Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols-Chapter 223: Bustling Sports Day (4)

Berion and Spark, having come to the front of the stage for an interview, exchanged friendly waves and greetings. Yur watched from between them with a warm smile.
“So we meet the ‘IDC’ combination again. Both teams must be feeling quite nostalgic.”
“It really feels that way, especially with you here, sunbaenim!”
Everyone nodded in agreement with my words. Our reactions were so synchronized that we looked like one group. Yur burst out laughing.
“Berion and Spark sat near each other during the training camp and were even on the same team for the position battle. Now you’re meeting as competitors. Are you alright with that?”
“We’ll think of it as friendly competition and do our best…!”
Jeong Seongbin answered that one well.
He used to be so nervous holding a microphone, focusing on the other members and struggling to speak. I’m so proud of him I could cry.
As I was getting sentimental, Yur continued with the interview.
“Our Heerang has something he really wants to say to the opposing team, Spark.”
The microphone was passed to the player next to us. It was Heerang, Berion’s main dancer.
“Um, Iwol-nim…”
Surprisingly, Heerang shyly pointed at me.
I gently placed my hand on my chest, like ‘Are you talking to me?’. Heerang nodded vigorously.
“Iwol-nim, I used the knee patches you gave me during Idol Dynasty Chronicle really well.”
I’d heard he was a foreign member, but his pronunciation was excellent. It showed how much effort he must have put in to debut in Korea.
“I also received the pill case well. I wanted to buy you a meal to thank you, but you always turned me down…”
A murmur of ‘Ooh~’ rippled through the audience. It was such a trivial thing, but I felt incredibly embarrassed. It was a great regret that I didn’t have a microphone to say, ‘Oh no, it’s nothing. We should all help each other’.
“I kept trying to talk to you, but you seemed so busy…”
“Ah, so that’s why Berion kept hovering around Team D instead of Team B?”
Yur asked with a laugh. It seemed he had been watching the groups’ movements closely from the MC’s seat.
Heerang and the other Berion members nodded so hard it looked like their heads might fall off. From a distance, I could see Berion’s fans sending them looks of encouragement. Heerang, just how much did you follow Spark around…?
Watching the sweet friendship between the hoobaes, Yur said.
“Mr. Iwol, how about you make some time to talk with Heerang after the archery competition?”
“It would be an honor.”
At my reply, the audience erupted like a live reaction broadcast of a couple being matched on a dating show.
That was when it happened.
+
[SYSTEM] The ‘Subordinate’s ‘Starlight Smile’ is activated. Minor influence occurs.
+
A phrase appeared, setting my already hot face on fire.
What is a ‘Starlight Smile’…?
Is this supposed to be the guidance provided for KPI achievement? Smile like a rising star to capture the hearts of customers?
You’re really calling this a guide? System, you need to go back and redo your OJT.
* * *
Spark, once again thanks to Park Joowoo’s outstanding performance, Jeong Seongbin’s solid contributions, and me doing my part, defeated Berion and advanced to the finals.
That Park Joowoo, I thought his nickname, ‘Limited-Time Sniper’, was just a title, but he was good with a bow and arrow too. He wouldn’t have any trouble with markmasnhip in the military.
After the match, as promised, I had a private talk with Heerang near the entrance of the gymnasium.
Heerang, who said he would be back after a quick trip to the waiting room, returned with a pristine shopping bag. His hands, holding the bag, were extended towards me.
“This…”
“What is this?”
“It’s a gift. I heard you like pear and bellflower root.”
I opened the shopping bag to find three boxes of ‘Enjoy with your family! Pear and Bellflower Root Stick’.
“Oh dear, you didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m really grateful.”
Heerang shyly insisted I take the shopping bag.
“I’ll enjoy it, thank you.”
“Yes! And…”
Heerang trailed off. I waited patiently for him to continue, and he finally spoke with some difficulty.
“Um… can I contact you sometimes, with the other members too?”
Seeing him like that, I suddenly remembered what Assistant Manager Song had said to me years ago after much deliberation.
‘Assistant Manager, if I ever want to quit the company, can I message you and talk about my worries?’
Assistant Manager Song never actually confided in me about his worries.
It was a form of expression. It was a way of saying I was someone he could rely on.
I gave Heerang the same answer I gave Manager Song back then.
“Anytime.”
…I said.
Heerang seemed genuinely happy.
* * *
“Iwol, what did you talk about with Heerang?”
“I received a gift from Heerang sunbaenim. We also exchanged contact information!”
At my words, the Sparklers were overjoyed. They seemed happy that their child was being adored elsewhere.
Lee Cheonghyeon, who was distributing lunch boxes to the fans, grumbled.
“Everyone, Iwol hyung is off making friends with another idol senior, and you’re cheering for him? What if Iwol hyung only hangs out with Berion sunbaenims from now on?!”
“That won’t happen, Cheonghyeon.”
“Iwol’s head is only filled with Spark…”
The Sparklers said with gentle smiles. Of course. Right now, I only have eyes for you guys, you annoying brats.
“But hyung, should you be here? Jeho hyung was looking for you earlier.”
Kang Kiyeon, one of the five brats, said while opening a shopping bag filled with new lunch boxes.
“For basketball, right? I was just about to go. Where did he go?”
“He said he went to the waiting room to change first.”
“Then I’ll go too. Everyone, enjoy your lunch! If you need anything, please tell the others!”
“Kim Iwol, fighting!”
I left the pear and bellflower root sticks with Kang Kiyeon and headed to the waiting room. Among the bustling figures, I spotted Choi Jeho’s towering head.
“Choi Jeho, done changing?”
“Yeah. Your clothes are over there.”
“Thanks.”
Because of my name, Iwol (February), I received jersey number 2. As I came out after changing into the black and white striped uniform, I felt gazes from all around.
“Should we stand a bit apart?”
“Why?”
“We’re too eye-catching.”
Even among a gathering of tall and talented idols, there weren’t many as tall, broad-shouldered, and with David-like biceps as Choi Jeho.
And he must’ve remembered my advice to always moisturize after showering, because his muscles had a sheen to them.
With the slightly elevated basketball shoes, he looked like a dark utility pole.
As Polo, also in basketball attire, entered the waiting room, Choi Jeho and I became even more the center of attention.
“Wow, you two look like actual athletes!”
“Not at all, sunbaenim. It’s just the build.”
“How are we supposed to score againts you two? I should have just abandoned MYTH and joined Team D.”
The senior artist’s comment, to which I couldn’t possibly react, caught me off guard. I almost choked even though I wasn’t drinking anything.
If I wanted to play the office politics game right, I should pull a miracle out of thin air, but I had too much on the line here. I beg your understanding.
After seeing the senior out, Team D began its final meeting. Since the teams were formed by combining members from different groups, we had practiced basketball together a few times before the ‘Idol Sports Day’ event. It wasn’t easy dragging Choi Jeho around.
“We’ll stick with the same positions. Is everyone okay with that?”
“Yes!”
The captain of Team D, after checking everyone’s condition individually, pointed at my head.
“Iwol, headgear!”
“Ah.”
Choi Jeho, who was next to me, looked around and found a white headgear, handing it to me.
Everyone was shocked when the lineup for Team D’s basketball match gathered.
‘Is Iwol allowed to play?’
‘Will his head be okay?’
Even though I participated with official clearance from both the system and the hospital, people were still worried. The incident with Yoo Hansoo and me must have been a pretty big issue among idols. I lost count of how many times people tried to convince me to do a safer sport.
But I couldn’t help it. Basketball was the only sport I was relatively good at. The staff practically had a fit when I tried signing up for futsal.
After a long discussion, the ‘ISD’ organizers and UA allowed me to participate on the condition that I used headgear. The goal was to secure it just enough to prevent excessive movement of the sides of my skull, so we decided on a modified headgear with the top part open.
‘This way, if I get hurt again, the broadcaster and the agency at least have plausible deniability.’
It was a wise decision on their part. Anyway, I wanted to play basketball, so I readily accepted the protective gear.
I was also assigned the shooter position. It was a consideration to keep me out of physical confrontations under the basket. I was grateful for the kindness, but I felt the weight of responsibility.
Choi Jeho, walking towards the half-court line for the jump ball, said casually.
“Watch your elbows.”
“Okay.”
He meant for me to be careful not to get hit during the game. This old man’s head is fine, but I’ll take your concern seriously.
* * *
After lunch, the number of Sparklers remaining in the main gym had dwindled to about half. This was because Spark members were now scattered, participating in various events.
Some went to watch Kang Kiyeon’s sprint and Jeong Seongbin’s vault, while others stayed to watch Kim Iwol and Choi Jehoo’s basketball game. Won Chaehee belonged to the latter group.
Park Joowoo and Lee Cheonghyeon, who had a break between their events, said, ‘Since you hyungs are competing together, we’ll go cheer on the members who are competing individually!’ and headed to other venues. Kim Iwol had specifically told them not to wander off with strangers.
Although she wanted to see more of Cheonghyeon, she couldn’t miss the opportunity to see Kim Iwol play basketball live. Won Chaehee closed the lid of her half-eaten lunch box and focused on the players entering the court.
Perhaps due to the nature of the sport, all the participating members were tall and slender. And among them, her boys were the tallest.
‘The sleeveless jerseys are amazing.’
Won Chaehee, a relatively new fan, had watched Spark’s volleyball match performance from ‘IDC’ on MeTube.
Even through the small smartphone screen, Spark back then looked like they were born to lift weights.
But, as expected, reality was even better.
First of all, Choi Jeho’s skin tone was unreal. His slightly tanned skin made him look like an athlete.
The pumped-up muscles, only occasionally glimpsed in self-produced content, were on full display today, right down to his shoulders. You had to wonder if the CEO was making any profit, giving away fan service like this.
Even Kim Iwol, who usually avoided showing skin off-stage, was boldly revealing his arms today.
Every time the gymnasium lights hit him, gray shadows danced across his pale, toned biceps.
And the black wristbands, snugly fitted around his wrists… Even the headgear, though frustrating and pitiful, looked damn good on him.
‘Basketball… I hope they make it to the finals and get an encore stage too.’
The game hadn’t even started, but Won Chaehee was already getting ahead of herself.
With the whistle blow, Choi Jeho jumped to an incredible height and powerfully slammed the basketball downwards.