special forces are quick, I’ll be back soon!
For so reason, I pictured our maknae with a buzz cut. Just like water gathering when you grill mushrooms at a barbecue, tears began to well up in my eyes.
“Our maknae in the special forces...”
“What are you talking about?! Why would I go to the special forces?”
“Ji-ho’s in the marines...”
“Why are you trying to send to the marines, Jun-hyun hyung?”
I burst out laughing at the youngest bouncing around.
anwhile, the topic naturally shifted to today’s recording program. We gathered around Ri-hyuk as he searched on his tablet PC.
“The lineup is really amazing even on a second look.”
The MC is Baek Sang-jung, the host of and currently one of the hottest announcers. The lineup of contestants is stellar too: fifteen top dancers from the industry, from a main dancer of the 2nd-generation girl group Twinkle to Ha-ru, leader of A-Pb where Eun-seong is.
“Wow. Still, only great people gathered.”
“Exactly.”
They’re all famous for being gentle and good-natured. The maknae offered a reasonable hypothesis.
“Oddly, main dancers often seem to have nice personalities. Very generous.”
There are exceptions, of course, but most main dancers I know are easygoing and kind. I don’t know why, but it was a good thing nonetheless.
“What matters is that you know soone there. You won’t be bored.”
“Yes. I actually texted Na-mu yesterday.”
“That’s good.”
Since LB of Street Boys, whom he’s close with, is also appearing, Biju wouldn’t be bored. He’s the kind of person who charms everyone, wherever he goes. We always say among ourselves: anyone who hates Biju must be in the wrong.
“Were you eating?”
By the ti Biju was finishing his al, Manager Won Seok entered the dorm. It was 6 AM. Dressed sharply, Biju waved to us.
“I’ll be off then.”
“Have fun~”
Then he rummaged through his pockets with an “Ah!” He pulled out a yellow mo pad with a long list written on it.
“I wrote down all the things you need to do while I’m gone. If you get confused, just follow the order.”
There was so much on it. Did we really have to do it all?
“You might think, ‘Do we really have to do all this?’ But you do.”
“Yes...”
“Ji-ho, don’t forget to brush your teeth. If you get a cavity, I’ll tell Uju hyung to buy you tonkatsu again and take you to the dentist.”
“O-okay...”
“Ri-hyuk and Jun-hyun, look after Ji-ho.”
“Y-yes...”
For so reason, we all felt small.
“All right, I’m off~!”
“Co back safe!”
We watched Biju walk away softly, smiling like “I’ll be watching!” until the door closed. The house fell silent with the door-lock’s click.
“...”
“...”
With a wistful longing that Biju would do well, and an inexplicable flutter, my heart pounded. Ri-hyuk said,
“I don’t know if it’s just , but doesn’t this feel like Mom going out?”
I answered flatly,
“Not at all.”
“What are you talking about, Ri-hyuk hyung? Biju hyung went out, so why would Mom go out?”
“Exactly.”
As I tilted my head thinking, Is that really Ri-hyuk? silence fell again, and our eyes t. Whatever else, one thing was clear:
‘Biju is...’
‘...gone?’
At that mont, a sudden sense of realization hit . It was the first day since our debut that only the four of us—4Black—were left without Biju. Jun-hyun was the first to speak.
“So, can we eat snacks on the sofa?”
“No.”
“No...”
Jun-hyun wilted like old shredded radish at Ri-hyuk’s words. Yet there was sothing thrilling about doing what we’d never dared before. Even as we missed Biju, an indescribable sense of freedom washed over us.
“Guys...!”
“Hyung...!”
We burst into raucous laughter and hugged each other. About to leap around, we looked down at the floor.
“Wait, aren’t they here?”
“They must be on tour abroad.”
As we perford a circle dance on the carpet, chanting “Ya-ya~ ya-ya-ya-ya~” and “Heave-ho! Heave-ho!”,
[Hmmm... I knew you’d do this.]
Biju’s voice echoed in our heads like a telepathic ssage. No, not in my head...
[I was expecting this... but I didn’t think you’d actually do it as soon as I left.]
The TV in the living room chid on as if announcing my arrival. On-screen, Biju pressed sothing and the TV humd, bringing itself closer to us. We gaped.
“What is this, Biju hyung? How are you doing this?”
[Just in case, I installed a nanny cam.]
“...”
[I was worried about leaving you four alone. I’ll check on you from here sotis...]
I nodded to Jun-hyun.
“Jun-hyun.”
“Yes, hyung.”
Jun-hyun rummaged through the jelly bag and flung a worm jelly like a boorang.
Thwack!
The hidden nanny cam fell, and we applauded and laughed.
[Oh! What was that...?]
Then Ji-ho unplugged the TV cable and Biju’s face vanished from the screen. After looking around to make sure nothing else was there, we smiled contentedly and resud our circle dance.
“Ya-ya~ ya-ya-ya-ya~”
Today, the four of us decided to have fun without Biju. Maybe we’ll try composing music before drama shooting starts? It was a perfect chance to boss our brothers around since Biju was gone.
“That’s too much...”
Seeing a sulky Kim Biju, Manager Do Won-seok burst into hearty laughter.
“What happened?”
“I hid a cara, and Kim Jun-hyun broke it with jelly.”
“With jelly...?”
“It’s Jun-hyun, after all.”
“Oh. Right.”
Although he’d been with NewBlack for over a year, there were still monts he couldn’t get used to. Kim Biju practiced smiling widely at the car window.
“What are you practicing?”
“Greeting practice.”
He explained to the puzzled Won-seok,
“Until now, Uju hyung always greeted everyone.”
“That’s true.”
“Today I have to greet people and go up to talk to various people...”
It was exciting but also awkward to do sothing he hadn’t done before. Won-seok laughed at him fiddling with his hands.
“You’ll do fine.”
“I hope so.”
Kim Biju smiled gently and looked away.
“I need to think about how Uju hyung would do it.”
With that role model in mind, before long the Ilsan TBC studio appeared. Our destination was the main conference room. As soon as caras waiting in the lobby followed us, he greeted them with a bright smile.
“Hello~”
A writer standing behind the caraman asked,
“How are you feeling today?”
“I’m really nervous. There are seniors I admire and people I’ve always wanted to et.”
“Anyone special you wanted to see?”
Biju’s eyes flicked. The production staff’s expressions were friendly, and from the script there was no sign of devilish editing. But it was still pre-broadcast exploratory stage.
“I want to see everyone. Each dancer has their own style. I can’t pick an order.”
“Others said they most want to et you, Biju.”
“...? Why...?”
When he opened his eyes in surprise, the writer read from her notepad with a laugh.
“‘I want to see you dance live in front of . I’m a fan. Every fancam makes feel closer...’”
“Aaah!”
“And when they heard the working title ‘Dance God, Dance King,’ the first person to co to mind was...”
Embarrassed, he bolted off, laughter following behind him. When he ca to his senses and tried to return, the staff hurriedly stopped him.
“Biju! Don’t move! We’ll co to you!”
“Okay!”
He smiled sheepishly and followed them. By the ti his interview ended, we were at the conference room door. Voices buzzed inside.
“I need to get so good laughs out of this.”
As I reached for the doorknob, the cara director said,
“By the way, Biju, the bread was good.”
“Bread?”
No answer ca. The director turned away to welco the next participant, and Biju turned the doorknob.
Click.
When he opened the door, Biju couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
[Please take good care of Biju..☆]
At each seat in the conference room, souffle breads bearing stickers of the four mbers giving thumbs up were waiting. Their consideration brought an involuntary bright smile to his face.
“Hello!”
Today’s inner weather was perfectly clear.
First-episode cut of the new dance variety show I-MOVE.
[Hello!]
Biju’s beaming greeting as he entered played back in slow motion. The contestants’ eyes widened as they watched him sit and eat bread and milk, and their interview voices ca in.
[We don’t know each other well, but I almost pretended to be close when he greeted . It felt so familiar.]
Cuts alternated between their interviews and Biju greeting them with gentle eye-smiles. Wild’s main dancer Woo-san recalled the mont.
[I thought, “Oh? He’s in this too!” So I was thrilled. I didn’t know Biju was appearing.]
[You were really happy.]
[It was great. We often bumped into each other at idol athletics events.]
Next, Ran, main dancer of the 2nd-generation girl group Twinkle who is now pursuing solo activities, extended her hand.
[Hi!]
[Hyo—! Hello, senior!]
She grabbed his hands like a teacher, and everyone laughed at Biju’s overly earnest handshake. Then Ran joked that viewers would think she’s old. She cautiously asked Biju,
[We don’t seem that far apart in age... how old are you?]
[I’m ’95, senior.]
[...Gasp. I’m ’88.]
Her startled reaction made everyone laugh. When another senior-generation idol ntioned that even ’99 births are around nowadays, she was aghast. Cuts returned to interviews.
[He was quite the unique(?) guy. He smiled so brightly, gave off positive energy, but he also didn’t seem push-overs.]
[In what way?]
[He had that vibe of soone who’s dug deep into one field.]
It was different from NewBlack’s usual image. When staff asked, “Do you know who NewBlack is?” Ran said,
[Even North Korea would know these guys, you know?]
[Laughs]
[My niece is in elentary school and practically lives on NewBlack TV. She told to get your autograph, or she’d hate ...]
Other interviews followed, similar in tone.
[He might be overconfident, but he just exuded presence.]
[He’s famous for dancing so well. I thought, “We have to be on the sa team....”]
[Even drinking water was graceful.]
[I was surprised because his real feel was so different from what I expected.]
They said Biju gave off a unique, extraordinary aura. On screen, clips showed him sipping water elegantly or reclining in his chair with a gentle smile. It cut against what people usually thought of NewBlack—he appeared relaxed and professional, as if foreshadowing sothing to co.
In the conference room, main dancers from each group chatted together, but even as they talked, their gazes drifted to Biju seated in the corner. They’d co knowing he’d be here, yet it was still astonishing.
‘Why... is he on the show?’
NewBlack and TeenSpirit were considered the top two in the idol world. It wasn’t a setting they’d normally appear on, so his participation was puzzling.
‘It’s strange. I don’t think I’d go on.’
They might end up compared to other contestants, and it seed more advantageous to stay away in many ways.
‘Well, there must be a reason.’
anwhile, those who had directly talked with NewBlack mbers felt a fresh impression.
“Hello. I’m Kim Biju, senior.”
He looked completely different from the chaotic, rambunctious NewBlack they knew. On TV, he’d shown a gentle, smiling face, but with an unapproachable air—calm yet firm, like a respected literature teacher. He stood apart from how he was with his mbers.
“Na-mu~ How have you been?”
“Oh! Hyung! Wishing you long life and health!”
Only when talking with LB of Street Boys did the familiar Biju seem to erge. The others hesitated awkwardly. It felt like a serious manga style replacing the funny caricature they expected, so unfamiliar.
‘I want to talk to him too.’
‘I want to, but... the atmosphere.’
‘He ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ seems tough.’
They’d imagined a warm sunflower but saw a cool-toned flower instead, and main dancers held back. As they counted apples in their heads, missing their mbers, Biju’s eyes beca moist.
‘Why isn’t anyone talking to ...? I want to talk to more people besides Na-mu.’
He tried smiling and saying “Hey,” but they responded, “Uh! Yes...!” and shied away.
‘I thought I’d make new friends....’
As he sat there, pining for his mbers, the door opened and the show’s main PD entered.
“Nice to et you! I’m Lee Jae-hak, director of I-MOVE.”
“Hello!”
“Shall we start with introductions?”
One by one they stood and greeted, and under the PD’s lead, filming began in earnest. He explained the show’s concept again, and they broke the ice over snacks and chatter.
“It’s still pretty awkward, right?”
They’d t individually but never all together. As the dancers laughed shyly,
“To ease this awkward air, the production prepared so very special videos. Let’s watch.”
A projector swung into place and displayed footage on the conference room screen. Soon familiar faces appeared—Twinkle’s mbers.
“Oh! What the—!”
Ran reacted dramatically.
– Kyung-ran! It’s the unnis!
– I’m the maknae!
– We were so surprised to hear you’d be on a dance show. Are your joints still flexible?
They teased and cheered him on, and everyone laughed. Then mbers from each group took turns in three-minute videos to support their fellow dancers. Laughter and warm vibes filled the room. When well-wishes for a fun broadcast ca in, the contestants applauded and cheered.
When the eleventh video, NewBlack’s turn, began, everyone expected the mbers to wave and say hello. Instead, the screen stayed black.
‘What’s this?’
The contestants leaned forward. Then a childhood photo of Biju appeared, with gentle narration.
[Do you know who this cutie is?]
[This is our very own...!]
A proud voice giggled. The conference room exploded with laughter, and everyone’s gaze turned to the corner again, laughter rising once more.
‘So cute!’
Biju covered his face with both hands and curled up, shyly delighted.
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