Chapter 182: Company Dinner
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 182: Company Dinner
“Team Leader Ji, give us a toast!”
“What?”
“A toast, a toast! It’s not every day you grace us with your presence at a company dinner! Come on, everyone, raise your glasses!”
The team members raised their glasses in unison. Ji Seong-in, sitting at the head of the table, looked visibly troubled.
He glanced toward Seon Gu-an, but she didn't seem to have the slightest intention of helping her team leader out.
“Let’s… just do it this once.”
“Just this once! Let’s go!”
Beer mugs clattered noisily against each other over the table. Ji Seong-in took a sip of the cold beer with a reluctant expression. In the midst of the boisterous atmosphere, he couldn't even taste the alcohol.
However, there was one thing that stood out clearly even in the chaos.
“Ah! The beer is so sweet today, so sweet!”
It was Seon Gu-an’s face.
She was a strange woman. She was stubborn and had a strong backbone, yet she let her guard down completely when mingling with people.
‘I know very well that you’re an amazing person, Team Leader. But that doesn’t mean you’re perfect, does it?’
Sometimes she was bold enough to leave him speechless.
‘Did you really convince the executives? Does that mean we’re getting the investment right away? Team Leader, you’re the best!’
And other times, she didn't hold back her respect, as if she had no ego at all.
‘Is it just her personality? Or is it part of her professional life?’
It was because of those lingering thoughts that he had ended up attending this company dinner, something he usually made a habit of declining.
He had hoped that his presence as a superior would keep the atmosphere somewhat calm, but for some reason, Seon Gu-an seemed even more high-spirited than usual.
“Are you just going to keep drinking boring soju? Who wants somaek?”
“Ah, Assistant Manager Seon’s somaek tastes terrible, though.”
“What? Just you wait. I’m reclaiming my honor today.”
Seon Gu-an rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward. As she popped open a beer bottle, her giggling smile shone brightly under the yellow lights of the pub.
The drink known as somaek mixed by Seon Gu-an was, indeed, terrible. The team members complained, saying the ratio of soju was too high or that there was too much foam in the beer.
“All somaek tastes the same. Right, Yeong-hwan?”
“I suppose so.”
As he spoke, Do Yeong-hwan was holding a beer mug that glowed with a tempting golden hue.
Seon Gu-an, who was like a hawk when it came to alcohol, pointed at Do Yeong-hwan’s glass.
“Is that just beer?”
“It’s somaek.”
“I didn’t mix that one, did I?”
“…I mixed it myself.”
“Then can you mix one for me too? I need to find out why these people are complaining so much.”
Before Seon Gu-an could even hand him the bottle opener, Do Yeong-hwan popped the beer bottle with a spoon. Then, without any particular measuring, he picked up a bottle of soju and a bottle of beer and poured them into the glass.
Holding the rim of the glass and giving it a few swirls with a flick of his wrist, a clean glass of somaek was created. There was no performance of slamming the bottom of the cup with a spoon or dropping a shot glass into it.
“Give it a try.”
Do Yeong-hwan handed over the glass after thoughtfully wiping the rim with a napkin.
It was the first ‘proper’ somaek Seon Gu-an had ever tasted.
“Yeong-hwan! If you’re this good at mixing drinks, you should’ve been a bartender!”
“A bar can’t just sell somaek, though.”
“The taste… wow, this is insane. It just slides right down your throat.”
“Is it really that good? Assistant Manager Seon, let me borrow your glass!”
“How dare you try to steal someone else’s precious alcohol!”
It was a chaotic team. They played fierce games of rock-paper-scissors over a single glass of somaek; the loser would cry while drinking soju with fish cake soup, while the winner would blissfully enjoy the heavenly somaek.
‘This isn’t a place I can come to twice.’
Despite that thought, Ji Seong-in’s gaze couldn't leave Seon Gu-an.
Seon Gu-an, drinking the somaek Do Yeong-hwan mixed with the happiest expression in the world; Seon Gu-an, demanding the next drink as if it were only natural after winning three consecutive rounds of rock-paper-scissors without a hint of surprise.
Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Ji Seong-in’s face felt like it was flushing slightly.
‘Wow, they really drink for real.’
I’d heard that sometimes they put water in the bottles for filming, but I guess every shoot is different. The In My Office team seems to be the realistic type.
It was a relief we only started drinking around the middle takes; if we’d been going at it from the first take to the last, I would’ve been in big trouble.
My common sense of not drinking while working has been completely shattered since Drinking.People, and it’s honestly confusing.
I didn't want to go home smelling like alcohol. Unfortunately, it looks like I’ll have to sleep on the sofa today.
“Iwol, Iwol.”
I was wondering if there was any fabric deodorizer in the car when someone called me.
It was a fellow actor from the Ji Seong-in team.
“Yes, sunbaenim!”
“How are you so good at mixing somaek?”
“Pardon?”
Are you talking about that ‘memory of a company dinner—somaek edition—that was hastily revived because of Ha Seo-myeong’s ad-lib’? I used to be able to build a somaek tower with my mixing skills back in the day.
“Seo-myeong said it was really delicious, so I tried a sip, and it was amazing! What’s the ratio?”
“It was an ad-lib for me too…! I think I just got lucky!”
In times like this, you have to attribute it to luck. It wouldn't do any good if rumors started spreading that an idol has been drinking enough to mix somaek by instinct.
“Right, that wasn't in the script.”
“Yes. I only survived because you all led the scene so well.”
“Hey, from what I saw, you were very natural and did a great job.”
It was an unexpected compliment.
Suddenly, I remembered what Jeong Seong-bin had said during a meeting a few days ago.
‘Because more and more good people will surround you, Hyung.’
To think I’m actually receiving encouragement from Spark.
All my life…
I thought I would hate them terribly forever.
“Thank you for saying that. I’ll work hard for the remaining episodes too!”
“If you work any harder, how much harder can you get? Anyway, great job today. You must’ve drunk a lot because of all the NGs, so make sure to ask your manager to buy you some hangover cure before you head in!”
I have hangover cures in our dorm fridge.
The kids bought five of them the other day because I was going on a variety show.
The five of them each bought one, so there were five bottles.
Since no one in the dorm drinks, four bottles have been sitting there ever since I drank one out of politeness on the day I filmed Drinking.People.
It’s a bit troublesome if those guys are included in the ‘good people’ around me.
I paced around outside for a long time, waiting for the manager to drive the car to the filming site.
I was lost so deep in thought that I didn't even hear the manager honking the horn.
While I was sleeping, I heard a rustling sound above my head.
The moment I poked my head out from under the covers and opened my eyes, I locked eyes with a strange silhouette.
“Gah!”
“Hup!”
We were both startled. Though the difference was that they covered their mouth while I clutched my pillow.
I failed to get revenge on Choi Je-ho with a pillow last time, but I will definitely get this intruder…!
“Iwol, it’s me!”
“Ah, PD-nim?”
The identity of the trespasser was a PD from the UA Video Team. The PD looked around, whispered, and gave me a ‘shh’ sign.
In that instant, something flashed through my mind.
“Is today the reality show filming day?”
When I whispered the question, the PD silently nodded.
So that’s why the observation cameras are here. This is why I kept telling them to unlock the laptop password and open the shared calendar!
I almost attacked an innocent PD with a pillow for nothing. I nearly did something terrible to someone who must have had a hard time coming in for a dawn shift.
As the PD climbed down after installing a camera in the corner of the ceiling, they spoke.
“Go back to sleep for a bit, Iwol. We have to film you waking up anyway.”
“Yes, I understand.”
…Or so I said, but I was wide awake. So I decided to just pretend to sleep.
The concept for today’s self-produced content is ‘Showing Spark in the Raw.’ The goal is to show everything from Spark’s bare faces, which have been veiled until now, to the detailed corners of the dorm and their entire daily routine.
In the past, I couldn't understand the desire to watch someone’s every move, but now I can. I read a legendary post recently.
≫ I want to stan Spark down to their intestinal villi.
Compared to villi, I can show my daily routine as many times as they want. As for the villi… well, won't that be possible once technology advances a bit more? By the 6th anniversary, we could probably have a quiz show at a fan meeting where fans have to guess which member’s villi are which.
While I was thinking useless thoughts, I heard the camera installation team deciding on placement locations. I quickly opened my door and went out.
“Um, I have something I’d like to ask.”
“What is it?”
If it’s a reality show, the fans will be expecting something truly real and honest.
It weighed on my conscience to start the day with a fake ‘Yawn, what a bright and sunny morning!’
“Would it be okay if we changed the concept to me waking the kids up?”
My proposal was easily accepted. Thanks to that, I was able to grip the handle of a frying pan and turn on the gas stove for the first time in a long while, feeling very much at home.
This familiar grip, the feel of moist bread. This is what daily life is.
‘I wonder what self-produced content will be uploaded this week.’
Baek Hae-won spun her pen excitedly at her desk.
Expectations were even higher because UA had recently conducted a survey on ‘Content you want to see from Spark.’ If Iwol had planned that survey, eggs or ostrich eggs would have been flying at the company building, but fortunately, she heard that wasn't the case.
‘Whatever it is, I hope something freaking legendary comes out.’
Baek Hae-won, who had desperately written ‘Informal Speech Time’ in the survey, suddenly jumped up.
It was because of a social media notification.
≫ @spArk_official
Want to come over to our dorm?
There’s not much to see…
It’s just six men…
But I still want you to be our first guest!
[Spark] 2X10XX Come Visit Our Dorm ep.1
‘Is this caption for real? It’s so provocative.’
She had been feeling that the number of older Sparklers had increased since Idol Dynasty Annals. Even major fansite masters who had left the fandom were coming back to check Spark out.
Baek Hae-won, who believed that a fandom needed a certain level of order, wasn't entirely displeased by the entry of these veterans.
Just look at this. She was only thinking about the youngest members speaking informally to the older ones, but these unnies were tearing the dorm doors wide open!
‘Time to go stan like a dog….’
Baek Hae-won stood up without hesitation from the cold chair she had just sat in.
Then, sitting in the most comfortable position on her fluffy bed, she turned on her fully charged tablet and accessed MeTube.
The thumbnail was packed with Iwol in a black short-sleeved shirt and sweatpants, Jeho making a face while shaking out a jacket, Seong-bin stretching, Ju-woo mopping the floor, the back of Cheong-hyeon tapping away at a laptop, and Gi-yeon watering a flowerpot.
They’re all dead. I’m going to take a crazy amount of screenshots today. Baek Hae-won smiled deviously.