"Thank you so much for today."
After the maknae’s filming wrapped, the director personally ca out to see us off.
"Thanks to you, Wooju, our drama is going to be a huge hit. That cao performance was really..."
"It’s because you directed it so well."
"No, no. This is sothing that only works if talent backs it up... If you ever want to do a project later, please contact ."
I carefully accepted the business card he took out of his wallet, when the maknae beside poked his head out.
"Director, what about ?"
"Our Jiho is of course number one. Do I even need to say that?"
"Right? I’m number one, right?"
I laughed at the maknae bouncing around happily and bowed to the director.
"Then we’ll be heading out."
"Get ho safely."
"Yes, thank you! Hope it’s a huge success~!"
We bowed to Writer Bae Yejin and the staff waving at us, then got into the car.
"Hoo."
As I sank my tired body into the seat, sleep started creeping in.
While the vehicle pulled away, I looked at the lackeys sitting there clearing their throats.
"Crybabies."
At my single remark, they flared up.
"Crybabies? Watch what you say. That was sad no matter who watched it."
"Agreed."
Junhyun nodded, and Biju added,
"Hyung, you acted it way too sadly."
"Did I?"
I had deliberately eased up compared to usual, but the reaction was extrely good.
I think I finally understand what it ans when people say too much force is bad.
If I had stiffened up and overplayed the independence fighter angle, the pressure would have made the character unnatural.
I don’t monitor myself. I just do my best in each given mont.
It was sothing I once heard from Chris Kyle, Hailey’s husband and a famous actor.
He said he never monitored his own work, yet he only ever received praise for his acting, never criticism.
Seeing that so Hollywood actors were like that too... maybe overthinking to the point of headaches and quality weren’t strongly correlated after all.
"Maybe I should ease up with music too."
"What?"
"It’s nothing. I realized sothing today."
It felt like I had truly enjoyed acting for the first ti in a while.
Lately I had been feeling burdened when working on songs. Maybe approaching it with today’s mindset would help.
Relax and enjoy it.
We’re not enjoying it!
The devil is plotting again!
You’re the only one enjoying it. You think we are too?
I waved away the imaginary faces of my producing team swirling in my head like angels and devils.
"Ahem."
Anyway, that was that.
I stretched and turned to the maknae.
"So filming’s all done now?"
"Yup."
Jiho checked his scheduler.
"There are a few more supplental shoots, then studio poster photos... After that it goes to production. Post editing and CG, so probably early next year."
"When the drama’s about to air next year, tell . Let’s promote it on NewBlack TV."
"Oh, really? I’ll definitely bring the other actors."
I nodded at his promise to bring the supporting actors too, but stared into the distance.
I was talking with the others to shake it off, but sothing sticky clung to , like I had left sothing behind at the set.
"Hoo."
As I shook my shoulders, Jiho smiled knowingly.
"The character’s emotions won’t leave you, right?"
"Yeah."
"It’s like that when you imrse yourself. Sotis you feel unsettled all day."
An independence fighter who saw a future of independence right before dying.
It was heavy for a cao, and imrsing myself left a lingering aftereffect.
The maknae smiled.
"Senior actors say that too. To beco a good actor, you first have to be a good person."
"What does that an?"
"Acting starts with empathy. You have to empathize with and understand the character. If you don’t have empathy, it’s hard. So they say you should beco a good person with empathy."
"I get it."
"It’s because you’re a good person, hyung."
I felt grateful for his attempt to lift my mood.
"But......."
Then why wouldn’t this uneasy feeling disappear?
Even his words couldn’t fix this subtle, dirt under the fingernails kind of discomfort.
"Ah!"
It suddenly hit .
The others stared as my eyes widened.
"What is it, hyung?"
"I left my phone."
"......."
The car, already over twenty minutes away, pulled over.
The warm gazes from earlier turned into silent curses.
Ri Hyuk asked,
"Are you sure it’s at the set? It might be in your bag."
"No. I clearly rember. I left it in the writer’s trailer."
"Anything sensitive on it?"
"Photos with Grandma. Photos with you guys......."
The two most important things.
My USBs with songs and pouches were safe.
With swollen fingers, Ri Hyuk pressed a speed dial and handed the phone.
"At least call first."
"Okay."
Writer Bae Yejin picked up. She said she had it and told us to co quickly.
By the way, Wooju.
"Yes."
The contact na says ‘Ugly Looking Kid.’ Who is that?
"......."
Laughter erupted over speaker.
While the others burst into laughter, I slowly looked toward the main vocal.
You rotten human.
His eyes cursed .
After thanking her and ending the call, I raised the phone.
"Let’s see what you saved as."
"Hey! No!"
"Hmph. You definitely saved my na as—"
I looked at the screen.
[Wooju Hyung☆]
The mont I saw the word Hyung, a cringing sensation crawled over my entire body like cockroaches.
I handed the phone back without a word.
And avoided eye contact.
"......."
"......."
The car quietly turned back toward the set.
"What’s this? Our brothers are getting all shy~?"
"Hey!"
"Be quiet!"
Amid the manager and the others laughing, an unbearable silence lingered between and Ri Hyuk.
After the surprise cao.
We returned to our usual routine and focused on preparing for the Mango Chart Awards.
And in between, news kept coming in.
NewBlack ‘TRO’ drops to No. 2 on Billboard Hot 100... “Five Week No. 1 Record”
After five weeks at No. 1, TRO was pushed to No. 2 by Mandy Spice’s full album.
Still, it was incredible.
Our song had stayed at the very top of the Billboard chart for nearly two months.
As I smiled at the news, my phone lit up.
Lee Hyeonjo: Congrats!
Lee Hyeonjo: So you really don’t need a styler?
I replied to the Street Boys leader who wanted to buy an appliance.
Lee Hyeonjo: It’s bothering .
: What is?
Lee Hyeonjo: If I’d bought you a dishwasher, would our song have charted higher..?
I told him to stop talking nonsense and go practice.
He sent a huffy squirrel hoarding acorns emoji, and I chuckled.
Street Boys and Teen Spirit had both made cobacks.
November Coback Battle: Teen Spirit VS Sbo VS Blink VS La Rose
“Sothing Big Is Coming”... Who Will Win November?
Street Boys Aim for Billboard... “Friday Release Reason?”
Street Boys had co back first.
Apparently DNS dia’s CEO wanted a Friday release instead of Monday, aiming for Billboard tracking.
Then the following Monday, Teen Spirit ca back.
With famous girl groups returning too, the charts were chaos.
"The chart’s ssy."
November was packed with idol songs.
With awards season approaching, fans were even joking that agencies should make a group chat to coordinate release dates.
I understood. I rembered overlapping with TNT during our rookie days.
"Let’s see......."
I calmly checked the chart.
No. 1 was Ri Hyuk’s OST.
No. 2 was Scarlet’s Not Fine.
No. 8 was TRO.
The new girl group songs were at No. 4 and No. 11.
Street Boys and Teen Spirit were performing decently too.
"The Street Boys title track is stronger."
"Yeah."
Their title track ranked higher than Teen Spirit’s.
But the B sides I gave Teen Spirit seed to be performing better.
That’s why Hanjo was joking about buying appliances.
My B side tracks were firmly planted mid chart.
The maknae humd.
"It doesn’t feel like it’ll spike up, but it’ll probably stay on the chart a long ti."
"Exactly."
I nodded.
So songs never hit the very top but stay for months.
My Friend and Throw It might be those.
"This is satisfactory."
...Just as I thought that, an article caught my eye.
No. 1 Composer Wooju... Pathetic External Song Report Card ‘30 Points’
I blinked.
Does this reporter even know how hard it is to chart?
Always No. 1 songs but this ti only mid tier. Wooju is all hype!
Must’ve kept the good songs and gave scraps to others.
I laughed.
Ri Hyuk rolled up his sleeves.
"Don’t stop . I’m writing a rebuttal."
"Stop. Piranha."
"They’re talking nonsense!"
"If you get exposed fighting netizens, that’s embarrassing."
"How would they know it’s ?"
"Can you even write a comnt without proper punctuation?"
"Th-that’s......."
I reminded him of our principle: never fight the public.
And today was important.
"Alright!"
I rubbed my hands and looked at Junhyun.
"Are you ready, little brother?"
"I am ready."
"Hoo......."
Today was the release of our teddy bear’s second mixtape.
Unlike the first, which was only on free platforms, this ti we decided to release it on streaming sites too.
Because of public reaction last ti.
Back when Souffle had to promote it manually.
Wow! Kim Junhyun’s mixtape! Why isn’t it on Mango?
You can download it from a free site!
Uh.
Yes!
I’m not that curious... I’d listen if it was there......
So this ti we increased accessibility.
"Hi, Souffle!"
We turned on Y App and sat in a circle in the practice room.
Biju smiled at the comnts.
"Yes, we’re waiting for Junhyun’s album. You know it cos out at 4 PM, right?"
Hundreds of yes comnts flew by.
Jiho held his hand like a mic.
"Kim Junhyun, please introduce your mixtape!"
"Yes."
Junhyun nodded.
"If the last mixtape expressed what I felt about nature, this one expresses feelings from everyday life. Monts spent with the mbers."
"So it’s about happiness related to us!"
"......Yes. Probably."
We burst out laughing.
"Ten minutes left. Please introduce the tracks."
"The first track is Weather Control. Recently when Wooju hyung and Biju fild Food Before Sightseeing in Gunsan—"
"You an Food Before Sightseeing?"
"Yes. You asked to stop the rain. When it really stopped, I felt confident. It’s about believing you can do anything."
He continued calmly.
"And track four, Friend, was written after watching Wooju hyung and Jiho bicker."
Each song had aning.
"What about VIBE?"
"It cos from Vibration. I got inspired while lying on a massage chair."
"Ah."
"Watching it shake made think. It comforts people through vibration. Voices are vibration too. Everything in the world has a voice. Stones colliding, waves."
He smiled shyly.
"It’s about what true communication is."
"Wow."
So like Junhyun.
Inspired by a massage chair, yet creative.
"I’m excited too. I haven’t heard the final version."
Because he kept it secret.
He had collaborated with a few rappers and the producing team, but it was mostly his own.
I don’t want to rely on hyung too much.
So I was curious.
"Wait."
Jiho said.
"If you got inspired on the massage chair, it’s super recent?"
"Yeah."
"I wrote it for fun, but it turned out the best. Weather Control was originally the title, but we changed it after discussion."
Then he looked at the Y App phone.
"Oh, it’s almost ti. Before that, I want to thank soone. Teen Spirit gifted the massage chair. This song exists thanks to them."
"Thank you!"
"Love you, Teen Spirit!"
We smiled at the cara.
And at exactly 4 PM.
At the sa ti.
Teen Spirit gave him a massage chair?
Souffle tilted their heads.
But there was no ti to think.
"It’s out!"
Refreshing repeatedly, Junhyun’s mixtape appeared.
The cover showed his back at a rural bus stop in winter.
[Stationery]
Seven tracks.
Originally ant to be free, now on streaming too.
More like personal music activity than comrcial.
Fan service.
"Heh."
As the titles appeared, I smiled rembering the behind stories.
But.
"Huh......?"
As the songs began, Souffle’s eyes widened.
"What is this."
"What did Kim Junhyun make."
"Wait, this is insanely good."
A groovy, sophisticated sound opened up their ears.
A hip hop rapper’s calm rap wrapped around them.
Especially VIBE.
Junhyun’s vocal in the chorus.
V I B E
Everywhere, your
V I B E
Your voice fills the air
The title track seeped into ears.
Different from previous NewBlack music.
Souffle were amazed.
anwhile.
"Who’s Sweet Potato?"
"Isn’t that the Sweet Potato guy? Kim Junhyun."
As the real ti chart updated, general listeners flooded in.
November coback war.
Artists rehearsing for Thursday’s music show.
"We’re winning this!"
Without Wooju’s songs dominating November.
Agencies fought fiercely for the throne.
"......."
"......."
Eyes fixed on the chart.
[No. 1] Sweet Potato - VIBE
A lodic, undeniably good song.
"Wooju didn’t release, but..."
"A potato did."
"Weren’t the lackeys supposed to be weak?"
Wooju hadn’t released.
Another lackey had appeared like a final boss.
"......."
As the November throne was seized by a potato wearing a crown.
Junhyun reveals story behind ‘VIBE’... “Thanks to Teen Spirit’s massage chair gift”
"Shit."
In a wide practice room, six beautiful boys closed their eyes and smiled with enlightennt.
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