Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols
SS Chapter 27: Oh, the Blessings of a Leader
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TL: FoodieMonster007
Kim Iwol’s hair was styled at the crack of dawn every day.
Wearing a monocle, however, was not. From outside, an old-fashioned yet shoddy BGM still played.
Jeong Seongbin’s wavering eyes fixed on a pair of pristine white gloves. A fluffy new towel caught his attention. Its tight, flawless embroidery seemed to boast of its quality.
"Good morning, my lord."
"……"
Jeong Seongbin couldn't believe his ears. Kim Iwol met his bewildered gaze without flinching. The sharply folded 'UtopiA Founding Anniversary Towel' waved mockingly before his eyes.
"What are you doing, hyung?"
"Let's go for our meal. The preparations are complete."
Jeong Seongbin had once uttered those exact lines. The karma, or rather the foreshadowing, finally clicked in his mind. This was a reenactment of the high-class insubordination where he had turned the group's eldest into a medieval young master, served him devotedly, and then put him to bed.
The only change was that he himself was now the lord.
What kind of lord am I? The lord of Central Metro Train City River Mountain View Apartments, Building 6, Unit 2019? Do apartments count as a fiefdom? Even if I'm just a tenant…?
He had so many questions, but the words wouldn't come. Kim Iwol also added no unnecessary words, moving like an actor following a strict script. It made Jeong Seongbin wonder how many times he had watched the 'Making the Eldest Hyung a Young Master' episode.
Maybe this hyung is responsible for half the views on spArk's own content?
The professional idol and proud, dignified scoundrel didn't even seem embarrassed. His still-pale ears and nape, far from flushing, proved how serious Kim Iwol was. Jeong Seongbin started to feel genuinely scared.
"Should I get up…?"
Jeong Seongbin asked, trembling. Kim Iwol just smiled handsomely without a word. Amid the chaos, the lord with a magnificent physique awkwardly got up, made his bed, and headed to the living room where the music never ceased.
Lee Cheonghyeon was the source of the BGM that evoked nostalgia for a medieval era he had never lived in. Dressed in a classic black suit, Lee Cheonghyeon soulfully played a melodica. The fluid melody had the distinct feel of kids' music for a reason.
"You've awoken, my lord!" Lee Cheonghyeon greeted him politely.
But Lee Cheonghyeon wasn't the problem. Jeong Seongbin's face turned deathly pale as he looked around the dorm.
"What… what is all this?"
For Kim Iwol's welfare, spArk had prepared a breakfast table and a small skit. The hardest part was suppressing their laughter at their annoyed hyung. Otherwise, it wasn't difficult. They just had to memorize their role names, which sounded like game nicknames.
But now, something was terribly wrong. Jeong Seongbin felt uneasy as he looked at the vintage light fixture in the living room. The sofa, table, and trophy cabinet were all covered with ornate lace. A rug with old-fashioned embroidery amplified the luxuriousness.
Succulents sat demurely on a stainless steel trolley. All the small, cute potted plants from the dorm had been moved to the veranda, forming a small botanical garden. On a massive candelabra he'd never seen in the dorm before, candles burned atmospherically.
Jeong Seongbin looked at the ceiling again. That kind of fixture usually had an orange-tinted bulb. A white light now emanated from the antique glass lamp. It showed a clear determination not to cast a yellow filter over the members' faces, even at the cost of the vibe.
Unbelievably, the dorm had changed completely. The normal rented apartment in the 21st century Republic of Korea had transformed into a family photo studio. Thick-bordered frames now surrounded every photo on the walls. He had seen this kind of background many times when they referenced Kang Kiyeon's comic books for an April Fools' cosplay.
Park Joowoo smiled at the lord. He held a pair of large shears, the kind an American gardener might use on small plants. The gardener even wore a tailcoat, showing the household's formality.
"My lord, you've awoken…"
"Your post has changed?" Jeong Seongbin ventured.
Park Joowoo smiled shyly. "Not at all. I just needed some rosemary…"
He held a sprig of rosemary in his white-gloved hand. Park Joowoo took off his black jacket and handed it to Kim Iwol. He then went to the kitchen and tied on a familiar apron. Instantly becoming a chef, he delicately placed the rosemary into a beverage-filled glass.
Did he really need such large pruning shears just to snip this?
Everything was a mystery, but Jeong Seongbin had no authority to ask. He was a puppet lord.
Kim Iwol left the confused Jeong Seongbin and pulled out a chair at the dining table. The kitchen table and chairs were also covered in lace. A crystal vase of flowers shone beautifully. Faced with this overwhelming reception, Jeong Seongbin squeezed his eyes shut and sat down.
Park Joowoo diligently brought out the food. As the table filled, Kim Iwol kindly explained.
"Today's menu is a fig salad and cream soup to whet your appetite, and a steak served with asparagus. The salad has an oriental dressing, and the steak is enhanced with a raspberry sauce. Please enjoy it with mango juice."
The dining table was upgraded to a high-class level to match the attitude. The usual rice and bone broth were gone. Steak replaced pork belly, and salad replaced vegetable wraps.
This was a natural result, since Kim Iwol, who could cook, was on the servants' side. Park Joowoo had also developed excellent cooking skills over many years of dorm life. Even Choi Jeho, spArk's grill master, was quite good at grilling thanks to what he had picked up from his mother.
He knew all this. While he was proud and happy his members had become good cooks, Jeong Seongbin couldn't just smile. He knew this meal was for him alone.
"Has everyone eaten…!" Jeong Seongbin asked, though he knew the answer. He just wanted to laugh with his colleagues, praise the well-cooked meat, and enjoy a delicious meal together.
"We servants don't share a table with the master."
Kim Iwol coolly shattered Jeong Seongbin's hopes. His disbelieving gaze drifted to the ceiling. The kitchen also had a vintage light fixture.
"The lights, who on earth…"
"Sebastian showed his skill, my lord."
He could hear the sounds of a shared universe continuing. Jeong Seongbin, who didn't read webtoons or comic books, looked for the unfortunate hyung. Choi Jeho was now filming a butler skit for the second time because of his younger brother and friend.
"And where did this Sebastian go?"
Kim Iwol's lips curled into a smile. "Sebastian has gone to the training grounds to build his stamina to protect you, my lord."
Jeho-hyung!
His heart broke. The consequences of his past actions now inflicted more pain on Choi Jeho, who always did as he was told.
Jeong Seongbin finally understood why Kim Iwol so often just plopped down on the floor. He really wanted to just lie down anywhere and ask, 'Why are you doing this?' However, this hellish world wouldn't end just because Jeong Seongbin struggled. The lord had to endure with grit and tenacity until darkness fell upon the fiefdom.
Jeong Seongbin sobbed silently as he stuffed fresh greens into his mouth. Behind him, the melodica started again. It was a beautiful melody, played with impressive lung capacity.
Jeong Seongbin's usual post-meal routine was to rinse the dishes and wipe the table. He was the leader of spArk, an ordinary idol, and a member of a six-person household.
But the lord of the spArk nation's post-meal routine only permitted him to stand up. Park Joowoo immediately stopped Jeong Seongbin, who had intended to at least do the dishes as thanks for the feast.
"Why is the lord… trying to do the dishes?"
He was even more overbearing than they had been with Kim Iwol. The 185cm tall chef, his peer with shoulders as wide as a soccer field, radiated an intimidating aura.
The past casting controversy about his difficult role was now forgotten. Under a pressure that suggested he had personally slaughtered the cow for the steak, Jeong Seongbin was cast aside like wet seaweed. Only the smoothly peeled dessert peach offered him any comfort.
Fortunately, Jeong Seongbin had an afternoon schedule. It was an internal meeting, so cameras probably wouldn't be inside. Wearing the outfit Park Joowoo coordinated was less awkward than Kim Iwol being escorted to the practice room. His situation was much better by comparison.
…or so he thought. Jeong Seongbin had underestimated Kim Iwol, who had evolved from a dignified scoundrel to a famous one. Still holding his arm in a '└' shape with the towel draped over it, Kim Iwol followed Jeong Seongbin, who was wearing a fresh spring cardigan, to the entrance. Next to Jeong Seongbin's canvas shoes sat a pair of well-polished dress shoes.
"You're not coming with me, are you?" Jeong Seongbin managed to ask.
"It's a subordinate's duty to assist his master."
"The lord is busy. I'll be moving around a lot!"
"Yes, I will serve you well."
His clumsy excuse was ineffective. In the car, a warm-weather blanket was placed over Jeong Seongbin's lap. Kim Iwol's monocle had miraculously stayed in place even while leaving the dorm and getting into the car.
"Everyone will be so delighted that the lord is personally visiting the place of business," Kim Iwol said affectionately.
But louder than his hyung's voice was the sound of crunching gravel. The meticulous Kim Iwol had turned on 'ASMR of Stepping on Gravel' on the car audio, claiming it was historically accurate for an unpaved road.
"What a wonderful sound of nature," Jeong Seongbin muttered. His face showed no worry, only exhaustion.
"And it's very realistic." The competent and loyal secretary agreed, placing a small glass bottle of star candy into the weary lord's hand.
"I know, right? It's as if someone is rolling a wooden cutting board on a gravel path, isn't it?"
Jeong Seongbin snapped his head up at the non-question. His faintly green-tinted eyes trembled. The oval wooden cutting board from their dorm flashed through his mind. He remembered Kim Iwol's passion for foley recording, which he had pursued for years to create high-quality content.
The camera director in the passenger seat captured Kim Iwol's face. He wore a benevolent smile, like a Buddha statue.