Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols Chapter 432 - Misfits (4)

The social misfit controversy dragged on for quite some time. There were people who wanted to defend Park Joowoo by saying that geniuses tend to have one or two unusual traits, but those opinions only added fuel to the fire and made things worse.

 

Rumors also circulated claiming to be ‘proof’ that Park Joowoo was drifting away from Spark. For instance, his habit of frequenting the balcony because he enjoyed tending to plants was distorted into a narrative that he was actively avoiding uncomfortable interactions with his fellow members.

 

Ordinarily, a small stir like this would have been settled within the K-pop fan communities. However, Spark’s high level of public recognition—and specifically Park Joowoo, who had become a general public favorite—combined with the fact that it hadn’t been long since the All Over incident, where there had been allegations of coercion to cover up a drug incident within a group, ended up adding frightening momentum to the situation.

 

≫ How are we even supposed to respond to people who crop everything out of context, grab a single frame, and insist he’s ‘sighing’? My head hurts so much.

 

≫ Are these solo stans acting like this because they think UA will immediately give him a solo album if the group disbands…? Have you all forgotten Joowoo saying the members are his biggest support system? Get a grip.

└ I saw them screenshot my post and claim we’re pressuring him not to go soloㅋㅋㅋㅋ They even bashed me for being a Kiyeon stan just because of my profile pic. Do they think my All-Fan status is just for decoration?

└ If you’ve watched Joowoo brag about the members and the members brag about Joowoo since debut, how can you casually say ‘Re-debut as a soloist’ or tell the members to ‘Treat Joowoo better’? Setting everything else aside, did you think the saying ‘It’s harder to love Spark more than Kim Iwol does’ was just a joke?

└ I’m using initials even while writing this because I’m afraid the boys might see it, but I’m blocking everyone who doesn’t use search-safe terms and talks nonsense about him being ‘socially dead’ or claiming ‘he’s the one fueling the fire’. I’d rather listen to ‘Speaker’ one more time than reply to those trashy comments.

 

The sparks even flew toward the line distribution. People argued that Park Joowoo, the main vocalist, was being given too few parts. Even though a strict quota system had been applied ever since I was kicked out of the position of part distribution manager, some people were still dissatisfied.

 

“They say if you give him the intro or mid sections, the main vocal isn’t being treated properly, but if you give him the highlight, then he’s just stuck being a high-note machine… This kind of narrative seems to be especially strong with this album.”

 

Kang Kiyeon provided the supplementary explanation. It was maddening.

 

“Why didn’t I notice this?”

 

“Your monitoring time has decreased.”

 

As Kang Kiyeon said, the monitoring time allowed to me had been cut down to the absolute minimum. The company had strictly restricted my internet access, especially warning me to be careful until the trial was over.

 

Because I was only checking the immediate album reactions and major issues, I couldn’t look into the more detailed areas. I hadn’t expected something like this to happen in the meantime…

No, that was just an excuse. This wasn’t an unprecedented case in the entertainment industry; I was simply complacent.

 

“Don’t worry too much. Joowoo hyung promised to start eating well again from tomorrow. Right?”

 

“Daeyeon hyung says he’s sourcing tofu all the way from Gangwon Province.”

 

Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Kiyeon tried their best to change the atmosphere. Watching his dongsaengs sticking to his side, Park Joowoo gave a bitter smile.

 

* * *

 

Regardless of whether Park Joowoo was a social misfit or truly wanted a solo career, Spark’s activities continued. The new concept brought in a new demographic of fans. The controversies and mentions ultimately translated into high buzz levels.

 

Even as interest in the group grew and their performance stayed at a peak, Park Joowoo’s condition did not improve. I suggested he take a break if it was too hard, but he refused. And he never showed a hint of it in front of the cameras.

 

People at the company told him, ‘Joowoo, there’s nothing wrong with you’, but it had little effect. Even if I wanted to do something for him, there was nothing I could do when he himself didn’t want my help.

 

‘I can’t keep whining to Jeong Seongbin either… what should I do?’

 

To resolve the issue with Park Joowoo, it was faster to approach his best friend, Jeong Seongbin. However, I had already bothered Jeong Seongbin recently regarding the matter with Gu Jahan, and since Jeong Seongbin was currently the one taking care of Park Joowoo from the closest distance, I felt bad about leaning on him further.

 

Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Kiyeon were feeling awkward about whether they should get more involved in their hyung’s problem, so the only person left to lean on was…

 

“Why is it that it’s only you?”

 

“Are you picking a fight?”

 

…Choi Jeho.

 

Seriously, just cooperate a little. I’m already straining my eyes at every schedule, worried stage equipment might fall on you. It’s only natural you don’t recognize my efforts, but at least try to be a bit civil.

 

“So, what do you want me to help with?”

 

“I want you to let me know if there’s anything unusual about Joowoo. If he shows any unconscious signs of struggling, we need to stop him from pushing himself.”

 

“Wouldn’t it be better to just ask him directly? Or tell him to rest.”

 

“……”

 

“You don’t want to be hated for bringing up a finished topic again?”

 

Seriously, these guys had only gotten better at poking at people’s weak spots.

 

Despite my angry glare, Choi Jeho didn’t care. He simply worked his dull brain to search his memories.

 

“Nothing special, really…”

 

Choi Jeho trailed off.

 

“There is one thing.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“When he’s in his room, he wears his headset almost the entire time.”

 

“Doesn’t he usually wear his headset often? Joowoo loves listening to music.”

 

“He doesn’t listen to music.”

 

“Huh?”

 

I thought I had misunderstood Choi Jeho’s words. Or that Choi Jeho had said it backward.

But Choi Jeho did not correct himself.

 

“I said, he doesn’t listen to music.”

 

* * *

 

My head became even more complicated after the conversation with Choi Jeho.

 

‘Was it always like that? Or just recently?’

 

‘Especially recently. Usually, he listened to music just fine.’

 

‘How could you tell whether he was listening to music or not?’

 

‘I could tell by seeing if he touched his phone before putting the headset on.’

 

Choi Jeho also said that Park Joowoo rarely charged the headset anymore. Recently, there were frequent cases where he wore the headset even while sleeping, and Choi Jeho mentioned that once, when Park Joowoo happened to leave it off for a moment, there was no sound coming from it at all.

 

Even lying in bed, my restless mind wouldn’t settle.

 

‘Is it because his senses are sensitive? Is it like… a feeling of wanting to be alone?’

 

It wasn’t entirely incomprehensible. When people are exhausted, they lose their appetite and even help from those around them can feel burdensome. Realizing that these were signs of him not being in a good state only made me more anxious.

 

At the same time, a conversation I had with Park Joowoo long ago suddenly came to mind. When Jeong Seongbin received the OST request for ‘In My Office’, I had asked Park Joowoo if he was okay with it not being his turn.

 

‘It’s not that I just trust you… it’s because we promised.’

 

‘……’

 

‘Hyung, you always kept your words.’

 

‘That’s why I’m waiting for my turn. I can wait until then.’

 

Back then, Park Joowoo had clearly said…

 

‘Until we do a band together, and sing intense songs.’

 

…He said ‘together’. He called it a ‘promise’.

 

‘We said we’d play together…’

 

Looking at that Park Joowoo, I had also thought, ‘Promises are important.’

 

And even most recently.

 

‘I’m talking about this pathetic attitude where I don’t want to do anything alone.’

 

Park Joowoo had stated it clearly. He didn’t want to do things alone, precisely.

 

‘The important thing wasn’t the band.’

 

Doing things together as six, keeping the promise.

 

The band was just one of the genres he liked and things he wanted to do together; these two were what Park Joowoo had been insisting all along.

 

The core was elsewhere, and yet I had been saying frustrating things next to him, so he must have been stifled. Belatedly, I started to understand Park Joowoo’s attitude… until I hit a question.

 

‘Didn’t the previous Park Joowoo pursue the same values?’

 

So far, the deep inner essence shown by the Spark members wasn’t much different from what I knew before I regressed. The past Park Joowoo wouldn’t have been exceptionally different. Considering how he had tried to mediate when Jeong Seongbin and Lee Cheonghyeon fought due to a misunderstanding.

 

A guy who liked the team being together more than even the stage he loved—would he have actively agreed to disbandment?

 

Park Joowoo’s video letter played as a VCR at the concert lingered in my mind.

 

‘…You told me to let you know whenever there was something I wanted to do. You might have thought it was a band… but my wish is to sing and dance with the members forever on the stage we are standing on right now.’

 

Even the answer Park Joowoo gave when I suggested that trivial balance game.

 

‘I don’t want to give up good memories because of a fleeting moment.’

 

Forever. And giving up.

 

I wonder if the previous Park Joowoo, with his nature intact, would have really agreed to the disbandment so easily.

 

An unexplainable sense of unease crept in.

 

‘System, can I re-watch memory data I’ve already opened?’

 

The system readily permitted it. It asked which data I wanted to see.

 

‘The day I died.’

 

My vision darkened. My body had returned to that dark, dingy room.

 

When I first opened this data, I had touched my dead self’s hair with my hand. The memory of the hair slipping through my fingertips was vivid. It meant I could exert some level of influence in that past space.

 

I walked up to the computer. The news of Spark’s disbandment was still on the screen.

I took a deep breath and placed my hand on the mouse; the touch of the plastic, which had no warmth left, felt vivid.

 

The article title, highlighted in blue from dragging over it, glowed on the screen.

 

[Spark, Fails to Overcome the ‘7-Year Curse’… To Go Through Disbandment Procedures.]

 

I scrolled down with a trembling hand. The page moved.

 

[The five-member boy group Spark will undergo disbandment procedures after failing to overcome the 7-year curse. UA Entertainment announced through their official account that Spark will end their activities following their upcoming national tour.]

.

.

.

[Discussions were held with the goal of renewing all contracts, but they fell through.]

[It is confirmed that the decision to disband was made much earlier than the official announcement.]

[It is reported that none of the members have signed exclusive contracts with other agencies yet.]

[A line was drawn stating that there would be no group activities for the five members after the disbandment……]

 

The contents of the article felt like a dagger to my heart.

 

It was then. Below the advertisement box on the right side of the screen, red arrows began to appear one after another next to the ‘Popular Articles’.