Idol Athletics Championships. Shortened to IAC.
Fans earnestly prayed it were the Asian Athletics Championships instead. This massive program was a variety show where numerous idols existing in South Korea gathered in one place to play sports.
It was a family-oriented variety show targeting holiday specials, touting wholesome laughter and all-ages content, while also being a program made by exploiting idols and idol fans for practically no pay.
From injury risks to excessively long filming times, for first and second-tier idol fans it was an event they desperately didn’t want to participate in, hoping somehow overseas concert schedules would be booked before and after it, but for mid-tier or rookie idols it was a desperate opportunity to get caught on camera even once.
It was a program that should have given BNCZ, who had been debuted for over two years, an opportunity at least once, but thanks to an agency that knew absolutely nothing about how the idol industry worked or a manager who wasn’t full-time and had no great passion or attachment, BNCZ had never even dreamed of terrestrial programs like IAC.
Since it was a program that finished filming two months before the holiday and already completed casting due to the schedule, they naturally thought they wouldn’t be on this year either and hadn’t given it any thought, but with this single’s reverse run myth, they received an appearance offer instead.
Manager hyung
[You know not all idols can participate in this, right?]
Would we know that better, or would you know better. Jion ignored the manager’s message acting as if he’d secured the schedule through his own ability and asked Jinyeong.
“How did we get in?”
“A group that was confirmed to appear before us disbanded.”
At the fact told by Jinyeong, who had the fastest gossip in the group, Jion’s taste turned bitter. If this single hadn’t succeeded, that would have been BNCZ’s future.
But fortunately BNCZ succeeded, and would continue to succeed. Jion checked Jinyeong’s screen with a serious face.
“What are the events?”
A member meeting was held about the hastily decided IAC participation. Fortunately there weren’t many events.
“Four-person relay race team match. Sprint. Archery. Wrestling. High jump…”
While Ryu Geon listed the events one by one, the members’ eyes scanned each other.
“First, the relay is four people, so we can go out.”
Jinyeong raised his finger and drew a big circle. It was exactly a line drawn excluding Jion. Jion was upset at the mocking line-drawing but couldn’t protest. Because among the members, Jion was the only one clumsy with physical activities and slow-footed.
“I’m confident in running. I’ll do the sprint.”
And Jinyeong quickly claimed the event he was good at. No one objected. The moment members were about to enter serious discussion about the remaining events, Jion raised his hand.
“Can I make a suggestion?”
“Jion, is there something you want to do?”
“No…”
Among the events just mentioned, there wasn’t a single one Jion could do well, or even do averagely. Instead, Jion smiled brightly and suggested to the members.
“How about Geon hyung does wrestling?”
“Wrestling?”
“He has the best physique, and also…”
Jion exchanged glances with Jinyeong. Understanding Jion’s gaze, Jinyeong grinned and looked at Eungi. Eungi was also quick-witted.
In any case, if he did wrestling, he’d either go shirtless, or even if he started wearing something, he’d end up half-naked. It was a good opportunity to show Ryu Geon’s chest, which had become conservatively dressed after the no-bra incident.
“Good, Geon hyung suits wrestling well!”
Before even checking Ryu Geon’s opinion, Eungi quickly wrote his name on the paper. Ryu Geon nodded in bewilderment and accepted the event assigned to him. What remained were archery and high jump. Jion briefly simulated Seonwoo Jin’s image in his head.
Running in shorts, jumping up… when he’s in the air his forehead fully showing, hmm, it would look cool…
However, after a moment’s consideration, Jion spoke up.
“Woojin should do archery.”
“I want to do archery too! I think I could do well!”
Eungi shouted in disappointment, but Jion couldn’t yield archery to the maknae. Archery inevitably meant close-ups of the face while drawing the bowstring and holding the stance. He couldn’t miss this golden opportunity to promote by filling the screen with that handsome face.
“Ah, hyung, you’re trying to use Woojin hyung’s face again!”
At Jion who just laughed and didn’t give a reason for the recommendation, Eungi quickly caught on and pouted. But even Eungi soon agreed with Jion’s choice and nodded.
“True. With Woojin hyung’s face, he’d look like an elf.”
Everyone agreed. Members were naturally assigned to each event. Jinyeong for sprint, Ryu Geon for wrestling, Eungi for high jump, and Seonwoo Jin for archery. Jion checked the expression of Seonwoo Jin, who hadn’t said a word throughout the meeting.
“…How about it, Woojin? Archery?”
“…Well. If you tell me to do it…”
Though he childishly avoided eye contact, seeing him pout his lips, it seemed he felt good about being told he looked handsome again. Until this morning, Jion had felt his pride hurt and upset that he alone had to cater to Seonwoo Jin’s mood, but seeing Seonwoo Jin’s expression, he felt relieved.
The one who wants something more has to bend and go in.
Jion gave Seonwoo Jin a bright smile and raised his hand one last time.
“Then for mixed kin-ball, I’ll go out for that.”
That’s right. IAC had one mixed-gender event, whether they didn’t understand idol fans’ hearts or were reflecting some general public taste for pairing handsome men and beautiful women together.
The IAC PD had a history of pressing idol fans’ dangerous button with the terrible event called pair dodgeball last year and the year before. Whether it was because they’d been cursed at enough to fulfill their desire to extend their lifespan, or because a real dating rumor broke out from a group during pair dodgeball and they were terrorized by fans in various ways, this year’s IAC introduced a new event called kin-ball with almost no physical contact.
Of course Jion didn’t know what kind of event kin-ball was. He didn’t want to know and had no confidence he could do well. But rather than letting Seonwoo Jin go out for a mixed-gender event and be on the same screen with girls or create a place to naturally converse and become familiar, it was better if he got hit by the ball, crushed, stepped on, or burst it.
IAC. This terrible broadcast.
Jion ground his teeth inside. Being a nugu idol, he hadn’t thought of such sudden events at all. IAC was notorious for its brutal filming schedule and forced fan mobilization to the cheering section, but the most terrible thing Jion thought was that the probability of contact with ‘opposite-sex groups’ increased sharply.
Some snorted saying what kind of romantic tension, eye exchanges, or contact exchanges could happen when fans were watching from above, but Jion knew. Male and female womanizers and manizers in their late teens to mid-twenties, overflowing with energy, were both excellent at avoiding people’s eyes and equipped with the shamelessness to date while ignoring people’s eyes.
With Seonwoo Jin before regression, the students he’d taught, and stories heard here and there, Jion’s guard was already raised high, and he felt extreme stress about this IAC participation.
“Let’s do well without injuries.”
When Ryu Geon, who knew nothing, innocently suggested a high-five, Jion looked at the leader with a smile and said.
“Besides that, aren’t there things we need to promise?”
“What promise? Ah…!”
Jion’s murderous smile awakened a scary imagination that had been sleeping in Ryu Geon’s head for a while. Ryu Geon made eye contact with each member one by one with a serious face and pressed them.
“You all haven’t forgotten what we promised before, right? Not causing any problems while doing idol activities.”
“Contacting female idols, exchanging contact info, meeting privately, calling, exchanging messages, that stuff.”
Jion, feeling uneasy at Ryu Geon’s vague words, stated the detailed rules once more. While doing so, his gaze was precisely aimed at Seonwoo Jin, and receiving Jion’s heated gaze, Seonwoo Jin nodded while inwardly flustered.
Why is he looking at me while saying that. Is he maybe jealous.
Seonwoo Jin, who hadn’t caused any problems yet in this life, interpreted Jion’s gaze in a completely different direction. It was natural since he had nothing to feel guilty about.
Really, he says he’s closest to Jinyeong, not me… but it seems he doesn’t like me getting close to other people.
Seonwoo Jin, who interpreted Jion’s gaze favorably for himself, tried to make a coy expression but couldn’t hold back the laughter welling up from his heart.
Just at dawn, Seonwoo Jin, who briefly opened his eyes, had felt bad seeing Jion sleeping with his back turned to him. Of course, he had turned his back first, but Seonwoo Jin had been ready to manfully forgive everything and embrace him if Jion acted cute once more and snuggled into his arms.
Be a bit more honest.
While thinking thoughts that didn’t match who should be saying them, Seonwoo Jin wiggled his cheeks, and Jion, who couldn’t possibly know what he was thinking, felt extreme anxiety at Seonwoo Jin smiling at the IAC talk and bit his nails. And Ryu Geon, unable to notice the members’ conflicting dreams, suggested with a voice full of enthusiasm.
“Thanks for following along well, everyone. Should we go to the school field next door and run a bit?”
