Chapter 295: Incident Records
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 295: Incident Records
Staring at the blank sheet of paper, I began to recall the various incidents that had plagued Spark in the past.
'Lee Cheong-hyeon’s drug addiction issue... Since I’m currently blocking it, I’ll mark it as "in progress."'
Based on the circumstances so far, the reason Lee Cheong-hyeon had been excessively dependent on headache medication seemed to be the sheer pressure he was under.
His family, who watched him with a "let’s see how well you do" attitude; his friction-filled life within the group; and the approach of senior teams like All-over, whom he couldn't easily brush off—all of it must have stressed out a kid who already felt a desperate burden to succeed.
However, Spark’s internal state was currently quite stable. Whether it was because he’d cleared the air through that phone call with his father, Lee Cheong-hyeon looked much more relieved, even if he wasn't perfectly fine yet.
As long as I made sure he kept his distance from those drug-using seniors and kept an eye out to ensure his other family members didn't mess with him, he wouldn't be popping headache pills like candy anymore.
Jeong Seong-bin’s vocal cords were also holding up well. I wasn't sure exactly how much the presence of Kim I-wol, the sub-vocal, had helped, but perhaps because the burden was lighter than before—when he had to talk for 50 minutes out of a one-hour broadcast—Seong-bin’s throat was perfectly fine even after juggling year-end stages and his entrance exams.
Jeong Seong-bin’s vocal cords had to stay in this condition. In the past, a version of Jeong Seong-bin who developed vocal nodules felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness and suddenly enlisted in the military.
Perhaps the shock of not being able to contribute through his singing was too much; back then, Jeong Seong-bin had enlisted as soon as their promotions ended. It must have been a difficult situation to endure with his low self-esteem. Now that I knew the full context, I understood why he had made that choice.
But Seong-bin, do you know? During the year and a half you were gone, Spark was a living hell. It was a relief that your throat healed, but the Sparklers' mental health was torn to shreds instead. I will prevent that outcome at all costs.
Park Ju-woo, who used to get cursed out enough to feel full without eating just for "half-assing" broadcasts, no longer gave people a reason to criticize him. He had established himself as a character who was laid-back but delivered sharp, biting truths when it mattered. His image of silently working hard behind the scenes also earned him major bonus points from the fans.
As for Kang Gi-yeon’s knees and ankles, I, Jeong Seong-bin, and even the managers were all watching them like hawks. Fortunately, the kid had grown well over the past year without a single minor injury. Now he just needs to get taller. Please, you’re so close to 180cm...
As I wrote down whatever came to mind, Choi Je-ho’s name ended up at the very bottom.
His way of speaking was still rude, but after rigorous training to "wash out his mouth," Choi Je-ho was starting to be known as the "Mouth of Truth" or "the friend who’s a bit angry but never says anything wrong."
Even though I considered myself a veteran fan, I still couldn't fully understand the logic fans used when looking at their idols.
I tapped the tip of my pen against the half-filled diary page, slowly scanning the past chronicle of Spark.
'Ah.'
Suddenly, something came to mind.
'Why didn't I think of this sooner?'
It was an incident that had shaken Spark so deeply that it was strange I hadn't recalled it immediately.
Choi Je-ho’s injury issue.
Unlike the other members who slowly gained recognition for their skills, Choi Je-ho had drawn attention from the very beginning.
Even amidst their shitty concepts, Choi Je-ho’s position remained unshakable. He was the one who made sure no one ever said they’d picked the wrong center, even if they said the agency was his biggest anti-fan. When Spark finally started getting known after passing through their dark ages, he was the one who made people go, "Wait, Choi Je-ho was in this group?" That was Choi Je-ho.
When I used to watch his fancams endlessly just to put a 0.3-second movement into slow motion, even I, who knew nothing about dancing, would be in awe. I’d think, 'How can a human body move like that?' or 'He really does stand out.'
Perhaps because of that, in the early days of their debut, he participated in a dance survival program, and then, while the leader was away, he achieved the feat of serving as a judge on that same program.
Even the phrase "remarkable growth" didn't suit Choi Je-ho. He was brilliant from the start.
Because he didn't know how to give a compliment even for the sake of politeness, he got cursed at for being arrogant, but the Choi Je-ho on screen was always indifferent. Instead, he would stop judging, get up on stage, perfectly replicate the same dance, and show exactly why the other person's dancing was subpar.
There was no better way to shut people up than that, and since an obnoxious genius always draws a crowd, Choi Je-ho was called in as a mentor all over the place.
In the meantime, Jeong Seong-bin was discharged from the military. Spark resumed their activities. Choi Je-ho, whose popularity was at its peak, was practically flying. That was the period when my workload was at its highest.
Then one day, Spark’s activities and my proxy fan life both came to a screeching halt.
[Breaking News] Spark’s Je-ho Injured by Falling Stage Equipment
A poorly installed lighting fixture at an outdoor event had collapsed onto Choi Je-ho. To be precise, it was the metal frame that held a series of lights.
[Spark to Continue Activities as a 4-Member Group... Je-ho’s Return Date Uncertain]
[Current Affairs] Are Idols Safe? Analyzing Frequent On-Site Accidents
[On-Site Photo] Officials Inspecting the Venue to Determine the Cause of the Accident (Photo Credit: @lqwkvldn9461358)
Because it was an outdoor performance, videos of the accident spread in real-time. Everyone who saw the photos of the scene said it was a miracle he survived. They said it was a miracle only one person was hurt.
However, it was clear that Choi Je-ho, the victim, didn't consider it a stroke of luck.
And for good reason.
≫ F*ck, our kid is a dancer, and he has to have back surgery?
≫ Je-ho is only in his 20s?
≫ He has to live with a herniated disc? He’s the main dancer and the center!
A single injury and back surgery had changed too much for Choi Je-ho.
It was a given that he couldn't dance as well as before. His body simply wouldn't follow his lead.
The real problem was the pain. After developing the herniated disc, Choi Je-ho became significantly more irritable. His frustration at not being able to do things that were easy just days before was laid bare on screen. And that frustration came back to haunt him.
≫ Seems like JH isn't even trying to manage his expressions anymore.
≫ He never really did, but am I asking for too f*cking much?
└ It’s honestly making me anxious just watching... He must know people are talking, so why doesn't he improve? #Jeho_Youre_An_Idol
≫ Is he the only idol with a herniated disc?
≫ He has zero professional spirit... If it hurts that much, just rest. Don't show your face.
└ Have you ever had a slipped disc? It’s not something you can just smile through with willpower... You can praise other idols, but you shouldn't bash a sick person.
└ Lol, idols have it so easy. Office worker fans have to work even when they're in pain without showing it, but when an idol is sick, the fans rush to shield them.
Choi Je-ho couldn't even escape to the military like Jeong Seong-bin had. He had been exempted from service.
In the last Spark performance I saw, Choi Je-ho danced drenched in sweat, his expression stiff but slightly softened. Whenever that happened, fans would rejoice, saying, "Maybe Je-ho is in less pain today." I would carefully capture those moments of his face.
To think that was the stage where Choi Je-ho was in his best condition since the accident, and Spark’s final stage.
And...
Despite remembering everything else so vividly, the fact that I couldn't remember what that specific event was...
Blocking my memory so blatantly was practically giving me a hint. It meant I had to save Choi Je-ho at least once before achieving the Final KPI.
Knowing my task made me feel relieved, but it also gave me a throbbing headache.
The best-case scenario would be to use that "Time Stop" thing the system gave me as a reward to move Choi Je-ho and the members away from the equipment right before the accident.
But I couldn't rely solely on the system. Especially since the system didn't want me to die but hadn't fully prevented me from getting injured before.
I couldn't just skip the event entirely. I had no grounds to persuade anyone. It would have been better if Yu Han-su had cracked my head open after the event. Then I could at least use trauma as an excuse.
'For now, I have no choice but to be hyper-vigilant during events.'
I’d request on-site safety inspections and pay even closer attention during the performances, even if it meant straining my brain.
If all else failed, even if I had to fake a nosebleed, I’d ask Jeong Seong-bin for a favor. If I told him I had a revelation from the ancestral spirits that Choi Je-ho was having a year of bad luck and needed to be careful, Seong-bin would look out for him in his own way.
I jotted down a few more issues after that. I realized once again that the old Spark really hadn't had it easy.
"They really are a handful."
I almost let out a sigh but held it in. Instead, I checked once more to see if there were any accidents I’d missed or any hidden depths to these guys that I didn't know about.
While I was racking my brain and squeezing out memories, Lee Cheong-hyeon came running in.
"Hyung! Hyung! Amazing news! The complete edition of the 『Slippery Sea Creature Guide』 is coming out!"
"That is indeed very important news. Is it a pre-order?"
"Books have pre-orders too...?"
"Go ask Gi-yeon. He'll explain it well."
As soon as I finished speaking, Lee Cheong-hyeon vanished from the room. The dorm suddenly became very noisy.