Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 232: Spending the Holidays with Precious People (2)

The savory pancakes Spark had so carefully fried were packed neatly into pre-prepared lunch boxes. The final task of this content challenge was to deliver these holiday foods to people they were grateful for.

Park Ju-woo decided to give his to their vocal trainer, Teacher Oh Eun, while Kang Gi-yeon chose their dance trainer. Since they were both visiting teachers, the two decided to head out as a pair.

"I think the A&R team is who I'm most grateful for. What about you, hyungs?"

"I'm thinking of dropping by the Action School," Choi Je-ho replied. Since they had been helping him out since the final competition of Idol Dynasty Annals, it seemed like a solid choice.

"I was going to go to either Teacher Eun or the managers, but since Ju-woo is going to Teacher Eun, I'll head over to the managers," Jeong Seong-bin said with a smile. As a leader, it was only right to take care of those closest to him first. He truly was a role model, not just for the members, but for idols and working professionals everywhere.

"What about you, hyung?" Kang Gi-yeon asked.

"Seong-bin, you don't have a partner right now, do you? This works out perfectly."

"Perfectly?"

"I wanted to give a lunch box to Mr. Jeong Seong-jun."

At my words, Jeong Seong-bin froze, buffering like a glitched NPC.

Once the loading finally finished, he stammered with a look of bewilderment I had never seen on him before.

"Seong... Seong-jun?"

"Yeah."

"Why him...?"

Why else? To express my gratitude, of course.

Most Sparklers were well aware of who Jeong Seong-jun was.

He was Jeong Seong-bin’s identical twin brother. He was one of the few beings capable of making the virtuous Jeong Seong-bin lose his composure. To borrow Lee Cheong-hyeon’s description, he was a free spirit who could bounce off in any direction.

I, too, had heard plenty about Mr. Jeong Seong-jun’s exploits back when I was stanning on behalf of Department Head Nam’s daughter.

The anecdote where he told a Spark fan—who had mistaken him for Seong-bin and asked for an autograph—"Oh, I might look the same on the outside, but I'm the version that can't sing. Is that okay?" had even graced various online communities as a legendary 'common sibling of an idol' story.

I had two reasons for wanting to express my thanks to Mr. Jeong Seong-jun.

The first and more superficial reason was that we owed him for the Idol Dynasty Annals competition.

Even though Mr. Seong-jun had struck first by poking a hole in the hem of Seong-bin’s training pants, it was thanks to that incident that Spark was able to put on a great performance wearing the shirts Seong-jun had painstakingly collected over the years.

For someone who loved dressing up as much as he did, lending out that many clothes couldn't have been easy. Since we had received that grace during a time when ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the budget had been slashed because of me, I had always intended to pay him back eventually.

The second reason for my gratitude was a bit more... mercenary. It was because he had occasionally been a huge source of strength during my days as a proxy fan.

Back in those bleak days when Spark’s news was so scarce it felt like they had crawled into a hole. Back when Department Head Nam would say things like, "I heard you can find updates just by digging through social media a bit. Assistant Manager Kim, you have too many excuses. You know that?"

Whether his brother was hiding during off-seasons or not, Mr. Jeong Seong-jun had roamed about boldly, asserting his presence. Thanks to him, I was able to scavenge news of 'Jeong Seong-bin' to offer to the department head’s daughter.

I had managed to fill my quota of updates with things like: 'Today, Seong-jun posted that he’s wearing his brother’s clothes. It seems Seong-bin shares a closet with his younger brother.'

If it hadn't been for Mr. Jeong Seong-jun, I really might not have been able to leave the office until Saturday. Now that the opportunity to officially repay this debt had arrived, my mind was filled with the thought of offering him the pancakes I had fried with all my heart.

"Hyung, are you sure there isn't anyone else?"

"Look, Seong-bin hyung is uncomfortable."

"He's trying to change the subject."

Lee Cheong-hyeon laughed, pointing at Jeong Seong-bin. Kang Gi-yeon chimed in as if in agreement. Jeong Seong-bin looked at the younger members with an expression that said they were being too much.

Suppreessing his laughter, Lee Cheong-hyeon said to me, "But hyung, you should really reconsider, just like Seong-bin hyung said."

"Why?"

At my question, Lee Cheong-hyeon stroked his chin. He seemed to be choosing his words carefully, wondering how best to put it.

After a moment of hesitation, he answered.

"Seong-jun hyung is... really unique."

I recalled hearing that Mr. Jeong Seong-jun had visited the dorm with their parents once before.

I looked at Choi Je-ho and Park Ju-woo in turn. I was asking if they felt the same ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠way. The two avoided my gaze with expressions that were hard to describe.

Just what on earth had Mr. Jeong Seong-jun done in that desolate dorm? I was curious, but unfortunately, it was time for everyone to head out and deliver their lunch boxes.

Seong-bin and I headed to his family home in a car driven by Manager Chan-yeong. Before getting in, I didn't forget to hand Seong-bin’s lunch box to the manager. He seemed a bit touched.

Throughout the drive, Seong-bin was restless, busy looking out both windows alternately.

"Hyung, are you sure no one else comes to mind even now? Like the seniors from In My Office?"

"That's the fifth time you've asked, Seong-bin."

"I'm sorry."

Seong-bin squeezed his eyes shut. For some reason, it felt like he was swallowing a sigh.

"If it makes you that uncomfortable, I'll change it. Manager, could you pull over if there's a spot on the shoulder? I might need to change the destination."

"Ah..."

Seong-bin let out a small gasp. The manager said okay and began to change lanes.

"No, hyung. It's not that I'm uncomfortable or anything."

"Really?"

"It's just... I don't know what he might be up to."

'He.' That was a designation I rarely heard from Seong-bin’s mouth.

"What do you want to do? Should we change the destination?"

The manager, having pulled over in a suitable spot, looked back and asked. Seong-bin said no and bowed his head repeatedly, asking to proceed to his family home.

"If he's a free spirit, do you think Mr. Seong-jun might not even be home today?"

"I told him to stay home until we get there, so he'll be waiting."

"Oh, so he listens to you well."

"Probably..."

Seong-bin trailed off. His lack of confidence was palpable.

Despite Seong-bin’s wishes, the vehicle soon arrived at an apartment complex. As we headed up with the prepared lunch boxes, Seong-bin gave me a serious, earnest warning.

"No matter what happens, please don't be too startled. He just likes playing pranks; he really doesn't have any ill intent. I'll talk to him as much as possible so you won't be uncomfortable..."

"I get it. I get it, so just breathe and talk, Seong-bin."

At my words, Seong-bin took a deep breath. Seeing him clutching his chest was strangely funny.

How eccentric could a person really be? Just looking at the Spark dorm, it was already full of weirdos.

"I'll apologize in advance."

"I told you, there's no need for that."

I smiled, trying my best to reassure him.

However, they say the world is wide and full of strange people for a reason.

"Have you arrived... O, 'Guardian Deity of my Allowance'?"

As soon as the front door opened, I saw green towels laid out meticulously from the foyer all the way down the hallway. Along both sides of the towels, LED candles were lit in a row, like a proposal flower path. Between frames holding solemn paintings hung a 'Welcome' banner that looked like it had been hastily made and taped up.

And there was a face identical to Jeong Seong-bin’s, dressed formally in a suit inside a private home, bowing politely in greeting.

I'm sorry, Seong-bin. I think I'm already a little startled.

"What is all this?"

Seong-bin asked, looking appalled. The elegant man presumed to be Mr. Jeong Seong-jun changed his pose and spoke.

"A small event from a younger brother welcoming the older brother who sent him a massive allowance?"

"You mean a prayer for my public humiliation?"

To think the sole conscience of Spark would make such a terrifying remark. Leaving me there ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠doubting my ears, Seong-bin strode over to his brother. He then whispered into Seong-jun’s ear.

"I told you not to do anything weird."

His pronunciation was mangled as if he were speaking through gritted teeth. But Mr. Jeong Seong-jun remained nonchalant.

"Hyung sent me an allowance because he got his first settlement; how could I, as his brother, just sit still? I had to do something like this to express my gratitude, however lacking it may be."

"Since when did you start calling me 'hyung'?"

Seong-bin let out a groan. It looked like the leader was about to faint from high blood pressure at a young age, so I forced myself to step between the two.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Seong-jun. I'm Kim I-wol."

"Please, speak comfortably, hyung-nim! My brother is in your debt!"

"Where did you even learn expressions like that?"

"I saw everyone talking like that on Spark's self-produced content?"

Mr. Jeong Seong-jun shrugged. The hand I gripped in a handshake was warm. Jeong Seong-bin was the leader of Spark, but for some reason, the passion was boiling over on this side.

"So, what brings the members of the rising rookie group Spark to our humble abode?"

"I know it's an intrusion, but I requested this. I wanted to give this to you, Mr. Seong-jun."

I held out the lunch box, neatly wrapped in a cloth. When Mr. Seong-jun set the gift on the dining table and unwrapped the cloth, the scent of savory pancakes filled the house.

"What's this? Did you film Challenge.Living again? Are you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠part-timing at a pancake shop this time?"

"We made them at the dorm. Hyung brought these because he wanted to thank you personally," Seong-bin explained.

"Thank me?"

"You lent us your clothes before. Thanks to that, we were able to perform really well. I've been wanting to say thank you, and the opportunity finally came up."

"Ah, the day Jeong Seong-bin raided my closet?"

Mr. Jeong Seong-jun laughed loudly. He seemed to find the memory amusing enough to forget his 'hyung' concept.

"I thought you were like Santa Claus or something. Except you're the kind of Santa who steals a child's things."

"Are you just going to ignore the fact that you poked a hole in my pants?"

"That wasn't intentional. You intentionally raided my closet."

"I've decided to start paying back exactly what I've been put through."

"Your personality has changed a lot, hasn't it? The entertainment industry is amazing. It even changed Jeong Seong-bin."

Sparks flew between the two brothers.

I should have listened when Seong-bin told me to consider someone else. I was starting to regret not following the Leader's words.