Awkward gazes tangled in midair.

Director Han Young-jun, whose expression had briefly shown surprise, soon regained his composure.

I was the first to smile and greet him.

“Long time no see, Director.”

“Indeed, it’s been a while.”

Director Han, his eyes flicking toward the panel reading Advertising Business Division, offered a faint smile as if he’d just figured out the situation.

Our group also exchanged greetings.

As we exchanged these awkward hellos, more people began to flood into the lobby from other floors, as if visiting.

Naturally, their attention wasn’t on NewBlack.

It was on the tall, handsome top actor, Lee Kyun-woo.

He, who had cheerfully pretended to recognize us a moment ago, was now listening to some whispered instructions from his manager.

Like an actor receiving directions from a director, his gaze was calm.

Soon he nodded, then greeted us.

“Hello.”

His voice was soft and pleasing to the ear.

“I didn’t expect to run into people I know here.”

“You know us?”

“Of course. We’re filming together.”

“...Yes?”

Noticing that our reaction was odd, he let out an “Ah.”

Then he laughed heartily.

“You haven’t heard yet, have you? We’ll be recording together—on that special.”

“Oh!”

“I heard we ended up on the same team.”

Only then did it make sense.

They were appearing on the Chuseok special.

From what he said, it seemed we’d been assigned to the same team.

Feeling inexplicably pleased, we greeted him again, and he chatted away.

He said he’d been enjoying “Night Sea” and “Something,” complimenting that everyone was not only visually appealing but also great singers.

That was what he’d whispered to his manager earlier.

Before speaking with us, he’d been told some little details about NewBlack.

It felt like a showy gesture, but to us it was simply welcome.

After all, he was a walking billboard.

With every word he spoke, the crowd around him perked up and tapped away on their smartphones.

Whispers like “NewBlack?” and “They’re filming together or so I hear?” reached our ears.

It was a win-win for both sides.

We got publicity, and he bolstered his image.

A top star casually approaching rookie idols, greeting them, showing genuine interest—it played well with the public.

In that brief time, I must have heard “Wow, he’s really nice” at least thirty times.

While we were merrily greeting him back with “We love your drama, sunbaenim,” Director Han Young-jun, having overheard a whisper from his secretary, interjected.

“Kyun-woo, I think we have to head down soon for lunch with Chairman.”

“Oh, yes.”

Lee Kyun-woo, still smiling gently, extended his hand for a handshake.

“It was nice meeting you all. See you at the recording.”

“Thank you, sunbaenim.”

Like the Pied Piper, Lee Kyun-woo and his entourage drew the crowd and moved toward the elevator.

Meanwhile, we were left standing there again, naturally and quietly.

A few people approached and asked which broadcast we were on, but Seok-hwan hyung stepped in to handle it. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

As I stood there, feeling a bit dazed by the whirlwind of events, I heard a middle-aged man’s voice behind me.

“Finally a chance to talk.”

Director Han Young-jun was standing there, having ushered the others away first.

Sensing the shift in atmosphere, the younger members of our group politely cleared the space.

He smiled and asked,

“They’re all younger than you, right?”

“Yes.”

“They’re handsome. I thought they were actors.”

He nodded with a smile.

“Earlier, with Kyun-woo and all, things were so hectic I couldn’t speak properly. How have you been?”

“I’ve been living in a whirlwind.”

“I heard you debuted. With Lemon, right?”

I offered an embarrassed smile.

“Yes.”

He smiled too.

Because the last time we met, he’d said that if I wanted to become an idol, he’d arrange it with Lemon Entertainment or DNS Media.

At the time, I’d stormed off shouting, “I hate them all!”

And now, years later, I’d debuted with Lemon Entertainment as a member of NewBlack.

Feeling vaguely awkward, I waited, and Director Han Young-jun laughed.

“I’m glad to see you’re doing well. After you left, my nephew was so disappointed. I got a lot of flak.”

“Oh, I’m still in touch with Tae-hyeon.”

“Really?”

He clicked his tongue.

“He never tells me anything. Before debut, he was so gentle, but lately his personality’s completely changed. Nothing like before.”

“Really? He’s the same to me.”

Director °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Han Young-jun seemed about to say more, then broke into a laugh. Checking a message, he smoothed his clothes.

“I should be going soon.”

His eyes curved like crescent moons behind his glasses.

“Well, it was good seeing you. Woo-joo, see you next time.”

“Yes, see you next time.”

After the formal farewells, he stepped into the arriving elevator and disappeared.

I watched the closed doors for a moment.

I felt strange.

I didn’t know why, but talking with Director Han a moment ago left me with an odd feeling.

Scenes flickered through my mind:

Posters of various stars hanging in the first-floor lobby.

Director Han guiding the top star around the building.

In contrast, us rookies no one recognized yet.

And even that careless question on the TJ Entertainment lobby wall: “Where do you think you’ll be?”

Thanks to the success of our first-album promotions, I’d been feeling satisfied—yet now, a thirst for success, long dormant, flared up in my heart.

From that day on, I threw myself wholeheartedly into work.

By day we went to events; by night we practiced.

Of course, the thing I focused on most was advertising.

The EverDream school uniform campaign we were shooting had two versions.

One was the MiTube commercial CF we’d been briefed on earlier, and the other was the photo shoot.

“How does it look, hyung?”

“Hmm......”

We all stared at the camera screen.

“Ji-ho, how about you lower your chin a bit? Not that side—tilt it about ten degrees to the left.”

“Hmm, I’m not sure.”

“See, you’re doing it like this right now.”

I mirrored the pose he’d struck.

“Wow, that’s spot on.”

“Even the expression’s the same.”

“You’re like a Metamon [Ditto], man.”

Ignoring my younger brothers’ chatter, I gave my own example.

“If you tilt just a bit here, it’ll work. You’re mostly symmetrical, but your left cheek gives off a straighter image—so it’s better.”

“Okay, I’ll try.”

Right now, we’d set up a camera and tripod in the practice room, trying out different poses.

“Hyung, check my posture too.”

“Bi-ju, your posture’s already upright and graceful, so I don’t really have anything to point out......”

While praising Bi-ju, the other two clamored.

“How about me?”

“And me, hyung?”

I offered various tips to Ri-hyeok and Jung-hyeon too—I wasn’t sure how I’d ended up as the shoot director.

Maybe it was when we shot the first-album jacket.

My expressions and poses must have been so memorable that they thought I was some supermodel.

Or perhaps showing them the poses and expressions I’d prepared for days before today’s practice did it—it got a great reaction.

They were so excited they said they couldn’t wait to shoot this for the fans—I honestly didn’t know if it was that good.

Anyway, since then they’d been pestering me for advice, and I’d been diligently helping out.

Thanks to that process, our practice quality had steadily improved.

At this rate, I thought, we’d get a good reaction once we got to the shoot site.

To be precise, in a comfortable atmosphere like this.

Right now, our members are showing 100 percent of their charms, but on location it could change with the vibe.

When we shot the first-album photo shoot, it was like that.

I got praised—and I’m pretty mentally tough about getting scolded—but the others suffered.

The photographer had been barking orders so harshly they shrank back. I thought that was the wrong approach.

Our guys respond better to carrots than sticks.

If it had been relaxed, I bet we’d have gotten better shots faster.

Still, I’d heard this advertising shoot had a better atmosphere.

They said they’d baby the models as much as possible.

But I wasn’t sure it would be the same this time.

Especially since the person in charge of the ad this time was so passionate they paid attention to every detail.

What I’d heard from the agency last time stuck in my mind.

They said our advertiser was pretty picky.

I didn’t know how advertising shoots usually went, but from my time in the military, I’d felt the atmosphere is determined by whoever holds the highest authority on site.

And right now, the chances of that person having a bright expression weren’t high.

Honestly, I’d be worried too if rookie models were coming for their first shoot.

It was only natural.

They hadn’t proven themselves yet; nobody knew how well prepared we were or how well we’d do.

“There must be some way.”

To reassure the advertiser.

How could we show how important this project was to us and how thoroughly we’d prepared?

Just then, something occurred to me.

A studio in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

7:00 a.m.

Section Chief Kim of TJ New Media had come to the studio with another staff member.

They were inspecting the site before the advertiser and models arrived.

So, greeting the busy staff as they entered, they were met with astonished faces.

Because the team manager from KG International—the advertiser—was already making the rounds.

“Why is she here this early?”

Advertisers usually arrived last, after all preparations were done, and simply monitored from the monitors.

Moreover, today wasn’t a CF shoot but a photo session.

Yet here she was, even before the AEs.

A production staff member, tongue-clicking, spoke up.

“She’s been roaming around since dawn. She said she needs to check everything’s per the contract.”

“......”

“So nobody’s had breakfast, and we’re all on high alert.”

The two men swallowed hard and approached the advertiser.

Woo Hee-sun, team manager from KG International’s apparel division, was handing garments on hangers from a checklist in one hand.

She was checking whether the outfits were prepared correctly.

Standing behind her, they swallowed again.

If the super-VIP advertiser was prowling around, checking for any problems, anyone would be tense.

“Chief, could you take a look at this?”

The issue was that she was calmly meticulous.

Her observation skills were so sharp.

If she noticed a problem, she’d point it out in a gentle voice—but not over petty issues; the questions were always valid.

So until the models arrived at 9:00, the two staffers trailed her, swallowing their tears.

Meanwhile, the site’s atmosphere was tenser than usual.

Everyone was on edge preparing because the advertiser had suddenly shown up.

Watching this, Section Chief Kim scratched his cheek.

He couldn’t help worrying.

“I don’t know if these rookies can do well in this atmosphere.”

He recalled NewBlack, whom he’d met a short while ago.

He’d been impressed by how passionately they’d read the ad storyboard.

But whether that passion would translate to skill on site was uncertain.

Well, at least it wasn’t a CF today but a photo shoot.

Considering the quality of the photos from NewBlack’s first album photo shoot, he thought they’d probably do fine with the photo session.

He just hoped they’d make as few mistakes as possible.

“The models have arrived!”

At that announcement, the site bustled again.

Soon, the models entered, following the sharp-eyed manager.

“Hello!”

Their lively greeting drew the staff’s attention.

Though dressed casually in T-shirts, NewBlack exuded an orderly air.

They bowed to every staff member as they approached the advertiser and the two AEs.

When they reached them,

“Hello, we’re NewBlack!”

While they greeted everyone, Section Chief Kim watched the advertiser’s expression closely.

Something was odd.

At first, Team Manager Woo seemed to glance lightly, but then a faint smile appeared on her lips.

For someone who’d spent the entire morning expressionless, checking preparations, it was quite dramatic.

What was it? He wondered, thinking it might be an optical effect, and soon realized why.

“Ah?”

It was because of the clothes NewBlack were wearing.

Though each piece differed, everything was from KG International’s new brand line.

T-shirts, pants, shoes, even hats.

Whoever prepared them had real sense, Section Chief Kim thought.

Advertising is a message.

And NewBlack, without a word, were showing how much they’d prepared for this shoot.

As the advertiser’s expression softened, the atmosphere on set began to change.

Seeing them move around the studio and make eye contact with staff, the tense expressions of the crew also relaxed.

Within minutes, Section Chief Kim felt the atmosphere shifting.

And with it came a sudden premonition that today’s shoot would go exceptionally well.