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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Clash of Opinions (1)
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Not having objective metrics for achieving a KPI was as absurd as a company with five or more employees refusing to guarantee paid holidays.
It was, in a word, ridiculous.
In that sense, getting worked up over my proficiency increasing by a single point was meaningless. There was no one to compare myself to.
If my goal was to debut with Spark, I needed to figure out what their skill level was.
And this system showed me those invisible factors as clear numerical values called 'proficiency'?
Anyone who didn't take advantage of this opportunity would be a fool.
‘If it's a trial pass, it'll probably only let me view one person's profile.’
If I could only see the resume of one of the five members, I had already decided whose it would be.
The one whose position was vocalist, who had no noticeable weaknesses, and who, including his self-management, was the all-rounder of Spark.
+
[SYSTEM] Would you like to view ‘Jeong Seongbin’s’ resume?
▶ Yes / No
+
It was Jeong Seongbin.
Then, a resume in the exact same format as mine appeared before my eyes.
Before reading the contents, I checked to see if there was a viewing deadline or a timer, but I didn't see anything of the sort.
It seemed my assumption that the number of people I could view was limited was correct.
+
[Spark's Eternal Leader] Jeong Seongbin
Jeong Seongbin (18)
Experience
― February Monthly Evaluation, 4th Place Overall
― 5th-year trainee at UA
Performance Evaluation (100)
― Vocal Proficiency: 12/20
― Dance Proficiency: 8/20
― Self-PR: 7/20
― Punctuality Management: 13/20
― Organizational Adaptability: 11/20
+
Seeing someone else's resume after all the trouble I'd gone through was a shock in itself.
It was to be expected, but while I had used a cheap trick to barely get my combined vocal and dance proficiency into the double digits, Jeong Seongbin's was in a different league from the start.
However, it was a bit strange that Jeong Seongbin, who danced much better than me, had a dance proficiency only three points higher than mine.
In that case, there were only two possible answers.
‘Either the density of proficiency built through actual effort is higher than the proficiency I gained through a shortcut, or there's a huge barrier between 6 and 8 points.’
If it was the latter, it was about time I started managing my vocal proficiency as well.
Another thing that stood out was his organizational adaptability.
Jeong Seongbin's adaptability was nearly as high as his singing skill.
Considering he was skilled enough to be a main vocalist even if he debuted elsewhere, I could guess that his adaptability was also at a considerable level.
So that's the level of adaptability you need to be the leader of Spark.
I gave Jeong Seongbin a round of applause in my head. For me, with an adaptability of 10, it was a realm I couldn't even dream of reaching.
‘For now, I should put my welfare points into vocals.’
If a five-point difference in proficiency wasn't a major issue, then considering my original goal of aiming for sub-vocalist, it seemed right to start shifting my focus to singing.
Somehow, I felt like a pitiful office worker obsessed with performance reviews for the sake of a promotion.
* * *
An opportunity to practice singing in a new way came sooner than I expected.
Our manager brought in a guide recording gig for an established artist at UA.
“Seongbin will be recording the actual guide, but the CEO said you should all take a turn to get some recording experience.”
Just as expected from a company with its own in-house recording studio.
It was an opportunity that would be hard to come by at a company that had to book external studios by the hour.
Perfect timing—a new task popped up.
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[SYSTEM] A ‘New Task’ has been assigned.
▷ Experience a Recording Session
▷ Reward: EXP (5)
+
‘Five…’
Speaking of EXP, an adjustment was made as soon as I confirmed my vocal proficiency had reached 6.
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[SYSTEM] Acquirable EXP will be adjusted.
▷ Previous: Base 10 EXP awarded
▷ After Change: Base 5 EXP awarded
▷ Note: If a performance evaluation score reaches 7, manual point distribution will be restricted.
+
Now it just hits me with adjustments without even giving a reason. This damn system.
It even looked like I wouldn't be able to arbitrarily raise proficiency levels from 7 points onward.
I had no choice but to do as it said, but I wished it would let me give the system a star rating later.
You think you're the only one who can give out scores? I can give them too. I'm a member of Job Planet, you know.
Anyway, if I wanted to earn even that small and shabby 5 EXP, I had to focus on the guide recording for now.
‘No pressure, which is nice.’
The task itself didn't demand a high level of completion, and since my task completion criteria was just to ‘experience’ it, there was almost no pressure.
But I wanted to gain something from it. I didn't want to waste my time just for a bit of EXP, especially since I'd come all the way to the recording studio.
Instead of bothering Jeong Seongbin, who had to focus on his main task, I asked Park Juwoo, who looked just as relaxed as I was.
“Has Seongbin been doing guide recordings for a long time?”
“Probably. …As far as I know, for about two years.”
“What a talent.”
Just then, Lee Cheonghyun chimed in from the side.
“I think Seongbin has always recorded the guides for Jang Junhu's songs.”
“I see.”
I knew Jang Junhu. He was a ballad singer who'd risen to fame after his debut song became a huge hit.
‘Their vocal range and tone do have a similar feel.’
The song we received beforehand to practice with was also a traditional ballad.
Personally, it wasn't as impressive as the artist's debut song. The fact that I couldn't remember it well probably meant it didn't do well.
The song itself wasn't difficult, perhaps because the goal was easy listening.
Whether it was thanks to that or his own skill, Jeong Seongbin's guide recording also finished smoothly without any problems.
The other members also took their turns and sang well.
Even Choi Jeho and Kang Giyeon, who didn't specialize in singing, showed decent vocal skills, likely thanks to the years of training they'd received at UA.
I, too, made the most of my 6 points in vocal proficiency and finished the first recording of my life.
“Iwol, you don't seem nervous at all for your first time recording.”
“You didn't even go off-key. You did great for a beginner! You can come out now!”
It seemed UA's characteristic shower of praise for newcomers continued even in the recording studio.
Receiving praise wasn't a bad thing, but I couldn't afford to get complacent.
Objectively, I had to think of the current praise not as a good evaluation, but as encouragement and support.
There was only one thing to do in a situation like this.
Practice.
As soon as the guide recording experience was over, I returned to the basement vocal practice room and opened the lyric sheet with grim determination.
Today's goal was to sing the assignment song from my vocal lesson perfectly, without going off-key.
I took a deep breath and was about to dive into a world of self-reflection when I heard voices outside.
This vocal practice room was soundproofed from the inside out, but some noise from outside still seeped in.
‘Still, if I can hear it from in here, they must be talking pretty loudly out there.’
In the real world, sometimes it's good manners to pretend you didn't hear something even if you did.
Just as I was about to considerately put on my earphones, I heard someone say, “That's not what I meant!”
It was Kang Giyeon's voice.
‘Unless he was shouting, it shouldn't be this clear, right?’
I was already feeling unsettled, and now this. I couldn't help but sigh.
I turned off the playlist that was on repeat and stood up.
Outside the soundproof booth, Kang Giyeon, who was often misunderstood as being angry even when he was just standing still, was facing off against Choi Jeho, who looked obviously displeased.
A tense atmosphere hung between them.
Lee Cheonghyun stood next to Kang Giyeon, and Jeong Seongbin stood between Kang Giyeon and Choi Jeho.
I inadvertently made direct eye contact with a very troubled-looking Jeong Seongbin.
‘Seongbin, it would be more helpful if I just stayed in here, right?’
In response to my telepathy, Jeong Seongbin made a face like a dandelion seed soaked in rain.
‘Please, get involved…’
That was a bit of a problem. I'm a firm believer that ‘kids grow up by fighting with intellect and logic as their weapons.’
He must have had enough presence of mind to hear the door open, because Kang Giyeon looked my way.
It seemed the time had come to unleash the ‘clueless act’ I had polished at Hanpyeong Industries but hadn't had a chance to use for a while.
“Are you two fighting?”
“…No.”
Kang Giyeon replied, suppressing an anger that seemed ready to erupt at any moment.
Looks like he raised his voice in a fit of anger.
Just as I was thinking I should teach him how to count to ten next time, Choi Jeho cut in.
“Weren't you trying to pick a fight? You've got a problem with me, don't you.”
At Choi Jeho's attitude, which showed not a single inch of backing down, the frown on Kang Giyeon's face, which had just begun to relax, twitched again.
Before teaching Kang Giyeon to count to ten, it seemed more urgent to give that guy a lesson in ‘how to speak nicely.’
Thanks to Choi Jeho pouring oil on the fire, the atmosphere was hurtling toward disaster.
“Hyung, can you please do something about that tone of—”
“Whoa, whoa, Kang-gyeon. Let's stop here!”
Seeing Kang Giyeon practically grinding his teeth, Lee Cheonghyun tried to stop him in a forcedly bright voice.
But Kang Giyeon didn't hide the fact that he had more to say. It seemed that Choi Jeho had opened the floodgates, and now he was fired up too.
I had no choice but to abandon my plan of watching for a bit before breaking them up.
“Alright, Giyeon. I know you're pissed off, but calm down a bit.”
“…”
“That way, you won't forget the core reason you're fighting. If you get hung up on the wrong thing, you'll get nowhere.”
“…Huh?”
The four of them stared at me simultaneously after hearing what I said.
Why? Isn't getting to the point the first step in solving a problem?
“Hyung, you are trying to stop the fight, right…?”
Lee Cheonghyun asked, his face a clear picture of bewilderment.
I shrugged and answered.
“I have no intention of stopping it.”
“What?”
“They wouldn't be doing this without a reason. How old are they? If there are parts that don't match up, they can fight.”
Among them, Jeong Seongbin, whose face had turned the palest, moved his lips as if he wanted to say something.
“It's not like they're going to throw punches, are they? They're guys who want to be idols; they wouldn't do something that pathetic.”
At my words, Choi Jeho and Kang Giyeon looked at me with expressions of disbelief.
Sorry, but I, too, find it deeply regrettable that at my age, I've gotten involved in a fight between kids who are ten years younger than me.
