Chapter 207: Book Support
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 207: Book Support
The first debate topic was relatively light. Jeong Seong-bin read the prompt displayed on the large monitor with clear pronunciation.
“If you could gain a special ability at the cost of losing the thing most precious to you, which would you choose? Option 1: Gain the ability. Option 2: Protect what is precious. Additionally, there is a premise that you cannot use the ability to recover what you lost!”
“I-wol hyung added that premise, didn't he?”
“If I hadn't, you would’ve started nitpicking every little detail.”
Lee Cheong-hyeon chuckled as if wondering how he’d been caught.
“What kind of ability is it...? Can it be anything?”
“Ju-woo, you don’t really like loud noises, so how about something like noise-canceling? You could turn off the surrounding sound whenever you want.”
At Seong-bin’s suggestion, Park Ju-woo’s eyes sparkled as if he were convinced.
“Doesn't the cost-benefit seem a bit off for losing something precious? Just wear noise-canceling headphones.”
Of course, Choi Je-ho ruined the mood by dousing the idea with a bucket of cold water.
“True...”
Park Ju-woo’s bangs drooped like a Sapsali soaked in the monsoon rain. It pained my heart just to watch.
“Wait a second before we continue. Fans are excluded from the ‘precious things’ list, right?”
“Oh, is that how it works?”
“How dare you try to throw the fans into a conditional trade-off like this? You can’t do that.”
“Hey, if we’re going that far, let’s just keep it clean and exclude all living things!”
At my and Lee Cheong-hyeon’s words, Jeong Seong-bin hurriedly added ‘Excluding living beings!’ to the PPT. I must have raised these kids well. Seeing how they reflect feedback faster than Department Head Nam heading for the exit at the end of the day.
“Under the premise that the fans are being protected, I’d choose the ability.”
At my words, Park Ju-woo lifted his head. He seemed to have gained strength now that he had an ally.
“Hyung... come to think of it, I’ve never seen you be greedy for anything.”
“Isn't it just because he has nothing he considers precious, so he’s basically getting the ability for free?”
Lee Cheong-hyeon and Choi Je-ho each chimed in.
Sorry, but I had something precious too. It’s just that it was already taken from me. So I might as well get an ability out of it, right?
“I choose Option 2.”
“Really?”
Jeong Seong-bin’s eyes widened at Choi Je-ho’s choice. He seemed quite surprised that the guy who usually appeared to lack human emotion had made such a sentimental choice.
“You can just develop abilities. Why lose what’s mine to get one? Besides, I don’t really need any more talent anyway.”
Yes, I’ve heard the genius remark from the exploding talent of our shining Center Emperor, Choi Je-ho. Thanks to that, the primitive Kim I-wol feels a little like crying.
“What kind of ability do you want, hyung...?”
Park Ju-woo asked. For the record, my answer was already decided.
“Teleportation.”
“Why? Don’t tell me you even find travel time a waste?”
Lee Cheong-hyeon looked at me as if I were a freak.
“No, it’s just that riding the crowded subway is exhausting.”
“Aha.”
“That is tough...”
I bet students and office workers across the country would relate. What better ability is there?
Jeong Seong-bin also chose to maintain the status quo. He said he was so happy right now that he wasn't greedy for anything else, nor did he want to lose anything. With that, I became the only one in Spark who was an ability-obsessed, world-class slacker.
“Next topic. In In My Office, the protagonist Seon Gu-an feels his abilities disappearing as he falls in love. He decides to choose work over love and breaks up with Team Leader Ji Seong-in. Please choose between work and love!”
Such a bold question for an idol’s self-produced content?
This won't do. I’ll have to personally oversee the editing of this week’s content.
I was grimly planning how to break into the UA office when Park Ju-woo cut in.
“I choose love.”
We’re doomed.
If we’re just going to waste filming time anyway, maybe I should just cut it here and completely revise the questions...!
“Love?!”
It was then. Lee Cheong-hyeon kicked back his chair and stood up.
“How can an idol say that, hyung! I thought we were all sincere about our promotions!”
Lee Cheong-hyeon ranted passionately.
Attaboy! Keep going! Give him more! How dare an idol mention love in a public setting...
“But I love the members, and I love the fans... To me, sharing the same emotions with the people I love is more important than what kind of work I end up doing.”
Is that it? Did I misunderstand you, Ju-woo? Should I go sit in the corner and reflect now?
“What? That’s so touching!”
Lee Cheong-hyeon covered his mouth with both hands as if moved. It seemed he had been completely won over by Park Ju-woo’s words.
“My reason is similar, but my conclusion is the opposite. I thought I should work hard at my main job precisely to repay that love. That’s interesting.”
Jeong Seong-bin smiled. Fortunately, the conversation flowed in a good direction. I was just glad I didn't have to stop the shoot.
However, the discussion began to overheat in a slightly strange direction.
“No, how can you choose work over love? How can you still say that after hearing what Ju-woo hyung said?”
Lee Cheong-hyeon, now fully synchronized with Park Ju-woo, began preaching the beauty of love under the motto ‘Love is Great.’
“What did the lyrics say when you sang that OST, hyung? It said, ‘I need you, I need love.’ Humans need love to live! Idols are people too!”
“That’s a dangerous statement for an idol. You know that, right?”
I squeezed into the conversation as Lee Cheong-hyeon spoke with sincere lamentation.
“Hyung, your perspective is the narrow one. Do you think love only means dating? Aren't we promoting as idols to spread positive effects based on our love for humanity?”
And then I got pummeled.
This is bad. The kid’s gotten way too good at arguing.
What was truly shocking was that even ‘that’ Choi Je-ho chose love.
“Can you even work hard at something you don’t like in the first place? You have to like it.”
His reasoning was that without positive emotions, there isn't even a starting point for work.
You punk, apologize to the millions of office workers out there.
Not many office workers in the world get to live doing only what they want to do. Sometimes you have to do other people’s work, or things you hate so much you want to throw up!
“So, hyung, you’re saying work is more important?”
Lee Cheong-hyeon asked.
“Isn't that obvious?”
“What is your ultimate goal in being an idol? It’s to be loved and to love!”
“An idol who isn't faithful to their main job doesn't deserve to be loved. Therefore, work comes first.”
“The modern world is so bleak,” Lee Cheong-hyeon muttered with a bitter expression.
“So, the ‘Love’ faction is Je-ho hyung, Ju-woo, and Cheong-hyeon, and the ‘Work’ faction is I-wol hyung and me?”
Amidst the chaos, Jeong Seong-bin started summarizing. I can’t believe Spark was such a group overflowing with love.
“Embracing even workaholic hyungs like them is what you call love. Right, Ju-woo hyung?”
“Right.”
Lee Cheong-hyeon and Park Ju-woo looked at me and Jeong Seong-bin with gentle smiles.
So you’re pitying me now? You’re saying I’m a workaholic with dried-up emotions, aren't you?
“Workaholic? It’s just doing one’s job diligently.”
Jeong Seong-bin countered with a smile. Then, he pulled his phone out from under the table.
How can an idol use their phone during filming? And the leader of the team, no less? Is the world coming to an end?
“Since there are six members of Spark, how could we only ask for the opinions of five?”
“Huh?”
“We have to hear Gi-yeon’s story too.”
An unexpected person was mentioned. We all froze like statues.
“Is that okay?”
I asked, cautiously gauging the atmosphere.
“Gi-yeon told me to call him whenever we need a phone connection. It seems he wants to be involved in whatever way he can.”
If it had seemed like Kang Gi-yeon was being unreasonable, Jeong Seong-bin would have handled it. Since the leader said it was fine, there wasn't much else to do.
The call connected almost as soon as the ringing started.
— Hello?
“Gi-yeon? It’s Seong-bin. Can you talk right now?”
— Yes, hyung. Why did you call?
“We’re filming our content right now, and a topic came up during the debate that we wanted to ask you about. Can you talk?”
— Yes. What’s the topic?
As Jeong Seong-bin recited the topic, the sound of deep contemplation came through the phone. Yeah, it’s not an easy decision, is it?
“Kang Gyeon, it’s obviously love, right? Didn't you come all this way because you love dancing?”
— Why is Lee Cheong-hyeon so excited?
“It’s because he’s been brainwashed by Park Ju-woo.”
Choi Je-ho answered kindly.
Kang Gi-yeon pondered for a long time before making his decision.
— I’ll choose work.
“Why?!”
“As expected.”
Whether Lee Cheong-hyeon was horrified or not, I couldn't help but clap in satisfaction.
— If you work hard at what you need to do, won't affection follow? Having results makes you feel proud of yourself, too.
“Ha... I can’t argue with that.”
Lee Cheong-hyeon indirectly declared defeat. With that, the conclusion of the heated ‘Spark: Work vs. Love’ debate was settled as ‘Let’s just work hard!’
When we returned to the dorm, Kang Gi-yeon’s shoes were out in the entryway.
I was sure his sneakers were inside the shoe rack before I left for work. This diligent fellow must have gone somewhere in the meantime.
Just as we were about to head to our respective rooms, I held onto Jeong Seong-bin for a moment.
Then, I pulled a manga book out of the Spark official goods eco-bag and placed it in Seong-bin’s hand.
“Um, Seong-bin. When you go to your room, could you give this to Gi-yeon?”
“Hyung, did you borrow a manga from Gi-yeon?”
“Yeah, Gi-yeon lent it to me.”
I had read it quite diligently while traveling in the car. It was a bit hard to memorize the characters, but perhaps because I was trained by web novels, characters in a manga with drawings were much easier to remember.
Since he had lent me a precious book, I felt it would be rude to just read it, so I wrote a brief review on a Post-it and attached it. Things like ‘I enjoyed it,’ ‘It was fun,’ and ‘I’m looking forward to the next story.’
“I’ll do that. Get some rest, hyung.”
Jeong Seong-bin smiled brightly and went back to his room with the manga.
And the next morning.
“...?”
Volume 2 of Kingdom Cafeteria ~Another~ had been delivered in front of my room door.