In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

“Are we really launching this bread?” I asked in disbelief.

“Yes,” came the prompt reply.

“This bread?” I pointed to the one on the table.

Hong Seo-yeong, the deputy of the PR team sitting opposite me, nodded affirmatively.

As we sat there with dumbfounded expressions, she slid the documents across the table. “Several companies have shown interest. We’re considering signing with the one offering the best terms.”

My siblings and I buried our noses in the papers, scrutinizing the revenue-sharing clauses and other terms.

After about ten minutes…

“This looks pretty good,” I mused aloud.

“The terms are indeed favorable,” my younger brother agreed.

The documents seemed to exude a strong determination to launch this bread successfully.

Deputy Hong added, “The offer from their side is quite generous. The word of mouth alone guarantees success. It’s practically like using you as advertising models.”

While the contract was ostensibly about paying royalties for the soufflé bread recipe, the ‘New Black Bread’ had already become so famous that it was effectively turning us into promotional models.

Considering the cost they would incur to use us as models, it was a profitable deal for them too.

“We like it,” I said, and my siblings nodded in agreement.

“I felt sorry for the fans who couldn’t make it to the event. Selling the bread like this is a great idea,” my sister chimed in.

“Right. There are already posts on the fan cafe about how curious they are about the taste,” my youngest brother added.

The event had attracted more non-fans than fans, leaving many feeling disappointed.

Just as we were contemplating an additional event…

The timely proposal was a welcome surprise.

“We were actually thinking about revealing the recipe to the fans,” said Bijoo, smiling warmly.

“But with the buzz it’s created, I worry that if we go public, some might exploit it,” I voiced our shared concern.

We had discussed sharing the recipe with our fans.

But the moment it went public, we feared that every corner of the country would see shops popping up selling ‘The Exact Bread’ or ‘New Black Bread,’ potentially at exorbitant prices, which could tarnish our image.

“I really like the idea,” Bijoo, the creator of the soufflé bread recipe, finally said.

With that, things moved quickly. Although we had received various baking tips from the renowned patissier Myung Se-jin, the recipe was Bijoo’s own creation, making the process smoother.

“Can’t believe our soufflé bread is going to market…”

We left the PR office with warm smiles directed at Bijoo.

“Wow, Bijoo, you’re going to be a bread tycoon now!”

“You’ll be rich. Hey, bro, does that mean I can rely on you whenever I fight with dad?”

“Let’s stay on good terms, Kim Bijoo.”

Bijoo, usually so talkative, just rolled her eyes playfully at Rihyuk, who had been silent throughout.

“Hyuk, you…”

“Bro.”

“Yes?”

Hyuk, who had been tapping away on his smartphone calculator, spoke up seriously.

“I’ve calculated the potential earnings, considering various factors and growth possibilities.”

“And?”

“How about we start a franchise? This could be a successful venture.”

“Even you, Hyuk…”

Seeing Hyuk’s eyes sparkle with excitement was a first for me, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

While Bijoo pouted, the youngest spoke up.

“But it makes sense. If the five of us divide the roles, it could work.”

“How so?”

At our question, the businessman’s son pointed out each role.

“First, Jung-hyun, with your trustworthy looks, you’ll be the representative.”

“Sounds good.”

“I agree. I can play the puppet role well.”

“Bijoo will develop recipes, and Hyuk will handle finance and nagging.”

“Nag, what?”

“And I, the team’s cutie, will take care of sales.”

We all paused at the term ‘cutie’ but then commented on the role distribution.

“It’s convincing.”

“It’s a great idea. This way, we can stick together till we’re old and gray…”

“Hold on.”

I turned to the youngest.

“What about me? What’s my role?”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“You’re the face of the operation.”

“The face?”

“If a location’s sales drop, we’ll just put you out front. You’ve got recognition from variety shows too.”

It felt like the roles had been reversed.

As I was about to protest this bizarre plan, my siblings nodded, finding it plausible.

Jung-hyun extended his hand to me.

“Bro, fighting!”

“Hey, I haven’t agreed yet.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll end up in our hands anyway.”

I chuckled and set a condition.

“If we launch a series of ‘Kim Deoksoon Bread,’ I’ll consider it.”

“Kim Deoksoon Bread…”

“Bijoo, it’s a joke. Don’t actually write it down.”

“No, I’m just jotting it down.”

I smiled softly at the second youngest, who was hiding her phone behind her back.

“Bijoo.”

“Yes?”

“It’s really a joke.”

“Okay.”

“It’s real, I tell you.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“…”

Why does this feel so unreliable?

I couldn’t shake off a sense of unease as I watched him flash that insincere smile.

Before long, I heard about the upcoming release of the soufflé bread.

Early December.

It was an instant bread that didn’t require any special manufacturing process, so it could be launched quickly.

Above all…

[The bread that’s the talk of the town]

[The Black Bread]

[Charcoal Bread]

Imitations were popping up at an alarming rate, seemingly rushing our schedule.

Among the customers that day, there must have been a bread developer or two, judging by the strikingly similar knock-offs.

However, the online reviews were less than stellar.

The local bakeries are selling it, but it just doesn’t taste the same… 😢

Yeah, it has that unique flavor.

Seriously, whenever something gets famous, everyone starts copying it without shame. 😂

Isn’t this too much? They say it’s the bread they kindly shared with fans.

Look at the conscience of these merchants.

If it at least tasted similar, fine, but it’s completely different, only the cinnamon scent is somewhat alike.

It was like when ‘Original Grandma’s’, ‘Real Grandma’s’, and ‘Great-Grandma’s’ shops pop up next to Grandma’s house – it wasn’t being well-received.

The highlight was a press release from a well-known company.

-JP Bakery announces a new product… ‘Cinnamon Bread’

Though slightly different in shape and description, it was obviously a copy of the soufflé bread created by Bijoo.

On the way back to the dorm, Rihyuk commented on the ridiculous article we saw.

“Isn’t JP Bakery the company Mr. Hong mentioned? The one that tried to lowball us and got rejected?”

“That sounds right.”

“They almost had it all, didn’t they?”

The managers confirmed it was indeed that company.

But before we could even express our disbelief at the news, others had already taken action.

-JP Bakery cancels ‘Cinnamon Bread’ launch, “No similarities, but considering the controversy”

There was no detailed explanation for the sudden cancellation, but it was clear it was due to the soufflé controversy.

I don’t know how the fans protested, but it was surprising to see the word ‘regret’ coming from a company known for its lack of feedback.

And at such news, we cupped our cheeks in awe.

“Wow…”

It was something you’d expect from massive fandoms like TNT or Teen Spirit, not us.

It was a bewildering yet delightful realization of the soufflés’ formidable power.

With that sentiment, we smiled warmly at the fans watching our live broadcast throughout Soufflé Week.

“Everyone. We’ll do our best.”

“Have we ever done anything wrong? It feels like a lot, but if there is, please tell us.”

“First of all, we love you.”

The sudden shift in tone had the soufflés bursting into laughter in the comments.

We revealed some behind-the-scenes stories about the bread launch.

Amazed by the steadily rising number of live viewers, we also held an event.

This year’s Soufflé Week mostly consisted of different events from last year, but some content was the same.

“Yes, everyone. Here comes Seon Woojoo, the man who knows nothing about games. The game noob.”

“Game noob! Game noob!”

As my younger brothers clapped enthusiastically, the comment section echoed with shouts of ‘game noob.’

In the company’s break room, surrounded by computer equipment.

I smiled brightly at the camera, amidst the gaming mouse and gear Jiho had bought with his own money.

“Last year, I played StarCraft with a soufflé. Today, we’re doing the same content.”

“Congratulations to those who made it to the top four of the National Soufflé Gaming Competition. The winner gets to challenge Brother Woojoo.”

Rihyuk grumbled.

“I still don’t get it. What kind of content is this…”

“Junghyun, take it away.”

“Let’s debate instead! Aaargh!”

Meanwhile, we watched the top four soufflés’ games in admiration.

“They all seem like pros.”

“To defeat one game noob, they’ve come through fierce competition.”

“It’s like watching people climb to the top of a mountain just for a sip of water.”

I laughed awkwardly at my brothers’ jokes.

“Yes! As I speak, we have a winner.”

“And there they are again. That person.”

The ‘Killer Soufflé,’ who had competed with me in StarCraft last year, had made it to the top once more.

It goes without saying…

I lost.

Of course, it wasn’t because I was bad at it.

“Ah, shucks.”

Every time I moved the mouse flamboyantly, the youngest behind me would sigh and pat his chest.

“Shh… I could do better with my toes.”

“…”

Rihyuk burst into laughter, seemingly amused.

It wasn’t long before the siblings were astonished by the outcome of the game.

“I’ve never seen someone lose consecutively in three minutes.”

“…”

“Brother, sending four drones doesn’t mean they should charge in like that.”

I didn’t know.

“Brother Woojoo, you really seem… bad at this.”

Was it because even Bijoo had dissed me?

And so, I lost three games in a row.

Every time I faced defeat, I took a deep breath and brushed my hair back, prompting laughter from my younger siblings and the soufflés.

Even the staff joined in the teasing, and I furiously typed away in the chat.

DS_Love: Can you sing well?

Killer_SuFulle: Gamers should compete through games, brother.

Killer_SuFulle: Come back after you’ve learned more.

“…”

Soon after, a message popped up on the screen announcing the opponent had left the room, and my siblings burst into laughter again.

After finishing the last day of Soufflé Week, where we read fans’ stories and sang their requested songs, the big day arrived—December 2nd.

We were at the World Arena in Hong Kong.

“It’s bigger than I thought.”

“It feels even larger than what I saw on TV.”

During the rehearsal stage, while the staff busily checked the equipment, we warmed up and surveyed the venue.

I tapped the floor with the tip of my shoe to check it and hummed to test my vocal condition.

“Yes. New Black, we’ll go ahead with the rehearsal now.”

At the director’s voice, we nodded and rehearsed for ‘Wind Flower’ and ‘Nine.’

Every time the managers and staff wiped our sweat or handed us water bottles, we engaged in discussions about the performance.

“Right before the last dance break, let’s gather a bit tighter than usual.”

“Right. There’s also the risk of slipping.”

“And maybe we should change the pose a bit when we rise on the lift.”

In a serious atmosphere, we brainstormed ways to improve our stage presence.

There was a palpable tension, different from the recent Mango Chart Awards, as this was our first visit to this venue.

“The staff and everyone… the atmosphere feels unfamiliar.”

“I agree.”

The youngest member’s words resonated with me.

The K-Net Music Awards, or KMA, was the first award show we attended since our debut.

There had been some bad blood between K-Net and our company in the past.

Last year, ‘Masquerade’ didn’t make it into the counting period, so we weren’t even nominated for the rookie award.

“Let’s do well here too.”

My words were met with nods from my siblings.

No stage is unimportant, but the KMA was particularly high-profile among idol fans.

It was our first time at this venue, and as nominees for the grand prize, we were tasked with the important finale of the second part.

“Hello.”

While stretching and waiting for another round of rehearsal on stage, a production crew with cameras approached us.

A writer holding a script spoke up.

“We’ve come to film the award show’s behind-the-scenes.”

“Oh, yes!”

We greeted them with bright smiles and waving hands.

“Hello, viewers!”

“How do you feel about attending the awards today?”

“I’m quite nervous.”

I smiled calmly at the camera.

“It’s our first KMA, and we’re also in charge of the second part’s ending stage, so it’s quite nerve-wracking.”

“Are you nervous?”

“Yes. We actually get nervous quite well.”

“…That’s surprising.”

Our ‘Can you see? We’re nervous?’ act didn’t seem to convince the cameraman or the writer.

“Fortunately, our physical condition is good.”

Junghyun clenched and raised his fist confidently.

“And our throats are well-prepared.”

Rihyuk hummed like a canary, demonstrating his readiness.

Then we all huddled together and laughed.

“We’ve practiced a lot, so we’re confident. After today’s awards, everyone will remember our performance.”

“Ah…”

The writer murmured ‘This is nervousness…’ with a smile.

“By the way, the bread became quite a topic, didn’t it?”

“Huh? You know about it?”

“…Who doesn’t?”

The voice returned with a hint of laughter.

“I heard the bread was released; it must have been quite a surprise.”

“Yes. We didn’t expect it to actually launch. It’s bewildering but nice.”

“We’re thinking of including this in the behind-the-scenes for fun. Could you improvise a song about the bread?”

“Of course.”

After giving my siblings a rough melody, we sang in an a cappella style on the count of ‘one, two, three.’

Each of us added impromptu lyrics.

Even if two die eating,

No one will know,

The perfect alibi,

The somewhat eerie lyrics about bread made the cameraman’s lips twitch.

We exchanged glances and harmonized.

Soufflé bread-

Boom-

Soufflé bread-

The beautiful harmony of the soufflé bread.

As our impromptu song concluded, the filming writer bent over with laughter.

We also bent over, facing each other, and sang.

Order now-

Soufflé bread-

The writer covered her face with her hands, starting to sob with laughter, and the cameraman joined in.

At the red carpet event.

“Wow!”

The already warm Hong Kong weather felt even hotter with the cheers flying in from all directions.

The sound of thousands of moths taking flight at once echoed as cameras clicked away.

Amidst the dazzling flashes, I greeted people all around.

“Kim Junghyun oppa, I love you!”

“Jjeongmim! Jjeongmim!”

Everywhere, fans called out to us, and we responded with finger hearts, making eye contact and walking with smiles.

The cheers were so loud that I could feel the bodyguards flinching around us.

After skillfully completing the photo wall shoot.

“The scene is really hot today. NewBlack’s popularity is growing day by day.”

“I knew it was NewBlack as soon as I heard the cheers.”

I chatted lightly with the red carpet hosts and others before the award ceremony.

What was today’s fashion concept? Could we greet the local fans in Chinese?

Although these were the usual questions, the atmosphere seemed a bit different today, from the staff to the MCs.

“The award is really something.”

We all nodded silently to what Rihyuk said when we arrived at the waiting room.

Thanks to winning the grand prize at the MCA, we were treated differently.

Until now, there had been unofficial talk of ‘they’re doing well,’ but now it seemed to be official.

The amount indicated on the cue sheet and the spaciousness of the waiting room, which even gave our managers and stylists their own space, attested to that.

But we hardly got to use such a spacious waiting room.

Knock-knock-

“Who is it?”

“It’s your seniors. May we come in?”

With that odd greeting, the seniors entered.

An eight-member group stood hesitantly before bowing deeply.

“Hello! We’re TNT, your juniors!”

“Uh, yes.”

I exchanged glances with Rihyuk as the mischievous faces greeted us.

Leading with a puffed-up Rihyuk, we bowed deeply in return.

“Hellooo-”

“Don’t! Don’t! We’re sorry!”

The loud greeting startled the other party more than us, and they hurried to stop us.

Soon, we were exchanging greetings amidst laughter.

While Jiho and Seok Jihon chatted amiably.

“Goodness.”

Taehyun, with his hair dyed golden, flopped onto the sofa and loosened his tie.

“Where’s the watch we gave you?”

“Here.”

“I knew you’d wear it well.”

Like a golden cat that had found its home, he stretched out lazily before starting to look around.

I asked the other members, who were also glancing around.

“Looking for bread, everyone?”

“!”

“If you want bread, just say so in the group chat. Don’t ask me individually…”

“No, I was just curious.”

During the awards, the older and younger members kept asking if there was any leftover bread they could eat.

“Go thank Bijoo and take…”

“Bijoo!”

Before I could finish, everyone rushed to Bijoo.

The sight of a six-year idol group gently receiving bread from our second youngest made me chuckle.

Everyone took a bite and looked moved.

“It’s really good.”

“Amazing. It’s worth the hype. I need to stock up on these at home.”

“It’s still delicious even though it’s cold.”

“Bijoo, can we take some more? We need to get back into our outfits.”

“Sure, I’ll pack some for you.”

As Bijoo packed the bread with a gentle smile, TNT grabbed the bags and ran to their waiting room.

Watching them, we waited for the next group.

“They should be here by now.”

“They’ll be here within a minute. I can hear them coming.”

Sure enough.

Heavy footsteps stopped right outside the door.

With a cautious knock, the door opened, and in came the boys, fresh as a spring breeze.

“It’s here.”

“Wow, how did you know? That’s amazing.”

Teenspirit, receiving the soufflé bread politely, soon held the bread with the excitement of kindergarteners.

“How does it taste?”

Considering our fans’ age group overlapped with Teenspirit’s, I was curious if it suited teenage tastes.

Chewing the bread like children in the sun class, the Teenspirit members closed their eyes.

And with the sweet scent spreading from their lips.

“Wow, damn…”

The boys smiled with pure joy.

A candid expletive, filled with 100% sincerity, made everyone burst into laughter.