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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Debut Evaluation (2)
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“Hyung, they said it's your turn for the interview.”
“Is it?”
Lee Cheonghyun called out to me as he opened the practice room door.
It had been thirty minutes since he’d been called in for his.
Starting the day after the monthly evaluation, the company began conducting one-on-one interviews, beginning with Jeong Seongbin.
Considering that last time, the interviews were held at the beginning of the following month when the evaluation scores came out, it seemed they were really finalizing the debut lineup.
‘Well… I've done everything I can.’
Now, I had to think about what I needed to do in the interview.
For instance, how I would grab the CEO by the pant legs if he told me, “Rather than debuting with the current team where the skill gap is so large, let's aim for the next opportunity.”
Renewing my vow to repay my sister with compound interest, I headed to the conference room.
After knocking and entering, I found the CEO, the manager, and Min Jukyung inside.
The atmosphere in the conference room was quite different from what I had expected.
“Iwol, you're here? Sit, sit.”
“What would you like to drink?”
How should I put it? It was remarkably friendly.
Why? Usually, to persuade someone like me—lacking in skill and old in age—they should be ready to tear down my entire being.
‘Assistant Manager Kim, you work like this and you're not afraid of your performance review? If it were me, I'd have been so damn embarrassed I would've given up my position myself.’
‘You're not thinking of changing jobs, are you? Get a grip on reality. Aren't you turning thirty soon, Assistant Manager Kim? Do you really think you can compete with kids in their twenties?’
…Like that.
Recalling my memories of Department Head Nam made me feel about three times worse. Thanks to that, I had to do my best to control my expression.
The interview began in earnest once I took my seat.
But something was a bit unexpected.
“Iwol, how has it been living with the other members?”
“I heard you all gathered in the practice room to talk recently. Was that kind of setting difficult for you?”
“In your opinion, Iwol, who do you think is suitable to be the team's leader?”
All the questions coming my way were for a personality interview.
For a moment, I almost suspected someone had reported me, saying, “That Kim Iwol guy's personality is kind of shot.”
Of course, it wouldn't have been strange if someone had.
I tried to be as sociable as possible, using the social skills I'd honed at Hanpyeong Industries, but I was never the one to initiate small talk with the Spark members.
So I emphasized that I greatly enjoyed this life with the members and was very satisfied, feeling that our bond had grown even stronger recently.
Additionally, I calmly spoke about how sound and dedicated the trainees were, how much they were improving, and what excellent character they had.
As long as my KPI was to debut as a six-member boy group, there couldn't be a single straggler.
Especially for the question of who would be a suitable leader, I nominated Jeong Seongbin with the feeling of coughing up blood. Without him, this team would fall apart.
After we had talked for a good while, the CEO spoke.
“Actually, the company was thinking about making you the next group's leader.”
It wasn't an unexpected proposal. If I were him, I wouldn't want to put a klutz at a well-set table either.
Though the title of leader was outside my expectations.
Since it has come to this, I have no choice.
I'll have to unveil my secret weapon, honed for years to gain momentum when resigning: getting on my knees…
“But your chemistry with the existing trainees is just so good.”
What?
This was a completely unexpected development.
It was enough to make me wonder if the CEO misunderstood the meaning of the word “chemistry.”
People don't usually say the chemistry is good when they see someone making the youngest members stand in the middle of the practice room and grilling them for two hours like a judge, or cracking the whip to make them write songs.
“In an idol group, teamwork is really important. The term ‘relationship dynamics’ doesn't come from nowhere.”
I know that all too well. I've seen to the point of exhaustion how the old Spark members all acted on their own.
Aside from when their own content started, how torturous was it to forcibly cut and paste scenes of the members scattering in an instant or keeping their distance, just to create a “Spark's Relationship Dynamics Compilation” series?
It got to the point where I thought it would be better for their future if there was some compulsory “pairing” function to stick those guys together.
Whether I was confused or not, the CEO, who clearly didn't know the meaning of chemistry, continued to speak.
“The kids aren't exactly the most affectionate, but they seemed to get close to you quickly. Your skills themselves are also improving by the day.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“In their interviews, there wasn't a single kid who didn't talk about you.”
I felt a bit awkward.
It seemed these people had never seen the look on Kang Giyeon's face when he watches me dance.
The CEO brought up that he was thinking of Jeong Seongbin, the all-rounder, as the leader, and then said to me.
“So, what I'm saying is. Iwol, as the eldest, do you think you could help Seongbin out from time to time and help the members get in sync?”
“…What?”
I had never once zoned out while talking to someone.
But right now, I could feel myself spacing out for a moment.
‘What does that mean?’
As I was pondering, the manager lightly slapped my back.
“You're debuting with the kids too! Congratulations!”
Ah.
Is that what he meant?
Compared to Department Head Nam's straightforward verbal abuse, the CEO's words were practically classical poetry. His skill at speaking elegantly and indirectly was top-notch.
“You always acted so sharp, yet you didn't even think you'd make the debut team?”
Min Jukyung said, as if she were proud of me. Though I was thinking I'd have to get on my knees if it didn't work out.
Just as I was wondering if the staff were all deceiving me, the air flashed and the system appeared.
+
[SYSTEM] ‘Task’ has been completed.
▷ Reward: Experience (20)
▷ Accumulated Experience: 55
▷ Accumulated Points: 0
+
It was a moving message. So bright it made my eyes ache.
Noona, cheer for me.
I'm in the debut lineup for an idol group now.
* * *
A few days later, our confirmation in the debut lineup was celebrated with a small whole cake. Though, because of the upcoming weight check, everyone just had a taste.
There were exactly two good things about the debut lineup being finalized.
The monthly evaluations were gone, and our practice room hours were extended to 2 AM.
And as for the bad things…
The company started to seriously manage our weight, the one-hour-a-day phone use rule became stricter, each trainee had to develop a specialty, and foreign language study was added to the list… things like that.
Amidst all this, the system also brought a new task.
+
[SYSTEM] A work order from ‘The Person in Charge’ has arrived.
▶ Assistant Manager Kim, why don't you try planning the team-building event this time. With a youthful touch. Ah, the executives will be there too, so don't make it too revolutionary. Just, you know, make it suitably retro yet fresh!
[SYSTEM] A ‘New Task’ has been assigned.
▷ Decide on the debut album concept
▷ Reward: Experience (10)
+
Bring it on. I've been waiting.
This album concept business was a task I happened to be preparing for in advance.
It was my first time planning an idol album, but since I had the documents, it wasn't daunting.
With a template, you know the components, so filling in the content was no big deal.
The problem was that I couldn't use these documents from the system as they were.
‘If they ask where I got the proposal template, what am I supposed to say?’
I considered saying I downloaded it from a universal form site, but after checking, I found no such template on those platforms.
And I couldn't very well frame some innocent person for leaking internal company documents.
In other words, I had the documents, but I had to pretend I didn't.
In the time I should have been spending thinking about the concept, I had to worry about how to conceal Schrödinger's documents.
And I had to figure out how to disguise myself as a trainee with unusually good instincts.
Being a K-idol trainee really isn't easy.
‘Come to think of it, I haven't even opened those documents.’
I took out the three-piece proposal set that had been drifting somewhere in the virtual world after I'd received it and left it untouched.
And as soon as I saw the format, I had a hunch.
That this template would be discarded as soon as the debut album planning was finished.
That's what happens when a document has no foundation. If even a non-expert in planning can tell it's no good, you have to consider it beyond saving.
With weary eyes, I scanned the list of outlines.
‘The overall concept and message are one set, and then outfits and the music video… so three areas in total, huh.’
It hadn't been long since I'd resolved to get my dark circles under control, but I already felt them doubling in intensity.
‘At least office workers get paid when they work…’
I had a momentarily materialistic thought, then remembered that Hanpyeong Industries hadn't paid overtime either, and immediately returned to the life of a trainee. Once I achieve my KPI, I'm definitely getting a job at a company that doesn't use a comprehensive wage system.
* * *
After overcoming the great mountain that was the evaluation, a relatively peaceful routine followed.
Days of following a set practice schedule and wrestling with the proposal.
I thought things would continue like this for a while. Unfortunately, the peace didn't last long.
This morning, while getting ready for school, Jeong Seongbin secretly left me a message…
‘Could you spare some time this afternoon?’
…Because of those few words.
‘I can make time. Is there something you want to talk about?’
‘Yes. And… Jeho-hyung, too.’
‘Choi Jeho?’
The choice of personnel was ominous from the start.
Naturally. The moment Choi Jeho was involved, the probability of the conversation going smoothly converged to zero.
Choi Jeho's reaction when I relayed Jeong Seongbin's request to him wasn't much different.
‘Me?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Why?’
‘How should I know?’
And now, back to the present. The only two adult members among the trainees were trembling in their boots.
I wanted to ask Park Juwoo, Jeong Seongbin's roommate, if he had sensed anything strange, but it seemed Seongbin didn't want others to know yet, so I couldn't even do that.
“I'm asking because I really have no idea, but did you happen to do something wrong to Seongbin?”
I subtly prodded Choi Jeho while we waited in the lobby for Jeong Seongbin to return.
To which Choi Jeho replied seriously.
“I was just thinking about that, actually.”
“I see…”
At least he's thinking about it now. Compared to last month when he confronted Kang Giyeon with physiognomy, this was a huge improvement.
After waiting for about thirty minutes, Jeong Seongbin returned through the main entrance, still in his school uniform.
Perhaps Jeong Seongbin had given him a heads-up, because Kang Giyeon just greeted us and went down to the basement practice room without another word.
Jeong Seongbin saw us, took off his backpack, and bowed deeply.
“Thank you for making time.”
“It's nothing. Did anything happen at school?”
I waved my hand dismissively and asked how he was. Jeong Seongbin nodded a couple of times.
“No. Did anything happen with you, hyungs?”
“Nothing, aside from Choi Jeho almost cursing at me.”
While making small talk, I subtly observed Jeong Seongbin's expression.
His complexion wasn't bad, but his face looked just a little anxious.
A reason that a kid with usually impeccable conduct, who had recently gotten his act together, would be reluctant to tell others about openly.
A kid like that had called for Choi Jeho, who looked like he could cause frost in June, and worn-out me.
Considering all these factors, no matter how much I racked my brain, only one answer came to mind.
I asked cautiously, hoping with all my might that Jeong Seongbin would say no.
“So… is this ‘favor’ you need asking us to bury someone?”
