Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols-Chapter 213: Performance Presentation (3)

After the pre-recording, Spark’s waiting room was in a festive mood.
Wouldn’t it be strange if it wasn’t? Kang Kiyeon had made a successful return.
He didn’t sweat much and made no mistakes. Most importantly, he performed to a level he was satisfied with. That was enough for this final broadcast to have served its purpose.
“You’ve grown up, our maknae! What do you want this hyung to buy you? Just name it. I’ll buy you anything except a house!”
“Who said you’re my hyung?”
His bickering with Lee Cheonghyeon was the same as usual. It put my mind at ease.
‘Even I was nervous this time…’
After turning off the negative emotion control, I’d been overwhelmed with guilt, worry, anxiety, and so on, so I’d been staying up all night for the past few days. But seeing him like this put me at ease.
Just as I was about to peacefully enjoy the time until the ending stage, our manager made a shocking announcement.
“Guys, you’ll be getting paid after this promotion ends.”
“…What?”
“Starting from the third quarter, you’ll be getting settlement payments!”
Why are you only telling us this now! An office worker’s energy triples at the mention of getting paid! And on a Sunday, no less, when I have to come into work!
The Spark members, however, seemed bewildered by the fact that they were starting to make money. More accurately, they didn’t seem to be processing the reality well.
But settlement payments were important. Especially for idols who hadn’t been paid a penny so far.
“When is UA’s settlement date? I think it was in the contract, but sometimes the settlement date and the statement delivery date are different, or so I heard… The withholding tax will be deducted, right?”
I pestered the manager. He was only freed after telling me the exact time and minute the money would be deposited into our accounts.
“You called me a monster born of idol ego earlier.”
Kang Kiyeon quipped from the corner. Yes, this body was a monster born from capitalism. It calculated everything in life with money.
“Anyway, have you all signed up for housing subscription savings?”
“What?”
Jeong Seongbin asked, his eyes wide.
“Housing subscriptions. I assume you all have health insurance, but  if not, check and get signed up ASAP.”
“Hyung, we haven’t even received the money yet.”
“The interest rates for savings and deposits are pretty good right now. If you don’t have any big expenses planned, open a deposit account. I’m sure there was a credit union near our dorm.”
“…Hyung.”
As I was pondering which financial products to introduce to these young and naive members, Park Joowoo tapped me on the shoulder.
Then he pointed to the behind-the-scenes camera filming me in the corner of the waiting room.
“…….”
Looks like the final broadcast BTS footage will feature Method Actor Kim Iwol trapped in a financial drama. I’m doomed.
“You’re not going to… edit that out, are you?”
“Of course not.”
The staff member smiled brightly. I swallowed my tears and smiled brightly back.
“Oh, Iwol.”
The manager gestured to the camera to film elsewhere for a moment and then called me over.
It seemed he had something to say to me privately, so I slightly leaned in. The manager covered his mouth with his hand and whispered in my ear.
“The accounting team wants the receipts for your personal expenses. If the transactions are too old for records, print out the order confirmations. They said they’ll make sure everything’s reimbursed before the end of the year.”
“What?”
How did the accounting team know about that?
When I looked bewildered, the manager lightly slapped my back.
“Seongbin told them. Do you know how surprised we were?”
“The company atmosphere was a bit rough at the time.”
“But still…  We’ll cover all your personal expenses, so make sure you bring your spending records. If you don’t have receipts, at least bring transfer statements. The accounting team will take care of it.”
That sounded like something that would make the accounting team members clutch their necks.  Receipts, dates of expenditure, amounts, and deposit accounts were essential for reimbursements.
“This is a separate matter but… We’ll be adding a planning fee to your payment. It’ll be listed under its own category, so just a heads-up.”
“Planning fee?”
“For producing the album, you know. You’ll receive the equivalent of outsourcing costs. It won’t be much, but still.”
I don’t quite understand. I only did what the system told me to do, why would I get paid for that?
Do companies normally pay extra for taking on other teams’ tasks?  I just assumed it was all mutual cooperation and moved on.
I must’ve made a dumb face, because the manager gave me a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.
“You’re getting paid for the work you did. It’s only natural, so don’t look so surprised.”
Then the manager said in a loud voice that could be heard throughout the waiting room,
“And guys, there’s actually one more thing I haven’t told you.”
At the manager’s words, our attention was once again focused on him.
“You guys are nominees for first place this week.”
“…What?”
“I said—you’re first place nominees.”
A stunned silence fell over the waiting room. No one dared to speak.
What is going on?
Settlement payments, planning fees, and now first place nominees?
“Normally we’d let you know at the start of the broadcast, but I didn’t want to put more pressure on Kiyeon. Sorry for telling you so late.”
“No, it’s okay since you were thinking of us…! It’s fine!”
Jeong Seongbin hurriedly reassured the manager.
But first place nominees? I couldn’t even fathom how we got there.
We’d been on all sorts of broadcasts non-stop, but it was difficult to win first place with just broadcast scores.
The album’s release week had passed, so our album score should have dropped, and the digital score and text voting score relied entirely on the fans, so I had intentionally avoided expecting anything from that front…
“They must have voted and streamed a lot.”
Lee Cheonghyeon muttered.
If we were first place nominees at this point, there must have been additional group purchases of the album as well.
It was hard to lift my head, seeing how much effort the fans put in for the final broadcast, for the 6-member stage.
‘I was planning to aim for the first place KPI next year.’
We hadn’t even won yet, and I wasn’t sure if the hope I’d let go of had been revived, but at least I was incredibly satisfied with this result. Beyond satisfied, I was grateful for the overwhelming love we received.
“…Let’s think of ending reaction versions.”
“Huh?”
Lee Cheonghyeon, who had been muttering ‘First place nominees…’ in disbelief, looked at me.
“First, a version where we sincerely congratulate other senior artists if they win first place. Second, a pledge if we win first place. And we should also prepare acceptance speeches for being nominated. We can film a behind-the-scenes video after our final broadcast. If we prepare like that, we won’t be flustered whether we win or not.”
Lee Cheonghyeon laughed in disbelief. The other members did the same.
However, meetings were now ingrained in them. They naturally gathered in front of the waiting room sofa, practicing the highlight choreography of the other nominees and preparing a deep bow as our team’s pledge.
***
“Are you nervous?”
I whispered into Kang Kiyeon’s ear.
Even as all the singers stood on the large stage at the end of the broadcast, Kang Kiyeon’s posture remained upright and firm.
“No.”
His answer was solid. I couldn’t have been prouder.
“You don’t look nervous at all either, hyung.”
“No, I’m incredibly nervous.”
Kang Kiyeon looked at me as if saying, ‘Don’t lie’.
But I was being serious. Everything I’d poured into the past few months was hanging on this moment. I was racking my brain, trying not to forget the highlight choreography of the other 1st-place nominees.
Just as I was about to explain my true feelings to Kang Kiyeon, the MC spoke.
“Let’s meet the three nominees for first place on ‘Music World’ this week!”
The top three groups were introduced one by one on the screen. And Spark was really there.
Even seeing it with my own eyes, it felt surreal. Normally, it should’ve taken Spark much longer to become a first-place contender.
“First, let’s look at the album scores!”
If we made it into the nominees this time, maybe next time we could actually win 1st place.
Next time, I’d have to aim for the first-week sales from the start. We would have to promote better and build more recognition. I’d send everyone out to broadcasts like herding sheep, with Choi Jeho and Jeong Seongbin leading the charge. I’d let Kang Kiyeon rest a bit, if he wanted to.
“Next are the broadcast scores!”
I’d make Lee Cheonghyeon compose songs while feeding him only steamed dumplings. I heard other people feed fried dumplings at times like this, but fried stuff was unhealthy.
I’d make Park Joowoo drink pear and bellflower tea until his whole body smelled like it.
If we went to see the New Year’s sunrise again next year, I had to pray for first place, even if it killed me.
“Next, we’ll reveal the digital scores!”
I’d have to squeeze UA dry. Since they were offering me a planning fee, they must still have plenty in their vaults.
At this point, I’d bleed them dry. I was an an expert at reducing the remaining office supplies budget to zero.
“Hyung, hyung!”
“What?”
Lee Cheonghyeon urgently grabbed and shook my elbow.
Why are you calling me? I’m busy making plans for the future. You should be managing your expression…
…?
“Lastly, the real-time text voting scores!”
Wait a minute.
Why is our score so high?
The live text voting scores were still increasing, but even calculating just the middle portion, I could roughly tell. That we weren’t in third place.
And Spark’s live text voting score hit the maximum.
“The first place winner on Music World this Sunday is, congratulations! Spark!”
Confetti cannons exploded with a loud bang on both sides of the stage.
People around us congratulated us and applauded, and the trophy was handed to Jeong Seongbin, the leader.
Fans were crying in the front of the stage. Words of love and the members’ names echoed mixed with the 『MISSION』 AR.
For real, Spark actually won first place.