SS Chapter 16: A Growth Narrative (1)

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Japanese restaurant Dong Euion recommended was excellent. Choi Jeho ate anything well but had surprisingly high standards for what he considered 'delicious'. Kang Kiyeon, with his delicate palate, was also satisfied. They both said they would get extra-large portions after promotions ended.

After they ate, the dance line went to the practice room while I headed to the studio. My purpose was to deliver a meal to the composer, who was chained to his desk by a murderous schedule.

"Number 131, here's your food."

"Oh my, thank you!"

Lee Cheonghyeon's face lit up when he saw the plastic bag. I unwrapped the food on the table while he saved his files.

As Lee Cheonghyeon busily worked his chopsticks, I massaged his tense shoulders.

I can't bear the thought of the team's visual developing a turtle neck and rounded shoulders.

"Should we put a height-adjustable desk in the studio?"

"If we put all the equipment on it, do you think it would actually go up?"

"I guess there's no other way. Cheonghyeon, you'll just have to increase your stretching time by thirty minutes."

Lee Cheonghyeon cried out as I squeezed his shoulders. I finished by patting his shoulder blades. He stretched his neck from side to side, loosening his muscles.

"The trailer photos come out today, right?"

"Yeah. Later."

"I guess I should head down to the practice room when it's time. Let's watch it together."

"If you require an escort, all five members can come out to greet you."

"I know you'll just bring a handycam."

"To see a thousand miles from where you sit, you must be ready to leave the mountain."

We exchanged some silly banter. I chuckled, cleaned up the trash, and left my seat.

About three hours later, spArk's unique spring photos were released.

Historically, spArk's spring titles were generally energetic. They ranged from the standard freshness of 『With List』

during their first year as fresh-faced rookies, to the sandy desert of 『End』, the sunlit grounds of 『On A High Note』, and the peak glamour of 『Bright』.

There was a brief moment to catch their breath with 『Memento』. However, 『Sprint』, released the following May, set the fields ablaze. The reactions to this change were both positive and a little regretful.

≫ spArk's spring songs feel like the temperature is gradually rising. They start refreshing and gradually turn into a flamethrower

└It's because Earth's global warming has gotten too serious

└What the heck is this joke

≫ There was a time when our boys served the classic refreshing youth concept The current songs are good too, but sometimes I miss those days

└ This is why you have to do a lot of youth concepts when you're rookies… Later on, you can't get them even if you want toㅠㅠ

≫ There's a certain romance to early spArk titles

└I'm not the only one still living in Flame High School, right…?

└Class President Seongbin, come back. The class discipline is getting loose.

└Unnies, when are you going to graduate?

≫ It seems like intense visuals and melodies are the trend now I don't hate songs that hit hard and fast or MVs with strong colors, but since there are so many of them now, they don't stand out as much as before

└ I think it's like that with everythingㅋㅋ Everyone follows the frontrunner who brought something fresh, but it's never as shocking as the first time you saw it

This was a season where even innovative music was evaluated as cliché due to an excessive supply of content. If we didn't want to hear chaGawoon criticism colder than the winter wind, we had to be thoroughly prepared.

The last cold snap of April had passed. I swallowed dryly, waiting for the release of the trailer photos, which were drenched in refreshing vibes.

"They're up…!"

I refreshed the page with a speed comparable to a macro, and a new post appeared. The six photos boasted outstanding beauty even at a glance. I wasn't too worried since the original shots I checked were so good, but the final, edited versions were overwhelmingly brilliant.

"Choi Jeho! You've made it!"

I delivered the good news to Choi Jeho. He stood a step away from the crowd that was trying to see the photos. Natural light poured over his disheveled hair and eyelashes from lying on the bare floor. It was breathtaking.

"Jeho-hyung, your picture came out really well."

"Kiyeon, your picture is cool too!" Jeong Seongbin said, zooming in on the image.

Kang Kiyeon sat on the stairs with his chin propped on his hand, his lower lip pushed out. He blended well with the green scenery. The chunky, vintage sneakers provided a solid, casual focal point.

Jeong Seongbin's photo was also excellent. He sat with his arm draped over the back of a chair, his head tilted at a forty-five-degree angle, and a refreshing smile on his face. It looked just like a pictorial. His cool eyes, which even a cream-colored knit cardigan couldn't soften, curved into a pleasing round shape.

Park Joowoo particularly stood out. He wore a sleeveless shirt with a black jacket draped loosely off his shoulders. His languid expression and mysterious eye color left a strong impression. His bangs, falling like a curtain to cover his vision, also played a part.

"The trailer's out?!"

Lee Cheonghyeon appeared with a loud clamor. I held up my phone in response.

"I was just about to register it as an additional tangible cultural property of the spArk nation."

The vending machine and Lee Cheonghyeon were a winning combination that could never fail. Against the colorful background, his face radiated a presence more intense than the colors of the stainless steel cans. If this had been a random photocard, its price would have made a huge mark on the photocard market.

The people who set my picture as their profile also left many reactions. I had used the props effectively despite wearing a simple campus look, so the result turned out well. I was relieved I didn't betray their expectations.

≫ What's the concept? Judging from what's been released so far, it might be a Hideout remake

≫ Street look Lee Cheonghyeon???? Decadent Park Joowoo????? Something big is coming

≫ [Photo] spArk Trailer Photos Revealed! Group spArk has revealed their trailer photos ahead of their comeback. According to their agency, spArk will release concept photos on the 17th, including…

≫ Give us the teaser, give us the highlight medley, give us 6 weeks of music shows

≫ I was really trying not to buy more albums, but when the photos look like this, I have to buy them right away

I quickly scanned the reactions before the pre-order and showcase trolls could latch on. The raw reactions before a specific public opinion formed were closer to a pure evaluation, so I decided not to check after that.

"It seems like no one has found the band signals yet, right?" Lee Cheonghyeon asked. He had checked the related posts as quickly as I had.

"You're right. We did hide them pretty cunningly."

Each photo contained hidden expressions symbolizing the protagonist's instrument. For example, the first letters of the brand names on the beverage cans behind Lee Cheonghyeon were in the order of the musical scale, C, D, E… The shadow of the leaves on the stairs where Kang Kiyeon sat formed the shape of a guitar case he wasn't holding. I, too, was photographed on a set with four abnormally long windows. We had subtly spoiled that it was a band song.

Once the concept photos of us in our department jackets came out, everyone would quickly realize it was a university student concept. I thought it would be boring to just have everyone in the same jacket, so I assigned a major to each member. This was despite Choi Jeho and I being old enough to have graduated long ago. We could just be returning students.

"When should we film our fanchant guide video?" asked Jeong Seongbin. He was a perfectly fine applied music major but had become a business administration undergraduate for the first half of the year.

I had him switch majors because he had the vibe of a business student who studies well, has good interpersonal relationships, and actively participates in department activities. I was going to have him hold a calculator, but I held back because the calculator was too ugly.

"We're going to the practice room tomorrow anyway. Why don't we film it then since we'll all be together?" Choi Jeho, a temporary physical education major, suggested.

I had thought of various things to give him a surprising charm, but nothing was better than this. It's important not to forget what consumers expect from a brand. Instead of trying something new, I gave him a major that didn't stray too far from existing needs while subtly hinting at his personal characteristic as a 'dance teacher'.

I made Kang Kiyeon a sculpture student. I thought he would look great with plaster dust on his face and an apron on.

My prediction was not wrong. At the music video shoot, Kang Kiyeon was the very picture of a young artist. I don't know if it's okay for the team's youngest member to suit such classical beauty so well.

In addition, there was Lee Cheonghyeon the engineering student, Park Joowoo the psychology major, and me, the prospective sociologist. The theme of this promotion was six university students coming together to form a club.

The first thing I did after deciding to show the fans our band activities was to set the concept. Band means youth, and youth means… which eventually led to a university club.

While I considered spArk's current masks and images the most, I also drew inspiration from my school day memories.

In college, the club room was my sanctuary. The activities I could enjoy without worrying about grades or tuition fees remained as good memories. I didn't realize it at the time, but there was no other time I enjoyed my early twenties as much as then.

I thought this theme could make people watching spArk recall their own happy times or meaningful memories. The time spent with friends is precious to everyone. After meeting the class president, I found myself missing my past connections a lot.

"If we're going to film a fanchant guide, of course we have to decorate the light sticks! Have you forgotten spArk's DIY spirit?!"

"Since when did spArk have a DIY spirit?"

While I was lost in a moist reminiscence, Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Kiyeon were busy chattering about trivial things. Thanks to them, I snapped back to reality. Of course, a club could hardly compare to an eight-year idol career that included a contract renewal. It felt like even after this contract ended, I'd be renewing a renewal with these guys.

"That's all fine, but let's just make sure to cleanse and do a face mask when we get back to the dorm today. We need to have good skin for the video."

"Okay~."

When I started nagging, they all answered in unison. They had grown so much since our fake high school student days doing group projects, and they were genuinely much bigger than the students I saw in college, but…! spArk club, fighting!

A peaceful end to the workday. Won Chaehee approached Yeo Hana, who was wrapping up her tasks.

"Manager, I'll be heading out now."

"Alright! See you tomorrow!" Yeo Hana greeted her with a bright smile.

However, Won Chaehee didn't turn away immediately. Yeo Hana spoke to the hesitating Won Chaehee.

"What is it, Chaehee? Is there something you want to say?"

"No. It's just…"

After a moment of hesitation, Won Chaehee leaned in and whispered in Yeo Hana's ear.

"spArk had their comeback today…"

"……"

"The music video just came out, and I was worried it might be nosy, but… Excuse me…"

"No, not at all! Thank you!"

Won Chaehee left for the day, her face bright red. It seemed she had deliberately told her, worried that Yeo Hana might not know about her brother's activities.

She hadn't heard much from Kim Iwol. Her younger brother was more curious about Yeo Hana's daily life and rarely talked about himself.

Even so, shouldn't he at least tell me about his comeback? I almost became a heartless older sister who leaves work without even knowing what her newly acquired younger brother is up to.

Yeo Hana quickly tidied up her work. She said goodbye to the people remaining in the office and got on the subway.

When she opened Metube, a brand-new video uploaded twenty minutes ago was waiting for Yeo Hana.