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Big Life Chapter 41-50

Big Life Ch 41-50

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Chapter 41

“…What?”

Jeguk squinted his eyes like a person blinded by the sun. And then Tewon repeated with a louder voice.

“I want to resign from this company.”

“You…! Are you saying this because I got a bit loud?!”

“No that’s not it. I am not doing as the representative wishes. With this, I cannot keep the editor position anymore.”

“Wa, wait. Wait a second. Just sit down.”

Jeguk waved his hand as he stuttered. He was stunned. It had been 9 years since they been first got together. He knew that Tewon was not the kind of person to be swayed by emotion.

Jeguk went to behind the desk and drank some water. One wasn’t enough, so he drank another cup. He sighed and walked in front of the window.

“Are you serious?”

Jeguk, after a while, said.

Before Tewon on the sofa could respond, Jeguk asked again.

“Are you serious? Why are you resigning. What’s the issue?”

It was a rhetorical question. Jeguk turned around and sat down the opposite of Tewon. And with his anger quelled, Jeguk continued with an anxious expression.

“I get it. My words were a bit rough. The electronic team is doing very well, but my daughter and her husband are playing around like they are going to ruin this company. I gave her friend a position in marketing, but she sucks. Nothing’s going right. It must have been because of that. I was too harsh. I’m sorry. Really.”

Tewon was quiet.

Jeguk’s words were honest. He wasn’t a bad person who would get angry easily. If he was, Tewon wouldn’t have lasted 9 years. He was a person who really took care of Tewon when Tewon took care of him. That’s why he worked for so long.

But…

An apology couldn’t change Tewon’s words.

“It must have been sensitive. Let’s go out earlier and have a drink. Let’s cool it off.”

Jeguk, with a softer tone, tried to comfort Tewon as he tapped his shoulder. But Tewon immediately shook his head and said.

“I will resign, representative.”

“WHY!”

Jeguk couldn’t stand it and suddenly stood up.

He couldn’t take this resignation like this.

There wasn’t a editor like Tewon. He was good at editing and business, and was a person who got work done with writings and employees.

“I’m 45 years old next year, representative.”

“4 years ago, I reached 50! Are you bringing resignation even though you’re not even 50.”

“I can’t stay in this business forever. One problem is that even the representative won’t be able to keep his position. Right?”

Jeguk could only take deep breaths.

Tewon was rethinking the reasons why he wanted to resign.

The collision between the representative’s feeling for writing as money, the increasing issue with a family-based business.

He couldn’t deal with the stress any longer. His body and mind were already fatigued.

“I want to get a good job before I get any older to feed my family. I’m sorry I said this so unexpectedly. Please understand and take it.”

Jeguk stood up with a sigh. He took out a cigar and put it in his mouth. In an office that was designated as nonsmoking for so long, he lit it.

“Well let’s have a drink.”

As the cigar was half burned, Jeguk said.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve been together, we’re not a relationship that can be just cut with a word. Let’s at least have that.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Ok, go do work.”

Tewon lowered his head and turned around. Jeguk didn’t turn away from the window until the end.

Tewon went outside instead of the office. He went to a convenience, bought a lighter, and sat down on a blue chair under a parasol. He still had the cigar that he bought a long time ago.

“Phew…”

It’s been awhile.

There was dizziness as soon as he took a sip,

Tewon lowered his glance from the people around him. From his phone, he was calling his wife.

-What’s up at this time, from you?

“I just have time, what are the kids doing?”

-There aren’t back from school. Look at the time.

“I see.”

-DId something happen? Your voice isn’t very good

‘Nothing happened’ couldn’t come out his mouth. He didn’t want to lie. His wife was an editor too. After their second kid, she resigned because of her health and became a housewife.

-I wanted to say something this morning. You’re not looking very good recently. Come early, I’ll make you something good.

“I’ll be late. I have a dinner spot with the representative. I get it. I’ll call you later.”

His wife quickly continued to Tewon before he hung up.

-Wait.

“What?”

His wife had no words for a while.

Only her breaths were coming through his ears.

Tewon threw away the burned cigar and took out another. As he was going to light it, his wife’s word went to his ear.

-Don’t be forced to stay.

Tewon’s face lost its color. Unexpected words from his wife flowed into his ear.

-You can resign if it’s too hard. You’ve done a lot already. 10 years of trying to get food on the table for our kids. You’ve worked nonstop.

“What… what are you talking about.”

-Do you know what you’re like when you sleep. Instead of snoring or dreaming, you’re working. Writer, writer, the draft is good. And then when I look closer, why do you have so much white hair? I can’t pluck it because you might wake up… You know my feeling… you…

His wife’s voice was slowly turning into sobs.

Tewon took out his glasses. He was pressing his wet eyes with his finger.

He couldn’t beat his wife.

She also looked straight through him

That power only made his heart more painful.

-Don’t struggle alone. The management that you talked about during the summer, let’s do that together.

“You… remembered?”

The writer management was something he was thinking of doing after he resigned. He had already said things to a few people.

He had only said it in passing by while drinking, but his wife remembered as always.

-I didn’t want to say anything before it could be confirmed, but I looked things up. It looks good. Let’s start it together. I was a smart editor. You know right?

After the sobs, his wife laughed. A laugh as bright as the spring wind was tickling his ears.

“Of course… I know.”

Tewon put away the cigar and put his face down on his hands.

From his hands shivering, to his entire body shivering, he was comforting himself about how good this was a phone call not a video call.

“Look at that, Rika, that was the convenience store I’ve worked until last year, You see that store over there? It’s cheap and good. I must have ate 500 dishes.”

Jaegun said to Rika on the side seat.

It was the car from Hetae. With his first passenger of Rika, he was taking a ride around. October’s sunlight was reflecting on the new black car.

Rika was quiet instead of misbehaving.

She was either sitting, or looking out the window, enjoying the drive.

“Maybe I should stop by.

The way back home

Jaegun stopped by at Se Gunwoo’s garve. Jaegun opened the passenger seat and Rika hopped out.

“I’m here, sir.”

Jaegun greeted to the grave. Rika went around as she was checking the grave and came back beside Jaegun.

“It’s already fall. Since I’ve been writing with you, time has been going so fast.”

Clearing the dishes laid on the grave, his book, and some cups for drinks, Jaegun said. It was the things that he had laid when he came here earlier.

Jaegun was sitting down next to the grave after he cleaned up.

The sun was setting. Looking at the red sky, a sigh already came out.”

“Sir, I have no idea what to write about.”

Jaegun opened his mouth as he was complaining.

“I want to write about something that I like. As you said, with caring about the reader. But, I have no idea what to write about. I don’t even have any hardships anymore.”

He had gotten an advance from Hetae Media with the Pigeon series, but there was still money like a monthly salary from the Ranking series.

Until last year, money about 12,000 dollars were coming in monthly.

After the paper book was done, he could wait for some more profits. He could do nothing and still live comfortably for about 2-3 years. It was amazing as a writer.

“I thought I was working hard, it’s hard, sir.”

Se Gunwoo had no words.

Jaegun sat there for a while until he brushed himself and stood up. And then Rika followed her.

Beep! Beep!

As he came home and was cleaning Rika’s feet, a call came

As he recognized his friend’s name, he smiled and picked up.

“Park Jongjin, since you’re calling, you’re out early?”

-What are you doing, come out if you’re not busy, let’s have a drink.

Jongjin’s voice was rough

His hard breathing was coming through his ears.

“I’m going out right now, but say it early, anything happened?”

Jaegun took off his pants with the phone between his shoulder and his ears and asked. Jongjin sighed before answering.

-It’s nothing serious, but come out. Let’s talk after we meet. I want to see you Ha Jaegun.

“I get it, where do you want to meet.”

-I’ll see you at your neighborhood. I’ll take the subway. It’s be about 20 minutes.

“Ok, I’ll go.”

Jaeung changed quickly with a nervous mind. As he was wearing his socks, he said to Rika.

“Jongjin might have to come and sleep here today. Hearing his voice, he’s not doing very well. In these days, he pours himself in. Just take it for a day.”

“Moew.”

Rika was answering with waving his tails.

Jaegun couldn’t take it anymore as he looked at her eyes. Knowing that she wouldn’t like it, he rubbed Rika’s nose and he left home.

He walked there to the subway. Jongjin called as he was going to arrive.

“Ah, I’m in the 1st exit.”

-Turn around

Jaegun turned around, surprised.

Jongjin was bitterly smiling right in front of me.

“You came quickly. You fly here?”

“The subway was right there. What do you want to eat? I’ll drink soju as the drink.”

“You’re starting already. What is it?”

“It’s nothing. Let’s get a seat and talk. Yeah, there’s a jokbal store right there. Let’s have that in a while.”

Jaegun and Jongin went in and sat down.”

Soju and the appetizers were on the table before the main.

Jongjin, as if he was waiting, took off the cap and poured drinks to each cup.

“Here.”

“Hey, drink when you have food. It’s on an empty stomach. You too.”

“There’s the appetizers, let’s toast.”

“Well….”

His body fevered up as he drank in a empty stomach.

Jaegun took the bottle form Jongjin as he was about to pour himself another drink.

“Don’t pour your own cup.”

“What’s wrong with that.”

“I think the dialogue has flipped between you and me. I remember this dream.”

“It was the college meeting. At Hama.”

“Ah, I remember. When I was cold because of Myunghoon, we said this.”

Jongjin was smiling now. Pouring a drink, Jaegun was smiling too.

“Say it. Whatever it is. If I can help you…”

“You can’t help me/.”

“What is it?”

“Hyojin.”

Jongjin didn’t hesitate and he answered immediately.

Jaegun tilted his hand and squinted.

“What?”

“Hyojin is the reason.”

Jongjin drank a cup. Taking an appetizer with a wrinkled face, he continued.

“I think she has a person that she likes.”

“How do you know?”

“I looked on Twitter and the feeling is that. She’s been saying that that there’s been so many boys coming into her eyes.”

“No picture?”

“Ah, no, there was no picture.”

“Don’t judge immediately. It’s probably nothing.”

“Yah, is that it? The reason why you were mad?”

“It isn’t a serious problem?”

“You haven’t even confessed to her?”

“Yes.”

“Hey, shut your mouth and just eat.”

“It’s probably just nothing right? Maybe? You know that girls say things on Twitter like they have things? Hm? Hyojin’s probably like that?”

“You’re really a paranoid person. Ah, be quiet.

Jaegun felt like this was absurd, but Jongjin was serious. Jaegun understood that Jongjin liked her that much, but he was completely cramped.

“There was nothing that I could do to her.”

It was Jongin’s words after the second bottle.

“If it well between me and Hyojin, I was thinking of what to do for her but f**k. I feel like even dating is bad with my small salary. Hyojin’s a princess..”

“Maybe to your eyes. I feel like she’s good-natured and easygoing. She eats sundae guksu very well.”

“sundae guksu isn’t the best food to describe easygoing. But my mind is like that. Ah, I don’t’ know. I feel like Hyojin has a man already. I’m sure. I’m completely sure. It’s a fact.”

Jaegun listened carefully to Jongin’s words.

It was from his work, to HyoJin’s relationship, to his family, he talked about everything, Jaegun didn’t respond and only listened carefully.

‘You were hard too. I’m sorry.’

After the 3rd bottle, looking at Jongjin, Jaegun apologized inside. It was agodo friend, who helped in times of need. As the backbone was set, he was going to be the first one to help, JAegun said to himself.

“I can’t end this like this. Let’s go to a karaoke bar.”

Jongjin was say9ing after the payments.

Jaegun looked for a bar. he found one and pointed.

“Ok, let’s go there. Sing and relieve your stress.”

“Hey, wait, stop.”

Jongjin pulled Jaegun in the opposite,

“We go to a close one, where are you going?”

“This guy doesn’t know the world. Follow the older one.”

Jongjin pulled Jaegun in a karaoke bar in the building’s 3rd floor.

He had no way of knowing what the difference between the place he picked and this, but Jaegun just followed Jongjin and went into the elevator.

Chapter 42

“Come in.”

As Jongjin went in, a woman in her 30s greeted them with a smile. The stress was evident beneath the makeup of hers.

Jongjin was shaking as a he went over to the counter and asked.

“You can call her?”

“Yes, of course.”

“2 people. We’re only gonna be here for 2 hours. Just give us 4 bottles of beer. How much is it.”

“156 dollars.”

Jongjin put down his card and paid.

Jaegun was shocked that he couldn’t say anything. He had no time to stop him. It happened so fast.

“Go in and sing some songs. The second room.”

“Yes, Jaegun, let’s go,”

Jongjin pulled Jaegun into the room.

Not understanding the situation, Jaegun asked with a pale face before he sat down.

“Hey! Park Jongjin! What are you doing!”

“What am I doing. Let’s have fun.”

“What are you talking about. How is the fee over 150 dollars? What is this place?”

Jaegun’s two eyes were looking at the room.

It was a room with a huge tv on the wall, with two mikes. It was a plain karaoke bar.

“You idiot, how do you not know this when you’re writing. I called a helper.”

“Helper?”

Jaegun asked since he didn’t understand.

Jongjin laughed and continued as he took off his coat.

“A karaoke helper.”

“What?”

Jaegun squinted immediately.

He had never experienced this before.. He knew it through the internet but he only had a little information about it.

“Don’t be nervous. We’re only singing together and having fun. I don’t know what you’re thinking but it’s not a disorderly, chaotic environment so be assured.”

“Where did you learn this?”

“I got it from my superior. We came here once. We just cleanly talk and sing and then we just leave. It’s much better than just two men singing here alone. “

“I don’t understand you.”

Jaegun shook his head.

Jaegun’s actions right now weren’t very good in his mind.

He had no plan to reject him for the reason of losing to pleasure. He wasn’t a child and even he had that flexibility. But the problem was different.

“Did you have this feeling to play because of Hyojin?”

“Ahh, it’s not what you think. And it’s already fate that

I’m not getting with Hyojin.”

Jaegun thought Jongjin was already drunk as he was laughing like this. He didn’t know that he would get drunk this easily.

Jaegun asked as he sat beside him.

“Were you working overtime a lot?”

“How did you know?”

“I can tell from your face. I feel like you might collapse if I just tap you. Let’s go to my room and sleep.”

“I’m not tired, idiot, and I already called them.”

“Then I can go out and cancel it so let’s…”

Creak!

As Jaehn was saying, the owner opened the door and came in.

4 bottles of beer, with snacks, and a plastic cup came on the table quickly.

Jaegun said to the woman.

“Ma’am, I’m sorry but we’re about to go?”

“Going?”

“Ah, Ha Jaegun. What are you doing?”

“You be quiet, I’m sorry. I’ll give you the beer cost.”

With Jaegun’s words, the owner pointed behind her back sullenly.

“The girls are already here?”

“Yes?”

Jaegun could see them.

Two girls were standing behind the woman’s back

They were both in their early 20s. With a see through short hotpants, with black stockings, with heels, they were very skinny.

“We just go?”

The girl on the left asked. She had a pretty face that looked like a cat. With heavy makeup and hair that was pulled up, the two girls looked the same like siblings.

“No, come in.”

Jongjin stood up and pulled them together. At the same time, he pulled out 30 dollars and gave it to the woman.

“Bring me some more beer. As much as the money gets.”

“Yes, I’ll bring it.”

The woman closed the door and left.

Understanding that it was too late, Jaegun gave up and sat down on the couch as he fell down. The two woman sat beside Jaegun and Jongjin and opened the beer bottle.

“Should I pour it?”

“I’ll just drink it.”

Jaegun took the bottle and drank a sip. It was a uncomfortable and weird feeling. His heartbeat was faster than usual.

“What’s your names?”

Jongjin asked.

The two people looked at each other and answered.

“It’s Dasul.”

“Sulgi.”

They were names that was felt spontaneous.

But anyway, it was all fine. The girl that called herself Dasul was beside Jaegun. She lifted the remote?

“Can I sing a song.”

The girl picked a song and stood up. As if he waited, Jongjin shook the tambourine and shouted. Jaegun looked at the screen and simpered.

‘There was nothing that isn’t too much.’

It was the thought that came as time went by.

As Jongjin said, it wasn’t a chaotic atmosphere.

They sang songs alternating and danced when they felt like it. In between, they drank and said small things.

That was it.

They were people that they weren’t going to see each other after this, there was no need for heavy talks.

‘How many drinks do these girls drink each day. Can their bodies stand this?’

Jaegun clucked his tongue as he looked at the empty bottle below the table. After our time is up, they’re going to sing with others and drink more. It felt like even if he was paid, he couldn’t drink this much.

“Yah, Ha Jaegun. Go sing a song.”

Jongjin shouted as he was singing and having fun til he was sweating.

Jaegun shook his head and refused.

He wasn’t the type of person to have fun in front of strangers.

‘Yes, Park Jongjin, thank you, for letting me have this experience.”

Anyway, it was a positive thing as a writer to have a lot of experiences. Maybe the day will come when I write about these 2 days. Jaegun thought this as he clapped to Jongjin’s singing.

At that moment.

“Are you mad?”

The girl next to Jaegun asked.

As Jaegun wrinkled his forehead because he didn’t hear,

the girl said louder to his ear.

“Are you angry! Why do you have no words!”

“That’s not it. I just can’t sing.”

“Not singing! You’re not talking! Do you not like me?”

“No, if I tell you truthfully, I never had an experience like this so it’s awkward.”

“Phew, so boring. What’s your job? I feel like it’s nothing with strength?”

Jaegun thought for a second.

He didn’t want to tell her that he was a writer. So the thought that came up was the job was his debut work.

“I go around markets and I sell electric pads.”

“Electric pad? If you’re talking about market, you go around the entire country? With a truck?”

“I have a lamborghini.”

“What, a lamborghini? Makes no sense.”

Even though she said that, she was smiling as if it was funny.

Jaegun smiled with as an answer. They knew that nothing was truthful in this place. This place was somewhere that even lying didn’t feel bad.

“Just work hard. There is an easy job to get money. Just working everyday to eat and live is something to be grateful for.”

The woman said after the song was over and it was less loud.

Jaegun was thinking.

It was something that didn’t fit with a girl who looked to be in her early 20s.

‘Yes, everything is hard.”

He could see through the heavy make up. A look of sadness in her eyes. The chin that was shaking because of her sighs. It was a feeling that the girl’s hard life was passing through him.

“Want to drink?”

“Yes, gimme it.”

Jaegun’s mind was solemn all of a sudden.

Thinking that it was a reader’s over thinking, he berated himself and drank the cup.

Time went by very fast.

The 2 hours passed by and the alarm that sent the message of goodbye was ringing.

“I had fun.”

Jaegun stood up quickly and pulled up Jongjin who was moving limply. Jongjin drank a lot and he was out of control for the 2 hours, so he was completely tired.

“Good bye.”

“It was nice to meet you.”

The two women waved their hands and said their superficial goodbyes. As the women stayed as if to calculate something, Jaegun and Jongjin left.

As they left, the cool air was pushing on to the,

Jongjin stretched and he yawned. Jaegun asked as he was stretching.

“Is your mind a bit better?”

“Ah, hm….”

Jongjin scratched his nose, looked around, and shook his head.

“Seriously, it was a waste of money when I woke up.”

“Why did you get drunk so early?”

“I must have been tired. I had a lot of fun but it’s too

expensive. Next time if we’re going, you stop me.”

“You insane person. Let’s go get some seolleongtang.”

“Good. Can I stay at your house for today?”

“Yeah, I can get some blankets.”

The two people ate a hot dish of seolleongtang and came back to his house with a taxi.

As he opened the door, Rika jumped out from the cat tower and greeted him.

“Rika, It’s Jongjin. Come to me.”

Jongjin said as he opened his arms.

Rika glared at him with a sharp glance and went to the cat tower to avoid him.

“What? Are you discriminating? Right now?”

“She sort of is a bit shy. Go ahead and clean up.”

Jaegun took out the clothes to change in to.

As he took them, Jongjin looked around the one room and said.

“You get a lot of money. Can’t you move to a larger

place/”

“Why, this is the best place to write.”

“You have a cat so isn’t this a bit stuffy? And even so,

the location is a bit too weird. Move to a place where the subway is 5 minutes away.”

“I like this place. It’s quiet.”

The place where Se Gunwoo was resting

He might think about moving to a larger house nearby, but he wasn’t going to leave this place.

Jongjin, as if he didn’t understand, shook his head and went into the bathroom and locked the door.

Using this time, Jaegun took about a 100 dollar bill and put it secretly into Jongjin’s wallet. It was half of the cost of the karaoke bar.

‘I want to give everything but, if I did, he’s going to get made later. So, how about we write today’s diary.”

Jaeun sat on the chair and turned on the laptop.

He was rewriting the diary that he hadn’t written for a while. Maybe writing a diary would help him find a good plot and a story.

‘I wrote Pegelon’s Swordsman … I went on a drive with Rika… I went to the grave of Se Gunwoo… I met with Jongjin and went to a karaoke bar….’

There were so many things to write about.

It doubled up to twice the size with Jongjin entering the day instead it only being with Rika and him. Jaegun,

feeling the heat of Rika on his knees, wrote the diary.

‘What did that girl say.’

After he finished writing

He thought of the words that the girl had said.

Looking through his memory, Jaegun quickly remembered and typed on the keyboard.

-Just work hard. Where is there an easy job to get money. Just working everyday to eat and live is something to be grateful for.

‘This has a good feeling to it.’

A sentence that’s plain but has human feeling and emotion to it.

Jaegun repeated the words in his head.

He didn’t even know that Jongjin finished washing and was standing there right behind.

Chapter 43

“What are you writing?”

“Ah, diary.”

Jongjin didn’t ask more and only yawned.

“Aren’t you tired. Ahhhhhh, where do I sleep?”

“Sleep on the bed.”

“Then you?”

“I’ll finish writing and get a blanket to sleep on.”

“I get it. I’ll sleep first. You sleep early too.”

Jongjin dived into the bed’s blanket and laid down.

And then in one minute, he was sleeping, breathing softly.

‘This guy, he must have been really tired.’

As he saw Jongjin, he felt the pain of the employees working at companies. He remembered his father who didn’t rest for one day to feed his family.

Jaegun fixed Jongjin’s blanket and went back to his place.

Then his glance went to the diary.

Just then.

‘U, uhhh….?’

An idea came to him magically.

Jongjin, who was struggling from work, and the karaoke helper she met earlier was whirling in his brain.

Jaegun’s two hands went to the keyboard.

He didn’t think it was with his will. It was more of an instinct.

His ten fingers started to hit the keyboard very fast.

Tap! Tap!

Tap!

Tap! Tapp!

He couldn’t feel the time

The mechanical keyboard’s sound rang around the small room

Jongjin didn’t wake up at all.

He was sleeping soundly like the keyboard sound was a lullaby.\n“Uhhhh, wat.. Water.”

Jongjin muttered as he woke up from thirst.

Jaegun passed him a cup of cold water./

“EHre.”

Jongjin didn’t even open his eyes and drank it eagerly. He drank it all and looked out the window, sighing.

The world was brighter outside.

“What time is it, right now.”

“7. Go clean up. Let’s go eat while we’re leaving.”

“I don’t want to . I’ll probably throw it up. And I have to get ready.”

Jongjin lifted himself up.

His head was about to crash. It felt like someone was spinning the room around him

But if he didn’t wake up, he was going to be late for work.

Jaegun said as he sat back down.

“Amazing will. Park Jongjin. Office workers are amazing.”

“It feel like you’re mocking me.”

“I’m serious.”

“And what are you doing.”

Jongjin was about to go in the bathroom as he caught sight of the monitor. The screen was filled with letters and words.

“Did you write for the entire night?”

“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep.”

Jongjin opened his mouth, surprised at the indifference he showed.

“Hey, you drank a lot too. Aren’t you tired?”

“I work at home. So I’ll feel less tired than you.”

“Don’t say random stuff. Don’t I write in the office? Writing is labor. You’re gonna fall down first.”

“Go and wash up.”

Jongjin went in the bathroom. Jaegun resumed typing.

It was a synopsis and a plot that he made during the night. His eyes were almost blind but he couldn’t stop until he finished.

“Hey, Ha Jaegun.”

“AH? What, how, when did you wear all that?”

Surprised, Jaegun looked back at Jongjin who was changing. Jongjin looked at him absurdly.

“It’s already been 10 minutes. You really can’t do anything when you start writing. I’ll go.”

“I’ll take you to the office.”

“Just keep writing. I can’t block your writing in the middle.”

Jongjin refused Jaegun’s offer to drive him there.

“I’m going early to walk a bit. To wake up from that drink.”

With nothing to do, Jaegun wore slippers and went to see him off.

The autumn air went inside as he opened the door.

As he ducked to try to avoid the leaves, Jaegun asked.

“Hey, I can write a novel with you as the main character right?”

“I’m the main? My life is interesting enough to write a story about me?”

“No?”

“Do you even need my permission. Just write.”

“I get it.”

As they were talking about these things, they were already at the subway station.

Jongjin dove into the huge crowd of people.

Jaegun went back home as he couldn’t see Jongjin at all in the crowd.;

“Rika, go eat. I’ll write a bit more.”

Jaegun took off his shoes as he came back and continued his writing because his brain was working much more efficiently now.

‘A office worker struggling with life and a poor karaoke helper’s meeting….! Their two common traits are … loneliness, Yes, loneliness. The two people who have no one to lean on are leaning on each other.’

The male main was his friend Jongjin.

The female main was the karaoke helper he met yesterday

A feeling of success came.

He was sure that as an economic as well as a writing project, it was going to be a success. He couldn’t control his excited body.

As the morning went by and lunch time came, the sun went down and evening came.

Jaegun forgot to eat and was only writing.

Rika didn’t bother Jaegun who was writing intently for his new book.

“No….! Frick. The character is awkward.”

Jaegun rubbed his head in frustration.

There was no problem making the male main with Jongjin as the model.

The problem was the female main.

He had way too many things he didn’t know about a karaoke helper.

Then the solution was?

‘To go there again…!’

He doesn’t hesitate when he made a decision.

Jaegun stood up, cleaned, and changed his clothes. Then he picked up a memo and pen and left home.

It was just after 8 and it was already becoming loud and crazy.

Jaegun got from his memory and went to the karaoke. It wasn’t hard because it was only yesterday.

“Come in.”

The owner of yesterday lifted her head and welcomed him. Jaegun asked the woman who seemed to remember him.

“Hello. Do you remember me? I came yesterday with a friend.”

“Yes, I remember that you came here.”

“It’s just, uh… can you bring the girl who was there yesterday?”

The owner wrinkled her face.

For a customer asking for a karaoke helper, he seemed weird.

“What for?”

“Ahy, well… I want to sing and have fun. I liked her.”

He decided to hide the fact that he was a writer. Then it felt like the story would get messed up even more. The owner looked at him with suspicion.

“Didn’t you just meet her for the first time yesterday?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“If it’s the first time, it’s hard to find even with their name. There’s too many rude people out there.”

The conversation wasn’t going right.

After a thought, Jaegun pulled out 30 dollars from his wallet and held it towards the owner.

“I’m begging you. I’m not a bad person. I just really liked that woman.”

“Hm…. What to do.”

Unlike her words, the owner’s hands, deep with manicure, were taking in Jaegun’s money.

“Who are you finding”

“Uh, she was a bit shorter. Her face looked like a cat. She said her name was Dasul. And the other was saying Sulgi.”

“That’s all fake names. I know Jaeyoung, but I don’t know the woman that you’re looking for.”

“Can’t you contact Jaeyoung?”

The owner laughed as if it was absurd.

“The two peoole don’t know each other. They came from different offices.”

“Ah, that’s it?”

That’s why the two girls seemed awkward to each other.

In front of the nodding Jaegun, the owner picked up her phone and called someone.

“Hello? Yeah, this is the Hub. It’s just, yesterday… uh, hey, when did you come yesterday?”

“About just after 8.”

Hearing Jaegun’s words, the owner continued her words.

“Jaeyoung came here just after 8. Yeah, you remember? Do you know the girl who came with her? No, she has a nomination. Hm…. ah yes? Chief Kim? Using the name Dasul? Ok, thanks.”

As soon as she cut off, she called somewhere else.

“Hello? Yes hello. This is Hub. Do you have a girl called Dasul? Did she come yet? Ah… yes? Ok, can you give her the phone? She has a nomination.”

The owner glanced over to Jaegun and continued.

“He’s not a weird guy. I can tell by looking. A young guy. Hm yeah, ok. I get it. Thank you.”

As she hung up, the owner drank a drink of water to cool her burning throat. And then she explained to Jaegun.

“She’s not there yet. She’s about to come to work. I told them to call her here as soon as she comes. Just wait.”

“Thanks alot.”

Jaegun sat down on a chair next to the entrance.

The owner gave a beverage to Jaegun from the refrigerator because of the tip she got.

“But what’s your job?”

“I go around the country and sell electric pad.”

The owner looked annoyed and snorted.

“You’re lying. I can tell you’re a man who has ink on his hands. Well I get it.”

The owner didn’t ask more and turned around.

Jaegun was admiring her observation skills and shook his head.

After about 30 minutes to an hour, the girl didn’t show up. Jaegun killed time by watching the TV.

‘Maybe she’s not coming.’

Or she didn’t come to work.

Or like the owner said, she was fearful of meeting a rude person.

If he knew this was going to happen, he would have exchanged more conversation with her and gotten her contact information.

‘I can’t do it with another girl,’

The reason that he was writing this was because of the words that Dasul said. If it wasn’t for those words, he wouldn’t have even thought of this story.

Just to finish the story, he couldn’t give up on the person who he had gotten the feeling from.

It wasn’t a story that was for trivial fun. it needed human feeling. It was a need as a writer.

Just then.

The bell range with a clear ‘Danggg.’

Jaegun turned around and  opened his eyes wide. The girl was coming in. She was the same silhouette as yesterday with the same hotpants.

“Hello, I have a customer?”

“Ah, you came. That person.”

The girl was surprised when she saw Jaegun.

“Hello.”

“Yes….”

The girl replied awkwardly.

The owner gestured to Jaegun behind her back

“You can go into room 2, same as yesterday.”

“Ah, yes. I’ll pay first.”

The girl went in first and Jaegun pulled out his walled.

“2 hours, no, 3 hours please.”

“You’re going to be there for that long?”

“Yes, how much is it?”

“135 dollars. What about the beer?”

“Give us 2 bottles first.”

Jaegun paid and went into the room.

The girl sat awkwardly with her hands folded on her lap.

“Were you surprised?”

“A bit…”

The girl’s reply was short.

Jaegun took off his outer garments.

Just then, the owner came in and gave out the beer. Jaegun then opened his mouth.

“Hey.”

Chapter 44

“Yes?”

The girl shivered and lifted her head. Her expression was one that was fearful of him. She was fearful of the favor that he would want.

“I want to ask a favor so I came here.”

“What favor?”

“Instead of singing, could you talk with me? Of course, I’ll pay you with the same fee.”

The girl thought his words were weird.

There were a lot of people who looked for karaoke helpers because of their loneliness.

But the young man in front of her put talking as the main purpose.

“Talking comes with playing and singing.”

“I want to have a serious conversation. Things about your work. Of course, if it doesn’t bother you.”

“My work? Why?”

The girl asked surprisingly.

Jaegun thought he couldn’t hide it anymore and said the truth.

“I’m a writer.”

“Writ…er? Writer?”

“Yes.”

“I thought you go around and sell electric pads.”

“It was a joke. I’m a writer.”

Jaegun never introduced himself as a writer first. The weight of being a writer was very heavy. And he was not mature enough to consider himself that.

“When I met you yesterday and came home, I thought of a story. I wanted to make a female main with karaoke helper as their job so I made a quick plot.”

The girl was listening to hims with wide open eyes.

“But I got stuck. I have no idea about the job of an karoake helper. I can’t writer anything like this. So I came here to ask you for information.”

Jaegun’s words went into the girl’s ears clearly.

But the girl was still staring blankly.

“Is it hard?”

“No, no.”

The girl lifted her head.

She was rubbing her sweat filled hands on her ankles.

“It’s not hard, but it’s a bit surprising.”

“I understand. There’s no customer like me.”

“So it’s only a conversation?”

“Yes, as I said.”

“If I just answer things, I get the same amount of money.

“Of course.”

The girl smiled widely after asking again. Her lips deep with lipstick was sparking.

“It would be stupid to refuse. It’s good for me.”

The girl reached out and opened the two bottles of beer.

“Cheers.”

“I’m sorry but I don’t…”

Jaegun refused politely. If he drank, his mind would be befuddled and he wouldn’t be able to write. He didn’t want to drink.

But the girl didn’t back off.

With a frown, she turned around and muttered.

“No cheers means no contract.”

“Then… just one drink.”

Jaegun gave in and picked up the bottle.

The girl immediately brightened and cheered.

“One shot.”

“Yes? This thing?”

The girl was already driving the beer into her mouth.

Jaegun swallowed once and with a fierce face, he started to drink.

He cliched his eyes closed because of the drink.

The girl, who finished drinking, was looking at Jaegun with a smile.

“Khhhhhhhhh….!”

Jaegun barely drank the entire thing and moaned as he put it down.

He crumpled the empty can unintentionally.

“What kind of man is this?”

The girl smiled as she looked at the coughing Jaegun. And she lighted a cigarette. Between her lips, a bunch of smoke came out.

“The time is ticking. Start. Ask me anything.”

“Kh… Yes.”

Jaegun took out the memo and the pen.

He regretted not having his laptop and asked his first question.

“I want to know the beginning of this job.”

The girl looked at the ceiling.

“I dropped out of high school. The relationship between my new mom and me was bad. So I left. After I worked in many places, I found this job. It’s only been a month.”

“Yes….”

Jaegun was surprised..

Instead of just saying that worked here for money, she voluntarily talked about her personal information.

It was nice news for Jaegun. It was going to be a easier making the female main character.

“How did you find out…?”

“The internet. After I saw it, I got an interview from the person here at a cafe, then I came to work the next day. I come at 8 and until 2. If there’s a lot of people, I end at 4 too.”

“Ah 8 to 2. Aren’t there tips?”

“The frequent people give tips. If they aren’t frequent, some people give it depending on their moods. There’s always the people who give 10 dollars and make a fuss about it. It’s tiring.”

“Yes, it must be tiring.”

Jaegun didn’t rest at all even while responding back. The white paper was slowly filling up with words.

‘Why is it so quiet?’

The owner at the counter felt it was weird.

It was too quiet.

Even though a lot of time passed, there wasn’t a song coming out at all.

‘Did something happen?’

It was a world with weird people.

There’s no way to see inside a person.

Sort of nervous, the owner went to Jaegun’s room

‘Hm? They’re just talking.’

As she looked inside, the girl and Jaegun was facing each other and talking.

The owner became curious.

What are these two people talking about so intently even if they only met yesterday.

“Hey, give us 4 more bottles!”

“Yes, I’ll be there.”

The owner went straight back to the refrigerator.

There was too much work to be done to care about one person. So that ended her interest in Jaegun.

The night creeped in.

With the increasing number of customers singing, the night was getting hotter. But one room stayed quiet till the end.

“Phew… Thank you.’

It was about 2 hours when Jaegun put away the pen.

He had gotten the answers to a lot of the questions.

If he wrote a bit more, he was going to find more information he needed. He didn’t know at this point what sort of information he was going to need.

“Thank you. I’ll use the information you gave me today very well. Could I ask you again if I have more questions?”

The girl pulled out another cigarette and nodded.

Her eyebrows were shivering on top the narrow eyes. The girl was also a bit tired after the 2 hour talk.

“I work at 8 so as early as possible. If it’s later, I’ll drink more and I can’t talk too much then.”

“I get it. It was tiring right?”

The girl shook her hand and laughed.

“Not really. It was fun.”

“Fun?”

“It’s the first time I’ve gotten question like these. It feels like I’m a star. Like that.”

She let out her tongue. Then her face seemed very youthful. It was probably more younger if she didn’t have the makeup.

“Call me there. Not to here.”

The girl gave a phone number and the name Dasul on the memo.

Jaegun smiled and thanked inside.

To the girl who had saved him. For real.

The draft started.

Days that began with writing and ended with writing went fast. He wrote at least 16 hours a day but he couldn’t see the end.

‘I don’t get it. It doesn’t make sense!’

If it was the length, he would have finished a long time ago.

He had the special notebook that made him write very fast.

But he just didn’t like the writing that he wrote. The writing that he kept and the writing that he erased were about equal in amount.

Jaegun typed and asked his master.

‘Sir, how do you think of this moment when the helper goes to the motel with him?’

-Don’t ask. There’s no answer. It’s just that the writing is a bit too much. The important thing is that two people met each other but the writing is ruining it. Erase it all.

‘Is it. I don’t want the writing to be too light. I’m not writing a simple romance novel. This is also a growing up novel with the mains growing up.’

-You care too much about the quality that it might be harmful. Don’t worry about that. Worry about the sincerity. Use the words that come to your head first. That’s real writer.

‘Yes sir. I’ll remember it.’

Se Gunwoo was teaching his student with effort.

Jaegun was writing with the same amount of energy.

‘Ah I got stuck again…! Not enough!’

Jaegun was stuck again and he touched his forehead.

There were too many issues with the female main.

‘It can’t always be like this. It can’t end with always singing and drinking a few bottles. I need more information!’

He already thought that this was about to happen.

He didn’t ask about the embarrassing things when he met Dasul.

It was the first conversation and there was the feeling that he could ask again later.

‘Can I ask again right now,’

It was about 9.

There was a huge possibility that she was helping other customers.

But he decided to send a message at least.

-Hello, I’m the writer from before. I’m sorry it’s too late, but could we meet?

Jaegun hurried because he was going so well until this. He wanted to see her today as fast as he could and listen to her.

Her reply didn’t come too fast.

Jaegun was nervous enough because he knew that she was busy.

He waited about one hour.

The phone vibrated.

Jaegun lifted himself up from the floor.

-Sorry, was working. Right now?

-I’ll go. Hub?

-There’s a Hansung Pocha. I’ll be there.

-Ok, 20 minutes.

Jaegun switched clothes to a shirt and jeans and left. He thought about driving but it was a bar so he felt that girl would make him drink some.

“Here!”

Dasul held her hand up as he went in. She was in the corner.

Jaegun passed through the hall and sat down next to her. There was a bean sprout stew and a bottle of beer in front of the circular table.

“We’re not going to sing, so this place is better.”

Dasul smiled after she said.

There was almost no make up this time.

The clothes were not flashy and normal. It was a brown jacket and tight jeans that girls in their 20s wore.

‘Pretty.’

He thought she was pretty in the beginning. But now she was really pretty.

She was a natural beauty. There was light on her face without any help.

“Did you eat dinner? I’m hungry.”

“I didn’t eat. You can eat whatever you want.”

“Can I get anything I want? I love spicy things?”

“I do too.”

“OK. Hey! Give us some chicken!”

Dasul offered a cup to Jaegun after she ordered.

Jaegun thought it was good that he didn’t bring the car and took the drink.

“So what are you wondering?”

“Um, that’s… it’s…”

It was hard to ask as the first word.

He didn’t want to drink but his mouth went to the drink anyway.

“They are things that aren’t good. Or things that are a bit inappropriate.”

“What’s that? You’re saying it very strangely.”

“It’s… The customers won’t always just go and sing only, right?”

“Hm?”

Dasul looked with narrowed eyes.

Jaegun, embarrassed, picked up his chopsticks.

As he picked up a bean sprout. Dasul laughed with her mouth half opened like she understood

“You’re curious about that? Do they go to a motel and have sex? ”

Chapter 45

“Yes, you know just like all sorts of stuff.”

Jaegun scratched his head with an embarrassed face.

Dasul opened her mouth, indifferent.

“There are a lot of girls who do that because of the money. When they’re done, they quickly come back to work at the karaoke bar.”

“Hm, yes.”

“I don’t go because I don’t need money but there are some people that want to go and have a drink together. They give me the same hourly wage but I don’t even go. That’s because when I do and they get drunk, they badger me to go to MT. It’s so frickin’ tiring.”

Jaegun took out a memo and was jotting points down..

Dasul added while picking up a pickle.

“There are people that do it in the karaoke bar instead of going to MT.”

“Inside?”

“There are places that don’t allow it, but some do. They order soju and sushi and the sides and sell panties and stuff.”

“Panties… sell?”

“Before doing it, they sell their panties. As a greeting. If they get about 30-50 dollars, they take off their underwear. You think the men will be able to stand it? They drink a lot and then completely lose it so they give 100 more dollars and go all the way.”

This was information coming from a current worker.

Jaegun diligently tried to write down everything that Dasul said. His hands were hot and sweaty as he was writing a lot.

“Ah, it’s a bit cold.”

Dasul murmured while rubbing her arms.

Jaegun stopped writing and said to her.

“Let’s switch seats. I think the wind is cooler there.”

“Just sit.”

As she said that, she went around the table to sit next to Jaegun. Her perfume permeated into his nose.

“You write really fast and well?”

Dasul said as she looked at the memo.

Dasul turned her body towards Jaegun while keeping her gaze. And then with her skinny legs, she put them on top of Jaegun’s legs. Jaegun froze.

“It’s warm like this. Why, is it heavy?”

“No… it’s fine.”

Dasul’s breath was coming directly to him.

The girl continued to talk to Jaegun who felt strange.

“Where was I? You have anything else?”

“Ah, yes. I want to know about the rude people and accidents that have happened.”

The interview continued.

Dasul said with her legs on Jaegun’s legs like they were a couple.

As time went by, Jaegun got used to it

The other people didn’t care at all.

All of them were having their own conversations within their own group.

“Thank you. I think that’s good.”

Jaegun covered the memo up.

There were two empty bottles on the table.

Jaegun only drank like 3 or 4 cups. Dasul alone drank a bottle and a half.

“It was hard, right?”

Dasul put her head on Jaegun’s shoulder instead of answering.

A sigh came out of her lips.

“No, I said before. I feel good because I feel like a star.”

“Hahaha.”

“I want to be a star. Why do you think?”

“Because they get a lot of money?”

“There’s that but… no it’s fine.”

Dasul pulled away and picked up a bottle.

Jaegun took the bottle away and poured her a drink.

“You’re really kind. Considerate.”

“No I’m not.”

“What’s your name? I don’t ask this a lot but I’m curious.”

“You don’t even tell yours so why ask.”

“My name is Dasul.”

“I know it’s a fake name.”

“Hmp, fine.”

Dasul drank another cup.

Jageun got worried.

He didn’t know what her drinking limit was, but she drank alot.

“I want to meet my mom.”

Dasul said as she put it down

Jaegun looked besides him. A big sigh came out as it was mixed with old memories.

“There’s those songs. Those songs that the singer sings to find their loved ones. They want them to listen to their songs and contact them.”

“I know.”

“So I want to be a star. If I can go on TV, Mom will recognize me. She left me and ran away… But if I become famous… she’ll contact me.”

Dasul put her head down with her lips closed.

Her two eyes were filled with warm tears.

“I’m sorry. I must have been tired today. Why am I like this.”

Jaegun gave her a tissue.

Dasul took it and tapped her eyes.

“Actually I was tired because I had a rude customer. I got angry so I left and there was a message from you. So I answered you right away.”

“… Yes.”

“I’ll be like this for a bit longer.”

She put her head on Jaegun’s shoulder.

Jaegun’s two eyes were looking at the ceiling.

His shoulders were heavy.

It wasn’t because of her head. It was the weight of her confession.

‘It … won’t be a simple fun read. I promise.’

Jaegun thought of another reason for the novel in his head.

He will write a story that will comfort her mind. Jaegun was quietly pouring himself a drink in the corner of a loud bar.

Nexon’s office. Mobile planning tea,

The employees were all having a depressed face. Team Leader Suhee was the same. It was the feeling that they were the shell of themselves.

“Cheer up, team leader.”

“I’m fine. Hemii was the hardest worker. I’ll be at the restroom.”

Suhee didn’t go the restroom but to the rooftop. There was a park that employees could rest on but there was no one there because of the cool weather.

“Phew….”

Suhee sighed as she got a coffee from the vending machine.

The game that they were making was about to be scrapped. It was very common for games to get canceled especially in the mobile team. The feeling of despair felt bigger this time.

‘Jaegun’s scenario was good…’

Jaegun’s scenario that he put so much effort into  was about to be scrapped. She didn’t feel good when she thought of that.

Suhee pulled up her phone. Her fingers were looking for Jaegun’s name and was pressing the call button.

“Ah, Suhee.”

“You answered quickly. Writing?”

“No I wasn’t writing. I came out.”

“I see.”

There was loud noise and music coming from the other side of the phoen. Suhee tilted her head and asked.

“Where are you? Karaoke bar?”

“Ah? Yeah, I have work.”

“That’s funny. What work do you have instead of singing at a karaoke bar? You went with Jongjin?”

“No, not Jongjin. Someone else.”

“Ok. But when are you gonna buy me food. You promised to buy me something when I came to congratulate you for the Digital Award.

Suhee said.

With a hm, Jaegun answered slowly.

“Ah, Yeah, I will. Ok. When’s good?”

The hesitant voice disappointed Suhee and she bit her lip.

She was hoping for a meeting today.

It was then..

“Hey, let’s have another bottle of beer.”

“Wait. Wait. Let me call.”

Suhee’s eyes brightened.

It was definitely a girl’s’ voice.

Jaegun definitely answered to that voice. That means it wasn’t a passing girl but a girl that he came with.

“Hello? Suhee?”

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“Today might be hard. How about tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? Hm… let’s see I have no idea. I’m not sure if I have an appointment tomorrow. I’ll check when I get back.”

Because of her pride, a lie came out.

Actually Suhee didn’t have any appointments today or tomorrow.

“Then check and call me.”

“Ok. I’ll hang up.”

Suhee plopped on the bench after the cal.

When she put her hand on her chest, she could feel the fast beating. Small sighs came out of her lips.

‘It must be a girl that he knows.’

Even though she repeated the thought, she wasn’t comforted.

Suhee opened the photo folder on her phone.

When she put in the password, a photo came out.

It was a picture of her and Jaegun standing together in college.

‘Sigh, this is getting me again.’

Inside a cafe.

Jaegun sighed repeatedly as he was reading the story that he wrote on his phone.

‘The conversations with the female main are so bad. The scenes that have emotions are terrible. Her sex is a girl, but she acts like a boy.

It wasn’t only Jaegun’s thoughts.

Professor Han Hesun said the same thing when he sent it to her days before.

The female main’s actions seemed bad so she couldn’t get into the story as well.

‘Rika, what do I do? I need your help.’

Rika’s two eyes with a special light opened.

‘I need the power that made me feel Somii’s emotions that time. But what do I do? I can’t ask Somii to come to my house. Amd I can’t go to StarBook’s office and write next to Somii. It’s not even a fantasy book that was contracted with StarBooks.’

Jaegun wrinkled his face and shook his hair.

It was a serious issue.

To feel that he needed a female’s emotions this bad.

“Isn’t the hair a bit shorter than the picture?”

The two girls at a nearby table was looking at Jaegun and whispering. Jaegun was deep in his thoughts that he didn’t feel the gaze that was headed towards him.

“He must have cut it. I think it’s right. Look at this picture. It’s the same.”

“What if it’s just a similar person.”

“You say that now? Since you lost the rock paper scissor, you’re just saying stuff. Just go. Quickly.”

One girl with her phone came up carefully. And then she tapped the end of the table and said.

“… Hello.”

“Yes?”

Jaegun lifted his head, surprised.

A girl he had never seen before was standing in front of him with her face red of embarrassment.

“What is it?”

“I’m sorry, but… I was wondering if it was right.”

The girl showed her phone.

His gaze went to the screen.

It was the ‘Today’s book’ section on Navin.

The interview with writer Ha Jaegun who wrote ‘A Dumb Woman,’ was on the screen.

“Ahah…. Yes.”

“It, it’s right?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

As he answered, the girl covered her face with her two hands. And then she gestured to her friend at the table.

“It’s Writer Ha Jaegun.”

The two girls stood in front of him.

As their suspicions were confirmed, they were spitting out words quickly.

“I was unsure but it really was you. Ah, oh my god. I’m so happy.”

“As soon as I saw the interview, I bought the book. You have no idea how much I cried. And now I’m reading ‘90s Child and that’s amazing too.”

“How long has it been since you had a cat? It’s a Russian Blue? I also have one. It’s also female.”

“Ah, I should’ve brought my book. I left it. I need to get it signed.”

The girl pulled up her phone and asked Jaegun anxiously.

“I’m really sorry but could you take a picture with me?”

“Ah, yes… sure.”

As soon as Jaegun allowed it,. The girl asked a nearby employee to take a picture.

“I’m sorry but could you take a picture?”

“Yes, sure.”

The two girls crouched in front of Jaegun, each to their side of him. One girl was covering her mouth while one girl was posing with two Vs with her hands.

The employee took the picture.

“I also followed your twitter. It’s Dallebongbong. I would feel amazing if you followed me back.”

“Ah…. yes.”

Jaegun answered.

He remembered that he had told Navin his twitter. He hadn’t used it in a while and he forgot it.

“Ok. I’ll do it as I sign in.”

“AH, So good! Thank you so much. I’ll tweet this picture too!”

A few people nearby were looking at them.

They had faces like who was that to deserve this commotion.

He was glad, but  also embarrassed. It was a strange feeling. He couldn’t believe that someone he didn’t know could recognize him.

‘Navin is really strong. There’s people who recognize me.’

It was just then.

“Please sign for me too, Writer Ha Jaegun.”

Is there another person?

As he turned around, he broke into a smile.

It was Suhee.

Her outstretched two hands were holding A Dumb Woman.

Chapter 46

“What are you doing? Sign it quickly.”

Suhee moved her hands up and down and urged him.

Jaegun took the book and got a pen in his name.

On the blank sheet of paper, a signature became engraved. It was the first signature he gave to anyone and didn’t feel like it had confidence.

“It must be his girlfriend. She’s pretty.”

“We should go. Writer, thank you.”

“Yes, yes. Thank you.”

The two girls left the cafe. Looking through his window, the girls were still looking at the picture taken with Jaegun and blabbering happily about it.

“Aww ~ Ha Jaegun ~~ already a favorite writer.”

Suhee said in a joking manner as she sat across from him.

“Don’t you have to wear a hat around now? Is it ok with just a hat? You need a mask too.”

“Don’t tease me. It’s not that much. Those people just recognized me conceptually.”

A laugh came out as he looked at Suhee.

With a beige blouse and a gray scarf on top of it, it fit the color of autumn very well. He almost spits out the words ‘You look pretty’ out of his mouth

“Here.”

“Thank you.

Suhee checked the sign as she got the book.

It was a strange awkward sign. And there was a sentence on the bottom.

-Ha Jaegun’s first sign goes to Lee Suhee

“Haha, that’s cool.”

Her lips, with a red tint, had a small smile.

“I’ll keep it well. I read it too fast. I should have read it slower. I already read the 90s Child as well.”

“Just wait. I’m working on another story.”

“Wait? Really?”

Suhee’s face had surprise now instead of laughter.

It’s only been so long since he won with 90s Child and A Dumb Woman. And now he was making another one. And the fantasy series was still printing.

She wondered how Jaegun’s 24 hours looked like.

“How long is it?”

“It’s about 16,000 words for the draft. There are a lot of errors though.”

“Jaegun, how many hours do you spend on writing?”

“I’m not sure if you ask the hours. I think I spend everything on writing except for the eating and sleeping.”

“You’re amazing… Really.”

Suhee muttered, shaking her head.

She was more than a bit worried. More important that writing is health. If you’re sick, you can’t even write. Jaegun’s’ face looked a lot skinnier than before.

“Ah, sorry. You should drink something. I’ll buy.”

She pulled down Jaegun who was getting up.

“I’m fine. I drink coffee at the office a lot. We need to eat. I’m hungry.”

“Ok, what do you want to eat? I’m good with anything.”

“Anything?”

“Yeah, anything.”

Jaegun answered with some gusto.

If it was king crab, or sushi, or steak, he could now buy anything that he couldn’t even think about before.

“Ok, let’s go.”

Suhee stood up and pulled her bag around her shoulder. On her eyes, there was a smile.

“You’re not gonna regret it?”

“Of course. Go ahead.”

Jaegun answered confidently and went out the café with Suhee.

“There’s another store that recently came up near the office. It’s closed.”

“What do they sell?”

“You’ll see when you get there.”

When he got there, it was a store that sold spicy ribs as their main dish. Jaegun’s face got pale even before he went through the door.

‘It’s another spicy meal.’

He didn’t think he was bad at eating spicy stuff. But he wasn’t totally good either.

The chicken that he ate with Dasul before was spicy as well and he almost died eating that.

“Welcome. Two people? Come here.”

The employee said with an energetic voice.

Jaegun and Suhee sat across from each other at a table.

“Give us 2 cheese ribs. Hey, can you drink?”

“I’m fine.”

Jaegun answered immediately.

He didn’t bring his car so it was fine.

And it wasn’t with anyone but Suhee.

He didn’t want to feel awkward by refusing to drink because of writing.

“Give us a bottle of soju as well. Brand Liesel.”

“Yes.”

The food came out quickly

The ribs looked spicy just by looking at it. The cheese was boiling on top of it.

Suhee gave a rib onto Jaegun’s dish.

“Eat it.”

“Thanks.”

Jaegun, with his gloved hand, took a rib and took a bite out of it. It was fine for a second, then in 10 seconds, his face burned hot red.

‘Ahhhhhhhh……!! This isn’t a joke!’

It was double what he ate with Dasul.

His tongue couldn’t stand being in his mouth and was flopping around

“Is it that spicy? Eat the cheese.”

Suhee gave some cheese onto his dish with a spoon.

Jaegun frantically poured cheese into his mouth,

Suhee was smiling as the whole spectacle was fun.

“You can’t eat spicy things like before.”

“This isn’t the spiciest thing?”

“You didn’t eat spicy things since college. Remember you cried when you ate that Tteok-bokki near the school?”

“That place was incredible as well. No, aside from that, you just eat spicy things really well. This is just… you win, you win.”

“Hahaha.”

Suhee pulled the bottle out to Jaegun.

As she poured a drink to Jaegun, he poured a drink to her as well.

“Ahh, this is great. Since it’s hot, it goes in better. I can’t eat this without soju.”

“It’s hot to me too. But when I came here with employees, I got addicted to it.”

“Yeah, even though it’s spicy, it’s amazing.”

The two people talked about small things.

The world, their friends, the college days that they both remembered…

Jaegun and Suhee’s face were busy smiling.

“Here, give us another bottle.”

Jaegun looked at Suhee’s face as he took a 2nd bottle. Her face was a bit red, but it still had the strong and focused gaze.

Realizing the gaze, Suhee asked, putting the back of her hand on her face.

“Why are you looking at me? My face really red?”

“No, It’s just, you’re strong with drinks as always.”

“What? You’re thinking of MT at freshman year?”

Suhee looked at him.

Jaegun laughed instead of answering.

It was the freshman year at MT.

A few older girls gave Suhee a few drinks, making very stupid excuses for it. They wanted to break the strong and confident Suhee’s will.

But Suhee didn’t break.

She survived while standing up to almost 10 girls alone.

And in the end, the people who fell drunk were the older girls.

Then Jaegun already knew.

Suhee didn’t have a huge capacity; she was just average. But she didn’t back down because of her strong pride. The feeling of sympathy was still in Jaegun’s heart.

So Jaegun helped her without anyone noticing.

When the people didn’t notice, he poured water in Suhee’s drink and made it weaker.

Suhee didn’t know. Even his best friend Jongjin didn’t know. It was his secret.

“What are you thinking? My cup is empty.”

“Drink slowly. You’re getting drunk.”

Jaegun laughed while getting a drink from Jaegun.

“That’s funny,. Since the words came out, but you know I’m really strong at drinks? I almost killed 10 girls.”

“Almost kill. Wow. Like the game company team leader, your language is very different as well.”

Suhee sighed slowly after a loud voice.

A shadow, that couldn’t be hid by the light, was present on her face.

“What’s up?”

“Hm? No nothing.”

Suhee waved her hand and answered.

Because of Jaegun, the company came up in her thoughts. She didn’t want to tell Jaegun right now that the game that they were developing was about to be scrapped.

“Ah, you were writing another story.”

Suhee clapped her hands and changed the topic.

“What is it about?”

“Ah, um…. It’s a romance about a girl and a boy. But there’s a lot of stuff when I started writing. It’s about society, or about the suffering of the office workers, and stuff like that.

Jaegun lifted his cup and rank.

With a bitter expression, he continued his words.

“I said before, I finished the draft but there’s so many things wrong with it. The female main character’s emotion and actions are just awkward. She feels like a man.”

“You portrayed it well with A Dumb Woman.”

“But that’s because the model was my sister. I knew her from a young age so I could portray it well. This is different.”

But Suhee didn’t understand.

“What about the quest you did for our game. That was amazing. I saw that and thought you really understood women’s feelings really well. I was surprised.”

“Ah, umm….”

He couldn’t say that he got Somii’s feelings.

So Jaegun changed the topic with a loose voice.

“But it’s hard. I’m writing all day except for eating and sleeping, and it doesn’t work out.”

“Liar.”

Was it the drinks.

A word that was in her mind came out without even her realizing it.

“What?”

Jaegun asked with wide open eyes.

Suhee answered trying to look calm.

“When you called me earlier, you were at the karaoke bar. I think you have fun a lot.”

“Ah, that’s …. That’s not…”

Jaegun hesitated while putting his glance somewhere else.

Suhee one-shoted a cup, thinking that her assumptions were right. Her face was calm, but inside it was boiling like the cheese on the plate.

“You can say that you met a girl. Ha Jaegun? What’s up with you? You’re 27. Is anyone gonna eat you?”

Suhee grabbed the bottle.

Jaegun took the bottle away from her who was pouring herself a drink.

“Don’t do that. Drink slowly.”

“I’m strong, so don’t worry.”

The soju filled up the empty cup.

Jaegun said while looking at Suhee who was bringing the cup to her mouth.

“I went to see a karaoke helper.”

Suhee froze with her cup on her lips,

If it went in her mouth, she might have spit some out. She was that surprised. Jaegun quickly added, looking at her pale face.

“Don’t think of it that way. I went to go for an interview.”

“Inter… view?”

“The female main character is a karaoke helper. So I need to know things about it. So I went there myself. There’s no other way.”

Her suspicions didn’t disappear quickly.

She could believe that he went there for an interview. Since a long time ago, he was always the type to get directly involved for his writing,

‘But did it only end in an interview? When I heard the voice, it was really friendly’

The words were on her tongue, but she couldn’t say it.

Because she didn’t have any excuse to say it.

Suhee muttered because she was angry that she was probably overthinking this.

“I want to read that. That book.”

“The one that I’m writing?”

“What  else? How fun would it be to read a book that you got directly involved in. I want to read it right now, but i can’t so…”

The bar was loud and the lights were dark.

Therefore, Jaegun didn’t recognize that she was just saying it and accepted it as her truth.

“You want to come to my house?”

“….Ah?”

“You want to read it now? I only have the ending on my phone. If you read it with your hawk eyes, that would be amazing. I thought you would be busy, so I didn’t ask.”

Suhee was completely shocked that she forgot her upset feelings and sat there with her mouth open. How did the conversation get like this.

“It’s only about 8. We were going to drink again so let’s drink at my room while reading. I’ll drop you off when you’re going. OK?”

“Uh, uh….? It’s fine but…”

“We ate so let’s go right now. I’ll buy.”

He was really happy. The feeling that a writer got when someone wanted to read his story was the best feeling. And it was even better with his smart friend Suhee reading it.

“You left your car? Let’s get a taxi.”

“Ah, umm…”

The two people sat next to each other in the taxi.

The night setting went by quickly out the window.

Suhee couldn’t calm her beating heart while looking out the window.

‘It wasn’t a passing comment. But did I come too easily? Won’t he think I’m weird?’

It felt very fluttering, and also a bit worrying.

She went during the day, but at this nighttime, and with some drinks, she was going to a room where a man lived alone.

It was on her mind even though it was Jaegun. Without any care about her anxious mind, the taxi ran nonstop to the destination.

Chapter 47

“Thank you. Here.”

The taxi arrived at his house and Jageun and Suhee left the taxi.

Jaegun went first and opened the door for her. Rika, who was sleeping on the floor came up to Jaegun and raised her tail.

“Were you resting well? Today, I came with Suhee.”

“Rika, hello. Remember me?”

Suhee, who came up behind Jaeugn, greeted her.

Rika had the face that said she didn’t dislike Suhee, but she didn’t like her that well either.

She slowly turned around and went farther into the cat tower.

“She doesn’t like me.”

“This means she does. She’s really selective so. Come in.”

“OK.”

Suhee took off her boots and came in.

Jaegun quickly closed the door and turned on the laptop. He put up the draft on the screen and then he put his shoes back on.

“I’ll go buy some beer and something to eat, so read it while I’m gone.”

“There’s a store nearby?”

“There’s no convenience store, but there’s a small supermarket. I’ll be back”

“Ok, go ahead.”

It was Rika and Suhee alone in the house when he left.

Suhee sat down on the chair in front of the laptop and said to Rika.

“Rika must have been bored today. He only knows writing, he doesn’t play with you, right?”

Suhee turned her glance to the laptop.

Jaegun’s story filled the screen. She put down her bag from her shoulder, and started to read from the first paragraph.

“Hm, what’s this? The male main is just like Park Jongjin?”

There was the feeling of being pulled into the book even in the beginning.

Suhee was already deep in the book with just a few pages.

She drank a few bottles, and she was a bit tired because she came in to a warm room, but the story was keeping her entranced throughout it.

“How is it?”

It was about 50 pages, when Jaegun came in with a bag. Suhee answered with a smiling face.

“I read until the part they met and it’s really good.”

“Really?”

“Ah, yeah, but…”

Suhee hesitated and continued carefully.

“Maybe it’s because I heard you say it, but the female main character really feels a bit weird. There are some parts where I can’t connect to her as a girl.”

“Ahhhh…. Is it.”

Jaegun sighed and sat down on the floor.

Suhee, in addition to Professor Han Hesun, was saying the same thing. It was a problem that couldn’t be avoided.

“Try and revise it with a calm mind. You write well.”

“Thanks, I should but…”

Jaegun sighed heavily like the floor was gonna collapse.

Suhee’s encouragement was nice, but truthfully, it didn’t help much.

‘Look at that, Rika. He brought me in here, but he’s only thinking about writing. Am I right? He only has writing on his mind.’

Suhee complained in her mind and took a can of beer that Jaegun bought in her hand. She was about to drink one out of politeness and leave.

‘I came for no reason.’

It felt like Jaegun was only concentrated on writing.

It slowly dawned on her that maybe her existence was making him distracted.

Suhee opened the bottle and turned around to the cat tower. Rika was lying on the tower, with her back to her.

‘Does he have no feelings for me?’

A question with an answer she could not bear to hear, a small drink of beer was going through Suhee’s throat

Just then,

Rika slowly turned her head around.

Rika’s two eyes had Jaegun and Suhee images put together in her two eyes.

The two people’s figures were becoming clearer by the second.

‘Ah? This, this?!’

Jaegun quickly lifted his head. With wide eyes, he was looking at Rika and Suhee.

“Jaegun, what’s wrong? Does your head hurt?”

“W, wait.”

Jaegun, holding his forehead, slowly walked towards the laptop. His two eyes were glaring at Rika on the cat tower.

‘We’re connected? This is Suhee?’

Rika’s face seemed like it was smiling

Jaegun’s face had a smile on it.

“Suhee, I have favor.”

“Favor?”

“I thought of a way to write about the female main. Just wait 2 hours, no 1 hour. I’ll quickly finish it and give it to you.”

“Don’t do that. Just concentrate. I’ll be leaving.”

“No!”

Jaegun’s voice unknowingly became louder.

He stood up and held her two shoulders and continued.

“You need to be here>”

“I… why?”

“I thought of it by looking at you. I thought of how to write because of you. So just be with me. You’re a great help just by being here. Really.”

Jaegun’s face looked determined and confident.

Suhee was looking at Jaegun with a entranced look.

“I…”

Suhee breathed.

“I’m a help…. Just by being here?”

“Yes, please help me.”

Jaegun’s two hands were holding more tightly.

Suhee slowly turned her eyes downward.

As she looked at her foot, she slowly nodded.

“Ok.”

As she said that, Jaegun smiled widely.

“About 2 hours is fine.”

“Thank you. Just be comfortable. You can watch the TV and there’s the new laptop over there. Use that for Internet.”

“I’ll do whatever .Just write.”

Suhee pushed him towards the laptop.

Jaeugn opened the drawer and pulled out Se Gunwoo’s glasses. And looking at Rika, he cheered himself.

‘It’s only 2 hours! I need to use all my strength! I need to revise every sentence with Suhee here! Let’s start!’

Tap Tap Tap!

Tap Tap Tap Tap!

His ten fingers were danicng on the keybaord.

Suhee’s smooth emotions were all heading towards the female main of the story.

A gray afternoon with rain,

A girl’s eyes moving quickly to look for a person that she wants to see

A moderately touching but sincere feeling felt perfect with the story’s feeling

Jaegun was completely into the word that he had created with Suhee’s help.

‘Rika, this is pretty good?’

Suhee smiled as she sat down.

With a happy feeling, her glance at Jaegun’s back didn’t seem to leave.

How much time passed.

‘Hm…?’

Suhee’s two eyes slowly opened.

The light was still bright. Suhee lifted her body up.

‘Look at me.’

As she looked at her phone, it was over 2.

The floor was warm, so she must have fell asleep. It was result that the recent hard work at her job contrived as well.

Suhee looked towards Jaegun, worried that she might have shown her messy side.

Jaegun had his head on his two arms, and had no movement like a dead person. He must have fell asleep while writing.

“Jaegun, sleep on the bed.”

“Hm…”

“Wake up. Go sleep on the bed. Now.”

Suhee took Jaegun’s arms and lifted him up.

Jaegun slowly stood up, but he wasn’t awake. He moved one or two steps and fell on the bed.

‘He must have been tired. Well he drank.’

But it wasn’t only because of the drinks that he was tired.

The power with Rika really spent Jaegun’s energy. He didn’t have the energy to drink from Se Gunwoo’s mug and just fell asleep.

‘I should clean up.’

Suhee lifted up the stocking that fell when she was helping Jaegun and started to clean. Rika was following Suhee with a glance that she liked her now.

‘He must eat ramen in the morning.’’

Suhee put some rice in the rice cooker as well.

There was no food on the refrigerator so she boiled tuna-kimchi stew, made eggs, and put a wrap on it.

‘Sleep well. This one’s gonna do well.’

Jaegun didn’t feel Suhee’s hand pulling the blanket on top of him.

Suhee, finished with cleaning, turned off everything except for a small light and left.

“The name Ha Jaegun is not a waste.”

“…Yes?”

Office 403, next to Myunggyung College.

Jaegun, about to drink coffee, was baffled. Han Hesun was smiling widely in front of him.

“This novel is the best that you have ever written. The completion of this novel is high and the entertainment value was good too. This should be good enough for the literary world.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

It was very sincere.

He thought he wrote pretty well, but he didn’t think Hesun, who never gave out compliments, would compliment him so much.

“You must have worked hard. You’ve grown so much. I can see you as an adult. I can clearly see your figure growing as a writer.”

Hesun tapped Jaegun’s shoulder and continued.

Jaegun put his head down and closed his lips.

His nose was tingling.

He could really feel Hesun’s care for her students.

“Look at this.”

Hesun pulled her phone out.

Checking the screen, Jaegun surprisingly looked at Hesun.

“Professor, this…”

“Go in.”

Jaegun swallowed.

What she showed was the Modern Teen Literary Contest.

It had a huge history and there was one winner every year.

Many books became bestsellers, and many books became movies and dramas. The prize money was also about 30 thousand dollars so it was a award that had a high standard.

“If you win here, you get a reputation greater than the metropolitan newspaper. I think your work has potential to win.”

“Professor, I don’t have any want to have a reputation. And as for that, I already have the Digital Literary Contest…”

“You know what our country thinks of the reputation as a writer and you say that?”

“I’m not saying to be one of the greats of the literary world. I’m saying to get more people to read your works. The people who read your winning work will gladly read your other books -even the people who throw books away if it’s not a literary award winner.”

“Yes, Professor… I get it.”

Jaegun nodded her head.

He confirmed his mind with Hesun’s urging.

There really was no reason to think because it didn’t matter if he didn’t win anyway.

“But you have no title. I don’t think I missed it, so did you not choose one?”

Hesun was looking through it and asked. Jaegun answered while walking towards the sink.

“I decided when I was coming here.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Storm and Gale.”

Hesun gazed with strange face.

Jaegun, with his back to the sink, continued with a unconfident voice.

“I made it so that the strong wind is like the karaoke helper… I felt it fit the story’s mood well. Is it weird?”

“Ha…!”

Hesun laughed a little.

The laugh became louder and she doubled over laughing.

“Is it that weird, Professor?”

“No, that’s not it. It fits you. It fits you. It’s fits Ha Jaegun.”

Hesun waved, when she finally stopped laughing,.

Fixing her glasses, she gave him a thumbs up.

“I like it. Go like the storm and gale.”

Jaegun’s face had a shiny smile.

With a swelling chest, he bowed to the professor that he admired the most in the world.

Chapter 48

The quiet study had only the keyboard sound clicking

Myunghoon couldn’t control his nervousness. His glance was on the computer for hours straight.

Myungsuk was reading for 2 hours straight.

It was a draft of Myunghoon’s novel. Since it was his brother’s novel, he was reading it with more concentration.

The time read noon now.

Myungsuk finally lifted his body as he finished reading. Waiting for this, Myunghoon asked a question as he stood up.

“How is it? Is it good?”

“Hm…. I think it might be hard for the Modern Teen Literary Contest.”

Myungsuk was saying as he was rubbing his back.

Myunghoon dropped his head.

He was about to the enter the contest. Dead line was the day after tomorrow.

It might be hard…

He wasn’t waiting for praise, but he was asking for, this is pretty decent at least.

He lost his focus in one go..

“The sentences are clear and this is pretty good for this. I always tell you this, but your wording and sentences are great. But the story is shallow and has no depth.”

Myungsuk was saying the same thing as before.

“The time that you could win with just good sentences is gone. Yo0u have to think of the entire story. The story that this contest picks is only one. And the standard is way too high.”

Myungsuk tapped his brother’s shoulder and added.

“There’s the Gaunnuli Contest, try that. The awards are more than 1 and there’s a better possibility.”

Myunghoon couldn’t say anything.

The contest that Myungsuk said right now wasn’t a huge difference in standard compared to the Modern Teen Literary Contest.

The award for the grand prize was 1 million dollars and it was way more than the Modern Teen LIterary Contest.

But Myunghoon had no reason to get the prize. He had way more than enough money in his household. He wanted to enter specifically the Modern Teen Literary Contest.

There was a reason.

He wanted to gain recognition from his father from getting an award from a respectable contest.

And furthermore, from Suhee too.

It was a high standard contest, but he had a place that he trusted. That was because, one of the judge, Professor Kim, was friends with Myungsuk.

‘If brother could just help…!’

Myunghoon knew how good his brother’s connections were. He had huge amounts of contacts. He was expectedly waiting for his brother to give him the honor and glory of winning the Modern Teen Contest.

After a brief pause, Myunghoon said.

“Um, Professor Kim…”

Beeppp!

The vibrations on the table cut him off.

Myungsuk immediately picked up the phone and took the call.”

“Yes, Professor, hello. How were you. Yes yes, I’ve been doing good too. I guess you must be tired waiting for the judging.”

At the mention of judging, Myunghoon’s eyes widened

It had to Professor Kim’s call who was judging the contest.

“Ah, yes, Professor, ah Really?”

Myungsuk replied and stood up. He felt Myunghoon’s glance and moved the study next door.

‘What is this.’

It felt weird. Myungsuk wasn’t the person to move away unless it was an important call.

And the calling person was the judge Professor Kim.

Myunghoon went outside and stood next to the door his brother went in. Putting his ear next to the door, he could slightly hear Myungsuk’s voice.

“Ah that writer who won the Digital Literary Contest? Yes Yes, the name is…. Ah Ha Jaegun.”

Myunghoon widened his eyes and listened closer.

He didn’t mistake it

Myungsuk said the word Ha Jaegun.

The name that made his blood curdle.

But he didn’t understand why that name would be mentioned in a call with Professor Kim.

Myungsuk continued.

“It was a person who writes very well. A Dumb Woman. Yes, you read it too? Hahaha. Yes I know. That person entered the Modern Teen Contest, he must be a writer who writes very enthusiastically.”

Myunghoon’s breathes became quicker. It was a huge shock that he couldn’t even move. There was no blood on his face anymore.

“Yes, Professor, I will come. Yes, I’ll see you there. Good work. Yes.”

Myungsuk ended the call.

Myunghoon went straight back to his seat. And then the door opened and Myungsuk came back in.

“Professor Kim?”

Myunghoon calmly said to him.

Putting the phone in the charger, Myungsuk nodded.

“Yeah, about a dinner appointment. You know that I’m going to a publishing company. Professor Kim made the spot for me.”

Myunghoon nodded his heavy head. He didn’t care for anything other than the name Ha Jaegun.

“Professor Han Hesun is also coming. Do you hear. She’s a great person? Learn from her.”

Myunghoon could only look at the red carpet on the ground with fierce eyes.

Myungsuk said as he lifted his jacket on the chair.

“Why is your face so stressed? You can write again. Let’s go eat. Lunch.”

“Help me.”

“What?”

Myunghoon lifted his head slowly

The two eyes were shaking like an earthquake.

“Help me edit.”

“…. let’s eat separately.”

Myungsuk didn’t hesitate and went to the door. Myunghoon went quickly and blocked him.

Myungsuk’s face was already fiercely wrinkled.

“Move.”

“Help me one more time. Please. Last time. Please.”

“I said last time was the end. I don’t want to be a son that lies to his father. Move.”

Myungsuk pushed him away.

But Myunghoon couldn’t give up

He couldn’t especially after the fact that Jaegun entered.

“Please.”

Myunghoon blocked the person that he depended on the most in this world and held his arms.

Myungsuk’s jacket fell to the ground.

“It’s an easy job. If you put your connections and editing skills, this will be easy. Like the last book, help me. And just say something to Professor Kim. yeah?”

“This guy….!”

Myungsuk’s two eyes were about to break

To think his brother would plead this much.

He was asking to edit and he was asking to basically bribe the judge.

“Oh Myunghoon, there’s a line that you can’t cross. Do not say that in front of me again.”

Myungsuk lifted his finger in front of his nose.

Myunghoon couldn’t say anything because Myungsuk was really mad. He could only swallow his breath.

Myungsuk pushed the door.

After the door, a long corridor appeared. Two maids were cleaning the windows.

Myungsuk went farther and farther away.

The shivering Myunghoon shouted to him.

“You knew Ha Jaegun was my colleague.”

Myungsuk slightly stopped, but he quickly went back on.

“Why do you make a person feel terrible! Just call in front me! Who said I needed you to move? If you’re going to help me, just help me!”

The shout rang through the hallway.

Myungsuk had already disappeared.

But his shouts didn’t stop.

“That guy was a guy whose books didn’t even odd in tot eh stores! And I lost to that guy? That guy was a guy who wrote nonsense to get a few cents! There’s no pride?! Say it!”

Myunghoon hit the door as hard as he could

The cleaning maids shivered slightly, but they didn’t turn around at all/

Myung Hoon’s personality was well known to the maids as well

“Dang it!!!”

Myunghoon turned around furiously.

He could see Myung Suk’s jacket next to the door.

He kicked the jacket in hatred of his brother.

It was that time

A paper came out of the jacket.

‘What… what?”

He saw the name Professor Kim on the paper.

‘Is it the judge’s names.’

Myunghoon looked through the names

It was the judges of the Modern Teen Literary Contest.

It had the names and contact information of the great literary people in their respective literary genres.

Myunghoon soon lost interest and threw it.

The paper flew through the wind. Hearing that sound, Myunghoon thought of a great idea.

‘AHhh….!’

Myunghoon’s two eyes opened.

He picked up the paper and sat next to the computer and opened the word document.

‘I need to tell that Ha Jaegun and Pyung Cheon Yu are the same person. I wonder what the literary writers would say if they heard about this…’

Jaegun didn’t tell any of the audience that he was writing a fantasy novel with a pen name.

There was no need to know why

He just had to tell the people this.

Myunghoon’s ten fingers flew across the keyboard. For some reason, this went many times faster than writing his own story

“Give us two servings of tofu.”

“Yes.”

Somii turned back and laughed.

“This place is good. You’ll like it too.”

“I know.”

Jaegun answered as he sipped a drink

It was about 1 pm.

It was after the workers lunch time so it was not crowded at all.

“I’m sorry, I know you’re busy.”

“No, I’m not busy. Don’t care.”

Jaegun got Somii’s call who said she was going to buy lunch.

He wasn’t really comfortable either.

Somii was a StarBooks employee. There was no reason for Somii to meet him unless for a good reason.

‘Is it for the sequel.’

The time was good for now.

He finished all the novels he was working on. The Modern Ranking series and the Pegelon series.

The book for the Modern Teen Literary Contest was done too. There was at least 2 months till the announcement.

‘I don’t have anything I want to write….’

This was jaegun’s problem

He didn’t want to write anything about martial arts or fantasy. So he was wondering how to cordially decline Somii’s offer.

“The tofu is really good. Eat some before the main comes in.”

Somii gave the dish to him.

Jaegun smiled.

It was true that meeting with Somii was fun. She was a good person to be with and she helped him a couple of times too.

‘She got prettier.’

In Jaegun’s eyes, Somii was more mature and showing more feminine ability.

The turtleneck sweater and the brown shorts. With that, the black stockings and the sneakers showed the end of the fall.

He was slightly disappointed to

It felt that the college girl appearance disappeared.

And to be true, the end of the year was close.

He felt as though time went by very fast.

“What do you think that much.”

“No, nothing, but I guess the editor is busy?”

“Yes, he is. Really.”

Somii only said that.

Tewon stayed in StarBooks for now because of work or something. He said he would tell Jaegun the day he was leaving.

“And that, writer, I wanted to say.”

“Say it.”

Jaegun put his chopsticks done. It was probably about to be about the sequel.

But he was wrong.

Out of Somii’s smiling mouth, a conversation was coming out of her that he didn’t expect.

“How do you think about your novel becoming a webtoon?”

“Webtoon?”

“Comic KT gave an offer. They want to put your Modern Ranking series into a webtoon. You know comic KT.”

“Ah yes…”

Jaegun knew them. They were the webtoon company that only did webtoons.

They had a top five presence in webtoons in the county and they had a huge audience and respect rate.

“And so I wanted to meet now to ask you.”

Jaegun blankly stared at Somii.

Somii smiled as she slightly shook her body.

She understood that she didn’t really need to ask Jaegun’s answer

Chapter 49

“How is it?”

“What do you think? It’s great.”

Jaegun said positively at Somii’s thought.

Who would dislike their work becoming a comic?

Jaegun didn’t think of anything else.

And it was Comic KT, so there was no need to hesitate.

“But I have no knowledge of comics, so I have no idea about the profit distributions.”

“I have no idea either…”

Somii explained with wide eyes.

“If you do this comic with Comic KT, that means your novel will be a contract. Comic KT will buy the drawer, the writer, and others. It’s also very hard to make the entire story into one comic.”

“Yes.”

“The editor said it will be about 10 percent. 10 percent of the webtoon. So 5 to 5 with StarBooks as well. Because it’s a derivative work.”

“Hm, yes.”

Jaegun was thinking about the contract that all had the word “derivate” work. Whether if it was a movie or comic remake, the original was his.

Jaegun didn’t pay any attention to this at all his entire life, because he didn’t know his work would be used for another work.

‘Modern Ranking will be made into a comic…!’

The movie that played in his mind was coming alive. It was Jaegun who still didn’t believe what was happening.

“There’s not gonna be a huge profit. If the profit is about 1000 dollars, you get about 50 dollars.”

“Yes.”

“But if the webtoon gets good, the novel gets good publicity too. The 3rd book of the Ranking series. If the paper books go out, then the electronic version goes out, and then you can let the webtoons go out. That would be great.”

Jaegun smiled.

Tewon’s expression that said to not forget his focus came up in his mind. He could always trust that man.

“I’ll do it.”

Jaegun decided without saying anything.

“I hope it goes to a good writer and becomes well made.”

“I hope it does. Don’t worry. I’ll see if it’s good. And if the candidate is decided, I’ll send him or her to you and ask for your opinion.”

“Thank you.”

The food was brought in and they started to eat.

Jaegun ate happily with Somii. The finished work relieved him.

“Uh, Writer Ha.”

Somii said as she poured him a cup of water.

“Are you writing anything?”

“No, Not really.”

“Then… do you… do you have any chance of writing a sequel.”

Jaegun was thinking ‘Of course’ as Somii struggled to speak.

As the 3rd book was done, StarBooks wanted a sequel. As Somii requested the webtoons first, the order was pushed back.

“I’m sorry, but I have no idea of story currently. I can’t think of anything either.”

“You must be tired. Then I can’t really ask either. I’ll wait, sir.”

Somii backed off quickly.

Jaegun felt relieved, but slightly suspicious. He knew Somii was the type to put all her energy into her work.

But she gave up this quickly

He thought she would ask a bit more.

‘Maybe she really thought of my well-being.’

As lunch ended, Jaegun still thought it was suspicious. He glanced at her face, but still couldn’t see her feelings.

“That was a good meal, Somii.”

“No, this meal was good because of you, writer.”

The two people went outside and stood by the road.

The wind was cool and soft. The heat was mild as well, so it would be good to go out somewhere.

“Are you going back to work?”

“No, Comic KT.”

“Now?”

“Yes, I’ve heard your response, so I should go ahead. It’s why I came out.”

Somii smiled and said.

Her foot was brushing against the leaves on the ground.

Jaegun smiled as he thought of the time when Somii’s shoe came off during a writer’s meeting

“Why did you laugh?”

“No reason.”

“I’m curious and you’re always like that. Like that writer’s meeting, hm…”

Somii smiled shyly and stopped. She thought of the time that Jaegun picked up the shoe. It wasn’t as embarrassing, but still was.

“Where is Comic KT?”

“Samsung.”

“A bit of distance.”

“About 30 minutes by subway.”

The two people stood looking at different places but they had the same thoughts.

‘Should I go with her?”

‘Will he like it if I ask him to go along?’

There was no point in asking Jaegun really.

But Jaegun was the original writer for the webtoon novel. If he wanted to see the contract or the process, it wouldn’t be odd.

‘No, I can’t do this.’

Jaegun made the decision before Somii.

He thought that he wanted to spend a bit more time with Somii. But now, it wasn’t as appealing.

Somii was working and there was no reason to follow and bother her.

“Let’s go the subway station then.”

“Yes…”

Somii pushed aside her slightly disappointed feeling and followed Jaegun.

They walked slowly together along the red leaves.

Somii was avoiding the lines on the concrete.

“Are you going to go home right away?”

“I’m going to stop by a bookstore.”

Jaegun answered.

He was going to stop by at the bookstore after meeting Somii. He didn’t get to read anything because he was writing so much.

As a writer, he needed to read a lot to write good works.

And his life became more lax, so he wanted to read a lot.

“Be careful.”

“You too, Somii.”

The two people scanned their cards at their respective booths.

As they were about to go down the stairs, Jaegun turned around. At that moment, Somii looked towards Jaegun as well.

The two people’s glances went through the huge crowd.

Jaegun first smiled and lifted his hand. Somii again did a 90 degree greet and disappeared down the stairs.

‘Yeah, I should work too.’

Jaegun focused his mind. After seeing the hard working Somii, he felt better.

‘Let’s read some novels. Maybe an idea will come up.”

Using the karaoke helper Dasul to write that novel all occurred because of new experiences.

The ideas came up in unexpected places.

Jaegun was thinking that as he rode the train.

After about 20 minutes, he got off. He was headed to the bookstore that was connected to the mall.

‘There’s a lot of people.’

Even though it was afternoon, there were surprising a lot of people.

Jaegun moved his steps to the new books sections.

Out of the books, one book caught his eyes.

It was A Dumb Woman.

It had the DIgital Literary Contest winner banner around.

Jaegun stood there for about 30 minutes looking through the new section. And then he searced the people who were reading.

There were about 10 people who picked up his book. And most of them only looked through a few pages and put it down. No one bought it.

‘It might be hard for more.’

Jaegun smiled bitterly.

The 20,000 dollars were up front. To get the rest, he needed to get 20,000 dollars of books sold.

About 20000 books sold if one book was 1 dollar.

It was a world where paper books were terrible sellers.

He had no expectations of getting over 20000 books.

This reflected his position as a new writer who had just begun to show off his name.

‘Let’s start.’

Jaegun pulled out Se Gunwoo’s glasses and put them on. It was something to help him read fast.

He could read about 15 books in 1 hour at the least.

“Ah this is really good.”

It was when he went by the fantasy section.

He could hear the conversation between two college kids.

Jaegun’s two eyes caught the two people. One person was holding Pegelon’s Swordsman and was speaking.

“The prequel one was Pegelon’s Magician and it was beast. I read it and I couldn’t read anything else for a while. You know him?”

“Yeah, it’s Pyung Cheon Yu. Haven’t you seen the Ranking series?”

“Of course I’ve seen those. Ah frick. I want to read it, but it’s wrapped. Ah, I’ll just buy it. It’s Pyung Cheon Yu.”

The man pulled out every book in the Pegelon’s Swordsman series and went to the clerk.

Jaegun couldn’t move.

He could only listen to the employees and the money that went into his bank. But he never really saw the reader’s reactions as close as this.

He was very thankful to the man that said his work was fun.

Jaegun held his gracious mind and walked toward the genre mixture section.

“Hm, this is good. Romance has this feeling.”

“Ah, this guy was the criminal? Wow?”

“Was this writer always this hardcore? This is kind of awkward. It’s violent but it doesn’t have the feeling.”

“Ah, ah, this guy isn’t very good.”

About 2 hours since he came in.

His hands almost couldn’t be seen.

Jaegun was leaning his body in corner and was flipping through the pages very quickly. The people who passed in front of him all looked Jaegun with curious eyes.

‘Ah, this line is done so let’s go here.’

Jaegun was reading through books at a massive pace.

He wasn’t just flipping through them

He was reading at the speed of light with these glasses.

Jaegun’s 1 year average reading was about 150 books. Even if he read 3-4 books in a week, he could only read about 150 books.

But now in just 2 hours, he had read over 50 books.

A writer learns from reading.

At this point, Jaegun was maturing at a writer, in this corner of a bookstore

‘That person is always like that.

The girl employee looked towards Jaegun and widened her eyes.

It was a strange customer that she couldn’t just pass.

He was flipping through pages and putting them back. And then he pulled another and put that back… it was about 2 hours of the same thing.

‘Is he looking at something?’

Jaegun’s hand became faster and faster as she looked on.

The girl employee went to organize the book and slightly stood next to Jaegun. As she glanced at her face, she could see his eyes. His eyes were shaking, looking at the pages as he flipped.

‘Really…?’

The girl couldn’t believe it.

‘…is he reading?’

At that moment.

Rippp!

“Ugh!”

Jaegun sighed as the book ripped. It was a consequence of his hands moving too fast.

Jaegun lifted his head and noticed the employee and said to her.

“I’m sorry. I flipped it to fast that I ripped it. I’ll buy this book.”

“Ahha, yes…. Hm…?’

The girl employee stared blankly. Jaegun’s face looked familiar to her.

“Uh…. uh…. Um…”

“Yes?”

“Are you….. Writer Ha Jaegun?”

Chapter 50

“Ah….”

Jaegun said awkwardly to the girl

As he lifted his head slightly, the girl widened her two eyes.

“Are you Writer Ha Jaegun?”

“Ah, yes, it’s right.”

“Amazing…!”

The girl, as soon as he replied, covered her mouth with her hands.

She was smiling even thought she looked completely surprised.

“Oh my god, I was so surprised. I didn’t know from away there, but I saw you from here…! I saw that you went on Navin as well.”

“Hahaha, yes.”

“You’re really handsome in real life. I’m reading A Dumb Woman very well. I read it as I was leaving work yesterday and I’m almost at the end. I cried on the subway!”

The girl didn’t even care that she was working and said with her sighing voice.

Jaegun had no idea what to respond with so he could only respond with an awkward smile.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Could you sign for me?”

“Ahah, yes, of course.”

“Thank you, thank you. Wait, I’ll bring it.”

The girl employee looked around and went quickly to the employee lounge. And in just 30 seconds, she brought a book of A Dumb Woman and came back.

“I bought it last week. Sign it here.”

“What’s your name?”

“Kim Ha Eun.”

Jaegun put the book on the wall and signed it carefully

It was his second sign after Suhee.

‘Thank you. Good luck.’

A sign that was a lot better and clearer came on the ground.

“Here.”

“Ah… thank you. This is amazing.”

The girl employee muttered happily.

It was a huge deal with her meeting Jaegun. It was a boring job. In a place like this where it was completely schedule, a writer that she loved came here.

“Do you come here frequently?”

“Yes, it’s the closest store.”

“Ah, then why did I not see you… But you read really fast, ah I didn’t mean to spy. I looked while I was cleaning and you read really fast. Of course, you are a writer so you must be different too.”

Maybe she might be about 20.

She looked about Somii’s age and looked very enthusiastic and happy.

“I read it really well. I want to ask you so many things about writer and reading. Can I buy you coffee anytime you have time? I go home at 6.”

“Ahhh…”

Jaegun was sort of shocked at her aggressive and straightforwardness.

He didn’t dislike it. The girl was slightly cute and attractive with her small size. She was a good girl to look at as a girlfriend.

Jaegun didn’t make a decision right away.

A thought that he might meet her once showed up slightly, but he held off.

“If I have time, let’s do that.”

“Thank you. Then… pen…”

The girl asked as she pulled out a paper from her pocket.

Jaegun gave her a pen. Then she wrote her own name and phone number and gave it back.

“I have to go clean the storage. I hope you contact me. Really. Thank you.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The girl went to the storage very happily. Jaegun felt her glance before she went in, but he ignored it.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have taken that picture.’

The cafe, and now the store.

Jaegun had a thought that he might have to change his bookstore from now on.

‘I should go now.’

Jaegun took a bunch of books, including the book that he ripped, went to the clerk.

It was a store that a girl knew him. If he stayed, something complicated might happen.

‘This was the best thing today.’

As he was riding the escalator, he pulled out a book.

It was the book that he had ripped. It had a setting of middle ages Europe, a fantasy novel with a knight fighting against a dragon.

‘A dragon is cool. With two wings, flying across the land, breaking one city easily.’

Jaegun was holding the pen tightly now.

‘Maybe right one with that?’

He wrote the word ‘dragon.’ And then in his head, he was thinking of new characters.

‘A knight that is abandoned by a companion who is jealous of him! In the place of the execution place, a dragon falls from the sky.

Jaegun’s two eyes lightened and he was writing down the story quickly.

The man behind him tapped his shoulder and said irritatedly.

“Hello, could you move?”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Jaegun apologized and moved over. He didn’t know that he was blocking others.

‘I’m sorry, I should go somewhere and write my story down.’

He needed to write the story that came out before it cooled.

There was a cafe near here. But there were a lot of customers and the light was too bright.

Jaegun looked for a cafe near here and finally found one and went in.

“Come in.”

“Could I get an Ice Americano.”

Jaegun took the drink and went to the corner and sat down.

He drank a few sips and started to continue the story in his head.

‘The place becomes a mess after the dragon who hurt his wings falls down…. The knight worries about the civilians that might get hurt by the dragon. But then he sees. He sees the dragon that saves a little girl even though he’s dying.’

The pen didn’t stop and moved across the paper.

Jaegun kept writing down his story across the small memo.

‘The main character understands. His companions and the others mistake the dragon as a threat. And then he breaks the curse on the wings and escapes together… That’s the intro.!’

Jaegun’s breath became fast and his heart beat very fast. It was a huge thrill.

This feeling that he had when he could think of a story that he wanted to write. This feeling is why he became a writer.

‘The main and the dragon makes a contract. The main character wanted to save the princess and the civilians while the dragon wanted to save his nest. Now, contract made!’

Jaegun made a fist above his head and smiled.

Two girls who were sitting next to him were moving seats with a pale face.

‘Now, the main character is the only one who can ride him. The dragon is so powerful that he needs a handicap. He becomes weaker by the curse or he can only use his power for about an hour a day…’

The story continued quickly.

The first book, the second book, the third book…

The story was gaining speed.

Jaegun didn’t feel the speed of time. He also didn’t feel that he was currently writing with Se Gunwoo’s pen either.

‘Ah? What time is it?’

As he lifted his head, he saw the darkness outside.

Jaegun drank the cup of coffee that the ice melted a long time ago and went outside.

‘Let’s write as soon as I get home.’

His feet hurried.

He had no idea other than to write. He almost even missed the station because of his thought.

Beep

As he almost saw Se Gunwoo’s grave, he got a call from Dasul. It wasn’t a text and it wasn’t usual to get a call, so Jaegun thought strange as he picked up the call.

“Hello?”

“Hey, what you doing?”

“I went to the store, and now I’m going home.”

“Ah, did you eat? I’m not going to work today.”

“Ah, I have to do something today.”

Jaegun answered quickly

He had no time to answer to Dasul’s offer. He had to write today. He was going to eat a simple dinner by himself too.

“I won’t say to drink. Can’t you eat with me once?”

“I’m busy today, but I’ll meet you next week. I’ll buy it.”

“Hmmpf, ok. Then let’s just cut off contact entirely then. Hmph.”

“I’m sorry. But I’ll buy you something really nice. Write well, sir.”

“Yes, you too.”

Jaegun couldn’t go by Se Gunwoo’s grave and went closer.

He said as he looked at the grave.

Sir, I went to the bookstore. Do you know how many books I read with your glasses? Over 50 books. I’ve read for about 2 hours and I couldn’t even count how many books after the 50th one. I’ve filled over a third of my yearly reading in just today. Does this make sense?”

Jaegun cleaned up some weeds that he found and continued.

“I’ve finally found a story after reading. I’m going to go and write. It’s fantasy. It’s very fun writing fantasy. There was no one who wrote fantasy in college other than me. You can dream in this world. Dreams are good.”

It was something that he had never said to anyone alive.

Jaegun spilled out his secrets next to Se Gunwoo’s grave.

“I’ll be going now. I’ll visit you after I finish. Have a nice night. Sir.”

Jaegun bent his waist to say bye and went down the hill

Se Gunwoo’s grave was looking at Jaegun as he walked towards his house.

About 7:30 in the morning, subway 1 was always full.

‘I should come out 30 minutes earlier.’

She had a driver’s license but no car. In addition, she didn’t have the power to maintain a car even if Somii bought it.

It was a life that she started without any of her parent’s help

Her parent’s motel was losing out to the new hotels and the situation was getting worse. 

Beep!

‘Ah, who is this?’

Somii couldn’t move because she was sandwiched between the other people.

Luckily, the door opened a bit later and people went out.

Pushed by others, Somii left the train for now and looked at the phone. It was Writer Ha Jaegun.

“Hello, Writer Ha. What’s going on in the morning?”

“Are you going to work?”

“Yes. I’m on the subway.”

As the people left, Somii pulled herself up back on the train and answered. It was slightly less crowded now.

“Um, I made a new novel.”

“Yes? A new novel? You’re going to make a new series?”

“Yes, It’s fantasy. I thought of it and I started writing it since we last met. I’ve sent about 3 books to email.”

Somii’s two eyes became lit.

She had heard that a new novel might be hard just 2 weeks ago. How did he make 3 books in just about 2 weeks?

It was very curious to Somii how he could write this fast.

“Read it and contact me. If it’s good, I can see you today.”

“Yes, yes, Writer. Thank you. I’ll contact you after I’m done reading.”

“Thank you.”

Somii immediately went to her email. The 3 books that Jaegun sent were there.

‘The title is Dragon Rider? Is it the main character riding a dragon?’

Somii opened the novel with interest.

She left and she walked, but all her attention stayed on the novel the entire trip to work.

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Big Life

Big Life

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

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