Translator: MarcTempest
Editor: Rxel
Chapter 165
“Hi… Hello.”
“Um. Hello.”
They exchanged awkward greetings with Street Boys. Everyone looked around with embarrassed faces, not knowing where to look.
But unlike usual, there was no special conversation.
It wasn’t because of the awkwardness.
It was because of the manager of the other side, Mr. Park, who was squinting his eyes over there.
He was someone who didn’t like New Black and Street Boys getting along well, even though this was a stage ordered by the broadcasting station.They only exchanged light eye contact.
‘Fighting!’
Woojoo smiled back at Hanjo, who showed him his clenched fist.
They only smiled softly for a moment, but as soon as the other side disappeared from their sight, they dropped their manners.
“Ah, it’s cold. It’s cold!”
“It’s cold. It’s too cold.”
It was too cold.
December 31st.
Today was the day of the live broadcast of the TBC year-end music festival, the last day of 2014.
There was no special schedule.
They would go on stage later and perform a 2-minute 30-second version of Masquerade that was cut by 1 minute.
And then, around 11:55 p.m., they would all go up on stage together and watch the New Year’s bell and cheer.
The schedule was nothing special, but the place was special.
“Hoo…”
Every time they breathed, the breath that came out of his mouth and nose floated like a ghost.
Even though they stuck together like penguins and shared their body heat, it was so cold that they didn’t know what to do.
Every time Woojoo breathed in, his nose felt clear and at the same time, the mucous membrane in his nose felt frozen.
Jiho made a sad face.
“Haah, I thought it would be fun to have an outdoor stage in the past, but now I want to punch myself.”
“It’s not too late. Jiho. Punch yourself.”
The youngest rolled his eyes at Woojoo.
Anyway, the reason why it was so cold was because they were chosen for the special stage in front of the TBC building in Sangam-dong.
It was really cold.
No wonder Han Taehyun kept teasing him on KakaoTalk yesterday.
Taehyun [You’re outside? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Taehyun [Ew ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ you’re outside ㅋ]
He said it would be better than the Imjingak he went to when he was a rookie.
Woojoo felt nauseous thinking about him laughing at the TBC building in Ilsan right now.
-Wow!
The cheers from the audience sounded faintly. The FD who was looking at the stage called them.
“New Black, standby please.”
“Yes!”
Bijoo, who was sniffling, answered. “Hyung, I have a runny nose. What should I do?”
“Me too.”
“I think I have some too.”
Woojoo nodded and suggested a clear solution.
“Sniff it.”
“Yes.”
The five of them all tilted their heads.
Soon, the snot-nosed kids started to giggle at each other.
Ignoring Minki Hyung’s sarcastic laugh next to him, Woojoo said confidently, “How is it? Did it go in a bit?”
“Well, the effect is not bad. It’s dirty, but it’s okay as a temporary measure.”
And…
“Manager, why are you filming this?”
Dowon-ssi, who had been filming their every move with a handy cam, answered.
“Earlier, the Director said, ‘Our kids’ daily lives are sitcoms. Film everything and upload it.'”
“Then I’m in trouble. I’m sorry, but can you edit out the part where I sniffed my snot?”
“Mr. Byun, the video production team leader, you know we love you, right?”
They also acted cute towards the camera for a moment, but soon the FD signaled them to wait.
“Let’s go!”
They looked at each other and smiled brightly to melt their frozen cheeks.
- Not bad.
It was time to meet the audience.
At the same time.
The members of New Black appeared on the outdoor stage of the TBC year-end music festival, which was being broadcast live nationwide.
Snow-white skin.
Five idol members who boasted beauty like flowers blooming in the harsh winter came up.
Every time they breathed, long breaths flowed out of their noses and mouths.
New Black members waved lightly and shouted to the audience on the spot.
-Happy New Year!
As the audience smiled at their words, which they said with a slight sniffle.
Laughter also circulated in the idol community that was running the live broadcast.
-So cute
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ They look like handsome steamed buns… The kids are pale
-Daegil’s friend is also crazy today
-They look like snowmen shivering in the cold
After a scene of the white and fluffy New Black members waving their hands here and there for about a second.
The music came on right away and the members changed the atmosphere in an instant and showed the choreography of Masquerade.
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ What’s with the temperature difference
-Transforming from babies to oppas
-They look like runny nose robots that turn on the switch whenever the music comes on
While the praise for the stage continued, the Soufflés looked at the screen with satisfaction.
When the members smiled in the bust shots or stretched out their hands toward the sky with white breaths, they rubbed their cheeks and adjusted the angle of their smiles.
They clenched their fists.
‘Now… the chorus!’
They waited for that part that would be the highlight, with anticipation in their hearts.
But then.
Suddenly the camera changed and a full shot that caught the audience came out, and the New Black members turned into handsome ants.
-Ah.
Resentment began to explode everywhere.
-Camera director’s address please… urgent
-Wow, I was so impressed by the director who took the helicopter shot at the chorus, I’m going crazy with rage
-I think I can see better from the artificial satellite than this, you broadcasting station bastards
-Worse than Kyuho
But the boiling anger didn’t last long.
Because right after New Black’s stage, a VCR came out.
Two rookie boy groups appeared in school uniforms in the broadcasting station corridor.
Other fans who were watching the live broadcast started to show interest in the unfamiliar VCR that switched from the outdoor stage.
-Is this a joint stage of rookies
-School uniform concept…?
-The atmosphere is like a school drama vs a pure romance comic…?
-New Black is not so fierceㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Even kindergarteners wouldn’t get their money stolen by them
-Guys… that’s the best our kids can do
While jokes were flying around everywhere, the TV screen had a background music full of excitement.
The sound of footsteps came first.
The tense faces of Street Boys and New Black, walking towards each other, were alternately captured in close-ups.
A tight tension.
The leaders took a step each.
“Are you confident?”, “Let’s see what you got.” The short VCR with these lines.
They didn’t know what the concept was, but it was an eye-catching introduction.
-Oh, the dialogue is cheesy, but the atmosphere is good
-It’s nice, but something feels lacking… Usually at that timing, Woojoo would say something funny and make me excited
-Woojoo, you’ve grown up…
-What do you mean grown up, it’s pre-recorded ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Soon after, the stage lit up after the blackout, and the pre-recorded performance started to air on TV.
Soon after, comments praising the stage poured out from everywhere.
Including the VCR, 2 minutes and 13 seconds.
But in that short time, the joint stage of New Black and Street Boys was enough to capture the attention.
Most of all, the song was good.
A 90s song was naturally transformed into a 2010s style, and their ears perked up.
A classic was a classic even after time passed.
Their ears reacted first to the pleasant melody.
Those who were not interested in the stage that their idols were not doing, who were looking at their phones or briefly changing the channel, stopped at TBC and focused on the screen.
Soon after, Street Boys walked towards the center while rapping, and New Black joined them.
In the living rooms where there were families of the age group who knew the 90s songs, they lay down and watched TV, saying a word each.
“That’s that song, right? Fate.”
“No, it’s Sunshine.”
“It’s Fate. You didn’t hear the first part?”
“No, it’s Sunshine”
They soon said that they were right and wanted to listen more, but confusion filled their faces after listening to the latter part.
That was because the two songs were perfectly mixed in the latter part and sounded like a perfect single song.
Of course, they soon realized that the songs were combined, but it was such a perfect arrangement that it caused such confusion for a moment.
And the performance that the two groups practiced with all their might.
They moved so organically that they didn’t look like two different groups, but like a 14-member group, and there was a response inside and outside the screen.
The only regret was the time.
When the impressive stage was about to catch their eye.
In the blink of an eye, the ending came with the two leaders facing each other’s backs, taking a deep breath, and reaching out to the camera.
-What, it’s over already?
-Over?
-They could have given more time for this quality, right??
-ㅇㅇ The time is a bit disappointing compared to the quality
It was enough for people who didn’t care about the stage that their idols were not doing to say that they were sorry.
But whether the stage was good or not, the fans of the two groups felt the reaction on their skin.
They dropped their phones from the sofa where they were reading the comments.
It was because of the conversation their families were having.
“They’re pretty good.”
“The songs back then were good. The songs these days are all chaotic.”
“But it ended so quickly. Is it always like this?”
The families who were saying ‘um…’, ‘uh-huh.’ whenever other idol singers came out were talking about the stage just now.
Of course, this was not the first time for a 90s cover stage.
There were several 90s cover stages right before, but this was the first time for such a reaction.
“What’s their name?”
One thing was certain.
Although it was not over yet, the most popular cover stage in the first part was undoubtedly the one by New Black and Street Boys.
The outdoor stage in Sangam-dong, where cheers and screams were heard from everywhere.
Manager Park, who was watching Street Boys’ stage from the backstage, turned his eyes to his phone.
The comment window popped up.
‘…The reviews are really good.’
No matter which community related to idols he went to, there were only good reviews about the joint stage of the two groups.
‘I told them how much they could do.’
He said that when he consulted with Yoon Seokhwan, the manager of Lemon Entertainment.
They should discuss the stage themselves.
That was why he was not very pleased when the two groups said they would have a meeting in advance.
‘Well, the result was good this time, but…
He couldn’t apply Lemon Entertainment’s strategy.
It was only possible because they had a rookie group that could produce their own music, something unheard of before.
“Ah, Director Park, you’re here.”
As if the tiger would come when he mentioned it.
A stern-looking man with glasses, Director Yoon Seokhwan, approached him with a smile.
After a brief chat about work, the topic of the two managers shifted to the joint stage that had just been broadcasted.
He grinned and asked him, “How was it? Did you like the stage?”
“It was good. The part where they moved towards the center of the stage and all. Well, everything was good, from the arrangement to the choreography.” He added, “I guess it’s because the New Black kids suggested a lot of creative ideas.”
What he wanted to say was this.
This time, the result was good, but this kind of approach was only possible for New Black.
But Yoon Seokhwan just smiled as if he found something amusing.
“That part wasn’t done by our members.”
“What?”
“The choreography, I mean. Of course, our kids took care of the music, but for the performance part, they mostly adopted the opinions of the Street Boys, they said.”
“…What?”
“The parts you praised just now. They were all their suggestions.”
He was dumbfounded until Yoon Seokhwan walked away.
‘Our kids did that?’
His eyes turned to the stage, where his singers were skillfully pulling off the performance.
A bewildered and strange feeling.
He stared blankly until the stage was over, and then the Street Boys came down to the backstage.
“Did we… make a mistake?”
“No, not at all.”
He shook his head as they quickly walked away.
“Kids.”
He started to speak slowly as he looked at the nine idols who turned their heads.
Just in case you don’t know.
Let’s try this once, with that thought.
“There’s an idol show you’re going to in two weeks.”
“Yes, Manager.”
“I asked them to do something special for the stage.”
“…?”
“If you have any opinions, discuss them among yourselves. I’ll pass them on to the choreographer.”
There was a moment of silence.
They blinked their eyes with a ‘what are you talking about?’ expression, then looked at each other and widened their eyes.
Soon, a bright smile and a loud answer came.
“Yes! We’ll do that!”
“Remember, this is just a one-time thing.”
He added those words, but it was no use.
The members of Street Boys were nodding their heads with happy faces, as if they were so pleased with something.
What was the good news?
Street Boys, who were far away from them, were sending them their happiness and gratitude.
New Black looked at each other.
‘What is it?’
‘It sounds like they’re thanking us for something.’
‘Then let’s all make a ‘you’re welcome’ expression together.’
Following the youngest’s suggestion, they nodded their heads and smiled with their upper teeth showing, as if to say ‘you’re welcome’.
The heartwarming scene didn’t last long.
Their figures disappeared from their sight, blocked by the singers who filled the stage.
The time was 11:55 p.m.
Only five minutes were left until the end of 2015.
“Excuse us!”
The MCs who had rushed from Ilsan to Sangam climbed onto the stage. Everyone stepped back a bit to make room for the male and female MCs.
New Black stood at the back.
While everyone was rubbing their noses and stomping their feet in the cold, the MC who took a deep breath started his speech.
-Could the singers who were born in the year of the sheep please come forward? Please say a few words.
The seniors who were born in 1991 started to share their stories about the New Year.
Jiho whispered to Woojoo, “Hyung, Happy New Year in advance.”
“You too.”
“It has to go well.”
Thank you. Their youngest.
The youngest whispered, “That way I can hitch a ride with you.”
…It was a very typical reason for him.
Woojoo also wrapped his arms around the shoulders of the three guys who were shivering in the cold and whispered, “Happy New Year, my little brothers.”
“Hyung, you too.”
“Let go of me. You’re taking away my luck.”
They exchanged warm New Year greetings and waited for the sound of the New Year bell from Imjingak.
Woojoo was excited.
Would their Kim Deoksoon be watching this on TV?
He didn’t know if they would be caught on camera, but Woojoo smiled brightly at the camera.
Bijoo whispered, “Hyung, let’s make a wish when the bell rings.”
“Yeah. Let’s do that.”
Soon, the countdown from the people in the venue began.
Ten, nine, eight… After the shouts passed.
Ding-
The bell that announced the New Year echoed under the night sky.
Whoosh-
As soon as it was 12 o’clock, fireworks shot up into the sky.
The eyes of the people who looked up at the sky were dyed with various colors by the fireworks that exploded like a firework show.
The MC’s emotional speech rang through the speakers.
-Yes! Finally! It’s the first day of 2015, the year of the sheep!
“Happy New Year!”
While New Year greetings were exchanged here and there, New Black clasped their hands together and quickly made a wish before the fireworks died out.
Not more, not less.
Please let 2015 go just like this year.
When the fireworks went out, Woojoo remembered something he had forgotten while making a wish and quickly added one more thing.
Please… please don’t let me have any black history next year! Please!
Woojoo made a wish and hugged his brothers lightly.
The MC who was leading various New Year comments turned his body around.
-Yes, Andrew. Could you please share your thoughts in Chinese for the New Year…
But he turned the wrong way.
Andrew, the Chinese member of Daydream, was on his left, but he accidentally looked at Woojoo while looking at the cue card.
The MC’s expression showed a sign of ‘oops’ when their eyes met.
The singers around them chuckled, their brothers blinked their eyes, and the MC made an awkward expression for a moment.
It was good timing.
After spending about a year in the entertainment industry, Woojoo quickly figured out what to do in this situation.
Without hesitation, Woojoo took the microphone and smiled cheerfully.