The gods of myths are arrogant. They think outside the realm of human understanding, act without caring about others’ opinions, and achieve their desires without difficulty.

MYTH’s groups did not deviate much from this mold. Starting with Hellas’ leader Hellas Yur, this image had been maintained as MYTH’s defining identity. In the case of Polo, whose personality ran counter to that grain, I heard it took years just to get approval for a solo radio appearance.

Parte could be said to be a distillation of MYTH’s spirit in its purest form. Their one-line description alone said it all: an ultimate being closest to humanity, yet absolutely incapable of becoming human.

Perhaps because of that, Parte gave off the impression of something meticulously crafted from head to toe. Highly polished, in other words.

From their increasingly rare, perfectly synchronized group greetings, to their ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) uniform-focused outfits, to their relaxed demeanor, Parte felt like a tightly woven worldview in human form. There was even a rumor that they deliberately avoided horror content because they didn’t want to show fear.

That was also why Song Minil didn’t get beaten down even when he occasionally made verbal missteps. Everyone knew how extreme MYTH’s concept obsession was, so no matter how arrogant his remarks sounded, they were mentally translated into, “Wow... he was really well-trained,” or “Man, that kid must have a hard time functioning in society.”

But the current Parte was different. They were drenched in politeness, filling every gap with careful words, projecting a kind of innocence that felt like a group appearing on a survival show for the first time. Just like Spark in Season 1.

Spark didn’t go so far as to be extremely subservient to senior groups or bow 180 degrees. At that time, we maintained an appropriate distance from all groups.

So, it was correct to interpret the current Parte as mimicking only specific parts of Spark.

You ask if I’m overthinking it? If you have your work performance stolen three times, you will end up like this, too. There’s a reason people say intuition is life’s big data.

The moment they stepped onto the stage, my suspicion turned into certainty.

Because Parte’s outfit was white T-shirts, denim jackets, and jeans. The only differences from the outfits we wore in Season 1 were the addition of a jacket, the darker color of the pants, and the fact that they were wide pants.

“MYTH... shouldn’t they really restructure their planning team?”

Sure, some people might complain or make comparisons if they wore luxury brands, but Parte’s fans preferred their luxurious image. MYTH’s Parte fans liked the human-Mersace-like aspect of their idols.

If Blider, who shared a fanbase overlap with us, had targeted us as a rival group, it might make sense. What kind of group turns their back on their own fandom’s preferences in a fan-voted survival show? Don’t they have basic courtesy for those who vote?

“Whether the person who planned this as the main stance... or the people just going along with it...”

Parte wasn’t a rookie anymore. They were more than capable of voicing opinions. Doing nothing at that level was professional negligence.

“Well, I guess only people with opinions bother making suggestions.”

I stared at the backs of the heads of the Spark members finding their seats after the group greeting. If it were those guys, the moment I said “Our concept this time is luxury theme,” they would rush in like a swarm of bees asking “Why?”, “Did you consider the dissonance from the existing image?”, “Do you think the pros of the new concept can offset the cons from the concept change?”. How reassuring.

In any case, it really pays off to raise people well. Whether it’s a junior or an idol.

As in the previous season, Hellas Yur was the MC. This time, however, he wasn’t alone.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Polo!”

Polo had joined. Hellas Yur definitely had been the only one in the waiting room earlier. The poor junior groups, who had been completely fooled, jumped to their feet and greeted him as if struck by lightning.

After a brief self-introduction from the new MC, the program explanation began in earnest. The overarching theme was a competition among princes to determine who would ascend the throne, selecting the finest talents through a series of banquets.

“What sets Season 2 apart from Season 1?”

“Idol Annals of the Dynasty Season 2 provides various pleasures to viewers through a total of six stages. For the top scorer of each competition excluding the proclamation ceremony... we will produce a Sacho (Historical Draft) video containing the competition preparation process!”

That was a surprisingly powerful perk. Judging by the term Sacho, it seemed they intended to roughly work on raw footage. Instead of short edited cuts produced for broadcast, it would be packed with content, featuring only one team exclusively.

High-definition content served up by the broadcaster with subtitles? A full-length look at your idols’ nervous moments you’d previously only seen in fragments or edited highlights? Any fan would want that.

And imagine everyone else’s group getting one—except yours. No idol fan could stay sane watching that.

“What benefits does the final heir to the throne receive, Mr. Polo?”

“A king must have a coronation. To celebrate the winner who’ll be recorded in history, we’ll provide funding for a luxurious fan showcase!”

“Wow!”

The surroundings buzzed at the exceptional benefit.

Not a press showcase but a fan showcase? They weren’t just throwing out the word luxury while only covering stage installation costs, right?

“This question isn’t in the script, but Mr. Hellas Yur.”

“Yes?”

“When you say luxurious showcase... how far does the support extend?”

As expected of Polo. Being knowledgeable about the market and having seniority, he was unstoppable. Unlike his smiling face looking troubled, Hellas Yur recited the benefits as if explaining insurance terms.

“Venue rental and stage installation costs, of course, and a small snack fee for participating fans will also be provided. That’s what we’ve been informed so far.”

His understanding of the program was impressive. He even paused before clarifying it was based on prior information, clearly marking it for easier editing. Exemplary seniors, truly.

“Cool. I want to win.”

Amidst this, Lee Cheonghyeon, having become one with capitalism, had stars in his eyes. I had no idea what made him like this.

Next came the highlight of today’s shoot: the former group self-PR stage, now called the Banquet Ceremony.

Performance order was decided by jegichagi. I became our team representative for the crime of listing soccer as my favorite sport.

(TL note: Jegichagi is a Korean traditional outdoor game in which players kick a paper jegi into the air and attempt to keep it aloft.)

“Shouldn’t Spark get bonus points for their outfits?”

Polo joked. And rightly so, among those who came out to kick the jegi, my pants fluttered the most. Exaggerating a bit, my pants were more excessive than those of Parte’s dance member whose pants legs looked as wide as a waist.

“Can I request time to adjust my outfit?”

“As much as you need.”

Thanks to Hellas Yur’s generous heart, I tidied up my hanbok pants, swallowing my tears.

Although I did my best, my score regrettably stayed in 2nd place. 1st place went to Terkit, who showed movements defying gravity. It was such an incredible sight that I couldn’t stop clapping.

When it came time to choose the next order, I picked sixth. I had received opinions from members beforehand that any time was fine, but I was curious how Parte would react if we took the same order as in Season 1.

Judging by their subtle but unmistakable fluster, a rough road definitely lay ahead.

Can’t be helped. When I get back to UA, I should ask whether they’re planning an IPO.

Among rough youths, Spark alone pursued the flower scholar look. Wearing different light orange translucent overcoats over hanbok made of fluttering material, we caught two rabbits: the effect of rich fabric and sophistication.

Thanks to the preceding groups except for Parte attempting intense image-making, Spark stood out even more.

“We’re the only one without smoky makeup... no hair wax either...”

“Even if you want a transfer, it’s too late. Our team is doomed without you.”

At my words, Lee Cheonghyeon graciously agreed to stay. I don’t know when he’ll finally take to heart my advice: “Cheonghyeon, your face is most beautiful when you do nothing to it.”

When it was Spark’s turn, we went on stage holding a fan each. These were fans spray-painted white by Kang Giyeon, with drawings in light ink by Jeong Seongjun, a Korean painting major.

I later learned that the dignified paintings hanging in the hallway of Jeong Seongbin’s house when I visited were also Jeong Seongjun’s works.

As I lightly tapped the fan against my palm to straighten it, someone in the distance said that Mr. Iwol looked like a Confucian instructor. It was unfair. Even by my real age standards, I could still pass for a Sungkyunkwan student.

“As far as I know, Spark are idols with many talents. So about this fan perhaps......”

Polo said, showing interest in the fan held by Jeong Seongbin standing next to him.

Before our activity record built up, there was no way for people to know our efforts unless we explained them ourselves. Even if we made it known that Spark touched everything from A to Z in Idol Annals of the Dynasty Season 1, it was hard to expect people to recognize that A to Z really meant from floor to ceiling.

However, now it was different. People knew Spark didn’t do anything half-heartedly, and that we worked far harder than anyone imagined.

Once acknowledged, the need to explain directly decreased afterward. The other party showed interest first and wanted to hear answers from us. It was truly a human triumph.

“Yes, we bought and reformed them ourselves.” 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

“At the dorm?”

“Spray painting isn’t good for the respiratory system, so we did it in the UA building parking lot. Everyone, please make sure to use spray paint in a well-ventilated space!”

At my comment, Kang Giyeon, who had been standing still, gave a thumbs up towards the camera. At this rate, Spark’s nickname might soon change from home-industry idols to public safety ambassadors.