Chapter 315: University Festival (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 315: University Festival (2)
Spark was assigned the very first slot on the lineup. It was still a bit too early for the sun to set. The people who had come early to snag good seats for the famous singers weren't particularly interested in Spark.
As we were getting ready to step out of the van, Lee Cheong-hyeon pointed out the window and shouted.
"We have lightsticks!"
Kang Gi-yeon and I turned our heads at the same time. Sure enough, a woman holding a familiar lightstick was walking toward the audience section.
Lee Cheong-hyeon even went as far as calling Jeong Seong-bin, who was in a different car, to relay the news that a Sparkler had arrived. It was a good start.
"Hello, we are Spark!"
Compared to our thunderous greeting, the returning applause was thin.
Still, I felt good. I quite liked the view looking down from the wide-open stage.
It’s hard to get an experience like this during indoor recordings.
The other members seemed to be in high spirits as well. The stage lights weren't haphazardly fixed in an X-shape like they were during that past accident. I was satisfied, more than satisfied.
"Our Spark members have such vibrant hair. Is this the concept you’ve been promoting with lately?"
The MC spoke while looking at me and Lee Cheong-hyeon.
Just as I was about to move away from white hair, this festival was scheduled, so I tried a bold, vivid sky-blue dye. It turned out the school’s symbolic color was sky blue.
Since my base color had been completely bleached out, I expected the color to come out vivid, but it turned out so blue it looked like I’d dipped my head in a bucket of paint.
"I noticed the Kaisuit mascot was sky blue. I dyed it this way to show our gratitude for inviting us!"
Lee Cheong-hyeon’s hair had become ash blue due to the Serenity fading issue, but since we were both in the blue family anyway, we decided to go as a set.
"You’re right, the color is just like Flat-face!"
A few students reacted now that a topic they recognized had come up. Some people even waved character dolls. When Park Ju-woo responded by waving a Flat-face doll he’d bought from the souvenir shop during our wait, "Ooh~" sounds erupted from various spots.
With a compliment that they’d never seen this level of preparation before, the microphone was officially handed over to us.
"Are you all enjoying the post-exam bliss? We have two university students in Spark as well. Seong-bin, Ju-woo, how were your midterms?"
"I’ll make a confession right here. I won a gold medal in my electives."
At Jeong Seong-bin’s bombshell statement—delivered with such a wholesome expression—laughter broke out across the audience.
We used Jeong Seong-bin’s elective grades as a sacrifice to keep the talk going. It was a buildup to "With List," a song about playing hard now that exams were over.
How hard had we worked to make a comeback timed for this period last May? Thanks to that, "With List" popped up as profile songs or memes on students' messengers every exam period or vacation season, making its presence known.
Between the bright, cheerful atmosphere and the familiarity of a song students had likely heard a few times, there was no better choice for an opening track.
“A small water bottle and even a lightstick,
Did you pack them all?
Are you perfectly ready to play?”
We even changed some of the lyrics to fit the festival. You couldn't hear the lyrics perfectly on-site, but if you put emphasis on unique words, they tended to stick in the ear. Every time we hit a point of emphasis, we could see the audience reacting by waving lightsticks or glow sticks. Thanks to the repetitive melody, many people were singing along to the chorus by the time the last verse ended. And man, those lightsticks were bright. Overwhelmingly so.
Next, we performed "New World," which I had covered with Berion on Idol Dynasty Annals. This time, it was with all of Spark.
Although I was the only one who had officially covered the song, all the members had monitored the song during Idol Dynasty Annals, so it didn't require much preparation.
Moreover, it was a great song for the audience to sing along to. That was the power of a popular song everyone knew.
We kept the originality I’d shown on Idol Dynasty Annals but utilized our extra manpower to add even richer harmonies. Since there was no choreography, we focused on engaging the crowd and giving plenty of fan service.
“Let me dive in,
Into a heart-pounding
New world.”
After warming things up with those two songs...
"This is our first university festival, and the heat is incredible. Is it always like this? Or are the Kaisuit students just particularly good at reacting?"
"I saw people waving glow sticks all the way in the back earlier. I think everyone is really vibing with us."
...The atmosphere on-site gradually turned favorable. It meant the eyes of those who had been indifferent were starting to gather on us.
I continued the commentary while the members took a water break.
"The mascot here is named Flat-face, right? The one with the round eyes. When I first saw it, I thought it looked exactly like our vocal friend here. Ju-woo, come here for a second."
I called Park Ju-woo to the center and held the doll he was carrying next to his face. The round eyes and the somehow deep pupils drew a laugh of agreement. Lee Cheong-hyeon, seeing the situation on the electronic screen, burst into fits of laughter.
It was then. A booming voice echoed from quite close to the front.
"Octopus Hyung!"
"Are you... talking to me?"
The student waving at me nodded vigorously.
I had forgotten. Just as "With List" held the vacation desires of adults and "New World" was a piece of childhood nostalgia, Kim I-wol’s "Fortune-telling Octopus" was also famous among Gen Z short-form content users.
"Tell us how Hanhwa’s record will be this year!"
Laughter exploded from all sides. While it was a million times better to have this kind of banter than no communication at all...
"I’m not supposed to leak heavenly secrets recklessly. I’ll keep it brief."
The thing was, I didn't know much about the KBO League.
Since all I knew were stories I’d picked up like oral folklore, I spoke very carefully.
"I will be rooting for you to have a good result."
"Agh!"
Painful screams poured out from those who saw through the implication of my words. Oh Heavens, if you are watching, please send a ray of change toward Hanhwa this year.
*
Keep the talk short to avoid dead air. Maximize the performance.
To stick to this rule, Spark sang until our throats were raw. After performing "MISSION" and another cover song back-to-back, I could see the sky being dyed in shades of red.
The members, who had danced their hearts out under the setting sun, grabbed their water bottles the moment the song ended. Park Ju-woo sucked down water as if he’d turn into a dried pollack if he didn't hydrate immediately.
I gestured for the exhausted Jeong Seong-bin to drink first and was about to talk to the audience when Lee Cheong-hyeon adjusted his microphone.
He did ask me to give him some time for a comment.
I’d agreed since he said it wasn't a declaration to enroll in Kaisuit, but I was curious what on earth he wanted to say that he’d specifically asked for time.
And Lee Cheong-hyeon did not disappoint. He brought up a topic I never could have imagined.
"My older brother attends Kaisuit, so I’ve always wanted to visit! Hyung, are you watching? Or are you studying?"
The news that a celebrity’s sibling attended the school drew massive interest. The hands of people tapping on phones or pressing shutters moved faster.
"I wondered when I’d ever get to visit the school my brother attends, and here I am. My brother is shy, so I doubt he told anyone he has an idol for a younger brother! But please take good care of him—he’s probably scurrying around somewhere! And please give Spark lots of love too!"
Lee Cheong-hyeon bowed deeply. He enjoyed the event with a full smile on his face until the final stage was over.
Spark’s time came to an end with "Flowering," performed against the backdrop of the fading sun. Since the real festival begins once it gets dark, we had finished exactly on time.
I walked over to Lee Cheong-hyeon, who was putting away his microphone under the tent.
"What got into you, bringing up your brother?"
Perhaps my lowered voice sounded awkward, because Lee Cheong-hyeon chuckled.
"What, can't a younger brother talk about his older brother?"
"..."
I said nothing.
The reason I hadn't forcibly separated Lee Cheong-hyeon from his father was that he wasn't yet free from his legal guardian.
Once he became an adult, I intended to fully support his will, whether he chose to stand on his own after a fight with his father or reconcile and move past old grudges.
But was there a need to try so hard to get along with a sibling? From what I’d heard, the older brother had been quite rude to him too.
Seeing my expression, Lee Cheong-hyeon clung to me and spoke.
"I didn't do that to get close to him."
"What?"
"It was payback. To make things uncomfortable for him."
Lee Cheong-hyeon pulled away from me. Then he gave a wide grin.
"My brother hates noisy things. But unfortunately, he’s handsome. He has the kind of face that can't help but stand out. Not as much as me, though."
"Well, if he’s your brother, I suppose so."
"My family used to make me walk on eggshells when I was at home. So this time, I decided to make him walk on eggshells. Even so, he won't experience even a fraction of the years I spent doing it."
He spoke calmly.
"Once rumors start that my brother goes here? There’s no way he won't be singled out. It’ll be incredibly annoying for him."
Lee Cheong-hyeon laughed as if he’d won. But he didn't look entirely relieved.
"Where did you learn to do something like that...?"
"What do you mean where? I learned it from you, Hyung."
"I taught you such terrifying behind-the-scenes plotting?"
I was baffled and felt wronged. I’ve never done anything that scary.
At my gaze demanding an explanation, Lee Cheong-hyeon crossed his arms and said in a small voice.
"You know 'First Step,' the song Seong-bin Hyung sang on My.Singer's.Genre? Do you know that among people our age, more people think Seong-bin Hyung is the original singer now?"
"..."
"It felt refreshing."
Only then did I realize the meaning behind his impulsive action.
Lee Cheong-hyeon wanted to give back too. The sorrowful treatment he’d received, returned in the way that would make the other person most uncomfortable.
But...
"You and Seong-bin are different."
"How?"
Lee Cheong-hyeon shot back.
"Seong-bin felt at peace after doing that, but you don't."
"No, I’m fine. It’s the first time I’ve played a prank on my brother, so I feel good."
"Really?"
Lee Cheong-hyeon faltered at my question.
It was bound to weigh on him. It seemed that within Lee Cheong-hyeon, the heart that hated his family and the heart that cherished them still coexisted. Even if he tried to forcibly ignore those contradictory emotions, it would only be painful if he didn't realize his true feelings.
"Don't try to settle everything too quickly. You’ll only end up hurting yourself."
"..."
Lee Cheong-hyeon clamped his mouth shut like a clam.
At that moment, Manager Dae-yeon pulled back the tent flap and stepped in.
"Cheong-hyeon. Someone claiming to be your brother is here to see you. Is your brother’s name Lee Su-hun?"
Lee Cheong-hyeon looked up. Through the opening in the tent, I could see the perfectly uncreased hem of a man's trousers.