Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols-Chapter 177: Improvisation

The fan meeting reviews were mostly positive.
≫ What do you mean our super cute maknae black panther cried?
What happened at the fan meeting?
└ Ah, seriously, Iwol’s contact names being exposed and Kiyeon crying because of the fan event ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ I regret not going a million times. A noir heart of jealousy…
≫ The maknaes were crying so much, it was super cute and heartbreaking at the same time
The funny part -> The middle-line members, who aren’t that much older, tried to hold back their tears just because they’re ‘hyungs’ ㅋㅋㅠㅠㅠㅠ Ah, you guys are babies too, cry if you want to (actually, I want to see you cry)
└ We must smother them with love…… We must shower them with affection……
└ It’s true that the older members don’t cry as much. The oldest hyungs are seriously an iron wallㅋㅋㅋㅋ
└ Sigh, I want to see the oldest hyungs bawling. When I saw the maknaes crying, it felt like my heart was ripping apart, but if the hyungs cried, I’d probably grin so wide it’d split my face
≫ Reading through the fan meeting reviews
I lost it when Cheonghyeon, while crying, suddenly said, ‘Ugh, I need to stop crying… I’m Iwol hyung’s cutie-pretty visual, after all…’ㅠㅠ
└ Seriously, what was Kim Iwol thinking when he saved their contacts like that?
└ No one takes Spark more seriously than Kim Iwol
└ It’s so funny that Choi Jeho and Kim Iwol maintained a 100m distance after this came out ㄹㅇ funny
≫ A preview of our sobbing maknaes just dropped
F*ck this f*cked up world
└ When will I ever get tired of seeing tears fall from those eyes that look like they’d only shed icicles?
└ No, but they really cried a lot;;;; Are they having a hard time latelyㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└ Spark has been working so hard lately, that could be why…… Ha, guys, only walk on flower paths
≫ So when’s the next fan meeting?
Since they did Seoul, they have to hit Daejeon, Daegu, Busan, Jeju, Dokdo next, right?
└ And Seosan, Cheorwon, Gangneung, Cheonan, Asan, Jeonju, Yeosu, Pohang
└ Let’s just put them on a drone and fly them around
≫ The idol group who said the fan meeting would be 2 hours and then went for 4 hours
Because of that, Sparkler and the staff kept exchanging nervous glances about when to start the on-site eventㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
@@: Should we play it now?
@: N… Now?
Now?! They did this like 300 times, but it was great
└ Ahㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Cute just imagining it
≫ Watched some loser skip the fan meeting to go on a date, then I switched to Spark, and suddenly my chest felt lighter.
They danced so much, sang a million songs, and even sang a cappella if there was no MR
Even sent us home with shopping bags—felt a little like my mom, but whatever
└ Goodness, my first time hearing about the shopping bags, what are they?
└  Photocards, and since it’s autumn, mini humidifiers for dry throatsㅠㅠ It was a printed letter, not handwritten, but they included letters from all six members……ㅠㅠㅠㅠ  If it had been random, I might’ve actually cried
└ Ah, and there was puddingㅋㅋ Jeho’s older sister was obsessed with pudding and bought a ton, but because of the expiration date, he said he ate only pudding for 3 days straightㅋㅋㅋㅋ So Jeho proudly said he’s good at picking delicious pudding
└ Ah, Choi Jeho, this giant baby adult snake
└ Literally nothing in this conversation makes sense
Besides these, there were many other positive responses. That was a relief.
It seemed like a good decision to skip having an MC, since the atmosphere could change drastically depending on who it was.
If the MC constantly got members’ names wrong or made inappropriate jokes, the fans who took time out of their lives to attend wouldn’t be able to fully enjoy the event.
Thankfully, Jeong Seongbin’s hosting skills had improved considerably, making it possible. He looked a bit drained the next day, but that was how everyone grew.
The fans also loved the fan song uploaded to MeTube. Thanks to that, my steps toward the filming location felt light.
After scrolling through the community posts for a bit, the car arrived at the site.
“Iwol, we’re here!”
“Yes, I’ll head out first!”
Leaving the manager to park, I headed to the office… or rather, the set.
‘What kind of ad-libs await me today?’
Back in the Hanpyeong Industry, I was bombarded with Manager Nam’s unexpected antics, but in ‘In My Office’, it was the ad-libs that tested me. Because of this, I was constantly on the defensive.
“Mr. Iwol, you’re early again today!”
“Hello, Assistant Director.”
The actors’ arrival time was much later than the staff’s. It was probably because they worked in different areas, but I wasn’t a top star, so I came early unless there were scheduling conflicts. It felt awkward arriving right on time.
Hair and makeup were usually done on-site to match the day’s story and atmosphere.
Do Younghwan was just a regular employee, so his hair was either styled neatly or with a slight comma part. I was usually the first one here, and as a supporting actor, my look didn’t change drastically, so I was usually ready quickly.
Once I was ready, my routine began. Which was…
“Hm, still spotless as ever.”
…Wiping down Do Younghwan’s desk.
On the first day of filming, the director had the actors arrive an hour before shooting.
The idea was for us to decorate our desks according to our characters’ personalities.
It seemed like he placed great importance on character analysis, just like during the auditions.
Some brought their favorite miniatures from their cars, while others meticulously placed Post-it notes around their monitors to appear professional.
The actor playing Ji Seongin, one of the main characters, even brought his own desk calendar filled with notes. I remembered thinking, So this is the level of a main lead.
So what did I do?
I just cleared everything off the desk. Except for the books, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and mousepad.
‘What? Is Mr. Do Younghwan a minimalist?’
The staff commented as I removed the default index tabs stuck to the side of the monitor.
The director also chimed in.
‘Mr. Iwol, if you’re doing this to stand out…’
‘Oh, no, sir. That’s not it.’
I opened a section of the first part of the script and pointed to a short stage direction. It was underlined in red.
‘I don’t know what Younghwan is thinking, but that’s his charm.’
It was Ha Seomyeong’s line.
‘I was thinking about how to express this part. Do Younghwan isn’t unsociable, and he’s competent at his work, so where does this subtle charm come from?’
‘Hmm, right.’
‘So I used this as a reference.’
The director looked at the photo I had printed out titled, ‘The Desk of Someone Ready to Quit at Any Moment’.
I had also brought along positive comments from online, just in case. It would be hard to view it negatively.
‘But Mr. Iwol, did you know I’d ask you to decorate your desk? When did you prepare this?’
It was an indirect approval. I took the paper back and replied,
‘If you hadn’t asked, I was planning to suggest it.’
‘You’re something else.’
And so, Do Younghwan’s desk became a sterile, emotionless corporate workstation. And every day I came to work, I wiped it clean. It was a habit from my Hanpyeong Industry days.
“Someone this tidy… isn’t hiding a resignation letter in their drawer, are they?”
Ha Seomyeong approached and asked.
Despite her occasional impulsive behavior, she was kind to everyone in the cast and created a positive atmosphere. So, I tried my best to accommodate her.
“This is a large corporation, wouldn’t resignations be handled through the electronic system?”
“Ahaha! Right, I thought you’d have a laminated resignation letter.”
Then, Ha Seomyeong clapped her hands.
“This conversation is great. How about we tweak it a bit and use it as an ad-lib later?”
“‘I didn’t print it out because I’ll submitting it electronically.’  …Would that work?”
“Yes, yes. You’ve got great sense, Mr. Iwol.”
Ha Seomyeong gave me a thumbs-up. I bowed my head in thanks. I wasn’t sure if gaining her favor was a good thing.
***
For office workers, lunchtime was as precious as gold.
Seon Guan’s team, having already dispatched those heading to the company gym, strolled along the riverside with coffee in hand.
“Ugh, isn’t it getting colder these days?”
One colleague rubbed their arms.
“It’s dreadful just thinking about winter coming…”
Another chimed in.
Suits offered terrible insulation. Even with thermal underwear on, they couldn’t block the biting wind. Everyone at Mai Asset Management knew this all too well.
“But winter also comes with a big event. You all have 2,000 won in cash ready, right?”
Seon Guan energetically looked at her colleagues and exclaimed.
The bungeoppang stalls lined up in front of the nearest subway station to Mai Asset Management and the takoyaki stall that came to the riverside every Wednesday evening were secretly shared hotspots among the office workers of Yeouido, even worthy of being registered on the ‘seasonal seafood’ map.
Her colleagues, who had benefited greatly from their cash stash last winter, nodded in agreement.
“Of course.”
“Naturally.”
There was an unexpected participant. Do Younghwan, Seon Guan’s subordinate, who seemed like the type to politely decline sweets, saying, ‘Ah, I’m fine with something not sweet’.
He was the one who never frowned except when putting in eye drops, always staring blankly at his monitor, typing away almost invisibly before going home.
For Do Younghwan to carry bungeoppang money around?
“You too, Mr. Younghwan? To buy bungeoppang?”
Seon Guan asked.
Do Younghwan, staring off into the distance, replied,
“No, to buy a lottery ticket on my way home.”
“…….”
Seon Guan followed Do Younghwan’s gaze.
A banner across the street flapped in the wind, proclaiming, ‘Three-time First Prize Winner’.
Do Younghwan said,
“If you don’t see me next Monday, don’t bother looking for me.”
Seon Guan and his colleagues were momentarily speechless. But Do Younghwan’s eyes showed how serious he was.
“M… Mr. Younghwan, even if you win, don’t just disappear! Okay?”
“Look at you, trying to snatch the maknae’s lottery winnings!”
Seon Guan hurriedly stopped her colleagues. Do Younghwan silently followed behind them.
“Cut!”
The director gave a short approval.
Simultaneously, I let out a sigh of relief.
‘Who puts in this much ad-libbing?!’
My original line was just ‘Naturally’. That meant everything from Younghwan’s lottery confession onward was completely ad-libbed.
I had to match the tone since I had decorated the desk like an office worker dreaming of resignation, so I had no choice.
I had hoped the director would cut it if it didn’t work, but that didn’t happen. It seemed Do Younghwan would appear on broadcast as an ordinary office worker buying lottery tickets.
Moreover, I was getting paired with Ha Seomyeong as a comedic duo. My screen time had doubled.
I was both grateful and embarrassed. Please don’t do this to me. I promise I’ll study the script harder…
While they filmed scenes I wasn’t in, I diligently read the script in a corner. Then, someone sat down in the empty chair next to me. It was Ha Seomyeong.
“It’s tough, isn’t it, your first time acting?”
“Not at all, everyone’s been very helpful, so I’m enjoying it.”
“Really?”
Ha Seomyeong laughed.
“I doubt that.”
“I mean it.”
“Really? That’s amazing. I had a really hard time.”
I responded to Ha Seomyeong’s friendly remark with a sociable smile. I didn’t have many other expressions I could make in this situation.
“About the ad-libs, I’m sorry. The original script didn’t have much punchline, you know?”
“I see.”
“How many people watch dramas from beginning to end these days? Everyone watches clips or compilations. And those usually consist of funny scenes. Good back-and-forth, fun chemistry, witty lines.”
“…….”
“I think Do Younghwan is the perfect character for that. Let’s create some fun moments!”
“Y-Yes!”
I ended up joining in the cheer. This person had the aura of a straightforward and ambitious superior.
Feeling the urge to avoid her, I glanced around, hoping to find something that needed my help.
Ha Seomyeong laughed, watching me.
“Just like Eun said.”
I couldn’t immediately place who ‘Eun’ was.
Then, I remembered. It was Ms. Oh Eun, the vocal trainer at UA.
“You know her?”
“Of course. We were in the same group.”
I had learned by chance, during my trainee days, that Ms. Oh Eun was from an unsuccessful girl group. I had heard that the group disbanded, but I had no idea Ha Seomyeong was in the same group.
This meant that she had also gone through the arduous journey from idol to actress. Unlike me, whose role was minor at best, she had fought through far greater challenges.
But Ha Seomyeong didn’t show it at all. Her eyes were filled with positive energy.
“She doesn’t usually talk about people, but she said a really polite and hardworking kid would be joining. She asked me to look after him if I liked him.”
“‘If I liked him’ sounds exactly like her.”
“She’s always been picky. Anyway, I watched you, and wow, you’re exactly as she described.”
Ha Seomyeong handed me a drink. It was a small bottle of fruit juice that cost over 4,000 won.
“I told Eun this before. She should become a solo singer. I said she was talented enough, so why bother teaching kids?”
Ms. Oh Eun was a truly talented singer. The fact that she could still teach Jeong Seongbin and Park Joowoo, who were already idol-level, meant there was nothing she couldn’t teach.
“But these days, I kind of understand how she feels. Eun is a trainer at a small company, and I’m still a struggling actress.”
Let’s do our best. Saying that, Ha Seomyeong extended her hand.
I bowed and shook her hand, saying I looked forward to working with her.
The fact that someone was looking out for me, even in this environment where I thought I was alone, was comforting.
“Oh, and UA will be receiving an offer soon. I’m not sure if it’s a direct request, but…”
“What kind of offer?”
Ha Seomyeong winked.
“An OST request.”