Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols-Chapter 197: The Absence of a Team Member (4)

After the first broadcast, Kang Kiyeon went on hiatus. He resisted, but with even the management team intervening, he had no choice.
After sending Kang Kiyeon back to the dorm, we gathered at the company practice room.
The atmosphere was somber, like a funeral, but harshly enough, we didn’t have the luxury of worrying about him.
Our next music show performance was tomorrow. We had to rearrange the choreography for five members by then.
“Choi Jeho, can you redraw the formations and movements for five people?”
“I can’t guarantee it.”
If Choi Jeho was the type to see the forest, Kang Kiyeon was the one who focused on the trees – the details and specifics of the choreography. Moreover, unlike Choi Jeho, who specialized in individual skills, Kang Kiyeon’s role was crucial in composing group choreography.
“What if we pair you with Seongbin?”
“…You’re going to make me do it even if I say no, aren’t you?”
Choi Jeho grumbled but gave an okay sign.
Since we hadn’t recorded much vocal layering in the AR track, we could redistribute the singing parts along with the new choreography.
“But can you memorize it?”
Choi Jeho hit the nail on the head.
Lee Cheonghyeon would be able to memorize it quickly. Park Joowoo and Jeong Seongbin wouldn’t take too long either.
The only problem was me. No matter how much I’d improved my dance skills, I wasn’t at a level where I could learn choreography overnight. I’d gone from a wooden doll to something resembling a human, but that was about it. Choi Jeho’s point was valid.
“It won’t be easy.”
I checked the wall clock.
It was currently 9 PM.
Rehearsal tomorrow was at 10 AM. Before that, we had to spend two hours at the salon.
And ‘In My Office’ would be released on the OTT platform at midnight tonight.
“Still, I’ll memorize it no matter what.”
I had no choice. I could only rely on my skill level.
* * *
“Iwol hyung, you need to come forward here!”
“Sorry, let me try again.”
As it passed 11 PM, my brain started to overload. It was hard enough remembering the choreography I’d just learned, but the steps and directions changing with each part made it confusing and drove me crazy.
The others were following along just fine; I was the only one struggling. I even almost tripped because my steps got tangled.
That Pump It Up game, or whatever it was called, at least showed arrows on the screen. Trying to memorize purely with my head was incredibly difficult.
‘If I could just organize it in my head, maybe I could pull it off…’
Changing parts in real-time while also changing formations turned my brain into a mess. I had no idea how Lee Cheonghyeon or Park Joowoo were keeping up.
Seeing me muttering ‘left’ and ‘right’, Jeong Seongbin declared a break.
Lee Cheonghyeon handed me a water bottle and said.
“’In My Office’ will be released soon.”
“Huh?”
I looked at the clock; it was already 11:50 PM. If the system didn’t delay the payment, I had 10 minutes until my skill level increased.
“Are you okay? We can’t promote it on the official account now.”
Lee Cheonghyeon asked in a low voice.
With a member unable to participate, posting ‘Please support Iwol’s first acting role!’ on the official account would get us worse than stones thrown at us; it would be boulders. It was the obvious course of action, but Lee Cheonghyeon seemed concerned.
“I never planned to promote it on Spark’s account anyway. I already told the company.”
“Why?”
“It’s not related to the group’s activities.”
Even though the activity was meant to raise Spark’s profile, not all fans would support it. Some worried I might leave the group, and others just wanted to look for a reason to hate.
With the team already in a rough spot, the last thing I wanted was to add fuel to the fire. So, I decided against promoting it on the official account.
“Then what about Seongbin hyung’s OST?”
“That we should promote heavily. Seongbin landed that gig himself.”
“Geez…”
Lee Cheonghyeon let out a dry laugh. But really, Cheonghyeon, no fan will hate a member for singing a drama OST. They might criticize someone for having pretentious acting ambitions, though.
“I thought we might be able to watch the first episode today, it’s a shame.”
“Watch what? I have two lines.”
“I was going to memorize your two lines and tease you for two weeks.”
He smiled sheepishly. Well, that sounded like something Lee Cheonghyeon would do.
The break was ending. I stood up and said.
“If you’re going to tease me, drag Kang Kiyeon into it too. That’ll hit harder.”
Lee Cheonghyeon’s eyebrows furrowed at my words. He looked like he was fighting back tears.
And above his face, the system I had been waiting for appeared.
+
[SYSTEM] ‘Task’ completed.
▷ Reward: Dance Skill +0.16% per episode appearance (Bonus points for appearing in all episodes)
▷ Settlement Result: +0.384 points for 12 appearances + 0.616 bonus points for appearing in all episodes + 1 additional point for actively securing more screen time
[SYSTEM] ‘Surbordinate’ is being notified of the ‘Dance Skill Increase’.
Performance Evaluation (100)
─ Vocal Skill: 12(▲)/20
─ Dance Skill: 11(▲)/20
─ Self-PR: 17/20
─ Attendance Management: 20/20
─ Organizational Adaptability: 15/20
─ Total Fatigue: 17%
+
In the original script, my part was scheduled for around nine episodes. I didn’t have many lines either.
But as the character Do Younghwan developed and built a narrative with Ha Seomyeong, Do Younghwan ended up appearing in every episode.
Thanks to not skipping ad-libs and using the four-split monitor on set, I earned an extra point.
“Let’s practice first.”
I needed to test it. The effect of reaching double digits in Dance Skill, something I could never break through before.
* * *
Kang Kiyeon stubbornly refused the staff’s suggestion to stay at the company until the members returned from their schedule.
He also declined their offer to contact his parents. He simply wanted to be alone.
After the dorm became quiet, he collapsed onto the sofa. He felt drained.
‘It’s okay as long as I stay still like this.’
Yesterday felt like a distant dream. It was hard to accept that it had actually happened, that he’d lost control of his own body. Kang Kiyeon’s mind was strangely calm now.
But when he recalled the stage, the suffocating feeling reminded him that it wasn’t a dream. His hands tingled.
Guilt gnawed at him.
It was their long-awaited comeback. Everyone had prepared desperately. And yet, he ruined it after just one broadcast.
He had never intended to live his life causing trouble for others. This was his first real failure.
How should he apologize to the members? To the fans? To the staff…?
His chest felt heavy, as if a stone was weighing him down.
‘What if I can never stand in front of a camera again?’
As a trainee, his biggest worry had been making mistakes on camera. Now, his anxieties had spiraled out of control.
He wanted to make this his career. He’d worked so hard for it.
He had never fully understood the meaning of emptiness until now. He felt like he was sinking deeper and deeper.
Despite this, Kang Kiyeon forced himself to sit up.
He turned on the music show he should have been on.
Several groups performed. Kang Kiyeon leaned back against the sofa and stared blankly at the TV.
Soon, he heard a familiar song title in the MCs’ introduction.
“Minil, shall we try a mission?”
“A mission? What kind of mission?”
“Win three rounds of rock-paper-scissors in a row! How about it?”
The usual banter filled the air from the MCs’ table. After their awkward game, they swiftly transitioned to introducing Spark.
“Let’s meet Spark, who are back with ‘MISSION’!”
Following the gesture of Song Minil, one of the MCs, the camera turned towards the stage.
Five dark figures appeared on the dimly lit stage.
* * *
[Joowoo]
I want to be
The last person standing by your side
At the center of a formation that bloomed like a flower, Park Joowoo stood and sang. It was Kang Kiyeon’s part.
He remembered when Jeong Seongbin, who was in charge of distributing parts, smiled as he handed him the intro.
‘I think it would be cool if you do it, Kiyeon.’
There was a reason why terms like ‘intro fairy’ and ‘opening-verse killer’ existed.
Dozens of songs were released every day. Even if idols shortened their four-minute songs to two minutes, many people still only listened to the first verse, or even just the intro, before skipping.
Knowing this, the members still willingly gave him this opening part. Kang Kiyeon had been very happy about it.
‘They must have reworked the intro.’
Now, he felt like he had betrayed their trust. He felt miserable.
Against a backdrop of intense sound, Kim Iwol sang in a hushed tone.
[Iwol]
I wait with bated breath
For the moment
You call my name
The camera slowly panned up, starting from the back muscles visible under the black cropped knit. His back, shoulders, and face were captured sequentially.
Perhaps because it was a broadcast, the flower drawing wasn’t on his back this time. Instead, a red harness was strapped across his lower back.
The scar was barely visible, covered by makeup and leather straps.
‘Things were a bit rough at home, and sometimes it got out of hand. I got this when I was unlucky.’
That was how Kim Iwol had answered when Jeong Seongbin asked about the scar on his back.
Everyone must have been curious, but no one had been rude enough to ask to see his back after that. Kang Kiyeon included.
It wasn’t until recently that he had seen Kim Iwol’s scar in person.
A large, poorly stitched scar that ran diagonally across his back from a handspan away from his side to his shoulder blade.
Who would describe something like that as the result of ‘bad luck’? What could happen in a ‘slightly rough’ home to cause that?
He had been so shocked that he’d gasped involuntarily, but Kim Iwol had remained calm — like it was nothing.
If he could be so nonchalant about something like that, how much more would he have to endure before saying he needed a break?
Kim Iwol on screen was flawless, like an unblemished porcelain doll.
His downcast gaze, sharp movements, and languid gestures blended perfectly.
Lee Cheonghyeon stepped forward from among the members standing with their backs to the camera in a V formation, hands clasped behind them.
[Cheonghyeon]
I’ll escort you
Every step of the way
To the stage
I’ll wait
Lee Cheonghyeon’s hand reached out to Jeong Seongbin, who was standing at the front of the formation.
Jeong Seongbin lightly clasped Lee Cheonghyeon’s hand from above and sang.
[Seongbin]
Until that uncertain time
Only
For you
The formation shifted complexly.
No one made a mistake. Kang Kiyeon’s gaze kept following Kim Iwol, who usually needed the most guidance.
The moves had changed from the original routine, and even the distances they had to travel were different.
Despite his worries at every line, Kim Iwol performed flawlessly. The Kim Iwol who used to parrot ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘Just leave me behind’ every time he was taught something was nowhere to be seen.
“When did he get so good…?”
Kang Kiyeon murmured. The song that Lee Cheonghyeon had excitedly played for him countless times filled the living room.