Chapter 143: 4th Competition: Emergency Strategy Meeting (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 143: 4th Competition: Emergency Strategy Meeting (4)
My body recovered at a breakneck pace after the police investigation. I overheard the doctors whispering among themselves, calling it a miracle. No doubt, finally getting over my internal rage helped.
On the other hand, the pain subsided at a much more glacial pace. Since my body was healing well, they reduced my prescribed painkillers, but the actual pain remained the same. I was currently enduring it by biting my lip. At this point, I wasn't sure which was the better trade-off.
Then, two faces that looked just as miserable as I felt showed up at my hospital room.
"Are you guys sick too?"
"It’s from working..."
Lee Cheong-hyeon staggered in and pulled out a laptop. Today’s visitors were Jeong Seong-bin and Lee Cheong-hyeon, and the reason for their visit was an 'Emergency Meeting Request for the Final Competition.'
"You said we’re talking about the final competition, but none of the dance line showed up?"
"Those two are basically zombies right now."
"They’re nothing but skin and bones," Jeong Seong-bin added.
According to Seong-bin, Choi Je-ho and Kang Gi-yeon were spending their days constantly revising, scrapping, and flipping the formations and choreography dozens of times.
"They’ve even grabbed Ju-woo Hyung now to run simulations."
Lee Cheong-hyeon let out a hollow chuckle. He looked like he’d lost a bit of his mind.
"Anyway, this is Choreography Draft 1."
"Draft 1?"
"There are three versions. We weren't sure what would be most comfortable for you, Hyung, so we recorded them all."
Cheong-hyeon played a video. Simultaneously, Jeong Seong-bin handed me a sheet of paper. It was the floor plan for the Idol Dynasty Annals live broadcast stage.
"The areas marked in red on the video are the main stage, and the areas taped in blue are the side stages. Please keep that in mind."
"Yeah, thanks."
Everyone’s preparation skills had improved significantly. Thanks to that, I didn't have any particular questions while watching the video.
"...So, what you're saying is, you're going to leave me sitting alone on the side stage?"
Except for the fact that my position stood out way too much.
"You don't like it? Then take the lift up to the main stage."
I don't want that either!
I wouldn't mind if I just slipped in and out, but I don't want to be the only one standing out! Why should I be getting the solo shots while leaving you guys behind?
"Can't I just dance? I'll dance in the back as much as possible so I'm not seen."
"Does that make sense? How are you supposed to dance right now, Hyung?"
"I can do it. I'm healing really fast."
"How are we supposed to believe that?"
"If you don't believe me, come back tomorrow during the doctor's rounds."
While Cheong-hyeon and I were bickering, Jeong Seong-bin replayed one of the choreography drafts.
Then, he turned the laptop screen back toward me and spoke.
"The doctor said it should be fine, and if your recovery speed keeps up, I think we could change the choreography for the third verse so you can join us. What do you think?"
"Actually, it would be perfect if you joined from the dance break. I-wol Hyung, hurry up and get better."
"If it were that easy, would I be an idol? I would've opened a Natural Healing Research Institute by now."
The meeting continued for quite a while after that. By the time we finished our discussion, all three of us were exhausted.
"Oh, right, Hyung. Does the TV here work?"
Lee Cheong-hyeon, who was slumped in a chair, pointed at the large TV and asked.
"I haven't watched it once, so I don't know. Why?"
"If it works, I was going to unplug it before I left. If I leave it, you're just going to watch the Idol Dynasty Annals live broadcast again."
"Do you not realize I can watch it on my phone?"
"I know you watch the broadcast on the TV and the real-time chat on your phone."
That kid... he knew too much about me.
"If the final competition was pushed back, shouldn't this week or next week be a hiatus?"
"They said they increased the footage of the training camp. They’re doing a 'Best Of' compilation or something the week before the live broadcast. So I don't think there will be a hiatus," Jeong Seong-bin explained kindly.
It seemed everyone had been busy except for me. I was glad there wasn't a hole in the broadcast schedule, but I felt a bit guilty.
"The show airs late at night anyway, so just sleep while you're hospitalized. Don't get all excited because you're in a private room and watch the live broadcast. We'll handle the monitoring."
"Didn't I ban you guys from monitoring?"
"Ugh, then just tell Je-ho Hyung to watch it!"
Cheong-hyeon snapped. Well... Je-ho wasn't the type to have his mental state shaken by monitoring. I had to admit that.
"I'll rest well on my own, so you guys just make sure to take care of your skin. If I get discharged and see any blemishes, you won't be leaving the dermatologist for four hours that day."
At my words, Cheong-hyeon gave a half-hearted reply as he packed up his laptop. He probably thought it was an empty threat, but I’d have to show them the true terror of an aesthetic clinic this time.
For the past few days, Baek Hae-won had been in a state of total distress.
Due to the unprecedented incident, the idol scene had reached a peak of unrest.
Hae-won’s timeline, now completely dyed in Spark’s colors, was no exception.
≫ The company has an obligation to protect its artists.
The Spark fandom collectively demands a responsible explanation and follow-up measures from UA.
#UA_Protect_Your_Artists
#Idols_Deserve_Protection
#UA_Wake_Up
≫ I saw our boy trending while I was working and it was like a bolt from the blue...
I only want to see good things, why does this keep happening?
Fortunately, it wasn't long before Kim I-wol sent news that he was recovering quickly. And as if to prove his words, he frequently popped in and out of the fan café and messenger—sending over 999 messages in the process.
Needless to say, Baek Hae-won wanted to go to UA and throw eggs at the building.
However, other than his first post saying he was okay, Kim I-wol didn't mention the incident at all.
The fandom was noisy, but Baek Hae-won and her fellow veterans, who had been fans for years, could tell.
Ah, he’s doing this because he doesn't want the fans to wallow in resentment...
It was a choice as wise as his face was beautiful. Because of that, many Sparklers also restrained themselves, trying not to bring up Kim I-wol’s injury on purpose.
I-wol
[Are you going to watch Idol Dynasty Annals today?]
[I’m going to watch it!]
[Could you maybe keep it a secret from the guys? Cheong-hyeon threatened to unplug my TV.]
Even today, Kim I-wol was chatting about normal things, like watching the show's live broadcast.
If I-wol says to watch it, what can I do? I have to watch.
Baek Hae-won turned on Idol Dynasty Annals, a show that any Sparkler couldn't help but have a love-hate relationship with.
'If they do evil editing again this week, I'll kill them...'
It was a boring show, but she’d endured the first episode only to see her boys edited like crap and the stage filmed with terrible camerawork.
For Hae-won, who had gone to the recording and seen Spark’s performance in person, it was maddening. She had seen with her own two eyes how amazing Spark was, but the broadcast only showed their lower halves.
≫ How did this stage get 1st place on-site?
No matter how I look at it, it’s not that good;;;;
└ If you watch the stage version video, they’re definitely good. The broadcast just came out like sh*t.
└ Just watched it and it’s for real lol. Is the main broadcast really trying to sabotage them?
No one would ever know how many tears of blood Hae-won had shed while spreading the links to the stage version videos.
I mean, seriously, if the Idol Dynasty Annals production team had just edited it properly from the start, this wouldn't have happened!
They seemed to have come to their senses starting from the 2nd competition, but honestly, she was still anxious.
At least it was a relief that a peaceful training camp episode was airing this week. After all, a fan regains their vitality when new content is released.
Hadn't the feed been on fire just last week because of Spark’s incredible performance? The thrill of that moment was still vivid.
In the bus, he mostly just looked out the window, but once he got off, he was busy doting on the younger members and communicating with members of other groups. I-wol, you’re such a social butterfly.
She had guessed as much. For someone who had the shortest trainee period in Spark, there were more than enough anecdotes about Kim I-wol and the members.
'When Cheong-hyeon ran away from home, I-wol Hyung went to find him.'
'Seong-bin Hyung, isn't it a bit cowardly to bring that up now?'
'Je-ho Hyung, you spend the most time at the gym with I-wol Hyung. What do you guys talk about when you're together?'
'Why would we talk when we're working out?'
'We don't really cook properly at the dorm often, but when we do, I-wol Hyung usually takes the lead.'
'The meat and vegetable patties I-wol Hyung made were delicious, everyone...!'
'When did he make those? And why did he only make them for Ju-woo Hyung?'
'I recently changed all my bags because of I-wol Hyung. To backpacks.'
'Why? Because your shoulders were getting slanted?'
'Yeah. I got scolded for 30 minutes per bag.'
'No wonder all your bags looked new, Kang Gyeon.'
Even though there were some trap cards mixed in! Still!
Since he was so affable toward others and took such meticulous care of people, she expected Kim I-wol to have many people around him.
Even her own brother, who wasn't particularly close to Kim I-wol, had a good impression of him. It felt as though the emotional wounds she’d suffered when the personality controversy first broke out had been completely healed.
Baek Hae-won’s heart, healed with such difficulty, became distressed once again as Kim I-wol joined the grocery shopping team.
『I saw red pepper paste in the cupboard earlier. Let's just buy ssamjang.』
『I think that lettuce looks a bit wilted. Should we take the ones next to it?』
『Since there are a lot of people, it’ll be cheaper to buy in bulk. Let's get the big one.』
On the screen, Kim I-wol was just... a mom.
Not the kind of mom role that warmly embraces all her colleagues, but a real-life mom who goes grocery shopping and comes back with nothing but bundles of vegetables.
Even after returning, Kim I-wol was busy. Dragging out the drum cans, laying out the charcoal, and lighting the fire.
It was nice that Idol Dynasty Annals had blessed them with good editing. Her boys were getting a lot of screen time, which was great. She could see they were being considerate of Spark after the recent chaos.
However, in this situation where the Parte guys were nowhere to be seen, seeing only the oldest members of her team wrestling with drum cans and torches was both nice and sorrowful.
Baek Hae-won’s complicated feelings melted away as she watched Jeong Seong-bin diligently delivering meat and wraps. And the members who waited like baby birds for Kim I-wol to sit down and eat.
Fine, as long as you guys are happy. Baek Hae-won finally surrendered to the sight of Spark looking truly harmonious.