Chapter 155: Job Analysis of Other Departments (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 155: Job Analysis of Other Departments (1)
Every Sparkler knew for a fact that Spark was a somewhat... unusual idol group.
On the surface, all six members were more than just well-built; they were stunningly handsome men.
But if you looked just a little closer, everyone had... well... a rather extraordinary side to them.
Take the center, Choi Je-ho, who could be called the face of Spark, for example.
『There’s a mark on the dining table. What do I do?』
『Wasn't there a table mat? You’re supposed to put that underneath.』
『I did, but it went through the mat, too.』
Because of his ability to destroy contact paper, table mats, and dining tables all in one go, Choi Je-ho was constantly treated like a farmhand.
Perhaps it was because he had a habit of chopping wood alone whenever the need arose, hearing his teammates shout, "Choi Je-ho, it’s finally time for you to work!"
The cold, towering center with an iron-clad impression had been relegated to a mere bottle opener, a firewood maker, and a human compactor.
And right next to Choi Je-ho, another member was quietly growing into "Farmhand No. 2."
『Kang Gyeon, your technique has improved a lot.』
『I guess it’s because there are so many things I want to slice.』
『...That’s not me, is it?』
Kang Gi-yeon had better balance than Choi Je-ho, who had dumped all his stat points into strength.
However, thanks to being armed with a mind even colder than Choi Je-ho’s, his way of treating the members was becoming increasingly rough.
『Aww, look how fresh our Seong-bin Hyung looks!』
『Huh...?』
『He’s so cute I could die. I’m going to stick his photo on here so big it’ll take up the whole door.』
Lee Cheong-hyeon, who was the same age as Kang Gi-yeon, didn't treat his older member much better.
While his actions felt more affectionate than Kang Gi-yeon’s, Lee Cheong-hyeon’s way of expressing that affection was—to borrow the fandom’s phrasing—slightly twisted. Which is to say, it was extraordinary.
Even now, Lee Cheong-hyeon was folding his fiftieth origami heart out of colored paper, claiming he was going to stick them on a slogan. He added that for his Hyung, even gold paper wasn't a waste.
Once all those hearts were attached, Jeong Seong-bin’s photo would end up looking like a frilled lizard.
『Ju-woo, what are you going to write?』
『...Should I write that I’ll cheer for him until I die?』
『Hmm... Let’s try to soften the expression just a little bit.』
Then there was Park Ju-woo, who made startling remarks with a gentle expression and a calm voice.
Though he was generally generous, Park Ju-woo displayed incredible obsession in strange areas.
One could feel his convictions just by looking at his all-white bedding or his sneakers, which were clean even on the soles.
『No. This isn't the kind of slogan I wanted!』
『Then what kind of slogan do you want?』
『An orthodox slogan that asserts its presence even when caught in a group shot by the camera.』
『Is there even such a thing?』
‘But the weirdest one is definitely I-wol.’
Seeing him energetically making placards made me feel relieved that he seemed fully recovered, but Kim I-wol still looked like he was suffering. Simply because the slogan wasn't coming out exactly how he wanted.
Spark’s official "Skilled Instructor," who was reliable in everything except dancing, had a tendency to be fanatically obsessed with "idol-like" things.
After much agonizing, Kim I-wol finally began the massive undertaking of changing the three characters of Jeong Seong-bin’s name from fluorescent pink to fluorescent green. It was a scene one couldn't watch without tears.
The process of these rough young men making cheering tools was a series of hardships.
Choi Je-ho cut a vowel backward, turning Jeong Seong-bin into "Jang Sang-bin," while Park Ju-woo’s placard was discarded because it was filled with a certain... ominous energy.
Spark’s trial and error was conveyed vividly to the viewers.
≫ Choi Je-ho is definitely a strength-build character.
└ A man who destroys everything with an innocent face... You’re the best, it’s thrilling.
└ The first "farmhand-type" idol in the scene who doesn't look like he’d be won over by just a bowl of white rice.
≫ Our baby Gi-yeon, what do you want to slice so badly?
Just say the word, Noona will bring it to you.
└ Gi-yeon, don't step forward. The Noonas will slice everything for you.
└ I won't let a single drop of blood get on our Gi-yeon’s hands.
└ How romantic.
≫ Cheong-hyeon’s madness is more intense than a Sparkler’s.
└ It’s not easy to show more member-love than Lee Cheong-hyeon.
≫ Ju-woo is kind of like that.
The obsessive type who looks like a model student.
└ What kind of "Cheong-hyeon whose beauty has withered" nonsense is that?
└ Even if you don't agree with my character interpretation, isn't that a bridge too far? I’m going to sue and engage in an endless legal battle.
└ I’m sorry, but your character interpretation really doesn't match mine. I’ll be watching to see how far you go.
└ = This means they’re going to follow each other until they die.
└ I brought popcorn thinking they were fighting, but it was a wedding.
The real-time mentions had definitely increased significantly since Idol Dynasty Annals. Baek Hae-won’s heart was filled with happiness.
Even after sending off a placard that seemed more fermented than just filled with love, the handmade V-log continued.
As professional idols, Spark didn't forget to fill the airtime while focusing on their work.
Kim I-wol said with a serious face:
『If you took out a loan using Seong-bin’s voice as collateral, you could buy an apartment with a Han River view.』
『If it’s near the Han River, wouldn't the LTV regulations kick in, so you wouldn't get much of a loan?』
『Not a mortgage, but a "Jeong Seong-bin collateral loan" would make it possible.』
『True.』
Lee Cheong-hyeon nodded in agreement.
“What’s LTV?”
At the appearance of a word she had never heard in her life, Baek Hae-won headed to the sea of information: social media.
≫ "True" < He really said this...
└ LOL
└ But taking a loan with Jeong-Lee-Da’s voice? 90% LTV is totally possible.
≫ At first, I thought only Kim I-wol was a nutcase, but Lee Cheong-hyeon is one too.
If you look closely, Lee Cheong-hyeon is the one agreeing with everything his Hyung says. hahaha
└ The two of them seem to have the same tension. hahahaha Whenever some weird talk comes out and they start bantering, it’s those two.
└ The Ju-Jeong-z.
└ That’s so mean. hahaLOL ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└ Hey, our boys are sober! hahahahahahaha
Over there, cold-hearted working adults were laughing amongst themselves.
And here she was, thinking they were all five-year-old children who left their ten extra years of age at home because they were too heavy. Baek Hae-won felt a deep sense of betrayal.
After wandering through the "Green Window," she learned that LTV stood for Loan-to-Value ratio, but she still felt like she couldn't fully understand her boys' conversation.
She only reached the useless conclusion that ‘To laugh along with Spark, I have to study real estate.’
However, the video didn't just contain nonsense.
Even within the battle of craftsmanship that made viewers tell them to just compromise with reality, there were moments that touched the heart.
『I-wol Hyung, is there anything else to cut?』
Kang Gi-yeon, who had been focusing on using a utility knife far from the camera, came to the living room and asked.
When Kim I-wol said there wasn't much left, Kang Gi-yeon took a bundle of contact paper and went back to the kitchen table.
『Why are you guys doing that over there? Come here and make it.』
『We’re coming now.』
Kang Gi-yeon, whose back was to the living room, answered nonchalantly.
Subsequently, Kang Gi-yeon was caught in a small corner of the screen, hiding the utility knives he and Choi Je-ho had been using behind some trash before entering the room.
One camera followed Kang Gi-yeon inside.
Kang Gi-yeon opened a small storage cabinet in the corner of the room.
Underneath his sleeve, well-organized tools were visible.
Blades, screwdrivers, small pliers, and the like.
‘Ah, damn it, why is Kang Gi-yeon being so thoughtful...’
Kim I-wol, the person in question, didn't even seem to realize that Kang Gi-yeon and Choi Je-ho were standing in the kitchen on purpose, only bringing over the materials once they were finished being cut. That point made it even more touching.
Only after turning the living room into a disaster zone did Spark’s slogan-making chronicle come to an end.
『I believe our Seong-bin will do great. Let’s go show them the leader’s grit!』
『There will be good results as much as you’ve prepared. Fighting.』
『I’m so proud that my friend is standing on such a cool stage. Congratulations, and I’ll be cheering hard for you...!』
『Don't do too well without me. I’ll get jealous. You know I love you, right? Our Hyung is the best! Do a great job!』
『Don't be nervous and do well. Leader, fighting!』
The members’ warm-hearted cheers flowed out in the cookie video.
For the first time in a long while, Baek Hae-won spent time returning to the world of "pseudo-family," which had been her spiritual home.
Even during non-promotional periods, idols do not rest.
Schedules were booked steadily in their own way, such as performing at local events or appearing on several MeTube channels or variety shows. Other than that, we spent time doing autonomous practice.
Originally, I had planned to push hard and plan a digital single around this time, but...
‘The company will push you hard this time! Don't worry!’
...UA said they would handle all the preliminary work, so I had nothing left to do. That’s why these days, I only attend the mid-term meetings.
Of course, just because the official tasks disappeared didn't mean work was gone entirely. I had a pile of overdue English workbooks, data backups, and PT sessions I hadn't been able to attend.
As I was organizing my tangled schedule, one note caught my eye.
Need to readjust acting lessons.
‘Right, there was this too.’
Modern-day idols had to be able to do everything. And that "everything" included acting.
UA didn't skimp on support for education. Including acting lessons for better expressiveness. I can't even begin to describe how much I suffered because of this, stuck between the genius of emotional expression, Choi Je-ho, and Lee Cheong-hyeon, whose learning ability was better than a sponge.
‘Wait, wasn't it true that none of the Spark members actually promoted as actors?’
An idol’s acting career was always a hot potato. Among the few issues that Spark, who carried every possible controversy, hadn't gone through was "a new challenge as an actor."
I thought it might be okay to cancel these lessons if we weren't going to act seriously. It felt like spending extra money and time on something we could learn sufficiently from our dance teacher.
However, this acting lesson caught me in a completely unexpected way.
“A drama audition?”
Representative Kim and the manager made a shocking announcement to me, whose only acting skill was "imitating a drunk Department Head Nam."
To summarize their story, it went something like this:
I’ve summarized it, but in reality, I couldn't accept it. My brain kept denying reality.
“It’s just a proposal, so you don't have to accept it. Your condition is the most important thing, I-wol.”
Just as I was about to step back, saying, ‘In that case, I...’, something flashed before my eyes.
No way.
No way!
At this timing!
+
[SYSTEM] A ‘New Task’ has been assigned.
▷ Participate in the audition for the drama ‘In My Office’
▷ Reward: Memory Data (1)
+
Fuck!
“How about it? Do you want some time to think?”
“I’ll do it.”
Because the system told me to. Now, my condition doesn't matter in the slightest.
The reward is even a memory. I don't know what kind of structure "data" has, but for me, whose head has more holes than basalt, it was a necessary reward.
It should be fine if I just go and do the audition. Given the system’s personality, if it were going to give me more tasks related to the drama, it would have set the new task as "Pass the Audition" from the start.
“I’m grateful that you’re giving me the opportunity. I’ll work hard!”
“You can work a little less hard. Then I’ll tell them you’re doing the audition, okay?”
Autumn, the season of excitement.
The heart-pounding preparations for an office worker’s career-change interview began.