Free Web Novel“The shoot that day ended successfully.
The moment I climbed out of the tank and saw Director Yoo and Jung-hyun on the monitor, I felt a wave of relief and thought, “Ah, this is it.”
It was a spectacular shot by anyone’s standards.
A handsome man gliding through the water with gentle arm movements and a serene expression naturally drew gasps.
“Wow, he looks like the Dolphin Prince.”
At our maknae’s sincere compliment, laughter burst out.
I asked Jung-hyun what I’d been curious about.
“Jung-hyun, how did you learn to swim like that?”
“Ah.”
He answered in a calm voice.
“When I told my father I wanted to be a rapper, he wasn’t thrilled. In middle school, he’d always say he wouldn’t pass the land on to me. He’d tell me not to even dream of farming.”
“And so...?”
“I decided I’d chase rapping as a dream, and if it didn’t work out, I’d become a fisherman.”
“A fisherman?”
We blinked in surprise, then all burst out laughing, clutching our stomachs.
A fisherman.
It was the last answer we could’ve imagined.
When Jung-hyun seriously added, “I might drown otherwise,” we laughed again.
After the shoot wrapped, we even laughed at Mingi-hyung’s joke, calling Jung-hyun “the dolphin saving people,” and the mood was light.
With that spectacular finish, we swiftly completed the remaining story film scenes and the visual work’s final stages.
The music video came together quickly, too.
Because we’d been shooting bits here and there for a month, only the choreography cuts remained, so there wasn’t much left to do.
The only surprise was how long the actual shoot took.
Director Yoo Geon, famed for stunning visuals in the Magic School CF that had left netizens breathless, was an aesthete who loved beauty, and he adored our choreography.
He’d say, “Oh my, we have to get this on film.”
So we shot the same scenes countless times from every angle.
Honestly, it was exhausting, but the anticipation of the final product kept us going.
I was so eager to see how this music video—with far more budget and effort than the Everdream CF—would turn out.
Before long, the first edit arrived at the company, but we saved it for later enjoyment.
If we’d seen the process early, the final cut might’ve felt less special.
Above all, I wanted us Soufflés to see it together.
“Okay, but guys. Can’t we just watch it normally?”
“No can do. Hyung must watch it.”
We parked Mingi-hyung in the editing suite and played the first cut for him.
As the music rolled, we listened to his “hmm,” “ooh,” and “ah,” then glanced at each other, grinning, “Looks like he likes it.”
“Hyung, how is it? Do you really like it?”
“Yeah. It’s good.”
He smiled and nodded.
“It seems solid. Very stylish... I think reactions will be strong. Like Sugarfish’s fourth album MV.”
“Ooh.”
We got excited at the praise.
As Mingi-hyung rose, smiling, he seemed to recall something and shared new news.
“By the way, you know a new member’s joining our team tomorrow, right? He’s new to the entertainment world, so treat him well.”
“Yes!”
“He seems tougher than he looks, though.”
We nodded enthusiastically.
The next morning.
We descended from our dorm and climbed into the vehicle, then faced the new face in the passenger seat.
He looked like Zhang Fei from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
“Hello. I’m Do Won-seok.”
“...Uh, hello.”
We exchanged awkward greetings with our new road manager.
“Nice to meet you.”
He gave us a grin that somehow felt menacing.
Ri-hyuk, true to his cowardly reputation, froze completely.
With his massive build and fierce features—and having passed a grueling open recruitment—I remembered what staff had said:
I marveled at the staff’s foreshadowing.
Seated beside him, I watched Mingi-hyung chat with the new manager.
Actually, it wasn’t our first meeting.
I’d seen him once at the airport when we picked up Clay.
Back then, I never imagined he’d be our manager.
I hoped it wasn’t him.
But soon enough, I learned that despite his fierce looks, he was incredibly kind.
He’d address us politely—“Ji-ho-ssi, Woo-ju-ssi”—and his phone’s wallpaper was a cat photo.
As Biju firmly declared, “Anyone who likes cats can’t be bad.”
“But hyung, in movies, villains always pet cats on chairs, right?”
“Hmm... Maybe I’m wrong.”
“Don’t let Ji-ho’s nonsense persuade you, Biju-hyung.”
Meanwhile, I quietly pocketed my phone.
I’d meant to show a photo of Grandma Kim Deok-soon’s cat Nabi, but the only one at hand was a dim, creepy shot of Grandma stroking a cat in the dark.
“......”
In any case, our new road manager was an unusual character.
I wondered if he’d majored in physical education like Mingi-hyung, but he said he graduated from a normal university life and knew no martial arts or sports.
Oddly enough, that seemed to work in his favor.
After all, using force to protect us is a bodyguard’s job; a manager must never use strength.
Even if someone attacked us, one counterstrike caught on camera could turn the industry upside down.
Still, his fierce appearance was helpful in practice.
It made us feel safe when walking outside the company.
Of course, passersby paid no mind, but it gave us peace of mind.
He was a welcome new connection in every way.
While our team ramped up comeback preparations with the new member on board, the idol fandom world buzzed with excitement.
It was because of TNT’s comeback.
Having just finished a tour in four Asian countries plus North America and Europe, TNT’s repackaged album news set the music world alight.
Entertainment news ran daily, and idol communities felt like TNT forums.
Every teaser and trailer triggered comment explosions and “MeTube” reactions.
Their comeback date fortunately didn’t clash with ours.
TNT’s showcase on Suneung day and comeback on Friday’s PBS Music On was exactly a week before ours.
Thank goodness.
Our second album promotions began the day after Suneung and ran for a week.
They weren’t really rivals, but it was best to avoid overlap with the “typhoon” that is TNT.
“I’m glad we don’t overlap.”
I muttered to myself as I checked my phone at 11 p.m., Jung-hyun’s snores filling the room.
Lying on the top bunk, I scrolled through articles and recognized familiar faces in the photos.
I thought I hoped both them and us would do well.
Tick-tock, tick-tock—
The living room clock chimed, and I pressed the light button on my digital clock.
11:58 p.m.
In two minutes, it’d be my birthday.
I was sleepy, but I wanted to wait, look at the moon, and make a wish: “Let our second album be a hit.”
Grandma said wishing exactly on the hour on your birthday was good luck.
I’d have called that superstition if it were any other day, but now, superstition or whatever, I clung to it.
Beep—
As the clock struck [00:00 2014-11-09], and I was about to wish upon the moon, my phone lit up with birthday messages.
I had to make my wish first.
...Or so I thought.
“Eugh...!”
Suddenly, two pale faces floated at my bedside.
I recognized them.
Like the ghosts on mystery shows that pop up with a “But!” narration.
Frightened by the glowing faces, I soon realized it was my phone’s light held beneath them.
“Hyung, happy birthday.”
A gentle voice came from the ghost on the left.
“Happy birthday to our old man. You’re another year older. Hee-ha-hat.”
A playful voice came from ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) the handsome ghost on the right.
As I laughed, the left face floated closer and spoke cautiously.
“Ji-ho-ya, let’s keep it down. Ri-hyuk and Jung-hyun are asleep.”
“Hmm? Ri-hyuk-hyung doesn’t seem to be asleep...”
“He seems to be.”
“Wait a sec. Seo Ri-hyuk-ssi—was it really true you were a red-eared turtle in a past life?”
Only Jung-hyun’s snores filled the room.
Our maknae said with certainty.
“He’s asleep.”
Then the two floating faces nodded at each other, then looked down at me on the top bunk.
Another screen lit up: the marquee app displaying [Happy Birthday☆Sun Woo-ju★].
I nearly burst out laughing.
“Happy Birthday to you”
After Biju sang, they turned off the lights and the faces vanished.
Then Ji-ho sang.
“Happy Birthday to you”
Their near-pure voices harmonized.
During the last part, the floating faces reappeared and traded lines, and I covered my mouth to stifle laughter.
I was losing it. Seriously.
When the two youngest finished their surprise and slipped back into darkness, I climbed down to give them each a quick hug.
“Thanks, guys.”
“Good night, hyung.”
Even after they returned to their beds, I kept smiling.
Honestly.
My kids are extraordinary.
Laughing, I finally felt fully awake.
I turned on my phone and laughed again at Taehyun’s “Let’s blow up together” message, and “Wishing for 100 million first-week sales” message.
Me [If I sell 100 million, what about you guys?]
Reply came instantly.
Taehyun [100,000,001]
Taehyun [You can buy that one extra with your profit]
Me [If we hit 100 million first-week, we could hold a concert on Mars]
Me [Let’s do a Mars joint concert]
While sending that, my phone vibrated with messages from the kids.
Ri-hyuk’s talk and Jung-hyun’s text arrived. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
Ri-hyuk [Happy Birthday]
Me [You weren’t asleep?]
Ri-hyuk [This was a scheduled message]
Me [Weren’t you the red-eared turtle in your past life?]
Ri-hyuk [I’m gonna kill Wang Ji-ho, seriously]
Ri-hyuk [Ah, shit]
He wasn’t asleep.
Me [Thanks]
Me [Want me to come down and hug you?]
Ri-hyuk [I guess I’m sleep-deprived]
Ri-hyuk [Hearing nonsense like this]
Me [Better get some sleep]
Me [I think I’ll dream of a red-eared turtle tonight]
Ignoring his profanity-laced reply, I checked Jung-hyun’s text.
“Happy birthday, hyung,” it read, with “This is a scheduled message” tacked on at the end.
A scheduled message from Jung-hyun.
I felt strangely touched.
Sunday morning.
I woke to a startling sight.
Jung-hyun stood before the bedroom door like a solemn statue.
“......?”
“Good morning, hyung.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m your guard... uh, I mean, I’m here to watch over you so you can’t leave.”
Loud chatter drifted in from outside.
Ji-ho and Ri-hyuk were arguing again.
The aroma of delicious cooking wafted in.
I propped my head on my hand and asked.
“What’s going on out there?”
“They say it’s a surprise birthday breakfast for you.”
“...Well, that is a surprise.”
They’d been whispering among themselves, and this was the result.
“But we have practice...”
“It’s your birthday, hyung. Taking an hour or two off in the morning is fine.”
“Right. I can sleep two hours later tonight.”
“.......”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I almost cried.”
“Because you’re happy?”
“No......”
While we teased Jung-hyun to pass the time, they finished preparing.
When they said it was ready, I walked into the living room and stared at the feast laid out on the table.
“Wow....”
Biju beamed proudly.
I wondered if I could eat anything while dieting—but it was all delicious low-calorie dishes.
Next to the table was...
“.......”
A mini basin displayed in front of a black-and-white landscape photo, with a rubber duck floating in it.
“What’s that for...?”
“Oh, hyung said he wanted to see the rubber duck at Seokchon Lake. But we never had time to go.”
I couldn’t help laughing.
No wonder they’d been recording everything I said lately; they’d been planning this surprise birthday event.
“Thank you. Everyone.”
I felt bad they’d gone to all this trouble when they were probably exhausted from comeback prep, but I was happy.
It’d been a long time since I felt this way.
Whenever I opened my eyes on my birthday morning, I’d get a strange feeling.
Not sadness, but a sense of unreality, like floating, as the memory of the breaking news from when I was seven lingered in my head.
I couldn’t explain it.
It was truly strange.
Of course, that feeling always melted away after I ate Grandma’s seaweed soup and we played together.
But in recent years—through military service and the Suneung incident—I hadn’t felt it.
That bittersweet feeling used to last for hours.
Yet this time, like when I was with Grandma, that birthday-morning feeling vanished so quickly—it was the first time in ages.
A smile spread across my face.
“Hyung Sun.”
“.......”
“Ji-ho Hyung.”
When I snapped back to attention, I saw twenty-two candles atop the slice of cake before me.
“Somehow you managed to stick them all in.”
“Be quiet and make a wish.”
I nodded and stared at the cake.
“Chocolate cake, please keep me, Grandma Kim Deok-soon, our members and our families always healthy, and make our second album a smash hit.”
“Wheee—!”
I blew out the candles, then thanked the kids.
“Thanks so much, guys.”
“No problem.”
Among the laughing siblings, Biju spoke for everyone.
“I’ve owed you so many thanks since I met you last year, hyung. I’m just glad I could give back even a little.”
“Still, thank you.”
Then they gave me a gift they’d pooled money to buy: a sleek digital watch.
Ri-hyuk tapped my old watch and said, “Wear this instead. That strap always dangles and looks messy.”
“Got it.”
“While we’re at it, put it on now, hyung.”
I removed my military-issue timepiece and strapped on the new watch they’d gotten me.
I gazed at it for a while, then smiled.
“Thanks.”
I was truly grateful.
“Now let’s eat! Food!”
“Alright, let’s eat.”
Smiling, we began our meal together.
It was our first proper meal in ages, and conversation flowed happily.
Since we’d almost hit our one-year mark together, we reminisced about everything that had happened since.
In the midst of our boisterous chatter, my phone buzzed.
A hush fell.
There are times like that—
When you sense ominous news is coming, even if it’s nothing major, and you get a chill.
“What now?”
I picked up my phone and checked the message.
It was an article link from Seok-hwan-hyung, saying to keep it in mind.
I clicked it, and a large headline appeared.
