Chapter 25

The stage lights came on, revealing the set.

Two benches.

The New Black members were seated separately on each bench.

On the left were Kim Bijoo and Kim Jung-hyun.

On the right, Seon Woo-ju sat holding an acoustic guitar.

As his long, white fingers moved, the clear sound of the guitar began, starting the accompaniment to the song.

At the same time, subtitles appeared on the TV screen.

[Chang So-won X New Black - Something]

The promotional team members of Lemon Entertainment were exclaiming in admiration.

"Wow, Seon Woo-ju."

"I only heard he could play the guitar, but I didn't know he was this good. When did he practice?"

"He's always been good with instruments. It's a family thing."

"Is he really that good? Honestly, after three months of lessons, anyone can play like that."

"Sure, sure."

"No, I'm serious."

"Well, at least he won't have to worry about going hungry anywhere. His face is doing all the work."

Seon Woo-ju's appearance on the broadcast was quite impressive.

A man sitting with his legs crossed, playing the guitar.

His handsome face, combined with full makeup, created a beauty that surpassed most actors.

It was a close-up shot that could elicit an "Oh" of admiration.

The scene then transitioned.

Two men and two women stood in front of the three men sitting on the benches.

Chang So-won and Seo Ri-hyuk.

The man and woman, dressed like college students, looked at each other.

The first verse was smoothly delivered by Chang So-won as she approached Seo Ri-hyuk.

Her skilled stage presence and vocal abilities, along with her gentle delivery of the lyrics.

You don't know my heart, I don't know yours

But you know, don't you

Our relationship is still unripe

Something flows between us

It was a soft song.

The gentle melody and refreshing vocals made the audience gasp in admiration, evoking memories of a first love without people around.

A slightly pouting song.

But not in an annoying way.

It was a message to a man who didn't understand her heart.

As Chang So-won slightly lowered the microphone, the part passed to Seo Ri-hyuk.

An icy expression.

A demeanor that seemed both proud and sharp, like winter snow.

But when his part finally came, it felt as if winter had passed and spring had arrived.

The coldness vanished, and a warm, gentle smile appeared on his face. The voice that flowed through the microphone was like a spring breeze.

At first, I thought it was a spring breeze

Not the flower petals on my shoulder

Who are you, tickling my heart

You said we're just friends, but I'm different

His voice was so stable that it was hard to believe he was a rookie.

I'm still confused about what we are

So—

Chang So-won and Seo Ri-hyuk held the microphones together and looked at each other.

The loving gaze of a couple in a crush.

From today, I'll be in a crush with you

I'll catch you, who seems almost catchable

I'll close the gap between us

I'll catch your hand, which seems almost catchable

I'll walk the tightrope between love and friendship

From the second part, the other New Black members also joined in.

-It sounds even better live.

-But the others only do the chorus, not the main vocals?

-If that's the case, why not just have the two of them perform? 😂

-We knew Chang So-won was good, but these guys are amazing too... They harmonize so well.

While some wondered why the other New Black members were there, the reaction was positive both online and offline.

After all, "Something" was currently the hottest hit.

Regardless of the members' participation, Chang So-won and Seo Ri-hyuk's live performance was saving the show.

Of course, there was a reason why the parts were heavily weighted towards the main vocalist, Seo Ri-hyuk.

Initially, the parts were divided equally.

Following the spirit of egalitarianism, they divided the parts equally and recorded.

Everything was perfect.

Each member's unique vocal style was excellent, and the song as a whole was harmonious.

However, after listening to the final version, both the New Black members and Chang So-won had to redistribute the parts.

Chang So-won's comment.

"However you look at it, I don't seem like someone who's managing a harem, do I?"

That was the problem.

The song's quality was impeccable, but the theme of a crush was overlooked, leading to an issue.

A crush.

The push and pull between a man and a woman.

With four distinctive male vocalists appearing with one woman, it created an odd atmosphere.

It seemed like the woman was simultaneously flirting with four men.

And the other four men were caught in the harem, saying they were in a crush with the woman.

So, they had to redistribute the parts.

One man and one woman.

The result was the current "Something."

From today, I'll be in a crush with you

I'll catch you, who seems almost catchable

I'll close the gap between us

I'll catch your hand, which seems almost catchable

I'll walk the tightrope between love and friendship

As we added harmonies to the chorus, I smiled.

* * *

The tension eased after the debut performance.

I was so nervous that I almost bumped into a boy group waiting to go on stage as I walked down to the backstage with my guitar.

Thanks to Jung-hyun grabbing the back of my neck, I avoided an accident.

Not only was I relieved, but the other members were too. Especially Ri-hyuk, who looked like his soul had been drained as he lay sprawled out.

"You did great, kids!"

Chang So-won hugged each of us as we returned to the waiting room.

But she was also exhausted, drinking water in large gulps while slumping on the sofa.

Her slightly flushed face.

The spotlight and the heat of the stage had brought a blush to her cheeks.

The same went for Ri-hyuk.

"You did great, Ri-hyuk."

"What do you mean, 'great'?"

"You were great. I was worried you'd be nervous all morning, but you were flying on stage. You really made the debut performance shine."

"When was I nervous? What's with everyone laughing?"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Especially the youngest member, who was grinning with a mocking smile.

Who was it that said they had a stomachache and sat in the bathroom for 20 minutes this morning?

Trying to act cool, but the red blush on his pale face made him look cute.

Like a fierce child who had put on their mother's makeup wrong.

So-won, the senior, chimed in with a laugh.

"You did the best, Ri-hyuk."

As Ri-hyuk was completely charmed by her praise, something light landed on my shoulder.

"Bro, I'm so sleepy."

"Ji-ho, you can't sleep now. Your face will swell."

"Just for five minutes."

"No way."

He tried to sleep despite my shoulder shaking.

He's the kind of person who can sleep in a trench with bullets flying by, using his helmet as a pillow.

"But your head is really light."

"Is that an insult or a compliment?"

"It's a compliment. You're lighter than most girls."

"Huh? How do you know the weight of a girl's head?"

At that, the others turned their gazes like hyenas.

Their eyes exchanged a conspiratorial look in 0.1 seconds.

"This bro used to party a lot. A lot."

"Come on, how many shoulders have you been on?"

"Looks like 'Something' was about you."

"Really? The lyrics were about you, leader?"

Curious, Chang So-won asked, and I waved my hands in denial.

These guys are really something.

I laughed in exasperation and picked up a snack from the table.

"Oh, this is delicious."

"Look at him trying to change the subject."

"Really. Try it, guys."

It really is delicious.

I handed out some unusual snacks to my juniors.

Everyone had a similar reaction.

"What is this, senior?"

"Oh, that."

Chang So-won explained.

"It's a dessert called soufflé."

"Soufflé."

I remembered the name, thinking I should try it later.

Without imagining what it would lead to.

* * *

The time to decide the number one candidate.

As the show was about to end, Chang So-won and our members went on stage.

TNT was standing next to us.

Some people looked surprised when they saw me, probably because of what Han Tae-hyun had said.

We exchanged glances and stood in front of the camera.

Front row.

Surrounded by seniors, we naturally felt a bit intimidated.

"This week's Music On number one candidates are TNT's 'Blink' and Chang So-won and New Black's 'Something.'"

The atmosphere was tense.

Especially with the massive number of TNT fans in the front rows. Most of the visible placards were from TNT's fanbase.

"Digital music score, preference score, broadcast score, album score. So, who will be the number one?"

If we were watching on TV, a comparison window would have appeared with various scores, but we couldn't see anything.

We were waiting for the MC's voice.

"Yes, Chang So-won and New Black's 'Something'! Congratulations!"

Hearing "Something," it felt like time had stopped.

My heart was pounding so loudly in my ears.

Confetti fell from the sky.

Was