Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols-Chapter 173: Meeting (2)

When was the last time she went to a fan meeting? Won Chaehee tried to recall. Nothing specific came to mind, except that it had been a damn long time.
Won Chaehee had suffered many indignities at fan meetings she’d paid to attend. She’d heard more warnings from security and staff than the words from the idols themselves, which said it all.
On the other hand, the fan meeting notice posted by UA had a… refreshing quality.
≫ [OFFICIAL] Pre-event notice regarding SPARK’s first fan meeting, ‘IGNITION’
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Photography Policy
─ You are free to take photos as long as they do not interfere with the event. We’d appreciate it if you could capture nice shots. (If rapid-fire photography causes disruption to other fans, staff may exceptionally request that you refrain from shooting.)
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There was no photography ban. In fact, it wasn’t just permitted—it was actively encouraged.
She had never seen such a bold fan meeting before. Won Chaehee could almost feel her camera twitching inside her bag.
Moreover, the venue was a famous fan meeting spot known for its excellent sightlines. She wondered just how much of a beating the company had taken to start putting in this much effort.
Until the fan meeting began, Won Chaehee idly browsed Spark-related content on social media.
‘Their last activity was the IDC finals, so will they be wearing hanbok today? Or maybe school uniforms?’
Honestly, as long as they didn’t show up in a cheap three-stripe tracksuit, she was willing to accept just about anything. Seeing that in person had been one of the rare embarrassments in Won Chaehee’s life.
But as someone once said,
Spark took ‘every’ activity seriously.
The venue, which had become noisy with the appearance of a figure at the entrance, was soon filled with happy cheers.
The first to appear was the leader, Jeong Seongbin.
A bronze tiara resembling a laurel wreath sat atop his brown hair, and metal chain accessories sparkled on his fingers and wrists.
His white tunic, complemented by a thin, greenish shawl, exuded a subtle classical beauty. The outfit was reminiscent of Greek and Roman mythology.
Holy sh*t, he looks like an elf. Just as Won Chaehee was marveling at the sight, another member stepped onto the stage.
It was Park Joowoo, wearing a silk shirt with flowing blue ripples and subtle sky-blue glitter on his cheeks.
As Won Chaehee zoomed in, the glitter became clearer. Three or four pointed ovals adorned each of Park Joowoo’s cheeks.
Was he supposed to be a mermaid prince? As she was pondering this, a scream erupted from somewhere.
‘Sh*t.’
Choi Je-ho, his hair slicked back neatly, appeared in a burgundy shirt and black suit.
A gold chain, possibly part of a brooch, adorned the collar of his shirt, glinting under the stage lights.
Unlike Spark’s usual light makeup style, his eyes and lips were heavily styled. Even from Won Chaehee’s seat, his face seemed to be in 4K resolution.
Kang Kiyeon, who came out next, appeared to be wearing clothing from an earlier era than Choi Jeho.
His hair, styled back with pomade without a single stray strand, further emphasized his sharp features.
A luxurious vest, a well-fitted coat, and a stylish scarf completed his look—an impeccable trio.
‘Who the f*ck put gloves on him? They must be a lunatic—’
The pristine white gloves covering Kang Kiyeon’s hands provoked many thoughts in Won Chaehee.
Shutter sounds echoed from everywhere. Interestingly, no one was using burst mode. The collective shutter sounds blended together, creating a volume similar to burst shooting.
Then, the entrance to the stage lit up brightly, like a spotlight.
Lee Cheonghyeon had arrived.
His grand attire, reminiscent of a distinguished professor from a romance-fantasy novel, was embroidered with elaborate patterns.
People said that purple had always symbolized wealth, and just looking at his face, he definitely  exuded the aura of a millionaire.
Even his matching academic cap suited him well. He could easily pass for a valedictorian. And yet, all Won Chae-hee could think of was a bottle of fine wine worth millions per serving.
This visual is a must-see. That thought crossed her mind even as she focused on her camera angle.
Won Chaehee was incredibly busy, taking a picture, lifting her head, then returning to her hunched posture to take another picture.
There was one member left. While Won Chaehee adjusted her camera angle, people around her bustled, seemingly taking out slogans.
‘Is it really okay for a personal fan event to be this blatant?’
It was baffling. If the fanbase was so skewed toward one member that they even organized a slogan event just for him, it could easily throw off the balance of the entire event.
Regardless of Won Chaehee’s concerns, the last member began to step onto the stage.
In a decidedly unfashionable style, quite different from the flashy fashion of the previous members.
A checkered button-up shirt, denim overalls, thin-rimmed glasses, and vintage sneakers—his look was an unmistakable nod to a very specific fashion style.
He gave off the vibe of someone whose hobbies included Bitcoin mining and whose special talent was solving Rubik’s cubes at lightning speed.
‘Does the stylist hate only him? Is that why the fans are so supportive of him?’
At least his permed hair gave him a cute look, and his stiff posture combined with his hesitant entrance was funny yet somehow pathetic.
Just as she started to feel pity, a loud voice erupted from the audience.
“Iwol!”
“Are you really all better now?!”
Only then did Won Chaehee notice the slogans held by the fans. ‘Congratulations on your comeback, Iwol’ was written on them.
‘That’s right. This is his first offline event since his injury.’
That was why the competition for fan meeting tickets was even fiercer, but she had forgotten.
Kim Iwol, looking at the audience with surprised eyes, repeatedly bowed, a shy, embarrassed smile on his face.
Someone in the audience shouted, ‘Don’t bow! You’ll strain your head!’ but he seemed unfazed.  It was remarkable professionalism.
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Led by Jeong Seongbin, the members took turns expressing their gratitude to the fans who had come to their first fan meeting and sharing their thoughts on the formation of their fan club. Won Chaehee wasn’t interested in their speeches, so she focused on taking pictures.
Through her camera lens, Spark was a chaotic mess.
There was no sense of unity in their outfits, but each member seemed determined to showcase their peak visuals.
Spark was… a group with a strong sense of aesthetics…. Won Chaehee’s hands pressed the shutter instinctively, without waiting for her command.
“We’ve prepared some special content for today.”
“That’s right.”
Jeong Seongbin and Kang Kiyeon exchanged lines. Given their outfits, it already felt like they had gone all out, but apparently, there was more. Perhaps because of the trauma of the three-stripe tracksuit, Won Chaehee’s expectations were rock-bottom.
“You might have been taken aback by our lack of coordination in our outfits, but there actually is a concept!”
“We almost ended up like Joowoo hyung’s hair trying to decide on this!”
Naturally, everyone’s gaze shifted to Park Joowoo, whose hair still maintained a bright tone. It seemed they were implying he had nearly gone gray from the stress.
The meaning of the ‘concept’ became clear during the special stages that followed. The members performing together each stage created a slightly unified atmosphere.
Jeong Seongbin and Park Joowoo opened the first stage.
With Jeong Seongbin’s acoustic guitar accompaniment, Park Joowoo sang a classically arranged version of With List.
She had wondered why they dressed like an elf and a mermaid prince, and it turned out their concept was a nature-loving, idyllic music boy and a siren.
Park Joowoo’s unique vocal tone was famous even outside the Sparkler fandom. His voice shone even within the ordinary fan meeting setting.
‘Hearing it live is completely different.’
She had thought his voice was great when listening to the recordings, but that judgment felt laughable now. It was on a whole other level. It was a shame this unit had only prepared one song.
Next up was the dance line in their suit concept. She’d wondered what they kind of dance they would perform in those outfits…
They waltzed. Won Chaehee doubted her own eyes.
She wasn’t sure if that was how a waltz was supposed to be done. She’d never had a particular interest in such things.
But it certainly looked cool. Their movements were sharp yet smooth, and they were perfectly in sync with the music.
Do idols have to waltz to survive these days? Even as she had such an old-fashioned thought, Won Chaehee was slightly captivated. The stiffness in her shoulders gradually faded.
By now, she was curious about what the last group would do. She secretly hoped the heated atmosphere from the waltz would continue.
A sense of unease washed over her, imagining them doing a quiz battle in their scholar and graduate student outfits, instantly killing the mood.
As if aware of Won Chaehee’s feelings, Kim Iwol and Lee Cheonghyeon took the stage with solemn expressions.
“As you all know, these two are the official brains of our team.”
Jeong Seongbin, having returned to his MC role from his elf persona, held the microphone.
“So, we decided to choose an activity that would allow them to fully utilize their brains.”
They were doomed. It was definitely a quiz battle.
They were going to spend time doing something like guessing the capitals of far-off countries that no one cared about anymore…
“It’s a ‘Secret Stories About Each Other That Only I Know’ relay exposé!”
…Huh?
Are they even allowed to do that? Did they agree to this in advance?
While Won Chaehee was bewildered, the surroundings erupted in cheers. Somehow, everyone seemed accustomed to exposés and TMI overshares.
“The rules are simple. We’ll take turns exposing stories we don’t know about each other, and if any of the members already knows the story, or if one of us feels excessive shame, the game ends!”
In short, it meant, ‘Tell us some fun stories about what happened between you’.  It was an interesting topic for the idol world, where relationships were crucial.
“…Are both contestants ready?”
Park Joowoo asked, massaging Lee Cheonghyeon’s shoulders. Lee Cheonghyeon smirked, looking confident.
“Do you want to go first, hyung? Or should I?”
He even taunted the opponent. Kim Iwol’s eyebrow twitched.
“Bring it on.”
As soon as Kim Iwol gave him the go-ahead, Lee Cheonghyeon strode across the stage.
This was a nightmare. She had to capture that face both with her naked eyes and her camera.
“Hyung.”
“…….”
“You hate it when numbers don’t have commas, even if you pretend it doesn’t bother you, right?”
Lee Cheonghyeon smirked.
Kim Iwol didn’t back down. He didn’t even lose his smile, showcasing his composure.
“If you know, why don’t you change the number format? I told you how.”
“It’s just so funny watching you meticulously fix it every time…”
“Sorry, but I can’t read anything over ten thousand won without it.”
It was a ridiculously trivial story.
But the two were dead serious. At this moment, Won Chaehee wished the staff would sell popcorn.
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Profile
Name: Jeong Seongbin
Birthday: March 30th
Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea
Height: 179cm (5’10.5″)
MBTI: ESFJ
Nicknames: Spiritual Pillar, Group Leader, Captain, Teacher, Spark’s Only Conscience
Likes: Vocal lessons, watching the news, viewing night scenery
Dislikes: His own shortcomings, Jeong Seongjun’s impulsive actions, overly sweet food
Motto: Let’s do our best so that we don’t regret
Favorite Food: Gamjatang
Preferred Scent: Cotton
Favorite Music Genre: Ballad
Favorite Sport: E-sports
Most Confident Body Part: Ankles
Unique Habit: Talks in his sleep when tired