Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols

Jeong Seongbin, the first to walk out, had styled his light brown hair in soft waves, giving him a gentler impression than usual.

 

Tied around his neck was a short, deep burgundy scarf, seemingly procured from some unknown location. It made him resemble a character straight out of an old animated film.

 

But what truly stood out was the delicate touch of light pink glitter adorning his face like tiny jewels.

 

Kim Iwol, universally acknowledged as Spark’s premier aesthetician, had done it again.

 

Kim Iwol, who always preached that the ultimate tuning was simplicity, had made the groundbreaking decision to apply glitter to a face worth 850,000 won per unit area. Right now!

 

‘Are there still people who skip their nighttime sheet masks? Should I personally visit you every night to make sure you use one?’

 

‘Are you seriously trying to choose from just three photos? Kiyeon, I’m this close to being disappointed in you.’

 

‘Joowoo, let’s ditch the turtlenecks and go for crewnecks instead. That way, people can see the strain in your neck during the high notes.’

 

Just how much had Kim Iwol fussed over the members’ faces?

 

Just like the saying, no pain, no gain. Today’s Spark was truly heavenly.

 

Park Joowoo came out wearing a gothic monocle with a chain attached. Baek Haewon, a lover of classical beauty, nearly fainted.

 

His wide-sleeved shirt, paired with shorts and a casual fabric belt, created an unusual but charming contrast. His neatly combed hair added to the vibe of an earnest countryside boy

 

Choi Jeho, whose skin tone was slightly darker than the other members, wore black glitter, unlike the others.

 

And it went incredibly well with his black hair. It wouldn’t have been a stretch to believe the glitter on his face was actual obsidian.

 

Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Kiyeon, deviously, wore matching outfits. Using such a shallow tactic to excite the hearts of fans was deceitful and a grave offense.

 

Sailor shirts in different color schemes? And to balance it out, one wore long pants and the other shorts? To top it off, wearing knee socks with shorts? It was all so adorable that their offense was forgiven.

 

And then there was Kim Iwol, Baek Haewon’s recent favorite, who happened to be her brother’s old classmate and the eldest of Spark…

 

“Holy sh*t, Kim Iwol!”

 

Not only did he sport a comma hairstyle, revealing his forehead, a look every idol attempted at least once, but he also wore a shirt with frills, the epitome of a languid young master.

 

Shouldn’t that shirt with high-waisted pants be against the rules? Baek Haewon couldn’t contain her excitement.

 

And Iwol, who in this harsh world has told you to expose your chest? Seeing a man older than her with his shirt open about 5cm, only secured by a string, made Baek Haewon roar like a beast.

 

Baek Haewon’s fingers danced across the keyboard.

 

≫ Seongbin, the world is such a dangerous place, how can you wear such a cute beret? What if someone kidnaps you?

 

└ Sorry, but I think you’re the one who’s going to kidnap him.

 

≫ Whoever added star glitter to Park Joowoo’s cheeks, please accept my deepest respect.

 

≫ Suspenders on Choi Jeho? I acknowledge IDC’s good taste.

 

≫ Is Lee Cheonghyeon’s face real? I’m not sorry. I am not going to click-bait anyone; any human being should see this face on their own. How can a face the size of a palm encapsulate the entire cosmos?? 

 

≫ Everyone, please look at Kiyeon’s thighs. Our boy may have a sharp boyish face, but his muscles are those of a man

 

└ His face isn’t exactly boyish either though

 

└ Shut up, his ID says otherwise.

 

└ IDs aren’t allowed to lie.

 

≫ Ah Kim Iwol *#@%^%*&^*@#@ I swore to live a good life, but you’re making me curse!!!!

 

└ Congratulations to Mr. Kim for becoming Miheon’s bias.

 

└ Congratulations to Miheon for the end of her bias denial period~~

 

Up until now, Spark had relied on their natural good looks and exceptional physiques to captivate their audience. This had evoked the fresh nostalgia of youthful vitality.

 

But now, Spark evoked something even more distant…

 

It stimulated a nostalgia reminiscent of… perhaps Victorian England. Even though Baek Haewon had never actually lived in that era.

 

≫ 1st place… 1st place, please.

 

For the first time, Baek Haewon was thankful that she didn’t have voting rights.

 

If she had the right to vote, she would have unwittingly cast a vote for Spark before even seeing the performance. But if the live audience dared to mess things up, she wouldn’t forgive them.

 

The stage lights went out. The logo of the music streaming platform appeared, followed by the song title, which then faded away. A piano melody began to play.

 

* * *

 

The soft voice flowed through the speakers.

 

『Windy field

 

Cozy sky』

 

It was a very different vocal tone from the usual firm tone Lee Cheonghyeon presented.

 

‘Is Lee Cheonghyeon singing this time? No wat.’

 

『I stand there

 

Waiting for the stars to rise』

 

‘He sings so well too… I’m so proud…’

 

Feeling like a parent watching their child’s first kindergarten recital, Baek Haewon diligently patted her cushion.

 

Park Joowoo came to the center, brushing past Lee Cheonghyeon. The part seamlessly transitioned from Lee Cheonghyeon to Park Joowoo.

 

『You don’t know

 

How much time

 

Flows by, riding the Milky Way』

 

The frosty impression Park Joowoo often carried melted like snow with just one smile. 

 

Park Joowoo’s characteristic otherworldly atmosphere blended with the melody, creating a more mystical ambiance.

 

From behind Park Joowoo, Kim Iwol approached.

 

Kim Iwol slung an arm around Park Joowoo’s shoulder and pretended to observe the sky with a telescope in his other hand.

 

『Why is the night sky

 

So dazzlingly bright?』

 

‘Because your face reflects all that light.’

 

Kim Iwol was downright shameless. With a face fit for a young mafia boss in a noir film or an office drama director, how could he pull off the sparkling starry glitter look? How could other idols even compete?

 

Baek Haewon was indignant. But Kim Iwol didn’t stop there.

 

『The darkness

 

Shines so beautifully』

 

His bright smile filled the screen.

 

‘Smiling here should be illegal!’

 

Again, Kim Iwol was shameless. How could someone who looked so cold and distant smile so refreshingly?

 

Baek Haewon wanted to sue Kim Iwol on the spot. But if she sued him, she wouldn’t be able to see the rest of the performance, so she had no choice but to endure it with her generous heart.

 

If the original song was a typical love ballad, Spark seemed to offer a different interpretation.   Rather than singing about reaching out to someone, they huddled together, sharing shoulder pats, linked hands, and gentle touches.

 

‘Is this what they mean by “the beautiful times we spent together”?’

 

Continuing to watch the stage, it felt like a painting.

 

Not just because their visuals were beautiful.

 

The overall toned-down costumes, with their matching textures and colors, the subtle background, and the flowing choreography made it feel like looking through a picture frame.  The choreography, which was elegant and graceful rather than dynamic and energetic, also contributed to this impression.

 

Above all, the well-crafted piece of music underscored the entire performance. 

 

Even though Baek Haewon didn’t know much about music, she could sense that there were no jarring or unnatural parts.

 

It wasn’t just easy to listen to either, it was simply…

 

‘The song is good.’

 

…a good song. A song that a curator carefully selected to match the paintings in a wonderful exhibition hall.

 

In other words, it was a song that would elicit an ‘This is what a music show should be!’ reaction on a music competition program.

 

At that moment, the tone of the music shifted from traditional idol ballad to classical.

 

Lee Cheonghyeon, standing in the center of the stage, held a small orb.

 

With perfect timing, he lightly tapped the bulb’s surface, triggering the sound of a switch.

 

Slowly, the orb opened, and finely cut gold confetti fluttered over Lee Cheonghyeon’s face.

 

A close-up of Lee Cheonghyeon’s face, smiling with pure joy, appeared. Star-shaped confetti danced on his cheeks and hair.

 

≫ Cheonghyeon

 

└ Are we sure you’ll still be breathing in your room tomorrow?

 

Simultaneously, star constellation patterns showered the entire stage.

 

The moment it was revealed that what the six members were yearning for was the night sky!

 

Orchestral music played over the cosmic stage. In sync with the melody, a group dance unfolded, slightly reminiscent of modern dance, different in texture from what Spark had shown so far.

 

≫ (Crying)

 

 The stage visuals remind me of Van Gogh’s Starry Night.

 

Only then did Baek Haewon notice the background color shifted to a soft yellow glow

 

With multiple instruments building a lush harmony, Jeong Seongbin and Park Joowoo’s soothing voices layered over the top.

 

『We will shine here

 

For a long time

 

Yes, like a dream…』

 

With Jeong Seongbin’s whispering voice, like a lullaby, the music faded away.

 

The stage dimmed, leaving the members huddled together under the spotlight as starlight bathed their silhouettes.

 

Baek Haewon smacked her forehead with her palm.

 

She wanted to scream, but she couldn’t be so uncivilized in a multi-family housing!

 

Instead, Baek Haewon ran to her sanctuary, SNS.

 

There, she poured out her overflowing emotions.

 

≫ Cheonghyeon is a composing genius

 

The dance line is full of dance geniuses

 

The vocal line is packed with vocal geniuses

 

Iwol… you’re just a genius, go back to college, but don’t stop your activities

 

Predictably, Baek Haewon’s proud children claimed first place.

 

After enjoying all the beautiful scenes, Baek Haewon quietly turned off the TV. She returned to her room, turned on her computer, and searched for Spark’s 2nd round performance Full.ver video, putting it on repeat.

 

Somehow, she felt like it would be a very long night.

 

* * *

 

The stage, embroidered with the Milky Way, each star representing money, concluded beautifully as expected. As always, nothing beats stunning visuals.

 

Thanks to IDC adding a lot of money to the sound equipment, the song Lee Cheonghyeon poured his soul into mixing came out perfectly.

 

As I proudly tidied up the cushions I had spread on the practice room floor, I saw Jeong Seongbin leaving the practice room with Park Joowoo.

 

“Where are you two going?”

 

“The manager told us to pick up the camcorder before he leaves for the day. We’re going to get it now!”

 

Ah, that…

 

The IDC production team wanted to gather behind-the-scenes footage, but they didn’t have the manpower or time to send another filming crew. So, they asked each team to film and send in their own ‘packing for the dorm stay’ video.