Episode 143. Fourth Competition: Emergency Countermeasures Meeting (4)
After the police investigation, my body recovered at an incredible speed. I heard the doctors whispering among themselves that it was a miraculous thing. It was probably also thanks to the hwabyeong being cured.
On the other hand, the pain decreased very gradually. Since my body was healing well, the prescribed painkillers were reduced, but the pain remained the same, so I was biting my lip and enduring it. At this point, I didn't know what had been a good choice.
And two faces that looked just as distressed as me came to the hospital room.
“You guys sick somewhere too?”
“It’s from working……”
Lee Cheonghyeon hobbled over and took out his laptop. Today’s hospital visitors were Jeong Seongbin and Lee Cheonghyeon, and the reason for their visit was an “emergency meeting request to prepare for the final competition.”
“You said we were talking about the final competition, so the dance line guys didn't come at all?”
“Those two are zombies right now.”
“They're practically skin and bones.”
According to Jeong Seongbin, Choi Jeho and Gang Giyeon were changing, overturning, and flipping the formations and choreography dozens of times a day.
“Now they've even grabbed Juwoo-hyung and are running simulations with him.”
Lee Cheonghyeon giggled. He seemed a little unhinged.
“Anyway, this is choreography draft number 1.”
“Number 1?”
“There are up to 3. Since we didn't know what would be comfortable for you, we recorded them all for now.”
Lee Cheonghyeon played the video. In sync with that, Jeong Seongbin held out a sheet of paper. It was a blueprint of the Ahwangsil live broadcast stage set.
“The areas marked in red on the video are the main stage, and the zones taped in blue are the side stages. Please keep that in mind.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Everyone's preparedness had improved a lot. Thanks to that, there was nothing in particular to ask while watching the video.
“……So you're telling me you're going to leave me sitting alone on the side stage?”
Other than my position being way too conspicuous, that is.
“You don't like it? Then ride a lift and come up to the main stage.”
I hate that too!
If it was a quick in-and-out, maybe, but I don't want to be the only one standing out!
Why should I get a solo shot while you guys are left there!
“Can't I just dance? I'll dance in the very back where I'm not visible.”
“Does that make sense? How are you going to dance right now, hyung.”
“I can dance. I'm recovering incredibly fast.”
“How can I believe that?”
“If you can't believe it, come tomorrow during rounds.”
While Lee Cheonghyeon and I were trading verbal blows, Jeong Seongbin rewatched one of the choreography drafts.
Then he turned the laptop screen back toward me and said,
“The doctor said it's okay too, and if your recovery speed continues, I think you could join in for about the third verse if we change the choreography. How about it?”
“Actually, it'd be perfect if you joined from the dance break. Iwol-hyung, please get better quickly.”
“If I could do that at will, would I be an idol? I'd have already opened a natural healing research institute.”
The meeting continued for quite a while longer after that. By the time the discussion concluded, the three of us were completely exhausted.
“Oh right, hyung. Does the TV here work?”
Lee Cheonghyeon asked, sprawled on a chair and pointing at the large TV.
“I haven't checked once, so I don't know. Why?”
“If it worked, I was going to unplug it before I left. If I leave it, you'll watch Ahwangsil live again, won't you.”
“You didn't think I'd watch on my phone?”
“I know you watch the broadcast on TV and the live chat on your phone, hyung.”
That punk knows too much about me.
“If they postponed the final competition, shouldn't this week or next week be a skipped broadcast?”
“They said they increased the dormitory footage. They said they'll air a compilation broadcast the week before the live broadcast. So I don't think they'll skip a week.”
Jeong Seongbin explained kindly. It seemed everyone had been busy except me.
I was glad there was no trouble, but I felt a bit guilty.
“The broadcast is already on late at night, so just sleep while you're hospitalized. Don't get excited just because it's a private room and watch the live broadcast. We'll do the monitoring.”
“Didn't I issue you guys a monitoring ban?”
“Ah, then tell Jeho-hyung to do it by himself!”
Lee Cheonghyeon snapped. That guy…… he isn't someone whose mental state would crack over something like monitoring. I'll give him that.
“I'll rest well on my own, so you guys better take care of your skin properly. If I get discharged and you have blemishes, you all won't be leaving the dermatology clinic for four hours that day, just so you know.”
Lee Cheonghyeon answered half-heartedly and packed up his laptop. It seemed he took it as an empty threat, but I ought to show him the true taste of an aesthetic clinic this time.
* * *
For the past few days, Baek Haewon's state had been the very picture of turmoil.
Due to the unprecedented situation, the fandom had reached the peak of unrest.
Needless to say, Baek Haewon's timeline, which had long since been dyed in the colors of Spark, was no exception.
≫ The company has a duty to protect its artists.
All members of the Spark fandom demand a responsible explanation and follow-up measures from UA.
#UA_Protect_Your_Artists
#Idols_Have_A_Duty_To_Be_Protected
#UA_Get_A_Grip
≫ I was working when I saw my kid on the trending search, talk about a bolt from the blue……
I only want to see good things, so why do things like this keep happening?
Fortunately, news came that Kim Iwol was recovering quickly before long. And as if to prove those words, he constantly hopped on and off the fan cafe and messenger. Sending over 999 messages, at that.
Needless to say, Baek Haewon wanted to go to UA and throw eggs at them.
But other than his first message saying he was fine, Kim Iwol didn't mention this matter at all.
The fandom was noisy, but Baek Haewon and her comrades, who had been stanning for years, noticed.
Ah, he's doing this because he's worried the fans would catch flak……
It was a choice as wise as his face. So many Sparklers also restrained themselves from deliberately bringing up Kim Iwol's injury.
Iwol
[Will you be watching Ahwangsil today?]
[I'm going to watch!]
[Could you please keep it a secret from the kids? Cheonghyeon threatened to pull the TV plug before he left.]
Even today, Kim Iwol was chatting about the same usual topic of catching the live broadcast of the program.
Iwol told me to watch, so what can I do? I have to watch it.
Baek Haewon turned on Ahwangsil, the show that Sparklers couldn't help but have a love-hate relationship with.
‘If they evil-edit this week too, I'll kill them……’
It was a boring-ass broadcast, but I put up with episode 1, and what thanks do I get? They edited our kids like trash and filmed the stage with foot cams.
Having gone to the live recording and seen Spark's stage in person, it was enough to drive Baek Haewon crazy.
She had seen with her own two eyes how amazing Spark had been, but the broadcast only captured their lower bodies.
≫ How did this stage get first place on-site?
No matter how I look at it, it's not that level;;;;;
└ If you watch the stage version video, they're definitely good. Yeah. The broadcast came out like crap.
└ I just watched it and it's real lmao. Can you believe the live broadcast did evil editing?
No one would know how much Baek Haewon had bled tears spreading links to the stage version videos all this time.
So if those damn Ahwangsil producers had edited properly from the start, none of this would have happened!
It seemed they had come to their senses from the second stage onwards, but honestly, she was still anxious.
At least it was a comfort that a peaceful dormitory episode was airing this week. After all, fans regain their vitality when content drops.
Hadn't the feed burned up with Spark's incredible stage just last week? The thrill of that time was still vivid.
He was almost only looking out the window in the bus, but after getting off, he was busy sticking to the younger members and communicating with members of other groups too. Iwol, you're such a social butterfly.
She had suspected as much. Considering he had been a trainee at Spark for the shortest period, there were an overflowing number of episodes about Kim Iwol and the members.
‘When Cheonghyeon ran away from home, Iwol-hyung went to find him.’
‘Seongbin-hyung, isn't it too cowardly to bring that up now?’
‘Jeho-hyung, you're at the gym the longest with Iwol-hyung. What do you two talk about?’
‘Why would we talk when we're working out?’
‘We don't really cook properly at the dorm, but when we do, Iwol-hyung almost always leads it.’
‘Iwol-hyung's fried meatballs are delicious, everyone……!’
‘When did he even fry meatballs? And why did he only fry them for Juwoo-hyung?’
‘I changed all my bags to backpacks because of Iwol-hyung recently.’
‘Why? Because your shoulders were getting uneven?’
‘Yeah. I got scolded for 30 minutes per bag.’
‘No wonder your bags all looked new to me, Giyeon's.’
There were some trap cards mixed in the middle! But still!
Since he was inherently warm and friendly to others, and took care of people meticulously, she had expected there to be many people around Kim Iwol.
Just take my older brother, for example. He wasn't particularly close with Kim Iwol, yet he had a good impression of him. The emotional wounds she had suffered when the personality controversy erupted felt healed as if washed away.
Baek Haewon's painstakingly healed heart was thrown into turmoil once again when Kim Iwol joined the grocery shopping team.
『I saw earlier that there's gochujang in the cupboard. Let's just buy ssamjang.』
『These lettuce leaves don't look very good. Shall we take the ones next to them?』
『There are a lot of people, so buying in bulk will be cheaper. Let's get the big one.』
On screen, Kim Iwol was just…… a mom.
Not the warm, all-embracing mom role, but a real-life mom who goes grocery shopping and buys a mountain of greens.
Even after returning, Kim Iwol was busy. Taking out the drum grill, laying out charcoal, and lighting a fire.
It was nice that Ahwangsil bestowed the blessing of editing. Our kids appeared a lot, which was great. You could see that they were being considerate of Spark, who had been in chaos these past few days.
But in this situation where those Parte bastards were nowhere to be seen, the sight of only our team's eldest hyungs futzing with torches on the drum grill was heartwarming yet heartbreaking.
Baek Haewon's complicated heart melted away completely watching Jeong Seongbin diligently deliver meat and wraps. As did the members waiting for Kim Iwol to sit down and eat like baby birds.
Yeah, as long as you guys are happy. At the sight of Spark looking truly harmonious, Baek Haewon raised the white flag.