In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe-Chapter 404

Taehyun pretended not to know and said, “I think you all are more familiar with number 8.”

The entertainers pounced like hyenas. “Senior! What about number 9?” they asked eagerly.

“I’m really curious,” one chimed in.

“You have to tell us at least number 10. The beginning and the end are the most important, aren’t they?” another pressed.

Suddenly cornered, Taehyun swept his bangs aside naturally and then clasped his hands together respectfully. “I’ve made a mistake,” he admitted.

The room erupted into laughter. “Ha ha ha!”

“A very big mistake…”

As he bowed his head like a sinner, the entertainers and I clapped our hands, laughing along. “Ah, why do I feel like crying?” someone joked.

“Ha ha ha!”

“You promised to treat me well when I came out,” Taehyun reminded them, touching the corners of his eyes with a feigned sad expression, eliciting a burst of guilty laughter from the entertainers.

“Wow. It’s been a mess from the start. I was confident when I came, thinking I’d nail these 7 points and leave.”

“We were all shocked, Taehyun. You said the exact same thing as Universe Teacher.”

“Life really is all about timing.”

While everyone laughed at Taehyun’s sigh, the entertainers, sensing an opportunity, changed the topic. “But about the advice… The credibility of our esteemed senior who came to visit is…”

“Honestly, I feel sorry for him. He starts with plagiarism right after arriving.”

“He came to give mental advice, but it seems his own mental state is breaking now.”

Everyone burst into laughter at the model citizen joke.

Taehyun raised his hands as if to explain, “There might be a little misunderstanding here.”

“Please, do tell,” they encouraged.

“The truth is, I’m the original,” he claimed.

At that moment, my head turned involuntarily. “Excuse me?”

The entertainers and my juniors laughed at my incredulous expression. “Universe Teacher’s face looks like he’s wondering if he heard that right?”

“He must be really flustered.”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen Universe so dumbfounded.”

Taehyun raised his hands as if to calm the waters. “What I mean by saying I’m the original is that I was the first person to hear this story.”

“So you’re claiming ownership? That logic doesn’t hold up. Look at Teacher Ryuk, he still doesn’t get it.”

Ryuk blinked rapidly, then suddenly grinned for the camera.

As everyone laughed at our child’s social life expression, Taehyun cleared his throat and said, “Anyway, I did contribute to the creation of that famous saying. I can’t explain how.”

The entertainers asked if it was true, and I nodded slightly. It was somewhat true.

I think I’m going to get in trouble for this. What should I do?

Bro, will I get in trouble if I do this? Oh, what should I do? But really, can’t we just go ahead with it? I want to.

I had a fight with Seok Jihon. Can you give me some advice on how to make up?

The advice had come from someone who was even less aware than our youngest during our trainee days.

There had been so many events.

I smiled wistfully, and a look that said ‘don’t you dare say a word’ came my way.

Then MC Kim Euiji wrapped it up with a laugh, “It seems there’s a deep connection. They’ve been giving each other advice since their trainee days.”

“I owe him a lot,” I admitted.

“So, to sum it up, one of the mentors who shaped the current Han Taehyun Senior is our Universe Teacher?”

“That’s right.”

“The mentor’s mentor was right beside us all along.”

The cast of Mipf asked with a look of realization, “Then why did Senior Taehyun come here…?”

“Ah…”

As the cast teased him about his reasons for coming, Taehyun’s mouth twitched as if to retort, and I stepped in at his pleading look.

“No, it’s not that. Senior is just being modest. In fact, I’ve received a lot of help from him since my debut.”

“Specifically…?”

“Well, this and that?”

As I vaguely dodged the question, the entertainers roared with laughter, and Taehyun closed his eyes, shivering.

I continued speaking.

“Senior, your mere presence is truly helpful. It makes me want to work even harder.”

It’s inspiring.

“Because you have so much experience…”

Always boasting about their seniority.

When only Taehyun, who understood the context between the lines, narrowed his eyes and smiled, Jiho quickly offered his support.

“That’s right. We watched a lot of Taehyun’s videos to study dance while preparing for the stage.”

“I also watched a lot during the end-of-month evaluation to reference the dance.”

Following Junghyun’s praise, Taehyun’s left shoulder rose in pride, and with Bijoo’s compliment, his right shoulder followed suit.

“Even while dancing intensely, you sing so well…”

Finally, at Lee-hyuk’s praise, even the tip of his chin lifted slightly.

Like gathering Exodia, the completion of the compliments made Taehyun beam, and everyone laughed at his delighted expression.

Then, something about the keyword ‘dance’ seemed to strike a chord.

“By the way, Taehyun, you saw our choreography earlier, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“How was it, our choreography? Out of a perfect score of ten, how many points would you give?”

“Hmm…”

After a moment of contemplation, Taehyun whispered something to Bijoo.

Bijoo also nodded with a smile.

To the curious onlookers, Taehyun spread his fingers.

“About eight points.”

“Wow…”

To the touched crowd, Taehyun flashed a sly grin.

“Of course, that’s the total. Out of a perfect score of twenty.”

“Hey! That means you each gave four points!”

Everyone burst into laughter at the unexpected twist.

“Well, you don’t know that. Maybe I gave three points, or maybe Bijoo did.”

“Oh, come on. Enough already.”

The members of A-ten, who had been boasting about their improved skills, sighed.

“We have a long way to go.”

“We need to practice more.”

“Still, it’s good to hear such an objective evaluation. If we were just among ourselves, we might have gotten lazy, thinking we were doing well.”

As the saddened group looked on, I sent them a glance as if to say, ‘Cheer up quickly.’

The underlings, both the original and the newbie, caught on.

“But you’ve really improved a lot. About halfway there? Just do as much as you’ve done so far one more time.”

“Oh dear…”

“I agree. I don’t know what you’re doing, but it seems like just one more time should do it.”

“Oh my!”

Taehyun tilted his head, watching the members of A-ten groan.

Then he looked around at us.

Starting with me, then Junghyun with his warm smile, Bijoo with her gentle laugh.

Lee-hyuk with his dismissive chuckle, and the lively Jiho.

“Ah…”

I couldn’t quite grasp what that ‘ah’ meant, but especially after looking back and forth between Junghyun and me, he seemed convinced.

Then he turned his gaze to the cast.

“I don’t know the details, but I can tell something extraordinary and unusual has happened.”

“You couldn’t even imagine, senior.”

“No, I know. I’m subscribed to MyTube.”

“Oh! Taehyun knows about New Black TV too!”

After the cluelessly cheerful Mr. Chu was disciplined by the members,

The seven-year idol spoke to the struggling and pitiful A-ten.

“It must be tough, but you have to endure.”

“Sob…”

“If you received such a good song for your debut, you should be prepared to break bones for it.”

“Ah. Agreed.”

The members of A-ten quickly accepted this, moving past their sorrow.

While this was happening, Taehyun asked, seemingly very curious.

“By the way, where did you get the song?”

It seemed they didn’t know who the composer was since it hadn’t been broadcasted yet.

Mr. Chu asked.

“You two are close, aren’t you? Don’t you know, Taehyun? This song was written by Woojoo.”

“What…?”

“I thought you would know.”

“No, I had no idea. This person is completely thorough when it comes to work and keeping secrets…”

“My grandmother doesn’t even know I’ve written a song yet.”

The cast laughed at my response.

Behind the camera, the staff, always bustling to prevent spoilers, gave a thumbs up.

Meanwhile, with eyes wide, Taehyun was the butt of Moobeom’s joke.

“You seem quite surprised.”

“Each composer has their own style, you know. I’m familiar with the style of New Black’s songs, but I didn’t see any of that in this song.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It felt like a completely different person’s song. I didn’t know you could change the characteristics to suit the singer like that…”

The younger members shrugged their shoulders at my newfound admiration.

Just then, Taehyun’s expression, lost in thought, began to change in real-time.

He then politely offered me a handshake.

“Please take good care of me in the future.”

“Ah, yes. Senior.”

As we shook hands, I also introduced the juniors.

“These are my composition assistants.”

“The assistants too~”

The cast laughed again at our camaraderie.

“Taehyun, I just saw your face. It’s like you’ve already finished the album release in your head?”

“When I saw it, it seemed like you’d even gone past the album promotion headlines. You’re probably wondering which full album behind-the-scenes episode to pick for the variety show.”

“We also felt the Mango real-time charts looming before us when we received Attention.”

Everyone seemed to understand.

Taehyun, laughing awkwardly, changed the subject.

“Anyway.”

He clapped his hands as if to gather his thoughts.

“I was wondering what advice to give you on the way here, but seeing you now, it seems there was no need to worry.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, there’s no need for my advice… The producers have already done a great job.”

Taehyun, looking around at us, said.

“If you trust the New Black members as you have been, I think you’ll see great results.”

“Do you think so too, senior?”

“I only thought of them as juniors who perform well on stage, but they’re really excellent at producing and coaching too.”

Taehyun said, looking at Bijoo standing next to me.

“You teach dance really well. I saw earlier, you coach so well. The dance lines are also very good.”

“Wow… thank you!”

“Everyone always praises me as if I’m a choreographer, but I think such praise should actually go to Mr. Bijoo.”

Even when the entertainers teased that it was too much, saying even his body was optimized for dancing.

We pointed out Bijoo’s long fingers.

“It’s true. Bijoo has big hands.”

“That’s right. When you have big hands, even the same hand gestures on stage appear much clearer.”

“For reference, mine are big too~”

“Mine as well.”

As the six of us stretched out our long fingers, the Aten members looked down at their own hands and fell silent.

Ballad singer An Jae-hee agreed, saying,

“But everyone seems to have the right look for their field. Rihyuk has the face of a good singer too.”

“…Hmm.”

“Look at that. The corners of his mouth are wickedly raised. That’s necessary for maintaining good sound.”

After such a conversation, Taehyun continued.

“Jiho also acts with his expressions so well, I sometimes marvel at the fancams that pop up on the algorithm on MeTube.”

“Which one did you see? Masquerade?”

“Yes, Masquerade. I saved it to watch later after seeing it.”

Jiho jumped for joy.

Then, as the praise for Junghyun’s rap ended, and it was my turn.

“That’s all.”

I naturally cut off and exchanged laughs with the juniors.

“Thank you, senior~!”

“I just told the truth, what’s there to thank me for. Ha ha!”

“Ha ha ha ha!”

Was it just my feeling, or did the five of us seem to laugh mischievously?

As I licked my lips,

‘These teachers are amazing!’ Taehyun, who had been showering us with praise, was approached by Kim Eui-ji.

“But Taehyun.”

“Yes?”

“Why are you delivering the closing remarks when there’s still so much time left before filming ends?” I asked, puzzled.

“Ah, well, you see…” Taehyun trailed off, his eyes scanning the walls for a clock.

Jaehee chimed in, “We looked too, but there aren’t any clocks here.”

“Right,” I agreed, glancing at my wristwatch with a smile. “It’s time for me to go!”

“Go? Where to?” they inquired.

“I mentioned it to the writers earlier, did you not hear? I’m off to Boracay for a photoshoot. My flight’s at 3 PM.”

“What? You’re really going?”

Amidst our uncontrollable laughter, Director Shin Murok drew an ‘OK’ sign in the air, confirming it.

The members of A-Ten were flustered. “What about the mentoring session…?”

“I don’t have any special advice to give. As I said, just trust the New Black team and go ahead!”

“Taehyun…!”

“Well, I’m off then~!”

“Hey! Are you just going to leave after hanging out with your friends?”

Taehyun waved at those who grumbled, ‘Did you come out just to chat with New Black?’ His cheeky grin was infuriatingly endearing.

“Taehyun~! Are you really going just like that?”

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“He didn’t come to give tips; he came to play with New Black.”

“Are you really leaving, you mint chocolate!”

As Taehyun, who had been shouting ‘I love mint chocolate!’ paused before leaving the practice room, he said, “I’ll give you one tip before I go!”

“What is it?”

“After the performance, when the articles pop up on the portal, make sure to read the comments sorted by popularity, not by recency…!”

We all burst into laughter at the surprisingly relatable advice.

As Taehyun headed out, we all waved goodbye, but suddenly, he popped his head back in.

“I’ll keep in touch with everyone!”

“Okay!”

“I’ll message you before my flight too, hyung~!”

“Sure…”

The entertainers were practically spitting fire.

“Hey! Hurry up and go!”

“I’ll contact you seniors as well~!”

Taehyun, placing a finger on his temple, gave a sharp wink and made an impactful exit.

“What’s with that guy?” grumbled the model student, prompting another round of laughter from everyone.

After the mentor left to catch his flight, the space still buzzed with his mischievous presence, and the six of us, along with the boys, couldn’t help but laugh.

“If we’re talking about absurdity, he’s definitely one of the most epic guests ever.”

“He filled his heart’s desires before leaving.”

“It might be a talent, you know. Annoying, but somehow, it’s funny.”

The model entertainer commented, “We had different expectations at first. We thought we’d sit around like a campfire, and Senior Taehyun would share stories with the trainees.”

“We’d be moved to tears.”

“We expected a melodrama about the tough world of idols, but instead, he skipped the advice and went off to shoot a new friendship with New Black.”

Everyone laughed at the apt summary.

Then they turned to us and said, “We’ve realized it once again. During this debut project, the only ones we can truly rely on are our teachers.”

“We’ll do better, teachers.”

“Yes, please do~”

After reaffirming our appreciation for each other, we shared some parting words, knowing we wouldn’t meet for a while.

“The concert is just around the corner, so we won’t have more time to guide you.”

The youngest actor whispered to me, catching several people smirking.

I nodded and smiled.

“I’ll remember the expressions you all love to make. I’ll definitely check them out when I have time.”

“Wang Jiho, you traitor…”

“I’m Hwang Jiho, so I’m not sure who Wang Jiho is~”

Everyone smiled indulgently at the youngest, who had been teased for getting a surname wrong on the first broadcast.

I joined in the laughter, softening the atmosphere even further.

“I was only joking about keeping an eye on you. It’s just my way of saying I really hope you’ll practice hard.”

“I will practice diligently!”

“Yes, you’ve worked really hard so far. We’ll only meet again after our comeback…”

Each person conveyed their parting words, related to their respective fields.

Ri Hyeok emphasized, “Choreography is important, but don’t skip out on vocal practice either.”

“Understood!”

“If you don’t practice enough, recording time will be hellish. And not because of me, but someone else…”

The members of A-Ten turned their gazes towards me.

The youngest testified, “That’s right. It took me nine hours to record just one verse during ‘Masquerade.’”

“…!”

“By the end, I was sprawled out in the recording booth, my sweat had dried white, leaving a silhouette of a person.”

I had to correct the youngest’s dramatic story; it wasn’t true, only the silhouette remained.

The members, pale as ghosts, vowed to also practice their vocals diligently, and I couldn’t help but smile at their determination.

Then, Junghyun spoke about dieting.

After meticulously going over every detail of the idol debut project, I imparted my final words.

“Every minute, every second is precious. You must use your time wisely.”

“Yes!”

“Don’t waste it on things like MBTI tests.”

“Yes…”

At that moment, Chu Gi Seok cautiously added, “Still, when you have time, seniors, try taking the test. From my experience, it’s quite scientific.”

“Seniors…”

While we narrowed our eyes skeptically, Ri Hyeok said, “I believe that a person’s personality can’t be defined by just a few categories.”

“That’s right.”

“People’s personalities are so diverse…!”

Seeing our reaction, the cast members shared a knowing smile and later sent us a link, encouraging us to try it out.

We laughed and said, “We don’t really believe in that sort of thing.”

That evening.

“Daebak! Ri Hyeok hyung, this description fits you perfectly!”

“Hey, Wang Jiho, keep it down. The main traits of an ISTJ are diligence, reliability, and hard work… Yes, that’s it.”

Ri Hyeok’s eyes sparkled as he peered into his phone.

“Logical and rational. This is totally me, right? A composed personality and wow…”

“Hyung, hyung, look at mine too? It says I’m very charming to adults.”

“I just finished the test too. I’m an ESFJ!”

“It says I’m incorruptible. Isn’t that just like me?”

“I’m an ESFJ too~ ESFJ too~”

As everyone excitedly discussed their MBTI results, I felt a sense of dread.

“No…”

“This can’t be…”

I looked away from the phone screen at Junghyun, feeling a terrible premonition.

“Why am I the same as you…”

“This must be a mistake. There’s no way I could be the same as you.”

He was quite adamant.

“Junghyun, this isn’t right. This is a bigger problem for me than for you.”

“That’s right. It’s a bigger problem for you than for me.”

“No…! Look at this. We can’t even have a conversation, how can we be the same?”

I denied the reality of the ENFP result on the screen.

The endings were different, after all.

“This T and A difference must be huge, right? It has to be.”

“It should be. It has to be.”

While I was trying to stay calm, looking at the only A among us, Junghyun, Jiho’s video call showed a smug face saying,

-Huh? My result ends with an A too. ESTJ.

“Just go finish your photoshoot.”

-So harsh…

I pressed the end call button.

With a beep, I dismissed Mr. Han from the screen and then Junghyun and I screamed in unison.

At that moment…

“Why all the commotion… huh?”

Someone, pale as milk, was examining our test results when their eyes suddenly bulged.

Then, like an excited tomato, they exclaimed.

“I knew it! I always had this theory when I looked at you two! My theory was right…!”

“…”

“Is this real science?”

“What is it. What?”

The other two soon showed interest.

Bijoo and Jiho, who were looking at the characters that appeared on mine and Junghyun’s smartphones, widened their eyes in astonishment.

“Ah…!”

“What’s that ‘ah’ for? What does it mean?”

“Ah-ah…!”

Looking at my younger siblings, who were staring at Junghyun and me with faces of great realization, I felt like I was going to lose my mind.