Chapter Text
[Topic: Someone needs to make a compilation videos of KIW collecting dongsaengs lol.]
- OMGGG TRUEEE, WHY IS HE ALWAYS SO POPULAR W DONGSAENGS LOL
- Knew it someday hes gonna join the ‘collecting men’ trend
- Ok but fr i too would be so taken, hes so hyung
- > he’s so hyung ㅜ ㅜ what kind of description is that
- No but what groups are like this 🤏 close to straight up stealing him from spk again?
- > I know the popular ones like berion, but is there others? Plss its so funny i want to see!!
- >> made a compilation for u bbg wink wink, here u go ;) link
- >>> lets?? Get married?????
The video starts like this, see, a chaotic and playful argument between Lee Cheonghyeon versus Kang Kiyeon, where it slowly blurs and the text in white enters, ‘iwol collecting dongsaengs compilation.’
[1] NEONIX
The screen changes into a show, where Kim Iwol can be seen holding a microphone beside another woman. For context, it was when Iwol was chosen as an MC, where he would talk about songs created by other groups. Their guest was NEONIX, a rookie group who released their debut song that caught the attention of the entertainment industry.
“Light up your world, we are NEONIX!” In sync, the four members of NEONIX bowed their heads. The leader, Jong Dongyul, raises his head first with a smile. They’re all minors, aging around sixteen to eighteen, perhaps because of that they look especially cute and nervous.
“Nice to meet you, NEONIX, you just recently debuted, haven’t you? How is it so far?” With a cheerful and bubbly voice, the female MC Seol Jee asked the first question.
“Ah, it was great! We’ve had such a blast during our debut, and so far everything is going smoothly.” Dongyul did well, if not the slight quiver on his voice, his smile twitching every now and then in anxiety. The video can even catch the cooing coming from the audience. Perhaps the positive response is why Dongyul’s shoulder relaxed a bit. The member from beside him, Gung Bonhwa, nudged his shoulder with a smile, pumping a supporting fist.
“Is that so? That’s great to hear! Speaking of your debut song, the title is Hyperdream, yes? What could be the meaning of the song’s title?” Seol Jee clapped her hands at the response, before smoothly continuing with her questions.
Slightly glancing at his members for quiet support, Dongyul finally answers. “Hyperdream comes from the meaning of a dream that's too vivid, fast-paced, and almost overwhelming, like– like a digital hallucination.”
“A digital hallucination, huh? So how would you explain the theme of the song?”
“Um, the theme… it was…” Dongyul’s pupils shook, his mouth opened and closed for a bit, seemingly in thought. He looked composed, if it weren’t for the fans in the internet asking, does he not look overwhelmed?
“I heard the inspiration of the song comes from games, is that true?” Out of nowhere, Kim Iwol spoke into his microphone. “Ryu Yong-ssi, you’re famously known to be a massive gamer within the group, was it your idea?”
The rapper of NEONIX, who seemed concerned about his leader, snapped back into reality with a baffled face. He took the microphone passed from Iwol, despite the microphone specifically given for the guests being in Dongyul’s hand, who blinked dumbly at the scene.
“That’s true.” Yong stepped forward, putting the spotlight on him. “We brainstormed for ideas in the arcade that was near our practice room, which is where the whole Hyperdream idea came to be.”
“I see, that explains the retro theme of the song. Are the four characters inside the MV representing all of you?” The female MC looked slightly confused, before masking her face with a polite smile, letting Kim Iwol lead the conversation. His voice was slightly muffled because his microphone was in Yong’s hand, but with the quiet audience it was audible enough.
“Yes!” Dongyul responds, his hand finding Yong’s, intertwining their hand together. Nobody mentions the tight grip he had. “Um, they represent our theme colours, which is how to differentiate them since we haven’t yet had a proper animal representative.”
“Ahh, that explains why there wasn’t a uniform colour in your outfits.” Kim Iwol nods. “I take it yours was the orange character?”
Dongyul blinks dumbfoundedly, before nodding in enthusiasm. “Yeah!”
With that, the show continues as normal.
Pausing the video, the comments talking about the first moments are majority the fans of the rookie group, NEONIX, where they’re all thanking Iwol for making it easier for their precious Dongyul.
- OMGGG THE WAY KIW SMOOTHLY CONTINUES THE CONVERSATION BC HE NOTICES DONGYUL-IE LOOKS ANXIOUS? I LOVE YOU SIR
- IKRR THE WAY HE CHOSE YONG WHO’S KNOWN FOR BEING THE MOST INDEFFERENT ABT BEING IN THE SPOTLIGHT TOO… WOW
- Am i the only one that thought it was rude?? Like, hes speaking but like got cut off?
- yep! wrong place to complain lol r u so blind u cant see jdy was too nervous to speak? lolll
- bfr hes an idol he knows what he signed up for
- blocked ^^ kys
- OMG HE KNOWS DONGYUL-AH WAS THE ORANGE CHARACTER.. WHOS THIS GUY!?!
- KIM IWOL FROM SPARK!!
- BYE MIGHT START STANNING HES SO CARING UHDSJ WHAT
- REAL BC HOWD HE KNOW YONG-IE’S A GAMER? THEIR THEME COLOURS? HE DEF KNOWS THEM DESPITE THEM BEING ROOKIES OMGGGGGGGGGG
- KIW SUPREMACY!!!
Baffled, Sparklers could only wonder why the sudden mass increase of fans from NEONIX. It became a somewhat meme that Sparklers and NEONIX’s fans, Glow, are very close cousins.
[2] SolStice
The next was a behind-the-scenes video, where idols wait for their turn to come out and speak their speeches in some sort of show where they rate the popularity of their latest song release. Normally, each group has their own individual waiting room, but in an atypical fashion, they were instead divided from genders, which meant all the male idols are grouped together in one, huge room.
Another atypical thing, was that the ones who gave speeches are the members who had the most screentime on their latest release, meaning it’s not necessarily the leader that will give speeches.
Kim Iwol, who was the main character of Spark’s latest MV (despite his inherent refusal, the members later reveal in a live stream), can be seen waiting while being on call with his members, who –in another camera– are on the audience seats. He’s wearing black earphones, speaking quietly that it can’t be heard what he’s saying, especially since the camera was so blurry that he can’t even be lip read.
Despite him sitting on the corner, he finds himself being bumped into by another idol, who shrieked and bowed in apology.
“It was alright.” Iwol spoke, for some reason also bowing. He left the phone on the ground, standing up quickly to balance the other idol.
“I’m really sorry!” They made a funny scene of bowing repeatedly to each other. Ji Manshik is the maknae of the boy band SolStice, who technically is Spark’s senior by two months, except Manshik is seventeen, so it must be scary to bump into a blank faced twenty-ish idol who looked so mature.
“No, it’s okay. Are you alright? Did you not bump your head?”
If Manshik’s bowing in apology, Iwol bowed back because of their debut-hierarchy, and it felt wrong anyway to see someone bow repeatedly and not doing it back.
“I– I’m alright! It doesn’t hurt!”
“I see.”
…they’re still bowing. After a few seconds, they finally stopped, coming into agreement with an equal amount of bowing. However, Iwol is adamant in seeing Manshik’s head.
“I’m truly okay, Kim Iwol-ssi!” The younger flusters, letting the older brush his hair back. “Um, I don’t hit my head that hard.”
“Just to make sure it’s nothing serious.” Iwol responds, gently analyzing the spot. He sighs in relief after confirming it’s truly nothing. “Very well then, I’m glad. It was nice meeting you Ji Manshik-sunbae, despite the unfortunate circumstance.”
If possible, Manshik’s already red face further blushed. He looked like a strawberry paired with his green-dyed hair. “N– no, no! No need to call me sunbae, Kim Iwol-ssi!” He waved his hands quickly, muttering ‘ani’ repeatedly like a mantra. There’s a reason why he’s called the hamster in SolStice after all, mostly because he’s cute and he’s that big of a scaredy cat, like a hamster who ran away from any human touch. Combo that with his huge introverted personality… he’s really hopeless.
Iwol blinks down at him, before giving a small smile. “If so, call me familiarly as well, Manshik-ssi.”
The younger one let out a dying whale noise. “N– no, um, no need for ssi… ah… Manshik-ah is okay..!”
Iwol took it in a stride. “Then please, Manshik-ah, feel free to call me hyung.”
Manshik looked seconds close to just passing out.
- LMAOO HES SO FLUSTERED
- IKRRR ITS CUTEEE
- I know manshik-ie is a HUGE introvert but like im telling u this isnt social anxiety hes just really flustered lol
- Tbh id be too if i was attacked by a tall handsome guy after bumping into him and he was super nice abt it
- REAL LMAO
- AHHHH MANSHIK-IE’S MAKING FRIENDSSS?!?!?1 FINALLY!!!!!!! KIM IWOL SSI IDK WHO YOU ARE BUT PLEASE TREAT OUR MANSHIK-IE WELL!!
- HE’S FROM SPARK!!! HES RLLY NICE I HOPE THEY BECAME FRIENDS!!
- Watching real time the way they immediately call each other familiarly is funny
- Right?? Like its common knowledge that JMS doesnt rlly like being called formally bc hes so used to be called familiarly that it just felt odd, but we never rlly see him asking ppl to call him familiarly on camera ahhh!!! Hes so cute!!!!!
- Thanking kim iwol ssi for this opportunity
On the live stream happening that day, multiple Sparklers ask with lots of question marks why the hell is Kim Iwol and Ji Manshik trending on Twitter, which he only shrugs at despite being shot with his members’ confused –slightly suspicious– stares.
[3] V1rus
The scene was a clip from one of V1rus’ live streams. Since they’re still not yet that popular, it’s not hard for them to simply walk around buying snacks because they won’t be recognized anyway. This was brought into attention because of their recent booming in popularity, which happened a month after this stream, bringing it into the spotlight once more.
The one who’s holding the camera is V1rus’ composer, Bok Hyunki, who was talking about his recent cravings. The member beside him, the main dancer Tan Seung, can be seen nodding his head to show that he’s listening. The maknae line of V1rus didn’t know it yet, but their three hyungs lost sight of them and are searching for them right now.
It’s not that they’re worried, since the maknae line is high school students who can take care of themselves, but the money is on the hyungs, which… um, yeah. With the two youngest talking about buying snacks while walking with purpose? It’s almost predictable what’s going to happen.
Unfortunately, the maknae line finds themselves already ordering snacks, giggling all the while, not knowing that they won’t have anything to pay for it. The highlight of the stream arrives the next ten seconds, where Seung puts his hand in his pocket to search for his wallet and… comes up empty.
“...wait.” He says. “I don’t have the wallet.”
Hyunki furrows his brows. “Is it on me? I thought you’re the last one holding it?”
“I don’t know, go check.” The camera was passed to Seung, where it slowly refocuses on the scene of Hyunki checking all of his pockets.
They stood in silence for a few seconds.
“Uh oh.” Seung spoke.
They’re streaming directly from the camera, meaning they can’t use it to communicate with the others. And they don’t have their phones anyways, since their company is stricter than most that bans their idols from using it for personal uses.
“...do you want me to leave and find the hyungs while you wait here?” Hyunki offers.
Seung is off-camera, but even then his voice is audibly whining. “And leave me alone here? I’m scared of crowds.”
“I know, but–” Hyunki looked at the seller. “Um, ahjumma… I’m sorry, but it seems like we left our money with our hyungs…”
Whatever the woman was about to say was cut when a hand was raised from behind Hyunki’s tall figure.
“Excuse me, I’ll pay for them.”
Seung let out a confused, “Huh.”
“Aiya, don’t let your dongsaengs out of your sight, la.” The ahjumma finally answers, accepting the money with an audible frown despite not being in the video. “You’re lucky your hyung finds you quickly, if not.” She tsk-ed. “Go then, shoo!”
“I’m really sorry.” Their ‘hyung’, who apparently is revealed to be Kim Iwol, nods his head in apology for a mistake he didn’t do, lightly pushing the two younger members away. Walking far away enough, he turns to the two members with a frown. “Where are your hyungs? Are you lost?”
“...um!” Seung squeaks. “We didn’t notice!”
“I’m really sorry!” Hyunki bowed, followed by Seung. The camera jolted, following the dancer’s movement, capturing the ground instead of Iwol’s face.
“It’s alright, be careful, I saw three figures roaming near the water fountain asking for two teenagers. One of them with cyan hair, are they your hyungs perhaps?”
“Yes!”
“I see, you know the way, then?”
“Uh-huh, yes!”
“Okay, you both go find them, alright? Don’t get lost again.”
Standing up, the camera didn’t catch Iwol, seemingly already leaving elsewhere. Seung and Hyunki glanced at each other in a few, confused beats, before Seung let out a noise. “Ah, um! Wait please! Th– thank you for helping us! How can we repay you? Do you want to wait here until we come back? The money is on the hyungs so…”
Iwol responds. “No, it’s alright. Enjoy your snacks. Be careful on your way.”
“You too!” Hyunki yells back.
There were a few seconds filled with disbelief.
“Wow.” Seung finally comments. “Angels are real.”
Hyunki could only nod in bafflement.
- Who’s that?? Hes so handsome!!
- He’s kim iwol from spark based on my digging.
- Omggg??? An idol????????? Wow
- Is this not staged?
- Dude v1 has like 3 fans at this time what r u talking abt
- DONT DO THEM DIRTY LIKE THAT!??!?! Its minimum 5
- LMAOOOOO
- Gen my first impression of kiw and hes?? So nice??
- Right?!??! Like he looks cold but is very softie??? My weakness…. Oh no
- CRAZY IWOL APPEARANCE OMG HES FROM SPARK EVERYONE PLS SUPPORT THEM CUTIES!!!
- IM CHECKING THEM OUT HES SO NICE IM CRYING LOL
- If i was maknae line id be bawling my eyes out the ahjumma sounds so mean… lol, thanks for helping them out iwol sir… if not seung would cry fr
- Iwol came like a knight wow im swooning wow spark you say? Im coming
- Crazy unintentional marketing lol
“Why is Iwol-hyung’s name trending with…” Jeong Seongbin was reading something from the shared laptop on the Twitter page, he wasn’t meaning to monitor fans, since Iwol forbids them all from doing it (and says he’s the only one who can, what a hypocrite). “V… Virus? V-one-rus… who’s that?”
Lee Cheongheyon, who’s lazing on the sofa, looked to the side. “Eh? Is that not the band behind Quarantine Love?” He snorts, still finding the name ridiculously funny. What, are all their songs gonna be titled actual virus names now?
“Wow, that song?” Seongbin raises his eyebrows. “The one that topped charts? How is their band so small?”
“No clue, that’s what happens when you have a good song I guess.” Spark’s composer only leans back with a hum.
“I thought you knew everything about songs?” Kang Kiyeon out of nowhere commented, holding a cup of water from the kitchen.
“I know the song since it’s been appearing everywhere… but I’ve been studying trot lately… I should check soon.” Their leader closed the Twitter tab, always the obedient member towards their oldest (most of the time anyway). “Why’s Iwol-hyung’s name with them…?”
The three felt dread, knowing of their hyung’s surprisingly large social circle of idols flocking left and right despite not meaning to.
[4] CRWN
CRWN just released a new hit song called Velvet Empire, which is slowly becoming a popular dance trend. In an effort to promote their group, Spark was sent to collaborate with them to make a video of one member from Spark dance alongside one CRWN member, since in the choreo there was the moment where two members dance together as if in a ballroom, which is one of the reasons why Velvet Empire became such a fun trend to do.
Despite Iwol’s effort to send either Spark’s greatest visual that has the same price as gold, Lee Cheonghyeon, or one of their great dancers, he was gently pushed by Seongbin, since, and he quote, “Hyung, everyone has been trending online lately… isn’t it unfair that Hyung isn’t? Hyung should record something too so Hyung’s fans can see that Hyung is alive, well, and not overworking in the background.”
Their leader had a nice smile… except, this time it looked vaguely threatening, so Iwol complied with a small frown. The others looked more than happy to send him away, which made him feel slightly betrayed.
Iwol, in his usual diligent self, had studied the part thoroughly. But he did it solo, as in, he hasn't tried it with a partner, so he and the CRWN member who is an eighteen-year-old teenager named Yuk Ki with the stage name Yuki, tried to practice a few times before actually recording it.
“Ah, hyung is so tall!” Yuki is an outgoing person, truly pressing the E in his MBTI. He quickly asked if he could call him hyung, which Iwol nods to since Yuki is technically his sunbae anyways.
“Sorry, should I bend my knees?” Iwol looked down at their size difference. Yuki is about ten centimeters lower, and it’s… a very awkward pose to do.
“Hm, no, I think we can work with this.” Yuki looked at the mirror-wall that reflected them, shifting their hands so none of them needed to bend down or tiptoe. “Sorry, Beomseok-hyung was supposed to be the one who dances with hyung, but he got called at the last minute and I was the only one available.”
“It’s alright.” Iwol wisely doesn’t say that he would rather not interact with Yeo Beomsok anyways, who later on became the reason of CRWN’s downfall because of his drug addiction. “You’re a great teacher.”
Yuki beams. “Aww, hyung you’re making me blush!” He giggles, pressing his hands to his cheeks, which is slowly turning a bright pink.
The camera propped behind them is recording, since it’ll be a nice behind-the-scenes video. Other than that reason, Sparklers and CRWN’s fans, Royals, had been at odds lately since the strange tension between Choi Jeho and CRWN’s oldest member Jin Chinhae, and neither of them are particularly known to have great tempers. So it’s a ‘hey, we’re not actually rivals!’ kind of video.
Iwol is so glad they sent Yuki, who’s basically the only good thing from CRWN. What a god send.
They had another rehearsal before Yuki yells that it’s already perfect. It ends up with Yuki dipping Iwol, so that the taller idol could immediately go into position to twirl the teenager around. It makes a funny scene, one that the commenters can’t help but coo at.
- The scene of yuki dipping an 183cm tall man is so……….
- IKR HAHAHA THE LAUGH I LET OUT
- ITS SO CUTE BUT WHYD THEY DO THAT THOO?
- I think so iwol could immediately put his hand behind yuki-yah’s back and spin them lol
- I think so too! Its still funny
- YUKI LOOKS SO HAPPY IM CRYINGG spark pls adopt yuki omg
- So im not the only one who’s noticing the weird air in CRWN rn?
- Idk if im overanalyzing but jch and ybs seems to be arguing lately so yuki-yah seems to be uncomfortable in recent live streams :(
- I mean theyre both assholes anyway, yuki just got the shorter stick debuting w them
- Can you even call yourself royals when youre hating on the two hyungs of crwn?
- Never called myself a royal lmao im a yuki biased fan only
- Reall haha
- The way yuki beamed when iwol praised him……… im not ok…….
- OMG IWOL PATTED HIM
- YUKI LOOKED LIKE A CHILD ON CHRISMAS WOW
- Hey spark *sexily bites a rose* can u adopt my child pls
- LMAOOO