Chapter 194: Absence of a Teammate (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 194: Absence of a Teammate (1)
Since the music video's release, the amount of buzz surrounding SPARK had skyrocketed. I had expected some effect from Idol Dynasty Annals and other variety shows, but... these figures far exceeded my expectations.
With the showcase approaching, the positive news kept piling up. It was a good sign.
"What are you looking at?"
Lee Cheong-hyeon approached from behind and asked.
"Monitoring. How’s your knee?"
"Powering through with sheer grit."
"Is it that bad? Do you want to sit out the showcase?"
"I'm joking. It’s not that bad!"
Despite his words, Lee Cheong-hyeon kept rubbing his knee.
In just two weeks, Lee Cheong-hyeon had grown 2cm. Reaching 180cm faster than before was something to celebrate, but I hadn't expected him to suffer such severe growing pains.
"Ha, at this rate, am I really going to end up looking down on you, Hyung?"
Here I was, genuinely worried about him, and the brat was just talking nonsense.
I could feel his intense desire to look down on his older members since a while ago, which made it twice as unpleasant.
Even if he didn't literally "look down" on me in a derogatory sense, his line of sight would eventually be lower than mine, so I couldn't even argue. From what I knew, that guy Lee Cheong-hyeon was going to grow up to 185cm.
"Don't grow all by yourself; grow with Gi-yeon. He’s going to feel left out."
"His growth spurt is bigger than mine. I’m, like, totally anxious, okay? I’m eleven months older than him; I can't let him catch up to me."
"And yet you want to look down on me, who was born thirty-five months before you?"
I don't know when this kid became so brazen. It’s all because Lee Cheong-hyeon has been roommates with Choi Je-ho for too long. I should suggest some "Roommate Swap" content soon.
Even though it was only our second one, I could now handle a showcase with a sense of familiarity.
Maybe it was because I’d done so much audiovisual training. At this point, I was starting to get confused about whether I should be grateful to Department Head Nam’s daughter for providing that "prior education."
‘The number of cameras has definitely increased.’
From the moment we stepped onto the stage to greet everyone, the difference in scale was obvious. Even with a quick glance, I could tell the attendance rate of reporters had significantly increased.
I had staked everything on this. I went on Idol Dynasty Annals even while taking penalties, and I tried to contribute to the team in any way possible, even appearing in a drama I never intended to do.
To boost our broadcast scores, I grabbed every variety show and music show appearance I could get my hands on. After our awareness rose, our first week sales also increased meaningfully.
Nevertheless, a #1 win wasn't something that was "automatically granted just by meeting the right conditions," so I had to find every possible way to make SPARK better known.
I practiced until I dropped so that no matter which reporter took a photo from which seat, they would capture a perfect angle that could go viral. I sang with these guys until our throats were raw just to earn the modifier "unshakable live vocals" in a headline.
We can't release any more albums within this year. If we don't hit #1 with this song, we’ll have to look toward next year to achieve our final KPI. That was why I was particularly obsessed with this track.
‘If it still doesn't work, I’ll have to find the reason why then.’
Only then could I finally hand a trophy to SPARK, who had taken such a damn long time to reach #1.
I was smiling, but my mind was a mess of complicated thoughts.
However, the time for idle thoughts was brief.
After only a few words of the interview, it was time to perform "MISSION." We stood up, moved our chairs, and lined up on stage.
As I was checking if everyone was in their spots, Kang Gi-yeon caught my eye. His position was awkwardly off from the mark. It was a mistake unlike him, as he was usually razor-sharp when it came to positioning.
When I lightly grabbed his arm from behind, he jumped in surprise and looked back.
‘Did I grab him too quietly?’
His reaction was much bigger than expected, making me feel unnecessarily guilty. I mouthed "sorry" and gestured toward the back, and Kang Gi-yeon looked around. Only then did he return to his proper spot.
He bowed his head slightly to express his thanks in his usual way.
The sound of an electric guitar, reminiscent of clashing metal, rang out. The choreography began in time with the drum beat.
This stage was meticulously designed so that every single member could stand out. Even while dancing in the back, I could tell how SPARK would look to others. I had made it to look most perfect from an outsider's perspective.
Where people would react, where the shutters would snap. How it would sound when heard on stage, during a live performance, or as a digital track.
I had agonized over every detail while creating this. At the very least, among the rookies who debuted this year, no other group would be able to produce this level of quality through performance alone.
But a small crack appeared in that flawlessly constructed stage.
I saw the core of Kang Gi-yeon, the lead for the next part, waver slightly.
I hesitated for a moment. Should I assume I was being unnecessarily sensitive, or should I reach out before something went wrong?
I slightly pivoted my toes and put strength into my legs.
"The goal is only..."
And just as Kang Gi-yeon missed a word as if letting it slip.
"One."
Narrowly, I cut into the song like an off-beat and ran to his side.
I didn't have the talent to invent choreography on the spot. All I could do was perform a movement that matched the lyrics as much as possible without looking awkward.
"To remain by your side."
It was a part Kang Gi-yeon should have sung, but he couldn't.
Instead, I sang it. And I pulled him in, supporting his waist from behind.
As his wavering body was firmly anchored, I felt him stand on his own strength.
"...That is all."
Kang Gi-yeon naturally took back his part. As he turned for the next move, the look in his eyes was dark.
No one noticed that there had been a mistake during this performance.
Since the choreography video hadn't been released yet, the fans didn't seem to know that my intrusion into Kang Gi-yeon's part was an ad-lib. A person becomes this strong after surviving a feast of pouring ad-libs.
As I was pulling my chair back, I noticed small text at the bottom. It was text I hadn't noticed during the performance because of the lights.
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▷ The 'Negative Emotion Perception Reduction' effect is currently active.
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‘Why this, now?’
In the past, a notification hadn't popped up separately while it was active. And it wasn't like I had a reason to feel negative emotions.
I wondered if there was a problem I wasn't aware of, but nothing came to mind.
I didn't even have time to worry. I was in the middle of a showcase.
‘If anything, shouldn't this be applied to that guy?’
I stared at Kang Gi-yeon, who had set his chair down a bit further away.
He was the type to obsess for ages over a mistake during a debut stage rehearsal. Even if he had gotten better now, he was naturally prone to tension whenever he stood before a camera.
Regardless of whether anyone noticed, it would bother him. Doesn't the person who made the mistake always know best?
Just as I was thinking it would be good to take a breather, Jeong Seong-bin brought water bottles from the staff.
Kang Gi-yeon, who received three of the six bottles, placed one under his chair, handed one to another member, and then walked toward me with the last one.
He mouthed a question.
‘Are you okay?’
‘Me?’
I mouthed back. Kang Gi-yeon nodded slightly.
Who is asking who if they're okay right now?
Am I okay? Not you're not okay?
It was absurd, but I answered faithfully.
‘Yeah.’
At that, Kang Gi-yeon gave a moderate nod and went back to his seat.
But just now, he...
I think his hands were shaking.
Kang Gi-yeon isn't the type to have stamina issues just from dancing once. Between the uncharacteristic mistake and this, it was clear something was wrong.
I decided to find an opportunity to check his condition once the showcase was over. I had been feeling like I hadn't talked to Kang Gi-yeon much lately anyway.
However, time was cruelly unforgiving.
The daily schedule of a newly-comeback idol turned relentlessly, like a shredder grinding through a retiree's documents.
The showcase ended in the middle of the night, but SPARK still had to head to the company for group practice.
With no time to spare, we even ate dinner in the car. They say you don't even disturb a dog while it's eating, so dinner time was a pass. We had to focus during practice, so that was a pass. During breaks, we had to hydrate and discuss parts that were lacking, so those were passes too.
...By the time I snapped out of it, we were already at the dorm.
At least Hanpyeong Industry let us use messengers; UA idols can't even communicate via message unless both parties turn on their laptops. For the first time, I hated UA.
The situation became even stranger because he performed perfectly fine during choreography practice. He did so well that it felt awkward to even bring up the showcase.
Because of this, I couldn't bring myself to grab a kid who had to wake up in less than two hours and interrogate him about what was wrong or the mistake he made.
Since the music video shoot, all of SPARK had been on a forced march. Even if I couldn't help, I shouldn't be the one whipping them.
‘I hope his condition recovers before the recording.’
In just a few hours, we had to head to the broadcasting station for the pre-recording. There was simply too little time.
‘I should push Gi-yeon’s hair and makeup order to the very end so he can sleep a bit. Just in case, I’ll grab some Cheongsimwon from the first-aid kit before we leave...’
Various thoughts filled my head. In the end, I stayed wide awake and turned off the alarm Lee Cheong-hyeon had set, welcoming the morning of our first broadcast.
There are days in life when things just don't go your way.
Today was one of those days. I failed right from the start by not being able to pack the emergency medicine in the morning.
‘I can't believe we're out of Cheongsimwon.’
I thought I had bought at least four of each kind, but when I opened the box this morning, there wasn't a single one left.
This is why I should have checked the medicine regularly. The trouble started when I left it alone because the SPARK brats would rush over with eagle eyes whenever I even went near the first-aid kit.
Taking today as a lesson, I will make an emergency-emergency first-aid kit for future crises.
While I was volunteering to get my hair and makeup done first, my mind was working without rest.
‘When should I talk to Kang Gi-yeon? Lunch might be a bit awkward, right? The dedicated team said they’d analyze the first week sales for us, but will I be able to see that today? Would it be faster if I just got the raw data and looked at it myself?’
‘I also need to select photos to upload to the official account. What time is our stage? I think it was quite late in the lineup; I should check the time again. And if there's time, I'll go to the pharmacy for Cheongsimwon... No, just in case, it’s better to ask the manager.’
My thoughts were a jumbled mess. As the things I had to track increased, the list of things I needed to know grew endlessly.
Just as my stray thoughts were spiraling, a production staff member visited the waiting room.
"SPARK, let's get ready for rehearsal!"
The guys jumped up from their seats. It was time to focus in earnest.
While everyone was sharpening their senses and preparing to head out, only Kang Gi-yeon stood still, as if his time had stopped.
"Gi-yeon?"
When I called his name, the light suddenly returned to his eyes.
"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
He didn't answer. He simply shook his head.
It was then. The system message appeared again.
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▷ The 'Negative Emotion Perception Reduction' effect is currently active.
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Wait, could this be...
Does this mean I am the one feeling anxiety? Because of Kang Gi-yeon.