Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols

The unexpected conversation about watching the sunrise unfolded like this.

 

Lee Cheonghyeon had gone to borrow something from Kang Kiyeon’s room when he stumbled upon Park Joowoo, who was enjoying a relaxing time watching videos of Buddhist temples.

 

The two, who had a good relationship with no awkwardness, sat next to each other and talked as they often did, taking a deep interest in each other’s activities.

 

As they sat close together, watching videos of temple tours in South Korea and exploring nature within the city, they were eventually led by the algorithm to a video titled ‘Top 10 Must-See New Year’s Sunrises’.

 

The sight of the blazing red sunrise, marking the beginning of a new year, left a strong impression on both Park Joowoo, who wasn’t the type to go out much, and Lee Cheonghyeon, who spent his childhood studying.

 

Now, as they were about to debut, they thought it would be a great idea for the entire group to go watch the sunrise together.

 

How wonderful it would be to strengthen their teamwork while watching such a magnificent view together!

 

That was what they thought And they ran straight to the leader who had the decision-making authority on group activities.

 

When they told this idea to Jung Seongbin, he responded enthusiastically, saying it was a great idea. Kang Kiyeon said he would go if all the members were on board.

 

“…What did Choi Jeho say?”

 

“Jeho hyung said it’s a great idea!”

 

“That guy said that? Really?”

 

“Yes. he said he’s been feeling stiff lately.”

 

Lee Cheonghyeon’s words were shocking.

 

To think he’d willingly join a group activity that wasn’t even work-related. And the reason being he wanted to stretch his body? For a guy who could dance all sorts of different dances, it seemed the dance training he had up until now wasn’t enough.

 

While I was still in disbelief, Lee Cheonghyeon started showing me pictures of temples, trying to sell me on the idea.

 

“What do you think about this place, hyung? It’s a little over 2km, don’t you think it’ll be okay?”

 

Hey, you think 2km in the mountains is the same as 2km on flat ground?

 

Suddenly, I thought that it would be great if this young fellow could collect the 100 famous mountain stamps. I should tell him to try it next time.

 

Anyway, if everyone wanted to go see the sunrise, we definitely had to avoid the temple Lee Cheonghyeon picked. The view there wasn’t great.

 

‘Seeing the sunrise on New Year’s Day requires luck.’

 

Even Manager Nam, who had dragged me around for years, never managed to catch a perfect sunrise.

 

Thanks to that, I had to trudge down the mountain with my shoulders aching from carrying his extra cup noodles and thermos, along with ringing ears from listening to him complain for three hours about his bad luck in never seeing the sunrise after so many attempts.

 

To prevent this young soul from getting hurt, I told him in advance that seeing the sunrise was a matter of luck, and that we all knew that there was no difference between the sun that rose on December 31st and the sun that rose on January 1st.

 

Then Lee Cheonghyeon answered like this.

 

“If we manage to see such a rare sunrise on our first try. That’d be amazing, hyung!”

 

That’s why I am telling you, it doesn’t just conveniently happen like that.

 

My chest felt heavy, like I was chewing on a cold piece of dry bread. The hiking hadn’t even started yet and I already felt tired.

 

The only good thing was that this hike would be with a younger generation more familiar with internet searches.

 

These kids were young, so unlike Manager Nam’s group, they’d likely pack what they needed on their own. At least I wouldn’t have to scour online stores for hiking pole reviews.

 

As expected, Jeong Seongbin and Lee Cheonghyeon had already begun searching the internet for hiking gear and routes.

 

“It must be very cold in winter. Does anyone have a scarf?”

 

“I only have these sneakers for practice. Isn’t it a bit weird to wear them to the mountains? I’m not going to go to high places, so maybe I can wear Converse?”

 

They seemed to be very excited, perhaps taking my lack of response as approval.

 

Putting these guys’ enthusiasm aside, there were more than a few things that bothered me in that short conversation, but I didn’t bother to get involved.

 

Watching the sunrise had nothing to do with the KPI of becoming an idol.

 

Why should I volunteer to look after these guys outside of work hours…

 

“Kang Kiyeon, are you going to wear your padded jacket?”

 

“It’ll be hot when you start hiking up. Let’s wear thin clothes.”

 

Wait. I felt like I just overheard something concerning from the two maknaes.

 

“Just bring a hot pack.”

 

“There’s no place to throw away trash on the mountain, so why are you packing so much? Lee Cheonghyeon, you don’t get cold easily. Just dress moderately.”

 

“Dress moderately? Do you guys want to catch a cold? Do you want to have your debut stage in front of a pharmacy?!”

 

I blurted out loud without realizing it. The members opened their eyes wide and looked at me.

 

What am I going to do with you, you clueless, soon-to-be-frozen novices who don’t know the cold of a winter mountain…

 

* * *

 

At dawn on January 1st, we all climbed the snow-covered mountain under the guidance of our manager.

 

The biting cold air pierced through the padded jacket that our manager had kindly lent me. My vision was fogged up by my breath.

 

“Wow, if I hadn’t listened to Iwol hyung, I would have frozen to death…”

 

Lee Cheonghyeon, who was heavily armed with a neck warmer,  thermal wear, and a hot pack, said as he rubbed his arms.

 

Of course. Do you think we only have to wait an hour or two for the sun to rise?

 

Standing still for hours on a dark winter mountain was no small feat. Aside from physical strength, you also had to deal with the cold.

 

I kept serving warm honey ginger tea, which I had brewed at the dorm, to protect the precious vocal cords of the members from the cold wind.

 

On their feet were the crampons I had ordered the moment we knew we’d be going to see the sunrise. 

 

In their hands were hiking poles, which I had researched and ordered myself.

 

What, you think these gears are too much? It was a hundred times better to be heavily armed than to have someone twist their ankle on the mountain before debut. I might as well just sign up for a hiking gear membership at this point.

 

“When does the sun rise?”

 

Kang Kiyeon asked. His gloves were covered in snow, probably from building a nice cairn with Lee Cheonghyeon.

 

“Soon. Didn’t you say you were going to make a wish when the sun rises? You even built a cairn for that?”

 

“Lee Cheonghyeon insisted that if you wish twice, it’ll come true twice as fast.”

 

How innocent.

 

But life wasn’t that easy. I prayed every day for the Hanpyeong Industry to cut me off, but it didn’t happen.

 

Just as I was about to get lost in memories of my past hundred-day prayers, Choi Jeho, who was sharing some fish cake soup with the manager, called out to us.

 

“Hey, isn’t that the sun rising?”

 

“Huh?”

 

No way.

 

A proper sunrise is harder to catch than you think.

 

If the weather was even slightly cloudy, the sun would hide behind the clouds, and before you knew it, the day would brighten without you even noticing.

 

Besides, even if the sky was clear, it was still too early to see the sun.

 

“Oh, it’s true!”

 

“Hyung, come quickly…!”

 

Jeong Seongbin and Park Joowoo shouted at us loudly. A faint crimson sunlight was shining on their faces.

 

I told them not to strain their voices in the cold.

 

And even though I told them not to run in the mountains, Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Kiyeon ran to where the members were.

 

They all seemed to need some re-education.

 

But before that.

 

“How’s it, Seongbin hyung? You’re glad you came here, right?”

 

“Yeah. It’s really cool. Right, Joowoo?”

 

“… Yeah. I am glad we came.”

 

“Jeho hyung, make a wish as the group’s representative. You’re the oldest hyung.”

 

“Kang Kiyeon, why are you only doing this to me? Tell Kim Iwol to do it.”

 

As the members started bickering among themselves while admiring the rising sun, I spoke.

 

“Forget it. Make your wishes before the sun fully rises. That’s what you came here for, isn’t it?”

 

At my words, Jeong Seongbin and the three others closed their eyes. Except for Kang Kiyeon, the three of them clasped their hands together.

 

I walked over to Choi Jeho, who stood off to the side with his arms crossed, and asked.

 

“Why aren’t you making a wish?”

 

At that, Choi Jeho made a disgusted expression.

 

Well. I thought you came along willingly because you wanted to make a wish, too.

 

Looking at my face and then back at the younger members with their eyes shut tight, Choi Jeho, probably feeling obliged to play along, leaned back and closed his eyes.

 

I borrowed my manager’s cell phone and took a picture of the five guys standing side by side with their eyes closed, making a wish in the morning sunlight.

 

And while they were making their wishes to their hearts’ content, I quietly watched the rising sun.

 

A wish.

 

A wish, huh.

 

The only wish I ever made in my life was to quit my job.

 

But as I commemorated the first sunrise I’d ever seen on one of the many mountains I’d climbed, I made a wish that wasn’t about quitting.

 

‘I hope noona is happy until we meet again.’

 

…That was what I wished for.

 

Predictably, as soon as I made my wish, Lee Cheonghyeon came running and asked.

 

“Hyung! What did you wish for?”

 

“I wished that no one would go off-key during our debut performance.”

 

“Ugh… I should’ve wished for that, too.”

 

And so, I descended the snowy mountain with five troublemakers, knowing that on the day my wish came true, I might have to part ways with them.

 

* * *

 

As long as they didn’t skip several days of practice, there was no way they’d suddenly lose their ability to dance well.

 

Naturally, in the days leading up to our debut, the goal was not to improve on the parts that were lacking, but to improve the perfection.

 

The same went for singing, practicing in front of the camera, and the team chant.

 

If everything else was about improving our overall performance, there was just one thing that stood apart in nature.

 

“Seongbin hyung, can we eat dinner earlier tonight…”

 

“Kiyeon, are you hungry…?”

 

An idol’s lifelong homework—dieting.

 

The Spark members were very thorough in their self-management.

 

These guys’ self-management had never gone off track for the past 7 years. Even in the news article photos of their disbandment, their jawlines remained sharp and defined.

 

That also connected to the fact that these guys were always maintaining their bodies in extreme conditions.

 

Kang Kiyeon had been eating chicken breast for dinner until now because he needed to grow taller, but now that the debut was drawing near, he had to eat only grass without any side dishes.

 

Next to him, Lee Cheonghyeon looked as if he had given up on life. He should be grateful that thanks to me, he had the option of combining exercise with his diet plan.

 

“I want fried chicken… so bad…”

 

“Chicken…”

 

Even Park Joowoo, who usually had zero interest in food, was mumbling strange things next to Lee Cheonghyeon, who was craving chicken.

 

I approached the two wilted souls and said.

 

“You can just eat chicken and exercise more afterward.”

 

“Chicken has so many calories! It won’t just take an hour or two to get rid of all of that!!”

 

“You’re right. Then bear with it.”

 

“You’re so cold-hearted, hyung. If I stabbed you, I bet icicles would come out instead of blood.”

 

Lee Cheonghyeon grumbled and got up from his seat.

 

‘It’s about time we hit our limit.’

 

To begin with, it didn’t make sense for kids their age, who should be eating well, to completely abstain from snacking in secret.

 

Considering the group ranged from no-seasoning Park Joowoo to Kang Kiyeon, whose motto was likely ‘better to die with stomach full than die starving’, it was a miracle they’d held out this long by watching each other for motivation.

 

I also couldn’t remember the last time I had jjolmyeon.

 

That restaurant’s seasoning sauce was really delicious, what a shame.

 

“Eating less and moving more really does make you hungry.”

 

Jeong Seongbin smiled awkwardly.

 

This was serious. For a guy like him, who rarely complained, to mention hunger meant he must have been starving.

 

Then Jeong Seongbin scratched his head and laughed.

 

Looking at that guy, I suddenly remembered my childhood when I was hungry every day.