Chapter 300: 1st Anniversary (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 300: 1st Anniversary (1)
Lee Cheong-hyeon turned his innocent gaze toward me. If I fell for that pure-hearted look and answered honestly, I’d be walking a deadly tightrope that would surely end in a nosebleed.
Lying wasn't really my style. You never know when you might slip up, and fundamentally, I didn't like deceiving people.
But the situation was a bit awkward. If I spoke according to my conscience, I’d have to say I’d been playing for ten years, but that would mean I’d been playing the bass since elementary school.
Since even my real name had changed, there was no guaranteeing how my past history might have shifted. I wanted to avoid mentioning the old days as much as possible. The slip-up I’d made when my back scar was discovered was more than enough.
The video was still playing on Lee Cheong-hyeon’s phone. I saw a subtitle that read: 'He reached this level in just a few years? This man is a genius.'
Should I become a "mad bass prodigy" who picked up the instrument in elementary school, or a "self-taught genius" who saw the light? Both options were a bit much to swallow.
After a long deliberation, I closed my eyes tight and answered.
"I played seriously for one year. If you include the bits I played here and there after joining UA, it’s been three years."
"Three years?"
"Yeah."
Upon hearing my answer, Lee Cheong-hyeon rewound the video. When he turned up the volume, the voice of the man I’d seen in the subtitles came through clearly.
『He reached this level in just a few years? This man is a genius.』
Lee Cheong-hyeon’s eyes locked onto mine. He looked like he was about to pounce on me and shout, 'Hyung, you must be a genius! A bass genius! I have to report right now that you're participating in the sessions for the next album!'
"Cheong-hyeon, if we go back three years from last year, how old was I?"
"Nineteen."
"Right. And what grade would that be?"
"Senior year of high school."
As soon as he answered, I placed a hand on each of his shoulders.
"Exactly."
"…?"
"Nothing is impossible for a high school senior."
A high school senior is someone who, if they break an ankle playing soccer, will use their crutches to kick the ball. They’re the ones who scrape their knees running to the cafeteria today but will run again tomorrow. They’re the ones who watch international soccer matches until 4 AM and still make it to school by 8 AM. It means a Korean high school senior possesses terrifying stamina and potential.
"It’s because they want to ignore the massive life task right in front of them."
"Aha."
Lee Cheong-hyeon nodded as if he’d reached an epiphany. Now that you get it, go away.
"But wait, hyung."
What now!
I whipped my head around to look at him. Lee Cheong-hyeon was staring at me with his dark eyes.
"You played the bass like that during your senior year, and your CSAT percentile was still 97.81?"
Ah.
I’d dug myself into a hole. I really shouldn't have lied.
I tried desperately to make him understand. Lee Cheong-hyeon wasn't easily convinced, but since his own grades and his brothers' grades were so high, he eventually left after dropping a bombshell: "Well, I guess it’s not impossible."
Until very recently, Spark had been holding meeting after meeting.
'We will now begin the idea meeting for the XXth 1st Anniversary self-produced content filming.'
Following Jeong Seong-bin, who rattled off the opening like a vending machine, Park Ju-woo spoke while clicking his mouse.
'The opinions the members posted in the group chat are as follows… The relevant departments have filled in the estimated preparation periods for each item, and I’ve highlighted the top twenty ideas in yellow…'
Lee Cheong-hyeon, who was studying the data intently, raised his hand.
'There seems to be a slight discrepancy between the yellow data and the preference scores given by the members. Are we prioritizing feasibility over preference?'
'The table sorted by preference scores is on the next sheet. Ju-woo hyung, please copy and paste the table from the third sheet.'
The table Kang Gi-yeon had prepared in advance was immediately pasted next to the raw data.
'The items at the top aren't bad. Since the amount of content we can show is limited, let's exclude any ideas that have been released within the last two weeks and discuss the rest.'
At my words, Park Ju-woo applied a filter and batch-hid all data that received a low score in the 'Rarity' category.
Choi Je-ho, who had left the decision-making entirely to the members after submitting his items, sat with his arms crossed, watching the series of events with interest(?).
These were the same guys who had racked their brains when I told them to come up with twenty individual content items each. Now, as soon as a topic was set, they brainstormed on their own and pulled out materials they’d kept in reserve.
After several such meetings, the content for 'Gyeong☆ Spark 1st Anniversary Commemorative Self-Produced Content ☆Chuk' was finally decided.
The time spent preparing for this content alone was enormous. It was even busier because Lee Cheong-hyeon’s birthday and my birthday fell in the middle of it, and it wasn't like we had zero other schedules.
We ran endlessly, like hamsters on a wheel who were dead serious about fitness.
In the mornings, Jeong Seong-bin and Park Ju-woo—who had been cut loose since finishing their entrance exams—poured their hearts and souls into upgrading the members' vocal skills.
In the afternoons, Lee Cheong-hyeon and I pushed the guys practicing cover songs to their limits. Then, in the evening, Choi Je-ho and Kang Gi-yeon, who had accumulated stress all day, would put us through a grueling workout.
Meetings during breaks, meetings during lunch, and more meetings during travel time. What animal has meetings with staff in the morning, meetings with colleagues at lunch, and meetings with the system at night? The answer: Kim I-wol. ← My brain had been in this state the whole time.
However, even hardships have an end.
The end of Spark’s sprint toward a killer 1st-anniversary celebration was finally in sight.
Which meant filming had begun.
The 'Gyeong☆ Spark 1st Anniversary Commemorative Self-Produced Content ☆Chuk,' which was set to be uploaded at 2 AM, consisted of lively, cute, and charming content. And in the evening, we decided to hold a 1st-anniversary commemorative live stream.
There were some who raised objections. Usually, those with delicate sensibilities pointed out these things. Someone like Jeong Seong-bin, for instance.
'If it’s a dawn upload, wouldn't emotional content be better?'
I was about to answer when Kang Gi-yeon raised his hand.
'As long as it’s not excessively loud, I think it’s better to put bright items at night.'
'Why?'
'You can watch moderately fun content and go right to sleep, but content that makes you think deeply keeps you up all night ruminating on it.'
Beside him, Lee Cheong-hyeon asked, 'Kang Gyeon, is that from personal experience?' Kang Gi-yeon didn't answer.
I was also on Kang Gi-yeon’s side. Fans are vulnerable to stimulating content. During the Female Idol Grand Festival incident, the year-end stage ended at 1 AM, but new posts didn't stop until 7 AM. Everyone kept saying they had to go to work, but they couldn't fall asleep.
We had to let the Sparklers sleep. So, we decided to put relatively light content in the self-produced video.
'But.'
For once, Choi Je-ho spoke up.
'Is the 『Under Bar』 challenge "light" content?'
He pointed to the challenge video Park Ju-woo and I had uploaded recently.
We are currently in an era overflowing with Shorts content. Spark couldn't ignore this trend, so whenever we had a spare moment, we filmed challenges for stages that had impressed us.
Among them, the challenge that fans ranked #1 as the 'Challenge they desperately want all of Spark to do' was that very one.
The song 『Under Bar』 tells the story of a bartender and a customer whose relationship turns into a romance. Thanks to the vibe of the song and music video, as well as the dense choreography, it became a hot topic for having a different feel from existing challenges that emphasize flashy movements.
Choi Je-ho and Kang Gi-yeon had been busy covering a challenge by some senior idols that anyone who knows how to dance tries at least once.
Since Jeong Seong-bin and Lee Cheong-hyeon had a lot to do as the leader and the composing member respectively, Park Ju-woo, who had relatively more time, and I, who had more stamina, had filmed the video…
≫ When did the baby chinchilla become such an adult squirrel? I was sure he’d grow up to be a chipmunk?? I protest. Please show us a 3-hour full version of the chinchilla’s growth process.
└ Is he a Wallet Monster? How does a chinchilla evolve into a chipmunk?
└ The music isn't even 4 minutes long, how can they show 3 hours? lol
└ Everyone be quiet. Can't you see I'm trying to squeeze out a video of baby Ju-woo right now???? Anyway, UA must provide.
≫ I often forget because Choi Je-ho is Spark’s sexy emperor.
But every time I do, Kim I-wol comes out looking so damn extra and beats up my forgetful self.
Right, I-wol? Spark had two oldest members. I underestimated you. I'm sorry.
└ I felt like I was dying even when Do Yeong-hwan was just wearing a modern suit, but seeing him in a slim-fit outfit doing a sexy dance… my sanity is gone.
└ The fact that Park Ju-woo taught him this is too much. It’s really, really too much.
≫ From today on, I will not call I-wol and Ju-woo the Angel Clay Squad.
They are the Little Devil Mud Squad. After making a mess of people's hearts, they stick to you like mud and won't come off, only to leave you as dry sand, leaving nothing but traces on your body. I'm the only one left looking like a mess.
The bottom line is, please have all the members do the Under Bar challenge.
…That’s how it happened. So, we decided to film the challenge with everyone dressed as bartenders. With Jeong Seong-bin and Park Ju-woo, who became adults this year, at the forefront.
'If you go to the center, the community will turn into a sea of fire again, but Seong-bin and Ju-woo will be fine.'
'I'm sorry, hyung… We don't have as much impact as Je-ho hyung…'
'No, that’s not what I meant!'
It took some time to comfort the dejected Jeong Seong-bin. Still, the agenda passed smoothly.
Considering the song's background, it would have been best to rent a cocktail bar, but since Lee Cheong-hyeon and Kang Gi-yeon are still minors, we rented a studio instead.
While putting on the outfits prepared by the stylists, Lee Cheong-hyeon showed interest in the aprons.
"What’s this? Do bartenders wear aprons?"
"I think it’s case-by-case."
Kang Gi-yeon followed Lee Cheong-hyeon’s lead and rummaged through the aprons.
"Those are yours."
"Just the two of us?"
"Yeah."
No matter how sexy the choreography was supposed to be, we shouldn't force the details on the youngest members. These guys are probably more familiar with chicken tenders than bartenders.
Kang Gi-yeon had a sulky expression. He was probably worried the apron would hide his dance lines.
"Don't worry too much, Gi-yeon."
"Huh?"
"The reactions to your dance lines are already great. A mere apron won't be able to hide our main dancer’s majesty."
"Yeah, yeah."
Kang Gi-yeon answered half-heartedly. Wow, I gave him a fact-based answer using big data I gathered from monitoring, and that’s the response I get?
The filming took place under the mysterious purple lights of an all-white studio. Neon-like lights filled the space. We even adjusted the white lights toward our faces so they wouldn't turn purple too. It was satisfying.
After performing the floor-sweeping choreography that suited the song title 'Under Bar (_),' Spark had turned into a mess, looking like bartenders who had struggled to retrieve a customer's card that fell under the bar.
In addition to that, we filmed several other videos in the studio to be inserted into the self-produced content.
After filming amazing individual performances by the dance members, Lee Cheong-hyeon’s solo rap, a cover song by all members, and a 'Spark Title Medley' dance compilation to be played at the end, everyone had lost about 0.5kg in just a few hours. I guess there were still calories left to burn.