Chapter 133: All-Company Workshop (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 133: All-Company Workshop (2)
Seo Yun-seop’s arrest on drug charges was so famous that even people who weren't idol fans knew about it.
It wasn't because Seo Yun-seop was particularly well-known.
It was because the bastard hadn't done it alone; he’d done it with others. Even with his own teammates from the same group.
It wasn't just one person from an idol group, but a whole crowd of them who turned out to be drug users. One of them was even revealed to have acted as a distributor.
Naturally, the idol scene was turned into a total wreck. Seo Yun-seop’s phone was taken as evidence, and every idol in his contact list went through hell.
Lee Cheong-hyeon was on that list.
Lee Cheong-hyeon and Seo Yun-seop rarely had any public connection. At most, their promotion periods had overlapped, and they’d appeared on the same broadcasts a few times.
So, while Lee Cheong-hyeon was under suspicion, I thought he would clear his name quickly like the other idols, but…
≫ Is Mr. L seriously Lee Cheong-hyeon?
└ Please tell me it’s not true… I’m seriously exhausted now.
≫ F*ck, I just woke up, what’s going on with the trending topics?
≫ Lee Cheong-hyeon became the "Cat President" because of his drug addiction.
└ Delete this… There are some things you shouldn't joke about on the trends.
It turned out Lee Cheong-hyeon was addicted to "drugs." It’s just that those drugs weren't narcotics.
Since he hadn't abused illegal substances, there was no legal punishment.
However, with fellow singers being arrested one after another, the fact that he was also popping pills didn't sit well with the public.
What kind of medicine was it again?
I tried to remember, but nothing came to mind.
Did my brain turn into a sponge when I underwent this regression thing? My head is full of holes.
Moreover, it was a mystery why Lee Cheong-hyeon was even in contact with Seo Yun-seop.
There was no reason for them to be friendly—or rather, they barely had any common ground.
In the past, I wouldn't have cared about this at all and would have just been making videos like "Collection of Spark Mentions by Other Idols," but the situation was different now.
If that bastard Seo Yun-seop had urged Lee Cheong-hyeon to do something, even if it wasn't necessarily drugs…
I’m screwed.
I didn't know how much Lee Cheong-hyeon’s genius had set Seo Yun-seop’s heart ablaze, but it seemed I’d have to stick 24-hour security on Lee Cheong-hyeon during this retreat.
The bus, loaded with spying, wariness, and ironclad defense, soon pulled up in front of a spacious pension in Gapyeong.
Gapyeong, of all places. It felt like only yesterday that I was getting bitten by swarms of bugs while hiding treasure hunt slips in the yard of a pension in this neighborhood.
Dizzying memories mixed with the muggy summer air and clung to my skin.
But I had to stay sharp.
Nothing ever made the news just because I hid a Hanpyeong Industry slip in the wrong place, but if I failed to protect Lee Cheong-hyeon properly, Spark would end up plastered all over the front page of the entertainment news.
I squeezed in between Lee Cheong-hyeon and Kang Gi-yeon as they walked toward the pension, each dragging a suitcase.
Draping my arms over their shoulders, I spoke.
“Maknaes.”
“Yes?”
“Why?”
“Don't get distracted just because there are a lot of people. Make sure you follow your hyungs well. Got it?”
From behind, Choi Je-ho scolded me, telling me to worry about my own luggage. Looking back, I saw Jeong Seong-bin was already dragging my suitcase along with his.
The retreat hadn't even started, and my head was already throbbing.
“The first mission is ‘Making Dinner’!”
“Gasp. Do we have to make everything ourselves?”
As someone received the mission slip and read it aloud, the cast members began to buzz.
And for good reason. There were over forty mouths to feed right here. Even just boiling ramen would be no small feat.
“Wow, there are so many people that I don't even know where to start,” someone from All-over said, scratching his head.
“Then should we split into a grocery shopping team and a meal prep team?” Moon Yeon-gyu suggested.
“I think it’ll be inefficient for twenty people to hang onto just meal prep. A few people should be enough!” Song Min-il chimed in.
That jerk. He sounds helpful, but he clearly just doesn't want to do it. I saw you kicking a foot volleyball before we even entered the pension.
I suppressed a sigh and joined the conversation.
“Then how about we divide into a grocery team, a meal prep team, and a dishwashing team? Since we have to clean up afterward, it would be good to split the roles for before and after. We can get more screen time that way, too!”
The people who won't work still won't work, but if you're going to play, at least get some screen time.
“We’ll be back!”
With a lively greeting, the grocery team set off. A member of Log took the wheel.
And I was being dragged along for the sole reason that I was the "most intelligent being" in Idol Dynasty Annals.
“Writer, how much are we allowed to spend?”
“What’s the limit on the card?!”
Seeing the idols running wild, the writers had begged me to please follow that team.
I’d followed along with the cynical thought that my presence wouldn't change much, but…
“How much ssamjang and gochujang should we buy? Is two tubs each enough?”
“I saw gochujang in the cupboard earlier. Let’s just buy the ssamjang.”
“Should we buy ten bags of these wrap vegetables?”
“Since we’re buying in bulk, it’ll be cheaper to buy individual types rather than the mixed packs. Just get lettuce and perilla leaves separately, please.”
Watching items being tossed haphazardly into three shopping carts, I naturally realized why the writers had sent me.
But do I really have to worry about the broadcast station’s corporate card limit? It’s not even a UA card.
“Whoa, they sell beef tartare here! Should we go for a brisket soybean paste stew and beef tartare bibimbap set?”
“That’s insane. Buy it right now.”
…
“Hyung, beer? You down?”
“Ah, if it weren't for the younger ones, I’d put it in right away. What a shame.”
“Can't just the adult members drink? The kids can have soda.”
…
“Didn't we buy too many snacks? There’s definitely going to be leftovers.”
“Eh, if there are leftovers, someone will eat them.”
Seriously, did these punks not learn how to be considerate of others in ethics class?
What if someone can't eat raw meat? Why are you trying to mix everyone’s rice with tartare?
And more than half the people here are minors, yet you want to buy alcohol? Do you all want to get your heads chopped off in a minor drinking scandal?
And who said "someone will eat them"? Are other people supposed to be the ones who clean up the snacks celebrities leave behind? You really have a sh*tty way of talking.
My insides were burning black. It was never this frustrating when talking to Spark, but now I felt like my internal organs were twisting.
Inevitably, I went through all three carts with a fine-tooth comb.
I saved 200,000 won by utilizing the skills I’d used to weed out the blue-switch mechanical keyboard the CEO’s son had secretly tucked into the company shopping basket.
I’ll let it slide this time since I helped with the stage production costs. Next time, I’m looking the other way.
Is there anything more meaningless in the world than a division of roles?
Once, I was an HR manager. Back then, my work mainly consisted of registering new hires, managing employee leave, uploading job postings and scheduling interviews, searching for talent, purchasing supplies, registering resignations, managing building cleanliness, catering to management’s whims, and issuing various documents.
However, the tasks an HR manager at Hanpyeong Industry had to do were a bit more extensive.
For example, being a proxy fan for an idol, hanging building signs, picking locked doors, manually cracking PC passwords left behind by resigned employees who didn't unlock them, running errands for ramen, reading management’s autobiographies aloud… F*ck.
Anyway, the point is that even if you divide roles, it doesn't mean much in practice.
Look at this now. I just got back from grocery shopping, and here I am again, wearing work gloves and laying charcoal in a drum barrel.
Maybe it’s because with so many people, one or two people slacking off doesn't stand out, but most of them were just saying, “What should I do?” without actually doing anything.
It was a small comfort that Choi Je-ho, who had learned how to light charcoal from me in the last self-produced content, was handling the torch himself.
He skillfully lit the newspaper and transferred the flame to the charcoal. At last, one of them was living up to the group’s name.
“Hyung, should I do it?”
“Kids shouldn't play with fire. Gi-yeon, you go wash the vegetables.”
Even in this chaotic mess, Spark was quick to find things to do. They were on a completely different level compared to the past Spark, who used to be dazed and clueless on group variety shows.
I’m proud, but you guys aren't the only ones working, right? If you are, I’m not letting it slide.
While I was huffing like a guardian deity, Yeo Seong-chan approached me with Moon Yeon-gyu.
“Hyung, stop and go inside! Gyu and I will grill the meat.”
“The two of you won't be enough. Think of how many mouths there are.”
“We’ll just tell the others to come, too. Oh, the All-over hyungs said they wanted to try grilling.”
“No, I’ll grill. I’m really good at it.”
At the mention of All-over, I hurriedly snatched the plate and tongs from Yeo Seong-chan’s hands. I didn't want to eat anything like "drug pork belly."
“But wouldn't it be better to just go and eat comfortably?”
“I just have a lot of pride in my outdoor grilling skills. Please, let me grill.”
After practically begging Moon Yeon-gyu, I managed to claim one of the drum barrels.
I was in the middle of grilling meat while inhaling acrid smoke when Moon Yeon-gyu spoke to me.
“Hyung, I heard Ju-woo gave you a hard time after our stage?”
“Who told you that?”
“Seong-bin. We rode the bus together earlier. I heard it then.”
It seemed the leaders had sat together. If such a good opportunity had been created, they should have talked about something constructive.
“Don't even get me started. It was hard to soothe him.”
“Still, I think Spark really gets along well. Even from talking to them for a bit, they all seem so kind.”
“The members are all kind.”
I’ll admit they’re kind, even if they do cause the occasional ridiculous accident.
“Doesn't Berion get along well, too?”
“Well, we’re all around the same age.”
Do you think we have a huge age gap?
…Wait, is it? Is there a big gap between me and them?
While I was pondering, someone held out a plate piled high with meat. It was Jeong Seong-bin.
“Hyung, eat while you grill.”
“What about you? Did you eat?”
“There’s plenty of meat over there. Don't worry and eat. You too, Yeon-gyu hyung!”
Jeong Seong-bin gave a good-natured smile.
That’s our Jeong Seong-bin. A true leader of this era who doesn't miss a single member being left out in front of the charcoal grill.
I was happily eating a wrap that even had some flying ash on it when an entirely unexpected guest arrived.
The members of Log had shown up wearing work gloves.
“Alright, I-wol and Yeon-gyu, you guys go eat meat now!”
Log pushed Moon Yeon-gyu and me toward the tables. Then, they each picked up a pair of tongs, filled the empty plates they’d brought with the meat we’d grilled, and handed them to us.
“Sunbaenim, I can finish grilling…”
“Ayy, no. We’ve eaten our fill!”
“The younger ones were worried that I-wol hyung wouldn't even get to eat. Hurry up and go eat. Hey, maknae, are you watching?”
“Ah, hyung, you can take care of yourself!”
Once Log joined in, the scene became boisterous in an instant.
Turning my gaze toward the tables, I saw Park Ju-woo and the other three—Choi Je-ho was just busy eating his own food—staring intently at me.
It’s been so long since I’ve had pork belly; they should have just focused on eating their own.
I trudged over, took off my work gloves, and ate the meat I had been grilling until just a moment ago.
Maybe it was because it had been a while since I’d had greasy meat, but it was delicious and good.