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Chapter 241. Dignity Is Important Too (3)
Mao Yen lit a cigarette stick in her office at the headquarters of Teencent Pictures when she hadn’t smoked in a long time. It showed how deeply troubled she was by the current affairs.
Beside her, Lin Minhong was perplexed. Even though he had been assisting her closely with regard to Ha Jae-Gun, he couldn’t understand all of her worries. The fact that he couldn’t ask about them first as well made it much more frustrating for him.
“Shall I get you a cup of coffee, ma’am?”
“You should get yourself one, Department Head. Wait, I think it’d be better for you to leave for the day.”
Lin Minhong bowed in response. He wanted to say something as he looked up once more, but he decided to keep his lips sealed and turned around to leave.
The moment he grabbed the doorknob…
“Don’t jump to conclusions yet.”
“Pardon…?” Lin Minhong turned around in a daze.
Mao Yen puffed a cloud of cigarette smoke and continued, “I’m asking you not to jump to conclusions until he returns to Korea. Let him focus on writing as he has requested.”
“What are you planning to do with actor Tony Yang then?”
Mao Yen’s eyes shone for that brief moment. Tony Yang was a model-turned-actor, especially famous in Taiwan. On top of that, he was also the younger brother of Yang Ying, the female lead for Storm and Gale.
“I’ll resolve that on my own. Anyway, don’t say anything unnecessary to Mr. Ha; you just have to focus on making things convenient for him during his time in Shanghai. You may go now.”
“Yes, ma’am… I understand.”
After Lin Minhong’s departure, Mao Yen fell into a deeper contemplation. Her phone rang when she was almost done smoking the stick of cigarette.
It was a call from Yang Ying.
“Hello.”
— Hello, CEO. Have you had dinner?
“Yes. How is the filming going? The drama filming started today, right?”
— Yes, it’s going well. It’s all thanks to you, CEO.
Mao Yen smiled bitterly and massaged a temple. There was no way Yang Ying called purely to ask about her well-being. Yang Ying’s words that came after did not fall far from her expectations.
— Mr. Ha seems to be avoiding me. What should I do? Maybe my agency should step up instead of me…
Mao Yen had two answers that Yang Ying wanted to hear.
Firstly, she would make Writer Ha Jae-Gun change the main character into Chinese.
Secondly, the confirmation that a Chinese actor could still take up a Korean role.
However, both were tough to bring up at this stage.
In addition to Ha Jae-Gun’s stubbornness, Mao Yen also believed that actors ought to be cast according to the character’s nationality.
Mao Yen hadn’t dreamt of becoming the CEO of a production company, but she ended up developing the dream because of the movies she had seen.
— Hello, CEO? Can you hear me?
Mao Yen let out a soft sigh and stood up from her desk. She had finally made her decision on whose side to stand on: the best actor in China or the best writer in Korea.
“I’m sorry.”
— Pardon…?
“Mr. Ha seems to be quite adamant. It’s hard for me to convince him.”
— What about my younger brother…?
“It goes against my principle to have a non-Korean play the role of a Korean. It’s going to be disgusting if the acting is clumsy.”
Having made up her mind, Mao Yen would no longer hesitate. Mao Yen’s words, which were conveyed without constraint, made Yang Ying’s breathing unstable.
— CEO, what you’re saying now… but what about my dignity?
“Nothing has been decided yet.” Mao Yen made herself a cup of coffee and added, “I’ve said the same to Department Head Lin Minhong, not to push Mr. Ha during his stay here. I think this is the best I can do for you here. However, it means that you still have a chance, Yang Ying.”
Mao Yen sounded magnanimous, seemingly comforting Yang Ying.
However, the latter couldn’t accept this outcome and instead raised her voice.
— Isn’t that no different from saying that you’ll agree and accept his decision? What about your dignity? It’ll just look like you’re being swayed by a writer.
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Mao Yen stopped stirring the coffee in her cup, and her face turned dark. In a cold tone, she said, “How dare you comment on my dignity in front of me?”
— Ah, C-CEO… I…!
“You’ve become quite insolent. Who do you think you’re talking to? Have you gotten conceited now that you’ve become the so-called best actress?”
— I-I’m sorry…! I’m sorry, CEO! I’ve misspoken in a moment of foolishness…! I apologize!
Yang Ying apologized profusely, gasping at the same time. Regardless of how popular of an actress she had become, she was talking to the CEO of Teencent Pictures after all. Mao Yen was a prominent figure and a huge capitalist capable of swaying the entire Chinese film industry with her hand.
Mao Yen clicked her tongue, and then she continued stirring her coffee. “If you’re still considerate, you should know to end the call here today.”
— Yes, yes, CEO. I’m really sorry. Please forgive me… I’ll hang up now.
Mao Yen took a sip of her coffee as she headed to the window. The unrecognizable cityscape of China reminded her of when she first learned of Ha Jae-Gun’s existence.
She did not once suspect his works. She was captivated by his writing in Storm and Gale, and that was how she decided to come in contact with him. Regardless of how the main character of the Records series turned out, it would be successful in China.
It had been proven in the local market through the release of the novels through Teencent Literature, but…
Mao Yen pulled out her phone.
Ha Jae-Gun wasn’t Chinese. She gnashed her teeth as she dialed the number.
— Yes, CEO Mao Yen.
“Contact Mr. Ha Jae-Gun, and ask him if he has an actor in mind when the movie adaptation for Records of the Modern Master is set in production.”
After a while, Mao Yen heard back from her subordinate. A faint smile grew slowly on her face as she now had in hand a justification, albeit vague.
***
“Wow, I never thought Lee Soo-Hee would ask us out first.”
“But it’s kind of boring without Ha Jae-Gun around.”
Pieces of pork belly were slowly grilled into a crisp golden color on the pan. The soon-to-wed couple Park Jung-Jin and Cheon Hyo-Jin, as well as Lee Soo-Hee, shared a toast.
“Park Jung-Jin, say ah~”
“Ah~”
Park Jung-Jin opened his mouth wide and allowed Cheon Hyo-Jin to put a huge wrap into his mouth. Lee Soo-Hee narrowed her eyes, shaking her head. “Urgh, you guys are stinging my eyes. You’re going all out showering each other with affection, huh?”
“You should do this with Jae-Gun, too.”
“I told you not to talk when eating, right? And I doubt the two of them could do what we just did.”
“Hyo-Jin, what do you mean by that?”
Lee Soo-Hee’s question tickled Cheon Hyo-Jin. “You’re the ice princess; I can’t imagine you making a wrap and feeding Jae-Gun.”
“I-I do the same, too, alright?”
”Look at you getting all worked up. What should our ice princess do? I-I do the same, too, alright? Hohoho!”
“Don’t mimic me! Do you want a piece of me, Cheon Hyo-Jin?!”
“Kyaa! I’m ticklish! Ahaha, don’t do it! I was wrong!”
”…Hey, ladies. This is a BBQ restaurant, alright?”
They enjoyed themselves for the rest of the night. Although it had been a while since they met up, their laughter remained nonstop.
After all the random conversations and drinks, Lee Soo-Hee changed a new topic.
“Jung-Jin, Hyo-Jin, where do you guys often travel to?”
“Are you asking about a travel destination?”
“A place in Korea where you’ve always wanted to go even if you couldn’t. Somewhere you can go often to relax as well,” Lee Soo-Hee explained.
Both Park Jung-Jin and Cheon Hyo-Jin looked at each other blankly. They wondered why Lee Soo-Hee had asked that question out of the blue, but they still answered.
“Probably somewhere where we can see the sea.”
“Probably Donghae? Namhae is quite far away, and Donghae will probably take us three hours. Anyway, how could we even dream of traveling? It’s going to be expensive.”
Lee Soo-Hee smiled, nodding.
Cheon Hyo-Jin filled Lee Soo-Hee’s glass with soju and asked, “Why ask?”
“I just wanted to hear your opinions.”
“Our opinions? I’m getting confused by what you’re saying.”
“Jae-Gun said he wants to build a vacation home—a place where his family and his close friends can use. He wanted to hear your opinions.”
Lee Soo-Hee then let out a sigh before the dumbstruck couple. “It’s great that we think alike. Jae-Gun was also looking into building a vacation home in Donghae. I’ll let him know then.”
“I’m quite blessed,” Park Jung-Jin muttered, dropping his head. He hadn’t been able to meet his close friend often, but he was still thankful for the unchanging friendship they shared, which made him feel emotional.
”And one more thing…”
”Huh?”
“Jae-Gun is very concerned about what he should prepare for your wedding gift. You know that he’s quite the overthinker, so just let me know what you’d like, and then I’ll hint him about it.”
“There’s no need for it… The vacation home is more than enough.”
Bzzt!
Lee Soo-Hee’s phone rang on the table. Although it was a call from Ha Jae-Gun, she had to pretend that it was from someone else and excused herself from the table.
“It’s a call from work. I’ll be back soon.”
“Sure, take your time.”
Lee Soo-Hee left the restaurant, answering the call.
“Yeah, Jae-Gun.”
— I heard that you met Jung-Jin and Hyo-Jin?
“Yeah, I did. We’re having pork belly now.”
— It must be fun. Have you talked to them about it? Does Jung-Jin like Donghae, too? And what do they want for their wedding gift?
“I’m talking to them about it. Listen to you all excited like a little boy. Do you like Jung-Jin that much?”
— Of course, he’s my friend.
Lee Soo-Hee burst into laughter. The scenery at night wasn’t spectacular, but it still looked beautiful to her. It was a pity that Ha Jae-Gun wasn’t here to admire it with her.
— I miss you, Soo-Hee.
“There’s still five days left. Wrap up your stuff and come back soon.”
— Rika and Nun-Sol are doing well, right?
“Yeah, they’re well and healthy.”
— What about The Breath? Is Ms. So-Mi doing well with the webtoon?
“You know my judgment. Have you ever seen someone I’ve chosen failing to do well in their work?”
— Alright, that’s a relief. I’ll see you soon. Ah, don’t come out to the airport. I think it’ll be chaotic there when I arrive, so I’ll go back on my own.
“I told you in the email, too. Alright… Ah, Jae-Gun.”
Lee Soo-Hee recalled what happened earlier and asked in a low voice, “You know…”
— Yeah, what is it? Tell me.
“Do you like it… if a girl makes a wrap for you?”
Ha Jae-Gun burst into laughter immediately afterward.
— What’s this all of a sudden? Did Jung-Jin and Hyo-Jin say that? Wow, that’s funny. Our Princess Soo-Hee is amazing; I didn’t know you could make me laugh so much.
“Ah, forget it. Go ahead and laugh.” Lee Soo-Hee bit her lips.
Ha Jae-Gun’s belated apology was heard over the line. Lee Soo-Hee inwardly made a decision as she looked back at the restaurant—Ha Jae-Gun’s first dinner upon his return to Korea would be pork belly.
***
— I thought that Mr. Ha would have an amazing mentor by your side. I couldn’t ask, but I’m extremely curious about this mentor of yours. But I realized that it was my mistake after looking at the recent novels you have been publishing. The refreshing and mature writing style capable of catching people off guard… I think that’s what makes your writing unique, Mr. Ha.
Just ten minutes before landing, Li Ziting’s words were still circling in Ha Jae-Gun’s mind. He had met Li Ziting the day before leaving Shanghai for Korea. Their meeting always ended mysteriously as always.
‘Maybe…’ Ha Jae-Gun looked at his hands. ‘I was right that the Elder has left me…’ The more he thought about it, the more he felt like he had fallen into a maze.
Beside him was Kwon Tae-Won, who had long noticed Ha Jae-Gun’s troubled look. Thinking that he must have been troubled by the novel, Kwon Tae-Won decided not to bother him about it but held the worry with him in his heart.
“Writer Ha, we’ll be landing soon,” Kwon Tae-Won said.
Ha Jae-Gun snapped out of his thoughts and looked out the window. “Oh, yes. We’ve arrived in the blink of an eye.”
“It must be because you were occupied with your thoughts. What were you thinking about during the flight? Was it the Records series?”
Ha Jae-Gun smiled bitterly, shaking his head. It wasn’t just Kwon Tae-Won; he couldn’t let anyone else find out about this issue. The captain’s voice echoed from the speakers as he announced their landing.
***
The moment Ha Jae-Gun stepped out of the arrival gate after clearing immigration…
Click! Click! Click!
Ha Jae-Gun and Kwon Tae-Won covered their eyes, blocking out the dozens of camera flashes going off before them.
“Writer Ha Jae-Gun! Did your schedule in China wrap up well?!”
“A photo of meeting close friends from Teencent Pictures was revealed! Please share with us your conversation!”
“Did you meet Yang Ying, too? If you did, what did you talk about?”
“Is the Records series getting a movie adaptation? Has the cast been decided? What is the schedule going to be like?”
Ha Jae-Gun knew this would happen, but never did he imagine that this many reporters would show up at the airport. Ha Jae-Gun didn’t have a manager accompanying him; he now only had Kwon Tae-Won, who held tightly onto Ha Jae-Gun to help him go through the crowd.
“Excuse me, please make way! We’ll organize an interview session later!” Unfortunately, Kwon Tae-Won’s yells were buried amidst the crowd.
The reporters did not even bother pretending to listen to him and continued blocking their way as they inched slowly toward the exit.
“Ugh!”
Ha Jae-Gun suddenly frowned and groaned in strong pain, which was caused by the pushing reporters hitting his wrist with their cameras.
“Please make way! Please make way!”
“Jae-Gun hyung! Over here! We’re here!”
Ha Jae-Gun and Kwon Tae-Won both were shocked.
The male writers from the office had appeared in the distance.
The ever-reliable Lee Yeon-Woo led the group, joined by Kang Min-Ho, Yang Hyun-Kyung, Han Jae-Hee, and Baek Sung-Hyun. They grouped up and made a path for them, creating a scene reminiscent of Moses’ miracle.
“Wait, I told all of you not to come to the airport, but why….?”
“How can the manager not be here to welcome his writer? The others are here because they’re worried about you. Come on, let’s go!”
The internet-labeled Ha Jae-Gun’s squad made their move. A path that seemed impossible to make was slowly being made, and the exit was coming into view. Ha Jae-Gun smiled brightly and headed toward the exit before him.
“Huh?! Wait a minute!”
Ha Jae-Gun called a stop and turned around briefly, and then he headed back to where he had come from. The writers were dumbfounded by his actions.
“Jae-Gun hyung, what are you doing?!”
“Wait, Yeon-Woo! Please help me for a while! Come over!”
Ha Jae-Gun bent down and searched around the floor of the airport like a madman. His eyes shone and went on all fours, even ignoring the fact that his pants were turning dirty. He even reached out toward the crowd of reporters, pushing through their feet.
“All right, I found it. Let’s go,” said Ha Jae-Gun.
“Hyung, what were you doing exactly…?!” Lee Yeon-Woo couldn’t continue his sentence after seeing Ha Jae-Gun’s bleeding hand, which had probably been stepped on by some reporter from the group.
However, Lee Yeon-Woo wasn’t surprised by the injury but the thing in his hand. He was holding a wristwatch with a shattered glass face and broken strap. There was no way Lee Yeon-Woo wouldn’t recognize the wristwatch, as he and the other writers had pooled money to buy it for Ha Jae-Gun.
“Jae-Gun hyung…”
“I can just send it for repairs. Let’s go! Hurry up.” Ha Jae-Gun quickened his pace, acting as if nothing had happened.
Lee Yeon-Woo stood behind Ha Jae-Gun with his large frame and arms wide open, and that was how another photo of Ha Jae-Gun’s squad made rounds in the news online.
Chapter 242. Dignity Is Important Too (4)
“Here’s a bottle of water, Jae-Gun hyung. Wash it first.”
“Thanks.” Sitting in the back seat of the car, Ha Jae-Gun took the bottled water and poured water over his hand to wash his wound. The writers watched him with a grimace and frown.
“You should have just left it. What if you got seriously injured…” Kang Min-Ho said as he sat in the front passenger seat. He felt guilty watching Ha Jae-Gun get hurt because of the wristwatch they had gifted him.
Seeing Kang Min-Ho’s expression, Ha Jae-Gun tried to hide the pain on his face and smiled instead. “It’s just some abrasions; it’s not that serious.”
Lee Yeon-Woo started the engine and said, “Why are there so many reporters gathered at the airport? Seriously, hyung. Shouldn’t you go to the hospital immediately to seek medical attention?”
”Why are you making a fuss, too? My injury isn’t all that serious. We can just stop at a pharmacy on the way back. Anyway, just go somewhere quiet.”
Lee Yeon-Woo drove out onto the road.
Ha Jae-Gun regretted not heeding the words of Weekly Trends’ Hyun Sung-Beom.
He truly didn’t expect to see so many reporters gather at the airport. After all, he was just a writer rather than a hotshot celebrity.
‘Well, the attention is deserving since it isn’t just related to me alone.’
Ha Jae-Gun secretly let out a sigh and tightened his grip on the broken wristwatch. The wound on the back of his hand didn’t matter to him. Rather, it was heartbreaking to watch the wristwatch gifted to him by the writers broken.
‘I think it’s best for me to stop going on TV broadcasts.’ Ha Jae-Gun thought as he looked down at the broken wristwatch.
Even if he didn’t take on any TV shows, he was often exposed thanks to his connections with Park Do-Joon, Lee Chae-Rin, and Han Yu-Na. And the number of broadcasts he had to show up to every time a new novel was published was enough for him. It was great timing, anyway, as he would be busier in general this year.
“There’s no other reporters on our tail, right?”
“I think so.”
The wary writers looked out the window. Ha Jae-Gun’s phone rang just then, and his phone screen showed a text message from Park Do-Joon.
“Yeon-Woo, sorry, but we’ll have to change our destination,” Ha Jae-Gun said after a while.
The vehicle sped up on the empty road.
***
“Wow, the great writer comes to me first thing after arriving in Korea. Just list whatever you want to eat. I’ll prepare everything for you, aside from egg rolls.”
“No, I’ll politely decline food cooked by you.” Ha Jae-Gun refused with a straight face. It had been established that anything Park Do-Joon had cooked were disasters disguised as meals.
“How dare you refuse the cooking from a global top star?”
”Do-Joon, I beg you, just focus on acting.”
”It’s all Ms. Soo-Hee’s fault. She’s so good at cooking that you’ve become picky with your food.”
“Hey, I’m quite easygoing with my taste buds, all right? Chae-Rin is the amazing one for enduring the meals you’ve cooked.”
The two took a glass of juice in hand and sat opposite each other. Park Do-Joon stared at Ha Jae-Gun’s hand as the latter took a sip of the refreshing juice.
”What’s wrong with your hand?”
”Ah, it’s nothing. I fell.”
“How did you even fall that you ended up hurting the back of your hand? Shouldn’t your palm be the injured part of your body?”
“That’s not important. See that? That’s your present.” Ha Jae-Gun glanced at the shopping bag placed beside him.
“What’s that?”
“What else? Your favorite alcohol, of course.”
”You like it more than I do. But why two bottles of it?”
“I heard that they love to give gifts in pairs in China. That’s why I bought two.”
“Thanks. Anyway, I haven’t seen Jung-Jin in a while; let’s have a drink together next time.”
Ha Jae-Gun smiled at the mention of Park Jung-Jin. “Good thing that you brought him up. Jung-Jin’s getting married soon. Do you think you can attend?”
“Did you forget what I said before? I said I’ll definitely make it.”
”Good. Jung-Jin would love that, and his wedding guests would love it, too.”
Ha Jae-Gun let out a yawn and stretched lazily. The fatigue from the long flight weighed down on him. “Do-Joon, can I nap here for an hour?”
”You can continue sleeping even after I leave. Just go and sleep in the room.”
”It’s comfortable here, too.” Ha Jae-Gun lay down on the sofa, his head touching a notepad.
“What’s this?”
“…?!” Park Do-Joon’s jaws dropped, recalling that he had forgotten to put the notepad away. It was the scenario for Dried Tofu.
“Ah, it’s nothing. Give it here.”
However, Ha Jae-Gun did not do as he asked. Instead, he opened to the first page and muttered in surprise. “It’s Director Lee Eun-Ha’s scenario.”
“You know her…?”
“We’re close. She even talked to me about this when composing the story. Seems like it’s done? Huh? But why do you have it?”
Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes were the first to find the answer to his own question. The scenario wasn’t just sitting around on the sofa; along with it was a tattered Chinese dictionary and a conversational guidebook.
“You’ve decided to act in Dried Tofu?”
“…” Park Do-Joon admitted in silence. Feeling Ha Jae-Gun’s dazed look, Park Do-Joon then replied, “The scenario looks good, so I wanted to try it out.”
“But it’s an indie movie. On top of that, the main character is Chinese. Do you think you can do it? Moreover, your value after the success of Storm and Gale is off the charts…”
Park Do-Joon smiled bitterly as he looked down.
As expected, Ha Jae-Gun reacted the same as everyone else. However, it was probably for the better. It wasn’t strange for them to be concerned, and Park Do-Joon felt rather grateful for it as well.
However, Park Do-Joon was also desperately hoping that Ha Jae-Gun would stop asking for the sake of his pride.
A while later…
“It’s great.” Ha Jae-Gun smiled brightly.
“…?” Park Do-Joon looked up in surprise.
“I didn’t think that far. You must want to stay as an actor for the rest of your life, so you should take on roles that you want to act in.”
“Are you serious?”
”Yeah, I’m rooting for you.” Ha Jae-Gun patted Park Do-Joon on his shoulder, then laid back down on the sofa.
A thought suddenly came to Park Do-Joon—it seemed Ha Jae-Gun had seen through his thoughts.
“Ha Jae-Gun,” Park Do-Joon started.
“Yeah?”
“Have you experienced any difficulties since you became friends with me?”
“Why does it seem like you’re asking that because you’ve experienced difficulties since you became friends with me?”
Park Do-Joon smiled bitterly and stood up. Even he himself found his question to be pathetic. After Park Do-Joon stepped into the bathroom to shower, Ha Jae-Gun quietly let out a sigh, wishing that his friend’s burden had been lifted ever so slightly.
Spring would soon return.
***
[Ha Jae-Gun’s return to Korea, caught injured while picking up a broken wristwatch. Media criticized for harsh coverage through social media]
[Revisiting Ha Jae-Gun’s episode of I Live Alone: The wristwatch given by the writers in the office is the most precious item to me in this world]
[Ha Jae-Gun’s purpose for visiting China? Will the Records series be the next collaboration with Teencent Pictures?]
[Ha Jae-Gun: Rejecting all broadcasts for the time being, including TV and radio. Will be focusing on writing]
[Mayor of Donghae City: Cultural content representing Donghae City can be developed after Writer Ha Jae-Gun moves over]
A deluge of articles related to Ha Jae-Gun inundated the Internet.
There were even articles that Ha Jae-Gun himself found unimaginable, so much so that he thought he was reading articles about someone else rather than himself.
“How did they find out about Donghae City? I only went there once to visit a real estate office.”
Ha Jae-Gun held his cup of coffee and headed to the garden. Rika and Nun-Sol curled up by the window followed after him.
“Ah, how warm.” The warmth from the sunlight permeated through his skin. Ha Jae-Gun enjoyed the spring scent, inhaling it deep into his lungs. He felt the fatigue accumulated from his work disappear in an instant.
‘Records of the Modern Master is almost done. Now the problem is The Breath. It’s both seemingly easy but also difficult to understand from the Westerners’ point of view.’
Ha Jae-Gun had been in contact with Open House, which held the license for The Breath in the U.S. Lee Soo-Hee’s fluency in English had helped him a lot in communicating. He had accepted their constructive advice and took time discussing areas that he didn’t quite understand, improving The Breath on a daily basis.
‘It’s not going to resolve on its own if I keep thinking about it.’
Ha Jae-Gun ended his short walk and returned to his laptop. Ha Jae-Gun had been writing day and night ever since returning from his trip to China. The titles he had been working on were the Records series, The Breath, and occasionally Human’s Malice.
Tadadadak! Tadak! Tadadak!
Ha Jae-Gun’s fingers danced across the keyboard.
Ha Jae-In’s wedding was coming up, and he would have to prepare for his own wedding afterward as well. Whenever one was available, it was best to spend that free time working hard for the best results possible.
And that was why Ha Jae-Gun decided to stop all activities, including TV broadcasts…
‘Which would be released first?’ Would it be the Records series in China or The Breath in the U.S.?
Even Ha Jae-Gun himself couldn’t tell…
All he could do was write to the best of his abilities.
Bzzt!
Lee Soo-Hee’s name appeared on the caller ID. Ha
Jae-Gun answered the phone and immediately said, “Let’s have mixed stew for dinner tonight.”
— Look at you talking about food before saying hi. Sorry, but Writer Ha will have to eat alone tonight. Bleh.
Lee Soo-Hee teased.
Ha Jae-Gun immediately turned serious. His eyelid twitched as he asked, “Why? Do you have an appointment with someone else?”
— Yeah, I have an appointment with someone else.
“With whom?”
— With a man.
Ha Jae-Gun let out a yawn, thinking that perhaps it was related to her work.
Lee Soo-Hee continued with a refreshed tone.
— How is a yawn an answer? I really do have a date with a man tonight.
“Sure, have fun. What time will you end?”
— You’re no fun. Jae-Gun, I’m actually going to meet your father, so I’ll be heading down to Suwon.
“What? My father?” Ha Jae-Gun widened his eyes. “Why are you meeting him?”
— I’m not sure. He suggested we have dinner together one of these days, so I said I’m available tonight. That’s why I’m heading down to Suwon later.
“Let’s go together then. I’ll get prepared.”
— No, he only asked for me to go alone.
“Don’t lie.”
— Why would I lie about something like this? I think he has something very important to tell me. Maybe he’s finally looking at me as his daughter-in-law? Huhu.
“Then tell me all about it later.” That was all Ha Jae-Gun could say.
However, Lee Soo-Hee replied firmly.
— I’ll decide after listening to what he has to say. I just started the car; I’ll call you later.
“Drive safely.” Ha Jae-Gun then hung up the call and wrapped his hand over his forehead.
What could his father talk about with Lee Soo-Hee alone? Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t come up with any plausible reason, no matter how much he racked his brains, and his curiosity was killing him.
***
Roughly an hour later, Lee Soo-Hee and Ha Suk-Jae met at a restaurant near the house in Suwon. Lee Soo-Hee was nervous as she stared at the calm Ha Suk-Jae seated across from her.
‘It really is just the two of us…’ Lee Soo-Hee was more fearful than curious. She hadn’t done anything wrong, but she felt numb all over.
“Sit comfortably.”
“Yes, Father. I am comfortable now.”
“It’s your first time coming here, right? I’ve been wanting to bring you here; their mushroom hotpot is delicious.”
“Thank you, Father. Let me serve you a portion first.”
Ha Suk-Jae downed a glass of soju first, and then he reached for his breast pocket to pull something out.
“I want to give you this.”
“…?” Lee Soo-Hee was astonished. Ha Suk-Jae had placed a discolored bank book on the table. “Father, that’s…”
“This is the savings account I had created for Ha Jae-Gun. I hope you’ll take care of it going forward,” Ha Suk-Jae said, signaling with his eyes.
Lee Soo-Hee took over the bank book with shaking hands. She flipped it open to the first page and saw a note that read, “Give to Ha Jae-Gun once he’s 30.”
“I can’t pass it to Jae-Gun personally.”
Lee Soo-Hee looked up.
Ha Suk-Jae then slowly filled his glass with soju. “I honestly didn’t think that Ha Jae-Gun would be able to make a living as a writer. That’s the secret of a bad father who couldn’t trust his own son.”
Lee Soo-Hee shook her head.
Suk-Jae continued nonchalantly, “I didn’t deposit any more money after Records of the Murim Master since he’s earning so much now. Although it isn’t a lot of money, I hope you’ll think of this as a small gift from me. Use it as you will.”
“Father…!”
“I knew the first time I met you that you’d be my daughter-in-law. I knew you’d bring luck to my son, so I’m really thankful to have you join our family.”
Lee Soo-Hee covered her nose with both hands as tears rolled down her face. Meanwhile, Ha Suk-Jae calmly picked up the ladle to get a bowl of soup for himself.
***
“What a surprise… this is really surprising…” Kwon Sung-Deuk muttered in the running car. He was donned in a neat suit, as he was off to attend a wedding. He tutted as he looked at the passing scenery outside. ”I’ve attended countless weddings of chaebols up until the age of sixty, but this is my first time at a wedding like this. What do you think of it?”
“I agree, assemblyman. I don’t understand either. The bride comes from an ordinary family with nothing to their name,” his aide replied.
The driver snorted INWARDLY as he listened to the conversation between the four-term Assemblyman Kwon Sung-Deuk and his aide.
To think that the assemblyman of the so-called Cultural, Sports, Tourism, Broadcast, Communications—also known as C.B.C—wasn’t prepared at all for a wedding.
It seemed like he wasn’t up to date about the news surrounding that family. Of course, it was understandable, as Kwon Sung-Deuk’s motive for attending the wedding was to maintain his connection with Nam Gyu-Baek and Nam Gyu-Ho.
“Come to think of it, I heard that Assemblyman Joo Kyung-Rok will be attending as well…”
“Wow,” Kwon Sung-Deuk spat and gnashed his teeth upon hearing that name. “That man only knows to turn over the roads and line his pockets with money. I’m watching him closely, and I’m going to knock him down once the opportunity arises.”
Despite saying that, Kwon Sung-Deuk’s words were filled with envy, and both the aide and the driver knew that as well. The C.B.C. was known to be a standing committee member that hadn’t been able to bring in money.
The wedding was held at the most luxurious hotel in Seoul. When they were about five minutes away from the hotel, his aide recalled something and said, “Ah, assemblyman.”
“What is it?”
“I heard that the bride’s younger brother is a famous writer. Did you know?”
”No, I don’t know.” Kwon Sung-Deuk answered. He had no interest in any industries he wasn’t a part of, and he felt that there was no need for him to be bothered over something that couldn’t help him rise in wealth and honor.
Moreover, the projects that needed to be packaged nicely would be reassigned to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which he would always hand over to them before instantly forgetting about them.
“Ah, I just looked him up. His name is Ha Jae-Gun.”
“Ha Jae-Gun… Ha Jae-Gun… What did he write? Ah…!” Kwon Sung-Deuk’s eyes grew wide. He wasn’t much of a reader, but he was familiar with Ha Jae-Gun’s name. “That writer has met Liu Bao recently, right?”
“That’s right, assemblyman.”
“Why did you only report it now?!” Kwon Sung-Deuk yelled. His aide turned pale immediately, shoulders shooting up in shock.
“I-I’m sorry, assemblyman…!”
“Drive faster!”
The car sped up, and Kwon Sung-Deuk’s oily cheeks puffed up as he fell into deep thoughts. Kwon Sung-Deuk smiled insidiously—Ha Jae-Gun’s presence would be his unexpected harvest at the wedding today.
Chapter 243. Dignity Is Important Too (5)
“Oh, Do-Joon, you just arrived? There are reporters at the main entrance, so take the elevator up. Yeah, Tae-Bong hyung will know; I told him yesterday.” Ha Jae-Gun spoke into the phone.
An unexpectedly huge number of reporters had gathered in the lobby.
However, it seemed that Ha Jae-Gun had simply underestimated their numbers. After all, today’s wedding was between the heir of a chaebol family and the principal of a suburban academy from an ordinary family, which was bound to attract the attention of the media and public.
“Yeah, I’ll see you in a bit. Come and stay with us. We have too few people as compared to the groom’s side.”
— Really? Okay. The global top star will be there; just wait a while longer.
Ha Jae-Gun laughed as he hung up the call.
Ha Jae-Gun stood in front of the sink and washed his hands. Then, adjusted his necktie while staring in the mirror. He loved the outfit that Lee Soo-Hee had picked out for him.
The wedding progressed smoothly. The scene on site was vastly different from that reported in the news. Perhaps they were all conscious of the public’s attention, but the wedding was quite modes compared to the fancy weddings of popular celebrities. There were all sorts of stories about their wedding from the day it was announced until today.
The majority of the responses said that it was a beautiful love story that broke stereotypes, but there were also negative opinions shared on the internet.
Some speculated that the bride’s family had gotten a hold of the groom’s weakness or that Nam Gyu-Ho wasn’t Nam Gyu-Baek’s biological son.
---------Ads----------
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Amidst all the speculations was Ha Jae-Gun’s appearance. The relationship between Ha Jae-Gun, the most famous writer in Korea, and Nam Gyu-Ho, the planning director of Nextion, was clearly the best topic for reporters to write about.
Many different media outlets pointed the spotlight at their relationship.
Articles kept pouring out even when the wedding was still ongoing. Thanks to that, Ha Jae-Gun’s name was consistently at the top of the real-time keyword search ranking.
‘It must be tough…’
Ha Jae-Gun’s gaze was fixed on the red carpet laid out on the floor as he passed by the hallway after exiting the washroom. Nam Gyu-Baek wearing a hanbok stood with his back facing a folding screen. The old man was shaking hands with the long line of guests, one after another.
‘I don’t think he can finish shaking hands with all of them even after the wedding ends.’
The number of guests on the groom’s side was overwhelming. Ha Jae-Gun had never seen a wedding with so many guests. The number of security personnel alone was much more than the total number of normal wedding guests.
On top of that, most of the guests in the long line were prominent figures of society; some were politicians, businessmen, and there were even celebrities. There were even celebrities working as game ambassadors of Nextion’s games.
‘They’re clearly on a different level.’
Ha Jae-Gun made sure to observe the wedding, as it was a unique experience that didn’t come so easily. In addition, he would have his own wedding as well, so Ha Jae-Gun opened his eyes wide, carving the scene into his brain. He even regretted not having his pen and notepad with him.
“What are you doing here, Jae-Gun?” Park Jung-Jin tapped on Ha Jae-Gun’s shoulder from behind.
Ha Jae-Gun turned around to look at Park Jung-Jin briefly, and then he turned back to see the long line of guests. “I was just watching.”
“Wow, but seriously, am I really allowed to be here?” Park Jung-Jin licked his lips excitedly. He had been invited, as he was close with both Ha Jae-Gun and Ha Jae-In. “I saw two of our former presidents earlier, too. Wow, being the chairman of a large corporation is really different. His personal connections are just astounding.”
“Yeah, there’s a lot of amazing people. The long line there alone proves that fact.”
“You’re great, too. Look at all their gazes; can’t you feel them stealing glances at you?”
Ha Jae-Gun looked around after listening to Park Jung-Jin. Thinking back, it did seem that he was constantly making eye contact with people whom he hadn’t met before. Immediately afterward, a petite middle-aged lady and a young lady in her mid-twenties passing by stopped in front of Ha Jae-Gun.
“Excuse me, but are you Mr. Ha Jae-Gun?”
“That’s right. I am Ha Jae-Gun…” Ha Jae-Gun replied, finding the middle-aged lady to be strangely familiar. However, he couldn’t pinpoint where he had seen her before.
The middle-aged lady smiled brightly and pulled out a name card from her bag. “Hello, I’m Hyun Jung-Sook.”
“Ah, yes. Hello.” Not wanting to seem rude, Ha Jae-Gun quickly accepted the name card and read it.
He couldn’t remember her name, but the words—Dragonfly Art Center—were familiar to him. He had once visited this art gallery with Park Jung-Jin, and it was located somewhere in Jongno-gu.
“I’m really happy to see you here. Your books are always a pleasure to read; thank you for creating such great works.”
“It’s my honor, director. I once visited Dragonfly Art Center. It’s a beautiful place.”
“Oh my, you have?”
“Yes, this is my friend. We’ve been close since university and have been there a few times before…” Ha Jae-Gun suddenly trailed off when he looked to his side, turning blank. He found Park Jung-Jin in shock for some odd reason and sweating buckets of cold sweat.
Meanwhile, Hyun Jung-Sook pointed at the young lady beside her and said, “She’s my second daughter. It was because of her that I got to know your books. So-Myung, you should say hi.”
“Hello, Mr. Ha. My name is Yoo So-Myung. I have just finished overseas studies and returned to learn some work from my mother.” Yoo So-Myung smiled shyly with a flushed face. “We’ve just refurbished the art gallery this spring, so please visit us when you have time.”
“I see. I will definitely go once I have time.”
Yoo So-Myung couldn’t conceal her joy upon hearing Ha Jae-Gun’s reply. She laughed, covering her mouth.
Hyun Jung-Sook held her daughter’s arm, took a step back, and said, “You must be busy today, so we’ll leave you to it. Contact me before visiting us, and I’ll make sure to buy you a meal.”
“Thanks for the offer. Have a good day, director, and I’ll see you again.”
After the polite exchange, Hyun Jung-Sook and her daughter left. Ha Jae-Gun put away the name card into his wallet.
Park Jung-Jin still wide agape asked, “Hey, hey, how are you so calm?”
“Why? What is it this time?”
“Do you not have any idea who that lady was?”
“She’s Director Hyun Jung-Sook. Why? Were you shocked that she’s the director of a famous art gallery?” Ha Jae-Gun teased.
Park Jung-Jin almost wanted to punch Ha Jae-Gun in the chest like a gorilla. “That’s not what I’m trying to say. Her father was the former president, and her husband is the CEO of Saerom Construction. That’s who she really is.”
“Ah, so that’s why she looked so familiar…” Ha Jae-Gun finally nodded in understanding.
“What? She looked familiar? Wow, how can a rascal like you be so calm? It’s obvious that she was trying to introduce her daughter to you… Wahh, Jae-Gun, you’ve flown so high that I can’t even see you anymore!”
“Calm down. There’s no way she was here to introduce her daughter to me in that kind of way, so don’t go around spreading rumors. I’ll be in huge trouble if Soo-Hee hears about it.”
Park Do-Joon would soon arrive, so Ha Jae-Gun pulled Park Jung-Jin away. Just then, a man approached them from a distance. As if they had agreed to do so beforehand, both Ha Jae-Gun and Park Jung-Jin’s eyes narrowed in unison.
“…”
“…”
Silence ensued amidst the crowded hallway.
Ha Jae-Gun and Oh Myung-Hoon stood looking at each other with indifference.
“It’s been a while.” Oh Myung-Hoon was the first to break the silence between them.
“How have you been?”
“I’m doing well. What about you?”
“I’m fine.”
Park Jung-Jin wanted to quickly pull Ha Jae-Gun out of there, but who could imagine that they would see Oh Myung-Hoon on a celebratory day like this?
There was no way he had been invited by the bride’s side, so the groom’s side had to have invited him.
“I’ve been hearing about you through the news.” Oh Myung-Hoon began. “Your name was even listed on the National Tax Service as a high-paying taxpayer. You must have made a lot of money. How much did you make? About 30 billion won?”
“I’m not sure. I have never really calculated it.”
“You’re extremely blessed, Jae-Gun. Congratulations to both you and your sister on her marriage.”
Oh Myung-Hoon’s attitude seemed to have improved, but his voice still sounded sarcastic. Park Jung-Jin couldn’t stand it any longer and pulled on Ha Jae-Gun’s arm.
“Jung-Jin, I didn’t know I’d see you here.” Oh Myung-Hoon said, looking at Park Jung-Jin in surprise.
Park Jung-Jin did not reply, aware of the hidden meaning behind Oh Myung-Hoon’s question. Ha Jae-Gun answered, “Thank you for coming.”
“Of course.”
“Enjoy yourself. My friend is here, so I have to get going.”
“…?” Oh Myung-Hoon frowned briefly, as Ha Jae-Gun’s words sounded to him like the latter didn’t think of him as a friend. Of course, he didn’t want to really be friends with Ha Jae-Gun, and the unpleasant feeling within him came from something else as well.
“Yeah, I should get going as well.” Oh Myung-Hoon was supposed to leave first, so he turned around, pretending to be calm as he left.
When he passed by Ha Jae-Gun, he stopped momentarily and said, “I’m not done yet, Jae-Gun.”
What was he talking about? Was he talking about his works, or was it something else entirely? Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t understand. However, he wasn’t really curious, so he didn’t ask for clarification.
“I’ll be going, then,” Oh Myung-Hoon said, walking away.
“Bye.”
Park Jung-Jin watched as Oh Myung-Hoon walked into the crowd.
“Why come he has never changed at all?” Park Jung-Jin asked, sounding annoyed. “Isn’t it tiring to live like that? Constantly on edge?”
“Forget it. Don’t mind him.”
“How is he even here? Come to think of it, he hasn’t shared much about his family, has he? Although he did look like he came from a well-to-do family since university days…”
Ha Jae-Gun smiled and turned away to greet the tall and dazzling Park Do-Joon, who had just appeared. As the three approached each other, smiles lit up the faces of the people around them.
***
The wedding ended successfully under a harmonious atmosphere. It was no different than the usual wedding, except that it was attended by famous celebrities and other prominent figures, which brought about a strange tension.
“Thanks for coming. Do you have to leave right away?”
“I should at least have a meal before leaving.”
“What about Tae-Bong hyung?”
“He went to the washroom.” Ha Jae-Gun and Park Do-Joon waited for a while in the hallway. Ha Jae-Gun was sweating buckets as he had to exchange greetings with a few guests.
“Are you Writer Ha Jae-Gun?” The voice of an unfamiliar man rang from behind Ha Jae-Gun.
Turning around, Ha Jae-Gun spotted a man in his sixties smiling back at him. It was Assemblyman Kwon Sung-Deuk, but Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t recognize the man.
“He’s Assemblyman Kwon Sung-Deuk.” the man’s aide said, stepping up.
Just as Ha Jae-Gun was about to reply, Kwon Sung-Deuk laughed heartily and reached out for a handshake first. “It’s nice to meet you, Writer Ha. I’m Kwon Sung-Deuk.”
‘…?’ Ha Jae-Gun’s temples throbbed instantly. Regardless of how old and how high one’s status was, it was their first time meeting. Ha Jae-Gun found it rude how Kwon Sung-Deuk had just addressed him without honorifics.
“I knew we would meet someday since I’m a member of the C.B.C., but to think we’d meet here. Anyway, it’s great to meet you here. I would have brought my book along if I had known you’d be here. Hahaha!” Kwon Sung-Deuk burst into laughter.
Of course, he had lied about bringing Ha Jae-Gun’s book along, as he didn’t know that Ha Jae-Gun was the younger brother of the bride until he was on his way here.
“Oh, what was that? Yeah, the short-novel that was made into a drama. I’ve enjoyed reading The Supermarket People.”
Ha Jae-Gun scowled lightly, and it was a scowl only Park Do-Joon could recognize.
Ha Jae-Gun had never written a novel titled The Supermarket People.
Kwon Sung-Deuk turned to his aide, seemingly asking for confirmation before saying, “Oh, and I loved reading A Kid’s Nineties and Foolish Human, right? And the movie Going to the Sea—no, Let’s Go to the Sea! Yes, those novels were truly tearjerkers. Isn’t that right?”
“Y-Yes, assemblyman.” Kwon Sung-Deuk’s aide forced a laugh as his cheekbones trembled. He hoped desperately that the assemblyman would stop talking about the writer’s works. In the first place, how did Kwon Sung-Deuk even get all the titles wrong when they weren’t even that long?
Chapter 244. Dignity Is Important Too (6)
“Thank you,” Ha Jae-Gun replied, expressionless. It was normal to be offended in a situation like this, but Ha Jae-Gun still chose to conceal his feelings. After all, it was his beloved sister’s wedding, and there were countless prestigious individuals and reporters present. He didn’t want to draw any more attention from others.
“Have a good day. I’m sorry that I have to get going because of my family.” Ha Jae-Gun chose not to respond to the older man’s outreached hand and excused himself instead.
Kwon Sung-Deuk’s nostrils flared in embarrassment as he retrieved his hand and nodded. “Of course, you must be busy. Let’s meet again next time when the opportunity arises.”
Instead of ending the conversation there, Kwon Sung-Deuk quickly added, “But there’s just one thing I’d like to ask. Was there an unofficial meeting with Mr. Liu Bao when you went to China recently?”
“…”
“So you did, huh?” Kwon Sung-Deuk with a probing look and knowing smile. But before Ha Jae-Gun could reply, he came to a self-proclaimed conclusion with much excitement. “I’ll arrange a meeting together with the Cultural department soon, I want to help you, as you’re elevating the nation’s prestige with your great works.”
Kwon Sung-Deuk concealed his motive. He had met countless creators while working in the C.B.C., and most of them were ignorant of how the world worked, focusing solely on their own writings. It was to his advantage with the thought that Ha Jae-Gun was a young bachelor who had just turned thirty. No matter how much of a household name Ha Jae-Gun’s name had become, he was still an amateur when it came to life.
Kwon Sung-Deuk naively thought that manipulating and keeping Ha Jae-Gun within his grasp would be as easy as pie. Before he could enter that stage of the relationship, however, he had to compliment the writer until the latter had become complacent.
“Our country does not really support people like you monetarily, but I agree that you are crucial, especially in the content creation industry. And you’re at the forefront of this nation’s industry. You’re an amazing talent, and I’m really proud of you.”
However, Ha Jae-Gun only remained silent and was silently rubbing the walls of his cheeks with his tongue. Park Do-Joon swallowed nervously as he stood beside Ha Jae-Gun. Ha Jae-Gun’s current expression and action looked extremely familiar to his habit whenever he was angry.
“I’ll drop a call to the vice minister of the cultural department today. We’d be able to come up with a good business idea if we put our heads together. Official business would affect your busy schedule writing, so let’s adjust your schedule—”
“I don’t think there’s a need for that.” Ha Jae-Gun interjected. Even Park Do-Joon unknowingly flinched at the sudden interruption. He could already tell how the conversation would flow when Ha Jae-Gun spoke with this attitude.
“I don’t think there’s much for me to discuss with you and the people from the cultural department in person. I am thankful for the sincerity and words of encouragement you have shown me.”
“Wait, you’re too empathic. Are you an empath[1]? Hahaha.” Kwon Sung-Deuk tried to gloss over the tense atmosphere with a joke, but he was the only one present who was laughing, making the situation worse.
“I’ll get going then.”
“H-hey, Writer Ha.”
Ha Jae-Gun took Park Do-Joon, turning away.
Kwon Sung-Deuk could only stare helplessly as the two walked away. His aide could see the expression on his face turn into one that had just been forced a mouthful of shit.
“How is a young scoundrel like him so rigid? Damn it, it’s going to be tough dealing with him.”
“Assemblyman, I’m curious what kind of business you’re looking to create through Writer Ha Jae-Gun.”
However, Kwon Sung-Deuk did not answer his aide, as he had already drawn the big picture. He hadn’t read even one of Ha Jae-Gun’s novels, but he knew how well the Chinese market was doing recently.
What Kwon Sung-Deuk needed was not Ha Jae-Gun’s global popularity and talent but rather the foundation and achievements that the famous writer had under his belt so far. Ha Jae-Gun was the very foundation that he could use to connect with the Chinese government and the large local corporations there.
“He’s a whale.”
“Pardon…?”
“Just wait and see. The C.B.C. will rise to the sun one day. I will be the one to catch him and turn into a dragon, rising to the skies.” Kwon Sung-Deuk gritted his teeth while imagining his dreams coming true.
Meanwhile, Ha Jae-Gun and Park Do-Joon continued their conversation after turning the corner at the end of the hallway.
“He definitely must have something up his sleeves. It’s written all over the faces of politicians. Be careful around him, and don’t get taken advantage of, Ha Jae-Gun.”
“What could his motives be?” Ha Jae-Gun wondered.
“No idea. Maybe he’s trying to get more funding?”
As Ha Jae-Gun was about to ask more questions, he noticed two familiar faces from a short distance away. Ha Jae-Gun stopped in his tracks inadvertently.
“What’s wrong, Jae-Gun?”
“…Wait a minute.” Ha Jae-Gun waved his hand at Park Do-Joon while his eyes were fixed on the two people in front. The two men, whom he had met at different times and places, were now standing together.
One of them was Oh Myung-Hoon, whom Ha Jae-Gun had met earlier.
However, the man with Oh Myung-Hoon was what caught Ha Jae-Gun off-guard.
“Father, this way.”
“Alright, let’s go.”
The father and son’s conversation traveled clearly into Ha Jae-Gun’s ears. The CEO of OongSung Publication Group, Oh Tae-Jin, walked away without spotting Ha Jae-Gun nearby. However, Oh Myung-Hoon did spot Ha Jae-Gun and glanced in his direction, albeit briefly, but that was all. Soon, the father and son disappeared from Ha Jae-Gun’s line of sight.
“What’s wrong? Why did you suddenly stop in the middle of the hallway?” said Park Do-Joon in a serious tone of voice.
Ha Jae-Gun smiled faintly and shook his head. “No, it’s nothing. I just learned the family tree of someone I know.”
“You’re confusing me. You’re really strange sometimes. Don’t just write all day and step out of the house more often.”
Ha Jae-Gun grinned and hit Park Do-Joon’s shoulder while he recalled a certain competent editor who had left home after choosing the love of his life.
***
[Writer Ha Jae-Gun and actor Park Do Joon show off their friendship at their friend’s wedding]
[Groom yelled in response to Ha Jae-Gun’s congratulatory speech: I didn’t crumble all thanks to you]
[Park Do-Joon’s new movie premiere is just three days away. What kind of movie is Dried Tofu?]
[Ha Jae-Gun’s elder sister turning into a chaebol family’s daughter-in-law, seen chatting with friends at a cafe]
“I like May, honey. The weather’s perfect for a walk, too.” Myung-Ja said as she tended to the flowers in the garden.
They were now living in the newly built detached house. It was unbelievably spacious as compared to the previous lot they had lived in, so much so that there would still be ample space for other activities if Myung-Ja planted all the flowers and plants she had ever dreamed of.
“How nice it would be if we could call Jae-Gun and Jae-In to go on a family trip to the zoo.”
“Don’t feel depressed, and just give them a call. Do you think they would know your thoughts through telepathy if you only kept those thoughts to yourself?”
Despite Ha Suk-Jae’s nagging, Myung-Ja still let out a sigh. “Our son is busy with his writing, and our daughter is now married to a chaebol family, so how could I bother them?”
“It’ll be harder to see Jae-Gun once he gets married. And if a mother wants to see her children, she should be allowed to do so. Why are you worrying and hesitating all by yourself?”
“Why don’t you give them a call, then?”
“…They don’t like me calling.”
“I’m speechless. What makes you say that?”
“Ah, I don’t know. Why do you keep talking to me, making me lose focus when you’re the one who asked me to put up a fence?”
Bzzt!
Just then, Ha Suk-Jae’s phone on a low wooden bench suddenly vibrated. It was a call from Lee Soo-Hee’s father, Lee Kyung-Wook. He stopped working and answered the call.
“Aigoo, why did you call, in-law?”
— It’s the weekend, and the weather’s great, so I called to see if everything is going well for you.
“Of course, everything is fine. My daughter just got married, and I’m living comfortably now. Hahaha.”
Ha Suk-Jae laughed heartily into the phone. He got along pretty well with Lee Kyung-Wook. Myung-Ja snorted lightly upon seeing a rare side of Ha Suk-Jae.
— Would you like to go hiking, bringing our wives along?
“Ah, hiking?”
— Well, not full-out hiking. We’ll probably just hang around at the foot of the mountain and then have a delicious dinner afterward. I know of a restaurant that serves up delicious Chodang[2] bean curd. Their low wooden benches are quite spacious as well, so it’s great for playing chess.
“That sounds great. I’ll get ready to head out, then,” Ha Suk-Jae said, ending the call in delight. He grunted as he stood up, straightening his back.
Myung-Ja then asked with a knowing look, “Are you that happy?”
“Aiii, it’s good for you too. You wanted to take a walk, didn’t you? Isn’t it timely?”
He wasn’t wrong, so Myung-Ja headed back into the house to get ready.
However, concern was still tugging at her heartstrings.
‘For all we know, our daughter might be suffering under an ill-tempered father-in-law… I’m not sure if it’s alright for me to live such a carefree life.’
Myung-Ja couldn’t voice out her worries as she found her husband’s nagging tiresome. Her long sigh eventually got mixed with the warm spring breeze.
***
Meanwhile, the situation at Nam Gyu-Baek’s house was completely different from what Myung-Ja thought.
‘She should be leaving for school, right…?’ Nam Gyu-Baek stepped out of his study and scanned the house with his sharp gaze.
Ha Jae-In had actually come into his room thrice to check on him, and he had escaped every time by pretending to be asleep.
‘I must have food that I want to eat instead of the bland food they prepare for me. How can that be called health food…! Even the paper the young lambs chew on would taste infinitely better.
’
It was the worst mistake he had ever made to read a novel in a restaurant setting. He could no longer endure his desire to have fried food, one of his late wife’s favorite foods. In order to eat that, he would have to avoid his nagging daughter-in-law and try his best to avoid her.
He was fearful of his prophet-like daughter-in-law, who could even tell when he had just a sip of rice wine.
‘How can she be on the same side as Department Head Bae? There’s no one I can trust in this world,’ Nam Gyu-Baek lampooned inwardly and put on a pair of comfortable shoes.
As he quietly opened the door, a grim voice came from behind. “Oh my, when did you wake up, Father?”
“…?!” Nam Gyu-Baek turned pale, frozen on the spot. His body, which had weathered through harsh adversities all his life, was now trembling in fear.
“Y-you…” Nam Gyu-Baek’s voice squeaked. “…when did you wake up? No, that’s not important. Why… why didn’t you leave for school?”
“I thought you were not feeling well. I couldn’t stop worrying, so I decided to stay at home to study instead. Please let me know if you need anything, Father.”
Nam Gyu-Baek felt like he had been hit on the back of his head by a bat. She was going to study at home? What about all the desperation he had put into his acting, which was enough to win him the Top Male Actor Award at the film festival?
“My child… I’m about to step out to take a walk…”
“Oh my, really? Let me accompany you.”
“N-no, you don’t have to. I won’t be going too far; I’ll probably just walk a few rounds out front. Don’t worry about me, and go focus on your studies.”
“No, Father. I was just about to take a walk myself. My brain feels heavy from all the studying. Please wait for me.”
Five minutes later, Nam Gyu-Baek was walking on the streets with a face showing how done he was with life. His daughter-in-law was walking beside him, leading the way.
***
Tadadadak! Tadak! Tadadak!
Lee Yeon-Woo’s fingers flew relentlessly across the keyboard. Yang Hyun-Kyung watched him in amazement. He was sure that the turning point was after the passing of Lee Yeon-Woo’s father, but he found Lee Yeon-Woo working harder than usual.
Moments later, Lee Yeon-Woo stood up, heading to the washroom. During that short window, Yang Hyun-Kyung peeked at Lee Yeon-Woo’s screen, and soon, a smile formed on his face.
‘Oh, I see what it is, no wonder…’ Lee Yeon-Woo wasn’t working on his novel. Instead, Lee Yeon-Woo was working on his blog post—after all, he was an all-time avid reader of Ha Jae-Gun and owned a blog that wrote about the works of Poongchun-Yoo.
Lee Yeon-Woo had been writing anecdotes related to Ha Jae-Gun since early morning.
‘The content is interesting and well-written. I think Jae-Gun Hyung will like it, too,’ Yang Hyun-Kyung thought, chuckling as he read the contents.
Ha Jae-Gun approached from behind, bending down and asked, “What are you reading, enjoying so much?”
“Oh, when did you arrive? This is Yeon-Woo’s blog. You know that, right?”
Ha Jae-Gun smiled, nodding. “I go on often to read his posts as well. It’s quite interesting.”
“He has a lot of readers, and his posts are enough to be compiled and published into a book. He magnified and talked about your personal charms, which the readers enjoyed reading. Is there any way to make use of his blog?”
“No way… Let’s go for a meal. Where did Yeon-Woo go?”
“He went to the washroom earlier.”
Ha Jae-Gun’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He was happy to see the name Chae Yoo-Jin on the screen, as he hadn’t heard from her for quite a while now.
“Hello?”
— Mr. Ha, how have you been?
“Yes, I’m fine. What about you, Ms. Yoo-Jin? I said that I would visit you, but I haven’t been able to do so.”
I’m fine, aside from my body getting heavier by the day. Ah, it’s not because of the baby, but because I eat too much and have become a bit fatter because of it. Hohoho.
Chae Yoo-Jin’s voice was always so bright and refreshing that it made her listeners happy. Ha Jae-Gun laughed together in response. He was happy that Chae Yoo-Jin was happy.
— I called you because Open House’s Eden had contacted me.
“Eden?”
— That’s right. We’re about to start officially. We can go ahead with the current manuscript all the way to the end of the novel. When will you be available to discuss the book cover, marketing and a few other details?
“I’m available today if you need me.”
— You’re always so straightforward. Let’s strike while the iron’s hot, then. How about we meet today? I’ll prepare a delicious meal for you if you could come over.
After a few minutes of small talk, Ha Jae-Gun finally hung up the call. Chae Yoo-Jin’s voice was usually loud, so even Yang Hyun-Kyung had heard most of their conversation.
“Seems like the America’s release would be coming first?”
“Yeah, I can’t eat with you guys today.”
Ha Jae-Gun then glanced briefly at Lee Yeon-Woo’s screen again. Even at this time, Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t tell that these memories had accumulated over the years on Lee Yeon-Woo’s blog would be able to exert more power than just staying as memories.
1. The words used in the original pun here are: ???? & ??? (emphatic & pumpkin) ☜
2. The name Chodang is adapted from the pen name of a man called Heo Yeop, who served as the governor of Gangneung back in the Joseon Dynasty. The dish was created during his term, and even the village was named after him.
Chapter 245. It’s Fine Even If You Can’t Speak English (1)
“Aigoo, Mr. Ha. Why did you bring all these?”
“I didn’t know what’s good, so I grabbed whatever I could. It must be heavy for you to carry, so just let me know where to leave them.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Ha. Please put them here.”
Ha Jae-Gun left the bags of gifts in his hands by the pillar next to the kitchen. As he straightened his back and caught his breath, Chae Yoo-Jin said, “The editor-in-chief stopped by the mart for a while to grab some alcohol for you.”
“Soju is enough for me.”
“Yeah, he went out to grab some soju. Huhuhu. Have a seat. I’ll make a cup of coffee for you.”
“Thank you.”
Chae Yoo-Jin hummed a melody as she went to the kitchen. Ha Jae-Gun smiled at the beautiful sight of her placing a hand lightly on her round belly as she made coffee.
Was it because she had just become a mother? Chae Yoo-Jin’s aura had changed, and it was a nobility any flowery language couldn’t quite describe, making him smile.
Ha Jae-Gun gained something from the sight, and it felt rewarding.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The door rang, prompting Ha Jae-Gun to turn around.
When Ha Jae-Gun turned around, he saw Oh Myung-Suk opening the door with both hands carrying bags.
“Sorry, Mr. Ha. I should have prepared in advance and waited for your arrival, but I totally forgot about the alcohol. I bought some alcohol accompaniments while getting the soju.”
Oh Myung-Suk headed to the kitchen and stood beside Chae Yoo-Jin, discussing when dinner would be ready. They sure looked like a newlywed couple. They were all smiles, without a speck of regret on their faces as they looked at each other.
“Go talk about work with Mr. Ha first. I’ll prep the ingredients in the meantime.”
“My baby is the best. I’ll leave it to you then.”
Ha Jae-Gun and Chae Yoo-Jin sat down at the wide table and turned on the laptop. Then, the online video meeting with Eden and Ben from Open House began.
Oh Myung-Suk stole glances at them from time to time as he prepared the meal. The meeting progressed smoothly. The manuscript was cleared, and what was left to discuss was the book cover, designs of the different versions to be made available for sale, and marketing efforts.
Ha Jae-Gun felt relieved in these areas, as both Chae Yoo-Jin and Open House were experts in them. There was nothing much he could help by stepping up, so he decided to trust them.
— We will go with Dragon Rider for the subtitle. What do you think, Mr. Ha? It’ll be like this: The Breath: Dragon Rider. Are you, uh, happy with it?
“No, it’s fine.”
Ha Jae-Gun revealed a forced smile. Catching that he had made a mistake, Eden turned serious.
— Did I make a mistake in my language? Forgive me if I did. No, no, no. Please forgive me, Mr. Ha.
“You did not make any mistakes, and your Korean is great. Compared to my English skills, your Korean skills are much better. That’s what I thought.”
Ha Jae-Gun gave a thumbs-up at the camera.
Eden smiled brightly, happy to hear a compliment from Ha Jae-Gun.
— Right. It’s alright if you can’t speak English, Mr. Ha. I’m good at Korean, so just leave it to me. And please watch as I turn your The Breath into a success and grow Open House as well.
The meeting wrapped up with everyone in bright smiles and laughter. The call ended with Ben and Eden saying that they would visit Korea again soon. Chae Yoo-Jin turned off the laptop and stood up with Ha Jae-Gun.
“Thank you for today.”
“You too, Mr. Ha. Life reminds me every day of how convenient the world has become. I never imagined that we could have online meetings with Americans who live across the ocean. Isn’t this like a world in sci-fi novels?”
It was now time for the afterparty. The three of them sat around the dining table, enjoying the rest of the night.
The delicious food and a few glasses of alcohol helped to enhance the flavors. He felt his body relax under his happy mood; he kept smiling and laughing throughout the night.
“Oh my, Mr. Ha is the topic of debate in this special episode.” Chae Yoo-Jin was about to tune in to the movie channel when the TV screen showed the show host and a few panelists engaging in a debate about the pros and cons of Ha Jae-Gun’s influence in the literary circle.
[…Writer Ha Jae-Gun had the most credit in terms of crumbling the walls between the literary and genre circles. This isn’t influence, but a credit that he deserves.]
[I agree. Look, it’s been known that categorizing mainstream genres has been meaningless since the 2000s. If the publication industry wants to escape from this slump, we’ll have to rework from the foundation and change our mindset on it. Right? Everyone knows the it-shall-not-be-named literary club, right? They should be the ones changing their mindset first. But they didn’t do that, and this is why we can claim that Ha Jae-Gun has had a huge impact on the industry.]
Both Oh Myung-Suk and Chae Yoo-Jin turned around to look at Ha Jae-Gun, beaming with pride. Ha Jae-Gun turned awkward and took a sip of the soju, saying, “I don’t think it’s entertaining; let’s watch something else.”
“Hahaha, why, Mr. Ha. I find it an interesting topic.” Chae Yoo-Jin held onto the remote, unwilling to accede to Ha Jae-Gun’s request.
A while later, the camera shifted to the opposition and zoomed in on one of the men on the team.
[Anyway, I don’t think it’s good to view Ha Jae-Gun’s appearance as fully positive. There’s a common saying, “Not everything is the best.” Otherwise, why would pure literature be separated from the other genres?]
The man seemed to have forgotten that they were broadcasting live, as his words were relatively harsh.
Ha Jae-Gun, Oh Myung-Suk, Chae Yoo-Jin, and anyone else would immediately recognize the man, as he was Director Woo Jae-Hoon. The producer of the movie—Summer in My 20s.
“Why would a director not be producing movies and appear in a debate…?” Oh Myung-Suk trailed off and secretly glanced at Chae Yoo-Jin, thinking that Ha Jae-Gun would feel uncomfortable.
After all, Woo Jae-Hoon would most likely be spouting negative words that he felt were true. However, Chae Yoo-Jin did not catch his signal and glared at the screen, gritting her teeth.
[It’s obvious looking at the situation online. The media and internet are complimenting him too much. It’s as if there are no other writers in Korea other than him.]
[I’m not sure what you’re trying to drive at, Director Woo Jae-Hoon. And strictly speaking, isn’t it normal to be praising him for his works? His original novels were readapted into webtoons, games, and even dramas, and they have all been proven a huge success.]
[Which is why I’m saying, how is all that possible with Ha Jae-Gun’s power alone! How could you not get what I’m saying when you’re a critic.]
[I think you’re the problem here, Director. Ah, I somewhat understand your point, since the production you’ve put up for Summer in My 20s was meager as compared to Director Lee Eun-Ha’s drama adaptation, which was a huge hit, right? That’s what you meant, right?]
[That’s a personal attack!]
[Oh my, Director, I think you’re getting too agitated. You should direct that on the ring instead. We’re debating, so you should have evidence to support your claims. Is there something that you have against Writer Ha Jae-Gun that we don’t know about?]
[What? Are you mocking me?!]
[Now, now. Please calm down, everyone. We’re broadcasting live… this is a live broadcast.]
Woo Jae-Hoon was making a huge fuss on TV. He got up in a hurry like a fuming bull and even looked around the studio. His ill temperament made Ha Jae-Gun realize that a leopard would never change its spots.
Woo Jae-Hoon soon returned to his seat after a while and showed a finger to the opposite team.
[Evidence?! Yeah, it’s a good thing that you asked for evidence. Ha Jae-Gun’s works, There Was A Sea and Gyeoja Bathhouse that were both released in America, didn’t sell as well as in Korea, did they? Did they sell two million copies each?]
[Your example is quite weird; who else in Korea has shown such results after entering the U.S. market?]
[There’s also the licensing for the movie adaptation of Gyeoja’s Bathhouse! It’s been a while since the license was sold, but there’s still no news of its production starting. I’m saying that we shouldn’t praise a frog stuck in its well!]
[You’re just saying whatever you want now. I’m giving up on this debate.]
Oh Myung-Suk couldn’t stand it any longer and silently took the remote from Chae Yoo-Jin. It was only then that Chae Yoo-Jin realized that Ha Jae-Gun was with them and revealed an “Ah, right!” expression.
However, the next thing that happened on screen made Oh Myung-Suk unable to switch the channel.
[Let me also tell you one other thing. What’s the bestseller out of all of Ha Jae-Gun’s novels? The Breath, right? He is currently preparing for its publication in the U.S., which a company called Open House has bought the license for. Hands up if anyone here has heard of Open House here.]
The audience present looked around the room to find no one raising their hands. Woo Jae-Hoon laughed haughtily, proud of the results and continued.
[No one has heard of them, right? They’re a very small company. They’re a cheap company that runs by publishing pulp fiction. And Ha Jae-Gun is a globally known writer that produces good works, right? If so, why is he working with a company like Open House?! Am I wrong?!]
Just as Woo Jae-Hoon was about to continue on, the show host stepped up and announced a break. The screen soon changed into a TV commercial.
“I’m fine, so please don’t be concerned,” Ha Jae-Gun said just then, smiling.
Woo Jae-Hoon’s words did not affect Ha Jae-Gun at all, as Woo Jae-Hoon’s words contained not a single truth in them. On top of that, Ha Jae-Gun had a reason for choosing a small company like Open House instead of a large publication company.
Ha Jae-Gun had no regrets following his convictions a single bit.
“I’m really fine.”
Oh Myung-Suk and Chae Yoo-Jin smiled bitterly, unable to say anything.
Ha Jae-Gun tried to change the topic to lift the mood.
“I’m not sure how news of Open House got leaked, but that doesn’t really matter. I’m just surprised that Director Woo Jae-Hoon would appear on the show that is related to me. It is quite surprising, after all.”
“That’s true. He has been keeping a low profile after his most recent movie failed soundlessly without any form of news. I heard that he couldn’t even find any investors for his movie, so I was curious about how he was doing. To think that we’d see him on TV instead.”
Chae Yoo-Jin turned off the TV immediately and added, “I feel apologetic. It’s a waste of time to be concerned about all this, so please don’t take that trash’s words to heart.”
“Mr. Ha, shall we have some refreshing beer, just the two of us?”
“Wow, you’re so hateful. This is what he does every day now. Maybe I should give him a beating.”
“Hahaha.”
After enjoying some refreshing beer, Ha Jae-Gun finally stood up to leave. Chae Yoo-Jin could only send him off at the door, as she couldn’t quite move properly due to her big belly.
Oh Myung-Suk walked Ha Jae-Gun to the taxi pick-up point.
“Thanks for the food tonight. I’ve enjoyed it a lot.”
“It’s nothing much. Oh, and Mr. Ha…” Oh, Myung-Suk carefully began, “I’m sorry I couldn’t attend the wedding.”
“No, don’t worry about that.”
Oh Myung-Suk looked like he wanted to say something but was hesitant to bring it up. In fact, he had some sort of an inkling that Ha Jae-Gun had already met his father and younger brother at the wedding.
“Actually, Mr. Ha—”
“Ah, the taxi is coming. It’s still chilly at night, so please return home, editor-in-chief.” Ha Jae-Gun cut Oh Myung-Suk off intentionally. He understood a little more about the pain he was going through, and he didn’t want Oh Myung-Suk to share the pain unwillingly. It wasn’t a story worth going through the ordeal.
A taxi soon stopped in front of them.
Ha Jae-Gun bowed respectfully, expressing his thanks before they parted.
Oh Myung-Suk returned the bow as well.
The moon shone brightly that night.
***
[Director Woo Jae-Hoon targeting Ha Jae-Gun on a debate program: Ha Jae-Gun is a frog in a well]
[Woo Jae-Hoon brought up The Breath’s U.S. publication. How much of it is the truth? What kind of company is Open House?]
[Why did Ha Jae-Gun decide to sign a contract with a small publishing company, whose sales last year were only slightly over $60 million?]
[Writer Ha Jae-Gun stopped all broadcasting activities rejects telephone interview]
[From EBC: We’re trying to invite Writer Ha Jae-Gun to Strolling with Literature or Writer’s Night; we should be able to hear from him soon]
“I’m boiling with anger again today because of that wretched bastard…!” Lee Yeon-Woo muttered, clutching his stomach.
A deluge of articles inundated the internet over the last few days. The reporters had a field day writing articles about Woo Jae-Hoon’s belittling remarks about Ha Jae-Gun.
“That’s why he’s bound to fail. Humans need to be kind to others in order to reap good results.”
“Stop it now, Yeon-Woo. Why would you anger yourself like that by reading those articles? Calm down and focus on your novels.”
“Hyung, how can I calm down now? Ah, I hope The Breath becomes a huge success. That will make Woo Jae-Hoon unable to walk around with that haughty look of his. He’s just all talk.”
Jung So-Mi tried her best to suppress a chuckle as she watched the angry Lee Yeon-Woo. Jung So-Mi and Lee Yeon-Woo shared an amicable relationship after the funeral, and much of the awkwardness in their relationship had disappeared as well.
“Wow, Ms. So-Mi. Is this illustration going to be added to the U.S. version of The Breath?”
“Yes, unni. Volumes 1 and 2 are done, and this is going into volume 3. What do you think, unni?”
“Your illustrations are always the best. Edward looks so cool. I wonder who will act as Edward when the movie is being produced?”
Meanwhile, Ha Jae-Gun was listening attentively to the conversations shared amongst the writers. Ha Jae-Gun paused working on A Human’s Malice, and leaned back in his chair.
‘Phew…’
A sigh mixed with nervousness and fear escaped his lips. It was probably just today, but he couldn’t concentrate at all. The expectations of everyone around him felt too burdensome for some reason.
Bzzt!
Ha Jae-Gun’s phone rang, and Chae Yoo-Jin’s name appeared on the screen. He swallowed nervously before answering the call.
“Hello, this is Jae-Gun.”
— The delivery has just started, Mr. Ha.
Ha Jae-Gun closed his eyes. He had done his best preparing the manuscript, so what was left was the reader’s decision.
Just then, a loud clatter resounded through the office as Jeon Bong-Yi inadvertently dropped the pot lid while preparing supper.
And… another notification rang from L.A., where The Breath was just released.
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