Chapter 231. People Are Important (10)
“Oppa!”
— You scared me; I almost went deaf just now. Why are you so loud?
“I love getting calls from my manager these days. It means that I’m getting more work and that I have to go out for work again.”
— You should acknowledge your greed as a workaholic. I’m worried that you’ll collapse from all the work you’re taking up, Hong Ye-Seul. Are you at home?
“Yeah, I’m having coffee with Kim Na-Yeon unni. What about you, oppa?”
— I’m almost there. Come down in five. We should quickly finish up the interview and autograph event before going to the tourism office.
“Alright, see you in a bit!” Hong Ye-Seul grinned and hung up the call. She had stayed up late through the week, but she didn’t feel an ounce of exhaustion at all. Her determination to go on TV shows for even a second more was as firm as usual. She was determined to keep this up until the day of the long-awaited reunion.
“Don’t push yourself too much, Ye-Seul,” Kim Na-Yeon said as she brought the cups to the sink. “I know why you’re doing this, but I’m still worried for you.”
“I’ve been taking my vitamins and my meals regularly.”
“Sure, would you even listen to whatever I said? It’s great to be young.”
“The way you said that will make everyone think that you’re old. I have to go now, so I can’t have lunch with you today. I’m sorry.”
“I’m grateful to see you pop by whenever you have time. You’re coming back tonight, right?”
“Yeah, if you’re not asleep yet, we can have supper together!” Hong Ye-Seul grabbed her bag and went out of the house again. She took the elevator down to the carpark, to see her manager already waiting for her downstairs.
Hong Ye-Seul jumped into the backseat of the car.
“Um, Ye-Seul.”
“Yeah, oppa.”
“About the rumor that has been going around recently…” Her manager began carefully.
Hong Ye-Seul’s face stiffened.
“It’s getting worse as the movie gets popular. Of course, I don’t think it’ll get any worse than this if we leave it alone, but the department head and CEO are worried.”
“Ah…” Hong Ye-Seul gave a soft moan in response. She hadn’t told the company about her past of working as a karaoke helper before, and that was why she had been feeling nervous about it for some time since the rumor began spreading.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s true or not.” Her manager slowly drove out of the carpark and continued, “As the department head had mentioned, your job in the past is all water under the bridge now; it’s all in the past. So don’t feel burdened, and if there’s anything you need help dealing with, just tell us. I’m always on your side.”
“Thank you for saying that, oppa,” said Hong Ye-Seul.
Her manager smiled as he looked into the rearview mirror.
Hong Ye-Seul was smiling, albeit it was a bitter smile.
“Let’s talk about something more realistic.”
“More realistic?”
“You said that you became an actress just to find your mother, right?”
“Ah…”
“You weren’t serious about it?”
“N-no, I am. I was just surprised that you brought that up.”
The now-serious manager nodded and said, “Let’s talk about that today, during the interview, after your autograph event.”
“About me becoming an actress just to find my mother?” Hong Ye-Seul guessed her manager’s intention. He wanted her to create a more humane side to her own personality to bury the rumors of her being a karaoke helper in the past.
“You planned to talk about that on the shows before, anyway.”
“Yeah, that’s true…” Who knew that she would use her desperate desire to find her mom in a situation like this? Although it wouldn’t make much of a difference, a bitter taste still lingered in her mouth.
“Don’t think about anything else. You just have to row when the tide comes in. Your era is starting, so you must stay alert if you want to be able to own a magnificent building in Seoul.”
“Alright, oppa. I know what you’re getting at.”
The car soon arrived at its destination. They arrived at one of the halls inside a large theater, where Storm and Gale was being shown. Countless fans had gathered at the scene, which made Hong Ye-Seul’s popularity clear.
‘Hmm? Why is my hair itching on one side?’ Hong Ye-Seul wondered as she was in the midst of signing her autograph when she felt someone’s gaze on her and looked up. However, she only saw everyone looking back at her.
‘That’s weird…
’ Hong Ye-Seul tilted her head to one side as she brushed off that strange feeling she had. She failed to see a haggard-looking woman leaving the scene.
***
“Why is it that you haven’t improved a single bit? Is this an egg roll?”
“Just hand me the spoon. Don’t eat it if you’re unhappy with it.” Park Do-Joon reached out to snatch the spoon from Lee Chae-Rin. But Lee Chae-Rin was faster and stepped back, sticking out her tongue at him.
“Look at the shape of the proper egg roll. It’s all a mess, I’d love to take a photo of this and upload it onto Twitter.”
“Go ahead.” Park Do-Joon put a piece of the ruined egg roll into his mouth and replied softly, “Look at you, agreeing to publicize our relationship after getting so popular with C.Y.”
“I’ve said it’s not because of that. I was angry at you for that kiss scene with Hong Ye-Seul; that’s why I wanted to announce it right away.”
“Others might think that I did it for real. Are you going to do this every time it happens while I’m acting?”
“It’s just a joke. I don’t care. You can announce it on TV if you want.” Lee Chae-Rin wiped off the sauce stain on the corner of his mouth with a grin. Her lovable face almost made him smile as well.
“You’re about to smile, right?”
“No.”
“Liar.” Lee Chae-Rin scowled. She placed both hands under her thighs and shook her body side to side while acting all cutesy at him and asked, “You just can’t help but smile because I’m too cute, right? Hmm? Your heart flutters just looking at me, right?”
“My stomach’s going to hurt; stop it.”
“We’ve been dating for so long, but Do-Joon is still the same as ever. It must be great that you’ve always been the same.”
Bzzt!
“Gosh, that surprised me.” Park Do-Joon flinched as the phone left on the table suddenly vibrated. Lee Chae-Rin was caught off guard; it was her first time seeing the nonchalant Park Do-Joon get surprised by the phone’s vibration.
“Yeah, Tae-Bong hyung. I’m just having a simple meal with Lee Chae-Rin. Yeah, I know, I won’t eat too much. Yeah, see you later.” Park Do-Joon ended the call and let out a sigh before standing up to put his half-finished bowl into the sink.
Lee Chae-Rin hugged him from behind and said, “I know now, oppa. You’re nervous because of today’s schedule.”
“I’m not…” Park Do-Joon denied it outwardly, but Lee Chae-Rin’s guess was right. He couldn’t suppress his nervousness as it was an event that numerous prominent figures would be attending. He was afraid that he might make a mistake somewhere.
“Ah, don’t hug me, it’s hot.”
“You’ll do well. You’re a top star.” Lee Chae-Rin wrapped her arms around Park Do-Joon’s neck and said, “I’m sure it’s something good, seeing how they had invited not just you but also the entire production team of Storm and Gale. Just think of it as it’s something for you.”
“Sorry, but the main character of today’s meeting is Ha Jae-Gun. I’m just a calafare. I just have to keep quiet during the meeting and leave after that.”
“I hate hearing that. How can that line be coming from Park Do-Joon?”
“Go brush your teeth and go to sleep early. Even if you sleep now, you still won’t be able to sleep until the public broadcast, that’s two hours later.”
The couple finished washing the dishes and went to brush their teeth together. While Park Do-Joon was wearing his outer coat, Lee Chae-Rin lied down on the sofa, scrolling on her phone.
“Are you not going to sleep?”
“I want to check if City of Emotion is still ranked first before going to sleep,” Lee Chae-Rin said.
“It’s going to drop if you keep looking at it. I’m going now.”
“Oh, my, oppa!” Lee Chae-Rin suddenly jumped up, her face turning pale. But Park Do-Joon did not even once look back while wearing his shoes as he knew that Lee Chae-Rin would often kick up a fuss even if it weren’t a big deal.
“It’s crazy, really…!”
“Why? Did it drop out of the top 10?”
“I’m not joking; look at this.”
“…?!”
Park Do-Joon looked at Lee Chae-Rin’s phone, speechless. It was the breaking news of a certain woman he had forgotten long ago.
[Breaking News, Celebrity Chae Bo-Ra charged with attempted murder and blackmail]
“How did this happen? Hmm?” Park Do-Joon snatched her phone away and closed the browser. A while later, Park Do-Joon hugged Lee Chae-Rin still standing in a daze.
“O-oppa, why are you hugging me out of the blue? It isn’t like you.”
“Wait a minute.”
It didn’t matter to him what happened to Chae Bo-Ra, but Park Do-Joon recalled the existence of the people who were precious to him through her.
“Mm, oppa smells good.”
“…Shush.” He was thankful to meet Lee Chae-Rin; she was as kind-hearted as she was pretty.
There was also his manager, Woo Tae-Bong, who was like his own blood brother, and Ha Jae-Gun, a close friend with whom he could share all his feelings with—their faces flashed across his eyes.
It was a blessing for him to have so many good people standing by him. He expressed his gratitude to fate and all of them who had made him who he was today, and in return, he hugged Lee Chae-Rin even tighter.
***
‘Wow, I should have taken some of calming pills before coming.’ Hyun Sung-Beom felt like he was going to go crazy. His senior had always been telling him off for not being like a reporter, and those words struck him unusually hard today.
He was currently at the Korea Tourism Organization Center located in Seoul. The meeting was held to discuss the exchange of cultural content between Korea and China. It was thanks to his connection with Ha Jae-Gun that Hyun Sung-Beom was able to grab hold of a ticket as an interviewer to be present at the venue.
‘Mr. Ha is really popular now…!’ Hyun Sung-Beom couldn’t help but be in awe of Ha Jae-Gun. Everyone attending the meeting had gathered in the conference room.
Ha Jae-Gun was smiling while shaking the hands of the visitors.
“Thank you for giving me a seat at such an honorable event.”
Ha Jae-Gun shook hands with Liu Bao, head of the Central Publicity Department. Standing with the esteemed figure was Teencent Literature’s CEO Ren Xue, Teencent Pictures’ CEO Mao Yen, and top star and lead actress for Storm and Gale Yang Ying, amongst many others filling the seats of the China delegates.
“I’m extremely happy to see CEO Ren Xue and CEO Mao Yen again at such an important event. Ms. Yang Ying, you’re indeed stunning, as they said.”
Ha Jae-Gun’s greetings were immediately translated by the interpreter on site. Everyone smiled upon hearing the translation; even Mao Yen winked at Ha Jae-Gun, showing everyone their close relationship.
After Ha Jae-Gun, the Korean delegates began to shake hands with everyone else. They were the Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Director Yoon Tae-Sung, Park Do-Joon, and even Hong Ye-Seul.
The official discussion began after the greetings.
“As of noon today, the cumulative audience for Storm and Gale in China has exceeded 70 million,” Liu Bao shared, which was conveyed into Korean by the interpreter. “If this momentum does not stop and continues growing, we predict that the movie will hit over 100 million in audience count. I am extremely grateful to Mr. Ha Jae-Gun for bringing such great work to the Chinese market.”
“No, it’s okay,” Ha Jae-Gun quickly replied with a flustered look, “I wasn’t alone. There’s Director Yoon here who did a great job with the movie, and the actors have put in a lot of effort as well. On top of that, there’s Teencent Pictures’ CEO Mao Yen, who has come up with a great local marketing strategy that contributed to the movie’s huge success.”
Ha Jae-Gun wasn’t being humble. It was a fact that all the success they had seen right now was not based on his efforts alone, so he couldn’t take all the credit.
Liu Bao showed a satisfactory smile while looking at Ha Jae-Gun. Ha Jae-Gun smiled awkwardly in return as he looked at Liu Bao, who seemed to be of a similar age range as his father. Liu Bao’s soft expression made Ha Jae-Gun feel at ease while thinking that the man had to be a nice person.
The pleasant discussion continued amidst a warm atmosphere.
Discussion about the storyline of Storm and Gale, the production process, and the elements that were focused on during the writing of the original novel were exchanged on the table.
As time passed, the subjects of their conversation naturally narrowed down to two people at the table, Ha Jae-Gun and Liu Bao.
Liu Bao’s questions were mostly directed at Ha Jae-Gun in his capacity as a writer. Ha Jae-Gun answered them with conviction while looking at both Liu Bao and the interpreter alternatively.
‘He’s so good…!’ Ha Jae-Gun remarked internally as the discussion continued.
Liu Bao’s detailed description of Storm and Gale had Ha Jae-Gun in amazement. Liu Bao’s claims that he had watched the movie countless times and even read the entire novel from end to end, leaving behind a somewhat tattered book, didn’t seem like an exaggeration.
Ha Jae-Gun wasn’t alone. The members of the Korean delegates were equally impressed with Liu Bao, who came off like a professional critic to them. Thanks to his opinions, the assistant secretary of the Ministry of Culture broke into a cold sweat, blaming himself for not studying enough on the movie and novel before showing up.
“…That’s how much interest he is showing toward Mr. Ha Jae-Gun. The head of the Central Publicity Department, Mr. Liu Bao, thinks that the original novel written by Mr. Ha is the main content.
“He also thinks that it will hold the highest value going forward.”
“I’m feeling so shy that I can’t raise my head properly. Thank you very much.”
“CEO Mao Yen hopes that both Korea and China will continue to exchange such high-quality cultural content and produce good works like Storm and Gale. And that is why she is ecstatic to see Mr. Ha here this time.”
Liu Bao then added a few more words to the interpreter. The interpreter nodded and gestured to the staff standing at the back. A stack of A4 papers was then delivered to Liu Bao.
“I’m an old man, so I prefer to read from papers. I hope to ask for your understanding. I bought and printed it out, so I’d appreciate it if you could understand.”
“What do you mean…?” Ha Jae-Gun asked with a confused expression, not understanding what he meant.
Liu Bao smiled and pushed the stack of A4 papers to Ha Jae-Gun. Ha Jae-Gun took the stack, but perplex only grew more evidently on his face as he couldn’t read a single line from it since it was entirely in Mandarin.
“Can I ask what this is?”
“It’s Records of the Murim Master.”
“…Pardon?” Ha Jae-Gun looked up, stunned. The embarrassment of him not recognizing his own work was a problem for later. No one could imagine that Records of the Murim Master would appear here at a discussion with the Chinese delegates.
Chapter 232. It’s A Declaration (1)
“Ah, Records of the Murim Master…” Ha Jae-Gun muttered blankly.
It felt like he could suddenly understand the Mandarin written on the stack of papers after listening to Liu Bao’s explanation. The countless characters in his view were being translated in an instant.
He had once spent countless nights alone writing this novel, even though it had been a long time ago, so there was no way he would forget it.
“I’m surprised to see this here out of the blue.” Ha Jae-Gun choked as he continued, “I’ve never imagined that Records of the Murim Master would appear in this discussion. I’m really surprised. Hahaha…”
The interpreter smiled and conveyed Liu Bao’s words. “He loves martial arts novels a lot, and he is confident that he likes those novels much more than many other fellow Chinese. He has even read every single novel by Writer Kim Yong and is well-versed in them. He still looks for martial arts novels whenever he has free time on hand.”
“I see…”
The smile on Liu Bao’s face was erased soon afterward, and he started speaking with a serious look. He spoke with so much enthusiasm that he even gestured with his hands as the veins on his neck bulged.
“Martial arts are the genres of fantasy stories that adults enjoy. There are a variety of characters with unique stories that meet in the world of Gangho[1], intertwining in that tough reality that attracts readers to a point of trance. Good martial arts novels have a kind of lingering effect as they consist of romance, loyalty, and righteousness.”
“Yes, I feel the same, too.”
Liu Bao suddenly reached out his hand, pulling back the stack of paper from Ha Jae-Gun and saying, “After knowing Mr. Ha from Storm and Gale, I came across Records of the Murim Master and fell in love with it in an instant. The story progressed quickly and straight to the point without much elaboration.
“Even readers unfamiliar with the genre of martial arts can easily understand the story. What an amazing piece of work.”
Ha Jae-Gun gnashed his teeth inadvertently as he couldn’t seem to control his exploding emotions. He was receiving praise from the Chinese for his martial arts novel, where the genre originated from, and on top of that, the praise had come from the head of the Central Publicity Department.
He couldn’t quite describe the feeling. Records of the Murim Master was a novel that he had written during the darkest time of his life when tomorrow felt bleak.
It was also his first novel that gained recognition by the public as Poongchun-Yoo. It was the same novel that gave him the amazing experience of going through a reprint.
‘Elder… You’re seeing this now, right?’ Ha Jae-Gun asked inwardly as he thought of Seo Gun-Woo.
Ha Jae-Gun didn’t receive good reviews at the start when he penned Records of the Murim Master, as Kwon Tae-Won told him not to hold high expectations for the novel’s performance.
Ha Jae-Gun was even crying on the day when he attended the alumni gathering with Park Jung-Jin and had drinks. On that fateful night, Ha Jae-Gun coincidentally met Elder, and his circumstances had changed entirely since then.
The overflowing inspiration and keen judgment allowed him to type ten thousand characters in an hour, allowing him to remodel the entire novel.
The results earned him Kwon Tae-Won’s compliments for the first time in his life and also made him cry a second time that day.
His wallet was paper thin, but he recalled stepping out to buy Rika’s feed, which turned out to be ridiculously expensive.
The phone call from Kwon Tae-Won at the time telling him that the novel was entertaining made him bawl on the streets with Rika in his arms. Ignoring the strange looks cast by passersby, Ha Jae-Gun sniffled as he walked down what seemed to be the longest road on his way home.
It was one of the most unforgettable days in his life.
“…”
Everyone else at the table stared quietly as Ha Jae-Gun reminisced about the past.
Liu Bao broke the silence after a while.
“He likes both the second and third parts of the series as well.”
“…Pardon?” Ha Jae-Gun looked up with his nose scrunched, his eyes meeting the interpreter’s eyes.
The interpreter explained, “He has read the entire Records series and is very satisfied with them.”
“Ah, so he has read all of them,” Ha Jae-Gun exclaimed.
Records of the Murim Master was the first part of the trilogy, and Ha Jae-Gun wrote the next two parts after seeing the success of the first. The second part of the trilogy, Records of the Modern Master, was not murim but a story and its main character set in the modern era, with the main character from the first part appearing as a side character.
The third installation of the trilogy, Records of the Other World, included the main characters from the first two parts. As per the title, the story was set in a foreign world. The two characters started off on the wrong foot upon entering the third world, but they soon confessed their most sincere feelings to each other and joined hands to eventually face off a common enemy.
“A single worldview served as a strong focal point across all three parts. Records of the Modern Master was set in Korea, so it wasn’t as appealing as the first part, but the third part was very interesting. The chemistry and growth shown between the two characters in that last part had touched me.”
“Thank you. Actually, the last novel performed the worst in Korea.” Ha Jae-Gun smiled wrily despite making it a light joke. It was inevitable, as the last installation had both main characters from the first two parts of the trilogy and required knowledge from them before one could make sense of what was going on.
Liu Bao smiled as he listened to the interpreter and nodded.
The interpreter then conveyed. “He understands as well. If he had read the third part first, he wouldn’t have enjoyed the story as much as he had. And so… Please wait a moment, Mr. Ha.”
The interpreter turned to Liu Bao, and they began a short conversation. A few moments later, Liu Bao nodded. The interpreter turned back to Ha Jae-Gun and said, “From now on, I’m going to speak as per what I’ve been told in advance instead of interpreting.”
“Ah, sure. Please go ahead.”
Ha Jae-Gun sat up straight in his chair, sensing that it was time the discussion had arrived at its main point.
“Mr. Liu Bao would like to utilize the Records series in its entirety in China.”
“Utilize it in China?”
“Yes, Mr. Ha. From novels, movies, webtoons, and, if possible, drama and games. He would like to introduce the series to the Chinese market via the above mediums.”
“…?!” The others at the table reacted first before Ha Jae-Gun. Was it because of their ginormous population that made the scale of their proposal relative as well?
The interpreter then pulled out a set of documents that had been prepared in advance and continued. “Our highest bet is placed on the movie trilogy, as China is second to Hollywood.”
“Mm, I see.”
“Records of the Murim Master will do well on its own. However, the second part’s setting was Korea, so we’re unsure of how well the Chinese audience will accept it. Although the Korean Wave is also taking China by storm at the moment.”
Ha Jae-Gun nodded as he continued to listen.
“Many of the currently trending movies in China include more fantasy elements rather than traditional martial arts. Part two of the Records series is set in modern times, so if we were to do a movie adaptation, we think that it would be better for part two to be the first to get released, and part one should follow after it. The third part will come last as per the original.”
The interpreter then looked at CEO Mao Yen and added, “This was suggested by CEO Mao Yen. She has read the entire series as well.”
“It’s an honor.” Ha Jae-Gun looked at Mao Yen. They shared a smile full of trust which they had built between them through Storm and Gale.
The interpreter then continued, mostly sharing Liu Bao’s views on the novels. Ha Jae-Gun continued taking down notes, and he wrote down every single word from Liu Bao.
***
“Thank you for listening to my long sharing today.”
The meeting finally came to an end, and it was time for the invited reporters, including Sung-Beom, to hold their interviews.
Ha Jae-Gun responded to all their questions sincerely and began to make his way out of the Korean Tourism Organization building at the end of the day.
He then said his goodbyes to the delegates, including Liu Bao, the staff from the Chinese Embassy in Korea, and the assistant secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
“Jae-Gun, you’re heading back to Yeoui-do from here, right?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Where in Yeoui-do?” Hong Ye-Seul chimed in.
“To Cheonrihyang, a Chinese restaurant. The food there is delicious; you should look forward to it.”
Aside from the prominent figures, everyone else left in their vehicles and headed toward where Oh Myung-Suk and Nam Gyu-Ho were waiting. It was normal to have a more informal conversation with businessmen after the first round of international cultural exchange. And in order to not let the attendees feel exhausted, reporters weren’t invited to the informal setting.
“Welcome.” Both Nam Gyu-Ho and Oh Myung-Suk greeted Ha Jae-Gun and the group. Everyone’s seats were prepared in the VIP room of the Chinese restaurant, which was located on the top floor of a high-rise building in Seoul, overlooking the city.
“Mr. Ha, here’s your seat.” Nam Gyu-Ho pulled a chair out for Ha Jae-Gun. He had lowered his honorifics and formalities with Ha Jae-Gun on a personal level, but he still had to keep it up in front of others.
“Thank you, Director.” The same went for Ha Jae-Gun, as he replied respectfully before taking his seat.
The informal meeting began after everyone took their seats; everyone felt much more at ease as compared to the first round at the Korean Tourism Organization.
The first person to speak was CEO Mao Yen from Teencent Pictures.
“I couldn’t ask the most important question earlier with Mr. Liu Bao around. Is Mr. Ha Jae-Gun keen on accepting our proposal?”
“Hm… Yes.” Ha Jae-Gun contemplated for a while before giving his answer. If his participation weren’t significant, the burden on him would have been small, but there was no guarantee that it would go according to his expectations. He shared the same worries with Liu Bao on whether Records of the Modern Master would work in China.
‘There’s also no guarantee that the English manuscript of The Breath for the U.S market will get straightened out soon.’ It wasn’t that Ha Jae-Gun found writing an annoying job. He was about to turn thirty this year, but he still had several big and small events waiting for him. He didn’t want to be so busy.
His older sister would get married soon, and he would soon have to prepare for his own wedding afterward.
“I don’t mean to rush, so there’s no need for you to feel burdened.” Mao Yen’s words were conveyed by the interpreter. “But I hope you’d understand one thing and keep it in mind. We want to use the Records series; more specifically, we want to turn it into a movie, as it is a national interest.”
Mao Yen’s eyes shone as the interpreter conveyed the final part of her sentence.
Ha Jae-Gun listened intently as he recalled her life that she had shared with him before, about how she was born in an impoverished area called Suzhou in China, and how she had made a successful career for herself.
“…In other words, it’s an international business. I, along with Teencent Pictures, would like to turn Mr. Ha’s Records series into various media to serve China’s interests. I sincerely hope that you will give a positive response without having to feel burdened over it.”
“I understand what you are getting at. Thank you.”
Mao Yen did not push further throughout the meal after that, but Ha Jae-Gun still felt like he was suffering from indigestion, pressured to give them an answer before this meal was over.
“I’ll excuse myself to use the washroom for a while.” Ha Jae-Gun escaped momentarily from the table and washed his face with cold water. Nam Gyu-Ho appeared before him just as he pulled a piece of disposable towel.
“What’s wrong, brother-in-law? Are you feeling hot?”
“No. Wait, am I? I’m just feeling a little heat.”
The conversation definitely turned more comfortable when it was just the two of them. Nam Gyu-Ho then said as he unzipped his pants at the urinal, “Are you unsure of what to do?”
“Yeah. There’s no guarantee how many revisions they will request from me.”
“Indeed. The job seems easy, but things might snowball as time passes.”
“It’s especially so for Records of the Modern Master. It wouldn’t take me long to revise parts of it if it was just to fit the Chinese market, but if they want me to redo the entire manuscript, then I would like to decline it. At least for this year.”
Nam Gyu-Ho frowned but still had a smile on his face, while Ha Jae-Gun let out a soft sigh.
“The words international business sounded quite scary, and they’re still ringing in my ears. It’s making me worry even more than I should.”
“Look, brother-in-law.” Nam Gyu-Ho pulled out a 100-won coin from his pocket.
Ha Jae-Gun looked at the portrait of Yi Sun-Shin emblazoned on the coin and asked, “What’s with the coin, brother-in-law?”
“It’s a national interest.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s a business for the benefit of the country. But if you flip it over…” Nam Gyu-Ho flipped the coin and held it out to Ha Jae-Gun. “It just becomes a disgrace.”
“Ah…” Ha Jae-Gun soon understood what Nam Gyu-Ho was getting at and nodded. This was something Nam Gyu-Ho had emphasized to him in the past.
“No matter how many times I bring this up, it’s still insufficient. Dignity, or honor, is key when dealing in business with the Chinese.” Nam Gyu-Ho glanced outside the entrance and continued, “I don’t mean to speak ill of CEO Mao Yen. She is indeed an amazing woman and is also a talent in business. But she has also used the dignity of many others as a stepping stone to reach her current heights.”
Nam Gyu-Ho shifted his gaze to Ha Jae-Gun. “And she has helped to save your dignity today. She must be hoping quietly for you to give a positive response without having to scratch any one’s dignity at the table today. Including herself, Liu Bao’s, and her relationship with Liu Bao.”
Ha Jae-Gun smiled wryly. Nam Gyu-Ho wiped his hands dry with a towel and patted lightly on Ha Jae-Gun’s back.
“She’s not asking you for an answer today, so let’s discuss this in more detail another time.”
“Okay, thank you, brother-in-law.”
“I should be the one thanking you.”
Bzzt!
“Ah, let me answer this call first.”
“Okay. I’ll head back first, so take your time.” Nam Gyu-Ho left the washroom first.
Left all alone, Ha Jae-Gun answered the call from his best friend. “Why did you call Jung-Jin?”
— Why are you answering the call like this? I’m hanging up.
“Why are you so sensitive? What’s up?”
— I’m working, of course. Anyway, Jae-Gun, I’m planning to marry Hyo-Jin around May.
“Really?”
— Would it be too hasty? I called just to tell you this. You’re the first person I told about this plan, so be honored.
“Congratulations, Jung-Jin. Have you thought of where to start and all?”
— We’re going to pool our money together and take out a loan. Then, we’re going to look for a yearly lease apartment. Maybe a smaller-sized apartment or a spacious villa. I won’t be able to commute to and from work if I stay outside of Seoul.
Ha Jae-Gun swallowed. He was financially independent and thus would like to help his best friend out. However, he couldn’t bring it up as well, taking into consideration his friend’s pride.
— I know what you’re thinking right now.
Park Jung-Jin’s chuckle broke the silence.
— Don’t worry. It’s only meaningful because we’re doing this on our own. It’s not like I won’t ask you for help if I’m really starting to struggle.
“Jung-Jin, since we’re on the topic, I’ll lend you as much as you need…”
— Are you deaf? I just said it, so why are you still trying to lend me money? I’m really good, we’re both stable in our own jobs. I think it’s meaningful when we start things together and maintain them together as well. I appreciate your thoughts.
“You don’t have to pretend to be cool.”
— I am better than you, and slightly taller too. Hyo-Jin thinks that I’m more handsome than you are, too. Hahaha.
Ha Jae-Gun leaned against the wall, smiling brightly. Just hearing Park Jung-Jin’s voice made his fatigue go away. Feeling guilty for not being able to meet his best friend as much, Ha Jae-Gun said, “I should give you a present then.”
— Hehe, I won’t reject a gift. I won’t mind whatever you get me. But what are you doing? Are you working?”
“Yeah, I’m talking to the businessmen about the Records series.”
— Records series? What about it?
Ha Jae-Gun briefly summarized what had happened that day, and Park Jung-Jin reacted with excitement.
— Wow, that’s amazing! So the Records series is getting a movie adaptation? That’s the first bestseller under Poongchun-Yoo! Do you remember? I told you that our section chief even skipped lunch just to read it, and I was so surprised that I called to ask you about it.
“Of course, I remember that.”
— Wow, I’m looking forward to it. So it’s a huge trilogy franchise of a martial arts movie? I love your works, but I love martial arts and fantasy genres the most! It’s awesome, Ha Jae-Gun. I love it a lot, really!
Ha Jae-Gun looked up as he kept his phone to his ear, seeing his smiling reflection in the mirror. The excitement his best friend was showing made it surprisingly simple for him to make his decision.
1. Usually known as ‘Jianghu’ in Chinese novels ☜
Chapter 233. It’s A Declaration (2)
— Ha Jae-Gun, what’s wrong? Why are you quiet all of a sudden?
“No, I was just thinking of something.”
— What about? Me?
“Yeah, I thought of you.”
Just then, footsteps were heard from behind. Turning around, it was Oh Myung-Suk who came in after Nam Gyu-Ho. The faint smile on Oh Myung-Suk’s face suggested that he had something to say to Ha Jae-Gun.
Ha Jae-Gun then spoke into the phone, “Jung-Jin, I’m not alone right now, so I’ll call you later. Let’s have drinks sometime soon, too.”
— I’m definitely up for it if it’s the weekend. Just hit me up.
Ha Jae-Gun hung up the call, and Oh Myung-Suk asked, “Did you hang up because I look like there’s something I want to talk to you about?”
“Yes. Do you have nothing to say to me?”
Oh Myung-Suk looked up at the ceiling and chuckled lightly. “Hmm, I think it’s more accurate to say that I’m curious about your opinion, Mr. Ha.”
“I am contemplating over it. Did you expect things to turn out this way, Editor-in-chief? You mentioned that you had some speculations before.”
“Honestly, I never expected that they would bring up the Records series. You seemed to be quite shocked earlier as well.”
“Yes, I am.”
Oh Myung-Suk glanced outside the washroom like what Nam Gyu-Ho had done earlier. He then fiddled with his phone and said, “Both CEOs Ren Xue and Mao Yen are getting nervous.”
“Nervous?”
“Especially Mao Yen. They are afraid of missing the Records series after The Breath. They aren’t showing it on their faces, but they are definitely regretting not making their moves earlier. They are already a step behind after seeing the incredible success that Storm and Gale had shown them.”
“…”
“Mao Yen is feeling most envious of Open House as of now, as they had acquired the license to The Breath. She’s blaming herself for losing the opportunity to hit two home runs in a row. Compared to Teencent Pictures, Open House is just a tiny company. Isn’t this an interesting show to watch, Mr. Ha?” Oh Myung-Suk asked with a smile, seemingly enjoying how things were going.
Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t bring himself to smile as he asked, “Do you have any other advice for me like before?”
“This is the best offer you can get,” Oh Myung-Suk said. He then added, sounding nonchalant, “Not just the two CEOs of Teencent, even the head of the Central Publicity Department had come looking for you. If you accept their proposal, they will do their best to support your work with all they have. Their dignity is at stake here, after all.”
Even Oh Myung-Suk had brought up the issue of dignity. However, his conclusion was quite different from Nam Gyu-Ho’s. “However, I think there’s something else more important than dignity.”
“…?”
“It’s your own opinion as a writer. It is inevitable if you decide to delay or reject this offer, and I think that’s the right thing to do. I don’t think that you have to force yourself to do what they want.” Oh Myung-Suk bowed lightly and left the washroom.
Ha Jae-Gun stood still in a daze as his mind went through Oh Myung-Suk’s words once more.
Was it because Oh Myung-Suk was a writer himself? Oh Myung-Suk’s advice was markedly different from Nam Gyu-Ho’s advice, which steered more on the business aspect. But of course, both of their pieces of advice were valuable to Ha Jae-Gun.
***
After returning home that night, Ha Jae-Gun and Lee Soo-Hee talked past midnight, and their topic was about the movie for the Records series.
“Can you really do it?”
“Honestly, I think I can as long as they don’t require me to revise the entirety of Records of the Modern Master.”
Ha Jae-Gun reached over the table for Lee Soo-Hee’s hand. “What do you think?”
“Haven’t you already made your decision?”
“Your opinion is the most important.”
“Tch… It’s the same for me. I just hope that you’ll do as you wish; you don’t have to be mindful of our wedding schedule. Ah, we’re done with our coffee.” Lee Soo-Hee picked up the empty cups and stood up to make themselves another cup.
Ha Jae-Gun smiled while staring at her. He was thankful for spring, as he could see her stunning legs under the shorts she was starting to wear once more. To him, her pair of legs was the best in Korea—no, in the entire world.
“I was wondering why I’m feeling ticklish behind my knees. It turns out that you were secretly staring at me again.”
“I was doing it openly, though? Anyway, why does it seem like you’ve gained some weight recently?”
“Are you seeking death, Writer Jae-Gun? Stop with the jokes. Anyway, how is Ms. So-Mi recently?”
“Ms. So-Mi?” Ha Jae-Gun looked surprised. Why would Lee Soo-Hee bring up Jung So-Mi here all of a sudden?
Lee Soo-Hee wouldn’t ask about others needlessly. “Yeah, because of The Breath’s webtoon.”
“Ah…” Of course. Ha Jae-Gun nodded.
Lee Soo-Hee then continued, “The response for Oscar’s Dungeon was not bad, so I was thinking of having her work on The Breath this time.”
“But isn’t it still a while until The Breath Online
is released?”
“What’s wrong with making advanced preparations? Webtoons don’t get completed in a day or two. The webtoon completion schedule was quite tight the last time because of the delay in Ms. So-Mi’s schedule. She didn’t miss a deadline probably because of her diligence, but I felt sorry for her sometimes.”
Ha Jae-Gun swallowed his smile. He could tell that Lee Soo-Hee recognized Jung So-Mi’s talents, but it was still a surprise that she even cared about her on a personal level and not just at work.
“Can’t you just ask her personally?”
“Huh? Oh…” Lee Soo-Hee’s eyes widened, scrambling for words. “Wait, I… You always go to the office at Bucheon, so I thought it would be okay if you asked her as well. In person, I mean.”
“Team leader Lee, why are you panicking?”
Lee Soo-Hee let out a sigh as she put down the teaspoon in hand. “You need a beating from me today. You’re mocking me inside right now, aren’t you? Come here.”
“Rika! Save me! Your unni is trying to beat me up.” Ha Jae-Gun called for help as he ran away.
Meanwhile, Rika stayed curled up on the sofa, ignoring their display of affection.
***
“Wow…The head of the Central Publicity Department visited Korea personally just to meet Writer Jae-Gun…! Jae-Gun hyung has truly become a highly-valued asset right now.”
“Don’t all the article headlines look provocative? I think I’ll be embarrassed reading them if I were him,” the youngest writer, Han Jae-Hee, said.
Yang Hyun-Kyung snorted, bursting into laughter. “Forget about worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet and focus on your deadline instead. How long are you going to take to work on that urban fantasy story you have in mind? Did you choose that because it’s not a mainstream genre, and not many people will like it?”
“That’s too much, Hyun-Kyung hyung. I’ll make sure it’s as popular as The Breath, so wait and see.”
“Puhahahaha! Hey, that’s funny. I agree.”
Han Jae-Hee turned away, seething with a red face. Then, Jeon Bong-Yi, who was doing a search on the internet, continued after Han Jae-Hee, “But Writer Ha’s articles are starting to get buried by Chae Bo-Ra’s incident. It’s getting out of hand.”
“Yeah, it’s a huge issue on its own.”
News of Chae Bo-Ra getting sued for attempted blackmail of 2 billion won from her businessman sponsor was currently the hottest topic in town. Even the message that Chae Bo-Ra had written was publicized. Her fans were pulled into turmoil, and their reactions were pouring out in real-time on social media.
“Gosh… I had no idea that she had always been that kind of person. As expected, the world of celebrities is indeed different from what we see on television.”
“I don’t think it applies to everyone. Look at Do-Joon hyung; he’s such a good guy. He’s a top star, but he doesn’t look wrinkled in any way.”
“True that. That must be why Jae-Gun hyung is close to him, right?”
While the writers were chattering amongst themselves, Jung So-Mi did not join in their conversation but silently focused on her own work in a corner. She was currently working on the cover for Jeon Bong-Yi’s new romance novel.
“Deputy Jung, you’re focused on doing work today as well.”
“Ah, Writer Bong-Yi.” Jung So-Mi put down her pen and looked up.
Jeon Bong-Yi approached from behind Jung So-Mi and began massaging Jung So-Mi’s shoulders. The two of them got closer relatively quickly, possibly due to their friendliness.
“The cover is really pretty. You’re great at drawing, Deputy Jung. My writing is lacking, but thanks to your drawing, I think it’s going to sell better than expected.”
“No way, your writing is great on its own.”
Jeon Bong-Yi stopped massaging Jung So-Mi and took a glance. “But Deputy Jung, why do you call me Writer Bong-Yi when everyone else calls me Writer Jeon? “
“Ah… Did I?”
“Wow, your acting is top-tier!”
“It could be perhaps that your name is too cute, and that’s why my heart acted first instead of my brain without me realizing it.”
“Ah, stop teasing me. I’m in the wrong.” Jeon Bong-Yi hugged Jung So-Mi from behind.
Yang Hyun-Kyung sneaked a peek at the two giggling ladies with envious eyes; how he wished that he was Jeon Bong-Yi hugging Jung So-Mi like that.
“But why is it that you’re not drawing webtoons, Deputy Jung?”
“Webtoons?”
“Yeah, didn’t you draw the webtoon for Writer Ha’s Oscar’s Dungeon? I enjoyed it a lot. I like both your drawing and story directing.”
“That isn’t a proper webtoon, just a marketing media before the actual game’s release. It’s going to be tough since I’m lacking in talent and experience if I were to consider doing it formally,” Jung So-Mi said with a smile. Then, she continued to focus on her work.
It wasn’t her first time hearing something like this from others. Everyone around had been suggesting Jung So-Mi to do webtoons formally, especially so from Kwon Tae-Won, the CEO of Laugh Books.
“Please do webtoons, Deputy Jung. Not in the capacity of a Laugh Books employee but in a personal capacity as Artist Jung So-Mi. I’ve received so much help from you, so I wish to repay the favor as well. Are you going to waste your talent on just drawing covers?”
Jung So-Mi’s answers had always been more or less the same whenever Kwon Tae-Won said that. She would say that she wasn’t prepared or would only decide after her skills were much refined. Of course, it wasn’t entirely false, but if anyone were to ask if she meant it, she wouldn’t be able to give a reply immediately.
Jung So-Mi had simply been silently hoping that her next webtoon project would be another one of Ha Jae-Gun’s works. She didn’t care much about the pay, and of course, Kwon Tae-Won had offered to split the revenue as a ratio of 9:1, where the larger belonged to Jung So-Mi.
However, the enticing amount couldn’t sway her decision. Her courage was much more important than monetary benefits. On top of that, Writer Ha Jae-Gun was a necessary material to start the fire inside of her. After all, Ha Jae-Gun was the reason she managed to survive Seoul while she was struggling.
She very much wanted to work on another webtoon of his; it didn’t matter even if the 1 of the 9:1 was hers.
‘It’ll be tougher to see him in the future once he gets married, right…?’ Jung So-Mi thought to herself as she looked in the direction of the main door. How she wished that Writer Ha would appear behind that door right now and approach her to propose to work on another webtoon together.
She would then pretend to accept the offer with a difficult smile. They would then proceed to have dinner and discuss the overall flow of the webtoon.
Jung So-Mi’s beautiful imagination began to turn into reality.
Beep, beep, beep!
Jung So-Mi frowned upon hearing the chime from the door. The door soon opened, revealing the face of a man smiling brightly as he walked inside.
“Wow! Jae-Gun hyung? Why are you here today?” Yang Hyun-Kyung jumped out of his seat in pleasant surprise.
Ha Jae-Gun put Rika down on the floor and said, “Of course, I’m here to work. Isn’t this the writer’s office? Anyway, is everyone doing well? And who do we have here? Ms. So-Mi?”
Ha Jae-Gun greeted Jung So-Mi with delight, approaching her. However, Jung So-Mi was still in a daze, clearly in disbelief that her delusion had turned into a reality.
“What’s wrong, Ms. Jung So-Mi? It’s been a while. Aren’t you happy to see me?”
“N-no. Welcome, Writer Ha… Have you had lunch?”
“Yes, I had lunch before coming. Wow, the cover is awesome. It’s for Writer Bong-Yi?” Ha Jae-Gun said as he sat down next to Jung So-Mi.
Jeon Bong-Yi looked at Ha Jae-Gun all teary-eyed, “Ah, Writer Ha! Are you teasing me with my name too?”
“No, Writer Bong-Yi has such a pretty name; you should be proud of it. You’ve made a great decision using your real name instead of a pseudonym for your new novel.” Ha Jae-Gun said. He then turned to Jung So-Mi, who was twiddling her fingers on her lap. “Ms. So-Mi, let’s do another webtoon.”
“…Pardon?”
“Let’s work on another webtoon together. Please help me with The Breath this time.”
When was her delusion going to end in this reality? Rika jumped onto Jung So-Mi’s lap, who seemed to be completely out of it. Rika looked at Jung So-Mi as if asking her a question, ‘Why so serious?’
Jung So-Mi pulled Rika into a hug.
“Shall we discuss the details over dinner tonight? I think we have to discuss how the overall story is going to unfold as well.”
“I think so, too.”
“What? What do you mean, Ms. Jung So-Mi…?”
“N-no, it’s nothing. I’m on board with working on another webtoon. We can talk about it over dinner—no, I mean, we can talk. I’m sorry.” Jung So-Mi nodded profusely.
Her delusion had fully turned into reality. It was so surprising that she even recalled how her mother would say, ‘you’re possessed‘ when she was younger.
“We’ll be having dinner tonight, then.” Ha Jae-Gun stood up, stretching. He looked around the office briefly and then said in a regretful tone of voice, “Yeon-Woo hasn’t been around in the office lately.”
The mention of Lee Yeon-Woo’s name made Jung So-Mi feel depressed as well.
She hadn’t seen much of him around ever since she had rejected his confession.
“He’s not answering his phone either. This rascal. Did he hide a gold mine at his house in Suwon?” Ha Jae-Gun clicked his tongue as he put his phone away.
Jung So-Mi couldn’t retort at all.
Just then…
Bzzt!
Ha Jae-Gun’s phone rang, and Lee Yeon-Woo’s name appeared on the screen. He answered it quickly and started with a joke.
“What timing. I was about to put up a hiring notice for the manager position on the internet.”
— Excuse me, is this Mr. Jae-Gun?
The strange voice from the other end of the phone seemed to belong to a middle-aged woman’s voice. Surprised, Ha Jae-Gun checked the number shown on his phone screen once more.
“Ah, yes… This is Ha Jae-Gun. But who is this…?”
— I’m sorry, I’m Yeon-Woo’s mother.
“Ahh…! Hello, Auntie[1]. I apologize for the rudeness, thinking that it was Yeon-Woo who called. I’m really sorry.”
— No, Mr. Ha. More importantly, I called because.
Ha Jae-Gun’s face turned dark as he stayed on the phone. Jung So-Mi looked at Ha Jae-Gun with worry, unsure of what the conversation was about.
“I understand, auntie. I will head down to Suwon first. No, I’m not busy at all. Yes, I’ll call you again when I’m about to arrive.”
Ha Jae-Gun hung up the phone and buried his face in his hands. He was trembling all over, making Jung So-Mi and the others around in the office feel the unusual atmosphere. They couldn’t utter a single word.
“Ms. So-Mi.”
“Y-yes!”
“I’m sorry, but could I leave Rika with you for a while? And I’m not sure if we can still have dinner tonight.”
“It’s fine, Writer Ha. You don’t have to worry about it.”
Ha Jae-Gun moved immediately, not even giving Jung So-Mi a chance to ask if she could go with him. He ran for the elevator immediately after stepping out the door.
Bzzt!
His phone rang again while he was in the elevator. Ha Jae-Gun answered it with a serious look.
“Hello? Yes, Mr. Deputy Secretary. Thank you for calling. I’m still thinking about it, actually. Ah, I apologize, but I don’t think I can make it today as something urgent has come up. I will call you in the next few days instead. Yes, have a good day.” Ha Jae-Gun felt like throwing his phone away at this point in time.
He was disgusted at himself for being so indifferent as Lee Yeon-Woo’s furious look whenever he took Ha Jae-Gun’s misfortune as his own surfaced in his mind.
1. Raws for this was ???, which is being translated to auntie in this case. ☜
Chapter 234. It’s A Declaration (3)
“Don’t ever let them remove the respirator. His internal organs will shut down if they do it.”
“…!”
Lee Yeon-Woo was hoping that all of this was a dream. His father had been reduced to nothing but mere skin and bones. They were so light that perhaps even a child could lift them. Just when did his father turn into this? Lee Yeon-Woo was baffled.
Desperation in the bedridden man’s eyes as he looked at Lee Yeon-Woo. Steam condensed in the respirator; his father seemed to have something he wanted to say, but Lee Yeon-Woo held his father’s arm tighter while controlling his softening heart.
“No, the doctor said that we can’t remove your respirator. You heard them, too, right?” Lee Yeon-Woo could only repeat the same words over and over.
How could something like this happen? His father had always been healthy; there had been no symptoms showing that his health was failing.
Whenever he sent living expenses to his mother’s account and asked about his parent’s health, he was always told that they were in the pink of health. Lee Yeon-Woo finally realized that it was a huge mistake on his part to feel relieved and believe in their answers.
“Stay in bed, Father.” Hot breath escaped Lee Yeon-Woo’s mouth as tears rolled down to his upper lips. “Why did your health go downhill all of a sudden? You were able to take a walk with me just last week, and you even suggested going to Mount Chilbo to have boiled duck.”
Lee Yeon-Woo regretted it. He should have forced and dragged his father to the hospital to do a comprehensive health check before depositing their living expenses.
He shouldn’t have taken his father’s words at face value; he should have endured his father’s nagging and ate at the same table as them, and he should have followed him out to hike at least once.
Lee Yeon-Woo’s regrets seemed endless as they tormented him. Lee Yeon-Woo fell into misery as his heart broke. He had been living his life up until this point all wrong.
“Lee Yeon-Woo…” His mother called out from behind. She had stepped away for a while to pack some necessities.
But Lee Yeon-Woo didn’t respond or turn around. He didn’t want to be seen crying by his mother, afraid that he would be scolded for crying now when he had resented his father all this while.
“We… we have a guest…”
“…?” The mention of a guest made Lee Yeon-Woo turn around, and he saw Ha Jae-Gun standing quietly next to his mother.
Did he rush here with all his might? Ha Jae-Gun’s hair was up in the winds, and his face was drenched with sweat. He didn’t even bother to straighten his coat that had fallen below his shoulders as he drew in deep breaths.
“Yeon-Woo,” Ha Jae-Gun spoke in a trembling voice as he approached the latter, whilst his gaze laid over Lee Yeon-Woo’s shoulders, on the older man lying on the bed. As Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes met the patient’s eyes, he forced a smile and bowed lightly.
“Hello, uncle. I am Ha Jae-Gun, a writer working with Lee Yeon-Woo.”
The older man’s unfocused eyes shone in an instant. He barely expressed his surprise with the low energy he had in him, to which Ha Jae-Gun added, “Seems like Yeon-Woo hadn’t mentioned anything to you. Lee Yeon-Woo is a writer, Uncle. He has even released a few novels under his name as well. A few of them even got printed out into physical copies, too.”
Ha Jae-Gun rummaged his empty pockets in a flurry. He pulled out his phone and looked up Lee Yeon-Woo’s novels on the internet before showing the results to Lee Yeon-Woo’s father.
“I forgot to bring a copy, as I rushed over first thing when I heard of your plight. Uncle, take a look at this. These are all Yeon-Woo’s works. The ebooks are doing well too, much better than physical books since we’re in the internet era. Yeon-Woo is quite famous,” Ha Jae-Gun explained with passion.
Lee Yeon-Woo remained silent as his head hung low while sitting by the bed.
“Hey, Yeon-Woo. Your father looks like he has something to say.”
“No…”
“What do you mean no?”
“The doctor said not to remove his respirator, or his internal organs would stop functioning…”
“What…?” Ha Jae-Gun hadn’t met any terminally ill patients up close before. He suddenly understood Lee Yeon-Woo’s dilemma, Lee Yeon-Woo had to have no idea what to do as well.
“Wait, let me see the doctor first.” Ha Jae-Gun stood up and left the room.
The lips of Lee Yeon-Woo’s father were evidently chapped under the respirator. Lee Yeon-Woo’s gaze drew to his father’s lips.
‘I… am… proud… of… you…’ His father’s shy thoughts were slowly conveyed, and every word dug into Lee Yeon-Woo’s heart clearly.
However, his father soon began to run out of breath once more.
The doctor returned to the ward a while later. Lee Yeon-Woo bit down on his lips as he held his father’s hand. It took less than five minutes for the doctor to announce his father’s death, along with the time and cause of death.
Lee Yeon-Woo finally burst into tears, unleashing what he had been holding in for the longest time now.
***
The funeral was held over three days. The writers from the office took turns to spend the night and help out at the funeral. Jung So-Mi, in particular, did not leave her post and helped with everything at the funeral. Read lat𝙚st chapters at nov(𝒆)lbin.com Only
“Yeon-Woo must have done well in his career.”
“Yeah… Look at all the important people showing up.”
“But wasn’t he just a high school graduate?”
“Seriously, how is one’s education important in this day and age? What a conservative mindset you have there.”
Mourners were busy gossiping in the hall, albeit softly, while stealing glances in disbelief at both Ha Jae-Gun and Park Do-Joon walking around in black suits.
“Wow, they look much better in person.”
“Seems like it’s true that they’re close friends. I thought whatever they said on TV were lies.”
“How did Yeon-Woo get to know these people?”
“Have you even been paying attention? Yeon-Woo is a writer, and he’s working at Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s office.”
“Aigoo~ Then his talent must have been recognized by the famous writer then?”
The sadness of a passing family member was only exclusive to the family. Whilst the mourners who showed up were only interested in what they saw, Lee Yeon-Woo silently kept to his post as the chief mourner.
“ Yeon-Woo is really fortunate… I’m really thankful to you and the other writers for taking time out to come down here… Mr. Ha Jae-Gun, thank you so very much for looking out for my son.” Lee Yeon-Woo’s mother kept expressing her gratitude throughout the funeral.
And the writers would be ashamed whenever they heard her; they only bowed silently in response.
“I can’t believe this happened to Yeon-Woo…” Kang Min-Ho muttered as he sat on the bench in the small pavilion outside the funeral home. His bloodshot eyes were staring into the sky as he hid out here. Being the emotional guy he was, Kang Min-Ho cried the most after Lee Yeon-Woo.
“I’m stupid for blabbering on about my wedding and honeymoon when I didn’t even know this was happening to him. If only I asked him seriously why he had been visiting home more often recently…”
“Stop it, hyung,” Jang Eun-Young said as she held Kang Min-Ho’s hand in hers. Her eyes were puffy and swollen like Kang Min-Ho’s as well.
“The saddest person now is still Yeon-Woo. Yeon-Woo is already hurting, so if you do this…”
“I know, I know that…” Kang Min-Ho trailed off. After letting out a long, regretful-sounding sigh, Kang Min-Ho changed the topic of their conversation. “Is he sure that there’s no issue with the funeral fees?”
“Yeah, Writer Ha checked out everything.”
“Alright, Writer Ha is meticulous by nature…”
“I heard from Yeon-Woo’s mother that Yeon-Woo has been doing a good job, sending money back home regularly.”
“Really…? Yeon-Woo will be fine, right?”
“I can’t say for sure. He has always been a cheerful kid, so I’m quite worried this time. We should look out for him closely now.” Jang Eun-Young glanced toward the funeral home, letting out a soft sigh. She was worried about Ha Jae-Gun as much as she was worried about Lee Yeon-Woo.
Meanwhile, rain was falling from the overcast sky.
***
The funeral ended smoothly without a hitch. Lee Yeon-Woo took off his gloves after following the hearse and expressed his gratitude to Ha Jae-Gun.
“Thank you, Jae-Gun hyung.”
“Don’t say that, I didn’t do much for you.”
“You helped me with the funeral. And thanks to you, I was able to hear a compliment from my father for the first time in my life. I was agonizing over whether to remove his respirator back then…”
“Yeon-Woo.”
“Thanks to you… I got to hear a compliment from him, all thanks to you. Hehehe…” Lee Yeon-Woo was smiling brightly despite tears streaming down his face.
Ha Jae-Gun eventually looked down, as he found it hard to watch Lee Yeon-Woo.
“Ah, I forgot to thank Deputy Jung.”
“You can thank her when you return to the office.”
“Yes, I should do that. She helped me out on all three days, after all. My mom loves and praises her so much, too. Oh, and Do-Joon hyung, he’s such a loyal guy~! I’m determined to watch all the shows that Do-Joon hyung is going on. I won’t even look at the brands that are Do-Joon hyung’s competitors.” Lee Yeon-Woo’s voice began to regain vigor.
Lee Yeon-Woo was acting exactly within Ha Jae-Gun’s expectations. The former had always been the type to prioritize the atmosphere over himself, and the sight made Ha Jae-Gun’s heart throb with pain.
“Right, Ha Jae-Gun hyung. I heard that there was an offer for the Records series to be released in China and even a movie adaptation for it?”
“Ah…”
“Have you made a decision? You’re going to accept the offer, right?”
“I haven’t made a decision yet…” Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t finish his sentence as he saw Lee Yeon-Woo smiling tearfully in silence. Lee Yeon-Woo’s teary eyes made him recall a moment from a long time back.
“I’ll do it,” Ha Jae-Gun finally said with determination.
Ha Jae-Gun had forgotten that Lee Yeon-Woo was Poongchun-Yoo’s biggest fan. He had completely forgotten how Poongchun-Yoo was the reason behind Lee Yeon-Woo’s dreams of becoming a writer.
“Of course, I should do it. Poongchun-Yoo was the name that first got out there. I should put everything else aside and do this. Then, I would be able to—huh, perhaps buy the entire building where our office is. What do you think?”
“Wow, as expected of Poongchun-Yoo! Totally on a different level!”
Ha Jae-Gun hugged the cheering Lee Yeon-Woo. But soon, he felt Lee Yeon-Woo sniffling as the latter buried his face into Ha Jae-Gun’s shoulder. The rain, which had been pouring intermittently during the past three days, finally stopped.
***
— He says that he will provide all the support you need; he’ll even add it as a term in the contract. All the resources you require until you’re done with the manuscript for the Records trilogy will definitely be provided, regardless of the costs incurred. Teencent is really, wow! They are willing to go all out for you!
Kwon Tae-Won’s voice went wild with excitement on the other side of the line. jae-Gun smiled faintly as he continued listening to Kwon Tae-Won speak.
— Especially Records of the Modern Master. They’ll provide flights, accommodations, guides, transport, and even help with gathering any information you require for the novel’s completion. You just have to show up in person, yep.
“I’m seeing your excitement more often these days, President.”
— Look, Writer Ha, how can I not be?
“But President, I think you’re overly excited that you’re forgetting something important here.”
— What is it?
Ha Jae-Gun stood up from the sofa. With a cup in hand, he headed to the coffee machine and added, “I think you’ve forgotten where the license for the Records series is at the moment.”
— Huh? Ahh…!
Kwon Tae-Won’s intense groan tore through the line. Ha Jae-Gun chuckled as he imagined Kwon Tae-Won’s face.
“You have indeed forgotten all about it. Wow, I never knew our President would forget about something as important as this when you’ve always been a meticulous person.”
— I know, right? Aigoo, I’m embarrassed. I’ve been thinking too much from your perspective that I had forgotten about the other areas. Damn…
“It’s alright. You know that I’m turning thirty this year, right?”
— Of course. But Writer Ha, why bring up your age here…?
“You’re my editor-in-charge, so you should, of course, remember when the Records series was first released, right?”
— Ahh, yes… I understand. Ahahah…
Kwon Tae-Won chuckled in embarrassment after he understood what Ha Jae-Gun was driving at.
Ha Jae-Gun swished the coffee in his cup and said, “I’m slightly worried. Although there hasn’t been any news about the series on the internet yet, the Korea-China cultural exchange meeting was on the news for a while.”
— Hmm, yes. CEO Park Jae-Gook is a man of honor, so I don’t think there’s much to worry about on that end, but…
Kwon Tae-Won trailed off with a hint of worry in his voice. Kwon Tae-Won had been working in this industry for years, and he could predict a few situations that might happen with the current circumstances.
— You don’t have to worry about it. Anyway, I’ll see you later tonight at your house, Writer Ha.
Kwon Tae-Won decided to hang up the call first.
Ha Jae-Gun felt it strange but did not probe further, guessing that Kwon Tae-Won deemed it unnecessary for him to speak his mind at this point in time.
Chapter 235. It’s A Declaration (4)
“Oh my gosh, they talked about the Records series?”
“Yes, look at the article. The head of their Central Publicity Department mentioned the Records series. What does that mean, Deputy Lee?” Deputy Ko rolled his eyes with a serious look.
Deputy Lee had the same expression as Deputy Ko. The two were working overtime to edit the novels that had to be submitted for review the next day, and they were surprised by the news that they had read about belatedly.
“What should we do, Deputy Lee?”
“What do you mean?”
“Should we report this to the editor-in-chief?”
“Even if you ask me…” Deputy Lee let out a sigh as he slicked his hair to the back.
Thinking about the editor-in-chief and the CEO’s rascal of a son, Park Kyung-Wook, made his insides flip. He reckoned that the man in question was out somewhere drinking and would probably only show up at work tomorrow near lunchtime.
“We should probably give him a call first, right? Just in case.”
“Okay, I’ll give him a call. I should get the scolding instead of you.”
Ever since Jung So-Mi resigned, both Deputy Lee and Deputy Ko had gotten closer. A sort of camaraderie between them had formed while they were working under their troublesome editor-in-chief.
‘He’s quite cute in some ways.’ Deputy Lee chuckled as she watched Deputy Ko pull out his phone with fear.
Despite being timid and weak, Deputy Ko was the type to make sure he pleased his superiors first, but the man had changed quite significantly. Opening up herself to getting to know this man made her see all his humane side, as well as his strengths.
“He’s not answering it.”
“Leave me a message then. We can’t help it if he isn’t answering the phone.”
After sending the message, the two of them stepped out of the office for dinner. Just as they stepped into the elevator, Deputy Ko’s phone rang.
“Ah, hello? Editor-in-chief?”
— What do you mean in your message?
“It is as written, sir. China seems to have shown interest in Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s Records series. I think that there were some discussions about it under the table…”
— You think? Are you serious, Deputy Ko?
Park Kyung-Wook sounded angry, seemingly having drunk quite a bit. Expecting Park Kyung-Wook to be yelling at him soon, Deputy Ko shut his eyes tight.
— Have you tried contacting Ha Jae-Gun before?
“What? Contacting him?”
— Are you turning into a mynah bird, repeating my questions?!
“Oh, I’m sorry. I have been sending messages regularly to say hello, but I have never received a reply. Even when I send a gift, he would return it immediately, too…”
Park Kyung-Wook did not wait for Deputy Ko to go on and yelled.
— You always have an excuse for everything! What else are you doing aside from giving stupid excuses while receiving your monthly salary?! Handling writers is the most basic part of your job!
“Of course, I know that…! But he’s not like the other writers, and he’s extremely famous now… Gasp—” Deputy Ko realized that he had misspoken and immediately covered his mouth.
Park Kyung-Wook always turned into a viper whenever the name Ha Jae-Gun was mentioned, yet Deputy Ko had inadvertently praised Ha Jae-Gun in his words.
— Who cares about his popularity? Writers are all the same, aren’t they?! Is he not affiliated with Star Books?! He is still contracted to our company, and he’s a writer under us!
“Y-yes… That’s right. You’re right, Editor-in-chief.” Deputy Ko replied with his head hanging low as if Park Kyung-Wook was standing before him. Meanwhile, Deputy Lee stood beside him and was staring at him quietly.
— Go meet him and figure out the current situation. The license for the Records series is going to end this year, but we must hold onto it for another three more years.
“But how can I meet Writer Ha in my capacity…”
— Stake out outside his house or something! Deputy Ko, are you an elementary student?! Must I teach you every single thing?
“I-I understand. I’ll do everything I can.”
Park Kyung-Wook clicked his tongue several times before hanging up.
Deputy Lee patted the man on his shoulder, consoling him. “Only incompetent people would raise their voices when they have nothing to say. Don’t take it to heart.”
“Ahaha…”
“You can choose what’s for dinner tonight.”
“I’ve lost all my appetite now. Go ahead and choose the menu, Deputy Lee.”
Deputy Lee thought of Jung So-Mi as they stepped into a certain restaurant. Maybe they could set up a point of contact with Ha Jae-Gun through Jung So-Mi, but…
‘Forget it, why should I help that scoundrel…’ Deputy Lee shook her head, tossing the idea out of her mind. Her friendship with Jung So-Mi was much more important to her than her company’s future.
***
The next day, Deputy Ko’s eyes were bloodshot. He had been constantly checking the clock and finally called Ha Jae-Gun at 10 a.m. sharp.
‘Please answer, Writer Ha Jae-Gun…!’ He had to at least get on the phone with Ha Jae-Gun so that he would have something to report to Park Kyung-Wook once he clocked in. Deputy Ko gulped as he listened to the ringing.
— Hello?
“I-Is this Writer Ha Jae-Gun?!” Deputy Ko was in disbelief. He didn’t expect that he would hear Ha Jae-Gun’s voice so easily.
— Yes, are you Deputy Ko?
“Ahh, yes…! How have you been doing? I have been enjoying your novels!”
— Thank you. Have you been doing well, Deputy Ko?
“Yes, of course. Aigoo, thank you for being concerned for my well-being, Writer Ha.”
Deputy Ko was filled with hope; he had a good premonition this morning that things were going to turn out well today.
“U-um Writer Ha Jae-Gun, I actually called to ask…”
— I actually wanted to contact you as well.
“Pardon?”
— For the Records series that was signed with Star Books, I’m looking to retract their licenses as soon as the contract ends.
Deputy Ko felt the ground beneath him crumble. His mind turned blank, and the sight before him turned into one of darkness.
“W-Writer Ha…?!”
— I’ll send you an email now that I’ve given you a notice through the phone. I’m drafting it up right now. Please check the common Star Books email inbox after this call ends.
“W-wait! Writer Ha Jae-Gun, I understand that you’re extremely busy, but is there a possibility for us to meet briefly? You can decide on the time!”
— I’m sorry, I don’t think there’s anything else I have to say to you even if we met. I’ll have to decline. Have a good day.
Ha Jae-Gun hung up the call so quickly that Deputy Ko did not have the chance to say anything else. He stood there staring into space with the phone still next to his ear.
Deputy Lee had been watching him from behind with her arms crossed, and she finally asked, “How did it go? What did Writer Ha Jae-Gun say?”
“He said that… he would retract the publication license for the Records series…” Deputy Ko grabbed the mouse with trembling hands and accessed the said email inbox to find an email from Ha Jae-Gun right at the top.
[This is Writer Ha Jae-Gun. I’d like to retract the license for both publication and ebook services.]
“Arghhh…!” a loud groan came from Deputy Ko.
The email’s content notifying the retraction of the licenses for the Records trilogy: Records of the Murim Master, Records of the Modern Master, and Records of the Other World, sounded like his death sentence.
“What should I do…! It’s going to be hell when the editor-in-chief comes into the office later…!” Deputy Ko messed up his hair in frustration.
Just then…
“What is going to be hell?”
“Oh no…”
Park Jae-Gook, the CEO of Star Books, appeared silently behind Deputy Ko.
Park Jae-Gook hadn’t been showing up in the office as much due to his declining health condition, which was why his appearance had shocked everyone in the office, including Deputy Ko.
“…!” Park Jae-Wook bent down to see the screen, to which his eyes widened in shock. Subsequently, his gaze shifted to Park Kyung-Wook’s table.
“Where did the editor-in-chief go?”
“N-not yet…”
Park Jae-Gook strode over to Park Kyung-Wook’s desk. Seeing how messy it was, Park Jae-Gook asked in a low voice, “Has he been doing this recently?”
“…”
“Forget it; get back to your work.” Park Jae-Gook pulled out his phone as he left. His son, who had stayed out for the night, did not answer his calls at all.
‘How can we lose such an important title…! No!’
Most fantasy and martial arts novels would only sell well in the beginning after publication, and their sales performance would fall rock bottom overtime.
However, Ha Jae-Gun’s novel was different. The sales performance for the Records series was still doing well. Even dozens of novels from other writers were incomparable to Ha Jae-Gun’s single trilogy.
Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s popularity had increased exponentially in the last three years. After much thinking, Park Jae-Gook turned around. This wasn’t something that could be resolved with just a phone call. Despite knowing that the probability of things turning around was slim, even if he stepped up, he still had to do it.
***
Tadadadak! Tadak! Tadadak!
Lee Yeon-Woo’s fingers kept typing on the keyboard relentlessly. His expression, showing one of utmost seriousness, was completely different from the past. He no longer sighed and racked his brains while writing now.
“Yeon-Woo, let’s have lunch before continuing.”
“Please go ahead without me. I can’t eat until I’ve written ten thousand characters. That’s my aim for today.”
“You will collapse first. Let’s take care of yourself first before writing, hmm?”
“I had a heavy breakfast this morning. I’ll take the chance to go on a diet since my belly has been growing too.” Lee Yeon-Woo replied with a chuckle, his fingers still typing away on the keyboard. He had to be more confident for his father, who was proud of his writer son.
“There’s Jae-Gun hyung, too. Jae-Gun hyung is so focused on his writing, so how could I, as his manager, go ahead for lunch first?”
“Wow, you’re always taking care of Writer Ha. You’re the perfect lover.”
“I’m not his lover but his manager. Of course, I have to do my job and look after him since he’s done so much for me. I have a conscience, too, you know. Hahaha.” Lee Yeon-Woo’s cheerful laughter rang in the office.
Meanwhile, Ha Jae-Gun was smiling bitterly in his room. He had heard everything Yeon-Woo said earlier.
‘Just what exactly did I do…’ Ha Jae-Gun had simply been treating Lee Yeon-Woo with the treatment he deserved, as the latter was a nice person. Ha Jae-Gun believed that he hadn’t really done a lot for the people around him, but they had all been expressing their appreciation to him. He hadn’t felt bothered by others before, but it felt different because it was coming from Lee Yeon-Woo.
Tadadadak! Tadak! Tadadak!
Ha Jae-Gun’s fingers were typing away relentlessly as well, but they also had a sense of guilt in them. And the result was him typing out his own malice in the story Human’s Malice, which he had been working on and off recently.
His own unintentional malice of being indifferent to the people he cared about under the pretext of being busy. Ha Jae-Gun detailed the malice in the document.
‘I’ll do my best, Yeon-Woo. There’s no other way for me to repay you except with this.’ The guilt turned into Ha Jae-Gun’s seed of motivation. He worked diligently for Lee Yeon-Woo, who hoped that Poongchun-Yoo would get the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Just then…
Bzzt!
Ha Jae-Gun’s phone rang, and an unknown number showed on the screen. He did not answer it, and moments later, a text message came in.
– Mr. Ha Jae-Gun, I am Park Jae-Gook, the CEO of Star Books. I would like to meet you in person, so please give me a call. I’ll be waiting.
Ha Jae-Gun could feel the desperation in the message.
Ha Jae-Gun didn’t contemplate for long and pressed the call button. It would be better to talk in person since the other party was not a regular employee of Star Books.
— Hello! Aigoo, Mr. Ha Jae-Gun!
“Hello, sir.”
— Thank you so much for calling. Ohoho, you must be very busy; I apologize for contacting you out of the blue.
“You’re calling because of the retraction of the Records series license, right?”
— Yes, that is why I’m contacting you. I wanted to get in touch with you earlier to talk about it, but we haven’t been able to get in touch with you for a while. Actually, I’m now on the way to Laugh Books’ office.
“I don’t think you have to, sir.” Ha Jae-Gun spoke firmly. “I will not change my mind regarding this. I’m really sorry, but I’d appreciate it if you could understand me.”
— Mr. Ha, what can I do to change your mind? Why are you trying to retract the license so quickly? If you’re unhappy with anything, please feel free to let me know.
Park Jae-Gook’s desperation made Ha Jae-Gun scratch the back of his head. It sounded like the CEO was really unaware of the situation. The older man might faint if he learned that an agreement on the movie adaptation had been made with Teencent Pictures’ CEO and their government.
“I have no ill feelings with Star Books.” Ha Jae-Gun did not elaborate further. Ha Jae-Gun recalled the vulgar editor-in-chief who did not know how to treat his subordinates well and even had a penchant for harassing their female employees.
Of course, Ha Jae-Gun didn’t mention that as well.
“Because it’s time for me to move on. I hope you’ll understand.”
— I’ll do everything for you as long as Star Books has the capability to do so. Mr. Ha Jae-Gun, it’s fine even if we just meet for a few minutes. Could you maybe spare me five minutes? Please?
“I’m sorry, sir. I hope Star Books will become more prosperous. I’ll be hanging up now.”
— Aigoo, Mr. Ha…!
Ha Jae-Gun hung up the call without giving the older man any chances. He flipped his phone over and reached out for his keyboard again. The new synopsis for the Records trilogy was about to be complete.
***
“Print 50,000 copies each…!”
Immediately after Park Jae-Gook left the office, Park Kyung-Wook fumed in anger as he gave instructions to his team. His ragged breathing smelled like alcohol.
“Print for the bookstores, not the rental stores. And all in hardcovers! Do you understand?!
“B-but, editor-in-chief…” Deputy Ko swallowed as he stood frozen on the spot.
Park Jae-Gook’s roar from earlier was so loud that everyone in the office had heard it. Park Jae-Gook had clearly instructed Park Kyung-Wook to let go of Ha Jae-Gun.
Deputy Lee stepped up in Deputy Ko’s stead, who was struck with fear.
“Editor-in-chief, the CEO clearly said to return the license for the Records series accordingly. So why are you asking us to print more copies…?”
“Why are you so inflexible, too, Deputy Lee?” Park Kyung-Wook shot an angry look at her. “We need to milk as much as we can before he retracts the license! Start on the cover design and focus on the marketing! Time is not on our side, so put everything else aside and focus on this!”
“But, the CEO…”
“I’ll take responsibility! He’s the CEO, but he’s also my father! I’ll resolve things on my own, so just listen to me and print 50,000 copies of each novel in the trilogy, do you understand?!” Park Kyung-Wook yelled like a madman.
Deputy Lee rested her case and sat back down at her desk. The office turned infinitely cold and silent all because of one person.
Chapter 236 – It’s A Declaration (5)
“Aigoo, Jae-In. I must have been so nervous and stiff that a lump grew on the side of my neck.”
“Look at you all whiny, Mom. Shall I massage your neck?”
“I was just joking. You should quickly change out of your clothes and wash up, too.”
The family had just returned home from a dinner arranged by Nam Gyu-Ho. Myung-Ja still found both Nam Gyu-Baek and Nam Gyu-Ho difficult to talk to. They had an expensive dinner today, but she couldn’t recall how the food tasted, and the floor they sat on just felt like a thorn cushion throughout the meal.
‘No way, I’m getting a chaebol son-in-law when it’s hard for normal people like me to meet even one of them in their lifetime? Will Jae-In even be happy living with them?’
Myung-Ja couldn’t express her worries and held them close to her heart. The only knowledge she had about chaebol families was all she had learned through TV dramas. Was it completely fictional, though? And would her precious daughter go through all kinds of untold hardships if she were to get married into their family?
“Mom, Mom.”
“Huh? Yes?”
“What are you thinking about so seriously? Take off your coat already.”
“Ah, okay…” Myung-Ja secretly let out a sigh and headed to the bedroom. At the same time, Ha Jae-In went to wash up and change into a fresh set of clothes. She soon stepped out of the toilet drying her hair with a towel, humming a melody.
‘So happy~’
She had been waking up happy these days, and every day was like a dream. The date of the wedding with her beloved Nam Gyu-Ho had been set, and she was counting down the days until then. She would at times have needless delusions, like doubting if the world was going to end before that day arrived.
‘Oh right, Jae-Gun said he was doing some sort of special show today.’ Ha Jae-In quickly grabbed the remote control and switched the channel when her face changed, and she knelt on the floor.
A live broadcast appeared on the screen, showing the host, a few reporters, and the main guest, Ha Jae-Gun.
[Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s popularity is soaring at an alarming rate this year as well. There were rumors of him where people wondered if Writer Ha Jae-Gun was really a single person or a team of writers before he began to appear on TV shows.]
[Well, it’s not surprising for those rumors to be going around. His speed of writing is so fast, and almost all of his novels so far held the best of both worlds, in the commercial and literary aspects. More importantly, his profile on the internet has a long list of achievements.]
[That’s right. The latest issue would be his most recent publication, Market Place, which has achieved over 800,000 copies sold, as well as the recently announced online game, The Breath, that is being developed by Nextion. But the largest hot topic of them all would be the horrific success that the movie Storm and Gale is showing currently, right?]
[Yes. The movie has reached over 10 million audiences in Korea, and more importantly, it has exceeded over 90 million viewers in China.]
[90 million, reporter? Not 9 million, but 90 million?]
[Stop acting like you didn’t know about it. Haha. But yes, this humongous number is twice the population of Korea. And we’re talking about Storm and Gale, which was produced with capital funding from China, but it’s still a Korean movie with Korean actors.]
[Yeah. Of the two lead actors, Ms. Yang Ying spoke in Chinese and acted as a Chinese individual, but the movie is still undoubtedly a Korean movie.]
[From China’s perspective, this is definitely a movie from overseas. And it’s unprecedented for any foreign movie to achieve over 90 million audiences in China. Here’s a clear example: There’s a movie in China called Gweyogi, which was ranked second in the box office in China with a 65 million audience. But it was pushed to the third because of Storm and Gale.]
[That’s amazing, Reporter Park. That means the gap between both movies is over 25 million.]
[Indeed. When the movie was first released and reached 60 million viewers, it was a hot topic as well. These figures show us that the China market is growing. The monthly box office sales there in February this year hit a record high and was even ranked first in the entire globe.]
[Yes, we have prepared the information that Reporter Park had just mentioned too. Let’s see it on the screen, shall we? This was taken from China’s National Film Fund office, where we can see that the monthly profit exceeds 6.8 billion Chinese yuan, which is equivalent to 1.2 trillion Korean won. In terms of viewer count, that’s about 192 million, almost nearing 200 million viewers.]
[What’s even more surprising is that every Chinese national watches 1.7 movies in a year. They don’t even watch movies twice! See the potential in the market? And there’s no way we can’t miss bringing up Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s martial arts novel here. I’m actually a fan of his, but…]
“What’s this? Are they talking about Jae-Gun?”
“Yeah, Mom. Come watch it with me.”
“Okay, I’ll bring over some apples.” While Myung-Ja went to grab a couple of apples, Ha Jae-In’s eyes did not once leave the screen, and the reporter’s voice was getting strained with enthusiasm.
[Martial arts novels originated in China. And Writer Ha Jae-Gun had published a few of them under his pseudonym, Poongchun-Yoo. A company called Teencent said that they have to bring it into China. He has proven his potential through and through over here.]
[Yes, and they have brought up the Records series in the recent Korea-China cultural exchange meeting, right? Although they had brought it up, nothing has been confirmed yet. This was all coming from a phone interview with Writer Ha Jae-Gun, so what do you think about this, Reporter Park?]
Ha Jae-In smirked subconsciously. As Ha Jae-Gun’s sister, she knew the answer to this. And Myung-Ja slid a slice of apple into Ha Jae-In’s twitching mouth.
“Did Jae-Gun say he’s going to drop by today?”
“I’m not sure. I should give him a call now.” Ha Jae-In picked up her phone. As she was about to press the dial button, a call came in first.
“Speak of the devil. Hello, Writer Jae-Gun.”
— What? Are you speaking ill of me with Mom?
“No way. We’re watching Issue Plus right now. The host and panel are making a fuss, saying that you should release the Records series in China. Are you watching it?”
— No, I’m working on the synopsis. I have to do a final review and finalize it before the meeting with Teencent tomorrow. So, I’m sorry, noona, I can’t go home today.
“Don’t be. You’re flying tomorrow, so you should rest early tonight, too. Ah, Ha Jae-Gun. Mom keeps poking me, asking to talk to you on the phone. Wait a bit.”
“Hello? Son, have you had dinner? Are you feeling ill anywhere?” Myung-Ja began shooting questions immediately after taking over the phone from Ha Jae-In.
Ha Jae-In sniggered as she reduced the volume of the TV, as it was much better listening to her younger brother’s voice than listening to the TV discussion about her own brother.
***
“Was that auntie?” Lee Soo-Hee asked.
“Yeah, she’s worried about everything, knowing that I’m going to China.” Ha Jae-Gun replied as he put the phone down.
Ha Jae-Gun had made the decision to rewrite the Records series, and he was scheduled to fly to China the next day to obtain materials and information for Records of the Modern Master. Read lat𝙚st chapters at nov(𝒆)lbin.com Only
All he had prepared for his trip was a medium-sized suitcase. Teencent had prepared everything, from flight tickets to local transport, accommodation, and everything else he might need during the trip, which made things especially convenient for Ha Jae-Gun.
“I’ve packed my bag, and CEO Kwon said that he would pick me up tomorrow morning, so I just have to work on the synopsis until then.”
“You should at least sleep for a while.”
“I can sleep on the plane.” Although he said that, Ha Jae-Gun still put faith in Seo Geon-Woo’s cup. He would be able to recover his energy in the morning with a cup of coffee from it, even if he had stayed up the entire night working. It was only a pity that he couldn’t share the cup’s fantastic effect with Lee Soo-Hee.
Tadadadak! Tadak! Tadadak!
Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes were still fixed on the monitor screen in front of him as he began typing away on the keyboard.
He had no idea how long it had been, but he heard a low sigh and Lee Soo-Hee’s murmur from behind. “You’re too much, Ha Jae-Gun.”
“Hmm? What about me?”
“Are you really going to just work the entire night away? I mean, you’re flying tomorrow, right?”
“I’m not migrating for real, I’ll be back in three weeks, so why…” Ha Jae-Gun trailed off as he turned around.
Lee Soo-Hee’s hair was tied into a high bun. The skirt she had on before was now by her ankles.
“I’m going to shower now,” Lee Soo-Hee said with a grin and a provocative look. She was well aware of how Ha Jae-Gun would go crazy when her pale neck was revealed with her hair tied up.
“If you apply cream on my back, I’ll rub yours too.”
“Huh? Okay.” Ha Jae-Gun followed her without hesitation. How many storms passed as they migrated to the bathroom and then to the bed?
Ha Jae-Gun didn’t use Seo Geon-Woo’s cup until dawn as he lay beside Lee Soo-Hee with his arm becoming her pillow. The most comfortable and happiest rest he could ever get was in Lee Soo-Hee’s arms.
***
[Exclusive, Ha Jae-Gun visits China! Captured with state-level treatment!]
[Over 100 security guards stationed at the capital’s international airport, Beijing]
[Transport list provided for Ha Jae-Gun by Teencent costs over 900 million won?!]
[Ha Jae-Gun and the friendly handshake with Liu Bao, the Department Head of China’s Central Publicity Department. What did they talk about?]
[The hotel room where Ha Jae-Gun is staying costs 4.7 million won per night?!]
[Teencent Pictures’ representative: Writer Ha Jae-Gun’s visit is purely a leisure trip.]
‘Wow, the reporters act fast.’
Kang Min-Ho leaned against the subway doors as he read the news on his phone, clicking his tongue. He was well aware of Ha Jae-Gun’s visit to China as he was also a member of the writer’s office.
It was afternoon, and Kang Min-Ho was on his way to the writer’s gathering organized by Star Books. He didn’t want to attend the gathering, as all his subsequent novels after Great Demon Lord of the Other World were all contracted with Laugh Books. Aside from that poorly performing novel, there was no other point of contact between him and Star Books.
‘If it weren’t for the invitation from Deputy Lee, there’d be no reason for me to attend the gathering… Damn, if it were someone else or Deputy Ko who called, I would have rejected attending right away.’
Deputy Lee was the one who looked out for Kang Min-Ho in a lot of ways when he signed the contract with Star Books. But since he received the invitation call from Deputy Lee, he had no choice but to agree to it out of recognition and loyalty.
The gathering’s venue was still the same as the previous authors’ gathering in the past—the same Korean restaurant at the time. Kang Min-Ho thought he had arrived relatively early, but there were already quite a number of others present. He recognized a few of them and waved in their direction.
“Wow, Writer Kang Min-Ho. You are glowing after announcing your wedding.”
“Thank you for those words. My worries have reduced recently, so I’ve been having a good life. Hahaha.”
“I’ve read all your novels published through Laugh Books. I’m so envious of you, Writer Kang. You’re getting married to such a pretty female writer; your novels are doing well, too. You don’t have to worry anymore.”
“I don’t have the talent, so I can only bury my head into writing. Plus, the market is doing well these days. Furthermore, people say that this is an era where writing web novels as if you’re keeping a diary would even make you money.”
Kang Min-Ho exchanged conversations on different topics with the writers and even greeted the Star Books employees, including Deputy Lee. After more writers had arrived, the editor-in-chief, Park Kyung-Wook, opened the gathering with a welcome speech.
‘Is that all…?’ Kang Min-Ho tilted his head, looking at the relatively empty venue. It wasn’t just an illusion; the attendance had definitely decreased. The attendance today was less than half of the last gathering.
‘Star Books has indeed weakened a lot these days. Their hit novels aren’t doing as good either.’ Kang Min-Ho took a sip from his drink, not paying attention to Park Kyung-Wook’s welcome speech.
The alcohol tasted better, unlike before. He was now fully enjoying himself at the authors’ gathering, which he never knew could become such a pleasant event.
“Hello, Writer Kang Min-Ho. I am editor-in-chief, Park Kyung-Wook.” Park Kyung-Wook came over to greet Kang Min-Ho after the dinner officially started.
Kang Min-Ho smiled awkwardly, nodding in response. “Yes, hello.”
“I have been enjoying your novels after Return of the Demon Lord. They were amazing with great story development.”
“Thank you, and sorry. I’m not sure if I can still appear at this event when my other novels are being published with another company…”
“No way, you still have Great Demon Lord of the Other World signed with us; it doesn’t matter if you have signed your subsequent novels with other companies. Please don’t be worried about it. Here, have a glass.” Park Kyung-Wook filled Kang Min-Ho’s glass and continued, “We will be ecstatic if you could sign another novel with Star Books again in the future.”
“Ahaha…” What else could he say here? Kang Min-Ho dropped his head slightly.
“Please sign a novel with us if you have any, Writer Kang. I will make sure to offer you the best conditions. Here, let’s have a toast.”
“Thank you.”
Park Kyung-Wook finished saying his formalities and left the table, going about to work on the other writers. The business-like smile on Kang Min-Ho’s face had disappeared without a trace. Strangely, he didn’t like Park Kyung-Wook at all.
“Oh right, Writer Kang Min-Ho,” a writer who sat beside Kang Min-Ho started. “You’re working in the same office as Writer Ha Jae-Gun, right?”
“Um, yeah… Not every day, though.” Kang Min-Ho glossed over his answer, as most would ask him all sorts of questions or requests when they learned that they were working in the same office. It was exactly why he desperately wanted to avoid the topic entirely.
“The Records series is printed out in hardcover. Why the decision all of a sudden?”
“What…?” Kang Min-Ho put down his glass in shock. “The Records series is being printed in hardcover?”
“Yes, they’re printing 50,000 copies of each novel for sale in the bookstores. I’m quite close to Deputy Ko, so I heard about it from him. But isn’t he retracting the license after the contract ends? Are they doing something else with the Records series?” said the writer before showing Kang Min-Ho their phone.
The writer hadn’t lied. There was a banner advertising the hardcover copies of the Records series showing on the screen. However, was Ha Jae-Gun aware of their move?
Chapter 237. It’s A Declaration (6)
“Yeah, I found it weird when I saw it.”
“Is this related to the recent cultural exchange meeting with the Chinese delegates?”
“You know something about it, right? I’m curious. Could you tell me about it? Please?”
The writers tossed him all kinds of questions, but there was no answer Kang Min-Ho could give them. In fact, he wasn’t aware of it, and even if he knew anything, he was in no position to share it with them.
“I’m sorry, but I know nothing about it.”
Disappointment showed on their faces, but Kang Min-Ho didn’t care and was lost in his own thoughts. ‘50,000 copies? That’s a lot…’
The first novel of the Records series, Records of the Murim Master, which was printed out in hardcover, had a total of ten volumes to it. If Star Books printed 50,000 copies of each novel in the trilogy, it could be seen as a move only a madman would dare to make. After all, the hardcover market wasn’t doing great these days.
Thankfully, the novel was written by Ha Jae-Gun, otherwise, everyone would have been clicking their tongues in disapproval, commenting that Star Books had basically decided to throw all of their money into the boundless ocean.
‘Did Star Books make the arrangement out of the blue? They should have mentioned it if they wanted to print 50,000 copies for publication. Or could it be that he’s been so busy with going to China that he had forgotten all about it?’
Since it had come to his attention, Kang Min-Ho decided to ask Ha Jae-Gun about it. Foll𝑜w current novℯls on nov𝒆lb((in).(com)
He left the restaurant for a quieter corner to call Ha Jae-Gun, but he received no response despite waiting for quite a while.
‘Seems like he’s busy. I should call again later.’
The moment Kang Min-Ho put away his phone and turned around, Park Kyung-Wook stepped out of the restaurant and pulled out a stick of cigarette.
“Aigoo, did you come out for a smoke?”
“No, I’ve quit smoking.”
“I see. It’s hard for me to quit smoking. Hahaha.” Park Kyung-Wook’s forced chuckle did not help Kang Min-Ho feel that he’d grown closer to Park Kyung-Wook. As Kang Min-Ho responded with a forced smile, Park Kyung-Wook continued, “Writer Kang Min-Ho, everything I said earlier was not just talk.”
“Pardon?”
“Please sign one novel with us if you have any prepared. Star Books has also established our online marketing channels, not just Laugh Books. We’ll provide you with the best treatment possible.”
“Ahh, about that…”
Park Kyung-Wook then approached with a slightly more persistent look. “How does Laugh Books operate? Do they help the writer to plan the novels?”
“No, well… if we have any writer’s block, the writers themselves and the CEO would have a discussion on it; they don’t really get involved with the story planning.”
“Which means you’ll have to solve the writer’s block yourself if you get one? Without any help from others?” Park Kyung-Wook jumped in with a question.
Kang Min-Ho couldn’t reply to Park Kyung-Wook’s conclusion, which seemed biased. Park Kyung-Wook took Kang Min-Ho’s silence as an agreement and continued with determination, “Star Books’ editorial department has been renewed ever since I took over, and as I’ve mentioned earlier, we do our best to make sure our writers feel as comfortable as possible in all aspects.
“We’ll even provide you with an office if you require one.”
Park Kyung-Wook then smacked his forehead and chuckled after saying that. “Ah, I forgot that you already have an office. I hear that Writer Ha Jae-Gun is also working there, too? Is working with him in the same office helping you as well?”
“I obviously get help from him just by using that office itself.”
“We can provide that same help to you as well. Well, please don’t misunderstand me, but I personally think that working in the same space with someone as famous as Writer Ha might cause more damage than help.”
“Damage?”
“Yes, I’ve actually seen many of such cases where writers working in similar offices would become intimidated and eventually can’t write well for their own novels. Moreover, famous writers tend to be authoritative. They would leave the office chores to the other writers and act all arrogant in the office. How is that alright? Ah, but of course, I’m not saying that Writer Ha Jae-Gun is such a person. Hahaha.”
Kang Min-Ho was disgusted. He could tell that Park Kyung-Wook was indirectly talking negatively about Ha Jae-Gun.
“I’m sorry, but I keep getting calls from home.” Kang Min-Ho pretended to be in a difficult position, holding tightly onto his phone in the pocket, which remained stationary.
“I’ll take this call and go back in later.”
“Ah, I see. Feel free, Writer Kang.”
Kang Min-Ho only returned to the restaurant after staying outside for a while. He saw Park Kyung-Wook sitting with the other writers, putting up a plausible argument.
“…Writers, it’s exhausting to put up with a famous writer’s power. Aren’t fantasy or martial arts novels a kind of artwork as well? You’ll gloss it over at first, but if it’s interesting, you will do everything in your power. But those famous writers are like those strict trainers, saying that they have to work hard like artisans, plus most of them only got to where they were out of sheer luck.”
There seemed to be several writers around him paying attention to his words.
Kang Min-Ho decided not to go back to that atrocious setting and turned around.
‘I get it now…’ Kang Min-Ho concluded that Park Kyung-Wook was the kind of person who viewed writers as a kind of product. He had finally discovered where the unsettling feeling was coming from.
There was no longer a reason for him to stay on in this authors’ meet.
‘Writer Ha must have no idea of what they had done.’ Kang Min-Ho pulled out his phone and sent a message to Ha Jae-Gun. He then sent another message to Deputy Lee and left the restaurant in a hurry.
***
Tadadak! Tadadak! Tadak!
The curtains in the room were drawn inside the dark room, where Ha Jae-Gun was typing away on the keyboard, forgetting the passing of time. He had traveled all the way to China, but his daily life was no different from when he was in Korea.
‘Nice! I can just reference the scenery from the Summer Palace that I visited yesterday and add it to this scene… Was it called the Shi Qi Kong Qiao? Having a battle on that bridge should turn out pretty well.’
Ha Jae-Gun had decided to set the background for Records of the Modern Master in Beijing and Shanghai, and he was convinced that he could finish it in three weeks. Of course, it wouldn’t matter if it took a little longer than that, aside from the fact that he was suffering from missing Lee Soo-Hee too much.
‘The treatment I’m getting feels exaggerated.’
The massive welcome he had received at the airport was just the tip of the iceberg. The treatment from the Chinese government and Teencent was beyond his imagination.
The hotel room he was staying in now was so huge that he had almost lost his way to the bathroom. There was also the luxury car that he found burdensome to board, the staffers, the guide, and the interpreter sent to take care of him.
Ha Jae-Gun could ask just about anything, and what he had asked for would be handed over to him on a silver platter.
‘I’m quite thankful, but it’s too burdensome.’ Ha Jae-Gun didn’t like the bountiful conditions. The hotel room had been booked, so he couldn’t say much, but he barely used the car that they had arranged for him. In fact, he had been taking more public transport just to personally experience life there through the eyes of the main characters in the novel.
‘Phew, I should take a break.’ Before he knew it, it was already well past 3 p.m. Ha Jae-Gun was on the sofa enjoying his cup of coffee when Kwon Tae-Won stepped out of his room after tending to his work.
“Are you taking a break, Writer Ha?”
“Yes, I can’t seem to focus today.”
Kwon Tae-Won smiled bitterly as he knew why Ha Jae-Gun’s concentration had declined significantly recently.
“You must be upset, right?”
“I’d be lying if I said otherwise.”
The two men had only heard about the republication of the Records series from Star Books last night. Ha Jae-Gun was at a loss for words for a while when he found out that they would be printing 50,000 copies each, starting with Records of the Murim Master.
“I’ve talked on the phone with the CEO of Star Books, but I never expected things would turn out this way.”
Ha Jae-Gun felt like he was backstabbed. He was originally relieved since Kwon Tae-Won had put in word for Star Books CEO, but how could they announce printing 50,000 copies out of the blue? It was too atrocious of them when he had notified them of the retraction of the publication rights.
“I don’t exactly know why this happened, but…” Kwon Tae-Won trailed off, frustrated at the turn of events. There wasn’t any clause stating that the publisher had to come to a decision after discussing with the author the novel’s publication type and typesetting, nor did they have to notify the author before publishing. Of course, this didn’t just apply to Star Books. There were no companies in the publication industry that held such a practice of notifying their authors of every single publication decision.
Taking legal action against Star Books would only lead to both parties falling into the gutter. Even Kwon Tae-Won, who had been working in the industry for many years, couldn’t do anything about it.
Bzzt!
Kwon Tae-Won’s phone rang. He answered it immediately upon seeing the caller ID.
“Yes, this is Kwon Tae-Won. Ah, you’re in the lobby right now? Yes, I’m with Writer Ha now. Please come on up. Yes, I’ll be waiting.”
~
After a few moments, a visitor came knocking on the hotel room where Kwon Tae-Won and Ha Jae-Gun were staying. The visitor was a meticulous-looking man in his late forties, Lin Minhong. He was the head of Teencent Literature’s strategic planning department.
“Hello, Mr. Ha. I hope you liked this hotel.”
“It’s great, although I often get lost in this hotel. It’s my first time staying in such a huge hotel,” Ha Jae-Gun replied casually, raising the man’s mood as he led him to take a seat.
Lin Minhong was fluent in Korean, so they could communicate freely without an interpreter.
“I’ve read the outline of the Records of the Modern Master you sent earlier, and it was very interesting.”
“Thank you. It feels great to hear that from you.”
“But Mr. Ha…” Lin Minhong started cautiously. “The main character of the story is still a Korean.”
“Is there a problem with that…?”
“No, Mr. Ha. It’s not exactly a problem.” Lin Minhong smiled an embarrassed smile, waving his hands. “The novel’s background has been changed from Korea to China, so I thought the main character’s nationality would change to Chinese as well.”
“Ah, yes. I have decided to keep the main character’s nationality as Korean. He’s a young Korean who decided to go to China to find a job.”
Lin Minhong frowned deeply, seemingly perplexed. Before Ha Jae-Gun could ask, he continued, “I’m really sorry, but could you reconsider that decision?”
“Are you asking me to change the main character into a Chinese individual?”
“Yes. First of all, I’d like to apologize for not making it clear to you about that in advance. However, the main character of the novel has to be a Chinese individual. Not just in the novel but in all the other adaptations. Since we will also have to take into consideration the actors during casting for the movie production.”
“I have put those into consideration when working on this.” Ha Jae-Gun gave a gentle smile as he offered his opinion. “The main character of Records of the Murim Master is already of Chinese nationality. If the main character of Records of the Modern Master is also changed into a Chinese individual, then it could kill quite a number of scenes in the last part of the trilogy.
“So it has to be two characters from two different countries meeting and getting into a conflict, then slowly coming together to understand each other for the story to be interesting.”
Ha Jae-Gun then inwardly added, ‘Although Records of the Other World performed the worst, things will become different once it becomes a movie.’
There was also another reason behind Ha Jae-Gun’s decision to maintain the nationality of the main character in the second story. However, he hadn’t brought this up to Lin Minhong as Ha Jae-Gun thought that it was still too early to share.
“Mm, I see… Then I’ll report this to our CEO and touch base with you again.”
“Yes, please.”
After that conversation, Lin Minhong and Ha Jae-Gun continued discussing other parts of the novel. Lin Minhong left after saying goodbye. As soon as he left, Kwon Tae-Won’s phone rang again.
“Hello? Yes, that’s right. Pardon? What did you say?” Kwon Tae-Won asked in surprise. He covered the receiver part of his phone and asked Ha Jae-Gun, “Writer Ha, Ms. Yang Ying’s manager just called me.”
“Why did they call?”
“They would like to treat you to a meal since you’re here in China. But of course, informally and in a quiet setting.”
Ha Jae-Gun cocked his head in surprise. Yang Ying was the female lead in the movie Storm and Gale. With the movie’s success, the successful and beautiful Yang Ying’s value had skyrocketed. However, the offer was actually quite confusing. Why did she want to treat Ha Jae-Gun to a meal?
“What would you like to do, Writer Ha?”
“Thank her for her intentions, but decline it politely, please.” Ha Jae-Gun replied softly.
They didn’t have a personal relationship with each other, and there was no reason for them to meet by avoiding the public’s eye.
“I’m sorry, but Writer Ha has declined your kind offer. Yes, he’s also busy with writing. No, it’s not really an issue with the schedule…” The phone call was extended due to the continued entreaties. Kwon Tae-Won barely managed to hang up after a while. He rubbed his forehead and let out a sigh.
“They’re really persistent.”
“Why did they want to meet me? They wouldn’t ask to meet if they didn’t have a favor to ask…”
“I think your guess might be right. I think they have a favor to ask of you regarding the Records series, as there’s also the casting issue.”
“Mm… I see.”
“Your influence with Teencent is quite powerful anyway. I believe Yang Ying had witnessed it through Storm and Gale. It’ll be tiring for you if you get involved with the wrong foot, so let’s be more alert from now on.”
Ha Jae-Gun nodded, slapping himself awake. The actors he had already long decided wouldn’t be replaced by someone else no matter what. Meanwhile, the setting sun slowly dyed the cityscape of Beijing in its colors.
Chapter 238. It’s A Declaration (7)
“Even a global star is asking me out for lunch. I’m happy, but I’m also afraid of what’s about to come.” It came out as a joke, but Lee Eun-Ha was also half-serious about it.
Beside Lee Eun-Ha was Park Do-Joon, who was looking away from the conveyor belt transporting plates of sushi, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.
“Mr. Do-Joon, are you not going to eat? I’m already on my third plate.”
“Ah, yes, I’ll start eating now.” Park Do-Joon didn’t even look at the conveyor belt and picked up a plate at random. He didn’t look upset in any way, which t made Lee Eun-Ha’s suspicions grow.
‘Just what’s going on?’ Lee Eun-Ha recalled the phone conversation she had with Park Do-Joon the day before. Park Do-Joon was the one who called to ask to meet in person, saying that there was something he wanted to discuss with her.
Why would he have something to discuss with her? It would be more likely if he approached Yoon Tae-Sung instead, as they had worked together for Ha Jae-Gun’s work before. Lee Eun-Ha was truly confused.
“You’ve been quite busy lately, haven’t you?” Park Do-Joon asked as he added wasabi to his sauce dish filled with soy sauce. “I heard that you’re directing another one-act play for Market Place, too, right?”
“I’m not as busy as you are. Shouldn’t the main lead of Storm and Gale be much busier than I am nowadays? How come you have time to have a meal with me?”
“I’m not that busy. Director Lee, there’s something I actually want to tell you, which is why I called for us to meet.”
“Sure, go ahead.” Lee Eun-Ha put down her chopsticks and sat up straight. She had just been wondering when Park Do-Joon would get to the main topic. “There must be a reason a busy man like yourself would ask me out for a meal out of the blue.”
“Hearing that from you, I feel apologetic now.”
“You don’t have to feel that way. I already feel healed seeing your handsome face today.. Feel free to speak your mind.”
“I heard that you’re working on an indie movie.”
Lee Eun-Ha’s eyes widened in surprise. She was surprised that Park Do-Joon had invited her out for a meal just to ask about the indie movie she had been working on these days. Lee Eun-Ha pondered over it but couldn’t guess why Park Do-Joon was interested in that.
“I’m talking about Dried Tofu, Director Yoon Tae-Sung showed me the scenario, and I liked it a lot. It’s very interesting.”
“Really?” Lee Eun-Ha asked in disbelief.
Park Do-Joon nodded but gave a doubtful look that seemed to question her surprise.
Dried Tofu was the title of the scenario that Lee Eun-Ha had just finished writing.
The story was set in Daelim-dong’s Chinatown located in Seoul.
The main character was a Chinese male selling dried tofu in a market where the majority of the local population was of Chinese nationality. He was spending a boring day at his closed lot when a Korean lady came to purchase some tofu. The main story started with that fateful encounter.
“Their quiet but realistic love where they had to overcome each other’s wall touched my heart.” Park Do-Joon shared his brief view of the scenario, and then he took a sip of the bean paste soup[1].
Lee Eun-Ha smiled, happy to hear a positive response from a global top star. “I used to live near Chinatown, and I felt the invisible wall between the two countries both directly and indirectly. I wanted to express that through both the male and female leads. Was it good?”
“It’s great. So that’s why I’d like to ask… Can I be cast for the male lead?”
“…” The smile on Lee Eun-Ha’s face froze. “Don’t joke around like that, Mr. Do-Joon.”
“I’m not joking. I’m serious.”
“But how can you…”
“I don’t mind not having a guarantee for my casting fee, so don’t worry about it. I know that it’s hard for you to get production funds; I’m even willing to pay some of the production costs myself,” Park Do-Joon said, sounding decisive.
Lee Eun-Ha rubbed her eyes in confusion. “Wait. Wait a minute, Mr. Do-Joon.”
“That’s all I have to say to you.” Park Do-Joon put a piece of sushi into his mouth and chewed.
Lee Eun-Ha stared at him in a daze with her jaws dropped open. “Why? Of course, I’m not making a fuss, but why would Mr. Do-Joon want to act as the male lead in my indie movie and without a guarantee at that?”
Lee Eun-Ha laughed at the absurdity of it. “Of course, I don’t mind bowing to you a hundred times just to show you how grateful I am, but that’s what makes me even more curious. Will becoming the male lead of Dried Tofu really benefit you? You’re in a crucial period, too, considering how much attention you’re getting these days.”
“It’s because I like your movie, and I think that I can show a different side of myself that I haven’t been able to do in the commercial movies.”
“Is that all?”
“Adding on to that, I want to act as a Chinese.”
It was only then that Lee Eun-Ha realized that she had forgotten about the most important point. She had forgotten it, as she was so surprised by Park Do-Joon’s offer. The fact that the male lead of Dried Tofu was Chinese.
“I studied a bit of Chinese while I was working in China. I’ll do my best and make sure that my lines are perfect. Please trust me, Director Lee.” Park Do-Joon looked Lee Eun-Ha straight in the eyes.
Lee Eun-Ha’s face scrunched. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at Park Do-Joon, who didn’t seem like he was joking at all.
“Ahh… My head hurts. I can’t understand you, Mr. Do-Joon! Why would a global top star make such a decision!” Lee Eun-Ha buried her face in her hands, stomping her feet.
A smile crept onto Park Do-Joon’s face as he grabbed his bag, which contained a copy of the scenario.
***
“Hey, are you crazy?!” Woo Tae-Bong yelled and jumped out of his seat as soon as he heard the news. “Why would you want to act in an indie movie at this crucial period and without guarantee at that? And what? Chinatown? A Chinese? Did you eat something spoiled?!”
“I just want to be acknowledged for my acting skills. How many times must I repeat myself?”
“I’m your manager, so you should have discussed this with me first! How could you make a deal with Director Lee by yourself?”
“Would you have agreed to it if I had discussed it with you first? I’m sorry, but just let me do things my way this time~” Park Do-Joon rubbed his palms together, acting cute to Woo Tae-Bong.
Woo Tae-Bong was literally going crazy. Storm and Gale had enjoyed an explosive success, so how come Park Do-Joon seemed like he still hadn’t realized that he was at a critical juncture?
“Hey, you should earn while you can.”
“You’re talking about money again.”
“Sure, let’s talk one thing at a time. Why would you want to be recognized for your acting skills? And why do you have to choose a Chinatown indie movie by Director Lee to gain recognition? And you want to study Mandarin again? But the world is already praising you for your good acting skills now!”
“I’ll shine even brighter if I take on a good movie.”
“Ah, seriously, Do-Joon.” Woo Tae-Bong fell onto the sofa, scratching his head in frustration.
Park Do-Joon pulled out the scenario of Dried Tofu.
Woo Tae-Bong snatched it out of Park Do-Joon’s hands with clenched jaws.
“Ah, why. Give it back, hyung.”
“I should tear it up.”
“I’ll cry right here.”
“Director Eun-Ha is too much. You have four blockbusters, six dramas, and countless commercials lined up, and on top of that, you still have work lined up in China! Even ten of you isn’t enough to cover everything, yet she gave you another scenario?!”
“Director Lee felt burdened and wanted to reject me at first, but I pleaded with her earnestly,” Park Do-Joon replied, sounding annoyed before snatching the scenario back from Woo Tae-Bong.
Woo Tae-Bong stood there rooted and proceeded to take a few deep breaths.
Then, Woo Tae-Bong pointed out. “It’s because of the Records series, right?”
“…?!”
“Look at you! I can see it in your eyes! I’m right, right?”
“No…” Park Do-Joon denied it, but Woo Tae-Bong snorted. They had lived together for a long time, so there was no way Woo Tae-Bong couldn’t tell what Park Do-Joon was thinking.
“You’re anxious, right?”
“No way.”
“Why would you deny it in front of me, then? Anyway, why don’t you just ask Writer Ha—”
“Don’t bring that up!” Park Do-Joon interrupted with a yell, looking up at Woo Tae-Bong.
Woo Tae-Bong almost fell onto the ground butt first at Park Do-Joon’s sudden outburst. “Goodness, you scared me! Why are you shouting?”
“I’m asking you, please don’t talk nonsense to Jae-Gun. I told you because I trust you. If you tell him, I’m going to dip forever.”
Woo Tae-Bong was at a loss for words. Eventually, he sighed and turned around. “Ah, fine. Do whatever you want. When have you ever listened to me?”
“Hyung, are you upset?”
“The milk in the fridge has definitely expired. Am I a manager or a housekeeper? Sigh.” Woo Tae-Bong grumbled as he began organizing the kitchen.
Left all alone in the living room, Park Do-Joon stared at the floor. In fact, Woo Tae-Bong had hit the nail on the head. Park Do-Joon was indeed feeling anxious and nervous.
‘Why did Teencent not bring up anything about me?’
The recent Korea-China cultural exchange was what came to his mind. Nothing about him as an actor was brought up throughout the day, even during the meal they had with Teencent. Park Do-Joon was utterly disappointed. He wanted to be the male lead in the Records series more than any other actor in the world.
However, his pride did not allow him to explicitly ask for the role, so he could only suffer from anxiety all alone.
He heard about Lee Eun-Ha’s indie movie by then, and he decided to make a name for himself using that movie. Park Do-Joon thought of it as his way of preparing himself for the Records series.
‘I must work harder…!’ Park Do-Joon exclaimed to himself. Ha Jae-Gun was also doing his best in China. Aside from being his beloved friend, Ha Jae-Gun was also a writer.
Park Do-Joon had to be a prepared actor if he didn’t want to become an inconvenience. The two of them should become each other’s stars so that they would shine even brighter once they met. This was Park Do-Joon’s resolution.
Beep, beep, beep!
A chime echoed from the door—someone was typing in the password to the door, but Park Do-Joon didn’t even look up. The door was soon flung open, and Lee Chae-Rin walked in.
“Oppa, why aren’t you answering the phone? Hello, Tae-Bong oppa!”
However, none of the men responded to her greeting. Lee Chae-Rin instantly noticed the unusual mood in the air and walked up slowly to Park Do-Joon.
“What’s with the tension in the air? Did you fight with Tae-Bong oppa?”
“It’s not like that.” Park Do-Joon let out a sigh and looked at Lee Chae-Rin. His gaze landed on the book she had in her hand. “What’s that?”
“Jae-Gun oppa’s Records of the Murim Master
has been republished as a hardcover copy. So I went to buy one to add to my collection.”
Park Do-Joon took the book and opened the first chapter. Before he could even begin reading, however, his phone, which he had left on the table, vibrated all of a sudden. It was a call from Ha Jae-Gun.
“Did you install CCTV in my house before going to China?”
— Why mention CCTV all of a sudden?
“Lee Chae-Rin bought the Records of the Murim Master, and I just opened the book.”
— Ah…
“It looks good with a hardcover, but it’s kinda heavy, so it feels uncomfortable to read. Why didn’t you tell me that the hardcover copy was coming out?”
— I didn’t agree to that.
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
Ha Jae-Gun then proceeded to give Park Do-Joon a brief summary of what happened. Park Do-Joon’s eyes grew red with anger as he listened. “Goodness… I’ve never seen such a ridiculous publishing company. So there’s nothing you can do about it?”
— Yeah, there’s nothing I can do.
Park Do-Joon kept quiet while pushing his tongue against the walls of his cheek. It was a habit Park Do-Joon would do whenever he felt uncomfortable about something, and Lee Chae-Rin was aware of that habit, too.
In fact, Park Do-Joon was feeling angry as if it had happened to him rather than to Ha Jae-Gun.
“Nothing else happened?” Park Do-Joon asked as he tossed the book aside.
Lee Chae-Rin glared briefly at Park Do-Joon before going to pick the book up. Park Do-Joon snatched it back from her and sat on it this time.
— What else could happen? Just take a look at your email when you have time.
“My email?”
— I sent you a rewrite of the first half of Records of the Modern Master. You’ve read quite a bit, so give me some feedback, too.
“Alright, I’ll look over it when I’m free.”
A light chuckle came from Ha Jae-Gun.
— I’ll call you again then. I’ve got something else to discuss with CEO Kwon. Send my regards to Chae-Rin, too.
“Yeah, take care of yourself.”
As soon as Park Do-Joon hung up, Lee Chae-Rin slapped him on his shoulder and nagged. “Why are you doing this to the book? You’re really weird today, do you know that?”
“You don’t know anything.”
“What? What do I not know?”
“Wait. I have to read something that Jae-Gun sent over.”
Park Do-Joon accessed his inbox and clicked on the email from Ha Jae-Gun. It was the draft of the rewritten Records of the Modern Master. As Park Do-Joon began reading it, Lee Chae-Rin plopped down and clung to him, peeking at the screen.
“Huh? The main character is Korean?”
“Yeah, I thought he would change the male lead’s nationality to Chinese since it’s going to be released to the Chinese market.”
They read for a while longer until Lee Chae-Rin looked up, her gaze falling on Park Do-Joon affectionately.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I can totally picture you as the male lead.”
“What?”
Lee Chae-Rin pointed to a part in the draft. “The male lead of Records of the Modern Master looks totally like you when you’re angry. You’d always shut your mouth and roll your tongue against the walls of your cheek.”
“That’s nothing special.” Park Do-Joon was dumbfounded, but Lee Chae-Rin continued more animatedly. “Ha Jae-Gun oppa wrote it with your speech style and such in mind. Doesn’t it look similar to the character Cho Gang-Jae in There Was A Sea? I could tell right away after reading 30 pages.”
“No way.”
“And when did Ha Jae-Gun oppa—huh—ever send you an incomplete manuscript before sending it to his editor-in-chief first? How are you this tactless?”
The smile on Park Do-Joon’s face slowly disappeared as the words on the screen flashed in his eyes.
‘No way… did Jae-Gun…?!’ Did Ha Jae-Gun really write the character with me in mind? Had Ha Jae-Gun decided to cast me as the male lead when the decision for the movie was made?
“Oppa? Do-Joon oppa?”
“…” Park Do-Joon waved his hand and gasped for air as his heart pounded heavily against his chest. It was a refreshing feeling but suffocating feeling; however, he wasn’t exactly unfamiliar with it.
He had felt it back when he first brought Ha Jae-Gun to his house. It was the same feeling when he first learned that Ha Jae-Gun had written Cho Gang-Jae, the male lead for There Was A Sea, with him as the motif.
“It’s been a while,” Park Do-Joon muttered out of the blue. Lee Chae-Rin stared at Park Do-Joon as if he were strange, but Park Do-Joon ignored Lee Chae-Rin’s gaze and continued, “I left behind the owner of Donghwangru and the final secrets of Yonghwangkwon just to be with you. I’ve traveled a long way, so please have some drinks first. Those who are feeling thirsty, please gather around. Have a glass from me, and please put all the drinks on the tab for Dongwangru.”
Those were part of the male lead’s lines in Records of the Modern Master, and they were also the most memorable lines. Unlike the pleasant dialogues, these lines were spoken when he went to seek revenge for his friend’s murder. In this scene, the male lead was shedding bloody tears with a smile.
“Everyone’s head is held high, so kneel. It is now my era.”
“Oppa…?”
Park Do-Joon picked up the book from under his butt and stood up.
Was there nothing he could do about it? Park Do-Joon thought otherwise; he could probably do something about it in his own capacity.
1. Similar to the Japanese miso soup. It is sometimes mild, sometimes strong, and accompanied with rice most of the time. ☜
Chapter 239. Dignity Is Important Too (1)
“No, I’m fine. Yes, I’m still enjoying myself while doing research. My schedule is tight enough just touring Beijing alone.”
It was a bright morning, and Ha Jae-Gun started the day with a phone call with Lin Minhong, head of Teencent’s strategic planning department.
Ha Jae-Gun felt thankful and burdened at the same time. Lin Minhong had just said that they would send Ha Jae-Gun on a special trip to Hainan, introduce him to people at key government posts, and they would even treat him to a luxury dinner.
Ha Jae-Gun had been refusing their offers, but the offers kept pouring in.
“I can feel the kindness you’re expressing, but I am enjoying my current pace. I’m not here on pure leisure as well; I’m here to learn and look up information required for my novel.”
— Is that so…
Lin Minhong’s voice was filled with deep regret. After a few seconds of silence, he spoke once more.
— Advisor Li Zihe mentioned that he would like to have dinner with you one of these days.
“Advisor Li Zihe?” Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes shone for the first time. Things would have been different if they had been talking about Teencent Literature’s Advisor Li Zihe. The man’s other identity was Li Ziting, the author of Bull, which was a novel that won him the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Ha Jae-Gun had become familiar with Li Zihe on the latter’s recent visit to Korea.
“You’re referring to Mr. Li Ziting, right?”
— Ah, come to think of it, you do know him.
“Yes, I met him on his recent visit to Korea. We had a great time together. He’s a wonderful person.”
The respect Ha Jae-Gun had for Li Ziting was making him act like a little boy. “I’d definitely like to meet Mr. Li Ziting. I’d appreciate it if you could make arrangements for the meeting in Beijing after all my schedules here before I fly to Shanghai.”
— I understand, Mr. Ha. I’ll contact you again when I have more news for you.
“Ah, Mr. Lin. Please wait a moment.”
Ha Jae-Gun belatedly recalled something and added, “About setting the male lead of Records of the Modern Master as a Korean…”
— Mm… Yes, Mr. Ha.
“I recalled that you would be discussing this with CEO Mao Yen. Can I check how that went?” Ha Jae-Gun bit his lips gently.
It was the first obstacle he had to overcome so that he could recommend casting Park Do-Joon as the male lead. He was anxious, although not as much as Park Do-Joon himself. To make matters worse, Teencent hadn’t mentioned anything about actor Park Do-Joon.
— We’re still discussing it. I think CEO Mao Yen will be contacting you personally as she has something else to say to you. Of course, I’ll let you know immediately when the situation arises.
“Thank you, Mr. Lin. I’ll leave it in your hands.” Ha Jae-Gun hung up and went to have breakfast with Kwon Tae-Won. During their meal, the topic of their conversation naturally turned to what gift they should prepare for Li Ziting.
“I feel that I’ve owed him so much as a writer. I would like to prepare a gift for him when meeting him this time. What do you think is suitable?”
“Hmm, a present…”
“Would a watch be good?” Ha Jae-Gun wondered out loud. He looked down at the watch that the other writers at the office had got for him by pooling money together and recalled the watch that he had gifted Nam Gyu-Ho; would a watch be appropriate?
“No, I don’t think that’s appropriate.” Kwon Tae-Won objected, shaking his head. “The Chinese don’t particularly like gifting or getting clocks or watches as presents. The word in Mandarin is pronounced as Zhong, and there’s another word with the same pronunciation but means end.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, that’s why gifting a watch could be actually disrespectful, especially to the elderly. It has the same pronunciation as Song Zhong, which means to send one to their deathbed. I learned that when I was in Star Books.”
Ha Jae-Gun nodded, fascinated at the newfound information.
Kwon Tae-Won then added with a smile, “Of course, there’s also the word Biao, which refers to the wristwatch. But it also shares the same pronunciation as the word prostitute, which would be disrespectful to women. Anyway, I don’t recommend gifting watches.”
“I’d be in a huge pickle if it weren’t for you. I don’t have a knack for choosing a suitable gift, so I might have just gone with gifting a watch.”
“Even if you did get a watch or clock, I don’t think Mr. Li Ziting would feel disrespected. He would have understood your intentions.”
The two men finished their breakfast but did not come to a consensus on what gift would be appropriate. The moment they decided to have some tea to help with their digestion, a call came in for Kwon Tae-Won.
“Mr. Ha, it’s Ms. Yang Ying’s manager,” Kwon Tae-Won said upon picking up the phone. He had declined their offer for a meal before, but they were calling once more. As Ha Jae-Gun felt distraught, Kwon Tae-Won added softly, “They would like to send you a gift.”
“A gift?”
“Yes, they’re happy to be able to act in a movie of yours and are earnestly asking for my help to save face. What should I do? They are already at the lobby, too.”
Ha Jae-Gun and Kwon Tae-Won exchanged looks in silence.
Rejecting a gift after rejecting a meal invitation made Ha Jae-Gun feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, he couldn’t guess what their motive was, so he felt both burdened and hesitant at the same time.
“Tell them that I’ll accept it with much gratitude,” Ha Jae-Gun concluded. He made the decision thinking that it wouldn’t look nice to reject them when they had already made their way to the lobby.
Kwon Tae-Won then conveyed Ha Jae-Gun’s words and hung up the phone.
After a while, Yang Ying’s present was delivered by a hotel staffer. Kwon Tae-Won tipped the staff and rolled his tongue as he looked at the elegantly wrapped present that was unique to the Chinese.
“I’m not sure what it is; it’s so light and small.”
“Let’s open it.” As Ha Jae-Gun tore the wrapping, Kwon Tae-Won’s phone rang once more.
While in China, Kwon Tae-Won was acting both as the CEO of Laugh Books and Ha Jae-Gun’s manager, which increased his workload significantly.
“It’s a call from Laugh Books. I’ll step out for a while. Yes, hello? Ah, Deputy Jung? What is the matter?”
Kwon Tae-Won disappeared into the room next door. Meanwhile, Ha Jae-Gun tore open the wrapping and opened the box that had the gift enclosed. Inside it was a fountain pen.
‘Wow, this fountain pen looks gorgeous.’
The barrel of the pen was covered in gold. Its elegant exterior was a stark contrast in comparison to Seo Gun-Woo’s fountain pen. Dazzling jewels were embedded all over the cap and its body, which made it hard for Ha Jae-Gun to tell whether they were cubic zirconias or diamonds.
‘They look like real diamonds.’
Ha Jae-Gun hadn’t received any training in appreciation or recognizing diamonds, but he knew the actress Yang Ying. Ha Jae-Gun admired the fountain pen in hand and opened the cap before pulling a nearby notepad.
‘Wow, it feels so smooth when writing.’ Ha Jae-Gun exclaimed as he wrote his name on the paper. The nib of the pen rolled smoothly on the paper, and the stability of the pen was pretty consistent as well. It felt like the fountain pen was adjusting itself to Ha Jae-Gun’s writing.
Ha Jae-Gun then wrote a poem that came to his mind. The pen felt so good to write with that Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t stop himself. After writing that last period on the notepad and putting down the pen, Ha Jae-Gun grinned.
‘How much is this? Probably a few million won?’ Ha Jae-Gun could only estimate its price based on what he saw. It did look good, but he didn’t think that he would use it often, as he had Seo Gun-Woo’s fountain pen, which was the best pen he ever had.
Just as Ha Jae-Gun put the cap back and put the pen back into its case, Kwon Tae-Won finally returned after the call, but he looked quite stiff.
Ha Jae-Gun asked, “Did something happen? It sounded like a call from Ms. So-Mi.”
“I’m not sure if I should call this ‘something’ or not,” said Kwon Tae-Won before holding out his phone for Ha Jae-Gun to see.
“…!”
Ha Jae-Gun’s eyes widened as he read the content on the screen. It was a post that Park Do-Joon had uploaded on his social media.
[My best friend and writer’s martial arts novel has recently been printed in hardcover. But I’m not buying it, as it was printed without his knowledge and notification. The company printed a huge number just before the license agreement ended. If the publisher were ethical and moral, wouldn’t they discuss and come to an agreement with the writer before trying to milk any more money out of them?]
‘I shouldn’t have told him…!’
Looking back, Park Do-Joon would always support him and send him encouragement through his social media whenever Ha Jae-Gun suffered any injustice from others.
Park Do-Joon had done the same this time.
“Writer Ha, look at the comments.”
“The comments? Wait, why are they acting this way?”
People who were familiar with Ha Jae-Gun shared Park Do-Joon’s post far and wide. It started with Lee Chae-Rin, Han Yu-Na, Hong Ye-Seul, and a few other actors, then to Directors Yoon Tae-Sung and Lee Eun-Ha. Even the writers from the office and the names of other writers had shared Park Do-Joon’s post.
‘Wait, what? Even my brother-in-law?’ Ha Jae-Gun’s leg almost gave way when he saw the name Nam Gyu-Ho. Numerous prominent figures had shared Park Do-Joon’s post, and it was too late to make Park Do-Joon take his post down.
“Haha…” Kwon Tae-Won burst into laughter.
Ha Jae-Gun stared blankly at Kwon Tae-Won.
Kwon Tae-Won explained, “I laughed because of Mr. Do-Joon. I think he’s pretty bold.”
Ha Jae-Gun responded with silence. Seeing how Kwon Tae-Won had shrugged it off with a laugh meant that it didn’t pose much of an issue, but he still didn’t feel comfortable about it.
“Wow, this fountain pen… You received a good one, huh?” Kwon Tae-Won belatedly noticed the gift from Yang Ying, his eyes ogling at it.
Ha Jae-Gun picked it up and asked Kwon Tae-Won, “Do you know this brand?”
“Aigoo, don’t give it to me. I’m afraid I might just ruin something as expensive as this.” Kwon Tae-Won waved his hand profusely, refusing to take it from Ha Jae-Gun.
Ha Jae-Gun spun the pen with his fingers and grinned. “You’re acting out of your usual self again. What fountain pen is this that made you act this way?”
“It’s the same brand that CEO Ren Xue is using. It’s a limited edition, Duofold Giant, made for their 125th anniversary. They only made 125 pieces of it, and according to my knowledge, only one of these has been imported into Korea.”
Ha Jae-Gun’s jaws dropped. It was completely different from his guesses.
“It costs slightly over forty million won, I think.”
“Wait, what?”
“Forty million won. I think it should be around that price point.”
“How can a fountain pen cost forty million won?”
Even though Ha Jae-Gun knew that Kwon Tae-Won wasn’t the type of person to joke about something like this, Ha Jae-Gun still couldn’t help but ask once more. He just couldn’t understand how the value of such a small item that fits like a glove in his hand was equivalent to a car.
“Every single gem on it is a diamond, and the body is made of gold. Why are you so surprised, Writer Ha? You can afford to buy one of these pens yourself.”
“I feel like I’m still a long way away from it. I’m really unaware of how big the world is…” Despite replying with a joke, Ha Jae-Gun looked back down at the fountain pen, hoping that this expensive gift would be the last to make up for Yang Ying’s face.
***
“I can refund this, right? I brought along the receipt.”
“I bought this the day before, but I want a refund for it.”
“I lost the receipt, but can I get a refund for this?”
The female staffer at the large bookstore near Ha Jae-Gun’s house was busy accepting refund requests from their customers. The number of cases had exceeded dozens even before lunchtime, and all of them were refunds for the hardcopy of Records of the Murim Master.
‘What’s with the sudden surge of refund requests for the same book?’
The female staffer was a reader of Ha Jae-Gun, and she also loved his works. She had even received his autograph a long time ago. Although Records of the Murim Master was a martial arts novel that she didn’t have much interest in, she still bought the hardcopy set.
“Yes, please wait a moment. I’ll proceed with the refund for you soon.”
The female staffer had been busy the last few days and wasn’t updated on news circulating on the Internet. In other words, there was no way she would be happy about the countless refund requests for her favorite writer’s book.
Meanwhile, the line in front of the counter grew longer and longer.
Other bookstores were experiencing the same situation. The large bookstores in Korea had a shelf exclusive for Ha Jae-Gun’s novels. Of course, the most recent hardcopy version of Records of the Murim Master had a spot on it to attract the attention of readers.
However, the hardcopy version wasn’t selling at all. Ha Jae-Gun’s other novels were selling as usual—selling like hotcakes, but the hardcopy of Records of the Murim Master was the only one left cold on the shelves.
Hundreds of copies of the book were sold when it first went on the shelves, but they could barely sell three or four copies. On top of that, more than half of the initial sales they had made had been refunded. However, this wasn’t exclusive to offline retailers, as even online platforms experienced the same phenomenon.
The sales numbers for the hardcopy of Records of the Murim Master weren’t increasing at all. However, it was bizarre that there were hundreds and thousands of comments on the books when no one was purchasing them.
– No, I’m not buying it~ ^^ Have a taste of a reader who doesn’t buy books although I like Ha Jae-Gun ^^
– Kekekekeke I like Ha Jae-Gun too, and I’m not planning on buying this time. I think the book will be published according to his wishes after the existing license expires?
– I trusted Star Books, but they’ve turned weird now. Did they earn too much from Ha Jae-Gun and forget everything, including basic manners?
– There must be a good reason why Ha Jae-Gun isn’t extending his contract with Star Books. I read a few novels from other writers signed with them, and I can tell why.
The comments were all criticisms from the readers. It didn’t take long for Star Books’ CEO Park Jae-Gook to yell in anger after reading the comments.
“Just what the hell is this?!”
Clang!
The cup that Park Jae-Gook had thrown at the wall shattered into pieces. His son, and editor-in-chief, Park Kyung-Wook was shivering in fear, afraid to even lift his head. It was his first time seeing his father so angry.
“How could you do something so atrocious while I’m away tending to my frail body?! You foolish rascal! Incompetent and incapable!”
“Sob…!” Park Kyung-Wook cried at the insults hurled toward him by his father. Still, he could only shed tears with nothing to rebut. There was nothing he could say despite his brazen nature. He finally realized the weight of the mistake he had made.
“T-the…” Park Kyung-Wook barely managed to speak after a while. However, when he couldn’t continue speaking, Park Jae-Gook raised his hand in anger, about to slap Park Kyung-Wook as he yelled, “Speak properly if you have something to say!”
“T-the…! We’re still getting sales from distributors! From the bookstores, too…! It’s a problem for the readers to decide on…!”
Slap!
“ACK!”
Park Kyung-Wook screamed in pain and held his cheek.
Park Jae-Gook panted as he pressed on, “What nonsense are you spouting?! You atrocious punk; this is what the readers have decided?! 50,000 copies? You’re crazy! We have to pay Ha Jae-Gun his due royalties as well! How are you going to cover this loss?! It’s at least 380 million won! You pathetic rascal isn’t even worth that much!”
“Sob… Father, you’re too much…!” Park Kyung-Wook forgot his age and cried loudly.
Park Jae-Gook clenched his fist in anger. If Park Kyung-Wook weren’t his son, he would punch the latter’s face into a pulp.
Chapter 240. Dignity Is Important Too (2)
“I’ve been spoiling you too much. I gave you such an important position, but it turns out that you have no idea how to make use of it. I’m embarrassed to even say that you’re my son.” A series of ruthless words came from Park Jae-Gook.
Park Kyung-Wook couldn’t stop crying as he clenched his chest. Park Jae-Gook watched his pathetic son, growing angrier by the minute.
“Give me the card.”
“What…?”
“Are you deaf?! Give it right now! You don’t have the right to spend my money!”
“Sobbb…!”
Park Kyung-Wook felt his future turning dark. He’d be penniless if the card were taken from him. He would no longer be able to enjoy his hobby, which was entertainment, and last night would be his last.
He had spent every single cent of the salary he had been receiving as editor-in-chief, so he had no savings whatsoever.
“F-father…” Park Kyung-Wook pleaded tearfully with despair in his eyes. “Please… please don’t take the card away. Please? I’ll get myself together and do my best from now on. Please, Father. I’ll die without the card.”
“Ah, get lost. I’ll just call in to cancel it.”
“F-father…! Please don’t…!”
“Get out! Get out of my sight!”
Slam!
Park Jae-Gook kicked the door open, grabbed Park Kyung-Wook by the collar and threw him out. Park Kyung-Wook writhed in the middle of the hallway like an octopus on an iron grill while sniffling.
‘Argh…!’ Deputy Ko, who coincidentally walked past the hallway, quickly hid. He could roughly figure out what had happened because Park Jae-Gook’s voice had echoed throughout the office.
‘Urgh, this is killing me. What if I get fired, too?’ Deputy Ko couldn’t go to the washroom, nor could he return to his desk. Fear overwhelmed him slowly.
Park Kyung-Wook had acted recklessly without knowing how scary the world was. Now that he had been severely reprimanded by the CEO, it would soon be his subordinates’ turn. Just thinking about it made Deputy Ko’s spine shiver, and he squeezed his eyes tightly.
However, his assumption was wrong, as Park Kyung-Wook did not return to his office. Deputy Ko let out a sigh of relief as lunchtime arrived.
“Why are you so on edge?” Deputy Lee asked as they stepped out for lunch. A faint smile lingered at the corners of her mouth. Although she didn’t show it, she felt extremely relieved. It felt like she had just pushed out a ten-year-old constipation.
“You seem quite refreshed.” Deputy Ko pointed out.
“Hmm? I won’t deny that.”
“But aren’t you worried? It’s clear that the atmosphere in the office would turn out worse than before. The CEO won’t appear in the office every day either.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter to me. I’ll be resigning soon.”
Deputy Ko stared at Deputy Lee with an astonished look.
Deputy Lee scanned their surroundings quickly and gave him a wink. “Keep it to yourself, okay? It’s still a secret.”
“Y-you’re resigning? Why?”
“I couldn’t stand it any longer. Everything I do here is fruitless. I want to maybe work freelance for a while and live without worry while surviving on my savings.”
“I see…” Deputy Ko’s shoulders drooped.
Deputy Lee was the reason he had been able to survive in this hell hole of a company; he had just heard the news of her departure, but he was already feeling quite empty.
“Think about your career, and don’t rest for too long.”
“Well, it’s fine. I could always go to augh.”
“Laugh Books?”
“Yes, I’ve been contacting Ms. So-Mi recently, and she said to join them whenever I want, as it’s hard to find a good employee.”
Deputy Ko nodded and smiled bitterly. He had shown quite a bit of his bad side to both Kwon Tae-Won and Jung So-Mi. He felt bitter thinking about how much they hated him at the moment.
“Should I ask if you could join them?”
“Haha, please stop joking. I don’t think I can do that, as CEO Kwon Tae-Won definitely hates me a lot,” Deputy Ko said in a self-mocking tone as he pressed a button in the elevator.
“I’ve completely wasted my time in this company. I don’t have any excuses for myself, but back then… I thought it was the right thing to do—to be tactful and curry favor with one’s superiors.”
“…”
“Ms. So-Mi must resent me a lot. She’s an editor, but I made her run all sorts of errands.”
“But you also helped her in many ways before she resigned and even encouraged her. I don’t think she hates you. Cheer up, Deputy Ko. I don’t like seeing your discouraged self.”
Deputy Ko smiled weakly. He finally understood clearly that he didn’t deserve to criticize Park Kyung-Wook, and the realization made him feel like crying.
***
Tadadadak! Tadak! Tadadak! Tak!
It was the day before Ha Jae-Gun’s flight to Shanghai. Ha Jae-Gun was busy spending his afternoon sorting out the information he had gathered from his experience in Beijing. They were all to be used in the Records series.
‘I made a good choice coming out here. These are incomparable to the ones I collected from the internet.’
However, it wasn’t limited to just the Records series. The information he gathered would be a great help whenever he wrote new novels in the future. Ha Jae-Gun sorted out the information with joy.
‘It’s four in the afternoon, so there are still 2 more hours until it’s time for me to leave.’
He was scheduled to have dinner with Teencent Pictures’ CEO Mao Yen today. What could he do in the next two hours? Ha Jae-Gun thought of taking a nap like Kwon Tae-Won, who was already doing so in the next room, but he changed his mind.
‘I should just write. Having a nap now seems quite ambiguous.’
Ha Jae-Gun opened the manuscript for Records of the Modern Master and soon typed away on his keyboard. He was feeling relaxed as he had cleared his work quota for the day.
However, the leisurely feeling had brought about a rush of distracting thoughts into his mind.
‘Is the Elder not going to help me now?’ Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t even recall when was the last time he had heard advice from Seo Gun-Woo. Was the Elder, who used to shower him with all kinds of advice, not going to give him any more advice?
‘I’m still not doing well, Elder. Even though everyone tells me that my writing is good, I still feel anxious without you around.’
Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t write even a single sentence, as Seo Gun-Woo had occupied his mind.
Soon, Kwon Tae-Won’s alarm rang, and Ha Jae-Gun stood up to prepare to head out.
Ha Jae-Gun and Kwon Tae-Won arrived at the agreed destination around an hour later. It was both a cultural asset and a restaurant, which also used to be the official residence of Empress Dowager Cixi’s younger brother.
“Ah…” Ha Jae-Gun was dumbfounded as soon as he stepped into the room. It wasn’t because of the charms of the mansion but because there was someone else accompanying Mao Yen.
“Mr. Li Ziting!” Ha Jae-Gun exclaimed with joy.
Li Ziting welcomed Ha Jae-Gun with a smile that was as warm and kind as Buddha’s smile.
“Hello, it’s been a while,” Li Ziting greeted Ha Jae-Gun with his awkward Korean accent.
Ha Jae-Gun responded in awkward Mandarin.
Li Ziting approached and held Ha Jae-Gun’s hand.
“I’ve always wanted to meet you in China.”
“Thank you, Mr. Li. And I’m sorry.”
Just then, Li Ziting’s face changed, and his eyes narrowed.
Ha Jae-Gun cocked his head in confusion.
“What’s…wrong?” Ha Jae-Gun asked. He then recalled the moment when Li Ziting had held his hand in the same way, and the words about how there were two conflicting energies coming from his writing rang in Ha Jae-Gun’s ears.
‘Did he feel something again this time?’ Ha Jae-Gun swallowed nervously. While keeping his hands still, Li Ziting’s sudden smile made him fall deeper into confusion.
Li Ziting looked at the interpreter and spoke in Mandarin, who then immediately translated the man’s words to Ha Jae-Gun.
“He said that your hand has gotten rougher since the last time you met. He said that he wants to meet you for a while after dinner; he has a great medication for it, and he wants to give it to you.”
“Ahh, yes. Okay.” Ha Jae-Gun had some speculations despite the dispiriting turn of events. Ha Jae-Gun kept to himself as he returned to his seat. He would eventually find out if Li Ziting truly wanted to give him medicine for his hands after dinner.
The course dinner began with a plate of chilled duck feet[1]. Mao Yen said some words to the interpreter after picking up her chopsticks.
“It’s said that Empress Dowager Cixi loves duck dishes. She’d kill the chefs if she found the dishes not to her taste. I’m certain that both Mr. Ha and CEO Kwon would find this delicious.”
The subsequent dishes served were delicious, but Ha Jae-Gun couldn’t enjoy them to the fullest as his mind was filled with complicated thoughts, wondering what Mao Yen wanted to speak to him about. Li Ziting’s suspicious actions earlier played a part in it as well.
“I have heard about it from Department Head Lin Minhong.” Mao Yen said as the stir-fried dried abalone[2] was served.
Ha Jae-Gun put down his chopsticks and nodded, acknowledging her.
“With all due respect, Mr. Ha, you’re in China.”
“I know that,” Ha Jae-Gun replied with a serious expression, thinking that he understood her emphasis. Although he wasn’t the type to engage in a fight of willpower, he thought that it was time for him to put his foot down this time.
“The Records series that you’re rewriting is targeted at the Chinese readers, not the Korean readers.”
“I understand that as well.”
“If you do, please reconsider our request, Mr. Ha.” Mao Yen did not beat around the bush with an expression that seemed to say, ‘Didn’t you know that we were going to discuss this today?
’
Mao Yen was a self-made, successful career woman, but this wasn’t the right time for Ha Jae-Gun to admire her.
“I’m really sorry, CEO Mao Yen. It’s tough for me to change the main character.” Ha Jae-Gun lowered his head and continued in a heavy tone, “The main character has already been fixed with the story. If we don’t go as per the original, there would be no stability in the entire Records of the Modern Master. It could turn into a totally different novel. I wouldn’t be able to find joy in writing it, nor would it be an enjoyable novel for readers.”
Everyone stopped playing with the chopsticks in their hands and listened intently.
However, Mao Yen did not step down either. She straightened herself and leaned forward. “The entire globe knows of Mr. Ha’s excellent writing skills, so please don’t worry about that. I sincerely hope that you will reconsider it with the Chinese market in mind. I hope you will understand that I also wish to reflect the entirety of the Records series into their respective movie adaptations as well.”
Ha Jae-Gun’s heart softened slightly as he listened to the interpreter. However, the most important thing was still the novel. It didn’t make sense to change the novel according to Mao Yen’s request.
Ha Jae-Gun steeled his resolve once again and shook his head. “I’m really sorry, CEO Mao Yen. I will not change my mind.”
Mao Yen’s face turned slightly pale under the lights. She hadn’t expected Ha Jae-Gun to be this stubborn; she thought that she would be able to change his mind with a dinner treat, but she was mistaken.
“Please dig in first, Mr. Ha. The dishes are turning cold.”
The dinner continued amidst the awkward atmosphere.
Mao Yen fell into deep thoughts as she chewed on her food. She had just encountered another serious issue. She had no justification, which was a major concern.
She had the confidence to persuade the executives and officials. However, even if she ended up succeeding in her persuasion, dignity would still be an issue. They would view her as someone who was swayed by a single writer.
Mao Yen couldn’t bring to voice this concern herself, as it was also a loss of her dignity to admit that she had no justifications to change his mind. This indescribable anguish that only the Chinese could understand grew within her.
“I’ll contact you again, Mr. Ha. Enjoy your time in Shanghai, and I’ll see you there next.”
“Thank you, CEO Mao Yen. The dinner today was excellent. Please go back safely.”
The dinner ended without much result.
Ha Jae-Gun let out a sigh after sending off Mao Yen. The dinner had just confirmed the differences in their positions. He felt bloated from the indigestion.
“President Kwon, I’m not sure how things will turn out.”
“Don’t be too worried about it, and please continue to focus on your writing. I will continue to talk to CEO Mao Yen about this.”
After waiting for a while, Li Ziting, who had left earlier in a car, returned with his secretary. Li Ziting handed Ha Jae-Gun a hand cream.
‘He wasn’t joking…?’ Ha Jae-Gun was dumbfounded; he never expected to really receive hand cream from the older man.
Li Ziting smiled. “I have always enjoyed reading your novels. Please wrap up your schedule in Shanghai well, and I hope to spend an entire day with you before you return to Korea.”
“Yes, I understand. I will definitely do so. It’s regrettable that I couldn’t spend more time with you today, Mr. Li Ziting.”
After a cup of tea, Ha Jae-Gun held the hand cream given by Li Ziting in hand and turned around dejectedly. Li Ziting and his secretary turned to leave as well.
“Hahaha…”
“Why are you laughing, Mr. Li?”
“It was one person.”
“Pardon? One person?” his secretary asked.
Li Ziting pointed to Ha Jae-Gun with his chin. “I’m saying that he is one, both him and his writing. The literary growth I had felt in the past was all presumptuous.”
“I don’t really understand what you mean.”
“You don’t have to. Anyway, I’m envious of him. Would I be able to write like he did in the past? I’m probably no match for that young man even right now.”
“No way, you’re a great writer who even received the Nobel Prize in Literature. No matter how great of a writer Ha Jae-Gun has become, he still couldn’t be compared to you.”
Getting in the car, Li Ziting’s secretary asked as he turned to look at Li Ziting, who had climbed into the back seat. “Mr. Li, I just recalled something that you mentioned earlier.”
“What is it?”
“Can you really see ghosts? I’m really curious. Is that true?”
Li Ziting narrowed his eyes and asked out of the blue, “Don’t your shoulders feel stiff recently?”
“Huh? Yes, they do. How do you know?”
Li Ziting pointed at his secretary’s shoulders. “There’s a ghost sitting on them.”
“What?!”
“She committed suicide due to a broken heart.”
“M-Mr. Li, please don’t make such jokes…!” the secretary muttered, and his face turned pale as he trembled.
Li Ziting slapped the secretary’s shoulder and broke into laughter. “I was just pranking you; why are you so timid? You’ve examined so many documents over the past three days, so it would have been weird if your shoulders weren’t feeling stiff. You don’t have to come to work tomorrow; go and take a rest.”
The car soon ran down the road.
Li Ziting leaned his head against the headrest and smiled to himself, thinking of the one writer who had grown so overwhelmingly great that he couldn’t even feel inferior to the latter anymore.
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