Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols

Apart from Lee Cheonghyeon, the members of Spark were generally quiet by nature.

 

Moreover, they didn’t speak in high volumes. Naturally, the personalities of the members all seemed similar whenever they were exposed on the broadcast.

 

Lee Cheonghyeon alone had limits in lifting up the subdued atmosphere.

 

Thanks to this, if I had to put it kindly, the shows Spark appeared on could be compared to nature documentaries.

 

To put it unkindly, well, I don’t have to bother telling you.

 

‘That’s why it’s hard for people to become fans.’

 

In a situation where you would still have a hard time even if you put a group that suited everyone’s taste.

 

Putting them in a lineup as if they were stamped out from a fish-shaped pastry mold and saying, ‘Look! We’ve got this many of the same ones, so it must be even tastier, right?’ Who would come to see them?

 

Marketing only worked if you had something to sell.

 

To allow fans to dig into the members’ A to Z with an excavator, it seemed good to at least dig a shallow hole in the bare ground.

 

‘At the very least, they have to be able to reveal their individuality to some degree.’

 

That way, at the very least, an additional perfect-fitting prop could be added to their debut album.

 

(TL note: In case you’re confused, the additional perfect-fitting prop Iwol mentioned here is referring to himself.)

 

After letting out a deep sigh, I erased all my search history and returned the phone to the manager.

 

Then, I watched the members closely during the break time of group practice.

 

I recalled the email I received from Director Nam’s daughter, which said that perfect character understanding came from affection and obsession.

 

There was nothing more convenient than using refined language when defining something.

 

So I started describing these guys’ personalities by borrowing the keywords I saw in web novels.

 

For instance, I set ‘aloof puppy’ as the default image for Park Joowoo, who always sat blankly in a corner during breaks.

 

As for Choi Jeho, who monopolized the director’s daughter’s affection and would become the shining center of Spark…

 

“So you are… a cool, aloof genius character with a tactless side.”

 

…I gave him a particularly more flashy label.

 

However, Choi Jeho responded indifferently.

 

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

 

“What do you think about changing your personality a bit since your aloof trait overlaps with Joowoo?”

 

My reasonable suggestion did not ease Choi Jeho’s scowl.

 

It was undesirable for over half the team to achieve the triple crown of aloofness, coldness, and indifference. Such a shame.

 

“Hyung! What about me?!”

 

Thinking that I was saying something interesting, Lee Cheonghyeon bounced over, leaving Kang Kiyeon in front of the mirror.

 

“There was something like ‘sunshine’. You can be that.”

 

“Why am I one making a compromise?!”

 

“If a better description comes up, we can always change it.”

 

As I was assigning the third trait to each member, the practice room door opened.

 

It was Min Jukyung.

 

“Sorry for interrupting your practice!”

 

Min Jukyung, who entered with a smile, was holding a piece of paper.

 

He stuck the paper onto the whiteboard installed on one wall of the practice room.

 

Then he looked at me and said.

 

“I’m posting the evaluation results here. There are no special notes, so everyone just check when you have time!”

 

Surely he knew it was human nature to check your grade reports as soon you received it.

 

He was probably trying to talk lightly out of consideration for the trainees.

 

I probably had a similar expression when I said to people around me, ‘I’ve finished inputting the performance evaluation results, please check them.’

 

And since there were no special notes, it seemed I wasn’t getting cut off.

 

Well done, Kim Iwol. You managed to survive these terrible conditions.

 

Having achieved my minimal goal, I headed straight for the whiteboard.

 

Since I avoided getting cut, I could gladly accept whatever the remaining results were.

 

February Monthly Evaluation (Ranked by Score)

 

Park Joowoo

 

Choi Jeho

 

Lee Cheonghyeon

 

Jeong Seongbin

 

Kang Kiyeon

 

Kim Iwol

 

※ Detailed feedback will be provided during class!

 

Even though it was the expected result, actually ranking 6th out of 6 people made me feel complicated.

 

Maybe it was because I’d never been in the last place before. I guess people really do need to experience everything.

 

+

 

[SYSTEM] ‘Task’ completed.

 

▷ Reward: Exp (30)

 

▷ Total exp: 40

 

▷ Total points: 0

 

+

 

Just in time, the exp for passing the monthly evaluation arrived as well.

 

But it didn’t end there

 

+

 

[SYSTEM] Additional exp awarded.

 

▷ Reason: Highly rated by a ‘close team member’

 

▷ Reward: Exp (10) 

 

▷ Total exp: 50

 

▷ Total points: 0

 

+

 

Someone must have thought very highly of me, as I received an additional 10 experience points.

 

Thank you. May your family be blessed for three generations.

 

I turned around, resolving to grow at least to the level of ‘last place but fought hard’ before debuting.

 

At that moment, I made eye contact with Jeong Seongbin, who was calmly checking the paper.

 

At the same time, I recalled what Jeong Seongbin had said a few days ago.

 

‘There aren’t that many trainees at the company, but at some point, the rankings haven’t really changed much.’

 

Jeong Seongbin now… couldn’t be said to be at ease, but his expression looked better than before.

 

A face with a complicated expression but not at all looked grim.

 

For some reason, seeing that face, I felt somewhat compensated for the shame I felt that day.

 

* * *

 

The advantage of being a beginner was that I looked like I had made great progress just by taking one step.

 

And that one step was indeed a huge leap from a beginner’s perspective.

 

Thanks to the solid groundwork laid in the initial stages, the subsequent lessons didn’t feel overwhelmingly daunting.

 

Moreover, UA was a company that didn’t hold back on praise in such areas.

 

“Iwol, you’ve improved a lot.”

 

“Really?”

 

The vocal teacher nodded. It was a great environment for a beginner to grow.

 

Though I still had a long way to go in the dance classes where I worked my legs until I felt like they would explode, there was still progress.

 

The most helpful aspect was that once I learned the movements, I didn’t forget them. I didn’t want to be the one stopping the music during group practice.

 

With a desperate heart, I diligently invested the welfare points I earned from accumulating over 100 exp into proficiency.

 

As a result, my current proficiency levels were like this.

 

+

 

Performance Evaluation (100)

 

– Vocal proficiency: 5(▲)/20

 

– Dance proficiency: 4(▲)/20

 

– Self PR: 12/20

 

– Attendance management: 18/20

 

– Organizational adaptability: 10/20

 

Total point: 0

 

+

 

Even though I hadn’t invested any points into vocal proficiency, it increased on its own. It was a commendable feat.

 

From this case, I learned that skills didn’t necessarily only increase from gaining exp.

 

It was disappointing that the total proficiency was still in the single digits, but expecting results after just a month of practice was unrealistic. So, I decided to just appreciate the fact that the scores had gone up.

 

A new task also appeared.

 

+

 

[SYSTEM] ‘New task’ has been assigned.

 

▷ Raise dance proficiency to 5 by the end of the March monthly evaluation.

 

▷ Reward: The right to view other members’ resumes, 3 standard proposal templates for debut album planning

 

+

 

The next monthly evaluation in March would probably be the final assessment to determine the debut team.

 

Since I had pushed the debut schedule forward by a year, the group should be finalized soon.

 

But how could they drag it out until March while saying the debut team would be finalized based on the February evaluation?

 

This was why the group disbanded and society collapsed in the past after delaying the debut for two whole years…

 

Putting the task aside, the reward was really disappointing.

 

I was interested in viewing the resumes, but the fact that they said it as a ‘right’ felt petty, which was annoying. As for the debut album planning… I just had a strong feeling it would only create more work.

 

Once you had things like that, you inevitably ended up using them at some point. And it would always be me using them.

 

So I really didn’t want to receive the 3 template set.

 

However, since my job was set as the producing member, it seemed more convenient to receive them in advance, so I decided to accept the situation calmly.

 

If necessary, I could just receive the templates and think, ‘Oh right, I had those!’ a few months later.

 

“Should we tear off the calendar now?”

 

“Yes, please!”

 

With Jeong Seongbin’s permission, Lee Cheonghyeon tore off the page from the wall calendar hanging in the practice room.

 

March had begun.

 

* * *

 

The concept of time for office workers differed slightly from non-office workers.

 

For example, when I was in college, my concept of time was like this.

 

March–June / September–November: Semester period + minor part-time work

 

July-August/December-February: Working part-time like a dog

 

Then, after joining Hanpyeong Industry, my perception of time changed to this:

 

March-November: Busy months

 

December: The month when I barely breathe

 

January: The month I can’t even breathe

 

February: The month I can’t go home

 

As a result, I had momentarily forgotten.

 

That March was the month when a new semester began.

 

That meant the high school students at our dorm also went back to school for the new semester.

 

It was when Lee Cheonghyeon’s alarm went off earlier than usual that I noticed this fact.

 

Thinking that it seemed to ring earlier than usual, I got up and noticed that Choi Jeho across from me wasn’t even stirring in his sleep.

 

Just as I wondered what was up with that guy who usually got up right when the alarm rang out, Lee Cheonghyeon came down from his bed with a tired expression.

 

“Are you sick? Why the long face?”

 

“I’m just tired… Hyung, set your alarm and sleep more. It’s only 7 now.”

 

“7?”

 

I checked the time and it was indeed 7 am. It was an hour earlier than our usual wake-up time.

 

“I should’ve gone to bed early yesterday… I stupidly stayed up late.”

 

Then Lee Cheonghyeon opened the closet and took out a familiar gray school uniform.

 

It was the uniform I saw when compiling his private life photos to make a subway birthday ad.

 

‘Right, he’s seventeen now.’

 

So, Lee Cheonghyeon was just starting high school.

 

It felt like ages since I entered university.

 

I worried again whether debuting in the same team with these guys was morally right.

 

“Is today the start of the semester?”

 

“Hyung, it’s not the start of the semester, it’s the start of the school year! And it’s not the start of the school year for me, it’s the entrance ceremony!”

 

Lee Cheonghyeon pounced on my slip of the tongue. Seeing him so energetic just 3 minutes after waking up, it seemed I didn’t need to worry about his stamina.

 

I left the room following behind Lee Cheonghyeon who seemed to be heading to wash up.

 

In the living room, Jeong Seongbin and Kang Kiyeon were wandering around in their school uniforms.

 

Perhaps because they were from different high schools, their uniforms looked quite different in color and design from Lee Cheonghyeon’s.

 

≫ Those blueberry yogurt era photos are precious… Why the f*ck they didn’t take selfies with those faces? Not taking 100 selfies a day with those faces is dereliction of duty, it pisses the f*ck out of me

 

└This isn’t just a gradient of anger, it’s straight-up rage.

 

Looking at their light purple uniforms reminded me of a post I had seen on social media.

 

When I had time, I should tell these three to sit on the dorm couch and take some selfies.

 

“Are you guys going to eat breakfast before you leave?”

 

“Seongbin hyung said he’d make toast for us.”

 

Now that I looked at it, three slices of bread were on the frying pan.

 

It seemed he was just toasting the bread without any jam or eggs. The world of idols was tough on both the mouth and the heart.

 

“If it’s just toasting, I can do it. You guys get ready to leave.”

 

“Yes? You don’t have to…”

 

“I can’t sleep anymore anyway. Once I wake up, I can’t go back to sleep.”

 

I wasn’t particularly good at cooking, but I could at least toast some bread.

 

When I took the spatula away, Jeong Seongbin fidgeted around me before retreating.

 

“I think there are some eggs in the fridge. Should I fry them?”

 

“No, hyung! It’s really okay!”

 

“I am okay too…”

 

“Please put eggs on mine!”

 

Before Kang Kiyeon could even finish his sentence, Lee Cheonghyeon shouted from the bathroom. I wondered what kind of hearing he had to catch that.