In This Life, The Greatest Star In The Universe

Chapter 60

As soon as I finished speaking, comments like ‘???’ popped up in the chat window.

The people in the booth also looked curious.

They wondered what I was talking about.

“I think I have to consider the realistic problems.”

In the previous counseling session, Hanjo suggested, ‘Express your opinion clearly without hurting the other person’s feelings.’

It wasn’t a wrong thing to say.

If I don’t behave properly in the future, this kind of thing could happen again.

But…

“I agree with Hanjo that it’s a good thing to open up your heart. It’s better than keeping it to yourself. If you tell your friend honestly, ‘I felt hurt by this and that’, you can have a better understanding of each other.”

But what I was worried about was the worsening of the situation.

“From what you said, it seems like you have a very old and precious friend. I think your friend would think so too. But what if you poured out your heart to them. Your friend might think something like this. ‘What, are you doing this because you don’t want to lend me a notebook?’”

Honestly, I don’t think it’s a good idea to speak frankly, no matter how close you and your friend are.

Would the friend who borrowed the notebook without any apology realize, ‘Oh, I’ve been doing wrong all this time’ after hearing a honest word?

Rather, they might feel more resentful and rationalize their actions.

“Of course, I’m not saying that your friend would do that. It’s just a hypothetical scenario. And even if they think that way, if you two have the same feelings for each other, you’ll eventually mend your relationship.”

But, until then?

The one who suffers is the writer.

“I’m worried about the pain you’ll feel while the relationship is twisted. You’re in your second year and you still have a lot of school life left. It’s sad to be estranged from a close friend, and you have to see them every day, whether you like it or not. And you might also get hurt in your relationships with other friends.”

Before I spoke, I agonized over the problem, and after I spoke, I agonized over the relationship with my friend.

It’s funny to divide the victim and the perpetrator, but from the writer’s point of view, it’s just a painful ending.

It’s good to be honest, but…

Maybe it’s better to be a little flexible.

Especially since reputation can’t be ignored.

I felt it when I was a trainee, but the scariest thing in a peer group is when my image gets worse.

“You can’t ignore reputation in school life. We understand your feelings, but other friends might not be so considerate. You might be labeled as a narrow-minded person in an instant.”

“That could happen.”

“Of course, my story is just an assumption.”

I said to the writer who might be listening somewhere.

“But I can’t tell you to take the risk just because there’s a possibility that things will work out.”

“You mean to think realistically.”

“Yes. When you watch dramas or movies, you see scenes where they say everything they want to say. But what they don’t show is that in reality, you have to face the other person even after that scene. It’s hard to tell you to endure that kind of stress.”

“Then what’s your recommended solution?”

“There are two.”

I carefully chose the words that came to my mind.

“If it were me, I would choose to quietly distance myself from that friend. It’s better than making a fuss and getting into trouble, and from experience, that kind of relationship only hurts me more as it lasts longer.”

“Don’t talk about the notebook and slowly drift apart?”

“Yes, if it were me.”

I added, in case they misunderstood.

“I’m saying that’s what I would do in that situation, not that you have to do the same as me. You said they were a precious friend. There’s also a way to not break up the relationship. Um… ask them for a favor.”

“A favor?”

“Just like your friend borrows a notebook from you, you also ask them for something. There must be something that your best friend can help you with. If they’re good at dressing, you can ask them to go shopping and pick out clothes for you. If they’re good at sports, you can ask them for help with your physical performance evaluation.”

“Take something from this side if they take something from that side?”

“Yes. When the balance of the relationship is adjusted, the emotional balance will also be adjusted. When you think that they gave you as much as you gave them, the balance is achieved. If you think that way, the stress from the problem will naturally decrease.”

That was the gist of what I wanted to say.

Realistically, I don’t know what will happen if I say what I want to say.

So either cut off this relationship quietly or change it gradually.

I nodded at the DJ’s gesture to make a closing remark.

“Ultimately, it’s a matter of choice. If you’re an assertive person, Hanjo’s solution might suit you better. In fact, that’s the best way to solve the root of the problem in the relationship.”

Hanjo, who was listening quietly, looked at me.

“But if you’re introverted like me and think, ‘I can’t do that’, I wanted to let you know that there’s another way. So don’t feel pressured and choose the solution that suits you best. It’s okay if you don’t choose. Maybe you’ll come up with a better idea, right?”

I smiled as I finished my speech.

“Whatever you choose to do, I’ll be cheering for you from behind. Thank you for listening. This has been New Black Woojoo.”

As the song I requested, ‘I’ll Be On Your Side’, played, I quickly scanned the chat room’s reactions.

Not bad at all.

I took a deep breath and took off my headphones.

Now, only the results were left.

****

At the same time. New Black’s dorm.

The members were crowded in the cramped living room, looking at the laptop screen.

The youngest let out a wow.

“Wow. Did you see Woojoo hyung just now? How can his features look like that in low quality? He’s the only one with different quality. Everyone else is 480p, but Woojoo hyung is full HD.”

“480p? What’s that?”

“That… means Woojoo hyung is handsome, hyung.”

“Oh, I see.”

Kim Bi-ju nodded with a convinced face.

He stroked his brother’s hair, who was lying on the murphy bed, while turning his eyes to the laptop monitor.

“That’s right. Ri-hyuk is pretty too, but Woojoo hyung is really beautiful today.”

I have to save this, he thought as he pressed the capture button.

Wang Ji-ho blinked at his proud smile.

“Hyung, what about me?”

“Of course, our Ji-ho is handsome too.”

“Isn’t your answer too soulless?”

“Is this capture button supposed to save it, Jung-hyun?”

“It should.”

While Wang Ji-ho pouted his lips, Kim Jung-hyun, who was squeezing and releasing a hand gripper, looked at the screen.

“Woojoo hyung is really good at counseling.”

“He bragged about it before he left. He said he used to counsel his younger siblings all the time when he was in TJ.”

“Did he?”

Kim Jung-hyun, who was skimming the comment section, said.

“The reactions are half and half. But what’s with the pruning? Did Woojoo hyung tell his friend to prune? Why are they all telling him to prune?”

“Jung-hyun, it’s not pruning, it’s cutting off.”

“Oh, I read it wrong. Anyway, the opinions are divided.”

“It makes sense. They’re both right.”

“Really?”

Kim Bi-ju tilted his head.

“I think I would quietly end the relationship like Woojoo hyung said.”

“Well. I think I would talk. We’re friends. You have to tell them if you’re upset, so they can understand.”

“I don’t know.”

“It’s a hard problem.”

As the members disagreed, the chat room was also filled with comments about who was right.

A short break.

While Kim Bi-ju was searching for 480p on the internet portal, the youngest glanced around.

“Hyung.”

“No.”

“You know what I’m going to say.”

“Are you trying to say you want to comment?”

Kim Bi-ju smiled at the embarrassed youngest.

He couldn’t stop him earlier when he was making snacks in the kitchen.

When he came back with a tray of French toast, everything had already happened.

Luckily, they made enough airtime.

But now that his nickname was revealed, there was no point in commenting more.

That was his thought.

Woojoo would have agreed with him if he was here.

“Ji-ho.”

Kim Bi-ju said softly.

“Let’s stop here for today.”

“Just one word.”

“I’ll let you comment next time we have this kind of schedule. Okay?”

“…Okay.”

Wang Ji-ho agreed with a sullen face.

But soon, his expression disappeared as the DJ announced the start of the text voting.

They all moved their fingers busily.

“Did you all send it?”

“Yes. I’m also urging my school friends to text.”

“Jung-hyun, what about you?”

“Hey, which number did we send?”

“It was number two, right? Did you send it to number two?”

“Uh… maybe.”

Kim Bi-ju frowned at the uncertain voice.

“You’re always like this, with your wallet and everything, you…”

Kim Bi-ju hesitated, as if he couldn’t find a negative word to say.

“Give me your phone. You idiot.”

“I’m not an idiot.”

He took the phone from Kim Jung-hyun and entered the password with ease.

“Hey. You know my password too?”

“Isn’t it hard not to know 0000?”

“…”

Fortunately, there was a number two in the sent messages.

Kim Bi-ju sighed with relief and handed the phone back.

Kim Jung-hyun scratched his cheek, embarrassed, and changed the subject.

“But strangely, I’m not worried.”

“About what?”

“The result. I don’t feel like we’re going to lose.”

They both thought for a moment and nodded.

“That’s true.”

“Me too. I can’t imagine Woojoo hyung losing to anyone, can you?”

The youngest’s words made the others laugh.

It was true.

They couldn’t imagine Seon Woojoo losing to anyone.

They didn’t know if it was because of the image he had built up until now, or because of the recent live performance without accompaniment, but that’s how their leader was in their minds.

He always made the situation favorable for himself, wherever he went.

He was the kind of person who would sell refrigerators in Alaska and hot packs in the desert.

That’s why they felt comfortable watching him.

“Look at Ri-hyuk hyung. If it was any other time, he would be shaking nervously, but he’s talking so casually now.”

They smiled at the relaxed expression on the main vocalist’s face.

They understood why he was like that.

-Yes, it’s time to wrap up the third part. Now it’s time to announce the results of the text voting.

Finally, the commercial ended and Jang So-won’s voice came out.

Wang Ji-ho jumped up and listened carefully, and Kim Bi-ju also straightened his posture.

Kim Jung-hyun quietly put down the grip strengthener he had been squeezing and releasing repeatedly.

They said they were relieved, but when they waited for the result, they felt inexplicably anxious.

It wasn’t a huge reward like the first place in a music show, but they really wanted to win, since the opponent was who they were.

That’s when the three members gathered in front of the laptop.

-It was a really close match, they say. What? How many votes difference? Let’s see… 27 votes? Wait a minute. Oh, our staff says it’s 37 votes difference.

As the chat room filled with comments like ‘Our sister is bad at numbersㅠㅠ’, Jang So-won smiled awkwardly.

“She’s really good at hosting.”

“Yeah. It’s like a survival show.”

They swallowed their saliva at the sight of her teasing the listeners naturally.

Just then.

-Well, what does the vote difference matter? The result is what matters! Okay, then I’ll announce the winner. A fierce battle of ice and fire! The winner is…

When the winner’s name came out of Jang So-won’s mouth.

-Ah…!

-Uh…!

Across the monitor, the faces of the two teams were mixed with joy and sorrow.