Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols

After the meeting, the practice continued endlessly.

 

Thankfully, Jeong Seongbin stopped the music before anyone threw up. Otherwise, we would have all been cleaning the practice room floor.

 

“Hyung… can I go to the convenience store?”

 

“Why the convenience store?”

 

“I want an isotonic drink…”

 

Park Joowoo pleaded with a parched face. He looked like he was about to collapse if he didn’t get one.

 

“I’ll get it for you. It’s past midnight.”

 

The main vocal’s throat was precious, so I decided to personally go to the convenience store for him. It was late too.

 

“…It’s close, I can go.”

 

“Kids shouldn’t wander around at night.”

 

“Then I’ll go with you.”

 

“Choi Jeho, you stay here and watch the others.”

 

Leaving the members in Choi Jeho’s care, I left the practice room.

 

The moment I stepped outside, the humid air enveloped me.

 

Perhaps because of the tropical night, I felt short of breath after just a short walk.

 

‘The song should come out on time, but will we finish the choreography in time? Where should I start looking for an action school?’

 

I had to tackle these thoughts now, while I had the time. It was a wisdom gained from my time at the Hanpyeong Industry during those hectic, dog-eat-dog seasons.

 

As I walked, my mind racing, a white light flashed before my eyes.

 

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[SYSTEM] Work instructions from the ‘Superior’ have arrived.

 

▶ ☜

 

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An incomprehensible system message appeared. This was the first time I’d seen one like this.

 

I looked to my left, but there was nothing unusual.

 

‘What… am I supposed to do?’

 

At that moment.

 

I felt a sharp impact on my head. Before I could lean against a wall, my body tumbled forward.

 

My head throbbed as if it had been struck by something.

 

And it was hot. My skin felt like it was burning.

 

The streetlight cast a long shadow over me.

 

Someone was muttering something above my head.

 

“…Did you tell them?”

 

Because of the backlighting, I could barely see the man’s face. The pain made it difficult to open my eyes fully.

 

The assailant straddled my back.

 

Then, he whispered in my ear,

 

“You talked about me to that writer, didn’t you? You’ve been spreading rumors about me, haven’t you?”

 

I recognized the voice. Yoo Hansoo was out of his mind.

 

I saw the head of the hammer Yoo Hansoo was holding.

 

It was a familiar brand. I realized this was the tool the assistant manager from the general affairs team was looking for earlier.

 

‘If it weren’t for the system…’

 

If I hadn’t turned my head to the left.

 

The burning pain would have been on the back of my head, not the left side of my scalp.

 

Yoo Hansoo tapped my head with the metal, saying,

 

“I should have broken this a long time ago.”

 

“…”

 

“So you wouldn’t be able to scheme up anything.”

 

A rough hand grabbed my hair.

 

I bit my lip hard to suppress a scream.

 

As I struggled to open my eyes, I met Yoo Hansoo’s gaze as he looked down at me.

 

It was a look I had never seen before in my life.

 

At the same time, I realized. Yoo Hansoo was serious.

 

This wasn’t a momentary impulse; he had chosen to drag me down with him, even if it meant ruining his own life.

 

‘Think.’

 

I didn’t go through all this regression to end up like this.

 

I barely managed to hold onto my rationality.

 

‘First… disarm him.’

 

I grabbed Yoo Hansoo’s hand, the one clutching my hair. I dug my fingernails into the back of his hand.

 

As Yoo Hansoo yelled and recoiled, I grabbed the dropped tool and pushed myself up.

 

My vision was red, and I could barely see straight.

 

I knew I needed to stop the bleeding.

 

But I couldn’t bring myself to press on the wound. Sh*t, it hurt even without touching it, how could I press on it?

 

Struggling to breathe and unable to do anything, I saw Yoo Hansoo’s ankles before me.

 

Suddenly, I thought of the others left in the practice room.

 

I hoped his grudge was only against me. I hoped he would surrender after finishing with me.

 

But what if his resentment wasn’t just towards me, but towards all of Spark?

 

What if he intended to harm everyone he considered an obstacle, and…

 

What if Park Joowoo had been here instead of me, or if Choi Jeho had come out with me?

 

I grabbed Yoo Hansoo’s ankles as he backed away. His body couldn’t fight the momentum and toppled over.

 

It hurt like hell. I felt like I was about to lose consciousness.

 

But if I let him go now…

 

I grabbed his hair with my remaining hand as he sat on the ground. I climbed on top of him, pinning him down.

 

Yoo Hansoo yelled something beneath me.

 

I couldn’t hear him. Only the pounding of my heart filled my ears.

 

I felt the blood rushing to my head.

 

Then, the feeling of all the blood… draining away.

 

I felt dizzy. My unopened resume appeared before my eyes.

 

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Total Fatigue: 70% (Work Support Service Activated)

 

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That meant I was near death. Without the work support, it would have been 90%.

 

But I couldn’t give up now. Not until I completely stopped him.

 

However, things didn’t always go as planned.

 

Even though I had subdued Yoo Hansoo, my strength was fading bit by bit.

 

On the other hand, Yoo Hansoo, cornered, fought back violently.

 

Every time I exerted force to hold him down, pain shot through my head.

 

Just as my total fatigue exceeded 75%…

 

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….

 

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The system appeared.

 

I couldn’t quite make out what was written.

 

With blurring vision, I fumbled through the new message.

 

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[SYSTEM] ‘Subordinate’ is notified of ‘Four Major Insurances – Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance.’

 

▷ If ‘Subordinate’ suffers a serious injury during work, ‘Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance’ will be applied once.

 

▷ During the ‘Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance’ period, ‘Subordinate’ can choose one of the following: ① Pain relief from work-related injury, ② Rapid recovery from work-related injury (varies depending on the severity of the injury).

 

▷ Insurance benefits are limited to one-time use…

 

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‘How long will it take for this injury to recover?’

 

I asked the system, and the answer came immediately.

 

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[SYSTEM] Work instructions from the ‘Superior’ have arrived.

 

▶ Assistant Manager Kim, did you get into an accident on your way to work? How long will you need to rest? I can’t give you more than two weeks, okay?

 

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Two weeks? When I should be tying this guy up right now?

 

I chose option 1 without hesitation.

 

And then, as if by magic, all the pain vanished.

 

I could see Yoo Hansoo’s face clearly. He was laughing.

 

“You son of a b*tch, is this funny to you?”

 

I grabbed Yoo Hansoo by the collar, and he spat in my face.

 

“Kim Iwol, you deserve to be punished.”

 

“What?”

 

I thought I’d misheard. Yoo Hansoo was saying the very words I should be saying to him.

 

“It doesn’t make sense for someone like you to be more recognized than me. Who are you to insult me?”

 

“Are you out of your mind?”

 

“When someone like you gains fame, it makes the entire industry look like a joke. You should’ve just listened to me quietly and learned properly instead of showing off, you arrogant little punk…”

 

I couldn’t listen anymore. I pressed my knee against Yoo Hansoo’s throat.

 

“Gack… You b*tch, are you trying to kill me?”

 

“You tried to kill me too, you a**hole.”

 

I was out of breath. The pain was gone, but my fingertips were still getting colder.

 

If this continued, I could pass out from excessive blood loss.

 

‘I’m running out of time.’

 

If I lost consciousness, Yoo Hansoo would definitely harm me. His reputation had already crossed a point of no return.

 

But what should I do…?

 

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[SYSTEM] Work instructions from the ‘Superior’ have arrived.

 

▶ Assistant Kim, I heard you’re getting an incentive for your hard work. The reason was something about working hard under a difficult boss?

 

[SYSTEM] A reward is provided as ‘Subordinate’ adheres to ‘Work Ethics.’

 

▷ Empathy Experience Ticket:  Allows the user to make a target experience one sensation or emotion of their choosing.

 

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Work ethics.

 

It was a type of message I’d only seen once before, when I witnessed Jang Junhoo’s workplace harassment.

 

I thought it only penalized unethical behavior, but it also rewarded ethical actions? A reward that could positively influence others.

 

‘What happens if I use the experience ticket in this pain-free state?’

 

The system responded succinctly to my question.

 

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[SYSTEM] Work instructions from the ‘Superior’ have arrived.

 

▶  Assistant Manager Kim, you’re not actually pain-free right now. You just can’t feel it. You know, like Schrödinger’s… something or other.

 

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“Haha!”

 

All this hard work finally paid off, damn it!

 

I wiped my sticky face and asked Yoo Hansoo.

 

“Mr. Yoo Hansoo. Have you ever imagined what it feels to have your head splitting open?”

 

And I used the experience ticket.

 

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[SYSTEM] Use ‘Empathy Experience Ticket’ on ‘Yoo Hansoo (Producer)’?

 

▶ Recommended Program: Pain

 

▶ Yes / No

 

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When I selected ‘Yes,’ Yoo Hansoo clutched one side of his head as if trying to tear it off. His expression conveyed pure agony.

 

I covered his mouth to muffle his scream, put down the hammer momentarily, and rummaged through his pockets for his phone.

 

First, I called the police with Yoo Hansoo’s phone. I reported being attacked and hit on the head by an assailant, and they said they would dispatch officers immediately.

 

Next, I entered my phone number into his phone. Then, I dialed it and saved the contact as ‘UA Temp Worker.’

 

I had received a temporary phone after the personality controversy, but since I hadn’t returned it yet, my own phone was still in the practice room.

 

So, if a call from Yoo Hansoo’s number connected to it…

 

─ …Hello?

 

…Those guys would probably be the ones to answer.