Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols Chapter 464 - Elder (1)

Aside from the action school, there were other minor events. Sometimes, as I sat watching the sun set and racking my brain over what to do the next day…

 

[Gu Jahan sunbaenim]

— I heard Spark is on a break?

 

…An out-of-the-blue text like this would arrive. The sender was Gu Jahan. I had no idea how he knew about my group’s vacation.

 

[Me]

— That’s right.

 

[Gu Jahan sunbaenim]

— Want to come out tomorrow?

— I’m meeting Woo Yoonjae.

 

Apparently, Gu Jahan wasn’t going to be alone. His form of address for the other man had changed from Mr. Yoonjae to just Woo Yoonjae. Since when had those two gotten so close? It was quite baffling.

 

[Me]

— I’m alright. You two enjoy your cozy time together.

 

[Gu Jahan sunbaenim]

— When I told Woo Yoonjae I was inviting you, he said he’s going to the seafood market auction at dawn tomorrow.

 

These middle-aged men were truly ridiculous. I couldn’t understand why they wanted to include me in their sashimi outing. I couldn’t even imagine what kind of fish needed to be bought at the crack of dawn.

 

[Gu Jahan sunbaenim]

— You really not coming?

— Woo Yoonjae said he’s going at 3 AM.

 

[Me]

— Please send me the time and location. I’ll head over tomorrow!

 

[Gu Jahan sunbaenim]

— OK.

 

The appointment was set in the blink of an eye. I immediately reported the new schedule to our leader. Jeong Seongbin looked completely surprised.

 

“Sorry, it was really sudden, right? Should I tell them I can’t go after all?”

 

“No, it’s just… I think this is the first time I’ve seen you make personal plans, hyung.”

 

“Was it?”

 

Looking back, I realized I’d never really met anyone outside of work. It would have been more strange to be out frolicking and having fun when I was barely escaping my status as the clumsy klutz through blood and sweat.

 

“Is it a dinner appointment?”

 

“Lunch. I’m not sure when it’ll end.”

 

“Take your time and have fun. When else will you get a chance to play like this!”

 

Jeong Seongbin actively cheered on my outing. At this point, I started to wonder if leaving the dorm was actually a favor to them. Not that these soft-hearted kids would ever be two-faced like that.

 

Upon hearing that the gathering place was Woo Yoonjae’s house, Spark put their heads together to choose a gift for me to carry.

 

“I think it’s only proper to send a gift equivalent in value to six boxes of fresh cabbage juice.”

 

Kang Kiyeon declared.

 

Under Kang Kiyeon’s lead, a heated debate ensued under the theme of ‘Recommended Gifts for Work Seniors’. Amidst AI-generated posts and advertisements, Spark somehow managed to dig up recommendation posts with genuinely useful information.

 

“‘Candidate 3: Towels. Unlike consumables like tissues, they last longer, and they’re something people hesitate to buy for themselves, so highly recommended. If you search for hotel towels, you can find thick and fluffy ones. Generally, the replacement cycle for towels is…’”

 

As Park Joowoo found candidates, Choi Jeho diligently took notes beside him. Lee Cheonghyeon searched for nearby stores that sold the items.

 

“Hyung.”

 

After carefully reviewing the WebCell file that had quickly become packed full of notes, Kang Kiyeon called out to me.

 

“How about an aesthetic fire extinguisher for home safety, and a whole pie for dessert?”

 

“Sounds good.”

 

Kang Kiyeon even kindly made a reservation for the pie.

 

Normally, making gift lists was my main job. My duties generally involved buying them, placing them on Manager Nam’s desk, or shipping them and checking the delivery status.

 

“I’ll respect your desire to repay the senior’s sincerity this time, but don’t feel the need to do this from now on. You know what I mean, right?”

 

I spoke with the hope that they wouldn’t end up shouldering menial chores elsewhere. Kang Kiyeon just shrugged and walked away without answering.

 

***

 

“You’re here?”

 

It was Woo Yoonjae’s house, but Gu Jahan was the one who opened the door. I thought I was late for our appointment. This guy must have nothing to do since his drama filming ended.

 

“Sunbaenim, I’ve arri… What are you doing?”

 

“Ah, welcome.”

 

I hurriedly tossed the gift to Gu Jahan and ran to the kitchen. A gigantic slab of fish was lying on top of the island counter.

 

“There’s nothing for you to do, so sit over there. Want something to drink?”

 

“Please don’t say that and just give me something to help with!”

 

“He told you to sit. Want water? Woo Yoonjae, Mr. Iwol brought this.”

 

“A gift? …Thank you.”

 

The two of them acted completely normal. I was the only one standing there dumbfounded. Gu Jahan pulled out a chair at the table and handed me a mug of water.

 

“You really went to an auction?”

 

“Yes. It’s hard to get live croaker in Seoul.”

 

Woo Yoonjae asked if it was okay to look at the gift after eating the sashimi first. Was the gift the issue right now? He had gone to the market at 3 AM to secure the fish, kept it in a tank, and purposely butchered it right before our visit. I shouted for him to please do as he pleased.

 

While Woo Yoonjae was slicing the fish, we engaged in light small talk. Most of it centered around Gu Jahan, who had started over from supporting roles again.

 

“Woo Yoonjae helped me a lot.”

 

“Is it really enough to call it helping?”

 

Well, would you look at that? They’d even dropped formal speech with each other.

 

“You two have gotten close quickly. I guess your personalities click well.”

 

“I don’t have many friends in the acting world, after all.”

 

“Still.”

 

Though they had resolved past unpleasantries and shown a decent chemistry on a variety show, I hadn’t expected them to get this close. At my question, Woo Yoonjae answered plainly.

 

“My situation isn’t much different…”

 

He said it was a symbiotic relationship. I used to think growing up only meant drifting apart over trivial things, but it seemed people could also grow closer through trivial commonalities.

 

The sashimi Yoonjae sliced was incredibly delicious. I heard croaker was in season, and they weren’t lying.

 

Naturally, soju followed. When I told the worried Woo Yoonjae the good news that my stomach ulcer was completely healed, Gu Jahan brought green bottles from the veranda.

 

“I heard you went on a trip?” 

 

Gu Jahan asked while filling my glass.

 

“Yes, to celebrate the break.”

 

“Was it fun?”

 

“It was eventful.”

 

The middle-aged men searched up photos of vivid flower shirts on their own without anyone asking, and burst into laughter. The soju tasted bitter. No, maybe the bitter thing was my heart…

 

“What do you usually do during breaks, sunbaenims?”

 

“I go help with the farming at my parents’ house. There’s a lot of work to do on a farm.”

 

“Isn’t farming just more work?”

 

Gu Jahan made a face of disbelief. It was closer to admiration than contempt.

 

“What about you?”

 

“I go for drives or play golf.”

 

The conversation flowed through various topics, from leisure activities to lifestyle patterns and recent interests. We even touched upon the abyss—the internal affairs of the drama industry—a few times. I just laughed and drank.

 

Empty bottles began to stack up on the table. When the pie was served as both a snack and dessert, the talk grew even riper.

 

“The members picked this out themselves?”

 

“They said they really wanted to thank you. I figured it’d be troublesome if all six of them contacted you separately, so I came as their representative.”

 

“The kids are kind.”

 

To pair with the dessert, we even switched alcohols. A subtle wine aroma filled the house. Once Spark got mentioned, they instantly became a major topic of conversation.

 

“Everyone in Spark is so tall. Are kids just generally tall these days?”

 

“They say the average height keeps increasing every year.”

 

“I’ve seen rookie actors who are 190cm tall.” 

 

Woo Yoonjae added.

 

Gu Jahan marveled in admiration.

 

“I’ve been thinking lately—I probably wouldn’t have been able to play leads if it weren’t for my height.”

 

Gu Jahan emptied his glass self-deprecatingly. It wasn’t uncommon for male leads to be determined by height and visuals.

 

“Regardless, having an advantage is a good thing.” 

 

Woo Yoonjae said, refilling Gu Jahan’s glass.

 

Woo Yoonjae’s face was far from the standard male lead look, so he had spent many years drifting through supporting roles. He also lacked proper opportunities. However, his unique aura and charm shone in certain genres. The reason he could have a long career was because no one suited those specific genres and characters as well as Woo Yoonjae.

 

“In the end, isn’t it a question of how you utilize your strengths?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

The two clinked their glasses. I didn’t miss a beat and joined in.

 

“Did you always want to become actors, sunbaenims?”

 

“Me?” 

 

Gu Jahan asked back. 

 

“I liked acting. I can’t say I didn’t have a desire for lead roles.”

 

“Is there anyone whose dream is acting but doesn’t want lead roles?”

 

“You didn’t seem like you wanted them. Even in the past.”

 

“I was just trying to look at things realistically,” 

 

Woo Yoonjae said with a gentle smile. I couldn’t even begin to guess how much time it took for him to be able to talk about such concerns so calmly.

 

“What about you, Mr. Iwol? Why did you want to be an idol?”

 

The ‘What made you choose this career?’ question came my way, too. I answered that I hadn’t been sure when I first challenged myself, but after debuting I’d gradually started finding fulfillment in it.

 

“As long as you enjoy it, that’s what matters. Especially if you’re going to do it for a long time.”

 

Gu Jahan said in passing.

 

I might have enjoyed it if it weren’t for the System. Though, if it weren’t for the System, I never would have become an idol in the first place.

 

I wasn’t sure if I could do it for a long time. I hadn’t realized it because I was so distracted at the time, but my synchronization rate had hit 90%. There weren’t any obvious physical side effects. I could only guess that the impulsive urge I’d had toward an extreme choice must’ve been the penalty corresponding to that remaining 10%.

 

My synchronization rate had already risen by several percent this year alone. If a stock rose this sharply, it would be hit with a trading suspension for excessive volatility. My head ached thinking about how to save the remaining 10% until the final KPI was achieved.

 

As I sipped my wine to soothe my complicated heart, Gu Jahan muttered as if to himself.

 

“Why does it feel like I’m drinking with a peer?”

 

“Are you saying I look old?”

 

“Could you please stop burying me socially like that?”

 

Gu Jahan clutched his chest in relief.

 

The one who should have been surprised was me. My soul’s age had almost been exposed.

 

“He means you’re mature. Sometimes even I can’t believe Mr. Iwol is in his early twenties.”

 

“Thank you. I’m in my mid-twenties now, though.”

 

I barely survived thanks to Woo Yoonjae’s generous phrasing. Considering I’d also been warned before not to talk like an old man, I guess you really can’t hide the years you’ve lived.

 

Still, regardless of my soul being in its thirties, something I’d wanted to ask these two actual men in their thirties suddenly came to mind.

 

“Sunbaenims. There’s something I’d like to ask, if that’s okay.”

 

“What is it?” 

 

Gu Jahan asked, resting his chin on his hand.

 

“If you’ve committed a very grave discourtesy toward a man in his mid-30s and want to seek forgiveness, at least materially… what kind of gift would be best?”