Episode 87. Vocational Competency Enhancement Training (1)
Spark's songs were notorious for their high notes.
Led by Park Ju-woo, the captain of high notes, and Jeong Seong-bin, the vocal master, even Choi Je-ho and Gang Gi-yeon were far from tone-deaf, so all the members had apparently sung that hellish song just fine.
On top of that, even the team's rapper, Lee Cheong-hyeon, was good at singing. Apparently, back when they auditioned at the agency, they had been scored on vocals regardless of position.
So, I could understand why the members had such high confidence in their singing abilities, but…….
'Still, isn't this a bit too high?'
This was a problem on a completely different dimension from whether the main vocals had it rough or not. Even me, a sub-vocal, was being made to show off high notes!
The loudest I'd ever raised my voice in my life was when I stopped Manager Nam from driving home drunk; for someone like me, this was far too cruel.
"But hyung, if we lower the key here, it kills the exciting feel."
Lee Cheong-hyeon, who had been watching my expression, lowered the key and played the track again. Sure enough, the song sounded muddier than before.
I already had my hands full just getting these kids to first place, and now I'd lower the key because of me, ruin the song, and get slammed with criticism?
"That won't do."
"Right? And at this level, our members can totally do it!"
Did that "our" by any chance include me? If so, he was sorely mistaken.
'In those web novels with systems, they totally…… raise your abilities and stuff.'
I recalled all sorts of web novels I'd read in spurts during the recent break. That was the only place I could get information about systems.
When things got truly desperate, I'd even felt sorry toward web novel authors—I had wanted to send them an inquiry email asking what kind of structure systems were based on, so that said it all.
I hadn't been able to read all hundred-plus chapters, but thanks to that, I had gained the effect of not feeling like the system was such an alien existence.
And thus, a new complaint arose against my old-fogey-like system.
While other systems handed out money and fantasy items, this system wearing Manager Nam's mask had been laying low lately.
'No EXP or anything this time?'
The moment I muttered inwardly, the system appeared.
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[SYSTEM] A work order from the 'Person in Charge' has arrived.
▶ Looking at you having idle thoughts, Assistant Manager Kim, you must have a lot of free time these days? When a person's truly busy, huh? They don't have time to think.
+
Yeah, fuck that. I didn't even expect it.
It can't be helped. Starting today, I'll consider my vocal cords dead.
Lee Cheong-hyeon, seeing my resolute expression, asked.
"What are you so worried about? Hyung, your range is more than enough."
Right. If I pinch my thigh hard enough, it'll come out.
And I'd ascend to the male idol Hall of Shame for the most pathetic sight in the world. My ear-splitting high notes being sold off as short-form videos were already vivid in my ears.
Before my darkening eyes, the system—blacker than pitch-black—appeared again.
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[SYSTEM] A work order from the 'Person in Charge' has arrived.
▶ By the way, Assistant Manager Kim, are you expecting some kind of delivery? A package came. Don't order deliveries to the company. This isn't a post office.
+
The only things I was expecting were a filming studio estimate and the demo tape Lee Cheong-hyeon had promised to hand in by this week; what was it talking about?
I grumbled to my heart's content inwardly.
And as always, the system only said what it wanted to say…….
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[SYSTEM] An 'OJT' period is hereby announced to 'Eul'.
▷ Period: 20XX.03.XX~20XX.03.XX (Total 7 days)
▷ Objective: Strengthening job competency through group education and training
▷ Target: All 6 members of Spark
▷ Condition: Achieving a minimum daily practice time of 5 hours per task during the OJT period
▷ Reward: Proficiency +1 limited to tasks where the minimum 5-hour practice time is achieved for all 7 days
+
'Proficiency increase?'
……I bit the bait immediately.
This was an offer I couldn't ignore from the start.
Lately, no matter how much I practiced, even with real combat on stage, I had hardly been able to raise my proficiency.
Moreover, this time the target wasn't just me alone.
It was a chance for even the Spark members, who had already reached a certain level of skill and weren't growing much, to shoot up like bean sprouts.
'It's a thousand-year regret that high school isn't on break.'
A sigh escaped from within. Why did this team have so many minors!
While I was lamenting, Lee Cheong-hyeon asked me.
"Hyung, what are you thinking about?"
"That we all need to roll around until our bones break to make your song shine even brighter?"
I gave a bright smile to Lee Cheong-hyeon, who was working hard to make a great song. It seemed we'd need a do-or-die training plan after all.
But before that.
'Instead of just hitting the minimum 5-hour practice time, how about raising proficiency by 1 for every 5-hour block?'
If things went as the system proposed, even if we practiced 10 hours every day for 7 days, we could only raise proficiency by 1.
On the other hand, if it was calculated in 5-hour blocks, the same 10 hours of practice could raise proficiency by 2.
Since we had to grind like dying anyway, I was determined to rake in as many rewards as possible.
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[SYSTEM] A work order from the 'Person in Charge' has arrived.
▶ Assistant Manager Kim. A company doesn't have an obligation to give employees everything they want, you know? That's for the company to decide. Assistant Manager Kim, you're crossing the line right now.
+
Even the law says you have to give someone a thirty-minute break after four hours of work, you bastard.
When I clung on pathetically, the system eventually accepted my proposal.
It should've come out like that from the start. Anyway, those in power never know to think for themselves before Eul jabs them.
Now the remaining problem was how to persuade the guys.
Sure, it sounded like 10 hours, but excluding workout time and class time, practicing 10 hours within that meant almost no break time.
What break time? By their standards, they'd have to cut back on sleep too.
They were already sleeping far less than the recommended eight hours a day. I didn't want to reduce that time even further.
'Should I just focus on practicing 20 hours a day myself to bring my stats up to the average…….'
When such absurd thoughts started crossing my mind, Jeong Seong-bin approached.
"Iwol hyung, what are you thinking so hard about?"
As expected, for something like this, I needed to consult with the team leader.
I wasn't exactly unconfident in persuading someone with words. But I wasn't exactly confident either.
Still, coaxing kids who had lived much less life than me with words was a matter of conscience separate from competence, so I steeled my heart and opened my mouth.
"Hey. Seong-bin, do you think effort leads to results?"
After that, I gulped.
It weighed on my mind that I had to say this to Jeong Seong-bin, who had struggled with evaluations and couldn't avoid hardships despite being a trainee for a long time.
That was precisely why I had come to persuade Jeong Seong-bin first.
Jeong Seong-bin's answer was completely unexpected.
"Of course. Why?"
"Huh? You think so?"
"What isn't possible with effort? Ah, of course, I've realized that it often takes more effort than I expected."
Jeong Seong-bin smiled bitterly. So I fussed over him, praying his mood wouldn't sink.
Fortunately, Jeong Seong-bin's expression soon returned to his originally gentle face.
"But I debuted in the end. I believe in the power of effort."
Damn, you've all grown up. Your mentality is more adult than mine…….
He was so admirable that I wanted to give Jeong Seong-bin an "Outstanding Colleague of the Month" award.
What would it have been like inside if a kid whose mentality had been shattered like this had debuted a year late like before?
And further, what had this kid thought when the team he debuted with after enduring such hard times disbanded?
All sorts of stray thoughts flashed by. I brushed back my hair to shake them off.
Focus. Today, the priority was selling these guys on the idea.
I put on the purest smile I could manage and asked Jeong Seong-bin.
"Let's assume that if you practice hard doing exactly as I say for just one week, you'll definitely get results commensurate with it. Then would you do as I say?"
"For sure?"
"Yeah, for sure."
The system didn't lie, after all. It just omitted things it should say.
Jeong Seong-bin tilted his head for a moment and answered.
"I would."
"Really?"
"Yes. I'd probably do it even without results, wouldn't I? Hyung wouldn't make us do anything bad."
It was a touching answer. Your drill instructor will roll you kids with all his heart and soul…….
While I was immersed in a wave of emotion, Jeong Seong-bin opened his mouth with a serious expression.
"But, hyung."
"Yeah, what?"
"Hyung…… you're not a cult leader, right?"
Would I be a cult?
Me, who woke up after overtime to find I'd lost my degree, lost my job, and even changed careers? I wouldn't believe in God if I tried.
It was so absurd I was just going to stand up, but Jeong Seong-bin's expression was too serious.
He looked nervous that I might preach a good word at any moment.
I'm not a cult. This is really unfair.
No, of course, if there were a cult around, it would be right to be wary!
I rubbed my face vigorously with both hands.
And with a smile of utter resignation, I spoke to Jeong Seong-bin.
"Listen well, Seong-bin."
"Yes, yes!"
"Actually……."
I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them. And sent Jeong Seong-bin a sincere gaze.
"That one week…… is when the energy of the universe aligns."
"……Huh?"
Jeong Seong-bin made a blank expression.
Right, you probably don't understand me either. I don't understand myself either.
But neither did I want to be marked as a dangerous person and kicked out before achieving all my KPIs, nor did I want all the members to give up the opportunity to enter a third growth spurt.
I placed my hand on my chest to look as sincere as possible and spoke.
"The ancestral deity told me. If I'd known sooner, I would have told you earlier. I'm sorry."
"Um, hyung."
"You know the ancestral deity is a folk belief, right? I'm really not a cult. I won't go around proselytizing, I won't buy religious items from somewhere and wear them around, and I won't sell you octagonal anion carbonated water. I promise."
After I squeezed my eyes shut, grabbed Jeong Seong-bin's hands, and swore, silence fell over the emergency exit hallway.
And a few seconds later, Jeong Seong-bin's roar of laughter filled the emergency exit.