Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: A Pleasant First Day
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Park Timjang was one of the company's pillars. The news that he'd been frequently spotted at our rival, SJ Enter, must have come as a shock, even to the director.
But the director tried her best not to show it.
“…Well… Agency managers run into each other on-site all the time. It's not unusual for them to be friendly.”
Even as she said it, a look of doubt crossed her face, as if something had occurred to her.
“The other problem is, I think I saw Mi-ji from Answer with him.”
“What?”
“To be honest, I wasn't sure if it was her, but after thinking it over, I'm certain it was Mi-ji.”
The director's face soured.
I might sound like I'm making baseless accusations, but I know for a fact that in the future, both of them will be at SJ.
I recounted everything that happened on my first day, leaving no detail out.
“I know this is all based on a single day of observation, and my opinion might seem a bit extreme, but…”
I paused for a moment to add weight to my words.
“Perhaps… a significant reason the group has dwindled to just four members is because of Park Timjang.”
“…”
“If you put me in charge of Answer, I'm confident I can get to the bottom of it.”
The director gave me a quizzical look. Was she wondering why I was so invested in the company?
The director, who had gone to see CEO Park Jae-yong, called me in.
I repeated the same story to the CEO, then added one final statement to justify my actions.
“You might find my actions hard to believe, but as I've said before, I despise CEO Gyeon far more than I respect you, Daepyo-nim. He's my sworn enemy. My dream is to see our company crush SJ and rise to the top. Of course, I'm no fool. I expect to be rewarded for my contributions.”
“…Fair enough.”
CEO Park said with a nod.
“To be honest, I've had my own suspicions about Park Timjang lately.”
“How so? He seems the same as always to me.”
When Director Lee Sun questioned him instead of agreeing, he looked flustered.
“…You know, it's a gut feeling. He acts the same, but there's something subtly off about him.”
“If he's the same as usual, how can something be off…?”
CEO Park Jae-yong looked like he'd just swallowed something foul, his expression screaming, 'Just drop it, Sun.' I love the bickering sibling chemistry between these two.
And I was grateful to them.
For over a decade before my regression, I hadn't known joy or laughter. But since joining this company, I've found myself having to stifle a laugh on more than one occasion.
The system's interface, layered over my normal vision, makes me question if this life is even real… yet, it's what finally makes me feel alive.
“…Anyway. See? Director Lee Sun and I have a great eye for talent.”
“……”
“What would we have done if we hadn't hired a guy like him?”
“……”
The director's unenthusiastic expression told me CEO Park was stretching the truth. He had probably been against hiring me.
“Min-jun, you're in charge of Answer.”
CEO Park said, putting on a stern expression.
“Thank you for trusting me. I'll deliver results so great you'll never second-guess this decision.”
“Aww, our handsome Min-jun even talks so charmingly, doesn't he?”
Director Lee Sun responded to the CEO's impressed question with a small smirk.
“Do a good job and succeed, and who knows? Maybe in three years, we'll have you debut. We'll even give you shares in the company! So, do your best.”
The CEO's sweet-talking didn't sound half bad. But for some reason, my aptitude for being an idol was surprisingly low, so all I could do was offer a wry smile.
Why is my idol aptitude so low when my vocals, dancing, composing, lyricism, and visuals are all top-notch?
“What about Park Timjang?”
The director asked.
“We can't do much with just suspicion. I'll just reassign him to a desk job. He can still handle Mi-ji's occasional solo schedules.”
I felt a surge of satisfaction imagining Park Timjang's disgruntled face at what was essentially a demotion.
* * *
My alarm went off.
After showering, I picked out my clothes. I might just be a road manager, but it was my first official day. Why not dress the part?
I picked out a light brown plaid shirt. It had that 'engineering student' vibe, but I paired it with white, wide-leg denim pants—something no engineering student would ever wear—to set it apart.
Truth be told, the whole 'plaid shirts are for engineers' thing is outdated. Now, it's all about hoodies… I completed the look with a metal-band watch and beige sneakers. A solid combination.
“First day as a full-fledged manager. I'm off.”
I always thought it was unrealistic how protagonists in movies and dramas would talk to family photos. And yet, here I was, doing the exact same thing.
“System. Got any gifts for me today?”
…Guess not.
I drove to Answer's dorm. They say it's always darkest before the dawn, and at four in the morning, the night was pitch-black.
I considered calling, but I wanted to make a dramatic entrance. I had a feeling the members of Answer would appreciate the surprise.
I started climbing the stairs.
*Hiss…*
The sound of a pressure cooker on a gas stove. The sharp, savory smell of kimchi stew, likely with pork.
What kind of hectic lives did people lead, preparing breakfast in the pitch-black dawn?
It made me reflect on how I'd always thought I was the only one living a busy life.
I arrived in front of the dorm.
*Knock, knock, knock.*
I knocked softly, but I could hear frantic movement inside.
“Yes! Coming!”
A voice sharp with discipline.
I felt a pang of guilt, wondering if I was just adding to the stress Park Timjang had put them through. But then I figured the surprise would make them even happier.
*Creek!*
The door flew open, and a head of damp, purple hair popped out.
“Huh?”
Who… oh, it was Seol-ah.
Seol-ah stepped outside, using her bangs to subtly shield her face. It was my first time seeing her without makeup, and I didn't recognize her for a second. Her vibe was different, but she certainly wasn't unattractive.
“Oh! It's our manager!”
Yi-na and Seul-bi, who came out next, were also bare-faced, and for a moment, it felt strange. But all the members were so pretty that I wondered if they weren't even more charming without makeup.
Not just anyone makes it into a girl group, after all.
“I'm finally here to serve my artists. It's a pleasure to be working with you.”
My exaggerated greeting made Seul-bi and Yi-na's faces light up.
“So, does this mean the producer—no, Park Timjang—isn't coming anymore?”
“That's right.”
“Woohoo!”
Yi-na threw her arms around Seol-ah, who was busy on her phone. Seol-ah didn't seem surprised, as if this was a common occurrence, and just kept tapping at her screen with a faint smile.
“…Oh! Aww.”
Seul-bi suddenly let out a disappointed sigh.
“Did you forget something?”
“The kimchi stew! The pork kimchi stew!”
What's with her? How is she so specific? She smelled that from two floors down?
“Did you have to make it so obvious on our first day?”
Seol-ah chided.
[Name: Lee Seul-bi (Age 20)]
Status: Hungry, Hungry
Vocal 45/65
Dance 85/93
Rap 75/80
Charisma 77/93
[Career Aptitude]
Girl Group: 74/93
Food Critic: 73/92
Competitive Eater: 45/85
[The 'Sixth Sense' trait has activated, identifying the target's characteristics.]
Trait: Glutton (C)
In exchange for high energy consumption, she possesses immense physical strength.
A competitive eater as a hidden talent for a girl group member. What a terrible combination.
And what are these traits?
Is that trait how she maintains her figure?
*Ding.*
[First discovery of another person with a Trait. Through your efforts and stat distribution, you can activate the unique traits of individuals.]
Reading the notification, I realized Seul-bi was no ordinary girl.
I felt a pang of sympathy as the members hesitated on the second-floor landing, where the smell of kimchi stew was strongest.
“By the way, where's Mi-ji?”
“Mi-ji Unni said she's going straight to the venue.”
Seul-bi said, as if it were a common occurrence.
If she's going to leave anyway, I wish she'd do it sooner rather than later. She's just a drag on the group's morale.
The members and I got into the van.
“Alright, a quick briefing before we head out.”
Seul-bi and Yi-na beamed, their white teeth showing.
“First, we're stopping in Cheongdam-dong for full hair and makeup, then heading to a select shop for today's outfits. After that, we're off to the Gangwon Provincial Sports Festival. Our final schedule is a 'Comfort Train' performance for the troops, and our goal is to be back before eleven. We have the first performance slot, so it should be a smooth run.”
“Wooooo!”
*Clap, clap, clap.*
As Seul-bi and Yi-na cheered and clapped, even Seol-ah, who had been trying to act cool, cracked a smile and joined in. Just getting rid of Park Timjang had done wonders for their mood.
We arrived at the salon in Cheongdam-dong.
“Welcome!”
The receptionist greeted us. But her eyes seemed to sparkle when she looked at me. It felt different from the usual attention I got for my looks.
“Three members of Answer, haggard and damp, have arrived.”
A stylist shouted into her headset. 'Haggard' clearly meant they were bare-faced. And 'damp'? That must have meant they'd just washed their hair.
“Hellooo!”
“Please make us pretty again today!”
The members of Answer greeted the makeup artists.
“Oh, you're here?”
This stylist was also looking at me with a friendly expression.
What was going on?
[The salon staff's positive impression of you is having a good influence on the members.]
What was this phenomenon?
“Pink Edge is here right now. Want to go say hello?”
“Really? Yes!”
The members were thrilled by the unexpected offer. This was clearly a different kind of greeting from the formal pleasantries exchanged at music shows.
Now in their fifth year, Pink Edge was one of the top girl groups in the industry, so popular they could hit number one with just about any song.
Guided by the stylist, we approached the senior girl group mid-beautification. Pink Edge were already getting their finishing touches.
They must have started at three in the morning, at the latest.
“Hello, Seonbae-nim! We're Answer, rookies from JD.”
“Oh, right. Nice to meet you. You're the girls from CEO Park Jae-yong's public audition, right?”
The members' faces lit up when Pink Edge's lead vocalist recognized them. It made me happy, too.
“Yes! That's right! Thank you for remembering us!”
“Where are the rest? Weren't there about seven of you?”
“Um… three have left the group, and one has a different schedule today.”
“Oh man, that must've been tough. You guys have a schedule today?”
They were so much friendlier than they were during greetings at music shows. So this was the effect of being introduced by the salon staff.
“Yes, we've got the Provincial Sports Festival and a Comfort Train performance.”
“Ah… I see. Well, they don't pay much, but there's nothing better than the Comfort Train when you're rookies. Keep up the good work.”
“Thank you, Seonbae-nim!”
After warmly accepting the members' greeting, the members of Pink Edge looked up at me, blinking. It was a look of expectation.
“Oh, he's not a rookie. He's Answer's manager.”
The quick-witted hair stylist said with an amused tone. I bowed to Pink Edge.
“Hello. I'm a new road manager at JD.”
“Huh? A manager?”
Another member of Pink Edge, sitting across the room, peeked around her mirror to get a look.
“Yes. Please look after Answer for us.”
“Whoa. The manager's visuals are top-tier. And he's got great style. Are you planning on debuting someday?”
“No, my goal is to be a producer.”
“Wow. I really hope it works out for you. Go for it, handsome producer!”
I bowed to Pink Edge again. It felt pretty good to get a compliment from famous celebrities.
This wonderful first day for me and Answer felt like a sign of the bright future ahead.