Big Life Chapter 136-140

Chapter 136. I’m An Earthling (6)

The dark sky started pouring heavily. Oh Myung-Hoon drove through the rain and soon arrived at his destination. He stopped outside the locked garage and alighted from his car.

He found his way back to the family home, which he hadn’t visited for a long time.

Ding! Dong!

Oh Myung-Hoon rang the doorbell and stood outside in the downpour without an umbrella. He cut a desolate figure as he stood drenched in the rain with water dripping down his hair.

— Is it Myung-Hoon?

Oh Myung-Suk’s surprised voice echoed through the intercom. Soon, the door was opened remotely. Oh Myung-Hoon entered and hurried through the huge garden.

“How dare you show yourself here!” A furious voice echoed.

Oh Tae-Jin donned a sports outfit and was standing beneath the eaves of the terrace. A long golf club was in his hand.

“Father, please calm down.” Oh Myung-Suk tried to assuage his father’s fury to no avail.

Oh Tae-Jin shook Oh Myung-Suk’s hand away and pointed the golf club at Oh Myung-Hoon’s face. “You ignored your parents and said bad things to your own brother! How dare you punk come crawling back after getting all complacent and acting like a jerk?! Get out now!”

Oh Myung-Hoon stood frozen beneath the rain. He wasn’t trembling from the cold in the rain but from his heavily pounding heart. He barely managed to say, “I’m sorry, Father.”

“Don’t call me your father!”

“Please give me another chance. I’ll become a better son.”

“Words aren’t enough! Get him out of the house now! Chauffeur Kang! Where is Chauffeur Kang?!”

Oh Tae-Jin threw his golf club and looked around. Oh Myung-Suk felt like stomping in helplessness. He was the eldest son, but he was powerless to stop his furious father.

Plop!

Oh Myung-Hoon dropped to his knees on the cold marble floor.

Oh Tae-Jin glared back at his youngest son in anger.

Thunder echoed as lightning suddenly illuminated the world.

“I…” Oh Myung-Hoon said as rainwater flowed into his mouth. “I will do everything you ask of me, even if you ask me to become a low-level employee. You can put me at the warehouse or let me manage some distribution businesses in the rural cities. I’ll do it without hesitation.”

“You, you…! Why are you getting ahead of yourself?”

“Please accept me as an employee of OongSung instead of your son. I believe that you would also acknowledge that my skills aren’t that bad. I’ll make sure to improve myself from now on. And… I’ll treat Mother better, too.” Oh Myung-Hoon then put his forehead to the ground, shutting his eyes tight.

He said whatever he could say right there and then.

Now, the decision was in his father’s hands.

He was not going to deny the power given to him since birth.

Most adults had been treating him politely when he was young, he didn’t have to take public transportation when going to school and could also get whatever he wanted without having to work for it.

He had everything since he was born.

Oh Myung-Hoon had decided that he was going to discard all the pent-up resentment he had up until now. He would use everything he could to grow even further, even if it were for his own mother or to maintain his own personal space in his heart.

“Send him away!” Oh Tae-Jin roared before walking away.

Oh Myung-Suk couldn’t do anything as Oh Tae-Jin yelled once more, “Come back in if you don’t want to get chased out as well!”

“Yes, yes, Father.”

Oh Myung-Suk was forced back into the house.n(0)vel(b)(j)(n) was the platform where this chapter was initially revealed on N0v3l.B(j)n.

The door closed, and the lights went out.

Oh Myung-Hoon remained unmoving even as darkness enveloped the garden.

The rain felt strangely hot as he closed his eyes.

The night passed, and dawn arrived.

The pouring rain continued throughout the night, and it thinned out at daybreak.

The chilly winter night made the night feel extremely long.

It was already about seven in the morning, but the world was still dark.

Oh Myung-Hoon was still kneeling in the garden. He felt numb all over, but he didn’t move an inch, as he only had two choices here—either he would die, or he would eventually get into the house.

After a while, Oh Tae-Jin sighed and muttered, “What a tough punk…”

Oh Myung-Hoon heard Oh Tae-Jin’s remark just as he was about to pass out.

“That’s enough. Go in and rest.” Oh Tae-Jin finally caved in.

Oh Myung-Hoon collapsed to the ground.

Oh Myung-Suk and the housekeepers ran out to help Oh Myung-Hoon.

The world was starting to get brighter.

***

“Happy New Year!”

Ha Jae-Gun and Ha Jae-In both made their New Year’s bow and sat down in their seats.

Across from them were Ha Suk-Jae and Myung-Ja, dressed beautifully in the Hanbok[1] gifted by Ha Jae-Gun in time for the new year.

“Aigoo, son, I hope you’ll gain a bit more weight. Fortunately, you look much better than last year. You look handsome, dearie.” Myung-Ja leaned out and hugged Ha Jae-Gun, then hugged Ha Jae-In as well and patted her on the back. “Ha Jae-In, it’s great to see how well things have turned out for you, too. You’re a really good daughter and sister.

”It’s all because of you that Ha Jae-Gun’s doing so well…”

“Stop it, Mom. What did I even do?”

Ha Suk-Jae cleared his throat. “I only wish one thing for both of you—stay healthy.”

“Yes, Father.”

“But um… since we’re on the topic, you guys, uh, should start dating, too.”

The siblings looked at each other and grinned.

As if on cue, Myung-Ja said, “You guys dare to laugh? Hey, Ha Jae-In. You’re already thirty-two. You’re much more of an issue compared to Jae-Gun. Are you not going to get a boyfriend?!”

“You scared me, Mom. Why are you raising your voice? I’ll meet the right person when the time comes.”

“Look, look. She’s so calm because she still hasn’t realized that she’s already so old. Tsk, tsk, tsk…!” Myung-Ja clicked her tongue and leaned back in her seat. She suddenly recalled something and slapped her knee before turning to look at Ha Jae-Gun and asking, “Oh, Jae-Gun. Are you still meeting that girl Soo-Hee? You know, your batchmate I met during the Digital Literature Award ceremony.”

“Mm, yeah, well…”

“Are you not interested in her at all? Isn’t she twenty-nine as well if you’re both of the same age? Females are different from males. Do you really think she only has one or two men around her when she’s such a beauty?

”What if she gets taken away by someone else, what are you going to do then?”

Ha Jae-Gun smiled shyly and shook his head helplessly.

Ha Suk-Jae couldn’t hide his curiosity and asked Myung-Ja, “What kind of girl is she?”

“She’s a batchmate of Jae-Gun, very pretty. I think you’ll like her when you see her, too. I heard from Jae-In that she’s quite talented as well. She’s good at cooking, and she can do anything.”

Ha Jae-Gun looked at his older sister wide-eyed.

Ha Jae-In feigned ignorance and looked away, sweeping the dust-free floor.

Ha Suk-Jae said, “You should bring her home, then.”

“Home?”

“If it’s awkward just to have her over, you can also invite Jung-Jin and some other friends over as well,” Ha Suk-Jae said, seemingly interested.

Speechless, Ha Jae-Gun kept quiet and looked away. After their New Year greetings, Ha Jae-In began washing the dishes. Ha Jae-Gun approached Ha Jae-In. He growled lowly into her ears and whispered, “You snitch.”

“What did I do?”

“See if I’ll still tell you anything in the future.”

“Hey, Ha Jae-Gun. Mom’s not wrong. If you don’t get hold of Ms. Soo-Hee, you’ll just lose her to someone else. You like her too, right? I’m sure you’re not blind, so don’t you think she’s pretty?”

“That’s my problem to deal with.”

“So what’s the problem exactly? Tell me, hmm?”

“No, I’m not falling for it, Madam Ha Jae-In.”

Ha Jae-Gun spent the entire day comfortably at his parent’s house.

He woke up refreshed the next morning. With a cup of coffee before him, Ha Jae-Gun checked the notifications on his phone and saw a text message from Jung So-Mi.

– Writer Ha, I hope you’re enjoying your holiday. I apologize, but I’m not feeling my best, so I’m not sure if I can discuss Oscar’s Dungeon webtoon tomorrow with you. I’m really sorry.

Ha Jae-Gun stiffened, and he tilted his head. He found the message weird, as Jung So-Mi wasn’t the kind to break her promise to someone just because she wasn’t feeling well.

It was either she was really sick, or something else happened.

He looked at the wall clock, which showed it was well past 9 AM.

Ha Jae-Gun headed to the vegetable patch in the garden and made a call. Jung So-Mi usually answered within the first few rings, but it was different today.

The constant ring felt long and boring.

‘Is she still sleeping?’

Just as Ha Jae-Gun was about to hang up, the call was connected.

Jung So-Mi’s slightly trembling voice came through the speaker.

— Yes, Writer Ha…

Ha Jae-Gun could tell immediately that Jung So-Mi was feeling extremely sick.

“How are you feeling? What are you down with?”

— I think… it’s just a cold… I’m sorry… I should be picking up the pace…

“The webtoon pace is fast enough right now. You’re back in Seoul, right? Have you had medicine? It’s best if you visit the hospital, I think they’re still open, even though today is a public holiday.”

— I’ll feel better after a good sleep… I’m really sorry for… making you worry…

Ha Jae-Gun kneaded his forehead as he listened to Jung So-Mi’s weakening voice. He could not bear to leave Jung So-Mi all alone in Seoul, knowing that she was living alone in the city. Plus, she was his collaborator.

“I’ll be going over to your place.”

— What?

“I’ll personally go over and take a look at you. I’ll see for myself if I really don’t have to worry about you. I’ll be there in an hour and a half. See you.”

— W-writer Ha…?!

Ha Jae-Gun hung up and quickly prepared to leave. He briefly explained the situation to his family, and they swiftly understood the circumstances and allowed him to leave.

“Drive safely. Give us a call, too.”

“I got it, noona. Father, Mom, please head back in.”

The road back to the metropolitan city was empty during the major public holiday. Thanks to that, Ha Jae-Gun was able to drive at a high speed, and he soon arrived at Noryangjin, where Jung So-Mi lived.

‘This is the place, right?’

Ha Jae-Gun had learned of Jung So-Mi’s residential address a long time ago through work. He could have asked Kwon Tae-Won for it, but didn’t want to worry the man and instead searched through his email for it.

He parked his car and alighted, then quickly headed up the stairs to the third floor.

Arriving at Apartment 301, he pressed the doorbell, and the door soon opened.

“Hello, Writer Ha…”

Jung So-Mi was drenched in sweat. Her flushed face and the heat she was radiating made Ha Jae-Gun feel hot as well. Her eyes were unfocused as she stared at Ha Jae-Gun.

“Are you sure you’re fine? Let me see.”

Ha Jae-Gun placed his own hand on Jung So-Mi’s forehead. Her burning hot forehead made him wince. He immediately took off his coat and wrapped it around Jung So-Mi.

“Come, let’s go to the hospital. I’ve said this before, but don’t give me any excuses.”

Ha Jae-Gun supported Jung So-Mi to his car and started the engine. He inputted the address to the nearest university hospital’s emergency room into the navigator and stepped on the accelerator.

***

“She just has to rest a while here.”

“I see, thank you.”

Jung So-Mi was sleeping soundly on the bed after getting a fever-reducer shot. A bag of IV drip was fixed to her. Ha Jae-Gun stayed by her side, watching her sleeping face.

He recalled all the things they had gone through together, and he could still remember how she was worried over his health, so how come she hadn’t been taking care of her own health?

‘It’s great that I’m around.’

Ha Jae-Gun was relieved.

He was glad that he finally had the opportunity to repay her kindness to him.

Bzzt!

Jung So-Mi’s phone rang. The phone was in the pocket of her cardigan. He took it out, and the screen said: Lee Soo-Jung Unni.

‘Who is this? The name sounds familiar.’ Ha Jae-Gun wondered, but he didn’t answer the phone, as it wasn’t his place to answer Jung So-Mi’s phone calls.

After a while, a text message came in.

– Jung So-Mi! Just how sick are you, really?! Why aren’t you answering the phone? I’m heading back to Seoul now, I’ll be there soon!

Ha Jae-Gun read the message and eventually picked up her phone.

He called Lee Soo-Jung.

— Hello? Jung So-Mi?!

“Ms. So-Mi is currently in the A&E. She’s sleeping with an IV drip, so I’m answering the call on her behalf.”

— Ahhh, that’s a relief to hear. Ah, I’m Jung So-Mi’s ex-colleague. Sorry, but who is this…?

Ha Jae-Gun finally remembered the person on the other line and smiled. “Oh, you’re Deputy Lee Soo-Jung from Star Books. I’m Ha Jae-Gun.”

— Oh my! Oh my! It’s Writer Ha Jae-Gun?! No wonder I found your voice sound so familiar! How have you been?! I haven’t even said Happy New Year, I’m sorry!

“I’m sorry as well. You have been well, right? Is everything fine at Star Books?”

— I’m doing well. I think it would have been better if you had asked what else happened today at Star Books instead.

“Ahaha… I see.”

— Anyway, I’m relieved to know that you’re with her, Writer Ha. I can drive safely now. Ohoho…! Jung So-Mi always does her best as long as it’s related to Writer Ha. We always talk about you when we talk on the phone. Aigoo, I’ve been talking too much. I’ll leave her in your good hands then.

“Yes, let’s meet one day as well,” Ha Jae-Gun said.

— I’ll definitely show up if you give me a call! Ohoho, I’ll be hanging up then, Writer Ha.

The phone call ended, and Ha Jae-Gun returned Jung So-Mi’s phone into the pocket of her cardigan.

The moment he was about to retract his hand from her pocket, Jung So-Mi’s hand grabbed his wrist.

“Are you awake? Are you feeling better now?” Ha Jae-Gun asked.

Jung So-Mi’s unfocused eyes were looking straight at Ha Jae-Gun.

“Please don’t go.”

“Pardon…?”

“Please don’t leave. Please stay with me.”

The door to the emergency room opened, and a new patient was pushed in.

However, not even the slightest noise registered in Ha Jae-Gun’s ears as he met Jung So-Mi’s gaze.

Chapter 137. I’m An Earthling (7)

“I’m scared. Please stay where I can see you.”

Jung So-Mi sounded weak, but her grip was firm as she held Ha Jae-Gun’s wrist in place.

Ha Jae-Gun gulped unconsciously. Was it just because she was sick and scared? Regardless, Jung So-Mi gave off a different air than usual.

“I’ll stay here,” Ha Jae-Gun said as he patted the back of her hand reassuringly. “I won’t go to the washroom either, so don’t worry and get some sleep.”

A faint smile formed on Jung So-Mi’s face, and she slowly closed her eyes. However, she kept on holding Ha Jae-Gun’s wrist.

Ha Jae-Gun stayed by the sleeping Jung So-Mi’s side.

After the bag of IV drip was cleared, Ha Jae-Gun gently pulled her up and piggybacked her. The A&E always needed available beds for their patients, so he knew that they could not stay here for too long.

‘…?’

Jung So-Mi woke briefly as she felt the movement. Still drifting in and out of consciousness, she let Ha Jae-Gun piggyback her, put her in the car, and send her all the way home. It all felt like a dream.

“Ms. Jung So-Mi, what’s the password to your door?”

“6…4…1…5.”

Ha Jae-Gun carried Jung So-Mi on his back and pressed the numbers.

The door soon opened, and he quickly laid her in bed.

Jung So-Mi’s soft and even breathing signaled that she had quickly drifted back to sleep.

‘Her place is quite small.’L1terary-N0v3l hosted the first appearance of this chapter at N0vel.B1n.

It was Ha Jae-Gun’s first time stepping foot in her studio, and he took the chance to look around. Her place was much smaller than his old studio. There was a bed, a bookshelf, and a workstation that occupied most of the space in the studio.

‘I probably should make some porridge for her.’

Thanks to his long-time experience of independent living, Ha Jae-Gun was confident in making a pot of vegetable porridge. Ha Jae-Gun rummaged through the fridge and tossed the ingredients into the pot, boiling with the rice.

It was unknown whether it was because of the fragrance of the food or her pleasant dream, but Jung So-Mi started smiling in her sleep.

***

‘Mm…’

Jung So-Mi felt uncomfortable, as her back was drenched in sweat.

Jung So-Mi frowned and turned around. As her eyes opened, she spotted someone’s silhouette through her blurry vision.

‘Writer Ha…?’

Her blurry vision soon came into focus, and she saw Ha Jae-Gun sleeping on his folded arms at the head of her bed.

He’s here…?’

Jung So-Mi looked at the wall clock that showed the current time; it was well past 10 PM. Her head spun as she tried to sit up in her bed.

‘My gosh, my face!’

Jung So-Mi was shocked to see her own reflection in the mirror on the wall. Her hair was in a huge mess, and her face looked pale and haggard. She was embarrassed to show herself to Ha Jae-Gun in such a state.

Jung So-Mi carefully got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

She couldn’t even turn on the shower, afraid that she would wake Ha Jae-Gun up. She changed into a fresh set of clothes and had a call with Deputy Lee before stepping out of the bathroom. A huge cloud of condensation escaped into the room.

‘He even made porridge?’

Jung So-Mi smiled and turned on the stove. While she heated up the porridge, she opened the small table and laid out her utensils. She even made egg rolls and kimchi stew for Ha Jae-Gun to eat together.

“Hm…? When did you wake up, Ms. So-Mi?” asked Ha Jae-Gun. He woke up when he heard noises coming from the kitchen.

Jung So-Mi chuckled as she watched Ha Jae-Gun trying to stifle a yawn.

“Just a while ago.”

“How are you feeling? All better?”

“I got a fever reducer shot and an IV drip, so I’m fine. I don’t really get sick, but when I do, I recover rather quickly.”

“You remember everything.”

“I was just dreamy, not passed out. Huhu.”

Jung So-Mi laid out the dishes she prepared one by one on the table.

Ha Jae-Gun got out of bed and wanted to help her.

“I’ve recovered, really.”

“You shouldn’t push yourself.”

“I’m definitely not~ pushing myself. You couldn’t eat properly because of me, right? I’ll bring out a bowl of rice for you.”

Jung So-Mi sat down across from Ha Jae-Gun after setting everything down. Ha Jae-Gun had a bowl of rice, while Jung So-Mi had a bowl of porridge.

“Thank you for the food.”

“Same here, thank you for the food.”

Ha Jae-Gun was starving, so he immediately started eating.

When he took a bite of Jung So-Mi’s food, his eyes widened in surprise.

“Your food has your mother’s touch,” Ha Jae-Gun remarked.

“Ah, really?”

“Yeah, it tastes like the food your mother made for me back at the bed and breakfast. She even said that you take after her a lot, so you’re good at cooking as well.”

“I won’t deny that.”

“Hahaha.”

After finishing their meal, Ha Jae-Gun insisted on washing the dishes.

Meanwhile, Jung So-Mi began peeling some fruits for dessert.

“I’ll just have this and leave after,” Ha Jae-Gun said and raised his cup.

He failed to notice the trembling in Jung So-Mi’s eyes.

“Don’t leave in a hurry. Take your time and rest before leaving.”

“You won’t be able to rest properly if I stay here. I should leave.”

“Is it because of Rika?”

“Rika is resting well at Suwon.”

Jung So-Mi put down her cup and fidgeted with her fingers. She had finally recovered, but how come he was already leaving? She wanted to spend more time with Ha Jae-Gun.

“Ah…!” All of a sudden, something popped up into her mind, and she dragged the bag from the corner of her studio toward her. She pulled out her tablet and asked, “I totally forgot that we were supposed to discuss the webtoon. Would you like to look at the draft for episodes 10 to 16 of the webtoon for Oscar’s Dungeon?”

“Ah, I totally forgot about it. Let me have a look.”

Ha Jae-Gun took the tablet and slowly reviewed the webtoon she had drawn.

There was a hint of admiration from the smile on his face.

“It’s good. It’s interesting, and I like the directing as well.”

“Is it really good? I’m glad. I did my best, since Team Leader Lee Soo-Hee said that the marketing plans will probably get pulled up. Is it because there are existing models for reference? She wanted to see the webtoon for up to episode sixteen as soon as possible.”

Ha Jae-Gun smiled bitterly and nodded. Whenever Lee Soo-Hee said that something was urgent, it would definitely be urgent, as she had never been the type of person to make haste, especially when working.

Ha Jae-Gun thought that he should pick up the pace as well.

“Both of you have known each other for a whole time, right?” Jung So-Mi asked casually after taking a sip of tea.

Ha Jae-Gun nodded. His eyes were still transfixed on the screen.

“Mm, yes. That’s right. We’ve been friends since university.”

“You do look quite close together.”

“Our habits and tendencies are quite similar when it comes to writing. I learned a lot from her, and she takes care of herself quite well as well.”

“I think so, too. She seemed amazing.”

“Ms. So-Mi’s talent is quite amazing, too,” Ha Jae-Gun answered with a smile.

Jung So-Mi couldn’t probe any further, but she really wanted to know how Ha Jae-Gun felt about Lee Soo-Hee. Were they really just friends, or was she a member of the opposite gender in his eyes?

However, Ha Jae-Gun was tactless, he only talked about work.

“For episode seventeen, we can start with Oscar obtaining a dragon’s artifact in the dungeon, and then we should end the episode with a hint about his conflict with the guild master.”

“Yes, I was thinking of that as well.”

“The webtoon’s story development is faster than the novel, so in the next episode—wait a minute. I should grab my laptop from the car, too. We should write this out in a document.”

Ha Jae-Gun quickly stood up. He put on his shoes and stepped out of the studio.

Jung So-Mi chuckled softly. Ha Jae-Gun had just said that he would leave, but now he was on his way to grab his laptop from his car. Ha Jae-Gun was still the same workaholic Ha Jae-Gun whom Jung So-Mi had known long ago.

“Now, shall we start?”

Ha Jae-Gun returned with his laptop, and the two of them started working.

Jung So-Mi worked on her desk, while Ha Jae-Gun worked on the dinner table while seated on the floor. The two were talking to each other while typing away on their keyboards.

“Writer Ha, what do you think of this?”

“Oh, it looks good. Did you come up with this storyboard? You’re doing well. Are you sure you still need a storyboard artist?”

“I’m getting sliiiightly better now. Writer Ha, you’re working on volume 8 now, right?”

“Ah, I was just reviewing the plot I planned out. As I mentioned earlier, the development is going pretty fast, so I’m getting anxious. Have I been playing around too much?”

Ha Jae-Gun sighed with reproach and began typing away on the keyboard.

Jung So-Mi stole glances at Ha Jae-Gun from her seat. Now that she had recovered, her heart was pounding hard. She was in disbelief after realizing that she was alone with Ha Jae-Gun in her small studio.

“I’ll work for an hour before leaving,” Ha Jae-Gun said, with his eyes still on the laptop screen.

“You need to rest. I’m not sure if you’ll rest when I’m here working on the storyboard format, but I think you’ll keep working if I continue staying here.”

“I’m really fine…”

“I don’t believe you.” Ha Jae-Gun looked up with a smile.

He finally saw what Jung So-Mi was wearing. She was in a fluffy sweatshirt and a pair of shorts. Her feet intertwined with each other had on a pair of white socks. The embroidery at the ankle looked familiar.

‘Have I seen this scene in my dreams before?’

He felt a sense of deja vu upon realizing how pretty her legs were. He clearly felt the same way when he was alone with Jung So-Mi before, but he couldn’t recall when it happened.

‘Ah…!’

The Deja Vu kept on bothering him.

Jung So-Mi kept changing the position of her legs while working. She would put her legs up on the chair to hug them, sit on the chair cross-legged, or even put them back down and wriggle her toes. Her legs were restless.

Ha Jae-Gun was a man.

Jung So-Mi was a cute lady. Her small yet slim figure was just chef’s kiss.

The beautiful leg line from her ample thighs to her ankle was impeccable.

‘If only I had a chair, too.’

Ha Jae-Gun had never seen Jung So-Mi’s legs in their glory before at the writer’s office. He wouldn’t have been this distracted if they were sitting on the same level.

Ha Jae-Gun forced himself to focus on his laptop and hurried on with the rest of his work. Some time passed, and he was finally done writing the plot for two episodes.

Ha Jae-Gun sent it via email and turned off his laptop.

“Ms. So-Mi, I emailed you what I made.”

“Ahh, okay… Are you leaving?”

“Of course. I need you to rest early.” Ha Jae-Gun said and packed his laptop.

Jung So-Mi was so anxious that she wanted to stomp. She sprung up on impulse and blurted, “Would you stay if I lay in my bed instead?”

“…?” Ha Jae-Gun tilted his head to one side, obviously dumbfounded.

Jung So-Mi was so surprised by her own words that her face turned red.

However, she remained steadfast and continued. “Didn’t you say that you’re going to leave because I’m not resting? So if I rest, are you going to continue working here? I mean, it’s weird to stop work mid-way.

”Of course, I know you must be uncomfortable here because my place is so small, but you were already working, so…”

Ha Jae-Gun smiled in understanding.

However, he still stood up and picked up his bag.

“I’m not feeling uncomfortable in any way. I just want to leave you alone and let you feel really comfortable while you’re resting. Anyway, I’m leaving. Don’t throw out the porridge; finish it up.”

The studio was small, so the foyer wasn’t that far.

Ha Jae-Gun’s departing figure filled Jung So-Mi’s eyes.

Bzzt!

Ha Jae-Gun paused while putting on his shoes.

He pulled out his phone and answered it upon seeing that the caller was Lee Soo-Hee.

“Yeah, Soo-Hee. No, I’m outside right now. The webtoon? I was working on it with Ms. So-Mi, too. Yeah, no, I’m not home. Yeah, I think things will go according to plan. Anyway, how come the marketing schedule was pulled up so early?”

Jung So-Mi gnashed her teeth upon seeing Ha Jae-Gun talk with Lee Soo-Hee on the phone. It was clear from the way he talked on the phone that they were long-time friends, which made Jung So-Mi feel uncomfortable and anxious.

Ironically, those feelings inexplicably turned into courage.

“Yeah, I’ll call you later.”

Ha Jae-Gun hung up the phone and put his phone back in his pocket.

Jung So-Mi took a step forward.

She seemed to have heard a certain voice coming from somewhere, saying that if she let go of this opportunity, there wouldn’t be any more chances for her to confess her feelings down the road.

Under the urging of the mysterious voice, Jung So-Mi grabbed Ha Jae-Gun’s arm.

Ha Jae-Gun flinched and turned around. “Ms. So-Mi?”

“Writer Ha… what do you think of me?”

Chapter 138. I’m An Earthling (8)

Jung So-Mi was aware that what he had done just now wasn’t great, but this was her first time doing it. No man had ever made her feel this way, even when she was in middle and high school, as well as during the two years she spent studying at a specialist university.

“I want to know about what… you think of me,” asked Jung So-Mi while looking down at her toes.

Ha Jae-Gun gulped rather than answering. He wasn’t a fool who couldn’t understand what Jung So-Mi was talking about. In fact, he had felt something strange since he was at the A&E.

“You helped me a lot, Writer Ha, while I was living alone here in Seoul. You had always smiled warmly at me, and you had consoled me whenever I needed it. You also recognized and acknowledged my insignificant skills… I can’t express just how grateful and apologetic I am to you.” Jung So-Mi’s breathing quickened.

Ha Jae-Gun stood there solemnly.

He knew how much courage was necessary to say those words.

“Do you still remember it? The day I first visited your studio. You asked me to turn you into canned food back then.”

“Of course.”

“I thought you were weird, asking me to do that out of the blue when we aren’t that close at all. Strangely enough, I felt comfortable. I enjoyed working together with you that day. I was happy.”

Jung So-Mi slowly looked up. Her huge eyes and lips were trembling with both excitement and fear. She had already said everything she wanted to say.

Today, her relationship with Ha Jae-Gun would change completely.

Jung So-Mi knew the consequences, but she remained steadfast and continued. “I like you, Writer Ha.”

“…”

“It has been a while since I started liking you. However, I only became certain of my feelings for you when you rushed to me the moment you learned that I got sick.”

Jung So-Mi took a step closer to Ha Jae-Gun, and she did not let go of his arm.

“I know that I’m lacking, and I can’t be compared to you as well. I’m young, and I’m still very new to the harsh working society. But still… I want to confess. I’m sorry… I think the fever is making me do all this.”

Many different emotions swirled in Ha Jae-Gun’s heart. He tried his best to maintain a calm expression out of consideration for her.

Jung So-Mi’s eyes were pinning for an answer as she stared intently at him.

“Thank you, Ms. So-Mi,” said Ha Jae-Gun after pondering for a long time. “I’m really surprised to know that someone as cute and as pretty as you would like me. It’s a miracle for someone like me.”

Jung So-Mi’s grip on Ha Jae-Gun’s arm loosened, and she eventually let go of him.

“I’m sorry, Ms. So-Mi.” Ha Jae-Gun looked down. It was courtesy to apologize to the party who had worked up the courage to confess. He had to clearly convey his honest feelings to Jung So-Mi.

“I like you as well, Ms. So-Mi, but I can’t see you as a woman.”

“Is it because… I’m not charming enough… as a woman?”

“No.” Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes shone with determination despite the seriousness in his tone. “You’re definitely a charming woman. You won’t fall behind others wherever you go. It’s just that…” Ha Jae-Gun looked away and let out a sigh before muttering into the empty space, “…my heart; it already contains someone for the longest time now.”

“I see…” Jung So-Mi smiled bitterly as she looked down. She instantly discovered the identity of the individual Ha Jae-Gun had just mentioned was already in his heart for the longest time.

“If she weren’t in my life, I would have accepted you right away. You’re that charming.”

“Thank you, Writer Ha.”

“I should be the one who should say that.”

A deafening silence descended between them as they stood facing each other.

Jung So-Mi slowly backed away and looked up at him with a smile.

“Ah, how refreshing!” she exclaimed and even stretched.

She then turned around and grabbed a jacket from her closet to put on.

“Please don’t nag at me. I’ll watch until you get in the car and drive away.”

“Hahaha, alright.”

“And don’t look at my face now. I don’t hold grudges, so don’t worry. I won’t make you feel uncomfortable as well, so you can just treat me as usual. You know that, right?”

“Okay.”

“Promise me, quick.”

Jung So-Mi reached out with her pinky, and she hooked it with Ha Jae-Gun’s pinky before stamping the promise between them. She then chuckled lightly.

Jung So-Mi watched as Ha Jae-Gun climbed into his car.

“I don’t regret confessing my feelings to you,” she said.

“…”

“No one knows what’s going to happen in the future, anyway. I’m honestly proud of my feelings for you right now. Of course, I’ll probably be awkward around you for quite a while in the near future, but it’s fine.

”I’ll eventually overcome it. It’s a good thing I did this, or it would have been annoying holding all my emotions because I’m scared to show it.”

Ha Jae-Gun vaguely felt that she said such words because of Lee Soo-Hee, so he only nodded without responding to her words.

“Please rest well. I’ll call you again.”

“Please drive safely, Writer Ha. Thank you for today.”

Ha Jae-Gun’s car drove away and disappeared into the horizon.This chapter’s initial release occurred on the N0v3l-B1n site.

Jung So-Mi finally retracted her waving hand.

The moment she turned around to head back to her studio, her phone rang in her pocket.

It was a text message from Deputy Lee.

– Is Writer Ha still with you? How’s the weather up there on cloud nine?

“S-sob…!” Her bottled-up feelings finally burst. Jung So-Mi buried her face in her hands and collapsed to the ground. She inwardly chanted a spell she had heard from over the grapevine—this too shall pass.

***

– Ha Jae-Gun isn’t working on his writing and doing interviews again;;; Why is he just using his mouth as a writer;;;

-The one-piece girl who occasionally appears on the real-time keyword search is called Lee Soo-Hee, working at Nextion. I’m working at a game company and have met her a couple of times for work, but her personality is trash;;;

– It’s said she’s batchmates with Ha Jae-Gun, but I think both of them get along well since they’re both trash. I heard that they’ve been cussing the professors during university, too… They’re nuts.

– Their parents must be digging into seaweed soup and noodles after giving birth to their children. ^^

‘These pieces of shit…!’

Lee Yeon-Woo clenched his fist as he read the increasing number of malicious comments. He had started off in a good mood while looking up articles related to Ha Jae-Gun, but he soon became furious.

‘They are too much…!’

He would have overlooked the normal malicious comments, but these few comments had gone beyond the line. Lee Yeon-Woo stood up and headed up the stairs to the second floor. He spotted Ha Jae-Gun working on his laptop in a corner of his study.

“Hyung, are you busy?”

“No, I’m still alright. Speak.”

Lee Yeon-Woo strode up to Ha Jae-Gun and showed his phone. Lee Yeon-Woo would always consider Ha Jae-Gun’s feelings first, but he just had to bring this up to Ha Jae-Gun’s attention.

“These people are too much. I couldn’t hold it in anymore, hyung.”

“Yeah, they are.”

“What? Is that all you have to say? Hyung, are you just going to let them be?”

Ha Jae-Gun stopped typing on his keyboard and stretched his body, laughing. “Don’t worry, I’ve taken care of them.”

“Like what?”

“I think they’re overstepping as well, so I’ve discussed it with President Kwon. He had raised a case with the lawyers specializing in copyrights issues.”

Lee Yeon-Woo’s face brightened instantly.

“Oh, really? Are you referring to Ko Seung-Sub’s lawyer office? They’re really good at things like that. We should be able to catch all those commenters this time, then.”

“We won’t know until we catch them.”

Ha Jae-Gun saved the document for volume 8 of Oscar’s Dungeon and closed the program. It was now time for him to head over to Nextion’s office.

“It’s time to go. I’ll be in your good hands today again, manager.”

“Please wear warm clothes, hyung. It’s chilly outside.”

As soon as they climbed into the car, a call came in from Oh Myung-Suk. Ha Jae-Gun put Rika in the back seat and answered the phone.

“Hello, editor-in-chief.”

— Hello, Mr. Ha. The English translation for There Was A Sea is completed. I called you just to inform you of this. I’ve sent it to your email inbox, so please review it.

“Ahaha, thank you. I’ll give it a read, but my English isn’t good enough to catch any mistakes. What do you think of it, editor-in-chief? Your English is much better than mine.”

— I think they did a great job of bringing out the emotions of the original work. I’ve had a few people review the translation as well. I personally think that you don’t have to worry about the translation, I will do my best on the overseas marketing.

“I’m always relieved to hear about your honest opinions, editor-in-chief. Please take good care of it.”

The call ended after a while with more short exchanges between them.

Lee Yeon-Woo started the car and said to Ha Jae-Gun, “Hyung, you’re finally going to enter the American market. I thought The Breath would get there first. As a fan of Poongchun-Yoo, I’m slightly disappointed to hear that it failed to get there first.”

“There’ll be a chance for genre novels in the future.”

The air in the car soon warmed up, thanks to the heater.

The streets of the scenic end of March ran quickly past them while on the road.

“It’s a great thing that it entered the American market; the movie hit over 8.2 million viewers, and the original novel is doing well, too. The movie will soon be released in China as well.”

Before Ha Jae-Gun could reply, Lee Yeon-Woo chuckled to himself and continued. “Woo Jae-Hoon deserves it. Fortunately for him, his movie managed to slightly go over the break-even point.”

It was announced that The Himalayas had hit 4.4 million viewers at the box office. It had passed the break-even point, but its income was insignificant.

They also heard from the assistant director that Woo Jae-Hoon was being criticized by the disappointed investors.

“People should always be humble and learn how to listen to others. That’s how our Ha Jae-Gun hyung managed to enter the American market. Well, if there are critics from America, he would probably ask to spar with them as well.”

“That’s enough, manager.”

As Ha Jae-Gun arrived at Nextion’s office, the meeting with Nam Gyu-Ho, Lee Soo-Hee and the members of the planning team started. It was also Ha Jae-Gun’s last meeting with them as the author of the original novel and scenario writer of the game.

He had completed the first season scenario and quests for Oscar’s Dungeon. The response to the game would decide if he would have another meeting in the future with Nextion.

“You worked hard. We’ll probably see each other again during the game test,” Nam Gyu-Ho said as he extended his hand for a handshake.

“Thank you for looking out for me in every way. I look forward to your continued support as always.” Ha Jae-Gun smiled as they shook hands.

Nam Gyu-Ho was amazed that he had never gotten into any conflict with Ha Jae-Gun so far. The efficiency compared to working with Oh Myung-Hoon for Dragon Knights was so high it was outrageous.

Ha Jae-Gun and Lee Soo-Hee remained in the meeting room as everyone else walked out. There were only a few minutes left until 6 p.m., so Ha Jae-Gun asked, “Shall I wait for you downstairs?”

“You can just wait at the pantry.”

“Yeon-Woo and Rika are in the car. I’m afraid they’ll get bored waiting for me.”

“I should be able to leave by 6.05 p.m.”

“Okay, I’ll wait for you then.”

After a while, Ha Jae-Gun and Lee Soo-Hee took the elevator down. Ha Jae-Gun had promised to bring Lee Soo-Hee out for dinner after a meeting, and today was the day he would fulfill it.

“Ah, Team Leader Lee Soo-Hee. You’re looking beautiful as always,” Lee Yeon-Woo said as he shook Lee Soo-Hee’s hands.

He had gotten to know Lee Soo-Hee as Ha Jae-Gun’s manager.

Lee Soo-Hee had also taken a liking to Lee Yeon-Woo’s friendly personality.

“You’re especially beautiful today. Ah, a beautiful dress fitting of the nickname, one-piece girl!”

“Please hold yourself back, Writer Lee. Your outfit looks great as well.”

“Haha, me? I’ve got an alumni reunion today.”

Taking the chance, Ha Jae-Gun hopped into the driver’s seat and started the engine.

Hearing the engine, Lee Yeon-Woo turned around.

“Hop on. Your reunion is at Hongdae, right?”

“Hyung, what are you doing? I can send you home and then take the bus over.”

“Soo-Hee, hop on. Let’s abandon Yeon-Woo and leave on our own.”

“All right.”

“Huuuh? Huhh? Wait, hyung!” Flustered, Lee Yeon-Woo quickly hopped into the back seat.

Ha Jae-Gun chuckled and hit the road.

“Enjoy yourself and be safe on your way back. Don’t drink too much either.”

“I got it, hyung. Thank you so much for sending me over.”

They soon arrived at Hongdae, and Lee Yeon-Woo walked into the crowd.

Ha Jae-Gun turned to Lee Soo-Hee in the passenger seat next to him.

“Where shall we go?” he asked.

Lee Soo-Hee puffed her cheeks and thought for a while before asking, “What about your place?”

“You want to go to my place?” Lee Soo-Hee looked at him wide-eyed and nodded profusely. She wanted to be with him in a quiet place, and there was something she wished to talk to him about as well. “I haven’t been able to look around your house that day either. I saw that you did a great job doing up your basement.

”I want to go there and play billiards as well as pinball.”

“Shall we go to the supermarket to grab some groceries before heading back then?”

“Mm, sure thing. What shall we cook, though?” Lee Soo-Hee clapped happily.

Ha Jae-Gun spun his steering wheel with a smile. His phone in the pocket of his jacket in the back seat rang for quite a while, but neither of them heard its vibrations.

Chapter 139. I’m An Earthling (9)

“Ha Jae-Gun, over here! Here!”

Lee Soo-Hee shouted excitedly from the seafood corner.

Ha Jae-Gun rushed over with a cart.

“The oysters look quite fresh. Shall we have them with some soy sauce and vinegar?” Lee Soo-Hee asked, knowing that Ha Jae-Gun loved raw oysters.

Ha Jae-Gun nodded and said, “Let’s buy two packs.”

“Two? Can we even finish them all?”

“We’ll just open them all into a bowl and drink ‘em all up.”

“True. Plus, we can boil the rest and make oyster rice, too.”

Lee Soo-Hee slapped Ha Jae-Gun’s waist and placed two packs of raw oysters into the cart. They carefully picked out the other necessary fresh ingredients and added them to the cart.

Their menu for tonight was seafood soup.

‘She seems quite different from usual.’

Lee Soo-Hee’s smile did not disappear throughout their entire grocery shopping, which was a fresh sight to Ha Jae-Gun, as she had this firm and strict demeanor.

“Did we get everything?”

“Yeah, let’s go and pay.” Ha Jae-Gun pulled out his wallet and handed it to her, then headed beyond the cashier counters to create a few boxes. He made two huge cardboard boxes to contain the items they bought.

“Um, excuse me.”

Just then, someone called out to him. Ha Jae-Gun turned around and spotted a young couple in their early twenties standing behind him.

“Are you perhaps Writer Ha Jae-Gun?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

The female grabbed her partner’s arm in excitement.

“Look, honey. I was right. We’re avid readers of your novels. We also enjoyed your latest movie, There Was A Sea, so much that we watched it thrice at the theaters.”

“Thank you so much.”

“I saw an article saying that the novel is being translated and will be published in America. Does it only apply to There Was A Sea? What about your other novels?”

“There’s no other novels in talks for that arrangement so far.”

“Stop asking, he must be busy.” The male nudged his partner, giving obvious hints but to no avail.

She would most likely write about her encounter with Ha Jae-Gun in her diary and boast about it with her friends as well.

“Are you not appearing in any more variety shows with Mr. Park Do-Joon? Both of you are incredibly close, right? I read the entertainment news mentioning that he is considering appearing on Three Meals a Day.”

“It’s not confirmed yet.”

Meanwhile, Lee Soo-Hee had paid for their purchases and was putting them into the cart. Ha Jae-Gun excused himself and went to help Lee Soo-Hee.

The female fan’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Ahh, the one-piece lady!” She recognized Lee Soo-Hee immediately. Plus, Lee Soo-Hee was also wearing a dress, which was apropos of the nickname that the netizens gave her.

“You’re the one-piece lady, right? Ah, you’re not only photogenic, but you’re also really pretty. Ah, you’re very pretty!”

The commotion attracted the attention of everyone nearby.

Lee Soo-Hee’s eyes met Ha Jae-Gun’s gaze, and she smiled shyly.

Thankfully, the man remained calm and composed. He grabbed his excited girlfriend before greeting Ha Jae-Gun, “It was nice meeting you, Writer Ha. I look forward to more of your great works.”

“Thank you.”

“Honey, wait. Let’s take a photo with him—”

“I told you to stop.”

The couple left, and the commotion came to an end.

Ha Jae-Gun picked up the pace as the other shoppers started recognizing him.

“I’m sorry, Soo-Hee.”

“What about?”

“It turned out this way for you since you helped out at the autograph event.”

“You’ve got so many things to apologize about. I think it was fun, I feel like I’ve become a celebrity.”

“That’s fortunate, then. Let’s go.”

The two headed to the car and drove to Ha Jae-Gun’s house.

Ha Jae-Gun handed Rika to Lee Soo-Hee and sent them into the house while he moved the boxes in one by one. He then picked up his coat in the back seat.

‘Huh? Do-Joon called?’

Ha Jae-Gun saw the notifications on his phone that showed three missed calls from Park Do-Joon. Ha Jae-Gun closed the car door and called Park Do-Joon himself.

— Yeah, Jae-Gun?

“I left my phone in the car. Anyway, what’s up?”

— Are you busy today? Do you want to have some drinks?

“Ah, I can’t do it tonight. I already got an appointment for dinner.”

— I see.

“How about tomorrow? Are you busy tomorrow?”

— I can’t do it tomorrow. Let’s meet next time, then. Anyway, just a brief update, but I’m heading to China.

“China? Is it confirmed?”

— I’ll tell you more when I meet you in person. Enjoy dinner.

“Alright, I got it. Sorry. Enjoy your dinner, too.”

— Yeah.

Ha Jae-Gun hung up and headed back in. However, Park Do-Joon’s low voice disturbed him. Something huge had to have happened, as his schedule for China was decided in the proverbial blink of an eye.

“Jae-Gun, do you want to have the oysters first?” Lee Soo-Hee asked, with an apron over her dress.

Ha Jae-Gun smiled brightly while approaching her. He had to focus on spending time with Lee Soo-Hee in the meantime. With that, he decided to toss all his worries for Park Do-Joon at the back of his mind.

“You’re going to have soju, right?”

“No, I have to drive you back home later.”

“But I’m going to drink it. I can just call a taxi back home later.”

“Alright then. I’ll take the taxi back with you later.”

The two enjoyed their delicious dinner at the basement lounge.

Rika stuck to Lee Soo-Hee the entire time.

Lee Soo-Hee had taken quite a liking for Rika

“Ah, I’m getting thirsty after singing so much,” Lee Soo-Hee said.

“Do you want a glass of beer? Come here, I’ll be your bartender.”This chapter’s initial release occurred on the N0v3l-B1n site.

Lee Soo-Hee smiled and sat on the chair by the bar table.

Ha Jae-Gun headed behind the bar counter and bowed politely to her like a gentleman.

“You’re funny.”

“What would you like to drink?”

“What drinks do you have available?”

“Soju, beer, rice wine, Siberian ginseng wine, raspberry wine, and many others.”

“Wow, you’ve got quite the variety. I’ll have a beer, please.”

“I understand.”

Ha Jae-Gun bent down and reached out for the fridge under the counter to take out two cans of beer. He poured the beer into a huge glass. They drank a toast to each other, and their hearts pounded in sync.

“Thank you, Soo-Hee. The game is turning out so well.”

“It’s all for my own sake. I was just using my connection with my bestselling author. There’s no need for you to thank me, and I’m quite the scary and competent woman when it comes to work, you know?”

“Aigoo, how scary. Anyway, beer alone is boring, so I’ll prepare some cheese for us.” Ha Jae-Gun turned around and prepared some food accompaniment.

Lee Soo-Hee took a deep breath as she watched Ha Jae-Gun’s back view.

It was also the time for her to bring up a topic of concern.

Lee Soo-Hee had two things she wanted to tell Ha Jae-Gun tonight. She even classified both of them, one that was passive and the other active. So far, Lee Soo-He felt that it would be better for her to raise the active topic tonight.

However, she thought it was the toughest thing to do in the world. She had already confessed to him once during their university days, but she was rejected, so she found it extremely difficult to do it once more.

“Try it. Do-Joon brought this for me, and it’s really delicious.”

“Mm.”

“What’s up with that serious look?” asked Ha Jae-Gun while sitting across from her.

Lee Soo-Hee was flustered upon realizing that she failed to hide her expression.

“What’s going on?”

“No, it’s nothing much…”

“Tell me.”

Lee Soo-Hee drank a mouthful of beer. Thinking that she shouldn’t keep him in suspense any longer, she decided to be honest. “I might get reappointed to an overseas branch.”

“Overseas branch? Where?”

“Either Taiwan or Europe. The market in Taiwan has been growing a lot recently, so I might go there to establish a branch. If I’m going to Europe, I’ll be heading there to work on localization.”

“Isn’t that a good opportunity for you?”

Lee Soo-Hee smiled faintly and nodded.

For an office worker, this was a huge opportunity that she had obtained from Nam Gyu-Ho, but Lee Soo-Hee wasn’t sure if it was a good thing for her as a woman.

“What do you think?”

“It sounds great. You should go.”

“Hmm, you think so…?”

“How long are you going to stay there?”

“Mm, if it’s Europe, I will have to stay there for around two years.”

The smile on Ha Jae-Gun’s face disappeared.

He finally realized that it was a lengthy relocation.

Two years? It wasn’t a long time, but Lee Soo-Hee would turn thirty-one in two years.

“Anyway, I still have no idea where I’m going.” Lee Soo-Hee laughed to lighten the mood upon noticing that Ha Jae-Gun’s expression was turning dark.

However, Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t bring himself to smile in return. He found it difficult to speak, and the atmosphere didn’t return to normal as well.

Ha Jae-Gun and Lee Soo-Hee drank their beers in silence. Midnight was approaching, and they shared conversations about their daily lives.

“Oh my, time flies. It’s midnight soon.”

Lee Soo-Hee quickly got up with her face flushed. However, Ha Jae-Gun still sat in his chair with a blank look, occupied with his thoughts.

“I’ll be heading back now. You need to rest as well to work tomorrow.”

“It’s your day off tomorrow, but you’re going already?”

Lee Soo-Hee trembled as she smoothed out her clothes.

Just then, Ha Jae-Gun looked up with a calm expression and said, “You can sleep over.”

“…?!” Lee Soo-Hee’s expression changed.

Meanwhile, Rika’s eyes shone brightly as she curled up on the bar counter.

***

“Hello, editor-in-chief.”

“Is the Head of Sales back?” Oh Myung-Suk asked with a stern face.

The two employees standing before him timidly had their hands gathered in front of them.

“Yes, he’s in the office.”

Oh Myung-Suk headed straight for the Head of Sales’ office. There was no one who could stop him as he was the eldest son of the president of OongSung.

Oh Myung-Suk flung the door open.

“What is Mysterium’s editor-in-chief doing here without prior notice?” asked the man behind the desk. Oh Myung-Suk approached the man, who was none other than his younger brother, Oh Myung-Hoon.

“Isn’t this too much?”

“What’s too much?”

“I received calls from YongPoong and Bandi headquarters. What have you done? How dare you change the location of the books on your own at YongPoong’s and recall all the new novels from Saemul Publishing at Bandi’s?”

Oh Myung-Hoon sighed tirelessly.

He put his hands on the desk and asked provocatively, “So what?”

“What…?!”

“What did I do wrong? Even Father didn’t like the location of the books at YongPoong, but he was too kind to say anything about it, so I pushed for it in his stead. And what about the new novels from Saemul Publishing? It’s supposed to be our location from today onward.”

“We’re supposed to allow our distributors four hours before our books go on shelves!”

“Why must we do that?”

“…?!”

“Why must we be considerate to others? I think you’re greatly mistaken. That location is supposed to be ours after midnight, but they can’t occupy it just because our books haven’t arrived yet.”

“So you threatened to remove them from all our advertisements?”

“It’s not a threat, I’m just notifying them of the facts.”

The two brothers glared at each other, sparks flying out from their eyes.

Oh Myung-Hoon was the first to look away. He let out a sigh, unable to comprehend his brother’s logic and headed to the coffee machine.

“Just think of it as a difference in practices, hyung.”

“Are you trying to teach me? Do you really think that I’m unfamiliar with the practices?”

“It’s not that, I’m just confirming it once more for you. You’re too kind to others. I understand that you’re angry, but Father even complimented me for it, saying that I did a great job.”

“…!” Oh Myung-Suk’s face crumpled and remained silent.

There was no way he could retort to Oh Myung-Hoon’s words upon hearing that their father had approved of his methods. He rejected the cup of coffee his younger brother offered and turned around to leave.

Just before he twisted the doorknob and opened the door, Oh Myung-Suk looked back at Oh Myung-Hoon and warned, “You better handle Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s marketing properly.”

The entire marketing efforts for Ha Jae-Gun’s overseas market expansion were now spearheaded by Oh Myung-Hoon.

Oh Myung-Suk definitely wanted to do it himself, as he was the brain behind the idea of Ha Jae-Gun’s overseas expansion. However, Oh Myung-Hoon opposed it, saying that the family had to abide by the organization’s own system to set a good example for others.

“Ah, Ha Jae-Gun’s novel?”

Oh Myung-Hoon smiled softly while stirring his coffee. He nodded and calmly replied, “Of course, I’ll make sure that everything will go smoothly. We’re talking about the company’s profits here, after all. I’ve got a meeting in New York next week.”

“All right, I’ll leave it in your good hands.”

Oh Myung-Suk finished his piece and left the office.

However, his heart felt heavy. He had lived his entire life with his younger brother, but just now, he couldn’t ascertain whether Oh Myung-Hoon’s words were sincere or not.

Chapter 140. I’m An Earthling (10)

“Team Leader Lee, are you really going to accept the reappointment?”

“Mm, maybe? But nothing’s confirmed yet, anyway,” Lee Soo-Hee quickly answered her team member and took a sip of coffee.

It was already 6 p.m. A day’s work had just ended, and it was time for them to knock off.

“I’ll be leaving first. You should leave early, too, Mr. Jung-Gu.”

“Yes, Team Leader. Please be safe on the way back.”

Lee Soo-Hee took the elevator along and pressed the button to B1.

“Phew…” A sigh escaped as Ha Jae-Gun’s face surfaced in her mind.

‘Idiot…’

She didn’t manage to hear a proper answer from Ha Jae-Gun that night. She had hoped that he would ask her not to go upon hearing news of her reappointment, but Ha Jae-Gun congratulated her and even supported her.

Lee Soo-Hee was both disappointed and speechless.

It was the same when he said that she could sleep over for the night. At that point, Lee Soo-Hee asked him how a woman could stay over at a man’s place when they weren’t even in a relationship to begin with.

And that was it…

Ha Jae-Gun didn’t say anything afterward.

‘No, I am the idiot…’

Lee Soo-Hee mocked herself as the elevator doors opened at B1.

Click, clack.

As she walked to her car, her phone rang. It was a call from Oh Myung-Hoon.

“What is it?”

— You still sound cold whenever you pick up my call.

“What do you want? Why are you calling me when you’ve completed the scenario for Dragon Knights?”

— I want to talk to you in person.

“Sorry, but I’m not free.”

— I’m at Dodo’s on the first floor. I really have something to tell you. I won’t take up too much of your time, so please.

“…All right, then.”

Lee Soo-Hee turned around and headed back to the elevator. Cafe Dodo was located in a corner of the first floor of their office building.

Oh Myung-Hoon had just picked up his order of americano and cafe latte from the counter when Lee Soo-Hee entered the cafe.

“You’re having a cafe latte, right?” Oh Myung-Hoon asked.

Lee Soo-Hee nodded lightly and sat across from him.

“If you’ve got something to say, do it quickly.” Lee Soo-Hee left her bag on the empty seat beside her. Her icy cold attitude made Oh Myung-Hoon smile faintly.

“I’ve got many things to apologize to you.”

“If you’re going to talk about the past, don’t.”The initial instance of this chapter being available happened at n(0)vel(b)(j)(n).

“I’ve also done a lot of bad things to Jae-Gun as well.”

“It’s fortunate that you’re still aware of that.”

“How’s the response for Dragon Knights?”

“So-so.” Her answer was short and straightforward.

The performance of Dragon Knights, which Oh Myung-Hoon wrote the game scenario for, was doing fine. It couldn’t be considered a success or a failure. Its performance was average overall.

“At the very least, I’m relieved to hear that there are no great losses. I did my best for it with the mindset that it’s my last work.”

Lee Soo-Hee’s eyes widened at that moment. “Your last work?”

“I just joined my father’s company,” Oh Myung-Hoon replied casually.

After taking a sip of his americano, he added, “I’m the Head of Sales in the company, so all the problematic issues come to me.”

“I see,” Lee Soo-Hee replied dryly with a nod.

She had known for a long time that Oh Myung-Hoon belonged to the family running OongSung Publication Group.

“Congratulations. Do a good job there.”

“Thank you. I’ll really do my best,” Oh Myung-Hoon replied with much determination.

“I’m doing everything that I can for the sake of the company and for the sake of my father’s acknowledgment. Father has recognized my recent efforts. Hyung is definitely angry at my ruthlessness, but Father has acknowledged my smart thinking.

”I’m going to work hard until I get to become the heir of OongSung Publication Group. I’ll keep climbing until I reach the summit.”

“Sure, sure.”

“I’ve also started going to a therapist. They say I’ve got some anger management disorder, but since it’s not serious, I should just take it easy, think of good things, and take my medication regularly.

”I’ll be able to recover in no time as long as I remain consistent. I’m even going to the hospital just for the company when I obviously hate it. I’ll do whatever I can—”

“Myung-Hoon.” Lee Soo-Hee cut him off and looked at him coldly. “I’m not here to listen to your life updates.”

“…”

“Why did you call me out here exactly? Why are you telling me all that?”

Oh Myung-Hoon looked down, unable to answer her.

Lee Soo-Hee let out a sigh of frustration. Just as she reached out for her bag to leave, Oh Myung-Hoon yelled, “In this world!”

A few customers in the cafe turned around in shock.

Even Lee Soo-Hee flinched at his sudden outburst.

“You’re the only one… I can say this to…” Oh Myung-Hoon’s breathing turned rough, and his torso quivered. He took deep breaths to calm himself down, and he even downed his Iced Americano in just a few gulps.

“That’s why I’m telling you all this…”

“…”

Lee Soo-Hee listened with a stiff look. She was surprised by his outburst, but she felt nothing emotionally. She didn’t have even a modicum of trust in Oh Myung-Hoon, as she was well aware of his personality.

Oh Myung-Hoon muttered, “I know very well why you dislike me. My biggest issue is the fact that I can’t distinguish between work and personal life. Plus, I trample on others if I find something unsatisfactory about them.

”Right now, I’m trying to change myself.”

Oh Myung-Hoon pulled out a book from his bag and placed it on the table.

Lee Soo-Hee’s eyes widened upon seeing the book.

It was the English translation of Ha Jae-Gun’s There Was A Sea.

“I’m spearheading the marketing for the US market.”

“…What?”

“I’ll be heading over to New York soon.”

Lee Soo-Hee’s heart was in turmoil for the first time since she met Oh Myung-Hoon here. Oh Myung-Hoon was in charge of marketing Ha Jae-Gun’s novel? She thought that things would not turn out well.

“Why are you telling me this?” Lee Soo-Hee asked, hiding her emotions.

Oh Myung-Hoon pushed the book to Lee Soo-Hee and replied, “I wanted your acknowledgment.”

“My… acknowledgment?”

“I think you would acknowledge me if I successfully marketed Ha Jae-Gun’s novel in the US market. I want you to acknowledge that Oh Myung-Hoon can distinguish between work and personal life.”

Lee Soo-Hee was speechless, but she eventually scoffed and said, “You’ve got to show good results to your father to become the successor of OongSung, anyway, right? It’s your work, too, so even if you don’t like it, you still have to make sure that Ha Jae-Gun’s novel will become a hit in the US market. Don’t get me involved here.”

“Soo-Hee, it’s really not like that.” Oh Myung-Hoon smiled bitterly and shook his head. “The readers of the Korean and US markets are different from each other. You must be well aware of that as well. It’s extremely rare for a novel to become a hit there.

”My brother, Ha Jae-Gun’s editor-in-chief, was the one who came up with this idea, so success or failure doesn’t really matter to me here. It won’t affect me at all.”

Lee Soo-Hee could not deny it and only bit her lips. Lee Soo-Hee had graduated from the same major. She was also aware that countless local writers tried entering the overseas markets to no avail.

As silence ensued for a while, Oh Myung-Hoon straightened out his necktie and broke the silence.

“I do dislike Ha Jae-Gun, and he definitely doesn’t like me as well, but my dislike of him is on a different level. The sight of him alone disgusts me, and my blood pressure goes to the roof. These are my honest feelings toward him. But…” Oh Myung-Hoon pointed at his face. “I want you to know that my disgust toward him is less than how much I like you.”

“…”

Oh Myung-Hoon picked up his coat and stood up, leaving Lee Soo-Hee in her seat, who was staring into space.

“I’ll be going first. The English translation turned out well, so take a read. You’re good at English, too, so you’ll be able to enjoy it.” Oh Myung-Hoon said before heading for the door.

Lee Soo-Hee stiffly looked down at the English copy of There Was A Sea.

***

Ha Jae-Gun gave a blank look. He had just heard the news of the rookie actress Kim Na-Yeon’s suicide attempt. Kim Na-Yeon had performed as Eun-Hee in There Was A Sea.

“They said her roommate discovered her while she was trying to light up some charcoal in her own car. They’re unsure about what would have happened if they had discovered her too late. Thankfully, the reporters have no idea at all.”

Sat across from Ha Jae-Gun was Park Do-Joon, who was filling his glass full of whiskey. He had already emptied over half a bottle on his own, but it seemed insufficient for him.

“It must be tough on her mentally. I’m starting to regret the fact that I haven’t really spoken to her properly, even over the phone. I should have at least pretended to listen when she was complaining about it.”

Park Do-Joon downed the entire glass of whiskey, then let out a long sigh and shut his eyes tightly.

“What’ll happen to Ms. Na-Yeon?”

“They said she’ll head back to her hometown to rest.”

“…”

“Why did she decide to be an actress with that weak mind of hers…!” Park Do-Joon mumbled, growling to himself. His anger wasn’t directed at Kim Na-Yeon but at himself.

Ha Jae-Gun understood where Park Do-Joon was coming from, so he simply listened to him in silence.

“Don’t be mistaken. I’m not running to China. I was just feeling frustrated, and that is why the schedule was pulled up.”

“I won’t misunderstand; don’t worry.”

“Please help me take care of Chae-Rin while I’m away. She’s highly emotional, probably because of her love for novels. She’ll definitely bother you from time to time, but please console her for me.”

“Got it.”

Park Do-Joon opened his eyes and stood up.

Ha Jae-Gun followed out and asked, “Are you leaving already?”

“I’ve got a tight schedule tomorrow morning, so I’ve got to leave now. Tae-Bong hyung is waiting for me outside as well. I’m here just to talk to you for a while. Let’s drink again once I become a world star.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. And yeah, return as a world star.”

Ha Jae-Gun followed Park Do-Joon out of the house and sent him off.

Park Do-Joon’s expression, trying hard to maintain his dignity before Ha Jae-Gun, was burned in the retina of Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes. He could see that Park Do-Joon had been struggling, and he had been struggling for quite a while now.

Bzzt!

Ha Jae-Gun found his phone ringing when he returned.

Rika was pawing on his phone and crying as if asking him to quickly answer it.

“Who’s calling at this time? Huh?”

The caller ID showed Lee Soo-Hee.

Ha Jae-Gun picked up Rika in his arms and answered the call at the same time.

“Yeah, Lee Soo-Hee.”

— Are you home?

Lee Soo-Hee’s voice sounded sharp.

Ha Jae-Gun subconsciously straightened himself and replied, “Yeah, I’m home.”

— I’ve got something to tell you, so can I go over there?

“Now?”

— Or should I go over tomorrow?

“No. I was just surprised to hear that you want to come over when it’s already so late. Where are you? I’ll pick you up.”

— I’ll go over, I’m actually on the way now. Give me ten minutes.

Beep!

Lee Soo-Hee hung up immediately.

Ha Jae-Gun was bewildered, but he hurriedly cleaned up all traces of his drinking session with Park Do-Joon. Shortly after he had finished cleaning up, the doorbell rang.

Ha Jae-Gun opened the door remotely and wore his shoes.

“You took the cab over?” he asked, spotting a taxi outside.

Lee Soo-Hee nodded with her slightly flushed cheeks. “I was at a company dinner earlier and had a few drinks.”

It was a lie.

She actually went to the bar in the basement of their office building and had three glasses of drinks alone after her meeting with Oh Myung-Hoon. Still, her tumultuous emotions wouldn’t calm down, so she decided to visit Ha Jae-Gun.

“Come in.”

Ha Jae-Gun pulled Lee Soo-Hee into his house and sat her down on the sofa.

He was about to bring her something to drink when Lee Soo-Hee leaned on his back and said, “You don’t have to get me a drink. I’m here because I have something to say, and I’ll be leaving afterward.”

“Oh, okay…”

Ha Jae-Gun noticed the strange atmosphere and sat across from her.

Before Lee Soo-Hee began, she let out a long sigh.

“I’ve decided. I’ll be taking up the reappointment.”

“Ah…”

“Didn’t you agree as well? You said I should go since it’s a great opportunity,” said Lee Soo-Hee.

Ha Jae-Gun was surprised by her teasing tone of voice. He could swear that it was his first time hearing that kind of tone from Lee Soo-Hee.

“I wanted to share this good news with you first since you’re my closest friend in this world.”

“Soo-Hee.”

“What’s with that look? Aren’t you going to congratulate me?” Lee Soo-Hee tilted her head, finding it strange.

Ha Jae-Gun gulped, but he didn’t reply. There was no way he could congratulate her right away.

Lee Soo-Hee wasn’t the only one who had drinks. Ha Jae-Gun also had three glasses of whiskey with Park Do-Joon earlier. The alcohol was getting to him, and it made his heart pound harder against his chest.

A blanket of silence draped over the two.

“I don’t like it,” said Lee Soo-Hee.