Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols Chapter 517 - Friend (2)

Chapter 517. Friend (2)

 

‘…I should apologize.’

 

What I needed to do was obvious. The problem was the method. There was no way to dissolve this resentment.

 

What Choi Jeho wanted was for me to open up completely, but if I did that while in the middle of a resignation procedure, wouldn’t I just hit 100% synchronization? The solution was too extreme. And it surely wasn’t what Choi Jeho truly wanted either.

 

‘Just what kind of process is this so-called resignation procedure, anyway? No, before that, has it even started?’

 

My frustration sparked toward the System. Perhaps sensing I wasn’t asking out of genuine curiosity, the System remained silent.

 

‘I should have at least had some experience fighting and making up with peers…’

 

My head throbbed. Habitually, I reached for the headache medicine but stopped.

 

Headache pills for me were scattered all over the dorm. The reason Choi Jeho could immediately produce a crumpled packet of medicine on the dining table was that the members had placed medicine not just in the first-aid kit, but everywhere within arm’s reach.

 

And to a guy like that, I had apparently rambled about ‘Manager Nam’ and hidden pills. I couldn’t even fathom how flustered he must have been. If anything, it was amazing he hadn’t dismissed my other words as total nonsense until now.

 

I let out deep sighs. Noona, how did you make so many friends? Just one person already makes me struggle. I asked knowing no answer would come, but it felt particularly bitter today.

 

Meanwhile, the System was busy getting on my nerves.

 

+

[SYSTEM] A work instruction from the ‘Superior’ has arrived.

▶ Didn’t you anticipate that team morale would plummet if a colleague is set to resign? I’m not scolding you; I’m just disappointed. That’s all.

+

 

If it were just a drop in morale, that’s one thing, but he’s become sharp as tacks. Didn’t you see Choi Jeho’s eyes? Does that look like lowered morale to you?

 

I grumbled internally for a while and then stopped. What was the point of venting on the System? I felt so drained that I didn’t even have the energy to nag it.

 

‘I put so much effort into making sure he looked good on camera.’

 

From the overseas tour to the domestic tour, Spark conducted online live broadcasts for most of their shows. Checking the camerawork was essential for cinema screenings and online concerts.

 

So, I had performed rehearsals and monitoring more thoroughly than ever to ensure Choi Jeho’s key moments were captured perfectly—though I did that for every member. Why would I go that far for someone I hate? Or… from Choi Jeho’s perspective, did it just look like I was doing my job?

 

“Sigh…”

 

I ruffled my hair in frustration. The System provoked me again.

 

+

[SYSTEM] A work instruction from the ‘Superior’ has arrived.

▶ The company has been so considerate toward you, so why can’t you settle such a trivial matter? Just because you’re about to resign doesn’t mean you can start getting sloppy with discipline.

+

 

Does jumping in front of a speeding car look like a lack of discipline to you? Don’t just say my resignation is coming up, please specify that damn procedure…

 

Actually, never mind. Since I hadn’t found a way to survive yet, maybe it would be better if, just for a few more days, the paperwork and everything else simply stayed forgotten. You’ve never been fast at your job anyway. Just do what you always do. If the System suddenly changed, it would mean it was glitching.

 

After wrestling with the System for a while, I felt completely drained. I was slumped in a meeting room chair when Jeong Seongbin called.

 

— Hyung, are you still in the meeting room? I heard the meeting already ended.

 

“Yeah. I’m heading down now. Why?”

 

— A guest has arrived at the lobby. Could you come down for a moment?

 

When I went down, the lobby was indeed bustling. Jeong Seongbin, spotting me, waved his hand. Standing in front of him were people who triggered a faint memory.

 

“You’re Mr. Kim Iwol, right?”

 

It was the family of the child who had attended my sister’s funeral. They were the same people, but so much was different. They looked younger and free of the heavy sorrow they carried when we first met.

 

The atmosphere wasn’t like this before, either. Back then, we couldn’t even open our mouths, not knowing what to say. How heavy it had made my heart—the situation where nothing but one-sided apologies were exchanged.

 

Unlike the past, when they had bowed deeply before I could even react, a hand was now extended toward me. As I shook it, my eyes fell on the child.

 

This was the first time I was seeing them like this. Back then, the child couldn’t come. These people existed both then and now, but the sight of them standing before me with neatly tied hair and clean shoes was a reality that existed only in the present. I felt a lump in my throat.

 

“Thank you so much…!”

 

The hand clasping mine tightened firmly. I could feel a different emotion from the voice—not guilt, but something else. I could simply accept this gratitude. I didn’t need to suppress my sadness. Because I hadn’t lost anything irreversible.

 

After preventing the accident, my mind had been a mess. I felt uncomfortable for causing another incident that ended up making headlines, sorry for planting anxiety in the members again, and guilty for breaking my promise to the fans due to my choice.

 

It was natural, since I knew better than anyone how much stress accidents and incidents could cause. I also knew better than anyone how long we’d spent preparing for these schedules. And yet…

 

Holding tightly onto their mother’s hand, the child bowed deeply. They bowed so deeply that the small bag strapped across their chest almost touched the floor.

 

“Thank you!”

 

I felt as if I had received proof that, even if it wasn’t perfect, my choice hadn’t been meaningless.

 

If I could, I wanted to show that smile to my sister.

 

* * *

 

After the child’s family visited, I regained some of my spirits. Instead of hovering around in guilt, I began to think about what I could do.

 

Even when I came up with talk segment topics or game ideas, I approached them with the mindset I’d had in the beginning—not ‘I have to make up for my mistakes somehow’, but ‘Let’s show everyone even better content’. I guess no matter how hard you get knocked down, accomplishing something has a way of bringing you back to life.

 

Joining mid-tour also allowed me to work even harder. Reviews said things like ‘Kim Iwol is flying across the stage’. as I ran around and laughed. The feeling that every incident that had bound me ever since my regression was finally over was impossible to describe. If this wasn’t freedom, then what was?

 

As the tour neared its end, we held a birthday event for Park Joowoo on stage. While everyone else offered warm, heartfelt birthday wishes to our main vocalist…

 

“Thanks to you, I gained a fun hobby. Thank you.”

 

…Choi Jeho’s sincere remark brought tears to the younger boy’s eyes. It really felt like a lifetime had passed.

 

Sensing the warm atmosphere and my recovering condition, the Spark members started subtly poking me. Lee Cheonghyeon was the leader of the pack.

 

“You seem to be feeling a lot better?”

 

“I’ve always been a pro at self-mind control.”

 

“I’m well aware of that.”

 

“Why? Are you worried about when I’ll make up with Choi Jeho?”

 

“Aren’t you less of a pro at mind control and more of a pro at mind reading, hyung?”

 

“I can see exactly what you guys are thinking on your faces.”

 

At my words, his eyes went flat like a flounder’s. He seemed to want to pretend to rebel, but I wanted him to know that with his personality, it was out of the question.

 

Even though I didn’t ask, Park Joowoo sent me daily updates on Choi Jeho. The content was… like a chain letter for good luck.

 

[22-Year-Old Metal Marble Park Joowoo]

[Today in 602]

[We did a hot compress together ♨]

[He’s happy because the new heat pack works well ᕦ( ᐛ )ᕡ]

[High probability of a pleasant day tomorrow :▷]

 

[Me]

[Joowoo]

[You don’t have to go this far…!]

 

602 referred to Choi Jeho’s room number. It wasn’t that the rooms were actually numbered, but we started calling them that because saying ‘Seongbin’s room’ or ‘the maknaes’ room’ was too long, so we assigned numbers as a joke. Our room was 601.

 

The ongoing ‘Room 602 issue’ arrived every day like a newsletter. Since there was no unsubscribe button, I had to swallow my tears and leave a review every day.

 

Kang Kiyeon even kindly fed me conversation topics, telling me to at least ask Choi Jeho what he planned to do during the holiday after the tour ended.

 

“Jeho hyung is definitely going to his family home. Just ask him how many hours it takes to get to Gwangju.”

 

“I already asked him that a long time ago, Kiyeon.”

 

“Really?”

 

“You didn’t think we were living together in total silence, did you?”

 

I was moved by the younger ones’ kindness. I really was a fortunate eldest brother.

 

“They told me to take my time to solve it, yet they can’t even last three weeks. Were they always this impatient?”

 

The fortunate eldest brother, Kim Iwol, shared his impressions of the intense attention with the Boss. Jeong Seongbin laughed out loud.

 

“Seongbin, do you think it’s funny that the members are contradicting themselves like this? This is a serious problem. The credibility of their statements is dropping.”

 

“I usually would have stopped them…” 

 

Jeong Seongbin gave a bashful smile.

 

“But since I can see you want to talk to Jeho hyung, I thought having someone nudge you wouldn’t be so bad.”

 

“What?”

 

To think that I was included among those whose thoughts are written all over their faces… how scandalous. I was utterly dumbfounded.

 

More importantly, Jeong Seongbin had noticed everything and put the members on auto-dispatch mode. I didn’t know the team leader could be this terrifying. If he hadn’t hit the nail so perfectly on the head, I would’ve exposed him to everyone on the spot.

 

“We’re definitely not doing this because we’re uncomfortable, so please don’t feel pressured. But if it still weighs on your mind, I think you should try sitting down and talking. Jeho hyung isn’t the type to reject you outright.”

 

“That’s only because you’ve never seen Choi Jeho when he’s actually angry, Seongbin.”

 

“If you’re scared, should I stay with you?”

 

“If you did that, I’d get scolded big time by Choi Jeho.”

 

When I said he’d be furious, asking why the others were being dragged into this, Jeong Seongbin burst out laughing. It seemed my boss thoroughly enjoyed seeing his subordinates fight without their rank insignias. Otherwise, he couldn’t have reacted like that.

 

“Good luck, hyung.”

 

Jeong Seongbin encouraged me with a fresh cheer.

 

A few days later, whether it was luck or misfortune, something found me.

 

[Center Emperor Choi Jeho’s Mother]

 

…The identity of the surprise guest was none other than a call from his mother.