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Big Life Chapter 256-260

Big Life Chapter 256-260

Chapter 256. It Has To Be You (3)

[Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s fantasy story, The Breath, is extremely popular. The revised edition sold almost 15 million copies in the U.S. Reviews aside, its popularity had long surpassed all records in Korea.]

The anchor’s excited voice played through the speakers. Chae Yoo-Jin sat on the sofa watching the show. Oh Myung-Suk sat beside her with a large suitcase that they had packed in advance. Today, they’d move to their new place of residence.

[The Breath is now being distributed in the UK, France, and even Germany. Agencies all over Europe are even competing with each other to get their hands on the license. But what’s the secret to its popularity? This is correspondent Pyo Sang-Woon from Paris, France.]

A video of a large bookstore in France appeared on the TV screen. A huge mountain of the French edition of The Breath showed on the screen. Meanwhile people of various skin colors were queuing up starting from the bookshelves, clearing the stocks every time there was a restock.

[Stephen LeBlush/41/French Professor: I read volume one that my colleague had and fell for the story, so I’m here on my day off to get the book. It felt like I was sucked into the story, it was really interesting.]

[Luca/17/Student: Edward is so cool, and the dragon is so lovable. It’ll be one of the novels I’ll read and read again for life. I hope it gets adapted to a movie, too.]

[Sammy/24/Office worker: I usually enjoy fantasy or sci-fi novels. This is my first time reading a novel written by a Korean author. At first, I was worried that the novel would fall short of my expectations, but it was just me being biased. I hope it will be made known to more people.]

The interviewed readers sang high praises. Chae Yoo-Jin couldn’t stop smiling even though she thought that they would use just a single praise during editing.

“Honey, look at this.” Chae Yoo-Jin gestured for Oh Myung-Suk to come over.

However, Oh Myung-Suk could not respond, as he was still on the call with Ha Jae-Gun.

“Yes, Mr. Ha. I’ve read the synopsis you’ve revised. The issue here, I think, is that the character isn’t clear enough. It’s provoking and interesting, but he’s kind of talkative.

“Pardon? Ah, of course, this is just the synopsis. It might change when you start working on the manuscript but for now…” Oh Myung-Suk scanned through the manuscript and continued without pausing. The temperature in the room was just nice, but sweat was rolling down his hollow cheeks.

“…Yes, yes. So, I think it’s better to receive the manuscripts by chapter this time. Let’s discuss it every time you send me a chapter. Yes, thank you.

“You’re going to change the title as well, right? What? We’re going with this? Mr. Ha, I’m not saying that this is a bad title, but your naming sense has always been quite direct. In my opinion…”

Somehow, Chae Yoo-Jin’s attention had shifted from the TV to Oh Myung-Suk, watching him with a smile of satisfaction. He had been feeling down ever since the incident with his younger brother, but thankfully, he had recovered somewhat.

“Of course, I will think over it. Please rest well, and I will contact you again. Yes, goodbye.” Oh Myung-Suk hung up the call but resumed typing away on the keyboard without rest. He was organizing the additional opinions to be sent over to Ha Jae-Gun. Chae Yoo-Jin tiptoed over to him, hugging him from behind.

“Why are you so busy that you didn’t even hear me calling you?”

“Ah, you called me?” Oh Myung-Suk turned around.

Chae Yoo-Jin pinched his flat cheeks, smiling bitterly. “Look at how thin you’ve become. I’m feeling nervous living with such a weak-minded man like you.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back to my old self soon,” Oh Myung-Suk replied with confidence. He was brimming with confidence and gained back his weight. He had also returned to being a reliable man to Chae Yoo-Jin. He had also become quite busy editing the novel that Ha Jae-Gun had written.

“You’d get much busier than me now, I guess?”

“Most probably. Mr. Ha is usually fast when he gets to writing his novels up until now. He has a wedding upcoming and should be quite busy with his work in China. But I think the draft should be done in half a year.”

“Will you be okay?”

“Of course, it’s my original job anyway.”

Chae Yoo-Jin let go of him, then began massaging his shoulders, murmuring, “I’m asking about you, not your work.”

“About me?”

“I’m worried, wondering if you’re really fine. I’m happy to see you working with so much enthusiasm, but if you’re forcing yourself…”

“I’m not forcing myself to overdo it.” Oh Myung-Suk cut Chae Yoo-Jin off. He stopped working and stood up, saying, “I’m just doing my work. And it’s something I enjoy. I’m enjoying myself right now. I’m sorry for making you worry all this while.”

Oh Myung-Suk caressed Chae Yoo-Jin’s belly. He steeled his resolve as he felt the warmth on his hand: He would become a much stronger person to protect the things and people precious to him.

“Shall we get going then?”

“Yeah, let’s.”

Oh Myung-Suk pulled the luggage along and headed for the porch. Two men in suits were seen waiting outside. They greeted him respectfully with hands gathered in front of them.

“Sir.”

“I said we’ll go on our own… Seriously, the department head…”

Oh Myung-Suk smiled, defeated, patting one of the man’s shoulders. These men were sent by his father. The men quickly collected the luggage and pressed the button to the elevator.

“I like this house quite a lot though,” Chae Yoo-Jin mumbled as they stepped into the elevator. She had considered this house their newlywed house, and she had created quite a number of memories during their short time there.

“We’ve decided to use this as our workspace anyway, so we can come back anytime we want,” Oh Myung-Suk said and placed a hand on Chae Yoo-Jin’s back.

The elevator doors closed and began descending to the underground carpark.

***

Ughh… Look, it’s not my fault…”

Amber lights gently illuminated a corner of the spacious study. Oh Tae-Jin had fallen asleep on his rocking chair and was suffering from a nightmare within minutes.

”It’s not my fault… Ughh… I didn’t hurt you… Don’t come over… Stop looking at me with those eyes…”

The door to the study opened, and Oh Myung-Suk entered. He had knocked on the door a few times but didn’t hear a response, which was why he entered the room without permission. He found his father sweating buckets in his sleep, so he strode over in a hurry.

“Father, are you alright?”

Ughhh… Please don’t… Please don’t hate me…”

“Father, what’s wrong with you? Please wake up.” Oh Myung-Suk tried shaking his father awake by grabbing onto his shoulders. Oh Tae-Jin finally woke up from his nightmare, his eyes opening wide in shock.

“Myung-Suk…”

“Are you awake? Did you have a nightmare, father?”

Oh Tae-Jin lifted his head back and let out a long sigh. Just seeing his eldest son made him feel extremely relieved.

“Have some water, Father.”

“Thanks.” Oh Tae-Jin took the cup of lukewarm water from Oh Myung-Suk and emptied it on the spot. He then wiped the sweat off his face with a towel and asked, “You just arrived?”

“Yes, I’ve just arrived with Chae Yoo-Jin. I knocked on the door for a while but didn’t hear a response so I just entered without permission.”

Oh Tae-Jin rubbed his face with his hands as if he were washing his face. He was reassured to see his reliable eldest son back at home, and he felt like he would be able to escape from this nightmare soon.

”You should probably go on a trip, Father.”

”I was about to go on one when you return.”

“Where are you planning on going?”

“Most likely Gyeongju. Let’s talk about it over the meal. I should go see Yoo-Jin too.” Oh Tae-Jin stood up from his rocking chair.

As he headed for the door, Oh Myung-Suk said, “Father, there’s something I would like to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“I would like to delay my promotion as an executive for a while more.”

“…?” Oh Tae-Jin turned around, his eyes narrowed. Had his eldest son decided to go back on his word after agreeing to go according to his wishes?

Oh Myung-Suk then continued, “It’s nothing that you should worry about. I’m requesting this because there’s one last thing I have to do as an editor-in-chief.”

“Something you have to do as editor-in-chief?”

“Yes, I would like to oversee another new novel written by Writer Ha Jae-Gun.”

“Ha Jae-Gun…?” The question Oh Tae-Jin muttered was not directed to his eldest son, but to himself. He still wasn’t able to work on his novel after hearing Ha Jae-Gun’s harsh feedback.

The harsh feedback was that the second half of the novel seemed to have been written by a completely different person. Oh Tae-Jin hadn’t been able to move on from that feedback, which was different from what he had heard from other fellow writers.

“Father?”

“Ah, mm… Okay.” Oh Tae-Jin snapped out of his thoughts. Somehow, he began suffering from the nightmare ever since he had heard Ha Jae-Gun’s feedback.

“Sure, do as you want.” Oh Tae-Jin agreed to Oh Myung-Suk’s request. “I hope you’ll be part of the board as soon as possible, but if you really want that, go ahead.”

“Thank you.”

“Let’s go.”

The father and son stepped out of the study together. As they walked down the hallway, Oh Tae-Jin asked, “Is Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s new novel looking good this time as well?”

”Yes, it’ll become a huge hit.” The confidence in Oh Myung-Suk’s voice made Oh Tae-Jin pout, knowing that his eldest son wasn’t the kind to fuss about such things.

“That’s how great it’s going to be, huh?”

“At least that’s how I see it. We can’t miss this; it must be published under OongSung Publication Group,” Oh Myung-Suk said firmly.

Oh Tae-Jin nodded with satisfaction and felt envious of Ha Jae-Gun at the same time. It was also his lifelong wish to hear praises from his eldest son as a writer, but he was now at the age of retirement. He had walked a long way in this life.

There’s something good about being old at least,’ Oh Tae-Jin muttered to himself as they went down the stairs. Although he would get angry like when he was younger, he was still able to compose himself and control those painful feelings.

The face of his friend, which he could never overlook, appeared in his mind once more. Oh Tae-Jin smiled in agony.

***

“I received an email from Tae-Jung.”

“About what?” Lee Soo-Hee paused from her meal and looked up. It was a name she associated with the person who had anonymously slandered Ha Jae-Gun instead of being her classmate.

“He only asked how I was doing, saying that he was thankful to me for dropping the charges. He said he’s also working hard to prepare for the civil service exam while working part-time.

“He said he was shameless, but he’d like to attend when we get married,” Ha Jae-Gun said with nonchalance as he picked up another spoonful of soup.

Lee Soo-Hee slowly nodded and said, “People don’t change that easily.”

Unsure how Ha Jae-Gun thinks, Lee Soo-Hee wasn’t able to forgive Tae-Jung and Jung-Mi. What they had done was mean, which she found incomprehensible given her confident personality.

“You’re not going to send him the invitation, right?”

“Huh?”

Ha Jae-Gun laughed. “I can’t even if I want to. We’ve already decided to invite only our families and close friends.”

“Oh my, what’s wrong with me.” Lee Soo-Hee hit herself lightly on the head, revealing an awkward smile. She would always forget about other things once she became fixated on one thing.

Just then…

“Who is it?” Ha Jae-Gun went to pick up his phone that was ringing in the living room. His eyes narrowed when he saw the name on the screen.

Why is she calling me?’ Ha Jae-Gun hadn’t changed his number once, and he never had to erase anyone’s number from his contacts at all. It didn’t matter even if he was on bad terms with someone; he’d keep their number to prevent any unknown trouble from popping up.

Ha Jae-Gun turned around to look at Lee Soo-Hee before answering, “This is Ha Jae-Gun.”

— Hello… Mr. Ha Jae-Gun.

”I can’t hear you. Please speak louder.”

— H, hello…! Hello, Mr. Ha Jae-Gun. Sobbb… sobbbbb…!

She began sobbing even more before she could get to the point. Ha Jae-Gun frowned. He could already tell why she had called him. Who would have known that she was the person behind the malicious comments that had been angering Lee Yeon-Woo these days?

— I-I was out of my mind, Mr. Ha. I don’t remember writing those things at all. While I worked as a manager of a goshiwon, I was diligently preparing for the civil service exam. But I was drinking because my studies weren’t going smoothly, and I accidentally got drunk… Sobbb…!

“What are you trying to say?”

— Please forgive me this once, Mr. Ha. L-let me go on my knees to ask for your forgiveness. Please take pity on me and forgive me.

Ha Jae-Gun was at a loss for words. The girl couldn’t stand the silence and continued anxiously.

— It’ll be the end of my life if I can’t become a public servant…! Please, Mr. Ha. I’m begging you…!

“Look,” Ha Jae-Gun finally spoke. “I know that people’s nature doesn’t change that easily. But I also think that it’s up to people to change their own bad habits.”

— M-Mr. Ha…!

“I don’t think I should do a favor to a person who does not know how to change. Do you understand me, Ms. Won Ji-Yeon?” Ha Jae-Gun spat. “I won’t agree to a settlement. The idea of you becoming a public servant just irks me.”

— M, Mr. Ha…! Sobbb…! Please! I’ll do everything you ask of me! Just please… drop the charges. Sobbb…!

Ha Jae-Gun hung up, not wanting to hear more of her sobs. Won Ji-Yeon called once more, and he blocked her number right away.

As Ha Jae-Gun returned to his seat, Lee Soo-Hee asked, “Won Ji-Yeon? It was that assistant writer?”

“Yeah, it’s like you said, people don’t change easily.”

Bzzt!

Ha Jae-Gun’s phone rang once more. Was Won Ji-Yeon calling him using someone else’s number? Ha Jae-Gun pulled out his phone with a frown, but his frown vanished instantly the moment he saw the name on the caller ID.

Chapter 257. It Has To Be You (4)

“Hello, Madam.”

— Are you asking to die?

The cheerful voice immediately became intimidating. Thanks to that, Ha Jae-Gun managed to forget the unpleasant feeling that welled up in his heart after Won Ji-Yeon’s phone call.

“Did I do something wrong, Madam? How have you been doing?”

— I’m fine. Call me Madam one more time, and you’re gonna get it from me. Right, you know the paperback book written by Tolstoy? I found it one day on the shelves while organizing and discovered something interesting.

Ha Jae-Gun blanked out for a few moments before turning pale. “N-noona.”

— If you wrote a letter, you should have sent it out. Why did you stuff it in the book? I read it, and found that it was written to someone I know, so I’m thinking of delivering it myself.

Ha Jae-Gun revealed a distorted smile, distancing himself from Lee Soo-Hee. He had totally forgotten the letter’s existence. Who would have known that the letter, which he had hidden between the pages of an old book, would fall into his sister’s hands?

“W-why are you doing this, noona. S-stop it.”

— I’ll read it out for you. Write it down, and you can revise it. How about that? To Soo-Hee. Hello, Soo-Hee. I’m Jae-Gun. I really had fun that night with the four of us, along with Jung-Jin and Hyo-Jin. I’m not sure if you felt the same way. It’s still early for the monsoon season, but the rain is coming down hard tonight while I am writing this letter to you. The weather should be the same where you are, right? We’re both in Seoul, after all? If so, the same clouds are pelting down on us right now, and it feels as if you’re by my side now. P—puhahahaha!

Ha Jae-In’s laughter rang into his eardrums.

Ha Jae-Gun was on the verge of going crazy. That letter was one of the many traces of his passionate youth. That night, he was drunk and was listening to his favorite song; he even salivated on his pillow. He couldn’t sleep a single wink that night and wrote that letter to that beautiful goddess while longing strongly for her.

“Seriously, stop it…!”

— You’re a writer, yet your letter sounds like its written by an elementary school student. Wait, I doubt elementary kids nowadays write letters like this. I guess that’s why you couldn’t send it to her after writing this. You should have consulted, and perhaps both of you would have become a campus couple at the time.

“Wait, noona. Wait…!” Ha Jae-Gun was only in a hurry to stop Ha Jae-In from blabbering even more. He cringed visibly as if bugs were crawling all over. Even his limbs weren’t moving according to his will.

Meanwhile, Lee Soo-Hee looked surprised, wondering what had happened over the phone.

Ha Jae-Gun ran away from Lee Soo-Hee’s gaze and hid in the corner of the living room. “What do you want? Tell me everything.”

— What do I want?

“Tell me everything, whatever you want to eat or get your hands on, I’ll get them for you. In exchange, you’ll have to keep this a secret until you die.”

— No, I don’t want to.

Argh, noona! Please!” Ha Jae-Gun had no choice but to beg under wraps. “I was wrong. I’m not sure what I did wrong, but everything’s my fault. I’m a sinner.”

— Ah, I’m enjoying this. You should have been obedient to your older sister, and you shouldn’t have teased me so much.

“Yes, it’s all my fault. I’m deeply reflecting upon my own actions.”

However, Ha Jae-In responded with even more laughter. She soon calmed down and continued.

— You said you’d do whatever I wanted, right?

“Yeah, I’ll do everything in my capability. What do you wish for?”

— Let Mom and I prepare the food for your wedding with Lee Soo-Hee.

“What?” Ha Jae-Gun was stunned. “What do you mean?”

— It’s what you’ve heard. To be honest, this is what Mom wants.

“Mom…?”

— Yeah, since you’re only inviting close friends and families to the small wedding, she has mentioned a few times that she wanted to prepare the food herself. Since she won’t have many chances to cook for you once you get married.

“…”

— Since Mom has that thought, then I’ll have to support her, right? Plus, you like my soups and stir-fried dishes better than Mom’s, right?

Ha Jae-Gun gulped silently. It was a wish filled with happiness. His nose tinged for not understanding his family’s lifelong wish.

— Are you not going to reply? Are you not agreeing?

“Why wouldn’t I? Of course, I agree.”

— Okay, then we’re going with that arrangement?

“Are you sure it’ll be okay?” Ha Jae-Gun suppressed his emotions, posing a realistic question. “It hasn’t been too long since you got married. Even normal families, no matter how small they are would still have dozens of guests attending weddings, so how are you going to prepare—”

— We can always hire help if we’re short on manpower.

Ha Jae-In cut her younger brother off.

— And like I said before, you don’t have to worry. I haven’t done anything else but study ever since my marriage, so I have lots of free time on my hands. My father-in-law will always ask me to go out whenever he sees me at home, meet my friends, or even go back to visit our parents at Suwon.

“Wow, what a cool father-in-law you’ve got.”

— He seemed to be always avoiding me, so I thought he didn’t like me. He seemed embarrassed even when I suggested to go on walks together.

“No way. He agreed to your marriage so easily.”

— No, it worries me. Gyu-Ho went on a two-day vacation recently, so I told my father-in-law that I hoped all three of us could go together on a trip. But he dropped his spoon as soon as he heard that.

“Maybe it’s just a mistake. Don’t be too sensitive about it.”

— Hmm, really?

Ha Jae-In let out a soft sigh. Ha Jae-Gun took the opportunity of the pause and asked, “Anyway, how is brother-in-law doing?”

— He’s extremely busy. I could count with my fingers the number of times he came home before midnight. He said his workload has increased a lot recently because of The Breath Online.

“Lee Soo-Hee mentioned it to me as well. She told me he’s the kind to check everything himself and can’t stand it if the issues aren’t resolved under his watch.”

— He also talks about Lee Soo-Hee all the time, saying that she’s a great employee and always exceeds his expectations. If he weren’t the director, he would have cooked something up, quit his job, and opened a game company together with her.

Ha Jae-Gun felt proud. He turned to the kitchen to glance at Lee Soo-Hee, but he freaked out when he saw her right in front of him instead.

“Noona… Anyway, I’ll call you again. I’m eating now, actually.”

— Ah, really? You should have told me earlier. Alright, tell Lee Soo-Hee I’ll call her another time.

“Okay, bye.”

Ha Jae-Gun hung up and looked right back at Lee Soo-Hee, observing her. From when was she listening in on their conversation? He couldn’t ask her first as well, since it’d be a shot in his own foot.

“Why are you so surprised? Did you talk about something that I shouldn’t know?”

“No. Noona called to say that Brother-in-Law kept praising you for your work. As expected, our Team Leader Lee Soo-Hee is very capable. Of course, she’s the best.”

“Your reaction is weird.”

“Nah, I’m just repeating what she told me.”

“Hmm…?”

”Ah, I’m hungry. The soup must be getting cold too.” Ha Jae-Gun headed to the kitchen as if running away to finish up the meal. Then, he ran to the bathroom afterward with the excuse that he was going to take a shower.

Before Lee Soo-Hee began washing the dishes, she sent Ha Jae-In a text message.

– Unni, I’m upset that you didn’t call me. And you must show me the letter that Ha Jae-Gun wrote, okay?

– You heard us??????? T.T T.T Oh no;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

Lee Soo-Hee grinned and put down her phone. Just then, Rika woke up from her afternoon nap and walked to her elegantly.

“Rika, between you and me both, who has better hearing?”

Meow…?

“Huhuhu.”

Lee Soo-Hee squatted down and picked up Rika. Lee Soo-Hee giggled as Rika licked her nose with her scratchy tongue, not because it felt ticklish but because she was happy.

***

“Wow, the Tae word in Mr. Tae-Bong’s name is the same as mine.”

“Haha, I know right? I’m happy to share the same hanja with you, CEO.” The two men, Woo Tae-Bong and CEO of Laugh Books, Kwon Tae-Won, sat before the gate and burst into laughter.

“They should be coming out soon.”

“Yeah, shall we go wait for them in front?”

Just then, people walked out from the arrivals gate. Woo Tae-Bong and Kwon Tae-Won looked around for their target with their sharp eyes.

Kwon Tae-Won was the first to spot his target a few moments later. An older man in his forties was seen pulling his luggage with a cold look.

Kwon Tae-Won raised his hand and waved to grab their attention.

“Department Head Lin Minhong! Over here!”

”Ah…!” Lin Minhong finally looked relieved and approached with a delightful smile.

Kwon Tae-Won was there to pick up the Department Head of Teencent Literature’s strategic planning department, Lin Minhong. He had been busy working at Teencent Pictures on the movie adaptation of Ha Jae-Gun’s original novel and was here in Korea for work-related purposes.

“Hello, CEO Kwon Tae-Won and Manager Woo Tae-Bong.”

“I feel this every time, but Department Head Lin Minhong is really fluent in Korean. Even natives find the Korean language difficult, so how come you’re fluent even in your emails?”

Hahaha. We’ll have more dealings with Korea in the future, so I studied hard.”

“No way. I’m sure you’ve done more than just study. Anyway, let’s head to the car.”

The three men got in the car and left Incheon Airport. Holding the steering wheel, Woo Tae-Bong looked worriedly at the navigation, which was displaying the address of a restaurant in Seoul.

There’s no bad news about Do-Joon, right? Otherwise, he would be able to call or write an email for that; there’s no reason for him to visit Korea personally.

Woo Tae-Bong’s priority was always Park Do-Joon.

They had already given Lin Minhong the best offer: they’d meet ninety-nine percent of the schedule required by Teencent Pictures and were willing to cancel all other schedules. This decision was made by Park Do-Joon, not Woo Tae-Bong. Park Do-Joon was that desperate to become the main character of the Records series.

And that was why Woo Tae-Bong was worried. What were they supposed to do if Teencent Pictures gave them a counteroffer that was hard for Park Do-Joon’s pride to accept?

“…”

Woo Tae-Bong stole a glance at Lin Minhong’s expression through the rearview mirror, which still remained expressionless as usual. The man was only staring at his own laptop placed on his lap. Woo Tae-Bong swallowed nervously as he stepped on the accelerator.

Around an hour later, the five men sat around a table in the Korean restaurant covered by a folding screen. Ha Jae-Gun, Park Do-Joon, Kwon Tae-Won, Woo Tae-Bong, and Lin Minhong sat in front of the big table.

The men had already exchanged greetings. However, no one had yet to touch the food on the table, and silence filled the room.

Moments later, Lin Minhong shattered the silence. “CEO Mao Yen is reviewing it positively.”

Everyone’s attention was on Lin Minhong. Park Do-Joon’s eyes were opened the widest, and he was happy to hear Lin Minhong’s words.

”She is currently convincing the executives one by one, and this also includes what actors will be cast in it. But…” Lin Minhong took a sip of his tea, and he sounded hesitant as he continued, “As everyone knows, I’m a Chinese national.”

“…?”

“And China is a country that values their face and dignity. Not just relationships between people but between large corporations as well.”

Why had Lin Minhong brought that up? Lin Minhong pondered over his words and carefully added, “I speak Korean fluently and studied the language hard because I often deal with Korean nationals, which is why I’ve naturally come to learn some culture and customs practiced in Korea.

“Anyway, please excuse me for having decided to bring this up after much consideration.”

Lin Minhong turned to Park Do-Joon and said, “CEO Mao Yen would like to tell you that she has enjoyed the indie movie Dried Tofu.”

“…Pardon?” Park Do-Joon’s mouth fell open.

How was Dried Tofu related to all those he had mentioned earlier? Park Do-Joon could not understand what Lin Minhong was trying to get at.

“The movie was good… but Mr. Do-Joon’s great acting as a Chinese in the movie gave her the justification to persuade the executives.”

“Ah…” Kwon Tae-Won and Woo Tae-Bong nodded, finally understanding what Lin Minhong was saying. Park Do-Joon glanced at Woo Tae-Bong, who had strongly rejected his acting in Dried Tofu.

Woo Tae-Bong immediately lowered his head and looked at his wrist. However, he looked away awkwardly upon realizing that he didn’t have a wristwatch.

“But, Department Head Lin Minhong…” Park Do-Joon looked away from Woo Tae-Bong and began, “You mentioned that it was half a justification, but what’s the other half…?”

“Ah, do I really need to mention the other half?” Lin Minhong asked in surprise.

“As all of you know, it’s on Mr. Ha’s recommendation.”

“…?”

“Mr. Ha, the author of the original novel, had personally recommended Mr. Do-Joon to be cast as the male lead in the movie. He said that he had shaped the character with Mr. Do-Joon in mind and that he had never imagined anyone else to take on the character aside from you

“He even said that, at least for the Records series, he thinks you’re the best actor for the role. Of course, he had also expressed quite a few personal opinions on why it has to be Mr. Do-Joon,” Lin Minhong explained with a smile.

Park Do-Joon kept a straight face as he turned slowly to his side. Ha Jae-Gun was right beside him and was smiling awkwardly. Ha Jae-Gun rubbed his nose, looking away.

Park Do-Joon felt emotional and choked momentarily.

“Um, did I… make a mistake?” Lin Minhong asked.

”N-no, not at all. It’s just that both Mr. Ha and Do-Joon are also very close friends. They’re quite shy. Haha, hahaha!” Woo Tae-Bong burst into laughter and clapped alone. Kwon Tae-Won followed after, fumbling.

Knock, knock, knock.

The door opened, and the restaurant servers sent in new dishes to the table. Woo Tae-Bong was about to use the delicious-looking dishes as an excuse to change the topic, but Lin Minhong was a step faster.

”Mr. Ha Jae-Gun.”

”Yes, please speak.”

”There’s a favor I’d like to ask.”

Ha Jae-Gun put down his chopsticks and looked directly at Lin Minhong. He had been expecting a very specific offer from the man. Otherwise, Lin Minhong would have never mentioned that CEO Mao Yen was reviewing it positively. Most importantly, the dignity of the Chinese that Lin Minhong had brought up earlier was a heavy topic, not one that could be easily glossed over.

Chapter 258. It Has To Be You (5)

“So um…” Lin Minhong trailed off as he observed everyone’s faces. Lin Minhong definitely had something to say but was hesitant about it. He cleared his dried throat a few times and continued, “CEO Mao Yen is Chinese. I’m very sorry, but I hope Mr. Ha Jae-Gun can be more understanding when you meet her the next time.”

Ha Jae-Gun nodded, dropping his gaze. A question came to him as the request was a sloppy one. Was that really his original request? Or had he changed it because the others were around? It was hard for him to guess Lin Minhong’s real motive.

“Ah, please don’t misunderstand.” Lin Minhong quickly added and waved his hand when he saw Ha Jae-Gun falling into deep thought. “I know that Mr. Ha has an excellent personality. You’ve been really great to us so far, even today. I was just thinking about the future and in consideration of our CEO’s personality—”

“I did not misunderstand.” Ha Jae-Gun cut in with a smile out of consideration for Lin Minhong, who got embarrassed and began to slow down with his words. “I understand what you’re saying. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“…Thank you.” Lin Minhong put on an awkward smile. Then, he picked up a bottle of alcohol, filling everyone’s glasses. “We’ve talked so much, so I’m starving. I’m very thankful to everyone for bringing me to such a nice restaurant. Now, let’s have a toast.”

Their meal began officially. Small conversations about the current trends in both the Korea and China publication markets were discussed over the meal. Lin Minhong never brought up things related to Ha Jae-Gun again.

“Please excuse me; I need to use the washroom.” Ha Jae-Gun excused himself. He met Kwon Tae-Won, who was already washing his hands by the sink.

“Department Head Lin Minhong seems to be laying the groundwork,” Kwon Tae-Won spoke.

“Groundwork?”

“He’s not the kind to beat about the bush with such a small request. I think he’s going to request something else from us soon, but I’m not sure what it is.”

Ha Jae-Gun nodded. Kwon Tae-Won had the same thoughts as him. Ha Jae-Gun felt some confidence with his vague speculations.

“We’ll find out what he meant by understanding CEO Mao Yen’s personality soon. Please don’t think too much about it.”

“Alright.”

Ha Jae-Gun and Kwon Tae-Won returned to their seats, and the meal ended soon afterward. After exchanging their goodbyes, Lin Minhong took the car with Kwon Tae-Won since they had agreed beforehand that Kwon Tae-Won would drop Lin Minhong off at his reserved accommodation.

After the two men left, Ha Jae-Gun and Park Do-Joon hopped into the backseat of Woo Tae-Bong’s car.

“Tae-Bong hyung, is it really fine? I’d reach quite fast by taking the subway, too.”

“I just need to send Do-Joon to the broadcast station by 8 p.m., so we still have a lot of time. Plus, the attention on you is currently at its peak. Who knows? You might get swarmed on the way back alone.” Woo Tae-Bong was all smiles. He was grateful to Ha Jae-Gun for helping Park Do-Joon quietly on the side.

Do-Joon has really gained a good friend.’ Park Do-Joon had definitely changed drastically after getting to know Ha Jae-Gun.

Park Do-Joon had been the lonely type, but he changed and had become a brighter person. Even his twisted views of the world and his emotionally guided actions had reduced significantly. The positive changes were also a great help to his life as an actor.

The car drove out onto the road. As Woo Tae-Bong turned the steering wheel, he looked at the rearview mirror. The two men behind did not speak a single word and only looked out their own side of the window.

Knowing the reason for the stifling silence, Woo Tae-Bong chuckled and said, “Writer Ha, why don’t you change your hairstyle?”

“My hairstyle?”

“Yeah, I think many people would fail to recognize you if you just changed it slightly. It’d become more convenient for you to travel around by then. I think you’ll look good with a perm.”

“I was thinking of that as well.” Park Do-Joon turned around, happy to hear a conversation starting. He had been pondering over what to talk about amidst the silence.

“Speaking of which, Ha Jae-Gun, why haven’t you been visiting the salon I introduced to you? The director there has been feeling upset that you haven’t been there recently. Did you find their skills insufficient for your needs?”

“Of course not. They did my hair really well. However, they treated me so well that it was uncomfortable. I went there to get a haircut once, but they took care of me like a king.”

“Well, you paid for your service, so why feel uncomfortable? I guess you’re feeling shy going there by yourself. Do you want to go together on my next appointment?”

“Shall I?”

“Yeah, let’s go together.”

“Okay.”

“…” The conversation ended there, and silence followed. Woo Tae-Bong tried to suppress his chuckle for a while before eventually deciding to turn on the radio. As classical music flowed out from the player, Park Do-Joon closed his eyes, trying to nap until they neared Ha Jae-Gun’s house.

“Mr. Ha, we’re here.”

”Mm, yes.” Ha Jae-Gun opened his eyes and sat up. He had fallen asleep from the refreshing wind from the aircon.

“Thank you for dropping me here, Tae-Bong hyung.”

“No worries. Bye, Writer Ha.”

“Thank you. I’ll see you again, Do-Joon.”

“Yeah, rest well. I’ll call you again.”

Ha Jae-Gun slowly walked to the porch of his house. Park Do-Joon watched Ha Jae-Gun’s back view for a while, biting his lips. Eventually, he opened the car door.

“Why? You’re alighting?”

“Wait a minute.” Park Do-Joon got out of the car and strode over to Ha Jae-Gun.

Hearing footsteps, Ha Jae-Gun turned around with a smile and asked, “Did you forget something?”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll do my best.”

Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes widened. Park Do-Joon stood tall, but his eyes were on the ground, not knowing where else to look. He was shy to express his gratitude and finally added after much pondering, “I’ll never disappoint you.”

“Do-Joon…”

“I’m going, then.” Park Do-Joon finished his piece and turned around. A smile slowly bloomed on Ha Jae-Gun’s face as he watched Park Do-Joon walk away.

Bzzt!

“Huh? He’s here?” Ha Jae-Gun was about to head back into his house when Kwon Tae-Won called him.

“Yes, President Kwon.”

— Have you arrived home? I just saw Department Head Lin Minhong take the hotel’s elevator up. I’m on the way back to the office.

“I have just arrived home as well. I haven’t got the chance to tell you earlier, but thanks for your help today.”

— No problem. More importantly, Writer Ha, I think I know what Department Head Lin Minhong is referring to.

“What is it?”

— The Breath.

“…?”

— When I was alone with him in the car, we were only talking about The Breath. And he even said he wants to set up a meeting with just the three of us in the near future.

Lin Minhong wants to bring The Breath onto the negotiation table concerning the Records series? However, the puzzle pieces seemed to fit now. Ha Jae-Gun waved at Rika just as she walked up to him.

“What are your thoughts, President?”

— Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it? They must be wanting to ask about the movie licensing for The Breath’s movie adaptation. I think it’s somehow linked to CEO Mao Yen’s dignity, which he had been emphasizing during the meal.

“I have the same thoughts. If they’re really trying to include The Breath on the negotiation table, then we’ll have to discuss this with Yoo-Jin as well.”

— I’ll talk to them further about it and update you again.

Ha Jae-Gun hung up the call and picked up Rika, putting her on his chest.

Phew…” Ha Jae-Gun let out a sigh, worried that he might have to keep working until the day before his wedding. Rika seemed to have read his complicated thoughts and licked his cheeks to comfort him.

***

“Really?”

“Yes, Department Head Lin Minhong visit Korea just to meet Ha Jae-Gun.”

“Where did you hear that from?”

“I have a junior I know working at the Korea branch office. I told them to update me if they heard any news regarding Ha Jae-Gun.”

Oho.” Kwon Sung-Deuk nodded as he rubbed one ear. He was in the car on the way to the office, and his mind was only filled with Ha Jae-Gun, who wasn’t even related to any state affairs.

“What shall we do, Assemblyman?”

“I’m still thinking about it.” Kwon Sung-Deuk closed his eyes and clicked his tongue. He hadn’t been able to meet Ha Jae-Gun ever since their meeting during Nam Gyu-Ho and Ha Jae-In’s wedding.

His aide had tried contacting Ha Jae-Gun a few times but was met with rejection every time. Even the attempt through the cultural department’s deputy minister earned him the same result, ruining his pride as the fourth assemblyman.

How dare that insolent punk…!’ Kwon Sung-Deuk could only yell out his thoughts internally, feeling regretful.

In the meantime, Ha Jae-Gun’s position as a writer had gotten stronger. The Breath had swept across the U.S. and various countries in Europe. Even four-year-old children had heard of the novel and were reading it. After much pondering, Kwon Sung-Deuk pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

The line connected after a few rings.

— Aigoo, isn’t this Assemblyman Kwon?

“Haha, yes, Minister. Have you had lunch?”

— Yes, I ate earlier and just reached the building. Why did you call?

“What other reason would the C.B.C. have by talking to the Minister of Culture? Of course it’s to discuss good projects that would serve the national interest. Hahaha.” Kwon Sung-Deuk burst out into laughter. Then, he calmed down and continued in a low tone, “I hear that Writer Ha Jae-Gun is very popular?”

— Ah, Writer Ha Jae-Gun? He is very popular. When did we ever have a writer from Korea who had seen so much success overseas? I’m glad to see this as the Minister of Culture as well.

“Well, how about arranging an official meeting with the man himself instead of just being happy alone? I’m not just a member of the C.B.C. in name. When else should I give me support if not now?”

— Mm, yes… But quoting the deputy minister’s words, Writer Ha Jae-Gun seems to be very reluctant to engage in public events or businesses. He doesn’t wish to get involved in anything else other than his own work.

Kwon Sung-Deuk laughed at the minister’s words. “It seems like the writer is indeed still young, so he doesn’t know how the world works just yet. No one asked him to run for the elections. He just has to appear for the events in which everything had been set up properly for him, isn’t that right?”

 Hahaha, yes, well…

The minister chuckled awkwardly, glossing over his response.

Kwon Sung-Deuk loosened his necktie and continued, “I heard about Ha Jae-Gun’s novel that is being distributed by Teencent in China; the department head of Teencent’s strategic planning department is currently in Korea.”

— Ah, really?

“You know how rich their company is, right? They should be meeting Ha Jae-Gun these few days, so who should set up the meeting?”

— Mm, I understand what you mean, but…

“Is this a concern? We’re people working for the nation. And what is that supposed to do? To make the citizens happy, and strengthen the country, right? I’m sharing this with you, so that we can work for the nation’s interest together.”

Kwon Sung-Deuk added internally, ‘Ha Jae-Gun’s existence is the nation’s benefit in itself, so both of us should stick a spoon into it.’

— I know that, but we’ll require to obtain Ha Jae-Gun’s consent…

“Who says that we must persuade them before setting up the meeting? We need to look up at the sky before picking the stars. Let’s start by contacting them first and getting them to the table. I will approach Teencent through my aide.”

Kwon Sung-Deuk was soon within distance from his office. He hung up the phone after making plans to contact the minister again. As he fixed his tie, he told his aide, “Call that Lin Minhong guy. I’ll have to see what kind of person he is first.”

“Yes, Assemblyman.”

Kwon Sung-Deuk alighted from the car and threw the cigarette, which he had been smoking into the trash can. However, the cigarette butt fell to the floor instead, but Kwon Sung-Deuk ignored it and headed straight into the building.

Chapter 259. It Has To Be You (6)

“CEO, this is Lin Minhong. I have just arrived at the hotel.”

— I’ve been waiting for your call. How did the talk go?

“I have told them the truth as per your instructions. Though I’m not sure if they have felt burdened…” Lin Minhong shared the lunch conversation over the phone.

Mao Yen listened attentively, then chuckled lightly.

— That’d be enough. You’ve worked hard.

“Thank you.”

— Mr. Ha is a pragmatic person, but he’s emotionally sensitive as well. It might be better for us to be open with him right from the start.

”I think so, too. We’re not an insolvent company like Wizardry, so I think we can come to an agreement at the next negotiation.”

— Of course, I trust your capabilities. Please take care of the rest of the project.

“Yes, Madam. Ah, there’s something else I have to tell you.” Lin Minhong quickly added before Mao Yen hung up.

”Someone from the parliament has contacted me.”

— A member of the parliament?

”Yes. He’s called Kwon Sung-Deuk, a fourth-term lawmaker. He’s part of the C.B.C., and he contacted me, asking to meet me in my capacity as a representative of Teencent.” Lin Minhong explained Kwon Sung-Deuk’s profile, which he had his subordinates investigate.

Mao Yen soon replied.

— Does he have any connection with the Department Head of the Central Publicity Department, Mr. Liu Bao?

“From my investigations, no.”

— But I’ve heard of that name somewhere…

“What should I do?”

— Nothing good will come out of ruffling the feathers of politicians. However, it’d still be good to meet them at least once. Go meet them and find out what their intentions are. I will also do my best on my end.

“I understand.”

On that same evening, Lin Minhong and Kwon Sung-Deuk met up secretly somewhere in Seoul.

***

“How is it?”

“…” Ha Jae-Gun did not answer, not because he didn’t hear the question, but because her beauty had rendered him speechless. His breath was taken away by Lee Soo-Hee’s shy look in her wedding dress.

“Look at Jae-Gun, he’s lovestruck.” Ha Jae-In chuckled as she watched from the side. Eventually, she slapped Ha Jae-Gun’s back.

Ha Jae-Gun finally came back to his senses and said, “You look good.”

“Is that all?”

“So pretty.”

Lee Soo-Hee scrunched her nose slightly, showing that the answer she heard wasn’t that satisfactory.

Is he referring to the dress? Or me?’ Lee Soo-Hee wanted to ask that but held back since her sister-in-law, Ha Jae-In, was around.

“But I think the third dress you wore earlier looks better.”

“The third one? The pink dress?”

Ha Jae-Gun nodded slowly. In his eyes, Lee Soo-Hee had the most beautiful legs in the entire world, and he wanted her to wear a mini dress to accentuate that part.

Ha Jae-In did not forget to give her two cents as well. “That dress looks cute and bright, and it seems lighter too. Didn’t it feel like something’s missing?”

“I thought so, too, unni. I think this is prettier. The laces are plentiful too…”

Ha Jae-In and Lee Soo-Hee put their heads together, agonizing over the choices. Soon, Ha Jae-In announced that she was going to the washroom. Ha Jae-Gun immediately asked Lee Soo-Hee in a low tone, “Do you really like this dress?”

“Do you really think it’s not a good fit?”

“No, this is pretty, too. I’m just saying that we should choose what you like. It’s our wedding after all.”

“I’ll do that even if you haven’t said it.”

Lee Soo-Hee giggled lightly while still in the dress. Ha Jae-Gun’s heart was almost starting to melt, then thought to himself that maybe he hadn’t explored half of Lee Soo-Hee’s beauty yet.

“So you’re going to go with this?”

“I’ll think over it a bit more.”

“You don’t really like the third dress?”

“Stop it. You think I don’t know what’s on your mind?” Lee Soo-Hee pinched Ha Jae-Gun’s cheeks and then whispered, “The privilege to look at my legs belongs only to you.”

“…” Ha Jae-Gun was speechless. Ha Jae-In returned after a while, and the two ladies resumed agonizing over the best wedding dress for Lee Soo-Hee. Ha Jae-Gun had been standing for so long without doing anything that his legs were starting to hurt, so he decided to step out of the studio for a while.

Bzzt!

“Oh? Hello? Assistant Secretary?”

— Hello, Mr. Ha. How have you been?

Ha Jae-Gun had a spotless smile on as they exchanged greetings. The Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Culture had been looking out for Ha Jae-Gun’s convenience on multiple occasions. He had never made any cumbersome arrangements at all.

“I’m doing very well. I hope the same was for you.”

— Of course. Hahaha, anyway, I see that you’ve been very famous recently. How many countries has The Breath expanded to? Six? Seven?

“I was lucky. The novel is still quite lacking, but it’s all thanks to the support of my good friends.”

— As I’ve said multiple times, please do write th part two of The BreathHuman’s Malice which you’ve told me about before is good, too, but I’m more curious about Edward’s backstory. Please don’t misunderstand; I’m only expressing my wishes as a reader. Hahaha.

“Thank you for your encouragement.”

Ha Jae-Gun chuckled along with the assistant secretary. As their laughter died down, the assistant secretary brought up the main topic for making this call.

— Mr. Ha, are you busy lately?

“Not really. I’m not particularly busy.”

— When would you like to have dinner with the deputy minister?

“Dinner with the deputy minister?” Ha Jae-Gun’s face slowly darkened.

The assistant secretary knew of Ha Jae-Gun’s personality, so he quickly added,

— It’s nothing special. The deputy minister only wanted to learn your thoughts and knowledge on the overseas markets, as well as the trends in the publication industry, from you.

“That sounds much scarier, Assistant Secretary. I’m a writer, so I don’t have much to share about in those areas.”

— It’s not an official meeting, so please don’t feel burdened by it. It’s just a light-hearted dinner, and you just have to share a few words for the development of Korean content. His term is coming to an end, could you please do me this favor?

Ha Jae-Gun was about to buy drinks from the vending machine before him, but he froze and started pondering over the assistant secretary’s words instead. If it were a favor from the head of the district office, he wouldn’t have to spend time pondering over it.

However, it wasn’t because of their position or affiliation. It was all because Ha Jae-Gun respected the assistant secretary of the Ministry of Culture on a personal level.

Upon recalling that his term was ending, Ha Jae-Gun finally came to a conclusion.

“Then, is this a meeting with just me, you, and the deputy minister?”

— Yes, that’s right.

Ha Jae-Gun then nodded. “Alright, I’ll go for this meeting.”

— Thank you, Mr. Ha. When will be good for you? The deputy minister is free on all days except for Thursday, but the sooner, the better.

“I’m free any day for dinner until next week.”

— Okay, Mr. Ha. Then I’ll get back to you with a confirmed date and time.

Ha Jae-Gun said goodbye and hung up the call. Just as he was getting a drink from the vending machine, he recalled the allegory of a certain philosopher: “What else is as difficult as relationships in this world?”

***

“Do you have any idea why Yeon-Woo has been spacing out recently?” Kang Min-Ho whispered into Yang Hyun-Kyung’s ears. He had just arrived at the writer’s office in Bucheon. The newlywed couple—Kang Min-Ho and Jang Eun-Young—had been clocking in at the office every three or four days.

“He’s been like this since last week. Look at his eyes, just blanking out.”

“I’m not sure, either. I’ve asked him a couple of times, but he has never given me a proper answer. Fortunately, he’s still working on his novel.” Yang Hyun-Kyung then tilted his head to one side, muttering, “Maybe it’s because of a girl he likes? He has been looking more frequently at his phone.”

“Probably not a girl; maybe he became a domestic financier like you did at the time?”

“Hyung, why are you bringing up stocks here?”

“It’s just a joke. Alright, don’t be upset. I’ll buy you lunch.”

While Kang Min-Ho was pacifying Yang Hyun-Kyung, Lee Yeon-Woo was still staring at his blank monitor screen. Even his nose hair was turning white as he kept his concern to himself, unable to share it with anyone else.

How come he hasn’t been contacting me?

’ There hadn’t been any messages or calls from the brilliant editor-in-chief of OongSung Publication Group for days now. Lee Yeon-Woo would check his text messages or email inbox dozens of times a day, but he was soon getting tired of it.

 

Aish, forget it. Maybe he’ll contact me before the month ends.’ Lee Yeon-Woo shook off the distracting thoughts and decided to work on his novel first. Although he had been working slower than usual due to the anguish he was feeling, his fingers still typed out the sentences smoothly.

“Lee Yeon-Woo, it’s lunchtime. Let’s have lunch first. Eun-Young noona is making omurice for us.”

“Please go ahead first and leave a portion for me. I haven’t met my morning quota yet, so I’ll eat after finishing that.”

“Wow, pretending to be diligent. He’s become a changed person.”

“Hyun-Kyung hyung, isn’t your tone on the slightly negative side?” All the other writers turned on the TV and gathered around the dining table. As political news began showing, Jeon Bong-Yi looked at everyone at the table and asked, “This isn’t interesting to watch, right? Shall I change the channel?”

“Yeah, let’s watch the drama or movie channel.” Just as Jeon Bong-Yi picked up the remote control to change the channel, the news anchor appeared on the screen.

The news crawl showed the following words: “Assemblyman Kwon Sung-Deuk mentions Writer Ha Jae-Gun while emphasizing the importance of the content industry.”

“Huh? They’re talking about Writer Ha.”

“Oh, really?”

The writers stopped eating and look at the TV screen. Even Lee Yeon-Woo stopped working and walked over to the TV. The news anchor then played through the speakers clearly.

[…A forum to promote the content industry will be held on the 22nd at the third seminar room of the National Assembly building. At this forum, which is co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Assemblyman Kwon Sung-Deuk,…]

“What? This isn’t about Jae-Gun hyung at all.”

“Wait a bit more.” Jang Eun-Young hit Lee Yeon-Woo on the back, warning him.

A while later, the screen showed the National Assembly building and mentioned Ha Jae-Gun.

[…Assemblyman Kwon Sung-Deuk mentioned Writer Ha Jae-Gun, whose name has become a household name globally while emphasizing the importance of the content industry. He also said that the nation should spare all support for the development of Korea’s content industry to consistently produce competent writers like Ha Jae-Gun.]

“Who is Kwon Sung-Deuk?”

“No matter how uninterested you are in politics, you can’t not know Kwon Sung-Deuk. He’s a fourth-term assemblyman,” Jang Eun-Young chided.

Jeon Bong-Yi nodded and said, “I’m not familiar with politics, but my father likes that assemblyman. I’m sure he has a high approval rating.”

“Right. I think he’s also the one who proposed the fixed book prices, right? He looks familiar.”

“Anyway, Writer Ha is just amazing. Regardless of what kind of person that assemblyman is, doesn’t this mention mean that he’s become the representative writer of Korea?”

“Yeah, hearing this through the news made it seem like he’s not the same Writer Ha Jae-Gun that we know.”

“I kinda miss Writer Ha now that we’re on the topic. I wonder when will he drop by the office again?”

“He’s quite busy recently. I think it’s faster if we just meet him at his wedding instead.”

Smiles appeared on the writers’ faces as they talked about Ha Jae-Gun. Even his biggest fan and manager, Lee Yeon-Woo, stopped working on his novel and went to sit at the dining table, wanting to join in the conversation.

Meanwhile, Sung-Deuk was still on TV with all smiles, talking about Ha Jae-Gun.

***

“Yes, Editor-in-Chief. I’ve just sent you the manuscript of Human’s Malice up to chapter three. Please read through them and share your thoughts. Ah, I have a dinner appointment and am in a rush, so I took the taxi. Yes, please enjoy your dinner, Editor-in-Chief.”

Just as his phone call ended, the taxi had arrived at its destination as well. They stopped outside an old hanok with a large yard.

It was the Korean restaurant where they had agreed to have dinner. As he walked through the entrance, a middle-aged lady in hanbok and beautifully combed hair greeted him.

“Welcome.”

“Hello. I’m sure a reservation has been made. My name is Ha—”

“You’re Mr. Ha Jae-Gun, right?”

“Ah, yes.”

The middle-aged lady, whom he hadn’t met before, continued with a gentle smile. “I’ve always enjoyed your novels. My name is Park Hae-Ryeong, and I’m the manager of this restaurant. I’m extremely happy to see an accomplished writer like you visiting us.” She then bowed a ninety-degree bow.

Flustered, Ha Jae-Gun returned with a bow as well.

“It’ll be great if you could give me an autograph later.”

“I’ll make sure to do so. And I should be the one thanking you instead for reading my works.”

“The room is at the end of the corner, over there.”

Ha Jae-Gun took off his shoes and crossed the hall, walking over to the room under the manager’s guidance. He looked at his wristwatch and found that he was five minutes earlier than the agreed time.

I could have been late; the traffic was so congested today…’ Ha Jae-Gun straightened his clothes as he stood before the sliding door. As he was about to open the door, someone else opened it first from the inside, and a familiar face appeared.

“…Department Head Lin Minhong?”

“Wait, why are you here, Mr. Ha Jae-Gun…?”

Both Ha Jae-Gun and Lin Minhong stared at each other blankly. Ha Jae-Gun then shifted his surprised gaze to the people gathered in the room.

Chapter 260 – Don’t Provoke Me (1)

Aigoo, you’ve arrived earlier than we expected. We were about to explain the situation. Hahaha.” The Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Culture scanned the room anxiously and laughed awkwardly while scratching the back of his head.

Ha Jae-Gun’s gaze passed the deputy minister and laid on the assistant secretary sitting next to him. The assistant secretary couldn’t look Ha Jae-Gun in the eye. He avoided Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes as much as possible, feeling guilty for causing an unwelcoming situation for Ha Jae-Gun.

Just what is happening here.’ Ha Jae-Gun looked back at Lin Minhong. Lin Minhong was stunned as well, as he didn’t think that Ha Jae-Gun would appear at this meeting either.

Just then, the person with the answer stepped into the hall. “I’m sorry for being late; I needed to go to the toilet.”

“…?” Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes widened even before he turned around. His body instinctively became heavy. He recalled meeting that person once at his older sister’s wedding, but the memory was still vivid in his mind.

“Why are you all standing around, not taking a seat?” The fourth-term assemblyman, Kwon Sung-Deuk’s voice, boomed shamelessly.

Ha Jae-Gun finally realized what was going on. He had just become a pawn in Kwon Sung-Deuk’s game. This could be easily inferred upon seeing how Lin Minhong was flustered and how the assistant secretary couldn’t raise his head.

The world is small indeed.’ Ha Jae-Gun almost laughed out in front of everyone. He didn’t expect this to happen even before he opened the door—he never thought that he’d unknowingly get caught in Kwon Sung-Deuk’s plan. His toes went numb while his insides heated up slowly.

“C-come on in first.” the deputy minister stepped up amidst the tension in the room, breaking out into a cold sweat.

“As everyone knows, Assemblyman Kwon here is from the C.B.C. and works hard for the development of Korea’s content industry. I can’t be the only person to hear Mr. Ha’s precious opinions, and I was caught up in the tight schedule until yesterday, so I couldn’t personally inform him in advance….” the deputy minister trailed off and handed the baton to the assistant secretary.

“Did you not tell Mr. Ha in advance?”

“Pardon? No, I….” The assistant secretary had nothing to say; the guilt toward Ha Jae-Gun only weighed heavier in his heart. He felt so wronged that he very much wanted to yell his frustration out.

Kwon Sung-Deuk passed Ha Jae-Gun, stepping into the room and continued, “We can skip the introductions between Writer Ha and Department Head Lin Minhong, right? I know Department Head Lin Minhong as well, as he’s from the company, which is the cream of the top in China’s content industry. That’s why I called him. I wonder how CEO Mao Yen is doing these days…”

Kwon Sung-Deuk spoke as if he and Mao Yen had known each other for a long time.

Lin Minhong was speechless at how Kwon Sung-Deuk had subtly exaggerated his connections when this was only their second time seeing each other. On top of that, he was certain that Kwon Sung-Deuk and Mao Yen had never met each other before.

Anyway, Lin Minhong was a careful person. He wouldn’t have climbed to his current position as Teencent’s head of the strategic planning department if it hadn’t been for his capabilities. He kept his thoughts to himself for now and gestured for Ha Jae-Gun to take his seat.

“Mr. Ha, please, sit over here.” Ha Jae-Gun and Lin Minhong’s eyes met.

Ha Jae-Gun hesitated for a while and finally nodded. Kwon Sung-Deuk’s motive was obvious, but Lin Minhong and the assistant secretary were both present. He decided to listen to find out what was exactly going on.

Ha Jae-Gun sat on the left of the huge table along with Lin Minhong.

Kwon Sung-Deuk and the others sat on the right side.

Kwon Sung-Deuk then began their dialogue.

“It’s regrettable that I wasn’t able to participate in such an important cultural exchange between Korea and China when the head of the Central Publicity Department, Liu Bao, was here. I was busy with state affairs back then.”

No one responded to him; the deputy minister and the assistant secretary merely nodded amidst the awkward silence.

Regardless, Kwon Sung-Deuk continued, “I like Writer Ha a lot, I’m really proud of him. We don’t have any other writer like him in Korea, do we? Isn’t that right, deputy minister?”

“Yes, yes. I have the same thoughts. There’s no one else like Mr. Ha Jae-Gun, who is capable of boosting national prestige with his novels that touches the hearts of everyone,” said the deputy minister, stepping up in an attempt to pacify Ha Jae-Gun, but Ha Jae-Gun remained expressionless.

Kwon Sung-Deuk tapped the tabletop, adding with a sigh, “We need to nurture more of such talents like Writer Ha, yeah? I can’t help but be filled with regret. Why would we need the country, the president, and assemblymen like me?”

Kwon Sung-Deuk’s eyes laid on Ha Jae-Gun. “Writer Ha, please believe in me from now on. I will make sure to bring your name to higher heights, bringing more recognition to more readers. I must make that happen. Everyone here is working for the country, aren’t we?”

“…!” Ha Jae-Gun felt disgusted as he gulped angrily. Anger was boiling from within him, and it was surging toward his esophagus and throat. If Kwon Sung-Deuk were a reader who had even read one of his novels, Ha Jae-Gun wouldn’t have been this angry upon getting to know of the elder man’s snobbish and underhanded methods.

“Everyone must be thirsty. Come, let’s have a drink,” the deputy minister suggested cautiously, holding up his glass.

Ha Jae-Gun held up his glass but did not join in the toast and instead drank its contents immediately. As he drank it on an empty stomach, the effect of the alcohol felt stronger than normal.

“You must be pretty good at drinking, Writer Ha,” Kwon Sung-Deuk commented after emptying his own glass. Of course, he wasn’t looking for a response. This was a prelude to a so-called fight of the nerves. Kwon Sung-Deuk found it necessary to remind Ha Jae-Gun here today that he was someone who had been around in this society for much longer.

“Oh, Deputy Minister. Did the Minister of the Ministry of Culture come up with any good ideas for Writer Ha to adopt?”

As Kwon Sung-Deuk threw that question to the deputy minister, Ha Jae-Gun suddenly grabbed the bottle of alcohol in front of him. He had politely rejected Lin Minhong’s offer to fill his glass and instead filled his own glass to the brim.

I haven’t seen this side of him before….’ Lin Minhong was stunned. He sensed the anger that was smothering Ha Jae-Gun’s calm expression. He couldn’t predict what would happen at this table in this room today.

Just then, Kwon Sung-Deuk widened his eyes and snapped his fingers as if something had suddenly come to his mind. “Right, Deputy Minister. How about turning it into cultural content?”

“Cultural content?”

“Look at the local self-governing bodies. There are many cases where they build memorial halls and literature halls in commemoration of famous writers. Of course, people would say that it’s difficult to achieve in Seoul, but we’re not talking about any Tom, Dick, or Harry here. We’re talking about Writer Ha. What do you think?”

“Oh…! That’ should be possible with Mr. Ha Jae-Gun’s reputation. Come to think of it, I remember the Mayor of Donghae saying that he wanted to pursue some sort of business there, right?” The deputy minister clapped with joy.

However, the assistant secretary was aware of Ha Jae-Gun’s nature, and he felt like crying at the remarks.

Kwon Sung-Deuk nodded in satisfaction and admired his own brain work as he muttered, “There’s also the idea of coming up with a creative residency. There must be hundreds and thousands of aspiring writers who would like to learn from Writer Ha. Anyway, I’ll meet the Seoul mayor soon and discuss more on this. Ah, Writer Ha. You don’t have to worry about the budget.”

Instead of replying, Ha Jae-Gun emptied his glass once more. This was already the third glass he had on an empty stomach. Lin Minhong couldn’t even attempt to stop Ha Jae-Gun.

“I need to go to the washroom.” Ha Jae-Gun finally spoke up and stood up. This conversation was not something he needed to put his attention on. He hadn’t even decided on anything yet, but everyone else had already gotten ahead of themselves.

Ha Jae-Gun let out a huge sigh as he stepped into the washroom. His face shown in the reflection was bright red. It couldn’t be helped, as he had downed three glasses of alcohol on an empty stomach. He washed his face with cold water, and his complexion seemed to have recovered slightly.

I’m not the odd one, right?’ Ha Jae-Gun asked himself, staring in the mirror.

The faces of the people whom he were missing appeared one by one in the mirror. Aside from his family were Park Jung-Jin, Park Do-Joon, Kwon Tae-Won, Oh Myung-Suk, Jung So-Mi, and so on. They were all people he felt grateful for putting their best foot forward for him. The last person’s face to appear in the mirror was Lee Soo-Hee’s beautiful face, and he was about to get married to her.

Creakkk.

The washroom door opened behind Ha Jae-Gun, and Kwon Sung-Deuk stepped in.

Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes met with his through the mirror.

“Is the weather hot for you, Writer Ha? I saw that you were drinking pretty fast.” Kwon Sung-Deuk headed to the urinal and unzipped his pants.

Ha Jae-Gun pulled out a paper towel and wiped his face dry. It would be best if Kwon Sung-Deuk could just keep to himself. However, Kwon Sung-Deuk’s strong will did not allow him to let Ha Jae-Gun off so easily.

“Writer Ha, I think it’ll be better if you had a bit more sociability.”

Ha Jae-Gun stopped wiping his face.

Kwon Sung-Deuk finished his business and turned around, continuing with a “teaching” tone of voice, “We’re in an era where we have to appeal to the crowd regardless of our jobs. Of course, you have made great accomplishments. I know that. However, if you recognize that relationships between people are also as important, then you’d become much—”

“Assemblyman,” Ha Jae-Gun interrupted and stopped wiping his face. Ha Jae-Gun had come to a conclusion about what he should do in this situation. His hand trembled in anger as he clenched the ball of paper towel in his fist.

“Will you please shut your trap up?”

“…?!” Kwon Sung-Deuk was in utter disbelief, enough for him to look around to see if there was anyone else with them in the washroom. However, there were only him and Ha Jae-Gun, and Ha Jae-Gun’s words had to be directed at him.

“Y-you…!” Kwon Sung-Deuk’s breathing turned rapid as he stammered, “W-were you… talking t-to me…?!”

As a fourth-term assemblyman, Kwon Sung-Deuk had never once heard of such words, even during a chaotic situation at the National Assembly. However, a thirty-year-old middle-aged man had just told him to shut up.

“I’ll be leaving now.”

“S-stop right there!” Kwon Sung-Deuk shouted, spitting at the same time. His eyes grew so wide, and his nostrils were flaring. His nose hairs, which were thick like weeds, seemed to be wriggling as if they were living creatures.

“Writer Ha! You don’t have any manners at all! How dare you act out of your place when you’ve just gained a bit of fame—”

“Please stop speaking informally to me!” Ha Jae-Gun yelled back, anger painting his face red.

Surprised, Kwon Sung-Deuk retreated a step.

“I’ve been wanting to ask you since we met, but are you my father? I’m about to get married, and I’m about to start a family myself. Please do not speak to me informally, as we are not blood related.”

“Y-you…! Y-youuu…!” Veins bulged all over Kwon Sung-Deuk’s neck, but his voice wouldn’t come out of his throat. Meanwhile, his fingers, which were pointed at Ha Jae-Gun, were shaking so much that it looked like he was a malaria patient. Kwon Sung-Deuk was so shocked that it appeared like he wouldn’t live for long.

“Let me be clear now that we’re on the topic, Assemblyman. I won’t be participating in any of your plans no matter what they are.”

“W-what…!”

“Did you want to use me to increase your approval rating? Or are you asking for a raise in your budget? Or do you want both?”

“H-how far are you going to tease me!” Kwon Sung-Deuk roared. It was natural for him to raise his voice, as he couldn’t retort at all. More importantly, Ha Jae-Gun’s words had hit the nail on the head.

Ha Jae-Gun calmed down and added, “There’s nothing to do with me either way. I’m just a writer who writes what I want, and I don’t think there’s a part for me in those plans. If someone like me, who is lacking, really needs to help in the nation’s vested interests, then I’ll step up by then.”

Ha Jae-Gun knew that he had to be responsible about his moves. He had to skip over things when necessary, even if they were related to those who truly cared about him. That was why Ha Jae-Gun had no regrets over what he had done.

Ugh…!” Kwon Sung-Deuk groaned, legs trembling in exhaustion.

Ha Jae-Gun turned around.

Just then, the door to the washroom opened, and Lin Minhong walked into the washroom.

“Hmm…?” Lin Minhong was stunned as he stared alternatingly between Ha Jae-Gun and Kwon Sung-Deuk. Kwon Sung-Deuk was trembling as if he had gotten scammed out of his life savings, so Lin Minhong quickly deduced that something had to have happened between him and Ha Jae-Gun.

“Mr. Ha, what happened?” Lin Minhong asked Ha Jae-Gun instead of Kwon Sung-Deuk. Lin Minhong’s question added to Kwon Sung-Deuk’s anger.

“It’s nothing much.” Ha Jae-Gun smiled faintly as he shook his head in response. “The assemblyman asked if I felt hot, and I said yes. It seems like he feels the same.”

Ha Jae-Gun left the bathroom afterward. Lin Minhong only glanced at Kwon Sung-Deuk before following after Ha Jae-Gun.

Kwon Sung-Deuk shut his eyes tight and leaned against the wall, wishing that everything that happened earlier was just a dream.

A while later…

“Huh? Assemblyman Kwon, what’s wrong?” The deputy minister was shocked to see Kwon Sung-Deuk in the washroom. However, Kwon Sung-Deuk did not have the energy to respond.

“Mr. Ha Jae-Gun is leaving. I will be back with the assistant secretary after sending him off. Please wait here, Assemblyman.” After informing Kwon Sung-Deuk, the deputy minister left in a hurry.

Now that he was truly by himself, Kwon Sung-Deuk collapsed to the floor like a sand castle getting hit by the waves. He thought it was an easy plan to carry out, so he couldn’t figure out what had gone wrong in his calculations.

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Big Life

Big Life

빅 라이프
Score 8.4
Status: Completed Type: Author: , Artist: Released: 2015 Native Language: Korean, English
Death, Depression, Poverty, Love issues – all things that a 27-year-old no-name writer faces. Yet, with one fateful day, one fateful supernatural event, he gains the powers of a dead genius writer. Everything changes after that, and success after success comes to him. Yet, he has a rival in love and writing, one who is also a famous writer and son of an international publishing corporation. This rival will do anything he can with his influence to beat him into submission. This is a story of a writer, who must succeed against all odds.

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