Billboard Hot 100, number one.

"......."

As soon as I woke up in the morning, I grabbed my phone first. It was to check the screenshot I took yesterday one more time.

[Billboard Hot 100]

METRO - The New Black

Divine Rules - Cold Brown

Smoke Factory - ABC Slim

"Man...."

With the phone in my hand, I wiggled my body, swaying back and forth.

"It was real."

A hazy feeling with no sense of reality.

For no reason, only a silly laugh kept slipping out.

I kept bringing our name, sitting at Billboard number one, close to my eyes and then pulling it away again. Even when the size of the letters changed with perspective, the name inside was still the same.

My mood lifted for no reason and I looked around, but the younger guys were still asleep.

They were dozing off, leaning on each other’s shoulders.

"Guys...."

I whispered, but no one woke up. Only Junhyun twitched his ears a bit, then fell back asleep.

I whispered again.

"Billboard number one...."

"Huh!"

"Gasp!"

"Uh......."

The underlings, squirming, opened their eyes and shook their heads.

Then each of them reached out and fumbled around for their phones. After checking the phone screenshot like I had just done, the underlings started grinning.

"Hoo."

Junhyun stretched and smiled.

"So this is the morning of a Billboard number one singer. It’s more ordinary than I thought."

"It’s not as big a deal as I expected~"

They burst out laughing, going hahahaha.

Biju, rubbing his eyes and giggling, looked at his phone and opened his eyes wide.

"Wow. So many congratulation messages came in. I’ve never seen +999 before. Huh? Mom called."

While Biju went out, smiling brightly with a "Hello!" we each looked through the messages that had come in.

Long congratulatory messages were everywhere.

On SNS, celebrities we’re close with, including Hailey Blue and Rupert Dean, had sent congratulations.

And on the portal main page, our Billboard news was up in bold.

-[Official] NewBlack’s “Metro” reaches Billboard Hot 100 No. 1, a “feat”

-NewBlack Metro “Finally did it”.. “Billboard Hot 100 No. 1”

-NewBlack takes No. 1 on Billboard chart in 5 weeks

After reading through the congratulatory comments, I checked the magazine articles on Billboard’s website.

-NewBlack’s Metro rises to No. 1, and the music of Paris Fashion Week

It was the kind of story saying they really liked our music that had been used at the Paris fashion show.

According to the article, after the fashion show video spread virally, our music downloads and streaming index shot up. Not just METRO, but the other music used in the show, too.

"I can’t deny it. We really did something huge this time."

I smiled, pleased, at praise from Ri Hyuk, rarer than wild ginseng.

Junhyun put his thick hand on my shoulder.

"Hyung, you really worked hard."

"Worked hard, my ass."

I said that, but I felt good.

A satisfied smile came out as famous English language music magazines starting with Billboard ran articles like, “METRO? It deserved to hit No. 1.”

It was worth it, staying up for nights to arrange the music they’d play at the fashion show.

"Should we go thank the producing team?"

"They probably haven’t come in yet."

"Ah. Right."

When I looked at the clock, it was early morning.

At this hour, the only people likely to be at the company were our managers.

So I went to the TF Team office.

"Hyung!"

"Guys!"

Wonseok hyung’s bear like face, sorting paperwork, was split into a broad grin.

We high fived, smiling brightly.

"We’re number one!"

"Congrats. Finally number one."

"We couldn’t sleep because of this yesterday."

As I chatted with a beaming smile, I noticed a letter in Wonseok hyung’s hand.

"But what’s that?"

"Ah, this?"

He gave an awkward smile and held the letter out.

"Your reserve forces notice came. Wooju."

"......."

As my expression clouded over like clouds rolling into a clear sky, the members burst into laughter.

"Still, if you think positively, this time it’s local reserve training."

"What’s local reserve training?"

"Mobilization is sleeping there for three days. This one is going in and out for five days. This is way better...."

Watching my face, Ri Hyuk said.

"It doesn’t look better at all."

"That’s because it’s reserve forces...."

I smiled damply and stared into the air.

Ah. I really don’t want to go.

Even already, it felt like that stale, musty smell unique to the reserve training grounds was pushing in, and I just let out a long sigh.

"It comes back the moment you forget. How many years of reserve do I have left?"

"Isn’t it eight years?"

"Huh? How do you know? That’s right."

"I searched and it said there’s no training from the seventh year. Once you finish the eighth year, after that it’s civil defense."

I counted on my fingertips.

So in 2020 it would be year seven, so I’d do training through 2019... and reserve would end in 2021.

"So when we renew our contract, reserve ends."

"And you become civil defense."

"A civil defense idol...."

It was an appealing title.

There are “veteran idols” actively promoting in entertainment, but isn’t there still no “civil defense idol”?

I clenched my fist and made my eyes shine.

"I’ll become the first."

"...I don’t think you need to be the first at something like that."

While Ri Hyuk shook his head and flipped through a notebook or documents, I looked around.

This was Ri Hyuk’s dedicated vocal practice room.

It was spacious enough to rival my studio, but among Lemon Entertainment’s singers, only two people had their own separate vocal practice rooms.

Senior Yoon Chanhyeok, a famous ballad singer with the nickname “digital monster.”

And our main vocal.

In Yoon Chanhyeok’s case, there was also the symbolism that Director Jo Gyuhwan was the first singer he signed, and he spent so much time practicing that he needed a personal space. If he shared with other singers, he wouldn’t get enough practice time.

Ri Hyuk was a similar case.

-I’m really curious. That hyung already sings well, so why does he practice that much...?

Ri Hyuk was already good, yet his vocal practice time ranked at the top among us.

And there was another reason, too.

-Who left coffee in a paper cup in the vocal practice room without throwing it out? Seriously, isn’t that basic manners?

-No... I’m cleaning and hair keeps coming out endlessly. Who is it?

-Who wrote “Neat freak, pfft” on the whiteboard? Looking at the handwriting, that’s totally Jiho...!

It was me.

Anyway, that wasn’t important. Because he cared so much about cleanliness and neatness, singers had complained to the CEO.

-Let me use a different room from him!

...And so, our main vocal had been isolated.

As I looked around the spacious practice room, Ri Hyuk smiled with satisfaction.

"Isn’t it really big?"

"It’s big."

"I told you I was shocked at first. The CEO came and said I was so admirable. Then he said since I practice so much, I probably need a personal space... I was really moved that day."

"O, okay."

"Luck comes to people who work hard."

The most solid way in the world to build a prison—

Isn’t it making sure the prisoner doesn’t realize they’ve been isolated?

Wasn’t this exactly how the wizards who sent Dementors to Azkaban must have felt, going around stealing people’s happiness?

"Truly...."

"Yeah?"

"No. Nothing."

Then I sat down on a chair in the practice room.

As expected of Ri Hyuk’s favorite chair, it had a hard cushion and forced your back into a proper posture.

"Ugh, my back."

Sitting straight, I looked around.

Ri Hyuk’s practice room, decorated in white and black tones, looked like the textbook example you’d get if you searched “clean interior” online.

With not a single unnecessary decoration, only neat props, it was like the end of minimalism.

"You would’ve done well if you’d gone into design."

"Hm, you’ve got a good eye. Even in school I heard a lot that I draw well."

"......."

A kid who makes you think, ‘I shouldn’t have complimented him.’

That was our kid.

Fixing my posture, I asked Ri Hyuk.

"You ready?"

"Yes."

Ri Hyuk set up two tall standing microphones.

"When I watched videos of people singing the anthem at the Korea Series, they set up the mics crossing like this. I recreated it exactly."

The reason I came to Ri Hyuk’s practice room was to check the national anthem.

Scratching my cheek, I asked.

"But I don’t feel like there’s anything to give feedback on for the anthem... is there really something?"

"There are two versions."

"......?"

As I blinked, Ri Hyuk asked.

"Have you ever watched a Korea Series anthem video?"

"I’ve watched a few."

"There are two methods. One is to add technique and sing it more stylishly."

A video of senior Yoon Chanhyeok singing the anthem came to mind.

A method where you slightly change pitch and sing it flashily—he’d seen singers abroad sing their own national anthems that way, too.

When I nodded, Ri Hyuk continued.

"And the other is to sing it plainly. Rather than technique, you hit with tone."

"Like senior Cha Woohyun?"

"Yes."

An anthem video sung plainly, without technique.

They sang the anthem cleanly as it is, but with that singer’s unique tone, it hit hard.

"So you want me to pick one of the two?"

"Right. Which one to go with...."

"Well."

If you think about Korean taste, the answer is basically decided, but...

"Let’s listen first. Rather than predicting what people will like, we should see what’s better."

Ri Hyuk nodded.

"Then I’ll sing the first version."

"Yeah."

I perked up my ears and focused on Ri Hyuk’s lips.

Ri Hyuk let out a hoo— breath, closed his eyes gently, and opened his mouth.

From Donghae’s waters and Baekdu’s mountain—

A voice so beautiful it felt like, this is over from the first line, flowed out.

Watching the practice room fill with beautiful color, I watched our main vocal.

Under hair brushed neatly back, his delicate eyelashes hung long. His usually sly, sharp impression looked cool, because his vocal skill was that good.

"Hm...."

He wasn’t putting technique in every moment, but at exquisitely timed moments.

I’d worried he might over arrange or over do technique, but at this level it was natural.

From researching beforehand, I’d learned that people generally prefer the anthem in a plain direction.

Because I’d seen the comments that appeared when the arrangement was too much.

-Is the anthem a joke or what

-You sing the national anthem however you feel like? lol

-It’s not even pop, it’s the national anthem... lol I have a lot to say but I’ll hold back because I’m broke

-If you want to show off, do it when you sing alone

-Why, it’s good though?? If you watch the U.S. Super Bowl, they sing the anthem like that

-Then go to America lol seriously

Savage comments.

Maybe it’s different by country, but in Korea it seems they prefer singing the anthem cleanly, like an anthem.

But at this level, it was ambiguous to even call it “adding technique,” so it seemed fine.

"How is it?"

Ri Hyuk asked, swallowing hard. I gave him a calm smile.

"Let’s listen to the next one first."

"Ah. Okay."

Ri Hyuk tends to be very conscious of reactions and expressions, so I kept smiling calmly with no change in expression.

"Hoo."

After controlling his pace with breathing, Ri Hyuk opened his lips again.

This time, a clear, pure voice.

"......!"

This was it.

The way it stretched out cleanly with a clear, pretty voice was the closest and most natural to Ri Hyuk’s usual vocal style.

Even singing naturally without forcing it, the high notes climbed smoothly. His volume was so good it made my skin hum.

"How is it?"

Ri Hyuk asked after finishing.

"Which one seems better?"

"First off, I really like both."

"Really?"

Ri Hyuk’s eyes brightened.

"The deciding point is this. Between the two, which one is easier for you to sing?"

"Obviously the second version."

"Then let’s go with the second version. If it’s easier, that means you can sing it more naturally. It’s also better for putting emotion into the song."

On stage, performances like vocals or dance have to be natural for you to put emotion or artistry into them.

"If you sing in the technique heavy way, I felt like you’d end up paying more attention to adding technique."

"That’s true. But these days, there are a lot of singers who sing like that."

Ri Hyuk shrugged.

"It also felt like if I sing just my way, it might be kind of bland."

"No. Natural is the best. The singers who add technique do it because it suits their own style better."

Ri Hyuk’s trademark is clean vocals.

Overwhelming volume, plus a clear, refreshing voice that gives resonance.

Even when listening to a group song, it feels like your ears get rinsed clean the moment it becomes Ri Hyuk’s part.

That freshness and cleanliness were the charm points of Ri Hyuk’s vocals.

"If it were me, I’d go with the second version."

"Okay. Then I’ll go with the second."

Ri Hyuk let out a hoo ha— breath, stretching to loosen up.

He looked a bit tense.

"Nervous?"

"A little."

"Even if Jamsil Baseball Stadium is full, it’s only going to be about twenty five thousand. If you’re getting nervous at that number now...."

"It’s more that this time, that...."

Ri Hyuk hesitated, then said.

"...My mom and Yein are coming from the U.S. My dad is coming that day too."

"Really?"

"I haven’t told the others yet, only Team Leader, but... that’s how it is. Since we can’t meet during Chuseok, they said we should meet that day...."

The way he fidgeted, staring into the distance, it felt like he was already drawing that day in his head.

Ri Hyuk, looking at me smiling quietly, cleared his throat.

"So I want to sing well. Um... I kind of want to look cool, like I’m someone to be proud of...."

"Hm?"

I tilted my head.

"Wouldn’t they already be proud?"

"......."

His ears flushed hot.

"Why are you doing that now. They already see you on TV and everything."

"S, stop."

"......?"

"It’s embarrassing to imagine it, so stop."

What did I even do...?

Ri Hyuk, twisting around going eeee on his own, said.

"I’m like that. If I imagine my family watching me on TV, I get embarrassed and awkward."

"I liked it."

When I was little, I was the kid who’d go, if I was on TV~ and run around squealing.

Ri Hyuk fanned himself with his hand.

"Anyway, it’s like... a performance of sorts in front of the general public, not a concert. So I want to come off cool."

"Hmm...."

"So I want to do even better. And."

And?

"Ah, I was debating whether to say this much. Um...."

"You know when you say it like that, you have to say it, right?"

"Well... you know my mom and dad live separately, right? They divorced and live apart...."

"I didn’t know the details."

"I heard from Yein that lately it kind of feels like the atmosphere between them is getting better, so, um...."

I smiled at Ri Hyuk, who was trying his best to wrap it up naturally.

Because he’s the type who has a hard time talking about personal circumstances, he looked awkward himself, too.

"So in the end, you want the atmosphere that day to be good."

"Yes."

"Then starting now, we practice hard."

I lowered my head, laughing softly.

"At this point, we go for the best anthem ever, the anthem that breaks 100 million views on MyTube."

"......Okay."

"High five?"

After a serious high five— slap— we were about to properly start giving feedback on Ri Hyuk’s anthem.

Knock. Tok tok knock.

A knock from an uninvited guest.

-Ri Hyukkkk!

At the bright voice, Ri Hyuk furrowed his brows and the corners of his mouth twitched as he liked it.

Knock tok tok tok knock.

-Do you wanna ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) build the snowman~?

As we smirked, the knocking got violent.

Bam bam bam bam!

Along with cackling laughter, the cute voice turned rough.

-Here’s Johnny! Open up!

When I looked at the maknae suddenly doing horror acting, Ri Hyuk answered.

"There’s a movie called The Shining."

"Ah. That."

Behind the frosted glass, the maknae’s body wiggled around as he danced. I opened the door.

"What."

"At last, the time has come! Brothers!"

"......?"

"It’s time to do monitoring."

I asked.

"Monitoring what?"

"Hyung, you know the E Sports Dolympic we filmed last time. It starts in five minutes."

"......."

"Ri Hyuk hyung! Look at Wooju hyung’s face!"

"Hahahaha!"

The two underlings started teasing me, making grenade throwing motions at me, frozen like a wife waiting for her husband.

Ah. I really don’t want to go watch it....