In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe - C.135:

The stage that had gone dark lit up again.

The first thing that caught the eyes of the Soufflés was the piano set up in the center of the stage.

‘What is it?’

The fans were full of curiosity.

Unlike the other members who played games or held a discussion, Woojoo, who did the live broadcast on Friday, just talked and ended it.

-Actually, I did prepare an event for you. But it was awkward to show you on the live broadcast. So I decided to reveal it as a surprise gift on the day of the fan meeting.

He didn’t say what he had prepared, but on the live broadcast, Woojoo kept sparkling his eyes and smiling contentedly.

That was why the fans had high expectations.

Was he going to do something unusual like the penguin dance he did last time?

Or was it a song gift?

The fans who were looking forward to the second stage of the rookie animal group Penguins were disappointed by the casual outfits of the members who appeared.

But that was only for a moment.

The Soufflés’ pupils sparkled.

It looked like there was something.

They couldn’t see it well from the angle, but it seemed like there was a laptop next to the keyboard, and a strange machine connected to the cable.

The MC left and only the members remained to do the last stage.

In the sad atmosphere, Woojoo parted his lips.

-Really, this is the last thing I wanted to say today… We have to say goodbye…

A sound of ‘Ahhh!’ came from the audience.

Woojoo smiled sheepishly and said.

-Yes, it’s time for us to be apart again. You don’t want to go, do you?

As they answered in unison, Woojoo said.

-We really don’t want to let you go either, but it’s time.

-Don’t go. Stay here with us.

-Really? Should we live here?

The members chatted and laughed for a while, then Woojoo grabbed the mic.

-Yes, it’s really a pity… but we have no choice but to say goodbye. So, I prepared a gift to soothe your sadness. As you might have guessed, it’s a song.

Woojoo sat down at the piano, and the members gathered behind him.

-You know, I realized that we don’t have a fan song for our Soufflés yet. So I made one myself.

-Really. I was stuck to him and watched him.

-Huh? Why are you watching him?

-Well. Why are you watching him too?

-You told me to watch him.

-When did I?

-You did. You said to stop him if he adds anything weird…

-Guys, Woojoo Hyung is talking right now…

-When did I? What time, what minute, what second?

-Hey… our brothers. I’m having this sentimental conversation with our fans. Please focus.

-Yes.

The fans laughed for a moment at the sight of them being scolded by the leader.

-Yes, this is the fan song I prepared. As my younger siblings said, I prepared it by myself, and there are many shortcomings because we prepared the lyrics ourselves. But you’ll listen to it nicely, right?

At the answer that followed, Woojoo’s eyes curved softly.

-Then I’ll start. The title is ‘Starlight’.

Woojoo, who was smiling brightly, soon focused on the keyboard.

It was as if he was recalling some sketch in his head.

What was he thinking? 𝗳r𝚎𝐞w𝐞𝚋𝗻𝗼vel.𝗰o𝐦

When the fans were curious about the thoughts in his small head, his fingers moved gently.

It was a very monotonous melody.

“…?”

That was it.

When Woojoo lifted his fingers after finishing a very simple eight-bar performance, the fans were still puzzled.

‘Is that all?’

As they thought so, the monotonous keyboard melody that Woojoo had just played began to repeat.

‘Oh, what is he doing with that machine…’

Then they noticed that Woojoo had lightly stepped on the button of the machine on the floor like a pedal.

Some whispered to their friends next to them, ‘I saw that on TV. Loop station.’

Seeing the amazed fans, the members standing behind him smiled strangely.

It was a face that seemed curious about what expression the fans would make.

Soon his fingers moved again and another melody made by the keyboard was added.

That wasn’t the end.

Woojoo picked up the acoustic guitar that was placed under the keyboard.

When the two melodies became one, the soft melody of the guitar harmonized perfectly with him.

Then he tapped the sound hole of the guitar to the beat.

That was how the instruments were added one by one.

It might be an extraordinary skill for a professional musician, but it was an amazing sight for the fans.

Because the song was being made as the sound was added.

It was like a pretty and cozy house was being built on a barren field.

And as if the house was for them, the members of New Black smiled softly.

Soon Woojoo brought his mouth to the microphone and mixed the sound of ‘tut tut tut’.

Then he gestured for his siblings to come closer.

As Woojoo snapped his fingers with his index finger to give the beat, the members’ harmony was added as if they were doing a cappella.

A beautiful falsetto, a low bass, and a soft voice that enveloped it all.

It was like the final touch.

As the instruments were added one by one, the colors were added to the picture.

The last touch of the beautiful picture.

And finally, Woojoo’s fingers moved the keyboard again and raised the curtain of the main theme.

A song of gentle melody.

It was ‘Starlight’, the fan song of New Black prepared for Soufflés.

***

Woojoo stepped on the record button of the loop station with a trembling heart.

It was done.

He was so nervous, he was worried that he might step on it wrong and make a mistake.

As Woojoo relaxed, he looked at the younger ones behind him.

The ones with the microphones nodded their heads with a smile, and Woojoo smiled back.

Hey guys, do you want to try this?

It all started when he showed his siblings a video while they were preparing for the Soufflé Week.

A scene of a famous pop singer using a loop station to sing at a concert.

As Woojoo expected, his siblings liked it and they decided to make a song for their fans using the same method.

Woojoo did it by himself and it was a bit rushed, so he wasn’t sure about the quality. He just hoped that their fans would like it.

A spacious live hall.

Thousands of eyes were on them as the sounds they looped together became a song.

It was a melody that felt like a warm darkness.

The notes felt like a gentle and intimate conversation.

When Woojoo closed his eyes, the seven sounds mixed like a rainbow and turned black.

Woojoo pressed the keyboard softly, thinking of the warm and empty night sky.

The lonely and desolate night sky.

Woojoo used the keyboard as a brush and filled the blank space with stars.

He made small and cute stars with a soft melody and added another melody to make them shine.

Soon, a night sky embroidered with stars was drawn in his head.

It was a rather long intro.

At first, Woojoo was nervous by the suffocating silence, but he soon realized that the reaction was not bad.

A strange excitement came from the audience.

Now, the beginning of the song.

A clear voice sang the first line behind him.

If what I say comes true

I wish all the seasons in this world

Would be our time

At first, Woojoo thought about asking a lyricist, but they decided to write the lyrics themselves to match the theme of a fan song.

They tried to put the stories they wanted to tell their fans in each member’s part.

Jiho continued the song.

-I don’t have anything special to say to the fans. I just like them. Can I write that I like them? The best Souffle ever, right?

So Woojoo told him to write that.

He thought it was like their youngest to express his love sincerely and without pretense.

In the dark audience, countless light sticks drew a smooth curve.

When Jiho finished his part, their pre-recorded harmony decorated the end.

So that I can get closer to you

Please remember my name

The second runner was their main vocal.

-Ah, really. Why do you keep looking at me? Are you curious what I’m writing? Please, go away and let me focus. Ah, if you come closer one more time, I’ll… What will I do? I don’t know, so just go away!

He was the one who reacted nervously whenever they tried to peek at what he was writing while playing tag.

Woojoo wondered why, but he understood when he saw the finished product.

In the fourteen lines of lyrics, he wrote in detail how he was grateful, affectionate, wanted to see, wanted to stay together, and sometimes sorry to the fans.

He acted like a cynic when he was writing.

But he wrote 500 words.

While they teased him for being a 500-character villain, he must have felt embarrassed and came back with a compressed version of the lyrics.

A message to thank them for liking him.

The response came back as the main vocal sang the lyrics with his clear and refreshing voice.

It was nice.

It felt like the waves were gently rolling in, as if the seats were dyed blue.

When Rihyuk lowered his mic, their harmony that they recorded earlier wrapped up the song.

If time has no end

It will be us

As it was Junghyun’s turn, he changed the melody of the piano a bit.

-I want to say this. Let’s stay together until the 50th anniversary dinner show.

Instead of rapping, he calmly conveyed his feelings with his vocal.

A message to stay with him for a long time.

Woojoo was worried if it would be okay without rap, but his deep bass voice blended naturally with the song.

After Junghyun’s song ended, their voices echoed through the amp again.

I’ll hug you warmly

Come to me

Their main dancer’s clear voice softly enveloped the concert hall.

There was a good reaction to his voice.

-Hyung. I can’t use this, right?

He came to Woojoo with a list of things he was thankful for, up to 23, and asked him. Woojoo told him he would have to do a New Black medley if he sang all that, and he looked sullen.

He ended up summarizing it as thank you.

After the younger ones finished their songs, each with a word, Woojoo raised the main theme.

It was time to head to the chorus.

After the long night passes

Your eyes become stars

And if they reach us

Woojoo wanted to convey the lyrics that he wanted to tell the Soufflés, rather than his personal feelings, as a representative of the group.

Starlight.

People often used the word star to metaphorize celebrities.

It meant that they shone like stars in the night sky, attracting people’s attention.

But Woojoo had a different opinion.

The light that everyone had was the same for each person.

There was no special person.

The reason why someone shone was because many people looked at them.

It was a thought Woojoo had after debuting in the entertainment industry and seeing many senior celebrities.

Woojoo didn’t feel any special emotion when he saw famous people on TV or people who were said to have a glow in real life.

He never saw any unusual aura.

They were just ordinary people.

That was why he wanted to say that someone can shine, that they could shine, because someone looked at them..

Starlight was the title inspired by that.

Like the word eye-light, it meant the light in people’s eyes when they looked at someone made that person shine.

They all sang the chorus together.

Keep it

Our starlight

Remember it

Our time

The lyrics were so compressed that Woojoo wasn’t sure if they conveyed the feelings well.

That was why he focused on creating the atmosphere.

The first verse flowed, and then the second verse.

When they reached the bridge part, which was the third verse, Woojoo got up and stood side by side with his siblings.

They sang while looking at the fans, and at each other.

At the end, their voices became one harmony and spread in all directions, and Woojoo smiled naturally.

At first, Woojoo sang with technical aspects in mind, but now it didn’t matter.

They made a song for the fans.

And they could sing it here, that was enough.

Woojoo shook off the complicated thoughts in his head and recited the lyrics with his siblings.

“…”

When the song was over.

They smiled happily at each other, and turned their eyes to the audience.

Three seconds of silence.

As Woojoo tilted his head.

At that moment, the lights on the audience side turned on, and something rose like a wave.

“…?”

At first, Woojoo couldn’t adjust to the light, and black dots remained like afterimages, but soon he saw what it was.

They looked at each other and burst into laughter.

It was a slogan event that the fans prepared for them.

From the first floor to the second floor, New Black looked at the slogans and the smiles on their faces, and exchanged happy smiles with each other.

Woojoo held hands with his siblings and they bowed their heads.

“Thank you!”

It was a happy moment that would remain in their memories for a long time.

***

After the fan meeting, the members posted on the official SNS and fan cafe of New Black.

There was a photo of New Black sitting on the stage, and the fans holding slogans in the audience.

[@The_New_Black_Official]

[It was our first fan meeting that will remain in our memory. Thank you so much, and we love you.]

Meanwhile, on idol communities, fan cafes, blogs, and other places, there were posts about New Black’s fan meeting.

The fans who couldn’t participate offline felt nervous.

‘What?’

It seemed like there were amazing things, but they felt frustrated because they only heard about them without any videos or photos.

They said the voice-changed silhouette talk was funny.

They also liked the random play dance, and said that Bijoo’s dance line was so pretty.

They said the official audio of Night Sea was the first duet stage and it was good.

They said they wore suits and danced powerfully…

And they said that Woojoo played several instruments like a genius and sang a fan song.

-What is this, why am I the only one left out??

-No… I want to hear it too?????

-Kyuho, Kyuho, I’ll give you my hair, hurry up and send me the fan meeting video

-I’m a Soufflé, back from the fan meeting…☆ Today was such a happy time… Ha… This full feeling, I can’t explain this joy with words… Ah, the only regret is that the postcard… They only prepared a thousand for a thousand people, where do you find such a thing, Kyuho, really, ah, I’m so mad

Deep sigh?????

??????Stream of consciousness

Today, I really want to take it out of my head and save it on a hard drive…! The cover of Gunflower was also a cover, but really, that… at the end, when they sprayed the confetti

Shift of excitement???

Soon, the official SNS of the agency announced that as the last event of Soufflé Week, they would release the fan meeting performance video and the fan song ‘Starlight’ made by the members for free.

During the weekend, the frenzy continued.

Sunday lunch.

Three men sat in the office on the top floor of Lemon Entertainment and chatted.

They were Park Kyuho, the president of Lemon Entertainment, the head of management, and Jo Gyuwan, the production director.

“Seoktae, shall we order Chinese food for lunch?”

“Yes, sounds good.”

“Let’s get one yusanseul, two jajangmyeon… Gyuwan, what do you want?”

“I’ll have dumplings.”

The three men who had been together since the beginning of the company chose the menu amicably, and the head of management called the Chinese restaurant.

Meanwhile, the CEO read the report on the fan meeting sales and smiled with satisfaction.

“Record-breaking sales.”

“That’s why these days, the planning companies only raise idols, President. It takes a long time to make this kind of profit with actors…”

The head of management, who managed the actors, answered as if he was impressed, and Director Jo just smiled from across.

The President said, “By the way, these days, we’re getting some interest from foreign investors regarding our kids’ second album. What do you think, Gyuwan?”

“Did they reveal the reason for the investment?”

“Well, these days, the Korean wave is popular and all. They said they want to get a foot in the door with a promising group… I can’t tell what their real intentions are. It’s hard to ignore them when the amount is big.”

The head of management opened his mouth wide at the amount that came out of the President’s mouth.

Jo Gyuwan calmly answered.

“I think it’s better to refuse.”

“Why?”

“Big money without a reasonable reason will be a trap. Foreign investors have a different perspective on us and the entertainment industry. If we get caught, the album concept will be ruined.”

“Right… Well, I also refused for that reason.”

The President nodded as if he agreed with his judgment.

After talking about the movies, dramas, and commercials of the company’s actors, New Black came up again.

Director Jo cleared his throat.

“It’s about the second album choreography. I asked a famous foreign dancer, but the price is a bit…”

“What, is money important? How much is it?”

“Look here.”

“One hundred million, one billion…”

“…”

“Gyuwan, is the choreography price usually this expensive?”

Jo Gyuwan nodded his head coolly.

“It could have been cheaper, but DNS said they had their eyes on this dancer for the next album of Street Boys…”

“Give it to me, let me sign it.”

The payment was completed right away.

As the budget for New Black’s second album was adjusted one by one, the President’s face turned pale as he thought of the total amount.

“…”

He reached for the phone, trembling.

“Should I call now and ask them to take out yusanseul?”

“It’s too late.”

The producer of New Black willingly took out his wallet and said, “I’ll pay for it.”

The CEO smiled gratefully, and Director Jo said in a quiet voice again, “By the way, there’s also the matter of New Black’s costumes this time.”

While the New Black members were working and laughing together on the second floor, the preparations for the music video and costumes of the second album were going on step by step in the office on the top floor.