Chapter 68

Finally, the fan signing event began.

The New Black members started greeting fans in a flurry.

Since they were seated in order of age, the youngest member greeted the fans first.

Wang Jihoo awkwardly smiled and swallowed hard.

‘Brothers, just trust me!’

…he had confidently declared before going up to the signing event.

Now, he regretted his own arrogance when Biju offered to switch places, saying he might be nervous.

Wang Jihoo believed in his charm.

He thought he could easily get along with anyone at school, so he assumed he could do the same with fans.

But…

“Uh, um, hello. Nice to meet you. I’m Wang Jihoo.”

As soon as the first fan appeared, he found himself giving a strange introduction without realizing it.

Laughter erupted from the fans waiting in line.

It’s not a first date, what kind of greeting is this?

Feeling embarrassed and ashamed, Wang Jihoo momentarily asked for the fan’s understanding.

“Sorry, just a moment. I’m really nervous…”

From the line, voices of concern echoed, telling him not to cry.

Wang Jihoo took a deep breath to calm his trembling heart.

But he couldn’t stop the tears from welling up.

These were the fans who had come to his showcase, watched his music shows, and left encouraging messages on the fan cafe.

He wanted to have a proper conversation, chat easily, and show his best side.

But his mouth wouldn’t open.

His mind went blank when he faced the fans.

Gratitude welled up, but so did nervousness, making his thoughts jumbled.

He couldn’t remember any of the prepared words, and his mouth wouldn’t work properly.

Feeling upset and apologetic, he couldn’t help but feel tears welling up.

The fan sitting opposite asked him.

“Are you okay?”

“Uh.”

Everyone was listening.

“Do you have a tissue…?”

Laughter burst out again.

Voices asking if anyone had a tissue circulated through the line, and someone handed him a tissue.

Some fans whispered, recalling his appearance at the music cafe.

“Now I’m okay!”

After a burst of laughter, Wang Jihoo returned to his normal self.

Although he was more talkative than usual due to his nervousness.

“Uh, hello. Uh, wow! Your doll is really pretty. Ah, you brought it for me? For the other members? Ah, there it is. Still, uh… this lion you gave me has the longest fur, and uh, its eyes are like buttons.”

Fans covered their mouths and laughed at Wang Jihoo’s rambling, which was like a broken doll spilling out all its thoughts.

He was just so cute.

Of course, not everyone was laughing.

Suhyeok, sitting next to him, had his head bowed deeply, like someone waiting for the end.

‘It’s over.’

Wang Jihoo’s situation didn’t feel like someone else’s.

No, if Wang Jihoo could be this nervous, how bad would it be for him?

The thought of making a fool of himself in front of the fans made him uneasy.

The more he thought about it, the more he tried to maintain a calm expression, raising his chin.

“Suhyeok, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“But your hands are shaking so much?”

“It’s a nervous tic.”

His hand was trembling as he signed.

He had practiced signing hundreds of times last night, but the result now looked like it needed to be cut with scissors.

“No, I practiced a lot.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I’ll rewrite your name.”

The other person just laughed at his serious tone.

But even after trying three times, the name ‘Sujin’ still looked like ‘sookgi’ (hangover).

This made the fan’s joke about being thirsty for alcohol feel like rain in Suhyeok’s heart.

‘I write well.’

Last night, lying in the top bunk, he had imagined it.

If he signed beautifully and wrote a neat message below, wouldn’t every fan passing by say, ‘Wow, your handwriting is so pretty’?

…But that was a pipe dream.

Another victim of his mistakes, the name ‘Seung’ turned into ‘shark,’ laughed.

“It’s okay, Suhyeok. What matters is the heart.”

“I usually write really beautifully.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know.”

“Really. Ask the other members.”

But they didn’t seem to believe him.

They just found him cute.

Feeling wronged, he thought he should ask the company to post a picture of his handwriting on their SNS when he got back to the dorm.

‘Why do they look at me like I’m cute?’

He usually had a prickly appearance, so no one approached him.

But why were the fans so unreserved?

He was curious, but soon realized the reason.

“I cried while listening to the live performance of ‘Night Sea.’ It reminded me of my late grandmother, and the lyrics really resonated with me. I wanted to tell you how well you sang… Suhyeok?”

“…Yes?”

“Are you okay? Your ears are really red.”

“No, it’s just a habit. My ears turn red when I’m under the spotlight.”

“Wow, just like on the radio.”

It was because of the radio.

Perhaps the clips from the visible radio had spread, giving him the image of someone who looks prickly but is actually a pushover.

While smiling kindly at the fans, Suhyeok thought about not letting the youngest member off when he got back to the dorm.

Meanwhile.

Unlike the youngest member’s rambling and the junior line’s blazing ears, the senior line was relatively calm.

“Hello.”

Kim Jonghyun greeted the fans calmly.

But the fans who received his greeting all flinched.

‘I’m not scary, am I?’

To reassure the fans, Kim Jonghyun started talking about various things.

Though his conversation skills were lacking, the fans seemed to understand his sincerity and soon felt comfortable with him.

Unlike the junior line, who was so nervous that he needed to be calmed down, Kim Jonghyun appeared calm.

At least on the surface.

But beneath the calm, a storm was raging.

-We must think before we speak.

-Right, don’t say anything strange.

-Jonghyun, don’t forget to smile at the fans. You look scary when you’re quiet.

Following the members’ earnest advice, he was doing his best.

He smiled hard at the fans.

Every time he spoke, he desperately tried to find the right words for the situation.

“Wow, you’re so slim!”

“Me?”

“Yes! You look really slim. In the videos, you looked so big, but in person, you’re really slim.”

“Oh.”

What should I say?

Kim Jonghyun’s brain went into overdrive.

Finally, he found the right words.

“I’m actually only 66 kilograms.”

“Wow, at that height?”

The reaction wasn’t bad.

Sometimes the conversation veered off into unexpected directions, but the fans laughed and enjoyed it, as if they were used to it.

It was fortunate.

Kim Jonghyun sighed in relief and glanced at the next fan.

‘Those two are fine.’

The always calm Kim Biju and the capable Sunwoo Ju were no cause for worry.

Moreover, they didn’t show any signs of nervousness.

Of course, this was also an illusion.

‘Oh… it’s a fan.’

Kim Biju’s mind was several times more chaotic than usual, despite his calm smile.

What should I say?

If I call them ‘unnie’ right away, would that be rude?

What should I call them?

What if I call them wrong and they get upset?

While all these thoughts swirled in his head, Kim Biju smiled calmly.

“Hello.”

The fans looked at him in amazement.

Unlike Kim Jonghyun, who showed some signs of nervousness, Kim Biju appeared completely calm.

Of course, his mind was a mess.

He had been managing his expressions and the atmosphere at home since his younger brother was sick.

The fans thought he looked mature, but only for a moment.

Occasionally, his true age showed through.

“Wow, this is the post-it note.”

“Surprised?”

“Yes, I’m really surprised. So, you write on this and I respond?”

“Yeah.”

As he checked the multiple-choice questions and wrote detailed answers, the fans smiled.

It was as if his personality was showing through.

He was the member who practiced the most in the practice videos, and he acted with the seriousness and dedication that his younger members often teased him for.

And.

Whenever he made a mistake, his calm face disappeared, and he showed the same expression as the other members.

“Oops, I’m so sorry. I think I messed up the signing.”

He was in the middle of explaining the secret to the kimchi fried rice that the members had been eating like crazy in the reality show.

Seeing someone grab their wrist with their other hand to steady their signing, he immediately applied the technique.

Kim Jonghyun just gave up, thinking he couldn’t follow.

Kim Biju noticed how long the other person paused between eye contact and immediately followed suit.

And.

Whenever he felt himself improving, he couldn’t help but look at the other person in amazement.

After all, the person who was initially as mistake-prone as him had become so skilled in no time.

Of course, he couldn’t follow everything the other person did.

“Jonghyun, I love ‘Night Sea’ so much, I listened to it on the way here.”

“Oh, really?”

The members flinched at his words.

-‘Oh, really?’ or ‘Oh, that’s nice’ are absolutely forbidden. Fans prepare their words in advance. If you say ‘Oh, that’s nice,’ it will feel like a letdown.

But even though he made the same mistake, his way of handling it was different.

Sunwoo Ju looked up at the fan.

Then he smiled.

It was a familiar expression, the one that had become famous during the album photo shoot.

“What did you like about ‘Night Sea’?”

…he continued naturally.

The fan’s reaction to this smile was very positive.

A warm and touching ending.

But the members’ gazes toward the leader grew increasingly cold.

‘You’re using your face, Juhyuk.’

‘Hmph…’

‘You’re covering with your face. That guy.’

‘Wow, you’re shamelessly using your face.’

They cherished and loved their leader, but sometimes he was just annoying.

* * *

Because Taehyun said something unnecessary…

I felt the members’ gazes on me and straightened my posture.

It wasn’t just about doing well, but I thought that if I wavered, our juniors would waver too, so I was more alert than usual.

Just as I was steeling myself.

An album was placed in front of me.

A black cover with ‘First Chapter’ written in silver, like a fancy hardcover book.

Biju and the fan started talking.

My heart was pounding.

My mouth was dry, and cold sweat was seeping through my palms.

Every time a fan came, my mind went blank.

What would be a good message?

I shook my head, thinking of various messages.

Right. I should be sincere.

Sincerely.

I tried to calm my trembling jaw muscles and waited for the next fan.

Finally, when the seat in front of me was filled.

I recalled Taehyun’s advice.

-When you meet fans for the first time, you’ll be at a loss for words. There’s no title. When that happens, call them ‘unnie’ in a friendly way. If they look young, just use polite language.

So I smiled and greeted them.

“Hello, unnie.”

But the fan’s reaction was strange.

The person hesitated for a moment before speaking carefully.

“Oppa…”

Oppa?

“I’m sixteen.”

Oops.

The fan manager behind the line chuckled.

“Uh… that.”

“Yes.”

“Sixteen? What year were you born…?”

“1999.”

“Oh, you’re a 1999er. I’m a 1993er.”

My mind was a mess.

I didn’t even know what I was saying.

“Um, uh, so you must have seen the 2002 World Cup.”

“At four years old…?”

Laughter erupted around me.

Somehow, I was the awkward one, even though I was the singer and they were the fans.

The fans opposite me were like paintings in an art gallery, and I felt like I wanted to stare at them for hours, have lunch, and then come back to look at them until the gallery closed.

But time was limited.

The fans, during their given time, tried their best to engrave the singers’ appearances in their minds.

The trembling eyelashes.

The shy and bashful expressions.

Even their breathing.

Of course, they didn’t know that the New Black members were internally grimacing.

‘Why are they looking at me? Did I make a mistake again?’

‘Wow, look at those eyes. They’re really beautiful…’

It was a constant case of miscommunication between the singers and the fans during the signing event.

However, the affection in the fans’ gazes wasn’t just because of the members’ looks.

‘This is why some people only follow rookies.’

Those who had followed established groups were amazed by this new scene.

Was it innocence?

It was a sensitivity that could only be felt during the rookie days.

They made mistakes, felt embarrassed in front of the fans, and their unpolished sincerity came through in every word.

This sincerity usually evoked warm, touching emotions.

Of course, they knew this wouldn’t last forever.

Like all idols, New Black would become more skilled professionals over time.

They would eventually become distant, like stars.

But during this event, no one felt that way.

It was like watering a growing tree.

Every time the fans showed a small interest, sincere and genuine leaves sprouted, and the fans smiled contentedly.

It was a precious time that they wouldn’t trade for anything.

And.

When the fans reached the end of the table.

They extended their hands to those who were swallowing their unspoken words and unasked questions with regret.

“Thank you so much for coming today.”

As the fans left, Ju held their hands and handed out gifts.

A picture of animals resting under a tree, with an eco-bag that read ‘From The New Black’ underneath.

A gift made by his singer.

With a sense of relief, the fans’ faces lit up with smiles as they received the gifts.