Chapter 330: Farewell Party (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 330: Farewell Party (2)
Double title tracks had clear advantages and disadvantages.
First, the pros: you got two high-quality music videos. Unlike the usual comeback weeks where groups only performed a verse of a B-side, fans could watch full versions of two different stages until the end of the promotion period.
The disadvantage was simple: streaming was fucking hard.
Every time the mass streaming team begged fans not to let their focus waver, Won Chae-hee would grit her teeth. How could focus not be split when there were two songs? It was one person, one idol group—why did they have to fight such a fierce battle against themselves?
Fortunately, Spark had made their comeback during a period with no significant competitors. Since victory wasn't out of reach, Sparklers, including Won Chae-hee, kept their streams running whether their phones were screaming for mercy or not. Thanks to that, Spark earned the honor of taking first place even with a double title release.
Every time they won, seeing Kim I-wol waving and smiling at the fans made Won Chae-hee forget all the hardships she’d endured.
At those moments, her feelings were closer to 'proud' and 'admirable.' It wasn't quite the lightning-strike intensity she felt during MISSION or the year-end Music Grand Festivals.
Then, Kim I-wol—the epitome of restrained beauty, all bundled up—strode toward her. He was dressed in skin-tight all-black top and bottoms, with thigh holsters that looked even thicker due to the heavy material layered over thin fabric, and vintage-style walkers highlighted with reddish-brown spray.
Won Chae-hee didn't believe that exposure was directly linked to sexiness. There was this kind of sexy and that kind of sexy, and she was the type to think, Who cares about the style as long as it looks good?
But once again, a bolt of lightning struck her brain. Thoughts like I wasn't wrong and Indeed, some things are more beautiful the more they're covered up swirled in her head.
And if that wasn't enough to make her want to pass out...
"Was the wait boring? Luckily, our recording schedule was a bit flexible, so we were able to come out early."
...Despite speaking so sweetly, Kim I-wol had come out wearing makeup that was more than just flushed—it was a deep, feverish red.
Because of his noticeably pale skin, Kim I-wol’s stage makeup usually focused on toning it down or just adding a bit of life to his complexion. That was the only way to make heavy stage makeup look natural without it looking like it was floating off his face.
Perhaps that was why such intentional makeup was usually only seen in music videos where colors could be adjusted in post-production. Even then, he had ended up as the Snow Queen, looking like an ice human.
The common interpretation of the "End" concept was a future desertified by a failed response to the climate crisis. There were even rumors that the members' hair colors were all in the black-to-orange range because their hair had been damaged by UV rays.
In this setting, Kim I-wol appeared with "fever" makeup that radiated heat. It wasn't just a circular dab of blush on the cheeks; it was stage makeup where broad areas from the cheekbones under the eyes to the bridge of the nose were layered in red.
The surroundings suddenly felt sweltering. She felt like running to a convenience store, buying an ice cup, and swallowing the ice whole.
"Seriously, what kind of hyungs leave their younger brother behind and go out by themselves?"
Lee Cheong-hyeon grumbled as he walked out. There was a scar about two fingers long on his cheek. Her heart dropped for a second, but seeing as it wasn't covered up, she realized it was part of the makeup and felt relieved.
"What's with the scar?"
A compliment disguised as a question came from the fan section. It meant the scar makeup was amazing. Lee Cheong-hyeon cupped his face in his hands and crouched down at the front of the stage.
"They say you have to pick hydrangea flowers on purpose so they bloom more abundantly the next year, right? I did a little pruning to prepare for the future. I'll be incredibly pretty for the next comeback."
"Where did you hear something like that?"
"Who else would say something like that besides I-wol hyung?"
Since it was the last broadcast, they must have made the bold decision to put a scratch on Lee Cheong-hyeon’s face.
As expected, Kim I-wol’s aesthetic sense never failed to hit the Sparklers' tastes. Won Chae-hee applauded inwardly.
The blessing of beauty was endless. In the case of Jeong Seong-bin, who came out with bandages wrapped around his neck and forearms under a tight black short-sleeved T-shirt, there was a provocative charm that differed from his usual model-student image.
The scar makeup near his mouth also helped give off a different impression. People tend to pay more attention when someone who usually isn't like that shows a rebellious streak.
Kang Gi-yeon, with piercing-shaped parts attached to his ears and above his eyebrows, looked even more like a delinquent than usual.
The eyebrow slit was also excellent. It seemed unlikely anyone looking at the current Kang Gi-yeon would think of him as a nineteen-year-old boy.
Park Ju-woo appeared with a black mask, the same color as his hair, hooked only on his ears and pulled down to his chin. Won Chae-hee realized for the first time that there were men who could pull off a long, dangling orange belt.
She didn't know who thought of giving Park Ju-woo a muscle-fit inner layer with a cropped short-sleeved jacket and ripped jeans with walkers, but if there were an 'Artist Stylist of the Year' award, it should rightfully go to that person.
Ah, our boys look so scary and good. You guys look like you'd be the best at getting refunds among all idols. You're the best.
Won Chae-hee felt a surge of emotion. The song "End," which she never grew tired of, began to play.
If a song that someone who has heard it thousands of times doesn't get tired of can't take first place, then what song could? Some people claimed it was just "robbing an empty house"—a common complaint whenever someone wins—but Won Chae-hee thought Spark’s current winning streak was only natural.
A song that fans, who have become picky and demanding because they love their idols so much, can stream without ever thinking 'this song is a bit meh'; a song so good that Assistant Manager Yeo, who isn't used to idol music, said it was great; a song so addictive that it started playing in a shopping mall and then could be heard everywhere.
People call songs like that a "Public Pick."
After all the recordings were finished and she returned home, Won Chae-hee washed up and caught up on some much-needed sleep. Then she woke up in time for the music show broadcast and ate dinner while watching TV. Her meal consisted of the reverse fan gift—sandwiches she’d been eating all day at the site but had more than half left, bottled drinks, and fruit jelly. She waited familiarly for Spark’s turn, as they were now 1st place nominees and appeared near the end.
After sending in her text vote and waiting, the Spark she had seen in person just a while ago appeared on the screen. It was great to see their faces clearly during close-ups, and it was great to see their aesthetic sense shine during group shots.
I'm glad the camera director is an experienced one.
If there had been terrible camerawork for such legendary outfits today, Won Chae-hee would have wanted to die from the injustice. Truly.
Just as Won Chae-hee opened her last fruit jelly, confetti exploded on the TV, and the camera turned toward Spark.
Even though they had won first place several times during this promotion, seeing the people she cheered for clutching the trophy still brought a lump to her throat.
Once the long promotion period ended, UA gave Spark a vacation. A vacation that even included travel expenses.
"How about Gapyeong? I heard a lot of people go there!"
"Gapyeong is hard if you don't have a car."
Seeing Lee Cheong-hyeon immediately pout at my words, the managers suggested they could give us a ride if we were going over the weekend.
The concept of making someone else work on a weekend didn't exist in my dictionary, but since they said they’d drop us off and then get a place nearby to have their own party, I gratefully accepted the favor.
We booked a place recommended by Park Ju-woo’s older sister.
"She says... it's very clean, quiet because it's a private villa, relatively cheap because it's in a remote part of Gapyeong, has a private pool, and they give banana milk as a welcome drink."
"His sister must really like banana milk."
Jeong Seong-bin handled the payment, while Choi Je-ho and Kang Gi-yeon did the grocery shopping.
What did I do?
Nothing. These punks didn't give me a single thing to do.
They must have thought I'd feel uncomfortable...
"Can't I prepare some content? I'm confident I can do a good job."
"We're not taking cameras that day. Just rest, hyung."
That’s right. I was so uncomfortable I could hardly stand it. Despite having such great content right in front of him, Jeong Seong-bin declared he would only bring a Polaroid camera.
What meaning is there in those measly one-off photos? In the idol world, only digital data is meaningful.
I lay on the sofa and protested incessantly, saying, "Idols shouldn't be like this. Not recording group activities in high-definition video is professional negligence." Surprisingly, no one paid any attention.
Whether I protested or not, the vacation preparations proceeded smoothly without me. All I could do was pack a bag for a two-day trip in a small bag Jeong Seong-bin lent me.
It was a weekend in June—a bit early for peak season, but perfect for playing.
After driving for about an hour and a half, we arrived at a quiet pension. It even had a private pool, similar to the one in the background when Lee Cheong-hyeon filmed an ionic drink commercial in the past.
As we were moving the luggage from the trunk, someone darted past me like an arrow.
"Whoa, it's a duplex!"
Lee Cheong-hyeon, who had already run up the stairs, shouted with a flushed face.
"Don't run. If you fall, you'll scratch the De Beers Cullinan Blue Diamond."
"What kind of diamond is that?"
"The largest blue diamond in the world. They say it received a Fancy Vivid Blue grade."
"Even though my birthstone is an Alexandrite Cat's Eye?"
"We can just say the base is blue diamond and the eyes are cat's eye."
Lee Cheong-hyeon burst into laughter. Using the sound of his excited laughter as a work song, I carried a few more boxes, and the unpacking was finished.
As soon as the luggage was moved, the managers left for their nearby lodging as promised. They said it was only five minutes away by car; they must have been quite worried about us. Looking at their luggage, it didn't seem like they’d even bought any alcohol.
"What do we do now? Water play? Board games?"
"My sister said it's better to play a lot during the day when the water is warm and do indoor stuff at night..."
"His sister must be a genius."
Lee Cheong-hyeon marveled.
I agree. I don't know why older sisters across the country are so knowledgeable about the most random things.