Chapter 1084: I am New Black, Class of ’18 (8)

There was a saying people used all the time.

Your complexion.

"Your face looks kind of gray today... Are you okay?"

"Wow, ever since you got a boyfriend, you're positively glowing!"

"You've finally got some color back in your face."

The color of a person's face.

A visible sign of health, vitality, and overall condition.

At that moment, I was staring at a human being whose complexion had reached a level of radiance that bordered on the supernatural.

"Junghyun."

"Yes?"

"You... seem incredibly radiant today."

"Heheh."

Junghyun let out a thoroughly satisfied laugh.

All of us had gathered around him, marveling.

"Wow."

The youngest stretched out a hand and pulled on Junghyun's cheek.

"Look at the elasticity. His face is even firmer than usual. It's like a super ball."

"So that's what people mean when they say someone looks healthy."

Junghyun had just returned from his agriculture department experience.

His face was literally sparkling in the sunlight.

Is farming his personal color or something...?

Biju chimed in.

"He was always like this whenever the school had gardening projects or vegetable plots. His skin would suddenly get amazing."

"I once grew the largest carrot in school history."

As Junghyun reminisced proudly, I asked,

"So how was the agriculture department? Did you actually get to do any farming?"

"No. We didn't do farming."

He shook his head.

"The university has greenhouses up in the hills behind campus. We went there and did seedling planting practice."

He showed us pictures.

The facilities were much more modern than I'd expected.

When I imagined an agriculture department, I pictured people carrying hoes and harvesting wild greens.

"That's not how it works, hyung."

Junghyun spoke proudly.

"There are departments that research pesticides and fertilizers. Others focus on agricultural machinery. The field is incredibly broad. People from cities don't really know this, but modern agriculture is extremely scientific."

"Ooooooh."

His explanation was surprisingly fluent.

I held my hand out like a microphone.

"Then, using that same eloquence, please introduce our new song Overcooked, Mr. Kim Junghyun."

"Uh..."

Junghyun hesitated.

"It's a song about cooking."

"..."

The icy stares from the rest of us made him laugh awkwardly.

He hurriedly defended himself.

"You put me on the spot."

"I don't think having more preparation time would've changed anything."

"Hmm."

After suffering a direct hit from Ri Hyuk's brutal honesty, Junghyun wore an expression that seemed to say:

I am hurt... and because I am hurt, I am hungry.

Then he asked,

"Why isn't anyone else eating?"

"We already ate."

At the moment, we'd rented out an entire conference room in the main building of Korea University.

Meanwhile, Junghyun was eating a bulgogi baekban set meal that had been prepared almost like an afternoon snack.

He shook excess water off a lettuce leaf from a black plastic bag and wrapped meat and ssamjang inside.

"Where'd the lettuce come from?"

"The dean of the agriculture department gave it to me."

"Really?"

"He grows it in the university garden."

"Oh."

"It's really good. Want some, hyung?"

I was already full from the faculty cafeteria.

Still, the phrase lettuce personally grown by the dean of the agriculture department sparked my curiosity.

It felt like hearing about a veterinarian's exceptionally healthy cat.

Or a hairstylist's own perfectly maintained hair.

The youngest swallowed hard.

I generously gave him first turn.

Soon he stuffed the lettuce wrap into his mouth and his eyes widened.

"Id's delidious!"

He wasn't exaggerating.

The dean's lettuce was legendary.

Before long, even those of us who'd insisted we weren't hungry were quietly accepting bulgogi baekban meals from the managers.

Biju covered his mouth in surprise.

"Oh my god. This is actually amazing. Kim Junghyun, did you get the recipe too?"

"Of course."

When he casually revealed that he'd even become mutuals with the dean on Instagram, everyone burst out laughing.

Outside, the commotion continued unabated.

Cheering chants drifted through the windows.

Music echoed faintly in the distance.

The youngest stretched his neck toward the window like a meerkat.

"The festival looks fun."

"Wanna go?"

"No."

He shook his head.

"I don't think we'd actually be able to enjoy it if we went."

"That's true."

The ideal filming schedule had originally looked simple.

Attend a liberal arts lecture together.

Sit through a few classes.

Visit some festival booths.

Enjoy campus life.

The problem was the crowd.

Far more people had gathered than anyone anticipated.

If we visited the festival booths outside right now...

"Aaah! The tent's collapsing!"

...

That was the image that came to mind.

It wasn't even a joke.

Every time we moved, hundreds of students swirled around us like a tornado.

As a result, we'd finished the NewUniverse filming segments and were currently waiting for the evening event.

"Finished eating?"

Seokhwan hyung approached.

Because today's event required careful coordination, our TF Team Leader had come in person as the operational supervisor.

Manager Hong Seoyoung was still on the phone with reporters regarding press releases.

Everyone was moving as if preparing for a storm.

"Yeah. Finished."

After rinsing my mouth, I stood.

"Should we head to the meeting?"

The members rose from their seats and followed me into the neighboring conference room.

The police officer in charge of on-site operations.

Emergency response personnel.

Representatives from the private security company we'd contracted.

University officials.

"Hello!"

"Oh, hello. Haha."

We exchanged greetings and took our seats.

Outside, lively music still drifted through the air.

Inside, however, the atmosphere was tense.

Seokhwan hyung spoke.

"Alright. With hopes for a safe and successful event, let's begin the final inspection meeting."

And so the meeting began.

Everyone was preparing thoroughly to ensure today's festival would be both safe and enjoyable.

The sun slowly sank.

As autumn deepened, daylight grew shorter.

By the time dusk settled over the sky—

"WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH—!"

Korea University's autumn festival officially began.

[That's right, everyone! Korea University's cutest mascot! President Sung Kiyong!]

[Hello. I'm Cutie Kiyong Sung.]

Under colorful lights, the university president's bald head gleamed brightly beneath his school jacket.

Students packed into the athletic field and surrounding stands roared.

"Sung Kiyong! Sung Kiyong!"

"Baldy! You're adorable!"

The president raised the microphone.

[I won't make this long. Please enjoy today's festival!]

After promising an incredible lineup of performances, he began listing the artists.

[Yoo Jaechan, Lucky Girl... and then...]

The sixty-something university president awkwardly attempted the choreography from Overcooked.

The crowd erupted.

[NEWBLACK!!]

The moment their name was spoken, thunderous cheers exploded throughout the venue.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH—!!!"

The sound was powerful enough to rattle eardrums.

The president smiled proudly.

[Today, the legendary world stars who are said to appear at only seven university festivals nationwide will headline our final performance! I hope everyone enjoys the festival! Korea University! Korea University! Korea University!]

The students responded with the school chant.

As the MC continued energizing the crowd, students glanced around and clicked their tongues in disbelief.

"Wow..."

"Holy crap, did you see behind us?"

Everyone turned.

The freshmen simply stared in awe.

The sophomores and upperclassmen looked genuinely horrified.

What even is this...?

They had never seen anything like it.

The school was large enough that festivals were usually crowded.

People often said things like:

"Wow, the turnout is insane."

But this was beyond anything they'd experienced.

The athletic field.

The stands.

Even the surrounding buildings.

Everything was packed solid with people.

"...How many people are here?"

"Are those all outsiders?"

"Probably."

Students had been given priority access.

But the number of outside visitors was overwhelming.

There wasn't much the university could do.

They couldn't exactly allow outsiders every year and then suddenly announce:

"No entry this year because NewBlack is coming."

"Wow. Are we even going to be able to leave afterward...?"

The security company contracted by NewBlack continued directing the crowd.

"Don't sneak in over there!"

"Maintain spacing! Spacing! Don't push the person in front of you!"

Fortunately, NewBlack wouldn't appear for another two hours.

The pressure wasn't at its peak yet.

And NewBlack had extensive experience with massive events like this.

"Any problems?"

"Over there, hyung."

"Huh? Oh, the staff already got there."

Student council members sprinted around the grounds.

Some already looked exhausted.

NewBlack was right.

During the planning presentations, NewBlack had repeatedly emphasized safety measures.

At first, many people had thought:

"Isn't this a bit excessive?"

Now it was obvious that none of it had been excessive.

Please use a T-shaped extended stage. And make the runway section very long.

NewBlack's main vocalist had strongly recommended extending the runway even if it increased costs.

If the runway is short, people naturally lean forward because they want to see the performers up close. The larger the standing audience, the longer the runway should be. It's safer that way.

The logic was simple.

When performers frequently moved forward, even audience members farther back felt less pressure to push.

There had been many other recommendations.

Portable restrooms.

Safety booths.

Equipment placement.

Every single suggestion had proven accurate.

Amazing.

The students continued absorbing practical event-management knowledge.

As staff raced around with barely a moment to breathe, the performances finally began.

Student performances came first.

Then the artist stages.

"WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH—!"

Amid dazzling lights, a girl group appeared on stage.

[One, two, three! Lucky Lucky! We're Lucky Girl!]

[Is everyone having a lucky lucky time tonight?]

"YEEEEEEESSSSSS!"

"WAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Students jumped and screamed.

This rookie group had recently exploded in popularity after Bada Bing Bada Boom experienced a viral resurgence.

Members like variety-show favorite Rui and main vocalist Ally—who had recently impressed viewers on Mission Singer—had helped raise the group's profile.

[Wow. The energy is incredible. And the crowd... wow... I heard NewBlack sunbaenim are coming today!]

Even the performers themselves commented that this was the largest audience they'd ever seen.

The performances continued.

Lucky Girl successfully warmed up the atmosphere before leaving the stage.

Then Yoo Jaechan appeared.

"WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH—!"

He was one of the students' favorite singers.

His trendy café-style music and sweet drama-OST love songs filled the venue.

Thousands of phone lights swayed in the darkness.

[This is my last song. And after this... they're finally coming. Please stay safe and enjoy the show. This is Yoo Jaechan signing off! I love you, Korea University!]

After his encore ended, the MC returned.

The atmosphere became increasingly electric.

They're coming.

The real thing is coming.

Wow...

They weren't even on stage yet.

Goosebumps were already spreading across people's bodies.

The reason was simple.

This was NewBlack.

The artists behind Overcooked, the song currently taking America by storm.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH—!"

The excitement reached its peak.

The MC grinned.

[You've all been waiting for this moment, haven't you?]

"YEEEEEEESSSSSS—!"

[Right now... directly beneath the stage behind me...]

The MC lowered his voice dramatically.

[Five singers are waiting there for all of you.]

The crowd exploded.

Some people were already screaming themselves hoarse.

The giant screens displayed audience members losing their minds.

[Before that, NewBlack has prepared a special VCR. Let's watch that first.]

The screen lit up.

NewBlack appeared wearing Korea University jackets.

"Hi!"

The crowd screamed immediately.

[This is a safety announcement for a safe and comfortable viewing experience!]

[First: Maintain proper spacing!]

At first everyone reacted casually.

Yeah, yeah. Spacing is important.

Then the members suddenly froze as if waiting for something.

BZZZZZZZZZZ—

A strange buzzing sound filled the air.

"Huh?"

"Hmm?"

Drones.

Dozens of drones passed overhead.

Like undercover inspectors, they spread across the venue and stopped at strategic locations.

Then flashing lights activated.

WEEOOO WEEOOO—!

The crowd burst out laughing.

Audience members standing too close together suddenly found themselves spotlighted by drone cameras and quickly widened the gaps.

Only then did the members on screen smile.

[And please throw your trash into the trash bins!]

[Large trash bins have been placed all around the venue. Please make sure to dispose of your garbage properly after the show.]

Jiho mimed throwing away trash.

Above him appeared a fictional news headline.

"University Festival: The Light and Darkness Left Behind by NewBlack's Performance... Criticism Over Lack of Civic Awareness"

The crowd roared with laughter.

People who had been quietly considering dropping garbage on the ground suddenly stuffed it back into their pockets after noticing the surveillance drones acting like royal inspectors.

[Alright! Are you all ready? Are you maintaining proper spacing?]

"YES!"

[Are you ready to jump right where you're standing?]

"YES!"

The students shouted back.

The giant screen went dark.

A laugh echoed through the venue.

Not from the VCR.

From the live stage microphones.

[Alright then. Let's have some fun.]

Pink lights surged across the darkness.

Five silhouettes rose upward on lifts.

Thousands of spectators screamed.

The waiting line for today's festival had been absurdly long.

It wrapped around the entire campus perimeter twice.

The kind of line that made people wonder whether waiting this long was really worth it.

But the moment they saw the five figures on stage—

"...!"

Some very colorful language escaped people's mouths.

The atmosphere is insane.

Seriously.

Under the pink lights, five idols cast long shadows.

It looked like the entrance scene of the final boss of the music industry.

Slowly.

The figures moved into formation.

The cheers grew even louder.

Gulp.

What song would they start with?

The answer arrived with a blast of punk-rock sound.

The crowd exploded.

White Night!

It's White Night!

The biggest hit of the first half of the year.

A song currently battling Coin for the annual number-one spot.

A song many believed would finish the year at #1 barring extraordinary circumstances.

Everyone knew it.

No, focus!

The students shook their cheering sticks.

"Sun Wooju! Kim Biju! Kim Junghyun! Ri Hyuk! Wang Jiho!"

"NEW! BLACK!"

"WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH—!"

The students had spent days practicing fan chants for multiple songs.

When NewBlack heard them, subtle changes appeared in their expressions.

First surprise.

Then—

Long eyelashes curved gently upward.

The members smiled with their eyes.

Jiho couldn't even hide the grin twitching at the corners of his mouth.

The students screamed.

They're enjoying it!

That's the best part of a Korean concert!

It felt like the atmosphere whenever a foreign pop star visited Korea and declared:

"Wow, Korea's energy is amazing!"

And the audience felt proud.

Biju stepped forward to center stage with a handheld microphone.

The crowd erupted.

♪ Hello, it's me ♪

♪ And once again today ♪

♪ You close your eyes ♪

♪ As if you can't see me ♪

His voice rang out like paradise.

Students stared in awe.

Holy shit...

This is incredible.

The live band.

The powerful punk-rock arrangement.

The flawless live vocals.

Within a few lines, everyone understood.

So this is why they're world-class.

More impressive still—

Isn't this concert supposed to last an hour?

And yet NewBlack had opened with White Night.

That mattered because White Night was one of the biggest hits in the country.

Most singers had a secret weapon.

The song they saved for the end.

The song they pulled out when audiences started thinking:

"Who is this?"

Or:

"I only know one of their songs."

Then came:

"And now, the song you've all been waiting for!"

Not NewBlack.

They casually fired off one of the biggest hits of their career as the opening number.

As if saying:

We've got plenty more songs.

The thought made everyone's hearts pound with anticipation.

What would come next?

♪ Daytime alone is boring ♪

♪ Shall we create a night that's ours? ♪

♪ A little freer ♪

♪ A little sweeter ♪

Jiho and Biju linked arms as they sang.

The leader slid into formation.

His hair fluttered.

The crowd screamed.

♪ Cause you're a villain ♪

♪ There's nothing to be afraid of ♪

♪ The night belongs to us ♪

The members spread across the stage.

They encouraged audience participation.

Every time they mimed firing finger guns into the air, cheers erupted.

Finally they advanced onto the extended runway.

[Yes!]

The song ended.

NewBlack greeted the audience.

[Let's introduce ourselves. Two, three.]

[Hello! We are NewBlack!]

The thunderous cheers made the members smile.

[Wow... Director, can you show the audience for a second?]

The camera swept across the field and stands.

A sea of people.

The audience themselves clicked their tongues in disbelief.

Meanwhile, NewBlack waved at nearby spectators.

For some reason, people suddenly seemed shy.

[What's this? Why are you all acting distant all of a sudden?!]

Everyone laughed at Jiho's complaint.

But they understood.

They feel different.

Most students knew NewBlack more from variety shows and MyTube content than from live stages.

It felt like running into the friendly neighbor you saw every day—

Only to discover him in a perfectly tailored suit and slicked-back hair.

The people singing on stage suddenly felt like they belonged to another world.

Wooju glanced at the members.

[It's been a long time since we've done a university festival, hasn't it?]

[Yeah.]

[How many years has it been?]

As they talked about how strange it felt to return after so long, the leader shared his thoughts.

[Today's university experience was really enjoyable. It was especially meaningful for me. As you all know, I failed to take the college entrance exam in 2013.]

The guitarist quietly played sentimental background music.

The audience went:

"Awwww..."

Wooju continued with a wistful expression.

[After failing to take the college entrance exam, I ended up...]

"Ooooooh—!"

[Achieving wealth and glory, everyone. Hehehehe!]

SUN WOOJU...!

The audience clenched their fists.

Through the most irritatingly lovable delivery imaginable, the nation's favorite idol had somehow become relatable again.