In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe-Chapter 104:

Translator: MarcTempest

Editor: Rxel

Chapter 104

This was more awkward than he thought.

It felt strange to film a car conversation scene that Woojoo used to see on variety shows.

Inside the ordinary car, not on the stage, the camera light blinked silently.

It didn’t react to anything he said, it just watched them quietly.

It was like a little kid sitting in the corner, looking at him with every move he made.

Heysion pointed at the camera.

“This is my first time filming in a car. Is this all being recorded?”

“Yes, Hyung-nim. It’s all being recorded.”

Ye Heechan answered softly.

He drove the car skillfully, looking ahead.

“I was really unfamiliar with it at first. There was no cameraman, just this one thing installed in the car, and they told me to talk by myself. I didn’t know what to do.”

“…It’s burdensome.”

Heysion fiddled with his curly hair.

Junghyun asked, “So I can say anything?”

“No.”

Ye Heechan smiled.

“You can’t say anything, Junghyun-ah. You have to say something interesting.”

“Something interesting. Then Jiho can do it.”

“Me?”

The youngest blinked his eyes, and Woojoo quickly joined in.

“Yeah, Jiho can do it.”

“Our youngest is so funny.”

“…Me, me?”

The bad Hyungs coaxed the youngest with warm smiles.

Heysion and Ye Heechan asked, “Do you think the youngest is the most interesting?”

“Yes, we’re all boring… Jiho is really funny.”

“No, no. No, no.”

But as they kept pushing him, the youngest showed his determination.

“I’ll tell you a funny story.”

“Oh. Good.”

Ye Heechan adjusted the camera angle with a smile.

Jiho looked at Woojoo hesitantly, so he told him to speak comfortably.

But.

“It’s about Woojoo Hyung.”

“Me?”

“Yes, it’s about Hyung. A few days ago, I…”

No way.

“Ah… This was a bad idea. Seniors. I’ll tell you a different story instead.”

Heysion put his hand down.

“Let’s hear the youngest friend’s story first.”

“Right, Jiho-ya. Go ahead.”

With their encouragement, the youngest started his story.

“It’s a mystery story. We live in a dorm, you know. It’s very small, ah, Woojoo Hyung told me to say it’s a big dorm. But is it big? Ah, if you look with the eyes of your heart, it’s big?”

He repeated his whisper word for word, and everyone laughed.

This guy with no filter.

But that habit of not going through his brain was helping him in entertainment.

He hadn’t even started properly, but Ye Heechan’s lips were smiling.

“So what happened?”

“A few days ago, there was something strange. Bijoo Hyung, you know, the one who looks like a pretty boy. He does a lot of housework, you know. But he started nagging a few days ago.”

“What did he say?”

“He said you guys are bringing too much dirt these days. He said there’s a flower bed or something, and you shouldn’t go in there.”

“That’s too childish.” Heysion said, “Who goes in there when they see a flower bed… Ah, you went in?”

The two idiots nodded their heads.

Junghyun said with a serious face, “But we don’t go in there these days.”

“Yes, so, you know. It was so unfair. Me and Junghyun Hyung are older now, so we don’t go into playgrounds or anything. But Bijoo Hyung said we always bring dirt, and it was so unfair.”

“That must have been unfair.”

“Yes. So I made a rash decision… Huh? Oh, a bold decision. I decided to reveal the truth. So I started looking for the culprit, and it was one night.”

Jiho explained the situation with a grim face.

A dark bedroom with moonlight pouring in.

“Suddenly, Woojoo Hyung got up from the bed with a swoosh.”

The two men showed great interest.

Junghyun shivered and rubbed his arm.

Their youngest had attended a fairy tale storytelling academy, and the vibe from that experience was still there.

He looked like a village chief telling a story about a hero.

Ye Heechan urged him.

“Oh, then what?”

“I secretly followed him. But Woojoo Hyung put on his shoes and went outside. And he looked around menacingly, as if to see if anyone was following him.”

It was because the entrance was dark and he couldn’t see well.

Jiho continued his realistic story.

“I was like, what? On the first day… But when I went out at dawn, I saw dirt on Woojoo Hyung’s sole. But I thought he wouldn’t tell me if I asked, so I decided to tail him.”

“What happened?”

“I failed on the first day because I was hungry and stopped to eat tteokbokki. Uh… I succeeded on the second day, and Woojoo Hyung went to a playground near the apartment. And then he brought a shovel from somewhere.”

“A shovel…?”

“Yes. And he dug the ground in the playground, like this. Dig. Dig. And then, suddenly, he lifted his head like this… Snap!!”

“Wow. That’s scary!”

The two men reacted realistically.

It was lucky that the traffic was jammed.

Otherwise, Ye Heechan would have turned the steering wheel and they would have all become guests of the underworld.

How embarrassing that would have been.

The King of Hell would ask them why they came, and they would say ‘We were too scared by the story…’.

Woojoo had to scold the youngest later to be careful while driving.

Of course, he seemed to know that and timed it well, but Woojoo never trusted him when he did something.

Woojoo didn’t know if he was really thoughtful or just lucky.

Anyway, the reaction to the story was good.

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

Heysion sighed and clutched his chest.

“But Woojoo, why were you digging there?”

“It was because of the variety show…”

“Variety show?”

“When I had a pre-meeting, I told the PD that I was discharged from the army, and he asked me if I was good at digging.”

“You dig all the time in the army. Why do you need to practice?”

“I was actually an administrative soldier.”

Ye Heechan burst into laughter.

“You’re telling the truth now?”

“Yes, the PD had high expectations then, so I couldn’t tell him properly. But I think he won’t tell me to pack up and go now…”

The two men laughed heartily.

Thanks to the youngest’s horror talk, the mood was good.

Woojoo could sense a bit of warmth in Heysion’s eyes as he looked at them.

He seemed to recall something and asked, “Are you guys the ones who had a showdown with Street Boys?”

“It wasn’t really a showdown. We just happened to release our albums at the same time.”

And their companies fought like cats and dogs over it.

“We greet each other friendly whenever we meet at the broadcasting stations.”

But their managers exchange glares and curses with their eyes.

Heysion chuckled.

“Hanjo told me that you guys crushed him.”

“Ahaha…”

“I’m his rap teacher, you know. I hear a lot of trivial stories from him, but he speaks highly of you guys. He said he was grateful for your help when he went on the radio.”

He was talking about that time.

The day when Yoon Kiwon almost messed up on Jang Sowon’s Wonderful Night, and Rihyuk helped him out.

The dreadlocked rapper smiled.

“Now that I think about it, we have a surprising connection. Didn’t I lose to you on the charts when Something came out?”

That was right.

‘The hip-hop chart dominator Heysion is here! Is it the end of Something’s era?’ The entertainment reporters wrote as much as they wanted, but the result was that they stayed at 4th place until they dropped out.

Life was full of surprises.

Woojoo never thought he would meet this person here, and film a Chuseok Special with him.

They exchanged small talk and the atmosphere became more comfortable.

Meanwhile, Junghyun took something out of his bag carefully.

Then he spoke to Heysion.

“Sunbae-nim, I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Can you sign this…”

The other person tilted his head and then burst into laughter when he saw the album.

“What is this? Isn’t this my album?”

“Yes, I bought it when I was in elementary school. I brought it today to get your autograph.”

“Wow, this is a total black history. How did you manage to keep it?”

“Is this your first album, Hyung-nim?”

“Yes, this was a total flop. I released a thousand copies nationwide, but only sold two hundred. So you were one of those two hundred?”

He seemed pleased.

He examined Junghyun’s face, as if checking whether he was trying to get on the show on purpose.

And then he smiled, as if he realized the truth.

Come on, Sunbae-nim.

There was no one in the world who could lie worse than their kid.

He took the pen and the CD with a cheerful smile.

“What did you like the most on this?”

“Track 3. The Soundness. I used that beat for my first mixtape when I was in middle school.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I loved that rhythm so much.”

“You have a good taste, kid. I also liked track 3 the most.”

“It’s a real masterpiece. I decided to become a rapper when I listened to this in elementary school.”

Ye Heechan looked at him with curiosity.

“How did you know about this album? You were in elementary school.”

“Actually, I bought it thinking it was rock music. As you can see, on the cover, Sunbae-nim is shaking his head…”

“Ah, stop there! Respect my portrait rights, please.”

Heysion covered the camera with his hand.

Woojoo was curious to see what the album cover was like, and everyone laughed.

There was a childish logo that said ‘Rapper Kim-Duckbae’, along with a long-haired rocker-like man shaking his head.

It felt like this would definitely go on the air as a footage.

Junghyun held the album like a treasure, and Ye Heechan suggested with a pleasant smile, “Then, since we’re here, why don’t we listen to it on the way?”

“This is a precious album…”

Junghyun looked anxious, but the two men laughed.

Especially Heysion, who seemed satisfied to see the CD surface that was worn out from playing too much.

Soon, the rough sound filled the car.

Heysion immersed himself in the music and gave commentary on each track, while Junghyun listened attentively, almost taking notes.

Then he said with emotion, “I feel like I’m meeting Buddha right now.”

Heysion laughed out loud.

It was not a fake laugh for the show, but a real one.

Woojoo also joined him with a happy laugh.

Woojoo was worried about how to get close to him, but it seemed to be solved more easily than he thought.

It was all thanks to someone’s fan love that had lasted since elementary school.

***

The car that was moving along the winding road arrived at a small village in Yencheon County, Gyeonggi Province.

In front of the village hall, six broadcasting station vehicles and Starex vans were parked in harmony.

They had been enjoying the air conditioner all the way, but everyone seemed to feel stuffy inside, so they stretched here and there.

Woojoo asked Junghyun, who was sniffling his nose, “How is it? Is it different from Seoul?”

“It’s definitely different. It’s not as good as where my dad lives, but I like it here too.”

“Ugh… I feel nauseous.”

“You’re such an idiot. Who told you to eat so many snacks?”

The youngest rubbed his chin area as if he felt sick.

Woojoo massaged his shoulder and pounded his back.

Soon, a sound close to a burp came out.

The youngest looked at him in surprise.

“Wow. My stomach suddenly feels better. How did you do that?”

“What do you mean?”

It was a massage skill that Woojoo practiced by watching YouTube whenever he had time, hoping to use it on Kim Deoksoon.

Woojoo smiled as he saw the surprised youngest.

“Why are you making such a proud face?”

Woojoo I turned his head and saw Rihyuk.

He also looked like he had a bad stomach.

“Do you want me to pound your back too?”

“No, don’t touch me. My stomach is not good.”

He looked pale, so Woojoo wondered what was wrong, but someone put their hand on his shoulder.

Bijoo slumped down with a sigh.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”

“No, it’s not that… It’s just that the seniors were talking nonstop, then feeling awkward, then talking again, then feeling awkward again. I was wondering when to join in, so I came here with a lot of pressure.”

“You did a good job.”

“How was it for you?”

“We had a good time. Junghyun was a fan of Heysion Sunbae-nim.”

“Oh, really?”

They exchanged stories that they had in the car as they approached the village hall.

Heysion and Junghyun were arm in arm, calling each other ‘brother’ and ‘younger brother’.

It was an unexpected friendship.

On the other hand, Ye Heechan and Ye Heeyeon were sticking together as siblings, and Lee Gyeonwoo and Maxi were walking quietly as if they had nothing to say.

Lee Gyeonwoo Sunbae-nim seemed to have a quiet style.

He didn’t talk unless it was necessary.

Woojoo was envious of him.

He didn’t have to talk passionately even when he appeared on a variety show.

Woojoo was five times louder than usual today.

Thanks to the several throat candies that Han Yeoreum gave them earlier, he was able to endure it.

Woojoo looked around to see how the others were doing, and they seemed to be well-mixed and talking to each other.

Where did Seo Jihyung go?

Woojoo felt someone walking behind him, trying to bump into his shoulder on purpose.

And his body moved unconsciously. fr𝐞𝐞𝚠e𝗯𝗻ovel.c𝐨m

It was the boxing skill he used to dodge the attacks from the President and Seokhwan Hyung at Lemon Entertainment.

Woojoo avoided it so naturally that the person who tried to push him stumbled and lost balance.

“Ouch!”

Woojoo heard people around him exclaim.

He looked to the side and saw a red-haired man lying on the floor.

There he was.

Woojoo reached out my hand to the fallen Seo Jihyung.

“Sunbae-nim? Are you okay?”

Woojoo whispered softly and helped him up.

“Oh? Sunbae-nim, you have some dust on your clothes.”

“Ah, it’s okay…”

“Let us dust it off for you!”

“Oof, oof, oof…!”

“Oops, sorry! We’ll dust it off gently.”

“Cough!”

As they shook off the dirt on his black T-shirt, people passed by with smiles.

They looked like they were enjoying the heartwarming scene.

PD Oh Taejun who followed them with a camera also captured the scene and moved on.

As he nodded his head and disappeared, Seo Jihyung looked bewildered and wondered what had just happened.

“Wow, I was so nervous.” Bijoo whispered, “I thought you might punch him or something.”

“What if I did? Would we have gotten some airtime?”

“It would have been a hot topic for sure. In a bad way.”

“I’m glad I didn’t.”

Woojoo suddenly remembered the gossip texts he got from Seokhwan Hyung.

-Rookie Idol A who ignores comedians, knocks down senior during famous variety show filming…

Something like that.

Woojoo was nervous too.

Woojoo was afraid he might accidentally hurt someone.

He usually tried to control his ability to prevent such things, and he felt like his effort paid off a little.

Meanwhile, as they headed to the village hall, they saw the villagers who had heard the broadcast coming out.

“Hello!”

The villagers who recognized the celebrities cheered.

The biggest reaction was for the two veteran actors, Woo Jaeyong and Yang Okbun, who were once national stars.

The grandmothers especially looked like they had turned into teenage fans.

Age didn’t matter when it came to fandom…

“Who’s that handsome guy? Isn’t he from a drama?”

“That’s right! He is!”

The attention soon shifted to Lee Gyeonwoo.

Woo Jaeyong’s embarrassed expression and the members teasing him were caught by the VJ’s camera.

And then.

“Who are these guys? They’re so handsome.”

“There are five handsome guys. They’re so pretty. Let me see your hand.”

“They’re pretty, they’re nice.”

Surprisingly, New Black also got some attention.

Maybe it was because the elderly didn’t know much about celebrities, they seemed to judge by their looks objectively.

In contrast, the younger generation recognized the celebrities and greeted them with bright eyes.

Amidst the noisy conversations, they split into teams and took their seats.

Then, PD Gu Jaeyong held up a script.

“Okay, today’s broadcast concept is a special edition of <Showing Filial Piety to the Elders>, where we show our gratitude to the elders who have worked hard throughout the year before Chuseok!”

He continued.

“Today, the residents will rest and you will show your filial piety. Before I explain the details, let me reveal the first mission.”

The main writer immediately held up a white cloth.

There was calligraphy written in brush on it.

[The first virtue of filial piety: Cook a delicious meal]

And the moment Woojoo saw that.

Bijoo smiled the brightest smile in the world.

It was all thanks to someone’s fan love that had lasted since elementary school.