After hearing “With List” right after the opening, Baek Haeweon felt completely drained. It was a blessing the chair had a cushion.

In the middle of that, Kang Giyeon came forward to grab water—and their eyes met. His already sharp eye line stood out even more when he smiled. Even the character bandage on his cheek was enough to drive people insane.

‘I’m saying this for the thirtieth time. Smiling like a troublemaker in a school uniform should be illegal.’

Kang Giyeon grabbed two bottles with straws, handed one to Park Juu, and sipped his own. Even from afar, he was unbearably cute. And when all six of them gathered together, Spark’s cuteness {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} multiplied sixfold.

‘These uniforms are insane. Seriously.’

The deep navy school uniform jackets and pants gave off a calmer impression than the ones Spark had worn in past music videos. Rather than freshmen, they felt like upperclassmen seniors.

Of course, Baek Haeweon’s school didn’t have seniors like that.

“Nice to meet you, Sparklers!”

“Nice to meet you!”

The fans answered Spark’s greeting in unison.

“It was really cold today, right...?”

Park Juu asked, gripping the mic with both hands. As if Sparklers had felt even a bit cold. They’d been burning for about five hours now.

“The day we hold our own concert has finally come. Maybe because something we only imagined has become reality... it still doesn’t feel real.”

At Jeong Seongbin’s words, the members nodded. In the distance, Kim Iwol slowly scanned the audience. Following his gaze, Baek Haeweon saw waves of light sticks swaying in response.

“We opened with ‘Flowering’ and ‘With List.’ How was it?”

“In two months, it’ll already be two years since ‘Flowering’ was released.”

“Time really flies. I was in middle school when I first saw those guys.”

“It’s already been that long?”

Choi Jeho stared at Kang Giyeon in disbelief. Baek Haeweon felt the same.

Two years was shocking. So much had happened, it felt more like five.

Next year, all of Spark would be adults. It felt like just yesterday that most of them were minors.

“Our youngest members are saying goodbye to school uniforms this year. How do you feel about that?”

At Kim Iwol’s question, disappointed murmurs filled the crowd. If refreshing-idols don’t wear school uniforms, what are they supposed to wear?

Lee Cheonghyeon said he didn’t mind, since his school uniform wasn’t nice anyway—but if Sparklers wanted, he could always bring back the concept. Kang Giyeon chimed in that he agreed, and the crowd’s groans disappeared.

“If we do school uniforms again next year, I might be in trouble.”

The moment Kim Iwol tried to steer the conversation—

“You can wear them for ten more years!”

—a booming voice came from the opposite side. Kim Iwol blinked wide-eyed, then lowered his mic and laughed.

“But now that we’re in our second year, shouldn’t we show a bit of growth?”

“We can show it, but can you two?”

Lee Cheonghyeon looked at Kim Iwol and Choi Jeho.

“You guys didn’t grow taller!”

Now slightly taller than Kim Iwol, Lee Cheonghyeon waved his hand above his own head. Kim Iwol looked incredulous.

“Cheonghyeon, we have experience.”

“Beyond growth... you’ve just aged, though?”

“Speaking of which, Jeho.”

Kim Iwol placed a hand on Choi Jeho’s shoulder.

“I think it’s time the eldest members show something.”

Back during “Ah. Dan. Un,” Choi Jeho had smacked Kim Iwol’s back—now, at the concert, Kim Iwol was patting Jeho’s shoulder. Baek Haeweon, weak to relationship changes, covered his mouth.

The stage lights went out.

Then, the sound of liquid sloshing filled the space. From the bottom of the side screens, a violet liquid slowly rose upward.

‘“Under Bar”...?’

It was a fan-favorite cover song—but since they’d already seen the full group version during the first anniversary content, it didn’t feel that new.

Until Kim Iwol and Choi Jeho appeared in the darkness.

“AAAAH!”

A scream burst out of Baek Haeweon’s mouth without his consent. Starting from the front row—those who saw them first—the chaos spread instantly.

Choi Jeho appeared without his jacket. His upper body paired perfectly with a white shirt. The rolled-up sleeves emphasized his forearms. And the fact that he’d thrown away the jacket but kept the tie perfectly in place was maddening.

Kim Iwol, standing beside him with his back turned, was even worse. The shirt was cinched at the waist, narrowing only at the middle. From his squared shoulders, his frame tapered sharply downward. It was too much to process. The black uniform pants now looked like perfectly tailored slacks.

Choi Jeho tapped the stage floor with the tip of his shoe.

The song began.

“Under the table

You send me a signal

Telling me to come to you”

‘They’re singing live?!’

During the anniversary, Spark had only followed the choreography like a typical challenge video.

This time, they were singing too. Even the arrangement sounded slightly different.

“As if you know

I’ve been waiting

Those eyes smiling from across”

A solo dance from a 187 cm man was enough to make someone pass out. Each time the deep wine-colored lighting washed over him, the shadows made his shirt look soaked in red wine.

“From beyond the line

Just watching”

Covering his eyes with one arm, Choi Jeho thrust his hips.

The subtle muscles in his forearm shifted. The fitted pants traced down his thighs.

Choi Jeho’s strength in fluid, wave-like choreography was one of the things that drove Sparklers insane.

And now, he was performing a new variation—packed with everything he was ridiculously good at.

After delivering a devastating impact, Choi Jeho aligned perfectly in front of Kim Iwol, then turned.

A pale hand slid down his back.

Kim Iwol revealed himself, tracing Jeho’s back with one arm.

“You know

I don’t want to cross the line

So stop”

‘They didn’t do this at the anniversary!’

Of course not. The original song didn’t have choreography like this.

After “Hi,” Kim Iwol had leveled up—not just in dance, but in sexiness. Baek Haeweon couldn’t take his hand off his mouth. He was already screaming—if he let himself go, who knew what would come out.

“Stop pretending

You don’t want it

Admit your leaking heart”

Baek Haeweon failed to maintain any sense of dignity. Seeing Kim Iwol push his hair back and smirk—there was no such thing as restraint anymore.

“If you don’t want to get caught

Come here”

Kim Iwol grabbed Choi Jeho’s tie.

Wrapping it around his hand, he sang—

“Under the bar

You knocked on”

Screams exploded so loudly that even the shutter sounds of telephoto cameras were drowned out.

When the three-minute song ended, all strength left his body. Baek Haeweon wiped his damp hands on his pants. His head spun.

But there was no time to rest.

“I want

To be the last one

Standing by your side”

Next came “MISSION,” one of Spark’s sexier tracks. Kang Giyeon appeared in tight leather pants and a black turtleneck.

‘Mom....’ 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

All of Spark came out in leather pants. Choi Jeho had removed his tie and returned wearing a black harness over his white shirt.

Kim Iwol was still wearing a shirt.

Except now half of it was gone.

Seeing the cut shirt and exposed abs, Baek Haeweon realized—the white belt around his waist earlier had been a tear line for quick styling.

Across Kim Iwol’s pale back, beneath the remains of the shirt—

An orchid stretched downward.

He almost swore. Being a refined, dignified Sparkler was impossibly difficult.

“I’ll escort you

All the way to the stage”

You’re saying you’ll escort us like that? Bare body with a chain?!

It was absurd. The fact that Jeong Seongbin had inherited Choi Jeho’s bare-body black leather harness was unbelievable. He’d been the most covered up in the “MISSION” MV.

If it had been overly fan-servicey, it would’ve felt off—but Spark’s styling team once again showed perfect taste.

The simple, thin chain suited Jeong Seongbin’s clean image. It crossed his chest without being excessive. The silver shine matched the bracelet on his wrist.

In short—it was just good.

Spark had definitely trained hard for today. Otherwise, those shirt fits made no sense. Especially the shoulders.

When the signature choreography hit, the venue descended into frenzy. Voices surged from deep within.

Park Juu with three buttons undone, Lee Cheonghyeon in glossy boots up to his shins—both were incredible.

But—

“The goal is just one:

To remain by your side.”

When Kang Giyeon, wearing leather gloves that covered only the backs of his hands, stepped into center with a relaxed, languid smile—

Baek Haeweon felt overwhelmed.

He had said he was just grateful to be able to join for the final stage. That he’d been sorry, that he regretted missing it.

Watching him now, Baek Haeweon had felt uneasy before.

But seeing him here—

Seeing that even after promotions ended, he could still stand on stage—

Baek Haeweon was genuinely, deeply happy.