Chapter 221: The Bustling Sports Day (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 221: The Bustling Sports Day (2)
While the first event, the archery match, was being prepared, Choi Je-ho and the younger members approached the fan seating area, each carrying shopping bags in both hands.
“Sparklers! You worked hard getting here!”
Lee Cheong-hyeon greeted them with a bright smile. It was the kind of smile that automatically melted away muscles that had been stiff as hell from the bus ride.
Is that even a human face? A face like that should be… put in a museum behind glass walls. Even with Secom turned on, that’s a face someone would try to steal.
I wish the government would hurry up and implement a ‘one Lee Cheong-hyeon per household’ policy. Then I wouldn’t even need to go to physical therapy.
“Did you eat breakfast? You probably couldn't, since the entry time was so early.”
Kang Gi-yeon spoke with a worried expression. His usually cool face was filled with warmth.
“We couldn't eat!”
“They told us not to even bring water, so we couldn't pack anything…”
The fans poured out their grievances. They were already resentful of the organizers for banning outside food and even water for fans who had been traveling since dawn.
They couldn't bring themselves to curse harshly in front of the members, but they certainly wanted to convey their strong desire to kill the production crew of the ‘I.U.S.D.’
What soothed the disgruntled fans were Choi Je-ho’s shopping bags. He began taking out two plastic bottles at a time and handing them to the fans.
“Here’s some water. This one is juice…”
“We brought sandwiches too. Just a moment!”
Lee Cheong-hyeon also pulled sandwich sets out of his shopping bag and busily distributed them. Kang Gi-yeon had already moved to the far end of the fan section to hand out sandwiches there.
A neatly packed set of sandwiches, fruit, wet wipes, and candy for dessert was delivered to Won Chae-hee’s lap. The die-cut sticker on the package read: ‘Thank you for coming. ~From Spark~’
“The sticker is cute, right? Iwol-hyung printed these.”
“Really?!”
Did Kim I-wol finally sign up for Nezland? Did he get a quote from Purple Printing? Won Chae-hee’s heart ached with affection.
“And this! Put one of these on your laps!”
Lee Cheong-hyeon pulled something else out of another shopping bag. It was a large, thin handkerchief, big enough to cover one's knees. The design—a roaring flame that looked like something sold at a highway rest stop—was quite striking.
“Crumbs might fall, so cover up with the handkerchief before you eat.”
“The design is a bit aggressive because Je-ho hyung picked it out.”
At Kang Gi-yeon’s words, several fans bit their lips to stifle their laughter. Anyone who had seen Choi Je-ho’s past photos knew his fashion sense wasn't exactly great. They were just amazed this had somehow passed Kim I-wol’s inspection.
Spark handed out bags for the trash before heading back, leaving a reminder that they were biodegradable and shouldn't be thrown away with regular plastic.
Won Chae-hee took about a hundred proof shots of her idols’ delicate yet intense reverse fan gifts.
She then tried to put a sandwich in her mouth but failed. This was because Spark, having finished their preparations, appeared on the electronic display.
Three "ice princes" coming out with chest guards, specialized gloves, and bows in hand.
Won Chae-hee finally understood why imperial families in romance fantasy novels always held hunting competitions.
All those arrogant men of the imperial court must have walked around looking like that during hunting season. If I were the Emperor, I would have pushed for a hunting competition every quarter.
Spark, who was set to face a senior team, was given time for an interview. The first runner, Jeong Seong-bin, was handed the microphone.
“I heard Spark even went to a training camp for this ‘I.U.S.D.’?”
Yur, who had come down to the field, asked with a friendly smile.
“Yes, we practiced hard!”
“Who among the three had the best results?”
“Ju-woo was the best shot. I think it’s because he has great focus.”
At Jeong Seong-bin’s praise, Park Ju-woo needlessly brushed back his bangs. Immediately, Kim I-wol saw this and, with the touch of an expert restoring an ancient artifact, rearranged Park Ju-woo’s bangs. Laughter erupted among the Sparklers watching this. Our Iwol is so consistent.
“Your opponents are traditional powerhouses. Do you think you can win?”
Their current opponents were the team that had won gold in archery for the past two consecutive years. It was a formidable match-up for the first round.
When a question requiring some diplomacy came up, a long arm reached out from behind Jeong Seong-bin. At the signal of a tap on the shoulder, Jeong Seong-bin subtly held the mic out to the side. Kim I-wol leaned slightly toward the microphone and spoke.
“It won’t be easy, but we’ll do our best so we can show our fans this look for as long as possible.”
Exactly! How often do we get to see you guys shooting arrows!
The Sparklers clapped with satisfied expressions, like spectators who had just witnessed a brilliant infield play at a baseball stadium.
Jeong Seong-bin’s skills were decent. He shot his arrows with a visual that looked like he’d appear in a historical drama as the fiancé of a noble lady, stealing the hearts of all the local maidens before dying while saving his betrothed at the climax.
Because they were busy staring at Jeong Seong-bin’s face, the fans were a step late in checking where the arrows landed, but Jeong Seong-bin still waved his hand in gratitude even at the delayed cheers.
Kim I-wol, who came out next, also struck a cool pose and achieved a fairly good score. It was an excellent result, considering he tilted his head a few times with an uncharacteristically dazed expression.
While Jeong Seong-bin looked like a young man skilled in both the arts and sciences, for some reason, Kim I-wol looked more like an assassin—but regardless.
Finally, it was Park Ju-woo’s turn. Let’s see the skills of Spark’s number one marksman! Won Chae-hee’s body leaned forward bit by bit.
Park Ju-woo drew his bow with an unusually serious expression. With a thwack, the arrow hit the target.
‘Huh?’
Won Chae-hee doubted her eyes. However, the commentator’s narration confirmed she hadn't misseen.
『Spark’s Ju-woo starts his first shot with 4 points. Does he need a period of adjustment?』
『Perhaps. I believe he can do it if he stays calm and tries without getting nervous!』
Ha Seo-myeong’s encouragement followed. Park Ju-woo, still wearing a subtle expression, raised his bowstring again.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
Jeong Seong-bin, who had gone out as the first runner and secured a decent score, spoke to me quietly.
“There’s a problem.”
“What kind of problem?”
Jeong Seong-bin fiddled with the straps of my chest guard as if tightening them.
“The target is much closer than what we practiced with.”
I quickly looked up and checked the distance to the target. Just as Jeong Seong-bin said, the target was much closer than when we had trained at the makeshift archery range.
It would have been fine if we could adjust the sights, but that was impossible in a variety show where time was money—especially during a real-time shoot with an audience.
‘That’s strange. I clearly remember it not being this close.’
As I struggled to find the cause, something occurred to me. The ‘I.U.S.D.’ I had last monitored was during a period when they had moved the targets back to adjust the difficulty.
I had practiced with the targets set 50 meters away, trusting only my memory. However, the ‘I.U.S.D.’ of this era was focused solely on capturing ‘cool shots of idols,’ so the distance to the target was only 20 meters. Their determination to see someone hit an X-ten was evident.
Since the distance hadn't increased, Seong-bin and I were able to get decent scores. We also saw the clear effects of our special training.
But our star player, Park Ju-woo, was different.
This is a guy who lets his soda go flat because he hates the fizzy sensation in his mouth, and who wears a headset for hours without playing any music because he doesn't like noise.
He’s the type who, when asked if he wants to try a seasonal strawberry juice, says, ‘The strawberries might be sour today, so I’ll just have yogurt…’ Could a guy like that adapt to a 30-meter difference so quickly?
Sure enough, Park Ju-woo slammed his arrow right into the 4-point zone. It was a score we had never seen during practice.
“Ju-woo, stay calm!”
“We have plenty of points to spare. Just relax.”
Seong-bin and I took turns comforting him. However, the subtle look on Ju-woo’s face didn't fade.
Ju-woo nocked another arrow onto the serving. His lips pouted as if something displeased him. Nevertheless, his gaze was fixed exactly on the center.
With an even crisper sound, Ju-woo released the string. The arrow sliced through the air and then…
Clink!
…It made an ominous sound. Only the arrow falling limply seemed to represent my state of mind.
I heard the commentator’s voice from afar.
『Wait a moment, did Ju-woo just break the lens?』
『Ah, they say they’re going in for a confirmation on-site!』
After a breathtaking review, it was revealed that our Park Ju-woo had achieved a ‘Perfect Gold’ in just two shots, contributing to Spark’s advancement in the tournament—and thoroughly smashing the center camera behind the target.
Park Ju-woo tapped his forehead, where beads of sweat had formed, with the back of his hand to wipe them away. I handed him a handkerchief with one hand while bowing deeply to the staff, asking if UA had to pay for the property damage. Fortunately, UA didn't have to pay for the camera.
Spark successfully passed the first round of the archery tournament. We visited the fan seating area while Lee Cheong-hyeon and Choi Je-ho went to play futsal.
About half the fans had moved to watch the futsal, and the other half remained to watch the second round of archery.
“Did you enjoy the snacks? Was the taste okay?”
I asked cautiously. The fans answered with their full trash bags.
“Iwol, your makeup looks great today.”
A Sparkler sitting nearby noticed the effort put into my makeup. It was worth the three thousand taps with the puff.
“Really? Then should I ask them to keep this makeup style in the future?”
“Definitely. You look so pretty today.”
Overwhelming compliments were exchanged. Although it was unlikely anyone would "stan" me in this gym filled only with people who came to cheer for their own groups, I didn't know where a potential customer might be. So, I channeled my inner student and asked the fans for advice on "perfect-fit" makeup. A few minutes later, the fans were leading the way, recommending lipstick and tint colors.
“Want to try some on the back of your hand? I have cleansing wipes.”
“Can I try it on my fingertips? I heard it’s more accurate to test it there.”
They say no two pinks are the same under the sun. My fingertips and the back of my hand were stained with twenty different shades of pink that had been slumbering in the Sparklers’ pouches.
“Hyung, what are you doing?”
Kang Gi-yeon, who had been chatting on the other side, approached. I proudly showed him the back of my hand.
“I’m doing preliminary research for a beauty upgrade.”
“Pardon…?”
Kang Gi-yeon wore a dubious expression. He just stared blankly back and forth between my hand and my face.