Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols Chapter 521 - Friend (6)

As the synchronization rate surpassed 95%, the System began its activities in earnest.

 

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[SYSTEM] ‘Notice of Remaining Reward Usage’ for the ‘Resignation Procedure’ is being notified.

▷ As the ‘Subordinate’s’ resignation date approaches, we inform you of unused rewards.

▷ Rewards not used by the resignation date will expire at the time of resignation and will not be converted into allowances or other compensations thereafter.

▷ Remaining Reward: Time Stop

▷ Expiration Date: Within one year from the date of final notice.

 

[SYSTEM] ‘Confidentiality Agreement’ for the ‘Resignation Procedure’ is being notified.

▷ Information learned by the ‘Subordinate’ while performing duties under the ‘Superior’ constitutes a trade secret.

▷ The ‘Subordinate’ has an obligation to protect trade secrets. If this is violated, the ‘Superior’ will judge that amicable cooperation with the ‘Subordinate’ is difficult and will implement Forced Resignation measures.

 

[SYSTEM] ‘Comprehensive Evaluation’ for the ‘Resignation Procedure’ is being notified.

▷ For a smooth reference check for the ‘Subordinate,’ the ‘Superior’ will conduct a comprehensive evaluation considering the work attitude and length of service during the ‘Subordinate’s’ tenure.

▷ The ‘Superior’ will grant rewards or penalties to the ‘Subordinate’ corresponding to the evaluation results.

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The flood of notifications was enough to make me jump—it was like I was back to being a full-time office worker. The headings were familiar, but the contents were irritating enough that getting through them was a chore.

 

First, Time Stop. That was a reward I had been saving because there were so many predicted disasters when I first received it. Ironically, it had been useless during Choi Jeho’s lighting rig incident.

 

I had briefly considered, ‘Should I turn the entire Earth into a giant thinking room until I come up with a way to negotiate with the System?’ but in the end, I gave up. It was because of the ‘Forced Resignation’ card the System played while mentioning the Confidentiality Agreement.

 

The Resignation Procedure included a clause stating that the System would actively cooperate with me for a smooth exit. In other words, the System’s primary goal was a trouble-free termination of the contract. The moment I tried to insist on long-term employment, I would be diverging from its goal, meaning it would likely use forced measures.

 

That didn’t mean I hadn’t looked for loopholes. For nearly ten months since winning the Daesang, I had been engaged in a daily war of nerves with the system.

 

Even before the holiday began, I requested the agency to book a group variety show, hoping that if I kept a six-member schedule fixed, I might escape the system’s weakening grip. Even without being assigned missions, I kept trying new things, indirectly appealing that I still intended to keep living.

 

I didn’t nag the system to process its work, either. I was terrified that, even subconsciously, I’d give it the impression that I wanted to wrap everything up as soon as possible.

 

I’d even considered creating additional KPIs with my own hands. Deciding on an overseas tour spanning multiple countries rather than a single visit was part of my intent to surpass the track record of the previous Spark.

 

If that wasn’t enough, I was willing to stake a KPI like ‘1st place on international charts for 6 consecutive months’. Even if it meant going back to sleeping three hours a day, I intended to live first and worry later.

 

I mean, if you’re going to transform a person into an idol and set Spark on the path to massive success, shouldn’t you accept a deal like this? If it were the old me, I wouldn’t have said ‘Please let me live a long life in exchange for making Spark the top idols’ even if a knife were at my throat. I would have begged for my life to just end already.

 

The problem was that the system no longer left room for compromise. The expiration date for Time Stop—which it told me to use before it was exhausted—was at most the end of next year. It wasn’t enough to hold out until the day my contract with UA expired.

 

‘If only it’d lasted beyond the end of my contract… this would’ve been much easier.’

 

As the Superior’s influence decreased, I couldn’t even use the scheduler to change dates anymore. For better or worse, I had to make a decision before the contract ended.

 

And the direction that decision would take was probably…

 

I tapped my darkened phone screen, lighting it back up. Behind the title of an unreleased planning draft I had been working on for a while, the cursor flickered.

 

By the way, that is sure a lot of paperwork. If you’re going this far, why not issue me an employment certificate too? Now that my HR experience has become worthless, I should at least get something out of this. And while you’re at it, since I never want to see your face again, give me an official certificate of contract termination too.

 

When I sarcastically complained, the system mocked me back, saying it would issue them when the time was right. As if you’ve ever processed anything on time. I’m seriously going to leave a review for you on Planet Job.

 

All of this happened while I was at Choi Jeho’s family home. It was like spending the holidays being bombarded with messages from my boss. Perhaps I let my disillusionment with the world show, because Choi Jeho forced me to take a long nap, saying, ‘If you’re going to make a face like that, just sleep’. Thanks to that, my dark circles completely vanished.

 

After waking up, I borrowed some scratch paper from Choi Jeho and spent time drafting a ‘Statement of Reasons to Move the Leader’s Heart’. There was a reason why I ended up writing a long letter starting with ‘To the espected Seongbin’ on the back of a paper where I’d messed up an autograph.

 

‘How are you going to explain it to the others?’

 

‘Explain what?’

 

‘The traffic accident. They’re not keeping quiet because they aren’t curious. They’re only letting it slide because you’re in such a messed-up state.”

 

It was because Choi Jeho had brought up a topic that was impossible to ignore. Just as he said, Lee Cheonghyeon had already figured out that my actions were intentional. The emphasis on ‘letting it slide’ made my conscience ache even more.

 

According to a rare detailed explanation from Choi Jeho, there’d been a lot of discussion within Spark about my unstable emotional state and reckless behavior. Apparently, opinions clashed particularly hard when my parents visited the office and when I stayed out without permission at Yur’s place. No wonder Jeong Seongbin, who normally fussed over every member, had never directly questioned me about any of it.

 

Instead, they had overcome their anxiety and sought countermeasures in their own ways. I was… honestly shocked to find out that Park Joowoo, who used to do only the minimum required exercise to build his physique, had started frequenting the gym like it was his job for this very reason.

 

‘One time, we decided it wasn’t good to pressure you, and another time, we concluded we should leave you to your own peace of mind, which is why we’ve said nothing until now. But I don’t think they’ll let it pass the same way this time.’

 

‘So even rock-paper-scissors is best two out of three. The members are pretty heartless.’

 

I couldn’t forget the way Choi Jeho’s brow furrowed as if asking if I was serious. He claimed I didn’t see him as a colleague, but seeing him make such a fierce face at me, I figured we were in the same boat.

 

Returning to Spark’s ‘Kim Iwol Distrust Crisis’. He said this traffic accident had major differences from the Iwol-style issues the members had seen before.

 

First, the incident didn’t happen to me; I had voluntarily involved myself in an incident that had nothing to do with either Spark or me.

 

Second, though my mental state was becoming more stable, my self-destructive behavior remained unchanged. (Regarding this, he added that Kang Kiyeon had worried my psychological counseling might have reached a plateau.)

 

When the managers insisted I should take a break from activities, I thought I had managed to stay on by stubbornly insisting. But as it turned out, there had been an agreement among the Spark members behind the scenes.

 

‘Until then, the general consensus was to let you do what you wanted while giving you distractions without making it obvious.’

 

‘If that included the floral shirt stunt, I’d argue your consideration was seriously misguided… but anyway, you’re saying the policy has changed now?’

 

‘If someone’s throwing himself in front of cars and we just stand there, that’s aiding and abetting, you crazy bastard.’

 

The realization that they were planning to hold a hearing for me once my injuries healed sent a chill down my spine. It wasn’t going to be a heart-to-heart confession to someone my age, but a public confession and final explanation in front of the whole group. It was a stroke of luck that the schedule had been pushed back because Choi Jeho and I fought like dogs.

 

‘Just so you know, Jeong Seongbin and Lee Cheonghyeon are sharpening their blades.’

 

I even heard news that the two of them—who had made my heart sink occasionally but had never really pushed deep before—were now prepared for a confrontation. I really wanted to cry.

 

This was why I started writing an explanation for Jeong Seongbin. But it wasn’t easy. Any secrets related to the system or the future were now under the Confidentiality Agreement buff since the resignation process started. If I crossed the line and the synchronization rate rose further, it would be an NG; if ‘Forced Resignation’ was triggered, it would be over then and there.

 

“When will I ever escape this swamp of paperwork…?”

 

Holding back tears, I could only jab the tip of my pen uselessly against the paper. Choi Jeho, who was watching my pathetic state from the sofa, spoke up abruptly.

 

“Aren’t you worried that telling them will cause another disaster?”

 

“Why? Is Seongbin that angry?”

 

As I asked while trembling, I realized what Choi Jeho meant. He was asking if my nose would explode again. Having seen that gruesome sight, Choi Jeho couldn’t help but worry about it. He spoke in an irritable tone.

 

“I’ll give them a rough explanation, so you just pretend you don’t know anything.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Match your story with mine if you don’t want to show them that gruesome sight.”

 

“But that’s making you lie.”

 

“So making me lie bothers your conscience? I seriously don’t get your standards, really.”

 

Choi Jeho snapped at me and snatched the paper and pen away.

 

So, even while annoyed, he was still going to cover for me. For my sake and for the other members’.

 

“You don’t have to…”

 

I was going to say that, but I was too late.

 

I remembered Kang Kiyeon saying Choi Jeho actually took good care of the younger members. He used to act like he lived life entirely alone, but now he acted like a proper hyung with four dongsaengs.

 

And whatever the reason, the conclusion was that he was taking my side. I could take this as a signal of reconciliation, right? Honestly, until yesterday, it had felt more like a temporary ceasefire than genuine reconciliation.

 

Feeling a little hopeful, I took the opportunity to ask him carefully. Choi Jeho looked at me like I was a hopeless bastard, but he generously replied, ‘Think whatever you want’.