Big Life Ch 161-165

Chapter 161. Make It Up, If There’s None (5)

 

Heavy silence covered the entire office.

Seeing his own son down on his knees, Nam Gyu-Baek realized two things: Nam Gyu-Ho had found a girl that he really liked, but the girl’s social status wouldn’t meet his standards.

“A girl… you like?” Nam Gyu-Baek asked with a sour look.

Nam Gyu-Ho, still on his knees by Nam Gyu-Baek’s feet, nodded. “Please stop arranging marriages for me.”

“What kind of person is she?”

Before answering, Nam Gyu-Ho gulped. “She’s a kind family woman and a gentle—”

“When did I ask about her personality? I’m asking about her job.”

“An.. educator.”

“What kind of educator?”

“Teaching… students….”

The vague answer got Nam Gyu-Baek gritting his teeth.

Nam Gyu-Ho couldn’t help it. If he told the truth, let alone giving him his permission, his father would immediately destroy everything in the office.

“Are you joking with me right now?”

“Please don’t say it like that. It’s not like that, Father.” Nam Gyu-Ho replied, looking up. However, he looked down once more upon meeting Nam Gyu-Baek’s fierce gaze.

“How old is she?”

“…”

“You can’t hear me? How old is she?”

“She’s younger than me.”

Nam Gyu-Baek was about to flip. He couldn’t hold back himself and yelled, “Of course, she must be younger than you! You’re already thirty-eight this year! So, how old is she?!”

Nam Gyu-Baek’s loud voice pervaded the entire office.

Nam Gyu-Ho stood up and begged. “Please just wait a while more, Father. I’ll tell you everything once I’m done with the preparations.”

“What preparations?! Are you going to register your marriage and live together without my knowledge?!”

“You know that’s not going to happen. Please don’t say anything more and wait for me. Even a plane needs some time on the runway before taking off. I need some time as well if I’m going to deliver good news to you.”

Nam Gyu-Ho knew that his persuasion was immensely lacking, contributing to his own impatience. It was difficult to erase the doubts on Nam Gyu-Baek’s face.

Nam Gyu-Baek headed to the water dispenser and helped himself to a glass of cold water. He took in deep breaths while looking up at the ceiling, and then he placed the glass down with a loud thud.

“How long do I have to wait?”

“Uh, half a year, no. Just one year. I’ll tell you within a year.”

Nam Gyu-Baek turned around around coldly.

Nam Gyu-Ho looked back down on the floor, not daring to face his father’s anger.

“Do you really like her?”

“…Yes.”

“So you like her, but you’re not at the stage to introduce her to me yet?”

“Yes.”

“And you can’t tell me the reason?”

“I can only apologize.”

Nam Gyu-Baek groaned softly and held his throbbing head. He could already tell that the woman who wouldn’t meet his standards would most likely fail to become a suitable bride for his son, even if he gave his son a year.

However, Nam Gyu-Baek couldn’t be stubborn either. His son had inherited his stubbornness as well, so things would just become chaotic if they were to continue arguing.

After some pondering, Nam Gyu-Baek decided to give his son a chance.

“You will still meet Chairman Han next Sunday as arranged.” Nam Gyu-Baek looked at the miserable Nam Gyu-Ho and added, “It’s a promise, so you have to show up, even if it’s just to show your face. And as for the girl you like, I’ll give you until the end of this year to bring her to me.”

“Father…?”

“There’s still five months until the year ends. Why? You can’t do it?”

“N-no. I understand. I’ll do it.” Nam Gyu-Ho nodded profusely. He had begged for a year’s time, hoping that he could even get a month from his father. However, his father had ended up giving him five months; it was a huge harvest.

“Thank you, Father.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Will you be heading home? Let me drive you back.”

“Forget it. Don’t loiter around and just get out of the way already.”

Nam Gyu-Ho sent his father off to the elevator and returned looking dejected.

The employees cast strange gazes at him.

‘Well, I did put out the urgent fire…’

With this, he wouldn’t have to worry about getting arranged marriages for the time being. However, he knew that his peace would inevitably get shattered. He had to make a move, or things would become even more troublesome for him next year.

Gyu-Ho took out his phone immediately upon returning to his office.

He looked up Ha Jae-In’s number on his phone. There was a debt that he had yet to collect from her. He didn’t force it; Ha Jae-In had insisted on it herself.

— Hello, Director.

Ha Jae-In’s voice sounded both energetic and surprised. Nam Gyu-Ho felt his fatigue vanish as he sat down on the sofa.

“Are you busy?”

— No, I’m free. Please speak.

“I was just wondering how you are doing. Are there still reporters hanging outside your house? Please let me know if they are bothering you. I can handle them for you.” Nam Gyu-Ho felt like hitting himself on the head upon saying that.

He didn’t mean to talk about this over the phone.

Ha Jae-In’s laughter entered his ears through the speakers.

— It’s quiet now; thank you for your concern, Director.

“Hm, I see.”

Nam Gyu-Ho stood up. He rubbed his nose, feeling anxious. He couldn’t sit still. As he paced around the office, he asked hesitantly, “Um, Principal, do you…”

— Yes?

“Do you like steak? What I mean is… Since we’re going to have a meal, why don’t we eat something you like?”

“…”

There was no immediate answer.

A few seconds of silence felt like a few hours to Nam Gyu-Ho.

Finally, Ha Jae-In gasped.

— Ah, I see. Director, I was just recalling what you were referring to. I’m sorry, I’m quite slow-witted. You’re referring to when I said that I wanted to treat you to a meal, right?

“Hm, well… yes, that’s right.”

— I do like steak, but I don’t have it often. I’m not picky with food, so you may decide with the menu and place, Director.

“Let’s go with steak, then,” Nam Gyu-Ho replied. He already had the best restaurant in mind. It was a place perfect for the gentle Ha Jae-In.

“How about this weekend?”

— Ah, this weekend?

“Do you already have something on…?”

— We’re going on a five-day, four-night family trip. I’m sorry, but can we do it next weekend instead?

“No problem. I’ll see you next weekend then.”

— Sure, Director. Thank you. I’ll contact you again.

Nam Gyu-Ho ended the call, feeling thrilled. He went to stand next to the window and looked out of the city. The sun scorched him, but he could no longer feel the heat as anxiety filled his heart.

If only Nam Gyu-Ho had met her a year earlier, he would have been on a trip with her at the moment.

“…Let’s work hard together, Mr. Jae-Gun.”

Nam Gyu-Ho hoped that Ha Jae-Gun would reach greater heights so that he wouldn’t have to scale more than two walls. Nam Gyu-Ho repeated those words to himself several times while looking down at the city.

***

“I’ll be leaving now.”

“What? You’re leaving already? You should at least eat first before leaving.”

“I’m going with the other writers.”

“Have a rest first before going. You’ve been driving a lot lately.”

Both Myung-Ja and Ha Jae-In tried to stop Ha Jae-Gun from leaving.

The family had just returned from their five-day, four-night family trip from Hawaii.

“I’m not that tired. I’ve been sleeping on the plane as well. Father and Mom, please rest well today. You should sleep early, too, noona.”

Ha Jae-Gun put on his shoes and headed to his car.

Following Ha Jae-Gun, Ha Jae-In asked, “You’re heading to Cheongpyeong?”

“Yeah. The others have deadlines, so we decided to go somewhere nearby.”

“Are you sure you’re not tired? Why don’t you just take a cab instead?”

“I told you I’m fine. Bye.”

Ha Jae-Gun left his worried sister and started the car.

The silver car he had received as a gift from Oh Myung-Suk glided along the main road. Soon, he arrived at the writer’s office. They had gathered by the road with their luggage in tow. Ha Jae-Gun turned the steering wheel and stopped by the roadside.

“I’m almost late. Get on.”

“Wow, this car looks great. Please excuse me, Writer Ha.”

Jang Eun-Young, Kang Min-Ho, Yang Hyun-Kyung, and Lee Yeon-Woo climbed into the car. The backseat was large enough to seat four people. Naturally, Jung So-Mi took the front passenger seat, and Rika curled up on her lap.

“Rika, how have you been? Thanks for looking after her, Ms. Jung So-Mi.”

“No, Rika was the one looking after me. She wakes me up better than my alarm.”

Just then, Lee Yeon-Woo thought of something. “Jae-Gun hyung, I’m sorry. I was thinking about something else and got into the car. I should be driving, so please let me drive.”

“I’m the one who suggested going on this trip, so I’ll be the chauffeur today. We’ll be setting off, then.”

Ha Jae-Gun entered the address of the pension house he had reserved into the navigator and stepped on the accelerator.

Seeing the quiet road, Jang Eun-Young said happily, “I really like how traffic is so great during weekdays. This is one of the perks that we enjoy as freelancers. Thanks a lot, Writer Ha.”

Kang Min-Ho and Yang Hyun-Kyung chimed in.

“Yeah. If it hadn’t been for Writer Ha, we wouldn’t have something like a summer vacation. There are fast-approaching deadlines, after all.”

“I, Yang Hyun-Kyung, will be in charge of the barbeque for the entire trip.”

Everyone laughed in the car.

Ha Jae-Gun had arranged the pleasant trip. The writers holed up in the office were intoxicated by the freedom they got to enjoy in the meantime.

“Wow, Oscar’s Dungeon is incredible!”

Jang Eun-Young exclaimed as she scrolled through the Internet on her phone.

Intrigued, Kang Min-Ho looked over her shoulder and asked, “What news is it about this time?”

“Look. Oscar’s Dungeon hit two million downloads in half a month! The most popular mobile game this year! It’s also ranked first place on both the App Store and Googol Play!”

The commotion coming from behind made Ha Jae-Gun smile awkwardly. He had heard of it before them. He was relieved to see that the game was performing much better than expected.

The burden he felt in the face of the upcoming meeting with Teencent at the end of the month disappeared completely, and it was all thanks to the stellar performance of Oscar’s Dungeon

“Ah, I should go on Oscar’s Dungeon while we’re on the road.”

“Me, too.”

“What? I thought we’d be chatting on the way there and have been holding myself back. I’ll play too, then.”

Eventually, all the writers, except Ha Jae-Gun, launched the game on their phones. Ha Jae-Gun glanced to his side and burst into a chuckle. Jung So-Mi had joined the rest as well, launching the game on her phone.

“Nice, Berserker Poongchun-Yoo is on the move.”

“What? That was you, Yeon-Woo? I was wondering who used the name Poongchun-Yoo.”

“As your number one fan, it’s not strange at all.”

“Is anyone here using Rika’s name?”

“It’s not me or Hyun-Kyung.”

“It’s not me either. I’m Bucheonibbuni.”

Just then, Jung So-Mi raised her hand shyly and muttered, “…I’m Rika.”

“Haha, really? I thought it would be someone else; it’s a common name, after all. Hey, Rika. You should treat your So-Mi unni well.”

Ha Jae-Gun reached out and stroked Rika. Jung So-Mi was caught off guard by the feeling of Ha Jae-Gun stroking Rika, who lay on her lap. She secretly hoped that he would continue stroking Rika until they arrived at their destination.

***

“Are you sure this necktie doesn’t look weird? It looks like it’ll stand out?”

“How many times must I tell you that it looks good on you? Why are you so nervous today? It’s so unlike you,” Shin Dong-Mi said as she patted the dust off Kwon Tae-Won’s suit.

Kwon Tae-Won looked at himself in the full-length mirror, looking slightly stiff.

“How could I not be nervous? I never really expected that I would one day get to venture into such deep waters. What if I make a mistake while I’m there?”

“It’s just on a different scale. The things you and they do are essentially the same. Plus, you’re the President of Laugh Books. Be confident.”

Shin Dong-Mi grabbed his shoulders and opened them wide.

Pushing him to the door, she added, “You always said that you managed to achieve this much thanks to Writer Ha, and I agree with that. However, you did a lot as well.

“Look at how Writer Ha has been staying by your side. He’s successful, but he’s still working with you. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yeah.” Kwon Tae-Won put on his shoes and turned around with a smile.

Shin Dong-Mi pulled him into a hug and patted his back. “I believe in you. Be confident out there.”

“Okay. I’ll be back early.”

“Come back when you’re done. I won’t say anything even if you stay out tonight.”

“I won’t stay out tonight. I’ll call you once I can.”

Instead of driving, Kwon Tae-Won walked to the roadside to hail a taxi.

The driver wound up the window and turned on the air conditioner.

“Where would you like to go?”

“Please go to 63 Building.”

As the car drove away, Kwon Tae-Won collected himself. The years of his career in the publishing industry flashed across his mind as if he were walking down memory lane.

He had struggled throughout his career until now. He could still remember how he worked tirelessly without even thinking about eating just to meet certain KPIs, and he could still remember his struggle when he founded Laugh Books.

Regardless, Kwon Tae-Won overcame those challenges.

And he believed that it was all because of a certain writer…

Thanks to that writer, he was about to reach greater heights.

Kwon Tae-Won’s heart pounded madly with thrill and joy.

Bzzt!

Kwon Tae-Won took out his phone.

The name on the screen got him answering it immediately with a smile.

Chapter 162. Make It Up, If There’s None (6)

 

It was Ha Jae-Gun’s second time at the Chinese restaurant, Cheonrihyang, located on the topmost floor of the building. Everyone gathered in the large private room that Ha Jae-Gun had reserved beforehand.

“My name is Ha Jae-Gun. It’s nice meeting you today.”

Ha Jae-Gun finished his introductions and sat down.

OongSung Group’s editor-in-chief, Oh Myung-Suk, Nextion’s Planning Director, Nam Gyu-Ho, actor Park Do-Joon, and Laugh Book’s CEO, Kwon Tae-Won took turns introducing themselves.

‘Wow, this is unnerving.’ Kwon Tae-Won drank his tea to moisten his parched throat.

He glanced at those sitting across from him with trembling eyes.

The three men across the table sitting in a row were Teencent Literature’s CEO Ren Xue, Teencent Literature’s Advisor, Lin Zihe, and Teencent Pictures’ CEO Mao Yen.

Oh Myung-Suk and Nam Gyu-Ho’s teamwork made this meeting possible today.

Lin Zihe and Mao Yen had no business dealings with each other, so they didn’t mention their work, but their work was closely related.

‘To think that I would get to sit face to face with such incredible people today…’

The room was cold, but Kwon Tae-Won’s back was drenched in sweat.

Teencent was the largest leader in the internet business and game industry in China.

‘Starting from games to ebooks. Now, they’re expanding to movies.’

Before coming to this meeting, Kwon Tae-Won had researched Teencent’s business in detail. To his knowledge, Teencent’s true value was, in fact, on intellectual property, also known as IP.

Teencent had been operating for ten years now, and it had a large number of quality IPs. They had over 20,000 webtoons, with ten million registered IPs created by four million original creators.

Meanwhile, Laugh Books had less than a hundred writers.

For the sake of increasing the value of their popular IPs, Teencent had to expand on different media types, and it was their focus at the moment.

‘He looks somewhat familiar…‘ Teencent’s adviser, Lin Zihe, seemed strangely familiar to Kwon Tae-Won. ‘Is he in his sixties?’

Lin Zihe had grayish hair and looked pretty well-off. Kwon Tae-Won liked how kind the man looked right off the bat.

Meanwhile, Ha Jae-Gun felt the same as Kwon Tae-Won.

‘I’ve definitely seen this man before.’

It was unclear how many times they had stolen glances at Lin Zihe’s face. His large ears and round face seemed ordinary, but they stuck out.

All of a sudden, the portrait of Buddha popped up in Ha Jae-Gun’s mind, and Buddha’s features slowly superimposed on Lin Zihe’s face.

Lin Zihe looked like Buddha; the light smile suffused on his closed lips was very much like Buddha’s smile.

Just then, Lin Zihe’s eyes met with Ha Jae-Gun.

If it were any other time, Ha Jae-Gun would have looked away. However, he couldn’t take his eyes off Lin Zihe for some reason.

Lin Zihe’s eyes were deep with a clear blue color. Looking straight into his eyes, Ha Jae-Gun felt like he was swimming in a clear lake. Meanwhile, Lin Zihe smiled, and then he whispered something to the interpreter next to him in Chinese.

“He says that he has a good impression of you, Mr. Ha Jae-Gun,” said the interpreter.

“Ah, thank you,” Ha Jae-Gun replied, smiling shyly. After a moment’s hesitation, he added, “Please tell him that I feel the same way.”

The interpreter conveyed Ha Jae-Gun’s message back as well. Hearing the translated words, Lin Zihe’s wrinkled face bloomed into a smile, and then he whispered to the interpreter once again.

“He said that he has read all your novels thrice, Mr. Ha Jae-Gun. Especially Foolish Woman and Storm and Gale, he still reads them occasionally before he goes to bed. He has learned a lot from your stories that are highly relatable while maintaining objectivity.”

“I’m grateful for his compliments.” Ha Jae-Gun bowed slightly, expressing his gratitude.

This time, Teencent Literature’s CEO Ren Xue, who was seated beside Lin Zihe, spoke up. The interpreter listened attentively and then conveyed the message to Ha Jae-Gun in Korean.

“CEO Ren Xue says that it was because of Adviser Lin Zihe’s recommendations that he got to know of your works.”

“Ah, I see.”

“He wants to thank you for writing such incredible work, but he is more grateful and would like to give credit to adviser Lin Zihe for telling him about such good work as well as for treating him to a delicious dinner tonight.”

Laughter burst out in the room.

Ren Xue’s timely joke eased the palpable tension in the room.

The waiters began clearing the tea cups and started serving the food on the table.

When everyone was about to take a spoonful of the shark’s fin soup in front of them, the interpreter conveyed Lin Zihe’s words to Ha Jae-Gun. “Um, Mr. Ha Jae-Gun. Adviser Lin Zihe has a personal favor he would like to ask of you.”

“Please speak.”

“He would like to hold your hand once.”

“…?” Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes widened in astonishment. Why would the man want to hold his hand out of the blue?

However, Lin Zihe was silent with a light smile.

“My hand?”

“Yes, he doesn’t have any impure intentions, so please do not worry.”

Ha Jae-Gun smiled shyly and looked to his side.

His eyes met Oh Myung-Suk’s eyes. Oh Myung-Suk smiled lightly and nodded.

“Alright… Sure.” Ha Jae-Gun said.

Lin Zihe stood up from across Ha Jae-Gun. There was no way they could do it with the table being so wide. Ha Jae-Gun stood up as well and bowed slightly, as the man was old enough to be his father.

“D-do I reach out like this?” Ha Jae-Gun reached both hands out slightly.

Lin Zihe then reached out and grabbed Ha Jae-Gun’s hands from below.

Afterward, he closed his eyes.

‘What is he trying to do?’

Ha Jae-Gun felt nervous as he looked up.

Everyone stared curiously and silently at the sight.

“Xiexie.” Lin Zihe finally opened his eyes and let go of Ha Jae-Gun’s hands.

It was a basic phrase that even Ha Jae-Gun could understand.

Lin Zihe returned to his seat and whispered to the interpreter.

“He said that he was very surprised to learn that Mr. Ha is such a young man, and he read your works without knowing what kind of person you were exactly.

“He thought you would be about the same age as he was because the depth of the humans which you had written in Storm and Gale and Foolish Woman was on a whole new level.”

Ha Jae-Gun nodded, and then he recalled that he had the Elder in his mind.

The depth that Lin Zihe was talking about had to be coming from Seo Gun-Woo instead of himself.

The interpreter continued. “And… Adviser Lin Zihe said he felt the collision of two energies in your works.”

“Two… energies?”

“Yes. One of them is fresh, young, energetic, and seemingly limitless, while the other is mature, stubborn, and even decisive. Overall, those two energies are constantly colliding, and it feels like they’ve become the driving force behind your writings.”

“…!!” Ha Jae-Gun was so shocked that he stared alternatingly between Lin Zihe and the interpreter.

He had received appreciation and compliments from countless critics so far, but this was the first time he had heard of something like this in his career. Plus, it was scarily accurate.

‘Is he a writer as well…?’

Should he be in awe of Lin Zihe’s keen eyes?

Did the old man really see a conflict between them just by reading his works?

Despite the questions that were popping up in his mind one after the other, the interpreter continued. “But he also mentions that the collision has lessened in your more recent works. He might be stepping out of line, but he considers this to be your literary growth.”

“I see…” Ha Jae-Gun nodded his head, muttering. He then asked belatedly, “Can I ask why he requested to hold my hand earlier?”

The interpreter conveyed Ha Jae-Gun’s question.

Lin Zihe then looked at Ha Jae-Gun and told the interpreter his answer.

“He wanted to look into your soul.”

“My… soul?” Ha Jae-Gun was dumbfounded.

How could one ever look into another’s soul just by holding hands? It sounded quite ridiculous to him.

“Yes. No one believes him, but he does have the ability to look into others’ souls occasionally.”

“So… what did he see?” Ha Jae-Gun leaned forward.

As if understanding Ha Jae-Gun’s question just by his body language, Lin Zihe spoke to the interpreter.

“His ability is on cooldown today, so he would like to hold your hand again the next time you meet.”

The others chuckled, but Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t bring himself to join in the laughter.

The interpreter then continued to convey Lin Zihe’s message to the downcast and astonished Ha Jae-Gun.

“Anyway, he says that he’s delighted to see you here, especially in the capacity of a fellow writer.”

“…?”

Ha Jae-Gun looked up at the words fellow writer. He had read quite a considerable number of Chinese novels introduced into the Korean market. However, he had never heard of a writer with the name Lin Zihe.

Otherwise, Ha Jae-Gun would have read all of his works before the meeting.

Lin Zihe saw Ha Jae-Gun’s look of disappointment, and he turned to the interpreter.

“He would like to introduce himself once more as a writer. Lin Zihe is his real name, and his pen name is Li Ziting.”

“Li Ziting…?”

Ha Jae-Gun deeply engraved the new-learned name in his brain. Soon, his eyes grew wide.

“Are you…! The same Mr. Li Ziting who wrote Bull?!”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Ha Jae-Gun looked like he had been struck by lightning from out of the blue.

There was no way he would fail to recognize the name Li Ziting.

Li Ziting was the master of Asian literature and the star of the industry. He had started writing in the 80s, and he had published numerous masterpieces. The man had even won the Nobel Prize for Literature a few years ago for his representative work, Bull.

“I-It’s an honor.” Ha Jae-Gun stuttered.

The overwhelming emotions in his chest ballooned, with no signs of calming down.

Meanwhile, Nam Gyu-Ho cast a strange gaze on Ha Jae-Gun.

‘Huh, he actually has that kind of side on him despite his personality?’

However, there was no way Nam Gyu-Ho would know and understand the awe and admiration Ha Jae-Gun felt for Li Ziting. The invisible bond between the two would be incomprehensible to any other people out there aside from Ha Jae-Gun himself.

“I have read all of Mr. Li Ziting’s works since middle school. Life of the Minority, The Second Life, The Wife’s Face, and even Bull, which received the Nobel Prize… I read all of them with my heart. It’s really an honor to meet you here.”

Ha Jae-Gun spoke full of vigor and even bowed down deeply at a ninety-degree angle. The times when he had worked hard to become a writer surfaced in his mind. He was truly grateful to the elder for allowing him to improve as a writer.

Li Ziting stood up as well after hearing Ha Jae-Gun’s reply through the interpreter.

He smiled and bowed politely in return before saying, “Xiexie.”

‘I’m glad I came here…!’

Ha Jae-Gun sat back down, and his fists were clenched beneath the table.

He truly didn’t expect to see such a great writer here.

‘Thank you, Director Nam Gyu-Ho…!’

Ha Jae-Gun looked at Nam Gyu-Ho with gratitude filling his eyes. However, Nam Gyu-Ho did not understand his meaning and only scratched his cheek, smiling awkwardly in return.

The interpreter then continued. “CEO Mao Yen said that your introductions seem to have come to an end here, so she would like to talk about herself. She says that her discussion will be the shortest amongst everyone here.” n(0)vel(b)(j)(n)was the platform where this chapter was initially revealed on N0v3l.B1n.

Everyone, including Ha Jae-Gun, smiled and looked at Mao Yen.

Teencent Pictures’ CEO Mao Yen was a woman in her forties. She had short black hair, a thin build, and long legs. Her pale face had almost zero traces of makeup. Her only accessories were a pair of simple earrings hanging from her earlobes.

Mao Yen stared alternatingly between Ha Jae-Gun and Park Do-Joon before talking to the interpreter.

The interpreter turned to Ha Jae-Gun and Park Do-Joon. “She has a question for both Mr. Ha and Actor Park Do-Joon. She wants to know that if there’s a good opportunity, would both of you be willing to work with her similar to There Was A Sea?”

Ha Jae-Gun and Park Do-Joon glanced at each other.

“Yes, of course.”

“Of course, I’d be willing.”

Mao Yen smiled and conveyed her words through the interpreter once more, “Teencent Pictures would like to adapt Mr. Ha’s Storm and Gale into a movie.”

“…?!”

“As a woman, she strongly sympathizes with the female lead in the novel who had to carve her own path amidst the harsh world and stormy roads. CEO Mao Yen herself grew up in a poor neighborhood in Suzhou; she also had to struggle to survive in the rapidly changing market in China.

“In her eyes, Storm and Gale is a work that fits the values of the youngsters in China amid the rapidly growing economy.”

Ha Jae-Gun was surprised by the unexpected proposal.

The interpreter then continued, “She’s sure that you’ll be satisfied with a guarantee of over two hundred percent of the base pay. She’s also willing to accommodate your needs.

“However, her conditions are that the lead actor must be Actor Park Do-Joon and that the scenario must be done by Mr. Ha Jae-Gun. They also have a partnership with Wizardry Pictures in the U.S., so they are able to take responsibility for the movie’s distribution in both the China and U.S. markets.”

“Jae-Gun…” Park Do-Joon muttered and made a sidelong glance at Ha Jae-Gun.

Ha Jae-Gun was still in a daze.

Chapter 163. Make It Up, If There’s None (7)

 

“Of course, she isn’t asking for an answer from you right now. She’s satisfied with just verifying your willingness to work with her.”

Mao Yen then said a few more words to the interpreter. She held out her tablet PC with both hands. The interpreter explained China’s box office rankings using the tablet PC.

“This is the current box office performance in China. Regardless of your target, Teencent Pictures guarantees that your target will be exceeded.”

The interpreter pointed at the best-performing movie and said, “This is China’s actor and director Dong Hua’s latest movie, Beauty Island. Its genre is melodrama, similar to Mr. Ha’s Storm and Gale. It’s currently on its third week since premiere, and it is still dominating the box office.”

Ha Jae-Gun and Park Do-Joon leaned in, paying closer attention to the tablet PC.

“The cumulative sales are 3.1 billion yuan, and its viewership is nearing a hundred million people. It has broken China’s all-time box office record, but President Mao Yen believes that Storm and Gale can break that record.”

Gulp. Park Do-Joon gulped a mouthful of his own saliva. His recent endeavor in China allowed him to learn about their general market size and status. As such, his heart pounded madly against his chest because Teencent Pictures had selected him.

‘Including the annual number of viewers, Korea’s total number of viewers would only amount to 110 million… If a movie has a cumulative audience count of 100 million viewers, it’ll already be a—’

Park Do-Joon didn’t dare to even think about it.

Meanwhile, Mao Yen smiled at the nervous-looking Park Do-Joon.

Mao Yen didn’t seem like she had something up her sleeves, but her smile radiated confidence. She wasn’t here to show off China’s box office but to emphasize the size of the market in China. This was also to reassure both Ha Jae-Gun and Park Do-Joon as the President of Teencent Pictures.

“Both of you have already entered the China market as a writer and an actor. There Was A Sea, which was released after the premiere in Korea, did relatively well.

“However, you will be working directly with us right from the start. We will do our best to make sure that your work will reach greater heights. Who knows? Storm and Gale might dethrone Director Dong Hua,” the interpreter said.

Ha Jae-Gun looked down at his glass. The glass before him was sparkling, thanks to the ceiling lights. He soon composed himself and pondered deeply over Mao Yen’s words.

“Do you have any questions?”

“Hm, yes, I do.” Ha Jae-Gun thought for a moment before looking up. “First of all, I would like to thank you for your high praise. I don’t mind working on the scenario. In fact, I’m more than happy to do so. However, I will definitely need a translator because I can’t speak Mandarin.”

Mao Yen grinned, showing her pearly whites.

Ha Jae-Gun smiled in return and continued. “I have two questions in mind. Do you perhaps know of Director Yoon Tae-Sung? He was the director of There Was A Sea?”

Mao Yen nodded after listening to the interpreter. The interpreter said, “Of course. President Mao Yen is also looking forward to the movie that is currently in production, Gyeoja Bathhouse. If you are looking to recommend him to direct Storm and Gale, President Mao Yen is all for it.”

Mao Yen was a step faster at predicting Ha Jae-Gun’s intentions and brought the conversation forward. Ha Jae-Gun nodded lightly in appreciation and said, “The second question is about choosing the actress for the female lead.”

Park Do-Joon looked at Ha Jae-Gun with a puzzled look. He thought Ha Jae-Gun would ask about the process of working on the scenario or the translator. The debut release of this chapter happened at N0v3l_B1n.

“There is someone I would like to recommend to take the role of the female lead.”

Her bright smile that lit up the darkness of the late-night surfaced in his mind. She, who had contributed largely to completing Storm and Gale, had already become an actress.

He wanted to give her an opportunity. It was his biggest wish to see her act out the female lead, which he had created based on her.

“President Mao wants to know the actress’ name,” the interpreter asked.

Beneath Park Do-Joon’s puzzled gaze, Ha Jae-Gun answered, “Her name is Hong Ye-Seul.”

“…?” Park Do-Joon was at a loss for words. He stared at his friend in a daze. He was slightly looking forward to Ha Jae-Gun’s endorsement, but he truly didn’t expect to see him endorse Hong Ye-Seul.

However, Hong Ye-Seul was just a rookie actress, and her latest role was as a supporting character in Gyeoja Bathhouse.

‘Ha Jae-Gun, just what are you thinking…?‘

Park Do-Joon acknowledged Hong Ye-Seul’s passion and talent, but this was an entirely different issue altogether. Her experience was akin to a piece of empty paper, so would Teencent Pictures even be willing to accept her?

Mao Yen began looking up Hong Ye-Seul on her tablet PC. Looking through the actress’s profile, Mao Yen’s face grew increasingly perplexed.

Ha Jae-Gun explained, “I understand that it’s a huge risk to use a rookie actress for such a huge project. And neither am I forcing upon you to use her as the female lead. I just wish that you could give her a chance to join in the auditions for the role.”

Mao Yen then looked up from her tablet PC and looked at Ha Jae-Gun. With an awkward smile, she asked through the interpreter, “Is there a special reason behind your endorsement?”

“She is the very impression I had of the female lead in Storm and Gale. I am not related to her whatsoever.”

This was the best Ha Jae-Gun could do for her, but he had faith in Hong Ye-Seul. Ha Jae-Gun believed that as long as Hong Ye-Seul could still remember her life at the time and had complete faith in herself, her performance would be perfect.

“…”

Mao Yen bit her lips, looking worried. The waiters appeared and placed down new dishes on the table. Meanwhile, Mao Yen fell into deep contemplation, and she didn’t move at all.

An unknown amount of time passed before Mao Yen looked up.

She looked knowingly at Ha Jae-Gun and smiled.

“She’s willing to let her join the auditions,” the interpreter conveyed.

“Thank you so much.” Ha Jae-Gun nodded with much satisfaction. As a screenwriter, he could no longer intervene in the production decisions from here on. However, it was fine; Ha Jae-Gun was already satisfied with everything.

Just then, Teencent Culture’s CEO Ren Xue raised his glass.

Taking that as a signal, Ha Jae-Gun and everyone else followed suit, and the group made a toast. It was then that Ha Jae-Gun found out that China’s liquor was as strong as its scent.

Ha Jae-Gun frowned.

Ren Xue advised, “You should enjoy the liquor’s scent while it’s in your mouth by letting it touch your tongue and the roof of your mouth evenly. Let it flow down your throat after a few seconds of that, and you’ll be able to taste a deeper flavor.”

“I see. I’ll make sure to do that on my next glass.” Ha Jae-Gun smiled brightly like a young boy. His proud heart filled to the brim with another glass of liquor was thankful for today’s meeting.

***

“Ah, the Chinese are good with their drinks,” Park Do-Joon murmured. He had just stepped out of the bathroom after vomiting everything he could vomit. His eyes were out of focus, and his face was deep red.

“Did we really just drink ten of those huge bottles?”

“Drink this.” Ha Jae-Gun opened the cap of a hangover drink and handed it over to Park Do-Joon.

Park Do-Joon downed it in one go and collapsed on the sofa.

“If you’re feeling terrible, just sleep over for the night and leave tomorrow.”

“I think I should do that. I should give Tae-Bong hyung a call.”

“Shall I call him for you?”

“No, it’s fine, Jae-Gun.” Park Do-Joon sat up and squinted his eyes. “I’m only asking this now, but why did you do that?”

“What?”

“Hong Ye-Seul. Why did you recommend her out of the blue? Because Director Yoon Tae-Sung likes her? I was honestly taken aback.”

“I’ve been thinking of it since the short film preview. She fits the female lead that I had in mind perfectly. That’s why I recommended her. You even complimented her to me.”

Park Do-Joon narrowed his eyes at Ha Jae-Gun’s words. He glared at Ha Jae-Gun for a while before asking, “So you… have an ulterior motive, huh?”

“What do you mean?”

“You already have such a beautiful girlfriend, but you still decided to set your eyes on someone else. Huh, I see.”

“Seriously.” Ha Jae-Gun chuckled.

Park Do-Joon’s words sounded so absurd in his ears that he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Tell me honestly. Am I right? If I’m wrong, bring me evidence, then. You don’t have any, right?”

“Why are you interrogating me?”

“What, interrogating? I’m just asking out of pure curiosity. When did it start?”

“What do you mean when? I don’t like any other girls other than Soo-Hee. Okay?”

“Geez, you’re boring.” Park Do-Joon laid back down. He looked up at the ceiling and stayed silent for a while before saying, “My hyung should see how I’m living right now…”

“He must be watching you. He must be busy bragging about you, so don’t miss him too much and let him spend time peacefully.”

“Yeah… I should go visit him at the charnel house next week.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“Jae-Gun.”

“Yeah?”

“I still find it surreal. Actor Do-Joon has grown too much and too fast recently. Do you not feel anything?”

“The feeling’s worse for me.” Ha Jae-Gun headed to the coffee maker. “It felt just like yesterday when I prayed to earn over a million won every month in royalties. I only know how to write, so my livelihood and future are bleak… I didn’t have the courage to face my parents, and life felt like hell back then.”

Ha Jae-Gun turned around with a cup of coffee in hand and burst into a chuckle.

Park Do-Joon was already asleep on the sofa with his mouth half-open.

“Look at this guy…”

Ha Jae-Gun grabbed a blanket for Park Do-Joon and covered him with the blanket before heading for the bathroom for a shower. Just as he was about to take off his clothes, a call came in.

“Hello?”

— Hello, Mr. Ha. This is Park Hyun-Min, the interpreter during the meeting earlier today.

“Oh, yes. Why did you call?”

— It’s about Mr. Li Ziting. He would like to meet you again and discuss something that he wasn’t able to bring up earlier. Is that possible?

“Of course. I’m available anytime.” Ha Jae-Gun answered without hesitation.

A meeting request from a Nobel Prize-winning writer! He couldn’t wait to meet him again. He had many questions he wanted to ask—both as a writer and as an individual. Ha Jae-Gun was also hoping that Li Ziting’s help would allow him to bring out the Elder’s true power.

***

[Photo of Writer Ha Jae-Gun taken on the streets of Insadong; the accompanying man is the Nobel Prize-winning writer Li Ziting?]

[Ha Jae-Gun’s crazy connections, just how is he related to Li Ziting?]

[Nobel Prize-winning writer Li Ziting’s visit to Korea is to meet Ha Jae-Gun?]

~

It was the first hot summer day in August, and the news about Ha Jae-Gun dominated the online news portals in Korea.

Photos of Ha Jae-Gun having a meal, shopping, and chatting over tea in Insadong with Li Ziting went viral on the Internet, but it was understandable.

Li Ziting was a writer with a great career, and he had actually visited Korea unbeknownst to everyone and was spotted on seemingly good terms with the famous Korean writer Ha Jae-Gun.

The various media outlets soon found out where Li Ziting was staying in Seoul, and they camped outside his hotel. When he finally returned to his hotel, the reporters flocked over to him.

“Please say something, Mr. Li Ziting. What is your relationship with Writer Ha Jae-Gun?”

“Have you known each other for a long time?”

“Did you visit Korea just to meet Writer Ha Jae-Gun?”

Li Ziting only showed a puzzled expression, forcing a faint smile. His reliable manager and interpreter appealed to the crowd while protecting Li Ziting.

“Mr. Li Ziting is currently very tired. We will contact all of you soon once he has decided on a date to hold an interview.”

“Please just say a word, something brief about what relationship he has with Writer Ha will do. And what does he think of Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s novels?”

Li Ziting patted on his manager’s shoulder, signaling that he was okay.

As the interpreter conveyed the last reporter’s question, Li Ziting smiled and gave his replies in Mandarin. The reporters stood in their spots, waiting for the translation.

“There was a Korean writer whom Mr. Li Ziting really liked and respected. He was certain that there would be no other writers like him in Korea.

“However, he has since changed his mind after reading Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s novel. And this is why he has come in the capacity of a reader. Of course, he had many things to talk about with him as a writer as well. Today was his first time seeing him, and they only know each other as a writer and reader. That’s all.”

“Wait, wait! Mr. Li Ziting!” a female reporter from a literary magazine called out.

“Who was the Korean writer you mentioned whom you liked and respected? Are they still active as a writer in Korea?”

“The writer has already passed away,” the interpreter replied, and then he followed Li Ziting into the hotel.

Meanwhile, the reporters remained undeterred. They stood in front of the hotel’s entrance, busy clicking on their cameras even though Li Ziting had already turned his back on the kaleidoscope of camera flashes behind him.

Chapter 164 – Make It Up, If There’s None (8)

 

“Yes. I’m not sure if he has returned safely. Ah, yes. I have. Yes, I’ll contact you again. Have a good rest.”

Ha Jae-Gun hung up the call and got on the elevator. He had just arrived at the writer’s office after his meeting with Li Ziting.

“Oh, Jae-Gun hyung. You’re early.” Lee Yeon-Woo greeted as he paused while working on his novel.

Ha Jae-Gun headed to the windowsill and picked up Rika. He hugged her before saying to Lee Yeon-Woo, “I thought we would stay until after dinner, but it ended much earlier than expected since Mr. Li Ziting said that he was feeling tired.

“Anyway, why are you alone here?”

“Min-Ho hyung and Eun-Young noona went to the cinema, and Hyun-Kyung hyung broke his keyboard, so he went to Yi-Mart to get a new one.”

“Really? Then let’s have dinner together, just the two of us.”

“Sure, what would you like to have?”

“Let’s go out first, and we’ll decide from there.”

“All right, hyung. Just give me a moment to save my document.” Lee Yeon-Woo saved his file and turned off the program.

He was about to turn off his laptop when Ha Jae-Gun stopped him and said, “Wait. Send that to me first.”

“Pardon?”

“You finished Objection up to volume four, right? I’ll read it while we have dinner, so send it to me.”

“Ah… okay,” Lee Yeon-Woo replied feebly, his face looking downcast.

Ha Jae-Gun noticed the change and asked immediately, “What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

“…”

“What is it?”

“Um…” Lee Yeon-Woo scratched the back of his head and stood up awkwardly as if he had shat in his pants. “I tried my best, but… I think it’s boring.”

“That’s why I’m going to take a look at it. What did President Kwon say?”

“I haven’t shown him the manuscript for volume three.”

“All right, just send it over. You’ve always been doing this, so why are you hesitating so much today?”

Ha Jae-Gun and Lee Yeon-Woo grabbed a table at a restaurant nearby. Between them was a huge boiling pot of mixed stew. Ha Jae-Gun did not pick up his spoon but was reading Lee Yeon-Woo’s manuscript instead.

“Hmm…”

Ha Jae-Gun fixed his horn-rimmed glasses and tilted his head to the side. Meanwhile, that action alone got Lee Yeon-Woo’s shoulders trembling slightly.

“I’m done reading it.”

Lee Yeon-Woo’s heart dropped. It wasn’t the usual I enjoyed reading it, but I’m done reading it. Having known Ha Jae-Gun for a while, Lee Yeon-Woo could somewhat decipher the meaning behind Ha Jae-Gun’s words.

His impression was definitely negative.

“Yeon-Woo.”

Ha Jae-Gun put his phone down and looked straight at the latter. Lee Yeon-Woo slowly looked up amidst his anxiety.

“Do you want to have soju?”

“Ah, sure… hyung.”

Ha Jae-Gun flipped the soju bottle and hit the base with his elbow a few times.

Lee Yeon-Woo looked blankly at him and asked, “I’ve been wondering for a while, but why do you do that before opening the bottle?”

“This way makes it easier to empty out instead of just purely shaking the bottle.”

“Really? Is there any evidence supporting this?”

“Yeon-Woo, don’t be too nitpicky. That isn’t you.”

The two laughed. They filled each other’s glasses and made a toast.

After finishing a shot, Ha Jae-Gun said, “Don’t write so impatiently.”

“…”

“You did well until the second half of volume three, but the story that followed felt heavy. Instead of the main character’s growth, you seem to have put more focus on his internal conflicts.

“It is especially pronounced in volume four when the president of a large corporation suddenly appears and offers to set up his own practice for him. It’s a fantasy story, but I think that was too forced.”

“I actually thought of that as well. I think I forced it because I couldn’t think of any other way to develop the story.”

“Well, that does happen. It’s fine; we can fix it.”

Ha Jae-Gun then picked up the soju bottle and offered to pour another glass for Lee Yeon-Woo. Lee Yeon-Woo raised his glass with both hands and scrunched his nose.

“I’ll keep doing my best.”

“You can just keep doing what you’ve done, but don’t feel nervous. Here, let’s toast for the success of Objection.”

Lee Yeon-Woo grinned and emptied his second shot. He portioned a plate of stew onto Ha Jae-Gun’s plate and asked, “How was your time spent with Mr. Li Ziting?”

“Oh, we talked about a lot of things, and I even got to ask about the things I was curious about in his novels. It was like a dream come true.”

Ha Jae-Gun then pulled out a Chinese language book from his bag.

“I bought this on the way here. I’m thinking of picking up the language.”

“Mandarin?”

“I found it quite tough when we always had to wait for the interpreter while conversing. Mr. Li Ziting can’t speak English either, so I can only start learning the language myself.”

“Wow, as expected of Ha Jae-Gun hyung. Your decision-making is the best.”

Lee Yeon-Woo put a spoonful of food into his mouth and glanced at the TV.

The highlight of tonight’s 8 PM news was being shown.

“Huh?” Lee Yeon-Woo raised an eyebrow as he watched the TV in the distance.

The news was about Ha Jae-Gun and Li Ziting’s meeting.

“Ha Jae-Gun hyung, they’re talking about you on TV.”

“Me?”

Ha Jae-Gun turned around to watch, and his eyes widened. He had only met Li Ziting for a few hours today, but it was already on the news?

Lee Yeon-Woo took out his phone to check out the articles online.

“I think some people recognized you on the streets and shared the photos on their social media. It seems like the reporters all gathered out front at the hotel he’s staying at.”

“Really…?”

Ha Jae-Gun took out his phone as well and wrote Li Ziting on the search portals. He clicked on the most recently posted article, which showed Li Ziting being swarmed by a large group of reporters with the hotel’s entrance in the background.

~

[…Li Ziting then said, “There was a Korean writer whom I really liked and respected. I was so sure that I wouldn’t be able to see any other writer like him in Korea before I die.” and added, “But I changed my mind after knowing Writer Ha Jae-Gun.”]

~

Ha Jae-Gun was moved while reading the article. On top of that, he became extremely curious about the subject of Li Ziting’s admiration. The article continued.

~

[…At the question on the identity of the Korean writer, Li Ziting answered, “He had already passed.” and retreated into the hotel.]

~

They already passed…?’

That single line was deeply engraved in his mind. Why did it feel so strong to him?

Ha Jae-Gun repeated that line several times silently.

“Hyung, what’s wrong?”

“Wait, let me make a call.”

Ha Jae-Gun called Li Ziting’s interpreter. As soon as the call went through, Ha Jae-Gun asked, “I’m really sorry, but can you help me ask about the identity of the Korean writer Mr. Li Ziting mentioned to the reporters?”

— Please wait a moment.

Ha Jae-Gun could hear their conversation in Mandarin. The unknown expectation got Ha Jae-Gun so anxious that he bit his lips unknowingly.

Thinking back, Li Ziting had said something weird the first time they met. He mentioned that he could feel two conflicting energies in Ha Jae-Gun, and he could apparently read Ha Jae-Gun’s soul.

Everyone laughed at the time, but it wasn’t a joke for Ha Jae-Gun, who had inherited Seo Gun-Woo’s talents.

‘If the person Mr. Li Ziting is referring to is actually the Elder…’

It was too far-fetched, but Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t let go of that sliver of hope. After a while, the interpreter returned to the call.

— I’m sorry for keeping you waiting. He says it’s the late Mr. Kang Byeong-Ha.

“…Mr. Kang Byeong-Ha?”

As Ha Jae-Gun repeated the name, he felt his nervousness go away. That name was familiar to him as well. Their works were so popular in Korea that his short stories were included in the textbooks. At the very least, they weren’t Seo Gun-Woo.

— Yes, he said the novel Middle of Jongo was a unique masterpiece. It was by far the best among all of the late Mr. Kang Byeong-Ha’s works, but it’s even hard to get his hands on one for him. Mr. Li Ziting also said that he doesn’t have a copy.

“Thank you so much. I’ll make sure to look out for it.”

Ha Jae-Gun hung up and looked up the name Kang Byeong-Ha. An old black-and-white profile picture, as well as his profile biography, showed up on the search results.

‘Born in Gyeongju in 1929… Died of neurasthenia in 1995…‘

Was it because he was bored with the texts from his textbooks, or was it because there were too many books available in this world for Ha Jae-Gun to read?

Ha Jae-Gun realized that he had never encountered any other works by Kang Byeong-Ha except for the ones included in the textbooks.

‘He said it was Middle of Jongno, right…?‘

Ha Jae-Gun looked it up and soon found out that there was nowhere else that sold the said book, but the reason was quite unexpected.

~

[…Kang Byeong-Ha had rejected all literary awards awarded to his masterpiece, Middle of Jongno. He even terminated the contract with his publisher and recalled all the first edition copies of the book. In this process, hundreds of those books went missing and have become rare copies…]

~

‘He rejected all the awards and even terminated his contracts…?‘

It was the very reason why Li Ziting had said it was tough to get a physical copy of the masterpiece. Just what exactly happened? What made him decide to hide his incredible masterpiece from the world when it had received such high compliments from even a Nobel Prize-winning writer?

‘I really want to read it…‘

He scoured through the internet desperately trying to find if he could get his hands on a copy of the book, but to no avail.

“Hyung, you should still eat.”

“Oh, yeah.”

Bzzt!

Just as he was about to pick up his spoon, Oh Myung-Suk called.

Ha Jae-Gun smiled wryly at Lee Yeon-Woo and answered the call. L1terary-N0v3l hosted the first appearance of this chapter at N0vel.B1n.

“Yes, editor-in-chief.”

— I’ve just seen the articles. How was the date with Mr. Li Ziting? Was it fun?

“Yeah. I didn’t know there were people watching us. Ah, editor-in-chief. Can I ask you something?”

— Sure, go ahead.

“Do you possibly know of the late Mr. Kang Byeong-Ha’s novel, Middle of Jongno?”

— Mm… Yes. You’re talking about the novel that was recalled, right?

“Yes. Mr. Li Ziting said it’s the best novel he’s read by far. I really want to read it, but there’s no way I can get my hands on one. So I was just wondering if you have any idea…”

Ha Jae-Gun trailed off, and Oh Myung-Suk immediately continued.

— I have a copy with me.

“What? Really?”

— Why are you so surprised? It should be in my study, I’ll look for it.

“Ah, thank you so much, editor-in-chief. I’m so touched.”

— Hahaha. Buy me dinner next time, then. I’ll look for it and give you a call again.

“Thank you, editor-in-chief. I’ll be waiting for your news.”

***

Beep!

After the call with Ha Jae-Gun, Oh Myung-Suk headed to the study. It was a spacious room where over 50,000 books were stored since he was sharing it with his father.

‘Hmm, it should be somewhere here…’

Following his hazy memory, Oh Myung-Suk walked toward a corner of the room. The door opened behind him, and in came Oh Tae-Jin.

“Myung-Suk, let’s have dinner first.”

“Yes, Father. I’ll be there after finding a book.” Oh Myung-Suk’s eyes and hands did not leave the books and only kept searching.

Curious, Oh Tae-Jin approached and asked, “Let me help. What book are you looking for?”

“Ah, Middle of Jongno.”

“Middle of Jongno…?”

“It’s written by the late Mr. Kang Byeong-Ha. Father, you know him too, right?” Oh Myung-Suk turned around, looking at his father with a smile.

Oh Tae-Jin’s expression hardened. He gulped and asked, “Why are you looking for that book all of a sudden?”

“Writer Ha Jae-Gun wants to read it.”

“What…?”

“He said that Mr. Li Ziting had high praises for the book, so he wanted to read it, but he couldn’t get a copy. He asked me if I could help him in any way. Ah, I found it.” Oh Myung-Suk smiled as he pulled out an old-looking book.

Oh Myung-Suk turned around again with the book in hand, but his smile disappeared. His father stood before him, looking pale as a ghost.

“Father?”

“…”

“Father, what’s wrong?”

“Hmm…? Mm, no, it’s nothing.”

Oh Tae-Jin shook his head despite still being flustered. The fragments of memories that he still couldn’t erase from his mind floated in his mind.

“Oh, you found it? Let’s go have dinner.”

“Yes, I’m starving. Let’s go.”

While the entire family gathered around for dinner, Oh Tae-Jin couldn’t shake off his doubts. He had already noted two coincidences in a row with Ha Jae-Gun, and Middle of Jongno had just become the third.

~

That night, Oh Tae-Jin couldn’t sleep a wink, so he sat on the sofa in the living room. Large drops of rain hit the window panes endlessly. Before him sat a large bottle of old ginseng wine, and he was staring at it mindlessly.

“President, why are you still awake?”

“Ah, Department Head Gu. Great job today. Come and have a seat.”

Department Head Gu sat politely across from Oh Tae-Jin. The man was in his early forties and inherited his late father’s job of taking care of the second generation of the Oh household—Oh Tae-Jin and his family.

“Did you wake because of the thunder?”

“No, I was just thinking of the past…”

Just then, another bright flash of light shone, and a deafening roar followed.

Department Head Gu waited until the noise subsided before continuing, “If it’s alright with you, you may talk to me about it, President.”

“It’s nothing special to talk about.”

Despite saying that, Oh Tae-Jin was evidently wavering. The night would feel so suffocating and unbearable if he could not release all those pent-up memories.

“Many years ago…”

Chapter 165. Make It Up, If There’s None (9)

 

Oh Tae-Jin let out a long sigh and said, “There was a man I once knew, and he was a novelist.”

Department Head Gu loosened his necktie, realizing that Oh Tae-Jin’s story was going to take some time.

“He was a single-minded person; all he was concerned about was his writing, and he was great at it. He wrote all sorts of novels, regardless if they were full-length novels or short stories. He won all the best literature awards in Korea and was highly praised by the literary world after becoming a famous writer around the age of forty.

“His novels are often written in modern settings with realism included, and his thematic awareness or even lawlessness were much more…”

Oh Tae-Jin trailed off and looked at Department Head Gu with a smile.

“Sorry, I unknowingly said too much…”

“No worries, President.”

“Anyway, he was an incredible writer. He was a professor and had countless students learning from him. And… he showed exceptional favoritism to one of them.”

Oh Tae-Jin closed his eyes and took a moment to organize his thoughts, then continued, “…Let’s call him A for convenience. A was a youth with high potential to become a writer. Everything in his life was pointing at him becoming a writer.”

Department Head Gu became curious as he continued listening to Oh Tae-Jin’s story. How was A related to Oh Tae-Jin?

“A would never look upon anything lightly. He would always observe, ponder, experience, and then solve them with writing on a daily basis. Even his mentor admitted that he could not present his business card to A.”

“If the mentor said that about A, it would mean that he was that hardworking.”

Oh Tae-Jin leaned back onto the sofa and shook his head.

“Hardworking isn’t enough to express it. Before he became a university student, he had already written over three thousand short stories on his own.”

“Three… thousand?” Department Head Gu was dumbfounded.

How could anyone write three thousand short stories as practice before turning the age of twenty? If one were to write one short story every day without rest for a whole year, it would only amount to 365 of them. It was unbelievable.

“The mentor did his best to teach that student. Perhaps he was happy to see his past passionate self in A. A also did his best in order to reciprocate the love that his mentor had showered him. He respected his mentor from the bottom of his heart to the point that he regarded his mentor like a father since he had lost his parents early in his life.

“The mentor’s meticulous guidance and advice helped A’s writings improve and grow more sophisticated as days went by.”

Oh Tae-Jin drank a sip of water. Meanwhile, Department Head Gu was so immersed in the story that he was watching Oh Tae-Jin closely, waiting for the story to continue.

“A’s writings were incredible. While freely breaking down the walls of a fixed genre that were already set by traditions, he cherished every little subject he had obtained with his blood and sweat.

“If his mentor were a writer who had done everything within his means with the boundaries given, then A would do one better and build his own world setting for a novel.”

“So there’s a student that does much better than his own mentor.”

“Yes. And I think that was the start of the problem. From the moment A crushed the walls and stepped out into the world…”

“…?”

Another flash and thunderous roar followed. The night’s darkness was cast over Oh Tae-Jin’s face.

“The mentor then suddenly realized that the student whom he had taught and poured his heart over had surpassed him. The roles had reversed; he now had to learn from his student rather than the other way around. What do you think the mentor felt at the time?

Department Head Gu pondered.

Oh Tae-Jin continued. “Like what I’ve said earlier, the mentor always did his best in everything. However, he had a massive flaw—he had always insisted on implementing the conservative way when teaching and even put up walls around himself. He probably wanted to escape from the newfound fact but could not find the right method to do so.”

“I’m not familiar with writing, so I find it difficult to answer your question, President.”

“That’s not that important, so you can let it slip. The most important thing was… from that moment on, the mentor’s love for his student had turned into jealousy. Even when A went to his mentor for advice, the mentor would find excuses to avoid meeting him and even avoid making eye contact with A during lessons.”

“That’s quite unfortunate to hear.”

“Of course, A was upset; he had no idea what went wrong. He could only blame himself, thinking that his mentor had gotten tired of him.”

Oh Tae-Jin’s eyes laid on the bottle of wine on the table. After a short pause, he asked Department Head Gu, “Sorry, but could you grab a glass for me?”

“Yes, President.” Department Head Gu soon returned with a glass.

Oh Tae-Jin pulled the bottle toward him and said, “As the cold winter season passed and spring came in year two, A went to his mentor with a newly completed full-length novel in hand.

“The mentor wasn’t around at that time, so A left his manuscript and a letter on the table. The mentor who then read the manuscript was astounded.”

“Could it be… a novel that slanders his mentor?”

“No, it’s because the novel was too outstanding. He shuddered at the thought of A’s continuous growth without limits.”

“I see…”

“But the mentor concealed those feelings entirely and abused A’s infinite trust in himself. He harshly criticized the novel A had written.”

“That’s a bit…!” Department Head Gu raised his voice unknowingly.

Oh Tae-Jin smiled bitterly and looked out the wet window.

“A was a great writer, but he was too naive. Just because the mentor was someone he respected with all his heart, he accepted the criticism and strove to improve it. He wrote diligently and showed it to his mentor repeatedly, and every time, his mentor would trample on him.

“In the end, he failed to earn his mentor’s acknowledgment, even after his graduation.”

“The human heart is scary. So… what happened next?”

“Years after A’s graduation, the mentor entered a certain literary contest using a certain novel. The novel did great; it became a huge sensation. Critics said that it was his masterpiece amongst all his past works.”

Department Head Gu’s expression stiffened. He could already guess it.

Oh Tae-Jin continued. “Yes… You should be able to guess by now. That was A’s novel. He gathered all the good parts of the novels A had handed him throughout the four years and combined them all into one. It was even safe to say that some parts of that novel were entirely taken from a few of the short stories A had written.”

“That’s ridiculous…! How could the mentor plagiarize his student’s work!? And… and A just watched from a distance?” Department Head Gu asked, sounding indignant.

He had inherited the trait of distinguishing right and wrong from his late father, and he couldn’t forgive the mentor in Oh Tae-Jin’s story.

“A shut himself in his own room. His friends who went to visit him back then said that he was out of his mind. They said A would only stare blankly into space with unfocused eyes and would not utter a single word.”

“Of course, he would be shell-shocked. I understand him. He turned to loathe that mentor of his, right?”

“What do you think?” Oh Tae-Jin returned with a vague question. His thick hands reached for the bottle of wine once more.

“A eventually emerged from his isolation and went to look for his mentor. He brought a bottle of ginseng wine that he personally made as a gift, which was the wine that his mentor liked the most.”

“…?” Department Head Gu’s eyes went from Oh Tae-Jin to the bottle on the table.

In the bottle were a few stalks of ginseng.

“A did not utter a single word of resentment to his mentor. He only said to his mentor that he would be leaving to learn more and apologized that he would not be able to see him for a long time. He left that bottle of ginseng wine and bade his farewell.”

Oh Tae-Jin finally opened the bottle. The bottle was finally opened after decades, and the fragrance that came along with the aged wine spilled into the air.

“The mentor hadn’t once touched the bottle of wine that A gave as he couldn’t understand why A had left after giving him his favorite drink. He couldn’t understand why he didn’t hold even an ounce of resentment toward him.”

“President, are you possibly…” The original appearance of this chapter can be found at N0v3l–Biin.

“The mentor’s other student watched the mentor until his deathbed. Before he passed, the mentor confessed while in a delirious state, saying that he couldn’t muster the courage to drink the wine. He wasn’t sure if he could handle the result.

“When the mentor passed, that other student claimed ownership of that bottle of wine.”

Department Head Gu was in a daze. He didn’t even realize that Oh Tae-Jin had picked up the bottle and poured himself a glass.

It was only after he was certain that the President was the other student of that mentor that he snapped back to reality.

“P-president? You shouldn’t drink that!” Department Head Gu jumped up from his seat.

However, Oh Tae-Jin had already downed that glass. He himself knew clearly what kind of person A was, so he had nothing to hide.

“Don’t worry.” Oh Tae-Jin shook his hand dismissively after putting the glass down.

“Nothing will happen.”

“B-but President…! That wine might be…!”

A faint smile formed on Oh Tae-Jin’s face. The smile looked affectionate and in peace. He was reminiscing about that old friend who was so incredible and brilliant, but his mentor couldn’t embrace him.

“I can’t recall his face clearly today. It’s as if I’m looking through that wet window…” Oh Tae-Jin murmured. After a while, he picked up the bottle and offered a glass to Department Head Gu.

“The wine tastes great. Do you want a glass? What I said just now was just fiction.”

“President…”

Despite being suspicious, Department Head Gu still accepted a glass. Oh Tae-Jin put down the bottle, leaned back into the sofa and savored the lingering bitterness of the wine in his mouth.

***

“Yes, Ms. Hye-Sang. Hello.”

Ha Jae-Gun put aside the cue stick in the midst of his billiard game and answered the call from Park Hye-Sang. Meanwhile, Park Jung-Jin looked at him in surprise from the other side of the table.

“I’m good. Yes, it’s getting hotter now that it’s August. Ah, you’ve seen the article? Thank you. As it’s happening in China, it still feels quite surreal to me. I will only learn about the performance sometime later.”

Park Jung-Jin approached and mouthed his question, “Is it Announcer Park Hye-Sang?”

Ha Jae-Gun nodded and pretended to retreat.

“Yes, I’m going to do a radio broadcast near Gyeoja Bathhouse‘s premiere. Let’s have dinner together, then. Yes, I’ll see you then.”

As soon as Ha Jae-Gun hung up, Park Jung-Jin grabbed his arm and asked, “Hey, what’s this? Was that really EBC Announcer Park Hye-Sang? You’re going to have dinner with that beautiful Park Hye-Sang?”

“I owe her a lot, so I think it’s just right for me to treat her to dinner.”

Park Jung-Jin grabbed his head and groaned. “Wow… I see it now! Aside from the novel, game, movie, and entering the market in China, huh?! That call from Park Hye-Sang just now has finally made me realize that you’ve become extremely popular!

“When did my best friend become so popular?!”

“Stop kicking up a fuss. It’s my turn now, right?”

“How is the game important now? Wow, I’m really envious of you, Jae-Gun. It’s my lifelong wish to have dinner with Hye-Sang.”

“I’m going to tell on you to Hyo-Jin.”

Clack!

The ball was hit by a resounding sound and rolled out. It fell short of hitting its target, making Ha Jae-Gun lick his lips in disappointment.

“Did it slip because I chalked it too much?”

“Those without skills would only blame it on the equipment. Like you.” Park Jung-Jin clicked his tongue and hit the ball. The ball successfully hit three cushions, making Park Jung-Jin punch the air.

“I won, right? Sashimi for dinner tonight is on you.”

“Why sashimi on a rainy night? Ah, call Hyo-Jin along; let’s have dinner together.”

“Hehehe, really?”

Park Jung-Jin called Cheon Hyo-Jin.

Cheon Hyo-Jin said that she would get ready and leave soon.

“When are you going to confess to her? Didn’t you say that you would do it after your promotion?”

“Yeah. I thought we would get together before you and Lee Soo-Hee, but the right timing is just too difficult to come by.”

Park Jung-Jin was one of the few who knew of his relationship with Lee Soo-Hee.

However, Park Jung-Jin wasn’t even surprised when he heard of it from Ha Jae-Gun.

It seemed he knew that they would eventually get together.

“It’s a pity that you’re just turning thirty next year, Jae-Gun. If you waited for another year, you would have become a wizard.”

“What nonsense is that?”

“Thinking back, there’s no problem regardless of the ladies who are interested in you. Lee Soo-Hee is the best goddess out of all of them.”

“I know, right.”

“Look at this happy punk. Anyway, just be careful and make sure that rumors don’t spread. You have a clear conscience, I know, but Lee Soo-Hee will feel hurt if she sees them in the news.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ll be careful.”

Bzzt!

Just then, Ha Jae-Gun’s phone rang. It showed an unknown number.

Thinking that it could be a request for a media interview, Ha Jae-Gun hesitated for a while before answering, “Hello?”