Chapter 76: Performance Evaluation: Peer Review Edition
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 76: Performance Evaluation: Peer Review Edition
The first radio show featuring all the members of Spark was Midnight Conversation, hosted by a member of a famous idol group.
The DJ, who had been leading the program for several years, was Polo—the rapper of MYTH’s flagship group, Hellas. And he…
“Now, our I-wol… pfft. Oh, I’m so sorry! No, it’s just that everyone is so handsome, but those headbands you’re wearing are just too cute!”
He couldn't stop laughing every time he looked at us. I thought he was a professional; I am disappointed.
“As those watching the visible radio stream can see, the Spark members came in wearing these adorable headbands with their names on them.”
“We wore them with the passion of rookies!”
“Did the company make you wear these?”
“No, I-wol Hyung did…”
At Polo’s question, Park Ju-woo, whom I had trusted, immediately snitched. After all the savory pancakes I’ve fed you, you dare sell me out?
“Do you buy headbands like this as custom orders? Do they make them like this if you just give them the names?”
“No, I made them myself.”
“You made these?”
“Yes. We had the materials at the dorm.”
Using the experience I gained making school play props for the son of the CEO of Hanpyeong Industry, I had crafted them stitch by stitch with great care.
“I-wol, you’re quite the thrifty one, contrary to your appearance!”
“Right? Hyung looks like a total young master, but he’s incredibly frugal!”
Lee Cheong-hyeon chimed in excitedly, agreeing with Polo.
A young master? Isn't that more like you?
After that, Polo and the boys continued their trivial conversation throughout the first half of the show, even reading comments like, “The quality of the headbands is amazing!”
The headband talk didn't even end during the commercial break.
Polo rested his chin on his interlaced fingers and looked our way.
“I’m genuinely curious—why do you have materials like that at your dorm?”
“They were left over from making props for our self-produced content.”
“You even make your own props? That’s incredible.”
At first, I thought he was just making small talk because there wasn't much to say about a rookie group, but no matter how I looked at it, this man was genuinely obsessed with my handmade headbands.
I watched him for about three minutes to see if his interest was sincere or just an act, then spoke up.
“I made one for you too, just in case. Would it be alright if I gave it to you now?”
“For me? You mean a headband?”
“Yes.”
“Really?!”
Since he seemed to want it so badly, I pulled a shimmering golden headband from the bag I had left outside the recording booth and handed it to him. Polo clutched his stomach, laughing.
“Mine is gold?”
“You’re the DJ of Midnight Conversation, after all. It’s shaped like a shining yellow moon.”
I offered some nonsense wordplay and clapped as Polo put on the headband. It was the kind of habitual flattery I used to do.
Kang Gi-yeon, who was sitting next to me, whispered, “When did you make one for the senior?”
“I made his first. You always take care of the boss first.”
I straightened Kang Gi-yeon’s slightly crooked headband and smoothed down his stray hairs. It was almost time for the second half to begin.
“We’re back from the break. In the meantime, everyone, I’ve gotten a name headband of my own!”
“Whoa!”
Perhaps because I’d trained them well in reactions, everyone’s response time was top-tier. Of course, I smiled and cheered along enthusiastically.
“In the second half, we have a segment to get to know Spark better! The Member Quiz is ready!”
The format was simple. A member sitting opposite would give a quiz about themselves, and the other had to get as many right as possible within the time limit.
I had already filled out the preliminary questionnaire from the writers before the broadcast.
The problem was that I didn't think these punks would get a single one of my questions right.
In these quizzes, the questions are usually basic TMI about the members—birthdays, number of siblings, favorite songs, things like that.
And I had never told them any of those things. Which meant they couldn't possibly know the answers.
I was worried that if they failed too miserably, it would spark rumors of discord, so I considered giving Jeong Seong-bin—who would be sitting across from me—a heads-up. But then I worried that if he got them too right, people would say it was scripted, so I held back.
‘At least I’m glad there are no questions about siblings.’
Right now, whenever I tried to talk about my older sister, my voice wouldn't come out and my mind would go blank. If I got that question, I might commit the blunder of saying I was an only child even though I have a sister.
The first pair, Park Ju-woo and Kang Gi-yeon, showed a decent level of interest in each other, getting four or five out of ten questions right. Their years as roommates had paid off.
The other roommate pair, Choi Je-ho and Lee Cheong-hyeon, wasn't bad either.
Although Choi Je-ho put up a poor showing with only three correct, Lee Cheong-hyeon showed incredible spirit by getting seven.
“Je-ho Hyung, do you really have that little interest in me?”
“No, it’s just… how was I supposed to know what color socks you’re wearing today…?”
“I even got the color of your shoelaces right!”
“…Sorry.”
Still, three was a surprising improvement. Last time—I mean, in the future—he only got two right even in their third year.
“Now, finally, it’s I-wol and Seong-bin’s turn. Seong-bin, give us a word of determination!”
“I’ll do my best! Hyung, let’s do this!”
Jeong Seong-bin, sitting across from me, shook his fist encouragingly.
And true to his word, Jeong Seong-bin put up quite a fight.
“What’s the video I’ve watched the most lately?”
“Our music video.”
“Then, which member do I think fits this concept the best?”
“Cheong-hyeon!”
He actually got four questions right. I was genuinely surprised.
I wondered if he was just guessing, but Jeong Seong-bin had his own reasons for his certainty.
“It seems Cheong-hyeon fits this album’s concept well?”
“Ah, I-wol Hyung really likes Cheong-hyeon’s face!”
“I do?”
Is he saying this just because I said Lee Cheong-hyeon was handsome during fan sign practice? I’m flustered because the basis for his conviction is so weak.
“Now I-wol has to get at least five questions right. How about it? Are you confident?”
“I’ll try my best!”
When I answered energetically, Jeong Seong-bin clapped. I wondered what I was doing with my life.
Regardless of the deep existential crisis I was feeling, Polo continued the hosting with vigor.
“Great! Then, start!”
“I don’t know if you know this, Hyung… What’s my favorite song to sing at karaoke?”
“‘The Sun Shines’ by Senior Seong-do.”
“Correct! What class was I in last year?”
“Class 3?”
I hesitated slightly on the second question, but in truth, I was confident I could answer anything. Unless it was a question asking for the last digits of their social security numbers.
“What’s my favorite color?”
“Purple.”
“Tell me the title of my favorite movie!”
“The Last Performance!”
Beside me, Kang Gi-yeon muttered, “Hyung, what are you…?”
Of course I know this much. How many years did I spend listening to Spark’s radio shows?
With one question left, the minute flew by. Exclamations erupted from all sides.
“I-wol, a total of nine successes!”
“Hyung, you would’ve gotten them all if you had more time! Are you a human Grass Wiki or something?”
Lee Cheong-hyeon tried to give me a long-distance high-five. I just waved my hand in the air appropriately.
“Wow, I-wol, you must be incredibly interested in your members!”
“Fortunately, questions I knew came up. I think I was just lucky!”
I had to say that to prevent being labeled as a ‘Jeong Seong-bin obsessive fan.’
I wish the system would hurry up and realize how hard I’m trying to avoid being overexposed with the members. And maybe approve my requests a bit faster.
Thanks to me getting nine questions right, the Seong-bin and I-wol duo took first place.
Since the mission for the winning pair was to take a ‘friendship selfie,’ I took the camera on behalf of Jeong Seong-bin, who was terrible at taking selfies. It was a monumental schedule.
Even after that, the system showed no signs of responding.
Is its approval speed synchronized with Department Head Nam, along with its tone? I was fuming.
The system finally returned to me one day, just before our last broadcast.
In the van on the way back from filming a MeTube program, the manager surprised me with a completely unexpected statement.
“The actual school uniforms we wore?”
“Yeah. Since it’s the last broadcast, we thought we’d go with a more realistic concept! The company has already agreed that it’s a good idea.”
With the final broadcast only a week away, the planning team had suggested, “Let’s show the fans what our boys really looked like in their student days!”
“Manager, I didn't go to high school, so I don't have a high school uniform…”
“Would… would your middle school uniform not fit, Ju-woo?!”
My head began to throb.
Bringing our own uniforms was an idea I had considered myself.
But I hadn't acted on it. It was because not all six members had uniforms.
Even setting aside my own situation, having dropped into the Spark dorm with nothing but a single suitcase.
Park Ju-woo, who didn't go to high school, wouldn't have a fitting uniform, and Choi Je-ho, who graduated long ago, would have his uniform at his far-away family home.
Since there were already two others without uniforms, I figured I wouldn't have to worry about mine…
“I’ll ask my family if they can send it by courier.”
“Then Je-ho Hyung is sorted. Ju-woo, how about you wear civilian clothes that have a school-look vibe? Manager, if they’re our own uniforms, the colors don't necessarily have to match, right?”
…Something was going wrong.
Choi Je-ho was saying he’d ask his family, and Jeong Seong-bin was even looking out for other people’s outfits.
“That should be fine. So, everyone’s good with getting their clothes ready?”
No.
I am very much not good!