Big Life Chapter 31-40

Chapter 31

“Ah, this is why everyone loves electronic keyboards.”

“Meow, meow.”

On top of Jaegun’s knees, Rika answered.

Jaegun’s fingers had a clearer sound than before when he was typing.

It was a mechanical keyboard from Hetae Media. It was just fun pressing the keys on the keyboards because of the pressure. He was curious before, but he never used one because it was expensive. Now he knew why everyone was singing mechanical keyboard is so good.

“Rika, you hear the sound. It’s different, right? I searched it up and it’s about 400 dollars. The last one was was a 9 dollar one bought at an E-mart. Why do you think they bought me this? Maybe they want me to write one more book for Pegelon’s Magician?”

Jaegun asked Rika and kept hitting the keyboard.

About noon, the outside was boiling hot, but the one room was cool because of the air conditioner.

Beep!

A call came from Suhee.

Jaegun stopped his typing and grabbed the phone.

“Ahn, Suhee.”

“I got your additional quest. That was fun too.”

“Thank goodness.”

“Did you eat lunch?”

“I haven’t yet. You?”

“I came out to eat right now. Eat on time. Ah, how’s today’s dinner? I’m meeting Hyojin so do you want to call Jongjin and eat lunch together? The 4 of us?”

“Sorry, I have to write something so it might be hard.”

Saying that, Jaegun pulled up a word document with his one hand. The “Child of the 90s” that he was going to enter the Digital Literary Contest came up on screen.

“You’re busy as always. Rest sometimes. Your body might crash.”

“I’m only going till the 15th.”

“Why is it the 15th? Ahah, you’re writing something special?”

Suhee had great recognition as always.

Jaegun laughed even though no one was looking and answered.

“I’ll tell you when I do well.”

“Tell me when you don’t do well, too. I want to read it.”

“Ok.”

A small sigh came across the phone.

Jaegun, even though he felt sorry, didn’t have anything to say so he stood quiet. Then, Suhee’s cheerful voice came back.

“Well ok, if you’re busy. Let’s meet later. Good work and contact later.”

Jaegun got his posture and put his hands on the keyboard. After breathing a few times, he started revising the ‘Child of the 90s.’ It was the 3rd time today that he was checking it over.

‘Sir, this scene where he’s meeting a old friend in jail is fine, right?”

Jaegun remembered Se Gunwoo’s figure and threw a question at him.

It felt as though Se Gunwoo’s voice was coming through his ear.

‘It’s natural. It’s not bad. If it was me, I would hesitate a few moments after the first greeting.’

‘Hm, that feels good. I’ll have to change. How about this scene where the main character meets his first love?’

‘There’s way too much useless conversation. The main character is just laying out his own story which doesn’t relate at all to the main character. Delete everything.’

‘Delete everything? But shouldn’t he have to say this much so the girl knows and understands that he’s been through a lot?’

‘That’s all your thoughts. The writer’s thoughts are going into the story’s characters. Useless. It doesn’t fit at all either.’

From one word to sentence to paragraph

Se Gunwoo and Ha Jaegun were colliding through every revision.

Most of the time it was Ha Jaegun backing off and conceding.

Se Gunwoo’s critiques were completely on point in correcting the story’s completion. Jaegun understood more at the same time of revising the incorrect parts.

About 1-2 times out of 10, Ha Jaegun kept it.

No answer problems, especially with the character’s personalities and characteristics and their actions. If there was no harm to the story, Ha Jaegun was stubborn then.

‘Sir, even if you say it’s bad, I think this is good. It’s not a hardboiled story so to delete everything is too much.’

‘It’s not my story so do what you want.’

The typing continued without stop in the one room.

Rika, understanding that Jaegun’s concentration, went to the bed.

“Meow.”

Rika looked at nothing and meowed.

Her general stare was towards at Jaegun’s back.

Rika was looking at nothing for a while until she closed her eyes, as if tired.

‘I’ll stop here. I feel like I did enough. Now I won’t look at it until the due date.’

He saved the ‘Child of the 90s’ and brought up a new page. A new page with no words came on the computer.

‘Are you writing something else?’

Se Gunwoo’s question seemed to ring in his ear.

Jaegun answered in his mind.

‘The Child of the 90s is a story that I made since college. Since I have a lot of time because of this contest, I want to write a totally new story.’

‘I see, do you have a topic?’

‘It’s my sister’s story. She couldn’t date properly because of looking after the family. She lived her life in work. Please look at it when I finish the draft.’

Tap! Tap! Tapppp!

Jaegun thought of his memories with his loving sister and poured his mind out on the typeboard.

It was a quiet summer’s day.

There won’t be another summer like summer this year as well.

Jaegun was prepared, but he wasn’t unhappy at all. There was nothing better a writer like he could hope for than writing with the best master ever.

“Good work, editor.”

“You too Somii, ah, you’re on break from tomorrow?”

“Yes, 4 days.”

Tewon and Somii put their exit card and left the office.

It was the end of summer. Somii, as an editor, was taking steps forward one by one. There was no Assistant Manager Go’s errands, so her efficiency was going up.

“You’re going to the East Sea?”

“Yes, it’s quiet there now. I want to take a rest and come back.”

Tewon looked at the ceiling and sighed.

“It’s been a while since I visited the ocean, too. All I did was work so there was nothing like summer.”

“Go with your family once. It’s hard to start, if you do it, it’s only 3 hours.”

“I know, it’s hard to start it.”

“ Our family in Mukho can rent so tell me if you have any ideas. I’ll do good.”

“Are you selling me stuff?”

“Ack, I might be?”

It was when they were waiting for the elevator.

Somii pulled out her phone. It was from Jaegun.

“Sir, it’s Writer Ha Jaegun.”

“Writer Ha? What is he saying?”

Somii showed the message instead of words.

Tewon smiled at the 3 lines.

-I’ve almost finished with the Digital Literary Contest story. I’ll write a sequel fantasy about 5 books and send them to you. Tell that to the editor as well. Have a great vacation. ^^

“That guy is amazing. Writer Ha isn’t having any summer relaxation.”

Tewon got on the elevator

Writing a fantasy as soon as he finished the Digital Literary Contest story. Extreme stamina and effort. He didn’t think he could do that.

Somii asked while pressing the 1 button.

“You’ve written a fantasy story in student days, too right?”

“Yes. I realized in 2 years that this wasn’t by path. I’m grateful. It’s different creating and writing. Ah, didn’t you say you were drawing as well?”

“I’m grateful I realized in 1 year that this wasn’t my path.”

“Hahaha”

The two people laughed at the same time in the elevator.

Somii grabbed her phone and pressed an answer to Jaegun. Write the best story so you can rest next summer.

‘Phew, I’m going crazy…!’

Myunghoon was sitting down and standing up on the computer for a couple times.

Today was the announcement day of the Digital Literary Contest result.

Usually they give out contacts to the winners before the announcement date. It’s for the purpose of information giving and writing their winning speech.

But Myunghoon didn’t get that. Since he used a pen name called Ah Sungwoo and he didn’t put an email or contact information, it was sure.

‘I should get it, brother’s revising is amazing. There’s no way I couldn’t win.’

He wanted to win.

He wanted to destroy the face that Jaegun made.

He wanted to be recognized by Suhee as a wonderful writer who stepped ahead again.

‘Phew… phew…!’

Myunghoon calmed himself down by breathing. Then he closed his eyes and clicked on the news announcement title. The screen filled with award results.

Myunghoon was covering his eyes and looking. From the bottom as well. 1 Grand Prize, 3 Runner Ups, and 15 participation prizes, a total of 19 people were getting awarded.

‘Ok, it’s not in the participation prize, of course. My novel can’t possibly be in a participation prize.’

Then Myunghoon’s stare went to the runner ups. At that same time, his two eyes burst open. A feeling of rage and delight came together to make a strange feeling that went through his body.

‘Runner up? I got the runner up prize?’

A sigh of relief came out but a huge disappointment came as well.

A pen name of Ahn Sungwoo with the story he made ‘The Lonely Man of Seoul’ was definitely in the runner up column.

‘Dang it…! What kind of amazing people entered that they gave me runner up? Does this contest have any idea at all? What part of the story are they judging about?!’

Myunghoon grinded his teeth and moved his glance left.

At that moment,

Myung Hoon went pale and froze.

A name that he would never pass by was right there in front of him.

Chapter 32

[The Runner Ups]

The Lonely Man of Seoul – Ahn Sungwoo

Child of the 90s – Ha Jaegun

The Day of Summer – Sin Jungok

‘Ha… Jaeee…. Gunn….?!’

Myunghoon couldn’t shut his mouth at one of the runner up’s names. Ha Jaegun wasn’t a very common name. At least in his life, it wasn’t.

But Myunghoon knew the name of ‘Child of the 90s’

It was the short story that Jaegun was writing since college.

From what Myunghoon remembered, Jaegun couldn’t finish the book in college. So he was more baffled. A story that should have been buried is seen at a Digital Literary Award like this. And in the same place as a person like me.

‘This guy…!’

Myunghoon remembered the face that Jaegun made in the writer’s meeting and shivered.

It was a different Jaegun then he remembered. He sent multiple insults at him, but he didn’t respond. In fact, Jaegun countered and Myunghoon himself got shamed because of a word mistake.

The memory didn’t stop there.

He could remember every word that he said to Jaegun that day.

As a writer, I am recently writing a work that has quality to not shame the name of a writer.

Just, at this time there is a Literary Contest. I saw the other awards so I feel like I’m going to win it pretty simply. Probably have one more one on my career.

‘Dang it….! I said something stupid.

Just thinking about him made him feel embarrassed. The embarrassment completely pressed on his entire body.

Myunghoon covered his head with his two hand. And then he repeated slammed his forehead against the desk. In a same literary contest, especially the same award, he had no idea at all.

Myunghoon checked the award list many times.

The winner was was called ‘A Dumb Woman; but he didn’t even care about that. His entire attention was on Jaegun who got the same runner up award as him.

‘It doesn’t matter! Mine is something that I wrote in 3 months. Ha Jaegun, that guy, wrote that for 7 years. 3 months and 7 years can’t be compared. I’m better. I write so much better!!!’

Myunghoon kept thinking that to himself.

He was already thinking what to say in his award speech.

‘I need to appeal that I’ve written this in 3 months. If I had more time, I could have won it, but I was busy. I’m gonna mix my regret with some humor and end it cooly.’’

Myunghoon rolled his head while keep knocking his fingers on the desk. He was trying to show himself off.

‘Dang it, Jaegun has to say his speech before mine. Then I have time to counter his speech. I can add some more stuff in. I’m wishing he says it took him 7 years. At least it might show mine off better.

Myunghoon opened word furiously.

His ten enraged fingers typed out words and sentences at a fast pace.

His speech filled with justifications of himself. It was a comfort from getting the same award as someone like Ha Jaegun. .

Tap!

At a moment, Myunghoon stopped and put his head up.

Jaegun probably knew the results by now. It was fate that they were going to see each other at the ceremony.

‘Let me greet him first.’

It was a fate that he had to go through

It felt better to tell him that Ahn Sungwoo who made ‘The Lonely Man of Seoul’ was Myunghoon.

It was a thought because at least he wouldn’t hear insults about how he was too afraid that he would lose so he used a pen name.

-Jaegun, I heard you won the runner up prize at the Digital Award Contest. Good job.

He sent a message. Myunghoon was waiting nervously biting his finger. He chose message because he thought his voice would be shaking.

Jaegun’s reply came faster than he expected.

-How did you know? Thanks.

-But you have to congratulate me too. You know ‘The Lonely Man of Seoul’ in the runner up? That’s written by me. Heh. In 3 months.

-Ah, that Ahn Sungwoo was yours. The contest that you were entering, it was this. Yeah, good job to you, too.

-I was just saying, guy. It’s only getting a runner up for a measly small award so no need for a good job. I’m sort of shocked that I won because it was just something I wrote down easily. I was randomly writing for about 3 months and I threw it in. And I won apparently

-Yeah you do write well.

Jaegun’s praise felt more like banter to Myunghoon

With a crumbled face, Myunghoon furiously pounded the touchscreen.

-At least your work paid off. Man, I still remember the ‘Child of the 90s’ Wasn’t that a project that you were holding for 7 years? Hehehehe at least you finally found the light, isn’t that good? Now you finally have at least one line in your career. Hehehe

-Yeah I’m feeling good

Nothing else came after that short message.

Myunghoon’s anger didn’t fall easily. It felt to him that Jaegun was laughing at him right now. Thinking about how to end the conversation, Myunghoon finally sent the last message.

-I’ll see you at the award. Wear something clean. Don’t live showing off that you’re a writer in a room. Today’s world is a world where even writer’s wear something nice.

-OK, thanks, good work to us.

Myunghoon breathed and glared at nothing. He was confirming his superiority in his disarrayed mind.

I’m better at everything

I already have awards before.

He wrote that for 7 years but I wrote this for 3 months. It’s not the same value of award.

‘Lee Suhee…!’

Suhee’s face came to mind

It was true that feat was great enough that he need to get congratulations from others.

Removing the anger about Ha Jaegun, everything else was basically innocent happiness.

Myunghoon instantly picked the name that he wanted to get praise from. Being nervous, a bell started to ring.

“What’s up? Are you happy about that money?”

Jaegun asked with a laugh. In front of him, Jaeyn was staring blankly like there was a ghost inside her.

“Say something. What’s with that reaction?”

It was the house at Suwon.

Jaegun ran to the subway to the house as soon as he got the results to the award. He wanted to send these results to the family as fast as he could.

“Now the brother is getting award experience. This is accepted by the Ministry of Culture. It’s not the biggest or has the biggest honor, but it’s pretty well acknowledged.”

Jaeyn covered her face. Her nose was turning red and her two eyes were pouring.

It didn’t matter about the size of the award. She was just sad. She needed to compliment her brother, but no words could come out of her mouth.

“Everything’s gonna get better. Totally better. This is the beginning. Say this is a marathon. I’m only at the 100 meter mark.”

“Jaegun…”

The door opened with the door lock sound.

His mom who went to get his dad came back.

“Ah, son! What are you doing here!”

His mom saw Jaehn ane went into the house happily. Her two eyes captured Jaein’s crying face.

“Jaegun, why are you crying? What happened?”

“Mom, Jaegun…”

“Jaegun? What about Jaegun? What happened? Say something.”

“Jaegun… won a literary award.

Jaegun explained barely with her voice.

His mom opened her mouth. For a while, she was like that, like a lost person. Then she screamed and hugged Jaegun proudly.

“Ahh! My son! My amazing son! My writer song! I knew you were going to succeed! I knew it! Not because you’re my son but I knew you could do it!”

Mom kissed her son’s cheeks repeatedly. EVen though he was all grown up, he was still cute and she still worried about putting him in the world. In the laughter, mom was crying as well.

The person who was dad just now organized his shoes and was going up at the living room. There was no smile on his face. With a glare that looked through the living room a few times, he said nothing and went straight to his room.

“Honey! Jaegun’s ceremony is on Saturday!”

Mom with a few tears shouted at the door.

There was no answer except for changing clothes.

“Honey! Saturday is Jaegun’s ceremony!”

“I have morning shit”

“What?”

“Go with Jaein.”

“That man is seriously…!”

Mom bounced up and went into the room.

All that could be heard was mom’s scream from the room

Jaegun was bitterly laughing waiting for his dad’s silent voice. Jaein was holding her brother’s hand.

The ceremony was at the Hehuadong National Science & Technology Museum.

Myunghoon arrived there early with his car.

He didn’t tell his family. He didn’t tell his colleagues or other people. It bothered him that Jaegun got the same prize as him. He didn’t want a sliver of additional attention given to Jaegun.

It was already fall so the weather was pretty cold.

Just then across the place, a white care was coming in. Myunghoon looked in as it looked familiar, the car door opened and Suhee came out.

“Lee Suhee?!”

Myunghoon called out Suhee’s name without realizing it.

Why is Suhee who said she was busy with work and rejected his request coming all the way out here.

It didn’t take long for him to realize why. Even with the cold weather, Myunghoon’s face was heating up very fast.

Chapter 33

“Ah? Myunghoon came too?”

Hyojin, who was in the side seat, opened her eyes like a rabbit. Like Suhee, she came to congratulate Jaegun’s award. She was shocked because she knew that Jaegun’s and Myunghoon’s relationship wasn’t very good.

Myunghoon didn’t give any glance to Hyojin.

His glance was only on Suhee.

Suhee had her back straight and was looking Myunghoon back calmly.

“I, I’ll go ahead.”

“OK.”

Understanding the situation. Hyojin moved away.

Suhee went up to Myunghoon and started to talk.

“You must have won.”

“How… did you know?”

“I heard from Professor Han Hesun. You’ve visited her. You entered with a pen name? I don’t know what you won, but congratulations.

Suhee pulled out her hand and looked for a handshake.

Myunghoon didn’t oblige. He stood there standing, with his two eyes on Suhee, glancing from head to toe.

Today, Suhee was exceptionally beautiful.

The coffee stocking with her gray patterned one piece that came down to the knees fit her well. Her long knotted hair was shining a bright color of dawn like it was painted.

It wasn’t too showy and plain, but it was clothing that had a slight feminine showing with riches.

She was a girl who spent money on the earring, the belt, etc., ones that wasn’t so conspicuous. Myunghoon knew Suhee’s style.

And…

The fact that she spent extra care of her appearance today.

He knew that it wasn’t because of him that she paid closer attention to herself.

So he couldn’t bring himself to shake her hand.

“I thought you had work?”

Myunghoon put his glance to the ground and asked.

Suhee refused because of work when he asked her to meet up so he could show her something. And now they were meeting at this place.

“You have work too? Nexon had a person in the Digital Literary Contest?”

Suhee put away her hand. Pulling her bag around her shoulder, she calmly answered.

“I came to congratulate Jaegun.”

“He’s the scenario writer for our team. Of course i need to congratulate him. This is for work.”

“Even you have times when you’re forcing it.”

“I’m not forcing it.”

Myunhoon’s phone was vibrating in his pocket.

Suhee found out before the talking Myunghoon and pointed to his pocket,

“Isn’t that a call?”

Myunghoon, with her glance on Suhee, pulled out his phone. At that moment, his facial expression froze when he saw the information. It was from his dad.

“This is important. Let’s talk later.”

Myunghoon said with a depressed light. He couldn’t postpone or avoid his dad’s call.

Suhee nodded her head lightly and turned and walked away. When the distance between the two became over 10 steps, Myunghoon swallowed and accepted the call.

“Hello.”

-Why are you accepting my call so late!!!

It was anger from the beginning

Myunghoon wasn’t surprised at all

-Did you forget it was your mom’s birthday, everyone in the family is breaking their busy lives to come! Where are you playing, just playing around?! Get your ass over here right now!

Myunghoon raised his hand and covered his eyes.

He didn’t forget. However, he just didn’t want to go. And he had an important job to do now

“It’s hard for me to go now. I’ll come early at night.”

-WHAT?!

“I have important work.”

His dad snorted.

-Important work? What is important work to you? Are you taking brainless girls for a drive? Or are you using this dad’s money to blow a party?”

“That’s not it…!”

-You idiot! Aren’t you embarrassed when you see your brother or sister? Why don’t you do any work to at least be like them!

Myunghoon was breathing hard. He pulled his phone away from his ear. His vision was getting blurry like fog

-Whatever, you better be ready! This year is the end for you! Do you think I gave you that studio so you can play around and drink all night?! Aiaheh!

The phone shut off.

Myunghoon got on his knees and sat down. He needed some time to go into the ceremony with his normal face.

“Now, we arrived!”

Jongjin said as he turned off the engine.

Jaegun was in the passenger seat with Rika. Jaegun’s mom, Myungja, and his sister Jaeyn was riding in the back.

“Thanks, Jongjin. Thanks for taking care of our Jaegun since college. Jaegun really has a good friend.”

“Hahaha, it’s nothing. I’m pretty dark inside, mom, I knew Jaegun was going to succeed so wouldn’t some of that go to me?”

Jaegun joked and punched Jongjin’s shoulder lightly.

Jongjin smiled embarrassedly to respond.

Jongjin was planning to be at the ceremony. However, he came to Suwon in the morning randomly. Thanks to him, mom, sister, and Rika could all come to the ceremony comfortably.

“Should I keep Rika?”

Jaeyn was already holding out her hands.

Jaegun nodded and gave Rika over. Rika sat on Jaeyn’s chest and sat there comfortably and quietly.

“Ah, You’re here!”

“Ah? Hyojin? You came with Suhee?”

Jaegun turned around at that.

Suhee was following Hyojin towards Jaegun.

Jongjin came up and introduced Jaegun’s family.

“This is Jaegun’s mom and sister.”

“Hello, mam. I’m Cheon Hyojin. Jaegun’s my college buddy.”

Hyojin greeted her first cheerfully

Suhee, behind Hyojin, also bent her neck and greeted her.

“Hello, mam. First time meeting you. I’m Jaegun’s alumni Lee Suhee.”

“Ahah, yes. Helloo.”

Myungja and his sister answered back awkwardly.

Jaegun put his head down and laughed bitterly. He knew why his family was so shocked and flustered.

“Really, congratulations. You must be happy. I’m not feeling the same happiness as you guys would be feeling, but I’m feeling very happy for him so I came to congratulate him.”

“Ah, Really, thanks…! Thank you so much. Ah, I didn’t know Jaegun had such a pretty alumni. Ohohoho”

“Mom, it’s cold so let’s go inside.”

Jaegun pulled his very happy and enthusiastic mom inside. He was afraid that if he didn’t end this here, it might get awkward for him and Suhee.

“That might be good. It’s almost time for the ceremony. This way, mam.”

Suhee, as if showing her the way, went forward. The others followed.

Myungja and Jaeyn beside Jaegun was both asking in to his ear.

“It’s Lee Suhee, right? She’s really pretty. Her personality is pleasant and she’s polite too.

“You had a college friend like her? She has a good impression. Son, do well with that woman.”

Jaegun knew that this would be happening. There was no adult that didn’t like Suhee the first time. She was pretty but neat, had no greed on her face and with her manner of speech, it felt that mom and sister was already pulled in by her.

“Keep your eyes open and look at the people around you. Do you think there would be a woman like that very commonly? My mom is right. Ask her out.”

“Take her home. Sister will make you something good. What does she like?”

“I told you to stop. Why are you like this too sister?

The hall was already filled with almost half the people. Jaegun’s group sat at the front.

‘Ha, so many people came. As if this is a good award.’

Myunghoon snorted and remarked inside. He was sitting alone far away from Jaegun’s group. He had in his hand the speech that he had made many changes to and a pen.

Suddenly, people just filled the seats.

The late people stood in the back and the Digital Literary Contest ceremony started with the commentators statement.

Myunghoon had no interest in anything. He didn’t care about what the commentator said or about the contest’s meaning. He only cared about what he could say to make himself look better than Jaegun. That was his sole thought.

“…Then now, I will start the award presentation of the winner.”

Myunghoon turned his head that the mention of the winner.

He forgot because of the anger towards Jaegun, but it was a person who got the best award. It was obvious that he was curious.

‘It must be someone with some age? Looking at the pen name, it must be a man.

When the commentator was hesitating, Myunghoon tried to guess who it was. He turned around in his seat looking. THere was so many people. It was impossible trying to find a person with a unique bright facial expression.

“The name is “A Dumb Woman”, the writer Se Gunwoo, please come forward.”

The crowd was being loud.

At this heightening of expectations, only one person was getting up from the chair. Myunghoon almost put in hand in the air and screamed.

‘That, that guy, why is he getting up?!’

The person who was getting up was Ha Jaegun.

Jaegun was stolidly passing through his mom, sister, then Suhee’s knees to get through.

“Ja, Jaegun, where are you going.”

“Son, what are you doing? Jaeyn, Jaegun’s the runner up?”

Everyone’s face became pale that Jaegun’s sudden movement.

Why he is standing up when it’s the winner’s announcement.

Jongjin, with a ‘this guy lost his mind’ expression, was getting up.

“Ja, Jaegun? This is announcement for the runner up…!”

Even Suhee was surprised and couldn’t help herself from saying.

Jaegun answered with a little smile and went up to the platform.  His footsteps, brighter than anytime before, was ringing the floor.

Chapter 34

The commentator sent Jaegun -who was climbing up the stairs- a smile and continued his statement.

“The Digital Literary Contest was started to find amazing pieces, not caring if they are by new writers or not. Therefore, it’s possible that you can enter multiple pieces with a pen name and win more than two awards.”

Jaegun stood next to the commentator with his two hands clasped together.

Looking from the front, over hundreds of stairs were pointing towards him.

His heart felt like it was going to burst.

A electrical current went through and over his lower body.

“There was a writer during the 2nd contest 4 years ago who won both the runner-up award and the participation prize. After that, there wasn’t another person with multiple awards.

The commentator hesitated slightly, pulling in the crowd with his commentating. He smiled, wasting time. His two eyes shifted towards the embarrassedly standing Jaegun.

“Writer Se Gunwoo here won the grand prize with “A Dumb Woman.” However, ladies and gentlemen, Se Gunwoo also won the runner-up prize.”

“How could this be…!”

Jongjin gasped.

Jaegun’s family, Suhee, and Hyojin were all sitting mouths gaping open, looking forward. The hall became a notch louder.

Myunghoon was the one who got the most shock out of this hall.

He was completely out of it, not even knowing that he was crumpling his speech in his hand.

“The name is ‘Child of the 90s,’ written by Ha Jaegun. Which one is your real name, sir?”

The commentator, even though he knew it, asked.

Jaegun coughed slightly and took the mic that the commentator gave him.

“Ha Jaegun is my real name.”

“Yes, writer Ha Jaegun. Thank you for entering with such a great work. The judges said that it was hard to compare between the two on the grand prize. What do you have to say?”

Jaegun held the mic again.

Jaegun opened his mouth, thinking of what to say, before finally saying,

“I honestly have no idea. My hair’s all white and I don’t have any thoughts right now so it’s hard to say. I’m sorry.”

“Haha, yes, it feels like you’re really nervous despite how you look. Now, at this point, I’ll introduce you to the person that will be giving out the award. It’s the company that has only looked for books for 30 years. Introducing Korea’s major bookstore with over 25 stores throughout the country -come out please- Mr. Han Jungdo of Gyojimungo.”

A man sitting on a reserved seat stood up. He was Representative Han Jungdo of Gyojimungo. To give the award, he went up and took the mic.

“The work that has been picked by the judges to win the grand prize is, “A Dumb Woman.” It’s a work that describes a woman as part of a family, a daughter, and an older sister in her 20s. It describes the woman very emotionally with creative and fresh writing.”

Jaeyn opened her eyes.

She didn’t know that it was by her brother so it was obvious that she didn’t know the meaning of the story.

Myungja beside her was already tearing up. She held her daughter’s hand.

“The main character, Jaehee, of “A Dumb Woman,” is truly like the title, dumb. She doesn’t want love as a daughter and she sacrificed herself as a daughter. For her brother’s future, she gladly gives up her future  -her beautiful and lovely young days- all for her family. But Jaehee never says it’s a sacrifice because she had never thought of it as so; to her, this is only a deed encompassing love that must be given to her family.”

Jaeyn put her head down and covered up her mouth.

From her teary eyes, tears were falling down.

She told herself that she wasn’t to cry on such a happy day, but no matter how hard she tried her warm tears couldn’t to stop.

“Jaeyun….”

Myungja took out a handkerchief and gave it to her.

Jaeyn took it and wiped her face but it was impossible. With one small handkerchief, she couldn’t dry the tears from her long youthful days.

With applause, Jaegun was given the award.

Jaegun stood proudly over hundreds of people. It was time for him to give his speech.

“I did make a speech …. but to recite it feels like everything pointless. First I want to thank my family, my colleagues who broke their busy life to come here…. Jongjin, Hyojin, Suhee, thanks. And to the people of the Digital Literary Contest, thank you again. And finally, to my master and teacher who I cannot give the name of for personal reasons, thank you.”

“This guy really has the power of making people surprised. You’re dead when you come back.”

Jongjin looked at Jaegun and said jokingly with his finger holding on to his tingling nose. Suhee and Hoyin had a light smile and eyes a bit red.

“I warned my cry baby sister before I came here. ‘Please don’t cry because I’ll be embarrassed.’ She laughed at that and was sure that she wouldn’t but look over there. The beautiful girl who’s crying out waterfalls is my sister.”

Jaegun pointed to Jaeyn with a joke.

Many stares went over to Jaeyn and many laughters erupted. But Jaeyn still couldn’t laugh at her brother’s jokes.

“I’ll probably get scolded when I get home because of the title. ‘There are a lot of good titles so why did you name it ‘A Dumb Woman’?’ It’s obviously a story made because of me, why am I so dumb, she’s probably gonna scold me for so many things. But… I had no choice. My sister is dumb.

Jaegun stopped speaking and closed his eyes.

The hall became quiet. In the silence, Jaegun was looking at the times that he lived with her sister’s love. There wasn’t a day that wasn’t important.

“27 years…”

Jaegun opened his eyes and spoke.

In his blurry eyes, he could clearly see the figure of her sister crying.

“27 years without change… she was a dumb sister who lived her life for her brother without a care for her life. Giving up her transportation fees so that her brother wouldn’t feel ignored or not confident. Eating rice with water with no side dishes at all for her meals …while always giving up meat for her brother. Quietly taking her brother’s wallet, giving money, and being ignorant about it…”

Unlike what he prepared, the speech was slow and choppy.

Many people in the crowd were moved by Jaegun’s shaking voice filled with sincerity

“I offer this book to the dumb woman in my sister. Mother, Father, thank you. For making such an amazing sister. And caring for my sister and I as well.”

“Uhkhkhkhkhkhhkhhhkkkk..!”(Best laughing notations ever)

Jaeyn couldn’t hold it in anymore and let out a cry.

Her makeup was completely messed up but she didn’t care. Myungja put her face down to her back and silently teared.

Jongjin stood up and clapped. Hyojin and Suhee followed. From there, the entire hall started to clap loudly.

Only one person didn’t clap,

‘Uhhhhhk?!’

Myunghoon was holding his chest and shivering. His glance staring into his own shiny shoes.

Could these shoes walk all the way to that podium.

Could I say my speech without caring about Jaegun’s achievements.

All of this seemed impossible.

All the figures in his eyes were blurry. His head shook and the world was blurry. It was so loud that his ears were going to fall off.

‘No…! If I back down here, I’ll be a bigger laughingstock. I’m me! I shouldn’t be concerned with something like this! Those idiot judges! Do you think I’ll back off here?! I’m Oh Myunghoon!’

Myunghoon, with shaky hands, straightened his speech.

He wanted a supplement to calm his heart right now. He was usually good at being in front of people and enjoyed it, but today was different. There was no one who could bring him confidence anywhere near him.

‘Ha Jaegun…! Are you this happy to get an grand prize in a contest like this? You’re bringing your family and filming a drama. Yes, have fun right now! This will be the climax of your life!’

Myunghoon stared at Jaegun cursing at him and went back to his speech. Thinking about how should he change it to make the focus on Jaegun turn more to him

And then-

The commentator continued.

“Because of time restraints, We will not be doing the speeches for the other awards. All the winners please come up to the podium.”

Myunghoon shot his head up surprised.

He didn’t mishear it. The winners were getting up and walking to the podium.

‘No time… Not doing… speeches?!’

It meant that he had to be one person mixed in with the other winners.

No sentence of speech could be given

Understanding the reality, Myunghoon’s body completely broke. In his two unglazed eyes were the shiny bright hall’s light.

“Representative, do you want some tea?”

“No need, just go.”

Oh Tejin said on the chair.

He was over 50 years old but still healthy. He was a person who cared for his health because of his family and company.

Tejin was discomforted. Because of his youngest son.

What could be something more important than his mother’s birthday.

An answer couldn’t come even though he thought hard. It was his son, very far away from constructive life. Never the reliable one.

The phone rang on the desk.

Tejin was tired so he ignored it. But as the vibrations kept coming, he sighed and picked up the phone.

“Yes, Oh Tejin.”

“Hello, representative, I’m Director Park Jungbe.”

“Ahah, yes, Director Park, Have you been well?”

Tejin answered in a light voice compared to his bad mood.

Gyojimungo was the first domestic company to have online and retail stores. It is a big company so from his point of view, it was obvious that he needed a good relationship with them.

“Yes, I’ve been well. Ah, I just wanted to give my congratulations so I called you.”

“Congratulations? Haha, do I need to be congratulated?”

“Of course, your son has won a Literary Award so that’s good enough for congratulations. As a representative of a publishing company and a writer yourself, isn’t that a good thing? Congratulations.”

Tejin’s face lost its laughter. With a serious face, he stood up and went by the window.

“My son got a literary award?”

“Did you not know? Today was the ceremony.”

“No I haven’t heard of it. What is it?”

“It’s the Digital Literary Contest that we’re sponsoring every year. Your son won the runner up. As it was a contest that can be entered with a pen name -and I’m not the chief from over there- I just found out now. The pen name was Ah Sungwoo and the title was ‘Lonely Man of Seoul.’

“Director, thank you for calling. I’ll check and I’ll call later”

“Yes, sir. Have a nice day.”

Tejin went straight to the computer after he cut off.

He searched up Digital Literary Contest and many news came out.

‘Myunghoon is the runner up…!’

Tejin rubbed his two hands together and checked the winner’s news.

It was as Park said. Ah Sungwoo wrote the ‘Lonely Man of Seoul’ and got the runner up.

‘That idiot! If this was happening, he should have told me earlier…!’

With the rushing regret, Tejin slapped his forehead.

He knew Myunghoon’s personality of hating losing because he was his father. Worried that Myunghoon would be like him when he was younger, he became very strict towards him.

Tejin sighed and scrolled up.

Just then,

‘Hm…?!’

Tejin looked at the monitor and froze.

The name of the winner hanged in front of his two eyes.

Chapter 35

 The Winner]

A Dumb Woman – Se Gunwoo

Tejin looked at the name Se Gunwoo.

It was definitely not an unfamiliar name, and a name that, just by looking at it, made him shiver. He didn’t know that he would see that name on a Literary Contest that his son entered.

‘It’s not an uncommon name.’

Tejin, discomforted, turned away from the monitor. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and touched the mouse.

‘Maybe his son used his father’s pen name.’

Se Gunwoo had a son. He was an old writer but after he made a huge mistake, gave up writing.

The news had all the contestant’s pictures.

Tejin went to the Digital Literary Contest photo news and looked for Se Gunwoo’s name. He found a person in their 20s, with his family and friends.

‘No, yeah, there’s no way.’

Now, more relaxed, Tejin thought of contacting his son. When he called, Myunghoon answered quickly.

“Yes, father.”

“Good job.”

“…Yes?”

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier. If you told me, then the entire family could have gone and congratulated you.”

“But it’s not the grand prize…”

“Come home early, eat dinner.”

“Yes.”

As he cut off, Myungsuk came in with a knock. In his hands were samples from a SF writer that the company had planned.

“This is the samples that I told you in the morning.”

“Put it there. But did you know?”

“Yes? What did I know?”

“That Myunghoon entered the Digital Literary Contest or whatever.”

“No… I didn’t know.”

Myungsuk scratched his head and answered unconfidently. Tejin’s two eyes didn’t miss that.

“He won the runner up.”

“Runner up?”

“The name is Lonely Man of Seoul.”

“Ahah … yes.”

“You knew.”

Tejin’s two eyes glared.

Myungsuk, surprised, almost dropped the samples he was holding.

“I didn’t know that he was entering the Digital Literary Contest. But I knew that he was writing a story called Lonely Man of Seoul. He asked me to look over it, so I read it once.”

“Did you end it with just a read?”

“Yes?”

“Is this something that Myunghoon written on his own.”

“Ye-yes. Father.”

“You’re sure?”

Tejin didn’t back away and asked again. Myungsuk fixed his glasses, coughed, and nodded his head.

“It was Myunghoon’s solo piece. He won runner up, so we should congratulate him.”

“I get it, leave.”

Myungsuk left the office. Tejin stood, looking out the window with a complicated expression.

“It’s cold.”

“That’s because you wore a t-shirt, you idiot.”

“I didn’t know it would be this cold. Here, I’ll take it,”

“It’s not heavy.”

“Just give it.”

Jaegun took the basket from Jaeyn’s hands. It held today’s dinner ingredients. Today’s main course was bossam.

“But maybe we bought too much meat.”

“We can eat it.”

It was one week since the ceremony.

Jaegun and Jaeyn were walking through the road, colored with autumn.

“Have you decided the cover?”

“Yeah, I told them a general outline. Since they are pros, they’ll get it done.”

“When’s the paper book coming out?”

“Maybe about a month?”

It was about the ‘A Dumb Woman.’

Only the grand winner from the contest could get their book into a paper book. All the others were only made for electronic books in the online market.

“You got your wish, brother. You wanted to make a book into a paper book that much.”

Jaegun grinned instead of answering.

There were reasons why he looked for paper books, even though they were costly most of the time. But was the writer’s dream. A touchable, openable paper book is more intimate than a figureless electronic book.

But there was a bigger reason.

He wanted to show to his dad, who was an old person.

His dad who was far from computers and phones.

Even now, his dad went to bookstores and bought paper books.

He was dreaming of the day that he would find his son’s book in the new section and be moved.

“Wow, why did you buy so much meat? We’re only 4 people with your dad, who’s gonna eat this all?”

Myungja said the same thing when they went home. Jaegun answered as he put the basket down.

“You eat it today, you make other foods with it, you fry it, you make it into a stew. This will all disappear quickly.”

“But still, how much is this? You need to spend this where you need to…”

“Mom.”

Jaegun pushed his arm sleeves back and turned towards his mom.

“Don’t worry about money, your son got his place. This is only going shopping for food so why worry?”

“Ok, ok, wow, Acting strong because you won a grand prize. You’re gonna with the nobel prize next year?”

Myungja wrinkled her nose and Jaeyn laughed.

After they cleaned up the basket, Jaegun looked around the house and continued.

“Don’t renew the contract.”

“What?”

“Go buy a house and move.”

He was thinking for a long time.

If he had money left, he was going to buy a house for his family and move.

It wasn’t a house that needed fixing a few places. Suffering from noises from other thing, this family has lived in this old house for a very long time.

“From the 30,000 dollars from last time, with the runner up and the grand prize winnings that will be after taxes, 23,000 dollars. I’m not sure if there will be more money. But by just this much, you can get a pretty decent house in this neighborhood.

“Jaegun…”

“No, not a villa actually. Just wait a year. In one year, let’s go to a house with a garden. Mom likes the garden, and since we’re living alone, there won’t be any noise.”

Jaegun was putting down words alone.

Myungja and Jaeyn was worried. It felt like Jaegun was inflicting damage to himself. He repeated the words as if he wanted to shove them into his brain.

“It’s the genre side that gets money, so I’ll release another series. Do you get it? Don’t renew the contract. We’re going out.”

The door opened with a beep sounds. It was his dad Ha Sukjae. Looking at his wife and his two sons and daughters, he blinked.

“Honey, Jaegun bought us meat for dinner today. Go clean up and come out quickly.”

“I already ate.”

Sukjae went to his room after he took off his coat.

Jaegun was looking at the kitchen’s microwave, smiling bitterly.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take him out.”

Myungja with her elbow hit Jaegun’s waist and whispered.

Jaeyn pulled out a table in the living room. There were so many dishes with a meat dish, vegetables, and other side dishes and beer. Sukjae was just coming out after cleaning up.

“Honey, come over here and eat something.

“You and the kids can eat.”

“Don’t be like that and sit down. The meat is really good?”

Sukjae ignored her. WIth a emotionless face, he opened the refrigerator and poured himself some tea. After he drank, he immediately turned to go to his room

Just them,

“What’s so displeasing?”

Jaegun said subduedly with his eyes pointed down.

Sukjae was slowly turning around.

“What is so displeasing. Do you hate your son that much that you would even avoid the dinner table?”

“I told you I ate.”

“No, your shift ended 30 minutes ago so where would you have eaten in that time while walking home? Just answer truthfully. Just say that you can’t stand your son’s face to the point that it would make you suffering from indigestion.

“This guy is…?”

“Ja, Jaegun, what are you doing?”

Jaeyn’s cries did nothing.

Jaegun stood up and looked at Sukjae.

“I won a Literary award for the first time. It’s not the biggest but I won the grand prize and the runner up. Couldn’t you congratulate me as your son? Can you not forgive me because I’m being a writer that you hate so much?”

“Sigh… ok, I get it. Congratulations.”

Sukjae waved his hand as if he was tired and turned around. Jaegun walked over and blocked his path and continued.

“Do you know how much I’ve earned so far. We can move away from this old house now. Do you still hate me because I’m a writer? I have began to earn as well. Father, your son is going to do well.”

With this, Sukjae’s face turned red. But he still managed to close his lips that were going to open many times. With no words, he went into his room and closed the door.

“Jaegun, come here.”

Jaeyn went over and took his arm. Myungja was sighing and looking at a pot on the veranda. He knew that they would collide like this.

“I’ve ate.”

Jaegun finished his dinner with no words. Myungja and Jaeyn both offered him drinks but he didn’t drink any. He couldn’t write if he did.

“I’ll go.”

“It’s only 9, sleep here.”

“No, I have things to write. I’ll come back. Sleep early mom, you too sister.”

“I’ll escort you for a little.”

Jaeyn put on a cardigan and followed.

In the dark, the many streetlights became evident. Jaeyn spoke as she took Jaegun’s arm and walked with him.

“Dad is worried.”

“For what?”

“I’ve heard him talk to your mom. Maybe it’s a good idea to learn publishing work for later.”

“Why work at a publishing company?”

“You need a place if something goes wrong. It’s best to have a constant salary. Your dad worked like that as a worker. You have to understand.”

“I know.”

Jaegun answered in a small voice. His dad still didn’t believe him as a writer. But the answer could only be…!

A taxi that was passing blew its horn.

Jaegun, coming out of his thoughts, caught the taxi and said to Jaeyn.

“I’ll take a taxi and take the subway.”

“Ok, be careful and call.”

“Ok.”

Jaegun called Jung Somii’s number after he got on the taxi. After a ring, Somii’s energetic voice came on.

“Ah, Hello, Writer HA.”

“Yes, Somii, did you leave work?”

“No, I have work left so I think I’ll have to work till 11 o’clock.”

“You’re busy, then I’ll call you later.”

“No! No! You can tell me right now!”

“I want to release a sequel because I relaxed for awhile.”

Jaegun spoke while looking out the window. Immediately, Somii’s voice answered.

“It’s so good, writer! I thought you would be tired after the Digital Literary Contest so I just waited anxiously without calling! Should we meet? I’ll call you after I talk with the editor.”

“Ok. Good work.”

“You too, sir!”

As he cut off, Jaegun threw away his dream for paper books. He thought he did enough for his dad now. Comfortably resting, Jaegun looked for the pros and cons of the biggest selling methods in recent genres.

Chapter 36

It’s the serial publishing.

It is the same as an electronic book in that it’s only sold online. But unlike an electronic book with ‘one book’ type, the serial publishing is about 5000-6000 characters for one ‘section’ published serially. So about 20-25 sections are released for one book.

Jaegun was planning to try this for a new book.

He fulfilled his dream for paper books so now it was money.

For about 10 cents per book, giving up money for the service web and the management, the writer gets about 5 cents. If the view are about 1000, the profit is about 50 dollars.

“Could I stop you here?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Jaegun exited the taxi and headed for the subway station.

Walking with his hands in his pockets, Jaegun thought about what to write about in his sequel.

‘I can’t think of anything.’

Maybe it was because of the problems with his father.

Or maybe because he was tired from writing too much.

He had nothing come in his mind. He had to write, but he couldn’t think of what to write.

A fantasy with blades and magic, A martial arts story with a master looking for foes, it was the same. He couldn’t think of anything as he rode the subway.

Jaegun, leaning on the elderly section of the subway, took out a memo and a pen.

It was a habit that he kept materials for writing everywhere. It was different from a phone memo. If he wrote the characters, the setting, and the background with a pen, a story might just magically come up.

‘Ah, what…’

The pen didn’t write as if it was out of ink.

Jaegun put the writing materials right back, sighing. He decided to think as he went to his quiet house. He pointed his lance at the background out the window.

“Meow, meow.”

“Uhh, Rika, don’t do that.”

“What are you doing, I need to sleep more. Please let me sleep.”

Jaegun,with a tired voice, begged and turned around but Rika didn’t care. Still meowing, she kept scratching Jaegun’s back.

Beep! Beep!

He could now feel the vibrations coming from the top of his bed as he woke up once more. Jaegun pulled his phone and muttered.

“Aauh, waking me up so I can take a call. I don’t need to take a call.”

It was a phone number that he didn’t know.

Rika glared furiously at Jaegun, who was going to throw the phone away. It was a glare that was saying she wasn’t going to let him go.

Jaegun, looking at that glance, put the phone to his ear.

“Hello..”

“Hello, is this Writer Ha Jaegun?”

A man’s voice was asking.

Jaegun pulled himself up and answered.

“Yes.”

“Excuse me. I am Ahn Tekwon who is taking care of the search website Navin’s genre literary service planning.

“Ahah, yes, Hello.”

Jaegun stood up, putting his legs below his bed.

A conversation that he heard from the person in charge of the Digital Literary Contest came into mind.

There were going to be places that would ask for interview, so Navin was one of them.

“I want to have an interview about Writer Ha Jaegun’s writing tendencies and things relating to your life. The interview will be on the main ‘Book of the Month’ corner as well.

Jaegun’s drowsiness completely went away.

Navin was the company that ran the country’s biggest search website Navin.

It’s been about 15 years since the beginning. The daily usage was 18 million people, the users were 40 million, and the global member registration was over 500 million so it was the site that had the biggest size in the country.

This Navin was going to put his interview in the main screen corner.

Jaegun was an ordinary person so he couldn’t not be excited. He wasn’t jumping up and down, but his heartrate was definitely getting faster.

“You can come to the company or pick a comfortable site, but in our point of view, we want to have the interview at your writing place, how is that?”

“My writing place?”

Jaegun asked while looking around.

This room was the only writing place that he had. It was filled with only the minimal materials he needed to write and live.

“Yes, sir, is that difficult?”

Jaegun answered immediately.

It was an important place that he spent writing till now.

There was no pride, but there was no shame. Isn’t it a problem when a writer is even ashamed that he was writing in a shabby place. With that thought, Jaegun immediately answered.

“It’ll be great if you can come to my house. I’ll be fine.”

“Thank you. Then we must make an appointment. Tell me what day you would like to meet.

“Hm, how about Thursday?”

“Yes. I will call you back a day before. And I’ll send you an email about the general outline of the interview so it would be nice if you can look it over once.”

“Ok.”

“Yes, then good work.”

Jaegun looked at Rika who was sitting on the bed. Feeling the gaze, Rika layed back down and shook around

“You woke me because it was Navin’s call. That’s it?”

“Meow,”

“Yes, you be my manager. But let’s eat. You’re hungry and I’m… wow, what is this. Did I drink this much yesterday?”

There were 10 cans of beer on the ground. It was a messy place because he couldn’t think of a story. Jaegun bent his waist and picked it up.

Beep!

A call came as he was about to clean up.

It was Editor Kwon Tewon. Jaegun remembered his call with Somii and answered.

“Yes, editor.”

“Writer Ha, you wanted to release a sequel? I heard from Somii so I called right now. You should have told me right away!”

“Haha, well Somii is in charge of me, and I thought you would be busy with other writers.”

There was no lie in Jaegun’s words. Tewon was always busy. It was amazing seeing his personality and energy as he took care of all the StarBook writers even as he was busy.

“Have you thought about what to write?”

“Ah, editor, I feel like I have to continue the series.”

“Continue? The Modern series?”

“Yes.”

Jaegun answered.

Continuing a series that was successful before.

It was a decision that he made yesterday. He had no story to write about but he wanted to publish something quickly so, naturally, it came to this.

The two main characters of the Martial Rankings and the Modern Rankings were two different characters but they both got their powers from the same source. Taking that origin of power as the background, he was planning to write a story about these two characters colliding as the 3rd story.

“What do you think, editor?”

Jaegun asked as he gave an outline of the plot.

Tewon couldn’t answer quickly. In the end, he answered carefully,

“It’s not bad. First the two earlier series sold well. But the problem is that the main character is two people. A two MC story is definitely a story that readers dislike.

“Yes, I’ve thought of that.”

“And the serial publishing is worrying as well. All of these were paper books so to release a sequel to a previous work, and to change it to a serial publishing is a bit too much. There’s no guarantee that the readers of the paper books will all go to the serial publishing.

“Then, I’ll release it to paper books.”

Jaegun added in his mind, ‘For the last time.’

On the other side of the phone, it sounded like Tewon was taking off his clothes.

“Yes, writer. We should meet soon so when are you free? I’m fine today at anytime.”

“Then I’ll see you today. I want to get some air, so I’ll come out to Guro. Should we meet at night?”

“Let’s do that, then, let’s just have dinner today. About 7 today, writer.”

“Yes, I’ll see you soon.”

Jaegun cleaned up quickly and went to the computer. Cleaning his face somewhat, he opened Word.

“Phew, there’s about 6 hours till 7. There’s a lot of time.

He need to write at least an outline of the last Rankings series.

Jaegun started to type out a plot. It was definitely easier writing from a finished story instead of creating a new story.

As he was just about to get into it,

Ding Dong!

The bell rung and stopped Jaegun’s project.

Jaegun shivered because the bell almost never rings..

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, writer, Ma Jonggu.”

“….Yes?”

Jaegun opened the door with a horrified face.

Two men were smiling very widely outside.

It was Hetae Media’s general manager Ma Jonggu and assistant manager Park Gyungsu. Two people both had a big box in their hands.

“General Manager, Assistant Manager, what are you doing here without any warning?”

“I had to give a present to Writer Ha so I came here.”

“Ah, yes, thank you… but what if I wasn’t going to be home.”

“Hahaha, I didn’t think that far. I could come back later, or I can call later so.”

Jonggu was laughing and answering.

Jaegun couldn’t even get irritated because it was so stupid. This was the definition of pushing like a storm. Is this how Hetae Media’s working style was.

“Well at least come in.”

“Ah, weren’t you writing something?”

Even as he said that, Jonggu was already taking off his boots.

Jaegun moved sideways and Jonggu and Gyungsu came inside and laid down their boxes.

“What are these?”

“These are deer antlers, These aren’t just deer antlers but really good ones, but you’ll be able to eat them for at least half a year. Writer is way too skinny. This is Hetae Media’s hope that you will be healthy and write great stories.”

Jonggu’s words came out like it was practiced./

Jaegun, with a surprised face, managed to nod his head to acknowledge his thanks. He pulled out two cups.

“Have a drink of coffee.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“I’ll be using the restroom for a second.”

He felt that he at least needed to brush his teeth and wash his face as a human. He put a towel around his neck and went into the bathroom and locked the door.

As Jaegun left, Jonggu whispered into Gyungsu’s ears.

“You’re going to say it when the time comes?”

“Isn’t it better to just give the present today? It feel too obvious. Maybe wait a few days…”

Jonggu softly clucked his tongue.

“This guy is still saying these sort of words. It’s the end if you can’t get writers quickly nowadays. And Writer Ha is huge. If we wait and lose, are you gonna take the blame? Do you want to get chewed out by the representative?”

“Hm…”

Gyungsu couldn’t answer.

Jonggu’s eyes caught the notebook screen. Jonggu, as if pulled, went to over and looked at the screen and widened his eyes.

“Look at this. Isn’t Writer Ha already going to continue the Ranking series from StarBooks?”

Gyungsu also widened his eyes as he saw that.

“Ah, I think so.”

“I think so? You idiot! Look at it. If we take our time because it seems to obvious, then who’s gonna take the blame…”

Creaaak!

The door of the bathroom opened. Jonggu and Gyungsu both immediately fell to the ground.

Jaegun was coming out. Jonggu, acting as if he was calm, put a cup of coffee to his mouth, but because it was too hot, he screamed.

“Are you ok?”

“I, I, I’m fine. Writer. I”m fine.”

Jonggu was answering as he was quickly ripping out tissues and cleaning the floor and his mouth. Jaegun, smiling bitterly, stood in front of them and then asked bluntly

“You came to ask for a sequel?”

Chapter 37

Jonggu and Gyungsu had no words.

Jaegun had suddenly brought up the topic that they were just trying to think of how to bring up.

“Hahaha… well instead of completely…”

Jonggu slurred his words to neither confirm or deny it and looked at Gyungsu beside him.

Gyungsu who got the baton continued nervously.

“It, It’s not completely like that. You finished Pegelon’s Magician in 14 books perfectly, and we came here as a gesture of thanks… Hm … and so we thought to have your good health and write well so we gave this present…No, I’m sorry, that’s not it. Yes, that’s right.”

“What’s right?”

“Yes?”

“You just said, “that’s right.” So I can just take this present and thankfully eat it right? I can just have my good health and write. Now the story is over?”

“No, that is. Writer…!”

Gyungsu just suddenly blanked out as he was trying to continue. Jaegun’s face had a joking and mischievous smile.

“I was joking.”

“Ha, hahaha… ,Writer Ha is making jokes now. Thought we were getting kicked out. Hahaha.”

Jonggu who was breaking a sweat shivered.

In this softening environment, Jaegun’s glance was heading towards his laptop.

“I’m making the Ranking series. I’m going to make a 3rd series following the Martial Rankings and Modern ranking”

“Ahah, yes, I see. You’re busy. I didn’t want to pressure you. Just…”

“No, busy is not the problem.”

Jaegun became serious and cut him off.

“If the story is decided, I can write. I don’t know about the other writers, but that’s me. That’s the problem. I have no ideas on what to write. Therefore, that’s the reason why I can’t talk to you about a sequel.”

“Hm, yes… then how about we plan together…no, nothing.”

Jonggu stopped his words and closed his mouth.

To mention planning to Jaegun who he had criticized so much.

Planning a novel was that the publishing company made a story and the writer made a book with that story. It’s for the writers who can’t think of any plot.

There’s no publishing company that would unfairly try to gain more profit. It’s just a method that the writers and the publishing company worked together.

Jonggu had given Jaegun a story in the past that he planned.

And then to the drafts that Jaegun had given him, he had thrown it out 3 times.

It was simple why he did so. It wasn’t interesting. But anyway, with that past, Jonggu couldn’t possibly mention planning a story first.

Rika said a small cry as she was yawning.

The fall air was passing by the window.

Gyungsu who was sipping his coffee suddenly opened his eyes and spoke.

“Writer Ha, I just thought of something.”

“Yes? Say it.”

Jaegun’s glance went from the window to Gyungsu.

Gyungsu pointed to Jaegun’s laptop and continued.

“What if you continue the Pegelon’s Magician series like the Ranking series?”

“Pegelon’s Magician?”

“Yes, it’s a happy ending where Loyd Mobic becomes a grand magician, marries, and has a son. It would be fun if his son becomes the main characters and starts a 2nd adventure.”

“Hm…”

Jaegun scratched his chin and thought about it.

Gyungsu continued frantically, worried that Jaegun might shake his head.

“It’s the same Pegelon’s world and you can use the previous series’ characters so the story wouldn’t be hard to make. Since the father was a grand magician, the son can be a swordsman or a mercenary.”

“Wait, let me think.”

“Yes, yes. Writer, think slowly.”

Jaegun carefully thought quietly.

‘It wasn’t going to be too hard.’

It was the same as the Ranking series. The previous stories’ characters and the world can be used to make a story. Gyungsu’s offer was pretty enticing to Jaegun who couldn’t think of anything.

“Let me ask something.’

Jaegun said with his head up.

Jonggu and Gyungsu stiffed.

“Yes, writer, s, say it.”

“It’s a series so I don’t have huge demands. ‘I’ll go with the previous deal but is it possible with another 30 thousand dollars up front?”

Gyungsu and Jonggu’s mouth opened.

They weren’t surprised at 30 thousand dollars.

Having a success like Pegelon’s Magician that got 6000 copies for each book, Jaegun was a writer that they wouldn’t be hesitant to give. They were surprised that Jaegun’s question was basically mimicking his thoughts.

“S, so, does that mean writer, you will be making another sequel with us… is that what it is…?”

“If you give me the 30 thousands dollar up front.”

Jaegun answered with a smile.

Jonggu and Gyungsu’s faces brightened like a little child.

“O, of course, writer. 30 thousand up front is nothing. No, we’re sorry that we can only give that much to Writer Ha. Hahah, hah, thank you, thank you..”

Jonggu’s voice became very elated as he was nodding. If he was anymore elated, he was about to sing praises for Ha Jaegun.

“Since we agree, let’s sign. Give me the contract.”

“Ah, yes, yes, Writer Ha. Park, contract.”

“Yes Yes, here is it.”

Gyungsu pulled out the contract from his bag.

Jaegun quickly signed the contract. The title wasn’t made yet so he put it as ‘Pegelon’s Magician part 2.’

“You truly have my thanks. Since the prequel became so successful, this one should be good as well.”

“I hope so. Now I have to write it.”

At that word, Jonggu and Gyungsu both stood up.

“Then we should go so we don’t bother your writing. Ah, we’ll give the money by this night or next morning.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Jonggu and Gyungsu went out and wore their shoes.

As Jaegun went to go out, the two people waved no.

“Don’t come out, writer, we can go.”

“Write well and take the present. It’s not something just made randomly from anywhere. It’s a really good one. It’s at home shopping often.”

“Hahaha, I’ll take it. Then bye.”

Jonggu called the representative immediately as he was leaving. As he said what happened, the representative laughed happily.

“Yeah? You got the sequel contract this quickly? Why are you guys working so well?! You guys must be crazy because you want to get that bonus money for the holidays?!”

“Ah, so you’re going to give use money?”

Jonggu, laughingly, answered. He could still picture the angry representative that was screaming in his office.

“Don’t come back to the office and take a rest. No, now. You haven’t had lunch? Come and have lunch with me. And let’s have a drink in dinner somewhere nice. 1 o’clock is fine.”

“The representative, one is about 10 thousand dollars?”

“You want to break the company? You be the CEO. Don’t strain it and just come back quickly. “

“Yes yes, I’ll be there.”

Jonggu put his arm around Gyungsu.

“Assistant Park’s speech has been really good recently. How do you speak so well?”

“What are you talking about. It’s all because of you.’

“Let’s have lunch with the representative first. Then dinner, I’ll buy it. With the representative’s of..fi.ce.ca.rd. HAHAHA.”

“Hahaha.”

The two people laughed together. It was so loud that it could be heard by Jaegun who closed his windows.

‘Are they that happy.’

This still wasn’t real to Jaegun.

It was so weird that with one word of his, people could be happy or sad. He had lived as a no-name for a long time. It would take more time to get used to this.

“Phew, well since I contracted, I have more work. I have to run?”

Jaegun started to finish the Ranking series’ story. The Pegelon’s Magician was next, and then if he finished thinking of the plot, he would write them alternatingly.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

One hour, two hours passed

It was probably because of the drinks yesterday, but he felt really tired.

Jaegun would probably stop here if it was the old him because of dinner plans.

But he had no reason to stop writing because of his health. He had the help of Se Gunwoo’s mug. Stamina completely restored to full health with just one hit!

“Phew, my face is burning, my arms might fall off.”

About 4 hours, Jaegun stopped his hands and rubbed his shoulders. Se Gunwoo’s laptop may have the power to write 10 thousand letters but it couldn’t help Jaegun’s body’s stamina.

“No, I can’t do it. I finished the story mostly so let’s stop here. Ah, I feel like I’m gonna die of tiredness.

“Meow, meow.”

Rika, as if saying that’s good enough for today, pressed Jaegun’s stomach. Jaegun hugged Rika and looked at the clock on the wall. There was 2 hours until the appointment.

Jaegun quickly showered and dressed in his new internet ordered clothes.

Cleaning himself, Jaegun said to Rika’s reflection in the mirror

“I’m sorry that I always go alone. I would take you, but today I’m eating dinner so I can’t take you in. Even if that, it’s the public transportation…”

Stopping, Jaegun turned to look at Rika.

Rika was tilting her head as if wondering what’s up.

“Yes, that’s it. The best way to take you. I’ll have to buy a car.”

“Meow?”

“I’m gonna buy a car as that 30 thousand dollars comes in. Why didn’t I think to buy a car? I like public transportation and I like drinks but sometimes I want to take yout along. No not sometimes, but daily.

Jaegun hugged Rika and rubbed her face.

Rika was defying with a tired face but Jaegun didn’t let go.

“But I don’t know how to buy, I got my license at 20 but never used it. I should probably go and talk to the store? Or is it better on the internet?”

“Meoowww~!”

“You’re angry. You’re tired of me? Wowww.”

Jaegun let her go as if he was sulking. Just then one method came into his mind.

“Yeah, why didn’t I think of this. What an idiot.”

Jaegun picked up his phone.

“Yes, Writer Ha!

“I’m sorry, I want to ask something.”

“Yes? Hahaha, yes, say it. I’ll do whatever I can.”

Rika jumped up the cat tower and looked down and Jaegun.

With Rika who was cute everything she did in his eyes, he answered.

“Buy me a car.”

Chapter 38

“Yes? Car?”

Jonggu’s voice was slightly broken.

Jaegun sat in front of the computer and searched up cars.

“With the money you are giving up front, I want to buy a car that’s below 30 thousand dollars. I never bought a car before so I wanted your help.”

“Haha, that’s what you meant. Haha”

“Is that not possible?”

“No. Of course it is. What car do you want, writer?”

“Hm, I don’t know about the car brand. Just something compact car. A fuel efficient car and something that doesn’t cost too much to maintain.”

Jaegun said while looking through the pictures of cars.

He thought of maybe getting a small car but he chose the compact car because of giving family and friends a ride.

He didn’t need a car that was uselessly big and expensive. It just needed to have the minimum capacities of a car.

“A compact, I think a Hyundai is pretty good. There’s a 14 thousand to 24 thousand car in the new models. What do you think?”

“Pick one and give me one. You can make the options as you wish.”

“Yes, writer. Hm Hyundai…”

Jonggu muttered as he was memoing.

“I’ll do the options, what about the color?”

“I’ll do black.”

“Black… I get it.”

“It’s not important so I can wait. I’ll write really well if you help me with this car.”

“Hahaha, yes, writer. I get it. I’ll call you when I’m done.”

Jaegun sighed with relief after the call and looked at Rika.

Rika wasn’t moving from the top of the cat tower. She wanted to be away from Jaegun’s touch.

“I got a car. Now let’s go out sometime. Go to a park and meet my friends and stuff.”

There was no meow that came usually.

He opened the drawer on the desk. It had Se Gunwoo’s mug in it. After he knew it was an important item, he was hiding it in his desk than the sink.

“Phew, this is magic.”

After a cup of coffee with that mug, all the stress went magically away.

Jaegun waved to Rika and left home happily.

“Hold him?”

StarBooks representative office.

Tewon was dumbfounded.

Representative Park Jeguk was nodding on the other side.

“Yeah, hold him. Make him an exclusive writer. With today’s sequel talks, just get him to sign.”

Tewon couldn’t answer and lowered his glance. His glasses were slipping and were hanging dangerously on his nose.

He came into report his sequel talk schedule.

But Jeguk was now just ordering him to get an exclusive contract with him.

“I don’t like holding either mostly. It’s hard to control writers sometimes. But we need Ha Jaegun. One of Jaegun’s projects is doing the work of 3 other projects, no 5 other projects. We need the money so that the company can grow?”

Tewon couldn’t respond to that.

First, he couldn’t feel that Jaegun would take that contract

It was a problem even if Jaegun took the contract because of his friendship with Tewon.

If he became a StarBooks exclusive writer, then he couldn’t contract with other companies. It wasn’t a project contract but a writer contract.

Tewon knew Jaegun was a truly writing loving writer.

He wasn’t a writer that would be only fulfilled in the genre novel section. With his award in the Digital Literary Contest, his power with emotions were already confirmed.

He was a writer with potential that could grow.

It was a hard thing to do for Tewon to ask Jaegun to be an exclusive writer. It was a person to person problem more than a company profit problem.

It wasn’t one day that he knew Jaegun; it was a long time. He didn’t want to interfere with Jaegun’s writing life.

“Why do you have no answer?”

Jeguk asked.

Tewon came out of his thoughts and looked at Jeguk.

“I have some thoughts.”

“What thoughts?”

“Writer Ha is not going to take that contract.”

Jeguk clucked his tongue.

“Isn’t it your job to take a contract anyway that you can? Your style of work has been weird lately. Why have you changed so much?”

Isn’t it representative that changed instead of me, almost came out of his mouth but he pushed it down.

It was getting clearer. Now, the aging representative’s brain had the thought of writer=money. A few years before, it wasn’t like this.

“Say it right, ah?”

Jeguk patted Tewon’s shoulder and said softly.

“If I don’t have you, who can I trust to run this big company? I’ve worked with you for how many years? It’s almost 10 years, 10 years. Go clean this up and have a vacation with your family for about a week. I’ll give you the vacation money.”

Jeguk’s offer didn’t cling with Tewon at all.

Well there was nothing else to do in this spot other than nodding his head.

“I’ll try.”

“Yes, just call no matter what time.”

Tewon went back to his office after he left.

He could see Somii’s back. She was focused on her work, typing hard in her computer.

A bitter smile came over Tewon.

In Tewon’s eyes, Somii was really enjoying her work as a editor. It felt like she was overlapping his past self when he came in.

‘It’s been a long time.’

Tewon muttered to himself and stopped his steps.

If there is a high, there is a low, looking at Somii, he could feel the path that he had to go.

“Somii.”

“Ah, yes, editor.

Somii was startled and looked up from her screen. Tewon asked as he looked on her screen.

“Do you have a lot of work today?”

“No, I finished everything done today. This is something that I wanted to finish early.”

“Then, get ready to leave. Let’s go out together.”

“Ah go out? Ah, with Writer Ha?”

Tewon smiled instead of answering.

Somii immediately saved and turned off her keyboard. She was smiling as she was taking her stuff.

‘I haven’t seen him since the writer’s meeting?’

She couldn’t help but get excited at meeting Jaegun. He was a person that just gave strength, with a comfortable smile and polite speech. His ferocious eyes when he was working came up.

“I’m ready, editor.”

“Yes, then let’s go.”

The two people went down to the parking lot.

Somii asked as he was getting in.

“Is it Guro today as well?’

“Yes, Writer Ha likes that place and it’s comfortable.”

The car went out of the parking lot.

Tewon had no words while he was driving for a while.

Somii was looking outside, not asking first.

As the car stopped at a light, Tewon said first, lowering the volume of the radio.

“I’ll say it before we get there.”

“Yes, editor. Say it.”

“The representative wants to get an exclusive contract with Writer Ha.”

“An exclusive contract?”

Somii widened her eyes.

“If then, Writer Ha can’t write anything else?”

“Yeah, he doesn’t want to miss any of Writer’s Ha’s writing.”

Somii could see his bitter smile. She couldn’t think of anything that a new editor could say.

“I’m going to resign soon.”

“Re…sign? The company?”

That was completely surprising.

With Somii who was flabbergasted, Tewon said stolidly.

“I was there a long time. With the atmosphere and that, it’s time to find a different path. It’s better than getting pushed out.”

“But editor…! I know this may be rude to say this, but you’re really good at working. You have the representative’s trust…”

“It’s because I can’t respond to that trust of his.”

Tewon cute Somii’s words. As the light turned green, he pressed the acceleration and continued.

“Just you know it. I thought I should tell it to you so I said it.”

“Yes…”

Somii said weakly with his head down.

Tewon raised the radio volume again. A K-pop song whose lyrics couldn’t be understood was turning up loudly.

“It’s a series, so I would like the contract to be like before. With 10%, from 3000 books up 1 %, and the 6 for the electronic books.”

“Thank you, Writer Ha, here take a drink.”

Jaegun got Tewon’s offering.

There was a lot of sashimi and seafood on the table.

“Here, a toast.”

“Toast.”

Teon and Somii, and Jaegun put their cups together.

After he drank, Jaegun picked up a piece of sashimi happily

“It’s been awhile since I ate one of these. It looks good.”

“Go eat a lot. You like sashimi.”

“Ah, there’s only the editor for me. Somii, you have some too.”

“Ah, yes, Writer.”

Starled, Somii who was blankly staring picked up her chopsticks

Jaegun thought to himself.

‘What happened.’

Jaegun’s observation skills as a writer came up to him right now.

There was a heavy air between Tewon and Somii. It was different from their previous meetings. Jaegun felt before.

But Jaegun didn’t ask at first.

If it was important, Tewon would have said it before.

He was an amazing editor that did everything for his writer. So Jaegun felt it, but he wasn’t nervous.

“I guess I can’t expect anything too good? Because it has the previous two characters.”

With Jaegun’s word, Tewon said carefully.

“I think so. It won’t be too bad, but I don’t think it would be too amazing either.”

Tewon wasn’t a person who said something that was false. Jaegun liked Tewon for that reason.

Jaegun let out a question as he was pouring a drink to Tewon.

“I was thinking of a title but nothing is coming out. Maybe I should it name it the Realm Rankings because they fight in the other realms? Or maybe the Double Rankings? It feel weird with Rankings and double. It’s all weird? Do you have anything that you have in mind?”

“…Writer Ha.”

“Yes?”

Jaegun stopped and looked at Tewon. Tewon had a different look than before.

“Yes editor.”

Tewon was conflicted.

He was still a StarBooks editor. He needed to do everything he needed to do and think of the other things. Thinking that to himself Tewon asked

“Would you sign a contract to be an exclusive writer for StarBooks?”.

Chapter 39

“Exclusive?”

“Yes, exclusive. It’s not a project, but a contract with Writer Ha.”

Jaegun’s gaze slowly dropped down.

Jaegun was thinking. He’s grown enough to get an exclusive contract. And from a company that came in the top three in the domestic genre market.

If he became a exclusive writer, he wouldn’t be able to publish anything for the other companies.

Only with the company that he contracted with.

But he would have a salary that came in intervally like a regular worker. He could expect better treatment and sponsors because he was an exclusive writer.

‘However…’

Jaegun had been jealous of the exclusive writers of StarBooks before.

They were best-selling writers so they had the requirements to sign as exclusive writers. There were companies that only did exclusive contracts, but they were few and far between.

Jaegun has seen StarBook’s exclusive writers before and they looked complacent even thought they couldn’t write. It was because of their salary. Because they couldn’t write, they went on vacation internationally, shopping, etc. All of this can be seen by SNS.

“I know this is an idea that requires some thought.”

Tewon said opening a new bottle.

“Think slowly. You don’t have to decide right now.”

Jaegun took the bottle and poured one to Tewon and Somii as well. As they toasted again, Jaegun said clearly.

“I will decide now.”

Tewon and Somii stopped at that position. Jaegun one-shotted a drink and put in down on the table.

“I’m thankful for the offer but I don’t think I can do an exclusive contract.”

“I see.”

“I can’t contract myself to write. I want to live life like I did- writing freely.”

Tewon bitterly smiled. He knew that this would happen. A weird emotion of happiness and disappointed at the same time came in.

“I know you’re doing the right thing, I’ll cheer you on.”

Somii who was beside him looked at Tewon.

Is this really it? No more persuasion or arguments? What is he going to say to the representative when he gets back?

Jaegun took some lettuce. With a piece of sashimi on top of the lettuce, he continued.

“I have never been a writer for StarBook.”

“Yes?”

Looking at Tewon, Jaegun was smiling.

“I have always had a contract with you. Our relationship is gonna continue as long as I can keep it.”

“I’m flattered. I did nothing.”

“What are you talking about. Don’t say it’s tiring and push me out.”

Somii understood as these two people were talking.

They were being considerate of each other. It was because of the writer-editor bond that they couldn’t say anything else, from their eyes, both of them understood each other.

“You should eat this when it’s fresh. Get faster.”

“I am eating busily. You and Somii eat as well. I’ve been watching but you guys haven’t been eating.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll eat, writer.”

There were no further discussions about work.

For 2 hours, these three people talked about small things in life or about the writing world. A dish of sashimi ended and the fish stew was almost empty.

“I’ve ate well.”:

“No, it’s because of you that we ate well.”

Tewon smiled as he swiped the company card.

As they left the restaurant, a cool air hit the three people. It was almost past 9.

“Ah, I didn’t contract with you because we were too busy.”

Tewon snapped his fingers.

It was about the sequel contract. He forgot all about it.

“We can do it right now. Let’s have some coffee at a cafe. I’ll buy the coffee.

Jaegun pointed towards the cafe across the street.

Tewon looked at his watch nonplussed. Actually he had no time. He had to have a short meeting from 9:30 with a writer. A editor’s life is always this complex.

“I’ll take him in and sign it with him.”

Somii, knowing his schedule, said. It wasn’t a hard thing because the terms were already laid out.

“Ah, Writer Ha, I’m sorry. I need to go somewhere.”

“No, do go your work. I’ll see you later.”

“Yes, Writer, Somii, here, the contract.”

Tewon took out a contract from his bag and gave it to Somii.

“Then I’ll be going now. Writer, take care. Somii, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, you can go now.”

Tewon went with hurried footsteps.

Jaegun and Somii went to the cafe across the street.

“What do you want, writer?”

“I’ll buy, what do you want Somii?”

“No, I can buy it with my company card.”

“Don’t lie, the editor took it, and I want to buy it. Coffee at least,

Jaegun asked while looking at the menu. Somii looked at the menu and answered.

“Then I’ll take a coffee mocha.”

“Give me a ice americano and a cafe mocha.”

There were no customers so it came out fast.

Jaegun and Somii went into a corner and sat together.

“Let’s decide on a title.”

With the contract on the table, Somii said. Jaegun put his hand and took the pen.

“I’ll just give it a temporary name.”

Somii quickly put the terms in the contract and Jaegun confirmed each of the terms and signed. Therefore, the contract as quickly signed.

“I hope you’ll do well for a long time, writer. How many are you planning now?”

“About 10 books maybe. The 2 characters from the previous books are fighting and being comrades. There’s going to be a lot of stories with them.”

“I’m curious as a reader. There’s going to be a book with both Cheonma and Yujin. One is a loud and vigorous person while the other is a cynical person, completely polar opposites each other.”

“Yeah, I can’t confirm what’s going to happen. Ah? It’s raining?”

There was rain outside the window. People outside were running with clothes and bags over their head to avoid the rain.

“What do I do? You don’t have an umbrella, writer? I’ll go buy one from the store.”

Somii was already getting up.

Jaegun was surprised and stopped her with a wave.

“The store is right beside here. Let’s go when we’re leaving.

“Ahah, yes, let’s do that.”

She looked like a person who put her effort into everything that she did so she was never relaxed. Maybe it was the drinks, but Jaegun felt bad for Somii who always moved quickly.

“Somii.”

“Yes, say it.”

“Is there anything wrong with the editor?”

Jaegun asked.

He was planning to ask that as he went with Somii in this cafe.

Somii shook with an embarrassed face.

“It must be because he was tired.”

With Somii, Jaegun tilted his head.

“But even if he was tired, he felt very different today. And your face wasn’t that good either.”

“Did you feel that?”

“Yes, totally.”

“It must be because I didn’t sleep well yesterday. I’m sorry. I think I bothered you. The editor worked consecutive nights too.”

Somii didn’t say the truth.

She was an editor working below Tewon and Jaegun was a writer.

She had no intention of saying stories about the inside of the company as it may bother Jaegun.

“He must be tired.”

Jaegun nodded as if he understood. He couldn’t erase the feeling that Somii was hiding something, but it was too much to ask more.

“Well the contract is over so let’s get up. Somii should rest as well.”

Jaegun stood up first, pushing his chair back.

Somii, following Jaegun, stood up with her bag.

“Let’s go get a umbrella.”

As Jaegun said that, the rain was pouring even harder

Jaegun and Somii went into the store following a connected path. There were about 3-4 people waiting to buy an umbrella.

“Ah, hello. Is there only one umbrella left?”

The clerk answered towards Jaegun.

“Yes. There was no restock today so that’s the last one.”

“If we came later, that could have been bad.”

Jaegun took the last pink umbrella and bought it. Moving closer to Somii, he put the umbrella over their heads and said.

“It’s not bad to walk together. It’s a bit small but let’s go.”

“Yes…”

Looking down at her feet, Somii said with a slightly shy voice.

The two people slowly walked towards the subway with one pink umbrella.

Jaegun changed his hand that he was holding the umbrella and moved to the other side of him. It was a car side. With Jaegun’s small considerations, Somii smiled.

The subway wasn’t that far.

Moving across the road, and up the staircase, it wasn’t long before they were time to separate.

“Be careful. And take this.”

It was when they were behind their stations.

Jaegun gave the umbrella to Somii’s two hands.

To the shy Somii, Jaegun said with a firm face.

“Pink isn’t my type. Then I’ll go.”

“Wr, writer Ha. I don’t have any reason to get hit by rain when I get off.”

“I’ll give you the drafts of the first 5 books by the end of the week.”

Jaegun was already turning around and waving his hand.

Looking at Jaegun, she glanced at the umbrella she held with two hands. With her small two hands, she was holding it firmly as a dear present.

“Thank you for taking the interview. I’ll show you as soon as the editing is finished.”

“Yes, thank you. Good bye.”

The Navin employees left out the door.

Jaegun sighed while he sitting down. His back was covered with sweat.

“That interview is really hard. Why does it take so much time. And so many pictures.”

“Meow.”

Rika climbed on top of Jaegun’s knees.

They also took pictures of Rika with Jaegun. It was because of the opinion that a writer with a cat looked good. Rika seemed more tired than usual.

“But I didn’t tell them that I wrote novels with the name Pyung Cheon Yu. I wasn’t trying to hide it but, oh well, it probably won’t matter.”

Jaegun started his work with Rika on his knees.

It was the draft for Hetea Media. The first book was done and he was starting on the 2nd. The title was ‘Pegelon’s Swordsman’ as the previous book’s character’s son was a swordsman.

‘I’ll send the 5 books to Hetae Media in 4 days. I’ll start the 3rd series of the Ranking series by Monday.’

His 10 fingers flew across the keyboard.

With Se Gunwoo’s notebook and the power of reusing the previous series’ world, the writing went very fast.

Without realizing that Rika was out of his knees, and without realizing the sun was already going down, Jaegun fell into in his work.

Chapter 40

It was on the morning after 4 days.

The Hetae Media team was sitting down and looking at the monitor screen. Everyone was reading the same novel.

The office was very quiet. There was only the sound of a mouse click, a keyboard, and a person sipping coffee.

‘Wow, this is good? What? Already done?’

Park Gyungsu clicked the copy of the 3rd book after he finished the 2nd book. And then he fell back into the story again. He was so deep into the story that he was almost forgot that he had to read it as an editor.

Ma Jonggu was the same.

‘This is amazing, this guy…! Did this guy really get some drugs? He never ceases to surprise me!’

Jonggu’s job was mostly business, not editing. He left the editing and analyzing to the lower employees like Gyungsu.

And that same Jonggu was sitting on his chair, deeply entranced by the novel. His hand was busy trying to untie the necktie strangling him.

Time passed until 11.

Jonggu lifted his head as he felt the vibrations of the alarm he set earlier. On the position of his glance, he could see the workers’ faces that were glued on the screen.

“How was it? There’s no need to go to the meeting room so let’s discuss here.”

“It’s beast.”

One employee looked towards Jonggu and gave a thumbs up.

“I thought it might be hard with the previous story’s world and the main characters son as the lead but now, after I read it, it doesn’t look hard for a reader who hasn’t read the previous story.”

Another girl employee continued.

“I think so too. If they read Pegelon’s Magician, there might have a little more enjoyment, and if they haven’t, they might enjoy it nonetheless.”

Gyungsu said the last word.

“The story is dynamic and fast. The main character is now a swordsman so the battles are much more intense than the previous story. I can’t guarantee that there will be more copies, but the minimum 3000 copies doesn’t look hard at all.”

Jonggu smiled and nodded. The employees were all thinking the same thing as him. He pulled out a phone from his pocket and called.

Beep! Beep!

After he took a shower, the phone that he left on the bed was vibrating. Jaegun brushed off his hair with a towel and went over.

“What, is the confirmation already done?”

Jaegun muttered as he saw the name on the screen. It was Hetae Media’s Ma Jonggu. It had only been about 4 hours since he sent the 5 copies of ‘Pegelon’s Swordsman’ but there was a call already.

“Yes.”

“Writer Ha, hello. I got your copy. This work is really interesting as well.”

“You’ve already read all that?”

“I’ve read about 2 to 3 books. The entire planning team read it and they complimented it a lot. Before even reading, it feels like the two eyes are getting sucked in? Hahaha.”

Jaegun scratched his nose and giggled. He didn’t dislike Jonggu’s remarks as before.

“You’ve taken a lot of care into this, writer, so that reader who haven’t read the previous series could read it. I could feel the consideration.”

“I feel good because my hard work has been rewarded.”

“We can get a schedule for printing right away. Until the 2nd book, I don’t see any typoes. You’re amazing.”

It was obvious. He used Se Gunwoo’s Glasses to pick out the typoes and bad words. He had completely reduced the work that editors had to do.

“Since the last series got about 6000 copies, this one will also do well. Thank you for your hard work. And you’ve finished it so quickly. I was so surprised that I might have fallen over on my back. Writer, you’ve been keeping a storage, right?”

“Ah, yes…”

Jaegun slurred his words. He couldn’t say that he didn’t sleep at all for 4 days and he used the power of Se Gunwoo’s laptop and mug to help him.

“Anyway, thank you. I like the cover that you sent me so just use that. I’ll send the rest of the series as soon as I can.”

“Yes, there’s no need to hurry, writer. You’ve already sent 5 books so we have time. Don’t hurry and just write well. And thank you again.”

“Yes, you too.”

Jaegun dried off his hair and drank a coffee with Se Gunwoo’s mug. After a 5 minute rest, the energy came back to his body. He felt as if he was being lead to the laptop.

“I need to write the 3rd Ranking series.”

He finished the plot up to the 10th book. Now he only needed to write the story as he made it up. Before he started, Jaegun licked his dry lips.

“Rika, I’m kind of worried.”

“Meow?”

“Pegelon’s Swordsman was made so the readers didn’t have to read the previous series. The main character is the previous series’ main character’s son, and I’ve explained it briefly. But this 3rd series for the Ranking is different. The previous 2 series main’s are coming up so I’m not sure if it will be good.”

Rika came down from the cat tower and walked towards Jaegun. Jaegun put out his two arms. But Rika ignored it and sat down on his lap.

“What, is that to not complain anymore? You’ve decided already, so finish it with your own strength?”

Rika answered with a step on Jaegun’s stomach instead of a cry. Jaegun touched Rika’s face and asked.

“You really take care of me. Maybe we should marry.”

“Meow…!”

Rika shouted and dropped her head. It was the feeling that she didn’t want to be bothered anymore.

“Yeah, I’ve decided so, let’s do the best I can.”

Tap! Tap! Tap!

The Rankings series was started. Like the same with yesterday, there was only the sound of keyboard typing in the small one room.\n“WHAT IS HAPPENING!”

A huge fist went down on the desk.

Representative Park Jeguk of StarBooks was screaming with his face red. The shouting was directed towards Tewon sitting across from him.

“YOU DIDN’T EVEN GET AN EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT, AND, YOU MADE HIM RELEASE A SEQUEL WITH HETAE MEDIA BEFORE US? ARE YOU DOING YOUR JOB RIGHT?! DO YOU HAVE ANY EFFORT TO WORK!”

“Representative, the sequel is best released from the original publishing company. It’s good for the writer in many ways…”

“YOU THINK i DON’T KNOW THAT. YOU’RE TRYING TO TEACH ME?!”

“No.”

“I’m really going crazy. AHAHA!”

Tewon was getting broken daily now. Yesterday was because he couldn’t get an exclusive contract with Jaegun, today was because Jaegun’s sequel with Hetae Media.

“I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOU! GET OUT!”

Tewon left silently and went to the office. Somii’s face was filled with worry as she saw Tewon.

“Did he get yelled at again.’

‘Pegelon’s Swordsman’ was released by Hetae Media. The beginning had great reviews like the previous series. After the original 3000 copies, there were already 1000 more copies printed.

After she hesitated for a second, she carefully went to Tewon. She had things to report.

“Um, editor.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Even though he was yelled at by the representative, he still tried to greet Somii with a smile. Feeling her heart becoming cold, Somii opened her mouth.

“The 5 copies that writer Ha Jaegun sent us. About the 3rd Ranking series.”

“Um, yes, I’ve read until the 2nd, you?”

“I’ve read till the 3rd book.”

“How is it?”

Somii couldn’t answer quickly and she hesitated. Tewon wanted a editor’s review. It was also a review that couldn’t be said very easily because of the atmosphere.

“….I think it’s best not to go over 2000 copies.”

Somii said in a quiet voice.

2000 copies is not small.

If there are 1000 copies printed frequently, that’s considered pretty good in this terrible paper book market. But it was nothing compared to the 5000 copies printed of the previous series.

“It requires knowledge about the previous series. It’s going to be hard for readers who haven’t read both the Martial Rankings and the Modern Rankings. It requires patience to like the characters.”

Tewon nodded silently. He was thinking the same. He had a slight difference in the number of copies. He was thinking of releasing 2500, maybe because of his personal trust in Jaegun.

“Go with 2000 copies.”

Tewon said with a voice like a sigh. It was the feeling that everything was confirmed with this decision.

“Put the schedule on the sereer. I’ll leave this to you.”

“Yes… editor.”

Somii turned around with no energy. There was nothing else to say. It was her that knew of Tewon’s situation so it was even harder.

Tewon took off his glasses and pressed his around his eyes as to pressure them. And he put his neck way back. He could see the fan on the ceiling with his two eyes.

Click, click.

The time went by.

Tewon was waiting with his two eyes closed, resting on the chair. He could see his editor’s life passing by through the darkness. There were a lot of things. What should he say. It was the days when he had no worthwhile undertakings but also no regrets.

Moments later.

“Editor, the representative said to come immediately…”

Tewon opened his eyes at an employee’s words. He didn’t hesitate and he stood up. The old chair that held him for 9 years were moving weakly back.

Tewon stopped in front of the representative’s office.

If he entered this door, he couldn’t stay as a StarBook’s editor anymore.

He knew that but he could do no other thing but to open the door. After a deep breath, his hand was slowly turning the doorknob.

“WHAT IS THIS! WHY ARE YOU ONLY HAVING 2000 COPIES OF THE 3RD RANKING SERIES! HETAE MEDIA IS ALREADY PRINTING 1000 MORE COPIES WITH PEGELON’S SWORDSMAN OR WHATEVER AND WHAT IS THIS!”

Screams came as soon as he opened the door.

Tewon opened his mouth as he closed the door.

“I’ve told you that if you didn’t read the previous series, the meaning is…”

“Do business! Push! Go with the people and leave! Why are you spouting such stuffy words all the time! Where did you sell your job brain?!”

Jeguk was pounding his chest.

“There is a great probability that many will be refunded. You should look further, representative. If Ha Jaegun’s cost drops, then the consequence goes to the writer as well as the company…”

“SHUT UP!”

Jeguk’s shouts pushed down Tewon’s justifications.

“So useless….! Is it because of the age? Is your brain not working very well?! Do you have dementia already?!”

These were personal insults now coming from Jeguk’s mouth.

Tewon closed his eyes.

He had heard many screams from the representative, but this was the first he had heard something so humiliating.

But now it was fine.

Jeguk’s insults were making Tewon’s decision easier to make.

“Representative.”

“What!!”

Tewon pushed his glasses up and lifted his head. Looking at Jeguk’s angry and annoyed glance, he answered in a calm manner.

“Company, I’ll resign.”