Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols

Thanks to the system, I truly recovered in just two weeks. Everyone marveled at my astounding recovery speed.

 

If it were up to me, I would’ve turned off the work support service, taken advantage of my fully recharged body, and even signed up for a Jiu-Jitsu class. But considering the worried looks around me, I decided to hold back. I was determined to become a self-defense master before the year ended.

 

There was also good news.

 

With the system’s restrictions lifted and Yoo Hansoo gone, UA’s support had significantly expanded.

 

Feeling guilty for not providing proper support before, UA promised to spare no expense for our final stage performance.

 

Seizing the opportunity, we hired an entire dance team. Spending company money really was the best thing in the world.

 

Even though the doctor officially declared me fully recovered, I decided to stick to the plan and join in only from the middle of the performance.

 

Since I was going to join from the dance break, I learned the dance break choreography separately from the dance instructor, and I ended up watching the guys practice from the side during verses 1 and 2…

 

‘What?’

 

I could tell with just a glance.

 

These guys, their spirit was on a completely different level.

 

The way their weight shifted, the friction of their shoes, the angles of their fingers, the flow of their waves—everything was perfectly synchronized.

 

They said they had finished preparations perfectly up to the part where I entered, but they were at a level where they could go on stage right away.

 

As Jeong Seongbin stopped the music, Kang Kiyeon approached me and said,

 

“You can come in here, hyung.”

 

“Can I just not step in?”

 

“Get in position before I pick you up and place you there myself.”

 

I trudged over to my spot.

 

“You learned all the choreography, right?”

 

“Yeah. But I want to try it at a slower speed first.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Kang Kiyeon nodded and returned to his position.

 

Then, Lee Cheonghyeon, who was next to me, exclaimed,

 

“Ah, finally, we’re six again!”

 

Looking ahead, I saw Spark and I were reflected in the large mirror opposite us.

 

Jeong Seongbin, whose eyes met mine in the mirror, smiled faintly.

 

They looked so damn good as five members, I couldn’t be the one to ruin that.

 

For the first time in a while, I felt a sense of responsibility. It wasn’t a bad feeling.

 

* * *

 

The positive effects weren’t just limited to finances.

 

‘The costume order is finished?’

 

‘Yes. Once we relayed the concept, the planning and production teams moved quickly.’

 

With Yoo Hansoo and the production team leader completely removed from their duties, the organization finally began to function smoothly.

 

As someone who knew all too well how painful it was to have a terrible person in the mix, I was deeply moved.

 

Now that the process was established, I wouldn’t have to struggle from scratch like before. It was such a relief.

 

Most of the other preliminary work had been completed while I was in the hospital. Naturally, my late-night overwork disappeared.

 

Thanks to that, I could now go straight to bed after practice. What a luxurious life.

 

‘At this point… I should probably take a moment to assess the situation.’

 

I’d been neglecting to grasp the current situation because of the flurry of events and being busy, but I shouldn’t lose sight of my goal.

 

Lying on my side to avoid pressing my injury against the pillow, I started retracing the series of events.

 

First, there was hope of contacting my parents.

 

Before, I thought the system had completely severed the connection between us, but this incident proved otherwise.

 

Even if they still didn’t want to be involved with me, the situation could always change.

 

I prepared questions in advance so I wouldn’t be flustered and could ask what I needed when I finally got in touch with them.

 

Next, I felt the need to clearly understand the scope of my safety.

 

At least, based on what I’ve grasped so far…

  

…I think it could be summarized as such.

 

This time, I survived thanks to the employment insurances, but there was no guarantee it’d be the same next time.

 

I had to stay alive to save my sister. I’d have to approach this more carefully in the future.

 

Thirdly, this was more of a question than information.

 

It was the question of ‘Why is the system doing this to me?’.

 

Ideally, I should have pondered this question earlier, but I wasn’t great at multitasking. It was only now, with some breathing room, that I could reflect on it.

 

If asked whether the system was 100% negative, I could definitely say no.

 

I still couldn’t forgive it for wiping out my academic achievements. But if that was the price for the chance to bring my sister back, then so be it.

 

And although its methods were very unkind, the system had clearly warned me before Yoo Hansoo attacked me. If it weren’t for the system, I might’ve been on the brink of death.

 

Then, was the system entirely on my side?

 

‘I don’t think so.’

 

Keeping me alive and constantly making me do things—wasn’t it because the system has a purpose? If I could figure that out, I might be able to utilize the system better.

 

One day, I’d form a union and get my revenge on this damn system. Just wait till I hit my final KPI—I’d give the Virtual Career Planet a one-star rating.

 

Fueled by boiling rage, I finally calmed down after 30 minutes. As my thoughts settled, I became aware of a dull headache I had previously ignored.

 

‘How the hell does it heal my body but not my nerves?’

 

Moments like these made me realize how unreal the system truly was.

 

What was the point of recovering in two weeks if the pain lingered for eight?

 

Though the pain had dulled compared to when the accident first happened, it was still there, so I wrapped my head in the blanket and curled up.

 

Then, I heard a rustling sound from the side. I also heard the sound of a blanket being lifted and Choi Jeho stepping onto the floor.

 

I held my breath until he left the room.

 

I thought he was just going to the bathroom, but his footsteps passed right by it.

 

Then I heard the refrigerator open. I could hear him rummaging through the freezer diligently, the clattering sounds reaching the room.

 

‘Is this bastard having a late-night snack?’

 

Right before the final episode of the program? At a time when he should be burning fat more diligently than anyone else? As the group’s center, no less?

 

I considered rushing out and catching him red-handed, but decided against it. I should reprimand him, but my head hurt too much.

 

Besides, Choi Jeho wasn’t the type to gain weight just from one slip-up. He was even learning acrobatics for the final performance, so he must be burning a lot of calories.

 

There was no high-calorie food in the dorm either, so even if he sneaked a snack, it would be something like a frozen yogurt stick.

 

‘Do we even have something edible in our dorm’s fridge?’

 

Now my imagination ran wild, thinking, ‘That bastard Choi Jeho has been hiding something and secretly eating it whenever he gets a chance, without the members knowing.’

 

Tomorrow, I’d turn the dorm upside down as soon as the sun rose up.

 

And I’d raid his secret food stash and make an example out of him…

 

As I clenched my fists and planned the grand cleaning, he calmly returned to the room.

 

Then, without even closing the door, he approached my bed.

 

His hand then grabbed my head, which was under the blanket. He grabbed too close to my injury, and I nearly screamed.

 

“Ouch…!”

 

“What, why is your head here?”

 

Choi Jeho’s voice also rose in surprise. I lifted the blanket and raised my head to see Choi Jeho frowning deeply.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“I was trying to grab your shoulder.”

 

Judging by his words, it seemed he had reached out randomly in the dark.

 

“Why are you grabbing someone’s shoulder in the middle of the night?”

 

“You think I wanted to?”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, I felt something cold pressed on my face. Choi Jeho was holding out an ice pack wrapped in a towel.

 

“For me?”

 

“What’s the point of having it if you don’t use it?”

 

I kneaded the ice pack without replying.

 

As I placed the pack near my injury, the pain seemed to subside.

 

“Nice. Feels cool.”

 

“Don’t put it directly on your head.”

 

“I know that much. But why did you…”

 

“Because you keep tossing and turning.”

 

Choi Jeho lay back down on his bed. Even after such a considerate act, his back turned to me, just like usual.

 

Staring at the back of his head, I quietly apologized.

 

“Sorry. I must’ve kept you up.”

 

“I’m sleeping now.”

 

After those words, he was silent for a while, then muttered,

 

“Wake me up if it gets worse.”

 

How kind. This ahjussi almost teared up.

 

As the pain subsided, sleepiness crept in. I closed my eyes and replied,

 

“Yeah, thanks.”

 

* * *

 

Even long projects eventually came to an end.

 

The day of IDC’s finale, after much talk and many incidents, had finally dawned.

 

Perhaps due to all the hardships they’d endured, everyone had sharp jawlines, not a hint of puffiness. With jawlines like that, they should all put on a paper-cutting-using-jawlines show.

 

One burdensome thing was that too many eyes were on me.

 

First of all, my appearance was the reason. After my surgery, the doctors had shaved a small area near the wound for the stitching (The doctor had proudly reassured me that they had minimized the shaving out of consideration for my idol status), and I wore a cap to hide it, which ironically made me stand out amongst the glamorous idols.

 

‘There’s no way they don’t know why I’m wearing a hat.’

 

Not only had the incident made entertainment news, but it had even been covered in general news segments, so everyone must have been surprised…

 

“Mr. Iwol, are you performing on stage today?”

 

…Even MC Yur looked genuinely shocked, which was unexpected given his typically composed expression.

 

Mr. Yur even made us, who had come to greet him in the waiting room, sit in a row on the sofa and handed us snacks.

 

“I’m just going to make a brief appearance and then leave!”

 

“Are you sure that’s okay? I heard you were seriously injured.”

 

“I have good resilience.”

  

Additionally, after receiving greetings from Berion—who had apparently been telling everyone how good of a person I was, to the point where I almost teared up—I returned to the waiting room feeling completely drained.

 

The only idols I properly knew were Spark. When did I suddenly acquire all these glittering celebrity acquaintances?

 

“It was tough at the time, but now that it’s ending, I feel kind of sentimental.”

 

Lee Cheonghyeon said, squeezing into the seat next to me.

 

“We haven’t even performed yet, how can you be sentimental already?”

 

“I knew you’d say that, hyung.”

 

Even though he knew, he still said it anyway… This guy’s gotten bolder.

 

This was the same guy who once ran away because he was too scared to debut with his own song.

 

“You’ve changed a lot in less than a year, haven’t you?”

 

“What are you talking about? I haven’t lost my original mindset!”

 

“That’s not what I meant.”

 

Lee Cheonghyeon ran to Jeong Seongbin, his face pale.

 

He then pestered Jeong Seongbin, asking if his eyes had lost their spark. Anyone watching would think I had been relentlessly nagging him.