Chapter 252: Boasting Beauty (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 252: Boasting Beauty (2)
The "skin shoot" for Snow-white Kim I-wol was loud—and I mean really loud. I felt lightheaded from the way everyone was showering me with praise, as if they were photographers trying to coax a smile out of a baby for its first birthday photos. It was an arduous process.
“Can you look down just a bit? Give me something decadent.”
“Imagine a single drop of water is resting on your eyelashes… Yes, just like that!”
I had no idea what "just like that" was supposed to be. How often does a normal person even use the word "decadent" in their daily life? Though, it seemed like Sparklers used it quite often.
“I think the hair needs to look a bit more damp. Do we have a spray bottle?”
“Yes, coming in for a touch-up!”
With a single instruction from the director, my hair and shoulders were drenched. I was so "moist" that I could have walked straight off this moisturizing cream set and onto the set of a water park commercial.
“Oh, it’s blinding! Keep that, just tilt your head slightly!”
It’s blinding because the lights are so strong, Director. Also, my clothes are already starting to dry.
Icarus might have fallen because his wings melted, but I felt like I was becoming a piece of dried squid after standing in front of this "sun" for dozens of minutes. If they sold me at a highway rest stop, I’d probably be a best-selling snack…
When the call came to review the shots, I trudged over to the monitor.
But to my surprise…
“Oh, Hyung, you look great!”
Lee Cheong-hyeon made a fuss and slapped me on the back. Even to my own eyes, the person in the photo looked like a stranger.
I mean… it actually looked like a real pictorial you’d see in a magazine.
Usually, if I were in a Spark group photo, I’d feel like I should be cropped out. Seeing a solo cut like this gave me a strange feeling.
“In your case, I-wol, we’re going to add some effects. Remember how I said we’d blur the background a bit for Seong-bin’s shots?”
“Yes, sir.”
“For you, I’m thinking of a look where you blend into a [[IMG_1]] Water Curtain… Tsk, it’s hard to explain in words. Anyway, the photos turned out great!”
“Ah, yes. Thank you!”
They say as long as you’re in the hands of a professional, you’ll get there eventually. I bowed deeply to the director, filled with sincere gratitude.
After that, the set became even busier. It was time for the color makeup segment, where every member of Spark had to flaunt their beauty like peacocks.
Park Ju-woo was in charge of a lipstick that felt more like a lip balm, designed to make the complexion look natural. When I tested it, it looked ordinary, but on Park Ju-woo, the color bloomed like cherry blossoms in spring.
“It didn’t look like this when I put it on. Is it a matter of technique?”
“Maybe you didn't control the amount? Or, I-wol, did you apply it as a full lip? This one looks prettier if you do a gradient and add more pink to the inner part.”
The staff member spoke while making azaleas bloom around Ju-woo’s eyes. Once this pictorial was released, Park Ju-woo’s nickname was definitely going to be "Park Peach."
As I was checking Ju-woo’s condition with a hawk-like gaze, a staff member holding a behind-the-scenes cam asked a question.
“I-wol, have you tried this one?”
“I-wol Hyung has tried every single product!”
Lee Cheong-hyeon, appearing out of nowhere, answered for me.
“All of them?”
“I was just thinking about which ones to recommend in case the fans asked for suggestions…”
“What was your pick, I-wol?”
“The ‘Moisturize to the Heart Water Cream Set’ and ‘Warm Winter, Your Burgundy.’”
I’d thought this since my early days of searching things online, but cosmetic names are truly difficult.
If it were up to me, I would have lacked all creativity and just used color codes, naming them something like ‘Red-A51212.’ My simple reasoning would be that customers could buy them without needing to test the color. This is probably why I can’t work in a creative field.
Jeong Seong-bin applied a velvet-textured lipstick in a fairly dark burgundy shade.
Since the lips were dark and the eye makeup was flashy, plus the jewel-toned background, I worried his face might get buried. However…
It was a needless worry. The camera angles they captured were breathtaking. It had been a while since I realized that Jeong Seong-bin could pull off such an overbearing and cold aesthetic.
Kang Gi-yeon and Choi Je-ho also looked magnificent. We had all worried whether cool pink would suit Kang Gi-yeon, but he pulled it off brilliantly. His damp hair and the glow-finish makeup emphasized a sense of moisture.
Choi Je-ho, who had recently caused a stir on social media with a ‘Collection of an Idol’s Lips’ post, was even more impressive. The deep red color that accentuated volume fit him perfectly. I should make sure his lip makeup stays this way from now on.
And as for Lee Cheong-hyeon…
“Cheong-hyeon is really… something else.”
“I can confidently say this is the best work of my life.”
…He stood before the camera amidst the staff’s extreme praise.
A face that would remain as bright as a white night even if the sun set. The majestic chill emitted by a massive, glowing blue iceberg. Clear brown eyes that looked as if they could sprout life even in the polar regions, surrounded by glitters blooming like wildflowers. Lips shining redder than the rising sun, with holographic lights shimmering over them like an aurora.
I immediately pulled my phone out of my back pocket. Then, crouching on the floor, I did my best to record this scene in photos.
How can a human face look so much like glass? We’re the same species, so why am I a common wharf roach while he’s a legendary Amazonian beauty?
The advertisers must be in a bind. There probably won't be a single B-cut in Lee Cheong-hyeon’s reel.
They’ll probably want to fill the entire display with Lee Cheong-hyeon. Should I suggest they just remove me and put two of him instead?
“Do you really have to take photos like that?”
Kang Gi-yeon whispered into my ear.
“Of course. You go over there and take some too, hurry.”
I pointed toward a corner of the set. Kang Gi-yeon walked away with a reluctant expression.
By the time I was practically lying on the floor to capture Lee Cheong-hyeon like an eleven-head-tall Greek god, his individual shoot ended.
“Hyung, why on earth are you doing that?! I had the hardest time holding back my laughter!”
“Historical moments always require documentation.”
Because of that, my phone gallery was on the verge of bursting. I’d have to check the cloud synchronization soon, save the backups, and then wipe the gallery clean. That way, I could take new photos.
While we were taking group shots, the manager and the advertisers held a heated discussion in the corner. It was only natural, considering they had just witnessed Lee Cheong-hyeon’s face in all its glory.
Even if there were a god of selflessness in this world, they would see Lee Cheong-hyeon right now and immediately buy ‘Shining Heart, My Red’ on a 2+1 deal. What advertiser would miss out on this?
On the other hand, I should probably stop expecting to gain new fans from this ad. I tried my best, but looking at these guys’ faces, it’s impossible. I feel like I’m trying to break a basalt column with a quail egg.
I’ll just pray that when the pictorial is hung up, I’m not the only one covered by a "Discount Items" sign. Wait, actually? Maybe that would be better?
With a complicated heart, I watched intently as the A-cuts were selected.
So these will be hung in cosmetics stores nationwide. They’ll appear on apps and be posted as posters.
It was a different feeling from when I first debuted. Back when I lived as an office worker, idols were beings I’d never cross paths with unless they were Department Head Nam, but advertisements were different.
The fact that my face might be hung on a street I used to walk or in a shop I might have visited…
It was a truly strange feeling. It was something I would never have experienced in my entire life as long as I remained an office worker.
Thinking about it that way, life really is a series of unpredictable events.
‘Since it’s come to this, I hope my sister sees it too.’
Since it’s a general advertisement, it’ll be seen much more often than an idol who only appears on music shows or MeTube.
She’ll probably hate seeing her brother acting all "fatal" and charismatic, though. Still.
After the major schedule of the advertisement was over, my daily life was fairly relaxed. It was thanks to my routine becoming quite stabilized.
All I had to do was prepare for the comeback, go to counseling, and do Bubble Pop.
But this morning was special. There was something I had to do.
Namely, ‘Making a CSAT lunch box for the Leader.’
In truth, the CSAT didn't mean much to Jeong Seong-bin. Apparently, the schools Jeong Seong-bin and Park Ju-woo were applying to didn't even look at CSAT scores.
Is that how it is for all Practical Music Departments? As a former CSAT Warrior, I didn't know much about it, so I just pretended to understand.
Still, it’s an experience everyone else has, so there was no reason not to take the exam. Plus, I told him to go so he could share the news with the fans before the comeback. Articles about ‘Idols taking the CSAT this year’ generate quite a bit of buzz.
‘But we’ll all be resting that day, so I’d rather practice…’
‘Don’t worry, Seong-bin. While you’re gone, Gi-yeon will make sure to work us hard.’
‘If that’s your wish, I’ll do it.’
Encouraged by me and Kang Gi-yeon, Jeong Seong-bin decided to take the CSAT. A grueling day was expected, but since our leader was taking a national exam, we could endure that much.
When I went to the front door, the lunch box ingredients I had ordered the day before had arrived.
I decided on fried tofu rice balls and egg soup for the menu. Since we didn't have an insulated lunch box, I had even bought a new one.
While waiting for the rice to cook, I was making the soup while looking at a recipe when I heard the sound of footsteps. Turning around, I saw Park Ju-woo coming out of his room.
“Hyung, what are you doing…?”
“Making a lunch box for Seong-bin.”
Park Ju-woo approached me from behind as I was draining the tofu skins. He stared silently at the empty fried tofu rice ball packaging scattered in the sink.
Ju-woo went straight to the bathroom. Then, he washed his hands and returned to the kitchen.
“…What should I do?”
“What do you mean? Go back to sleep.”
“I’m already over 180cm, though…?”
“Don’t you know ‘the bigger, the better’? For a male idol, the taller you are, the better.”
Despite my words, Park Ju-woo didn't leave easily and lingered in the kitchen. He looked at the instructions, found a large bowl, and even started adding the vinegar seasoning and sautéed vegetables.
“What are you doing?”
“Let’s make it together.”
“It’s not hard, so I can do it alone. Go back and get more sleep.”
Despite my dissuasion, Park Ju-woo remained firm. I could feel his determination to make a CSAT lunch box for his friend.