Free Web NovelUlleung One-Heart Hall.
About five hundred people had gathered at the news that NewBlack would perform, murmuring among themselves.
“Hey! Who is that princess, anyway?” freёwebnoѵel.com
“...Princess?”
“Who’s this princess?”
On the banner above the stage:
[Special Performance for the Princess~]
Before the show, heated debate flared over who this princess could be.
Meanwhile, in the very front row sat “Squid Princess,” nearly driven mad.
“Hey!”
“Oh, Oh Hui-won, you came to see them too?”
“Unni, hi—”
High-school friends and middle-school juniors she recognized had been shown to the front row. Her parents admired the thoughtful arrangement.
“Oh my, they even took care of her friends.”
“He’s so meticulous.”
She agreed with her father’s murmur; Uju’s organizational skill was almost architect-level. Despite herself, Squid Princess felt like crying.
“My oppas...”
She was certain they’d planned to shame her in front of everyone. She vowed if she died of embarrassment onstage, her dying message would include “NewBlack” in all caps.
“Dad.”
“Yes?”
“Delete the message you were about to post in the group chat right now.”
“Ahem...”
She shot her father a fierce glare as he held his phone, ready to announce, [My daughter is today’s princess]. Her parents laughed in delight.
She looked around.
‘Everyone looks so excited.’
At the news that a famous group they all knew had come, the residents’ faces were alight with anticipation—a novel spectacle in their everyday lives. They examined the program booklet and mini light sticks they’d received on entering, chatting and laughing boisterously.
“Ahh, princess...”
Just imagining them laughing at “princess” made her cheeks burn and her heart pound. Yet she also felt thrilled—this performance was for her alone. Gratitude and excitement swelled in her chest as she pressed her hands to her heart, trying to calm her trembling.
Suddenly, lights went out—ta-dat! The audience waved their glow sticks. The singers she’d only seen on TV ascended the stage, and cheers rose louder. Their stage makeup made them look from another world; friends beside her gasped.
“Wow...”
As Squid Princess squirmed in awe, the members waited with gentle smiles until the applause died down, then took up their mics.
“Hello! We’re NewBlack!”
“Waaaaah—!”
“Thank you so much for coming to our special performance today!”
The leader, Uju, wore a calm smile.
“You must have been surprised when we suddenly announced a concert. Right?”
“Yesss!”
“And you saw the banner promising a performance for a ‘princess,’ so you must have wondered who she is.”
“That princess is sitting right here in the very front row!”
The audience leaned forward, eyes on Squid Princess and her family in the center of the first row. Parents beamed; Squid Princess closed her eyes. After a brief explanation of the mini-theater tour and nickname system, Uju smiled and announced,
“Miss Oh Hui-won, seated right in the center, is today’s star of the show.”
“BGM, please!”
A grand fanfare like a royal coronation played, and the audience laughed. Managers handed flower wreaths to the members, who descended to present them to Squid Princess’s family.
“Congratulations!”
“You’ve been chosen as the first princess of NewBlack’s Ulleungdo Kingdom!”
They placed a crown on her parents and a floral wreath and bouquet on her, eliciting loud laughter. Ri-hyeok, wearing a playful smirk, offered her his mic.
“Princess, please share your thoughts.”
“Huuh...”
She bowed her head, her shaky breath prompting further laughter—especially from her friends, clutching their sides. She managed to whisper,
“I’ll change my nickname when I get home...”
Everyone chuckled at her cute remark. Back on stage, the members bantered like comedians.
“But ‘princess’ is a perfectly fine nickname. It’s so pretty.”
“Right.”
“Once someone’s nickname was ‘Soy-marinated Crab.’ At our company, he was an accounting manager, so they called him Manager Crab...”
Viju’s anecdote brought smiles. Then Uju took the mic.
“Shall we introduce today’s set list?”
“Yes! Because we’re an audience-tailored group, we’ve adjusted today’s show for you.”
He explained they had songs from the PBS Classics series and various others, and would draw from requests written on entry.
“We’ve even brought an acoustic guitar, so please look forward to that.”
Uju sat on a chair and held up his guitar.
“Are you ready?”
“Yessssss!”
The members spread their eyes wide.
“Wow—hearing your cheers, we don’t need to worry about today’s reaction, right?”
“I thought I was at a concert!”
“We draw energy from your support, so please cheer loudly!”
The audience responded enthusiastically. The main show began: album tracks and the title “Winter Sleep,” prompting audience frowns of “Hmm?”
‘I’ve heard these before...’
Recently, these songs had often been background music on variety shows—evoking strong winter vibes. Squid Princess and young audience members hummed along, knowing the lyrics by heart.
Then...
“—!”
Every time her favorite, the main vocalist, made eye contact and smiled warmly, her heart felt like stopping; her face burned. Close up she could see his long eyelashes fluttering as he looked and then closed his eyes with a gentle smile. The other members did the same, weaving through the audience, encouraging responses and gifting smiles to individual fans.
“Waaaah...!”
The performance was a triumph. Their emotive singing seemed to make the crowd rise and fall with each phrase—sharing their sadness and joy. Then Junghyun, acting like a drill instructor, demonstrated how to attach the small bell to the mini light stick.
“Whenever we shake it ‘jjal-lang,’ shake yours too!”
“Yesss—!”
Though Christmas had passed, they sang “Merry Christmas,” sparking laughter:
Merry Christmas
We’ve waited for this day
Letter by letter we turned the calendar (everyone!)
As Ri-hyeok finished the first verse, the members swayed and the audience shook their sticks; the bells rang “jjal-lang,” laughter spilling out—everyone enjoying the feeling of joining in. During the refrain “Sleigh ride-da-da-da,” the crowd jingled along, under festive green and red lights that evoked a warm holiday air.
“Now, for our request songs—”
They selected from the requests written on entry—songs they knew.
“Is Mr. Bae Jong-wook, who requested ‘Fisherman’s Song,’ here?”
“That’s me!”
A middle-schooler’s pale face requesting an old song drew laughter. They chatted with requesters about their reasons. Uju accompanied on guitar as applause and cheers followed each selection.
As the show neared its end, Uju announced,
“Now, before our last song, we’ll hold the story-winner event for our princess, Oh Hui-won.”
“Uh...”
“First, we have her permission. We’ll read her story and then sing for her.”
Squid Princess squirmed again as Ri-hyeok received the paper with her submission. Curious eyes darted between her and the stage. Then his clear voice rang out:
“We received a winter-tied story: ‘Every December, I look at my parents.’”
Her parents glanced at her expectantly.
“‘My brother, who is a career soldier, recently got married. Even before, he was stationed far away and only had limited leave. Lately with childcare, he rarely comes home at all.’”
She wiggled her fingers; her brother did call often, but now came home even less.
“‘He’s always been affectionate and playful, and I’m the opposite. I worry my parents feel lonely in winter... I want to be more affectionate to them, but I’m not good at it, and I’m worried.’”
Her face turned shy as her parents reached out, one hand each to hers, watching her with fondness.
“That was like a video letter—very relatable.”
Uju held the mic.
“My grandmother lives with me, and I always wonder how to be closer to her.”
“...Closer?”
At his own awkward question, Uju nodded; the other members shook their heads. The mic passed to her father.
“Yes, we read our daughter’s story. It’s true we feel lonely at times, but would we feel more lonely just because of her?”
“Ah.”
“If I have one complaint: I wish she wouldn’t spend so much time on idol fandom and would study... uh.”
He trailed off, forgetting the singers were right there. The audience roared with laughter. The members responded:
“So that was us, the culprits!”
“Oh, that’s why!”
The maknae’s playful shout sparked a second wave of laughter. The leader motioned to his brothers.
“Well, then...”
“We’re sorry~”
All five held hands and bowed, drawing more laughter. They turned back to Squid Princess.
“And now, Hui-won, your studies?”
“I’ll study hard...”
“Could your mother say a few words? Anything you want to tell your daughter?”
Wearing her crown, her mother took her daughter’s hand and said gently:
“I’m not especially lonely. I only wish she would do her own laundry...”
“Daughter?”
“I will...”
Squid Princess twisted uncomfortably. If there were an eject button, she’d press it and fly out of the chair.
After the story segment, Uju picked up his guitar again.
“We thought long and hard about which song to choose. There’s one that fits a family story perfectly. We’d like to sing it.”
He introduced “Night Sea,” inspired by memories of living with his grandmother. Soft fingerpicking evoked nostalgia. One by one, the members lifted their mics and hummed together. The audience dissolved into the song’s tranquil mood.
‘It’s beautiful...’
She’d only seen this performance on video during the tour; seeing it live was wonderful. Though embarrassed her story was revealed, it wasn’t unpleasant—her parents’ warm touch and the poetic lyrics... like everyone else, they nodded along to “Night Sea.” As the chorus played:
At that night sea
Your scent
At that night sea
Your voice
She even imagined waves gently lapping. The thought that coming to the show was the right choice filled everyone’s hearts as NewBlack’s national tour closed its final stage in Ulleungdo with resounding success.
Although the Ulleungdo show wasn’t streamed on Y-app, the news spread swiftly:
– NewBlack stages special performance for Ulleungdo fan “Squid Princess”
– NewBlack’s surprise Ulleungdo show for their only island fan: “You didn’t expect us?”
– [OH! Focus] “Who is Squid Princess?”—Is Ulleungdo’s squid tastier?
News of “Squid Princess” spread online, in both idol and general communities, often under “The Importance of a Nickname.jpg,” with comments like:
– Hahaha I’m so jealous
– LOL so lucky the singer came to perform
– Became nationwide celebrities
– Idol’s embarrassing love for a fan
– Love you, embarrassingly
– I thought it was a joke—NewBlack?! But it really is!
– “They traveled six hours to perform for a fan...” So heartwarming
– But no way, adding NewBlack LOL
– I wonder if that fan is happy
– Maybe they’re defeated, not happy
– Doesn’t idols spoil one fan, other fans get mad?
Someone worried while looking at SNS pics, but nothing negative occurred.
– Our Squid Princess, crowned first princess!
– Isn’t this a special privilege? Princess! So jealous
– Let’s be NewBlack princesses like Disney
– Before: expected a touching story; after: ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) relieved it wasn’t me
– If I revealed my nickname, I’d go to hell
– Uju oppa, marry me, I’m nine!
– I used to get 0 on math, but seeing this I changed to just math 0
– What about that fan... Ulleungdo only has one high school
While Supples giggled at “Squid Princess,” the heroine herself felt both joy and torment. Her phone’s chat lit up:
Kim Se-yeon [Photo of prince on horseback]
Kim Se-yeon [Your Highness]
Kim Se-yeon [I heard there’s a princess of the umbrella kingdom here—have you seen her?]
Park Seong-hoon [Yes!]
Park Seong-hoon [I saw her with my own eyes!]
At the quip comparing her to Cinderella’s slipper and a squid, Squid Princess fired back in the chat:
Me [Get lost]
Me [All of you get lost]
She imagined classmates teasing “There’s the princess lol” when school resumed.
“Aaahhh!”
NewBlack gave her a memory she’d never forget.
The next morning.
“Ah, I feel refreshed.”
“Me too—so refreshed.”
Sleeping at the lodge, we looked at each other with bed-hair and smiled contentedly. With the national tour finished, we felt clear-headed and happy. The sound of waves—swaaash—sounded sweet. On the Mango Chart we’d check each morning, “Winter Sleep” still held number one. News of Ulleungdo even appeared in the entertainment sections of the papers.
“You all worked so hard.”
“You too, hyung.”
We waved at the faint dawn sky beyond the window.
“Sorry, Supples.”
“Go, Squid Princess—fighting...!”
We packed our coats, chatting with the siblings. Though our midday ferry departure left a free schedule, we had a morning plan.
“Let’s go watch the sunrise.”
“Let’s go!”
“Junghyun, bring the light sticks.”
We and the managers headed to the eastern shore—Korea’s easternmost point—to wish upon the rising sun. Bundled against the cold, we reached the dark beach.
“Light sticks on.” ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
Their glow lit our surroundings. It felt fitting, like a lighthouse as we made our wishes.
“Brr, it’s cold...”
We huddled by Junghyun in our puffy jackets.
“But the view is amazing.”
“Since we’re here, should we go see Dokdo too?”
“Oh, good idea—shall we?”
As we spoke, Mingi, sniffing beside us, said,
“You’d have to ride the boat three hours for that too.”
“...”
“Still going?”
We shook our heads. Our feet tapped; we’d heard sunrise was ten minutes away. At first the freedom felt exhilarating, but as our hand-warmers cooled, thoughts of “I’m cold, I’m hungry” crept in.
“Excuse me.”
A fisherman preparing to head out approached. With his mask and cap, we wondered if he recognized us. We resolved to reveal ourselves with “We’re NewBlack”—
“That thing there—your light.”
“Huh?”
“This.”
He pointed at our light sticks.
“Where did you get those industrial lights?”
“These?”
Taken aback, we blinked in surprise.
