Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols Chapter 458 - Break Period (3)

I intended to refund those floral shirts immediately. If someone had to be sacrificed, it should be me. I didn’t want to leave any more bizarre photos of Spark in the Sparklers’ galleries.

 

However, the guys tore the packages open and tried them on as soon as they arrived. They even held a review session among themselves, saying the fit was great and that it really made them feel like they were going on a trip.

 

‘In exchange, we will do one thing you want, hyung. Fair trade. Deal?’

 

Lee Cheonghyeon had the nerve to offer a deal. This was the reason I visited UA today.

 

“Iwol! Why are you at the office?!”

 

Ms. Jukyung greeted me enthusiastically. It was no wonder she was surprised. To put it nicely, I was on a ‘break’, but in reality, I was practically banned from entering the company for nearly three months.

 

Since I had caused a hole in the company’s operational plans, it was a fitting treatment in a way. The fact that they gave me a vacation instead of a disciplinary hearing showed UA’s soft side… but that wasn’t what was important right now.

 

“It’s shameless of me, but I’d like the help of five staff members with strong index finger joints.”

 

“What?”

 

“I need to have the kids practice for a marathon registration.”

 

You dare think about plastering your upper bodies in floral patterns and going to the airport?

 

I’ll make you regret it. Let’s see you run until every last petal falls off.

 

***

 

“Register for what?”

 

“A marathon…?”

 

Lee Cheonghyeon and Park Joowoo asked with expressions of pure disbelief.

 

“Don’t worry. It’s not a half-marathon; it’s just a 10km course. We already ran that when preparing for ISD.”

 

“Hyung, don’t you remember? You and Jeho hyung were the only ones who actually ran; the rest of us crawled across the finish line.”

 

Lee Cheonghyeon protested. I didn’t listen.

 

“Are you seriously talking about this ‘Bossam Run’ event?”

 

Kang Kiyeon pulled up a promotion poster with an intense design on his laptop. The title ‘My Neighborhood Bossam Run for a Healthy Me! Run and eat Bossam!’ stood out.

 

“It says it’s for a ‘healthy me.’ Didn’t you say building stamina before the trip was essential?”

 

“Hyung, you were just at the hospital not long ago. 10km is too much.”

 

Regardless of his own preferences, Jeong Seongbin worried about me first. But it was a needless worry. If I could make these guys run themselves to death, I was confident I could rebuild my stamina starting today by eating four meals a day and training.

 

“They give you bossam if you finish.”

 

“Kang Kyeon, is that really what you’re focusing on?!”

 

Lee Cheonghyeon barked. Regardless, Choi Jeho was already showing interest. For once, the guy was reading the text thoroughly and offered his opinion.

 

“Kim Iwol, what do you think about doing the 5km instead?”

 

“Why? You can easily run 10km.”

 

“It said there isn’t much bossam left if you do 10km.”

 

“Are you serious? Are you actually planning to eat the bossam there?”

 

“The calories won’t be an issue if we run more after eating.”

 

“Is that really what you’re focusing on?!”

 

“I’m sorry, but I’m fine with not eating the bossam, and I’m even more against running after eating it.”

 

“Me too…”

 

Park Joowoo joined Lee Cheonghyeon in the anti-marathon faction. A look of deep concern was etched on Jeong Seongbin’s face.

 

“Seongbin.”

 

“Yes, hyung.”

 

“I’ll get my body in perfect shape before the marathon. Let’s run together.”

 

“Sigh…”

 

After a deep sigh and a long deliberation, Jeong Seongbin nodded. Lee Cheonghyeon slumped down, wailing. Park Joowoo covered his mouth in disbelief.

 

From that day until the registration opening, Spark underwent rigorous training. As a result of receiving tips from the staff members who were pros at ticketing, they mastered the fluid movements from rapid clicking to quick bank transfers. Attaching them to 1:1 private tutors had its effect.

 

As for me, I didn’t need lessons. Anyone who survived male idol ticketing could handle most first-come-first-served events with ease.

 

And effort never betrays you.

 

“This is impossible… I… I applied for a marathon with my own hands…”

 

Including the agonizing Lee Cheonghyeon, all six members of Spark successfully completed their registration for the ‘Running to Eat Bossam’ event.

 

***

 

Between the flight bookings and the marathon registration, sparks flew between me and Lee Cheonghyeon every single day.

 

“Cheonghyeon, eat up. You need stamina to run.”

 

“Hyung, want me to pour you more water? We can’t have the flowers wilting, can we?”

 

“Why did you take out the sachet I put in the closet? Shouldn’t a floral shirt smell like flowers?”

 

“Cheonghyeon, how many hours did you run on the treadmill this week? Do you think you can finish the race like this?”

 

It reached a point where Kang Kiyeon commented that we were fighting like children. But I didn’t back down and kept bickering with Lee Cheonghyeon. There was a reason I was acting like I’d forgotten my age.

 

‘They’ll only feel at ease if I show them I’m perfectly fine.’

 

The Spark members were pretending not to, but they were gauging my mood all day. Rather than being excessively submissive, they were unusually concerned about whether I was in a good mood.

 

Whenever I tried to be alone and think, at least one of them would linger nearby. My runaway incident had apparently become a minor trauma for them.

 

So, I was doing my best to act like my mental state had returned to normal. I was also genuinely trying to think healthy thoughts. I decided to believe the words of those around me—that I’d be fine after some rest.

 

It actually worked quite well. Eating well, running around, and sleeping on time made me look much healthier.

 

There was a reason people said basic physical strength was important. Recovery was fast. I found myself grateful for the stamina that had carried my large frame since my trainee days.

 

On the other hand, the students of the ‘Aerobic Exercise Beginner Class’ suffered quite a bit while preparing for the marathon. For Park Joowoo, who had only just committed to doing even anaerobic workouts, building endurance was especially tough.

 

Park Joowoo just walked around with his shoulders slumped, saying he hoped every treadmill at the gym would break tomorrow. The version of him swaying excitedly in front of the fridge was nowhere to be found anymore.

 

“Joowoo, you don’t have to do it if it’s too hard. You weren’t part of the floral shirt purchasing squad.”

 

I kindly offered him an out, but Park Joowoo refused.

 

“We should share the joys and the sorrows together…”

 

Touched by his determination, I suggested we go to the gym together starting tomorrow. Park Joowoo looked horrified and bolted to his room.

 

***

 

Spark participated secretly and finished brilliantly. When news of their participation spread afterward, Sparklers everywhere were shocked.

 

≫ What’s this about Spark entering a marathon??

 

≫ Didn’t recognize them because of the outfits, but they’re all wearing Nidasㅋㅋㅋㅋ Advertisers, are you watching?!?!

└ Nidas is lucky. They signed with one member, but all six are wearing the clothes.

└ ㅋㅋㅋ the Nydas official account already quote-tweeted it.

 └ Apparently Jeho treated everyone to the workout gear T_T So touching (Source: Cheonghyeon’s BubblePop)

 └└ Amazing.

 └└└ Jeho’s casual fashion sense improved this much…?

 └└└└ Look at how you don’t believe himㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

 └└└└└ Jeho only paid for it (whispers).

 └└└└└└ Figures.

 

 ≫ You’re saying Iwol suggested the marathon?

 No way, our Iwol would never suggest outdoor daytime sports as a group

 └ Why is this real

 └ Guys, this is serious. Our Iwol must’ve lost it from being overworked. UA, I won’t let this slide

 └ They ran while being all bundled upㅋㅋㅋ. I didn’t recognize them until they took off their hats and goggles after finishing T_T.

 └ They probably covered up because a crowd might gather. It must have been hot.

 

 ≫ The boy group that entered a marathon today

 It’s Spark.

Apparently all six finished together, matching the pace

 It was an event that gave out bossam at the end, but they left without eating the bossam

 └ Why added ‘not eating the bossam?’ ㅋㅋㅋ OP is cute.

 └ Are there any Sparklers who went to the event? Must have been fun to meet them.

 └ I saw one review, and they said it wasn’t fun. All six of them were beside her going, ‘OO, you can do it!! Let’s run a bit more!!! Don’t slow down!!!!!’ She said she regretted letting them know she recognized them.

 └└ One client, six trainers.

 └└└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I’d regret it too.

 └└└└ We condemn this Emperor-Style Marathon

 └└└└└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

 

 ≫ I guess you have to run 10km to become an idol.

Can an old Sparkler like me do it…?”

 └ If you increase distance gradually, you totally can!! Why not go out for a jog before it gets too hot???

 └ I bought sneakersㅋㅋ As a fan, how can I not do what my idol did? I must do it

 └ People travel to Daejeon for a Seongbin-recommended gourmet tour; why wouldn’t we be able to run?

 └ Though Seongbin is actually from Seoul

 └ True… wait, really?

 

 ≫ I wondered why these guys left without eating the bossam, but it turns out Joowoo made bossam for them.

 I thought, ‘How wholesome~’ but then I saw the photo and the bossam quality was so high I was flustered.

 └ Wow, this isn’t delivery?

 └ No matter how well you boil bossam, I won’t allow you to open a bossam shop. Park Joowoo, be Spark for life.

 └ Maknae’s cheeks are puffed

 └ ㅋㅋ

 

Jeong Seongbin felt his worries ease as he watched the fandom regain its vitality.

 

Until recently, all Spark-related posts were about the accident. The news that a casualty incident almost occurred on an outdoor stage open to a large audience was as provocative as the videos spreading in real-time.

 

The fall of the structure for an unknown cause generated all sorts of talk. Was it a poor construction issue by the company? No, there were no issues at the time of inspection. Looking at the cut surface, someone must have tampered with it on purpose. Or maybe it was just a rare structural failure that happened once in a while…

 

Along with the unverified rumors, Kim Iwol also became a topic of discussion.

 

 ≫ There’s definitely something about him

No one else noticed, but he did

 

He didn’t even dare to read the posts following that. Even the headlines alone brought back the moment, making cold sweat run down his back.

 

 ≫ Temporary stage collapse at festival site… no casualties.

 ≫ ‘Lighting fell from the sky’, is hasty installation okay like this?

 ≫ A ‘Thud!’ during the live… university festival becomes a scene of chaos.

 

The image of Kim Iwol calling out to Choi Jeho in the middle of the song was vivid. He also couldn’t forget how desperately Kim Iwol had pulled Choi Jeho, and how something massive fell between them, kicking up a cloud of dust.

 

His mind had gone blank when the debris of steel and lights rolled to his feet. He thought that must be what it feels like for one’s blood to run cold.

 

After that, too many overwhelming things had happened in succession for Jeong Seongbin. But he didn’t want to complain. Because Jeong Seongbin was the leader.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

He heard his roommate’s voice. Turning around, he saw Kim Iwol blinking as he looked at him.