Chapter 916: We are, well... uh... henchmen. (6)

East Rutherford.

A small town with a population of about 10,000.

For the residents living here, loud commotion was nothing unusual.

“Lots of people today. What’s going on?”

“Hailey Blue is performing.”

“Ah.”

MetLife Stadium, one of the most representative venues in the Northeast.

Because of that, it was a place famous pop stars always stopped by during stadium tours.

So when they heard that NewBlack was performing—

they simply went, ‘Oh.’

‘Guess they’re popular.’

That was about it.

But then—

“What is this.”

“Why are there so many people on the streets...?”

People wearing Souffle hats.

People wearing Souffle T-shirts.

Souffles walking around like swordsmen with decorative swords strapped to their backs.

The entire city was packed with people.

“....”

“....”

There were more people than when the Super Bowl was held in Seattle and Denver back in 2014.

‘Why are there this many people?’

Normally, a concert wouldn’t make the entire city this crowded.

Because of the venue’s proximity to New York, most people usually came and left from there.

Residents quickly stopped a passing Souffle.

“Going to the NewBlack concert?”

“No.”

“...No?”

The Souffle answered with a sad face.

“I failed ticketing immediately.”

“Then...”

“All these people came to buy merchandise. There are too many people at the venue, so no one can even get in yet.”

“....”

The stunned residents listened as the Souffle explained.

“This is the only NewBlack concert in the Northeast. If we miss today, we’d have to go all the way to Chicago or Texas... and that’s kind of a hassle.”

For Souffles, even a few hours by plane was “too much trouble.”

So even those who failed ticketing gathered here just to buy merchandise.

The Northeast region alone had about 55 million people.

Souffles from New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts—

all gathering in excitement.

And then—

“Whoa...”

“Wow...”

When they reached the venue, the Souffles gasped.

‘It’s a festival!’

Huge banners set up across the open grounds.

Fans looked around wide-eyed at the massive scale.

At the bookstore section—

“F-finally...!”

“I can actually buy this...”

“I have to get this.”

They placed Junghyun’s fortune-telling book—nicknamed the “jelly book”—into their baskets.

“2017 white paper finally has an English version...!”

“I really wanted this.”

“But honestly, I recommend learning Korean and reading the original. Translations don’t capture the nuance.”

<2017 NewBlack Activity White Paper>

Written by Seo Ri Hyuk and four others

After grabbing books, the Souffles moved on.

Mid-May heat poured down from the sun.

For them, one of NewBlack’s main sponsors had set up a cola truck.

Slurp.

“Ahh...”

“This hits the spot.”

With cold cola in hand, the Souffles resumed shopping.

Then—

“W-what line is that?”

“Whoa.”

The most popular line.

The so-called “magic hat.”

Each time a Souffle sat down, staff placed a magical hat on their head.

[Drumroll sound effects]

Then a majestic voice echoed.

“Your soulmate is Wooju!”

A badge with Wooju’s image was handed over.

Fans jumped like they had been admitted into their dream house, some even tearing up.

Curious fans gathered at the sign.

[Find your soulmate!]

They took a compatibility test online, showed their serial number—

and the hat revealed the result.

“Interesting.”

Some immediately took the test.

Others followed guides posted by Korean fans.

“Look, Korean unnies posted strategies.”

“As expected of the main base. Fast.”

Souffles smiled happily.

‘This is amazing.’

Dancing along to songs playing at the venue.

Waiting together for sold-out goods to restock.

It was truly a NewBlack festival.

And then—

“Wow...”

When it was finally time to enter,

MetLife Stadium was a spectacle.

Light sticks glowing via Bluetooth.

Waves of color filled the stadium.

Souffles’ hearts pounded.

‘Finally...!’

As the concert VCR began, fans started jumping even more.

Stylish graphics.

Stunning visuals.

Cheers grew louder with each member’s appearance.

When the tour title appeared—

[INSOMNIA]

—and the venue went dark—

“Cause you’re a villain

There’s nothing to fear

The night is our time”

The chorus echoed through a 55,000-seat stadium.

The sound reverberated.

Then—

drums kicked in.

Beating like the fans’ hearts.

The massive doors began to open.

Red lighting.

Smoke.

The members’ silhouettes filled the screen.

“!”

“!!”

The five members appeared on stage.

Souffles swallowed nervously.

Villain-like outfits.

Colored goggles.

Biju slowly raised the mic.

“Hello, it’s me.”

The choreography began.

White smoke burst outward.

Red lighting flooded the stage.

The entire venue filled with a crimson haze.

“Insane.”

Biju’s voice, unique and striking.

Wooju and Junghyun’s low-toned rap, refined after Answer.

Ri Hyuk’s clear vocals.

Jiho’s dance break.

Every movement—

every gesture—

brought cheers.

Even through screens,

they were dazzling beyond anything in the world.

Souffles’ eyes grew hazy.

‘Best day of my life...’

A 55,000-seat stadium concert.

The beginning of the North American tour.

The three-day concert ended successfully.

“Wow...”

“Woooo...”

People said performing at venues this large left you feeling empty afterward—

but not this time.

Instead, it felt fulfilling.

“This is a stadium...”

Endless seats.

Tens of thousands shouting.

Smiles breaking through mid-performance.

Tears forming as fans sang along.

For natural-born attention seekers like us—

this was the ultimate stage.

The only downside—

“Hyung, did you check your weight?”

Jiho stepped off the scale.

“I lost 1 kg.”

“Really?”

“You should check too. You probably lost some.”

They had.

Running constantly on such a massive stage.

Conclusion:

“Meat.”

“Definitely meat.”

“Koreans need meat.”

After a week in the US—

they craved Korean food intensely.

As Junghyun grilled steak,

they checked their schedule.

“Still far from going back to Korea.”

“Too many schedules.”

May was packed.

“Toronto concerts... then Billboard Awards...”

“And after that—Tampa concert and the TIME 100 Gala.”

“Who made this insane schedule?”

“You. Me. All of us.”

“...Can’t argue with that.”

They had laughed before—

“Future us will suffer!”

Now—

they were that future.

“Anyway...”

Toronto → Billboard → Florida → TIME 100 Gala.

Ri Hyuk spoke, excited.

“I’m really looking forward to the TIME 100 Gala.”

“Why?”

“I heard a lot of scientists are coming. Even a Nobel Prize winner.”

His eyes sparkled.

On the calendar:

[TIME 100 Gala]

They had been selected as one of the 100 most influential people.

Junghyun said solemnly:

“The world’s most influential figures—NewBlack.”

“That’s us.”

“Kyahaha!”

A little happy.

Just a little.

They would perform Answer there with Cold Brown.

“It’s been a while since I felt like a superstar.”

“Same.”

Then—

Biju spoke.

“But you know... the preview just came out.”

“What preview?”

“The fishing variety show we filmed.”

“....”

Their expressions darkened.

“Being cool doesn’t last even five minutes.”

“But it’s fine.”

Wooju grinned with Junghyun.

“We’re not in this episode!”

“Exactly. Only you guys are.”

They laughed—

until they watched the preview.

“...?”

“...??”

At the end—

a strange robot appeared.

A robot with Wooju and Junghyun’s faces attached—

like Cerberus—

swinging its arms mechanically.

“...What is that?”

Dignity: gone.

“When does it air?”

“Soon.”

“....”

His heart began pounding.

It wasn’t just someone else’s disaster—

it was theirs too.

Friday night’s top variety show.

“Hey, they’re on again~”

Middle-aged men smiled.

Even those far from idol culture recognized them now.

Finally—

the broadcast began.

“HAHAHAHA!”

“A big catch!”

Past highlights played.

Junghyun catching a shark.

Wooju posing like The Old Man and the Sea.

Viewers reacted.

They’re strongㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Is that what no-weakness looks like

Legends are born from people like them

100 years later they’ll be on mystery shows

Then—

“And now!”

“They have arrived!”

The trio appeared dramatically.

“We don’t expect much.”

“We’ll just catch something like a golden carp.”

Cut.

“AHH!”

A tiny fish flailed.

Jiho screamed for Wooju.

Viewers laughed.

Weak

His ultimate move is calling Wooju, but Wooju isn’t hereㅋㅋㅋㅋ

This is going to be spicy

Then—

the KAIST robot appeared.

“With their faces attached.”

Laughter exploded.

And finally—

the highlight.

Splash!

A glowing carp leapt.

It slapped Ri Hyuk across the face.

“...?”

Silence—

then chaos.

???

ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

What even is this

“You’re the first to hit me”

ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Viewers rushed to turn on their TVs.

Because—

this episode—

was clearly going to be legendary.