Free Web Novel“This is the first time.”
“A schedule this packed.”
“Ugh, what is all this? Variety shows...”
“Jiho.”
When I held up my index finger the maknae nodded.
The partitioned waiting room was a place where we could hear the other rookies’ conversations right next door.
We have to be careful about going on and on about schedules in a place like this.
A message notification popped up on my phone screen.
Jiho [Wow!!]
Jiho [Waaaaah!!!!]
Rihyeok [What is he saying]
Jiho [I want to shout but I’m shouting in the chatroom]
Biju [Oh I want to do it too I want to]
Biju [Wow!]
Junghyeon [Ooh]
Jiho [ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Rihyeok [Wow!]
Jiho [Just the first verse please.]
After a brief bout of muted bickering, we admired the schedule.
It’s packed.
Every day there was at least one engagement.
There were radio appearances every evening and a long list of cable and terrestrial variety shows.
There were events in between but most were fan signs, and there were so few real events you could count them on one hand.
It felt fresh.
Back in March when Something was hot we were only packed with events, but now the broadcast schedule was full.
We all felt proud of what that meant.
The fact that bookings were confirmed this much already meant the broadcasters had finally classified NewBlack from a ‘newly debuted rookie group’ to a ‘group that’s starting to take off.’
Biju [Looking at the schedule I think I need to ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) manage my stamina starting today]
I nodded.
It was pleasing but on the other hand a crazy tough schedule—quoting our Deoksun-ssi—an insanely tough schedule.
Of course, looking at just that you might think it was doable, but there were two things omitted.
Daily music show recordings and the upcoming year-end stage rehearsals.
– 12.11 Mango Chart Awards rookie of the year nominee stage
The thought of coming back after a late-night schedule and then doing stage rehearsals at dawn already made me dizzy.
But I decided to smile contentedly.
I [First of all let’s smile]
I [Isn’t struggling our future selves?]
The younger members brightened at my words.
Junghyeon [Oh]
Jiho [That’s right]
Rihyeok [What’s right about that you guys..]
Biju [Then let’s be happy (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و ]
Junghyeon [Agree]
Soon we started doing shoulder dances in mute before the schedule.
Mingi hyung’s drowsy eyes looked at us for three seconds and then closed again.
It seemed like he thought it was a strange dream.
After successfully finishing our comeback stage on K-Net we had an exclusive interview with entertainment IN’s reporter Oh So-hee.
She asked us how we felt now and mentioned things like ‘the music video reached a million views in 48 hours’ and ‘2014’s best rookie’ on foreign K-pop webzines.
Each time I had to force my expression to stay controlled.
After the interview she gave us the cliché line “I really thought NewBlack would do well.” I was very thankful because she had truly been watching us since our debut.
The article title also came out with a very warm tone.
[Exclusive] NewBlack, first interview after comeback “Still in a daze... want to be more perfect”
It had been only a day but already we heard things like “you guys are going to blow up soon” and “your song will climb up more.”
It seemed industry insiders thought the trend was unusual.
We also felt this was really a big hit.
Yesterday, the release day, I felt disoriented and only after coming to the broadcast station did I realize how well we were doing.
But as we said in the interview we didn’t want to settle for the buzz we were hearing.
Because it wasn’t entirely our success alone.
The album’s success was largely due to the staff and crew and our soufflés who stayed up every night for three months to produce the album.
Above all the most important ten spoonfuls—no, drum-tub sized luck.
Because it was a complex outcome of all that I was happy but also felt greedier.
Wanting us to do better.
Every time I heard we did well I grew more greedy.
Not just me but the younger members too.
It was an opportunity that came around rarely so we could never let it go.
HBS Mokdong building.
Arriving at the 12th floor radio center we greeted with pleasure those we had met once before.
“Hello!”
“Oh my, welcome.”
We exchanged greetings with the HBS production team that Rihyeok and I had appeared with last July to perform ‘Night Sea.’
Then the head writer said we did well on the broadcast and would invite us exclusively for our next comeback, and they really did as promised.
In the radio studio we kept bowing our heads to the managers.
“Thank you so much. On comeback day...” freeωebnovēl.c૦m
“Don’t be so formal. Anyway the singer corner is on Thursday so that’s how it turned out.”
I bowed again to the smiling head writer.
“We were so grateful we brought gifts along with the album.”
“Oh my, you didn’t have to give this stuff.”
“Our maknae bought them.”
“That’s right. So please make us look good.”
The staff admired the maknae who popped up on my shoulder grinning, calling him cute.
I said with a smile.
“But this is radio, Jiho. You can’t see.”
“What? Last time Rihyeok hyung and I appeared on the video radio.”
“That was the video radio.”
“Isn’t it visible today?”
“Try closing your eyes.”
“I closed them.”
“What do you see?”
“Nothing. I only hear hyung’s voice.”
“Right. That’s exactly it.”
“No......”
I burst into laughter at our maknae’s melancholic expression as if the world had ended.
Watching him head to the corner I asked.
“Why is he acting like that?”
Biju said, laughing.
“Last time when Rihyeok was on the radio. He said he did really well and that today he’d be three times better.”
Everyone burst into laughter.
No wonder he put so much effort into his casual clothes today; that’s why.
He had been up since dawn, his eyes like a goldfish, repeatedly taking clothes off the hanger and putting them back, so I wondered what was up.
The maknae sat down and muttered.
“I wore really nice clothes.”
“Exactly, you have to use your heart kindly. You can never beat me, Wang Jiho.”
Rihyeok’s face lit up as he spoke to Jiho.
Meanwhile, as they began skimming the script for today’s broadcast, everyone shifted into a serious mood.
The reason there were so many variety and broadcast schedules was to promote the new song Masquerade.
I don’t know about other talk but the new song promotion had to be done perfectly.
“NewBlack we’re going in”
“Yes!”
9 o’clock.
After ‘Wonderful Night’ part two ended it was time to go into part three, the singer introduction corner ‘Thursday Night’s Voice.’
Ads played, the On Air light went off, and we entered the booth and greeted the DJ.
“Come on in, our little ones.”
Senior Jang So-won smiled brightly and hugged us.
Then she said.
“You guys have grown taller.”
“Wow......”
We sincerely marvelled.
“How did you know?”
“I saw it in your interview.”
“Ah-ha.”
We faced each other and laughed for a long time.
While exchanging updates, senior Jang So-won brought up the joint stage coming up.
“There’s the year-end stage with Mango, Something.”
“Ah, yes.”
“We need to meet and practice but you probably won’t have time right?”
“Hmm... I think the managers need to discuss that part. But it’s highly likely we won’t be able to... I think we’ll probably have to exchange videos to check choreography and blocking.”
“You guys must be really busy too. Hopping from music shows and promotions.”
“We have to work hard.”
Junghyeon said seriously.
“You have to row when the money comes in.”
The senior laughed so hard she was nearly out of breath and we joined in.
Only Junghyeon was left wondering what was odd.
The production staff behind the soundproof glass looked curious about what was so funny, and I thought it was lucky they didn’t know what we were talking about.
As ‘Fireworks’ played as the opening song for part three, senior Jang So-won wiped her tears and said.
“Ah, it’s really funny. Now just looking at Junghyeon’s face makes me laugh.”
“We feel the same.”
And she joked that she had many questions for Junghyeon about the black goat, etc., and said she’d ask on the broadcast later.
After making a promise to have a storm of chatter on-air.
As each of us flipped through the script to prepare, she said with a smile.
“I feel proud. Honestly. That I would see our little ones I met last year get first place.”
We all waved our hands.
“We’re not first place yet, sunbaenim.”
“No. From what I see, you’ll definitely get it at least once, whether music show or chart. And you’ll definitely be nominated for number one on music shows.”
“Yes, I’ve heard about that nomination.”
We did hear that from the company.
We heard that because our digital score and chart trend were good we’d definitely be in the running for number one next week.
Being a number one nominee.
The word ‘first place’ still felt unfamiliar so when talking to the senior I used ‘that nomination’ instead of ‘number one nomination.’
Then suddenly the senior’s expression darkened as if something came to mind.
“Ah, but it overlaps with TNT right?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Senior Jang So-won scratched her cheek.
“Then it’ll be a bit rough. When I was in a girl group, we overlapped with the most popular girls at the time.”
“......”
“I recommend not looking at the internet for a while. You won’t have time to anyway.”
“Yes. I will.”
“Really, for mental management it’s essential. Essential.”
I felt a bit scared at the expression someone made like ‘ugh’ as if disgusted.
Biju pulled out a notepad and scribbled something.
I thought he was probably adding a new item to his to-do list.
Then the PD’s voice rang out.
-The commercial break will end soon.
We all put on our headphones.
It was time for the broadcast to start.
9:05.
Festive BGM played and the voices of the DJ and guests came through.
-Ah ah, it’s not something that comes day after day. This is time to invite guest singers once a week and have one big party. ‘Thursday night’s~
-Voice!’
-Okay, today we’ll bring the artists who will deliver honey-like voices to our listeners’ ears!
-Two three Hello! We are NewBlack!
Inside the booth we clapped and cheered among ourselves doing our introductions while outside the staff entered the event winners.
-Yes, the correct answer was NewBlack’s Fireworks. Congratulations to 5775, 9888, and 3057. We’ll send you a supplement set.
-Waaah supplements!
The DJ glanced at the NewBlack members as if finding them cute and said.
-Wow the reactions are really hot. ‘NewBlack, unbelievable’, ‘Why isn’t this the video radio today sob sob’, ‘The song is good’ and so on. Ooh my eyes hurt. The scroll is going up so fast I can’t read.
-I can read it.
-Oh really?
-Yes. I have good dynamic visual acuity.
Member Junghyeon boldly stepped up saying he’d read them.
-And.
-Oh I read them.
-Yes.
-I forgot.
Woojoo’s bewildered voice.
-Isn’t that too confident?
-My dynamic visual acuity is no joke but my memory is bad.
At that moment Rihyeok stepped up and asked.
-I have a question. Junghyeon. What did we eat eight days ago?
-Tofu salad and chicken breast steak.
-......
Then Biju asked.
-Junghyeon, then do you remember what I said this morning? When you come into the dorm be sure to shoes in the shoe rack....
-Hm? Did you talk to me this morning?
At the sight of Biju flaring his nose with a snort in silence everyone clapped and burst into laughter.
-Hahaha! The snort got on air.
-Today it really should have been the video radio. Biju-kun’s expression just now is something only we got to see and that’s a pity.
-Heh... then please invite us again next time.
-What do you think, PD-nim? Will NewBlack come out again?
The PD watching outside the booth half nodded with a smile and cheering was heard inside.
The head writer who was watching that sipped his coffee and said.
“How’s the reaction today?”
“It’s totally good.”
The sub-writer said while looking at the monitor.
“The comment reactions are totally good. It feels like fans are leaving them but even taking that into account people are saying it’s funny and the reactions are good.”
“Fans?”
“Yes, look at the chatroom numbers. It’s much more than last week.”
The engineer looking at the numbers on the monitor had a surprised expression.
“When did it grow so much?”
“I guess it stuck because of Jusehwan or something. Or maybe there was a lot we didn’t know.”
“This field is dynamic day by day. A few months ago it felt like singers only I knew.”
It was an unfamiliar sight for those who watched the first performance of ‘Night Sea.’
“These kids really grow fast too.”
“Look at him, Ri-hyeok. Even in July he couldn’t speak well and was flustered, but now he’s good.”
“Huh? He wasn’t good then?”
“Wasn’t he?”
“I just thought his voice was so good...”
“He wasn’t. The leader did almost everything alone.”
“True. Woojoo’s expression really blossomed.”
Their gazes turned to Woojoo right next to the DJ.
Unlike last time he appeared he seemed much more comfortable and at ease.
It seemed to be thanks to the members stepping in and out at just the right timing.
-By the way, there was a behind-the-scenes story related to the album title right?
-Yes. It’s my dark history.
A melody from a pig dream.
And when the story came up about calling the company director at dawn the chatroom erupted in laughter.
-So did you eat tonkatsu with the director?
-Yes.... He said it was a famous restaurant and it was really tasty. At first I wanted to eat just a little for pride’s sake but I ordered another serving.
-Please definitely tell me. That place.
With that comment Jang So-won changed the subject.
-By the way, I felt it before but Woojoo-kun’s dreams always come in handy at important times.
-That’s right. So Biju hyungssi, I mean ssi.
-You surprised me. Please watch your pronunciation.
-Sorry. I’m in a growth period.
-That’s right. It’s when the tongue is growing big right?
-Yes, anyway Biju ssi said he’d interpret Woojoo nim’s dreams from now on and even bought a dream interpretation book.
While we talked about the album composition episode, before we knew it it was time to wrap up part three.
-Now, let’s finish part three here and return with part four ‘My Way Karaoke’ corner.
-Channel~ please stay tuned!
Along with that Masquerade played as the closing song of part three.
While chatter flowed again in the booth, those listening outside admired once more.
“The song is really good.”
“It’s kind of like those foreign songs that people like and that climb the charts. That’s the feeling.”
“I agree, it feels like a foreign song.”
The PD listening to the song asked.
“What rank is this now?”
“I checked this morning and I think it’s around number twelve.”
He nodded without a word.
Meanwhile NewBlack’s song was riding the station’s airwaves and spreading all over the country.
Buses, study rooms, subways, etc.
As everyone quietly enjoyed the song and thought the same thing in their heads, the PD parted his lips.
“It’ll go up more. This one.”
The reaction to our first radio appearance after the comeback was successful.
Though we weren’t featured on the main screen, quite a few articles about last night’s broadcast content went up.
-Why did a NewBlack member even buy a dream interpretation book...?
-‘Masquerade’, composed by Woojoo ‘Felt music in a dream’
-‘On Wonderful Night’ NewBlack remarks spark buzz about composing the comeback song
Some of the focus was strange.
-NewBlack Woojoo flaunts old-school vibe on ‘Wonderful Night’? 'All his favorite songs are 70s tracks'
-NewBlack, maknae’s bold revelation ‘Our leader’s clothes and blankets are grandmother’s taste. All floral patterns’
-[Last night’s radio] NewBlack Woojoo’s ‘Try living with your grandmother too’ comment got big laughs from listeners
Today I’m absolutely not going into the fan cafe. Absolutely.
“Ugh, uncomfortable....”
“Khuh.”
“Be quiet. You guys.”
Friday dawn.
I got into the vehicle ignoring the nasty bare-faced monsters who, despite being tired, couldn’t stop teasing me.
Today’s music show schedule is PBS’s Music On.
It was time to reunite once again with long-time acquaintances since last February.
