LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 363
Chapter 363 At the Ulleung One Heart Hall.
The news that NewBlack was performing had gathered an audience of about 500, buzzing with anticipation.
“Who is this princess everyone’s talking about?”
“…A princess?”
“Which princess?”
The banner hanging above the stage read:
[A Special Performance for the Princess~]
Debate buzzed about who the princess could be before the performance.
“Isn’t it something like the winter food king in my hometown is oysters?”
“Then if it’s the Ulleungdo princess, would it be a squid?”
“What kind of princess is a squid? Where in the world would you find such a princess?”
Surprisingly accurate guesses floated around.
During these conversations, the ‘Squid Princess’ sitting in the front row was on the verge of madness.
“Hey!”
“Oh Heewon, did you come to watch too?”
“Hi, sis-”
Her high school friends and junior high school juniors, faces she recognized, were guided to the front row.
The parents marveled at the NewBlack leader’s thoughtful consideration.
“Oh my, how did he manage to take care of all her friends too?”
“He’s really meticulous.”
She agreed with her father’s murmuring.
It was as if the universe had the skill of a world-class architect when it came to designing embarrassing histories.
Nevertheless, the Squid Princess felt like crying.
‘Brothers…’
It was clear her brothers intended to kill her with shame.
She resolved that if she died of embarrassment during the performance, her dying message would definitely mention ‘NewBlack.’
“Dad.”
“Hmm?”
“Delete what you were about to post in the group chat right now.”
“Ahem.”
She glared at her father, who was about to send out [My daughter is today’s princess].
The parents laughed, seemingly enjoying themselves.
She looked around in the meantime.
‘Everyone seems to be having so much fun.’
The residents’ faces lit up with excitement at the news of a celebrity’s arrival.
It was a new spectacle in their usual daily life.
They were chattering and laughing, meticulously examining the pamphlets and mini glow sticks they received upon entry.
‘Ah, the princess…’
The thought of these people hearing about the princess and laughing made her face burn with embarrassment.
Her heart pounded.
But at the same time, she was incredibly excited.
A performance for her.
Her heart raced with gratitude and excitement for the singer who had come to meet the one fan living on the island.
She placed her hands on her chest, trying to calm her trembling.
Suddenly-
The lights went out, and the residents waved their glow sticks.
Soon, the singers she had only seen on TV appeared, and the cheers grew louder.
Her friends nearby gasped at the stunning beauty that shone brightly like a statue.
“Wow…”
The stage makeup made them look like people from another world.
Even the Squid Princess squirmed with admiration.
As the members smiled faintly until the audience’s cheers subsided, they took the microphone.
“Hello! We are NewBlack!”
“Wow—!”
“We sincerely thank everyone who came to NewBlack’s special performance today!”
The leader spoke with a calm smile.
“You must have been surprised by our sudden performance announcement, right?”
“Yes!”
“And you must have been even more curious about the performance for the ‘princess’ mentioned on the banner.”
“The princess is right here in the front row!”
The crowd murmured and craned their necks.
The gaze naturally fell on the Squid Princess and her family sitting comfortably in the center of the front row.
As her parents smiled contentedly, the Squid Princess closed her eyes.
After a brief explanation of the small theater tour and the nickname system, Woojoo spoke with a smile.
“The star of today’s performance sitting right here in the center is Miss Oh Heewon.”
“Please, play the background music!”
The grandiose music, fitting for a coronation in some kingdom, elicited laughter from the audience.
At the same time, the members received wreaths from the managers.
They descended from the stage and approached the Squid Princess and her family, seated right at the front center.
“Congratulations!”
“You’ve been chosen as the first princess of our New Black Kingdom’s Ulleungdo branch!”
Crowns were placed on the parents’ heads, and a floral wreath and bouquet were playfully handed to her, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
Ri Hyeok, with a slightly mischievous expression, extended the microphone.
“Now, may we hear a word from the princess?”
“Uh… uh…”
With her head bowed, the sound of her trembling breath made everyone laugh.
Especially her friends watching from the side, who clutched their stomachs in laughter as the Squid Princess squirmed.
“I’m going to change my nickname when I get home…”
Her adorable remark made everyone chuckle.
The New Black members returned to the stage and bantered among themselves.
“Even so, ‘Princess’ is a pretty tame nickname. How lovely it is.”
“Right.”
“Once, someone had the nickname ‘Soy Sauce Marinated Crab.’ They were also a section chief at work, so they became known as ‘Soy Sauce Section Chief’…”
Bijoo’s added comment brought smiles to people’s faces.
Then, Woojoo took the microphone again.
“Shall we introduce today’s performance?”
“Yes! Since New Black is a custom-fit singer for the audience, we’ve tailored today’s performance for the residents.”
It was said that the setlist included various songs, including those sung by the PBS Song Group.
Some of the songs the audience wanted to hear were selected by lottery to be performed.
“So, we’ve prepared a guitar as well. Please look forward to it.”
Woojoo sat down with an acoustic guitar in hand.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes!”
The members feigned surprise, their eyes wide.
“Wow. Seeing the cheers, it seems we don’t have to worry about today’s performance response, right?”
“I thought I was at a concert.”
“We’re the type who gets energized by the audience’s response, so please cheer us on.”
The main vocalist’s words were met with enthusiastic responses from the audience.
And then, the main performance began.
The residents looked puzzled as they recognized the songs, including the album’s title track, ‘Winter Sleep,’ which they had heard as background music on TV shows and variety programs.
Songs that evoked the feeling of winter.
The Squid Princess and the younger audience, who knew all the lyrics, hummed along.
And then…
“Ah!”
Every time her favorite main vocalist made eye contact, he gave her a warm smile, making her heart feel like it stopped.
Her face flushed in an instant.
Each time their eyes met, his long eyelashes fluttered, visible from up close.
The other members did the same.
They moved around, occasionally looking at fans and smiling, inducing responses from the audience.
“Wow!”
The performance was a success.
New Black’s soulful voices seemed to lift the audience up and down with the melody.
When sad, they felt sad together; when joyful, they shared the happiness.
Especially…
“Now, please attach the mini bells to the glow sticks we’ve distributed!”
Jung Hyeon, standing like an instructor on stage, demonstrated how to attach the tiny bells to the mini glow sticks.
“Just shake them along with us when we do.”
“Yes!”
“Christmas has passed, but shall we bring back the festive atmosphere once more?”
As they reached the Christmas carol ‘Merry Christmas,’ laughter spread throughout the venue.
Merry Christmas
Waiting for this day,
I’ve been flipping through the calendar (all together now!)
As Ri Hyeok finished the first verse, the members moved rhythmically, shaking their mini glow sticks.
The audience followed suit, and the sound of bells jingled.
Laughter erupted simultaneously.
It felt fun, as if everyone was participating in the carol.
During the chorus, as they sang about riding the sleigh – ta-ta-ta – the audience shook their mini bells in rhythm.
Multicolored lights of green and red adorned the venue. Though Christmas had long passed, a warm air reminiscent of the holiday season lingered in the concert hall.
“Now, let’s move on to the songs you’ve all requested for tonight,” the host announced.
As the audience entered, they had dropped their song requests into a box. From these, the band New Black had curated a setlist of familiar tunes.
“Is Mr. Bae Jong-wook here, the one who requested ‘The Fisherman’s Song’?”
“Right here!” A teenager with a pale face called out, causing a ripple of laughter through the crowd as he requested an old classic.
The reasons behind each song request sparked conversations and laughter among the attendees.
Every time Woojoo strummed his acoustic guitar, providing the accompaniment, the crowd’s response grew more enthusiastic.
As the concert neared its end, the host prepared for a special moment.
“Now, before our last song, we have a story from our princess, Ms. Oh Hee-won, who won our event.”
“Oh…”
“With her prior consent, we’ll read her story and dedicate a song to her,” the host continued.
Amidst the audience’s curious glances that alternated between her and the stage, the main vocalist’s clear voice filled the hall.
“We received a winter-themed story. ‘Every December, I find myself looking at my parents,’” he read.
The parents’ gaze affectionately shifted to their daughter.
“‘My brother, a career soldier, recently got married. Even before, his service away from home meant he rarely visited unless on leave. But now, with a new baby, it seems he has even less time to come home.’”
She fidgeted with her fingers, reflecting on how her brother, despite frequent calls to check on their parents and sibling, could hardly visit anymore.
“‘My brother is affectionate and doting, but I’m the opposite. As winter approaches, I see my parents feeling lonely, and I wish I could be warmer to them… but I’m not confident in that regard.’”
Feeling a sense of embarrassment under her parents’ gaze, she lowered her head slightly. Then, a hand from each side reached out, touching hers on the armrest.
The story continued as her parents looked on with fondness.
“After sharing her concerns about not being as affectionate and worrying if her parents felt lonely because of her, the story concluded with a relatable sentiment.”
“It’s like a video letter,” Woojoo remarked, holding the microphone. “I often wonder how to get closer to my grandmother too.”
“Get closer?” the main vocalist asked, puzzled.
The leader nodded, and the other members shook their heads in amusement, while the microphone was passed to the Squid Princess’s parents.
“Yes, we’ve read our daughter’s story,” her father began, clearing his throat.
“It’s true we feel a bit lonely at times, but it’s not particularly because of our daughter, is it?”
“Ah.”
“If there’s one complaint, it’s that she spends too much time following singers instead of studying… Oh!”
Laughter erupted from the audience as the father momentarily forgot the singers were right in front of them.
The members of New Black responded in jest.
“So, we’re the culprits!”
“That’s it!”
The youngest member’s lively exclamation sparked another round of laughter.
The leader signaled to the younger members.
“First of all…”
“We’re sorry~”
The five members bowed respectfully, hands joined, eliciting laughter from everyone.
Then, they turned their attention back to the Squid Princess.
“And what about your studies, Miss Hee-won?”
“I’ll study hard…”
“Would your mother like to say a word? Perhaps something you’d like to tell your daughter?”
The mother, wearing a crown, gently held her daughter’s hand and spoke.
“I don’t feel particularly lonely or anything. I just wish she would help with the laundry a bit more…”
“Your daughter?”
“I’ll do it…”
The Squid Princess twisted uncomfortably.
If there were an eject button like in a fighter jet, she would have pressed it to fly away, chair and all.
After the story wrapped up, the host addressed the audience.
“We’ve thought long and hard about which song to choose. We have one that perfectly fits this family-themed story. We’d love to sing it for you.”
I picked up the guitar that had been laid on the ground by Woojoo.
“It’s a song called ‘Night Sea.’ It’s inspired by memories of living with my grandmother when I was young.”
Soon, the musician’s hands gently swept across the guitar strings.
A soft melody that evoked nostalgia for old memories flowed, accompanied by a brief introduction to the song.
One by one, the members’ microphones rose.
As the five of us hummed together, the audience was immersed in the tranquil ambiance of the night sea.
“It’s wonderful…”
I had only seen this performance on video during our small theater tour, but seeing it live was incredibly moving.
It was a bit embarrassing to have our stories shared in front of everyone, but it wasn’t all bad.
The warm touch of my parents’ hands, raised on either side, was comforting.
And so were the poetic lyrics I heard.
Like the other spectators, my parents nodded their heads to the rhythm of ‘Night Sea’ performed by New Black.
As I thought about how great it was to be a fan, the idea floated through my mind like fluffy clouds.
The audience clapped in rhythm with the gentle song.
That night sea,
Your scent,
That night sea,
Your voice.
Listening to the chorus of ‘Night Sea,’ the sound of crashing waves seemed to echo in my mind.
With the impression that attending today’s performance was the right choice, the thought lingered in everyone’s minds.
New Black’s national tour was drawing to a successful close with its final stage on Ulleungdo.
The special performance on Ulleungdo, an extra episode, wasn’t broadcasted on the Y app, but news of it spread quickly.
“New Black sets up a special stage for the fan ‘Squid Princess’ on Ulleungdo.”
“A surprise performance by New Black for fans on Ulleungdo, ‘You didn’t expect us to come, did you?’”
“[OH! Focus] ‘Who is the Squid Princess?’, Is the squid from Ulleungdo even tastier?”
News about ‘Squid Princess’ and my hometown was spreading on the internet.
Not just in idol communities, but also in general forums, the news about the performance was widely shared.
Mostly, posts titled ‘The Importance of Nicknames.jpg’ were popping up on community boards.
“Ahaha, I’m so jealous!”
“Wow, lucky them, having a singer come to perform.”
“Becoming a national celebrity overnight.”
“The singer’s deep love for a fan.”
“(Deep love) I love you.”
“It sounded like a crazy story, was it really New Black? But it was indeed them.”
“‘New Black went all the way for 6 hours to perform for a fan on Ulleungdo…’ It sounds heartwarming until you hear it.”
“No way, just adding to New Black’s charm.”
“I wonder if that fan is happy.”
“Happy? More like they’ve surrendered.”
“But if they treat just one fan so well, won’t other idol fans get jealous and angry?”
Someone worried as they saw the proof on social media.
But there was no need.
“Our Squid Princess has become the first princess.”
“Wow, isn’t this favoritism? Calling her a princess, I’m so envious.”
“Let’s go for New Black Princesses like Disney.”
“Before watching: I expected a touching story. After watching: Relief that it wasn’t me.”
“There would be many who’d go to hell if their nicknames were revealed.”
“Woojoo oppa, marry me, I was like a 9-year-old.”
“I used to score zero in the math section, but after seeing that, I just changed it to zero.”
“But what about that fan… Isn’t there only one high school on Ulleungdo?”
As the fans laughed and joked about the Squid Princess, the person in question was feeling both delighted and tormented.
The phone screen glittered.
The chat room with friends kept lighting up.
Kim Seoyeon [Picture of a prince on a horse]
Kim Seoyeon [Greetings]
Kim Seoyeon [I heard there’s a princess from Ulsan here, have you seen her?]
Park Sunghoon [Yes!]
Park Sunghoon [I saw with my own two eyes!]
Like Cinderella’s slipper confirming her identity, ‘Squid Princess’ was enraged by the joke about bringing a squid.
Me [Go away]
Me [Just go away]
I could imagine my classmates teasing me, calling me ‘Princess’ when the new school term started.
“Arghhh!”
New Black had left me with memories I would never forget.
The following morning.
“Ah, I feel refreshed.”
“Indeed. There’s a certain freshness in the air.”
After a night’s sleep at the lodging, we looked at each other with our disheveled hair and smiled contentedly.
Perhaps it was the end of the national tour schedule that made us feel so refreshed and happy.
Swoosh—
The sound of waves from somewhere was sweet to our ears.
And in the morning, checking the Mango Chart, ‘Winter Sleep’ was still at number one.
Yesterday’s news from Ulleungdo was also floating on the entertainment pages.
“You guys really worked hard.”
“You too, hyung.”
Then, gazing at the dim dawn sky far beyond the window, we waved our hands.
“I’m sorry, Soufflé.”
“Let’s keep fighting, our Squid Princess…!”
With such conversations, we gathered our coats with the younger ones.
Early dawn.
We had no schedule until lunchtime when we planned to take a boat, but there was a separate plan for the morning.
“Let’s go watch the sunrise.”
“Let’s go!”
“Junghyun, bring Wangbong too.”
We headed to the eastern sea with our managers.
It was a visit to the easternmost point of South Korea to make a wish while watching the sunrise.
We wrapped up tightly against the cold and moved towards the seaside.
The beach was dark before sunrise.
“Wangbong ON.”
The bright light illuminated our surroundings.
It seemed like a romantic idea to bring it along while making a wish, like a lighthouse, and I was glad I did.
“Brr, it’s so cold…”
We huddled together, shivering in the cold winter sea breeze, like penguins in our padded jackets.
“But the view is really beautiful.”
“Right? Since we’ve come all the way to Ulleungdo, shall we take a look at Dokdo too?”
“Oh, that sounds good. Shall we go?”
While we were having this conversation, Minki hyung, who had been sniffling next to us, said,
“It’s a three-hour boat ride there.”
“…”
“Are we going?”
We shook our heads vigorously.
Meanwhile, we bounced on our feet with the younger ones. We heard that the sunrise was in about 10 minutes.
At first, after the performance ended, it felt refreshing and cool.
But as the hand warmers cooled, thoughts of ‘I’m cold, I’m hungry’ began to swirl in my head.
“Over there.”
An approaching fisherman, preparing to go out to sea, caught our attention.
He was wearing a padded hat and a mask, and I wondered if he recognized us.
Just as I was about to reveal our identity, ‘Yes, we are New Black.’
“That thing you mentioned. The light.”
“Yes?”
“The thing in your hand. The light.”
“This?”
“Yes, that.”
He was pointing at Wangbong.
“Where did you buy that industrial light?”
“This?”
We blinked in surprise at the unexpected conversation.