Assistant Manager Kim Hates Idols
SS Chapter 46: One-Day Errand Center (2)
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TL: FoodieMonster007
The maknae line used a meeting about their solo albums as an excuse to stay behind at the company. In the conference room, the mesh vests and mountable cams they had requested awaited them.
"The video team asked if it was okay for them not to go and install the cameras," Pyeong Daeyeon asked while packing accessories into a box. He was helping with the surprise event again.
"We can do it ourselves! It's easier to get caught if more people are involved," Lee Cheonghyeon said.
"If he hears unfamiliar footsteps, Joowoo-hyung will definitely wake up," Kang Kiyeon added.
Pyeong Daeyeon trusted the judgment of Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Kiyeon, who knew the members' tendencies well.
"Did you customize this vest?" Kang Kiyeon asked. He turned the eye-searingly Gawoon fluorescent blue vest over and over. It looked so much like workwear that one could immediately wear it for a delivery job. A crude logo and the words 'Snail Maknae Errand Center' were emblazoned on the chest in bright yellow.
"I only decided on the business name," Lee Cheonghyeon said. "They must have put a lot of care into making it. It's exactly like the vests I saw online!"
The vest was highly complete despite the vague order. This reflected the spArk team's unique spirit of filming even a single video properly, which extended to details like this.
"You have a pre-recording early the day after tomorrow, so don't film too late and watch your condition. You two shouldn't overdo it, alright?" Pyeong Daeyeon advised.
"Don't worry. When the hyungs see us like this, they'll lose all their energy and go to bed early," Lee Cheonghyeon replied.
"100%," Kang Kiyeon agreed.
Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Kiyeon were already perfectly in sync. They checked the number of cameras and their remaining battery life with practiced ease. A highly developed self-producing idol was much like a professional.
"Right. It's okay if you don't get any fun footage, so don't feel pressured and just film comfortably," Pyeong Daeyeon said.
"We'll at least earn back the cost of the vests. We need to show results to get reinvestment!" Lee Cheonghyeon burned with enthusiasm.
"Thank you for your consideration, and for always helping us." Kang Kiyeon took the box and bowed politely. Pyeong Daeyeon couldn't hide his embarrassment.
He could only say nice things because the members of spArk worked so hard themselves.
If there had been many things to warn them about, Pyeong Daeyeon, as a professional, would have found it difficult to just say, 'Just film comfortably.'
The dedicated team handled small-batch embroidery printing at Lee Cheonghyeon's word for a similar reason. While there was an aspect of expecting results, they generally never complained about whatever they were asked to do and always did their best to produce a final product. So, when the team received a request, they also did their best to cooperate with the artist.
How could I not help them when they're working to get better treatment for themselves?
This was also why Pyeong Daeyeon had asked Dong Euion, who just joined the company, to prioritize the idols' perspectives. It was important for professional spirit, but he also strongly desired to maintain the good team atmosphere.
Maintaining company solidarity was difficult. Even a simple alumni association could develop friction over time. The relationship could only be maintained if the people who understood this made an effort together.
spArk and their dedicated team maintained this balance well. That was why Pyeong Daeyeon was fond of his current workplace. He hoped his idols would like this place more today than yesterday, and more tomorrow than today.
To make that happen, he also had to do his best in his position.
"Kiyeon, are you taking the equipment with you?" Pyeong Daeyeon asked.
"Yes. I'm going to put it away in advance."
"Should I hide it in the shoe closet like last time?"
Kang Kiyeon's eyes widened at Pyeong Daeyeon's words, as if recalling an old memory. When Pyeong Daeyeon smiled mischievously, Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Kiyeon laughed innocently.
Lee Cheonghyeon arrived at the dorm and turned on the camera. He pressed the record button, checked that it was running, and then inspected his face in the viewfinder.
"Hello, Sparkler! It's currently… 3 AM. Today, to help our hyungs who are struggling with album promotions, the maknaes have attempted a surprise transformation."
Kang Kiyeon watched Lee Cheonghyeon exude beauty in the crude, hole-riddled vest and thought his friend was a really strange guy. Meanwhile, Kang Kiyeon seriously checked the camera to make sure he wasn't being filmed weirdly. If someone pointed out the contradiction, he would argue that his profession made it unavoidable.
"Ta-da-!" Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Kiyeon pointed to the embroidery on their pockets.
"Limited for one day! Taking care of the hyungs' chores! The Snail Maknae Errand Center is open for business!"
"Ssh!"
As their whispering grew louder, Kang Kiyeon warned him. The two immediately shut their mouths and cautiously checked outside the room.
"We just got back from filming, so everyone fell asleep only a short time ago. We have to be careful," Lee Cheonghyeon whispered.
"Still, it's such a relief that everyone's asleep by 3 AM now."
Kang Kiyeon smiled bitterly. This was a huge improvement compared to the days they had to lie motionless in bed, waiting for the members to fall asleep without even a space to plot.
"Before the center opens, we have two missions to complete," Lee Cheonghyeon tossed out.
Kang Kiyeon skillfully continued.
"For daily observation, we've prepared… cameras like this to install. To prevent the hyungs from waking up early, we're going to secretly turn off their phone alarms after setting up the cameras."
"We're leaving Joowoo-hyung's alone since he has to go to work in the morning! Isn't that a relief?"
"If we had to mess with Joowoo-hyung's phone too, this would've been a failure from the start."
Snatching the phone from Park Joowoo was next to impossible. He could wake up promptly from a single, weak vibration without even a ringtone. The sight of Park Joowoo waking up before the 'V' in 'Vvvv' could even finish vibrating was already famous among Sparkler.
The two pranksters tiptoed toward the eldest hyungs' room, holding cameras in both hands. The room's empty background showed personalities completely opposite to their own.
"The hyungs are all asleep…"
With the handycam, Lee Cheonghyeon filmed Kim Iwol pressed against the wall and Choi Jeho with his arm draped over the corner. He also filmed Kang Kiyeon diligently searching for a place to put the mountable cam.
"Iwol-hyung doesn't wake up as easily as he used to, but he's not a heavy sleeper. So instead of a flashlight, I'll use the light from my phone's background screen to find their phones."
After his comment, Lee Cheonghyeon lowered his phone's brightness to the minimum. He used the dim light to find and pick up the black phone placed between Kim Iwol's and Choi Jeho's heads.
"I'm telling you this because showing us unlocking the passcode might make it look staged, but we all share our unlocking methods! We agreed as a group to disclose passwords so we can use the nearest phone in an emergency."
After the kind explanation, Lee Cheonghyeon unlocked the phone. He turned off the alarm, put the phone back, and looked for the next target.
"Where's Jeho-hyung's phone?"
"Is it not there?"
Kang Kiyeon fumbled on the blanket and found the phone under a desk lamp. The reason it was so far away was soon answered.
"…He didn't set an alarm."
"He was just planning to piggyback on Iwol-hyung's alarm."
The two waved goodbye to their deeply sleeping hyungs and left the room.
They entered Jeong Seongbin and Park Joowoo's room and did the same thing. They installed a camera and grabbed a phone to turn off the alarm. Unlike the previous room, however, not a single breath was heard.
"Pwah…!"
Lee Cheonghyeon only let out his held breath after closing the door and returning to his own bed.
"And with that, the preparations are complete. I'm looking forward to going to work."
"We'll be back in the morning!"
After finishing all preparations, Lee Cheonghyeon turned off the camera. The errand center's opening was just around the corner.
It was the morning of a sunny summer day.
Others excitedly rolled out refreshing concepts at water parks and beaches under the sweltering heat.
The sun began to shine into the spArk dorm. They were the protagonists who went against the seasons, dancing for a full three minutes as if in a dance break. They frowned in unventilated leather suits on a set full of steel frames.
No matter how tightly the blackout curtains were drawn, Park Joowoo could feel his vision subtly brighten with the sunrise. His biological clock sped up a little. As he floundered in a hazy, light sleep, a vibration went off as if waiting. He quickly turned off the alarm so his roommate wouldn't wake up, even though most people wouldn't have woken from just the start of the vibration.
Park Joowoo rubbed his dry face to wake himself up and felt the room was brighter than usual. When he sat up, he saw light leaking from the door's crack, which was usually blocked with a sponge.
Did someone wake up early?
He also heard a small noise from the kitchen. The moment he opened the door, his eyes met a bright blue vest.
"Hello, Customer!"
A high-pitched but low-decibel greeting welcomed Park Joowoo. Lee Cheonghyeon's eyes sparkled.
"Customer…?"
"Thank you for choosing the Snail Maknae Errand Center!"
"Me…?!"
Park Joowoo had witnessed Jeong Seongbin become a 'young master' and even cooperated. He wondered if he had done something wrong to either Kim Iwol or Jeong Seongbin, but no matter how much he retraced his memories, nothing came to mind.
"Am I… going to be a young master now…?"
"A young master? You're our precious customer. Today, to give you a break from your busy life, we plan to take care of your tasks for you!"
The music show MC-like tone completely chased away the last of his sleep. Lee Cheonghyeon spoke to the blankly standing Park Joowoo.
"Your morning routine includes drinking warm milk, right? Today, we'll personally! Warm up your milk for you!"
"The errand center does that kind of thing too…?"
The good-natured Park Joowoo played along, using formal speech since his younger brothers were. "Of course," Lee Cheonghyeon answered, turning the camera toward the kitchen. Kang Kiyeon stood before the gas stove. Seeing the back of the blue vest, Park Joowoo asked.
"…Is that person also an employee of the errand center?"
"That's right! Kiyeon, is the milk ready?"
"Yes."
Kang Kiyeon moved, revealing a hidden pot. The sound of vigorous boiling could be heard.
"Why aren't you using the microwave…"
"Aigoo, the sound of microwaves these days is so loud!"
While Lee Cheonghyeon made a fuss, Kang Kiyeon approached with a ladle. As he got closer, Park Joowoo saw an earthenware pot, the kind used for steamed eggs, boiling vigorously inside a larger pot.
"For our temperature-sensitive customer, we have perfectly! Double-boiled milk!"
"Oh my god…"
Whether Park Joowoo was despairing or not, Kang Kiyeon took out a pristine white mug. He carefully poured in the milk he had scooped with the ladle. The errand center's splendid performance was about to begin.