Chapter 144: Back to Work
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 144: Back to Work
Thanks to the System, I made a full recovery in exactly two weeks. Everyone was marveled by my miraculous healing speed.
In my heart, I wanted to turn off the Labor Support Service and use my fully charged energy to sign up for jiu-jitsu classes, but I held back, considering the worried gazes of those around me. I’ll definitely become a master of self-defense before the year is out.
There was more good news.
With the System’s restrictions lifted and Yu Han-su out of the picture, UA’s support had expanded significantly.
UA apologized for failing to provide proper support in the past and promised to back us unreservedly for the final stage.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, we scouted an entire dance team. As expected, spending the company’s money is truly the greatest joy in life.
Despite the doctor’s official diagnosis of a full recovery, I decided to join the practice halfway through as planned.
Since I was only joining from the dance break onward, I learned that specific choreography separately from the dance teacher. For the first and second verses, I ended up watching the others practice from the sidelines, but…
‘What the…?’
I could tell just by glancing at them.
These guys—their spirit was on a completely different level than before.
The way they shifted their weight, the friction of their shoes against the floor, the angle of their fingers, and the flow of their waves—everything was perfectly synchronized.
They had told me they’d finished preparing everything up until my entrance, but this was already at a level that could be put on stage right now.
While Jeong Seong-bin paused the music, Kang Gi-yeon approached me and spoke.
“Hyung, you come in at this part.”
“Can I just… not go in?”
“Get in here before I pick you up and move you myself.”
I trudged over to my spot.
“You learned all the choreography, right?”
“Yeah. But I want to try matching it at a slow speed first.”
“Alright.”
Kang Gi-yeon nodded and returned to his position.
Just then, Lee Cheong-hyeon, who was in the line next to me, shouted.
“Ah, finally! We’re six again!”
Looking forward, I saw Spark and myself reflected in the large mirror opposite us.
Jeong Seong-bin, catching my eye through the mirror, gave a faint smile.
They looked so cool when there were only five of them; I couldn’t afford to ruin this.
For the first time in a while, I felt a sense of responsibility. It wasn’t a bad feeling.
The positive effects manifested in areas beyond just finances.
‘The costume orders are finished?’
‘Yes. Once we relayed the concept, the Planning Team and Production Team moved quickly on it.’
With Yu Han-su and the Production Team Leader completely removed from operations, the organization finally began to run smoothly.
As someone who knows all too well how miserable things can be when even one piece of trash is stuck in the gears, I was deeply moved.
Now that the process is established, I won’t have to suffer through starting from rock bottom like before. It’s a huge relief.
Most of the other preliminary work had been wrapped up while I was in the hospital. Consequently, my overtime disappeared.
Thanks to that, I could fall straight into bed as soon as practice ended these days. What a luxurious life.
‘I should probably… take a moment to organize the current situation.’
I had been a bit lax in keeping track of the status quo because so many things were happening at once, but I could never afford to forget my objective.
I lay on my side so my wound wouldn't touch the pillow and reviewed the series of events.
First, there was hope that I could contact my parents.
Previously, I thought the System had completely severed my connection with them, but this incident proved otherwise.
The fact that they don't want to be involved with me remains the same, but the situation is definitely subject to change.
I even prepared a list of questions in advance so I wouldn't panic and could ask what I needed if I ever got in touch with them.
Next, I felt the need to clearly define the boundaries of my safety.
From what I’ve gathered so far…
…It could be summarized like that.
I might have saved my life this time thanks to the 4 Major Insurances, but there’s no guarantee it’ll work next time.
I have to stay alive to save my sister. I need to approach this part more cautiously moving forward.
Thirdly, it’s less of a piece of information and more of a question.
Namely, ‘Why is the System doing this to me?’
It would have been better to do this kind of fundamental contemplation earlier, but I’m not great at multitasking. I could only start thinking about it now that I had some breathing room in terms of time and work.
If asked whether the System was a 100% negative entity to me, I could confidently answer no.
I can’t forgive it for blowing away my degrees. Still, if I consider it the price for the chance to bring my sister back to life, it wasn't a waste.
And while its methods were incredibly unfriendly, the System did give me a warning before Yu Han-su attacked me. If not for the System, I might be hovering between life and death right now.
Then, is the System an entity solely for my benefit?
‘I don’t think that’s it either.’
Keeping me alive just to keep making me do things suggests the System has its own objective. If I can figure that out, I might be able to utilize the System even better.
I’m definitely going to form a union and get revenge on the System. Just let me reach the Final KPI. I’m going to give that virtual Occupation Planet a 1.0-star rating.
It took thirty minutes for my boiling rage to finally cool down. Once my time of contemplation ended, the headache I had forgotten about returned.
‘Seriously, how can it restore the body and the nerves separately?’
At times like this, I’m reminded of how truly unrealistic the System is.
What’s the point of healing in two weeks if the pain lasts for eight?
The intensity had decreased significantly compared to when the accident first happened, but it wasn't as if it didn't hurt, so I clutched my head and curled up under the covers.
Just then, I heard a rustling sound from the side. I heard the sound of a blanket being pulled back and Choi Je-ho stepping onto the floor.
I held my breath until he left the room.
I thought he was going to the bathroom, but his footsteps passed right by it.
Next, I heard the sound of the refrigerator opening. He was rummaging through the freezer so hard that the clattering could be heard all the way in the room.
‘Is this bastard eating a midnight snack?’
Right before the final episode of the program? At a time when he should be burning fat more diligently than anyone? The guy who’s the center of the group?
I debated whether to run out and catch him in the act but decided against it. He deserved to be scolded, but my head hurt too much.
It’s not like Choi Je-ho is the type to gain weight from one slip-up anyway. And since he’s been learning acrobatics for the final performance, he probably burns a lot of calories.
There isn't even any high-calorie food in the dorm, so the most he could be sneaking is an ice yogurt stick.
‘What is there even to eat in our dorm fridge?’
My imagination began to spiral: ‘That bastard Choi Je-ho has been hiding something from the members and eating it in secret whenever he gets the chance.’
Tomorrow, as soon as the sun rises, I’m going to turn this dorm upside down.
And I’ll raid his entire emergency food stash to set an example…
While I was clenching my fists and planning a deep clean, he nonchalantly returned to the room.
Then, without even closing the door, he approached my bed.
Soon after, his hand grabbed my head through the blanket. Because he grabbed near the wound, I almost screamed in the middle of the night.
“Ack…!”
“What the—why is your head here?”
Choi Je-ho’s voice rose in surprise. When I pulled back the blanket and looked up, I saw Choi Je-ho with his brow deeply furrowed.
“What are you doing?”
“I was trying to grab your shoulder.”
Judging by his words, it seemed he had poor night vision and had just reached out blindly.
“Why are you grabbing someone’s shoulder in the middle of the night?”
“You think I grabbed it because I wanted to?”
As soon as he finished speaking, I felt a chill on my face. Choi Je-ho was holding out an ice pack wrapped in a towel.
“For me?”
“What’s the point of having it if you don’t use it?”
I squeezed the ice pack without answering.
When I pressed the pack near the wound, I felt the pain begin to subside.
“This is good. It’s cold.”
“Don’t put it directly on your head.”
“I know that much. But why did you…”
“Because you kept tossing and turning.”
Choi Je-ho lay back down in his own bed. Even after such a considerate gesture, the way he turned his back to me was exactly the same as usual.
I stared at the back of his head and quietly apologized.
“Sorry. I must have kept you awake.”
“I’m going to sleep now.”
After saying that, he was silent for a long time before muttering.
“Wake me up if it gets bad.”
How kind of him. This old man almost shed a tear.
As the pain quieted down, sleep finally began to take over. I closed my eyes and replied.
“Yeah, thanks.”
Even long projects must eventually come to an end.
The final day of the much-discussed and troubled Awangsil dawned.
Perhaps because everyone had suffered so much, there wasn't a hint of bloating; instead, their jawlines were sharp. With jawlines like those, they could probably put on a show cutting paper with their chins.
One burdensome thing was that too many eyes were focused on me.
First of all, there was my appearance. During the surgery, they had shaved the area around the wound for the stitches (the doctor had proudly mentioned he shaved the absolute minimum out of consideration for me being an idol), and because I wore a ball cap to hide it, I stood out in the opposite way among the flashy idols.
‘It’s not like they don’t know why I’m wearing a hat.’
Since it had been on the social news as well as the entertainment news, everyone must have been shocked, but…
“I-wol, are you actually performing today?”
…I didn't expect even Yur, the MC, to have such a shocked expression instead of his usual calm one.
Eventually, Yur made us, who had come to the waiting room to greet him, sit in a row on the sofa and even pressed snacks into our hands.
“I’m only going in for a little bit and then coming back out!”
“Is that okay? I heard you were seriously injured.”
“I have good resilience.”
Yur advised me that while passion is good, I should take care of my health. He added that we should grab a meal together once Awangsil was over.
Additionally, after hearing a greeting from Berion—who was on the verge of tears as he told me how he’d been telling everyone what a good person I am—I returned to the waiting room completely drained of energy.
Spark was the only idol group I really knew. I have no idea when I ended up with so many glittering celebrity acquaintances.
“It was hard while we were doing it, but now that it’s ending, I feel a bit sad.”
Lee Cheong-hyeon said as he took the seat next to me.
“How can you be sad already when we haven't even performed yet?”
“I knew you were going to say that, Hyung.”
To say that while knowing… this kid’s gotten gutsy.
Even though he once ran away from home because he was scared of debuting with his own song.
“It hasn't even been a year, but you’ve changed a lot, haven't you?”
“What do you mean? I haven't lost my rookie mindset!”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Lee Cheong-hyeon, his face turning pale, ran over to Jeong Seong-bin.
He then started pestering Jeong Seong-bin, asking if the light had left his eyes. Anyone watching would think I’d been ruthlessly grilling him.