Free Web Novel“Grandmother?”
“Yes, I’m Kim Deoksun.”
“Are you really my grandmother?”
Just then I worried some alien might be wearing Kim Deoksun’s face as a mask.
The face behind sunglasses turned toward us.
“Sure am.”
In that comment there was an undertone of “Of course I’m Kim Deoksun, say another word and I’ll unleash a barrage of curses.” The faint aura of swear words reassured us.
“Phew......”
While I was offering a relieved smile, Biju beamed brightly.
“You look so cool, Grandmother!”
“Is that so? I was worried that wearing something I never wear might look strange.”
“No, it’s amazing.”
“My outfit was picked out by department store staff, so it’s nothing special. And there are no flowers......”
When Mrs. Kim Deoksun, doubting whether the clothes were truly nice, spoke hesitantly, all her grandchildren waved their hands frantically and showered her with praise.
Enjoying her grandchildren’s compliments, Grandmother looked at me and said,
“You’re not a sack of barley straw; why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Grandmother.”
“What is it?”
“It’s betrayal. How could you discard floral patterns... oop!”
Jiho clamped his hand over my mouth.
“It’s nothing! You look so cool!”
“This person’s been so tired lately she’s been spouting nonsense. Grandmother, pretend you didn’t hear a thing.”
“If you say unnecessary things, Universe hyung, I might make you lose your memory.”
Midhyun’s softly spoken words snapped me back.
“Mrs. Kim Deoksun is so beautiful. Absolutely beautiful!”
“Talking nonsense... saying things you don’t mean......”
“Honestly, you’d look pretty in anything, Grandmother.”
“......Is that so?”
Mrs. Kim Deoksun and I stared off into the distance. Then a small chuckle escaped her, and we all chatted in a warm, friendly atmosphere. freewebnovel.cσ๓
“But what happened? Grandmother, your clothes are all......”
“Well, I got some money from my contract, and the restaurant has been packed with customers lately, so money’s been pouring in like printed paper money.”
It seemed she spent her recent earnings on various things.
We were all surprised by her completely changed style, especially me.
“But Grandmother, I told you those styles aren’t you.”
“Well, you know what? I thought I didn’t like extravagance either.”
“You did?”
“Turns out I didn’t.”
As she swept her hair back with a finger adorned in a gemstone ring, Mrs. Kim Deoksun said,
“Luxury bought with my own money is OK.”
“......”
“I couldn’t spend your money willy-nilly, but spending mine feels different. I used to say there’s no point in spending money at my age.”
Grandmother smiled.
“It’s super fun these days. People say it’s ‘honey-fun.’”
When I’d earn money and send it to her, she’d say “keep it” and save it. Now that money came directly to her, it was a different story.
Watching Grandmother indulging in extravagance, I felt...
“Hyung, why are you crying?”
“I’m not crying. I’m just happy.”
I felt so happy.
I’d been singing “Buy more stuff, spend more money” for ages. Seeing Grandmother freely shopping and decorating herself warmed my heart in a way I couldn’t explain.
“So don’t worry about me. I heard from the company that money will keep rolling in with every sale.”
“Steady income, Grandmother.”
“Ri Hyuk doesn’t have any friends because of that.”
“......”
“Where are you going again? Tsk, you’re less useful than a bloated fish.”
Mrs. Kim Deoksun clicked her tongue, and we burst out laughing at Ri Hyuk bumping his forehead against the wall. Grandmother, amused, twitched her lips and said,
“Anyway, don’t worry about me. Focus on your own work. They said our official album will be out soon.”
“Okay.”
“I’m praying at the temple so it goes well this time too.”
“Thank you, Grandmother.”
“It’ll be even more successful.”
A faint smile appeared on her stern face.
“Anyway, thanks to you all, I’m happy.”
“I picked good grandchildren, right?”
“Sure did.”
“I love you, Grandmother.”
Waiting for her reply, I gazed at her earnestly.
Click!
The call ended.
“What the—”
I blinked.
“Did she run away?”
My siblings laughed until they were clutching their stomachs at my stunned look.
While NewBlack was practicing hard with their comeback imminent, their soufflés were savoring every incoming teaser.
First up was Part Two of Jusehan’s ‘Let’s Do Business’ special, the show that had recently become hot again.
If Part One was the build-up, Part Two was the full-on gourmet meeting.
JMT, to put it in one phrase.
“I’ll even wash dishes, just let me stay...!”
“I can even mop the floor.”
Celebrities clung to NewBlack and old pork cutlets like ghosts to a haunted restaurant. Alongside that, the cast’s ordeals began.
As Jusehan’s cast continued selling infinite pork cutlets, NewBlack was tormented by troublesome customers.
“Could you sing us a song while the food’s coming~?”
“No.”
“Hmmph...”
“Hey Eunseong, don’t act cute. I’ve got a pork cutlet hammer right here...”
In particular, Wooju shaking with rage at Kevin’s teasing, known as the crazy variety idol, was a big laugh.
In Episode Two, guests came to eat and ended up sitting down to play games among themselves—like the Dooly gang bullying Go Gil-dong, the guests teased the cast. With TNT, Teen Spirit, Street Boys, Kevin, and others teaming up to pester NewBlack, the members took deep breaths.
Thanks to appearances by Lee Gyeong-woo and various stars, and growing interest in NewBlack, ratings were even higher than before.
“Phew...”
The production staff of the competing survival audition ‘On the Stage’ nodded wistfully.
“We have to think of it as the storm passing.”
“It’s a storm.”
“It’s nearly impossible to beat NewBlack in buzz when we’re airing at the same time...”
Even the ratings of the already neck-and-neck national variety show surged when NewBlack appeared.
“Su-bak can’t win.”
No national audition could outdo Koreans’ obsession with food. As the ‘On the Stage’ team reluctantly accepted, others were profiting from Jusehan’s Part Two airing.
“We’ve run out of front leg meat again.”
“Again?”
“Yes, by Saturday the supply’s gone. What should we do? Offer something else...?”
“Then give them pork belly.”
It was the butchers. After NewBlack’s appearance sparked a pork frenzy, people nationwide were trying to recreate the taste.
“It’s selling. Selling like crazy...”
Without bulgogi ingredients they bought pork belly, and butcher shops’ sales soared. Hearing this, the association rep who promised NewBlack unlimited pork supply smiled proudly.
“I knew I was right.”
Besides, how much could those slender guys eat? Even after Jusehan filming, NewBlack’s orders were just enough for a family of five. The rep didn’t know they were on diets.
He just dusted off their commemorative photo frame on the wall while softly exhaling.
“Thank you, NewBlack!”
Meanwhile, the company that contracted to launch NewBlack lunchboxes after Part Two aired was sending out press releases.
‘NewBulBaek’ available at convenience stores... lunchbox featuring “original grandma recipe”
NewBulBaek to launch ‘NewBlack’ mid-month
[Issue Column] “An idol selling bread and bulgogi?”... How NewBlack became the “national idol”
As Koreans googled the company’s stock price, the soufflés who’d been waiting for NewBulBaek’s merchandise launch got their biggest tease yet.
On NewBlack’s official SNS:
[Promotional Schedule for 1st Studio Album ‘Deep Black’]
It was the comeback schedule for their first full album. Concept photos, track list, individual MV teasers, highlight medley, and more. Viewing the comeback map, elegantly styled in black, the soufflés’ hearts pounded.
“Finally, comeback...”
It was like receiving a message that your pre-order had shipped—thrilling and exhilarating. Especially when the first item, the ‘Story Film,’ was released, excitement peaked.
‘Is it related to the world-building?’
This short film seemed to tell the story of the worldview that had been metaphorically woven into their albums. Even before Masquerade there were story films. Fans and overseas supporters had analyzed NewBlack’s album universe extensively. Though the agency hadn’t officially explained, some interpretations were widely accepted:
‘The MV characters are characters from books.’
And each book was a different genre. Masquerade featured a historical ball in a modern city; Nakhwa, where Wooju was the lead, was Korean-style martial arts; Nine with Midhyun was SF and cyberpunk; Biju’s Windflower was post-apocalypse; Ri Hyuk’s Hibernate was a snowy journey. The protagonists, each from a different world, lost their memories and met on a mysterious island, then regained memories by briefly returning to their own worlds. The MVs showed them entering each other’s worlds to rescue those characters.
‘What will come next?’
With each background story told, it was time for the next chapter.
[Story Film – ‘Our Next Journey’]
At midnight, as soon as the video went up on NewBlack TV, the soufflés’ fingers flew over their smartphones and their mouths dropped open.
“Wowww......”
The film’s opening shot of sunlight on sand left them awestruck. A refreshing blue sea and warm sandy beach. Fans of all nationalities agreed:
‘Gyooho really loves NewBlack...’
‘Rich Boldman did well.’
Meanwhile, the film continued without dialogue. Led by two actors whose skills had sharpened through sitcoms and web dramas, the members’ acting shone. Finally realizing they were the protagonists of novels, they decided escape was priority. They found a boat hidden on the island.
‘Is that another tease?’
There was golden Latin engraving on the boat, but its meaning was unclear. Using their abilities, they repaired the boat and set sail. A gentle breeze and friendly atmosphere lasted only briefly.
‘This feels uneasy.’
Though they laughed, the undercurrent between them hinted at a major conflict to come. Then, breaking through storm clouds, they arrived at another island.
“...?”
Landing on land, the protagonists looked puzzled. One stood on white sand; a bit farther away, someone stood on black sand. Then someone motioned for them to step back. As they backed away in surprise, the shot began to pull back, starting from Wooju looking up at the sky. The island’s structure became clear: a grid of white and black squares.
“...!”
It was a chessboard. The screen went dark and a teaser appeared:
[10.17 ‘Deep Black’]
The concept for the full album was unveiled for the first time.
I picked up my phone and held it out at arm’s length, squinting at the comment section.
“...What now?”
It was Minki hyung’s voice.
“I’m checking story film reactions.”
“Can you see them?”
“Chung Hyun said if I focus really hard, I can.”
Mimicking a magic eye, I squinted and Hyung burst out laughing.
“Reactions are good.”
“Really? That’s a relief!”
“Your fans would never dislike seeing you.”
“Is that from experience? As Lisa Joa?”
Seeing him shiver with his eyes closed, I apologized.
“Sorry, Hyung. I guess Eunseong’s been influencing me lately. When kids watch mischievous cartoons, they misbehave.” freeweɓnovel.cѳm
“But it’s fine now. I’m used to it.”
“Really?”
“Wooju.”
“Sorry, Hyung......”
Encouraged to blame Eunseong, I reviewed the story film comments. Just as Minki said, they were embarrassingly positive.
“Pfft!”
I burst out laughing at the last comment. When I showed it to Minki hyung, he laughed too. Our stylist shook their heads.
“Ahem......”
I smiled warmly at the story film comments. My heart had been racing until I opened the comment section, but seeing the good reactions made me feel great. It’s always like this when you release a new album.
‘What if no one else likes it?’
‘I have to pretend it’s good if they don’t!’
‘Turns out only we’re excited.’
This rollercoaster of emotions strikes five minutes before a comeback: despair and screams one moment, “This is the best album in the world!” the next. Having time to think often means riding this emotional coaster, which is why we focus so hard on practice.
“I hope the album’s reaction is good too.”
“It will be.”
Minki hyung said with a smile.
“Even I can tell you’re riding the wave right now.”
“I hope so.”
After saying that, he stood up and stretched. Wearing his signature civil servant suit, he couldn’t make big movements, but he relaxed a bit. This was the TBC studio where Our Family Is Alien was filmed. Today was my last shoot.
“Wooju!”
“Yes!”
Called by the assistant director, I stepped to the center of the studio and was greeted by applause from actors shooting other scenes.
“Hey, it’s our maknae’s last shoot!”
“Her last day today? Lucky......”
“Already the end?”
The alien family, voices filled with regret and laughter, spoke and I waved both hands in response, grateful for their usual teasing. Today’s final scene had some difficulty.
“It’s the last one.”
“Yes, Director.”
Director Hwang Jeonggu smiled and explained the blocking.
“When your family enters over there, you’ll slowly approach and embrace them.”
“Yes.”
The scene was Kim Wooju finally reuniting with his family after decades. Transformed into orbs by UFO beams, ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) they would return to their original forms and agent Wooju would have an emotional reunion.
“This is an important scene, so it may take a while. It’s crucial to the narrative.”
“Yes, Director.”
“...You think you can do it?”
“I can.”
He spoke with concern in his eyes.
“Tear acting can be hard for a beginner. If it doesn’t work, we can use artificial tears.”
“No, I can do it.”
Before the final scene, I’d asked senior actors and Jiho for advice on tear acting. I’d also practiced by watching countdown videos and mimicking their expressions...
“I’ll give it a try.”
“Good.”
Thanking the director as he pumped his fist, I approached the other actors.
“Juseon!”
“Should I ask the staff for onions? When I was a rookie, I did that to help me cry.”
As various actors called out to me, I began to move forward—then suddenly—
“Ah...!”
A question I should have asked the director popped into my head. So I turned and hurried back to Hwang Jeonggu.
Feet scurrying, Wooju veered back to Director Hwang Jeonggu, looking like he had something important to ask.
“Director.”
“Yes?”
“I have a question about tear acting.”
“Sure.”
Calmly awaiting my question, Director Hwang Jeonggu listened as I asked with a smile,
“Which direction should I cry? Left, right, or both?”
“...?”
“I don’t think I asked which side to direct my tears on. I can cry to the left, the right, or both.”
“......”
“Which side should I cry on?”
Faced with the rookie actor’s question, Director Hwang Jeonggu was momentarily at a loss for what to say.
