Chapter 823: Winning or Losing Doesn’t Matter (11)

After the laughter finally died down—

"Hey. Hey. Why are you sticking that on the wall?"

"When you have planning meetings, you project PPTs onto the wall, right? Same principle."

"Oh, seriously."

The monster drawing the maknae had made was taped to the studio wall.

A flower-wearing goblin tormenting people while eating supplements.

I could only sigh.

"That’s supposed to be me?"

"Can’t you tell? I captured your features perfectly."

I ignored the insolent pirarucu and turned to Biju.

"Biju. Does that look like me?"

"Um......."

So it does.

Avoiding my gaze, our young lady smiled softly and started peeling an apple.

Meanwhile, Ri Hyuk picked up a pen.

Villains

The English word for “bad guys” was written beneath the drawing in Pirarucu New Roman.

With a sly smile, Ri Hyuk closed the pen cap.

"Concept confirmed, then."

"Right."

I didn’t like the drawing, but the idea itself was brilliant.

The theme of this song was insomnia.

More precisely, it was a song telling our past selves who suffered from insomnia, “Smash those worries and just go to sleep.”

"In that sense, I think the concept fits well."

Ri Hyuk said,

"Being free from worries, not bound by rules or people’s gazes—those cartoon villains are exactly like that."

I nodded.

You often see protagonists agonizing in comics, but you rarely see villains agonizing.

"I like it. It suits the song."

"Mhm."

Jiho raised his eyebrows with a “I’m amazing, right?” expression.

I patted his head.

"The concept matches the song’s image well. Usually every song has an image."

"An image?"

"Yeah. Maybe it’s just me... but when you hear a song, doesn’t an image pop up?"

"Like thinking of fireworks when you hear Fireworks?"

Junhyun’s comment made me scratch my cheek.

"A little different. It’s more like each song has a character. Like the image that comes to mind for different countries."

Like cowboys for America. Pandas for China.

The younger members nodded.

"Our title tracks have those images for me. When I hear Falling Blossoms, I think of a beauty sitting by a well looking up at a flowering tree. When I hear Masquerade, I think of a gentleman holding a mask, like Phantom of the Opera."

But the new song, Insomnia, hadn’t formed a clear image yet.

After hearing the maknae’s idea, something began to appear.

"For this song, I see villains roaming freely through the city. Jiho, you really did well."

Jiho’s shoulders rose like the Himalayas.

While the others looked faintly envious, I nodded.

"And I think I know how to revise the song now."

"How?"

"I’m going to steer it in a freer direction. On stage, I want it to emphasize freedom."

Now the revision direction was clear.

Insomnia had felt overly packed.

For a song whose charm lay in free-spirited energy, stuffing it full of things made it feel cramped.

So I planned to cut unnecessary parts and bring out its free appeal.

"Wooju hyung is muttering again."

"Leave him. If arrows start flying at us later, we’ll suffer."

Focused, their words drifted in one ear and out the other.

I opened the composing program on my laptop.

"Hyung."

"Yeah?"

While clicking the mouse, Biju fed me a slice of apple.

"Then what about the song title?"

"Hm......."

Now that he mentioned it, that part wasn’t clear.

Junhyun asked,

"Clean and simple—Villains?"

"But technically we’re villains as a concept, not real villains."

Ri Hyuk offered an opinion.

"Aren’t we closer to pranksters? We want to be Team Rocket, not the Joker. Villain feels more like crime or social evil."

"That’s true."

"Yeah, villain sounds a bit strong."

As I worked, their suggested words flowed into my ears.

Bad guys. Antagonist. Fire. Flames. Nightmare. WoojuIsAnIdiot. Grotesque. Blue Night. ZeroRainAlcohol.

Among the whispers—

"Hm......."

As I rapidly edited the intro, I thought.

A title that suits the song...

I imagined villains struggling to fall asleep like a scene from a music video.

—I just want to sleep!

So they take action.

Usually villains do socially unacceptable things.

But sleeping is socially desirable.

Then what if—

"What if there’s a place where not sleeping is considered normal? Where staying awake is socially desirable?"

"Isn’t that completely dystopian?"

"It reminds me of Nine. Our Nine music video had that vibe."

At the word dystopian, Nine came to mind.

Neon signs, endless buildings, smog-filled cyberpunk city boys running.

Junhyun spoke up.

"It could be like a sequel to Nine. We could ask for a similar concept."

Ideas linked to ideas as we grew animated.

Our film buff said excitedly,

"Then how about this? Nine’s background is always dark, right? What if we make it like a prequel and show why Nine’s city became dark? The villains darken a sky that used to always be bright."

The story of the song began forming.

An eternally bright sky.

A prosperous city.

And villains who darken that sky to sleep.

Then a keyword surfaced.

"Ri Hyuk. What’s it called? When we went abroad and it was bright like day even at night."

"Midnight sun?"

"What about Midnight Sun as the title?"

"Oh?"

Everyone agreed.

Thus—

NewBlack – Midnight Sun

—was born.

From there, everything flowed smoothly.

Play the revised version. Revise. Play again. Revise again.

But—

"......."

I quietly closed the laptop mid-work.

The members’ eyes widened.

"Wh-why did you stop?"

"Hyung, are you okay?"

"You’re not working because of health again, right?"

At Ri Hyuk’s question, I nodded.

"Yeah. It’s because of health."

"......."

"But not for the reason you think."

"......?"

I explained.

"I slept enough... ate well... even meditated to empty my mind...."

"And?"

"When I empty my mind, I can’t create......."

They burst out laughing at my blank stare.

But I wasn’t laughing.

"Meditation isn’t always good......."

"Hahahaha!"

"I’ll take care of my health in moderation."

The basis of creativity is stray thoughts.

When meditation swept them away, my mind felt empty while composing.

Creativity should surge like crashing waves.

But in a calm lake, no waves rise.

"That’s a good thought, hyung."

Biju said happily.

"Moderation is best. Honestly, I was worried when you started acting like that this morning."

"You were?"

"Yeah. Even while eating you were looking up ‘foods good for composing.’ When resting, ‘stretches good for composing!’ While walking, ‘walking styles good for composing.’"

Other members chimed in.

As we laughed—

"Hm?"

Junhyun tilted his head.

"What is it?"

"I feel like we had something to do earlier, but once we started talking about the song, I forgot."

"Did we...?"

We stared into the air.

"What were we going to do?"

"No idea."

Nothing came to mind.

While NewBlack forgot they were supposed to monitor their own variety appearance—

At the same time.

Souffle and fake Souffle across the nation were moving.

‘Finally!’

With solemn faces, they held their remotes.

Click.

Channel 17.

IBC appeared.

—Up next, Honey, I’ll Go Fishing.

Clips of celebrities getting slapped by fish.

Commercials began.

—Look at the number of ads lol insane

—Companies sharpened their knives

—We’ll spend the whole time on ads at this rate lol

—If NewBlack appears I’d buy ads too

—Ads are double the usual

Companies poured ads upon hearing NewBlack would appear.

From telecom companies using NewBlack as models to endless commercials.

—NewBlack returns to variety. “What will they show on Honey, I’ll Go Fishing?”

—‘Grammy nominees’ NewBlack go to Thailand this time

—[What to Watch Tonight] ‘Honey, I’ll Go Fishing’ NewBlack episode preview clip “Views explode”

It had been a while since they appeared on TV variety.

Variety fans’ hearts pounded.

—Thump thump

—What chaos today lol

—Spoiler says they caught a sailfish

—Don’t spoil ㅡㅡ

Live comment sections filled.

—NewBlack is on today?

—[HoneyFishing] Live thread here!!

—Is it fun? I stopped watching celebrity bonding shows

—Our Black boys hehe

All over the internet, people waited for proven laughter-makers.

And among them—

"Hm?"

Middle-aged men blinked.

"Dad~"

Children who rarely came out of their rooms sat on the couch.

Wives who usually scolded them for watching fishing TV peeled tangerines beside them.

‘What?’

The men asked,

"You’re watching this?"

"Yeah."

"Why...?"

"NewBlack is on."

"Ah......."

They remembered the preview.

"Oh. Wooju and Junhyun are on."

"Mmhm."

Daughters nodded while peeling tangerines.

‘No wonder.’

Unexpected spectators had joined their fishing show.

It felt nice.

Their hobby now shared.

As they laughed—

"It’s starting!"

Children shouted.

It was more fun than usual.

The screen brightened.

[There’s never been fishing like this!]

["Aaaah!"]

[Variety action fishing!]

Wooju screaming in Thailand. Junhyun wiping tears.

["Junhyun, are you crying?"]

["Sea water got in my eyes."]

[But no despair!]

Scenes of struggle.

Then—

[Gimpo Business Aviation Center]

A different-looking airport building.

"Is that an airport?"

"That’s where NewBlack boards charter flights, Dad."

"Impressive...."

Then—

[The heroes who made our first overseas trip possible!]

[Even flying us there! Our saviors!]

[NewBlack! NewBlack!]

NewBlack appeared in long padded coats, smiling shyly.

Opening banter followed.

Then Kang Manho asked,

[So why did Wooju and Junhyun join this time?]

Junhyun answered,

[We came to steal the hearts of middle-aged men.]

[That’s right.]

Wooju agreed shamelessly.

Laughter.

[We meet many generations through TV and MyTube, but it’s hard to meet fathers’ generation.]

[Ah, true.]

[So we want to show our charm here!]

Comments exploded.

—Embodiment of ambition lol

—National idols still want middle-aged men’s love

—We’re like their house cat

Wooju continued,

[There are misunderstandings about us... we haven’t had chances to clear them.]

[Misunderstandings?]

[When we walk around, we meet many fathers. We hear encouragement, but also some resentment. Like why we go live at dawn. Because their kids stayed up watching.]

[That’s true.]

Fathers nodded.

[So it’s NewBlack’s explanation time?]

[Yes.]

They bowed.

[Regarding dawn YApp lives, we sincerely apologize.]

[We’re sorry.]

Laughter.

[But to explain... sometimes after overseas concerts we turn on YApp to talk to Souffle.]

Junhyun added,

[Watching live at dawn feels different from watching the replay. Like LPGA live versus replay.]

"Mm......."

Fathers nodded.

Then—

[Anything else to explain?]

[Ah. Yes.]

Wooju smiled.

[We often hear that because of NewBlack, sons and daughters don’t study.]

[That could be said.]

[Yes.]

Nationwide fathers watched closely.

[Because of NewBlack, they don’t study.]

Wooju smiled kindly at the camera.

[But even if NewBlack disappeared... would your sons and daughters study?]

Across the nation, viewers burst into laughter.