Chapter 314: University Festival (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 314: University Festival (1)
Preparations for the comeback with the dance line, who had recently swept up all the buzz, proceeded smoothly. In the blink of an eye, April arrived. On the way to work… or rather, on the way to practice, flower buds began to bloom on every tree lining the streets.
"Do you know what the 'language of flowers' is for cherry blossoms?"
"I'm not a college student, but even I know that. It's 'midterms,' right?" Lee Cheong-hyeon answered confidently.
I gave him a gentle smile and replied, "Wrong. It's 'VAT filing.'"
Lee Cheong-hyeon looked at me with an expression of pure exhaustion.
Once the month of VAT filing ends, May arrives—the time when midterms are over and the weather turns warm.
Around this time, universities hold their festivals. I had assumed Spark would never be called to a university festival, given that schools usually prefer rappers, ballad singers, or girl groups. However...
"A festival scout?"
As they say, you can never predict what life will throw at you.
Despite being a boy group—who rarely get invited to university festivals unless they are exceptionally famous—Spark, now only in their second year, received an invitation.
And of all places...
"KAISUIT...?"
It was a school located in Daejeon, Park Ju-woo’s hometown.
"Wait, that’s the school my brother goes to...?"
And the very school where Lee Cheong-hyeon’s older brother was currently enrolled.
Celebrities are an indispensable part of university festivals.
A university's tier can momentarily shift based on its festival lineup. A single festival can determine which student council spent the tuition fees more "worthily."
I heard so-and-so is coming to that school; I heard some "nugu" singer is coming to ours; I heard another school even had to hire extra security because of who they booked...
For students who had just finished exams, watching a celebrity perform up close was practically a duty. It stemmed from a compensation psychology—the feeling that they had to play as hard as they had worked.
In a situation where everyone was busy sharing who was going where, the news of Spark’s appearance broke. It was the kind of news that didn't seem particularly welcome at any school.
Since the contract had just been finalized, the news of the booking was delivered while it was still piping hot. Park Ju-woo looked somewhat pleased—at least until the mention of Lee Cheong-hyeon’s brother came up.
"Do you think it'll be uncomfortable?" Jeong Seong-bin asked cautiously.
"No. That guy has zero interest in festivals, so there's no way we'll run into him. I'll be lucky if he doesn't file a civil complaint about the noise," Lee Cheong-hyeon said, raising his voice with effort.
"And, hey! If we start being picky about this and that, what kind of work could we possibly do? We’re still rookies! We have to work our tails off!"
It was a comment that showcased his rookie mindset. It was just a bit bittersweet coming from a kid who was only nineteen.
"That’s a great attitude, but if it’s a job you hate so much it makes you sick, it’s better not to do it."
Otherwise, you might end up with a hole in your stomach. I know this well as someone who has experienced a gastric ulcer. I didn't crawl out of the Hanpyeong Industry bathrooms for nothing. If you leave it neglected, nothing good comes of it.
I was trying to protect his stomach lining—which was likely as pink as a Rose Quartz—but Lee Cheong-hyeon’s eyes went wide. The others had similar expressions.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm just... taken aback."
"By what?"
"I thought you’d say something like, 'Cheong-hyeon, do you know how precious a single stage is? Once the seal is pressed, fulfilling the contract is a mandatory duty. I hope you consider how many personnel are involved in a single festival.'"
"Do I really have the image of a psychopath?"
"I'm joking. But I didn't expect you to tell me so directly that I don't have to do it."
I had been seriously worried about the need for image improvement, but this was a relief.
As I breathed a sigh of relief, Lee Cheong-hyeon spoke up.
"But I'm really okay."
His voice was even spunky.
"I can go and enjoy myself!"
Lee Cheong-hyeon laughed brightly. It was a smile so radiant that it was impossible to imagine the version of him I’d seen in the past data, weeping in front of Jeong Seong-bin.
The reaction after Spark’s appearance was announced was, well, as expected.
≫ So who even is Spark?
≫ Ffs, where did all our tuition go? lol Give me my money back.
≫ I guess I can just drop by for a bit at night.
Doesn't look like there's much else to see.
≫ Look at the student council.
Is this really the "best" lineup you could come up with?
Just compare us to the other schools in Daejeon; the level is completely different.
Even if you brought one main-tier act, the rest are so subpar.
I turned off my phone, figuring nothing good would come from reading more. To begin with, students who actually liked Spark wouldn't post in places like that for fear of being told, "Is it enough just because you like them?" But fans who like Spark are students too...
To become idols that Sparklers wouldn't be ashamed of, we had to work ourselves to the bone. Didn't Supervisor Song once say? An idol who makes their fans embarrassed of the memory of liking them deserves to die. I couldn't let Spark’s fans feel embarrassed.
I was working with Jeong Seong-bin to put together the setlist when Lee Cheong-hyeon slinked over. He leaned his body against my back, pressing down with his weight.
"Hyungs, hyungs."
"Yeah?"
"Do we have a comment time too?"
"We have to put one in so you guys can drink water. I won't make it long, though. Why?"
If you talk too much in the middle of singing, your voice just gets floaty. Besides, rather than earning the dishonorable reputation of stalling for time with talk, it was better to run ourselves ragged performing and hear people say, "Spark is the best value-for-money idol group!"
That was the consensus Jeong Seong-bin and I had reached. Lee Cheong-hyeon hesitated before speaking.
"Can't you give me just five minutes in the middle?"
"I can. Should I put a chair at the front of the stage for you too? Or maybe a footstool so you can stand tall in the center by yourself?"
"I asked for time, not star power!"
"It's the same thing. If you're given time, the star power follows automatically."
"Why is this hyung hyping me up so much? Is it because it's deadline season?"
Lee Cheong-hyeon rolled off my back on his own. As he lay on the floor, his expression was peculiar.
"Anyway, you're saying you want to do a ment. Go ahead, do as much as you want."
"Thanks! I'll work hard to show off my brilliant wit!"
After his grand declaration, Lee Cheong-hyeon left the room.
Watching his retreating back, Jeong Seong-bin quietly called out to me.
"Hyung."
"Yeah?"
"You don't think Cheong-hyeon... is planning to say something like he's coming to KAISUIT as a freshman next year, do you?"
A heavy silence fell for a moment. Jeong Seong-bin and I immediately bolted out of the room, chasing after Lee Cheong-hyeon.
Spark’s group trip to Daejeon was extraordinary from the start. Upon hearing the news of the youngest’s visit to his hometown, his older sister contacted Park Ju-woo immediately.
— Ju! I heard you're coming to KAISUIT! Are you going straight back to Seoul that day?
"Yeah... probably?"
— Why? Stay the night!
"There are too many of us..."
While Park Ju-woo was getting his makeup done, Jeong Seong-bin held the phone for him. The angle of his hand was incredibly delicate.
— Are you going to the bakery before you leave?
"I'm not sure... will there be time?"
Lee Cheong-hyeon, who had sharp ears, shouted, "That bakery?! I want to go!" It seemed like the kid had become a dopamine addict after doing nothing but composing in his room.
The sister apparently had equally sharp ears, as a booming command echoed through the phone.
— Park Ju-woo, what did Noona say you have to buy if you go to the bakery?
Her form of address had shifted from "Ju" to "Park Ju-woo." I could feel the solemnity.
Then, from the mouth of Park Ju-woo—the very definition of laid-back—a list of bread names poured out like a mantra.
"Myeongran Toast, Gyeryongsan Echo, Kimchi Barley Rice Ball, Green Apple Brie Cheese Sandwich, croquettes, and apple pie... and if I buy it all, earn points using Auntie's number."
— Good.
The call ended there. The faces of the people around them were filled with benevolent smiles, as if they were watching a young child.
"At this rate, we really have to stop by the bakery."
Jeong Seong-bin said with a laugh. Lee Cheong-hyeon was already searching for recommended menus at Daejeon’s representative bakery on his phone. The event hadn't even started, yet everyone was more interested in the "sacrificial offerings." I guess they're still just kids after all.
"Whoa, the Daejeon mascot looks exactly like Ju-woo hyung."
"That's crazy."
The youngest members were busy sitting side-by-side, looking at the blank-faced regional mascot, while Choi Je-ho was struggling to keep his head straight as the stylists debated whether to style his hair up or down.
It felt like I was taking five kids on a field trip. I was already getting a little tired.
Today, Spark was decked out in blue. As it turned out, the school’s symbolic color was blue. Luckily, it matched Spark’s personal colors perfectly. To emphasize the school's characteristics, we even added a few points to the outfits that evoked the image of researchers.
Since Spark didn't have many songs of their own, and their most recent and successful track was a winter season song, we added several cover songs that were perfect for enjoying a festival atmosphere instead of just using the group's own discography.
I had done all the preparation possible in the short time we had, but my mind wasn't at ease.
Spark had always sung in places where there were fans. Whether the numbers were small or large, they were at least in places where they were certain fans existed.
To put it another way, Spark was currently heading into uncharted territory. No matter how hard they sang, people might show no interest, or worse, it might be painfully obvious that they wanted us to get off the stage so the next singer could come up.
As for me, I had been hardened by Hanpyeong Industry to the point where indifference, neglect, and persecution didn't faze me, but I had no idea how Spark would handle it.
‘I just hope they don't get hurt, at least.’
Though I knew that "not getting hurt" wasn't something you could just choose to do. I swallowed a sigh inwardly.
"Wait a minute, there isn't a single cherry blossom left?!"
"It's May, they've all fallen by now."
"But they said this was a famous cherry blossom spot!"
Unaware of my inner turmoil, Lee Cheong-hyeon was busy chanting about cherry blossoms. I watched him bouncing around in the back seat before turning on my phone to search for Daejeon landmarks.
≫ Daejeon landmarks
≫ Places for kids to play in Daejeon
≫ Daejeon night openings
≫ Places worth visiting in Daejeon
"We didn't even get to buy bread! This is all Je-ho hyung's fault!"
"How is that Je-ho hyung's fault? You can't blame him for being late because the back of his shirt ripped and had to be repaired."
"If he had just made that 'stingray' he's growing on his back go on a diet, it would've been fine!"
Lee Cheong-hyeon was practically wailing. I had no idea what he was so upset about. Here I was, worrying about their mental state after the performance, while these guys were losing their focus before the stage even began.
≫ Daejeon Expo Hanbit Tower Music Fountain - 3 days ago
I went to the music fountain with the kids~ The weather was cool, so it was perfect for playing.
Parking info below~
It couldn't be helped. If they seemed really hurt after the festival, I’d have to take them to the music fountain or something.