Episode 106. Wrapping Up Work (1)
≫ Have you ever seen someone drink like this at a back-alley bar?
≫ XX really drinks well
≫ Look at how fair his face is even while drinking like that
Was there any reason I had to keep watching this? It wasn't even something the fans had made for me.
I appreciated the attention, but it was so embarrassing. I wanted to fall right out the dorm window.
Just as I was about to turn it off, a short but hard-hitting comment caught my eye.
≫ 15:38 A Boozing Hippo
The moment I saw that, I made up my mind.
If I quit being an idol, I was going to retire to the countryside where the internet didn't reach.
Appearances on shows with drinking left long-lasting trauma after that too.
On community sites, they were calling me a heavy drinker and an alcoholic in the same breath as Gim Pep, and when I went to music shows, the fans would worry and tell me to drink in moderation.
I was so embarrassed I kind of wanted to die. So I even did a wholesome "Say No to Alcohol" promotional live broadcast at 7 in the evening.
The comment, "Everyone... please don't do things like this..." receiving the most likes stung, but anyway.
So my first solo variety show left behind some self-promotion points and a trail of disgrace before vanishing into thin air. It was a season of growth.
* * *
"Everyone, where is this place?"
"Incheon Land!"
Wrapping up promotions that had been rowdy from planning to execution, Spark visited the amusement park to film the final self-produced content of the promotional cycle.
With these guys—conspicuous from their faces alone—all wearing school uniforms as a group and even bringing cameras along, they couldn't help but draw everyone's attention.
Having to wear the school uniforms from the music video again made me terribly embarrassed. What kind of spectacle is this at my age?
In the midst of that, Bak Juu was hunching his shoulders as much as possible, which only drew more attention.
"Juu, straighten your shoulders. You're hunching."
"It's just... a bit embarrassing."
"What is?"
When I looked at him in puzzlement, Bak Juu covered the patch attached to the chest pocket of his shirt with his hand.
"Mine is a middle school uniform......"
"The design is identical, and only the characters are different......"
Doing that makes you stand out even more.
On the pretext of preventing his shoulders from slanting, I handed over the backpack I was wearing to Bak Juu. And I took his crossbody bag.
With the patch covered by the bag strap, Bak Juu finally beamed a broad smile.
But Bak Juu's smile didn't last long.
After riding the up-and-down flower bud ride, Bak Juu came back pale as a sheet.
The original goal had been to film the losing member from the mission looking awkward among children, but Bak Juu's expression looked so pitiful that it simply became a special episode of tormenting one member.
While the children of this world shouted to go higher, Bak Juu desperately shook his head.
Perhaps feeling sorry for Bak Juu like that, the staff member left the bud he was riding to simply spin around in circles near the ground.
"Juu hyung, can't you handle rides?"
Gang Giyeon asked, handing water to Bak Juu, who had collapsed onto the bench.
He was a guy who rarely pointed out the weaknesses of his elders, but he seemed quite shocked at Bak Juu's ashen face.
"Yeah......"
"You don't like heights?"
"I guess so......"
Answering Choe Jeho's question, Bak Juu replied in a thoroughly dejected voice.
Jeong Seongbin comforted the dispirited Bak Juu.
"Don't worry too much, Juu. It's okay if you can't handle some rides!"
"That's right. There must be some easy ones to ride!"
I Cheonghyeon chimed in excitedly too. Having bought it from somewhere, he alone was sporting an animal-ear headband with a mascot doll attached.
"Yeah. You're pulling your weight as a vocalist, so it's fine even if you can't handle rides."
Perhaps because it was uncomfortable to watch Bak Juu appear on broadcast while still dejected, I patted his shoulder and comforted him too.
Only then did Bak Juu seem to relax a bit and get up from the bench again.
Right on cue, the PD cut in.
"Alright, Spark members! Shall we move to the next spot now?"
"Yes!"
"The next ride is...... the Tornado!"
At the same time, Bak Juu's face became as white as the resignation letter envelope I once carried around.
* * *
The second round proceeded as a group mission.
Dancing a 2x speed dance together in the middle of a crowd without anyone dropping out would earn them a ride ticket.
Spark succeeded, of course. Considering their amount of practice, it was nothing strange.
Bak Juu's hands trembled at the sight of the ride spinning nonstop, shaped like a hotteok flipper...
'Juu-sshi, you don't have to force yourself if it's too hard!'
'Yes, but still... I'll give it a try. Since I'm riding together with the members!'
Despite the production staff's consideration, Bak Juu summoned his courage and boarded. He wasn't even my kid, yet I couldn't have been prouder.
Up to here, it was fine. To be exact, until the ride started spinning.
The reasons the accident occurred can be summarized as follows.
First, this was only my second visit to an amusement park.
During the first visit for the music video shoot, I had only ridden the less dynamic rides to avoid going out of frame.
In other words, this was my first time riding a dynamic thrill ride.
Second, I walked everywhere, so I never had a chance to enjoy speed.
What talk of speed is there when commuting to Seoul by public transit? You're lucky if it doesn't stop midway.
Lastly, I didn't even watch those common movies.
So, what do you call it... I had no immunity to so-called "jump scare" situations.
So I didn't know.
That I...
"Hyung! I Wol hyung! Are you okay?!"
...was absolute trash at riding amusement park rides.
* * *
The beginning was bold.
Jeong Seongbin sat to the left of Bak Juu, who was trembling even before fastening his seatbelt, and I sat to his right.
'You're telling me to sit next to Juu?'
'Having a reliable person next to him puts him at ease!'
...So they said. So I just sat where I Cheonghyeon told me to.
The Tornado, carrying six people—I Cheonghyeon, Gang Giyeon, Jeong Seongbin, Bak Juu, me, and Choe Jeho—began moving with exciting music.
And the moment acceleration kicked in on the spins.
'Something feels wrong?'
I had a gut feeling I was screwed.
It was way too fast. It felt like a centrifuge separating out all my organs.
It wasn't like a Viking going up high; I had thought a ride that just spun at the same speed would be perfectly fine.
Besides, the kids before us who rode this were all students in school uniforms!
I could hear Bak Juu groaning beside me.
Still, as the one sitting to his right, I was about to grab his hand at least.
"Now we're going up high and fast! Spin, spin!"
With the DJ's spirited commentary, the ride entered its rampage phase.
Are amusement park rides originally supposed to feel like your heart will stop?
Is feeling your life threatened normal?
Is this... right?
"Hey, you okay?"
I faintly heard Choe Jeho's voice from beside me.
But I couldn't answer.
Instead, only spinning screams were left on the mic.
* * *
"Hyung, have some water."
"Thanks......"
I took the water bottle Jeong Seongbin held out with trembling hands.
I'm not exaggerating; it felt like I opened the gates of heaven and then closed them right away. I almost met System in the empty air.
"Are you okay, hyung......?"
"I'm not okay. My heart hurts."
Even Bak Juu, sitting beside me on the bench, worried about me.
It seemed that after seeing me on the verge of passing out beside him, this guy had forgotten his own fear a little.
"Is it okay for students to ride this kind of ride?"
"I Wol-sshi, anyone over 130 cm can ride this."
"What? I think you'd need to be over 230 cm to be safe."
I clutched my startled chest and strugglingly rose from the bench. My legs trembled.
"Whew, it'll be a problem if you struggle this much."
"Huh, don't tell me we're going on that?!"
I Cheonghyeon's eyes sparkled as he raised his voice at the PD's words.
Next to him, Gang Giyeon was showing utmost concentration.
Right, these guys are excited to be at the amusement park.
The two thrill maniacs were fired up explaining how high and scary the signature rides here were.
For just today, I was filled with the desire to lean on these fearless youngest members.
* * *
We rode a few more rides after that.
When it came to the so-called K Express, the park's signature attraction, Bak Juu and I were at least accommodated—we only watched the bags from below.
'The final rider for the Rodeo Show has been decided as I Wol-sshi!'
'C-can't I ride instead of hyung?!'
'The leader's heart is admirable, but no!'
Because I couldn't concentrate on the game, I suffered the tragedy of riding that dizzyingly spinning hunk of metal alone.
'I Wol hyung, you just have to endure one minute! You can do it, hyung!'
'Hyung, hang in there a little longer! The kids next to you are watching!'
'Hyung, fighting......!'
'Is this something you need to cheer for this much?'
'Because seeing that hyung's face makes you want to cheer for him......'
Having all five cheer for me while I was groaning with my eyes squeezed shut among children was the second most humiliating experience after dance practice. I was about to tell them all to shut up but endured with extreme patience.
I'm not even curious how pathetic I looked on screen anymore. When I get back, I'm yanking out the dorm router's power cord.
"Whew......"
"You worked hard, hyung."
Jeong Seongbin supported me as I came down with wobbly legs. Thanks to that, I barely resisted the urge to give up on everything and crawl around on all fours.
"Whew, we have plenty of broadcast footage. Right?"
The PD across from me smiled in satisfaction. The writers nodded too.
It felt like 20 hours had passed since we started filming, so I checked the clock, and it had only been two hours.
Does this make sense? It felt like I'd crossed and recrossed the Samdocheon River about 360 times.
If we got all the broadcast footage in just two hours, just how pathetic must I have looked? My heart was in tatters.
Whether I was suffering or not, the PD paid no heed. When can I become such a pro? I respected him.
"This hyung's eyes have no focus?"
"Someone give him water."
As Gang Giyeon and Choe Jeho said things here and there, the PD clapped to draw everyone's attention.
"We're going to film a few natural cuts for the intro and post-credit scenes now, so for the next hour, consider it free time and enjoy yourselves!"
"Really?"
The guys' faces brightened. It seemed they'd been secretly disappointed about skipping some rides because of filming.
"Ah, I Wol-sshi, you can rest if you're tired!"
"No. I have to work hard!"
For a moment, I almost forgot my place and got excited. Don't get cocky, heart.
And so Spark split into the faction that wanted to enjoy the attractions and the faction that wanted to enjoy the food court.
Choe Jeho seemed like he didn't want to disturb the younger ones playing, but I Cheonghyeon dragged him along, saying rides are better with even numbers. Proud of him for looking after an older member lacking social skills, I slipped him some extra pocket money I'd won from the games.
Bak Juu and I spent quite a leisurely break.
We shared bead ice cream—Bak Juu couldn't take a single bite until I fished out his best shot—and we looked at a pretty powerful-looking bubble gun.
We rode the carousel too. We rode it because it was a cut we couldn't get from the thrill-addicted maniacs, but I can't easily forget the camera directors looking at us with benevolent expressions from outside the ride.
As break time was nearing its end, I sat on a bench catching my breath and waiting for the attraction faction to return.
The attraction faction also returned to the promised bench on time.
While Bak Juu had briefly gone to the restroom, the guys were desperately explaining which ride had messed up their hair completely.
"Alright, is everyone gathered now?"
"Juu isn't here yet......"
I looked to where Bak Juu had disappeared. Then the PD opened his mouth again.
"No, everyone is indeed gathered."
"What?"
We turned our heads toward the PD at the same time.
"From now on, all of you must find your friend, Juu-sshi, who is waiting for you anxiously!"