Pyeong Daeyeon saw for the first time how busy idols became at the end of the year. Starting with the Music Festival, year end stages and variety show schedules poured in.

Thanks to that, Spark had to go back and forth between practice and schedules without a break. In between, there were many additional tasks, such as checking the activity plans for the next year.

For safe driving, Pyeong ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ Daeyeon often ended up driving instead of Im Chanyoung, who was getting less than three hours of sleep a day.

Even though Spark was just as sleep deprived as Im Chanyoung, they showed no signs of fatigue.

They were also incredibly sociable. Despite their hectic schedule, the members began calling Pyeong Daeyeon “manager hyung” and encouraged him to speak casually to them in return.

Amazing.

Some might disparage it, saying it was only possible because they were still young.

However, considering that most people started their social life in their mid twenties, one could not deny the fact that idols, including Spark, were working hard from a young age.

That was why Pyeong Daeyeon wanted Spark to rest as much as possible whenever they could. No matter how much there was an active period and an off season, the year end schedule was truly murderous.

But Spark was truly passionate.

Just how passionate were they?

“You want to borrow a cam?”

“Yes.”

“Because you want to do a surprise event for the members?”

...To the point where the two maknaes came to borrow a cam, saying they wanted to do a Christmas surprise event for their hyungs and release it as self produced content.

He had wondered why they were following him around so secretly. Pyeong Daeyeon inwardly calmed his startled heart.

“We usually tell the planning team about things like this, but we figured they would catch on if we both left the office. Can you pass on the message for us, hyung?”

Lee Cheonghyeon said with a resolute expression. His flashy yet still fresh face was filled with gravity.

“Okay. They probably will not say no. How should I deliver the cam?”

“Please put it inside our dorm’s shoe rack. We have emptied this spot.”

Kang Kiyeon even showed him a photo he had taken of the shoe rack to confirm the exact location.

Pyeong Daeyeon headed straight to the dedicated team. Since Im Chanyoung was the main manager, Pyeong Daeyeon still had a bit of freedom to move. That was also precisely why Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Kiyeon had asked him for the favor.

The planning team staff and Min Jukyung, who heard the message from Pyeong Daeyeon, looked surprised.

“Why will our kids not rest even when we tell them to? They are going to do a live on Christmas evening, and they are going to film another video that morning too?”

“They want to do a surprise event, and they figured if they film it well, it could become self produced content.”

“We can certainly lend them the equipment. But I am worried the kids will burn out at this rate.”

A planning team staff member clutched their head.

Min Jukyung, who was also smiling awkwardly, suddenly looked at Pyeong Daeyeon and asked,

“By the way, Mr. Daeyeon, did they tell you exactly what kind of event it is?”

“I did not hear the details. Just that it is a surprise event.”

“It cannot be an event that startles people. Because Iwol has a heart condition.”

This was the first time Pyeong Daeyeon had heard this. Noticing his reaction, Min Jukyung awkwardly scratched her head.

“I guess Mr. Chanyoung did not tell you since you are still in your probation period, but Iwol has a bit of a heart issue. It is not that he is sick, but it is something to be careful about. That is also why he cannot have caffeine.”

If it was a health issue, especially one that could affect their activities, it was understandable not to tell just anyone.

“I doubt the kids forgot about that when planning, but just in case, could you please check one more time, Mr. Daeyeon?”

So Pyeong Daeyeon had to go back down to the basement and pretend to be handing out drinks to overhear the details of the surprise event.

The event was smaller and more modest than he had thought. Above all, it was a cute event that would not startle anyone.

Pyeong Daeyeon relayed the contents of the surprise event to the dedicated team as they were. Then, he safely received the cam, checked the batteries, and after placing it in the promised corner of the shoe rack, he carefully covered it with a long umbrella and a short umbrella.

Me

[Cheonghyeon, I put six cams and a stand behind the umbrellas.]

[Let me know if you need anything else.]

Spark Cheonghyeon

[I love you, hyung!]

[♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡]

This kid was really sociable.

Carefully locking the dorm door, Pyeong Daeyeon wished for the success of the cute maknaes’ event.

“Kang Kiyeon, how is it? Do you think it turned out well?”

Lee Cheonghyeon asked, holding up a large sock made of red felt.

“Try decorating the sock a bit. It looks too plain right now.”

“Even though the sock is not the main part?”

“But you cannot just give the gift covered in plain felt, can you?”

Lee Cheonghyeon was quickly convinced by Kang Kiyeon’s words. Then, he squeezed a generous amount of wood glue onto the sock.

The mischievous idea of becoming Santa and giving gifts to their hyungs came from Lee Cheonghyeon. Kang Kiyeon willingly decided to play along.

So the two secretly bought presents for their roommates. Since they used Pyeong Daeyeon’s house as the delivery address, after much debate about whether that could be considered an idol abusing power, only to get caught by Pyeong Daeyeon and end up receiving his help, preparing the gifts became much easier.

Tearing up cotton and sticking it on, Lee Cheonghyeon explained to the camera,

“The reason we can be so relaxed right now is because none of the hyungs are at the dorm.”

“We are scheduled to be by ourselves until... 4 AM.”

Kang Kiyeon, after checking the clock, added,

“Iwol hyung and Jeho hyung went for a schedule, and Seongbin hyung and Joowoo hyung are... can I say it?”

“Is it better not to?”

“Right? Please edit this part out.”

Lee Cheonghyeon bowed his head to the camera. Kang Kiyeon, who was cutting felt, also bowed his head. They could not spoil the university entrance plans of the hyungs who had not even started yet.

“When are we writing our rolling paper?”

“Can we even call it a rolling paper when only two people are writing it?”

“If it is not a rolling paper, what is it?”

“...A rolling card?”

Even while having a silly conversation, the two of them did not stop their hands. Rather, their movements became busier as time went on.

After making a total of four red socks, the gift explanations followed.

“Jeho hyung has poor night vision, so he sometimes bumps into the corner of the bed or furniture. So I prepared a set of small decorative lights that can be attached to the bed!”

“Nice pick. Are you going to attach it to the headboard?”

“Can we not just attach it anywhere?”

Lee Cheonghyeon put the neatly packaged LED lights into the sock.

“I have to write a card too. What good deeds did Jeho hyung do this year?”

“How could you not have thought of that when you bought the gift?”

“Ah! I just remembered.”

“What?”

“He gave me an orange candy.”

“That just came out of his bag.”

Despite Kang Kiyeon’s nagging, Lee Cheonghyeon was undeterred. Kang Kiyeon picked up a camera and filmed Lee Cheonghyeon carefully writing, I will give a gift to the good child Jeho who shares candy with his dongsaeng.

“Kang Kiyeon, what did you get for Seongbin hyung’s gift?”

“A notebook.”

“Hyung has that notebook where you can avoid murder if you have three patience characters.”

“I think he is almost out of space.”

“Already?”

Lee Cheonghyeon’s eyes widened.

“What on earth is happening to our hyung?”

Lee Cheonghyeon asked, but Kang Kiyeon did not answer. He just silently wrote his card.

“Will the sock look too empty with just a notebook?”

“So I bought pens and stickers too.”

“Oh, show me.”

At Lee Cheonghyeon’s words, Kang Kiyeon rummaged through a plastic bag and took out the items.

Ten bright red pens and a set of stickers with phrases like Not my problem and Yeah, did not ask came out.

“...Has hyung been having a hard time lately?”

“No. I just thought it would be nice to have stickers that represent his feelings.”

A brief silence fell in the living room. It felt like a quiet moment of mourning.

To break the heavy atmosphere, Lee Cheonghyeon said brightly,

“Let me show you the gift I bought for Iwol hyung.”

From a gray delivery envelope, something wrapped in bubble wrap was pulled out as if dragged by the hair.

“Why is it so heavily packaged?”

“Because it is glass.” 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Lee Cheonghyeon carefully took a collection of small glass pieces out of the bubble wrap. A jellyfish shaped mobile in dazzling colors was revealed.

“Jellyfish have excellent regenerative abilities, so they recover quickly even if they get hurt. Turritopsis dohrnii is even theoretically immortal.”

As Lee Cheonghyeon gently shook the mobile, the refracted colors of the glass spread around.

“I bought it so our hyung will be healthy for a long, long time! Would it not be pretty if we hang it on the window?”

“It would.”

Lastly, Kang Kiyeon took out his gift for Park Joowoo. It was a cozy looking white microfiber blanket.

“Hey, you picked a great gift.”

“Right?”

Kang Kiyeon did not hide his proud expression.

“But will this fit in the sock?”

“I am just going to put the sock over one end of the blanket.”

“Right, what matters is the content.”

In the end, it was decided that one sock would be slipped onto one end of the packaged blanket. The two pushed the gifts into a corner of the living room and continued writing their cards.

An hour before the members returned, they did not forget to hide the gifts and clean the living room perfectly.

Five in the morning.

Lee Cheonghyeon’s phone glowed faintly. A message from Kang Kiyeon had arrived.

MBF

[The hyungs are asleep.]

Me

[Iwol hyung is taking forever to fall asleep]

[Do you want to sleep first? I will set up the camera]

MBF

[Should we just knock that hyung out?]

Me

[Wait a bit, I think he is about to fall asleep]

Lee Cheonghyeon held his breath as if he were dead and waited.

Soon, the sound of even breathing came from under the bed.

If he carelessly looked down now, he might make eye contact with a wide awake Kim Iwol. So he had to wait patiently.

And after three minutes of waiting, pretending to be asleep and making small breathing sounds.

Me

[These hyungs are asleep too]

The time had come for the cute little Santa Clauses to be dispatched.