ã€ŠThe Great Storytellerã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Flowing river

    <h4>Chapter 1: Chapter 1- Flowing river</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°How should I make a living?¡±

    Just like any student would, Juho was worried about his path. Middle school was a stormy time in life. Grades were not a priority for him. At the same time, he had no desire to do anything with life. He was an average student without dreams or hopes, yet he still wanted to make a living somehow.

    ¡°How do I make a living?¡±

    ¡®Will I be able to take care of myself in the future if I be an adult, the father of a child, and then an old man?¡¯

    Juho thought there was no hope for him. If the future and the past began with the present, the answer was already clear. Losing sleep over his fear of the future only proved that answer.

    The top-ranked student in his ss had gotten the highest score in his ss¡¯ exam yet again. A rebel with his tight uniform, he secretly worked a part-time job. Everybody was doing something, and they all looked cool.

    Juho prayed every night before bed for the sun not to rise. After waking up, he would think about when the damn was going to end. Knowing that life would be a repetition of ambiguous days, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    Then, it appeared that he would escape from such monotonous daily life.

    ¡°Juho, this is huge!¡±

    It was a precious weekend morning, and Juho had just answered the phone that had been ringing noisily. A man was on the other end of the call.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Your books are selling like crazy! Your life is set now!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Your award-winning novel is a hit! I knew it!¡±

    Birds were chirping outside, and Juho¡¯s dirty scalp was itching like no other. Yet, the man on the phone was talking about the novel being a huge sess.

    ¡®What in the world is going on?¡¯ Thought Juho.

    ¡°Hold on! The printing factory is calling. We¡¯ll talk again soon!¡±

    ¡®Beep.¡¯

    Even after the call, Juho slowlyid back on his bed with the phone in his hand.

    ¡°Must be a stupid dream.¡±

    When we woke up, Juho found out that it had all been real.

    He was an average Korean student, an average student who hated school, but still wanted to have money. He was a foolish student who would rather enjoy the present and procrastinate on things that he needed to do, at least until a few months back.

    He realized that what he thought had been a dream was actually real and, after some time, he went to school.

    The manuscript submission for the contest in July had been made into a book, and it was lying right in front of his eyes. Better yet, the book was selling like there was no tomorrow.

    As Juho walked into arge bookstore, he noticed his book before many others. It wasn¡¯t because of his special affection towards his book, but because the copies were being disyed in the most noticeable spot, the bestseller corner.

    Since he was young, Juho had a habit of reaching for his pen whenever something upset him. This habit eventually created a story that turned into a full-length novel.

    Juho submitted his story to the contest without much thought. It wasn¡¯t because he aspired to be a novelist. He wasn¡¯t romantic enough to choose a career that didn¡¯t pay. He had done it on impulse and, perhaps, fear.

    The book was basically Juho venting his anger. One could say that it captured the story of a youth despairing his aimlessness ¨C not well off like a protagonist in a movie or a soap opera, not smart, not necessarily ugly, but not handsome enough to hold a candle to celebrities.

    ¡°I was exhrated when I heard from the publishingpany.¡±

    For a while, Juho celebrated way too soon, but he quickly snapped out of it. The publisher was skeptical of whether the story would sell. Only a twisted or small number of sadistic perverts would get a kick out of another person venting his anger.

    So, Juho decided to find a different path with the $50,000 he had gotten for the manuscript. He decided to find something that made it easier for him to make money.

    ¡®But how can this be?¡¯ Thought Juho.

    The book was to be made into a TV show, a movie, and to be tranted into seven differentnguages.

    It was selling at an incredible rate, which meant that Juho was making an incredible amount of money.

    ¡®You really never know what¡¯s going to happen in life.¡¯ thought Juho.

    Who would have thought a story written by an average-joe teenager would be so popr?

    Juho saw people lined up at the counter to buy his book. It was an incredibly endearing sight. Life was good.

    ¡®Buzz.¡¯

    The phone was ringing in Juho¡¯s pocket.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Juho. I¡¯m calling because of an interview.¡±

    It was the editor. He was also the person who had been shouting over the phone in excitement about the sess.

    ¡°Again?¡±

    Ever since he became known, Juho was being pestered by reporters almost as much as a celebrity. He felt like a star at first, but nheless, it was overwhelming to deal with tens of reporters in a single day

    ¡°The Youngest Debutant in Literature is a popr title in many aspects. What do you want to do? We can turn them down if you¡¯re worn out. I understand that there¡¯s been a lot of interviews as ofte.¡±

    There was concern in his voice, and Juho took a moment and asked,

    ¡°What should I do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s good to seize the opportunity at hand, but it¡¯s also good to back out when you can.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not very helpful.¡±

    ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that you can never predict what follows after a choice. It¡¯s up to you.¡±

    That was true. Who would have known that his impulse would bring him such fortune? No one would ever know other than an omnipotent god who might or might not exist somewhere.

    After some consideration, Juho made up his mind after seeing people walking past him unable to recognize who he was.

    ¡®If I make myself known and be a celebrity author, I¡¯d be able to make more money. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m selling another person¡¯s book. I just have to suck it up even if it¡¯s hard.¡¯ thought Juho.

    He saw the pile of books in front of him and the people who are buying them and was overwhelmed by a strong emotion.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°Is that all right? Are you going to be OK?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho reassured the editor as he questioned him repeatedly and walked out of the bookstore with confidence even though he fell several times looking back.

    ¡ª

    Time passed, and Juho was now forty-seven, forty-six by the Western calendar. After thirty years, Juho still wasn¡¯t able to stand straight. Swinging the soju bottle in his hand, he leaned onto the handrail. On the other side of the rail was a flowing river.

    ¡°Good times,¡± Juho said, bringing the bottle to his mouth. He hupped involuntarily and looked miserable wrapped inyers of clothes covered in holes.

    ¡°These people. They don¡¯t read. They read everything else but my book.¡±

    As the pitch ck night sky, Juho¡¯s heart was dark. He shouldn¡¯t have agreed to that silly interview. He was seventeen then, sixteen by the Western calendar. It was a precious age. At that age, one became teary-eyed just from looking at a flying leaf, damn it.

    Juho had done many interviews. More than he could count. There were so many people who wanted to talk to him that he would have to set aside half of his day to do it. It was exhausting, and he hated it. Still, he was used to doing things he didn¡¯t want to, so he kept going.

    There were some benefits. People started recognizing him in the street. Broadcast stations would ask him to appear in their shows, and he became famous at his school. Juho loved the poprity, and the sense of respect was not half bad either. It felt like his talent was being appreciated.

    ¡°The problem was the next book.¡±

    Juho¡¯s next work was a test. After the book had reached its peak of poprity, people were divided into two opposing opinions. Rumors kept popping up every day. Some said that he was a genius while others said that he was a fake. As much as the crowd loved Juho¡¯s work, they had trouble trusting the young author.

    Juho didn¡¯t pay much attention at the time. It did hurt his feelings, but he was able to remain confident. After all, he did write the book himself. He thought he would be able to prove to everyone with the following book. He thought it would be a piece of cake for a genius. He wasn¡¯t entirely happy with how the writing turned out, but that had also happened with the first book. The editor was against Juho¡¯s second book, but he didn¡¯t listen. Eventually, he rejected the editor¡¯s advice and released his work with another publisher.

    Juho didn¡¯t realize what he had betrayed until he saw that his book was not being received the same way.

    ¡°Look, god. You know that I made a poor choice, don¡¯t you?¡±

    The all-capable god was nowhere to be found, and gave Juho no answer. Feeling depressed, Juho stared into the flowing river. ¡°I wish I could be born as a river in my next life. Flowing aimlessly, not bound by destination or starting point.¡±

    ¡°I want to be the river.¡±

    Juho thought of the faces of novelists who took their own lives. He wouldn¡¯t tell who they were out of respect. Among those authors were an artist who couldn¡¯t ovee his desire for destruction and an exceptional novelist. Their books had no business in grieving the death of their masters, and they continued to sell, unlike Juho¡¯s.

    After wasting his life away, Juho tried his hand in investing in stocks and starting a business. It was a failure. Then there was some distraction, and yet another failure. He tried writing again, but that also ended in failure. Now, Juho was a homeless man who had nothing to do except for reying the glory of his past. He was neither a genius nor an author.

    Juho reached out his hand toward the river. With the power of liquid courage, he pretended to a novelist, a novelist who lived like he would jump into the river any minute, a novelist who lived an eternity, a great storyteller. Regretting his greed for wealth and fame in the past, Juho threw himself into the river. There was a ssh, and he floundered about in the water.

    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s dangerous there!¡±

    ¡°Ya, ya, don¡¯t you worry. I¡¯m not going to die.¡±

    A young man who was crossing the bridge warned Juho of his risky behavior, and Juho waved his handzily at the man and replied, ¡°I was close to finding some inspiration.¡±

    ¡®This punk is a hindrance. Who¡¯s going to die anyway?¡¯ Thought Juho.

    He straightened himself against the guardrail, trying to warm up his ice cold hands with his breath and took a pen and some paper out of his pocket.

    He was going to write about his life as a failed genius who had hit rock bottom. It was a topic anybody would peek into at least once. Having lost his house, family and friends, the only things that stuck with him were his pen and paper.

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to end like this.¡±

    Juho grabbed the pen.

    His hands were shaking from the alcohol in his body. Despite the cold, Juho started getting drowsy from the drink he had just had.

    ¡°Sigh...¡±

    He closed his eyes for a moment. His face was already numb from being exposed to the cold, and his hands and feet were the same.

    ¡°Watch out!¡±

    There was an urgent shout.

    ¡®Is it that young man again?¡¯

    Half asleep, Juho thought peacefully, half asleep. That moment, his body was already falling away from the rail. A scream, ice-cold wind, and the coolness in the scalp were telling him that he was falling.

    ¡®Is this the end?¡¯ Juho Thought.

    He opened his eyes and saw the pitch-ck sky. If it weren¡¯t for the stars, he would have thought that his eyes were still closed. Yes, this isn¡¯t so bad. It¡¯s not terrible to be a novelist like this. At least in the next life.

    And then, he saw the ceiling.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Juho sat up. He remembered falling into the river, but he was still alive.

    ¡®Why am I here?¡¯ he thought.

    He was in a private room instead of a hospital. He should have been moved to the hospital if he was rescued.

    ¡°Am I dead?¡±

    Juho pinched his cheek. It hurt.

    ¡°Does this mean I¡¯m alive? Can I still feel pain even if I¡¯m dead? I don¡¯t know anymore...¡±

    While rubbing his cheek, Juho realized something.

    ¡°There¡¯s no facial hair. My skin feels tighter too.¡±

    He quickly checked his body. There was a callus on the middle joint of his right middle finger. Adult Juho didn¡¯t see any need to write, but his hand was still callused.

    Juho got up to looked into the mirror on the wall. There was face facing him, not handsome enough topare to celebrities, but not necessarily ugly. It was a young face. Then, Juho realized who the room belonged to. It was his own.

    ¡®Buzz.¡¯

    Startled, Juho looked at his desk. There was a cellphone. It was ringing. Clueless and confused, Juho responded to his only mission and answered the phone.

    ¡°He-hello?¡±

    ¡°Juho, this is huge!¡±

    It was familiar, too familiar. It was the voice Juho had been longing to hear.

    ¡°Mr. Editor.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Editor? Call me uncle, no, bro! Anyway, you hit it big! You¡¯re set now!¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about my novel?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Seriously! Insanely!¡±

    Birds were chirping outside, and Juho¡¯s dirty scalp was itching like no other, yet he was back in the past. As if that weren¡¯t confusing enough, this was right after Juho heard about the sess.

    ¡°Hold on! The printing factory is calling. We¡¯ll talk again soon!¡±

    With excitement in his voice, the uncle, or the bro hung up the phone. For a moment, Juho stared into his warm cellphone. Then, he shouted,

    ¡°JACKPOT!¡±

    Juho was back to the old days.

    <¡°Flowing river¡±> The end.

 Chapter 2 - Starting Again (1)

    <h4>Chapter 2: Chapter 2 ¨C Starting Again (1)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Juho,e eat!¡±

    Several days had passed since Juho had returned to the past. He heard his mother¡¯s voice, a voice that he had be used to by now. From the living room, Juho was able to see his mother from behind, busy in the kitchen. He walked over to the kitchen and rested his head onto his mother¡¯s shoulder. That smell, it had been a while.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been yourselftely. Did you do something wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that.¡±

    ¡°No? Then what is it? Tell me.¡±

    Hearing his mother offering to solve his problems, Juho had to hold his tears. He had be homeless after his failed attempt at business and some stock investment as ast hurrah. Filled with shame, he had to lie every time he visited his old, retired parents living in the countryside.

    He covered himself with leaves at parks and slept at subway stations. He took all of his meals at a soup kitchen. Juho was unbearably afraid of a tomorrow. It had been no different from his middle school years, when he would stay up worrying about his future. The days were miserable and terrifying. Being close to fifty, Juho couldn¡¯t bear to think that he was even weaker than his middle school self. Even then, what made it scarier was that he couldn¡¯t find his way out.

    ¡°Mom.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    At his mother¡¯s hand, who was in the habit of stroking his back, Juho calmed his heart and asked,

    ¡°Are you happy that my book is selling well?

    ¡°Of course! My son¡¯s sessful.¡±

    ¡°Just watch! It¡¯ll get made into a show and a movie. It¡¯ll be tranted into seven differentnguages too.¡±

    ¡°Did you have a dream? You shouldn¡¯t be celebrating so soon.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    Of course it hadn¡¯t been a dream. Juho had experienced a terrible failure in his life, and then he returned. He let out a smirk.

    ¡°You must be sleep-talking with your eyes open. Hurry up ande eat. Go get your dad.¡±

    ¡°Sure, mom.¡±

    After the family gathered at the table to eat and talk, Juho went back to his room. After a brief time thinking, he decided to look up his book on the inte. [Best seller number one, Trace of a Bird, author Yun Woo.] Yun Woo was an alias. It was a spontaneously made up name, that took the name of the protagonist from the book andbined it with his actualst name.

    Juho showed his work to his mother, and she responded.

    ¡°You wrote this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°You got 1st ce?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    His mother¡¯s face slowly brightened up. This was the first and thest time Juho ever made his mother happy. He was an incredibly bad son.

    ¡°Goodness, I¡¯m so proud of you my son. I was worried what you¡¯d be when you¡¯re stuck in your room not doing anything, but you¡¯ve been doing such an amazing thing.¡±

    Juho felt a slight relief from the endearing spank of his mother. At the same time, he felt a sense of respect for her. While he was homeless around her age, she had given birth to a child, raised him, and done all kinds of housework while working at a restaurant. She was an incredible person, his mother.

    ¡°What¡¯s the ruckus? Is there anything to eat?¡±

    ¡°Honey, look at this. Our son is a best-selling author.¡±

    ¡°Sd, what?¡±

    Wearing nothing but his long johns, Juho¡¯s father looked at theputer screen, asking Juho several times if the Yun Woo character was really him. Then, he let out an excitedughter.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have a party. A party!¡±

    Exhrated, Juho¡¯s mother headed straight into the kitchen. That day,ughter never left the table. Even as he was on a cloud nine, Juho wondered if he was dreaming. Then he thought to himself,

    ¡®If it is a dream, I might as well enjoy it.¡¯

    But morning came the next day and the following day. Then, it became clear to him that it was all real.

    Juho and his parents were now younger. He moved his hand around and clenched his fists. There was nothing awkward or weird. His baffled-by-sess self and despairing-from-repeated-failures self had somehow be one.

    On the day before Juho came back to the past, he ate the kimchi stew that had been reheated three times. Excited for the weekend, he stayed upte on hisputer. Juho¡¯s mom told him to go to bed early. He kept worrying while picturing what it would be like to move up to high school and reflected on thest thirty years. The future was going to be a series of failures.

    In a hurry, Juho opened his notebook.

    ¡®I have to write this down before I forget.¡¯ He thought to himself.

    He wrote down all the failures toe, including all the things he regretted, lost... anything he could remember. His hand started hurting. It felt silly to be writing so much with aputer in front of him, but there was already a pen in his hand. He wasn¡¯t in a state to be able to use theputer.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not repeat the mistakes from the past. Don¡¯t let this notebook be a book of prophecies.¡± Juho wrote each and every letter with conviction. Then, he heard a whisper behind him.

    ¡°Honey, maybe our son really was a genius after all. He used to read backwards when he was young.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we did a really good job with prenatal care.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s got to be that. I heard you can have a good looking baby if you keep the bathroom clean, so I worked my butt off.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me going out every night to bring you meat.¡±

    ¡°Look at him. It¡¯s like he can¡¯t even hear us because he¡¯s so focused.¡±

    ¡®I can hear you mom.¡¯

    Juho smiled in secret. Coming to think of it, his parents were really adorable. When he nced at them, they cleared their throats andughed.

    ¡°Have some fruit.¡±

    His parents put down the te next to the desk and closed the door on the way out to help Juho focus, and he turned his attention back to the notebook.

    By the time he put down the pen stuck to his sweaty hand, the day was already halfway gone.

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    It only took half of a day to write down thirty years worth of failures. It probably would have been much faster to use a keyboard. It had been such an empty life. Juho stared into the notebook that had been filled with his history.

    ¡°What do I do now?¡±

    He asked the all-capable god who sent him back in time. ¡°What was it that you wanted? What were you thinking when you gave me a second chance? What¡¯s his reason for leaving me in a situation like this without any exnation?¡±

    Instead of an answer, Juho¡¯s hand ached. The pen had left a red mark. His hand was stuck in a writing position, and it was difficult to move it. The moment he tried, it shot with pain. There was a tingling sensation in his wrist. It was a familiar kind of pain. Anyhow, he just wanted to write.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡±

    ¡°Watch out for the cars.¡±

    Juho was on his way to school. The high school was not far, and it was near a mountain, which meant steep hills. The neighborhood Juho lived in was made in a mountain area. The sides of the mountain went through the alleyways between the residential areas. The upside was that the air was crisper than the lower part of town.

    Arriving at school, Juho went into his ss. There was awkwardness in the air. It was the beginning of the semester, so it made sense. The majority of people were keeping themselves busy on their phone. Juho found his seat. It was next to the window, third row from the back.

    He sat down and took out books to read at school.

    Juho was wearing a uniform and taking a ss at a school. It was both weing and boring. The cold desk smelled like dust.

    ¡°What are you reading?¡±

    The guy sitting right in front of him asked. His name tag read Seo Kwang Kim, and Juho handed him the book in his hand and said,

    ¡°It¡¯s a ssic.¡±

    Seo Kwang saw the title and nodded. There weren¡¯t that many high school students who enjoyed reading. It seemed like Seo Kwang took the initiative to talk to Juho at first, but the way Seo Kwang was looking at the book was unusual. Affection? Love? He looked like a dog lover staring at a Welsh Corgi¡¯s butt. He seemed like he would run up and pat on its chubby butt and he was actually stroking the cover of the book.

    ¡°Ahh, this was a good book. A mysterious girl crosses path with a genius musician. Their rtionship makes you realize how fragile love is between a man and a woman. It¡¯s heart-aching. I can¡¯t help but give the author a tip of the hat for his beautiful prose. As I was reading, I was wishing for my other half to be out there somewhere. A harmony of romance and longing.¡±

    Seo Kwang made a long exposition in one breath, blinking awkwardly.

    ¡°This author is known for his children¡¯s literature too. If you haven¡¯t read them, I rmend you check it out.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    He spoke with clear enunciation. Realizing how quiet Juho was, Seo Kwang responded,

    ¡°Right, I¡¯ll let you be now. It¡¯s been a while since I ran into another book lover.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was getting bored anyway. You must enjoy reading quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°Reading is my life.¡±

    It was as if Seo Kwang had been waiting all along to say that. It was very apparent how much he loved reading.

    A high school student who enjoyed reading... that was a rarity, He treated Juho¡¯s book with care to prevent damaging it. Seo Kwang gave Juho the book back and pulled out the book that he had brought himself. Recognizing the cover, Juho read it out loud instinctively.

    ¡°Trace of a Bird.¡±

    There was a bird in a white background. Another person was holding the very book written by Juho himself. It had been a while since Juho had seen it. Life kept on spiraling downward like the trace of a bird. It would not stop. Juho even felt like the book snatched away his wings. It couldn¡¯t have been true, of course.

    He stared at the book, and asked Seo Kwang, who was anxiously waiting, a question, ¡°Was it any good?¡±

    It was a heavily paraphrased question. Seo Kwang let out an exaggerated sigh. He put his hands on his face, and shook his head.

    ¡°¡®Good¡¯ alone can¡¯t dare to describe this book.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m blessed for sure. I can¡¯t believe I get to read such a masterpiece in its originalnguage instead of a tranted copy. It¡¯s about time Korea had its own, world-renowned author!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not get too excited.¡±

    It was an over-the-toppliment. Seo Kwang didn¡¯t mind one bit that he was the only person talking in the ssroom. It was truly a passionate speech.

    ¡°How could you be so lukewarm? You haven¡¯t read it haven¡¯t you? You won¡¯t be the same after you read it. How can I not be excited? This is a masterpiece. This book is truly a masterpiece!¡±

    ¡°OK, I get it.¡±

    Juho nodded, but Seo Kwang kept on. He must have been the kind who jumps in recklessly when in came to his passion. They might appear to be calm most of the time, but as soon as they heard anything rting to their passions, they turned into a bard giving an epic speech. They were usually referred to as Mania, Otaku or Collectors. Seeing how he was already friendly with Juho, he probably hadn¡¯t been the quiet type from the get-go.

    ¡°As soon as I finished reading this book, I bought two more copies for myself. One for preservation, one for enjoyment and one for practical use.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a waste of money.¡±

    ¡°Waste? What do you mean waste?¡±

    It was as if Seo Kwang had already be friends with Juho. Listening to Seo Kwang¡¯s speech on the difference between wasting and investment, Juho became curious.

    ¡°What¡¯s the practical use for?¡±

    ¡°This one I¡¯m carrying. The book gets damaged when you carry it around.¡±

    With those proud words, he embraced his book. Seo Kwang was probably the only person who was that passionate about reading over video games or girls.

    ¡°You know what¡¯s even more amazing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°The author is our age, a high school student.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t say anything. Seo Kwang made whatever he wanted out of Juho¡¯s reaction and went on unimpeded.

    ¡°Shocked? This book won an award at apetition hosted by a publishingpany. It¡¯s notmon that a high school student would get the award, and not only that, the content is top notch. No wonder people are going crazy over it.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything else though. His age is the only thing known to the public. He is a student, so they¡¯re trying to protect him.¡±

    ¡°How curious.¡±

    ¡°Of course! I want to know what this guy looks like. What kind of person does it take to write such an amazing book? I¡¯m so curious!¡±

    Juho muttered silently as Seo Kwang grumbled on,

    ¡®He¡¯s right in front of your eyes. Don¡¯tin too much, my friend.¡¯

    <Starting Again (1)> The End

 Chapter 3 - Starting Again (2)

    <h4>Chapter 3: Chapter 3 ¨C Starting Again (2)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho looked back to the day his hand hurt from writing for an extended period of time, particrly, to all of his failures. Something had to be done to prevent them from repeating themselves, even if it meant him being selfish.

    Immediately, Juho called his editor.

    ¡°I have something to tell you. Are you busy?¡±

    ¡°... Is it bad news?¡±

    ¡°It depends... It¡¯s nothing serious. I just wanted to ask you a favor.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the favor?¡±

    Juho camly exined his situation.

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t really understand what¡¯s happening. I personally don¡¯t think that my book is all that great. I can¡¯t see it that way. I¡¯m still a student, and the amount of attention I¡¯m getting is quite overwhelming.¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± the editor moaned faintly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about your views about your own work, but I do agree that all of this can be overwhelming. Most people who received a great deal of attention while young live unfortunate lives. Half of autobiographies out there are about failure.¡±

    His words pricked Juho¡¯s conscience, but he carried on, ¡°So, if possible, I wanted to shy away from interviews. I don¡¯t want my face to be known. I want a quiet school life.¡±

    He had gone straight to the point without beating around the bush. There was a long pause. Juho was aware how powerful that could be as a means of promotion, but there was no way he wanted to live through that tiresome life again. There were even some authors who chose to remain anonymous. It was more than possible. The publishingpany would need some exnation, but that would do.

    He waited patiently, and the editor, concerned, let out another sigh and continued, ¡°I¡¯m an editor, and selling books is part of my job.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s also my job to consider the author¡¯s stance. I understand. It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s a matter I can talk you out of.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t put up a picture on your profile and you¡¯ve been using an alias, so everything should be fine.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never made an official appearance at an event, so it wouldn¡¯t be impossible if want to stay hidden. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to add a little mysticism to our strategy. Like you said, you are a student after all,¡± the editor thought out loud. Then, he continues yfully, ¡°You know, you don¡¯t look half bad. I¡¯m sure the promotional team has been eyeing you for their promo video. That¡¯s a shame. Well, the book has been doing well even without promotion, so there shouldn¡¯t be any issues. I haven¡¯t been home in days thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°Are you that busy?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even get me started,¡± he sighed.

    ¡°There¡¯s a massive number of iing orders from bookstores. The press called too. Shoot, I guess this means no signing events either. It came up at the meeting.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even have a signature.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re a big shot now, so you shoulde up with one. I¡¯ll call you with any updates.¡±

    With those words, the editor hung up his phone. The reason for not putting up a profile picture was simple. It was because Juho wasn¡¯t particrly fond of his pictures. He did consider taking a new picture at one point, but he found out there were many authors who intentionally skipped the profile picture, so he ended up simply writing an introduction. Who would¡¯ve thought that would¡¯ve been such a good move? It really was impossible to predict what followed after a choice.

    As Juho daydreamed, Seo Kwang asked impatiently, ¡°Hey, are you listening to me? How great of a book is this!?¡±

    ¡°I heard you, so enough of that.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re longing to read it, I intend on lending you my practical uses copy.¡±

    ¡°I respectfully decline.¡±

    As Juho and Seo Kwang argued, other students began to break out of their shells. Some were making quick, short conversations, while others approached Juho and Seo Kwang. A book was an easy topic to get plugged into.

    ¡°I know that book too!¡±

    ¡°Oh, did you read it?¡± Seo Kwang responded weely.

    ¡°It¡¯s the first book I¡¯ve read from cover to cover.¡±

    Soon, others surrounding the two chimed in. They had been quietly listening to the conversation between Juho and Seo Kwang.

    ¡°My parents were nagging me so much, asking what I¡¯ve been doing with my life when this guy¡¯s been writing a book.¡±

    ¡°I was leveling up my character and helping out my friend with his. Doesn¡¯t that count as volunteer work?¡±

    ¡°Hey, help me out too!¡±

    ¡°Who do you y?¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for the subject to change. Juho was relieved that the attention wasn¡¯t on him. Why hadn¡¯t he appreciated that before?

    Unhappy about the new subject, Seo Kwang added, ¡°They should read if they have time for video games.¡±

    ¡°You sound like my mom.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re kind of geeky. You must be smart.¡±

    ¡°No. I found out reading and grades are two separate things.¡±

    Seo Kwang began striking conversations with other students. He had to be a natural. There was not a bit of shyness in him. Seeing Juho sitting quietly, he tapped Juho and said, ¡°See? These kids have no interest in reading, and they¡¯re all here with ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ This book has an incredible influence.¡±

    Seo Kwang had to be trying to get Juho to read the book. There probably weren¡¯t that many students who weren¡¯t repulsed by books. The number of people reading had been on a steady decline at that age. It was not easy to run into a fellow literature aficionado.

    Juho followed Seo Kwang¡¯s finger pointing to the background of the book cover. A bird in a white background. The book didn¡¯t have the shiest cover, yet it found its way into the hands of those boys and girls. It was unusual, and students were reading the book of their own volition. It was not like it was porn either.

    The student who was talking about video games earlier said, ¡°I admit that it was a good read. I wanted to stay out of trouble with my mom, so I pretended to read it, but I actually finished it before I knew it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s unfair the author is our age though? He must¡¯ve made a lot of money. I¡¯m jealous.¡±

    ¡°I wasted all that money, so you don¡¯t have to be jealous,¡± Juho muttered silently and picked up Seo Kwang¡¯s book. ¡°Seems like it¡¯s popr.¡±

    ¡°A book like this is bound to be a hit.¡±

    Ignoring Seo Kwang urging him to read it, Juho took a brief look at the cover. The book wasn¡¯t very thick, even thought it was a full-length novel. In the back, there were the summary and critics¡¯ reviews:

    ¡°I decided to pick this book the first time I saw it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m captivated by the author¡¯s unique sensibilities. Reading his book is a once-in-an-eternity adventure.¡±

    ¡°Got me once with his seasoned writing, and then again with his age.¡±

    They were all embarrassing. Those same critiques came back to haunt Juho two yearster.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting curious. Who could this high school student be? Hope it¡¯s a she.¡±

    ¡°A person who writes like this has to be pretty. Pretty sure she has a good heart too.¡±

    A girl? Juho struggled to hold back hisughter hearing what the other students were talking about. It was refreshing. That moment, Seo Kwang raised his hand to stop the conversation.

    ¡°That would be nice, but it¡¯s still early to jump to conclusions. There were some touches of masculinity in ces.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense. It was written from the perspective of a first-person male protagonist.¡±

    Juho agreed half-heartedly and expressed approval to their reasoning. The surrounding became livelier than before. He was satisfied with the new environment,

    He reminisced about his school life. It had been shy. Everybody had wanted to talk to him, his ssmates, students from another ss, even the teachers.

    He had even been called by the half-balf prince as a random moniker of encouragement. Within a few days, there had been a banner at the front gate. Juho had enjoyed his chaotic, daily life. Of course, it had all been gone in a sh, and it hadn¡¯t been long before people changed. It had been his fault for being rash.

    ¡°The teacher¡¯s here!¡± a student shouted.

    The bell was already ringing. Everyone ced their new textbooks on the desk. The ssroom was filled with tension for meeting the new teacher. They were silent, as if nobody had been talking the entire time.

    The teacher walked in through the front door, and all eyes were on him. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties.

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    ¡®Sigh?¡¯

    It was their first official meeting, and the teacher is sighing as if he was already sick of it all. Juho felt slightly upset.

    ¡®Had there ever been a teacher like that?¡¯

    He tried to retrace his memory, but there weren¡¯t many he could remember clearly. The teacher half-heartedly reached for a chair and ced it in front of the podium.

    ¡°My name is Song Hak Moon, and I¡¯m going to be teaching you literature. Call me Mr. Moon.¡±

    The kids were silent. As if he knew they would be, Mr. Moon continued, ¡°It¡¯s the first day, so we¡¯ll be doing independent study. I, as a literature teacher, will be spending this time reading. You may all do as you wish, as long as it doesn¡¯t bother anyone.¡±

    Mr. Moon sat on the chair and opened a book. It was a famous detective novel. Juho was acquainted with the book. The students were thrown off by the sudden freedom, but soon celebrated the fact that there was no ss.

    Juho looked at Mr. Moon. There were wrinkles on his forehead. He waspletely immersed in his book, even within such a short time. He had a very serious look as he turned the pages. Without moving a muscle, he kept on reading.

    Juho took his eyes off from Mr. Moon and took out his study guide. He had bought it to celebrate being a student again. It had already been a few days since the purchased it, but the progress had been slow. He smiled weakly. Studying was still just as undesirable as ever, even after having traveled back in time.

    ¡°May I go to the restroom?¡± a student asked cautiously. Oncebined with school, the restroom transformed into a word that caused conflict between teachers and students.

    While there were teachers who let their student go to the restroom during ss, there were teachers also teachers who did not. Teachers who were particrly strict would be angry or incredibly offended. Not wanting to be a target for such a teacher, the student who brought up the word restroom kept a watchful eye to the teacher¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Mr. Moon responded carelessly, as if there were no point in being nervous about asking.

    Other students who¡¯d been observing began to ask the same question one after another. Mr. Moon responded with the same dull answer to each and every one of them.

    He had seemed like he¡¯d be rough around the edges by how he¡¯d sighed soon after seeing his new students, but that might not be true.

    When the bell rang, Mr. Moon gathered his belongings and left the ssroom without saying a word.

    ¡°That teacher¡¯s kind of different. He takes no interest in his students.¡±

    ¡°Good for him, and good for us.¡±

    By nature, that teacher seemed unmotivated to do his job. Mr. ¡®Moon was it?¡¯

    Juho became curious of how he would teach in the future.

    The bell rang after a short recess. This time, the teacher was an olderdy in her fifties. Her subject was English. She wrote her name on the chalkboard. Like an English teacher, it was in English. Juho read the Roman alphabet letters written on the board. It read Myung Ja Kang.

    ¡°You¡¯re fortunate that you have me as your teacher,¡± she said abruptly, without any introduction.

    There was silence in the ssroom, but it was apparent that they were at loss of words. Who was that?

    ¡°Among your seniors, there are five people who have gone onto study English education at Seoul University. I¡¯ve taught all of them.¡±

    Juho desperately held back his desire to sigh like Mr. Moon. The word ¡®university¡¯ made him realize that he really was a student.

    ¡°Everyone, you have to do well in English. Why? Because otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to get into a university. Isn¡¯t that your goal? If you want to reach your goal, you have to speak English. Unless your parents are rich, English is a must. We live in a meritocracy. I will grant the right to contradict my words only to those who can speak better than I can.¡±

    There was no way that anybody would raise their hand in a ssroom filled with silence. Juho felt bitterness toward the reality in which he had to listen to all of that. He turned his eyes to the window. There was no one in the yard, and the front gate made of iron was shut tight.

    ¡®I could use a drink right about now,¡¯ thought Juho.

    ¡°You may have a hard time understanding what I¡¯m saying. You may want to say that university isn¡¯t everything there is to life and that there are many other paths. Everyone, that¡¯s the foolishness of a child. Mark the words of this veteran who¡¯s lived far more than you. You¡¯ll be able to live a life with no regrets. I will not eptints. I will be only ept your gratitude for getting you into a university with my English training.¡±

    ¡®A life with no regrets she said? Wasn¡¯t this an English ss? Those are some lofty words.¡¯ Juho thought.

    He looked around. There were a lot of hardened faces. Some were terrified. This was a time when things like university or society appeared monstrous, and Juho felt sorry for them.

    ¡°My ss will be based on SAT materials. When I point to you, I expect you to stand up, and give a clear answer. If you¡¯re unable to answer or act immaturely, I will deduct points.¡±

    ¡®Immature, that meant a fruit was not ripe yet. What sense does it make to deduct points for being immature when she¡¯s already called her students young? This teacher is going to be trouble.¡¯

    Juho couldn¡¯t resist his desire to sigh that time.

    <Starting Again (2)> The End

 Chapter 4 - Everybody Makes Mistakes

    <h4>Chapter 4: Chapter 4 ¨C Everybody Makes Mistakes</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Number 1.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Please read the text until I say stop.¡±

    The girl at the frontmost seat rose from her seat. With hesitation, she stumbled through the words in English. Her voice was unstable. It was clear that she was nervous. It wasn¡¯t long before that shaky voice came to an abrupt stop. There was a word she didn¡¯t know how to read, and soon, the ssroom becamepletely silent.

    ¡°Um... I¡¯m not sure how to pronounce this,¡± the girl said timidly.

    ¡°Right. Which middle school did you go to?¡±

    ¡°Um...¡±

    Mrs. Kang didn¡¯t actually say anything to talk down the girl¡¯s middle school English teacher. Her attitude spoke louder than her words. ¡®Number 1¡¯ was flushing from embarrassment, while the other students looked at each wondering if that was OK. Juho was upied by reading the text.

    It was strange.

    Juho was able to read English fluently. He rubbed his eyes forcefully. Even when things were still blurry, Juho was able to read them. It felt natural.

    ¡®What is going on?¡¯ he thought to himself.

    The text was about environment-friendly consumption. It would¡¯ve been impossible to understand even after sixteen years of education ¨C six years of elementary, six years of middle and high schools, and four years of college. How was it that Juho was able to understand English as if it were his nativenguage?

    The second he started reading in English, there was a strange ¡°click¡± in Juho¡¯s head. It sounded like a button being pressed.

    The only exnation for all of that was the miracle of travelling to the past.

    ¡®Did somebody nt anguage learning device in my brain while I was time traveling?¡¯ thought Juho.

    In midst of the confusion, Juho heard Mrs. Kang¡¯s edgy words. Every sentence was amand.

    ¡®Is this the kind of tone she¡¯s going to be teaching with?¡¯ Her attitude was saying that the teacher was above her students. She was basically teaching them that people weren¡¯t equal.

    Juho tried reading another sentence. He was able to trante it without problems and was able to understand everything. He focused on that unfamiliar sensation. It felt like a part of his brain had been mashed in.

    Some active device was telling Juho the rules and meanings of anguage. It all felt as natural as smelling.

    ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve researched various, convenient methods for wise consumption.¡±

    Because of the device, Juho recognized the mistake in Mrs.Kang¡¯s trantion.

    ¡®Number 1¡¯ was still in a same position. That teacher was enough of a bad influence to those children as it was, and Juho couldn¡¯t let her make a mistake. He quietly raised his hand, and his eyes met Mrs. Kang¡¯s. She stopped her trantion and pointed at Juho with her chin. There was an annoyance in her gesture.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡®This better be good,¡¯ was the unspoken pressure. Juho paid no attention to Mrs. Kang¡¯s judgement and responded calmly.

    ¡°You¡¯ve mistranted.¡±

    Mrs. Kang kept a still face and started looking into the text. The students were silent, but not because it was the first day of school. There was a faint excitement in midst of that anxiety. If what Juho had said was true, then it would mean that Mrs. Kang had made a mistake. The very teacher who had just given them a lofty speech about meritocracy, that teacher, who wanted to wield power over her students, had left an opening. Her fangs were itching behind her closed lips. Fangs that were small, yet rigid.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name sir?¡±

    ¡°Juho Woo.¡±

    ¡°Have you been to another country?¡±

    ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Mrs. Kang smiled. Clueless of what it meant, the students felt uneasy about her smile.

    ¡°How was your grade in English?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember exactly, but probably on the lower side.¡±

    Juho did not have such good grades, especially so on core subjects.

    ¡°And you¡¯re saying that you can hear the w in the trantion?¡±

    ¡°It seems like you haven¡¯t found it yet, Mrs.Kang.¡±

    ¡°...My trantion was urate. The English you¡¯re learning is at best, at high school level. It means I find it incredibly easy. I will have to deduct points for disrupting the ss, what¡¯s your call number?¡±

    She wasn¡¯t even going to listen to him. Rather than giving Mrs.Kang what she wanted, Juho read through the text written in high school level English. He interpreted every single word while avoiding excessively literal trantion.

    ¡°Environment-friendly consumption, therefore, means to make a wise decision. One should purchase items made of recycled materials and avoid making any unnecessary purchases. Moreover, environment-friendly consumption isn¡¯t just beneficial to this, but it is also beneficial to my bank ount. Also, I have been researching various convenient methods for wise consumption. As a result, I have been carrying a recyble bag. However, I have trouble remembering to take the recyble bag with me to the grocery store.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You just tranted ¡®Recently, I¡¯ve researched various, convenient methods for wise consumption.¡¯ To me, these sentences are saying that all of that has been an ongoing process. So, wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to say ¡®I have been researching various convenient methods for wise consumption?¡¯¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right. This is the present perfect continuous tense,¡±

    said one of the students.

    Juho knew nothing about the present perfect continuous or the past perfect tenses, but judging from the students wavering, that student must have been right.

    ¡®High school level at best.¡¯ Mrs. Kang had made a mistake at a standard she considered negligible. A mistake was never the same as a fault. Students simply wanted her to ept her mistake and stand corrected. It was probably too much to ask though, considering all the things she had been saying thus far.

    Mrs. Kang became conscious of her mistake and frantically searched through the textbook.

    ¡°...How strange. It came out slightly different on the educator¡¯s edition.¡±

    ¡°As far as I know, the educator¡¯s edition hasn¡¯t been distributed yet, Mrs.Kang.¡±

    Her face was scrunching up into a scowl. After small revisions, textbooks had been getting distributed every year. Her book cover, nowpletely exposed facing the students, was no different from theirs.

    In a world entirely based on merit, ording to Mrs. Kang. how would they punish her? She tried to remain calm, but the ridge above her lips was already filled with sweat. It was the moment when a mistake became a fault.

    ¡°Chuckle!¡±

    Students started giggling. Eventually, the ssroom was shaking with uncontrolledughter. The only people who were notughing were Juho and Mrs. Kang.

    Could things have gone the same way if another teacher had made a mistake and Juho had said the same thing? No. The students knew it. Teachers were human too, which meant they were just as susceptible to mistakes.

    These kids had to have understood it by now, but the students taught by Mrs. Kang were different.

    Juho sat down. He hoped that Mrs. Kang would stop ridiculing others by bringing up things like English or university. If the value of a person was based on such things, the world would be a miserable ce to live in. Juho had no intention of turning the world he was living in into a tiresome ce.

    Mrs. Kang, the English teacher, rushed out of the ssroom. After she left, Seo Kwang quickly turned to Juho.

    ¡°Psycho!¡±

    That was unexpected.

    ¡°Is your heart made of iron? What were you thinking opening up your mouth at a time like that? Oh, and you didn¡¯t stop there. You went the extra mile and really let her have it. You¡¯re insane! You¡¯re incredible!¡±

    Though Seo Kwang¡¯s words were quite misleading, Juho shrugged his shoulder and answered, ¡°I let her have it? I only spoke up to address her misunderstanding.¡±

    Juho smiled and slowly drew away from the conversation. Seo Kwang immediately caught on to what Juho was really saying.

    ¡°Aha! So, you¡¯re saying Mrs. Kang is the one who actually made things awkward? You were just acting normal.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t talk back to her orin about her one-sided statements. He merely corrected her mistake. It was Mrs. Kang herself who had turned the situation into what it was.

    Seo Kwang squinted at Juho. He felt that all the reading he had done up to that point had been helpful in a situation like that. There was something dangerous about Juho in the way he yed coy when getting to know a person. Next to his peers, there was something quite different about him, and Seo Kwang came to like it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s be friends.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s random.¡±

    Though he answered light-heartedly, Juho had to read every single book rmended by Seo Kwang.

    ¡ª

    The ssroom was rowdy. The students hadpletely adjusted to their new school now. There were cliques, which meant people started talking to each other. However, that wasn¡¯t the only exnation for the rowdy ssroom.

    It was time for the so-called club invitation season. The upperssmen came into the first years¡¯ ssrooms to introduce their clubs.

    Next to the chalkboard were the flyers for all the different clubs, and the kids would wonder about which club to choose during recess.

    There were upperssmen before Juho, promoting their club with a hand-made sign, three girls and three boys from the volunteering club. He wondered if it was really necessary to have that many people promoting a club. The only person doing the talking was the girl in the middle.

    ¡°The strength of our club is that we really fill up the student record. You all know that you should take care of that on your first year, right? You¡¯ll have less and less time as you go up. There¡¯s no time for volunteering work, but the teachers are making a fuss about writing whatever helpful thing you can think of on your applications. THAT is when you¡¯ll think of this club. This is a testimony. While your friends are struggling, you could indulge in the pleasure of burning through your applications!¡±

    The girl went on with her excited speech. The kids were quietly listening to the upperssman. Realizing that there was an awkwardness in the air, she quickly wrapped up her speech. The club members who were standing next to her hadn¡¯t said a single word until the very end.

    ¡°Anyhow, if you¡¯re interested,e find me in ssroom 2-3.¡±

    Next was the music club. Unlike its name, the reality was that they only sang a few songs at the school festival. A male upperssman came out to promote it with a picket.

    ¡°If you enjoy music on a regr basis, are interested in music or are in love with music, this is the club for you. There is a brief interview, but don¡¯t be intimidated. You can still be part of our club even if you¡¯re not a good singer or a dancer. It¡¯s OK if you know nothing about music. We can learn together. Our basic activity is to enjoy and appreciate.¡±

    Next, came the cultural exploration club. Their activities were mainly outdoors. Perhaps that exined the unusual fashion sense of its members. The upperssmen who came into the ssroom to promote the club were all dressed in extraordinary clothing. It was as if they would be leaving for a jungle exploration at any minute.

    ¡°That guy in the khaki hat, he¡¯s my style.¡±

    Seo Kwang whispered jokingly to Juho. As if in response, that upperssman spoke with a loud voice, ¡°Wherever there¡¯s culture, the cultural exploration club is there. As close as the park nearby or as far as a folk vige! We go wherever our members desire! Come join our club!¡±

    Then, he took a deep breath and asked for everyone¡¯s attention, apparently the most important thing was left to the end.

    ¡°Our homeroom teacher treats to some food often.¡±

    At that, a few excited students came forth. It didn¡¯t sound all that interesting, but it had definitely been the most energetic club so far. With cultural exploration club as thest, the club promotion came to an end.

    ¡°Which club are you nning on joining?¡± asked Seo Kwang.

    After the promotion, there were even more kids looking at the flyers. Seo Kwang and Juho were far from the crowd. They were skimming through the flyers to see the different clubs that were around.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. You?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about joining the book club, but it kind of bothers me that they have the Chinese teacher as their homeroom teacher.¡±

    ¡°Ah! You mean the one who teaches the second years? He¡¯s always in modernized traditional garments.¡±

    That teacher really gave off an intimidating impression with his deep wrinkled brows. Seo Kwang stepped forward and started looking for a literature club. ording to him, he had been in a literature debate club for all three years in middle school,

    Juho decided to look around by himself. Then, he saw the title ¡®Documentary Appreciation Club,¡± the club he used to be part of.

    They sat still and watched documentaries of their teacher¡¯s choosing. That was the entirety of that club¡¯s activity, but Juho was quite fond of it.

    ¡°Should I go back to watching documentaries, or should I try something new?¡± Juho pondered.

    <Everybody Makes Mistakes> The End

 Chapter 5 - A Piece of Paper on the Ground

    <h4>Chapter 5: Chapter 5 ¨C A Piece of Paper on the Ground</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Sensing something under his feet, Juho looked down. There was a piece of paper on the ground.

    It was not at all in a good shape. There were already multiple footprints on it. After brushing off some dust, Juho was able to get a sense for why that paper was so unpopr.

    ¡°Literature Club.¡±

    It seemed boring even at a glimpse. Aside from Juho and Seo Kwang, most people would move on without even bothering to look into it. It seemed to have reached Juho after getting kicked around.

    He read the details of the club on the paper.

    Homeroom Teacher: Song Hak Moon.

    It was that teacher who sighed before even giving a proper introduction.

    ¡°Are you interested in the Literature Club?¡± Seo Kwang made his way through the crowd and asked.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t sound half bad.¡±

    ¡°You want to join together then? If you say yes, I¡¯ll give up the Book Club.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re giving the Book Club up because of the teacher.¡±

    Seo Kwang pretended he didn¡¯t hear him and took the flyer. Juho had already finished reading through it, so he dly handed it to Seo Kwang. His face didn¡¯t seem to brighten up as he read it.

    ¡°Apparently, they changed their name to Literature Club from Literature Debate Club. It could be one of thezy clubs.¡±

    ¡®Lazy clubs¡¯ were clubs whose primary activity was made of independent study. Clubs like Film Appreciation or the English Newspaper Club existed just in name. The reality was that they spent their time in self-study. Even their homeroom teachers hardly showed up. Kids who were part of those clubs were either working on their study guides or taking naps.

    ¡°Well, that ain¡¯t so bad.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. Then again, you could take that time to read a book.¡±

    Juho had had a simr thought. If it was self-study time, he could use the time to write.

    Of course, Juho and Seo Kwang would be the only people who would be reading or writing among other students.

    ¡°OK. Do we go with this one then?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    Just like that, the two decided on a club without much trouble even though there was no way to know how many members there were in that club. Determined, they carried on without hesitation. They filled out their applications and headed straight to the staffroom.

    Mr. Moon¡¯s desk was visible right as they walked into the staffroom. Unlike other teachers who were dealing with waves of students, he was lost in his book all alone.

    ¡°Mr. Moon, here¡¯s our club application.¡±

    ¡°Well, well.¡±

    Mr. Moon looked away from his book to looked at Juho and Seo Kwang. With a mysterious exmation, he took the applications from them. He scanned for their names and slid them between the pages of his book. That was it. No greetings or anything.

    Seo Kwang asked out of curiosity, ¡°What kind of activities are we doing?¡±

    Mr. Moon answered with a smirk, ¡°It¡¯s toote now. You can¡¯t withdraw after having already submitted the application.¡±

    It was not clear, but it didn¡¯t seem to be one of thezy clubs at least. It was the Literature Club, so they probably did some writing too.

    ¡°That kind of scares me.¡±

    ¡°What does? Aren¡¯t you guys used to being forced to do things?¡±

    ¡°Haha! That is true, but I¡¯m still curious.¡±

    Mr. Moon was casually saying things that a teacher wouldn¡¯t normally say to his students. Seo Kwang agreed with him with a smile and kept on pestering him for an answer. Meanwhile, Mr. Moon kept avoiding giving direct answers to their questions. Here and there, he turned his eyes back to the book in his hand. It didn¡¯t seem like he was trying to hide the book, but rather, wanting to get back to it.

    ¡°A book over his student asking him questions... Why is this person teaching?¡±

    That moment, they heard somebodye into the staffroom. Juho and Seo Kwang turned around, and they saw two girls with applications in their hands. One had a ponytail and the other had bob-cut hair. The girl with the ponytail said, ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Before Juho even had time to signal Seo Kwan, she cut through them boldly. The other girl quietly followed. Mr. Moon took the applications and slid them between the pages, just like with Juho¡¯s and Seo Kwang¡¯s. There had been no difference to his actions, and Seo Kwang broke the silence and continued on his attempt at a conversation with Mr. Moon.

    Nodding reluctantly, Mr. Moon answered, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll tell you about the Literature Club¡¯s past. There¡¯s a saying that you can see the future if you know the history.¡±

    ¡°The Literature Club has a past? It wasn¡¯t just a new name?¡±

    ¡°If the name was the only concern, wouldn¡¯t the other name be more sophisticated? Literature Debate Club, why bother changing it?¡±

    That was true. The two girls were still around as if they were curious. Mr. Moon continued to talk about the Literature Club and emphasized its deep tradition. He seemed livelier than ever.

    ¡°Considering the tradition, it doesn¡¯t have much presence.¡±

    Mr. Moon agreed with Juho, ¡°You¡¯re right. Itcks presence. That¡¯s why it disappeared, but I brought it back.¡±

    ¡°Aha!¡±

    It seemed like the Literature Club took the ce of the Literature Debate Club in the process of its revival.

    ¡°It still needs presence,¡± the girl with a ponytail said.

    Mr.Moon slowly raised a book. It was the same book he was sliding the applications into, and the applications fluttered between the white pages.

    ¡°But we¡¯re living in another time. There¡¯s been a second wind in the world of literature because of this book.¡±

    The book was titled ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ Juho¡¯s eyes followed the book waving from side to side, and Mr. Moon continued, ¡°Everyone¡¯s talking about the birth of a teenage bestselling author. So, the Literature Club simply rode that wave and made aeback.¡±

    Juho remembered seeing the news that an increasing number of parents were sending their children to private institutions after school forposition writing. Now that he thought about it, it had made sense for him to be arrogant seeing how the book had been such a big deal.

    Because the bell rang and the topic wasn¡¯t exactly weing, Juho and Seo Kwang made their way back to ss.

    The two headed to the science room. It was the meeting room for the Literature Club. Located in the corner of the third floor, the science room was often at the center of ghost stories because of its location and purpose. They were stereotypical school stories kind of like the mannequining to life at midnight. They¡¯d beughable even for kindergarteners.

    Juho and Seo Kwang went into the science room, which was far apart from other ssrooms. There were two other people who had already arrived.

    ¡°Hey, there!¡±

    The girl in ponytail took the initiative, and then the girl with the bob cut followed. Juho and Seo Kwang exchanged greetings with them as they walked into the room. It was their second meeting.

    The four sat facing each other in pairs with a long desk in between. The girls with short hair sat across from Juho, and it was very apparent that she was feeling awkward.

    ¡°Are you two in the same ss?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    ¡°Yeah, you guys must be too, seeing as how you¡¯re walking in together, right?¡± the girl in ponytail answered, and he introduced himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m Sun Hwa Ahn, and this is Bom Yoon,¡± the girl in ponytail said.

    Juho introduced himself in response. Then, there was the awkward silence that came after exchanging names, and Seo Kwang started talking to break the ice.

    ¡°What brings you two to the club?¡±

    ¡°We like books.¡±

    There was a big smile on Seo Kwang¡¯s face. He was about to walk up to them to put his arms around and shout ¡°Friends!,¡± but he soon returned to his seat after hearing what Sun Hwa had to add.

    ¡°Comics.¡±

    ¡°Comics?¡±

    That was a different genre. Seo Kwang was obsessed with print. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t readics at all, but his preference had always been to have words finely printed onto white sheets of paper.

    While he was in disappointment, Juho asked Sun Hwa, ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a Comic/Cartoon Research Club?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one of thezy clubs. I refuse to be part of a club that¡¯s got nothing to offer other than its name. How dare they desecrateics?! They¡¯re not just words you know.¡±

    Juho was impressed by Sun Hwa¡¯s passion as she scrunched up her face in annoyance. She was a girl full of pride towardics.

    ¡°What about your friend there? Bom was it? Do you likeics too?¡± Seo Kwang asked Bom in case she was any different, but unlike his expectations, she nodded her head in affirmation. Everytime she moved her head, her hair yed on her cheeks.

    ¡°Sun Hwa rmended them to me. I¡¯ve been enjoying them.¡±

    ¡°Well, well, what if you try getting into actual books? I can give you rmendations if you want.¡±

    ¡°No, sure.¡±

    At her vague answer, Seo Kwang asked Juho with his eyes, ¡®Is that a yes or a no?¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t know either,¡¯ Juho responded.

    Next, Sun Hwa asked Juho a question as if she were trying to one-up Seo Kwang¡¯s attempts, ¡°How about you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read some of the famous ones.¡±

    He named the fewics he knew. With bright eyes, Sun Hwa brought her face closer to Juho. He backed off and thought, ¡®I think I made a mistake.¡¯

    ¡°A character design that is full of dreams, friendship, love and liveliness, and the adventure of the protagonist. Woven through it, there are delicate life lessons and youthfulness that is both sweet and savory. From the clean drawing and solid storyline to a wide range of fans, I can¡¯t help but be in awe of this author¡¯s talent.¡±

    Juho looked over at Seo Kwang thinking, ¡®D¨¦j¨¤ vu.¡¯ With a serious face, Seo Kwang listened to Sun Hwa intently.

    ¡°I rmend his debut work. It¡¯s a short story about a girl suffering from a rare disease and an actor who¡¯s past his prime. The two characters learn to depend on each other, and they are both determined to live. The direction, theposition, the drawing, the dialogues... It¡¯s wless.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°If that means you¡¯re interested, I can lend you one right now. It¡¯s in my bag.¡±

    ¡°I respectfully decline.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Sun Hwa clicked her tongue as Juho turned her down. Seo Kwang came between them and added, ¡°Yeah! He¡¯s supposed to be reading the books I rmended first.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember agreeing to that.¡±

    Seo Kwang waspletely oblivious to Juho¡¯s murmur. He took out a book from his bag and put it in front of Sun Hwa.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of this book. You¡¯re a spy if you haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I recognize it,¡± Sun Hwa and Bom responded simultaneously.

    It was impossible not to know about that book. It was the very book the press had been talking about nonstop. Mr. Moon had brought it up at one point too, the birth of a genius author, Trace of a Bird. It was a critically acimed work.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t read it yet.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang¡¯s eyes lit up, and he began to tell them the synopsis. It was a story about a boy who was afraid of birds.

    ¡°If you just say that you¡¯re interested, I can take it out of my bag right now and lend it to you.¡±

    ¡°Not interested,¡± Sun Hwa declined sharply.

    ¡°I¡¯m for the minorities. I¡¯m a person who would rather swim against the current. Even if I get around to reading it, I¡¯ll get to it once the hype dies down.¡±

    ¡°What?! You¡¯re a stubborn one aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What did you just say?¡±

    From then on, Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa got busy bickering with each other. Bom tried to stop them from fighting, but it was useless.

    Juho left the two bickering and looked around the room. There were various experiment tools in storage. On the left side of the room, there was a mannequin, and next to it, there were desks and chairs that were no longer in use. The room might be called a science room, but it was obvious that it was being used as storage space. Everytime Juho breathed in, there was faint scent of rubbing alcohol.

    Fwoosh!

    At the sound of the door, the four turned their heads at the same time. A guest was standing by the door. Bulky, long-limbed, short hair, thick lips, teeth that were exceptionally white and dark-skinned.

    ¡°Is he ck?¡± someone whispered.

    <A Piece of Paper on the Ground> The End.

 Chapter 6 - The Basics

    <h4>Chapter 6: Chapter 6 ¨C The Basics</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The ck boy strode into the room. From the color of his name tag, it was apparent that he was a second year.

    While everyone else was giving the upperssman a nk stare, Juho remembered who he was. Coming to think of it, there had been a ck student in his high school. They had never talked, but Juho remembered his looks and his brusque impression.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho said in midst of the silence. As he found his seat, the upperssman looked at him. The rings arounds his eyes were paler.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°You must be part of the Literature Club too.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be here otherwise.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Juho Woo. Nice to meet you.¡±

    It was a strange sight. He spoke fluent Korean, contrary to his looks. At Juho¡¯s greeting, the rest snapped out of it and greeted the new guest.

    ¡°Baron Kim. Second year. You don¡¯t have to be so tense.¡±

    Baron looked stern. It was very unusual to be around a ck upperssman in Korea. The others were feeling like they were walking on eggshells, all except for Juho.

    ¡°Would you mind if I call you Baron?¡±

    ¡°If you want.¡±

    Encouraged by Juho¡¯s boldness, Seo Kwang began to ask Baron questions, indirectly, of course, ¡°You and I have the samest name.¡±

    ¡°My father is Korean. I was born here.¡±

    Baron didn¡¯t seem to be bothered, but he didn¡¯t seem friendly either. The silence returned. As if he were used to it, Baron took out a book from his bag.

    It was the Literature Club after all. The members seemed to possess some level of interest in books. Juho looked intently at the book in Baron¡¯s hand. Seeing how fidgety Seo Kwang was getting, it was getting obvious what book it was. Baron¡¯s hand was clearly visible wrapped around the white book cover.

    Fwoosh!

    It was Mr. Moon, and that was the signal that the silence hade to an end.

    ¡°Mr. Moon!¡±

    ¡°Yea, yea! It¡¯s me.¡±

    Although the students weed him, Mr. Moon remained calm.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°Is there only five of us in the club?¡±

    ¡°Makes roll call that much easier.¡±

    Had there been no promotion or was that one of thezy clubs? How many high school students liked books? There were only five people in that school who would join a literature club, including Juho.

    Mr. Moon put down the pile of books in his hand and sat across from Baron. Then, he put everything he brought onto the table. At a nce, it was apparent what they were.

    ¡°I¡¯m Song Hak Moon, the homeroom teacher for the Literature Club. Let¡¯s have some fun.¡±

    Fun... He seemed oddly excited. His attitude was different from the one he showed in ss. It hadn¡¯t been that long since Juho met him, but at the moment, he was livelier than ever.

    ¡°You seem much happier than you are in ss,¡± said Seo Kwang.

    Juho wasn¡¯t the only person who thought Mr. Moon was different from the usual. Everyone looked at him, wondering what he was so excited about.

    Mr. Moon spoke with a big smile. It was an innocent smile that you wouldn¡¯t normally see in a teacher, ¡°Of course! Teaching you guys is less fun than counting grains of sand in a desert. You don¡¯t know the misery I go through every Sunday night do you? Dreadinging here.¡±

    ¡°Um...¡±

    Of course they wouldn¡¯t. He was the first teacher who had said such a thing so confidently. How did one react in that situation? Mr. Moon¡¯s face was too vivid to move on with silly jokes.

    Seo Kwang had a big smile on his face. It was sort of unexpected, but once he realized that the teacher was no different from him, he was able to identify with Mr. Moon.

    ¡°Haha!¡± Seo Kwangughed out loud now.

    ¡°If I want to make a living, I have to be here. Life is too short to be living with such pain, but that doesn¡¯t make teaching any more fun. That¡¯s why I looked around the school to find something fun.¡±

    ¡°And that was the Literature Club?¡± asked Juho. This was one strange teacher.

    ¡°Aption, to be exact. I found it at the school library.¡±

    The books he had brought wereptions. ¡®How curious,¡¯ Juho didn¡¯t know that he could find things like that at the school library.

    ¡°This, is the tradition of the Literature Club. All of the seedingptions are being kept at the school library. Thirty-four volumes in total. What we¡¯re going to be working on is the thirty-fifthption.

    ¡°We¡¯re making aption?¡± Sun Hwa asked.

    Theption books had varying titles and thickness. The content was probably different as well. It looked technical and difficult.

    ¡°It¡¯s not all that hard. You¡¯re onlypiling the process.¡±

    ¡°So, are we writing something for theption?¡± Seo Kwang asked, expecting it to be the club¡¯s primary activity, but Mr. Moon cringed.

    ¡°You¡¯re not writing to put it into something. That¡¯s not fun.¡±

    ¡°Then, what is it?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t get the order mixed up. Comptions aren¡¯t about the objective. They¡¯re about the process. You¡¯re leaving a trace behind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand,¡± Seo Kwang answered after raising his hand.

    After some more thought, Mr. Moon started again, ¡°Then, forget it.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    It made no sense.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to understand. Anyhow, we, as a Literature Club, will be doing activities that fit the club¡¯s name. That should be enough.¡±

    He definitely had no talent for teaching. This had been what Mr. Moon had been wanting to say all along, ¡®Theption willplete itself as we write along. In other words, theption is memory.¡¯

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s an activity that fits the name of our club?¡±

    ¡°Writing, of course. By the way, make sure you bring your pens and notebooks from now on.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir...¡± Everyone replied ambiguously.

    The questions stopped once they realized that there wasn¡¯t going to be a decent answer no matter how substantial the questions were. Mr. Moon seemed to beforted by the fact that there were no more question being asked. It was getting tiresome to think about whether or not a teacher could behave in such a way. Besides, a teacher like Mr. Moon wasn¡¯t that bad, surprisingly.

    As Mr. Moon was about to wrap up his orientation, he randomly pointed at Baron.

    ¡°I almost forgot. There¡¯s a person who hates writing among our members. I don¡¯t like to force people to do things, so I let him in. I won¡¯t leave him to bezy, so don¡¯tin too much. Speaking of which, is there anybody else in this group who hates writing? Does anybody have the guts to say that after joining a literature club? Is there anyone who¡¯s twisted on the inside? Now would be the time to speak up. I¡¯ll be d to let you have the floor.¡±

    Despite the message, his tone was pleasant. Thanks to Mr. Moon, the situation was dyed.

    Sun Hwa thought to herself,

    ¡®You refuse to write in a literature club? What was the teacher thinking letting somebody like that into the club? Why is that upperssman here anyway?¡¯

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s Baron going to be doing?¡± Juho asked Mr.Moon.

    An answer came from behind him, ¡°I¡¯m going to be drawing.¡±

    Juho thought to himself,

    ¡®Drawing. I guess that¡¯s kind of romantic. I was expecting something like ¡°I¡¯m going to be on my study guide.¡±¡®

    He looked at Baron and asked again, ¡°Howe?¡±

    ¡°Because I want to.¡±

    By now, everyone knew better than asking questions like that. Baron didn¡¯t feel like exining himself, even if it meant giving a ridiculous answer.

    Juho dly left him be.

    ¡°Then, you must be the only art club member in here.¡±

    ¡°...take it as you will.¡±

    Baron looked at Juho with annoyance. Not just Baron, but everyone else.

    ¡°So, no one else is refusing to write?¡± Mr. Moon confirmed again, and obviously, the result remained the same.

    p!

    He shifted the mood with his p and went straight into teaching.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll be teaching you the basics of writing. Have you heard of the phrase ¡®damoon-dadok-dasangryang?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Um.¡±

    ¡°To put it another way, it means that in order to write well, one must listen a lot, read a lot, and think a lot,¡± Mr. Moon exined before anybody had the time to answer.

    To listen a lot, read a lot and think a lot. That was the secret to writing well ording to Ouyang Xiu of China. It came up often during interviews with authors, but it was often said by the authors to make themselves look better. It was rather idiotic.

    ¡°It¡¯s very easy to write well.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°You just write a lot.¡±

    ¡°Egh.¡±

    It was the sound of disappoint. Paying no attention, Mr. Moon carried on, ¡°Do you know what the very first story is when somebody picks up a pen? It¡¯s his personal story. Aposition, at the end of the day, is a story from a person who writes to be read by another person. The closest person to you is yourself, so naturally, you end up writing about your personal story.¡±

    Mr. Moon opened his palm. There was nothing on it.

    ¡°We have to write a lot. It¡¯s the only way to get better. There¡¯s a limit to sticking to your own story. What do you do when the inventory is low?¡±

    ¡°You borrow from another person.

    Satisfied with Juho¡¯s answer, Mr.Moon smiled.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You borrow things like an eraser or a pencil from your friend next to you all the time. So we have to borrow raw materials.¡±

    ¡°How do we do that?¡±

    ¡°You listen, you read, and you think. Start a conversation if that doesn¡¯t cut it. Give them something to eat. Bug them if necessary. Pull it out of them.¡±

    What does one write about? Sometime it¡¯s found internally, other times externally. Let¡¯s say that somebody stepped on a rock. There are some who simply kick it away and carry on, but there are some who listen to the person, their thoughts and feelings to create a story.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with taking an interest in your surroundings. Speaking of which, who sticks out the most?¡±

    ¡°Who sticks ou...!¡±

    ¡°A person.¡±

    All eyes were focused on one person. It had to be Baron. He had been the center of attention until a moment ago. Recognizing that attention again, he frowned. He already had an intimidating appearance, but he looked even scarier. Mr. Moon appeared to be happy that his lesson was flowing ording to his thoughts and continued, ¡°The minority is bound to stick out. As a homeroom teacher, I¡¯ll give you a mission. There¡¯s no time requirement. This is also a training to be a good writer.¡±

    ¡°Mission?¡±

    Ignoring Sun Hwa¡¯s dumbfounded murmur, Mr. Moon continued, ¡°Get yourselves aposition from that strange upperssman. It doesn¡¯t matter what. The only condition is that Baron has to write and submit it in person.¡±

    Juho was impressed. A person was bound to be on his toes if he tried to get something from another person. Thinking of ways to get Baron¡¯s writing, one would naturally use their eyes and ears. In the process, the chance of growing closer to Baron increased. This entire time, Juho had been thinking that Mr. Moon had no talent in teaching. Yet, that was brilliant.

    ¡°Ha!?¡± Baron seemed dumbfounded.

    ¡°You may do what you wish now. You can look at your study guide if you want.¡±

    After dropping the bomb, Mr. Moon leisurely made his way out of the science room.

    ¡°Come find me in the staffroom if anythinges up,¡± he added.

    The students who were left behind looked at each other in agreement.

    ¡®Let¡¯s not say anything for now. Let¡¯s do our own thing.¡¯

    <The Basics> The End.

 Chapter 7 - Self-introduction

    <h4>Chapter 7: Chapter 7 ¨C Self-introduction</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Sun Hwa and Bom took out theirics, and Baron pulled out a book. Like members of the Literature Club, they were all reading something. Juho, sitting still, picked up one of theptions. It was ¡®Volume 34,¡¯ the most recent one.

    The publishing date on the book was eight years ago. Theption was titled ¡®Memories.¡¯ The letters, printed on a yellow background, reminded Juho of autumn, the season for books. The table of contents listed the names of the past members. Seeing how diverse the topics were, the club must have also been pretty flexible back then. Short stories, poems, essays, book report, letters to the iing members... Juho opened to the middle of the book.

    In slightly awkward sentences, the writer was talking about what the Literature Club meant to him, ¡°The air is cold at school. We walk on the rigid marble floor. I look out through the metal beams. I have noints about things like that. It¡¯s just that my feet would get unbearably cold at times. So, feeling like I was buying a pair of cheap socks from the street, I joined the Literature Club. When I tried on the pair of yellow socks, they were thicker and warmer than they had seemed.¡±

    ¡°Yellow socks...¡±

    Maybe that was why the background was yellow.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something written here.¡±

    ¡°What does it say?¡±

    Seo Kwang took theption book from Juho¡¯s hand. While he was reading, Juho picked up a differentption book. His eyes were caught on ¡®Volume 1.¡¯ Juho carefully opened the book, and, there were noticeably more names on the members¡¯ list.

    That must have been the club¡¯s prime. The book was titled ¡®The Beginning.¡¯ Like the title, it was the beginning of a tradition.

    Upon reading it, Juho learned that that book was closer to being an anthology. It was rather tasteful.

    ¡°Look at this. The two teachers were dating back then.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? Let me see.¡±

    That was a conversation between Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa. Soon, with the exception of Baron, there was aption in the hands of each club member. Baron didn¡¯t take his eyes off of his book and paid no attention to all theption books.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to read one, Baron?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±

    Juho had made the question, but what came back was Baron¡¯s dry answer.

    ¡°Who has Volume 1?¡±

    ¡°Here!¡±

    ¡°Did you finish it? Can I read it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Sun Hwa had asked as if she were reading aic book. As Bom put down ¡®Volume 23¡¯ after reading it, Juho picked it up. Surprisingly, the science room ghost story was in there. Though after reading it, it seemed to have failed to frighten the students. In addition, there was a serious study on the mannequin. At the very end, was a story of people putting themselves through courage test.

    ¡°They went through a courage test.¡±

    ¡°At night? Is that OK?¡±

    ¡°They must have sneaked in, and it seems like they never got caught. Let¡¯s hope that the principal hasn¡¯t read this yet.¡±

    Seo Kwang interrupted as Juho was answering Sun Hwa¡¯s question, ¡°That sounds fun. Should we do it too?¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t find anything at school at night other than the kids who are sticking around forte night study sessions.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the romance? I swear...¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t take Seo Kwang¡¯sint seriously. Next, he picked up ¡®Volume 17.¡¯ Most of thepositions were written as reviews, and it gave Juho the impression that the trendy writing style at the time mimicked book reports. There were reports on various books, both famous and unfamiliar. There was a page with multiple reflections written by a several people after reading a book as a group. As Juho read on, he felt the urge to search for the same book. The brief synopsis aroused his interest. ¡®Maybe I should stop by the bookstore after school,¡¯ thought Juho.

    ¡°This is actually pretty good,¡± Seo Kwang murmured.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the iing students will be reading our writing too. I really want to do well,¡± Sun Hwa said.

    Bom gave a big nod. There was vigor in the three students¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°Reading this is making me want to wear yellow socks.¡±

    Sun Hwa added to Bom¡¯s timid voice, ¡°Let¡¯s all get matching socks, all six of us, including the teacher.¡±

    Seo Kwang agreed, ¡°We should have our club name on them too.¡±

    Juho replied with a unimpressed voice, ¡°That sounds tacky just thinking about it.¡±

    ¡ª

    At home, Juho was lying in bed staring at his debut work sitting on the bookshelf. He thought of what Seo Kwang had said earlier. ¡°You haven¡¯t read it, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Read it or not, I wrote it,¡± Juho quietly repeated the words that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say.

    Nobody was around to listen.

    Seo Kwang gave Juho book rmendations repeatedly after that day. When giving a rmendation, some sort of responsibility was bound to follow. There was an assessment on whether the rmendation met the other party¡¯s tastes. That wasn¡¯t just for the other person, but it was also for the one rmending the book. Did the one doing the rmendation introduce something that could be well-received? Was the rmendation to the person¡¯s satisfaction?

    ording to his own assessment result, Seo Kwang excelled at rmending books.

    Every single one of his rmendations had been nothing but gems. By default, Juho read all books without discrimination, but just like everyone else, he did have authors or topics that he was particrly drawn to. Seo Kwang was impable when it came to picking out books that Juho might like.

    Juho had been quite satisfied with Seo Kwang¡¯s rmendations, but there was one thing that he fell short on.

    Without fail, Seo Kwang always rmended ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯

    Juho didn¡¯t feel the same way toward his own writing as other people. Also, he didn¡¯t really feel like reading it. He sat up after thinking about Seo Kwang and his tireless efforts.

    ¡°Maybe I should check it out. It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    Seo Kwang was a passionate fan after all, reading the book that left Juho dissatisfied. Writings existed to be read. An author didn¡¯t exist without a reader.

    Juho picked up the book and opened it to a random page. It was the part when the protagonist ¡°Yun¡± gets out of bed at night to go for a walk. Yun washed his face and changed his clothes in the dark. He could do nothing until his eyes had adjusted to theck of light.

    As Juho read on, he had one thought, ¡®Just turn on the light, caveman.¡¯

    Most of the book took ce at night. Juho had been strict about setting the character¡¯s activities at night. He wanted Yun to be lonely.

    An empty cup was needed in order to fill it with water.

    All the existing characters had their own views of the ¡®bird.¡¯ They turned away, killed, neglected and searched for it. It sounded multifaceted, but all of those characters possessed one true color. Night dyed everything in darkness.

    After reading about five lines, Juho forcefully closed the book. Even at a glimpse, it was incredibly cringe-worthy and pretentious.

    ¡°Why is this so popr anyway?¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho greeted Baron as he walked into the science room.

    Keeping his eyes on his book, Baron replied, ¡°You don¡¯t have to greet me every time.¡±

    His tone was dry. It wasn¡¯t a consideration of an upperssman trying to make the underssman feel less burdened. It was like a line that had been drawn on the desk. ¡®It¡¯s my turf past this line. Don¡¯t you dare cross it.¡¯

    At that moment, that big, ck upperssman seemed a bit more innocent. It was the privilege of a child to tantly put up a wall.

    One could draw all the lines they wanted, but the reality of the world was that it was nearly impossible for one to own that solitarynd.

    ¡°I¡¯ll still say hi.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Without a word, Baron redirected his attention to his book. There was approval in what he had done.

    ¡°Everyone seems to be present,¡± Mr. Moon came inst without even bringing his attendance sheet.

    ¡°I guess ditching isn¡¯t an option,¡± Seo Kwang murmured.

    The small number of people was definitely not a plus.

    ¡°Everyone brought something to write with and on?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    On a long desk, there were five notebooks. Sun Hwa had a matching notebook to Bom¡¯s. They had to have bought it together.

    ¡°Good. Technically, today¡¯s the official first day. On the first day, I believe self-introduction to be a must.¡±

    Sun Hwa let out a short groan. She was direct when it came to expressing her feelings. Bom was sitting next to her, and she didn¡¯t appear to be all that excited. Expressing themselves in front of a crowd while being the center of attention was a tall order for most Korean teenagers.

    ¡°Could I have one persone out at a time?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moon, is this necessary? We got pretty closest time.¡±

    Everyone agreed with Sun Hwa.

    ¡°Not with me.¡±

    Sun Hwa stopped talking, as if she had been stricken by her conscience to say that Mr.Moon was part of the circle. At that, like he knew all about it, Mr.Moon nodded.

    ¡°This is because you guys don¡¯t want to be in front of people, right? Then let¡¯s do this. Since we¡¯re a Literature Club, let¡¯s all write them out?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Yes, please!¡±

    It didn¡¯t matter to Juho, but he did feel morefortable writing, so he quietly agreed. Since nobody had to stand at the front to introduce themselves, everyone took to their pens with pleasure.

    ¡°How much do we write?¡±

    ¡°However much you like.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s OK if I write one line?¡± Seo Kwang asked yfully.

    Mr. Moon responded nonchntly, ¡°If you can express yourself in one sentence, then be my guest.¡±

    ¡°That sounds harder.¡±

    Seo Kwang didn¡¯t say anything else and immersed himself in his thoughts, ¡®How should I start? Probably best to start with my name.¡¯

    He thought of the most generic self-introduction, ¡®I am so and so. I¡¯m so many years old. My hobby is reading and listening to music.¡¯

    ¡°This could be better.¡±

    Seo Kwang went back to the basics. A self-introduction, from its definition, was writing that introduced yourself to another person. Yourself to another person, maybe one could think in reverse and write about things that the other person might want to know about ¡°yourself.¡±

    ¡®What would Mr. Moon want to know about me? My grades? Maybe my writing skills since this is the Literature Club.¡¯ By that point, Seo Kwang quietly asked himself, ¡®Are you good at writing?¡¯ There was only one answer: ¡®I don¡¯t know either.¡¯

    Seo Kwang sighed. How could he introduce himself when he didn¡¯t even know himself?

    ¡°My ego hasn¡¯t been fully formed.¡±

    ¡°You went that far with the self-introduction?¡± Juho asked with a smile.

    Seo Kwang glimpsed at Juho¡¯s note. It was nk, just like his own. How was he so calm?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know myself, so how can YOU know ME?¡±

    ¡°I thought this was supposed to a self-introduction, but you seem like you¡¯re more on the self-realization side. Good for you.¡±

    Seo Kwang exined his stream of consciousness to Juho, ¡°What if you write ¡®I know nothing about myself.¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d sound like a rebel.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true though.¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± Seo Kwang contemted it. He didn¡¯t fully agree with Juho because he knew Juho wasn¡¯t right.

    ¡°I mean, I know something.¡±

    Juho shrugged his shoulder as if he weren¡¯t seeing a problem.

    ¡°Then you should write about what you do know.¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Seo Kwang eximed. It felt like he had finally figured out where things had gone wrong. He decided to be honest. When he focused on what others might want to know about him, he couldn¡¯t write a single word. ¡®Juho, this guy, maybe he knew it all along.¡¯

    Juho was resting his jaw on his hand, staring off into thin air. His page was still empty. Maybe he didn¡¯t really know.

    ¡°You put a lot of thought into this.¡±

    ¡°What the... Why are you eavesdropping?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not sitting right next to you. No wonder you can¡¯t write anything. Draw a line so that somethinges out.¡±

    ¡°Aha! So, that¡¯s how you ended up with eraser dust everywhere. Can you stop blowing it on me?¡±

    There was about a third of a page worth of writing in Sun Hwa¡¯s notebook. It was surrounded by eraser dust. When Seo Kwang tantly moved the dust away, Sun Hwa red at him. He wasn¡¯t backing out either.

    ¡°At least I wrote something, unlike somebody.¡±

    ¡°Juho¡¯s page is nk too, you know.¡±

    ¡°Look to your side.¡±

    Seo Kwang looked to where Sun Hwa was pointing. In no time, his notebook had been filled about a third way.

    ¡°What the, when did you write all that?¡±

    ¡°When you were busy talking,¡± Juho responded as he kept moving his pen. Feeling a sense of urgency, Seo Kwang stopped his quarrel with Sun Hwa and started writing in a hurry.

    <Self-introduction> The End

 Chapter 8 - Smelly-Grilled Mackerel

    <h4>Chapter 8: Chapter 8 ¨C Smelly-Grilled Mackerel</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Take care of yourself.¡±

    ¡°Alright, be safe.¡±

    Mr. Moon sent the students away and stayed behind, in the science room, on his own. There were five notebooks piled up on the desk, all submitted by the members. They were new and spotless.

    He opened the notebook on the top of the pile. It was the time to listen to the voices of his young pupils.

    ¡®My name is Sun Hwa Ahn. I¡¯m 17 years old, and my blood type is B. I¡¯m maintaining my grades at a higher tier, and my hobby is readingic books. I enjoyics. The reason why I joined the Literature Club instead of the Comic Club is that the Comic Club at our school is not a genuine club.¡¯

    From that point on, Sun Hwa wrote at good length on herints toward the school¡¯s club management. Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be a self-introduction?

    About half of what she wrote was aboutics. When it came to the things she liked, they were described in great detail.

    ¡®I hope you can view me as a bright and healthy student! Thank you Mr. Moon!¡±

    She was straightforward to the end. She had the courage to speak up about the things she liked. Mr. Moon was able to immediately picture Sun Hwa. Considering how it painted a fairly urate picture of herself, that had been a decent self-introduction.

    He picked up the second notebook. It was a simr notebook to Sun Hwa¡¯s, and it wasn¡¯t hard to guess who it belonged to.

    ¡®My name is Bom Yoon. I¡¯m 17, and my blood type is A. My hobby is reading. I like bothics and literature. I joined the Literature Club at the suggestion of a friend. Everyone here seems to have distinct personalities, so I look forward to being part of this club. Thank you Mr. Moon.¡¯

    That was it. There were traces of her erasing in the nk space. Timid and a woman of few words, it seemed like she was still working on introducing herself. Despite the length, it was easy to identify her characteristics. She wasplimenting a group of people around her when she had barely met them. Her style was simr to Sun Hwa¡¯s. Her self-introduction was focused more on the others than herself.

    Perhaps she¡¯s sensitive to her surroundings.

    After some thought, Mr. Moon moved onto the next notebook. The name Seo Kwang Kim was visible.

    ¡®To Mr. Moon.

    This is Seo Kwang Kim. I¡¯ve chosen the Literature Club as my first club aftering up to high school. The reason why I didn¡¯t choose another club that could potentially look better on my school record is simply because I¡¯m not interested in getting good grades. Nobody enjoys studying, but I seriously despise being forced to do something.

    My parents call me immature. They say that I¡¯m going to regret this in the future, but I know for a fact that regret isn¡¯t going to be the only sentiment I feel when I look back to this moment.

    I love books. That¡¯s the reason why I joined the Literature Club. The first time I came to like books was the moment I shed a tear onto the page of a book. I¡¯ve cried reading a book in the past. It was an amazing experience. Although I wasn¡¯t listening to beautiful music or was able to see gorgeous colors, I was being moved from deep within.¡¯

    Mr. Moon rted to Seo Kwang¡¯s statement. You could never forget the moment of being moved by that thing called a book. Many people kept crying andughing from stories left by great storytellers. A person could grow solely through that.

    Seo Kwang described himself at the end in a single line, ¡®Your pupil who¡¯s in love with all of the stories in this world, Seo Kwang Kim.¡¯

    Next was Baron. When that kid showed up to the staffroom for the first time, Mr. Moon was honestly shocked.

    ¡°I want to draw.¡±

    Mr. Moon replied, ¡°I¡¯m a literature teacher.¡±

    Then, Baron answered, ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡±

    ¡®Who would¡¯ve thought a rebel could be so polite?¡¯ Mr.Moon quickly gave him permission. ¡®It was good to have at least one person around who liked to go against the flow. Others could find that a motivation to write.¡¯

    What kind of things would a artist pupil of a literature teacher draw?

    Mr. Moon opened the sketchbook and smiled with satisfaction. It was a very familiar drawing, a bird in a white background. It immediately reminded him of a book cover, and he felt a small bit of relief. After reading that book, he had to feel something, whatever that might be.

    Mr. Moon picked up thest notebook, Juho Woo¡¯s. That kid was hard to read. He seemed innocent, but on the other hand, mature. He appeared to have a floaty kind of personality, but at the same time, he blended well with others. It was hard to tell if he was calm or just absent-minded.

    ¡®Maybe his introduction will tell me.¡¯

    He turned the page.

    ¡°Oh man, this kid.¡±

    Could that be better described as brilliant or off the wall? Mr. Moon chuckled at the title written on the first sentence.

    ¡®About Grilled Mackerel.

    Mackerel is referred to as the blue fish. Its clean, buttery-tasting meat is worthy of being called ¡°the porkbelly of the sea.¡± If the fish is of high quality, all it needs is a little salt. Otherwise, it will require a bit of trimming. This is to eliminate the fishy smell.

    Prepare some rice water or water with a little bit of soybean paste. Soak the fish for about ten minutes, then wash it in running water. The odor will disappear. If you add lemon or finely ground daikon radish and soy sauce, the fish bes a delicacy.

    I¡¯m always eating grilled mackerel that¡¯s been tidily prepared. Only, my father is not fond of that.

    He dislikes the fact that the human hand is extinguishing even the essence of the ocean. Even if it were the fishiest smelling mackerel, he says that he prefers that over the mackerel that¡¯s been prepared to people¡¯s liking.

    Standing next my father longing for the lost essence of the fish, I find myself subconsciously picturing him when he was full of the fragrance of life.

    With a hope of having grilled mackerel for dinner tonight, I now bring thisposition to an end.¡¯

    ¡°Grilled Mackerel.¡±

    ¡®I like it.¡¯ Mr. Moon read Juho¡¯s writing again. It was wless as a self-introduction.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have know. This kid is very interesting. Are kids good at writing by default nowadays?¡± Murmured Mr. Moon as he thought of a young author in his head.

    ¡ª

    As Juho read in his room, he heard the front door opening. His mother was home.

    ¡°Wee back.¡±

    ¡°You must be hungry. I¡¯ll grill some mackerel.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Juho felt awkward about speaking to his parents in casualnguage. For some time, he had been speaking to them properly. His parents were thinking that their son had grown up after moving up to high school.

    ¡°What about father?¡±

    ¡°He must be busy at work. He said he¡¯ll bete.¡±

    His mother took off her work clothes and immediately started cooking in the kitchen. As soon as she walked into the kitchen, there was vigor in the house. Rustling, the sound of chopping, smell of fish... All those came together and transformed into a mouth-watering smell. With hands of experience, she had quickly filled the dinner table. She hadn¡¯t been doing that for mere a day or two. It was precise, and skillful. All Juho could do was to ce the utensils on the table or scooping rice into the bowls.

    ¡°Thank you for the food.¡±

    Juho took some the white mackerel meat from the te and put it in his mouth. The meat was just buttery enough, giving it a smooth texture. It was perfectlybined with rice. He felt like he could eat an entire bowl just with the mackerel.

    ¡°Is everything OK at school?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Has there been anything interestingtely?¡±

    As usual, she calmly asked about her son¡¯s day. Naturally, Juho told his mother about what had happened that day. It was mostly about what he had talked about with his friends or funny things his teachers had said. When it came to the club activity in the science room, Juho only picked things that his mother mightugh at. In response, Juho¡¯s mother started sharing about her day and the things that happened between the neighbors.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible to have a conversation with thatdy. It¡¯s like she¡¯s from another dimension.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! She even talks like a baby.¡±

    Then, she impersonated thedy¡¯s speech. Her lisp was rather funny. After they had finished talking, she added these words as always, ¡°There are things that should stay within the family. Just because I said what I said, you can¡¯t be going around telling your friends. You know what I mean?¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Her concern for her son was habitual. After cleaning up, she cut up some persimmons. They were sweet and pleasant. After Juho took a bite from a soft piece of persimmon, his mother asked, ¡°How are you feeling these days?¡±

    To that unexpected question, Juho asked back, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re famous now. Your books are selling well. Are you excited?¡±

    Juho¡¯s mother said it yfully, but Juho wasn¡¯t that naive. He sensed concern behind her words. It had to be something about her son bing arrogant from the unexpected sess. There had been moments like that in the past. His mother would carefully ask Juho a question after dinner, and back then, her immature son found her concern to be a hassle.

    His parents had to have been caught off guard by their son¡¯s sess. They probably weren¡¯t sure of how to raise him properly in such a situation. Coming to think of it, Juho¡¯s parents had always done their best to encourage him. He was solely responsible for neglecting their words and choosing not to listen. A child was not some creature that grew ording to how its parents raised it. The reason Juho¡¯s life came to such an end was because of his choices.

    ¡°It is exciting.¡±

    ¡°Still, you know that you shouldn¡¯t be too excited, right? Things could fall apart at any moment.¡±

    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been putting all my money into the savings ount.¡±

    ¡°Great, that¡¯s my son! You¡¯re the spice of my life.¡±

    Juho reassured his mother, and for the first time in a while, he spent time with her in front of a TV.

    ¡°Honey, the mackerel is too fishy. Do we have any lemon?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a fish. It¡¯s supposed to smell like that. We don¡¯t have any, so you¡¯ll just have to eat it.¡±

    Coming inte from work, Juho¡¯s father had to get an earful from his wife afterining about the mackerel.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hey, y a different song. Something exciting.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    The music filled the ssroom. It had been a trend to listen to music during recess using theputer in the ssroom. The song selection usually varied depending on who was sitting in front of the podium, but it was generally pop.

    The ss president held the mouse today, and unlike other days, he yed a music video of a foreign pop singer. Seeing the sexy dance moves, the boys cheered and whistled. Even the girls joined in. ¡®Take me.¡¯ The sound ofughter mingled with the music.

    While bobbing his head to the intro of the song, Juho realized that he felt like the lyrics were being tranted simultaneously and focused on listening.

    ¡°Why do you look so serious listening to a song?¡±

    ¡°I had something to think about.¡±

    While he enjoyed the song, Seo Kwang saw Juho with a serious face andughed. Juho paid no attention and kept listening. After testing himself for several days, Juho realized that his head was able to trante anynguage after some time. It wasn¡¯t just English.

    Click.

    The phenomenon began with a sound that rang out in Juho¡¯s head. It was bizarre. He remembered seeing some five or seven year old prodigies on TV. Those kids learned severalnguages on their own and shocked the adults around them. Were those kids learningnguages by using the same ability as Juho?

    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s something going on outside,¡± Seo Kwang said with his eyes fixed on the hallway.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    By the time Juho had stopped thinking and reconnected with reality, there was a sharp scream. The music stopped, and the kids came out of their ss one by one. Seo Kwang and Juho also left their seats to see what was happening. Kids who were walking on the hallway stopped and approached the scene. There was nothing at the center of the crowd standing in a circle.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t really see.¡±

    The kids closed in to get a better look. All of a sudden, the circle broke apart and split open like Moses splitting the red sea. There were screams asionally. It was neither a god, nor a person that walked through the opening of the crowd. It was a centipede, with more legs than anyone could count.

    ¡°Oh, my! It¡¯s huge!¡±

    ¡°That is so gross!¡±

    ¡°Somebody, kill it.¡±

    The centipede was busy moving around between the kids¡¯ feet. From the centipede¡¯s perspective, that group of kids probably had more legs. The centipede had to have probably realized it by now,

    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t havee here.¡¯

    Due to the school being close to a mountain, Juho heard a teacher saying that centipedes were amon find. The first years were on a high alert because a centipede had appeared before them. The school being in Seoul, most kids probably weren¡¯t used to seeing centipedes right in front of their eyes.

    ¡°It might be poisonous.¡±

    Squirming what looked like either a head or tail, the centipede came closer. It was a threat. That thing was dangerous.

    ¡°Let¡¯s kill it!¡±

    <Smelly-Grilled Mackerel> The End

 Chapter 9 - Charades

    <h4>Chapter 9: Chapter 9 ¨C Charades</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Somebody use your slipper to kill it! This is the chance to be hero!¡±

    ¡°Ahh! I¡¯m scared!¡±

    ¡°Somebody kill it!¡±

    Sensing hostility from the humans, the centipede moved about all the more busily. Only, it was headed in a bad direction. The students ran away screaming while its countless legs moved restlessly. The standoff continued at a distance. The hallway was growing increasingly chaotic.

    ¡°Move.¡±

    At that moment, one of the students took off his slipper and started walking toward the centipede. Others who appeared to be his friends gave him an exaggerated cheer. There was yfulness in the boy holding the slipper in his hand. Without hesitating, he approached the centipede and raised his hand up. Underneath him was the centipede.

    Juho reached out to stop him.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    The voice didn¡¯t belong to Juho¡¯s. At that slightly awkward, yet resounding voice, the boy stopped what he was doing. The others stopped talking.

    It was the foreign teacher. He was known as James. His Korean was still awkward. Many students trembled with anxiety that he might try to strike a conversation with them. To those students, English was a much greater fear than a mere centipede.

    Seeing the crowd of students on the first years¡¯ floor on his way to prepare for ss, James approached them. Flustered, the boy holding the slipper was struggling for words. Others who had been cheering and those who had been screaming were all staring at that, tall foreigner of a teacher. They hoped somebody would give him an exnation.

    Unaware of the students¡¯ heart, James spoke without hesitation. Of course, in English.

    ¡°Oh, my! There¡¯s a centipede here. I have an idea of what the situation is. This is a rather threatening presence for the adorable first years. But we must not forget the fact that we¡¯re all part of nature. A slipper is not a tool for murder. It¡¯s an object that protects your feet. Now, let your slipper serve its purpose.¡±

    Surprisingly, the student understood and ced his slipper back onto his foot. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because he was fluent in English. As he backed out, he spoke to one of the students who had been cheering for him.

    ¡°That was lit! I just understood everything he was saying!¡±

    Bodynguage was rather universal. James¡¯ bodynguagemunicated his thoughts with an admirable result. With such an amazingmunication method, hisck of fluency in Korean didn¡¯t seem to be an issue.

    ¡°Somebody bring me a dustpan and a broom. I¡¯ll take the centipede out.¡±

    At James acted out using a broom, the students looked at each other. ¡°Who wants to go get it?¡± As big of a crowd as it was, nobody wanted go.

    As he watched, Juho went into the ss and grabbed a broom and a dustpan out of the cleaning supply closet.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    With care, James ced the dustpan in the centipede¡¯s path. It took interest in the orange stic, and crawled right into it. James waited until its long body had thoroughly made its way into the pan, then said proudly to the students around, ¡°Please go back to your sses. You should rest during recess.¡±

    Even with a dustpan with the centipede in it, James¡¯ gestures made sense to the students. The crowd disbanded, and they all went their separate ways.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting the broom and the dustpan back. You go back and enjoy the rest of the music.¡±

    ¡°OK. Have fun!¡±

    After sending Seo Kwang back, Juho walked alongside James. With a puzzled expression on his face, James asked him, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°The broom and the dustpan in your hands belong to our ss, so I wanted to take it back. I wanted to see the centipede returning to nature too.¡±

    James seemed surprised for moment, but hearing his nativenguage for the first time in a while, he replied with dness.

    ¡°Your English is really good. I¡¯m surprised. Do you have any friends who are foreigners?¡±

    Juho thought of Baron for a brief moment, but he was more fluent in Korean than English. Besides, they hardly talked to each other.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe you¡¯re from another country yourself. Are you an exchange student?¡±

    ¡°No way.¡±

    ¡°Are you mixed?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve never been to another country.¡±

    James groaned at Juho¡¯s answers to his questions, even predicting his next question. He thought briefly and continued, ¡°Then there must have been an opportunity in your life I¡¯m not aware of,¡± he said confidently.

    Juho¡¯snguage acquisition route had been slightly different from the norm. After some consideration, Juho replied, ¡°I somehow found myself like this.¡±

    At his vague answer, Jamesughed heartily. He seemed to be thinking that Juho had a secret that he was too shy to talk about. If that was the case, then that was a big plus for Juho, and he quietly swallowed his exnations. As Jamesughed, his hands moved left and right, which meant the centipede in the dustpan was being tossed around. It didn¡¯t seem like it was afortable ride for the centipede.

    At the school¡¯s backyard, James swung his arms like a discus thrower. The centipede flew through the air andnded on a leaf. After observing its surroundings, it went on its way. ¡®I hope it doesn¡¯t get lost this time.¡¯

    After looking at the centipede for a while, James suddenly started talking, ¡°You can learn anguage rather quickly given the opportunity. The reason why our students struggle so much with English is because they¡¯re not given the opportunity. Without it, there¡¯s no drive, and the process only bes painful.¡±

    Writing out dictation out of concern for a grade or the future was just exhausting. Learning was not the result.

    ¡°A ssroom is not where you start. You have to go out and find that opportunity. Only then, you can learn anguage. That¡¯s the start. It honestly doesn¡¯t feel real to me that I¡¯m teaching English to these students. It kind of feels like you¡¯re watering a dying nt with wine instead of water.¡±

    That was a rather umon analogy. His bodynguage seemed to be easier to understand, so Juho asked light-heartedly, ¡°So, is your Korean awkward because you weren¡¯t given the opportunity?¡±

    ¡°Haha, that is correct. I¡¯m still looking for an opportunity to learn. I¡¯m also single.¡± Then, James added yfully, ¡°Do you know any women? Introduce me to them.¡±

    ¡®Is he asking a student about introducing him to women? This school somehow has a number of teachers who don¡¯t act like they¡¯re teachers.¡¯

    ¡°I may be fluent enough in English to not require further education in the subject, but I¡¯m still a student.¡±

    ¡°Huh!? So you didn¡¯t learn English because you were into foreign women? At that age, the interest toward the opposite gender tends to be more intense. I went out a lot too when I was in school.¡±

    Somehow, James appeared to be filled with confidence as he reminisced about his past. Juho¡¯s father would make a simr face at times. Everyone¡¯s memory tended to beautify itself, both natives or foreigners alike.

    ¡°Thanks for lending me these. I¡¯ll see you in ss.¡±

    James handed the broom and the dustpan back to Juho and went into a ssroom at the opposite side of the building. He was a pleasant person, a master of bodynguage, and lover of nature. Juho thought about the kind of story that woulde out with James as the protagonist, ¡®It¡¯d probably have a feel of a rowdy street concert with cheerful melodies and cymbals that were particrly loud.¡¯

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you determined.¡±

    Sun Hwa had been the first to act on the mission given to the club members, the mission of getting a writing sample out of Baron. Apanied by Bom, she came to Juho¡¯s ss and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to try talking to Baron today. Don¡¯t stop me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to. Do you have a n though?¡±

    ¡°Of course! I may not look like it, but I can afford to befortable with my grades. I¡¯m a thinker.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean you just gave up on your grades?¡±

    Sun Hwa red at Seo Kwang as he sneered at her. Bom spoke up in midst of the staring contest, ¡°Sun Hwa has really good grades. Even in middle school, she was in top ten in the entire school. She¡¯s works really hard.¡±

    ¡°You hear that?¡±

    ¡°Huh! I¡¯m surprised you even have time to study when you read so manyics.¡±

    ¡°Everything¡¯s a bnce. I¡¯m a woman of wisdom, so it¡¯s a piece of cake for me to hit two rabbits with one stone.¡±

    ¡°At the very least, I can see that youck humility.¡±

    Juho spoke up to put the conversation back on track, ¡°So how are you going to approach Baron?¡±

    As if she was waiting for that, Sun Hwa replied with a smile, ¡°Head on.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said you were a thinker?¡±

    Bomughed nervously at Seo Kwang¡¯s remark. She seemed to be struggling to think of words to vouch for her friend. Considering her demeanor so far, it suited her.

    Regardless of grades, there was no hesitation in the way Sun Hwa treated people. One could argue that the depth of a rtionship wasn¡¯t proportionate to time, but with the exception of Baron, everyone in the Literature Club had grown very close to each other almost instantly. That was partly due to Sun Hwa¡¯s proactivity. Seo Kwang appeared to be social, but he¡¯s had a cautious and watchful side. Bom didn¡¯t speak much or act on things proactively. In other words, Sun Hwa was basically the captain.

    ¡°What good is a strategy when you¡¯re trying to win someone over? If your heart connects with that person, you can rte with them about anything.¡±

    ¡°OK, so let¡¯s say that what you¡¯re saying is true. How are you going to connect your heart with Baron?¡±

    In response to Seo Kwang, Sun Hwa took out a book. There was a drawing of a hill on the cover. Covered in dirt, the five characters from the book were climbing that very hill. They generally gave off a pleasant impression.

    ¡°Thisic is all that it takes to connect with a person heart-to-heart. You would know, Seo Kwang. A book has the power to move people¡¯s hearts.¡±

    ¡°So, a book. Guess I don¡¯t have a choice. I¡¯ll be rooting for you.¡±

    Before they knew, their hearts were connecting. It would have been ideal if things yed out like they had done between those two, but how would Baron respond?

    Like a captain, Sun Hwa ran up to the second years¡¯ floor. The other three followed.

    Bothered by Sun Hwa asking him toe out, Baron walked out into the hallway. Bom looked at Sun Hwa, looking even more nervous than her friend. Seo Kwang and Juho observed with fascination.

    ¡°Baron.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± he blurted out a short reply.

    As if she had been expecting it, Sun Hwa continued, ¡°Would you write me something?¡±

    Straight to the point. There was no beating around the bush to keep him happy. She stood tall and confidently before Baron. It was admirable. Having that kind of side to her, perhaps Sun Hwa was the toughest one in the club. With that spirit, she was worthy of being a general.

    As if she were putting down her sword, Sun hwa pulled out heric book.

    ¡°This was theic that moved me the most my entire life. When you read this, you¡¯ll find yourself getting filled withpanionship. I guarantee it. If you write about how deeply you¡¯ve been moved, you¡¯d be able to write at least ten pages. Baron, please by mypanion.¡±

    Bom turned pale. As if she didn¡¯t see that, Sun Hwa was confident. ¡®How would this n work? Would it bring down Baron¡¯s wall?¡¯

    Appearing dumbfounded, Baron smirked, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Oh,e on!¡±

    The two began quarreling. It was an argument between Sun Hwa trying to get Baron to take her book, and Baron rejecting her. He seemed to be caught off guard by how proactive Sun Hwa had been. It was visible that Baron didn¡¯t know what to do. He was not used to such an initiative. Perhaps that was going to work after all.

    ¡°Baron, the bell¡¯s about to ring. I have to go soon. Please, take it.¡±

    ¡°I said I don¡¯t need it. Just go already.¡±

    ¡°If you read this book, you¡¯ll be shedding tears before you know it, and your writing will practically write itself. You¡¯re going to want to find apanion and go on an adventure. Then,e find me in ss.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where your ss is, and I¡¯m not nning on going there. Not to mention, I¡¯m not writing anything.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Please just take the book then. Just the book.¡±

    The two kept on quarreling, but even until the end, Baron didn¡¯t take the Sun Hwa¡¯s book.

    <Charades> The End

 Chapter 10 - Inside of a Pouch (1)

    <h4>Chapter 10: Chapter 10 ¨C Inside of a Pouch (1)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Some people would¡¯ve taken the book if things had risen to such a degree, but Baron was quite stubborn. Of course, it made sense considering that he had joined the Literature Club to draw.

    Sun Hwa watched him as he went back inside without regrets. She cringed and pouted her lips.

    ¡°He¡¯s ying hard-to-get. It doesn¡¯t hurt anyone to write anything for someone.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too disappointed,¡± Bom encouraged her. As if she had been waiting, Sun Hwa nodded.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. This ain¡¯t over yet.¡±

    She was determined. Standing a few steps away from where Baron was, Seo Kwang said with a serious face, ¡°I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d turn her down. He¡¯s cold.¡±

    ¡°Seriously. I suppose the head-to-head strategy is a fail.¡±

    ¡°What?! Are you saying that we have to win him over?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    There wasn¡¯t much information on Baron. The strategy had been a fail, but seeing how Sun Hwa wasn¡¯t about to give up anytime soon, things were unclear at that point. Sun Hwa was willing to tackle things head on until the end. ¡®Besides, who knows?¡¯

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to ss for now.¡±

    The first years went their separate ways before the bell. That was thest recess, when they could rest peacefully.

    Sun Hwa ran up the stairs in every recess. She was persistent about talking to Baron. Because of that, the rest of the club members had to follow her around.

    ¡°Hello, Baron.¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Please write me something while you¡¯re at it.¡±

    ¡°Go.¡±

    Or...

    ¡°Baron, where you going?¡±

    ¡°To the restroom.¡±

    ¡°Then, could you write me something there?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Or...

    ¡°Baron, do you know what¡¯s for lunch?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t, so I looked into it. It¡¯s rice curry. It¡¯d be great if you could write me a review after...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not eating.¡±

    Still, she didn¡¯t give up.

    ¡°Baron, how¡¯s this ss?¡±

    ¡°So-so.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m concerned about my future. Could you write me something encouraging?¡±

    ¡°You worry about your own future.¡±

    Although Baron answered awkwardly at first, having a visitor between every ss was quickly getting old. As he walked out of the restroom, Sun Hwa asked, ¡°How was your number two, Baron?¡±

    ¡°...It was number one.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I brought a book in case you get bored while you¡¯re on the toilet.¡±

    ¡°I said it was number one! I don¡¯t need that either,¡± Baron answered her looking fed up.

    The three who had been following Sun Hwa spoke up tiredly, ¡°Is there anything she won¡¯t say?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Sun Hwa for you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah...¡± Bom answered quietly with her head lowered, as if she was embarrassed.

    Things were getting physical. Whenever there was a chance, Sun Hwa walked up the stairs to look for Baron. She wasn¡¯t even having long conversations with him, a few exchanges at most.

    To get Baron¡¯s answer, she moved tirelessly.

    ¡°Admirable,¡± the three murmured.

    Both of Sun Hwa and Baron were incredible. They could probably do anything they wanted with such persistence. On top of that, seeing how Baron was resisting Sun Hwa, there was no way that he would end up having to co-sign anything by force in the future.

    The quarrel between the twosted until after school and well into club activities. Baron rejected her until the end.

    With the exception of Baron, the four headed to the science room and leaned against the desk. When was thest time they had to go up and down stairs like that? They were exhausted.

    ¡°Recklessness won¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean recklessness? We¡¯ll connect eventually.¡±

    ¡®Does she ever get tired?¡¯ She was still saying the same things, and Juho responded with a weak voice, ¡°I can¡¯t do this much longer.¡±

    ¡°Me neither. Baron¡¯s actually kind of patient. I would have driven Sun Hwa out if I were him.¡±

    ¡°At least he¡¯s not the violent type.¡±

    ¡°More like Buddha.¡±

    ¡°Are you guys talking behind my back right now?¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Sun Hwa.¡±

    What stopped her wasn¡¯t Bom, but Mr. Moon and Baron¡¯s sudden appearance.

    ¡°Are you guysing from P.E? Why do you all look so tired?¡±

    The members couldn¡¯t deny those words.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be officially starting our activities today.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°What do you think we¡¯re going to be doing?¡±

    That was an unexpected question.

    ¡°Whatever we have to do today.¡±

    At Seo Kwang¡¯s answer, Mr.Moon nodded lightly. They were going to be doing what they needed to do that day. What could that be?

    ¡°What do you think I was referring to?¡±

    As soon as she heard the question, Sun Hwa remembered the principal¡¯s speech at the beginning of every semester. They were all about attitude or state of mind. She raised her hand and replied, ¡°A pure, unadulterated heart.¡±

    Without hesitation, Mr. Moon made a ¡®X¡¯ with his hands.

    ¡°All of our hearts have already been attacked by microscopic dust. Next,¡± he said it refreshingly. It would have felt like fresh air to people who had been breathing polluted air.

    ¡®How can he say things like that to his students?¡¯

    Sun Hwa pouted her lips, not knowing if she was wrong or if she was offended by Mr. Moon¡¯s answer. Next was Seo Kwang. His answer wasn¡¯t all that different from Sun Hwa¡¯s, ¡°How about basic endurance? The P.E teacher always says that we need to work on our endurance.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t expect endurance from kids who get less activity time than prisoners. Next.¡±

    ¡°Wow! Really?! Do we get less sunlight than prisoners do?¡±

    ¡°That was a bit harsh,¡± Seo Kwang murmured. He was a growing teenager who would soon be taking on the burdens of the future of the country. The prisoners were burdened by their crimes, but it was hard to tell who was actually being punished at that point.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. What could it be?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not body or the mind... What else is there?¡±

    Bom and Sun Hwa exchanged words as they contemted on the answer. It didn¡¯t seem like it wasing to them. Juho was watching Seo Kwangining about the harsh reality of the moment. In that moment, his eyes met with Mr. Moon¡¯s.

    ¡°What do you think the answer is?¡± asked Mr. Moon.

    That was the first official day of club activities, so Juho stared into the ceiling for a little while and asked, ¡°We¡¯re going to be writing, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You need a good vocabry if you are to write.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°That must mean we have to know our lexemes.¡±

    Mr. Moon made a big circle with his hands.

    ¡°Ding, ding, ding!¡±

    It was the most lifeless sound effect. Perhaps for that reason, even after finding out the answer, they weren¡¯t all that excited. Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang had a moment of realization and eximed, ¡°Aha!¡±

    ¡°The answer¡¯s simpler than I thought.¡±

    ¡°The thing that¡¯s really important when you write is vocabry.¡±

    Mr. Moon opened his hands. At the end of them was Seo Kwang.

    ¡°What do you think about when you can¡¯t think of a word?¡±

    ¡°Eh? What do I think about? Um... I think... that I can¡¯t think of anything?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly wrong, but not exactly what I¡¯m looking for either.¡±

    Next, Mr. Moon pointed to Bom. Slightly flustered, she continued, ¡°Um... So... I think that it would be nice if the word I¡¯m looking is written down somewhere... Because it feels like it¡¯s not in my head.¡±

    Her voice was growing timid, but Mr.Moon nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s the answer I¡¯ve been looking for. We look around when we can¡¯t think of a word. That is a subconscious act which assumes that the word we¡¯re looking for can be found in our surroundings. Therefore!¡± he emphasized thest word, entuating his point. ¡°We take the words that are rolling around out there and make them ours.¡±

    Those were interesting words. Everyone seemed to be half-curious and half-concerned. For now, Baron was also listening to Mr. Moon.

    ¡°You each own a pouch.¡±

    ¡°A pouch? We don¡¯t have a pouch.¡±

    After Seo Kwang¡¯s answered, Mr. Moon dropped his head as if the fun was spoiled.

    ¡°Use your imagination ande up with an answer. You¡¯re all part of the Literature Club, where it¡¯s all about creativity.¡±

    Mr. Moon was making a ridiculous demand.

    ¡°This so-called vocabry pouch. In there, you¡¯ll find words that you use often, whereas there won¡¯t be any words that you don¡¯t use. As a starting point, an author should know a vast number of synonyms. Imagine filling up that skinny pouch of yours with words. Filling up that pouch until it¡¯s about to explode is the quickest way to develop your vocabry. Prepare for the winter that¡¯s about toe in your heads. This is to prepare for the ¡®food shortage.¡¯¡±

    ¡®Food Shortage, huh?! Interesting choice of words.¡¯ Running out words as an author was definitely a nightmare. It was like having to starve to death in a winter that came without notice. Juho had never struggled to think of a particr word, but he did possess an unusual fear. He was afraid of using up all the words that he kept inside of him. It was not a pleasant thought.

    Mr. Moon continued to give out instructions.

    ¡°From now on, you guys have try to recall words. Keep them in your mouths and sp them in your hand.

    ¡°But words are not physical beings.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s a good thing. Biting and sucking on something alive is the quickest way to get arrested. Thankfully, words, as they exin themselves, mean words. They may not be physical, but you¡¯ll find them everywhere.¡±

    Mr. Moon spun his hand around and pointed to his surroundings.

    ¡°It¡¯s not overstatement to say that the world you¡¯re currently living in is made of words. House. Car. Drink. Money.¡±

    As expected, he was blurting out things that a student wouldn¡¯t be able to understand. ¡®Underage drinking is illegal, Mr. Moon,¡¯ thought Juho.

    ¡°Same goes for this room.¡±

    ¡°Now that you mention it, I think I¡¯m slowlying to grasp of it all. It feels like this room is shrinking as if it weren¡¯t real. It¡¯s like magic,¡± Seo Kwang said it light-heartedly.

    That storage room called a science room was full of things that weren¡¯t used in a regr basis. Naming those things alone would bring in quite a few words.

    ¡°See, speak, listen and write. Interpret. It¡¯s not a bad idea to refer to a dictionary and create an example using words. You could always cite a phrase that you may have walked by or from a book. You have plenty of pieces of paper. Fill them up all the way. Be affectionate.¡±

    The more difficult the instructions became, the darker their expressions grew.

    Mr. Moon encouraged his students, ¡°Let¡¯s try getting the words out our mouths. Say them with your lips, write them down and then organize them. Write them on the piece of paper you brought, including the words that other people found. You can interpret them on your ownter. Let¡¯s start with Sun Hwa.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Sun Hwa stood up courageously. She seemed confident. As she looked around preparing, Mr. Moon brought a stopwatch and showed it to her.

    ¡°Say as many words as you can in two minutes. Since it¡¯s your first time, I¡¯ll set a limit. Say anything you can find in this room.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready. Whenever you are.¡±

    It was her first time, but it didn¡¯t seem all that challenging. If the limit was the things that one could find in the room, she could simply say what she saw.

    ¡°And... begin!¡±

    Sun Hwa started swiftly. Her eyes met Seo Kwang¡¯s, who was sitting across from her.

    ¡°Seo Kwang, Juho, Bom, Baron, Sun Hwa.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re words too?¡±

    ¡°Proper nouns. Stop disrupting me. Eyes, nose, mouth, ears, forehead, hair, shoulders, chest, torso, arms, legs.¡±

    Sun Hwa answered Seo Kwang quickly and named the things that she could find in the room one by one.

    ¡°Door, windows, desks, chairs, counter, mannequin, wall, poster, globe, earthquake model, storage, earth, dinosaur bones, um... Then,b coats, beakers, cellophane, alcoholmp, cobaltic chloride, filter paper, spuit, stic syringe, rubber gloves, mask, goggles, microscope, um... What was that called... That weird liquid.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a weird liquid?¡±

    ¡°What was it called?¡±

    Sun Hwa began to stutter. She pointed at a brown ss container with a liquid in it. It was probably for an experiment, but the first years mostly learned about theories, so there was no way they could know. Having decent grades, Sun Hwa must have seen it somewhere, but it seemed like her memory was failing. She could just move on, but she wouldn¡¯t give up.

    Juho added, ¡°You can just say liquid. It¡¯s a word.¡±

    ¡°Really? Wait! You¡¯re right! Liquid, and...¡±

    She looked around frantically. She had already named most of the things in the room. The hands of the members that were writing her words had alsoe to stopped. Sun Hwa was getting flustered. She had thought two minutes wouldn¡¯t be enough. She could¡¯ve never known that it would¡¯ve been too much time. She felt like she had already said everything she could, but she could no longer see the words that filled the room. ¡®What else was there?¡¯ Sun Hwa looked around again. There wasn¡¯t going to be anything new. ¡®Is this it? Barely?¡¯ It seemed like a lot. Time was up, and Mr. Moon shouted stop.

    <Inside of a Pouch (1)> The End

 Chapter 11 - Inside of a Pouch (2)

    <h4>Chapter 11: Chapter 11 ¨C Inside of a Pouch (2)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°OK, time. That was good for a first try. You observed well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Sun Hwa sighed loudly and copsed onto her seat. It felt much more exhausting than climbing up and down the stairs. She borrowed Bom¡¯s list of words to see what she could¡¯ve missed, ¡®What did I miss?¡¯

    ¡°You¡¯re good at seeing things from a bird¡¯s eye-view,¡± Juho said.

    Sun Hwa looked at him.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You see the forest itself rather than the trees.¡±

    ¡®Forest?¡¯ Sun Hwa checked at the list again. She reflected on the moment she had struggled: that weird liquid, just liquid. She had desperately tried to remember the name of it because she couldn¡¯t find any more words. Her mind focused on the details because there was no more information that could be identified from simply looking at the external. She looked around the room again. Just with theb coat alone there were words like pockets, sleeves and white. Then, she started to see the things that weren¡¯t visible moments ago.

    ¡°Was I ever bad with details?¡±

    By the time Sun Hwa realized it, the rest of the club members did as well.

    ¡°Details are important. Is that the secret? Wouldn¡¯t that give a bigger advantage to the person that went after?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah! I forgot to tell you, no repeating words.¡±

    ¡°What...? Isn¡¯t there an advantage for the person who goes first?¡±

    Just as Seo Kwang was contemting when he should have his turn, Mr. Moon¡¯s words made him think even more. While he was busy thinking, Sun Hwa told Bom, ¡°Get this over with, Bom.¡±

    ¡°Should I? Mr. Moon, I¡¯ll go next.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    As if giving up, Seo Kwang quietly raised his fist in front of Juho¡¯s eyes. It was an unspoken offer to settle it with a game of rock-paper-scissors. Juho nodded.

    ¡°Winner goesst.¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡±

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissor!¡± Seo Kwang yed rock, and Juho yed paper. Juho won. He was goingst. Seo Kwang smiled and made Juho a boastful promise to Juho, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that there¡¯s nothing left for you.¡±

    ¡®Yeah, yeah. Do your worst,¡¯ thought Juho.

    The timer started, and Bom seemed slightly nervous. She opened her mouth in a hurry.

    ¡°Um, paper, rope, tree, pencil case, cloth, pen, mechanical pencil, lid, handle, rubber, pen tip, spring, ink... and uh, hair tie, scribble, letters, and... and...¡±

    She focused on things that she could find on the desk first: paper and rope from her notebook and tree was from the desk. Bom hastily looked around. She was definitely more detailed than Sun Hwa, but she was tensing up. It made sense considering that there was a time limit. Moreover, the words Sun Hwa had said kept interrupting her thoughts. The same, repeating words danced around in Bom¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°That... um... uniform, name tag, slipper, stocking, pants, shirts, vast, activewear, buttons, sleeves, pockets, cor, lining, thread, knot, wrinkle, um, um, and...¡±

    She stumbled through to find more words. There were quite a few wordsing out of her mouth. There were long gaps in between, but the result wasn¡¯t bad at all. Mr. Moon shouted stop, and Bom returned to her seat while calming her breath. There were still remnants of excitement on her face.

    ¡°That was good, Bom.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m kind of embarrassed that I stuttered so much. I didn¡¯t even get to look around the room like Sun Hwa did. I must be narrow-visioned.¡±

    She waved her hand in denial at Sun Hwa¡¯spliments. ¡®Bom¡¯s approach was definitely more effective than Sun Hwa¡¯s,¡¯ Seo Kwang thought. ¡®Seeing how she was pulling out multiple words out of uniform, perhaps we really are overly depend on what we see.¡¯

    ¡°My turn.¡±

    Without saying a word, Mr. Moon started the timer. Seo Kwang spoke calmly and was not in a hurry. He realized that two minutes was not a short time after watching Sun Hwa and Bom. ¡®There¡¯s plenty of time. No rush¡¯

    ¡°Let¡¯s see, so, men and women, and...things, object, ss, stic, letters, sentences, self-introduction, books, bookshelves, title, author, publisher, trantor, publish, publish date, edition, issue, cover, paper band, numbers, um, and...¡±

    Seo Kwang thought for a brief moment and continued. Those were words that hadn¡¯t been mentioned yet.

    ¡°Light, sunlight, dust, microscopic dust, air, breath, respiration, heat, voice, sound, high pitch, low pitch, student, teacher, time, teenager, friend, friendship, courage, hopes and dreams, peace, youth, and...¡±

    Seo Kwang walked over and opened the window. A cool breeze flowed into the room.

    ¡°Refreshing wind.¡±

    ¡°Wow, such youth,¡± Juho said absent-mindedly. Seo Kwang was blurting out words like friendship, courage and hopes and dreams. It was the fearlessness of youth. Being a fervent reader, he did have a developed sense ofnguage.

    ¡°Wow! That made my heart almost move. That acting.¡±

    ¡°I know! That was good.¡±

    Sun Hwa exaggerated first, although Bom seemed genuinely impressed. Enjoying the responses of the crowd, Seo Kwang made a proud face. At that, Sun Hwamented, ¡°Yes, you need attention at that age.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be jealous of my senses.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been so wronged in my life.¡±

    By the time their quarreling died down, Bom spoke quietly, ¡°That was amazing, Seo Kwang.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡±

    Here was another friend whocked humility. His arrogance was through the roof. Bom was deeply impressed. Words exist even in unseen ces, and Seo Kwang pulled out a fact that Juho had been forgetting. It felt like his vision had widened, so Bomplimented Seo Kwang.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even think about that. That was incredible.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it was nothing. I am pretty amazing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re amazingly shameless,¡± Juho agreed that Seo Kwang was amazing, though in a different way from Bom.

    Her anxiety could have been contagious, but he even walked over to the window to open it. ¡®Did one grow more shameless the more he read?¡¯ No, that was just his personality. He was born with it.

    ¡°OK. Lastly, Juho¡¯s turn,¡± Mr. Moon said.

    Seo Kwang went back to his seat.

    ¡°It must be hard having to be your turn right after me. Don¡¯t feel too burdened, my friend.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s exhausting to go after a friend whocks humility,¡± Juho replied with a smile at Seo Kwang¡¯s arrogance.

    On the other hand, Sun Hwa, who was not fond of Seo Kwang¡¯s arrogance, added while ring at him fiercely, ¡°Juho, make sure you start off with the word ¡®ass.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Hm, I was thinking about what other words were left. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Where did you find that word?¡±

    ¡°Right here, on your stupid face.¡±

    ¡°I see that your words are getting edgier.¡±

    ¡°There-there, settle down.¡±

    Leaving Bom behind, trying timidly to break up their quarrel, Juho got up from his seat slowly. ¡®Keep them in your mouths and sp them in your hand.¡¯ The limit was the room, wherever the eye could see. That was probably a trap nted by Mr. Moon. Words were everywhere. Inside, outside, and in between. Seo Kwang did a great job digging in. In search for words, he bravely jumped into the unseen. Mr. Moon¡¯s satisfied smile was the evidence of that.

    Sun Hwa had revealed her bold personality, and Bom caught even the most minute of details. It almost revealed how they viewed the world. ¡®What about myself? It¡¯s hard to get a feel for something I¡¯ve never done before. I hope I don¡¯t embarrass myself by not being able to say much. No, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll do just as well since I¡¯ve been observing everyone else,¡¯ thought Juho.

    Seeing him standing still, Mr. Moon asked, ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    Like everyone else, Juho looked around the room. One by one, familiar sights found their way into Juho¡¯s view: Sun Hwa and Bom sitting across from him, Seo Kwang sitting next to him, Mr. Moon sitting while facing the students, and Baron facing Mr. Moon, dying of boredom. Seeing everyone sitting around the rectangr desk, Juho fixed his sight on one spot. His eyes met with Baron¡¯s. Without trying to avoid Juho¡¯s gaze, Baron stood up from his seat.

    Remainingposed even after making an eye contact with an upperssman, Juho answered with his droopy tone, ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    ¡°Ready, begin.¡±

    Baron wondered if Juho was going to ask him if he was ck. He did make eye contact with the others as they were busy finding words. From the first years¡¯ avoidance of eye contact with him, Baron realized that he wasn¡¯t the one who was being avoided, but the words that were surrounding him. ¡®Is he going to say them? Those sensitive words?¡¯ thought Baron.

    Juho began.

    ¡°People, human, humanity, mankind, character, dignity, human being, personality, appearance, life, lifespan, human nature, existence, living being, heart, me, self, ego, id, identity, superego, experience, recognition, past, present, future, talent, prosperity, fall, good news, sad news, exciting news, struggle, joy, tears, smile, resentment, annoyance, attachment, love, favor, endearing, affection, happiness, pain, terror, difficulty, anger, fury, hope, fear, sympathy, heart-struck, chaos, unfamiliarity, inner-person, disgrace, hate, passion, respect, despise, demand, desire, longing, pleasure, displeasure, reminiscence, senses, emotions, sentiment, sensitivity, appreciate, warmth, emotional health, mood, feeling, thoughts, questions, doubt, concern, stage in life, age, opposite-gender, memories, brain, response, expressions, expectation, reliance, determination, striving, economy, main agent, supervision, true nature, subject, center, core, ethics, sexuality, genes, worth, value, mind, body, regtions, beauty, knowledge, intelligence, wisdom, philosophy, act, personality, timidity, bold, indifferent, friendly, mysterious, conservative, progressive, rigidity, coquetry, conflict, hypocrisy, rules, wariness, boundary, distance,nguage, living, society, rtions, location, ce, characteristics, individual, choice, decision, interest, thinking, conscience, emotional state, intention, tendencies, wants, wishes, volition, sole.¡±

    ¡°Time¡¯s up.¡±

    There was silence in the room after Mr.Moon¡¯s exmation. A wind blew into the room though the open window, and hairs blew with it.

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    The air began to flow again at Sun hwa¡¯s subconscious marveling. ¡°That was amazing!¡± ¡°Incredible!¡± In midst of it all, Baron wasn¡¯t able to say a word. He swallowed, breaking out in a cold sweat. Only Baron felt the the look in Juho¡¯s eyes as he was tirelessly spewing out words.

    There was barrenness. It was a dryness without a single drop of moisture. It was deste and arid. Juho¡¯s eyes were digging away at Baron¡¯s heart. They stirred at him relentlessly. There was no mercy. Baron felt a burning sensation on his skin from Juho¡¯s gaze. Where the air met the skin, his veins and nerves were exposed, vulnerable to iing danger. He was on edge. Baron gently rubbed his tense, rigid cheek. There were so many things that could be found in that body.

    <Inside of a Pouch (2)> The End

 Chapter 12 - From the Inside

    <h4>Chapter 12: Chapter 12 ¨C From the Inside</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°He didn¡¯t stutter one bit.¡±

    ¡°I lost track.¡±

    In shock, Seo Kwang and Bom murmured to each other. Sun Hwa, in awe until a moment ago, frowned in the meantime and replied, ¡°Are you telling me a human can be swarming with that many words? There¡¯s something gross about that. You, you¡¯re weird too. Don¡¯t you think of those things when you look at other people?¡±

    ¡°Not really. I was just focusing on the words.¡±

    Sun Hwa was getting annoyed by Juho¡¯s cheerful denial. His skill was iparable to somebody who ended her turn with ¡®eyes, nose and mouth.¡¯ There was such a drastic difference even though they were given the same subject. Juho didn¡¯t stop even for a brief moment. There was not one bit of hesitation. From the alien words like id and superego, Sun Hwa was able to feel the vast difference in their vocabries.

    ¡°You have good grades, right?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    Recognizing Sun Hwa¡¯s expression growing darker every time he answered, Juho went back to his seat, avoiding eye contact with her.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Dumbfounded, Seo Kwang looked at Juho.

    ¡°How were you able to say that many words?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. They¡¯re things you hear everyday.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t even been alive for that long,¡± Seo Kwang said boisterously. Then suddenly, he quietly whispered to Juho, ¡°It was nerve wracking.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You were looking at Baron the whole time. I thought you were going to say the word.¡±

    ¡°The word?¡±

    Seo Kwang grew impatient and said in an even quieter voice, ¡°Like, ck.¡±

    ¡°Oh! There just wasn¡¯t enough time.¡±

    ¡°Time?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I worked my way out from the inside. It took me a while toe up to the surface. Baron has a lot on his mind.¡±

    Seo Kwang was surprised. ck was such an obvious choice. Without intending on belittle Baron, of course. It was not a bad word in and of itself. However, words tend to be sensitive and delicate. It didn¡¯t take much for them to turn into somethingpletely different. That was why they needed to be treated with caution.

    The second anybody brought up the word, everything froze. The air became ufortable. Seo Kwang had never met a ck person in his life. Though Baron was technically born from a Korean father and a ck mother, he was always identified as ck because of his skin color. The school never taught him how to respond to situations like that. They never taught what was polite and what was not. Baron wasn¡¯t confident about handling words that he¡¯d never seen or learned before. At Baron¡¯s jarring appearance and identity, Seo Kwang did everything within his power to avoid contact with him.

    Seo Kwang tried to think of words that described Baron. This time, from the inside out. ¡®Skin.¡¯ It was the first word looking from outside-in, but from an outward perspective, it was thest word toe up. Inner-being, and appearance, Seo Kwangpared the two. When he was getting to know someone, the inner-being of that person was the most important thing and what gave the person significance. He took his favorite book and ced it onto the shelf.

    He felt empty. He felt stupid for living in anxiety that entire time. He looked at his notebook. The page was filled with Juho¡¯s words. Next to it, Seo Kwang wrote other words. ¡®ck.¡¯ ¡®Dark.¡¯ They felt so insignificant next to Juho¡¯s vocabry. Though Seo Kwang had more to say, he had to stop himself as Mr. Moon began speaking.

    ¡°Good job! I assume that this was everyone¡¯s first attempt, but I could see that you¡¯re all learning. As you saw from Juho, there are always plenty of words you can think of even when you¡¯re not supposed to repeat words. Even in this tiny room.¡±

    Juho did an excellent job. It had been noticeable from his self-introduction. There was something about him. His vocabry was impressive, but it wasn¡¯t the only thing Mr. Moon had been shocked by.

    The room is full of useless things. Considering that it was being used as the school storage room, there were countless random things. Of course, as Seo Kwang had said earlier, there were plenty of unseen words. With Juho¡¯s vocabry, it wouldn¡¯t have been too difficult to capture even more words. Among the many candidates, Juho had fixed his eyes on Baron. Also, he ignored the most obvious difference. Mr. Moon nced over to Juho as he was sat quietly. If he was shrinking the gap between Baron and the rest of the club members with a conscious effort, he would be beyond ordinary.

    On the other hand, Baron was surrounded by strange emotions. All Juho did was list words, but his feelings were swaying left and right as if he had beenforted. Because he had already decided to take no interest in the business of the first years, Baron had always thought that he wouldn¡¯t be taking the initiative to talk to them. He looked at Juho¡¯s calm face. ¡®Who is this guy?¡¯ Baron was tingling with a new curiosity.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Seo Kwang made a curious sound.

    Sun Hwa nced over at him, but Seo Kwang¡¯s eyes were on Juho.

    ¡°What? Did something get on my face?¡±

    Juho was no different from the usual, but Seo Kwang was convinced of something. ¡®This guy schemed something simr in the past. This was calcted. It was intentional.¡¯

    ¡°You nut job!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this about all of a sudden?¡±

    Juho felt like he was being falsely used by his friend, but Seo Kwang didn¡¯t mind. He kept at it, ¡°Nut job!¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been to the school library.¡±

    ¡°Me neither.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been here before.¡±

    With the exception of Seo Kwang, it was everyone¡¯s first visit to the school library. They weren¡¯t there because they wanted to be. They were at the library because of the mission given by Mr. Moon.

    ¡°Each of you will check out one book from the library. There¡¯s no criteria, except you must pick a book among the ones you¡¯ve read.¡±

    The interior of the library was visible through the ss entrance. The first thing that could be seen were the books that were on the shelves. Seo Kwang hummed excitedly. The library was about the size of a ssroom. It was not a big library, by any means. Still, the library was brimming with books.

    As the members walked into the library, they encountered a group of students from the Book Club, reading on their desks. Seeing how they weren¡¯t startled by their presence, the Book Club must¡¯ve already known about the visit.

    ¡°You¡¯re all from the Literature Club right? Grab what you¡¯re looking for and leave quietly.¡±

    ¡°You got it.¡±

    The Chinese teacher warned them sternly as the Literature Club came into the library. He was not only known as the homeroom teacher for the Book Club, but also for his strictness. With Juho being the only calm individual, the nervous first years quietly walked away from the Chinese teacher as fast as they could. As they blindly followed the tall bookshelves, the members reached the new-release section. Next to it, was a small stic container. It appeared that students could write out request for their desired books. Inside of a clear stic container, were only five sheets of paper. They matched the number of Book Club members who happened to be reading in the library.

    ¡°They have ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯ They¡¯re quick.¡±

    ¡°It must have been in high demand.¡±

    The book was shelved at the frontmost row.

    Sun Hwa asked Seo Kwang as he pulled it out, ¡°Did you pick one already?¡±

    ¡°As a candidate. Why do you ask? I have another book if you need one.¡±

    ¡°I told you, I haven¡¯t read it yet.¡±

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t read it? I¡¯m telling you, you won¡¯t regret it.¡±

    ¡°Meh, whatever. I¡¯ll never conform to the trend.¡±

    As the voice of the two grew louder, Juho said to them, ¡°The Chinese teacher is looking in our direction.¡±

    Their voices shrunk quickly. Juho left Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa behind and moved on to the next isle. It wasbeled ¡®Literature.¡¯ Getting a closer look, Juho discovered that the isle was divided into Japanese, Korean and English. His steps came to a halt in front of the Korean section.

    ¡®Author: Hyun Do Lim. Title: The Mirror.¡¯

    ¡®I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d find Hyun Do Lim¡¯s work here,¡¯ Juho thought. He immediately pulled out the book from the shelf. Hyun Do Lim was one of the authors Juho admired. He was an author who had never ceased to write, even until his death. Hisst, full-length novel left a deep impression in Juho¡¯s heart. It was a book that Juho had purchased with the little money he had left when Juho was living a homeless life. Once he had gotten his hands on the book, Juho read it over and over again.

    In other words, that book was an answer sheet to all of the questions in life.

    ¡®Yes, this sounds better. This is a better portrayal.¡¯ Every single words had been carefully ced with precise calction by the author. The writing was tenacious, perhaps closer to obsessive. At times, it had made Juho think if it was even possible for him to write in such a way.

    Juho pulled out the book and opened it to the first page. Along with his young hand gently brushing down the photo, he saw a face that looked much younger than he remembered.

    ¡°He¡¯s such a good looking man.¡±

    Hyun Do Lim looked much younger than his age. On top of that, he was handsome even to the eyes of other men. His name would alwayse up when discussing good-looking authors. When all the authors his age had retired and were no longer writing, Hyun Do Lim never put down his pen.

    ¡°Did you pick one?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    Seo Kwang asked Juho, peeking his head through an opening between the shelves. As Juho was about to ce the book back, he came to a sudden halt. ¡®Actually, this might be the one. I enjoyed ¡®The Mirror¡¯ quite a bit,¡¯ thought Juho.

    ¡°I¡¯m going with this one.¡±

    Juho heard Seo Kwang approach him from the English Literature section. In his hand, there was a book by a world-renowned author, Kelly Coin, called ¡®Witch Hunt.¡¯ It was her debut work before she became famous. ¡®I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d find books like that in the library. I should havee here more often,¡¯ thought Juho. Then he added, ¡°That¡¯s much better than ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I disagree. I think it¡¯s impossible topare the two. Except...¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang suddenly hardened his expression.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Did you really think that I¡¯d be so quick to pick a book by an author my age? Even as a fellow writer?¡±

    Then, he put ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ back into the shelf. A book made it back to the shelf through a person¡¯s hand, and Juho watched. He had never witnessed such a scene. No person had ever picked up Juho¡¯s book at a bookstore and put them back down. Actually, there must have been other people. It must have been that he just never witnessed it in person.

    Juho smirked. He didn¡¯t think that there had been any remnant of such feeling in his heart. Ever so slightly, Juho felt upset, perhaps even a little hurt.

    Having chosen a book in no time, Sun Hwa told Seo Kwang while sneering at him, ¡°The author isn¡¯t even aware of your existence, you know.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have to be. I don¡¯t know who he is either,¡± he quickly fired back at her.

    Of course, she wasn¡¯t the type to give up. Right as she was about to speak, Bom approached her from behind, ¡°Sun Hwa, what do think it¡¯d be a better choice between these two books?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Bom questioned Sun Hwa while holding a book in each hand. Both books were included in a literatureption book from the same publishingpany.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only read the book on the left.¡±

    ¡°Did you?¡±

    As soon as she got an answer from Sun Hwa, Bom walked over to the other side of the bookshelf. Then, she returned momentarily with another book. It was the book Sun Hwa had mentioned.

    ¡°Should we head out?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be checking these out.¡±

    With his usual stern expression, the Chinese teacher quietly checked out the books for the first years. As he returned each of the books to them, he emphasized, ¡°Treat them with care. You¡¯re not the only ones reading them.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the first years answered him bravely and returned to the science room.

    ¡°The Chinese teacher didn¡¯t seem all that scary after all,¡± said Bom.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone who treats their books with respect when he¡¯s a jerk,¡± Seo Kwang answered her joyfully.

    At that moment, it was almost impossible to tell whether he was the same fearful person who had avoided joining the Book Club because of the teacher in charge. Sun Hwa and Juho both agreed.

    Juho looked at the book he had in his hand. It was very well taken care of.

    The stern Chinese teacher didn¡¯t feel as intimidating as he used to feel.

    <From the Inside> The End

 Chapter 13 - A Clue Regarding an Identity

    <h4>Chapter 13: Chapter 13 ¨C A Clue Regarding an Identity</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    When the first years returned from the library, there was a small change in the science room. Next to Mr. Moon, was a mound of crumpled up graph-like paper that came up to his calves.

    ¡°We¡¯re the Literature Club for god¡¯s sake. We should at least be writing on Korean manuscript paper.¡±

    Mr. Moon distributed the sheets of paper to each member. Juho saw the red squared on the paper in front of him and thought, ¡®It¡¯s been a while.¡¯

    ¡°You all know the writing format for this paper, right?¡±

    ¡°Just barely.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s really tricky to understand, especially when writing a citation page.¡±

    The kids were staring at their sheets of paper as if they had never seen them before. Mr. Moon encouraged them and began to exin things, ¡°What do you think the reason is for leaving the first square nk when starting a paragraph?¡±

    He stopped for a brief moment and went on to answer his own question, ¡°So, it looks neat.¡±

    The kids appeared unsatisfied with Mr. Moon¡¯s answer.

    ¡°A piece of writing exists to be read. Moving down a line when starting a new paragraph or dialogue is for this very purpose. It enables the readers to read morefortably. If everything was stuck together back to back, it¡¯d be impossible to read. So, you switch over to the next line and skip a square. Then, what do you think you should do when the dialogic sentence starts to get longer?¡±

    Sun Hwa thought briefly, and answered carefully, ¡°Go to the next line?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°So it looks better.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±

    She was truly like an exemry student. Even while Mr. Moon was exining punctuation, arabic numerals and spacing in the English alphabet, he emphasized repeatedly that writing existed to be read. Manuscript paper, ording to him, was like a well-decorated cake.

    As the students slowly began toe to grasp how to write using the manuscript paper, Mr. Moon exined the mission he had previously given. He revealed why he had sent everyone all the way to the library in the middle of club activities.

    ¡°Do you guys know what a transcription is?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve heard of it, but it¡¯s definitely not something you hear everyday,¡± Bom answered. The others must have felt no different.

    ¡°How about copying?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve heard of that, mainly when I got in trouble with my teacher,¡± Seo Kwang said yfully, as if he was reminiscing to a time when he had been caught.

    ¡°They mean the same thing. From now on, you guys are going to be transcribing the book that you checked out from the library.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re copying them?¡±

    The word ¡®copy¡¯ had an unpleasant connotation. As Seo Kwang had said earlier, the word was often associated with warning statements. A student could get into a world of trouble with the teacher for copying his friend¡¯s homework.

    Mr. Moon took a deep breath and started speaking, ¡°The copying we¡¯re about to do is for practice. It¡¯s amendable deed. You guys might not be aware, but you¡¯ll find this often when a famous author is being interviewed: ¡®I¡¯ve transcribed the work of an author I respect the most.¡¯¡±

    It wasn¡¯t clear who he was imitating, but Juho understood what Mr. Moon was saying. For the would-be novelists, transcription was something they tried at least once. It was a natural urrence. For anybody who aspired to be a novelist, even without being told, if he or she was human, there would be at least one or two authors he or she admired. When memorizing the names of every single book written by an author and reading their work repeatedly no longer satisfied one¡¯s heart, one began to copy the author¡¯s writing.

    ¡®I want to be able to write like this person. I¡¯m jealous of everything this author has. I¡¯m mesmerized by his writing.¡¯ It was a heart like that that motivated them to move their hands, so that they could turn their idol¡¯s talents into their very own.

    ¡°One thing to be mindful of when you¡¯re copying is to not do it in a hurry. You have to follow the intention of the author as-is. In order to do that, you copy every character down to every single punctuation.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯ Something any would-be novelist tried at least once. For that reason, Juho didn¡¯t have experience with transcription. His first full-length novel had been his debut work, which meant that he couldn¡¯t be considered to be an aspiring novelist.

    Juho opened his book, ¡®The Winter,¡¯ written by Hyun Do Lim, and started with a narration of the protagonist reminiscing about his past. He was an old man, well past his sixties and was an unwavering and stubborn person. He had dered to his family that he would not be joining them on a family trip that had been long-due. After all, his wife and child had left him behind.

    Left alone, the old man spent time going through various emotions and eventually came to recognize the three brothers living next door. They always yed near the old man¡¯s house. He spent time listening to their conversations. Soon, the eldest among the three got bullied by the other two, and the old man believed that the two were doing the right thing. He found himself in a good mood. Then, the old man received a call and discovers that his family had been tragically killed. Finally, the old man looked into the mirror and ended his story.

    Juho looked around. Mr. Moon was gone and Seo Kwang was distracted, reading instead of writing. Sun Hwa and Bom were working hard on transcribing their books. So, Juho slowly copied the content of his book. It was the scene when the old man dered his solitude after sending his family away.

    Although their deaths were yet to be known by the old man, he lethargically reminisced about his life. That perilous tone itself was foreshadow. It was quiet and lonely and it was consistent from the beginning and to the end of the novel.

    As he copied the novel, Juho felt down for no apparent reason. He was experiencing the extreme emotions that existed in midst of silence. It was different from merely reading. It was tant and ufortable.

    He put down his pen for a brief moment. After taking a short break, he asked Baron, who was in the middle of drawing, a question, ¡°What are you drawing Baron?¡±

    ¡°A book illustration.¡±

    He gave Juho a short answer, and Juho looked closer and saw the printed images. There was a character with a yful expression holding a rice paddle in one hand. He appeared to be Nol-bu. Aside from the character, there were also the drawings of a freckled girl in a dress and a kid with a runny nose.

    It was artwork to be inserted in between the pages of a novel.

    Though the genre was different, Baron seemed to be participating in a form of copying.

    In his case, he wanted to be able to draw better. Overhearing the conversation, Seo Kwang poked his head in, looked at the drawings and asked, ¡°When did you start drawing?¡±

    ¡°When I was young. I went to an art institute instead of kindergarten.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s been a while.¡±

    Baron shrugged without saying much. He seemed to be putting even more distance between himself and the other club members. Juho recognized that and no longer tried to talk to him. Although Seo Kwang was someone who knew when to push and when to pull away, he too no longer tried to interact with Baron. Sun Hwa was ring fiercely at the guys as they talked. Soon, there was only the sound of friction between pen and paper.

    As soon as the members finished transcribing about seven pages, the bell rang and indicated the end of club activities.

    The next day, Bom made a move to convince Baron to give her a sample of his writing. Unlike Sun Hwa previously, Bom had been discrete.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a bribe?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if you handed it to him in person? It won¡¯t do anything if the receiver doesn¡¯t know the giver.¡±

    ¡°I felt weird about handing it to him in person.¡±

    Bom couldn¡¯t gather her words between Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang¡¯s discussion. Apparently, she hade to school early and gone into the empty second year ssroom to leave a bag on Baron¡¯s desk. The bag was filled with other bags of chips and cookies.

    ¡®When did she find the time to watch Baron eat?¡¯ Juho thought to himself, impressed by her.

    ¡°Does this mean you can demand a written note from Baron as he munches on your chips and cookies? ¡®I¡¯ll take your writing as payment.¡¯?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Bom was startled by Juho¡¯s words.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Didn¡¯t you give Baron all those snacks to get him to write something for you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true, but I don¡¯t feel confident about speaking to him directly.¡±

    ¡°Do as Sun Hwa did, as if you were blind.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s blind?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s even worse.¡±

    As Sun Hwa appeared, Bom expressed a strong denial to Juho. At the end, Bom wasn¡¯t able to ask for anything, so she had left Baron a gift without even revealing her name. Despite Seo Kwang¡¯s frustration over her generosity, that was the extent of her effort.

    As if left with no choice, Seo Kwang shook his head and said, ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll tell Baron while I¡¯m on it!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    He must¡¯ve had a n.

    ¡°What is it? What are you nning on doing?¡± Sun Hwa asked.

    ¡°Hold on to your hats.¡±

    After seeing his confident disy, Juho had already lost interest. Ignoring the insincere response of the crowd, Seo Kwang kept on, ¡°If you want something from a person, then you should prepare something he wants.¡±

    ¡°Duh! That¡¯s obvious.¡±

    That was why Bom had given all those snacks to Baron, like Robin Hood.

    ¡°Then, there¡¯s one question left. What does Baron want?¡±

    ¡°Snacks?¡± Bom answered timidly, and Seo Kwang gestured at her answer.

    ¡°Snacks are good, but I have something more delicious in my hand.¡±

    ¡°What is it, chocte?¡± Sun Hwa answered in a lukewarm manner.

    Realizing that Seo Kwang wasn¡¯t going to stop anytime soon, Juho took out a book from his bag. It was ¡®The Winter,¡¯ the book he had checked out of the library for transcription, and he thought to himself that he¡¯d read it again from cover to cover as he transcribed it.

    ¡°I found a clue for the author who wrote ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯¡±

    Juho¡¯s hand stopped in its ce.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Where did you find it? Tell us!¡±

    ¡®He can¡¯t possibly be talking about me,¡¯ thought Juho as he slowly put down his book. In contrast to his calm appearance, his mind was working frantically.

    Yun Woo. Identity. Clue. There hadn¡¯t been any updates from the editor either.

    ¡°Whoa! Control yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Did Baron read the book too?¡±

    ¡°I saw it with my own eyes.¡±

    Juho had seen it too. The book Baron had read on his first day of club activities had been ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯ He still remembered the expression on Seo Kwang¡¯s face when he saw the book in Baron¡¯s hand. He looked like he was about to wrap his arm around Baron.

    ¡°How do you know that he¡¯s a fan of the author though? It¡¯s weird to make an assumption like that just because he was reading the book.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s true,¡¯ Juho agreed silently. There was no proof that Baron was obsessed with the author simply because he had read the book.

    As if he was mocking Juho and Sun Hwa, Seo Kwang clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Since he¡¯s read the book, it¡¯d be impossible for Baron not to be curious about the author.¡±

    ¡°You know, not everyone¡¯s like you just because they¡¯re a fan.¡±

    ¡°Who said anything about a fan? I¡¯m simply saying that he¡¯d be curious. Imagine you found $10,000 on the street. Wouldn¡¯t you think about who it belonged to? It would too big of an amount, so you wouldn¡¯t be able to celebrate either. You¡¯d stay up all night deciding whether you should take it to the police or not. ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ is just like that.¡±

    ¡°What the heck are you talking about? How can book and money be the same?¡±

    ¡°You know, I can¡¯t help but notice that you¡¯ve beenmenting on my analogies.¡±

    Seeing how the two were starting to digress, Bom chimed in. She was curious about the clue Seo Kwang had found on the mysterious author, ¡°Seo Kwang, did you find out who the author of ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ is?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the main focus.¡±

    Seo Kwang cleared his throat and lowered his voice. The room felt hushed, and he pulled out a piece of paper from his chest.

    ¡°So, I ran into something really interesting on a blog.¡±

    ¡°Show us.¡±

    Standing behind Sun Hwa holding Seo Kwang¡¯s piece of paper in her hand, Juho read the note faster than anyone else there. The first thing that caught his eyes was the title. ¡®Revealing the Identity of Yun Woo, the Author of ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯¡±

    The intent was quite provocative.

    <A Clue Regarding an Identity> The End

 Chapter 14 - A Beautiful, Book-Loving Girl

    <h4>Chapter 14: Chapter 14 ¨C A Beautiful, Book-Loving Girl</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°The protagonist, Yun, was named and created after the author himself.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s not true,¡± Juho thought.

    ¡°Between the mysterious, anonymous author and the protagonist who moves about at night, there¡¯s a resemnce in the impression that the two give off.¡±

    ¡®Good, I think I can rx.¡¯

    Juho was able to stay at ease up to that point. That blog post had started from the hypothesis that ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ had been written based on the life experiences of the author. The blog emphasized that the protagonist of the book and the author himself were of the same age.

    However, what Juho had written was a novel. It was imagination that came out of his head. It was a made-up story. It was a lie that had been finely dressed in the spirit of prose. It was not entirely inurate to say that the author¡¯s experiences had had some influence in his writing, but the book wasn¡¯t about his story itself.

    ¡°So, who wrote this?¡±

    ¡°He goes by HongSam on the inte.¡±

    Unfortunately, HongSam couldn¡¯t be more wrong. Yet, the kids seemed to think otherwise.

    ¡°This sounds usible, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I get the impression that it might well be,¡± Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa said to each other.

    ¡°What is it saying? I can¡¯t really see.¡±

    At Bom¡¯s curiosity, Sun Hwa gave her a brief summary of the blog post.

    HongSam¡¯s im was as such, ¡°The author has a detailed, yet brilliant style of writing. Despite his young age, he possesses a distinct personality. The author gradually builds up the story into a climax. His deceivingly mature writing has shocked and touched the hearts of many. The true surprise of this book lies in the sentiment that¡¯s beingmunicated to the readers. For an author to be able to capture such profound emotions in his writing, one can only assume that he must have lived through experiences that inspired him. Therefore, just like Yun, the protagonist of ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ there¡¯s a chance that the author may not be attending high school. Even if this conjecture is not entirely true, I carefully entertain the possibility that the author detached from the outside world at some point in his past.¡±

    Having read up to that point, Sun Hwa took a moment to catch her breath before moving on to the next page. At the end of the post, there was a final conclusion for the modern-day-people who simply couldn¡¯t afford the time to read such a post.

    ¡°In other words, considering all the hypotheses thus far, the image of the author, Yun Woo can be portrayed as a beautiful girl enjoying a book on a warm, sunny day.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± everyone doubted what they had just read.

    ¡®What? A warm, sunny day? A beautiful, book-loving girl?¡¯

    Sun Hwa didn¡¯t appear to be impressed either. On the other hand, Seo Kwang had a happy smile on his face.

    ¡°Sigh, what is this?¡± she said.

    ¡°What? it¡¯s nice. A beautiful, innocent, book-loving girl,¡± Seo Kwang countered.

    ¡°This is delusional. Come on! ¡®A beautiful girl enjoying a book on a warm, sunny day?¡¯ We got excited for nothing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, this is straight up delusional,¡± even Bom was taking a firm stance in the matter.

    Juho nodded his head to blend in with the others, ¡°Yep. Delusional.¡±

    He was dumbfounded by what he had just read, ¡®A beautiful, book-loving girl? Am I, Yun Woo, actually associated with these words? Mymon, high-school-student self would be seriously disappointed.¡¯

    ¡°I think Yun Woo is male,¡± Sun Hwa said confidently.

    Juho rooted for her silently, ¡®That¡¯s right, Yun Woo is a he.¡¯

    ¡°Why do you think that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping for, a good-looking guy who¡¯s also my age.¡±

    Juho quickly retracted the cheers directed at Sun Hwa.

    ¡°I wish him to be a muscr, high school boy.¡±

    In an instant, Juho had discovered the ideal tastes of two individuals. To be associated with a book-loving girl or a muscr, high school boy was quite a burden for him.

    ¡°Muscr. You don¡¯t say.¡±

    ¡°Then, what about ¡®book-loving girl?¡¯ Right Bom?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with ¡®book-loving girl?¡¯ Juho, say something.¡±

    Juho shook his head firmly. Seeing the loathing expression on Juho¡¯s face, Seo Kwang realized that no one was around to take his side. For the time being, he took a step back.

    ¡°Of course, this is HongSam¡¯s personal opinion, so I admit that there could be some bias in his words. Still, his observations up to that point sound usible, don¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s already over if it ends with ¡®a beautiful, book-loving girl.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Come on, guys! The responses in thements section aren¡¯t all that bad.¡±

    By then, Seo Kwang had already lost his friends¡¯ trust, so he quickly moved on to the main point, ¡°This isn¡¯t the point. It¡¯s bait. If Baron falls for this, then that¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    ¡°You really think he would fall for something like that?¡±

    ¡°Just watch. I¡¯ll be the first to get him to write.¡±

    Seo Kwang sprung out of his seat.

    It wasn¡¯t long until Seo Kwang returned with a sad face. ¡®A book-loving girl¡¯ must have been of little help.

    ¡°Back already?¡± Juho asked.

    Seo Kwang answered sadly, ¡°Do you know what renders bait useless?

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°When it loses its freshness. Baron had already known about the blog post. He looked at me like I was the most pathetic person. I couldn¡¯t have known in my dreams that he¡¯d already known.¡± Seo Kwang continued with a defeated expression, ¡°If Baron knows about HongSam¡¯s blog, then he¡¯s definitely a fan. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±

    Seo Kwang exined to his friends that HongSam was a famous blogger among Yun Woo fans. It was hard to understand why he was famous, let alone trustworthy.

    Seo Kwang grabbed his hair in despair. He seemed discouraged that the n he had been so sure of had ended in failure. Juho thought about consoling his friend, but Sun Hwa¡¯sughter beat him to it. There was no way she would leave him alone, especially when he was so vulnerable.

    ¡°I knew it. Some big-talker you are.¡±

    ¡°I underestimated how big of a fan Baron was,¡± Seo Kwang said as he angrily clenched his fists.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t beat around the bush when you¡¯re trying to win a person¡¯s heart, you know. You gotta tackle it head on.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really into this whole head-on approach. What are you, a boar?¡±

    ¡°Would you like to find out what it feels like to be rammed by a boar?¡±

    Seo Kwang was bursting with anger from Sun Hwa¡¯s mocking, but Sun Hwa was not someone who would let another person call her names, especially something like ¡®a boar.¡¯ Bom was standing next to her anxiously as Sun Hwa started getting ready to ram into Seo Kwang.

    Even in midst of all of that, Juho¡¯s heart was not in peace. Baron being a fan of Yun Woo meant that he was a fan of Juho. Baron, a fan.

    Having a fan was not something foreign to him. If anything, he was closer to being familiar with it. Before he returned to the past, he had evene out in public. Compared to the present, there had been more people around him, including fans. Still, the emotion Juho was experience was something he was not used to.

    A friend-turned-fan. A fan-turned-friend. It was merely in a different order, yet there was a tant difference. Baron hadn¡¯t been a friend from the get-go. It was embarrassing. For some reason, Juho¡¯s palm started itching.

    ¡°Then, Juho must be the only person left.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you. Everyone else approached Baron in their own way, except for you.¡±

    There was hope in the way everyone looked at him, and Juho scratched his face and responded, ¡°Don¡¯t put your hopes up. You¡¯ll be disappointed.¡±

    ¡°Who said anything about hoping? So, did you have anything in mind, like a n?¡±

    ¡®Then how do you guys exin the curiosity in your eyes?¡¯ Juho thought. Then, he continued with a smile on his face, ¡°I do have a n.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±

    Both Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa jeered at his answer. They got along only in moments like that. Juho ignored their jeering and said, ¡°OK, guys. That¡¯s enough.¡±

    Even though he was someone being jeered at, Bom looked even more anxious than him. He stared into the ceiling for a brief moment and stood up from his seat.

    That moment, the bell started ringing. It was the end of recess. ¡®Damn it.¡¯

    Juho sat back down, and Sun Hwa and Bom returned to their ss. Seo Kwang asked as he sat next to Juho, ¡°So, what are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I get back.¡±

    ¡°The teacher¡¯sing!¡±

    As ss started, Juho stared out the window and organized his thoughts.

    Juho climbed the stairs up to the second years¡¯ floor. He thought about the writing he needed to get from Baron as he went up the stairs. To figure out a way to move Baron¡¯s heart, Juho had been watching Sun Hwa, Bom. and Seo Kwang. Juho had been observing things during recess, lunch, P.E., remote sses, club activities and after school. Those were the times when he could naturally run into Baron.

    Baron was ordinary. Just like all the other students, he took sses, took naps during recess, ate and read or drew during lunch. He was also a loner.

    His life outside of the club didn¡¯t look very different. Although, he didn¡¯t seem to study the materials that were different from the lessons, unlike how he was during club activities.

    Bait.

    Juho has been looking for a bait that Baron would find irresistible. Then, finally, Juho found what he had been looking for.

    Baron was also keeping his eyes on a person, and that person was his female ssmate. Juhobeled her in his mind as ¡®Baron girl.¡¯ Juho knew nothing about ¡®Baron girl.¡¯ He¡¯d never met her before, let alone talk to her. However, one thing was certain, that girl, very much like Baron, didn¡¯t talk to anyone around her. In other words, she too was a loner.

    Juho arrived at Baron¡¯s ss. He looked for Baron, but he didn¡¯t seem to be around. Not only that, but there seemed to be amotion in the ssroom. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ thought Juho.

    ¡°Give it to me, now.¡±

    There was a threatening voice. With an angry look on her face, a girl wearing a red hairpin was standing in front of another girl. It was ¡®Baron girl.¡¯ Despite the girl angrily demanding something from her, ¡®Baron girl¡¯ was sittingpletely still without saying a word.

    For a brief moment, Juho was able to catch a glimpse of her looking like she was being wronged.

    ¡°You were the only person in the ssroom during P.E. You¡¯re the person who took my cell phone, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡®Aha!¡¯ Juho understood what themotion was about from that sentence alone. The girl wearing the red hairpin suspected ¡®Baron girl¡¯ of being the thief who stole her cell phone. Everyone in the ss was watching the two, but nobody dared to get between them to help resolve the conflict.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you just sit there quietly! Give me back my phone, now!¡±

    The girl wearing the red hairpin was getting worked up. The cell phone must have been quite expensive. When a student lost an item, it didn¡¯t end with just a heartache. Not only would she have to withstand scolding and punishment from her parents, but she would also have to live on without her cell phone until her parents bought her a new one. There was no way she could afford a new cell phone on her own. Juho had no trouble living life even without a cell phone of his own, but to another, it could be something more important than her life.

    The girl wearing the red hairpin was fiercely ring at ¡®Baron girl.¡¯ Seeing how angry she was, her phone must have meant a great deal to her.

    ¡°I just got it yesterday. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d want one being that it¡¯s the newest model, but it belongs to me. I won¡¯t cause any more ruckus, so please just give it back to me.¡±

    Her tone was rude, yet desperate. Having lost hertest-model-phone, the girl was growing more flustered by the minute. She was already certain that ¡®Baron girl¡¯ was the culprit. After listening quietly up to that moment, ¡®Baron girl¡¯ finally opened her lips, ¡°How many times do I have to tell you that I didn¡¯t steal it?¡±

    ¡°If not you, then who? You were the only one here in the ssroom during P.E.¡±

    Sure enough, ¡®Baron girl¡¯ wasn¡¯t just simply staying silent. Rather, she had already given her final answer. In spite of that, the girl wearing the red hairpin was not letting up. It was a standoff.

    At that moment, Juho realized something that bothered him. This was a school. There was always a thief in a school. That thief struck regrly and stole textbooks, portable gaming consoles and, at times, even slippers. Usually, the range of victims spanned a ss. If one¡¯s friend sitting next to him got his textbook stolen, there was a good chance that both of their textbook had been stolen.

    In a case like that, the entire ss became infuriated. On the other hand, others became anxious about bing the next target. That was themon progression of such a scenario.

    Juho looked around. Everyone was just watching with fascinated looks, which meant that the girl wearing the red hairpin had been the only victim so far.

    ¡°Still persisting, are you?¡±

    The girl was furious. Her patience must have worn out. Juho realized that the situation no longer granted him the luxury of watching from afar. She was trembling with fierce anger, looking like she¡¯d p ¡®Baron girl¡¯ at any moment.

    Juho¡¯s lips parted.

    ¡°The teacher¡¯s looking for you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡®Baron girl¡¯ looked at Juho with a shocked expression on her face. She wasn¡¯t the only one looking at him at that point. Many others had their eyes fixed on him, and Juho repeated, ¡°The teacher¡¯s looking for you.¡±

    <A Beautiful, Book-Loving Girl> The End

 Chapter 15 - The Sole Artist in the Literature Club (1)

    <h4>Chapter 15: Chapter 15 ¨C The Sole Artist in the Literature Club (1)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    To reiterate, this was a school. In a school, there are teachers and students, and then there are thieves. Unfortunately, there was now enforcement at schools. No such thing existed in such an unique environment like a school. When a handful of students fell victim to a mysterious thief, the ss president informed the teacher. Then, the teacher assessed the damage andforted the victims in the ss. Simultaneously, the teacher threatened the potential thief among his students, and then closed the case. Much like corporal punishment, seeking out or catching a thief was prohibited. It was a school after all.

    In other words, without ¡®Baron girl¡¯ in the picture, the case came to a halt. Removing her from the ssroom was not a difficult task.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± the girl wearing a red hairpin asked sharply, but Juho didn¡¯t answer. He kept his eyes on ¡®Baron girl,¡¯ and rushed her.

    ¡°Hurry! Mr. Moon is looking for you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, OK.¡±

    She was dumbfounded by Juho¡¯s sudden appearance, but soon, she was drawn to Juho¡¯s calm words. As the two were just on their way out of the ssroom, Juho felt somebody snatch him. It was the girl with the red hairpin, and she was staring at him with piercing eyes.

    ¡°Hold up!¡±

    ¡°What is it? Mr. Moon said it was an emergency.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a first year, aren¡¯t you? You came here with your friends not too long ago.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I needed to speak to the same person.¡±

    Her eyes were full of anger, and Juho sighed. It was going to be moreplicated than he thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s you guys, huh?¡±

    Damn it.

    ¡°What is?¡± Juho asked as if he were confused.

    Seeing his reaction, the girl used Juho even angrier than before, ¡°You guys took my cell phone!¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Like she had done with ¡®Baron girl,¡¯ she was looking at Juho with the same, usatory expression.

    ¡°Then what were the first years doing in our ss? Weren¡¯t you scouting for anything valuable? No wonder my phone¡¯s gone as soon as I got a new one.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡±

    ¡°Give me the ss number and names of your ssmates. All of them. I¡¯m turning in every single one of you to the police!¡±

    That was an obvious strategy. She brought up the police to intimidate a first year. In this case, Juho, who responded calmly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to turn your cell phones in as soon as you get to school? You¡¯ve been talking about your cell phone this entire time. Did you get your bag stolen with your phone in it?¡±

    The girl was getting aggravated. It was a rule for students to ce their cell phones into a designated bag in their respective sses before the morning announcements ended. The teachers took those bags and stored them in the staffroom until the end of the school day. It was a rule created to prevent such idents from the inception of the cell phone.

    Obviously, she wasn¡¯t the only one who didn¡¯t follow the rule. However, nobody ever caused a scene like that girl.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be stealing from other people. That¡¯s bad.¡±

    ¡°I agree. Stealing is bad. It¡¯s also bad to falsely use someone for it.¡±

    Her eyes lit up with anger again. Juho looked at her face-to-face. There were tears in her eyes, and she appeared to be quite anxious.

    ¡°Sigh... You know, there¡¯s a limit to making excuses. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re anxious after losing something that belonged to you, but I¡¯m offended that I¡¯m being treated like the culprit.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so wrong about that? My phone disappeared after you guys showed up! I heard that the door was open this morning. It was you guys, huh?¡±

    Morning. Door. Juho immediately thought of someone. Bom hade to school early to leave snacks for Baron. It couldn¡¯t have been her. She didn¡¯t have what it took. Juho took a brief moment to think.

    As if seizing her chance, the girl raised her voice, ¡°Hurry up and bring everyone else! Give me back my phone.¡±

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    Things were back to square one. At that rate, nothing would get through her head. Juho looked around in search of someone who could calm her down. ¡®Baron girl¡¯ was nowhere to be seen, and the other second years were watching from afar. Among them, Juho found someone who looked to be the girl¡¯s friend and thought, ¡®What¡¯s this person doing standing there and watching?¡¯

    ¡°So much noise!¡±

    Juho heard a deep voice from behind. The bluntness in the tone sounded quite familiar. Without even having to turn around, Juho knew immediately who that voice belonged to. It was the reason why Juho was there in the first ce. It was Baron.

    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡±

    His voice resounded throughout the quiet ssroom. He looked around once and then fixed his eyes on the girl with the red hairpin. She seemed to be intimidated by Baron¡¯s presence looking down at her.

    Juho smiled despite the atmosphere. ¡®He has guts stepping up to something like this. It makes sense him being the only person drawing in an Literature Club,¡± thought Juho. Baron caught him smiling at a nce and quickly guessed the purpose of his visit.

    ¡°Is it your turn?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m only here to ask you to write something for me, but who would¡¯ve known there would be such amotion?¡±

    Baron turned to to the girl, ¡°You heard him. He¡¯s here to see me. Same for the other first years. If you were a first year, would you daree up to the second year¡¯s floor to steal?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s always possible! They could have taken it while they were here!¡± the girl snapped back at Baron, determined to stand her ground.

    ¡°Oh, my lord,¡± Baron let out a sigh, having realized that she wasn¡¯t going to listen.

    Triggered by his reaction, the girl asked, ¡°Are you one of them?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then, tell your first year to give me back my cell phone.¡±

    ¡°He said he didn¡¯t take it. Why do you keep asking?¡±

    At Baron¡¯s response, the girl made a frustrated face as if she were the one supposed to be frustrated.

    Before Baron could speak out in anger, Juho asked, ¡°Did you look under the desk?¡±

    ¡°What do I look like, an idiot? Of course, I looked!¡±

    ¡°Did you look in between the textbooks?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t keep textbooks under my desk.¡±

    ¡°Then all the more reason to look. Inattention brings about mistakes.¡±

    She scoffed at Juho.

    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking about running away from this while I¡¯m looking under the desk, are you?¡±

    Juho did consider that. If running away could solve the issue, Juho would have done it a hundred times over. Seeing the state she was in though, she¡¯d have followed Juho to the ends of the Earth.

    ¡°No way. It¡¯s just a possibility. There¡¯s always a possibility.¡±

    The girl frowned and snatched at Juho¡¯s wrist and dragged him to her desk. Then she shoved his other hand into the desk. She seemed certain that her phone wasn¡¯t going to be in there.

    She waved her hands for everyone else to see. Her hand made a clicking noise under the desk, and Juho watched her.

    Tap.

    Her hand had knocked something out of the desk. It rolled for a little while until it stopped at someone¡¯s feet. It was a cell phone. The newest-model cell phone that she had been desperately looking for.

    She stared at the phone that fell on the ground and didn¡¯t move a muscle. Then, her face turned bright red. Her face was even redder than at the moment when she was shouting angrily at people.

    She moaned, ¡°Why, is this...¡±

    Juho picked up the cell phone and handed it to her. She took it without saying a word, and he realized that her hands were ice cold.

    There was confusion among all the other kids who were watching.

    ¡°Is that the phone?¡±

    ¡°Hey, you should¡¯ve looked more carefully,¡± somebody said in the midst of the awkwardness.

    It was a girl, the girl who had been watching among the crowd, the same person who looked to be friends with the girl with the red hairpin.

    Another person chimed in and said, ¡°You should apologize and get this over with.¡±

    Two people stood to the sides of the red hairpin girl. She let her head drop and didn¡¯t say another word. One of her friends spoke up on her behalf. Both of them waved their hands at the crowd with a smile on their faces.

    ¡°Sorry, sorry. She¡¯s a bit hot-headed. She gets blinded to her surroundings when she¡¯s angry. She must be really embarrassed right now. I apologize on her behalf.¡±

    ¡°Seriously. We¡¯re sorry. I knew this was going to happen, you dumbo.¡±

    The atmosphere lightened up at their light-hearted remarks. There wasughter in the ssroom and sounds of chattering. In the midst of the business, the red hairpin girl kept quiet. Even with her friends poking fun at her, her head stayed low.

    ¡°Why¡¯s this ss so loud?¡± Mr. Moon said as he peeked his head through the front door.

    It wasn¡¯t time for ss yet. Juho looked at him wondering why he was there, and Mr. Moon returned the same look.

    ¡°What¡¯s a first year doing here? Go downstairs.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Juho saw ¡®Baron girl¡¯ standing next to Mr. Moon. At that, he realized that it was she who had brought him. At that moment, Baron eyed Juho to leave with him. On his way out, Juho approached the girl who was still red from embarrassment. Hearing Juho approach her, she raised her chin and looked at him.

    ¡°I saw your two friends putting their hand under the desk,¡± he whispered.

    Her eyes opened up. Her motionless eyes were telling him that she understood what he said. Having confirmed that, Juho quietly went on his way.

    ¡°What did you say to her?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Juho pondered things as he answered Baron. When he was looking at the girl¡¯s friend, Baron appeared. All eyes were on him. At that moment, Juho saw two people acting suspiciously among the crowd. One of them took out a cell phone out of her pocket and slipped it into a desk. When he saw that, Juho felt his palm itching.

    The girl must have been showing off her new cell phone. Bothered by that sight, her two friends plotted to screw her over. However, things were blown out of proportion by their hysterical friend. It was more than they could handle. They couldn¡¯t have stepped up to fix the situation in midst of such a ruckus.

    Since the two couldn¡¯t step up, they had to hide their tracks. They agreed to hide the phone under the desk without anyone knowing. They weren¡¯t just hiding the phone. It was also an effort to hide their guilt.

    The time came for them to speak up on their friend¡¯s behalf, and the two made their move.

    Juho looked at the red hairpin girl as he was leaving the ssroom. In the middle of her friends trying to encourage her, she remained still with her phone in her hand. Those were people who were trying desperately to shift their me onto others. The three friends were quite simr in that aspect.

    Coming out of the school building, Juho walked into the shade of a tree in the corner of the yard. The branches were spread out, and that meant more shade.

    Next to the tree were the pull-up bars. Juho looked away from the bright reflection of the bars and told Baron, ¡°Thanks for the help.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t help,¡± Baron answered tersely, and said that he was only telling the truth.

    ¡°Telling the truth is the hard part. Other second years weren¡¯t just watching for no reason.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m different from everyone else. Even in color,¡± Baron said as he shook his hand in front of Juho. Hisrge, dark-skinned hand swayed left and right.

    ¡°Of course. It suits the sole artist in a Literature Club.¡±

    The sole artist in a literature club was an appropriate nickname for Baron. Without hesitating, Juho asked about the things that he wanted to know about Baron, ¡°How did you end up joining the Literature Club?¡±

    ¡°By mistake.¡±

    Juho tilted his head in confusion and asked, ¡°Did you get it mixed up with the Art Club?¡±

    <The Sole Artist in a Literature Club> The End

 Chapter 16 - The Sole Artist in a Literature Club (2)

    <h4>Chapter 16: Chapter 16 ¨C The Sole Artist in a Literature Club (2)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Not quite. I already knew that it was the Literature Club. I even turned in the application myself.¡±

    ¡°Then, what makes it a mistake?¡±

    ¡°Why do you keep asking?¡±

    ¡°Just applying what Mr. Moon taught us,¡± Juho replied light-heartedly. Of course, he had no intention to dig any further if Baron expressed difort. ¡°Are you feeling ufortable?¡±

    Juho saw the dry expression on Baron¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t seem to be ufortable or feeling like he was on the spot.

    Baron let out a short sigh and continued, ¡°More like hassled. Especially by you.¡±

    ¡°What did I do?¡±

    Seeing how Juho was looking intently at him even before getting to the main point, Baron took a brief moment and continued, ¡°If you¡¯re different, you stick out.¡±

    It was a rather random answer.

    ¡°And you¡¯re alone when you¡¯re running away. I had to try several times harder than others because of my color,¡± he added.

    ¡®To not be left out,¡¯ Juho heard something that Baron hadn¡¯t said with his own lips.

    Baron continued with his story, ¡°Wearing a matching uniform wasn¡¯t enough. Neither was eating the same food. If you want to blend in, one must see, listen, dislike and like the same things as everyone else. It wasn¡¯t much of a challenge tough at something that wasn¡¯t funny or criticize someone or something that I don¡¯t dislike. It was tolerable. At the end of the day, I made friends and my school life became enjoyable.¡±

    As he finished speaking, Baron scowled. He was revisiting a bad memory.

    ¡°There was a guy. I wasn¡¯t close to him, but I knew what he looked like. He was an average Joe, and we ended up in the same ss in our third year of middle school. I¡¯m not sure if he was having a hard time adjusting to his new environment, but he was running away from it all before I knew it. On the other hand, I was fine. Honestly, I didn¡¯t care about him. There were no issues, and then I graduated.¡±

    Baron stopped for a brief moment before continuing, his voice cracking slightly, ¡°But the other guy didn¡¯t. I heard he died.¡±

    The wind blew. The air was cold.

    ¡°When I heard that, I thought ¡®What is this? Why did this have to happen? Should I have done something? What? How?¡¯ I kept on thinking aftering up to high school. Before I knew it, a year had already passed. Still, I haven¡¯t reached an answer.¡±

    Meanwhile, Baron told Juho that he thought of a hobby that he¡¯d been forgetting about, ¡°I had a sudden realization and bought a sketchbook, but I didn¡¯t really feel like joining an art club, let alone drawing by myself. So, I just went for it. However, as you know, things don¡¯t usually work out if you jump in with your eyes covered.¡±

    ¡°What didn¡¯t work out?¡±

    Baron scratched his head at Juho¡¯s question. With an absent-minded smile, he confessed his mistake.

    ¡°I thought the Literature Club was one of thezy clubs.¡±

    Azy club, Juho and Seo Kwang thought the same thing at one point.

    ¡°Which means...¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on being the sole artist in the club. All I wanted to do was draw while surrounded by other people who were busy with their study guides.¡±

    A so-calledzy club meant any club that utilized their activity time for independent study sessions. Juho imagined Baron drawing by himself in such a club. Compared to the image he portrayed, he seemed rather timid.

    ¡°I tried to pull myself out, but Mr. Moon wouldn¡¯t let me, saying that there weren¡¯t enough members. Since I had nothing to lose, I confessed to him. ¡®I¡¯m not going to write. I¡¯m going to draw.¡¯ Do you know what he said?¡±

    ¡°What did he say?¡±

    ¡°He said, ¡®That¡¯s fine too.¡¯¡±

    Baron shook his head as if dumbfounded by what Mr. Moon had said.

    ¡°He really made me stick out like a sore thumb from the first day. I didn¡¯t think the timid first years woulde after me so proactively.¡±

    ¡®Aha! Now it made sense as to why Baron was in the situation he was in.¡¯

    Baron probably wanted to make up for his past of wanting to be like everyone else. At the same time, he probably wanted to be forgiven. Yet, he had been left alone after all the time that had gone by and everything that took ce in between.

    At the end, he started pushing himself. He consciously tried to swim against the current. He consciously tried to be left alone. Only, the Literature Club didn¡¯t leave him to do that to himself.

    ¡°You¡¯ve hit the nail right on the head when you mentioned what a student wanted.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t the sole artist in the Literature Club. He was made so by Mr. Moon and the other members. At some point, Juho had asked everyone why they were trying so hard to get a writing sample from Baron. The answer had been simple, ¡°He¡¯s the only one in the club we haven¡¯t gotten closer to.¡±

    Juho looked at Baron as he sat still. Behind him stood the biggest tree in the school. It might look lonely, but underneath the dirt, there was aplexwork of roots mingling with that of other trees.

    ¡°Although trees don¡¯t even move...¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°Over there.¡±

    Right as Juho was about to exin, a voice came from behind them. Juho turned around to see ¡®Baron girl.¡¯ ¡®That was a surprise.¡¯ As Juho stared at her, she gave him a light nod.

    ¡°Thanks for the help.¡±

    Then, she pulled out her hand. There was a loaf of bread in it. It was a piece of sponge cake from the cafeteria, the most expensive item in the shop.

    ¡°Oh, no! You don¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she repeated. Despite Juho turning down her gift, she remained insistent. When he finally took the bread, she turned around and walked back into the school building. It was a reward that had beenpletely unexpected.

    ¡°Would you like half?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah! That reminds me. Didn¡¯t you receive a ck stic bag?¡±

    ¡°...I did.¡±

    ¡°That was from Bom.¡±

    Since Bom had been knocked out of the game before Seo Kwang even had time to speak, Juho spread the news for his friend.

    ¡°I figured,¡± Baron answered in a low voice.

    Baron was confused by the first yearsing after him with such gusto. Now, there was another first-year in front of him who was well-prepared.

    Juho bit a piece of his sponge cake and said, ¡°Would you like to make a bet?

    ¡°A bet?¡± Baron asked at the unexpected offer.

    After swallowing the cake, Juho continued, ¡°On whether or not the sponge-cake girl makes a friend or not.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Baron was flustered. It happened because of his ssmate who had been randomly called ¡®the sponge-cake girl.¡¯

    As if it were no big deal, Juho continued, ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you¡¯re paying attention to her? Because she¡¯s alone?¡±

    ¡°When did I ever pay attention to her?¡±

    ¡°I saw your eyes following her just now.¡±

    Just as Baron was about to respond in anger, Juho raised his hand and stopped him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet. Let¡¯s see if the sponge-cake girl makes a friend within a week.¡±

    ¡°...A week is kind of pushing it.¡±

    There were already cliques in every ss. Kids with simr interests came together and shared various hobbies. It wasn¡¯t an easy task to be part of a group that had already been solidified, let alone within a week! There was no chance.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s make the bet. I¡¯m betting that she makes a friend. If I lose, I¡¯ll make sure the first years leave you alone.¡±

    ¡°...and if you win?¡±

    ¡°A sample of your writing, obviously.¡±

    Baron hesitated. He was having trouble figuring out that first year calmly munching away at his sponge cake. He thought of the time when Juho¡¯s gaze was fixated on him as words flowed out of his lips like water.

    ¡°This is not a trick, is it?¡±

    ¡°I promise that I¡¯ll keep myself from interacting with the sponge-cake girl in any way. I can write a note as evidence if you want.¡±

    Baron thought for a moment. A first year who kept on offering him aic book, a first year who left him a bag full of snacks in secret, a first year who aroused his curiosity, and then a first year who emanated confidence.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Baron answered.

    *

    The first time Baron realized that he was different from everyone around him was in kindergarten. Baron met kids his age for the first time then. He was excited about kindergarten. Holding his mother¡¯s hand, he went into the kindergarten building.

    There was curiosity in the eyes of the kids looking at Baron. That was when Baron learned what people looked like when they saw something different from what he saw. Some kids moved away while other kids took the initiative to approach him.

    It wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. Baron himself had been curious about other kids his age. He was looking forward to the process of getting to know them. They started talking, and soon, they became friends.

    One day, a teacher from another ss approached Baron¡¯s mother, ¡°There¡¯s been aint from a parent regarding a ck child.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t hard to guess what the parents wereining about. These were parents who were anxious about their children being exposed to potentially negative influences. Even as a young boy, Baron was able to understand that.

    Eventually, Baron left that kindergarten. The next ce he went to was an art institute.

    There were countless colors and people. A college student wearing red shoes, a housewife with a blue grocery bag, a corporate worker wearing a navy blue tie, an elementary school student with a yellow hairband, they were all different from each other in upation, age and appearance. Baron grew closer to those people. He enjoyed that he got to draw and paint with different people. It wasn¡¯t until recently that he revisited what that felt like.

    ¡°Literature Club.¡±

    There were countless words and first years with diverse personalities. Baron thought of Juho. He was an interesting one. The moment he looked into Juho¡¯s world, Baron was not the same as he used to be. Countless words came out of Juho¡¯s lips as he simply stared into Baron. Baron was intimidated by that strange sensation. He thought and he changed.

    Being alone made one stick out. The only person who stuck out was Baron himself. It was his dark skin that made him stick out like a sore thumb. That was the only thing that separated him from others, but Juho didn¡¯t have to force himself around it.

    He took the book in his hand and brushed it across with his other hand. There was a drawing of a bird. ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯ It was a book at the height of its poprity. At any bookstore, that was the best-selling book. It was always being disyed at the most visible spot.

    Frankly, Baron had bought the book with the intention of mocking the author. Although the world imed him to be a genius, Baron thought that it would be no more than some high schoolposition about shallow emotions. The public worshipped him, and Baron had been disgusted by it.

    ¡°It was shocking.¡±

    It was a shock indeed. Yun Woo¡¯s book dug relentlessly into its reader¡¯s mind.

    ¡®How is this possible? What¡¯s worse is that he¡¯s even a year younger than I am. Why am I being affected by this stupid book so much?¡¯ thought Baron.

    He finished the book in no time. The moment he closed the book, Baron felt something hot in his chest. He had never shed a tear from reading a book. To Baron, that tear felt all the more foreign. Even when he heard the news about the passing of his friend in middle school, Baron didn¡¯t respond with tears. Still, he cried. Then, he felt refreshed.

    After calming his heart, he opened the book once again.

    Baron stopped in his tracks on the eye-catching cover. There were two sparrows sitting on a thick, gray telephone pole. Although it was amon sight, Baron found it to be awkward for some reason.

    ¡°If I end up writing...¡±

    ¡®... I want to write a story of a little sparrow that goes in search for a tree to sit on. For the birds that are tired of sitting on a telephone pole, I¡¯ll make a tree for them to rest on. I¡¯ll nt a sturdy tree filled with many branches.¡¯

    ¡°Of course, it was always ¡®if.¡¯¡±

    Baron continued on his way. Then, he thought, ¡®It would have been fun to have that average Joe in the club.¡¯

    <The Sole Artist in a Literature Club (2)> The End

 Chapter 17 - The Sole Artist in a Literature Club (3)

    <h4>Chapter 17: Chapter 17 ¨C The Sole Artist in a Literature Club (3)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I guess we all failed,¡± Seo Kwang said with a sigh. It had been exactly a week since Juho had made the bet with Baron. That meant that the tug-o-war between Baron and the first-years woulde to an by the end of that day.

    ¡°There¡¯s still some time left.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s already over at this point,¡± Seo Kwang announced, resting his chin on his hand on Juho¡¯s desk. Juho looked around. There were students on cleaning duty cleaning the ssroom. It was time for club activities. There was no hope.

    Despite involving the entire club in that situation, Juho sat peacefully, and Seo Kwang stared at him.

    ¡°What were you thinking when you made that bet?¡±

    ¡°It was half on impulse.¡±

    Juho knew that Baron was interested in ¡®Sponge-Cake Girl.¡¯ From afar, she was alone. She was also introverted, yet ordinary. When Juho talked to her for the first time, he had simply been thinking out loud. Seo Kwang looked at him in disbelief.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that this mischief of yours was on impulse? In the future, don¡¯t ever get yourself into gambling.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®mischief?¡¯¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what this is. You put your fate in the hands of a second-year whose name you don¡¯t even know. On top of that, you got everyone else in the club involved.¡±

    ¡°I suppose it is my bad that I didn¡¯t discuss this with others.¡±

    Seo Kwang smacked his lips at Juho¡¯s apology. Then, he shook his head.

    ¡°Well, there wasn¡¯t going to be another chance if you failed anyway. He doesn¡¯te across as the type who would give into somebody pestering him, especially after already saying ¡®No.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I agree. That¡¯s why I went all in.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re shameless.¡±

    Juhoughed light-heartedly at Seo Kwang¡¯s criticism, and Seo Kwang stared at him for a while and asked quite seriously, ¡°What would you do if it didn¡¯t work out?¡±

    If Juho¡¯s n failed, then bridging the gap between Baron and the rest of the club members would be much more difficult. Mr. Moon had tantly given them a chance to connect. If they didn¡¯t seize that tant chance, than what followed would be tant failure.

    ¡°Things would be even more awkward between him and the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. You couldn¡¯t have jumped in blindfolded. ¡±

    Juho felt bad for Seo Kwang, but he hadn¡¯t nned for the possible failure. That was what it looked like to be impulsive. At Juho¡¯s silence, Seo Kwang¡¯s expression grew darker. ¡®What to do?¡¯

    Juho had experienced countless failures up to the point of being homeless. He was sick of failing at something and he had no intention of reliving such a life. That was the reason why he was pushing ahead with his impulse.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do anything if you¡¯re afraid of the results.¡±

    There is no way to know the result of something until it reveals itself. That was especially true when it came to changing a person¡¯s heart. No matter how much one measured and calcted, they would never reach the answer. That was what made waiting such a nerve-racking event. Nothing was certain.

    ¡°I can think of a n after I fail.¡±

    Juho was certain that there was going to be a way. There was nothing to get out of worrying from that point on. The n hadn¡¯t failed yet. Besides, he had a good feeling about it. ¡®It¡¯ll work out,¡¯ he kept repeating to himself.

    Seo Kwang sneered at him, ¡°Whatever. You owe me bread from the canteen if you fail.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a loaf of sponge cake.¡±

    The two stood up from their seats to headed over to the science room. As they were on their way out through the back door, they found Baron standing in front of it.

    ¡°Come out for a second.¡±

    At his deep, resounding voice, the students on cleaning duty stopped what they were doing. It wasn¡¯tmon for Baron to be seen on the first-year¡¯s floor. He had nevere down voluntarily to see a first-year, until now. Seo Kwang pushed Juho from behind. It seemed like he wanted Juho to find out what was going on.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Why else would I be here aside from that one thing?¡±

    Baron was referring to the bet.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing the result is out?¡±

    ¡°How¡¯d it go? Who won?¡± Seo Kwang asked, but Baron didn¡¯t answer. It seemed like he needed to discuss it privately, so Juho sent Seo Kwang ahead to the science room.

    ¡°Take your time.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    Seo Kwang waved, and then Baron went out to the hallway with Juho following him. They remained silent until sitting under the same tree from the day before.

    Baron asked calmly, ¡°How did you know?¡±

    It was somewhat of a random question, but Juho understood the gist of what he was trying to ask. ¡®I had a good feeling about it,¡¯ thought Juho.

    Then, he eximed with a smile, ¡°The sponge-cake girl must have made a friend?!¡±

    ¡°I asked how did you know.¡±

    Baron thought about what had happened three days before. The sponge-cake girl had been talking with a group of people. The next day, and the following day, she was surrounded by people. She seemed happy,ughing and chattering with her friends.

    It took less than a week. Just as Juho had said, she had moved on from solitude. Then, there was Baron himself, remaining unfazed by it all.

    ¡°You knew it was going to happen too, Baron.¡± Baron didn¡¯t say a word, and Juho continued, ¡°I saw her holding a book when I saw her on the second floor hallway: ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯ It¡¯s a recent best-seller,¡±

    Baron hesitated at the familiar title.

    ¡°Sponge-Cake Girl has a very introverted personality. Talking to someone first is not an easy task for her. In that case, somebody needs to approach her and talk to her. She had things to talk about all along. It was in her hand.¡±

    Juho thought of the sponge cake he had eaten on the same spot where he was sitting. She hade to show gratitude to a first-year who she hardly knew, even with a small gift. Usually, one would think of a reason to move on:

    ¡®I appreciate the help, but I don¡¯t know his ss.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t know his name.¡¯

    ¡®He¡¯s in a different grade, so I probably won¡¯t ever run into him again.¡¯

    It was a connection that could have been easily neglected. On top of that, she was an introvert. It couldn¡¯t have been easy to talk to someone who she didn¡¯t know.

    Despite it all, she had brought Juho the sponge cake. It wasn¡¯t likely that a person like that would be left alone. Besides, she had been involved in the drama that had attracted the attention of an entire ss and proven innocent. It wouldn¡¯t have been weird to be approached by at least one person.

    ¡°What she needs is something to talk about.¡±

    Then, there was silence, and Baron let out a smirk.

    ¡°That was disappointing.¡±

    There was emptiness in his tone. It was an emptiness that came from acknowledgement. Baron, too, had been keeping his eyes on Sponge-Cake Girl. He must have known better than any other person that being a loner didn¡¯t suit her.

    He seemed like he was thinking of someone when Juho said, ¡°If you¡¯re alive, you can make it out.¡±

    That¡¯s what being alone was like. A person couldn¡¯t live on his own. As long as he was alive, somebody was bound toe by.

    At that moment, they saw the Sponge-Cake Girling out of the school building with three other girls. Juho called her as he waved, ¡°The cake was delicious!¡±

    ¡°Right!¡±

    She was smiling brightly and actually responding to him talking to her. She hade looking for him after he helped her, and now she wasn¡¯t alone.

    ¡°I should¡¯ve tried to talk to her,¡± said Baron. ¡°I wish I had said something to that average Joe. He might have been able tost just a little longer.¡±

    A person couldn¡¯t survive on his own. Baron bit his lips.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Baron,¡± Juho whispered.

    By the time Juho and Baron were the only people left in the yard, the bell rang throughout the entire school.

    They headed to the science room. Baron still gave off a brusque impression, but he looked a bit morefortable. Without saying anything to each other, the two walked up the stairs and went into the science room.

    ¡°Baron!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Baron answered tiredly.

    Ignoring his exhaustion, Sun Hwa continued, ¡°I forfeit!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡®What is she saying?¡¯ Baron seemed dumbfounded. Next to him, Juho also tilted his head in confusion. It wasn¡¯t like Sun Hwa to bring up forfeiting.

    Juho thought about exining the situation to her, but Sun Hwa seemed like she still had things to say. She picked up aic book. It was the sameic book she had been desperately trying to get Baron to read.

    She pointed to Baron with theic book and said, ¡°It¡¯s toote to ask if you can borrow it. Even if you¡¯re desperate to write a report on it, it¡¯s not going to work.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not interested,¡± at Baron¡¯s blunt answer, she stepped aside. There was a pile ofic books that were hidden behind her. ¡°What is all this?¡±

    With a satisfied smile on her face, she presented her collection. As she exined each of heric books with excitement, Baron asked her again, ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s read them together.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said you forfeit?¡±

    She shook her head at his response.

    ¡°These are only suggestions. I want to share this passion of mine.¡±

    Baron hesitated. He couldn¡¯t think straight. Recognizing his hesitation, Juho replied. ¡°I want to read them too.¡±

    Her eyes lit up, and she smile brightly.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d understand. Comic books are even better when you read it with other people.¡±

    ¡°Then, count me in,¡± Seo Kwang chimed in.

    ¡°Not a chance,¡± she replied ruthlessly.

    ¡°That¡¯s not nice. Then, what about that one? You don¡¯t need it anymore.¡±

    While Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa quarreled over aic book, Juho took a book from the top of the pike and handed it to Baron.

    At Juho¡¯s gesture, Baron couldn¡¯t help but smile. Then, he pulled out the ck stic bag, full of snacks.

    ¡°Here, have a snack.¡±

    ¡°Oh, wow! You really know how to impress us. This bag looks familiar though.¡±

    ¡°Somebody left it on my desk.¡±

    While Bom sat nervously, Baron opened up several packs of snacks and spread them out onto the desk. It was a party. Everyone held aic book in their hands while munching on the snacks. Readingic books and snickering together was truly a fun experience.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know this was theic book club.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moon!¡±

    Mr.Moon came in and looked around the room. The Literature Club had turned into aic book store. Then, he snatched one of the snacks from the desk and put it in his mouth.

    ¡°Hand me aic book, will you?¡±

    Eventually, the entire club was immersed inic books.

    *

    ¡°Yo, you missed a spot.¡±

    As Juho leaned forward in his seat, a voice sounded above his head. It was obvious who the voice belonged to.

    ¡°You mean here?¡±

    Pretending not to understand, Juho took a broom and swept across Seo Kwang¡¯s feet. There were chunks of hair and dust stuck on the end of the broom. It clearly wasn¡¯t well-maintained. Seo Kwang jumped up and stepped back.

    Juho was in the middle of cleaning the ssroom. The cleaning rotation was based on the call number. There were three others on duty aside from him. Two of them swept the ssroom with him, and the other was mopping the hallway. After sweeping for some time, Juho straightened his back. There was no painful groan. It was a blessing to have a young body.

    After checking for dust on his shoes, Seo Kwang leaned against a desk. Naturally, he opened the book in his hand and started reading. He had a habit of reading whenever there was a chance to. Juho himself was an avid reader, but it was nothing like Seo Kwang. ¡®He¡¯s an interesting fellow.¡¯ he thought.

    <The Sole Artist in a Literature Club (3)> The End

 Chapter 18 - Yun Woo is in Our School (1)

    <h4>Chapter 18: Chapter 18 ¨C Yun Woo is in Our School (1)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho wrapped up the cleaning and went out to the hallway to throw out the trash. There used to be a trash can in each ssroom, but being that it was hard to maintain, they were removed by the school. Instead, the students were to use amunity trash can at the end of the hallway.

    Standing at the front of the trash can, Juho began separating the recybles from his trash: a pen missing its lid, an eraser about to break in half, the crumpled up school newsletter, small pieces of paper, etc. They were all found on the ssroom¡¯s floor.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    After he had finished separating the recybles, there was another piece of paper lying on the hallway floor that caught his eyes. It must have fallen out of Juho¡¯s trash. Judging from the torn pages and crumpled up surface, it looked like it was treated roughly. When he saw the neat writing on the paper, he picked it up.

    ¡°This...¡±

    Juho was shocked. He was familiar with what was written on the crumpled up paper.

    ¡°Is this... a transcription?¡±

    It was part of a transcription of the book Juho had written. The neat penmanship abruptly came to an end.

    ¡®Who wrote this?¡¯ thought Juho. Transcriptions were something Juho had been working on himself. It was part of the daily routine of the Literature Club. The purpose of it was to be a better writer.

    ¡®Could this belong to someone who aspires to be a writer? Then there must have been better books. Why did this person choose ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ of all books?¡¯ Juho was having trouble understanding the motive of the transcriber. Besides, did it mean something that Juho had found it next to a trash can?

    Seeing the homeroom teacher from a distance, Juho shoved in the crumpled up paper into his pocket and finished cleaning.

    ¡®How boring.¡¯

    It was the math ss. The teacher, with his lower belly bulging out, had a simple teaching method. He wrote out the equations and the process on how to solve them. Then, as a final touch, he added a short and quick exnation to what was written on the chalkboard.

    The math teacher was surprisingly popr among the students. It wasn¡¯t because of his friendliness or his appearance, but because of his writing and equations.

    With his pinky finger sticking up while using the white chalk, his handwriting was neat and consistent. His craft reached its climax when he started drawing figures on the board. His drawings wereparable to those of an art teacher. They were steady and three-dimensional.

    What was funny was that even the teacher himself found satisfaction in his craft on the chalkboard. After ss, on his way out, he looked at what he had written and drawn and smiled in a way that he never would to his students. For some reason, Juho thought of Mr. Moon. It felt like he had figured out why the math teacher was able toe to school so consistently.

    While Juho was spending time looking at the chalkboard, he noticed a disturbance in the ss. When he looked around, he saw a small piece of paper being passed around. They were exchanging notes. Usually, he would have ignored it, but that time was different.

    There was a much bigger number of people exchanging notes with one another. It wasn¡¯t just a note between two individuals. Rather, it was a note being passed around to the entire ss. It seemed more like a telegram than a note at that point, and Juho became curious. ¡®What¡¯s written on that paper that has to be passed around in the middle of ss?¡¯

    Eventually, the note reached Seo Kwang. He seemed confused about getting the note since he was reading his book on the down low, but soon, he opened it to read it. Juho stared intently at his back.

    His shoulders started moving up and down. Seo Kwang was quite shaken. He took his eyes off the note and looked around at his surroundings. It seemed like he was trying to find some sort of confirmation. Whenever his face passed by Juho, he could see the shock in Seo Kwang¡¯s face.

    ¡®What was going on?¡¯ Juho tried to remember if anything had happened around that time of his life, but nothing came to him.

    After Seo Kwang had his moment, he quietly turned around to Juho and handed him the note. After anticipating reading it, Juho took the note without dy. For some reason, the paper was getting floppy. It must have been passed around the entire ss. The moment Juho opened the floppy piece of paper, he had to stop himself from gasping out loud.

    The paper was filled with small letters. It read, ¡°Yun Woo is in our school.¡±

    ¡®Is my cover blown? It doesn¡¯t really seem like it,¡¯ thought Juho.

    There wasn¡¯t much he could do in that difficult-to-understand situation. For that reason, Juho stared out the window absentmindedly until the math teacher left the ssroom with a satisfied smile.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Seo Kwang called, quickly turning to Juho as soon the ss ended.

    With a slight determination, Juho answered, ¡°What?¡±

    Seo Kwang responded with a serious face, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡®Go? Where?¡¯

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°To meet Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Juho was still confused. ¡®Where can anyone go to find Yun Woo? He¡¯s sitting right in front of you. What¡¯s happening?¡¯

    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry. The others went ahead.¡±

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°What were you doing during ss when the note was being passed around? Come on, I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s in ssroom 7.¡±

    ¡°I was paying attention to the lesson, of course,¡± Juho said, although he was actually spacing out then.

    As he caught up to Seo Kwang hurrying his steps, Juho was slowly came to grasp things. ¡®That must mean there¡¯s another Yun Woo in this school aside from myself. In ssroom 7 at that.¡¯

    ¡°Could it be a case of identity theft?¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Seo Kwang eximed with excitement, ¡°It¡¯s just as I thought, a girl!¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean who? Yun Woo, obviously!¡±

    ¡°What? Yun Woo¡¯s a she?!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she must be really pretty.¡±

    ¡®No, Yun Woo is not a girl.¡¯ No matter how much Juho screamed it on the inside, Seo Kwang couldn¡¯t hear him. As much as Seo Kwang was excited about Yun Woo being a beautiful girl, it was merely an information regarding a case of identity theft to Juho¡¯s ears.

    In the front of ssroom 7, there was a crowd of people who hade to see Yun Woo after hearing the rumor. Seo Kwang and Juho made their way through the crowd into the ssroom. Inside, was another crowd surrounding a girl in arge circle. It was obvious that she was the thief who had stolen the name ¡°Yun Woo.¡± When the two got closer to her, she was busy answering questions from other students.

    ¡°How did you think of writing something like that?¡±

    ¡°You know, there are a lot of people who are scared of pigeonstely. I was on the street one day and I heard ady screaming. I thought she was in trouble so I went to her, and sure enough, it was because of a pigeon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen people do that.¡±

    ¡°Me too, me too! I saw this mom who was covering her daughter¡¯s mouth when some pigeons were flying away because they¡¯re dirty.¡±

    ¡°It makes sense though. They do kind of look harmful even at a nce.¡±

    ¡®Pigeons?¡¯ Juho was dumbfounded. As soon as the fake Yun Woo finished, other students surrounding her began to chime in.

    ¡°After seeing that, I had an idea. I thought it¡¯d be interesting to make the protagonist a person who suffers from a phobia of birds.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the secret to writing well?¡±

    She wasing up with stories that could likely exist. Another question came out of the circle of people surrounding the girl. With a smirk, she answered sincerely. The mole on her cheek moved up as she smiled.

    ¡°Hm. How should I say this? I just let my hand do the work. You close your eyes, and think of an image, things you want to write about. Then, your hand will move on its own.¡±

    ¡°Wow! How long did it take you to write the entire book?¡±

    ¡°The first draft didn¡¯t take long to finish. Maybe a week?¡±

    Juho clenched his fist from embarrassment. ¡®Why am I feeling embarrassed? What kind of nonsense is she saying about her hand moving on its own? How do you write with your eyes closed? One week? Where did thate from? ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ is nearly a full-length novel. One week is nowhere near enough. What¡¯s this about?¡¯

    As Juho shook in agony, another person raised his hand to ask another question, ¡°The way your book described fear or terror was incredibly realistic. A lot of people are saying that it¡¯s based on experience.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s a bit of a sensitive question. I¡¯m not sure if I can answer it.¡±

    ¡®Who does she think she is? Does she have no shame? Well, I suppose she couldn¡¯t have guessed that the real Yun Woo came to this school. She must be acting because she¡¯s not aware that she¡¯s being watched by the real Yun Woo.¡¯

    That had never happened when Juho had revealed his face in the past. Yet, it was still somewhat of a familiar sight. Conversely, at that time, Juho had been the one surrounded by the crowd.

    Juho had spent his days in school being in the center of attention. At times, students from other schools woulde visit him to find out if the rumor was true. He couldn¡¯t help but notice himself in that imposter. Still, her bluffs were getting out of hand.

    ¡°That was kind of unexpected.¡±

    At that moment, Juho heard his friend¡¯s murmur. There was a contrast in his voice from a moment ago. Yun Woo must have been quite different from what Seo Kwang had imagined. Juho looked at him and asked, ¡°What kind of person were you hoping Yun Woo to be?¡±

    ¡°Well, hm. If you put it that way, it makes it harder for me to answer. I guess pretty?¡±

    After some hesitation, he eventually answered with a joke, and Juhoughed it off without asking any further.

    Juho felt a little better. He looked at ¡°Yun Woo,¡± who was the center of attention. The mole on her cheek was moving about on her face whenever she smiled.

    With his eyes on the girl, Juho¡¯s lips parted, ¡°Can I ask a question too?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo¡± nodded and epted Juho¡¯s request. There was confidence in her face as if she could answer anything. To tackle the most fundamental curiosity he had, Juho asked, ¡°You¡¯ve been anonymous up to this point. Why reveal yourself now?

    Everyone had been friendly to her so far. At that point, there was no use in asking her to prove that she was real. For that reason, Juho decided to take a roundabout approach. He didn¡¯t show her any hostility. Rather, he asked as if he was genuinely curious.

    She seemed caught off guard for a moment, but soon, she straightened her face and answered Juho¡¯s question, ¡°I¡¯m a little flustered myself. I didn¡¯t think my cover would get blown like this. One of my friends saw the original copy of my book. I didn¡¯t want to be a liar.¡±

    ¡®The original copy, she says.¡¯ Juho reached into his pocket, and his hand caught something. A worn-out piece of paper rustled in his hand. Although he had no basis for it, Juho felt confident.

    ¡®This is from her.¡¯

    Juho slowly pulled his hand out of his pocket.

    ¡°I see. You don¡¯t like to lie.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You have a rough future ahead of you,¡± Juho said to her as the sole person who knew the conclusion Yun Woo hade to. There was no benefit in borrowing that name.

    Having misunderstood him, she smiled innocently and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s better than being a hypocrite. If you¡¯re ufortable at heart, you can¡¯t write well.¡±

    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s amazing.¡±

    Juho thought for a moment and made her a final question. There were other students to his sides who were itching to ask her questions themselves.

    ¡°How does it feel to be Yun Woo?¡±

    She smiled brightly and replied, ¡°Great!¡±

    <Yun Woo is in Our School (1)> The End

 Chapter 19 - Yun Woo is in Our School (2)

    <h4>Chapter 19: Chapter 19 ¨C Yun Woo is in Our School (2)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What do you think, Mr. Moon?¡± Sun Hwa asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mr. Moon asked in response as he took his seat.

    Sun Hwa shed some light on thetest hot topic in school.

    ¡°As in Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°What about him?¡±

    Mr. Moon seemed to have no clue of why that name wasing up. Having assumed that Mr. Moon would already know about the matter, Sun Hwa asked again in surprise, ¡°... Do the teachers not know about this yet?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Yun Woo¡±

    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know Yun Woo?¡± Mr. Moon genuinely didn¡¯t seem to be aware that the renowned celebrity was in his ss. Right as Sun Hwa was about to reveal the truth, Juho intervened.

    ¡°Yun Wooes to our school.¡±

    ¡°... What?¡±

    ¡°What the!? I was going to say that!¡±

    Juho swiftly avoided Sun Hwa fierce re at him, but Mr. Moon was sitting still in shock. Though he was hardly startled by anything, he was frozen in ce by what he had just heard. That moment, another person stood up from his seat in disbelief. It was Baron. The two hardest people to surprise, sitting across from each other, staring out. It was quite a sight.

    As for Baron, he had no friends in his ss who would share the news with him. It would make sense that he hadn¡¯t known until then. Judging from their reactions, it seemed like the rumor was yet to spread throughout the entire school.

    With a smile, Seo Kwang asked Baron, ¡°You didn¡¯t know Baron? I saw some third-yearsing by¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo is in this school?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s in ss Seven. She¡¯s pretty.¡±

    ¡°She? Yun Woo is a girl?¡±

    ¡°I know. What HongSam said in his blog is right.¡±

    Baron and Seo Kwang began to have a deep conversation about HongSam. HongSam was a famous blogger who believed Yun Woo was female.

    Having heard about HongSam earlier, Juho visited his blog one day. Along with his ridiculous opinion on Yun Woo¡¯s true identity, there were also reviews of books across various genres. Unlike Juho¡¯s expectation, there were quite a few regrs who visited his blog.

    HongSam seemed quite humorous and skilled in identifying the core message of a book. There was not a moment of boredom.

    Even Juho purchased a book at some point after having read his blog, so that proved it. Listening to Baron and Seo Kwang¡¯s conversation, Juho quietly nodded. Ignoring the boys, Sun Hwa continued with her story about Yun Woo for Mr.Moon.

    ¡°She sounded like an artist when she talked. Apparently, once she closes are eyes and feels her inspiration, her hand writes on its own. Isn¡¯t that fascinating? I¡¯m telling you, she¡¯s a genius.¡±

    ¡°She was surrounded by other students the entire day. Even so, she answered every question without showing any sign of fatigue .¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± Mr. Moon groaned vaguely at Sun Hwa¡¯s and Bom¡¯s words. His expression was simr to Seo Kwang¡¯s when he had gone over to see ¡®Yun Woo.¡¯

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t Yun Woo join the Literature Club? She¡¯s a novelist,¡± Sun Hwa said.

    Then, Juho replied, ¡°Well, just because someone is a novelist doesn¡¯t mean that person has to be a part of the Literature Club. Maybe Yun Woo wants to experience other things because she¡¯s already a novelist.¡±

    ¡°I guess so. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d feelfortable if Yun Woo was part of the club.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? It¡¯s shameful to try to write something in front of a professional. Besides, we¡¯re the same age.¡±

    After a brief silence, Juho¡¯s mouth opened, ¡°Shameful?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just... embarrassing. It¡¯s like holding a candle to the sun.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Alright, enough chit-chat.¡±

    Mr. Moon pped his hands and calmed the excitement. For a while, the Literature Club had been focusing on improving vocabry and transcription. The members had been harvesting words from the sea,nd, their respective homes, and streets.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to be using our bodies today, so let¡¯s move the desks.¡±

    They acted ording to Mr. Moon¡¯s instruction. They separated the two rectangr desks that were next to each other and lined them up into a single row. The five sat on one side of a desk while Mr. Moon remained on the other side on his own. It looked like Mr. Moon was being interviewed for a job. He took out a notebook he had brought with him and continued with his instructions.

    ¡°In this notebook, you will find various words. One person has to exin the word I show him or her, and the rest of you have to guess.¡±

    ¡°Is this a quiz?¡±

    Juho had seen another quiz of a simr format on the TV, so Mr. Moon exined the difference between that ss and the TV show, ¡°There is no time limit. Make sure you focus more on exining than guessing the correct answer. We have a lot of time, so take your time observing your surroundings. Exin as if you were listing the characteristics of the object. You¡¯ll get it as we go on.¡±

    It was still confusing. Seo Kwang was called first because he was sitting on the left-most side of the desk. Since Mr. Moon said that everyone would have a turn, Juho was madest.

    Mr. Moon stood behind the members who were sitting and revealed the word on his notebook to Seo Kwang. It really felt like the speed quiz on TV.

    Seo Kwang hesitated for a brief moment when he saw the word, but soon stammered his way through. Although there was no time limit, he started speaking faster and faster.

    ¡°Uh, so this. It¡¯s an image of a city. The first thing thates to mind when you think of a city.¡±

    ¡°Fanciness? Bright lights?¡± Sun Hwa was blurting out whatever she could think of, but Seo Kwang shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s far from fanciness. Opposite, in fact. It melts under heat! Also, it cracks when it gets... old?¡±

    ¡°Most things melt under heat and crack with age.¡±

    Ignoring Juho, Seo Kwang continued, ¡°In literature, they use this word to portray something bad about a city. Gray! It¡¯s gray; it¡¯s used in construction, and you can find them in residential areas. They use this for building streets, and if you fall on it, you¡¯ll hurt your knee. Maybe it¡¯s usually mixed with a few other things. It¡¯s gray.¡±

    It was still unclear what Seo Kwang was describing. Still, everyone had an idea.

    Sun Hwa eximed, ¡°Concrete!¡±

    ¡°Correct!¡±

    Everyone turned around and found the word ¡®cement concrete¡¯ written on Mr. Moon¡¯s notebook. In parenthesis, it was also written ¡°¡®concrete¡¯ counts as an answer.¡±

    ¡°Maybe? Why¡¯d you say maybe?¡±

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m studying architecture. How much would I know about concrete?¡±

    ¡°Even then, you shouldn¡¯t say something if it¡¯s not a fact.¡±

    ¡°You try it!¡±

    At that, Sun Hwa walked out confidently to the front. She looked intently past the other club members in their seats and then at the notebook. For a brief moment, she was lost in her thoughts.

    In the meantime, Juho saw an artist sitting toward the middle of the desk, recording the activity of the Literature Club members. His hand moved about his sketchbook.

    As Juho watched, Sun Hwa began her exnation, ¡°OK. So, this is something thates out during important scenes. There¡¯s a song about it too. It looks prettier from afar.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t look that pretty even from afar, so it can¡¯t be you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to hurt you!¡±

    Sun Hwa raised her fist at Seo Kwang as he mocked her. At Bom¡¯s awkwardughter because of them, Sun Hwa continued, ¡°It¡¯s season-sensitive. Each has its own ce, but some don¡¯t... and there¡¯s a lot of them. It¡¯s not visible during the day, but only at night. Oh, him! It has something to do with his name!¡±

    Then, Sun Hwa pointed fiercely at Juho. All eyes were fixed on him as she pointed out suddenly. ¡®Juho. Woo-Juho¡¯ (TL Note: Wooju sounds like the Korean word for space).

    ¡°Mozart really liked this!¡±

    ¡°Oh, stars!¡±

    ¡°Correct!¡±

    Seo Kwang got it right this time.

    ¡®I guess space does have something to do with it,¡¯ Juho admitted to himself while thinking about his name. Then, he proceeded to ask a question, ¡°Mozart liked stars?¡±

    ¡°Heposed music about it. Wouldn¡¯t you think he did?¡±

    Juho stopped himself from acting on his urge to ask ¡°what makes that assumption so different from Seo Kwang¡¯s?¡±

    Next, was Bom. She seemed nervous to be standing in front of the others.

    ¡°You got this!¡± Sun Hwa cheered for her while shaking her arms. Seo Kwang joined in by shaking his hand at her. Juho, too, pped gently as a means of encouragement.

    As soon as she saw her word, Boom started talking, ¡°It¡¯s delicious. Um, it¡¯s usually for dessert and everyone sits around it. Uh, and some don¡¯t have seeds.¡±

    ¡°Watermelon?¡±

    At ¡®seedless,¡¯ Sun Hwa had thought of watermelon, but it wasn¡¯t the right answer. Bom gently waved her hand in denial and continued.

    ¡°You can get drunk from it if you drink it. It can be made into candy or a poem. You don¡¯t eat the peel or the seeds.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t eat the peel? Is it an Orange?¡±

    ¡°Really? You get drunk from drinking an orange?¡±

    As Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa quarreled, Juho quietly raised his hand. His answer may have been somewhat subjective, but he immediately understood from one of the clues: ¡®you can get drunk from it if you drink it.¡¯

    ¡°Grapes!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°I was thinking the same thing!¡± Seo Kwang eximed. Then, he critiqued one of Bom¡¯s clues, ¡°I eat every part of the grape, even the peel and the seeds.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡± Sun Hwa questioned him in response.

    With an apologetic expression, Bom told him, ¡°I don¡¯t eat the peel or the seeds, so I just said it without thinking.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess that makes sense. There¡¯s not even a time limit, but this is so nerve-racking.¡±

    So far, every person had shown a tendency of talking or trying to talk faster. Everyone was getting anxious because they felt like they werepeting in a quiz show.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m next,¡± Juho said as he stood up from his seat.

    From the front, he faced Mr. Moon holding his notebook. It really was like a quiz show. Juho¡¯s eyes met with Mr. Moon¡¯s. Without hesitating, he turned the page. The word ¡®snake¡¯ was written on the notebook, and he took a moment to think.

    ¡®Snake, snake.¡¯

    Juho immediately thought of the snake wine, but quickly moved on to a different image. He wasn¡¯t old enough to be thinking about such a thing.

    ¡°This has no fins, wings, or legs, but it lives in both the water and the desert. It¡¯s known to be poisonous. It¡¯s very seductive, but even if you give into its charm, you won¡¯t end up taking off your clothes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so suggestive!¡± having shouted such a thing, Seo Kwang was left with no choice but to face Sun Hwa and her pitiful re.

    ¡°It signifies wisdom and medicine, and it has hundreds of ribs. It¡¯s the only reptile among twelve animals, and it won sixth ce in Kyung Joo.¡±

    That was more than enough, and the three answered simultaneously, ¡°Snake!¡±

    ¡°Correct,¡± Juho told everyone.

    Then, he quietly returned to his seat. Looking at him, Seo Kwang thought to himself, ¡®He¡¯s good.¡¯

    Having been training his vocabry so far, Seo Kwang could only acknowledge the skill Juho possessed. Juho excelled innguage. Sun Hwa and Bom were bothpetent, but Juho was on a different level. He had the cognitive skills, but there was something about him that set him apart.

    At that moment, Bom asked Seo Kwang, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking this sincest week, but doesn¡¯t Juho speak reallyfortably?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Seo Kwang agreed with her enthusiastically, and Bom was slightly taken aback by such passionate response.

    ¡°We¡¯re running out of breath as is, but there¡¯s no hesitation in his speech.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair.¡±

    Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang red at Juho. Even if they were toin, he had nothing to say in response. He stared into the ceiling and, choosing to mumble through his words, he said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I like snake wine?¡±

    <Yun Woo is in Our School (2)> The End

 Chapter 20 - Yun Woo is in Our School (3)

    <h4>Chapter 20: Chapter 20 ¨C Yun Woo is in Our School (3)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As time passed, the rumor about ¡®Yun Woo¡¯ spread widely. Countless people, regardless of their year, had beening in and out of ss 7, and Yun Woo was always in the middle of a crowd. Everyone¡¯s attention was on her. Even in ces where she wasn¡¯t physically present, there were always people talking of Yun Woo, and it was no different in Juho¡¯s ss.

    ¡°I told my mom, but she wouldn¡¯t believe me. I told her that the entire school knows about it, but she justpletely made a fool out of me.¡±

    ¡°Really? My sister gave me her book to get it autographed. I got myself a fried chicken dinner out of that deal.¡±

    ¡°Lucky! I was going to take a picture of her, but she said no.¡±

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t let you take a picture? I didn¡¯t turn in my phone so I could take a picture of herter.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    In some sense, that massive level of attention toward Yun Woo was a natural response. Yun Woo was an author who had the record of being both the youngest to win the publishing contest and debut into the literary world. Once an anonymous genius revealed his or her identity, people were bound to want to see them in person, even from afar. That girl was within a reachable proximity of her fans, who were also her fellow students. It made sense that she was receiving so much attention.

    The hallway was busier than ever. Juho looked out and saw that Yun Woo was standing in the middle of it. There were enough students to keep them from passing through. Several students startedining, but nobody was listening to them. That was not good.

    ¡°Yun! Please give me an autograph!¡±

    A male student ran out into the hallway in the middle of chatting with his friends next to Juho. Everyone was trying to get an autograph from her. Some even pulled out their fresh, barely read copy of ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯ It was obvious that they hadn¡¯t read the book. Those students were trying to get an autograph from the supposed author without having read the book themselves, which was also amon sight and type of student.

    ¡°Me too! Me too!¡±

    Juho approached the crowd of people clogging up the hallway.

    ¡®How would this impostor handle my demand for an autograph? Would she actually sign it?¡¯

    As if she were mocking him, Yun Woo took out a pen from her pocket and asked another student, ¡°Where do you want me to sign?¡±

    ¡°Here, next to the title.¡±

    ¡°Name?¡±

    Juho snickered. He must have been underestimating that fake Yun Woo.

    ¡°Haha! Oh, my.¡±

    He gave up on her shameless attitude. The hallway quickly turned into a signing event for the fans, and Juho started to get worried.

    ¡®What if she really believes herself to be the real Yun Woo?¡¯

    ¡°Are you waiting for an autograph too?¡± Seo Kwang came up to him and asked.

    Juho shook his head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even own a copy. What about you? You own three!¡±

    ¡°Nah, there are just too many people.¡±

    To Juho, Seo Kwang wasn¡¯t somebody who would miss an opportunity like that for such a simple reason. He stared at his friend for a while and asked, ¡°Are you doubting that she¡¯s real?¡±

    Seo Kwang seemed ufortable with Juho¡¯s bluntness. Like Juho had said, he had doubts. That Yun Woo, now the center of attention, was beautiful and just like how he imagined her to be, but something wasn¡¯t right.

    ¡°Maybe. Something tells me that it¡¯s not her.¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m keeping quiet!¡±

    There was frustration in his tone, and seeing Juho smiling, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Hey, guys!¡±

    The moment Seo Kwang asked him, the two heard a familiar voice calling for them. When they turned their heads, they saw Bom standing behind them. She had a book in her hand.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting it signed?¡± Juho asked with a surprised look, and Bom blinked rapidly from embarrassment.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that... I really enjoyed the book.¡±

    ¡°Eh, there¡¯s nothing wrong with that,¡± Juho moved aside as he responded light-heartedly.

    However, instead of walking past them, Bom stopped and looked at Juho and Seo Kwang. Then she asked, ¡°Are you guys not getting one?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t own a copy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can dare get through that crowd.¡±

    There was a wall of people in the direction where Seo Kwang had pointed. It was a wall that separated Juho from Yun Woo. Bom hesitated for a moment and soon shook her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can either. I¡¯ll pass.¡±

    ¡°Huh?! Are you sure? I can help if you need it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. I¡¯m not necessarily a fan of the author,¡± Bom said as she embraced her book.

    At her response, Seo Kwang approached her with a bright smile, ¡°That¡¯s unexpected. I thought you wouldn¡¯t be into novels because you only readic books with Sun Hwa. What are you reading? What genre? What did you read most recently? Do you have a favorite author? Do you prefer foreign novels or Korean novels?¡±

    Bom was getting overwhelmed by the barrage of questions, but soon stammered her way through. Finding the sight amusing, Juho watched them. Because of her timid personality and the fact that she was mostly around Sun Hwa, there were hardly any opportunities to strike a direct conversation with her.

    ¡°Uh... I don¡¯t read a whole lot, but I do have a few that I really like.¡±

    ¡°Aha! So you¡¯re the type who reads a book over and over once you get really into it. Hm, that¡¯s good too.¡±

    Seo Kwang nodded enthusiastically. He and Bom seemed to be talking casually at first, but now, he was pushing for his one-sided book suggestions. Seeing how Bom didn¡¯t seem annoyed by it, Juho didn¡¯t do anything to stop his friend. Seo Kwang had a tactful personality himself, so he would have stopped if Bom looked ufortable.

    Juho redirected his attention to Yun Woo. A girl was asking for an autograph.

    ¡°Could you write something next to your signature too?¡±

    ¡°You want me to write something?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, like a special note. It would bump up the value of the book.¡±

    Yun Woo had been signing with a smile on her face so far, but for the first time, there was a change in her expression. It was subtle, but it was clearly noticeable to him. The girl who requested for a special note began to grow impatient and hurried Yun Woo.

    Then, Yun Woo quickly changed her tone and responded angrily, ¡°What¡¯s a book to you?!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°If the value of a book is determined by the signature of a celebrity author or a special note, then my writing has no purpose. A book is precious on its own.¡±

    The hallway grew quieter. There were sounds of people whispering. The girl who made the special request was flushing from being humiliated in front of the crowd, but Yun Woo pushed on, ¡°You¡¯re nning on selling this on the inte, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m offended that you¡¯re asking for a special favor without even telling me your name.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?!¡±

    Although the girl was denying it, Yun Woo kept a stern look. As for the crowd who had been watching, it was obvious whose side they were going to take. Nobody wanted to be enemies with a person who had something to offer, especially when there was something to be gained from that person.

    Besides, it was already suspicious enough that the girl wasn¡¯t giving her name. To Juho, however, there was little to no difference between those two girls.

    ¡®A purpose to write... Only a person who actually writes can make that statement convincing.¡¯

    Lunch time came, and everyone rushed toward the cafeteria. The sound of rumbling footsteps resounded in the hallway. Usually, Juho and Seo Kwang would head over to the cafeteria after the crowd had passed their ssroom, but that day was different. There was a ce to be.

    Juho stood up from his seat.

    Since he had already given Seo Kwang a notice, Seo Kwang went onto the cafeteria along all the other students. He had a skill of getting along with just about anyone. However, outside of a certain group, he didn¡¯t mention anything about books. Afterall, a book-loving high-school student was a rare find.

    Juho opened the door and walked into ss 7. Just like he had done in the past, Yun Woo was sitting alone in the ssroom. It had been the only time of the day that Juho had gotten to be alone.

    ¡°Are you alone?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Yun Woo replied gently.

    Intentionally, Juho responded with a mean attitude, ¡°Nothing¡¯s more important than food.¡±

    ¡®No matter how big of a fan.¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± she asked.

    There was a subtle edge in her tone, and Juho stood next to her seat.

    Yun Woo looked up to him and asked again, ¡°Are you here to see me?¡±

    Juho nodded lightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to meet Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I have something to give you.¡±

    ¡°I guess Yun Woo came before food in your mind.¡±

    Juho responded camly, ¡°I already ate, although it was bread instead of rice.¡±

    Yun Woo frowned at him and then changed the subject, ¡°So, what is it that you wanted to give me?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I have something to tell you before that.¡±

    As if she had been expecting it, she looked intently at him, and Juho continued without hesitation, ¡°I think you should be mindful of giving autographs in the hallway.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Yun Woo asked. It wasn¡¯t what she had expected.

    ¡°It makes it difficult for others to pass through if there¡¯s a crowd of people blocking the way. I think you need to be mindful of that.¡±

    Yun Woo spaced out for a moment, but she soon came to her senses and responded, ¡°I see. You¡¯re right. I didn¡¯t think about that. I¡¯ll be careful from now on.¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is something I heard from another person. Is it true that you¡¯re close to other famous authors?¡±

    After circting through the school for a while, the rumors she had started eventually reached him. One of them was that Yun Woo let her fans talk on the phone with other authors.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Why, do you have an author you like?¡±

    ¡°Of course. As ordinary as I am, I¡¯m part of the Literature Club.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re in the Literature Club. So who do you like?¡±

    She appeared confident.

    ¡°If I tell you, would you let me talk to the author on the phone?¡±

    ¡°If I know the person. But being an author is an incredibly busy job, so I hope you know that they might not be able to answer.¡±

    ¡®Of course,¡¯ Juho understood her attitude. It was such a cop out answer.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine then. I don¡¯t want to bother someone when they¡¯re busy either.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for understanding.¡±

    He decided to ask her one more question before handing her what he had brought. He personally wanted to hear her answer while the real Yun Woo came face to face with the impostor. There could be something worth noting, so he listened carefully.

    ¡°How are you nning on writing the sequel?¡±

    ¡°A sequel?¡±

    She seemed confused by the seemingly random question about a sequel. The book hadn¡¯t even been out that long. As usual, however, she gave an adequate answer, ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. I do have a few ideas in mind.¡±

    ¡°What are they?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it...¡±

    Juho took the initiative before she had a chance to remain discreet, ¡°I¡¯ll keep it a secret. So, just tell me.¡±

    ¡°... What?¡±

    She became flustered, unlike with her usual, shamelessly confident attitude. Juho was also caught by surprise by the unexpected reaction.

    ¡°You seem flustered.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that you were asking so intently.¡±

    ¡°I was?¡±

    Juho had seen worse. She hadn¡¯t been flustered like that back then. Her reaction raised a question in his mind.

    ¡®Why is she so flustered? What is she flustered by?¡¯

    ¡°Secret?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The thing I asked you to tell me?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    While staring at her face, Juho reyed what he had just said to her.

    ¡®I¡¯ll keep it a secret.¡¯

    A secret. The meaning of the word was startling her. It tore down her shamelessness and shook her.

    There was a rustling sound in Juho¡¯s pocket.

    ¡®Aha!¡¯

    ¡°Did your friend say the same thing?¡±

    ¡°My friend?¡±

    Juho took the paper out of his pocket.

    ¡°The friend who found this transcription.¡±

    Once she took the paper from him, her face turned pale.

    <Yun Woo is in Our School (3)> The End

 Chapter 21 - Yun Woo is in Our School (4)

    <h4>Chapter 21: Chapter 21 ¨C Yun Woo is in Our School (4)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Transcription? That¡¯s the original draft!¡± the impostor insisted. She was probably nning on responding calmly, but she had made a mistake.

    Juho continued while smiling, ¡°I guess you did write it.¡±

    The impostor became flustered by his words. She finally realized that she had made a mistake, and an implicit sense of anxiety came upon her like a wave.

    ¡®No, it¡¯s not over yet,¡¯ the girl tried desperately to think of a way to escape that situation.

    Juho continued as if he were trying tofort her, ¡°To someone who isn¡¯t familiar with transcribing, they might think that this was the original. Unless you¡¯re an enthusiast or an aspiring writer, you wouldn¡¯te to think about copying a book.¡±

    ¡°I told you, this is the original!¡±

    ¡°And I told you, I¡¯m in the Literature Club.¡±

    The girl clenched her hands tightly under her desk, and they were turning pale. If he really was in the Literature Club, he would know. He would know that an original couldn¡¯t be that sloppy. He would know that a book couldn¡¯t be written from scribbles on a cheap notebook, with no traces of endless anguish and editing on its pages.

    Still, she kept on, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re trying to say, but if you¡¯re going to be unreasonable, you should leave. No, I will.¡±

    The girl stood up, rattling her seat. Even then, Juho was still looking down from above. Her pride hurt from having to look up from below.

    He blocked her on her way out, and she grimaced at him. Herposure was already lost. Juho reyed the events from a moment ago. Along with a crowd blocking the hallway and students keeping their cell phones to take pictures, the students had been impacted by Yun Woo in many other ways. It was only going to get worse.

    Besides, the impostor standing in front of him didn¡¯t seem all that happy anymore. For the first time, someone had cast doubt on her. It was a firsthand experience. Though every person seemed to be worshipping her at the moment, it was certain that there were others who doubted her underneath the surface. It was just that for Seo Kwang and Mr. Moon.

    The longer she stayed as Yun Woo, the more people¡¯s doubts would eventually rise to the surface to suffocate her.

    Juho looked up to the ceiling for a brief moment and thought, ¡®It¡¯s probably best for everyone else if I stop her now.¡¯

    He moved aside and let her through. As she walked past him, Juho said, ¡°It was a lie that wasn¡¯t going tost from the get-go.¡±

    The girl stopped in her tracks. Juho had camly dered her end.

    ¡°A lie? It¡¯s nothing like that!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not enough to trick your schoolmates. It won¡¯t cut it if you are to handle a name like Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°...Why not?¡± Yun Woo turned around angrily. Her expression was filled with jealousy and a sense of inferiority. ¡°What¡¯s so great about Yun Woo that I can¡¯t handle? He¡¯s just an author. People might call him a genius or ¡®the youngest author to do this and that,¡¯ but he¡¯s no more than a writer at the end of the day.¡±

    She bit down on her lips. It was over. She might as well have confessed the truth. Yet, Juho nodded with a smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t understand why everyone¡¯s going crazy.¡±

    ¡°... Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a fan of Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡®This guy just agreed with me,¡¯ the girl thought in midst of surprise. ¡®This isn¡¯t the end. It¡¯s already impossible to trick him. He¡¯s the only person who knows that I¡¯m not the real Yun Woo. As long as I keep his mouth shut, I can be rid of this anxiety.¡¯

    ¡°Then, can you keep all of this a secret?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    Juho turned her down immediately, but the girl continued to beg him.

    ¡°Howe? I thought you weren¡¯t a fan.¡±

    ¡°I never said I dislike him.¡±

    As she was about to continue, Juho raised his hand to stop her. At that point, there was no point in arguing whether he liked or disliked Yun Woo. He decided to set her free from her illusion.

    ¡°Like I said, this was a lie that wasn¡¯t meant tost. You¡¯re thinking that you just have to keep my mouth shut, right? But think about it. Do you really think I¡¯m the only person you need to worry about?¡±

    Her eyes moved restlessly. She was still having trouble understanding, and Juho calmly exined to her the things she would experience.

    ¡°The rumor spread to the teachers too. Your homeroom teacher will be looking for you soon because being Yun Woo is a big plus when moving up to college. You¡¯re going to need a document that proves your identity.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just tell the teacher that I won¡¯t be going to college.¡±

    Her voice began to shake. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t that simple.

    ¡°Your photo could be an issue too.¡±

    ¡°Photo? What photo? I¡¯ve been telling people not to take pictures of me.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t stop these kids. Do you know how many kids are taking pictures of you from afar without you knowing? They¡¯re probably showing it around to their families and friends saying things like ¡®Yun Woo is in our school. I even got her autograph. This is her photo.¡¯ On top of that, do you think they¡¯ll stop at families and friends? If they upload their pictures to the inte, this bes an even bigger issue. Reporters wille looking for you, and the publishingpany will probably want confirmation. You¡¯lle out on the news too. At that point, you¡¯d have already been caught, and then some. ¡®A female fellow high school student who impersonated Yun Woo ¨C I just wanted to be Yun Woo.¡¯¡±

    Her face grew more and more pale.

    ¡°No way! That¡¯s not true!¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo is a celebrity already. On top of that, he¡¯s staying anonymous and refuses every single interview. The reporters are probably dying to talk to him. If your identity bes known, these people will be in a race to get to you first.¡±

    Juho wasn¡¯t merely trying to intimidate the girl. The name carried real weight and significance in reality. Having just understood the weight of her predicament, the girl trembled in fear.

    ¡°So, you should stop while you can. Your teacher hasn¡¯t called for you yet. You haven¡¯t had a reporter wanting to interview you either.¡±

    ¡°How can I!¡± lowering her head, the girl screamed desperately. ¡°How can I confess? What would happen to me if I tell everyone that I¡¯ve was a fake all along?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably going to be a tad embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°A tad!?¡±

    She was writhing in despair. Being a genius was fascinating. He or she had left behind a beautiful piece of work and received praise from all over. The girl wanted to be a genius like that. One day, Yun Woo suddenly came into existence. Simply put, he was a genius. His work was innocent and pure. Before she knew, she had been captivated by it.

    Then the girl began to transcribe his book. She had copied everything that could be found in his book onto her cheap notebook. It was hard to believe that her and Yun Woo were the same age. How could they be so different? She was swept into a storm that made her feel inferior and loathsome. So, she ripped up her notebook. She didn¡¯t want to live any longer.

    It was a coincidence that her friend had found her notebook. No, she had actually hoped for it to happen. She wanted the name to be hers. She wanted everyone to think that she was the real Yun Woo. She had left her notebook on her desk on purpose and then left it unupied.

    With the notebook in her hand, the friend asked, ¡°Are you really Yun Woo?¡±

    The girl had hesitated, but her friend continued, ¡°I¡¯ll keep it a secret. Just tell me.¡±

    So, the girl answered, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    It had been thrilling to say those words.

    ¡°This is it. It¡¯s all over.¡±

    Just like that. It had felt so good, but it was all over. The life she knew had crumbled away.

    It was a disaster. Her hair covered her face as her head lowered itself. It felt like she was surrounded by darkness. It was suffocating. Nobody could live like that. She wanted to jump off the school building. She wanted to run away. She wanted to end her life.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    Laughter.

    There was sound ofughter. When she looked up, Juho wasughing with his hands on his belly. ¡®Is heughing? Seriously? How can heugh in a situation like this?¡¯

    ¡°Are youughing because this has nothing to do with you? How could you?! I¡¯m even contemting my life!¡±

    ¡°Over this? It¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡®What is this guy thinking. Does he not know what I¡¯ve been doing? How can he say that it¡¯s going to be fine?¡¯

    ¡°You were just so shameless when you were giving out your autograph, so I thought you would have the guts to survive through the troubles of being a celebrity.¡±

    Autographs. She felt a wave of heat traveling up to her face. Her illusion had shattered, and now she was back to reality. A chaotic storm of shame and humiliation had ovee her mind.

    ¡®I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t tell the truth. I just want to die.¡¯

    As if he were able to see the state of her heart, Juho said, ¡°You know that it only gets worse the longer you stall, right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t care!¡±

    Juho continued through her confusion, ¡°Would you like to know why you weren¡¯t able to handle living as Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    She was already aware of the truth. She didn¡¯t need to be told that she wasn¡¯t a genius. She didn¡¯t want to be.

    ¡°It¡¯s because it wasn¡¯t your name.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my name?¡± she asked again, caught off guard by Juho¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he affirmed.

    ¡°It¡¯s folly to live under another person¡¯s name. Folly. Do you really want to take your own life over something like that?¡±

    ¡°Folly,¡± she muttered after Juho. ¡®Folly. Living under another person¡¯s name.¡¯ His words were floating around in her thoughts. Something felt quite empty. At the same time, she felt her burden had lightened.

    ¡®What is this? Was I burdened by something?¡±

    Her mouth hung idiotically, and Juhoughed again at the sight.

    ¡°Well, you might have to reimburse a handful of people who got their books signed. Oh! And you should expect some people wanting to beat you at night. You might even have nightmares about it. You did do something that was rather stupid.¡±

    ¡°Stupid.¡±

    Nothing had been solved. If anything, her life was now full of things to make up for. There was not a single piece of good news.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been stupid all along... Haha!¡± sheughed simply, like an idiot.

    *

    Mr.Moon went into the ssroom to begin his lesson. ss 7, it was the ss Yun Woo was in, supposedly.

    As usual, he opened his book and began his lesson. On the other hand, he was looking around the ssroom. Frankly, he was looking at one particr student, Ina Jang. She was the student who was supposedly known as Yun Woo. The mole on her cheek made her stand out among the others. As if she had been told a joke before ss, she had been snickering throughout the lesson. The mole on her cheek moved up and down as she did.

    Mr. Moon called out a student to wake him up from the after-lunch slumber. Then, he asked him to answer a question from the textbook. After some thought, he answered with a mischievous smile, ¡°Mr. M, I don¡¯t know what the answer is. You should ask Yun Woo.¡±

    Though he wasn¡¯t intending on it at first, Mr. Moon turned his eyes to Ina. He was curious about how she would respond. After thinking for a brief moment, she stood up.

    ¡°I¡¯m not Yun Woo.¡±

    There was silence. Even the students who wereughing at first began to grasp the situation one by one. Ina continued, ¡°I¡¯m not Yun Woo.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t crying or smiling. She confessed as if she were sharing a fact.

    ¡°The real Yun Woo is probably...¡±

    ¡®The real Yun Woo is probably somebody like that guy. Somebody who can change a person¡¯s heart in the blink of an eye. Juho Woo was it?¡¯ Ina thought as she looked around.

    The students were dumbfounded. Some were fiercely ring at her as if they had suspected it. There was chaos in the ssroom. Ina clenched her fists and stood still. She didn¡¯t want to run away from that.

    ¡°You¡¯re a psycho!¡± One student said. Ina remembered her. It was the student who had asked for a special note.

    ¡°Psycho. Idiot. Potato, potahto.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Ina decided to stop her foolishness. She lowered head and apologized to the ss.

    ¡°I was stupid. I¡¯m sorry. I wanted attention. If I signed your book, bring it to me, and I¡¯ll get you a new copy. Again, I apologize. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    The ss was filled with confusion. Mr. Moon grasped the situation and sighed. He had been somewhat looking forward to meeting Yun Woo in person.

    Mr. Moon resumed his lesson.

    *

    ¡°Finally, some peace and quiet,¡± Seo Kwang said as he looked out at the empty hallway.

    Juho agreed. Things had settled down at school since the appearance and the exit of the impostor, at least on the surface.

    Since it had been revealed that Ina Jang was not the real Yun Woo, everyone who imed to be her fan had turned away from her. Among the group were her friends who first called her Yun Woo.

    ¡°Is that girl doing OK?¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°You know, the impostor. Ina Jang was it?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask me?¡±

    Seo Kwang asked back with a confused look on his face, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to ss 7 during lunch?¡±

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Juho asked curiously, blinking his eyes in surprise.

    ¡°She confessed in front of her ss right after you disappeared during lunch. I thought you had something to do with it.¡±

    ¡°I think you need to base your thoughts on something more solid.¡±

    ¡°I had a feeling, to be frank. It wasn¡¯t you though?¡±

    Though he described his thought to be a mere feeling, Seo Kwang was getting a strong impression that Juho was somehow involved. It might have been that he had a strange image of Juho after his bet with Baron. Nevertheless, Juho gave an affirming nod to Seo Kwang¡¯s question.

    ¡°I did go to ss 7.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious? What did you do to make her confess?¡±

    ¡°You know, this and that.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t say much. Being the quick-witted person he was, Seo Kwang rephrased the question, this time, focusing on the present.

    ¡°So, how¡¯s she handling the aftermath?¡±

    ¡°It seems like she¡¯s reimbursing others for the books she signed for now.¡±

    Thinking about the kids who were criticizing Ina, Seo Kwang asked again, ¡°I saw her eating alone earlier. Aren¡¯t you going to eat with her?¡±

    Juho snickered at him, ¡°Apparently, she¡¯s always been eating alone, even as Yun Woo. She didn¡¯t want mypany.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I guess she did have the guts to steal Yun Woo¡¯s name all along.¡±

    With his chin, Juho pointed outside, through the window. Wearing her P.E. uniform, Ina was standing on the schoolyard, and Seo Kwang turned his eyes to her.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. A girl who¡¯s into special things?¡±

    Ina was having a conversation with another girl. It was clear that they weren¡¯t talking about pleasant things.

    ¡°It looks super serious.¡±

    The two girls were now scowling at each other. On the other hand, not one person looked away.

    ¡°You never know how a rtionship will turn out.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? What the, they¡¯re fighting! They¡¯re grabbing each other by the hair!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re going to be famous.¡±

    Everyone focused their attention at the brawl in the schoolyard. Regardless of their year, a crowd of people gathered around the two in a circle.

    A few dayster, she was no longer eating alone.

    <Yun Woo is in Our School (4)> The End

 Chapter 22 - Injured, Discretion, Non-permanent Marker

    <h4>Chapter 22: Chapter 22 ¨C Injured, Discretion, Non-permanent Marker</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Word chain, go! Next member.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Me?¡±

    Although he was caught off guard by Mr. Moon¡¯s sudden shouting, Seo Kwang calmly thought of a word. Juho had been just as confused. For someone who started something in such an abrupt manner, Mr. Moon looked peaceful. With a piece of chalk in his hand, he waited for Seo Kwang¡¯s answer.

    ¡°I, injured.¡±

    Then Seo Kwang looked at Juho. While observing Mr. Moon¡¯s expression, Juho continued after Seo Kwang.

    ¡°Discretion.¡±

    Then, he looked at Baron, whoined about having to participate and then said, ¡°Non-permanent markers.¡±

    *TL Note: (??? would be a permanent marker, but I¡¯m going with non-permanent for the continuity sake.)*

    ¡°OK! We¡¯ll stop there.¡±

    The end of the game was just as sudden as the beginning. Everyone looked at Mr. Moon, waiting for an exnation. Mr. Moon wrote down the three words on the chalkboard and then looked at the club members.

    ¡°Starting now, you¡¯re going to write something using these three words.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Sun Hwained loudly.

    Although the others kept quiet, their expressions weren¡¯t exactly bright either. Even Baron had a surprised look on his face, but as usual, Juho remainedposed.

    Writing based on a suggested topic was amonly used format in essay contests. Of course, word chain was a lousy method foring up with multiple topics. Thanks to Mr. Moon¡¯s creative approach, the result wasplete nonsense: injured, discretion, and non-permanent marker.

    Mr. Moon didn¡¯t wait for the members toe to their senses. He continued on with his instructions.

    ¡°The time limit is thirty minutes. You¡¯ll be writing in prose.¡±

    ¡°Thirty minutes?!¡± everyoneined about not getting enough time.

    Without budging, Mr. Moon exined his reasoning behind that seemingly impossible time limit, ¡°This is training to minimize hesitation in your writing.¡±

    ¡°You mean we¡¯re not working on our writing style?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a given. One inevitably bes a better writer the more he or she writes. The more you write, the better you get. Simple and honest. In other words, whatever the training is, what matters is that you write. I¡¯ve said this before.¡±

    The members nodded. They remembered it from their first day.

    ¡°The problem is, writing isn¡¯t that simple. You start getting ambitious. You¡¯re going to want to write well, but you¡¯re not going to know what to write about. Well, maybe it¡¯s a little weird to say ¡®you¡¯re going to want to write well.¡¯ I don¡¯t really like the sound of that. You won¡¯t be able to write a single line.¡±

    A story came topletion after countless revisions. In order for revisions to take ce, there had to be a draft: the very firstpleted draft.

    Nobody wrote a perfect draft from the get-go. The members had toplete their first draft with the assumption that there would be revisions down the line. It was not an easy task.

    ¡°So, thirty minutes. There¡¯s no time to be idle. Just start writing. Don¡¯t worry about fixing things at the moment. You guys are good at procrastinating, right?¡±

    ¡°It is our specialty,¡± Juho answered.

    Even as the students understood Mr. Moon, theyined all the same, ¡°Is there enough time to even think?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even worry about that. I won¡¯t start the timer until you all start writing. That means everyone¡¯s timer will start ordingly. Start writing once you¡¯ve put enough thought into it.¡±

    As he spoke, Mr. Moon brought out four timers from a corner of the room. Now, there was nothing toin about.

    ¡°Now, begin.¡±

    At Mr. Moon¡¯s mark, the members began to brainstorm. For the time being, Juho wrote down the three keywords on the top of his paper: injured, discretion, non-permanent marker.

    Everyone had beenining that thirty minutes wouldn¡¯t be enough time, but Juho thought otherwise. If there wasn¡¯t enough time, then he simply had to write something short.

    ¡°What do I do? Injured, injured... Maybe there needs to be some sort of an ident.¡±

    ¡°You just had to pick that word, huh?¡± Sun Hwa said to Seo Kwang as he frantically repeated the same word to himself.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s better than non-permanent marker.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, Baron.¡±

    As she struggled, Sun Hwa moved her eyes restlessly like she had thought of something. She had thought of a girl who had been stranded. She wanted to write a story about her escape in search of freedom (or discretion).

    ¡®Injured. What if the story takes ce in a hospital? The only word left is the ¡®non-permanent marker.¡¯ Non-permanent. Non-permanent marker. A girl trapped in a hospital and a non-permanent marker...¡¯

    After a brief moment of thought, Sun Hwa started writing as if she had given up thinking any further.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure things wille as I write,¡¯ she thought. Her timer started ticking.

    Bom hurried as she watched Sun Hwa. Struggling toe up with an idea, she looked around the room just as Mr. Moon had previously taught. That moment, her eyes stopped at Baron¡¯s sketch book.

    ¡®Drawing, non-permanent marker,¡¯ Bom focused her perspective onto Baron¡¯s drawing and then dug deeper into her thoughts.

    The mind was fascinating in the sense that it craved something that the body was incapable of doing. For example, one could feel the urge to go for a run after hurting his leg, or have the urge to draw after hurting his hand.

    Although she was concerned about whether she would be able to write everything in time, Bom held her pen and started writing.

    ¡°What the, did you all start writing already?¡±

    ¡°You can think all you want.¡±

    ¡°Still, I feel like I¡¯m in a hurry. You¡¯re not exactly in a position to be talking either, you know?¡±

    It was no wonder, considering that Juho hadn¡¯t written anything other than the three keywords. Juho and Seo Kwang were the only two who still hadn¡¯te up with an idea. Despite that, Juho seemed like he had all the time in the world.

    As he rushed Juho, Seo Kwang eximed, ¡°Ah!¡± He had thought of something. He had thought of a story that could thoroughly embrace the three keywords.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going now, my friend.¡±

    ¡°You could¡¯ve waited a little longer.¡±

    After heartlessly abandoning his friend, Seo Kwang started writing down his ideas in a hurry.

    ¡®What would discretion mean to a student? It¡¯d be absence. Not going to school.¡¯

    The thought alone made his heart beat, but Seo Kwang didn¡¯t stop there. There were still two other keywords.

    ¡®So this guy writes a letter home on his way out. He uses a non-permanent marker of course. Then, should I make this about a teenage runaway? If I were to make him injured, a car ident probably makes the most sense.¡¯

    Although he wasn¡¯t sure if he was capable of handling such a story, Seo Kwang kept on writing, remembering Mr. Moon¡¯s wise words.

    ¡®I can always change thingster. I trust you, my future self,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s working hard,¡± Juho murmured. At the sight all the members lost in writing, Juho slowly picked up his pen. Injured, discretion, non-permanent marker.

    It was his first time writing with a group of people. Juho was getting excited. He concentrated and then pinpointed the thoughts that were signaling him in his mind.

    In a brief moment, he began to fill up his page.

    ¡®One day, my parents told me a story of my grandfather, who had passed away before I was born. He was brave and, at the same time, wise.

    ¡®I wanted to meet him, but it was impossible to bring back the dead. So, I gave up.

    ¡®I learned to talk and write. As I read, I learned that there were many types people that exist in a book. The good, the bad, the smart, the foolish, the sessful, the unfortunate, the healthy, the sick, young, old, and then those who are alive, and those who are dead.

    ¡®I started writing. It was about my grandfather. He transcended time and space and then overcame death to meet me.

    ¡®Nothing was in my way. Having regards for others was not necessary. I had realized that. Writing is a discretion. It is an immense freedom that ignores various theories and rules. In that case, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to share that freedom with another person?

    ¡®I stopped what I was writing and went outside.¡¯

    ¡®Outside,¡¯ thought Juho. ¡®What¡¯s out there?¡¯

    He reached into the depths of his heart and dipped his hand into his stream of inspiration. Juho knew he¡¯d find what he was looking for in there. He had to write appropriately. It wasn¡¯t going to be long from the start, so the story couldn¡¯t have too much depth. It would be foolish to tackle it in a hurry.

    Finally, Juho found what he was looking for. He had to pull it out onto the surface now.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    He thought for a moment. He had lost it.

    ¡°Hey, hey.¡±

    ¡®That was disappointing.¡¯ Juho looked up and saw Sun Hwa. He set aside his dazedness and answered her with a smile, ¡°Hey, you called?¡±

    ¡°Did you say snakes have 400 ribs before?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Ah, yes. Apparently, they have more than 400.¡±

    ¡°I see. Thank you. You may proceed.¡±

    After a brief moment of gratitude, Sun Hwa went back to writing, and Juho thought absent-mindedly, ¡®There must be a snake in her story, a snake with more than 400 ribs.¡¯

    He turned his eyes to his paper again. The page was filled with the words he had written up to that point. Although he had just written them, they felt foreign for some reason. It was like looking at food that had gone bad. One was bound to get sick if he ate it.

    Seeing that Juho had suddenly stopped, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is something wrong with your paper?¡±

    ¡°No. There is no problem.¡±

    There was no problem with the paper. Then, Juho heard a conversation between Bom and Sun Hwa.

    ¡°I¡¯m stuck here. How do include non-permanent marker?¡±

    ¡°Hm, I¡¯m not sure either. Well, the story is taking ce in a hospital, so what if you make a doctor or a nurse use it?¡±

    ¡°That sounds good.¡±

    They were discussing how they could get around their writer¡¯s block. Mr. Moon did not intervene by any means. His intention was to let each writer take ownership of what they were writing. Sun Hwa had decided on a psychiatric hospital as the setting of her story.

    Theic she had been reading up until recently also took ce in a psychiatric hospital. Then, she asked Juho for an outside opinion, and he answered with a question, ¡°What do think about using it as a secret code?¡±

    ¡°A secret code?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re writing about an escape, right? You don¡¯t always have to treat non-permanent marker as an object. For example, let¡¯s say there¡¯s a code necessary to escape, and the word non-permanent marker is part of it.¡±

    It wouldn¡¯t be odd to have a secret code or two in a story about an escape.

    ¡°That¡¯s kind of cool.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡±

    Bom and Seo Kwang answered in sequence. ¡®Since when had he been listening?¡¯

    Sun Hwa¡¯s face brightened up as she frivolouslyplimented Juho, ¡°You¡¯re my muse!¡±

    ¡°I really appreciate that.¡±

    He waved his hand at her exaggerated expression. The writing writes itself. If Sun Hwa hadn¡¯t interrupted him, Juho wouldn¡¯t have had that inspiration. Sun Hwa had been the one who had asked for an outside opinion.

    Besides, no matter how great the story was, tranting it into apelling writing was a different story.

    ¡®They¡¯ll do well. They know what they¡¯re doing,¡¯ thought Juho.

    He slowly moved his pen. As he wrote, Juho noticed that he wasn¡¯t feeling the same as he did a moment prior. In other words, there wasn¡¯t motivation.

    There were sounds of pens hitting the surface of the desk. The clock was ticking away. There was a distant shouting from the schoolyard. No matter how hard he tried, Juho couldn¡¯t focus.

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    In the end, Juho wrapped up his story with the protagonist being injured after tripping on a non-permanent marker.

    After collecting the finished drafts, Mr.Moon left the room. The entire club knew that he had gone to the staffroom. Being a teacher was much more than taking care of his or her students.

    Juho was the only person who had finished his story within the given time limit, while the other three had barely finished their story after begging for extensions.

    After it was over, it had taken more than two hours for Mr. Moon to collect all of thepleted drafts. Seeing how he wasn¡¯t forcefully collecting the papers, he must have been aware that most of the members wouldn¡¯t be able to finish in time. The thirty-minute time limit had been a form of device to allow the club members to write continuously and without hesitation.

    Seo Kwangined, ¡°Thirty minutes was really pushing it.¡±

    ¡°I thought it was plenty of time.¡±

    ¡°Shut up. Let¡¯s see how well you did.¡±

    Knowing his product all too well, Juho said no more and shrugged his shoulders.

    <Injured, Discretion, Non-permanent marker> The End.

 Chapter 23 - Elaborate and Thorough

    <h4>Chapter 23: Chapter 23 ¨C borate and Thorough</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho stared out of the window of the bus as the scenery rushed past him. Countless publishingpanies stood at its destination. Along with publishingpanies, there were also tens of print shops andrge-scale book distributionpanies, all making up onerge publishing district. On top of that, there were used bookstores and book cafes throughout.

    He got off the bus before it arrived at itsst stop. He wasn¡¯t nning on going to the publishingpany that day. Rather, he was on his way to a lunch meeting with his editor.

    ¡®It was definitely around here somewhere.¡¯

    After walking for some time, the sight of a familiar street met Juho¡¯s eyes. Just around the corner of that familiar street, there was a small Korean restaurant. In front it, Nam Kyung Park hade out to meet Juho, who was happy to see him.

    ¡°How you doin¡¯?¡±

    ¡°You made it in one piece.¡±

    Nam Kyung greeted Juho while pushing his sses up onto his nose. In his mid-thirties, he was a capable editor who was responsible for working with several big-name authors.

    As the two went inside, they were met with other customers having their meals. They walked past them and went into a room with a sliding door. When the door closed, the sound of the outside world faded away. That was one of the reasons why Nam Kyung preferred that restaurant.

    ¡°I guess we won¡¯t have to worry about people eavesdropping on our conversation here.¡±

    ¡°Of course! For a restaurant, their walls are thick.¡±

    Once Juho and Nam Kyung secured a spot, the waitress, who hade into the room with them, brought them a menu. After ordering a light meal, Nam Kyung asked Juho, ¡°So, how are things? Has your cover blown yet?¡±

    It was a slightly yful question, and Juho answered with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t even have to try. Nobody suspects me.¡±

    ¡°Haha! I was looking forward to hearing some stories.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I do have a thing or two.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± Nam Kyung urged him.

    He was quite friendly, but at the same time, he wasn¡¯t overbearing. It was a proof that Nam Kyung was a skilled editor. Maintaining a rtionship with an author was an important part of his job description.When it came to interpersonal interaction, Nam Kyung was exceptional at keeping an appropriate distance. Feeling at home, Juho shared the stories of the things that happened at school.

    ¡°Kids are scary nowadays,¡± Nam Kyung said in response to Juho¡¯s story about the fight between the two girls. His eyes were filled with interest.

    ¡°How about you? Do you have anything?¡±

    ¡°You want to hear a story about working overtime?¡±

    It was a roundabout way of saying that he didn¡¯t have a story. He added that working overtime as an editor was as normal as daily meals.

    ¡°I just came from proofreading a draft up until a moment ago.¡±

    ¡°You spend a lot of time doing it, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand misprints.¡±

    Nam Kyung was strangely obsessed with misprints. There were always ws in all books. There were times when the wrong word ended up getting used. There were times when a typo ended up in the final print. Although books went through tens of inspections, there was always something that had been overlooked. Nam Kyung was tormented whenever he found such oversights. For that reason, he spent more time and energy into proofreading. The recent trend among publishingpanies was to outsource the proofreading process. The editor¡¯s responsibility started at project nning and coordination. In other words, there was enormous workload. There was a limit to how much a single editor was capable of achieving. Yet, Nam Kyung would always say, ¡°I want to make books that are both borate and thorough.¡±

    ¡°Even then, there will always be misprints.¡±

    People made mistakes, and books were made by people. It was inevitable to find misprints in a book. Everyone writhed in pain at first, but soon came to terms with the reality. However, Nam Kyung was adamant.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you keep proofreading until there are no more misprints.¡±

    Juho felt secure as an author to be working with an editor like him.

    ¡°You work so hard.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still single, thanks to my work,¡± Nam Kyungined light-heartedly. Even for somebody whose dream was to make books both borate and thorough, working overtime was deeply undesirable.

    ¡°Your meal¡¯s ready.¡±

    The sliding door opened, and the waitress put down her tray. Along with various side dishes, Juho¡¯s tofu soup and Nam Kyung¡¯s pock stew had been ced on the table. An intoxicating smell wafted into Juho¡¯s nose, and the two picked up their spoons.

    ¡°This is great!¡±

    ¡°Right?!¡±

    Juho eximed after taking his first bite, and Nam Kyung answered with a proud expression on his face. He seemed happy about bringing in another satisfied customer to his favorite restaurant.

    As they ate quietly, Juho suddenly thought of something that Nam Kyung had said in the past.

    ¡°Wait! Now that I think about it, didn¡¯t you say you worked with Hyun Do Lim in the past?¡±

    ¡°Yes I have,¡± Nam Kyung reminisced as he shoved a big spoonful into his mouth. He remembered how nervous he was when he met the author for the first time. ¡°Why do you ask? Are you a fan?¡±

    If he put it that way, then perhaps. He was iparable as an author to Juho in terms of both experience and skill.

    ¡°I¡¯m in the middle of transcribing one of his works. I just thought I should ask.¡±

    ¡°Transcribing?¡± Nam Kyung asked as if it were unexpected. Soon, he nodded as an expression of eptance, but there was still suspicion in his face. ¡°Authors often transcribe as well. I see. You transcribing Hyun Do Lim¡¯s book...¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with your expression though?¡±

    Nam Kyung thought for a brief moment and said, ¡°I just had a thought that you and Hyun Do Lim might fall under a same category.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Nam Kyung started telling his story about the author, ¡°Mr. Lim is... How should I describe him? He is very delicate, yet broad-minded and friendly. But rough around the edges at the same time.¡±

    ¡°That description... You should be an author.¡±

    ¡°I know. All in all, he¡¯s a respectable figure.¡±

    Juho knew that much. Reading his book had always aroused a sense of respect in him.

    ¡®What had Nam Kyung¡¯s meant by putting him and Mr. Lim into the same category? If he had meant it as anpliment, he would be incredibly overestimating.¡¯

    ¡°But you¡¯re not.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    It was a relief and a pity at the same time.

    ¡°Except for one thing, if we¡¯re talking about simrity between you and Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°If?¡±

    There was a prolonged silence. In the meantime, Juho had another spoonful of his soup. It was smooth and spicy.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure.¡±

    ¡°Why would you even bring it up then,¡± Juho murmured silently.

    ¡°I can¡¯t pinpoint it, but I have a feeling. I can only exin it as an editor¡¯s intuition.¡±

    ¡°That was disappointing. You should stick to being an editor.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that.¡±

    Throughout their meal, Juho and Nam Kyung talked about the decrease in the reading poption or a certain publishingpany going out of business.

    ¡°So, are you still against having your book made into a show or a movie?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± while helping himself with side dishes, Juho answered and stopped in his track.

    That was one of the topics that hade up while the two were making ns for lunch over the phone, which meant that there was a studio interested in purchasing the copyright. Since he was already aware of the oue, Juho declined at once.

    Nam Kyung said quietly, ¡°If you agree to it, your book will be made into a motion picture. There will be famous actors ying the major characters. It¡¯s a book written by Yun Woo, so they¡¯ll really make sure not to mess with the original too much. They¡¯ll invest a lot of money into it too.¡±

    Nam Kyung was obviously trying to lure Juho in, but Juho answered with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to adapt a novel.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s rigid attitude, Nam Kyung immediately changed his posture as he murmured, ¡°I knew you weren¡¯t as immature as you let on. This is a really a mouth-watering opportunity from the promotional point of view.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that my book needed publicizing? It¡¯s already doing really well,¡± Juho answered light-heartedly, but Nam Kyung returned with a serious face.

    ¡°There¡¯s no end to corporate greed. You need to ride the wave while your book is doing well.¡±

    Marketing. Juho fully understood Nam Kyung¡¯s perspective. Of course, promoting a product was an essential element of sales. That was no different in the publishing industry. If anything, the power of marketing was much greater in publishing.

    That was the reason why editors built rtionships with bookstore employees in an offline capacity while putting up with incredibly temperamental literature merchandisers online.

    That also applied to gaining exposure for a book.

    It wasmon for a publishingpany topete for the most visible spot in the bookstore. Somepanies even paid bookstores for a disy stand. The amount ranged from hundreds up to thousands.

    The online market was exactly the same way. It was crucial for online bookstores to work with a merchandiser because they had the ultimate authority in terms of exposure. It was a struggle to earn the title of ¡®Merchandiser¡¯s Rmendation.¡¯ That title spoke louder than any other form of advertisement. It was an opportunity that no publishingpany could afford to lose. For that reason, there was an obvious contractual rtionship between a merchandiser and a business, which exined the asional buying-spree controversies. Once a book entered into the bestseller ranking, there was a noticeable increase in sales as well as promotion.

    Juho was well aware of that situation, and he had a reason to turn down the offer to adapt his book.

    ¡°They¡¯re not adapting the story in its entirety. Once the story is made into a screeny, things are bound to be taken out. I don¡¯t really know how the director will interpret my book either. The thought makes me uneasy.¡±

    ¡°I guess you have a point.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll emphasize the romance.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ll have a better idea once you talk to these people in person?¡± Nam Kyung asked.

    He wasn¡¯t aware that Juho¡¯s decision was based on his life experience. He had said the same thing in the past, ¡°You¡¯ll know better once you talk to these people.¡± However, that wasn¡¯t true.

    ¡°This is when my age works as a disadvantage.¡±

    Back then, Juho¡¯s mind was as old as his age, seventeen. Communication had not been possible between an adult who¡¯s a skilled negotiator and the seventeen year old Juho.

    The studio was a well-knownpany with several major works, so Juho¡¯s expectation had been through the roof. It had been like a dream to have real actors performing the story that he wrote.

    However, the result had been far from his expectations.

    In the end, ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ had left a legacy as a failed example in novel cinematization. Unlike his usual self, even Nam Kyung had had a bitter expression on his face then. As a book enthusiast himself and the editor in charge of the book, he must have felt terrible.

    ¡°If its a request made by the author himself, they¡¯ll listen. If dealing with adults is too much for you, I can go on your behalf.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Juho answered vaguely. ¡°I¡¯m not really looking to make thingsplicated either.¡±

    Although the situation was different this time, Juho wasn¡¯t really looking to make any demands. Even if he decided to actively involve himself in the production to make sure the movie did well, he felt that he wasn¡¯t going to be genuinely happy.

    ¡®Well, maybe things could be different if a director approached him saying that he wanted to try to make ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ into a movie with all his heart. That would probably never happen, however.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your work. There¡¯s nothing to be sorry about.¡±

    Recognizing that he couldn¡¯t convince Juho, Nam Kyung brought the water cup to his mouth. He must have been doing a lot between Juho and the publishingpany. Juho turned his attention to his tofu soup and slowly finished his meal.

    ¡°Done?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How about a cup of coffee before you go?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m always up for that.¡±

    After paying for the meal and the dessert, Nam Kyung went back to his work. On his way, he groaned in misery at having to work overtime again.

    <borate and Thorough> The End

 Chapter 24 - Language Acquisition Device

    <h4>Chapter 24: Chapter 24 ¨C Language Acquisition Device</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Before returning home, Juho decided to make a brief visit to the bookstore. There was something he needed to buy.

    On his way to a bookstore nearby, a foreigner caught Juho¡¯s eyes. Her antsy behavior made it obvious that she was lost. Whenever she tried to reach out to talk to someone, people would walk away in a hurry. If things had been anything like how they used to be, Juho probably would have done the same.

    However, with thenguage acquisition device in his head, Juho was now able to face that foreigner¡¯snguage with confidence.

    ¡°Do you need help?¡± he asked the foreigner in English.

    Her eyes sparkled upon hearing her native tongue, and the foreigner answered back in English, ¡°Yes, please! I¡¯m looking for a lodging location named ¡®Arabia,¡¯ but I have no clue on how to get there.¡±

    ¡°Hm, one moment.¡±

    Juho had never heard of the ce. After a brief moment thinking, he lead the foreigner into a nearby real estate office. A drowsy employee jumped out of his seat at their presence.

    ¡°Could you give me directions to a lodging location named ¡®Arabia?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes! One moment.¡±

    The employee searched for something in a hurry. Upon finding the ce, he pointed to the location using a map on the wall. Juho tranted simultaneously as the employee exined how the ce could be reached and felt the employee staring at him in amazement.

    ¡°Oh, I know this ce. It was across that one grocery store. I¡¯ve been walking around this area in a circle.¡±

    The foreigner smiled brightly. She must have been scared of getting lost in a foreign country.

    ¡°Have a great trip!¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you so much! This is why I can¡¯t stop travelling even though I get lost every time.¡±

    Saying that a helper could always be found, she went on her way after thanking Juho. He waved as she turned around. The brief rtionship hade to an end, and Juho too made his way back to the bookstore.

    Therge bookstore was booming with people. He walked past the long line of people waiting for their turn at the cashier. ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ was on disy on the first rack that crossed Juho¡¯s eyes. People standing in front of the rack were examining the book. After watching them briefly, Juho turned back.

    It had been a while since he had been to a bookstore. Wanting to peruse, Juho walked over to the literature section. The books were divided by the authors¡¯ names, and they were all famous writers.

    As he scanned through the books, Juho stopped in front of one author¡¯s name, Dong Gil Uhm. Right next to it was another author named Seo Joong Ahn. The bookstore might have ced them very close to each other deliberately.

    Those two authors were a renowned duo in the literature world.

    Their history went back to their birth. They were born two months apart in the same neighborhood and went to the same school throughout elementary, middle school, and high school. Dong Gil Uhm had revealed in his essay that he and his friend Seo Joong Ahn had been in the same ss six times in the past.

    Their path seemed to finally split in their college years, but Seo Joong Ahn ended up getting thrown out of his dorm. In the end, he stayed at Dong Gil Uhm¡¯s house through university.

    Now, those two friends were working in the same field as authors. Both had be sessful in their profession, and their friendship was truly inseparable.

    Juho had read a novel that had been co-written by the two authors. It had been a popr read then, and that had been rightfully so. Juho had enjoyed it a lot. Written by two, pr-opposite people, that book had brought about a sensation that was both hot and cold.

    ¡°Dong Gil Uhm.¡±

    Juho had read his work quite a bit when he had been older. Most of his books were based on true events, and his expressions, too, were realistic. His satire was honest, cold, and sharp. His style was both concise and masculine. Once in an interview, Dong Gil Uhm had revealed that he looked up to Ernest Hemingway.

    Juho picked up a book and felt the coolness of the cover. The book was named ¡®Genius.¡¯ Though he had nned on looking at it briefly at first, he ended up buying the book out of impulse.

    He walked into the specialized section. On the floor, there was a person sitting down, reading. Juho walked past his legs and kept on walking. The shelves were divided into categories. After scanning through them one by one, he eventually found the words he had been looking for: originalnguage.

    There was no one around. Because it was in the inner part of a section, the originalnguage shelf was shaded by the surrounding shelves. The books were in variousnguages, and the section gave off a secretive vibe. Perhaps, it had something to do with the shelf being in the shade.

    English, Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, German, Latin, Russian, Finnish... These books were written in a wide variety ofnguages. Some were written innguages that weren¡¯t as well known, like Welsh, Scandinavian, Gothic, and Lombardian. Juho had the urge to buy each and every one, but he had made up his mind to limit himself to three books.

    After some contemtion, he picked up a book written in Japanese. There were adorable characters on its red cover. Thanks to that book, the secretive vibe of the section vanishedpletely.

    In the first page, there were Katakana and Hiragana.

    ¡®Click.¡¯

    There was a sound in Juho¡¯s head as soon as he began reading the book. It was the sound of a button being pushed.

    The device began to work. The next page, and then another page. The pace of the turning pages was picking up, and Juho¡¯s device was acquiring the universal grammar of the Japanesenguage.

    ¡°Hello. Nice to meet you. Did you eat? Waste of resources. Destruction of the environment. What is your opinion? What day is it today? It¡¯s a holiday. It¡¯s snowing out. Clear skies. Have a seat. Should we have a drink? I¡¯m in a good mood. Thank you.¡±

    As Juho murmured random phrases in Japanese, the man reading on the floor glimpsed over at him. Ignoring him, Juho engulfed himself in the fascinating sensation in his head.

    It was like smelling with his nose.

    Thenguage acquisition device detected the scent of anguage. It was a natural process.

    Juho pulled out another book from the shelf. German. The book had been written specifically for travellers, ¡®Guten Tag.¡¯ From basic greetings to flight, lodging, restaurants, shopping, transportation, phone and emergencies, the book was organized into categories.

    ¡®Click.¡¯

    There was that sound again. Juho tried to focus his attention at his head. It somewhat felt like there was heat radiating from his temple.

    After reading through several books, Juho picked up three of them. They were in German, French, and Spanish. He nned on learning as many othernguages as he could.

    The cashier was quiet, and Juho paid for his books without much trouble.

    *

    ¡°Mr. James. I¡¯m here to get your stuff.¡±

    Juho went into the English ss. It was a ss being taught by James, the native English instructor. Since the centipede incident, Juho had started talking to James frequently. After discovering, in the process, that Juho was extremely interested in the Englishnguage, James told him that he would provide him with resources on Medieval and Old English, and Juho dly epted his offer.

    ¡°Give me a moment. I¡¯m in the middle of transferring the data. It¡¯s almost done,¡± James answered him in a natural English. He was already aware of Juho¡¯s level of skill.

    In response, Juho replied in English, ¡°Sure. Do you think I¡¯ll be able to pick it up before club activities?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Here, done!¡±

    He handed back the sh drive he had borrowed from Juho. In the sh drive, Juho would probably find the history of the Englishnguage that James had studied as a student. He picked it up with a grateful heart.

    ¡°If you get stuck,e find me. I did put in some notes, but it¡¯s still not an easy read.¡±

    ¡°Great, thank you!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. Now, I feel like an actual a teacher. Dealing with drowsy students is so boring that it makes me yawn,¡± James said as he pretended to yawn.

    It was an exaggerated gesture, but Juho saw a resemnce with someone in his struggle of developing an affection for school life, ¡°Are you close with Mr. Moon by any chance?¡±

    ¡°He helped me out a few times when I was studying Korean. We ate together too. The pork belly was delicious.¡±

    It was slightly amusing to picture the two grilling together. James lowered his voice and asked Juho discreetly, ¡°Did you know that Mr. Moon hates boiled carrots? I saw him separating them from his food and setting them aside.¡±

    ¡°Boiled Carrots.¡±

    He hadn¡¯t seemed like a picky eater. That was unexpected.

    ¡°I made fun of his appetite, and he got angry, asking where I had learned to say things like that. Thanks to him, I learned a new verb in Korean.¡±

    ¡®What an amazing teacher.¡¯ As James was about to continue, the door opened. Juho turned around and saw Mr. Moon standing with a stack of printer paper. ¡®I guess he¡¯s not all that gentlemanly-like afterall,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moon, whye here?¡± following Juho¡¯s greeting, James asked Mr.Moon with his slightly awkward Korean pronunciation.

    After looking at the two, one after the other, he waved the stack of papers in his hand.

    ¡°The printer in the staffroom isn¡¯t working, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m here. What are you doing here, Juho? Isn¡¯t it time for club activities?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here to learn English.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t recall you being so diligent. You never came to me, and I never saw you in the staffroom.¡±

    There he went again with his blunt remarks.

    ¡°I¡¯m interested in the Englishnguage.¡±

    Mr. Moon seemed to be surprised by Juho¡¯s answer. At that moment, James spoke up, ¡°Juho is a hard-working student. He¡¯s highly skilled in thenguage. He has a deep understanding of the Englishnguage. He speaks with me mostly in English.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I had no idea. What do you guys talk about usually?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s really no preference from our daily lives to current events. At times, we talk about the centipede that we let go out into the backyard. He¡¯s very fun to be around.¡±

    Mr. Moon said as he rubbed his chin, ¡°Then I must¡¯ve heard it right when I heard my namee up.¡±

    ¡°Hm. Um. Mr. Moon¡¯s words. I don¡¯t understand. What?¡± James was at loss of words. It was one of those moments when his Korean was put to to the test.

    Juho decided to leave the room to not be a hindrance between the two. As he attempted to sneak out, Mr.Moon caught him like a hawk and said, ¡°You were on your way to the science room, weren¡¯t you? Let¡¯s go together.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    Until Mr.Moon finished with his business, Juho kept fiddling with his sh drive in his pocket. As Mr. Moon and Juho went on their way, James said brightly, ¡°Come again.¡±

    ¡°Take care.¡±

    After nodding lightly, the two went out to the hallway.

    It was quiet. The students had already gone into their respective ssrooms. Juho had lost track of time talking to James. If Mr. Moon hadn¡¯t shown up, he would¡¯ve beente. ¡®I should be careful from now on,¡¯ thought Juho.

    While walking quietly, Mr. Moon spoke up, ¡°I read your paper. There was a lot of character and personality in the end.¡±

    ¡°Was there?¡± Juho answered as if he didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°You must have experience writing.¡±

    ¡°Pardon me?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s stability in your sentences. There¡¯s no awkwardness, especially in longer sentences. That¡¯s impossible to aplish unless you¡¯re an experienced writer. Well, I suppose it could be possible for a prodigy.¡±

    Juho hesitated.

    <Language Acquisition Device> The End

 Chapter 25 - Focus Till the End

    <h4>Chapter 25: Chapter 25 ¨C Focus Till the End</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho carefully observed Mr. Moon¡¯s expression. He didn¡¯t seem to be suspicious of him being Yun Woo, and Juho slowly opened his mouth.

    ¡°I enjoy writing quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°Did you learn to write professionally?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Do you read a lot?¡±

    ¡°I do read frequently. Though, I don¡¯t read nearly as much as Seo Kwang.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s excessive even in my eyes. It¡¯s more like a sickness.¡±

    Their footsteps echoed throughout the hallway. By the time they had arrived in front of the science room, Mr. Moon said, ¡°Well, today, try working on your conclusion a little bit more.¡±

    Then, he flung the door open. With the exception of Juho and Mr. Moon, everyone was already sitting down, and they all stared at them. As Juho went to his seat, Seo Kwang said, ¡°I was wondering why you were runningte. I see that you came with Mr. Moon?¡±

    ¡°Yep. We ran into each other on the way.¡±

    In front of Juho¡¯s seat was the paper he had written previously. He skimmed through the pages for any written annotation of sorts, but the pages were left untouched.

    Mr. Moon said, ¡°I enjoyed reading through your papers. Nobody here seemed to be inept. You all exceeded my expectations.¡±

    ¡°Inept?¡±

    ¡°You can be inept at writing, just like with dancing and singing,¡± Mr. Moon answered Seo Kwang rhythmically, and he quietly epted Mr. Moon¡¯s answer. ¡°Seo Kwang, you read more books than anybody in this room.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± he answered proudly.

    It was a matter of pride for him to read regrly and inrge quantities. In midst of Seo Kwang¡¯s proud moment, Mr. Moon shared his thoughts on his paper, ¡°Because you read so much, your writing skill is pretty decent. It¡¯s just that your story tends to be boring at times.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Try focusing on the dynamics of your story. Whether the story is moving continuously or the climax persists throughout the entire story, it¡¯s going to be boring either way.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Mr. Moon moved on to Sun Hwa, ¡°Sun Hwa, I liked that your story unfolds without holding back, but it was too much. There were too many details left out for the reader to be able to follow with ease. From now on, try to consider the reader¡¯s perspective more when you write.¡±

    ¡°That was too much... Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    She seemed confused by Mr. Moon¡¯sment, but Juho had a slight idea as to what her paper must have been like. Her story probably moved along inrge intervals. The gaps were probably toorge for the reader to catch up to the story.

    Mr. Moon turned his eyes to Bom, who was sitting next to Sun Hwa, ¡°Bom. You¡¯ve hit an average mark overall. Your sentence structures and plot weren¡¯t too bad. The only issue was that you tend to go overboard with your descriptions in ces. Try not to get lost in your own emotions.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr.Moon,¡± Bom answered timidly as she nodded.

    Sun Hwa cheered for her friend for her generally positive review. Juho pped along. Bom blushed and waved her hands. She was quite the shy girl.

    ¡°Now, Juho.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    ¡°You need to focus till the end.¡±

    The ending must have been quite disappointing. As if it hadn¡¯t been enough for him toment on it the first time, Mr. Moon emphasized the ending of Juho¡¯s paper again.

    ¡®Yes, yes. I¡¯ll work on it,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°And Baron, nice drawings.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    After concluding withpliments on Baron¡¯s drawings, Mr. Moon spread out the stack of paper he had had with him since the English ss. There were five pages in total, and they were all different. Only, there was onemon word between the pages.

    ¡°Essay contest?¡±

    They were brochures for an essay contest. They contained information regarding the essay contests that were being held in various ces.

    ¡°Are we going to bepeting in an essaypetition?¡±

    ¡°Of course! You¡¯re in the Literature Club for goodness sake.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s faces lit up as they looked at the brochures. A contest was always apanied by anxiety and excitement.

    ¡°There are different types ofpetition. What it looks like really depends on who¡¯s hosting it, including the topic and the format. Some give out an award just for writing your name, whereas others offer a cash prize.¡±

    ¡°Cash!¡± Seo Kwang eximed with excitement.

    In some cases, biggerpetitions offered arge amount of cash to the grand prize winner.

    ¡°It¡¯s up to you to choose the type ofpetition you want to participate in. BUT, whatever you sign yourselves up for, there¡¯s a contest we all have to participate collectively.¡±

    ¡°A mandatory contest? Where¡¯s that?¡± Bom asked, and Mr. Moon spread out his index and pointed to the floor.

    ¡°The schoolpetition.¡±

    ¡®Ah!¡¯ There were sounds of realization.

    ¡°When is it?¡±

    ¡°The exact date hasn¡¯t been decided yet,¡± Mr. Moon answered Juho. ¡°You guys are familiar with the format. Remember the assignment where you had to use three keywords to write something?¡±

    ¡®Were the topics really injured, discretion, and non-permanent marker?¡¯

    ¡°There will be different topics, and you¡¯ll have to choose one that you want to write about. This is actually a lot easier than your previous assignment.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like it.¡±

    It did sound a lot easier than having to utilize three words that had nothing inmon. ¡®What a surprise! Who would have thought he had even been thinking aboutpeting in an essay contest?¡¯ On the surface, Mr. Moon appeared to be doing just enough to get by, but he had a thorough side to him.

    Sun Hwa interjected and asked, ¡°Are there prizes?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Mr. Moon continued before anybody had the chance to get excited, ¡°But there¡¯s only one winner per ss.¡±

    Juho hesitated at Mr. Moon¡¯s words. ¡®One winner per ss.¡¯ He turned to Seo Kwang automatically, and he, too, was looking at Juho.

    ¡°Are we having a showdown?¡±

    The words didn¡¯t sound like they came out from Seo Kwang¡¯s or Juho¡¯s mouth. Sun Hwa, who was sitting right across from them, had said it. Thinking about it, Bom was in the same ss as her.

    ¡°Showdown, huh?! That sounds dignified.¡±

    ¡°What?! It is a showdown. You two shouldpete too. It¡¯s fun,¡± Sun Hwa answered Juho after hearing his murmur.

    At that moment, an unexpectedpetitor quietly joined in, ¡°Sounds good! Should we make a bet?¡±

    It was Baron, who quietly emphasized the idea of betting.

    ¡°Come on, Baron. We¡¯re still students,¡± Juho snuck himself out of the group, but the others joined in on Baron¡¯s suggestion with excitement. They just didn¡¯t know better.

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s make a bet. Loser buys something for the winner.¡±

    ¡°Oh,e on! I¡¯m not into things that cost me money,¡± Seo Kwang¡¯s face bittered as he appealed to his financial situation.

    ¡°Is it because you¡¯re afraid somebody might ask you to buy them a house?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nooo! You got me.¡±

    ¡°Guys, let¡¯s discuss this in peace,¡± Bom stopped Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa as the tension rose.

    After listening to everyone, Mr. Moon added, ¡°The winner gets a fried chicken from me.¡±

    Juhoughed on the inside. ¡®Who wouldpete for that?¡¯ he thought. Yet, as if mocking his thoughts, the science room exploded in loud, excited voices.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Sweet!¡±

    ¡°Wow, fried chicken!¡±

    Even Bom¡¯s face was lighting up. The response was tremendous. With Juho at a loss for words, Baron raised his hand, ¡°Am I getting that prize too?¡±

    ¡°Sure, if you win an award.¡±

    At the bewildering conversation, Juho asked him, ¡°Baron, are you nning on writing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve done it once, and I can do it again. Besides, it¡¯s fried chicken.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes! That¡¯s what I like to hear!¡±

    Among the members united by fried chicken, Juho found himself feeling left out. ¡®Wow, they¡¯re going crazy over fried chicken.¡¯ They were still kids after all.

    For a moment, Juho reminisced about his past. He thought about a sports day in elementary school when the entire schoolpeted for a whole pizza.

    ¡°OK, that¡¯s enough. If you want fried chicken, you know what to do, right?¡±

    ¡°Are we doing word chain again today?¡± Sun Hwa asked, and of course, Mr. Moon nodded.

    ¡°Until it gets old. Maybe we should y a syble game next.¡±

    ¡°Why a game?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    ¡°I wanted to prove that even a word that came out as coincidence can be turned into a writing prompt, even if it came out during a game. I¡¯ll show you that every word in existence can be turned into aposition.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    After epting his answer, the members thought in unison that Mr. Moon was going to unnecessary lengths to prove his point. At that moment, Mr. Moon shouted the first word, ¡°Pot!¡±

    ¡°Huh? What the... OK, pot. Uh... um... Tree pipit! Think wisely this time!¡±

    *TL¡¯s Note: Again, different words for continuity*

    Sun Hwa pointed to Seo Kwang as the next contestant. Although he knew that anything he said could be an ingredient for writing, Seo Kwang prioritized driving other birds out of his mind. The game wasn¡¯t about birds.

    ¡°T, T... trumpet!¡±

    He looked at Juho as if everything was in his hands then. Without hesitation, Juho said the first word that came to mind, ¡°Tarzan!¡±

    It had been decided. The three keywords for the members to write about were tree pipit, trumpet, and Tarzan. While Bomughed awkwardly, Seo Kwang murmured with disappointment, ¡°Tarzan? Why Tarzan of all things? Should I just write about Tarzan ying the trumpet while he hangs out with his buddy tree pipit? What are you, E.R. Burroughs?¡±

    E.R. Burroughs was the author of Tarzan. With a big smile, Juho answered the dejected Seo Kwang, ¡°I¡¯m not quite at the level to be on par with E.R. Burroughs.¡±

    Tarzan ying the trumpet, hanging out with his buddy tree pipit. It wasn¡¯t half bad.

    ¡°That story is actually not half bad.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? It¡¯s not?¡±

    At Mr. Moon¡¯s mark, the members picked up their pens. Brainstorming was essential. Everyone pictured the story they were going to portray.

    While others were busy mapping out their story, Juho was the only person who had began writing. ¡®Tarzan, trumpet and tree pipit.¡¯ Juho started with the word that came out of his mouth.

    ¡®Let¡¯s say there was man who introduced himself as Tarzan. He was so moved by the novel ¡®Tarzan,¡¯ written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, that he decided to be Tarzan himself.¡¯

    Juho observed the character from a distance. That was so that he could strike a bnce between emotional and rational perspectives.

    ¡®The man thought to himself, ¡®Tarzan¡¯s friends are animals.¡±

    ¡®Let¡¯s think of some animals,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡®The man went outside. The only animal he saw was a tree pipit. A tree pipit here, a tree pipit there. He wondered about the streets in search of goris, snakes, and elephants. There were only people. People after people. The man came to a realization. That was not the jungle. That ce was different from a jungle, where all sorts of creatures came together and mingled. Where the man lived, there were only people.

    ¡®The exhausted man found a trumpet in a pile of trash. As soon as he blew on it, it made a sound. He couldn¡¯tmunicate with the instrument, but it had been a beautiful sound. He blew the trumpet once again, and the trumpet answered immediately.¡¯

    When Juho had written up to that point, he felt a piercing gaze from someone. He peeked around and found out that Mr. Moon was looking in his direction. He remembered what Mr. Moon had emphasized in hisment about his writing, the ending.

    Others were still in the beginning stages of their stories. They were much calmer inparison to the previous time, so Juho put down his pen for a moment. He took some time to think about how he was going to wrap up the story.

    ¡®The ending, the ending, the ending.¡¯

    Juho couldn¡¯t think of anything and sighed internally. It was a feeling all too familiar to him.

    Juho acknowledged to himself that he was being too conscious of the readers. It felt like when he wrote his second book, and he didn¡¯t have to try to remember the result.

    In the end, Juho was thest person to submit his paper.

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    He wrapped up the story by a starving Tarzan choking to death while eating boiled carrots.

    ¡®Sorry, Mr. Moon.¡¯

    <Focus Till the End> The End

 Chapter 26 - A Harsh, Bitingly Cold Winter (1)

    <h4>Chapter 26: Chapter 26 ¨C A Harsh, Bitingly Cold Winter (1)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Man, I¡¯m tired,¡± Juho said as he stretched out his arms towards the ceiling.

    Since the contest had been announced, he had started writing in various styles: portraying characters¡¯ faces from their respective point of views, describing an object¡¯s texture, setting a rock as the narrator of the story, describing the feelings of grass, and more. In the case of the story about the grass, the plot was mostly made of motion sickness. Some days, Juho experimented with a story entirely made of short-tempered characters. Stories like that were like time bombs, ready to blow at any minute. Since there wasn¡¯t enough time for transcribing anymore, the transcription assignment had be an optional homework. There was no punishment for not doing it. Yet, every member in the Literature Club chose to transcribe at home to improve their writing skills.

    That day, the literature club was busy writing as always. Everyone seemed spaced out from exhaustion. Juho massaged his shoulder and groaned involuntarily. As he moved onto the other shoulder, Sun Hwa let out in a depressed tone, ¡°I¡¯m afraid of reading what I wrote. I¡¯ve been finding out more and more how much my writing actually sucks.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to read your own writing,¡± Bom agreed with her.

    A piece of writing that came into existence no more than a few minutes prior came back to haunt the writer as an unbearably embarrassing past. One often felt the urge to lock it away for eternity, and Sun Hwa wanted to write everything all over again.

    ¡°We have to push through. If we start revising now, we won¡¯t be able to finish it in time even if we have three years,¡± Seo Kwang said weakly.

    ¡°If you¡¯re seeing how your writing could have been improved, then it also means you¡¯re learning how to write better in the future. Don¡¯t be so ashamed,¡± Juho encouraged the two people who were writhing in shame.

    Regardless, there was little effect. Sun Hwa looked at her draft, feeling dejected.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. But it doesn¡¯t take away from the embarrassment,¡± she said as she mmed her draft onto the desk.

    ¡°Man, I wanted my story to be prettier. My mind gets so hectic whenever I start writing.¡±

    Juho smiled faintly at her rant. It was a good mindset to have. A writer had to be aware of his own greediness more than anything else. It didn¡¯t mean that they shouldn¡¯t be possessive either. When writing, one had to focus on writing alone. The moment their greed took over, the writing would naturally lean toward pleasing the reader. It would dress itself in bright colors. It would be clouded by obscure jargon while the exploration within the story turned excessive. Wearing too much makeup would damage the skin. It was the same for writing. It got damaged by disingenuity. That was how a piece of writing became pretentious.

    Rustle.

    Bom reached into her bag and took something out. It was chocte. The Literature Club was flexible about bringing snacks. For that reason, the members often snacked on sweets after they finished writing. Wanting to share, Bom handed out her chocte. Each single piece of it was wrapped, so it was easy to eat. After thanking Bom, Juho popped the chocte into his mouth. There was an explosion of sweetness. It felt rejuvenating, and everyone sat up in their seats.

    ¡°Bom brings the best snacks.¡±

    ¡°I feel much better.¡±

    ¡°Pretty good.¡±

    Sun Hwa, Seo Kwang, and Baron said in order, and Bom smiled brightly. Juho opened the window of the science room to let out the sweet smell of chocte. A pleasant breeze rushed into the room, and he stood in front of the window for a moment for some fresh air. That moment, Juho turned around at the rustling sound. Bom was picking up the wrappers spread across the desk, so he helped her.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK, I¡¯ll just finish it,¡± she said.

    Juho answered by folding one of the wrappers into the shape of a notepad.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be quicker if we do it together.¡±

    Juho and Bom picked up the chocte wrappers from the floor. When Juho looked up, he found Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa with wrappers in their hands. Baron was doing the same. Since there weren¡¯t that many, all the wrappers were picked up in no time.

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissor,¡± somebody suggested as a way to decide on a person to take out the trash.

    Although Bom had volunteered, the game had already started. Juho joined in. In the end, Bom took part in it as well. ¡®Rock, paper, scissor.¡¯

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Seo Kwang lost, and Sun Hwa dly saw him out. He walked out into the hallway mumbling, and Juho also waved his hand at him. When Seo Kwang came back, he was apanied by Mr. Moon. After getting a piece of chocte from Juho, Mr. Moon said as he was chewing on the chocte, ¡°Now, I¡¯ll teach you how to polish your writing. You finally get to revise all the embarrassing things you¡¯ve been writing so far. Doesn¡¯t that make you happy?¡±

    Sun Hwa cheered. It was at least ten times more effective than Juho¡¯s encouragement. Seo Kwang and Bom also weed Mr. Moon. While watching the members¡¯ response, Mr. Moon questioned Juho, who was sitting quietly in his seat, ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± he answered quickly.

    ¡°Now, shall we begin?¡±

    Without hesitation, Mr. Moon began to write out an example on the chalkboard. As usual, it was an abrupt start.

    ¡°Juho Woo, read it.¡±

    At Mr. Moon¡¯s words, Juho read the sentence out loud, ¡°I¡¯m a person who eats baguettes frequently, even when I came to Korea on a trip, I had more baguettes than kimchi stew, so I think I might as well have gone to France instead.¡±

    It was a strange and awkward sentence.

    ¡°Look at this sentence. It¡¯s hard to tell what it¡¯s trying to say because it¡¯s lengthy and awkward, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m running out of breath.¡±

    ¡°It kind of feels awkward.¡±

    ¡°I can feel his stream of consciousness.¡±

    Juho looked at the word baguette.

    ¡°Something isn¡¯t quite adding up here. When a beginner tries to write a longer sentence, this is the result they end up with. That¡¯s why longer sentences are harder to work with. Even authors go through several polishing processes when they¡¯re writing a lengthy sentence. As for you guys, get used to writing shorter sentences.¡±

    Mr. Moon wrote another sentence on the side of the chalkboard.

    ¡°I eat baguettes frequently. Even when I visited Korea, I had more baguettes than I had kimchi stew. If I had known better, I would have gone to France. I¡¯m sure it would have been a much better trip.¡±

    The sentence was still filled with baguettes, but it was definitely more organized. Even dividing up the sentence into segments made a big difference. There was room to breathe, and Juho thought about what mighte next, ¡®He stacks a lot of bad memories on his visit to Korea. In the end, he leaves for his dream destination, France. Will he be able to build better memories? Only good memories? That¡¯s no fun. Let¡¯s make it worse.¡¯

    At that moment, Juho heard Mr. Moon¡¯s voice, ¡°I¡¯ll give you another example. The subject is baguette.¡±

    Juho had an idea of what Mr. Moon had had for lunch. Unlike Juho, who was resting his chin on his hand, everyone else listened intently. Sun Hwa was especially focused. Seeing him creating an organized, easy to read sentence out of a jumbled up mess made her remember that Mr. Moon was really a teacher after all. When he taught a ss, it was obvious that Mr. Moon had no desire to teach. He never went out of his way to teach. He only did the bare minimum. His ss came to an end after he covered what was going to be on the test. Even when it came to deciding what was going to be in the test, Mr. Moon would always refer to an older teacher who was more experienced. His attitude waspletely different. Anybody could haveined if they saw such a drastic difference in Mr. Moon¡¯s attitude when teaching.

    ¡®Hey, this is discriminatory.¡¯

    Then, he would answer without a care in the world, ¡°I hate school. I hate working. I¡¯m proud that I evene out.¡±

    Since it wasn¡¯t like Mr. Moon rejected students with questions or skipped teaching his ss, no one would be able to punish him, and he would proudly walk about school.

    ¡°Try revising your papers like I taught you. Whatever you don¡¯t finish will be your homework.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    The club members spent their entire weekend facing their embarrassing past, cutting and taking out words and phrases. Juho, too, was keeping himself busy. He was so upied that he didn¡¯t even hear the door opening. A hand suddenly appeared next to him, and Juho traced his eyes up along the hand. It was his mother.

    ¡°Have some fruit.¡±

    ¡°OK, thanks.¡±

    His mother said as she put down a te of apple slices. She looked at her son with a delighted heart. Juho hadn¡¯t squandered the money or be conceited about his own talent. For that, his mother was proud of her son. She left the room to let her son focus, and Juho put a piece of apple into his mouth and concentrated all the more. He split up certain parts, borated in certain ces and enhanced the weaker areas in his writing. He toned down the parts that were too dense. Juho was revising his paper so that it was sharp and solid. As he busily moved his pen, he suddenly stopped.

    ¡°Should it be ¡®he chokes on a piece of boiled carrot?¡¯¡±

    There wasn¡¯t much that could be done with such a bizarre ending. Besides, Juho kind of liked it. It resembled the recklessness of youth. It was rash, but brave at the same time. It was an ending that was both bold and unfaltering, which wasn¡¯tmon in recent books.

    ¡®I¡¯ll leave it alone.¡¯

    Juho examined the next page. At that moment, his phone vibrated on his bed. He had tossed it onto the bed on his way in. The call was from Nam Kyung, and Juho answered.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Juho. Are you busy?¡±

    ¡°I can talk. What¡¯s up?¡±

    Nam Kyung called him from time to time to check in with him or give him an update on book sales or any recent developments. It wasn¡¯t out of ce for him to be calling. Yet, Juho was getting an unusual vibe from Nam Kyung¡¯s voice. It sounded like he was excited.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Juho asked, to find out what was happening.

    ¡°You know the author, Dong Gil Uhm, right?¡±

    Of course he knew. Juho had bought one of his books from the bookstore not too long ago. It had been a good read.

    ¡°Of course I know him.¡±

    ¡°So, he contacted me.¡±

    ¡°He contacted you?¡±

    ¡°He wants to meet you.¡±

    ¡°... excuse me?¡±

    ¡°He says he¡¯s dying to know what you look like. What do you say, should I set up a meeting?¡±

    There was a brief silence.

    ¡®Dong Gil Uhm wants to meet me just because he wants to know what I look like?¡¯

    Even in midst of confusion, he calmly analyzed the situation. That had never happened before. He had never met Dong Gil Uhm, so there was no reason for him to reach out to Juho.

    One thing that had been different from the past was that Juho had remained anonymous this time. Dong Gil Uhm was saying that he wanted to know what Juho looked like. In the past, it would have been as easy as searching the inte if he had wanted to find that out. This time, however, it was different. There was no way to know what Yun Woo looked like. If Dong Gil Uhm was curious about Juho¡¯s face, then the only way was to meet him in person. ¡®How interesting!¡¯

    Whenever things yed out differently from the past, Juho felt relieved at heart. It meant that he was not repeating the mistakes of the past. Taking a deep breath, he answered Nam Kyung. Juho had enjoyed reading Dong Gil Uhm¡¯s book as an adult. Even when he couldn¡¯t write a single decent sentence, his appreciation for the author had remained unchanged.

    ¡®It can¡¯t hurt to meet him,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m free throughout the weekend.¡±

    ¡®Sooner the better. Will the actual meeting happen sometime next week?¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Come now!¡±Nam Kyung said over the phone as if he were reading Juho¡¯s thoughts.

    <A Harsh, Citingly Cold Winter (1)> The End

 Chapter 27 - A Harsh, Bitingly Cold Winter (2)

    <h4>Chapter 27: Chapter 27 ¨C A Harsh, Bitingly Cold Winter (2)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°It was around here somewhere.¡±

    Juho was lost. He had to leave in a hurry because of ast-minute n. Though he managed to get to the vicinity of the publishing district, the sheer number of book cafes around made it difficult to find the meeting ce, so he took out his phone to ask Nam Kyung for directions.

    He followed the directions on the phone and went into an alley.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m here!¡±

    Nam Kyung was waving his hand in front of a building. It was a cafe where the front was made entirely of ss. The blue sign met Juho¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d ask me toe out so soon.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Uhm is a man of action.¡±

    ¡®Right.¡¯ Juho was able to tell from how he had asked for a meeting.

    He and Nam Kyung went into the cafe. The books inside caught his eyes. That book cafe was putting more emphasis on the book aspect than others. It had to be because it was within the publishing district.

    Looking around, Juho found a man who looked to be in his thirties. He was sitting with a straight posture, writing. He was focused. The nk expression on his face gave off a slightly rigid impression.

    ¡®That must be him, Dong Gil Uhm.¡¯

    As expected, Nam Kyung walked toward the man.

    ¡°Mr. Uhm, this is Yun Woo.¡±

    At Nam Kyung¡¯s voice, the man stopped his hand and slowly raised his eyes to Juho¡¯s face. Then, he stared intently for a little while and said, ¡°How you doin¡¯, sir.¡±

    Although Juho was much younger, Dong Gil Uhm greeted him with respect. Juho said hello and told him not to worry about having to be polite. Dong Gil epted without saying much else. He really was a man of action.

    ¡°I¡¯m Juho Woo. I¡¯d prefer Juho rather than Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Nam Kyung suggested ordering something to drink, and all three decided on hot americanos.

    ¡°They sell cakes by the slice. Would you like one?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll eat gratefully.¡±

    With a satisfied smile, Nam Kyung ordered two slices of cake. Dong Gil Uhm had respectfully declined Nam Kyung¡¯s offer because he was not into sweets. Soon, the cakes and americanos came out. Juho ate his cake while Nam Kyung caught up with Dong Gil. Everything was delicious.

    Once they finished, Dong Gil turned his eyes to Juho. Juho took that as a cue and started a conversation.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you were curious about my looks.¡±

    Dong Gil admitted, ¡°Yes. I was surprised at how young you were. Now that I see you in person, you do look your age. I enjoyed your work quite a bit.¡±

    Juho thanked him with a smile. It felt pretty good to beplimented by a famous author who had written several best-selling books. He would probably continue to write more in the future.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read quite a bit of your books myself.¡±

    ¡°Is that right? I figure they might¡¯ve been a little serious for a student.¡±

    That was true. Dong Gil¡¯s books were definitely more serious, perhaps to a fault. However, Juho preferred such books.

    ¡°I¡¯m also a fan of Hemingway.¡±

    Dong Gil¡¯s rigid face loosened up a bit.

    ¡°Hemingway is a great author. He¡¯s in my list of things that I clearly like. I have it in my notepad.¡±

    Juho blinked for a second. ¡®Clearly what?¡¯

    ¡°What¡¯s in that list?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a list of things that I clearly like.¡±

    It was just as he said. Juho thought of his first encounter with Dong Gil when he walked into the cafe and asked, ¡°So, were you working on that list before I got here?¡±

    ¡°That was a journal.¡±

    He wrote quite a bit. It exined why he was an author.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little early for journaling?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my journal, so I decide when I write it.¡±

    He had a point. Among authors, there were some who were in the habit of journaling. In the case of Dong Gil, his rigid expression and journaling made for an interesting concoction. It suited him well. ¡®A man in his thirties who journals, how unique!¡¯

    ¡®Besides, what¡¯s with that list?¡¯ Juho had never heard of such a list. ¡®Why is he writing a list like that?¡¯

    ¡°What makes you write a list like that?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to know what I clearly like.¡±

    ¡°Do you like things to be clear-cut?¡±

    ¡°Whether I like or dislike something is besides the point here. I¡¯m just trying to get to know myself better.¡±

    Juho was reminded of the old saying ¡®know thyself.¡¯

    ¡°Are you into Socrates?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t dislike him.¡±

    It seemed like Dong Gil was much more unusual than Juho had imagined.

    During a brief pause in their conversation, Juho took the opportunity to take another bite of his cake, and Dong Gil brought his cup to his mouth.

    ¡°Do you remember your very first Hemingway experience?¡± Dong Gil asked.

    Juho took some time to think until the cake in his mouth had slid past the back of his tongue. It didn¡¯t take much to remember his first experience with Hemingway¡¯s unique style, and he remembered being amazed by it.

    ¡°It was a short-story called ¡°The Killers.¡±¡±

    ¡°That one¡¯s particrly hard-boiled.¡±

    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I remember it so distinctly. I had nevere across a book with such little emotional description.¡±

    The story was part of aption. Two contract killers attempted to murder a person. It was an irrational situation. There were three people who found out about it. One was indifferent toward it because it had nothing to do with him. Another epted it as normal. Finally, thest person resisted. The person who chose to resist was named Nick. Nick found the person who the killers were after and exined the situation to the targeted man. However, the man refused to move from his ce. He said, ¡®I¡¯m exhausted.¡¯ Nick was shocked by that turn of events, and decided to leave town.

    When Juho read this simple story, he thought about the perspective of each character. He joined in with Nick in his resistance. He waited for the killers alongside the man who had let go of everything. Juho tried taking a step back like the first person and also tried to kill a person while embracing such irrational culture. Everything was possible. That was Hemingway. He was impressive. Dong Gil must have had a simr experience.

    ¡°What was your first Hemingway book?¡± Juho asked him.

    ¡°The Snows of Kilimanjaro. Hemingway wrote the book after his trip to Africa.¡± Dong Gil¡¯s eyes sparkled, and he continued, ¡°When I learned that, it felt like I had figured out the secret behind the liveliness of that book for the first time.¡±

    ¡°In the novel, he reflected quite a bit on his own experiences.¡±

    Dong Gil nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. A crush, for example.¡±

    ¡°A farewell to arms.¡±

    ¡°One time, he went to Spain to witness the Spanish Civil War.¡±

    ¡°For Whom the Bell Tolls.¡±

    All of his books were titled after his real life experiences. Dong Gil seemed satisfied by Juho¡¯s answer. He must have been happy that they spoke the samenguage. Perhaps, he was not such aplicated person after all.

    Dong Gil continued with a satisfied look on his face, ¡°Even the conciseness in his writinges from his experience as a journalist. He¡¯s a person who uses his own life experiences as a basis for his books.¡±

    Dong Gil described his impression of Hemingway as ¡°a person who wastes nothing.¡± He was the same way. Hemingway felt like a person who woulde up with a strange list to write in his spare time.

    ¡°Speaking of which, weren¡¯t you a journalist in the past, Mr. Uhm?¡±

    Having been listening to the conversation, Nam Kyung chimed in. Juho had never heard that Dong Gil used to be a journalist. It would have been a well known fact if he had been. Juho thought that his rigidity somehow suited him for the job. A journalist or a reporter could give off a negative impression currently, but the job had always been about delivering the truth.

    ¡°It¡¯s an embarrassing past. How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I met with Mr. Ahn once for a manuscript request.¡±

    ¡°That buddy of mine is always going around saying silly things. He has such a mushy style of writing. It¡¯s like he modeled it after his own personality. I don¡¯t feel good whenever I read his things.¡±

    ¡°Is that right? I enjoyed it quite a bit.¡±

    His criticism had an edge to it. As if he had been used to Dong Gil¡¯s personality, Nam Kyung responded in the blink of an eye. Dong Gil seemed much too genuine in his disgust to think that he was joking.

    ¡°What¡¯s Mr. Ahn like?¡±

    ¡°He wears sweatpants all year round. He has an underdeveloped sense of fashion.¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem like Dong Gil had anything nice to say about his friend. Juho decided to stop asking any more questions. On the other hand, Nam Kyung wasughing as if he were amused by the joke.

    Juho changed the subject, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you used to be a journalist.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t tell anyone on my own.¡±

    He did say he was embarrassed about it.

    While Juho hesitate to speak, he thought, ¡®What makes one embarrassed of having been a journalist?¡¯

    Dong Gil continued as if it weren¡¯t a big deal, ¡°I started working as a journalist, but then I quit the next day.¡±

    Then, Juho asked without hesitating, ¡°Howe?¡±

    It made sense for it not to be a widely-known fact. Quitting the next day would mean that he had left before he even got his employee ID.

    ¡°Well, I have my reasons, but in the end, I saw myself quitting in the future. I felt like I was suffocating because it was very boring. I thought I might as well make better use of my time. I became a journalist because there is no money in writing books nowadays, but that was a mistake. I didn¡¯t prioritize myself in my decision.¡±

    Then he continued confidently, ¡°No matter how time changed, I learned that I had the ability to survive. I was young too. I did a disgraceful thing by being afraid for no reason, bringing myself down. This doesn¡¯t mean that I support this biased society.¡±

    Despite what he said, Juho wasn¡¯t getting an impression that he was arrogant. He described himself as if he were stating the obvious. For a best-selling author, his self-evaluation was not excessive in any way. He tried hard to understand himself objectively. That was it. He was not like Hemingway.

    ¡°You¡¯re not like Hemingway,¡± Juho thought out loud.

    Dong Gil stopped talking for a moment. After a brief silence, he asked, ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°He had a habit of exaggerating things to cover up his weak, timid personality.¡±

    In that case, Dong Gil was definitely nothing like Hemingway. Hemingway was legendary for his binge drinking and pretentious attitude.

    Dong Gil smirked almost like a sigh. For a brief moment, his face seemed like that of a child who had lost his innocence.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± he murmured. ¡°I discovered that when I was about your age. I had never been so disappointed, even when I read ¡°Across the River and into the Trees.¡±

    Among Hemingway¡¯s books, ¡°Across the River and into the Trees¡± was one that was not well-received by critics and fans.

    ¡°When I heard somebody describe him as a hairy sissy obsessed with masculinity, I was genuinely hurt. Maybe even more than Hemingway himself.¡±

    Hemingway¡¯s mother had always wanted a daughter. For that reason, she had dressed her son in girly clothes. There was even a story of her introducing her son to the neighbors as ¡®Ernestine.¡¯ As a means of rebelling against her, he would often go out hunting and fishing. He habitually demonstrated his masculinity. That was the beginning of his pretentious character.

    His concise writing style was revolutionary at the time. Though they seemed easy read on the surface, every book was thoroughly calcted. It was beautiful. That was the reason why Dong Gil had assumed that Hemingway had a personality like that of his writing style.

    ¡°After countless people testified that he was a big talker, I didn¡¯t know what to think. I couldn¡¯t help but feel betrayed. My sensitivity would not leave me alone. I had wanted to be like him, but I didn¡¯t want to be like him anymore.¡±

    In the past, Dong Gil had spent a lot of time wondering about in life and figuring out his identity.

    At that moment, he took a notepad out of his chest pocket.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I started making this list, the list of things that I clearly like.¡±

    It all made sense. His desire to judge himself objectively wasing from his past disappointment. ¡®Who would have known that there was such a story behind that strange list of his?¡¯

    Once a delusion shattered into pieces, another truth revealed itself. The truth was painful. It was difficult to ept. Yet, in the end, he ended up pursuing this same truth, and that was because he still looked up to Hemingway.

    ¡°What was the first thing you wrote on the list?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Hemingway,¡± Dong Gil answered.

    Juho spoke out a phrase that came to mind, ¡°A man can be destroyed, but not defeated.¡±

    ¡°Old Man and the Sea,¡± Dong Gil quietly named Hemingway¡¯s veryst masterpiece.

    It was a phrase said by the protagonist of the book. To protect his once-in-a-lifetime catch, an old man named Santiago was fighting off sharks with his life. Then he said, ¡®A man can be destroyed, but not defeated.¡¯

    ¡°He was a man who would rather be destroyed than defeated.¡±

    The sun shone brightly onto the three sybles written on Dong Gil¡¯s notepad.

    <A Harsh, Bitingly Cold Winter (2)>

 Chapter 28 - A Harsh, Bitingly Cold Winter (3)

    <h4>Chapter 28: Chapter 28 ¨C A Harsh, Bitingly Cold Winter (3)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about you,¡± Dong Gil said as Juho took a sip of his lukewarm coffee. It was sudden, but it wasn¡¯t a surprise. That meeting had been set up for Dong Gil and Juho from the start.

    Juho learned how unique of a person Dong Gil was. Now, it was his turn.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to know what I looked like?¡± Juho asked light-heartedly.

    ¡°I did, but that was until I met you. I wanted to know what makes you look like a genius.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I am one. Speaking of which, you wrote the novel called ¡®The Genius,¡¯ right?¡±

    ¡°I did. It was about a genius who was born in a time that wasn¡¯t quite ready to wee him. He eventually falls into ruin.¡±

    ¡°He starved to death in the end.¡±

    ¡®The Genius¡¯ was written entirely in the first-person perspective. The protagonist was a pianist who came from a poor family. He was also a genius. He was recognized for his skills and received a special schrship to a music school. Unfortunately, without personal connections or wealth, there was no chance for him to prove himself at that school.

    In the end, the protagonist left the school and made a living performing on the streets. Sadly, he failed to draw attention and met with a tragic demise.

    In his final performance, he resented his gift of music as his life slowly faded away.

    ¡°You¡¯ve read it?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s short answer, Dong Gil showed him the back of his notepad. There, it was written: The list of things I clearly dislike.

    ¡®What do you know?!¡¯ If there was a list of things he clearly liked, Juho had wondered if there was also an opposite version of it. Unlike the positive version that started at the front of the notepad, that list started at the back.

    ¡°I wrote ¡®genius¡¯ on top.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t really necessary for him to show that. As a proof, Dong Gil put his notepad in front of Juho¡¯s face. The word ¡®genius¡¯ was definitely on it. Underneath was ¡®hairs of a beast.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m not a genius, so obviously, it makes me sick whenever I¡¯m around one of those arrogant bastards. They think they¡¯re so talented. They make me want to shut ¡¯em up. That¡¯s why I starved the protagonist to death,¡± Dong Gil said bitterly as he imagined the protagonist of ¡®The Genius¡¯ walking down the path of destruction.

    To him, there was nothing positive about the word ¡°genius.¡± His physiological response was to deny them. As a writer, he couldn¡¯t help but to express such feelings in his writing.

    ¡°Whether somebody¡¯s a genius or a criminal, everyone¡¯s equal before starvation.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. They¡¯re human at the end of the day.¡±

    ¡°Seeing these geniuses dying so tragically, it makes me wonder if God is as twisted as I am,¡± he said confidently with a nk expression and continued looking at Juho. ¡°What do you think? If somebody like me were a God, a genius like you wouldn¡¯t possibly be able to live happily ever after.¡±

    His tone was dry, and Juho thought, ¡®He might be right. If God really hates geniuses, then it makes sense that my life ended the way it did.¡¯

    Juho had lived such a life because he had been hated by God. He had be drunk with his own talent and stopped trying. He had been trapped within his own world and glorified himself as the king. If God was anything like Dong Gil, Juho would have certainly infuriated him.

    Yet, Juho came back. He had been given a second chance and he was still living.

    In that case, ¡°I quit being a genius.¡±

    There¡¯s no other way than to quit.

    At Juho¡¯s answer, Dong Gil¡¯s jaw dropped ever so slightly. It had been apletely unexpected answer, and soon, he started smirking.

    ¡°You¡¯re a strange one.¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡±

    ¡°Very.¡±

    As he muttered, Dong Gil wrote something in his notepad.

    ¡®You¡¯re one to talk,¡¯ thought Juho. ¡®Genius. He had created a character and then called him a genius. Had that been appropriate?¡¯

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think the protagonist was a genius.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Juho spoke his mind. He had been wanting to say that since a moment ago.

    ¡°The talent of a genius is bound to charm people, no matter the time and ce. In any situation, that talent shines even if the genius is approaching death. The talent is merciless even to the one who possesses it. If the protagonist really were a genius, others around him wouldn¡¯t have let him starve to death.¡±

    There was no boundary in the fairness of talent. It was equally cruel to everyone. Juho had talent, and whoever possessed a talent was often referred to as a genius. People called Juho genius, and he had thought it wouldst forever.

    Yet, he had eventually experienced failure, and there had no longer been anyone calling him a genius.

    Though praised as a gifted author at one point, Juho had left the literature field. On the other hand, Dong Gil, who denied his talent, continued writing. At the rock bottom of his life, Juho read Dong Gil¡¯s books andughed.

    ¡®His sess does note from his talent,¡¯ thought Juho.

    Then, his failure was probably not going to have anything to do with his talent either.

    Juho¡¯s failure hadn¡¯t been forck of talent. The protagonist in the book was the same.

    ¡°The protagonist is not a genius. He envied talent and was ashamed of putting in the effort. That¡¯s why you starved him to death, right?¡±

    He was merely envious of talent. He didn¡¯t put in the effort. He had never fought to obtain it. He simply sank deeper into the depths. There was no resistance.

    He didn¡¯t bother trying to live. He didn¡¯t want to eat. No wonder he had starved to death.

    After listening quietly, Dong Gil¡¯s mouth opened, and he said, ¡°You seem very convinced. There¡¯s always a handful of people who find out, no matter how well I hide it. There¡¯s no reward in having secrets because of those people.¡±

    Dong Gil was aware of how magnificent a talent could be. It was like a gem that shone on its own without sunlight. On its own, it had the ability to charm people.

    He hade to learn that he didn¡¯t have such a thing. A youngster who picked up a pen muchter than Dong Gil had written something that exceeded his expectations. He remembered his first experience with Juho¡¯s writing. His heart had pounded aggressively.

    ¡®But I started first. I wrote so much more.¡¯

    Talent had been cruel to Dong Gil. To him, there was nothing more unfair.

    Figure of speech was not one of Dong Gil¡¯s strengths. He couldn¡¯t write anything fancy or magnificent and he wrestled with his weaknesses. Then, he discovered Hemingway and received help from his writing.

    ¡®Let¡¯s keep it simple, cutting out whatever¡¯s unnecessary. I¡¯ll write something simple and to-the-point, just like my savior, Hemingway.¡¯

    ¡°Everybody wants to be a genius, myself included at one point.¡±

    As a young man, Dong Gil had wanted to be a genius. That had been why he had starved the pianist to death. Although it had been a shameful past, he hadn¡¯t wanted to neglect it. For that reason, he had hid it deep within his writing. He had pretended to be clueless to the questioning critics.

    Yet, of all asions, this youngster, who had just quit being a genius, had found out about his secret. Dong Gil remembered the face of a friend who had discovered his secret immediately, just like Juho did. It was aggravating, but Dong Gil found himself smiling for some reason.

    ¡°Give me your number, now,¡± Dong Gil said forcefully as he took out his cell phone out of his chest pocket.

    *

    ¡°Hello...¡± Dong Gil heard a cracked voice over the phone. That pathetic fellow must have been sleeping until that time. The sun was setting. It was obvious that he had been binge watching dramas that he hadn¡¯t been able to watch while he had been writing.

    Dong Gil said, ¡°Come out.¡±

    ¡°Come out where? I just woke up, man. I¡¯m still half asleep. I¡¯m going back to bed.¡±

    ¡°I just met Yun Woo.¡±

    Thump. Thud. It sounded like something fell on the floor. Dong Gil could picture the man¡¯s messy room. From A to Z, there was nothing to like about that guy. Then, the friend on the phone answered with an excited voice, ¡°Should I go to that restaurant?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Dong Gil got in his car and headed toward the restaurant he went to frequently with his friend. It was a mediocre ce, both in taste and price, but they went regrly because of its convenient location.

    Seo Joong Ahn hated going out with a passion, especially somewhere far. Dong Gil lived in the same neighborhood, and it was also convenient for him to stay close to home. For that reason, they made themselves regrs at that restaurant.

    After parking his car nearby, Doing Gil went into the restaurant. There was a man wearing a ck sweatshirt and pants. His untidy, bed-headed appearance made it obvious that he had just gotten out of bed. Dong Gil cringed at the sight. Upon seeing Dong Gil, the man raised his hand up and waved.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Put your hand down. I can see you.¡±

    After taking their seats, the two ordered a couple bowls of noodle soup.

    ¡°Man, you finally met him. I apud your quick-to-act attitude. So how was it? Woman? Man? Do you have a picture?¡±

    He was making a big fuss. On purpose, Dong Gil parted his lips as slowly as possible.

    ¡°Yun Woo is a boy. I don¡¯t have a picture of him.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because... whether I take one or not is up to me.¡±

    The food had made its way onto their table. As he slurped on the noodles, Seo Joong asked, ¡°So, did you rip the young genius a new one?¡±

    ¡°Nope. He ripped ME a new one.¡±

    ¡°What? The infamous Dong Gil Uhm let a boy rip him a new one?¡±

    ¡°Who are you calling infamous?¡±

    At the unamusing title given by his friend, Dong Gil expressed annoyance. Seo Joong waved his hand at his friend, a gesture meant to express that there were more important things.

    ¡°Hurry up! Tell me more! I¡¯m dying to know.¡±

    Seo Joong looked like he¡¯d throw a temper tantrum, like a child if he didn¡¯t get what he asked for. To prevent it from happening, Dong Gil calmly told his friend of his encounter with Juho.

    Juho Woo. He was a type who would calmly munch on his cake amid bolts out of the blue.

    ¡°He quit what? A seventeen-year old said that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he did. I ended up writing it on my notepad without even thinking.¡±

    Dong Gil opened the front part of his notepad. There were three sybles written there: Juho Woo.

    With his eyes on that not-so-funny list, Seo Joong said with a serious face, ¡°So, he did have what it takes to write something like that, after all.¡±

    Dong Gil nodded. Before Juho¡¯s book had evene out, the furor that had already spread across the publishing industry was: ¡®There¡¯s an author making his debut at the age of sixteen.¡¯

    Frankly, Dong Gil had paid no attention. He clearly remembered picking up Juho¡¯s book with a cynical smile.

    However, the reality was not what he had thought. Until he read the book himself, Dong Gil hadn¡¯t realized that he had been underestimating that author because of his age.

    ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ was about a boy who was afraid of birds. He only left his house at night and wondered the streets. That was when all of the birds were asleep.

    It was pure. It had literary value. Yun Woo knew how to control his emotions.

    It was hard to believe that a sixteen-year old had written a book like that.

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t cried like that from reading in years.¡±

    There wasn¡¯t necessarily a sad part in the book. Nobody died or got into an ident. The boy just faced the rising sun at the end.

    It was such a simple scene. Yet, Dong Gil had been moved to tears.

    ¡°We must have looked ridiculous. Two older men, crying their eyes out, each with a book in their hands,¡± Seo Joong said as he snickered.

    ¡°Why did it have to be at my ce?¡±

    ¡°What was I supposed to do? My mom wanted me to bring you some food. I wanted to eat while I was at it too.¡±

    Back then, Seo Joong had gone over with a book in one hand and a bundle of food on the other. He had been wearing blue at the time.

    ¡°I guess there was nothing to worry about all along.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Seo Joong asked with a piece of kimchi in his mouth.

    ¡°If he¡¯s that much of a character, I¡¯m thinking we can expect him to write another book. Think about it. Everyone¡¯s going crazy around him. Wouldn¡¯t you be overwhelmed? I would¡¯ve hid on an ind somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Weakling.¡±

    Though Dong Gil answered bluntly, he had thought the same. At one point, he too had thought that he might never see another book from Yun Woo. That author had definitely had a bad start. He had be way too sessful, way too young. A leaf was most vulnerable when it was freshly sprouted. Dong Gil had believed that until he met Juho in person.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡±

    ¡°We should be on our toes.¡±

    Seo Joong¡¯s eyes moved calmly. It was extremely rare for him to be nervous. However, Dong Gil couldn¡¯t help but agree.

    ¡°We should.¡±

    <A Harsh, Bitingly Cold Winter (3)>

 Chapter 29 - With All His Heart (1)

    <h4>Chapter 29: Chapter 29 ¨C With All His Heart (1)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    After a quick breakfast, Juho changed into his uniform and left for school. When he arrived to ss, he either read a book or a text in the English textbook. asionally, he would stare out of the window or go up to the second years¡¯ floor to chat with Baron.

    That day was no different. Juho looked at the text in his English textbook. It was about dreams. The textbook was referring to none other than future careers. It wasn¡¯t about dreaming in one¡¯s sleep or dreaming of something in one¡¯s life.

    He thought of a conversation he had with Seo Kwang not too long before.

    ¡°What would it be like to be a novelist?¡± Seo Kwang asked. He sounded excited for some reason.

    Juho gave him a brief stare and asked, ¡°Is that what you want to do?¡±

    ¡°I just happened to find myself enjoying being part of the Literature Club, a lot more than I had expected.¡±

    It was true. He did seem much happier as ofte. ¡®A novelist, huh!?¡¯ It suited him.

    ¡°If that¡¯s what your heart desires, then so be it. I support you.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t really decided yet.¡±

    Although he answered vaguely, Seo Kwang¡¯s eyes were sparkling.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Though it was a day just like any other, Juho had been thinking that something had been different. Seo Kwang had been acting strange as ofte.

    He had felt Seo Kwang staring daggers at him for some time. He had tantly turned around with the backrest in between his legs. As a person who sat directly behind him, Juho was feeling rather ufortable.

    ¡°What?¡±

    He scratched his cheek. It almost felt like it was stinging.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? You think I¡¯m cute?¡±

    In spite of Juho¡¯s light-hearted joke, Seo Kwang¡¯s face remainedpletely still. Usually, he would have, at the very least, made aplete fool out of Juho.

    ¡°This world really is kind of unfair.¡±

    With that mysterious remark, Seo Kwang turned back to his desk.

    Juho muttered as he stared into the back of Seo Kwang¡¯s head, ¡°...Was it really about my looks?¡± He briefly looked at his reflection on the window and thought, ¡®It¡¯s not half bad.¡¯

    When recess started, Seo Kwang asked a question out of nowhere, ¡°Where did you say you lived?¡±

    Confused, Juho tilted his head. It really was a random question. After telling Seo Kwang the location, he asked, ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Just because. You don¡¯t live that far from me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all in the same neighborhood. My side tends to be hillier though.¡±

    This neighborhood was on a mountain, so there were a lot of hills even in the residential areas. There was also a mountain right behind the school. He was met with the cries of turtledoves on his way to school in the morning, and with hikers on his way back. It was like a countryside neighborhood within Seoul.

    ¡°Can Ie over?¡±

    There was no reason Seo Kwang couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Sure. My parents are out for work. You want toe today?¡±

    ¡°No. Later.¡±

    Juho nodded light-heartedly, but there was something about Seo Kwang¡¯s attitude that bothered him. ¡®Maybe he got himself into some sort of trouble?¡¯

    The next morning, he had to open his eyes at the sound of the doorbell.

    ¡®Ding, dong.¡¯

    It rang once again as he lingered in his nket. It was rushing him to get out of bed. Soon, he realized that he was the only person around.

    Every weekend, Juho¡¯s parents would make a trip out to the countryside to look for a house. They had been telling him that they would put the city life behind them once their son grew up into an adult. Without any objection, he epted his parents¡¯ future ns. After all, no one could live life for another person.

    ¡°Not answering the inte, for example.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until after a stretch and a yawn that Juho came out of his room and closed the door behind him. Half asleep, he looked at the inte screen and saw a familiar face.

    ¡°Why is it that you¡¯re ringing my doorbell?¡± he asked over the inte.

    ¡°Hey, buddy, I said I¡¯de over.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of sudden actually.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you get my text?¡±

    ¡®I was asleep,¡¯ thought Juho. Because he hadn¡¯t gone to bed untilte, he had been sound asleep well into the morning.

    ¡°Don¡¯t people usually wait for a response?¡±

    ¡°I brought fried chicken.¡±

    Juho opened the door.

    The smell of fried chicken filled the entire house as soon as Seo Kwang walked in. Since he got out of bedte, Juho was hungry, yet toozy to cook something. That was perfect. Seo Kwang had read his mind. Juho sat Seo Kwang down as he looked around curiously. He went into the bathroom to wash his face, and then joined Seo Kwang for brunch.

    The box contained half & half chicken ¨C half fried, half marinaded. After pouring Coke into the cups, Juho and Seo Kwang each picked up a drumstick.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±

    ¡°This ce knows their chicken.¡±

    It was just as Seo Kwang said. It was delicious. As the two ate, they spent time on small talk like what the best part of a chicken was or which ce delivered the fastest.

    Soon, there were nothing but bones inside the box. Then, Seo Kwang saw the bookshelves filled with books in the living room and said, ¡°You have quite a few books too.¡±

    ¡°My parents read a lot as well, just like I do.¡±

    ¡°I read something interesting recently...¡±

    After starting the topic, Seo Kwang made his way into the kitchen to wash his hands. Juho had an idea of what Seo Kwang was about to say.

    ¡®He¡¯s probably going to talk about a book,¡¯ he thought and listened to Seo Kwang as he cleaned the table.

    ¡°... There¡¯s this young psychologist who said that our inner selves asionally reflect themselves onto the external things around us. Apparently, you can tell what a person is like on the inside by looking at his belongings or the traces he has left, kind of like Sherlock Holmes.¡±

    ¡°Like insight?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Survival experts figure out the animal that is around them by looking at footprints or excrement left behind. It¡¯s the same for humans.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t really find human excrement nowadays.¡±

    ¡°Really?! How do you say stuff like that after a meal?¡±

    ¡°I have a strong stomach.¡±

    Seo Kwang opened the windows to ventte the house. When he opened arge window in the living room, a light breeze rushed into the house. With Juho standing behind him, he continued, ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that even if you stay one night at a hotel, you leave a trace of yourself. Apparently, you can figure anything out from personality, the life the person has lived, and his future ns.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing! Is that how fortune telling works?¡±

    ¡°That, I don¡¯t know,¡± answered Seo Kwang.

    ¡°The point is that a space contains a lot of information about the person who has been there. A lot more than we think.¡± He asked, ¡°Is that your parents¡¯ room?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Juho answered Seo Kwang as he stood still. Seo Kwang turned around from the direction he had pointed. Juho kept watching him from his ce while Seo Kwang raised his hand to turn the door handle.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    A breeze passed through when he opened the door, and Seo Kwang murmured as he walked into the room, feeling the breeze.

    ¡®I knew it. I knew it would look like this,¡¯ he thought.

    The room was filled with writing. There were piles of papers and boxes surrounding the bed, the desk and the other furniture. Seo Kwang saw a corner of a page peeking through an opening in the box. All of the papers were filled with letters. They were all used up. Every space was filled with ink. It was almost overwhelming, even for a font fanatic like Seo Kwang. asionally, there were things in the English alphabet, Chinese characters, and characters in mysteriousnguages.

    There were sentences made of signs he had never seen before.

    ¡°You must have wanted to see my room,¡± Juho said from behind. He sounded calm and light-hearted. It was as if the room didn¡¯t belong to him.

    With a faint smile, Seo Kwang opened his mouth and confessed, ¡°I saw your paper.¡±

    Now it made sense as to why he had been acting so strange. He might have been someone who spent much more time reading than Juho, and Juho¡¯s eyes darkened.

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°When you came inte to the science room. I was the first one there that day. There were four notebooks on the desk.¡±

    There were written pages in each notebook.

    He continued as he reminisced, ¡°Sun Hwa¡¯s was fun to read. Bom¡¯s was sentimental. And yours...¡±

    He couldn¡¯t forget what he had read that day. The ending was disastrous, and the story itself wasn¡¯t all that long. Yet, the moment he read the first sentence, it became all too apparent that something was different.

    He had been reading books since he was a child. He had been reading from the time he learned how to read.

    Yun Woo¡¯s appearance was an incredibly exciting development. He couldn¡¯t believe that an author his age was capable of producing such work. His writing was pure, brilliant, and controlled.

    Seo Kwang had been filled with joy. He couldn¡¯t have been happier that he was sharing time with such an author. Thinking that he would be able to read Yun Woo¡¯s book until he died, Seo Kwang smiled even in his sleep.

    But...

    ¡°Your writing was different from Yun Woo¡¯s. It was proficient and fluid. It was heavy and cruel.¡±

    There was depth in Juho¡¯s writing. There was no way to know how deep it could be¡ªlike a dark hole at the bottom of the ocean that could suck in any divers that came too close. As if he was met with a colossal existence, Seo Kwang¡¯s instincts were getting intimidated. On the other hand, he was impressed. He was moved. If Juho wrote with all his heart, Seo Kwang¡¯s experience would have been even more real.

    ¡°Your writing was different from Yun Woo¡¯s. Your skill was impressive. It was hard to imagine that it came from someone my age, but you were different.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it was.¡±

    Juho was no longer the same as Yun Woo, the author of ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ When he came back to the past, he was able to remember what he had eaten the day before. He clearly remembered what it had felt like when he had been drowning in the river. It was the same for his writing style. It was a difficult task for an author to change his writing style. His writing was a direct trantion of himself. It was as difficult as changing himself. Juho had gradually changed over the course of thirty years. As a result, his writing style had changed with him. Naturally, he would have forgotten his writing style from the time he wrote ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ Naturally...

    He had tried writing the day he returned to the past, and he had been able to write in both styles¡ªthe one from the time he wrote ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ and the one from the time he had written his past failures. It was for that specific reason that he had been able to join the Literature Club without hesitation. Even Mr. Moon couldn¡¯t suspect him to be Yun Woo.

    He remembered the day Seo Kwang was referring to. It was the day he came to science room with Mr. Moon after meeting with James.

    ¡®I knew it. I thought somebody had moved my notebook,¡¯ he thought.

    Seo Kwang apologized for looking into Juho¡¯s notebook without permission. However, Juho wasn¡¯t all that angry about it.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Seo Kwang was provoked by his unwavering voice, ¡°Are you Yun Woo¡¯s twin? That level of skill in your age, you must be rted. Show me a family photo. I want to see if there¡¯s a person who looks exactly like you. Who are you if you¡¯re not his twin? What? Are you saying that the world is wide and full of geniuses?¡±

    He let out an exhausted sigh.

    He looked around the room filled with stacks of paper. It would take him well over a year to write that much. He thought about what he had just said. ¡®Genius.¡¯ As expected, he realized that he had fallen short. ¡®Genius¡¯ alone would not be able to embrace Juho¡¯s talent in its entirety. Yun Woo had to be the same way.

    ¡°I enjoy being in the Literature Club. So naturally, I thought about bing a novelist. But you know what, I changed my mind,¡± he said light-heartedly. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to me you. I don¡¯t want to be a writer when there are people like you and Yun Woo. I¡¯m sure a mere bookworm like myself would fall away eventually.¡±

    He had no courage to make his room look like Juho¡¯s. Forfeiting was easy. He felt nothing. After all, it really had just been a passing thought.

    <With All His Heart (1)> The End

 Chapter 30 - With All His Heart (2)

    <h4>Chapter 30: Chapter 30 ¨C With All His Heart (2)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°You know, more than anything, I want to read your writing to my heart¡¯s content. Without any hindrance. I felt that more than the desire to be a novelist,¡± Seo Kwang said with a smile.

    Juho had nothing to say to him. It was his choice. It was his decision. It must have been a difficult one at that. A novel couldn¡¯t be written simply because it had been requested. Unless the author himself was writing, the novel would not move onward even if it were being forced. Life was the same way. For that reason, he quietly listened to Seo Kwang venting.

    Once Seo Kwang stopped talking, there was silence. He hesitated for a moment, but soon started talking again in a slightly exaggerated voice.

    ¡°Can you do me a favor? Count it as payment for the fried chicken.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the favor?¡± asked Juho. It was a gesture of eptance.

    ¡°It¡¯s about the essay contest.¡±

    The essay contest. Juho had forgotten about it. It was a contest in which there was only one winner at the end.

    ¡°Write with all your heart. Not that whack ending you wrote. I want to read the story that you write.¡±

    Juho stared at him briefly and looked relieved. However, he wasn¡¯t happy to see such an expression, so he answered, ¡°I will, if you write with all your heart.¡±

    Seo Kwang¡¯s eyes shook, and the moment turned with his light-hearted remark, ¡°...you got it. It¡¯ll only cost you some fried chicken if you lose.¡±

    *

    Seo Kwang left Juho¡¯s house. The sun was setting, and a faint veil of darkness covered the sky. Everything around him looked depressing. Maybe it had something to do with the sun setting. ¡®Where are the streetlights when you need one?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t dark enough for streetlights toe on as it was still bright enough for the people who were walking.

    He thought about Juho¡¯s room as he walked back slowly. He had never been to a ce like that. It was a sight that inspired awe. It wasn¡¯t the amount of paper that was in the room, it was the effort¡ªthe passion towards something. It was something Seo Kwang didn¡¯t have. Soon, he stopped in his tracks.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK,¡± he whispered.

    He didn¡¯t try like Juho did. He couldn¡¯t dare to. That was the extent of him trying. It was a good thing that he had given up on wanting to be a novelist.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll probably lose.¡±

    He didn¡¯t know what he had been thinking when he challenged Juho. It had been almost entertaining.

    ¡®There¡¯s a limit to a bluff,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Even if I lose, it¡¯s only going to be fried chicken. Besides, I had some today.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s OK. It¡¯s just fried chicken.¡¯

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    He clenched his fist out of the anger welling up within. Struggling to stand still, he stood in the middle of the street for a while.

    *

    ¡°Tomorrow.¡±

    The time flowed even if one satpletely still. Juho was lying on his bed. If he went to sleep as he was, the next day would inevitablye, along with the essay contest. The contest was finally happening. It felt like it had been just the day before that Mr. Moon had made the bet with the club members. Since then, everyone in the club had been writing daily, excited for fried chicken. They collected words and revised, repeatedly.

    Yet, all that effort wasn¡¯t necessarily equivalent to special training for the contest. As per usual, the members randomly chose a topic and wrote ordingly. That meant that the only thing they had to do was write, whether they werepeting in a contest or not. If there was one thing better about the contest, it was that the contestants got to choose the topic they wanted to write about.

    Juho got up and leaned against the chair. It was dark out, and his family was asleep. There were remnants of the writing he had been working on up to a moment ago.

    He thought of Seo Kwang. When he had gone over, Juho hadn¡¯t seen him out. One reason for it had been that Seo Kwang had declined, but the main reason was the strange sensation in his hand by the time their conversation starteding to an end. It wasn¡¯t a foreign sensation. He would asionally experience it before he started writing. When most people expressed their emotions in drawings, they often drew a heart near the chest. That was because whenever people were happy or sad, that was where it hurt. In the same way, Juho assumed the sensation in his hand to being from his heart.

    ¡°A feeling that I could almost touch.¡±

    Except, from time to time, the sensation would move toward the center of his hand. The sensation would spread across his palm and make it itchy and painful at the same time. To free himself from it, Juho instinctively reached for his pen. That wasn¡¯t ording to his will. Just as he had no control over his heartbeat, he had no choice but to write. That day had been no different. After Seo Kwang left, Juho went back into his room and started writing. He grabbed whatever paper came into his grasp and began to write. It was impulsive, poorly written trash. He let out a faint sigh. Seo Kwang had asked him a favor, to write with all his heart, and that he wished to read what he wrote.

    ¡°Can I really do this?¡±

    When he read Juho¡¯s paper, Seo Kwang thought Juho had intentionally ruined his ending, but that wasn¡¯t true. He had not intended on making up such an end. Unlike his personality, he was impulsive. He couldn¡¯t write anything if he wasn¡¯t in the mood. On the other hand, when he¡¯s at the peek of his inspiration, the only way to relieve the tension in his heart was to write. It was an annoying quality to have. If that tendency red up during the contest, it would be impossible to write anything, let alone a story that his friend was dying to read.

    ¡°That¡¯s a problem.¡±

    It was embarrassing to be called out for not putting in the heart. It wasn¡¯t easy to find somebody who loved books as much as Seo Kwang. They spoke the samenguage. Besides, the idea of disappointing his friend did not sit well with him.

    ¡®Can I do this?¡¯ he asked himself.

    ¡°I¡¯ll only find out tomorrow.¡±

    ¡®Then, I should just go to bed. It doesn¡¯t seem like I¡¯ll get much out of thinking all night. It¡¯ll only cloud my mind,¡¯ he thought to himself.

    The next morning, he woke up after dreaming about being crushed to death by an alien monkey who had invaded the Earth. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t in the best of moods.

    *

    ¡°You all look excited.¡±

    ¡°We get out early today! Hooray for the essay contest!¡±

    Everyone at school was much more lively during the morning assembly. It wasn¡¯t just Juho¡¯s ss, but the entire school was boisterous. The essay contest was to take ce during the morning periods. After that, everyone was going to be released. The entire school was excited by the idea of leaving early. Some students had already started making ns to go to karaoke with friends. It was as if the contest had been set aside.

    ¡°Not a lot of people seem to be interested in the contest.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s better for us. The Literature Club will take over,¡± Seo Kwang said with a smile.

    ¡°You never know who you¡¯re going to bepeting against,¡± said Juho.

    Seo Kwang scoffed and answered confidently, ¡°No way! Even if there was somebody with awe-inspiring writing skills, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

    He seemed to be about twice as excited as his usual self. Then, Juho realized that he became talkative when he was nervous.

    ¡°Who dares challenge the Literature Club? We¡¯ll ept it any day!¡± he said boisterously, though it was buried by the entire school getting excited.

    Some students had already started thinking about what to write. Just as a true master lived in hiding, there was no telling what kind of monstrous writers would bepeting. After all, life always steered toward unexpected events.

    At that moment, the door opened, and a teacher walked in. It was someone familiar.

    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. M.¡±

    Seo Kwang weed him. The essay contest was a test in its own right, so each teacher had to be overseeing a ss. In Mr. Moon¡¯s hand, there was a stack ofrge, gray, recycled paper. Although he gave no instructions, the ssroom becamepletely silent. It was the students¡¯ reflex to prepare for an exam whenever there was gray, recycled paper.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t forget about my favor, did you?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    He sounded calm, and Juho gave him a light nod. At that, Seo Kwang turned around without hesitation, and Juho looked at his back.

    ¡®Heree the gray pages,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Take one and pass it to the person behind you. You may begin as soon as you receive your paper.¡±

    Juho dook a deep breath as he listened to Mr. Moon¡¯s voice. Seo Kwang handed the paper to him.

    There were squares on therge paper that almost covered the entire desk. In those squares, there were list of topics to choose from. Teacher, parents, love, friendship, school, friends, arbor day, independence movement day, etc. The list made it easy to realize that that was for a school essay contest. Juho found a word that was at the end of the list. It was radom, out of the blue.

    ¡®ster figure. Where did thise from? Maybe it was Mr. Moon¡¯s idea,¡¯ Juho wondered about the look on the other teachers¡¯ faces.

    ¡°Pff!¡±

    A faint snicker came from the front. Seo Kwang had to have thought the same. Juho drew a circle around the word ¡®ster figure.¡¯ His hand had moved awkwardly, and the crooked circle was bothering him.

    He realized that he waspletely incapable of concentrating in that moment. Other students whispered. They were asking each other what they were going to write about. Mr. Moon didn¡¯t really say much. It wasn¡¯t a strictly supervised environment. If anything, it was more like a festival. ¡®A festival.¡¯ Juho pictured the fireworks of a grand festival. People marching with shy lights walked between rows of crowds. There was uplifting music, and people were filled with excitement, just like the students in that ssroom.

    ¡®Speaking of which, when was the school festival again?¡¯

    The school festival was usually prepared around the time after the second years¡¯ final exam. Juho didn¡¯t have any special memories of the school festival. It hadn¡¯t exactly been fun. ¡®What would the Literature Club do at the festival? Set up a writing experience booth? There probably won¡¯t be anybody interested. The club was already in a ssroom that was out of sight. With a boring content like that, nobody would be interested.

    ¡®Actually, are we even doing something?¡¯ he asked himself. The festival wasn¡¯t until muchter, but he suddenly became curious.

    After thinking about various things about the festival, Juho shook his head.

    ¡®Now¡¯s not the time. Snap out of it. Gotta write,¡¯ he reminded himself.

    He concentrated on thinking about images of ster figures. Agrippa, Venus, Julien, Michngelo, Hermes, Apollo, Kant. They were in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

    There was also a ster figure in the art ss in school. There were sshes of paint on its white, smooth surface. There were scribbles here and there, both written and erased. Her beautiful curves were stained with dark spots. If she were alive, she would have had much toin about how she was being managed.

    When Juho thought about the ivory skin of a ster figure, his mind naturally took itself to the story of Pygmalion. ¡®Pygmalion.¡¯ It was the name of a sculptor who fell in love with one of his own sculptures. He stroke and kissed the sculpture. After desperate prayers, the sculpture finally became a real woman, and the two fell in love.

    ¡®Great, I¡¯m going to read about mythology when I get home,¡¯ he thought.

    Juho pinched his own forehead.

    ¡®I¡¯m doing it again.¡¯

    <With All His Heart (2)> The End

 Chapter 31 - With All His Heart (3)

    <h4>Chapter 31: Chapter 31 ¨C With All His Heart (3)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The bell rang. When Juho looked at the clock, he realized that the first period had just ended. The ssroom became rowdy, and Mr. Moon left the room. Juho stared at his paper. He had not written a single word. There were about three hours left at that point, and there were a few half decent ideas floating around in his head. He needed something to bring it all together.

    ¡°There¡¯s still time,¡± he murmured quietly.

    ¡®It¡¯s break time, so I should rest my mind for a little bit,¡¯ he thought.

    He leaned against the rigid backrest of his chair. While he was idly staring at the ceiling, he heard Seo Kwang getting out of his seat, leaving the ssroom unhurriedly.

    On the seat he left behind, there were bits of eraser dust and a sheet of gray paper. There was about ? of the page written. Much like Juho, Seo Kwang had circled the word ¡®ster figure.¡¯ He had chosen the same topic. Juho tried to think about what he had been doing while his friend was busy writing, but soon, gave up and closed his eyes to calm his mind.

    ¡®My shoulders are too tense right now,¡¯ he thought to himself. When he rxed his shoulders, the rigidness of the backrest asserted itself. He was finally in a good ce to write.

    The bell rang again. As soon as he opened his eyes, the distant noise rushed back into his ears. Some wereining about the conteststing for another three hours. Some were asking one another if they could read each other¡¯s paper, whereas some were busy protecting what they wrote.

    Some were simplyining for the sake ofining. All of those different emotions and voices mingled into a big mound, and that mound was a form of protest. It was a protest against fading away as they were and a protest to be remembered. As a proof, Juho couldn¡¯t help his eyes turning towards it.

    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time.¡±

    As he was about to gather himself again, he saw Seo Kwang walking into the ssroom. Seeing how his sleeves were slightly wet, he must have gone to the restroom. He sat down at his seat and took a brief moment to think. Soon, he started writing again, hard at work.

    His shoulders and elbows were moving. His body leaned slightly forward. He was concentrating. At a nce, he kind of looked like a runner in the moments right before the start of a race.

    As Juho stared into his back, he remembered something, ¡®I won the award.¡¯

    It was a fragment of a memory that had been worn out with only a small portion remaining. Inside, was Juho himself, taking the award as if he deserved it. At that time, he had already been bound to win the contest. It had been obvious. He had already been a professional writer by then. There had been some contestants who hadn¡¯t even been close to being amateurs. To them, writing had been secondary, and they had been busy ying around with each other. Some contestants had even submitted nk pages. The ssroom had been twice as noisy, and he had struggled twice as much to concentrate.

    Back then, he had not been close to Seo Kwang. In fact, they had not even talked to each other. Just like he had been with Ina Jang, Juho was disappointed in his past self.

    ¡®I see. Maybe, I¡¯ve already disappointed myself,¡¯ he thought to himself.

    He glimpsed down at his slippers. They were slightly dirty. He felt like he had been careful when he first bought them, but now, that didn¡¯t even matter.

    Out of the blue, he thought that the sound of kids talking resembled the sound of rain. In his mind, his shoes were already wet. There was a puddle in front of his eyes. Without hesitation, he jumped in. The water sshed in all directions. It was refreshing.

    He looked at his hand dripping with water and thought to himself, ¡®I might as well have some fun while I¡¯m at it.¡¯

    Then, he looked at his nk page. Faint excitement tingled the tips of his fingers. Now, he was in a really good ce to write. On a line that stretched endlessly, he wrote his first sentence.

    *

    ¡°OK, submit your papers now.¡±

    His story came to an end at Mr. Moon¡¯s announcement. Fortunately, the ending was not as absurd as the protagonist dying from a head injury by monkeys raining from the sky.

    ¡°Well, I managed to finish in time.¡±

    He was relieved that he had written something and put up his hands in the air and stretched. After waiting for the wave of kids that flooded the front of the ssroom, he finally walked up to Mr. Moon to submit his work.

    Mr. Moon asked him, ¡°You were serious this time, right?¡±

    ¡°I wrote with all my heart.¡±

    Mr. Moon had been emphasizing the end to him, but by that point, he had given up on that persistent absurdity. For that reason, Juho often heard him grumbling about his teaching career. He did feel sorry for Mr. Moon, but there was nothing that could be done.

    As he went back to his seat, Seo Kwang turned around with the backrest in between his legs. His hands were glowing red. Juho looked down at his own hands. They were the same.

    ¡°I really worked my butt off,¡± Seo Kwang said proudly. His concentration was actually quite impressive, even in Juho¡¯s eyes. His shoulders had been moving throughout the duration of the contest. It had almost looked like he had been putting in the same amount of concentration he invested into reading. It exined the satisfied look on his face.

    ¡°How about you?¡± he asked.

    Juho answered him while rubbing his fingers that still glowed red, ¡°Me too.¡±

    *

    ¡®p, p, p.¡¯

    The kids pped insincerely. It was time to give out the certificates and announce the ss winner. Everyone was lukewarm, from the awardees to the pping teachers and students. Juho was one of them. As a gesture of support, he threw his hands up in the air.

    ¡°Last , but not least, the winner of this essay contest is...¡±

    The teacher took his time. The students kept their eyes fixed on his lips in anticipation. Whether they had tried or not, all contestants were probably hoping secretly that their name was called. That was the effect an award had. Whether one had fought for it or not, he longed for it.

    Simrly, Juho was listening for the winner with simr anticipation.

    Soon, the teacher announced, ¡°Seo Kwang Kim!¡±

    It was Seo Kwang.

    ¡°Huh?¡± he answered with confusion. It sounded like he was wondering why his name was being called.

    ¡°Come get your award!¡±

    ¡°...Pardon?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t grasp this situation. He turned back to see Juho pping for him with a peaceful look on his face. He had been certain that Juho was going to be the winner. Even with the white certificate in his hands, he stood absent-mindedly.

    He had all sorts of thoughts in his mind.

    ¡®Did Juho not keep his promise? Did he go easy on me? No, he¡¯s not like that. Then, what¡¯s this certificate doing in my hand? Why? Wait... could it be? Did I really beat Juho with my own skills...?¡¯

    ¡°Juho Woo.¡±

    The teacher called for Juho. It was the very name Seo Kwang had been waiting for, and he prepared to p for him.

    ¡°Follow me to the staffroom.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Seo Kwang was confused. He needed somebody to exin the situation to him. He looked back at Juho, but he was simply smiling awkwardly.

    Leaving his confused friend behind, Juho followed the teacher to the staffroom. There were teachers in charge of the first-years. Students who had business with their teachers were allowed toe in freely. There was aughter. A teacher and students had to be sharing a joke.

    It was quite different from where Juho was.

    He observed the teacher¡¯s desk. There was a attendance book, and fittingly, a math textbook. Next to them was a pile of papers from the essay contest.

    ¡°Juho Woo.¡±

    Juho turned his head at the teacher¡¯s voice. He saw his familiar face. He was the math teacher who was not into books. For that, Juho felt distant from him both in the past and present.

    ¡°Do you have something you want to say to the school?¡±

    ¡°No, sir.¡±

    ¡°Are you struggling with something?¡±

    ¡°No, sir.¡±

    ¡°Are you being bullied?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Although he knew that the teacher already knew the answers to his questions, Juho answered him sincerely ¨C no. From the time Juho walked into the staffroom, the teacher had a dumbfounded look on his face.

    At once, Juho set aside his anticipation. He must have gone too far, after all.

    ¡°Then what¡¯s this about?¡±

    The teacher pulled out a page that Juho was well acquainted with. A crooked circle was surrounding the word ¡®ster figure.¡¯ It was definitely his, and he answered as he saw it, ¡°It¡¯s my essay.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I asked. I¡¯m talking about this. What¡¯s this?¡±

    He asked pointing towards the middle of Juho¡¯s essay. Again, Juho answered as he saw it, ¡°That¡¯s what I wrote.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You wrote this. Just to make sure, nobody forced you to write this, right?¡±

    ¡°No, I wrote it.¡±

    The teacher nodded. Then he read one of the sentences out loud. Perhaps he was conscious of his surroundings. His voice was just loud enough for Juho to hear.

    ¡°A pair of bonobos were having sex. They entwined their bodies for the sake of peace. Gender or numbers were not a priority...skipping over. I always watch them. The moment they reach the climax...¡±

    What he read was the intro. It was the part where a bonobo in a zoo was narrating from the perspective of a ster figure in front of its cage. In the ces the teacher skipped over, there was a description of the intercourse in greater detail. Juho did wonder if he would be able to get away with what he wrote, but he had decided not to change it. He had made a promise with a friend after all.

    ¡°Artistic, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Right. It¡¯s a shame that the school couldn¡¯t embrace your artistic value.¡±

    He stood straight and asked a serious question. It seemed like he was finally about to get to the point, ¡°Do you watch a lot of porn?¡±

    ¡°I do enjoy watching ¡®Animal Kingdom¡¯ a lot.¡±

    Bonobo. Primate pongid. Mammal. The protagonist definitely exined Juho¡¯s fondness towards the show. The teacher decided to watch the show himself after work.

    ¡°You¡¯re in the Literature Club, right? Mr. Moon was very satisfied with what you wrote.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good news.¡±

    ¡®Good thing I¡¯m not going to have to listen to him grumble,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°I did enjoy reading your paper. I can tell that you¡¯re a good writer, but you won¡¯t get an award. You understand, right? We disy winning essays in the hallway. Your paper is not suited for that, unfortunately. For kids your age, your paper does pack a punch both in terms of content and your skills.¡±

    Juho nodded lightly.

    During a brief pause, the sound ofughter came from behind him. It was an innocentughter.

    ¡°Think about your grades too. You¡¯re an amazing writer, but why is it that your linguistics grade is suffering?¡±

    ¡°I think I did well, at least in my own way.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not enough.¡±

    Compared to his grades in the past, Juho was doing much better. Yet, it must have not been enough to satisfy his homeroom teacher. Satisfying someone was a difficult task. After briefly asking how Juho was doing, the teacher let him go.

    ¡°Pass this out to the kids while you¡¯re at it.¡±

    Of course, he didn¡¯t send him out empty handed. Juho left the staffroom with a pile of gray leaves of paper, and he let out a faint sigh.

    ¡®Now, the only person left is Seo Kwang. I better give him an exnation,¡¯ he thought.

    <With All His Heart (3)> The End

 Chapter 32 - With All His Heart (4)

    <h4>Chapter 32: Chapter 32 ¨C With All His Heart (4)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As Juho was about to head over to ss, something caught his eyes in the corner of the hallway. It looked like a person who had been rolled up into a giant ball. Recognizing the appearance from behind, he struck up a conversation.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    It was Seo Kwang.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I just had a shback about my shameful past,¡± he shoved his fingers between his hair and ruffled it.

    Seo Kwang was writhing violently.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I followed you.¡±

    ¡°Did you hear?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    Seo Kwang had been following Juho since he headed to the staffroom with the homeroom teacher. He had wanted to know the reason for Juho not winning the contest. He went into the staffroom and pretended to be waiting for a teacher as he eavesdropped on the conversation between the two.

    It was hard to make out what the teacher was saying, but Seo Kwang was able to get a grasp of what they were talking about. After all, Juho¡¯spositions tended to be provocative.

    He was relieved on one hand, but he couldn¡¯t bear the shame of thinking even for a moment that he had surpassed Juho with skill. In the end, he ran out of the staffroom. He couldn¡¯t help but writhe in shame as he med himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on in your life, but hang in there.¡±

    It was an irresponsible encouragement.

    Seo Kwang remained crouched and said, ¡°I was confused because of you. What did you write to be disqualified? Give it here.¡±

    After a brief moment of thought, Juho asked, ¡°How do I know you¡¯re not going to run off with it?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡®How provocative!¡¯ After talking to the teacher, a small seed of hesitation sprouted in Juho¡¯s mind.

    The teacher had said it himself with a calm voice, ¡°You did well. I enjoyed reading it.¡±

    If Juho had been about the same age as the teacher, Seo Kwang wouldn¡¯t have been so shocked. Juho was old. As old as he was, he had experience. He was different from Seo Kwang, who was still in his reckless youth. He had probably thought to himself, ¡®If I work really hard, I¡¯ll be able to write like him when I¡¯m older.¡¯

    Juho thought about the time when Seo Kwang came over to his house. Seo Kwang hadn¡¯t been calm. He had no idea that it took Juho thirty years of blood, sweat, and tears to get to where he is.

    ¡°It might be a bit overbearing for underage readers.¡±

    At his words, Seo Kwang quietly stood up. Then, he put out his hand.

    ¡°I want to read it. Sincerely. You¡¯ve got to follow the desires of your heart, right?¡±

    That was what Juho had said when Seo Kwang first opened up about wanting to be a novelist.

    Without saying anything further, he took his paper from the top of the pile and handed to Seo Kwang. He watched his paper reach Seo Kwang¡¯s hand and went on his way.

    Seo Kwang stayed in the hallway and leaned against the wall. He paused briefly. His hands were getting sweaty. He took a deep breath and looked at the paper. Along with a circle around the word ¡®ster figure,¡¯ the page was filled with neatly written characters.

    In a single breath, he read Juho¡¯s heartfeltposition. The noise in the hallway faded away, and he heard the rustling sound of a bird in a distance.

    ¡°Ha¡±

    That was the first thing he said after reading the paper.

    ¡®This is it. This is the feeling.¡¯

    A sense of satisfaction filled him up from deep within. That was the reason why he read.

    ¡°This guy drives me nuts!¡±

    The story was about a ster figure who went on a journey to find his ce in the zoo. It saw all kinds of things. Animals, people, love, peace, violence, murder... At the end, the ster figure looked back at himself¡ªhis powerless self who could do nothing apart from getting moved around by others.

    The next day, the ster figure was found shattered to pieces, and the story came to a bitter end.

    ¡°What a rascal. He has guts to write something like this at school.¡±

    The story had a dark tone to it. It was filled with sex between animals, murder and violence. Yet, there were characters who loved and longed for peace in the middle of it all. Everyone was different. They each lived ordingly with their opinions. There was no right answer. Nobody was better than the other. And, at the end of it, was the ster figure itself.

    ¡°So, who¡¯s the culprit of breaking the ster figure?¡±

    Seo Kwang imagined the figure shattered to pieces. Scattered debris. Broken shapes. There were no weapons of any sort within its proximity. The figure shattered its own shell. It broke the shell that was carved to look like somebody else and went on a journey to find its true identity. It was nothing like what it had been seeing. It was neither bonobo nor people. It never loved. It never knew peace. It was indifferent towards murder and violence.

    Seo Kwang looked out of the window. The figure was probably still on its journey. It had probably not aplished anything yet. He imagined it wandering about the streets.

    He didn¡¯t feel any pain.

    ¡°I¡¯ll join you.¡±

    He took a step toward the empty stairway.

    *

    ¡°Sun Hwa won the award in our ss.¡±

    After gathering in the science room, the members started discussing the contest results amongst themselves. As Juho announced Seo Kwang had received the award, Bom responded as if she were looking to exchange results. She looked happy. Sun Hwa also proudly raised her hands in response, and Baron joined in.

    ¡°Did you get an award too, Baron?¡±

    ¡°I know how to write. I just don¡¯t,¡± he answered brusquely. He might not say much, but he said what he needed to.

    ¡°We did an amazing job!¡± Bom eximed with joy. Every member did a remarkable job in their respective sses. After keeping his mouth closed, Seo Kwang said, ¡°So, I guess that means the three of us are getting fried chicken.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sharing it with Bom.¡±

    At Sun Hwa¡¯s words, Juho added at once, ¡°Then who would be so generous as to share their chicken? Baron? Seo Kwang Kim?¡±

    Nobody answered.

    ¡°Kind of quiet, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a trend nowadays to have a whole chicken to yourself. Sorry, bud.¡±

    ¡°A trend, you say.¡±

    ¡°I had no idea you guys were so trendy.¡±

    As Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa quarrelled, there was a sound of the door opening. A mouth watering aroma filled the science room. Mr. Moon had brought fried chicken as he¡¯d promised. He almost looked heroic holding bags of fried chicken in his hands. The two stopped their quarreling and cheered out loud. Juho pped gently.

    ¡°I brought fried chicken.¡±

    He put down the bags of chicken onto the desk. It seemed like more than enough for three people, and Juho counted six boxes.

    ¡°I brought some for the participants too. Let¡¯s dig in.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moon, you¡¯re the trendiest person in this room.¡±

    That day, the Literature Club became one with fried chicken.

    *

    The sky was especially blue. The clouds were slowly floating by. The sun was busy at work, trying to shine its light through the clouds. Juho looked up to the clear sky until his neck hurt. There was faint scent of sunscreen. It was Bom. Sun Hwa and Bom sat together, applying sunscreen to their faces. Their movements seemed adept.

    Baron was with his sketchbook under the shade of a tree, and Seo Kwang was watching the ants passing by.

    At that moment, Juho saw Mr. Moon from afar, walking towards the club members.

    ¡°Mr. Moon, why are we meeting in the yard?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re running today,¡± he said nonchntly.

    There were other activities taking ce in the schoolyard, like badminton or ser. The Literature Club had reserved a portion of the yard. There were straight lines drawn on the ground, so it was a good ce for a sprint race.

    ¡°Why are we running?¡±

    ¡°Is this an endurance training?¡±

    Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang had asked simultaneously. Mr. Moon put his hand over his eyes to protect them from the bright sunlight and answered. ¡°From this moment on, you will sprint from here to there. Run until you¡¯re out of breath, and then we¡¯ll immediately pick up our pens. Write whatever sentencees to mind first. Make sure it¡¯s full of life.¡±

    It was a creative teaching method.

    Though he didn¡¯t exercise regrly, Juho was looking forward to running for the first time in a very long time. Again, Mr. Moon emphasized that it was a sprint race. Immediately after the race, the members would pick up their pens and begin writing.

    ¡®What kind of things would this race bring out?¡¯ Juho wondered curiously.

    ¡°Stretch your bodies first. National Exercise, go.¡±

    While he drew the starting and finish lines on the ground, the members stretched. In contrast to the awkward movements of the first-years, Baron went through the National Exercise with swift and controlled movements.

    ¡°Are you running too, Baron?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see. I wanted to stretch just in case.¡±

    Soon, Mr. Moon came back and told Baron, ¡°Everyone¡¯s going to be running in pairs, but you¡¯re more than wee to run on your own.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    Just like that, everyone participated in the race. Seeing everyone turning their wrist and ankles after finishing stretching, Mr. Moon said, ¡°Now, why don¡¯t we start the race? Juho. Seo Kwang.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    First up were Juho and Seo Kwang. The two stood next to each other in front of the white starting line.

    Once the cloud had passed the sun, the grains of sand sparkled brightly. When Juho moved his feet around, feeling the sand underneath, a dust cloud rose. There were sounds of the other clubs sharing the schoolyard. They were chanting here and there.

    ¡°Are you a good runner?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    It was obvious that he was probing his opponent, and Juho answered with a faint smile, ¡°I¡¯m alright. You?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright too.¡±

    There was an odd tension between the two. Mr. Moon had a silver whistle of mysterious origin in his hand, and Sun Hwa cheered on loudly, ¡°Woohoo!¡±

    At her cheering, the students ying badminton looked in her direction.

    While the two were waiting for a starting signal, a ser ball rolled toward them, and Seo Kwang gently kicked it away. It flew in a good direction.

    While that was happening, Juho took the time to stretch some more.

    ¡°By the way, what should I write? Something like ¡®my heart is thumping?¡¯¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see when we get to the finish line.¡±

    ¡®Whates out will depend on our condition when we reach the finish line,¡¯ thought Juho.

    The two positioned themselves. The white finish line was visible from afar.

    ¡®All I need to do is run. No thoughts. With everything I got,¡¯ he reminded himself.

    Mr .Moon put his whistle to his mouth.

    ¡°Ready?¡±

    Go!

    The whistle blew loudly. The signal resembled a scream, and the moment he heard it, Juho flexed his legs and bolted off.

    He felt his sight getting narrower by the second. Seo Kwang wasn¡¯t even visible. The shape of his surroundings distorted, and his body started wobbling. Yet, he saw one thing.

    The white line.

    ¡®Run, run, run, with everything you got,¡¯ Juho thought to himself every moment his foot touched the ground. The seconds before reaching the finish line, he heard Seo Kwang catching up to him and thought to himself, ¡®I don¡¯t want to lose.¡¯

    ¡°Goal!¡± somebody shouted.

    When Juho reached the finish line, he couldn¡¯t see anything. There was nothing but heavy breathing.

    Juho slowed down for some time after he had gone past the finish line. His sides were in pain, and his thighs were sore. When he leaned forward, his heart thumped out of control. His wet, sweaty hair covered his sight. That moment, he heard Mr. Moon¡¯s voice, ¡°Start writing!¡±

    He grabbed the piece of paper that was next to the finish line. It was slightly crumpled, but he paid no attention. Then, he scribbled, ¡°I¡¯m dying.¡±

    <With All His Heart (4)> The End

 Chapter 33 - Heéˆ¥æªš Nearby (1)

    <h4>Chapter 33: Chapter 33 ¨C He¡¯s Nearby (1)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Seo Kwang reached the finish line soon after and copsed onto the ground. He, too, was quick to reach for a pen, but it wasn¡¯t long before he stopped writing. It couldn¡¯t have been a long sentence.

    ¡°I won¡¯t lose next time,¡± he said as he gasped for breath.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be ready.¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t be.¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t afford to indulge in the moment of victory. He had beaten Seo Kwang by a hair, probably by less than a step.

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of refreshing actually,¡± Seo Kwang said as he stood up.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I ran like this.¡±

    It had been different from running to measure endurance in P.E. They ran with everything they had. They didn¡¯t let anything hold them back. An innocentpetitive spirit sprung out of their hearts.

    Juho looked at his paper with the single phrase written on it. The result hadn¡¯t been so great.

    As the two were panting, Sun Hwa and Bom prepared for their race.

    ¡°Hyah!¡± Sun Hwa shouted.

    The two girls had already passed the midpoint and were headed toward Juho and Seo Kwang. Juho watched them running desperately as their bangs pped to and fro.

    When they were about three steps away from the finish line, they slowed down. They had already reached a finish line in their minds.

    There was a contrast between them and Juho and Seo Kwang, who only slowed down well past the finish line.

    In the end, Sun Hwa came in first and grabbed her side as she coughed.

    ¡°Oh, my! I¡¯m dying,¡± those were the first words that came out of her lips.

    Bom staggered her way toward her piece of paper. However, she couldn¡¯t start writing. Instead, she had her hands on the ground, catching her breath.

    ¡°Ah! I¡¯m dizzy,¡± Sun Hwa said as she rubbed her side. Bom nodded.

    ¡°You guys are terribly out of shape,¡± having caught his breath by the time the two were running toward him and Juho, Seo Kwang said mockingly.

    Perhaps he wasn¡¯t aware of the fact that what went around, came around. ¡®Who was it that had gasped for breath just a moment ago?¡¯

    ¡°I saw you crawling,¡± Sun Hwa mocked him back.

    As he was about to speak out of annoyance, Juho calmed him down and said. ¡°I¡¯m beat. Can we do thister?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Baron¡¯s turn.¡±

    At his words, everyone turned their eyes to the starting line. His determination could be felt all the way from the finish line. He almost looked like a predator that had spotted a prey.

    ¡°Ready, go!¡±

    As soon as the whistle blew, Baron strode ahead. Just watching him run felt refreshing. He was fast, really fast.

    ¡°He¡¯s so fast!¡±

    ¡°What the heck? Since when was he so athletic? Didn¡¯t he used to be in the Art Club?¡±

    As he ran past them, the four who kept their eyes fixed on Baron followed him. A wind followed Baron as he ran past Juho. His hair pped.

    ¡°He¡¯s already here!¡±

    As if he wasn¡¯t even tired, Baron calmly walked toward the other club members. He put his hands up and posed for his victory, and the freshmen looked at him with respect.

    The sole artist in the club not only had the writing skills to win an award for the essay contest, but he was also an impressive runner. He was multi-talented.

    ¡°Baron, that was amazing!¡±

    ¡°I see why you wanted to run by yourself.¡±

    Juho pulled a piece paper for Baron as he walked toward him.

    ¡°You should write too, Baron.¡±

    He stared at the paper for a brief moment and responded with a confident face, ¡°Write this down for me. ¡®He resembled a gust of wind.¡¯¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before the adtion turned into jeering.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Baron, let¡¯s go get some tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cakes).¡±

    ¡°Tteokbokki?¡±

    ¡°All that running is making us hungry.¡±

    All the first years had already agreed to the idea, so Baron was the only person who had to be informed. He nodded willingly, and they decided to meet at a snack stand in front of school.

    ¡°What if I get sick tomorrow? I hardly exercise, so my muscles are probably not used to working so hard.¡±

    ¡°You should¡¯ve exercised more.¡±

    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking.¡±

    ¡°It is true that you¡¯re out of shape.¡±

    ¡°Baron!? You too??¡±

    Everyone chimed in at Seo Kwang¡¯s exaggerated remark. Amid it all, Bom spoke up, ¡°You¡¯ll feel better if you massage your legs with a warm towel.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang answered as if he had met his savior, ¡°I knew I could count on Bom. She¡¯s always the first to clean up at the end of the day.¡±

    From the snack party to the fried chicken party, Bom had always been the first person to pick up the trash. It was like a habit.

    At hispliment, she waved her hand in denial. She was the only person who wasn¡¯t aware that Seo Kwang was getting a kick out of seeing her ufortable.

    ¡°There she goes again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. I just have a peculiar personality. If I see a mess, I have clean to it. It bothers me otherwise.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so modest.¡±

    Seeing her face flushing bright red, Sun Hwa spoke up. She said as she pped Seo Kwang on the back, ¡°We all know Bom¡¯s nice, so you should stop talking about it now.¡±

    Juho saw Seo Kwang twisting his body in pain and chimed in, ¡°I knew this was going to happen.¡±

    Baron responded, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do anything to stop them?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not going to listen anyway. Besides, it looks good.¡±

    ¡°What about it?¡±

    The fact that they were able to y around with each other meant that they had gotten that much closer. It wasn¡¯tmon in a club for the members to grow closer with one another as a whole. Being small in numbers definitely had its advantages.

    ¡°They seemed to be having fun too.¡±

    Nobodyined about how Mr. Moon taught them. Everyone enjoyed writing.

    Juho remembered him saying that he had brought back the Literature Club to make school more fun, but there was no way a Literature Club could be fun.

    ¡°I¡¯m so hungry.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to get?¡±

    ¡°Are you getting fritters?¡±

    At Juho¡¯s words, everyone started thinking about what they were going to order. The members left the front gate and walked into the alleyway where the snack stand was. Juho was following them from behind. As he walked, he felt something foreign. Somebody had grabbed him. As he stopped in his tracks, the hand came off of him.

    ¡°Hold up.¡±

    It was a low voice. Juho turned his head to see a boy standing behind him. He didn¡¯t recognize the boy¡¯s uniform.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    As Juho stopped, everyone else stopped walking and looked back. They seemed just as confused by the appearance of that mysterious student from another school. Juho felt a slight wariness and asked, ¡°Do you have a business with me?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the boy affirmed.

    For a brief moment, Juho stared at his eyebrows. They were really thick. There was a brief pause and Seo Kwang stepped up, ¡°You seem like you¡¯re from another school. What¡¯s your business?¡±

    The boy took a moment to look at Juho, his uniform, and his trail, then he opened his mouth, ¡°I was told that Yun Woo is here.¡±

    ¡®Yun Woo.¡¯ Juho immediately took his eyes off the boy¡¯s eyebrows.

    ¡°What?¡± Seo Kwang asked in a weak voice.

    What had juste out of that boy¡¯s mouth was just as random as his sudden appearance. ¡®Did he just say Yun Woo?¡¯

    ¡°Yun Woo? As in the author?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here to meet Yun Woo. Could you let him know?¡±

    Juho thought about where to begin, ¡®How do I correct him?¡¯

    ¡°Who told you that? Who said Yun Woo¡¯s here?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    This time, the boy had a confused look on his face.

    ¡°Who told you that Yun Woo¡¯s in our school?¡±

    ¡°Everyone knows. I heard she¡¯s really pretty.¡±

    ¡®No. Yun Woo¡¯s not a she, let alone pretty,¡¯ Juho barely swallowed those words.

    The boy observed the situation and said, ¡°I saw you guys running. I saw you writing something too. I asked the people ying badminton, and they told me you¡¯re in the Literature Club. Wouldn¡¯t that mean you know where Yun Woo is?¡±

    ¡®I see,¡¯ Juho thought.

    As he grasped the situation, he sternly shook his head.

    ¡°The rumor about Yun Woo isn¡¯t true.¡±

    The boy scowled as if he had just heard something unexpected.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard some people even got an autograph.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s true. By a girl named Ina Jang,¡¯ thought Juho.

    ¡°Some people have pictures of her too.¡±

    He listed one evidence at a time. His desire to meet Yun Woo was apparent in his voice. Sadly, the rumor wasn¡¯t true.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Anyhow, the point is that the rumor is a hoax.¡±

    The boy stayed silent. It was apparent from a glimpse that the air surrounding him was sinking. He was easy to read. His thick overall build gave off a strong impression, especially his eyebrows.

    Juho turned his attention to his eyebrows again. It wasn¡¯t simply because of their thickness. He felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu.

    ¡®Where did I see that face? Those eyebrows look so familiar. I could¡¯ve sworn I¡¯ve seen him before.¡±

    The boy suddenly asked, ¡°Can you direct me to a police station nearby?¡±

    ¡°Police station?¡±

    ¡°I have a business to attend to.¡±

    ¡®Business?! He was a busy student, that one. Aftering to look for Yun Woo, his next stop a police station?¡¯

    ¡°What¡¯s the business?¡±

    ¡°This.¡±

    The boy raised his hand. There were dor bills folded in half. It was hard to count how many there were, but it was definitely not arge sum of money. Juho asked curiously, ¡°Did you find that?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How much is it?¡±

    ¡°Three dors.¡±

    ¡®What a surprise?! Who would have thought there was a student like this in this age?¡¯

    This student was asking Juho for direction to a police station so he could return the three dors he hade across.

    ¡®Goodness!¡¯ Juho felt sad that he was finding that boy¡¯s decision to be unrealistic.

    Maybe he had seen that strangely familiar boy in ¡®Good Samaritan of the Month¡¯ on TV.

    As he was busy thinking, a voice came from behind. It wasing from quite far. He turned around and saw that the other club members were getting further away.

    ¡°We¡¯re starving, so we¡¯re going ahead! Take your time!¡±

    Before he had time to say anything, they had disappeared into the alley.

    ¡°Well, that happened.¡±

    In the end, Juho and the boy were the only people left.

    ¡®Maybe I should invite him to join us while I¡¯m at it,¡¯ he thought.

    It was possible that he might be able to find the inspiration for his next book from that boy. He opened his mouth as the boy waited for an answer, ¡°Hey, can we eat something first? All that running is really making me hungry.¡±

    The boy hesitated, but soon nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯d be nice if you could tell me more about Yun Woo. By the way, how to get to the police station.¡±

    Since he was interested in getting to know that boy, Juho epted. The two made their way into a nearby fast food restaurant.

    As they waited for their turn, Juho asked, ¡°Are you a fan of Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the boy shook his head without hesitation.

    After the unexpected answer, Juho made another question, ¡°Then, why¡¯d you go through the trouble ofing to my school to meet Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to see my rival¡¯s face.¡±

    At his confident deration, Juho took a moment to think.

    ¡®Did I have a rival like this?¡¯

    Chapter 33 ¨C He¡¯s Nearby (1); The End

 Chapter 34 - Heéˆ¥æªš Nearby (2)

    <h4>Chapter 34: Chapter 34 ¨C He¡¯s Nearby (2)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    When Juho and the boy went into amon fast food chain, they were weed by its distinct deep fried smell. There were part timers in their yellow-and-red uniforms working busily at the counter. Juho got in line to order. The cashier seemed to be around his age, but it might have been her thick makeup.

    The line was not very long, so he was able to order quickly. His eyes met with the cashier¡¯s. Her eyshes were smothered in ck liquid, and he was given a nonverbal signal to order. She was quite unfriendly, but he ordered abo meal, paying no attention to her attitude.

    ¡°What are you getting?¡±

    ¡°The same.¡±

    Juho and the boy each paid for their own meal. As Juho finished paying, the boy handed her a ten dor bill. With an insincere tone, she asked him to wait about five minutes and then handed him the change. However, he wasn¡¯t moving for some reason.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t give me the correct amount of change.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be getting forty cents, but you gave me eighty. You must have gotten one of the coins mixed up.¡±

    With a bitter look, the cashier took one of his coins back and exchanged them for the proper amount. There was definitely something different about that guy. Heck, he even tried to take three dors that he found back to the police station. He must not like getting any more or less than what he¡¯s due.

    After they each received their buzzer, the two went up to the second floor and found a table by the window. The restaurant was not very crowded. In the distance, there were two couples in their suits who appeared to be corporate workers.

    As the two waited silently for their buzzers to go off, the boy suddenly started talking, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    Juho realized that they hadn¡¯t introduced themselves to each other.

    ¡°Juho Woo. How about you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Pil Sung Choi.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize the uniform. Where¡¯s your school? I¡¯m a freshman. Are you older than me?¡±

    Pil Sung shook his head and said that he was in the same year.

    ¡°I¡¯m from a neighboring town.¡±

    He made it sound like it was not a big deal. Seeing how he had caught Juho near the front gate, he didn¡¯t seem to know anybody at the school. He didn¡¯t seem like he knew the neighborhood either. The only thing that had brought him to Juho¡¯s school was a dated rumor about Yun Woo. He seemed like a doer.

    ¡°So, you just blindly made your way here?¡±

    ¡°I took the subway.¡±

    Their conversations crossed, and Juho stopped talking. That moment, their buzzers started vibrating. He stopped Pil Sung getting up from his seat and went down on his own to pick up their meals.

    ¡°You came a long way. Stay here.¡±

    Since he was hungry, Juho took a big bite out of his burger. It tasted like how he expected.

    ¡°So, is Yun Woo really not in your school?¡±

    ¡°Nope. We did have an impostor, but she confessed,¡± Juho exined without getting into a lot of details.

    ¡°That rumor¡¯s kind of dated now. You must have heard itte.¡±

    ¡°I have no friends around.¡±

    As if he were talking about the weather, he sounded humdrum. Juho found his attitude odd.

    ¡®He doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s rough around the edges. Could it be his personality? Either way, it¡¯s not a good subject,¡¯ he thought.

    He took a sip from his drink and asked, ¡°So, what did you mean by rival?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s exactly as I said. I¡¯m going to be Yun Woo¡¯s rival.¡±

    He sounded determined this time. ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s rival. He could not look any more unrefined chewing on his burger.¡¯

    ¡°Is that what a rival means to you? Did you think about Yun Woo¡¯s perspective?¡± Juho said with a smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I came here, to see what that person looks like.¡±

    ¡°So, did you aplish what you came for?¡±

    His thick eyebrows scowled a little.

    ¡°I¡¯m still not giving up being a rival,¡± he said stubbornly.

    ¡°Howe?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to be Yun Woo¡¯s rival?¡±

    ¡°Because I also write.¡±

    Juho was slightly surprise. Of course, he assumed that the boy was also a writer when he first said the word ¡®rival.¡¯ Yet, hearing it from him was a different experience.

    He was a writer too. He was Juho¡¯s age. Yet, he boldly dered himself to be Yun Woo¡¯s rival.

    ¡°Everyone seems to think of Yun Woo as this mysterious, unreachable person.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not sure?¡±

    After some time thinking, Pil Sung said, ¡°My friend lives far away.¡±

    His answer was far from the subject they had been on, but for now, Juho listened.

    ¡°We¡¯d been close since elementary school. We moved up to high school together, but we ended up in different sses. I adapted, but he was bullied.¡±

    He picked up a french fry and put it in his mouth.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t matter that I was at the same school. Even when I told the teacher, it only went as far as a warning. What¡¯s funny is that both my friend and I received warnings. ¡®Be aware of the trends. Don¡¯t show off. Get used to people calling you names that you don¡¯t like.¡¯ It sounded like we were the ones at fault. I was so pissed, but the teacher was looking the other way. So what could I do? My friend ended up transferring to another school, and I was left alone.¡±

    He exined that in the process of standing up for his friend, he naturally grew apart from friends he was close to previously. He was alone.

    ¡°That¡¯s when I saw the name Yun Woo. It was in the school library. I had been thinking about why things happened the way they had, but it felt like that name would give me an exnation.¡±

    ¡°So, did you get an exnation from that author, Yun Woo?¡± Juho asked.

    Pil Sung shook his head, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡®Of course.¡¯ He chugged his drink. Meanwhile, Juho ate a French fry. Somehow, Juho felt empty on the inside.

    At that moment, Pil Sung continued,

    ¡°It was stillforting. You¡¯re supposed to be next to the person you¡¯reforting. So I don¡¯t feel that Yun Woo is distant.¡±

    Juho hesitated.

    ¡°I wanted to be like Yun Woo, but obviously, I¡¯m not Yun Woo. So I¡¯m going to be his rival.¡±

    It still didn¡¯t make sense entirely, but if that was what he wanted...

    After a brief pause, Juho took another bite of his burger. He was getting excited.

    ¡®Stay calm,¡¯ he reminded himself. The lettuce in his burger felt refreshing for no apparent reason.

    The two quietly finished their meal. When they were down to a few pieces of french fries, Pil Sung asked, ¡°So what¡¯s the Literature Club like? Do you have to run everyday?¡±

    ¡°Nope. We ran earlier because we were learning how to write vividly. You sprint with everything you have, and then you get to writing right away. Well, I was dying, so I couldn¡¯t even finish my sentence.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unusual.¡±

    ¡°Trust me. It¡¯s usually worse.¡±

    Pil Sung seemed interested about the Literature Club, and Juho told him about what they had learned from Mr. Moon: word gathering, transcription,position topics, charades... etc.

    ¡°Not too long ago, Mr. Moon even brought his goldfish in its bowl. We were learning about catching external and internal characteristics of what we were seeing. Towards the end, he told us to write from the perspective of the goldfish.¡±

    He thought about what he wrote then, ¡®Gaping. Feed me.¡¯ It had been something to that effect. Pil Sung¡¯s eyes sparkled as he listened to Juho.

    ¡°Did you not join a Literature Club in your school?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have one.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bummer.¡±

    ¡°I go to a culture center on the weekends instead. Sometimes, there are lectures given by famous authors.¡±

    He listed the names of the authors. Dong Gil Uhm was one of them, and Juho was familiar with him.

    ¡°How how was Dong Gil Uhm¡¯s lecture?¡±

    ¡°It was edifying for the most part. Half of the people were falling asleep though.¡±

    ¡°It must have been boring.¡±

    ¡°I enjoyed it. It kind of sucked that there were no breaks in between.¡±

    Juho was able to picture the scene. Dong Gil Uhm had a tendency of being serious about every matter. He probably spent a lot of time preparing for the lecture. Then, he probably poured out everything he had prepared.

    Juho imagined Dong Gil delivering a lecture with his distinct, rigid expression.

    ¡®Actually, Dong Gil and Pil Sung are kind of simr in some ways,¡¯ he thought. They were both sincere and doers. The difference was that Dong Gil was cold, and Pil Sung was hot. It was the difference between being cold-hearted and passionate. As he was in his thoughts, Pil Sung started talking.

    ¡°Can you show me what word gathering looks like?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no reason for me to say no.¡±

    Out of his bag, Juho took out a notebook and handed some of the pages with his writing over to Pil Sung. At that moment, his phone rang. It was a picture message from Seo Kwang.

    The picture was filled with the excited looks of the four club members with arge te of tteokbokki in the middle. There was text underneath.

    ¡®I¡¯m worried that you might be starving somewhere. Fritters were on the house by the way.¡¯

    By contrast, Juho took a picture of his nearly finishedbo meal and sent it to Seo Kwang.

    ¡®Thanks for your concern,¡¯ he wrote.

    ¡°Juho Woo.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Juho lifted up his head after sending the message. Pil Sung hade ufortably close to him, and Juho pulled away out of reflex. Pil Sung drew even closer with his hands on the table.

    ¡®What¡¯s gotten into him?¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided.¡±

    ¡°You decided what?¡±

    ¡°To be your rival.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I want to be yours and Yun Woo¡¯s rival.¡±

    ¡°... I didn¡¯t know being a rival worked like that.¡± While looking at his paper in Pil Sung¡¯s hand, he asked, ¡°Did you like what I wrote?¡±

    ¡°Quite so.¡±

    A direct answer.

    ¡°I¡¯m ttered, but I¡¯m not into rivalry. A rivalry is only valid when both parties recognize each other as rivals.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My goal is to be a world renowned novelist. Once I aplish that, both you and Yun Woo wille to recognize me, whether you want to or not.¡±

    ¡°I admire your confidence.¡±

    Pil Sung wasn¡¯t entirely bluffing. The evidence was in the fact that he had ultimately aplished his objective. He had wanted to see Yun Woo and he had met Juho.

    As Juho pulled away from that reckless boy, he suddenly realized why he had felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu when he had first met Pil Sung.

    ¡®Bestselling author, Sung Pil.¡¯

    ¡°Pil Sung. Sung Pil.¡±

    ¡°Hm? Who¡¯s Sung Pil?¡±

    ¡®Of course! Pil Sung Choi was Sung Pil.¡¯ Juho had only seen his face in his profile picture before. Now, he looked much younger, and his eyebrows were much thicker.

    ¡®I knew I¡¯d seen him before,¡¯ Juho thought.

    He was looking at the face of a celebrity author as a teenager. The memories of Sung Pil slowly came back. Once the wall hade down, a wave of information flooded into Juho¡¯s mind.

    That boy was going to be the next big-name author after Juho. He was Sung Pil himself, who debuted as a novelist at the age of twenty.

    When Juho had wandered about the streets as a homeless man, Sung Pil had secured his ce as one of the best authors the country had to offer. Juho smirked.

    That incredible author hade looking for him, wanting to be his rival.

    ¡°Maybe this is an honor.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    Juho looked out of the window for a moment. The traffic lights had turned green. People were crossing the streets.

    ¡°OK. From now on, I¡¯m calling you Sung Pil.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Instead of an answer, I¡¯ll give you my number, as a rival.¡±

    Juho took out his phone. Sung Pil asked no more and nodded with a joyful look on his face.

    Chapter 34 ¨C He¡¯s Nearby (2); The End

 Chapter 35 - The Woman and Her Guitar

    <h4>Chapter 35: Chapter 35 ¨C The Woman and Her Guitar</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    ***

    Hey everyone,

    SootyOwl and ShawnSuh here. We are loving the response you guys are having for the novel and for the work we are doing tranting it. Wee bearing some news that some of you might not like. As you know, The Great Storyteller is a Korean novel. Under  and Munpia¡¯s partnership to bring Korean novels to a greater audience, Munpia requested that their novels go premium after 40 chapters in order to protect their copyrights and for their authors¡¯ benefit.

    We hope the you guys stick with us as we watch Juho¡¯s future change together, but we understand if you are unable to.

    Thank you for your understanding.

    ***

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho apanied Pil Sung, who he now referred to as Sung Pil, to the police station. The officers gave the two a dumbfounded look, which made sense considering that teenagers had walked into a police station wanting to return the three dors one of them had found on the street. As a reward, the two had received a handful of candy. With a satisfied look on his face, Sung Pil popped one of them into his mouth.

    In the end, the three dors he had tried to return ended up in his hands. The two found out that there was aw for the lost items that stated that when a lost item was not imed within a certain period of time, the finder was given the legal rights to keep the item. At that, Sung Pil asked the officers to hold onto the three dors. The officers waved their hands to convey that that wasn¡¯t necessary. After going back and forth with the officers for some time, he ended up putting the money into a donation box tobat child hunger.

    After watching that strange scene for some time, Juho went home with a peppermint candy in his mouth.

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    Aside from the word ¡®funny,¡¯ there was no other way to describe what had happened earlier. He had read Sung Pil¡¯s book before. Every character had had a humane charm. The book had made its readers pity them, and at the end, root for them.

    ¡®Now that I think about it, the book was kind of like the writer,¡¯ he thought.

    He was in danger, and it felt foreign. It almost felt like he was about to be swallowed up by a colossal wave if he didn¡¯t act. Yet, he wasn¡¯t scared. In fact, he was looking forward to this new future. Pil Sung¡¯s appearance had not been part of Juho¡¯s past. His life was definitely taking a turn, and thanks to Pil Sung, Juho¡¯s uncertain future was bing more colorful.

    He hoped for a future where he discussed their works with his reckless friend.

    In order for that to happen, he had to survive in the world of literature. If he were to be pushed out like in the past, that future would nevere.

    Juho instinctively reached for a pen.

    ¡®Why does a person live?¡± he quietly asked himself. ¡®What was the meaning of living life?¡¯

    Before digging any deeper, he thought about whether he really existed. If people could no longer see or hear the person named Juho, he might be no different from being dead.

    There was a sounding from the living room. It was the news. Apparently, somebody had won the lottery for arge sum of money.

    ¡®If one couldn¡¯t be heard, seen, or leave any trace of himself, did that mean he still existed?¡¯

    Of course.

    ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t me, there¡¯s always somebody winning the lottery somewhere.¡±

    ¡®In other words, wouldn¡¯t that mean that there are people living even in unseen ces? There¡¯s no need toplicate this.¡¯

    He epted his recently thought-of impulsive logic.

    ¡®What would it feel like to win the lottery?¡¯ he calmly put himself in that position. Various thoughts began to spring up. Happiness, fear, anger, will to live... Yet nothing reached the depths of his heart.

    ¡°I got nothing.¡±

    Juho tore his hair out. He looked at the leaves of paper untidily strewn across the room. They were messy. They were his stream of consciousness. Something was left unfinished, and it was bothering him.

    ¡°I should try going outside.¡±

    He changed quickly and then left the house for a change of scenery.

    He walked aimlessly over the hills and across the bridge. After waiting for the light, he walked past a building to reached a neighborhood park.

    Impulsively, he went inside. There were kids and parents. The park was big enough for a yground and a small stage, and there was even an elephant in the zoo.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± he said to himself.

    The elephant kept trying to go inside the enclosure, showing only its behind to the people watching in front of the cage. A child shouted, ¡°Look over here!¡±

    As if it understood, it lowered its head.

    The child started throwing a tantrum at his mother. The mother passivelyforted the child. She was preupied with the even younger child she was holding her arms.

    The elephant was not going to lift up its head anytime soon, and the child¡¯s tantrum was certainly not going to change that.

    Juho went further into the park. In contrast to inside, where it was booming with children, the outside was quiet and calm. There were a few elderly people in ces. The air also felt strangely calm, and Juho¡¯s pace naturally became slower.

    When he walked around the thinner-bodied trees, he saw the greenwn.

    ¡®Maybe I should hang out there,¡¯ he thought as he walked toward it. Sadly, there was a long rope boarding it off. ¡®Keep off the grass.¡¯

    ¡®I thought grass grew the more it was stepped on,¡¯ he thought to himself out of disappointment.

    After hovering around thewn for some time, he eventually turned back. There was no other choice.

    ¡°No inspiration, and now I can¡¯t even go on the grass. This is not my day,¡± he grumbled.

    As he was about to turn around, he heard a sound.

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    It wasing from between an elderly person and the boundary of the grass. The path was still covered in brown leaves. It might have been the ce where the street cleaners kept the leaves after raking. It almost looked like the time had stopped ticking in that area.

    The sound continued with a thin voice that could be lost in a whisper.

    He slowly made his way through the brown leaves and walked toward the sound.

    ¡°Yeehaw!¡±

    The sound grew louder as he got closer. He heard a tasteful rhythm in between that did not suit the thin, delicate voice. Curiosity hastened him to get even closer to the sound.

    ¡°La,,,¡± there was a woman singing. ¡°La,, trala.¡±

    The woman had a guitar in her hands. She was singing amid the elderly. Along with the sound of the guitar, Juho was finally able to hear the lyrics.

    Well, there wasn¡¯t much to the lyrics. From the beginning to the end, ,,¡¯ was the only thing that came out of the girl¡¯s voice. It sounded like she had reced the lyrics with them.

    The woman seemed to be in her thirties, with average look and skill. Her ying was nothing short of an amateurish. One wouldn¡¯t be able topliment it, even out of politeness. In other words, she was terrible. In spite of it, the elderly were pping to her songs. They were loving it.

    After performing for some time with only ¡®La,,¡¯ and ¡°Hm, mm, mm,¡¯ she bowed to her audience to thanked them. It was a professional.

    ¡®I guess she¡¯s not nning on performing through the night,¡¯ Juho thought.

    As soon as the woman stopped singing, the park grew silent again. The elderly people left one by one, until there were only a few left. It was a strange sight. There was no wind. The leaves weren¡¯t blowing. The elderly weren¡¯t moving either. The woman walking down the stage was the only movement there was.

    Juho approached the woman as she opened her guitar case to ce it inside. At the sound of his footsteps, she turned to looked at him.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± the woman asked wearing the guitar over her shoulders.

    It wasn¡¯t so much that he needed help. Seeing him hesitate, the woman started putting her guitar back into its case.

    Finally, he asked, ¡°Are you a singer?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Aspiring?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Hobby?¡±

    ¡°How about this?¡± she tilted her head as she was asked a strange question. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by Juho¡¯s questions. If at all, she seemed somewhat entertained. ¡°I¡¯m in the process of looking for work. I couldn¡¯t find a corporate job, which is why I¡¯m singing and ying guitar.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re resting in a sense?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s tiresome to sing and y guitar.¡±

    She emphasized that something tiresome couldn¡¯t be a form of rest. Perhaps that tiresome deed had a deeper meaning to her.

    ¡®Employment.¡¯

    Juho thought of what he had seen on the TV recently. A panel of people had asked a sessful CEO, ¡°What are some ways that people who went to a no-name school can find a job?¡±

    He responded, ¡°It¡¯s discrimination to be treated equally as those who went to a prestigious school. These people fought for the name of their schools.¡±

    The camera showed the faces of those who were searching for a job after graduating from a no-name school. They seemed burnt out. Perhaps, people could still get burnt out even if they hadn¡¯t tried. Perhaps they¡¯re burnt out precisely because they hadn¡¯t tried. It was the punishment for not trying harder than the others.

    Juho wanted to ask the CEO one question, ¡®How do you determine the amount of effort you put in?¡¯ Sadly, he couldn¡¯t get a response.

    After putting her guitar away, the woman stood up. She was shorter than Juho had thought. She had looked quite tall from afar, but it might have been the stage.

    ¡°So, why do you sing?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I really want to do, so yeah...¡±

    She didn¡¯t have anything she wanted to do although she was looking for a job. After a brief moment thinking, she continued, ¡°I think there¡¯s a message I want to pass on.¡±

    ¡°Like what?

    She thought for a good while.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure. I might not want to do anything, but I still wanted to say something,¡± the woman with a guitar said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find it someday, whatever it is that I¡¯ve been wanting to say.¡±

    ¡°What about the lyrics?¡±

    ¡°I got a little shy in front of the audience.¡±

    ¡®She seemed fine. What is she talking about?¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°You¡¯re too shy to sing your lyrics?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I feel like they would know.¡±

    ¡®What do you think they would know?¡¯ Juho had to swallow the question. To a woman who didn¡¯t even sing the lyrics because of her fear of being known, it would be rude to ask anything further. Instead, he decided to rephrase his words, ¡°I have something I don¡¯t want people to know too.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t we all?¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    Just like that, the conversation came to an end. Although there was nothing left to be said, the two didn¡¯t leave their spot. ¡®What else was there?¡¯

    Before Juho had a chance to ask her if she sang at the park every day, the woman quickly asked, ¡°How was it?¡±

    ¡°How was what?¡±

    ¡°My song.¡±

    ¡®Is she looking for apliment?¡¯ he thought as he looked at her. Just like when she was on stage, there was no smile or annoyance on her face. She was nd. It made it hard for Juho to read her expressions, so he decided to answer honestly, ¡°It was mostly ls,¡¯ so it¡¯s hard to say.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it was.¡±

    She was neither disappointed nor annoyed and she replied calmly as if she had expected it. Seeing that, he couldn¡¯t help but ask the question he had kept himself from asking earlier, ¡°You said you want to send a message earlier. Are you afraid that others will know what you¡¯re thinking?¡±

    ¡°I must be. A heart is a pain in the ass.¡±

    Juho smiled at her use of strongnguage.

    ¡°When do you think they¡¯ll finallye out? Your lyrics.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯lle out some day. There is something I want to say.¡±

    ¡®If she had figured out what she¡¯d been wanting to say and found the courage to say it, would she be singing still?¡¯ he asked himself.

    ¡°Are you going to keep singing?¡±

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything I want to do,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Until when?¡±

    ¡°Probably till I die?¡±

    She smiled as she answered his question. It was an ordinary smile. Even if a person didn¡¯t have anything they wanted to do or had the courage to speak up about it, they¡¯d go on living. They¡¯d lead an ordinary life.

    With her ordinary smile, the woman finally left.

    In a space where nothing moved, Juho kept thinking on his own.

    ¡®What is it that she wants to say? What are the words to her lyrics that she desperately wants to hide? Whatever it is, it¡¯ll probably resemble her. They¡¯re probably just ordinary lyrics.¡¯

    Chapter 35 ¨C The Woman and Her Guitar; The End

 Chapter 36 - A Dream Gone By

    <h4>Chapter 36: Chapter 36 ¨C A Dream Gone By</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    ***

    Hey everyone,

    SootyOwl and ShawnSuh here. We are loving the response you guys are having for the novel and for the work we are doing tranting it. Wee bearing some news that some of you might not like. As you know, The Great Storyteller is a Korean novel. Under  and Munpia¡¯s partnership to bring Korean novels to a greater audience, Munpia requested that their novels go premium after 40 chapters in order to protect their copyrights and for their authors¡¯ benefit.

    We hope the you guys stick with us as we watch Juho¡¯s future change together, but we understand if you are unable to.

    Thank you for your understanding.

    ***

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I have something I want to say.¡±

    The woman¡¯s words lingered in Juho¡¯s heart. A topic stemmed from a question. An author questioned every existence and its form. He had to acquaint himself with reaching a dead end. Writing wasn¡¯t the same as learning an equation or applying that equation as a means to find an answer.

    He simply wrote. If he wanted to, he could write about a phenomenon that was far from what scientific theories or physics could exin. For that reason, he had decide what to write about first. Worrying came first, and questions rose. There was nothing he couldn¡¯t write about, but he had to make a decision. Juho reyed his encounter with the woman at the park. He remembered every said word. Things she wanted to say, wishes, desires, situations, conditions.

    ¡°Finally,¡± he smiled with satisfaction. He leaned his head back and took a deep breath. It felt like he¡¯d got a hold of a clue to a puzzle.

    *

    Nam Kyung came out of the office for dinner. The manuscript requests had made for an exhausting day. Making a phone call to an author had always been a nerve-racking task. Still, he was proud of his achievement of sessfully setting up a meeting.

    ¡°Ugh, my shoulders,¡± he stretched and groaned in pain. ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this way too long.¡±

    He thought back to the time of his first project. The memory was still vivid. However, it was not pleasant by any means. In fact, it had been the beginning of his obsession with misprints. He had found a misprint the moment he had opened the book. It had been in the part when the name of the protagonist was revealed for the first time. All of a sudden, the character had gone through a name change. Every character had a different name for the protagonist. Even the protagonist¡¯s parents, how odd.

    ¡®Why didn¡¯t I catch this before?¡¯ Nam Kyung thought. It had been an obvious mistake. He had read through the manuscript a number of times, yet, he had missed it. He hadn¡¯t caught it, and so had been in a world of trouble. To this day, his heart pounded when he thought back to the shame and despair he had felt back then. He shook his head.

    ¡®Everybody makes mistakes at first,¡¯ heforted himself.

    ¡°Maybe not that kid.¡±

    Suddenly, he thought of an exception. It was an author who had been drawing massive attention from the masses. He went by the alias of Yun Woo. His real name, Juho Woo. Nam Kyung remembered his calm expression. There was something different about him. He didn¡¯t act his age. There was no awkwardness when he was talking to an adult. He didn¡¯t get intimidated. Normally, an author would be excited to know that his book was being made into a movie. Besides, they were in an age when kids were more used to moving images. Typically, an author Juho¡¯s age would be distracted by the fact that his own work was being portrayed by famous actors. The studio that had approached Nam Kyung about Juho¡¯s book was not a third-ss, no name studio. They had already proven themselves in the industry with a number of major works. Yet, Juho turned that offer down at once, and even dered that he didn¡¯t want his book to be made into a movie.

    ¡°Mr. Uhm was the same way.¡±

    Nam Kyung had had a simr experience with Dong Gil Uhm. He hadn¡¯t been able to hide his astonishment as he listened to Dong Gil and Juho¡¯s conversation. Juho, a sixteen year old, had spoken with Dong Gil on an equal footing. He had even seemed rxed.

    He wasn¡¯t merely pretending to be an adult. That kid already possessed his own, distinct vibe. It was calm, yet it stood out ever so slightly. The adults in the scene had beenpletely captivated by it. On that day, Juho had been an author. ¡°Is that what all geniuses look like?¡±

    ¡°It felt like it was out of reach of my understanding,¡± Nam Kyung murmured as he stood up from his chair. After stepping out of his office, he headed toward a nearby restaurant. He was working overtime tonight and he had to head back to the office after dinner. He had to worry about the revisions he had fallen behind on, as well as his trip to Japan. He also had to send an email to a publishingpany in the US about exporting copyrights. There was a lot to be done.

    ¡®Buzz.¡¯

    His phone rang, and he saw a familiar name on the screen, so he cleared his throat and answered it. On the other end of the call, was a woman. For a woman, her voice was quite deep.

    ¡°This is publishing copyright agent, Nabi Baek.¡±

    *

    ¡°The train is approaching.¡±

    A voice came from above. It was telling that a train wasing in. People in line hardly moved from their spots. Finally, the train arrived, and a wave of people walked out of it. Another wave of people filled the train. People were dressed for a season between spring and summer. Some wore thick jackets, while others wore flowing dresses.

    Everyone headed towards the stairway simultaneously. People climbed the stairs in synchronized rhythm. Next to the stairway, was a long line of people waiting to be on the esctor. Juho sat on a bench where he could see everything happening in a straight line. Seo Kwang, Sun Hwa, and Bom were next to him. Baron was sitting on an inner bench. He was busy drawing something, his pencil moving about busily. With a piece of paper in their hands, the club members waited absentmindedly for Mr. Moon.

    ¡°It¡¯s Mr.Moon!¡± Sun Hwa shouted.

    With a bag of delimanjoo in his hand, Mr. Moon walked down the stairway like he was swimming against the stream. Before he reached the students, the sweet smell of the snacks reached them first.

    ¡°Listen as you eat.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon!¡± the members answered excitedly at the sight of food.

    People were ncing in their direction, but they were all going on their own ways. Juho¡¯s eyes had met with a person who had just been in the train before it took off. He had given the person a slight nod, but the other person had ignored him and taken out his phone.

    ¡°Juho Woo, focus.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    Mr. Moon had somehow caught Juho and drawn the attention back to himself. Juho listened to Mr. Moon as he chewed on a piece of delimanjoo.

    ¡°Where are we?¡±

    ¡°A subway station,¡± Seo Kwang answered. It was not a difficult question.

    ¡°Crowded, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    Juho looked at the people who had juste out of the train, and the people who were waiting for an iing train. Women, men, children, adults, elderly, pregnant women, etc. The children were looking around the area. It was a station Juho had been to frequently. Yet, when he looked around consciously, it somehow felt fresh. At the club members¡¯ response, Mr. Moon nodded with satisfaction.

    ¡°People here have different starting points and destinations.¡±

    Only the person who¡¯s on a journey knew where he was from and where he was going.

    ¡°Today, we¡¯re going to be writing in this environment. Don¡¯t just pass on a raw material because it¡¯s passing by. You shouldn¡¯t capture too much either. Maybe one or two, to be appropriate.¡±

    Juho stared at a man who was walking toward the station to wait for the train. He was wearing a stretched out T-shirt and a pair of sandals. He didn¡¯t seem to have a real job. Maybe. he didn¡¯t have a job at all. Among the raw materials passing by, as described by Mr. Moon, this man should definitely be included.

    ¡°One thing. Only write up to the beginning of an urrence.¡±

    ¡°Beginning?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Moon affirmed him and exined. ¡°A beginning is, as self-exnatory as it is, a start. You have to make the reader anticipate something before you reveal the conflict.¡±

    He emphasized the word ¡®anticipate¡¯ as he spoke. A beginning, so to speak, was a stage before the plot unfolded. It was like throwing a small pebble into the calm water. A ripple created by the author revealed what happened. It might not be visible, but its existence was apparent.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about reality too much today. Just make it happen. Boldness is the point. You¡¯re only writing up to the beginning, so you don¡¯t have to think about how the story ends. You just gotta make it happen.¡±

    ¡°Boldness, huh.¡±

    ¡°Whates to mind when you think of the word ¡®case?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Murder.¡±

    ¡°That sounds more aggressive than bold, but good answer. The beginning of a murder case is the murder. You get my point? Think about where these busy people are headed, or where you want them to head to,¡± Mr. Moon added. ¡°Make the most out of this environment. Think of ways to surprise these exhausted adults with your creativity. Now, start writing.¡±

    Juho looked at the people once again. A train hade in and poured out another wave of people. The expressions were all generally nd. There was weariness and fatigue behind the nk expressions.

    ¡®OK, think. What kind of bomb do I have to drop to change those faces?¡¯ he thought.

    At that moment, he heard Sun Hwa¡¯s voice, ¡°Maybe I need to drop a bomb or something.¡±

    It sounded like her.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Should I just go for it?¡± Sun hwa responded to Juho with a smile.

    At that rate, she was actually going to set up a bomb.

    After hearing that, Bom said, ¡°I wish there were snow.¡±

    ¡°Snow? In this weather?¡±

    ¡°That would definitely be a case.¡±

    Sun Hwa was surprised, and Juho epted the idea. If she yed her cards right, it had the potential for an interesting oue.

    ¡°I feel like summer is approaching too fast. Do you think it¡¯s going to be weird?¡±

    ¡°Whatever you write, it¡¯s up to the author,¡± At her timid question, Juho answered and shrugged.

    If she wanted to write something, all she had to do was write. With his attitude in mind, Bom picked up her pen without hesitation.

    Seo Kwang had been inspired by Mr. Moon and decided to write about a murder case. Creating a story was not one of his strengths. How would things turn out this time? The subway station was quite chaotic. It would be hard to concentrate in an environment like that. It was noisy. It was crowded. An overwhelming number of people kept pouring out of the trains onto the station. At the same time, the trains were taking too many people from the station elsewhere.

    Juho thought of the woman with the guitar. She always sang songs without words and she had told him that she¡¯d keep on singing. He didn¡¯t know her because he had never read her lyrics. Suddenly, he felt that it wouldn¡¯t be strange for her to be among that sea of people. She was a nd person. Even in the midst of an alien invasion, she might make them stop to listen to her songs. It was imaginable, and she had seemed like a difficult person to surprise.

    Unfortunately, nobody was actually like that. Everyone was afraid of something. Everyone looked dumbfounded when they were faced with unexpected circumstances. Juho wanted to portray such faces, just up to the beginning of a case, and it had worked well in his recent encounter with the woman.

    ¡®What kind of case should I face her with? What would she be afraid of?¡¯ he thought.

    The moment she became afraid of something, she became a different person. She¡¯d no longer be the woman with the guitar.

    Now, he had to think of a case. Another train arrived at the station. Another wave of people poured out of it ruthlessly. The environment was already suffocating by it being underground, and it became worse with each iing wave of people. Even after the train took arge number of people from the station, the ce was still crowded.

    Juho buckled down, and he felt Mr. Moon¡¯s burning gaze. For the moment, he picked up his pen. That day, he had a good feeling.

    Chapter 36 ¨C A Dream Gone By; The End

 Chapter 37 - A Dream Heéˆ¥æª‡ Been Waiting For

    <h4>Chapter 37: Chapter 37 ¨C A Dream He¡¯d Been Waiting For</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    ***

    Hey everyone,

    SootyOwl and ShawnSuh here. We are loving the response you guys are having for the novel and for the work we are doing tranting it. Wee bearing some news that some of you might not like. As you know, The Great Storyteller is a Korean novel. Under  and Munpia¡¯s partnership to bring Korean novels to a greater audience, Munpia requested that their novels go premium after 40 chapters in order to protect their copyrights and for their authors¡¯ benefit.

    We hope the you guys stick with us as we watch Juho¡¯s future change together, but we understand if you are unable to.

    Thank you for your understanding.

    ***

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Chapter 37 ¨C A Dream He¡¯d Been Waiting For

    ¡°Maybe I should include less people.¡±

    Staring at the subway station full of people was starting to get boring, so Juho revisited a recent memory. He had visited a zoo recently. It was a small zoo within a park. There had been a stubborn elephant that had refused to show its face to the crowd, and that image existed in the same space as the woman with the guitar.

    ¡®Yeah, an elephant sounds good,¡¯ he thought.

    He tried mixing fear with the elephant in his mind. Words like subway, ident, and news passed through his thoughts.

    ¡°Crisis, terror.¡±

    ¡®Terror. There were different types of terror in people¡¯s lives. The intensity of treatment varied depending on how much the person was being affected by their phobia. If a person who lived in a city had a phobia of deserts, treatment was not necessary unless they were nning on immigrating to the Middle East.¡¯

    ¡°Maybe I should go with that.¡±

    Juho picked up his pen.

    ¡®Just like everyone, the woman had something she was afraid of. That was none other than elephants. Still, just as it was mentioned earlier, there was no major inconvenience. She had be a corporate worker, and corporate workers wouldn¡¯t typically be forced to be at a zoo. She loved music. As she listened to music like usual, she got on the subway car to work. The weather was pleasant, and she was in a good mood. Her work suited her personality. She had just passed her promotion exam and started dating. Her coworker was too slow to catch up to her and was nowhere near threatening to her career. It had been a session of peaceful days, and she no longer thought about what she was afraid of.¡¯

    Then, Juho added a line, ¡®It¡¯s been five years since I stopped ying guitar, but I¡¯m content.¡¯

    Everything she had achieved had been the result of her own effort. She considered herself strong. However, the essence of her phobia was waiting at the station ¨C an elephant.

    That was the beginning of a development, and Juho didn¡¯t write about how she would respond.

    ¡®Coming to think of it, there had been a time when an elephant had escaped from the zoo. That elephant had walked into a restaurant, and since then, that restaurant¡¯s been running under the name ¡®The Elephant House,¡± he thought. There wasn¡¯t much substance in that thought.

    ¡®Well, at least I won¡¯t get an earful from Mr. Moon this time.¡¯

    *

    The bell rang at the end of third period, and Juho headed to the science room. Mr. Moon was looking for him.

    ¡°Man, you¡¯re in trouble,¡± Seo Kwang said frivolously.

    ¡®I thought I was going to be OK this time,¡¯ he thought with an awkward smile, standing up from his seat. Maybe he really was in trouble.

    When he entered the science room at the end of the hallway, Mr. Moon greeted him with a serious face.

    ¡°Juho Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    As he came to realize that he¡¯d never been alone in the science room with Mr. Moon, he noticed his tone.

    Since Mr. Moon was sitting where Juho usually sat, he had to sit on Bom¡¯s seat, across from him. Because of the lighting in through the window, Mr. Moon was backlit, so he seemed like a shadow.

    He finally opened his mouth and asked, ¡°Did you get a girlfriend recently?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Juho answered at once. He had no time for rtionships. There was barely enough time to write.

    Mr. Moon continued as he pulled out Juho¡¯s paper and put it in front of him, ¡°Then how do you exin this?¡±

    On the paper, there was a story of a girl who received a confession from a man. She met her unfortunate demise after running into an alien in the mountains.

    On the same paper, Juho had written down the three keywords the day before: Confession, Mount Jiri, and Computers. Those three words had been chosen randomly by Mr. Moon, and there were still remnants of that day on the desk, a ragged box filled with pieces of paper folded into smaller pieces. Again, thanks to his creative method of picking keywords, the words got trickier and trickier.

    Juho¡¯s mood and tendencies were getting gradually worse. Perhaps it was because the keywords had no corrtion to one another. By the way, the female protagonist had received a confession through herputer from a man who she had never met.

    Mr. Moon used in his shade, ¡°You weren¡¯t this bad.¡±

    ¡°I do believe aliens exist.¡±

    For that reason, he probably wouldn¡¯t be surprised to hear about a person who had died after an encounter with an alien.

    Mr. Moon continued as he nodded, ¡°So, is that what you wanted tomunicate?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly.¡±

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s this about?¡±

    It was the second time he asked for an exnation, and Juho answered honestly, ¡°I can¡¯t control myself.¡±

    ¡°My, my.¡±

    There was no wavering in Mr. Moon¡¯s voice. It was as if he had been expecting an answer like that. Considering how long he¡¯d been warning Juho to work on the ending of his stories, Mr. Moon¡¯s response made sense. He knew that Juho wasn¡¯t a rebel despite theck of improvement.

    The shadow moved. It seemed like Mr. Moon was reading through the paper again.

    ¡°You have a talent.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t say anything, and Mr. Moon continued, ¡°Do you want to be a novelist?¡±

    Juho remembered the questions asked by countless reporters and journalists in the past. In midst of those questions, no one had asked him what Mr. Moon had just asked. He had already been a novelist then.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    As an author who had been hasty at one point in his life, Juho couldn¡¯t answer Mr. Moon¡¯s question.

    As he slightly lowered his head, Mr. Moon started talking again, ¡°I wanted to be a genius writer.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    Juho hadn¡¯t expected that. Mr. Moon paid no attention to his confusion and continued, ¡°It¡¯s kind of cool. You don¡¯t do anything, but you¡¯re flowing with ideas. You write those into a book, and everyone loves it. Then, you get to have a confident smile on your face.¡±

    ¡°Kind of arrogant, isn¡¯t it?¡± Juho spoke his mind.

    ¡°Well, I wanted to be that arrogant bastard. I had talent too.¡±

    He seemed like he was reminiscing about the past as he acknowledged his own talent.

    ¡°Then, what made you be a teacher?¡±

    ¡°I needed to make money,¡± he answered bluntly, without a moment of hesitation. It was very Mr. Moon-like.

    Juho rephrased his question, ¡°So, why couldn¡¯t you be a writer?¡±

    Mr. Moon answered with a bitter smile, ¡°Because I didn¡¯t have ¡®It.¡¯¡±

    ¡®What didn¡¯t he have?¡¯

    ¡°What¡¯s this ¡®it¡¯ you didn¡¯t have?¡±

    ¡°Leg strength.¡±

    That had been an unexpected answer, and Juho was confused. ¡®Did he have weak legs?¡¯ he wondered.

    ¡°A novelist is a special upation.¡±

    ¡°In what sense?¡±

    ¡°All you do is pick up your pen, but you still need endurance. Physicalbor is at the core of making a living as a novelist.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t something he would say typically, yet he was very sure of it. ¡®Physicalbor¡¯ was a word that was quite distant from a word like ¡®genius.¡¯

    ¡°Is there a person you think of when you hear the word ¡®genius writer?¡¯¡±

    Countless names raced through Juho¡¯s mind, but none of them fit the description of being a genius. He knew how much struggle and anguish went into writing a single sentence.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Mr. Moon nodded.

    ¡°Yes, of course. There is no such a thing. What value does a god-given talent have before physicalbor? I gave up because it was way too tiring.¡±

    Juho smiled. He was able to rte to Mr. Moon. Writing was not an easy task. An author fell into a pit of shame on multiple asions throughout the day. He felt ashamed and embarrassed about his writing. Yet, he had to face it. He edited and revised constantly. He dug through the depth of his being and came to face all the junk that was at the bottom. Although the junk started to contaminate the well, he didn¡¯t stop.

    This process spanned anywhere from months to a lifetime.

    ¡°It¡¯s like a marathon.¡±

    No matter how strong their lungs were, a runner was bound to grow tired. At some point, they would fall. In that moment, talent wasn¡¯t what kept them going. It was their leg strength that supported them. It helped them fight through the exhaustion. That strength came from the heart.

    ¡°Then, what¡¯d be an appropriate name to call authors who have the leg strength?¡±

    ¡®Genius¡¯ alone wasn¡¯t big enough to embrace all of those authors, so Juho asked Mr. Moon. He had failed and walked away from the path he had been on. Yet, he was smiling. He had lived on. That wasn¡¯t the only path there was to life after all, and he had started running again on a different path.

    Somethings were more visible from the distance. If anybody knew, Mr. Moon would know something about this. He would know what was at the end of the path he had left behind.

    He answered with a genuine smile, ¡°A great storyteller.¡±

    A gentle breeze rushed into the room. Juho took a deep breath and felt the breeze in his lungs.

    ¡°At the end of the day, there is no such thing as a genius writer. I was dreaming of something that never existed in this world.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your freedom to dream.¡±

    A dream allowed one to embrace things that didn¡¯t exist in the world. That was why people dreamed carelessly and envied.

    Juho reminisced about the past filled with anxiety. The word ¡®genius¡¯ had disappeared in a moment. It had hid itself like a candle in the wind. It was such a fragile word.

    Soon, Mr. Moon was no longer in the shadow. His full figure had be visible again.

    ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that the talent that you possess is not as useful as you think.¡±

    Juho sat quietly with a smile, and Mr. Moon asked again, ¡°Do you want to be a novelist?¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t answer immediately. He looked at his feet and then the ceiling. ¡®A novelist. The great storyteller.¡¯

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    With a satisfied smile, Mr. Moon said, ¡°If that¡¯s what your heart desires, then so be it¡±

    At the familiar remark, Juho couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. Mr. Moon couldn¡¯t achieve his dreams. He had failed and walked away. In a person like that, Juho had found a dream that he¡¯d been waiting for all along.

    Things were different from how they used to be. He no longer wanted to be an ordinary writer. Though it sounded slightly childish and exaggerated, he wanted to be ¡®great,¡¯ the great storyteller.

    ¡°Then start with your endurance, at least to the level where you can write without huffing and puffing after sprinting for a few seconds.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    Juho took Mr. Moon¡¯s advice to heart. As he thought of an exercise n, Mr. Moon started talking while looking at Juho¡¯s paper, ¡°Boy, kids nowadays are such good writers. Did you go to the same private institute as Yun Woo or something?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never gone to a private institute.¡±

    ¡°Then, you¡¯re not Yun Woo himself or anything like that, right?¡±

    Juho quietlyughed off his unexpected remark.

    ¡®That¡¯s not funny Mr.Moon.¡¯

    *

    After meeting with Mr.Moon, he realized what he had beencking in himself. It was endurance that could keep him on his feet when something or somebody tried to bring him down. It would allow him to move forward on his own. He needed endurance when he wrote.

    The next day, he woke up at dawn and rubbed his heavy eyes as he got out of bed. After washing his face in the bathroom, he felt a little more awake.

    When he went out to the living room, his mother was there. She must have woken up with the sound of running water.

    ¡°Why are you up so early?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to go out for a run.¡±

    ¡°At this hour?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I wanted to work on my endurance.¡±

    ¡°OK, be careful.¡±

    His mother seemed somewhat surprised by his answer, but without saying much, she went back to bed. He put on his running shoes and went outside. He stretched as he looked up at the dark sky before the sunrise. In order to avoid muscle aches, he made sure not to make any quick or sudden movements.

    Once he reached the park, he started running. There were no cars or bicycles. There weren¡¯t many obstacles, so it was safe for him to focus on running without paying too much attention to his surroundings. The park itself was quite big, and most of all, he liked that there were very many trees.

    ¡°Ready, set, go.¡±

    Chapter 37 ¨C A Dream He¡¯d Been Waiting For; The End

 Chapter 38 - Pollen in the Air (1)

    <h4>Chapter 38: Chapter 38 ¨C Pollen in the Air (1)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    ***

    Hey everyone,

    SootyOwl and ShawnSuh here. We are loving the response you guys are having for the novel and for the work we are doing tranting it. Wee bearing some news that some of you might not like. As you know, The Great Storyteller is a Korean novel. Under  and Munpia¡¯s partnership to bring Korean novels to a greater audience, Munpia requested that their novels go premium after 40 chapters in order to protect their copyrights and for their authors¡¯ benefit.

    We hope the you guys stick with us as we watch Juho¡¯s future change together, but we understand if you are unable to.

    Thank you for your understanding.

    ***

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Chapter 38 ¨C Pollen in the Air (1)

    After signaling himself, Juho slowly picked up the pace. The park was quiet. The sound of his footsteps rang throughout. As he went further into the park, he smelled something simr to wet dirt.

    Rather than setting a strict route, he chose to run around the park, turning ordingly whenever he reached an intersection.

    From time to time, he saw the elderly sitting on wooden benches. ¡®Perhaps they came out to improve their endurance too,¡¯ Juho thought as he ran, gasping for breath.

    ¡°I¡¯m so tired.¡±

    Still, he felt significantly better than he had in the past. His body had been pickled in alcohol then. Now, his body was filled with youth. It was a body much less likely to break.

    He thought about what had been on the news the previous night. The number one cause of death for people in their teens, twenties and thirties was suicide. With their healthy bodies, the young had no choice but to take their own lives.

    ¡°Gosh, I¡¯m dying.¡±

    His head was spinning as if he had inhaled too much oxygen, but he didn¡¯t stop. The distorted scenery slowly regained its shape. He was slowing down.

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    He let out someughter in between the heavy breathing and felt the corners of his mouth turning up. It was fun. Despite the slower pace, he kept running. Suddenly, he thought of school.

    ¡®Will I be able to survive through the day?¡¯ he asked himself.

    ¡°Bah, whatever.¡± He set the rest area in the distance as the finish line and kept on with every bit of strength he had left.

    *

    ¡°What¡¯s with him?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Seo Kwang responded as he looked at Juho sprawled on his desk like a wet towel.

    Sun Hwa tapped him with her toes as if she were checking to see if he was dead.

    ¡°He looks really tired. Shouldn¡¯t we let him rest?¡± Bom said timidly, but Sun Hwa didn¡¯t stop.

    Juho didn¡¯t feel like moving a muscle. Soon, he waved his hands in the air as he sat up. One side of his cheek was red from leaving his face against the desk.

    ¡°What?¡± he asked as he rubbed his cheek.

    ¡°I wanted to make sure you were alive.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alive and well, ma¡¯am,¡± he calmly dered his survival.

    Now he understood what a dead battery probably felt like. After squeezing out every bit of energy, it closed its eyes with a sense of aplishment. Though, he felt bad for the teachers. He¡¯d been sleeping through his sses up to that point.

    ¡°What did you dost night? C¡¯mon, sharing is caring.¡±

    ¡°You want toe out and exercise with me?¡±

    ¡°What about that statement is sharing or caring?¡±

    ¡°Exercising is nice and caring.¡±

    ¡°All I need is enough strength in my hands to pick up a book.¡±

    ¡°Did you exercise this morning?¡± Bom asked.

    ¡°Yeah. I just ran around the park.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so diligent.¡±

    ¡°Nah, he¡¯ll probablyst for another three days or so,¡± Sun Hwa said after Bom.

    ¡®Three days. Considering his condition at the moment, she might be right.¡¯ He stretched his weary body.

    ¡°So, what brings you to our ss?¡± he asked with a yawn.

    ¡°OK, but don¡¯t be shocked,¡± Sun Hwa said.

    After making eye contact with Bom, they pulled out pieces of paper from their backpacks. They were transcriptions. Because of the multitude of new trainings exercises as ofte, transcribing had beenbeled as an independent activity.

    In other words, it was optional.

    ¡°Ta-da! We finished our transcriptions. Just wanted to show off.¡±

    They must have chosen to write more. Her proud expressions made him think back to his high school days. It was adorable. Seeing something to the end apanied a definite sense of aplishment.

    To some, it might not be a big deal that they had transcribed an entire book. However, Juho genuinely celebrated with them.

    Seo Kwang looked at the stack of paper with envy.

    ¡°I still have a long way to go. You guys are fast.¡±

    ¡°This is nothing. Mr. Moonplimented us too. He gave us some candy.¡±

    Sun Hwa took out a strawberry vored lollipop from her pocket.

    ¡°Oh... I don¡¯t like strawberry vored things.¡±

    Seo Kwang¡¯s weak rebellion came to an end with Sun Hwa scoffing at him.

    Juho thought as he rested his weary body on the desk, ¡®I should get back into transcribing.¡¯

    Though he had been making small progress, he struggled with consistency.

    Nevertheless, his writing was potent. Every element was primitive. When one stared into it long enough, it almost felt like he was being eaten alive. Without warning, it plunged deep into the hearts of the readers and then left them in the dust.

    ¡°Well, I should finish it at least.¡±

    The two were smiling brightly, and Juho wanted to get a taste of that same joy.

    However, hepletely crashed as soon as he got home.

    ¡®I knew this wasn¡¯t going to be easy.¡¯

    *

    He opened his eyes to the sound of his rm the next morning and the morning after that. That day marked his third day. He had been on the verge of giving up on the second day, but he couldn¡¯t go back to beingzy after one day. Whatever it was, he wanted tomit to it for at least three days. After washing his face with cold water, he dragged his aching body outside.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m here.¡±

    Then, there was a guy waving his hand in front of the park. It was Sung Pil.

    He had been showing a strong interest since Juho first brought up his morning exercise routine on the phone. He wanted to exercise with him, in the same ce.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you live far from here? Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not too far. I¡¯ve been to this park a lot.¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t stop him when Sung Pil himself was so insistent.

    ¡°Still, the park feels different in the morning.¡±

    Juho agreed. An object changed its appearance depending on the time.

    As he stretched, Sung Pil asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your finish line?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. How¡¯s the rest area in the center of the park sound? There¡¯s a vending machine there too.¡±

    Sung Pil nodded. He had understood Juho immediately. ¡®He really muste here often.¡¯

    ¡°Do you exercise regrly?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my dad loves ser, so I¡¯ve followed him to his morning ser practices a few times.¡±

    His life was the opposite of Juho¡¯s. Juho had never been active. On the other hand, maybe Juho¡¯s lifestyle had enabled him to work consistently throughout his writing career.

    ¡°Be good to your dad.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah, of course.¡±

    Despite the slight deviation, Juho finished stretching. He waited for Sun Pil to finish warming up as his body moved up and down. After watching him, Juho asked, ¡°Should we start?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    Then, Sung Pil stood next to Juho.

    ¡°Ready, set,¡± Sung Pil said.

    At his signal, Juho positioned himself. Sung Pil had a strong presence, and it felt refreshing to be running with another person.

    Juho heard him breathing in. It was the moment before the start.

    ¡°Go!¡±

    The two simultaneously moved forward. Juho ran twice as fast as his usual pace. After running shoulder to shoulder with Sung Pil, he hesitated. At that rate, he¡¯dpletely burn out before reaching the finish line. He slowed his pace down. When that happened, the figure next to him also flinched. Sung Pil looked back. He was looking at Juho like he was taking all the fun out of the race.

    ¡°Youin¡¯?¡±

    Juho answered calmly, ¡°I have my own pace.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ ahead if you don¡¯t catch up.¡±

    It was a childish taunt, but Juho answered him with a nod and a chuckle, ¡°Be my guest.¡±

    At that, Sung Pil thought for a brief moment and shouted, ¡°Ha!¡±

    He let out a strange shout every time he took a step. The elderly who were sitting on the benches slowly turned their heads in Sung Pil¡¯s direction. They didn¡¯t seem startled by him. The branches were shaking. ¡®Well, ain¡¯t that something.¡¯

    ¡°How about you bring your voice down just a tiny bit?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here, captain obvious,¡± Juho calmly answered. ¡°I told you, I have my own pace.¡±

    ¡°Well, this is my pace,¡± Sung Pil shouted with excitement. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s race!¡±

    ¡°Seriously, can¡¯t you talk quieter?¡±

    The two raced one another. Juho was running much faster than usual, but although he was running faster, he didn¡¯t feel like giving up. That time, Juho ran ahead of Sung Pil.

    ¡®Since I¡¯m running fast, I might as well run as fast as I can,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Haa!¡± Sung Pil followed with a roar.

    Juho put a bit more strength into his legs. Though the hill wasn¡¯t very steep, it was incredibly exhausting to run through. He was much more tired and running much faster than when he would run alone. It was also slightly more fun.

    He should¡¯ve been slowing down by then, but he was still running. He didn¡¯t even think about that news report, which was evidence that he was focusing on the present.

    ¡°I can see the top!¡± Sung Pil shouted.

    Before Juho realized, he had already caught up to him.

    ¡®I¡¯m not blind, you know,¡¯ Juho wanted to answer him, but his lungs had already reached their limits. Sung Pil was also breathing heavily. Their bodies were sending signals for theck of oxygen.

    ¡°I¡¯m dying.¡±

    That moment, Juho¡¯s eyes met with Sung Pil¡¯s. At once, he picked up his pace, and Sung Pil did the same.

    They saw the white line at the entrance to the rest area in the distance. It was the finish line. By the time Juho thought that he was less than five steps away, his body had already passed the white line. As he crossed it, Sung Pil crossed next to him.

    After the race, the two threw themselves onto a wooden bench to catch their breath. They might as well kiss the rest of the day goodbye.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry Mr. Moon,¡¯ Juho silently asked for forgiveness. Sung Pil was already lying on his back on the bench. Everytime he breathed, his chest moved up and down.

    Juho giggled at the sight.

    ¡°At least no one¡¯s going to think that you¡¯re dead.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious since I¡¯m not dead?¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess so.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so thirsty... the vending machine is too far away.¡±

    ¡°Seriously.¡±

    Their eyes met again, and they raised their hands at the same time.

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors!¡±

    ¡°Dang it!¡±

    Sung Pil squirmed from the shock of defeat while Juho satfortably on the bench and enjoyed his victory.

    ¡°What are you doing here still? I¡¯m parched.¡±

    ¡°Grr.¡±

    After lingering around for some time, Sung Pil got up from the bench and staggered his way toward the vending machine. Juho saw him looking through his pockets to look for change, but for some reason, he returned empty-handed. He didn¡¯t seem too thrilled.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°I forgot my wallet.¡±

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    In the end, Juho had to pay for the drinks.

    ¡®OK, you came from far away,¡¯ he justified himself. With gratitude, Sung Pil drank his water,

    ¡°Oh, yeah! Much better.¡±

    ¡°Drink slowly. You¡¯ll choke.¡±

    He was really enjoying his water, and Juho too quenched his thirst. A sip of cold water after exercising was as sweet as honey. Careful not to drink too fast, he slowly gulped away at his water.

    ¡°Have you been working on anythingtely?¡± Sung Pil asked.

    Juho answered after taking another sip of water. He thought of his recent work that had had an animal from the zoo as the protagonist, ¡°Elephant.¡±

    ¡°An elephant?¡±

    ¡°And alien.¡±

    ¡°An alien??¡±

    That moment, there was a thunderous sound. It almost sounded like it hade from an elephant. Juho turned to Sung Pil to look at him. He rubbed his stomach and murmured shamelessly, ¡°I¡¯m kind of gettin¡¯ hungry.¡±

    In the end, they even had breakfast together before parting ways.

    *

    Nabi Baek was on edge. Perhaps excitement was a better way to describe her state. That year marked her tenth year in the industry. She was definitely not a rookie, and it had been a while since she had been that nervous.

    Nabi was an agent. Her job was to manage a number of authors in the country and to import or export copyrights. Though her work consisted mostly of importing copyrights, she had always had the ambition of making Korean books known throughout the world.

    Now, she was about to meet Yun Woo.

    Juho was a one-of-a-kind author. There was no one like him in the history of Korean Literature. Not only was he the youngest person to debut as an author, but his debut work was drawing massive amounts of attention. On top of that, he had remained anonymous because he was still a student.

    ¡°Do I finally get to meet this elusive author today?¡±

    Chapter 38 ¨C Pollen in the Air (1); The End

 Chapter 39 - Pollen in the Air (2)

    <h4>Chapter 39: Chapter 39 ¨C Pollen in the Air (2)</h4>

    <strong>Trantor: </strong>¨C ¨C <strong>Editor: </strong>¨C ¨C

    ***

    Hey everyone,

    SootyOwl and ShawnSuh here. We are loving the response you guys are having for the novel and for the work we are doing tranting it. Wee bearing some news that some of you might not like. As you know, The Great Storyteller is a Korean novel. Under  and Munpia¡¯s partnership to bring Korean novels to a greater audience, Munpia requested that their novels go premium after 40 chapters in order to protect their copyrights and for their authors¡¯ benefit.

    We hope the you guys stick with us as we watch Juho¡¯s future change together, but we understand if you are unable to.

    Thank you for your understanding.

    ***

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Chapter 39 ¨C Pollen in the Air (2)

    When Nabi read ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ for the first time, she had already been arranging the introduction of the book. The book struck a fine bnce between two contrasting subjects, growth and darkness. Along with its literary achievement, it appealed to the mass. Unfortunately, Korea was simply too small of a country for such a book. In order for the book to reach even more hearts, she felt that it needed to be distributed across the world.

    Once she made up her mind, she immediately called Nam Kyung, who worked as an editor at Zelkova Publishing Company. She had worked with him in the past on several asions. He was a skilled editor. He was quick and easy tomunicate with. While waiting for him, she picked up a cup from the table to quench her thirst.

    She set up a n to meet with Nam Kyung at an Italian restaurant, where she arrived about twenty minutes earlier than the time they had agreed on. She checked the time. ¡®Any minute now.¡¯

    ¡°Seventeen years old, huh.¡±

    She had never worked with an author that age.

    ¡®He¡¯s probably not used to such a professional environment, so I should be able to use that to my advantage,¡¯ she thought. She wanted to be Yun Woo¡¯s agent.

    *

    It was his first time at the restaurant. The neat interior gave off a clean impression. As he went into the reserved room with Nam Kyung, Juho asked, ¡°Nabi Baek, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, do you have any questions?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. Just wondering.¡±

    Nabi Baek was a familiar name. It was also a name he hadn¡¯t heard in a while. She had been the agent behind exporting ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ to seven different countries. Other than that, she was good at what she did, but he didn¡¯t remember much of her. They hadmunicated almost entirely through email. Even that didn¡¯tst very long as Juho¡¯s career didn¡¯t survive past his debut title. It had been a bitter past. It was painful to think about the rtionships that had been lost because of his limitations.

    ¡®I hope thissts this time,¡¯ he thought as he kept himself from sighing.

    ¡°What¡¯s she like?¡±

    Nam Kyung answered after a brief moment thinking, ¡°She¡¯s good at what she does. She¡¯s also working with famous international authors. She¡¯s the type who likes to see things to the end once she sets her mind on something.¡±

    ¡®Greedy.¡¯ When Juho heard Nam Kyung¡¯s description of her, he was able to think of her image immediately. If that greed worked to his advantage, then there was nothing to worry about. For an author to have someone eyeing for his work was something to be grateful for. He concentrated on thinking about what she looked like. When they had reached the door to the room, Nam Kyung said, ¡°Well, see her for yourself.¡±

    He answered as he raised his head, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to this.¡±

    ¡®He really doesn¡¯t act his age,¡¯ Nam Kyung thought to himself.

    The door opened. There was a table, some patterned wallpaper, and a beautiful woman inside. She was Nabi Baek. Dressed in professional attire, she gave off an intelligent impression. The fog was lifting. As if a ck and white screen changed to color, her figure became vivid. ¡®It¡¯s been a while.¡¯

    ¡°Hello. Nabi Baek, from Imperst Agency.¡±

    Imperst was one of the four major copyright agencies in the nation. It was arge-scalepany, and it usually worked with big-name authors. Nabi¡¯s eyes sparkled as she saw an author, and Juho definitely felt that she was observing him. Maybe she was simply fascinated by him. Now, her attention was on his face. He then remembered that she didn¡¯t judge an author by his looks.

    ¡°Juho Woo. I¡¯d like to be called by my real name.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing, Mr. Woo.¡±

    He didn¡¯t stop her from addressing him with formality. In an asion like that, he was aware that his age could work to his disadvantage. After a brief exchange of greetings, they ordered their meal. They each ordered pasta. The food looked incredibly delicate and appetizing, and it really felt like they were in a ssy restaurant.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite handsome.¡±

    Juho looked at his food subconsciously because of her suddenpliment.

    She continued as she emphasized, ¡°It¡¯d be a waste to keep yourself hidden.¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re not entirely wrong,¡± Juho answered with a touch of humor. Nabi seemed entertained.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been curious this entire time. I was deeply moved by your work.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he answered briefly. He felt her observing his responses.

    ¡°As I expected, you really are a genius.¡±

    If it were in the past, those words would¡¯ve lifted up his spirit, but he couldn¡¯t keep himself fromughing. She misinterpreted his reaction and took the initiative to share her experience with his book, and he listened carefully.

    ¡°I appreciated how pure the story was. You did an incredible job describing fear in such a clear way.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t all.

    ¡°The subject of death has always been a popr choice among authors. Everyone wants to know more about death after all. Many writers have been inspired by it, but sadly, it¡¯s no longer fresh. Frankly, I¡¯ve been tired of it for a while,¡± she added.

    Death, terror, anger. As deep and dark as these emotions were, they tended to leave a strong impression. When a drop of ck ink got onto a white sheet of paper, all eyes would focus on it. In there, there was power and charm. However, without care and purpose, that dot was quickly reduced to a mere stain. The slightest movement would spread the ink throughout the paper and ruin it. It disrupted the white and became an obstruction to the eyes. Nabi looked at that boy in front of her and felt Yun Woo had drawn a perfect circle. It had been pure and controlled. She didn¡¯t spare anypliments. A child tended to be easily moved by an adult¡¯spliments. However, Nabi¡¯spliments were not merely empty words. She was meeting Yun Woo because she genuinely felt that his work was outstanding.

    ¡°Every character looks at the central subject of the book, the bird, from their own perspective. It¡¯s colorful, but bnced at the same time. In my opinion, your book has the power to move the hearts of those across the sea, regardless of country or ethnicity. A bird flies throughout the word after all,¡± she said confidently.

    ¡®I¡¯m certain that this book will do well overseas,¡¯ she thought as she awaited Juho¡¯s response.

    However, his response was lukewarm, ¡°Is that so?¡±

    She was taken aback on the inside. He was much too calm for his age.

    ¡®Is he not interested?¡¯ To be certain of her observation, she continued, ¡°I¡¯m blown away by the fact that you were able to write such a book at your age.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    She patiently waited for his answer. There was silence. After a brief thought, Juho started speaking again, ¡°I think you¡¯ve slightly overestimated my book.¡±

    She kept her lips shut. Nam Kyung gently shook his head as he watched.

    ¡®Is that really the response of a high school student?¡¯ he thought to himself as he was taken aback by Juho¡¯s attitude.

    Nabi was getting flustered. She thought about what she had said so far, ¡®I¡¯ve been pouring outpliments. Even an adult would have been at least somewhat excited.¡¯

    She was nning on getting him excited, but something was wrong. His response was way too dry. On top of that, he thought she was overestimating his book. It waspletely unexpected.

    ¡®Maybe he¡¯s the shy type? No, his expression is too t. It can¡¯t be that he¡¯s hiding his emotions either. Who is this kid?¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°They really know their pasta here,¡± Juho said calmly as he brought the pasta to his mouth.

    There was no other other sound in the room aside from Juho chewing and ttering his utensils. Nam Kyung chimed in to break the silence. If itsted any longer, things would have been ufortable, ¡°Hm, so how¡¯s work been for youtely? I¡¯ve been hearing that Mr. Ahn¡¯s book is doing well in the American market.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes! He¡¯s been so cooperative to us, so it¡¯s been a breeze to work with him. He¡¯s so direct. It¡¯s almost scary!¡±

    ¡°Is he still insisting on wearing his sweatpants everywhere?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Aside from the first meeting, he immediately showed his true personality. Thanks to him, I don¡¯t have to dress up when we meet.¡±

    Thanks to Nam Kyung¡¯s peaceful conversation with Nabi, the tension eased in the room. Juho chimed in their conversation, ¡°Mr. Ahn? As in Seo Joong Ahn?¡±

    Nabi answered quickly, ¡°Yes. He¡¯s very popr. He¡¯s one of the authors I work with.¡±

    Juho had taken an interest in their conversation about Seo Joong Ahn. Seo Joong was a friend and fellow author of Dong Gil Uhm, who Juho had recently met. Unlike Dong Gil, Seo Joong hadn¡¯t put out a single book in thest several years. Juho remembered Seo Kwang¡¯s recentmentations.

    Meanwhile, Nabi continued her story about Seo Joong, ¡°I wasn¡¯t too surprised to hear from a publishingpany in the US. I was that confident about his book. If anything, I didn¡¯t hear from them soon enough.¡±

    ¡°Your confidence is admirable.¡±

    Her confidence really did shine. Juho had never met Seo Joong before, but he imagined that he must have seen the same confidence in her.

    ¡°The source of my confidence is in the author and his book.¡±

    Her ambition worked to the author¡¯s benefit, and Juho smiled faintly. He preferred her attitude at the moment over herpliments.

    ¡°Mr. Woo, I want to introduce your work to a bigger publishing market,¡± Nabi got straight to the point.

    It was the very purpose of that meeting. Yun Woo¡¯s book, ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ was to be distributed throughout the world. Juho saw the confidence in her expression as their eyes met. He had been thinking all along, ¡®I want to work with her again.¡¯

    ¡°Of course,¡± he answered.

    At that, Nabi smiled brightly.

    ¡°Pleasure to be doing business with you.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure¡¯s mine.¡±

    From then on, the three talked casually over their meal. After the main course, the dishes were taken away and reced with a dessert made with fruit. While she looked at the tes, she started talking with a serious expression, ¡°So, let me briefly exin the US import market. By default, the US is on the stingier side when ites to importing books from overseas. Imports make up about 3 percent of the entire market. Meanwhile, the percentage literature makes up is even smaller. It barely reaches 1 percent. We have to fight our way into that market through that gap.¡±

    Literature in midst of international books, and literature among Korean Literature. In the middle of that, Yun Woo. It was quite a narrow door.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like it¡¯s going to be easy.¡±

    ¡°Yes. As you said, it¡¯s not going to be, but it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s impossible. Look at Mr. Ahn for example. We¡¯ve already experienced sess.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me more about the process? How was Mr. Ahn¡¯s book able to make it into the American market?¡±

    Using her personal experience, she exined the ns and process of entering into the international market in detail. Juho nodded and agreed with her from time to time. He listened to her intently.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have our most trusted trantor working on your draft. Trantion is one of the most important aspects when ites to exporting a book.¡±

    ¡°I see. d to be working with you.¡±

    Nabi smiled inwardly from the smooth conversation and quenched her thirst with a sip of water.

    Chapter 39 ¨C Pollen in the Air (2); The End

 Chapter 40 - Pollen in the Air (3)

    Chapter 40 ¨C Pollen in the Air (3)

    Trantor: ShawnSuh Editor: SootyOwl

    The chat regarding work was slowlying to an end. The three rose from their seats and stood in front of the elevator that brought them to the restaurant. Nam Kyung and Juho waited for the elevator.

    At that moment, Nabi said in passing, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be waiting for the documents from yourpany, Nam Kyung. I¡¯ll give you a call as soon as I get them.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, introducing a book overseas requires a lot of time and effort. It¡¯s apletely different process from domestic distribution.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°So, working with us exclusively is necessary to a certain extent.¡±

    Juho looked at her, and she smiled.

    ¡°It soundsplicated, but think of it as a way to work more efficiently. You should be able to find the details in the documents I gave you earlier.¡±

    Juho thought back to the past. There had been no deceit in her exnations. She wasn¡¯t trying to trick him, and Nam Kyung also listened to her quietly.

    ¡®Still, there¡¯s no way around the sense of burden thates from the word ¡®exclusive,¡± Juho thought. ¡®What would happen if the agency did something wrong? What if it went bankrupt overnight? What if they treated their authors like tools? What if they didn¡¯t treat him with proper respect? What if he didn¡¯t find out until it was toote? Of course, those were extreme scenarios that weren¡¯t likely to happen, but it was proper to take everything into ount when signing a contract. The other party was asking for an exclusive partnership as an insurance because they were also under simr assumptions.¡¯

    It was about his own work. It was going to be made into a book that would end up in the readers¡¯ hands. That was what the contract was about. There was a weight to the matter that he hadn¡¯t been aware of in the past. He had to be cautious. In the past, he had done exactly as Nabi said, and there had been no loss. Yet, he¡¯d never gotten to have a lengthier conversation with her. He hadn¡¯t discussed it in too much detail. He wanted to take a slightly different approach, so Juho looked at her briefly and said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡±

    Nabi asked quickly, ¡°What are you not sure about?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mean that I can¡¯t trust you. It¡¯s just that I prefer to be cautious. I¡¯ll take some time to think about this more on my own.¡±

    Nam Kyung didn¡¯t say anything about Juho¡¯s decision. The choice was solely up to the author. An editor or agent was essential to exporting a book, but more than anything else, what really mattered was the author¡¯s viewpoint. Nam Kyung didn¡¯t want to be an editor who interfered with his author¡¯s decision making process, no matter the age of the author. Besides, he had been realizing that Juho was a person who shouldn¡¯t be judged by his age. He looked at Nabi and thought, ¡®She probably knows by now.¡¯

    Her lips tightened, but she soon regained herposure.

    ¡°... Of course. I understand. That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±

    Despite her words, she didn¡¯t seem like she was giving up.

    *

    It was his first vacation in a long time. Juho went to the park to see the woman with the guitar perform. She didn¡¯t perform on a set schedule, so he had to rely on luck to catch her concert. Yet, neither Juho nor the woman demanded each other¡¯s time. It must have been that their encounter had always been spontaneous by nature. After all, it wasn¡¯t like they had agreed to meet on a certain day.

    ¡°La,,l.¡±

    There were still no lyrics. She was just an ordinary person who was too shy to speak her mind.

    ¡°La,,,la.¡±

    From her voice to her ying, she was average. Her clumsy ying was a plus. Still, Juho wandered about the park just in hopes of hearing her singing.

    He gently moved his body to the rhythm as he cheered for her. The woman nced at his direction, but that was it. She didn¡¯t even wave her hand or smile. ¡®Yep, that¡¯s like her, as shy as ever,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Woo.¡±

    At that moment, a ¡°nabi¡± (butterfly in Korean) flew towards him.

    ¡°Hi, you¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am. I¡¯ve never had a meeting in a ce like this.¡±

    She looked around. They were at the inner part of the park, so it wasn¡¯t all that crowded. Even the people who were there were mostly elderly. A woman was singing among them.

    ¡°I could¡¯ve gone to you.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, I should being to you.¡±

    Not too long after the meal, Juho received a call from her. As she gave him an update on the current progress, she asked, ¡®When are you avable?¡¯ out of the blue as they were figuring out a meeting ce.

    ¡°Anytime you want,¡± Juho answered. As a student, he didn¡¯t have that many ces he went to frequently. Then, he added, ¡°How about a park? There¡¯s a cafe, a restaurant, a zoo and a botanical garden. I think it¡¯s a good ce for a meeting.¡±

    Nabi willingly epted his suggestion.

    ¡°Well, this is a first.¡±

    Juho felt anxious whenever a pattern from the past repeated itself. He felt like he would be walking the same path, repeating every mistake he had made. To him, it was possibly even more scary than death. He wasn¡¯t afraid of failure. He simply wanted to be different from his old self.

    He didn¡¯t understand how he had been able toe back to the past. It was a miracle and impossible to understand. However, there were countless unseen things in the world. Many things existed without an exnation or without being discovered. For that reason, people had the privilege of imagination.

    Because of that, he had to do whatever he could with everything he got. The moment he let his guard down, he could spiral down the same destiny.

    ¡°When we¡¯re outside, I¡¯ll call you Juho.¡±

    At her voice, he snapped out of it and nodded.

    ¡°Please, befortable.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re still my client,¡± she exined that she addresses all of her authors with respect.

    ¡°Is that like a rule?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing fancy like that. I¡¯m just expressing my respect. I¡¯m fond of their upation.¡±

    Her expression softened as she said the word ¡®fond.¡¯ She almost looked like she was in love.

    ¡°I believe you.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I love books too, but what I really love is the upation of an author. That¡¯s how I got into this field. I had enough respect for them to base my career around it.¡±

    Normally, it was appropriate for the superior to address his worker with respect. It was a basic code when individuals met. Yet, that basic code was often overlooked.

    ¡°Do you talk to other people who are younger than you like that?¡±

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s basic courtesy, regardless of age.¡±

    It was especially apparent when dealing with students. Most of the time, they had no experience in business because they hadn¡¯t gone out into the world yet. People usually didn¡¯t address students with respect. Whenever an adult called for a student with a school uniform, it was always in a casual manner. The students were used to that culture themselves. No student would take offense to an adult for not addressing him the way they address their fellow adults.

    ¡®Even if I weren¡¯t an author, she¡¯d probably treat me the same way,¡¯ he thought. There was a brief silence. At that moment, the woman with the guitar started singing again, and Nabimented, ¡°Her songs are unique.¡±

    ¡°I agree. There are no titles or lyrics, but I enjoy them.¡±

    The songs were sloppy and mostly humming, but they weren¡¯t offensive. That was because there was nothing artificial about them. There was a type of writing that was simr. The sentences were awkward, and the content was crude, but the heart wavered like the ocean. It was the purity that drew Juho and the elderly in the park near. In that small space, she sang with all of her heart.

    ¡°She must be wanting to say something,¡± he said.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°The reason you enjoy her songs so much?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right...¡±

    Nabi wouldn¡¯t be able to understand. She knew nothing about Juho¡¯s situation although both Juho and the woman with the guitar had something inmon. They both wanted to send a message. Juho stood up from his ce, and waved at the woman with the guitar before leaving her behind. Their eyes met for a brief moment, but she didn¡¯t stop singing. He saw a glimpse of her professional mind.

    ¡°I think this spot should do.¡±

    Juho and Nabi went into a small cafe in the park. They each ordered a drink. There were no other customers, so there were plenty of seats. The two sat on the innermost seat. There were parents and children walking by from time to time. They all seemed to be in a good mood, and Nabi started the conversation after taking a sip of her drink.

    ¡°The reason why I wanted us to meet today was because I wanted to hear more about your book.¡±

    She wanted to know more about Juho as a person. An agent wasn¡¯t only responsible for books but also its authors. They had to know about their authors to some extent. ¡®What kind of person is Yun Woo?¡¯ she became curious. As she talked with an author about his book, she naturally learned more about the them.

    She continued, ¡°There isn¡¯t a whole lot of information about you out there, so I¡¯m quite curious.¡±

    ¡°If you put it that way, I¡¯m not sure what to say frankly. Did you have a question?¡±

    ¡°I have tons. May I?¡±

    Juho nodded with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s about ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯¡±

    As soon as he gave her the permission, she asked the questions that had been burning in her heart as a reader.

    ¡°In the book, the characters are almost always out and about in the dark. Burying a dead bird, a visit from the older brother... Yun himself kind of has an inner darkness. I wanted to know why you had set everything to take ce at night.¡±

    ¡°At night.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    She asked about the setting of the book. Juho thought briefly, but it hadn¡¯t been an intentional choice. He had decided to write ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ because he had thought of an ending for the story. It had almost shimmered before his eyes. For that reason, he had written his way toward that vision. In other words, the inspiration behind the night setting came from him impulsively wanting to iste the protagonist. He wasn¡¯t the type to write out an outline for the plot of his book. There was always something unexpected in the process. Even if an author nned his entire process from A to Z, something always turned out differently in the end.

    ¡®Coming to think of it, maybe there was another reason for choosing the setting to be at night,¡¯ he thought to himself.

    ¡°Honestly, it was mostly an impulsive decision.¡±

    ¡°Impulsive?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it just came out.¡±

    ¡°Then what did you like about that impulsive idea?¡¯

 Chapter 41 - Pollen in the Air (4)

    Chapter 41: Pollen in the Air (4)

    Trantor: ShawnSuh Editor: SootyOwl

    As expected, Nabi was sharp. Night. Darkness. The reason why Juho painted everything with darkness in the story was because he liked it. It must have had something inmon with what he wanted to say.

    ¡°Just... being born and alive felt really different to me at that moment.¡±

    She listened to him with a serious expression.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been mostly alone at school. I¡¯m not very social. Because of that, I had all the time in the world to write.¡±

    It had been true. Thanks to his nonexistent social life, he had been able to finish a full-length novel.

    As Juho answered her with a smile, Nabi spoke about her past, ¡°I was alone in my old jobs as well. Adults have the same tendency to ostracize people. I even heard somebody talking about me in the restroom. It was painful. I¡¯m a people pleaser, but it¡¯s really greed at the core of it. You can¡¯t please everyone. Somebody in this world is definitely hating me even to this moment.¡±

    Nobody wanted to be hated, and she probably knew how weary it felt.

    ¡°Still, I caught myself being greedy again. I guess I haven¡¯t learned my lesson.¡±

    Despite her feelings, she still considered how others felt. She hoped that the other person would consider her feelings in return. She kept trying as if she had never been hated. Maybe that was possible because she was aware that it was impossible to please everyone. It also meant that somebody in that world was fond of her. Juho and Nabi heard childrenughing in the distance.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a dream. I didn¡¯t have a purpose either. I had all the time in the world, yet I did nothing,¡± he said.

    This pattern had remained consistent as he had gotten older. When he had been used of ghostwriting, he had left the literary world. He had been all alone. He had drunk and gambled everyday. He had gotten used winning and, soon after, losing everything he had earned. He had known that the people around him had been tricking him. He had known that he had been nothing more than a bag of money to them. Still, he hadn¡¯t been able to stop on his own. He had been angry about fact that there were many things in his own heart and body that were out of his control. He had drunk angrily. It had been a vicious cycle. ¡®Whenever I think about that time, I smell a corpse,¡¯ Juho thought. Although the time kept ticking, he had remained still. It had been a state closest to death. A person who was alive couldn¡¯t smell like corpse. Yet, his body had reeked with the stench of death.

    ¡°So none of the characters at night are actually alive. They¡¯re less alive than a baby in his mother¡¯s womb. They¡¯re immature.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Even as a young student in the past, he had known he had been dying. It had been dark, and it had been night. A morning that would nevere. Back then, that¡¯s what he had been looking at. Having listened to Juho, Nabi said quietly, ¡°I see. Will you excuse me for a moment?¡±

    Then, she headed to the restroom. In the meantime, Juho took a sip of his drink.

    ¡°Whoa, boy... This is insane! It¡¯s freakin¡¯ amazing!¡± she murmured while leaning on the sink. If only she had permission to shout for joy, ¡®Everyone, look! I¡¯m talking to Yun Woo! He¡¯s the youngest and the sexiest author I¡¯ve met! Come see for yourselves!¡¯

    She had to put her hand over her mouth to force her excitement down. Her body was shaking.

    ¡°This is why I can¡¯t quit.¡±

    There were countless interpretations to a single book. It wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement to say that there were as many as the number of readers. None of them gave an objective answer. Each critic was different. Even the words of an expert had no value if the readers didn¡¯t ept them. If somebody had been captivated by a book, it would be natural for them to be interested in the person who had created it. Among the countless people in that world, people who were in love spoke in a distinctnguage. That was the same for an author. Nabi decided to revisit ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ with the author¡¯s own interpretation.

    ¡°OK. Breathe in, breathe out. Calm down.¡±

    She fanned at her flushed face. The maturitying out of Juho¡¯s mouth was unbelievable. It was dreamlike. ¡®Maturity dressed in baby skin. You¡¯re lethal, Mr. Woo,¡¯ she thought.

    ¡°I¡¯m so geeking out on this.¡±

    Since she was young, she had always been fond of writers. They looked stylish to her eyes. Her emotions had reached its peak as she went into middle school. Yook Sa Lee, Dong Joo Yoon, Tae Joon Park, Tae Won Lee, Sang Lee, So Wol Kim, Yoo Jung Kim, etc. Her heart raced whenever she thought about their lives and works. Of course, she didn¡¯t share that side of herself with anyone. She had only been active in a blog, under an alias.

    ¡°Man, I really made it as a geek. I¡¯m so happy!¡±

    She quickly fixed her makeup and made a resolution in her heart, ¡°I¡¯m getting that exclusive partnership, no matter what.¡±

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    Despite the resolution, she had failed. Yun Woo was stronger than she thought.

    ¡°How many times did he...¡±

    She tried to think of how many times Yun Woo had declined her offer, but quickly gave up. She felt like she¡¯d feel discouraged if she revisited each and every time he had said no to her.

    ¡°So, are you still pushing and pulling with Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±

    A coworker asked while giggling obliviously, ¡°Is he that difficult? He¡¯s not even that old.¡±

    ¡°Age is not the issue here.¡±

    ¡°I was jealous that you got to meet him, but now I¡¯m d that I don¡¯t have to go through what you¡¯re going through.¡±

    ¡°You little... I¡¯m going to have you work with Coin if you don¡¯t shut up.¡±

    She brought up the names of American authors who were infamous for their temper, and her coworker immediately backed down.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going home now. Clean up after yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yes cap¡¯n. You¡¯re going on a business trip tomorrow right? Have a safe trip!¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    When she arrived home, she prepared for her business trip. She dragged her weary body into the shower. After it, she took out her luggage. There hadn¡¯t been as much progress with Yun Woo as she would have liked, but she hadn¡¯t given up just yet. She had been incredibly busy as ofte. The fact that she had heard from an agent she was close with was proof of that. He was an American named Molley, and she was thinking about what he had said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the news about this sixteen-year old debuting as an author. Frankly, I¡¯m still on the fence. It takes time for an author to really bloom. However, you seem to be certain of this, so I¡¯ll trust you for now. We¡¯ll discuss more in detail in person.¡±

    There had been anticipation and doubt in his message. It was understandable. An author in his mid-forties was considered to be young in the world of literature. In that field, debuting at the age of sixteen had to carry some significance. Yet, she was not concerned. Both the author and his work were outstanding. Even Molley, who was much more experienced as an agent, would understand the moment he read the book.

    She was already able to picture the meeting in her head. Molley would be drawn by Yun Woo¡¯s charm. Other publishingpanies from other parts of the world would see what their agents had brought back and race for an idea. ¡®It won¡¯t be long until offers from overseas start flooding in,¡¯ she thought. It was ecstatic just to think about it, but she wasn¡¯t going to let that stay in her imagination.

    ¡°I¡¯m doing it. I¡¯m doing this.¡±

    Shey on her bed. She wanted to fight for the exclusive partnership even more. To an agent, an exclusive partnership was like a blinker to a horse, allowing it to keep looking forward. Sometimes, it took years of investment. A lot of things had to be spent. Spreading an author¡¯s book was not an easy task by any means. In order to make it through that long and strenuous journey, an exclusive partnership was essential. She had to believe the fact that she would be rewarded for the amount of effort she would have put in. It wasn¡¯t wise to keep working while bearing the loss. There had to be an insurance, and she wasn¡¯t going to let anything get in her way.

    That book had been written by Yun Woo, and she was certain of its international sess. She wanted to take that project on at all cost and she believed she had what it took. After a brief thought, she reached for her cell phone above her head. A series of signal sounds soon turned into a voice, the same voice she had just heard earlier today.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Hi, how you doin¡¯ Mr. Woo? This is Nabi Baek.¡±

    Juho answered with his distinct tone of voice, ¡°What are you calling about?¡±

    ¡°Do you have some time tomorrow? There¡¯s something I need to tell you before I leave for a business trip.¡±

    ¡°I do have time.¡±

    One of the perks of being a student was that he had rtively more time than others who were older. She wanted to have another talk with him before her trip. Her schedule was about to get tighter, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to meet with him in person as often. After deciding on a time and a ce, she hung up the phone. It was time for a final negotiation.

    ¡°I¡¯m really doing this,¡± she resolved in her heart once again.

    After finishing up the call, Juho looked at his work in progress in vain.

    ¡°I had a good feeling about this.¡±

    The paper had gone cold since the call. He put down his pen and stretched. He felt pain in his tense shoulders. She was probably not going to beat around the bush tomorrow. ¡®She¡¯s a tenacious one,¡¯ he thought with a faint smile.

    ¡°I believe it¡¯s here.¡±

    He made his way to the ce where he and Nabi had decided to meet. The situation was changing. He reminisced to the actual first encounter with her when he had been actually sixteen.

    Back then, he hadn¡¯t known anything about copyrights. Of course, Nam Kyung had given him an exnation, but he must have thought that the adult would take care of it. Although it had been his business, he had had a hands-off attitude. He had already been as full of himself as he could have possibly been. Failure had not even crossed his mind. The book had actually been doing well. He had had no clue of what kind of change that was going to bring.

    ¡®This could be worse than before. Maybe I don¡¯t even get to be homeless this time,¡¯ he thought as he tried to calm himself. It was still much better than leading the same life he had in the past. He was living through a miracle. When he arrived at the cafe in the park, Nabi was already waiting, and she waved at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re early.¡±

    He was also early, but she had been even earlier. She seemed to believe that it was not professional to keep her client waiting. The two agreed on walking around the park, each with a warm cup of coffee.

 Chapter 42 - Pollen in the Air (5)

    Chapter 42: Pollen in the Air (5)

    Trantor: ShawnSuh Editor: SootyOwl

    The weather was perfect for a walk. Juho and Nabi walked past the yground and into a trail. There was plenty of sunlight, and they walked without saying anything for a while. The sound of children ying rose in the distance. They sounded excited. ¡®What are they so excited about?¡¯ Juho wondered. They almost sounded like they couldn¡¯t hold back the joy they were feeling. He looked in their direction and felt ever so slightly jealous.

    ¡°The breeze feels nice,¡± Nabi said.

    She was in a good mood. It had been a while since she had gone out for a walk. When she was with this young author, it almost felt like the time went by slower than normal. She assumed that it had something to do with the unique, calming aura that surrounded him.

    ¡°It¡¯s especially nice today.¡±

    The two kept up an empty conversation while walking. Neither tried to rush things. Nabi was the same way. The center of a typhoon tended to be quiet. As they reached the end of the trail, the botanical garden appeared up ahead.

    ¡°Should we?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± she agreed to his suggestion at once. ¡®If my client wants to go, that¡¯s where I¡¯ll be,¡¯ she reminded herself.

    As they went inside, they were greeted by an earthy smell that was distinct to botanical gardens. The air was damp as if the nts were breathing. Among various tall growing trees, there were bird sculptures in between the branches. Palm trees and banana trees were showing off their enormous leaves.

    ¡®Blob,¡¯ drop by drop, water dripped down from above.

    ¡®It¡¯s calm and peaceful here. It suits him,¡¯ she thought. They walked together quietly. Soon, they reached a spot that seemed like a decorated pond. There wererge carps swimming in the water. They walked past the pond and reached a flowerbed. Red, orange, white, there were many colors, and the two stopped walking for a moment.

    ¡°They¡¯re pretty,¡± he said. She had thought the same, but she ended up not saying it.

    She was more than capable of speaking her mind. It was easy, yet challenging. So, she answered with a faint smile, ¡°Yes, they are.¡±

    Where there were flowers, there were also bees. They flew around the flowers busily and took turns sitting on each flower to suck on the honey. They looked cute with their plump belly.

    ¡°I¡¯m going on a business trip soon. I fly out tonight.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± he answered briefly since he had already heard the news.

    She continued as she flexed her abdomen. His eyes slowly met with hers, ¡°I¡¯ll tell the people I¡¯m meeting about you.¡±

    ¡°About me?!¡±

    ¡°That an incredibly talented author has appeared, so whoever¡¯s capable needs to tell the world about Yun Woo¡¯s book.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ll agree,¡± he answered light-heartedly, but she was serious.

    ¡°They will. I¡¯ll make them.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    It was a basic question, but she had never been asked such a question before. ¡®Why?¡¯ It was simple, yet it reached deep into her heart. Still, she was prepared to answer that simple question. She had always been thinking about it. There was a clear reason.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m your fan.¡±

    Juho chuckled.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°There are times when I can¡¯t tell if what I¡¯m doing is work or a hobby. It happens when a book is amazing. Your book is like that. My work hasn¡¯t been feeling like work as ofte. I¡¯m intending on keeping it that way this time as well,¡± she added to his response. She was slightly excited. She¡¯d never had a conversation like that with an author. Her mind responded as if somebody was forcing it to, but it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling.

    He nced over at her. It had been quite apliment and, perhaps, slightly overbearing. It had sounded like there had been a word in the middle somewhere that was kind of odd, but he didn¡¯t mind. That wasn¡¯t what was important.

    She continued, ¡°I¡¯m going to be working very hard for this. I want to distribute your book all across the world.¡±

    She had great pride in her work. She loved that her job allowed the books to reach the many.

    A butterfly flew out of a yellow flower. It was a butterfly with white wings. As it sat on a flower, its petals shook a little bit. The butterfly busily moved its wings towards another flower. Nabi looked at Juho. He was peacefully following the butterfly with his eyes, and she couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking. Even after so many conversations, she still couldn¡¯t get a grasp of who he was. For that reason, she had given up. Instead, she had decided to be honest about herself.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost time.¡±

    She closed her eyes as she checked the time on her wristwatch. She had given up. She didn¡¯t want to force things to happen. If things didn¡¯t work out, profit would no longer be a priority. She didn¡¯t want to ruin the moment. She had found satisfaction in the fact that she had simply gotten to have a conversation with Yun Woo.

    There was a gentle breeze. It wasn¡¯t clear where it wasing from. Through it, she heard the sound of Juho¡¯s voice, ¡°I would like for you to manage my books exclusively.¡±

    He felt her staring in his direction.

    ¡°Pardon?¡± she asked.

    Juho answered with a smile, ¡°I would like to leave my book to you.¡±

    She didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened. Her face flushed, and her eyes shook. She had countless things that she wanted to say at that moment, but she swallowed them all and answered, ¡°It¡¯d be my pleasure, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Ugh... my whole body¡¯s aching.¡±

    She stretched as she walked out of the ne. Long flights were always exhausting. Yet, she still had a smile on her face. Whenever she thought about what Yun Woo had said, she felt invigorated all over again. ¡®Thatposure, he knew his push and pull too. He was going to grow up to be a heartbreaker.¡¯

    After getting into a taxi, she covered her face and twisted her body. She would never forget the conversation with Yun Woo by the flowerbed. The moment she had decided to put everything down, there was his voice.

    ¡°This is some crazy stuff.¡±

    She looked forward to his growth. She genuinely hoped for him to grow up to be an outstanding writer. She was even willing to invest a third of her paycheck into him. ¡®I¡¯ll buy every single one of his books.¡¯ Her hands shook, and she smiled from ear to ear. She couldn¡¯t help herself. She felt satisfaction from just thinking about that day with Yun Woo. ¡®He is a great author. It is rewarding to work with him.¡¯ It was his book that she had the privilege of working with, and she had to work as hard as she could for the best possible results. She took a deep breath.

    ¡°Breathe in, breathe out. Calm down.¡±

    She cleared her throat when the driver gave her an odd look. ¡®Calm down.¡¯

    ¡°Whew. Finally here.¡±

    She arrived at her hotel and unpacked her bag. It was almost time to meet with Molley. For the time being, she applied a pack onto her face. ¡®Hope the makeupes out OK,¡¯ she thought as she mentally prepared herself for the meeting. She had already bought a new perfume. To portray intelligence, she tied her hair in a ponytail and applied a nude lipstick onto her lips. The woman in the mirror was plenty beautiful, and she was satisfied with how she looked.

    ¡°I look good today!¡±

    After applying her perfume as a final touch, she headed for the nearby cafe. She had been there with Molley from time to time to converse with him over tea. This time time was no different. As she opened the door to the cafe, she was immediately greeted by the smell of roasted coffee beans. She walked past the ck barista and went further into the cafe. Though the cafe was packed, one person stuck out in particr, a gentleman with white hair.

    ¡°Molley.¡±

    ¡°Ah! It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you!¡±

    Taking his eyes off the book he was reading, Molley raised his chin at the sound of Nabi¡¯s voice. They happily greeted each other. After ordering coffee, they took some time to catch up with one another.

    ¡°You know about Coin¡¯s new book, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. She has an incredible fan base in Korea. I¡¯ve already prepared an offer.¡±

    She drank her coffee.

    ¡°Speaking of which, she debuted pretty early too, didn¡¯t she?¡±

    She was looking for the right timing to slip something in regarding Yun Woo.

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t received well at first.¡±

    She was well acquainted with Kelley Coin¡¯s debut. She had debuted at an early age, but her book had not been well received. It had been harshly criticized in every possible way. When Nabi thought about it, the book hadn¡¯t actually been that bad. The jealousy towards Coin had been oddly strong at the time. Yet, she didn¡¯t wait to write her next book. Nabi tried to shake off the thoughts on Coin. She shook her head sideways and changed the subject. She had to focus from then on.

    ¡°Yun Woo is different. ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ is genuinely charming. It¡¯s controlled. This author speaks in a friendly manner, but there¡¯s a strong tone behind his words. The more you think about his age, the more shocked you will be.¡±

    ¡°Controlled... It¡¯s hard to imagine.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    She gave him a synopsis of the book and shared the clues that she had gotten out of her conversations with Juho.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had many conversations with him,¡± she spoke the truth. Bluffs or exaggerations wouldn¡¯t work with the veteran agent. ¡°I was shocked. It was hard to imagine his age from his attitude. We were able tomunicate, and he had a deep understanding of literature. You¡¯ll know when you get a chance to read his book, but more than anything, his book is pure and childlike. Yet, the author himself might as well have been an adult. That¡¯s how calm he was.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not usually this excited. I¡¯m interested,¡± he answered as he brought his coffee to his mouth.

    He was creating a buffer as the conversation picked up the pace. Yet, his eyes were sharp. ¡®He¡¯s definitely interested in Yun Woo,¡¯ she thought. That was an opportunity.

    She continued with a slightly sad face, ¡°Honestly, I initially wanted to have an upperhand in our interaction. I underestimated him because of his age. I wanted to talk him into working with me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amon mistake agents make. So how¡¯d it go?¡±

    ¡°By the time I came to my senses, I was being dragged around by him. He turned down my offer at once. He was still willing to have a conversation though. While I was waiting for an opening, he kept himself shut, but by the time I was about to give up, he wanted to work with me. Because of that, I¡¯m on fire at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Huh!¡±

    He sounded astonished. She had to keep on.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll stop at just one book. I came to learn that he has a serious attitude towards literature.¡±

    She kept her eyes fixed on Molley as they spoke, and he listened to her carefully until the end.

 Chapter 43 - The First Meal in Three Days

    Chapter 43 ¨C The First Meal in Three Days

    Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C

    ¡°I see what you¡¯re trying to do. I won¡¯t judge him by his age,¡± Molley answered calmly as he brought his coffee to his mouth once again. By now, he was getting a grasp of that author¡¯s character and was slowly realizing that there was nothing ordinary about this ¡°Yun Woo¡± Nabi had been talking about.

    From his perspective, Nabi didn¡¯t talk about her clients in too much detail. It was one of her strategies because higher expectations could also lead to greater disappointments. This time, it was different. She was full of confidence. No matter how high the expectation was, she was certain that he was not going to be disappointed. She hadn¡¯t been like that when she was working with Seo Joong Ahn not too long ago.

    ¡°OK. I¡¯m interested in taking a look. Do you have a sample for me?¡± he said as he savored the nutty fragrance of coffee.

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    The materials she had prepared went over to Molley¡¯s hands.

    *

    ¡°Here¡¯s a loaf of bread,¡± Mr. Moon said as he ced a loaf of bread onto the desk with it still wrapped. All eyes were on the bread. It was a muffin.

    ¡°Turn this bread into gold.¡±

    His mission didn¡¯t make a lot of sense, so Sun Hwa asked, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®turn it into gold?¡¯¡±

    The members looked at each other.

    ¡°Are you telling us to te it with gold?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not too bad. Juho Woo, give us an example,¡± Mr. Moon spoke ambiguously.

    Then he looked at Juho, who had was resting his chin on his hand. Juho stopped himself from smirking at being called out all of a sudden. ¡®He¡¯s so certain that I¡¯ll have something,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°What is it? Did you get it?¡± Sun Hwa asked.

    Juho did understand the instructions. Though he was nning on keeping his mouth shut, he was forced to speak by suddenly bing the center of attention.

    ¡°A loaf of bread after starving for three days.¡±

    ¡°Aha!¡±

    Everyone understood with that one sentence alone. Just the thought alone was enough to understand how precious the bread must have been. Before a person who had been starving for three days, a loaf of bread would be much more precious than gold. They probably wouldn¡¯t trade it for gold.

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s what he meant,¡± Seo Kwang murmured.

    All together, the club members understood the entirety of that day¡¯s lesson from Juho¡¯s example. Once they understood, it actually sounded sounded fun, and everyone willingly started discussing their ideas with one another.

    ¡°OK, let¡¯s do this.¡±

    They brainstormed as they sat around the bread. That loaf of bread had to be made precious, so everyone thought as hard as they could while looking piercingly at its smooth, golden brown surface.

    ¡°What if everyone was sharing a loaf?¡± Bom said.

    ¡°It probably makes the bread more valuable than it is when only one person¡¯s eating it.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it still be less valuable than gold?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right.¡±

    She smiled awkwardly as she scratched her head. Juho¡¯s example was stuck in their minds. They couldn¡¯t think of something different.

    Seo Kwang spoke up next, ¡°What about having a loaf to yourself without having anyone else knowing?¡±

    ¡°Eh, that¡¯s a little ambiguous.¡± Sun Hwa tilted her head, ¡®Wouldn¡¯t he feel guilty for tricking others?¡¯ she thought. The word betrayal was as far as it could be from the word gold.

    Seo Kwang argued, ¡°Why? There¡¯s a saying that food tastes best when you¡¯re eating in secret. You don¡¯t know if someone chose to eat that loaf of bread in secret even with a piece of gold in front of you.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Who would do that?¡±

    ¡°This guy.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re funny.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯d feel guilty too. Gold would be better.¡±

    Seo Kwang clicked his tongue at Bom¡¯s answer as he quarreled with Sun Hwa.

    ¡°Well, I think it depends on how you set the situation. Try to be more specific. For example, being surrounded by the people you¡¯d hate to be around,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°I actually wouldn¡¯t feel all that guilty.¡±

    ¡°What if everyone¡¯s stranded and on the verge of starving to death?¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be weird to choose bread over gold.¡±

    Sun Hwa, Seo Kwang, and Baron answered Juho in order. Baron was drawing something on his sketchbook as he spoke nonchntly. Bom pped timidly, and Sun Hwa ced her hand on her temple. She seemed upset.

    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t I think of that?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you¡¯re not as quick as Juho?¡±

    She retaliated with her hand at Seo Kwang mocking her. As he looked at the two close friends, Juho said, ¡°Let¡¯s notpare ourselves to others and make ourselves feel small.¡±

    ¡°That tranquility. I hate how politically correct he can be.¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡± Juhoughed it off.

    Sun Hwa red at him as heughed peacefully, and Bom said timidly, ¡°Then the bread in another person¡¯s hand must look more valuable. There¡¯s a saying that the grass always looks greener on the other side.¡±

    p, p, p.

    Mr. Moon pped at Bom¡¯s words. He seemed proud of her. Their discussion was going much better than he had anticipated.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s try the opposite this time. Make it worthless. Less than dirt.¡±

    The members got together excitedly, and Seo Kwang said, ¡°Let it sit for a few days. It¡¯ll go bad, and nobody will be able to eat it.¡±

    It was simple, but it wasn¡¯t wrong either.

    ¡°You might as well throw it on the ground,¡± Sun Hwa seemed unsatisfied with his answer.

    Juho gave another example, ¡°How about a leftover loaf?¡±

    When a person had already had too much to eat, the smell of bread alone would be enough to make them nauseated. They¡¯d probably want to go out and walk around more than anything.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with leftovers? It tastes fine once you microwave it.¡±

    ¡°Besides, how do you not finish your bread?¡±

    ¡°Have you heard of the five-second rule?¡±

    Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa presented their arguments simultaneously. Being the only person who agreed with Juho, Bom looked around timidly. Of course, they had stomachs of steel at that age.

    By the time everyone had enough opinions, Mr. Moon changed the subject of the discussion. He showed them a picture of a steep cliff. Its irregr surface gave off a dangerous feeling.

    ¡°That cliff looks patheticpared to the real thing,¡± Seo Kwang said mischievously. It was true. A picture of a cliff didn¡¯t hold a candle to the actual cliff.

    ¡°Then, a y wall made by a child has gotta be the same way.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but wouldn¡¯t it be different for the parents?¡±

    ¡°I guess so. They¡¯d probably give anything for their child.¡±

    ¡°They might give the child away for a gold!¡±

    ¡°I know my mom wouldn¡¯t!¡±

    They moved onto the next phase, and Seo Kwang said, ¡°What about a cliff made of gold?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not bad.¡±

    ¡°Is that the best you got?¡± Sun Hwa gave her opinion right after.

    Once the club members had a grasp of the activity, they raised and lowered the value of the subject. They had thought of a situation where a group of people simultaneously wanted the same thing. This time, Mr. Moon took out his cell phone. After tapping on its screen a few times, a sound came from his phone: Snore, pff, snore, pff, it was the rhythm of a person snoring.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you since it¡¯s my personal life.¡±

    The members quickly resumed their discussion with their eyes, ¡®Could it be him? No, it can¡¯t be. Maybe a roommate? Maybe it¡¯s just sound effect.¡¯

    They came up with all sorts of spection. Juho too was dying to know, but out of respect for his teacher, he decided not to dig too deep. He did admire Mr. Moon¡¯s passion for the club and ignored the suspicious looks the club members¡¯ eyes had as if on a mission.

    ¡°Make it more valuable than gold.¡±

    Making a snoring sound more valuable than gold was not an easy task. Juho rested his chin on his hand and let everyone else speak first.

    ¡°What if the recorder was made of gold?¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°This is creative too.¡±

    ¡®What if that snore came from somebody who couldn¡¯t afford to be shown with their guard down? If it was the snore of a person who had a lot to lose from their personal life being exposed, they¡¯d be bound to have enemies. Especially so if they had to appear dignified on a regr basis. If the person who recorded it were to sell what they had captured, they could probably ask for quite a bit ¨C like a piece of gold,¡¯ Juho thought as he listened to the two quarreling.

    At that moment, Sun Hwa made a suggestion, ¡°How about this? What if we have peoplepeting for who can snore the loudest for a gold prize? So-called: ¡°The Snoring Contest.¡± The person in the recording would be the winner of the contest. Wouldn¡¯t it be worth the gold?¡±

    ¡°Well, there are million dor legs. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a snore that¡¯s worth a piece of gold somewhere in this world.¡±

    ¡°If this contest took ce at night, I¡¯d hate to be anywhere around it.¡±

    ¡°Next door as well,¡± Juho added to Seo Kwang¡¯ remark.

    At least a family could wake him up. For a nextdoor neighbor, it would be a much moreplicated situation.

    ¡°A snoring father,¡± Bom said timidly. She actually understood the mission now.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t a father snoring after a long, hard day at work be as precious as gold?¡±

    ¡°I miss my dad all of a sudden.¡±

    Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa said simultaneously. Juho thought of his father going to bed early afteringte from work. He snored quite loud at times, but he wanted his dad to be healthy more than anything else, even if that meant he would snore for the rest of his life.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard snoring is a sign of bad health,¡± Sun Hwa said. Her sensitivity simply didn¡¯tst.

    The students came up with a few more ideas for their discussion. As he sat still listening to them, Mr. Moon suddenly stood from his seat when it was time they start wrapping up. All eyes were focused on him, and he opened a shelf and took something out.

    ¡°Is that for us?¡± Sun Hwa asked.

    ¡°Uh... That¡¯s not...¡± Juho said out of reflex. He recognized what it was at once. In the past, he had seen thebel on the bottle countless times.

    ¡°This is alcohol.¡±

    Mr. Moon had brought alcohol to school, and Seo Kwang said, ¡°This is going to get you fired.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for educational purposes.¡±

    ¡°Still! The school will call the parents!¡±

    ¡°Not if I don¡¯t get caught,¡± he answered briefly.

    It definitely wouldn¡¯t be good to be seen with alcohol at school. He had hid the bottle in a shelf because he was aware of that fact. Schools and alcohol didn¡¯t blend well. Juho stared into the shelf where the bottle was in. As familiar of the sight of it was, it was quite entertaining. Everyone was excited.

    ¡°But why did you bring this? Are we going to drink it?¡±

    ¡°I said it¡¯s for educational purposes.¡±

    There was a blunt sound as he opened the bottle, and everyone eximed in astonishment. Juho squinched his eyes and looked at the bottle in Mr. Moon¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Now, make this cheap.¡±

    ¡°I want to smell it!¡± Seo Kwang raised his hand.

    He added an excuse as Mr. Moon looked at him. To allow for a more realistic imagination for the club members, he handed the bottle over to Seo Kwang without hesitation. Like a dog, he put his nose over it. No one said anything, but they all waited for their turns.

    ¡°It does smell like alcohol!¡±

    Sinceing up to high school, Seo Kwang had had experience with alcohol. His parents would let him take a few sips sometimes. However, seeing alcohol in school was an exciting experience. He passed the bottle to Sun Hwa as she rushed him impatiently.

    ¡°It smells like alcohol,¡± she said.

 Chapter 44 - Something I Saw

    Chapter 44 ¨C Something I Saw

    Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C

    Bom and Baron soon joined in on getting a whiff of the bottle. Lastly, it was Juho¡¯s turn. He looked at the bottle in his hand. Unlike the bottle he had been used to, it was clear.

    It smelled familiar.

    ¡°It smells like alcohol.¡±

    It was the same smell he had reeked with at one point. He revisited how he felt then. He couldn¡¯t stop once he had started drinking. Whatever he needed to do would be ruined by his alcoholism. When he woke up the next day, he had been ovee with guilt. His memory slowly faded away, and he began to find broken things around him.

    ¡°Ugh... I hate this,¡± Sun Hwa said as she shook her head.

    She was right. Juho hated it too. He felt that same helplessness from the past at the end of his fingertips. He tried clenching his fist, and it seemed to work fine. His body was functioning well even without alcohol. It was a young body.

    ¡®I should take good care of it,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°It smells like something an upperssmen would force you to drink,¡± Bom said.

    ¡°Ah... that¡¯s not something I¡¯m looking forward to in college,¡± Sun Hwa answered vividly. Whenever she thought about her college life, it always ended up in worry. It was a time when people often died from alcohol poisoning.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard some people are allergic to alcohol. I figure they¡¯d hate to even be around it, let alone smell them,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    Everyone spoke with excitement. A bottle of alcohol brought about an odd sense of excitement to people underage. While watching, Mr. Moon snickered as he saw the excitement on everyone¡¯s faces. It was apparent that they were excited to have something foreign in their hands. They wouldn¡¯t be able to experience it anywhere else.

    ¡°When would it be fragrant?¡± Juho asked as he thought, ¡®What could possibly be changed by this stench of alcohol? Hm...¡¯ He couldn¡¯t reach an answer.

    ¡°I think it might not smell as bad after you drink with somebody you enjoy being around,¡± Bom said.

    ¡°We should all drink together when we grow up!¡± Sun Hwa added.

    ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s eat fried chicken too!¡± Seo Kwang told them the location of the fried chicken shop.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you all too young for this?¡± Baron scolded, but he wasn¡¯t saying that he wouldn¡¯t be there either.

    ¡®Does the fragrance be better as thepany gets better?¡¯ Juho reminisced. He had never drunk out of joy. Perhaps that¡¯s why he had reeked.

    ¡°Although, I¡¯m sure all alcohol smells pretty much the same,¡± he said.

    The students jeered at Juho¡¯s murmur. It was a sign that he was being a killjoy.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going toe? You don¡¯t want to drink with us when you¡¯re older?¡±

    He took a deep breath. He smelled happiness. Drinking with those friends as adults didn¡¯t sound half bad.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there,¡± Juho answered with a smile.

    ¡°There¡¯s dust here too. Where¡¯s the person on duty?¡±

    ¡°Do you not see me down here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I thought you were stretching.¡±

    ¡°Who stretches with a broomstick in his hand?¡±

    Cleaning duty was appointed by rotation. Juho poked fun at Seo Kwang. He was bored. There wasn¡¯t much else to do aside from poking fun at Seo Kwang. After staring out the window for a while, he packed his bag and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be in the science room.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    Nothing was going to change even if he was in the science room, but he figured it¡¯d be better than inhaling dust in the ss.

    While he was heading toward the stairway, he saw Mr. Mooning down. Since he couldn¡¯t see Juho in the distance, he went straight into the staffroom. Juho didn¡¯t really feel the need to call out his name, so he too headed straight to the science room.

    When he went inside, the window was open. Mr. Moon must have kept it open for venttion. He walked past the desk and stood in front of the window. He had juste from a dusty ce, so even the slightest breeze felt all the more refreshing.

    There was the sound of kids ying in the schoolyard. They were shouting something. Most of them sounded yful and mischievous.

    As he leaned against the window, his eyes naturally went to the top of the desk. He saw his paper and notebook. ¡®Did Seo Kwang really read my notebook at a time like this?¡¯ he thought. Mr. Moon wasn¡¯t very careful when it came to where he kept his notebooks. It could¡¯ve even been taken by other students. Well, the only ones who would intentionally walk into the science room would have been the Literature Club members.

    He looked out the door. Nobody had arrived yet, and there was no sound of footstep.

    If there was something written where he was, then there was only one thing left to do.

    He sat down and picked up the very top page. Their papers were kept in a translucent file, and the page on the top was written by Sun Hwa.

    ¡®She¡¯s impatient.¡¯ That was Juho¡¯s impression after reading herposition. The steps toward the climax were mostly left out. Tension had been at its peak since the beginning of the development. It was more like a field day than the anticipation for it. No push. Just pulling. One would describe her progression to be ¡°wild.¡± At once, he understood what Mr. Moon had pointed out in her writing.

    ¡°It is pretty entertaining.¡±

    Her best work was the paper she wrote at the subway station. It started with this sentence: ¡®A bomb exploded in the subway station.¡¯

    There was no mention of how it was installed or any suspicious activities. No mention of people peacefully going about their days either. Just like that, she had made the bomb go off. As long as the progression was under control, the story still had the potential to be exciting even with an abrupt intro like that.

    Unfortunately, such a control was beyond what Sun Hwa was capable of. A bomb had exploded, but the culprit got caught immediately, and then he let out his pent up anger. It sounded more like she was wrapping up the story than she was setting up a beginning. Juho appreciated its experimental nature, but it wasn¡¯t appropriate considering the lesson was about ¡°writing up to the beginning.¡± It did get better as it went on, but if the story stayed at a climax throughout, it would be the same as a story without tension or resolution, only moving forward.

    It seemed like Sun Hwa was in desperate need of patience. If she learned how to write in steps, she¡¯d be a much better writer. If the fourth floor was the floor above the first, one would be ripped in half trying to get there. At least he¡¯d be able to enjoy the view if he could make it up to the top.

    ¡°This one¡¯s written by Bom.¡±

    Like Sun Hwa¡¯s, it was in a translucent file. The notebook was the same as Sun Hwa¡¯s. The entire club knew that they were close friends.

    ¡°Huh, this is pretty good.¡±

    It was quite decent. The pace wasn¡¯t too fast or slow. However, her story wasn¡¯t what caught his attention. Her biggest strength was her detailed style in her description of the people walking on the streets.

    ¡°People were walking as if they¡¯re walking through the mud. As if they would be buried if they were to stand still. They keep their feet moving.¡±

    She had embodied feelings into the act of walking. People were struggling and urgent in their steps. They seemed like they couldn¡¯t stop walking from fear of something. It might have been subtle, but it had arge impact. There were times when a single sentence was capable of contributing to the entire book.

    There were definitely ws in ces, but she¡¯d learn to work with them in no time. It would be another strength of hers. Herposition was quite artistic. He was easily able to picture her as a writer in the future. In midst of being impressed, he suddenly felt curious.

    ¡®Who won an award for the essay contest?¡¯ he asked himself. Sun Hwa had won the award. Judging from the writing itself, it wouldn¡¯t have been weird if Bom had won. ¡®Had she been nervous?¡¯ Being Bom, it would¡¯ve been likely.

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    For some reason, something was telling him that Sun Hwa hadn¡¯t won because Bom had been nervous. At that moment, he heard footsteps approaching from the hallway.

    ¡°Man, I¡¯m so tired. Why¡¯s our teacher making us do all of the work? We have a director for that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re too good at it,¡± Bom said.

    The door opened.

    ¡°Oh! Hey, Juho.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯rete.¡±

    ¡°Our teacher made us run some errands.¡±

    Juho was sitting against the window. The notebooks and the papers were back in their ces on the desk. Without suspecting, the two sat on their seats. The wind blew into the room. Unlike earlier, this time it felt lukewarm.

    ¡°Why are you just standing there? Don¡¯t block the window. Come sit.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡±

    He casually exchanged words with them. Sun Hwa took out heric book while Bom took out her snacks. Already, Juho started observing them in a different light than from a moment before.

    ¡°What would you do if the world came to an end tomorrow?¡± Mr. Moon asked. It was amon question.

    ¡°I want to nt an apple tree,¡± Sun Hwa answered.

    For many Koreans, apple trees were among the first things that came to mind when thinking about the end of the world. Baruch Spinoza had quite an impact even to this day.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t take that long to nt a tree. What are you going to do afterwards?¡± Mr. Moon asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he nodded at Seo Kwang¡¯s murmur. ¡°Today, we¡¯re going to take some time to n for the day this worldes to an end.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it make today the most depressing day knowing the world as we know it woulde to an end tomorrow? Would you be able to think of how you were going to spend your time?¡±

    ¡°I do kind of feel helpless.¡±

    Seo Kwang thought of a dystopian movie he had seen recently. Everyone had lost their minds with the iing apocalypse. ¡®In that situation, would anyone be able to carry out the n they¡¯de up with previously?¡¯

    ¡°Even if wee up with a n now, would we be able to carry it out then?¡±

    ¡°Who said anything about carrying it out? I don¡¯t expect you to.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you came up with a n, you gotta carry it out, right?¡±

    Mr. Moon asked after Sun Hwa¡¯s exemry response, ¡°Do you think the day before the end of the world wille in your time?¡±

    ¡°... It¡¯s always possible.¡±

    Sun Hwa hadn¡¯t really meant what she said either. She scrunched her forehead, and Juho snickered. Everyone had the same thought, ¡®Then, what¡¯s the point of nning?¡¯

    ¡°This n is for the present,¡± Mr. Moon said calmly.

    ¡°The present?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Even if the world ising to an end, you gotta survive the present. You should n while you¡¯re still around, right? What you want to do, and who you want to do that with.¡±

    A n for the present. ¡®If the world ising to an end tomorrow, what would I do? What would I want to do on the veryst day?¡¯ Nobody knew when that day woulde. That was what death was like.

    Juho thought about what he had to do that day if he were to die the next day.

    Mr. Moon suggested a more detailed situation, ¡°You see it in the morning news. It¡¯s telling you not to go to school.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s actually kind of nice.¡±

    Everyone nodded in agreement at Seo Kwang¡¯s response. Among them, Mr. Moon was also included. It was exciting to think about not having toe to school.

    ¡°It sure is. Imagine the anchor says these words with a shaky voice: ¡®Tomorrow, this, our home full of life, will being to an end. Just now, it was made official by the most influential, powerful, and global organization. The government is yet to make a statement, and people are in chaos. Dear viewers, today marks thest day of the Earth.¡¯¡±

    Thest day on Earth, while that day was bound toe, it almost felt like it was right around the corner.

 Chapter 45 - A Flower Yet to Bloom (1)

    Chapter 45 ¨C A Flower Yet to Bloom (1)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh Edited by: SootyOwl

    As soon as Mr. Moon finished talking, the students picked up their pens and drew a big circle on their paper, ignoring the squares of the graph-like paper. At that moment, the circle was empty.

    ¡°What time are you nning on nting the apple tree?¡± as if unable to think of a time, Seo Kwang asked Sun Hwa.

    She gave him a genuine, serious response, ¡°I want to nt it right after I see the news. I should do something to calm myself down, like nting a tree.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should read. Whose book do I read? Are there going to be more ssics by then? Yeah, probably...¡±

    Seo Kwang had made an obvious choice. He looked like he was looking more to the new books in the future rather than the apocalypse itself.

    ¡°What about you, Baron? Juho asked.

    He too was drawing a neat circle on his sketchbook. He was truly an artist.

    ¡°I¡¯ll probably live just like any other day.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Just like any other day, it didn¡¯t sound like a bad idea.

    ¡°Well, I did think about running around the neighborhood butt naked.¡±

    ¡°Whoa!¡±

    ¡®That was bold of him. Heck, it¡¯s thest day on Earth. What couldn¡¯t they do?¡¯ Seo Kwang enthusiastically agreed with Baron, ¡°I¡¯m sure a singlep around the neighborhood would be eptable. If you¡¯re near my ce, I¡¯ll treat you with some beverage.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll remember that if I get thirsty. Do you keep a tab though? I think I¡¯d look odd carrying a wallet when I¡¯m naked.¡±

    ¡®If you¡¯re arguing about something being weird, that was already over the moment you said ¡°naked,¡± Juho thought.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be free of charge, of course.¡±

    ¡°Great! I¡¯ll be there.¡±

    Seo Kwang drew a line across the center of his circle and added, ¡°Treat Baron to a beverage.¡± He had already set a time, midday, without even getting Baron¡¯s opinion.

    ¡°What are you nning on doing?¡± he asked as Juho looked at his nning chart.

    ¡°Hm. I¡¯m probably going to be writing, presumably,¡± he murmured nonchntly. ¡®I wonder what woulde out in the face of death,¡± he thought to himself.

    ¡°OK. You go ahead and write. If you finish, you have toe show it to me. You have to! Promise.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, man? You¡¯re making me ufortable.¡±

    His words were like those of a predator that was pouncing on a prey, so Juho turned around from Seo Kwang¡¯s ufortable enthusiasm. He paid no attention to Juho and kept on bbering things like, ¡°I have to read your work before I die. I¡¯m more curious about what you¡¯d write than any other author.¡± His words were quite overbearing.

    ¡°OK, OK.¡±

    Juho gave up trying to be serious. He couldn¡¯t ignore such a passionate reader, so he decided to keep things simple. ¡®Eat. Take a walk. Write about thest day.¡¯

    ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s with all the fuss? You need to see someone for that addiction of yours.¡±

    ¡°If my love for print is a sickness, I refuse to treat it for the rest of my life.¡±

    Sun Hwa was also organizing her chart to find time for herics. In Juho¡¯s eyes, there was hardly a difference between the two.

    ¡°Do you want to readics together?¡± Bom asked Sun Hwa as she watched her working on her chart.

    ¡°Sure. You shoulde over. We¡¯ll nt a tree together.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll probably get hungry afterwards, so I¡¯ll bring us lunch.¡±

    They almost sounded like they were going on a pic. ¡®How innocent,¡¯ Juho thought with a smile. ¡®A pic on thest day... That doesn¡¯t sound too bad.¡¯

    ¡°Our chart looks exactly the same.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Their charts looked identical from theyout to their bedtimes to when they¡¯d wake up in the morning. Whenever Sun Hwa wrote something down, Bom did the same on her chart.

    ¡®Am I being too sensitive?¡¯ Juho thought for a moment. ¡®It could be that I didn¡¯t approach the subject of the apocalypse very seriously. They¡¯re making ns to hang out and going over to each other¡¯s house, like it¡¯s a joke. It¡¯s nothing out of the blue, but still...¡¯

    ¡°What are you guys nning on doing together for the rest of the day?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Bom, is there anything you want to do?¡± he asked with his usual tone of voice.

    After a brief thought, she answered with an awkward smile, ¡°I¡¯m not too sure.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Maybe it¡¯s because it doesn¡¯t feel real to me.¡± Then, Bom changed the subject somewhat forcefully, ¡°How about you Juho? What are you going to do?¡±

    She turned her eyes to his paper.

    For some time, there had been something that had bothered Juho. He had been noticing a sense of ipatibility in Sun Hwa and Bom¡¯s friendship and had be curious.

    The past memories rushed through his head.

    The essay contest. the sprint race, Bom didn¡¯t get ahead of Sun Hwa. It was especially apparent when she was presenting her results during writing lessons. He had seen their identical notebooks and the simr self-introductions that were written inside them.

    He thought of the time when the club members had been to the school library together. That was when he noticed something strange. Before choosing her book, Bom had asked Sun Hwa, ¡°What do think it¡¯d be a better choice between these two books?¡±

    Now, he was certain. Bom was dependent on Sun Hwa.

    ¡°OK, it¡¯s time to make a choice,¡± Mr. Moon said to the students as they munched on chips.

    ¡°What are we choosing?¡± they asked each other with their mouths full.

    ¡°An essay contest hosted outside of school,¡± he exined briefly.

    Juho looked at pieces of paper next to the chalkboard. They were filled with information Mr. Moon had been collecting so far. Newspaperpanies, publishingpanies, universities, cultural foundations, literature associations... There were countless ces hosting a contest.

    ¡°There¡¯s also apetition for special recognition, so choose carefully. It¡¯s up to you to decide which contest you want to be part of.¡±

    Winning an award at a special recognitionpetition was a huge boost to college applications. As the name of the contest suggested, it meant that the winner was going to be recognized for his special skill in literature. It was apetition many wanted to win desperately.

    ¡°Can we not be part of one?¡± Seo Kwang asked light-heartedly.

    The others, who were walking toward the board to get a better look at the papers, stopped and looked at him.

    Mr. Moon nodded, ¡°Your choice. No one¡¯s going to give you a hard time.¡±

    He met his eyes with everyone else in the room.

    ¡°Same goes for everyone else here. Decide for yourselves. Being a teacher is overrated. You can¡¯t live another person¡¯s life on their behalf. If you have something you don¡¯t want to do, all you have to do is say it, like Baron.¡±

    Baron shrugged with the sketchbook in his hand.

    ¡°So, if there¡¯s something you want to do, go for it, even if you have the slightest of desires. I may not look or sound like one, but I am a teacher. I wouldn¡¯t put you all in harm¡¯s way.¡±

    Juho looked at the papers hanging on the wall. They were from a high school amateurpetition. He hesitated. ¡®Can I be part of that? What if people find out who I am? Wouldn¡¯t I get in people¡¯s way? Maybe I shouldn¡¯tpete.¡¯

    ¡°I did want to take part in apetition once,¡± amid the chaos in his head, those words jumped out of his mouth before he could do anything about it.

    Mr. Moon answered, ¡°Then choose. Come find me when you¡¯ve made a decision.¡±

    With those parting words, he walked out of the science room. In the middle of the heavy atmosphere, Juho walked up to the front.

    ¡°Youth Literary Award, National Essay Contest Award, Literature Competition, National High School Essay Contest... There are a lot.¡±

    Despite the number, every contest had something inmon. ¡®Qualification: High School Student.¡¯ He brushed his smooth hands together, thinking about how they had been wrinkled before, when he drank. Now, he too met the qualification.

    ¡°What are you going to choose?¡± Bom asked from the side.

    Sun Hwa was also looking at the details of the contests from the other side. She had to have decided to take part in one.

    He stared at her face. She relied on others. Others were an essential existence to her. She avoided doing anything that would put her on someone¡¯s bad side. For that reason, she didn¡¯t try to prove herself to be superior than others.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet.¡±

    It was a sensitive issue, and he decided to observe more. Like Mr. Moon had said, he couldn¡¯t live her life for her after all.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind!¡± Sun Hwa said confidently as she grabbed one of the papers. She had chosen apetition hosted by a renowned four-year university.

    ¡°National High School Essay Contest.¡±

    ¡°Are you aiming for the special recognition?¡±

    It was like her. She¡¯d always been an exemry student.

    ¡°Win an award, and then get into a university. It¡¯s like catching two birds with one stone. I can¡¯t miss this.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. Kids whopete in that train relentlessly at private institutes,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    The name of thepetition itself gave off a strong impression. There was no way around it. Yet, Sun Hwa stood her ground, ¡°You might as well shoot for the stars. I kind of want to experience it for myself too. I made up my mind. Bom, do you want join?¡±

    While she was looking at one of the papers, she nodded. At that moment, her eyes moved to another spot and stopped at the Literature Essay Contest, something different from Sun Hwa¡¯s choice.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you thinking about choosing anotherpetition?¡± Juho asked her quietly.

    ¡°Huh? Oh, not really. I think it¡¯d be nice to have Sun Hwa around. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be as nervous either,¡± she answered with a smile.

    As he looked at her, he heard a small voice sound from behind him and turned around.

    ¡°I¡¯m going after the prize. Oooh, a thousand dors in cash.¡±

    It was Seo Kwang. He had a piece of paper in his hand.

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to take part in any of them,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Everyone else is, so I felt kind of awkward backing out on my own.¡±

    ¡°Do you even want to?¡±

    ¡°Meh, I¡¯m not sure. Sometimes, I can¡¯t figure out my own heart.¡±

    Juho nodded. Nobody knew for certain. A person¡¯s heart was quite a pain in the neck.

    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡± Juho asked.

    After thinking on it briefly, Seo Kwang scratched his head and jokingly changed the subject, ¡°Come on! It¡¯s one thousand dors! Who wouldn¡¯t want that? If I win, I¡¯ll take you out.¡±

    Everyone turned their attention to Seo Kwang after his exaggerated remark. WIthout saying much, Juho moved aside. He had no intention to force a conversation.

    ¡°What the, there¡¯s a prize?¡±

    ¡°Yep, one thousand dors.¡±

    ¡°I want fried chicken!¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    Sun Hwa and Bom had already thought of what they wanted.

    ¡°Pizza for me,¡± Baron said, having sat quietly all this time. He¡¯d never miss an opportunity like that.

    Juho told everyone in a low voice, ¡°You guys might not want to celebrate too soon.¡±

    ¡°At least we have something to celebrate,¡± Sun Hwa said. Then, she remembered something she¡¯d been meaning to ask, ¡°What about you Baron? Are you nning on taking part in apetition? You¡¯re the sole artist in the Literature Club after all.¡±

    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Baron answered nonchntly. Then, he took out a piece of paper he had been keeping to himself.

    ¡°Mr. Moon wouldn¡¯t leave me out. These are the details for the sketchingpetition.¡±

    ¡°Wow, when is it? Can we go cheer for ya?¡±

    ¡°Forget it. You¡¯ll distract me,¡± he turned down the offer at once.

    As he watched the club restored to its boisterous atmosphere, Juho turned his eyes to the Youth Literary Essay Contest. It was rtively unpopr.

    ¡°Should I go with this one?¡±

    The next day, he ran through the park early in the morning. It had be part of his daily routine to enjoy a beverage when he reached the rest area. As he quenched his thirst, he saw Sung Pil sitting straight on the bench. His thick eyebrows looked even darker, probably because he was sitting in the shade.

 Chapter 46 - A Flower Yet to Bloom (2)

    Chapter 46 ¨C A Flower Yet to Bloom (2)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°So, you are still not making any friends?¡± Juho asked.

    Sung Pil was quite a straight edge, which was unusual for his age. Without any change in his expression, he admitted the fact that he was alone, ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you bored?¡±

    At once, Sung Pil shook his head. He wasn¡¯t bored, apparently.

    ¡°I write. That¡¯s more than enough.¡±

    Even within a boisterous ss, he wrote by himself. Somehow, Juho saw a resemnce to his old self. He too had been alone at one point. That was when he had written ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯

    He looked at Sung Pil. His real name was Pil Sung Choi. Three years from then, he would aplish his impressive debut.

    ¡®When did he write his debut novel?¡¯ Juho wondered.

    ¡°Have you been working on anythingtely?¡± Sung Pil asked ahead of Juho.

    He answered after thinking briefly, ¡°Nothing unusual.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Instead,¡±

    ¡°Instead?¡± Sung Pil asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking part in an essay contest with the club.¡±

    ¡°An essay contest?¡±

    His thick eyebrows furrowed.

    ¡°Yep. The Youth Literary Essay Contest.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that? Can anybody take part in it?¡±

    He seemed quite interested, and Juho told him everything he knew about the contest.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you need a letter of rmendation from a teacher, but other than that, the only qualification is that you have to be a high school student.¡± Then, he added, ¡°There¡¯s a preliminary round too.¡±

    ¡°A preliminary round? What¡¯s that look like?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like submitting your entry. You write about a topic of your choosing. After writing a short prose, you revise it to the set format and then upload it. Whoever gets picked gets to go up to the finals. I heard they give out the subject the day of.¡±

    ¡°That sounds fun.¡±

    His voice was filled with interest, and Juho said, ¡°You should give it a try.¡±

    ¡°Should I?¡± he asked back immediately. His heart was already more than willing. After suddenly standing up from his seat, Sung Pil told Juho, ¡°We¡¯ll meet at the finals.¡±

    He hadn¡¯t even applied yet.

    ¡°If the judges like what I wrote.¡±

    ¡°No! We can make it happen if we work hard enough. We¡¯ll meet at the finals,¡± he emphasized again. Although it was just before sunrise, his face was already shining brightly.

    Juho chuckled with a sigh.

    ¡°Fine, if it¡¯s possible.¡±

    There was one week left until the deadline for applications, and Juho was sitting in front of hisputer.

    ¡°A topic of my choosing, huh?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t resist the yawn forcing its way out. He felt sluggish and was not in a mood to write. There was one week left. He thought about starting back the next day, but soon, he shook his head. There was no guarantee that he¡¯d be more motivated then, so it¡¯d be safer to upload it when he could. He would have looked for anotherpetition if he had been on his own, but now that Sung Pil was involved, Juho had to keep his end of the deal.

    ¡°A topic of my choosing..¡±

    The topic was the contestant¡¯s choice, which meant that they¡¯d ept just about anything. Juho apuded their generosity.

    ¡°I have to get past the preliminary round somehow.¡±

    There was no time to lose. There were countless kids who had paid a handsome amount of money for detailed analyses of the past year¡¯s winningposition. However, it was hard to say that the Youth Literary Essay Contest would be more popr than Seo Kwang¡¯s or Sun Hwa¡¯s.

    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t mean that thepetition will be taken over by those private institutes either.¡±

    There was no right answer in literature. Analyzing an award-winning work didn¡¯t always lead to winning an award. A high school literature contest was different from the professional world. What the critics were looking for the most was probably...

    ¡°... Writing honestly.¡±

    Heartfelt, unpretentious, honestpositions that made them continue reading despite the crude sentence structures. For example, a mother¡¯s letter was one of those things because there were emotions behind those words. They were heartfelt. Before sincerity, even the most skillfully written sentence became mere pretense.

    Writing with sincerity might be something that was easier for those with less writing experience.

    ¡°At least, I prefer sincerity.¡±

    In writing, he¡¯d much rather prefer sincerity over skill

    ¡°Sincerity...¡±

    He immediately thought of someone. He was loud and had thick eyebrows. When he came across a ten cent coin on the street, he didn¡¯t hesitate to take it to the police station. And, he was not afraid to admit that he was alone.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡±

    He thought about writing about Sung Pil and grabbed a piece of paper that was rolling around the room and picked up a pen. First, he had to give shape to the ideas floating around in his head, ¡®Sung Pil, and thick eyebrows... would not be necessary. He¡¯s alone. He writes. He¡¯s honest. His writing. His future, present and past. Freedom. Police station. Race. Sincerity.¡¯

    There was no way he could include all those thoughts. The length of theposition was limited. In that case, a core foundation had to be established. He had to pick out the most memorable parts of the story.

    ¡°The past of a person who had seeded.¡±

    That was not a failure. It was a leap toward sess. He thought about Sung Pil¡¯s present. ¡®He writes by himself in a ssroom full of kids...¡¯ In that ce, he was alone.

    ¡°Is this going to turn into my story?¡±

    He reminisced about his past and revisited memories that were more than thirty years old. He had been alone. He couldn¡¯t figure why that was. A person always became alone at some point.

    ¡®There was no seat for him anywhere. With his tightened lips, he listened to the soundsing from the ssroom.¡¯ One by one, he wrote out his honest feelings, advancing toward something, at least for the duration of his writing.

    Just like that, ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ was born.

    He oveid his memories with another person¡¯s appearance. Then, he closed his eyes and pictured Sung Pil looking more mature, but slowly getting younger.

    ¡°This should do.¡±

    He put his hands over the keyboard. Tick. Tick. For a while, there was nothing but the sound of the pressed keys.

    ¡®An author looking back to his first writing.¡¯

    Calmly, Juho wrote out his story.

    ¡°Did you apply?¡± Bom asked, and Juho nodded with a piece of cookie in his mouth. Of course he had.

    ¡°Yourpetition, The Youth Literary Essay Contest, is happening first right?¡± Sun Hwa asked while bringing some cookie crumbs to her mouth.

    ¡°I think so.¡±

    Every contest started on a different date. In terms of order, Juho¡¯s was first.

    ¡°Will I make it to the finals?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will.¡±

    ¡®Crunch!¡¯

    Seo Kwang had answered while chewing on his chip, and Juho added with a shrug, ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m confident you will.¡±

    ¡°You sound way too confident. What if I don¡¯t?¡±

    As Juho said that with a smile, Sun Hwa shouted, ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t you say stuff like that!¡±

    ¡°Yeah! You¡¯ll make it!¡± Bom added, smiling.

    ¡°If you did a good job, you¡¯ll be fine,¡± Baron said indifferently.

    ¡°You gotta start us off on a good note.¡±

    ¡°So that we can ride the wave.¡±

    ¡°Have a refreshing start.¡±

    Sun Hwa, Baron, and Seo Kwang said in order. Although hiding behind their presumably encouraging words, their true meaning was obvious. Bom smiled awkwardly.

    ¡°I¡¯m moved to tears from all of your support.¡±

    ¡®Buzz!¡¯

    As soon as Juho finished, a phone rang. The five immediately turned their eyes to the same ce, and Juho slowly reached for his phone. He checked the screen.

    ¡°It¡¯s from the essay contest.¡±

    There was a still silence, and yet, apparent moring. In that moment, only Juho was calm.

    ¡°Hurry! Read it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s good news!¡±

    ¡°Goodness! I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m getting so nervous. You should be too!¡±

    ¡°Hurry up and read it!¡±

    Sun Hwa, Bom, Seo Kwang, and Baron rushed him in order, and he calmly checked the message on his phone.

    ¡°Congrattions. You have been chosen as one of the finalists.¡±

    The science room was filled with cheers.

    Juho was at a subway station. He was about ten minutes early to the appointment, so he walked into a nearby convenience store and bought a drink. When he walked out of the store as he opened his bottle, he saw Sung Pil standing there, looking around.

    ¡°You¡¯re early.¡±

    He turned around at the sound of Juho¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Here we are, going to the finals.¡±

    He had a satisfied look on his face. That day was the day when the finals were taking ce. His thick eyebrows moved up and down with joy.

    ¡°Seriously, what luck!¡±

    ¡°You mean skill.¡±

    It was a rare talent to be able to make such arrogant remarks while maintaining such a modest appearance.

    Sung Pil urged him on, ¡°We should get going. We don¡¯t want to bete.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    There was plenty of time, but Juho followed him without arguing. The two got on the subway.

    ¡°What do you think the topic will be?¡± Sung Pil asked with a slightly excited voice. It was apparent that he was looking forward to the contest.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It could be anything really. It could be this subway train we¡¯re on.¡± There was no way to know when they hadn¡¯t even arrived at the conference hall, so Juho just thought out loud.

    ¡°The subway. I see. The subway.¡±

    Juho immersed himself in thought, thinking of the ce he had just been.

    ¡°It could be a convenience store.¡±

    ¡°Convenience store, huh...¡±

    ¡°Well, not likely.¡±

    ¡°You never know.¡±

    ¡®There¡¯s no way to know, but who knows? We might be lucky enough to guess,¡¯ he thought. Then, he thought about the various topics that hade up with in the Literature Club, ¡°Hunger.¡±

    There was no telling whether a topic would be limited to an object or not.

    ¡°Hunger... ¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯m kind of hungry. Did you have breakfast?¡± he asked as he rubbed his belly.

    ¡°I had a quick bite, but I could probably eat a little more.¡±

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go grab some snacks.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    The two got off the train and made their way into a noodle shop.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go inside. Shall we?¡±

    ¡°Yep. You said it¡¯s at a lecture hall, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s down that street over there,¡± Sung Pil said while looking at the campus directory.

    Juho looked at the direction he was pointing. It was in a slight incline.

    As they walked toward the building in the distance, Sung Pil asked, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    Upon his question, Sung Pil answered while moving his eyebrows, ¡°Should we race?¡±

    ¡®A race. Is that really a wise decision before the contest?¡¯ Juho looked at their destination. There was still a long way to go. While he was contemting, Sung Pil readied himself. By then, there was no choice.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    It couldn¡¯t have taken that long. At Juho¡¯s answer, Sung Pil smiled as if he had been expecting him to agree to it, and they stood shoulder to shoulder before an invisible starting line.

    ¡°Should we make a bet? Just to make it more interesting.¡±

    Sung Pil agreed, ¡°Let¡¯s keep it basic. Loser buys ice cream.¡±

    ¡°There was a store on the way,¡± Juho answered as he thought of the store he had seen on their way there.

    As they got in position, Sung Pil gave out a signal, ¡°Ready.¡±

    Juho flexed his legs.

    ¡°Go!¡± Sung Pil shouted.

    As soon as he heard the signal, Juho bolted from his ce. He saw Sung Pil from the corner of his eyes. They were running forward at a nearly identical speed.

 Chapter 47 - A Flower Yet to Bloom (3)

    <h4>Chapter 47: A Flower Yet to Bloom (3)</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor:</strong> ShawnSuh | <strong>Editor:</strong> SootyOwl</h4>

    As soon as his torso moved forward, the footsteps followed. From the scenery to the various sounds, everything was a step behind him. Sung Pil was the only exception. He was running right beside him, and Juho smiled. ¡®So, you¡¯re not going down easy, huh?¡¯

    He started to run out of breath. Still, he felt much better than he had before. The building was near, and the door became visible, so the two thought simultaneously, ¡®Whoever passes through that door is the winner.¡¯ Although his legs were tired from running uphill, Juho pushed on. Sung Pil did the same.

    ¡°Here Ie!¡± Sung Pil shouted.

    They were getting close to the door, and Juho added with a smile, ¡°I can¡¯t let that happen!¡±

    Then, he took his final step.

    With his hand on his side, he bent forward. It was harmful to sprint immediately after a meal, but he chuckled as he caught his breath, ¡°Haha.¡±

    ¡°Agh! No!¡±

    ¡®Victory.¡¯

    Sung Pil groaned in defeat. He too was gasping for breath. Running up a hill was twice as hard as on a t surface. On top of that, they had covered quite a distance. ¡®Still...¡¯

    ¡°Twenty nine total. Fifteen wins, fourteen losses.¡±

    Juho felt great. They asionally raced each other, and the results so far had been fourteen to fourteen out of twenty-eight. It didn¡¯t feel bad at all to be adding another victory to the record.

    ¡°I could¡¯ve caught up!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡±

    Sung Pil clenched his fist at Juho¡¯s calm attitude. The other contestants stared at the two as they walked into the building. The tension in the air had been alleviated by their race.

    Paying no attention to the people looking at him, Juho looked around. The lecture hall was on the first floor. That¡¯s where he was going to be writing. He left Sung Pil writhing in defeat and asked a college student who was working as a guide for information, ¡°We¡¯re notte, are we?¡±

    ¡°Ah, no. There¡¯s still plenty of time.¡±

    After checking the time, Juho told Sung Pil, ¡°Take all the time you want. There¡¯s plenty of time.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s always a next time,¡± Sung Pil said as he sprung up and brushed down his sides with his hands. It really wasn¡¯t a good idea to sprint right after a meal.

    While drawing people¡¯s attention, they walked confidently into the lecture hall.

    ¡°There are so many desks here,¡± Sung Pil said the first impression he got from the hall, and like he had said, there was arge number of desks. The hall was full of them, each capable of seating at least four.

    There were empty seats here and there. As Juho found a seat in the backmost desk, Sung Pil sat himself in the row ahead. He was visible whenever Juho turned his head diagonally to the right. There was arge screen in the front of the hall, and ¡®The Youth Literary Essay Contest¡¯ was written inrge letters. Underneath it, was the time for the beginning and the end of the contest. Two hours. It was plenty.

    ¡°I wonder what the topic is going to be.¡±

    ¡®They¡¯re not going to make us y word chain all of a sudden like Mr. Moon, are they? You, sir, tell me the first word thates to your mind. Whoever that would be, would panic.¡¯ As Juho upied himself with random thoughts, somebody walked up to the podium. He introduced himself as a professor of creative literature and exined the schedule of the contest. Then, he talked about the following school orientation and lecture that would be given by an author who had also been invited to be one of the judges of the contest.

    At that moment, a sound came from behind everyone, and he walked in bent over at the waist. He waste, but the professor didn¡¯t try to punish the contestant. For the most part, they seemed to be gracious toward people who were slightlyte. It wasn¡¯t such a strict contest after all.

    ¡°I will now present to you the topic of today¡¯s contest.¡±

    The moment everyone had been waiting for. The topic marked the beginning of the contest. The entire lecture hall stood still. There was an odd tension in the air.

    The professor took out a small piece of paper and then added, ¡°Winter, beach, and days. Please choose one. You may begin.¡±

    As soon as he finished, the three words popped up on the screen: winter, beach, and days. Some kids started writing as soon as they received their papers whereas others took more time to think. None of the words Juho had guessed in the subway were there. ¡®I guess that¡¯s obvious,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    ¡®What to pick?¡¯ The only two that his mind was attracted to were days and beach. ¡®Days. Time coexists with space. Days spent in a certain ce.¡¯ He thought about the conversation he¡¯d had with Sung Pil on the Subway ride to the campus, ¡®Subway, convenient store. I¡¯m more drawn to beach. I¡¯ve written about a subway before.¡±

    He thought about the beach, ¡®The weather at the beach tends to be unpredictable. Waves break. It¡¯s sunny for a moment, and then the rain starts to pour down the moment after. It¡¯s a cloudy sky. After a peaceful time, a storm is bound to follow.¡¯

    As he put down the paper on the the desk, he closed his eyes and imagined the storm.

    ¡®The girl who lived at the beach knew all about the storm that followed at the end of peace. The sky changed. Clouds changed their shapes. The air and the temperature felt different. Everything changed from how they had been when things were peaceful. The wind carried plenty of dust. The dust piled up in people¡¯s hearts, breeding anxiety and impatience.¡¯ Juho picked up his pen.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    His arm brushed up against another person. The student who sat next to him looked at his arm, but soon turned his eyes back to his own paper. ¡®I forgot that I was sharing the desk with three other people,¡¯ he thought as he lowered his eyes. The pens and pieces of paper were enough to fill the desk. His eyes followed down the desk. ¡®Paper, pencil, hand, paper, pencil, hand, cock-a-doodle.¡¯ A rooster crowed in his head. ¡®Is this what it¡¯s like to live as a chicken in a farm?¡¯ It almost felt like he was stuck in a word factory.

    ¡®This is frustrating.¡¯ He put down his pen and looked around the hall. There were many hands busy, writing. The professor had been long gone, but a few of the administrators were standing around. He looked diagonally from him, and with a serious face, Sung Pil was steadily filling out his paper. His thick eyebrows were slightly furrowed, a sign of concentration. He was doing well, but he too was about to brush up against the person sitting next to him.

    There wasn¡¯t a lot of space, and Juho felt constrained. In the end, he stood up from his seat. ¡®I need some fresh air.¡¯ He randomly chose one of the people standing and asked for permission to step out. In a friendly manner, the person showed him the way to the restroom.

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    Juho went the opposite direction from the restroom and pushed open the door made of ss. The outside air rushed in, but it didn¡¯t feel all that refreshing. He breathed slowly while leaning against the door. A building was blocking his sight, so he moved his eyes up to the sky. For some reason, the sky felt lower than usual.

    ¡°What if I can¡¯t write anything?¡±

    It was suffocating to even think about going back into the lecture hall. ¡®A storm.¡¯ He imagined a gust of wind sweeping across the hall. ¡®It¡¯d make things a bit more refreshing,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    Of course, that wasn¡¯t going to happen.

    ¡°Excuse me, what are you doing here?¡±

    He turned back at the sudden sound of a person¡¯s voice. A man with a friendly face was standing there. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, and as Juho stood straight, the man asked again, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    He sounded friendly, and Juho knew who that man was, ¡°Professor Bong.¡±

    ¡°Huh, do you know me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re famous.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be nice if I were,¡± he answered with a gentle smile.

    It was not a sign of modesty by any means. Then, Juho realized that what he had said hadn¡¯t happened yet. ¡®Joon Soo Bong. This is before he bes known.¡¯

    So, Juho added to settle the matter, ¡°I¡¯m a fan. I¡¯ve been enjoying your work quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d have such a young fan.¡±

    Although he was an excellent writer, his work didn¡¯t appeal to the masses. From a livelihood-as-an-author perspective, absence of such appeal was fatal. Yet, he refused to change his style.

    Then, he became famous.

    Juho stared intently into his face. He had heard that he used to teach as a professor beforemitting to writing full time. The professor from the lecture hall had mentioned something about a lecture. ¡®Could he the speaker?¡¯

    At that moment, he remembered that he had forgotten to answer the professor¡¯s question.

    ¡°I came out for some fresh air.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re taking part in the essay contest right? I saw you back there. You were the only person looking up.¡±

    ¡®Did he catch me getting distracted?¡¯ Juho thought as heughed awkwardly. Joon Soo waved at that.

    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t mean anything bad. I just thought that you knew the value of knowing your surroundings.¡±

    ¡°I see. Thank you.¡±

    Joon Soo nodded with a smile, a naive kind of smile, and Juho would have never guessed that he¡¯d be meeting him here.

    ¡°Are you here as a judge?¡±

    ¡°Yes, embarrassingly.¡±

    ¡®Embarrassing.¡¯ He was cautious about judging other people¡¯s writing. However, Juho epted it. An amateur wouldn¡¯t recognize a master, but a master tended to recognize an amateur at once. In the same way, the writer¡¯s skill level became apparent even after reading for a brief moment.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d meet such a big-name writer at a contest I signed up for whimsically.¡¯ Juho wasn¡¯t sure of what to do.

    ¡°Then, I presume that you¡¯ve read my book?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± he answered with a smile.

    ¡®How would he judge his own writing? Before that, will I even be able to write anything for the contest?¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡®Buzz.¡¯

    At that moment, Joon Soo¡¯s phone rang. After checking the caller¡¯s name, he added, ¡°It¡¯s my teacher. If you¡¯re a fan, you¡¯d know who, right?¡±

    ¡°Yun Seo Baek?¡±

    Joon Soo smiled bright at the sound of her name. Again, it was a naive kind of smile.

    ¡°You really are a fan. I appreciate that. Well, good luck, and make yourself at home.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    He walked out through the door Juho was leaning against. ¡®His teacher.¡¯ He had been referring to an author named Yun Seo Baek. Well into her fifties, she took in pupils in order to train authors for theing generation. Among her pupils, there were quite a few who were famous.

    ¡°She also happens to be friends with Hyun Do Lim.¡±

    She had announced herst work at the age of sixty. It was about her husband, Hyun Do Lim, and the reminiscing of her past.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± It was the person who had showed Juho to the restroom, and he added as he called for him, ¡°There¡¯s not a lot of time left.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ming.¡±

    Juho rushed back.

    He sat down once he came back into the hall. It wasn¡¯t like he was going to have more space because he had been gone for a few minutes. He looked to his sides. There were contestants busy writing. With serious faces, they each wrote down their own, unique stories. ¡®How many of these students would actually grow up to be an author? How many of these students would actually dream about their childhood?¡¯

    Sadly, most of them would probably fail. There was no guarantee, whatsoever, that they would achieve their dreams in life. He was aware that it also applied just as much to him.

    No matter how talented or how hard one tried, failure was always near. Some stayedpletely still out of fear. Some kept moving despite it. Some carefully calcte their next step. There were many ways to deal with failure, and none of those were wrong answers. Humans were bound to experience failure regardless. Well, maybe not him.

 Chapter 48 - A Flower Yet to Bloom (4)

    <h4>Chapter 48: A Flower Yet to Bloom (4)</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor:</strong> ShawnSuh | <strong>Editor:</strong> SootyOwl</h4>

    Pil Sung Choi, in the future, he would be a bestselling author under the name of Sung Pil. He was a flower yet to bloom, and his potential was yet to be fully realized. Juho looked forward to the countless books he would be putting out in the future and even more so to the moment when that bud bloomed into a beautiful flower in their cruel world.

    He saw Sung Pil¡¯s back from behind. The people sitting beside him were leaning forward just like him. Everyone had their heads down with their eyes focused on their paper. Only those who could dare to straighten their backs in that ce were given the rights to escape and move up to a higher ce. ¡®Would Sung Pil dare to take the chance?¡¯ As Juho¡¯s thoughts meandered, Sung Pil suddenly looked up and nced over at Juho. Their eyes met. Juho was somewhat surprised by him. He was mouthing some words, and Juho looked carefully to try to figure out what he was trying to say.

    ¡°Hurry up and get back to work.¡±

    Juho chuckled quietly at his concern. With his thick eyebrows twitching, he turned around and faced forward. He didn¡¯t quite blend with such a serious atmosphere. Amid anxious, impatient people, he was the only person who was excited. Perhaps that was how he would be able to soar to the sky as a writer.

    ¡®I want to write about him.¡¯ The girl who lived at the beach was no longer. Only the thick eyebrows remained in Juho¡¯s mind. He wanted to see the sight of Sung Pil facing the storm. He wanted to know how to face the storm.

    He checked the time. There was about an hour left to thepetition. He mapped out a story in his head, and there wasn¡¯t enough time to write everything he wanted to. The format of his story didn¡¯t quite fit the asion, but it was a story he could finish in a couple of hours. ¡®Well, I gotta follow what my heart desires,¡¯ he reminded himself as he picked up his pen.

    As he was busied himself writing, his hand again made contact with the person next to him. Just like previously, he briefly nced over without saying anything. He stopped writing, looked in her direction and whispered, ¡°Sorry.¡±

    He apologized first. She seemed flustered, but soon after she lowered her head. Juho smiled, feeling relieved.

    Like everyone else in the hall, Juho moved his hands busily. He was rushing slightly. Even as he recognized the urgency in his heart, he kept on writing. There was no time, so it made sense that he was feeling that way. It was nothing unexpected.

    What was more important in that moment was to maintain a rational mindset. One shouldn¡¯t be carried away by the urgency in his own heart and make the mistake of letting his hand take over. The wise thing to do was to write with rationale. There wasn¡¯t much meaning to aposition that had been rushed intopletion because the writer had been in a hurry. His hand no longer reeked with alcohol, and he knew he was capable, so he tightened his grip around his pen.

    ¡°Now, please bring your submissions to the front,¡± a voice informed the end of thepetition.

    Then, Juho looked up. The creative literature professor was at the podium.

    ¡°Is it over?¡±

    He put down his pen. His hand was glowing bright red. Sounds that had grown distant slowly made their way back. The lecture hall was getting noisy. Some looked relieved whereas others looked sad. While massaging his hand, Juho slowly stood up from his seat and walked toward the podium. When he walked outside after submitting his paper, Sung Pil was there. As soon as he saw Juho, he walked over to him and asked, ¡°How¡¯d you do?¡±

    ¡°Eh, so-so.¡±

    ¡°I feel pretty confident. What did you write about?¡±

    ¡°¡®The beach.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I see. I went with ¡®days.¡¯¡±

    He had just answered Juho¡¯s next question without even being asked, and Juho nodded. ¡®Days, huh?¡¯ He was curious about what kind of story might havee out, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to read it now that it had been submitted. As he watched the other contestants lingering outside, Juho asked Sung Pil, ¡°I think there¡¯s a school orientation now. I¡¯m thinking about heading back. What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to stick around? Can we do that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s up to the person.¡±

    Sung Pil took a moment to think and said, ¡°Hm. It¡¯s still part of the schedule. I think I better stick around.¡±

    ¡®I knew it.¡¯ He had a diligent character and he wanted to stay for the entirety of the program. Juho nodded.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy the ice cream tomorrow.¡±

    Juho remembered their bet from earlier and chuckled. ¡®He could¡¯ve let it slide.¡¯ Without saying any more, the two parted ways. Juho walked back to the subway station on his own, thinking, as he walked down the darkening street, ¡®What was my answer to his question when he asked how I did?¡¯

    So-so.

    ¡°Maybe, I could¡¯ve done better.¡±

    Bitter, he kept walking.

    *

    Joon Soo looked at the pile of papers before his eyes. Other judges like Professor Choi, Professor Han, and Professor Byung, were also reading something.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s too soon to expect the next Yun Woo,¡± Professor Choi murmured as he put down what he had been reading. There was regret in his tone.

    Joon Soo answered, ¡°If these kids wrote like Yun Woo, I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep my job.¡±

    ¡°Haha! You¡¯ve got nothing to worry about Mr. Bong. Everyone knows about your skills.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be nice if that was true,¡± Joon Soo answered to Professor Byung with a chuckle.

    ¡°There are still some who did well. Look at this one.¡±

    Professor Byung handed Joon Soon one of the submissions. Topic: Days. Name: Pil Sung Choi.

    After reading through it, he nodded, ¡°This is good. He used a convenience store as the space for expressing the time loop. Refreshing. I like his style. He¡¯s young, but it¡¯s got some weight to it. I think I¡¯m going to be seeing him around as an author.¡±

    ¡°Who wrote it?¡±

    ¡°Take a look.¡±

    He stretched as he handed over the paper to Professor Choi. He was tired from reading through and judging other people¡¯s writing. He found no joy in reading for the purpose of categorization. No matter how sloppy it was, aposition that embodied its writer¡¯s dreams made for an excellent work. ¡®Coming to think of it, what about that kid I ran into earlier?¡¯ Since he didn¡¯t know his name, he couldn¡¯t look for his work. Then, he thought about the lecture, ¡®I didn¡¯t see him...¡¯ He set aside his thoughts and continued reading through the piles of paper.

    ¡°Next up...¡±

    This time, the paper was on ¡®the beach,¡¯ by Juho Woo. ¡®That¡¯s a unique name.¡¯

    ¡°What should we do for dinner afterwards?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go for a drink nearby, shall we?¡±

    ¡°We still have a lot of work to do,¡± while working quietly, Professor Han responded with a gentle voice.

    The two other professorsughed it off and then went back to reading.

    ¡°You look so serious Mr. Bong. What are you reading?¡± Professor Han asked while looking at him. Joon Soo didn¡¯t respond.

    Professor Choi, who was sitting next to him, called for him again, ¡°Mr. Bong?¡±

    ¡°... Yes.¡±

    Still, Joon Soon looked up in a dyed response. At that, Professor Choi took the paper from his hand.

    ¡°What is it that¡¯s mesmerizing you?¡± With a cringe, he added after taking the paper from him, ¡°This is iplete. It should be disqualified.¡±

    He put the paper down without even reading it carefully.

    ¡°... Of course. This is apetition,¡± Joon Soo said as he kept his eyes fixed on the paper.

    It was apetition. There was no award for unfinished work. Yet...

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d like anything else in here anymore.¡±

    *

    Juho stared into the ceiling as hey on his bed. He was regretting his performance at thepetition.

    ¡°There wasn¡¯t enough time.¡±

    He had been ambitious. He had known that he was cutting too close. He had been aware that he might not be able to finish it in time.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d actually not finish.¡±

    He thought he would¡¯ve been able to pull it off. He didn¡¯t feel angry or sad. Only, the regret lingered at the end of his finger tips.

    ¡°Sung Pil. He had done it.¡±

    He reminisced about the past. It had been about a week since thepetition, and as usual, he had met up with Sung Pil for his morning exercise. His thick eyebrows had seemed like they were sitting higher than usual.

    ¡°I got the award,¡± he had said with a slightly stiff voice. While he had been stretching, Juho had looked up at him. He had been looking down with anticipation and concern.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    At the sight of his stiff, peculiar expression, he couldn¡¯t help butugh. Flustered, Sung Pil had asked seriously, ¡°Why are youughing?¡±

    ¡°You should¡¯ve seen the look on your face.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be difficult since I don¡¯t have a mirror on me at the moment.¡±

    Juho hadn¡¯t been surprised by the news. He¡¯d had a feeling that Sung Pil might win.

    ¡°Congrattions.¡±

    Afterughing for a good while, he had sincerely congratted his friend. Sung Pil had smiled joyfully. He had won an award in his first essaypetition. He definitely had potential.

    ¡°He lost the race that day, too.¡±

    Juho got up from his bed. ¡®Rustle.¡¯ Dozens of pages made a rustling sound whenever he moved on the mattress. It was the remainder of the story that he hadn¡¯t had the time for.

    ¡®After facing the storm, the man became even stronger.¡¯

    ¡°Would things have been different at all if I had actually finished?¡±

    ¡®Or would Sung Pil have won still?¡¯

    ¡°Although, I¡¯m not particrly crazy about the award.¡±

    His only regret was not being able topete with Sung Pil¡¯s story. ¡®Whose work would have moved the hearts of the judges more?¡¯

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t even make it to the end, so what can I do?¡±

    An iplete work was not read by the judges. It was apetition after all. The moment he had submitted his work, no, the moment the bell had rang, Juho had known all along.

    ¡°I felt confident for once.¡±

    For once, he had actually felt the desire to write, to beat Sung Pil, and to write about him.

    ¡°Well, no use in crying over spilled milk.¡±

    Desiring a change of environment, he decided to go for a a walk. He stepped on the floor, and there were papers scattered throughout even that. He walked toward the door, stepping over many pages.

    ¡°The sun feels hot today.¡±

    He put his hand over his eyes at the sudden sunshine and felt the parts of his body exposed to the sun getting warmer. He walked aimlessly. ¡®When did I start going on walks?¡¯ He tried to retrace his memories. At first, he didn¡¯t like to wander around outdoors. That changed when he started writing. Since then, he intentionally went out whenever there was time. It could have been that being an author involved going out and looking for things.

    He walked into a residential area. There were many hills because the entire neighborhood was on the mountains. From time to time, he saw the mountain peeking through the alleyways and he went up and down several hills, growing sweatier. By the time he had lost count of the hills he had climbed and gone down from, he saw another hill before him. Without hesitating, Juho headed up.

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of steep.¡±

    He moved slowly. The peak of the hill was pointing toward the sky. Then, he saw a person, a mother with a stroller with her baby inside.

    ¡°They must havee out for a walk too.¡±

    He looked at the houses that were facing one another between the hills. He couldn¡¯t remember exactly from when, but it was definitely one of the older memories. It had been either really hot or really cold, but the only thing left in that fragment of memory was a voice.

    ¡°I heard it around here somewhere.¡±

    The voice of a mother hade through the wall of the residential area. There had also been the sound of a baby crying. It had been weeping in sorrow while the mother shouted, ¡°I¡¯m so, so sick of this! I¡¯ve had it!¡±

    ¡°Had she been saying that to her baby?¡±

    To that day, he didn¡¯t know what the mother was getting sick of. Only, he vividly remembered her voice echoing throughout the hills. As he wondered if he¡¯d hear that voice again, he climbed the hill. After looking at the houses, he looked ahead. There was a strollering down the hill.

    A scream followed.

 Chapter 49 - The Sound of a Crying Baby

    <h4>Chapter 49: The Sound of a Crying Baby</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor:</strong> ShawnSuh | <strong>Editor:</strong> SootyOwl</h4>

    Somebody was shouting.

    Juho was looking at the stroller that was stilling down the hill. A strollering down a hill was not a problem in and of itself. However, this was different. A stroller was rushing down the hill on its own, away from someone.

    No one was holding the stroller¡¯s handlebar. No one was around the baby. The stroller was plunging down the hill, and with an ominous sound, it finally fell.

    ¡®Thud.¡¯

    It was hard to tell if the sound hade from the stroller or from his heart. Thud. The stroller that had been plunging down the hill toward Juho had suddenly changed its course toward the right. There was a wall there, and the stroller didn¡¯t seem sturdy enough to protect the baby from the cold concrete wall.

    ¡®I hear it.¡¯

    At that moment, he had heard the sound of the baby. It hadn¡¯t been the sound he remembered. The baby inside the stroller had been wailing. He saw the baby¡¯s red lips through the stroller¡¯s translucent cover.

    He had run towards it without hesitation, getting closer to the baby. However, he wasn¡¯t fast enough. He had to be faster or he wouldn¡¯t be able to save the baby. At that rate, the stroller would ram into the wall. The sound of the baby¡¯s wail distracted him.

    ¡®Who was screaming earlier? It was probably the mother,¡¯ he thought. Her scream ovepped with the voice in his memory. ¡°I¡¯m so sick of this!¡± His heart was pounding. ¡®What if the baby gets killed? What if the stroller rams into that rock solid wall?¡¯

    ¡°Get the stroller!¡±

    He recognized the words that jumped out of his mouth. ¡°Get it!¡± Who was he shouting to? He saw the baby¡¯s hands reaching towards the sky and lept. He fell on his side, holding the stroller. Then, he felt a strong impact against his back.

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    ¡°Wah! Wah!¡±

    He felt dizzy and he was breathing raggedly. His heart was pounding, but he heard a cry.

    ¡®A cry. The baby¡¯s alive. The baby¡¯s not dead.¡¯

    He picked up the stroller. The baby was covered in a bundle of cloth, and there were no apparent injuries.

    ¡°My baby!¡±

    The mother rushed down the hill toward the baby, who was still wailing. Juho leaned against the wall and copsed.

    ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. The stroller fell. You should go to the hospital to make sure the baby¡¯s OK.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course. Thank you. Goodness, I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±

    He heard her thanks from the distance. His ears were ringing. It almost felt like he was under water, and he felt sluggish. When he snapped out of it, both the mother and the baby were gone, and he was standing on an empty hill by himself in a dazed state.

    ¡°I wonder... if the baby¡¯s going to be OK.¡±

    He looked at his hand. It was bleeding. The small wound was throbbing painfully. His palm started to heat up. It was slightly itchy and painful at the same time.

    Soon and slowly, he went on his way, his pace picking up gradually. ¡®I must write!¡¯ His mindmanded him, ¡®You must write, now!¡¯

    He looked through his pockets, but there was nothing. No pen, nor paper.

    He looked around. There was no paper, anywhere. ¡®I have to write before this feeling fades away.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t find the tools he needed and clenched his hands into fists. The wound was still throbbing.

    He ran through the hills with every bit of strength he had, up and down.

    Gasps of warm air came out of his mouth.

    ¡®I have to go write. I have to write out what I¡¯m feeling. I have to start my story while this feeling is still fresh. I have to write it out while it¡¯s still raw, before I start trimming it with rationales. I have to embody this feeling in my writing.¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    He tripped on a rock on the ground, but thankfully, he didn¡¯t fall. Juho restored his bnce and continued running as fast as he could. Doing all of that just to write.

    He was running out of breath and he felt water going into his nose. The water that surrounded that world was going into his body. The screams of the mother were still lingering in his ears. The fear of death was still raw in his mind. The wailing of the baby was still haunting him.

    He finally arrived home and mmed the door open, taking his shoes off in a hurry and running into his room. ¡®Pencil, pen, it doesn¡¯t matter. Paper, paper, paper. Quickly, fast!¡¯

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    Juho swallowed anxiously. His mouth was dry. He needed to drink something. There was a water, a deep ocean, and he had to pull what he was looking for out of that it. He had to dredge it out. It had toe up nearly to the surface.

    ¡°Mother, baby, wailing, distance, death, wall, scream, hills.¡±

    ¡®It needs to be more specific.¡¯

    ¡°The mother looked young. She had a mole... two moles under her eye. She was red around her eyes and so were her eyes. Her hair was short, and she didn¡¯t wear any makeup. She was panting. Her chest was moving up and down. Her hands were shaking like her voice. She was wearing a navy blue shirt with blue jeans and sandals. Her lips were dry, and her tongue was red.¡±

    ¡®More.¡¯

    ¡°What about the hill? There were six telephone poles. There were also red bricks, a gray wall and the asphalt. Residential area. It wouldn¡¯t have been weird if somebody had been watching. It wouldn¡¯t have been weird to take notice after hearing either the baby or the mother.¡±

    It was exactly like how he remembered. He might not have been the only person who heard the scream. Of course, the people in that neighborhood probably heard it too, even if they had covered their ears. That¡¯s sound. One can¡¯t simply ignore it because he or she doesn¡¯t want to hear it. It¡¯s not like eyes. The ears listen until the very end.

    ¡°A little more, just a little more.¡±

    He moved his hand frantically. A trail of blood followed his pen.

    *

    When she came home from work, she realized that all of the lights in the living room were switched off. ¡®Juho must be home by now.¡¯ She walked in as she switched on the lights.

    ¡°Son?¡± she called for Juho. There was no response. ¡®Did he go somewhere?¡¯ After moving the groceries to the kitchen, she looked around the living room. Then, she saw that the door to Juho¡¯s room was slightly ajar and heard him in his room.

    She opened the door.

    ¡°Oh my goodness...!¡±

    Juho was in his room. He had grown much more mature as ofte and he was the genius author, the talk of the town. She had been d at first, but as time went on, her concerns grew with his fame. Even after more than forty years, there were still countless things to be learned. She wasn¡¯t sure of what to do. She didn¡¯t know what to tell her son as a person who lead an ordinary life. Thankfully, her proud son had been doing well on his own.

    Now, he was trying to do something. As his mother, she was able to tell on instinct. Without even sitting on a chair, he was writing on his knees on the floor, surrounded by pages and pages of paper while pouring out his inspiration like water.

    Being careful not to make a sound, she backed out slowly. She wasn¡¯t sure of what he was up to, but of one thing she was certain, ¡®I can¡¯t disturb him. I can¡¯t disturb my son.¡¯

    ¡°Keep it up, son,¡± she rooted quietly for him as she sat on a chair in the kitchen.

    *

    Juho left for school, struggling to massage his burning back. In the morning, his mother had seen the scattered mess in his room and pped him on the back. ¡°Clean your room!¡± she¡¯d yelled.

    ¡°Yawn!¡±

    On the hand covering his mouth, there was a bandage wrapped around it, and he was startled by the blood on his pen.

    His eyelids felt heavy from writing into the morning. Though it hadn¡¯t been refined, he tried moving around bits and pieces of his story. As a consequence of that, he was going to school with hardly any sleep and he might as well give up trying to stay awake for his sses. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, teachers.¡±

    ¡°Hey... What¡¯s with your face?¡± As he was passing through the gate, a voice called for him from behind. He turned around and saw Seo Kwang waving at him. He had asked, surprised by Juho¡¯s appearance.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get a lot of sleepst night.¡±

    ¡°My friend, need I remind you that sharing is caring?¡± though Juho had already exined, Seo Kwang asked insistently.

    ¡°What do you mean, where? We¡¯re at school.¡±

    Like the vigorous youth they were, they were boisterous from the morning, but Juho went to the ss with his eyes closed halfway.

    ¡°Hey, wake up.¡±

    As expected, he¡¯d slept through the morning sses. He raised his head at the sound of Seo Kwang¡¯s voice. It was hard to wake up. As he slowly bobbed his head up and down, Seo Kwang said, ¡°Go wash your face or something. Make sure to tell me the website before you go.¡±

    ¡°Being a student is exhausting.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? Nothing¡¯s easy in this world.¡±

    Juho rubbed his face to force himself awake. His body felt stiff from leaning onto the desk all morning. Then, he stood up and opened the window, but the breeze wasn¡¯t cold enough to wake him up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go eat, I¡¯m starving.¡±

    ¡®Yeah, I should eat.¡¯ He stood up and asked, ¡°Sun Hwa and Bom are joining us for lunch, right?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯rete and get in trouble, I¡¯m not going to take responsibility for your decisions.¡±

    ¡°Is it thatte?¡±

    ¡°Well, not enough to be scolded by Sun Hwa.¡±

    The two headed for the cafeteria and saw Sun Hwa and Bom waiting for them in the distance.

    Just as Seo Kwang had said, Sun Hwa didn¡¯t look very happy. Bom was next to her, busy trying to calm her down.

    ¡°You two! Why are you sote? Do you have any idea how important a meal is to a student? I¡¯m not rushing here for no reason, you know.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. We¡¯rete because somebody wouldn¡¯t wake up.¡±

    Seo Kwang naturally shifted the me onto Juho. It was true, however, so there wasn¡¯t much else to be said.

    ¡°Sun Hwa, we should go in before it getste.¡±

    ¡°Juho Woo, if they served something good for lunch today, you¡¯re a dead man.¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    ¡°Stopughing! I¡¯m trying to stay mad here.¡±

    The four went into the cafeteria. Thankfully, the daily menu hadn¡¯t been very special, and there were plenty of seats since a good number of kids had already left.

    ¡°Lunch isn¡¯t very good today,¡± Sun Hwained.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Bom agreed with her.

    ¡®At least there are some solid chunks in there,¡¯ Juho thought as he looked at his bowl of soup. There were pieces of mushroom and tofu floating around.

    Thinking back to the time he had wandered about the soup kitchen, this was more than enough to be thankful for, so he put the food in his mouth withoutining.

    ¡°So why are youte?¡± Sun Hwa asked. She seemed displeased for some reason.

    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s her lunch... but then, she would¡¯ve had the same expression even if the lunch was delicious.¡¯

    ¡°I was having trouble waking up.¡±

    ¡°What were you doing at night staying up?¡±

    He thought about her question, ¡®How do I exin this?¡¯

    Juho had written throughout the night. He¡¯d started writing because he¡¯d ran into various sources of inspiration when he had gone out for a walk. He had gone for a walk because...

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get the award,¡± Juho answered as he reached for a side dish. He regretted not finishing hisposition at thepetition.

 Chapter 50 - The First Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 50: The First Encounter</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor:</strong> ShawnSuh | <strong>Editor:</strong> SootyOwl</h4>

    At Juho¡¯s ambivalence, Seo Kwang asked as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard, ¡°What? Why? Who were the judges? Whichpetition were you part of again? You of all people though? You?¡±

    ¡°Hey, man. There¡¯s no need to be so nosy.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that... of all people...¡±

    Sun Hwa red at him, and Juho exined while Seo Kwang still wore a puzzled look on his face, ¡°I just didn¡¯t have enough time.¡±

    Then, he put the spoonful of food in his mouth. For some reason, nobody was talking. He picked up a piece of kimchi from the tray and brought it to his mouth. ¡®Crunch. Crunch.¡¯ There was nothing but the sound of chewing for a while.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Juho looked around at the prolonged silence. Sun Hwa was there with a slightly awkward look while Seo Kwang was still murmuring.

    ¡®Aha!¡¯

    Then, he understood the situation.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Really. I did get something good out of it.¡±

    ¡°OK...¡±

    For some reason, the response was still lukewarm.

    ¡®I can¡¯t think of a way to exin this. I¡¯ll just leave ¡¯em be for now,¡¯ he thought as he chewed his food.

    ¡ª

    The next morning, he found a ck stic bag full of snacks on top of his desk. When he picked it up, he found aic book underneath.

    ¡°The heroic story of a protagonist who ovees the trials of his past.¡±

    That¡¯s what was written on the back of the book. He started reading it, and it was actually not bad.

    Soon, Seo Kwang arrived. Instead of a bag full of something, he had brought a bag full of questions, and Juho answered them light-heartedly, saying, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I wrote the rest at home. I wasn¡¯t even interested in the award anyway.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Let me read it!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where I put it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll find it. When are you free today? Can Ie over?¡±

    ¡°Uh, no. Not for a while.¡±

    ¡®I have ideas for my next book in my room. If he sees it, he might find out that I¡¯m Yun Woo. This guy¡¯s quick when ites to reading and writing.¡±

    He added as Seo Kwang was still in shock, ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to youter.¡±

    ¡°You promise?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Afterforting Seo Kwang, he smiled as he looked at theic book and the bag full of snacks. His friends were unstoppable.

    ¡°I should share this with the rest of the club members.¡±

    Having read through theic book between sses, he had a lively conversation about it with Sun Hwa. He had to spend significantly more time listening to her, but nevertheless, it was a fun time.

    ¡°I¡¯m home.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m actually on my way out, so you¡¯ll have to eat dinner on your own. Don¡¯t forget the fruit!¡±

    ¡°OK. Be safe.¡±

    When he got home, Juho changed out of his school uniform and sat himself in front of his desk with a cup of water. There were untidy stacks of paper to the side.

    He was somewhat afraid to reach for them. ¡®This is going to be hard to read. It¡¯s going to be all over the ce.¡¯ Aposition written in the midst of an intense emotional experience was usually difficult to readter.

    Still, he had to choose. He had to pick out bits and pieces to knit it into a story. He had to reach for a lump of y that barely held its shape. He had to cut and trip to make something out of it, whether it was a person or an animal.

    He leaned against the backrest and slowly rxed his body, trying to rey the events in his head.

    ¡®There was a mother and her child. Daughter? Son? I can¡¯t know yet.¡¯ A doll without any facial features came to mind. It was wearing a name tag that read ¡®mom.¡¯ Juho approached her.

    ¡®The mother loses her grip on the stroller. The stroller rushes down the steep hill.¡¯ When he saw that, he became curious about the expression on her face, so he turned around and looked at her.

    The woman without eyes, nose or mouth looked around as she recognized him staring at her.

    He tried to talk to her.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to go after the stroller?¡±

    The doll didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Your baby is in there.¡±

    She still didn¡¯t respond. Only, her stomach was slightly bloated. She was breathing in.

    ¡°Your child is in danger.¡±

    The cloth on the doll puffed up. Air was trying to escape.

    ¡°Your baby might die.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    The doll suddenly had a mouth but still no eyes or nose. Her dry lips moved about with her red tongue, ¡°Ah. Ah.¡±

    ¡°Look, the stroller fell.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°Can you hear the wailing?¡±

    The mouth that opened was now splitting sideways. ¡°Ee. Ee.¡± The wind blew through the gap. ¡°Ah. Ee,¡± that was all she had said so far.

    ¡°Can you enunciate so that I can hear you better?¡±

    ¡°Ah. Ee.¡±

    ¡°Speak louder. Move your mouth more.¡±

    ¡°Ee. Ee. Ee.¡±

    ¡°She sounds like a broken cassette yer,¡± he murmured in frustration.

    Although her mouth was the only feature on her face, she still couldn¡¯t say anything. Juho was growing impatient and anxious at the eerie sight. He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. He couldn¡¯t afford to overthink things.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait here, so tell me.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Eu. Ee,¡± she moaned with her long, thin lips.

    He carefully observed her face. It wasn¡¯t easy to look for an expression in a face without eyes or nose. Still, he kept his eyes fixed on her.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    The shape of her mouth didn¡¯t change, ¡°Ee. Ee.¡±

    ¡°How did you feel when you found me?¡±

    Her lips got even thinner.

    ¡°I could¡¯ve been too slow.¡±

    They kept getting thinner.

    ¡°You said you¡¯re sick of something.¡±

    Her stomach puffed up. It bulged out more than her breasts.

    ¡°Hee.¡±

    Her bloated stomach sank back to its ce, and he felt her breath on his cheek. He saw her teeth between her rolled up lips. He saw her tongue. It was all red.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been smiling.¡±

    Juho smiled with her.

    Slowly, he walked away from her. He wanted to hear more, but he had to stop for the day.

    ¡®Tap.¡¯

    A small, hail-like thing fell from the sky. It was a piece of debris of some sort. Then, it started pouring like rain, but what fell cracked like it had been shattered.

    ¡°I¡¯lle back another time,¡± with those words, he opened his eyes. He couldn¡¯t remember how long he had been keeping his eyes closed. As he sat there exhausted, Juho felt something wet on his feet.

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    The ss of water had fallen on the floor. Thankfully, none of the pages were wet. It had been a good thing that he had kept the ss on the desk, so that he could ¡°clean¡± his room. ¡®Well, I guess the adults want us kids to listen to them for a reason,¡¯ he thought.

    Mother.

    There were countless mothers in that world. A woman who delivered life, and then the life that was bound to fade away.

    After staring up at the ceiling for some time, Juho reached for his pen.

    In the end, he didn¡¯t clean the water until it was close to dawn.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Alright, eyes on the board.¡±

    Math ss.

    As he scratched his eyes, he took out a small notepad from his pocket. Juho had bought one after the incident at the hillside, and it was small enough to be portable.

    He had tried writing out his story in a notepad. Looking at the scattered fragments of the story, he thought, ¡°It¡¯s not enough.¡±

    Itcked too many things, much like the faceless woman.

    Meeting a character had always been exhausting. Whenever Juho started a conversation, they answered honestly. Of course, the woman had just started talking, but she was incapable of saying words or sentences.

    It was a proof that her character hadn¡¯t been fully formed yet.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll look more like a person the next time I see her.¡¯

    Once again, he organized what he had written on his notebook.

    There were plot holes throughout. Whether it was a person or an event, he needed raw material in order to fill those holes. Juho tried to imagine the forting path of the protagonist and looked around to see what he could find, but the fog was too thick. He couldn¡¯t see anything.

    Yet, there was one thing he wanted. He wanted something that would work in contrast with the dark overall tone of the story. He was looking for something that stood out at a glimpse, yet stayed consistent with the rest on the inside.

    The issue was that he had no idea where he could find such a thing. He tried searching through his thoughts. There were passing images, but nothing popped out.

    He needed something veiled and somewhat discreet. ¡®Inner thoughts, feebleness, hesitation. What surrounds these words?¡¯

    ¡°So if you substitute this part with 1...¡±

    He was getting too sleepy. Juho tried to shake his head as hard as he could, but he couldn¡¯t resist his heavy eyelids.

    Considering he had been up almost all night, how sleepy he was made perfect sense. Having two jobs was not easy.

    ¡°Therefore, we can infer the solution through this process.¡±

    ¡°Yawn,¡± Juho yawned once again. He tried to stay awake as he wiped the tears that oozed out of his eyes, but it was no use. ¡®I gotta get some shut-eye. I¡¯m sure Seo Kwang will wake me up. I¡¯m sorry, teac...¡¯

    The math teacher¡¯s voice slowly faded away. His head fell lower and lower, and he didn¡¯t fight to stay awake this time.

    After sleeping through his afternoon sses, he barely woke up and walked over to the science room. With Seo Kwang nagging him to wake up, he opened the door. Sun Hwa and Bom were already there.

    ¡°Hey,¡± they greeted like usual.

    There was nothing different except for the coldness in the air. After staring at the two for some time, Juho opened his mouth, ¡°I¡¯m asking just in case.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Did you guys get into an argument?¡±

    There was a visceral response from Sun Hwa and Bom, but it wasn¡¯t until after a few secondster that they denied him.

    ¡°Yep, they did,¡± Seo Kwang murmured.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Juho knew their answers weren¡¯t entirely sincere.

    He was incredibly surprised to learn that they had fought. There was a crack to their already-fragile friendship. Though they were pretending to be OK, a rtionship leaning one direction was susceptible to fall apart.

    The two were not on good terms. ¡®Was that a good thing or a bad thing?¡¯ He felt an itch at the end of his fingertips and decided to learn more about what had happened.

    But before he could say anything, at that moment, the door slid open. It was Baron. Though they greeted one another like usual, he had to have noticed the coldness in the air also because he also looked at the two girls and asked, ¡°Did you two fight?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Sun Hwa answered. However, no one believed her. The tension was apparent even at a nce. They were usually talking andughing together, but this time, neither was saying a word.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re being honest.¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t fight,¡± Bom answered, but her expression was saying otherwise. It was obvious something had happened.

    Then, Mr. Moon walked in, and he too asked the same question as the others, ¡°Did you two fight?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Bom answered again.

    Mr. Moon looked at the two girls briefly and added, ¡°If you¡¯re interested in applying for an essay contest,e find me in the staffroom. Juho and Baron, if there¡¯s another contest you¡¯d like to be a part of,e see me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    Even as the rest of the club members answered, Juho couldn¡¯t open his mouth. Seo Kwang started poking his side, wanting for an exnation, but Juho wasn¡¯t sure what to tell him.

 Chapter 51 - Myself, Others, and My Friend (1)

    Chapter 51: Chapter 51 ¨C Myself, Others, and My Friend (1)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh Edited by: SootyOwl

    Seeing Juho showing no response, Seo Kwang whispered, ¡°What¡¯s with them? They were doing fine yesterday. It was almost like one couldn¡¯t live without the other. Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way you don¡¯t. Come on, fess up.¡±

    Sadly, Juho really didn¡¯t. He saw a river flowing between Sun Hwa and Bom. It was the distance between them. Bom was sitting anxiously, examining Sun Hwa¡¯s face, while Sun Hwa didn¡¯t even look in Bom¡¯s direction.

    He observed the two from time to time.

    *

    As usual, Sun Hwa was getting ready for ss. She sat in her seat and opened up her textbook. Like those of diligent students, its pages were filled with her notes. She believed that grades brought a certain image to a student. A student who had good grades would be seen as an exemry student. On top of that, if she were to pay even the slightest attention to her looks, she¡¯d be untouchable. Such a position actually existed within the boundaries of school, and Sun Hwa had always worked hard to keep herself in that spot.

    ¡°Hey, is she reading aic book?

    ¡°Seems like she is. What is she doing in the corner though?¡±

    ¡°Eh, let her be. Who knows?¡±

    The students in the ss whispered jeeringly. Quietly, Sun Hwa looked behind her. In the corner, there was a girl with a slightly messy appearance and aic book in her hand.

    ¡®That¡¯s it,¡¯ she thought.

    A student with a bad image was always treated poorly by her peers. There was a big contrast from the time Sun Hwa had brought heric books to school. They had joked around while taking turns to read them together then.

    Others may have poked fun at her for having a childish taste, but nobody looked at her loathingly. That was how much impact an image had on a female student. An image was made to be seen by others. After all, people weren¡¯t made to live in solitude. They had to live being mindful of how they appeared to the eyes of others, always.

    ¡°Hey, Sun Hwa, someone¡¯s looking for you,¡± said one of the girls who had been ndering the girl with theic book up to a moment ago.

    When she looked into the hallway, she saw Juho standing outside. She got up at once, feeling unpleasant being in that environment.

    Juho took her to the school yard. Apparently, he wanted to say something to her.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked grumpily as she sat down on a wooden bench outside.

    There were several benches in a small space under a tree in the schoolyard, and Juho sat on the innermost seat. In his hand, there were two beverages he had bought from the cafeteria.

    ¡°I wanted to say something really quick.¡±

    ¡°Is this a confession?¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    ¡°Are youughing at me!?¡±

    She sat next to him and took a beverage from his hand. She seemed certain that it was for her, and since she had guessed right, he didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t fight with Bom.¡±

    With those words, she chugged her beverage. He looked at her and said, ¡°I read your paper.¡±

    ¡°Pfff!¡±

    She spewed the beverage in her mouth out like a fountain. Fortunately, she hadn¡¯t been looking in Juho¡¯s direction, so there were no casualties. Instead, she left a dark stain on the ground.

    Before he had time to go look for tissues, she asked with a flustered voice while wiping her mouth with her hand,¡±Wh-what did you say you read?¡±

    ¡°Your paper. I found it in the science room. I couldn¡¯t help it.¡±

    ¡°Who do you think you are? Seo Kwang? Are you a print addict too? Do you read whatever you find?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I was too curious.¡±

    ¡®How are you so confident?¡¯ she looked at him in disbelief. It was a good thing that she didn¡¯t seem infuriated.

    ¡°I apologize,¡± he added.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not... Sigh,¡± she sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly in a ce to be saying things like this to you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Surprisingly, she wasn¡¯t as angry as he had been expecting. If anything, she seemed more anxious.

    ¡°How was it?¡± she asked for his evaluation.

    ¡®Is she worried about how others are evaluating her skill?¡¯ he thought. It hadn¡¯t been anything special, but he chose his words carefully.

    ¡°I enjoyed it. It was fun, wild, and it didn¡¯t beat around the bush.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Despite an answer that resembled apliment, she remained anxious. ¡®Why is she still anxious?¡¯ he wondered. Soon, he reached the answer. ¡°Did somebody tell you that you¡¯re bad at writing?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡®I knew it.¡¯ It was apparent. ¡®How did he know?¡¯ she thought as she looked at him. From a writer¡¯s perspective, it was a simple answer.

    ¡°Who? Was it Mr.Moon?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± She fiddled with the empty can in her hand. It was hard to see her face because of her hair, but she continued with a calm voice, ¡°In middle school, I used to love to write.¡±

    ¡°What aboutic books?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t into them back then.¡±

    ¡®Seo Kwang would¡¯ve jumped with joy. Who would¡¯ve thought she had been into literature at one point?¡¯

    ¡°When I finished a story for the first time, I showed it to my friends. I was so satisfied with how it had turned out. In my eyes, it was better than any book I¡¯d ever read.¡±

    ¡°But?¡±

    Her head dropped lower.

    ¡°Theyughed at me.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°I was so offended. I felt really, really awful. But you know what? Iughed with them. ¡®Hahaha. Right? It¡¯s funny right?¡¯ like that.¡±

    It must have left a dent in her pride. That was what it was like to be evaluated by others. There was cruelty to one¡¯s evaluation of herself not being in line with others¡¯ evaluation of her.

    ¡°That was the first time I¡¯d experienced something like that. I did well in school and my looks weren¡¯t half bad either, so I didn¡¯t have to worry about beingughed at.¡±

    It was her first time. That was why she had chosen to mimic her friends rather than being wise in the way she handled their criticism.

    ¡°That was it. I¡¯m not really traumatized or afraid of being around people. I just let it slide.¡±

    She had been doing well so far. Just like everyone else her age, she took exams and received her grades. Like she¡¯d said, she wasn¡¯t afraid of being around other people or lived with trauma. However, none of that meant that she wasn¡¯t hurt.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯vee to realize how much impact others around me have,¡± she said calmly. ¡°Since then, I¡¯ve distanced myself from reading.¡±

    ¡°So, that¡¯s how you got intoic books?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I borrowed one from a friend who was always getting picked on. Unlike her, I never got picked on.¡±

    He thought about the moment when he had visited her in ss. A lone girl and aic book in her hand. At once, he was able to picture her friend.

    There was always a loner in any ss. For the most part, ssrooms always looked the same.

    She wanted to redeem herself. She wanted to cover up her memory of beingughed at by her friends with something special and she desperately hid her wound.

    He opened his mouth as he looked at her and said, ¡°And now, you¡¯re writing again.¡±

    Once again, she had a pen in her hand. ¡®How did shee to decide to join the Literature Club?¡¯

    ¡°I met Bom. She¡¯s good withpliments. She tells me something positive no matter what I do. Whenever she is around, I feel safe to write. I actually was safe too,¡± she said.

    ¡®I see.¡¯ He understood their rtionship now. A girl who¡¯s in need ofpliments had met a friend who leaned on others around her. As long as sheplimented Sun Hwa, Bom could stay as her friend. As long as sheplimented Sun Hwa, it was OK for Bom to lean on her. Sun Hwa was like a flower that bloomed in May. It only bloomed when Bom came. (TL¡¯s note: Bom means Spring in Korean.) Then...

    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re keeping her around.¡±

    ¡°I can understand her.¡±

    At her answer, he remembered. She was supposed to be part of an essay contest with Bom. Sun Hwa had been the one who had suggested it. Whenever Bom asked her a question, she¡¯d always answer without hesitation.

    ¡°I know what it feels like to let people walk all over you,¡± she added.

    They were simr. They were both being swayed by one another.

    He looked up to the sky. A purple flower had fallen off a branch. Spring was over.

    The flower¡¯s stem on a wet, lonely branch almost looked like a bud.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the long face?¡±

    ¡°... I have indigestion from the fried chicken I had for getting an award. No matter how much I throw it up, it doesn¡¯t go away.¡±

    She sounded like she was suppressing her feelings. She knew Bom had let her win. A person who was exceptionally talented tended to get picked on by others. For that reason, Bom would never try to surpass Sun Hwa.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read her paper too. It was the day after I suggested applying to the same contest. That day, I was the first person to show up to the science room.¡±

    What she had said previously made sense. She had been in the same situation as Juho. Then, she had witnessed Bom¡¯s actual talent.

    She had been swayed by others before. She had stopped writing because of the harsh criticisms of her friends. The moment she read Bom¡¯s paper, she probably realized that Bom was just like her.

    Juho added, ¡°You¡¯re the ¡®others¡¯ in this case.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°This entire time, you two were being swayed by each other, AND others.¡±

    Sun Hwa and Bom were not friends after all. She clenched her teeth.

    ¡°This time, I¡¯m not going to join in with my friends when they¡¯reughing at me. I don¡¯t want to be like the punks that looked down on me,¡± she said. She hadughed with her friends who had beenughing at her. Then, she had stopped writing.

    On the other hand, Bom had been busy studying Sun Hwa. She wouldn¡¯t dare to write sincerely. They were very much alike.

    ¡°I suggested we apply for differentpetitions.¡±

    From the moment they started relying on one another, they would¡¯ve been apart for the first time. It was obvious how flustered Bom must have been.

    ¡°She was really flustered. She kept pretending that she didn¡¯t understand me, so I had to be direct with her.¡±

    ¡°What did you say to her?¡±

    ¡°To choose for herself.¡±

    That¡¯s why there had been tension between the two. Sun Hwa was wearing a gloomy expression, and Juho said, ¡°You did the right thing.¡±

    Regardless of the result, she had tried to be brave. She had tried to change, but it wasn¡¯t easy. Juho knew better than anybody else how difficult it was to change. Only, he thought it would¡¯ve been better if Sun Hwa had been more honest with Bom, ¡®I want to be friends with you.¡¯

    Her nose turned red.

    ¡°What if Bom doesn¡¯t like me anymore?¡±

    Her voice trembled.

    She may have been brave, but after all that, she was still a high school student. It would¡¯ve been challenging for her to handle a friendship that had gone sour. It must have been the same for Bom. When it came down to it, they were alike and in the same year.

    ¡®Is there nothing I can do?¡¯

    He raised his hand as he took out a notebook from his pocket. He had been forgetting about it for a moment. Then, he swung his hand and pped Sun Hwa¡¯s back.

    She snapped her head up to the sky.

    ¡°OW!¡±

    ¡°Wuss.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d you call me punk!?¡±

    He added as she fumed with anger, ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you wanted?¡±

    Just like that, she rubbed her back, which was throbbing in pain. He was right. Frankly, he wanted to do what he had just done to her to Bom. ¡®Stop being a wuss, and keep moving forward. Don¡¯t think about what others think of you. What are you afraid of? Face it head on.¡¯

    However, he couldn¡¯t say that to Bom when Sun Hwa was afraid of it herself. She wasn¡¯t in the position to be able to tell Bom what to do.

    ¡°Can I do it?¡±

    ¡°Ask yourself.¡±

    Sun Hwa hesitated and then clenched her hand into a fist.

    ¡°If I ask for help now, would I be relying on others still? Would I be repeating what I¡¯ve been doing?¡± she asked.

    Juho answered with a smile, ¡°Then let¡¯s try this.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you before you ask for help.¡±

    After a brief silence, Sun Hwa asked, ¡°Why?¡±

    There was raw emotion in her voice, and Juho answered her, ¡°I want us to have a drink together when we¡¯re older.¡±

 Chapter 52 - Myself, Others, and My Friend (2)>

    Chapter 52: Chapter 52 ¨C Myself, Others, and My Friend (2)>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh Edited by: SootyOwl

    After the conversation with Sun Hwa, Juho returned to ss. He had brought his half-empty bottle with him. After finishing what was left in the bottle, he went onto chat with Seo Kwang as usual and then went out to the hallway to take out the trash.

    As he walked through the empty hall with an empty bottle in his hand, he saw a familiar figure standing in front of the trash can. It was Bom.

    She was standing with an empty bag of chips in her hand, and she threw it into the trash can without a thought, not even bothering to separate the recybles.

    Juho said, ¡°That should go in the other can.¡±

    Bom jumped in her ce. If she were to receive help from others, she would have to maintain her image of an innocent, timid girl. So, she seemed nervous to be caught at a vulnerable moment.

    Juho pretended to have not seen her.

    ¡°It is confusing, especially things like stic.¡±

    ¡°Y-yeah. Are you here to take out the trash too?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    It was an obvious question, and he answered her by tossing the empty bottle into the trash can.

    ¡°Did you eat all that?¡±

    There were crumbs from different snacks. It seemed like a lot for her to be able to eat on her own.

    ¡°No. We all shared.¡±

    ¡°But howe you¡¯re the only person who¡¯s bringing all the trash? It was quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more convenient that way.¡±

    ¡°Sure, whatever you say,¡± Juho answered. Then, just as he did with Sun Hwa, he opened his big mouth, ¡°I read your paper. I¡¯m sorry I did it without your permission.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± She was flustered, but she didn¡¯t spit out liquid from her mouth like Sun Hwa had done. Bom blinked awkwardly for a brief moment and then continued with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s OK. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem angry.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t angry. She didn¡¯t seem to have taken offense, not one bit.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be angry over.¡±

    ¡°Good to hear. Well, you¡¯re a good writer.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? I didn¡¯t feel very confident.¡±

    At hispliment, she backed off as usual.

    ¡°Sun Hwa¡¯s paper was good too, but I liked your descriptions in particr.¡±

    ¡°I see. Um... Should we get going? The bell¡¯s about to ring any minute now,¡± she quickly changed the subject in case Juho was saying that her paper was better than Sun Hwa¡¯s.

    A talented person tended to be the target of envy and jealousy.

    Juho said, ¡°I¡¯m a good writer myself.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    As if she didn¡¯t understand him, she looked up to his face.

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that you don¡¯t have to worry about me being jealous of your skills. I¡¯m a good writer myself.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re brimming with confidence, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Did I sound like Sun Hwa?¡±

    ¡°A little bit,¡± Bom answered with a relieved look.

    ¡°Do you have time on the weekends?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to shop for some clothes, but I don¡¯t know the trends.¡±

    ¡°Clothes? Um... I don¡¯t really know what guys like either...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll call Sun Hwa too.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    She hesitated, and he asked her, ¡°Did you guys fight?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve never fought with her. Not once.¡±

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s the problem? I¡¯ll help if there is one.¡±

    Her face brightened up at the word ¡®help.¡¯ She still wanted her rtionship with Sun Hwa to return to how it was before.

    ¡°OK...¡± she finally epted.

    After agreeing on a time and a ce, they each went their separate ways.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    That day, while waiting at a bus stop, Juho waved his hands at the familiar figure in the distance. Though she wasn¡¯tte, she started running as soon as she realized that he¡¯d beat her to it. She looked guilty as if making a person wait for her was a grave sin.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I thought I was early.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you¡¯re not evente.¡±

    ¡°Still. Have you been waiting a long time?¡±

    ¡°Eh, maybe five minutes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    She kept apologizing. By then, he thought it would be good to change the subject. The longer they talked about that, the more she was going to apologize.

    ¡°The bus ising.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but where¡¯s Sun Hwa?¡± she asked about her as she looked around.

    ¡°She¡¯s not here,¡± Juho said calmly. At his response, Bom stopped looking around and gave him a bbergasted look.

    ¡°...What?¡±

    ¡°She said she¡¯d give me a call when she was done shopping. Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡±

    ¡°But... I know nothing about fashion trends...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. It¡¯s my clothes, so I¡¯ll make the decisions. I¡¯ll just ask for your opinion from time to time.¡±

    The two got on the bus and sat next to each other in the back. It headed downtown.

    From the time the bus took off and even after it had driven past several stops, the two didn¡¯t say anything to each other. Juho cracked opened the window, and a gust of wind rushed in.

    As he watched the passing scenery, he said, ¡°So, when you shop for clothes...¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    She had been sitting quietly until he suddenly started talking and she sat up at once to listen to him. He continued as he looked ahead, ¡°Do you tend to buy what you like or what suits you?¡±

    ¡°Me? Um... probably thetter?¡±

    She didn¡¯t sound confident in her answer, and he asked her why. She hesitated while studying his face. Bom seemed anxious about their opinions not lining up.

    ¡°Well... if I buy clothes that suit me, I don¡¯t have to worry about regretting my decisionter.¡±

    ¡°Do you usually regret if you end up buying clothes that you like?

    ¡°Not necessarily, but if they don¡¯t suit me, it¡¯d be embarrassing if somebody pointed it out to me.¡±

    ¡°So, you give up on the clothes that you like?¡±

    ¡°Is that how it works? I¡¯m not sure anymore.¡±

    He whispered as he kept his eyes on the passing scenery, ¡°I think you¡¯ll always regret something, no matter what.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Still, it¡¯s human nature to want to prevent it from happening.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I agree. I hate it.¡±

    Having been hesitant so far, she nodded.

    Their conversation stopped for a brief moment, and he turned his head towards the window. Nobody wanted to regret. Yet, everyone had regrets at some point. Before long, one¡¯s body would start to tense up as soon as they thought about their regret. Fear had always been lurking just below the surface, telling that they would never reach a favorable oue no matter what they did.

    Writing was just the same way.

    ¡®Maybe that one vocabry could¡¯ve been better.¡¯ ¡®Wouldn¡¯t this sentence get in the way of the flow?¡¯ ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it have been better altogether if I had written it from a different perspective with a different protagonist? Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if another writer had written about the same thing?¡¯

    As soon as those thoughts entered a writer¡¯s mind, he wouldn¡¯t be able to write a single word and he would develop a sudden urge to hand over his pen to another person.

    Yet, he couldn¡¯t let go. So, the only thing left to do was...

    ¡°Next stop...¡± a voice came from the speaker within the bus. Then, suddenly, the bus shook as it went over a bump.

    ¡°Well, in that case, I guess there¡¯s no point in worrying ahead of time.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Your clothes. I was worried if I¡¯d know what I was picking.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ll do fine too.¡±

    Bom smiled at Juho agreeing with her. He had already gotten used to her smile. She was the only person who responded in such friendly manner.

    If he had been with Sun Hwa or Seo Kwang, they would¡¯ve sneered at him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get off the bus.¡±

    The two arrived at the shopping district. Countless clothing stores were lined up on the street, one after another. There were also a lot of people walking through the district. Everyone had to have been out for the weekend. When Juho and Bom were jostled into a random clothing store, there weren¡¯t nearly as many people. Though it might not have been a good thing for the shop owner, it was good for the them because it would allow them to shop in peace.

    Inside, Juho slowly looked around the the store. The entire ce was covered in clothes. From the counter, the owner who looked to be middle-age said with her nasally voice, ¡°Please let me know if you need any help.¡±

    As he looked around the T-shirt section, he picked out a shirt and held it in front of himself.

    ¡°How does this look?¡±

    ¡°Hm, it looks good,¡± she answered with a smile.

    Then, he picked up another shirt next to it and asked, ¡°What about this one?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that too.¡±

    ¡°How about... this one?¡±

    ¡°Th-that one looks good too.¡±

    She¡¯d never say it with her own lips if a shirt didn¡¯t suit him.

    So, he said with a slightly concerned tone of voice, ¡°I can¡¯t possibly afford all these T-shirts.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know too much about fashion... I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Juho had heard her say that several times now. Still, he didn¡¯t stop asking for her opinion. Inevitably, the amount of time spent in the shop was getting longer. Red, blue, green, white, and ck, even when he had picked a shirt with bizarre patterns, her answers had always been positive. It wasn¡¯tpletely unexpected.

    He asked, ¡°Are you getting tired?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m doing OK.¡±

    ¡°Well, I am.¡± Bom became flustered at his words, and Juho continued, ¡°Still, I don¡¯t want to live butt naked, so I guess I¡¯ll just have to suck it up. I¡¯ll just have to pick something.¡±

    With those words, he looked at the two shirts in his hands. Whether he liked them or not, he had to wear something. Soon, he took both shirts and hung them back where they had been. Bom gave him a confused look. She had been expecting him to pick one of the two.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± he called for the owner, and she quickly walked toward him in short steps.

    ¡°How can I help you?¡±

    ¡°I would like to take a look at the red hat over there.¡±

    ¡°A hat?¡± Bom whispered curiously.

    The three looked up simultaneously. There was a hat hanging from the ceiling. It was as red as the tip of Sun Hwa¡¯s nose when she had that personal conversation with Juho.

    The owner took the hat out with a hook and lowered it to Juho. He stood in front of a mirror and tried it on.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Um... Hm.¡±

    Bom contemted while looking at his back. Frankly, it looked quite tacky, but there was no way she could¡¯ve said that out loud. Finally, as she gathered up the courage to speak her mind, the owner said, ¡°Oh my! Young man, even my husband wouldn¡¯t wear that. Pick something else. I¡¯ll give you a discount.¡±

    ¡°Really? Howe?¡±

    ¡°It looks like you smothered it with red pepper paste!¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡± heughed off her joke peacefully.

    Meanwhile, Bom questioned in her mind if the owner was intending on even selling the hat, ¡®How could she describe something she was selling as something like red pepper paste?¡¯

    What was more surprising, was Juho¡¯s response to it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take this one. Could you give me a decent price on it?¡±

    ¡°Goodness, you mean it? Why don¡¯t you try the pink one before you make up your mind?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take this.¡±

    ¡°OK, if you say so. I know the color¡¯s a little funky, but the hat¡¯s still made of decent material. I¡¯ll give you a good deal.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    The owner had changed her tone already. Perhaps, she didn¡¯t want her customer to regret his decision after he walked out of the store. Bom didn¡¯t say anything while Juho was paying for the hat. After he put the hat on, they walked out the store together.

    ¡°How do I look?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Does it suit my style?¡±

    ¡°Um... Yeah.¡±

    Even though she gave him a positive answer, it was obvious that she hadn¡¯t meant it. Yet, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from speaking affirming words. It had already be a habit.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. This looks tacky as heck, even for my eyes.¡±

    ¡°Then, don¡¯t ask.¡±

    She was taken aback by the words that she had just blurted out. She had spoken out of annoyance before she even had time to think. It could have been that she was growing tired of series of questions Juho had been asking her. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have done that. What do I do now?¡¯ She looked at him anxiously.

    ¡°Should we get some ice cream?¡± he said. He didn¡¯t even mind.

 Chapter 53 - Myself, Others, and My Friend (3)

    <h4>Chapter 53: Myself, Others, and My Friend (3)</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor:</strong> ShawnSuh | <strong>Editor:</strong> SootyOwl</h4>

    ¡°Do you want to go get some ice cream?¡± Juho asked.

    Though Bom had nodded on impulse. Internally, she felt relieved. There were a lot of people on the street, and it was quite busy. His calm answer had also given her the impression that he hadn¡¯t caught onto her annoyance.

    Juho went into a convenience store to buy ice creams and said, ¡°I wanted to make it up to you for annoying you earlier.¡±

    He had heard her. Without a word, she dropped her head. She had shown her bad side again. ¡®I can¡¯t keep doing this,¡¯ she thought. She started to feel nauseous again. Despite his peaceful look, it was a lot harder for her to keep calm around him for some reason.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little dizzy. Maybe there are too many people around.¡±

    ¡°Then, we should go somewhere quieter.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    There had been nothing but lies whenever she opened her mouth, so she clogged her mouth with her ice cream. Its sweetness spread through her tongue.

    By the time they finished their ice cream, they reached a yground, and Juho pointed toward it.

    ¡°Should we take a five?¡± he said.

    ¡°Sure. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been to a yground.¡±

    They each sat on a swing. Compared to Bom, who was barely moving, Juho was swinging himself back and forth. Her head turned left and right as it tracked him. Whenever he swung past her, a wind blew by.

    ¡°You¡¯re good,¡± sheplimented him. Again, it was out of habit.

    ¡°You can be too, if you move your feet a little more.¡±

    She only smiled.

    ¡°You want to, huh?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    A wind blew. It felt warmer this time. It had felt like spring not too long ago, but ¡°spring¡± really was weak. (TL¡¯s note: again, ¡°Bom¡± means spring.)

    Bom looked at Juho. Frankly, she had been curious as to why he had wanted her toe along. If he had wanted to go shopping for clothes, it would¡¯ve been better to bring Seo Kwang or Baron along. There had to be a reason for bringing her of all people. There had to be a reason as to why he even brought up Sun Hwa.

    He gradually slowed down until he eventually stopped swinging.

    As soon as he opened his mouth, Bom felt something. That air, it almost felt like something wasing to an end, like a season.

    ¡°You have apetition that you want to be part of, right?¡± he said calmly. ¡°You wanted to transcribe a different book too.¡±

    With his rxed voice, he was bringing spring to an end.

    ¡°You could¡¯ve done a lot better in the school essay contest, and I know you don¡¯t want to be the one who cleans up other people¡¯s trash,¡± he added as he looked at Bom wearing a stiff expression.

    ¡°And I know how ridiculous this hat looks.¡±

    ¡®He¡¯s sharp,¡¯ she thought. Because she cared so much about what other people thought of her, she was able to catch on quickly. He had already figured her out and he must have figured out the awkward distance between her and Sun Hwa.

    For that reason, she decided to confess. ¡°I¡¯m used to it,¡± she said with a rather calm voice.

    ¡°What are you used to?¡±

    ¡°Not doing what I want.¡±

    She was used to being self-conscious and picking up trash that others had left.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really have a reason. It¡¯s just... I saw the adults, and I saw how this world operated. Eventually, I came to think that others were more important than myself. I¡¯m weak, so I wouldn¡¯t be able to survive if I were to be left alone. So naturally, I¡¯ve been relying on others around me.¡±

    She smiled as if she were mocking herself, then she added, ¡°Have you read a book called ¡®The Trace of a Bird?¡¯¡±

    He nodded slowly.

    ¡°The protagonist is afraid of the birds, so he hides himself in the dark, into the night. He gives up being in the sun and opens his eyes at night when there are no birds around.¡±

    Her expression grew darker. She seemed like she was reminiscing about something.

    ¡°I felt terrified. It¡¯s a scary book. It reminded me of how cruel a choice can be. I have neither the courage to live through the night nor the will to ovee my fears. I don¡¯t have what it takes.¡±

    To make a choice also meant giving something up. By choosing to rely on others, she had given up on her own preferences.

    Then, he thought about what she had given up by choosing to run away. He thought of the purple flower he had seen at the school some time before ¨C Bom and Sun Hwa.

    ¡°You chose to be a stranger to Sun Hwa.¡±

    ¡°... I wasn¡¯t intending to.¡±

    They were not friends. They had been using each other like tools. It was easy to treat someone as if they were not a person. All Bom had to do to ovee that was think about herself again. Although a person might have a chance of making friends with animals, she couldn¡¯t do that with tools. After all, a tool¡¯s only purpose was to be used. If it lost its use, it had to be thrown out.

    Most likely, they were both unaware of the meaning behind the choices they had made.

    ¡°But look at how things turned out in the end. Running away is a choice, which means choosing to rely on others is also a choice. In the end, you¡¯re responsible for the choices you make.¡±

    Now, Juho was there to help her. If she didn¡¯t have the courage or will to survive, all she had to do was borrow it from someone, like an inspiration. After all, people weren¡¯t made to live in solitude.

    Bom said with a depressed look, ¡°Why must I do that? I just want to be left alone.¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s your life. No one can live your life for you, not even Mr. Moon.¡±

    Bom bit her lips. Then, she answered with a suppressed voice, ¡°I¡¯m afraid of prioritizing myself over others, but at the same time, I only care about myself.¡±

    There was an opening. A warm wind blew past them, and Juho opened his mouth.

    ¡°Every story has an end, just like ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯¡±

    The ending of ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ had room for interpretation. Depending on the reader, it could have been an ending that was either sad or happy. Bom had asked why she had to make a choice.

    ¡°Sun Hwa¡¯s transferring.¡±

    Bom¡¯s mouth dropped open, and for a while, no sound came out of it.

    ¡®When? Are you serious? She said that? Why? Where? Is she going far? She¡¯s leaving me behind?¡¯ These were probably her thoughts.

    ¡°Actually, I lied,¡± he said without taking his eyes off of Bom¡¯s expression.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a lie. Sun Hwa¡¯s not transferring,¡± he said calmly.

    ¡°Why?¡± she asked. ¡°Why did you lie to me like that?¡±

    ¡°What did you think just now?¡± he answered her with another question.

    Her eyes were shaken, and there were lingering thoughts in her head. Judging from her behavior so far, he was able to specte a possible answer, ¡®Do I have to find another person? Do I have to find a recement for Sun Hwa? Do I have to find another person to depend on who will make decisions for me and help me when I¡¯m in a rut?¡¯

    Her pale expression made it obvious to him.

    ¡°How much longer are you nning on being swayed by others?¡±

    He had said the same thing to Sun Hwa.

    ¡°Are you going to repeat that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know anymore.¡±

    She seemed exhausted, and he added, ¡°You still have to choose if you don¡¯t want to be stripped naked.¡±

    ¡°... What would you do?¡±

    He looked up to the sky for a moment. It was still clear and it would be a while until that day came to an end. Just like he had done with Sun Hwa, he said to her, ¡°Ask yourself.¡±

    She dropped her head, but he added as if he wereforting her, ¡°If you want to be left alone as you are at the moment, that¡¯s fine. That¡¯s your choice too. I¡¯m not going to tell you anything. I won¡¯t dislike you either. You¡¯ll probably stay a stranger to Sun Hwa, but hey, I can be your friend. You¡¯d be catching two birds with one stone! Someone to depend on, and a friend. Doesn¡¯t that sound good?¡±

    Instead of an answer, she bit down on her lip. For some reason, she couldn¡¯t give him an answer. Juho had made a tempting offer. One where she wouldn¡¯t have to change a thing about herself. At the same time, she would get to be friends with him. There would be nothing more.

    Yet, her eyes met with his red hat. It was tacky. It looked ridiculous enough to make herugh. ¡®How did he manage to find a hat like that?¡¯

    ¡°No.¡±

    She disliked herself being swayed by what Juho had been saying. She disliked herself for choosing to be a stranger to Sun Hwa. She disliked herself for depending on others just to get by. She wanted to leave it all behind.

    ¡°Why?¡± Juho asked.

    She answered, ¡°Because I still want to be friends with Sun Hwa.¡±

    ¡°What are you giving up this time?¡± he asked again. If that was going to be her choice, she had to be responsible for it.

    The wind blew again. It was still warm, like the air that wasing out Bom¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°You can¡¯t rece friends.¡±

    At those words, Juho smiled quietly.

    Spring had ended. Though she was sad, she didn¡¯t cry. After all, spring always came around. Everyone knew it.

    He nodded as he checked the time.

    ¡°Now, should we go see Sun Hwa?¡±

    She stood up from the swing, and it swung on its own.

    ¡°I want to write a letter.¡±

    ¡°So be it,¡± he answered.

    She rushed to a stationery store and bought some letter paper and a pen.

    When Juho saw the heading ¡°To Sun Hwa,¡± he turned his eyes up to the sky.

    ¡®This is a matter between her and Sun Hwa. It¡¯d be tactless of me to intervene any further.¡¯

    The kids in the neighborhood nced over at Bom as she wrote her letter while squatting on the yground. She paid them no attention.

    Juho took his notepad out of his pocket. He had been expecting a day like that and had known that it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for Sun Hwa and Bom to be actual friends. After all, he had met them in the Literature Club.

    As he thought, he wrote down a sentence on the notepad.

    ¡°A piece of writing writes itself.¡±

    *

    After receiving a call from Juho, Sun Hwa walked into a neighborhood cafe. It was a familiar ce, but she had never been inside. It had a warm atmosphere, and she sat by the window and ordered a drink.

    After a brief moment waiting, a hot cup of tea had made its way onto her table. Having preferred colder drinks, she would have never ordered hot tea on her own. Though the weather wasn¡¯t very cold, the tea warmed her hands as she held cup. Her cold hands proved that she was nervous.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± she sighed deeply. Soon, Juho would bring Bom to the cafe. The bell rang as the door opened, and she heard the conversation between the two people.

    ¡°It¡¯s warm out. Spring¡¯s finally over.¡±

    ¡°How time flies.¡±

    They sounded like they were close with one another. Those two have brought along a word that Sun Hwa has been anxiously waiting for: ¡°Bom.¡±

    Bom had always been lowering herself. She had done it at the essay contest. Thanks to her, Sun Hwa had been able to receive the award. She hadn¡¯t said anything. That was why she had been hanging around Bom. To her, it had been only fair that she had gotten the award while otherscked in their skills. Her and her peers had always been raised and taught that way. It had beenmon sense to prioritize results. As she always had, Sun Hwaforted herself as she focused on the result.

    In the end, she hade a lot farther than she was aware. In her stomach, the fried chicken she had had as an awardee had been growing in size. It hadtched onto her, and had note out.

    After the conversation with Juho under the tree, she had revisited her paper. She had been pretending not to see what she saw and not to know what she knew. It was filled with stupidity. There was not one bit of sincerity.

    In other words, when he hadplimented her paper, Juho had been sugarcoating his words.

    ¡°Fun and wild, huh.¡±

 Chapter 54 - Myself, Others, and My Friend (4)

    <h4>Chapter 54: Myself, Others, and My Friend (4)</h4>

    <h4><strong>Trantor:</strong> ShawnSuh | <strong>Editor:</strong> SootyOwl</h4>

    ¡°Juho Woo, that oddball,¡± Sun Hwa thought out loud about the person in her mind.

    Whenever she thought of him, the first thing that came to mind was his droopy face. Whatever happened, he¡¯d always be the only calm person. He was weird. It was hard to picture him being startled by something. Whenever she looked at him, she felt sorry for her cowardly self.

    Sun Hwa held back her smirk.

    The way he spoke was very much like his character ¨C calm and unfazed, and their recent conversation had left her feeling vulnerable.

    As she looked out the window, she saw Bom walking toward the cafe. ¡®What if she doesn¡¯t like me?¡¯ she thought anxiously. It would have been a lie to say that she wasn¡¯t afraid.

    Still, there was nothing to regret.

    As Sun Hwa greeted her, she found herself smiling before she even realized. No matter the result, Sun Hwa was able to smile.

    *

    Juho visited Sun Hwa in her ss to return theic book he had borrowed from her some time ago.

    ¡°Hey, this one¡¯s good too. I love his illustration. I really dig it¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah! I¡¯ve read that one. I¡¯m a fan too.¡±

    He hesitated as he was about to call for her. She was in the middle of a conversation with someone he had never met before. However, he had seen her once when he hade to visit Sun Hwa. She had been sitting in the corner, on her own.

    She had been reading heric books then, so it made sense that they were talking to each other.

    ¡°I actually didn¡¯t like it that much. I think this one¡¯s closer to my preferences,¡± Bom said as she picked out one of theic books. At that, Sun Hwa and the girl objected to her, ¡°You¡¯ll change your mind once you read it. I feel sorry that you can¡¯t truly appreciate a masterpiece like this. Later, you¡¯re going to think back and regret saying what you just said.¡±

    Together, the three wereughing and joking around with one another.

    ¡®If I chimed in now, I¡¯d be interrupting.¡¯

    They were doing well, so he turned back light-footed.

    Sun Hwa and Bom had been close with one another as in the past. As always, Bom was the first person to start cleaning while Sun Hwa was the first person to act on something.

    Also, they had agreed to participate in differentpetitions.

    ording to Bom, after meeting with Sun Hwa at the cafe, she had received a written reply from her. Aside from the two, nobody else knew what was written in that response.

    Juho took out his notepad as he walked down the hallway. One by one, he wrote down his newly aroused inspiration for a couple of characters for his story.

    ¡®Spring and flower gently fell into a world where there was no one but parents and children.¡¯

    Juho leaned against the side of the subway doors and saw a ratherrge body of water among views that quickly passed by. He stared out the window at the Han River, which resembled arge, gaping hole. He thought as he watched the wavelets breaking, ¡®Was that around where I drowned?¡¯

    ¡°The doors will open on your right.¡±

    People got in and out of the subway, and Juho moved aside to let people through.

    It was his first time seeing the Han River since he had drowned. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the water necessarily, but he didn¡¯t want to go out of his way to look at it either.

    ¡®Why am I here when I¡¯ve drowned already?¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to know the answer to that question. If he found out, he wouldn¡¯t be able to imagine, and if he couldn¡¯t imagine, he wouldn¡¯t be able to write.

    He reminisced about the experience on that day. Starting from his head, his body grew colder and colder. He had started to suffocate and he couldn¡¯t see anything. His limbs grew heavier as the current coiled around his entire body. It felt like he was being pulled down.

    ¡°Next stop is...¡±

    It was his stop. He checked the time. There was still some time left until his appointment. After he walked out of the subway station and passed the bike rentals, a field of grass met his eyes.

    While walking through thewn, he made his way toward the water. There were people fishing, riding their bicycles and walking casually with their dogs. He saw the water. He walked toward it with his eyes transfixed.

    He went down to the rock where the ground met the water.

    A wave was breaking, and the wind was blowing gently. The water smelled slightly fishy.

    He sat on the rock and reached for the water. Its coldness clung to his hand.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s because it¡¯s still daytime.¡±

    Strangely, he didn¡¯t feel anything. Because he didn¡¯t know how to swim, he had a natural wariness toward rivers and oceans and would normally feel uneasy whenever he saw deep bodies of water.

    Now, things were different. He still didn¡¯t know how to swim, but he was not afraid, even as he stared into the dark depths of the river. If anything, he felt more adventurous.

    He dipped his hand deeper into the water. Better yet, he wanted to try going into the water. He felt like there was something violent at the end of death and rebirth.

    He dipped his hand even deeper.

    ¡°Watch out!¡±

    Somebody pulled him back from behind. Juho¡¯s wet hand had been dragged out of the water, and he looked up to see a rigid face.

    ¡°Dong Gil.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is where we agreed to meet.¡±

    ¡°I got here early, so I was killing some time.¡±

    ¡°Were you looking to dive or something?¡±

    ¡°No way.¡±

    Juho slowly got up, shaking off his hands. As he looked at Juho intently, Dong Gil asked, ¡°Did you want to ride on the duck boat?¡±

    ¡°Duck boat? That¡¯s random. What made you want to get on that?¡±

    He slowly lifted his hand and pointed at something.

    ¡°You seemed like you really wanted to go in that direction.¡±

    It was the center of the river. After staring intently at the water, Juho shook his head.

    ¡®I want to live for now.¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯d be pushing it with a duck boat.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you underestimate my legs.¡±

    With those confident words, Dong Gil turned around and walked further away from the water. Juho followed. He felt his hand getting stiffer as it dried up.

    It wasn¡¯t a special asion. Since their meeting, the two had been texting one another frequently. One day, one of them suggested that they meet up to talk and kill some time together, and Juho had no reason to say no.

    The two walked up to the observatory where the entire field of grass could be seen.

    Although it was slightly windy, a screen was there to protect them from it. The sound of a clumsily yed piano wasing from afar. There must have been a piano that was open to the public use.

    ¡°Do you y?¡±

    Dong Gil had written a book about music once, and he gave off the impression that he knew how to y an instrument.

    ¡°Nope,¡± a quick answer. ¡°Instead, I listened to it day and night. I turned the music on the moment I opened my eyes and then turned it off when I was about to go to sleep. I kept it ying while I was eating or showering. The entire writing process took me about eight months, and I listened to ssical music the entire time. It felt like I had listened to my entire life¡¯s worth of music. Whenever I had a dream, the sound of violin came out instead of my voice.¡±

    Despite the content, he sounded quite calm. Unlike him, Juho asked with a disturbed look on his face, ¡°What did that feel like?¡±

    ¡°It felt like I had been eating the same thing for a year.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never tried that myself, but I think I get the gist.¡±

    In other words, he was sick of it.

    Every author had a character that was simr to Dong Gil¡¯s. No matter what people told them, they had to see things for themselves. They wouldn¡¯t start writing unless they had identified things with their own eyes and understood what they had seen.

    Dong Gil was especially unique even among authors.

    Usually, an author would gather just enough information for his book. No one went to the lengths of making themselves feel like they had been eating the same food for the entire year.

    He really didn¡¯t know his limits.

    ¡°I think that was when I was the biggest jerk in my life.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re still sane.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to write well.¡±

    He sounded like a student who had just started writing. In reality, that was also something frequently said by the Literature Club members: ¡°I want to write well.¡±

    ¡®Coming to think of it, that must have been why I went up to the bridge in the middle of winter before I fell into the water. I wanted to write well,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°Look,¡± Dong Gil called for Juho as he was lost in thought.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    At his voice, he walked toward the handrail. When he was one step away from reaching the rail, he was met with the wide, open view of the grass.

    People about the size of the joints on his finger were sitting beside one another. Some had brought a mat while some had brought something to shield themselves from the wind. Some sat on flyers. There were all sorts of people.

    ¡°This.¡±

    It was like a painting, but it wasn¡¯t because of its beauty.

    ¡°There¡¯s no movement.¡±

    Nobody was moving. As if time had stopped, everything stayedpletely still in its ce. It was as if somebody had frozen them. Maybe they had all agreed with one another to be that way. If it weren¡¯t for the leaves blowing about in the wind, one could¡¯ve believed that something was seriously wrong with the world.

    ¡°This is unusual.¡±

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s incredibly lifeless.¡±

    It would¡¯ve been nice to have people around ying badminton or kindergarten students on their ss pic.

    Everyone was motionless and exhausted.

    Juho looked to his side. Dong Gil was watching the motionless scenery as if that wasn¡¯t his first time.

    ¡°When did you first see this?¡±

    To answer his question, Dong Gil slowly parted his lips, ¡°I was out for a walk to see if I could find anything interesting in amid the average, boring everyday life. I was looking for some inspiration.¡±

    ¡°Is there a ¡®but¡¯ing?¡±

    ¡°But then this was all I saw instead of finding anything interesting. Well, it has be a form of inspiration in its own right since, but I wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled about what I saw. It¡¯s almost as if these people have been told to staypletely still.¡±

    He was right. It wasn¡¯t a pleasing sight. Despite the number of people around, thewn was almost too quiet. The silence in thewn brought Juho a sense of physiological fear. It was unsettling, and Dong Gil added, ¡°If I were God himself, I¡¯d pour water onto these people.¡±

    ¡°On these people?¡±

    ¡°At least it¡¯d make them jump from their ces. Besides, it¡¯d look much more entertaining.¡±

    Juho imagined it. ¡®There¡¯s a natural disaster. Water levels rise, and it floods over to the people. Still... I can¡¯t really picture these people running and screaming. Wouldn¡¯t they just be swept away quietly?¡¯

    ¡°The water bill would be monstrous.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d just have to reimburse them.¡±

    As they joked around, a sound came from behind. When Juho nced over his shoulder, he saw a foreigner. His blue eyes were fixated in Juho¡¯s direction. They were as blue as the East Sea.

    As their eyes met, the foreigner approached him.

    ¡°I ask for direction,¡± he said in awkward Korean, with a guide book in his hands.

    ¡°Where were you going?¡± Juho responded in Korean.

    ¡°Um, uh... Here.¡±

    He opened his guide book and showed it to Juho. It was a picture of the duck boats, and Juho exined to him how he could get there, but he didn¡¯t seem to understand.

    ¡°Would you like for me to exin in English?¡± Juho asked in English. His face brightened up at the sound of his native tongue.

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯d be great. I¡¯ve been lost for a while now. I¡¯ve gone straight and then turned left like how it is in the guide book, but as you can see, I¡¯m still lost.¡±

    ¡°You have to turn right here.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, I¡¯ve gone the opposite direction.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not too far from here. When you walk down from here, walk toward the water. You¡¯ll get there in no time.¡±

 Chapter 55 - Seo Joong, During a Hot Summer (1)

    Chapter 55: Chapter 55 ¨C Seo Joong, During a Hot Summer (1)

    Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho told him the directions as he pointed toward the water visible from the observatory. The man nodded as if he had understood it better. After thanking Juho, he disappeared into the motionless scenery. Juho prayed that he would reach the duck boats safely. He felt Dong Gil staring daggers at him from the side.

    ¡°Your English is good. Your directions were very urate,¡± Dong Gil said with a surprised look. He must have understood their conversation.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you join in?¡±

    ¡°You were doing just fine, so I just watched.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really interested innguages.¡±

    ¡°Have you lived in another country?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been outside Korea.¡±

    ¡°Yet, you¡¯re still fluent enough to speak naturally with a foreigner.¡±

    Dong Gil looked at him intently.

    ¡°What?¡± Juho asked.

    He answered with a squint, ¡°I was wondering if our genius author himself was also a talented linguist.¡± It was apparent that he was joking.

    However, that was not the case at all. Juho had gained that strange, yet useful ability after having drowned in the river. ¡®The river.¡¯ For some reason, what Dong Gil said earlier lingered in his ears, ¡®If I were God, I would pour water onto these people.¡¯ He looked up at the sky. Clouds were floating by.

    ¡®Could it have been a washing fee of sorts?¡¯ he thought and answered Dong Gil with a smile while he looked at him, ¡°Of course. People don¡¯t call me a genius for no reason.¡±

    ¡°Shameless, too.¡±

    As they joked around, Dong Gil remembered some news he had heard, ¡®A genius. There was another genius around him.¡¯

    ¡°Mr. Ahn¡¯s book ising out soon, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been five years since hisst book, I believe.¡±

    Seo Joong Ahn was a bestselling author who had written several major works. He was also a close friend of Dong Gil. He had a very sensuous style. Yet, he hadn¡¯t written anything for the past five years for some reason. Every writer had their own pace, but he usually didn¡¯t leave too much time between books.

    ¡°Has he been traveling?¡±

    ¡°Nope. He¡¯s been home.¡±

    ¡°Is that so...¡± Noticing that the air felt slightly heavier, he changed the subject, ¡°You said he likes to wear things that arefortable, right?¡±

    ¡°He has a underdeveloped sense of fashion.¡±

    Juho remembered hearing the same description in the past. Unlike Dong Gil who was all about looking presentable, Seo Joong was theplete opposite.

    ¡°On the contrary, you¡¯re very strict about what you wear.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯smon sense. You have to be mindful of what you¡¯re wearing when you¡¯re meeting someone.¡±

    At that, he began his lecture on attire. Though Juho did his best to pretend to listen to him, the history of fashion wasn¡¯t all that interesting. His rigid expression and speech made Juho feel like he was in a strict lecture environment. It almost felt like he¡¯d gotten to experience Sung Pil¡¯s description of his lecture firsthand. His style was definitely clean cut and not overbearing, but Juho wondered how his sense of fashion tranted to his style as a lecturer.

    ¡®Buzz.¡¯

    Thankfully, somebody¡¯s phone rang. Juho brought his hand to his pocket, but he didn¡¯t feel it vibrate. It was Dong Gil¡¯s. As if unhappy about the conversation being interrupted, he picked up the phone with annoyance. When he saw the name on the screen, his expression grew even darker, and he answered it.

    ¡°What?¡±

    At that word alone, Juho immediately guessed who was on the line. ¡®Speak of the devil.¡¯

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m busy. I¡¯m in the middle of...¡±

    As he was about to end the call in a rush, he suddenly turned to Juho. While he looked back at Dong Gil, he pulled the phone away from his ear and asked, ¡°Would you like to talk to Seo Joong?¡±

    His suggestion was sudden, so Juho thought about it for a brief moment. Seo Joong Ahn. First book in five years. He was known as a genius among those of his generations. Juho was curious about him, so he nodded willingly. At his response, Dong Gil immediately brought up Juho¡¯s name.

    ¡°I¡¯m with Yun Woo right now.¡±

    There wasmotion on the other line, and it was hard to make out what was being said.

    ¡°Yeah, alright,¡± Dong Gil answered half-heartedly. ¡°Yeah, to your ce?¡±

    He pulled away from the phone with a displeased look.

    ¡°He wants to know if you can head over. If that¡¯s too much for you, we can just keep it as a phone call.¡±

    It would¡¯ve been natural to feel ufortable about being invited to someone¡¯s house without having met the person first. However, Juho himself was not a timid character. If anything, he looked forward to it, Seo Joong Ahn¡¯s house. As Seo Kwang had said previously, ¡®A person always leaves behind a trace.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m up for that.¡±

    ¡°All right, we¡¯re on our way.¡±

    With those words, he hung up the phone. Juho had been running into more and more people he had never met in the past. He walked down the observatory with Dong Gil toward the motionless people. When he approached them, he heard them talking to one another, and it felt slightly different from what he had seen from the observatory.

    ¡°What¡¯s his ce like?¡± he asked.

    Dong Gil answered without hesitation, ¡°I suffocate the minute I step my foot across his door.¡±

    ¡°My expectations are through the roof.¡±

    ¡°Trust me, it¡¯ll be beyond what you can expect.¡±

    ¡®I wonder what¡¯s making him say things like that.¡¯ Seo Joong was probably the only person in the world who could have such an impact on Dong Gil. Soon, they arrived at a neighborhood. There were colorful murals in brown, blue, orange and gray. While following Dong Gil¡¯s guidance, he was met by some elderly sitting on a low wooden bench. There was some construction work in one corner and a cat and a pigeon in the other. Then, another set of murals met his eyes.

    There were windows on the wall. The murals painted throughout the neighborhood walls gave off a rather artistic atmosphere. At the end of the alleyway, there was a stairway. The stairs were painted like the walls with paint. That time, it was a painting of a person in a blue sweatshirt and pants, sitting on a giant flower. Juho caught on at once, ¡®He must be Seo Joong Ahn.¡¯

    ¡°Yo.¡±

    A man waved as he stood up from the stairs. His untidy appearance resembled a neighborhood bum. The reason why Dong Gil was so annoyed about the way he dressed became clearer. His hair was spiking in all directions. With his eyes on that hair, Juho greeted him, ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Oh, wait! Is it OK to be informal? Nice to meet ya!¡±

    His words were all over the ce.

    ¡°Please, you don¡¯t have to be so polite.¡±

    ¡°Awesome! Make yourself at home. You don¡¯t have to worry about being polite either just because I¡¯m older.¡±

    Compared to his first encounter with Dong Gil, that was thepletely opposite experience. At first, Dong Gil had addressed Juho with formality, and he had spoken respectfully. On the other hand, his friend Seo Joong was weing Juho, who was much younger, to not bother with formality.

    ¡°This is fine.¡±

    Juho had considered Seo Joong¡¯s offer, but he didn¡¯t want to be disrespectful in their first encounter.

    ¡°Alright, then.¡±

    Seo Joong didn¡¯t push Juho. He turned around and led the way. His house was located further into the neighborhood. Compared to the alleyways Juho had walked through so far, the streets were a lot cleaner. Soon, he was met with a two-story house with arge front gate. Seo Joong stopped in front of it.

    ¡°Myndlord lives on the first floor.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°She might be rough around the edges, but her favorite color is pink,¡± he told Juho as he opened the gate. After walking past a small yard, he was met with an old , average looking house.

    ¡°Wow!¡± Juho eximed. The front yard of that not-so-special looking house was filled with flowers of all colors and shapes. Even the pots were of different colors. The mysterious flowers showed off their beauty, and a brown y pot shone from the sunlight while the fresh, green leaves and flowers exhaled their fragrance. They glistened from tiny water droplets. The ce was full of life.

    He thought back to the scenery at the observatory. This waspletely different. It was as though the nts were smiling at him.

    ¡°It¡¯s a nice house, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho answered without hesitation.

    ¡°There¡¯s something even better inside.¡±

    Juho¡¯s experience was quite different from Dong Gil¡¯s description of his friend¡¯s house. After looking around the yard for a little while, Juho followed Seo Joong up the floor. As Seo Joong opened the door, he moved aside to let Juho and Dong Gil through. When Juho walked inside, he was somewhat dumbfounded by the sight of the living room.

    ¡°Ta-da!¡±

    ¡°I swear... How do you keep something like this around? I don¡¯t get it...¡± Dong Gil grumbled as Seo Joong proudly showed off his house.

    Meanwhile, Juho thought, ¡®Why is this here?¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s a pool table.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it great?¡±

    Aside the pool table in the middle of the living room, there were no couches or TV. He had a full-size pool table in his house. ¡®Who would have thought?¡¯ The blue surface of the table matched Seo Joong¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°So, how are your skills in pool?¡±

    With a smile, Seo Joong answered, ¡°About average.¡±

    His house¡¯s appearance gave him the impression of a professional pool yer.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get to get better at pool.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a hobby of mine. It¡¯s a way for me to put my mind to rest. ck bean noodles taste even better on this table.¡±

    (TL¡¯s note: ck bean noodles are a staple delivery food in pool halls in Korea.)

    ck bean noodles. Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, and Seo Joong picked up a ball from the pool table.

    ¡°A lot of people think that an author¡¯s house is filled with books. You know what, it¡¯s not entirely wrong. This guy¡¯s house is filled with nothing but books.¡±

    Dong Gil sneered at Seo Joong, ¡°I don¡¯t y pool in my home, so I don¡¯t have to worry about wasting space like this.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean waste? It¡¯s utilization.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s taking up so much space that your guests don¡¯t even have a ce to sit. I don¡¯t think I need to exin myself further.¡±

    Like he said, arge pool table was at the center of the living room. With a shrug, Seo Joong took them to another room. It was a study, and there were three chairs surrounding a small table. There was nothing special about the room in the sense that there was a desk and bookshelves surrounding the space. Except...

    ¡°I don¡¯t see too many books on your shelves.¡± There were hardly any books. The bookshelves that surrounded the room were nearly empty. It almost felt like the shelves were merely taking up space. ¡°Is this also a way to utilize space?¡±

    ¡°You bet. See? He gets it,¡± he answered enthusiastically.

    Dong Gil added, ¡°Whenever he has time, he goes to any used book store he can find and sells all of his books.¡±

    Though he didn¡¯t entirely sound critical, he didn¡¯t sound happy either.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m selling my own books. I don¡¯t see anything wrong there,¡± Seo Joong said as he stood in front of a shelf.

    ¡°I¡¯m making room for the books that I¡¯m going to be reading in the future. If you were the new book, wouldn¡¯t you feel sad that you didn¡¯t have your ce on the shelf?¡±

    In that case, how tragic would it be to be the books that he had sold? For some reason, his nearly empty bookshelves resembled his pool table. A pool table had holes in its corners too, much like the bookshelves in Seo Joong¡¯s study.

 Chapter 56 - Seo Joong, During a Hot Summer (2)

    Chapter 56: Chapter 56 ¨C Seo Joong, During a Hot Summer (2)

    Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Are you hungry by any chance? Should I order something?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you. I ate beforeing here.¡±

    ¡°OK, then we¡¯ll wait till dinner.¡±

    After gesturing Juho to sit, he went out of the room. Soon, he brought back some iced coffee.

    ¡°I enjoyed your work quite a bit,¡± Seo Joong said as he looked at Juho with eyes filled with interest. ¡°So, that¡¯s what you look like.¡±

    At once, Dong Gil poked Seo Joong on his side with force, and Juho was impressed by how deep his finger went in. ¡®Clean shot,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Do you mind? For goodness¡¯ sake, watch what you¡¯re saying. You¡¯re in your thirties now.¡±

    Seo Joong couldn¡¯t say anything. He was shaking in pain while holding his side. In Juho¡¯s eyes, both of them were more or less the same.

    He slowly turned his eyes towards the window in the study and saw the beautiful yard he had seen on his way in. He couldn¡¯t help but keep looking at its heartwarming sight.

    ¡°Huh, you¡¯re just quietly enjoying the view without even being fazed. I knew you weren¡¯t an ordinary kid.¡±

    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. So, I heard your real name is Juho Woo? How should I call you from now on?¡± he asked as he nced at Dong Gil.

    ¡°I¡¯d prefer my real name.¡±

    Seo Joong made a circle with his hands as a way of saying ¡®loud and clear.¡¯ He seemed to be in a good mood.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you from Nabi too. Going out into the world right off the bat, I see.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. Things are still in their early stages.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine as long as the trantion is good.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping too.¡±

    Seo Joong¡¯s book was doing quite well in the US. Juho thought about his book, and the first word that came to mind was ¡®growth.¡¯

    Every character in Seo Joong¡¯s books was three-dimensional. One would say that it felt like German literature. He enjoyed writing things that enabled his readers to be emotionally invested into the protagonist.

    ¡°So, where did you write ¡®The Trace of a Bird?¡¯ At home? Maybe at school?¡±

    He seemed like he had quite a interest in Juho. Well, if he wasn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t have wanted to invite him in the first ce. It was an honor to be recognized by an author who would be actively working for another thirty years.

    ¡°Both. At home and at school. I¡¯m not very picky about where I write.¡±

    ¡®I am picky about how I¡¯m feeling at the moment. If my heart was willing, I could write whileying on my stomach in the street,¡¯ he murmured silently.

    ¡°When did you get into writing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°You must have written quite a bit before you were happy with the results.¡± Seo Joong posited simply, and Juho took a moment to think.

    ¡°Nope,¡± he answered.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t write all that much. It was the first work I¡¯d everpleted. I didn¡¯t even want to be an author at the time. I submitted it to the essay contest nearly on impulse.¡±

    ¡°Impulse,¡± Seo Joong echoed quietly.

    Juho took a sip of his coffee.

    People usually took some sort of action as a means to alleviate their anger. Some screamed while others kicked things around them. Some listened to music.

    In Juho¡¯s case, he had a habit of writing out his anger. It tended to be all over the ce, so he never bothered to read it againter.

    However, a novel was not the same. It didn¡¯t work that way. A book came topletion through countless revisions. Whether the writer wanted to or not, he had to revisit his draft. That was what it looked like to write rationally.

    ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ that book had been written on impulse. It had been almost like throwing a fit to alleviate his own fears and anxiety. Naturally, it was more emotional than it was rational.

    He could have done better. He could have written more borately.

    With Seo Joong staring at him as if observing and measuring him, Juho said, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not satisfied with it.¡±

    Seo Joong nodded slowly.

    ¡°You really are a writer,¡± he added. They were words of recognition.

    To an author, writing inrge spurts took on a different meaning. Mr. Moon had said in his past lesson, ¡°We have to write a lot. It¡¯s the only way to get better.¡± It had been a lesson for those who weren¡¯t already writers, much in the way of what Seo Joong had just said.

    An author simply wrote too many words. It was more than one could count. Seo Joong had tried to see if the author ¡®Yun Woo¡¯ was really the result of his own efforts.

    Juho didn¡¯t take it personally. Besides, he wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. He had been ¡®Yun Woo¡¯ in his past life. Amid the failures that stormed into his life, the name ¡®Yun Woo¡¯ was the only thing he had associated with sess. A coincidental sess of a young author. A coincidental work. A coincidental result.

    (TL¡¯s note: In Korea,st namees before the first name. This means ¡°Yun Woo¡± would be ¡°Woo Yun,¡± which sounds like the Korean word for ¡®coincidence.¡¯)

    This time, things would be different.

    ¡°What, did you think I had someone ghostwrite for me?¡± Juho asked with a smile.

    ¡°That¡¯s a strong answer. My bad, my bad,¡± Seo Joong apologized as he scratched his head.

    Juho waved his hand in denial. ¡°You two are the real writers,¡± he answered as he thought about the pool table in the living room and Dong Gil¡¯s list of ¡®things I clearly like.¡¯

    Development was one of the essential elements of a novel. Authors analyzed and reinterpreted various situations between characters once they took them apart. Because authors made their living out of writing, they had to be aware of everything that was happening around the world. Even at the sight of a small pebble thrown into their boring, everyday life, authors desperately took hold of it to feel and trim it into writing material. Their hands might be covered in cuts and blisters, but that was hardly an issue.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if that was apliment or not.¡± As Seo Joong sat in confusion, he suddenly pped his hands, ¡®p.¡¯ The sound resonated through a small hole in the room. ¡°Is it true that you turned down the film adaptation offers? I heard that one of the directors who approached you was really famous.¡±

    ¡°Where did you hear that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯smon knowledge. Us writers know everything about each other, you know?¡± he said boldly.

    Since it wasn¡¯t anything he wanted to hide or felt ufortable talking about, Juho answered honestly, ¡°Yes, you¡¯ve heard right.¡±

    As he had discussed with Nam Kyung, Juho had turned down every film adaptation offer. Among them were famous directors and studios that were quite big.

    ¡°So, why did you turn them down? Your books would have sold even more. Kids your age are usually into celebrities, aren¡¯t they? Besides, we¡¯re living in the video era. Ah, wait, was it because you didn¡¯t want the director changing the story?¡± Seo Joong asked.

    Juho thought for a brief moment, ¡®I already know the oue. It¡¯s aplete disaster.¡¯ As honest as the answer might have been, he couldn¡¯t talk about something that hadn¡¯t happened yet. He looked for another reason in his mind.

    ¡°True, but I¡¯m not looking to make any tricky demands either. If I were to have my book made into a movie, I¡¯d like the director to have full creative authority. I don¡¯t want there to be a condition in terms of film adaptation. I wouldn¡¯t mind if the director decided to name the movie with an entirely different name.¡±

    Of course, it wouldn¡¯t have been ideal to have the director change things in the story. However, there was no right answer to a book. It took shape based on the readers¡¯ interpretation and their emotions. For that reason, Juho felt at peace about having one of his readers as the director. He was OK with actors and actresses interpreting the book their own ways.

    However...

    ¡°But at that point, I wonder if a film adaptation would even be necessary. The book is already doing well, and I don¡¯t really have a celebrity that I like.¡±

    ¡°Still, if the film does well, your books will sell even more.¡±

    ¡°Greed can lead to one¡¯s downfall.¡±

    Seo Joong tilted his head as he studied Juho¡¯s response. He seemed curious.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get the impression that you¡¯re anticipating sess. You almost sound like you know you¡¯re going to fail...?¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t have a good feeling, that¡¯s all. My intuition tends to be pretty urate,¡± Juho answered calmly.

    ¡°Intuition, huh. That¡¯s fair,¡± Seo Joong admitted.

    ¡°Well, you never know what could happen. I might change my mind too.¡±

    ¡°A person can¡¯t change so easily.¡±

    ¡°Still, what¡¯s more fickle than a person¡¯s heart?¡±

    As he took a sip of his sweet and bitter coffee, a pigeon flew into the yard. It walked about as if it was home. Like an arrogant person with his hands behind his back, it looked at the flowers with its wings folded back.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± Seo Joong asked as he spotted the pigeon.

    Seo Joong sounded yful because he was thinking of a fictional character that immediately came to mind when it came to fear birds.

    ¡°I¡¯m not Yun, you know.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that you¡¯re actually afraid of birds.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that as well.¡±

    ¡°You have? Do you look up your own name and things like that?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve heard from a friend.¡±

    ¡°A friend, I see.¡±

    Seo Joong reached into his pocket. Dong Gil saw what he was doing and protested, ¡°If you¡¯re going to feed the bird, you should stop.¡±

    ¡°The boy has to eat.¡±

    ¡°You mean you don¡¯t see how chubby that thing is?¡±

    Seo Joong paid no attention to Dong Gil and kept looking through his pockets. Soon, he took out his hand with a disappointed look. He couldn¡¯t find anything with which to feed the pigeon. He didn¡¯t have any snacks around either. His hand moved slowly away from the window.

    Juho said as he watched, ¡°I heard your new book ising out soon.¡±

    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been five years right? I¡¯ve been waiting anxiously myself.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an honor,¡± Seo Joong answered as he looked out of the window.

    ¡°A cat,¡± he said as he pointed.

    For a moment, Juho wondered if he didn¡¯t feel like talking anymore. However, there was no fatigue or annoyance on his face. He was genuinely distracted by the cat that had randomly appeared. His hair wobbled.

    Juho looked toward where he was pointing. There was an adorable kitten sticking its head through an opening in the front gate. The kitten meowed sadly.

    There were quite a few animals in the neighborhood. First, a pigeon. Now, there was a cat. Maybe it had something to do with the neighborhood being small and quiet.

    The three observed the kitten through the window. It struggled to make its way into the yard, wailing as if it were frustrated.

    ¡°Kind of cute.¡±

    Dong Gil nodded quietly. At that moment, a ck cat jumped onto the wall. It must have heard the kitten¡¯s wailing. It looked up to the three, but soon looked away, probably feeling unthreatened. It slowly approached the kitten andid on its stomach, watching its baby¡¯s struggle. No matter how much the kitten wailed, the ck cat didn¡¯t move from its ce.

    ¡°Do you think a novel is a lie?¡± asked Seo Joong.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho answered immediately. He felt the two looking at him.

    ¡°Do you consider your own writing to be a lie?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± without hesitation, Juho affirmed the notion.

    ¡°... Why is that?¡± Seo Joong asked.

    Juho looked up for a moment. Instead of a blue sky, he saw the white ceiling of the study, only visible to the people inside.

    ¡°I looked up the word ¡®lie¡¯ in the dictionary once.¡±

    ¡°What did it say?¡±

    ¡°Decorating something that¡¯s not true as truth.¡± Juho had a thought when he had seen that sentence, ¡°I think it is the very essence of what I do. A novel is a story made up by an author.¡±

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Seo Joong sighed deeply as he plunged his head against the desk. He was making a strange sound.

 Chapter 57 - Seo Joong, During a Hot Summer (3)

    <h4>Chapter 57: Chapter 57 ¨C Seo Joong, During a Hot Summer (3)</h4>

    <h4>Tranted by: ShawnSuh Edited by: SootyOwl</h4>

    Seo Joong made a high pitched, slightly nasally sound, ¡°That¡¯s harsh. Are you saying that your readers are reading your lies? Mr. Woo, I¡¯m hurt. I feel lonely.¡±

    Dong Gil¡¯s expression grew darker, but Juho added as stared at Seo Joong, who imed to be a reader who had been hurt by him, ¡°You have to let me finish. There¡¯s always truth in a book. Don¡¯t be sad.¡±

    ¡°Please, exin,¡± Seo Joong asked as he kept acting. Only, he was looking at Juho with eyes sparkling with interest.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say an artisan potter makes some pottery,¡± Juho said slowly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what he makes. When people see it, they won¡¯t think of it as a lie.¡±

    They probably wouldn¡¯t even doubt it. The same went for the potter. He didn¡¯t doubt whether what he had made was real or not. However, authors were different.

    ¡°An author writes a novel about an artisan potter. He, too, is a potter, no matter what he makes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all pottery,¡± Dong Gil murmured, and Juho nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s all created by a person, but they¡¯re treated differently. One is made up while the other actually exists.¡±

    ¡®Meow,¡¯ a faint cry came from outside. The ck cat was looking in their direction with its squinted eyes.

    ¡°On the outside, yes,¡± Juho added.

    ¡°On the outside,¡± Seo Joong echoed his words.

    ¡°Yes. The pottery made by the real artisan is for practical use. You could use it as containers for drinks, or rice. You could see it with your eyes, and you can touch it with your hands.¡±

    ¡°Yes, an artisan¡¯s pottery has a definite shape.¡±

    ¡°But not so with novels. In other words, they¡¯re made up. At the end of the day, they¡¯re just letters written a page. You can¡¯t use them as containers.¡±

    ¡®A novel was a lie. Did that mean that authors were liars?¡¯ There had been a time when Juho had been stuck on that question. What he had written couldn¡¯t be the truth. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t change the fact that it had been made up. He had felt guilty. He had felt like he had been no different from a con artist. He hadn¡¯t been able to look at novels the same way. His head and mind had been chaotic. The calm waters in his mind had started shaking out of control and be murky. He hadn¡¯t been able to do anything.

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s in it?¡±

    However, as long as the author was still around, the dirt eventually sunk down to the bottom.

    ¡°Emotions.¡±

    ¡°Emotions...¡± Seo Joong echoed his words again. There were emotions in novels, which couldn¡¯t be seen or touched. Yet, they definitely existed. Everyone felt them.

    ¡°There¡¯s no truth or lie in emotions. They¡¯re just feelings. They¡¯re in the heart.¡±

    Juho understood now. He had been able to stand confidently and answer without hesitation.

    ¡°I¡¯m not writing because I want to deceive people,¡± he said as his head dropped slightly. There were moments of realization in life. Like a thunderstorm, they came without warning. Then, what followed was time. Juho had to spend years and years living in order to understand the difference between what was true and what was false. It had been long enough for the dirt to sink back down to the bottom so the waters were no longer murky. Though it had been a long time, it didn¡¯t feel like a big deal in hindsight.

    When Juho looked ahead, he saw a white mug filled with coffee.

    ¡°An author writes the potter, not the pots themselves. A person is muchrger and moreplex than pottery. If he¡¯s distracted with what¡¯s true or false, he loses his shape and bes unrecognizable. We often feel uneasy at heart when he decide that all novels are lies. That¡¯s the evidence.¡±

    ¡°Incredible.¡±

    ¡®p. p. p.¡¯ The room was filled with that sound. Dong Gil was slowly pping with a straight posture.

    ¡°That¡¯s Yun Woo for ya. You look like an idiot next to him.¡±

    Seo Joong smiled bitterly.

    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing, but I gotta admit. It took me five years to reach that conclusion, but you¡¯ve already figured that out.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t true. Juho hadn¡¯t figured out the answer as quickly as Seo Joong had said. He thought as he swallowed words that he couldn¡¯t let out, ¡®Five years, that was the amount of time he took to write his most recent book. Was that the reason?¡¯

    ¡°That was the reason,¡± Seo Joong answered as if he read Juho¡¯s mind. He chugged his coffee and then wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

    ¡°One day, I felt sick as I was writing. I broke into cold sweats like I¡¯d eaten something bad. After that, I couldn¡¯t write.¡±

    Juho knew what that felt like.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t answer any questions about myself. My brain had stopped working. I didn¡¯t dare to go outside, even if I¡¯ve always been a homebody,¡± he added. ¡°The first year was bearable. I thought to myself: ¡®let¡¯s treat this as a vacation. I¡¯ll feel better in no time.¡¯ But after a year, and the year after, nothing changed. I started growing anxious.¡±

    Juho observed him. He saw his casual attire and his spiky hair. Writing a book had the power to make its writer anxious, even a free-spirited person like Seo Joong.

    ¡°It was no use, no matter how much I talked to him. It had been something he had to explore all along,¡± Dong Gil said quietly.

    Juho nodded. When such doubt and anxiety bloomed from within, one had to find the answer himself.

    ¡°After three years, my health started to deteriorate. There were constant headaches and dizziness. On the fourth year, I found myself incredibly timid. My movements were bing sluggish and awkward. I spent more and more time crouching in the corner. I was growing smaller,¡± Seo Joong said as he reminisced thest five years he had spent without writing a single word. The days were unbearable, and filled with self-loathing. He grew more and more lethargic by the day, and his brain no longer tried to distinguish between the days. Every day had been the same. His sense of time had grown dull. Time had flown past him.

    ¡°Time was just passing, and I couldn¡¯t have been more afraid,¡± he said.

    ¡°How did you manage to get out of there?¡± Juho asked quietly.

    ¡°Funny story,¡± he said with a chuckle. ¡°One day, myndlord told me to expect some noise because she was going to nt a big tree in the backyard. I couldn¡¯t see the backyard from here, so as usual, I just went back to sleep.¡±

    ¡®A tree and thendlord, it had been a sudden change of pace. How was he able toe out of his rut?¡¯

    ¡°The ce was kind of noisy for several months, and there were sounds of people moving building materials. Still, I stayed home quietly. One day, I noticed that the house was unusually quiet, so I¡¯d opened the window to see what had changed. Then, I heard a faint chirping. That was when I realized where the tree had been nted.¡±

    Juho imagined a tree, a tree that would have existed in a ce that his eyes couldn¡¯t reach.

    ¡°It was refreshing, several times more than usual. I couldn¡¯t remember thest time I had breathed in the fresh air. From that day on, it became my daily routine to breathe in fresh air with my windows wide open. One day, I was sitting by the window, getting some air like usual, and my eyes met with myndlord¡¯s in the yard. So, I said ¡®hi,¡¯ and we had a short conversation. Do you know what she said then?¡± Seo Joong asked with a smile.

    ¡°There had never been a tree. Once she started, she realized howplicated it was going to be, so she gave up. Things had felt so good since the tree hade, but it turned out that the noise had been made from some nearby construction. In hindsight, it was kind of odd that nting a tree would take so long. If I had used my brain just a little more, if I hade out and looked just for a moment, I would¡¯ve known right away, but my sluggish brain had been thinking there was a tree the entire time. That whole day, I was rolling on the floorughing. Although the ¡°tree¡± wasn¡¯t there anymore, I felt refreshed.¡±

    ¡°I had finally reached the truth,¡± he added.

    ¡°The ¡°tree¡± reveals itself the moment I believe it exists. My job was to reinterpret that as a development in my writing.¡±

    His eyes sparkled in the shade and he smiled brightly while looking untidy. One day, the anxiety would return. Times of confusion and chaos would alwayse back, and he always went on a quest in search for truth.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your new book!¡±

    ¡°You should. It¡¯s probably going to be nothing like my other books. It¡¯ll be long.¡±

    ¡°Is that right? In what way?¡±

    ¡°Maybe... spiraling downward instead of growing?¡±

    It was the pr opposite of what he had been writing so far. Most of his books had characters who grew more mature throughout the book. They experienced things for themselves as they grew and groaned in pain. Then, they learned.

    ¡°Let me tell you a secret,¡± Seo Joong whispered although there were only two other people in the room. ¡°The protagonist is a corporate worker.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already read that in the synopsis.¡±

    ¡°Buy the book if you want to know the rest.¡±

    Dong Gil didn¡¯t even look surprised. The two cats were gone, and there was no kitten wailing. They had to have left to look for another ce to stay, and Juho asked as he stared out the window at the empty front yard, ¡°I guess you had an answer this whole time, Dong Gil.¡±

    ¡°There was no need to find an answer. My stories are based on my own experiences. In other words, they¡¯re real,¡± he answered brusquely with his arms crossed.

    ¡°He might not look like it, but he¡¯s the simplest person in here.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Do you have something to say about my looks?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve known you for years now. It¡¯s kind ofte forints.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I like your tone.¡±

    That was very Dong Gil-like, someone had told Juho that every author has their own unique personality. They each wrote with their own hearts. It was their hearts that defined their stories and writing styles. Juho looked at the clock on the wall. They had been talking for quite some time now.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Like Seo Joong had said, the pool table made the ck bean noodles taste even better. As he was his way out after cleaning up, Seo Joong asked, ¡°When are you nning on writing your next book?¡±

    He had asked light-heartedly. Yet, there was substance in his question, and Juho felt Dong Gil looking back from the gate.

    ¡°I¡¯m already working on it,¡± he answered as he quietly stepped out.

    ¡°Stop right there!¡±

    That day, Juho had to stay even longer at Seo Joong¡¯s ce.

 Chapter 58 - A Cat from a Summer

    <h4>Chapter 58: Chapter 58 ¨C A Cat from a Summer</h4>

    <h4>Tranted by: ShawnSuh Edited by: SootyOwl</h4>

    ¡°Hey, have you read this yet?¡±

    Juho looked up from his desk. He had been just about to take a nap. As usual, he had been writingte into the night. Unaware of his state, Seo Kwang was extremely excited. He had Seo Joong¡¯s new book in his hands.

    ¡°This is exceptional! It was worth waiting five years for.¡±

    Juho took the book from his hands. The title was ¡®One Room.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯ve read it,¡± he answered. He had read it as soon it came out, but unlike what he said, Seo Joong had gave him a copy as a gift.

    In the book, there was a corporate worker who was slowly losing his grip on his emotions. The time flew by, and he grew more and more dull. Yet, he didn¡¯t bother to resist it. In the end, he became an old man who wasn¡¯t moved by anything. Even after losing his family and parents, he shed no tears.

    ¡°Time was just passing by, and I couldn¡¯t have been more afraid,¡± Seo Joong had said in passing.

    When he read the book, he almost felt the same fear Seo Joong had felt in his five-year hiatus. It gave him several goosebumps.

    ¡°How was it?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    ¡°It was incredible,¡± Juho answered after a brief thought. He didn¡¯t want to lose. ¡°Yawn.¡±

    As soon as he got home, he took long nap. While stretching, he went to the kitchen to find something to eat and found that the table had already been set. There was a note from his mother next to the bowl of rice. ¡®I¡¯m going out for little while. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡¯

    ¡®Did she think that I¡¯d be anxious when I woke up?¡¯ With a smile, he took the note and ced it into his desk¡¯s drawer, along with the notebook he had used to write his past failures. After a short nce, he closed the drawer.

    After the quick meal, he washed the dishes.

    When he went back to his room, he saw piles of paper as usual. ¡®I better clean this before mom gets home,¡± he thought as he picked up the paper. On the pages, he saw that he had written the direction and destination of his story.

    ¡°Regret,¡± he read out loud from the page. The word didn¡¯t have a very good connotation. An unfiltered emotion brought along a cloud of dust, and the waters in his mind began to reek. He loved how fitting the word was.

    From his chair, he put his hands on the keyboard. He tried to remember how he felt in that moment. A story couldn¡¯t happen in the blink of an eye. A person had several emotions, and they rose up to the surface while taking different shapes. A writer was also a person. He couldn¡¯t maintain the same emotion every time he wrote. For that reason, he had to remember what he had felt when he first started writing that story.

    ¡®The baby was falling, and the mother rushed to the rescue. The stroller suddenly changed its course towards the right. There was a wall at the end of its course. The stroller mmed against the wall, and the baby took the impact, but the baby wasn¡¯t crying. Silence. A sound echoed throughout the quiet alleyway. ¡°I¡¯m so sick of this!¡± There was a sound of baby¡¯s wailing. Their voices filled the alleyway together.¡¯

    ¡®Silence and wailing.¡¯

    The two contrasting wordspeted for Juho¡¯s attention before his eyes.

    ¡®A mother who had lost her grip of the stroller. A mother who was sick of her baby. Two babies crying. Silence. What if the mother had let go of the stroller intentionally? What if she had pushed the baby down?¡¯

    The boundary between silence and wailing disappeared, and the two became one.

    The sound of two women lingered around Juho¡¯s ears. There was a noise. He heard a scream. She had begun screaming the second she¡¯d lost grip of her stroller. It sounded a lot like her annoyed grumbling that had broken the silence in the alleyway.

    ¡®What is she made of? Mother, parent, child, motherly love, murderous intent, impulse, maybe regret.¡¯

    He wanted her to regret.

    ¡®A mother who had let go of her baby. People who had ignored her shouts. The baby who didn¡¯t survive.¡¯

    He had organized the developments that were going to take ce throughout the story and he wrote every morning as soon as the sun rose. Now, he needed to dig deeper. Then...

    ¡®Meow!¡¯ He heard a cry. It sounded like a kitten that was both sad and somewhat annoyed, and he looked back. His eyes met with a ck cat, the same one he had seen at Seo Joong¡¯s house. It was looking at his direction with sadness in its eyes.

    That cat had been watching its baby as it struggled to go over the windowsill. It was lying downfortably, and Juho tried talking to it, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you helping?¡±

    ¡°That kid is strong,¡± the cat answered as his tail moved about.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m seeing. Look at its legs, they¡¯re shaking. Maybe it¡¯s too slippery.¡±

    ¡°Human,¡± the cat quietly called for him. Its squinted eyes sparkled brightly. ¡°This is our business. Stop interfering.¡±

    ¡°Then do something about the wailing.¡±

    Its pupils dted in the middle of its yellow eyes, and it said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who called for us?¡±

    ¡®Meow,¡¯ the kitten cried again.

    The cat was right. He had called his memory of them for ideas.

    ¡°Is it a he or she?¡±

    ¡°A boy.¡±

    ¡°What about the baby inside you?¡±

    At Juho¡¯s words, the cat¡¯s stomach puffed out. Its light, pink nipples became visible.

    ¡°A girl.¡±

    ¡°So, you already know, even if the baby hasn¡¯te out yet.¡±

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s my baby,¡± the cat answered as she licked between her legs. Her fur was greasy. She was quite dirty.

    ¡°Should I bring you something to eat?¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡±

    ¡°The baby needs nutrition.¡±

    She scoffed.

    ¡°My baby¡¯s strong.¡±

    ¡°Then, how about bath water?¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to take me in?¡± she asked with hostility. On the other hand, she sounded seductive.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can take both of you in,¡± he answered as he put out his hand to stroke her.

    ¡®Meow,¡¯ the baby cried once again. Its mother raised her ws.

    ¡°Then, get lost,¡± she snapped as she scratched Juho¡¯s hand.

    There were scratched in his hand, and blood slowly bubbled up to the surface. A drop of it spilled through the crack in his skin.

    ¡®Meow.¡¯

    The cat no longer spoke like a person, and Juho opened his eyes. There was nothing on the windowsill.

    He thought of the uing developments for his characters.

    ¡°A son,¡± and started typing away. ¡®Stomach twice the size of her breasts, two people, four lives.¡¯ The sound of typing that had filled the room came to a sudden stop.

    That wasn¡¯t enough.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t enough. It¡¯s too t. I need it to be richer,¡¯ he thought. He wanted to add more color to his story. He wanted to have something or a character that stuck out ever so slightly.

    Juho looked through the piles of paper in the corner of his room. ¡®Not this, or this, or that.¡¯ Pieces of paper fell from his hands, and he opened another box nearby. It was also filled with paper.

    ¡°No, no, it was here somewh... found it!¡±

    He had picked up two sheets of paper.

    ¡°A clown and an audience.¡±

    A clown imitated other people around him... people around him, puppies, trees, cars, things within like smiles, tears, conversations, murder, urges, sex. He imitated just about anything.

    Then there was an audience of one beside him. He was the person who would evaluate the clown and he mostly spoke positive words. In response, the clown imitated him.

    ¡®I should include these two.¡¯

    He had already written a story for the two characters, and Juho had stayed up several nights to finish it. He took the two pages to the desk. It was almost like finding the missing pieces to a puzzle. They fit perfectly.

    A clown and an audience. A mother and her son.

    Juho imagined what the son would look like. The baby turned around as he babbled, and more time had passed. Four years old, seven years old, twelve years old, it was still not enough. She had said that her baby was strong. Twenty, thirty-two, forty-five. He thought about the trembling kitten, and he knew he had gone too far.

    ¡°Eighteen years old.¡± That was it. Juho moved his hands busily and smiled through the light shining from theputer screen.

    *

    Baron had been looking at a blog. It was written by the person who had imed that Yun Woo was an innocent girl. He went by the nickname HongSam and had written several book introductions and reviews. Baron had bought quite a few books after reading HongSam¡¯s reviews.

    ¡°I can¡¯t find it.¡±

    For some reason, HongSam hadn¡¯t been writing very often. Without any exnation, the announcement had said that he wouldn¡¯t be able to upload anything for a while.

    ¡®Did he go on a trip? He said he was an adult, so maybe he¡¯s trying to make a living.¡¯

    Still, as an avid reader of his blog, Baron was disappointed by his absence.

    Thement sections were also curious about his whereabouts. Among many reasons for the blog¡¯s poprity, the biggest reason was that his affection toward books was very apparent in the way he wrote his reviews. Every single review had been written after he had read through a book. He read a ridiculous amount of books, and people naturally believed what he wrote.

    Now, he had disappeared without an exnation. Baron too had left ament. ¡®Is there something going on in your life?¡¯

    ¡°Son,e out and eat.¡±

    ¡°OK,¡± he answered as he turned off theputer and walked out to the kitchen.

    *

    ¡°So what do you want to eat?¡±

    ¡°What do you want, Baron?¡± Juho asked.

    They were on their way back from exercising together. Baron had been exercising consistently for quite a long time. The skills he had shown at the sprint race were the result of his consistent effort up to that point.

    He usually walked around the park in the evening while Juho¡¯s activities were mostly in the morning, so there had been no chance for them to run into each other.

    As he ran errands at the market for his mother, Juho decided to take Baron along for snacks. There was an intoxicating smell, and they stopped in front of an olddy who was cooking pancakes on a grill.

    ¡°Two seafood pancakes with green onions, please.¡±

    Thedy took turns looking at Juho and Baron, and then answered with a smile. The batter started to sizzle as soon as it came into contact with the grill. Its golden brown color made it look all the more scrumptious. Food tasted a lot better after exercising.

    As he quietly watched the pancakes cooking, Juho suddenly remembered something and said with his eyes on the grill, ¡°Have you been to HongSam¡¯s blog recently?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, there hasn¡¯t been any updates.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what happened?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. HongSam himself isn¡¯t saying anything, so there¡¯s no way for me to know.¡±

    ¡°True.¡±

    Baron had answered without taking his eyes off of the grill. He too was an avid reader of HongSam¡¯s blog, who had also been left confused. ¡®Why hasn¡¯t he been writing anything?¡¯

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just tired of it,¡± Baron said brusquely.

    There was a deep sense of disappointment in his tone. Because of the nature of his blog, HongSam had to read through an entire book before writing a review. If he was tired of having to read through an entire book for every review, it would have made sense that he was growing tired of it. Still, there were doubts as to what might have happened.

    ¡°Maybe, but wouldn¡¯t he have said that he was quitting altogether?¡±

    ¡°I guess so. Maybe he¡¯s been in an ident?¡±

    If he had been in an ident, he might not have gotten around giving his readers an update.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see, it¡¯s been about a month since hisst post, so if he really was in an ident, his injury was severe enough to keep in the hospital for at least four weeks.¡±

    ¡°Hm. Not something I want to think about.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Baron thought briefly. If there had to be another reason...

    ¡°He did say he was an adult, so it has to be that he¡¯s trying to make a living.¡±

 Chapter 59 - HongSaméˆ¥æªš Confession (1)

    Chapter 59: Chapter 59 ¨C HongSam¡¯s Confession (1)

    Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho nodded in agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about that too. I wonder if he¡¯s actually busy.¡±

    HongSam couldn¡¯t have run the blog with a daily job. If he had no time to read, then he would have nothing to write about either. Though Baron¡¯s theory was the most realistic among the others, there were still things that needed exnation.

    ¡°He¡¯lle back eventually. Wait, have you always been a fan of HongSam?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a big influence when I¡¯m buying a book,¡± Baron said as he quietly looked at Juho. ¡°I know you¡¯re also looking for some sort of exnation.¡±

    ¡°Haha! You got me.¡±

    It was true. They had been learning more about each other as they spent more time together. It was a good thing that Baron had started taking more interest in lowerssmen.

    ¡°To be honest, I got an eerie feeling from histest post,¡± Juho said with a smile.

    ¡°Eerie? Histest post as in... his review of ¡®One Room,¡¯ right?¡± Baron remembered heading straight to the bookstore after reading the review, and Juho nodded. ¡°What about it? I didn¡¯t notice anything different.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that... it¡¯s odd.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡± Baron asked with a confused look on his face.

    ¡°HongSam is an honest person. You can tell if he liked the book or not from the length of the post. He¡¯s also a fan of Seo Joong Ahn, and the book ¡®One Room¡¯ is his first bestseller in five years. It¡¯s been getting a lot of good reviews and it actually is a good book. I¡¯m sure the book suited his taste.¡±

    Yet, there was nothing different about histest post. It was odd. As a frequent visitor of his blog, Juho had a gist of HongSam¡¯s taste in books. If ¡®One Room¡¯ hadn¡¯t suited his taste, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to express his disappointment in his post.

    ¡°Now that I think about it, you¡¯re right. I didn¡¯t get the impression that HongSam was excited about the book. That¡¯s strange.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    The two immersed themselves in thought. ¡®What would make him distance himself from reading?¡¯

    ¡°Here are your pancakes!¡± With a loud voice, the olddy brought arge te out to them.

    While Juho put his thoughts on hold to eat, he suddenly hesitated when he saw the food on the table.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I believe we only ordered two.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s on the house. You¡¯re from afar.¡±

    Juho looked at Baron. There was another te in front of him, and he calmly thanked the olddy.

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°You speak good Korean. I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t get to eat well back home. Let me know if you need more.¡±

    As if he had been used to the situation, he brushed off her kind-hearted discrimination. Juho had heard her mention something about a poor country, but Baron interjected before Juho had the opportunity to say anything, ¡°I¡¯m used to it. Besides, more for me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a good thing to lie to yourself about,¡± Juho said as he stared intently at Baron.

    Baron smiled as if he had given in.

    ¡°Fine! You know what? I still don¡¯t like it. Happy?¡±

    ¡°Now, since you areining, I can dig in without having to worry about shame.¡±

    At that, they picked up their chopsticks together.

    ¡°What¡¯s with youtely?¡± Juho asked Seo Kwang as he brought a spoonful of rice curry into his mouth.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Seo Kwang hadn¡¯t been himself as ofte. So far, he hadn¡¯t been caught reading his book during ss, andtely, he had been getting in frequent trouble with the teacher even when he hadn¡¯t been reading in secret. Because he sat right behind him, Juho too had been called out several times for dozing off.

    Whenever there was time, Seo Kwang quietly looked out the window and sat in a daze. Something must have happened. On top of that, he had been the only person who hadn¡¯t decided whichpetition he was going to sign up for. Juho asked as he rubbed his tired eyes, ¡°Did somebody burn all of your books?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even want to think about that, so do me a favor and keep that thought to yourself.¡±

    ¡°Then, what is it? Why have you been walking around like a zombie? Is there something going on at home?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that,¡± he stalled.

    ¡°Did you get yourself into trouble?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Do you need money?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it dly if you have some.¡±

    ¡°Did you get heatstroke?¡±

    ¡°My health is fine,¡± he answered as he mashed the rice with his chopsticks.

    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s something he can¡¯t talk about openly,¡¯ Juho decided not to be nosy.

    ¡°Well, if you did something wrong, it¡¯s usually best to just confess,¡± he added as he continued eating his food.

    If he really had done something, it would have been best for him toe clean to the others around him. ¡®Did he steal something?¡¯ Juho shook his head at the thought. Seo Kwang didn¡¯t have the guts to do such a thing. Despite his character around others, he had a careful side to him that prioritized safety.

    Juho thought some more as he took another spoonful, ¡®First, HongSam, and now, it¡¯s Seo Kwang. Things have been weirdtely.¡¯ Then, he remembered the time when HongSam had presumed Yun Woo to be a ¡®book-loving girl.¡¯ At that moment, his hand stopped in midair as he was about to take another bite.

    ¡°A book-loving girl.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Juho looked up slowly, calmly chewed his food and swallowed. He saw the puzzled look on Seo Kwang¡¯s face as he picked at his own food with his chopsticks.

    Meanwhile, Juho quietly organized his thoughts, ¡®Seo Kwang was the first person who told me about HongSam. It¡¯s been a month since he wrote on his blog.¡¯ He thought about the time when Seo Kwang started acting strangely, and it had been about a month. The corners of his mouth turned up slowly as he reached his conclusion that Seo Kwang and HongSam were into the same type of girl, a book-loving girl.

    ¡°You¡¯re HongSam!¡±

    Seo Kwang froze.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he confessed suddenly.

    Juho took his spoon that had been buried in a pile of rice curry out and said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat for now.¡±

    ¡°... OK.¡±

    As they ate, the two didn¡¯t say a word to each other.

    After eating, the two sat on a wooden bench in the schoolyard, each with a carton of apple juice in their hands. There were other kids lingering around, and Juho asked Seo Kwang as he sat quietly, ¡°Mr. HongSam?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± he answered calmly. The fact that Seo Kwang had been hiding his identity as HongSam was not a big issue. One wasn¡¯t obligated to reveal everything about his life to his friend.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your upation?¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be like that,¡± he said with an awkward smile. Seo Kwang was nervous because he had been acting as an ¡°adult¡± in the blog.

    ¡°I really thought HongSam would be a corporate worker.¡±

    ¡°My dad¡¯s a great reference.¡±

    ¡°You really did your research, didn¡¯t you? It was well put. Why don¡¯t you write a novel? I see potential,¡± Juho said jokingly. Seo Kwang started to loosen up and smile. Juho wasn¡¯t looking to criticize him, but he was curious about one thing, ¡®Why did he have to be an adult?¡¯

    Noticing that Juho was quiet, Seo Kwang took the initiative to exin himself, ¡°I first started my blog in middle school. That¡¯s when I first learned that my age could work against my favor. People were talking down to the books I¡¯d review because some middle school kid had read it. I get why they would do that to a middle school kid, but the book? I was so angry, but I couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    ¡°After I calmed down a little, I started asking myself a questions, ¡®How are these people so brave? How can they attack others so boldly?¡¯ The answer was simple ¨C anonymity. So I gave it a shot, and what you¡¯ve been looking at is the result ¨C the birth of a popr blogger. I felt bitter, but the result was good, so I kept going.¡±

    Juho felt traces of Seo Kwang¡¯s anger in his calm tone of voice.

    ¡°What does HongSam mean?¡± he asked after listening quietly.

    ¡°I saw my dad drinking red ginseng concentrate, and it looked like a good symbol for tired adults.¡±

    (TL¡¯s note: Hongsam is red ginseng in Korean.)

    People around his father¡¯s age tended to eat anything for the benefit of their health, and Juho pictured the person who he had never met. A father had the responsibility to stay healthy. It was a responsibility he had taken up himself because there were people he worried about in case he passed away.

    After staring out at the schoolyard for some time, Juho asked the burning question in his mind, ¡°Why haven¡¯t you written anything in your blog for a month?¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for that absence, Juho wouldn¡¯t have been fazed even if he had found out that Seo Kwang had been HongSam all along. Whether he was HongSam or InSam, he would have left encouragingments and treated him as the person he wanted to be. However, Seo Kwang looked weary. He seemed concerned and no longer happy.

    (TL¡¯s note: Insam is ginseng in Korean.)

    ¡°So, funny story...¡± Seo Kwang hesitated.

    ¡°If it¡¯s something you don¡¯t want to talk about, I won¡¯t pry it out of you. Think about it. Is it something you can do anything about?¡±

    His eyes looked up and came back down. They moved busily as he thought.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m in love,¡± he said.

    ¡®Love!¡¯ Juho blinked slowly.

    ¡°Are you confessing to me?¡±

    ¡°You crazy weirdo!¡±

    Juho cackled out loud. Coming from Seo Kwang, the word ¡®love¡¯ sounded so pure and innocent.

    ¡°Good times,¡± he said, feeling relieved on the inside. ¡®Good thing it¡¯s not anything serious.¡¯

    After a goodugh, he asked Seo Kwang, ¡°It¡¯s not a character from a book, is it?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Seo Kwang answered fiercely.

    After school ended, Juho headed over to Seo Kwang¡¯s house with him. He had invited Juho over with enthusiasm.

    There was a subway station at the end of the furniture district that stretched into the distance. His house was in a corner of that intersection. The first floor was a small neighborhood bookstore, and Juho looked up at the building.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside,¡± Seo Kwang said as he leaned into the ss door.

    ¡°First floor?¡±

    ¡°Yep. It¡¯s our store.¡±

    Now it made sense as to why Seo Kwang was such a bookworm. ¡®Who would¡¯ve thought his parents actually owned a bookstore?¡¯ It was such a fitting family business for him.

    As he followed Seo Kwang into the store, he was met by a small counter with books on it. There was also a hand written suggestion list on top of the books.

    The register was in the innermost part of the store, which looked more like a book cafe than a bookstore. There were drinks and a dessert menu on the wall and a small kitchen space in the back.

    ¡°We sell alcohol at night too. A lot of people like to read while they drink.¡±

    ¡°Have you tried it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve begged my parents for a sip once. They want me to wait till I¡¯m an adult,¡± he said, slightly disappointed. Cafe, bar, that was how a small neighborhood bookstore survived. In front of the register, there was a generous lookingdy staring at the two.

    ¡°He must be a friend,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yeah, this is Juho.¡±

    As Seo Kwang introduced him, thedy¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Why, hello! You must be that Juho! I¡¯m Seo Kwang¡¯s mom.¡±

    ¡°How are you doing?¡±

    She smiled brightly as he greeted her with a bow. Her somewhat mischievous smile had a striking resemnce to Seo Kwang.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you a lot. It must be tiring to hang out with Seo Kwang.¡±

 Chapter 60 - HongSaméˆ¥æªš Confession (2)

    Chapter 60: Chapter 60 ¨C HongSam¡¯s Confession (2)

    Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Tiring!?¡± Seo Kwang grumbled at his mother¡¯s yful words.

    ¡°Make yourself at home. Feel free to read whatever you want,¡± she said.

    Seo Kwang took Juho to a ce in the innermost part of the store. It was quite far from the register, so they didn¡¯t have to worry about their conversation being overheard.

    ¡°What would you like to drink? We have good bread too. Whatever you want, you can have it for free.¡±

    Though Juho turned her down respectfully, she brought out drinks and a generous amount of bread.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Of course! There¡¯s a lot more.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    While Seo Kwang left for a moment, Juho looked around the store. There were all kinds of books, from nursery rhymes to self-help to literature. Among all the books, nursery rhymes were the mostmon, especially the ones from overseas. All written in their originalnguage, there were enough to fill an entire wall.

    ¡°Those are our store¡¯s main products. Our store is well known among nursery rhyme collectors,¡± Seo Kwang said with aptop in his hand. A customer was behind him.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Seo Kwang¡¯s mother weed the customer with a bright smile. He ordered a drink and picked out a book for himself. He seemed to be a regr.

    ¡°Having distinguishing qualities is essential for neighborhood bookstores. Although, I can¡¯t really read them because they¡¯re in English.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡±

    ¡°Sure is. I¡¯m sure you understand what it feels like to wait desperately for a tranted copy of a book from your favorite author.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, maybe not,¡± Juho answered with a smile.

    Then, Seo Kwang pped as if he¡¯d remembered something, ¡°You speak English right? So annoying!¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you learn?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier said than done.¡±

    ¡°That is true.¡±

    Learning anguage was not easy. James had told Juho once about his struggle with teaching foreign students. Whether teaching or learning, putting in the effort was necessary for both parties. Language was a delicate tool.

    ¡°What¡¯s with theptop?¡±

    ¡°I thought it¡¯d be better to show you.¡±

    He turned theptop on and went into a familiar looking blog. ¡®HongSam¡¯s World of Books,¡¯ it was Seo Kwang¡¯s blog.

    ¡°You really are HongSam.¡±

    Juho came to that realization once again as he watched Seo Kwang managing the blog. It was the moment when the corporate worker HongSam became the high school student Seo Kwang in his mind.

    ¡°You¡¯re a good writer,¡± he said sincerely. Seo Kwang might have been a better writer when it came to book reviews.

    ¡°That¡¯s ttering. Well, I¡¯m pretty confident when ites to reviewing books even though I kind of struggle with original stories.¡±

    ¡°Like what Mr. Moon pointed out.¡±

    Mr. Moon had often pointed out Seo Kwang¡¯s plot development. He had to find it difficult toe up with a story of his own.

    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because he has so many books in his head,¡¯ Juho spected light-heartedly.

    ¡°Look at this.¡±

    After ncing over to the register, he set hisptop in front of Juho. He didn¡¯t want his parents to know. Juho looked at the screen with a faint smile. There was an email written in spotty grammar.

    ¡°A foreigner?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Is this your first love?¡±

    ¡°Hey, speak quieter,¡± Seo Kwang said with his index on his mouth.

    ¡°Good times,¡± Juho smiled without even realizing.

    The email was from a person with the nickname ¡°Ginger.¡± ¡®HongSam and Ginger... that¡¯s a curiousbination,¡¯ he thought as he read the email. In summary, the point of the email was:

    ¡°I¡¯d like to meet you in person.¡± Juho asked as he looked away from the screen, ¡°How did ¡°Ginger¡± find out about your blog?¡±

    ¡°So...¡± he said quietly even though his mother was busy dealing with a customer. ¡°I think she¡¯s a foreigner who¡¯s been studying Korean. She probably found my blog while looking for a Korean novel. It would have been a good resource for her since it¡¯s a blog that focuses on book reviews. So, she visited frequently.¡±

    ¡°Your reviews are written colloquially. That makes sense.¡±

    ¡°I got a message from her one day, and it turns out that she has a simr taste in books, so we started talking over email, mostly about books and Korea.¡±

    As proof, his inbox was full of emails he had exchanged with Ginger. Seo Kwang was full of life when he talked about her, and Juho listened quietly.

    ¡°She¡¯s twenty-five years old and lives in the UK. She watches a lot of K-dramas and listens to a lot of K-Pop, so she started studying Korean. That¡¯s when she fell in love with Korean novels.¡±

    ¡®A love that they overcame the time difference,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°Have you seen her face?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Phone number?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°What if she¡¯s a dangerous person?¡± he asked as he looked through the emails.

    ¡°I¡¯m trusting she¡¯s not.¡±

    Their rtionship had evolved from discussingmon interests to something more. From Juho¡¯s point of view, she didn¡¯t seem to be lying either. She had never asked for money and she had taken the initiative to ask to meet. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to expect the unexpected.

    ¡°And she¡¯s into you?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Juho clicked the next email. Ginger¡¯s affection had be very apparent at the very end of it.

    ¡°She is into you.¡±

    It was possible for a person to fall in love with a person who they had never met. Communication was what made that possible. Instead of verbally, the two had been talking to one another through emails. They had introduced themselves to one another and told one another about themselves, things they liked and disliked, things they found fun or boring, good days, bad days... They knew about each other¡¯s current life.

    ¡°Yep,¡± he answered quietly.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the issue?¡± Juho asked.

    Issue. At that word, Seo Kwang¡¯s expression suddenly grew darker, and Juho had an idea. They had feelings for each other, yet Seo Kwang couldn¡¯t answer her email willingly. It hadn¡¯t been his doubt or the distance between the two.

    ¡°Is it age?¡±

    Seo Kwang dropped his head, writhing in pain.

    ¡°Why did I do that? I shouldn¡¯t have cared so much about sounding convincing. I shouldn¡¯t have faked my age. Now, I have to lie to someone I consider to be my destiny. I have to trick her,¡± he said with his head buried in his arms.

    Juho read the email again. ¡®I¡¯ll be visiting Korea this month. I¡¯d like to meet you then.¡¯

    ¡°How old does she think you are?¡±

    ¡°... the same age.¡±

    Twenty-five. Seo Kwang had added eight years to his age, but Juho suggested a simple solution, ¡°Just be honest.¡±

    ¡°Sigh. It¡¯s not that simple,¡± he added. ¡°Imagine if I¡¯d said ¡®Actually, I¡¯m seventeen.¡¯ It¡¯d be over.¡±

    Seventeen. He was young, an underage, at that. He wasn¡¯t even old enough to buy alcohol. There was no way to know how Ginger would respond, so it made sense that Seo Kwang was struggling so much.

    ¡°So, are you nning to keep lying to her?¡±

    ¡°... I don¡¯t want to do that either.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± he answered. ¡°Then, I guess you just gotta be honest.¡±

    ¡°Ughhh,¡± Seo Kwang grumbled.

    Juho thought about the significance of Seo Kwang revealing his actual age. ording to her emails, Ginger seemed to be polite and someone who acted withmon sense. He had predicted that a twenty-five year old Ginger would not consider a seventeen year old Seo Kwang as a romantic partner.

    ¡°You know that, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Seo Kwang knew, and that¡¯s why he had been hesitating. The two had beenmunicating and sharing each other¡¯s lives. Unfortunately, Seo Kwang was neither twenty-five nor a corporate worker.

    ¡°It was so nice...¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°Waiting for her replies had been the most heart-fluttering moments of the past seventeen years.¡±

    Juho stared at him intently.

    ¡°Man, some lover you are.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t make fun of me,¡± he answered sadly as he thought of Ginger. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lie to her, but I don¡¯t want to tell her the truth either.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t feel that criticizing would be necessary. There was no use in crying over spilled milk. In all this, Seo Kwang was probably the person who was hurting the most.

    ¡°You still have to write back to her, right?¡±

    Seo Kwang nodded sadly. He really didn¡¯t want to trick her and he had been constantly fighting with the thoughts in his mind. Otherwise, he¡¯d simply walk away from the situation and he¡¯d justify himself as he did. For that reason, he needed someone to question him so that he coulde up with an honest answer.

    ¡°How do you want to do this?¡± Juho asked. There was a brief moment of silence, and he sipped on his drink as he waited for an answer. It was grapefruit-ade, sweet, and slightly tart. The surface of the cup was covered with droplets of water that flowed down the cup pulled by their own weight.

    Finally, Seo Kwang responded, ¡°I¡¯m not going to trick her.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see her. I¡¯m done hiding behind my nickname.¡±

    ¡°OK. Now, ites down to how you¡¯re going to write your reply,¡± Juho said as he savored his drink.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Seo Kwang cried. The fear seemed to revisit him as he came closer to the core of the issue.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we write something sincere, like when you¡¯re reviewing a book?¡± Juho suggested in order to prevent him from backing out.

    ¡°I¡¯m a timid loser at heart.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that will work somehow?¡±

    With first loves, being snazzy had no value whatsoever. Apparently, next to alcohol, it was the second scariest thing to be drunk on. Juho rooted for his friend¡¯s first love that was both sweet and slightly tart.

    With his hands on the keyboard, Seo Kwang asked Juho as he hesitated, ¡°Can you help?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asking now?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the best thing that happened to me.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell that to your love?¡±

    ¡°You speak English,¡± Seo Kwang said with his lips clenched.

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°Help me trante, will you?¡±

    With all the work she had put in writing back to him in Korean, he must have wanted to reciprocate her efforts. There was no reason to say no.

    ¡°Alright, anytime,¡± Juho epted willingly.

    He had never tranted before, but he wasn¡¯t worried. He had been keeping himself busy, getting familiar with hisnguage acquisition device. It should be just as useful for trantions.

    ¡°Here goes nothing,¡± Seo Kwang said. He wrote to be as honestly as possible.

    ¡®Maybe the person who really looks like an author here is Seo Kwang,¡¯ Juho thought in passing.

 Chapter 61 - HongSaméˆ¥æªš Confession (3)

    Chapter 61: Chapter 61 ¨C HongSam¡¯s Confession (3)

    Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Let me go get a drink of water.¡±

    ¡°Again? You¡¯ve gone several times already. Calm down.¡±

    ¡°No, I feel like my voice is going to crack. I can¡¯t let that happen when we¡¯re meeting for the first time.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go to the bathroom in the middle of a conversation, wait.¡±

    ¡°I guess so. I¡¯m going to go to the bathroom really quickly then.¡±

    Juho was trying to calm Seo Kwang down. They were waiting for Ginger in front of arge bookstore in GwangHwaMun. After sending her an honest email, she had written back the following day. Unlike previously, it had been written in English that time. Juho tranted it. Though she sounded flustered, she was understanding. Seo Kwang wrote that she didn¡¯t have to see him if she didn¡¯t feelfortable doing so, but she didn¡¯t cancel their ns.

    ¡°How do you think this will go?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Juho answered calmly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure this is the end,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°Maybe of the feelings?¡± Juho answered as he looked at him intently.

    Seo Kwang ruffled his hair and looked up, ¡°I¡¯m going to make the most of it while itsts.¡±

    With that, he focused on keeping his spirits up. He tried to concentrate on being an average teenager who looked forward to meeting a girl, and Juho didn¡¯t say anything else.

    Without getting any exnation, the club members looked at him weird.

    ¡°Did you finally lose your mind?¡± Sun Hwa said.

    ¡°I do feel like I¡¯m getting close. This is a beautiful world we¡¯re living in.¡±

    Sun Hwa was at loss for words. Instead, she tapped Juho on the arm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me,¡± he said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you write anything like ¡®I won¡¯t let a drop of water touch your hand,¡¯¡±Mr. Moon said after reading Seo Kwang¡¯sposition.

    Unlike Juho, who was chuckling, Seo Kwang answered with a bright smile, ¡°Yes, Mr. M!¡±

    He was a brave fellow, that one.

    ¡°Do I need anything else? Should I have a book in my hand or something?¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re fine the way you are.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? What about my hair? Should I go put on some wax?¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re fine.¡±

    He must have asked those things at least several hundred times. Seo Kwang had been frantically fixing his hair and making himself look tidier. Meanwhile, Juho patted his tense, rigid back.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing fine. Just be yourself,¡± he said.

    ¡°That¡¯s the hardest thing for me at the moment,¡± he answered as he wiped his sweaty palm on his pants. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve been this nervous about meeting someone. It wouldn¡¯t be this bad even if I was meeting God Himself.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not nice.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a religion, but I feel like now would be a good time to find one,¡± he said, and Juho prayed that he wouldn¡¯t make a mistake in front of Ginger.

    ¡°How¡¯s my breath? I brushed my teeth three times. You want a whiff?¡±

    ¡°Yo, get that away from me,¡± Juho said as he pushed Seo Kwang away.

    ¡°Try taking a deep breath. You¡¯re going to be exhausted before you even see her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Unusually fine. I didn¡¯t get a wink of sleepst night, but how is that I don¡¯t even feel tired?¡±

    ¡®Probably because you¡¯re excited,¡¯ Juho murmured internally.

    It seemed like Juho would have to have the same conversation with his friend a couple hundred more times before Ginger arrived. He looked around as time approached. She had said that she¡¯d be wearing a green cardigan, but he didn¡¯t see anyone with one of those yet.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it fascinating?¡± Seo Kwang said with a calmer voice.

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°That I fell in love with someone I haven¡¯t even met? Writing is amazing. It transfers emotions just as they are. It¡¯s different from speaking.¡±

    Juho nodded quietly.

    Writing really was amazing. It made a bookworm fall in love with a girl. Being as tactful a student as he was, Seo Kwang wrote to her with awkward English and attitude.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to apologize when I see her. This time, in person.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll forgive you.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll confess. I¡¯ll tell her that I still like her. Not as the twenty-five year old HongSam, but as the seventeen year old Seo Kwang,¡± he said with determination and added, ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll say no, but at least it¡¯ll be in person.¡±

    Juho thought of her emails. There had been forgiveness in her reply. She hadn¡¯t cancelled their ns and she had said that she understood him. Then, she had said jokingly at the end, ¡®I guess now you need to address me formally.¡¯

    As a person who had a deep interest in Korean culture, she must have understood the significance in speaking with formality. There would be a distance between them as noona and dongsaeng ¨C older ¡®sister¡¯ and younger ¡®brother.¡¯ Things would never go back to the way they were when they would talk to each other as people of the same age.

    Seo Kwang and Juho both understood that as soon as they saw that sentence in the email. After all, Seo Kwang had tact. Yet, he insisted oning out to meet her. To be rejected once again. To confess to her one more time.

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you fried chicken. Let me know when you¡¯re done,¡± Juho said quietly.

    Seo Kwang¡¯s face puckered for the first time.

    ¡°No, thanks. I have a feeling I¡¯d be haunted by bad memories if I have fried chicken again. I love fried chicken too much. While you¡¯re at it, buy me pizza instead.¡±

    Juho nodded, although he was slightly confused. ¡®If that¡¯s what you want.¡¯

    ¡°Alright. Whatever it is, I¡¯ll let you eat to your heart¡¯s content. Good luck!¡± he said.

    At that moment, Seo Kwang saw a foreigner with brown hair walking toward him, wearing a green cardigan. ¡®It has to be her,¡¯ he thought as if he knew the face of his love. It was Ginger.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have myself the bestest day in my life,¡± he said as he took a step forward.

    He was still nervous on the inside. Leaving his anxiety behind, Seo Kwang walked toward her. Juho watched them having a conversation from the distance. Seo Kwang was making exaggerated movements.

    ¡°First love.¡±

    He let out a faint smile at the sound of those bittersweet words and thought about the excitement on Seo Kwang¡¯s face. Then, he took a small notebook out from his pocket. In there, were a mother with her two children.

    ¡®Love. She must have experienced it at some point in her life. There had to be a time when she had met her love for the first time.¡¯ He felt the woman¡¯s gloomy, aggressive appearance mellowing out a little bit.

    It was a busy day at the publishingpany. People worked while being surrounded by books. They read pages and pages of drafts while keeping in touch with the authors and deciding on the designs for the book covers. Amid the bustle of business, Nam Kyung was writing an email to the people who had shown interest in adapting Juho¡¯s book into a movie.

    It wasn¡¯t umon for authors to turn down a movie adaptation offer. Every author had a reason for not wanting their book to be made into a movie. Juho was the same way. He¡¯d made the decision because he¡¯d had an opinion as an author.

    As an editor, Nam Kyung¡¯s job at that point was to respect the author¡¯s opinion.

    He looked through the inbox and the countless offers he had turned down. There were names of renowned studios and directors among them.

    Sang Young Ju.

    His hand suddenly stopped as he scrolled down the list. He had heard of that name from a movie preview show that aired every Sunday. In that week¡¯s episode, they had introduced the directors.

    Nam Kyung had paid little attention, even as the TV showed a climactic scene of one of Sang Young¡¯s movies. He had never heard of his name or his movies before that.

    However, although he¡¯d never drawn millions of people to the audience or been invited to a film festival, his movies were simply gorgeous.

    ¡®Why isn¡¯t he known yet?¡¯ It was Nam Kyung¡¯s first question when he saw one of his movies.

    ¡®It has to be time. It¡¯s a matter of time before he spreads his wings as an director,¡¯ he thought.

    It was unfortunate that he had turned down such a talented director. He hadn¡¯t realized it when he had written to the director, but the regret finally caught up to him.

    ¡°Maybe I should try bringing it up to Juho again,¡± he said and reached into his pocket to find his phone, but it was empty. ¡®Where did I put my phone?¡¯ he thought, looking through his messy desk. Because of that, he hadpletely missed out on the conversation between his coworkers.

    ¡°There¡¯s a strange person outside.¡±

    ¡°A strange person?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but apparently he¡¯s just sitting still in front of the building.¡±

    ¡°Should we call the police?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that security will take care of him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to learn English,¡± Seo Kwang said as he shoved a slice of pizza into his mouth. He waspletely iprehensible, but Juho was able to understand somehow.

    ¡°Why?¡± Juho asked as he sipped on his Coke.

    ¡°I¡¯ve made a promise.¡±

    ¡°What promise?¡± he asked as he chewed fiercely. The world might not have been such a beautiful ce after all.

    ¡°That I¡¯m really going to go visit her the year I turn twenty-five.¡±

    ¡°So, you two decided to stay friends?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Friends! Friendzoned!¡± he said angrily as he chugged his C. He almost looked like he was drinking. ¡°When I met her, she greeted me in Korean.¡± She had done so informally. ¡°So, I greeted her back.¡± As agreed, he addressed her with formality. They had both been sincere in their promises.

    He poked the cheese that had stretched out from the pizza and said, ¡°So that¡¯s why I¡¯m going to learn English and let her know how I feel.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°¡®Hi,¡¯¡± he said with a mischievous smile. Like Ginger had done, he was nning on saying hello to her in her native tongue when he eventually turned twenty-five years old.

    ¡°That¡¯s not exactly formal.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°OK, then.¡±

    There was no promise that he would actually be able to get in touch with her when he turned twenty-five. His heart might have changed by then. She might be seeing someone by then. Still, he had decided that he was going to learn English and visit her. There was nothing Juho could do but root for his friend.

    ¡°Where did you learn English?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m self-taught,¡± he answered with a shrug.

    ¡°You can do that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it depends on the person.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so annoying.¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    For a while, Juho had to withstand criticism from Seo Kwang.

    ¡°One day, I¡¯m going to surpass you,¡± he said with unexinable determination. He must have been drunk from his Coke.

    ¡°You said you gave her a book, right? Which book was it?¡± Juho changed the subject as he brought his cup to his mouth.

    ¡°¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯¡±

    Juho almost spat out his drink.

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked as he barely swallowed the drink in his mouth.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good book. And...¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a fan... of Yun Woo...¡± he mumbled as ifining.

    ¡°Do you want more food?¡± Juho asked. He felt sorry for him for some reason.

    ¡°You know what? I¡¯ll take you up on that offer. Tonight, I¡¯m going to EAT. I¡¯ll pitch in, so let¡¯s eat together.¡±

    After ordering another round of pizza along with various sides, they ended up going home with boxes of leftovers. Of course, Juho paid for everything.

    Seo Kwang¡¯s first love came to its bittersweet end as he walked around the park to help with digestion. The following day, he immediately submitted his application to a contest.

 Chapter 62 - Who are You? (1)

    Chapter 62: Chapter 62 ¨C Who are You? (1)

    Trantor: ¨C ¨C Editor: ¨C ¨C

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡®Clunk.¡¯

    The bus rattled, and Juho woke up from the sudden impact.

    ¡®Yawn.¡¯

    He was on his way to the publishing district for a lunch meeting with Nam Kyung at the same restaurant fromst meeting and looked around the bus to see how many more stops were left.

    ¡®Two more.¡¯

    He thought of Seo Kwang as he looked out of the window at the scenery zooming past. The night after he had indulged in pizza with Juho, he had asked his parents to send him to a private institute to learn English. His parents willingly epted his request. Not many parents would stop their child from wanting to study more.

    Since then, he had changed. Instead of reading books, he upied himself with memorizing English words. What didn¡¯t change was that he still wasn¡¯t paying attention in ss. In terms of writing, he worked even harder to improve his skill.

    After the school essay contest, he had been gradually distancing himself from writing. He had struggled to finish hisposition and spent even less time thinking. His skill had been solid from the sheer amount of reading he had ustomed himself to, but had wrestled with creative writing and hadn¡¯t bothered to ovee his weakness.

    However, he had been fully aware that the cause of his weakness was in himself and had asked Juho to write sincerely, saying that he wanted to read what Juho wrote. So, Juho had written with all of his heart. As a result, Seo Kwang had lost interest in writing.

    Now, he began to write again, just like he had before. No, he was working even harder.

    The reason he had picked up his pen had been simple. He simply had found a purpose, a new purpose to write.

    Juho thought of the day when he shared that purpose with him in person. They had been on their way to the science room together.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he called for Juho, who had been walking ahead. Juho stopped and looked back.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    Seo Kwang looked up at his eyes from where he stood and said determinedly, ¡°I¡¯m going to be trantor.¡±

    It had been his resolution and desire. A freshman in high school, he had finally found something that he wanted to do after his breakthrough after the Ginger incident.

    He had decided tomit his life to tranting until the day he couldn¡¯t work anymore. He wanted to be a trantor who enabled people to have ess to more books.

    Juho looked down from where he stood and saw that Seo Kwang had never been so determined before.

    ¡°So, you go ahead and be a writer.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Juho asked after a brief moment of silence.

    ¡°Your writing tends to move people. Look at how I turned out.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that because of your first love?¡±

    ¡°OK, now you¡¯re pouring salt on an open wound,¡± he said sternly. Then, he stopped Juho as he tried to walk away. ¡°You should be a writer. I want you to. It¡¯s not like you want to do anything else.¡±

    ¡°Well... I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s not like I can be a novelist just because I don¡¯t have anything I want to do, you know?¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re not going to be a writer?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±

    He was already a writer. He had already made his debut and had his book released. However, that hadn¡¯t been his end goal. There were limits to being a novelist, and Juho didn¡¯t want his life to be under such restrictions.

    He slowly opened his mouth and proimed, rewarding Seo Kwang for sharing his future goal honestly, ¡°I want to be great.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It might sound somewhat childish and exaggerated, but that¡¯s the kind of thing I want.¡±

    For a while, Seo Kwang seemed dumbfounded.

    ¡°Well, then be a great writer. A great storyteller,¡± he said with a smile.

    ¡°Haha. What makes you so desperate for me to be a writer?¡± Juho asked as heughed at the sound of the word he had be so familiar with.

    ¡°It¡¯s so that I can trante your books. That¡¯s my goal,¡± Seo Kwang answered.

    ¡°That¡¯s kind of silly.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°We should get going. We¡¯re runningte.¡±

    ¡°I said what did you... Hey, hey!¡±

    ¡®We ended up beingte, and Mr. Moon looked daggers at us,¡¯ Juho reminisced as he stared out the window. The bus started moving again toward the next stop.

    From that point on, Seo Kwang would change even more. It was not about whether or not he was going to be sessful. There was a world of difference between someone with a goal and someone without one.

    It hadn¡¯t been that long since he had started learning English, but Juho was certain that he was going to pick it up quickly. After all, Seo Kwang¡¯s skills withnguage were quite impressive.

    He imagined Seo Kwang as a trantor. It suited him quite well. ¡®What would it be like if he actually tranted my books?¡¯ he thought. The books tranted by Seo Kwang would reach all over the world. People who spoke othernguages wouldugh and cry as they read what he had tranted.

    However, it would be a while until that could happen.

    As Juho looked up after organizing his thoughts, he rushed to press the stop button.

    ¡°Damn it! I missed my stop.¡±

    When he finally got out of the bus, he appeared in front of a publishingpany. The restaurant had been long gone. The good news was that there was still time until their meeting, so he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about making Nam Kyung wait.

    He was left with no choice, but to let Nam Kyung know.

    ¡®I¡¯ll meet you in front of your office,¡¯ Juho wrote in his text.

    At that moment, Nam Kyung was hearing about a strange man who had appeared in front of the office and hadn¡¯t even been aware of his phone vibrating on his desk.

    Meanwhile, Juho made his way toward Nam Kyung¡¯s publishingpany. There were cars parked here and there in the streets.

    He checked his phone as he walked, but Nam Kyung hadn¡¯t responded yet. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s busy. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll stille out on time,¡¯ he thought to himself.

    ¡°Look, it¡¯s a fox!¡±

    ¡°I like bunnies more.¡±

    There was a family with children in the distance. A young boy and a girl each had a picture book in their hands. That must have been what the kids were talking about.

    ¡°No running! You¡¯ll fall and hurt yourselves!¡±

    The kids were excited beyond control. They seemed like they couldn¡¯t be still. Juho heard theirughter from where he was and thought the sight of the little girl following after her brother was quite adorable.

    He watched for a bit, but continued on after he remembered he had ns with Nam Kyung. His office was right around the corner, so there was no way that they would miss each other.

    ¡°¡®Scuse me.¡±

    ¡®I should give him a call when I¡¯m in front of the building.¡¯

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡®Since I¡¯m already here, maybe I should suggest going somewhere nearby. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll know a ce.¡¯

    ¡°Hello? ¡®Scuse me!¡±

    Juho looked back to see who was shouting. Somebody must have been calling for him.

    The first thing that had caught his eyes were a pair of old jeans worn by a man. He was somewhat chubby and seemed to be around in his forties.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, young man. Thanks for stopping,¡± the man answered with a husky voice. For some reason, the formality in his speech didn¡¯t quite match his appearance.

    ¡°Where are you headed to, young man?¡±

    ¡°A publishingpany,¡± Juho answered somewhat suspiciously.

    ¡°What business do you have there?¡±

    He didn¡¯t sound like he was criticizing. He was genuinely asking for his reason for going there.

    ¡®Who is this person? Is this a survey? Is he going to ask if I¡¯m interested in enlightenment or buying something from him?¡¯ Contrary to his spections, the man brought up neither of those things. Juho had wondered if he was a reporter, but he didn¡¯t seem to have a camera on him. ¡®Is he an employee for the publishingpany? He doesn¡¯t seem like it...¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Which publishingpany were you headed to?¡± Seeing how Juho remained quiet, he rephrased his question.

    ¡°Zelkova Publishing Company, right over there,¡± Juho said as he pointed at a building.

    The man turned his head toward the direction Juho had pointed, and then turned back to look at him again. Juho was confused.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, who are you, ahjussi?¡± he asked as he stared back.

    (TL¡¯s note: ahjussi means ¡®mister¡¯ in Korean, usually referring to an older man.)

    His eyes sparkled. He seemed like he was certain of something. ¡®What¡¯s he so certain of?¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m the director that you turned down,¡± he answered brusquely before Juho even had time to think.

    ¡®Uh, oh!¡¯ His brain spun faster than usual.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about. Now, if you don¡¯t mind, I have a ce to...¡±

    ¡°Mr. Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Haha! Yep, you hear that name everywhere nowadays,¡± he gave a nonsense answer as he slowly stepped back. He couldn¡¯t decide whether he should run or try to strike a conversation with him.

    ¡®What¡¯s a director doing in front of a publishingpany? Is he here to see me? Then, I should probably try to talk to him at least...¡¯ He contemted. He studied the director¡¯s face to see if he hade to express his resentment towards being turned down, but rather than anger, there was nothing but certainty. He seemed certain that Juho was Yun Woo.

    ¡®How did he know? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s written on my face,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°You were looking at that family over there just now, right?¡± the director asked as a way to keep Juho from running away. ¡°An average high school student wouldn¡¯t look at a family like that. Not just high school students, but people in general. They would walk right past them because they¡¯re busy surviving. Unless they work in a field like the one you and I work in, they wouldn¡¯t bother. You¡¯re an author, am I right?¡± he exined his reason for thinking Juho to be Yun Woo.

    The field, he must have meant a field of work that required an individual to make detailed observations in a regr basis. Regardless of field, there were upations like that. One of them was being a writer. Being a director was probably simr. He had to have been observing Juho to reach his conclusion.

    Juho stopped in his tracks. He had reallye looking for Yun Woo. ¡®What are the odds?¡¯

    So, he had decided to talk to the director.

    ¡°What are the odds?¡± Juho admitted to the director¡¯s spection.

    ¡°It was bound to happen. I¡¯ve beening here every morning to meet you,¡± he said with a smile.

    ¡°Every morning?¡±

    ¡°Yes, right here. Whether it rained or snowed.¡±

    ¡®How touching,¡¯ Juho thought.

    At once, he continued as he set aside his jokes, ¡°I apologize if I startled you. It¡¯s not pleasant to have a visitor when you had already turned him down before. But give me just a little bit of your time. I brought the scenario.¡±

    His coarse hands moved about in the air. His exaggerated movements were telling Juho that he was nervous.

    ¡°I¡¯d really like to make your book into a movie, Mr. Woo. I¡¯ve read it at least twenty times. I must do this,¡± he said determinedly.

    The fact that he had been waiting for him day in and day out had already been impressive. However, what really left an impression was the intense passion in his eyes. There was desperation behind them. It wasn¡¯t something Juho saw everyday.

    ¡°Well then, should we discuss more over tea?¡±

    ¡°That sounds great!¡± the director answered with a bright smile.

    At that moment, Juho saw Nam Kyung in the distance. He was running and shouting something.

    ¡°Speak of the devil! Therees the editor. We should all go together. Huh... he looks like he¡¯s in a rush. I wonder what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Contrary to Juho, the director seemed to have an idea. ¡°He must have heard about a strange man lingering around his office. I sensed that the employees there have been looking at me suspiciously for thest several days,¡± he said nonchntly.

    Soon, Nam Kyung stopped as he gasped for air. He took turns looking at Juho and then the director.

    ¡°Why are you here? I¡¯ve heard about a strange... Mr. Ju?! What are you doing here?!¡±

    Sang Young Ju, that was his name.

 Chapter 63 - Who are You? (2)

    Chapter 63: Who are You? (2)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I was told that he¡¯s here to meet me,¡± Juho said to Nam Kyung as he struggled to understand the situation.

    ¡®Did you tell him who you are?¡¯ he asked with his eyes, and Juho nodded lightly.

    At that, Nam Kyung¡¯s face lightened up. He had been hoping for a film adaptation and to work with Sang Young. Though it had been a bit sudden, the situation wasn¡¯t entirely undesirable.

    As Nam Kyung and Sang Young greeted each other, Juho remembered what he had heard about Sang Young in the past. ¡®A baby bird,¡¯ that had been the description, ¡®a baby bird that was about to soar up to the sky.¡¯ Juho looked at him.

    With his untidy beard, curly hair, and dusty jeans, his appearance was far from that of a baby bird.

    ¡°Now, should we go inside? We have a meeting room in the office.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. I was just about to think that it was hopeless when you turned me down without hesitation.¡±

    ¡°You came a long way. The least we can do is treat you to a cup of tea,¡± Juho said with a smile.

    ¡°Well then, I guess the only thing left to do is to convince you.¡±

    ¡°My real name is Juho Woo. Please call me Juho.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Sang Young Ju. As long as you don¡¯t call me ahjussi, I¡¯m OK with just about anything.¡±

    He must not have liked the sound of it when Juho had first called him that.

    His reasoning was understandable. However, he was no more or less than an ahjussi to Juho at the moment. After all, Juho was a high school student. Still, after a quick thought, he said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Ju.¡±

    ¡®That should do it,¡¯ he thought. Sang Young seemed much more satisfied.

    The three sat across from each other, and Juho carefully studied Sang Young from his ce. He was someone who hade looking for Yun Woo without knowing whether or not he¡¯d be able to meet him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve gotta confess. Whenever I had time, I lingered around your office to meet Mr. Woo, but I¡¯m not up to no good or anything.¡±

    Nam Kyung nodded and promised to exin things to his coworkers.

    Sang Young¡¯s husky voice gave off a very strong impression. It sounded like it had been worn out from overuse. At once, Juho felt the desire for sess in that husky voice.

    After he had finished talking to Nam Kyung, he turned to Juho.

    ¡°You really are a student.¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    Sang Young, too, had been studying Juho. He may have had a young face, but it was apparent that he was an author. Sang Young had already seen Juho¡¯s eyes as he carefully studied someone. They were the eyes of an author.

    To meet Juho, he had decided to camp out in front of Nam Kyung¡¯s publishingpany. Because Yun Woo was an alias, he didn¡¯t even know how to get a hold of him. Whenever a student walked past him, he stopped them to ask, ¡°Are you Yun Woo?¡±

    After dozens of failures, Sang Young was finally able to meet him.

    Finally, he grabbed hold of the opportunity. Suppressing his urgency and anxiety, he focused on the prey before his eyes.

    ¡°So, how is it having sess at such a young age?¡± he asked as if he were taunting Juho. Perhaps, he was testing him.

    However, there was no jealousy in his question. In other words, no matter what Juho said in response, Sang Young wasn¡¯t going to perverse it into malice or jealousy. For that reason, Juho decided to give him an honest answer.

    ¡°Not so great.¡±

    ¡°How so? I¡¯d be on cloud nine if I were in your shoes.¡±

    Of course, Juho didn¡¯t get the impression that Sang Young was mocking. ¡®I like this guy,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Sess is a good thing,¡± Juho added.

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s the issue?¡±

    ¡°Me. I¡¯m the issue.¡±

    Sess, money and fame were not bad in and of themselves. Being known and seen by others was a good thing. The issue was with oneself. Nobody was big enough to bear such burdens. It hindered their sight and kept them from watching their steps.

    ¡°Sess more than one can manage. It¡¯s much worse than failure. Although it¡¯s not about giving itself, it almost feels like you¡¯ve been given something just so it can be taken away.¡±

    In the end, he had fallen and scraped his knees. He had dropped everything within his embrace. His burden had been so big that it would¡¯ve taken ages just to pick up the things that had fallen on the ground. He had to stretch and improve his endurance.

    ¡°I see,¡± Sang Young answered. ¡°I think I can almost understand how you were able to write a book like that.¡±

    With that, he reached into his jacket to take something out. It was the scenario, and he ced it onto the ss table. ¡®Working Title: The Trace of a Bird.¡¯

    ¡°While you were turning down all of the offers from various directors, including myself, I¡¯ve been working on this. Please, take a look.¡±

    Juho looked quietly at the scenario.

    ¡°Did you write this personally?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No, we have a writer, who is also my wife.¡±

    Now it made sense to Juho as to how Sang Young had been able to recognize him.

    ¡°She¡¯s gorgeous. Would you like to see a picture?¡±

    Seeing his apparent devotion to his wife, Juho respectfully declined. He asked Sang Young instead of picking up and reading the scenario, ¡°You said that you¡¯ve read my book at least twenty times, correct?¡±

    It was a very basic confirmation, but he was curious about the director¡¯s perspective toward his work.

    ¡°Yes. I know it¡¯s redundant for me to say, but it left me with a deep impression, and that¡¯s what has brought me here,¡± he said with a serious face.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious as to what you felt.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dark, and then it bes bright,¡± he answered after a brief thought.

    Like his coarse hands, it was an answer that fit his appearance.

    ¡°That¡¯s very concise.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it urate though?¡±

    Though he sounded like he was emphasizing the visual aspect more, he wasn¡¯t wrong. The story did really get brighter in the end.

    ¡°As soon as I thought of that, I decided to make it into a movie,¡± he added calmly.

    He thought about the very end of the book. It was the part where the protagonist Yun resolved to face his fears. Although he had been reading, there were vivid images in his head. It had almost felt more vivid than a movie.

    Before he knew, Sang Young had be Yun in his mind, experiencing the situation firsthand. He had been moved deeply as he connected with his emotions. As evidence, he had shed tears for the first time in years.

    ¡°Yunes to face the sun in the end. He finally faces what he had been giving up. It left me with a strong impression,¡± he said as he quietly observed Yun Woo. His real name was Juho Woo. He had been sitting there quietly as Sang Youngplimented the book left and right, which was very unusual for a high school student. He had wondered if Juho was simply used topliments, but there was no trace of arrogance in his expression.

    From the way he had spoken earlier to his attitude at present, something was different about him.

    ¡®I suppose that¡¯s how he was able to write such a book.¡¯ Sang Young was all the more determined.

    ¡°Do you know why I have been turning down directors who want to make my book into a movie?¡± Juho asked calmly.

    Sang Young knew it by instinct.

    ¡®This is it.¡¯ His answer would determine the oue, so he closed his eyes briefly. He was desperate to convince that young author. Then, he opened his eyes as he clenched his hands into fists.

    ¡°A book and movie are innately different, from their names to their characters. There¡¯s bound to be a reason why a novel is a novel. I believe that novels are different from movies,¡± Juho continued as he stared at Sang Young¡¯s fists.

    Sang Young nodded. It was true that the two were inherently different.

    He had never been the type to be desperate. The moment he had be a movie director, he had believed that his dream had alreadye true. From then on, the priority was to live a life without failure. His normal self wouldn¡¯t have bothered to think about adapting a novel into a movie. He wouldn¡¯t have thought twice about camping out in front of a publishingpany just to meet the author. However, that book was different. It urged him, and it took him that far.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. There have been countless failures,¡± he answered,

    Regardless of the country, film adaptations had always been prevalent in the film history. Like what Juho had said, it might have been that a novel shone the brightest when it stayed true to its original form. Yet, Sang Young wanted to make every bit of ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ into a movie because he had seen its potential.

    ¡°I¡¯m aware, yet I still wanted to make your book into a film.¡±

    Juho looked at him, silently asking for a reason.

    ¡°I¡¯ve learned that there are things that I seek in your book.¡±

    ¡°What would those be?¡±

    ¡°Drawing near.¡±

    ¡°To whom?¡±

    ¡°A person.¡±

    ¡®A person.¡¯

    He continued, ¡°I had seen the same light as Yun in the book. We had ovee his darkness together. Then, I realized that I was connecting with him. I wasmunicating with him. I was so proud of Yun and myself. It almost felt like I had be Yun.¡±

    Juho nodded as he urged him, ¡°Please, continue.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a simple man. What I found at the end was pleasure. There¡¯s no sophisticated philosophy or anything like that. I seek after the pleasure in my work. My desire is that more people are able to connect andmunicate with one another through my movies. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to maximize that effect. The best actors and actresses, scenario, soundtrack, background, camera, anything.¡± He looked at Juho¡¯s direction and didn¡¯t avoid making eye contact.

    He continued as he mmed his hand down on the scenario, ¡°I want more people to watch my movies. Even just one more. I want the audience to be happy. I want them to feel the life in the characters on the screen. I want them to be drunk with pleasure as they walk out of the theater.¡±

    The scenario underneath his hand crumpled up slightly.

    ¡°In order to achieve that, I need your permission, Mr. Woo,¡± he said with his eyes fixed on Juho.

    Juho thought for a moment, ¡®Why did I go such a length? What is it that I want to hear from this starving man before my eyes? What is it that I want to see?¡¯

    What Sang Young had been after was emotion.

    There were no words or pictures to an emotion. It had no regards for logic. The moment one exchanged it with another person, it immediately grew in size.

    It was no exception for the characters in a book or behind a screen. They came alive the moment the shared their emotions. Theymunicated with the audience as they revealed their own. In the end, there was pleasure.

    That mystical experience was more than enough to charm people. One fell in love with a movie or a book as soon as he had such an experience. Their feelings puffed up and left them desperate to love something or someone. That was what Sang Young wanted to share with his audience. He wanted to create that moment with his own hands.

    ¡®Then what is it that I want?¡¯ Juho already knew the answer.

    ¡°Can you make it even more vivid than my writing?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± he asked with a confused look.

    ¡°Can you beat my work?¡± Juho asked seriously.

    He wanted Sang Young¡¯s movie to captivate people even more than what he had written.

 Chapter 64 - Who are You? (3)

    Chapter 64: Who are You? (3)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho too, wanted to experience the characters behind the screening alive. He wanted to be one of the audience members Sang Young had described. He wanted to walk out of the theater with excitement. For that reason, he wanted to feel anger, the desire to write, and a small amount of happiness. In order for that to happen, the film adaptation had to surpass its original counterpart. After all, he had created the original.

    Because that was what he had wanted, he hadn¡¯t attached any conditions for directors wanting to make his book into a film. Maybe the young Juho in the past would have wanted the same thing. For that reason, he had felt angry and disappointed.

    ¡°Are you confident that you can make something that surpasses my work?¡±

    Sang Young looked at him with surprise, and Juho heard Nam Kyung taking a deep breath.

    ¡°You mean more so than the original?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    There was silence. As he waited quietly, Juho felt certain that Sang Young would be the perfect director. He hade looking for Yun Woo at Nam Kyung¡¯s publishingpany multiple times and, after many failures, he had finally seeded. Now, they were sitting across from each other.

    Sang Young had been reaching his limits in his conversation with Juho. He had been fiercely determined to make it happen. The fire had been apparent in his eyes, and he had been responding to Juho¡¯s provocations.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be that difficult for him, but he has more than what it takes,¡¯ Juho thought.

    Sang Young¡¯s lips trembled ever so slightly.

    ¡°Very well,¡± he answered with his distinctively husky voice. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to make an adaptation that surpasses the original.¡±

    If he were to ovee the difference between novel and movie, or words and images, and captivate the author with its result, there could be something for Juho to write about in his next book.

    ¡°Haha,¡± Juhoughed as a gesture of consent.

    That day, the three remained together and spent a long time talking over a meal. Juho still hadn¡¯t read the scenario, and he hadn¡¯t attached any conditions to the project. He had given Sang Young full creative authority and freedom.

    Everything had gone smoothly, and it didn¡¯t take long for the news to spread.

    Countless articles poured out. It had be widely known that Yun Woo had been turning down directors wanting to make a film adaption of his book. Sang Young had been in several interviews since then, and without fail, every one of them had asked about Yun Woo.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve met with Yun Woo by now. What was that like?¡±

    ¡°How did you manage to convince him?¡±

    ¡°Could you describe his appearance?¡±

    ¡°What was it like having a conversation with him?¡±

    No matter the question, Sang Young gave the same answer, ¡°I prefer to keep that to myself.¡± Although the inte exploded withints, Sang Young hardly read any of the articles online.

    His sole interest was in the production of his movie, and soon, the process began to breed questions for Juho. Because Sang Young had been looking for some sort of influence in direction, he started pouring out questions for Juho. However, Juho gave him no answers. Unlike Sang Young, what he had been looking for was the interpretation of the readers. They had constantly shed, and that had continued to that day.

    One day, they had made ns to meet for dinner at a barbecue restaurant. When Sang Young arrived, he was still in his worn out jeans, but he opened his mouth as soon he sat down.

    ¡°So, about the personalities.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s up to you. It¡¯s up to the reader how he interprets the book.¡±

    Whenever the two met, they exchanged the same conversation dozens of times. Neither of them gave way.

    ¡°Really? Not even a hint?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you creative freedom instead.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, just a tiny one?¡±

    ¡°You already have the scenario written. You¡¯d know by now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to make a good movie here.¡±

    ¡°Your interpretation is enough for me,¡± he answered as he brought a cooked piece of meat into his mouth. Sang Young grumbled, but Juho paid no attention.

    ¡°It¡¯s a gamble, but what about romance?¡±

    At that, the scenes from the past film adaptation rushed past Juho¡¯s head. It had been smothered with romance that hadn¡¯t been in the book. Though he hesitated for a brief moment, he brushed it off as soon as he saw the person sitting in front of him.

    ¡°Whatever your heart desires,¡± he answered with a shrug as he chewed on his food.

    ¡®This director is different from the one I worked with in the past. He¡¯s not going to settle for some romance movie.¡¯

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to visit the set even after we start filming, are you?¡±

    ¡°What would I do there?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about how movies are made?¡±

    ¡®Not really...¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°It¡¯d shatter my fantasy of movies. I¡¯ll just wait till ites out in the theaters.¡±

    ¡°If you say so. You know, you¡¯re nothing like other high school students. Maybe it¡¯s ¡¯cause you¡¯re a writer or something,¡± Sang Young answered as he rolled his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m a high school student AND a writer.¡±

    ¡°Working two jobs, huh? Must be tough.¡±

    ¡°My sleep suffers a bit, but eh... What can I do?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s gotten harder for teenagers to find part-time work, huh?¡±

    ¡°Not if you have your parents¡¯ consent.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better not to work at that age.¡±

    Then he began to share his experiences of his past jobs. Apparently, he had worked at a barbecue restaurant like the one they were in, a car wash, a gas station, and even in a prop management team.

    ¡°It was tough. There¡¯s a saying that there are great lessons to be learned from suffering early. I hated that crap. Look at me. If you suffer when you¡¯re young, you¡¯ll suffer when you¡¯re older.¡±

    At that, Juho reminisced about his past.

    After repeating all kinds of failures for the span of thirty years, he had found himself ustomed to failing. He no longer had the desire to do anything. He had been like a dead nt with its leaves hanging lifelessly. That had been what it looked like to be familiar with failure.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure it¡¯s the same for suffering,¡¯ he thought. Once a person had grown ustomed to suffering, growing out of it would have been more suffering in and of itself.

    ¡°Because I¡¯ve gone through so much, I do whatever it takes to stay away from suffering.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing.¡±

    ¡°Who said anything about it being bad? I¡¯ve led a good life. I¡¯m just saying that I¡¯d been forgetting things.¡±

    ¡°What have you been forgetting?¡±

    ¡°When I was young, I¡¯d always been the kid who ran straight for the,¡± he said as he chuckled.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure your teammates had a lot to say about that.¡±

    ¡°If there was a ball before me, I kicked it. I didn¡¯t think twice. I was just so desperate to score a goal. I kept kicking until it made it into the. I thought of one thing as I stood in front of the goal post. ¡®I want to be sessful,¡¯¡± he continued without paying attention to Juho¡¯s answer.

    Apparently, his longing for sess had been greater than his fear of failure at one point in his life.

    ¡°I¡¯d been forgetting that this entire time. I was busy suffering and dating my wife. I¡¯m confident that I¡¯ve led a happy life. But after reading your book and connecting emotionally with Yun, I realized that I¡¯ve been living in darkness all along. I¡¯ve been wanting something all along, but I was too afraid. I¡¯m not saying giving up is a bad thing, but I was taken aback that my decision was something that took ce in between my stream of consciousness. It all happened so naturally, without anyone knowing. I didn¡¯t bother to kick the ball any more. I gave up on trying new things,¡± he said as he put a piece of meat into his mouth, chewing.

    ¡°Before I knew it, my eyes had already adapted to darkness. Now, I can see what¡¯s before me even with the tiniest of lights. It all happened before I even became aware,¡± he said as he looked at Juho.

    ¡°Even if I hadn¡¯t read your book, I would¡¯ve been content still. I feel burdened just from avoiding failure, but there was something about the book that kept urging me. It kept asking me if I wanted to see what was on the other side of darkness,¡± he said as he took a sip of water.

    ¡°So, I decided to make a movie with the book that shook me at the core. It had been a big decision for me, but the answer had been a ¡°no.¡± It would have been embarrassing to give up on my first try, so I went looking for you. After I met you, I finally earned the copyright. I¡¯d finally done it. But you know what? The real doozy is that this is just a beginning.¡±

    He had resolved himself to making a film adaptation that surpassed the original. It had just begun.

    ¡°On that note, do you have anything to tell me about the brother?¡± he asked impatiently as he brought another piece of meat to his mouth.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t say all that just so he could ask me that,¡¯ Juho thought as he chuckled.

    ¡°I almost gave you an answer there.¡±

    Sang Young had been referring to Yun¡¯s older brother in ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯ He was much older and he didn¡¯t have a job. He hadn¡¯t been around much either. He was hardly a decent human being.

    Sang Young didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°He¡¯s got a girl pregnant, hasn¡¯t he? He bes a dad in the end, right?¡± He asked watchfully. It had been quite a sensitive question.

    Yun¡¯s brother had a charm that drew people to him. Among those who liked and followed him, there were also girls. He had gotten one of them pregnant in fact.

    When he found out, he visited his younger brother for the first time in several years.

    ¡°The brother is afraid of birds too, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Juho nodded. Both Yun and his brother had the same fear, but there was a difference in the way they manifested. The older brother ran outward while Yun inward.

    ¡°Is he going to make his girlfriend get an abortion?¡± Sang Young asked like he was trying to pry out an answer from Juho, who just kept smiling. The book didn¡¯t rify what the brother had decided to do. After leaving Yun¡¯s house, his name never came up again.

    ¡°Why do you ask? How did you want to portray him?¡± he asked back.

    ¡°Hm...¡± Sang Young groaned as he thought for quite some time. ¡°I think he¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll do what?¡±

    ¡°Commit murder.¡±

    ¡®Murder.¡¯ Juho looked at the pieces of meat that had been sizzling on the grill. They were no longer alive.

    Yun slowly spiraled down into darkness. Boringly, and awkwardly. Deep inside, he couldn¡¯t hate himself. No matter what anyone said, his priority had been himself. He hated pain to a fault and, because of that, he didn¡¯t leave his house.

    On the contrary, his brother had been destructive. He had led a reckless life with no regards for those around him. He didn¡¯t care one bit for himself and had let go of his life in a way that almost felt refreshing. Perhaps, that was what made him so charming.

    The reason why Juho hadn¡¯t written about the brother in more detail was because he simply couldn¡¯t describe him in writing. It hadn¡¯t been because he had wanted to leave room for interpretation. He just couldn¡¯t dare to write in detail about his destructive life. He couldn¡¯t pull himself together to write the scene where the brother was telling his girlfriend to kill the baby.

    ¡°Get rid of it. Kill it.¡± He would¡¯ve said things to that effect. After all, he had already been at a ce where he couldn¡¯t help himself. Sang Young had interpreted things urately. The brother was more than capable of killing someone.

    ¡°If he¡¯s capable of killing a bird the way he did, he wouldn¡¯t have much trouble killing a person.¡±

    His way of oveing his fear was to remove the very thing that he was afraid of.

    Juho started to look forward to Sang Young¡¯s movie. He had been following Juho¡¯s thought process to a tee.

    ¡®How would this turn out? What would ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ look like as a movie?¡¯ he thought as he put a piece of meat into his mouth.

 Chapter 65 - A White Piece of Paper from the Sky (1)

    Chapter 65: Chapter 65 ¨C A White Piece of Paper from the Sky (1)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°If that¡¯s what the brother¡¯s thinking, then that¡¯s gotta be it.¡±

    ¡°Still no answer, huh? I can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t expect that,¡± Sang Young said. ¡°He¡¯s a charming person, that one. If anybody, I really want to be intentional about picking the right person for that role.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡±

    ¡°You too?!? It¡¯s already nerve-racking as is!¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, where¡¯s your confidence?¡±

    ¡°A person¡¯s heart tends to be fickle like that. What¡¯s important is that you keep going.¡±

    Sang Young was not going to let anything hold him back. The expectations were through the roof, and the fans of the original would be judging his movie with strict standards. It would be natural for anyone to be anxious. Still, he had to make it happen.

    ¡°You¡¯ll do great. It¡¯s time for you to spread your wings, Mr. Joo.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re dang right about that. It¡¯s about time. After all, what is there to be afraid of when I¡¯ve convinced an author like you?¡± he said drily.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for you to shift the burdens onto my shoulders.¡±

    ¡°Burdens are supposed to be shared. I haven¡¯t said a word to the reporters, so think of it aspensation,¡± he said as he picked up the pieces of meat on the verge of burning and put them on top of Juho¡¯s rice. Juho ate without saying much. It was uncertain when the movie was going toe out, but he had something to look forward to.

    ¡°Thank you for dinner.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Juho thanked Sang Young while he stood in front of the register to pay for their meal.

    It was already dark by the time they walked out. They had lost track of time eating and talking to each other. Juho stepped out of the restaurant first.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± he let out. He had been having some trouble with his next book. The overall storyline had already been defined and he had been happy with the characters and the developments throughout the story. Only, there was one thingcking. There was nothing driving the protagonist.

    ¡®What would be the best thing to bring her to regret?¡¯ he thought. Although he had had some ideas, none of them had been what he was looking for. He wanted an image that represented something bigger.

    The mother in the story shared many simrities with the older brother in ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯ She was destructive and twisted. This time, however, Juho didn¡¯t want to avoid the challenge. He wanted to bring this dark, disturbing character to life in his next book. After all, he was different from his old self and he wanted to prove that to himself.

    ¡®After having gotten pregnant, thedy gave birth to a son. Then, she regretted the decisions she¡¯d made.¡¯ The more Juho wrote and gave the character a shape, the more he realized that something crucial was missing.

    ¡°Do you mind if we hang around for a few minutes? I want a smoke,¡± Sang Young asked after paying for their dinner.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Juho replied as he snapped out of his thoughts.

    There was a small smoking area next to a store nearby, so Sang Young took cigarette from his pocket. As Juho watched him lighting it, Sang Young said, ¡°This stuff isn¡¯t good for ya. Don¡¯t ever pick up smoking.¡±

    ¡°Haha,¡± Juhoughed. He had already had experience with smoking. In fact, he had been a heavy smoker in the past and done just about anything that was harmful to his health. Even if he hadn¡¯t drowned in the river, he would have eventually ended up in the hospital.

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s your reason for smoking when you know it¡¯s bad for you?¡±

    ¡°Good question.¡±

    ¡°I value my lungs, so I¡¯ll keep my distance for now,¡± he said as he turned around and heard Sang Young grumbling behind him.

    Just as he was about to walk away, he smelled a faint whiff of burning cigarette. It had been a smell that apanied a grey, murky smoke. He stopped in ce as he saw the smoke from Sang Young¡¯s cigarette lingering around the corner his eye. At the sight of the smoke slowly drifting away, he had felt a tingling sensation in his hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Sang Young asked, and Juho turned around.

    ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ Inspiration had struck him at the least expected moment. He looked at the cigarette in Sang Young¡¯s hand that was burning ember. It was a fleeting spark.

    ¡°Huh? What is it?¡± Sang Young asked as he realized Juho was looking at him. Juho approached him with a serious expression, and Sang Young blinked, looking confused.

    ¡°So...¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what is it? Do you have an upset stomach?¡± he asked as the cigarette in his hand burned away, slowly being reduced to white ash.

    ¡°I think I need to go.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Sang Young asked as he looked at Juho. His cigarette kept burning in his hand. Their eyes met. No, to be precise, Juho studied the way Sang Young looked at his cigarette.

    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±

    ¡°Did you remember something urgent?¡±

    ¡°I need to write!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡®What did this kid just say?¡¯ he asked himself dumbfoundedly. As if not seeing the confusion in Sang Young¡¯s face, Juho bowed and started running. Sang Young stared at him in the distance.

    ¡®He¡¯s fast.¡¯

    He took a drag of his cigarette, and a thick cloud of smoke came out of his mouth and nose. He thought about what he had just seen in Juho¡¯s eyes. Dry. Calm. Longing for something.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± Those eyes hadcked something. He had been thirsting for something. ¡®Why would he have such look on his face when he¡¯s already a bestselling author in his teens?¡¯ he asked himself with his cigarette in his hand still. At that moment, he remembered. Those had been Yun¡¯s eyes ¨C a character who hid himself in the darkness and held his breath in fear, yet, longed for light.

    Sang Young put his cigarette out in his portable ashtray. Its gray ash scattered about.

    ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ He had thought of a way to maximize Yun¡¯s character, Juho¡¯s eyes, his dry, deste, yet desperate eyes. Sang Young started running with his curly, untidy hair waving in the wind.

    *

    Juho had been running while writing in his notepad. He hadn¡¯t been doing a good job with either writing or running. Yet, he kept scribbling on his notepad as he ran. He didn¡¯t want to forget. He didn¡¯t want to lose what had finallye to him after desperately longing for it.

    To some, he might have looked ridiculous, but he kept running. He couldn¡¯t afford to think about how others were looking at him.

    ¡°Damn it! Hills!?¡± He started to run out of breath as he ran uphill. Though he had been running for some time, there was still a long way to go.

    Many scenes wereing in and out of his mind, and he didn¡¯t want to miss a single one. He felt like they would evaporate if he didn¡¯t take hold of them. Fighting for his breath, he kept running.

    A cigarette, there had been a cigarette burning in Sang Young¡¯s hand. There was no turning back the moment it was lit. There was nothing that could be done other than it being reduced to mere ashes. That was just the image Juho had been looking for.

    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re home.¡±

    ¡°Hi!¡± he answered loudly.

    After greeting his mother in a hurry, he rushed into his room and picked up his pen. ¡®Cigarette, baby, mom, the protagonist, perspective, development, story, pregnancy. Carrying a new life. A state of bearing a child or a baby. A sign of birth. All covered in gray ash.¡¯

    The story quickly moved forward in his head, so he had to write down the scenes that were ying in his head like a movie. The screen came on as he turned on hisputer, and he took a deep breath. ¡®Let¡¯s calm down. I have to write pragmatically. I can¡¯t be too excited and let go of this stream of consciousness. If I¡¯m led by what I write, it won¡¯te out right.¡±

    By the time he couldn¡¯t hear his breathing anymore, a scene revealed itself to him.

    There was a woman lying on the bed. Her face was buried in the nket, and she never looked up. Juho quietly approached her. The fabric rustled as he sat on the bed beside her. Despite his presence, the woman didn¡¯t bother to look up.

    He quietly reached over to her and brushed her long hair to the side. Her thin, white neck became visible. With his eyes closed, he put his face against it and inhaled. She smelled like flesh. It was her somewhat suffocating scent. He felt like his lungs would rot from deep within. Her body had been bearing that stench.

    He slowly opened his eyes. Everything was fuzzy. He was blinded by a white cloud of smoke. Yet, they didn¡¯t call for one another. Theymunicated with one another in silence.

    He saw her silhouette moving in the smoke, and she looked in his direction. He tried to get a better look at her, but he couldn¡¯t see her eyes through the smoke. Still, it had been apparent, she was filled with regret. She was sinking to the depths of it.

    He closed his eyes again.

    Now, there was a puddle of water reflecting various emotions, words, objects, and stories. As he dipped his hand into it, he felt its coldness traveling up from the tip of his fingers. Suddenly, he came to his senses.

    ¡®Not bad. Now is the time.¡¯

    He had set aside anything that disrupted his mind. He had put down any concerns or obsessions for change and future.

    Juho focused his attention to his fingertips as he remembered the sensation of his hand dipping into the cold puddle, and the screen filled up with words as his hands moved.

    He saw a river flowing peacefully.

    ¡°Yawn,¡± he loosened as he looked at the water.

    He had been writingte into night for the past two days. His new book had been flowing toward its finale like the river, and it had been a very smooth process. He wrote whenever he had a chance. At his mother¡¯s urges, he had decided to go out for a walk by the river. His mind had been quite tired from writing all day, so he didn¡¯t try to object.

    He sat under a bridge, not finding it repulsive to sit on the ground, and stared quietly at the water. The more he saw the wavelets break, the more he wanted to get near them. As impulsive as he tended to be, it would¡¯ve been dangerous to be closer to the water.

    The color of the water was closer to ck than blue. It hadn¡¯t been all that pretty. It had been deep and dark and seemingly dangerous, even at a nce. Maybe his experience with the river had something to do with it.

    He reminisced to the day when he drowned in the water. Water that flowed in from various sources mixed into one river. There was no ¡®individual¡¯ in there. He reminisced to his experience while he had been in the water. He hadn¡¯t been able to make anything out. He hadn¡¯t been able to hear his own breathing. Everything had been dark. Everything had been white, so perhaps, he had been blind. It had been kind of quiet but noisy at the same time.

    In the end, nothing was urate.

    A memory tended to fade over time. Juho knew that he would forget all of those memories within a year. He wouldn¡¯t be able to remember them even if he tried. He would probably try to find bits and pieces of his memories and move them around until they fit.

    He took out a pen and a small notebook. That was why he needed them.

    Letters, if he were to leave records of his memories, he would be able to hold onto them a little longer.

    He thought about his next book. He hade out to take a break, but his mind was already back at it before he realized. It kept itself busy even when he wanted to clear his head. He didn¡¯t resist.

    He had written his next book in Yun Woo¡¯s style. It was his next book, so it would have been natural to do so. For an author, his style was a direct trantion of his personality. Like fingerprint, it was something that defined him as that author. One would truly be an author only when they had a style of their own. Now, Juho had two ¨C his shy, yet controlled style in ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ and another style that¡¯d been shaped by thirty years of experience as an author.

    That had been the proof. It had been the proof of time and the fact that he had gone back to the past. A boy who was once pure had be arrogant and, eventually, met his downfall. As he was about to soar into the sky once again after having fallen into the icy river, his wings were soaked. He couldn¡¯t do anything but to look up at the sky.

    So, he looked up at the blue sky. It was high. There was no wind or cloud. In the midst of the peaceful sky, he saw something white falling.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    The object moved busily in the air and, soon, fell onto the ground. He reached over and read it.

    ¡°It¡¯s a manuscript.¡±

    There were even letters. Two quotation marks, somebody was talking.

    ¡®Rustle.¡¯

    Another sheet of paper fell from the sky, and then another. He looked up.

    ¡°Whoa!¡±

    Dozens of pages were flying in the sky.

 Chapter 66 - A White Piece of Paper from the Sky (2)

    Chapter 66: Chapter 66 ¨C A White Piece of Paper from the Sky (2)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Another sheet of paper came down.

    The sunlight shone between the pages. Once Juho opened his eyes after briefly closing them, all of the pagesy on the ground.

    He picked the scattered pages up one by one. Every page had been filled with writing. There had been a character, a development, a background and a theme.

    When he collected all of the pages, he saw there were enough to make up a medium- to full-length novel. Seeing how they had been neatly printed, it must have been a draft that had already been revised.

    ¡®Who¡¯d toss something like this?¡¯ he thought as he brushed the dirt off.

    He looked up in order to find out who the pages belonged to. There was a bridge and a pair of hands sticking out of it. The empty pair of hands was hanging loosely in the air.

    ¡°You could get fined for littering here,¡± Juho said with emphasis.

    The hands in the air flinched, then a sigh followed.

    ¡°This damn world... Everything¡¯s about money,¡± the person sounded depressed.

    ¡°I was just kidding,¡± Juho said to encourage him.

    ¡°... Who are you kid?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a just a student who came out for a walk by the water. I¡¯ve picked up all of your pages, so you won¡¯t have to worry about being fined.¡±

    ¡°Why bother? It¡¯s all trash,¡± the man said faintly. He was murmuring, but Juho couldn¡¯t hear from where he was.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it up to you. Don¡¯t go anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Juho ignored him and went up to the bridge. Though the man could have left by the time Juho had made it up to the bridge, Juho still went after him. As he walked up the stairs, he saw the man on the bridge, looking just as depressed as he had sounded.

    ¡°Here ya go,¡± Juho said as he pulled out the stack of papers.

    ¡°They¡¯re not mine,¡± the man answered as he looked briefly at the pages in Juho¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Then, whose are they?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to ask. I¡¯d like to know who¡¯s responsible for writing a piece of crap like that,¡± he said with a self-deprecating snicker.

    ¡®That¡¯s one way to say yes,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°Are you a writer?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No,¡± the man answered.

    ¡°Then, are you aspiring to be one?¡±

    ¡°... a rather promising one at that,¡± the man said almost like an excuse.

    ¡°So, why the long face?¡±Juho asked as he nodded.

    ¡°Who¡¯s asking?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m part of a Literature Club. My teacher always tells me and the other members that we have to pay attention to our surroundings if we want to be better writers.¡±

    The man nodded as he looked down from the bridge.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You should stay alert at all times. My teacher said something simr, many times.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like we have simr teachers.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. My teacher¡¯s probably a lot more impressive,¡± he said like a child showing off his parents.

    ¡°Is that so? There¡¯s a saying that a great pupiles from a great teacher.¡±

    ¡°... That¡¯s right. That¡¯s why I said ¡®promising.¡¯¡±

    ¡®Dang it,¡¯ Juho thought. The man was back to his depressed state.

    ¡°I guess I might as well speak my mind while somebody¡¯s actually listening. I¡¯m going to regret thister, but whatever,¡± he said with a sigh as he quietly looked at Juho and, with that, he started sharing his story. ¡°So, Ipeted in an essay contest, right?¡±

    ¡°Uh, huh.¡±

    ¡°It was a huge contest hosted by a big publishingpany. Oh, wait, you¡¯re in the Literature Club, so you should know. It was an opportunity to set my foot into the literary world.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I had been part of. I had seriously worked my butt off,¡± he emphasized. ¡°I really worked hard. I wrote all day, everyday. Not only is my teacher a great person, but he¡¯s also an amazing writer. I wanted to be just like him. I thought I had what it took.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°Then, I didn¡¯t make it. Like the pages I threw off the bridge,¡± he said as he looked down. His voice shook as if he were getting emotional.

    ¡®He¡¯s not crying, is he? He looks like he¡¯s at least thirty,¡¯ Juho chuckled.

    ¡°Are you crying?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Juho put his arms up on the rail the man had been leaning on and felt its cold metal surface in his hand, piercing through his palm.

    ¡°You could always try again.¡±

    He sighed deeply and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s such an obvious answer, even to a kid like you. So, that¡¯s what I did. When I didn¡¯t make it to the finals, I started writing again.¡± His eyes turned to his pages. They had been proof of the challenge, and Juho followed his eyes to the stack of paper.

    ¡°Was it that bad?¡±

    ¡°... well, not THAT bad.¡±

    Juho smiled at his timid objection. In the way he had tossed hisposition away, that heined to a high school whom he had never met before, and was now getting teary eyed, Juho saw his old self in that man.

    He had been exactly the same way. He had been in a rut without knowing where to go. He had trembled without knowing what he should go toward.

    ¡°I need a drink,¡± the man said.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound wise.¡±

    The man snickered at Juho¡¯s answer.

    ¡°I¡¯m an adult you know.¡±

    ¡°If you drink now, your legs will feel even weaker.¡±

    ¡°Legs?¡± He asked as he looked at his legs and then the bridge he was on. ¡°Is this bridge shaking?¡± Then, he sighed deeply and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be like me when you grow up.¡±

    ¡°Why not? You have a promising talent.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not everything.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s time.¡±

    ¡°Time? What time?¡±

    ¡°Do you know how many years I¡¯ve spent as an aspiring writer with ¡®promising talent?¡¯¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡®How would I know that? We¡¯ve just met,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°Ten years.¡±

    Ten years, it had been a long time.

    ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to be an author ever since I was twenty. I came up to Seoul after getting into a university, and then I went to my teacher to be his pupil. I¡¯m thirty now,¡± he said as he rubbed the handrail.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve tried a bunch of different jobs. I had to make a living, you know? I¡¯ve even got myself a corporate job at one point with my friend¡¯s rmendation. There wasn¡¯t a whole lot of time to write, but it wasn¡¯t half bad. The stable ie really helped, but in the end, I came back to being an aspiring writer because I wanted to write. My teacher epted me without any criticism.¡±

    ¡°But I guess I don¡¯t have what it takes. It took me thirty years to realize that. I should¡¯ve stayed at thatpany,¡± he added as he looked down.

    ¡°Do you regret your past?¡±

    ¡°There are plenty of people like me ¨C people who don¡¯t get past their aspiring stage. There are plenty of people who don¡¯t realize that that¡¯s not their path. Everyone who studied with my teacher around the same time as me gave up. They¡¯re all busy trying to get all these licenses,¡± he gave Juho what sounded more like an excuse than an answer.

    ¡°It¡¯s toote for me. There¡¯s no hope for somebody like me,¡± he murmured and then added in a self-deprecating manner, ¡°Well, how do you feel now? You really don¡¯t want to be like me when you grow up, right?¡±

    ¡°I inherently can¡¯t be someone I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure. I don¡¯t see why you¡¯d want to be like me.¡±

    It was as if he hadn¡¯t even been listening to Juho. He was too exhausted to listen, to keep his ears open.

    ¡°Then who would YOU like to be?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Yun Woo,¡± he answered like a sigh.

    ¡®Yun Woo?¡¯

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo? The author?¡±

    ¡®How friendly of him,¡¯ Juho thought as he remained quiet.

    ¡°Bookworms or not, I¡¯m sure kids nowadays know who that is. He¡¯s your age.¡±

    ¡°... I know who that is. Yun Woo, he¡¯s famous.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡®Famous, huh?¡¯

    ¡°Are you telling me to be famous?¡± Juho asked after a quick thought.

    ¡°It¡¯s better than being a no-name, aspiring writer.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    He looked away at Juho¡¯s nd answer. His expression had grown darker.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem all that excited. Oh, wait! Maybe it has something to do with your age. In that case, I understand.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Jealousy, the sense of inferiority, and the sense that he¡¯s different from you. The closer you are in age and field, the more you tend to be affected by emotions like those. Do you know when he debuted?¡± the man asked as he looked at Juho.

    ¡°He won a contest when he was sixteen.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, an essay contest. I was in that same contest.¡±

    ¡®Huh. What are the odds?¡¯ Juho thought.

    Yun Woo had surpassed him. As a result, he had be a bestselling author while the man had remained an aspiring writer.

    Juho scratched his head. Though he had initiallye out for a break, he somehow ended up conversing with someone who had been made victim by his book. Of course, that man would never know.

    After some brief contemtion, Juho looked at the man. ¡®What¡¯s his opinion of Yun Woo?¡¯

    Now was a good time, so Juho slowly opened his mouth, and said, ¡°It must¡¯ve been tough. He¡¯s much younger.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It burned quite a bit. I¡¯ve probably written twice as much as that punk. I was confident too. I thought things would be different that time.¡±

    ¡°And then it didn¡¯t work out.¡±

    ¡°This kid came out of nowhere and became a star. It must be nice being young. He¡¯s got skills on top of that. He¡¯s got it all.¡±

    ¡°Do you feel bitter about that?¡±

    There was silence.

    He smiled dejectedly as he looked down.

    ¡°If I did, I would be throwing pages of his book instead of my own.¡±

    Juho looked at the stack of paper in his hand that had fallen on him.

    ¡°You should have. Why didn¡¯t you? Why did you throw away your own work?¡±

    ¡°I may have been ¡®aspiring¡¯ for a while, but I¡¯m still looking to be an author. I respect my books.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s admirable.¡±

    ¡°If I were in your shoes, I would have ripped up ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ as I shouted from the top of my lungs, cursing out the judges. I probably would¡¯ve ranted about them making poor choices too,¡± Juho said honestly. ¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°I felt confident. I even got a good feedback from my teacher. I thought I was finally going to make it, but the reality was different. There was some kid who had just graduated from middle school in front of me. I couldn¡¯t ept it.¡±

    ¡°But then?¡±

    ¡°But then it all made sense when I read his novel. He had something I didn¡¯t. Themes and perspectives that I¡¯d never even thought of. He wrote so calmly. I gave up as soon as I read it,¡± he said as he threw his hands into the air.

    Juho kept his eyes fixed on those hands. That hadn¡¯t been true. Yun Woo hadn¡¯t been as great of a character as the man had described. Juho couldn¡¯t bring himself to read through the book that he had written. It had been crude and foul. It had been no more than a mass of emotional remnants.

    The difference in their perspective weighed on Juho¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°After that, I wasn¡¯t happy with anything I wrote. This is it for me, throwing away my ownposition off the bridge. You know what¡¯s even moreme? Some student brought it back to me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. That does sound kind ofme.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m regretting it now as we speak. I should have turned back when you still thought I was ¡®admirable.¡¯ I would have been able to live knowing that at least one person thought I was a somewhat decent human being,¡± he said with sad eyes.

    Contrary to his sadness, Juho was smiling.

    The man was funny. He seemed like a person who would throw himself at regrets.

    If he hadn¡¯t gone on, he would¡¯ve been remembered as someone admirable. If he had been content with his corporate job, he would have remained happy. If he had stopped at his first attempt, he wouldn¡¯t be in front of Juho, throwing away his work like trash.

    Juho walked toward him. He had nothing to say as Yun Woo. Besides the man, there had been many others who had submitted their work. Among them, only one had received the award and debuted as an author. Everyone had pursued after such opportunity.

    For that reason, as Juho, he had nothing to say.

    However...

    ¡°Mister, if you really want to be admirable, you should respect your own writing too.¡±

    As a student who had picked up his work from the ground, he did have something to say.

 Chapter 67 - A White Piece of Paper from the Sky (3)

    Chapter 67: A White Piece of Paper from the Sky (3)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho handed over the pages he had picked up one by one. They were all dirty and out of order. The man just stared at what was once hisposition.

    ¡°It¡¯s trash.¡±

    ¡°I went out of my way to pick it up.¡±

    ¡°You can keep it then. I want nothing to do with it. I¡¯m not writing anymore,¡± he said

    ¡°I really gotta pull myself together. I¡¯m getting older and I¡¯m without a job. I should at least have some sort of license if I want to put food on the table... It¡¯s getting embarrassing to see my teacher now,¡± he added as he teared up. The reality of giving up writing was causing him a great deal of pain.

    ¡°When you hang onto something for a decade, you eventually start to feel numb. You feel anxious and excited at first, but when it gets repeated, you start losing your confidence and your health. All you are left with is your mouth, making empty promises,¡± he said with a sigh.

    ¡°An author can¡¯t afford to grow numb. I¡¯ve been done with all along. I just couldn¡¯t ept it because I¡¯ve been so attached to it... Are you listening?¡±

    When the man looked up after he had finishedining, he saw Juho was distracted by something.

    Juho snatched the stack of paper from the man, leaving him behind at a loss for words.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°Give me one moment,¡± Juho answered half-heartedly as he focused on reading a sheet of paper.

    ¡°... Aren¡¯t you a weirdo? I can¡¯t evenin now. Keeping your ears open, huh? That¡¯s fine, I didn¡¯t even expect you to anyway. You¡¯re not even a counselor or anything, so I guess the fact that you even stuck around means something. In the end, I don¡¯t have any stories to tell, and my writing¡¯s just depressing,¡± he murmured, but Juho paid no attention.

    He had turned the page, and then the next. After some time, the overall plot started to make sense.

    Theposition was about cannibalism. A person ate another person. The story unfolded amid the atrocity. It was depressing, colorless and unsettling. He saw theck of confidence in the writing. It had been provocative and terrifying, but it wasn¡¯t bad.

    ¡°This is good.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± he asked weakly.

    ¡°Thisposition. I like how depressing it is. It almost feels like it¡¯s digging into the depths.¡±

    The man didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°It is gruesome and terrifying, but ites to me as shocking more so than offensive. That¡¯s why I can keep on reading,¡± Juho added as he kept reading.

    The man couldn¡¯t take Juho¡¯s words seriously, thinking that he was just a kid. Yet, Juho shared his honest opinion.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost refreshing how depressing it is. You¡¯re not holding back on the cruel side of human nature. There¡¯s weight to the story, and it lingers in my mind,¡± he said. ¡°When ites out, I¡¯d like to savor it from cover to cover.¡±

    The man stayed silent for some time. Eventually, he opened his mouth and asked, ¡°Did you like it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Juho said as he nodded. It had been a good read.

    ¡°You were going to submit this, right?¡±

    ¡°... Yeah.¡±

    ¡°But then you found yourself losing confidence and feeling depressed, so that¡¯s why you threw it off the bridge.¡±

    ¡°... Yes, you sassy brat.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not numb,¡± Juho said with a smile.

    It had been true. Despite the lifeless look on his face, the man hadn¡¯t grown numb. He had misunderstood. He had simply overlooked the remnants of his emotions that had sunk down to the bottom.

    Juho looked at theposition. Though it was colorless, the emotions were definitely there. He was able to feel them.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not submitting this, can I keep it?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You said you¡¯re quitting. You won¡¯t need it then. Man, this must be my lucky day. Thanks, take care.¡±

    Juho turned around, leaving the man dumbfounded. Without dy, he started walking away. There were still no signs of movement, so he kept on.

    Soon, there was quite a distance between the two, but when he saw the end of the bridge, a voice boomed from behind him.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Juho looked back.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    That time, the man approached him. He had run and was now gasping for his breath. The dark circles around his eyes had gotten slightly red.

    ¡°I never said that. Give it back,¡± he shouted shamelessly.

    ¡°I thought you said you were quitting?¡± Juho smiled and asked.

    ¡°What are you talking about? This is a masterpiece. You might not know, but things like this happen to artists all the time,¡± he said as he snatched the pages from Juho¡¯s hands. The sheets crumpled up from his forceful grasp.

    ¡°Careful.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m going to print it again anyway. I¡¯ll clean it up and send it over to a publishingpany.¡±

    With that, he rushed past Juho, who watched the man from behind. Suddenly, the man stopped in his tracks.

    ¡°Thanks. It had been a while since I wasplimented.¡±

    ¡°I was only speaking my mind. I¡¯ll buy the book when ites out,¡± Juho answered with a shrug.

    ¡°Haha! OK, you hang in there till then.¡±

    A new emotion had appeared on the once lifeless face. When he couldn¡¯t see the man anymore, Juho started walking.

    ¡°Now that I think about it, I didn¡¯t even ask his name.¡±

    ¡®Would I be able to find his book?¡¯ he thought as he scratched his head.

    A few monthster, Juho would find a book titled ¡®Sad Face¡¯ at the bookstore.

    ¡°Writer: Geun Woo Yoo¡±

    After finishing the book, Juho found a special thanks at the end of the book.

    ¡°Special thanks to a sassy brat I met on the bridge.¡±

    The sighing echoed throughout the science room. Unlike usual, there were noic books or snacks on the desk. Instead, things had been reced by a depressing silence.

    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you guys?¡± Juho asked as he closed the book he had been reading.

    Nobody answered. There was not a trace of happiness in the club members¡¯ faces. Baron was the same way.

    ¡°The weather is so nice. Look outside.¡±

    ¡°I guess so...¡±

    ¡°I see birds.¡±

    ¡°Yeah...¡± Bom said lifelessly. Everyone with the exception of Juho was burying their heads in their arms. Things in the science room had been theplete opposite of the weather outside.

    Juho scratched his cheek. There had to be a reason for why the club members were so lifeless when they¡¯d always been full of life.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK if you didn¡¯t get the award,¡± Juho said in order to encourage them.

    ¡°It¡¯s NOT OK! None of us got an award!¡± Sun Hwa snapped as she turned teary eyed. She was used to getting good grades, so she was having a hard time epting the situation.

    ¡°This is unheard of. I thought we were good writers? Howe we didn¡¯t get the award?¡±

    ¡°Enough with the awards. I¡¯m hurting as it is.¡±

    ¡°I want the award! It should¡¯ve been us!¡± Sun Hwa raised her voice all the more at Seo Kwang¡¯s response. He let out a deep sigh and turned his head toward Juho.

    ¡°Actually, what really doesn¡¯t make sense is that you didn¡¯t get an award. Shouldn¡¯t you have won?¡±

    ¡°Well, what can I do? They wouldn¡¯t give it to me,¡± Juho answered light-heartedly.

    ¡°This is serious! There might be some sort of conspiracy behind it, like lobbying, or bribes,¡± Seo Kwang cried out as he lost his temper.

    A conspiracy theory, they must have been really disappointed.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t get your award either huh, Baron?¡± Sun Hwa asked weakly.

    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate, but wouldn¡¯t it be odd for the Literature Club to celebrate a member winning an award at an Art Contest?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to be so modest. You were very much included when I said that none of us got an award.¡±

    ¡°Well, what can I do? They wouldn¡¯t give it to me,¡± Baron answered like Juho.

    Soon, the science room grew silent once again. The birds were chirping outside, and the kids were ying in the schoolyard. The hallway was quiet.

    Though Juho did prefer a quiet environment over a busy one, the silence in the room was rather ufortable.

    ¡®I was going to wait, but I guess there¡¯s no other way,¡¯ Juho thought as he stood up from his seat.

    ¡®Drag,¡¯ went the chair across the floor, and everyone turned their eyes in the direction of the source.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I need to find something.¡±

    ¡°What are you looking for?¡±

    Instead an answer, Juho walked toward the chalkboard where there were still flyers for various contests.

    ¡°You want an award?¡± Juho asked as he looked at the flyers.

    ¡°... Duh. Not that we¡¯re writing strictly for awards, but yeah.¡±

    ¡°Then, youe find it too.¡±

    ¡°Find what?¡±

    Juho turned around as he took off one of the flyers from the chalkboard.

    ¡°Your next contest.¡±

    He sat back down and looked through the flyer he¡¯d taken. It was going to take ce at a park, and it was the second time it was happening, so it wasn¡¯t one with history and tradition. Still, it would be perfect for a casualpetition.

    The club members stared at him as he carefully examined the flyer. Soon, everyone rose from their seats.

    ¡°You¡¯re kind of annoying at times. You know that?¡± Sun Hwa said.

    ¡°You too? I thought it was just me,¡± Seo Kwang agreed with her.

    Bom smiled quietly. The three walked briskly toward the chalkboard like they were racing.

    ¡°Move, I can¡¯t see.¡±

    ¡°You move! There¡¯s the special recognition you like so much.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to apply somewhere else this time!¡±

    ¡°Guys, calm down.¡±

    Juho looked at the freshmen standing next to one another. As usual, Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa were quarreling, which seemed unnecessary considering the avable space.

    ¡°They¡¯re so rowdy,¡± Baron said with his chin resting on his hand.

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    Baron took out a leaf of paper from his sketchbook. In thick letters, it read ¡°Sketching Contest.¡±

    ¡°I found it a while ago.¡±

    ¡°Man, aren¡¯t you a man of action?!¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    In the end, everyone found a new contest topete in.

    ¡®How do I encourage these kids?¡¯ Mr. Moon was thinking when he walked into the science room, but he soon found out that he no longer had to worry about encouraging those students. The club members were driven by the prospect of their next contest.

    ¡®Maybe teaching is what I was meant to do all this time,¡¯ he thought as he looked at them proudly.

    ¡°OK, please submit your work by noon! If you need more paper, pleasee to us with your paper and student ID,¡± the host exined.

    Juho yawned as he listened. After a brief announcement, the host continued as he turned the page, ¡°The topics for the 2nd Literature Contest are gratitude for your teachers, traveling, and fall.¡±

    ¡®Gratitude for your teachers, traveling, and fall.¡¯ As the host finished speaking, the contestants each took a seat throughout the park. The current time was nine in the morning, so there was plenty of time.

    Juho looked around in search for a ce to write, but all of the benches had already been taken. There were people who hade to the park with their children, and they looked at the contestants with curiosity.

    He went further into the park and found a shade under a tree. The trail was surrounded by big boulders, so there was no one around.

    ¡®This seems like a good spot.¡¯

 Chapter 68 - The Final Encounter (1)

    Chapter 68: Chapter 68 ¨C The Final Encounter (1)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    There were birds chirping on a tree nearby.

    Juho had sat on the grass. He took out some papers and a clear stic undey and set them on the uneven surface of a boulder. It was the perfect workstation.

    He felt the coldness travelling up from the ground. An ant crawled by, and he reached down to feel the dirt on his hand. He felt the particles underneath his nails. It was a familiar feeling, and he had a good feeling that time.

    He sat still as he thought of the given topics: gratitude for your teachers, traveling, and fall. He took quite some time thinking about them as he didn¡¯t find any of them all that appealing.

    To be frank, there was something else that he really wanted to write. He had been anxious to finish his next book, and that was what he had really wanted.

    He rxed his body as he put down his pen. He was about to fall backward, but he didn¡¯t resist.

    The open sky met him, and he felt the cool, refreshing air throughout his body. It almost felt like he was in water. He felt the other contestants staring, but he paid no attention.

    His next book had taken its shape now. There was a young mother with her young child. The narrator of the story was the son at eighteen years old. The story began with the mother confessing her pregnancy to her child. Her son was suddenly going to have a brother. The only thing certain to the child was that they didn¡¯t have the same father.

    Eighteen years old, it was an age closer to being an adult than a child. The narrator was neither pure like a child or as experienced as an adult.

    He asked his mother as he learned about her pregnancy, ¡°Were you happy to find out?¡±

    ¡°As happy as when I had you,¡± the young mother answered with a smile.

    The more her stomach bulged out, the more mature her son became. He was growing into an adult, and he smoked and drank with her.

    He came to meet different kinds of people. As he experienced life, her stomach grew in size until it couldn¡¯t get any bigger. That was the end.

    A wind blew and ruffled Juho¡¯s hair. Light shone brightly in between the leaves.

    ¡®I should visit her and ask again,¡¯ he thought. Then, he slowly closed his eyes.

    ¡®Bricks, telephone pole, hills.¡¯

    The ce where he met the woman was filled with silence. There was no sound of crying or any sound for that matter. As he looked down from the hill, he felt a presence. It was her.

    ¡°Hello,¡± she said with a slightly awkward enunciation.

    ¡°How you doin¡¯?¡±

    She was beautiful, but quite skinny. Her breasts and belly were showing through her white dress.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s what you look like,¡± Juho said as he made eye contact with her bloodshot eyes.

    She had two moles under her eye, thin lips and frail arms. That time, she had a vivid shape. She smiled, but only her eyes and lips moved slightly.

    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± she asked. Her red tongue became visible as she opened her mouth.

    ¡°I see that you¡¯re growing impatient. Why don¡¯t we take this a little slower?¡±

    ¡°I want to see the baby.¡±

    Juho looked at her belly. There was nothing aside from a small bit of fat on her lower belly. Whenever she breathed, her chest moved up and down.

    ¡°Should I call for your son?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Your son would be sad to hear your answer.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. That kid is strong.¡±

    At those words, Juho nodded. She had never exercised self control in her life. Like a rock rolling down the hill, she couldn¡¯t stop herself. It had been the same way when she had be pregnant for the first time.

    ¡°My first drink was when I first made love to a man. My first smoke was when I first ditched a man.¡±

    ¡°And you haven¡¯t stopped since.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Still, my baby grew just fine. He was born into this world, and now, he¡¯s an adult. He¡¯s old enough to drink and smoke with me. He¡¯s a strong kid.¡±

    A breeze blew on her dress. Her short, stubby toes became visible.

    ¡°Howe you came barefooted?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d need to wear shoes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, you know.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. I won¡¯t get hurt,¡± she answered as she took a step forward. It all felt too dangerous. ¡°Are you nning on killing me?¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t answer. He hadn¡¯t decided yet. The end was before his eyes, and he had hesitated.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    He had been sincere in his answer. He really didn¡¯t want her to die.

    ¡°I want to,¡± she answered as she dropped her head. There was a cliff. They were standing from a height where the bottom was no longer visible. ¡°My child died.¡±

    Juho became angry at her calm tone of voice.

    ¡°But you knew that all along!¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°You killed him!¡±

    She looked back at him, and their eyes met. They were ming one another.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who let go!¡±

    ¡°No one came to save him.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t go after your baby.¡±

    ¡°There was a person at the bottom of the hill.¡±

    ¡°You said you were sick of it all.¡±

    She kept quiet. She looked down as she stood barefooted at the edge of the cliff.

    ¡°I miss my baby.¡±

    That time, a gust of wind blew her hair relentlessly.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to see him again.¡±

    ¡°I made him wait too long.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t find the baby down there.¡±

    She took another step forward. She was almost there.

    ¡°Will he forgive me?¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t be able to. There¡¯s no ground for either of you to stand on.¡±

    Nothing could have stopped her. That was the kind of person she was. Finally, Juho called for her.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to regret your decision!¡±

    She stopped in her tracks.

    ¡°He¡¯ll forgive me.¡± She knew the oue. After all, it was regret she¡¯d been after.

    The wind blew all the harder. Everything became fuzzy. The world started shaking. The wind blowing from below kept pulling her down as if it wanted to swallow her whole. Debris fell from the sky. The cliff started to crumble away. A streak of blood flowed down her legs, and her dress became soaked by the rain.

    ¡°He¡¯s a strong kid. He¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Then, she threw herself down the cliff. Juho ran to grab her, but it was toote. He looked down from the cliff to see that she was nowhere to be found, and he was alone in a world that was falling apart.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± a voice came from behind him. ¡°I¡¯m not strong. You¡¯re a poor excuse of a mother.¡±

    Juho turned around. It was her son. He had been standing at a ce not too far from the cliff. He didn¡¯t move a muscle.

    ¡°Are you crying?¡± Juho asked.

    Instead of an answer, he looked up, his skinny face bing visible.

    ¡°Are you going to?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m alone. There¡¯s no one left to listen to me crying.¡±

    Juho imitated the woman by standing at the edge of the cliff.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    Before there was time to answer, Juho fell from the cliff. The son remained in his ce until the end.

    ¡®That¡¯s all I wanted to see,¡¯ Juho thought as he closed his eyes.

    ¡°Wah, wah!¡±

    He sat up at the sound of a crying baby in the distance. Over a big boulder, he saw a woman walking with her stroller. As he watched them walking away, he slowly picked up his pen.

    He started writing. It had nothing to do with gratitude for your teachers, traveling, or the fall.

    ¡®I think I¡¯ll be able to finish this after all,¡¯ he thought as he smiled happily.

    *

    The contestants in the park each focused on theirposition. While being mindful of the time and content, they were all writing busily.

    From time to time, some kids took their eyes off of their papers to look at something else. Though it was on one of the many trails in the park, there wasn¡¯t anyone around. Perhaps it had to do with the boulders that surrounded the trail. Or, it could¡¯ve been the boy who had been writing frantically on his paper on the boulder.

    The kids were staring at him.

    He was writing at an incredibly fast pace with a scowl on his face. It almost looked like he was writing out what he had memorized. Nothing seemed to get in his way. There was no wind either.

    ¡®What could he be writing?¡¯ one of the kids approached him from curiosity. As he walked toward him on the grass, the sound of the pen tapping restlessly on the surface of the boulder became more audible. It almost sounded like a fight. Maybe it was a game.

    He stood behind the boy, but the boy showed no response. He waspletely focused, and the kid felt his curiosity slowly turning into something different.

    ¡®I wish I could do that.¡¯

    He couldn¡¯t dare to imitate the boy. He was easily distracted by people approaching him, and he couldn¡¯t stand the curious look on people¡¯s faces as they walked past them.

    None of the ideas in his head were substantial. Even they further lost their color as he wrote them out on paper.

    But, the boy was different. He hadn¡¯t even realized that somebody was standing behind him. His paper was visible over his shoulders.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    It was strange. It didn¡¯t look like something that was suited for an essay contest. The story. The content. To stop him, he involuntarily walked toward the boy who was writing frantically and tried to grab his hand.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t do that, kid.¡±

    He jumped at the sound of a voice. Long, ck hair. Graceful voice. Wrinkles around her eyes that reflected the time she had lived. She was in a white dress, and had a portable parasol in her hand and she opened her mouth slowly to say, ¡°How about you go on writing your own paper?¡±

    He thought the moment his eyes met with the woman¡¯s, ¡®She caught me! I got caught red-handed.¡¯

    Without saying anything, he walked away in a hurry.

    She remained the only person standing next to Juho.

    *

    Juho didn¡¯t bother to think about anything else. His mind was filled with thoughts about the woman. It was all within his reach. The sound of the baby crying lingered in his ears. Nothing could have gotten in his way, even the ant crawling over his shoes, or the sound of leaves rustling.

    As everything seemed to be going smoothly, his hand suddenly came to a halt.

    ¡°I¡¯m out.¡±

    He had run out of space. He had used every bit of what he was given. There was still much more that he wanted to write, so he grew anxious from the seemingly unquenchable thirst.

    ¡®What did I have to do to get more paper? Oh yeah, I have to go to the headquarters with my student ID.¡¯ He got up in a hurry as he thought of his student ID in his pocket. Just as he was about to run, a person suddenly struck up a conversation.

    ¡°You seem like you need more paper.¡±

    ¡°¡®Scuse me?¡±

    ¡°Would you like to use mine?¡±

    After turning around, the first thing he saw was a white dress and her white parasol. She was smiling. The wrinkles around her eyes gave off a weing impression. In contrast to her age, she had her ck hair tied into a ponytail. She¡¯d been standing alone on the other side of the boulder while he¡¯d kept writing, looking at his direction.

    Juho realized that she had been looking at hisposition. He hadn¡¯t caught it.

    She waved, and the sheets in her hand waved along with her. An olddy with a stack of paper. Juho couldn¡¯t help but remember who that was.

    ¡°Yun Seo Baek. Mrs. Baek.¡±

 Chapter 69 - The Final Encounter (2)

    <h4>Chapter 69: Chapter 69 ¨C The Final Encounter (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Did you call my name?¡±

    Writing several masterpieces of her own, Yun Seo Baek had been the teacher of many authors, including Joon Soo Bong, and Geun Woo Yoo, who Juho had met recently.

    Juho became flustered. He had met someone he hadn¡¯t expected to meet in apletely unexpected ce. ¡®Why was she there?¡¯

    She opened her mouth before he had a chance to ask and said, ¡°I live nearby. I heard about the contest, so I thought I¡¯de out for a walk.¡±

    ¡°With paper in your hand?¡±

    ¡°I was itching to see the future authors,¡± she said, smiling like a girl. Even the wrinkles around her eyes couldn¡¯t take away from her innocent smile.

    ¡°Seeing you¡¯re not nning on submitting that for the contest, I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t matter what kind of paper you use.¡±

    ¡°... You got me.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have missed it. You were writing quite fiercely there,¡± she answered as she spun the parasol in her hand. Now, you should get back to writing.¡±

    Juho approached her slowly. After taking the paper from her hand, he went back to his seat. As he sat, Yun Seo too sat by the trail, spinning her parasol in her hand.

    Juho kept on writing. Somehow, it felt like the paper was smoother to the touch. Perhaps the paper took after its owner in some way. He felt more at ease.

    At that moment, an announcement came from the speakers. It was time. Everyone got up from their seats and headed toward the headquarters to submit their work.

    While everyone moved busily, Juho didn¡¯t move a muscle. Yun Seo was the same way.

    By the time all of the contestants had left the park, Juho finally stopped writing. He had a satisfied smile on his face.

    ¡°You must have finished.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    The park had been quiet now. He had finally finished his next book and felt overwhelmed by a sudden urge to shout with joy and sprint until his heart was about to explode. He couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°Haha!¡± he leaned back as heughed happily, lying on the grass while at it. The sky came into view. It felt high and open. The clouds calmly floated by, creating quite a beautiful sight.

    There was silence. No one would be able to understand the joy he was feeling at that moment. It belonged solely to him. Then, he felt something move in the dirt.

    As he indulged himself in his satisfaction, a voice came from above, ¡°You must be Yun Woo,¡± said Yun Seo. She had hisposition in her hand. To be precise, they were the pages that had been written on her sheets of paper.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± he answered calmly. It was probably obvious to her. Though it was the first draft, and it still needed trimming in ces, the pages embodied Yun Woo¡¯s distinct style. For a seasoned author like Yun Seo Baek, she would¡¯ve recognized it with a nce.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to read more of it, but I¡¯ll give it back to you for now,¡± she said with a smile as she set the pages down next to Juho¡¯ face.

    He sat up slowly to face her and said, ¡°You can read it.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she said sternly. ¡°I¡¯d like to take my time savoring it when ites out.¡±

    It was quite apliment, and at the same time, her words provoked joy. Writing another book had alwayse with a stench of failure. Her warm words masked that stench, and although his second book hadn¡¯t done well in the past, Juho gained confidence with Yun Seo¡¯s affirmation.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be able to be an author?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You already are, kiddo.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not what I meant...¡± He didn¡¯t want to be a mere author. Deep inside, he wanted much more, so he added with a smile to hide his excitement, ¡°I want to be a great storyteller.¡±

    ¡°How lofty.¡±

    The great storyteller, not many authors were referred as such ¨C not even Yun Seo, or her friend, Hyun Do Lim. It was an honor that couldn¡¯t be earned even by the greatest of authors.

    Juho wanted just that. It was heavy and eternal and it was inherently different from who he was at that moment.

    That¡¯s how he wanted to be remembered. He wanted to reach something that many people had worked towards and failed.

    ¡°I long for that title.¡±

    Her eyes sparkled as they fixated on him. They were slightly murky, but they didn¡¯t waver. He looked back at her.

    ¡°If that¡¯s what your heart desires, than so be it. That¡¯s what the creatures so-called authors do, right?¡±

    ¡®Creatures so-called authors.¡¯

    ¡°We don¡¯t believe anything until we see, hear, and touch it. We have to write if we want to, even if it means giving something up. I¡¯ve seen countless authors like that,¡± she added as she folded her parasol. Then, she said, smiling in the sunlight, ¡°But I¡¯ve yet to meet anyone as young as you.¡±

    ¡°Come visit me sometime. I¡¯d prefer it now, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯re dying to finish what you started, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Then,e visit me when you¡¯re finished. I¡¯ll cook. What do you like?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not picky,¡± he answered after a quick thought.

    From then on, Juho skipped school from time to time in order to work on his book. After seeing the piles of paper in his room, his mother gave him permission immediately. Before he knew it, he had already developed a reputation for being sickly, but he paid no attention to that.

    He had been sitting in front of hisputer, editing and changing things ording to the developments and characters he had created. Whenever something wasn¡¯t to his liking, he didn¡¯t hesitate to rewrite it several times, but it hadn¡¯t been all that physically demanding. It would have been much more difficult beforeputers, but thankfully, that was no longer an issue.

    Without the restriction of theck of technology, it was natural for authors to be more critical in their editing processes. Because they had the resource to do so, they pursued perfection.

    Whenever Juho pressed a key on the keyboard, new characters appeared on the screen.

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    What hadn¡¯t changed was that writing had remained mentally demanding, even withputers.

    Repeating something was quite a daunting task. It was tedious and tiresome. On top of that, he was editing the story he had written himself. Secretly, the word ¡®editing¡¯ rued a negative meaning. It denied what already existed. It involved making various changes, but there was no way to be certain of one being better than the other.

    Because all words in aposition were interwoven with others, the overall feel was also prone to subtle changes. There was no situation that called for one, single edit. No matter how subtle, there was no end once changes urred. If a person had told an author to edit his work for all eternity, it would have been possible.

    However, in reality, there was only so much time.

    Though authors might sought after a perfect sentence, there was no such a thing. An author¡¯s job was to write out a person¡¯s life, and there was no such a thing as a perfect life.

    Juho read what he¡¯d written. The mother smoked her cigarette while holding her baby. No one stopped her.

    She wasn¡¯t a perfect person in any way.

    He took a deep breath. After calming his mind, he continued reading.

    It was thest scene. She threw herself off the roof of her own volition. Her only surviving son watched everything unfold.

    They had a conversation with one another for onest time. They made eye contact and listened to each other breathing for thest time.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to regret your decision,¡± the son said.

    ¡°Probably,¡± the mother answered. A wind blew and revealed her stomach. Its hopelessly stretched out skin hung loosely.

    Juho wanted them to regret.

    Things weren¡¯t as vivid as they once were. The mother had hid herself behind the sentences. Because of that, Juho had been able to imagine her end, which he couldn¡¯t bear to see. They weren¡¯t at the edge of a cliff.

    She had thrown herself from the roof. Her lifeless body was probably sprawled across the floor, and her son could¡¯ve seen his mother¡¯s end if he just looked down.

    Juho had portrayed the scene as explicitly as possible.

    ¡®Broken joints, blood. She no longer made any sound. There was never beauty in a dead body. It was hideous and foolish. Everyone criticized her, but things could only be heard by those still living. At the sound of other people screaming and cursing heading to the rooftop, the son took out a cigarette.¡¯

    Then, Juho ced thest period.

    He slowly stood up from his chair, very slowly.

    Birds were chirping outside the window. His hands had be hideously veiny.

    *

    There was a quiet storm in Zelkova Publishing Company. Yun Woo, the author of his critically acimed debut title, had suddenly appeared with his new book. There had been no warning, and no one had expected him to write another book in such a short time.

    The staff gathered in the meeting room. Each with a cup from the coffee machine, they were discussing something rather seriously. Everyone looked exhausted.

    Nam Kyung was the same.

    ¡°OK. Next, Mr.Woo¡¯s manuscript.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Nam Kyung answered the editor-in-chief.

    ¡°Have you all read it?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t keep myself from reading it even when I was busy.¡±

    ¡°I was dying from anticipation.¡±

    ¡°Although, I had no idea that we¡¯d be looking at his new book so soon.¡±

    ¡°Title: Mother. This is a working title, right?¡± An editor asked after hearing the opinions of their fellow editors.

    Title: Mother, a working title at the moment.

    Yun Woo, the youngest author to debut in the history of literature. Less than a year from the time he wrote the ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ which was selling at an incredible rate, Yun Woo had written a new book.

    ¡°Yes. How was it?¡± Nam Kyung asked. It was a way to get others to agree in some way.

    ¡°It was great,¡± for example.

    Nam Kyung had also read the manuscript. After all, he¡¯d been the first to receive it. It was about eight hundred pages, yet he read it in a burst.

    He had read it as he dyed his other work. He had read even on his subway ride home and as he¡¯d gotten off the subway. It hadn¡¯t been intentional. He had had a feeling that his day would¡¯ve been ruined from the potency of the emotions embodied in the manuscript and he¡¯d longed for a beautiful conclusion.

    Unfortunately, he had had to swim in the sea of depression for an entire week after reading through the manuscript.

    The destructive life portrayed by Yun Woo¡¯s colorful, yet pure style had been rather immersive.

    It had been almost like a swamp. Slowly, Nam Kyung had felt himself sinking from his own weight.

    ¡°It was fantastic,¡± the editor-in-chief emphasized.

    ¡®I knew it,¡¯ Nam Kyung thought. It really had been fantastic. Despite the damp, depressing tone, the story had been pure, and colorful. The contrast between the two contradicting characteristics had given it shape. Readers were bound to get sucked in.

    ¡°Except,¡±

    Except.

    ¡°It¡¯s a tad bit too dark.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    It was a rather dark story. Although it wouldn¡¯t have been an issue for an ordinary author, there was no telling how it would reflect on Yun Woo when he was known to be a teenager.

    ¡°Nothing happened to Mr. Woo, right?¡± the editor-in-chief asked. Nam Kyung shook his head.

    Thest time they¡¯d met, Juho had been like a textbook example of calmness.

 Chapter 70 - Summer Break

    <h4>Chapter 70: Chapter 70 ¨C Summer Break</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Mr. Woo is turning... seventeen this year?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    When the editors read Yun Woo¡¯s manuscript for his second book for the first time, they had had trouble imagining that it had been written by a seventeen year old. It had depth, but it was dark at the same time.

    ¡°I thought that even ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ was a little dark.¡¯

    ¡°I agree. This time, his book isn¡¯t just dark. It¡¯s also rather strong,¡± said Mr. Maeng, an editor who had recently changed jobs.

    ¡°On top of that, there¡¯s a clown character that¡¯s seemingly irrelevant. Every bit of that book is charming,¡± Ms. Song. She had been working as an editor for three years now, but she was the baby of the editing department.

    ¡°When that clown first came out, it was rather humorous.¡±

    Yun Woo¡¯s next book hadn¡¯t been strictly ¡®dark.¡¯ The clown and his sole audience toward the middle of the book were the two characters who were the most distant from the overall atmosphere of the book. At the same time, the transition hadn¡¯t been jarring at all. That was how the readers were able to enjoy the conversation between the two seemingly random characters.

    ¡°It¡¯ll do very well. ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ is still going strong. I think it¡¯d be a good idea to keep pushing forward,¡± Mr. Seo said. He was the sales manager.

    While Mr. Maeng agreed, Ms.Song expressed his concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll do well, but I¡¯m concerned about the content. I wonder if it¡¯d be too provocative.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good point.¡±

    Everyone nodded at Ms. Song¡¯s opinion. Yun Woo¡¯s books were rather immersive and addictive. It would be sold well as long as his name was on the book. High sales also meant that a lot of people were reading his books.

    ¡°It¡¯s too heavy for something written by a seventeen year old teenager. It might be controversial. Even now, there¡¯s a handful of people suspecting a ghostwriter,¡± Ms.Song¡¯s said.

    ¡°Not many people actually take that suspicion very seriously. I do agree that Mr. Woo¡¯s age is an issue. Some readers will definitely hold a negative view,¡± Mr. Maeng answered as he shook his head. It made sense considering how mature his style was for his age. Aside from that suspicion, some readers were bound to have a negative view. Being too talented had presented an issue in and and of itself.

    ¡°Right, especially towards the end of the book,¡± the editor-in-chief added.

    At his words, Nam Kyung immediately thought of the body. There was a detailed description of the mother¡¯s body toward the end of the book. The perspective was from none other than the narrator himself.

    The son ran toward the mother to grab her, but he was toote. Her body had already hit the ground, and the son was left all alone. Yet, the son didn¡¯t jump after his mother. Instead, he stayed at the rooftop. That had been the biggest difference between the two characters ¨C a mother who took her own life after the death of her baby, and a son who¡¯d sent her away. The ending portrayed the rtionship between the two characters in a rather gruesome manner.

    ¡°Are you thinking about revising the ending, by any chance?¡± the editor-in-chief asked Nam Kyung. Revisions were a sensitive matter in many aspects. Nam Kyung wasn¡¯t quite willing to change the ending, and there was only one reason. He had been content with Yun Woo¡¯s ending.

    There was no doubt that it was gruesome and provocative, but the intensity of emotions it conveyed would definitely be lessened.

    ¡°Does Mr. Woo tend to be sensitive about getting his book revised?¡±

    ¡°No, not quite. He¡¯s actually rather skilled in exchanging opinions.¡±

    ¡°Huh. He¡¯s really not like his peers, isn¡¯t he?¡± said the editor-in-chief.

    ¡°I firmly believe that we should publish the book as is,¡± said Nam Kyung.

    ¡°Why is that?¡± Asked the editor-in-chief. Nam Kyung organized his thoughts for a brief time before exining. ¡°I think that the ending is the scene where the regret of the mother is maximized.¡±

    Regret. The destructive life of two individuals and their end. Regret tended to be at the height of its intensity when it was toote to look back. Much like a ss of water that had broken, the past was impossible to undo. It was just like rash, careless words.

    The mother¡¯s death represented regret.

    ¡°The narrator carefully examines her body. This means that he didn¡¯t try to neglect her death. It¡¯s a scene where they face reality for the first time after having been running away from their faults.¡±

    Nam Kyung too had been somewhat concerned about Yun Woo¡¯s age, however...

    ¡°If we change the ending and leave it to the interpretation to the readers, I¡¯m certain that they¡¯ll criticize the characters rather than rting to their regrets.¡±

    The editor-in-chief nodded. Mr. Seo opened his mouth after a brief time thought to say, ¡°That might actually be beneficial for marketing. Books that are more provocative tend to sell more. We can ask for testimonials from other authors also. Besides, ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ didn¡¯t read like it had been written by a seventeen year old anyway.¡±

    After contemting for a brief moment, the editor-in-chief nodded.

    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll leave it up to you Nam Kyung.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    After that and after everyone presented their concerns, the meeting came to an end.

    *

    The ssroom was filled with excitement. The kids seemed like they couldn¡¯t contain themselves as they mored. Some hadn¡¯t even brought their backpacks. Because they were carrying less weight, they seemed all the more lively.

    ¡°I noticed that you haven¡¯t been sleeping as ofte.¡±

    For some time, Juho had been spending about half of his time in his sses in slumber. Now, he was looking straight into Seo Kwang¡¯s eyes. He nodded slowly.

    ¡°It¡¯s summer break. It¡¯s exciting.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been fine for about month now.¡±

    ¡°Well then, I guess I¡¯ve been excited for a whole month.¡±

    After finishing his manuscript, Juho felt a bit more relieved. He¡¯d been writing at night while sleeping during the day, and it¡¯d been rather exhausting. Although he believed that good writing came from a clear mind, there was no way around the schedule.

    Juho thought about the ending of the book that Nam Kyung had mentioned. He had said that he wasn¡¯t sure how the readers would respond to something so raw and direct.

    It had never crossed his mind while he¡¯d been writing. He¡¯d been focused on writing alone. He¡¯d thought that he should be writing what was in his head.

    He had expressed to Nam Kyung that he didn¡¯t want to change the ending, and Nam Kyung had agreed. From then on, they¡¯d been mostlymunicating through emails regarding changes to the vocabry, removing certain sentences, and tightening up ces where it dragged on.

    While they edited when their opinions agreed with one another, they exchanged opinions and ideas with one another when their opinions differed. Nam Kyung had been relentless in his editing. Thanks to him, Juho had been quite nervous as ofte.

    In this stage of publishing, the editor yed the role of the critic with its presence alone. His sigh was enough to make Juho rewrite his manuscript voluntarily. It had been better to get less sleep.

    At that point, the publishingpany would set a release date and proceed to putting the book together.

    Juho asked Seo Kwang as he enjoyed his sense of freedom, ¡°How¡¯s your English lesson going?¡±

    ¡°Not well,¡± Seo Kwang answered with a sad face. ¡°It would be a lot easier if the word order was simr to Korean at least.¡±

    Word order. Juho thought of the Old English he had learned from James.

    ¡°I feel like word order isn¡¯t as important in Old English. There wasn¡¯t really a rule. I saw different examples, like subject-verb-object, or object-verb-subject.¡±

    ¡°Old English?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, like German.¡±

    ¡°German??¡± Seo Kwang asked as he couldn¡¯t rte to Juho at all. ¡°How do you even know that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fun.¡±

    ¡°Fun??¡± He said as his face scrunched up. He didn¡¯t get Juho.

    ¡°Once you get better and start having conversations, it¡¯ll be a lot more fun.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be, but I have a long way to go... When do you ever speak something like German anyway?¡±

    It had been useful in some asions. It had been of great use when Juho was experimenting with the limits of hisnguage acquisition device in his head.

    He¡¯d been learning as manynguages as he possibly could. English, French, Japanese, Chinese, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch. He¡¯d also learned unusualnguages like Medieval and Old English, Lombardic, and Old Nordic.

    It had all been possible. He¡¯d been able to read, speak, and understand just about anything.

    However, it wasn¡¯t perfect everywhere.

    Overtime, he noticed that he couldn¡¯t think of certain words. He knew enough for basic conversations, but he¡¯d been hesitating more and more while writing or thinking of a word. Language tended to get lost if one didn¡¯t utilize it in a regr basis.

    ¡°The key to learning anguage is repetition.¡±

    Mistaking that he had been talking to him, Seo Kwang gave him an annoyed look.

    ¡°You should work hard if you¡¯re still nning on visiting your first love,¡± Juho added as he smiled.

    ¡°Punk,¡± Seo Kwang said. At that moment, the front door slid open.

    ¡°OK, everyone, settle down,¡± the homeroom teacher said as he walked in.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do some cleaning before we go.¡±

    Sounds of groaning filled the ssroom.

    *

    ¡°I guess things will start picking up again soon.¡±

    Mr. Seo grumbled with a sigh in the lounge. The sales department was the busiest department right before and after the book release. It had to do with the fact that they often had to meet and interact with people in person.

    ¡°I¡¯m d it¡¯s Yun Woo¡¯s book though.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I really love it. No matter how hard I try to judge every book with fairness, I¡¯m a still a person. Some books tend to speak to me more than others. You know what I mean... like the kind that makes you want to rmend it to others.¡±

    ¡°I know what you mean.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, exactly. His book really motivates me to sell more.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that.¡±

    ¡°The revision weren¡¯t easy, I¡¯m assuming?¡± asked Mr. Seo.

    Nam Kyung sighed before answering him.

    ¡°No, they weren¡¯t. Mr. Woo has such a distinct style, so I had to be really careful not to take away from it.¡±

    ¡°My, that¡¯s impressive.¡±

    ¡°On top of that, Mr.Woo is no ordinary high school student.¡±

    It had been a challenging process. Yun Woo was someone who had be famous at a young age. On top of that, his style of writing tended to have a lot of character. Nam Kyung liked that character. He wanted to leave as much of it as intact as possible. In order to make that happen, he had to respect Yun Woo¡¯s creative boundaries while pushing him as close as possible to it. While Yun Woo was understanding of Nam Kyung¡¯s opinions in general, he had brought up every sentence that he hadn¡¯t agreed with.

    It had been a difficult process, but the oue made it worthwhile.

    ¡°You need to start getting the testimonials, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°OK, break a leg.¡±

    Mr. Seo poured hisst sip of coffee into his mouth and went back to his office on the third floor. Nam Kyung, too, made his way back to his desk.

    ¡®Who do I go to? This is Yun Woo¡¯s book we¡¯re talking about,¡¯ he thought. He wanted to give his very best for the book. Like Mr. Seo, he too had been quite fond of the book.

    ¡°Mr. Uhm is a good candidate,¡± he murmured. He had arranged a meeting for him and Yun Woo in the past. Dong Gil would write an honest testimonial. It seemed to be in line with the tone of the his new book.

    ¡®Maybe I should ask him.¡¯

    As he thought about Dong Gil, another person naturally came up in his head, Seo Joong Ahn. He was unpredictable, but he had recently made aeback with his new book, ¡®One Room.¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71: Chapter 71- A teful (1)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Nam Kyung thought about Yun Woo as he pulled up his sses. Whenever he saw him, he was always reminded of another author, his favorite author, Hyun Do Lim. Yun Woo had just spread his wings. Hyun Do Lim was a widely respected author. Yun Woo had taken a risk, while Hyun Do Lim was stable. They had nothing inmon, from their ages to their appearances, but for some reason, they shared a simr feel.

    ¡®I kind of want to go with Mr. Lim,¡¯ Nam Kyung thought. However, that wouldn¡¯t be easy because he was known to be stingy about writing testimonials for other authors. His reason was always that he was simply too busy to write something for another author. Although, the gentle manner in which he declined the requests said otherwise. He seemed rather free.

    He was an outstanding writer, and Nam Kyung was itching to read his book.

    Nam Kyung had made up his mind. He was certain that he¡¯d get turned down, but he still decided to give it a try. ¡®Besides, who knew for sure?¡¯

    He looked over the manuscript that would be sent to Hyun Do Lim and thought, ¡®This should do,¡¯ and gathered up his courage before sending it.

    Nam Kyung was turned down in no time, and the editor-in-chief asked him as he chuckled, ¡°Didn¡¯t work out, huh?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Mr. Maeng patted Nam Kyung¡¯s back as he stood defeated.

    ¡°He was so polite.¡±

    He knew what the oue would be, but he had decided to give it a shot anyway. After taking a deep breath, he looked up. It was still worthwhile. When he had talked to Hyun Do Lim over the phone, Mr. Lim was rather impressed and astonished. That gave Nam Kyung more confidence.

    A few dayster, a testimonial from Dong Gil arrived at the publishingpany. After reading it, Nam Kyung smiled brightly.

    ¡°A piece that walks on thin ice. It tells me that I¡¯m just as guilty,¡± he had written in his clean, and precise style that was distinct to him. It suited Yun Woo¡¯s book well.

    *

    Juho got off the subway at a station where he had only been once. While feeling familiar and foreign at the same time, he walked up the stairs and out to the surface. Cars spewed out their fumes in the hot air, and people walked busily past him.

    Juho had been to that street once. There was a building that he remembered, and another that he didn¡¯t.

    As he crossed the street, the park¡¯s entrance became visible, the same one he went to for the essay contest. It had been some time since he¡¯d finished his new book, and Juho finally ept Yun Seo Baek¡¯s invitation from after the contest.

    He followed the map on his phone. The closer he got to her house, the more the sound of the city faded away.

    ¡®Bark! Bark!¡¯ a dog barked, and he thought of a dog he had seen on the countryside once. Though it looked nice, it was somewhat dirty.

    At the end of an alleyway, there was another alleyway, so he kept walking. After being lost for a brief while, he eventually came out of the alleyway into an open space with a big house and a small vegetable garden in the front of it. It was surrounded by trees and it was just old enough to look rather weing, like a house in the countryside.

    He felt the cool breeze. Everything else felt distant.

    The house had no gate or walls, so he kept walking past the front yard and toward the door. As he was about to ring the doorbell, he had heard a voice from the back of the house and walked in the direction of the sound instead.

    There was a low wooden bench. Yun Seo was there.

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here!¡± she weed him without even being startled. Juho bowed to her.

    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°Wee! Did you get lost on your way at all?¡±

    ¡°A little bit, but I¡¯ve been around the area before, so I eventually found my way.¡±

    ¡°Good, good. Come have a seat.¡±

    She waved her hand to tell him to take a seat. There were fresh fruits that she had just brought out: melons, bananas, apples, and a watermelon. It was way too much for just herself.

    ¡°So how¡¯d it go with your book?¡± she asked. From the time he met her, he had written consistently and finished it. However, he wasn¡¯t sure of how to answer her question. After a brief moment thinking, he said, ¡°I finished it, somehow.¡±

    She smiled at his answer.

    ¡°That¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    There was a gentle silence. As he enjoyed the silence, a teful of fruits came into his view.

    ¡®Did she bring all of this out for me?¡¯ Even then, there was way too much. Then, he remembered that he heard a voice on his way in.

    ¡°Is there another guest over?¡±

    ¡°We always have guests. That¡¯s how it is in my house.¡±

    She was referring to her pupils. Mrs. Baek was known for epting a number of pupils. In the past, there had been quite a few people who had learned from her while they¡¯d stayed at her house. Now, there were significantly less people wanting to be writers, and less people wereing up to the city, so she adapted a teaching format that resembled a private institute. The times were changing.

    ¡®Pupil.¡¯ When Juho thought about that word, two people came to mind: Joon Soo Bong and Geun Woo Yoo.

    ¡°So where¡¯s your guest?¡±

    ¡°I believe he went out.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Baek,¡± a familiar voice sounded, and Juho thought briefly as he looked ahead, ¡®What do I do?¡¯

    ¡°Mrs. Baek, I¡¯ve brought the tea. It¡¯s the green tea Joon Soo bought.¡±

    ¡°OK. Thanks for buying the fruits too.¡±

    Juho heard another person behind him. There were two familiar voices then. ¡®What do I do?¡¯

    ¡°Who¡¯s the guest?¡± the voice said, referring to Juho. He turned around slowly, and his eyes met Geun Woo, who held a tray with a tea set. Joon Soo was smiling gently next to him.

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long at all for the two to recognize Juho, and they looked at each other.

    ¡°You know him, Joon Soo?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you too?¡± Geun Woo asked looking at Juho.

    ¡°I remember you saying that you¡¯re part of a Literature Club. Are you Mrs. Baek¡¯s new pupil?¡± Geun Woo Yoo asked. He had written a book titled ¡®Sad Face,¡¯ which showcased his distinctively depressing style.

    ¡°Well, I guess it makes sense that you¡¯re here. You were part of an essay contest, so you must want to be a writer,¡± said Joon Soo Bong. Though he had a somewhat shallow fanbase, he was an incredibly skilled writer.

    All of those authors somehow knew Juho, but the two had never met Yun Woo, so Juho found himself in a sticky situation.

    While he smiled awkwardly as he thought about how to introduce himself, Yun Seo asked, ¡°Should I say it? Or did you want to say it yourself?¡±

    She seemed to understand Juho¡¯s situation, and he decided toe clean.

    ¡°I will,¡± he said as he felt Joon Soo and Geun Woo staring at him. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Juho Woo.¡±

    Joon Soo¡¯s eyes widened at the sudden introduction. On the other hand, Geun Soo nodded as if he knew. In order to properly introduce himself, Geun Woo was about to say something, but at moment, Juho quickly interjected, ¡°I¡¯m also Yun Woo.¡±

    At that, Geun Woo froze, and his mouth dropped open. He blinked twice. Before he had a chance to say a word, Joon Soon said enthusiastically, ¡°Aha!¡± There was dness behind his voice. ¡°I read your writing at the contest! I thought so! I thought it was too good for a student. You were Yun Woo all along!¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    ¡°It makes sense that you ran out of time considering how much time you had spent outside. On top of that, the build up was rather long. It didn¡¯t seem like it was contest worthy in any way. You knew you weren¡¯t going to finish, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes. I did.¡±

    ¡°Joon Soo, move aside for a minute.¡±

    As Joon Soo was about to say something while smiling brightly, Geun Woo pushed him and stood in front of Juho with his mouth still open.

    ¡°You¡¯re Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°As in Yun Woo, the author.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then...You... that day... no, that book... so...¡± He seemed rather confused. ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± he said in disbelief.

    ¡°Would I dare lie about something like that in front of the greats?¡±

    ¡°Well... it¡¯s just... no, it can¡¯t be,¡± his face was filled with embarrassment.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about winning that contest,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Agh!¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey! I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on here, but please, calm down,¡± said Joon Soo as he patted Geun Woo on the back. Despite his gentle words, Geun Woo ruffled his hair with both of his hands.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never be able to forget this. I won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight. I knew I was going to regret it, but this... this... ¡± he murmured.

    ¡°Come sit and have some fruit,¡± Yun Seo said amid the chaos.

    Things calmed down after some time, and Juho and Yun Seo sat facing Geun Woo and Joon Soo on the bench.

    With his head lowered, Geun Woo was quietly chewing an apple.

    ¡°So what brings you here, Yun Woo?¡± Joon Soo asked.

    ¡°I invited him. We met in the park on the day of the contest,¡± Yun Seo answered instead. Juho nodded. ¡°I wanted to go take a look, so I went. Then, I found a kid writing on the ground.¡±

    ¡°That was me.¡±

    ¡°I approached him, but he didn¡¯t even notice. I looked at what he was writing out of curiosity, and it turned out that he¡¯d been writing somethingpletely irrelevant to the topics given at the contest.¡±

    ¡°Irrelevant?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it was a contest?¡± Geun Woo asked quietly. Like Juho noticed in theirst encounter, he got over things rather quickly.

    Juho said, looking in his direction, ¡°I was working on something at the time, and I suddenly had an idea for wrapping up the story.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean that you¡¯ve been working on another book, do you?¡± Geun Woo asked,ughing.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. My next book.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Joon Soo coughed while mid-sip of his tea.

    ¡°What? A new book? Did you just say that you wrote another book? Yun Woo did? Now?¡± Geun Woo asked with an odd look on his face.

    ¡°Yes, why do you ask?¡± Juho asked calmly.

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a year since yourst book came out. ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ is still the number one bestseller across the nation.¡±

    ¡°I already sent the manuscript to the publishingpany.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± eximed Geun Woo.

    ¡°You¡¯re one brave kid. Aren¡¯t you worried about the oue? What if it doesn¡¯t do as well as yourst book?¡±

    ¡°Geun Woo, I think you should stop there if you don¡¯t want to regret thatter,¡± warned Joon Soo with a warm smile. Geun Woo said no more.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK, Mr.Bong. Mr.Yoo brought up a good point. I did think about that at one point,¡± Juho said as he smiled.

    Geun Woo said as he waved his hand, ¡°Please, you don¡¯t have to be formal with me.¡±

    Although Juho was trying to be polite, he quite enjoyed the fact that he was being recognized as an author.

    ¡°Same for me,¡± Joon Soo added.

    ¡°If you say so,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°So, what made you write another book so soon?¡± Geun Woo asked.

    Juho thought about the question. The word ¡®soon¡¯ made him think.

    ¡®Had it really been as soon as Geun Woo described?¡¯ Juho had already been an author for three decades before he returned to the past. Without that experience, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to write the book.

    He had been afraid of failures. The word had always been apanied with anxiety. He had always written in a hurry, as if he were being chased. The oue had always been less than average.

    In the past, his next book had been the beginning of his downfall. He didn¡¯t want to live the way he had then and he didn¡¯t want to fail. However, he couldn¡¯t write without epting failure as a fact of life. That¡¯s how writing had always been. An author wouldn¡¯t be able to write a single word if he was afraid of failure.

    ¡°Like I said, I was concerned at one point.¡±

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72: Chapter 72- A teful (2)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    At one point, Juho had been afraid.

    ¡°Of course, it was rather cumbersome. After all, I¡¯m known as a genius and the youngest person to debut as an author. So, I tried to stay low and enjoy my life for as long as possible, but that¡¯s when I thought of something I wanted to write about. I saw it with my own eyes.¡±

    Yet, he had still been looking. Once again, he had found himself desiring for something that had the power to lead him to his downfall. Because of that, he was able to find it and face it.

    ¡°What can I do? I gotta write what I want to write about,¡± said Juho as he smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve tried really hard to not think of things that would get in the way.¡±

    Failure, sess, results, unchanging future and theints of readers, Juho had been fighting these thoughts from disrupting his mind and forcing him to stop writing. It was the only way he could write.

    ¡°I¡¯m a professional when ites to setting things aside¡±

    He had spent thest three decades of his life running away. He had fled from his past failures, fear of challenge, and desire to write.

    He didn¡¯t think of the failures. He didn¡¯t gape after sess. He didn¡¯t let his anxiety get to him or rush him in any way. He simply wrote. He looked at nothing else, but the graph-like paper.

    ¡°I have no clue about how the next book will turn out, but now that it¡¯s already finished... Well, what can I do?¡±

    ¡®I guess all those failures in the past weren¡¯t in vain, after all,¡¯ Juho thought as he smiled.

    ¡°Whew... did you hear that Mrs. Baek?¡±

    ¡°I sure did.¡±

    ¡°How old are you again?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m seventeen.¡±

    ¡°My... my!¡± Geun Woo eximed. For a timid person like him, he wouldn¡¯t even dare say such things. Yun Seo smiled quietly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Juho answered confidently.

    He went inside. If there was anything different from the usual household, it was the designated space for writing lessons. It almost looked like a ssroom. There were desks, a sitting mat and natural wood grains on the floor. There werepositions of her past pupils on the wall and a white board at the front.

    ¡°So, what do you think? Not bad, huh?¡±

    ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡±

    If there was a school for aspiring authors, it would¡¯ve looked like that.

    ¡°This is my seat, and also where I wrote my debut title. I¡¯m not sure how much that would mean to an author like Yun Woo, but yeah,¡± said Geun Woo as he sat on the second backmost seat. Though he started off proud, his voice grew more and more timid toward the end.

    ¡°Do you mean the one you were decorating the sky with?¡± Juho asked as he smiled.

    ¡°Let¡¯s... not talk about that for now, shall we? I got in enough trouble with Mrs. Baek,¡± Geun Woo said bashfully.

    ¡°Whether you decide to change what you¡¯ve written or throw it out altogether is up to you as an author, but not like that. You can¡¯t treat it like trash. At that point, you¡¯re not just throwing away your writing, but you¡¯re also hurting yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    Though she said it light-heartedly, there was substance to her words. She was more strict than Juho had imagined.

    That day, Geun Woo had almost given up pursuing his dream of being a writer. It hadn¡¯t been that he hadn¡¯t been happy with what he had written or that he had felt like he couldn¡¯t write well. Deep inside, he¡¯dcked courage. Repeated failures had chipped away at his self-esteem.

    What he had really wanted to desert hadn¡¯t been his novel. It had been himself. Yun Seo had urged him not to give up.

    ¡°Coming to think of it, you two have a unique rtionship,¡± Yun Seo said light-heartedly.

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°An ill-fated rtion turned good.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯replimenting me or just trying to call me out.¡±

    Though Juho hadn¡¯t intended, he had always been part of Geun Woo¡¯s failures and sesses.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything really. In the end, you wrote something amazing, Geun Woo,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Yep, and I¡¯m also the one who wrote a half decent book. Come by anytime you want. I¡¯d love to

    rub off of you,¡± he said as he made a tai-chi like move with his hands. At that, Juho calmly took a step back to distance himself.

    ¡°You¡¯re staying for dinner right? I¡¯ll go prepare the rice,¡± said Yun Seo.

    In the past, she had asked Juho what his favorite food was. After Yun Seo went outside, Juho quietly walked toward Geun Woo and sat across from him.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Geun Woo said quietly.

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°For picking up my manuscript that day.¡±

    ¡°I recall you already thanked me then.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo wasn¡¯t there that day.¡±

    Juho asked after a brief silence, ¡°Were there any missing pages?¡±

    ¡°A few. I read through it and rewrote them.¡±

    With that, they no longer talked about that day. Neither Geun Woo or Juho said any more. They had talked about it enough.

    At that moment, Joon Soon came back in after taking a phone call. He tapped his finger on his phone three times before putting it into his pocket. After he briefly looked in Juho¡¯s direction, he looked back up at the sound of Geun Woo¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Another lecture?¡±

    ¡°Yep. My books don¡¯t really sell,¡± Joon Soo said as he sat next to Geun Woo. The way they sat around the desk resembled an official debate.

    Geun Woo grumbled with his face filled with discontentment.

    ¡°It¡¯s odd. Why is it that people don¡¯t read your book?¡±

    ¡°Beats me.¡±

    Joon Soo wouldn¡¯t have been able to answer that question. He just smiled gently as he patted Geun Woo¡¯s shoulder three times. Juho thought of his books as he watched. His books tended to be focused more on literary value than appealing to the masses. There were countless gems that were not best-sellers, but unfortunately, not all became known. As the publishing market grew even narrower, essibility was a crucialponent in a book. There had to be something that caught people¡¯s attention. That was the reality of it.

    Juho looked at Geun Woo. His debut title was doing very well. The gruesomeness of his book had caught people¡¯s attention. In modern days, people no longer remembered the fear of getting eaten. However, in reality, that fear was closer than most realized. One didn¡¯t have to be chewed on like a piece of meat or have their bones taken away in order to remember the fear for survival. Geun Woo understood that fact. It was something people would take interest in. The publishingpany he had submitted the manuscript to had predicted its sess, and invested arge sum of money into promotion.

    Juho turned his head and looked at Joon Soo then. He wasn¡¯t as familiar with Joon Soo¡¯s books. His books weren¡¯t as provocative. From the perspective of a reader who had to pick and choose what interested them the most, his books didn¡¯t quite stand out. However, Juho had been impressed by them. His style was clean, sophisticated, and beautiful.

    He hadn¡¯t given up on writing even as he took on a second job. He refused to conform to the norm. His tenacity would eventually bear fruit in the future. He would be a bestselling author, and many people woulde to appreciate the true beauty of his writing. Juho smiled quietly. Joon Soon had been stroking the desk in front of him. He did it by reflex.

    After staring at it for a brief time, Juho said, ¡°Three times.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been touching things three times.¡±

    His cell phone, Geun Woo¡¯s shoulder, the desk, and the same while he was eating fruit. He had a habit of tapping things three times before putting them down. Juho had noticed some time ago.

    ¡°He caught you.¡±

    ¡°Ah, shucks,¡± he said as he smiled awkwardly, scratching his head. Amid his embarrassment, his good nature remained apparent on his face. His hand soon moved away from his head. Though it hadn¡¯t been visible, Juho guessed that he had tapped his head three times.

    ¡°It¡¯s a kind of ritual,¡± said Joon Soo.

    ¡°More like OCD, Joon Soo,¡± Geun Woo murmured quietly.

    Instead of criticizing him, he humbly admitted it, ¡°I¡¯m sure it seems morepulsive to others.¡±

    It might bepulsive to others, but to himself, it was ritualistic.

    ¡°What kind of ritual?¡±

    ¡°It brings good luck.¡±

    ¡®Good luck.¡¯ Perhaps three was his lucky number. Whatever the reason was, it was an interesting habit.

    ¡°Not to sound arrogant, but there are times when I¡¯m surprised by whates out of my head. It almost feels like something just flowed into my body, and I¡¯m just lending my body to it. It doesn¡¯t feel like I wrote it. You¡¯d know since you¡¯re an author. It doesn¡¯t sit well with me.¡±

    There were times when a sentence suddenly thrust itself into the depths of the author¡¯s heart.

    Those sentences were apparent in Joon Soo¡¯s books. When the author wrote with such inspiration, they knew immediately how the words would fit with the surrounding words. However, there was a foil to such inspiration. That was anxiety. They felt anxious and insecure about whether or not they would be able to write something like that again in the future.

    Juho asked after a brief thought, ¡°What led you to that habit? Why three times?¡±

    ¡°My thirdposition became my debut title,¡± he answered with a gentle smile. It was somewhat of an underwhelming answer. ¡°My books haven¡¯t done so well since then, so I¡¯ve been wondering if I spent all of my luck on writing that book. That¡¯s why I tap things three times before I put them down ¨C to bring in luck,¡± he added. He was somewhat of an oddball too. ¡°Mrs. Baek didn¡¯t say anything about it either. Besides, three is my favorite number. You can say that it¡¯s a form of affection.¡±

    ¡°Towards what? The number three?¡±

    ¡°Myself. Mrs. Baek has always taught us to love ourselves.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that necessarily trantes to tapping your fingers three times.¡±

    At that moment, Yun Seo cut his nonsense short.

    ¡°My husband used to like the number three as well,¡± she said as she sat next to Juho.

    He picked up a faint,forting smell of cooked rice

    ¡°Mr. Kang, right?¡±

    She nodded quietly. Wol Kang. He was Yun Seo¡¯ste husband, who had passed away at an early age. He had been known as an entric, but his books were still loved by many. The fact that there was a movie about him showed how much his fans loved him. Juho, too, had been an avid fan of his and sought out every one of his books. They had been cheerful and peculiar and they had made the readers joyful. That lively, fearless author had lost his life to tuberculosis at an early age.

    ¡°You know, I always had a feeling that he¡¯d pass away too early,¡± she said as she smiled innocently.

    ¡°Mrs. Baek...¡± Whenever she made remarks like that, her pupils felt as awkward as possible.

    ¡°What? It¡¯s true. I even got rid of him first in my book.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that there was a character modeled after Mr. Kang?¡±

    ¡°Really? Who?¡± asked Joon Soo and Geun Woo. They must have never heard about it. Juho also thought, ¡®Who could it be? The first character to die, simr to Mr. Kang...¡¯

    After a brief time staring at, Juho asked, ¡°It¡¯s not Malddong, is it?¡±

    ¡°Oh my! You guessed it before I even had a chance to say it!¡±

    ¡°Goodness, Malddong??¡±

    Geun Woo was dumbfounded, and Joon Soo, too, no longer looked peaceful.

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about ¡®The Horse Hoof,¡¯ right?¡± Geun Woo asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Yes, the servant who worked at the stable.¡±

    ¡°He gets killed after getting kicked by a horse, right?¡± Juho asked quietly after Yun Seo answered brightly.

    (TL¡¯s note: the word ¡®mal¡¯ trantes to ¡®horse¡¯ in Korean, while the word ¡®ddong¡¯ means excrement. So, Malddong would mean horse poop. Having ¡®ddong¡¯ in a servan¡¯t name seemed to be amon practice in Korea back in the day.)

 Chapter 73

    <b>Chapter 73: Chapter 73- A teful (3)</b>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Malddong was among the lowest ss of servants who took care of the horses in the stable. Unfortunately, his dim-witted character led him to his demise after getting kicked by a horse. For a character that had been modeled after a real person, it was rather merciless.

    ¡°My husband told me once that he¡¯d rather get kicked to death by a horse than suffer through tuberculosis, so I tried to make his dreame true,¡± she said light-heartedly as she smiled. There was affection behind it. She was still in love with her entric husband.

    ¡®Bark!¡¯ a dog barked in the distance, and sheughed at the sound of it.

    ¡°If Wol was still around, he¡¯d have run out the door to pet that dog.¡±

    Her pupils didn¡¯t stop her from reminiscing about her loved one. She slowly turned her head and looked at Juho, and he quietly stared back at her.

    ¡°You remind me of him for some reason.¡±

    ¡°I do?¡±

    ¡°Of course! My husband was the best looking man I¡¯ve ever met.¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    ¡°For some reason, I can sense the trace of time from you. It¡¯s rather baffling considering your appearance.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s interesting, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Indeed... my husband often acted much younger than his age. He was the pr opposite of you, but maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯m getting the feeling that you two are simr.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor,¡± answered Juho with a smile. Yun Seo looked intently and quietly at his face.

    ¡®Bark!¡¯ the dog barked again. ¡®Why was it barking?¡¯ It was rather loud, yet, having heard it repeatedly, it started to sound weak. Juho remembered his first encounter with the dog. It was when he had walked into the alleyway. That was when he first became aware of the dog¡¯s existence. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s calling for its owner. A dog on a leash barks loudly as it waits for its owner. If the owner was the narrator, what kind of story would that be?¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°What were you thinking when you heard that?¡± Yun Seo asked.

    Juho blinked quietly for a brief moment. He hadn¡¯t quite understood her intention behind the question.

    ¡°You mean the dog?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the barking sound.¡±

    The dog was still barking. ¡®What had I thought of when I heard the dog? What was it?¡¯ Juho tried to remember.

    ¡°Mrs. Baek, Juho probably doesn¡¯t understand what you¡¯re asking. It took us a while before we were able to give you a proper answer.¡±

    ¡°Quiet,¡± said Joon Soo. He had somehow managed to shut Geun Woo up while maintaining his friendly look. Yun Seo waited quietly for Juho¡¯s response. He couldn¡¯t give an answer because there was no answer. The house was filled with silence, and Juho moved around for no apparent reason. The air was heavy. He had no choice. He had to answer honestly.

    ¡°I thought that dog was barking,¡± said Juho as he scratched his head. It had been no more than that. His thought hadn¡¯t gone far beyond. ¡®A dog is barking in the distance. It¡¯s barking with gusto. It must have smelled someone that isn¡¯t its owner.¡¯

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Yun Seoughed.

    ¡°See?¡±

    ¡°Shh,¡± Geun Woo and Joon Soo were still whispering. All Juho did was answering honestly. Yun Seo nodded and asked again.

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    Suddenly, Juho remembered Mr. Moon¡¯s go-to phrase. ¡°Not exactly wrong, but not exactly what I¡¯m looking for either.¡± ¡®What kind of answer was she looking for?¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m sure a lot of things came to you the moment you heard the dog¡¯s bark. Then, they died out in the blink of an eye. It all happens at once, so it¡¯s difficult to distinguish the process, but it¡¯s not impossible either. Try to pick out the thoughts in your mind while they¡¯re bunched up together like a lump of mud. It¡¯ll help you to keep them organized. Once you have them organized, your thoughts will be at your disposal when you need them.¡±

    Whether it was a conscious effort or not, the brain interpreted signalsing in from the outside. Juho, then, took his time exploring his thoughts.

    ¡®The sound of barking. What was hiding behind it?¡±

    After a brief momentary thought, he opened his mouth and asked, ¡°That I should go meet the dog?¡±

    ¡°Deeper. Predicting yourself is also a way to go about this. Think about all the things you were thinking about at the same time. What would you have thought?¡±

    ¡®Dig deeper. What were the thoughts that I was having. Predict yourself,¡¯ he concentrated.

    He had heard a barking dog. Then, he had thought, ¡®A dog is barking.¡¯ Mrs. Baek asked a question. ¡®Then, what else was there? What kind of thoughts was I having?¡¯

    ¡°For now, tell me what you know,¡± Yun Seo gave him a hint. He spent a brief time organizing his thoughts and said, ¡°Dog, puppies. Commonly seen animal. Symbol of loyalty. A figure of speech for describing a loyal person. Mammalia Carnivora Canis. Domesticated wild animal. Commonpanion animal. History of its domestication goes back as far as 9,500BC. Walks on four legs. It has five toes in its front paws and four in its hind paws. Sharp teeth. Developed sense of smell. Sensitive hearing. Duration of pregnancy can range anywhere from sixty-two to sixty-eight days. Capable of reproducing approximately one year after birth. Gives birth to four to six puppies at once. Its offspring feed on their mother¡¯s milk for six to seven weeks. They start eating softer food around the fourth week. It has emotions and it expresses them through barking. There are cases of abandonment, in which they often die or adapt to nature and be wild dogs. It¡¯s widely understood to be on bad terms with cats. It¡¯s trainable. In as long of a history as it has had with humans, there are countless books that beautifully portray their rtionship,¡± he took a deep breath after pouring everything he knew about dogs out.

    While he¡¯d been thinking about whether he should be say more, Geun Woo asked, ¡°Do they teach things like that at school nowadays?¡±

    ¡°No, I just happen to enjoy watching ¡®The Animal Kingdom.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I should check it out.¡±

    ¡°I rmend the bonobo episode to you.¡±

    Yun Seo asked again when Juho finished making the rmendation, ¡°What else?¡±

    There had to be more, but he was getting closer. He was able to tell that from Yun Seo¡¯s expressions. So, he calmly retraced his thoughts, calling back the ones he had let pass. There, he found emotions.

    ¡°I thought of its heartbeat,¡± Juho had thought of the dog¡¯s heartbeat as he heard its low resounding cry.

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to portray it into a sentence.¡±

    He had wondered if there had been a way to describe it in writing, a sound that can only be made by a live animal. On the flipside of its rigid surface of knowledge, there were emotions breathing with life. Juho felt it subconsciously and wanted to express it into writing. Yun Seo¡¯s smile grew bigger. She had found his answer satisfying, which told him he might be going the right direction.

    ¡°What was behind it?¡±

    He looked up to the ceiling. ¡®What was I thinking?¡¯ He wanted to include the dog in his writing. He had also thought about potential stories he could write with a dog. He had imagined the dog barking before the narrator. ¡®Why did I want to include the dog?¡¯

    ¡°Adorable,¡± he murmured. ¡°I thought the dog was adorable.¡±

    He had found the dog adorable as it barked at him. It had smelled a stranger, and tried to protect its owner. He had thought that he wanted to go meet the dog, pat it and scratch underneath its chin. Yun Seo smiled quietly, and Juho was made certain by that smile that he had the answer she¡¯d been looking for.

    ¡°An author is a person who writes.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°What kind of sentence did you want to write?¡±

    All. He didn¡¯t make any distinctions. He believed that he could write whatever he put his heart into it. He believed that an author was a person who was capable of that. However, it wasn¡¯t entirely true. There was something he wanted more than others. His heart went out to it first. There were things that one could and could not find in novels.

    ¡°When my heart is tugging.¡±

    He had been fond of the dog barking. Its sound resounded in his heart. It had moved him from within. After receiving a signal, his emotions had transferred it onto his hands and made him feel urgency. It made him feel like he had to reach for his pen. The mere sound of a barking dog had had such a profound impact on him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been way too easy,¡± said Juho as he chuckled.

    ¡°Try presenting it in another way.¡±

    She smiled brightly. He understood what she had been trying to teach him. After some thought, he came to realize the processes he went through when writing. There was a big difference between acting on cognitive awareness and depending on the subconsciousness. He felt at ease and like he¡¯d gotten his hands on something that only existed in the form of a sense.

    At that moment, he couldn¡¯t help but think repeatedly of a certain individual. The woman in the white dress, exposing her stretched out belly that hung loosely. The woman who had run after her baby. Juho wanted her to regret. Her life had been destructive and immoral. Yet, he had been desperate to catch her at the cliff when she threw herself off. He had hoped to catch her by the hand. However, she had already vanished in the dark.

    ¡®What was I thinking as I watched the world around me came crashing down?¡¯ It had been the regret of not being able to protect her. ¡®Why did I want to protect her?¡¯ It had been because he had been in love with her. He had been loving her from the time her mouth had just opened up on her empty face. That was why he had been in such pain. That was the reason why he had wanted her to regret so badly, and he finally came to realize it.

    ¡°Barbecue for dinner!¡± Geon Woo said with excitement. The meat was in the center of various side dishes and fresh vegetables. Everything on the table looked scrumptious.

    ¡°Eat! There¡¯s plenty more of where that came from,¡± Yun Seo said as she scooped out the rice to the bowls. The rice in the reddish brown bowl had an appetizing shine to it. It looked like it would even be good with kimchi alone.

    ¡°Thank you Mrs. Baek!¡±

    With Yun Seo tasting the stew, everyone else picked up their chopsticks. Juho started with the side dishes that were around him.

    While he ate, Joon Soo stood up from his seat with his te to take some meat over for Juho.

    ¡°I bet you were hungry. Eat more.¡±

    Impressed, Juho almost eximed out loud from his kind-hearted consideration.

    ¡°Here, try the pepper too. It¡¯s really hot.¡± In contrast to Joon Soo, Geun Woo was anxious to share his experience with the pepper with Juho. He¡¯d been breathing raggedly after taking a bite and had chugged his water in a hurry. Geun Woo was quite the rowdy person.

    ¡°I¡¯m OK, thanks,¡± declined Juho firmly as he brought the meat up to his mouth. It had been perfectly cooked.

    ¡°This is great, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s an amazing cook,¡± said Geun Woo as he tried to cool his tongue down.

    Everything on the table had been delicious so far, and there was plenty of food.

    ¡°She¡¯s also generous,¡± added Joon Soo gently, and Juho remembered the pile of fruits she had brought out earlier.

 Chapter 74

    <b>Chapter 74: Chapter 74- A teful (4)</b>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s sadder than not having enough to eat,¡± said Yun Seo.

    ¡°She always says that when she cooks.¡±

    ¡°I agree. There¡¯s nothing sadder.¡±

    Juho was able to rte to her as he reminisced about his old days when he had to rely on soup kitchen rations for survival. He knew the sadness in watching another person eating while he himself had been starving.

    ¡°Huh... I was under the impression that you grew up in a wealthy family,¡± Geun Woo said.

    ¡°I do get that a lot,¡± Juho answered.

    ¡°Here, why don¡¯t you have some more peppers?¡±

    In the end, Juho finally took a bite.

    After dinner, he went out to the backyard and sat on the wooden bench.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Joon Soon asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m watching the ants.¡±

    Before his feet, there were ants lined up to return to their nest. As if they had understood what Juho and Joon Soo were talking about, they stopped for a brief moment. Juho moved his foot aside to let them through.

    ¡°Did you get enough to eat?¡±

    Juho nodded as he thought about the generous portions.

    ¡°Of course. It was delicious. I don¡¯t think I can eat another bite.¡±

    ¡°Uh-oh! That¡¯s not good. Mrs. Baek is about to bring out the desserts. The portions are probably going to be just as generous.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    He really was in trouble, but he rubbed his belly. ¡®Would I be able to eat more?¡¯

    As he counted his blessings, Joon Soo said, ¡°I¡¯m actually pretty full too. Would you like to look around the house? We might as well get some steps in.¡±

    ¡°The house?¡±

    Juho got up instead of giving an answer. Since he didn¡¯t have anything better to do, he followed Joon Soo¡¯s lead.

    Walking past the ssroom where he had talked to Joon Soo and Geun Woo, he was met with two rooms to either side of him.

    ¡°The rooms used to be for lodging, but we use it as studios now.¡±

    ¡°So, this is where you write?¡±

    ¡°Yep. It helps me focus. I asked for it as a favor from Mrs. Baek. By the way, Geun Woo is using the other room.¡±

    He opened the door. As it opened quietly, the first thing that came into Juho¡¯s view was countless poems that covered the entire room.

    ¡°You must like poetry.¡±

    They seemed beautiful even from a nce. He looked around the room. There was a desk and, on top of it, papers. Laptops, books and traces of research were scattered throughout the room. Surprisingly, there was also a bottle of alcohol. He hadn¡¯t seemed like the type to enjoy drinking.

    While Juho wondered curiously, Joon Soo said, ¡°It¡¯s a hobby of mine. I recite them from time to time too.¡±

    Juho took his eyes off the bottle and slowly walked toward the wall. There was another poem there.

    ¡°It¡¯s in Chinese characters, so you might not be able to read it. Would you like a copy of the trantion?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Joon Soo stopped abruptly. He hadn¡¯t expected that Juho would decline, but Juho said as he looked at him, ¡°A jar of wine amid the flowers, without anyone knowing, I drink in solitude.¡±

    Joon Soo¡¯s slightly droopy eyes widened gradually.

    ¡°I raise my ss to the moon, there are three including my shadow. The moon doesn¡¯t know how to drink, and my shadow follows everything I do in vain,¡± Juho read out loud.

    ¡°You know how to read Chinese?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m interested innguage.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m impressed.¡±

    Juho asked as he looked at the poem, ¡°I¡¯m seeing a lot of Li Taibo¡¯s works.¡±

    Li Taibo had been a legendary figure in the poetry world, and there were a number of his poems in Joon Soo¡¯s room. Juho had also liked the poem that he¡¯d just read.

    ¡°I¡¯m a fan. It¡¯s been a goal of mine to be a poet.¡±

    Juho was caught by surprise, then. He had never known that Joon Soo wanted to be a poet. That was when he understood why Joon Soo had a bottle of alcohol in his room. If his role model was Li Taibo, it made sense that Joon Soo liked to drink. After all, Li Taibo was known for his love of liquor.

    Juho asked the novelist before his eyes, ¡°So, what made you be a novelist?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t for me, being a poet.¡±

    Juho became curious as to what had made Joon Soo move on from poetry and switch over to novels. Seeing the curiosity in Juho¡¯s eyes, he willingly exined, ¡°I never enjoyed the taste of alcohol.¡±

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s the bottle for? Is it for viewing purposes?¡±

    ¡°You could say that. It¡¯s closer to being data than what it actually is,¡± he said as he poured it into a stubby ss. It was clear. He tapped the ss with his fingers two more times.

    ¡°I started writing because of poetry. I fell in love with its beauty, so I wanted to be a poet.¡±

    He calmly shared his past dreams.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t be a poet just because you didn¡¯t like the taste of alcohol, right?¡± Juho asked with his eyes on the ss in Joon Soo¡¯s hand.

    ¡®That¡¯s right,¡± he said as he raised the ss. The moonlight shone onto the ss and made it sparkle. The sun had already set, and the moon hade up. It was lighting the world that had grown dark. Juho had spent quite some time in that house.

    ¡°In other words, I didn¡¯t have the skill.¡±

    ¡°But you write so beautifully now. Is there a difference between poetry and novels?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± he answered as he kept his eyes fixed on the ss. ¡°I¡¯m sure you understand what it feels like when you finish your story for the first time.¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    Juho was a writer himself, and he knew what that felt like. It almost felt like everything was swept away as if he¡¯d broken a window. Perhaps he would be able to replicate that feeling if he were to shout for about three days. He had put in everything he had. Like flowing down the river, he had let everything go in the current. More so than emptiness, he felt joy.

    ¡°It felt like I spent every bit of what I had.¡±

    ¡°That sounds right. I felt the same. It kind of feels like this...¡±

    He brought the ss to his mouth. As the wine flowed down his throat, Joon Soo shook the ss three times. The ss emptied, with nothing remaining in it.

    ¡°What happens next?¡± Joon Soo asked.

    ¡°You gotta fill it back up,¡± answered Juho.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± answered Joon Soo as he filled his ss back up. The wine sparkled in the moonlight once again.

    ¡°You know, I just never got into this.¡±

    He had had his first taste of alcohol. Once the ss was empty, he had filled it back up. However, he didn¡¯t want to drink it.

    ¡°Then?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I wanted somethingpletely different. That burning sensation in my throat was more than enough. Once I felt that, I was content. I didn¡¯t want to repeat it. To me, wine was a poem.¡±

    He brought the ss to his mouth once again. The wine flowed into it, and the ss emptied once again. Juho recited another passage from the same poem he had read, ¡°If the sky hadn¡¯t the appreciation for wine, there would have been one less star at night.¡±

    (TL¡¯s note: there seems to have been a belief in China that one of the stars was responsible for wine and anything rted to it.)

    ¡°If thend hadn¡¯t the appreciation for wine, there would have been one less well to drink from,¡± continued Joon Soo.

    (TL¡¯s note: The poem seems to be referring to the well either as a figure of speech for ample amount of wine or the city of Jiuquan, which the letters trante to ¡®well of wine.¡¯)

    ¡°So, what else do you want to do instead of filling up your ss?¡±

    With a mischievous face, he flung open the window. The expression didn¡¯t fit his usual friendly appearance. A gust of wind rushed into the room and blew against the poems on the walls. ¡®What did he want more than poetry?¡¯

    ¡°Like this,¡± answered Joon Soo as he hurled the ss out the window onto the backyard. Itnded not too far from the wooden bench.

    Then, he reached out his hand and grabbed a leaf from a nearby branch and put it into his mouth.

    ¡°To go out looking for something weird and unconventional.¡±

    He was pursuing a new vor. Rather than remembering the first taste of wine, he preferred chewing on meat and vegetables.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find yourself chewing on rocks at that rate.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have strong teeth.¡±

    He¡¯d been born to be a novelist. Without the tenacity of being able to chew on a pebble, an author would not be able to survive the challenges of his craft.

    ¡°Although I still have a long way to go as a novelist.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been enjoying your work quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that. My new book ising out this month. I¡¯ll send over a copy.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I didn¡¯t know! Congrattions!¡±

    ¡°I have a good feeling this time. It¡¯s my ninth novel since the debuting title,¡± said Joon Soo yfully. Ninth. In his theory of luck, it made sense.

    ¡°Sounds like it¡¯ll do well.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°Although, I regret to inform you that my book ising out soon.¡±

    ¡°Ah, bummer,¡± said Joon Soo as his smile turned to a sad face.

    As Juho looked at his face, he realized something about Joon Soo. His beautiful, elegant style hade from his past goal of being a poet. Maybe was able to write like a poet because of his memory of tasting wine for the first time rather than being lucky.

    When they returned to the wooden bench, they had an awkwardugh at the sight of all the desserts she had brought out.

    Juho headed to the park for histe evening exercise. Jogging had to have been a big help. He hadn¡¯t been running out of breath as easily as ofte, and he felt great after sweating. Its refreshing sensation had a lot inmon with the sensation of finishing a story for the first time.

    He ran past familiar sceneries for a while. As he reached the vending machine at the resting area, his phone rang in his pocket. He checked it after purchasing a drink. It was a text message from Seo Kwang. It was the time and ce for the gathering between the club members. The following day, the club members would being together for the first time since the beginning of summer break. The ce was Seo Kwang¡¯s house ¨C in other words, a book store. After writing back with a brief response, he continued running.

    ¡°Whew, it¡¯s getting warm.¡±

    It had been a hot day. By the time Juho arrived at Seo Kwang¡¯s bookstore, all the club members were already there. It was the same ce where Juho had counseled Seo Kwang about his first love. Before walking over to join them, Juho stopped to greet Seo Kwang¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Kim.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re back! Would you like anything to drink?¡± She weed him dly. Seo Kwang must have taken on after his mother.

    After a brief look at the menu, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯ll have an iced tea, please.¡±

    ¡°You got it. Go join your friends!¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    When he joined the club members, they were already eating and drinking.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I waste.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never been here, so I left early just in case, but it turns out it¡¯s pretty close to where I live,¡± said Sun Hwa. Bom nodded in agreement. They must havee together.

    ¡°Baron? How about you?¡±

    ¡°I came right after the contest, so I ended up getting here early.¡±

    He hade from the sketching contest, but he didn¡¯t seem even a little bit tired. His endurance was admirable.

    When Juho took his seat, everyone sat exactly the same way as they did in the science room. Bom was opposite to him, and Seo Kwang was beside him. Sun Hwa sat diagonally from him, and Baron on the opposite side. It had been a while.

    ¡°So how have you guys been?¡±

 Chapter 75 - The News Spreads

    <h4>Chapter 75: Chapter 75 ¨C The News Spreads ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho had been curious what the club members had been up to throughout the summer break.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been going to school. I applied for after school sses,¡± said Sun Hwa. There was a backpack behind her.

    ¡°Is that where you were earlier?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I go everyday except the weekends.¡±

    ¡°It must be tiring.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to get up as early, so it¡¯s not too bad,¡± said Bom. There was a backpack behind her as well.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been going too, huh?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re in different sses though. Sun Hwa¡¯s in intensive sses, but I can¡¯t keep up.¡±

    There was no trace of cowardice in her expression. She knew her limits, and she had found her ce ordingly.

    ¡°You guys have been going to the same private institute, right?¡± Sun Hwa asked Baron and Seo Kwang. Seo Kwang had been studying English while Baron had been taking art lessons since the sketching contest. They both had made their decisions ordingly after deciding on a career path.

    ¡°How have the art lessons been? Are they fun?¡±

    ¡°My arm kind of hurts sometimes, but it¡¯s fun.¡±

    ¡°Do you draw statues like Venus or Agrippa?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Baron answered the freshmen as they questioned him curiously about his lessons.

    At that moment, Juho¡¯s drink made its way to the table. The taste of peach spread in his mouth as he took a sip.

    ¡°What have you been up to?¡± Baron asked. All eyes were on him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been writing,¡± he answered indifferently.

    ¡°Hehe! We have a true Literature Club member right here,¡± said Seo Kwang with exaggeration.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you guys have been too,¡± answered Juho with a smile.

    As a club member himself, he had been watching the club members write, and they had enjoyed every bit of it. They wouldn¡¯t have stopped writing altogether just because they were on summer break.

    ¡°You know, he scares me sometimes,¡± Sun Hwa said as if she was trying to prove his point.

    ¡°He can be like that,¡± agreed Bom quietly. Seo Kwang shook his head as if he were used to it while Baron shrugged nonchntly.

    ¡°What did you write about?¡± Juho asked Sun Hwa.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been transcribing! I¡¯m almost done with the second book. Time for ¡®nother round of candy,¡± she said proudly as if she¡¯d been waiting for the question.

    ¡°I started working on my third book,¡± said Bom as she quietly raised her hand.

    Seo Kwang added with a scoff, ¡°Well, I¡¯m almost done with my second book too.¡±

    ¡°Huh, you¡¯ve done quite a bit. I remember you were pretty slow, both you and Juho.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a proof that I haven¡¯t beenzy.¡±

    Sun Hwa scrunched her forehead. She didn¡¯t like the fact that Seo Kwang had caught up to her. By contrast, having caught her, Seo Kwang taunted her all the more.

    ¡®And that¡¯s how you get punched in the face,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°How about you Juho, how far did you get?¡± Bom asked.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still on my first book,¡± he answered as he thought about the copy of his manuscript buried somewhere in his room.

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Ignoring the puzzled looks on everyone¡¯s faces, Juho took another sip of his iced tea. The scent of peach was rather pleasant.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ve been writing?¡±

    ¡°He must have been working on something else,¡± muttered Seo Kwang.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. It was so obvious that I couldn¡¯t help myself. What are you goin¡¯ to do?¡±

    While Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang quarreled, Bom interjected, ¡°Mr. Moon did say that transcription isn¡¯t about speed.¡±

    ¡°Still, the difference is so jarring. He could finish it in no time,¡± said Sun Hwa as she looked at Juho with baffled eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing other stuff,¡± Juho answered calmly.

    ¡°Other stuff?¡±

    Juho felt slightly ufortable with being the center of attention.

    ¡°Like rtionship counseling.¡±

    ¡°Cough!¡±

    Somebody coughed loudly, and it was obvious who it was. Both of the girls¡¯ eyes sparkled with curiosity.

    ¡°Dating!?¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    Even Baron seemed to be interested. Juho felt someone staring daggers at him from the side.

    ¡°It¡¯s a real tear-jerker. I¡¯d hate to make you guys cry,¡± said Juho with a smile.

    ¡®Including Seo Kwang,¡¯ he thought.

    As expected, Seo Kwang took the initiative to calm the grumbling club members.

    ¡°Yeah, where¡¯s the fun in listening to another person¡¯s dating life? Why don¡¯t we talk about books? Have you guys heard the news?¡±

    ¡°What the, hey, move! I have to hear this!¡±

    ¡°He said it¡¯s a tear-jerker. I don¡¯t want to cry when I don¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°Since when are you the emotional type?¡±

    To counter Sun Hwa resisting his effort to change subject, he took a more forceful approach.

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s new book ising out!¡± he blurted out.

    Juho felt Sun Hwa looking away from him and turning to Seo Kwang. ¡®I suppose that¡¯s one way to change the subject,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Already? It hasn¡¯t even been that long since ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been less than a year, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Bom said as she retraced her memory.

    Seo Kwang nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s what makes it even more amazing. The genius that shook the entire country is making aeback with a new book within a year!¡±

    ¡°Is that for sure?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the most searched person on the inte right now. I saw an article this morning. You guys are probably the only ones who didn¡¯t know.¡±

    Before anybody else, Baron quietly took out his phone and looked for the article. It didn¡¯t take long at all. ¡®Seventeen-Year-Old Author Yun Woo Writing Next Book.¡¯

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s true,¡± murmured Sun Hwa as she took Baron¡¯s phone from his hand. Juho had been expecting an article toe out around that day. The publishingpany had told him that they were nning on starting the promotion early.

    ¡°Apparently, the publishingpany is figuring out a release date. I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d happen this soon,¡± said Baron as he read the article.

    Juho quietly looked at him and asked, ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Why did you think that you¡¯d have to wait longer?¡±

    ¡°Well, a big burden tends to follow after a big sess. People have been calling him things like genius, so he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to act so quickly,¡± he answered as if the answer had been obvious. On the screen, the word ¡®genius¡¯ actually appeared multiple times throughout the article. It was also amonly-found word in articles regarding Yun Woo.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize how difficult writing was until I actually started writing myself,¡± said Baron.

    In the Literature Club, Juho had been the only person who had gotten a writing sample from him. It had been the only piece of writing Baron had ever done since joining the club.

    ¡°Honestly, I thought writing wouldn¡¯t take all that long. Well, I¡¯m not saying that I actually thought that, but that¡¯s the feeling it carries. I thought I¡¯d be able to pick it up quickly after some practice. I¡¯ve written plenty of book reports.¡±

    ¡°But?¡±

    ¡°It waspletely different from writing book reports.¡±

    Writing a novel was different from writing a book report for school. The ability to write wasn¡¯t necessarily equivalent to the ability to write an original story. Baron thought about the firstposition he had ever submitted. Even the thought of it was embarrassing. He had been inexperienced then. Writing a story in his head had been as difficult as writing a song with a melody in his head.

    ¡°The embarrassment is a plus. It almost felt like I was standing butt naked in the middle of a crowd. You don¡¯t really feel that when you¡¯re writing a book report. I don¡¯t know why I felt so exposed,¡± said Baron with an awkward face.

    ¡°All in all, what I¡¯m saying is that Yun Woo is incredible. I admire him for pushing through that painfully embarrassing process.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s a genius,¡± Juho said after a brief time thinking.

    ¡°They¡¯re people too. They might be several times more sensitive than us, which means they feel pain several times more intense than ours.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting thought.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think the word ¡®crisis¡¯ isn¡¯t applicable to a genius? They just do things with such ease. That¡¯s why people want to be like them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but I don¡¯t get that from Yun Woo for some reason. There¡¯s a sense of urgency in his writing. Maybe that has something to do with it.¡±

    Juho had no choice but to change the subject, ¡°You¡¯re fanboying pretty hard there.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Seo Kwang interfered.

    ¡°Yun Woo is a gifted author. You should work hard so you don¡¯t fall behind. You don¡¯t have time to be doing other stuff. You should be writing!¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah? Whose dating life were we talking about just now?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°Juho Woo! Quit keeping us on our toes! Who is it? Is it somebody I know?¡±

    ¡°Oh, hey! Here¡¯s another article.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Move!¡±

    Seo Kwang had somehow managed to bring the subject back to Yun Woo, and Juho quietly sipped his iced tea as he watched themotion.

    *

    ¡°I love my work.¡±

    There was another person who was filled with joy at the news of Yun Woo¡¯s next book, and that was none other than Nabi Baek, the publishing agent.

    She was humming cheerfully on the inside from the fact that she would be able to read yet another book from her favorite author.

    She had heard the news that the new book was set to reach marketces before the end of the summer. Before the end of that scorching summer, she would be able to get her hands on Yun Woo¡¯s new book. She couldn¡¯t help but hum cheerfully. She couldn¡¯t contain her excitement.

    Besides, ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ was doing rather well in the US market. She thought about the day when she first introduced the book to Molley. He had read through the sample she¡¯d brought in one breath.

    ¡°My God,¡± he said.

    A veteran agent had eximed that, and she felt the suppressed excitement behind those two words. Behind the eyes that sparkled, there was the overwhelming joy of an agent meeting a new author.

    With the heart of a proud parent, she added, ¡°He is sixteen.¡±

    ¡°Incredible.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. The entirety of South Korea is going through a Yun Woo fever. I want to spread that fever to the world.¡±

    ¡°... We¡¯ll get on it as soon as possible,¡± he said as he dialed his agency on his phone. Now, the story of Yun Woo would be made known to the world. Nabi was certain. Other agents who would hear from Molley would read the sample, and they too would be astonished. She wanted to distribute the book throughout the world, like a nabi, a butterfly.

    In the end, Nabi¡¯s prediction had been urate. The book was an enormous hit across Japan, China, Italy, the Nethends, France, Spain, Germany, and many more.

    Finally, she¡¯d received a long-awaited offer from an American publishingpany. It hadn¡¯t been from an ordinary publishingpany either. It had been from a world-renownedpany that represented the US ¨C ¡®Fernand,¡¯ and Nabi had screamed for joy.

 Chapter 76 - The Title

    <h4>Chapter 76: Chapter 76 ¨C The Title ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Fernand was one of the most iconic publishingpanies among literature lovers. Having celebrated their 100th anniversary not too long ago, Fernand was apany of tradition. It had been that verypany who had expressed interest in publishing Yun Woo¡¯s book.

    Since the articles regarding his book entering the American market, many publishing agents had disregarded Yun Woo because of his age. Now, with the news of Fernand taking interest in his book, those agents began to take interest themselves. Many countries across the globe had focused their attention on the appearance of a new author. So far, Nabi was putting everything she had into the project. ¡®Have I ever worked this hard on a project?¡¯ she thought.

    Her seeds of effort had bore more than enough fruit. She was ovee with a sense of aplishment. On top of that, Yun Woo was making aeback with his new book. She couldn¡¯t have been happier. She didn¡¯t resist her joy as she read through the emails that wereing in from all over the world. She felt her coworkers giving her an odd look, but she didn¡¯t mind one bit. Including the US and UK, there were offers from a whopping twenty-two countries. Yun Woo¡¯s book would spread the Korean wave in literature throughout the world. The fact that she had been behind it brought her unimaginable joy.

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Nabi thought back to her meeting with a senior editor at Fernand. She remembered the distinct scent of cologne Adam had worn. It was a luxurious brand that he was known to wear. His elegant appearance had left quite an impression on Nabi. Though he was known to be rough around the edges, he¡¯d been rather friendly with her. While trying to stay rxed, she focused the subject of Yun Woo¡¯s book along with Molley, the veteran agent.

    ¡°It seems like the author is just as interesting as his writing.¡±

    ¡°There hasn¡¯t been anybody like him.¡±

    Yun Woo as an author had shocked the many, and Adam nodded.

    ¡°Including myself, the anticipation is apparent even within thepany. Of course, there are some necessary adjustments that need to be made, but the trantion is top notch, and most of all, it was beautifully written. From the moment I started reading, I didn¡¯t even think about his age or where he¡¯s from.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like I brought you quite a catch.¡±

    ¡°I knew I can count on Mr. Molley,¡± he said confidently. Hispany pride was rather apparent in his face even in the midst of discussing Yun Woo. The fact that he had picked such an amazing book contributed to his pride. Seeing his confident attitude, Nabi felt like his confidence was rubbing off on her.

    ¡°Yun Woo will soar up to the sky. We, Fernand, will do whatever it takes to present his book in every corner of the Earth.¡±

    Yun Woo¡¯s sess. The rise of ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯ Nabi¡¯s heart pounded with excitement. She felt overwhelmed that she had gotten to be part of such a moment in the history of literature. In order to remain calm, she had to forcefully clench down on her teeth.

    *

    Juho was sitting in front of his desk with his phone in front of him. He thought of Nabi. ¡°We did it,¡± she said with a shaky voice. She had sounded like she was suppressing her emotions. Having already seen the article, Juho immediately knew what she¡¯d meant, an offer from a famous American publishingpany, and 200,000 copies of the first edition being exported to twenty-two countries.

    The entire world was focusing on his book.

    With her news, he felt the corners of his mouth turning up. The result was different from the past. It was much better. He felt relieved in that moment at least. With his chin resting on his hand, he let out a silly smile. He was happy and he didn¡¯t try to resist it. After indulging himself for a little while, he remembered the reason he was sitting in front of his desk.

    He had been contemting a title for the new book. Every author had a different approach to naming their books. In Juho¡¯s case, the name didn¡¯t matter all that much. Regardless of whether he thought of a name before, during, or after writing, he was content. No matter who came up with it, he was content. He didn¡¯t insist on anything. It was his impulsive charactering out.

    Some time prior, he met with Nam Kyung to discuss the title for the book. ¡°So, how are you nning on naming your book?¡± Being aware of the significance of the title of a book, the publishingpany had wrestled with the matter until moments before publishing.

    ording to Nam Kyung, there had been several ideas that hade up during the meeting. People from all departments hade together for a discussion. The conclusion had been that ¡°The Mother¡± as a working title didn¡¯t have enough impact, and Juho agreed. It had been a working title after all. He had named it as such for the sake of convenience.

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    There would have to be a different name.¡¯What would be good?¡¯ he thought. There was nothing. ¡®Title, title, title,¡¯ the word floated around in his head. It was a sign that his mind was empty. He had burnt out when he was one step away from having his manuscript finalized.

    His mind was no longer functioning. As he stared at the ceiling in a daze, he sat up and looked around at his surroundings for any potential ideas. Books, manuscript paper, pen,puter, bed, chair, desk. Nothing offered what he was looking for.

    ¡®I have to send the manuscript over to Nam Kyung soon...¡¯ He couldn¡¯t think of anything. ¡®Title, title.¡¯

    ¡°Name,¡± Juho said out loud. The word had been nothing more than its meaning. ¡®I need something that can embrace the book, something that will give it a face...¡¯ That time, he tried to write out his thoughts.

    ¡°Mother, son, clown, audience, father, owner, lover, baby.¡±

    The son was the narrator. The mother was the protagonist. Together, they led a life that was both destructive and twisted. Then, the baby. At the end of it all, there were regrets.

    ¡®Regrets... How does one act when they have regrets?¡±

    ¡®Caw!¡¯ The cry of a bird sounded, and Juho looked out of the window. He thought of a bird that he had included in his new book. It had died once, but it had been revived somehow. The mother told the story about the bird that she had seen. Juho didn¡¯t write about the significance of the bird that had revived in detail. Some would see freedom whereas others would see reality. There were infinite possibilities for what the bird signified. What mattered was that freedom was amid that infinity. He didn¡¯t want to discourage the readers from discovering that.

    ¡°The Sound of Wailing,¡± he read out loud as he wrote it out. It embodied the sounds of crying that couldn¡¯t be heard from within the book. ¡®Maybe it could work as a title,¡¯ he thought.

    While he stared at the paper he was writing on, he put down his pen and looked intently at his palm. There had been an wound around it somewhere. He remembered bleeding from his hand when he had heard the cry of the baby for the first time. He tried revisiting what he had felt at that time, when he sighed of relief when he saw that the baby was OK. The cry of the baby was both evidence and signal. It was crying out for something, and Juho hoped that the baby wouldn¡¯t stop crying in its effort to seeking after something. He rubbed where the wound had been.

    Soon, he picked up his phone and sent Nam Kyung a message.

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided on the title for the book. ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡±

    A few minutester, Nam Kyung sent an affirming response. Juho stretched.

    *

    ¡°Yawn!¡± Nam Kyung yawned loudly as he shook his head as hard as he could to keep himself awake. He had been flooded with work as ofte because he had been focusing on the publication of Yun Woo¡¯s next book, ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ In that rush of work, Nam Kyung still couldn¡¯t believe the fact that he was working on Yun Woo¡¯s new book before the year had passed. ¡®Who would have thought that he would write a new book so soon?¡¯ To be frank, Nam Kyung had been concerned. Though he had been called a genius, he was still young. He had only written one book aside from the most recent, and Nam Kyung knew countless no-name authors who had left the literary world after their debut titles. Most of them were praised for their talent and were regarded as promising aspirants. However, before they even had the chance to write their next book, they vanished from the literary world. All they had to do was to simply write one more time. Yet, they couldn¡¯t carry it out. It was evidence that being a writer took more than just talent.

    He was afraid that Yun Woo would meet the same fate. His debut title, ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ had been a steady sell, and it had held its ce as the number one bestseller.

    ¡®If I were Yun Woo, I would¡¯ve worked on the next book around the time the fever started to die down, very slowly,¡¯ he thought. There was no apparent reason other than that it would have been burdensome. Even to that day, the name Yun Woo could be seen frequently on the inte. People were showing tremendous interest with news of his new book. Nam Kyung didn¡¯t have the confidence to surpass those expectations. At that moment, a phone rang beside him.

    Mr. Maeng answered, ¡°Zelkova Publishing Company.¡±

    As he answered the call, his expression grew somewhat darker, and Nam Kyung knew immediately.

    ¡°Yes, right. Yun Woo did write it himself. Yes, the new book ising out.¡±

    It was an anonymous reader. The publishingpany would receive a number of calls like that throughout the day. Yun Woo¡¯s poprity in the literary world matched that of a celebrity. Seventeen years old. A freshman in high school. Now, he was about to make aeback with a new book. He had submitted his manuscript while looking all the more at peace. Nam Kyung couldn¡¯t help butugh out of astonishment. Juho was a rather interesting character. Part of his job was dealing with authors like him, so being an editor wasn¡¯t such a bad thing.

    He got up from his seat and said to his coworker, ¡°I¡¯m making a stop at the design department. I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    He had decided to request for the cover design himself. A young, fearless author had brought in a new book that he had written. Now, there was nothing he could do other than to try his very best to make that book reach as many people as possible and for it to be made in the most beautiful way possible. He had to make sure that the cover got designed by the best designer around.

    ¡°You¡¯vee to the right ce.¡±

    She had a low voice for a woman. Considering how tired she sounded, her department must have been just as busy as Nam Kyung¡¯s. Though he felt bad, he exined his purpose, ¡°I wanted to request for a cover design.¡±

    She was a rather skilled book designer. Her works were easily found in bookstores, and she excelled in interpreting the author¡¯s intentions and portraying them clearly through her illustrations. At Nam Kyung¡¯s words, her voice quickly changed.

    ¡°Is this what I think it is?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard the news, right?¡±

    A high pitchedughter echoed in the room. She had been somewhat of a workaholic. Even if it weren¡¯t for that fact, she had been certain that Nam Kyung would¡¯vee looking for her.

    ¡°You asked me to bring you the book after ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯ I¡¯m here to keep that promise.¡±

    While she was a skilled designer, she was also a fan of Yun Woo. Without hesitation, she took out a calendar and adjusted her schedule in a hurry. Soon, a trustworthy response came back.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the manuscript now.¡±

 Chapter 77 - Smooth Sail

    <h4>Chapter 77: Chapter 77 ¨C Smooth Sail ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    A group of people stood in a circle inside the meeting room, each wearing a serious look. In the center, were the four designs that were candidates for the book cover of Yun Woo¡¯s next book.

    ¡°Not these two.¡±

    The choices were narrowed down. The two remaining designs were in contrast of one another even in their overall color scheme. Blood and ash. On the left, there was a glossy cover with a white cloth waving in the red background. On the right, there was a matte cover with an empty chair and a bird on a gray background. The design on the left evoked the image of the mother, the protagonist, whereas the design on the right signified the overall tone of the book. Zelkova had received many praises for their book designs. Rightfully so, both were equally beautiful.

    ¡°Shall we?¡±

    It was a meeting to determine the cover design for Yun Woo¡¯s next book. Everyone looked serious. In that tense atmosphere, the editor-in-chief broke the ice, ¡°I think I like the one on the left. It matches the mother. The red and white really stand out too.¡±

    Having been thinking the same, Nam Kyung nodded quietly, but at that moment, Mr. Seo said, ¡°I¡¯m voting for the one of the right. The strongest emotion I felt while reading this book was regret. It had a bitter aftertaste. As long as the cover has the name ¡®Yun Woo¡¯ on it, I don¡¯t think it would be a bad idea to go with a calmer design. The illustration is at the center too, so it gives bnce.¡±

    Nam Kyung nodded once again. Mr. Seo had a good point. Nothing promoted the book more than the name ¡®Yun Woo.¡¯ Yet, books had always benefited from promotion, and the design on the left definitely stood out. Nam Kyung contemted his options. He wanted to use both if possible.

    ¡°I prefer the left one,¡± said Ms. Song. ¡°The mother is the protagonist. I like that it implies her unfortunate demise. Besides, it really jumps out.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± the editor-in-chief agreed.

    ¡®I guess we¡¯re leaning towards the left,¡¯ Nam Kyung thought. At that moment, Mr. Maeng raised his hand as if he had an objection to make.

    ¡°I prefer the one on the right. Like what Mr. Seo said, I think the name of the author and the fact that it¡¯s Yun Woo¡¯s next book would be enough to catch people¡¯s attention. Besides, this design is closer to the book¡¯s overall feel ¨C sad and calm.¡±

    Ms. Song quickly made an argument back, ¡°It¡¯s true, but the mother is the protagonist. From that point of view, I think the left stays more true to the book.¡±

    It was a tight debate, and everyone red at the two designs on the table.

    ¡°I think the book embodies enough loneliness. Assuming that the purpose of the cover is to lead the readers into its loneliness, then I think the left one is a better choice.¡±

    Mr. Seo objected, ¡°We can¡¯t disregard the fact that the cover serves the purpose of representing the book as a whole.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the white cloth already representative of the book? I think we should focus on the mother.¡±

    ¡°The characters are important too, but we can¡¯t set aside the emotions either.¡±

    ¡°Who said anything about setting anything aside? It¡¯s just as potent as the emotions. At the same time, it really sticks out.¡±

    ¡°But the name Yun Woo would already be eye-catching.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t make it too in just because his name is on it either.¡±

    ¡°It may not be as stimting, but I wouldn¡¯t say that it¡¯s necessarily in.¡±

    Everyone discussed passionately. It was a familiar sight. Nam Kyung turned his eyes away from the people to look at the two designs. There was a bird on one of them.

    A bird. Much like the first book, a bird appeared in ¡°The Sound of Wailing¡¯ as well. Its significance would be up to the reader¡¯s interpretation. To Nam Kyung, it signified the hope that the protagonist had once held onto. A pair of wings born from her hope of meeting her baby. A pair of wings big enough to embrace both of her children. A pair of wings that she couldn¡¯t have. Those were his interpretations. Like the editor-in-chief, Nam Kyung, too, had wanted the image of the protagonist to be reflected on the cover. After all, she was rather charming.

    ¡®Wouldn¡¯t that bird be reminiscent of the mother?¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°In my humble opinion,¡± Nam Kyung opened his mouth amid themotion, and everyone stopped talking.

    ¡°Right, let¡¯s hear your opinion. You¡¯re the editor of the book,¡± Mr. Seo said as he gestured to Nam Kyung.

    ¡°I think the bird would be better suited,¡± Nam Kyung said in the somewhat ufortable atmosphere. The editor-in-chief listened intently.

    ¡°I interpreted the bird to be the representation of the mother. Even if it¡¯s not urate, it would make sense to anybody who had read the book.¡±

    ¡°That is true. I interpreted it as motherly love,¡± said Ms. Song. The editor-in-chief nodded quietly. Having read the book himself, it made sense to him. The bird portrayed not only the mother, but also her loneliness.

    ¡°Well then, should we go with the bird?¡± he asked after a brief silence. There were no further objections, and the meeting finally came to an end. Nam Kyung walked out of the meeting room and headed toward the lounge. He was exhausted. As he reached for a bag of green tea, Mr. Maeng approached and asked, ¡°Could you take a look at the sales report for all bookstores?¡±

    ¡°Leave it on my desk. I¡¯ll look at itter,¡± Nam Kyung answered with a yawn.

    ¡°Busy, huh?¡± Mr. Maeng asked, looking in his direction.

    ¡°This is what it¡¯s like to be Yun Woo¡¯s editor.¡±

    ¡°Hehe... well, good luck.¡±

    With a pack of instant coffee, Mr. Maeng left the lounge. Meanwhile, Nam Kyung sat on the bench to cool his head and organize his thoughts. He thought about what needed to be done in the future. ¡®Print shop, temporary binding, and check for misprints ¡¯til the very end.¡± The sound of an industrial printer lingered in his ears. Though it would have been ideal if books were made perfectly, there were always misprints. After all, the machine still had to be operated by a human. It wouldn¡¯t even be odd if something were to happen. That was why he was thought of by many to be ridiculous. From the kind of ink and paper to the book design and title, there were simply too many choices that needed to be made as an editor.

    ¡°I should go for a walk.¡±

    He walked out of his office and headed to the street. There were buildings, cars, people and pigeons around him. Although walking in the vicinity, nothing really caught his eyes. The walk wasn¡¯t very helpful to him. So, soon, he headed back to his office. As turned the corner, he saw the editor-in-chief on his smoke break.

    The chief saw Nam Kyung and gestured for him to approach.

    ¡°How are things with the copies?¡±

    ¡°I even came out for a walk like Yun Woo, but I¡¯m getting nothing,¡± answered Nam Kyung, shaking his head. ¡®Good thing I¡¯m an editor, not an author,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Well, hang in there. Try walking around some more.¡±

    ¡°Being Yun Woo¡¯s editor is exhausting.¡±

    Coming up with a press release for Yun Woo wasn¡¯t easy. It couldn¡¯t be awkward. Nam Kyung didn¡¯t even think about writing like Yun Woo, but it still had to be on a respectable level. It had to suit his book.

    As he flicked the ashes off of the cigarette, the editor-in-chief shared his impromptu idea, ¡°Yun Woo, the handsome genius is back with his perilous tale. He will not disappoint.¡±

    ¡°Eh... I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°You sound like you want to work overtime.¡±

    ¡°The bestest of ideas, sir.¡±

    The editor-in-chiefughed with his hand in his pocket.

    ¡°I don¡¯t expect anything as distinct as Mr. Woo¡¯s writing, but it¡¯d be nice to have something with character still,¡± he said in passing. Nam Kyung nodded as if he had been looking for the very same thing.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I pushed for a design that was more stimting to the eyes. It¡¯s clear and powerful, like Mr. Woo¡¯s style.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s toote to look back now, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Well, now that I think about it, the gray wouldn¡¯t have looked that bad. It reminds me of cigarette smoke,¡± he said as he shook his hand. The cigarette followed its movement. At that moment, Nam Kyung¡¯s eyes fixated on the hand.

    ¡°The smoking scene was rather shocking.¡±

    ¡°When I read it, I thought Mr. Woo was an adult for a moment.¡±

    The book portrayed the smoking mother in great detail. While it described the mother¡¯s appearance from the narrator¡¯s point of view, it also revealed the life she had been living. Her life resembled the smoke of a cigarette ¨C stinging and in vain.

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    They looked back. Mr. Seo was just returning to the office. The dark circles underneath his eyes were telling of his busy schedule. Being in the sales department, he was busy with organizing advertisements and events, as well as visiting bookstores and interacting with his clients. Especially in the current season, his workload doubled the usual amount. Nam Kyung exchanged a nod with him in greeting. It was apparent how exhausted he was.

    ¡°That¡¯s how vivid it was. It almost sounded like a middle-aged man who had been smoking for thest decade,¡± he added. He had a pack of cigarettes in his hand. Like how Mr. Seo had described, the scene was quite vivid as Yun Woo¡¯s style tended to be. For that reason, the mother¡¯s life came as a shock all the more.

    ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s a sentence that has to do with cigarettes,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°Cigarettes?¡± Nam Kyung asked as he quickly lifted his chin, startling Mr.Seo. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve been having the same thought,¡± he answered with a smile as he spread out two fingers.

    ¡°There¡¯s something about it that gives off a dangerous vibe, like cigarettes. There¡¯s an element of danger in this book. Once you get a taste for it, you can¡¯t stop it, even knowing that you¡¯re rotting from within.¡±

    ¡®An element of danger.¡¯ Nam Kyung felt like he was onto something.

    ¡°I should head back now, enjoy your smoke.¡±

    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll see you inside.¡±

    Mr. Seo casually headed back to his office, and Nam Kyung kept on thinking.

    ¡®Cigarette. Element of danger. What about something that sounds like a warning? ¡®Smoking may be harmful to your body. Would you still do it?¡¯ Something to that effect. Smokers don¡¯t stop even after reading a warning like that.¡¯ Nam Kyung took a branch and wrote a sentence on the dirt. He felt the editor-in-chief looking in his direction.

    ¡°Are you prepared for regrets?¡±

    At that moment, he felt something heavy on his shoulder. It was the editor-in-chief putting his hand on Nam Kyung. They smiled at one another. Yun Woo¡¯s new book was smooth sailing.

    *

    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± Juho muttered as he sat up on his bed. He had been struggling to sleep because the release date was merely hours away. ¡®Tomorrow. After tonight, my next book will be out. It¡¯ll be out for all the world to see.¡¯ He felt worried but excited at the same time. A strange feeling entangled his body. Closing his eyes or taking deep breaths couldn¡¯t contain his excitement.

    He opened the window. There was no breeze. The sun was already down. There was no moon nor stars, and the sky was filled with nothing but a gaping darkness.

 Chapter 78 - A Unseen Scenery

    <h4>Chapter 78: Chapter 78 ¨C A Unseen Scenery ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡®Am I anxious?¡¯ Juho asked himself. After having drowned in the river, ¡°The Sound of Wailing¡± was a book that he had barely managed to write. Prior to that, his second book had been the beginning of his downfall. Now, he was revisiting that moment for the second time.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel real.¡± Juho tried to think out loud. None of it felt real. He felt no anxiety, restlessness, or even excitement. His right hand started to feel numb.

    He looked up at the dark sky. As it swallowed everything whole, it seemed to have done the same with the sky. It was silent. No sound came out of Juho¡¯s tightly clenched lips, not even the sound of breathing.

    It had been in an environment like that where he¡¯d written his second book. Writing at night was not always the best choice. Darkness tended to hinder vision. Naturally, if there was nothing to be seen, one would find himself in high spirits. What felt like a masterpiece at one point became unveiled by the morning sun, revealing its true, pathetic nature. In some cases, it apanied feelings of pain and misery. Yet, Juho had written at night, and school hadn¡¯t been his only reason for it. He had wanted to take advantage of its nature. Darkness hid everything, including the burdens from the past.

    The dark of the night felt somewhat awkward without a pen in his hand. Hey on his bed and looked up at the ceiling. Sounds that were once distant started to make their way back. Things that were trapped within the dark slowly revealed themselves one by one. The clock¡¯s hand ticked away, and he heard someone approaching. It became more and more vivid as he closed his eyes. Everything in the room was making a sound.

    ¡®Caw! Caw!¡¯ Juho opened his eyes at the sound of crows. The bright morning sun was illuminating his room.

    ¡°Ugh,¡± he grumbled. He had stayed up all night. ¡°The book is here!¡±

    The publishingpany had sent Juho a fresh copy of his book. No one was home, so he reached into the mailbox and took out the book. There was a bird with a chair in a gray background on the cover. ¡°The Sound of Wailing.¡± The weight of the book in his hand had quite a presence. On the back, there was a testimonial from Dong Gil and an excerpt from the book. There was also a phrase written on the binding of the book that read ¡®Are you prepared for regrets?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t half bad. At that moment, his phone rang.

    ¡°Did you get your book?¡±

    It was Nam Kyung.

    ¡°Why, yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked.

    Juho smiled quietly. From its weight to its thickness, everything felt just right. Even as he conversed with Nam Kyung, the book never left his hand. After the brief phone call, Juho made his way back into his room with his book. The room was just as messy as when he left it. It showed that no one hade in after him. He quietly stared at the scenery of his room as he stood by the door. His heart was racing. His hand slowly brushed downward from his mouth. ¡®I really am back.¡¯

    He realized that he was living through the time of his downfall once again. Slowly, he opened the book. It was rigid, but smooth at the same time. Putting his nose onto it, he inhaled deeply. The smell of ink helped him finally realize that it was all real. He had written a new book. Hisst attempt at writing a second book had led him to his downfall, but this time, he had written apletely different book. His heart was throbbing with excitement.

    It was daytime, when everything revealed its true shape. The feelings that had been hiding in the dark slowly rose to surface one by one. ¡®It¡¯s this book. What I wrote after drowning in the river, it¡¯s all in here,¡¯ he thought as he brushed his hand across the book. It was real. He had done it. He had sessfully written a second book. That alone brought him an enormous sense of relief, and he couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    He had finally finished it. Until he reached the finish line, he¡¯d been wrestling with a lump of emotions. There had been nothing certain in that lump, and he had been repeatedly trimming it while asionally setting it aside. He had stayed up night after night to see to itspletion while meeting and remembering countless people, revisiting the emotions he had had with them. He had felt overwhelmed. ¡°The Sound of Wailing.¡± Gray background. A bird and an empty chair. Everything about it was new. It was his newly written story. It was proof. Even if the book didn¡¯t do well, it still wouldn¡¯t be the same failure he experienced before. He wasn¡¯t living through the same past. As he put his book on his desk, his sweaty palm attached itself to the cover of the book. The coolness in the air quickly filled the gap as the hand detached. He took a step back and looked at the papers and letters that filled the room along with his pens and books. Within the mass, the new book.

    ¡°Thepletion of a unseen scenery.¡±

    Juhoughed for a good while as he wiped the tears from his eyes. He was in a great mood. Looking at the finished product, a sense of relief overtook him. No other thoughts entered his mind amid the euphoria. He sat on his chair and leaned back on the backrest, staring intently at the book on his desk.

    His face fell onto the desk. As he felt the texture of the cover, its coldness slowly dissipated. On the other hand, his red flushed, face grew colder.

    Now was the time for evaluations. The time hade for him to hear what the readers and critics thought of and how they interpreted his hard work.

    With a sluggish movement, he reached for the power switch on hisputer. Its mechanical whirring grew louder and louder. He hadn¡¯t noticed the sound before.

    While he had his head down, the light from the screen shone onto his face. With a slight pain in his eyes, he moved his mouse and opened the inte browser. His eyes were met with a list of ¡°most searched keywords.¡±

    ¡®1. Yun Woo.¡¯

    He moved his cursor onto it and clicked it. There weren¡¯t any reviews or columns on the book as of yet. It would take some time to read through an 800-page, full-length novel. The news of Yun Wooing out with a new book had been enough to attract the attention of the masses. His heart pounded. While he had finished his book, things weren¡¯t quite over just yet.

    ¡®Caw!¡¯ a crow sounded from the outside.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Let me help you with that.¡±

    Many people would line up to buy from a slew of books being sold at the bookstore. Often, they would choose a book based on plot, cover, an epilogue or testimonials, publishingpany, or the name of the author. Bookstore were full of such people, and Juho was one of them. As a customer, all he had to do was to pick a book and pay. Yet, he didn¡¯t pick a book. The reason for his visit wasn¡¯t to buy a book. Trying not to look suspicious, he carefully approached the section where Yun Woo¡¯s books were being disyed.

    ¡°What¡¯s this book?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah! I¡¯ve heard good things about it.¡±

    ¡°I like the cover. It¡¯s pretty!¡±

    ¡°You need to read what¡¯s in it, you know.¡±

    There were sounds of people talking. Juho stood in a corner while pretending to look at the books on the shelf, keeping his ears open.

    The disy rack near the cashier was a spot that was particrly crowded. It was one of the first ces that people saw as they walked in. There, ¡®The Sound of Wailing¡¯ was on disy.

    A woman picked up a copy from the rack. The book wobbled in her hands. Anotherdy beside her said, ¡°That¡¯s Yun Woo¡¯s new book, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep. It came out so soon, too!¡±

    ¡°I guess people don¡¯t call him a genius for no reason.¡±

    She examined the book in her hand, its cover and binding, opening it for a brief moment before closing it again, then flipping it. She read the excerpt in the back of the book and turned her eyes to the testimonial from Dong Gil.

    ¡°This sounds interesting. It sounds like it¡¯s about a mother?¡±

    ¡°A mother huh? It kind of sounds predictable. Maybe it¡¯s about motherly love.¡±

    ¡°Maybe... Wait, look at this,¡± one of them said as she showed the cover to her friend. ¡°Apparently it¡¯s going to make me regret. Maybe it¡¯s not entirely about motherly love.¡±

    ¡°Pff. What if you don¡¯t?¡± her friend said as she picked up a copy for herself. After scanning through the book, she seemed to have decided to buy it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just call the publishingpany if I don¡¯t find myself regretting after reading it.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to say?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t regret. I¡¯d like for you to tell me what Yun Woo looks like as reimbursement.¡±

    ¡°Haha! I¡¯d be pretty dumbfounded if I were them, but speaking of that, I am curious as to what he looks like.¡±

    The two headed straight to the cashier. Having overheard their conversation word for word, Juho felt the corners of his mouth turning up. He felt a sudden urge to walk up to them and say, ¡®this is what Yun Woo looks like.¡¯ As he watched the two women walk out of the bookstore with their books in hand, he imagined how things would turn out if he were to reveal his identity. ¡®Probably not wise,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°So, this is the book I¡¯ve been hearing so much about!¡±

    That time, a middle-aged man and a woman who looked to be his wife approached the disy rack. Juho got closer to them to listen to what they were saying. Again, he pretended to be looking at books, trying to look as natural as possible.

    ¡°Honey, do you know about this?¡± the wife asked.

    ¡°Oh, yeah! Yun Woo? That¡¯s our daughter¡¯s recent celebrity crush, isn¡¯t it? She¡¯s always talking about how handsome he is when she¡¯s never even met him in person,¡± the husband said with apparent bitterness. On the other hand, the wife had a cheerful smile.

    ¡°Kids tend to be like that at that age. They tend to be led my emotions, and that¡¯s how they learn to see the unseen.¡±

    ¡°Eh... I¡¯ve read ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ myself, and this kid is no good for our daughter. He¡¯s cowardly. He doesn¡¯t know how to face difficulties like a man. Our daughter would had a miserable marriage if she were to marry a guy like him.¡±

    ¡°You make it sound like Yun Woo wants to marry our daughter. Haha!¡±

    Juho smiled as he listened to their conversation. The father seemed to have assumed that the protagonist, Yun, was the direct trantion of its creator¡¯s actual personality. As absurd as it was, he couldn¡¯t be the only reader who thought that way. One naturally tended to look for the author¡¯s personality in his writing.

    After each picking up a copy, the two headed toward the cashier. Juho thought as he looked at them standing in line, ¡®What would they think of me after reading ¡®The Sound of Wailing?¡¯ Would they think of me as someone twisted and destructive like the mother, or a loner like the son? If neither, would they think of me as the clown who only knows how to mimic others?¡¯

    Regardless of how they thought of him, he didn¡¯t want to be viewed as an amateur author who wrote subpar books. For a brief time, he turned his eyes to the book in his hand, which he had been stroking for some time. It was the book that he still hadn¡¯t finished transcribing, ¡°The Winter.¡±

 Chapter 79 - You Wonéˆ¥æª› Regret it

    <h4>Chapter 79: Chapter 79 ¨C You Won¡¯t Regret it ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    While reading it casually, the uneasiness of the book wasn¡¯t all that apparent. Like an actor who was lost in his character, its emotions were raw and uncontrolled. As he was about to open the book to its first page, he heard a voice, ¡°It¡¯s here! ¡®The Sound of Wailing!¡¯¡±

    When he nced over, there were a boy and a girl who looked to be elementary students. The girl seemed to be delighted that she had found the ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ Juho set aside his thoughts and focused his ears.

    ¡°This book is lit! You should read it!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so great about it?¡± The boy asked apathetically.

    ¡°You know Yun Woo, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s his new book.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah, I¡¯ve heard that name. I heard he¡¯s in high school.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s my favorite writer. I read it as soon as it came out. You should too. I rmend it.¡±

    ¡°Why me? I hate books.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll cry like a baby after you read it.¡±

    The boy sneered.

    ¡°Pff! I¡¯ve never cried from reading.¡±

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t either, until I read this one.¡±

    In the end, the girl had won the argument, and the boy quietly listened to her, still looking indifferent.

    ¡°Yun Woo is a real genius. I want to be just like him. I thought no book would be as perfect as ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ but this new book changed my mind.¡±

    Hearing such praise from an elementary student, Juho couldn¡¯t help but feel worried. ¡®That book probably isn¡¯t appropriate for kids her age...¡¯

    ¡°What do you like about it so much?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to live like this person.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± The boy asked as he looked at her dumbfoundedly.

    ¡°When I grow up, I want to raise my child with everything I¡¯ve got. I¡¯ll never smoke. I¡¯ll ask for help when I need it and I¡¯ll give it when a person asks for it.¡±

    ¡°What does any of that have to do with what I just asked?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I like about it. I like that it helps me understand what I want to do in the future,¡± she said as her eyes sparkled. ¡°I felt the same way after reading ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯ I decided I wanted to be a writer, so I went to the store and bought a notebook that same day. It hadn¡¯t even crossed my mind before. Writing was just boring to me, but I changed my mind after reading that book. Yun Woo is amazing. I want to be just like him.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand a word of what you¡¯ve just said,¡± the boy said as he gave her the same dumbfounded look. ¡°Well, my mom gave me some money for books. I¡¯m hungry, can we get some food?¡±

    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll tell you more as we eat.¡±

    With that, the two walked out of the bookstore. Juho thought as he tried to tame his excitement, ¡®I guess visiting the bookstore from time to time isn¡¯t all that bad.¡¯ He looked at the two kids who were on their way out. They were both short, and the boy was even shorter than the girl. Perhaps it was around their age when readers were capable of maintaining the purest perspective toward what they read. Being a young reader had its advantages, especially when it came to looking forward to the future rather than the experience described in the book.

    From then on, many people visited the bookstore and bought Juho¡¯s book. At one point, there was ady with colorful nails and jewelry that sparkled all the more on the gray background. At another, there was another hand that was wrapped in bandages and a person who was covered in dust. Some were in suits with their employment IDs around their neck. Some snatched the book without even examining it, whereas a boisterous group of high school girls took copies of the book in a bundle. Then, a woman who seemed to be a university student read through the first few pages with her earphones on, cing it on top of a pile that she had in her hands.

    People of all ages, genders, nails, attires, appearances, and behaviors walked out of the bookstore with a copy of ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯

    Juho looked at those people absent-mindedly.

    ¡°Sorry, sir. Pardon me.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Juho moved aside for an employee with a cart filled with ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ When Juho turned his eyes back to the disy rack, most of the books piled up on it were already gone.

    As lunch hour approached, the bookstore became all the more crowded. There were long lines in front of the cashiers. As Juho looked at the crowd, he took a step back.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± said a familiar voice. However, it wasn¡¯t directed toward Juho. It sounded like it hade from near the disy rack. Juho slowly turned his head to find out who the voice belonged to.

    ¡°Pardon me.¡± There was a distinct politeness in the man¡¯s tone. By the the time his hand reached for the gray book, Juho was standing right behind him. As he was about to walk toward the cashier, his eyes met Juho¡¯s.

    ¡°Ah! Didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡±

    Juho greeted him. The man¡¯s thick eyebrows furrowed.

    ¡°Are you here to buy the book too?¡± he asked. Juho shook his head as he showed him his empty hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m just stopping by. Seems like you¡¯ve already found what you were looking for?¡±

    ¡°Yep. ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ It¡¯s Yun Woo¡¯s next book. I have to get one.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you necessarily ¡°have to.¡±¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll help me catch up to him sooner.¡±

    Juho had forgotten about that. Sung Pil had a strong sense of rivalry toward Yun Woo.

    ¡°You¡¯ve already bought a copy, right?¡± he asked with a serious expression.

    Juho answered after a brief time thinking, ¡°No, not quiet.¡±

    ¡®I didn¡¯t buy it, but I did get a copy from the publishingpany,¡¯ he said to himself internally.

    Sung Pil¡¯s thick eyebrows twitched once again.

    ¡°So, are you here to buy one?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that I was just stopping by?¡±

    ¡°Well, you should read it. You write too.¡±

    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s fine. There are plenty of authors who are better than Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll lend you mine after I read it. How does that sound?¡±

    Something didn¡¯t quite add up, which was a frequent urrence in their conversations.

    ¡°You won¡¯t regret it,¡± Sung Pil finished.

    He must have missed the phrase written on the binding in thick letters, ¡®Are you prepared for regrets?¡¯

    With a chuckle, Juho asked Sung Pil, ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Why don¡¯t we go grab a bite to eat?¡±

    He nodded while maintaining his serious expressions.

    ¡°Sounds good. I was starting to get hungry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be outside. You take your time,¡± said Juho as he made his way out through the crowd while Sung Pil got in line.

    After walking into a snack shop nearby, the two sat themselves at a table. With two cups of water in his hands, Sung Pil asked, ¡°Would you mind if I start reading the book now?¡±

    He was referring to ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ After a brief thought, Juho shook his head.

    ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡±

    With a disappointed look, Sung Pil set his book aside. Looking at the disappointment on his face, Juho felt the urge to give in, but wasn¡¯t used to someone reading his book before his eyes. He poured the ice cold water into his mouth while trying to avoid making eye contact with Sung Pil as much as possible. As he put down his cup, the book somehow made its way into Sung Pil¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Why did you ask if you¡¯re going to read anyway?¡±

    ¡°Oh! I thought I should take a look while you were drinking your water.¡±

    Juho chuckled at the sight of him closing the book and waved his hands in the air, saying, ¡°You know what? Just read it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do,¡± he answered as he opened the book in a hurry and brought it close to his face. Sung Pil was reading Juho¡¯s book. After staring in his direction for some time, Juho turned his attention to the television. Unfortunately, it was only showing advertisements. The page turned.

    ¡®He¡¯s a fast reader,¡¯ Juho thought as he waited for the food.

    When he looked out of the window, he saw that there was a crowd of people going busily about their way. The new book had been released onto the world. Some bought the book while others read it. ¡®How long has it been since I felt this way?¡¯ he thought as he felt touched and hungry at the same time.

    ¡®Caw!¡¯ a ck bird cried.

    He turned his eyes toward the sound. The bird sat precariously on a tree branch. At that, Juho thought of the bird in his book. There was a scene where the mother confesses to her son her experience of killing a bird. She tells her son that the bird had eventuallye back to life. She tells that him the bird was now flying across the world with its wings spread out.

    In an ambiguous state, the son keeps the story to his heart, neither believing or disbelieving. Only he could know how a son who had witnessed the downfall of his own mother would turn out to be. Juho looked up at the branch. There was no bird. There was nothing but the sound of Sung Pil turning the pages of his book.

    Soon, the owner of the ce brought the tteokbokki and soondae they had ordered. While taking out a pair of chopsticks, he called out for Sung Pil. He didn¡¯t respond. His eyebrows were furrowed even more. Juho picked up a piece of tteokbokki and brought it to his mouth. The spice was just right.

    ¡°This is good.¡±

    His words lingered in the air, but Sung Pil paid no attention. Juho moved his hand toward the te of soondae.

    ¡°The soondae¡¯s good too.¡±

    He still didn¡¯t respond. Juho stared at him intently as he chewed. Sung Pil was fully immersed in Juho¡¯s book. He looked rather serious. Juho became curious as to which part he was reading. ¡®He¡¯s probably in the beginning still,¡¯ he thought. However, the downfall of the characters begun with the very first sentence of the book. It made sense for Sung Pil to be wearing such a serious expression.

    Even as Juho brought another piece of tteokbokki and soondae to his mouth, Sung Pil didn¡¯t take his eyes off of the book. ¡®I¡¯m going to end up eating the whole thing at this rate,¡¯ thought Juho as he lightly kicked Sung Pil¡¯s foot. Sung Pil looked down sluggishly.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Somebody kicked me.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Sung Pil answered as he finally looked up from his book.

    Juho added with another piece of tteokbokki in his mouth, ¡°Food came out.¡±

    ¡°... Huh,¡± he said as he looked at the food on the table.

    ¡°Your concentration is impressive,¡± Juho said as he ate.

    With that, Sung Pil shook his head as his thick eyebrows twitched.

    ¡°No matter how good of a book I¡¯m reading, I usually don¡¯t forget to eat. Normally, I¡¯d have known right away.¡±

    ¡°Not this time. Your concentration must¡¯ve improved.¡±

    ¡°No, it means that this book is that impressive.¡±

    Juho blinked quietly.

    ¡°It really sucks you in. You can¡¯t afford to look away for one second,¡± said Sung Pil as he stroked the book. He seemed rather moved by it. ¡°Yun Woo really is incredible.¡±

    Without words, Juho brought two more pieces of soondae to his mouth.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to eat, I¡¯m going to finish this.¡±

    Seeing how the amount of food had grown smaller, Sung Pill finally picked up his chopsticks.

    ¡°It was somewhat unexpected though,¡± Sung Pil said as he chewed his food.

    ¡°What was?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo,¡± he said with his eyes fixated on the book. ¡°I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d write something like this for his next book.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°It feels really different.¡±

    Juho asked feeling a prick in the heart, ¡°... How are they different?¡±

 Chapter 80 - Did You Read the Book?

    <h4>Chapter 80: Chapter 80 ¨C Did You Read the Book? ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I can¡¯t put my finger on it, but that¡¯s what it feels like,¡± Sung Pil said with a serious look on his face as he brought a piece of soondae to his mouth. ¡°It feels more real.¡±

    ¡°Did ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ feel like it was made up?¡±

    Sung Pil shook his head slowly.

    ¡°It¡¯s just different,¡± he answered, then went on to share his honest opinion. ¡°It¡¯s provocative from the start. A twisted character tends to feel distant, but not in this book. It almost feels like the author based the character on his observation, probably because of the details in the description. To me, it feels like Yun Woo¡¯s evolved even further in his distinctive style.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ll see what I mean. I mean, how can one write like this? Do you think it¡¯s possible that there is an actual person the author used as reference?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Juho answered. He was keeping his answers short.

    ¡°Because of all the details, it makes it really easy to picture what I¡¯m reading. It¡¯s immersive. In other words, it¡¯s easy to read. Considering how dark and heavy the subject is, it¡¯s very impressive.¡± Sung Pil added with his eyes sparkling, ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a year since his debut title...¡±

    Juho quietly looked away.

    ¡°Yun Woo is incredible.¡±

    ¡®This is ufortable,¡¯ Juho thought as he scratched his nose.

    ¡°You think so? I¡¯m not too sure.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t read his books. Tell you what, I¡¯ll lend you the book after I finish reading this by the end of today.¡±

    ¡®No need,¡¯ muttered Juho internally. He knew that Sung Pil wouldn¡¯t back down even if he had said those words out loud. If anything, it would have prolonged the situation.

    ¡°I want to be a novelist too...¡± Sung Pil said quietly.

    Juho changed the subject nonchntly, ¡°You¡¯re nning on it.¡±

    Sung Pil¡¯s dream was to be an author. In the near future, that dream woulde true. In the past, Juho had witnessed his long-running career as an author.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Sung Pil with a nod. He wasn¡¯t the type to be ashamed of his goals. ¡°I like the food here,¡± he said.

    ¡°Ditto,¡± Juho agreed as he smiled faintly.

    After eating quietly for some time, he picked up his cup. From its weight, he realized that there was no more water in it.

    ¡°Summer break is almost over,¡± he said as he looked into the empty cup intently.

    With that, Sung Pil stopped eating for a brief moment.

    ¡°Sad.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t like him to say such a thing, so Juho added yfully, ¡°Don¡¯t you wish the summer break wouldst for the rest of your life?¡±

    ¡°Maybe another month,¡± he gave an answer that was more realistic.

    ¡°What would you do with the time?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d probably read ¡®The Sound of Wailing¡¯ in peace,¡± Sung Pil said with his eyes on the book.

    ¡°For an entire month though?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be writing by the time I finish reading this book,¡± he said after a brief time thinking.

    ¡°What are you going to be writing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I have a feeling.¡±

    Juho, too, had that feeling from Sung Pil¡¯s calm tone of voice. Something was telling him that what Sung Pil had said would being true. He had a feeling that that very piece would lead Sung Pil to his goal.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ll be writing too.¡±

    There wasn¡¯t a rule that said that an author had to write their debut work on the year they debuted. Perhaps Sung Pil was getting off to an early start, taking his time to polish his craft and debut as an author.

    ¡°Can you show me what you writeter?¡±

    ¡°I might not end up writing, you know.¡±

    ¡°IF you do.¡±

    Sung Pil nodded willingly. Juho had already started to look forward to his writing.

    ¡°What if you really end up bing an author?¡± Juho asked jokingly.

    ¡°That¡¯d be nice.¡±

    ¡°You never know. They say ¡®be careful with what you wish for,¡¯¡± he said with a shrug.

    ¡°If I actually be an author, do you think the day wille for me to meet Yun Woo?¡± Sung Pil asked.

    ¡°... I¡¯m sure it will.¡±

    Though Juho had been calling him Sung Pil, his real name was Pil Sung. The day woulde when they would meet not as Juho and Pil Sung, but as Yun Woo and Sung Pil. He would make his debut, and Juho would continue writing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve had enough,¡± said Pil Sung as he ate thest piece of tteokbokki. The two ended up ordering another te of tteokbokki and fritters.

    ¡ª

    After changing into his uniform, Juho left for school. Once he climbed the hill and came back down, the school became visible. The closer he got to the school, the more students in uniform there were.

    ¡°Hey, Juho!¡± a familiar voice called out. It was Bom. ¡°How was your summer break?¡±

    ¡°Good, how about yours?¡±

    ¡°Mine too, although I spent more days at school than I did at home.¡±

    The two walked alongside one another. Despite the silence, neither of them felt ufortable. Seeing the well-acquainted sight of the school building, Juho walked toward it.

    ¡°Did you read the book?¡±

    ¡°What book?¡±

    ¡°¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯¡±

    ¡®Caw!¡¯ a crow sounded at just the right time.

    ¡°Well... It seems like you definitely have,¡± Juho answered ambiguously.

    ¡°Of course! It¡¯s Yun Woo.¡±

    She, too, was a fan of Yun Woo after all. Juho remembered seeing her in the crowd when the impostor had been giving out her signature. Though she might not be as apparent as Seo Kwang or Baron, she was definitely a fan. Just as any avid fan would, she poured out her praises.

    ¡°I knew Yun Woo wouldn¡¯t disappoint. It¡¯s hard to believe that he¡¯s my age. It baffles me how he¡¯s able to write like that. He¡¯s respectable even.¡±

    ¡°That good, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! It was incredible! I got so angry, but kind of sad on the other hand. I kind of felt that from ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ but I think Yun Woo excels at writing sad stories ¨C a story that makes the reader sad rather than a sad story itself.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Unlike her usual self, Bom was filled with excitement, and Juho listened to her quietly.

    ¡°Hey, guys!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Sun Hwa!¡±

    Sun Hwa approached them from afar, waving her hands. Bom happily waved back as Juho also waved his hands lightly.

    ¡°Bom, did you read that book?¡± she asked.

    ¡°What book?¡±

    ¡°Theic book I rmended to you! Living Legend just came out with a newic! Oh my g... I¡¯m so happy!¡±

    It was amon conversation between the two. Usually, they would have gone on for a while, but that day, that conversation came to a sudden end.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve been busy reading another book.¡±

    ¡°Eh?! What the? I was so excited to talk about this!¡±

    ¡°Haha! Yun Woo came out with a new book too. Have you read it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Yun Woo,¡± said Sun Hwa as she scratched her head. ¡°I bought one seeing how crazy people were getting, but I haven¡¯t gotten around to it yet because of the newic book. Living Legend cannot be beaten, even by Yun Woo,¡± she said with a serious tone.

    Juho smiled awkwardly, being set aside by Living Legend.

    ¡°Yun Woo would be upset.¡±

    ¡°Too bad. There¡¯s no way around it. I may be part of the Literature Club, but I preferic books.¡±

    ¡°Then, go join the Comic Book Club,¡± interfered yet another familiar voice.

    ¡°Hey, Seo Kwang!¡± Bom called out.

    Before he even had time to greet Juho, Sun Hwa said annoyed, ¡°You¡¯re bringing this up now? After I¡¯ve been part of this club for so long?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why this is a bigger issue. You¡¯ve been part of the Literature Club for a while now, yet you still preferic books over real books.¡±

    ¡°Pff. We have an artist in the club. I don¡¯t see anything wrong.¡±

    ¡°Guys, the teachers are looking in our direction.¡±

    Teachers monitoring the dress code looked in the direction of themotion. Despite Bom¡¯s desperate effort to break them up, Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa red at each other like they were about to eat each other alive. Some things simply didn¡¯t change, including Bom.

    ¡°Were you looking for me?¡±

    ¡°Hey, Baron!¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    With his hands in the pocket, the sole artist of the club, Baron, was walking toward the rest of the club members. Hisrge frame made him stick out like a sore thumb.

    As the club members all came together, they chatted cheerfully among themselves as they climbed the stairs. Everyone seemed to be well.

    When they reached the first years¡¯ floor, they ran into Mr. Mooning out of the staffroom, looking exhausted.

    ¡°I was just wondering about the noise. It¡¯s you guys.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Moon!¡± Sun Hwa greeted him cheerfully, and he sighed heavily.

    ¡°The break is over. Aren¡¯t you sad?¡±

    Typical Mr. Moon. The exhaustion in his face made his words all the more genuine. Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, and the othersughed joyfully as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK, Mr. Moon. You still have the Literature Club, the joy ofing to school.¡±

    ¡°Right. I¡¯ll see you allter.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    With that, everyone went their separate ways. Baron climbed up to the floor above while Sun Hwa and Bom made for their ss together. Juho and Seo Kwang did the same.

    Before Juho even had a chance to put down his backpack, Seo Kwang asked him suddenly, ¡°Hey, did you read that book?¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    It was a question he had been hearing often as ofte. Seeing his heartyughter, Seo Kwang happily added.

    ¡°I knew it! ¡®The Sound of Wailing!¡¯ I was seriously moved. By the time I came to my senses, I¡¯d already bought two more copies from the inte. Yun Woo¡¯s incredible, that one.¡±

    With excitement, he poured out praises for Yun Woo, one after another. He went to great lengths on Yun Woo¡¯s talent, as well as the book¡¯s literary value, plot, and overall tone. While resting his chin on his hand, Juho quietly listened to his friend, nodding from time to time.

    ¡°The bird left me a strong impression this time also,¡± said Seo Kwang suddenly with a serious look.

    ¡°The bird, huh.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the bird was an object of fear in ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ but this time around, it was much more profound. A bird that came back from the dead.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    ¡°I thought it had something to do with motherly love in the beginning. I thought the bird was symbolizing that motherly love never dies, but on the other hand, I thought it might be a way to escape reality.¡±

    It was quite an interesting interpretation.

    ¡°Escape reality? How?¡±

    ¡°The mother doesn¡¯t hold back on her habit of smoking and drinking even though she¡¯s pregnant. She knows that it¡¯s not good for the baby. She probably didn¡¯t want to think about regretting it in the future. My guess is that she put the baby in the position of the bird she had killed in the past, thinking that the baby woulde back like the bird did,¡± exined Seo Kwang. It was rather usible.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good interpretation,¡± said Juho as he nodded.

    ¡°The author never talked about the bird till the very end, which means he left it up to the readers to interpret it. I love that Yun Woo thinks as far as bringing joy to his readers. He¡¯s an amazing author.¡±

    In the end, he concluded with more praise and after that, Juho felt the urge to be yful.

    ¡°Do you really think Yun Woo included the bird in his novel as a calcted decision?¡±

    ¡°Eh? What are you saying? Are you saying that it¡¯s a coincidence? Like his name?¡± he asked with a scowl.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Again,st namese before first names in Korea. So ¡°Yun Woo¡± would be ¡°Woo Yun,¡± which sounds like the Korean word for coincidence.)

    ¡°I was just wondering if people are overestimating him in some way. Some people are saying that it¡¯s all pretty dressing too,¡± Juho answered with a shrug.

 Chapter 81 - Iéˆ¥æªe Read It

    <h4>Chapter 81: Chapter 81 ¨C I¡¯ve Read It ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    After thinking about Juho¡¯s cold-hearted remarks, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t read it yet, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to say things like that if you had.¡± Seo Kwang added as Juho blinked awkwardly, ¡°Well, he became sessful at an early age, so his age definitely works to his advantage when ites to drawing attention, but it doesn¡¯t mean that the quality of his work has suffered. He left a remarkable achievement and he didn¡¯t stop at ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯¡±

    With that, he took out the book he had brought. Gray background. An empty chair. And a bird. It gave off a rather lonely impression.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have been able to even imagine something like this. ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ He¡¯s lived for seventeen years, but he knows how to vividly describe a pregnant mother. I can make things sound pretty too. That¡¯s easy. Heck, I can even criticize someone, but I wouldn¡¯t know what to do with a character like her. On one hand, she¡¯s like a young girl. On the other, she¡¯s incredibly cruel. By the time I think of her as someone who is worn out beyond recovery, she proves herself to be a strong individual. Even as I think of her as the worst human being on the, I find myself feeling sorry for her.¡±

    The nameless mother had taken shape within Seo Kwang¡¯s mind.

    ¡°I can¡¯t. Maybe in thirty years, but I can¡¯t write anything like that.¡±

    With that, he forcefully put the book in Juho¡¯s hands. Juho epted it quietly as he felt the weight of the book that he was well-ustomed to.

    ¡°So read it. You won¡¯t regret it,¡± said Seo Kwang as he took out his phone. After tapping on it busily, he shoved it at Juho¡¯s face. Juho couldn¡¯t see anything. The phone was simply too close. As leaned back, he saw that Seo Kwang had logged into an online bookstore. He had VIP ess.

    ¡°Are you showing off?¡±

    ¡°Not that, underneath it.¡±

    Below his VIP rank, there was a rank for the bestselling books. At the top, ¡®The Sound of Wailing¡¯ ranked number one.

    ¡°Number one, ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ I think I¡¯ve said enough.¡±

    ¡°Impressive,¡± said Juho half-heartedly.

    Taking offense to his lukewarm response, Seo Kwang said, ¡°So, you try harder. The way I see it, you have what it takes to be like Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡®Duh, I am Yun Woo,¡¯ he thought. Then, he answered light-heartedly, ¡°That¡¯s ttering.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? You know how much I read! I swear, yourpositions are good too!¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°When you be an author, you show Yun Woo how it¡¯s done. While you¡¯re at it, get his autograph for me too.¡±

    He was asking for a lot.

    ¡°You¡¯re asking a lot.¡±

    ¡°You know, you tend to underestimate yourself. The Juho Woo I know is a man who can take hold of both victory and peace at the same time.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± said Juho as he looked around. It was the beginning of the semester, so it was louder than usual. The ss smelled somewhat of dust while the desks weren¡¯t lined up. It felt like a messy room that hadn¡¯t been cleaned up. Amid the crooked desks, there were books.

    ¡®The Sound of Wailing,¡¯ Yun Woo¡¯s new book.

    ¡®I wonder what these kids were thinking when they bought the book,¡¯ thought Juho as he imagined them at the bookstore. The books were being disyed at the most visible spot in the bookstore. It was among the first things people saw as they walked in. They walked toward it subconsciously, examining and evaluating the book, thinking: ¡®It can¡¯t hurt to read every now and then. Everyone seems to be talking about it, so I should at least have a look. Besides, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve read.¡¯

    It could also have been possible that they knew the name Yun Woo, the young, genius author.

    ¡®I wonder what¡¯s making people call him a genius. It¡¯s important to keep up with the trends.¡¯

    They may have picked up a copy, drawn by its author¡¯s name, especially with students his age. A genius author as their peer. Some may have wanted to see what the fuss was about, looking to criticize it.

    A person had the freedom to choose regardless of the motive with which they picked the book. Juho thought of the people who he had seen at the bookstore buying his book. They too, had their respective views toward the book. At that moment, he heard the students talking.

    ¡°A novel? What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±

    ¡°This book¡¯s really good, you should read it.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah! By Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I did hear about it. I don¡¯t understand why it¡¯s so popr though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t read it yourself.¡±

    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t do books. Besides, a book is just a pot stand.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re such a simpleton.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d you call me punk?¡±

    A ss rowdier than usual. Excitement in the air. Crooked desks. Feeling somewhat dizzy, Juho looked away. The window was closed. As he reached for it, a bird met his eyes. It had ck feathers.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Thanks for cooking, mom,¡± Juho said as he brought a piece of grilled mackerel up to his mouth. Its butteriness was quite pleasant. ¡°This is great!¡±

    ¡°Eat more. There¡¯s plenty,¡± said his mother as she picked up a TV remote. After flickering through several channels, the screen stopped at a certain channel.

    ¡°I like this show.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°They do book reviews. It made me think of you. Watch.¡±

    Juho turned his eyes to the TV screen. ¡°The Great Book Club.¡± He had been fond of its title. The hosts were in the middle of an introduction. The show had just started. Like his mother had said, it was a show where a book was critiqued by six cast members. The cast wasposed of one celebrity, three hosts, one book critic and a poet. As Juho watched, he saw a face that he was well-acquainted with. It was Pyung Jin Lee, the book critic. Though Juho never met him or heard his voice, he knew of Pyung Jin by his harsh, edgy critique of Juho¡¯s second book in the past. It had been rather sharp. Feeling the old memories welling up, Juho focused his attention on the show.

    ¡°So, I¡¯ve heard that the book we discussedst week is selling at a tremendous rate. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°It made the bestseller, again!¡±

    ¡°And all thanks to our lovely viewers!¡±

    The two female celebrities exchanged cheerful words. As the cast members apuded, there were messages of gratitude in the announcement bar.

    ¡°Mr. Lee, what were you up to after filmingst week?¡± a male celebrity sitting in the middle asked.

    The camera focused on Pyung Jin. His green tie stood out quite a bit. ¡®I wonder if he¡¯s wearing that tie because he¡¯s on TV,¡¯ thought Juho as he ate.

    ¡°Why, I read Yun Woo¡¯s new book.¡±

    Juho almost spit out the food in his mouth. Pyung Jin had called out his name out of nowhere.

    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s you!¡± his mother eximed.

    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s my name.¡±

    ¡°My goodness! My son¡¯s on TV!¡±

    Though they had just called out his name, Juho wanted to let his mother enjoy the moment, so he smiled quietly. At the mention of his name, every cast member took a turn to chime in.

    ¡°Ah, Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read it too!¡±

    ¡°He recently came out with a new book. It¡¯s been hot!¡±

    The celebrity sitting in the middle added, ¡°Who here has read his book?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    With the exception of one person, everyone had raised their hands.

    ¡°Hey,e on now. We¡¯re in the ¡®Great Book Club!¡¯ How is it that we have a person who hasn¡¯t read Yun Woo¡¯s book yet?¡± He said yfully, bringing the crowd toughter.

    After things calmed down, the man asked Pyung Jin once again, ¡°So, how was the book written by the hottest figure in the publishing industry at the moment?¡±

    Everyone else looked in his direction, waiting for his response. He was a professional critic, so they were probably looking forward to hearing what he had to say.

    ¡°First off, I was rather surprised.¡±

    ¡°Surprised? In what sense?¡±

    ¡°That Yun Woo wrote a story like that,¡± he continued exining. With his somewhat ridiculous tie, he spoke in an intelligent manner. ¡°He showcased his potentials through ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ but that doesn¡¯t mean that the content wasn¡¯t appropriate for his age. It was both beautiful and pure.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s absolutely right. You¡¯d know what I¡¯m talking about if you¡¯ve read Yun Woo¡¯d books, but it leaves a clean after taste.¡±

    ¡°Yet, its sessor was quite different, especially when it came to describing the death of the protagonist. I was shocked by how explicit it was. Now, the thing to be mindful here is the sentence structure. Unlike the rest of the book, that scene wasn¡¯t dressed in any way. Rather, it was distorted deliberately.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh.¡±

    ¡°I was quite impressed. I wasn¡¯t aware that Yun Woo would have such a side. I¡¯d heard he was turning seventeen this year, but he didn¡¯t seemed to hold back when it came to creating this character. Same goes for the son. Most of all, his style was quite stable.¡±

    ¡°Boy, it¡¯s not everyday Mr. Leepliments an author like that!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he tends to be stingy withpliments. Aside from Hyun Do Lim, I think it¡¯s my first time hearingpliments from him.¡±

    Amid the astonishment, he went on to wrap up his opinion, ¡°My opinion is that through this book, Yun Woo has proven himself as an author you can trust. I¡¯m already looking forward to his third book.¡±

    ¡°We should have a special Yun Woo episode!¡± a cast member said, having been quiet up to that point. ¡®Yun Woo Special.¡¯

    With that, the male host continued, smiling, ¡°Is he showing his face for the first time in our show?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exciting! Can we make it happen?¡± The host exchanged words with the producer. His tone was filled with joy.

    At that moment, the announcement bar said, ¡®Mr. Woo, if you¡¯re watching, please contact us!¡¯

    ¡°Oh my! Are they going to ask you to be on the show?¡±

    ¡°Should I?¡±

    ¡°Take me with you. I should put my face pack on before I go to bed tonight.¡±

    As they joked around, the show entered into its main portion. They introduced different books on travelling. As Juho watched while eating, he came to learn that it was a decent show. They had in-depth discussions on books, reciting parts that stood out and analyzing characters of the books or talking about the authors. There were jokes in between to keep things from being overly rigid. As he kept watching, he felt like he was starting to remember having watched it in the past.

    ¡°Thanks for dinner,¡± he said as he picked up after himself. Pyung Jin had praised his book. The kids he had met earlier that day had had a positive response as well.

    Entering his room, he turned on hisputer to look at reviews for ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ Upon visiting a website, he found countlessments and posts on the book. Because of its book critiquing nature, the length spanned anywhere from a few lines up to several thousand words. He clicked the post that was at the top.

    ¡°A book that will bring you regrets, yet make you want to share it with those around you. This is how I¡¯d describe Yun Woo¡¯s new book.¡±

    After that, he moved onto the next post.

 Chapter 82 - A Black Beak (1)

    <h4>Chapter 82: Chapter 82 ¨C A ck Beak (1) ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°He¡¯s a genius. What was I doing when I was seventeen?¡±

    ¡°I love Yun Woo. He¡¯s a genius. By the way, I LOVE him. I love you, Yun Woo. Please, ept me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so thankful that I got to share a lifetime with Yun Woo. Keep it up! Can¡¯t wait for your next book!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d been hearing the name ¡®Yun Woo¡¯ left and right, so I ended up buying his book just to keep everyone quiet. Now, I¡¯m even reading ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯ He¡¯s the very first author I¡¯vee to like.¡±

    ¡°After reading his book, I became bedridden for an entire week. My body seemed to be fine, but my heart was in pieces. It almost felt like going through a breakup. The regret and sadness of the one who is left behind was much more than what I could handle. I¡¯m afraid to read it again, but on the other hand, I¡¯d highly rmend it.¡±

    ¡°I read this book for the first time at a cafe. Then, I regretted my decision. Before I even had time to think about what I was reading, tears began to fall from my eyes. Fortunately, nobody noticed me, but it was rather embarrassing. Still, I couldn¡¯t help myself. Though my life looked nothing like that of the mother¡¯s, its potency came at me like a third-degree burn. I found myself involuntarily reaching for water.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a fun read, but you¡¯d be wrong to assume that the book is merely fun. ¡®The Sound of Wailing¡¯ is heavy, yet fast-paced. Once I read the book, I realized that I¡¯d been misunderstanding Yun Woo all along. Because he had an image of being pure, I had been assuming that he¡¯d be frail and weak. I thought that he¡¯d run for his life when taking a powerful collision. In my mind, he was a person of noble character who despised things that were dirty and gruesome. However, I couldn¡¯t have been more wrong. This book is entangled and cruel to the point of causing concern to its readers about his well-being. It¡¯s explicit. It almost felt like showed everything he has within the confines of two full-length novels. However, I believe that he¡¯ll return with his third book, proving me wrong once again.¡±

    Juho read through the reviews andments of the readers that filled his screen. They were overwhelmingly ttering. Some were treading into the territory that made him feel ufortable. Every person had a different ID, font, and tone, just as they each led their own lives.

    He went to the next page. Of course, as different as those people were, some didn¡¯t view his book in such a positive light.

    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine except for the ending. Why did she have to die? It¡¯s as awkward as a kid pretending to be an adult. It felt pretentious the entire time I was reading.¡±

    It had been a while since Juho had read a negative review. He read carefully through it again to see if there was anything he could learn from it. Pretending to be an adult, pretentious. Rather than a detailed exnation, the person seemed to have stayed true to his emotions. He sounded rather angry. Feeling sad that he couldn¡¯t do anything to alleviate his anger, Juho moved on to the next post without hesitation.

    ¡°It makes no sense that a kid would write a novel like this. People bber about him being a genius, but I don¡¯t believe any of it. Somebody has to be behind this young author. The fact that he¡¯s anonymous is proof. Just like Yun from ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ he¡¯s timid because he feels guilty of something.¡±

    More so than a review, it sounded like a conspiracy theory. They seemed to be entertaining a dangerous idea ¨C a ghostwriter. Juho turned his chair around with a chuckle. The walls and stacks of manuscript paper came into view. Behind him, there was nothing but rough ideas written out. If somebody really had ghosted for him, he wouldn¡¯t have had to go through all the trouble he had. The light from the screen shone onto a small part of a wall. Though it wasn¡¯t the entire wall, Juho couldn¡¯t help his eyes from being drawn to it.

    From then on, there were confessions from infatuated fans, opinions on his style, and an in-depth analysis on what made him a genius. He took the time to read them one by one.

    ¡°I like that there are so many different opinions. People are interesting,¡± he murmured as he leaned back on his chair. Some liked his work whereas some didn¡¯t. Some rooted for him while some were jealous of him. Thanks to the variety of opinions, reading through the thoughts of his readers wasn¡¯t boring. Only, his eyes began to hurt from looking at the screen for a long time. He looked away and looked up at the ceiling, where he saw an afterimage of the screen.

    ¡®Caw!¡¯ a cry of a bird sounded out. Following the sound, Juho slowly lowered his head. ck feathers. ck beak. It was a crow.

    ¡°You,¡± he called for the crow. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you¡¯ve been following me around for some time. You¡¯re kind of noisy.¡±

    Its eyes glistened in the dark as itsrge, menacing beak parted open. ¡®Caw!¡¯ Then, words came out it, ¡°Sounds like you want it louder. CAW! CAW!¡±

    ¡°You have a childish side,¡± said Juho as heughed.

    ¡°Hmph, there¡¯s no use in trying to keep calm. You¡¯re no different from me,¡± the bird said, scoffing.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Annoyed, the crow approached Juho while spreading its wings.

    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot. I know you don¡¯t see anything behind me, and it¡¯s obvious that you haven¡¯t even read what you¡¯ve written. You¡¯re just venting. I can tell. Stupid brat!¡± it said angrily.

    ¡°That¡¯s harsh.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, shut up!¡±

    Juho looked at the book underneath the birds¡¯ ws. A bird on a gray background. ¡®Could it be the same bird?¡¯

    ¡°Where are you from?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Shut your mouth. I¡¯m not in a good mood. I¡¯ll peck,¡± said the bird as it red at him fiercely.

    ¡°That¡¯s not nice. Look how sharp your beak is.¡±

    ¡®CAW! CAW!¡¯ it cried loudly as if it didn¡¯t want to listen to Juho anymore. ¡°If you had written it better, you wouldn¡¯t have had to find out what those stupid people had to say. You¡¯re an idiot,¡± said the bird, spiteful.

    ¡°Hehe. It¡¯s a littlete for that, don¡¯t you think?¡± Juho answered with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m being serious. Don¡¯t you dare try to smile your way out of this. Why did you kill her? You could have let her live happily.¡±

    ¡°You know why.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I can¡¯t stand it. Pretentious? What does that punk know? Nobody¡¯s pretending to be an adult, because you ARE ONE! PIECE OF TRASH!¡±

    ¡°Stop it. The readers have the freedom to feel. There¡¯s nothing to gain from venting.¡±

    ¡°Shut it. You piss me off the most. Don¡¯t you just sit there smiling like an imbecile. Write ament. ¡®Why don¡¯t you grow up?!¡¯¡±

    ¡°Hate to break it to you, but can¡¯t do.¡±

    ¡°Damn it, DAMN IT! CAW!¡± It pped its wings, infuriated. Its feathers fell around it.

    With cold, motionless eyes, Juho captured that sight.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about real you?¡± Juho said. The bird looked in his direction with its dark, glistening eyes that looked like they would engulf every bit of light.

    ¡°I¡¯m a crow.¡±

    ¡°Obvious.¡±

    ¡°What else is there to know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are a few things,¡± said Juho. He asked after a brief time thought, ¡°So, what do you signify?¡±

    ¡°It depends.¡±

    ¡°Are leaving room for my interpretation?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less about your interpretation. I¡¯m just telling the truth.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s one salty bird,¡¯ thought Juho.

    ¡°Alright, fine. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°What do you think I am, a person? How would I know?¡± The bird asked as it opened its beak, sneering.

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can see me.¡±

    Juho said after thinking for a brief moment, ¡°Crow.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to give you a name.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± The bird asked as it pped its wings.

    ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t really want to see you around. If I give you a name, I might get attached to you,¡± said Juho in a friendly manner, smiling.

    Without saying anything, the crow stared at him intently for some time while Juho stared back finally.

    ¡°Finally! We¡¯re starting to agree on something,¡± it said as it hopped down onto the bed from the desk. The nket tousled underneath the birds¡¯ ws. Juho didn¡¯t stop the bird as it walked toward the bookshelf and took out a book with it sharp beak. ¡®Impressive,¡¯ Juho thought. As the crow tossed the book onto the floor, it cracked open, revealing its white pages and letters written in ck ink.

    ¡°What about it?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Caw! I can¡¯t stand this book!¡± The crow said as it pped its wings about, puffing its chest angrily. One of the pages pped about.

    ¡°You know that I wrote it, right?¡±

    The book on the floor was no other than ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ his maiden work.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    This hoodlum of a bird had something toin about. Recognizing the bright lighting from the monitor, Juho asked the crow, ¡°What don¡¯t you like about it?¡±

    ¡°Everything!¡±

    A straightforward answer. It might be short, but there were feelings in those word. Juho understood immediately that the crow was not very fond of him.

    ¡°Do you know how to read?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a crow, nitwit,¡± said the crow as it pretended to retch.

    ¡°Do YOU even know how to read? I almost thought you couldn¡¯t hear my insults because you were just sitting there, smiling like an imbecile.¡±

    ¡°If I can¡¯t read, then I can¡¯t write.¡±

    ¡°You write crap because you can¡¯t read.¡±

    The crow didn¡¯t back down.

    ¡°Unfortunately, lot of people have already read this crap you¡¯re referring to. I can¡¯t take it back,¡± said Juho, snickering.

    With Juho¡¯s response, the crow folded its wings and picked up the book with its beak.

    ¡°Disastrous.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but there¡¯s more. A lot of people have been reading my next book.¡±

    The crow covered its face with its wings, copsing. Though it had been speaking like a human up to that point, Juho couldn¡¯t help but think that it also moved like a human. Its feathers were intimidatingly dark.

    ¡°Embarrassing! EMBARRASSING!¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand that people are reading this crap! I can¡¯t stand it!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ok,¡± said Juho,forting the crow.

    ¡°Forget it.¡±

    ¡°Do you not like to write?¡±

    ¡°Look at how atrocious it came out!¡±

    Still, it hadn¡¯t been a no.

    ¡°The reviews aren¡¯t as bad. Want to take a look?¡±

    The crow didn¡¯t move from his ce. A ck feather fell from its body. ¡®Where did I see that?¡¯ Juho tried to retrace his memory, but couldn¡¯t remember.

    ¡°You could¡¯ve done better,¡± said the crow. ¡°You could¡¯ve ended it better. Caw, caw,¡¯ it added, crying sadly. ¡°You could¡¯ve gotten better reviews.¡±

    ¡°Haha. Are that you upset?¡±

    After staying silent for a while, the crow changed the subject.

    ¡°I¡¯m not good enough,¡± said the crow, weakly.

    ¡°Well, nobody¡¯s perfect.¡±

    ¡°I want what I write to be perfect.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ambitious.¡±

    ¡°I want to be the great storyteller.¡±

    The great storyteller. Juho stared at the crow quietly.

 Chapter 83 - A Black Beak (2)

    <h4>Chapter 83: Chapter 83 ¨C A ck Beak (2) ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Before Juho knew, the crow was standing on the desk. Though it had been sad up to a moment ago, it stood confidently.

    ¡°I can do it.¡±

    ¡°Not like this.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s still time.¡±

    ¡°Time has nothing to do with it.¡±

    ¡°I said I can do it.¡±

    ¡°Caw! Caw!¡±

    It was impossible tomunicate with it. At the sound of its stubborn cawing, Juho couldn¡¯t do anything other thanugh.

    ¡°Don¡¯t. Laugh.¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    The crow scratched its ws on the surface of the book underneath them, leaving long, thin w marks on the gray cover.

    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t do that. You don¡¯t even have money.¡±

    Ignoring Juho, the crow shredded away at the book. The sound of ripping pages filled the room. It was somewhat horrifying, yet, Juho didn¡¯t do anything to stop it.

    The crow kept ripping the book apart angrily until there was nothing left. As it shook its body, another feather fell from it.

    ¡°What is it that you want to aplish?¡± Juho asked. The crow didn¡¯t give him an answer.

    Instead, it gave a seemingly irrelevant response, ¡°You want to be recognized.¡±

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°The way you wrote it, ording to your intention. You want people to ept your thoughts as they are.¡±

    ¡°Do I?¡±

    ¡°The readers interpret things however they want. They won¡¯t try to understand you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s natural.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a know-it-all. It¡¯s annoying.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lie.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± asked Juho, smiling. ¡°A book exists to be read. A book isn¡¯t just made of paper and letters. Without the readers, my story can never bepleted. I¡¯m so grateful for them and the fact that my writing bes a turning point for some while it bes entertainment for others. That¡¯s the joy of being an author. That¡¯s the happiness that can only be earned by authors. Can you hate happiness?¡±

    The crow looked at Juho with its dark eyes.

    ¡°Lies!¡±

    Though it didn¡¯t believe him until the end, Juho understood the crow. He had been the same way in the past. The mistrust went both ways.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand it. People who bber their thoughts like it¡¯s their birthright, people who doubt me, people who criticize me, people who think they know me, who judge me, tell me I¡¯m wrong, I hate them all. I hate that these people are waiting for the next book in such a light-hearted manner. Nobody thinks of me. Nobody will know how much blood, sweat and tears went into this book, and the suffering I had to go through in the future. They only see results. They only see a small part,¡± the crow said with a slightly cracking voice.

    ¡°Caw!¡± it cried piercingly.

    ¡°I write because I love it.¡±

    ¡°As long as you show it to others, you can¡¯t be free of their opinions.¡±

    ¡°A book is freedom.¡±

    ¡°The weak can¡¯t endure that freedom.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not weak.¡±

    ¡°Humans are weak. All of them.¡±

    ¡°Are all crows strong?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    The confrontation was getting drawn out. Juho started breaking out into cold sweats and was feeling dizzy. He couldn¡¯t tell who was saying what anymore. The monitor kept sting out light. Within it, the crow maintained its menacing color. It was bottomlessly dark. ¡®What would happen if I were to touch it? What would happen to my hand?¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°Everyone. Has. To. Praise. Me.¡± The crow parted its ck beak.

    ¡®That¡¯s not what I want. I won¡¯t let it get to me. I won¡¯t let it hold me back,¡¯ thought Juho,ughing at the crow¡¯s foolish hope.

    ¡°I want to write freely.¡±

    The room grew silent. Juho stood up slowly and opened the window. There was no breezeing in. Nothing came in, and nothing went out. Air, his breath, it was all in its ce. Juho and the crow were the only moving things.

    ¡°Between you and me, this will go on for a while.¡±

    The moment his eyes met with the crow¡¯s, Juho realized that there was no escaping it since he had recognized its existence. He put his hands on his forehead. Arguing with that nameless bird was rather demanding. Both parties were fighting desperately, and Juho started to feel confused. ¡®Wait, who would be the winner? The one who gives in first, or thest standing? What would happen the moment that bird wins?¡¯

    ¡°We¡¯re way too different,¡± said the crow with a caw. The two very different beings were conversing within the same space.

    ¡°Yes, too different,¡± Juho said, smiling at the crow. The crow hated Juho¡¯s smiles andughter.

    Infuriated, the crow spread its wings, blowing off the shredded bits of the book.

    There was a gust of wind, strong enough to make Juho stagger. Another breeze blew into the room through the window. ¡®It¡¯s moving,¡¯ thought Juho, closing his eyes. ¡®There¡¯s not going to be anything left after the wind. The crow, the debris, the book on the floor, nothing.¡¯

    ¡°Juho, have some fruit.¡±

    Juho opened his eyes. He was sitting on his chair, and his mother was standing by the door. He stared at her in a daze.

    ¡°Why¡¯s your room so dark? It¡¯s not good for the eyes. Don¡¯t be looking at the monitor for too long. Look away and stretch from time to time. Would you like me to bring you anything else?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll be out soon.¡±

    With his answer, his mother walked away from the room, leaving the door open. Alone in the room, he looked around. There was no crow, and ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ was still on the bookshelf. However, he felt something in his palm.

    He had probably been clenching his hand into a fist for some time. There were scratch marks and shredded bits of the book on his palm. He turned his eyes to the desk and saw that the corner of the book cover had been ripped out.

    A breeze blew into the room. That piece of the book fell onto the floor, but Juho didn¡¯t reach for it.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Yawn.¡±

    Juho covered his mouth as it opened against his will.

    ¡°Tired?¡± Bom asked as she looked at his direction.

    ¡°A litte.¡±

    ¡°What the? I thought you were sleeping better. Did you stay up again?¡± Seo Kwang interfered, with ¡®The Sound of Wailing¡¯ in his hand. He must have been reading it over and over.

    ¡°I did go to bedte.¡±

    That night, he had to spend a significant amount of time writing. He wanted to organize the thoughts that had been moring in his head. The ck ink had slowly filled the white page in the same color as the crow.

    ¡°What did you do at night?¡± Sun Hwa asked.

    ¡°I yed with a crow,¡± said Juho.

    ¡°A crow?¡± She gave him a puzzled look and said, ¡°OK, enough with the riddles.¡±

    ¡°Harsh.¡±

    She paid him no attention. There was something that was of greater concern in her mind.

    ¡°What do you think we¡¯re going to be doing today?¡±

    ¡°Write,¡± said Seo Kwang being a killjoy.

    ¡°Duh. I mean, it¡¯s a new semester, so I¡¯m wondering if we¡¯re going to be doing something special.¡±

    ¡°Special? How¡¯s that any different from what we¡¯ve been doing?¡±

    The memories of their past training yed through in Juho¡¯s mind. Things had been far from ordinary.

    Sun Hwa agreed, ¡°I guess so. But I think it¡¯s more... unique, than special. I wonder if he¡¯ll keep the same format...¡± there was slight disappointment in her tone.

    ¡°You never know,¡± said Baron.

    Her eyes sparkled, and she asked, ¡°What do you mean? Is there something you know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but it looked like Mr. Moon was preparing something.¡±

    ¡°What could that be?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? When I saw him in the staffroom, he had this weird smile on his face, which it¡¯s odd because the Literature Club is the only ce in the school where he smiles.

    It was true. The existence of the Literature Club had been sustaining him in his teaching career.

    ¡°What do you think it is?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s nothing weird. Wait, we¡¯re not running around the neighborhood this time, are we?¡±

    ¡°In this weather? That¡¯s cruel.¡±

    ¡®Drag.¡¯

    With the sound of the door opening, Mr. Moon walked out of the science room. Before anybody had the time to ask, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s write a novel. It¡¯s the beginning of a new semester. You¡¯ve been working on your basic foundations for thest six months, so I¡¯m confident that we can actually start writing. This will be fun.¡±

    Sun Hwa raised her hand, confused, ¡°A novel? Didn¡¯t we already do that?¡±

    In her bag was everything she had written thus far.

    ¡°No, no, none of that short stuff. I¡¯m talking about a singleposition where you pour the rest of the year into.¡±

    There was silence. A singleposition written for six months. Mr. Moon was asking the club members to write an actual novel, unlike the shorter pieces in the past.

    Of course, Sun Hwa was the first one to exim with excitement, ¡°Whoa!¡±

    ¡°Really??¡±

    ¡°A novel?¡±

    Seo Kwang and Bom said in order. Baron also looked surprised while Juho was caught off guard by the sudden news. ¡®A novel huh. Six months¡¯ worth of writing, at that.¡¯

    ¡°That sounds fun.¡±

    He wouldn¡¯t have to worry about his workflow getting disrupted or struggle to work with keywords that were absurd and incoherent. He¡¯d be able to write freely. It made sense that Mr. Moon hade out looking that excited.

    Looking around with a satisfied look on his face, Mr. Moon told Baron, ¡°The cover will be designed by our very own artist.¡±

    ¡°A cover?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ll be drawing the face of whatever these adorable freshmen write.¡±

    ¡°I have no experience with book covers...¡±

    ¡°None of these guys have experience writing a novel either.¡±

    The rest of the club members shouted excitedly, ¡°Yes Baron! It¡¯s our first time too! Please make mine as nice as possible!¡±

    They were asking for cover designs before they had even started writing. Mr. Moon added as he calmed everyone down, ¡°Now, before we start writing our very own novel, I¡¯ll teach you the proper posture for writing.¡±

    ¡°You can count on me, Mr. Moon.¡± said Seo Kwang as he sat straight.

    ¡°Not exactly wrong, but not exactly what I¡¯m looking for either,¡± said Mr.Moon.

    A posture for writing. Of course, it would be best to write with a proper posture as Seo Kwang had demonstrated, but Mr. Moon was talking about the emotional aspect of it. Juho listened to him quietly.

    ¡°What do you guys think of your own writing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not good enough. It¡¯s embarrassing to read when I¡¯m revising,¡± said Bom. She felt that her sentences were awkward and loose.

    ¡°All right. So, does that mean you guys won¡¯t be able to write any better unless you work on those awkward sentences?¡±

    Nobody answered. As much as they wanted to answer with a resounding ¡°No!,¡± the club members couldn¡¯t muster the confidence amid the reality of having to write a novel. They looked at each other, wondering if they had what it took.

    At that moment, Juho suddenly said, ¡°Sure we can.¡±

 Chapter 84 - Agrippa (1)

    <h4>Chapter 84: Chapter 84 ¨C Agrippa (1) ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡®Of course we can,¡¯ thought Juho. Mr. Moon looked straight into his eyes.

    ¡°Juho Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho answered.

    ¡°What do you think makes for a good story?¡±

    It was a rather difficult question. What made for a good story? In the end, what the person believed would be the answer.

    Juho thought about the stories that moved him from deep within.

    ¡®Suspenseful stories, persistent spirits, skillful writings, characters with personality. Those novels might have left a deep impression, but could that be all? If an author had all of those characteristics, would they be able to write a good book?¡¯ Juho thought of the opposite case. ¡®There were times when I was touched by a story written in loose and awkward sentences. Those stories tended to be sincere.¡¯ He believed that thosepositions had been just as good. The desires for perfection and sincerity had always coexisted. They were both right. So, in the end, Juho¡¯s answer was:

    ¡°What I think is good.¡±

    Mr. Moon nodded his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m sure everyone has their own answers. Perfect sentences, easy to read, tight storyline, they¡¯re all right answers. If you think a story is good, than it bes a good story. Here¡¯s what I think. A good story is one that shakes its readers. No matter how polished it is, if it doesn¡¯t move me, I¡¯ll just stop reading,¡± he said, looking at the club members. ¡°If you have have differing opinions from mine, then all you have to do is go after what¡¯s ¡°good¡± in your mind. I¡¯m not trying to convert anybody here.¡±

    Everyone listened quietly.

    ¡°Everyone here is capable of writing a good book,¡± said Mr. Moon.

    Having been listening quietly, Bom raised her hand and asked, ¡°So, how do we write sincerely?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your guys¡¯ job.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no equation to it. It¡¯s colorless and odorless. It has no shape, so you won¡¯t be able to touch it either. You can¡¯t just pull it out and show it. Find your own way.¡±

    Sun Hwa¡¯s face twisted into a scowl. Looking in her direction, ¡°If I were to give you a tip,¡± he added as he spread his index finger, ¡°try not to be greedy.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t anything new. He had said the same in the past. Greed had been one of the biggest things to avoid in writing. Excitement, fear, desires, it all had to be left behind. Only then, writing something became possible.

    The fact that Mr. Moon had said the same thing several times proved its importance.

    ¡°Greed leads to pretense. You won¡¯t find sincerity in a pretentious story. Avoid being greedy at all times. Understand where you¡¯re. You¡¯re still beginners. You¡¯re babies, incapable of feeding themselves.¡±

    ¡°Babies...¡± Bom echoed his analogy. Unfortunately, he was being urate. After all, it would be their first time writing a novel.

    ¡°A baby shouldn¡¯t be left in charge of grilling a steak when they can¡¯t even feed themselves. They¡¯ll just leave a mess, or worse, burn themselves. Experiencing pain before the joy of creation will instantly kill your drive.¡±

    ¡°But aren¡¯t we all animals born of greed? It¡¯s natural that we want to write well,¡±ined Seo Kwang. Mr. Moon gave him an exaggerated nod.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Listen, you animals of greed. I¡¯m not telling you to get rid of your greed. I¡¯m not trying to make you all into deities. I¡¯m simply asking you all to be discerning of when to be and when not to be greedy. As greedy as you are, you can also be just as rational. You have to know how to control your desires.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true...¡± she said timidly.

    ¡°So... what if ites out bad?¡±

    Fear. It was a natural emotion, especially for beginners.

    Mr. Moon said without hesitation, ¡°None of you will be able to write well.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s expressions grew darker, and Juho chuckled quietly, covering his mouth.

    ¡°Egh...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s hurtful Mr. Moon.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s harsh,¡± added Juho.

    ¡°You guys are unskilled and still learning. That¡¯s what it means to be a beginner. It¡¯s natural that you can¡¯t write well. So, prepare yourselves so that you don¡¯t fall into depression from reading your own writing,¡± Mr. Moon exined.

    Beginners. That was what Mr. Moon had called the club members. Greedy, rational, and now, beginners. There was a variety of names.

    ¡°There¡¯s an expiration date to the word ¡®beginner.¡¯ You¡¯re given little time to be confident of yourck of experience as beginners. You¡¯ll have to, at least, pretend to know how to write in front of the iing freshmen, right?¡± Mr. Moon said as he ced his hand on top of the pile of papers. ¡°So, while you can, write to your heart¡¯s content.¡±

    Juho nodded quietly. A beginner had the right to be confident about their inexperience. After all, they were beginners for a reason. It would take time to learn.

    The club members were about to write their first novel. It was natural for them to be unskilled and inexperienced. Nobody in the room would criticize Mr. Moon for what he had said. Even the club members wouldn¡¯t do that to themselves.

    ¡°Freshmen... That sounds like it¡¯s far into the future.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised,¡± said Mr. Moon. He seemed to have understood Bom. The anxiety on her face slowly faded into a smile.

    ¡°Enjoy it. Embrace being a beginner. It doesn¡¯t matter what anybody says. It¡¯s your story, so write it however the hell you want. Writing is freedom. Since there is no right answer, there is no wrong answer either. Write away.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    ¡°So, now that we¡¯re have a proper posture, let¡¯s learn to write, shall we?¡± he said to the excited club members. ¡°But first, theories.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just get right to it?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t wait for that steak, can we?¡±

    ¡°Steaks are delicious!¡±

    ¡°Know yourselves. You guys don¡¯t even have the teeth to chew it with. Now, focus.¡±

    Despite Sun Hwa¡¯s grumbling, Mr. Moon picked up a piece of chalk. Though it was apparent that she had much toin about, her eyes sparkled as soon as Mr. Moon started his lesson. She wasn¡¯t an exemry student for no reason.

    Juho, too, took the time to brush up on the theories his body had learned up to that point.

    It was quite fun.

    Toward the end of the lesson, Mr. Moon brought something to the room that he had never before.

    ¡°Creation means something new,¡± he said.

    With his desk pushed against the wall, Juho quietly watched the club members standing in the middle of the room. Baron, too, was watching from his seat as usual, but his eyes were on neither Mr. Moon nor the club members, but on the floor.

    ¡°But, creationes from imitation,¡± said Mr. Moon. New things tended toe from something that already existed. Juho looked at the object between himself and Mr. Moon. His eyes were fixated on it even as Mr. Moon kept talking.

    At that moment, Mr. Moon¡¯s voice sounded from above his head, ¡°Today, we¡¯re going to spend some time developing our senses when creating. We¡¯ll learn the kinds of senses we¡¯re going to need when creating.¡±

    ¡°Why are these ster figures here?¡± Juho asked as he raised his hand.

    There were four busts made of ster that matched the number of the club members standing in the middle of the room. Juho looked in Baron¡¯s direction. They seemed like something that would suit an artist more.

    Mr. Moon smiled as if he had been expecting the question, ¡°Four ster figures. They all have the same face. I bought them myself.¡±

    ¡°That exins the size,¡± muttered Seo Kwang.

    ¡°Who dares to interrupt the teacher?¡±

    Juho had been thinking the same thing, but it was something to be grateful for, considering that Mr. Moon had spent his own money.

    ¡°You will each take this Agrippa figure with you. Again, we¡¯re going to learn how to develop your senses for creating. Creation is new. Newes from what already exists. In order to capture that, there¡¯s a need to observe.¡±

    Observe. Juho looked at the ster figures before his eyes. There were four of the same. Every bust of Agrippa in the country would be wearing the same face.

    ¡°Observe it until you get something unique of your own. Make your own ¡®Agrippa.¡¯¡±

    ¡°So, now would be the time to be greedy.¡±

    Mr. Moon nodded with a satisfied smile.

    ¡°But how do we observe?¡± Bom asked, raising her hand.

    ¡°We¡¯ve already gone over that.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Juho Woo,¡± Mr. Moon called for him suddenly.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Instead of an answer, Mr. Moon nodded. Chuckling, Juho understood the meaning of that nod.

    ¡°We listen, read, and think.¡±

    It was one of the things Mr. Moon taught at the very beginning. ¡®Damoon-dadok-dasangryang.¡¯ It meant that that one had to listen a lot, read a lot, and think a lot in order to be a better writer.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You won¡¯t get much from just sitting there and looking around. Talk to it. Pull what¡¯s inside of it out. Try salting it or cooking it over fire. Then, whatever vor you end up with, you¡¯ll see something that you haven¡¯t seen in that pale, lifeless figure.¡±

    They had to make the ster figure spill all its secrets. Whether it meant feeding it with sugar or salt, they had to make it happy or miserable. After asking it questions and sharing their stories with it, they would gain something they could write about. That was the essence of creation.

    ¡°All right then. Everyone take a bust, and go.¡±

    With those words, Mr. Moon left the room. Confusion fell over everyone¡¯s faces as they approached the figures.

    After examining one in her hands, Sun Hwa grumbled, frowning, ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s telling us to ¡®create.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Without pen or paper?¡±

    ¡°Your hands are probably better suited for it,¡± said Juho.

    She turned her eyes in the figure¡¯s direction, finally realizing that it wasn¡¯t about writing. Mr. Moon was teaching them what had to happen before they started writing ¨C their subjects, what they were going to write about.

    Juho picked up one of the Agrippa busts. It was quite hefty. He looked around it for characteristics. ¡®Hard. ster figure. Inanimate. Bust sculpture. Thick nose. Hollow eyes. Ivory skin. Commonly found in art studios. Always standing.¡¯

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    He started to get a feel for it.

 Chapter 85 - Agrippa (2)

    <h4>Chapter 85: Chapter 85 ¨C Agrippa (2) ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Having taken the figure to a corner, Juho plunked himself down on the floor. With his chin resting on his hand, he began to think. Confused, the club members watched Juho quietly and then each found themselves a spot. In the not-so-spacious room, the members scattered throughout, each ring at their figure intently. Baron was sketching quietly from his seat at the moment.

    ¡°Salt...¡±

    ¡°Sugar...¡±

    People murmured quietly. One would think that they were part of the Cooking Club. Seo Kwang flicked his finger on the figure¡¯s head. ¡®Thud.¡¯

    ¡°Mr. Agrippa, please say something,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°Keep it down, will ya?¡± Sun Hwa said.

    ¡°You¡¯re the loudest one in the room. Stop looking for salt.¡±

    Having been looking for sugar, Bom clenched her lips in embarrassment. They wanted an eye-opening discovery, something that would shock the world, flip it upside down.

    ording to Mr. Moon¡¯s analogies, they were attempting to cook steak.

    Juho turned his attention to his figure. There wasn¡¯t a need for anything impressive. All it took was toe in contact with one single emotion. That was more than enough to start.

    Soon, salt and sugar turned into impulsivity and curiosity. ¡®What kind of truth was this figure harboring?¡¯

    When he thought of the ster busts, the first thing that came to mind was Pygmalion. He was an artist who fell in love with a sculpture he had sculpted himself.

    ¡®Should I try going in this direction? Or...¡¯ Juho thought as he examined the outer appearance of the Agrippa bust.

    It was heavy and rigid, but it had no shape below the chest. Juho gave it an imaginary pair of hands and feet. The figure grew in size. Juho stood up, following the figure as it grew taller.

    No blood flowed underneath its ivory skin. Juho imagined it having blood. The heart started beating as it pumped out blood, transferring oxygen throughout the body. Agrippa started to breathe, and Juho put his hand underneath its nose. He felt airing out of it, carrying body heat. A warmth spread throughout its cold, lifeless skin.

    As it breathed, it gained the ability to move. Juho watched Agrippa as it walked around the science room, touching and feeling various objects, asionally breaking them. It doubted objects that it had never seen before while being wary of people it had never met. It became angry quickly, but on the other hand, it became happy just as easily. Juho quietly observed its behavior. He had been solely responsible for granting Agrippa such attributes. In real life, Agrippa was no more than a ster figure. It couldn¡¯t move or be wary of people. As Juho took away its hands and feet as well as its blood and emotions, Agrippa quickly shrunk in size. Sitting on the floor, Juho was back to where he had started. He tried feeling Agrippa¡¯s head.

    ¡®Rigid. Cold,¡¯ he thought. ¡®What else can I take away from it? What else can I get rid of from this cold, rigid ster figure? Is there a way to describe that as freedom?¡¯

    Time kept ticking as Juho immersed himself in thought. Soon, the club members started to reach their limits. Each of their concentration started to fail.

    Sun Hwa made a noise as she twisted her body. Bom sighed while Seo Kwang moaned mysteriously. Baron was sketching Agrippa in his sketchbook.

    In the end, Sun Hwa was the first to explode, ¡°I don¡¯t get it!¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    She paid no attention to Seo Kwang.

    ¡°What¡¯s so new about this? New perspective? Creation? What is all that? I can¡¯t think of anything. Have I been this stupid all along? I have good grades though!¡±

    Seo Kwang pushed away the figure with his feet, joining in on Sun Hwa¡¯s ranting, ¡°Mr. Moon must have a story that involves a ster figure. This happened at the essay contest too! Does he have a thing for ster figures!?¡±

    Juho quietly agreed. There had to be a story.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start,¡± said Bom with a timid voice. Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa were both in situations simr to hers. Creation. New perspective. It all sounded too difficult. Bom quietly called for Juho, ¡°Were you able to think of anything?¡±

    ¡°A little bit.¡±

    ¡°What??¡± Sun Hwa asked fiercely.

    After a brief time thinking, he decided to give her a hint, ¡°Try not toplicate it.¡±

    With that, he picked up the figure from the floor. The coldness pierced through his hands. ¡®Feelings thate from the outside. That¡¯s what I need to focus on.¡¯

    ¡°To start with, it¡¯s hard to be creative. Start slow, one step at a time.¡±

    ¡°How do you do that?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    ¡°Just... however you feel like it?¡±

    Everyone sighed out loud.

    ¡°You. Mr. Moon. Not helpful,¡± said Sun Hwa.

    ¡°That¡¯s a little harsh,¡± Juho said with a chuckle. In order to escape the usation of being ambiguous like Mr. Moon, he approached Baron with the figure still in his hands. All eyes were on him.

    ¡°Can I borrow your pencil?¡±

    Without saying much, Baron handed the pencil he was using over. With gratitude, Juho pointed the pencil in his hand at Agrippa.

    ¡°For example...¡±

    After drawing on its face for a brief moment, he turned Agrippa around and showed it to the rest of the club members. On its once pale, lifeless face, there was hair sticking out of his nose.

    Nose hair. Seo Kwang gave Juho a dumbfounded look.

    ¡°What?! Are you kidding me?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±

    Everyone seemed disappointed, but Juho paid no attention to their expressions.

    ¡°Just like that, my Agrippa now has luscious nose hairs, unlike yours.¡±

    In those seemingly trivial words, there was something that the club members couldn¡¯t catch. Something different from the others. Juho had obtained it easily, but he didn¡¯t stop there. He raised his hands high, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. On his hands, was the only Agrippa figure with nose hair in the room. It didn¡¯t look very stable.

    ¡®What else can I take away from it? What else can I get rid of from this cold, rigid ster figure?¡¯ With those thoughts, he threw the figure down at the floor.

    With a loud noise and faint sense of pleasure in Juho¡¯s mind, the Agrippa bust shattered into pieces. Someone screamed. Now, Agrippa had lost his shape. Juho had taken away its shape, freeing it from its confinement. ¡°What should we call it now?¡± Juho asked himself as he picked up the Agrippa pieces. ¡°Debris? Shattered figure? Trash? Agrippa?¡± Nobody answered.

    ¡°You scared me!¡± Sun Hwa said annoyingly. Bom was covering her mouth. Baron stared at Juho from afar quietly. Nobody was hurt because Juho had made sure to throw it in a safe direction.

    ¡°What the heck is this about?¡±

    ¡°What? What¡¯s so wrong about it?¡±

    Sun Hwa was at loss for words. He was right. Nothing was wrong. She simply couldn¡¯t think of it. She hadn¡¯t had the courage to throw Agrippa at the floor. A slight sense of bitterness rushed over her. ¡®Why can¡¯t I be as brave as him?¡¯ Then, she remembered what Mr. Moon had said earlier. ¡®You won¡¯t get much from just sitting there and looking around.¡¯ She had finally understood what he had meant. She had been much more timid than she had realized. ¡®I¡¯m so mad...!¡¯ she thought, clenching her teeth.

    At that moment, she¡¯s had another thought, ¡®What about my Agrippa?¡¯ Her figure was standing where she had left it, staring in the direction of the shattered figure. ¡®I wonder what it¡¯s thinking. Maybe it¡¯s jealous since that¡¯s the only figure that broke out of its mold.¡¯

    ¡°I see now.¡±

    The shattering sound pierced Sun Hwa¡¯s ears. The impact outside had kickstarted a chain of thoughts in her mind. Sensation moved feelings, and those feelings that shook loose belonged to Sun Hwa. Once she gave its empty face an emotion, she eventually came to believe it to be real.

    Seo Kwang and Bom seemed to have caught on as well. They started examining their figures with serious expressions on their faces. They were working hard to find their own Agrippas. As Juho watched them with a satisfied smile, his eyes met the shattered pieces of his Agrippa. Then, he quietly made his way to his ss to get a broom and a dustpan.

    Upon seeing the figure in pieces in the dustpan, Mr. Moon smiled with satisfaction. He had had a good reason for buying them with his own money.

    ¡ª

    ¡®Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.¡¯

    Waking up, Juho checked the time. It was 8:00 a.m.

    Lately, he hadn¡¯t been writing much outside of the Literature Club, which was different from usual, when he wrote into the night regardless of where he was. The change was somewhat unfamiliar. He felt sluggish and thirsty. Although there was a cup of water on the desk, it was out of his reach.

    Instead of sitting up, he stayed on his bed, staring at the ceiling. After some time, it almost felt like it was spinning.

    As time went by, more and more people evaluated ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ Juho had been reading the reviews as much as he could. Each person had read the book with their respective point of view, interpreting ordingly.

    ¡°I¡¯m noticing more depth in his writing.¡±

    ¡°His book got darker.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if something happened to the author?¡±

    The critics took ¡®The Sound of Wailing¡¯ apart and analyzed it from different angles. Some were rather usible whereas others weren¡¯t.

    Juho blinked, and the ceiling stopped spinning.

    Overall, the book was well-received, and there were more positive reviews than negative ones. Juho felt relieved as he thought about his past works. They were deep-seeded memories. The mostmonly used word to describe his book then had been ¡®bubble.¡¯

    Bubble.

    It meant that itcked substance. The readers had been disappointed and had started to associate him with ¡®bubble.¡¯ As a person who had been content with the simple pleasure of being called a genius, it had been more than enough to tear his world apart. As he reminisced, Juho felt a strange sense of betrayal boiling up from within. Just like that, Yun Woo had met his downfall in the past.

    Now, there was a sense of relief in ce of that sense of betrayal. ¡®What am I feeling relieved about? The present that¡¯s different from the past? All thepliments?¡¯ Juho felt confused. At times, emotions were a pain in the neck. They sprung up without warning, like a waterfall that flowed in reverse. They weren¡¯t reasonable and they weren¡¯t the most ttering either. There was no way to know where they would be stored. The biggest issue was that Juho himself was entertained by them, so he couldn¡¯t ignore thempletely. If anything, he wanted to draw them closer. He wanted to dip his hand in the stream of water that flowed up to the sky.

    In the end, he wanted to trante that cool, refreshing sensation into writing.

 Chapter 86 - A Long-Awaited Encounter (1)

    <h4>Chapter 86: Chapter 86 ¨C A Long-Awaited Encounter (1) ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho felt refreshed just from the thought of dipping his hand into the water. Perhaps, he¡¯d gotten used to being thirsty.

    Sitting up on the bed, he reached his hand out toward the desk, groping for something. He felt a book on his hand with a torn cover. Stroking the cover, he opened the book. He read, slowly, one sentence after another. However, he closed the book before he had even finished reading the first page. He couldn¡¯t bear to read it anymore. Though it was the result of dozens of revisions and edits, he didn¡¯t even want to touch it.

    In order to bring himself out of that ufortable ce in his head, Juho put the book down and turned on hisputer to ess the online bookstore. On the side, there was a list ranking bestsellers ¡®1. The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ When he clicked it, an even bigger image appeared on the screen along with his name, ¡°Yun Woo.¡± He thought of the reviews he had read recently.

    ¡®I read it because it¡¯s by Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡®I ordered it as soon as I saw the name ¡®Yun Woo.¡¯¡±

    ¡®I bought it because it¡¯s written by ¡®Yun Woo.¡¯¡±

    Yun Woo.

    Juho stared at that word quietly. Of course, there was a part of him that wanted people to read his book as much as possible. His name had always been an advantage, so there wasn¡¯t anything toin about. On the other hand, he wondered if the results would have been the same if his name hadn¡¯t been disyed. In that case, the name ¡°Yun Woo¡± would eventually be reduced to nothing more than a bubble. What if it had already? Wouldn¡¯t that mean that nothing had changed after all?

    ¡®I need to stop.¡¯

    Those thoughts weren¡¯t helpful, so Juho drove out every single thought that was upying his mind.

    The thoughts were driven out of his head migrated onto his palms. He knew what that signal meant. He was familiar with it, having experienced it several times in the past. Now, there was no choice but to write.

    Setting aside his book browsing, Juho picked up a pen that had been rolling around on his desk. He reached for a piece of paper that was within reach. There was no plot or structure to what he wrote. No characters. No background. He was driven only by his desires, filling the emptiness with his pen. There wasn¡¯t anything unhealthy about what he was doing. Because it was meant to be written and read by him and himself alone, there was no guilt.

    Aside from a quick piece of toast for lunch, Juho spent hours writing. When his hand started to give out from the pain, he put down the pen and moved on to typing. Having written to his heart¡¯s content, he looked at the time. It was 4:00 a.m.

    ¡°My hand hurts.¡±

    Feeling his hand throbbing painfully, he went to sleep

    *

    Yun Seo was preparing a meal for a special guest. She was cooking twice as much food as usual, and before she knew it, it was almost time for the guest¡¯s arrival.

    She called for her two pupils as she walked out of the kitchen, ¡°Joon Soo, Geun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Baek,¡± Joon Soo answered quickly, neatly dressed.

    By contrast, Geun Woo ran out to the living room, ¡°Mrs. Baek, do you think this is good enough?¡±

    ¡°Haha! It¡¯s not like you¡¯re meeting the president you know,¡± said Yun Seo, smiling.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just as special! It¡¯s Mr. Lim we¡¯re talking about! I really want to look presentable.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have had to be in such a hurry if you were just a bit more organized.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asking too much, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    Having listened to the conversation, Joon Soo said as he looked at the clock, ¡°He should be here any minute now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, any minute now. He¡¯s neverte.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s always on time. I don¡¯t know how he does it. He¡¯s incredible.¡±

    Geun Woo took deep breaths in an attempt to calm his nerves. He had been spending a significant amount of time, since that morning, desperate for apliment. Though not as apparent as Geun Woo, Joon Soo, too, had been constantly checking himself in the mirror. Yun Seo smiled. The name ¡°Hyun Do Lim¡± had always had an entertaining effect on the younger authors.

    Although he had never called them out on the way they dressed, her pupils always greeted him with excitement and anticipation. They seemed rather nervous about meeting a veteran author who also happened to be among the legends. Yun Seo was proud of her pupils¡¯ for the way they treated her friend and fellow author, Hyun Do.

    ¡®Ding, Dong.¡¯ As the doorbell rang, Joon Soo and Geun Woo quickly tensed up. Light-footed, Yun Seo walked toward the door. A handsome gentleman stepped in. Finally, the face Joon Soo and Geun Woo had been desperately waiting to see.

    ¡°Hey, you,¡± greeted Yun Seo with an innocent smile. The gentleman greeted her as he looked at her with a lukewarm expression.

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    It was a clear sounding voice, low and gentle. Behind Yun Seo, Joon Soo was upied with keeping Geun Woo calm. In order to introduce them, Yun Seo moved aside.

    ¡°Wee! My pupils have been waiting eagerly.¡±

    ¡°I believe I got here on time.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be coy now. You¡¯re not shy, are you?¡±

    ¡°Are you nning on leaving me standing here?¡±

    As they conversedfortably, Joon Soo and Geun Woo waited anxiously to greet him and barely managed to say, ¡°Hello.¡± Hyun Do looked at them with calm eyes.

    ¡°You look healthy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ve been doing well,¡± said Joon Soo with stiff shoulders.

    With a smile, Hyun Do added, ¡°You can rx.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Despite his answer, his shoulders remained rigid. Having been frivolous up to a moment ago, Geun Woo also stood quietly. As his eyes met with Hyun Do¡¯s, Hyun Do took the initiative to greet him, ¡°You look nice. I like it.¡±

    A bright smile spread on Geun Woo¡¯s face. He had been desperately waiting for apliment from Hyun Do. Yun Seo was impressed by Hyun Do¡¯s ability to identify and say what the other person wanted to hear.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Geun Woo said, smiling ear to ear.

    ¡°You must be hungry! I made your favorite,¡± said Yun Seo.

    ¡°Hmmm,¡± Hyun Do let out a mysterious moan. It wasn¡¯t apparent whether he was upset or excited. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you made way too much food?¡±

    ¡°Nothing makes you sadder than not having enough to eat.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just too generous.¡±

    Hyun do walked quietly toward the kitchen, his ck and silver hairpletely still. Joon Soo and Geun Woo followed.

    There was a plethora of food on the table, but that day, the table was especially more colorful.

    As Yun Seo watched the food go into Hyun Do¡¯s mouth, she asked excitedly, ¡°Well? How is it? It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve had it, right?¡± She seemed happy to see her friend again.

    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± he answered briefly, sitting with his back straight. Sitting with open shoulders gave one a confident appearance. There was a reason her pupils paid so much attention to their postures whenever Hyun Do was over. ¡°This has got to be a lot of work.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fun. I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it if it was just work.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t over do it. We¡¯re not young anymore.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you worry about me. I still have plenty of strength. Hanging out with the youngins must have helped.¡±

    Hyun Do chuckled. Looking in his direction, Yun Seo finally brought up the subject that she had been looking to mention, ¡°Yun Woo came by the other day.¡±

    His hand stopped in its tracks. Yun Seo smiled innocently and said, ¡°Oh my, could it be that our infamous Mr. Lim made a wrong guess?¡±

    Hyun Do smiled without saying much. Having listened quietly, Joon Soo and Geun Woo wore a confused faces. A few momentster, Geun Woo asked quietly, ¡°Did Juho do something?¡±

    Yun Seo exined willingly, ¡°Our Mr. Lim here had said before that Yun Woo would have some trouble writing his next book.¡±

    ¡°Huh? But he didn¡¯t seem like he was struggling at all when he was here, and his books are selling like...¡±

    His voice grew timid as Joon Soo nced in his direction. With a still expression, Hyun Do added, ¡°I was shocked. It hasn¡¯t even been a year, and yet...¡±

    ¡°He was an interesting one,¡± said Yun Seo, studying Hyun Do¡¯s expression. Although he hadn¡¯t said it explicitly, she felt that he had an interest in Yun Woo. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡±

    ¡°A little bit.¡±

    ¡°Would you like to know more about him?¡±

    ¡°If you want.¡±

    Yun Seo contemted making Hyun Do more desperate, but instead, she decided to be direct, ¡°He was young, first of all.¡±

    ¡°I know his age,¡± said Hyun Do, calmly.

    ¡°But mature on the other hand,¡± said Yun Seo, thinking back to the day she first met him. There had been no tension in the way he¡¯d treated her. ¡°Whenever I looked at him, it felt almost like time had moved slower around him. That kid knew how to be peaceful. It was apparent in his smile.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°He has a good appetite. Not picky at all.¡±

    ¡°He knew how to read Chinese poems, too,¡± added Joon Soo.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We talked about Li Taibo together.¡±

    Geun Woo chimed in, ¡°His ears were open too. You¡¯ve always told us, Mrs. Baek ¨C to be aware of what we hear in our surroundings. If anything, he¡¯s a tad bit toofortable around adults. Oh, and he wasn¡¯t very good with spicy food.¡±

    Before they knew it, they were offering up information to Hyun Do. Without saying much, he listened quietly.

    ¡°He¡¯s also somewhat simr to my husband.¡±

    At Yun Seo¡¯s words, Hyun Do¡¯s eyebrow rose slightly, ¡°Having two of that kind in this world is a disaster.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my husband?¡±

    ¡°He was all over the ce. It was contagious, too.¡±

    ¡°I thought it was attractive.¡±

    ¡°You just have terrible taste.¡± With those words, Hyun Do took a moment to think. ¡°Juho Woo, was it? His real name?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Juho Woo.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you can arrange a meeting?¡±

    Between her two pupils screaming silently, Yun Seo too had a surprised look on her face.

    ¡°Oh, my! Really? This is so unlike you. What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to for some time now. I got to read his new book ahead of most people because of a request from the publishingpany,¡± he said. Unlike the others around him, he was calm.

    ¡°And then??¡±

    ¡°I became curious.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    He stayed silent for a brief time. With a slight sense of jealousy, Joon Soo and Geun Woo listened intently to the conversation.

    Finally, Hyun Do¡¯s lips parted slowly and he said, ¡°About him. I want to know how he¡¯s able to portray such raw emotions.¡±

 Chapter 87 - A Long-Awaited Encounter (2)

    <h4>Chapter 87: Chapter 87 ¨C A Long-Awaited Encounter (2) ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    In order to catch up with his transcription, Juho took out Hyun Do Lim¡¯s book and ced it gently onto the desk with his notebook. As usual, his effort was short-lived, but by now, he came to ept it.

    Having opened the book, he had naturally started to read page after page. By the time he finished doing that, a significant amount of time had already passed. Though he couldn¡¯t think of a specific reason, the book was always a good read. Every time he read it, he always felt that it was a good book. After that, he revisited the scene that left a deep impression on him.

    In the house once upied by his wife and children, the old man was left all alone. He stood in front of a mirror and confessed his life. ¡®Where is it?¡¯ he asked. The mirror was the only ce to whom he could ask that question. Of course, the old man in the mirror did not speak until he did. Yet, he waited for an answer. It was idiotic. The restrained atmosphere made the reading experience unpleasant, but Juho was drawn to it still. The book had a way of attracting its reader emotionally.

    Hyun Do Lim. He was an author who wrote well into histe years, an author loved by authors. Calcting and insistent in his style, he had inspired many people. His books were filled with philosophical content that had been dressed in beautiful writing. Of course, he was still active to that day. Juho brushed his hand across the letters in his book. At times, that was enough to move a person to tears.

    ¡°Where is it?¡±

    Juho read the line out loud. The stubborn old man asked that of the mirror upon realizing the death of his family. There was no one left in that world that would listen to him. An old man who had been secretly watching the three brothers next door. An old man who had been infuriated by the injustice between them. Because he couldn¡¯t tolerate the inexperience of children, he probably couldn¡¯t forgive himself either.

    Suddenly, Juho was ovee by an urge to look into a mirror. ¡®There¡¯s a mirror in the bathroom.¡¯ After standing up from his chair, he headed for the bathroom. The mirror appeared as soon as he opened the door, and as he walked in, he saw himself in it. There were water stains on it that gave it a dirty look. He turned on the faucet in order to clean the mirror, wiping it with his wet hand. Although the stains disappeared, he still didn¡¯t get the impression that it was clean.

    ¡®Click.¡¯

    As his fingernail hit the surface of the mirror, it made a light yet dull sound. After ringing out for a brief moment, the sound soon dissipated into the air. In the mirror, Juho saw himself touching the mirror with the same face, expression, and skin. If it weren¡¯t for the boundary called mirror, there wouldn¡¯t be a way for him to distinguish himself.

    For no apparent reason, he flicked his finger against the mirror twice. Then, thinking of an author whose favorite number was three, he gave it another flick. The author¡¯s books were still not doing well. Because the most recent had been published around the same time as Juho¡¯s second book, it was suffering more than usual. Though Joon Soo hadined to Juho as a joke, Juho didn¡¯t feel sorry for him. He knew Joon Soo would be sessful one day in the near future. ¡®Should I be on my toes?¡¯ Juho thought, chuckling. Then, looking up, he looked into his eyes in the mirror and decided to explore his imagination a little bit.

    ¡®Caw!¡¯ A crow sat on his right shoulder. ck beak. ck eyes. ck feathers. ¡®How long has it been there?¡¯ Juho thought as he stared at it quietly. After bobbing its head a few times, it spread its wings annoyingly, as if it had been irritated with Juho for calling it for no apparent reason. Juho closed his eyes at the sight of the crow¡¯s frantic movement. By the time he opened them again, it had vanished into the shadow. As he chased after it, Juho picked up a cleaning brush from the corner of the bathroom.

    ¡°Where was that detergent?¡±

    With that, he started to scrub away forcefully. After cleaning the bathroom thoroughly, he dried the moisture on his hand and made his way back to his room.

    As he walked in, he saw a shiny object on his bed. It was his phone, illuminating rhythmically, meaning that there was a message or messages that he hadn¡¯t checked yet. Surprisingly, it was a text from Yun Seo, which he read through quickly.

    ¡®Would you like to meet with Hyun Do Lim?¡¯

    ¡°... Hyun Do Lim?¡±

    Juho looked at the book he had been reading up to a moment ago. Standing still, he picked it up quietly and opened it to its first page, where the author¡¯s profile was. Dark and silver hair. Handsome appearance that gave off a calm disposition. That was the person Juho would have the opportunity to meet.

    ¡°Ha...!¡± Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡®Maybe I can get an autograph?¡¯

    Just like that, the meeting with Hyun Do Lim was arranged.

    ¡ª

    Time passed, and Juho was a day away from meeting Hyun Do Lim, and he had been absent-minded throughout the entire school day. To be precise, his attention was elsewhere. Although the only difference was that he was awake, the fact that he wasn¡¯t paying attention remained unchanged.

    ¡°Do you like someone?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    ¡°Nope,¡± answered Juho, lightheartedly.

    ¡°Then what are you daydreaming about?¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you are, even as we speak.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°This is bad,¡± said Seo Kwang, resting his chin on his hand. ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°Yep, something good,¡± said Juho, chuckling quietly.

    ¡°Something good? How good?¡±

    Juho shared the reality that was too good to be true with Seo Kwang, ¡°Hm, like meeting Hyun Do Lim in person good?¡±

    ¡°WHOA!¡±

    Hyun Do Lim. At the sound of his name, Seo Kwang¡¯s eyes sparkled brightly.

    ¡°You¡¯re meeting Hyun Do Lim?? I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep for at least a couple nights. I¡¯d probably take a sedative the day of, and then clutch my chest an hour before as my heart tried to jump out of me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s oddly specific.¡±

    ¡°If I were meeting Mr. Lim at four in the afternoon, I¡¯d be on cloud nine an hour before,¡± Seo Kwang said as he shook his own hands.

    It wouldn¡¯t have been odd to think that he was a prince from an alien. With a chuckle, Juho turned his attention away from his friend and to the outside. ¡®One day away. Maybe I really need a sedative,¡± he thought as he looked down at his heart, which was beating calmly like usual. It was almost boringly calm. Because it had been arranged in such a spontaneous manner, he felt like it could get cancelled just as suddenly. He looked up at the sky and saw the clouds that were floating away as calmly as his heartbeat. There wasn¡¯t a single bird in the sky. ¡®Is this really happening?¡¯ he asked himself. It all felt unreal.

    The day finally came.

    Juho woke up early that morning and checked his phone. There weren¡¯t any messages that said anything about the meeting being cancelled. It was really going to happen. There was still some time, but it was still the day Juho would meet an author with the fitting reputation of a literary colossus, but the day felt hardly any different. As usual, he spent his time reading after showering and eating, then writing, daydreaming, and brainstorming.

    ¡®Buzz.¡¯ At that moment, his phone rang. It was Seo Joong.

    When Juho answered, the familiar voice sounded from the other end. ¡°Mr. Woo. What are you up to this fine day?¡± Seo Joong asked light-heartedly, and Juho thought immediately of his untidy appearance.

    ¡°I was getting ready to go out.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± he eximed. It was hard to tell whether he was surprised or disappointed. ¡°Is that so? I wanted to treat you out to some food. Who are you seeing? A girlfriend?¡±

    Juho answered his childish joke calmly, ¡°Mr. Hyun Do Lim.¡±

    The line went silent, and Juho checked to see if the call had dropped, but the call was very much ongoing, and the receiver hadn¡¯t been muted. That meant that the silence had to being from the person on the other end.

    Juho waited patiently for his response, and it didn¡¯t take long to hear shouting, ¡°H, Hyun Do Lim?! As in THE Hyun Do Lim?! The Hyun Do Lim I¡¯m thinking of?!¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s brief answer, Seo Joong grew all the more anxious.

    ¡°How? How did that happen?¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Baek asked if I wanted to meet him, so I said yes, and we scheduled it for today.¡±

    ¡°... You know Mrs. Baek too?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    After Juho¡¯s brief answer, the silence returned once again. Just as he had done before, Juho waited quietly for Seo Joong.

    ¡°Get an autograph for me, will ya?¡± he asked childishly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I think I got my hands full as is with getting one for myself.¡±

    ¡°Come on! I¡¯ll give you my autograph too.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± said Juho with a chuckle.

    ¡°Where is it at??¡±

    ¡°Why? Are you nning on visiting?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the guts for that.¡±

    Juho shared the location of the meeting willingly. It was at a ce he had never heard of in the past.

    ¡°I was told the meeting is going to be at Mrs. Song¡¯s restaurant?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Seo Joong seemed to be familiar with the ce.

    ¡°You sound like you¡¯ve been there.¡±

    ¡°Yep. That ce is well-known among authors.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°The owner and chef, Mrs. Song, is an avid novel reader. Her food is amazing too. I don¡¯t know the details myself, but it¡¯s almost like a regr spot for writers. A friend of mine rmended the ce, so I checked it out and met Joon Soo Bong. You might run into him too if you¡¯re lucky. Although, nobody there will know that you¡¯re Yun Woo.¡±

    Joon Soo Bong. Juho was well-acquainted with that name by now. ¡®So, Seo Joong and Joon Soo know each other, huh?¡¯ thought Juho.

    ¡°I wanted to take you there myself, but it seems like Mr. Lim beat me to it. You¡¯re one lucky guy.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s quiet chuckle, Seo Joong asked yfully, ¡°Aren¡¯t you nervous? You¡¯re meeting one of the greats!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe it hasn¡¯t sunk in yet.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t imagine you getting nervous either. You know, for your age, you¡¯ve got guts.¡±

    ¡°You never know. I might get nervous when I meet him.¡±

    ¡°To this day, I¡¯ve never met anyone who said things like that when they were nervous.¡±

    When Juho checked the clock, he saw it was nearly time for him to leave the house.

    ¡°I think I need to get going.¡±

    ¡°All right, I don¡¯t want you to bete either. Tell me more about it afterwards! Get me an autograph if you can.¡±

    He was rather insistent about getting Hyun Do¡¯s autograph. Juho hung up the phone with a half-hearted answer.

 Chapter 88 - A Long-Awaited Encounter (3)

    <h4>Chapter 88: Chapter 88 ¨C A Long-Awaited Encounter (3) ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Madame Song¡¯s restaurant was in a rather secluded ce.

    Once Juho entered a dark alleyway, he was greeted by a neat row of flowerpots. ording to Yun Seo, those flowerpots meant that the restaurant was near. Remembering what she had said, Juho kept on.

    The ground was made of bricks that were somewhat uneven. Although Juho felt slightly uneasy at the thought of the bricks being loose, the ground seemed to be much sturdier than it looked.

    After walking past the flowerpots, his eyes were met by a luxurious restaurant that came into stark contrast without its surroundings. It seemed more like an art gallery than a restaurant. ¡®I wonder why it¡¯s so secluded? It wouldn¡¯t have been weird to find a building like this at a major street.¡¯ The disparity in the visuals between the restaurant and its surrounding gave it a mysterious atmosphere. After looking around the building for a short time, Juho carefully stepped into the restaurant.

    The gentle sound of the door made his presence known. In what seemed like a waiting room, there was a couch, a cash register and a ratherrge mirror in ce of a wall. As he sat on the couch, he saw his reflection in the mirror in front of him. The wait couldn¡¯t have been long. Time tended to fly when one stared into their face in the mirror.

    A woman was standing by the cash register. Though their eyes met, she didn¡¯t try to rush him to a table.

    Juho stood in front of the mirror to straighten his clothes. Because it was a special asion, one of meeting one of the literary greats, he was intentional about looking presentable. If Dong Gil had been there, he would have smiled proudly.

    As Juho checked himself in the mirror, he thought of one of Hyun Do Lim¡¯s books.

    His reflection in the mirror asked, ¡°Where is it?¡±

    ¡°Madame Song¡¯s restaurant,¡± Juho answered without hesitation. Unlike the atmosphere in Hyun Do¡¯s book, it had sounded more like a cheesy promotional video. At that moment, the door opened, signaling another potential customer. Juho looked at the mirror.

    The first thing that stood out was the man¡¯s straight posture. While being impressed, Juho¡¯s eyes met his. To be precise, Juho¡¯s eyes met the reflection of the man in the mirror.

    With his eyes fixated on the reflection of the man¡¯s ck and silver hair, Juho greeted him, ¡°Hello.¡±

    The man didn¡¯t respond. Juho turned around to see him in person. His still, motionless figure gave off a picturesque appearance.

    ¡°You must be Juho,¡± the man said.

    Juho felt relieved that the man called him by his real name. Then, he realized that he had been more nervous than he had been aware of. A sense of peace washed over him.

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± he answered, smiling.

    ¡°Hm. I see that your shoulders are quite rxed.¡±

    ¡®Was it apliment?¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s perfect for writing.¡±

    ¡®Apliment. It was an honor.¡¯

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Shall we?¡±

    Finally, they made their way into the restaurant. Although Hyun Do didn¡¯t say his name, they were lead to their table by the woman who had been standing quietly by the cash register. Walking past several tables, a room became visible. Much like the exterior, the interior was just as luxurious.

    As they took their seats, a woman who seemed to be around Hyun Do¡¯s age walked into the room with a menu in her hands. Her generous appearance resembled that of a bear cub.

    ¡°Mister Hyun Do Lim. Been a while. You need toe more often. Help a friend out.¡±

    She seemed to be a friend of Hyun Do. Without changing his expression or attitude, Hyun Do answered, ¡°My understanding was that you¡¯re here to give each of us a menu?¡±

    ¡°Thought I should see my friend¡¯s face too while I¡¯m at it. I see that you havepany unlike usual? He seems young,¡± she said. The puzzled look on her face made her look even more like a bear cub. With augh, she introduced herself, ¡°Madame Song. Pleased to meet you.¡±

    Indeed, she was Madame Song.

    ¡°Hello. Juho Woo.¡±

    ¡°Right. So, how do you know Hyun Do? Are you a pupil of his?¡±

    As she made the question with sparkling eyes, Hyun do stepped in before Juho even had the time to respond, ¡°I¡¯m here to eat, but I haven¡¯t gotten my menu yet.¡±

    ¡°OK, OK. Can¡¯t hurt to hang out a little, you know,¡± she said, putting the menus on the table.

    Without even looking at them, Hyun Do handed one over to Juho and said, ¡°Pick whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°He always gets the same thing, everytime,¡± said Madame Song.

    ¡°Can I order the same thing?¡± Juho asked curiously.

    ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no reason you can¡¯t,¡± said Hyun Do, smiling light-heartedly.

    Juho had no clue as to what he had ordered, but it didn¡¯t bother him. As Madame Song observed the two entertainingly, she took their orders and left the room with an innocent, cub-like smile.

    Soon, soup and bread made their way to the table as if trading ces with her. Juho and Hyun Do ate quietly without saying anything. Sitting across from Juho, the literary great didn¡¯t seem to be put off by the silence. With a thin smile, the man¡¯s lips parted to ask, ¡°Do you look at yourself in the mirror often?¡±

    Instinctively, Juho thought of the moment he first saw Hyun Do in the mirror. After a brief time thinking, he answered, ¡°Not exactly ¡®often,¡¯ no. However, I¡¯ve been looking at myself in the mirror for a good long while as ofte.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been transcribing your book, ¡®The Mirror.¡¯¡±

    Hyun Do asked his reason for transcribing that book.

    ¡°I¡¯m part of the Literature Club at school, and we¡¯ve been transcribing books as one of our assignments. I chose your work.¡±

    ¡°Was there a reason behind choosing my book?¡±

    ¡°I followed my emotions more than rationality.¡±

    ¡°So, out of impulse.¡±

    He was right, and Juho smiled and exined, ¡°I found your book at the school library. The moment I saw it, my hand went right for it.¡±

    ¡°Things are hard, aren¡¯t they?¡± he asked suddenly, and Juho thought of the transcription he had fallen behind on.

    ¡®How did he know?¡¯ he thought.

    Seeing how Juho remained quiet, Hyun Do added, ¡°I can tell from your writing.¡±

    ¡°Have you read them?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°How were they?¡±

    Though Juho had asked that light-heartedly, inside, he felt nervous. Though his emotions had beenpletelyposed amid the reviews of his book so far, they wavered like the ocean before Hyun Do.

    ¡°I was a bit puzzled,¡± answered Hyun Do without hesitation. Not good, or bad, but puzzled. Juho found himself puzzled by his evaluation.

    ¡°What was puzzling about it to you?¡±

    ¡°The very existence of it.¡±

    ¡°Its existence?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The new book by Yun Woo, the genius author. I was puzzled by its existence itself. I wouldn¡¯t have expected it toe out so soon. It also turned out to be an excellent book. The emotions were potent to the point of feeling like they had been poured out. Where did you find the time to gather all that?¡±

    ¡®Gather? What does he mean by that? Is he talking about the subject?¡¯ Juho wandered. Though he was happy that he was beingplimented by the great, he was also having a hard time understanding him.

    With that, Hyun Do asked, ¡°It was a pain transcribing ¡®The Winter,¡¯ wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    The conversation was back on track.

    ¡°Yes. It left me with a deep impression when I¡¯ve read it, so I didn¡¯t hesitate to choose that book, but transcribing it was a different story. I felt somewhat repulsed by it, like I was overeating.¡±

    To be frank, it had been quite the drudgery. It had been exhausting. He had felt like he had been engorging, forcing food into his mouth when he was already full. It had been no different from torture, and it had been just as painful as starving. However, it had also been different from it. What he had felt was closer to being excess rather than deficiency. A corner of Hyun Do¡¯s mouth turned up as if he¡¯d found Juho¡¯s analogy funny.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that book made it worse. I deliberately wrote it that way.¡±

    ¡°Deliberately?¡±

    ¡°I wrote ¡®The Mirror¡¯ like I was being forced to.¡±

    Force to. It was simr to what Juho had experienced.

    ¡°It was a bit out of impulsivity and as an experiment, but hardly anybody seems to have caught on. Because the emotions are hidden, they are invisible at the surface, but like you said, transcribing it is a different story.¡±

    The process of transcribing involved following the steps of the author¡¯s emotions. It was different from interpreting the book as a reader. Juho was finally able to understand why transcribing ¡®The Winter¡¯ had been such a burden. The book had revealed his impulsive nature that had been hiding within. To be more precise, it had dug it out of him. Its emptiness had been filled by traces of Hyun Do¡¯s impulsivity.

    ¡°You¡¯re sensitive,¡± said Hyun Do. Juho didn¡¯t deny him. ¡°And you have skill.¡±

    Again, he was right. Juho knew better than anyone else when to turn away from something. It was one of his methods of survival.

    ¡°Did you learn that from reading my book?¡±

    ¡°I can see it now that I¡¯ve met you in person. You can¡¯t learn things like that just by reading,¡± Hyun Do said as he shook his head and went on to talk about Yun Woo. ¡°As a young, sensitive author with skill, Yun Woo wrote a book at the age of sixteen. It was hard to believe that the book was written by an author that age. Not only did it have excellent plot and atmosphere, but it also had its author¡¯s distinct personality. People were shocked, and they started interpreting their experiences as either a gift or a miracle...

    ¡°... but, I have a different view,¡± he added.

    ¡°What is your take?¡± Juho asked.

    With that, Hyun Do looked down at his lukewarm soup and bread.

    ¡°A digestive process.¡±

    Juho followed Hyun Do¡¯s eyes to the bread and soup. It was hard to follow what Hyun Do was saying.

    ¡°You mean the one that starts as we put food into our mouths and start chewing?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Except, I¡¯m not talking about food here.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°Emotions,¡± said Hyun Do, meeting Juho¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you something.¡±

    ¡°Yes, anytime.¡±

    ¡°What do you do when you¡¯re angry?¡±

    Juho traced back to his memories of being angry. ¡®Angry. I¡¯d probably just be angry,¡¯ he thought. Although it seemed obvious, he couldn¡¯t think of anything. In hindsight, he had never expressed his emotions directly to another person.

    ¡°I can barely remember anything about thest time I was angry.¡±

    ¡°Which means, you¡¯ve relieved it somehow, right? As long as you¡¯re a person, there¡¯s no way that you can live your life without having your feelings hurt in some way.¡±

    Just like he said, Juho too was a person. He had emotions and as long as he had them, there were bound to be times when he would be angry. He was well-acquainted with the sensation of something welling up from within. Emotions.

    He looked down at his palm. Whenever he started to feel something, his palm started itching. It almost felt like it was receiving signals from something. ¡®What do I do whenever I feel that?¡¯

    ¡°I write.¡±

    He wrote.

 Chapter 89 - A Long-Awaited Encounter (4)

    <h4>Chapter 89: Chapter 89 ¨C A Long-Awaited Encounter (4) ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    That was right. Juho had been writing in order to consume his emotions. In Hyun Do¡¯s own words, he had ¡°digested¡± them.

    ¡°But it seems more like a habit.¡±

    ¡°Which means you write like it¡¯s your habit.¡±

    It was just as Hyun Do said. Whenever he was angry, Juho had reached for his pen ever since he was young. It had eventually be a habit, and for that reason, he didn¡¯t think of writing as something that needed practice or training.

    One eventually became a better writer the more they wrote. Assuming that everything he had written so far had been a way to express his anger, Hyun Do¡¯s conjecture would make sense.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been naturally embodying your emotions in your writing. Over time, that habit¡¯s turned into something that sets you apart as an author. Writing sincerely is one of the most difficult things to do, but on the other hand, it¡¯s also the easiest. At times, even a child can write something with sincerity.¡±

    ¡°So what does that make me?¡±

    ¡°In your case, it wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement to say that your talent came with practice. Although, you don¡¯t seem to be too caught up with people calling you a genius,¡± added Hyun Do, examining Juho¡¯s face intently.

    ¡®He must have figured it out already,¡¯ Juho thought. With a smile, he decided to admit it, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m after a different title.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wise,¡± he said as he changed the subject. ¡°In this field, there¡¯s nothing more foolish than coveting after talent.¡±

    ¡®Drag.¡¯ The door opened as soon as Hyun Do finished speaking. The food had finallye out. The table was filled with various kinds of dishes, and Juho studied the food, which was Hyun Do¡¯s go-to item on the menu.

    ¡°I¡¯m seeing fish?¡±

    ¡°Hope it¡¯s to your liking.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not very picky.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Being picky is fatal to an author.¡±

    The statement wasn¡¯t exclusively for food. Prejudice. Bias. Those were the things that authors had to avoid at all cost. Juho nodded immediately as he understood what Hyun Do was trying to say.

    As they began their meal, Juho cut open his fish, revealing its pale, buttery meat. The fragrance of garlic and herbs made the dish all the more appetizing. The asparagus that came with it left a clean after taste. It was delicious.

    ¡°You seem to like it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, this is great!¡±

    As they ate, Hyun do resumed the conversation, ¡°So, how far did you get with transcribing?¡±

    It was about his book, so Juho shared his progress with him, ¡°I¡¯m at the part where the old man is about to start observing the three brothers next door.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    One would describe that scene as a transition from the beginning to the middle of the book. Having been left alone at home, the old man started to peek at the three brothers living next door. That part was one of the more drawn out parts in the book, an old man peeking at the three innocent brothers. The three brothers turned against each other as if they were affected by the old man. It was the beginning of the breakdown.

    Suddenly, Juho became curious as to why Hyun Do left such potent emotions in his sentences. ¡®What could have been his reason for detailing such ufortable emotions?¡¯ And he asked the author without hesitation, ¡°So, what made you write a book like that?¡±

    ¡°A book as in?¡±

    ¡°The one you wrote like you were being forced to.¡±

    ¡°There are two reasons,¡± said Hyun Do with a smile, putting two fingers out. He had quite a few exnations for such an impulsively written book. ¡°One has to do with the cause for writing that book.¡±

    ¡°The cause.¡±

    It was the word for a reason or an opportunity that produced a certain oue.

    ¡°One day, I looked into a mirror.¡±

    ¡°Like usual?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Then, I tried distorting the image on purpose. I wanted to write another book. The obvious evaporated, and I was left only with doubt. In that state, I looked into the mirror again. The fact that I was able to see myself in it fascinated me, but it put me off at the same time. No matter how much I resist, my mind recognized that I was looking at myself. Whether drunk, or asleep, I was me. It got old after a while.¡±

    It didn¡¯t matter how much one fought back or denied it. That fact remained the same.

    ¡°One finds himself in a mirror,¡± echoed Juho quietly, and Hyun Do nodded.

    ¡°There¡¯s no fun in that.¡± With that, he began to talk about animals, ¡°Elephants are generally known to be smart. When you give them a mirror for the first time, they examine what¡¯s behind it. They be wary at first, but they eventually be curious and think that it wants to be friends with it. I was jealous of the fact that animals were capable of expressing such diverse emotions at themselves. I wondered what it¡¯d feel like to be able to treat myself like a stranger.¡±

    When first presented with a mirror, a wild animal tended to attack it, not knowing that it was attacking its own reflection. It became wary and fearful at itself, which was unimaginable for a human. It wasn¡¯tmon for a person to punch a mirror because they didn¡¯t recognize their own reflection. Despite humans being animals themselves, that was a strange phenomenon.

    ¡°I wanted to be that kind of animal,¡± said Hyun Do, cutting into his fish.

    Being an animal. ¡®Have I ever thought about that?¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°I don¡¯t pretend to know everything. I think repeatedly, wondering who the stranger in the mirror is the entire day. It enables me to think freely, without hindrance. I might end up spending my entire life trying to stand side by side with that person, wanting to strike a conversation. It¡¯s delightful. Isn¡¯t it exciting?¡±

    It was exciting. ¡®Did he achieve his goal?¡¯ Juho wondered.

    ¡°But it didn¡¯t turn out as I¡¯d hoped. In the end, I¡¯m me. So, I picked up a pen instead. That¡¯s all I could do.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how ¡®The Mirror¡¯ came about.¡±

    Hyun Do nodded lightly. Juho felt somewhat suffocated. He imagined what Hyun Do had said. It was a tiny space without windows or doors, making it impossible to go in or out. Whether his eyes were open or closed, he found himself in the same ce. There was no answer as to when he would be freed from such containment. It was a freedom even death couldn¡¯t promise to grant. There was a wall right before his eyes, his nose nearly touching it. No matter which direction he turned, it was always the same color. An old, worn out wall that stood for all eternity. In the containment, he lived his entire life. He stared at the wall intently, and it began to move like it was alive, throbbing. When he blinked, the wall no longer moved. Instead, a hole appeared on it. Slowly, Juho brought his eye to it. He had been deceived. It wasn¡¯t a hole. It was a ck eye. The ck, gaping eye of a crow. The wall opened its mouth wide, and then...

    ... his fish came in sight. His heart was beating slightly fast. Subconsciously, he had examined its pale meat. It was a mere fish on a te, and he brought a piece into his mouth, its rich vor spreading around it.

    ¡°This is great.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d.¡±

    Hyun Do¡¯s voice rushed into Juho¡¯s ears as the cawing of the crow lingered.

    ¡°Maybe liking myself is harder than it seems.¡±

    Despite his somewhat random remark, Hyun Do answered calmly, ¡°As long you don¡¯t hate yourself to death.¡±

    Once again, a sense of relief washed over Juho. Smiling, he parted his lips in order to carry on the conversation, ¡°So, what¡¯s the second reason?¡±

    Hyun Do did say that there were two reasons for writing his book, ¡®The Winter.¡±

    ¡°I heard a very nostalgic song in the street one day,¡± he said nonchntly, and Juho knew immediately that he wasn¡¯t just referring to music. ¡°It was a song that I hadn¡¯t heard in a very long time. The moment I heard it, all the memories associated with it came rushing back, as if I¡¯d never forgotten them. It¡¯s a persistent one, that song.¡±

    ¡°Kind of sounds like a person.¡±

    ¡°You guessed right.¡±

    Juho looked at Hyun Do and brought up the name of the person he was thinking about at the moment, ¡°Mr. Wol Kang.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Yun Seo Baek, Hyun Do Lim, and Wol Kang had been friends who had spent their entire youth together. Yun Seo Baek and Wol Kang became lovers while Hyun Do Lim remained their friend. Then, leaving his friend and wife behind, Wol Kang passed away. ¡®In that case, what was the significance of Hyun Do¡¯s impulsivity associated with Wol Kang?¡¯

    ¡°Forcing emotions into writing. That¡¯s what that friend of mine used to do a lot.¡±

    From that sentence alone, Juho felt like everything had clicked. Hyun Do hadn¡¯t been talking about himself when he¡¯d mentioned indigestion. He had sounded like he was sharing his experience. Which meant...

    ¡°Wol was just like you.¡±

    It had been about Wol Kang.

    ¡°The digestive process?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s how he described his work ¨C that his job was to digest emotions, feelings and experiences with his entire body and turn them into writing that had a simr vor. He always said that there was vors to writing. Some were pleasant and made you more than willing to swallow them, while others had the opposite effect. I never understood that, but I¡¯m sure you do.¡±

    ¡°Well... Somewhat.¡±

    It was more than possible topare food with writing. It was essential to survival. When eaten in a hurry, or eaten when spoiled, it was bound to get the person sick. The remedy to that was yet more food. In any scenario, a person had to eat. There had been a time when Juho hadn¡¯t been able to write in the past. Then, he finally came to the realization that just because he had been breathing, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean that he was alive.

    Once he heard Hyun Do, everything made sense. Back then, his ¡°digestive system¡± had stopped functioning. While the emotions had kept piling away, there hadn¡¯t been a way for him to digest them, making himzy and lethargic. It was only natural that he hadn¡¯t been able to lead a healthy life. In the end, he couldn¡¯t help but start writing again. ¡®I wonder if Wol Kang was the same way,¡¯ Juho wondered.

    ¡°So, I was simply trying to mimic him. I wanted to try writing in his distinct style. In other words, impulsivity.¡± After a brief pause, Hyun Do continued, ¡°I did learn something from it though.¡±

    ¡°What did you learn?¡± Juho asked.

    Looking down, he answered. ¡°It¡¯s not for me to squander my emotions when I write.¡±

    ¡°Squander?¡±

    ¡°I had to rest for an entire month after writing that book. I was amazed at how much emotion he used to gather up, even to the point of emptying himself.¡±

    Juho understood what it meant to be empty. It was the feeling that he had been holding onto since thepletion of his first book. However...

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that why we write?¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± Hyun Do asked, looking puzzled.

    ¡°That feeling of being emptied. I feel it too, but it gets filled back quickly. That¡¯s how I¡¯m able to write. In other words, it¡¯s a sense of consumption. It¡¯s fun to spend money.¡±

    ¡°Money, huh. You really are more mature than you let on,¡± said Hyun Do, looking entertained. Then, thinking for a brief time, he calmly parted his lips to say, ¡°Every author has his way, so I¡¯m not trying to tell you otherwise. Only, your way might be a little risky.¡±

    ¡°Risky?¡±

    ¡°Once your digestive system breaks, your body no longer bes sustainable.¡±

    Suddenly, the air grew heavy.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°People who stay as close to writing as you do tend to break down. Wol suffered quite a bit too.¡±

    ¡°Suffer how?¡±

    ¡°For example...¡± He paused for a brief moment. ¡°Indigestion.¡±

    It was an answer much more light-hearted than what Juho had anticipated.

 Chapter 90 - A Long-Awaited Encounter (5)

    <h4>Chapter 90: Chapter 90 ¨C A Long-Awaited Encounter (5) ###</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Indigestion, huh?¡±

    Juho knew that Hyun Do wasn¡¯t simply referring to a stomach problem.

    ¡®What would happen if I couldn¡¯t digest my own emotions anymore? Would Ist? If the organs in my body stopped working one by one and I became incapable of perceiving any emotion, would I still be able to write?¡¯ The likely answer would have to be, ¡®No.¡¯

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too scared.¡± Juho looked up at the sound Hyun Do¡¯s voice. He wore a warm smile and said, ¡°You¡¯re different. You¡¯re not like that fool.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Earlier, I said I was puzzled about your book, right?¡±

    Juho remembered the conversation that had briefly gone astray in which Hyun Do had said that he had been puzzled by Juho¡¯s new book.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to get it now,¡± Hyun Do continued.

    ¡°Get what?¡±

    ¡°You must be a light eater. All it takes to fill you up is a handful of food. It gives you the energy you need to write.¡±

    That had been how Juho had been able to write a new book in such a short time. Juho looked at Hyun Do¡¯s nearly-empty te. He was right. More so than others, Juho was able to spend the energy and able to fill his stomach up just as quickly. He was able to find emotions faster, enabling him to write more often.

    ¡°You do seem to be greedy about food.¡± Because of his greedy side, he had stored up the food that he hadn¡¯t gotten to eat at his house. Hyun Do was incredibly urate. ¡°As long as you chew your food, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°How was Mr. Wol Kang?¡± Juho asked before realizing it.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t know what it meant to be efficient. He would cause all kinds of ruckus when he was trying to fill his stomach. He wasn¡¯t the type to think about consequences, so he ate recklessly. Light eating was far from his lifestyle,¡± Hyun Do said with a chuckle.

    Juho became unbearably curious about him. He was dying to meet him. If possible, he was even willing to ask Hyun Do. Unfortunately, Wol Kang was no longer around. Even if Juho had asked for it, Hyun Do wouldn¡¯t have been able to help. However, as an author, there was a way ¨C to write. ¡®As long as I stay active as an author, I¡¯ll eventually get to meet him on paper,¡¯ Juho thought. He was dying to know more about him.

    Despite how Juho had been feeling, the meal was nearing its end. With the exception of a few pieces of tomato, there was nothing left. As if he had been taking Juho¡¯s pace into consideration, Hyun Do, too, had nearly finished his food.

    Three pieces. At that sight, Juho thought of a couple of things to talk about.

    ¡°What do you think about the number three?¡± Juho asked, and Hyun Do looked up at him. ¡°I happen to have three pieces of tomatoes left on my te,¡± he exined.

    Despite the light-hearted subject, Hyun Do answered with a smile. He was growing fond of the young author who wasn¡¯t afraid to talk to him, ¡°The number three, huh? It¡¯s a number easy to give significance to.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    Hyun Do took his dishes and shook them lightly. It was more than enough to catch Juho¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Earth is the third in the sr system, and we eat three meals throughout the day.¡±

    ¡°Pork belly is a wonderful thing,¡± added Juho.

    ¡°There are three medals in the Olympics. The first three get a medal.

    ¡°You stay in high school for three years.¡±

    (TL¡¯s note: In Korea, high schoolsts for three years whereas elementary school spans six.)

    ¡°Korea wasbeled a third-world country after the war.¡±

    ¡°It was also divided into three nations at one point in history.¡±

    ¡°Also the current government is divided into three major branches. Legitive, Executive, and the Judicial. Separation of Powers.¡±

    It had been fun and informative, but now, it was Juho¡¯s turn. He thought of a person who immediately came to mind when thinking about the number three.

    ¡°Do you happen to know Joon Soo Bong?¡±

    He was an author who had a habit of gathering luck by tapping things three times. He was also very considerate toward others.

    ¡°He used to be one of Yun Seo¡¯s pupils. I believe he¡¯s an author now. I saw him a few days ago.¡±

    ¡°He loves the number three.¡±

    ¡°He did have an odd habit.¡±

    Hyun Do must have known. Of course, considering how sharp Hyun Do was, it would have been odd if he hadn¡¯t.

    ¡°He¡¯s just the kind she would like.¡± He was referring to Yun Seo, and after seeing the curiosity in Juho¡¯s eyes, Hyun Do added, ¡°Joon Soo loves people. It¡¯s apparent in the way he writes. Affectionate, but delicate at times.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Learn to like people who are rough around the edges in a way. That would mean that you¡¯re learning to love humanity in its entirety.¡±

    ¡°Nobody¡¯s perfect after all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Just like how there¡¯s no such a thing as a perfect sentence.¡±

    Juho thought about Yun Seo¡¯s pupils. Geun Woo, he wore a depressed look at all times, regretting on a daily basis. Joon Soo, he was somewhat obsessed with the number three. In that case, did that mean that Juho, who Yun Seo had grown fond of, was rough around the edges in some way? It was likely. After all, he too was a person. That also applied just as much to Hyun Do, who was a figure of respect for all authors.

    From that point of view, perfection didn¡¯t seem all that desirable. If anything, Juho no longer wanted to be a perfect person. With that, he picked up one of the pieces of tomato that had made a perfect triangle and put it in his mouth.

    Another subject came to mind about the number three.

    ¡°There¡¯s also the three brothers from ¡®The Mirror.¡¯¡±

    The three brothers who the old man had peeked at. The eldest had been greedy and foolish,ing up with rules that only worked to his advantage. Though the two younger brothersined, the eldest didn¡¯t budge. When he lost even with the rules that gave him an advantage, he didn¡¯t hesitate to contradict himself. In such a hypocritical world, the two younger brothers weren¡¯t the only people who were unhappy.

    ¡°In the end, the eldest gets ostracized by his two brothers. Just as the old man wanted.¡±

    Hyun Do nodded quietly.

    ¡°Then, he loses his family.¡±

    As he celebrated the misfortune of the eldest of the three in his heart, the old man received a phone call, announcing his solitude. There was no longer anyone around him to listen to him, except for himself in the mirror.

    ¡°It was merciless,¡± said Juho.

    Cruel. He had wanted someone to show mercy to both the eldest of the three and the old man. Because he had been so emotionally invested in the old man, Juho always became immersed in those feelings.

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    The creator who had been responsible for such a merciless story was sitting peacefully in front of him.

    ¡°While we¡¯re at it, I¡¯d like to hear your interpretation,¡± said Hyun Do, his eyes filled with interest. ¡°Where is it?¡±

    It was the old man¡¯s monologue. At the end of the book, the old man asked himself. ¡°Where is it?¡± He was asking for his location. It signified his identity being shaken to the core. The book came to its unfortunate end without getting into too much detail about how things turned out for the old man. ¡®What happened to the old man afterwards?¡¯ Juho had asked himself. Ever since his first read of Hyun Do¡¯s book, he had expected the demise of the old man.

    Taking a fork, he mushed the two remaining pieces of tomato. Its juices gushed out.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming he died.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡± Hyun Do asked.

    ¡°People aren¡¯t made to live in solitude.¡±

    ¡°Did you ever think that another person might appear?¡±

    ¡°I did. I even thought about him starting a new family after falling in love all over again, but I think that¡¯s a little sad.¡±

    ¡°What would make it sad?¡±

    ¡°The fact that the stubborn old man was disappearing. He kind of grew on me, so I wanted him to be around. If he couldn¡¯t die, then it¡¯d be better for him to live in his home alone.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel bad for the old man? That sounds kind of selfish,¡± said Hyun Do, smiling. Juho¡¯s interpretation had no regards for the old man¡¯s point of view. However, starting a new family didn¡¯t seem like it would make the old man happy. Though he didn¡¯t have any basis for his thoughts, that had been Juho¡¯s understanding of the old man.

    Bringing the remaining pieces of tomato he had mashed up previously to his mouth, Juho said to Hyun Do, ¡°A reader gets the privilege of being selfish.¡±

    Hyun Do admitted it with calm eyes, ¡°Now, should we get some dessert?¡±

    With that, the meal came to an end.

    Having been excused, Juho made his way to the restroom. Talking with Hyun Do had been an odd experience. Though he had feltfortable in the moment, in hindsight, he learned that he was rather worn out, which meant that he had spent a lot of energy trying to keep up with Hyun Do.

    ¡®Buzz,¡¯ his phone rang as he washed his hands. It was a curious text from Seo Joong. As he was in the process of writing a quick reply, Juho remembered what Seo Joong had said about the restaurant, ¡°That ce is well-known among authors.¡±

    He had also told Juho that he might run into a famous author if he was lucky. As he walked out of the restroom, he secretely looked around the interior of the restaurant. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t see anything but the customers¡¯ backs from where he was. He was about to quietly go back to his table, when...

    ¡°I¡¯m happy!¡±

    A shout sounded from thedies¡¯ room. He stopped in his tracks at the sound of the excited voice.

    ¡°OK. I¡¯ll be quiet, but really. I saw Mr. Hyun Do Lim! I¡¯d never met him in person before! It¡¯d be rude to try to talk to him right? I want his autograph so bad! Please, stop me.¡±

    The woman sounded rather excited. She had to be Hyun Do¡¯s fan.

    ¡°This world is worth living in after all. Are you jealous? Haha! I can think back to this day and write for at least a couple more years!¡±

    It sounded like she was also a writer. Juho became curious about the kinds of things the woman wrote and decided to stick around a little longer to listen to her.

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t just see Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡®Was there another author here?¡¯ Juho wondered as he tried look in the direction of his table.

    ¡°There was another person. Yes, it¡¯s possible, but I never said it was anything weird. He was young too. Now, I can¡¯t just sit here and not think about this.¡±

    She was talking about Juho. She cleared her throat.

    ¡°On the outside, he seemed to be a high school student. He came into the restaurant around eleven in the morning, and judging from his observant attitude, it seemed to be his first time here. Madame Song seemed a lot more excited than usual, so he must be no ordinary guest. Besides, he¡¯s with Mr. Lim. Doesn¡¯t that paint a picture?¡±

    Juho grew somewhat anxious. It felt like she was about to bring up the name ¡°Yun Woo.¡± Suddenly, she stopped talking. Instead, she started to beg the person on the phone to listen.

    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll get to the point. So, the person Mr. Lim was with would be no other than...!¡±

    No other than...

    ¡°His own family!¡±

    Juho chuckled. Her reasoning had been less than impressive. ¡®Nope. I¡¯m not a family member.¡¯ No matter how many times he repeated himself, it wouldn¡¯t have reached her. With that, Juho made his way back to the table. As he went into the private room, he saw that the desserts had alreadye out ¨C fresh fruit juice and herbal tea. The tea was in front of Hyun Do, while the cup of juice had been ced on Juho¡¯s side of the table.

    He took a sip of the juice. Because it had been blended with ice, it was rather refreshing. After having been in a somewhat heated situation, the juice also had a calming effect on him. He wondered if the silence between the conversations was Hyun Do¡¯s way of providing a ce for him to rest.

    He took another refreshing sip.

 Chapter 91 - A Long-Awaited Encounter (6)

    <h4>Chapter 91: Chapter 91 ¨C A Long-Awaited Encounter (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Fingers gently holding the cup. Shoulders that were not overly rxed. A straight posture.

    Juho could see why Hyun Do Lim was such a respected figure among authors. It had nothing to do with his appearance or books. He knew how to be considerate of others. While maintaining his boundaries, he understood what others wanted, creating a safe andfortable environment for them. He never opened himself up rashly. He wasn¡¯t in the habit of showing off, trying to prove himself. He was charming, but not very approachable. The only thing left, was respect.

    Before there was even time to chew, the icy bits in Juho¡¯s mouth melted away. In no time at all, there was nothing left in his cup.

    ¡°Finished?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Shall we?¡±

    As they walked out of the room, Juho felt a gaze in his direction. Though he had an idea from whom it could be, he made his way through the hallway without looking around.

    ¡°How was your meal?¡± asked Madame Song, who was standing by the cash register. She must have wanted to see Hyun Do out.

    ¡°It was great! I¡¯m happy I know about this ce,¡± answered Juho, smiling.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that,¡± Madame Song answered, looking in his direction. She seemed like she had something she wanted to ask.

    While Juho hesitated, Hyun Do stepped in and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°So...¡± She hesitated, resting her hand on her cheek. She really looked like a cub.

    ¡°You¡¯re not...Yun Woo, are you?¡± she asked in a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s just... Hyun Do never brings anyone to the restaurant with him, and you don¡¯t seem to be older than a high school student. Yun Woo is the only author I know who is around your age, so... am I right?¡±

    Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. Her reasoning skills seemed to be much better than those of Hyun Do¡¯s fan.

    Juho nced over at Hyun Do, who was observing Juho¡¯s behavior. With that, Juho turned his attention back to Madame Song and her cub-like appearance. ¡®Maybe that¡¯s why she¡¯s still around Mr. Lim. She might let her curiosity get the best of her, but she never expressed herself in a way that was offensive.¡¯

    Like her, he lowered his voice to a whisper and asked, ¡°Would you mind keeping it on the down low?¡±

    Her eyes widened with surprise, taking turns looking at Hyun Do and Juho.

    ¡°Shall we?¡± Hyun Do suggested, leaving her behind.

    As he followed Hyun Do, Juho turned around to say goodbye, ¡°Take care, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Come get what you like next time you¡¯re here!¡± said Madame Song.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Juho answered. The food had been to his liking, so he wanted toe back whenever he had the opportunity.

    Together, Hyun Do and Juho went back the way they came. Leaving the luxurious exterior of the restaurant behind, they walked through a narrow alleyway and out to the main street.

    ¡°You must have taken the subway.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to the station.¡±

    Although it wasn¡¯t necessary, Juho didn¡¯t want to decline Hyun Do¡¯s offer. Though he was walking side by side to Hyun Do, he didn¡¯t really feel anything. The street was filled with the sounds of cars and people, but it all felt distant. Usually, he would have taken his time walking, observing every little corner of the streets in search of inspiration. He would have untangled the noise around him, digging for emotions and conflict.

    If anything, walking beside Hyun Do felt peaceful. Perhaps his immense presence had something to do with it. It would take something just asrge and powerful to bring down that wall of tranquility.

    Upon arriving at the entrance to the station, Juho thanked him, ¡°Thank you for everything. I had a great time today.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure¡¯s mine,¡± said Hyun Do, looking in Juho¡¯s direction. ¡°Are you nning on writing when you get home?¡± he asked.

    Because Juho couldn¡¯t really grasp the intention behind the question, he decided to answer honestly, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°What are you nning to write about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet.¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± he made a distinct sound and added, ¡°Kids, sometimes...¡±

    Juho wasn¡¯t entirely sure who he was referring to, but he listened carefully anyway.

    ¡°... tend to hate certain foods without even tasting them. When you ask them, it¡¯s usually because they don¡¯t like how it tastes. It¡¯s fascinating. How can they know the vor when the food hasn¡¯t even touched their lips?¡±

    ¡°You can kind of guess, especially with food that looks mushy and squishy. Kids are sensitive, so they¡¯re able to catch on quickly.¡±

    Hyun Do nodded lightly and said, ¡°You said you¡¯re not a picky eater, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t hurt to try other foods.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Juho remained silent for a while. He knew Hyun Do wasn¡¯t talking about food. Hyun Do¡¯s eyes were fixated on Juho¡¯s shoulders, and Juho studied his eyes.

    ¡°Your shoulders look tense.¡±

    Juho immediately stretched his shoulders.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous about tasting new things. After all, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to digest it all, no matter what it is.¡±

    After a quick time thinking, Juho asked, ¡°Do you have a suggestion in mind?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand giving testimonials. You¡¯re on your own,¡± said Hyun Do, chuckling.

    Juho had heard from Nam Kyung that Hyun Do had turned down his testimonial request. With those words, Juho bowed to say goodbye. Watching Hyun Do calmly going about his way, Juho slowly made his way down the stairs into the station. As he entered the dark, his footsteps grew louder. Midway, he looked back. Somehow, the sky peeking through a small opening resembled Hyun Do¡¯s ck and silver hair. It almost looked like he was standing in snow. Looking away, Juho continued on his way in search of food he had yet to try.

    ¡°Oh, yeah! I forgot about the autograph.¡±

    *

    Yun Seo watered the nts in her small vegetable garden. The water droplets shone brightly on the fresh vegetables. Sitting down on the dirt, she watched an ant crawling by.

    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry, little one?¡±

    The ant was taking a dead worm back to its nest.

    For the first time in a long time, she had the day to herself. There was no ss, and both of her pupils were out. She no longer wrote novels since she had started feeling that she had used up all she had as an author. She no longer had the strength to write anything borate. However, she felt more relieved than sad. It was the satisfaction of having poured everything out, writing as much as she could.

    Now, the only thing she wrote about was her everyday life, which piled higher with age. ¡®Maybe I should try writing an essay when I¡¯m even older,¡¯ she thought. Writing about her garden wouldn¡¯t be so bad either. ¡®Maybe I should go on trips before it¡¯s toote, so I can write about it.¡±

    ¡®Bark!¡¯ A dog barked in the distance. It had to be therge dog that lived nearby. Though the breed wasn¡¯t clear, it was a rather adorable dog with a spot that covered its right eye. Whenever she heard it bark, Yun Seo thought of her husband ¨C an author who had had the ability to raise the spirits of his readers with his writing. Lately, she had been reminded of one more person. Having already published his second book recently, he was still a young author...

    ... Yun Woo.

    He had many simrities to her husband, who had passed away at an early age. A sixteen-year-old boy. An award-winning, celebrity author. Her pupils had also mentioned his name on several asions. At first, she had read his book out of nothing more than curiosity, but the young author drew out a sense of longing in her heart.

    It had been fascinating. Despite the distinct styles and atmosphere of the two authors, their writing kept ovepping in her mind. When she read Yun Woo¡¯s writing for the third time, she finally came to realize why. They both had a simr approach to writing. Hyun Do had felt the same way when she shared it with him.

    He had said, ¡°It¡¯ll be a while before his next bookes out. It takes time for a writer to gather that much emotion to the point of reaching the bottom.¡±

    The ant kept crawling by. When she first met Yun Woo, he had already been working on his next book, nearing itspletion. Before reaching the one year mark of his debut title, his new book was published. The world was filled with Yun Woo now, and she was somewhat delighted by her friend¡¯s misjudgment.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    Yun Seo looked back. The voice belonged to her friend, who kept looking better with age.

    ¡°I was thinking about my husband.¡±

    ¡°Then, it makes sense that you¡¯re smiling.¡±

    Hyun Do tended to be mischievous at the mention of Yun Seo¡¯s husband. Despite that, she kept bring up her husband to him. Perhaps she was entertained by it somehow. Because of Hyun Do,

    her memories of her husband had remained intact, even decades after his passing.

    ¡°How¡¯s Madame Song?¡± she asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡±

    Madame Song¡¯s food was an amazing source of energy. When Hyun Do was busy writing, he ate there regrly. Even after he finished a book, he ate there to reward himself forpleting the long journey. Somehow, Madame Song¡¯s appearance resembled that of a bear cub. Upon hearing about it, Yun Seo had eximed cheerfully, ¡°That¡¯s such an adorable nickname!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve been there. Next time, we¡¯ll go together.¡±

    ¡°If I have time.¡±

    ¡°Look at you sounding all busy,¡±

    The two sat on the wooden bench, and the wind blew gently on the leaves.

    ¡°So, how was it talking with Yun Woo?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It was fun. We spoke a simrnguage.¡±

    He seemed genuinely happy, and she stared at that unusual sight.

    ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a light eater.¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be right. He has a good appetite. I saw him eat when he came over.¡±

    Despite her puzzled look, Hyun Do continued, ¡°It¡¯s not like me to do it, but I did give him advice.¡±

    ¡°What kind of advice?¡±

    ¡°I told him to be more versatile.¡±

    Versatile.

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long since his new book came out. It can¡¯t hurt to let him rest for a bit,¡± said Yun Seo, concerned.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t think of writing as work. If anything, it¡¯s closer to rest. It¡¯s a digestive process.¡±

    Digestive process. It was an analogy her husband had used frequently. He liked topare his writing to digesting. Hearing that familiar expression, she couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    ¡°You were so annoyed then, saying that it was overlyplicated!¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t like it. I¡¯m justing to understand it now,¡± he said.

    ¡°All right. Are you sticking around for dinner? I¡¯ll cook.¡±

    ¡°You should rest while you can. Joon Soo and Geun Woo don¡¯t seem to be around today either.¡±

    ¡°Better to have more than less.¡±

    Regrets about not leaving enough memories tended to sting more. Facing the end was always sad.

    Reminiscing the friendship they had had while her husband was still alive, she stood up and said, ¡°I should probably make enough for three. Nothing¡¯s sadder than not having enough to eat.¡±

    Hyun Do didn¡¯t say anything in return.

 Chapter 92 - One Long, One Short (1)

    <h4>Chapter 92: Chapter 92 ¨C One Long, One Short (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°OK. What did I say was the beginning of a novel?¡±

    ¡°Asking questions!¡± Sun Hwa answered quickly.

    As ofte, the club activities had been made entirely of learning various theories on writing. The room was filled with excitement.

    ¡°Then, try to decide what you want to write about. There are no limits. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a short story or a full-length novel, as long as you¡¯re confident that you can write it within half a year.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon!¡± everyone eximed with enthusiasm.

    With that, he walked over to the window toward the hallway, and then to another toward the schoolyard. He was creating an environment optimized for thinking. A refreshing breeze blew into the room.

    From his seat, Baron quietly sketched what he saw. The pencil moved about busily on his sketchbook.

    After Mr. Moon stepped out of the room, the club members quietly closed their eyes.

    Juho was alone in his mind. Hyun Do had challenged him to go out and ¡°taste¡± different things. That challenge motivated him to seek after something new. ¡®How can I make something new?¡¯ he thought. After a long chain of questions, he eventually found himself in a maze. ¡®What¡¯s new? What¡¯s not new? Because we get used to what¡¯s new, wouldn¡¯t that mean there isn¡¯t such a thing as new?¡¯

    ¡®Rustle.¡¯ The breeze blew on the pages on his desk, making them p lifelessly. ¡®A new page. Is this what I want? What does the word ¡°new¡± mean to me?¡¯ Juho kept thinking. ¡°New¡± meant something that didn¡¯t exist in the past. In terms of writing, it was the beginning of an urrence. In terms of a person, a fetus. In terms of the Koreannguage, it was before the invention of thenguage in December of 1443.

    A new story. A new life. A newnguage. All of those things didn¡¯t exist in the past. In that case, creative writing in and of itself was the process of creating something new, which would render thinking useless. All he had to do to create something new was to keep writing.

    Juho didn¡¯t feel content with the conclusion. He wanted to wrestle with his thoughts some more. Something more colorful. Something a little more foreign to him. Something different from the norm. ¡®What else is there?¡¯ ces he had never been. Things he had never seen. Juho closed his eyes briefly, and then opened them. Nothing had changed. The same old room came into view. The same old club members and their same old seats. ¡®Is there no way I can think of anything new in here?¡¯ Juho felt his shoulders. They were more tense than usual. ¡®I should try to rx.¡¯

    After some time, the club members started to reach a decision on what they wanted to write. However, Juho was still staring dazedly out the window.

    ¡°Do you want to get tteokbokki with us?¡± asked Sun Hwa. Everyone else was deciding on what to get at the snack shop, but Juho shook his head slowly.

    ¡°No, thanks. I have to be somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Eh? Where?¡±

    While briefly staring at the ceiling, Juho¡¯s lips parted, and he announced, ¡°The beach.¡±

    ¡°... Eh?¡±

    Leaving a puzzled Sun Hwa behind, Juho left the science room before anyone else.

    He took out his phone on his way out of the school. The first method of transportation he thought of was the subway. He¡¯d be able to reach the Incheon shore in about two hours. Leaving a text for his mother, Juho made his way into the station.

    ¡°Next station is...¡± a voice sounded from the speakers in the station.

    The train came, and its doors slid open. Those who had arrived came out of the train while those who were leaving went into it. Looking at the gap between the tform and the train, Juho walked in.

    As the doors closed with a loud hiss, he found himself a seat. The train started moving.

    While the train shook, a smile spread across his face. He had left for a sudden adventure in order to see something new. To be in a new ce. Once he put his heart into it, everything fell into ce with ease. At an incredible speed, the train moved toward the next station, roaring loudly. Juho looked out the window from his seat as he checked for his stop. He was about thirty stops away. There was plenty of time to think. He leaned back on the backrest. The handles shook just as his body did. Leaning his head against the window, he felt the vibrations of the train. Everything shook. Going somewhere felt like it involved being shaken countless times.

    The train came to a stop. Once the doors opened and closed, it started moving again. It was a sight he would be seeing repeatedly. He felt a cold, artificial breeze blowing from the ceiling. With his eyes closed, he felt all of the movement around him. ¡®Clonk, clonk.¡¯ It sounded like the world was about toe to an end. The same sound came from within the train.

    After some time, it got rather cold in the train. The coldness pierced into Juho¡¯s nose. It was different from the breeze he had felt in the science room. His senses were being disrupted by the artificial breeze. It told him that he was getting farther from nature. A person walked past, followed by a cold breeze. ¡®It¡¯s a made up breeze. Does that make it new?¡¯ he thought.

    The train came to a stop once again, and the doors opened and closed. Soon, the train started moving again. Eventually, it reached a frightening speed, and Juho felt somewhat anxious. ¡®What if I feel dizzy? What if I feel queasy and throw up? I don¡¯t want to be seen vomiting...¡¯ he thought.

    He got used to the vibration and the cold. ¡®Does this mean there¡¯s nothing¡¯s new in here anymore?¡¯

    He tried holding his breath. Still, the train kept moving. He was the only thing still while everything around him vibrated. ¡®Clonk, clonk,¡¯ the train shouted noisily as it raced through the dark tunnel. Familiarity removed emotion and the need for thinking. It also removed anxiety, as well as joy and expectation. There was nothing left in the train. Nothing to get used to. None of the things he had gotten used to were in the train. ¡®Why am I in here again? Why am I going forward?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t remember. The train stopped, the doors opening and closing. Then it started moving again, as it always had. He felt the train rock and saw the handles shake. As it rushed past the dark shadows, the coldness started to pierce through his body. When he couldn¡¯t hold any longer, he breathed out, taking a deep breath.

    He smelled the fragrance of the ocean.

    ¡°Next station is...¡±

    Yet again, the train came to a stop, and the doors slid open. Juho walked out of the cold space within the train, looking back. The train had already closed its mouth, heading toward the next station. Without hesitation, Juho went on his way.

    ¡°The beach,¡± Juho murmured, looking at the enormous puddle before his eyes. Wavelets rushed in his direction. The salty breeze ruffled through his hair. As he pushed the hair out of his face, he walked toward the water, getting closer. The sand under his feet felt all the more foreign.

    Green seaweed covered the beach. In reality, the beach was no more than a beach. Juho didn¡¯t feel anything new, except for the hair tickling his face.

    ¡°Haha!¡± With an hollowugh, he sat down on the sand. The wave rushed up to the very tip of his shoes. The sand somehow ended up in his mouth, making him have to spit it out. He stared out at the horizon as the sun sank lower and lower. Time passed. Although he¡¯de a long way, he didn¡¯t feel all that different. If anything, he found himself feeling overwhelmed by the majestic water, stretching endlessly at the horizon like the sky. ¡®What can I get out of this ce?¡¯

    At that moment, arge seagull flew by, crying. The ce was filled with oversized things. Enormous. Wide. Vast.

    ¡°Hm?¡± Juho felt that he was at the brink of inspiration. He looked around at his surroundings. The sea, the sky, sand, seagull. Everything wasrge, making it hard to fit it all in a nce. There wasn¡¯t anything like it where he was from. Everything there fit in a single nce, even for the highest of buildings. All it took to see the top was to look up. Juho thought back to the things he had written so far. Yun spent most of his life at home. The mother and her son also lived within a contained space. Something new. Immense scenery. Purpose and travel. If he were to put it all into writing...

    ¡°Fantasy.¡±

    It would have to be fantasy. A journey with a purpose in search of things that did not yet exist in the present. For some reason, he felt d about the word that he had just spat out. It would be a different world. The thought alone was enough to excite him. A world simply too big to take on. That¡¯s what he wanted to write about. Energized, Juho clenched his hands into fists. Grains of sand rushed into his palms and out between his fingers.

    ¡°This is small.¡±

    There was something new in that scenery after all. Small grains of sand. Limp seaweed. The seafoam that could never reach Juho¡¯s shoes. Not everything was grand and enormous.

    ¡°I want to write about this too,¡± he murmured as he quietly counted the grains of sand in his hand.

    There were two things he wanted to write about now. A story that resembled the sea and the sand. One long, one short. ¡®Should I try writing two separate stories?¡¯ Juho thought, closing his eyes.

    ¡°No.¡±

    A voice sounded nearby, and Juho turned to look. There was a woman burying her head in the sand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t write about me.¡±

    Thin and soft, the voice almost sounded like it would be lost in the wind. As Juho was about to approach her, another voice sounded behind him.

    ¡°Pathetic.¡±

    It sounded cocky, and less than pleasant. A tall, well-dressed man looked down at the woman in the sand.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you¡¯re more than wee to leave.¡±

    The woman dug deeper into the sand.

    ¡°Are you ignoring me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I said no.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t hear a thing. My ears must be full of sand.¡±

    She no longer tried tomunicate with the man, but Juho interjected, ¡°Hey! Cut it out. There¡¯s no need to be rude. Are you hangry or something?¡±

    The man didn¡¯t hesitate to show his displeasure.

    ¡°Did you call me just so you could joke around?¡±

    ¡°Without humor, we¡¯d living in one boring world, my friend.¡±

    The man scoffed arrogantly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need crap like that when you¡¯re traveling.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    The silk on his body fluttered around in the wind.

    ¡°You¡¯re kind of arrogant,¡± Juho said after observing him quietly.

    ¡°I deserve to be.¡±

    Ignoring the man, Juho looked to his left. The woman was walking away.

    ¡°Where you goin¡¯?¡±

    She jumped in ce. Her long, untidy hair covered most of her face. Long-sleeved shirt. Long pants. It all looked too warm for the weather.

    ¡°It¡¯s hot, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The woman didn¡¯t say anything or try to run away. She was barely capable ofmunicating with other people. Her personality contrasted with her wide, open surroundings. The man, too, was standing quietly in his ce. The waves were breaking briskly.

    Suddenly, Juho chimed up, ¡°Should we all go into the water or something?¡±

    The man frowned at Juho¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°This water exists so that we can cross it. It¡¯s a way for us to see something bigger.¡±

    As unlike as it was of his rude personality, he gave a rather substantial answer.

 Chapter 93 - One Long, One Short (2)

    <h4>Chapter 93: Chapter 93 ¨C One Long, One Short (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    While the man¡¯s words were still fresh on his mind, Juho turned toward the woman. With a stutter, she answered the man timidly, ¡°I¡¯m... not g-going any-anywhere.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s a good answer too,¡¯ Juho thought. Though he epted her answer, the man seemed rather displeased by the woman¡¯s attitude.

    ¡°What the hell is wrong with her?¡±

    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why are you being so nitpicky?¡±

    ¡°Because I can¡¯t understand her. I can¡¯t stand her.¡±

    The wind blew violently on his shiny hair. He seemed to have a lot toin about.

    ¡°What can¡¯t you stand about her?¡±

    ¡°Her behavior and attitude. She¡¯s wasting time.¡±

    His behavior and attitude hadn¡¯t been so great either. Chuckling, Juho fired back, ¡°That¡¯s your point of view. Have you ever thought of it as her way of utilizing her time?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he answered without hesitation, storming past Juho toward the woman. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond. Suddenly, without introducing himself, the man put his face recklessly right up against the woman¡¯s.

    ¡°Hey!¡± he said intimidatingly. ¡°Listen carefully,dy. Squatting like that not only makes you look pathetic, but it¡¯s terrible for your back.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Hey,dy!¡±

    He stared at her up and down as she sat quietly, not responding to him.

    ¡°Did you do something wrong?¡±

    Her head turned toward him ever so slightly, ring fiercely. Having a timid voice didn¡¯t necessarily mean that she wasn¡¯t capable of being angry. Though he saw the disapproval in her eyes, the man didn¡¯t back down.

    ¡°Then, why can¡¯t you be more confident?¡±

    ¡°I am... I¡¯m just not in the mood to talk... You¡¯re treating me like a criminal. I know I should have said something...¡± she said timidly, not enunciating her words clearly.

    Though it was hard to make out what she was saying, Juho still felt angry. When he looked in her direction, she was holding a handful of sand. Predicting what she would do next, Juho jumped in between them. At that moment, she swung her arms in his direction. He felt the sand grains on the back of his head, rolling down his neck into his shirt. The woman swallowed nervously. While Juhoforted her, the man smiled as if he weed her behavior. Juho had to stop them before things got too rough.

    ¡°All right you two, cut it out.¡±

    ¡°What the!?¡±

    ¡®I better separate them. They¡¯re affecting each other,¡¯ Juho thought. Too much of anything wasn¡¯t a good thing. Again, he stood between the man and the woman, creating a gap about as wide as the one between a train and the tform.

    ¡°Hey! You listendy. I said I don¡¯t understand you. Why aren¡¯t youmunicating with me? If you¡¯re pissed, then show me!¡± Despite the distance, the man shouted all the more. The woman, however, had returned to her silence.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough for one day?¡± Juho asked the man, who was infuriated, unlike the woman, who hid behind her silence.

    ¡°She¡¯s ignoring me!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to yell!¡± He was rather impolite, and Juho added as he covered the man¡¯s mouth with his hand, ¡°That¡¯s enough. You¡¯re from another world, which means you should speak in anothernguage.¡±

    By the time he had shook Juho¡¯s hands off, it was toote. He could no longer understand what the woman was saying. In order to get a better grasp on the situation, he took a step back. At that moment, Juho took the opportunity to talk to the woman.

    ¡°Tell me what you want.¡±

    He fully intended on realizing her deepest wishes. He wanted to write in a way that she would find desirable. In order to make that happen, he called out to her. After a brief moment of hesitation, she said, ¡°Please, leave me alone.¡±

    ¡°You got it.¡±

    ¡®So be it.¡¯ If that was what she wanted, then Juho was more than prepared to write about her quiet everyday life, where nothing really happened. No danger. No climax. Simply as it was. Seeing Juho readily epting her answer, she felt a little safer and opened up.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, just... write the way you want to.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. I like that we¡¯re being considerate of each other.¡±

    She nodded quietly.

    ¡°You can say more, you know.¡±

    The wind blew on the sand,

    ¡°Then... please don¡¯t... write about me... too much...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it short.¡±

    ¡°I... am not fond... of talking to... people.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t have to talk to anyone,¡± Juho answered light-heartedly.

    The woman asked timidly while studying his expression, ¡°... Can I not... really?¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    A weak, barely noticeable smile spread across her face.

    ¡°I hope... you... don¡¯t try... to change... me. I d-don¡¯t want to... change.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°And...¡± She hesitated for a good while. When Juho started to see signs of her retreating to her silence, he gave her a gentle nudge.

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°And...¡± She seemed embarrassed.

    ¡®What does she want?¡¯ thought Juho.

    Her eyes were fixated on the water.

    ¡°I... want... to be b-back here...¡± She must have been fond of the beach.

    ¡°Of course. That¡¯s not hard at all.¡±

    ¡°I... want to...e alone.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t me ya. It was a little rowdy today,¡± said Juho, ncing over at the man. At the sight of her nodding timidly, his face scrunched up all the more.

    ¡°How should I dress you? It¡¯s a gift. Tell me whatever you¡¯d like to wear.¡±

    ¡°I... like pants.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll get cold at night.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll... bring my nket... from my... my ce.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re not in the habit of wearing makeup?

    ¡°No... I just... want to...e as I am.¡±

    The wind picked up, blowing the hair that covered her face aside. Then, the wind blew again, but over the sand this time. Juho closed his eyes from the sudden sandstorm.

    ¡°Bye... now...¡±

    With those faint words, she vanished from the beach. Staring at the ce where she had been, Juho turned toward the man. He stood quietly, still looking displeased. Then, he opened his mouth and asked, ¡°You have something for me too, right?¡±

    Juho grinned and said, ¡°You understood, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    The man answered proudly, ¡°You just gotta listen.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sensitive tonguages, like me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you give me that crap,¡± the man snapped at Juho, and his face scrunched up even more into a scowl.

    ¡°How about you work on some anger management?¡±

    ¡°People don¡¯t change.¡±

    ¡°Nothingsts forever.¡±

    Looking puzzled, he raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what you said to thatdy earlier.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°You said you¡¯ll keep her from changing.¡±

    ¡°That, I did.¡±

    She had asked Juho not to change her in his writing, and Juho had granted her wishes, so the man looked even more puzzled.

    ¡°Are you contradicting yourself? Were you lying to her?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense. I intend on keeping every word I said to her.¡± Juho added as the man stayed hopelessly confused, ¡°People don¡¯t change. Nothingsts forever. They¡¯re both right. They¡¯re both what people want to hear.¡±

    There was no right or wrong in neither statement. In this case, one¡¯s belief became the truth.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I called for you both,¡± Juho said to the man. ¡°I¡¯m writing about you both.¡±

    One who longed for the present tost for an eternity. One who realized nothingsts forever. He wanted to write about both of those people. One short. One full-length. A peaceful daily life on one book, and a perilous adventure on the other. Together. Alone.

    ¡°The story is part of her life, and not wanting to change is what she wants. Everyone longs for something tost forever.¡±

    In the end, the man and the woman crossed paths eventually. Everybody longed for something to remain unchanged.

    ¡°... But everyone grows old. We all die eventually,¡± he snapped.

    ¡°Are you contradicting yourself?¡±

    The man didn¡¯t give him an answer. He started aging slowly, growing slightly shorter, his voice sinking. His once luxurious clothes became somewhat old and ragged. Though his eyes remained sharp and fierce, his re lost its edge. He seemed disappointed by something. He had changed.

    ¡°Nothingsts forever,¡± he said calmly.

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°Time¡¯s ticking as we speak. Before you know it, death draws near.¡±

    Juho felt the air the surrounding the man changing with the wind.

    ¡°When will I stop being human?¡± he had to be talking about changing.

    ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Juho asked. Time flowed by mercilessly.

    Wearing an ambiguous look, the man answered, ¡°Not really.¡±

    Although it was hard to tell if he really meant it, Juho decided to y along.

    ¡°I wonder what I should be doing then?¡±

    Irritated, the man threw his head back and said, ¡°Pray to God or something!¡±

    He was no longer irritable or raging uncontrobly or taking somebody by their cor. He had grown more mature, but his temper still remained intact deep within. Juho felt the wave on his shoes as it were rushing toward him. Though it couldn¡¯t reach him earlier, it started to rush past his ankle now, making his feet cold. He moved away from the wave to where it wouldn¡¯t be able to reach him. Before he knew it, he was alone. The woman and the man were nowhere to be found. The sun started to set, and the dark approached. The wave grew taller, wetting the sand. Juho sat there and watched the scenery quietly.

    The door opened and closed. With that, the train started off again.

    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s he doing?¡±

    ¡°Ah, he¡¯s doing homework. Let¡¯s be quiet now.¡±

    Beingpletely oblivious to the conversation between the mother and her young son sitting next to him, Juho kept writing away. He had been carrying his notepad and manuscript paper in his bag at all times, as well as writing tools, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about running out of paper. First, he started writing about the woman at the beach.

    ¡®Another day of longing for things to remain unchanged forever. It was the monologue of a woman who had made an impulsive trip to the beach, wearing a dress given to her as a gift. She didn¡¯t talk to anyone. On her way to there, when she bought herself a bottle of water, during the day, at night, whenever hot or cold, she had always been alone, even as she longed for something that wouldst forever. Though she crossed paths with countless people, she kept to herself, going about her way, alone.¡¯

    The train stopped; the doors opened and closed, and it started off again. It took in people while sending them away simultaneously. Juho felt his feet growing colder. The wet spot on his shoes was disappearing while the water evaporated. He thought back to the scenery hest saw. Everything came alive again. The salty air. Waves breaking. The boundless horizon. It had all been intact, and it would be an evesting memory.

    He moved his pen busily, writing about what he wanted to write about as well as what needed to be written. ¡®Is this new? Will I get used to this?¡¯ There was no need to ask such questions anymore. Writing was his greatest joy. ¡®It¡¯s time to let go of my greed. I need to focus on writing.¡¯ He fully intended on putting his heart and soul into it. The corners of his mouth turned. When something unclear began to take shape, that was when joy came rushing into his heart.

    By the time Juho stopped writing, his stop was long gone.

 Chapter 94 - Parents, Creator, Myself

    <h4>Chapter 94: Chapter 94 ¨C Parents, Creator, Myself</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Mr.Moon examined the plots the club members hade up with and their structures. Seo Kwang wanted to write about the history of books while Sun Hwa wanted to write about the life of a celebrity. Bom had decided to write about a child who had just begun to stand on his own two feet, and Juho had decided on the daily life of a woman who made a trip to the beach.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m guessing you all thought of the characters for your story?¡± Mr. Moon asked the club members sitting in front of him.

    Everyone answered, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Today, we¡¯re going to give them as much shape as possible.¡±

    Everyone looked at him with excitement and anticipation. They would be giving their characters a personality. Creating a character was a fun process, but there were exceptions.

    ¡°Characters are important. Sometimes, they even affect the direction of the development of the plot. Think about what you want to express in your respective stories and think of a character who would best represent that.¡±

    ¡°That sounds hard,¡± grumbled Seo Kwang.

    After a brief, momentary thought, Mr. Moon gave a simpler exnation, ¡°You¡¯re all parents.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Your characters would be your children.¡±

    ¡°... Eh?¡±

    Author, parents. Characters, children. Mr. Moon continued with his exnation, ¡°Think about your parents. What do they for you?¡±

    ¡°Uh... Lot¡¯s of things,¡± said Sun Hwa, looking puzzled. She had to have received a lot from her parents in her upbringing.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You guys, need to treat your characters the same way.¡±

    Juho thought about what he had received from his parents. ¡®Everything.¡¯ From his uniform to the slippers he was wearing, everything hade from his parents. The hand he wrote with, the brain he used to think, everything hade from them.

    ¡°Parents.¡±

    The club members still seemed to be at a loss. After all, they were all children of their parents. Though grateful toward them, they didn¡¯t quite understand what it meant to be a son or a daughter. Their confusion was natural. Examining the look on everyone¡¯s face, Mr. Moon took some time to think before giving them an even simpler exnation.

    ¡°How about this? If it¡¯s hard for you think from your parents¡¯ perspective, be the creator. That¡¯s kind of cool, isn¡¯t it? You guys, are making a person. A creator gives different talents and characteristics to his creation.¡±

    ¡°The creator...¡±

    ¡°It does sound cooler, but it doesn¡¯t make it easier.¡±

    In fact, it had made it harder for them to understand, so Mr. Moon thought some more and said, ¡°That¡¯s it! Think ¡®me.¡¯¡±

    ¡°As in you, Mr. Moon?¡±

    ¡°Yourselves. The writer.¡±

    As Seo Kwang was about to ask another question, Mr. Moon raised his hand, indicating that he wasn¡¯t finished.

    ¡°What would it feel like to hold hands with my character? How would they answer my questions? How would they respond to a certain situation? How detailed or vocal your characters are would depend on the writer. Since you guys are beginners, you won¡¯t be able to get much further than getting really ambiguous answers. So, just think from ¡®my¡¯ perspective. You all know how your hand feels, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because the writer isn¡¯t skilled enough. I¡¯d be frustrated,¡±ined Sun Hwa.

    ¡°You¡¯re still a beginner,¡± answered Seo Kwang. It sounded like an answer Mr. Moon would give, but for some reason, he waved his hand in denial.

    ¡°Treating your character as your own self is a very author-like way of thinking. At the end of the day, a novel can¡¯t escape the limits of exploring the existence that is ¡®me.¡¯ You¡¯re writing about a person and their life. As a parent, creator or an author, you are distinctively you.¡±

    Juho nodded quietly.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Uh... Hm, right,¡± said Bom, chuckling awkwardly. The club members seemed all the more lost, and Juho smiled internally. There really was no way to get around the matter. The more the author thought about and dug into his novel, the more they tended to tread into the territory of identity and metaphysics.

    ¡®p! p!¡¯

    Suddenly, Mr. Moon pped twice while sitting quietly. He was probably having trouble with his exnations.

    ¡°Anyway, today, you¡¯re going to create your own characters,¡± he changed the subject, emphasizing on characters alone while setting everything he had said very far aside. ¡°Every single one of your characters is alive,¡± he emphasized.

    The club members listened intently, telling themselves that they were writing about a live person in their minds.

    ¡°As long as a character is alive, that means that there¡¯s a reason behind the things they do or say in the novel.¡±

    ¡°A reason?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Why are we here?¡±

    ¡°Uh... Hm... Maybe... to go college?¡±

    ¡°To be happy, all of us,¡± said Mr. Moon.

    ¡°What you¡¯re about to write, it won¡¯t help with college in any way. It won¡¯t bring your grades up either. YET, you guys are working hard. Even now, you guys are on fire to learn more and write better. Why?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s fun,¡± said Bom.

    ¡°I love writing.¡±

    ¡°I want to write.¡±

    ¡°It helps me reach my goal.¡±

    The other club members added to Bom¡¯s statement. Whether emotional or rational, everyone had a reason.

    ¡°See? Everyone has an answer. It¡¯s the same with your characters. They move about because they have their own reason to.¡±

    Pausing briefly, Mr. Moon looked around.

    ¡°OK, let¡¯s say I kill a person.¡±

    ¡°Huh!?¡±

    ¡°Ah, assuming that I¡¯m a fictional character,¡± exined Mr. Moon, waving his hand to mimic swinging a knife. Juho watched his hand carefully. ¡°Stab.¡±

    The members imagined the gut-wrenching sound of a knife piercing through skin. Mr. Moon had just killed someone. Of course, his knifeless hand was swinging in thin air.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t leave you with any impressions. Why?¡±

    ¡°Because there is no reason for it,¡± said the club members, applying what they had just learned.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s because there was no exnation as to why I did what I did. Again, your characters are alive, and they do things for a reason. There¡¯s always a reason. It¡¯s just that we can¡¯t express it for them. Parents! Are you nning on raising a child who¡¯s a boring killjoy? The almighty creator, are you intending on leaving your creations confused? Aren¡¯t you all going to exin yourselves?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± the members eximed.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You have to protect yourselves with everything you¡¯ve got. ¡®I will reciprocate as much love as you show me. I¡¯ll tell you what you want to hear. Or, maybe I can show you something unimaginable.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m kind of getting goosebumps.¡±

    ¡°As you can see, creating a character is not easy.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it lik...¡±

    ¡°Got it? Now, think about a character that would suit the events in your stories,¡± Mr. Moon interjected.

    ¡°Soundsplicated.¡±

    ¡°Try to enjoy it. You¡¯ll get the hang of it.¡±

    With a sigh and a pens in hand, everyone red at their notebooks.

    When Mr. Moon finished speaking, the room sunk into silence. Only the air lingered about. Juho thought, ¡®What do I do? I¡¯ve already met her, and I already know her personality. I know her reason for her actions and behavior. I know what she wants and where she wants to be in life.¡¯

    With those thoughts, he quietly raised his hand.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± asked Mr. Moon.

    Juho¡¯s voice broke the silence, ¡°If I¡¯ve already heard an answer from my character, can I just start writing?¡±

    ¡°... Bring it here.¡±

    Juho took his paper over to Mr. Moon. All eyes were on him as he walked toward the teacher.

    Slowly, Mr. Moon immersed himself in the world Juho had created. Though it was iplete, things were bound to change down the line. New things woulde up as others would get taken out.

    ¡°Ha...!¡± Mr. Moonughed. ¡°When did you write this?¡±

    ¡°Eh, this is nothing. Besides, it¡¯s short,¡± said Juho.

    ¡°Have you thought about how you want to end it?¡± Mr. Moon asked carefully. Juho had a history of writing ridiculous endings.

    ¡°Vaguely. Things are still blurry,¡± Juho said, shrugging.

    ¡°Try to be more intentional this time, will you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, it¡¯s not that simple.¡±

    ¡°Try anyway. Starting with the next time we meet, write in theputer room. For now, focus on your ending.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    With that, Juho returned to his seat, feeling the ufortable gazes of the other club members over him. The first one to speak up was Sun Hwa.

    ¡°Seriously?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know.¡±

    It made sense that she was surprised. Juho had already started writing when everyone else was still busy thinking of a character. Since he had decided to write two separate novels, there was no time to waste.

    In the end, Juho had no choice but to say, ¡°What can I do? I¡¯m just that good.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so shameless.¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯reughing? That¡¯s cheap. When did you start writing? Cheap shot.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised,¡± said Seo Kwang, resting his chin on his hand. He seemed familiar with Sun Hwa¡¯s experience.

    ¡°Juho can be like that,¡± agreed Bom. It was clearly not apliment.

    Suddenly, Seo Kwang pped loudly as if he had remembered something.

    ¡°I should write about someone like you!¡±

    ¡°I will reciprocate as much love as you show me.¡±

    ¡°Strike that,¡± said Seo Kwang at once.

    As Juho poked fun at Seo Kwang, he felt someone looking in his direction and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Sun Hwa and Bom said, giving him a peculiar look.

    ¡°Do you want to write about me?¡±

    ¡°I thought about it, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll work out. It¡¯s too much.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think so too.¡±

    They had answered gently, but it had been a resounding ¡°No.¡± At that moment, Seo Kwang pulled Juho¡¯s notebook in his direction and asked, ¡°Can I look at this?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± another voice answered.

    Seo Kwang looked in the direction of the voice and protested, ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll affect your writing. You have to write on your own,¡± warned Mr. Moon, crossing his arms. Until he had finished his own writing, Seo Kwang wouldn¡¯t be able to read what Juho had written.

    ¡°OK.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯m leaving now. Don¡¯t look or show.¡±

    With those words, he made his way to the staffroom. Watching the door open and close, Juho organized his thoughts.

    Then, Baron raised his voice and asked, ¡°I can look, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡±

    ¡°We want to look too!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s really unfair Baron.¡±

    The three club members protested, but Baron paid them no attention. Willingly, Juho handed him the notebook.

    ¡°Wow, these people,¡± Sun Hwa grumbled, but Baron took the notebook from Juho¡¯s hand, reading it quietly.

    It was the overall flow of the plot. Although it wasn¡¯t long, Baron remained silent for a good while.

    ¡°... You¡¯re writing this?¡± he murmured.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°No, no problem.¡± Baron thought, ¡®There¡¯s no problem, but...¡¯ ¡°... Wouldn¡¯t it be a little difficult?¡±

    Though he was about to go on, Baron stopped himself. He was conscious of other club members. However, Juho had understood more than enough to know what he was trying to ask. A person going to the beach alone, all without an apparent climax or danger. It could easily turn out boring. It would be a challenge to keep it interesting. Yet...

    ¡°I want to write it, so there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±

    ¡°... Show it to me when you¡¯re done. I¡¯d like to read it.¡±

    With that, he gave Juho¡¯s notebook back to him. To everyone else who was ring at him with piercing curiosity, Juho added, ¡°If you¡¯re so anxious to read it, then all you¡¯ve got to do is finish your stories.¡±

    ¡°Punk,¡± said Sun Hwa, who snatched her pen still ring with her nose on her notebook, she immersed herself in thoughts about the characters for her story.

    By contrast, Juho reached slowly for his pen. It was time for him to write about the woman at the beach.

 Chapter 95

    <h4>Chapter 95: Chapter 95 ¨C The Sky is the Sky and the Beach is the Beach (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As a gift, Juho chose a pair of jeans that was as blue as the sea. Wearing those jeans, the woman decided to make a trip to the beach. They werefortable, so she wouldn¡¯t have trouble sitting down or getting sand on them. With some money and a nket, she headed for the beach.

    She walked the same, familiar streets as the day before. Nothing had changed. The convenience store, the grocery store next door, the high school she had graduated from, and the stationery store in front of it. All the stores opened and closed at the exact same time they always had. A student walked out of the school. At a certain time of the day, students in uniform walked past the front gate and ate lunch. Their ss started once the bell rang, and it ended once the bell rang again.

    They left for school before sunrise and didn¡¯t go home until sunset. It was almost like being in a cave. If the school was a cave, where was she now? She had left for the beach. First, there was light, and the light was better than the dark. It was warm and beautiful. Yet, she had never learned to enjoy the light. It had to be because she was either too cold of a person, or because the light was simply too hot.

    ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡±

    Juho looked around his desk littered with paper and writing. The cup waspletely dry. After pondering about it, Juho stood up from the chair and made his way to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of cold water. Then, he drank it. The water left a trail of cold sensation in its path. Considering the environment¡¯s temperature, it made sense that it felt that cold. When it touched his teeth, the cup made a clicking sound. The water passed through his mouth and into the throat. There was no need to chew. He only needed to let it flow down his esophagus.

    The woman was growing thirsty as well. She went into the convenience store to buy herself a bottle of water. There was no verbal interaction in the process. The only person talking was the cashier. The woman never answered. That was what she wanted from Juho, and he was intentional about keeping his word. No one was able to hear her voice. She never spoke, but she wasn¡¯t lethargic.

    She headed for the beach, and Juho returned to his room.

    A character¡¯s speech served multiple purposes. On top of being their voice, it was also the voice of the novel. It created ripples like a pebble that was thrown into cid waters. In this short story, however, the protagonist had no voice. As a result, the sounds around her were amplified. In the end, Juho wanted to increase the sound the novel made even more. Her voice would be included then, and she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being separated or left alone. He fully intended to make her feel heard, enabling readers to be able to imagine her voice just through her monologues.

    Juho pictured the woman in jeans. The character was alive, and obviously, she wore clothes and shoes. Then, she received a gift. Naturally, the gift was given by someone else, which meant that she wasn¡¯t alone.

    Perhaps that was the reason why she didn¡¯t want things to change, believing that they wouldst forever. Perhaps she believed that there were things that didn¡¯t change in that world. At least, that¡¯s how Juho saw it.

    ¡®In that case, will her desirese true? After years had gone by, would she have the same thoughts, still? Wouldn¡¯t she still be alone then? What would I need to ask her that question?¡¯ Juho thought, closing his eyes.

    He felt cold water on his feet. The waves were breaking, retreating with white seafoam. Though they rushed toward him with excitement, they were short-lived and retreated timidly, taking some of the sand along. Juho looked down at his feet. There was a pair of footprints on the wet, soft sand. He was at the beach himself ¨C the ce that required a two-hour train ride to get to. He was back. Just as before, the ce was filled with water and sand. Suddenly, he heard something shattering behind him. Looking back, Juho saw debris that was whiter than the sand on the beach. He was well-acquainted with the sight. After all, he had been the one who had made that mess.

    ¡°Mr. Agrippa,¡± Juho called to him. However, Mr. Agrippacked a mouth, so he couldn¡¯t answer. The pieces were buried in the sand about halfway, but Juho picked up what looked like a mouth.

    ¡®Click.¡¯

    ¡°Ptooey!¡±

    The mouth spat out sand, coughing and projecting what looked like saliva or sea water. Juho pulled away from the mouth as it coughed violently.

    As it grew calmer, Juho asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Agrippa¡¯s mouth opened, revealing his clean, neat set of teeth. In a deep, resounding voice, he said, ¡°She didn¡¯t want to talk, so I volunteered toe instead. Besides, I had something to tell you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You broke me. So, fix me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be impossible, unfortunately.¡±

    There was no way to restore a shattered ster figure. That was the hard, cold truth. What had already passed couldn¡¯t be restored. At Juho¡¯s answer, a corner of Agrippa¡¯s mouth turned up. Although it had been just his mouth, it was apparent that he was sneering at him.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Nothing¡¯s impossible in writing.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what you meant. I get it now.¡±

    Like he had said, it would be possible in writing. It would be possible to restore him to his original shape, regardless of thews of physics and nature. All it would take would be: ¡®He returned to his original shape.¡¯

    ¡°There ya go.¡±

    Agrippa¡¯s entire face became visible. Although he was a small bust sculpture, he returned to the shape he was in when Mr. Moon first brought him to the science room.

    ¡°Satisfied?¡±

    ¡°Very well, much better! Now, I can use my entire face tomunicate!¡±

    ¡°Was it ufortable?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll understand once you¡¯re in pieces.¡±

    Though Juho was about to answer ¡°I think I can live without that experience,¡± he stopped himself, remembering that he was the culprit behind shattering Agrippa to pieces. Above, A seagull flew past them. Juho looked up and watched it fly away. It seemed hungry.

    ¡°It won¡¯te for you, will it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m harder than I look. That bird would have to worry about breaking its beak.¡±

    Considering how he had been in pieces even a moment prior, his answer didn¡¯t sound very convincing. ¡®He¡¯s much weaker than he thinks,¡¯ Juho thought.

    Then, Agrippa asked, ¡°Put me in the water, will you?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean why? Because I want to be in the water.¡±

    ¡°Can you feel with that thick, hard skin of yours?¡±

    ¡°It may be hard, but it¡¯s still skin. I can feel everything.¡±

    With those words, Juho walked into the water until it reached his ankles. Setting Agrippa down on the sand, Juho plopped down beside him. Clear sea water soaked into his clothes.

    ¡°Are you enjoying yourself?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± answered Agrippa. The deep wrinkles around his eyes showed that he was genuinely happy. He was a man of many expressions. His thick, hard skin moved about freely, shining brightly in the sun. Seeing Agrippa enjoying himself in the water, Juho felt sorry for shattering him. If Agrippa was able to feel everything, he must have been in incredible pain when he was in pieces.

    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± said Agrippa.

    ¡°But...¡±

    He interjected, saying, ¡°I couldn¡¯t see, hear or talk then, so I didn¡¯t feel anything either.¡±

    Juho knew he wasn¡¯t telling the truth. Just because he couldn¡¯t see, hear or talk, it didn¡¯t necessarily meant that he couldn¡¯t feel anything. The one who hadn¡¯t felt anything then had been Juho himself. He had been the insensitive one.

    Letting out a sigh, Juho asked, ¡°What am I supposed to do when I¡¯m forgiven before I even got to apologize?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really fine. You restored me. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m the only Agrippa in this world who got to be in the water at the beach.¡±

    Suddenly, the wave broke, sshing onto his cheek,

    ¡°Is there something you want?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Just curious.¡±

    For a brief moment, Juho looked at the horizon stretching endlessly. It was the border between the sky and sea. Without it, fish could have been swimming in the sky, and Juho would¡¯ve been able to grant Agrippa the title of the first Agrippa ever to be dipped in the sky. However, Juho didn¡¯t want it to vanish. It had always been the line that had kept the sea as the sea, while keeping the sky as the sky.

    Juho¡¯s lips parted, and he said, ¡°This is ourst time together. If I leave, you¡¯ll be in pieces again, so I¡¯d like to know.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been wanting to say it too. Last time we met, we didn¡¯t even have a chance to talk,¡± said Agrippa. The reflection moved whenever he moved his face. ¡°I was sold along with other art supplies.¡±

    Brush, palette, paint, pencil, sculpting knife, and molding y. He described the view of the store he had been in.

    ¡°Not including myself, there were four Agrippas beside me.¡±

    ¡°Were you close to any of them?¡±

    He hesitated and asked, ¡°What does it mean to be close?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a hard question you¡¯re asking.¡±

    Agrippa smiled bitterly. He was a man of many expressions.

    ¡°We couldn¡¯t distinguish ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Was it because you all looked the same?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly. I couldn¡¯t retain my identity,¡± said Agrippa, wearing a sad expression. ¡°Maybe I was asleep. When I opened my eyes after being sold over and over, I had a dream.¡±

    ¡®Is he talking about dreaming in his sleep or daydreaming?¡¯

    ¡°What kind of dream?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I had be human. My heart had started beating, blood circted throughout my body. My hands felt warmth,¡± answered Agrippa. ¡°I think that¡¯s when I first realized my own identity.¡±

    The imagination Juho had applied to it had brought Agrippa a dream.

    ¡°Then, when I was broken into pieces, I felt jealous for the first time.¡±

    The wave retreated, foaming. It sshed on his shoulders.

    ¡°What were you jealous about?¡±

    ¡°You guys don¡¯t change.¡±

    The wave broke again, but this time, gently.

    ¡°We do change.¡±

    The body and the mind tended to change based on time and circumstances, getting involved in incidents both small and big. People moved restlessly through life.

    ¡°No,¡± Agrippa disagreed for some reason.

    ¡°Why did you think that?¡±

    ¡°The moment I was shattered, I felt my identity vanishing into thin air. It¡¯s different from death. I¡¯m not dead. I was just back to not being able to distinguish who I was anymore. I couldn¡¯t tell who was who. Now, I can¡¯t tell myself apart from the other Agrippas.¡±

    ¡®Distinguish,¡¯ Juho thought. Just as the word ¡°I¡± meant the person himself, Agrippa was no other than Agrippa himself. ¡°I¡± would not bother to spend time thinking about his identity when looking at Agrippa because he would be capable of distinguishing himself.

    ¡°I was sold over and over. Art institutes, homes, schools, parks. I was everywhere, and I am every Agrippa there is in this world, but you¡¯re different. You are you, strictly. That never changes, and it can never be taken away. You don¡¯t break into pieces like I do. You¡¯re durable. I was jealous.¡±

    Won¡¯t, can¡¯t and shouldn¡¯t be taken away. Agrippa had been jealous of the people who had that. He had wanted to be a person who possessed something that should never be hand out to others under any circumstances. The wave broke again. Though it had been timid at one point, it broke all the more desperately. Water sshed onto Agrippa¡¯s eyes. He was crying.

 Chapter 96

    <h4>Chapter 96: Chapter 96 ¨C The Sky is the Sky and the Beach is the Beach (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°You can stay as yourself too,¡± Juho said to Agrippa. ¡°You¡¯re the only Agrippa in this world who got to be in the water at the beach.¡±

    Although Agrippa gave no answer, Juho felt that he was looking for evidence. He had been longing for some evidence that showed that he, too, possessed something unchanging. With that, Juho looked around. Sea, sand, sky, seagull, endless horizon. They were all things that he could easily make.

    ¡°Call your friends.¡±

    Agrippa didn¡¯t understand him, so Juho added in the friendly manner, ¡°The Agrippas you were confusing yourself with.¡±

    ¡°... What for? My identity will get lost the very moment they get here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry,¡± said Juho, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll find you.¡±

    ¡°Find me?¡±

    ¡°I can do it.¡±

    ¡°We all look exactly alike. I¡¯m serious. There¡¯s not one distinguishing characteristic between us.¡±

    Juho shrugged confidently.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s impossible here.¡±

    Arge wave swooped over Agrippa and rushed back to where it came from. However, it drenched neither Juho nor Agrippa. No, the Agrippas, countless Agrippas, filled the beach, fixating their ivory eyes on Juho. None of them spoke. Instead of seeing, they listened with their gazes straight ahead.

    Juho walked through the statutes carefully and tried to strike up a conversation, ¡°¡®Scuse me.¡±

    No answer.

    ¡°Hello?¡± he tried again, but there was no answer. With his eyes on the traces left by the wave in the distance, he walked past the Agrippas. Sand was taking up the space once filled with water. Simrly, the Agrippas were upying the ce where the sand should¡¯ve been. Following the wave, Juho walked toward it.

    It was neither this nor that, neither the statue next to him nor behind him.

    He went further, passing arge number of statues. They all looked exactly alike, even their ws. He tried lifting them, one on each hand. Their cold ivory skin felt smooth to the touch. They even weighed the same. It made sense that Agrippa had been so confused. ¡®I wonder if animals look at us the same way I look at these statues? Do they think that it¡¯s impossible to distinguish us, like the grains in the sand? No, that¡¯s not true. A puppy knows its owner. Not one pebble in a valley is the same. Though they might all look the same to some people, the pebbles each have their own unique shape. Once there¡¯s a memory attached to it, its shape evolves into something even more unique. For that reason, I know I can find Agrippa here.¡¯

    ¡°Found you,¡± dered Juho, standing in front of the wave.

    There was onest Agrippa in front of him. Having walked past a slew of Agrippas, it was the one Agrippa unique to Juho. He gave no answer still. Only, his forehead twitched ever so slightly, and the wave broke stubbornly.

    ¡°How did you find me?¡± asked Agrippa.

    ¡°Your moustache,¡± Juho answered.

    There were hairs ced vividly under Agrippa¡¯s nose. Juho had drawn them in in the science room. Thankfully, they had remained intact despite the water.

    While in a daze, the Agrippa startedughing suddenly, ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    Heughed heartily, resounding throughout the entire beach. The moustache vibrated as heughed. At that moment, a powder-like substance fell on the ground. It was time to part ways.

    ¡°It seems like it¡¯s time.¡±

    ¡°It appears so.¡±

    Agrippa¡¯s face crumbled away, turning into sand. It was bing one with the sand at the beach.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have what it takes to find me.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± answered Juho, confidently.

    Even if he became one with the sand, Juho would still be able to find him.

    ¡°That¡¯s all that matters. Even though I¡¯m about to be reduced to a handful of sand, I¡¯m at peace.¡±

    Just as his chin and forehead, his once clear eyes began to trickle down. Juho reached for him, feeling the smooth texture of the sand as it brushed past his hand. Agrippa seemed somewhat older. Maybe it was the sand, or the scorching sun that was beating down on him. His mouth spread open, but it too crumbled away before he had a chance to speak.

    ¡°I know,¡± said juho.

    ¡°She won¡¯t change.¡±

    Agrippa slowly faded away, his neck and shoulders gone.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure.¡±

    With onest smile, Agrippa vanished. The water washed away what little sand was left in Juho¡¯s hand. Before he knew it, the water hade up to his neck. ¡®When did you get here?¡¯ Water had a tendency to be fickle.

    From the water, Juho looked in the direction of the beach. A woman was walking on the sand, leaving footprints. By the look of the silhouette, she seemed to be wearing a hat, slouching slightly. Though Juho wanted to get a better look, he was moving farther away from the shore. ¡®Who could that be?¡¯ The woman seemed to be wearing pants. Her silver hair became visible under the visor. Stopping in her tracks, she bent down to pick something up from the sand. Maybe she was patting something. She appeared to be well-advanced in age. ¡®Did she really remain unchanged or did she give into change?¡¯ Juho wondered. Straightening her back, the woman went on her way leisurely. In order to stop her, Juho tried to shout, but no sound came out as water began to rush into his mouth. Agrippa. Juho had be Agrippa himself. Regardless of who it was, one had to be the sand in order to leave that beach. Juho felt his body crumbling away under the water. Whenever the wave broke, he got pulled under, sinking and bing one with the sand. His eyes met with the blue, serene sky. It was the sky that he had always seen, and he felt relieved. A simple fact remained: He was still himself.

    At the sight of a seagull flying about in the sky as it searched for something, Juho closed his eyes.

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    Opening his eyes, Juho let out a sigh. To wake himself up, he reached for the cup that came into view. It was cold.

    ¡°Hello,¡± greeted Juho.

    At the sound of Juho¡¯s voice, the Chinese teacher looked up from his book. He was also the Book Club¡¯s homeroom teacher. Despite being separated by a mere door, the school library smelled entirely different from the rest of the school. Juho was impressed by its subtle scent of dust and books. Once he identified Juho¡¯s face, the greeted him back with a slight nod.

    The shelves were filled with books organized into categories. Between the shelves was a small box designed for requesting new books for the library. The translucent box seemed rather empty.

    After thinking for a bit, Juho picked up the pen and paper next to the box and wrote down the name of the book he wanted to see in the school library. It was a book written by Joon Soo. Although there was a wide array of books in the library, his books simply weren¡¯t popr enough. His fans tended to be quite avid, but they were few in number. Folding the paper in half and pushing it into the box, Juho remembered why he hade to the library ¨C to pick a book. Juho wanted to know more about sand. Just like how Juho hadn¡¯t always been Yun Woo, sand hadn¡¯t always been sand. It had been granite in a high mountain at one point. Either from external erosion or internal disintegration, the rock broke into enormous pieces. Asrge as it was, it took a long time for it to travel down the mountain. Eventually, it shrunk gradually in size, naturally and/or by washing down the river. The rocks kept shrinking as they crashed into each other, bruising and wearing each other down. There was no way to make them bigger. The whole process repeated itself until the rock was reduced to the size of a grain of sand. Juho wanted to know where the countless grains of sand hade from.

    He looked in the shelf with books on geographical science. It didn¡¯t take long before he found what he had been looking for.

    ¡®What is Science?¡¯

    ¡®Easy-to-Understand Science¡¯

    ¡®A Quick Look at the History of Science¡¯

    ¡®How Did Ancient Civilizations Know the Earth was Round?¡±

    ¡®The Fundamentals of a Triangle.¡¯

    ¡®Mathematics That Fits in Your Palms.¡¯

    ¡®Physics: the Fascinating Science.¡¯

    ¡®The reason Why the Sea is Salty.¡¯

    ¡®Nothing Can¡¯t Be Exined with Science.¡¯

    ¡®How to Make a Mummy.¡¯

    ¡®Mushrooms¡¯

    ¡®The Extinction of Dinosaurs¡¯

    ¡®Earth¡¯

    ¡®Climate in the North Pole.¡¯

    Standing in front of a wall of books, Juho started searching from the top. ¡®Sand, sand. It has to be here around somewhere.¡¯ The book didn¡¯te into view until he started looking down. Eventually, he squatted, going after the books at the bottom shelves.

    ¡°Here it is!¡±

    ¡®Formation of Sand.¡¯ Seeing how it was covered in dust, nobody seemed to have bothered looking at it. It looked rather technical ¡®This will do. Otherwise, I can just get one from the bookstore,¡¯ he thought, picking up the book. When he walked out, there was a student sitting where the Chinese teacher had been sitting, reading. She was reading with the same posture as the teacher.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to check this out,¡± Juho said.

    Just like the Chinese teacher, she looked up quietly and asked, ¡°Your student ID?¡±

    ¡°Here,¡± said Juho, handing her his ID. Taking the ID from his hand, she scanned the book¡¯s barcode and typed the book¡¯s information on theputer, seemingly familiar with the library¡¯s system. Meanwhile, Juho nced over at the book she had been reading. The book came into view while resting on her skirt that fell just below her knees. A lone bird in a gray background.

    ¡°Here you go.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said. She gave him a light nod in response. With just them there alone, the library was quiet, and as soon as he stepped out through the door, the sound of moring woulde flooding into his ears.

    Before he went on his way, Juho stopped to ask the girl a question, ¡°Is that any good?¡±

    She looked up as she was about to pick up her book, understanding him immediately.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How good?¡±

    ¡°Quite good.¡±

    A woman of few words. Seeing as how she didn¡¯t seemed to wee the conversation, Juho went on his way without asking anything further.

    ¡°If you haven¡¯t read it, you should,¡± said the girl, her eyes fixated on the book.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s worth it.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s story is kind of like sand in some ways,¡± she added.

    ¡°Sand, huh.¡± Juho had never heard his writingpared to sand. Looking at the dusty book in his hand, he asked, ¡°What made you think that?¡±

    ¡°It rushes into the reader¡¯s mouth without permission.¡±

    ¡°Is that what Yun Woo¡¯s book does? It goes into your mouth without permission?¡±

    ¡°So to speak,¡± she said, patting the book. ¡°With wind, fine sand can go anywhere. You couldn¡¯t grab it even if you wanted to. The moment you think you¡¯ve caught it, it¡¯s already escaping through your fingers. It¡¯s kind of annoying, but on the other hand, I feel grateful.¡±

    ¡°But you like the book though?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I wouldn¡¯t read it otherwise. I wouldn¡¯t rmend it to a person that I¡¯m not even close to either.¡±

    ¡®I should be thankful,¡¯ thought Juho. Thinking back on it, they had met before, when the entire Literature Club hade to the library.

    ¡°You¡¯re part of the Book Club, right? We¡¯ve met before?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and you¡¯re part of the Literature Club.¡±

    She remembered him. Just like now, she had been reading then. While Juho reminisced about that day, she went back to reading. Without disrupting her further, Juho quietly stepped out of the library.

    ¡°Sand that rushes in without permission.¡±

    Her expression lingered in his ears. The lone woman who had left for the beach had to have been carrying that same sand. Afterall, sand didn¡¯t discriminate.

 Chapter 97

    <h4>Chapter 97: Chapter 97 ¨C The Sky is the Sky, and The Beach is the Beach (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Just likest time, Juho came to the beach in his uniform, wearing the same backpack and riding the same train. Though he took the exact same route as before, the trip didn¡¯t feel as long this time around. He had already gotten used to it. As the waves broke, Juho treaded slowly along the sand. A seagull flew about while the clouds calmly floated away.

    Eventually, arge boulder came into view. On it, three people sat fishing. There was no way to tell if they hade separately or as a group. Quietly, they each stared into the water at their fishing line.

    Taking a brief moment away from the beach, Juho found a shade and sat on dry ground to read the book he had checked out from the school library. It was a book about the history of sand, and Juho was reading about the different colors of sand. Their colors were determined by the condition in which the formation took ce. As an example, there was a picture of the ck sand of the Punaluu Beach in Hawaii. It was a fascinating sight. It almost looked like coals or lumps of y.

    The sand in the beach Juho was in had the typical, yellowish brown color, not particrly dark or light. Though the book dealt strictly with scientific facts about sand, it wasn¡¯t as boring as it looked. Maybe that was because Juho was sitting on the sand.

    The wave broke in the distance. Juho was in reality. There was no Agrippa. The wave wouldn¡¯t retreat or rush toward him all of a sudden. Smelling the salty air, Juho focused on reading.

    ¡°Hello,¡± a voice called for him. Taking his eyes off the book, Juho looked up. The first thing that came into view was a wrinkled hand holding a stic bag.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho greeted back. A subtle scent of food came from the olddy.

    ¡°Can I interest you in some boiled ms?¡± she asked. Her back bent quite a bit. Juho looked in the direction of the three fisherman. They were busy eating the ms.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take some.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you some extra, young man.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Opening theyers of stic bag, she scooped out some ms and poured them into a paper cup. The shells ttered against each other in the process. With the cup in his hand, Juho asked, ¡°Have you ever picked up rocks here?¡±

    ¡°Rocks?¡± she asked in a loud voice, and Juho nodded with a smile.

    ¡°Yes. A lot of people take them as mementos.¡±

    Her mouth turned up as if she had heard a joke, revealing a shiny silver tooth.

    ¡°I did when I was younger, but it¡¯s no use. They just take up space. What can you do with rocks?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Everything bes a hassle when you¡¯re older. I¡¯m busy boiling these ms as it is.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Juho felt somewhat disappointed. As much as he wanted people to remain unchanged, everyone grew old eventually. Juho knew that, having experienced it firsthand. His movements had be sluggish. He had made mistakes more frequently. He had grown further away from his youthful self. Although the conversation had seemingly ended, the olddy still stood in her ce for an unknown reason. Juho took a m to his mouth and sucked on it. The meat popped out of the shell and into his mouth, filling it with a fresh, briny vor. ¡®It¡¯d been a while since I¡¯d had this,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°So, I thought about it...¡± she said. Juho stopped eating and looked at her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t pick up rocks.¡± Though she had repeated herself, Juho listened to her like it was the first time.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need them.¡± Again, nothing new. However, she wore apletely different expression.

    ¡°These rocks have be useless to me, young man.¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t answer her as willingly as he had earlier.

    ¡°Why is that? Is it because they changed?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Change? You mean the rocks?¡±

    ¡°Anything.¡±

    ¡°Well... rocks eventually rot too.¡±

    After a quick thought, she added, smiling, ¡°Whether you boil it or let it rot, a rock is a rock. There¡¯s no need to think about it too much... or were you asking about me and not the rocks?¡±

    ¡°Either,¡± said Juho.

    ¡°Ah... I get it. I don¡¯t think that I¡¯ve changed. Haha! These are some funny thingsing from an old grandma, right?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    With her hands on her knees, she stood up slowly. As Juho helped her up, a salty scent tickled his nose.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I feel when I stare out into the sea. Think about it. What I¡¯m seeing has and always will look the same. Even though I¡¯ll rot away one day, I feel like nothing has actually changed, like I¡¯ll always be staring out at the same view. Do you follow?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little confusing, but I get the gist,¡± Juho gave her an honest answer. She nodded understandingly.

    ¡°That¡¯s OK. It happens.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t pick up things like rocks anymore. I hope I answered your question. Oh, didn¡¯t you ask if something had changed?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Although she was somewhat incoherent, Juho listened to her quietly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t change. That¡¯s it. It¡¯s not thatplicated, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Loud and clear,¡± Juho answered, smiling.

    ording to her, a rock was a piece of memory. In saying that she no longer bothered picking them up, she meant that her memories were being lost. Yet, it didn¡¯t matter to her. She believed that she hadn¡¯t changed. She believed rocks were and always would be rocks whether they were boiled or rotten. With that, she went on her way.

    After getting scraped over and over, a rock eventually became sand. Simrly, a person grew old with age. However, the essence remained unchanged. Whether she decided to pick up the rocks or not, she was and always would be herself. There were things that didn¡¯t change after all.

    Juho brought another m to his mouth and enjoyed its fresh brininess.

    ¡°Computerb!¡± the club members eximed as the tightly lined upputers came into view.

    Computers had be an essential tool for the kids living in the modern age. Though it wasn¡¯t their first time there, they were excited to be writing in a new environment. After they each took a seat, they each spent time on their own while waiting for Mr. Moon. Juho headed for the backmost seat.

    ¡°Why go so far?¡± asked Seo Kwang. He sat in the second row.

    ¡°Mr. Moon said to seat apart from each other so we don¡¯t influence one another.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but is it necessary to sit that far away?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m used to sitting here.¡±

    Juho had had permission to be in theputerb long before anyone else. While the rest of the club members had worked on their plots with Mr. Moon¡¯s help, he had been writing in theputerb all along. Taking a USB out of his pocket, he inserted it into theputer. Letters and words filled the once empty screen. At that moment, Baron walked by between Seo Kwang and Juho.

    ¡°Why are you sitting there Baron?¡±

    He sat at the innermost seat in the third row.

    ¡°I can see everyone from here, even the door.¡±

    He seemed to have aposition in mind. As he observed Sun Hwa and Bom sitting in the first row, Seo Kwang eximed in agreement.

    ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± whispered Baron. His position worked to his advantage, allowing him to see who was approaching the door before anyone else. In the same manner he walked into the science room, Mr. Moon walked into theputerb. Without hesitating, he went straight to the point.

    ¡°We¡¯re writing today, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± shouted Sun Hwa with excitement. They had been learning many theories on writing whileing up with their own plots. Everyone had a clear idea of what they wanted to write about. They were confident. They felt more equipped to be able to portray the images in their heads in writing. They were anxious to give form to those images. Such emotions were apparent in Sun Hwa¡¯s voice. Identifying with her, Juho smiled quietly.

    ¡°Very well. Now, let¡¯s stir up some trouble, shall we?¡±

    Everyone eximed cheerfully. Then, Mr. Moon added, dampening their excitement, ¡°But before we start...¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You all remember the theories we¡¯ve learned up to this point, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Characters, Main Events, Background, everything!¡± said Seo Kwang with confidence.

    Mr. Moon nodded and added, ¡°Now, let¡¯s forget it all.¡±

    The club members were at a loss.

    ¡°We¡¯re about to start writing. From this point on, we¡¯re treading into the territory of art. We don¡¯t have to be hung up on anything. A theory is a theory. It¡¯ll narrow your vision if you focus on it too much. Now, it¡¯s time to write freely. So, set it aside for now.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon,¡± said Juho, and as if that had been a signal, everyone followed with an answer.

    With a satisfied look, Mr. Moon said, ¡°Now, let¡¯s begin.¡±

    At that moment, a peculiar sound filled the room. It sounded like neither person or wind. Finding the source of the sound was not all that difficult. Everyone looked back. The sound grew faster and more fierce, almost vicious to the point of calming any excitement in the room. Juho was sitting in the backmost seat, and his face wasn¡¯t visible behind the monitor.

    Seo Kwang stared at his monitor. nk. Because he had just begun, he was yet to write a single word. He had officially embarked on his half-year journey. Thinking back on it, even the most distant of future would eventually be the present. For that reason, he had been thinking, naively, that the day woulde when he would be able to finish his novel. However, there was no such a guarantee, anywhere. The vicious sound in the room reminded him of that reality. The best writer in the Literature Club was fiercely typing away. It almost sounded violent.

    All eyes were fixated on Juho. It wasn¡¯t umon for Juho to receive such attention. He was an amazing writer. His sentences were heavy and impactful, yet they flowed peacefully. He also excelled in creating a story. He knew how to control the dynamics while being witty and suspenseful. There was personality in his writing. Only he was capable of writing in the way he did. In Seo Kwang¡¯s eyes, Juho was no different from any professional author with published work.

    Juho was sitting quite far from everyone else. His invisible hand exuded its presence through sound. Seo Kwang started to feel afraid to start writing. He knew that he didn¡¯t have the confidence to write without hesitation or jump into his story. He didn¡¯t have the confidence to fill the room with such vicious sound either. Just like the rest of the club members, he felt his excitement die down. The air grew heavy.

    Seo Kwang chuckled. Even in that moment, he looked forward to reading the things that were about toe out of him. When he looked ahead, Sun Hwa and Bom were already facing the front. The vicious typing noise from behind, and the cold backs at the front. He felt alone. He had to write in that ufortable ce between two unweing walls.

    He thought about Yun Woo, who had already written two full length novels. ¡®I wonder if he had to go through this same loneliness when he was writing... Were his books the prize for bringing his fear to submission? Do all authors write with feeling like this?¡¯ he wondered.

    He felt like he couldn¡¯t write anything in that state. Subconsciously, Seo Kwang moved his hand over the keyboard and started typing. Putting strength into his fingers, he started to actualize the story in his mind. Letters and words came together and created sentences. Though awkward and crude, they were made by him. Though it was nowhere nearparable to the vicious sounding from Juho¡¯s keyboard, it was distinctly his.

 Chapter 98 - What to Do? (1)

    <h4>Chapter 98: Chapter 98 ¨C What to Do? (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°They did it!¡±

    Juho smiled at the sounds of typing that came from the front. There was an empty page on the screen before his eyes. He was in the same ce as everyone else in the room. Once he filled a page, a new nk page appeared. When he repeated that process, it eventually became a book, making him an author.

    As he repeated the process, he became older. The time flew by. Wrinkles would form around his eyes. Maybe he¡¯d slouch. He looked at his page filled halfway. ¡®When I¡¯m older, I really hope I can write in more peace,¡¯ he thought. A cheerful sound apanied the movement of his hand. Everyone else was typing at the same time. It sounded much better than the times when he had been alone in the room.

    ¡°Lla,la.¡±

    ¡®p, p, p.¡¯

    At the sound of pping, Juho opened his eyes. What came into his view was the neighborhood elderlies and the woman with her guitar singing in front of them. It didn¡¯t seem like there were any lyrics. Listening with his eyes closed, it sounded all the more ordinary and somewhat familiar. It wouldn¡¯t take long to find another ce where he could hear the same song. What really brought Juho to the park had been her voice. Though it hadn¡¯t been special by any means, her voice was unique to her alone. For that reason, the only way to hear her voice was to go to the park. She started singing the next song, and it didn¡¯t sound all that different from the previous one.

    Struggling to grab the chords properly, she plucked away at the strings awkwardly. Listening to such crudely performed music, Juho thought of the story that he had recently written. While filled with sand, the story was actually about things that were impervious to change. Naturally, he had be curious about the woman¡¯s voice. ¡®Will it change with her age?¡¯ though Juho, looking in her direction. She had told him that she was nning on singing until her death, and Juho wanted to hear her songs for a long time. He preferred to think that her voice would remain unchanged. He decided to believe that. Her performance did notst much longer.

    As the concert came to an end, the audience started to go their separate ways one by one.

    Juho still didn¡¯t know her name, and neither did she know his. Because it had already taken ce as a rule they had silently agreed upon, they would remain unknown to each other. After greeting her quietly, Juho turned to leave.

    ¡°Hold up,¡± she called after him. Juho turned toward her.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you.¡±

    Juho walked her way.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be able toe here anymore,¡± she said.

    Juho couldn¡¯t say anything in that moment. It hadn¡¯t been long since Juho had decided to believe that her voice would remain unchanged.

    ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡±

    ¡°I got a job.¡±

    ¡°Oh, wow! Congrattions!¡±

    He had forgotten that she had been looking for a job. Previously, she had told him that she sang because nobody wanted her.

    ¡°Is it a music-rted position?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s a temporary intern position at a smallpany.¡±

    Suddenly, the bitter reality came rushing in.

    ¡°Was today yourst?¡±

    She didn¡¯t give an immediate answer. Instead, she just tilted her head to the side.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to sing until I die.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you did tell me that.¡±

    ¡°I just won¡¯t be able to do it here.¡±

    Juho nodded.

    ¡°I know, but I¡¯m still sad to see you go. Honestly, even a moment ago, I was thinking that I¡¯d be able to hear you sing forever. Of course, that was strictly what I wanted.¡±

    ¡°I did too, until I got the eptance letter,¡± she said. Though it was a goodbye to Juho, it had been good news for her. Juho smiled. With that, they didn¡¯t say anything else to one another. She started packing slowly, resting her guitar in a case wrapped in ck cloth, covering the strings with a small pouch. Though she seemed to be rushing, her movements were slow.

    ¡°Well, bye now.¡±

    ¡°Take care.¡±

    Having finished packing, she calmly bid farewell. Juho stood in his ce, watching her get further away. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and turned around. Their eyes met.

    ¡°Did you forget something?¡±

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯d have kepting?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t tell you that today was myst concert, do you think you¡¯d havee to see me still?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Juho dragged on. After a brief time thinking, Juho said with a smile, ¡°Probably. I¡¯m your fan.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t a definitive answer, she seemed happy. ¡°I mighte back.¡±

    ¡°Howe? Is it because it¡¯s a temporary position?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten to sing my lyrics yet.¡±

    She had expressed that there was something that she had been wanting to say. Yet, she sang songs with no lyrics. Quietly staring at her face, Juho¡¯s lips parted, and he said, ¡°I write.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°I finished a short story recently, and I¡¯ve been contemting a title for it.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡± despite looking puzzled, she asked.

    ¡°It takes ce at a beach, and it¡¯s filled with sand. What do you think the title should be?¡±

    ¡°Can you ask something like that of someone who hasn¡¯t even read the book yet?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything wrong with it. An author has the freedom to name his work whatever he wants.¡±

    ¡°... Don¡¯t expect too much from a person who can¡¯t even sing her lyrics.¡± After a brief time contemting, she added, ¡°Grains of Sand.¡±

    It was what sand was made of. It was usually too small for anyone to mind, but it was in and simple .

    ¡°That¡¯s nice. It¡¯s easy to understand. I¡¯ll consider it as a goodbye gift.¡±

    Sheughed and said, ¡°Seems like I¡¯m going to have to leave empty-handed.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have much to give, so I¡¯ll tell you something instead.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If you think of me, read my books.¡±

    ¡°What books?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s,¡± said Juho, smiling.

    Her eyes widened and her mouth parted slightly, her white teeth peeking through. She knew what he meant.

    ¡°You are...¡± she murmured.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    This time, Juho took the initiative to say goodbye.

    ¡°See you around.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you around.¡±

    With that, she left the stage in light steps. After starting her new job, she returned to the park within a month.

    ¡°I thought you said you finished?¡± Seo Kwang asked on their way to theputer room.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Already??¡± Sun Hwa and Bom asked.

    ¡°I started early.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s still fast!¡±

    Because they had just started working on the climax in their novels, Juho¡¯s pace felt almost too fast. Since he was actually a fast writer, he didn¡¯t try to deny them.

    ¡°I do kind of write fast... It is a short story though,¡± he interjected as Sun Hwa opened her mouth to say something.

    With that answer, she closed her mouth quietly, and Bom asked, ¡°What¡¯s it called?¡±

    Juho took a moment to think.

    ¡°Grains of Sand.¡±

    ¡°Grains of Sand?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Why Grains of Sand?¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s because there¡¯s a lot of sand in the story?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯sme,¡± said Sun Hwa.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get it when you read it.¡±

    ¡°Why would you say stuff like that? Now I¡¯m even more curious,¡± grumbled Seo Kwang. Juho¡¯s answer to Sun Hwa had ruffled Seo Kwang¡¯s feathers. After all, he was the bookworm of bookworms.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get to read it the sooner you finish writing,¡± said Juho, teasing.

    ¡°Hey, punk! It¡¯s not that simple. I¡¯m more of a reader than a writer. You know what, I want to stick to being a reader. Creative writing is NOT for me,¡± said Seo Kwang, whining sadly.

    Once they had arrived at theputerb, the club members each went to their seats.

    ¡°Considering how much pain you¡¯re in, you are working really hard,¡± Juho told Seo Kwang on his way to hisputer.

    ¡°That¡¯s why this is killing me. I¡¯m so exhausted, but I can¡¯t stop writing. What is this?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in love.¡±

    ¡°Is this what ¡®too much love¡¯ looks like?¡± Seo Kwang asked,ining about his capacity as a writer.

    As Sun Hwa quietly watched, she suddenly asked as if she had just thought of something, ¡°Speaking of which, who do we show our novels to when they¡¯re done?¡±

    The room sank into a silence. Mr. Moon had never given them an exnation regarding who was going read their novels. Having been distracted with the writing, the club members began to wonder about their potential readers. What woulde after once they had finished writing?

    ¡°Do you think we¡¯re doing something at the school festival?¡± asked Seo Kwang.

    ¡°Who reads books at the festival? Let alone written by amateurs?¡± Sun Hwa snapped.

    ¡°I would...¡± he objected timidly.

    ¡°Maybe we¡¯re just writing.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been working way too hard for that.¡±

    Everyone immersed themselves in thought. At that moment, Seo Kwang said with his hand raised, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for theption!¡±

    ¡°Huh! That sounds usible.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah! I¡¯d forgotten about that. I must¡¯ve taken it seriously when Mr. Moon told us to forget it all. Hehe...¡±

    Theption. The word Juho had set aside in his mind had resurfaced. By the time the club members finished writing their novels, they would be going into the following year, which meant theptions would be published by then.

    ¡°But would that be it? It doesn¡¯t sound all that different from what we¡¯re doing now,¡± said Bom, somewhat disappointed.

    ¡°Did you want to show it to other people?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I mean, writing exists to be read by someone else, so I¡¯d be lying if I said no, but I¡¯m not all that confident about what I¡¯ve written... It¡¯s my first novel, and I get overwhelmed just thinking about it... I still write it willingly but... Hm... I don¡¯t know,¡± Bom said flustered. It soundedplicated, wanting to be read, but not wanting to be read at the same time.

    ¡°You should still show it to people.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Bom turned her head in the direction of the voice. It was Mr. Moon walking into the room.

    ¡°I was nning on telling you all.¡±

    He came bearing the exnation for the aftermath of their literary journey. Looking at the club members scattered throughout the room, he said, ¡°If you guys see it to the end, your novels will be disyed in the library.

    ¡®Library? As in the school library?¡¯ Juho was surprised at the unexpected answer.

    ¡°Our novels are going to be on disy?¡±

    ¡°In the library??¡±

    ¡°Starting when??¡±

    Questions poured out, and in order to focus their attention, Mr. Moon raised his hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ve spoken with the librarian. As long as you finish, you may decide to have your novels disyed whenever you wish.¡±

    ¡°People are going to be reading my novel??¡± Sun Hwa asked anxiously. The thought of her crude writing skill being exposed to the public made her feel uneasy.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think we¡¯ll get made fun of?¡±

    It was likely. Sun Hwa had had a firsthand experience with it, and Mr. Moon nodded.

    ¡°Possibly. You are going to have readers after all.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like that!¡±

    ¡°Then, you don¡¯t have to do it.¡±

    ¡°... Eh?¡±

    Mr. Moon quickly epted her displeasure, and Sun Hwa felt almost embarrassed. Then, he continued, ¡°Patience has never been your strength. I¡¯m not done.¡±

    ¡°What else is there?¡± Bom asked carefully.

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving you an ultimatum. Read what you¡¯ve written and decide for yourselves whether it should be read by the public, or if you want to keep it to yourselves. You guys own what you¡¯ve written. I can¡¯t force you to make a decision. If you¡¯re afraid of getting made fun of, then feel free to not disy it. If you¡¯re confident, then go for it.¡±

    The air grew heavy. It was a difficult decision.

    ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t have to be so serious about it now. It¡¯s not as fancy as it sounds. You all know how quiet and empty the library is. There will only be one copy, so no one will be able to take it out of the library. People will be scanning through it at the most,¡± he added light-heartedly. ¡°It¡¯s up to you guys as writers to make the readers want toe back and read more, but I don¡¯t expect that from you all, beginners.¡±

    Beginners. The club members lightened up at the sound of that word. They were beginners, unskilled writers. Of course, it wasn¡¯t clear whether the readers would consider that fact or not.

    ¡°Save the anxiety for afterward.¡±

    ¡°Uh... Does that mean Juho gets to be anxious now?¡± Seo Kwang asked as he turned towards him. The moment their eyes met, Juho immediately saw thefort in his expression. He seemed to have decided not to have his novels on disy. After all, it wasn¡¯t his dream to be an author. Juho had no intention of interfering with his decision, but he opened his mouth and said, ¡°Not yet. It¡¯s not done until it¡¯s revised.¡±

    ¡°Really? I guess we all have some time then.¡±

    Juho agreed to Seo Kwang. There was enough time to think.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take this slow.¡±

    The air in the room had suddenly been changed by someone, and Juho thought in the midst of it, ¡®I was nning on writing another book after this short story. What will it feel like once I finish writing the full-length one?¡±

 Chapter 99 - What to Do? (2)

    <h4>Chapter 99: Chapter 99 ¨C What to Do? (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho stared at the screen where he saw two manuscripts for two separate books ¨C a book about sand on the left, and another that was yet to be written. He thought back to Mr. Moon¡¯s announcement about putting the novels written by the club members on disy. There would be a publication ceremony that was both humble and unofficial. He pictured himself being part of the ceremony with hisposition. Both anxiety and excitement tended to stir up simultaneously when doing something for the first time.

    He turned his eyes back to the empty page on the right side of the screen. ¡®What to do with this one, the twin born at the same ce?¡¯ Because Juho had been so distracted with writing, the thoughts about the aftermath had never entered his mind.

    Though there was no way to tell how that story would turn out, he still wanted to give it his all in writing it. He wanted to start something that matched the scale of the book and its grand beginning. In that case, it would be best to write with publishing it in mind. At the core of it, the new approach would be:

    ¡°Submission.¡±

    In other words, he had the option of sending his manuscript directly to the publishingpany instead of the school exhibition. His debut title having made him a bestselling author, that was something Juho had never done before.

    ¡°What if I used a different alias?¡±

    Considering how many people were reading his book because of his name, the approach felt somewhat risky. Of course, he had every reason to be grateful toward his readers for reading his book. Yet, he couldn¡¯t help but ask himself: ¡®What if it was under a different name? Would my work still be received the same way?¡¯ He wanted to find out and see it with his own eyes. ¡®What if I published a book under a different alias, and it¡¯s just as sessful as Yun Woo? What if I can move the hearts of my readers just as much?¡¯ If his theories were to be true, they would certainly contribute to his motivation to write. He would feel more free.

    A goal had been set. Two stories. Born on the same day and time. Pr opposite of each other.

    The first draft for the short story had beenpleted. All it needed was to be revised. As for the full-length one, it was just the beginning. It was a story about a recently set goal. Things that changed and things that didn¡¯t. One about a humble daily life and the other about an exaggerated tale of an adventurer. A short story, and a novel. Juho moved the mouse cursor about. The screen showed an empty, untitled page. It was time for him to write about the man at the beach.

    Juho thought back to his encounter with the man. He had been sensitive tonguages, rude, rough around the edges, and reckless. Fortunately, he had changed as time passed by. He had learned to take himself seriously and practiced patience. His distasteful personality had begun to evolve into something more grounded.

    Juho felt something grainy in his mouth. The timid woman at the beach had said that there were things in the world that remained unchanged. Juho didn¡¯t try to suppress her influence in his thoughts. Things that changed and didn¡¯t change were not all that distant from one another.

    The man changed over time, but some things never changed. Although he had learned to be more serious and patient, parts of his rough, reckless personality were still intact deep within. Given the right conditions and circumstances, he was more than capable of acting on his old personality.

    Juho wanted to ce him in a gargantuan space. After all, he was confident when he said that he would cross the sea. It was human nature to test a confident braggart at their words. A space that shrunk a person to a microscopic existence. Enormous background. Juho intended to give the man the adventure of his life. Such environment suited him, and it had been the reason for why Juho decided to write a fantasy novel. He listed words to fill that empty world with.

    ¡°There¡¯s a protagonist, which means there has to be other people. It¡¯s a world for people to live in, but they¡¯re not the only ones alive. There are animals and nts. There¡¯s life and thend that would sustain them. There¡¯s also water, the sky and the sun.

    An enormous continent and teau. Lake and ocean. They mostly froze and melted repeatedly, except for the parts of the world where things stayed frozen or liquid. There was dry and wet sand. Lands full of life and destion. There were creatures flying in the sky and crawling on the ground,municating, trading, and migrating. In order to make all those things possible, there had to be anguage, which meant there was intelligence.¡¯

    ¡°Having intelligence means...¡±

    It meant that the world wouldn¡¯t always be peaceful.

    ¡®War breaks out. Weapons are made, killing lives. Waters are contaminated. Bodies get buried. A new lifeform that feeds on corpseses into existence. Tragedy continues, terror reigns. Sanitation no longer bes a priority. People aren¡¯t the only threat to their own kind. An epidemic. People are dying in massive numbers, but there are survivors. There are always survivors. They continue living, leaving their descendants. Those descendants leave their own descendants. Time flows by. The wares to an end, and the epidemics disappear. Life begins to regenerate.¡¯

    Juho decided to go further. Death. Things that remain unchanged. The inside of his mouth felt rough still. Maybe he was getting tired. He wrote another set of words: Eternal Life. Immortality.

    ¡°God.¡±

    ¡®There are written documents that record their existence. Mythology. The existence ofnguage also meant that there were records. Naturally, people grew older, but history exists long before birth, and it will continue to exist long after death.¡¯

    Juho decided to give that world more structure.

    ¡®Let¡¯s give it perspective. From whose point of view should I be looking? Should I be the ground? Maybe the water? nts doesn¡¯t sound like a bad idea either. Maybe a bird? An ordinary person? God Himself? The world?¡¯

    Juho imagined the time when God was born, when He died, when He was forgotten, and then rediscovered.

    ¡®The world changed over time. Powers were exercised, and cultures were formed. Everything repeated the process of death and birth. There was God. Though immortal, He was being forgotten. Why? Why would an eternal being be forgotten?¡¯

    Juho moved his hands busily and added a reason.

    ¡®If unseen, unrecorded, unlearned and unthought of, an existence will be forgotten eventually. Maybe He went to a different ce? Hiding from the creatures, erasing traces of His existence. There has to be a ce, a ce to hide God in. Where could that be? Large continents. Epic background. Where can I hide Him in?¡¯

    His hand suddenly stopped. Rising from his chair, Juho walked over to the corner of the room where there had put a box with a globe he had recently ordered. Taking a box cutter, he cut the box open. ¡®This is possessed and made by a human. Now, it¡¯s being opened by a human. What about God? Would it be the same for Him? Would I need humans if I were to openly reveal His existence? Yes, I would. God exists for humans. They are the ones who discovered God. If I were to rediscover a God who had been forgotten, I would need humans.¡¯

    The globe revealed itself as he peeled the packaging away. It wasn¡¯t all that big. Juho spun it, and the speed with which it spun would depend on the amount of force exerted on it. Suddenly, he stopped the spinning globe and spun it slower the next time. Thend. The water. Spinning. He was looking for a ce to hide God.

    ¡®Why was that ce made in the first pace, and how did God know about it? Would He know everything there is to know about this world just because he¡¯s God?¡¯ Juho immersed himself in thought, thinking about how he wanted to portray God in the story. The globe kept spinning. Round. Sphere.

    ¡°Gu.¡±

    The pigeons cry made a simr sound. It was also the number nine, ¡°Gu,¡± and the measurement used for counting things in a sack. In addition, it also meant something old in Chinese characters. Juho felt a sharp pain in his mouth.

    (TL¡¯s note: ¡°Goo¡± is a way to say ¡°sphere¡± in Korean. Also, Koreans describe a pigeon¡¯s cry as ¡°Goo, goo.¡±)

    ¡°Ip Gu.¡±

    (TL¡¯s note: ¡°Ip¡± is the Korean pronunciation for the Chinese word meaning¡±to let in,¡± while ¡°Gu¡± is for the word ¡°Mouth.¡± Together, ¡°Ip Gu¡± trantes to entrance.)

    An entrance. Juho took hold of the hole that was floating around in his head.

    ¡®If I were to hide God in here, no one would be able to find Him. How did this holee about? History would know, and somebody had to have left left a record of it somewhere. It might have changed over time as it was passed onto theter generations, but it¡¯d still be around. That same record had been passed onto that man. Rude, rough around the edges, reckless, sensitive tonguage.¡¯

    ¡°A story hidden within mythology.¡±

    ¡®While reading mythology, he discovers the hidden code about the existence of God. With that, he sets out on an adventure to discover the truth. It¡¯s his destiny. It¡¯s up to him to rediscover God.¡¯

    Juho spun the globe again.

    ¡®The world was spinning. Sand came together and made a continent while water made the sea. The sun was in the sky. There was also rain asionally. Just rain? Maybe ashes and hail too. There were ces where nobody lived in ¨C deste ces, unable to sustain life. Even God didn¡¯t exist in such lifeless regions

    ¡®The world kept growing in size. There were animals that lived in harmony with humans. They had to have witnessed history, perhaps even putting them in ces closest to God.¡¯

    The sphere kept spinning. It kept spinning on its own without the hand spinning it, or any form of force being exerted on it. It was the energy within, giving birth to life. Uninterrupted, the sphere kept spinning. It¡¯d spin forever. That would remain unchanged. The sphere kept spinning. Time flowed by. The geography changed over time. Thend quaked, while the mountains gushed out fire, and the ocean froze. When Juho put his hand onto the globe, the globe finally stopped spinning. There wasnd on the globe painted in white. That was the adventurer¡¯s destination. Crossing the continents and the seas, climbing the mountains, the man set out on a quest to meet the God from myth.

    ¡°All right. Now...¡±

    ¡®I need toe up with the mythology the man had read and the stories within it. I have to think about how he was born and how he would die. The background needs to be more borate and solid. The North Pole is already mysterious on its own, but the story itself can¡¯t be ambiguous.¡¯

    Juho was excited for the stories toe.

    He thought about the myths he knew. Greek and Roman mythology, Northern European mythology, the Dangun mythology, etc. They were stories made up by someone, passed down from mouth to mouth, gathered, and written. There had to be parts that had gone missing or that had been added in the process. It waspletely natural.

    ¡®Rumble.¡¯ Juho was hungry. ¡®Maybe I should eat something.¡¯ When he checked the time, it was already well past lunch time, and he realized he hadn¡¯t eaten all day. The moment he recognized his stomach as empty, the hunger grew more intense. ¡®What¡¯s in the fridge?¡¯

    Even as he rose from his seat and opened the door, Juho didn¡¯t stop thinking about the setting. ¡®Just like how there¡¯s a new environment on the other side of the door, maybe there¡¯s another world on the other side of the hole.¡¯ Because an ordinarynd felt in and boring, Juho decided to increase its size. ¡®I did decide to create a world that was gargantuan. If there¡¯s a ce connecting to it, then it¡¯d have to be a-whole-nother world.¡¯ He looked at the globe on his desk and asked, ¡®What if there¡¯s another Earth inside of it? Another within Earth, so to speak.¡¯

    ¡°Gu¡± was an entrance, the only entrance to another ¡°Gu.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s a different world, so everything¡¯s going to be different. Time, history,nguage, creatures, everything.¡¯

    Immersed in the endless train of thought, Juho opened the refrigerator door. A refreshing breeze rushed past his face, blowing across the kitchen. As he put out his hand in front of it, the coldness traveled up to his arms. The longer he left the door open, the more anxious he grew. He felt like he would get yelled at by his mother any minute. He had been told in multiple asions to not leave the refrigerator open. ¡®The ¡°Gu¡± is open now. Maybe I need something else to close it with. No, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡¯ It was already closed, hidden deep within the stories in mythology. Nobody knew where to find the ¡°Gu.¡± The mythology had served as a door. Only those who discovered its handle were able to open it, and the protagonist had finally discovered it. God, mythology, and the shape of the protagonist grew clearer.

    ¡°But I¡¯m hungry...¡± Juho murmured as he closed the refrigerator door.

    Having returned to his room, he reached for his pen.

 Chapter 100 - Face It (1)

    <h4>Chapter 100: Chapter 100 ¨C Face It (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What should I eat?¡± Juho contemted, sping his rumbling stomach.

    Cars passed by in front of his eyes. He was on his way back from a walk. As he exited the park, the noise in the environment flooded his ears. Everyone had to be out for the weekend. The streets were booming with people.

    Though it was toote for breakfast and too early for lunch, Juho was still hungry. ¡®Maybe some bread?¡¯

    Without hesitation, he made his way to the bakery across the street. With his eyes fixed on the traffic light, Juho waited desperately for it to change. People were standing on the sidewalk while the cars zoomed past them on the road.

    Frankly, Juho had wanted to stay home all day writing, wrestling with his pen. Eating had be a hassle, and he didn¡¯t want to spend any more time on it than it was necessary. However, he was not in the state to be able to handle writing such a book. In order to create a world that was borately detailed, he couldn¡¯t afford to keep his stomach empty.

    Juho stared at the road where the cars were rushing past the white lines on the ground. Those lines had been drawn for the people. It told them ¡®Walk here. Cars, wait until everyone has crossed safely to the other side.¡¯ It was a promise of safety. Unfortunately, people simply had too many reasons to break that promise. When one broke the promise of safety, it often resulted in death. ¡®Is that how it works in war?¡¯ Juho thought, fiddling with a USB-drive in his pocket.

    His stomach rumbled. Juho regretted leaving home without having eaten. As he stared intently at the bakery, the light finally turned green. While everyone crossed the street at the same time, Juho stepped on the road without dy. It wasn¡¯t long until he reached the other side of the street and the green light began to flicker.

    By the time Juho had nearly crossed the road, people who had arrivedte began to rush across. The cars were inching past the white line, announcing their intention of taking off as soon as the light turned.

    Everything seemed perilous. A middle-aged woman running from afar, an elderly pushing a stroller, a curious dog with its young owner. They were all still walking on the white line. Juho watched anxiously until the light turned red. Thankfully, nothing happened. The light turned red after everyone had safely crossed onto the other side.

    Juho made his way toward the bakery. Although he was yet to arrive, the scrumptious fragrance of freshly baked bread tickled his nose. Then, he remembered how hungry was. He felt like he would end up buying a lot more bread than necessary. ¡®It¡¯s not everyday I¡¯m at a bakery,¡¯ Juho justified himself as he opened the door confidently and stepped into the bakery. As he contemted on which one to choose, his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. A call from Yun Seo, and Juho answered it quickly.

    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°Yes, hello, Juho. Are you busy?¡±

    ¡°No, I was on my way back home from a walk,¡± Juho answered honestly.

    ¡°Is that so? Does that mean you¡¯re avable today?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m flexible.¡±

    ¡°Great! Come eat.¡±

    Juho was more than happy that Yun Seo had asked him over. He much rather her warm bowl of rice over a generic sandwich sold at a bakery. Because he was already hungry, he answered without hesitation, ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡±

    ¡°Be safe, and watch out for cars.¡±

    After the call, Juho decided to take some bread with him, bing more intentional about his choices. Remembering what she had always said habitually about not having enough food, he made sure to buy a generous amount.

    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up!¡±

    ¡®Bark! Bark!¡¯ with the sound of the dog barking in the distance, Geun Woo came out to greet Juho.

    ¡°Are you opening up a bakery?¡± he asked, looking at the bags full of bread.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s sadder than not having enough to eat,¡±

    ¡°Hm... I could¡¯ve sworn I heard that somewhere.¡±

    As he walked in with Geun Woo, they ran into Yun Seoing out of the kitchen.

    ¡°You¡¯re here! What¡¯s all that?¡±

    ¡°I brought some bread.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t have to. There¡¯s plenty of food.¡±

    ¡°More the merrier.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Go hang out with Geun Woo for a little while. Lunch is almost ready.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Putting on her apron, Yun Seo went back to the kitchen, smiling cheerfully. As she had told him to, Juho sat down with Geun Woo.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Joon Soo?¡±

    ¡°He had a lecture.¡±

    When he thought back on it, their first encounter had been at a university, and Juho had left without listening to his lecture. In the middle of catching up with Geun Woo, Juho asked, ¡°Have you been working on anythingtely?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I got a request for a short story for a magazine, so I¡¯ve been working on that.¡±

    ¡°I see, the splendor of a celebrity author.¡±

    ¡°You brat!¡±

    Suddenly, Geun Woo asked a question while mimicking Juho, ¡°Don¡¯t you get requests like that too? You¡¯re the one and only Yun Woo after all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been turning down every single one of them,¡± answered Juho, smiling.

    ¡°Aha!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m anonymous, and I don¡¯t like the idea of writing on a deadline. I want to be able to write when I want in peace.¡±

    ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying. Trying to meet a deadline can be a living hell.¡± Then, Geun Woo asked, rustling the bag of bread Juho had brought, ¡°You¡¯re not going to end up like San Jung, are you? Living like a hermit in the mountains?¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about San Jung Youn?¡±

    ¡°Duh! Who else writes living in the mountains?¡±

    San Jung Youn had been famous for many areas. A skilled writer, one of the things she was known for was having built a house in the mountains. She stuck strictly to novels. In order to realize that conviction, she moved to the mountains voluntarily. She was quite entric. However, Juho had had no clue that she and Geun Woo knew each other.

    ¡°How do you guys know each other?¡±

    ¡°She was also one of Mrs. Baek¡¯s pupils,¡± Geun Woo said light-heartedly, taking a bag of bread from the sack.

    ¡°I had no idea.¡±

    ¡°Most people don¡¯t. She wasn¡¯t here for that long. By the time she came here, she was already an author, so she wasn¡¯t exactly a student either. She refused to do interviews too.¡±

    ¡°How did you guys get close?¡±

    ¡°She likes to drink. I¡¯m about the only person here who drinks regrly. We drank together, and we got closer in no time. Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t really seen her since she moved to the mountains. Wonder how she¡¯s doing,¡± Geun Woo said, tearing the wrapping around the bread. It was almost time for lunch, but he was rather impatient.

    ¡°Don¡¯t me me if you can¡¯t finish your food.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll eat every bit of it,¡± Geun Woo said confidently, taking a big bite out of the bread. At that moment, Yun Seo saw him as she came out of the kitchen, and he got an earful.

    Lunch was delicious. Her cooking was warm and weing. After the meal, Juho went outside to walk around a little bit while looking at Yun Seo¡¯s garden. There were all sorts of different vegetables. Squatting in front of it, he watched an ant as it crawled by.

    He took a small pebble and ced it before the ant. As if flustered, it moved about side to side, but soon found a way around it. Even when he ced bigger rocks before it, the ant somehow went around it, as if it knew that something bigger existed. Juho was proud of that spirit. As a gesture of apology, he decided to give it a small piece of bread. When the piece of breadnded on the ground, the ant moved about nimbly. As he watched the ant carrying its food back to its nest, Yun Seo called for him from behind him.

    ¡°Come have some fruit!¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Seeing the piles of fruit she had brought out, Juho sat next to Yun Seo.

    ¡°So, what have you been working ontely?¡± Yun Seo asked. Though he had never brought it up with her, she somehow knew that he had been writing.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been working on a short story and novel.¡±

    ¡°Two?¡±

    ¡°The two ideas hit me at the same time. I couldn¡¯t help it.¡±

    Juho talked about the day when he made the spontaneous trip to the beach. Yun Seo listened cheerfully.

    ¡°You really have a lot inmon with Wol. That must have been a lot of fun.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was! Sometimes, going on a spontaneous trip isn¡¯t half bad.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it tiring?¡±

    It depended on the author, but writing two separate books at the same time hadn¡¯t been such a bad experience for Juho. Of course, it had been much more demanding in every aspect than working on a single book, but it had been twice as rewarding.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear. Sounds like you¡¯re really meant to be a writer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already finished the first draft of the short story. I think writing in different locations has really helped.¡±

    School and home. By writing in two different environments, Juho was able to keep his thoughts and ideas organized, and the two books seemed to have a positive influence on one another.

    ¡°Although I still got a ways to go with the novel.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no rush.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I agree. I¡¯ve been taking my time with it. I¡¯ve learned the benefits of keeping my shoulders rxed when I write.¡±

    ¡°Hyun Do?¡± Yun Seo asked, smiling.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°How was he?¡± she asked, curious about their encounter.

    After a brief time thinking, Juho answered, ¡°It was an honor. There is so much I can learn from him. I had a great time.¡±

    ¡°Hyun Do told me the same. He said he had a great time as well.¡±

    Juho felt relieved that his meeting with the literary giant had gone smoothly.

    ¡°Hyun Do may beforting, but he¡¯s hardly the one to reach out to people first.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course! He likes to write in the quiet, so he bes a hermit when he¡¯s writing. It makes people around him anxious, but I keep telling them that there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Hyun Do is the master when ites to eating alone,¡± Yun Seo said,ughing cheerfully. Juho looked at her intently. Though she had used the word ¡®alone,¡¯ that was hardly the truth. With a friend like her who trusted and supported him, Hyun Do was never alone.

    ¡°He was moved by your writing,¡± Yun Seo said.

    ¡°Are you sure...?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You got his heavy ass to finallye outside. You can be proud of yourself. I think you can afford to be a little arrogant,¡± she added, calmly looking at Juho.

    She knew about Juho¡¯s bondage to past failures keeping him from celebrating the present sesses. Celebration was but a moment. Afterward, everything went back to the way it had been. An author tended to be more focused on the harsh criticisms than on the praises. When Juho published his new book, he had been happier about the fact that he wasn¡¯t reliving the past failure than about his book being published. He had always worked hard to keep himself under control.

    ¡°I¡¯ve watched over countless authors over the years.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°You stood out among the other authors I¡¯ve met. You don¡¯t show it. You¡¯re almost too good at keeping your emotional boundaries.¡±

    She had known his struggle all along and was reaching out to help. Juho answered yfully, ¡°What if I actually be really arrogant?¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯d have to put you in your ce.¡±

    ¡°That sounds scary.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not good to be scared from the start. Don¡¯t be preemptively afraid of sess or of failure. ¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that I should set them aside?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m simply telling you to face them.¡±

    Face it. Juho thought of the crow.

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°You ept it.¡±

    ¡°And then what happens next?¡±

    ¡°I believe it¡¯s up to you. At the end of the day, this is your life,¡± Yun Seo said while looking up at the sky. She seemed to be reminiscing about someone. Seeing the longing in her eyes, Juho guessed that she was thinking of her husband.

    ¡°There¡¯s this favorite author of mine. He¡¯s an amazing writer, and I really respect him.¡±

    ¡°Uh, huh.¡±

    ¡°One day, that author told me that he saw a bird.¡±

    A bird. Juho was surprised by the familiar sounding word.

    ¡°Apparently, it was injured, so it couldn¡¯t fly. He wanted to look after that bird. I couldn¡¯t understand him, but I let him anyway. He always sees things that I can¡¯t see.¡±

    Juho imagined an injured bird that couldn¡¯t fly.

    ¡°Now that I¡¯m older, I think I¡¯m starting to get it. After writing twice the amount he wrote throughout his life, I barely came to understand it. He wanted to fly. Freely,¡± she said, smiling.

    ¡°That¡¯s why he wanted that bird to be able to fly. In the end, that bird was a representation of himself. It¡¯s the same reason he had to start writing.¡±

    Juho felt like he had discovered a light in the dark. He felt like he had finally grasped the stream of light that he couldn¡¯t before. The crow never flew, and it only stood on its fragile legs. The reason why he hadn¡¯t named the crow was because Juho wanted it to fly away.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it too, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have.¡±

    ¡°Lucky you. I don¡¯t have that kind of imagination.¡±

    After a moment, Juho asked, ¡°Do you think the bird flew away?¡±

    Did Wol Kang get his hands on freedom after all?

    ¡°Yep,¡± she answered confidently. ¡°I¡¯m sure it flew away, as good as new.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read what he wrote. I got to read hisst novel. It¡¯s still unfinished.¡±

    Yun Seo rested her hand on Juho¡¯s shoulder. It was as light as a feather.

    ¡°If you want to fly, don¡¯t you think your shoulders need to be lighter? So, be more confident kiddo.

    ¡°You¡¯ve written amazing books. People are praising you. Your writing has moved the hearts of many, so it¡¯s OK to be excited. Celebrate it. Don¡¯t be held back by the jealousy of others. I really wish for you to learn to do these things.¡±

    An overwhelmingpliment. Juhoughed, feeling like he hadn¡¯t done so for a long time.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    He decided to take her advice. Anybody could change. On the other hand, anybody could stay the same.

 Chapter 101 - Face It (2)

    <h4>Chapter 101: Chapter 101 ¨C Face It (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°You¡¯re staying for dinner, right Juho?¡±

    ¡°That sounds great.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m stuffed. Can we not talk about food?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you get for snacking right before the meal, Geun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thoroughly regretting my decision, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    They were eating fruit together while Geun Woo sat there, quietly holding a fork with a piece of fruit on it. At that moment, the doorbell rang.

    ¡°Who could that be?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± said Geun Woo as he sprung up from his seat.

    Yun Seo seemed puzzled by the unexpected visitor. As the doorbell stopped ringing, the sound of footstep drew closer.

    ¡°Mrs. Baek?¡±

    ¡®Who is this?¡¯ Juho turned around at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. A man with bushy hair was standing next to Geun Woo, holding overstuffed stic bags in his both hands. Yun Seo stood up and greeted the man with joy.

    ¡°Oh my! It¡¯s been so long!¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Baek.¡±

    In the past, he seemed to have been Yun Seo¡¯s pupil. As Juho quietly stared at them talking, his eyes met the man¡¯s briefly. At the sound of Yun Seo¡¯s voice, the man turned his gaze back in her direction.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I apologize, Mrs. Baek. I should have let you know ahead of time.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. It¡¯s been ages!¡±

    While they greeted one another, Juho walked over to Geun Woo and stood next to him. Having finished greeting Yun Seo, the man looked in Juho¡¯s direction.

    ¡°I see that you have a young pupil?¡±

    Yun Seo stared at Juho intently, silentlymunicating that she would speak ordingly depending on how he decided to introduce himself. Although unclear, the man seemed to have been one of her pupils ¨C an author. Juho contemted his options for a brief time and remembered the conversation he had had with her earlier that day. ¡°Face it.¡± With that, he came to a decision.

    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The man gave no answer. He appeared flustered, with his eyes and hair shaking.

    ¡°My real name is Juho Woo. Please call me Juho.¡±

    As Juho introduced himself, the man finally came to his senses and introduced himself. Juho had no recollection of ever hearing his name.

    ¡°What are the odds? I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d meet you here.¡±

    ¡°I do ask that you keep it a secret.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°So what have you written?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s been long out of print. You wouldn¡¯t know even if I told you,¡± said the man, smiling bashfully. He seemed to be embarrassed of his own work for some reason.

    ¡°Please, you don¡¯t have to be so formal with me.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that.¡±

    Despite his answer, the man didn¡¯t seem like he intended to address Juho any differently. Juho pretended not to notice.

    ¡°Well,e on in!¡±

    Yun Seo weed the man inside to show him around the house along with Geun Woo and Juho. With longing eyes rather than happiness, the man looked around at his surroundings as he walked beside Yun Seo. Juho studied him quietly. His steps appeared somewhat unstable.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed around here.¡±

    ¡°What is there to change? How¡¯ve you been?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been well,¡± he answered briefly. Tactfully, Juho stepped back to give them space. They seemed to have something to discuss. Geun Woo followed him.

    ¡°Why did youe out Geun Woo?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to bring them some tea.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. Do you mind boiling the water then?¡±

    Geun Woo took out the tea leaves from the shelf while Juho filled the teakettle with water and ced it on top of the stove.

    ¡°Who is he?¡± Juho asked, thinking about his bushy hair.

    After a brief time thinking, Geun Woo answered, ¡°I don¡¯t really know either. He debuted not too long aftering here, and then left right as he debuted. I haven¡¯t seen or heard of him since then. Who would¡¯ve thought he would just appear like that out of nowhere?¡±

    Because he didn¡¯t exin in such great length, Juho too asked no further. There were many authors who studied under Yun Seo who became famous, but there were also countless others who never became known. All of the man¡¯s ssmates who studied under her had left. Debuting and publishing a book alone didn¡¯t justify an author¡¯s career in perpetuity. If anything, a perilous journey awaited once a book had been written. The fact that there were those who were sessful also meant that there were those who failed.

    ¡°Speaking of which, are you going to be OK?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Revealing your identity like that?¡±

    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t lying or anything. He¡¯s one of Mrs. Baek¡¯s pupils, so I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t go around telling people,¡± Juho answered with a shrug.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t want to be too too anal about this either. Besides, what is there to lose? At worst, I¡¯d live the life of a superstar.¡±

    ¡°Did you just call yourself a superstar?¡± asked Geun Woo, leaning against the wall as they waited for the water toe to a boil. They didn¡¯t say anything else to one another. Geun Woo prepared to pour the water over the tea leaves in the cup.

    ¡°So, I heard that Joon Soo showed you his studio?¡± he probed as the cups ttered.

    ¡°Yes, he did. There were a lot of poems,¡± said Juho.

    ¡°I heard. I also heard that you can recite Chinese Poems?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can. Would you like to hear it?¡±

    ¡°No, thanks.¡±

    The water started boiling.

    ¡°Seems like they¡¯re going to be talking for a while. C¡¯mon, let me show you my studio this time.¡±

    Juho understood the intention behind Geun Woo¡¯s words. He wanted to let his teacher and her old pupil have time and space to catch up. Juho had intended on doing the same. However, from Geun Woo¡¯s point of view, Juho was probably someone he had to take care of. Still, it was better than not doing anything at all.

    Juho willingly yed along.

    ¡°Exciting.¡±

    ¡°It might not be as impressive as Joon Soo¡¯s,¡± said Geun Woo, pouring hot water into the cups. The fragrance of the tea spread about the kitchen. Asking Juho to wait, he took the tea set on a tray to Yun Seo and her guest.

    ¡°Ta-da!¡±

    With an odd sound effect, Geun Woo opened the door to his studio. Compared to Joon Soo¡¯s, it was rather ordinary. Along with a wooden desk and aptop, there were shelves filled with books and various research data. It was apparent that the room belonged to a writer.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite ordinary.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the best kind.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯d be able to focus better here too.¡±

    ¡°This is where I wrote my debut title,¡± said Geun Woo with confidence. Reacting half-heartedly, Juho examined the bookshelf. There was data on cannibalism on one side.

    ¡°Can I take a look?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure. Go for it.¡±

    Juho pulled a book out from the shelf. It was a study on the methods and results of cannibalism. The index alone revealed a shocking diversity of ways a human consumed another one of his kind. As he turned the page, a picture came into view. With his mouth agape, a half-naked person was holding arge piece of meat in their hands. There was an arm and a leg around them, presumably a person who had lost their shape after being eaten. As he looked intently into the cannibal¡¯s eyes gaping open as wide as their mouth, Juho forced himself to turn the page. If he kept staring, he would have brought the cannibal into the room. It wouldn¡¯t have been safe by any stretch of the imagination.

    The history of cannibalism was as long as the history of mankind itself. The beginning of the book was about stories of cannibalism. When a tribe conquered another tribe in war, the conquered tribe was often consumed as food as the conquering tribe celebrated its victory. Cannibalism had been a form of religious and of ancestral rituals for many tribes across the globe. There was also a part in the book that discussed the prion disease, Kuru, in great detail.

    Juho turned to the next chapter. Cannibalism had also taken ce among the stranded as a means of survival. It also took ce during war as a result of the scarcity of food. The content of that chapter was a bit more convincing than of the previous chapters. ¡®Yeah, it makes sense that people would eat each other in this scenario.¡¯

    The next chapter discussed motives of those who practiced cannibalism rather than any practical reasons.

    ¡®Just because they wanted to.¡¯ It was a behaviormonly found in bizarre homicide cases. Sexual fantasies, preferences, damaged corpses. It was all hical. Feeling uneasy, Juho quickly turned the page and reached a section that discussed a schr¡¯s argument: ¡®Cannibalism does not exist.¡¯ They imed that the evidence for cannibalism was generally insufficient, and that it was no more than mere imagination. However, it didn¡¯t make Juho feel better, not one bit.

    ¡®If their lives were at stake, would a person eat another person?¡¯ Juho thought. ¡®What if I was in that situation, and there was a person in front of me?¡¯ He remembered the picture of the cannibal with his mouth agape. ¡®Am I capable of bing like him?¡¯ Juho wondered.

    ¡°Gruesome, huh?¡± asked Geun Woo as Juho closed the book.

    ¡°It really is. I now have a newfound respect for you for wrestling with something like this.¡±

    ¡°It was rough, yeah,¡± Geun Woo answered light-heartedly. ¡°There are still things like human centa or capsules made of human flesh floating around the world. The root of cannibalism mostlyes down to faith. People eat other people just because they believe that it¡¯ll make them look and feel younger or, simply, more attractive.¡±

    Human beings were capable of consuming their own kind for such trivial reasons.

    ¡°It means that they don¡¯t view people around them as their own kind. That¡¯s what makes it all the more atrocious.¡±

    The reason why the subject of cannibalism apanied such a strong sense of uneasiness was simple: people being treated like meat. From the fear of bing like the man in the book, Juho felt his conscience trying to deny him. The book ended up back in its ce on the shelf.

    ¡°What¡¯s interesting though,¡± added Geun Woo, ¡°is the so-called devoted sons that appear throughout fairytales and the history of Korea.¡±

    The atmosphere took a turn for the better, lighting up the room. The light from the window started to illuminate the room. Devoted sons. They carried a positive feeling.

    ¡°That... is true...!¡±

    Juho thought of the tale of a son who saved his dying mother, feeding her a chunk of his thigh. At one point in history, the scarcity of food had forced children to resort to cannibalism. It almost sounded like a traditional fairy tale.

    ¡°They taught you that in school, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I don¡¯t really remember when I learned it, but it¡¯s definitely in my head.¡±

    ¡°The subject appears much lighter in that light.¡±

    ¡°I think it makes it more distant than lighter.¡±

    Juho felt the relevance of the subject reducing to that of a bedtime story. The image of cannibalism crossing over from the past to modern history began to grow distant again. Yet, he didn¡¯t bother to chase after it.

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Geun Woo said indifferently. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too much. It¡¯s almost dinner time.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I wasn¡¯t taking it too seriously.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? You looked like you¡¯re about to run out of the house to write.¡±

    War. Cannibalism. Those who didn¡¯t believe them. Having rolled those keywords around in his head, Juho decided to set them aside for the time being.

    ¡°I¡¯m not really getting anything out of it at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Huh. You kind of sound like you¡¯ve been working on something... It hasn¡¯t even been that long since you¡¯ve written your second book!¡± he said, looking surprised.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been working on two separate stories,¡± Juho answered nonchntly.

    ¡°Two!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been writing while going back and forth between school and home.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re not Yun Woo for no reason. You¡¯re seriously fast,¡± said Geun Woo. After a brief time thinking, a puzzled look appeared on his face. ¡°Can you write at school?¡±

    ¡°There areputers,¡± said Juho, showing the USB-drive in his pocket. ¡°I keep it all in here.¡±

    ¡°Great world we¡¯re living in.¡±

    ¡°I agree. I¡¯m d we don¡¯t have to write by hand anymore.¡±

    Writing a full length novel by hand. His wrist hurt at the thought alone. He was definitely living in an age where it was much easier to write.

    ¡®Knock, knock.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡±

    Having sat closer from the door, Juho stood up to answer it. It was the man with the bushy hair.

    ¡°Mr. Woo, I didn¡¯t know you were here in this room,¡± he said, still insisting on addressing Juho formally.

    ¡®Should I ask him again?¡¯ Afte contemting it, Juho answered instead, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been hanging out here with Geun Woo.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯d it go with Mrs. Baek?¡± Geun Woo asked.

    The man answered with a tired smile, ¡°It went well. Thanks for giving us space.¡±

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯d been a while, so I¡¯m sure there was plenty to talk about.¡±

    The three headed for the living room where Yun Seo was sitting. At that moment, Juho saw regret in her face. ¡®I wonder what they talked about for her to make that face?¡¯

    As Juho wondered, Geun Woo asked, ¡°Are you here to write?¡±

    He gave no answer. After contemting it for a moment, he opened his mouth and said, ¡°I¡¯m actually thinking about stopping.¡±

    Geun Woo blinked awkwardly at the bitter-sounding words. Without saying anything, Yun Seo sat there quietly. No one seemed to have expected such an answer.

    ¡°Howe?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not selling.¡±

    A brief answer. Geun Woo let out a sigh. He was well-acquainted with the scenario.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    For that reason, Geun Woo knew that nobody would be able change the man¡¯s mind, even if they were to force him to write. A story came to its genuine fruition only when it was written of the author¡¯s volition.

 Chapter 102 - Face It (3)

    <h4>Chapter 102: Chapter 102 ¨C Face It (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho reyed what he had just heard in his head: ¡°It¡¯s not selling.¡± For those who set their triumph on how their book was selling, there was no clearer reason for quitting. Neither Yun Seo or Geun Woo criticized or urged him on. He hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. As long as there was a viable alternative, choosing a different path was his freedom.

    In order to lighten up the atmosphere, Yun Seo said cheerfully, ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a barbecue tonight? How does pork belly sound?¡±

    ¡°Sounds great, Mrs. Baek! Should I go out and get some?¡± Geun Woo agreed.

    ¡°Please.¡±

    While the man dropped his head slightly, Juho smiled quietly.

    ¡°Today must be your lucky day, Juho. You get to stuff yourself with pork belly tonight.¡±

    ¡°I must be blessed.¡±

    ¡°Every one of Mrs. Baek¡¯s guests is blessed with food.¡±

    ¡°Very true,¡± said Geun Woo, preparing to go out.

    Juho eyed him to see if he shoulde along, but Geun Woo waved his hand in denial. Suddenly finding himself with nothing to do, Juho decided to borrow aptop to work on revising his short story. As he plugged his sh drive into theptop, he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. Looking back, the man and his hair came into view.

    ¡°Is there something you need?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. Since I met Yun Woo, I just thought I should try to strike a conversation while I¡¯m here.¡±

    Juho looked at theptop once and turned around.

    ¡°Sounds good. I was starting to get bored with Geun Woo gone.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about earlier,¡± said the man, scratching his head bashfully. Juho waved his head in denial.

    ¡°Should we talk elsewhere?¡±

    ¡°No, this is fine.¡±

    ¡°Would you like to sit here?¡±

    The man quietly shook his head. Unfortunately, there was only one chair in Geun Woo¡¯s studio, forcing him to remain standing. Because the man gave his answer, Juho didn¡¯t force himself up from his seat. Leaning against a bookshelf, he looked at Juho intently, and Juho, too, turned the chair in his direction and faced him.

    ¡°You¡¯re young,¡± he said. Juho pretended to rise from his seat. Smiling, the man waved his hand, gesturing Juho to hear him out. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°How is it?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Where you¡¯re sitting?¡±

    By reflex, Juho¡¯s eyes moved to the chair. He probably wasn¡¯t talking about the chair either. ¡®He¡¯s probably asking about what it¡¯s like to be Yun Woo,¡¯ thought Juho.

    ¡°So-so.¡±

    ¡°So-so?¡±

    ¡°A person adapts to their ce no matter where they are,¡± said Juho. For that very reason, people tended to desire to move up to somewhere higher.

    ¡°I wish I could say the same,¡± his hair moved about slightly. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll adapt to where I¡¯m at?¡±

    Not knowing the answer he was looking for, Juho smiled quietly. As if the man wasn¡¯t expecting an answer himself, he changed the subject.

    ¡°I enjoyed ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ It made me realize what Yun Woo is capable of as an author.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°For how long have you been writing?¡±

    Juho hesitated for a moment. ¡®How long have I been writing?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure how long he needed to go back. ¡®Do I include my past or only up to the time when I used to write like it was a habit? Maybe when started writing ¡®The Trace of a Bird?¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Juho said ambiguously.

    ¡°You wrote ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ at sixteen, so it must be... two to three years now?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡± In that case, what the man said would be urate. ¡°How about you?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    He hesitated, but unlike him, Juho waited for his answer patiently.

    ¡°A lot longer than you have,¡± he said timidly as if he barely managed to give the answer.

    ¡°That¡¯s admirable.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°That you¡¯ve been writing a lot longer than I have. Writing¡¯s no joke.¡±

    ¡°... I agree. It¡¯s not, but I loved every bit of it... Well, what can I do? It wouldn¡¯t sell,¡± he added, sounding dejected. ¡°It must be nice being in your ce. You really solidified your ce as an author with your most recent book, right? There¡¯s not a single person in this country who doesn¡¯t know your name.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t think there is such a thing as solidifying a ce in this field. I need to keep going.¡±

    ¡°I think you can rx a little bit. Everyone¡¯s praising your work. At this rate, anything would sell as long as it has your name on it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your kind words,¡± said Juho, smiling.

    The man¡¯s hair moved along with his head, revealing his eyebrows. His forehead appeared to be furrowed. With a sigh, he said, ¡°You¡¯re amazing...¡±

    ¡°... But keep your eyes peeled,¡± he added, somewhat maliciously.

    ¡°What should I be on the lookout for?¡± Juho asked quietly.

    ¡°Ending up like me,¡± the man answered with a calm voice.

    Juho thought about the meaning behind those words. ¡®Ending up like him. Is he talking about quitting or the book not selling? Maybe he¡¯s talking about being forgotten?¡¯ It was somewhat humorous. Juho didn¡¯t even know his name. Besides, he had had experienced it all. Ignoring the man¡¯s warning, Juho tried to see things from the man¡¯s point of view. It was a small, small world. His hair hindered the view. He couldn¡¯t see anyone but himself. As Juho took his time before giving an answer, the man¡¯s brow furrowed again. Juho stared at him intently.

    ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± a loud voice came from outside. It was Geun Woo, and Juho¡¯s eyes met the man¡¯s.

    ¡°Shall we?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    As if nothing had happened, they went out to greet Geun Woo and the pork belly he had brought back.

    On his way in from the watering the garden as per Yun Seo¡¯s suggestion, Juho decided to visit the familiar sound of the barking dog in the distance. It lived not too far away.

    ¡°Bark!¡±

    Low and resounding. It drooled and barked viciously. Next to it, were his empty food bowl and a doghouse made of blue stic.

    ¡°You¡¯re a lot dirtier than I¡¯d imagined.¡±

    As if it understood him, the dog barked all the angrier. Juho plunked himself down in front of the dog and stared at it intently. It paced back and forth, moving its tail frantically. Soon, it too plunked down with its stomach facing the ground. The shadows were growing bigger and bigger. Though it was bright out, the ground was already preparing for night. A forest of buildings became visible in the distance. Because the dog looked like it hade from the countryside, the scenery made for an odd experience. Juho started to feel hungry.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±

    The dog didn¡¯t even bother to bark anymore. It simply moved its tail aboutzily.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re quick to adapt too,¡± said Juho as he rose from his ce. As he got closer to Yun Seo¡¯s house, the intoxicating aroma of grilled meat tickled his nose. He hurried his steps.

    ¡°Where were you?¡± asked Geun Woo from the wooden bench.

    ¡°I went to go see the dog.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right,¡± he said, nodding. ¡°You made it just in time for dinner.¡±

    ¡°I could smell it all the way from where I was.¡±

    Juho looked around as he sat on the wooden bench. The man was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°He¡¯s probably still inside. He said he wanted to help prepare it,¡± said Geun Woo.

    ¡°While you¡¯re chilling out here?¡± asked Juho.

    ¡°I¡¯m being ¡®tactful.¡¯ This is probably hisst meal here.¡±

    ¡®Last meal?¡¯ Juho¡¯s puzzled look questioned Geun Woo. ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s not like Mrs. Baek wouldn¡¯t let him visit or anything.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but it kind of turns out that way. People who¡¯ve left willingly hardly evere here to visit. Some people send her a text from time to time, but even then, it doesn¡¯tst long.¡±

    Though it wasn¡¯t anything new, Juho couldn¡¯t help but feel bitter. ¡®Why do things have to be that way? Do people just naturally grow distant from one another when they stop talking or writing?¡¯

    ¡°So, try to visit often. There¡¯s only so much we can do between Joon Soo and I.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Silence. In contrast with the blue sky, the roof of the house was already in shadows. As he sat there enjoying the weing smell of Yun Seo¡¯s cooking, Juho suddenly sprung up from his seat. Geun Woo looked at him with puzzled eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°I forgot something.¡±

    ¡°At the doghouse?¡±

    ¡°In your studio.¡±

    Geun Woo waved his hand, gesturing him to make haste.

    ¡°Fetch me a cup of water on your way back, will ya?¡±

    ¡°OK, OK.¡±

    With Geun Woo¡¯s permission, Juho rushed inside and opened the door to Geun Woo¡¯s studio. Walking past the shelves filled with books and data, he made his way towards the desk. Theptop was still in ce. Only, it was the only thing still on the desk.

    ¡°Huh...?¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s gone. I could¡¯ve sworn I¡¯d plugged the sh drive in here!¡¯ Juho searched around the desk, but to no avail. His sh drive was nowhere to be found. ¡®How is it not here? Did I leave it elsewhere?¡¯ He tried to trace his memories, but the studio had been the first ce he¡¯d thought of.

    Juho brushed his hand down the side of theptop.

    ¡°Where could it be...¡±

    His dry voice dissipated into air. ¡®Where are you, sh drive!?¡¯ In it, was the first draft of ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ and a full-length novel he had just started writing. Once he realized that the sh drive was not in the room, he tried to remember the things that he hade in contact with. He pulled out the book he was looking at earlier and looked under the door. Nothing. He looked underneath the chair. Nothing.

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    He reached into his pockets. Empty. He couldn¡¯t find it in the ces he was certain he would.

    ¡°That¡¯s bizarre...¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t do anything but murmur. ¡®Where could it be?¡¯ He calmly retraced his steps. ¡®I bought some bread from the bakery, and then I got a call from Mrs. Baek. It was still in my pocket then. When I came here and talked to Mrs. Baek, it was still in my pocket. The only time I took it out was when I wanted to get some revision done on ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ when Geun Woo went out to buy some meat.¡¯

    ¡°So it has to be after that...¡±

    Standing in his ce, Juho quietly looked around the studio. Nothing was out of ce, except for his sh drive.

    ¡°I was wondering where you went. You¡¯re still here?¡± asked Geun Woo. He wiped his mouth as if he had already drank his water. ¡°What are you doing standing? You said you forgot something, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t found it yet?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, no,¡± Juho said, chuckling.

    ¡°What did you forget?¡±

    Juho brushed across his empty pocket.

    ¡®What if things get out of hand?¡¯ a thought crossed his mind. With Yun Seo¡¯s guest over, nothing good woulde from blowing things out of proportion.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing important.¡±

    ¡°Tell me, so we can find it before dinner time. Don¡¯t regret itter.¡±

    The word ¡°regret¡±ing out of his mouth carried much more power than usual.

    ¡°So...¡± Juho hesitated, scratching his head awkwardly.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°My sh drive...¡±

    ¡°...¡± Geun Woo¡¯s expression grew darker by the seconds.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean the sh drive you mentioned earlier, right?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha...¡±

    ¡°Where did youst see it?¡± asked Geun Woo, wearing a serious expression.

    ¡°Right here,¡± answered Juho, also looking serious.

    Geun walked around his studio once. Nothing was different from what he had seen earlier. If anything, it was cleaner. The chair was tucked under the desk with theptop ced dead center on it. All the books were in their rightful ces.

    ¡°It has to be when you wanted to use myptop.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But where¡¯d it go?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a mystery.¡±

    ¡°A secret room, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°The door was never locked, so I doubt it.¡±

    ¡°Involuntary manughter?¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s no body.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been disposed of.¡±

    ¡°So-to-speak. In that case, knowledge of the culprit¡¯s identity would be of urgent need.¡±

    ¡°I have an alibi.¡±

    ¡°Me too, if dogs could testify.¡± With those words, they wrapped up their petty word y and started searching the studio thoroughly.

 Chapter 103 - Face It (4)

    <h4>Chapter 103: Chapter 103 ¨C Face It (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°It ain¡¯t here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not here.¡±

    Juho and Geun Woo said simultaneously. Though they searched the room together, neither of them found the sh drive. Unfortunately, it meant that it wasn¡¯t in the studio. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t such a big room and it was rather organized, enabling them to search through the entire ce quickly.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± asked Geun Woo, looking concerned.

    He knew what was in the sh drive Juho had lost. The open drawers and sheets of data scattered around the room were proof of their desperate search.

    ¡°Nothing, I guess,¡± said Juho, walking around the room once more.

    ¡°You¡¯re not giving up now, are you?¡±

    Juho wasn¡¯t giving up, but simply epting the current situation. The reality was that his sh drive had gone missing, and like in most cases when belongings got lost, it resulted in jumbled up memories. Knowing that, Juho emptied his mind and focused on the barking dog in the distance.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible that the dog fetched it.¡±

    ¡°Now¡¯s not the best time to write a novel, Juho,¡± Geun Woo said sternly.

    Juho tried to organize his thoughts. He had tried to revise ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ The sh drive had been stashed in his pocket, and theptop happened to be in Geun Woo¡¯s studio. Because he had had some down time, he had decided to put the two objects together. After that, he had left the house to go visit the dog.

    ¡°Are you sure this is thest ce where you saw it?¡±

    ¡°Most likely.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t leave it at the doghouse?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s weird...¡± muttered Geun Woo, looking around his studio. It was definitely strange. When his memory didn¡¯t match up with reality, Juho felt something odd in most cases. Fortunately, breaking out of it wasn¡¯t all that difficult. All it took was to either summon a ghost or lure the dog into the house. As long as he assumed one of them to be the culprit, the mystery would have practically solved itself.

    ¡°What are you guys doing?¡±

    While he was lost in thought, a voice sounded from behind them. It was the man with the bushy hair. Geun Woo answered before Juho had time to respond, ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be that way,¡± he said, walking around the messy studio. ¡°What¡¯s with the mess?¡±

    ¡°A dog was in here.¡±

    ¡°A dog?¡±

    ¡°Or a ghost.¡±

    ¡°A ghost??¡± the man asked, studying Juho with a puzzled look.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can catch up to your colorful imagination, Mr. Woo,¡± he said. His hair covered his face, making it difficult to make out his expression.

    As Juho stared at him intently, Geun Woo interjected, ¡°Did you see a sh drive, by any chance?¡±

    The man tilted his head, and his hair moved with it. His entire body wasmunicating that he was clueless.

    ¡°What sh drive?¡±

    ¡°We lost one, and we¡¯re looking for it. Where could this thing be?¡±

    At Geun Woo¡¯s answer, the man¡¯s eyes rolled up toward the ceiling. He seemed like he was trying to think of something.

    ¡°You got me there.¡±

    ¡°You have seen it, though,¡± said Juho. Though calm, he sounded certain.

    ¡°Me? When?¡± the man asked.

    ¡°We were talking here earlier. My sh drive was in theptop then.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s what you meant. I didn¡¯t see it. Heck, with Yun Woo in front of my eyes, I wouldn¡¯t be looking at some sh drive. Besides, I¡¯m not even a writer anymore, so I don¡¯t even bother to look at my surroundings.¡±

    Contrary to his answer, he hade into the room looking rather natural. One couldn¡¯t change their habit overnight, but Juho couldn¡¯t argue. He simply gave him a nod and said, ¡°I¡¯m getting hungry.¡±

    ¡°Ha...!¡± a dumbfoundedugh sounded from the floor. Juho looked down. Geun Woo was looking under the desk with his cheek to the floor.

    ¡°You¡¯re hungry? In this situation?¡±

    ¡°I know, right?¡±

    ¡°All right. Well, it¡¯s in the house somewhere for sure, so we¡¯ll keep looking. Unless the thing has a set of feet, it¡¯lle out sometime, somewhere,¡± Geun Woo said, standing up.

    He was right. Juho hardly ever lost his belongings. To begin with, if he hadn¡¯t been in Yun Seo¡¯s house, he would have never taken the sh drive out of his pocket. It was a safe ce for him. Yet, his belonging had gone missing.

    ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready. What are you all doing here?¡± asked Yun Seo, standing behind the man who was standing by the entrance. ¡°Are you guys cleaning or something?¡± she asked as she looked around the room.

    The man answered as he stood nearest to her, ¡°Apparently, Mr. Woo has lost something.¡±

    ¡°What??¡±

    ¡°A sh drive. Not just an ordinary sh drive, but the one that holds his works.¡±

    Despite the seemingly rming news, Yun Seo remained calm. Maintaining her tranquility, she made a sound simr to her friend, Hyun Do Lim, ¡°Hm... Did you look thoroughly?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°Every corner?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Baek,¡± answered Geun Woo. He had looked around with his cheek against the floor, so he would have definitely looked in every corner.

    ¡°I¡¯ll look for it.¡±

    ¡°Great! She¡¯s a master at finding lost items,¡± said Geun Woo as he moved aside for her. Yun Seo nodded in affirmation. At that moment, Juho stopped her.

    ¡°We should eat first. The food¡¯s getting cold.¡±

    ¡°We can always reheat it. Would you all like to go on ahead and eat then?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t possibly do that. Eventually, she began to search the desk. Since it had been in the nearest vicinity of theptop, it was the most likely candidate. Though Geun Woo and Juho had looked multiple times, the sh drive had been nowhere to be found. Perhaps with Yun Seo looking, the search would yield a different result.

    A voice sounded from behind them, ¡°You should take care of your belongings. I¡¯ll help.¡±

    Juho turned around, looked at him in the eyes and thought, ¡®If it¡¯s not the dog or a ghost, then who¡¯s left?¡±

    ¡°I know. I must¡¯ve been way too excited about dinner.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t feel like you¡¯re being a nuisance. It happens when you¡¯re young. Think of it as a lesson for the future.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    Of course, their efforts went in vain despite involving the master searcher. Seeing as how the search went on for a lot longer than anticipated, Juho tried changing the atmosphere. This time, he went in a slightly different direction.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting pretty hungry. Could we go eat now?¡±

    Yun Seo stopped in her tracks at the young author¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Of course! Geun Woo, would you mind lending me a hand in the kitchen?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll keep looking,¡± said the man with bushy hair walking toward the desk. He moved his hands about as if he was looking for something. ttering sounds filled the room. Juho heard Yun Seo and Geun Woo in the distance. They were alone, and Juho called out to the man.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Know what?¡±

    ¡°That my works were in the sh drive.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Juho had never brought up anything about what was in the sh drive to him.

    ¡°I heard you and Geun Woo talking from the hallway when I wasing to get you guys,¡± the man said, chuckling.

    ¡°So, you did know about the sh drive. You sounded like you knew nothing about it.¡±

    ¡°... Did I? Well, I haven¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, so that¡¯s why I said it the way I did. I can see how there¡¯s room for misunderstanding though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what makes words such a powerful thing. I¡¯m reminded of that often because of my upation as an author.¡±

    As a writer, he was well aware of the power of words. He also knew full well of how close truth and lie were from one another. Because words had no shape, people tended to let it leave their lips with ease, all too thoughtlessly. They hardly realized how massive a power words could carry. Maybe it was for that reason that people often tried desperately to get rid of the evidence of having said certain things. Visible and tangible evidence. It had to have shape in order for it to be fully disposed of.

    Juho said, looking at the desk, ¡°It¡¯s strange. I could¡¯ve sworn I left it here. It¡¯s almost as if it got sucked into another dimension.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what it¡¯s like to lose something. By the time youe to your senses, it¡¯s already gone, no matter how secure you might have felt it was,¡± the man said, turning around to look in Juho¡¯s direction. ¡°It¡¯s upsetting. It¡¯s aggravating. You want to me others, but you can¡¯t do that either because it¡¯s entirely your fault. Right? Don¡¯t be anxious. We¡¯ll find it,¡± he said in a rather friendly tone. Their eyes met. He was also looking at Juho.

    ¡°I appreciate your help. That should be enough.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not giving up, are you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Juho answered immediately.

    ¡°Writing must not mean all that much to you, Mr. Woo,¡± said the man with a furrowed brow. He seemed irritated by Juho¡¯s quick response.

    ¡°When did I say anything about writing? You¡¯re an author. You should know the value of each and every one of your pieces,¡± Juho said somewhat sharply.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that you didn¡¯t seem like you meant that. I¡¯m not an author anymore,¡± said the man mockingly. It was subtle, but apparent.

    ¡°Not an author, huh,¡± Juho said, smiling. ¡°Then you wouldn¡¯t mind if I suspect you of something, would you?¡±

    ¡°Suspect me of what?¡±

    ¡°Are you not aware of the reason why we haven¡¯t used the word ¡°culprit¡± still?¡±

    He clenched his lips. Juho had given him a friendly reminder on how dangerous of a statement he had just made.

    ¡°An author can¡¯t steal another writer¡¯s work. They know the meaning behind it all too well. Getting your hands on another writer¡¯s work is to abandon your dignity as an author.¡±

    Having given up on writing, the man was no longer an author.

    ¡°There are only authors here in this house.¡±

    Including Yun Seo and Geun Woo, everyone in the house had been desperately holding onto that truth. Juho asked, ¡°But what was it that you said just now?¡±

    He had said that he was no longer an author with his own lips. ¡®If it¡¯s not the dog or a ghost, it has to be a person,¡¯ thought Juho. Everyone in the house was an author, but there was exception. Juho looked at the man intently.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Words are powerful. You can¡¯t take them back once they leave you. It gets rather messy really quick. We all make mistakes, children and adults alike.¡±

    The man¡¯s lips quivered, looking somewhat angry and anxious at the same time.

    ¡°Then, why aren¡¯t you trying to find it?¡± he asked in a slightly hoarse sounding voice. His face became visible, and it was filled with malicious intent. He had the appearance of a person who wanted to bring someone down with him as he spiraled down himself. He desired for Juho¡¯s downfall and for his career toe crashing down. He was blinded by his desires. His hair concealed his face once again.

    ¡°I have all my works saved up at home and my sh drive is password protected, so I don¡¯t have anything to worry about. Nobody will be able to read what¡¯s in it, whether it¡¯s a dog or a ghost. If the sh drive really is in this house still, it¡¯ll be found eventually. I¡¯ll get it then,¡± Juho said, smiling peacefully.

    The man¡¯s expression grew darker and darker. It was apparent that things were not turning the way he had hoped they would.

    ¡°Such a relief, right?¡± said Juho.

    The man¡¯s face became more and more distorted with anger. He had the look of a victim.

    ¡°Yun Woo is amazing,¡± he said, sarcastically. He had said something simr to Juho that day. ¡°Sess after sess. I suppose that¡¯s how you¡¯re able to look so peaceful while making a fool of an adult in front of you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not making a fool out of you. I was simply beating around the bush a little bit. Words are a powerful things.¡±

    Though Juho¡¯s words may have been sincere, nothing could change the twisted mind of a twisted listener.

    ¡°See? You¡¯ll never know. You¡¯ll never learn what it feels like to beforted by a kid.¡±

    Juho stared at him quietly, infuriating the man all the more.

    ¡°Just be angry, why don¡¯t you? Why don¡¯t you just say that you know I stole it and ask me to hand it over?¡±

    ¡°No, thanks,¡± Juho said light-heartedly. ¡°I have to write. I don¡¯t want to waste my emotions with times like this.¡±

    ¡°You make people miserable.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Juho said firmly.

 Chapter 104 - Face It (5)

    <h4>Chapter 104: Chapter 104 ¨C Face It (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°You seemed unstable from the first time I saw you.¡±

    They met while the man was on the verge of giving something up. From the beginning of their encounter, he was cornered to the edge of a cliff. That had to be why he had done something so foolish. An author giving up writing. An author praised as a genius. One who stood on the edge of a cliff tended to lose their footing easily.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he admitted in a weak voice. His emotions seemed to be rather unpredictable. ¡°I was forced to quit because my books weren¡¯t selling,¡± the man exined as if giving him an excuse. ¡°People only look for Yun Woo and his books. They only talk about him. My books are collecting dust in a corner of bookstore, rotting away. It¡¯s nothing like your fancy book. That was it. That was the result of my work.¡±

    Countless books had met the same unfortunate fate. Even books written with every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears ended up getting lost and forgotten.

    ¡°You¡¯re young. You haven¡¯t even been writing as long as I have. You didn¡¯t even have to try as hard as I have. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t ept this reality. It makes no sense.¡±

    ¡°So, what will change if you steal my sh drive?¡±

    ¡°Nothing...¡± he murmured. ¡°I wanted to see you getting angry at the very least. I desperately wanted to see you getting anxious. I wanted to prove to myself that I¡¯m not the only person who felt this way.¡±

    Unfortunately, things had not turned out the way he had hoped, just as how Juho had hoped for a ghost or a dog that hadn¡¯t really existed.

    He may have given up writing, but Juho was still an author.

    ¡°You won.¡±

    ¡°This was never something worthpeting over,¡± said Juho, still smiling. ¡°This was your choice.¡±

    Giving up had been his choice.

    ¡°No,¡± the man denied.

    ¡°Who told you to give up then?¡± asked Juho.

    ¡°The world,¡± said the man. If that had been true, he had been fighting an opponent that he couldn¡¯t beat. Had he been ovee, or did he announce an opponent he knew he didn¡¯t stand a chance against so that he could give his decision meaning? He was ying his own god. Much like God, words provided a reason for those in need of one, all without revealing themselves.

    ¡°So where is it?¡± Juho asked calmly. Though he wasn¡¯t explicit, the man understood immediately.

    ¡°Nowhere.¡±

    ¡°What did you do with it?¡±

    ¡°Did you check the backyard?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°There are a lot rocks there, so I picked one up.¡±

    Juho pictured him crushing the sh drive with a rock in his hand.

    ¡°Did you break it?¡±

    ¡°Completely. I threw it away.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°Down the toilet.¡±

    A cruel fate. Kidnapped, damaged and then disposed of. By that point, the remnants would be floating down the Han River somewhere.

    ¡°What if it had clogged the toilet?¡±

    ¡°It was too small for that.¡±

    The room fell silent, and the air became damp. He was ovee with the realization of havingmitted something irrevocable. Juho looked up at the ceiling for a brief moment. It had to be dark out at the point. At that moment, an intoxicating smell came into the room.

    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d have waited until after dinner.¡±

    ¡°... What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s yourst.¡±

    ¡°... Myst?¡± he asked, looking perplexed.

    ¡°Are you telling me that you¡¯re not smelling this?¡±

    By reflex, the man inhaled at the word ¡®smell,¡¯ clumsily and awkwardly as if he had never done it before. Only then did he finally realize that he had been holding his breath. His senses returned, suffocating him with realities that he had wanted to avoid all along. He stared at Yun Woo standing in front of him.

    The young author asked him mercilessly, ¡°Where are we?¡±

    ¡®Mrs. Baek¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°What have you done?¡±

    ¡®Thud.¡¯ He felt his heart drop. His hands started to shake.

    ¡°What have I...¡± With all the discontentment aside, he started to see things more clearly. Dark emotions were flowing about him, and he couldn¡¯t do anything to resist them. ¡®Where am I? What have I done?¡¯

    ¡°Now you seem to be aware of your surroundings. You used to be an author you know,¡± said Juho, emphasizing the fact that he was no longer an author. The man felt vulnerable to those seemingly ruthless and forceful words as they coiled around him like a snake. He felt exposed and powerless.

    ¡°Now, think again.¡±

    ¡°... about what?¡±

    ¡°About yourself.¡±

    Like Juho had said, he thought about himself. ¡®I¡¯m an author, no I used to be an author. It was my choice to give up writing. Nobody forced me to quit. This world has nothing to do with it.¡¯

    ¡°Pathetic,¡± he said, smiling. He had been feeling that way since well before he met Yun Woo in person. He felt chills running down his spine. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to write anymore.¡±

    His joy of bing an author was short-lived. There was a sea of well-written books around him, making him focus on his weaknesses. He couldn¡¯t think of a way topete. It was during that time of his life that Yun Woo appeared. His writing was both colorful and beautiful. It almost felt like his book was the only book existing under the sun. His book had been on a different level, and the contrast was rather striking. Though much younger, Yun Woo was much more skilled as a writer than he had ever been. A child had surpassed him. He had reached his limits and he couldn¡¯t go on any longer. He lost the will to fight.

    ¡°I lost my awareness of my surroundings long ago.¡±

    He had turned his eyes away from himself. In order to avoid his own stench, he had been holding his breath. The world had be smaller and smaller. It made sense that he couldn¡¯t go on writing. He had given up and reached for whatever reason that he could grasp and cover himself with it. However...

    ¡°I still couldn¡¯t hide from you. You¡¯re simply too big and shiny.¡± He paused, ¡°But when I saw you here... you were writing in the same ce where I was giving it all up. That¡¯s why I did it.¡±

    He looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes were covered by his bushy hair. He hade to visit his teacher in that untidy appearance. He felt miserable, and nobody had made him that way but himself.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry...

    ¡°... Mrs. Baek.¡±

    Yun Seo was standing quietly by the door. He recognized her presence from the intoxicating smell of grilled meat. Having confessed, he dropped his head.

    Standing next to Yun Seo, Geun Woo added, ¡°Both Joon Soo and I were struggling with our books not selling. Joon Soo is giving a lecture even at this very moment. I even threw my manuscript away, but you know what? We never tried to steal what belonged to another person and ranted about our situations. We still wanted to be authors, even if that meant our books not selling. We might not have been popr, but we were still authors.¡±

    ¡°... You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve been just hiding behind the title ¡®author.¡¯¡±

    He had simply been dishonest about his decision to give up. He looked at Yun Woo and came to realize the person reflecting on those clear eyes. Yun Woo didn¡¯t criticize him. The man didn¡¯t see himself in those eyes. Yun Woo didn¡¯t even think about someone like him. ¡®What have I been doing?¡¯ the man had reconnected with reality.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said in a cracked voice. He apologized in front of his teacher, fellow author, and Yun Woo.

    ¡°... I¡¯m so sorry,¡± his voice wavered.

    Juho was the only one standing with his shoulders wide open.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. You don¡¯t have to worry about paying me back,¡± said Juho light-heartedly. He didn¡¯t intend on blowing things out of proportion. Besides, he did manage to get something out of the experience: those who take from others. War. Death. God. The shape of the narrator began to take form slowly.

    In the end, the man left without staying for dinner.

    ¡°I¡¯m home.¡±

    ¡°Hey! You said you¡¯d have eaten by the time you came back, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Having greeted his mother, Juho walked into his room. Changing into his home clothes, hey on the bed and felt his eyes getting heavy. Realizing how tired he felt, he let out a sigh. At that moment, the door opened.

    ¡°If you¡¯re still hungry, do you want me to make you something?¡±

    It was his mother. She was asking even though she was aware of the fact that her son had already eaten.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. I had a big dinner.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Are you OK?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    After saying goodnight, she closed the door and left. Juho sat up from the bed and sat himself in front of hisputer. In it, was the same content as the one in the sh drive. Bushy hair. Juho hadn¡¯t recognized his name. He and his books hadn¡¯t been very popr, making him give up writing. For that reason, he was moved to destroy something that hadn¡¯t belonged to him. While thinking about him, Juho remembered the conversation he had had with Yun Seo on his way out.

    ¡°Do you think it will stay with you?¡± she asked. He had just eaten, so he rubbed his stomach by reflex.

    ¡°You mean the meat?¡±

    Yun Seoughed with relief.

    ¡°Do you think you can handle it?¡± she asked again, concerned. ¡°If you can¡¯t, you can always give it to me.¡±

    ¡°You make it sound like it¡¯s an object.¡±

    ¡°It might as well be. If you keep it in you, it¡¯ll eventually rot away.¡±

    ¡°I better digest it before it goes bad.¡±

    Though Juho answered with a smile, Yun Seo didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°It must¡¯ve been upsetting.¡±

    ¡°I definitely wasn¡¯t happy.¡±

    ¡°Do you feel like you like this world a little bit less now?¡±

    ¡°Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t to that extent. After all, it all happened because I was simply too capable.¡±

    Looking in his direction, Yun Seo nodded, pushing him gently.

    ¡°Then go write. Don¡¯t hold back.¡±

    She knew well of the way Juho worked with his emotions. Before going on his way, Juho asked, ¡°Are you OK, Mrs. Baek?¡±

    The man had been her own pupil. Seeing as how her own pupil had spiraled down into darkness, she had to be in pain.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen this often. It is never easy, but I know that the pain won¡¯tst forever,¡± she said with a smile.

    Juho slowly rose from his chair and turned on hisputer. The screen lit up, showing everything he had written up to that point. Everything had been intact with nothing missing or damaged. What the man had crushed and flushed down the toilet had been none other than himself as an author.

    ¡®There had been a war, a war to take away from others. In order to take something that one didn¡¯t possess, weapons had been made, and hearts had boiled in anger despite knowing that the oue would be unfortunate and miserable. If there was a God...¡¯

    ¡°If I were God.¡±

    He would have been dying to leave mankind behind. ¡®Don¡¯t hold back,¡¯ somebody had told him earlier that day. Juho calmly moved his pen. The protagonist wrapped in a luxurious fabric lived at a point in the history where there was no God. War hade to an end. God had left the world. Only stories existed in that world, and it was as if God had really existed in the past.

    The beginning of the journey took ce in his hometown. He, too, had parents who had raised him. They were beings who had birthed him into the world. Juho thought of the man¡¯s bushy hair. He was someone who couldn¡¯t ept the fact that he had given up.

    The protagonist¡¯s father had wrapped himself in fancy clothing. He was wealthy, but he couldn¡¯t bear to be alone. He interacted with and made love to as many people as he possibly could. As a result, he had many families and offsprings.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you an allowance.¡±

    As if by habit, the father always said that.

    ¡°You¡¯re cowardly, father,¡± said the son, the protagonist.

    In his eyes, his father was a coward. Because hecked the courage to give something up, he ended up ruining countless lives, including his own. The son ended up alone.

    The son was sensitive tonguage. He had his ears open to others¡¯ opinions as well as his father¡¯s. He thoroughly understood the situations he faced. He was being clothed, fed, and educated with his father¡¯s wealth. With the exception of his father, the son expressed his anger to every single person around him. He grew less and less tolerant. Angry. Detached.

    Then, he changed.

 Chapter 105 - The Language

    <h4>Chapter 105: Chapter 105 ¨C The Language</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho walked on the sidewalk surrounded. Cars zoomed past on one side while people walked busily on the other. There were hardly any trees. Walking on the streets like that resulted in all sorts of encounters. Pieces of gum, saliva, dog stools, trash, dead insects, leaves and, sometimes, even pieces of raw meat. Of course, those weren¡¯t the only things found on the streets. From time to time, there was a ring or money that pedestrians had dropped. Juho hade out to find those very things.

    He hade out to think of a gift for the protagonist of his new novel. Though he had said that he didn¡¯t want anything in particr, giving gifts was up to the giver. Juho thought about what the protagonist might like and remembered that, in theirst encounter, they came to learn that they had a lot inmon. Though the protagonist took offense to beingpared to Juho, he too was sensitive tonguage. There were enormous teaus and high mountains in the world he came from. Every region was divided by a clear boundary, and they had different cultures andnguages.

    Language. As a gift for him, Juho wanted to create a world where there was diversity ofnguage.

    Now, he was out on a walk in search for clues and ideas for thosenguages. Sounds of wind, cars, and people. Keeping his ears open, Juho kept walking.

    ¡°Careful. Easy.¡±

    ¡°Move, please.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, this thing¡¯s heavy!¡±

    A group of people moving a heavy object came into Juho¡¯s view. Arge moving truck. Boxes. Wrapped up furniture. It was apparent that somebody was moving. Arge wardrobe stood with its mouth wide open. The mother-of-pearl iys showed their age. Juho was impressed by its appearance, which was both detailed and beautiful. Sadly, it was being thrown out.

    ¡°What are you doin¡¯?¡±

    With a cigarette in her mouth, a woman wearing shorts and a sleeveless shirt was looking in Juho¡¯s direction. Judging from the way she was dressed, she seemed to be from the neighborhood. Perhaps, she was a neighbor of the family who was moving out. Her appearance had a striking resemnce to the mother in ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ Because the novel wasn¡¯t all that far from the reality, there had to be people who looked simr.

    Juho answered her question honestly, ¡°I¡¯m watching.¡±

    ¡°What is there to watch?¡±

    ¡°A bunch of things. People moving things, or the wardrobe right there.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a weird one. Well, whatever floats your boat,¡± said the woman, taking a deep drag off her cigarette. Juho redirected his attention to the furniture that was being thrown out. Smaller things were consolidated into a box. Toys, bowls, a vase, screws, bells, and an arrow. Juho picked up the arrow. Though it was covered in rust, it still looked like an arrow. ¡®Why did they have an arrow? What do these people do?¡¯ Juho wondered. The pile of trash was proving to be much more fun than it looked.

    ¡°An arrow?¡± said the woman. She must have been bored smoking on her own. Because he didn¡¯t mind thepany, Juho willingly answered, ¡°Yep. That¡¯s an arrow.¡±

    The arrow looked like it would snap in half at any given opportunity. It was clear that it hadn¡¯t been taken good care of. Juho examined it and wondered, ¡®What kind ofnguage would a race who used arrows regrly speak?¡¯ It would be anguage that resembled a sharp, pointy arrow.

    ¡°Why do you think those people had an arrow?¡±

    ¡°Maybe they wanted to go hunting,¡± said the woman half-heartedly, taking another drag of her cigarette. Juho yed along.

    ¡°On horseback?¡±

    ¡°Probably? With a dog too, maybe.¡±

    ¡°They might have worn clothes made of leather.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re from somewhere cold.¡±

    They each shared their respective image of what a hunter looked like. Though she may have been killing time idly, Juho was in the middle of a creative process.

    ¡°What kind ofnguage do you think those people would speak?¡±

    ¡°Language? What kind of question is that?¡± she asked, her forehead scrunching into a scowl. She seemed to be having trouble understanding him. Despite the look on her face however, she gave an answer, ¡°Probably not too different from the one we speak.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡± Juho asked.

    A race who carried arrows for hunting, rode on horses, wore leather clothing and...

    ¡°Well, whether it¡¯s hunting or any other job out there, it¡¯s all done by humans. Languages are essentially the same at the end of the day.¡±

    ¡°There are hundreds of differentnguages around the world.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°What about letters that look like arrows?¡± Juho took the opportunity to ask.

    Breathing out a cloud of smoke, she tilted her head, ¡°I guess it¡¯d look fine.¡±

    Again, a half-hearted answer. Her demeanor made it apparent that she had lost interest. Juho smiled at her blunt attitude.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with that then.¡±

    ¡°Are you working on something? Like writing?¡± Though having asked herself, she gave no time for Juho to answer and said, ¡°Well, break a leg kid.¡±

    She asked no further questions and smoked her cigarette in silence. The furniture was moving from one ce to another. Once she finished smoking, she tossed the cigarette butt on the ground and put it out. With that, she walked away.

    ¡°Take care,¡± Juho said. With her hands in her pocket, she looked back briefly and went on her way. After picking up her cigarette butt from the ground and tossing it into a trashcan, Juho brushed his hand against the wardrobe once and went on his way.

    ¡°Number 18, read the text out loud for us.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Number 18 stumbled her way through the text. Her pronunciation made it apparent that she didn¡¯t speak thenguage regrly. Juho lowered his head and looked at his textbook. The alphabet was written down ¨C a western set of letters. Staring at it intently, he listed thenguages he had learned up to that point. Greek, Medieval English, Old English, Latin, Old Scandinavian, Gothic, Medieval Welsh, Finnish, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Lombardic, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hu, Japanese, etc.

    Listening to number 18, Juho moved his hand busily. He had had an idea for what the characters in the novel should look like. He had found a clue during his encounter with the woman smoking her cigarette.

    Text had its origin in paintings. Ancient humans left records of their cultures in paintings. Painting had always been visual. Like an arrow, it always had a target. Baron often sketched the club members. Paintings had limits when it came to describing what was being seen. The world grew more and moreplex from its inception, and inevitably, the number of things that couldn¡¯t be exined with paintings grew. Humans learned to speak in different ways. Indirectly, sarcastically, exaggeratedly, and many more. The desire of wanting to express unseen emotions has lead to the evolution of the writtennguage.

    Thenguage Juho was about to create for his novel would be the same way. It had changed over time, just as anynguage had. For the time being, he dividednguages into two separate categories: one western and the other eastern. He thought about the hieroglyphsmonly seen in artifacts of various ancient civilizations. Made after shapes of their subject, Chinese characters were one of the more typical hieroglyph. Straight lines, curved, dots, and again, straight lines again. It was still closer to being a drawing than a letter.

    The shape of a character evolved over time to make it easier to write and closer to its sound rather than meaning. In order to replicate that, Juho felt the need to remove the preexisting nature of anguage. A bow snapped in half while an arrow was left with only its head.

    Thenguage in Juho¡¯s mind began to take more shape, bing gradually sharper. Over time, it evolved into shapes that could be easily written with a writing tool as basic as a tree branch. In some sense, the characters resembled spears, swords, and bows. Taking those letters, Juho divided them and distributed them to various races. Spear-like characters for the race that used spears as its primary choice of weapon, sword-like characters for those who used swords, bow-like characters for those who used bows, etc. Weapons became worn out over time and throughout their use. In a simr manner, anguage developed or devolved depending on culture and lifestyle. A weapon was not necessary for those who weren¡¯t hunters. The only time it would be used in a way that was remotely close its intended purpose was in the kitchen. That wasn¡¯t bad. It was a natural change that came with the choices made.

    As time passed, hieroglyphs began to fade into history while phonograms came into existence. Juho sped up the evolution ofnguage in his world. The characters took on shapes that were even simpler and spread throughout the world by mouth. Certainnguages became more widely used than others. The empty space in the textbook filled up with anguage no one had ever seen before.

    He focused on the easternnguages. Of course, the first example that came to mind was Chinese. Despite being hieroglyphic in nature, it had survived the test of time. While every other civilization adopted a newnguage that focused on sound, the Chinese were standing strong against that worldwide evolution, and it was one of the most widely spokennguages to that very day.

    ¡°There was a sound of wave breaking in the distance.¡±

    Number 18 read from her textbook out loud. Anguage that remained unchanged throughout the course of time. That was what Juho wanted to make for the protagonist and his world.

    Juho began to draw his ideas on his textbook. Straight lines, curves, and dots. There was something special about thatnguage. The characters were bunched up tightly, making it difficult to snap in half like a bow. Juho contemted on how he could go about making it distinguishable. It was difficult to write, and the characters left very little room for simplification. He found himself having two choices. Either the race had to endure the inconvenience of writing or create another writtennguage that was based on the preexisting characters. Regions under the influence of the easternnguage would choose to take either directions, leading to the birth of various othernguages. Unfortunately, thosenguages tended to be exceedinglyplex and were often ousted by other simplernguages. Though beautiful and delicate, they eventually became lost and forgotten.

    Taking those characteristics, Juho decided to make thenguage nearly impossible to interpret.

    The role of arranging and tranting thatnguage would belong to the protagonist.

    Because anguage had its time in history, another one had to be used. Using anguage from another region would be incredibly undignifying. The rulermanded his people to create anguage of their own. This would be the beginning of the story.

    Having run out of space, Juho turned the page of his textbook and continued scribbling. A newnguage. West and East. Flipping words and their shapes back and forth, he came up withnguages to be spoken by the people in various regions. Those who lived in between regions would often learn bothnguages. Certainnguages would be praised whereas others would be neglected and looked down on.

    Having rolled the idea around in his head, Juho tried to bring thenguages into his mouth in order to think of the pronunciation of their words. Savoring it in his mouth slowly, he thought of phics that were both fluid and difficult to understand. He jotted them down next to the characters he had created on the textbook. Some sounding thin and sharp, some thick and dull.

    As thenguage began to take shape, the lifestyle of the people also began to take shape. From the way they dressed, and what they ate, Juho began to understand their culture. It was exhrating.

    While examining thenguage he had created, he remembered the being he had been forgetting about. God. There was a God who had hid himself in the high mountains. He wanted to create a separatenguage for Him.

    Searching for elements that would make up thenguage spoken by God, Juho revisited the memory of his recent walk on the street. Gum, stools, pieces of meat, ring, money, wall, people, cars, noise, leaves, furniture. Nothing was useful. Juho began to move his pen subconsciously, writing ¡®God, God, God,¡¯ in Hangul.

    ¡®God? It¡¯s a word. A character. Phonogram.¡¯

    Various smaller elements came together, bing one. Juho recognized the Creator immediately. He had learned to write Hangul before any othernguage, and he had been well-acquainted of its beauty and magnificence. Filling his textbook in ck ink, he gathered all the source materials he would need to create the ideal world for his novel.

 Chapter 106 - The God in the Mountains

    <h4>Chapter 106: Chapter 106 ¨C The God in the Mountains</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s nice,¡± Juho murmured, sipping on his beverage after a run through the park.

    Havinge outter than usual, Juho slowly made his way back home as he watched other people walking. Sung Pil hadn¡¯t been joining Juho in his morning exercise because of a book he was working on. Juho asked no further. He only hoped that Sung Pil would finish strong.

    ¡°Hey, move!¡±

    ¡°No! You move!¡±

    Juho stopped in his tracks at an argument sounding from the yground. A brother and sister were bickering in the sandbox. ¡®Sand. Bickering.¡¯ Juho couldn¡¯t pass that on. He slowly sat himself on a nearby bench.

    There were all sorts of things in the yground. A jungle gym, a seesaw, a miniature castle with adder cutting across it, a tower with ropes tangling from it, etc. There was a long line by the seesaw, and the kids on the seesaw and in the line nced at each other ufortably.

    Juho looked at the brother and sister intently. With its boundary surrounded by old car tires, the sandbox was ratherrge. A few of those tires seemed to have finally caved in after withstanding the weight of countless children. While the girl was building a sand castle, her brother was waiting for an opportunity to knock it down. Realizing his intention, the sister picked up a toy shovel in her hand as a means of resistance.

    It was a war surrounding the castle. Sipping on his beverage, Juho spectated the battle curiously. Who would win?

    Despite the fierce dispute between brother and sister, other children in the yground seemed to bepletely unfazed by them.

    ¡°Hey, I see a butterfly!¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    The brother tried desperately to distract his sister. However, the sister kept her guard up. She was not an easy opponent. Realizing that his strategy had failed, he made another move.

    ¡°Mom was looking for you.¡±

    Her expression grew darker with anxiety, looking back and forth between the castle and her family in the distance. It was hard to tell if he was telling the truth. She contemted.

    ¡°Then, youe with me.¡±

    She had made a decision. She would be able to answer her mother¡¯s call while the castle remained intact. A great strategy. Juho was impressed by her.

    ¡°There ya go!¡± eximed Juho in an exaggerated voice.

    On the other hand, the brother wasn¡¯t quick to show his emotions. With a toy shovel in her hand, the sister rose from her ce. Then...

    ¡°Hehehe!¡±

    ¡°Huh!?¡±

    The second she let her guard down, his footnded on top of the castle. Just like that, the sand castle fell to the mischievous brother.

    ¡®What happens now?¡¯ Juho kept his eyes fixated on the two children. The sister raged at the sight of her castle reduced to mere pile of sand. It was obvious that she was looking to retaliate. At that moment, she raised her hand holding the toy shovel. Before Juho had time to intervene, the girl swung the toy shovel, hitting the brother¡¯s head. Looking frightened, the brother put his hand on his head. Then...

    ¡°Wahhh!¡±

    He started to cry. The sister appeared to be taken aback by her brother¡¯s reaction. Who would have thought a toy shovel would make for such an effective weapon?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, honey!?¡±

    The mother came rushing toward them and held the boy. Gasping for breath, he testified about what his sister had done. With the toy shovel still in her hand, the sister anxiously sped onto her skirt.

    ¡°She hit me. With that. WAH!¡± he sobbed sorrowfully, pointing at the shovel in his sister¡¯s hand.

    Eventually...

    ¡°He did it first! WAH!¡±

    The sister started to cry. Other children and parents in the yground stared in their direction. Recognizing the attention they were drawing, the mother forcefully wiped the tears off of her children¡¯s faces and carried them away from the yground.

    While other children sang cheerfully as they yed in the sand pool, the castle remained in ruins. Loneliness lingered about those ruins. Looking at the sand, Juho was reminded of the man and woman he had met at the beach. With that, he focused on thinking about the novel. The ce where the protagonist would be leaving from and arriving to.

    Anguage tended to be affected by its surrounding environment. The structure and development of thenguage depended on the choices made by its speakers. What kind ofnguage would God use? In order tomunicate with God, one had to know thatnguage.

    The image of the protagonist¡¯s irritated face crossed Juho¡¯s mind, having finally met God after a long, perilous journey, yet unable tomunicate with Him. Juho chuckled at the image.

    He had decided to use Hangul as the root of thenguage spoken by God. He nned on creating something that was based on it, bearing some resemnce. God was alone in the high mountains. The only thing visible from His ce would be the sky. Juho wanted to create more words that described the sky, where there were the sun and the clouds that led to light and wind. He started to get a feel for the things he needed to emphasize.

    In his mind, Juho took the Hangul characters apart, going back to their most basic, initial forms. Leaving only their skeletal structures intact, he tried giving them a different color. ¡®What would be a fitting color for God?¡¯

    ¡°¡®S¡¯cuse me sir. Could you move your feet?¡±

    ¡®Feet?¡¯ Juho looked down. There was a girl sweating profusely. She had to have run around quite a bit. He examined his feet, but saw nothing but sand.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°My ball rolled underneath the bench,¡± said the girl, pointing under the bench. Juho bent down and looked underneath and felt blood rushing to his head. A ball, just behind where his feet had been, came into view. Without hesitation, he handed it to her.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the girl thanked him politely. After giving her a nod, Juho retraced his thoughts. ¡®Now, where was I?¡¯

    ¡°S¡¯cuse me,¡± the girl was still standing in her ce. She must have had something to ask.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked curiously.

    It wasn¡¯t clear what had gotten her attention, but Juho answered light-heartedly, ¡°I was thinking about God.¡±

    ¡°God?¡±

    ¡°Do you know who that is?¡±

    ¡°Duh, even I know English. ¡®Gahd,¡¯¡± the girl said with a scoff.

    ¡°¡®Gahd?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes, that.¡±

    ¡°Impressive,¡± Juhoplimented her. She shrugged proudly.

    ¡°Then, do you know what a mythology is?¡±

    ¡°Mythology?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    She gave no answer that time. Perhaps she knew about God, but not mythology, ¡°The band.¡±

    ¡°Impressive!¡± Juhoplimented her again. She was a smart child and she seemed to be in high spirits.

    ¡°What kind ofnguage do you think God speaks?¡±

    ¡°Language?¡±

    It looked like she was having trouble understanding him that time, so Juho rephrased the question, ¡°You said you know English, right? Do you think God speaks English?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Just because.¡±

    No apparent reason. Simply, just because. It had been an intuitive answer, and Juho decided to see things from the child¡¯s perspective.

    ¡°If God said that He¡¯d grant you one wish, what would it be?¡±

    At the word ¡®wish,¡¯ the girl started to twist her body. She was probably shy about talking about what she wanted.

    ¡°So, I was watching TV yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Uh, huh.¡±

    ¡°I saw something that I¡¯ve been really craving.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It has red broth.¡±

    ¡°Red broth, huh. Is it spicy?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why my mom never buys it for me.¡±

    Smart child. She already knew that having a wish meant longing for something that couldn¡¯t be possessed.

    ¡°Are there noodles in it?¡±

    ¡°No, rice cakes.¡±

    She was talking about tteokbokki. At the sight of an innocent child asking God for some tteokbokki, Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. The almighty God before her eyes, and yet, she would ask for mere tteokbokki. If Juho were in her shoes, he would have asked for something muchrger. For example...

    ¡°I¡¯d ask for money.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    A slightly older boy was standing next to her.

    ¡°Money?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Money¡¯s the best,¡± the boy said, looking and sounding confident.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°I was told that all things yield to money.¡±

    ¡°Who told you that?¡±

    ¡°My mom.¡± The boy nced over in a direction, and a woman who appeared to be his mother was standing in front of a stroller.

    ¡°Hey, you should ask for money too,¡± the boy said to the girl.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°You can buy yourself tteokbokki with it.¡±

    ¡°No! I want my mom¡¯s tteokbokki!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re stupid. It costs money to make tteokbokki too.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re rich.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re rich too!¡±

    A new conversation had emerged between the two children. Listening to them, Juho quickly spotted the girl¡¯s mother. She was standing by the swings, holding the hand of a boy who appeared to be the girl¡¯s brother. Their eyes met, and Juho greeted her with a smile and nod. The mother nodded back with a smile, but her eyes were fixed on her daughter.

    Finally, she called for her daughter. Without even saying goodbye, the girl ran toward her mother. The boy too ran toward the pull-up bars. Juho thought as he watched them from behind, ¡®Money... The value of it changes constantly. It¡¯s different in every region. It could mean everything in some ces, but it might not even exist in others.¡¯ Juho organized his thoughts, thinking about the characteristics he wanted to grant the different regions in his novel.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting hungry.¡±

    Tteokbokki. Red broth.

    God lived alone in the high mountains. In order to meet God, the protagonist embarked on a journey. Unfortunately, Juho had no intention of making it smooth sail for him. ¡®I need obstacles. Red liquid. Like blood.¡¯ It was more than enough as an element of danger. The mountains where God lived were on an ind surrounded by streams of crimson-colored water, hot enough to cover the faces of those nearby in tears and snot. It was poisonous. If it ended up in a person¡¯s mouth, it would severely damage their stomachs.

    Juho thought about the song the children had been singing repeatedly at the yground. It had been a familiar melody. He walked toward the empty sandbox. There were arches made by the children who had been ying there. They wererge and thick, but abandoned. He imagined hiding God in them. A red ocean, a northern ind, ciers and a hole within it surrounded by arches. Itcked one thing.

    ¡°The sky wouldn¡¯t be visible from a ce like that.¡±

    He poked another hole on the opposite end. The arch barely managed to maintain its shape. The new hole made the interior of the arch more visible. The outside would be visible from the inside as well. There was another pair of holes on the top that resembled a pair of eyes. ¡®What would it be like to look out from within? It¡¯d look like the sky had a pair of eyes. Like God.¡¯

    Until the arrival of the girl, Juho had been thinking of ways to give thenguage that would be spoken by God a color. ¡®What did the kid say?¡¯ Feet. Juho looked down, and saw nothing but his shoes. However, he knew full well what was inside them. He tried moving his toes. ¡®There¡¯s a person inside them. The color of a person. Varied yet distinct colors.¡¯

    ¡®Would the God in the mountains be an actual God? Would God listen to what the protagonist had to say?¡¯ Juho thought as he slowly made his way out of the sandbox.

 Chapter 107 - Shared Table (1)

    <h4>Chapter 107: Chapter 107 ¨C Shared Table (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Sigh. I don¡¯t even know anymore.¡±

    Bom let out a faint sigh. She had been stuck in a rut for an entire hour.

    ¡®I don¡¯t understand. I have a plot, and all I gotta do is follow the trail. Why is this so hard?¡¯

    She stared at her work on the screen. Her pace started to slow down noticeably from the previous day, when she first found out about having her novel disyed in the library.

    She was wavering on whether or not she wanted to have her work on disy for public viewing. Not many people would read it because there weren¡¯t that many students in the library at any one point.

    However, she still felt nervous. It had nothing to do with how many people would read her work. It was the very existence of readers that she found to be burdensome. Having been a reader thus far, she was feeling the weight of being a writer for the first time. ¡®How would people judge my novel? What would they think of and reflect upon?¡¯

    Deep inside, she wanted to beplimented by her readers. She wanted to keep her weaknesses hidden and only hear good things, but she didn¡¯t feel confident.

    Bom read through her novel and was left feeling unsatisfied. It was nowhere near good enough to let others read it. ¡®This won¡¯t do. I better write it again.¡¯ Just like that, she deleted everything she had written thus far. The empty screen began to suffocate her, leaving her feeling helpless. At that moment, she turned around to look at Juho, who had been concentrating hard on something. He was the only person in theputer room who hadpleted his manuscript, a long time ago at that. ¡®How did he do it? This is so depressing and anxiety-inducing. So, how was he able to stay in a ce like this and move forward?¡¯

    The bell rang and signaled the end of the club activity. The club members took their hands off of the keyboard one by one.

    ¡°Ugh. My shoulders are killing me,¡± said Sun Hwa, stretching her arms toward the ceiling. It wasn¡¯t until then that Bom looked away from Juho. Having been stared at intently by her, Juho also stopped writing and showed his face above the monitor.

    ¡°Working hard, I see?¡±

    ¡°Of course! But it feels like it¡¯s not going anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± Bom interjected quickly. She was probably not the only one who was struggling.

    Looking at the sad expressions on their faces, Juho asked light-heartedly, ¡°Are you guys stuck?¡±

    ¡°Yeah... and I don¡¯t know why,¡± said Sun Hwa, sighing.

    ¡°I¡¯m distracted thinking about my work being on disy...¡±

    At Bom¡¯s answer, Sun Hwa buried her face in her arms on the desk. She had also been fighting that same battle.

    ¡°So, are you going to have it on disy?¡± Seo Kwang asked light-heartedly, with not a worry in the world.

    ¡°You¡¯re not, huh?¡± Sun Hwa asked.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°What brought you to that decision?¡±

    ¡°I have no desire.¡±

    ¡°What desire?¡±

    ¡°The desire to be an author.¡±

    It was the same for Sun Hwa. Pursuing writing as a livelihood had never crossed her mind. It had been no more than a club activity, and it would remain as a fond memory one day.

    ¡°I¡¯m not nning on being an author either,¡± said Bom.

    Yet, there was something bothering her. Something didn¡¯t quite add up. Like Seo Kwang, she should have been able to make a decision and be at peace. What made it soplicated?

    ¡°You already are authors,¡± said Juho.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°All of us. Aren¡¯t we all writing? That makes each and every one of us an author.¡±

    ¡°A real author wouldugh at what you said.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I getughed at or not. An author is an author.¡±

    ¡°Why are you saying that to me though?¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s because you really look like one wrestling with your own work?¡±

    ¡°... Really?¡±

    It hadn¡¯t been an ill-intended remark. The thought of considering herself as an author had never crossed Sun Hwa¡¯s mind. Now, after having listened to Juho, she started to feel more convinced. ording to Juho¡¯s logic, she was already an author.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m nning on being an author for myself and myself alone, so I¡¯ve got nothing to worry about.¡±

    Sun Hwa grew irritated by Seo Kwang¡¯s light-hearted remarks. As fun as the Literature Club was, making such a big decision had been just the opposite. She found no joy in wrestling with her own work. Writing wasn¡¯t always fun. At that moment, Bom asked, ¡°So... Do you think I should have it on disy?¡±

    She seemed rather worried.

    Resting his chin on his hand, Juho answered absent-mindedly, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± she became flustered by Juho¡¯s answers. ¡°Well, unlike Seo Kwang, I do have somewhat of a desire to be an author. Anyway, I want to show it to other people, but I am a little concerned. Authors write things to be read by others, right?¡±

    Aplicated answer. Bom found herself getting lost in her thoughts, but Juho interjected.

    ¡°Then, do it,¡± he said light-heartedly.

    ¡°Wow, really? How could you be so nonchnt about this? Is it because it has nothing to do with you!?¡± Sun Hwa objected angrily.

    ¡°Nonchnt? Are you telling me that you didn¡¯t hear me rooting for Bom?¡±

    ¡°Not one bit,¡± said Bom, looking sad.

    ¡°It sounds like you wanted people to read your novel, but you¡¯re afraid, so now you can¡¯t even write. Right?¡± asked Juho, summarizing her thoughts into concise words.

    ¡°... Probably.¡±

    ¡°Somebody told me that I shouldn¡¯t be afraid of something preemptively.¡±

    Just as Bom had a realization, the bell rang. Grumbling, everyone resumed the work on theirputers. Bom was one of them.

    Having watched it all from his seat, Juho also redirected his attention to his screen. He had been rather satisfied with his seat. There was very little chance of getting caught by the other club members for doing other things. It gave him the advantage of being able to respond quickly to any approaching person. In other words, no one would know what he was working on.

    Juho thought, organizing the overall background in his mind, ¡®Now,panions.¡¯ Unlike the protagonist of ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ the protagonist in the full-length novel had apanion who apanied him on his journey.

    Juho peeked over his monitor. The club members came into view. They were his writingpanions. It was a small club made of four freshmen, including himself, a sophomore, and a teacher.

    ¡®A party of four should be enough. Maybe I should make them all the same age while I¡¯m at it?¡¯ he thought.

    ¡®Although having gone to the same school, the fourpanions had never interacted with one another as students. It wasn¡¯t until their adulthood, as four very different individuals who had been walking their own separate paths, that they came together to embark on a journey.¡¯ Juho wrote busily.

    ¡®The protagonist had a reputation for his unpleasant personality. One day, he discovered the location where God had been hiding, but that knowledge made him aughing stock. He was mocked and ridiculed by his teachers, coworkers, parents, and even the local children. The man¡¯s rtionship with those around him became more and more twisted. Nobody trusted the man, and people started to warn one another to refrain from getting any closer than necessary. However, there were exceptions. Three, to be precise.¡¯

    The image of eachpanion rushed past Juho¡¯s mind. He thought of the conditions he wanted to apply to the threepanions. While being the same age as the protagonist, they each had to have a business with God. Meanwhile, they each retained their own distinct perspective of their world. As long as those conditions were kept, the personalities of thepanions mattered little.

    An idealist or a realist. A cold or passionate person. While there would be conflicting personalities, some would get along rather well. Each having led a life distinct from one another, the four friends repeated the process of helping and hurting each other. Juho gave each of them more shape and asked the question, ¡®How have you all been making a living?¡¯

    Juho thought of thenguage he had created in his textbook. Because they would be in a mountainous region, it made sense for the surrounding environments to be green. And because of the preexisting agriculture, thenguage of the region would be optimized for describing the climate.

    ¡®nts, farming, crop, climate. It¡¯d be nice to have a cook in the party,¡¯ Juho thought.

    The cook would be able to showcase the unique food culture of that region. In order to maximize that role, the cook needed to have a distinct characteristic. At that moment, Juho remembered the research data he had looked at while being in Geun Woo¡¯s studio. Cannibalism. Juho felt his stomach turning. ¡®Maybe the cook can be a vegetarian,¡¯ he thought to himself.

    He continued in his train of thought. ¡®A person closely attached to the region¡¯s lifestyle. The kind of person who is needed the most in that world. What about art? How would art have developed in that region? Pottery!¡¯

    While conversing with Seo Joong at his house, Juho had once brought up a potter. ¡®A potter. An artist. It¡¯d be interesting to have someone who wanted to show off his creation to God.¡¯

    On the other hand, Juho felt the need for apanion who was medically trained or sensitive to current events or politics. ¡®Doctor, soldier. A medic?¡¯ Suddenly, he thought of a face that gave off an aggressive impression; someone who would think of inflicting pain before asking questions.

    ¡®A misanthropic trantor, a vegetarian cook, a narcissistic potter, and an aggressive medic. That should do it. They¡¯re all about to leave for a journey, so it would make more sense if their careers were something of the past,¡¯ Juho thought. Each one of thepanions was capable of stirring up enough trouble on their own. Juho imagined the four leaving their homes and careers behind in order to embark on their journey.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho answered the phone in a hoarse voice. He had been writing for quite some time without speaking.

    ¡°What the? You haven¡¯t just woken up, have you?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. The sun¡¯s up and high. I¡¯ve been working.¡±

    ¡°Aha! Working on another book, are we Mr. Woo?¡± Seo Joong said yfully on the other end of the line. ¡°I¡¯m not interrupting, am I?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no! I was about to take a break anyway. Is everything OK?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that something happened...¡± he hesitated. Juho waited patiently. ¡°I was wondering if you wanted to go to Madame Song¡¯s restaurant with me. You said you¡¯re working, so I¡¯m guessing you haven¡¯t eaten yet?¡±

    Juho remembered what Madame Song had said on his way out after his meal with Hyun Do Lim, ¡®Come get what you like next time you¡¯re here!¡¯

    ¡°Sounds great. Where should we meet?¡±

    Like before, the bell rang as the door opened. It was serving its purpose faithfully, and nothing seemed to have changed in the restaurant.

    ¡°Please, follow me.¡±

    Madame Song led them to a table. Wearing his ck sweat pants and shirt proudly, Seo Joong walked into the restaurant. Juho followed. As they were about to go into a room, a voice sounded from behind them.

    ¡°Oh, hey! Ahn!¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Ahn. Despite the seemingly unfamiliar name, Seo Joong and Juho turned around in the direction of the voice. There were two people sitting in the room next door.

    ¡°Long time no see!¡±

    ¡°Still walking around in a daze, I see.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m awake.¡±

    ¡°Right, right.¡±

    The woman was in a semi-formal attire. Leaning against her chair, her posture gave off a somewhat threatening impression.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve met your friend here. Where¡¯s Dong Gil?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Probably reading Hemingway somewhere.¡±

    Juho greeted the woman, ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Hi, are you the brother?¡±

    Her tone had suddenly be friendlier.

    ncing at Seo Joong, Juho gave an answer, ¡°Not biologically.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m an author. I became one long before this guy.¡±

    ¡®An author.¡¯ Juho quietly studied her face. She seemed somewhat familiar. It might have something to do with her being an author. ¡®Where did I see that face?¡¯ Pictures of authors floated around in his head.

    At that moment, Seo Joong whispered to him, ¡°That¡¯s Dae Soo Na.¡±

    ¡°Ah...!¡± A cry of realization sounded from Juho. Dae Soo Na. Her novels tended to be aggressive and violent. Yet, because of her cinematic directing, she had a rather substantial fanbase. Of course.

    ¡°Haircut?¡± Seo Joong asked as he looked at her short hair. Juho had been thinking the same thing. She looked quite different from the picture. It made sense that he hadn¡¯t recognized her immediately.

    ¡°It¡¯s been getting hottely, so I just just cut it short.¡±

    ¡°It suits you well.¡±

    ¡°I think so too. If you don¡¯t mind, do you want to join us?¡±

    Because it would have been awkward to stand around, Juho and Seo Joong nodded in agreement. Herpanion, who had remained quiet, also nodded shyly.

 Chapter 108 - Shared Table (2)

    <h4>Chapter 108: Chapter 108 ¨C Shared Table (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As Juho and Seo Joong took their seats, Dae Soo introduced herpanion, ¡°This, is a close friend of mine. Have you read ¡®Behind the Curtains?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Ah! Yes, I¡¯ve enjoyed it quite a bit. You¡¯re talking about the Dr. Dong series, right?¡±

    ¡®Behind the Curtains¡¯ was a detective novel that introduced the character so called ¡°Dr. Dong.¡± Referred to as ¡®The Dr. Dong Series,¡¯ by readers, the series was going into its fifth book.

    ¡°This is the mastermind behind that series,¡± said Dae Soo, putting her hand on herpanion¡¯s shoulder. Juho was already acquainted with her.

    ¡°Mideum Choo, right?¡±

    ¡°Seeing how you even know her by name, you must be quite a reader yourself.¡±

    Being one of the names that always came up when discussing detective novels, Mideum had written multiple books of the genre. Juho looked at her sitting beside Dae Soo. When together, the two authors were a powerhouse when it came to their unapologetic plot development.

    ¡°She might be a little shy, but once you get to know her, she¡¯s tons of fun to be around,¡± said Seo Joong. He must have known her. At that moment, Juho¡¯s eyes met with her¡¯s.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Mideum greeted him. Though he was hearing her voice for the first time, he realized that he had met her before.

    ¡°I know you,¡± she said.

    She sounded bashful, but there was a strong sense of curiosity behind her words. Her tone was quite different from how Juho remembered it. ¡®It¡¯s her!¡¯ She was the person who had shouted joyfully in the restroom at Madame Song¡¯s restaurant.

    ¡°Eh? How do you know each other?¡± asked Dae Soo.

    ¡°Oh, I know him, but I don¡¯t think he knows me though,¡± Mideum said confidently. ¡°I saw him here. You were with Mr. Lim, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was,¡± Juho answered.

    ¡°So, are you really a rtive of his? Is that how you were able to get in touch with Seo Joong?¡± she asked with her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Her initially shy demeanor seemed to have evaporated up to the sky. ¡®So, she writes detective novels, huh?¡¯ Juho thought. He came to realize that an author¡¯s reasoning skills were not necessarily proportionate to that of their detective protagonist.

    ¡°Oh, yeah! You mean when we were talking on the phone that one time? So, you¡¯re the one she was talking about!¡± Dae Soo said as her memory finally caught up with her.

    ¡°You¡¯re Mr. Lim¡¯s rtive, right?¡±

    While Juho contemted how to answer Mideum¡¯s question, Seo Joong was entertained while watching from the side. As the target of the ufortable attention, Juho parted his lips to say, ¡°I¡¯m not, unfortunately.¡±

    Strong disappointment washed over Mideum, apparent in her expression.

    ¡°Then, how do we exin this? Should we even be asking?¡± Dae Soo asked, looking confused. She seemed like she would be willing to back down from the question at any given minute.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised to know who I am,¡± Juho said with a smile.

    ¡°We have a detective right here,¡± Seo Joong murmured. Wearing a doubtful look, Dae Soo took turns to looked at Juho and Seo Joong.

    ¡°Wait a minute... How old are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m seventeen.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not rted to Seo Joong, and you didn¡¯t seem phased when I mentioned Dong Gil either. On top of that, Mr. Lim. We¡¯re also in a restaurant known to be a regr spot for writers...¡±

    ¡°What are you saying, Dae Soo?¡± asked Mideum.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± said Dae Soo, still lost in thought. At that moment, she looked up at Juho with piercing eyes. ¡°I did hear that Dong Gil met someone. Since we¡¯re already discussing identities here, you wouldn¡¯t mind if I took a guess, would you?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    With Juho¡¯s permission, she blurted out her guess immediately, ¡°Are you Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Pleased to meet you,¡± said Juho with a light nod.

    The room grew silent. Upon looking up, Juho¡¯s eyes met with Mideum¡¯s.

    ¡°What...¡± she murmured in disbelief, ¡°the...heck!? Are you for real!?¡±

    With that, Dae Soo let out a heartyugh. The room became filled with herughter and Mideum eximing still in disbelief. At that moment, the door opened and Madame Song walked in. Looking at the four people sitting around the table, she said, ¡°This must be where all the authors are sitting.¡±

    ¡°This is real,¡± said Mideum, slowlying to grasp the reality of it.

    ¡°Your timing couldn¡¯t have been better, Madame Song,¡± Dae Soo said.

    A word tended to change its meaning depending on the situation. It was clear that Madame Song had included Juho as an author because it had happened immediately after Juho had revealed his identity. Seeing how Dae Soo and Mideum responded peculiarly, her cub-like appearance stiffened up, and she asked, ¡°... Did I say something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no! nothing.¡±

    ¡°... Huh.¡±

    With that, she handed them the menu. Remembering his promise with her, Juho studied it carefully. From beef to salmon, there was quite an array of dishes using all sorts of ingredients.

    ¡°You don¡¯t happen to carry crow meat, do you?¡±

    ¡°Haha! Is that what you like?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just asking. I¡¯ve been taking interest in them.¡±

    ¡°Well, how about a different bird, like chicken? I rmend it to my customers.¡±

    ¡°OK, sounds great.¡±

    Once the rest of the crew had ced their orders, Madame Song left the room.

    As soon as she left, Dae Soo said to Mideum with remnants of excitement on her face, ¡°You never know who you¡¯re gonna meet nowadays. What are the odds of running into Yun Woo here??¡±

    ¡°I know, right!?¡± said Mideum, just as excited.

    ¡°Also, I can see that your reasoning skills haven¡¯t improved much.¡±

    ¡°I know, right...?¡± she didn¡¯t sound so excited that time.

    In Madame Song¡¯s own words, the room was filled with authors. There was a reason for that restaurant to have developed a reputation as a regr spot for writers.

    ¡°I was shocked too. I had no clue you guys would be here! Might as well enjoy ourselves a little while we¡¯re here. Should we order some drinks?¡± said Seo Joong.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a lightweight?¡± asked Dae Soo, snickering.

    ¡°You two aren¡¯t. Two Cokes, and two sojus. It evens out perfectly.¡±

    ¡°OK, if you insist. Why don¡¯t we order some wine?¡± Dae Soo agreed.

    ¡°OK, Dae Soo,¡± said Mideum.

    The Cokes and the sses of wine made their way onto the table as it filled with the dishes they had ordered. Cutting a piece of his chicken, Juho brought it up to his mouth. The distinct vor of the sauce worked in harmony with the tender meat. It was scrumptious.

    ¡°This is delicious!¡±

    ¡°Right? You can taste the love,¡± Dae Soo said while eating. ¡°I enjoyed ¡®The Sound of Wailing,¡¯ quite a bit. It was really potent.¡±

    It was a concise review, and Juho thanked her.

    ¡°So, you really are real... like, a person.¡±

    ¡°Did you think I was not a person?¡±

    ¡°Well, how should I put it...? I was getting the impression that you didn¡¯t actually exist because hardly anything about you was known to the public. Of course, it¡¯s not like a machine could write a book or anything.¡±

    With that, Dae Soo lowered her voice and asked, ¡°I¡¯ve been really curious about Yun Woo¡¯s writing process. Since we¡¯re here, you wouldn¡¯t mind if I ask a thing or two about it, would ya?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but there¡¯s nothing special.¡±

    ¡°Oh,e on.¡±

    ¡°Really, I mean it.¡±

    There was nothing special in his writing process. He simply thought of an idea, and turned it into writing.

    ¡°So, how did youe to start writing?¡± Mideum asked curiously.

    ¡°I was bored.¡±

    ¡°So, for fun?¡±

    ¡°It was easygoing in the beginning.¡±

    ¡°That happens. Then, how did youe up with the mother in ¡®The Sound of Wailing?¡¯ She was incredible as a character. Was there a model in real life?¡±

    ¡°No, there was no model.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s all in your head?¡± Dae Soo interjected.

    ¡°You can say that. Although, I got the idea of using the cigarette as the medium elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°Impressive. It couldn¡¯t have been easy to describe smoking in such great detail purely with imagination.¡±

    Just as Dae Soo had said, one wouldn¡¯t be able to meet her within the boundaries of mere imagination.

    ¡°So, I went a little deeper.¡±

    ¡°Deeper?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°Into a situation that I had created.¡±

    ¡°Sounds a tad bit too abstract.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice. This is how I go about creating my characters. It¡¯s difficult to convey something while it¡¯s raw.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Dau Soo said. ¡°Well, this auntie doesn¡¯t give up on something just because it¡¯s difficult. Tell me more,¡± she said, raising her ss.

    On that note, Juho organized his thoughts as he took a sip of water. He had never really talked about his writing process. He hadn¡¯t interacted with other authors in the past, and he had never received any formal training. In other words, he had had no one to talk to back then. Feeling somewhat odd, Juho began to exin.

    ¡°So, what I do is actually quite simple. I simply see, feel and write.¡±

    ¡°What do you see, and how do you feel?¡±

    ¡°I see and feel what I want to at the moment.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s deep,¡± Mideum interjected. Juho rephrased his words.

    ¡°I think fantasy is a better word than imagination in my case. Remember I said I put myself in a situation that I had created myself? As long as there¡¯s a space detailed enough, a character is able to reveal their shape, whether it¡¯splete or not. In terms of detailed space, anything goes really. The number of trees in the street, dents on walls, a trash pile in an alleyway. Anything can be used for detail. If I¡¯m in a hurry, I can just call for the character to where I¡¯m at in the moment.¡±

    Because he was working on two stories simultaneously, Juho hadn¡¯t been able to go too far away from home or school.

    ¡°So... do you call for your characters AFTER you¡¯ve already brainstormed?¡±

    ¡°No, it happens at the same time. The story bes clearer as I interact with them.¡±

    Dae Soo was furrowing her forehead.

    ¡°Is it an improvised process?¡±

    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why the space I¡¯m in doesn¡¯t tend tost long.¡±

    ¡°How do you think of the space you¡¯re in?¡±

    There was no good way to exin, and Dae Soo chuckled at Juho¡¯s silence.

    ¡°Like I said, a little too abstract.¡±

    ¡°It is tricky to exin. It¡¯s not like I can show it either. It¡¯s hard to make it clear.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to steal something like that,¡± murmured Seo Joong.

    ¡°How about you, Seo Joong? What¡¯s your process like?¡± asked Juho.

    ¡°I usually start with research. Oh, wait, I might have done something simr back when I was living in a one-room. I used to find materials from within back then. Although, I wouldn¡¯t necessarily describe it as a situation or a fantasy.¡±

    Having listened quietly, Mideum asked Juho, ¡°What does it feel like when you meet your characters?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say.¡±

    Juho though back to the time at the beach. It had been annoying to be stuck between the two characters as they quarreled. It had been less than pleasant to deal with someone who was rude and rough around the edges while it had been hardly easy to get someone to talk when they themselves didn¡¯t want to. Because he only had so much time, he remembered feeling anxious.

    ¡°You be edgier and irritable.¡±

    ¡°Howe?

    ¡°Like I said, this process is closer to being a fantasy than imagination. I¡¯m free to do as I please in my own imagination.¡±

    ¡°Is that not the case in a fantasy?¡± asked Seo Joong.

    Juho hadn¡¯t thought about the process all that much. It had be natural to him. ¡®How do I exin this?¡¯

    ¡°I just let things happen. The characters deserve their freedom, just as I deserve mine. Of course, it¡¯s always possible to interfere, but I try to keep it to a minimum. Only then, I can find what I¡¯m looking for.¡±

    ¡°What is it that you¡¯re looking for? Story? Material?¡± asked Seo Joong.

    After staying silent for a brief time, Juho answered, ¡°I would guess... personality?¡±

    ¡®p!¡¯ Seo Joong pped. He had realized something.

    ¡°I see. Your method makes one hungry.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It uses a lot of energy. In other words, it¡¯s demanding.¡±

    ¡®Demanding, huh... is it?¡¯ Juho thought. Despite the perplexed look on Juho¡¯s face, Seo Joong went on with his interpretation.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s like raising a child. There¡¯s puberty and climacterium to your fantasy.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Your approach brings out as much personality as possible out of a character or a background, in other words, the novel itself. The characters do whatever the heck they want. So, in your own words, it¡¯s personality. The one and only in this entire world.¡±

    Seo Joong¡¯sst sentence pierced Juho¡¯s heart. His interpretation helped Dae Soo and Mideum understand Juho¡¯s writing process better.

    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous! That¡¯s the dream of every literature major out there!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You can see things like that without even having to draw from the power of alcohol! It¡¯s like a drug without the destructive side effect!¡±

    ¡°Is she drunk?¡± asked Seo Joong.

    ¡°Nah, I doubt it. She can handle alcohol a lot better than I can,¡± Dae Soo said calmly as she took a sip of her wine. It was probably Mideum¡¯s natural personalitying out.

    ¡°There¡¯s a reason why there are so many alcoholics among authors. F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, John Cheever. They all loved to drink. At the same time, they loved fantasy. Alcohol is the gate and the pathway that leads to fantasy. That¡¯s why authors drink even though they¡¯re aware the potential consequences. It¡¯s like a key to free the brain that¡¯s under the constraint of rationality and morality!¡± said Mideum, getting ufortably close to Juho.

    ¡°But you! You¡¯re capable of traveling back and forth between reality and fantasy at an age when you¡¯d know nothing about alcohol. All while you¡¯re sober! I¡¯m so, so jealous! Incredible, just incredible!¡±

    As he pulled away from her, he saw the resemnce in the way she had shouted in the restaurant¡¯s restroom.

 Chapter 109 - Shared Table (3)

    <h4>Chapter 109: Chapter 109 ¨C Shared Table (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Calm down,¡± said Dae Soo as she pulled Mideum back. ¡°Sounds like you stay really close to writing. Maybe a little too close even. I tend to keep my distance from it. I can even be a little reckless at times. Although, I¡¯ve noticed that your stories aren¡¯t entirely peaceful either. Does that take a toll on you at all?¡±

    ¡°No. The space I¡¯m in tends to crumble away. The moment I leave that space, that¡¯s when I start writing.¡±

    ¡°Closer to reality than imagination, but it can¡¯t be found in reality... Yet, it definitely exists. I think I¡¯m starting to get it. It must be like seeing a ghost.¡±

    A ghost. It was an interestingparison. That was the way she interpreted Juho¡¯s writing process. Seo Joong nodded in agreement.

    ¡°I lean more toward wanting to get closer to writing, but this guy tends to be a bit excessive at times.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to experience it still, at least once,¡± said Mideum.

    ¡°I know it arouses your curiosity, but you can easily lose yourself. Every author has his or her way.¡±

    While staring at his dish, Juho chuckled as he remembered something.

    ¡°It does pop out from time to time,¡± Juho said using Dae Soo¡¯s words.

    ¡°What does?¡±

    ¡°The ghost.¡±

    ¡°OK, stop right there. I get really freaked out by stuff like that,¡± said Seo Joong. However, Dae Soo and Mideum urged him to continue.

    ¡°People contradict themselves sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Though I¡¯m mostly content with the fact that I¡¯ve finished writing and that I¡¯ve done everything I needed to, there¡¯s a part of me that wants my books to be understood the way I wrote them. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just me.¡±

    While the crow was always rather irritable, Juho smiled everytime it threw a fit. While it demanded to be praised, Juho insisted on writing. It was either that the crow was immature or that Juho was simply showing off. Two opposing hearts existed within him, which meant he was contradicting himself.

    ¡°Oh, is it what I think it is?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.¡±

    ¡°That happens on a daily basis.¡±

    All the authors in the room agreed.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. As long as we¡¯re human, we¡¯re selfish by nature,¡± said Dae Soo. Juho took no offense to her describing humans as selfish beings.

    In order for him to taste the bitterness out of her mouth, she continued, ¡°I feel how selfish I am every time I¡¯m writing. What¡¯s funny is that I can identify with others. Because there are two contradicting hearts, my thoughts also split in two. It puts me in an awkward situation at times,¡± she said, spreading her index.

    ¡°I tell myself that I would write even if it meant writing for one single reader. That is closer to identifying with the reader because I¡¯m writing with my reader in mind.¡±

    She continued, spreading another finger, ¡°On the other hand, part of me wants my books to be read by the entire because I want money and fame. Frankly, that¡¯s what every author wants. Greed is selfish by nature.¡±

    Her hand made a ¡®V¡¯ shape.

    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re not the only people who have these thoughts. All humans have the same thoughts, just dressed differently depending on the situation.¡±

    ¡°Everyone has a ghost of their own,¡± murmured Mideum.

    ¡°Of course, they¡¯d be visible only to those who can see,¡± Seo Joong added as he looked in Juho¡¯s direction, meeting eyes with him. ¡°You said it ¡®pops out,¡¯ right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just fearless, aren¡¯t you?¡± murmured Seo Joong. ¡°It almost seems like you¡¯ve taught your heart to know when it¡¯s contradicting itself.¡±

    Juho looked down slightly. He was right. In order to write something better, he held off on worrying and the feelings associated with it. Once he published his work, the time eventually came when he was forced to face the things he had been holding back. He wanted to run away just a little further. It was his impulsivity. He gave the lump of dust in the corner of his mind a shape. Suddenly, he thought of the crow and its feathers that were as dark as ink.

    ¡°Should I unlearn it?¡±

    ¡°That would be entirely up to you. I can¡¯t reach that deep with my imagination,¡± Seo Joong said as he took a sip from his cup filled with frothy Coke.

    ¡°What¡¯s it like when your worries try to talk to you? Is it fun or painful?¡± asked Mideum.

    Juho thought for a brief time. The crow was rather noisy. Juho hadn¡¯t even bothered to name it. He didn¡¯t want to see it around. Yet, part of him didn¡¯t want to unlearn what he had taught his heart. He was contradicting himself to that very moment.

    ¡°I feel like I would lose if my heart were to unlearn it.¡±

    ¡°Haha! I didn¡¯t know you were thepetitive type!¡±

    ¡°I must be.¡±

    There was no way to know what a favorable oue would look like. However, Juho hade to realize that the crow was there to stay. If that was him contradicting himself, and being human made him susceptible to it, then...

    ¡°Sometimes, I wonder if my heart just needs to beforted in some way.¡±

    Mideumughed.

    ¡°Everyone carries the same kind of burden.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± agreed Juho as he raised his cup. The cold, refreshing beverage flowed into his mouth. Though it gave his throat a fizzy sensation, the Coke was refreshing.

    From then on, they continued on with their meal and moved onto talking about subjects like current events and writing. As she cut herself arge piece of meat from her dish, Dae Soo asked Juho, ¡°So, how did you get to know Mr. Lim?¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Baek gave me his contact information. Of course, I took the opportunity with gratitude,¡± Juho answered while eating.

    ¡°You mean Mr. Lim contacted you first? You¡¯re so lucky. I haven¡¯t even had a chance to talk to him to this day.¡±

    ¡°That goes to prove how good your book was.¡±

    Feeling somewhat ufortable about being the center of attention, Juho changed the subject subtly, ¡°It¡¯s nothingpared to your work, Ms. Na. I¡¯d love to write something so bold and unapologetic.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been getting some feedback telling me that I need to be more gentle and apologetic,¡± answered Dae Soo, sipping her wine.

    Giggling, Seo Joong nodded in agreement.

    ¡°You know, you¡¯d get those feedbacks a lot less if you worked on controlling your books¡¯ intensity level.¡±

    ¡°Hmph! I can¡¯t just stop writing what I have in my head because other people have something to say about it. Nevertheless, I did think, in passing, on whether I needed to tone it down a little,¡± she said as she raised her knife.

    ¡°I like your work, Dae Soo,¡± said Mideum.

    ¡°Eh. I think it needs to be a little... tamed,¡± said Seo Joong.

    ¡°I can hear you guys!¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Dae Soo. We¡¯re professionals when ites to receiving criticism. You know what to listen for.¡±

    Snickering, she pointed in Seo Joong¡¯s direction with her chin.

    ¡°Then, you¡¯re next.¡±

    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t have to go far. I¡¯ve been getting plenty of harsh feedback from someone very, very near.¡±

    ¡°Ah, none other than the infamous Dong Gil Uhm himself.¡±

    ¡°That ice-cold buddy of mine gives me the sincerest of feedbacks, saying that my work is too mushy.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not wrong.¡±

    ¡°Rigid and cold isn¡¯t really my style.¡±

    ¡°Your recent work was somewhat rigid though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different.¡±

    Dae Soo looked at Mideum as she sat quietly, waiting for her turn anxiously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not helpful. I don¡¯t want to hear anything bad about my work.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a luxury we don¡¯t get to live with in this world. Seriously, you need to be bolder!¡± said Dae Soo.

    Having watched quietly, Juho parted his lips to ask, ¡°Speaking of which, when is the next book in the Dr. Dong seriesing out?¡±

    ¡°Agh!¡± Mideum groaned as if she had been stabbed in the heart. Juho was somewhat flustered by her unexpected response.

    ¡°Did I go overboard?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all. This girl¡¯s been struggling withing up with a case for the next book.¡±

    ¡°OK, that¡¯s enough. We¡¯re here to eat, right? So why don¡¯t we just do that?¡±

    ¡°Your readers are getting antsy, you know.¡±

    ¡°Ughhh...¡± Mideum groaned again, shoving her fingers between her hair.

    ¡°There are plenty of cases I want to write about, but I don¡¯t see anything Dr. Dong would find interesting,¡± she said.

    ¡°What are you? Yun Woo? Don¡¯t you even try with your imagination,¡± Dae Soo said mercilessly. Judging from their interactions thus far, they were close friends. Quite a few authors tended to be overly proud of their own work.

    ¡°I¡¯ve written five books of that series, and I still don¡¯t get what kind of person Dr. Dong is. It¡¯s especially so as ofte. It¡¯s like my mind has emptied itself.¡±

    ¡°My, my,¡± Dae Soo shook her head. She was familiar with the symptoms. It was bound to happen in any creative process and it came without warning. It was a natural urrence. Without the help of magic, no author was capable of burning through the pages of their manuscript paper without stopping.

    ¡°It¡¯s like catching a cold. It happens to you often. It¡¯ll get better once you take your mind off of it and rest for a little while.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t afford to! Even yesterday, I got a call from my editor,¡± Mideum said anxiously.

    Juho looked at her. She was clearly in a rut. In most cases, all it took to turn the situation around was to find a small hole. It didn¡¯t matter how small. What mattered was that there was a way move forward. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t equipped with the proper tools to be able to poke a hole, which meant that she had to look for her solutions from the outside. However, it was human nature to search a ce that had already been searched. It wasn¡¯t all that different from the time when Juho lost his sh drive. He had looked through the same desk more than he could count.

    ¡®What would it take to sound like Yun Woo?¡¯ Juho wondered. In order to help find the right tool for Mideum, he asked her, ¡°Is Dr. Dong not showing interest in any of those cases?¡±

    ¡°... No, it¡¯s nothing like that. I¡¯m sorry. It was just an excuse.¡±

    ¡°What if you gave him a reason to be interested?¡±

    ¡°A reason?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Something that would make him think. For example, he¡¯s a neatfreak, so he never sets foot near a corpse, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°But he wasn¡¯t always like that. He has touched a dead body before, so he did something he would never do currently.¡±

    Thinking back on her work, Mideum nodded in agreement. There had been a reason for Dr. Dong to be at the scene.

    ¡°Of course. It was necessary for the story to progress. I did make it so that the clues that would arouse Dr. Dong¡¯s curiosity could be found near the body.¡±

    ¡°Which meant he would HAVE TO go near it.¡±

    ¡°Right...¡±

    Mideum had left Dr. Dong no choice. After all, she was the writer. She had dragged him in the direction she had wanted. Yet now, she was the one being dragged by him. She quietly immersed herself in her thoughts.

    ¡°Would you say that you¡¯re against idea of breaking out of your own mold?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. In fact, the issue is that I can¡¯t stay within the mold. Why haven¡¯t I been able to do that?¡±

    ¡°In my personal experience, I¡¯ve found my own greed to be the culprit.¡±

    ¡°Greed, huh...¡±

    Hertest book had not been well-received. Because she wanted positive feedback, she only thought about the ways she could receive them.

    ¡°It seems like I¡¯ve been far too distracted. It¡¯s not that I couldn¡¯t think of things to write. I was never thinking about it to start with. I was busy thinking about what others would think and say about me. I see. Now, it makes sense.¡±

    Pushing her dishes aside, Mideum pulled aptop out of her bag and ced it on the desk.

    ¡°The perks of having a genius around, am I right? OK, now I get it. Man, it wasn¡¯t even thatplicated! Wait, now I feel like I¡¯m gonna forget. Ugh, what do I do? I feel like my thoughts are getting all tangled up again. Anyway, thanks a lot! I¡¯ll pay you backter,¡± she said in a hurry. Her hands moved just as busily as her lips. What could she possibly write in a ce like that?

    ¡°The things you do during a meal...¡± Dae Soo gave her a judgmental look. ¡°You looked all depressed when I was telling you the same thing.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not very graceful with your words, Dae Soo. If you said it like Yun Woo, I would¡¯ve understood it immediately. I¡¯m going to write this down on my journal so that I don¡¯t forget.¡±

    ¡°What are you? Dong Gil, now?¡±

    ¡°Please, I have to focus. This is a matter of livelihood.¡±

    Seeing her getting busy, Juho also took a small notepad out of his pocket.

    ¡°If you¡¯d excuse me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re fine. What¡¯s that?¡± Dae Soo asked, looking surprised.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing special.¡±

    Just as he said that, Juho closed his notepad after writing no more than a few words. He was reminded of a someone looking at Mideum being tossed around by the opinions surrounding her. Just like Mideum, that person would smile like an imbecile at those who were hurling insults at her.

    ¡°Is there something you¡¯re working on?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m not nning on publishing it as Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say... myself?¡±

    ¡°Yet another curve ball. You¡¯re one mysterious creature,¡± said Dae Soo, throwing her arms into the air. She studied Juho¡¯s face intently. He was young, much too young to be an author. An author in their forties like herself was considered to be young in the literary world.

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s works are wless.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    As if the age alone wasn¡¯t shocking enough of a factor, Yun Woo¡¯s work were incredible. In Mideum¡¯s own words, he was at an age when he would know nothing about alcohol. Once she met Yun Woo herself, she realized that it made sense that Hyun Do Lim had taken an interest in him. Yun Woo was simply too extraordinary to bebeled as average.

    Dae Soo wanted to see that young author around more often.

    ¡°Let¡¯s stay in touch. Would you mind if I invited you to our outings?¡±

    ¡°Outings?¡± Juho asked as he blinked awkwardly.

 Chapter 110 - Shared Table (4)

    <h4>Chapter 110: Chapter 110 ¨C Shared Table (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°That¡¯s how we got close, by going out together.¡±

    At that moment, Juho realized that there had been nomonality between the three authors, and he became curious about the outing she had referred to.

    ¡°We might call it an ¡®outing,¡¯ but it¡¯s nothing all that special.¡±

    ¡°We just get together and talk. That¡¯s really it.¡±

    ¡°Almost like a hang out.¡±

    Seeing how they each chimed in, Seo Joong and Mideum had to be part of the outing group. Juho listened quietly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a small gathering of authors, eating and talking. No more than three people in most cases.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite a few.¡±

    ¡°We rarely have everyonee out. They each have their own lifestyles.¡±

    It made sense. Some authors preferred to write in the evening while some woke up regrly at 6:00 p.m.

    ¡°So, who¡¯s part of the group?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see... First of all, there¡¯s the three of us,¡± said Dae Soo as she drew a circle with her finger around Seo Joong and Mideum.

    ¡°Dong Gil. Oh, you said you knew Mrs. Baek, right? Quite a few of her pupilse out too, like Joon Soo, and Geun Woo, who¡¯s on the rise as ofte,¡± Dae Soo said with a satisfied smile. She seemed happy about the fact that Juho knew Joon Soo and Geun Woo.

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect! You won¡¯t feel awkward then. We also have a hermit who lives in the mountains and a know-it-all snob, but neither of them would go around telling people about you. If anything, they¡¯d be more than willing to keep it a secret.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not too worried about that.¡±

    Juho was already familiar with those people because they were authors of the same generation

    ¡°So, how did you all end up getting together?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything dramatic. We just got connected through each other. You know, someone who knows a guy who also knew a guy.¡±

    It sounded rather charming.

    ¡°Sometimes we inspire each other as we chat. We¡¯re generally in better moods afterward, so that¡¯s one of the reasons why we meet. We also get to talk about each other¡¯s works.¡±

    ¡°When do you guys usually meet?¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s TBD,¡± said Dae Soo.

    ¡°Who makes the decision?¡±

    ¡°Dae Soo is usually the one organizing everything. She¡¯s the eldest,¡± Seo Joong said. It sounded quite interesting. The conversation so far had also been rather enjoyable in many aspects. They all spoke a simrnguage and were able to identify with one another in many ways. It started to make sense to Juho howe such free-spirited people like authors would go to such a gathering.

    ¡°Sounds great. Please let me know next week.¡±

    With that, Juho left his phone number with Dae Soo.

    ¡ª

    Since then, Juho wrote like usual. He worked on his short story at school and on his novel at home. The process had been rather peaceful, yet consistent. Just as one didn¡¯t think about having to breathe, he also wrote every single day without recognizing that he was writing. Just like that, time passed, and the seasons changed.

    ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ had gone through nearly twenty revisions. By the time Juho felt content with how the short story had turned out, he finished the novel.

    The time hade for him to submit his manuscript to a publishingpany. Sitting in front of hisputer, Juho logged into the website of apany that he had been keeping his eye on. The cover image of one of their major works came into view.

    ¡®Behind the Curtains,¡¯ it was the fifth book of the Dr. Dong series, and it was the verypany that Mideum was working with, Dong Baek Publishing Company. In addition to tranting a number of books from overseas, they specialized in literature and humanity-rted books. Moving his cursor, Juho clicked on the link for the instructions on submitting a manuscript.

    Written in order, the instructions were not very long. Although it was his first time following the general procedure, he was able to do it without difficulty. All it took was for him to send the appropriate department an email and send a hard copy of his manuscript by mail. The manuscript had to be a duplicate copy, while the email had to include the author¡¯s address, phone number, and synopsis of the book.

    Without hesitation, Juho typed out an overall synopsis for his book. Though it wasn¡¯t anything challenging, his hand suddenly stopped.

    ¡°Title and author.¡±

    He had to think about the a title for his book and a name he wanted to publish the book under.

    ¡®OK. First, an alias.¡¯ The name ¡°Yun Woo¡± was the result of taking hisst name and putting it next to the protagonist of ¡®The Trace of a Bird.¡¯

    The name of the protagonist in his new novel was ¡®One.¡¯

    ¡®One Woo? No, that sounds odd. What else is there? Unchanging. Adventure. A story about God. Mythology. Immortality. Eternal life. Forever.¡¯

    ¡®Won Yi Young.¡¯ Just like when he came up with the name ¡®Yun Woo,¡¯ it took him less than a minute toe up with another alias.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Last namees before first name in Korea, which would make the name ¡®Young Won Yi.¡¯ Young Won sounds like the Korean word for ¡°forever.¡±)

    Next, the title. ¡®Title, title. How should I name it?¡¯ As Juho looked around the room, his eyes were met with the pages of the characters in thenguages he had created.

    ¡°God.¡±

    There was no way to exin the world Juho had created without the existence of God. It was the objective of the protagonist and hispanions, as well as the representation of the book¡¯s theme.

    ¡°Language.¡±

    Language was also a crucial element of the book. After all, it was Juho¡¯s gift for the new protagonist, ¡®One.¡¯ On theputer, he triedbining the two core elements of the book. At the center of the letters written side by side, there was thenguage spoken by God.

    ¡°The Language of God.¡±

    Because authors had the freedom to change the title whenever they wanted, he didn¡¯t have to spent too much time and energy contemting it. Besides, it sounded rather charming as it was. Once he wrote the title of his book, the preparatory process came to an end. In order to avoid leaving anything out, Juho read through the instructions again.

    ¡®Would it work out?¡¯ Juho thought as he looked at the screen. There was no way to know how a publishingpany would judge his work without the name ¡®Yun Woo.¡¯ While he was excited, he also felt anxious. Yet, he didn¡¯t lose courage. After looking at his work for a brief time, he decided to submit his manuscript to multiple publishingpanies. After all, nothing was certain. Having submitted to eight differentpanies, Juho turned off hisputer.

    *

    ¡°Sir?¡± Jang Mi called for her boss as he read something intently while leaning against his desk. It was one of the countless submissions spread throughout his office.

    Jang Mi Hong was the editor-in-chief at Dong Baek Publishing Company. Overwhelmed with work, she too had been putting off reading the manuscript submissions. She carefully studied the serious expression of her boss¡¯ face.

    ¡°Um... Sir?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± the man answered.

    He was the founding president of thepany. Like many who found him difficult to read, the editor-in-chief often found herself confused about him despite interacting with him on regr basis. Even at that moment, she was clueless about what to make of the expression of her boss¡¯ face.

    ¡°Did you have anything to say?¡± asked Jang Mi.

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± The president asked half-heartedly, his eyes still fixed on the manuscript in his hand.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been reading something without even moving a muscle, so I was just curious.¡±

    As she sighed internally, her nose piercing dangled back and forth. With her boss¡¯ permission, she had made the bold decision to get her nose pierced. Though she was often made fun of for looking like a cow, her pierced nose was her pride.

    ¡°Have you read this yet, Jang Mi?¡± asked the president.

    Of course, Jang Mi shook her head and added an exnation, ¡°I was nning on getting to it sometime tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°This is great!¡± said the president as if he hadn¡¯t even heard her response. At his abrupt answers, she fixed her eyes on the pages of manuscript in his hand.

    ¡°Is it any good?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. The writer left the introduction empty, which means he¡¯s a rookie, right?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s odd. No matter how I look at it, I don¡¯t think this is his first time writing.¡±

    ¡®I wonder what¡¯s making him say all those things?¡¯ With her curiosity getting the best of her, she moved forward to get a glimpse of the manuscript.

    ¡°Won Yi Young?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of it. Have you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Not at all. He has a unique name.¡±

    ¡°He has a unique style too.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡¯

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°In what sense?¡±

    He flipped to the first page and handed the manuscript to Jang Mi.

    ¡°Right off the bat, the first character to appear is an imbecile.¡±

    ¡°An imbecile?¡± she asked wearing a puzzled look.

    ¡°A so-called neighborhood fool. She doesn¡¯t even know when people are talking trash about her. Right off the bat. Before the book even introduces its world. It¡¯s different, but it¡¯s not bad.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not? That¡¯s so random! Ask anybody, and they¡¯ll tell you the same thing!¡±

    ¡°It has a very defined plot development. That must be what¡¯s making it less jarring. You can really see the writer¡¯s ability.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not digging too deep into your thoughts?¡±

    ¡°Read it yourself.¡±

    Jang Mi read through the overall story, a party of four who goes on a journey in search of God. It was rather simple. ¡®What¡¯s he so intrigued about?¡¯ The fact that they were analyzing a manuscript showed how immersive it was. Seeing how much interest her boss was showing, Jang Mi started to have a good feeling.

    ¡°Read it within the next couple of days and get a hold of the author. He might have submitted it to otherpanies, so make it quick.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she said determinedly. She started reading through the manuscript as soon as lunch time began. While eating with one hand, she held the manuscript on the other, reading. Eventually, she held the pages with both of her hands.

    ¡°Jang Mi?¡±

    Mr. So of the nning Department had called for her the same way she had called for her boss.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Lunch is over. Aren¡¯t youing?¡±

    Although lunch hour had been over, she had barely eaten half of her food. She had yet to read the whole manuscript, but she had a good feeling about it.

    ¡°Mr. So.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± he answered, wearing a puzzled look. His eyes were fixed on her nose. A round piercing hung from it like the nose ring of a cow. He had witnessed her hiding it in her nose in several official asions.

    ¡°I think we have a big one.¡±

    Mr. So immediately understood her. She was referring to a manuscript that had potential.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®The Language of God.¡¯ There¡¯s nothing that falls short. What¡¯s really jaw-dropping though is the style. I¡¯ve never heard of the author, but I¡¯m starting to doubt he¡¯s a rookie.¡±

    ¡°That good, huh?¡±

    ¡°Especially this intro. I¡¯m just in love with it.¡±

    ¡°Mind if I take a look at it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll hand it to you once I finish reading it at home tonight. I think I need to act quick. We can¡¯t afford to lose this author to anotherpany.¡±

    Though she started growing antsy, she couldn¡¯t contact the author without having read through the entire manuscript. With his eyes sparkling with curiosity, Mr. So stared at the manuscript in her hands.

    ¡°I better get going. Enjoy the rest of your lunch.¡±

    ¡°OK, I¡¯ll catch up with you shortly.¡±

    While forcefully shoving food down her mouth, Jang Mi didn¡¯t take her eyes off of the pages. There was still a pile of things she that needed to do: proofreading, organizing a reprint of a recent import, a stack of paperwork for the nning Department, anding up with amercial slogan.

    ¡°Wonder what he¡¯s like?¡±

    While curious, her mind was upied by the thought of getting to the author before anyone else.

    *

    ¡°Ugh, My ear!¡±

    Rubbing his ear annoyedly, Juho fixed his eyes on the pages in front of him. He was reading through the manuscript of ¡®The Language of God.¡¯ In the beginning, there was a character who Juho was inspired to create after meeting Dae Soo and Mideum.

    Despite being an adult, he was often mocked and ridiculed by children. Though referred to as ¡®Bird,¡¯ only the protagonist called him by that name. He was the only friend he had had as a student. As someone who was suffering a bad case of misanthropy, ¡®Bird¡¯ was the perfect person to talk to. After finishing his education and getting a job, One ended up taking care of his friend.

    ¡®Bird¡¯ allowed the protagonist, One, to be able to look at mythology from a different angle. Also, he yed a crucial role in One setting a major goal. Having decoded the mythology with Bird¡¯s help, One decided to leave his friend behind and go on a journey in search of God with three schoolmates who didn¡¯t even know each other¡¯s names beforehand. The beginning of their journey was rather insignificant, perhaps impulsive even. Each individual had their own agenda for meeting God.

    With such seemingly insignificant reasons, they embarked on a grand journey that involved crossing the mountains and the sea.

 Chapter 111 - Roseéˆ¥æªš Contract (1)

    <h4>Chapter 111: Chapter 111 ¨C Rose¡¯s Contract (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Done! Finally!¡± Seo Kwang shouted. While all eyes were on him, Juho, too, looked at him with the same eyes he had been using to read his work. He was celebrating with his hands up in the air.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, he¡¯s slow.¡±

    ¡°The more thorough you are with revisions, the better.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think others finished before you because they weren¡¯t as thorough as you, do you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one to talk. You just finished yours yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Guys, calm down.¡±

    The quarreling between Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang echoed throughout the room. Though they bickered, there was excitement in their voices. With that, each of the club members had finished a story of their own.

    ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to make a decision,¡± said Mr. Moon as he rose from his seat. He was referring to the matter of whether the writers wanted to have their work on disy in the school library or not. It was a decision that belonged solely to the writers themselves.

    ¡°Those who would like to have their work on disy,e talk to me in the staffroom with your story. I¡¯ll print it out, and then it¡¯ll go straight to the library.¡±

    ¡°Sigh,¡± the club members let out a heavy one.

    ¡°How much time do we get to decide?¡±

    ¡°The sooner the better. Let¡¯s say... next week?¡±

    ¡°Egh!? Next week??¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the weekend, so it works out perfectly. You can think it over at home. I¡¯ll still ept it even if it¡¯ste.¡±

    Just like that, the club members had to spend their weekend wrestling with a decision.

    After spending some time thinking, Juho decided to have his work on disy at school, publishing it under his real name, ¡°Juho Woo.¡± Though it might be a humble and seemingly insignificant inparison to his professional debut, it was perfect for the seventeen year old Juho Woo.

    If he hadn¡¯t published ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ he would have ended up publishing one single book as a Literature Club member. Thinking back on his past, he had leaped to fame all without having taken such steps toward bing a writer. It made sense that his career had eventually fallen apart.

    He rxed while lyingfortably on his bed.

    ¡°Ah! This is nice...¡±

    The weekend was a delightful asion. For the first time in a while, Juho was able to spend some time resting. While staring at the ceiling nkly, he felt a sudden urge to read a book.

    He sat up and walked toward the bookshelf. After scanning through the books, his eyes eventuallynded a book written by Franz Kafka. Juho was a fan of his work. Though his books never saw the light of day, they eventually became known to the world by the hands of his friend, Max Brod. Max himself might have been responsible for not following the request of his dying friend, who asked him to burn all of his works, but the world benefited greatly from those same magnificent works.

    ¡®If Kafka himself were to see what happened, how would he feel?¡¯ Juho became curious. Kafka had been a writer who had written in solitude throughout his entire life. ¡®As an author who pursued an artistic ego, would he be delighted in the fact that his work was finally receiving its due recognition, or would he me his friend for not following through with his will?¡¯ With those thoughts in mind, Juho opened the book. It was an original copy, written in German.

    After some time, the vibrations from his phone broke the silence, taking his peaceful weekend with it. Feeling slightly annoyed, Juho reached for his phone on the desk. It was a number that he didn¡¯t recognize.

    Usually, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to reject the call. However, a potential possibility crossed his mind at that moment, so he carefully answered the call.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Is this Won Yi Young?¡±

    ¡°Yes, this is he.¡±

    ¡°This is Jang Mi Hong from Dong Baek Publishing Company. I saw that you submitted a manuscript some time ago?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to let you know that we¡¯re interested in publishing your work.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: ¡°Jang Mi¡± means rose in Korean.)

    A smile spread across Juho¡¯s face. ¡®First phase, pass.¡¯ His work had sessfully moved the hearts of its readers even without the name ¡°Yun Woo.¡± At least the hearts of those who were in the publishing industry anyway.

    ¡°Would you have some time to visit us and discuss this in person?¡± Jang Mi asked.

    ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    Having exchanged a few more words, Juho stood in a daze, feeling the heat being emitted from his phone.

    At that moment, the phone began to ring again. It was another number he didn¡¯t recognize. He answered without hesitation.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Hello, is this Won Yi Young?¡±

    ¡°Yes, this is he.¡±

    ¡°Hi, how are you Mr. Young? I¡¯m calling on behalf of Vige Publishing Company. I wanted to discuss your submission with you?¡±

    From then on, Juho received a total of three phone calls, two emails, and two letters, all offering to publish his work. With the exception of one, all otherpanies he submitted to showed positive responses by showing interest in publishing it.

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    Juho felt the same rush he felt when he made his very first submission. The news of his work being made into a book had always overwhelmed him with joy. It had been a while since he felt that satisfaction. Won Yi Young seemed like he would have a bright future ahead of him.

    He took a deep, quiet breath.

    ¡®Now, who do I choose?¡¯ It was a rather pleasant concern.

    *

    Things were much busier than usual at the Dong Baek Publishing Company.

    ¡°Mr. Young¡¯sing in soon, right? Make sure to leave the conference room empty.¡±

    ¡°Everything¡¯s ready, including the contract.¡±

    ¡°Good, good.¡±

    The president had organized the meeting personally for the asion. Won Yi Young was on his way to thepany. He checked the time. Thirty minutes until the meeting.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m so nervous.¡±

    ¡°You too? Same here,¡± Jang Mi agreed with him. Though it was not the first time either of them would meet an author, there was an odd tension in the air. With a quick, swift movement, she pushed her piercing into her nose. It would no longer be visible from then on.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be someone we¡¯ve met, do you?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Who are you thinking?¡±

    She thought about the list of young authors he¡¯d met so far.

    ¡°He seemed to have a simr style to Mr. Ahn.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s way too colorful,¡± said the president, shaking his head.

    ¡°Ms. Choo¡¯s probably busy working on ¡®Behind the Curtains.¡¯ Ah, do you happen to know Joon Soo Bong? He¡¯s not very well-known, but I¡¯m a huge fan.¡±

    ¡°Of course, but he has such a distinct style. We would¡¯ve caught it right off the bat.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Mr. Uhm would be a silly guess, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep. There¡¯s no way.¡±

    Wearing a puzzled look, Jang Mi tilted her head. ¡®Is he even an author? No, he has to be.¡¯ Won Yi Young was more thanpetent in terms of his skill as a writer.

    ¡°With a skill like that, it might be someone with more experience.¡±

    ¡°He sounded young.¡±

    ¡°I have a young voice too.¡±

    ¡°Ahaha... of course...¡±

    While they joked around light-heartedly, an employee said, ¡°Sir? Ms. Hong? Mr. Young¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    With her heart pounding for a reason unknown, Jang Mi went out to greet the author. An individual who appeared to be an author stood in front of the entrance.

    ¡®He looks young,¡¯ thought Jang Mi. His appearance was just as young as his voice. He couldn¡¯t have been older than a high school student. When their eyes met, the mature expression of an adult spread across his face. It was a peaceful smile. Jang Mi felt a slight hesitation in her mind. ¡®Is he really young?¡¯ He exuded a strange aura. At that moment, a thought suddenly crossed her mind. ¡®Could it be him?¡¯ She might have been nervous because of a subconscious premonition.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the author greeted her. Jang Mi greeted back in a hurry.

    ¡°Yes, hello. Mr. Young, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    After exchanging light greetings, Jang Mi brought him to the conference room. The young author calmly walked into the building. Though it didn¡¯t appear to be his first time visiting a publishingpany to sign a contract, there was no trace of anxiety or excitement. He was calm and mature.

    ¡°Sir, Mr. Young¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°Please,e on in,¡± said the president, weing the author.

    In contrast to his light-hearted tone from earlier that day, a low, serious voice leaked out of the conference room. Without hesitation, Jang Mi opened the door and stepped aside to let the author in.

    *

    ¡°Hello, Dong Baek Lee.¡±

    Juho exchanged greetings with the president of thepany in the conference room. Being middle-aged, he gave off a rather threatening impression. His appearance was far from a weing one. Yet, his honest smile had a charm of its own.

    ¡°Mr. Won, I¡¯m assuming?¡¯

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°I enjoyed your work quite a bit. Thank you so much for submitting it to ourpany,¡± said Dong Baek as he bowed. Juho too returned a bow.

    ¡°Thank you for contacting me,¡± Juho said while facing Jang Mi and Dong Baek. As they sat with a rectangr desk in between them, the room felt simr to the scienceb at school. A cup of green tea was brought out for Juho.

    Before getting to the main point, Dong Baek started a conversation by bringing up Juho¡¯s work, ¡°Your work left me with a deep impression, Mr. Young.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I was especially impressed by thenguage chart that you included in your submission. Did youe up with that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°If the readers are to learn that chart, would they be able to understand thenguage in your book?¡±

    Juho nodded quietly.

    ¡°It is anguage after all. It¡¯d be more than possible.¡±

    ¡°May I ask how it came about?¡±

    After spending a brief time thinking, Juho answered, ¡°So... I based the letters on the western alphabet, Chinese, and Hangul. I also looked into Old and Medieval English quite a bit. I¡¯ve made several differentnguages, and I¡¯m nning on dividing them into two categories: one that is to fade into history, and one that survives the test of time.¡±

    ¡°When you say you¡¯re nning on dividing, what are you referring to?¡±

    ¡°Like the Manchurians. The Jurchennguage was simply too difficult, and it eventually disappeared from the face of the Earth. People there had toe up with a newnguage, and it took shape after its borrowed counterpart, Mongolian. The Manchurians dered the use of their ownnguage, but it never grew out of its perilous state. I¡¯m nning on making the characters in my book study such anguage.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Dong Baek seemed somewhat unsatisfied with his answer, so Juho decided on a more direct approach.

    ¡°Making an arrow, for example.¡±

    ¡°An arrow.¡±

    ¡°Weapons are for hunting. In order to serve that purpose, it needs to be sharp. I do look for materials in my surroundings that would suit that image, things like ss, iron, or pieces of ice. Once you experiment mixing in different ratios, you eventually learn which ingredient goes with which. I¡¯ve paid particr attention to thenguage system and its vocabry, because I wanted to create as manynguages that were unique to that world as possible. Not only is it more fun, but it¡¯s also more effective when ites to showing the ecosystem of that world.¡±

    ¡°... I see. If I may, what¡¯s your age?¡±

    ¡°Seventeen.¡±

    Both Jang Mi and Dong Baek¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiously. ¡®A genius. A genius has appeared!¡¯ They felt like they had finallye to encounter a race that they¡¯d only heard about. Seventeen. Genius. Whenbining the two words, there was one particr person who came to mind. A rookie who flipped the publishing industry upside down. An author who had been on a streak of sess from his debut to his sophomore title.

    With an anxious heart, Dong Baek asked, ¡°So, I saw that you¡¯ve kept your introduction rather brief.¡±

    ¡°Would that cause an issue?¡±

    ¡°At this point, not at all.¡±

    His skill simply stood out, so it made hisck of self-introduction noticeable. In other words, it was a gem. A gem that sparkled above all the surrounding rocks. Those who had been blinded by it were bound by the desire to get their hands on it. Dong Baek fully intended on entering into a partnership with the young author. Having met the writer himself, that determination had grown evenrger.

    Therefore, Dong Baek decided to ask Juho directly, ¡°Have you written under the name ¡°Yun Woo¡± in the past, by any chance?¡±

    With his heart pounding from what felt like excitement or anxiety, he stared at the young author in front of him intently. Juho took a brief pause and smiled.

    ¡°Would that cause an issue?¡±

    Jang Mi gasped. Dong Baek subconsciously reached for the green tea on the desk in order to quench the sudden thirst and said, ¡°At this point, not at all.¡±

 Chapter 112 - Roseéˆ¥æªš Contract (2)

    <h4>Chapter 112: Chapter 112 ¨C Rose¡¯s Contract (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Every character had a distinct personality. I like the story of the four individuals who each have something they¡¯re after.¡±

    Jang Mi changed the subject.

    ¡°The protagonist¡¯s personality really stood out to me. Especially the drastic change that urs from his youth to his adulthood. His misanthropic behaviors were also quite interesting,¡± Dong Baek added.

    ¡°That¡¯s why the protagonist is so obsessed with God,¡± Juho said.

    One was searching for God because of his hate toward humans. Some might see him as arrogant, while others might see him as admirable. That was the kind of character One was.

    ¡°Thenguage that you made really entuates each of the character¡¯s personality.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping that would be the result.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ve done it quite well, Mr. Young.¡±

    Depending on the region, thenguage evolved differently. Vast and diverse. Some were even difficult. The only reason why the readers were able to understand thenguage in the book was because the protagonist served the role of the trantor.

    Due to that, Juho was able to portray the distinct characteristics of each vige to their full potential. It became an element of fun in its own rights, and it was also one of the strengths of the novel.

    ¡°I liked that the four schoolmates who were never close as students came together as adults to go on a spontaneous journey. I¡¯m looking forward to how things will unfold when a group of people who aren¡¯t all that fond of each other are on a journey together.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    No one knew how the journey would turn out, and Juho shared the same excitement as Dong Baek and Jang Mi.

    ¡°It¡¯s also unique that the characters are names One, Two, Three, and Four.¡±

    ¡°Ah, about that.¡±

    Juho had named the fourpanions after numbers. Of course, it held a different meaning than what merely appeared to be a chronological order.

    ¡°Was there a reason for that?¡± Asked Jang Mi.

    ¡°Nothing special. We understand them as numbers, but in the world within the story, they can have an interpretation that¡¯s entirely different. I saw it as an opportunity to exert creativity.¡±

    ¡°Their personalities arepletely different, unlike their names, which lines up neatly next to one another.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and they are each looking for something.¡±

    ¡°Yet, they all share in the goal of meeting God. It¡¯s so interesting!¡±

    ¡°I really liked the character ¡°Bird,¡±¡± added Dong Baek.

    Bird. He had just started to realize the significance behind the name. A bird was the first thing people associated with the name ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s going to y a crucial role in the story?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s one of the core characters.¡±

    Having read the synopsis, Dong Baek and Jang Mi had an idea of the character¡¯s identity. The three shared a smile.

    ¡°He¡¯s God himself,¡± said Juho.

    Or maybe he isn¡¯t.

    ¡°We¡¯re really looking forward to how the story will unfold, Mr. Young,¡± said Dong Baek as he took out the contract that Jang Mi had prepared beforehand. Now, he was getting to the main point of the meeting.

    ¡°If you¡¯re Yun Woo, Mr. Young, I think we may need to make some adjustments in the contract.¡±

    Now that the name Yun Woo had been mentioned, things like royalties and advances were bound to change. Dong Baek quickly calcted in his head. Given that thepany published under the name ¡°Yun Woo,¡± Juho would be able to receive anywhere from 12 to 15 percent since it would significantly reduce the cost of advertising.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Juho said. Dong Baek looked at him as he stopped calcting.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s exactly as I said. I have no intention of publishing this book under the name ¡°Yun Woo.¡±¡±

    Juho was openly saying that he wouldn¡¯t mind being treated like a rookie. Dong Baek thought for a brief time. Not being able to publish the book under the name ¡°Yun Woo¡± would mean a loss in many ways. The name had already be something of a brand. Yet, the author himself didn¡¯t want his book published under that name. Instead, he wished to publish under a different name.

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    Though it was unfortunate for Dong Baek and thepany, he remembered the intention of the meeting. It was specifically to sign a contract with Won Yi. Dong Baek had contacted Won Yi solely based on his writing. ¡®This book will do well even without the name ¡°Yun Woo.¡±¡® Heposed himself and went forth with the meeting.

    ¡°Sounds good. Why don¡¯t we look at the contract together and discuss it in more detail?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    With that, he brought out two copies of the contract and ced one of them before Juho. Marking the important ces, he gave Juho time to read through it.

    Juho studied the contract and didn¡¯t notice anything that stood out from the previous ones. As he slowly put down the pages, Dong Baek started exining.

    ¡°So, if you look here, it gives you the definition of the words used to refer to the two parties and so on.¡±

    Juho listened to him intently. They specified things and discussed when needed, and the steps had been exactly the same from the previous times Juho had signed contracts.

    ¡°And about your royalties...¡±

    ¡°M-hm.¡±

    It was the process for determining how much an author got to take as his share. It was the most sensitive and crucial part of a contract because the numbers would vary depending on the author. More fame and skill meant a higher pay.

    Dong Baek took the initiative to speak, ¡°You, Mr. Young, would be a rookie publishing his very first book.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    He began to calcte it in his head. Typically, a rookie would be paid royalties within 5 percent of the book¡¯s set price. Because Yun Woo himself had agreed to be treated as a rookie, there was no reason toplicate things. However, Dong Baek remembered how delicate of a world and characters this young author had created.

    ¡°How¡¯s 8 percent sound?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot higher than I thought.¡±

    Eight percent was the amount typically paid to authors who were more established. Examining the surprised look on Juho¡¯s face, Dong Baek made a subtle suggestion.

    ¡°If we publish under Yun Woo, we can bring that up to 15 percent.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy with 8 percent. I am a rookie after all.¡±

    ¡°Haha! Great, Mr. Young!¡±

    Seeing as how Juho was drawing a line, Dong Baek pushed no further. He just epted Juho¡¯s opinion with a smile. From then on, they discussed the contract for publishing the e-book.

    As Juho studied the contract again, Dong Baek quietly studied his expression, the face of the elusive author, Yun Woo. There had been many assertions among the staff within thepany. Some believed that he had an adult ghostwriter and some believed that he had a hideous scar on his face. Some believed that he would reveal his face when he became an adult, while some argued that he¡¯d always remain anonymous.

    Nobody had an answer since there was no way to ask the person himself. Yet, there he was, in front of his eyes. Neither did he lie about his age or have a scar on his face. He was simply an author who wasn¡¯t swayed by money and understood his work better than anyone.

    Though the author himself had turned it down, Dong Baek¡¯s offer to pay him a 15 percent in royalty had not been an empty promise. Yun Woo was a colossal figure in the industry. Dong Baek felt confident. ¡®I have a good feeling about this,¡¯ he thought. Although the possibility of publishing under the name ¡°Yun Woo¡± was no longer there, the fact he was dealing with a book written by the same author remained unchanged.

    ¡°Is there anything that you would like to discuss further, Mr. Young?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Juho said as he looked up slowly. Dong Baek wore a big smile on his face.

    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve met you in person, I¡¯ming to realize that your age has nothing to do with your passion and professionalism, Mr. Young. I¡¯m sure you have more than what it takes to handle a book of such arge scale in many aspects. I¡¯m certain that this book will be the talk of the town. Genre novels can easily get lost and forgotten, but those novels also have a tendency to sell uncontrobly once they start selling,¡± said Dong Baek.

    Seeing how Juho¡¯s expression remained unaffected, he added confidently, ¡°I can see it. I know this book will sell. Not only is it a great book, but it also has an incredible literary value. It would be wrong for it to not sell. Of course, not everything is reasonable in this world, but I believe a publishingpany ys an important role when ites to bringing back reason into the world.¡±

    Juho looked at Dong Baek¡¯s confident expression. He was taking pride in Juho¡¯s work at a personal level. Juho felt grateful and fascinated at the same time. ¡®I wonder what¡¯s giving him such confidence?¡¯ he wondered.

    Maybe it was because Dong Baek knew nothing about Juho¡¯s past failures. To his eyes, Juho was probably no more than a genius author who was both young and lucky, writing his sess story early on.

    If it wasn¡¯t for the memories of his painful past, would Juho have been able to celebrate or feel confident as freely as Dong Baek? He suddenly felt like wanting to return to the time before he experienced sess as an author. If he had lived in a time before he knew how fragile and yet potent sess could be, Juho might¡¯ve been able to celebrate.

    ¡°So, when can I sign?¡±

    Unfortunately, it was impossible. For that reason, he had resolved not to be afraid of anything preemptively. He might not be able to go back, but he was still able to change.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Dong Baek let out heartily while Jang Mi looked excited and anxious at the same time. Everything about the book wasrge.

    ¡°Pleasure to be working with you, Mr. Young.¡±

    ¡°Likewise.¡±

    Juho willingly shook Dong Baek¡¯s hand.

    *

    ¡°Won Yi?¡±

    Juho nodded. In contrast to the shock on Geun Woo¡¯s face, Yun Seoughed cheerfully.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fun challenge.¡±

    ¡°I heard back from seven ces! I was kind of impressed myself.¡±

    At that, Geun Woo shook his head with squinted eyes.

    ¡°Why are you doing that to yourself when you have a perfectly good name like ¡°Yun Woo?¡± Is this what the ¡°entricity of a genius¡± looks like? You might as well move into the mountains or something. It¡¯ll make it easier. Don¡¯t just sit there.¡±

    ¡°entricity? No, this is a challenge. A challenge of youth.¡±

    Geun Woo looked all the more confused, and Joon Soo interjected, ¡°Geun Woo, we should beplimenting him first.¡±

    He had a mature personality. Juho took the fork Joon Soo had given him and picked up one of the apple slices filling the te in front of him.

    ¡°So, are you feeling confident?¡±

    ¡°Confident?¡±

    ¡°As in, are you confident that you¡¯ll survive through the days as a struggling writer?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    Juho was not confident that he would be able to withstand the past darkness again.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s why I¡¯m nning on starting strong. That, I¡¯m confident about,¡± Juho said as he remembered Dong Baek¡¯s attitude. The confidence the president of a publishingpany had disyed gave Juho a slight sense of relief.

    ¡°That¡¯s a great posture to have,¡± Yun Seoplimented him.

    Geun Woo stared at Juho quietly. In that moment, he was a young author who was eating his apple slice. He was impossible to read. He seemed like a person who wouldugh all the more peacefully even if a bomb fell from the sky.

    ¡®If I were Yun Woo, I¡¯d take advantage of my name as much as possible when I wrote. Since I¡¯d be the one who had brought myself to the top, I¡¯d have nothing toin about. I¡¯d never turn an opportunity away,¡¯ Geun Woo thought.

    ¡®How is he able to leave behind a name like ¡°Yun Woo¡± so easily? Is it because he¡¯s never experienced failure in his life? No. There¡¯s something much bigger and more powerful than a bomb falling from the sky. The role of trembling in fear belongs to those around him.¡¯

    ¡°Well, should you find yourself not doing so well on the off chance, you know where to find us,¡± Geun Woo said as an attempt to empty his mind.

    ¡°That¡¯s harsh,¡± said Juho in response to Geun Woo¡¯s joke.

    ¡°You won¡¯t starve as long as I¡¯m around,¡± said Yun Seo.

    ¡°Aw! You too, Mrs. Baek?¡±

    The four chatted cheerfully over a pile of apple slices.

 Chapter 113 - Give and Take (1)

    <h4>Chapter 113: Chapter 113 ¨C Give and Take (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Oh! I forgot about getting my photos developed today!¡± Yun Seo said with a p.

    ¡°What photos?¡± Juho asked.

    The answer came from Joon Soo instead, ¡°We took some pictures with Mrs. Baek recently using her old film camera.¡±

    ¡°A film camera?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve been using it for years now,¡± Yun Seo affirmed proudly. ¡°I¡¯ve been taking pictures with my pupils ever since I first started taking them in. I made an album too. Would you like to see it?¡±

    Juho nodded. Knowing its location, Geun Woo rose from his seat and returned with a hefty looking album. The four sat around it.

    ¡°We¡¯re probably in here somewhere too. Now, where were we...¡±

    The photos were well-maintained. As Joon Soo flipped the pages, faces unknown to Juho rushed passed his eyes one by one. Everyone in the pictures had been an aspiring author and loved writing, and they hade to learn under Yun Seo.

    ¡°That¡¯s me right there,¡± Geun Woo said, pointing to a young man with long hair. He gave off a much sharper image than the one in the present.

    ¡°Wow! When was this?¡±

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been that long after I came here, so... I must¡¯ve been in my twenties.¡±

    ¡°You look tacky as heck!¡± Joon Soo said yfully, acting unlike usual. Unfortunately, Joon Soo was right.

    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. You¡¯re not exactly stylish either, Mr. Bong,¡± Geun Woo said, pointing at another photo. It was Joon Soo¡¯s. Though his appearance didn¡¯t look different, he was wearing a blue denim jacket and pants.

    ¡°That was the hottest fashion trend then,¡± said Joon Soo.

    ¡°I think you guys are both on the same level, more or less.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d you say!?¡± Geun Woo eximed.

    Ignoring him, Juho turned his eyes to the album. On the next page, there was a picture of Geun Woo and Joon Soo standing together in the front of Yun Seo¡¯s timeless house.

    ¡°This is actually pretty fun!¡±

    ¡°Oh! Do you remember this, Joon Soo?¡±

    ¡°Ah! It¡¯s when we first seeded the garden.¡±

    Listening to the two people conversing, Juho was able to picture what the house had looked like in the past. While Joon Soo took out one of the photos and kept on with the conversation, Juho looked through at the pages of the album slowly. Time had passed and the seasons had changed. The album held the past of those who were in the pictures, and getting a peek at that was a rather fun experience.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    By reflex, Juho let out. There was a familiar face that he would never have imagined to find. He took a closer look. ¡®It is him!¡¯ No matter how many times he looked, it was the person Juho knew.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Geun Woo asked.

    ¡°I just saw someone I wasn¡¯t expecting to see in the album,¡± Juho said with his eyes still on the picture.

    ¡°Eh? Who? Is there someone you know?¡±

    At that moment, the doorbell rang. Stopping Joon Soo from getting up, Yun Seo walked toward the door herself. Juho couldn¡¯t afford the time to look away from the picture because he would have never imagined to see that person in the picture. On the other hand, after seeing that familiar face in that album, Juho began to make sense of the man¡¯s puzzling attitude.

    ¡°So, who is it?¡±

    ¡°Here, this person,¡± Juho pointed to a man in one of the pictures. At one point, the man had dreamed of being a genius writer, and he was the one who first mentioned the idea of being a ¡°great storyteller.¡± Everything began to make sense.

    ¡°Oh my goodness! It¡¯s been so long!¡± Yun Seo eximed cheerfully. Only then did Juho look away from the album and turned toward the door.

    ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡±

    ¡°Probably another guest. We always have guests,¡± Geun Woo said to Joon Soo. Juho nodded in agreement. Yun Seo¡¯s house was always filled with guests.

    ¡°Come in,e in!¡±

    A series of footsteps followed Yun Seo¡¯s voice, and the three looked in the direction of the sound. Then...

    ¡°Oh! It¡¯s that man in the picture!¡± Geun Woo said as the guest simultaneously locked eyes with Juho.

    ¡°Juho Woo?!¡± the man said, looking confused. Holding bags of gifts in his hands, Juho was well-acquainted with him. The man seemed slightly older than himself in the picture.

    ¡°Why are you here?!¡± he asked. As Juho rose from his seat, Geun Woo and Joon Soo¡¯s eyes followed. Instead of an answer, Juho addressed the man by his name.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Moon.¡±

    Silence.

    ¡°Mr. Moon?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s the teacher here?¡±

    The room became filled with confusion.

    ¡°You two know each other?¡± Joon Soo asked. He seemed to know Mr. Moon.

    ¡°He¡¯s my student,¡± said Mr. Moon.

    ¡°... What??¡± Joon Soo asked, dumbfounded. Juho nodded quietly.

    ¡°He¡¯s a teacher,¡± said Juho.

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s going on? Who¡¯s a teacher?¡± Then, he asked Juho in a whisper, ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s or Juho¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your teacher doing in Mrs. Baek¡¯s house?¡±

    Rather than answering Geun Woo¡¯s question, Juho looked at the album on the floor.

    ¡°That¡¯s because I was her pupil once.¡±

    Mr. Moon had been one of Yun Seo¡¯s pupils. Now, he was a teacher himself, teaching students of his own. There were simrities in the way they taught. For example, they never directly told their students that they were wrong.

    ¡°Haha! This is interesting. I¡¯ll bring out some tea, and you guys talk and catch up.¡±

    Meanwhile, Yun Seo headed for the kitchen with the gifts Mr. Moon had brought. Everyone exchanged awkward looks, and Joon Soo spoke up first to break the ice.

    ¡°He came here around the same time as me. He was the best writer here, then.¡±

    ¡°Really??¡± Geun Woo said, impressed. It was hard to believe that there was a better writer than Joon Soo.

    ¡°He left before you came in.¡±

    ¡°I teach at a school now. I¡¯m also this kid¡¯s homeroom teacher,¡± said Mr. Moon, pointing at Juho. It was a rather confusing asion where a teacher came together with his teacher and her students.

    ¡°So, remind me why you¡¯re here?¡± he asked again.

    Knowing that they wouldn¡¯t be able to exin, Joon Soo and Geun Woo remained quiet. Mr. Moon waited for an answer patiently.

    ¡°So...¡±

    Juho realized that the moment he knew woulde had finally caught up to him without warning. The time hade. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle from how sudden and unexpected the situation was. On the other hand, he also found it to be funny. For those reasons, he decided not to avoid facing the reality of it.

    ¡°I wrote a book.¡±

    ¡°A book?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I naturally came to know different people as I wrote.¡±

    Mr. Moon gave him a dyed response, ¡°So, you were learning from Mrs. Baek? That¡¯s why you said you weren¡¯t formally trained or going to a private institute! Right, it makes sense now.¡±

    ¡°Not exactly.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°M-hm.¡±

    Mr. Moon¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Then, what is it?¡±

    Juho slowly parted his lips in order to bring up a name he was well-acquainted with, yet unfamiliar with at the same time. In a rather low voice, he answered, ¡°I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    Silence filled the room yet again. Nobody moved a muscle while Mr. Moon stood in the middle of it. He showed no response, like a statue.

    ¡°Did you all have a good time?¡± Yun Seo asked as she walked into the room from behind them. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why do you look shocked?¡± she asked, studying Mr. Moon¡¯s expressions.

    He seemed to freeze up when taken aback by something. Observing the awkward situation quietly, Yun Seo spoke up to shatter the silence, ¡°Why don¡¯t we all sit down and have ourselves a cup of tea?¡±

    Then, the tension began to dissipate.

    Juho picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. A pleasant warmth traveled down his stomach. After that, he quietly set his tea back down on the table. Mr. Moon¡¯s face became visible over the lonely cup.

    ¡°So, you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re killing me.¡±

    Mr. Moon was aware that Juho wouldn¡¯t lie in such a situation. However, it was hard not to question the fact that Juho was Yun Woo considering how he had been doing in the Literature Club so far. Juho had been rather meticulous in concealing his identity.

    Yun Seo and her two pupils were observing quietly. While rubbing his face, Mr. Moon let out a sigh and said, ¡°OK, it did cross my mind at one point.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±

    ¡°After all, you¡¯re a good writer yourself. It¡¯s to the point where it¡¯s hard to believe that you¡¯re still a student. Think about it. Whoes to mind when youbine a high school student with the skill of a seasoned, veteran writer? Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°... You never denied it once. Yeah, that¡¯s right. You never did. Then, how was I so firm in believing that you were not Yun Woo?¡± said Mr. Moon, flicking his tea cup. ¡°It was because of your writing,¡± he added, letting out yet another sigh. ¡°It never ured to me that you were Yun Woo because I read your writing.¡±

    He seemed to be quite confused, and Juho understood his position. Juho had been writing in a style that Yun Woo would never think of adopting. He had been writing as his own style instead of Yun Woo¡¯s, resulting in apletely different feel and structure.

    ¡°How should I understand this situation?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Juho said as he moved aside the cup. ¡°I¡¯m both Juho Woo and Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Meaning?¡±

    ¡°I can write as Juho and Yun Woo.¡±

    Mr. Moon burst intoughter. It wasn¡¯t clear whether he was in awe or disbelief. At that moment, Joon Soo stopped Geun Woo as he prepared to speak. However, Joon Soo was curious himself as to why Mr. Moon couldn¡¯t believe that Juho was Yun Woo. Considering the fact that he had been looking at his writing longer than anybody else, he should have been the first one to catch on.

    ¡°Why are you having such a hard time believing it? From what I¡¯ve gathered so far, it seems like it wouldn¡¯t be strange if you were the first person to notice,¡± Yun Seo spoke up.

    A relieved look spread across Geun Woo and Joon Soo¡¯s faces. She had scratched the itch. Then, Geun Woo took the opportunity speak up, ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. Am I the only person who¡¯s having trouble understanding the point of this conversation?¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, have you been a victim of fraud of sorts, Song Hak? Why can¡¯t you believe the words of your own student?¡± Joon Soo added.

    ¡°Fraud? That¡¯s a little harsh, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Mr. Moon looked at Juho and let out yet another sigh.

    ¡°Juho Woo,¡± he called his name. Juho knew exactly what to expect. He always addressed him by his full name when he demanded an exnation.

    ¡°I¡¯m good at keeping secrets.¡±

    ¡°The fact that you¡¯re Yun Woo?¡± asked Geun Woo.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho answered. At his answer, Joon Soo¡¯s forehead scrunched up into a scowl.

    ¡°Now that I think about it, it¡¯s odd. How were you able to stay hidden in a Literature Club? You have such a distinct style.¡±

    ¡°Is there a trick of sorts?¡±

    There wasn¡¯t anythingplicated. Rather, it had been a rather simple challenge.

    ¡°I know how to write in different styles.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Exactly what I said. I can write in a style apart from that of Yun Woo¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°... So what does that mean?¡±

    Confused, Joon Soo remained silent. Surrounded by people drowning in confusion, Mr. Moon added, ¡°He¡¯s referring to a different style.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°He writes somethingpletely different. In fact, it¡¯s so different that I¡¯ve been reading his writing all these times and never suspected him once.¡±

    ¡°... Eh??¡± Geun Woo¡¯s forehead also scrunched up into a scowl.

    ¡°Like modifying his original style? Is that what you¡¯re talking about? Like taking out the conjunctions or using less verbs or something?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Mr. Moon said firmly. All eyes were on Joon Soo. ¡°You know my skills, Joon Soo. Do you really think I¡¯d fall for tricks like that?¡±

    ¡°Wow. Did he just say that with his own lips?¡± Geun Woo murmured.

    Joon Soo admitted quietly, ¡°Of course, I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m so confused.¡±

    ¡°Then what is it? Are you saying that Juho writes in two different styles or what? That sounds like something out of a fairytale!¡± Geun Woo said light-heartedly.

    ¡°You guessed it right,¡± Mr. Moon answered heavily. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what my student is saying.¡±

 Chapter 114 - Give and Take (2)

    <h4>Chapter 114: Chapter 114 ¨C Give and Take (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Yun Woo. Juho. They had always been the same person. With the exception of Yun Seo, everyone fixated their eyes on Juho, each wearing a perplexed look.

    ¡°Is that true?¡± she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you have an interesting skill at your disposal.¡±

    ¡°Do you think so, Mrs. Baek?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Does Hyun Do know about this?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Suddenly, Geun Woo interrupted the seemingly peaceful conversation.

    ¡°Hold on. Mrs. Baek, am I the only person who¡¯s still confused?¡± Geun Woo asked. In his mind, the ability to write in two distinct styles was no more than a romantic idea, nothing short of wishful thinking. People each had fingerprints that were unique to themselves. In the same way, they each had one consciousness, and that was the basis of a writer¡¯s style. An author¡¯s writing reflected their personality for that one reason. Yet, the young author in front of his eyes imed to have yet another conscience.

    ¡°We all dream about it as writers. Writing freely while being able to adopt a style fitting to the event or character. There actually was an author who strived to achieve that for years. Unfortunately, it¡¯s impossible. Everyone who tried has failed so far. They may have been able to change their style, but nobody has been able to break away from their consciousness. Yet, what you¡¯re saying is...¡±

    Juho sounded like someone who possessed something that countless authors had been longing for. Geun Woo felt warm. Maybe he was feeling uneasy. Afraid, even. He felt a drop of cold sweat on his back. If what the young author was saying was really true, then Yun Woo as an author would be...

    ¡°Impressive, right?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Geun Woo was dumbfounded. Juho was smiling, cracking light-hearted jokes. After his conversation with Yun Seo during his visit not too long ago, there had been a noticeable change in the way Juho treated his skills as an author. The boy who only knew how to disregard his own talent had learned to ept and embrace it, at least on the outside.

    ¡°How can you be so calm about this?¡±

    Juho¡¯s seemingly nonchnt attitude came from admitting his own talent. What set him apart from being arrogant was the fact that he wasn¡¯t letting it define his identity...

    ¡°This is upsetting.¡±

    ... even if it meant upsetting those around him.

    If Juho was capable of writing in another style distinct from that of Yun Woo¡¯s as if there was another person living within him, Geun Woo wanted to see what it would look like.

    ¡°OK, fine. I get that you¡¯re Yun Woo,¡± Mr. Moon said, having listened to everything quietly. ¡°Seeing how Mrs. Baek and her two pupils are actually treating you as Yun Woo, I think I¡¯ming to ept it.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°That means you have the ability to write in two styles that arepletely distinct from one another. I¡¯ll believe it for now, but cautiously,¡± Mr. Moon said as he emphasized thest word.

    Taking his cup of tea, he took a big swig as if it was no longer hot.

    ¡°So, might I expect a demonstration in the near future?¡± he asked, wearing the distinct smile that Juho had seen often in the Literature Club. That smile usually indicated that he was about to make a sudden announcement.

    ¡°Demonstrate what?¡±

    ¡°A book written by Yun Woo, but in your other style.¡±

    ¡°Uh... I can¡¯t say.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with that response? Are you saying that you¡¯re going to hide behind such a talent? It¡¯s much too shy as a shield, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not exactly my intention either.¡±

    Mr. Moon seemed to havee to ept that Juho was Yun Woo. The fact that he wanted to see Yun Woo writing in a different style meant that he hade to ept that his student in front of him was Yun Woo himself.

    ¡°Surely you can do that much, especially having tricked your homeroom teacher. Right, Mrs. Baek?¡± said Geun Woo.

    ¡°Please consider it, Juho, even if it wasn¡¯t for your teacher.¡±

    Juho thought for a brief time while scratching his head. Another style. If he were to publishing something like that, the entire country would be flipped upside down. There were bound to be controversies, and at worse, he might have to experience yet another failure. He might regret his decision for the rest of his life. However...

    ¡°Heck. What should I write about?¡±

    ... an author wouldn¡¯t be able to write a single word if he was afraid of failure.

    ¡°I like the enthusiasm. Yeah, that¡¯s more like it. Man, dreams doe true! I wanted to meet Yun Woo in person at least once before I died,¡± said Mr. Moon. ¡°Oh, wait! You must have felt really weird about that imposter at school a while back.¡±

    At that, a face shed across Juho¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Rather...¡±

    ¡°That couldn¡¯t have been the first time. Must have been fun! Please, tell us more, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Not exactly fun, no.¡±

    ¡°Be honest with me. You liked it, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I did. I love my peaceful life.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so shy now, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like you¡¯re picking on me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m actually curious too. Tell me, what¡¯s the thing with the imposter about?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! You never know what could inspire you.¡±

    Juho¡¯s effort to resist was buried by the voice of the curious authors around him.

    ¡°Come to think of it, your first piece was rather unusual.¡±

    ¡°My first piece?¡±

    ¡°About the mackerel.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.¡±

    ¡°Mackerel?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a funny story.¡±

    The noisy chatter between authors came to a sudden halt at the sound of Yun Seo¡¯s p. Everyone turned their eyes in its direction.

    ¡°We should take a picture!¡±

    ¡°A picture?¡±

    Despite Juho¡¯s question, Yun Seo moved about busily. She had already brought her camera out from her room. The dark lens shone brightly. Making necessary adjustments to the camera, she turned toward the authors and said, ¡°Let¡¯s all go outside!¡±

    Juho was puzzled. Simr things had happened in the past in the Literature Club. He wondered if Mr. Moon had gotten his unpredictable side from his teacher, Yun Seo.

    ¡°OK! Coming, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°She loooves taking pictures.¡±

    ¡°We better go, Juho. She¡¯s virtually unstoppable once she has a camera in her hands.¡±

    Without saying much, the three immediately rose from their seats. Juho quietly followed the figure that he had grown well-acquainted with.

    With a tripod set up, the five stood in front of the camera and lined up shoulder to shoulder, looking right into the lens. The shutter sounded off.

    ¡°Agh! I think I blinked!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s take another one!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much film left.¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s plenty! Ready!¡±

    Joon Soo set up the camera and rushed back to join the rest. Seasons change, and time passes by like a river, ever flowing. By the time Juho would reminisce back to that moment, what would he be writing?¡±

    ¡°Smile!¡±

    With that, everyone smiled brightly. Because he had no answer, Juho decided to smile. The shutter sounded once again.

    ¡ª

    ¡°That was delicious. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had this much fun too,¡± said Mr. Moon, patting his belly. Juho looked in his direction. The sun had already set. Having enjoyed his teacher¡¯s cooking again for the first time in years, Mr. Moon wore a satisfied smile. Thoughining about overeating, the smile on his face remained unchanged. Yun Seo¡¯s house had the power to charm her guests. They wanted to stay as long as possible. That was howfortable the house was.

    ¡°Do you know why I came here today?¡± Mr. Moon asked suddenly, and Juho shook his head.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here to get advice on how to teach you.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Mr. Moon said as he turned in Juho¡¯s direction. ¡°It seemed to me that you were going to end up being an author. Yes, you have the skills, but your posture and your attitude are just... natural. I¡¯ve yet to see anyone like you, and of course, I¡¯ve spent a significant amount of time thinking about the best way to teach you. As you know, I¡¯m not exactly the best teacher. It¡¯d been a while since I¡¯d visited her too, so I came here to get some advice from Mrs. Baek. But, to my surprise, I ran into you.¡±

    ¡°Maybe this isn¡¯t a coincidence after all.¡±

    ¡°Coincidence? No. It¡¯s a result of having wrestled with myself. There is no such a thing as coincidence in this world. Or... I guess I¡¯m looking at it in front of my eyes.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: Yun Woo would be Woo Yun in Korea, which sounds like the Korean for ¡°coincidence.¡±)

    Juho shrugged lightly.

    ¡°So, how are you nning on teaching me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to let you be,¡± said Mr. Moon, smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a better way to teach you than that.¡±

    ¡°Howe? Why don¡¯t you teach me some basics? Like how to write a sentence.¡±

    ¡°You wrote a book for goodness sake.¡±

    Juho looked up to the sky. The moon hade up, yet it wasn¡¯t entirely dark out.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice here, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I loved it here. That¡¯s why I held on to the best of my ability.¡±

    Juho remembered their conversation from some time ago.

    ¡°Was that when you wanted to be a genius?¡±

    ¡°Yep. That was when I was doing a lot of ¡°physicalbor.¡± Sitting here, it¡¯s really taking me back.¡±

    ¡°Do you regret it?¡±

    Juho wondered if Mr. Moon had ever regretted having stopped writing. With a chuckle, Mr. Moon said, ¡°Not at all. I loved every bit of my life back then, but on the other hand, it was a living hell.¡±

    ¡°Howe?¡±

    ¡°Because I wrote. It felt like I kept going out of my way to awake the anger hidden deep within me. All that, just to write.¡±

    ¡°I know what that¡¯s like,¡± said Juho in a calm voice.

    ¡°Perks of having an author as a student.¡±

    Crickets chirped in the distance.

    ¡°It was frightening when I realized that I didn¡¯t have what it took to be a genius. It¡¯s scary to not know where to go. I quickly found myself surrounded by darkness.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s when Mrs. Baek taught me the word ¡°great.¡±¡±

    Juho had received the word from someone who had received it from yet another person.

    ¡°I¡¯de to realize that I was gravely mistaken. Something broke, and I felt at peace. Then, I stopped writing. I felt like I could be a genius, but being great? That felt like a whole ¡®nother level. I couldn¡¯t even dare,¡± Mr. Moon said.

    ¡°I hate school, and work is a hassle, but I¡¯m content with my life.¡±

    He was content with his position as homeroom teacher of the Literature Club.

    ¡°If I were writing still, I¡¯d have never taught Yun Woo, you know?¡± he said yfully.

    ¡°I think you made a very wise decision, Mr. Moon,¡± said Juho, ying along to his joke.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you shameless.¡±

    After a brief pause, Mr. Moon parted his lips to speak, ¡°You are different.¡±

    Unlike his teacher who distanced himself from writing when introduced to the idea of being great, Juho desired for such a title. In order to take hold of it, he was writing more than ever.

    ¡°Yes, and I will get what I want,¡± Juho said calmly.

    ¡®He has what it takes. Everyone is moved by his writing, feeling hurt and loved at the same time. His readers wille to recognize him from deep within as ¡®The Great Storyteller,¡¯¡± thought Mr. Moon.

    ¡°Oh, so what are you going to?¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°Having your work on disy.¡±

    ¡°¡®Grains of Sand?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes, the short story. Are you going to do it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Juho answered without hesitation.

    He had resolved to have his story on disy. When would he ever get to have his work on disy in the school library? He would be publishing it under his name, Juho Woo. It was new, and something that had never been done. He didn¡¯t want to pass on such an exciting opportunity.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never published anything under my real name. I¡¯m feeling anxious.¡±

    ¡°How many people do you think will end up reading your story?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯d freak out if they found out that they were reading Yun Woo¡¯s work.¡±

    ¡°Like you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, exactly like me, you punk.¡±

    The chirping stopped momentarily, and then it resumed. It was a rather pleasant sound.

    ¡°Are you nning on telling your friends?¡±

    He was referring to the rest of the club members.

    Juho answered as he breathed in the fresh air, ¡°Yes I am. They¡¯d still treat and look at me the same way.¡±

    Juho had spent thest year being around people who didn¡¯t see him as Yun Woo. The once noisy space had taken on a different look. No one approached him with the knowledge of Juho being Yun Woo or with the intention of getting something from him. Simply, he had been their ssmate and schoolmate. They treated one another as colleagues. Despite his writing, they saw Juho as who he really was. Now, another person who was willing to do the same hade into his life.

    Juho rested assured.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about their reactions.¡±

    ¡°Make sure their jaws don¡¯t pop off.¡±

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll be that bad?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Think about it! One of their friends has been Yun Woo all along. Haha! The thought of it is making meugh.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re having too much fun, Mr. Moon.¡±

    While listening to his teacherugh, Juho contemted quietly on how to deliver the news to his friends.

 Chapter 115 - An Authoréˆ¥æªš Confession (1)

    <h4>Chapter 115: Chapter 115 ¨C An Author¡¯s Confession (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°How would you like to be confessed to?¡± Juho asked the club members in the room.

    He had finally reached an answer after spending a long time thinking. He had decided to confess to his friends in the way they would like to receive confessions. Everyone gave him a puzzled look.

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Are you nning on asking a girl out or something?¡± asked Seo Kwang as he chuckled. After a brief time thinking, Juho nodded and said, ¡°Something like that.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

    ¡°Who?¡± Baron asked gently, but since he couldn¡¯t give a direct answer at the moment, Juho just smiled without saying anything.

    ¡°So, how would you like to be confessed to? Tell me.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s urges, Seo Kwang took the initiative to answer, ¡°I¡¯m sure a bouquet and a ring are a must. A serenade is always nice. Oh, appealing to her intellect with a book would be a huge plus.¡±

    Little did he know that he would be the one receiving the confession. A bouquet and a ring, serenade, and a book. If that¡¯s what he wanted, Juho was more than willing to give it to him.

    ¡°Is that what you like?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon. Do you really think I meant all that? You look like you¡¯re about to run off to the jewelry store.¡±

    While Sun Hwa shook her head, Bom added, ¡°I¡¯ve heard people don¡¯t ask each other out anymore. Apparently, they just end up dating without keeping track of when they first made the rtionship official.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be confusing though? What if I¡¯m the only one who thinks that we¡¯re in a rtionship?¡±

    ¡°Couplesmunicate with their bodies and minds, so maybe it still works out?¡±

    ¡°A flow of their own, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°Love is a magnificent thing.¡±

    Juho listened quietly. Since none of them were realistic, he decided to ask the upperssman, ¡°What about you, Baron?¡±

    ¡°Probably, with a balloon in the middle of a square somewhere, ¡± he answered half-heartedly, resting his chin on his hand.

    ¡°Wow. That would be so embarrassing!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite unique.¡±

    Despite the freshmen¡¯s responses, he didn¡¯t move a muscle.

    ¡®In the middle of a square. There would be too many onlookers. That is a no-go,¡¯ thought Juho.

    At that moment, Sun Hwa suddenly chimed in, ¡°Sincerity is the most important. I feel like the situation won¡¯t matter as much as long as you¡¯re confessing with sincerity, even if it¡¯s over a meal.¡±

    ¡®A meal,¡¯ Juho imagined breaking out the news to his friends in the lunchroom. Like the square, there would be too many people around.

    ¡®The snack shop, maybe?¡¯ He thought about taking the club members to a room within the snack shop. It didn¡¯t seem like a bad idea.

    ¡°While I¡¯m at it, I¡¯d like to be asked out by a muscr guy,¡± Sun Hwa added suddenly.

    Juho nced down at his arms. Not a chance.

    ¡®Sorry, Sun Hwa.¡¯

    ¡°Oh, I...¡±

    ¡°A book-loving girl? You might as well say that you¡¯d like to be asked out by Yun Woo.¡±

    Seo Kwang smiled brightly at Sun Hwa¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Oh! That sounds good! ¡®I, Yun Woo, dedicate this book to my beloved fan, Seo Kwang Kim.¡¯ With my name printed proudly on the first page!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right.¡±

    Unlike Sun Hwa¡¯s cold reaction, Juho was drawn to Seo Kwang¡¯s seemingly silly idea.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, it¡¯s just a thought. It won¡¯t hurt anybody. If that¡¯s asking too much... maybe in the epilogue somewhere?¡±

    ¡°Do you have to degrade Yun Woo¡¯s book like that?¡±

    ¡°Who said anything about degrading it? If anything, he¡¯d look better than ever with the romantic touch.¡±

    ¡°I think you should just stick to reading.¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s not a bad idea!¡¯ while the club members made fun of Seo Kwang, Juho said quietly and immersed in thought. He remembered the new book at the brink of publication, which he had written it under the name Won Yi Young.

    ¡®What if I mention the Literature Club in the epilogue? At least Seo Kwang would catch on. The book was written in Yun Woo¡¯s style. It might be under a different name, but he¡¯d know for sure,¡¯ he thought.

    Seo Kwang would find himself in a world of confusion, but he would eventually reach the conclusion that his friend Juho had been Yun Woo all along.

    ¡®Drag.¡¯

    Mr. Moon came into the room. ncing in Juho¡¯s direction, he stood in his usual ce and made an announcement, ¡°If you¡¯d like to put up your work on disy, bring it here. At this moment, Juho is the only person who decided to take that action.¡±

    The smile on the club members¡¯ faces suddenly disappeared. It was a difficult choice, but it had to be made eventually. Though they would be presenting an amateur work with a cover illustration of the same level, the decision had never been an easy one.

    ¡°Thinking long and hard won¡¯t always yield a good decision.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon,¡± the club members answered weakly.

    Thinking with her fingers wrapped around her head, Sun Hwa looked in Juho¡¯s direction and asked, ¡°What made you want to do it?¡±

    ¡°Nothing special.¡±

    ¡°You must have had a reason still. Something must have made you want to publish a book.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Juho stared at the ceiling for a brief moment and added, ¡°it seemed fun.¡±

    ¡°Fun?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the fact that my work would be in the school library. A book is being published under my name. When would I ever get to do something like that?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but aren¡¯t you afraid? This is school after all. We¡¯ll be here for the next two years, and once the kids start making fun of us, we might as well kiss our school lives goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    Sun Hwa became irritable at Juho¡¯s lukewarm response.

    ¡°What? Are you confident that you won¡¯t get made of fun of because you¡¯re a good writer?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. I don¡¯t have that kind of confidence. I don¡¯t even know how many people will end up reading my story. I¡¯m sure at least one person will make fun of me in his thoughts.¡±

    ¡°But?¡±

    ¡°It has nothing to do with that.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I never begged for attention.¡±

    Sun Hwa clenched her lips tightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not begging anyone to read my story and give me positive feedback. I¡¯m human, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll upset me at times, but it¡¯s nothing some good food can¡¯t fix.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so calm. I wish I wasn¡¯t always so ambitious and greedy.¡±

    Juho smiled quietly. Juho, too, wanted people to read his story andpliment him. In fact, those desires had always remained strong within his heart. However, he was fully aware that it would it take much more than him begging for it. It was the same for the opposite scenario. No matter how much an author begged for it to stop, there were always arrows of harsh criticism flying in their direction.

    An author¡¯s job had never been about begging, but to write something better than theirst work.

    The only reason Juho was able to tell that to Sun hwa was because he had wrestled with the idea for a significant amount of time.

    Having listened quietly, Bom spoke up, ¡°I want to do it.¡±

    She sounded careful, yet unwavering.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to show my writing to others at least once. After all, it is my own work, so I want to be confident like Juho,¡± Bom said looking up to Juho. He smiled as an acknowledgement of her sincerity.

    ¡°Ughhhh!¡± Sun Hwa grumbled in pain.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so serious about it. You have to have been thinking about it. Shouldn¡¯t you have a decision by now?¡±

    ¡°I keep going back and forth in my head because there¡¯s still time to change my mind!¡±

    ¡°What did you decide to do?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I decided to go for it,¡± said Sun Hwa as she looked up.

    ¡°Well, are you nning on changing your mind?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Are you not feeling confident?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    She gave him no answer.

    ¡°Then, you can always change your mind. It¡¯s entirely up to you,¡± Juho said in a calm voice.

    Freedom. He was right. It was a rare opportunity. There was no telling when Sun Hwa would be granted such a freedom again. She looked at her notebook containing the traces of her blood, sweat, and tears.

    She had worked too hard just to turn away because of her past memories. She clenched her hands into fists.

    ¡°I worked my butt off. Who said anything about not feeling confident? I¡¯ve already decided. I¡¯m not going to change my mind. I¡¯m going to have my work on disy no matter what anybody tells me. Yeah, that¡¯s right. Anyone who values their life should know better than making fun of me.¡±

    ¡°So, I guess that means I¡¯m preparing three separate cover illustrations,¡± Baron said. A total of three people had decided to put up their works on disy in the school library. Each one of them had reached their decision after long and careful consideration. They could very well end up regretting their decisions and find themselves feeling hurt by their readers¡¯ responses. Yet, they had decided to carry on with their choices. Kids would grow more mature from that experience alone.

    ¡°So, who are you nning on confessing to?¡±

    Having thought that it was a forgotten subject, Juho quietly looked away.

    ¡ª

    ¡°What to do...¡±

    Juho sat in front of hisputer, contemting what to write on his author profile at the request of the publishingpany, ¡®What would best describe Won Yi Young as a person?¡¯

    ¡°Should I write about grilled mackerel?¡±

    Aside from his writing, he had nothing impressive to offer. There was no way to know what kind of results his profile would bring. Yet, he felt content. After all, he wanted to be recognized for his writing alone.

    Juho remembered the confident look the president of the publishingpany, Dong Baek, had on his face. There had been an unwavering certainty there, and Juho decided not to forget about someone who held such strong confidence in his work.

    Turning away from theputer, Juho picked up his pen. It was his first book as Won Yi Young. He was about to go out into the world for the first time without nothing to show for, and it was entirely natural. It was his first time after all. Self-introduction. No age or gender. Even the name didn¡¯t belong to him. For those reasons, Juho wanted to be honest when it came to describing himself. Something he could write with utmost sincerity. It had to be about the things he liked.

    The first thing that came to mind was books. He liked all genres of books and enjoyed both reading and writing them. He was also a fan of going on walks and interacting with variousnguages. An honest, yet modest self-introduction.

    ¡°Now, the epilogue.¡±

    Juho turned to the next page. Fresh. Clean. No traces of visitors. The time hade for him to confess to his friends in the way they wished. It might be closer to turning himself in than a romantic confession.

    ¡®A sentence that they can catch on as soon as they read it.¡¯ Juho thought about what that would look like. The simrities between the five. How they met. The memories they shared. Traces.

    ¡°Writing.¡±

    They all had desired a piece of writing. The club members had tried desperately to get aposition from the sole artist in the club. They seeded, and naturally connected with him and got to know one another in the process. A once nk page slowly filled with ck ink.

    Juho had a memory of seeing a white egret surrounded by four crows. Taking what he remembered, he unraveled it into something that closely resembled the Literature Club. He made sure to include a key phrase: ¡®the sole artist in the club.¡¯ Though it might not be significant to most people, those who were a part of the Literature Club with Juho would be able to catch on at once.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure at least one person will see it.¡±

    Putting his faith in his clubmates, Juho kept writing.

    *

    With Dong Baek in the passenger seat, Jang Mi started her car. They were on their way to meet with the reporters. It was also an asion for them to promote a not-so-new rookie. Feeling a familiar tension, she took hold of the steering wheel.

    She thought back on Won Yi¡¯s writing. Thepulsive details in the portrayal of its world and its history. A mythology that changed shape depending on one¡¯s interpretation. The protagonist who had full faith in his interpretation and had left on a journey with hispanions. The world that revealed itself as the readers came to know the characters. Above all, the uniquenguage created by the author introduced a world that was inconceivablyrge. The protagonist and his talent enabled the readers to be able to get sucked in by that world.

    The book was quite immersive, and Jang Mi felt certain of its sess. The main task of that meeting was to have people take one good look at the book.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you nervous?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± said Dong Baek. Jang Mi quietly nced at his legs. They were shaking noticeably.

    ¡°Well, I am. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m hiding something.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re doing something wrong.¡±

    ¡°On the other hand, I¡¯m feeling a tiny sense of bliss.¡±

    The fact that she was one of the only people who knew the identity of Won Yi Young brought her a sense of bliss. Dong Baek chuckled. He was the president of thepany. He had started a publishingpany despite those around him advising against it. In his journey to be the president, he had read countless manuscripts and met with countless authors.

    He realized that he wanted to turn Juho¡¯s manuscript into a book the moment he met Yun Woo himself and read his manuscript. He wanted to sell it to as many people as possible and felt an urge to force the book into people¡¯s hands.

    He had always trusted his intuition. There was no part of him that sought to resort to any sort of trick to get more people to read the book. He had no intention of degrading the book in any way and he resolved to wait until the readers eventually came to acknowledge Won Yi as an author and spread the word themselves. In order for that to happen, all it took was for one person to take a look at the book. Once they got their hands on it, the book would practically sell itself.

    He intended on giving it everything he got.

    ¡°I¡¯m just not the type to be anxious,¡± he said as he looked out the window.

    Jang Mi listened to him intently.

    ¡°This is thrilling.¡±

    ¡°... Then, could you stop shaking your legs?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s embrace it.¡±

    Jang Mi stepped on the gas pedal as she took a deep breath. Fast. Embrace it. Thanks to her boss, she found herself in a confusing ce, not knowing whether her heart was beating out of excitement, or if she was simply nervous.

    ¡°First, we soften up the reporters,¡± said Dong Baek. Jang Mi nodded quietly, agreeing to her boss¡¯ n of starting something that suited the enormous world within the book.

 Chapter 116 - An Authoréˆ¥æªš Confession (2)

    <h4>Chapter 116: Chapter 116 ¨C An Author¡¯s Confession (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°The books are here.¡±

    With those words, the window shook from a gust of wind.

    ¡°Books?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The ones you guys wrote,¡± he said as he waved his hand holding the books with the covers designed by Baron.

    ¡°Whoa!¡± Sun Hwa eximed as she jumped from her seat, and the rest of the club members followed.

    ¡°Take it. This is for you to keep.¡±

    Though they were thin, they were still books. The club members carefully took their book from Mr. Moon¡¯s hands. Meanwhile, Seo Kwang went busily from desk to desk to see everyone else¡¯s work.

    Juho picked up his short story. Considering that it was made in school, the quality was rather impressive. The material of the book felt smooth to the touch. He examined the cover and saw the sand under a clear, blue sky. The colors were quite strong. One would be able to tell how much work went into making it at a nce.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡± Baron asked. The rest of the club members were busy reading through their book, but Juho nodded immediately.

    ¡°Yeah! It looks like an actual book cover!¡±

    ¡°I got some help from Mr. Moon. It turns out that he had some connections in the artmunity. It did take some time, but everything turned out quite good.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t strange for Mr. Moon to have such connections, and Baron appeared satisfied with his own work.

    ¡°I¡¯m the sole artist in the club after all. This should be a piece of cake.¡±

    Juho smiled at the sound of the familiar phrase.

    ¡°You must have read the story. The cover design works well with the book.¡±

    ¡°I told you I¡¯d read it. I was curious.¡±

    ¡°So, how was it?¡±

    Baron hesitated. He had been impressed after reading ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ Although the protagonist in the book didn¡¯t say a word throughout the entire story, Baron had been able to imagine the sound of her voice with ease.

    ¡°It reminded me of Yun Woo, but different,¡± he said.

    It made sense. Being written under the name ¡®Juho Woo,¡¯ the book was visibly different from Yun Woo¡¯s work.

    ¡°I got a feeling that you¡¯d end up being famous.¡±

    ¡°Famous?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, like Yun Woo,¡± Baron said with a yful smile. ¡°Who knows? You might end up as a superstar at school.¡±

    ¡°The school library doesn¡¯t get a whole lot of visitors as is.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t take long for word to spread. Especially in a ce like this.¡±

    ¡°No high school student in their right mind would read a book by their own choice.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true. Besides, a lot of people have been reading due to the Yun Woo fever. Parents have also been spending more money to buy their children books.¡±

    ¡°Well, I am somewhat of a decent writer.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯m a pretty decent writer, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°... Now that you put it that way, I¡¯m not as willing to agree with you.¡±

    After being at a loss for words for a moment, Baron turned his eyes to Juho¡¯s hands.

    ¡°It really read like actual literature. I wanted to buy it,¡± he said with his eyes fixed on ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ ¡°You know I¡¯m a fan of Yun Woo, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I think you have what it takes to be his match.¡±

    ¡°Do you think so?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about beating him though.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just keep things on the bright side?¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang approached them from behind.

    ¡°Whoa! Look at the cover design!¡±

    Juho handed his book over to Seo Kwang willingly, and he took the book from Juho¡¯s hand in a fluid motion. Seo Kwang¡¯s respect for books had been ingrained in him, and it was apparent in the way he treated them.

    ¡°I want to see!¡± Sun Hwa said. Seo Kwang ced the book on the desk, putting the cover in full disy.

    ¡°Wow! You¡¯re not ying favorites or something, are you Baron? This looks so much better than mine!¡± she said as she ced her book next to Juho¡¯s forparison.

    There was a drawing of a busy square on it. It was full of life, just like Sun Hwa herself. It looked just as charming in Juho¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Yours is pretty too, Sun Hwa,¡± Bom encouraged her as she ced her book next to Sun Hwa¡¯s.

    This time, a pair of legs was climbing up a set of stairs. It gave off a calm and serious vibe.

    ¡°They all have so much character! Thanks, Baron! You did great!¡±

    ¡°I had fun.¡±

    Suddenly, Seo Kwang squeezed his way in through the club members looking at their books and picked up ¡®Grains of Sand.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to read it for so many different reasons. Can I read it now?¡± he asked while looking at Mr. Moon. After exchanging a nce with Juho, Mr. Moon gave him permission.

    ¡°Help yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Hey! I wanted to read it too!¡±

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors?¡±

    Sun Hwa and Bom said in order. Before Seo Kwang had time to respond, Mr. Moon raised his hand.

    ¡°One thing. Since those books are for you guys to keep, how about we read it at the library? It¡¯ll draw some attention too.¡±

    ¡°Draw attention? How?¡±

    ¡°If nobody¡¯s around the book, it turns even the potential readers away. We should have at least one or two persons standing in line.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Sun Hwa agreed. Having been desperate to read the book, Seo Kwang put it back down reluctantly.

    ¡°Waiting seems to be a recurring theme for me as ofte.¡±

    ¡°Is there something else you¡¯ve been waiting for?¡± Juho asked curiously.

    ¡°Yep. I preordered a book recently. I hope ites soon.¡±

    ¡°What the... Are you setting aside my book for another?¡±

    ¡°You can always let me read it, you know.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a responsibility at the library?¡± Juho said as he pulled ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ away from Seo Kwang.

    Seo Kwang added, scoffing, ¡°I came across an article recently. It¡¯s a debut title, but it¡¯s been drawing a lot of attention. It seems like it¡¯s already known among publishers pretty well. I can¡¯t let something like that pass, you know? I¡¯m sure I can expect for it to have room for improvement since the author¡¯s a rookie and all, but I was drawn to it, so I didn¡¯t hesitate to order it,¡± Seo Kwang said proudly.

    Suppressing his excitement, Juho asked calmly, ¡°What¡¯s the book called?¡±

    ¡°The Language of God.¡±

    Juho nodded calmly. As expected, Seo Kwang was his first reader.

    ¡°You read the epilogues too, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course! That¡¯s when you can im to have read an entire book.¡±

    Seo Kwang followed up with a long lecture on what it meant to read through a book thoroughly. As he listened quietly, Juho anxiously waited for the moment.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Everyone in ss gathered around the ckboard. There were flyers containing information about the Literature Club and its members having their work on disy in the school library.

    ¡°We had a Literature Club in our school?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡±

    The responses were lukewarm. However, it wasn¡¯t outside of what the club members had expected. Though Juho quietly epted the situation, Seo Kwang suddenly got up.

    ¡°There are club members here, you know!¡± he said proudly. He seemed like he was intent on promoting the asion to as many people as possible, and Juho observed him from a distance.

    ¡°Is this about your story?¡±

    ¡°No, but this friend of mine here wrote one.¡±

    Just like that, Juho¡¯s n to observe quietly came to swift failure.

    ¡°Are you that good of a writer?¡±

    ¡°Very. This guy¡¯s the ace of our club. He went out topetitions too!¡± Seo Kwang answered on behalf of Juho. On top of that, he was puffing Juho up deliberately. The word petition¡¯ did make Juho stand out more, but in truth, every club member had been part of a contest somewhere, including the sole artist in the club.

    ¡°Apetition?¡±

    ¡°Is it famous?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re curious, go see for yourselves.¡±

    At that, a hassled look appeared on the kids¡¯ faces.

    ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll pass. I don¡¯t feel like going all the way to the library.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve done my share of reading with Yun Woo¡¯s books.¡±

    They responded as Juho had expected. Yet, Seo Kwang didn¡¯t back off.

    ¡°Yun Woo. Good stuff.¡±

    ¡°I ended up reading it because of my mom. It was actually a decent read.¡±

    ¡°Did you read all the way through?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± the student answered confidently as if he was proud of the fact that he had read through an entire book.

    At that, Seo Kwang added with sparkling eyes, ¡°It felt good, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    Forcing these students to read had never been effective. Though they might bring their books to school, most students merely pretended to read them. It wasmon for them to set their books aside and y around with their friends. However, Yun Woo¡¯s book had been an exception.

    ¡°Right?¡± Seo Kwang asked, and the student scratched his head.

    ¡°Right... but I don¡¯t n on buying books with my own money.¡±

    ¡°Who said anything about buying? Our books pursue quality over quantity, so I can promise you that it¡¯s going to be worth your time. It¡¯s just as good as Yun Woo¡¯s books.¡±

    The student sneered at Seo Kwang¡¯s confident response. After all, not many books were as immersive as Yun Woo¡¯s.

    ¡°Yeah, right. The only thing you guys havemon with Yun Woo is your age.¡±

    Seo Kwang tackled those mocking words head on.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you know how level-headed I am when ites to books!? His writing is the real deal! It¡¯s a short story, so it won¡¯t take all that long to read.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±

    Sadly, Seo Kwang¡¯s head-on approach was not all that effective. Juho shrugged lightly.

    ¡°That didn¡¯t work,¡± Seo Kwang muttered.

    ¡°We were expecting that.¡±

    The student never changed his mind. However, it was too soon for them to assume that Seo Kwang¡¯s efforts would go unnoticed. Juho looked around and heard students whispering among themselves.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Literature Club did stuff like that.¡±

    ¡°Should we check it out?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s probably not all that special.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re so confident though. We should go and see for ourselves.¡±

    At that moment, Juho met eyes with a girl he remembered conversing with in the past. She hesitated.

    ¡°There¡¯s going to be mention of your name. You should go see it.¡±

    While looking anxious, she nodded in response. Seo Kwang observed proudly.

    ¡°Good thing I made a scene.¡±

    Having gained some leverage, he encouraged all the other students to visit the library. Thanks to his effort, the existence of the Literature Club became known throughout the entire school.

    Juho came down to the school library. While partially intending to observe, he decided to check out a book in the meantime. As he put his book down on the counter, a pale hand with a barcode scanner came into view. Juho remembered speaking with her a couple of times in the past. He asked while looking around the library, ¡°How is it having more people than usual?¡±

    ¡°Tiring,¡± the girl answered immediately.

    The exhibition area was in the corner of the library. Though small and humble, there were three books put on disy. There were six students gathered around them, reading.

    Although the number was nothing to brag about, the books weren¡¯t doing such a bad job considering how the library usually was. As Juho was about to leave with his book and a proud feeling, the girl stopped him and asked, ¡°You wrote ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Did you read it?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± she answered, looking at the book in Juho¡¯s hand. ¡°Did you check out that one book on yourst visit for reference?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°But there was only one sentence in the entire story that had anything to do with sand.¡±

    ¡°I had to read an entire book just to be able to write that one sentence.¡±

    At that, she stared at Juho intently.

    ¡°What?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°You sound like an author.¡±

    ¡°I am an author. That¡¯s my book over there,¡± Juho said, ncing at one of Yun Woo¡¯s books.

    ¡°Right,¡± she nodded with her eyes fixed on the exhibition.

    ¡°You¡¯re a good writer,¡± she added. ¡°I enjoyed it quite a bit. I wanted to rmend it to other people.¡±

    At that, Juho remembered theirst conversation. She hadpared Yun Woo¡¯s books to sand.

    ¡°I see. How was my story? Was it sand-like?¡±

    With that, she briefly immersed herself in her thoughts. She seemed to be the type who was serious about everything.

    ¡°Somewhat different, but yes.¡±

    ¡°How was it different?¡±

    ¡°It was damp,¡± she said.

    ¡°Your story is like a clump of mud scooped out of the water. It¡¯s nearly impossible to separate it. It muddies the once clear water, and I can no longer see what¡¯s happening in it. It¡¯s different from the beach sand shining brightly under the sun.¡±

    ¡°Is that apliment?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    Though her choices of words weren¡¯t the most pleasant sounding, Juho decided to ept it as apliment.

    ¡°Are you nning on writing again?¡± she asked, looking intently at Juho.

    He was well-acquainted with that gaze. Seo Kwang had often given him the same look. In other words, it was the look of a fan.

    ¡°I sincerely hope you do. Your stories are quite enjoyable.¡±

    A reader. That meant Juho had to keep on writing.

    ¡°Probably,¡± he said.

    With her innocent smile directed at him, Juho made his way out.

 Chapter 117 - An Authoréˆ¥æªš Confession (3)

    <h4>Chapter 117: Chapter 117 ¨C An Author¡¯s Confession (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Juho!¡±

    When Juho looked up, Sun Hwa and Bom locked eyes with him. He was on his way up the stairs while the two were on their way down. Having met in the middle of the stairway, they stopped and greeted one another.

    ¡°What brings you here so early?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re on our way to the library.¡±

    ¡°We felt like reading your story again.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ttering.¡±

    At that moment, Sun Hwa suddenly furrowed her brows.

    ¡°Your story was so well-written... Why aren¡¯t more people reading it?¡±

    Though she had hesitated having her work on disy, she became one of the most actively involved club members since the exhibition. Once she started something, she had to see it to the end.

    Remembering the students gathered around the books in the library, Juho said, ¡°There was a good number of people.¡±

    ¡°No, no! I want more people!¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s give it time. It definitely seems like more and more people are visiting the library.¡±

    Bom added to Juho¡¯sid-back response, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll have more people visiting to read our stories. Besides, Seo Kwang¡¯s been going around telling everyone in school.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t trust that guy.¡±

    Unfortunately, Bom¡¯s words fell short inforting Sun Hwa.

    ¡°He was distracted with another book even just a moment ago. He barely scanned through our stories and hardly made anyments on them. Besides, he was mostly focused on Juho¡¯s work. I swear, he needs to get off his high horse.¡±

    ¡°Seo Kwang does tend to be level-headed when ites to books, even with his own story,¡± while smiling awkwardly, Bom defended Seo Kwang.

    Sun Hwa pouted at that.

    Having listened quietly, Juho asked Sun Hwa, ¡°What was the title of the book?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What was Seo Kwang reading?¡±

    ¡°Uh... What was it called?¡±

    While Sun Hwa was busy trying to remember, Bom answered on her behalf, ¡°The Language of God.¡± She sounded rather confident.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s almost time! Gotta go!¡±

    After patting Juho¡¯s back lightly, Sun Hwa walked down the stairs with vigor. Juho watched them go for a moment, and then made his way up the stairs.

    ¡°Hi,¡± Juho greeted Seo Kwang from behind. Instead of an answer, he waved his hand in response. He had a sophisticated looking book in his hand. ¡®The Language of God, Volume 1, written by Won Yi Young.¡¯ He didn¡¯t move a muscle all the way up to the beginning of ss.

    Recess came after the first period ended.

    ¡°What you up to?¡±

    Like he had done earlier, Seo Kwang simply waved his hand. Only that time, he was asking Juho not to bother him. Just like that, the second period started. At that time, Seo Kwang moved in order to hide his book behind the textbook.

    Time passed, and lunchtime came.

    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go eat.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat today. You go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°I want to read my book.¡±

    Seo Kwang gave him a series of brief answers. He had to be quite fond of the book.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going now.¡±

    ¡°Bye.¡±

    On his way to the cafeteria, Juho bought a loaf of bread from the canteen and handed it Seo Kwang. Even as he took the break from his friend, his eyes remainedpletely fixed on the book. Seo Kwang had always been a serious print addict. Just like that, he remained in his seat, staring at the book for the entire day.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    With a book in his hand, he looked in Juho¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Long time no see,¡± said Juho. ¡°Are you done?¡±

    ¡°No, I just skimmed through it,¡± Seo Kwang said as he shook his head.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡®I suppose that exins the innocent look on his face,¡± Juho thought.

    ¡°This book is just amazing.¡± As usual, he began to share his book experience without anyone asking him to. ¡°This book reeks of sess. I can just smell it. It¡¯s still the first volume, but I have a good feeling about this series. As long as the author pays attention to the direction of the series, I know this going to be a hit.¡±

    ¡°The author, huh.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Won Yi Young,¡± Seo kwang said sadly as he brushed his hand down the book. ¡°I underestimated him because he¡¯s a rookie. I almost missed out! Oh, gosh! I don¡¯t even want to think about it. Now that I¡¯ve read the book, I¡¯ll never be the same.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± he raised his voice. ¡°I¡¯m in love with his work, especially with thosenguages. They¡¯re created by the author. I almost screamed when I saw thenguage chart at the end of the book! It¡¯s so, so detailed. It¡¯s so real!¡±

    Because Juho didn¡¯t have much else to say, he listened quietly.

    ¡°Look here. The description of the vige. It just paints a picture on its own, doesn¡¯t it? It¡¯s so simple, yet clear. This is the part that sold me. Might I remind you that this author is a rookie?¡±

    ¡°Impressive.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s incredible, isn¡¯t it!?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, exactly what you said.¡±

    Juho smiled. Seo Kwang went on with his exposition for quite some time, then, suddenly, he lowered his voice.

    ¡°You know what?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°So, I have a feeling...¡±

    ¡°What feeling?¡±

    ¡°That I saw that style of writing elsewhere. It seems familiar for some reason,¡± Seo Kwang said with excitement and certainty.

    ¡°Familiar how?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t really back it up with anything, and this is strictly my intuition, but I¡¯m still confident in what I¡¯m feeling.¡±

    Seo Kwang lowered himself and covered his mouth.

    ¡°I think Yun Woo wrote this book,¡± he whispered.

    ¡®Of course.¡¯ Juho knew that Seo Kwang would catch on. A sense of excitement washed over him.

    ¡°As an avid fan of Yun Woo, and someone who owns all three of his books, I predict a new articleing out. ¡®Won Yi Young ¨C Yun Woo¡¯s new alias.¡¯¡±

    It was a rather exaggerated title for an article.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, this book couldn¡¯t have been written by a rookie! The progression is simr to Yun Woo¡¯s, as well as the style that it¡¯s written in. I can¡¯t really picture Yun Woo writing a fantasy novel, but he¡¯s the only viable candidate. No one can mimic his style of writing, yet there are traces of his style throughout the book. I don¡¯t think Yun Woo intended on being thorough about hiding himself either.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°You should check it out. The book isn¡¯t all that known, but the way I see it, it¡¯s only a matter of time. Fans can smell out a good book. Any fantasy novel fan would go crazy over this. I¡¯ve already made up my mind to write a review on my blog too. I was thinking of including my conjecture of Yun Woo being Won Yi¡¯s true identity. What do you think? There would be quite a few visitors. Oh, wait. It¡¯s not going to cause any legal issues or anything, will it?¡±

    Juho said to his anxious friend, ¡°No way. If anything, they would thank you. You¡¯re essentially advertising him.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    With that, Juho packed his bag and rose from his seat.

    ¡°We should get going.¡±

    ¡°OK, give me a second.¡±

    Wearing a relieved look, Seo Kwang put on his backpack. ¡®The Language of God¡¯ was still in his hand.

    ¡ª

    As Juho climbed the stairs, footsteps echoed throughout the hallway. They were headed toward the science room at the end of the hall. Walking ahead of Juho, Seo Kwang still held the book in his hand.

    He had been quiet for some time now. To be precise, he hadn¡¯t said a word since he finished reading the book. Seo Kwang had to have read the epilogue and must¡¯ve caught onto Juho¡¯s phrase.

    Seo Kwang was in a troubled state. ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s style and Juho¡¯s message. If I were to connect the two... I have to get over this wall of suspicion. Could it be that Juho has been Yun Woo all along? No, no way. That¡¯d be absurd!¡¯

    Stairs. That was where Seo Kwang had urged Juho to be a writer.

    ¡°Nobody¡¯s here,¡± Juho murmured on the empty staircase.

    Nobody was around for some reason. Maybe it was because he hadn¡¯t left the ssroomter than usual, like when he conversed with Seo Kwang. Seo Kwang remained silent. Having walked ahead, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, forcing Juho to stop with him. His movements were rather mechanical.

    The air grew heavy with silence, and Juho looked at the window in the hallway. A cold breeze blew in from it.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Seo Kwang quietly opened his mouth.

    ¡°What?¡± Juho answered.

    ¡°What do you think the chances of other clubs having their own ¡®sole artist in the club?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Probably, not very high,¡± Juho answered calmly.

    ¡°I thought so. It can¡¯t be very high. In fact, we¡¯re probably the only non-art rted club that has an artist as a member.¡±

    Juho became curious about the expression on Seo Kwang¡¯s face.

    ¡°Now, what do you think are the chances of my friend being Yun Woo himself?¡±

    Juho thought momentarily.

    ¡°That¡¯s probably not very high either.¡±

    ¡°Right...¡±

    While still holding his book, Seo Kwang¡¯s hand dropped weakly.

    ¡°What about me winning a lottery?¡±

    ¡°Not very high, I¡¯d guess.¡±

    ¡°I might as well win the lottery if any of those things are not likely to happen.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo would be sad to hear that.¡±

    Seo Kwang chuckled for a good while.

    ¡°Haha! Hahaha!¡±

    ¡°Hey, calm down.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until then that Seo Kwang barely managed to stop chuckling.

    ¡°Mr. Woo,¡± the name flowed right out of his slightly parted lips. Seo Kwang turned around and their eyes met.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Are you Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Really? You are?!¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Seo Kwang began to chuckle once again. He seemed happy on one hand, yet dumbfounded on the other. Suddenly, he staggered and leaned against the rail. Juho looked up from the stairs.

    ¡°Have you been casting some sort of spell?¡±

    ¡°Nope. No spell.¡±

    ¡°Then how...¡± Seo Kwang moaned. ¡°How are you able to write in a style that¡¯s entirely different?¡±

    ¡®It sort of just happened when I came back from the dead,¡¯ Juho answered silently.

    ¡°There must be another me inside of me.¡±

    ¡°Goodness...¡± Seo Kwang rubbed his face at his friend¡¯s half-hearted excuse. ¡°You are seriously the most unique author in existence. There¡¯s not one writer in this entire world who is like you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s obvious.¡±

    ¡°That was the confession you were talking about!? Whoever said anything about wanting to hear that!?¡±

    ¡°I tried hard to win you over. What did you think?¡±

    ¡°You crazy son of a......Agh!¡±

    He was smiling, yet tears were streaming down his cheeks. He seemed all the more crazy as he shouted at his friend, ¡°Oh, my! Is this for r... Wow! Seriously! I would¡¯ve never imagined that something like this would happen. My friend is Yun Woo!? This punk!? Yun Woo is crazy!¡±

    ¡°Rx.¡±

    ¡°Rx? How do you expect me to do that when you just dropped a bomb on me like that? There are fireworks going off in my head, and you want me to rx!?¡±

    ¡°OK, I get it.¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t! What do you know about what I¡¯m feeling!?¡±

    ¡°Guess you have a point.¡±

    ¡°Aghhh!¡±

    Twisting his body, Seo Kwang cried out like a wounded beast. The stairway echoed with his high pitched cry. Juho fought off theughter desperately.

    ¡°Mr. Woo!¡±

    Ovee with excitement, Seo Kwang charged at Juho, forcing him to hold on to the rail from the impact. Their eyes met.

    ¡°You owe me a hundred autographs.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s hardly a challenge.¡±

    ¡°Expect me to invade your houseter today. Is that OK?¡±

    ¡°Sure. If you want, I¡¯ll show you the manuscripts too.¡±

    ¡°You really are Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that now?¡±

    While they made a ruckus, they heard footsteps approaching their position. Holding each other, they looked up the stairway together and saw Sun Hwa, Bom and Baron. Nobody said a word.

    ¡°Yun Woo?¡± Baron asked.

    Seo Kwang contemted what to do for a brief moment.

    ¡°What brings you all here?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You guys were taking your sweet time, so we came looking for you.¡±

    ¡°Now, I¡¯m seeing a couple of crazies here looking desperately for Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± the three asked taking turns.

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Seo Kwang asked Juho.

    ¡°I gottae clean,¡± Juho said and put his hand out to Seo Kwang.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Let me borrow your book for a minute.¡±

    With that, he opened the book to the epilogue and handed it to the three. Their jaws dropped slowly as they came to understand the situation. Juho said to the three who were hopelessly at a loss.

    ¡°Should we make our way to the science room?¡±

 Chapter 118 - An Authoréˆ¥æªš Confession (4)

    <h4>Chapter 118: Chapter 118 ¨C An Author¡¯s Confession (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°So, this book is written by Won Yi Young.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But Won Yi Young is actually Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°And you... you are Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°You said you have piles of papers littered throughout your room?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯d like, I can show them to you.¡±

    ¡°Even Yun Woo¡¯s manuscripts?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Sun Hwa approached Juho and poked him on the cheek to see if he was real.

    ¡°Now, I get it.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I knew they were too good to be written by a student. No wonder you¡¯re such a good writer! I mean, ¡®The Grains of Sand¡¯ carried an entirely different feeling from ¡®The Sound of Wailing,¡¯ but wow! You¡¯re Yun Woo. Yun Woo himself!¡± she murmured.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel real to me. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever be able to meet him in person, but I¡¯ve been seeing him everyday this entire time,¡± Bom said, looking dumbfounded still. Because they weren¡¯t as sensitive to writing styles as Seo Kwang, Sun Hwa and Bom epted that Juho had been Yun Woo all along,

    ¡°Can¡¯t you write in different styles as long you put your mind to it?¡±

    ¡°Can you change your own fingerprints just because you put your heart to it?¡± Seo Kwang answered Sun Hwa in a slightly tired voice. It made sense considering how much ruckus he had made. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why peoplepare an author¡¯s style to their fingerprints. One can write like a certain author with practice. Yes, we can always hurt our fingers, but that doesn¡¯t mean that we can change our fingerprints just because we want to.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s exactly what this punk has been doing.¡±

    Feeling Sun Hwa and Bom staring daggers in his direction, Juho looked away and locked eyes with Baron, who hadn¡¯t said a word so far.

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Juho answered.

    Baron too had been an avid fan, as much as Seo Kwang. Shaking, he slowly approached Juho.

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°... Yes?¡±

    ¡°Let me see your hands,¡± Baron said as he raised Juho¡¯s hand up high as if he were holding it up to the sun. ¡°So, this is the hand you¡¯ve been writing with.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m right-handed.¡±

    With that, Baron quietly moved onto the other hand. He was rather serious, and Juho¡¯s attempt to lessen the tension with jokes ended in failure.

    ¡°I need an autograph.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Not a problem.¡±

    ¡°I mean it, thank you.¡±

    Juho realized that he wasn¡¯t just thanking him for the autograph. He had no clue as to what kind of effect his book had had on Baron. However, he heard the sincerity behind Baron¡¯s words.

    While he smiled quietly, Bom chimed in, ¡°I would like one too, please.¡±

    Her cheeks were glowing bright red. Bom, too, had been an avid fan of Yun Woo. Juho remembered seeing her among the crowd surrounding the imposter for a signature.

    ¡°I was here first. I¡¯m supposed to get one hundred autographs.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do with that many autographs? Juho, I only need enough for my family.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll blow my nose with them if I have to.¡±

    The club members acted as usual. Whether Juho was Yun Woo or not, they were always the same. He realized that he was the one who needed to be thanking them.

    He had been writing with them. He had struck up conversations to get closer to them. He had also shared memories of a first love or invaded a world being sustained by a fragile friendship ridden with insecurity. Every person had revealed a side of themselves apart from their usual behaviors at school.

    At that moment, the door slid open as usual, and Mr. Moon walked into the room. After making a brief observation of the situation, he went straight to the point.

    ¡°Theptions will being out soon.¡±

    ¡°Already!?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s almost finished. I¡¯ve been collecting copies your works. It¡¯ll be finished once I include a free-topicposition from each and everyone here. So, I don¡¯t care what you write, just bring me something.¡±

    ¡°Wow... how time flies.¡±

    ¡°What should I write?¡± Seo Kwang was smiling. ¡°Maybe I should write about Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Shh!¡± Sun Hwa cut him off as she kept her eyes on Mr. Moon. She looked rather obvious.

    ¡°What? I just wanted to write about Yun Woo,¡± Seo Kwang said in a flustered voice.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Suddenly, Mr. Moon interjected, ¡°If you¡¯re nning on writing about Yun Woo, make sure you have his personal consent.¡±

    ¡°Pff. How am I supposed to do that?¡±

    ¡°You can write about me,¡± Juho said. All eyes were on him.

    ¡°It¡¯s a free topic after all,¡± he added with a nod.

    The air grew heavy with silence. With a shaky voice, Bom broke that silence, ¡°Did you know, Mr. Moon?¡±

    He answered with a proud smile, ¡°Of course! A teacher knows all.¡±

    ¡®You just found out too, Mr. Moon,¡¯ Juho murmured in his mind. Just like that, the science room became rowdy once again.

    By the time the club members hade up with an outline for theirst works to be included in theption, Mr. Moon asked, ¡°The school festival is right around the corner, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Every ss had been busy with preparations for the festival. They decorated the ssroom and made food ording to their ss¡¯ theme.

    ¡°Are we doing something?¡± Sun Hwa asked.

    ¡°Nope,¡± Mr. Moon answered. Everyone epted his answer. Considering the size of the club and the nature of its activities, the five club members would be the only people who¡¯de to the school festival to write.

    ¡°If you want, think of your stories in the library exhibition as your own festival. You may roam as freely as you wish on the day of the festival.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Mr. Moon said.

    ¡°What¡¯s your ss doing for the school festival, Baron?¡± Sun Hwa asked.

    ¡°A restaurant.¡±

    ¡°What are you guys selling?¡±

    ¡°I heard toast?¡±

    ¡°What about you? Do we get to see you in an apron?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    ¡°You mean you¡¯re going to be working?!¡±

    ¡°I have to. They¡¯re making me.¡±

    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t even bother,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to stick around for a little bit and bounce.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s still major progress!¡± Bom said. Everyone agreed that Baron was making a major breakthroughpared to how he had been in the beginning.

    ¡°What about you guys?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re doing a ss bazaar,¡± Bom answered.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound all that interesting.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised. We¡¯re selling food too.¡±

    ¡°Seems like you guys are going to be awfully busy.¡±

    Sun Hwa and Bom sighed simultaneously at Juho¡¯s response. They were expecting the same.

    ¡°What about you guys?¡±

    ¡°I heard we¡¯re going to have a variety of games, like darts.¡±

    ¡°That sounds fun!¡±

    Seo Kwang smiled proudly at Bom¡¯s response.

    ¡°I¡¯m the genius behind that idea.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised they even let youe up with ideas.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? I should be the oneing up with ideas like that.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Juho agreed. ¡°Seo Kwang¡¯s was the only idea.¡±

    ¡°Hey, man, nobody needs to know that!¡± Seo Kwang said in attempt to cover up the truth.

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s just sad. People don¡¯t like to get involved in things in your ss, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Our ss seems to be pretty unmotivated in general. It¡¯s as if everyone was agreeing to rx and not do anything.¡±

    ¡°That is the mostfortable thing to do,¡± Bom said with an awkward smile. Expecting a busy schedule in the near future, she looked at Juho and Seo Kwang with envious eyes.

    After spending a significant amount of time discussing the school festival, Baron changed the subject, ¡°I heard that the library¡¯s been getting more visitors as ofte.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s face lit up.

    ¡°Compared to the past, definitely,¡± Seo Kwang agreed, nodding his head.

    There had been significantly less people in the schoolyard because of the cold, and more and more people were visiting the library as the word spread. Though it looked nowhere near as popr as a restaurant, it was more than enough to put a smile on everyone¡¯s face. Though small, the fact that they had achieved something with their own hands brought about a great sense of reward.

    ¡°I¡¯m realizing how much power there is in marketing. We¡¯ve been getting significantly more visitors in the library since Baron put up his poster.¡±

    With Mr. Moon¡¯s help, the poster Baron had willingly created was posted on the bulletin board provided on each floor of the building. It was definitely eye-catching when walking up and down the stairs, and it sessfully nted a seed of curiosity in those who saw it. Though Seo Kwang made a timid im of credit, Sun Hwa swiftly ignored him.

    ¡°All my friends have visited. They told me they read my story too!¡±

    ¡°Did you hear any feedback?¡±

    ¡°They loved it,¡± Sun Hwa said proudly.

    Though simple, it was more than enough to move the heart of the writer, especially for the members of the Literature Club who had never written a book before.

    ¡°¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ is the most popr one, right? I checked the library earlier. There was a long line in front of Juho¡¯s book.¡±

    ¡°Juho¡¯s book is like a specialty at a restaurant. People don¡¯t hesitate to wait in line to have it. Some evene from far away.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. We¡¯ve read it ourselves, so we know how delicious of a dish it really is.¡±

    Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa said to each other calmly.

    ¡°Anyway, marketing is really important. We should all do everything we can to tell people about our works!¡±

    She had said that in a way that resembled the president of a publishingpany, and Juho quietly nodded. Marketing was always crucial, but Rumors were also just as important. He remembered his conversation with Dong Baek over the phone. They had discussed an increase in sales. In the publishing industry, rumors had the potentials to work to the publisher¡¯s advantage. It made people want to be part of a sess story.

    The rumors usually had roots on a publishingpany¡¯s subtle marketing strategy. They were carefully formted in order to make the books more visible to people and they often used words like ¡°rmendation¡± or ¡°critically acimed¡± in order to draw more attention. It wasparable to lighting up a fuse. It took some time until the fuse wouldpletely burn out, but Dong Baek had predicted that they would know the oue by the end of the winter.

    Juho felt a sense of anticipation. How big of a bomb would be at the end of the fuse?

    ¡ª

    ¡®Bang!¡¯

    A sudden explosion sounded off, and everyone in the ssroomined.

    ¡°What the... You scared me!¡±

    ¡°Who was that!?¡±

    ¡°Quiet! Everyone, focus!¡±

    Everyone submitted to the ss president¡¯s orders, and Juho¡¯s eyes were met with balloons of various colors resting on the desk.

    ¡°This will take ages to finish.¡±

    ¡°Are sure this isn¡¯t too many?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll dete over time. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯d be better to blow them the day of?¡±

    Despite the kids¡¯ wishes, the ss president insisted, ¡°It¡¯s better to have them ready today. I know you guys are going to be wandering around on that day, so put those prize tags in and blow. Now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon. We won¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up!¡±

    The kids quietly submitted to the strong-willed ss president. Those who were more actively involved in the preparation came together as a group and decorated the windows per the ss president¡¯s instructions.

    ¡°A happy gameroom. Catches your ears, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Seo Kwang seemed to be happy that his idea was being actualized.

    ¡°If you¡¯re that happy, you should go join your ssmates.¡±

    ¡°You know, I did think about it, but it¡¯s not like me to get my hands dirty.¡±

    With a balloon in his mouth, Seo Kwang was reading a book that was resting on his knees. The ss president nced at him, but she didn¡¯t seem like she intended on scolding him. After all, he had been following her instructions.

    Juho brought a balloon up to his mouth, and the taste of rubber filled his mouth. He took a deep breath and blew into the balloon. As it puffed up, the tag inside of it moved about.

    ¡°Giveaway prizes are pretty much limited to snacks, right?¡±

    ¡°There are some writing tools too. Nothing special though.¡±

    It was a school festival after all. No one could expect aptop or a refrigerator as prizes. At that point, Juho was blowing on the balloons by reflex.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting bored.¡±

    Seo Kwang had been quiet. He nced at his book while blowing on his balloons, closing the openings with a knot as he flipped the pages of his book. He was rather skilled.

    Feeling his lips getting tired, Juho picked up yet another balloon.

    ¡°Tired?¡± a voice asked from behind him.

 Chapter 119 - An Interview with a Monkey (1)

    <h4>Chapter 119: Chapter 119 ¨C An Interview with a Monkey (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    With a balloon in his mouth, Juho turned his head and looked back. He saw a familiar face blowing up a balloon. Though they had been in the same ss, Juho hardly remembered ever interacting with him and became curious as to why that ssmate was striking up a conversation with him.

    ¡°A little bit. It¡¯s been a while since thest time I blew up a balloon.¡± Because he was starting to get bored, Juho decided to respond to him.

    His ssmate¡¯s puffed up cheeks gave him a monkey-like appearance. After tying his balloon with a swift motion, he waved his red balloon side to side.

    ¡°Right? I think thest time I blew up a balloon I was in elementary school. Man, I feel kind of old having a conversation like this, haha!¡±

    Heughed at his own joke. His reaction made sense considering that he was at his eldest in that moment.

    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll get a lot of visitors?¡±

    Before Juho had time to answer, another voice interjected, ¡°Of course!¡±

    It was Seo Kwang. The ssmate tilted his head like a puzzled monkey.

    ¡°I heard ssroom 1¡¯s setting up a game room too.¡±

    ¡°Really!? Are we doing the same things then!?¡±

    A serious look appeared on Seo Kwang¡¯s face, but the ssmate shook his head, still looking like a monkey.

    ¡°No. It seems like they are focusing on card games. Apparently, there¡¯s someone who knows some magic tricks in that ss, so there are going to be performances in between as well.¡±

    ¡°Fancy,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Right? I don¡¯t know how interesting we can get with balloons.¡±

    ¡°ssroom 1 is on the first floor, so it might work out.¡±

    ¡°That means it¡¯s more likely that people will stop there before ours. Unless there are people who are actively looking for game rooms, most people won¡¯t think twice about skipping on a theme that¡¯s redundant to them.¡±

    ¡°This is unexpected.¡±

    Seo Kwang and the ssmate were having a friendly conversation with each other. Meanwhile, Juho listened quietly as he blew up his balloon. The monkey-like ssmate knew quite a bit about what was happening in other ssrooms.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll find out,¡± Juho said. Air leaked out of the balloon as Juho took his mouth off of it.

    ¡°Yeah. Who knows? That magic trick might turn out to be really sloppy,¡± Seo Kwang said. His conjecture wasn¡¯t entirely unrealistic.

    ¡°Hey, we need to get going!¡±

    ¡°Oh, right! You guys are doing something with your club, right? Write your names on the paper on the podium on your way out.¡±

    Juho saw the two girls crossing arms together walking toward the podium. There were some students who left in the middle of preparations because they were part of a club that had nned on participating in the festival.

    Noticing Juho looking in their direction, the monkey-like ssmate asked immediately, ¡°Wait, you guys are part of the Literature Club, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    As Juho and Seo Kwang answered simultaneously, a bright smile spread across the ssmate¡¯s face. A small dimple in the corner of his mouth entuated his already monkey-like appearance.

    ¡°I visited the library too. I really enjoyed it,¡± he paused and looked toward Juho. ¡°Juho Woo¡¯s, especially.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Juho said light-heartedly.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious! I really enjoyed it! I was so shocked. To be honest, my expectations weren¡¯t that high.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. OK, let¡¯s be real here. If I had decided to not visit the library, thinking that the stories would read like those of an amateur at best, I¡¯d have had to live the rest of my life in regret. I didn¡¯t know short stories could be that interesting.¡±

    A proud look appeared on Seo Kwang¡¯s face. He was delighted to hear that his ssmate was discovering the charm books had to offer.

    ¡°Speaking of which...¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± the ssmate asked in a cautious manner.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about your work.¡±

    Thinking back on it, Juho realized that the ssmate had approached him like he had wanted to ask him something.

    ¡®Was he curious about my story?¡¯

    ¡°Sure,¡± Juho said, nodding.

    ¡°It¡¯s about the woman,¡± he asked without hesitation after Juho¡¯s permission.

    ¡°Uh, huh.¡±

    ¡°Why did she have to be silent? Was that on purpose, or a coincidence?¡±

    ¡®I see,¡¯ Juho thought. He decided to answer honestly, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to be bothered by anyone, so as the author, I should be the one to respect her foremost.¡±

    ¡°So, it was the result of trying to bring out her personality as much as possible, right?¡±

    He was quick to understand.

    ¡°In ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ there¡¯s an olddy who mentions things that don¡¯t change, and the readers have differing opinions in their interpretation. What is your take on it?¡±

    ¡°Differing opinions?¡±

    The monkey-like face twisted into a silly scowl.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know? There¡¯s been a long debate amongst your readers.¡±

    ¡°A debate? Over what?¡±

    The ssmate cleared his throat and said, ¡°Over whether or not the olddy was the woman herself. FYI, I was on the side that believed that they were the same people.¡±

    ¡°... Where did this take ce?¡±

    ¡°In our club.¡±

    There was no way to know in that case. Frankly, Juho didn¡¯t even know which club his ssmate was part of. The ssmate urged him for an answer with his clear, monkey like eyes.

    ¡°So, the things that remain unchanged signify the woman¡¯s future, right? Would it be wrong to interpret that the woman remains unchanged even as she grows into an old woman?¡±

    ¡°Is that your interpretation?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    After a brief time thinking, Juho answered, ¡°A book can be interpreted in multiple ways. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s such a thing as a wrong interpretation. So...¡±

    ¡°So?

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡±

    He felt like he was partaking in an interview. When Juho looked at his ssmate, he was blowing up yet another balloon and was rather skilled at doing it.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know which club I¡¯m part of, do you?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m part of the one and only Newspaper Club.¡±

    Juho turned his head toward Seo Kwang and asked, ¡°Is our school known for our Newspaper Club?¡±

    ¡°I have no clue.¡±

    Despite Seo Kwang¡¯s response, the ssmate grabbed Juho by the arm with a balloon still in his hand. It was yellow.

    ¡°Would you mind if we write an article about you?¡± the monkey said.

    ¡°An article?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You mean for the newspaper?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    As Juho remained silent for a brief moment, the ssmate parted his lips to exin.

    ¡°You¡¯re good speaker. On top of that, you know your own mind. I¡¯d like to feature an interview with Juho Woo as an author. The next issue¡¯s going to be fancier than usual because of the school festival. This is great! You don¡¯t know how powerful of a tool a newspaper can be when ites to promotion, right? On your end, the demand for ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ will rise. As for me, I get to write something cool. It¡¯d be like killing two birds with one stone!¡± he said as his eyes sparkled.

    Juho felt like he was reliving a past memory from back when he was being hassled by reporters.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡±

    ¡°Why not? What¡¯s the issue?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that there¡¯s an issue. I¡¯m just not really up for it.¡±

    The ssmate grew anxious at Juho¡¯s lukewarm response.

    ¡°It won¡¯t take that much time. I¡¯ll make sure ites out really nice. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re writing about anything weird either. It¡¯s about your story. I¡¯m a fan too, you know? I loved ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ and I¡¯m not the type to go around asking people for interviews. Mr. Woo, please.¡±

    He clung on desperately. While Juho quitely blew up his balloons, another voice sounded, ¡°Give it a shot.¡±

    It was a unexpected suggestion from Seo Kwang.

    ¡°Sun Hwa said it herself too. We¡¯re supposed to be promoting the heck out of out works. It¡¯s true that this will work to your advantage,¡± he said with a smile.

    ¡°His first interview? Hehehe...¡± he murmured.

    Juho realized that Seo Kwang was finding the situation to be entertaining. He already knew about Juho¡¯s identity, so it was obvious that he would find it entertaining.

    ¡®Promotion, huh,¡¯ Juho contemted, and the ssmate took the opportunity to convince Juho further.

    ¡°I¡¯ll treat you as the main figure for the next issue. First page, big pictures. Did I mention this is going to be a special edition for the school festival? We¡¯re gonna be distributing copies from ss to ss and give ¡¯em out even to the guests. You¡¯ll really feel like you¡¯re on the newspaper. You¡¯re already pretty famous! The entire school might end up reading your story, who knows? I¡¯m telling you, this is an opportunity. The fate of the Literature Club is in your hands, don¡¯t you see?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit exaggerated, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? Your story more than qualifies!¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not just sugarcoating it here. I approached you because I wanted to ask for an interview from the start!¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong though. I just wanted to have a conversation with you because I was moved by your work.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Juho felt frazzled. Promotion, past and present, Yun Woo¡¯s first interview.

    ¡°I won¡¯t take any pictures,¡± Juho said as he let out a sigh.

    ¡°Yes!¡± The monkey-like ssmate threw his fist into the air. ¡°Hey, we have to get going now,¡± he said to the ss president.

    ¡°Now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, now!¡±

    Juho jumped from his seat.

    ¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s here.¡±

    Juho was brought to the music room upstairs. He was not very familiar with the ce. As the ssmate opened the door, Juho was weed by warm air, and a strange smell washed over him. There was a newspaper and the pages of a sketchbook spread out across one of the desks. On it, were printed articles and photos cut out in varying sizes. A girl stood in the middle of the room.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the ssmate greeted her.

    ¡°What the?! You¡¯re not here to ditch your ss, are you?¡± she asked, squinting at him.

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    She was the head of the Newspaper Club. As her sharp eyes turned toward Juho...

    ¡°Juho Woo!¡± she said as her eyes widened.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    Though Juho had never met her, she was rather friendly with him.

    ¡°I really enjoyed your work! Haha! You have no idea what kind of mess I was in thest several days. We argued night and day!¡±

    Like the monkey, she too wasughing at her own jokes. It must have been the overall atmosphere of the club.

    ¡°I bring good news! I finally got him to agree to an interview!¡±

    As the ssmate pronounced himself proudly, a bright smile spread across the girl¡¯s face.

    ¡°Good job, Seung! Oh, I¡¯ll leave you two be, so make yourselves at home. Give him something to drink too! We don¡¯t have anything to eat at the moment, but I can always bring something. I¡¯m counting on you. Don¡¯t ask anything silly now. Wait, maybe I should just interview him myself.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very ethical.¡±

    ¡°Then, do it right!¡±

    They were rather busy, and the girl left the room in a hurry. The ssmate led Juho into the room and said, ¡°Sit wherever you¡¯d like. I¡¯ll go bring you some water.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    Then, he also left the room and made his way to the water dispenser at the end of the hallway. Juho looked around the room. There were long, rectangr desks lined up next to each other. It seemed like it would sit at least eight peoplefortably. Maybe they were the same desks as the ones in the science room. The desks must have came from the music room.

    Juho sat in the first row and saw a Janggu resting next to the chalkboard. A piano was on the other side of the board, and a Geomungo leaned against it. Eastern and western instruments came together harmoniously in that room. On the other hand, the newspaper spread about the middle of the room gave off a rather unorganized look. It suited the Newspaper Club members somehow.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Janggu: Traditional Korean drum. Geomungo: Traditional Korean Zither)

    Juho had never been interviewed in a ce like that. Usually, it had taken ce in high-end restaurants or luxurious offices, where the ce provided for a suitable background for photos. Now, he was about to have his first interview in a messy, unorganized space. Juho felt somewhat excited in anticipation for the uing interview.

    ¡°Thanks for waiting!¡±

    The fact that he was being interviewed by a monkey-like boy made Juho look forward to it all the more.

 Chapter 120 - An Interview with a Monkey (2)

    <h4>Chapter 120: Chapter 120 ¨C An Interview with a Monkey (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I could only find hot water, so I brought you tea instead,¡± the ssmate said.

    The paper cup steamed with warm green tea. Walking over to the other side of the desk, he sat facing Juho. The two cups of tea on the desk contributed to the resemnce to a professional interview. He took what looked like a schoolptop out of his bag. It had to belong to his homeroom teacher.

    Next to it, was a piece of paper with a series of basic questions written on it. In order to keep Juho from seeing it, the ssmate pushed it aside.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s begin. Would it be OK if I were to refer to you as Juho from now on, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but what¡¯s with the formality?¡±

    ¡°This is, of course, an official interview. It¡¯s basic courtesy,¡± the ssmate said with a monkey-like smile. A faint whirring sound came from the distance.

    ¡°OK. First question. Where were you born, Juho?¡±

    It was obvious that he was borrowing from another interview. An author¡¯s life had a profound impact on their work. The author¡¯s birthce was amonly asked question in interviews with international authors.

    Juho answered willing and ordingly, ¡°I was born in Seoul and lived in the city ever since, but I didn¡¯t grow up looking only at a forest of buildings.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ve traveled around a lot growing up?¡± the ssmate asked candidly.

    He wasn¡¯t even looking at the paper, which meant he was creating or modifying questions depending on the situation. Though it seemed insignificant, it was proof that the interviewer was listening to the interviewee intently while thoroughly understanding the responses. Simultaneously, it also meant that the interviewer had a clear sense of direction.

    Only then, did Juho realize that he was being interviewed.

    ¡°No. There are parts of Seoul that make you feel like you¡¯re in the countryside. They¡¯re not necessarily older neighborhoods. Even this school is built near the mountains, so we often hear insects chirping.

    ¡°Even the countryside is bing more city-like, so it is true that the boundaries are bing fuzzier.¡±

    The sound of the keyboard filled the room. The ssmate was typing out the interview. There was no way around it, since he didn¡¯t have ess to a recording device.

    ¡°So, when you wrote ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ did you refer to sceneries like the ones you mentioned earlier?¡±

    ¡°No. I actually made trips to the beach.¡±

    ¡°Oh, wow! In person?!¡± he answered as he jotted something down on the paper he had set aside. Then, he focused the subject on the author himself. ¡°¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ is your first book, right? I know that you¡¯ve been part of the Literature Club, but did you start writing before you joined?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It was a simple hobby of mine.¡±

    ¡°What topic have you written the most about?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t really picky about genres. It¡¯s a hobby after all. There was no need to be insistent. I wrote freely... however I felt like on the day.¡±

    ¡°For someone who speaks with such modesty, your skills are rather impressive. Did you receive formal training?¡±

    ¡°No. Just linguistics ss at school and the Literature Club.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your secret to writing?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no secret, really. Oh, wait. ording to our homeroom teacher, Mr. Moon, one bes a better writer by simply writing more.¡±

    The ssmate¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Did you ever think of your skill as a talent you were born with?¡±

    ¡°I think frequently that writing takes more than just skill,¡± Juho said as heughed light-heartedly.

    The ssmate moved his hands busily. He was skilled in multitasking. He asked question with his mouth while writing with his hand and thinking about the next question with his head, all at the same time. It was rather impressive.

    ¡°You mentioned just now that one simply has to write more to be a better writer. How often do you write?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t count the days I¡¯m writing. It¡¯s hard to say.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    He backed out suddenly. He was reserving the time and energy for the more important questions.

    ¡°Your work has been growing increasingly popr at schooltely. What is your perspective on this?¡±

    Juho remained silent for a moment, then said, ¡°That sounds a bit exaggerated.¡±

    At that, the ssmate smiled yfully, looking all the more like a monkey.

    ¡°Trust me on this. Fame is what calls for more fame.¡±

    He didn¡¯t let up. In the end, Juho referred back to his experience and gave him a cliche of an answer, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m getting famous or not, but the fact that there are people reading my work remains true. I¡¯d like to express my deepest gratitude to my readers.¡±

    With a satisfied smile, the ssmate continued with his questions about ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯

    ¡°In ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ rocks serve the purpose of a medium. The olddy treats them with significance, but in the end, she tosses them all into the sea. Would it be possible to interpret that the significance of the rock has changed?¡±

    ¡°That would be very much possible,¡± Juho said, nodding his head.

    ¡°I¡¯d always thought that the subject of this book had always been about things that remain unchanged. Wouldn¡¯t that interpretation contradict the subject?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. I stayed true to the flow when I wrote it.¡±

    ¡°What are you referring to when you say ¡®flow?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Whether things change or not, it¡¯s all the same. That¡¯s what I meant.¡±

    ¡°In what way?¡±

    He was rather persistent, so Juho gave him an answer after organizing his thoughts for a brief time.

    ¡°The person who gives rocks significance was the olddy. On the other hand, she¡¯s also the person who removes their significance. Whether or not she kept those rocks with her, the fact that she¡¯s her own self remains unchanged. I focused on those things as I wrote.¡±

    That was what Juho actually wanted to portray.

    ¡°We can always imagine that the olddy lived through youthful days. Her young and old self are the same person, but depending on how one interprets it, one may argue otherwise. She may have changed to some, while she always remained herself to others.¡±

    The ssmate forehead furrowed. He didn¡¯t seem to understand.

    ¡°Are you saying that it¡¯s impossible to clearly distinguish between the things that change and things that don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that it¡¯s up to the readers how they want to distinguish them.¡±

    It was up to the readers to decide who the olddy was or what the rocks meant.

    ¡°I think I might have an idea of what you¡¯re trying to say, but OK.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more than enough. If you focus on the significance too much, it takes away from the reading experience. Speaking of which, you¡¯re kind of going back and forth between yourself and an interviewer. What happened to your basic courtesy?¡±

    ¡°Oh, ¡®scuse me. That was my bad. Now, why don¡¯t we move on to the next question?¡±

    Clearing his throat, he resumed the interview.

    ¡°You mentioned earlier that ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ was a story that you thought of after personally making a trip to the beach. Can you tell me more about that?¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much to tell, really. I just thought of the story while I was there. That¡¯s it.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s lukewarm response, the ssmate pushed on with another question, ¡°There are a lot of things at the beach, but what made you write about sand of all things? When I read your book, I was getting a strong impression that there was something rather significant about it.¡±

    Juho imagined the woman wearing her blue jeans with grains of sand on it, and he remembered the reason he had decided on giving her those things.

    ¡°To be more precise, it¡¯s the exact opposite.¡±

    ¡°The opposite?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think of a story while I was rxing at the beach. I went to the beach with the specific intention to think of a story.¡±

    The ssmate asked Juho to borate with his eyes.

    ¡°In other words, there¡¯s no reason,¡± Juho said calmly.

    It had been an impulsive encounter. Though one could argue that there had been profound reason where destiny and coincidence hade together into a tangled mess, Juho didn¡¯t want to exin something like that.

    After catching on tactfully, the ssmate proceeded quietly, ¡°So, this was mentioned in the synopsis, but the protagonist receives a gift before she leaves for the beach. What¡¯s interesting here is that there¡¯s no mention of who gave her those gifts anywhere in the book.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you directly. Who did it?¡±

    Having followed the standard procedures consistently, the ssmate took a sudden turn in the way he approached his interviewee. While it was somewhat awkward, Juho preferred him being direct.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If I didn¡¯t portray someone in my book, that¡¯s what it means. It could be a reader, or me even, the author. It could be a friend or a family member. What¡¯s important is that somebody gave her a gift, and she received it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where the story begins.¡±

    ¡°Right. Her trip begins with the affection she received from another person.¡±

    ¡°All without saying a word.¡±

    ¡°Words are not needed in gifts. One can always identify with another without saying a single word. The fact that we canmunicate with foreigners or stray cats is proof.¡±

    Juho looked at the ssmate. Though monkey-like, he was rather charming.

    ¡®What would happen if he actually turned out to be a monkey?¡¯

    He wouldn¡¯t be able to understand a single word Juho said to him, and the interview would be left in ruins, filled with misunderstandings.

    Yet, there had to be ways to connect with him. It was always possible to share feelings with people of different races who spoke differentnguages.

    ¡°Now, this will be thest question regarding ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ In the beginning of the book, there¡¯s a part that talks about the protagonist¡¯s daily life, and it begins with her walking past the school. Would it be possible to interpret this scene as a criticism toward the educational system?¡±

    Taking his eyes off the face of his monkey-like ssmate, Juho answered with a shrug, ¡°The bell actually indicates the beginning and end of a ss. I wasn¡¯t intending on criticising anything in particr. What the readers identified with from that part is an issue out of my hands.¡±

    Slight displeasure appeared on the ssmate¡¯s face.

    ¡°Could you share at least a little bit about what you really thought?¡±

    After thinking briefly, Juho gave him an answer, ¡°Well, I am currently a student myself.¡±

    The ssmate let out a chuckle. It seemed like the interview was nearing its end. While typing away slowly at the keyboard, he asked hesitantly, ¡°This might be somewhat of a sensitive question. Would you mind?¡±

    His cheek trembled slightly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Frankly, after reading your book, I became curious.¡±

    ¡°About?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been writing all this time, and your skill is next to none. Yet...¡±

    He took a deep breath.

    ¡°... You didn¡¯t win a single award for the school essay contest.¡±

    It was as unexpected of a question from the amount of time he took to ask it. Juho revisited an old memory that was nearly forgotten. He remembered Seo Kwang eating his fried chicken.

    ¡°Ah, right.¡±

    The monkey¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity at Juho¡¯s response.

    ¡°Was it because you couldn¡¯t fully utilize your skill?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    If anything, Juho had overexerted himself that day.

    ¡°Was there a person disrupting you?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily.¡±

    ¡°There has to be something.¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Juho said. ¡°I just fell short. That¡¯s all.¡±

    While writing busily, the ssmate¡¯s hand came to a sudden stop. He looked rather displeased. For someone conducting an interview, he was rather vulnerable.

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon! Can you be a little more specific?¡±

    ¡°I told you. There¡¯s nothing to it.¡±

    ¡°You? Falling short in an essay contest? No one¡¯s going to buy that. Give me something, an excuse, anything.¡±

    ¡°Oh, boy...¡±

    In the end, Juho gave into his ssmate¡¯s persistent character.

    ¡°It was mostly my fault. When I was deciding on the direction of the essay, I didn¡¯t take where I was into consideration. I was disqualified.¡±

    ¡°What was it like? What did you write about?¡±

    ¡°A ster figure.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah. That was the weirdest one. How did you manage to get yourself disqualified with it though?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s an animal,¡± Juho said as he remembered his writing then.

    ¡°An animal?¡±

    Juho was referring to a character from his story.

    ¡°Do you know what Bonobos are? They¡¯re very peaceful for the most part.¡±

    The ssmate caught on to where Juho wasing from immediately.

    ¡°Did you write about them having sex or something? Is that enough to get you disqualified? It¡¯s biological, so it¡¯s strictly scientific fact.¡±

    ¡°Well, the teacher who read my story thought otherwise.¡±

    ¡°How curious...!¡±

    After a brief time thinking, he moved his pen busily. Juho had no idea what to expect.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t write anything too provocative.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve done this once or twice. The main focus will be on ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯¡± the ssmate said as he wrote busily.

    ¡°OK! Now, ourst question for the day.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡±

    Feeling a sense of relief, Juho waited for the question patiently.

    ¡°There¡¯s a professional author who is the same age as you. He¡¯s responsible for writing the current top bestseller. There¡¯s somethingmonly referred to as ¡®Yun Woo Fever.¡¯ What is your opinion on that?¡±

 Chapter 121 - An Interview with a Monkey (3)

    Chapter 121: Chapter 121 ¨C An Interview with a Monkey (3)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°You must be referring to Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Yun Woo,¡± the ssmate reaffirmed, his eyes sparkling with interest.

    He seemed ready and determined to write down whatever response came out of Juho¡¯s mouth. As the room grew silent with the absence of the keyboard sound, the whirring sound of a heater came to life again in the distance.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you think about him. You guys are the same age and active in the same field. He¡¯s also in a vastly superior position.¡±

    Juho had been thinking about Yun Woo. After all, they were the same person. As the silence prolonged, a puzzled look appeared on the ssmate¡¯s face, and he asked, ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me that you don¡¯t know who I¡¯m referring to, are you?¡±

    ¡°I do know the author you¡¯re referring to.¡±

    ¡°Have you not read his books?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    The monkey looked all the more confused.

    ¡°I think he¡¯s one of the most popr authors around.¡±

    Yun Woo was the most popr author at the time. However, the ssmate seemed unsatisfied with Juho¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Surely you have more to say.¡±

    ¡°More?¡±

    ¡°Yes, something with bit more punch.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    More punch... Juho took his time to give an answer.

    ¡°Sometimes, I wonder if he¡¯s actually putting his all into his books.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Yun Woo. ¡®The Trace of a Bird¡¯ was his debut title, so there¡¯s no point inining about a book that had already been written. On the other hand, an author shouldn¡¯t run away from his own work. His sophomore title, ¡®The Sound of Wailing,¡¯ was a slight improvement from its predecessor, but the author still got a ways to go. It bothers me that there are ces in the story where the dynamics could have been kept under better control. The son and the clown left me with more to be desired. I wish the son had more presence. Meanwhile, the clown had way too many things to say. If the ending had packed a bit more punch, I reckon it would¡¯ve been a significant improvement to the overall bnce of the story.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, hold on. Stop.¡±

    The monkey suddenly stopped Juho, waving his hands in a hurry. He must have not written anything that had juste out of Juho¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, I thought this was what you wanted,¡± Juho said silently.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m giving you my opinion on Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°What?! Are you trying to start an anti-Yun Woo movement?¡±

    ¡°Anti-Yun Woo?¡±

    The ssmate chuckled and said, ¡°Do you know how many Yun Woo fans are out there?¡±

    ¡°At least I¡¯m being honest.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what makes it worse! How could you say things like that to our Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Our Yun Woo?¡±

    Ignoring his question, the monkey red sharply at Juho.

    ¡°I¡¯ve yet toe across someone who talks smack about Yun Woo. You¡¯re bothered? What about him and his books could possibly bother you? He¡¯s a genius, you know.¡±

    The ssmate seemed to be clueless about what Juho was talking about. After all, those were things that would only be noticeable to him as the author. He knew that he could have done better and he didn¡¯t n on being content with the title ¡°genius.¡± He was determined than ever to get what he wanted.

    It was an Achilles¡¯ heel that had been uncovered by Juho¡¯s greed as an author.

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s works are perfect,¡± the monkey said, and Juho chuckled quietly.

    ¡°I thought you wanted something that packed more punch? I gave you what you asked.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I was looking for.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°Something more light-hearted, like rivalry, or something like: ¡®I want to be just like him when I¡¯m older.¡¯¡±

    ¡°You seem to be have trouble making up your mind.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that your response was way too strong.¡±

    Juho pondered for a brief time and said, ¡°I think he¡¯s a good author.¡±

    Just like that, the interview came to an end.

    ¡°OK, I¡¯m going to take some time to organize the content of the interview,¡± the monkey said.

    After watching quietly for some time, Juho remembered the balloons that he was supposed to be blowing up and made his way back to the ssroom, all the while, curious about the door being slightly open.

    An icy cold breeze rushed past Juho¡¯s cheeks. The air felt colder in the park than in the areas around it. Maybe it was because the ce was surrounded by trees. White smoke puffed out of his mouth steadily as he ran.

    After running ap around the park, Juho sat on a bench to rest.

    ¡°It¡¯s cold today.¡±

    He felt the sweat cooling down, taking his body temperature with it. At that rate, he would catch a cold. Not wanting to head back home just yet, he decided to look for somewhere warmer. ¡®Where should I go? A cafe? A restaurant?¡¯ He looked for a building that would protect him from the cold.

    As he walked slowly, a pyramid-like structure came into view. It was the botanical garden he had gone to with Nabi, the publishing agent of his first book. The pots outside were covered by a straw mat. Unlike in spring, there were no leaves or flower.

    ¡°Should we go to the botanical garden?¡±

    ¡°It looks like it¡¯s closed. Let¡¯s just go to the cafe.¡±

    A couple conversed as they turned around at the entrance. The botanical garden gave off a sense of stillness and made people hesitate to go in. It seemed as if everything had fallen asleep.

    Juho flung the door open. In the past, he had experienced life as a starving, homeless man. At the time, he would frequently seek shelter in the botanical garden to keep himself warm in the winter, and the door to the garden had always been open.

    ¡°Nice and toasty as usual.¡±

    As he opened the door, he was greeted by a wave of warm, damp air washing over him. The very first thing that came into view was a split road: Cacti to the right, and various tropical nts to the left.

    Since he was nning on sitting down and resting, he took the path to the left and was immediately greeted by its distinct, damp-smelling air. Juho looked up to the trees that stood tall. The branches were tangled together and made it nearly impossible to distinguish the trees apart. ¡®I¡¯m sure there¡¯s someone who can name every one of these trees and nts here, just like how I can with novels,¡¯ Juho thought.

    After he walked through the windy trail, the sound of running water became audible. It sounded somewhat artificial. Soon, a pond with a small waterfall at the center appeared. There were about ten ratherrge carps swimming in the water. Juho walked over to the bench on the other side of the pond and sat down.

    Quiet. There was nobody around. The warmth and the sound of running water were the only things in the air. The ce had a soothing effect.

    Juho revisited his memory of what had been happening at schooltely. The ssroom was decorated with various shapes and colors, having little resemnce to its usual appearance. The lockers were covered in balloons, and a white line had been drawn across the center for the dart throwers. All the desks were moved to the hallway, while various prizes were spread about on one side of the ssroom.

    He remembered being in doubt even as he was blowing up his balloons. However, the result wasn¡¯t half bad.

    Despite it being the weekend, there were bound to be students who had to go to school in order to finish decorating the ssrooms. The school festival was just around the corner.

    In a daze, Juho looked up at the banana leaf above his head. ¡®Is that where bananas would be hanging?¡¯

    ¡®Click!¡¯ a shutter sounded off suddenly.

    Juho slowly turned his head toward the source of the sound and saw a student holding a camera. Judging from the uniform, she went to the same school as him.

    ¡°Did you just take a picture of me?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± she answered light-heartedly. Thinking it over briefly, she asked, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate if you deleted that picture.¡±

    ¡°Sure. No problem,¡± she said light-heartedly once again. Approaching Juho, she showed him the step-by-step process of deleting the photo. ¡°Will that do?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Hoping she would go on her way, Juho looked up at the banana leaves. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s not a banana tree at all. It would¡¯ve been nice if they werebeled,¡¯ he thought. Despite his wishes, the tree stood tall in silence.

    ¡°Hey,¡± the girl with the camera called for him.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Juho Woo, right?¡±

    Although they had never met, she knew his name somehow. Juho realized that it had been happening more frequently as ofte.

    ¡°Have we met?¡±

    ¡°No, but I¡¯ve read your work, ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. Thanks.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s response, the girl approached him in a friendly manner.

    ¡°You¡¯re such a good writer. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d be the most qualified to judge since I hardly read on my own, but there was not one bit that felt awkward. I read it from cover to cover in a single breath. This is the second time that¡¯s ever happened to me.¡±

    ¡°Second?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Who was your first?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s book. You¡¯ve heard of ¡®The Trace of a Bird,¡¯ right? It was my sister¡¯s book. She wouldn¡¯t stop talking about it, so I read it just to shut her up, but I ended up staying up the entire night reading it. I was so astonished that there are people in this world who are capable of creating something like that. That goes for you, too.¡±

    She was rather talkative. There was no trace of shyness in her, and Juho nodded quietly as he felt her gaze on him.

    ¡°But you¡¯re not a fan of Yun Woo, are you?¡±

    Juho locked eyes with her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t dislike him. Who told you that?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon now. Don¡¯t worry. I like his book, not Yun Woo himself,¡± she said confidently.

    Holding back his urge to chuckle, Juho answered, ¡°I¡¯m serious. I don¡¯t dislike him.¡±

    She sneered at his denial.

    ¡°Was that why you were so critical of Yun Woo in the music room?¡±

    ¡°A-ha! So, you were the one eavesdropping.¡±

    She had to be the person responsible for leaving the door open.

    ¡°Yep,¡± she admitted without hesitation. Juho, too, had no intention to question her motive. As he remained quiet, she parted her lips and asked, ¡°Then what is it? If you don¡¯t dislike him, why were you so harsh in your criticism?¡±

    ¡°Was I? I was just sharing how I felt.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s in there, somewhere.¡±

    She kept trying to talk to him, and Juho became certain of something.

    ¡°Is there something you wanted to say?¡± he asked.

    ¡°... So... ¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    She slowly opened her mouth. In most cases, one talked to someone they had never met when there was some need. Being someone who spoke to people frequently, Juho was well aware of that.

    ¡°I know that you¡¯re already a good writer.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°How did youe up with the title ¡®Grains of Sand?¡¯¡± she asked, looking like she was holding something back.

    Unlike the monkey, who had asked him about the protagonist or the significance of the sand, the girl was asking a much simpler question.

    ¡®Why is she asking that?¡¯ Juho wondered, but he decided to answer her anyway.

    ¡°I didn¡¯te up with it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Somebody else came up with it.¡±

    An apparent disappointment washed over her face. ¡°That can¡¯t be right...¡± she murmured. ¡°Do you know how long I¡¯ve been shivering in the cold?¡±

    ¡°Shivering?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been following you. I was waiting for the right timing to approach you.¡±

    ¡°Were you stalking me?¡±

    ¡°No, I happen to see you at the park, so I followed you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±

    ¡°Destiny,¡± she answered briefly. ¡°For goodness sake, aren¡¯t you cold!? You were jogging forever!¡±

    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m in here?¡±

    ¡°Sigh, what a letdown. I thought you¡¯d be my destiny.¡±

    The corners of her mouth turned downward into a sad frown.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? What was it about the title?¡±

    At his question, the sadness on her face faded away quickly.

    ¡°... so, I was quite fond of the title. It summarizes the book nicely. So...¡± She hesitated, fiddling with the camera in her hands. ¡°I¡¯m in the Photography Club. I just came from school after helping out my clubmates with the decorations. Our club is doing a photo exhibition, and I need a title for my photo. But...¡±

    She hesitated once again.

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t decided on a title? The festival is the day after tomorrow!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m wondering around the park, hoping I¡¯d find some ideas!¡± she snapped at him angrily. Juho came to grasp her situation. ¡°And then I met you. Of course, I¡¯d think that it was destiny.¡±

    ¡°Is it that obvious though?¡±

    ¡°And now, you¡¯re telling me that another person essentially named your book.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Wearing a depressed look on her face, she looked down at her toes. The air grew heavy with silence. The once talkative girl was nowhere to be found. Juho turned his eyes back to the banana leaves.

    ¡°Ah...!¡± she eximed in realization.

    ¡®Did shee up with a title?¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯ll have another persone up with a title too!¡±

    ¡®I guess not,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you did. I should do the same!¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess there¡¯s no reason you can¡¯t or shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    Her eyes sparkled.

    ¡°So, I know we just met.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±

    ¡°But I have something I¡¯d like to ask you.¡±

    ¡°I think I have an idea, so I¡¯d rather not.¡±

    ¡°Are you hungry, by any chance? Are you craving anything? Would you be ufortable eating with someone you¡¯ve never met before? Oh, yeah! How about this? I¡¯ll pay you for naming my photo. I happen to have some cash on me.¡±

    ¡°That, I have plenty of.¡±

    ¡°Right, I thought you looked like you¡¯re pretty well-off. So, what do you think?¡±

    That time, Juho couldn¡¯t resist his urge to chuckle.

 Chapter 122 - A Frog and The Festival (1)

    Chapter 122: Chapter 122 ¨C A Frog and The Festival (1)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho had never been asked toe up with a title for another person¡¯s work.

    ¡®What kind of photo does it take to put someone in such misery?¡¯ Juho wondered.

    ¡°Do you think you can take a look at my photo?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    With that, the girl held her camera up and busily tapped its buttons in order to search through the pictures stored in it. After a while, she handed the camera to Juho. A frog became visible in the tiny camera screen.

    ¡°A frog?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I took it in spring.¡±

    Because they were in a botanical garden, looking at the picture of a frog didn¡¯t feel out of ce. A small, green frog was sitting on a leaf in a rather peculiar pose.

    ¡°It looks funny.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    The frog was hanging perilously from a stem while its hind legs hung loosely beneath the leaf.

    ¡°It even has that staring-out-into-the-distant-mountains look!¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it remind you of a middle-aged man?¡±

    ¡°It looks like someone who¡¯s just given up on life too.¡±

    In other words, the frog looked rather human-like. With its sad eyes, it seemed like it was looking into the future or reminiscing about its, perhaps regretful, past. While it looked like a child riding on a swing, it also looked like a middle-aged man in desperate need for a smoke.

    Its posture was quite different from how Juho remembered a frog. If he were to see a frog like that, he, too, would have stopped in his tracks.

    ¡°Are you looking for something funny for your title?¡±

    ¡®Like the frog¡¯s whimsical pose, perhaps?¡¯

    She denied it without hesitation.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then, something sad, maybe?¡±

    ¡°No! Look at the frog. It¡¯d make no sense!¡±

    Juho nodded quietly at her objection. A sad title wouldn¡¯t suit the photo.

    ¡°I saw quite a few pictures on your camera when you were flipping through them earlier. What made you decide on that picture in particr?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of a long story.¡±

    ¡°I have plenty of time.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean there¡¯s no time. The festival is the day after tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Unlike Juho, who spoke calmly, she didn¡¯t bother to hide her anxiety.

    ¡°I know I¡¯m not in the position to be rushing you, but are you struggling because you need something sweet? Should I go get you something?¡±

    ¡°I need information more than sugar,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Information?¡±

    ¡°Regarding this photo. I¡¯m an author, someone who give his story a name.¡±

    ¡°Story? But this is a photo.¡±

    ¡°Stories can be found anywhere, just like how you¡¯re the protagonist of your life,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Does that mean I have all the clues I need toe up with a title? Like a protagonist in a novel?¡± she asked while wearing a serious expression.

    ¡°I guess you can say that,¡± Juho affirmed, blinking twice.

    ¡°OK, fine. I¡¯ll tell you. What would you like to know?¡± she asked, still looking serious.

    ¡°Anything, really. As long as it¡¯s relevant to the photo.¡±

    Her eyes moved busily and then stopped at the frog.

    ¡°I first met this frog this past spring. We met at a park, right around the time when insects were starting to crawl out of their holes.¡±

    A background of time and space. Juho listened to her story intently.

    ¡°I was in the middle of club activities. Our clubes out to this park to take pictures, and that¡¯s when I met this funny-looking frog. It was destiny.¡±

    Juho nodded quietly.

    ¡°But I was just watching it since I didn¡¯t really feel like taking a picture of it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡®I wonder what moved her?¡¯ Juho wondered.

    ¡°That¡¯s when this grandma appeared.¡±

    A new character.

    ¡°It was hard to make out her expression because of all the wrinkles on her face. She looked kinda scary with her back bending forward.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±

    ¡°So, I moved aside, and the grandma just stood in front of the frog... ¡±

    The garden was quite warm throughout the year, regardless of the season. Her camera was exactly the same way. It contained her memory of the day when she met the frog.

    ¡°... and smiled brightly, enough to straighten her wrinkly face,¡± she said as she looked into the distance, where the banana tree was standing.

    ¡°Eventually, she started cracking up, holding her sides. That¡¯s when the frog looked really special all of a sudden, so I ended up taking a picture of it.¡±

    She took a picture. What was once merely funny had be the recipient of affection. It had moved her.

    ¡°I wanted to give her my picture, but I never saw her again. I guess it makes sense considering how big the park is. When I first heard the news about the exhibition, I remembered her immediately. Anybody cane to the school festival, so I thought the grandma might be there, looking at my photo with that same bright smile. But, I¡¯m pretty sure she won¡¯t though, haha.¡±

    Despite the fact that the elderly rarely visited the school festival, Juho added in order to encourage her, ¡°Who knows? She mighte if she has a grandson or a granddaughter.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she will.¡±

    With that, Juho returned to thinking about the title. ¡®What would be an appropriate name for that frog? Is it right for me to give someone else¡¯s work a name?¡¯

    ¡°Do you have anything? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been thinking about this.¡±

    ¡°I do have a few.¡±

    ¡°What are they?¡±

    She was hesitant to share them. Maybe she didn¡¯t really want to say them out loud.

    ¡°They¡¯re all kind ofme.¡±

    ¡°It might be of help.¡±

    With a sigh, she calmly listed the names she hade up with thus far.

    ¡°Mr. Frog, Frog Neighbor, Hrious Frog, Odd Frog, Frog Looking into the Distant Mountains. Frog yground, Frog Choir, Frog World, Frog¡¯s Point of View, Frog¡¯s are Cool, Frog¡¯s Resting Area, Take a Five with a Frog, Just Frog, Ribbit Ribbit Frog.¡±

    There were simply too many frogs.

    She snapped, annoyed at Juho¡¯s silence, ¡°I told you they wereme!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m at loss for words because of your brilliance, that¡¯s all.¡±

    Juho was sincere. They were notme by any means. By putting feelings into words, she was simply trying to figure out a focus of her own.

    ¡°How about you? Were you able to think of anything?¡± she asked with her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Although Juho had a few ideas, he decided the photo had to be named by the photographer herself. After all, she had been the one to capture a story in the moment.

    ¡°OK, so, I just thought of this...¡±

    ¡°OK, I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°I think you got this.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Juho calmly exined to the girl as she furrowed her forehead in annoyance.

    ¡°The titles that you¡¯ve just listed show that you have talent. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re focusing on the frog too much.¡±

    ¡°Is that supposed to be apliment?¡±

    ¡°A sincere one, at that.¡±

    The displeasure became apparent in her expression.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more rewarding if you named your own photo?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I would if I could, but...¡±

    She didn¡¯t seem confident. After a brief time pondering, she opened her mouth and said, ¡°I really liked the title of your book, ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ It felt like it wrapped everything up nicely.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. The sand isn¡¯t even the protagonist, but it still sounds like a title.¡±

    She looked at Juho intently.

    ¡°I want to name my photo something simr. It wasn¡¯t just the title. Your story makes readers think. I thought about thedy all day. The story had already ended, but I found myself thinking about her repeatedly. It was almost like Yun Woo¡¯s books. I know that it¡¯s a different genre, but I want to take photos like that.¡±

    Their eyes locked.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I struck up a conversation with you.¡±

    Juho thought that her dark, yet clear eyes looked like a pair of lenses.

    ¡°So, I¡¯ll do my best as long as you¡¯re willing to help.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Juho answered with a smile. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to try so hard.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve already figured it out.¡±

    ¡°I did?? When??¡±

    ¡°I told you. Grandma, smile, the reason you took and chose that picture. All of these things are outside of a camera¡¯s angle.¡±

    She blinked curiously.

    ¡°Try stepping out of your angle.¡±

    ¡°Out of my angle?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Out of your photo. You¡¯re distracted by the funny looking frog. That¡¯s not the only thing you meant to capture, right? So, that¡¯s why you¡¯re struggling toe up with a title days before the school festival.¡±

    ¡°But, this is about the frog...¡±

    Juho brought the camera up to his eyes, and a small rectangr screen came into view. It was a tad too small to fit a tall banana tree. As he pulled away from the camera, he felt light rushing into his eyes.

    ¡°So, since I don¡¯t know much about photography, I have to ask. Is there a rule that says that a picture of a frog has to have ¡°frog¡± in its title?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then, you can do whatever the heck you want, right?¡±

    She remained quiet for a while. In the meantime, Juho took the camera and took a picture of her sitting in a daze. Unfortunately, he was simply not skilled enough to capture the distraught look on her face.

    The shutter sound echoed throughout the garden. The girl was immersed in thought, with her hands together.

    ¡°I got it,¡± she said.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°The Grandma Smiled,¡± she said with a bright smile. She was filled with confidence that time.

    Although there was nothing artistic about it, it was simple and honest. It was also a rather decent title for a photo.

    ¡°I like that!¡±

    The carps swam about as the water trickled out of the waterfall into the pond. Tall tropical nts surrounded the ce, and the air was warm. The girl might have been looking for the olddy even to that day, but in the end, the person she had found was herself.

    ¡°Honestly, I kind of regretted not taking a picture of the grandma,¡± she said, looking much more relieved.

    ¡°I should have included her in the shot with the frog at least.¡±

    ¡°Howe you only took a picture of the frog?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I ask myself the same question,¡± she answered. ¡°But, I think I¡¯m starting to understand why.¡±

    ¡°Which is?¡±

    She seemed confident, as if she had finally gotten her hands on an answer of her own.

    ¡°It was for the grandma.¡±

    Because she had thought that she wanted to take a picture of the olddy, she took a picture of the frog instead. If the olddy were to see the photo, she¡¯d be able to smile throughout the four seasons.

    ¡°If I took a picture of that grandma, that picture would¡¯ve stayed in my camera, sound asleep. I¡¯d be the only person looking at it.¡±

    As she took the camera from Juho¡¯s hands, Juho willingly handed it back to her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I would have regretted it.¡±

    ¡°You regretted it when you took a picture of the frog.¡±

    ¡°More so than now. I¡¯d have regretted it even more.¡±

    With that, she stood up from the bench.

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll make sure to include your name next to the title.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be polite. It¡¯s a gesture of gratitude.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not being polite. I¡¯m turning down your offer.¡±

    Juho¡¯s muttering didn¡¯t reach her ears.

    ¡°OK, then, I¡¯m going to go and print out the title. I¡¯m so d things worked out! I¡¯ll be telling all of my friends about your book. Every single one of them!¡±

    ¡°That, I¡¯ll dly ept.¡±

    ¡°OK, see ya!¡±

    Juho watched her from behind as she ran vigorously. Would her photo be reunited with the olddy?

    ¡°Destiny, huh.¡±

    Juho contemted on whether or not to include that word in a story of his in the near future.

    ¡°School festival!¡± Seo Kwang eximed. He seemed rather excited when Juho ran into him on his way to school. Like he said, the day of the festival had finallye.

    ¡°Somebody¡¯s in a good mood today. You¡¯re not nning on doing anything though.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. It¡¯s a festival! Besides, the fact that we don¡¯t have ss today is enough to put a smile on my face.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take much to make those who had been relieved from duty smile. Though it was cold out, there was excitement in the air.

    ¡°Oh! It¡¯s Sun Hwa.¡±

    ¡°Seo Kwang,¡± she said as she turned around. She was wearing a hefty backpack. She had said that her ss was having a bazaar, and her bag seemed filled with things to be sold that day.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve put in quite a bit of work.¡±

    ¡°We were kind of ambitious, so we had to sacrifice our weekends to prepare for the festival.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still fun,¡± Sun Hwa said briskly.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Bom?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s at school. She must have had more preparation left.¡±

    ¡°Man, you guys are NOT messing around. Our ss is barely doing anything.¡±

    ¡°But, you¡¯ll get a lot of visitors. Everyone has their own way of having fun. Make sure to stop by our ss. Help us out a little.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re just revenue?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say that you¡¯re not.¡±

    The three went their separate ways as they reached the first floor.

 Chapter 123 - A Frog and The Festival (2)

    Chapter 123: Chapter 123 ¨C A Frog and The Festival (2)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°We¡¯re open for business!¡±

    The festival had officially started. Everyone in ss either went out or started working simultaneously. The hallway was flooded with people, some wearing other schools¡¯ uniforms and others wearing ordinary clothes. The school would be even more crowded over time.

    ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go!¡± Seo Kwang tugged at Juho¡¯s arm. Since the Literature Club wasn¡¯t doing anything for the festival and neither of them had a role in their ss¡¯ event, they had all the time in the world.

    ¡°We¡¯re stopping by Sun Hwa and Bom¡¯s ss first, right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the closest.¡±

    The two decided to look around the school leisurely. Each of the ssrooms was decorated ording to its theme. It was obvious that a lot of work had gone into it. The students who promoted their sses with signs shouted all the louder. Though it was noisy, it was quite fun.

    ¡°It¡¯s here.¡±

    Sun Hwa and Bom¡¯s ss was decorated with an embroidered sign that read ¡°Flea Market.¡± The tent-like appearance was quite eye-catching.

    ¡°They did a pretty good job.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Juho and Seo Kwang went into the ssroom. There were stacks of items brought by each of the students. Quite a few people were looking around. Then, Juho saw Bom standing by the cash register.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°Hey, guys!¡± she greeted them happily amid the business. Her hair was braided into two braids, giving her a cartoon-like appearance.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s wearing the same hairdo.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Isn¡¯t it clever? The boys decided to wear a hat.¡±

    Everyone involved in helping out was dressed ordingly. The girls braided their hairs while the boys wore hats. It was a dress code of sorts.

    ¡°You¡¯re buying something, right?¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to have us do business with you?¡±

    ¡°No way. Feel free to look around. Sun Hwa¡¯s over there,¡± Bom said with a smile.

    At that moment, she had to interact with an approaching student. Seeing how busy she was, Juho and Seo Kwang moved on to Sun Hwa.

    ¡°Oh, hey! You¡¯re here!¡± she said as she waved her hand, her braided hair fluttering with it. Her hair had looked normal that morning.

    ¡°How¡¯s business?¡±

    ¡°Not bad. I told you it¡¯d work.¡±

    The ssroom was rather crowded, even at a nce, and she seemed excited. While crouching, Seo Kwang examined the items on disy. Dolls, toy knives, clothes, jewelry, bowls, cups. There were all sorts of goods. There were alsorger items, such as a chair or oversized stuffed animals in the corner of the ssroom.

    ¡°What¡¯s that chair for?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an endorsement from the parents. It¡¯s new.¡±

    ¡°Who would buy something like that?¡±

    Though it lookedfortable, it was questionable if people would actually buy it.

    ¡°If no one buys it, we can always return it to the person who brought it.¡±

    ¡°That sounds tiring.¡±

    ¡°Well, it gives presence to the ce.¡±

    While Sun Hwa exined things about the chair, a voice sounded from behind, ¡°So, this is where the Literature Club is.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Mr. Moon! Oh! Mr. James, you¡¯re here too!¡±

    The two came to visit together, and Mr. Moon¡¯s eyes fixed on the chair.

    ¡°What brings you here? Are you here to see us?¡±

    ¡°No, I saw the chair in passing. It¡¯s for sale, right? How much is it?¡±

    He expressed interest in buying the chair. Despite Mr. Moon¡¯s brutally honest answer, a bright smile spread across Sun Hwa¡¯s face.

    At that moment, Seo Kwang interjected, ¡°They don¡¯t do delivery.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. It¡¯s for the science room. I was thinking about getting something morefortable.¡±

    ¡°For yourself?¡±

    ¡°You can always get your own.¡±

    Without hesitation, he reached for the chair. All eyes were on Mr. Moon as he spent his money boldly. Some chuckled while others cheered, and it was a major boost in their sales.

    ¡°Are you getting anything?¡± Juho asked James in English.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I feel like I should buy something while I¡¯m here,¡± James answered in English and looked around.

    With a sincere hope of sess for his friends, Juho suggested various items that were being sold, ¡°How about that tea set over there? Tea would be a lot easier to make.¡±

    ¡°I have enough of tea sets. I got them as gifts.¡±

    ¡°How about a book? This is aic book, so it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to read. It¡¯ll help with your Korean too.¡±

    ¡°That seems better... Oh! That stuffed giraffe has a really long neck!¡± he said as he went closer to get a better look. In the end, he joined Mr. Moon with a set ofic books in one hand and a small stuffed giraffe in the other. Staring in their direction from the cash register, Bom received their payment hastily.

    As he stepped back with a satisfied smile on his face, Juho felt piercing gazesing from behind him. When he turned around, he saw Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang standing shoulder to shoulder, staring daggers at him.

    ¡°I really sold him on theic books.¡±

    Sun Hwa furrowed her forehead at his calm attitude.

    ¡°First, you create a newnguage, and now you¡¯re speaking fluent English as if the former wasn¡¯t enough. You really know everything there is to know about writing, don¡¯t you? How manynguages do you speak, like ten?¡±

    ¡°Twenty-three, give or take.¡±

    ¡°... Am I supposed to believe that? So annoying!¡±

    ¡°I know!¡± Seo Kwang agreed strongly, picking up a notebook. ¡°I can¡¯t stand it whenever he¡¯s reading something written in anothernguage. I want to be able to do that! I¡¯m going to use this to learn words.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very innocent.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t care!¡±

    Listening to the two conversing, Juho too picked up a notepad. His old one was nearly used up. While telling him the price, Sun Hwa suggested they get chicken skewers on their way out.

    ¡°Is it good?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t tried it.¡±

    ¡°At least you¡¯re honest.¡±

    In the end, Juho and Seo Kwang left the ssroom, each with a chicken skewer in their hand.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to Baron¡¯s ss next, right?¡±

    ¡°He said his ss chose a restaurant theme. They were making toast, weren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°I can probably eat this skewer in one bite,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    Juho agreed. It had been a while since thest time he had had a chicken skewer. As he took a bite, its sweet and savory vor filled his mouth.

    ¡°Not bad.¡±

    ¡°I feel like it tastes even better at school, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    The festival had a magical effect on food. It transformed the most ordinary food into a delicacy. Like Seo Kwang said, it didn¡¯t take long for them to finish their skewers.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    ¡°We came here nearly every day at one point.¡±

    ¡°We sure did.¡±

    They had been the victims of a peculiar usation at one point. Feeling mildly nostalgic, Juho stepped into the ssroom. Baron was sitting in the corner. With other students selling food, it didn¡¯t seem like he was needed immediately.

    ¡°Baron!¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Pff! What¡¯s with your apron?!¡±

    It was bright red, and one wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell if it had Kimchi broth sshed all over. Everyone else in the ss seemed to be wearing ordinary aprons.

    ¡°This is the only apron I could find at home.¡±

    ¡°It suits you.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Baron said. There was a faint smile on his face.

    ¡°You¡¯re each getting a toast, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    At that moment, a girl approached Baron from behind.

    ¡°Hey, Baron? I¡¯m running low on change, could you go get me some?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Juho knew who that was, Sponge-Cake Girl. They seemed rather candid in their conversation. Upon locking eyes with her, Juho exchanged a brief greeting.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s that. Enjoy your toast.¡±

    Baron walked out of the ssroom with the apron still on him. Going into the kitchen surrounded by desks, the Sponge-Cake Girl got started on the toasts. Seo Kwang and Juho took a seat, and each ordered a carton of milk and a piece of toast. From spicy to chocte filled, there was quite an array of items in the menu. While Juho ordered an ordinary ham and cheese, Seo Kwang made an adventurous decision to order the spicy option.

    ¡°Stuff like that will ruin your stomach.¡±

    ¡°Hey, man! Don¡¯t you underestimate my stomach,¡± Seo Kwang said confidently. However, he ran out of the ssroom in no time after chugging three cartons of milk.

    ¡°Spicy!¡±

    While his friend was gasping for breath, there was nothing Juho could do to help him in his suffering.

    ¡°I guess your stomach is a lot stronger than your tongue.¡±

    Murmuring and looking around anxiously, Seo Kwang rushed into the restroom. It was the consequence of overestimating his stomach. Expecting him to take a while, Juho sat himself on a chair in the hallway next to other visitors.

    At that moment, his pocket vibrated. It was a text message from Sung Pil.

    ¡°Long time no hear!¡±

    He was visiting for the school festival. Without hesitation, Juho gave him a call.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Sung Pil answered in his distinct tone. When asked where he was, Sung Pil answered that he was in the school library.

    ¡°What are you doing in the library? Aren¡¯t you visiting for the festival?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to read your story.¡±

    Juho blinked and thought, ¡®Did I ever tell him about my short story?¡¯

    While he was busy retracing his memory, Sung Pil said, ¡°I saw that you had an interview. You really sounded like an author.¡±

    Again, Juho had no recollection of telling him about the interview, and Sung Pil went to the library after finding about it.

    ¡°Were you at the Newspaper Club?¡±

    ¡°No. They were passing out newspapers at the entrance.¡±

    Juho immediately pictured the monkey handing out newspapers.

    ¡°I see, so you read about it, huh? How do you like short story?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m yet to read it. I¡¯m still waiting in line.¡±

    ¡°In line?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The person in front of me is taking a while, especially with yours.¡±

    In terms of length, Juho¡¯s story was the shortest of the three. Yet, the fact that it took time to read showed just how intently it was being read. Juho felt grateful to the mysterious reader.

    ¡°I see that you¡¯re not the only person going to the library in the middle of a school festival.¡±

    ¡°The interview really got me interested. It seems like peoplee here to take a breather too.¡±

    Just as Juho was sitting in the hallway, there were also chairs in the library. Because it was a quiet ce filled with books, it was a rather suitable resting area.

    ¡°Do you need a guide?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re busy. I¡¯m just going to read ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ before I go.¡±

    ¡°Remind me, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m visiting,¡± Sung Pil gave him an obvious answer. Juho was used to it by then. Seeing Seo Kwang walking out of the restroom while drenched in sweat, Juho said goodbye to Sung Pil on the phone.

    ¡°Well, have fun.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    After hanging up, Juho walked toward Seo Kwang. He seemed like he had just washed his face. Thankfully, he seemed to feel a little better.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to rmend that to Sun Hwa,¡± Seo Kwang said as he rubbed his belly.

    ¡°C¡¯mon now. Don¡¯t be that guy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a vor that I couldn¡¯t keep to myself,¡± he murmured, and asked, ¡°Is there anywhere else we can go?¡±

    He still intended on enjoying the day. Pondering for a brief moment, Juho pointed toward the stairs. There was some unintended business upstairs, and Seo Kwang quietly followed him. When they arrived, there was no one around. It was a stark contrast to the floor under it.

    ¡°Are people noting up here at all?¡±

    ¡°I guess not. No one¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess it makes sense considering that it¡¯s almost entirely an exhibition.¡±

    Seo Kwang looked around. There was a music room, where the Art Club was having an exhibition. It looked like an art-museum. Walking past the music room, they reached yet another room.

    ¡°The Photography Club? So this is where they¡¯re having their exhibition,¡± Seo Kwang said as he looked around. ¡°Are we here to look at photos?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Juho walked toward the photos about the size of a B4 sheet of paper over a ck background. Each of them wasbeled with title and the photographer¡¯s name and picture. The ce was quiet and secluded. Even the excited moring from the floor beneath it couldn¡¯t prate the silence in that room. His footsteps echoed throughout the room with his every step.

    ¡°Haha! This one¡¯s funny. Look at the frog.¡±

    Having walked ahead, Seo Kwang called for Juho, who realized that his friend had found the photo he¡¯d been looking for.

    ¡°I guess it makes sense that it made an olddy smile,¡± Seo Kwang said with his eyes fixed on the title. That was the moment when it really shone, moving people¡¯s hearts.

    ¡°But why is your name here?¡±

    ¡°My name?¡±

    Seo Kwang pointed at the title. Underneath it, was the name of the girl with the camera and Juho¡¯s name in parenthesis next to it, written in a slightly smaller point.

    ¡°Title helper: Juho Woo.¡±

    ¡°Were you a title helper? What is that?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    Juho must have taken on the responsibility without even knowing. It was the girl¡¯s way of thanking him.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who came up with the title, huh? I get it now.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not? Then, what¡¯s with ¡®title helper?¡¯¡± he asked again. Juho stared at the photo intently for a brief time. He became curious about whether the olddy got around to seeing the photo and smiled cheerfully.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Only the frog would know.

    ...

    While Seo Kwang ran off to the restroom for the second time, Juho sat on the stairs alone. The crowded hallway came into view. There were even more people than earlier. Dark tent-like decorations mingled harmoniously with bright lights. Students in peculiar costumes or people in ordinary clothes were also visible.

    Juho rested his exhausted eyes. As he was leaning his head on the rail, he felt it vibrate. Slow, yet light footsteps sounded throughout the stairway. They were unhurried. By the time the footstepspletely faded away, Juho took out his new notepad.

    After all, a girl who believed in destiny was bound to have a destiny-like encounter.

 Chapter 124 - Twisting the Birdéˆ¥æªš Neck (1)

    Chapter 124: Chapter 124 ¨C Twisting the Bird¡¯s Neck (1)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Juho Woo!¡±

    As soon as he opened the door to the cafe, Juho looked around to see who was shouting his name. Thankfully, there were no other customers besides Seo Kwang¡¯s mother, who was happily waving her hand. The cafe was filled with warmth and the subtle fragrance of coffee. Having juste inside, cold air wafted from Juho.

    ¡°Hey, a word?¡±

    ¡°Hold on. Let¡¯s order first.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until Juho calmed his friend down and ordered a warm cup of herbal tea that he was ready to talk. Seo Kwang sat at a table far enough for the conversation not to be audible from the cashier. Wearing an excited look on his face, he moved his lips quickly and said, ¡°Congrats, buddy!¡±

    Puzzled, Juho tilted his head.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, what do I mean!?¡±

    Appalled by Juho¡¯s cluelessness, Seo Kwang took the phone in his hand and held it right up against Juho¡¯s face.

    ¡°Top Ten!¡±

    Though Juho couldn¡¯t make anything out from being too close to the screen, he immediately caught on. Seo Kwang was referring to the bestseller rankings. Seo Kwang was making a big fuss while Juho chuckled light-heartedly having already been informed by Jang Mi the night before.

    ¡°You¡¯re within the top ten in the genre novels category! This is a victory!¡±

    Being conscious of his surroundings, Seo Kwang emphasized his words rather than raising his voice.

    ¡°But I was neverpeting for anything.¡±

    Seo Kwang red at Juho and his lukewarm response.

    ¡°No! This is a victory, my friend. A victory! You survived in this cruel world where only the strong survive and made it right to the top! People are finally starting to recognize you for your skills! A rookie!¡±

    Suddenly, he looked behind and told Juho in a whisper, ¡°Yun Woo, the man who knows no failure.¡±

    Juho had gotten used to the name ¡°Yun Woo¡±ing out of his friends¡¯ mouth. Seo Kwang, too, wasn¡¯t awkward about saying the name anymore. By the time Juho and his friends became more familiar with the name ¡°Yun Woo,¡± the readers began to respond to ¡®The Language of God.¡¯ The publishingpany¡¯s active marketing was really starting to pay off.

    The sales rose steadily over time, and the book had eventually be a bestseller.

    ¡°You mean Won Yi.¡±

    Correcting his friend in a whisper, Juho studied the expression on his friend¡¯s face. They were meeting for the first time since the winter break, and Seo Kwang was doing the same.

    ¡°How¡¯s your progress with English?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been shocking myself. I¡¯m like a sponge, absorbing everything I¡¯m learning,¡± Seo said proudly.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Juho said as he took some of the cookies brought out by Seo Kwang¡¯s mother. They had a nice, pleasant snap to them.

    ¡°Soon, I¡¯m going to read every single book written in English in our store. You just wait.¡±

    It was a rather ambitious goal.

    ¡°When you reach a point where you can read books, I¡¯ll give you a gift.¡±

    ¡°Really?!¡±

    ¡°Yep. Whichever book and however many you want.¡±

    After a brief time pondering it, Seo Kwang shook his head.

    ¡°Nah! One will do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a surprise. I thought you¡¯d be a bit more enthusiastic than that. So, which book?¡±

    ¡°Yours,¡± Seo Kwang said as he reached for the cookies. ¡°I¡¯m going to trante it.¡±

    Chewing the cookie in his mouth, he joked about how valuable the book would be, and that he would keep the money he got from selling the book as an emergency fund. Juho gave his friend permission willingly.

    ¡°A bunch of articles have beening up. Hahaha! Oh, man! Look at this one. ¡®The God of Genre Novels.¡¯¡±

    Seo Kwangughed out loud while looking at the screen. He was poking fun at Juho. As usual, the news was filled with articles with embarrassing titles.

    ¡°Apparently, they believe that you¡¯re going to represent the fantasy novels of Korea.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯d be achievable.¡±

    ¡°It says you¡¯re the ¡®Rising Sun.¡¯¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ttering.¡±

    ¡°It also says you¡¯re writing a reverse mythology.¡±

    ¡°That is true.¡±

    A displeased look appeared on Seo Kwang¡¯s face as Juho remained unfazed.

    ¡°Shameless,¡± he muttered as he looked at his phone¡¯s screen. ¡°Who wrote this article anyway? It¡¯s filled with nothing butpliments.¡±

    Upon scrolling down the page, the name of the reporter came into view.

    ¡°Myung Sil Oh? The way I see it, she¡¯s a fan. I can just feel it.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a reporter who¡¯s doing her job: delivering objective information.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re admitting that you¡¯re ¡®The God of Genre Novels?¡¯¡±

    Juho shrugged, and Seo Kwang chuckled.

    ¡°So, are you content with this?¡±

    ¡®The Language of God¡¯ became a bestseller. Aside from writing the book, there was nothing else Juho had done. Without the readers and the publishingpany, the results would look entirely different. The book ranked at number ten in the bestsellers¡¯ list.

    ¡°Number 1 was ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯¡±

    Seo Kwang nodded. At the top of the list was Yun Woo¡¯s sophomore title, ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ It was just as Dong Baek had predicted. A bomb was at the end of a fuse, and now, the fuse would burn up even quicker.

    ¡°Will Won Yi be able to surpass Yun Woo? Will it remain a secret that they¡¯re the same person?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Seo Kwang said as he waved his hand in denial. ¡°You never nned on keeping it a secret from the start. It was pretty apparent in some ces that Yun Woo wrote it. If you really wanted to hide your identity, you¡¯d have written it in a different style.¡±

    He was right. If Juho really wanted to keep Won Yi¡¯s identity a secret and make sure that not a single person would recognize him, he would have written it in an entirely different style that was yet to exist in the world.

    But, Juho didn¡¯t do that.

    He did intend on keeping Won Yi¡¯s identity hidden. However, Yun Woo¡¯s colorful style suited the book quite well. He wanted to portray the grandness of the world he had created. The reason why he published under a different alias was to be free from Yun Woo¡¯s shadow. He believed using another name would be enough to aplish that.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are people who already suspect it, especially the experts.¡±

    Juhoughed at the word ¡°expert.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s entirely true. Using a different name has a lot more of an impact than it sounds. Once you¡¯re biased, it bes impossible to think flexibly. The word ¡°expert¡± tends to lure people into a trap from time to time.¡±

    Because Seo Kwang was himself, he had been able to rte with Juho, Yun Woo and Won Yi simultaneously. Unfortunately, that wouldn¡¯t be the case for other people. Most people would judge an author and their work in their own way and reach a conclusion of their own. There was no guarantee that those conclusions would be close to the truth.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be more worried?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to. I already got what I wanted.¡±

    ¡°What was it that you wanted? Money?¡±

    ¡°Did I not tell you about my royalties?¡±

    ¡°Then, what was it?¡±

    Juho looked at the phone screen in Seo Kwang¡¯s hand. Words were still going around. The book making the bestseller¡¯s list would work as leverage. Even without the name Yun Woo, the book sold at an incredible rate. People started to recognize and think about the author, Won Yi Young.

    ¡°Let¡¯s call it... proof of freedom.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get you sometimes, man...¡± Seo Kwang muttered as Juho sipped his warm herbal tea.

    ¡°Goodnight!¡±

    ¡°Take care, Mr. Ju.¡±

    ¡°Drive safely!¡±

    Sang Young let out a heavy sigh as the crew and actors went their separate ways. He was facing a challenge in the filming process. From the scenario to the actors, everything was in order. There was no trouble with the site, and the set had been carefully examined to look as simr to how it was portrayed in the book as possible.

    He looked at the set that was made to look like the inside of Yun¡¯s house. In it, stood an actor wearing an expression as gloomy as Sang Young¡¯s.

    ¡°Myung Joo,¡± Sang Young called for the actor, and the actor approached the director. Being in his mid-thirties, he was a no-name actor who had mostly been active in supporting roles. He was also the actor who Sang Young had handpicked for the role of Yun¡¯s older brother.

    ¡°I loved the acting,¡± Sang Young said sincerely. The actor¡¯s performance was more than satisfactory to him. ¡°But I¡¯m not happy with what I¡¯m seeing for some reason. Why?¡± Sang Young asked the actor and himself simultaneously. Why wasn¡¯t he satisfied with that particr scene?

    ¡°Mrs. Choi,¡± he called for the writer at a time most people had left the set.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Ju?¡± she answered as she ced her hand on his shoulder.

    Sang Young smiled at his wife¡¯s lovely sounding voice, but the smile quickly faded away. He remembered the situation he was in.

    ¡°What do we need to change?¡± the actor asked in a pleasant voice. His voice stood out to Sang Young from when they first met. It was proof that he was properly trained in vocalization. His clear enunciation was also a big plus.

    Myung Joo was determined. He was ready to take on any challenges thrown his way. His performance was not an issue, and he worked well with veteran actors with substantial amount of experience.

    ¡°You did great, Myung Joo. I think the problem here is our interpretation of the book,¡± the writer said with the script in her hand. ¡°After all, there isn¡¯t a whole lot of information about the older brother in the book.¡±

    Sang Young agreed. He was a character who carried weight, and Sang Young had fallen in love with the character.

    ¡°We did the best we could up to this point, and there hasn¡¯t been any issues. It wouldn¡¯t have been odd if even Mr. Ju were to give an ¡®OK.¡¯¡±

    Before Sang Young got to exin things, the writer beat him to it.

    ¡°But something doesn¡¯t feel right, does it?¡±

    She had also been watching the filming process, probably feeling the same way about the actor as the director. After all, she was the person who read and analyzed the original more than anyone.

    ¡°This scene is important. We have to be really intentional here.¡±

    It was the the scene where the brother twisted a bird¡¯s neck. It wasn¡¯t about him oveing or neglecting his fear. Rather, it was the very expression of it. It revealed the character¡¯s personality. In other words, he was darkness itself. In a movie where light got engulfed by the dark, the dark had to be at its most prominent. That was the reason why Sang Young paid particr attention to the scene.

    ¡°So, am I supposed to be infuriated in this scene?¡± Myung Joo asked. He was holding his ragged script in his hand, open to the page containing the scene they were supposed to have filmed that day. It was the climactic scene where the character¡¯s emotions reached their peak.

    ¡°You¡¯re killing a bird here...¡± Sang Young said. Which meant...

    ¡°... So, yes, you should be.¡±

    At the director¡¯s answer, the actor dropped his head. It was obvious that he was having trouble epting it.

    The writer asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Despite the nervous look on his face, he stood his ground and spoke up. The writer quietly listened without trying tofort him.

    ¡°Something¡¯s not right.¡±

    ¡°My script?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no! It¡¯s my acting,¡± the actor denied.

    Sang Young loved that his writer wife had a sense of humor that shone through from time to time.

    Sheughed as she pulled up her sses.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    After contemting for some time, Myung Joo opened his mouth and asked, ¡°May I act it out?¡±

    ¡°Sure, I think that¡¯d be more efficient.¡±

    Together, Sang Young and his writer wife watched the actor¡¯s performance as he acted out the script. He raged and then killed the bird. His performance stood out because of his big motions and clearly enunciated lines. His expressions were stable.

    Watching the performance, Sang Young pictured the scene in his head. The screen shook. First, a bird came into view, then Yun and his brother. The camera followed the actor. There were hardly any words. The actions pushed the story forward. After killing the bird, the brother became frightened, at first, but soon he became infuriated. Rather than cutting the scene into multiple segments, Sang Young imagined the scene in one long cut. The character left the view of the camera, all without any exnation. The audience was immersed in the scene filled with rough breathing, feathers, and the distorted expression on the characters¡¯ faces.

    As the actor pushed on, his script came into Sang Young¡¯s view. There were notes all over the ce. It was proof that he had studied it meticulously.

    ¡°Hold on.¡±

    The performance stopped abruptly. Sang Young looked at his script, reying the actor¡¯s question from earlier. Would rage really be the appropriate emotion for that scene?¡±

    ¡°Do you have the book on you?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the writer said with the book already open in her hands. The pages were filled with lines, which gave it a raggedy look. She was a quick thinker. Sang Young read the book over her shoulders. Unlike the rest of the book, Yun Woo¡¯s colorful style was kept to a minimum in that particr scene. Because of that, the readers were able to handle the explosive emotions being portrayed in the book in safety.

    ¡°It¡¯s intense. I feel something welling up from within everytime I read it.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    The existence of rage was apparent in that scene. Sang Young asked himself carefully, ¡®Who¡¯s raging here? Yun or his brother? Or is it the dead bird? No. It¡¯s me. I¡¯m infuriated with myself.¡¯

    ¡°Do you think the brother¡¯s really angry here?¡± Sang Young murmured.

    ¡°He throws the dead bird away. As if he¡¯s finally lost it,¡± the writer answered.

    ¡°... I get a feeling that something¡¯s missing here.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s missing?¡±

    Sang Young couldn¡¯t answer her question.

 Chapter 125 - Twisting the Birdéˆ¥æªš Neck (2)

    Chapter 125: Chapter 125 ¨C Twisting the Bird¡¯s Neck (2)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The sound of water filled the bathroom. The water from the showerhead flowed into the drain as it trickled down Sang Young¡¯s body. After washing his hair, he washed his body with a sweet-scented body wash.

    After walking out of the shower, he took the moveable shower head and sprayed the mirror with water. The foggy surface of the mirror cleared up at once, and while checking his face on the mirror, he hummed cheerfully. He seemed much livelier. After looking at the mirror for some time, he stepped out of the bathroom.

    ¡°Ugh! I told you to dry yourself off in the bathroom!¡± his wife, Soo Jung, scolded him.

    ¡°Hehe. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been home. Sorry, hon.¡±

    With that, Sang Young wiped the water off his body in a hurry, changed into hisfortable clothes, and he went to the table to join his wife for dinner. Impressed by the plentiful food, he walked over to the refrigerator and took out a bottle of soju.

    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea? You¡¯re traveling tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Just one ss. I gotta have a ss when there¡¯s a table full of mouth-watering foods.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯d like one too.¡±

    ¡°Hehe. That¡¯s my wife.¡±

    Humming cheerfully, Sang Young took out a pair of sses from the kitchen and poured the soju into them.

    ¡°Ah! That¡¯s refreshing.¡±

    ¡°Here, sir. Have some food.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    There were pieces of seasoned squid at the end of the chopsticks in Soo Jung¡¯s hand. With his mouth open wide, Sang Young ate what his wife had offered.

    ¡°This is good!¡±

    ¡°Right? I bought some when we went down to my parents¡¯ ce.¡±

    The saltiness made it a perfect pair with their drinks. The two ate and conversed about various things. With her scripts on streak of sess, Soo Jung was on the rise as a writer. Between a director and a writer, the conversation was always riddled with movies.

    ¡°Are there a lot of actors asking you about Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I haven¡¯t given them anything though.¡±

    Arge number of renowned actors had been cast for the movie, all sharing in the charm of the original book.

    ¡°I like Myung Joo,¡± Soo Jung said as she took a sip from her ss.

    Sang Young agreed. A polite, yet confident person, he didn¡¯t have much to show for in terms of appearance or career as an actor. He was in his mid-thirties when he auditioned for the role of Yun¡¯s brother in Sang Young¡¯s film adaptation of ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ Thorough and well-prepared, he exuded eagerness. However, that wasn¡¯t what had moved Sang Young to cast him. There were countless actors and actresses who were just as eager, but Myung Joo had one thing that set him apart from his colleagues.

    ¡°Especially his eyes.¡±

    It was his eyes. He was the only actor who had portrayed Yun¡¯s brother with such eyes. Sang Young couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to him.

    ¡°Anyway... what do we do, hon?¡± Sang Young asked as he pulled out the script. He still hadn¡¯t reached a clear answer since that day on the set. Feeling frustrated, he poured the rest of the soju into his mouth.

    Soo Jung, too, took a copy of the script and read it carefully. When faced with his innate fear, Yun¡¯s brother expressed it through anger. He killed the bird. He was an extremely violent character who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to take another life in order to justify his feelings. Interpreting the character as such, Soo Jung wrote the script ordingly.

    ¡°Yun Woo said that he wouldn¡¯t look at the script, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Sang Young felt somewhat frustrated. On the other hand, Soo Jung was confident that she could change Yun Woo¡¯s mind, which also came from her confidence toward her script. Unfortunately, Yun Woo refused to even look at it.

    Studying the look on his wife¡¯s face, Sang Young said cautiously, ¡°He¡¯s like that. He¡¯s far from ordinary.¡±

    Sheughed as she pulled up her sses.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s the kind of person it takes to write a book like that. Yun Woo¡¯s different. Not only did hepletely neglect all of the other directors who are more established, but he also willingly agreed to talk to you. On top of that, he gave you permission to make a film adaptation of his book. It¡¯s baffling. One with a simple desire for sess wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. That is what sets Yun Woo apart.

    ¡°Think about it. How do you hand the copyright over to the director solely on his opinion? Let alone, a lesser-known director?¡±

    ¡°Hon, that¡¯s kind of hurtful.¡±

    Soo Jung chugged her drink. Looking in her direction, Sang Young asked, ¡°What did you mean when you said he was ¡°different?¡± As in... he¡¯s not after sess?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he wants to be sessful, and is probably just as afraid of failure as every other author. What¡¯s different about him are his standards.¡±

    With that, Sang Young remembered his conversation with Juho.

    ¡°He asked if I¡¯d be able to surpass his book. I¡¯ve never heard anybody say something like that.¡±

    ¡°He meant it, right?¡±

    ¡°He did. It sounded like he was asking me to impress him.¡±

    Soo Jung poured herself another ss of Soju. Yun Woo was not after a conventionally understood sess, and there was no way to know what he was really after. While curious, there was something else that she really wanted to know.

    ¡°So, the brother has to be different too then,¡± she said as she chugged her drink.

    ¡°We need to talk to Yun Woo.¡±

    Seeing her eyes burning with passion, Sang Young felt like he was falling in love with her all over again.

    ¡°Would that work though?¡±

    Sang Young set his feelings aside and thought about Juho. He had been asking him numerous questions and fighting for answers. His efforts were in vain for the most part, however...

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say he¡¯s a little more generous when you ask him about the brother?¡±

    While Juho spoke sparingly most of the times, but there were times when he loosened up slightly, and that was whenever he was asked about Yun¡¯s brother. Though he never gave a direct answer, he spoke rtively more than usual. There was potential. As Sang Young hesitated with his phone in his hand, Soo Jung said, ¡°Hon, whether or not it works out, bring it up at least. If it doesn¡¯t work out, then it doesn¡¯t.¡±

    With the encouragement of his wife, he tapped the call button his phone, and eximed cheerfully as Juho agreed to meet with him unlike what he had expected.

    ¡°Are you going out?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re eating out, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cold out, so make sure to bundle up. Wear a scarf.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK.¡±

    ¡°Listen to me. I don¡¯t want you to be shivering in the cold.¡±

    In the end, Juho gave in and went back into his room and wrapped his scarf around his neck. Upon stepping out through the door, he realized that it had been wise to have listened to his mother. It was rather cold out.

    A cold breeze blew as he made his way to the meeting spot. His breath was visible. Dry tree branches moved about lifelessly, while people went on their ways with their shoulders hunched from the cold. As Juho kept on watching the scenery, a car became visible in the distance. In it, there was a person waving at him.

    ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡±

    It was Sang Young, waving his hefty hands. While they¡¯d talked over the phone numerous times, it had been a while since they met in person. Exchanging brief greetings, Juho got in the car, where Sang Young kept himself warm. Juho took off his scarf. Not too long after, he cracked the window open to let the air through.

    ¡°So, the writer and one of the actors are going to be there?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. The script writer and the actor who¡¯s ying the brother. Just those two.¡±

    ¡°Is the brother bing an issue?¡±

    ¡°He sure is.¡±

    Yun¡¯s brother was the most unique character in ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ His character was more than Juho could¡¯ve handled as a young author in the past. When Juho thought back on creating a character like that, he couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly for creating something that was more than he could deal with.

    ¡°I was surprised by how quickly you said yes.¡±

    ¡°We are talking about Yun¡¯s brother here.¡±

    When talking about the character, Juho couldn¡¯t help himself. The words jumped right out of his mouth. That came from his regret of letting go of the character too soon. He was much better equipped as an author now, and though Sang Young had no clue about what was running through Juho¡¯s mind, he rejoiced in the possibility of finding some clues.

    ¡°I won¡¯t say much,¡± Juho said quietly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re only stuck in one particr ce. That¡¯s where Myung Joo has a question for you.¡±

    ¡°You mean the actor?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I saw his performance, and then I came to realize that something didn¡¯t add up. Thanks to him, I¡¯ve realized that my interpretation was wrong.¡±

    Juho¡¯s body leaned to the left as the car turned right,

    ¡°You should just hear him in person. We¡¯re on our way to a high-end restaurant.¡±

    ¡°We could¡¯ve met at a cafe.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, no! We can¡¯t do that! Besides, I¡¯ve been meaning to treat you to a meal.¡±

    ¡°What are they like?¡± Juho asked as he rolled down the window a little more.

    As if he had been waiting, Sang Young began to talk about his beloved, ¡°My wife is a lovely person. She¡¯s also one of the most sought-after screenwriters in Chungmuro. She¡¯s been doing especially well as ofte, like a swan spreading its wings open. Bold and confident, yet beautiful. Would you like to see a picture?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. We¡¯ll meet soon enough,¡± Juho respectfully declined as Sang Young was about to reach for his phone.

    Then, he added in a much calmer voice, ¡°And then there¡¯s Myung Joo Mu. He¡¯s never seen the light of day, but he¡¯s quite experienced. He¡¯s one of the most determined actors I know. We cast him through auditions, so you won¡¯t have to worry about his acting. What really sets him apart though, are his eyes.¡±

    ¡°His eyes?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. He knows how to express emotion through his eyes. He¡¯s a character. Just the one I¡¯ve been looking for.¡±

    Myung Joo was an actor who performed ording to Sang Young¡¯s direction. Though he wouldn¡¯t be getting much screen time, his presence had asting impact. He was the perfect fit for the role.

    ¡°I¡¯m excited.¡±

    ¡°We chose these people specifically so that we can surpass your work. You should be!¡±

    Juhoughed cheerfully at that. Sang Young had the habit of making direct remarks. It was for that reason that Juho had been able to hand the rights over to him with confidence.

    After about thirty minutes, they arrived at a Japanese restaurant. As they entered, they saw a series of rooms lined up on either side of the hallway. A ce like that would provide more than enough privacy for discussing any sensitive matters.

    ¡°The other two are already here, waiting for us. Shall we?¡±

    When Sang Young gave his name, the usher led them to a room located further in. As Juho followed him, a series of dazzling works of pottery and flowers came into view.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about the face they will make when they see you.¡±

    ¡°Probably not all that excited.¡±

    ¡°Nah, they¡¯ll be blown away.¡±

    ¡°Am I like an alien to them?¡±

    ¡°I guess in the sense that your identity is unclear.¡±

    As they conversed on the way, the usher stopped at a tatami room and gently opened the sliding door.

    ¡°Enjoy your meal,¡± the usher said calmly.

    Juho waited until Sang Young went into the room, as hisrge figure blocked the view and made it difficult to make out the interior. As he went in, the first thing that came into view was arge table decorated with a beautiful pink flower.

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    As he looked toward the source of the sound, he saw a tall,nky man with a small head. His mouth was slightly open. The sound hade from him. His eyes shook with astonishment, excitement, anticipation, and a slight sense of tension. Strong emotions were visible in the man¡¯s eyes, and Juho understood immediately what Sang Young had meant on their way to the restaurant.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Hello!¡±

    A woman stood up and greeted Juho as he slowly made his way into the room. She was rather skinny. Her sses were falling off as she bowed.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho returned the greeting.

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    With that, the womanughed cheerfully. She was rather pretty. Again, Juho understood Sang Young¡¯s words at once.

    ¡°Soo Jung Choi. I¡¯m the writer who turned your book into a script. It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m honored to meet you too, ma¡¯am,¡± Juho said with a smile.

    Soo Jung was taken aback by Juho¡¯s vibe. He was much calmer and more mature than she had imagined him to be.

    ¡°I heard about you through Mr. Ju here, but I wasn¡¯t expecting you to be this mature.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    After exchanging brief greetings with Myung Joo, Juho took his seat. The meal began as soon as the table was filled with delicious dishes. Like any high-end restaurant, every bite was as delicate as the first.

    ¡°I¡¯ve enjoyed your book, ¡®The Sound of Wailing,¡¯¡± Soo Jung said.

 Chapter 126 - Twisting the Birdéˆ¥æªš Neck (3)

    Chapter 126: Chapter 126 ¨C Twisting the Bird¡¯s Neck (3)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°It was especially shocking when the mother jumped off the building.¡±

    She was referring to the ending scene in ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ The mother had left her life behind in order to reunite with her baby.

    ¡°It was quite detailed and realistic, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not all there was to it. That scene was the pivotal point in the book. It hit hard with reality in a story that had been mostly emotional,¡± Soo Jung added scoldingly at Sang Young¡¯s light-hearted remarks.

    ¡°¡®The Sound of Wailing¡¯ is not a book that is nice and friendly by any means. It heads toward destruction full throttle, and content like that tends to be heavy and burdensome. Yet, ¡®The Sound of Wailing¡¯ is a little different. Rather than taking others¡¯ burdens, it makes the readers reflect on themselves. That¡¯s how the readers are able to get into the book without feeling wronged or ashamed.¡±

    Sang Young and Myung Joo nodded quietly.

    ¡°I did pay particr attention to that scene. I¡¯m relieved to hear that the message got across,¡± Juho said calmly.

    While eating, the four continued in their conversation about writing. Like any writer, Soo Jung was catching the most minute of details in Juho¡¯s work. It was obvious that she had carefully studied the flow, the chemistry between characters, the meaning of their dialogues and the properties of the sentences. Juho was quite impressed by her.

    ¡°Wow, it seems like you catch every little detail there is when you read. That¡¯s amazing!¡±

    She waved her hand in denial.

    ¡°I usually don¡¯t go that deep with other books. I just thought that I should be familiar with your works as I was writing the script for the movie.¡±

    With that, she took something out of her bag. It was a book.

    ¡°I have four more of these raggedy books at home,¡± she said proudly and handed the book over to Juho. A bird on a white background. It was ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ Upon opening it, Juho discovered that the entire book was filled with her notes, giving it a textbook-like appearance. That gave him an idea of how much time and intention she had put into writing the script.

    ¡°Now that I¡¯m looking at something like that, I¡¯m starting to get more curious about the script.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯d be more than d to help. I happen to have it on me. Would you like to take a look?¡±

    She moved her hand as if she had been ready to reach for the bag at any minute. However, Juho respectfully declined.

    ¡°No, thank you. It¡¯ll take away from the experience when I watch the movie,¡± he said as he returned the book to Soo Jung. After getting the book back, she remained quiet for a little while. She was being more cautious. As Juho waited patiently for her, she carefully brought up the question that had been burning in her mind.

    ¡°I heard that you had made it a condition that we surpass the original.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s more of a wish than a condition.¡±

    ¡°You really are different, Mr. Woo,¡± Soo Jung said as she chuckled light-heartedly.

    ¡°Am I?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If I were in your position, I¡¯d go after wealth and fame. That¡¯s the condition for sess.¡±

    ¡°That is true.¡±

    She felt relieved that Juho was still smiling. Depending on the person, it could have been a sensitive subject to discuss. Also, there was a sense of affirmation in Juho¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Frankly, I¡¯m not any different.¡±

    Juho believed that he was no different from any others, and a perplexed look appeared on the couple¡¯s faces.

    ¡°Are you saying that surpassing the original equates to more benefit?¡±

    ¡°Wait. You¡¯re not talking about some sort of bigger picture here, are you? Like the book selling more once the moviees out, bringing wealth and fame?¡±

    Juho shook his head.

    ¡°Not at all. Most people want wealth for their livelihood: to live just a bit morefortably. Right?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m exactly the same...¡±

    Her light eyes blinked rapidly behind her sses. Looking at her eyes, Juho reminisced about the days when he had had to survive through the winter without money or fame. He had starved and shivered in the cold. Yet, he had lived on despite the misery and difort. Those days had been filled with tears andughter.

    He had been incapacitated by the alcoholism. He hadn¡¯t been able to feel anything. He had vomited stomach acid instead of his emotions. His organs no longer functioned properly due to the alcohol. He had hallucinated often. Unfortunately, his own hands had prevented him from putting that experience into writing as they shook uncontrobly. Even a short sentence had proven to be a challenge. It had been no different from death.

    ¡°... and I¡¯ll keep writing.¡±

    Now, he wrote freely, just as his young self in the past.

    ¡°I want to be moved by a movie that surpasses my work. When that happens, I¡¯m certain that I¡¯ll be able to write something even better than what I¡¯ve written so far.¡±

    ¡°In that case, wouldn¡¯t you have to work with a better director?¡±

    ¡°Who would that be?¡±

    Soo Jung remained silent. She couldn¡¯t answer. Could a famous director who was widely recognized be considered to be a better director? If not, an award-winning, perhaps?

    ¡°I¡¯m confident that I¡¯m working with the best director there is.¡±

    Juho thought back to the day when Sang Young came to meet him at the publishingpany. Sang Young had been confident, and that had been apparent in his words. It had been possible that he had been making empty promises, but he hadn¡¯t let up in that moment at least. Such a person had a lot to offer.

    ¡°The kind of sess I¡¯m after isn¡¯t always found in results. Besides, I received something from Mr. Ju.¡±

    ¡°You did?¡±

    ¡°The mother¡¯s cigarette in ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ That was yours.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was able to write a decent book, thanks to you, so I¡¯d say I¡¯m halfway from reaching my goal.¡±

    While Sang Young sat there with a perplexed look, Juho added, ¡°So, I look forward to working with you for the next half of that journey.¡±

    Silenced filled the room, and Soo Jung was taken aback by Juho¡¯s attitude. He sounded as if his life depended on writing. It was an obsession¡ªan obsession toward sess. While he was after something that was far from conventional, the core of it was exactly the same as of any human being: to live. People couldn¡¯t survive without money or acknowledgement from others. Yet...

    ¡°If I don¡¯t write, I start to fall apart from within.¡±

    The room was filled by Juho¡¯sughter. Though it might have sounded like he was joking light-heartedly, Soo Jung realized the sincerity behind his words.

    ¡°This is great!¡± Juho said as he brought a piece of sashimi up to his mouth.

    The table was filled with yet another series of dishes. They had been conversing for some time. Juho and Soo Jung spoke a simrnguage, and she knew how to put the other person in high spirits.

    ¡°I¡¯ve transcribed Mr. Lim¡¯s book once as well. It was an assignment.¡±

    ¡°An assignment?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was in college. This was ages ago. That was my first time transcribing, and it really was an experience. You almost feel closer to the book.¡±

    Juho agreed enthusiastically.

    ¡°It feels like you¡¯re being probed from within.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a great analogy!¡±

    Juho sensed that they were about to get to the main point. While chewing his food, he looked at the man sitting on the other side of the table¡ªa man of few words. While he acted ordingly, he never tried to plug himself in hastily. He seemed to be familiar with meetings like that. When the conversation between Juho and Soo Jung came to a brief pause, the man opened his mouth and said candidly, ¡°May I ask you a question?¡±

    He had a pleasant voice that was both low and resonating. Juho had heard about how important clear enunciation was in acting. With his properly trained vocalization and expressive eyes, he seemed to possess every quality of an actor.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about Yun¡¯s brother.¡±

    He didn¡¯t beat around the bush. Juho had been previously informed that he had been the first person to ask about the brother.

    ¡°As long as it¡¯s a question that I can answer, I¡¯ll answer to the best of my ability.¡±

    ¡°Be generous with him, will ya?¡± the director said to Juho in a whisper, but Juho ignored it light-heartedly.

    ¡°Mrs. Choi included the smallest of details in her script, so I can understand what kind of emotions Mr. Ju is looking for. I can picture the scenes from just reading it, and it wouldn¡¯t be strange to say that that¡¯s where my curiosityes from.¡±

    The clear interpretation in the script challenged the actor¡¯s preconceived image of the character, but there was one thing that didn¡¯t make sense. Maybe it would be more urate to say that it was different. That very thing was being reflected in the actor¡¯s performance.

    ¡°Which scene is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s when the brother kills a bird.¡±

    Juho remembered his old work vividly. There, was the brother killing a bird and Yun, who watched him quietly. There was a stark contrast between Yun¡¯s naive and fragile nature and his brother¡¯s ruthless and violent personality.

    The brother would ask his younger brother, ¡°Are you still scared?¡±

    And Yun, the younger brother, would respond, ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Killing the bird was the brother¡¯s way of expressing his emotions toward his timid brother, who couldn¡¯t even go outside when the sun was up.

    ¡°Is it rage?¡± the actor asked, and Juho looked up at him and asked, ¡°Rage?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The brother ends up killing the bird, and chucks the carcass at Yun. After killing the very target of his fear, he¡¯s essentially putting what¡¯s left of it in the hands of his frightened younger brother, Yun. Now, the older brother is fully aware that Yun is afraid of birds. Yet, what he did wasn¡¯t for the benefit of his younger brother or tofort him or to encourage him to do the same.¡±

    That was the actor¡¯s interpretation of the scene. The older brother would do something terrible, leaving their house tainted by the bird¡¯s blood. He had brought the very thing Yun feared into his ce of hiding. That ce was no longer safe. The very person who knew his brother¡¯s weakness pinched him where it would hurt the most. It was betrayal.

    ¡°So, I acted it out,¡± Myung Joo said as he raised both of his hands, looking like he was grasping onto something. It was the bird, trying to escape the hands that would bring its death.

    Juho yed through the scene in his head. First, the brother would twist the bird¡¯s wings. It had been a rule of sorts that he had kept whenever hemited simr acts. Without the chance to fly away, the bird would be as good as dead. Yet, it struggled to fight back, trying to walk on its two feet. It was at that moment that the brother let the bird free for a short time, as he made his way to the kitchen to look for a knife. By the time he returned, the bird was exactly where he had left it.

    ¡°Now, this is where the brother kills the bird, raging. His face twists into a scowl, and his jaw bes tense. He¡¯s fuming from his nostrils, and his breathing bes more rigorous. The blood rushing up to his head fuels his rage all the more.¡±

    With that, the actor lowered his hands in a slightly awkward manner.

    ¡°I¡¯d read your book before it was decided that it¡¯d be made into a movie, Mr. Woo. Of course, this was before I took the role of the brother. When I read your book, I did it from Yun¡¯s point of view.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense, considering that the book is written from his point of view,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°There¡¯s that, but I thought that I had done it because I had resonated with him,¡± the actor said.

    ¡°In what way?¡±

    With that, Myung Joo pondered for a brief time and answered in his low, resonant voice, enunciating everything clearly.

    ¡°Whenever I sense danger, I tend to take a step back and analyze the situation. I shrink and stop in my tracks, and I don¡¯t move a muscle until I have a better grasp of my opponent. The brother however, is different.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he is,¡± Juho answered after a brief pause. It was the first time he gave a definite answer. It was an affirming answer, and everyone in the room recognized it.

    Myung Joo clenched his hands into fists and said, ¡°He charges fearlessly toward his opponent. Those who run ahead tend to look admirable, and you start to long to be like them. For that reason, people stay by their sides and fall in love with them. I know I did, just like Yun.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Myung Joo redirected the conversation back on its track: the day when the brother killed a bird.

    ¡°So, what the older brother dides to Yun as betrayal. Yun gets hurt, and he starts to despise his brother.¡±

    Juho gave him no answer. That couldn¡¯t be his point, considering that he was the actor who would portray the brother, not Yun. What he really wanted to know was...

    ¡°Is he really raging?¡±

    The question returned to him.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Yun be the one raging? The two are pr opposites, responding to the same target inpletely different ways. But are they, all of a sudden, both raging toward each other?¡±

    A quiet, light-heartedughter sounded from Juho.

 Chapter 127 - Twisting the Birdéˆ¥æªš Neck (4)

    Chapter 127: Chapter 127 ¨C Twisting the Bird¡¯s Neck (4)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Man...¡± Myung Joo let out, both impressed and overwhelmed. ¡°Amazing,¡± he added in affirmation. ¡°Which means...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Yun Woo opened his mouth and said. ¡°The brother isn¡¯t raging.¡±

    ¡°... but what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Suddenly, the tension was broken by a loud noise. Looking in Sang Young¡¯s direction, Juho found that his cup has spilled over.

    ¡°Be careful.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t be like that. Not here,¡± he said in a suppressed voice as if he were almost begging.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo...¡± Soo Jung was the same. Before Juho realized, a pen and a notepad appeared in her hands. ¡°Mr. Woo,¡± the pleasant-sounding voice said.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Please. Tell us.¡±

    Desperation. With the exception of Yun Woo, everyone in the room was desperate for an answer from the author himself. They were dying to make it a part of their movie.

    ¡°What you really want is to be moved from within, right?¡± Myung Joo asked as he quietly locked eyes with Juho. ¡°I¡¯d like to be him: the perfect recreation of Yun¡¯s brother,¡± he added, his eyes sparkling with strong determination.

    Juho thought about the people he was surrounded by in the room. They were movie makers who wrote and acted. They were all different in age, gender and preferences.

    ¡°May I ask who your favorite authors are? Myself excluded, of course,¡± Juho asked, and they answered his seemingly random question without hesitation.

    ¡°I enjoy Shakespeare quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°Natsume Soseki for me.¡±

    ¡°Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, one of the greats of German literature.¡±

    Three distinctly different people,ing together to make a movie. They all desired sess. While they might each define sess differently, all of them worked with everything they had.

    ¡°I¡¯m confident. I¡¯ll move the hearts of my audience with my movie no matter what, including yours. However...¡± Sang Young said as he wiped the table. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d be able to push on any further if I were to leave here without hearing an answer from you.¡±

    Juhoughed off his seemingly rming remark.

    ¡°C¡¯mon now. Don¡¯t take my hesitation too seriously.¡±

    Sang Young had arranged the meeting with the intention of working together with the author. After all, it was about none other than Yun¡¯s brother. At the end of the day, Juho was partly responsible for making it more difficult for Sang Young and his crew in their efforts to interpret the character. He couldn¡¯t handle the violent nature of the character himself.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t rage,¡± Juho said, then looked at Sang Young and added, ¡°You asked me about him before, right? If he¡¯dmit murder?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    Murder. Abortion. Though indirect, he bloodied his hands by forcing his girlfriend to kill the baby in the same way that he would then kill the bird. After that, who would he chuck the lifeless carcass at?

    ¡°I tried to entuate the contrast between Yun¡¯s and his brother¡¯s characters. Do you know why?¡±

    Myung Joo shook his head.

    ¡°Because they¡¯re simr.¡±

    ¡°Simr...¡±

    ¡°Yes. They¡¯re both afraid of the same thing, and they¡¯ve witnessed the fear in each other¡¯s faces. The brother destroyed what belonged to another person and hid in his brother¡¯s house, all out of fear. What would Yun think at that point?¡±

    ¡°That he doesn¡¯t want to be like his brother,¡± Soo Jung murmured.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. From that point of view, the stark contrast in the two characters takes on a-whole-nother form all of a sudden.¡±

    Her hands moved about busily.

    ¡°But they, themselves, would know that they share the same roots.¡±

    ¡°Yes, there are always traces of it.¡±

    Taking a sip of water, he continued, ¡°So, like you said, Mrs. Choi, the reason he chooses to invade Yun¡¯s refuge and kill the bird there has nothing to do with encouraging orforting his younger brother. He only did it for himself, so that he could be ready for the uing murder.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean one can interpret it as Yun and his brother sharing the same conscience?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Having caught on immediately, Soo Jung moved her hands busily. It might have seemed that the brother chucked the dead bird at Yun on the outside, but at the end of the day, it was none other than himself. He had killed because he was afraid.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s the brother¡¯s hand that ends up getting bloodied. There¡¯s something sacrificial about it. Yun ces all of the emotions that he didn¡¯t want to deal with on his brother, while he goes out into the light himself. After all, the brother is the dark while Yun is the light.¡±

    Unlike Yun, his brother was a person who had never learned to love himself. Yet, he had tried desperately to. Only then, was Yun able to keep his self-love.

    Myung Joo thought about Soo Jung¡¯s words. It was simply too...

    ¡°Sad,¡± Juho said. At that moment, Myung Joo came to a realization. He heard the answer he had been looking for desperately.

    ¡°He¡¯s sad.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Falling apart. Taking lives. Bloodied hands. Unable to rage. All that just to be left in the dark. Myung Joo was overwhelmed with sadness all of a sudden. ¡®Did he manage to bear through the sadness of having to remain in the dark and sinning until the end?¡¯ He felt something welling up from within, and it was a burden that nobody would be willing to share. Knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be able tost long in that state, he asked, ¡°Does he die?¡±

    He didn¡¯t ask ¡°who.¡± Juho didn¡¯t dare to write the brother¡¯s demise. It was far too destructive for young Juho, and because of that, he had never seen the brother¡¯s end.

    Would he die?

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Juho said softly as he imagined the scene in his head. It was the small room where Yun had been hiding, where the walls had been sttered by the bird¡¯s blood. Things like a wardrobe, a desk, and writing tools were spread about the room, giving it an untidy appearance. Two pens, one mechanical pencil, and half an eraser stained with the pencil¡¯s lead. The covers gave off a stuffy odor, and faint daylight shone through the curtains onto it.

    The bird had been as good as dead the moment it lost its wings. Despite knowing that it would never fly again, it fought desperately for its life, roaming around the room as if it were saying ¡°So what if I can¡¯t fly? I have legs.¡±

    Juho called for the brother to ask him personally: ¡®What would you do?¡¯

    ¡°Mr. Woo?¡±

    He opened his eyes. The brother never turned up.

    ¡°Is it getting toote for you?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    He saw the puzzled look on Myung Joo¡¯s face and said, ¡°He must¡¯ve either died or gone away.¡±

    ¡°Sigh, you¡¯re not going to make this any easier, are you?¡± Sang Young grumbled, and hearing those words made Juho somewhat sad.

    The publishingpany was always busy. Editors worked busily everyday, and Jang Mi was no exception.

    ¡°Dong Baek Publishing Company.¡±

    Editors were also responsible for answering the phones that would ring from time to time. Lately, she had been receiving calls asking about someone in particr.

    ¡°I wanted to ask about Won Yi Young?¡±

    It was none other than Won Yi Young. The readers remained curious about him. If Won Yi was capable of drawing that much attention, how much more would Yun Woo draw? Wishing her editor-in-chief good luck, she interacted with the reader as brightly as possible.

    ¡°So, I¡¯ve been really, really curious about this. Is Won Yi a professor or someone who majored in linguistics?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. He¡¯s an ordinary high school student.¡±

    In reality, he was far from ordinary. After all, he was Yun Woo himself. Resisting the urge to mention the name, ¡®Yun Woo,¡¯ Jang Mi said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t disclose that information.¡±

    Afterining for some time, the reader moved on to ask yet another question, ¡°When is the next volume of ¡®The Language of God¡¯ing out?¡±

    It had been among the most frequently asked questions as ofte. ¡®When is the next volumeing?¡¯ At the question she was all too familiar with, Jang Mi had to resist herself from sighing heavily. The readers were already starting to get antsy. Even thepany¡¯s major work, ¡®The Dr. Dong Series,¡¯ had never drawn so much attention and anxiety.

    ¡°The date hasn¡¯t been set yet, but we¡¯re happy to inform you that it¡¯ll be in the near future.

    ¡°Mhm... Yes. Thank you for calling.¡±

    As soon as she hung up the phone, the phone rang yet again elsewhere, and another editor answered with the familiar phrase, ¡°Dong Baek Publishing Company.¡± It was probably about Won Yi.

    ¡°Ah, yes. Mr. Young.¡±

    Of course. She was far too used to the name by that point. The public had a certain image of the book, ¡®The Language of God.¡¯ It was widely recognized as a book that had be a bestseller by word of mouth, which led people to view the book in a positive light. Only the publishingpany would know how busy they had been with marketing and sales.

    Rising from her seat, Jang Mi made her way to the nning Department.

    ¡°Mr. So?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Hello!¡±

    The head of the nning Department greeted her as he rose from his seat.

    ¡°I wanted to get some data for tomorrow¡¯s meeting from you.¡±

    ¡°You mean the proposal? Give me one moment.¡±

    After he handed her the document, she looked at the data and asked, ¡°You were on your way to a bookstore, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep. We recently decided to increase the disy for the book.¡±

    He was referring to the disy racks at a bookstore. The more the books were being disyed, the more they became visible. Books that were more visible tended to sell more.

    ¡°Now¡¯s our chance. The book became a bestseller, so it¡¯ll really start to take off. We should row while there¡¯s water.¡±

    With a pair of dark circles under his eyes, Mr. So smiled brightly. Seeing those dark circles, Jang Mi rted to him as she most likely look the same.

    ¡°Well, you be safe.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    She looked at the document in her hands. The numbers that were growing steadily were starting to rise more aggressively, and she couldn¡¯t resist smiling. While she did work hard to achieve those numbers, Won Yi¡¯s work was at the center of it.

    If the book had not been interesting, it would have never taken off no matter how much time and money they invested into marketing. A tree with rotting roots was destined to die regardless of how much water and sunlight it received.

    The roots of Won Yi¡¯s book would grow even deeper, and it would grow into a unshakeable tree.

    ¡°Jang Mi, did you take a look at the final draft?¡± a coworker asked.

    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯ll look over it by tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon! You were supposed to look at it by today!¡±

    ¡°Well, you can me Mr. Young.¡± Jang Mi moved her hands busily as work came flooding in, then asked about the topic that usually came up around the same time, ¡°Speaking of which, the essay contests are going into their screening stage, right?¡±

    ¡°You mean for the Literature Award?¡±

    The Literature Award was given to the work with the most literary value of that year, and the screening usually began in winter. There were countless awards offered by differentpanies, publishers and associations, but none of them were as significant or recognized as the Three Literary Awards of Korea.

    Jang Mi was particrly interested in the Dong Kyung Literary Award. The reason being...

    ¡°It¡¯s the only award that considers full-length novels.¡±

    Unlike most literary awards that only considered short stories and mid-length novels, length was not one of the qualities judged by the Dong Kyung Literary Award. It judged a wide range of books that were published that year. ¡®Which book would turn up at the top for its literary value that year?¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s going to be Yun Woo. No doubt,¡± the coworker said.

    Considering his presence, Yun Woo would be one of the most likely candidates. While agreeing, Jang Mi shook her head.

    ¡°But there are more established authors who did well this year. Seo Joong Ahn put out his first book in five years as well.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, Geun Woo Yoo¡¯s ¡®Sad Face¡¯ was pretty well received. So did Joon Soo Bong¡¯s, your favorite.¡±

    The Dong Kyung Literary Award was an award that judged a book strictly for its literary value. It didn¡¯t matter how famous or obscure the author was. If anything, there were quite a few books that had be bestsellers after winning the award. One additional sentence in a marketing campaign was more than enough for the book to sell: ¡°Winner of the Dong Kyung Literary Award.¡±

    ¡°I wonder how this book will do?¡± Jang Mi said as she looked at ¡®The Language of God¡¯ in front of her.

 Chapter 128 - Cheering Loudly (1)

    Chapter 128: Chapter 128 ¨C Cheering Loudly (1)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Hello,¡± a voice greeted Yun Seo on her way into the building, and they exchanged bows. It was Pyung Jin Lee, a book critic who had been rising to fame because of his TV appearance.

    ¡°I enjoy watching your show quite a bit, Mr. Lee.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    They walked together since the two were headed to the same ce, and his yellow necktie dangled about.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t met since the recent reading.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    Pyung Jin was one of the judges for the Dong Kyung Literary Award that year. Consisting of four novelists and three critics, judges met monthly for a reading and discussed their opinions on the books that were published that year. So far, the candidates were narrowed down to fifteen, and the time to choose the final candidate had finallye.

    ¡°Which do you think will be the top four?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± Yun Seo said, keeping her answers brief.

    Every single candidate that would be chosen by the judges came at the result of the author¡¯s blood, sweat, and tears. While there was no such a thing as ranking in literature, the very existence of an award had the effect of attaching numbers to everything associated with it.

    ¡°I look forward to finding out who will be the recipient of this year¡¯s honor.¡±

    Yun Seo smiled bitterly at Pyung Jin¡¯s remark. Yet, awards existed, and they were sought after by many. Winning a literary award brought honor to its recipient, and the Dong Kyung Literary Award was especially significant. It didn¡¯t matter if an author was a rookie or veteran, or the length or the content of their work. The award would be judged based solely on its literary value.

    ¡°This year is special,¡± Pyung Jin said excitedly. ¡°We might have the youngest winner ever.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    The fifteen authors of the fifteen candidate books were almost all in their thirties, and each and every one of them stood out that year. Among them, was a person who stuck out like a sore thumb.

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    There had been prodigies in the literary world. While some showed talent innguage and others the capacity to write something with significant literary value, it took years for those prodigies to be able to write a respectable story. Yet, Yun Woo wrote his second book within a year of his first book being published. On top of that, it shocked its readers with its outstanding content.

    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that he¡¯d bloom into such a beautiful flower?¡±

    He was referring to ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ Remembering his critique of the book, Yun Seo asked, ¡°Coming to think of it, you weren¡¯t very excited about Yun Woo¡¯s debut, right?¡±

    ¡°I suppose you can say that, at least until I read his second book anyway,¡± he admitted quietly. He was not fond of younger authors. Yun Woo definitely knew how to approach human emotions with utmost purity, and there was no doubt that we was an excellent writer. His book was far tooplex for his age, yet it was a book that could only be written at his age. Pure content and seasoned writing, those were some of the defining qualities of Yun Woo¡¯s debut title.

    ¡°His image as a star was more apparent than his image as an author.¡±

    Pyung Jin believed that the masses had vastly overestimated the young author, and that even the critics were blinded by his uniqueness. He was convinced that Yun Woo was taking advantage of his widely perceived image of being a genius.

    ¡°Yet, I couldn¡¯t have been more wrong.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°I was underestimating him as an author.¡±

    Yun Woo was an author who had remained anonymous and published his second book, ¡®The Sound of Wailing,¡¯ within a year. Pyung Jin thought that he would follow the trails of the authors who vanished from the literary world, leaving only their debut title. Writing tended to be merciless. It robbed everyst bit of authors who were content with their own talents. Then, the work came out into the world and never to fade away.

    ¡°¡®The Sound of Wailing¡¯ was excellent. I believe that it surpassed the predecessor by far. It¡¯s deeper and more potent. Rather than falling on his face, he matured. Sometimes, I wonder if he¡¯s made a deal with the devil.¡±

    Pyung Jin knew nothing about Yun Woo. He didn¡¯t know what he looked or sounded like, and that was fueling the fear within him. ¡°What if he¡¯s not like what I expected?¡±

    Yun Seo smiled cheerfully at his remark.

    ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound a little biased.¡±

    ¡°I can say things like that because I¡¯m with you, Mrs. Baek. You¡¯re level-headed even with your pupils¡¯ works.¡±

    ¡°I respect my pupils.¡±

    For authors, there was no significance in winning an award with the help of their teacher. If anything, it was an act of insult toward another author.

    As they conversed, they reached their destination, and the two walked into the room. Arge, U-shaped table came into view. Other judges who had arrived prior to them rose from their seats simultaneously in order to greet Yun Seo. As they caught up with each other, the door closed at the previously agreed time.

    ¡°Ladies and gentleman, we will now proceed to vote for the final candidate for the Dong Kyung Literary Award,¡± one of the judges said, and the voting began.

    ¡°The result is in.¡±

    Yun Seo sat and listened quietly. The judge started with the work that received the most votes.

    ¡°Most voted: Yun Woo¡¯s ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯¡±

    The room sank with calmness, masking the strong sense of excitement. Yun Seo shared that sentiment with all of the other judges in the room. Amid the odd tension, the judge moved on to announce the next candidate.

    ¡°Seo Joong Ahn¡¯s ¡®One Room.¡¯¡±

    Yun Seo nodded quietly. His book was quite good.

    ¡°Dae Soo Na¡¯s ¡®The Finger that Rings the Bell.¡¯¡±

    Pyung Jin moaned quietly as he was reminded of a grotesque scene in that book.

    ¡°Andstly, Soon Soo Bong¡¯s ¡®I Remember the Lightning from that Day.¡¯ These four stories were chosen as the final candidates for the final evaluation.¡±

    Yun Seo studied the results. The votes were focused noticeably on one author.

    ¡°This year¡¯s results are turning out to be quite odd,¡± a judge said. Usually, the votes would be equally distributed for the most part, making it difficult to choose. However, that pattern was about to change.

    ¡°¡®The Sound of Wailing¡¯ seems to be the strongest candidate.¡±

    ¡°What happens when Yun Woo wins?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯d be the youngest author to have won.¡±

    The votes were focused on Yun Woo. Having voted for him herself, Yun Seo didn¡¯t have anything to add. Being one of the most significant literary awards in the country, it wouldn¡¯t be an overstatement to say that the Dong Kyung Literary Award was the highest honor an author could receive for a full-length novel. Other judges chimed in, however.

    ¡°Mr. Bong tends to focus on the expressions. His sentences are excellent, and it makes me envy him every time I read them. It stood out that the story unfolds from the perspective of a twisted individual, questioning the foundation of life.¡±

    ¡°Reading ¡®The Finger that Rings the Bell¡¯ was like a roller-coaster ride. It¡¯s very easy to read, yet the sentences have weight. I think Dae Soo Na is one of the best when ites to striking that fine bnce. Although, I can¡¯t deny that it¡¯s a bit excessive in ces.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Ahn published a book that¡¯s different from his previous books, and I gotta say that it¡¯s rather distant from the stories he¡¯s been writing. The result of that change, however, was a sess. It was refreshing to see such a closed-off story from him.¡±

    The turn went to Yun Seo, and she slowly opened her mouth and said, ¡°Yun Woo is...¡±

    All eyes were on her. Yun Woo. While he was alone, he was special, and for that reason, he drew a significant amount of attention. However, the Dong Kyung Literary Award was given to a book, not its author. Yun Seo corrected herself, ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s writing tends to be rather potent.¡±

    His books had asting impact on the readers. It was not watered down by any stretch of imagination. After reading it, one couldn¡¯t simply get rid of the experience. Things would never be the same. The impact lingered in the readers¡¯ hearts and continued to affect them.

    ¡°It puts me in an awkward ce.¡±

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Nam Kyung let out heavily. He had been ring at the phone in front of his eyes for thest thirty minutes.

    ¡°Nam Kyung, rx,¡± said Mr. Maeng, but that proved to be of little help. If he were in Nam Kyung¡¯s shoes, he might have been just as nervous when the author he¡¯d been working with was on the verge of being the youngest winner of an award of nationwide recognition.

    ¡°I might be getting a call. I feel like I¡¯m being crushed by my own anticipation.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not celebrating too soon? What if another author ends up getting the award?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that now,¡± Nam Kyung said, still ring at his phone piercingly.

    Shaking his head, Mr. Maeng returned to his task. However, his concentration was short-lived as the desk shook uncontrobly.

    ¡°You¡¯re shaking your legs.¡±

    ¡°How can I not?!¡±

    With that, Mr. Maeng threw his hands up in the air. It wouldn¡¯t be an understatement to say that the entirepany was in the same state Nam Kyung was in. If Yun Woo were to actually win the award, the impact would be all the more powerful. The phrase ¡®Winner of the Dong Kyung Literary Award¡¯ would follow after every copy of ¡®The Sound of Wailing,¡¯ and people would buy the book without even knowing about the award. The sales would jump drastically, and the publishingpany would be even busier.

    ¡°We might be able to get further ahead of ¡®The Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    There was a book that had been on the rise at a frightening rate. It was a book called ¡®The Language of God.¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s ranked number one in genre novels, right? It¡¯s picking up at a threatening speed, and it¡¯ll sell even more.¡±

    Being a rather long book, Nam Kyung hadn¡¯t gotten around to reading it himself. However, he had been hearing about it quite often. It was a book that showcased its own unique, finely detailed world. From the viges visited by the characters to the stores, there was nothing crude about the book.

    The only reason why Nam Kyung knew so much about the book was because of his coworker, Mr. Maeng, who was an avid fantasy novel fan.

    ¡°¡®The Language of God¡¯ is incredible. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve read about such an enormous world. At the same time, the details are just fascinating. Thenguage used in that book has a structure that¡¯s both delicate and wless. There are people who actually learned it, so I tried to learn it myself, but it was a tad too difficult for me. And the characters! There¡¯s a clear sense of direction in their quest, so it makes it really exciting for the readers. Theye across all sorts of people and events, and the characters be more three-dimensional in the process. Tranting the mythology and the history within the book is also fun in its own way.¡±

    ¡°I know nothing about the book. Never read it.¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me that you haven¡¯t read the one book that¡¯s threatening ¡®The Sound of Wailing?¡¯¡±

    ¡°You know how busy I am. Where¡¯d you find the time to read such a long book anyway?¡±

    ¡°I sacrificed my sleep.¡±

    Applying eye drops to his dry, tired eyes, Mr. Maeng kept on.

    ¡°I liked also Won Yi¡¯s new work about a girl who believes in destiny. It was such pure literature. I personally believe that Won Yi Young was a literature major.¡±

    With that, he suddenly stopped talking.

    ¡°What made you stop?¡±

    ¡°Coming to think of it, there¡¯s something about him that resembles Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. What could it be? Is Won Yi Young a fan of Yun Woo? Maybe he was heavily influenced by him considering that his book came out after the Yun Woo fever?¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Listening half-heartedly, Nam Kyung checked the time. Any minute now.

    ¡°They¡¯re taking a while.¡±

    ¡°May be the evaluation is going longer than nned,¡± Mr. Maeng said as he looked at the shaking desk.

    At that moment, the voice of the editor-in-chief sounded in the distance, ¡°Still?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Maeng answered on Nam Kyung¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°Make sure your phones are connected!¡± the editor-in-chief said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we made thorough checks. As long as we don¡¯t lose electricity, we should be able to hear the news without any issue,¡± Nam Kyung answered as he pulled up his sses.

    ¡°Would you please stop shaking your legs, then?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon... any minute now,¡± the editor-in-chief grumbled.

    At that moment, the phone rang. Everyone focused on it anxiously. However, it was not Nam Kyung¡¯s phone that rang.

    ¡°Ah, yes. Mr. Woo,¡± Mr. Maeng answered the phone.

    It was one of the regr calls asking about Yun Woo. Once he hung up, he felt like his strength had left his body, and he buried his head on his desk, shaking.

    Everything stopped at that moment.

    ¡°The moment of truth.¡±

    The phone broke the silence. Nam Kyung calmly brought the receiver up to his ear, and after responding repeatedly, he hung up.

    The loud sound of cheering filled the room.

 Chapter 129 - Cheering Loudly (2)

    Chapter 129: Chapter 129 ¨C Cheering Loudly (2)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho woke up with the sound of his phone vibrating. The light rushing into his eyes reminded him that he had slept in, which made sense considering howte he had gone to bed the night before. Picking up the phone that was still vibrating, he tapped on the call button. It was Nam Kyung.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    It was rather rowdy on the other end of the line, and Juho brushed down his face with his hand, still half asleep.

    ¡°Congrattions!¡± Nam Kyung said excitedly.

    ¡®What is he talking about?¡¯ Juho wondered.

    ¡°You won the Dong Kyung Literary Award, Mr. Woo!¡±

    The Dong Kyung Literary Award was one of the three major literary awards in South Korea, and Juho had already been informed that his book had been chosen as one of the final candidates. But what did Nam Kyung just say?

    ¡°¡®Scuse me?¡±

    It was a rather hectic morning.

    ¡°The winner of the Dong Kyung Literary Award, Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°The youngest winner in the history of Korean literature. What are the three major literary awards?¡±

    ¡°A closer look at Yun Woo¡¯s ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo, the author who showers in awards, takes home yet another trophy.¡±

    ¡°The new wave of the publishing industry, Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the Dong Kyung Literary Award is, but he sure is impressive.¡±

    ¡°All of the bookstores are filled with his books.¡±

    ¡°Is Korea finally getting its own, world-renowned author?¡±

    ¡°I heard ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ is really taking off overseas.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to get used to his title of being ¡®the youngest author to do this and that.¡¯¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a ghostwriter, does he? How old is he again?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to meet the guy. I hope he¡¯s ugly as heck. It¡¯ll remind me that this world is fair.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s probably much better looking than you though.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t he have to show up for his award? Is he finally going to reveal himself?¡±

    ¡°I heard the editor is epting the award on the author¡¯s behalf.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even look at his books, but I¡¯m super stoked that he¡¯s getting the award! This is more nerve-racking than the Entertainment Award on TV. You¡¯re the best, Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I second that. I never thought I¡¯d geek out over a writer.¡±

    ¡°Honestly though, it would¡¯ve been controversial if he didn¡¯t win the award. Established authors are notorious for ostracizing newer authors on the rise.¡±

    ¡°Take me, Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°His fandom will grow evenrger. He¡¯s not going to start a boyband, is he?¡±

    ¡°He already is a boyband-like figure in the literary world. Any book that bears the name ¡°Yun Woo¡± will sell like there¡¯s no tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°What was I doing when I was his age? So jealous.¡±

    ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± Yun Woo answered Yun Seo on the phone. It wasn¡¯t untilter that he found out that she was one of the judges. Juho received many more congrattory calls from others, including the club members, Mr. Moon, and his fellow authors.

    He sat before his desk to work on his award speech that needed be sent to Nam Kyung by the end of the day. The Dong Kyung Literary Award was given to the author¡¯s work, not its author. Therefore, it would¡¯ve been ideal to have the speech delivered by the author¡¯s work itself. Sadly, it was impossible in various aspects, and Juho was forced to pick up his pen.

    Reaching toward the stack of books on his desk, Juho pulled out a book from the middle. Because its edge had been torn out, he didn¡¯t even have to look to know that it was ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯

    ¡®What should I say?¡¯ he asked, but the book gave him no answer. As Juho opened the book, the image of the mother lingered before his eyes. After reading about a page, he ended up closing it again.

    He imagined an award ceremony without the awardee. There were countless people in the audience, sitting before a small stage. Standing on that stage would result in bing the center of attention. The round spotlight shone onto the stage, creating a boundary for the allotted space.

    As they pped like machines, Just was able to see some of the audiences. By the time the apuse died down, Juho started off with his regret of not being able to be present in the ceremony.

    ¡°For those who know my face, I¡¯m sure you can imagine what I¡¯m feeling at the moment. The only thing that enabled me to be able to publish my second book in such a short time was their silence. Because of them, I was able to write peacefully in a quiet ce. Thank you.¡±

    The audience remained silent, and everyone listened intently at the young genius¡¯ speech.

    ¡°Now, my books will be decorated with the title ¡°The winner of the Dong Kyung Literary Award.¡± I¡¯m mildly concerned by whether that phrase will actually work as a disadvantage toward the novel, but who knows? Maybe the book will be willing to ept it dly. Of all books in this entire world, I find my own books to be the most mysterious.¡±

    Juho looked down at the que in his hand as it sparkled beautifully.

    ¡°I believe that this award is the proof that shows how many people were moved by and have identified with my book, ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ What was once unseen and uncaught, somehow found its way into my hands, wrapped up quite beautifully,¡± he said as he raised the que up slightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be part of this.¡±

    An explosive cheer sounded from the audience. Everyone celebrated the birth of the youngest winner. The apuse went on for quite some time, and it almost sounded like it wouldst forever. As the que in his hand grew gradually heavier, Juho tossed it into the dark, smiling. The audience sank back into silence.

    ¡°Now, I think I¡¯ll go write some more. I can¡¯t hold my pen when I have something else in my hand,¡± he said as he raised his hand as a final gesture of his appreciation.

    ¡°At any rate, thank you all.¡±

    As he walked off the stage, Juho opened his eyes. After organizing his thoughts for a brief time, he began to write his speech one word at a time, adjusting the length and making it appropriate for the audience. Not too long after sending it to Nam Kyung, Juho received a call from him.

    ¡°This won¡¯t do,¡± he said, despite Juho making careful adjustments to the speech.

    Nam Kyung exined the social standings of the audience in detail to him. At Juho¡¯s indifferent attitude response, Nam Kyung begged more desperately than he¡¯d ever done.

    ¡°Please, go easy on your audience.¡±

    Left with no choice, Juho revised his speech and sugar-coated a few words. Relieved, Nam Kyung epted it willingly.

    A few dayster, Nam Kyung epted the award on Juho¡¯s behalf, and the speech written by Juho became a sensation for a while. While people grew all the more curious about Yun Woo, Juho walked leisurely about the park. He was standing in the eye of the storm.

    ¡°James!¡±

    ¡°Oh! Ethan!¡±

    James waved happily at his friend. As the semester came to an end, he left for the US to reunite with his friends. It had been yearly urrence for him from the time he started his teaching career in Korea.

    ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡±

    ¡°As usual.¡±

    ¡°And the others?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re on their way.¡±

    Having arrived early, Ethan¡¯s ss was already half empty. James also decided to enjoy himself with a ss while waiting for his friends.

    ¡°Mm... I missed this.¡±

    ¡°You mean the drink?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s something special about it.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been regrs for quite some time now.¡±

    It wouldn¡¯t have been an overstatement to say that James had spent half of his college career there. The cozy shop was always filled with pleasant music.

    ¡°Hey, they¡¯re starting.¡±

    With the drums marking the introduction, the band in the corner of the shop started their performance. The asional cymbal hits refreshed the hearts of the audiences. James gently moved his body to the rhythm of the music, which was as lively as a street performance. Music apanied by a ss of alcohol tended to fill the area with happiness.

    ¡°James!¡±

    ¡°Sophia! Charlotte!¡±

    The friends sat at the table dly. With music in the background, the four caught up with each other. As James was sharing things about his life in Korea, he suddenly remembered a particr face.

    ¡°So, there¡¯s this really interesting student at my school.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great! You were thinking about quitting!¡± Charlotte said dly. Just as she had said, James had been seriously contemting leaving his teaching position up until the year before. Teaching was not fun by any means, and living in a foreign country came with a series of challenges on its own. Though he chose that path intentionally at first, he found himself growing more and more tired of his career. However, there was one student who flipped his school life upside down.

    ¡°We speak a simrnguage, and his English is impressive!¡±

    ¡°Is he Korean?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Given that he excels in grammar and vocabry, it feels really natural to talk with him, almost like talking with you guys.¡±

    ¡°Did he study abroad?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he watched a lot of American TV shows?¡¯

    James shook his head.

    ¡°He¡¯s a person who prefers books over moving images.¡±

    ¡°A-ha!¡±

    ¡°His sense ofnguage is impressive,¡± James said.

    With that, he told his friends about the time he shared his study on Old English with Juho. Juho had learned the structure and its vast vocabry through it, and James was rather impressed. Though he had made an offer to introduce him to a professor he knew, Juho had respectfully declined while smiling.

    ¡°Is that for real?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Down the line, he went even further and started asking about Latin or Gothic. Since I didn¡¯t know either of thosenguages, all I could do was get him the relevant resources.¡±

    ¡°Wow...¡± Ethan whistled quietly.

    At that moment, Sophia changed the subject abruptly, ¡°Speaking of which, isn¡¯t there a genius author in the country you work in? Yun Woo?¡±

    James nodded. There was not a single person who wasn¡¯t familiar with that name in Korea, and James himself was also a fan. He had bought a tranted copy from a website overseas. The astonishment he felt from the book had a lot inmon with that of his conversations with Juho.

    ¡°He¡¯s really, really famous.¡±

    Having been published back to back, both of Yun Woo¡¯s books had been sensational, and a film adaptation was in progress. James was especially fond of the author¡¯s personality reflected in his recent speech at the award ceremony.

    ¡°It just so happens that he¡¯s the same age as the student I was just talking about.¡±

    ¡°I read his books too, so I looked him up immediately. I was disappointed that there was such little information about him.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not too different in Korea.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s probably not good for him to be exposed to the media at such a young age.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    At that moment, Charlotte interjected in the middle of James and Sophia¡¯s conversation, ¡°You guys are talking about ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ right? The freshman?¡±

    ¡°He should be a sophomore now. I mean a junior,¡± James said as he thought of Yun Woo, who would be going into his second year of high school.

    (Editor¡¯s Note: High school goes on for three years in Korea.)

    ¡°How can anyone write a book like that at that age? I almost doubted whether he even really existed. He¡¯s seriously an amazing writer,¡± Charlotte said excitedly.

    ¡°I agree. The trantion wasn¡¯t half bad either. It was published by Fernand, after all.¡±

    ¡°Is it really that good? Everyone I meet has been talking about that booktely!¡± Ethan asked as he took a sip of the ss he had ordered.

    ¡°It¡¯s a remarkable product by a young author. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s going to be loved for years on end,¡± Sophia answered.

    ¡°Is he like a reincarnated Shakespeare?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not English though,¡± Charlotte answered as she brought a beer bottle up to her mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time in years that I¡¯ve read a foreign book.¡±

    ¡°Same here. Seo Joong Ahn, was it? I did read his book, but I¡¯m still rtively unfamiliar with Korean novels,¡± Sophia agreed with her friend, and then chimed in as if she remembered something. ¡°So, ording to my friend, Yun Woo¡¯s particrly popr in France. His book is a bestseller in Europe already.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± James said as he looked at his friends intently. ¡°Do you guys know about his new book? It¡¯s really taking off in Korea. It won an award recently and, apparently, it holds quite a weight there.¡±

    With that, a bright smile appeared on Sophia and Charlotte¡¯s faces.

    ¡°Yes, the new book!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re also aware that Fernand got the rights to publish it.¡±

    ¡°Next week!¡±

    ¡°We get to read Yun Woo¡¯s new book!¡±

    ¡°I should get one myself,¡± James said calmly.

    Despite the overwhelmingly positive remarks about Yun Woo, Ethan was the only one who looked displeased.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s all because of his age,¡± he said as he rubbed his nose.

 Chapter 130 - Cheering Loudly (3)

    Chapter 130: Chapter 130 ¨C Cheering Loudly (3)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Come again?¡± Sophia asked, furrowing her forehead.

    Ethan added without hesitation, ¡°If a man in his forties wrote a book like that, he couldn¡¯t have drawn that much attention.¡±

    Sophia chuckled at his words.

    ¡°You know so much about the author for someone who¡¯s never read his book.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s obvious. I heard some professor had some pretty harsh things to say.¡±

    ¡°Criticism isn¡¯t everything though.¡±

    ¡°They do exist for a reason.¡±

    ¡°OK, are you aware that there are also professors who praised Yun Woo highly?¡±

    ¡°Oh... That I didn¡¯t know, but I can tell that you really like him.¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand how people are worshipping him, calling him things like genius.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not worshipping him.¡±

    ¡°OK, guys. That¡¯s enough,¡± James intervened, and Ethan let up.

    ¡°Well, I have no recollection of being invited to a literary society or anything. C¡¯mon guys, it¡¯s been a while. Let¡¯s talk about something else.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t just about the book,¡± Sophia said.

    And Charlotte added with a smile, ¡°Whether you like him or not, there¡¯s no one as sensational as Yun Woo in the literary world currently. ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ was a debut title. He¡¯s rising to fame with his debut title. An author is essentially the equivalent of his country¡¯s image, like John E. Steinbeck or Edgar An Poe. So, that makes our conversation...¡±

    ¡°OK, OK, I get it. Should we all go to the bookstore or something?¡±

    The cymbals sounded in the distance, and the performance was reaching its climax. In a calmer tone, Sophia opened her mouth and said, ¡°Well, should we change the subject for Ethan¡¯s sake?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll tell you about what happened to me this past week, James. You don¡¯t know yet, right?¡±

    Just like that, the conversation moved on. Because they had conflicting personalities, Sophia and Ethan tended to get into heated arguments from time to time. The fact that they had remained friends was a miracle.

    Some timeter, after making ns to go to the bookstore with his friends, James ended up running into the very person he had intentionally left out: Ethan.

    ¡°So, what brings you here?¡±

    In between Sophia and Charlotte who were smiling proudly for a unknown reason, Ethan said, ¡°Yun Woo is the best author there is.¡±

    ¡°Congrattions on winning the Dong Kyung Literary Award, Mr. Woo!¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Juho answered Nabi light-heartedly.

    ¡°No matter how many times I¡¯m here, this is a rather unique ce to have a meeting,¡± she added as she looked around. They were at the botanical garden. Usually, a meeting like that would take ce in an office, studio, cafe, or a private room in a restaurant.

    Then, the door sounded open and a man walked in. His face appeared under the vines. It was Nam Kyung.

    ¡°I¡¯d consider this to be a private room. It¡¯s attached to the botanical garden,¡± Juho told Nam Kyung.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been here, so I got a little lost,¡± he said as he closed the squeaky door, looking around at his surroundings. ¡°I didn¡¯t know this ce existed.¡±

    Past the tall banana trees, there was something that resembled a door that also looked like arge leaf or part of the wall. It was the same door that Nam Kyung hade in through.

    The ce was upied by a hefty wooden table, chairs, and a vending machine.

    ¡°Not many people know about this ce aside from the security guard and the custodian.¡±

    Juho looked around and saw a long, skinny pot that was filled with nothing but dirt. Empty flower pots were lined up like works of pottery. Surrounded by translucent walls, that ce had been used for potted nts exhibitions at one point.

    ¡°The potted nts weren¡¯t all that popr, so they converted it into a resting area, but there¡¯s a snazzy cafe next to the garden¡¯s entrance now, so that¡¯s probably where people prefer to be. Besides, I¡¯m sure most people prefer a well-brewed cup of coffee over one from a coffee machine.¡±

    ¡°How you found this ce is still beyond me.¡±

    Juho had recentlye to discover the ce while on his walk. He visited the botanical garden frequently, yet the door managed to remain hidden from his sight. He had just recently opened the door that had existed even before his death and revival. Despite the number of years he had lived, he had never opened that door until that moment.

    ¡°I opened it out of curiosity at first, and that¡¯s when I locked eyes with a custodian. He asked me toe and use it whenever I could because he felt like the ce was being abandoned when there was no sign of it being off limits.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense.¡±

    Nabi remembered the time when she opened the old, ck door for the first time. The door handle gave her a sense of uneasiness, and with the ce filled by nts, dirt and the damp air, it seemed like a perfect haven for insects. The door was covered in long vines, giving an unweing look.

    However, in reality, it was a rather ordinary ce. Despite the empty flower pots and flowerbeds, it looked noticeably difference from the inside. Nabi found herself growing fond of the ce already. Every breath she took was seasoned by the fragrance of nature.

    ¡°It¡¯s warm throughout the year in here because of the nts.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a vending machine in here too, so we can have ourselves a cup of tea whenever we desire. Nam Kyung, join us.¡±

    Before joining Nabi and Juho, Nam Kyung walked toward the vending machine. ck, Latte, Light, Iced. He saw the thick letters written on the buttons.

    ¡°I rmend Job¡¯s tears.¡±

    With Juho¡¯s rmendation, Nam Kyung put in thirty cents and pushed the button. The cup fell out, and it was quickly filled with a liquid, spreading about its nutty fragrance. It was a scent that took him back. If Nam Kyung had been in Juho¡¯s shoes, he wouldn¡¯t have even thought about opening the door and seeing what was on the other side.

    ¡°Everytime we meet, it feels like we get to share a secret with you, Mr. Woo.¡±

    With a warm cup in his hands, Nam Kyung took a seat. Though the chair was a tad too rigid, it was stillfortable.

    ¡°I agree. It feels like we¡¯re in a secret garden.¡±

    The three conversed as they sipped their tea. With an editor and publishing agent in the same ce, the topic was a rather predictable one.

    ¡°So, Kelley Coin¡¯se out with a new book.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ourpany got the rights to publish it. I heard you were a big help.¡±

    ¡°It was chaos. It was a mud fight between all of thepanies that had made an offer, essentially. I really had to stay on top of my game...¡±

    Having made an offer through the Imperst Agency, Zelkova Publishing Company came out on top after a fiercepetition. While Nam Kyung had been busy with Yun Woo¡¯s book at the time, the entirepany was celebrating their victory.

    ¡°... Although the almighty Kelley Coin ended up being pushed aside by Yun Woo,¡± Nabi said as she smiled brightly.

    ¡°The number one bestseller nationwide is ¡®The Sound of Wailing,¡¯ while the ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ is second. These books are flying off the shelves because of the award. On top of that, ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ has also caught a second wind when the fever was starting to die down because of the progress of the film adaption.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s much to be grateful for.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s today, right?¡± Nam Kyung asked as he took a sip of his tea.

    Everyone there knew immediately what he meant.

    ¡°The day when ¡®The Sound of Wailing¡¯ is being published in the US?¡±

    ¡°Fernand sent us an offer about publishing Yun Woo¡¯s second book. His books have already been proven with numbers, so they¡¯re picking it up much sooner than I¡¯d anticipated!¡± Nabi said with sparkling eyes and then took her phone out of her bag to search for something on the inte.

    ¡°¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ made it to the top ten in the entire American market. Not in some subssification, but in the overall market. It¡¯s on the rise across the globe, including the US, Ennd, France, Germany, and fifteen other countries. It¡¯s simply mind-boggling.¡±

    Her hand shook while holding her phone. Sixteen years old. Two hundred thousand copies of the first edition. There were quite a few eye-catching elements. Even the content of the book was something that was rtable to the entire world.

    ¡°But it seems to be receiving mixed reviews,¡± Juho said. After a brief moment of hesitation, Nabi shook her head and said, ¡°The overall reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. That¡¯s also what¡¯s making the minority opinions stand out more.¡±

    An American professor had openly criticized the book once, describing ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ as a journal written by a child. It was rather sarcastic, and it was obvious that he wasn¡¯t willing to acknowledge the book as literature. Yun Woo¡¯s age was a double-edged sword. The massive attention came at the expense of trust. Nabi was frustrated, but the opportunity had finallye.

    ¡°¡®The Sound of Wailing¡¯ will be leaving Korea today.¡±

    The book had much more depth than its predecessor. While it was not as pure, it was apparent that Yun Woo had matured as an author. It was more than enough to prove those who looked down on him for his age wrong. Would the same professor be able to criticize it in the same way?

    ¡°Oh! I just remembered something. Have you heard?¡± Nam Kyung asked. His cup was nearly empty, and Nabi and Juho turned their eyes in his direction. ¡°There¡¯s another book that¡¯s been on the rise recently.¡±

    ¡°Another book?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a genre novel, but I¡¯ve been hearing a lot about it. Apparently, it has an enormous universe.¡±

    Juho slowly brought his cup up to his mouth. He had an idea of what Nam Kyung was talking about.

    ¡°Ah! I think I know what you¡¯re talking about. ¡®The Language of God,¡¯ right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡®Bingo,¡¯ Juho thought while remaining silent.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t read it yet. What¡¯s it like?¡± Nabi asked.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t read it either, but from what I hear, it¡¯s about a quest. Apparently, it¡¯s somewhere between a heroic and a narrative fantasy.¡±

    ¡°You seem to know quite a bit about the book.¡±

    ¡°I have a coworker who¡¯s really into fantasy novels. Thanks to him, I¡¯ve been hearing about it nonstop along with his daily rmendation.¡±

    Nam Kyung¡¯s cup crumpled up as he clenched his hand into a fist.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the author is incredibly detailed withnguage. There¡¯s a group of people who think that the book was written by a working professor. It¡¯s not entirely absurd considering that it happens from time to time. Although, I¡¯m not really sure why the author¡¯s choosing to stay anonymous.¡±

    ¡°Won Yi Young, right?¡±

    ¡°It just made into top ten, so it¡¯ll sell even more.¡±

    With that, Nabi looked at Juho and asked, ¡°How about you Mr. Woo? Have you read it?¡±

    Juho¡¯s head leaned to the side for a brief time.

    ¡°I suppose you can say that.¡±

    ¡°How was it?¡±

    ¡°Hm, it¡¯s hard to say.¡±

    As Juho dragged on, Nam Kyung interjected, ¡°Coming to think of it, I heard that it¡¯s simr to your books. Is that why you read it?¡±

    Instead of giving an answer, Juho smiled quietly.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the smile? It¡¯s making me uneasy,¡± Nam Kyung said.

    Looking unusually excited, a coworker had been pouring out praises about a certain book, and since then, Nam Kyung had been hearing the same thing on a daily basis.

    He organized what he knew in his head. ¡®The Language of God¡¯ carried a significant presence among avid fans, and it was selling at an increasing rate. The publishingpany was avoiding answering any questions regarding the author while the author himself remained anonymous and wrote in a simr style to Yun Woo¡¯s. Yun Woo and Won Yi. They were two different authors. Yet, they were simr. There was potential for it to evolve into a sensitive issue in an industry where personality was an essential factor. ording to his experience, Juho¡¯s smile had never been something to be trusted.

    ¡°Are you angry?¡±

    ¡°¡®Scuse me?¡±

    ¡°Are you being defensive?¡±

    Juhoughed yet again, and Nam Kyung realized that he had misjudged him. ¡®There¡¯s something there. What could it be?¡¯

    Recognizing the odd tension in the air, Nabi asked, ¡°Are they really that simr?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s odd.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    Nam Kyung pulled up his sses. Seeing Yun Woo in front of him reminded him of something that he had been forgetting.

    ¡°One can¡¯t simply write like Yun Woo. How simr are they?¡± he asked. Because he hadn¡¯t read the book himself, there was no point of reference for him.

    Looking at the serious expression on Nam Kyung¡¯s face, Juho answered, ¡°Down to a tee.¡±

 Chapter 131 - Cheering Loudly (4)

    Chapter 131: Chapter 131 ¨C Cheering Loudly (4)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°... What was that?¡±

    ¡°They were exactly alike, down to a tee,¡± Juho reiterated in a friendly manner.

    The air grew heavy with silence, and both Nam Kyung and Nabi stiffened up. Yun Woo himself was iming that another person¡¯s work looked exactly identical to his own.

    Coming to his senses, Nam Kyung asked again in a hurry, ¡°In what way? The style? The plot development? The content?¡±

    ¡°Something more... fundamental.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not talking about giarism here, are we?¡± Nabi asked, wearing a serious look.

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    ¡°Of course. We wouldn¡¯t be here right now otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Then, what is it? Are you saying that there¡¯s another person who¡¯s replicating your writing down to a tee? How¡¯s that possible? And what do you mean by fundamental?¡±

    Nam Kyung and Nabi looked at Juho with a perplexed look.

    Quietly fiddling with his cup, Juho said, ¡°I, too, believe that my style is not easy to replicate. It¡¯d take a considerable effort,¡± and held his cup tighter, crumpling it. ¡°But there is one possible scenario.¡±

    ¡°Which is?¡±

    Nam Kyung resolved to confront his coworker as soon as he returned to his office. How could he be so naive in praising an author who might have giarized another?

    ¡®No, this isn¡¯t his fault. An author¡¯s point of view is different from that of a reader. An author is much more sensitive. It¡¯s possible that it¡¯s something only visible to him. I can¡¯t think clearly in a state like this. I gotta go read this book myself,¡¯ Nam Kyung thought to himself.

    At that moment, Juho added, ¡°If I wrote it.¡±

    He said that as he folded the cup in half and ced it on the table. He flicked it, and it wobbled about as if it would tip over. Although it took on a different shape, the fact that it was a paper cup remained intact.

    ¡°... Pardon?¡± Nabi asked on behalf of Nam Kyung who was frozen still.

    ¡°I wrote it.¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± Nabi asked again, and Juhoughed quietly, adding weight to his words.

    ¡°I¡¯m Won Yi Young.¡±

    A shocked expression slowly appeared on Nam Kyung¡¯s and Nabi¡¯s faces.

    ¡°Wait, hold on a second! What?! I mean... What!?¡±

    A wave of information flooded Nabi¡¯s head. ¡®Yun Woo is Won Yi Young, and he wrote a book under that name. Juho is both Yun Woo and Won Yi.¡¯

    She felt her emotions escte. Won Yi Young¡¯s book was being received as...

    ¡°Uh... Would you mind if I made a quick trip to the bookstore?¡±

    ¡°Not one bit.¡±

    Leaving Nabi on her own as she sprung up from her seat excitedly, Nam Kyung opened his mouth and asked, ¡°You¡¯re Won Yi Young?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Nam Kyung felt dumbfounded by the brief answer. He felt all the clues regarding the author untangling all of a sudden. A genius and another genius. The two had been the same all along.

    ¡°My goodness,¡± his quiet exmation echoed throughout the garden. Yun Woo had been the very author who had shocked readers and experts alike with the literary value of his works. In most cases, people who hurled harsh criticisms tended to be either jealous of him or fell into the category of conspiracy theorists. Yet...

    ¡°A genre novel this time?¡±

    ¡°I thought I would give it a try.¡±

    Fixing his eyes on Juho, Nam Kyung rose from his seat slowly.

    ¡°Nabi.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Pleasee with me...¡±

    ... to the bookstore. Nam Kyung had just realized that he was standing in the eye of the storm itself.

    Waking up, Juho checked the time as he rubbed his tired eyes. It was morning. Thankfully, he had the luxury to sleep in since school was on break. Having written well into the night, he was rather sleepy. Following his instincts, he closed his eyes.

    The room was silent, so falling back asleep wasn¡¯t all that difficult. His consciousness faded slowly as darkness creeped in.

    ¡°Juho. Juho Woo.¡±

    Right as he was about to fall asleep, Juho opened his eyes at the door flinging open. It was hard to see. A voice urged him as hey still on the bed.

    ¡°Mom,¡± he answered in a hoarse voice.

    It wasn¡¯t usual for his mother to wake him up like that. While she had been letting him sleep in knowing that her son wrote into the night regrly, the fact that she was waking him up deliberately meant that she had something to show him. After opening the window for venttion, she rushed out of the room. A cold breeze rushed into the room and ruffled through his hair.

    ¡®It¡¯s getting cold,¡¯ he thought.

    Since it was no longer possible to go back to sleep, Juho stumbled his way toward the living room.

    ¡°Look!¡± his mother said brightly as she stood in front of therge window, holding a cup in her hands. Juho shivered from the icy, cold breeze sweeping in from the window that was wide open. Still, he stood firmly in his ce.

    ¡°It¡¯s snowing!¡± Juho said as he saw the white particles falling from the sky. The white background was telling him that it had been snowing for some time. Everything was white.

    ¡°It¡¯s been snowing sincest night. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll stop anytime soon,¡± his mother said, and made her way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. That was her reason for waking Juho up. Feeling the refreshing breeze, Juho stood quietly and stared out at the snow as he breathed out white steam. With the news anchor¡¯s voice delivering various news in the background, he stood there, looking out the window peacefully.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone¡¯s heard of this name at some point. He¡¯s widely known as the genius who debuted as an author at the age of sixteen. Here¡¯s the news on Yun Woo.¡±

    With that, Juho turned his head toward the source of the sound.

    ¡°Juho! You¡¯re on the news!¡± his mother said as she rushed toward the living room.

    ¡®Something tells me that something simr had happened in the past,¡¯ Juho thought as he slid the window shut and made his way toward the couch. The morning news was on.

    Rubbing his cold cheek, he leaned back on the couch.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear from our reporters,¡± the anchor said. The word ¡®Yun Woo fever¡¯ in the upper left corner of the screen came into his view. Still feeling half asleep, Juho stared dazedly at the screen as it changed to the view of a bookstore. Unlike usual, everything in the store was written in English, and a blond-haired man was examining the books. It was a bookstore overseas.

    Then, the screen changed yet again to a reporter¡¯s interview on Yun Woo.

    ¡°Do you know an author by the name of ¡®Yun Woo?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Why, yes I do. He¡¯s rather famous.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever read his books?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read ¡®The Sound of Wailing,¡¯ and I loved every bit of it. I was astonished that such a young author was capable of writing with such depth.¡±

    With that, the reporter moved onto an African American woman, asking her simr questions. At the name ¡°Yun Woo,¡± she raised her thin eyebrows and nodded enthusiastically to show that she knew him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read both of his books! I loved ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ especially. It was my first time reading a Korean novel, so there were definitely ces where it felt somewhat unfamiliar to me, but it was hardly an issue. His book touched the hearts of many, and I¡¯m one of them.¡±

    Then, the same question was asked to a man pushing a stroller, walking alongside his young daughter.

    ¡°I just bought a copy of Yun Woo¡¯s book, actually. It was rmended to me by the people around me, so I wanted to take a look. I gotta say, I like the cover design,¡± he said as he took the book out. It was odd to see the book¡¯s title written in English. The cover design was also entirely different. With that, the screen quickly transitioned to the view of a building, and the reporter went on to talk about the Fernand Publishing Company and its long, prestigious traditions.

    ¡°Now, we¡¯ll be interviewing the senior editor of Fernand, Adam.¡±

    Following the reporter¡¯s introduction, Adam¡¯s face appeared immediately on the screen. His spiky hair and confident look left a strong impression.

    With the reporter¡¯s question, he went on to give an answer. ¡°Yun Woo is an outstanding writer. Not only is his style incredibly delicate, but it¡¯s also quite sensitive. It¡¯s very apparent in his writing. I chose his books based solely on his writing, and I¡¯m sure that you know better than me that I¡¯ve made the right choice.¡±

    With that, the reporter moved on to asking about the newly published book, ¡®The Sound of Wailing.¡¯ With big motions, he answered, ¡°First of all, I thought that it was quite different from his debut title. It was astonishing how he was able to disy his vast potential a mere two books. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s showing that he¡¯s capable of performing in any given environment, whether it¡¯s in the streets or in an orchestra.¡±

    As Juho yawned while watching, the reporter in the screen asked Adam about the professor who had openly criticized Yun Woo and his book, ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ to which he answered mockingly:

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s always been an excellent student, throughout her entire school career, the kind who likes to follow the rules and is willing to do anything at themand of her teacher. As most students of her kind tend to be, I suspect that she was in the habit of writing in her journal everyday. It¡¯s apparent in the way that she¡¯s viewing Yun Woo¡¯s book: the journal of a juvenile whose life is filled with joy and sorrow.¡±

    It was a rather cynical remark. While the trantion appeared as subtitles on screen, they were watered down significantly from what Juho was actually hearing. With that, the screen transitioned back to the bookstore.

    ¡°We look forward to this young prodigy¡¯s journey into the future as he reaches out to the world at the mere age of sixteen,¡± the reporter concluded her segment, and the news anchor reappeared on the screen, delivering the following news about the rising poprity of Korean novels.

    ¡°Son, what would you like for breakfast?¡± Juho¡¯s mother asked cheerfully.

    She seemed to be in a good mood. After pondering briefly, Juho answered, ¡°Anything.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to make that.¡±

    ¡°Then, anything tasty.¡±

    ¡°All the food I make is tasty.¡±

    They conversed as usual. No matter how chaotic the world around them was, their conversations remained and always would remain the same in the same ce. It was one of the few elements in his life that was both stable andforting.

    As he had always done, Juho went back to his room after the meal and turned hisputer on to write. Before him was three volumes worth of manuscript for ¡®The Language of God,¡¯ nearly finished.

    Since revealing his identity as Yun Woo to his clubmates, he had been writing without the hindrance of having to be conscious of others. Because of that, he had been able to work at a much faster pace. Needless to say, the school was on a break.

    The story in his head became a reality the moment he moved his hands, and he always wished for that joy he felt as a writer to trante directly to the readers.

    ¡°Although it¡¯s easier said than done, of course.¡±

    He wrote on a piece of paper that was as white as snow. He had been recently informed by Jang Mi that thepany was experiencing an endless chain of inquiries about the next volume of ¡®The Language of God.¡¯

    Things were quite hectic at the Dong Baek Publishing Company. The title of ¡°best-seller¡± tended to elevate the book to a position where it was most visible to people, and as people chose the book that was the most visible to them, the book became even more of a best-seller.

    With the positive image that came from word of mouth, ¡®The Language of God¡¯ began to solidify its ce as the best selling genre novel.

    After that, Juho sent thepleted manuscript to the publishingpany, and the third volume was published as the break approached its end. As readers were made exuberant by the rate at which the series was being published, the ¡®Language of God¡¯ reached top three in the bestsellers list.

 Chapter 132 - A Sparkling Gem (1)

    Chapter 132: Chapter 132 ¨C A Sparkling Gem (1)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    At the turn of the year, Juho became a sophomore, which meant that he had to move up to the floor above where him and his clubmates had stopped to go their separate ways. A new ssroom meant new ssmates, and he was ced in a unfamiliar environment yet again.

    ¡°Did you see it on TVst night?¡±

    ¡°What subject is first period?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, so tired.¡±

    Thanks the familiarity shared by the students, the ssroom was still rather boisterous. Some had ended up in the same ss with their close friends, while others ended up with ssmates they had hardly talked to. However, the kids adjusted quickly to their new environment.

    Juho was the same way. It was the very ss where he hade to visit Baron. He called for the ssmate sitting in front of him.

    ¡°What are you up to?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    She turned around. It was Bom. They had ended up in the same ss.

    ¡°Are you bored?¡± Bom asked as she brushed her hair over. Her bob cut had already grown down to her shoulders, and the change told him how much time had passed.

    ¡°A little bit,¡± Juho said. If it were Seo Kwang, he would have jumped into talking about books.

    ¡°I wonder how Seo Kwang¡¯s doing.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s next door.¡±

    ¡°With Sun Hwa.¡±

    Juho ended up in the same ss as Bom, and Seo Kwang ended with Sun Hwa. While they rted to one another in many ways, they didn¡¯t agree with each other just as often.

    ¡°Do you think they¡¯re arguing right now?¡±

    ¡°Hey guys, we¡¯re supposed to register for club activities by the end of the day,¡± the newly elected ss president announced timidly.

    Sadly, his weak voice was buried by the student¡¯s mor. The ss president seemed to have no intention of speaking any louder. Frustrated by the sight, his friend reiterated in a much louder voice, ¡°Guys! Make sure to register for club activities by the end of the day!¡±

    ¡°OK, OK.¡±

    As the students answered half-heartedly, the ss grew all the noisier with the chatter about the club activities.

    ¡°You¡¯re staying, right?¡± Bom asked. To which Juho nodded and answered jokingly, ¡°I gotta win an award at least.¡±

    Knowing Juho¡¯s identity, Bom squinted at him.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that cheating?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be disqualified then.¡±

    ¡°You know what, I¡¯m NOT going out to apetition with you.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t know?!¡±

    Juhoughed at her annoyed response.

    ¡°But you¡¯re a good writer.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Juho was fond of her writing because of her literary expressions, which was apparent in the story she wrotest year. As autobiographical as the book was, it was just as sincere. While it was somewhat t and dull, it had warmth.

    ¡°It¡¯s slightly awkward in ces, but your expressions are excellent.¡±

    ¡°... That sounds like an actualplimenting from you.¡±

    ¡°I am the ace of the club, after all.¡±

    ¡°Did you just say that with your own lips?¡±

    Then, Juho blurted out something he remembered all of sudden, ¡°There are freshmening in this year!¡±

    Since he had moved up a grade, Juho would be in that position Mr. Moon had raved about so much. The position where every freshmen would look up to: Sophomore.

    ¡°Wow... I¡¯m a sophomore! That means there¡¯s going to be freshmen who might look up to me!¡±

    ¡°Eh.¡±

    Contrary to Juho¡¯s indifference, Bom was filled with excitement.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a younger sibling and I never had someone look up to me either.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m getting so excited. I¡¯m gonna help them adjust to high school and understand what Mr. Moon is saying when he speaks in riddles. I¡¯m not really in a position to be teaching anybody, but still.¡±

    As Juho listened to Bom quietly, he opened his mouth and said, ¡°Do you think we should be expecting new members anytime soon?¡±

    Bom stopped talking.

    ¡°The Literature Club doesn¡¯t have all that much presence. Yes, we¡¯re a bit more known than before because of the exhibition at the library, but we only have one junior in the entire club, so it wouldn¡¯t be odd if we don¡¯t get any iing freshmen wanting to join the club.¡±

    It was more than possible that they might not be getting any new members.

    ¡°I did think about that,¡± Bom said timidly.

    ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°Still, people have been developing more interest in literaturetely, thanks to our very own Mr. Woo. I¡¯m certain we¡¯ll have at least one person wanting to join.¡±

    ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± a voice interfered. When Bom and Juho turned around, they saw Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa standing behind them. Juho gave them a brief summary of their conversation.

    ¡°We¡¯re talking the iing freshmen.¡±

    ¡°A-ha!¡±

    Understanding immediately, Sun Hwa stood next to Bom. Since they were nning on staying in the Literature Club, they actively engaged in the conversation.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t necessarily be a bad thing if we don¡¯t get any new members.¡±

    ¡°Still, it¡¯d be kind of demoralizing. It¡¯s a new semester, and we¡¯re sophomores.¡±

    ¡°I asked Baron, and he said not to expect too much from the freshmen as a sophomore.¡±

    ¡°Do you realize that you¡¯re spitting on your own face right now?¡± Sun Hwa mocked Seo Kwang as she clicked her tongue. The club members had been waiting for the iing freshmen, each with an expectation of their own.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll find out whether there¡¯s going to be a new addition to the club or not soon enough.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go on ahead.¡±

    ¡°OK! We¡¯ll join you soon!¡±

    As Bom and Juho went their separate ways, Juho walked further into the hallway, his footsteps echoing throughout. Soon, he reached a storage roombeled ¡°Science Preparation Room.¡± That seemingly hidden room was also the meeting spot for the Literature Club.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    As he opened the sliding door and stepped inside, he saw two desks that had been joined together, exactly how they had left them before the break. If anything, it seemed like there was more junk upying the room.

    As he waited for the rest of the members to arrive, he opened the window. They were at the canteen, buying snacks for the iing freshmen without actually knowing if there would be any.

    ¡°Will they actuallye, Mr. Moon?¡±

    No matter how many times the club members asked Mr. Moon, he refused to give them an answer. His reason being: ¡°What fun is there in knowing the answer ahead of time?¡±

    A shout came from the distance. Juho was familiar with the sound as it tended to sound from time to time. It was eithering from the Athletics Club or from a student writhing from their hatred toward the school.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Juho turned around toward the source of the low voice that resonated throughout the room and saw that another person had opened the door to the science room.

    ¡°This is where the Literature Club meets, right?¡± the girl asked in a rigid tone, giving off a tense demeanor.

    A breeze that blew into the room blew across Juho¡¯s and the girl¡¯s hair and along her skirt.

    ¡°You got something on your skirt.¡±

    ¡°Huh?!¡± she asked, and her voice went up as if she had been caught off guard.

    With that, Juho added, ¡°You got something on your skirt. Is it chalk?¡±

    ¡°Oh. I was on cleaning rotation today...¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have tissues, but we do have gauze. Would you like some?¡±

    ¡°Gauze?¡±

    ¡°Yep. You know, the stuff that you use to rub alcohol or disinfectant onto your skin. Speaking of which, we have alcohol too.¡±

    ¡°...¡± She stood silent, wearing a dumbfounded look. After gesturing for her toe in, Juho walked over toward a drawer amid the piles of junk and took out a piece of gauze.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she bowed as an expression of gratitude and began to scrub away at her forehead with the gauze.

    ¡°So...¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°This is the Literature Club, right?¡±

    Juho nodded to affirm her redundant question.

    ¡°And I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re here to join the club?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡®Everyone¡¯s going to be so happy about this,¡¯ Juho thought as he looked around the room to find a seat for the new member.

    ¡°Where would be the best spot?¡±

    ¡®Where should I sit her?¡¯ he contemted as each member tended to sit at the same ce. The desks were exactly the same as when he first saw them in the science room.

    ¡°Sit here,¡± he said, bringing the new member to the seat that faced Baron¡¯s. As Juho took a seat, she sat quietly and willingly. A breeze blew into the ever so silent room.

    ¡°So, what made you want to join the Literature Club?¡± Juho asked in order to break the ice.

    ¡°I wanted to chill and bezy,¡± she answered without hesitation.

    With that, the room sank back into silence, and Juho couldn¡¯t help but think of Baron. The moment he opened his mouth to set her free from her illusion, the door suddenly flung open, and the rest of the sophomores rushed in with snacks along with Baron.

    ¡°Freshman!¡± Seo Kwang eximed cheerfully, but the new member waspletely oblivious to him. She was distracted by Baron¡¯s appearance. Recognizing her gaze, he opened his mouth quickly to introduce himself, ¡°Baron Kim. Junior.¡±

    ¡°He-hello. I¡¯m Bo Suk Noh.¡±

    ¡°Bo Suk?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Bo Suk Noh,¡± she reiterated in response to Seo Kwang¡¯s murmur.

    ¡°We have a gem in the club now!¡± Bom said with a cheerful smile.

    (TL¡¯s Note: ¡°Bo Suk¡± is the Korean word for gem.)

    ¡°That was a good one! You really sound like you¡¯re part of the Literature Club,¡± Sun Hwa said as she also smiled.

    From then on, everyone took turns introducing themselves to the new member. Bo Suk studied the atmosphere quietly. She was starting to realize that the Literature Club was not one of the zy clubs.¡¯

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we all sit and open up the snacks?¡± Juho said as he looked at Bo Suk intently.

    ¡°Yes, let us. Oh, wait! Aren¡¯t we short on seats?¡±

    ¡°We have just enough.¡±

    Then, Sun Hwa nodded as she looked toward the freshman.

    ¡°You have guts taking Mr. Moon¡¯s seat, rookie,¡± Seo Kwang said yfully, and Bo Suk gave Juho an embarrassed look, to which he waved his hand and answered, ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. Most likely.¡±

    ¡°Most likely??¡±

    As she was about to jump out of her seat, Bom stepped in to calm her down, ¡°Mr. Moon has a chair of his own. The reallyfortable one behind the podium.¡±

    It was the chair that he had bought during the school festival. While it was hidden behind the podium, it was well maintained.

    ¡°Here, rookie. Have some snacks,¡± Seo Kwang said as he opened up a bag. Trying not to look awkward, Bo Suk quietly joined them as everyone reached for the snacks that wereid out on the desk.

    ¡°Are you here alone?¡± Seo Kwang asked with a piece of cracker in his mouth.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You must be the only new member then.¡±

    With the exception of Bo Suk, everyoneughed light-heartedly. Understanding it as Seo Kwang asking her a question, she opened her mouth and said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t really know, but I do know that I¡¯m the only student in my ss who came here.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great! Most people want to join a club with their friends,¡± Bomplimented her.

    However, she remained indifferent and said, ¡°It just happened that way. We just didn¡¯t say anything to each other about our decisions.¡±

    ¡°So, which club did your friend end up joining?¡±

    ¡°The Photography Club,¡± Bo Suk said, adding that they weren¡¯t close enough to ask each other for things. Because they were still in the beginning of the semester, the freshmen were upied with adjusting to their new environment. Juho could imagine how she hade to join the Literature Club of all ces.

    ¡°I want to be part of one of thezy clubs. The Literature Club sounds just like what I am looking for,¡± Bo Suk said, to which her friend responds, ¡°I want to join the Photography Club.¡±

    That was the end of it. They neither forced each other or made suggestions to one another, and it reflected the distance between the two friends. Unhindered by the difference between her and her friend, Bo Suk walked into the science room alone. While the story itself wasn¡¯t anything impressive, her process of ending up at the Literature Club had been rather candid.

    As the club members conversedfortably with the freshman, Juho sat and quietly munched on some chips, nodding asionally.

    Then, Seo Kwang brought up the subject of books as expected, ¡°Do you have a favorite author or book? What about genre?¡± he asked, his eyes sparkling with interest.

    ¡°No,¡± Bo Suk said boldly, making Seo Kwang hesitate.

    ¡°Nothing? Nobody?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°... You know what? No big deal. Sun Hwa or Baron don¡¯t have a favorite book either. You just gotta start somewhere,¡± Seo Kwang said, and she nodded quietly.

    Then, Sun Hwa decided to take a shot at her, ¡°What aboutic books? They¡¯re books too, you know?¡±

    ¡°I do read some.¡±

    ¡°Very good. I¡¯ll teach you everything there is to know aboutic books!¡±

    ¡°Gosh! Before you know it, our club¡¯s name is gonna change to the ¡®Comic Book Club,¡¯¡± Seo Kwang muttered. He must have been secretly hoping for a fellow book lover. As heforted Seo Kwang half-heartedly, Juho looked over to Bo Suk, quietly eating the snacks.

    By then, she had to have realized that she was in the wrong kind of club. Yet, she quietly adapted to the reality of it and tried to blend in.

    Juho became curious as to what kind of stories she would end up writing.

 Chapter 133 - A Sparkling Gem (2)

    Chapter 133: Chapter 133 ¨C A Sparkling Gem (2)

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Now, we¡¯ll be taking some time to introduce ourselves to the new member of the club,¡± Mr. Moon said as he sat on the chair that he dragged out from behind the podium. With the exception of Bo Suk, everyone nodded enthusiastically. It was a sign of experience.

    ¡°Bo Suk Noh.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You choose.¡±

    While she responded confidently to Mr. Moon, she was puzzled by his choice of words. At that, Mr. Moon exined by using the club members as an example, ¡°You may choose to write your self-introduction out if you don¡¯t wish to speak in front of people. What¡¯s it going to be?¡±

    ¡°Uh... I¡¯ll write it out then.¡±

    ¡°Good. We have a stack of papers over there. Feel free to take as many as you need.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    At that moment, Sun Hwa raised her hand and asked, ¡°What about us? What are we gonna do?¡±

    ¡°The same thing,¡± Mr. Moon answered with a smile.

    ¡°Again?!¡± the club members roared. Who would¡¯ve thought that they would be writing yet another self-introduction?

    ¡°It¡¯s not just Bo Suk¡¯s first time meeting you guys. There¡¯s no such a thing as one-way traffic in interpersonal rtionships, so you guys should rightfully introduce yourselves to her.¡±

    ¡°I guess that true...¡±

    ¡°But what about you, Mr. Moon?¡±

    ¡°I already did it. While I stood behind the podium.¡±

    Bo Suk studied the expressions on the veteran club members¡¯ faces timidly as they grew darker and darker. She must have felt ufortable. While looking at her intently, Juho opened his mouth and said, ¡°Fine. It¡¯s not even that difficult anyway. Besides, I¡¯m confident that I can do a better job the second time.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself now. What are you going to write about this time, seasoned mackerel?¡± Mr. Moon asked.

    Springing up from her seat, Sun Hwa took the initiative to take a sheet from the stack of papers. Bom followed immediately and grabbed enough paper for herself and Bo Suk. Juho and Seo Kwang took out their own as they had some left from the year before. At that moment, Baron stood tall from his seat.

    ¡°Are you going to write, Baron?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I am in the Literature Club after all. It doesn¡¯t hurt to write from time to time,¡± he answered as he closed his sketchbook and ced the paper on top of it.

    ¡°What do I write? Ugh, I¡¯m gonna end up being a master in self-introductions at this rate,¡± Seo Kwang grumbled as he picked up his pen. Self-introductions had been a struggle for him since the previous year.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have more to write about thanst year?¡± Juho asked Seo Kwang.

    ¡°Eh?!¡±

    ¡°You have a goal now.¡±

    Having understood Juho, Seo Kwang gave no response. What Juho said didn¡¯t necessarily apply only to Seo Kwang. From Sun Hwa, who had watched Bom quietly as she had written a self-introduction that had been nearly identical to hers, to Baron, who was writing his very first self-introduction, everyone had to have evolved as writers, hence they were capable of writing better self-introductions.

    ¡°Well, same goes for you too, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Seo Kwang said quietly

    ¡°Huh?!¡±

    Seo Kwang¡¯s voice was filled with yfulness.

    ¡°What do you think about introducing your second name? Pretending you¡¯re Yun Woo, that is.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad.¡±

    ¡°OK. Get set. Write!¡± Mr. Moon shouted.

    At that moment, Juho stopped him as he was about to rush out of the room.

    ¡°Mr. Moon?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°May I go to theputer room when I¡¯m done?¡±

    There was a story that Juho had to write, and theputer room had be an environment safe enough to write in. Besides, he would be in school only for so long.

    In response to Juho¡¯s question, Mr. Moon nodded enthusiastically.

    ¡°Sure, as long as you don¡¯t half-ass your way through.¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡±

    As he stepped out of the room, Juho picked up his pen immediately and began to write, starting with his favorite genres of music, Pop, Jazz, ssical, Heavy Metal, and the songs by the woman with the guitar.

    ¡°He¡¯s so fast...¡± Bo Suk murmured, and Juho¡¯s hand came to a sudden halt.

    ¡°Did you say something?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± she asked while wearing a flustered expression. However, Juho resumed as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°I am on the faster side. You see, I happen to be somewhat of a decent writer.¡±

    ¡°... Right.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯s like that,¡± Sun Hwa said as she finished the first line of her self-introduction. Juho flipped to the next page.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even dare to mimic him. It¡¯s not possible,¡± Seo Kwang said to Bo Suk. To which Bom answered, ¡°I heard it¡¯s still good to write without hesitation. You know, not being afraid when you write.¡±

    ¡®Are they telling me to mimic him or not?¡¯ Bo Suk asked herself with an even more confused expression on her face.

    Then, Baron chimed in to rify, ¡°In other words, write whatever the heck you want.¡±

    ¡°Ah. I see.¡±

    As per the advices she had received from the club members, she immersed herself in thought. Unfortunately, her attention was short-lived as she looked up at a member putting down his pen as if he had finished writing.

    ¡°Well, bye now,¡± Juho said as he rose from his seat. There were ten pages worth of writing on his desk.

    ¡°Revealing your true self, I see. How did you manage to hold back for so long?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have to. I just took it slow, that¡¯s all. Besides, isn¡¯t it better for you that I¡¯m not here?¡±

    Juho was referring to the new volume of ¡®The Language of God,¡¯ to which Seo Kwang answered, ¡°Godspeed, my good sir.¡±

    With his peer¡¯s support, Juho picked up his notebook and writing tools.

    ¡°Take your time,¡± Juho said to the new member, and then walked out of the room and closed the door.

    By the time his footsteps faded awaypletely, Bo Suk opened her mouth and asked, ¡°Just how good of a writer is he?¡±

    Locking eyes, Sun Hwa and Bom thought simultaneously, ¡®As good as Yun Woo, probably?¡¯

    ¡°We got his autograph.¡±

    ¡°An autograph?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s Juho Woo. You know, the author of ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯¡± Bom said with a mischievous smile.

    As the freshman expressed her unfamiliarity with it, Seo Kwang exined in a friendly manner, ¡°Most freshmen don¡¯t know about the book, most likely.¡±

    Just as he had said, all of the posters had been retrieved in order to make room on the bulletin board for flyers containing information about after school sses.

    However, their stories remained in the library. Although the number of visitors had decreased noticeably, they were avable to be read at any time.

    ¡°You should go check it out some time,¡± he added.

    Seeing that Bo Suk hadn¡¯t written anything, Bom asked, ¡°Are you stuck?¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t know where to start. I was kind of distracted by Juho as well,¡± Bo Suk said as she followed Bom¡¯s eyes looking at her paper.

    She brushed her hand down the paper. It was a texture that she was unfamiliar with. Unless one regrly attended a private institute for writing, it was rare for them to get their hands on the graph-like, manuscript paper.

    ¡°As long as it¡¯s about you, you can write just about anything. Things you like or dislike, or you¡¯re good or bad at. You can also write about how you came to join the Literature Club, or what you were doing before joining the club.¡±

    ¡°You can also write about grilled mackerel,¡± Seo Kwang interjected all of a sudden. Threatening him so he wouldn¡¯t interrupt, Sun Hwa asked Bo Suk, ¡°Which club were you a part of in middle school?¡±

    ¡°I was part of Table Tennis Club.¡±

    It was a rather unexpected answer.

    ¡°Table tennis, huh? Was it fun?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible!¡± Bomplimented, and Bo Suk waved her hand in denial.

    Then, Sun Hwa added, ¡°We have a Table Tennis Club, don¡¯t we?¡±

    With that, the freshman dropped her head slightly.

    ¡°I lost interest. I was scolded a lot for not trying hard enough back then.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. You must have been pretty good then. That would exin why you were being scolded.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily. I was actually mediocre,¡± Bo Suk said as she smiled quietly.

    ¡°A-ha! You¡¯re the type who has to be above average with everything, huh?¡± Seo Wang asked.

    ¡°So, what brought you to the Literate Club?¡±

    ¡°I thought it would be azy club.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    The three veteran club members nced quietly at Baron, but he paid no attention to them.

    ¡°Do you not like to write?¡± Bom asked, but Bo Suk hesiated. Her reason for joining the club was too impure to say that she liked to write, and she was reluctant to tell a sophomore that she didn¡¯t.

    ¡°You can do something else then¡±

    ¡°Something else?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, like Baron. He¡¯s the sole artist in the club.¡±

    ¡°... I don¡¯t follow.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s exactly as I said. Baron draws.¡±

    While Bo Suk had been assuming that from his sketchbook or the conversation between the club members¡¯, she barely managed to swallow the question, ¡°Then, why isn¡¯t he in the Art Club?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to be an exception,¡± Baron told her, seeing the confusion that was obvious on Bo Suk¡¯s face.

    Although she didn¡¯t quite understand how his answer was relevant to drawing, Bo Suk nodded quietly because it was apparent that Baron was the only exception that stood out in the room.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just stick to writing,¡± she said.

    Bo Suk had no intention of doing other things. If anything, she was nning on going with the flow. Though she had realized that she was not in azy club long ago, she didn¡¯t try to change her mind. To her, being in the Literature Club was no more than participating in club activities. She didn¡¯t feel the need to go out her way to reconsider her decision.

    With the help of the club members, she barely managed to start writing. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t all that difficult once she actually started. The beginning was always the most difficult challenge. With that, the sound of scribbling filled about the room.

    ¡°All done?¡± Bom asked. She was in charge of collecting the papers and bringing it to Mr. Moon.

    Nodding, Bo Suk submitted her paper.

    ¡°Juho took his paper, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not on his desk.¡±

    His introduction had to be within his notebook, which he had picked up on his way out. It was a frequent urrence due to his habit of taking every sheet of manuscript paper with him.

    As Bom rose from her seat to go upstairs to theputer room, the freshman came into her view. She had asked how good of a writer Juho was. Unfortunately, it was a question that would take more than words to answer. Without seeing with her own eyes, she would have no idea how viciously and desperate Juho wrote. Handing her the stack of papers she had collected, Bom asked, ¡°Do you wannae with?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Juho. Aren¡¯t you curious? We can collect his paper too while we¡¯re there.¡±

    Although Bo Suk was no longer curious about Juho, she couldn¡¯t turn down an offer from an upperssman, so she rose from her seat.

    ¡°OK.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where Mr. Moon is? Do you want me to go with you?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you. I know where he is. I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    Although it was her first time going to theputer room, it wasn¡¯t all that difficult to find. With a stack of papers in her hand, she walked through the hallway and made her way toward theputer room.

    Upon arriving, she saw theputers lined up back to back through the windows. She contemted knocking, but soon concluded that she might disturb him. As she opened the door quietly, she was weed by the vicious sound of the keyboard.

    Things started to look better.

    Juho was in the mid-tote stages of writing the ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Conflict and resolution, and yet another conflict. The fourpanions were distinctively different from each other in both personality and wishes. They had different jobs, values, appearances, and names. Conflict existed at every corner.

    Quietly, Juho took a deep breath. While writing ¡®The Language of God,¡¯ he was feeling a sense of bliss that he had never felt before. Because the world was so massive, he felt the need to match his pace to his work.

    It was almost like stretching, like using muscles that he hadn¡¯t been using. While massaging stiff shoulders apanied pain and toil, the reward was refreshing. No matter how loud he shouted, it would be barely audible.

    For that reason, Juho had to focus. Keeping the overall flow of the story in his mind, he marked his way through the forest with pieces of cloth. He didn¡¯t forget nor lose anything. It was entirely up to him what kind of creatures lived in that forest or what kind of dangers or events awaited thepanions.

    He concentrated all the more. Broken branches, chipped rocks, unexinable sounds, the beating heart. He wanted to embody them all in their purest forms in the world that he had created.

    He wrote. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose track of the characters¡¯ mentality, so he examined his story carefully for any errors he might have overlooked.

    Suddenly, the keyboard stopped making noise, and Juho nced over his monitor.

    There was a familiar face there. It was Bo Suk, the sparkling gem.

 Chapter 134 - A Sparkling Gem (3)

    <h4>Chapter 134: Chapter 134 ¨C A Sparkling Gem (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°... Uh... ¡±

    She hesitated. As he studied her state, he saw the stack of papers in her hand and grasped the situation immediately.

    ¡°You¡¯re here to collect my introduction,¡± Juho said as he took it out of his notebook and handed it to her. Coming to her senses, she quickly took the pages from him. She was wearing a peculiar expression on her face. After returning to his seat, Juho ced his hands on the keyboard to resume writing.

    Even with Juho¡¯s papers, she was standingpletely still in the same ce.

    ¡°Did you have something to say?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Are you just going to stand there?¡±

    As Juho asked that, she stared intently at the stacks of paper in her hand.

    ¡°Are you always like that?¡±

    ¡°Like how?¡±

    ¡°Just... like that,¡± Bo Suk answered as she gave up looking for a better word. Juho smiled. She seemed like she needed to work on her vocabries.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know what you¡¯re trying to describe, but it¡¯s nothing special.¡±

    ¡°... You¡¯re incredible.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m gonna get going now,¡± she said as she bowed to Juho with enough force to blow wind. Juho watched her as she rushed out of the room, and while he was curious, he quickly returned to writing.

    ¡ª

    Since then on, Bo Suk adjusted to the Literature Club without any issues. She followed the instructions seamlessly while maintaining a decent rtionship with the rest of the club members. However, there was something that bothered Juho, and he had been quietly searching for it.

    At that moment, the door flung open with a loud noise, and Mr. Moon walked in with a pile of things in his arms. They seemed quite familiar to the veteran club members.

    ¡°OK. Bo Suk, you get the privilege of looking through the works of my previous students.¡±

    It was theptions.

    ¡°We want to look too!¡±

    ¡°You guys need to be nning for what to write in the future.¡±

    ¡°Oh! C¡¯mon, Mr. Moon!¡±

    No matter how much the club membersined, Mr. Moon shook his head and stood his ground.

    ¡°Well... if it¡¯s part of the process, then feel free,¡± he said.

    ¡°Yes! It¡¯s essential!¡±

    ¡°Whatever floats your boat,¡± he said as he sat on his chair and opened a book as if he couldn¡¯t even see his students. The title read ¡®The Language of God.¡¯

    Despite knowing that he was reading in front of the author, Mr. Moon seemed to pay no attention to what he was doing. While Juho remained indifferent, Seo Kwang poked at his sides repeatedly.

    At that moment, Sun Hwa began toin to Mr. Moon as he had just started reading, ¡°Mr. Moon, aren¡¯t you being too loose with us since we became sophomores?¡±

    The sophomores in the Literature Club had been each working on a free-topicposition. They had to n everything out from beginning to end, from the topic to the genre.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost time for you all to be independent.¡±

    ¡°Still!¡±

    Bo Suk was the only club member who was listening to Mr. Moon¡¯s lecture, and Sun Hwa seemed to miss those days.

    ¡°This is theption you guys made, right?¡± Bo Suk said as she picked up one of them, and Baron¡¯s cover design became visible. Five distinct colors were mixing with each other.

    Without hesitation, she opened theption and flipped through the pages one by one. Juho already knew that the club members were merely pretending to look indifferent while feeling incredibly proud internally.

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    At the sound of the quiet exmation, all eyes fell on the source of the sound. ncing over her shoulders, Seo Kwang saw that she was reading Juho¡¯s work. At which, he exined without hesitation, ¡°He wrote that in a subway station.¡±

    ¡°A subway station? Did you all go outside?¡±

    ¡°Yep. That was when we were learning to write only up to the beginning of the main event.¡±

    With that, her eyes widened.

    ¡°Does that mean the story ends at the beginning of the main event?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    As Bo Suk turned her eyes in Juho¡¯s direction, Juho gave her a gentle nod. She seemed rather attached to the story.

    ¡°How sad. I was really getting into it.¡±

    ¡°It was for the lesson.¡±

    ¡°Still. I want to read the entire story.¡±

    ¡°I know. Bummer.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t offer to write the rest of the story until the end. It was the story about an elephant and a woman who suffered from a phobia towards it. The story ended abruptly as the woman was on the verge of running into the elephant that had escaped the zoo. Because she couldn¡¯t do anything to change Juho¡¯s mind, she only smacked her lips quietly. Seo Kwang was fully aware of what she was feeling.

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re feeling. Oh, the desperation! You feel your body twisting from within, because you want to read it so much, right? Do you feel like your heart¡¯s shrinking?¡±

    ¡°No, not to that degree,¡± Bo Suk answered. Despite her brief answer, it was clear that she was still attached to the story. She looked intently at theption.

    ¡°I can see that everyone¡¯s worked really hard.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    ¡°Ugh! It was hell.¡±

    Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang answered in an exaggerated manners.

    When Juho looked at Bo Suk, she was wearing the same expression she had been wearing at theputer room. It was rather peculiar.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been learning quickly yourself!¡± Bomplimented her, being oblivious to the look on her face. As the expression faded from Bo Suk¡¯s face, Juho also took his eyes off of her and agreed with Bom.

    Compared to when she had written her first self-introduction, Bo Suk had made huge improvements. She acquainted herself with the act of writing rather quickly.

    ¡°You must be transcribing a lot,¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°So-so. Actually, not at all,¡± Bo Suk answered, shaking her head. At her emphatic answer, Juho asked her no more and nodded.

    ¡°Man, I miss the lessons. Mr. Moon, can we y word chain? That was so much fun,¡± Sun Hwa grumbled.

    Freedom was a rather heavy burden, and she wanted to run away from the fact that she had to be responsible for her own work from beginning to end.

    In response to Sun Hwa, Mr. Moon took his eyes off of his book and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you y amongst yourselves?¡±

    ¡°Eh? y what? Word chain?¡±

    ¡°No, the lessons.¡±

    Seeing the baffled look on the members¡¯ faces, he added, ¡°There¡¯s not much to it. You just have to write a lot, and if you want to be a better writer, you can¡¯t get sick of writing. If you don¡¯t want to get sick of it, it has to be fun. That¡¯s why we yed word chain or met at the subway station. Now, ask yourselves: ¡®How can I make writing more fun?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Uh...¡±

    Sensing that yet another responsibility had been added onto him, Seo Kwang let out a sigh and said toward Sun Hwa, ¡°Thanks for nothing.¡±

    ¡°At least we get to enjoy the process, right?¡± she answered quietly with guilt all over her face.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a terrible idea. Let¡¯s think about it. What can we do?¡± Bom said, smiling.

    ¡°Nothing screams more ¡°fun¡± than books. Let us read, my friends, and then we¡¯ll write a report on it.¡±

    ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Sun Hwa said and then suggested, ¡°Speaking of reports, why don¡¯t we just go watch something while we¡¯re at it?¡±

    ¡°You mean something entirely different? Like a musical?¡±

    ¡°That could be an option.¡±

    ¡°The tickets are really expensive though...¡±

    The fact that it cost money was a crucial matter to be discussed.

    ¡°What about a movie? It¡¯s not free, but it¡¯s much more affordable.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but what if we end up writing something that reads like a book report?¡± Bom asked, and Sun Hwa nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Good point. Seems like you don¡¯t want to write a report?¡±

    ¡°Kind of. I¡¯d much rather write a story.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we we decide the genre on our own, then?¡± Juho suggested.

    Because it would allow them to write in the fashion that they wanted, the club members agreed.

    ¡°OK, so what should we watch?¡±

    As everyone was lost in thought, Baron chimed in, ¡°How about you guys?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You guys, yourselves.¡±

    His pencil pointed toward Juho. He had been drawing the club members frequently, and Juho caught on immediately.

    ¡°We make each other the main character.¡±

    ¡°Make each other the main character?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s make each other the protagonist, whether we¡¯re writing a book report or a novel.¡±

    The club members expressed interest. Being the primary character of a story brought about excitement. Everyone looked at each other, curious about who would write about whom.

    ¡°That sounds like an idea,¡± Mr. Moon interjected. With the affirming words of their teacher, the club members jumped right into setting rules, until...

    ¡°Make sure to include the freshman.¡±

    ¡°Eh?! Is Bo Suk that good of a writer?¡± Alerted of the news, Sun Hwa asked.

    Mr. Moon smiled quietly and said, ¡°You guys get to choose the genre for yourselves. I¡¯m sure Bo Suk has what it takes.¡±

    ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t we include Baron while we¡¯re at it?¡± Sun Hwa asked as she looked at him, but he waved his hand and turned her down.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna stick to drawing.¡±

    Therefore, a total of five people decided to participate. Now, they had to decide who they were going to write about, so they discussed methods by which they would reach a decision.

    ¡°Rock-paper-scissors?¡±

    ¡°Should we draw straws?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s pick a king and do as what he says.¡±

    As they struggled to agree, Bom opened her mouth and said, ¡°Should we each decide this on our own too?¡±

    ¡°On our own?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Everyone gets to write about whoever they want. Some might end up writing about the same person, but on the other hand, there might be a person who nobody writes about.¡±

    ¡°I like it. It¡¯s simple.¡±

    With that, the five looked at each other as if probing. Amid the excitement, Juho was the only calm person. Suddenly, Seo Kwang poked at his sides and whispered, ¡°Hey, pick me. Make me the protagonist.¡±

    He was rather direct in his appeal. Of course, Sun Hwa wouldn¡¯t have let it slide.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare to be sneaky. Juho, there are others around you.¡±

    ¡°Consider me!¡±

    ¡°Who stands out here the most?¡±

    Bom and Baron each took turns to chime in.

    ¡°Feel free to include me.¡±

    With the addition of Mr. Moon, Juho mulled it over, and then...

    ¡°OK. I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡±

    ¡°Already?¡±

    ¡°How can you make everything so simple?¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    As questions poured out, Juho gave them a puzzling answer.

    ¡°Bo Suk Noh.¡±

    A perplexed look appeared on her face.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Congrattions, Bo Suk.¡±

    ¡°Lucky!¡±

    Sun Hwa and Bom said simultaneously. Though they sounded yful, it was clear that they had hoped to be called. Bo Suk had be the lucky recipient of a prize that she knew nothing about. What were the odds of being chosen as the protagonist in a Yun Woo story?¡±

    As the rest of the club membersforted one another, Juho added, ¡°You guys each made an appearance already.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Ignoring the confusion on the club members¡¯ faces, Juho looked at Bo Suk and decided to write a short story. Though it would be about twenty pages long, Juho felt she was better suited for a short, yet powerful story. The fact that an author decided to write about a person meant that they had to be able to understand the choices made by the person. Because Juho had been curious about Bo Suk, it would be the perfect opportunity to get to know her better. It was time for his favorite activity in the entire world: writing.

    epting the result, the rest of the club members went on to decide the person they wanted to write about.

    ¡°I choose Seo Kwang,¡± Bom said. He tended to be clear about his preferences, so getting to know him would be a smooth sail for her.

    ¡°I choose Baron. You wouldn¡¯t mind, would ya? I guess it¡¯d be better to write a story,¡± Sun Hwa said. Baron smiled confidently and asked her to portray him as ¡°cool as possible.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with Bom. We¡¯ll figure out the style over time,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    Lastly, it was Bo Suk¡¯s turn. Having been hesitant up to that point, she chose Juho in order to return the favor.

    ¡°Juho Woo, huh.¡±

    Despite having known him for the past year, there was a reason why the club members weren¡¯t choosing him.

    ¡°Have fun.¡±

    The club members wished the fearless freshman good luck, and Bo Suk couldn¡¯t help but feel insecure about her choice.

 Chapter 135 - A Sparkling Gem (4)

    <h4>Chapter 135: Chapter 135 ¨C A Sparkling Gem (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Sigh,¡± somebody let out heavily, and Juho looked up at the girl sitting in front of him. She was sitting facing him, gesturing for him to ask questions about her.

    ¡°That¡¯s a heavy sigh.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you concerned?¡± Bom asked, and Juho¡¯s head leaned sideways.

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°Bo Suk?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s doing fine,¡± Juho said calmly as he closed the book in his hand quietly.

    Bom shook her head and answered, ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s really enjoying it here.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± he asked calmly, and Bom¡¯s eyes squinted into a re. She was seeing right through him. She knew that Juho knew. At the sound of Juho¡¯s chuckle, Bom let out yet another sigh.

    ¡°The Literature Club is like a resting ce for us. I hope Bo Suk sees it like that too.¡±

    Bom thought back on Bo Suk and her attitude. While she always had the choice of doing something besides from writing, she just wrote quietly without taking the liberty to choose. She was rigid and tense, as if she was always nervous.

    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s feeling ufortable being surrounded by older students?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s my protagonist.¡±

    Bom¡¯s eyes widened, and as she was about to open her mouth to say something, the teacher came into the ss. The first period was math. Bom looked back at Juho, but what returned in ce of an answer was his shrug.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    Mr. Moon nodded half-heartedly, and Juho went out to the hallway after picking up his notebook and writing tools, thinking about what he needed to write. He already had an outline for the story about Bo Suk and he was nearly halfway into his writing.

    As Juho started writing after turning theputer on, a loud thud sounded in the room.

    The keyboard sound stopped. Unfortunately, he had grown rather familiar with the urrence as ofte. Looking up, Juho saw Bo Suk¡¯s face on the window.

    ¡°Juste inside,¡± Juho called for her. Then...

    ¡°¡®Scuse me.¡± She walked into theputer room without hesitation. She had been visiting theputer room frequently under the pretext of getting to know her protagonist, and they each asked and answered questions about each other.

    ¡°The weather¡¯s nice out.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±

    ¡°That cloud over there reminds me of a sweet potato.¡±

    ¡°It looks more like a dog¡¯s stool to me.¡±

    Their conversations remained mostly shallow. As she approached him, Juho raised his hand and stopped her froming any closer.

    ¡°My work is a closely-guarded secret. I have to ask you to maintain that distance.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware. I¡¯ve yet toe any closer.¡±

    ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice you sneaking your way toward me?¡±

    While maintaining the distance between them, Juho moved his hands busily, and the fierce sound of the keyboard filled the room again. He was writing a story about her, and writing with the protagonist in front of him made for an experience simr to painting a portrait. It was rather fun. Although it was slightly more difficult to focus, it was a manageable inconvenience.

    ¡°At the earliest, the story should be finished by the end of today, or tomorrow at thetest.¡±

    He had nned to write a short story from the start, which wouldn¡¯t have been a long process by any means. At what sounded like a deration, sadness appeared on her face.

    ¡°I still have a ways to go with mine. I know nothing about you.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t we had enough conversations?¡±

    ¡°They were never all that substantial.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel that way.¡±

    ¡°... I think I get why the other club members were giving me a pitiful look.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You¡¯re nearly impossible to read.¡±

    Her tone was about the only thing that was polite. She was wearing a sullen look. In the end, Juho decided to help her.

    ¡°You said you used to be in the Table Tennis Club?¡± he asked as he moved his hands. Because the outline had already been finished, all he had to do was write the story.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered briefly with her eyes fixed on Juho¡¯s hands still. As he wrote about her, Juho came to understand the mysterious look on her face better: awe-inspired, yet disappointed at someone.

    He was also aware that her time in the Table Tennis Club was not one of the subjects she was willing to talk about. For that reason, instead of asking her questions, he told her his story in order to make the writing process easier for her.

    ¡°I heard from someone that one should hold a racket like they¡¯re holding a pencil.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± she asked, caught off guard because she had expected more questions.

    ¡°Apparently, you have to hold the racket like you¡¯re holding a pencil. I think that¡¯s why I was somewhat drawn to the sport. I¡¯m a person who enjoys writing.¡±

    ¡°But it has nothing to do with writing.¡±

    ¡°I write with a pen too, from time to time.¡±

    The look on her face made it obvious that she wasn¡¯t sure what to do with what she was being told. Juho chuckled as he looked over his monitor and saw the expression on her face. Understanding what the protagonist liked and disliked was among the most basic skills of an author. Yet, Bo Suk didn¡¯t seem to realize the opportunity that Juho had set before her eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re almost done with your story, right? I guess that means there won¡¯t be time for us to ask questions face to face.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I have another story I need to work on. I do prefer to be left alone as much as possible when I write.¡±

    To be frank, he was willing to answer her questions until he was finished with his story. He was willing to interact with her even when he wasn¡¯t writing. There were plenty of options, yet Juho didn¡¯t give any of them to Bo Suk because she was hesitant. She was yet to ask the question that she had been meaning to ask, and at times, realizing that there wouldn¡¯t be a next time acted as a source of motivation.

    Juho stared at her intently, and before long, Bo Suk asked, ¡°How are you able to focus on writing like that?¡±

    Juho moved his hands, and the sound of the keyboard echoed throughout the room.

    ¡°I just... can?¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯d like for you to answer me more sincerely, even if it¡¯s just half as much as your concentration.¡±

    ¡°That was a genuinely sincere answer.¡±

    With that, her expression hardened.

    ¡°Sun Hwa told me that you¡¯re always calm and not fazed by anything. She also told me that she finds that annoying about you.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°I was curious when she told me that the first time, but I think I¡¯m starting to get it.¡±

    ¡°Finding something that resonates with other people is a wonderful thing,¡± Juho said to change the subject. ¡°How¡¯s writing been for you? Are you enjoying it?¡±

    She gave him no answer.

    ¡°It¡¯s not all that fun at the moment, right? I understand. You thought you¡¯d be in azy club.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. I¡¯m used to it.¡±

    She looked away for the first time.

    ¡°I only joined the Table Tennis Club because of my friend.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not entirely a bad thing,¡± Juho said light-heartedly, but a perplexed look appeared on Bo Suk¡¯s face.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you¡¯re not saying anything.¡±

    ¡°Should I be?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying. Most people would¡¯ve had something to say,¡± she said. Then, she hesitated and added, ¡°I find this ce somewhat odd.¡±

    ¡°You mean theputer room?¡±

    ¡°The Literature Club.¡±

    ¡°Odd how?¡±

    ¡°The fact that there¡¯s an artist in the club, first of all.¡±

    It made sense from her point of view.

    ¡°Baron is quite entric, but he¡¯s also brave. He¡¯s not afraid of being alone.¡±

    In other words, he was afraid of feeling fear of solitude.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get used to it eventually,¡± Juho said.

    With that, she looked at him intently and said, ¡°You¡¯re a bit of an oddball too.¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Juho realized what she had really wanted to say. She was anxious, not knowing what to do in an environment where choices and unique elements coexisted. She had been thinking of herself as someone who waspletely isted.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s exactly like you,¡± Juho said, and her expressions hardened all the more.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have what it takes to fight for what I want,¡± she said as faint disappointment appeared in her eyes. That was her sentiment toward herself. She was brusque and didn¡¯t seem to enjoy being in the Literature Club all that much. On the other hand, she didn¡¯t bother to do something else, like Baron. ¡°Honestly, I thought about leaving.¡±

    ¡°The Literature Club?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not like everyone there.¡±

    The reason for her difort had nothing to do with being surrounded by older students or the fact that she didn¡¯t enjoy writing. The issue had alwaysin within her. Effort. It was the very thing that was holding her back.

    ¡°But what stopped you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    She didn¡¯t leave because she wanted to stay. For that reason, Juho didn¡¯t feel the need to be concerned for her. She was ready and willing to face her predicament.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been talking for quite some time now.¡±

    In order to understand the other person better, they had exchanged information with each other. However, those conversations had been shallow at best.

    ¡°Are you ashamed of making an effort, or envious of the ability to make an effort?¡±

    Juho¡¯s story would be finished by the end of that day or the end of the following day at thetest, and just as he had been before, he was ready to listen to her then. Having conversed with him for quite some time, she was also fully aware of Juho¡¯s intentions. As he looked at her intently, Bo Suk opened her mouth and... ¡°So, when I was young...¡± ... began to tell her story.

    ¡°... we were having apetition in P.E. ss. Whoever hung from the pull-up bar the longest would win, and I didn¡¯t want to lose.¡±

    The sound of typing resonated throughout the room.

    ¡°My hands started to hurt, and my body felt heavier and heavier, but I clenched my teeth and tried as hard as I could not to fall. But that¡¯s when I saw the look on my teacher¡¯s face.¡±

    Leaving behind her dignity andposure, she fought desperately on the pull-up bar. Then, as the teacher came into view, she wished dearly for them to dere the oue of thepetition. She wanted to beplimented for her effort. The teacher was the sole referee and had the power to determine the oue of her effort.

    ¡°It was a sneer.¡±

    The teacher was sneering at their own student. ¡®What are you trying so hard for?¡¯ Bo Suk realized that her effort was no more thanughingstock, and she still remembered it vividly.

    ¡°From then on, I tried as hard as I could not to make an effort in front of others. It was the same thing in the Table Tennis Club. I wanted to be someone average without having to try so hard. I wanted to seem sophisticated and graceful,¡± Bo Suk said.

    Juho was reminded of the racket that was held like a pencil. A tired looked appeared on her face.

    ¡°But that time, my teacher was telling me to try harder, saying that he¡¯d never seen me making an effort in anything. Something didn¡¯t add up. I clearly put in the effort, but people just blurt out what they think just because it¡¯s visible to their eyes. I didn¡¯t know what my teacher wanted from me, so I quit,¡± Bo Suk said. That had to be the reason why she thought she was different from the rest of the club members.

    ¡°When I read theption, I saw how much time and effort had gone into it, and I was astonished. It didn¡¯t even ur to me to mock what I was seeing because I simply thought that I was different from everyone else.¡±

    She found herself drowning deeper in confusion. ¡®Why am I different from them?¡¯ Then, locking eyes with Juho, she said, ¡°I fell for you when I saw you writing.¡±

    A sudden confession.

    ¡°I realized for the first time how charming it is to work hard. That¡¯s why I chose you as the protagonist of my story. You¡¯re charming like a protagonist.¡±

    Juho remained silent. To which, she added, ¡°I want to be like you.¡±

    So, how are you able to write so hard?¡± she asked again.

    After he stopped writing, he looked up briefly at the ceiling and said, ¡°I was scolded by my teacher today.¡±

    While it was a sudden change of subject, Juho pushed on withoutmenting on it, ¡°I was distracted. Frankly, I do that quite often. My attention was elsewhere in ss, and I¡¯m reflecting on my habit.¡±

    As a dumbfounded look appeared on her face, Juho added, ¡°In other words, I¡¯m not any different from you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. You¡¯re incredible. You¡¯re different from everyone,¡± she answered.

    ¡°We¡¯re all different from each other.¡±

    ¡°But you work so hard! I¡¯m sure you were mocked and hassled, but you still put in the effort. That¡¯s what I really want to.¡±

    She was speaking faster. It was a sign of excitement, and Juho took notice of her behavior.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to it,¡± Juho said light-heartedly.

    ¡°You put in the effort because you want to, as much as you want. That¡¯s it.¡±

    A shout came from the distance. It wasing from the schoolyard, and he had heard the same sound when he first met Bo Suk. The shout came whenever it wished to.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing noble or disgraceful about effort. What sense does that make when I work hard because I want to?¡±

    Bo Suk blinked awkwardly, and her eyes sparkled.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you don¡¯t do things when you¡¯re told to do them and do things when you¡¯re told not to.¡±

    Her lips were trembling, but no words came out of it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ashamed. If writing isn¡¯t for you, then you don¡¯t have to force yourself. If you want to write just as well, then you do just that. You do what you want.¡±

    She remembered what Baron said to her not too long before, ¡°Write whatever the heck you want.¡±

    ¡®Is that really OK?¡¯ a slight sense of anxiety seeped into her. Joining the Literature Club was her way of running away from her issues. Unlike the rest of the club members, she felt that her motives were impure. She felt that she was different and that she didn¡¯t have the privilege of exercising such freedom.

    ¡°... Those words are a lot easier for you to say. The reason I¡¯m here is...¡±

    Then, their conversation came to a halt as a faint voice sounded in the distance. Still, Juho was able to predict what she was about to say. He rose from his seat. Theputer had been switched off long ago, and he pulled out his sh drive.

    ¡°I thought this would be one of thezy clubs too,¡± Juho said as he felt her gaze. ¡°When Seo Kwang and I first met, we would tell each other that being in azy club wouldn¡¯t be all that bad. We¡¯d be able to do whatever we wanted, so he said that he¡¯d just read to his heart¡¯s content. Sun Hwa joined because she didn¡¯t recognize the Comic/Cartoon Research Club to be legitimate, and Bom just followed her. Baron had already made up his mind when he joined, and you don¡¯t see him writing to this day.¡±

    Everyone was hardly any different, and they stumbled their way through until they each found their own path.

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Juho asked with a smile.

 Chapter 136 - A Sparkling Gem (5)

    <h4>Chapter 136: Chapter 136 ¨C A Sparkling Gem (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Bo Suk remained silent for a while.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said calmly. She wasn¡¯t embarrassed. ¡°But I do know that I want to do a good job writing about you,¡± she added.

    ¡°Then, you do just that.¡±

    Bo Suk smiled at his light-hearted remark. As arge, dog¡¯s stool-like cloud floated by in the sky, Juho thought about how the protagonist in his story would see that cloud.

    ¡°It does kind of look like a dog¡¯s stool.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m gonna get going now. Feel free to use anyputer.¡±

    Leaving Bo Suk on her own, Juho left theputer room. She didn¡¯t follow him. His footsteps echoed throughout the hallway.

    Juho was no different from Bo Suk. He had returned to the past as if he had been washed ashore at the Han River. He was struggling to lead a life that was different from his past, all without any particr goal. Wavering and steadying himself, happy and sad, relieved and afraid. His life was rather hectic. However, it didn¡¯t stop him from writing. With the finished story in his hand, Juho walked down the stairs.

    ¡ª

    ¡°There¡¯s a construction going on across the street from the bookstore.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯sing in?¡±

    ¡°A famous cafe, apparently. You know, the one with the bird logo. People have been raving about it opening in Korea.¡±

    ¡°That was a bird? I thought it was some sort of monster.¡±

    It was a famous cafe that used a mythical, half-woman, half-bird creature as its logo. As Seo Kwang told him the location, Juho realized that it was near the bookstore that he visited frequently.

    ¡°Did you do something bad?¡± Seo Kwang asked, giving Juho a side-eye.

    As they conversed in the hallway, Juho immediately realized who was watching him.

    ¡°She¡¯s watching you like a hungry predator. She¡¯s scaring me.¡±

    The person Seo Kwang murmured about was none other than Bo Suk. Since theirst conversation, she had been appearing around Juho to observe him no matter where he was. Despite being seen by the entire Literature Club, she didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°It¡¯s gotten better though. She used to follow us without even eating her lunch.¡±

    Without even talking to him, Bo Suk had been watching from afar. Although he offered to answer any of her questions, she shook her head and turned him down, iming that she was making observational notes. While Juho was cooperating with her to the best of his abilities, he couldn¡¯t deny that it was getting bothersome.

    ¡°This must be how Baron felt,¡± Juho said with a sigh. He started to understand what Baron might have felt like when he had been hassled by the club members.

    As Seo Kwang snickered, a voice sounded from behind them, ¡°Juho.¡±

    Surprisingly, it was Bo Suk. She seemed to be in a better mood than usual.

    ¡°I read ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ It was great. It really stirred up my interest in literature. Speaking of which, could you give me a rmendation?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Rookie! You know your books! Yes, yes. What kind of book would you like to read? I have quite a few of them, so don¡¯t hesitate to ask to borrow them!¡± Seo Kwang answered on Juho¡¯s behalf.

    Then, Bo Suk answered with a slightly put off face. ¡°Well... I guess I¡¯ll start with a short story. Something simr to ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯¡± she said, expressing her preference clearly.

    However, Seo Kwang had a mischievous look on his face for some reason.

    ¡°Seems like Yun Woo or Won Yi Young are the authors you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo? But he¡¯s only written full-length novels.¡±

    ¡°I promise you. It¡¯ll be closer to what you¡¯re looking for than anything else.¡±

    Juho quietly watched his friend at work, and after nodding in affirmation, she walked to the stairs.

    She had the finished draft of her work in her hand. Writing about ¡°Juho Woo¡± proved to be a difficult challenge. As a person who wasn¡¯t capable of writing even a short story, she had chosen to write an observational assessment With Juho as the subject, she recorded her observations, most of them of his habits.

    ¡®He smiles often. He looks up at the sky often. He neverins about the school lunch that is notorious for being unptable. He types incredibly fast. He¡¯s always calm. He bes ferocious when he writes. He tends to stare at someone intently. He writes memos on his notepad. He reads a lot, although not as much as Seo Kwang.¡¯

    She was also aware that the cloud that appeared like a dog¡¯s stool to her appeared like a sweet potato to him. Although she had wanted to find out what kind of books he was into, her efforts had gone in vain because of Seo Kwang.

    At the end of her list of seemingly insignificant information, she wrote her thoughts: ¡®In person, he¡¯s the most friendly and charming person I¡¯ve ever met at school.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moon?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he answered Bo Suk half-heartedly. He was lost in a book, and the neatly printed letters came into her view.

    ¡°Here¡¯s my draft.¡±

    ¡°So, you managed to pull it off. Good job,¡± he said as he took the papers from her hand.

    ¡°He¡¯s a real stickler, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Somewhat. It was impossible to read his thoughts.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s his charm.¡±

    As she agreed with Mr. Moon, she asked him about another stack of papers in hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Your draft,¡± he gave yet another half-hearted answer. However, she caught on immediately that it was Juho¡¯s story about her.

    ¡°May I take a look?¡± she asked respectfully with her both hands forward, and Mr. Moon reluctantly handed her the papers. It was obvious that he had been meaning to read them first.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said as she took the papers from his hand.

    ¡®It was a gem that sparkled on its own. Everyone wanted and coveted after it, but it wasn¡¯t long before they all turned away from it. The gem wasn¡¯t sparkling for them, and it couldn¡¯t be worn as a jewelry. People grumbled, saying, ¡°That¡¯s one stubborn gem.¡±¡®

    ¡°A stubborn gem,¡± Bo Suk¡¯s eyes lingered on that sentence, and Mr. Moon asked, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    She nodded enthusiastically.

    ¡°I want to be able to write like this,¡± she said as she was inspired to something. It was a story about the son of a pencil factory owner who had a passion for table tennis.

    ¡°That depends on how much work you put into it.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± she said smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    With that, she went out of the room and then out to the schoolyard. The pull-up bars appeared in front of her. No one was around them. Mimicking someone she knew, she looked up at the sky. She knew the secret behind the gem in Juho¡¯s story. It sparkled because of the sun, the source of light in this world.

    ¡°Bright.¡±

    A sweet-potato shaped cloud floated by.

    ¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s bright out,¡± Myung Joo said.

    Feeling nervous, he took off his sunsses and went inside the theater, where he was greeted by familiar faces. Sang Young and his crew were making an official announcement about his movie that day. Following the staff, Myung Joo was brought to the waiting room. He had already stopped by a famous beauty salon for his make up.

    It all felt too unfamiliar. While he wouldn¡¯t be getting much screen time, Yun¡¯s brother was a character that had asting presence in the readers¡¯ minds. Although it was natural that he was receiving so much attention for his role, he was unfamiliar with being on the receiving end of that attention.

    Myung Joo remembered hisst encounter with Yun Woo, the author of ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ Despite being a high school student, he gave a stronger impression as an author than a student. In other words, the high school side of him was covered by his presence as Yun Woo.

    Then, he had a powerful realization.

    ¡°So, this is the person who wrote the book, and I get to act out a story that was written by him.¡±

    ¡°Myung Joo, are you here?¡± a voice sounded as the door opened.

    It was Sang Young Ju. Unlike his usual attire of ck T-shirt and jeans, he was dressed in semi-formal wear. Without hesitation, Myung Joo rose from his seat and greeted the director.

    ¡°No, no. Stay in your seat,¡± Sang Young said as he sat across from the actor. ¡°This is your first time being part of something like this, right? You don¡¯t have to be so nervous.¡±

    ¡°Yes. It still feels surreal to be honest.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to it. They ask you questions, and you answer them. That¡¯s it,¡± Sang Young said as he removed his ufortable jacket.

    In that case, what Myung Joo would say would carry significant weight. The actor nodded quietly. In order to ease him up, Sang Young made small talk with him and then lowered his voice to emphasize, ¡°Just to make sure...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You know about Yun Woo, right?¡±

    Myung Joo nodded at once. He was well aware of the sensitive nature of the author¡¯s identity. Seeing that he had no intention of mentioning anything about his identity and that he was aware of the sensitivity of the matter, Sang Young smiled with satisfaction and moved on to another subject. It was mostly about his wife, Soo Jung Choi. Recognizing that his story had an calming effect, Myung Joo listened to him intently.

    ¡°Mr. Ju, are you here?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Ji Hye!¡±

    An attractive actress in a clean cut formal wear walked into the room. Her name was Ji Hye Goo. The actress and actor exchanged a brief greeting. Due to their roles, there was no interaction between them on set, so they had often watched each other¡¯s performances from afar. Because of a scene that involved burying a dead body, she had always been covered in dirt, unlike her current appearance.

    ¡°Yun Woo isn¡¯ting, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡±

    She asked the director about Yun Woo from time to time. The fierce conversation between the director who closely guarded his secret and the actress who didn¡¯t let up was well known among the crew.

    ¡°Thanks for the invite, you two,¡± Ji Hye said yfully. The news of the director, writer, and the actor who yed the brother meeting Yun Woo spread quickly, mostly about the thoughts and intentions Yun Woo had had in creating that character.

    To be more urate, it was gossip that Sang Young had spread as means of marketing the movie under the author¡¯s consensus of leaving out any detailed description of him.

    When she heard that, she grew all the more excited and curious about the mysterious author.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t have a choice. We needed help.¡±

    ¡°I was having a hard time getting the scene right, too.¡±

    ¡°But you, Ji Hye, your acting is top-notch!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject, Mr. Ju,¡± the actress said. Seeing that the director wasn¡¯t going to open up anytime soon, she moved on to the actor. ¡°You saw him too, right? Yun Woo? What does he look like?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say.¡±

    Her skin sparkled brightly when she talked.

    ¡°Ugh, seriously!? You too, Myung Joo!?¡±

    As Myung Joo smiled awkwardly, Sang Young groaned from the side.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to be flooded with questions in a moment here. Have mercy, Ji Hye.¡±

    ¡°I know exactly what you¡¯re going to say: ¡®I prefer to keep that to myself.¡¯¡±

    ¡°You know me so well,¡± Sang Young said.

    Her impersonation was quite impressive. Though they went back and forth for quite a while, the director didn¡¯t budge. In the end, she let up and said, ¡°Frankly, I do believe that it¡¯s most ideal to meet the author through their work, just like myself.¡±

    The actress on screen. The author of a book. There were simrities.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Especially for authors like Yun Woo, who keep putting out amazing books back to back. That was my reason for asking. I have no intention of meeting him in person. Besides, it¡¯s fun to hear it from someone else. I get to think whatever I want and judge it for myself.¡±

    Having debuted at an early age, Ji Hye had climbed her way to stardom. From the streets, to the TV, and to cell phones, she was amonly seen figure in advertisements. People both envied and yearned for her, in reality and on the inte.

    Myung Joo resolved himself. He was about to be exposed to the masses in many different ways. Just as he had judged those around him, he would be judged in the same way.

    Then, the actress¡¯ smile brightened the room.

    ¡°What was Yun Woo like?¡±

    Sang Young¡¯s heartyughter resounded in the waiting room.

    ¡°I prefer to keep that to myself!¡±

    With that, he jumped from his seat and told Myung Joo, ¡°I¡¯ll be going now. Break a leg.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Ju.¡±

    Just like that, Sang Young sessfully escaped the waiting room, leaving the actor on his own. While the actress snickered at the director¡¯s ludicrous exit, Myung Joo couldn¡¯t do anything but look away.

 Chapter 137 - The Trace of a Bird (1)

    <h4>Chapter 137: Chapter 137 ¨C The Trace of a Bird (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Oh, yeah! Hey, did you read that article?¡± Seo Kwang asked as he turned toward Juho, and the cking of the keyboard stopped. With the exception of Bo Suk, the other club members had beening up to theputerb one by one to use aputer.

    When Juho looked at Seo Kwang with the same ring eyes he had been using to stare at the monitor, Seo Kwang said in a murmur, ¡°It¡¯s recess man...¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. I was about to take a fiver myself,¡± Juho said.

    Rotating his stiff shoulders, Juho thought of the books he had read recently. However, what came out of his mouth had nothing to do with books.

    ¡°So, about that article?¡± he asked and thought, ¡®Which one is he talking about?¡¯

    As he waited patiently, a corner of Seo Kwang¡¯s mouth turned up.

    ¡°They announced the release date for the ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ movie.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that.¡±

    Although Juho had already been informed by Sang Young over the phone, he didn¡¯t go out of his way to borate.

    ¡°People are already getting antsy. The cast is really impressive too. I guess it¡¯s only fair considering how beefy of a novel the original is.¡±

    Then, a voice sounded from the side, ¡°I¡¯m not expecting much.¡±

    It was Baron. Though he sounded calm, his affection toward the original was apparent in those words.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not expecting a whole lot either,¡± Seo Kwang answered Juho. Baron and Seo Kwang got along quite well.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard turning such a long book into a movie.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m sure there will be parts that get left out. I love every scene and sentence in that book, and it pains me to think about that.¡±

    Juho was aware of what the two were wanting to say.

    ¡°I turned it down at first.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah! I remember reading an article it back then too: ¡®Yun Woo turns down offer for film adaptation.¡¯ Man, I still can¡¯t believe that same Yun Woo is sitting right in front of me. Tell us more!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not much to it.¡±

    At the sound of the name ¡°Yun Woo,¡± even Bom and Sun Hwa started to show interest.

    ¡°Did you ever visit the set?¡± Bom asked cautiously.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Why not? You could¡¯ve met the celebrities in person! The actor who ys ¡®Yun¡¯ is super good-looking,¡± Sun Hwa said without hiding her feelings. The actor she was referring to would often y leading roles in the various dramas she watched. Being one of her favorite actors, his fame was growing due to him having had started as a child actor.

    ¡°I think he¡¯ll be a great fit for the role,¡± Sun Hwa said as she covered her face with her hands.

    Bom agreed and brought up yet another actor, ¡°I¡¯m a little concerned for the other actor, the one ying the brother.¡±

    At that moment, the actor¡¯s dull appearance crossed Juho¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Oh! Myung Joo Mu, right? I¡¯ve never seen him before.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡± The brother was such a strong character in the book, so I thought the role would go to a famous actor. It was kind of unexpected.¡±

    ¡°He got that role through an audition, so I think that he¡¯ll be a decent actor.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang interjected, ¡°Speaking of which, casting Ji Hye Goo was a great move.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the one who buries the bird, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep. She¡¯s a big star, but she¡¯s known for her action sequences too. That positive image of hers really suits her role.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! She¡¯s gorgeous and stylish. She¡¯s got the best of both worlds.¡±

    Juho had always portrayed the actress¡¯ role as ¡°the role that involves burying a carcass¡± in his book. Burying carcasses was a daily task for her, and it usually took ce at night. Yun¡¯s encounter with her brings him a critical realization.

    ¡°They do have pretty simr images,¡± Juho said, and the club members responded excitedly.

    ¡°Wow! Really!?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it. The author has spoken.¡±

    Juho nodded. It was inevitable that celebrities would have careers with images attached to them, and as for Ji Hye Goo, her image was of a talented actress who was both bright and positive.

    In the book, she was the only creature that shone brightly in the dark of the night. When Juho was writing about her, he had frequently thought of the image of a firefly. There were just some people who tended to shine brighter at night, and the actress definitely had a lot inmon with the character she was ying.

    ¡°How are they simr?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m more familiar with the character.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s familiar about the character?¡±

    Juho had another reason for saying that the actress shared a simr image with her role. She was familiar to him because she had yed the exact same role in the past. Before he fell into the river, she had yed the same character in the movie. Although her interpretation of the character had been quite different from now, the fact that she had yed the same role in the past remained the same.

    In the past movie, Yun had been her lover, and it had left both the audience and Juho with much to be desired. Juho had wished that the two characters had been a bit more distant from each other.

    He had hoped the director and the filming crew had understood his intention for the characters better. It wasn¡¯t out of mere convenience that Yun exchange conflicting words with her at night with a deep pit between them.

    ¡®It should look different this time around,¡¯ he thought.

    ¡°They¡¯re not gonna make her date Yun, are they?¡± Seo Kwang cringed at the anxious thought that suddenly rose to the surface.

    ¡°They might,¡± Juho said with a smile.

    ¡°If that really happens, I won¡¯t ever forgive the director for what he did. ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ is just not the kind of book, and she¡¯s just not that kind of character!¡±

    Seo Kwang was getting quite worked up despite it having not actually happened. Out of nowhere, he ced his hand on Juho¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°You have to stop him. You can¡¯t let them mess with your work like that!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± a voice sounded as the door flung open, and the room sank into silence. It was Bo Suk. ¡°Did something to happen to Juho¡¯s books?¡±

    Seo Kwang shook his head in a hurry, and without asking any further, she went on to exin the reason for her visit, ¡°I was told to check if you guys were goofing around.¡±

    ¡°What!? Who does Mr. Moon think we are? That¡¯s disappointing!¡±

    ¡°And I see that he was right.¡±

    ¡°This is a discussion, all right!? A serious discussion about a book.¡±

    With that, the chatter about the movie suddenly turned into a serious discussion.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you lonely being the only person sitting through his lectures?¡± Bom asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. Being alone isn¡¯t all that bad, it turns out,¡± she said with a smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like Baron.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good mindset to have,¡± Baron said with a satisfied smile. Then, she walked toward Bom and asked, ¡°Bom, did you hear? They announced the release date for the ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ movie.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah! I heard. Why?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to go watch it. Would you like to go with me?¡±

    ¡°That sounds good, but I already made ns to go watch it with Sun Hwa.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go together. I¡¯ll buy you some popcorn!¡± Sun Hwa said enthusiastically, and in no time, the three went on to deciding what they would have for dinner.

    ¡°... How¡¯s movie night sound?¡±

    ¡°You should go with them. I¡¯m nning on going on my own,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Why? I¡¯m curious to see how you¡¯d react to the movie!¡±

    ¡°You should be watching the movie at a movie theater. Why even bother looking at me?¡±

    Then, Juho rested his chin on his hand. He wanted to watch the movie in peace, alone and uninterrupted. At the emphatic urges from his friend, Seo Kwang let up as he smacked his lips, and then moved on to striking up a conversation with Baron.

    A few dayster. Juho saw the ecstatic look on the three girls¡¯ faces.

    ¡°It was sooo good!¡±

    ¡°It was amazing!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Juho wondered and caught on immediately as he saw them crowded around Bom¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Is the movie out already?¡±

    ¡°Hey! You shouldn¡¯t be the one asking that?!¡±

    Looking enthusiastic, Sun Hwa opened her mouth as if she had a lot to say, but held back and remained quiet.

    ¡°It is out. You should go watch it, Juho. It was really good,¡± Bo Suk said cheerfully.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m in love with that movie. Especially the brother! Bom and Sun Hwa were bawling their eyes out.¡±

    ¡°Hey! I didn¡¯t cry?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, you did!¡±

    Bo Suk was quite excited, and Bom admitted, saying, ¡°The imagery was really pretty. The background was dark, but there were distinct colors. It gave me the impression that the director is a very detail-oriented person.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Juho answered as he thought of Sang Young. He did have a detail-oriented side to him.

    ¡°It was incredible!¡±

    Bo Suk had been repeating the same praise for some time, and she seemed like she needed to work on expanding her vocabry. With that, Juho took a seat and raised his hand to get their attention.

    ¡°OK, why don¡¯t we stop there? I don¡¯t want to be taken away from my movie experience.¡±

    ¡°Then, go watch it ASAP! Join the club!¡± Sun Hwa said. It was obvious that she was into the movie.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna read both of Yun Woo books at home!¡±

    Juho chuckled and asked, ¡°You mean you still haven¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°The world is filled with greatic books. I¡¯ve been putting it off, and... Well, here I am,¡± she said in a quieter voice as if she were pricked in the heart. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not the only person who feels this way and I¡¯m sure more people will read Yun Woo¡¯s books after watching this movie. Anyway, hurry and go watch it!¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    Despite his answer, Juho didn¡¯t go to the theater for quite some time, and in the end, he was the only person in the entire club who hadn¡¯t watched the movie.

    ¡°I can¡¯t help but like it.¡±

    ¡°This is probably the director¡¯s masterpiece.¡±

    Seo Kwang and Baron said. They had been the most skeptical toward the movie, meaning that they were fans of the original. Seeing how the movie moved the hearts of such skeptics, Juho felt hopeful that he might have something to look forward to.

    ¡°The movie was good.¡±

    Mr. Moon affirmed, and Juho started receiving texts or phone calls from the authors around him. ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ was shaking the world yet again. Not only were the streets covered in its posters, but the book was also among the most searched words on the inte. The name ¡°Yun Woo¡± was also frequently mentioned.

    ¡®When should I go watch it? When things die down? Maybe tomorrow? It¡¯d be better to watch it at the theater, which means I can only put it off for so long,¡¯ Juho thought as hey in his room. Suddenly, his phone rang. It was Seo Joong.

    ¡°The movie was impressive! I think it¡¯s the first time in this country¡¯s history that a film adaptation was done right!¡±

    An excited voice came through as soon as Juho picked up his phone. It sounded like Seo Joong was calling immediately after watching the movie. Before he had the chance to go on, Juho rushed to say, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it yet.¡±

    ¡°What?! Why??¡± Seo Joong asked in a puzzled voice.

    ¡°Just because.¡±

    ¡°Did you not get a ticket to the premier?¡±

    ¡°I turned it down. It would be like advertising that I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Still! I would¡¯ve made it a priority to go watch it if I were you!¡± Seo Joong said, clicking his tongue. ¡°Even Dong Gil liked it. He thinks that it did a good job portraying the original. The visuals were quite nice too. I might even say that the movie is a step up from the book in terms of visual presentation.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a mean thing to say to the author of the original.¡±

    ¡°So, go watch it! Why haven¡¯t you yet?! Are you afraid of getting disappointed?¡±

    Juho thought for a brief time and said, ¡°I¡¯m pumping myself up as much as I can.¡±

    ¡°Pumping yourself up?¡±

    ¡°Or I¡¯m gathering energy...¡±

    ¡°Energy?¡±

    ¡°You can say that I¡¯m starving myself.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re starving? Have you been not eating?¡±

    ¡°No, but I¡¯m just about to go eat.¡±

    ¡°Is it a buffet sort of situation?¡±

    ¡°Something like that.¡±

    Hunger was the best seasoning, and Juho intended on savoring his experience to his heart¡¯s content. He nned on facing the experience while being in the best state he could be.

    ¡°Still, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not good to starve for too long. Everything¡¯s a bnce.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You shouldn¡¯t starve for too long. Your stomach will shrink, so you won¡¯t be able to eat all that much.¡±

    ¡°I better get my tickets now then.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah? Did our conversation stir up your appetite?¡±

    As the conversation ended after a little while, Juho turned on hisputer and logged into a website in order to purchase a ticket. He immediately saw the title ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ The actors¡¯ faces also became visible along with the movie¡¯s colorful poster. It was quite sensuous.

    The poster was ced at the topmost, as the first movie, and had the phrase ¡°Number One Pre-Ordered Movie¡± written in small letters under it. After looking intently at it, Juho clicked on the poster and chose a theater that was a slight distance from his house. He preferred to be at a ce he had never been to. After choosing his seat, he purchased a ticket for ate-night showing.

    Then, his phone started ringing yet again. That time, it was Sang Young Ju, the director.

 Chapter 138 - The Trace of a Bird (2)

    <h4>Chapter 138: Chapter 138 ¨C The Trace of a Bird (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I told you back then.¡±

    ¡°Forget your seasonings! If you¡¯re not nning on giving me a stroke, just go watch it!¡±

    ¡°Speak of the devil. I just bought a ticket, so I¡¯ll be watching it very soon, Mr. Ju.¡±

    ¡°... Is that so? You should¡¯ve told me earlier,¡± Sang Young said as he coughed awkwardly.

    ¡°There wasn¡¯t any time to tell you,¡± Juho said as Sang Young cooled down.

    Pretending not to hear Juho, Sang Young added, ¡°Good to hear that you bought a ticket already. Give me a call after you watch it. I¡¯d like to hear you say, ¡®I was so touched. You¡¯re the best director in this country. There will never be another movie like it in my entire life.¡¯ OK? With tears and all,¡± he said confidently.

    ¡°You sound confident.¡±

    ¡°It came naturally as I heard the reviews from all around.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense. All of my friends loved it, as well as other authors I keep in touch with.¡±

    ¡°... Is that so?¡± Sang Young said as he coughed yet again. It sounded rather pleasant. ¡°For the first time in a long time, I really enjoyed the filming process. It¡¯s weird considering how much risk I took on for this movie.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. The movie seems to be doing great too. It made the-most-pre-ordered-movie list.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I denied that I¡¯m on cloud nine. I¡¯m seeing numbers that I¡¯ll never be able to see again in my directing career. On the other hand, I can¡¯t help but feel like there¡¯s a loose end somewhere. I don¡¯t want to be known as a person who talks the talk without walking the walk.¡±

    ¡°I already bought a ticket, I told you.¡±

    ¡°Right. Well, don¡¯t even bother with the popcorn. It¡¯ll only distract you. And make sure not to drink too much water so you don¡¯t have to make trips to the bathroom!¡± he emphasized repeatedly. ¡°Be safe now. Even if you were to die today, death could wait until after the movie.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡±

    ¡ª

    Juho went to the theater. Although he got lost briefly on his way, he managed to arrive in time for the movie. Resisting the potent popcorn smell in the air tempting him, he made his way into the theater empty-handed.

    Third row from the top toward the middle. The seat he had reserved was left unupied. Despite thete night showing on a weekday, there were still people in the theater. Couples, friends, or people alone. The screen shone brightly, revealing the rtionships between the members of the audience. Although it was deep into the night, there were people of all ages and genders who hade to watch the movie.

    The advertisements started ying on the screen, showing the faces of popr boy/girl bands or actors and actresses in the most recent TV dramas. They were dieting, drinking a beverage, or being physically affectionate toward each other. The time flew by, and Juho heard the conversations around him.

    As he stared nkly at the screen, the lights turned off, and the theater was engulfed in darkness. His surroundings disappeared, leaving only the screen present. Feeling somewhat constrained, Juho rubbed his hands together, and after the announcement exining the fire exit locations, the screen transitioned. With that, the movie began to y.

    A majestic music filled the theater.

    ¡°Ohh...!¡±

    Juho let out by reflex as Yun appeared on screen. The music blended with the scene where he was running in the dark. There were sounds and sound effects that were not directly portrayed in the book. The view changed from Yun¡¯s eyes, to his hair dripping with sweat, to his feet as they moved busily back and forth.

    Juho felt the letters and words he had written rising up to the surface of his mind. ¡®Yun ran as the drops of sweat trickled down from his forehead into his mouth. They were salty and unpleasant,¡± the narration dictated, and the actor¡¯s voice echoed in the theater.

    ¡°It was dangerous to run in the dark.¡±

    ...because the runner wouldn¡¯t be able to see ahead. There was nothing in Yun¡¯s way as he ran, not even a street light. However, he swiftly ran through that street. What appeared to be a superpower was actually his experience. He knew exactly where to expect the insects chirping and where he needed to watch his steps.

    ¡°I was finally able to run.¡±

    He ran as he listened to the insects chirping, jumping over humps with ease. It was dark out, and the screen was filled with it, leaving only his eyes visible. It was the same darkness Juho had had in mind when he had written the book, and he felt excitement welling up from within.

    Yun made his way back to his resting ce before sunrise. Then, after closing the curtains, heid himself on the nket and went to sleep alone. That¡¯s when everything around him started toe alive. The movie seemed to have shortened a scene that spanned about twenty pages in the book.

    He fell asleep and dreamed. It was a scene that indicated that his very resting ce was the ce where he lived in perpetual darkness, putting him in a state of near-death.

    While there were certainly parts that were removed and changed from the original, the movie was quite good, and it immersed the author. Despite the darkness, there were distinct colors. Juho immediately understood what Bom had told him.

    The movie portrayed darkness in various, carefully considered shades. Some scenes were slightly brighter, whereas others were slightly darker. At the same time, there were also scenes that were quite dark, sometimes pitch ck. The intensity of it changed ording to what was taking ce in the scene.

    Darkness wasn¡¯t the only thing that stood out. The light that shone through the curtains entuated the overall color scheme, and the feathers fluttered about the room beautifully. It was visually striking, and the fact that it was a movie made by Sang Young¡¯s coarse hands stirred up Juho¡¯s interest.

    ¡°Yun,¡± a pleasant, yet familiar voice said. It was the brother.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    The brothers continued in their crossed conversation, with visible fear on Yun¡¯s face and a suspicious smile on the brother¡¯s. Because of Juho¡¯s recollection of the actor¡¯s dull appearance, it was hard for him to imagine how the actor would portray the character.

    ¡°Are you afraid?¡± the brother asked...

    ¡°Yeah.¡± ... and Yun answered.

    He was exposing his weakness to his brother and sank powerlessly, without resisting or running away. The camera showed his eyes shaking anxiously. In them, was a deep sadness.

    The movie worked up to its climax as the brother snapped the wings of the bird. The scene was filled with painful breathing and feathers fluttering about. He was calm. Without clenching his teeth or his veins bulging from anger, he quietly killed the bird.

    Then, he chucked its carcass at Yun. It was fear, and the space became filled with it. The screen showed Yun¡¯s eyes, filled with sadness.

    Suddenly, he felt anger welling up from within that gave him the urge to shout.

    At the sight, Juho also came to a sudden realization.

    ¡®So, this must have been what it was like for all you readers. Angry, emotional,¡± he thought as he felt a tingling sensation in his hands.

    The screen showed that it was night time. With the dead bird in his hand, Yun went out to look for the woman, thinking that she would be able to bury his deep-seated fear along with the carcass.

    The music yed as Yun ran, but he wasn¡¯t on his usual trail. Suddenly, he stumbled on something unexpectedly and staggered, struggling to get back up. Holding his fear in his arms, he pushes on, his tears making him all the more pathetic and undesirable.

    Juho clenched his hands into fists as the darkness grew more intense, leaving only Yun¡¯s eyes visible. Yun stared intently on with his watery eyes at a shape made of light.

    With a shovel in her hand, the woman buried the bird for him willingly. The darkness lingered, and the movie approached its end as the screen became gradually brighter.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK now,¡± Yun said as he stood alone in front of a tomb. There were countless carcasses of animals buried under his feet. The darkness started to fade, and the sun rose to brighten the world.

    Juho frowned at the white light that shone brightly in the screen. There was a wind, and countless birds flew up to the sky. With that, the credit music yed, and a quiet sobbing became audible.

    ¡°Please exit this way!¡±

    Following the voice, the lights came on and illuminated the theater. The velvety covers on the chairs became visible. The door opened, and people rose from their seats simultaneously, heading down the stairs. It was a bit noisy. They were excited as the made their way out of the theater with leftover popcorn in their hands.

    Juho sat in the theater quietly until the credit finished rolling, and the music stopped. He felt the emotions linger within. It was just what he had been looking for.

    If what he was experiencing was equivalent to the effect that his book had on its readers, then...

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m not doing too badly...!¡±

    ... Juho would be content.

    On his way out, Juho immediately called Sang Young as he had promised previously.

    ¡°Did you watch it?¡± Sang Young asked abruptly.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How was it?¡±

    After a brief time thinking, Juho gave his honest opinion, ¡°I was pissed.¡±

    ¡°... Huh?¡± Sang Young asked in a flustered voice, and Juho added with a smile, ¡°I was pissed or relieved where I should be. I felt something welling up from within at the end, but I soon felt proud.¡±

    Sang Young remained silent at Juho¡¯s calm and seemingly humble opinion.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Just like that, Juho hung up and walked about the unfamiliar street.

    ¡ª

    ¡°¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ most pre-ordered movie. Box Office Number One¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ reaches 70,000 viewers. Will it reach the 100,000 mark?¡¯¡±

    ¡°The Box-Office Hit! Number One! Critically acimed! Sang Young Ju¡¯s approach to the original.¡±

    ¡°The sensational stage greetings of ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ actors. Mentions of Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°The author of the original, Yun Woo, responds to the movie. His advice?¡±

    ¡°The movie was sooo good.¡±

    ¡°The actor who yed Yun¡¯s brother was amazing. I got chills when he killed the bird.¡±

    ¡°Sang Young Ju might not be the most famous director, but he was always recognized for his visual presentation.¡±

    ¡°I second that. I didn¡¯t know there were so many shades to darkness. I can really tell that they paid close attention to the props. I was touched when the birds flew away at the end.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the article titles? It says nothing about Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Actors and actress, please tell us more about Yun Woo. We¡¯re dying here!¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t know either, apparently.¡±

    ¡°Actually, the director and Myung Joo Mu met with Yun Woo in person. There¡¯s a rumor saying that the writer rewrote the brother¡¯s character entirely.¡±

    ¡°They had to rewrite a character? How bad of a job did they do?¡±

    ¡°The director ¡®prefers to keep it to himself.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d that it¡¯s not reflecting badly on the original. I was anxious throughout the entire movie.¡±

    ¡°It still feels like it falls short of the original. It¡¯s a bummer that it didn¡¯t have the same philosophical depth.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something that can be helped. Personally, I loved the movie.¡±

    ¡°I watched the movie without reading the book, and I loved it! On my way to the bookstore now!¡±

    ¡°¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ is the current number one best seller. The movie¡¯s proving to be a major boost.¡±

    ¡°¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ following as a close second. Yun Woo gets all the money even if there hadn¡¯t been a movie.¡±

    ¡°Nope. ¡®Language of God¡¯ is the second. I just saw it.¡±

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ is second.¡±

    ¡°Love that book.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a battle between Yun Woo and Won Yi! Pure literature vs. genre novel.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo wins. Nopetition.¡±

    ¡°Just came across something strange. Here¡¯s the link:¡±

    As he saw thestment, Juho stopped tapping on his phone. ¡®Something strange, huh...¡¯

    Juho clicked the link that took him to a long post that was obviously written by a Yun Woo fan. In summary, it stated...

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ is a third-ss novel at best. ¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ got pushed down to third because of that no-name author, Won Yi Young. Genre novels are cheap and tasteless.¡±

    At the prolonged criticism toward genre novels, Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°Well, Yun Woo wrote that third-ss novel, buddy.¡±

    ording to the writer¡¯s logic, Yun Woo would also be considered a third-ss author.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t know that when he wrote that post.¡±

    Thement section was filled with people agreeing and disagreeing. It was apetition between Yun Woo and Won Yi Young, each hurtling insults at the other author.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Juho said as he read through each of them.

 Chapter 139 - A Bomb Explosion (1)

    <h4>Chapter 139: Chapter 139 ¨C A Bomb Explosion (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡®The world sure is full of interesting people,¡¯ Juho thought light-heartedly as he turned off theputer, picking up the sheets of manuscript paper scattered about the room and tossing them on to the desk. With that, hey on his bed and went to sleep.

    Another day came, and Juho wrote as usual. The world was quiet and peaceful, and he got ready for school as soon as he woke up. He wrote at school as well, just like he had been at home, then he went to sleep. Time passed, and yet another day came.

    ¡°What in the world is happening?!¡±

    Upon checking his phone, Juho was taken aback by the number of missed calls. He took a closer look and found out that Jang Mi had made most of the calls, followed by Seo Kwang. There were also missed calls from the other club members, authors, and Nam Kyung. Yawning, Juho called Jang Mi.

    ¡°Mr. Young!¡± she answered the phone immediately. She sounded anxious on one hand and happy that she was hearing back from him on the other. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get a hold of you, so I was starting to get worried.¡±

    ¡°I just woke up. I wrotete into the night, so I went to bed quitete.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then, I suppose you haven¡¯t heard the news yet.¡±

    ¡®What news?¡¯ Juho wondered as Jang Mi said hesitantly.

    ¡°So... This may sound somewhat absurd.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re involved in a dispute.¡±

    Looking down at his pajamas, Juho asked again, ¡°A dispute?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Between Yun Woo and Won Yi Young. The inte is a mess right now, and it¡¯s getting worse. We¡¯ve been getting calls from other publishingpanies too.¡±

    Juho remembered the post that he came across a few days back.

    ¡®It can¡¯t be that bad. They¡¯d just hurl insults at each other at worst.¡¯

    Feeling perplexed, Juho asked, ¡°How bad is it?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a feeling going around that you giarized Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°giarized? But I didn¡¯t giarize anybody.¡±

    At hiscent attitude, Jang Mi answered in a serious tone, ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for jokes, Mr. Young. Your reputation is getting hurt, and Yun Woo has the upperhand in the matter because he debuted ahead of you.¡±

    Unfortunately, the time of Yun Woo¡¯s debut wasn¡¯t his only advantage.

    ¡°So...¡±

    Juho calmly organized his thoughts. A Yun Woo fan had criticized Won Yi Young as a third-ss author, and not only had it offended Won Yi Young fans, but also other fans of genre novels. It wasn¡¯t long until even non-Yun Woo fans joined in on the dispute that treated fantasy novels as subpar.

    The dispute intensified quickly, and it soon evolved from rivalry toparing the literary value between the two books. To make matters worse, the dispute took an unexpected turn toward giarism after someone who was referring to HongSam¡¯s blog pointed out that the two authors were dangerously simr in style. Already emotionally charged, the two parties got into a fierce mud fight.

    ¡®I see... that¡¯s why Seo Kwang was trying to get a hold of me so desperately,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°Are you there, Mr. Young?

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Things are blowing out of proportion, and the media is exploding. You¡¯re both the most and the second most searched person on the inte. Yun Woo, Won Yi Young. Aren¡¯t you being a little greedy? It would have been more than enough to stop once you reached bestseller status.¡±

    With that, Juho pulled up a browser and scanned through the news articles about Yun Woo, Won Yi Young, and the giarism controversy between them. From an outside perspective, it was quite serious.

    ¡°... What do we do?¡± Jang Mi asked helplessly, and Juho heard the phones ringing restlessly in the background. The calls had to be about Won Yi Young.

    Feeling hungry, Juho rubbed his belly, and said, ¡°I¡¯lle clean.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°That Yun Woo and Won Yi Young are the same person.¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry, what was that?¡±

    His hunger intensified.

    ¡ª

    ¡°This is nice,¡± Jang Mi said, sipping her tea while sitting next to her boss, Dong Baek. The nutty fragrance of Job¡¯s Tears tickled her nose. Because of the reporters crowding the entrance to thepany, the two had no choice but to meet Juho elsewhere: the botanical garden. Although they were hesitant to open the door to the hidden room, they came to realize that it was a rather nice meeting spot.

    Before making his way to the garden, Juho had a lengthy conversation on the phone

    with Seo Kwang to calm him down. Then, having arrived at the garden, he took a cookie from a stack that Jang Mi and Dong Baek had brought and put it in his mouth. It was from a bakery.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to be quiet for once, away from all those phones,¡± Dong Baek said, exhausted. The staff at the publishingpany was up to their knees with phone calls alone. From reporters, to readers and broadcast producers, questions regarding Won Yi Young were flooding the office. Of course, Dong Baek¡¯spany was yet to make any official announcement, and Zelkova Publishing Company was the same way.

    ¡°They¡¯re really letting me have it, aren¡¯t they?¡± Juho asked.

    Whether it was Yun Woo or Won Yi Young. Dong Baek couldn¡¯t deny Juho¡¯s question. Yun Woo and Won Yi Young. Pure literature and genre novels. Appealing to the masses and artistic value. Everything was in a jumble, and the purpose was no longer clear. It was a mud fight.

    ¡°Yun Woo fans feel that Won Yi Young is damaging their favorite author¡¯s reputation and his unique work. By contrast, Won Yi Young fans are iming that their author¡¯s book is not something that can result from giarizing. That was when the two conflicting parties started talking down the work of the author they¡¯re each standing against, and that led to them exchanging insults with each other and their authors. It¡¯s all stale and pointless.¡±

    Jang Mi gave a summary of the current situation while cautiously studying Juho¡¯s expression. She was concerned about how he would feel as the person at the center of it.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Juho said, chuckling. The situation was rather interesting to him. The two books written by the same person were at odds with each other. He was both advocated for and criticized.

    ¡°Well, on the brighter side, things are not looking entirely bad. Thanks to the war between the fans, the rate at which the book is selling is increasing exponentially. Controversy can be an incredibly effective tool when ites to raising numbers.¡±

    ¡°I always thought that my books would sell with or without controversy.¡±

    ¡°That goes without saying. I just wanted to show you that there is a positive side to all this.¡±

    ¡°I did expect a bomb, but I didn¡¯t think that would be this big,¡± Dong Baek said as he scratched his head.

    ¡®Language of God¡¯ was ranked second in the bestsellers¡¯ list. It was the achievement of a rookie who had nothing to show for, and Dong Baek had been more than content with the result. However, things had taken an unexpected turn, and he found himself the center of attention of the entire country.

    ¡°The fuse must¡¯ve been burning too hot, and the spark must¡¯ve lit another fuse near it. Perhaps we started off a little too strong,¡± he said.

    Yun Woo simply had too much presence, and his clean and mysterious reputation had been caught in a controversy with a new sensational rookie, Won Yi Young, who was suspected of giarizing him. Once the hidden truth came out, another bomb would go off. It would be a chain reaction.

    ¡°I still think it¡¯s best toe clean,¡± Juho said, and Dong Baek nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already made ns with a reporter.¡±

    He was referring to Myung Sil Oh. At the sound of the familiar name, Juho tilted his head.

    ¡®I know that name,¡± Juho thought, and suddenly, Seo Kwang¡¯s face crossed his mind.

    ¡°Ah! I read her articles. She had a lot of good things to say about Won Yi Young.¡±

    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s very experienced and skilled. Very trustworthy.¡±

    Emphasizing that Juho didn¡¯t need to worry, Dong Baek asked one of the questions that he had been wanting to ask Yun Woo himself, ¡°Frankly, I¡¯ve been curious. Why did you, Yun Woo, submit your manuscript under the name Won Yi Young?¡±

    Once the reportes and those who could read the articles found out, they would ask the same question.

    Juho remained silent for some time because there had been multiple reasons for that decision. He didn¡¯t want his writing to be masked by Yun Woo¡¯s shadow, and he had wanted to experience something that he had never done. He had wanted proof. He had wanted freedom.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fun.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    Juho chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s boring to write under one name.¡±

    ¡°... Is that it?¡±

    ¡°No, there are a few more reason. One of them has to do with a crow.¡±

    While Dong Baek gave up, Jang Mi¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. Although ambiguous, it was a rather Yun Woo-like answer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡±

    With Juho¡¯s request, the two rose from their seats and made their way out. However, Juho sat back down and checked the time. It was time to meet with his editor, Nam Kyung.

    As he waited patiently, he opened a book he had brought.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    A tired looking silhouette walked in through the door and over to the vending machine. Buying himself a cup of tea, he sat on the same spot where Jang Mi had been sitting. The nutty fragrance was quite pleasant. Without even asking for the source, Nam Kyung reached for one of the cookies on the table.

    ¡°This is good! Where¡¯s it from?¡±

    ¡°No clue.¡±

    Nam Kyung paid no particr attention to his answer.

    ¡°I enjoyed the movie,¡± he said in reference to ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯

    Juho, too, picked up a cookie and said, ¡°How does it feel seeing the book you¡¯re in charge of being made into a movie?¡±

    ¡°How do YOU feel as the author? I heard you were against it for quite some time.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought it would be,¡± Juho said, chuckling.

    ¡°Same here.¡±

    Juho put the cookie in his mouth. It tasted exactly the same as thest.

    ¡°I felt proud for some reason. The movie¡¯s doing really well too, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°So I heard.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Yun Woo¡¯s always at the center of attention.¡±

    The name ¡°Yun Woo¡± was being mentioned frequently throughout, and because of that, it received more than enough attention and made marketing almost unnecessary. On top of that, there was yet another bomb in Yun Woo¡¯s hand.

    ¡°So, you decided toe clean?¡± Nam Kyung asked, and Juho nodded quietly.

    ¡°I see, I see...¡± Nam Kyung said, wearing a serious look.

    ¡®Yun Woo is Won Yi Young.¡¯ Once the bomb drops, there was no denying that it would affect Yun Woo¡¯s preexisting works.

    ¡°Won Yi Young or Yun Woo, you are an incredible writer.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s apliment I¡¯ve yet to hear.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll be hearing it a lot. People are attacking each other because they feel that they¡¯re rivals, but once the truth gets out... Haha! Man, this is the first time something like this has ever happened in my editing career.¡±

    ¡°It keeps you on your toes, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m getting older every day,¡± Nam Kyung said as he rubbed his tired eyes. His office was exploding with phone calls from those who wanted to know where Yun Woo stood in the matter, and the website had crashed long ago. Because thepany was the only means to hear about Yun Woo, it was inevitable.

    Nam Kyung looked at Juho, who was both Yun Woo and Won Yi Young, and smiled Once the truth was revealed, things would only intensify. Despite the business, things were not entirely tiresome.

    ¡°We¡¯re reprinting both ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ and ¡®Sound of Wailing.¡¯ The more the book gets printed, the less misprints. That makes me happy.¡±

    ¡°Were there a lot of typos?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Still,pared to the first copy, it¡¯s a thing of beauty.¡±

    Like every editor who loved reprints, Nam Kyung felt revitalized as he was reminded of it happening to his books and sipped on his tea. It was delicious, and from then on, he became an avid advocate for Job¡¯s Tears tea.

    Then, he brought up something he remembered all of a sudden, ¡°By the way, is it really true? What you told me over the phone?¡±

    Juho caught on immediately. He was talking about of when Nam Kyung had called him after reading ¡®Language of God.¡¯

    He had asked, ¡°Did you make all this? The charts and all?¡±

 Chapter 140 - A Bomb Explosion (2)

    <h4>Chapter 140: Chapter 140 ¨C A Bomb Explosion (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I did,¡± Juho had said back then.

    He remembered that the background had been quite noisy. Nam Kyung had asked for an exnation a number of times andined about the ambiguity of Juho¡¯s answer. Still, Juho exined it all in a friendly manner, and in the process, he came to mention the evolutions of Hangul, the fall of hieroglyphs, and writtennguages that had survived the test of time. As the subject became broader, Nam Kyung resorted to asking, ¡°How manynguages do you speak, anyway?!¡±

    ¡°Twenty-three, more or less,¡± Juho answered yfully.

    Thinking back on that day, Juho swallowed the cookie in his mouth. Nam Kyung must have wanted yet another confirmation from him. He rushed Juho for an answer, squinting his eyes.

    ¡°So, was that really true?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a lie.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Juho said, taking notice of the disappointed look on Nam Kyung¡¯s face.

    ¡°It¡¯s meaningless to count how manynguages I can speak. I can read in anynguage, essentially.¡±

    Nam Kyung furrowed his forehead at Juho¡¯s calm attitude.

    ¡°I mean it,¡± he said.

    ¡°So do I,¡± Juho answered as he reached for another cookie. Then, Nam Kyung immersed himself in thought and suggested, ¡°Would you like to write a book?¡±

    He was an editor after all.

    ¡°What kind of book?¡±

    ¡°Aboutnguage, like secrets to learning a newnguage or how to study for it. Things like that.¡±

    He was sincere. Once the truth got out, and the masses found out that Yun Woo wrote ¡®Language of God,¡¯ they would be bound to be interested in hisnguage skills. Eighteen years old, outstanding literary value, and on top of that, a polyglot. Simply put, Yun Woo was full of charm. There had been no author like him in the history of literature, and he was truly one of a kind.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    People tended to be drawn to things that were unique, and as an editor, Nam Kyung couldn¡¯t help his desire to seize the opportunity.

    ¡°I respectfully decline.¡±

    ¡°Why?!¡±

    Though he preferred not to disappoint Nam Kyung, Juho couldn¡¯t write the kind of book he was suggesting. He felt that he wasn¡¯t in a position to be teaching others about secrets or how to study for something.

    ¡°Aside from things like ¡®It just happened. I was just living my life, minding my own business,¡¯ there¡¯s nothing else I can say.¡±

    He had died after leading a tenacious life, and then the day came when he came back to life. Knowing nothing about this, Nam Kyung insisted, ¡°That¡¯s fine, as long as the book is aboutnguage.¡±

    ¡°No, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Why not?!¡±

    ¡°Unless I¡¯m writing a novel, I prefer not to write about myself.¡±

    Although he would have considered it for ¡®Language of God,¡¯ Nam Kyung was working with Yun Woo, not Won Yi Young.

    ¡°Even though you¡¯re writing about your strengths?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Even then.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon. Your readers will love it.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll love it even more when Ie out with a novel.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s necessary to change things up every now and then.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how ¡®Language of God¡¯ came about.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s emphatic refusal, Nam Kyung let out a heavy sigh. It was a sign that he was giving up.

    ¡°I see. Well, if the author doesn¡¯t want to, then there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too sad now.¡±

    The future was unpredictable. Maybe he woulde to encounter yet another opportunity. Despite Juho trying tofort him, Nam Kyung drank his tea sullenly.

    ¡°Alright, fine. When can you expect to see the article? I¡¯m sure you guys have connections.¡±

    ording to Dong Baek¡¯s own words...

    ¡°Within this week.¡±

    ... within the near future.

    ¡ª

    ¡°You¡¯ve been busytely, huh?¡±

    Dong Baek asked as he looked at Myun Sil Oh, who sat across from him. Smiling cheerfully, she was sitting where Yun Woo had sat when Done Baek first met him, and it was at that very spot that the truth would be revealed. Moaning intentionally, he answered, ¡°Did you not see the reporters surrounding the entrance? It¡¯s been chaos.¡±

    ¡°I sure did and I¡¯m sure that¡¯s why you called me.¡±

    Dong Baek nodded at her confident attitude.

    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that I don¡¯t get to meet Mr. Young in person today, but I¡¯ll make sure to package everything nicely into my article. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s tough for him, being involved with Yun Woo of all authors,¡± she added.

    When she came to meet with Dong Baek, she was under the impression that she was writing an article in defense of Won Yi Young. Without knowing about the inner details, there was nothing else she could do.

    ¡°Thank you, but that won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Dong Baek said with a smile.

    ¡°First, I have to warn you...¡± he gave her a warning as there weren¡¯t many reporters who were as skilled and trustworthy as her. With that, the smile faded away from her face.

    ¡°... This is kind of intimidating. Maybe I didn¡¯t fully grasp the situation. What kind of article did you have in mind?¡±

    She was quick to catch on and easy tomunicate with.

    ¡°I called you to exaggerate the matter even more, Ms. Oh.¡±

    ¡°Even more?! That sounds risky. It¡¯ll pop any minute,¡± she said, and Dong Baek agreed with her. The bomb was about to explode. To be more precise, it was exploding to its heart¡¯s content, and there was no way to tame it. No, he didn¡¯t want to tame it. He came to the decision that it would be more beneficial to take the opportunity and make the most out of the situation. Fireworks. As long they were aimed at the sky, there was no risk of injuring anyone.

    ¡°Yun Woo vs. Won Yi Young.¡±

    The only person who had the power to throw the bomb was none other than the author who was both Yun Woo and Won Yi Young.

    ¡°A lot of people are curious about Yun Woo and his identity, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°And the same goes for Won Yi Young.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. There has been spection,¡± Myung Sil said, flexing her hands by reflex. She wasn¡¯t sure what Dong Baek was trying to say, but she did feel the need to prepare herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m about to reveal the secret that¡¯s been closely guarded up to this point.¡±

    ¡ª

    On azy weekend afternoon, Dong Gil was reading his book as usual after meeting his deadline for his short story. It was a world that was both detailed and vast, and every sentence had a mysterious charm. It was rather immersive.

    ¡°Dong Gil! Let¡¯s y.¡±

    A voice disrupted his reading. It was Seo Joong, holding a pool cue in his hands. Dong Gil furrowed his brow at once. He felt that his friend would never grow out of his shallowness, regardless of how old he grew. Seo Joong was wearing a yellow sweatshirt and pants with sauce stains from lunch. As a person who took appearances seriously, it was an uneptable sight for Dong Gil.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m reading?¡±

    In that case, the best course of action was to not look. He looked away from the unpleasant sight, and the neatly printed words brought about a sense of peace in his heart.

    ¡°¡®Language of God,¡¯ huh.¡±

    Seo Joong read the title of the book out loud and positioned himself by the pool table at the center of the living room. Then, stacking his thumb and index fingers on top of the middle finger, the pool cue lined up with his wrist. It was a rather clean posture.

    With that, the ballunched forward, hitting another ball and then into a hole.

    ¡°Won Yi Young has a rather mysterious style.¡±

    Without paying attention, Seo Joong positioned himself once again. The ballunched and hit a series of balls until one of them went into a hole.

    ¡°He¡¯s got stamina, I¡¯ll give you that. It¡¯s impressive. He¡¯s written everything, from politics to arts, education,w, morals, power rtions, and the necessities of life. The characters are multi-dimensional as well. He¡¯s leading this enormous world without hesitation.¡±

    Dong Gil answered as he flipped the page, ¡°He¡¯s sensitive tonguage as well. The fact that he created a whole newnguage is not everything there is to this book. His sentences and word choices are incredibly sophisticated. One can¡¯t write like this without experience.¡±

    ¡°And the literary value.¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wasted.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that remind you of Juho?¡±

    A series of solid objects colliding sounded in the living room.

    ¡°Of course it does. The message is simr. This isn¡¯t my first time feeling like the author¡¯s perspective is simr to Juho¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°The style¡¯s simr too. Maybe he transcribed Yun Woo¡¯s books a lot?¡±

    Listening to his ever-so-light-hearted friend, Dong Gil flipped the page.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just write like Yun Woo after transcribing his book a several times.¡±

    Seo Joongughed as his friend answered annoyedly and moved his hands even faster. An even louder noise sounded from where he was.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying,¡± he said as he straightened his back and stepped away from the pool table. ¡°But maybe Won Yi Young has what it takes because of how sensitive he is tonguage.¡±

    ¡°Before I even delve into his skills, I just don¡¯t get it. What¡¯s the meaning behind copying Yun Woo? It¡¯d be much more beneficial to make something of his own.¡±

    A distinctive character was the foundation and objective of any artist.

    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t always lead an ideal life.¡±

    ¡°Being distinct as an author is a reality, not an ideal. Even now, there¡¯s controversy because he was copying Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t like that, huh?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say that I have a positive perspective toward it.¡±

    It was a rather sensitive matter for artists, and Dong Gil felt the familiarity the moment he read the book. It was Yun Woo¡¯s writing, yet the author was named ¡°Won Yi Young.¡± As Yun Woo¡¯s writing became only more apparent as he read, Dong Gil felt disappointed.

    ¡®Why would such a talented writer give up being distinguished from Yun Woo?¡¯

    ¡°Maybe we should go see him. I¡¯m itching to know what he looks like.¡±

    ¡°Take me with you this time, will ya?¡±

    Ignoring Seo Joong, Dong Gil remained silent and closed the book. He didn¡¯t know what the author looked like because he had never met him.

    ¡°Should I dare to connect the dots?¡± Dong Gil said with an unpleasant smile on his face, and Seo Joong shook his head.

    ¡®Here we go again,¡¯ he thought. Dong Gil was about to doubt every single thought he hade across.

    ¡°I never saw it with my own eyes, so what I¡¯m thinking would be a shallow spection at best. Spections shine with doubt.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a thought. What¡¯s so tiring about that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m confident that I won¡¯t be taken aback when your head explodes next to me.¡±

    Dong Gil brushed his hand down the book. He recognized that he didn¡¯t have the most positive opinions on the author.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s think in a positive light.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°How can we connect the dots in a way where it won¡¯t offend us? What bothered me the most was the fact that the author gave up trying to be distinct.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s probably something we shouldn¡¯t mess around with. If he were not to give up being distinct, it would have yielded apletely different result.¡±

    ¡°There might be a connecting piece that¡¯s missing from both of us.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess that settles it then. What¡¯s the point in thinking about it so hard when the really important thought isn¡¯t in our heads? Let¡¯s just rx and chill.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ll never grow up,¡± Dong Gil said as he gave his friend a pitiful look. In his mind, it was no wonder that Seo Joong wrote books filled with such mushy ideals. ¡°If you can¡¯t find it at home, then you gotta go out. Are you gonna starve yourself because you¡¯re out of rice?¡±

    ¡°I can eat bread, duh.¡±

    Feeling the absence of the need to respond to those words, Dong Gil reached for the TV remote next to him and turned on the news. It didn¡¯t matter what the news was because everything was connected in this world.

    ¡°Just like how you¡¯d be the first suspect when I¡¯m found dead.¡±

    ¡°That sounds more like getting convicted of murder.¡±

    Their conversation stopped there. They wouldn¡¯t be able to reach a conclusion, and conversations like that had been a daily task between Seo Joong and Dong Gil. The objective of those conversations was not to reach an answer, but to find out the proper question. It was just like writing.

    Then, a familiar name sounded from the TV.

    ¡°There¡¯s Yun Woo. He¡¯s just on fire as ofte.¡±

    The two fixed their eyes on the TV as the news anchor delivered the news.

    ¡°Today, the Dong Baek Publishing Company made an official announcement regarding the sensational dispute between the fans of two major authors, Yun Woo and Won Yi Young.¡±

    ¡°When?!¡±

    ¡°Shh!¡± Dong Gil warned his chatty friend and focused on the TV.

    ¡°The fans are in shock as they havee to learn that Won Yi Young is the second alias of the author Yun Woo,¡± the news anchor said in the TV. It was strange, astonishing, and entirely unexpected. At the same time, all the pieces began to fall into ce.

    ¡°Wow...¡± Seo Joong said absent-mindedly, and jumped from his seat, and said, ¡°Yun Woo was Won Yi Young! My gosh, this is so satisfying! Wow, who would¡¯ve thought!?¡±

    With that, he bursted intoughter. He was quite distracting.

    ¡°I better call Juho!¡±

    ¡°Already on it,¡± Dong Gil said as his phone informed him that the line was busy.

 Chapter 141 - A Bomb Explosion (3)

    <h4>Chapter 141: Chapter 141 ¨C A Bomb Explosion (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Hello? Dae Soo? Sorry, I can¡¯t really hear you because of Mideum.¡±

    Since the article, Juho had been on the phone for nearly an entire day because of his friends and acquaintances trying to get a hold of him all at the same time as if they had made an agreement. As soon as they found out that Yun Woo and Won Yi Young were the same person, Juho had to withstand the aftershock, especially from the people around him.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m getting another call. I think you should calm Mideum down a little bit. OK, take care now.¡±

    While the phone was still hot in his hand, he answered the next call, ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°My, my! Mr. Young!¡±

    A husky voice came from the receiver. It was Sang Young.

    ¡°Yes, this is he.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m at the bookstore to buy ¡®Language of God,¡± he reported unnecessarily.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Your books are selling left and right. ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ was at number one for a while because of the movie, but I can see that might change soon.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still my book.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as you saying that there are no other rivals aside from yourself?¡±

    ¡°Take it as you will. Is that all you wanted to tell me?¡±

    With that, he let out a heartyughter and said, ¡°When would I ever get to buy Won Yi Young¡¯s book while I¡¯m talking on the phone with Yun Woo?¡±

    Then, Juho heard an employee¡¯s voice asking Sang Young if he needed a bag for his book.

    ¡°No, thanks,¡± he said. It was like a live broadcast.

    ¡°Mind if I hang up?¡±

    ¡°Had a long day, huh? It makes sense, considering how big of a bomb you dropped. Maybe you understand where I wasing from a little better now?¡±

    Simrly, Sang Young, too, had been dealing with people around him asking about Yun Woo, and things were not about to let up anytime soon.

    ¡°I always appreciate your work,¡± Juho said sincerely.

    ¡°As long as you write good books like this, I can keep my mouth shut as long as you need me to,¡± Sang Young answered.

    As soon as he hung up, Juho ced his phone on his desk. His hand was burning from the heat radiating from the phone. Lyingfortably on his bed, Juho stared at the ceiling absent-mindedly, but before long, the vibration from the desk broke the silence. Another call. Having lost count of the number of calls he had been answering, Juho chuckled.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that I knew this many people.¡±

    He groped for his phone on the desk and checked the name on the screen. At that moment, he sprung up from his bed.

    ¡°Mr. Lim,¡± he said as he sat up to answer the call.

    ¡°Can you talk?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course!¡±

    WIthout hesitation, Hyun Do got straight to the point. The background was silent.

    ¡°That was refreshing,¡± he said briefly, and those words sank deep into Juho¡¯s heart.

    The literary giant was aware of what it took for Juho to finally be able to write a book like the ¡®Language of God.¡¯ With that, Juho remembered the scenery at the beach, where the boundless horizon and the grains of sand came together harmoniously.

    ¡°I thought you were panicking because I couldn¡¯t get a hold of you. I should have known when Yun Seo was acting suspiciously,¡± Hyun Do said calmly.

    ¡°It was fun,¡± Juho answered briefly like Hyun Do. He had enjoyed the process of writing the ¡®Language of God¡¯ very much, as he indulged in his fantasies of creating an enormous world.

    ¡°It felt like I stretched for the first time in a long time. I feel refreshed.¡±

    ¡°Did you get sick at all?¡±

    ¡°No, as healthy as a horse.¡±

    At the energetic response, a quiet chuckle sounded from the phone.

    ¡°I guess doing something out of my character did pay off after all.¡±

    ¡°... Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I enjoyed your book, as much as the work you put into it. Now, I¡¯ll see youter.¡±

    With that, he hung up the phone. While it was the shortest phone call thus far, it was also the most memorable. Hyun Do was nothing like the people who had called Juho. He was calm andposed. Juho slowly moved the phone away from his ear and felt that the emotions he had injected in his work had tranted sessfully to the readers.

    ¡°Well, go me...!¡±

    He was ecstatic.

    ¡ª

    ¡°The truth revealed: ¡®I am my own rival.¡¯¡±

    ¡°The dispute was an illusion: Fans react to the recent dispute.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo shocks the country yet again. A close look at Yun Woo¡¯s literature.¡±

    ¡°Dispute turned out to be neither giarism nor imitation, but just Yun Woo himself.¡±

    ¡°The true identity of Yun Woo? Should readers expect a third alias?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo is here to stay. What are his limits?¡±¡±

    ¡°Wow, what the heck is happening?!¡±

    ¡°There was a war between Yun Woo fans and Won Yi Young fans, and it turned out that they were fighting over the same person.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s insane.¡±

    ¡°For real! I wouldn¡¯t be shocked if Yun Woo actually nned for all this to happen.¡±

    ¡°This is the first time an article gave me the chills.¡±

    ¡°The publishing industry is a mess currently. Nobody knew aside from his editors apparently.¡±

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ has an amazing world and characters. It was the first time I stayed up all night reading a book, and it turns out that it was written by a seventeen-year old. It made me realize what a real genius is like.¡±

    ¡°I second that.¡±

    ¡°I mean, he created a whole newnguage. I think that speaks for itself.¡±

    ¡°Here I was, thinking that he was a professor or a doctor or something. Turns out he¡¯s in high school.¡±

    ¡°What does one have to eat to be able to write like that?¡±

    ¡°Did Yun Woo really create thatnguage?¡¯

    ¡°There it is again. I can always find at least one person mentioning that! I¡¯m kind of doubtful still. Is it even possible to do that?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a genius so...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what makes him a genius.¡±

    ¡°Is it really that hard to create anguage? I¡¯m not trying to pick a fight or anything, I¡¯m actually curious.¡±

    ¡°There are countless writtennguages in the ¡®Language of God,¡¯ and each and every one of them is based on Old English and Hangul, so they all have solid structures. There are even regions where bodynguage developed as a main method ofmunication. As if that¡¯s not intricate enough, he goes even further and talks about vowels, consonants, word orders and vocabry development. How can you tell? If you look at the protagonist in the book, he¡¯s very sensitive tonguage, so he goes around picking up and trantingnguages of different regions in no time. Simply put, Yun Woo¡¯s a genius. If you¡¯d like to know more, here¡¯s the link:¡±

    ¡°And there are the books that he wrote under his actual alias too. Isn¡¯t he the youngest winner of the Dong Kyung Literature Award? Is that even possible to achieve as a single individual? Honestly, I¡¯m getting a little suspicious.¡±

    ¡°In the end, Yun Woo gets it all. The top three current bestsellers are all Yun Woo/Won Yi Young.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo forever!¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Things have been so hectictely.¡±

    Listening to Jang Mi moaning, Juho sipped his coffee. It tasted slightly acidic and bitter.

    ¡°One downside to our readers is their insatiable curiosity. I get calls throughout the day asking when the next volume ising out. We decided recently to slow things down too.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Juho agreed as he understood where she wasing from.

    ¡°It¡¯s a sticky situation.¡±

    Despite herining, her face was shining with a cheerful smile. As she grinned ear to ear, her cow-like nose piercing moved up and down. Though it took some time to get used to, Juho had eventually grown familiar with the sight. Her entric essories made for an interesting contrast with her professional attire.

    ¡°The bulletin board in our website is brimming with inquiries about Yun Woo, and we didn¡¯t even publish his books,¡± she said cheerfully, and there was a reason for her happiness.

    ¡°They should be asking about Won Yi Young, who recently took Yun Woo¡¯s number one spot.¡±

    Recently, the ¡®Language of God¡¯ had be the number one bestseller after the release of ¡®The Language of God: Languages,¡¯ which was an offshoot volume that borated on the rules and configurations of thenguages that appeared in the book. Jang Mi had thought of an idea that Nam Kyung had also thought of in the past, and the result was a massive sess.

    ¡°You know... it¡¯s a not not the easiest book to read, if you think about it.¡±

    It was a book entirely about a world and itsnguages. Then, she answered proudly, ¡°That¡¯s what you think. People who are curious about you can¡¯t help but buy the book, including myself.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no mention of me anywhere in the book, though.¡±

    ¡°The fact that it was written by Yun Woo is more than enough. Even if it weren¡¯t for that fact, the readers love Won Yi Young and the ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Now that Yun Woo fans are joining in on the party, the sales are skyrocketing!¡±

    The skyrocketing sales had sessfully made the book the number one bestseller.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy that we got to spend some time understanding the worldview better. It helped tremendously.¡±

    Jang Mi smiled bashfully at Juho¡¯s answer and said, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m a fan of offshoot volumes and aftermaths of a story. Avid fans tend to want to know more about the details,¡± she added, saying that her study was filled with them.

    ¡°Of course, ¡®The Language of God¡¯ will always have a ce in my study.¡±

    As the author, such remark was an honor.

    ¡°The book is doing quite well in the international markets. Japan, China, Philippines, Taiwan, France... We¡¯ve noticed that it¡¯s growing especially popr in Europe.¡±

    Thanks to Jang Mi¡¯s efforts, the book had reached overseas, and it was being well received across the world. As the news of Yun Woo¡¯s second alias spread, readers throughout the world responded simrly to readers in Korea.

    Juho had read countless of his readers¡¯ opinions by that point, and there were always suspicions about his creativity. When Juho quietly brought it up, Jang Mi said emphatically, ¡°There are very, very few people who are genuinely doubting your creativity, Mr. Young.¡±

    Juho nodded light-heartedly.

    ¡°Well, their doubts aren¡¯t something I can help them with.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    A quiet swear sounded in a dark room, where arge-figured man was fiddling forcefully with a device in his hand. Suddenly, a stream of artificial light shone on his hairy face.

    Then, footsteps approached him.

    ¡°Coin! Kelley Coin!¡±

    The knocking on the door grew more and more impatient.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± the man said again, annoyed. The door flung open and light rushed into the room. The bed and the desk were stained by a brown liquid, and countless paper cups were scattered about the room, which reeked with the stench of caffeine.

    There were two women standing by the door: one wearing an anxious look while the other was giving the man a pitiful look.

    ¡°I need your manuscript.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have it,¡± Coin said without even looking in the direction of his editor, Isabe.

    ¡°Your manuscript has been overdue for a month now. If there isn¡¯t a manuscript, then you gotta make one. What are you doing here?¡± she said anxiously. Coin red at her, but it wasn¡¯t enough to intimidate the editor who had been working with him for thest five years. Without hesitation, she pulled out her hand.

    ¡°I SAID I DON¡¯T HAVE THE DAMN MANUSCRIPT!¡± he shouted as he scratched the sides of his head annoyingly, and his mother, Susan, scoffed at the sight.

    ¡°You¡¯re a pathetic excuse for a writer. No wonder you got pushed aside.¡±

    Provoked by his mother¡¯s mocking words, Coin stared into the device in his hand with bloodshot eyes, which was covered with the name, ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    All three of Yun Woo¡¯s books were listed above Coin¡¯s.

    ¡°Your books are thing of a past now. As always, the younger ones are taking over.¡±

    With that, Susan walked into the room and opened the window, revealing the blue sky. The darkness faded from the room, and the light came in to fill its void. The dust particles sparkled brightly in the air.

    ¡°Yun Woo, was it? He seems like quite a writer, unlike you.¡±

    Isabe listened to Susan quietly.

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t think that your books arepletely useless. It works wonders when I can¡¯t sleep at night. It¡¯s much more effective than alcohol, so I¡¯ve been putting it to use often.¡±

    Coin remained silent as he red maliciously at the name, ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Judging from your silence, I assume you know what I¡¯m talking about. You have no idea what kind of trash you¡¯ve been writingtely, yet you¡¯re probably thinking you¡¯re on top of the world after winning a few awards here and there,¡± with those words, she left the room and walked down the stairs, adding, ¡°If you understood the words that came out of my mouth, then move it.¡±

    Coin¡¯s hands flinched at those words.

 Chapter 142 - A Guest from Afar (1)

    <h4>Chapter 142: Chapter 142 ¨C A Guest from Afar (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Coin remained silent as Isabe looked at him calmingly. Then, he raised his hand and threw the device toward the stairs that his mother had just walked down, breaking it.

    ¡°You want my manuscript?¡± he said aggressively, and Isabe answered calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    ¡°Then, wait here. I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    He looked up at Isabe¡¯s question, looking all the more intimidating. He didn¡¯t seem like a person in his mid-thirties.

    ¡°What are you, stupid?¡±

    He was going to visit the country where Yun Woo lived.

    ¡°How are you nning on meeting with him?¡± she asked as her eyebrows twitched.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to his publishingpany. They¡¯ll know me.¡±

    ¡°And Yun Woo agreed to this?¡±

    ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± he said annoyingly as he picked up hisptop from the bed to buy a ne ticket. Crossing her arms, Isabe added, ¡°Because... I can get in touch with his publishingpany?¡±

    The cking of the keyboard came to a sudden stop.

    ¡°The official event that you turned downst time we met, be there. No disappearing in the middle.¡±

    There were conditions.

    ¡°Do you have any idea how pissed off I am right now?! I¡¯m BURNING from within and I can¡¯t write anything because of it! I hardly got any sleep thest several nights!¡± he said angrily.

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Suddenly, he jumped out of his bed, standing on the empty paper cups on the floor.

    ¡°I made up my mind. No matter what happens, I¡¯m going to sleep better than that lovely mother of mine. I¡¯m gonna make it happen.¡±

    ¡®If you want to be able to sleep so badly, then all you gotta do is write a book yourself,¡± she muttered internally as she listened to him intently.

    ¡°An event? OK, you got it. One condition: I have to see Yun Woo¡¯s face. What if an eighteen year old kid is hiding behind a ghost writer? What if there¡¯s some sort of trick involved? I¡¯m going to get rid of every trace of him and I¡¯ll make sure to shout out my achievement to the world.¡±

    His voice was filled with murderous intent.

    ¡°There is no Yun Woo in this world.¡±

    Coin was notorious for his temper, and people in the publishing industry shuddered at the sound of his name. He was also known for breaking a journalist¡¯s nose for ridiculing his book. He had been a rookie author back then who had just published his first book. Yet, he hadn¡¯t hesitated to act on his anger. Not only was he mischievous, but he was also entric. On top of that, he was violent and rough around the edges. Despite such terrible qualities, he was a rather skilled writer, and to the puzzlement of his editor, that bloodthirsty man was capable of writing the most gentle and beautiful books.

    ¡°I can¡¯t make any promises, but I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    As if putting a beast back into its cage, she closed the door on her way out and took out her phone without hesitation.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hello, Zelkova Publishing Company,¡± Nam Kyung answered the phone that rang cheerfully, and as usual, it was an inquiry about Yun Woo. ¡°Ah, yes. He really did write it.¡±

    With that, a sarcastic voice sounded from the receiver, ¡°Why¡¯s he hiding like that then? Are you telling me that he actually created all thosenguages on his own? He wrote all that? An eighteen-year-old kid?¡±

    The slur in the speech indicated that the person was under the influence of alcohol.

    ¡°Yes, he wrote the book on his own. Also, if you have any questions regarding ¡®The Language of God,¡¯ you might wanna try Dong Baek Publishing Company.¡±

    ¡°Do you have proof!? PROVE IT!¡±

    ¡°Bye, bye now,¡± Nam Kyung said briefly and hung up the phone. He was well acquainted with calls like that, so without any trace of agitation, he picked up the manuscript on his desk. It was from an author other than Yun Woo. After all, Yun Woo wasn¡¯t the only author who had his books published through thepany. Once he checked for errors and ces to edit and sent it back by email with hisments, the author wrote back with their opinion. Then, they proceeded to make the necessary changes while leaving alone what needed to be left intact.

    As an editor, he had to be thorough and creative in order to produce a better product.

    ¡°Nam Kyung, I uploaded the file you were looking for in the shared folder,¡± a coworker said, and Nam Kyung immediately ced his hand on his mouse.

    ¡°Ugh, my shoulders. I need a break,¡± he said as he massaged his stiff shoulders. While on break, he logged into a bookstore¡¯s website, which was was filled with promotional posters for various books. While there were books that made their way onto the main disy rack, there were also books that were collecting dust. However, books of neither of those categories held a candle to the presence of Yun Woo¡¯s books.

    ¡°First, ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Followed by ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ and ¡®Sound of Wailing.¡¯¡±

    If he waspeting in the Olympics, he would be wearing all three medals around his neck: gold, silver, and bronze. The fourth was a book by Kelley Coin from the year before. Having previously taken the number one spot consistently, Coin¡¯s books were nowhere near as popr as they once were.

    Knowing about the author¡¯s infamous history, Nam Kyung felt slightly concerned.

    ¡°Well... I do hear from time to time that he¡¯s mellowed out, but his record is just too... colorful.¡±

    Despite bing an alcoholic and then a drug addict who was also convicted of assault, Coin had the impressive record of winning four major genre novels awards simultaneously, and his profile contained his yearly record of awards. On top of that, he was active as a ywright and a screenwriter, as well as an author who wrote pure literature, essays and poems. His versatility had brought him fame, and he was recognized as one of the top authors in the world.

    The Zelkova Publishing Company had been nning for a Kelley Coin collection, choosing and tranting his masterpieces. They had published four books so far, and the remaining four were waiting to be tranted.

    As Nam Kyung clicked the cover image of Coin¡¯s book, the author¡¯s profile appeared.

    Because of his skill as an author and disastrous personality, he had always been the recipient of praise and criticism. While there were people who bought his books without hesitation, there were also people who hated him without hesitation.

    ¡°... and that¡¯s the kind of author Yun Woo won against.¡±

    Although literature wasn¡¯t aboutpetition, Nam Kyung couldn¡¯t help himself while looking at the numbers in front of his eyes. Sales being one of the countless standards by which an author was judged, Juho was ahead of Coin noticeably, and Nam Kyung felt proud to see the book that he had edited himself...

    ... as the thought that Kelley Coin might be interested in Yun Woo crossed his mind.

    Feeling ecstatic about the bestsellers¡¯ rank, he logged into a search engine and saw the list of the most searched. As he clicked one of them naturally and light-heartedly, the page showed a picture of Kelley Coin looking annoyed.

    ¡°Kelley Coin sighted in Korea?¡±

    At that moment, his phone rang. Hoping that it wouldn¡¯t be another drunk, he answered the phone.

    ¡°Zelkova Publishing Company.¡±

    Then, a voice speaking in native English sounded from the receiver

    ¡ª

    A few hours before Nam Kyung answered the phone, Juho was at a bookstore, and he picked up a book from a stack ced under a banner written inrge letters, ¡®Kelley Coin Collection.¡¯ They were the series of books chosen among the many books written by the author. Quite a few of those were well known, and many people would have heard of them even if they hadn¡¯t read it themselves.

    Walking past the disy rack, Juho walked toward the section that was organized by the names of authors and found ¡°Kelley Coin.¡± Aside from the books that were being disyed on the most visible disy rack in the store, there were a slew of other books written by the author that took up three entire rows. Reaching for a book, he picked up the one titled ¡®Witch Hunt.¡¯

    It was Kelley Coin¡¯s debut title, and it was one of his least recognized books. Even with all the other books written by him, ¡®Witch Hunt¡¯ was Juho¡¯s favorite among the bibliography that was yet to be imported.

    As he opened the book, he saw a brief introduction on the author.

    ¡°entric, brat, problem child.¡±

    Most people in the publishing industry were hesitant to work with him, and the author had the power to make people exim whether out of love or hate. He stood out, to the say the least.

    Contrary to his less than pleasant personality, his books tended to be strangely and fantastically beautiful, as if a nursery rhyme had been mixed with reality. Like thorns on roses, there was anger in the way he mocked the rest of the world with his writing.

    ¡°I heard something about his special coffee.¡±

    Among many things, Kelley Coin was also notorious for his caffeine addiction, and the brand of coffee that he drank exclusively became well known along with his personality.

    ¡®Coming to think of it, didn¡¯t Seo Kwang say something about himing to Korea?¡¯ Juho thought as he ced the book back on the shelf.

    On his way out of the bookstore, Juho heard the names ¡°Yun Woo¡± and ¡°Won Yi Young¡± frequently. Though he would have to try to get closer to get a better listen, Juho moved on confidently as he was well ustomed to hearing those names at that point.

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ is better.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re only saying that, because you haven¡¯t read the ¡®Sound of Wailing.¡¯¡±

    The two women conversed as Juho walked past them, and nothing happened because nobody knew what Yun Woo or Won Yi Young looked like.

    As he walked out of the bookstore, a coffee chain with a peculiar logo on its windows came into his view. Using a mythical creature, the harpy, as their logo, it was the very coffee brand that Kelley Coin loved.

    Widely known as a half-woman, half-bird creature, there were many theories surrounding the harpy and its appearance. Mischievous and unpredictable, they were also known to hassle travelers, and ording to a mythology, humans were warned against killing them.

    As for the brand, the founder had a simple reason for choosing the mythical creature as thepany¡¯s logo, iming that thepany will never fall as long it bore the name ¡°Harpy.¡± Although there was no way to prove that theory, Harpy was a widely recognized coffee chain in Europe, and it suited that troublemaker of an author, Kelley Coin.

    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s not a bad choice after all,¡¯ Juho thought.

    When it first opened, there was an endless line of people waiting to experience the famous coffee shop, but as always, the fever was short lived. Opening the door with the picture of a harpy, Juho walked into the shop. If Kelley Coin really was in Korea, Harpy would be his first stop.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Juho said as he sipped his cup of Americano. While it was bitter, it also had a nutty fragrance. With the cup of coffee in his hand, Juho walked out of the shop and saw ducks swimming peacefully in the fountain.

    Located inside a university campus, there were benches spread out in uniform distance surrounding the fountain. On the bench next to where Juho was sitting, there was an olddy who seemed to have just finished shopping. There was also a shopping mall across the campus, so it wasmon to see shoppers resting by the fountain. Next to her, were students working on their assignments on theirptops.

    Then, Juho heard some traditional music sounding in the distance. Other students must have been performing as part of club activities. The hand gong resonated in a steady rhythm that was familiar to all Koreans. The olddy bobbed her head side to side to the rhythm, and it seemed like there could be someone dancing to it while wearing a sangmo.

    (TL¡¯s Note: ¡°Sangmo¡± is a traditional Korean hat that¡¯s worn by performers. Usually, there is a set of feathers or a long strip of paper attached to the top of it, and the wearer dances while twirling it, creating a tornado-like appearance.)

    Juho took a sip of his coffee as what seemed like a duck or a goose swimmed peacefully in the fountain. It was a peaceful evening.

    ¡°Damn it. This piece of crap,¡± an angry voice sounded amid the noisy gongs. At that sound that was rather distant from the area, Juho looked behind him.

    ¡°Phones just can¡¯t take a beating nowadays,¡± the man muttered, and Juho heard those words vividly as he saw the man¡¯s face. It was a familiar face, and Juho knew the man. He had been looking at him even a moment ago. entric. Brat. Problem child.

    It was Kelley Coin, standing right before Juho¡¯s eyes. The hand gong resonated, and a cheerful shout came from the distance.

    ¡°Where can I find some peace and quiet in this damn?! I swear...¡±

    He was cursing up a storm. It had to be him.

 Chapter 143 - A Guest from Afar (2)

    <h4>Chapter 143: Chapter 143 ¨C A Guest from Afar (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    After fiddling with the phone in his hand for a while, Coin punched the screen on his phone. It was obvious that he was angry, and Juho was made all the more certain that he was Kelley Coin himself.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, you piece of crap! Show me where to go!¡±

    No matter how angry the owner got, the phone didn¡¯t sumb to his relentless threats. It must have taken after its owner¡¯s stubborn personality. Then, Coin let out a heavy sigh as he took a pair of sunsses out of his shirt pocket and took his hat off, ruffling his hair annoyedly. As he looked around, Juho stared at him intently.

    Eventually, he realized that their eyes were locked. The sunsses were looking in his direction. Despite knowing that there was no chance that Coin would recognize him, Juho couldn¡¯t help but flinch internally.

    ¡°Hey, kid,¡± Coin called for him. Growing impatient with Juho¡¯s silence, he walked in his direction to approach him. Upon closer inspection, Juho realized that Coin was looking at his hand rather than himself.

    ¡°Where¡¯d you get that coffee?¡± he asked in English apanied by awkward bodynguage. He seemed to assume that they wouldn¡¯t be able tomunicate. Juho stared intently at his intimidating face.

    ¡°Damn it. Of course you wouldn¡¯t understand. Hey, kid, that thing in your hand! Coffee! Do you know what coffee is?¡± Coin asked impatiently as he pointed at the cup in Juho¡¯s hand with his coarse finger.

    As Juho took many turns to look at his own hand and then at Coin¡¯s face, the foreigner responded with excitement, ¡°Yes! That! Where¡¯d you get it? Where¡¯s ¡®Harpy?¡¯ Can you take me to that creature? I might die any minute if I don¡¯t get my caffeine fix,¡± he said, and then murmured, ¡°Damn it...¡±

    ¡°How fascinating,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Coin asked, squinting his eyes.

    ¡°Seeing how you¡¯re looking desperately for coffee, you really must be that person.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you bbering about? You know ¡®Harpy?¡¯ Harpy! That damn coffee you have in your hand! Wait, maybe they pronounce it ¡®Har-pwee-ah?¡¯¡± Coin said as he emphasized the pronunciation of the word repeatedly. To which, Juho chuckled and responded in English, ¡°I call it ¡®Harpy¡¯ too.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my God! You speak English!¡±

    It was hard to distinguish whether he was ecstatic or angry. Then, he added in a hurry, ¡°Can you take me there, right now? I¡¯ll give you anything you want.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. Follow me,¡± Juho said as he slowly rose from the bench and then led him to the coffee shop.

    He was walking with the infamous Kelley Coin, the entric brat, and problem child. Just as Juho hadn¡¯t been aware that he was in Korea, most people in the country had to be just as unaware of his visit.

    ¡°Are you here on vacation?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m here to meet someone. Can we pick up our pace?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not far from here. Once we cross that light over there, it¡¯ll take us less than five minutes to get there,¡± Juho said as he picked up the pace, and asked, ¡°Who are you meeting?¡±

    Scoffing at his question, Coin changed the subject, asking, ¡°Do you read any books?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°How much? One book a month?¡±

    ¡°More than that. Enough to know your name, maybe?¡±

    As they reached the traffic light, Coin lowered his sunsses and looked at Juho, eximing...

    ¡°Huh...!¡±

    ...as if impressed.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name, kid?¡±

    After a contemting for a brief time, he opened his mouth slowly and said, ¡°Juho Woo, but feel free to call me however you wish.¡±

    While Coin gave him an affirming answer, he didn¡¯t seem to have caught Juho¡¯s name. At a nce, Coin was a man with a figure enough stature to knock out those who criticized his books with ease.

    As the light changed, the two resumed their way to the coffee shop. Much like his impatient personality, Coin walked hastily without even knowing the direction.

    ¡°This way.¡±

    Juho led him past therge shopping mall and toward the bookstore that he had just been in.

    ¡°Do you see the sign there?¡± Juho asked, and Coin sprang toward the Harpy sign in the distance. The people around nced at the jarring sight of the foreigner running at full speed.

    By the time Juho arrived at the coffee shop, Coin was already on his way out with a cup in his hand that smelled potently of coffee.

    ¡°Better?¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Coin said as he opened the lid of his cup and poured the steaming hot liquid into his mouth. At the astonishing sight, Juho couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Isn¡¯t that hot?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s hot!¡± Coin answered impatiently, then walked toward the cashier again and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take another one. Make it super-sized,¡± he said in English.

    ¡°Yes, sir... Wait, pardon?¡±

    As the flustered employee studied the menu in a hurry, Juho chimed in and interpreted on Coin¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°He would like one more of the same thing, but super-sized.¡±

    ¡°Ah, sure.¡±

    With that, the employee gave them the price, and as Juho interpreted for Coin, the foreigner took a crumpled up ten dor bill out of his pocket and handed it to the employee.

    ¡°Would you like a receipt?¡±

    ¡°No, thanks.¡±

    After answering a few more questions, the employee walked toward the bar and started making the coffee. As Juho turned toward him, Coin said, ¡°How convenient.¡±

    Juho chuckled quietly and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe with an interpreter?¡±

    ¡°Most of them are too slow, so I just came on my own. It¡¯s a way to warn those slowpokes that I¡¯m a man of limited patience.¡±

    ¡®I don¡¯t get it. Your name alone would¡¯ve done the job. I don¡¯t know what he means by slow, but OK, whatever makes him happy,¡¯ Juho thought as he nodded light-heartedly. Soon, the coffee came out. Though Coin drank it hastily, he didn¡¯t chug it like he had done previously.

    By the time Juho tossed his empty cup into the trash can, Coin was already out of the shop, and just like how he had been doing so far, Juho followed him without making haste. Standing in the front of the shop, Coin was looking toward the other side of the street.

    ¡°That¡¯s the bookstore.¡±

    ¡°I know. I see it,¡± Coin said and made his way toward the store. As he contemted for a little while, Juho decided to follow him. There was no way to tell if or when they¡¯d meet again, and if Juho had really found him to be a hassle, he would have driven him away long ago.

    Lake, cafe and now the bookstore. Thanks to Coin, he was retracing his route thoroughly.

    As Juho walked into the bookstore, he was greeted by its distinct smell, and he took a deep breath by habit. When he nced at Coin, he was taking an even deeper breath.

    ¡°This store¡¯s pretty spacious. I guess it¡¯s not that bad to be surrounded bynguage that I don¡¯t know from time to time,¡± he said with a satisfied smile. A foreignnguage. Gaining something also meant losing something, and having reached a point where he understood thenguage he was hearing with minimal interaction, Juho found himself in a ce where he could no longer savor the mystery of a foreignnguage.

    ¡°Is that why you wanted toe here?¡±

    ¡°I told you. I¡¯m here to meet with someone.¡±

    With that, Coin walked further into the bookstore. Although there was no way to know who he was meeting with, Juho noticed that the expression on Coin¡¯s face grew all the more intimidating at the mention of the person he was meeting.

    ¡®I better keep quiet,¡¯ Juho thought to himself.

    As Coin strode about the bookstore, he picked up the book that he was standing closest to.

    ¡°Hey, kid. What¡¯s this saying?¡±

    ¡®Man, of all books!¡¯ Juho thought as he saw the book he was asking about.

    ¡°¡®Language of God.¡¯ It¡¯s the first volume of the novel written by an author by the name of Won Yi Young.¡±

    ¡°More like Yun Woo.¡±

    As the tranted versions of ¡®Language of God¡¯ were published, the news of Won Yi Young being Yun Woo¡¯s other alias spread along with the book. Juho saw the displeasure on Coin¡¯s face as he mentioned Yun Woo¡¯s name. Coin wasn¡¯t afraid to show his feelings.

    ¡°Do you not like him?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡®I see. I wasn¡¯t expecting to be hated by Kelley Coin,¡¯ Juho thought to himself as he resolved never to reveal his identity to Coin. It might be a confession that cost him his nose. Instead, Juho decided to take a slightly different approach.

    ¡°How can you dislike someone without having even met them?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand unicorns even if I¡¯ve never ran into one.¡±

    It was a rather emphatic answer. To Coin, there was no difference between Yun Woo and an imaginary creature like a unicorn, and that doubt was apparent in the way that he talked about the young author. With that, he looked around the store and pointed at the promotional banner, asking, ¡°What¡¯s it saying?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a description of Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Trante.¡±

    Fighting the urge to sigh heavily, Juho read what was written on the banner.

    ¡°Number one daily best-selling author, Yun Woo. Youngest winner of the Dong Kyung Literary Award. The shocking truth gets uncovered. Yun Woo vs. Won Yi Young. The work of a trend-setting genius. Exported to twenty countries, including the US, UK, France, Germany, Spain and Japan, reaching best-seller status in thirteen countries. Young Won Yi, Yun Woo.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: Won Yi Young would be Young Won Yi in Korea, which sounds like the word, ¡°forever.¡±)

    ¡°Enough,¡± Coin said as he raised his hand, ring murderously at the banner written in anguage that he couldn¡¯t read. ¡°I¡¯ve been at the top for quite a while.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I won awards until I grew sick of them. You know who I am, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Juho was well acquainted with him and his achievements, as his profile contained his yearly record of awards. He had swept every single award in the literary world.

    As Juho remained silent, Coin picked up a book beside him.

    ¡°How about this one?¡±

    Unfortunately, it was the very book that was written by the author that he dreaded: Yun Woo. A bird on a white background.

    ¡°¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ That¡¯s Yun Woo¡¯s debut title.¡±

    ¡°Damn it. Is there nothing but Yun Woo¡¯s books in this damn store!?¡±

    ¡°This it the best-seller section. His books are the current best sellers, including Won Yi Young¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Good for him. Where are my books?¡± he asked, looking even more displeased than before, and Juho led him further into the bookstore, where ¡®Kelley Coin¡¯ was on disy.

    ¡°Here they are.¡±

    ¡°Much better.¡±

    A satisfied smile spread across his face as he saw his books being sold in a distant, foreign country.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite different from where you¡¯re from, huh?¡±

    ¡°The cover design is very clean cut, and the letters are rounder too. It¡¯s not terrible.¡±

    Then, he opened the book, and Juho tranted what he was reading in real time. The name ¡°Susan¡± stood out, and Coin knew immediately which book he was reading by the time his eyes reached the third sentence.

    ¡°¡®The Pearl Earrings?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    As he learned the title of the book in his hands, Coin examined the book cover once again. It was a widely-known fact that one of the characters in the book had the same name as his mother. The mother figures in his books tended to be the most powerful and influential among all of the characters. ¡®The Pearl Earrings¡¯ was recognized as a masterpiece, and it was the essence of Coin¡¯s style.

    ¡°But why is this the only book there is? I thought my books were popr in Korea.¡±

    ¡°Ah! This is a ¡®collection.¡¯¡±

    Coin was known for his reputation as a prolific writer, and Juho remembered his books taking up three entire rows on a disy rack.

    ¡°I did hear about it from my agent once. So this is it, huh,¡± he said indifferently, despite it being his own work.

    With that, Juho took him to the shelf that was organized by the names of the authors. There were rows and rows of books written by Coin. Aside from the books that were being sold in the bookstores, Coin had published countless others, including forty full-length novels, a hundred and eighty short stories, and a number of unpublished works in his study that were beyond count. He was truly obsessed with writing.

    As Juho tranted the titles one by one, Coin looked at his books with a satisfied smile.

    ¡°Which of my books did you like the most? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve read enough to know.¡±

    Juho answered without hesitation. He was especially fond of Coin¡¯s debut title.

    ¡°¡®Witch Hunt.¡¯¡±

    At Juho¡¯s unexpected answer, Coin slowly took his sunsses off, and Juho covered his nose by reflex as he saw the look on Coin¡¯s face.

    ¡°... ¡®Witch Hunt,¡¯ huh,¡± he said in a surprisingly calm voice.

 Chapter 144 - A Guest from Afar (3)

    <h4>Chapter 144: Chapter 144 ¨C A Guest from Afar (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Been a long time since I heard the name of that book.¡±

    ¡°... You don¡¯t say?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Nobody dared to mention that book in front of me.¡±

    Juho sensed that something was wrong.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t overstep a boundary, did I?¡±

    ¡°Boundary? Not at all. I¡¯m curious if anything,¡± Coin said, still looking serious. ¡°What¡¯s your reason? Of all books, why ¡®Witch Hunt?¡¯ It didn¡¯t even make it into the collection.¡±

    His debut title, ¡®Witch Hunt¡¯ was one of his least popr books. Not only did it get left out of the ¡®Kelley Coin Collection,¡¯ theption of his masterpieces, but every renowned critic considered it the worst book he had ever written. Yet...

    ¡°So what? I like it.¡±

    Juho was fondest of that book. Regardless of how it was received, he felt drawn to ¡®Witch Hunt,¡¯ and to him, it was the greatest book ever written by Coin. Reaching with his hand, Juho grabbed the same book that he had had in his hands while previously at the bookstore. Because of its unpopr nature, the book was still in the same spot where Juho had left it before leaving the store.

    ¡°You see, I happen to be a writer myself.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m part of the Literature Club in my school, and one would often identify me as an ¡®ace.¡¯¡±

    As Coin snickered at Juho¡¯s answers, his once intimidating face softened up slightly.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m well aware of how powerful and hurtful words can be. You can¡¯t see or touch them either, so you can¡¯t even put up a warning sign. At least knives and swords are simple. They make you tense up the second you hold one in your hands. Unlike words, it¡¯s much easier to recognize that it shouldn¡¯t be used against other people.¡±

    Then, Juho looked at the back of the book, where the synopsis was. There was a character who lied habitually in ¡®Witch Hunt,¡¯ and the book never exined in detail how he had be a liar. There was no moral lesson or excuse. The character would just rave about meeting Santa us to a child, or describe the journey that his dying mother was about to take to her.

    ¡°Whenever I read this book, I think of paprika.¡±

    ¡°Paprika?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Not only is it good for you, but it tastes great.¡±

    As Juho changed the course of their conversation from sharp objects to spices without warning, a perplexed look appeared on Coin¡¯s face.

    ¡°Paprika can¡¯t hurt anybody, and it¡¯s quite colorful. I eat it for my own good.¡±

    One¡¯s decision not to pick up a knife was not for the benefit of other people.

    ¡°Think about it. You get to turn a sharp, metal object into paprika! How fascinating is that? It¡¯s exhrating how alchemic or magical it is. You know what¡¯s even more fascinating though? It¡¯s not even that difficult. There¡¯s just no reason not to do it.¡±

    Anybody was capable of holding a knife in their hands to hurt those around them. However, they didn¡¯t use it. After all, it was a knife. What was more interesting was that it was a choice that was or would bemon to people. In ¡®Witch Hunt,¡¯ there were a number of people who were ordinary, yet smart.

    ¡°This is not a book that encourages lying. One can tell by reading it. It¡¯s just a get together of people who prefer having paprika over a knife in their hands...¡±

    For that reason, Juho was fond of the book. No matter how unpopr it was or how ill received it had been by the critics, he was drawn to it the most. Although the book had brought the author himself a flood of criticism, it had had just the opposite effect for the young member of a school literature club.

    ¡°... and some find that encouraging andforting.¡±

    Coin stayed silent for a little while, and then opened his mouth to say, ¡°I hate paprika.¡±

    ¡°What do you like then?¡±

    At Juho¡¯s question, he shook his hand, shaking the brown liquid in the cup with it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can¡¯t see or touch words.¡±

    They were not limited to paprika, either. They were free.

    ¡°You arrogant little...¡± Coin muttered as smile spread across his face.

    That day, he was impressed by a boy he met on the other side of the. He realized that what was once the bane of his existence had be just a bit more pleasant to him. If the book had always had the power to impact its readers like how it had done to Juho, that meant that it was a good book, no matter what anybody had to say about it. What was once a festering wound transformed into something entirely different.

    Coin reminisced to the day when his book was first published. He was infuriated by the criticisms, and he decided to retaliate against those who had hurt him. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to abate his anger.

    ¡°You got guts, kid. I¡¯ll give you that.¡±

    Despite knowing who Coin was, the boy wasn¡¯t afraid to share his opinions, and before the author knew, his heart softened in the little time he had spent with the boy. Coin reached for his book on the shelf and opened it for the first time since it was published. Although he couldn¡¯t read a single letter in the book, remembering the content was hardly a challenge. ¡®It can¡¯t hurt to revisit the past. If a kid was drawn to it, then it might not be such a bad book after all.¡¯

    Then, Coin came to the sudden realization that he hadn¡¯t been drinking his coffee.

    ¡°How old are you?¡±

    While puzzled by his sudden question, Juho answered, ¡°Eighteen.¡±

    ¡°Same age as Yun Woo.¡±

    That day, the name ¡°Yun Woo¡± became something much more significant than a mythical creature like a unicorn. With his debut title in his hand, Coin said, ¡°I¡¯m giving this to my mom as a gift.¡±

    ¡°Does she know how to read Korean?¡±

    ¡°No, but it won¡¯t put her to sleep at least.¡±

    With that, Juho followed Coin to the cashier and interpreted on his behalf. Suddenly, he heard a shout, ¡°Kelley Coin!¡±

    The voice sounded familiar somehow. She had been arguing about who was the better author between Yun Woo and Won Yi Young with her friend when Juho had been in the bookstore alone. They must have stuck around. Each was wearing a look of disbelief, covering their mouths with their hands and squealing with excitement.

    ¡°You¡¯re Kelly Coin, right?!¡± one of them said as she paced back and forth.

    ¡°Ah, crap! I forgot to keep my sunsses on,¡± Coin said as he brushed his hand down his face.

    ¡°They might have recognized you even if you were wearing your sunsses,¡± Juho said as he thought back to the author¡¯s less-than-weing tone of speech. He was chugging his coffee like beer even at that moment.

    ¡°Could you give us your autograph?! Please?!¡±

    The two squealing, excited fans attracted even more attention, and as more people stared in their direction, Juho distanced himself from him one step at a time.

    ¡°Well, I better get going now.¡±

    ¡°Hey, kid,¡± Coin called for him, and he stopped in his tracks as he made his way to the exit. ¡°You said you write, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho answered calmly.

    ¡°I think you have what it takes to write a decent book.¡±

    With those words, the author walked toward the crowd, and as he saw the author taking pictures and giving out his autograph to his fans, Juho leisurely made his way out of the bookstore. The ¡®Harpy¡¯ on the other side of the storefront came into his view, and that ce was much more peaceful. Retracing his steps, he made his way back home, receiving a phone call upon arrival.

    ¡°Mr. Woo,¡± it was Nam Kyung, and Juho took the opportunity to share the news.

    ¡°Guess who I just met.¡±

    ¡°Kelley Coin.¡±

    ¡®How¡¯d he know?¡¯

    ¡°He¡¯s in Korea right now.¡±

    Somehow, it didn¡¯t sound like that statement was in response to Juho¡¯s, so he listened more carefully and noticed that Nam Kyung was suppressing his voice.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware.¡±

    ¡°You read it on the inte, huh?¡±

    Although Juho had met Coin in person, he quietly yed along with Nam Kyung as he sensed something serious. He did it to hear what Nam Kyung had to say as well.

    ¡°Do you know why he¡¯s here?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No.¡±

    The only thing Juho knew about Coining to Korea was that the author hade to meet someone. Because of that, waiting for Nam Kyung¡¯s answer was all the more nerve-racking.

    ¡°It¡¯s you.¡±

    Thoughts flooded into Juho¡¯s mind as he remembered the intimidating look on Coin¡¯s face whenever he mentioned Yun Woo or that he hade to meet someone.

    ¡°... Pardon?¡±

    ¡°You, Mr. Woo. He¡¯s here because of you.¡±

    Juho thought for a little while, only to ask again, ¡°... I¡¯m sorry, what?!¡±

    ¡°Kelley Coin came to Korea to meet Yun Woo, and we just received a call from his publishingpany. What should we do?¡±

    ¡°... What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Would you like to meet him or not?¡±

    It was time for Juho to make a decision. ¡®What do I do?¡¯ he thought as he thought back on the things Coin had said to him.

    ¡°I think you have what it takes to write a decent book.¡±

    On the other hand, he had also expressed strong displeasure toward Yun Woo.

    ¡°I mean, I gotta do better than a unicorn, right?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°The stakes are high here, and I have a terrible feeling that my nose is one of them,¡± Juho said as he rubbed his nose.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe what¡¯s about to happen,¡± Nam Kyung murmured as he paced back and forth anxiously in thergest conference room in the entire building. It was also the space they had prepared for their meeting with Kelley Coin. It wasn¡¯tmon for the Zelkova Publishing Company to have a visitor from overseas, let alone a world renowned novelist. In most cases, meetings like that tended to take ce after a prior agreement for things like lectures or special events. The author would often be invited to meet with someone from the publishingpany staff in between their scheduled events.

    In other words, Kelley Coin was the first author ever to fly to Korea without letting anyone in the country know, just so he could meet with an author.

    ¡°Mr .Woo, this day will be among the greatest achievements in the history of ourpany.

    ¡°I think my heart it about to jump out,¡± Mr. Maeng answered the editor-in-chief.

    There were less than five people in the room waiting for Kelly Coin¡¯s arrival. While Coin did demand specifically for a smaller meeting, Yun Woo¡¯s uniqueness as an author was also one of the major contributing factors. There weren¡¯t many people who knew what Yun Woo looked like even within thepany. It almost looked like a secret mission as the handful of people waited for the world renowned author in therge conference room.

    ¡°Are you sure that you won¡¯t need an interpreter, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m rather fluent in English.¡±

    The editor-in-chief asked out of concern, but the young author seemed quite confident. As he was about to ask one more time, the phone broke the silence.

    ¡°Yeah? All right, I¡¯ll be out in a minute.¡±

    As everyone in the room sensed Coin¡¯s arrival immediately, Mr. Maeng and the editor-in-chief rose from their seats and said, ¡°Mr. Woo, prepare yourself.¡±

    The editor-in-chief left a warning as he left the conference room in order to greet Kelley Coin, and Nam Kyung let out a heavy sigh because he had already heard the news that Coin had already met the young author, who had introduced himself as ¡°Juho Woo.¡±

    Nam Kyung looked at Juho, who was calmly looking around the room for a potential exit. The editor had never seen or heard of the young author losing hisposure to that very day. However, Kelley Coin had a reputation as a trouble maker. It was a stark contrast to Yun Woo, who led a quiet life despite shaking the entire country with his writing.

    Although they both debuted at an early age, there was also a stark contrast in the way their books were received. Whereas Yun Woo¡¯s debut title was widely recognized and well received from the start, Coin¡¯s had been neglected and ill received. Yun Woo resembled peaceful waters, while Coin was violent and boiling with anger.

    Nam Kyung grew more and more anxious as he anticipated the first official encounter between the world renowned author and the young, sensational author. They were about to meet as authors, and Nam Kyung was nervous about what their conversation would be like. Considering Coin¡¯s reputation, it was more than possible that he would try to throw a punch at the young author.

    At that moment, a series of footsteps sounded from outside. Preparing himself, Nam Kyung opened his mouth and told Juho, ¡°I might be able to hold him back for a few seconds.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled and answered, ¡°Thanks for letting me know.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. Keep your nose covered.¡±

    At the end of those words, the door opened, and Mr. Maeng, the editor-in-chief, Isabe, and Coin walked into the conference room in order. Nam Kyung and Juho rose from their seats as the editor-in-chief and Isabe, Coin¡¯s editor, exchanged cheerful words and Coin walked in looking indifferent. Everyone¡¯s heart was rushing with excitement and anxiety. As Coin looked around the room, Yun Woo stared at the foreigner intently until their eyes locked.

    Then, Coin stopped in his tracks suddenly, forcing everyone in front of him to stop with him. As the air sank into a strange silence, Nam Kyung took a step back slowly while everyone quietly analyzed the situation.

    ¡°Coin?¡± Isabe called for the author, but Coin¡¯s eyes were fixated on the young author standing in front of him, his opponent who had been writing astounding books under the name, ¡°Yun Woo,¡± the kid who stood on top of his lifelong achievements.

    ¡°You little...¡± Coin said angrily, and everyone tensed up, except for the young author.

 Chapter 145 - A Guest from Afar (4)

    <h4>Chapter 145: Chapter 145 ¨C A Guest from Afar (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Yun Woo?¡± Coin asked, sitting across from the young author. It was a confirmation.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho answered briefly, adding, ¡°We meet again.¡±

    ¡°So you knew all along.¡±

    ¡°I would¡¯ve introduced myself as Yun Woo, otherwise.¡±

    If Juho knew that they would meet again so soon, he would have revealed his identity the first time they met. Taken aback by Juho¡¯s fluent English and their conversation, the editors cautiously studied the situation.

    ¡°I knew that you weren¡¯t just a regr ol¡¯ kid. I should¡¯ve known when you were talking about ¡®Witch Hunt¡¯ when you already knew who I was,¡± Coin said, ring at Juho fiercely. While there was a cup of tea or coffee in front of everyone, there was an enormous thermos in front of Coin, which was, needless to say, filled with ¡°Harpy¡± coffee. It looked like it could hold two super-sized cups of coffee with ease. Juho imagined the look on the cashier¡¯s face as Coin ced a ridiculous order like that. Suddenly, Coin blurted out a familiar-sounding sentence...

    ¡°How can you dislike someone without having even met them?¡±

    ... exactly what Juho had said. It was the question that hade out of Juho¡¯s mouth while he had talked to Coin about Yun Woo.

    ¡°You knew that I hadn¡¯t met Yun Woo, obviously.¡±

    Usually, one would have asked if he¡¯d ever met Yun Woo or asked why he disliked the young author. Unfortunately, Juho had been certain that Coin was yet to meet Yun Woo, and there weren¡¯t too many students in Korea that Coin knew who were of Yun Woo¡¯s age.

    ¡°I admit it was a mistake. You didn¡¯t make a big deal out of it, thankfully.¡±

    ¡°Well, if I caught on sooner, our conversation would¡¯ve been cut much shorter,¡± Coin said, staring at Yun Woo intently.

    ¡°So we meet.¡±

    With those words, Coin remained silent, and Juho realized that he hade a long way from being called a unicorn. Coin took a sip from his thermos, and the room grew quiet for a little while. While the two authors enjoyed the silence, the editors around them were walking on eggshells.

    In order to shift the mood, the editor-in-chief opened his mouth to change the subject to the coffee Coin was drinking, ¡°I heard the sales have been skyrocketing at the ¡®Harpy¡¯ since the news got out that you were in Korea.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting phenomenon,¡± Isabe answered quickly, and the rest of the editors chimed in to talk about Coin in Korea and Yun Woo in the US. The two authors listened quietly, and Juho opened his mouth near the end of their conversation to ask, ¡°So, why did you want to see me?¡±

    At Juho¡¯s question, Coin took a big swig of his coffee and wiped his mouth, answering, ¡°Because I didn¡¯t like you.¡±

    Although Isabe kicked his foot gently under the desk, the author didn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°To this moment?¡±

    ¡°Somewhat.¡±

    ¡°That puts me in an awkward situation.¡±

    ¡°Rx. At least, I don¡¯t doubt your existence now,¡± Coin said, and then changed the subject all of a sudden, ¡°Why? Are you afraid that I¡¯ll smash your nose in too?¡±

    Instead of an answer, Juho responded by shaking his head.

    ¡®If I really was afraid, I wouldn¡¯t be here,¡¯ Juho muttered internally. Although he had nned out his escape in case of a violent outburst, Juho came to learn after meeting Coin that he didn¡¯t seem so reckless as to throw a punch on a whim, contrary to his less than weing speech pattern. Maybe he¡¯d finally grown more mature.

    Then, Coin snickered and waved his fist, saying, ¡°The first time I used one of these was when I was twenty years old. My first book had just been published, and I was evaluated as an author for the first time. They were mostly disastrous reviews, but I eventually came to ept it. What I didn¡¯t know was that there were those who hid behind those who were criticizing my book in order to criticize me as a person. They were using my book as a tool to brag about themselves. When I confronted them, they had the most absurd responses, asking me what I could do about it. So, I thought I should introduce them to my fist just to prove a point. Nothing fancy. Although, it was a pain in the ass dealing with the aftermath, like thewsuits.¡±

    The news of a twenty-year-old rookie author breaking the nose of a widely recognized journalist had been quite sensational back then.

    ¡°You broke his nose though?¡± Mr. Maeng let out by reflex and covered his mouth with his hands.

    At that, Coin let out another snicker and added, ¡°In hindsight, you can really tell how hopeless he was when it came to smelling out a good writer. There¡¯s no use for a nose without the ability to smell, so I just smashed it in. Well, I had and will always have words like ¡°violent¡± following me around.¡±

    The news spread to the masses, and there were those who judged him for his violent tendencies or gloated over him acting on his anger. Some argued that his actions were wrong, while others were much more tolerant of them. Some hated him, and others loved him.

    However, the time eventually came when everyone talked mutually about the end of Coin¡¯s career as a writer. Many thought that he wouldn¡¯t be able to set his foot in the literary world ever again.

    Juho looked at the author who sat across from him. The predictions had been wrong. Coin wrote a number of books within the span of five years, and the results had shaped him to be who he was currently.

    Juho reminisced to his past, when titles like ¡°fallen genius,¡± ¡°pretty dressing,¡± or ¡°ghostwriter controversies¡± had followed him around until his death. Now, although different in approach from Coin, Juho was standing tall in the literary world.

    ¡°You quit drinking, right?¡±

    ¡°Do I look drunk to you?¡±

    ¡°Just thought I should ask since we¡¯re talking about beingbeled.¡±

    Though Coin didn¡¯t seem offended, the editors around him were tensing up nervously. Aside from his well-known alcoholism, he had been a drug addict as well. Juho remembered what the author had said in an interview once: ¡°I started it so I could write, and I stopped it so I could write.¡± That sentence alone was enough to make Juho realize how tenacious of a person Kelley Coin was.

    ¡°It was all meaningless,¡± he said and chugged his coffee. ¡°Give it a try if you¡¯re interested. It¡¯s the quickest and easiest way to find inspiration. Oh, wait. Maybe it¡¯s illegal here¡±

    ¡°Coin,¡± Isabe said in order to keep him from going any further, and Coin shrugged it off light-heartedly.

    Then, Juho shared reading one of his interviews and how his answer had left a deep impression on him.

    ¡°That answer was strictly for interviews,¡± Coin said, snickering.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t mean any of it?¡±

    ¡°I meant about a tenth of all that, maybe?¡±

    ¡°What about the rest?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to die,¡± Coin said as he took another swig of his coffee. ¡°The ground kept sinking, and the world kept shaking relentlessly. What else can you do but shout for help when you¡¯re getting sucked into a world like that? When it got to the point where I was vomiting my brains out everytime I wanted to pee, that¡¯s when I realized that I needed to get my life straight.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean drugs or alcohol?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s hardly a difference. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t all that fond of drugs. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because they were cheap, but same goes for cigarettes, or anything that involves smoking for that matter. What I really liked was alcohol. Although, it turned out to be a nightmare of its own eventually. You¡¯re a teenager, so you¡¯ll get addicted even quicker.¡±

    With that, he began to share his experience with alcoholism. While the editors took interest in what he was sharing, they couldn¡¯t help but be concerned about the young author who was still underage. Nevertheless, Juho listened to him intently.

    ¡°First of all, forget about your lungs. Your teeth might fall out, but it¡¯s just calcium deficiency, so don¡¯t worry too much. Oh, don¡¯t even think about falling asleep without the help of alcohol. The moment you get addicted, you¡¯re only left with two choices: to drink or die. Literally. There¡¯s no time to eat or make a trip to the bathroom,¡± the author said wearing an intimidating look and adding...

    ¡°And this is where it gets really painful. Prepare yourself when you¡¯re quitting. You can¡¯t do it on your own, and your family won¡¯t be able to help you either. If anything, you¡¯ll get them sick, so it¡¯s best to go straight to the hospital. They give you mental treatment too, so that¡¯s nice. It¡¯ll take about half a year until you can think on your own two feet. Oh, and make sure not to get carried away by a sense of kinship. You don¡¯t want to be dating your own kind. It¡¯s much better to hate them. What do you think it¡¯s the first thing alcoholics do when they get excited over something? I don¡¯t know how many times I had to go back to the program because of that,¡± Coin said, looking disgusted.

    ¡°Go to a support group instead. I went to AA meetings often. It¡¯s cheesy as hell, but I gotta say, it helped. It¡¯s fun seeing all sorts of peopleing together, sharing their life stories. Some are absurd, while some are trapped in their romantic fantasies or the sadness of sumbing to alcohol all over again. Besides, the snacks were quite a treat.¡±

    Juho understood most of what Coin was telling him. As soon as an alcoholic stopped drinking, their emotional damage became apparent as theye face to face with things they had been avoiding desperately. They often fell into depression, all without knowing whether it was the alcohol or the depression that led them to rely on alcohol.

    Alcohol had quite an effect on the brain. It destroyed one¡¯s ability to think, making it impossible to distinguish whether what they had just put into their mouths was food or alcohol. They were incapable of recognizing that they were alcoholics, and because of themcking a nutritious diet, they were extremely prone to things like malnutrition, constipation, dental disease, and stomach issues. Of course, their intestines suffered just as much, as well as their muscles and bones.

    ¡°You mean the sweets.¡±

    Alcoholics tended to be drawn to sweet food because the brain secreted the same chemical when they ate it as the one that it secreted when they were drinking. The chemical was responsible for pleasure, and despite having abstained from alcohol, it was also an indication that they were yet to be free of their reliance on the substance.

    Juho looked at the coffee in Coin¡¯s hand. Although he was speaking seamlessly, Juho knew that Coin was leaving out the truly tragic things of alcoholism. From convulsions to seizures, visual and auditory hallucinations, and hernias, quitting alcohol apanied unimaginable pain, and countless people returned to relying on alcohol as a coping mechanism. Even if one had made up their mind to quit and managed to remain abstinent for a decade, the craving for alcohol followed them for life. The moment they gave in under their sense of security, the same hell came rushing back into their life.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Coin said as he stared at Juho intently.

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°Most people either freak out or give me a pitiful look. OR, they¡¯re either interested or curious, much like the editors in this room. It¡¯s only natural. Yet, you¡¯re none of those things.¡±

    Juho gave no answer.

    ¡°Were you an alcoholic?¡± Coin asked all of a sudden.

    ¡°Kelley Coin!¡± Isabe shouted as the author made a remark that was well outside of what was appropriate. Thanks to her, Juho was able put aside feeling pricked on the inside. Then, all the editors, including Nam Kyung, tried tough it off awkwardly as if they had heard a joke. At the same time, they studied Juho¡¯s expression desperately.

    ¡°What? There are alcoholics who are in their teens. If anything, the number¡¯s been growing.¡±

    ¡°Would you stop!?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    Despite the editors¡¯ concern, Juho wasughing with Coin, and that drove away the dark memories that came back up to the surface one by one.

    Then, as Isabe whispered something into his ear, and Coin kept silent all of a sudden. With that, the distractions faded away, and Coin changed the subject as he kept his eyes fixed on Juho.

    ¡°I gotta say, your vocabry is impressive.¡±

    It was a rather unexpected subject.

    ¡°Are you really Yun Woo AND Won Yi Young?¡±

    ¡°Are you still doubting it?¡±

    ¡°A little bit,¡± Coin said honestly.

    ¡°Most people wouldn¡¯t be familiar with a lot of the words that I just used, but you understood as if you¡¯re listening to your nativenguage. I did hear about yournguage skills, but I¡¯m starting to understand more and more as we talk.¡±

    Then, his eyes narrowed, and he asked, still doubtful, ¡°You¡¯re not just pretending, are you?¡±

    ¡°Well, sometimes.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a ¡®no,¡¯¡± Coin said, chugging his coffee.

 Chapter 146 - A Guest from Afar (5)

    <h4>Chapter 146: Chapter 146 ¨C A Guest from Afar (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°When I first met you at the bookstore, I thought you¡¯d been born in an English-speaking country or was a student abroad or just a really smart student.¡±

    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have thought in my dreams that you¡¯d be Yun Woo himself,¡¯ Juho read the expression on the author¡¯s face. The book that had really challenged Yun Woo¡¯snguage skill was ¡®Language of God.¡¯

    ¡°You must¡¯ve read ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°What did you think?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t like it.¡±

    Juho was used to the author¡¯s blunt answers by then. Coin drank his coffee, and he opened his mouth and said before Juho even had a chance to ask, ¡°You killed a cat.¡±

    Juho paused for a little while and asked, ¡°Are you talking about my novel?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s a scene where a massive number of cats get massacred. After I read that part, I was able to predict how the book was going to end.¡±

    ¡®Language of God¡¯ was still an ongoing series, and not only was thest volume yet to be unpublished, but there wasn¡¯t even a manuscript for it. The faint idea in his head was yet to be tranted into writing, and Juho became curious of how Coin thought the book would end.

    ¡°So, what was the ending that you predicted in your mind?¡±

    ¡°The extinction of mankind.¡±

    Though it was a rather extreme answer, it wasn¡¯t entirely out of ce.

    ¡°There is no future for humans who would massacre cats.¡±

    ¡°Do you like cats?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Coin said, emphasizing that he was only stating the facts proven over the course of history. He was deliberate in using words that were difficult to understand. Of course, Juho was able to understand every bit of what Coin was saying. Cat, sign of ominous future, death, humanity, extinction. After thinking over it for a little while, Juho asked, ¡°You¡¯re not referring to the ck gue, are you?¡±

    ¡°The ck gue?¡± Nam Kyung murmured at Juho¡¯s question, and it was obvious that he wasn¡¯t seeing how the word was relevant to their conversation.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It was the humans who killed those innocent animals, using them of being witches¡¯ familiars. Thanks to those idiots, the rest of humanity was blessed with a god-awful number of rats.¡±

    The witch hunt first began to take ce in the fifteenth century, and that also meant that there had been witches then. Many people believed that cats were witches¡¯ familiars. Those who weren¡¯t suspected of being witches burned those who were suspected of it alive, including their cats. The ck gue spread by rat fleas, and the absence of cats meant that the poption of rats grew uncontrobly. As the poption of rats increased, so did the poption of rat fleas. Humanity¡¯s greed for power and vested interest had brought them a tragic result, costing a fourth of the European poption.

    Coin had used the word ¡°extinction¡± to describe the ending of ¡®Language of God.¡¯ As people med and killed each other, they dered war against each other and made weapons to fight with. Those who watched from afar would be bound to ask, ¡°Where is God?¡±

    ¡°But we survived.¡±

    The ck gue had failed to drive humanity to extinction. Humans had survived, just like in ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Coin had been referring to the massacre of cats in the mythology of the book. In other words, the past.

    ¡°We repeat the same mistakes, walking toward our own downfall,¡± Coin said sarcastically. Although it wasn¡¯t necessarily a terrible way to end the book, Juho couldn¡¯t help but think otherwise.

    ¡°What if they survive? Wouldn¡¯t they keep going?¡±

    As Juho asked, Coin took a swig of his coffee.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I just don¡¯t like that book.¡±

    ¡°They do receive their due punishment.¡±

    ¡°You mean being ostracized?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Animals witnessed what took ce, and they sensed threat in what they saw, predicting that they would meet the same fate as that of the cats. In order to prevent such disaster, they created a writtennguage that only humans wouldn¡¯t be able to read. Knowing that humans couldn¡¯t survive on their own, the animals tried to leave them behind by using their own writtennguage.

    ¡°But they failed.¡±

    The existence of the four travelingpanions indicated that animals¡¯ effort had ultimately been in vain. There were certain urrences in the world where failure had yielded a more beneficial result.

    ¡°All thanks to the traitor.¡±

    There were bound to be crimes amid the animals who possessed intelligence. Rape, murder, and war. Ironically, what held them back in their efforts to leave humans behind was the influence that humanity had spread among them. The ¡°traitor¡±mited a crime in order to repay the favor it had received from the humans.

    ¡°Pff! That¡¯s barely a punishment. It¡¯s nothing more than a series of useless information One happens to discover as he delved into mythology. Just end it all. It¡¯s not toote.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    With that, the conversation ended abruptly. The story of ¡®Language of God¡¯ was still ongoing. Then, Juho saw Isabe staring daggers at Coin. Although he disliked the book, there had to be something about it that he had been drawn to. Otherwise, there was no way that he could¡¯ve known so much about it.

    As Juho was made certain of that thought, Coin opened his mouth to say, ¡°You showed your readers the unreadablenguage.¡±

    Although it was anguage beyond what humans in ¡®Language of God¡¯ could perceive, it was theponent that he had put in the most amount of time and effort in.

    ¡°I thought the readers should know what they were seeing.¡±

    Although there was a traitor in the story, Juho had left out the details of the character intentionally, and because of that, there were a number of interpretations of the character and imagesparing the differentnguages in the story floating around the inte.

    ¡°Did you reallye up with all thosenguages on your own?¡±

    He was a rather doubtful person.

    ¡°Nope,¡± Juho said with a smile.

    Then, Coin furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°Is that a confession?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve always written with the help of those around me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be boring now.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? We¡¯ve been talking for some time now.¡±

    Then, Coin looked at Juho intently for a little while and nodded. The young author had presented more than enough proof so far. Of course, creating a whole newnguage took more than speaking fluent English, but it did break Juho free from Coin¡¯s doubt that an eighteen-year-old boy had created anguage based on Old and Medieval English. In Coin¡¯s mind, the young author sitting in front of him had the ability to aplish that.

    ¡°People aren¡¯t made to live in solitude,¡± Coin murmured as he remembered another character from ¡®Language of God,¡¯ one named Bird. Waiting for One to return from his quest in search of God, the character yed a crucial role in enabling One to leave on his journey. After all, a trip could never bepleted without a home to return to. Otherwise, it would be no different from wandering around.

    ¡°Coming to think of it, there are a lot of birds in your books.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Do you like birds?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t dislike them.¡±

    ¡°Why birds though?¡±

    Juho let out a light chuckle and asked, ¡°Why Susan though, Mr. Coin?¡±

    Coin clicked his tongue annoyedly. A character signifying something bigger, Susan was also aponent of the mystery in Coin¡¯s book, and as soon as the author revealed that mystery, the book would be nd and vorless to the readers. Coin was not about to let that happen anytime soon, and that was also the reason why he didn¡¯t give Juho an answer.

    ¡°Speaking of which, why don¡¯t we talk about your books?¡±

    ¡°We did, back at the bookstore.¡±

    ¡°I know for a fact that¡¯s not the only book you¡¯ve written,¡± Juho said as he remembered a book that had been mentioned just a moment before. It was Coin¡¯s sophomore title, which took him five years to write, and the very book that ced him at the top.

    ¡°The book was about the life of a thief, right? It¡¯s well known that you actually joined a gang of pickpockets to write that book.¡±

    ¡°I used a fake ID to join them.¡±

    ¡°Were they not suspicious at all?¡±

    ¡°Of course, they were. They recognized me the second they saw my face. I even ¡°smelled¡± different. Still, they pretended not to know me. They probably thought that I¡¯d be useful somehow.¡±

    ¡®Belongings¡¯ was a story about a thief¡¯s life, and it was widely known that the protagonist, Bill, was a character based on an actual person. In the same way, Coin had revealed in the past that the victims in the book were also real-life victims he had seen in person. The book was rather explicit in its description of techniques used by pickpockets and confused the readers as to what to make of the author as a person.

    Despite its controversial content, ¡®Belongings¡¯ was considered to be one of Coin¡¯s masterpieces. Mixing the perpetrators and victims into a fairy-tale-like scenario, Coin found his distinct voice as an author, and Juho remembered being impressed by it when he had read the original.

    Then, Coin thought for a brief moment and asked, ¡°My understanding is that ¡®Belongings¡¯ hasn¡¯t been tranted to Korean yet, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re working on it, and it¡¯s nned to be published through ourpany. Thanks to Imperst Agency, we¡¯ve been able to focus on your books, Mr. Coin,¡± the editor-in-chief answered,ing to his senses after listening to the conversation between the two authors in a daze.

    ¡°I see,¡± Coin said indifferently while raising his eyebrows, his eyes moving left and right with them. He was thinking about something. Soon, a mischievous smile appeared on his face. Sensing trouble, Isabe tried to keep him from talking, but it was no use.

    ¡°Are you talking about the ¡®collection?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Oh! You must have seen them. We¡¯ve published four volumes so far, and there will be total of eight.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s the trantor?¡±

    ¡°We chose the very best in the industry, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about, Mr. Coin.¡±

    ¡°Is there an opening?¡±

    ¡°... As in...?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking if you guys are looking for another trantor.¡±

    ¡°Uh... I suppose we are, for the future projects,¡± the editor-in-chief answered, flustered. Considering the author he was dealing with, there was no benefit in dragging the meeting on longer than necessary.

    ¡°Give him that position.¡±

    ¡°... As in...?¡±

    The editor-in-chief¡¯s voice shook. He wasn¡¯t reiterating because he didn¡¯t understand what Coin was telling him. With the author pointing at another person in the room, there was no way to misunderstand him.

    ¡°Me?¡± Juho asked, sounding just as flustered as the editor-in-chief, and Coin let out a heartyughter at the sight.

    ¡°Yes, you, Yun Woo. I want you to trante my books.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re fluent and a great interpreter?¡±

    ¡°There are other interpreters who are much better than I am. There are professionals.¡±

    ¡°Who cares? I want you to do it.¡±

    ¡°Why?!¡± Juho asked again at the unexpected request. As Juho sat dumbfounded, he felt someone tapping his leg. It was Nam Kyung, whose eyes were sparkling with interest. Then, Juho remembered his offer in the botanical garden about a book aboutnguages.

    ¡°This might be an opportunity,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°This is Kelley Coin we¡¯re talking. He¡¯s asking you personally!¡±

    Yun Woo¡¯s age and experience had always worked to his disadvantage whenever a publishingpany went to him for trantions. Taking up Coin¡¯s offer would mean that those things would no longer be issues. People would be astounded more than doubtful by the name Kelley Coin, and Coin, the entric brat and problem child, had acknowledged Yun Woo personally.

    ¡°Not only do you get to stay anonymous, but it¡¯s also the perfect tform for you to put yournguage skills to full use.¡±

    The center of attention of the entire room, Juho contemted the idea. Although he had read countless books written in their originalnguages, Juho was well aware that tranting took more than the ability to speak thenguage fluently. It was a task that involved rewriting a book in a newnguage.

    Even with the help of anguage-acquisition device, it wouldn¡¯t be an easy task by any means. On top of that, he would be tranting Kelley Coin¡¯s books. It was much too difficult for a first gig, and the stakes were rather high. Anything less than perfect would cost him and Coin a great deal as authors.

    Juho looked in Coin¡¯s direction and saw him rushing for an answer. He had to be aware, yet, he was willing to take the risk.

    ¡°That¡¯ll be tough,¡±

    Tough indeed.

 Chapter 147 - A Guest from Afar (6)

    <h4>Chapter 147: Chapter 147 ¨C A Guest from Afar (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What¡¯s so tough about it?¡± Coin asked, and Juho gave him one of the factors that made him hesitant.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have talent when ites to transcribing other people¡¯s books,¡± he said as he remembered the time when he was busy with a transcription. His pte was simply too sensitive, and he couldn¡¯t help but taste every little emotion in the book. Knowing that he wouldn¡¯t have the option to stop in the middle, there was far too much at stake.

    ¡°So you have no experience tranting, but you have transcribed a book before?¡± Coin asked, catching on to Juho immediately, and Juho gave him an affirmative answer.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if your memory of transcription is good or bad, but there¡¯s nothing to worry about. Trantion is entirely different.¡±

    ¡°How are they different?¡± Juho asked, knowing that Coin had experience tranting.

    ¡°It¡¯s the difference of what¡¯s on the inside and the outside.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°So, transcriptions are all about rewriting the book word for word, in the same, exact shape, down to thest period. But trantions? Not so. You¡¯re rewriting the book in a differentnguage, and giving words different shapes, which means you can¡¯t avoid changes.¡±

    Juho remembered one of Mr. Moon¡¯s lectures. Just as the word itself suggested, transcription meant copying exactly what was in the book, trantion was different.

    ¡°The challenge is making the least number of changes as possible from the original, the intent of the writer and purpose of certain sentences. There¡¯s no way around it but to focus inwardly. Besides, it¡¯s written by another author, so you have to respect his intentions.¡±

    ¡°So, in summary, transcription is copying what¡¯s on the outside, whereas trantion is copying what¡¯s on the inside.¡±

    ¡°Simply put, yes,¡± Coin said, adding, ¡°Transcription is done solely for your benefit, but with trantion, you have to take readers into ount as well. And that¡¯s what makes it a pain in the ass. It doesn¡¯t matter how easy it is to read to your eyes. You take what you¡¯ve read and transfer that directly to the readers without deviating from the author¡¯s intent.¡±

    Juho felt exhausted from the thought alone.

    ¡°If you fail to do that, then you end up writing a whole different book, and I don¡¯t consider tranted versions like that as my own book.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Nam Kyung asked, putting pressure into his hands. The day had finallye for him to prove himself. He was quite envious of Dong Baek Publishing Company¡¯s recent sess with the offshoot volume of ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Then, he told the editor-in-chief in a whisper, ¡°This is huge.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    The editor-in-chief had been sitting there with his eyes sparkling with interest as he witnessed Yun Woo¡¯snguage skill in person.

    ¡®Trantion takes more than speaking thenguage fluently. I don¡¯t doubt Yun Woo and his skills, but on the off chance that his trantions are less than average, we can always edit them on our end. I wouldn¡¯t even bother with trantors who take up their editors¡¯ precious time, but the person sitting in front of me is Yun Woo himself, the best-selling author and youngest winner of the Dong Kyung Literary Award. On top of that, he¡¯s Won Yi Young himself. Better yet, Kelley Coin chose him personally as his trantor,¡¯ the editor-in-chief thought as he quickly locked eyes with Nam Kyung.

    ¡®As long as Yun Woo is up for it, this is an opportunity for us,¡¯ Nam Kyung thought, and opened his mouth to say, ¡°In fact, it¡¯smon for authors to take on trantion gigs, very much like Mr. Coin here. Mr. Uhm has recently decided to participate in tranting the ¡®World Literature Comption.¡¯¡±

    ¡°He says it helps him with writing,¡± the editor-in-chief chimed in.

    ¡°We have some manuscripts that need to be tranted. As long as you¡¯re willing, Mr. Woo, we¡¯ll get in contact with the person in charge.¡±

    Juho contemted as everyone in the room waited for his answer.

    ¡®I do have the time, but tranting, huh.¡¯

    He reyed the words said by Coin in his head. Unlike transcription, trantion wasn¡¯t solely for his own good, and it was different from simply reading the original text. He would have to take the readers into ount.

    Then, he remembered the notebook that he used for the transcription. The transcription was being put on hold indefinitely. However, he couldn¡¯t afford to treat trantion in the same way. He would need to meet a deadline, and the readers would be waiting.

    Growing impatient of Juho¡¯s hesitation, Coin rushed him on, ¡°I don¡¯t got all day. Are you gonna do it or not? Are you not feeling confident?¡±

    At that, Juho looked up and locked eyes with Coin.

    ¡®If trantion is really different from transcription, it might be doable,¡¯ Juho thought, and the corner of his mouth turned up at Coin¡¯s taunts.

    ¡°You¡¯re on.¡±

    It was an affirmative answer, and Coin chugged what was left in his thermos and said, ¡°Just know that I won¡¯t let you ruin my work.¡±

    ¡°I better start nning my escape just in case.¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you more ambitious?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to be all talk.¡±

    Juho looked down at his cup, which was filled with a brown liquid unlike Coin¡¯s thermos. He would be tranting a book written by an author who was distinctly different from him.

    ¡°Well, I better write a new contract,¡± Nam Kyung said.

    ¡°Thanks to you, we won¡¯t have to worry about paying for a trantion agency.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s make sure to get the numbers straight with sales.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    With that, the meeting with Kelley Coin ended peacefully.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Isabe let out a heavy sigh in her ne back home with Coin. It was a long day. Massaging her neck, she stopped a stewardess who was passing by and asked, ¡°May I have a cup of orange juice, please?¡±

    At her request, the stewardess put on a friendly smile and poured her a cup. With the cup in her hand, Isabe questioned Coin, who had his eyes closed.

    ¡°Do you need anything to drink?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    It was a rather insincere answer, and being familiar with his attitude, Isabe drank her orange juice quietly.

    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll be able to do it?¡± Coin asked, and his editor caught on immediately.

    ¡°I thought you chose him because you thought he had what it took?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he said with a mischievous smile.

    ¡°The most important thing as a trantor is to stay hidden in their work. The original belongs to the author, so overshadowing the original means that the trantor failed in their job, no matter how impressive the trantion is. It¡¯ll be a nightmare for a punk like Yun Woo, although I didn¡¯t say anything on purpose.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re such an evil person.¡±

    Although Yun Woo¡¯s sess as a trantor would reflect positively on his career, Coin seemed entirely uninterested in working together with another author. He was a person quite distant from the notion of unity. With that, Isabe looked away from him and out the window. A punk like Yun Woo. In her eyes, Yun Woo had a lot inmon with the clouds that floated around freely.

    Known widely in the US, UK, and across Europe, Yun Woo was a young, anonymous author who had written two astounding books. Also known by his other alias, ¡°Won Yi Young,¡± he¡¯d written yet another book in an entirely different genre, which was also exported overseas. Despite the controversy surrounding the author¡¯s identity, the book was received as a sensational sess, and it was selling at an incredible rate.

    The dispute between Yun Woo and Won Yi Young in Korea became worldwide news. However, it was soon discovered that there had only been one author at the center of it.

    After meeting him in person, Isabe felt that he had what it took to drop a bomb of that scale. Having worked as Coin¡¯s editor for years, she immediately recognized that Yun Woo was different from him. They were like water and fire. They couldn¡¯t mix, otherwise one would overpower the other. However, the two authors were able to carry a conversation somehow. Yun Woo was a rather eloquent in his speech, and he understood everything Coin was saying. On top of that, he took up on Coin¡¯s offer to trante his works. ¡®A junior in high school. Eighteen, was it?¡¯ Having met the young author in person, those numbers felt all the more foreign.

    The fact that such a unique author would be tranting Kelley Coin¡¯s works was bound to draw a massive amount of attention, which worked to Coin¡¯s advantage in reaching the international market.

    One was hot, while the other cold. However, they both shared a simrity in that they tended to draw attention, whether desirable one or not. People had strong feelings toward them, and they were moved in different ways, whether positively or negatively. Such dynamic had also carried over to the two authors¡¯ works. Some hated them while others loved them, and it was for that reason that Isabe was still working with Coin. She was in love with his writing.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Yun Woo has people like that around him.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Coin asked with his eyes half open, and Isabe asked a question instead of giving him an answer.

    ¡°You were moved by Yun Woo¡¯s writing too, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    Without giving an answer, Coin closed his eyes, and Isabe snickered as the author didn¡¯t even bother toe up with an excuse. There had been plenty of other books that had outsold Coin¡¯s, but he hadn¡¯t been as gentle. After cursing up a storm, he had simply gone back to writing.

    However, he was different with Yun Woo. Yun Woo¡¯s book had dug deep into his heart and moved him from within, making him lost, angry, and then eventually fly to Korea. After all, Coin was less than pleasant to work with, to say the least. He was stubborn and believed nothing until he had interacted with the author firsthand. While there were authors who tended to be tiresome at times, there were also authors who were interesting.

    ¡°As soon as we get back, I need you to get started with the manuscript. This time, please be mindful of the deadline.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Coin answered irritably, just as Isabe had expected. After staring at him for a little while, she too closed her eyes. Now that Coin was about to write another book, her days were about to get much busier.

    Later, he would publish a book with an old man who contemted on what made a book great.

    ¡ª

    After his meeting with Kelley Coin, Juho received the manuscripts for trantion. The book that he would be tranting was the same one mentioned in his conversation with Coin: ¡®Belongings.¡¯ Juho brushed his hand down the rigid cover with the title in English and opened the book. It was about two hundred and fifty-six pages long, and tranting it would not be an easy task by any stretch of the imagination.

    In order to protect Yun Woo¡¯s identity and minimize his exposure, the publishingpany discussed all details regarding the book through Nam Kyung, the editor, rather than the person in charge. Although Juho didn¡¯t have a preference, he didn¡¯t go out of his way to turn down thepany¡¯s consideration toward protecting his identity.

    ¡°OK. As for time, let¡¯s say... three months. That should be plenty of time since it¡¯s your first time and all.¡±

    ¡°Is that really plenty?¡±

    ¡°Of course. There are even people who finish within a month and a half.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡±

    ¡°Well, like I said, this is your first time, so don¡¯t stretch yourself thin.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    Then, Nam Kyung looked at Juho with aforting look on his face.

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t have to worry about you going off the grid.¡±

    ¡°Off the grid?!¡±

    Then, Nam Kyung looked into the distance and moaned as if he was reminiscing about something.

    ¡°There are trantors who disappear on the deadline. That¡¯s when all hell breaks loose.¡±

    As a puzzled look appeared on Juho¡¯s face, Nam Kyung added that he was telling the truth.

    ¡°It happens pretty often actually. The schedule goes all haywire, so we have set the dates all over again, and then we start going over budget. Like I said, all hell breaks loose.¡±

    Tranting a book was a long-term process that required strict self-management. Typically given two to three months, trantors were expected to work autonomously, and the fact that there were trantors who struggled with the self-management aspect was not an oddity.

    Then, Nam Kyung ced his hand on Juho¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to pressure you or anything, but I have to ask you to be mindful of the deadline. If you feel like you¡¯re gonna need more time, just call me right at that moment instead of on the date or the day before the deadline. I¡¯ll be able to do something about it at least.¡±

    ¡°I promise,¡± Juho gave an positive answer as he saw the desperation on Nam Kyung¡¯s face. As Juho opened the book, he saw that the sentences were all within his level of understanding. Then, Nam Kyung thought for a moment and suggested, ¡°It¡¯s also not a bad idea to seek advice. I heard you¡¯re close with Dong Gil Uhm. Is that right? Try talking to him.¡±

    ¡°Should I?¡±

    ¡®It might be better than nothing,¡¯ Juho thought as he nodded affirmingly.

 Chapter 148 - There is No Yun Woo (1)

    <h4>Chapter 148: Chapter 148 ¨C There is No Yun Woo (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Wee!¡± Seo Joong, who was wearing a red sweatshirt and pants, greeted him.

    The day after meeting with Nam Kyung, Juho visited Seo Joon at his house. As Juho was led inside, the first thing that came into view was the pool table and its unmistakable presence.

    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡±

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    Standing next to the pool table, Dong Gil was reading a foreign book written in its originalnguage. Juho read the title of the book out loud.

    ¡°¡®The Sun Also Rises.¡¯¡±

    Again, the Sun Rises. The Sun Rises Again. There were a number of options for the trantion of that title, and they were all from the same sentence.

    ¡°Won Yi Young. Of course,¡± Dong Gil said while holding the Hemingway book in his hand.

    Seeing the book in Dong Gil¡¯s hand, Juho would have been able to make a simrment about him reading Hemingway. As Juho stared intently at the book, Dong Gil handed it over to him quietly. Taking the book from his hand, Juho opened it and felt Hemingway¡¯s distinctly concise styleing alive. Despite being published in 1926, the book was still awe-inspiring in its cleanliness and conciseness.

    While Juho was impressed, Seo Joong muttered from behind him, ¡°His books are good and all, but they¡¯re a pain to read. He uses foreign words without even annotating them or anything. Reading his book is just a hassle at times because there are so many things you need to know. Names of regions in Spain, bullfight jargon... the list goes on.¡±

    Hemingway had put a lot of effort into bringing the most out of the characteristics of the regions he wrote about. The foreign words and references to their culture definitely contributed to the sense of realism, but like Seo Joong had said, it was inevitable that it made it more difficult to read from the readers¡¯ point of view.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I like his books all the more.¡±

    There were several words that were often associated with the book ¡®The Sun Also Rises,¡¯ such as: lost generation, sexual disability, World War 1, or the nurses and bulls.

    ¡°Encierro. To confine. To surround. Cattle driving.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about the San Fermin Festival?¡±

    The San Fermin Festival was a famous festival in Spain that was known worldwide, and ¡®Encierro¡¯ was the process of transferring the bulls that were to be used for the bullfight during the festival. Simply put, it was a street bull run. As they reached the farm, the angry bulls and crowd anticipating the festival¡¯s main event came together in harmony, freely expressing their emotions. Because of the violent nature of the festival, there were bound to be those who were injured every year. After being a part of that very festival himself, Hemingway wrote ¡®The Sun Also Rises.¡¯ Juho stared at the book in his hands, and there were quite a few descriptions of the bullfight as if it was trying to prove that the author had actually been at the scene.

    ¡°Can you read Spanish?¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course. This is nothing. I¡¯m Won Yi Young, after all.¡±

    ¡°Must be nice to be Yun Woo, being able to speak whichevernguage you want.¡±

    ¡°It sure is nice. That¡¯s how I came to take up that trantion gig.¡±

    ¡°... Wait, what?¡± Seo Joong asked in disbelief. While Dong Gil was also wearing a surprised look, it wasn¡¯t nearly as dramatic as Seo Joong¡¯s. ¡°So, that¡¯s why you wanted toe over.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I wanted to get some advice from you.¡±

    ¡°Which book? Why? At whose request? Was it the publishingpany?¡± Seo Joong asked frivolously, and furrowing his brows at his friend¡¯s attitude, Dong Gil calmed him down.

    Then, he contemted for a brief moment and went straight to the point and asked, ¡°Whose book are you working on?¡±

    ¡°Kelley Coin¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The two authors remained silent. They had to be thinking about Coin¡¯s visit to Korea. As Juho waited patiently, Dong Gil asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t meet him in person, did you?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°He came to me.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Seo Joong interjected.

    ¡°Because he didn¡¯t like me.¡±

    At those words, a serious expression dawned on Seo Joong¡¯s face.

    ¡°You know, I was wondering what he came to Korea for when I first heard the news about his visit. So, you¡¯re the reason why he came here, huh? Well, it makes sense considering how his books haven¡¯t been doing as well. I suspected someone as rough around the edges as him wouldn¡¯t sit there and not do anything about his books getting pushed aside, but who would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d actually fly here?¡± Dong Gil said as he examined Juho from top to bottom.

    ¡°Seems like you got out of that meeting in one piece.¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t as scary as the rumors made him out to be.¡±

    ¡°You mean Kelley Coin?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Well, he was pretty stubborn about me tranting his books.¡±

    Then, Juho went on to exin that the book he was tranting was one of the books in the ¡®Kelley Coin Collection.¡¯

    ¡°Interesting. He didn¡¯t like youing in, but he ends up making you trante his book going out.¡±

    With that, Seo Joong began to ask about Kelly Coin, ¡°I¡¯m so jealous that you got to meet him in person, Yun. How was he? Did he really drink his coffee like beer?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he did.¡±

    ¡°Was he high?¡±

    ¡°He quit, apparently.¡±

    ¡°Was he really the size of a bear?¡±

    ¡°Hard to say. How big is a bear, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Stop asking useless things!¡± Dong Gil interjected as his patience wore thin, then he asked, ¡°Did he really join a gang of pickpockets?¡±

    It was very Dong Gil-like to ask a question like that. Juho gave him a quick summary of the story he had heard from Coin himself, and then moved on to talking about his trantion gig.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to mess this up.¡±

    ¡°Understandable,¡± Dong Gil said, nodding.

    ¡°Can you tell me about your experience? What was it like?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°It was hard, first of all.¡±

    Things weren¡¯t looking so hopeful from the get-go, and Seo Joong giggled as he leaned against the pool table.

    ¡°What made it hard? Was it the deadline?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just part of everyday life.¡±

    ¡°Ugh! Deadlines.¡±

    While both Seo Joong and Dong Gil shuddered at the sound of that word, Juho was alone at peace as he had been turning down every single manuscript request.

    ¡°Well, there are different aspects to what makes trantions so hard. For starters, you have to understand the emotional boundaries of the country and of thenguage you¡¯re tranting to. Otherwise, you¡¯ll find certain things about the culture difficult to understand.¡±

    Juho listened to Dong Gil intently, and as Dong Gil kept on, he lowered his voice all of a sudden when he got to talking about his struggles.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to deal with the perpetual urge to make changes.¡±

    ¡°Make changes?¡±

    ¡°Your sentences.¡±

    Then, rising from his seat, he candidly went into Seo Joong¡¯s study and brought out a book. As Juho saw the title, ¡®World Literature Comption 007,¡¯ he knew immediately what he was looking at. It was famous enough for Juho to know the name of the book and the author off the top of his head. Along with the name of the author, the name Dong Gil Uhm was inscribed next to it as the trantor. Dong Gil Uhm, trantor.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna have the urge to change the work of a famous author like this. You know, humans can be so full of themselves. Before they know it, they try to change the sentences to suit their tastes. By the time you realize what you were doing and are just about to fall in shame, that¡¯s when the urge peaks its head out again without warning.¡±

    Juho had an idea of what Dong Gil was telling him. After all, he was an author, and one who sought to write hard-boiled sentences, at that. There was an overwhelming number of flowery words in Juho¡¯s mind, so it wouldn¡¯t be weird if he felt the urge somewhere in his heart to change what he wrote.

    ¡°What¡¯s worse is that you do it anyway, despite knowing how much trial and error the author went through in order to write those sentences. You¡¯ll find yourself getting impressed by what you¡¯re reading, wondering about their thought process, all the while your hand is busy trying to make changes. It¡¯s hypocritical, really,¡± Dong Gil said as he shook the book in his hand, and Juho¡¯s eyes followed its movement.

    ¡°Well, as you struggle with that, you¡¯ll be able to meet your deadline before you know it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m feeling the urge to drop out, even now.¡±

    ¡®Maybe I was making light of this gig,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad choice either. Except, not everything about trantion is hard and painful,¡± Doing Gil said. Then, he opened the book in his hand. The entire book was tranted by Dong Gil. Once a trantor had finished tranting, they were gifted with a pleasure that was different from writing a book.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be a valuable learning experience for you. You¡¯ll be able to get a lot out of it.¡±

    He was confident in Juho.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you get a taste for it,¡± Dong Gil said as he flipped through the pages. Soon, he stopped and pointed at a sentence within a paragraph that wasn¡¯t visible from where Juho was.

    ¡°I sharpened my sword,¡± Dong Gil read the sentence out loud.

    ¡°What could this sentence mean?¡±

    At Dong Gil¡¯s question, Juho¡¯s mind worked busily for an answer.

    ¡°It could mean that the sword was getting too dull, so they had to sharpen it. It could also be about determination to achieve something, or preparing to stab someone. It could even be a ritual of sorts to bring good luck. Maybe it¡¯s a sentence that indicates that the protagonist is a cksmith, or it¡¯s emphasizing a time in the past when people had to sharpen their swords regrly.¡±

    As Juho thought out loud, Doing Gil raised his hand and stopped him to reveal the answer.

    ¡°If you look at the sentence before it, the protagonist was ordered by another character to do something, a character who is not only terrifying and forceful, but also powerful.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like the protagonist doesn¡¯t have much of an option, then.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The phrase¡¯s meaning was an indication of submission. The sword was the protagonist¡¯s tribute to the character. If the sentence was about the protagonist wanting to get a revenge, I would¡¯ve used stronger words to entuate the meaning of the originalnguage.¡±

    Like how Dong Gil had described, that was only a small taste of what the trantion process was like, and Juho was able to get a deeper understanding of its significance. He realized how sensitive of a dynamic there was between tranting and writing, as well as the danger of turning what he was tranting into something entirely different from what the author had intended.

    Then, Dong Gil closed the book and got to the main point.

    ¡°So, first of all, the most basic skill you¡¯re gonna need is to be able to speak thenguage you¡¯re tranting from, but I¡¯m sure that won¡¯t be an issue for you.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Juho said calmly.

    ¡°You have enough writing and thinking skills to write a full-length novel. Not to mention your stamina.¡±

    Then, with his eyes fixated on Juho, Dong Gil murmured for a little while and said, ¡°You seem to have all the basic things you need.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ll do fine.¡±

    As Juho gave no answer, Dong Gil added, ¡°Well, it¡¯s probably a good idea to start with something shorter, but my understanding is that you don¡¯t have that kind of time.¡±

    Through his conversation with Dong Gil, Juho came to realize that he had already been doing things that were helpful with tranting. If only things were as simple as how Dong Gil had described. As he reyed Dong Gil¡¯s advices in his head one by one, a snappy sound of solid objects colliding rang out of nowhere, and when Juho looked toward the source of the sound, Seo Joong was standing by the pool table with a pool cue in his hand.

    ¡°Life is like diverging angles.¡±

    ¡®What could he mean by that?¡¯

    ¡°Are you talking about the angle that¡¯s created as two balls collide? The angle where they separate?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Then, Seo Joong positioned himself at the pool table, creating a bridge with one hand while lining up his other arm and wrist in a straight line. The cue waspletely still, and he steered his right foot outward into an open stance. It was clear from his posture that Seo Joong was faithful to the basics. Leaning slightly forward with his back straight, his knees bent naturally as his face and elbow lined up in the straight line, all the while keeping his eyes fixed on the cue ball. Then, he stroke the center of the ball, and three consecutive strokes followed.

    ¡°Shot,¡± Seo Joong said as he watched the cue ball carefully and then straightening his back.

    Creating a fifty-five-degree angle, the red ball vanished into a hole after getting hit by the white cue ball, which stopped in its tracks. It was the diverging angle.

    ¡°Theoretically, you should always get a ny-degree angle,¡± Seo Joong said as he picked a ball in each hand. Although they were different in color, every single ball was uniform in their weight and resilience. Therefore, regardless of how the balls collided, it would be mathematically sound to assume that they spread at ny-degree angles.

    ¡°Although, that¡¯s a different story in real life. Close, far, gentle, forceful. There are always variables, and you have to make your decisions ordingly.¡±

    In other words, as soon as he began tranting, Juho was on his own no matter how much advice he had received.

    ¡°You¡¯re already used to it though.¡±

    Seo Joong and Dong Gil had already been treating Juho as a colleague, and all creative choices like direction, characters, and plot were up to the author. Juho was well aware of that fact.

    ¡°This is it, the actual battle,¡± Juho said quietly, and both Dong Gil and Seo Joong agreed, saying, ¡°¡®Pay close attention to how your sentences are flowing. Don¡¯t let your guard down. Understand your characters. These advices don¡¯t apply to you, you know?¡±

    ¡°Well, I would¡¯ve done it even without the advice.¡±

    ¡°Of course. You¡¯re THE Yun Woo himself.¡±

    With that, Seo Joong took another shot, and that time, the balls dispersed at a thirty-five-degree angle.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we y a round of pool while you¡¯re here? You know how to y, right?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I want to get as much advice as possible during my visit.¡±

    Then, Juho left Seo Joong alone and went on to converse with Dong Gil, and right before he was about to leave, he ended up holding a pool cue in his hand at Seo Joong¡¯s suggestion.

    ¡°Go easy on me.¡±

    ¡°Not a chance. I¡¯m a believer in fairness. Your age won¡¯t work to your advantage here.¡±

    Though Juho hadn¡¯t yed in a long time, he was able to put his old skills to use and stood victorious over Seo Joong.

 Chapter 149 - There is No Yun Woo (2)

    <h4>Chapter 149: Chapter 149 ¨C There is No Yun Woo (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    After a quick walk around the neighborhood, Juho returned home. Because he hadn¡¯t been able to go out for morning exercises as ofte, he wanted to keep himself moving. As he went into his room after taking a shower, he saw the manuscript on his desk, waiting to be tranted.

    ¡°¡®Belongings,¡¯¡± Juho read the title of the book that he was about to trante for Kelley Coin¡¯s Korean fans out loud.

    He was already familiar with the book and with the protagonist named Bill, the thief. The story took off from his point of view. Bill was the leader of the pickpocket gang who lived off of stolen goods, and while he was an incredibly pretentious person, he was also ambitious.

    The aspect that showed Kelley Coin¡¯s voice the most was the environment, the fictional space where the protagonist lived in, which was divided in three sections.

    Bill lived in the slums, where the people had a less than average quality of life, breathing the polluted air. It was filled with dark alleyways, sewer rats, poverty, neglect, deficit and criminals.

    On the other hand, the entirety of Bill¡¯s prey lived in a wealthier part of the town, where people lived abundantly with money,fort, and happiness. The wealthy often spent most their time getting together and their tea sipping graciously while ying with their cats. Most of them were wasting their lives inziness or weariness of those living in the slums.

    Lastly, there was Utopia. Located in between the two parts of the town, this was Bill¡¯s work ce, and the only ce where the poor and the rich came together. Nobody was against the tourist attraction that was Utopia, and it was a ce filled with beautiful views and plentiful music, as well as dreams and hopes.

    The ce was often crowded with those seekingfort and romance, and Bill hid amid those people, stealing their money and happiness.

    Lately, to help with his trantion gig, Juho had been reading Kelley Coin¡¯s books often, including interviews and TV shows. In one interview, Coin described his own books as such: ¡°Those who have never sinned in their lives will never be able to identify with my books, and those who have never been hurt will find my books boring.¡±

    All of his books implied that humans were both perpetrators and victims of their own crimes. Therefore, they had the freedom to use each other mercilessly. It also implied that humans had the right to confront the wrongs of their own, because they were capable of hurting and being hurt by each other. Reading that statement had helped Juho better understand Coin¡¯s point of view as a writer.

    The author had wanted to make Bill, the protagonist, both a perpetrator and a victim, while keeping his actions from justifying his crimes. Because of that, Bill met his demise as an empty-handed thief who had lived his entire life stealing from others.

    Juho followed through the text ording to how his head was interpreting it, picking apart tens of different meanings contained within a single word. Unlike usual, he had to read with a different standard: as close to how it was written and as Coin-like as possible. As the standard changed, the choices he made also changed with it, and as he made different choices, they also yielded results different from the usual.

    Bill was both pretentious and ambitious, and he desired to stand on top of others. Sadly, his dream was never realized.

    At the same time, he was timid and cowardly, and it was crucial that Juho saw things from the characters¡¯ point of view, like Bill¡¯s.

    Then, Juho ced his hands on the keyboard and started tranting the sentences in the book. Although the outer shape of the words was changing, the meaning within stayed intact. He focused on the fact that he had to take the readers into ount. It was an sentiment that had be natural to him, making it difficult for him to recognize it. Since the book had to be easy to read, he had to actively avoid using overly difficult words or twisting sentences around excessively, all the while maintaining the author¡¯s intent. At the process that was jarringly different from writing, Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and be joyful at the same time. As he saw how the author approached writing and went about unfolding the story, Juho felt Dong Gil¡¯s advice bing more and more tangible.

    As he acquainted himself with the book slowly, Juho thought of and acknowledged Coin in his mind, remembering that the book had been written by him and recognizing that a trantor had no right to invade the realm of the author¡¯s creativity.

    Juho kept his eyes fixed on the screen. There was no need for a dictionary. As he thought of a slew of definitions after reading through the words, he went with the most fitting ones. Focusing on what each of the sentences were conveying, Juho doubled-down all the more in reading and writing.

    ¡®Click,¡¯ the device made a sound as it moved.

    Then, Susan made an appearance in the book as Bill dered the end of their rtionship.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving you,¡± Bill said, and Susan asked why, but he gave no answer.

    Struggling to understand Susan¡¯s character, Juho¡¯s hands came to a halt.

    ¡°Susan.¡±

    Having been Bill¡¯s significant other since before the beginning of the story, Susan made a very brief appearance in the book and parted ways with Bill early on, never to be mentioned again until the story reached its climax. Then, she returned all of a sudden as Bill was at the verge of his death, staring nkly at him without even trying to help, ridicule, or criticize him. Simply, she let him go and stayed with him until the very end.

    ¡®What does this mean? What do I make of this character?¡¯

    There were a number of interpretations of Susan¡¯s character, and Juho hesitated to make a choice. Then, he thought of a standard one and began to write out what he knew about the character.

    ¡®Susan. The author¡¯s mother in real life. Appears frequently in Kelley Coin¡¯s stories, mostly as a figure of power and influence. Guide. Often someone who¡¯s yearned for, but a figure of terror and domination in some books. She takes on an entirely different shape in this book, and she¡¯s the haziest and vaguest character by far in all of Coin¡¯s books, resulting in countless interpretations.¡¯

    In the end, there was no concrete role that she was serving in the book. Coin had been giving Susan a different shape in every book, but what would that mean for Susan in ¡®Belongings?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t a figure of terror for Bill. On the contrary, they were lovers.

    ¡®What does that mean? What¡¯s her purpose as a character? What kind of role did Coin give her?¡¯

    Juho flipped through the pages back and forth. She only appeared briefly in the beginning and the end of the book, all without any description on her appearance or her thought process. It was hard to get a grasp of her.

    ¡°Maybe I should try meeting her.¡±

    As Juho was about to close his eyes, he stopped as he was reminded of another author all of a sudden, Mideum Choo. She had a keen interest in Juho¡¯s writing process, and she had had a hard time understanding his method despite his exnation. She had oncepared his process to a ghost.

    Then, Juho picked up his phone and called her. After the signal sounded a few times from the receiver, it stopped all of a sudden, and...

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ... a rather low voice answered. She had to have just woken up.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you at all at this hour. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s lunch time.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s bedtime for me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on my way to go see a ghost.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°You asked me to let you know when I¡¯m on my way to go see one.¡±

    When she found out that Juho was both Yun Woo and Won Yi Young for the first time, she was ecstatic and had asked him to let her know when he was on his way to meet with a ¡°ghost.¡± Needless to say, her excitement made it nearly impossible for her to carry a conversation.

    ¡°Ho-hold it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry myself. It seems like I woke you up, so I¡¯ll let you go back to bed. Bye now.¡±

    ¡°But you woke me up!¡±

    With that, Juho hung up the phone, set it on silent and went back to work. Kelley Coin. Bill. Susan. Pretentious and ambitious. Timid. Perpetrator and victim. Poor and rich. Utopia. Thieves.

    Juho closed his eyes and calmly imagined. Even if he were to meet with Susan, they wouldn¡¯t be able to have a coherent conversation, in which case, it would be better to talk to Bill. Made entirely of Coin¡¯s sentences, neither of the characters had been created by Juho.

    ¡®I will NOT try to change Bill in any way. Everything has to go ording to how Coin intended,¡¯ Juho reminded himself.

    ¡®Stench. Darkness. A gathering of people who have nothing to lose.¡¯

    Juho imagined the ce in his mind ording to Coin¡¯s description in the book. There was a withered tree and a mouse pinkie, lost and shaking uncontrobly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met.¡±

    Juho looked behind him and saw an untidy man who reeked whenever he opened his mouth, which was filled with yellow teeth.

    ¡°Nothing unusual. There are always new people here.¡±

    ¡°Huh... You sound like you¡¯ve been here before.¡±

    With that, Juho thought for a brief moment and said, ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I have experience with the ce.¡±

    The man stared at Juho¡¯s face intently and nodded light-heartedly. Although Juho found his gesture incredibly offensive, he overlooked the man¡¯s unpleasant attitude as he was looking to get something out of his visit. Then, the man plunked down on the ground. He was alone, filthy, and shaking. His appearance was no different from that of a mouse. At that moment, a smell Juho was well acquainted with peeked through the man¡¯s filthy stench.

    ¡°Had yourself a drink, I see?¡±

    Bill chuckled and answered, ¡°That exins how I¡¯m seeing you. You¡¯re nothing but an illusion. You¡¯re old and filthy and don¡¯t even get me started on the smell. I can¡¯t stand the sight of your mouth whenever you talk. It bothers me that you¡¯re missing your teeth.¡±

    That had to be Juho¡¯s appearance in the man¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    Bill looked up, and their eyes locked.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you¡¯re still alive.¡±

    ¡°Proud to be.¡±

    Then, the smile faded from the man¡¯s face, and he examined Juho up and down, snickering. His attitude was rather simr to his creator¡¯s, Kelley Coin.

    ¡°You got nothing to offer,¡± the man said, and he was quite urate. Juho had nothing to give him because he had been created by another author.

    ¡°Whoever said anything about giving you stuff?¡±

    ¡°Are you nning on stealing something then? Are you a thief too?¡±

    ¡°No way.¡±

    Juho took his notepad out of his pocket. It was filled with numbers and letters.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the phone number. He might have what you¡¯re looking for, and you¡¯ll be able to talk with him.¡±

    Bill caught on to Juho immediately.

    ¡°Are you going to speak well of me?¡±

    ¡°That depends on you. This is a trade, after all.¡± Then, Bill¡¯s gaze turned into a fierce, murderous re. Juho smiled, adding, ¡°There¡¯s no need to force yourself. I¡¯m not the only person who¡¯s got something to lose.¡±

    ¡°Damn rascal.¡±

    Then, he threw himself on his back all of a sudden, and his dark colored skin became visible from underneath his thin shirt. A mysterious ke fell from his belly as he scratched it.

    ¡°How about you go wash up?¡±

    ¡°Why, I¡¯d love to. If there was any water that is. Water¡¯s valuable around here, but on the flipside, we got plenty of fire. This ce is full of psychos anxious to watch the world burn.¡±

    Then, emphasizing that all water had evaporated from the face of that town, he added that he couldn¡¯t figure out if he had ended up with his current appearance because of theck of water, or it had been his appearance that had led tock of water.

    ¡°You used the word, ¡®trade.¡¯ What is it you want?¡±

    At the question he had been waiting for, Juho opened his mouth and answered, ¡°Susan.¡±

    After Juho¡¯s answer, Bill wavered, murmuring the name repeatedly, ¡°Susan. Susan. Oh! how I miss her.¡±

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? We¡¯re not together anymore,¡± he said as he searched through his pockets, but soon gave up. Juho knew exactly what the man was looking for. It was alcohol. He was looking for alcohol to drink his sorrows away.

    ¡°Why did you break up with her?¡±

    ¡°¡®Cus I¡¯m a thief.¡±

    At that moment, the mouse moved its long tail.

    ¡°Have you ever been to Utopia?¡±

    ¡°You mean the tourist attraction? Not yet.¡±

    ¡°That ce is brimming with happiness. From exciting music to the weing scent, theyck nothing. No deficit or disease of any kind.¡±

    ¡°But they have thieves?¡±

    At Juho¡¯s answer, the man chuckled, and his body shook slightly.

    ¡°There are thieves indeed. Utopia doesn¡¯t discriminate.¡±

    Utopia was a free, non-discriminatory ce.

    ¡°I usually steal money, but to be frank, that¡¯s all there is to steal. You can¡¯t put things like music or scent in a bottle.¡±

    Despite knowing how dull of a question he was about to ask, he blurted it out anyway. Juho couldn¡¯t afford to judge anything for himself.

    ¡°How does it feel to steal from other people?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the dumbest question I¡¯ve ever heard so far.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame, but I must know.¡±

    Then, the man searched through his pockets again in vain.

    ¡°Well, obviously, you feel like you¡¯re better than them,¡± Bill said, brushing down his face with his empty hand.

 Chapter 150 - There is no Yun Woo (3)

    <h4>Chapter 150: Chapter 150 ¨C There is no Yun Woo (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Utopia is a tourist attraction, so everyone there walks about peacefully, enjoying the scenery. Unfortunately, those folks can¡¯t stay in their bubbles forever. It would cost them money for them to settle in Utopia, and whenever I steal that money from them, the look on their faces alone makes my job worthwhile. They can¡¯t do a damn thing about it even when I take it from them in in sight, and they don¡¯t even dare fight back, standing there, looking like idiots.¡±

    ¡°Seems like you get a kick out of seeing the look on those people¡¯s faces.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re damn right,¡± Bill said with a mischievous yellow smile.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think they aren¡¯t resisting because they¡¯re are afraid of you, do you?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re letting you keep their stuff, because they have homes to return to.¡±

    ¡°What stuff?¡±

    ¡°Money. Those people have something much more valuable than money. For example, they have their lives. What good is happiness orfort if you¡¯re dead? They can always go on another trip. Those people have fought through countless battles throughout their lives, so they have wisdom.¡±

    Bill gave him no answer, but he wasn¡¯t angry, so Juho observed him quietly.

    ¡°That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard something like that,¡± he said weakly, and his voice echoed in the streets. ¡°I got my money stolen once myself, and this whole time, I med myself for being an idiot. Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me this yet?¡±

    Although Juho wanted to encourage him, he decided to change the subject instead.

    ¡°If you¡¯re looking toin, Coin¡¯s the person you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    ¡°Coin?¡±

    Instead of giving him an answer, Juho looked for the baby mouse. It was yet to return home, still lingering around the pile of trash.

    ¡°So, why did you break up with her?¡±

    He got to the main point. Bill was still in love with Susan, but why would he want to break up with her? Pondering for a little while, Bill answered, ¡°Susan, too, had something that was more valuable than me. For example, her life.¡±

    Then, he searched through his pockets once again, only to be reminded that he was empty-handed.

    ¡°I was sick and tired of getting abandoned and deprived. I hated that I had to live my in fear of those things, so I brought it up to her first, and she saw right through my weaknesses, then left without hesitation. That¡¯s when I realized that I wanted her to stay by my side out of my own selfishness.¡±

    ¡°How did she leave you?¡±

    ¡°She was sad, and then she left.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like she¡¯s not as foolish as you.¡±

    Susan was inherently different from Bil, and she was someone Bill could only dream of bing. Strong and wise, she had mourned the fact that she had been abandoned by someone dear to her, but at the same time, she didn¡¯t wallow in her sadness.

    ¡°Susan is wise.¡±

    ¡°And thieves are dumb.¡±

    Bill had given Susan up, and he dreamed of bing like her. His love for her was simr to admiration, a dream or objective. That was the kind of person Susan was to Bill.

    He had said that the only thing he could steal was money because it was the only thing that he could grab with his hands. In that case, who was it that took Bill¡¯s love and dreams away? Utopia. The rich. The slums. It had to be something much greater, much more than an individual could handle.

    ¡°Tell me more about Susan.¡±

    Unlike previously, he listed everything he knew about Susan, who was no longer with him. He still had vivid memories of her, and Juho wanted to tell him that it was not toote, that she hadn¡¯t fully detached from him. He wanted him to know that there were still remnants of her within him.

    ¡°I see,¡± Juho answered.

    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t interfere in anyway. Juho was in a world created by Coin, and he had no choice but to listen to Bill quietly.

    ¡°Well, I better get going.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna keep your promise, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. What is it that you want?¡±

    After contemting for a little while, he asked, ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be able to see her before I die?¡±

    He searched through his pockets yet again, and of course, there was nothing.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho gave him an affirmative answer.

    Then, Juho opened his eyes and saw Coin¡¯s original manuscript in the monitor screen. It read: ¡®I¡¯m leaving you.¡¯

    From that statement, Juho was able to understand Bill¡¯s position a lot better.

    Bill was a thief who was also deprived of something. Just like all people, he lived by giving up one thing while obsessing over the other, and he couldn¡¯t bare to ept such sad but obvious truth. In fact, he was hurt by it, and there was no one tofort him. He never learned how to control his sadness, and he wandered about the alleyways like a lost baby mouse.

    Along with a faint alcoholic odor, he gave off a foul smell and searched through his pockets habitually. Juho remembered what Bill had wanted: to see Susan once again.

    ¡°Coin loved Bill,¡± Juho murmured and moved his hands busily on the keyboard. He knew for certain that Coin loved Bill, and that was the reason why the author gave Bill what he wanted, shaping hisst moments so that he could see Susan one more time. Pretentious and ambitious, Bill was also timid and foolish.

    Juho looked at the manuscript, and saw the title, ¡®Belongings.¡¯ Happiness, money and love. Whose were they? Being careful not to leave any trace of his creativity, Juho tranted as close to the original as possible.

    ¡ª

    ¡°So tired,¡± Juho muttered groggily as he buried his head on his desk, and Bom asked as she looked behind her, ¡°Are you sleeping?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re about to.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t bother denying her. He had tranted well into the night, and as he was yet to be familiar with the process. Tranting was proving to be much more exhausting than he anticipated. Juho felt almost as if he was being robbed by Bill, and the longer he interacted with the thief, the more he became conscious of his own deficiencies. Coin was an incredible author, and as Juho got further with the trantion, he felt that all of Coin¡¯s choices were indisputable. At the same time, he found himself wondering what he would have done if he were in Coin¡¯s shoes, asking, ¡®How would I have treated Bill?¡¯

    No matter what he wrote, it would look entirely different from Coin. As the author, Coin was the only person who was capable of writing the book Juho was tranting, and at the end, Bill had only been visible to Coin. He felt his eyelids getting heavy. His head had been filled with thoughts of Bill and Cointely, and it had been the first time in a long time that he had filled his mind with thoughts of another author¡¯s work.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a sight I hadn¡¯t seen in a while,¡± Seo Kwang said as he poked at Juho. Even though Bom tried to stop him, Seo Kwang didn¡¯t listen.

    ¡°What?¡±

    A hoarse voice sounded from the desk, and Seo Kwang asked, ¡°What were you writingst night?¡±

    He asked that in a rather friendly manner, unlike his fingers.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t write anything,¡± Juho said as he waved his hands.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying. I know what kind of person you are now.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t clear as to whom Seo Kwang was trying to impersonate, but it was less than impressive.

    ¡°C¡¯mon. Tell me. Please. I¡¯m an eternal fan ever since I ran into you that day by coincidence.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: This is Seo Kwang¡¯s subtle wordy using Juho¡¯s two aliases.)

    As Seo Kwang called his name desperately, Juho looked up and said, ¡°I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m not writing anything.¡±

    ¡°Then, what were you doingst night?¡±

    ¡°I was thinking about someone,¡± Juho said tiredly, sping his head.

    Then, Bom covered her mouth with her hands, eximing, ¡°No way!¡±

    ¡°Who is it!? Spill it! Is it someone I know?¡±

    ¡°You might, yeah.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s answer, both Seo Kwang and Bom grew all the more excited.

    ¡°What¡¯s their name?¡± Bom asked.

    ¡°Bill.¡±

    ¡°... A foreigner?¡± Bom asked in a shaky voice, and Juho gave her an affirmative answer. Bill was a foreigner.

    ¡°Kelley Coin? As in Bill from his book, ¡®Belongings?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yep. That Bill.¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang¡¯s face distorted from utter disappointment, and Bom let out a quiet sigh as Seo Kwang exined things to her.

    ¡°You really know how to get people¡¯s hopes up. You¡¯ve been into Kelley Coin¡¯s books, huh? I heard that he was in Korea not too long ago!¡±

    ¡°Yep. I met him.¡±

    Then, the two jumped with excitement.

    ¡°What!?¡±

    ¡°We met,¡± Juho reiterated, and the two jumped from their seats, making Juho look up, simr to the time he had conversed with Bill.

    ¡®Bill must have been looking up at me like this.¡¯

    As he stared dazedly at the two, they grabbed Juho by his arms all of a sudden.

    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡±

    Without getting an answer, they dragged him out of the ss and walked through the hallway toward the room that hardly anyone paid attention to aside from the Literature Club members. Then, closing the door, Seo Kwang shouted, ¡°Yun Woo met Kelley Coin!¡±

    It was like the story ¡®The King with Donkey Ears.¡¯

    ¡°How and why did you guys meet? Did you guys know each other before?¡± Bom poured out a series of questions. As Juho contemted which one to answer first, the door flung open all of a sudden. Startled, Bom and Seo Kwang turned around and saw Baron and Sun Hwa standing by the door, gasping for breath.

    ¡°There you are.¡±

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d be here.¡±

    Then, Baron walked toward Juho and grabbed his shoulder, saying, ¡°You met Kelley Coin, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡®How¡¯d he know?¡¯ Juho wondered as both Seo Kwang and Bom stood there asking themselves the same question. Then, before Juho even had the opportunity to ask, Sun Hwa opened her mouth and said, ¡°The media is going crazy right now, saying that Kelley Coin mentioned Yun Woo. Apparently, he came to Korea to meet Yun Woo, and he did actually meet with him. He asked Yun Woo to trante his book.¡±

    It was a summary that was both clean and straightforward, and there was nothing ufortable about it. It was the result of having trained in the Literature Club. Then, Juho imagined Coin disclosing the news of having Yun Woo trante his books without discussing it with his editor, Isabe, before. After all, he was unstoppable.

    ¡°Trantion?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Apparently, Yun Woo¡¯s going to be tranting one of his books. This is Kelley Coin we¡¯re talking about!¡±

    Then, with her mouth agape, Bom murmured, ¡°So, that¡¯s why you said Bill...¡±

    ¡°Bill?¡± Sun Hwa asked, but Bom was too taken aback to give her an answer. Then, Juho looked at Seo Kwang, and saw that he was also looking at him. Seo Kwang stood quietly for a little while, and then began to ask questions uninterruptedly, ¡°Oh, my gosh. THE Kelley Coin? Traveled all the way to Korea to meet Yun Woo? How¡¯s your nose? Did he punch you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m OK, fortunately,¡± Juho answered quietly.

    ¡°Is Kelley Coin that famous?¡± Sun Hwa asked Bom, and Bom exined things to Sun Hwa by using a famousic book author as an example. Then, Sun Hwa gave Juho an envious look.

    ¡°So, where¡¯s the autograph?¡±

    ¡°... ¡®Scuse me?¡±

    ¡°His autograph. Where is it?¡±

    Juho raised his empty hands, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t have it, unfortunately.¡±

    As disappointment appeared on Baron and Seo Kwang¡¯s faces, Juho added, scratching his head, ¡°Honestly, I forgot.¡±

    ¡°That was the opportunity of a lifetime!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet again.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure, Mr. Woo. When the dayes, get us his autograph too.¡±

    ¡°The perks of having Yun Woo as a friend.¡±

    Then, the door flung open once again, and the five pairs of eyes turned toward it. Bo Suk was standing by the door, and the room sank into a sudden silence.

    ¡°I heard Yun Woo?¡±

    The club members exchanged nces. Although it was always possible to give her an ambiguous exnation, Juho knew that she wasn¡¯t a bigmouth. Besides, even if she were to go around telling others, no one would take her words seriously.

    Then, Juho looked at his three ssmates and the junior who were frozen in ce. None of them was so narrow-minded as to criticize Juho for telling the freshman about his identity.

    ¡°You heard right,¡± he said, and the others gasped. ¡°I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    Juho smiled, and Bo Suk¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity. Then, remembering him rmending books written by Yun Woo, she turned her eyes to Seo Kwang.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s why you said Yun Woo...¡± she said and checked the hallway calmly before walking into the room and closing the door. ¡°Are you really Yun Woo and Won Yi Young? THE Yun Woo that Kelley Coin came all the way to Korea for, who¡¯s also getting his hands on tranting?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    At the brief, yet emphatic answer, her mouth gaped open, and she eximed, ¡°That¡¯s unbelievable!¡±

    She was quite impressed.

    ¡°Oh, my goodness. Is this real? Did I just be one of Yun Woo¡¯s acquaintances!? Wow!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I understand what you¡¯re feeling right now, but try to calm down,¡± Sun Hwa said as she patted Bo Suk on her back, but the freshman grew all the more excited as if Sun Hwa¡¯s words had had the opposite effect.

    Then, she asked a random question out of the blue, ¡°Juho, did you study abroad?¡±

    ¡°Study abroad?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. The inte¡¯s going crazy right now with people saying that Yun Woo¡¯s a foreigner, mixed, a student abroad, a rtive of Coin, or a member of Mensa. There are people questioning whether an eighteen year old is tranting a book, and some are even iming that he¡¯s not actually eighteen!¡± she said in disbelief. ¡°And I get to ask all those questions to Yun Woo in person!¡±

    Sensing that his school life was about to be a lot more tiresome, Juho briefly second-guessed his decision to disclose his identity to the freshman.

 Chapter 151 - There is no Yun Woo (4)

    <h4>Chapter 151: Chapter 151 ¨C There is no Yun Woo (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°That¡¯ll do for the night.¡±

    Juho rested his eyes for a little while and looked out the window. Feeling hazy from tranting for an extended period of time, he remembered a conversation he had had with Nam Kyung over the phone not too long ago. Bringing up thepany website that had crashed yet again, he groaned, ¡°Our website won¡¯tst much longer at this rate. All thanks to you, Mr. Woo.¡±

    There was joy in his voice. It was already widely known news that the infamous Kelley Coin had visited Korea in order to meet with Yun Woo to personally put the young author in charge of tranting his book. Being the only two media between the young author and his readers, both the Zelkova and Dong Baek Publishing Companies had been dealing with inquiries flooding their offices.

    ¡°For now, I¡¯ve told readers that Yun Woo is in the process of tranting,¡± Nam Kyung said, listing some of the most extraordinary questions one by one.

    ¡°Some were asking if you¡¯re from another country, while others were asking where you went to study abroad. The questions weren¡¯t just limited to ¡®Language of God,¡¯ but a lot of people were curious about yournguage skills, and I had quite a few people asking how they could be like you. There was a broadcast producer looking for you too, and a lot of people were asking about your age. Oh, and what you talked about with Kelley Coin as well.¡±

    Juho chuckled as he imagined the situation. thinking of the look on Nam Kyung¡¯s face frantically answering a series of ridiculous questions and phone calls. He could only imagine how hard Nam Kyung was working.

    ¡°A lot of the questions were just downright ridiculous, but on the other hand, I can kind of see where these people areing from. It makes sense that they¡¯re so curious about Yun Woo and his identity, or whether if he even exists.¡±

    Adding jokingly that it was a blessing to be in the minds of so many people, Nam Kyung cleared his throat and changed the subject.

    ¡°Anyway, how¡¯s tranting?¡±

    ¡°Hard to say. It¡¯s my first time, so I can¡¯t even grasp how good or bad of a job I¡¯ve been doing.¡±

    ¡°Are you getting stuck anywhere?¡±

    ¡°There was one ce, but I managed to get through.¡±

    ¡°How many pages have you been tranting a day?¡±

    Juho thought for a little while, and then asked, ¡°Do trantors usually work knowing how many pages they¡¯re going to trante?¡±

    ¡°Well, that depends on the person. How they manage their schedule until the deadline is entirely up to them, but I figure most trantors would know the minimum number of pages they have to trante in a day.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea.¡±

    Even as a writer, Juho was never conscious of how many pages he wanted to write for that day, and he had been approaching trantion in the same manner. Then, Nam Kyung asked in a slightly shaky voice, ¡°... I think I¡¯m starting to get concerned. Have you calcted how many days you have left? You have to trante the entire book within three months.¡±

    Seeing Nam Kyung¡¯s concern, Juho told him his progress, ¡°I tranted about twenty-four pages. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡±

    Nam Kyung grew silent, and then asked after a little while, ¡°In one day? Twenty-four?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The editor¡¯s shaky voice sounded from the receiver once again. That time, he was shaky for a different reason.

    ¡°I think you can take it a little easier, Juho. It seems like you can afford to take about a week off. You haven¡¯t been tranting like that everyday, have you?¡±

    Nam Kyung was taken aback by Juho¡¯s answer. Even if Juho were to trante eight pages a day, he would have been able to finish the entire book in about a month. Despite being given three months, Juho was tranting at a pace significantly faster than Nam Kyung had expected. Considering the nature of the book, it was truly astounding.

    Hearing how Nam Kyung was taken aback by his progress, Juho decided not to tell him about the days when he had tranted even more.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any routines that I follow. There are days when I don¡¯t trante.¡±

    ¡°... You¡¯re working on ¡®Belongings,¡¯ right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not an easy book to trante.¡±

    There were all kinds of people in this world, and in the same way, there were all kinds of books. Therefore, it was only natural that some books took more or less time than others. The vocabry in Kelley Coin¡¯s books were not at all easy. In other words, readers would have to spend a significant amount of time on their dictionaries. On top of that, Coin frequently used modifiers in his sentences, making them easy to misunderstand.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about your process. Where do you find words?¡±

    ¡°In my head.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    As he sensed concern rising to the surface of his mind, Nam Kyung said, ¡°You know that you have to take things like ¡®readability¡¯ into ount, right? The trantion has to be culturally relevant.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve been paying close attention to that. I¡¯m starting to get a better idea of what trantion looks like.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be changing any of the sentences, all right?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Uhm taught me the importance of that, thoroughly.¡±

    ¡°Make sure to follow the author¡¯s intent closely.¡±

    ¡°Every moment.¡±

    ¡°And understand the characters.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s basic.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s confident answers, Nam Kyung added, ¡°You gotta pace yourself. You¡¯ve written novels, so you know how important your stamina is, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I might not follow a routine, but I have been conscious of my pace.¡±

    The fact that he was able to trante a book written by Kelley Coin at such a pace was simply astounding. Then, their conversation came to an end as Nam Kyung warned Juho a few more times.

    Looking away from the window, Juho contemted for a little while and opened his email, which was filled with the messages he had been exchanging with Coin. Having written to Coin about his encounter with Bill most recently, Juho had been sharing what he felt as he read the book, as well as his interpretation of Susan. In the end, he tried poking at the author¡¯s affection toward the character, Bill.

    ¡°Not helpful.¡±

    Mostly replying with hostility, Coin refused to answer any questions regarding interpretations, threatening to hunt Juho down in Korea if the young author were to ruin his book. It was just as Juho had expected, as he hadn¡¯t expected a proper reply from the start.

    After thinking for some time, Juho began to write a new email about ¡®Belongings¡¯ to the author. The clear boundaries between the three parts of the town became fuzzier toward the end. A cat that left its rich owner in hunt for a mouse. Bill, who met his demise in Utopia, and Susan, who watched him quietly. Other thieves stealing Bill¡¯s belongings after his death. The book pitched an endless chain of questions without providing any answer, and Juho nned on putting off asking one of them, at least until he had finished tranting.

    ¡°He¡¯ll never give me a proper answer.¡±

    Then, after sending the finished email, Juho went to bed. The following day was slightly rowdier than the day before.

    ¡ª

    ¡°The birth of a new blockbuster! ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ ranks third most watched movie.¡±

    ¡°¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ first film adaptation of a Korean Novel to reach ten million viewers.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo, the sensation of the century! His opinions on his sess?¡±

    ¡°A sh interview with Myung Joo Mu, the biggest beneficiary of the recent sess of ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ Mentions of the author?¡±

    ¡°Sang Young Ju, the director on the rise, shares his sess factors for the movie ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ presents a new potential in Korean film!¡±

    ¡°The author of ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ remains silent. Publishingpany states ¡®trantion in progress.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡®Yun Woo fever¡¯ hits the Korean penins! How did he get to where he is?¡±

    ¡°So, what do you wanna do?¡± Nam Kyung asked with a cup of Job¡¯s Tears tea in front of him, and Juho contemted on how to answer his question.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡± a husky voice interjected all of a sudden, and the man looked briefly around the botanical garden until Juho came to view.

    Nam Kyung and Sang Young. It had been a while since the three had met together. Despite having directed a movie that had reached ten million viewers, the director still insisted on wearing his old, dusty pair of blue jeans.

    ¡°You face it like Yun Woo. I can speak on your behalf if you write me a few things,¡± Sang Young said.

    The three hade together to discuss a matter regarding ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ the movie, which had reached ten million viewers. After discussing with the publishingpany and the director, Juho had agreed to write out a review of the movie instead of being interviewed. It was a simr tactic to the one used at the award ceremony for the Dong Kyung Literary Award. Considering how well it was received back then, Juho had decided to take a simr action. Of course, there would be no progress without the author¡¯s consent, and both Nam Kyung and Sang Young hade to the garden to convince Yun Woo.

    ¡°Would anybody bother to read my review?¡±

    ¡°You have no idea how hectic it is at my office right now. The entrance is flooding with reporters desperate to hear something from you. I even saw them interviewing some of our staff who had nothing to do with you.¡±

    Neither Nam Kyung or Sang Young were at the garden for no apparent reason.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure things will die down eventually.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it. If anything, it¡¯ll get worse.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m winning an award or anything. Isn¡¯t this a little awkward?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s more awkward that you¡¯re not saying anything. This is nothing different from the award ceremony. In fact, think of it as ¡®thoughts on the movie reaching ten million viewers,¡¯¡± Sang Young said, and let out a heartyughter. He seemed like he was in a great mood and he had every reason to be.

    ¡°But I have a trantion gig to worry about,¡± Juho said.

    To which, Nam Kyung answered, ¡°I know that you knock out at least twenty pages a day.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying that I¡¯d like to focus on it as much as possible.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll barely take any time. You can write as little as five lines.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just insincere though.¡±

    ¡°I guess you gotta write to your heart¡¯s content then, Mr. Woo.¡±

    At Nam Kyung¡¯s words, everyone grew silent, and the two men waited for Juho¡¯s decision patiently. While the young author took time to think, it wasn¡¯t long before he reached a conclusion. It was something to be undoubtedly grateful for that a film adaptation of his movie had reached ten million viewers, and writing a review on it wasn¡¯t a difficult task by any means. If it meant making his readers happy, Juho was more than willing to pick up his pen. Besides, the two men he was indebted to the most were sitting in front of him.

    ¡°OK.¡±

    Amid the loud cheers, Juho took a pen and a notepad out of his pocket, and a puzzled look appeared on the two men¡¯s faces.

    ¡°In fact, I¡¯ll write one right now.¡±

    ¡°Eh!?¡±

    ¡°Now?!¡±

    ¡°Yes, now,¡± Juho reiterated.

    ¡°You can write anywhere, right?¡±

    ... As long as there was pen and paper. Depending on the situation and the person, writing was more than possible even without them.

    ¡°It¡¯s quiet here, so it should be OK.¡±

    As long the two remained quiet, there would be plenty of silence in the secluded area within the botanical garden, separated from the outside world by an old door. Nam Kyung and Sang Young agreed willingly.

    After taking some time to organize his thoughts, Juho opened his notepad and began to write out his review on it. The words in his head began to take shape as the ck ink filled the white pages, and no one dared to make a sound.

    ¡°Uh...¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°This is a bit awkward,¡± Juho said as the two kept their eyes fixated on his hands.

    Despite the silence, Juho was ufortable with them gazing at him, and as he looked up, Sang Young said caressly, ¡°Well, what does one do when watching Yun Woo writing before their eyes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m OK with that to a degree. You guys are looking at my hands like you want to burn a hole through them.¡±

    ¡°Pff. Don¡¯t be cute now. There are three pairs of eyes here at most. Two of them being yours.¡±

    The director wasn¡¯t about to let up anytime soon.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you text your wife or something?¡± Juho suggested.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need anything like that to stay connected. Call it a telepathic bond.¡±

    Then, Juho looked away from him and asked Nam Kyung, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any manuscripts that you need to be looking at? You have to work overtime if you fall behind, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°How can even I dare to bring my work with me when I¡¯m meeting with you, Mr. Woo?¡±

    While Sang Young dered openly that he insisted on watching, Nam Kyung quietly agreed from the side. Left with no choice, Juho moved his hands busily and wrote out his appreciation for his fans as he endured the two giving him piercing gazes. Though unintentional, it almost felt as if he were in middle of a training session of sorts, and as he came to ept the reality of the situation, Juho decided to get it done as quickly as possible.

    ¡°Man! He¡¯s fast.¡±

    ¡°So, that¡¯s how he writes.¡±

    Though he heard murmurs from time to time, Juho kept on writing as he tried to ignore them to the best of his abilities.

 Chapter 152 - There is No Yun Woo (5)

    <h4>Chapter 152: Chapter 152 ¨C There is No Yun Woo (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Sang Young was out with his wife, Soo Jung, for an interview celebrating the movie ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ reaching ten million viewers. Surrounded by cameras in an office decorated mostly in white, they were reviewing a series of expected questions with a broadcast reporter. As he looked around the busy office, Sang Young realized that he had grown familiar with the sight only recently.

    ¡°You OK, hon? You looked like you checked out for a second there,¡± Soo Jung asked her husband.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I was just thinking about how fortunate we were.¡±

    Despite theck of context, she caught on immediately and smiled.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a coincidence, you know.¡±

    It was an opportunity that Sang Young had worked desperately for, and that opportunity bore a fruit of sess for him and those who contributed to the production of the movie. In a world full of people and rtionships, there was no room for coincidences.

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Sang Young answered his wife with his husky voice. Though it sounded worn out, his voice wasn¡¯t always as harsh as it was at present. As far as he remembered, his slightly younger self had had a voice that sounded much smoother and more pleasant, and his current voice was one of the results of an event that had taken ce at some point in his life. After all, it was with that husky voice that he had been saying the young author¡¯s name.

    ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯ve sounded like that since you were born!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s harsh.¡±

    Sang Young felt slightly relieved from Soo Jung¡¯s light-hearted joke. He was living that moment in the present because he had met his wife, and his encounter with a particr book had pointed him in a direction that proved to be crucial to his life. No matter what they looked like, encounters were essentialponents of a person¡¯s life.

    ¡°All right! We will officially begin our interview now. Are you guys OK with that?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The reporter who was hosting the interview struck up a conversation with the director and his wife. With the camera rolling, the reporter received a signal and started off with a question that had been written down prior.

    ¡°So, your movie reached ten million viewers just recently. How do you feel?¡±

    Despite the boring question, Sang Young gave a sincere answer, ¡°It still doesn¡¯t feel entirely real, but I believe that people like Soo Jung here, who is sitting next to me, and the actors and the crew contributed much more to the film than I did.¡±

    Then, Soo Jung¡¯s turn came.

    ¡°I know that Mr. Ju doesn¡¯t sound all that excited, but at home, he was jumping up and down with joy. One time, we held each other and screamed. It was a lot of fun,¡± Soo Jung said, and the reporterughed cheerfully.

    ¡°How do you think ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ was able to reach ten million viewers?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are a number of factors, but what I see as the biggest factor is the fact that we made the most out of the original. It kind of sounds like I¡¯m blowing my own trumpet here, but that¡¯s what we decided to do from the get-go, and we actually carried it out, so I¡¯ll just boast confidently.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right. A majority of the viewers agree with Mr. Ju¡¯s statement,¡± Soo Jung added.

    Agreeing with her, the reporter asked a more specific question, ¡°Was there a something that caused you to decide to stay faithful to the original?¡±

    ¡°I believe I¡¯ve already answered this question elsewhere, but I¡¯ll say it again anyway. There was no other reason for my decision aside from the book itself. I learned about ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ and I read it without much thought. Then, I fell in love with it. So much so, that I looked through it a number of times throughout the day. I thought about it when I ate, as well as in my dreams, where I was the protagonist of the book. What would a person like that do if he didn¡¯t make a movie that stayed true to its original?¡±

    In other words, the movie was created by a fan of the original, and it had been an obvious choice.

    ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask about that. My understanding is that there were several directors who were interested in making a film adaptation of the book. You probably remember reading about it on the news, right? ¡®Yun Woo turns down film adaptation offer.¡¯ I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll sound when I say this, but honestly, I was somewhat puzzled when I first heard that you were directing the movie. Let¡¯s just say that it was not something I was expecting.¡±

    ¡°I fully understand. I was surprised myself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very curious as to how you managed to convince Yun Woo.¡±

    As he remembered something, Sang Young smiled and said, ¡°There was nothing fancy enough that I said that convinced the author. I just kept bothering him. I¡¯d been trying to kick the ball into the, if you will. Needless to say, I was quite pretentious at times.¡±

    Although the reporter wanted him to borate, Sang Young spoke sparingly.

    ¡°In hindsight, it seems like you really were the best director for the movie. Do you think Yun Woo saw something in you?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps.¡±

    Sang Young gave a light-hearted answer to the reporter¡¯s slightly exaggerated remark, all the while thinking that Yun Woo might have seen something special in him as a director.

    ¡°Was there any difficulty in the casting process?¡±

    That time, Sang Young answered immediately, ¡°Not at all. Practically everyone in the crew knew about ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ and a majority of them were very into the book. There was often mention of the book during every break. I remember thinking, ¡®Would there ever be another movie set like this elsewhere?¡¯¡±

    Because everyone had carried ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ around with them, Sang Young didn¡¯t even have to remind his actors to read the original.

    Then, Soo Jung chimed in, ¡°Seriously! One time, we heard the news that Yun Woo wasing out with a new book while we were filming, and the whole ce shook in celebration. It was such a peculiar set.¡±

    ¡°That does sound like one peculiar movie set.¡±

    With that, the reporter moved on to the next question.

    ¡°Now, about the actor that yed the protagonist¡¯s brother in the movie. Myung Joo Mu has been drawing a lot of attention for his performance.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been keeping our eyes on him since the audition as well. Myung Joo Mu excels when ites to sad scenes, and his expressive eyes really work to his advantage.¡±

    ¡°What kind of advice did you give the actor?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that I gave him any advice, but we did converse quite a bit. Both of us were quite greedy about wanting to get the character right. Besides, the brother was such a strong character in the original. Frankly, I had quite a hard time with theck of description about the character, but I barely managed to get by.¡±

    ¡°What was it like working with Ji Hye Goo? I know that she was already famous and a top-notch actress, but she was an especially great fit for her role in this movie.¡±

    At that, Soo Jung nodded in agreement. Ji Hye Goo was a great actress.

    ¡°Working with Ji Hye was a breeze, especially when we were filming. We hardly ever had to ask her to do anything because she was always so well prepared. She had already studied the script thoroughly by the time she arrived on set.¡±

    Then, Soo Jung went on to tell various anecdotes rting to the actress to the reporter. As the names of few other actors came up, the writer and her director husband took turns answering questions about them. As if he had gotten enough information, the reporter changed the course of the interview.

    ¡°The performances of these actors were, simply put, amazing, but the visual presentation of the movie left quite an impression on me. I¡¯m not sure if there are varying shades to darkness, but there was not one boring moment, even if most of the scenes in the movie were in the dark.¡±

    ¡°We paid close attention to that aspect, which was inevitable if we were to make the most out of the original. As you know, the book is very colorful. A flock of birds flying up to the sky, tombs where the dead animals are buried, the bright lights bursting out in the end. I wanted to replicate them in the movie as well.¡±

    ¡°It must have been quite a challenge.¡±

    ¡°It sure was. I spent a great deal of time thinking. Before making any choice, I was always reminded that there were countless other options. There may or may not have been better ways to direct this movie, but the matter is beyond my hands now.¡±

    The room sank into silence as the reporter was handed over a cue card slowly. Then, a smile appeared on the reporter¡¯s face as the time had finallye to discuss the word that had beening up throughout the interview.

    ¡°Frankly, it¡¯s impossible not to ask about this person when discussing ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ I don¡¯t expect you guys to make this easier for me, but I gotta ask.¡±

    As agreed previously, Sang Young pretended to be perplexed.

    ¡°Oh, boy. Is it finally time?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re finally getting to the question about Yun Woo.¡±

    Sang Young smiled as the reporter¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. It being thest official interview, the director had the freedom to be generous that day, and he and Juho had agreed to let out a small surprise for the readers and viewers of the movie.

    ¡°How involved was Yun Woo in the production?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s a question outside the realm of what I can answer. He wasn¡¯t involved at all in the making of this movie, and that even includes the title. Even if I were to name the movie, ¡®Trace of a Rabbit,¡¯ he wouldn¡¯t have said anything about it, even if it meant me getting beaten to death by fans of the book.¡±

    ¡°Not one bit, huh?¡± the reporter asked, looking surprised.

    ¡°M-hm. He granted meplete freedom. Mr. Woo dislikes making conclusions regarding certain subjects. If anything, we had to cling to him for answers and beg desperately for clues.¡±

    ¡°So, did he give you any?¡±

    ¡°Not one,¡± Sang Young said, choosing his words carefully. There couldn¡¯t be anything said about the author¡¯s identity. Then, Soo Jung said, ¡°Because of that, the conversation between Mr. Ju and Yun Woo became an everyday urrence for them. Mr. Ju pouring out questions, while Mr. Woo wanted him to interpret things however he wanted.¡±

    ¡°How did they converse? Did they meet in person or talk over the phone?¡±

    People were curious about even the smallest, seemingly insignificant details.

    ¡°We had meals together asionally, but the conversations mostly happened over the phone, especially when we were filming. Actually, we met in person recently. Doesn¡¯t that make you jealous?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the jealous type, but I don¡¯t think that would apply here,¡± the reporter said sincerely, and Sang Young smiled proudly. ¡°My understanding is that he¡¯s in the process of tranting a book as per the request of the infamous Kelley Coin. This is the first time something like this has ever happened.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard. It¡¯s been quite the news.¡±

    ¡°There are people who are starting to doubt Yun Woo¡¯s real age. Speaking of which, I¡¯m kind of starting to have doubts myself. Is he really a high school student?¡±

    At her question, Sang Young chuckled and answered, ¡°Yun Woo is the best writer among all the students I¡¯ve met thus far.¡±

    It made sense for people to have doubts, especially after meeting the young author in person. When Sang Young conversed with Juho, from time to time, he found himself wondering if the author really was an eighteen-year old. Then, he remembered the author¡¯s young face.

    ¡°Have you heard anything about Kelley Coin?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    ¡°Anything about his recent work-in-progress?¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t talk about that either.¡±

    At his answer, the reporter¡¯s eyes narrowed with doubt.

    ¡°Seems like Yun Woo is either really good at keeping secrets, or not all that close to you.¡±

    ¡°It makes me sad that you¡¯re doubting our friendship. By the way, aren¡¯t you here to interview us?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am. Pardon me, Mr. Ju. It¡¯s just that there are so many people who are dying to know about Yun Woo, including myself. Anyway, back to the subject.¡±

    Then, the reporter kept on with the interview with an apparent anticipation, and soon, she brought up the question that would mark the highlight of the interview.

    ¡°What was Yun Woo¡¯s response to the movie reaching ten million viewers?¡±

    The time hade for them to reveal the surprise, and Soo Jung took Yun Woo¡¯s letter out of her pocket as agreed previously. The camera focused on her hands, and the reported asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°This is a letter from Yun Woo,¡± Soo Jung said as she handed it over to the reporter, who was ecstatic about it.

    ¡°Was this written personally by Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Sang Young said proudly as the reporter showed the letter to the camera and opened it, revealing the author¡¯s somewhat tidy handwriting.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, here is a letter written personally by Yun Woo himself, and as you can see, he seems to have quite a nice handwriting.¡±

    Then, wearing an awe-struck look, the reporter brushed her hand down the letter and read it. Being about half a page long, the letter didn¡¯t take long to read at all. In short, it was a letter of appreciation to the readers, the audience, and those who had contributed to the creation of the movie.

    ¡°If you¡¯re a high school student watching this interview right now, pay close attention to your peers¡¯ handwriting. That person might be Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°This is going to be another trend, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    With that, the interview came to an end after a brief closing statement, and just as the reporter had predicted, the interview clip and Yun Woo¡¯s handwriting became the most searched for things on the inte.

    ¡ª

    ¡°What if you get caught?¡± Bom asked in a whisper, even covering her mouth. Her eyes were fixed on Juho¡¯s hands as he was in the middle of writing. Staring at her for a little while, he smiled and said, ¡°No way.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down! Do you have any idea how popr that interview was?! It was the interview with the most information about Yun Woo by far!¡± she said, looking rather serious.

 Chapter 153 - There is no Yun Woo (6)

    <h4>Chapter 153: Chapter 153 ¨C There is no Yun Woo (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho too had watched that interview, and the inte was in amotion over the snippets of information that had been disclosed during it. Among them, were opinions about Yun Woo¡¯s handwriting. The clues presented by the young, anonymous author had drawn massive enthusiasm out of his fans. From the offshoot volume of ¡®Language of God¡¯ to the meeting with Kelley Coin, the speech at the Dong Kyung Literary Award ceremony and the recent interview, Juho had been leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for his readers, both consciously and subconsciously. Because of that, most of the fans had been focusing on putting together the clue pieces rather than demand the author reveal his face.

    Then, Juho looked down at his notebook.

    ¡°They¡¯ll probably think that I happen to have a simr handwriting.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s way too simr,¡± Bom said, still looking concerned.

    ¡°It seems like that to you because you already know.¡±

    ¡°No. They¡¯re the same, to the tee. I have a bad feeling about this. Hurry up and cover it before anyone sees it!¡±

    ¡°I gotta write this if I wanna turn it in though.¡±

    Then, Bom raised her hand to cover Juho¡¯s notebook, and he barely managed to stop her. She, too, was deeply concerned, and under her watch, Juho wrote as fast as he could and finished his assignment.

    The next period came, and the ss president who hade to collect Juho¡¯s notebook struck up a conversation with him all of a sudden.

    ¡°You have a simr handwriting to Yun Woo¡¯s.¡±

    Having barely talked to him to that point, Juho was not very well acquainted with him. Despite his soft spoken nature giving off a timid impression, the fact that he was trying to start a conversation with Juho was proving him to be otherwise.

    Feeling Bom¡¯s anxiety from his seat, Juho answered light-heartedly, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I am Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Right,¡± the ss president said with a scoff, and then their short interaction came to an end as he collected Juho¡¯s notebook. After that, Juho looked at Bom and said, ¡°See?¡±

    As a disappointed look washed over Bom¡¯s face, Juho observed her expression for a little while and then picked up the book that he had set aside on his desk. It was the book by Kelley Coin that he was in the middle of tranting, and Juho had been reading the book exclusively during his free time as ofte.

    ¡°If Seo Kwang were to see what you were reading, he wouldn¡¯t have let it slide without making some sort ofment,¡± Bom said as she saw the book title written in English. Seo Kwang was known to be excitable whenever he saw Juho reading a book written in its originalnguage.

    ¡°Seo Kwang¡¯s been hard at worktely,¡± she added as if she wanted to bring something up, and knowing exactly what she had in mind, Juho answered, ¡°Yep. He wants to be a trantor.¡±

    What Yun Woo had done in bing a trantor was the dream Seo Kwang had been running toward.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°About Seo Kwang. The way I see it, he seems kind of anxious.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s words, Bom was reminded of herself.

    ¡°Should we talk to him?¡± Juho asked as he thought of Seo Kwang¡¯s recent appearance. Since finding out that Yun Woo was tranting for Kelley Coin, Seo Kwang had been noticeably absent, reading English texts instead of another book, memorizing English words and perpetually murmuring them on his own. Those might have been signs of anxiety.

    ¡°I doubt it.¡±

    Seo Kwang wasn¡¯t anxious. If anything, he was fighting desperately against the temptation of giving up, and fighting against his past failures to prevent himself from repeating them. Amid a breakthrough in his life, he was working toward his goal, and there was no need for Juho to go out of his way to help him.

    ¡°Juho Woo!¡±

    All eyes turned toward the shout that came from the back door. It was Seo Kwang, and as he walked into the ss without hesitation, everyone lost their interest quickly and went on about their businesses.

    ¡°Look,¡± Seo Kwang said, and Juho looked at the book in his hand, which was written in English. Upon reading, thenguage acquisition device in his head decoded what was written on its pages: ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯

    ¡°I can read this now!¡± Seo Kwang said with a bright smile, and as if to prove his point, the pages were filled with word definitions and underlined phrases. At the sight, Juho epted Seo Kwang¡¯s words quietly.

    ¡°How long did it take you?¡±

    He asked Seo Kwang how much time it had taken him to finish the book, and Seo Kwang answered proudly, ¡°A month.¡±

    Depending heavily on the dictionary, he had read the tranted version of the book for one whole month, and as Juho realized Seo Kwang was not in need of help. He hadn¡¯t given up. When Juho looked at Bom, she was taken aback by Seo Kwang¡¯s answer to Juho¡¯s question.

    ¡°For a month straight?!¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Seo Kwang answered. ¡°I wanted to be someone who¡¯s a bit more persistent.¡±

    He had discovered his dream of tranting Yun Woo¡¯s book after having given something up, and he hade to realize that the question of what kind of person he wanted to be in the future was overshadowed by his goal of bing a trantor.

    ¡°After this, I¡¯m sure that I developed enough persistence for tranting an entire book!¡± Seo Kwang said as heughed energetically. Juho scanned through the book that was filled with traces of his progress.

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t just sit here and lose,¡± Juho said as he looked at the book he was tranting and decided that he¡¯d make it the best trantion there was within a month.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Ow!¡±

    Feeling a dull pain on his back, Juho opened his eyes. The impact had been louder than painful. As he opened his eyes and slowly regained consciousness, only then did he realize that he had been asleep. Sitting up and feeling the stiffness of his neck and the numbness in his arm, he groaned in pain and took a sheet of paper off of his face.

    ¡°Did you stay up again?¡± his mother asked as she opened the window in his room.

    Since he hadn¡¯t gone to bed and was waking up just now in the morning, there was no way to argue against that. Then, out of concern for her son¡¯s health, she went on to exin the importance of sleep for people, and the positive ways the body responded to a consistent sleep routine.

    ¡°So, sleep early, mister.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mom.¡±

    Then, she went out of the room and began to vacuum the living room. She seemed to be in the middle of cleaning, and unlike usual, it had to be rted to the reason why she had awaken her son. Juho barely managed to wake himself up after washing his face, and when he walked out of the bathroom, he saw that all of the windows had been open.

    ¡°Should I go take out the trash?¡±

    ¡°Please.¡±

    With that, Juho helped his mother with cleaning the house, taking the trash bags gathered in one ce, he went outside to separate the recybles. Looking at the trash after it ended up where it needed to be, Juho asked himself, ¡®Where would ¡®Utopia¡¯ be for these bottles? What if they¡¯re mourning the fact that they were born as stic bottles as they¡¯re facing the reality of it?¡¯

    Then, he picked up a ss bottle and wondered, ¡®What about this one?¡¯ Despite it being a recyble ss bottle, it was made of beautiful curves and transparent skin. Unfortunately, that appearance was overshadowed by a greater power or a system, and the ss bottles were reduced to the equivalent to stic bottles, which polluted the Earth. It was unfair and tragic.

    The bottle made a dull sound as Juho flicked its surface with his finger.

    ¡®It would¡¯ve been nice to know what these stic bottles were saying.¡¯

    Unfortunately, it was only wishful thinking.

    From then on, Juho wasn¡¯t able to return to his desk until he had gone back in and had breakfast. While the room was clean, the desk looked the same as he had left it as his mother tended to avoid cleaning his desk when he was writing. Although it would stay that way until the end of the day, the desk maintained its untidy appearance.

    As he turned on theputer, the finished trantion appeared on the screen.

    ¡°One month.¡±

    Since meeting with Kelley Coin, being requested by the author to trante his book, and being given three months by the publishingpany for the process, Juho had spent an entire month solely on tranting and reading Coin¡¯s book, and finally, the journey hade to an end.

    Juho looked down at thest page of the manuscript, where Bill was dead. Even after his death, the world was still the same, divided into three parts, just as it always had been. As an individual, he had failed to make a difference in the world in any way, and just like that, Bill, the pretentious, ambitious, timid and foolish, had faded away.

    That was how Coin had decided to end the book, and Juho pondered as he read the sentences he had tranted. It was a strange feeling, and none of them felt like he wrote them himself. It was a book written by Coin, and that meant the sentences belonged to him as well. Although Juho was looking at the product of his effort, which came from referring to the author¡¯s book hundreds of times and reading through them tens of times, there was not one single trace of himself in those sentences. It was the exact opposite of what he had been doing, and Yun Woo was nowhere to be found in that world.

    ¡°That¡¯s a little depressing,¡± Juho said as he looked at the bright screen. Coin¡¯s descriptions were beautiful and fantasy-like, as if they were wrapped in a heart-patterned wrapping paper.

    ¡®What could be in it? What¡¯s underneath the wrapping?¡¯

    It was reality, filthy and ugly. Coin¡¯s book was like a burn. Once reading it, there was no going back to how things were, and it continued to influence its reader¡¯s life as it lingered.

    Juho put pressure into his hand. He had been reading Coin¡¯s book tirelessly while tranting and found himself getting impressed by how the author handled sentences and his plot development. There were even times when he caught himself looking to change some of the sentences subconsciously. All in all, it was an invaluable learning experience.

    Then, Juho made a call on his phone.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up?¡± a slightly tired voice sounded from the receiver.

    To which, Juho answered, ¡°I¡¯m finished.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°I finished tranting.¡±

    ¡°... Eh?¡±

    Then, Juho heard somemotion in the background.

    ¡°What¡¯s today¡¯s date?¡±

    At the seemingly random question, Juho answered him.

    ¡°There are still two whole months left until the deadline.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡±

    ¡°But it hasn¡¯t even been a month!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that as well.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re finished? You finished tranting Kelley Coin¡¯s book within a month!?¡±

    ¡°Yep. All done.¡±

    After contemting what to make of the situation, Nam Kyung said, ¡°Send me the manuscript.¡±

    Then, Juho immediately put himself into action. As he sent the email while staying on the phone with Nam Kyung, Juho heard him give a status report to the editor-in-chief, and after yet anothermotion, Nam Kyung returned to his phone.

    ¡°Yeah. OK. I got it. Great job. I imagined it would¡¯ve been difficult being your first time,¡± he said, sounding like he was still struggling to ept the situation. He wouldn¡¯t have thought in his dreams that he would be saying those words so soon.

    ¡°Not at all. It was a new experience.¡±

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re off the hook, are you finally going to rx?¡±

    At Nam Kyung¡¯s excited voice, Juho chuckled and said, ¡°No, I¡¯ll be writing.¡±

    ¡°Again?¡±

    Juho was nning to keep on writing, and he needed the means to release the emotions that he had been suppressing.

    ¡°Yes, again.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, that kid¡¯s really something,¡± Nam Kyung said as he hung up, clicking his tongue. If he were in Juho¡¯s shoes, he wouldn¡¯t have even bothered to think about writing, and there were actually quite a few authors who went on to rest for several years after writing a book. While it seemed unrealistic, writing a book was an incredibly demanding task to say the least.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s young.¡±

    ¡®I mean, even just now, he tranted an entire book as if it was nothing.¡¯

    Then, Nam Kyung opened the manuscript Juho had sent him over the email, and a series of letters filled the screen.

    Whenever he looked at Juho, he was reminded of how much the young author had inmon with a spring that would never dry up. Cold, yet flowing gently, the water always left a trail, and its undilutable color emitted a presence that was unmistakable.

    When Juho first agreed to take on the trantion work, Nam Kyung hadn¡¯t been very concerned because he was Juho¡¯s editor and was well aware that the author excelled peculiarly innguage. However, there was one thing that had bothered him, and it was the fact that Yun Woo was an author. He was a novelist who wrote his own, unique stories, and it was uncertain whether a writer would be able to remove his voice entirely while leaving Coin¡¯s writing intact and as he had intended.

    Even Dong Gil, the leading figure in strict and borate writing styles, had undergone a great deal of difficulty in tranting.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s something even trantors often struggle with.¡±

    Nam Kyung read through Yun Woo¡¯s trantion of Kelley Coin¡¯s book, ¡®Belongings.¡¯ Wondering if the young author had recognized that the story belonged to Coin or if he had ever given into invading Coin¡¯s creative boundaries, Nam Kyung was filled with unexinable excitement and anticipation, and the feelings were different from those of receiving Yun Woo¡¯s manuscript.

    ¡°Nam Kyung, I heard the temporary binding¡¯s out,¡± Ms. Song saig to Nam Kyung on her way back from from the sales department, but he gave her no answer.

    ¡°Nam Kyung?¡±

    ¡°Nam Kyung¡¯s busy at the moment,¡± Mr. Maeng, who sat next to him, answered on his behalf, and Ms. Song asked why. To Which, he answered, ¡°He¡¯s reading Mr. Woo¡¯s manuscript.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo? Which one? I didn¡¯t hear anything about a new book?¡±

    At her questions, Mr. Maeng shook his head and said, ¡°It¡¯s the trantion.¡±

    ¡°... already?¡±

    ¡°Yep. That¡¯s why he¡¯s reading it so intently.¡±

    Then, both Mr. Maeng and Ms. Song looked in Nam Kyung¡¯s direction. He had a rather peculiar expression on his face and was murmuring something that were yet to be words.

    ¡°Nam Kyung?¡±

    He rose from his seat slowly, asking, ¡°Where¡¯s chief?¡±

    At his voice that was strangely suppressed, Ms. Song pointed at the conference room.

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°There is no Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°There. Is. No. Yun Woo,¡± Nam Kyung said as his voice grew louder gradually. ¡°There¡¯s no trace of him anywhere in that manuscript. Do you realize how incredible this is!?¡±

    There was none other than Coin himself in the trantion. Despite the manuscript being a trantion, it was filled to the brim with the original author. Although it was rewritten in a differentnguage for a different country, after arriving at that distant country, Coin¡¯s voice was left entirely untouched.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see it.¡±

    ¡°Everyone has to know about the greatness that is this manuscript. There¡¯s not a minute to lose. Chief!¡±

    Leaving his two coworkers behind in confusion, Nam Kyung ran toward the conference room in search of the editor-in-chief. At that, the two wondered, ¡®What¡¯s gotten into him?¡¯

    ¡°Should I print out a copy?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and get me one, too.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long until the two had caught on to what Nam Kyung was experiencing.

 Chapter 154 - Nothing Lasts Forever (1)

    <h4>Chapter 154: Chapter 154 ¨C Nothing Lasts Forever (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho was at the same beach he had visited several times previously. A small seagull flew over his head, making Juho wonder if it was the offspring of arger seagull he had seen during hisst visit. Unfortunately, the tide was far out in the distance already, and it reminded Juho that he had arrived a tad toote.

    Then, he walked toward the water. Being at the beach at ater time wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing, and one of the benefits was that he got to see tiny crabsing out of their holes, crawling about busily. On top of that, the crabs left trails of lumps of sand, indicating where they had had their meals. Once they finished feeding off of the tiny creatures that lived in the mud, the crabs would litter around their holes with what was left after the meal, and what seemed like excrement on the sand was actually sand that had been purified. Juho was quite envious of the fact that their consumption and disposal of food had a positive impact on the, capable of creating something so beautiful from that mere act.

    For no apparent reason, Juho tried stepping on the lumps of sand. The crabs paid no attention to what he was doing. Then, Juho remembered the conversation with Nam Kyung on the phone a few days after sending him the tranted manuscript. As soon as he answered Juho¡¯s call, Nam Kyung had said, ¡°This is top notch!¡±

    A satisfied chuckle sounded from Juho¡¯s receiver for a while.

    ¡°We had a plenary meeting today, and everyone in the office had a lot of great things to say about your trantion, including people from other departments!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung said frivolously, ¡°How did you manage to sound like Coin so much in your trantion? It made the culture in the book feel very realistic. It¡¯s like a bibimbap vored taco. It¡¯s suits my taste perfectly!¡±

    A bibimbap vored taco. The analogy didn¡¯t sound all that appetizing, and made Juho second guess whether Nam Kyung really wasplimenting his work.

    ¡°This trantion will forever be the example of how Kelley Coin¡¯s books should be tranted. We even decided on the slogan: ¡®Looking to get the full of experience of Kelley Coin? Read this trantion by Yun Woo!¡¯¡±

    ¡°That sounds a tad too fancy.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just right,¡± Nam Kyung said emphatically, and he finally got to the main point, ¡°So, we decided to publish this book first before all the other books in the collection instead of publishing itst.¡±

    Because Juho had no preference as to whether the book should be published earlier orter than scheduled, he gave Nam Kyung an affirmative answer.

    With that, Juho went outside and sat on a rock. Currently, he was in the process of writing the sixth volume of ¡®Language of God,¡¯ and the long-awaited encounter between God and the fourpanions was just around the corner.

    Juho thought back on the feedback he had received from Hyun Do Lim on the phone.

    ¡®That was refreshing.¡¯

    His feedback indicated that he had been reading Juho¡¯s books, and Juho found himself remembering it repeatedly. Wanting to be an even better writer, he made the trip to the beach yet again to see for himself the beginning and the end.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    As the voice greeted Juho from below, he turned around and saw an olddy with bent back selling boiled ms.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho greeted her back.

    ¡°Can I interest you in some boiled ms?¡± she asked as if she didn¡¯t remember Juho.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take some,¡± Juho said, nodding and remembering her face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you some extra, young man.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Then, after taking the paper cup that was filled with boiled ms, he took a piece and brought it up to his mouth.

    ¡®Slurp.¡¯

    The meat popped out of the shell and into his mouth, filling it with a familiar, fresh, briny vor. With that, the olddy walked away in search of another customer, and as Juho watched her from behind quietly, he was relieved to see that there were things that changed and also remained unchanged. There was still a clear boundary between the sky, the sand, and the ocean, and the grains of sand were still small. Although he had yet to start writing ¡®Language of God¡¯ during hisst visit, he was now on the edge of nearing the end of the series.

    ¡®Slurp.¡¯

    As Juho ate another boiled m, his phone started ringing. Wondering if Nam Kyung was calling, he checked the phone and realized that the call wasing from Jang Mi. Although Juho intended on enjoying his alone time in peace, the rest of the world was as busy as ever.

    With the paper cup still in his hand, Juho answered the call.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Young.¡±

    It was a calm voice, but it also sounded anxious for some reason.

    ¡°Is everything OK?¡±

    ¡°So... I¡¯m not sure where to begin.¡±

    Her voice indicated that she was either flustered or filled with urgency.

    ¡°We received a call today asking about you.¡±

    There was nothing unusual about that. After all, there were countless people in the world who were curious about Yun Woo.

    ¡®What¡¯s making her so anxious?¡¯

    ¡°And the caller turned out to be a middle school student. It turns out that this reader has a younger brother who¡¯s suffering from leukemia, and I was told that the he¡¯s a fan of your work.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo, or Won Yi Young?¡±

    ¡°Won Yi Young.¡±

    It had to be a fan of ¡®Language of God.¡¯

    Then, Jang Mi lowered her voice and added, ¡°The sibling wishes to know the ending.¡±

    ¡°How bad is his sickness?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any details, but from what I was told, there isn¡¯t a whole lot of time.¡±

    There was no time. Juho looked at the tide in the distance.

    ¡°I thought I should let you know.¡±

    Then, she waited for his answer quietly. There was a reader who was on verge of death who wished to know the ending of the book. Juho thought about his manuscript. While he was starting to get a clearer idea as to how he wanted to wrap up the story of ¡®Language of God,¡¯ he was yet to think of a definite finale. With the offshoot volume being the most recent, Juho was just getting around to writing the next volume after meeting with Kelley Coin and focusing on the trantion of his book. Writing a book took a lot of time, and his reader who was suffering from a terminal illness would never be able to get his hands on thest volume of the book.

    ¡°OK.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the manuscript on me, so I¡¯ll go visit them and tell them the ending of the book in person. Could you arrange a meeting with them as soon as possible?¡±

    Though she was initially caught off guard by Juho¡¯s quick decision, she came to her senses quickly and said, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll get on it.¡±

    As he hung up, Juho rose him his seat immediately and made his way toward the subway station. Because there was no way to predict when the meeting was to take ce, he felt the urgency to head back home.

    A middle school student had called the publishingpany, and Jang Mi had answered the phone as usual, saying, ¡°Dong Baek Publishing Company. How can I help you?¡±

    To which, the reader said, ¡°My brother is really sick, and I need your help.¡±

    While Jang Mi was still at a loss after what she had just heard, the reader on the phone said, ¡°My brother is a fan of Won Yi Young, and he loves ¡®Language of God.¡¯ He¡¯s really into the characters and the world they live in, and he¡¯s been staying hopeful in the meantime that he¡¯ll stay alive until he finishes reading thest volume, but yesterday, his condition started getting worse all of a sudden. He¡¯s much younger than I am, and I want to do something for him. Please, ask Mr. Young to grant my brother¡¯s wish.¡±

    Sensing the urgency in the voice, Jang Mi asked for and received the reader¡¯s contact number. The student was sincerely wanting the best for their brother.

    ¡°Time¡¯s running out,¡± the voice said.

    Gasping for breath, Juho ran as fast as he could. While tranting and writing, he had been putting off exercising, and now, that inactivity had inevitably caught up to him, hindering his ability to run and his lung capacity.

    ¡®When I get back, I¡¯m gonna start running again,¡¯ Juho thought to himself.

    Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t until he arrived at the subway station that he started asking himself if taking a taxi would have been a better idea. Coming to a crossroad, Juho was faced with the decision of which path to take in order to get to the destination quicker.

    ¡®Is there going to be traffic? Would it be faster to take a taxi?¡¯

    Nobody would be able to answer those questions or help him to make the better decision. At that moment, his phone rang again, and he answered as he swallowed nervously.

    ¡°Mr. Young. I am terribly sorry.¡±

    Juho¡¯s heart beat uncontrobly.

    ¡®Time¡¯s running out.¡¯

    An unfamiliar voice sounded in his head, and he thought of the image of a tide that was distant from the shore. Although he had arrived at the beach a tad toote, he had still been able to enjoy a view that was different from his usual visits, and it was not a bad view at all.

    ¡®What would it be like this time?¡¯

    ¡°Turns out that reader was lying.¡±

    ¡®Time¡¯s running out,¡¯ the same voice sounded in his head yet again.

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I should have checked first. I am so sorry.¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry, pardon?¡±

    ¡°That student lied to us. I just talked with the student¡¯s guardian on the phone.¡±

    Only then, was Juho able to hear Jang Mi¡¯s voice clearly. Neither flustered or anxious, she sounded entirely different from thest time they had talked on the phone. This time, her voice was filled with guilt and embarrassment.

    ¡°A lie,¡± Juho reiterated the truth slowly.

    ¡°Yes. It seems like the student lives with her grandmother, so I gave them a call, but they didn¡¯t pick up. They must have not recognized my number. Eventually, I got a hold of them, so I asked, and it turns out that they were both orphans, and the brother had already passed away...¡± Jang Mi said, slurring her words in the end.

    What had reallycked in the situation hadn¡¯t been the time Juho had left to reach the reader. Instead, it was their parents. Then, the violent storm in Juho¡¯s mind suddenly died down, and he felt his lungs fizzling out. He was chuckling.

    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for putting you through all this, Mr. Young.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s not a problem.¡±

    Jang Mi¡¯s quick response might have shone if the phone call didn¡¯t turn out to be a lie. Although what happened was unfortunate, Juho wasn¡¯t angry about it. Feeling slightly dazed, he hung up his phone after calming Jang Mi down, who kept apologizing profusely.

    There was silence, and people were going about their way, looking indifferent toward what had just happened to Juho. Smelling the faint saltiness in the air, he stood still for a little while, and then got on the subway back home. Upon arriving, he washed up andid himself on the bed as it was time to sleep.

    ¡®Strange,¡¯ Juho had thought uninterruptedly throughout the entire ride back. Despite having lied, the student had left a contact number. In fact, she had left the actual number for her grandmother, who was also her legal guardian. Essentially, it was a confession.

    ¡®Why? Was she desperate to get in trouble or hungry for attention? If so, there had to be another way. Then, why the publishingpany? What about Won Yi Young?¡¯

    A series of question marks floated around in Juho¡¯s head. Brother, grandmother, and the mysterious student.

    In a daze, Juho stared up at the ceiling, and because he couldn¡¯t sleep, he sat up on his bed. Instead of forcing himself to sleep, he took the time to think and specte, and eventually, he picked up a pen and paper to write down whatever came to mind until sunrise. As he filled more pages with his thoughts, his head felt all the lighter.

    Then, Juho called Jang Mi early in the morning.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Young,¡± she answered her phone immediately, and Juho went straight to the point without hesitation.

    ¡°So, what happened with that student?¡±

    ¡°Ah! About that. I was nning on calling you.¡±

    With that, she updated Juho on the aftermath of the incident with the mysterious student.

    ¡°The grandmother wanted to visit the publishingpany and apologize in person.¡±

    ¡°And where does thepany stand in the matter?¡±

    ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re OK, we¡¯re looking to let it slide.¡±

    ¡®Of course.¡¯

    A publishingpany wouldn¡¯t want things to blow out of proportion. Not only was the incident brief, but there was no actual loss of any sorts. On top of that, the author himself took no offense to the matter. Between Yun Woo, who was at the peak of his sess, and Won Yi Young, there would be no benefit for a publishingpany to cause a ruckus.

    Although Juho wouldn¡¯t have made a big deal normally, there was something that he wanted out of the incident.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ept it.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°The apology. I¡¯ll ept it. Would you arrange things?¡±

    ¡°... Pardon?¡± Jang Mi asked in a flustered sounding voice and said, ¡°I would like to express my sincere apology about what happened recently. I should¡¯ve been more careful and I didn¡¯t handle the situation very well. This will never happen again.¡±

    Misunderstanding Juho¡¯s request, she apologized yet again, and Juho answered light-heartedly, ¡°I told you. It¡¯s really OK. I just wanted to have a talk with that student. Something¡¯s been bothering me.¡±

    After contemting the entire night, Juho decided to meet and ask the student in person.

    ¡°So, please let the grandmother know that she doesn¡¯t have toe in person. I wouldn¡¯t feel at peace about making an elderly travel a long way. As long as I get to meet the student myself, I¡¯ll be content. I wouldn¡¯t mind talking over the phone, either.¡±

    ¡°Uh... Sure. I¡¯m on it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks a lot.¡±

    Hanging up, Juho sat up on his bed as it was almost time for him to go to school.

 Chapter 155 - Nothing Lasts Forever (2)

    <h4>Chapter 155: Chapter 155 ¨C Nothing Lasts Forever (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Because both parties were students, the meeting between Jang Mi, Juho and the young fan was set for that weekend, at an awkward time, slightly past lunchtime.

    Following the path informed by Jang Mi ahead of time, Juho headed for the meeting spot. After walking through an alleyway in a residential area near the publishing district, he arrived at a cafe hidden halfway behind a raised surface. Although it was located on the ground level, the location made it look out of ce.

    Juho looked around as he stood in front of the cafe. The interior was shrouded in dim lighting, making it difficult to discern if the ce was even open. Then, he quietly pushed the door that seemed much heavier than it was open and was greeted by the potent scent of coffee. There were no guests, and the host was dozing off behind the counter.

    ¡®This ce is very quiet, even on weekends. Perfect,¡¯ he thought and greeted the owner as he locked eyes with her.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    As the owner gave him a nod in response, Juho walked toward the innermost table in the cafe and took a seat. Because Jang Mi had informed him that she would being to the cafe with the mysterious student, all Juho had to do was wait patiently. The dimly lit interior was filled with exotic looking chairs and furniture, and the table was decorated colorfully with what seemed like hand-knitted coasters.

    First, Juho ordered a cup of coffee. Since meeting Kelley Coin in person, the brown liquid reminded Juho of the author¡¯s face. From what he was told, the entric author was furious to hear that the tranted copy of ¡®Belongings¡¯ was already in print. First, he suspected that the earlypletion of the trantion had to havee at the cost of its quality, and second, the word was that the trantion was of excellent quality, contrary to what he thought would be subpar at best. He had to have been secretly hoping that the young author would find himself in a difficult situation, despairing after realizing the weight of his work.

    After all, he was the infamous Kelley Coin. His ill-tempered nature was very much intact. It was unfortunate that he wouldn¡¯t be able to read the trantion of his own book, but he would still hear from the reviewers in Korea, including their evaluations. Unlike usual, Juho hoped that he and the author would be on the same page in terms of evaluation. Only then, would he be able to rest assured that Coin wouldn¡¯t be making a vengeful trip to Korea.

    At that moment, his phone vibrated. It was a text from Jang Mi saying that they were near. After writing back to let her know to take her time, Juho drank his coffee unhurriedly.

    Soon, a series of footsteps sounded from outside, and as Juho looked toward the entrance, the door opened just as quietly as when he had first opened it. It was almost too quiet, to the point of it being out of ce.

    ¡®Would¡¯ve been nice to put up a piece of paper or something, at least,¡¯ Juho thought, and then his eyes locked with a girl¡¯s.

    ¡°Hello,¡± she greeted him in a soft voice. There was a small pimple on her pale face.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    As Juho greeted her back, the girl handed something over to Juho in an awkward motion. It was a box of energy drink* from the pharmacy, and he took it without making anyment. Upon taking their seats, Jang Mi and the girl each ordered a cup of tea, and soon, the two cups were ced on the cloth coasters. Sadly, the designs of the coasters didn¡¯t quite match the cup.

    (Editor¡¯s Note: These are not your normal American energy drinks. You can say they are more like vitality drinks, and they usually say that there is some health benefit to them.)

    After exchanging brief self-introductions with the girl, who was frozen in ce, Juho asked her, ¡°Aren¡¯t you suspicious of whether or not I¡¯m real?¡±

    At that, the girl¡¯s eyes began to shake, and the ice broke.

    ¡°No,¡± she said, without trying to hide her flustered expression.

    ¡°What makes you so confident?¡±

    ¡°... The editor is here.¡±

    ¡°What if we were on the same side?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Then, the girl nced at Jang Mi, who wore a faint smile on her face without involving herself in the conversation. Finding herself at a loss, the girl clenched her lips tightly.

    ¡°So, you trust that I¡¯m real, yet I noticed that you have yet to ask me about the ending of the book. That¡¯s why you made the call in the first ce, right?¡± Juho asked.

    The entire purpose of her calling Jang Mi had been to deliver the ending of the book to her brother. Then, her shoulders stiffened up, and...

    ¡°I apologize,¡±

    ... the girl bowed her head and apologized, her hair covering the colorful coaster on the table.

    After staring at her quietly, Juho said, ¡°You should give your grandmother a call.¡±

    ¡°¡®Scuse me?¡±

    ¡°Call her and let her know that you apologized, and that you were forgiven. She¡¯s probably worried sick.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Better sooner thanter.¡±

    Then, studying the expressions on Juho¡¯s and Jang Mi¡¯s faces, she rose from her seat and went out of the cafe. The owner was still dozing off behind the bar in afortable position, and as Juho stared at her intently, Jang Mi asked, ¡°Like you said, it is kind of strange. I thought she would be just an immature girl who was selling the story of her brother just so she could meet you.¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem all that happy to see me, does she? She doesn¡¯t seem all that satisfied either.¡±

    Not only had the girl been polite, but her appearance was tidy and presentable. Although one couldn¡¯t judge a person solely on their appearance, she didn¡¯t seem like a child who would get a kick out of making prank calls.

    ¡°It¡¯s strange that she left her grandmother¡¯s actual phone number too,¡± Jang Mi said. She was just as baffled as Juho, and the mystery grew deeper as she met the girl in person. At that, Juho nodded gently in agreement.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s find out.¡±

    After the quick phone call, the girl came back into the cafe, and again, the door was as silent as ever.

    ¡°I called her,¡± she updated Juho and Jang Mi.

    ¡°What did your grandmother say?¡±

    ¡°She said that you were good people and to never do such a thing again.¡±

    At that, Juho asked the girl, ¡°Why did you lie?¡±

    As she remained silent, he approached the subject from another angle.

    ¡°Up to which point were you lying?¡±

    Yet to understand his intention, the girl answered with a voice that had grown quiter, ¡°They were all... lies.¡±

    WIthout trying to corner her, Juho took a sip of his coffee and asked calmly, ¡°You weren¡¯t actually at the hospital, were you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°And what you said to be your parents¡¯ number was actually your grandmother¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What about the time running out?¡±

    ¡°That was a lie.¡±

    Juho observed her calmly, and it wasn¡¯t hard to read her emotions.

    ¡°What about your brother being a fan of my book?¡±

    That time, she gave no answer. Her lips were clenched tightly, and Juho was able to tell that she hadn¡¯t lied.

    ¡°... How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I talked with your grandmother.¡±

    ¡°She hardly talks about him.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear her in person, of course.¡±

    Information tended to be connected. Anxious to be sending her young granddaughter on her way alone, the grandmother had insisted oning along, and in the end, Jang Mi had to take over to convince her after a long conversation.

    The girl¡¯s brother had already died before she made the call, and it had to have happened in less than a year, probably a few months, at most. The grandmother didn¡¯t seem like she was struggling to ept the passing of her grandson either. Only, she sounded unstable.

    ¡°Would you mind if we talked about your brother?¡±

    The girl nodded willingly, and there was not a trace of reluctance. On the contrary, she took the initiative to speak.

    ¡°My brother wanted desperately to know the ending of ¡®Language of God,¡¯¡±

    While her lies were sessful in deceiving Juho and Jang Mi, they weren¡¯t entirely hollow.

    ¡°And he was a fan of Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Not Won Yi Young?¡±

    ¡°At first, no.¡± Then, she added, ¡°He was always reading Yun Woo¡¯s books at the hospital, and he would read the same books ten, twenty times over. When the new book came out, we were celebrating together.¡±

    Then, Won Yi Young appeared.

    ¡°Then, he started growing curious about Won Yi Young. He was being called Yun Woo¡¯s rival, after all. Then, my brother read his book, and it wasn¡¯t long until he became a fan.¡±

    With that, the girl¡¯s expression grew darker.

    ¡°Won Yi Young was different from Yun Woo.¡±

    There was no way she didn¡¯t know that the two authors were the same person.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Won Yi Young¡¯s books are a lot longer. It takes a long time until it reaches the finale.¡±

    Time was running out for her brother.

    ¡°Was your brother not fond of that?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°No, but that¡¯s what made things difficult.¡±

    Because of the limited time her brother had left in this world, the girl wanted desperately for her brother¡¯s wish to be granted.

    ¡°Why did you stop all of a sudden?¡± she asked resentfully.

    Since it became known to the world that Yun Woo and Won Yi Young were the same person, the pace at which their books were being published had slowed down significantly. While the girl¡¯s brother, who had been on the verge of death waited desperately for his new book, both Yun Woo and Won Yi Young had been distracted with tranting, and she grew resentful of them both.

    ¡°Good question,¡± Juho said, and the girl looked up at his ambiguous answer. ¡°If I had made a different choice, your brother might have been able to read my new book.¡±

    There were many reasons as to why Juho had made the decision to take up the trantion gig. While Hyun Do¡¯s encouragement had stirred his interest, the meeting with Coin had brought about a sense of challenge. Not only did he want to write better, but he wanted to write more intricately, investing more time into writing better sentences. Although he didn¡¯t regret his choice, he couldn¡¯t help but think to himself after hearing her lies, ¡°I should¡¯ve turned down the meeting and the gig. I shouldn¡¯t have gone to that coffee shop. What if I hadn¡¯t revealed that Yun Woo was Won Yi Young? What if I hadn¡¯t acted on Mr. Lim¡¯s encouragement? What if I had chosen not to go to the beach that day, and told myself that I didn¡¯t want to write?¡±

    Then, their eyes locked, and he saw the deep regret in the girl¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking nonstop...¡±

    Juho had been thinking wherever he went. At school, at home, during recess and ss, and even while writing.

    ¡°... but nothing changed.¡±

    Nothing had changed, and the day had simplye.

    ¡°It was the same for me,¡± the girl answered in a soft voice. ¡°Nothing changed for me either. My brother might have died before his dream came true, but I knew all along that it¡¯s much easier to fail than it is to seed. I knew that he wouldn¡¯t be around much longer either.¡±

    Then, Juho asked again, ¡°Why did you lie? It wasn¡¯t just to get in my way because you didn¡¯t like me, was it? You weren¡¯t trying to get attention or sell your brother¡¯s story just so you could meet me, either.¡±

    ¡°Because my brother knew it too.¡±

    Her brother had been aware of the same facts.

    ¡°He knew that he didn¡¯t have enough time left to see his wishese true. He knew that it was easier to fail than to seed. He knew that he wasn¡¯t going to be around much longer, so he came up with a n. A n to find out how the book was going to end before it was toote.¡±

    A n. Juho imagined the two siblings having a conversation:

    ¡°I won¡¯t be around much longer.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± the sister says.

    ¡°But I have a n,¡± the brother answers, and he goes on to exin his malicious prank.

    Then, she smiled, saying, ¡°My brother is really smart. I carried out the n, and here you are. Yun Woo, himself.¡±

    At that, Juho had an idea of what the girl was about to say next.

    ¡°You tried to stop him.¡±

    Polite and presentable, the girl had tried to discourage her brother from his n as he would be trying to use Yun Woo to his personal benefit. Using his own health as bait, he waited for the author to walk into the trap, and his sister couldn¡¯t let that happen.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Then, it all came to an end. Leaving his unfulfilled ns behind, her brother had passed away. Juho looked at her. She was alone and the only person who was able to carry out the n her brother wasn¡¯t able to fulfill.

    The small pimple on her cheek stood out in Juho¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 156 - Nothing Lasts Forever (3)

    <h4>Chapter 156: Chapter 156 ¨C Nothing Lasts Forever (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The disease, which the girl¡¯s brother had suffered from, was leukemia. Divided into a number of categories, it tended toe with prefixes. From chronic and acute to lymphocytic, myelogenous, childhood or adulthood, the prefixes were often mind-boggling words, and without anyone knowing, the girl had ssified her brother¡¯s sickness by a standard that was much easier to understand: survival rate.

    Unfortunately, being on the lower side of the survival rate, the brother had been the recipient of terrible luck because of a medication that hade out about a decade ago. Often referred to as Gleevec, the medication was known to improve the survival rate of a chronic leukemia patient significantly, eventually turning the disease around. Sadly, this batch of medication, created by a pharmaceuticalpany in Switzend, had taken even the hope of recovery away the from the boy and his family. From then on, the sister had been thinking, ¡®If my brother was born about a decade earlier, he would have been able to live with much more hope than now, living at least another year.¡¯

    Having immersed herself in pointless thoughts like that since the death of her younger brother, she had seized the opportunity to realize her brother¡¯s n, which had also been his wish.

    ¡°He suggested that we call the publishingpany and tell them that I had a dying brother who was desperate to know the ending of the book. He added that I had to sound as sad as possible so that the person answering the phone would pity us, and that the n would work if we rushed them.¡±

    However, the sister had been against the idea.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t let him do that. I was emphatically against his n.¡±

    Of course, the brother had been sad that his sister had not been willing to get on board with him.

    Although he had thrown a fit for a while, he had spent most of his time sleeping in the end. He had been perpetually tired, preventing him from reading his favorite books from his two favorite authors: Yun Woo and Won Yi Young. Eventually, his body had weakened to the point that it made the most basic of activities in life impossible, such as brushing his teeth or going to the bathroom.

    ¡°So, I had to read to him instead. He really disliked calling the traitor in ¡®Language of God¡¯ a traitor.¡±

    She was referring the traitor of the animals, who was also a hero to the humans and who kept them out of harm¡¯s way, and her brother was quite fond of that character.

    ¡°He would always imagine how the book might end. He believed that One woulde to meet God, and God would grant him what he wanted,¡± the girl said, looking at Yun Woo sitting in front of her. ¡°The oue didn¡¯t matter to me.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°But that changed when my brother died.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°I had regrets.¡±

    That was her reason for making that phone call. She had wanted to grant her brother¡¯s wish and thought that she¡¯d be freed of her regrets.

    ¡°What about now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m regretting still.¡±

    What had been intended as a counter for her preexisting regret had resulted in bringing about yet another regret. As Juho smiled warmly, her eyes remained fixated on his face.

    ¡°If I knew that you¡¯d forgive me so easily, I would have called you with my brother when I still had the chance. What are the odds of actually meeting you in person? If only I hadn¡¯t been against his n, my brother would¡¯ve gotten what he had wanted,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Meeting Won Yi Young in person would have put him in high spirits, and he would have lived for at least another year.¡±

    Juho took a sip of his coffee, and the bitterness lingered in his mouth. After a moment of hesitation, the girl brought up ¡®Language of God.¡¯

    ¡°So, the fourpanions leave on a quest to find God, each with an intention of their own.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And Four¡¯s reason being that he wants to know why humans die.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°What do you think is the answer to that?¡±

    The fourpanions with different intentions in mind set out on a journey to meet God, and Four was the one of those four who sought to answer the question:

    ¡®Why do people get sick and die?¡¯

    If death was a punishment, then the newborn shouldn¡¯t die. If death was a blessing, it shouldn¡¯t be so frightening. In order to find the answer to his question, Four joined with the otherpanions in their journey.

    Then, remembering his manuscript, Juho opened his mouth to say, ¡°God lives up to three hundred years.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± the girl asked as she caught off guard by what he had said.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about God. He lives for three hundred years, at most.¡±

    ¡°Is this about the book?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    With that, the girl nced at Jang Mi, who remained unwavering. Juho was disclosing content that was yet to be published.

    ¡°Can you talk about stuff like that?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a littlete for that question? You wanted to know how the book ends.¡±

    ¡°But that was a lie...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Juho said calmly, and the girl¡¯s eyes moved busily as she immersed herself in thought.

    ¡°What do you mean when you say that God lives up to three hundred years?¡±

    ¡°I mean that God dies after living up to three hundred years at most.¡±

    ¡°... Then, that wouldn¡¯t make God, God.¡±

    ¡°That depends on how you look at it.¡±

    The god who the fourpanions were about to meet had a lifespan of three hundred years. Although having a lifespan as a god would invalidate His deity status, humans still referred to Him as God. While the girl was still perplexed by Juho¡¯s justification of God, Juho added, ¡°Frankly, it doesn¡¯t matter if He¡¯s really God or not.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that THE most important thing?¡±

    At that, Juho shook his head.

    ¡°What¡¯s THE most important is that the four set out on a journey together, and that I sessfully wrote the story in one piece.¡±

    With that, the girl¡¯s forehead furrowed.

    ¡°But, what about the ending?¡±

    The one her brother had desperately wanted to know.

    ¡°In the end, a novel is about people, and ¡®Language of God¡¯ is no different.¡±

    Novels were about portraying a person¡¯s life in writing.

    ¡°What do you think it¡¯s at the end of life?¡±

    ¡°Death,¡± she said quietly, yet emphatically.

    ¡°And why is that?¡±

    ¡°Death is the most clear-cut ending I¡¯ve ever experienced.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a delusion.¡±

    ¡°¡®Scuse me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never experienced it yourself.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t give him an answer. To be precise, what she had experienced had been the death of another person, and nothing was more mysterious than the boundary of death.

    ¡°The things that we¡¯re certain to be true often turn out to be misinformation, and that¡¯s why there are books that end anticlimactically and get on its readers bad side. After all, the end most people experience is not all that different. Well, there are times when an author simply needs to work on his craft.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t believe that to be a bad thing.

    ¡°Because of that, we live on knowing that we¡¯ll die one day.¡±

    People often forgot about the approaching end, and they didn¡¯t bother to remind themselves of it. Perhaps death wasn¡¯t as important as most people understood it to be.

    ¡°... Is that how ¡®Language of God¡¯ ends?¡±

    There was a faint trace of anger in her voice, as if she was still in disbelief.

    ¡°Beats me.¡±

    ¡°... What?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t written it yet. Earlier, you said that your brother would¡¯ve gotten what he had wanted if you had been able make that call while he was still alive, right? I hate to say, but you¡¯re wrong,¡± Juho said calmly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell him what he had wanted.¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    ¡°In other words, it would change nothing.¡±

    As he locked eyes with the girl, her eyes wavered with a subtle sense of relief.

    ¡°That can¡¯t be true,¡± the girl said emphatically as she tried to hide that relief.

    She was confused. Unlike her normal self, she had made a prank call to the publishingpany and obsessed over any trace of her brother. At the same time, she couldn¡¯t ignore her brother¡¯s death. Her ending, too, was just as ambiguous as anyone¡¯s in the cafe.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡®What do I say to her when she¡¯s so confused? Should I just ignore her, or force her to understand? Should I beforting her?¡¯ Juho thought, but he couldn¡¯t reach an answer, so he decided to bring up what he did best.

    ¡°Then, you write it.¡±

    At that, her eyes shook anxiously. Instead ofmunicating to her that he wasn¡¯t angry, he added, ¡°You just want to be free from your regret, and are willing to do whatever it takes, right? Even if it means calling Yun Woo.¡±

    The guilt of not granting her brother¡¯s wish had been keeping the girl captive, and she was doing everything she could to free herself from it. She was still alive and still had a future to look forward to. She was wise and didn¡¯t indulge in sadness, or give into wailing uncontrobly.

    ¡°This is the answer I can give you. Try writing.¡±

    As a novelist, it was the best way to help her.

    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a limit in writing, and you can travel through time and space, however and whenever you wish. It¡¯d be possible to meet with your brother, even.¡±

    ¡°... What am I supposed to do when I meet him then?¡±

    ¡°Like I said, you can do anything. You can even tell him about what happened today.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯d be fake.¡±

    ¡°Sure, depending on how you look at it.¡±

    The girl stared nkly at Juho as he gave her a series of ambiguous answers.

    ¡°It¡¯d be better than making a prank call, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Personally, Juho thought it would be a much safer means to lie.

    ¡°Well, the choice is yours.¡±

    Until the end, the girl gave no answer or try to debate whether or not it would be real. Instead, she pondered desperately, ¡®What would be my best choice? Which choice would keep me alive?¡¯

    Pale skin and long hair. A pimple on her cheek. As she fought her own battle, Juho took a notepad out and wrote a set of numbers.

    ¡°Would you like this?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°My number.¡±

    In a battlefield, there was always an ally. Even turning one¡¯s head slightly would be enough to make them realize that there were others who were fighting alongside you, willing to help when asked. All it took was to ask for help.

    ¡°What if I spread it around?¡±

    ¡°My phone will probably ring a few more times.¡±

    At that, the girl stared intently at Juho¡¯s face. A peaceful face like that was hard toe by when living in a hospital because everyone was being chased by time, death, end, and pain.

    She knew the exact look on the face of a person who had epted death. Her brother had looked peaceful, almost to the point of looking bored. Only those around him had lived that moment in anxiety as they were chased by time. Ironically, the brother, too, had worn the exact same look when he had been slightly further away from hisst moment.

    ¡°You remind me a little bit of my brother.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You look like you don¡¯t fear death.¡±

    Juho chuckled without saying anything, and the conversation came to an end. Then, as they stepped out of the cafe to go their separate ways, the girl bowed to Juho in order to express her gratitude.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Jang Mi and Juho said. Left by themselves after sending the girl away in a taxi, Jang Mi told Juho that she needed to head back to her office. Then, Juho looked in the direction the taxi had left in.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be able to finish my manuscript soon.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good news! What¡¯s the progress on it?¡±

    Juho thought of the manuscript that was yet to bepleted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll write as soon as I get back home.¡±

    At that, Jang Mi asked, ¡°Is this about God living three hundred years?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    God and His existence was not at the center of the manuscript he had been working on. Juho thought of the beach he had recently visited. Along with the grains of sand, there had been a tide in the distance.

    ¡°Nothingsts forever.¡±

    That was the message he wanted to embody in his story and was in the process of writing. The four set out on a journey to meet God. They were neither close or understanding toward each other and they weren¡¯t exactly fond of each other either. The only thing that kept them together was the fact that they shared the objective of meeting God. As they came across countless people andnguages along the way, they saw and experienced all sorts of things that changed them in the end. Then, God finally made an appearance in order to dere the end of their journey.

    Jang Mi thought of the girl she had just met. Although she had been able to talk about her loss calmly, she was still at a loss. She still seemed sad. Then, Jang Mi chuckled as she remembered what the young author had said: ¡°Nothingsts forever.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± she said, believing that the girl would be victorious in her battle. After all, nothingsted forever.

 Chapter 157 - Nothing Lasts Forever (4)

    <h4>Chapter 157: Chapter 157 ¨C Nothing Lasts Forever (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    After getting off the bus, Juho made his way back home. Then, seduced by the mouth-watering smell of freshly-baked bread while walking past a bakery, he went into the shop and bought himself a sandwich.

    One of the things Juho had learned from his experience of tranting was to not rush. While waiting for his body to finish digesting, he was able to respond calmly to the emotions that were running amok within him. He no longer had to worry about losing the thoughts that urred to him, and he reminded himself all the more that he needed to write with a rational mindset.

    After arriving home, he took a shower and changed intofortable clothes. Then, after enjoying his sandwich with a ss of milk, he went into his room and sat in front of hisputer, where the manuscript was being disyed on the monitor.

    Sitting there, Juho stared at it intently. As he was reaching a point in the novel nearing the end, he felt his hand itching with anticipation. Death and a finale had a lot inmon, especially in the sense that it was possible to imagine what was beyond it. Then, he slowly reached for his notebook, in which he had written down the overall flow of ¡®Language of God,¡¯ and opened it to thest page. For now, he wanted to work on the finale of the book.

    With that, he thought back on what had happened earlier that day. A reader had died before he had had a chance to read the end of his favorite novel, and Juho was responsible for writing that book. Although he did have a passing thought about his book being part of a lingering attachment of someone on the verge of death, he couldn¡¯t help but think that it would have been better if he had met the young reader in person.

    Then, he thought of the girl who had carried out her brother¡¯s n on his behalf. The bowing hair covering her face, her pale skin, and the small pimple. Although he tried to imagine what her brother might have looked like based on his memory of her appearance, it proved to be more difficult than he had anticipated.

    Juho wrote out Four¡¯s question for God: ¡®Why do people die?¡¯ Then, closing his eyes slowly, he found himself at the destination the fourpanions would reach as they decoded the mythology and encountered numerous people. It was an enormous cave, where the sky was covered by a rough surface, and from afar, it resembled a sand castle. That was where God lived.

    The ceiling was of a height that Juho was simply not tall enough to reach, even if he were to throw a rock up at it. Much like a person¡¯s body, which had a number of holes in pairs, there were two holes in the ceiling that looked like a pair of eyes, and beams of light poured down through them. The sight alone seemed like it would be enough to leave the fourpanions in awe, despite them having experienced countless countries and their views.

    Juho felt the wet sand under his feet every time he took a step, and there were fourrge, seven medium, and five smaller rocks scattered throughout the cave.

    Then, he climbed up to the highest surface, which reached closest to the ceiling, and looked up at the sky through the holes. The moon was shining through them, giving a striking resemnce to human eyes or, perhaps, God¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Man! This does seem like a ce where God would live!¡± a voice eximed, and a series of footsteps echoed throughout the cave.

    Then, as they got closer to Juho, the cave sank into silence as Juho came into the view of the fourpanions. As he turned around, he was greeted by four figures standing before his eyes, furrowing their brows. Because Juho was surrounded by light, they couldn¡¯t see him.

    ¡°God?¡± a familiar voice asked.

    ¡°One,¡± Juho answered gently.

    ¡°So, you were God this entire time, huh?¡± One said, surprised.

    Juho gave no answer as the four stared at him absent-mindedly.

    ¡°He really was here.¡±

    Misunderstanding Juho for God, the four shook in disbelief for a little while, but soon, they each remembered their own purposes for being there and took turns to list them one by one.

    Two spoke up first, ¡°I¡¯m an artist, the best artisan potter this world has to offer. I¡¯d like for you to evaluate my work.¡±

    As Juho gave no answer, Three chimed in, ¡°I killed a person, and as a punishment, I was in jail for one year. Only one year.¡±

    Then, Three piped up, his forehead furrowed, ¡°I just can¡¯t wrap my head around it.¡±

    At those words, Juho remembered the girl he had met recently. As Juho remained silent, Four went on to ask, ¡°Why do people die?¡±

    The question was simr, and Juho remembered answering it at some point. Meanwhile, One stood silently, biting his lip. Juho slowly opened his mouth and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Silence.

    ¡°... What?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±

    As the four stood flustered by the unexpected answer, Juhoughed internally.

    ¡°Are there things even God doesn¡¯t know?¡± One asked, sounding dumbfounded and disappointed. He was struggling to grasp the situation.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are. God is a living being too, after all, and this is where He lives.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? Who are you?¡±

    ¡°God lives up to three hundred years.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is, God dies too. You know exactly what I¡¯m talking about. Nothingsts forever.¡±

    ¡°What kind of nonsense...¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not God, so I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±

    The four swallowed nervously as their awe faded away, and they were left with wariness. They were starting to show the proper responses.

    ¡°Show yourself.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡±

    Although One scowled as if he was about to charge at Juho at any minute, he stayed still in his ce. If he had been anything like himself when they had first met, One wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to act on his anger and grab Juho by the cor.

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed too,¡± Juho said.

    Thankfully, he had grown mature.

    ¡°Do you know me?¡± One asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s odd, isn¡¯t it?¡± God has to have anguage that He speaks in. Yet, we¡¯remunicating without any trouble right now. The people you¡¯ve met along the way each spoke their ownnguages.¡±

    ¡°But God is a deity, so of course...¡±

    ¡°Hate to break it to you, but God doesn¡¯t speak any othernguage aside from His own.¡±

    ¡°... What the hell is God then?¡±

    Juho observed the expressions that appeared on the fourpanions¡¯ faces. They were at a loss as soon as they were faced with the truth that the God they had been seeking was nothing like how they had hoped Him to be. Not only were they flustered, but also wary, and doubtful. However, they didn¡¯t give into despair.

    ¡°When you meet the real God, ask Him. Or, you can just go talk to Bird.¡±

    ¡°Bird? He knows? Wait, what¡¯s he got anything to do with any of this!?¡±

    ¡°Because he¡¯s a god too.¡±

    One¡¯s eyes shook in disbelief, and he began to grow furious at Juho¡¯s nonsensical answers. His eyes were starting to look like his old self at the beach.

    ¡°Do you know anything about his past?¡±

    At that, One kept quiet.

    ¡°Do you know where he¡¯s from, and what kind of life he has been leading?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°God was next to you all along.¡±

    Then, One¡¯s face distorted in anger.

    ¡°Ironic, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Although God had been standing right beside him, he had been entirely unaware and, instead, had set out on a long journey. In order to meet God, he had left God behind.

    ¡°Are you saying that what I¡¯ve been doing was all in vain?

    ¡°In terms of results? Yes. Not only did you fail to find the answer you were looking for, but you were oblivious to the fact that what you were looking for had been living with you, under the same roof, all along.¡±

    At that, One roared angrily at Juho. As the protagonist opened his mouth to argue with him, Juho took a step back. The four were no longer scowling.

    ¡°You hated people because they¡¯re dishonest, arrogant, and selfish. They would do anything for power and wealth. Murder, rape, war. Theymit countless sins, yet they discriminate and scrutinize each other.¡±

    Then, he looked at One. Although he had changed significantly, his old self was still left intact within him.

    ¡°You wanted to be away from them, so you came here to meet God.¡±

    That had been his reason for setting out on the journey in search for God. Although he had finally arrived at the destination after a long trip, he hesitated to share his wish. After all, he was a changed man. Therefore, the fact that all of his efforts had been in vain was simply too much to handle. Having caught on to Juho, One bit down his lip.

    ¡°Then who do we talk to for answers?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Juho said with a smile, and raised his hand to point at One. ¡°But I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find your answer at some point. After all, nothingsts forever.¡±

    Then, the cave began to quake, and debris began to fall from the ceiling. When Juho looked up, he saw what had been one a pair of holes stretch into one big hole, no longer resembling a human¡¯s or God¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going now.¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    One ran toward Juho in order to grab him, but was prevented from doing so by the falling debris. Although he might have been angry and dissatisfied, he still had a home to go back to, and despite his wish nevering true, he would be able to carry on with his life. Because Juho had confirmed those things with his own eyes, there was no unfinished business left for him.

    ¡°Take care.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re that punk at the beach, aren¡¯t you!?¡±

    Amid the falling debris, their eyes locked.

    ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡±

    ¡°I learned those characters then. You¡¯re the only one who uses them.¡±

    ¡°No. Thedy at the beach uses them too. So does Bird.¡±

    ¡®Language of God¡¯ had its base in Hangul. Then, One lost bnce as the ce shook.

    As he regained his bnce, Juho gave him some advice, ¡°Remember that. It¡¯ll help when you¡¯re talking with God.¡±

    With that, the wall crumbled away, and the ocean in the distance became visible. For One, the ocean was a means to cross over to somewhere bigger, and for that reason, Juho had let him go. Lastly, Juho asked, ¡°Did you enjoy your trip?¡±

    Debris fell between Juho and One yet again, and amid their view of each other growing narrower, the protagonist smiled and said, ¡°So-so.¡±

    Then, Juho opened his eyes. While the monitor beamed out light, it wasn¡¯t nearly as bright as the light that had beamed into the cave through the two holes in the ceiling. The monitor was still upied by the unfinished manuscript. With that, Juho took the ss that was once filled with milk and took it out to the kitchen to pour himself a ss of water. There was a faint taste of milk in the water.

    After returning to his room, he checked his phone for the time. Five minutes had passed since he had left his room, and there was a text message waiting for him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize the number.¡±

    With that, Juho checked the message. In it, was the address for an inte novel website, where people got to upload their novels freely. Staring briefly at the address, Juho ced his hands on the keyboard and logged into the website to search for the girl¡¯s name.

    Then, a novel popped up. Barely in its first chapter, it was a brand new novel that was yet to reach even ten readers or favorites. There was a brief introduction of the novel that read: ¡®The story of an immortal novelist and a girl suffering from leukemia.¡¯ With that, Juho went on to read through the chapter. While it was awkwardly written, the novel was honest and carried asting emotion.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about the next chapter.¡±

    Then, Juho took the initiative to write the firstment.

    ¡°Thank you for the chapters.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Chief.¡±

    Nam Kyung looked around the office where editor-in-chief had been staying well after his shifts along with other editors. They were all working busily.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°I uploaded the final revision. I checked for misprints thoroughly.¡±

    With that, the editor-in-chief essed the folder that was shared office-wide and opened a file. It was a manuscript by a rookie trantor. After stretching briefly, the editor-in-chief picked up a book from the desk, which was also the work of a rookie trantor, Yun Woo.

    ¡°Marvelous.¡±

    The editor-in-chief murmured, and Nam Kyung immediately understood where he wasing from. Nam Kyung had been ecstatic when he had read the manuscript himself, and the book being published before any other books within the Kelley Coin collection was proof that he wasn¡¯t the only person who had gotten excited by it.

    ¡°Even Kelley Coin¡¯s books are on the rise, right?¡±

    ¡°As we expected.¡±

    It was a coboration between Kelley Coin and Yun Woo, and it was a weing news for those with even the most remote interest in literature.

    Then, the editor-in-chief asked Nam Kyung with acent smile, ¡°I heard about the new volume of ¡®Language of God.¡¯ You don¡¯t think the readers will fight over their two favorite authors, do you?¡±

    ¡°He is on the rise after all, as well as a prolific writer. Yun Woo, Won Yi Young. There¡¯s no reason to fight over one or the other.¡±

    Yun Woo wasn¡¯t just a prolific writer. When an author published multiple books within a short time, their attention tended to focus only on a few of them at most. However, in Yun Woo¡¯s case, every single one of his books was receiving praise from all across the world and selling at an incredible rate. By that point, people had conceived the idea that any book would sell as long as it bore the name Yun Woo.

    ¡°A mid-length, a full-length, and now, a trantion. Then, there¡¯s Won Yi Young.¡±

    ¡°Apparently, he¡¯s known to be quite a writer at his school too.¡±

    ¡°At his school?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I was told that he¡¯s part of the Literature Club.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo? In a Literature Club?¡±

    ¡°He is anonymous after all. He¡¯s just an ordinary high school student there.¡±

    ¡°My, my. That¡¯s one interesting way to live!¡±

    With that, the editor-in-chief gave Nam Kyung a subtle look, and catching on immediately, Nam Kyung shook his head.

    ¡°He¡¯s not nning on revealing himself.¡±

    ¡°Bummer.¡±

    The editor-in-chief clicked his tongue as he stared into the screen filled with praises toward Yun Woo¡¯s trantion that were being updated in real time.

 Chapter 158 - To Doubt, or To Look Forward to It (1)

    <h4>Chapter 158: Chapter 158 ¨C To Doubt, or To Look Forward to It (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Mr. Lee,¡± the screenwriter called for Pyung Jin, the book critic.

    Staring intently at the book resting on top of his thigh for a little while, he looked up and answered, ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s your script.¡±

    ¡°Right, thanks.¡±

    They were at the waiting room for the show ¡°The Great Book Club,¡± and Pyung Jin had been waiting for the filming to start. Though usually he wouldn¡¯t have minded conversing a little longer, he was somewhat in a hurry and he secretly wanted the writer to leave him be.

    ¡°What you reading there?¡±

    Unfortunately, the writer didn¡¯t seem to be aware of Pyung Jin¡¯s wish to be left alone. At that, Pyung Jin put on a forceful smile and answered, ¡°Kelley Coin.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I read his books a lot too! Which one are you reading?¡±

    ¡°¡®Belongings.¡¯¡±

    At Pyung Jin¡¯s answer, the expression on the writer¡¯s face changed. He had to know who had tranted the book.

    ¡°Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Like a lot of other people, the writer was also a Yun Woo fan. By that point, it was more difficult to find people who didn¡¯t read his books, and the author¡¯s record spoke for itself as he managed to convince those who viewed him with doubt and preconceived notions by publishing a book under yet another alias, Won Yi Young. The author had proved to his readers that he was not being overestimated, and there had been no other authors as mysterious and as aggressive thus far. He was truly one of a kind, and people were bound to be drawn to uniqueness.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get to go to the bookstore because I was caught up with work, so I bought it from an online bookstore. I should be getting it by tonight.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bummer.¡±

    ¡°Right? I was contemting whether I should go to the bookstore during lunch or not, but man, has it been a busy day!¡±

    The writer kept on for quite a while, and Pyung Jin didn¡¯t have the skill to cut the conversation short politely, so he had no choice but to listen to him. He was a coworker who was and would be working with the critic, and a sour rtionship was bound to have a negative impact at work.

    ¡®All right, why don¡¯t we stop right there? If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to go back to reading this book tranted by Yun Woo. As far as I can tell from the little time I had to read it, this is really something, and what I mean is that this would be the most Coin-like trantion among other tranted versions of his books. Now, I beg you to go bother someone else. I¡¯d like to be left alone,¡¯ Pyung Jin imagined himself telling the writer those words.

    ¡°That restaurant has really good pho. You should go try it one of these days, Mr. Lee.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    Despite wondering when the subject had changed, Pyung Jin answered as he loosened his purple tie to unwind from the anxiety prior to filming. At that moment, yet another person came into the room.

    ¡°Oh, hello.¡±

    Being one of the hosts of the show, thedy greeted the two people calmly, unlike her usual attitude behind the camera. As she looked around the waiting room and saw the look on Pyung Jin¡¯s face, she grasped the situation immediately.

    ¡°Were you having a word with Mr. Lee?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We were talking about what to get for lunch.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I brought my lunch today.¡±

    ¡°So, I happen to find this really good pho ce. Would you like toe along sometime in the near future?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡±

    After conversing with the host for a little while, the writer left the room, and Pyung Jin cheered internally as he let out a quiet sigh and redirected his attention to his book.

    Pyung Jin tended to be rather sensitive to trantions. While his job did contribute to that, he had seen too many books that were ruined by poor trantions. The mistrantions that he saw from time to time were especially atrocious to his eyes. Because of the sensitive nature of writing, a single poorly tranted sentence was more than enough to damage the overall quality of a book. One sentence led to another, like a chain reaction.

    Mistrantions were like harmful insects that gnawed away at strings that were connected precariously. They rendered the book lifeless when it should be full of life, and the readers got to experience that first hand. It was less than ttering. For those reasons, Pyung Jin made a habit out of checking the name of the trantor and publishingpany when buying a tranted copy of a book, which was also why he wasn¡¯t all that happy to find out that the young genius author was getting his hands on tranting.

    Yun Woo was an author, and trantions were not an easy task by any means. It required training, and even the most seasoned of trantors was bound to make mistakes from time to time. Because of that, there was no way to know how things would turn out for a young author like Yun Woo, who carried a bigger presence than just about anyone. It was a mystery whether such an author would be able to stay out of the way of Coin¡¯s voice in his sentences.

    As far as Pyung Jin knew, the trantion had been requested to Yun Woo by Kelley Coin himself. It was unclear as to what the entric author had had in mind, but the critic was certain that the gig would be the bane of the young author¡¯s existence. While the readers were going wild over the coboration, Pyung Jin was disappointed all the more as he assumed that the joint effort between the two authors would result in a bitter end.

    ¡°What...!?¡±

    The critic eximed as he barely managed to suppress the excitement that was welling from within. He took pride in his love of literature and he cherished books as much as he loved them. In order to better understand the subject of his love, he studied them as much as possible, and he had been making regr appearances on TV to spread that same love to others.

    Pyung Jin read fanatically. Having already read the original, he was taken aback by how simr of a reading experience the trantion was offering. It was fascinating, and trantions of such quality were a rarity. Yun Woo had a talent in surprising people.

    ¡°Mr. Lee, we¡¯re about to start filming.¡±

    At that, the critic found himself unwilling to leave the room as he wanted to keep on reading. He wanted nothing else besides indulging in the coboration of the two world-renowned authors.

    ¡°Mr. Lee?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ming.¡±

    Unfortunately, he had no choice, He was a responsible adult who was part of a society. He had to make money while protecting his credit and he couldn¡¯t let his desires get the best of his work-life. At the same time, he wanted to keep those desires as close to him as possible.

    ¡°There seems to be a lot of mentions of Yun Woo today,¡± the critic said to the screenwriter, who seemed like he had just finished talking about the Vietnamese restaurant.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s always a plus! Thanks to our viewers¡¯ interest in Yun Woo, our show¡¯s been growing in poprity.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    With his eyes sparkling, Pyung Jin went into filming.

    ¡ª

    When people heard that Yun Woo was tranting a book, most of them often responded in two ways: With doubt, or they looked forward to it.

    ¡°I wanted to see you crying like a baby after failing miserably,¡± Coin said as he clicked his tongue.

    The fifth book of the collection was published, and Juho held his phone on one hand, while holding a book from the publishingpany with a design unique to the ¡®Kelley Coin Collection¡¯ in the other.

    ¡±Belongings,¡¯ written by Kelley Coin. Tranted by Yun Woo.¡¯

    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re satisfied with the result?¡±

    At that, Coin snickered and said, ¡°Yes. Too much so. People around me talk about nothing but Yun Woo, and I¡¯m getting sick of it.¡±

    Then, a slurp came from Juho¡¯s receiver. Coin had to be drinking his coffee.

    ¡°The critics and trantors over in Korea had such good reviews that I think it rubbed off on the people on this side of the world. Just like how your fame is next to none in your country, you¡¯re slowly getting known in the US as well.¡±

    ¡°Whoever told you about my fame being next to none?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been getting interview requests from Korea nonstop. Those people couldn¡¯t stop talking trash about me when I wasn¡¯t writing as much.¡±

    There was no trace of anger in his voice. Rather, he sounded like he was exining what he saw.

    ¡°I¡¯m certain that they want to hear a thing or two about you from me, dying to know what¡¯s underneath that mask of yours.¡±

    As much as the meeting between the two authors had been sensational, both authors refrained from sharing about it too much. Although they never actually agreed to do so, it was a natural urrence.

    ¡°Trantion is an odd thing. The more you erase traces of you, the more attention you get.¡±

    ¡°Did you know what trantion was about beforehand?¡±

    ¡°No, I had some help.¡±

    Then, Coin clicked his tongue once again. By that point, it became obvious that Coin had intentionally kept crucial information from the young trantor. The process of trantion often involved dealing with urges to make changes or improvements to the preexisting sentences, as well as the fact that the author¡¯s intent had to remain intact.

    ¡°Thank to you, I was able to read the book I tranted from cover to cover.¡±

    Juho had read the book as soon as he received it from the publishingpany. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten past the first page. Yet, he was able to keep reading as he checked his trantion word by word. Just like that, although having read it tens of times for reference while tranting, he had read the entire book at once.

    It was a book written by Coin, and it belonged solely to Coin. Juho was sessful in respecting the author¡¯s creative boundaries, and there was no trace of Yun Woo anywhere in the trantion.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Coin asked.

    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m happy about my trantion,¡± Juho said with a smile.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Yun Woo, the first trantor to be personally requested by Kelley Coin, exceeds all expectations.¡±

    ¡°A closer look at the recent, critically acimed trantion by Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°The sixth volume of ¡®Language of God¡¯ published, leaving readers anticipating for the grand finale.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo vs. Won Yi Young. The winner?¡±

    ¡°Won Yi Young¡¯s recent sess as a trantor proves the author¡¯snguage skills.¡±

    ¡°The rise of a new prolific writer. Closer look at Yun Woo as an author.¡±

    ¡°The leading figure in prolific writing, Kelley Coin. Who are the top prolific writers?¡±

    ¡°Riding the wave of the Yun Woo fever, ¡°The Great Book Club¡± prepares for a ¡®Yun Woo Special.¡¯¡±

    ¡°A sneak peek at the next week¡¯s ¡°The Great Book Club: Yun Woo Special¡± and the special guests.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°¡®The Great book club?¡¯¡±

    Juho asked as he picked up a piece of meat that was burning on his side of the grill. He was meeting with Sang Young for a meal for the first time in a long time. Because Sang Young was stuffing his mouth with food, Juho had to wait until he was done chewing.

    ¡°Yeah. I heard Myung Joo is gonna be there.¡±

    Sang Young said. Myung Joo Mu was the actor who rose to fame after ying the role of Yun¡¯s brother in the movie ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯

    ¡°You mean the ¡®Yun Woo Special?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Precisely.¡±

    Like they had hinted in the past, the show was actually doing a special episode on Yun Woo, and the fans anticipated it anxiously as the TV showed the preview repeatedly and articles poured out through other media.

    ¡°Did they contact you at all?¡±

    ¡°The publishingpany turned it down for me.¡±

    The publishingpany didn¡¯t really have a reason to be against the author making an appearance on the show as it would be an effective means of advertisement. It was amon urrence for books to sell at an increasing rate after being mentioned at the show.

    Then, Sang Young said, ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about Myung Joo spilling the beans about you. He doesn¡¯t really wanna be there either. As you know, the show¡¯s been doing well as ofte, and it even won an award recently. The station seems to be supporting them quite a bit too.¡±

    Although Juho knew hardly anything about the field, he did know that nobody was exempt from having to do the things that they didn¡¯t want to, and he didn¡¯t pay all that much attention.

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried as long as we keep things at the level of your past interview.¡±

    ¡°He might not seem like it, but Myung Joo is the type to worry a lot.¡±

    Juho had met Myung Joo only once, an there wasn¡¯t a lot the actor could say about the author. If at all, he would have to refrain from mentioning his real name and description of his appearance. Myung Joo was sincere to a fault.

    ¡°Well, it would always be a plus for me the more he¡¯s careful with his words.¡±

    ¡°Right. It¡¯s next week, so don¡¯t miss it,¡± the director said as if he was advertising his own movie, and Juho gave him an affirmative answer as he brought up a piece of grilled meat to his mouth.

    Then, Sang Young asked as he wrapped his meat in fresh, leafy-green vegetables, ¡°So, what happened with Coin, anyway?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon now. I don¡¯t know all that much about the publishing industry, but the whole world knows about his unpleasant personality. I¡¯m just curious about how he interacted with an innocent kid like you.¡±

    Sang Young said that with an expression filled with interest, and Juho answered while chewing, ¡°We just talked about livelihood.¡±

    From then on, Juho had to endure through Sang Young¡¯s seemingly endless chain of questions.

 Chapter 159 - To Doubt, or To Look Forward to It (2)

    <h4>Chapter 159: Chapter 159 ¨C To Doubt, or To Look Forward to It (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ording to what Juho found out, The Great Book Club: Yun Woo Special had been nned in celebration of Yun Woo¡¯s sess as a trantor and for ¡®Language of God¡¯ approaching its glorious end. When Juho checked the bestsellers¡¯ rankings, ¡®Language of God¡¯ was at the top, followed by ¡®Belongings¡¯ in second ce.

    Even after the news got out that Yun Woo and Won Yi Young were the same person, thepetition between the two authors remained a popr subject, and because of its nature, it was easy to provoke readers. The media responded to changes in the bestsellers¡¯ rankings with exaggeration, pouring out articles like ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Victory¡¯ or ¡®Won Yi Young Stands Victorious,¡¯ and Juho found himself having a strange emotional experience when looking at them.

    Then, the preview of the Yun Woo Special came on TV, and Juho saw the audience going wild as Myung Joo Mu stepped into the set as a special guest along with the hosts of the show, each holding a book by Yun Woo and Won Yi Young in their hands. They had to be nning to mention Kelley Coin at some point, and the brief overview of the show was more than enough to get viewers excited.

    Juho, too, was curious as to what kind of subjects would being up on the show. As he checked for the showtime, his phone began to ring. It was a call from Seo Kwang.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ming over next week,¡± Seo Kwang dered. Juho was standing around his room, which was filled with piles of manuscripts.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but did youe across a good book recently? What¡¯s the asion?¡±

    ¡°There are always good books, my friend. Anyway, do you get where I¡¯m going with this? Me? Coming over? Next week?¡±

    Next week. There was something that crossed Juho¡¯s mind.

    ¡°You mean the Yun Woo Special?¡±

    ¡°Correct!¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you watch it at your ce?¡±

    ¡°Why stay home and waste the opportunity to watch the Yun Woo Special with Yun Woo?¡± Seo Kwang said shamelessly.

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

    Just like that, Juho made ns to watch the special episode of The Great Book Club with his friend, Seo Kwang. Then, time passed, and the day they had agreed to watch the Yun Woo Special together came around, and Seo Kwang arrived promptly at Juho¡¯s house.

    ¡°Mind if I look around your room?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing worth seeing in there.¡±

    ¡°The fact that that¡¯s where Yun Woo writes makes it more than worth seeing,¡± Seo Kwang said as he opened the door to Juho¡¯s room while themercials came on TV.

    ¡°Man, this room is always filled to the brim with writing,¡± Seo Kwang murmured, looking at the papers and boxes that filled the room, stacked precariously on top of each other.

    ¡°What if you get crushed to death by these massive piles of paper?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡±

    Secretly, Juho thought to himself that being crushed to death by piles of his own works wouldn¡¯t be such a bad way to go. Truth be told, it was a death much more dignifying for an author than drowning in a river.

    ¡°Where¡¯s thisnguage from?¡±

    ¡°India.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t there a number of them?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there are, but what you¡¯re looking at is their officialnguage, Hindi.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you: one would think that you¡¯re a linguist if they saw your room.¡±

    Looking around the room for a little while, Seo Kwang found yet another thing that caught his interest. It was the resource on Medieval and Old English given to Juho by James, and even the notes were written in English. Seeing those, Seo Kwang went through them for a brief moment, and Juho observed him quietly.

    ¡°You can read them for the most part, right?¡±

    ¡°I still need a dictionary, but more or less.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible! It¡¯s only been a year.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡± Seo Kwang answered proudly. ¡°My reading habit has really paid off. I¡¯m telling you, books are such marvelous things.¡±

    Then, he went on to list the benefits of reading for a little while and subtly changed the subject to ask, ¡°How was tranting?¡±

    ¡°It was hard, not to mention how exhausting it was. There were a lot of things to be mindful of, so I struggled quite a bit. I didn¡¯t have the freedom to do whatever I wanted.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Seo Kwang said while looking at Juho.

    ¡°It was still a really good learning experience. It was like getting a second hand experience on a different writing style.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang nodded and said, ¡°I read the trantion.¡±

    ¡°How was it?¡± Juho asked light-heartedly.

    ¡°It seemed like it wasn¡¯t your first time,¡± Seo Kwang answered, without taking his eyes off of the resource on Medieval and Old English.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±

    ¡°You know what though?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I contributed to your trantion skill.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang looked up, wearing an overly confident expression.

    ¡°So, I started taking a ss on trantion recently.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°And I noticed that people are always debating on how to better trante a sentence. Students there have to discuss how to trante something or debate on a randomly chosen subject. Of course, there are debates on books, too.¡±

    ¡°A-ha!¡±

    Juho caught on to what his friend was trying to say immediately. Seo Kwang had the habit of wanting to talk about a book that had caught his interest, and as the conversation continued, the differences in opinions tended to be more apparent. It was only natural since there was no objective answer. As opinions conflicted, the two parties provided evidence to support their arguments while disagreeing and proposing questions, and that was just what Seo Kwang was doing in his trantion ss.

    ¡°Coming to think of it, you talk about books on a daily basis. Like you¡¯d die if you didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°True, but know this: you were doing something that would improve your trantion skill without even knowing, and you can say that I yed a part in that astounding achievement of yours. You¡¯re wee.¡±

    Though Juho didn¡¯t feel all that grateful toward Seo Kwang, he was aware that having a friend to converse with was a blessing, and in Seo Kwang¡¯s own words, they might even have helped each other in some ways.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Thanks.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a lip service I¡¯m hearing, is it?¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang got to the main point.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Juho asked.

    To which, his friend answered, ¡°This,¡± as he pulled up the resource on Medieval and Old English in his hands.

    ¡®That¡¯s it? All he had to do was ask,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°All right. It¡¯s all yours.¡±

    ¡°Sweet!¡±

    Seo Kwang rejoiced, and while he was at it, Juho gave him a series of books that he had been collecting in order to learn othernguages.

    ¡°There¡¯s a book onnguages like Spanish and French here, as well as Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese. It¡¯s probably best that you interact withnguages as much as possible, so take them if you don¡¯t mind. This, here, is on Egyptian, and it¡¯s quite interesting. This one¡¯s on how writtennguages came about, and this is a study on the writtennguages of eastern countries as a whole. And this one here...¡±

    ¡°OK! OK! My gosh, how many books do you think I can carry? Besides, what about you? What are you gonna readter?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I have it all in my head.¡±

    ¡°Well, good for you.¡±

    In the end, Juho ended up giving away six books on top of several other books that he had collected for reference in writing ¡®Language of God.¡¯

    While Seo Kwang carefully stuffed his backpack with those books, Juho observed him intently. In hindsight, Seo Kwang had been doing a lot of things that would contribute to tranting, such as reading and writing. One of the painful realizations Juho had while tranting was that he had to wrestle with every single sentence in the book as sentences tended to be intertwined with each other. He had to be careful to follow an invisible trail.

    One of the first things that Juho had to do as a trantor was to read what he was tranting, referring to the given information for implicit ones in the book. He carefully studied the author¡¯s intent, hidden or omitted significances and meanings, point of views, and the characters¡¯ states of mind. Although many would find those subjects to be unfamiliar and technical, it was a walk in the park for Seo Kwang, and the fact that he was part of the Literature Club spoke of his writing skill.

    Juho stared intently at Seo Kwang as he saw his friend in a different light. Seo Kwang¡¯s significant improvement in English in the past year was not a coincidence. He had been training himself without knowing. Perhaps he had much more potential as trantor than he realized.

    Soon, the showtime came around, and the two sat on the couch in front of the TV with snacks and beverages.

    ¡°It¡¯s starting!¡±

    The Great Book Club. The show started with a cheerful introduction by the five cast members made of two hosts, one book critic, one poet, and two celebrity guests, who had yet to make an appearance.

    ¡°If they were just gonna tell us who the guests were, they should¡¯ve just showed them from the start,¡± Seo Kwang muttered as he sipped on his beverage. Myung Joo Mu¡¯s appearance on The Great Book Club had already drawn a significant amount of media attention. With that, the cast members started off ording to the script.

    ¡°All right, everyone. The day we¡¯ve all been waiting for is finally here. Dreams doe true!¡±

    There was excitement in everyone¡¯s faces.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. The special episode our viewers have been desperately waiting for. Yun Woo Special!¡±

    Then, the five cast members apuded simultaneously.

    ¡°Do you think these people know that Yun Woo¡¯s watching?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a live show.¡±

    ¡°Well, do you think they knew while they were filming?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±

    As Juho munched on the snacks, Seo Kwang giggled mischievously beside him.

    ¡°Mr. Lee, you¡¯re one of the people who¡¯s been most looking forward to this day.¡±

    With that, the camera focused on Pyung Jin¡¯s face. He was wearing a blue tie this time.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I waited anxiously for this.¡±

    The critic didn¡¯t deny the host. Then, the poet sitting next to him said, ¡°What you shared about Yun Woo¡¯s trantion turned out to be quite sensational.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. If you look at the bulletin board at our website, there are loads of people who are saying that they didn¡¯t realize the importance of proper trantions until they heard you.¡±

    ¡°I agree. I didn¡¯t realize how important trantions were, either.¡±

    The cast members conversed candidly, and after a little while, a male celebrity chimed in.

    ¡°Now, should we bring in our special guest? We went through a lot of trouble to cast him.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not Yun Woo, is it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, man! That¡¯d be amazing!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll scream.¡±

    Amid a number of reactions, the three hosts shouted simultaneously.

    ¡°One of the hottest actors of this generation.¡±

    ¡°The special guest of this special asion for The Great Book Club is...¡±

    ¡°Myung Joo Mu of Trace of a Bird!¡±

    As The five cast members sprung up from their seats at the same time in order to wee the actor, the set opened up from behind, and Myung Joo Mu appeared.

    ¡°Ooh. That¡¯s him,¡± Seo Kwang murmured while Juho drank his beverage. Just like the host had said, Myung Joo Mu was an actor who rose quickly to stardom after his appearance on the Trace of a Bird movie. As his long years as a nameless actor became known to the public, he started appearing more frequently on TV.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    As the actor greeted the cast members and the audiences with a bright smile, everyone took their seats and candidly moved on to the main conversation. Fitting to its name, the show revolved around books, and that week was about the ones written by Juho.

    ¡°If you look here, we have books all the way from Yun Woo¡¯s debut title to his most recent book, the sixth volume of ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°This really feels like the Yun Woo Special!¡±

    The cast members eximed as they examined the books.

    ¡°Despite having debuted recently, Yun Woo has written quite an array of books, from pure literature to genre novels, and now, a trantion.¡±

    ¡°I think versatility is one of Yun Woo¡¯s biggest strengths.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just me, but whenever I hear the name Yun Woo, I get the image of an author who writes fanatically. Not that I¡¯ve met him in person or anything. Haha!¡±

    The poet added onto what Pyung Jin said, saying that he wasn¡¯t entirely wrong in the way he felt.

    ¡°What do you think, Myung Joo? Do you agree?¡±

    As the host passed the turn to speak to Myung Joo, the actor thought for a brief moment and opened his mouth to say, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I only met him once, but I never saw him write even then.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t even know what he looks like.¡±

    ¡°I do. Saw him from his head to toe.¡±

    Ignoring Seo Kwang¡¯s yful remark, Juho focused on the show.

    ¡°Now, Myung Joo?¡± the female host called for the actor, and he answered with his distinctively low voice.

    Then, the host asked, ¡°What are your favorite books?¡±

 Chapter 160 - To Doubt, or To Look Forward to It (3)

    <h4>Chapter 160: Chapter 160 ¨C To Doubt, or To Look Forward to It (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The camera focused on Myung Joo¡¯s face looking somewhat flustered.

    ¡°¡®Trace of a Bird!¡¯ Duh,¡± Seo Kwang said as he grabbed a handful of chips. Unlike his light-hearted remark, the actor was contemting the answer quite seriously.

    ¡°It¡¯s somewhat of an obvious question, but I¡¯m still curious.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be hard-pressed, too.¡±

    As the actor¡¯s thoughtssted longer than anticipated, and the hosts took turns to chime in. Then, Myung Joo picked a book with a smile.

    ¡°You know, I gotta go with this one, ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Ah. ying it safe, are we?¡±

    ¡°Was that too predictable?¡±

    Like Seo Kwang had predicted, Myung Joo had picked ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ A bird in a white background. Then, the screen transitioned into an informative sequence about the book, which was edited to look like a movie preview. The beginning of a genius author. Debut title. Film adaptation.

    ¡°What was your reason for choosing that particr book? Does it have anything to do with you being in the movie?¡± the host asked.

    ¡°As far as thetter half of your question, I can¡¯t say that it didn¡¯t affect my decision. Honestly, I had read the book before I auditioned for the role.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I was already a fan of Yun Woo by then. My job involves expressing various things like emotions or situations, so as soon as I read the book, I thought: ¡®If only I can be this expressive.¡¯¡±

    Then, Pyung Jin, the book critic spoke up.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s proof that Yun Woo had sessfully formed his own voice and style right off the bat with his debut title. There¡¯s no hesitation in the way the author describes a person¡¯s emotional state, and he limites his use of modifiers to an appropriate level. The bnce of the book as a whole, as well as that of between the scenes, is superb. Back then, I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the author¡¯s actual talent or if it was just a carefully calcted result, but the answer became obvious when I read ¡®Sound of Wailing.¡¯¡±

    Everyone listened to the critic intently as they agreed with him. Then, the poet asked the actor in a mischievously, ¡°You met Yun Woo in person, right?¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang poked at Juho¡¯s sides, but Juho ignored him and kept his eyes fixed on the TV. Myung Joo was smiling while scratching his cheek.

    ¡°Yes. Once.¡±

    Then, a series of desperate voices sounded simultaneously, demanding the actor share more.

    ¡°Please! Tell us more!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m dying to hear this!¡±

    ¡°The viewers will love it!¡±

    ¡°Our show¡¯s been doing so welltely. Help us keep up the pace, Myung Joo!¡±

    Then, Myung Joo opened his mouth as if giving into their pressure and said, ¡°I was told to keep it to myself.¡±

    Everyone on set jeered at the actor¡¯s less than satisfying answer, and Seo Kwan, too, joined in with them for some reason.

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon!¡±

    ¡°Like director, like actor.¡±

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t you think this is over! We¡¯ll get back to ya, Myung Joo.¡±

    With that, the hosts moved on to talking about another book that had received the most number of votes, and the poet took the turn to speak.

    ¡°For me, it¡¯s ¡®Language of God,¡¯¡± he said as he ced his hands on a series of books bundled into a single stack, and like previously, the screen transitioned into a simr sequence that looked like a movie preview.

    ¡®The rise of Yun Woo¡¯s rival, Won Yi Young. Readers respond to the truth.¡¯

    ¡°I was seriously impressed by Yun Woo¡¯s imagination. Oh, wait! Is it Won Yi Young?¡±

    ¡°I think I was in a daze for a good while when I found out that Yun Woo and Won Yi Young were the same person. I mean, people were going back and forth constantly over that matter! I doubted my own eyes because I was on Yun Woo¡¯s side.¡±

    ¡°I was on Won Yi Young¡¯s.¡±

    Then, the poet went on to exin the world in ¡®Language of God,¡¯ from the characters to the regions, and others various fictional beings, including thenguages.

    ¡°As for thesenguages, you can find detailed exnations in the offshoot volume of the book, called ¡®Language of God: Language.¡¯ I gotta say, as soon as I read it, I felt all my doubts melt away, and it dawned on me that Yun Woo really created all thosenguages on his own. If you look here, there¡¯s a mention of the author drawing inspiration from the development of variousnguages across the world.¡±

    ¡°There have been people who actually started speaking thosenguages, right?¡±

    ¡°I believe that some of the more avid readers speak up to three of thosenguages. Not to mention, there are people researching them as we speak.¡±

    ¡°This world is sure full of incredible people, like the person who created thosenguages and those who speak them. Honestly, I was still just as lost, even after reading the offshoot volume. I¡¯m struggling with Korean, as is.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang agreed enthusiastically, and Juho munched on his chips.

    ¡°Now, what about you, Mr. Lee?¡±

    Lastly, the turn went to the critic, and he rose from his seat to walk over to the books. Then, without hesitation, he picked up a book in each of his hands.

    ¡°Without a doubt.¡±

    ¡®Belongings¡¯

    ¡®Sound of Wailing.¡¯

    Despite the host¡¯s pressure to pick one, Pyung Jin insisted on choosing two.

    ¡°Now, I don¡¯t have to mention that one of these books won the Dong Kyung Literary Award.¡±

    ¡°Of course. You were one of the judges, right? You spoke with passion that day.¡±

    Then, the screen showed an excerpt of a previous episode, where the critic spoke about the book while wearing an orange tie. By the time the screen returned to the current episode, there was only ¡®Belongings¡¯ in the critic¡¯s hands. The writing ¡®Tranted By: Yun Woo¡¯ became visible.

    ¡°OK. So, ¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ seems to be the most popr book of the day. Mr. Lee, would you mind exining the book in your hands to us?¡±

    At the host¡¯s remark, Juho knew what had happened immediately.

    ¡®His answer must have been too long.¡¯

    ¡°I bet they had to cut out his answer,¡± Seo Kwang murmured, and Pyung Jin began to talk about ¡®Belongings.¡¯

    ¡°This book was actually written by Kelley Coin, but as you know, it also happens to be Yun Woo¡¯s first trantion.¡±

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d pick that book, Mr. Lee,¡± the poet interjected, and Pyung Jin cleared his throat quietly and said, ¡°What do you think are some of the most important things in a trantion?¡±

    The host directed the turn to Myung Joo, and after thinking for a brief moment, he answered, ¡°Uh... I¡¯d figure that you have to speak thenguage you¡¯re tranting from?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You have to be fluent in thenguage you¡¯re tranting from, as well as thenguage you¡¯re tranting to. I mean, that¡¯s what makes it a trantion, right? Turning a book written in onenguage into another. The more the trantor is fluent in bothnguages, the better the quality of the trantion.¡±

    The actor listened intently at the critic¡¯s exnation.

    ¡°There are several types of trantions, and as you know, it¡¯s also a necessaryponent in film and business. Of course, every field goes by different standards, but in the field of literature, the most important thing is keeping the uniqueness intact.¡±

    ¡°Uniqueness?¡± the actor asked, and other cast members were nodding as if they were already familiar with what they were hearing.

    ¡°Novels are very different from a business document, where you have the freedom to let your subordinate take over and fill it out for you. It¡¯s not a standardized system where a person takes over when another resigns. When an author dies, we can¡¯t expect any more books from them,¡± Pyung Jin said calmly.

    ¡°And it is a trantor¡¯s job to trante such books.¡±

    Then, Juho realized that Seo Kwang was oddly quiet. He was sitting in silence, without moving a muscle. Only his eyes were fixed on the TV screen.

    ¡°So, naturally, a trantor would feel motivated to trante the author¡¯s original work as is.¡±

    At that, Myung Joo nodded, and the hosts didn¡¯t go out of their way to cheer up the cast members as the air sank into silence. They simply carried on with their jobs: to host the show.

    ¡°So, what does that mean for Yun Woo¡¯s trantion?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think I was so insistent on choosing this book? There are two things that are missing in this book.¡±

    ¡°Two things? Like what?¡±

    ¡°Mistrantions and Yun Woo.¡±

    Pyung Jin¡¯s tie moved slightly as he spoke.

    ¡°There¡¯s not one bit of mistrantion in this book. It might be that I missed it, but I would¡¯ve recognized a bad trantion if I saw it. It¡¯s very clean, and considering that it¡¯s Yun Woo¡¯s first trantion, he did an incredible job.¡±

    The cast members and the audiences alike eximed quietly as they listened to Pyung Jin intently.

    ¡°Also, Yun Woo. There¡¯s no trace of him anywhere. The entire time, I was under the impression that I was reading a book written by Kelley Coin. I¡¯ve read the original, and it¡¯s not easy to replicate that sort of reading experience. This is a tranted version, I might add, so it¡¯d be natural if something felt like it might have been changed, and that¡¯s why trantors try to minimize those changes as much as possible. But, in Yun Woo¡¯s case, there¡¯s not one bit where it feels like it¡¯s been changed. It¡¯s very odd how identical it feels to reading the original.¡±

    Then, the camera showed Myung Joo¡¯s face, which looked deeply impressed.

    ¡°I¡¯d rmend this book to anyone who¡¯s getting their hands on Kelley Coin for the first time. They will get the full Kelley Coin experience.¡±

    With that, Pyung Jin finished his segment and locked eyes with Myung Joo.

    ¡°Speaking of which, did you hear anything about the meeting between Kelley Coin and Yun Woo?¡±

    At the unexpected question, Myung Joo chuckled as if he was caught off guard, and the rest of the cast members joined in.

    ¡°You too, Mr. Lee?¡±

    ¡°But really, tell us!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re dying to know what kind of things Kelley Coin would have talked about with Yun Woo! This is Kelley Coin we¡¯re talking about here, and we discussed his books in the past too. You guys know about this, right?¡± The host asked the audience.

    ¡°That¡¯s why people were making such a big deal out of it, saying things like ¡®Kelley Coin¡¯s at it again!¡¯ or ¡®What business does an eighteen year old have in tranting?¡¯ Although, I gotta admit that I was secretly rooting for Yun Woo as a fan.¡±

    ¡°So, if there¡¯s anything you know about the meeting between Kelley Coin and Yun Woo, tell us!¡±

    At everyone¡¯s urges, Myung Joo sighed quietly and answered in a sad voice, ¡°I¡¯d love to know as well.¡±

    He was sincere, and it had the power to soften their hearts. The rest of the cast members quietly let him off the hook and then went on to leave a video message for Yun Woo, like previously.

    ¡°Yun Woo, we¡¯d love to have you!¡±

    While Juho brought a chip up to his mouth, he looked in Seo Kwang¡¯s direction. His friend was deeply moved, and his eyes sparkled with inspiration.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna trante your books. No matter what,¡± he dered all of a sudden.

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Juho rooted internally for his determined friend. Whether or not he would be able to aplish his goal was not important. What mattered was that he was making the effort. Then, Juho turned his eyes back to the screen, where his books were resting on the desk. At that, he resolved himself that he would write as long as he could with a determination simr to his friend¡¯s sitting next to him.

    ¡°Oh, yeah! We need to start thinking about essay contests, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Juho answered Seo Kwang.

    Mr. Moon had posted quite a few of flyers about various contests on the chalkboard.

    ¡°Have you decided which contest you wanna be in?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m still deciding. You?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna try the samepetition asst year.¡±

    Then, Juho contemted, ¡®What to do? I wouldn¡¯t mind being part of the samepetition asst year.¡¯ Then, he remembered a person. Sung Pil. Although they had never agreed on being at the same contest, they hadpeted at the same contest. ¡®Maybe it¡¯ll happen again,¡¯ Juho thought as he decided to give him a call.

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ is almost done, huh,¡± Seo Kwang said, looking ahead at the TV screen. ¡°When¡¯s thest volumeing out? I¡¯m dying to know. Oh! Do you have the manuscript?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡®Gasp!¡¯

    Then, Seo Kwang sped his chest all of a sudden.

    ¡°You mean... you have the manuscript?!¡±

    ¡°Yep. It¡¯s just the finale though. I had an idea about how to end the series, so I ended up writing it before the sixth volume. It¡¯s in my room, actually.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang bounced on the couch anxiously with excitement. It was obvious that he was tempted, and Juho munched on his chips.

    ¡°Do you want me to bring it?¡±

    ¡°Ugh! Don¡¯t you test me!¡±

    ¡°I can just show you, you know.¡±

    ¡°No. That¡¯d be cheating. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to other readers.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? My editor¡¯s read it too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different!¡± Seo Kwang shouted emphatically.

    ¡°OK, then.¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait.¡±

    ¡®What do you want from me?¡¯ Juho thought as he observed Seo Kwang quietly, who was struggling to fight off the sweet temptation of the devil himself. Then, sending Sung Pil a text about the essay contest, he redirected his attention to the TV.

    That night, Juho heard the news from Nam Kyung that ¡®Belongings¡¯ started selling at an increasing rate after the show aired.

 Chapter 161 - You Who Live within a Book (1)

    <h4>Chapter 161: Chapter 161 ¨C You Who Live within a Book (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Been a while.¡±

    ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    That morning, Juho got out of bed early in order to go to the park for morning exercises. Surprisingly, there was someone, who had arrived at the park before him, stretching at the entrance of the park. It was Sung Pil. Although Juho hadn¡¯t seen him in a while, Sung Pil¡¯s eyebrows were as thick as ever, and Juho was d to see what seemed like an indication that his friend was well.

    Then, the two jogged through the quiet park together.

    ¡°How¡¯s writing going?¡± Juho asked as they ran through the usual route, his voice shaking with every step he took. The scenery filled with trees and green grass rushed past him.

    ¡°I¡¯m still writing for now. Things are still in their early stages,¡± Sung Pil answered, his voice also shaking with every step.

    In his past life, Juho didn¡¯t read Sung Pil¡¯s debut work because his writing career was beginning to fall apart around the same time. Therefore, there was no way to know if what Sung Pil was writing would be the same as that of the past. Besides, what was more important was the fact that he was still writing, regardless of whether he was writing the same story as before or not. As long as his debut wasn¡¯t a coincidence, Sung Pil would be more than capable to aplishing his goal of bing an author. After all, his ability to write hadn¡¯t changed.

    ¡°Can I ask what your story¡¯s about?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about a bank.¡±

    ¡°A bank?¡± Juho asked as he stared at a gingko tree in the scenery rushing past him.

    (TL¡¯s Note: In Korean, the word ¡°bank¡± and ¡°gingko (nuts)¡± are homonyms, hence Juho¡¯s following thoughts.)

    It wasn¡¯t clear whether Sung Pil was referring to the tree or a building. However, considering his personality, it was likely that he would write about the tree. Honest, precious, strong roots, and reaching for the sky as it fought daily to grow straight.

    For that reason, Juho asked, ¡°You mean the tree, right?¡±

    ¡°No. The financial establishment.¡±

    Sung Pil gave him a clear cut answer. The financial establishment. A bank was a ce where money went in and out of, and people often sought its services for various reasons, like making deposits or getting loans. It was one of the most crucial establishments for those who lived in a capitalist society, and it was also a ce where hope and despair coexisted.

    ¡°Huh. I guess that suits you too.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s remark, Sung Pil turned his head to look at him. In Juho¡¯s eyes, Sung Pil hadn¡¯t changed one bit since their first meeting.

    ¡°I remember you going to the police station to return some money you found on the street.¡±

    ¡°I sure did.¡±

    ¡°But why are you writing about a bank now?¡±

    ¡°I had some business that I needed to attend to there, and it just so happens that I had finished reading ¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ around that time, so I found myself seeing the world around me a little bit differently from the book¡¯s lingering aftereffect. Then, when I got to the bank, that was when things looked really different. For the first time, I saw the look on people¡¯s faces while they were waiting for their turns with their numbered tickets, and that¡¯s when I felt like I had to write about it.¡±

    Juho was well acquainted with moments like that, when his head was filled with signals such as: ¡®I have to write about this, what I¡¯ve felt and seen.¡±

    ¡°I assume you went there often from then on?¡±

    ¡°Since I started writing, I¡¯ve been going at least three times a week.¡±

    ¡°Did they try to kick you out or anything?¡±

    ¡°No. I just sit there quietly. If anything, I made friends with a security guard there. He¡¯s quite experienced, and I thought he would be the one person who saw everything that happened in the bank, so I¡¯ve been writing a story from his point of view.¡±

    ¡°That sounds interesting.¡±

    As Juho was starting to run out of breath, he found himself chuckling at the same time with every exhale. He was looking forward to Sung Pil¡¯s story, and for the first time, he was d that he hadn¡¯t read it in the past life. Back then, he had felt nothing more than childish jealousy for Sung Pil, who was the next rising star after Yun Woo. Unlike himself, who had been at the lowest point of his life, Sung Pil had been making his presence known consistently in the literary world, and Juho had been less than willing to read the new author¡¯s book. Instead, he had watched quietly from the distance.

    However, things were different in the present. Now, Juho was rooting for the birth of his friend¡¯s debut title.

    ¡°You¡¯re in it, too.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. A version of you in that interview.¡±

    Slightly confused, Juho looked at Sung Pil, who remained calm.

    ¡°Interview? As in the one from the school festival?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that.¡±

    Then, the face of the monkey-like Newspaper Club member rushed past Juho¡¯s mind.

    ¡°There¡¯s an author whoes to the bank.¡±

    With that, Sung Pil began to talk about his story, which was yet to be finished. A customer and an author.

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°I drew inspiration from your interview.¡±

    Juho¡¯s eyes moved busily as he immersed himself in thought.

    ¡®I¡¯m in his story? Me? In that interview?¡¯

    Rather than describing him more concisely and directly, Sung Pil was intentional about describing the Juho from the interview, and he was not the type to beat around the bush.

    ¡°Is that different from how I am at the moment?¡±

    At Juho¡¯s question, Sung Pil smiled affirmingly.

    ¡°You really sounded like an author in that interview.¡±

    Juho felt like he was gasping for breath all of a sudden.

    ¡°... Really?¡±

    ¡°You have clear opinions and values on writing, and there is a definite standard that you use to discern what you can share and what you can¡¯t. The person in that interview was Juho Woo, the author of ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ unlike you, who¡¯s not fazed by anything.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m grateful that you see me that way. That interview must have left quite an impression on you, huh?¡±

    ¡°Enough to remember it while I write.¡±

    Sung Pil was writing his debut title, and the fact that there was a story within him that was flowing out of him was only natural. If anything, it was closer to being evidence that he was on the right track. On the other hand, Juho found it odd that he was in the middle of his friend¡¯s story. Growing curious about the author in Sung Pil¡¯s story, Juho asked him, ¡°What¡¯s he like?¡±

    Then, after thinking for a brief moment, Sung Pil answered calmly, ¡°He¡¯s an adult. Cold and level-headed. He¡¯s arge-figured man. I don¡¯t know, but I had an image of a hunter for some reason, the kind that wouldn¡¯t be afraid to dance with a bear in Russia.¡±

    Juho chuckled as the character¡¯s description grew further away from his own, and Sung Pil added as if to apologize, ¡°It was just inspired by you.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Just an inspiration. However, Juho had to force himself to ignore feeling pricked in the heart. At that moment, the rest area came into view in the distance, and Sung Pil made a suggestion before Juho even had time to speak.

    ¡°Race?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re on.¡±

    ¡°Loser buys drinks.¡±

    As Juho agreed silently, the two sprang forward, clenching their teeth and running with everything they had. In the end, the victory went to Juho.

    ¡°Whew! I¡¯m feeling drowsy. I could use a nap right about now.¡±

    As they quenched their thirst while sprawled on the bench, Juho looked up at the sky while catching his breath. It was clear, and he was feeling drowsy after exercising rigorously in the quiet park. At that moment, a thunderous sound roared from the side, or more precisely, from the stomach of the person next to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting hungry.¡±

    Typical Sung Pil.

    ¡°What do you wanna eat?¡± Juho asked.

    Although neither of them had agreed on what they were going to eat, they rose from their seats and made their way toward a hole-in-the-wall restaurant they had made themselves regrs of. It was a gukbap restaurant that sold ham hocks on the side. As they walked in, they saw a number of customers eating at their small tables without even looking in their direction, each concentrating on refueling themselves with the energy needed for the day. Walking past them, Juho and Sung Pil sat themselves at the innermost table in the restaurant.

    ¡°What are you getting?¡±

    ¡°The usual.¡±

    With that, Juho ordered two bowls of soondaeguk, and the server went into the kitchen after taking the order in a manner neither friendly nor abrupt. As a man paid for his meal and left the restaurant, anotherdy came out of the kitchen instead of the server, who had gone to clean the table. The two were each doing their jobs without saying anything, and it made the fifty year tradition of that restaurant all the more convincing.

    Soon, the two bowls of soondaeguk made their way onto Juho and Sung Pil¡¯s table, and they each put a bowl of rice into their soups.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Gukbap means rice with soup in Korean. Soondaeguk is a Korean soup with slices of pork blood sausage and meat and/or intestines.)

    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± Sung Pil said after a spoonful of soup, and Juho agreed quietly as the soup warmed up his stomach.

    Then, picking up a piece of radish kimchi, he asked, ¡°Where you arepeting this year?¡±

    ¡°Competing?¡±

    ¡°The essay contest?¡±

    Sung Pil gave him no answer. Instead, he immersed himself in thought while chewing his food. Then, as Juho was about to go in for his third bite, he answered in a not-so-confident voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    It was as Juho had expected. He was already in the middle of writing a story, and Juho was familiar with his desire to focus on writing.

    ¡°You¡¯re nning on taking part in one, right?¡± Sung Pil asked.

    ¡°Yeah. I texted you. I looked up a few contests.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    Then, Juho told him the most recent contest he hade across.

    ¡°The 7th Literature Essay Contest.¡±

    It was a contest hosted by a university in Gyeonggi-do, and it didn¡¯t have such a long history or tradition. Juho was intentional about applying for contests that were mildly unpopr. Not only was the contest quite far from his home, it was also rather unorganized as it was still growing in size.

    Because he had things to hide, Juho was always careful and deliberate about which contests he was applying to, and it seemed like ¡°The 7th Literature Essay Contest,¡± would meet his standards.

    After hearing Juho¡¯s exnation, Sung Pil asked, ¡°Is there a reason for why you chose that contest?¡±

    Hiding the real reason, Juho said, ¡°I just found it out of nowhere.¡± Then, he added in order to change the subject, ¡°If you want to focus on writing your story, you don¡¯t have topete.¡±

    Instead of asking a question, Sung Pil immersed himself in thought yet again. Meanwhile, assuming that he would bepeting alone that year, Juho focused on eating his gukbap. He was well acquainted with an author¡¯s desire to focus on their work.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll apply.¡±

    Juho looked up at Sung Pil¡¯s unexpected answer. He was chewing on a piece of radish while wearing a serene expression.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Whypete?¡±

    ¡°Because I want to be a better writer.¡±

    At his straightforward answer, Juho barely managed to stop himself from saying Mr. Moon¡¯s go-to phrase: ¡®Not exactly wrong, but not exactly what I¡¯m looking for either.¡¯

    Despite Juho staring at him intently, Sung Pil didn¡¯t catch on, forcing Juho to ask, ¡°Can you be a little more specific?¡±

    ¡°I want to observe you.¡±

    Although his answer was much too direct that time, Juho understood where he wasing from.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m in your story?¡±

    A story about a bank.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sung Pil answered, eating a big spoonful of his gukbap. ¡°I¡¯m confident what I¡¯m thinking is urate.¡±

    ¡°Wait, I thought you were writing about the version of me in the interview from the school festival? If you want the interview¡¯s content, I can just get you one.¡±

    The version of Juho in Sung Pil¡¯s story was that of himself in that interview. In that case, it didn¡¯t quite make sense for Sung Pil to want to follow Juho to the contest.

    Like previously, Sung Pil answered calmly, ¡°I want to be a better writer.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± after a brief silence, Juho answered as he had no choice but to answer briefly.

    Ever since he started writing, Sung Pil¡¯s hunger for writing had intensified significantly. Wanting to write and express himself better, he worked hard toward his goal, without trying to hide his desires. It was very Sung Pil-like. Like a gingko tree, his roots would only grow deeper as they absorbed massive amounts of water and sunlight, growing bigger as the tree spread out its branches.

    Juho wasn¡¯t particrly offended that Sung Pil was including him in his story, and he believed that what Sung Pil wanted to achieve by taking part in an essay contest was entirely up to himself. After all, Juho was always weing of new circumstances.

    From then on, the two focused on eating their food, and Juho told him bits of information regarding the contest. The preliminary round was set to take ce two weeks from that day, and the finals were set to take ce at a university campus, followed immediately by the award ceremony.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna make it through the preliminary round at least, right? You gotta make it to the finals if you want to observe me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just have to do my best,¡± Sung Pil answered honestly to Juho¡¯s joke. Without being caught off guard by his abruptness, Juho drank from his cup. It was refreshing.

    ¡®I better start preparing as soon as I get back.¡¯

 Chapter 162 - You Who Live within a Book (2)

    <h4>Chapter 162: Chapter 162 ¨C You Who Live within a Book (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°How did the preliminary round go?¡± Bom asked as Juho sat down, yet to set his backpack aside. When he looked at her, Bom¡¯s face was filled with anticipation.

    ¡°Like a walk in the park.¡±

    Juho gave an answer that would satisfy her. At that, Bom smiled brightly and took out her phone to send a text to someone.

    ¡°Sun Hwa?¡±

    ¡°Yep, and Bo Suk. She wanted to know. I¡¯m going first between the three of us, so I have to make sure I start us off on the right foot.¡±

    Like previously, Juho ended up being the first among the club members topete in a contest. However, unlike the news he had heard of the preliminary round of the essay contest he was taking part in, Sung Pil had yet to contact him. Although Juho felt slightly concerned, he decided to set it aside for the time being.

    Then, Bom said as she set her phone down, ¡°Bo Suk was especially anxious.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°It is her first time.¡±

    Juho thought back to the day when Mr. Moon had asked Bo Suk whether or not she nned on taking part in an essay contest. She had answered after a brief time thought, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±

    It was quick, and nobody had anything to add to her decision.

    ¡°Has she decided on which contest she willpete in?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s time.¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s having trouble making up her mind. You know how confusing it was for us too.¡±

    While Juho knew rtively better what he had been looking for, things hadn¡¯t been as simple for the rest of the club members.

    ¡°She was certain about not wanting topete in the same contest with you,¡± Bom said as if she identified with Bo Suk.

    To which, Juho answered with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel a little hurt here. You guys are treating me like a bomb.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but I wouldn¡¯t want to cross paths with you, even by coincidence,¡± she said light-heartedly, like a code between them. Then, she added with a bright smile, ¡°So, you go ande back with an award, so Bo Suk feels motivated.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s my award have anything to do with her?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon now. It has everything to do with her. Once she sees the person she looks up to the moste back with an award, she¡¯ll be bound to feel motivated.¡±

    ¡°The person she looks up to the most, huh?¡±

    ¡°Her eyes sparkle every time she sees you.¡±

    At that, Juho looked at Bom and said, ¡°How about you take that role?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You guys are close. Besides, don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s more effective when a close friend is rooting for you?¡±

    A flustered look appeared on Bom¡¯s face. Then, she answered in a quieter voice, ¡°... don¡¯t pressure me like that now.¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    Juho hadn¡¯t intended on pressuring Bom. However, if he were to pick the club member who had improved the most in writing, he would have picked her, and the rest of the club would agree. She was ready to write with all her heart, and Juho sincerely hoped that the essay contest would bring her confidence. Then, Juho asked her, ¡°Your preliminary round ising up soon, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep. By the time you¡¯re done with your finals, it should be my turn. It is my second time at the contest.¡±

    ¡°Is it the same contest asst year?¡±

    Bom nodded quietly. She had to have been preparing herself to the best of her ability.

    ¡°You feel less anxious thanst year, right?¡±

    ¡°A little. Very, very little,¡± Bom answered as she showed Juho the tips of her nails in order to prove her point.

    She seemed to be a bit more at ease than previously.

    ¡°OK, guys. I¡¯m gonna start collecting your phones now.¡±

    At the voice of the timid ss president, only a handful of students stepped toward the podium to turn their phones in. Then, as Juho rose from his seat, his phone vibrated in his hand, and when he checked, the name Sung Pil appeared on the screen. At that, Juho realized that it was the news he had been waiting desperately for. As he checked the message quickly, a brief, one word text came into view: Pass.

    ¡°What is it? Huh?¡± Bom asked as she returned to her desk after turning her phone in. ¡°What¡¯s with the silly smile?¡±

    Juho answered with his eyes fixed on the screen of his phone, ¡°I have a friend who always meets my expectations.¡±

    Then, Juho went on to make ns with Sung Pil for that same day.

    ¡ª

    ¡°This is a big campus.¡±

    ¡°You can see the field from here. Is that fertilizer I¡¯m smelling?¡±

    Although the ce wasn¡¯t all that far from Seoul, it gave off a weing, country-like atmosphere, and it was especially so for the university campus Juho and Sung Pil were in. An earthy fertilizer smell was in the air, and the two walked further into the campus as they looked around it. There were other students besides Juho and Sung Pil who seemed like contestants in the samepetition, and all contestants were to meet in a big lecture hall named Garam Hall.

    ¡°Love the fresh air,¡± Juho said as he took a deep breath, realizing how inferior the air he had been breathing up to that point had been. ¡°I like this campus.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s remark, Sung Pil asked, ¡°How are your grades?¡±

    ¡°That question¡¯s too real.¡±

    Then, they walked past the gingko trees lined up by the street.

    ¡°You¡¯re nning on going to college, right?¡± Sung Pil asked, looking at the massive building they were approaching.

    Contrary to Juho¡¯s expectations, the conversation continued. As a high school student, attending a university was an obvious goal, and judging from the certainty in Sung Pil¡¯s voice, Juho was able to understand where he wasing from.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Are you not going to?¡±

    That time, Sung Pil asked while emphasizing the vague possibility in Juho¡¯s answer, and Juho, too, looked up at the massive building.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean? Does that mean you might end up not going to one?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. I¡¯m not obligated to.¡±

    ¡°It may not be an obligation, but I heard that it¡¯s essential.¡±

    Then, Juho looked at Sung Pil, and asked, ¡°If it is, then why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you asking because there¡¯s a choice in the matter?¡±

    He looked around the peaceful campus. People were bound to have differing opinions about that university in Gyeonggi-do, and because of that, conflict would be inevitable. Those who want to attend, and those who didn¡¯t. Those who couldn¡¯t attend, and those who were obligated to. Everyone fought their own battles.

    While Juho himself was leaning toward the second of the four choices, there were still times when he would find himself confused about his decision. Nobody knew the result of the choice they made, therefore, and they had no reason to fear others criticizing or mocking their decision.

    ¡°What do you think I should do then?¡±

    ¡°Just like everything else, you keep pondering and you stumble across an answer, and then the responsibilities.¡±

    ¡°What if you make the wrong decision?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll have a way out.¡±

    Then, Juho said as they arrived at the building, ¡°I don¡¯t think this is it.¡±

    ¡°... Are we at the wrong building?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    ¡°Is there time?¡±

    At that, Juho checked the time and answered, ¡°Yeah, plenty.¡±

    In the end, it wasn¡¯t until they gave themselves a thorough tour of the campus that they arrived at Garam Hall.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I will now present the topic of the 7th Literature Essay Contest,¡± said a middle-aged woman, who had introduced herself as a professor of creative literature, and a student sitting next to her typed busily on the keyboard.

    Then, three topics appeared on the screen at the center of the hall: challenge, umbre, and taxi driver.

    As the professor recited the topics, Juho stared at those words for a brief moment. While he contemted what to write, he felt a burning gaze from behind him. Looking back, he saw Sung Pil, who was sitting diagonally from him. They were in opposite ces fromst year¡¯s contest.

    ¡°Now, please, feel free to write anywhere within campus.¡±

    An unexpected announcement sounded. The contestants weren¡¯t limited to writing in the lecture hall, and Juho quietly celebrated the fact that he could be free from the burning gaze that came from behind him.

    ¡°Two hours from now, you may return to this lecture hall with your essays. There¡¯s a campus directory, thepetition schedule and where you can submit your work on the handout we just gave you, so please, keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    As a handful of students responded by reflex, the professor began to converse with her T.A while the contestants made their way out of the lecture hall. Juho looked down at the manuscript paper and the handout in his hands. Just as the professor had said, there was a directory, a schedule and an indication of where to submit the essay, including the time and location of the award ceremony. Underneath that, were things that contestants needed to be mindful of, and while Juho was reading them, Sung Pil struck up a conversation with him.

    ¡°Are you gonna write here?¡±

    Juho looked up.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna follow you.¡±

    He was rather straightforward. Then, Juho rose from his seat, saying, ¡°Well, the entire campus is at our disposal, so we might as well take advantage of it.¡±

    ¡°What about that trail with gingko trees?¡±

    There were rare asions in life when misdirections turned out favorably, and because they had already been to the trail before arriving at the lecture hall, they didn¡¯t have to worry about getting lost or not returning in time.

    Then, Sung Pil nodded enthusiastically as if he was fond of Juho¡¯s suggestion. Just like that, the two exited the lecture hall with the little burdens they had, such as paper and writing tools.

    ¡°As expected. It¡¯s quiet here.¡±

    The two had arrived at the end of the trail. The air was still fresh, and the fertilizer smell was nearly gone. Unlike most students who wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to turn back at the smell and find a different ce to write, Juho and Sung Pil were at the trail alone, as if they had reserved the ce for themselves. There was nobodying out of the building which the two had mistaken as Garam Hall, either.

    ¡°There¡¯s a gazebo there. Should we check it out?¡±

    Juho made his way toward the garden, which was decorated with flower pots. It seemed like a resting area, and along with a gazebo, there were a number of benches throughout it as well. Each finding a seat, Juho settled at the gazebo while Sung Pil chose a bench ced in the middle of the trail. They were neither near nor distant from each other. With Sung Pil¡¯s face visible through what looked like a wall of reeds, Juho feltforted enough to write in peace.

    ¡°Well, shall we?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    With that, their conversation came to an end. Although Sung Pil moved around busily to observe Juho, he returned to his post eventually to write. He was a terrible multitasker. Sensing that he was free from Sung Pil¡¯s burning gaze, Juho thought about the three topics: challenge, umbre, and taxi driver. ¡®What should I pick? What should I write?¡¯

    Sung Pil had told him once that he was nning on creating a character based on Juho from the interview during the school festival, and he was sensitive enough to recognize the minute difference between the Juho from the interview and the person he was facing. Juho agreed with Sung Pil that he had sounded more like an author in the interview, and the person who had been interviewed by the monkey-like ssmate had been an author named Juho Woo.

    Sung Pil had read ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ Although different from Yun Woo, it was just as Yun Woo-like in terms of quality, and because of that, the rest of the club members had been avoidingpeting in the same contest as Juho. However, Sung Pil was just about the opposite. He was excited topete with Juho and he hade up with the goal of being Yun Woo¡¯s rival after reading his books. At that, Juho felt an unfounded certainty that Sung Pil would ept him as he was even after discovering that he was Yun Woo all along. Looking forward to the day when they would meet as authors, Juho put pressure into his hand. Until then, the best thing to do was to write with all his heart.

    ¡°Should I try writing about him, too?¡±

    Challenge, umbre, taxi driver. Juho decided to write about challenge, which had a lot inmon with Sung Pil, who kept pushing forward without fearing what other people had to say about him.

    Juho imagined a tall gingko tree, reaching up high with a thick trunk. It didn¡¯t try to avoid thunder or lumberjacks. It simply stood its ground and survived, providing a resting spot for people. Sustained by the nutrients in the soil, the tree stood stubbornly in its ce, and there were people who ran past it consistently, every morning.

    While they tended to vent at the tree, they also ignored or leaned against, or were impressed or envious of it. Seeing the course of human life, from their birth to bing a part of a society, reproducing, and dying, the tree came to realize something about humans. The very act of them running past it was a challenge in and of itself. Living through their daily lives was a noble challenge, and the tree also came to realize that it had also been making the same challenge.

    Juho moved his hands and wrote calmly. The gazebo was peaceful as there were no cars or pedestrians around it. There were flower pots around him, and next to them were the gingko trees that were lining up the trail. Then, a thought crossed his mind, ¡®Maybe this gingko tree is reading my essay over my shoulders.¡¯

    With that, he concentrated all the more, and he was left uninterrupted until he finished writing. It had to be the trees around him.

 Chapter 163 - You Who Live within a Book (3)

    <h4>Chapter 163: Chapter 163 ¨C You Who Live within a Book (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As Juho wrote the veryst word in his essay, a gust of wind blew all of a sudden, blowing against Juho¡¯s paper in the gazebo. Then, holding onto those pages, Juho looked up and felt the wind in a daze. It was the very first time he was able to concentrate from start to finish in a contest.

    ¡°How¡¯d you do?¡± Sung Pil asked, and Juho grew curious about whether or not Sung Pil saw him writing and of what he might have thought. Maybe it was already part of the book that would be announced to the world for the first time.

    ¡°I think I did all right.¡±

    Sung Pil smiled at Juho¡¯s light-hearted answer.

    ¡°So, it went well,¡± he said with certainty.

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±

    ¡°Because I saw it with my own eyes,¡± Sung Pil gave a rather author-like answer, and Juho rose from his seat, saying, ¡°You got me.¡±

    ¡°How well?¡±

    ¡°Almost unfairly good, maybe?¡±

    ¡°... That¡¯s a shameless answer.¡±

    Then, Juho looked down at the essay in his hands of which he was quite proud, asking, ¡°What if I get first ce?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a contestant too, you know.¡±

    Sung Pil reminded Juho of his existence, and his distinctively thick eyebrows twitched. Truth be told, Juho didn¡¯t need to be reminded of Sung Pil¡¯s existence, nor of his skill.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go submit our essays then. What¡¯s the time?¡±

    Then, Sung Pil checked the time.

    ¡°We have plenty.¡±

    With that, the two went back the way they came from, and the air sank back into silence, absent of cars or other pedestrians. As Juho read the handout while walking, Sung Pil stared at him intently. Then, he opened his mouth all of a sudden to say, ¡°So, there¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Juho answered with his eyes still on the handout.

    ¡°Are you nning on not going to the award ceremony?¡±

    At that, Juho looked up from the handout and looked at Sung Pil for a brief time. Soon, he went back to looking at the handout, and written at the bottom of the page in bold, he saw: ¡®Contestants are encouraged, but not required, to attend the award ceremony. However, the award will be nullified with the absence of the awardee.¡¯

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±

    ¡°You left aheadst year too.¡±

    ¡°Oh, are you talking about Joon Soo Bong¡¯s lecturest year?¡±

    Sung Pil nodded. Back then, Juho had chosen to leave early instead of attending the remaining events scheduled for after the contest that day.

    ¡°I gotta hand it to ya. You¡¯re quick.¡±

    Juhoplimented his friend with a smile.

    ¡°Are you nning on leaving even if you win?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Juho¡¯s reason for taking part in the essay contest was simple: he had wanted to. It didn¡¯t mean that he was looking to win an award. Simply, he wanted topete in an essay contest as a proud member of the Literature Club, and he wanted to try writing in a new environment. In other words, he wanted a different experience, and unlike in his past life, he had a hunger to write.

    He was Yun Woo as well as Won Yi Young, who were both professional authors with published works. The only qualification for being in the contest was that the contestant had to be a student in high school, so while Juho didn¡¯t vite the rule, the contest was strictly for amateurs, putting Juho in an awkward category. For that reason, he had chosen things carefully and ording to his own standards.

    ¡°Well, the results aren¡¯t out yet, so let¡¯s not celebrate too soon.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. We still have to submit our essays, too.¡±

    By the time they were almost at Garam Hall, Sung Pil suggested, ¡°Bet?¡±

    When Juho looked ahead, the distance wasn¡¯t nearly long enough to race. Then, Sung Pil shook the sheets of paper in his hands.

    ¡°You mean in writing?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. As soon as we submit, they¡¯ll evaluate our essays, and the results wille out by the end of lunchtime, so let¡¯s make a bet on whose name gets called out first,¡± Sung Pil said in a serious tone, and he didn¡¯t seem like he was looking to lose either, so Juho epted his challenge willingly.

    ¡°Cool. Drinks?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s make it two this time.¡±

    ¡°Raising the stakes, I see.¡±

    From then on, the two went into the building while conversing light-heartedly. By the time they entered the lecture hall, there were quite a few people who had already arrived. Then, Juho and Sung Pil went on to submit their essays together.

    ¡°Where should we go for lunch?¡±

    ¡°I saw a noodle shop nearby.¡±

    ¡°OK. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Professor Hwang?¡±

    The professor looked toward the sound of the T.A.¡¯s voice, who was bringing a stack of essays. The contest wasn¡¯t all that big, and because all of the contestants were high school students, the judges rarely read through an essay from beginning to end. In most cases, judges were able to gauge the writer¡¯s skill by reading the beginning of the story¡¯s plot.

    Professor Hwang was sitting in front of five other judges, consisting of one author, who was an alumni of the university, and four other professors. Then, Professor Hwang looked at the professor sitting across from her. His books weren¡¯t very popr, and it was likely that most of the contestants would find his name obscure and unfamiliar.

    ¡°OK. Shall we?¡±

    With the professor¡¯s words, the judges each picked up an essay simultaneously. Being the author¡¯s first time judging an essay contest, the author looked through the essays with eyes filled with anticipation, and Professor Hwang sighed mockingly, reminiscing about the old days when hope had still existed, like within the author.

    Being oblivious to Professor Hwang¡¯s sigh, the author, like the other professors, focused on the evaluations, and Professor Hwang yed along, reading through the essays page by page. Most of them were crude andcking, and that was only natural. As their job required the professor to read through thousands of essay pages of simr quality, the pages flipped in a mechanical manner.

    Then, by the time the professor had just made it past halfway through the stacks of essays, she sensed that something was out of ce. While sorting out the essays that were tolerable from those that were unreadable, there was one essay in particr that had grabbed her attention. It was written by one of the handful of kids who hade all the way from Seoul.

    ¡°This...¡±

    The professor hadn¡¯t expected toe across something like that in an essay contest for high school students. The essay stood out amid all the others, which was revealing of its writer¡¯s skill level. It was out of ce and it was inherently different. Then, the professor flipped to the next page, and the next, trying read through them calmly.

    ¡°Professor Hwang?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    The professor looked up at Professor Myung¡¯s voice. Having taught the longest at the university, she grasped what the professor was feeling immediately, despite her trying to hide it. With a puzzled look, she asked the professor, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You seem stuck for some time.¡±

    At her question, the professor finally put down the essay that she had been reading repeatedly.

    ¡°I was just taken aback by something.¡±

    Then, the professor shared a packaged version of the experience, and stopping what they were doing, the rest of the judges looked at Professor Myung.

    ¡°Taken aback? It¡¯s not everyday that I see you taken aback by something, Professor Hwang.¡±

    With that, Professor Myung took the essay from the professor. Willingly handing it over, the professor observed the veteran professor¡¯s reaction quietly.

    ¡°Huh...!¡± Professor Myung eximed quietly, and her eyes sparkled curiously as she was intellectually stimted. ¡°This is definitely not the work of a high school student.¡±

    At that, Professor Hwang brought up a name that raced past her mind.

    ¡°Could it be Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo?¡±

    Surprised, the author looked at the two professors in turn. Then, Professor Myung shook her head slowly, saying, ¡°No. It¡¯s different. The style isn¡¯t the same, and the depth is nowhere near Yun Woo¡¯s level.¡±

    ¡°But the only high school student who can write like this is Yun Woo. Especially considering the qualification of the contest, Professor Myung.¡±

    ¡°There are all sorts of people in this world, Professor Hwang,¡± she said calmly. ¡°There might be another prodigy who is yet to be known to the world.¡±

    ¡®Sure, if we can find one, that is,¡¯ Professor Hwang muttered internally.

    ¡°There are probably only a handful of them, of course,¡± the veteran professor added as if she heard Professor Hwang¡¯s internal voice, and the professor smiled awkwardly. ¡°There¡¯s always a higher ceiling, as well as a lower ground. Simrly, there¡¯s always someone better.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, we should be thankful that we have a candidate for first ce, and our job has be just a little bit easier. Now, let¡¯s get to work, shall we?¡±

    ¡°May I?¡± the author asked, itching to read the essay in Professor Myung¡¯s hand.

    While the author was quite impressed after reading through it in no time, they both agreed that it had not been written by Yun Woo. Then, at the urges of Professor Myung, the author moved on to the next essay.

    Just like that, the air sank back into silence, and the judges read through the essays quickly. Embarrassed of being overly excited and hastily mentioning the name Yun Woo, Professor Hwang looked around the room and saw the author sittingpletely still, holding firmly to an essay while staring intently at it. At the strange sight, Professor Hwang let out a quiet cough, but the author waspletely oblivious to it even as the professor coughed again for the second time. There was no progress, and Professor Myung, too, looked at the author as she noticed the strange sight.

    Then, just as she was about to call for the author, the author spoke up, ¡°You¡¯re right, Professor Myung. There really are all sorts of people in this world.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Professor Hwang asked, and Professor Myung also looked toward the author, who was wearing a stiff expression. As the author handed the essay over willingly to Professor Hwang without saying anything, the professor caught on to where the rookie judge wasing from immediately.

    ¡°This...¡±

    The professor was perplexed yet again by the skill level and depth of an essay that was supposedly written by a high school student.

    Professor Hwang was well aware of that feeling. She had felt it when she had first started writing. Because she had yet to understand what writing was really like, the professor had been able to judge any book with ease, and it was easy to point out their ws. However, the more she wrote, the more the professor came to realize how difficult writing really was, and judging a book was no longer a trivial matter. Simply, the professor was impressed. ¡®How can one write and think of something like this?¡± There was no way to truly gauge the actual skill level of a writer, and the reason for that was simple: an author would be, inherently, a better writer than a rookie who had just started writing.

    Just like that, time passed, and the rookie writer eventually became a professor at a university, dealing with students who were significantly less experienced. As a professor, the writer was able to have an objective opinion on the strengths and weaknesses of her students as writers-in-training, and things no longer felt like the past. Yet, the essay she was reading currently made her feel like she was stranded in the middle of the ocean, not knowing how deep it was or whether it had an end.

    Then, the essay went to Professor Myung¡¯s hands, and an expression simr to that of the author appeared on her face as she lost herposure after getting lost in its depth.

    ¡°Yun Woo?¡± she murmured, and sensing something unusual, the other professors examined the essay themselves.

    ¡°Marvelous.¡±

    ¡°The structure, the sentences. It doesn¡¯t seem like the writer had prepared for the contest, either. This is a short story.¡±

    ¡°How was this student able to write something like this in such a short time in an essay contest? This wouldn¡¯t possible unless one¡¯s in the habit of writing a significant amount on a regr basis.¡±

    ¡°The sentences are at apletely different level from all the other contestants.¡±

    ¡°Is this really Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°No. It carries a different feel, even the sentences do.¡±

    Then, there was silence. Although the essay was definitely different from Yun Woo, it was just as good as something written by a genius author who had been treated as a freak of nature in the literary world. His fame had been spreading throughout the world. However, it seemed like there was yet another person who matched Yun Woo¡¯s skill. With that, the professor asked, ¡°What¡¯s the name?¡±

    ¡°Juho Woo.¡±

    ... and one of the professors read the name on the essay out loud.

    ¡°Juho Woo.¡±

    No one in the room had heard of that name, and the judges thought simultaneously, ¡®Will he be there at the award ceremony?¡¯

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get to work, folks,¡± Professor Myung said, and the rest nodded stiffly, still lingering around the essay.

    Although they all eventually moved on to reading through their stacks of essays, it was obvious that the name ¡°Juho Woo¡± lingered in their minds.

    In the end, an essay was chosen unanimously as the first ce.

 Chapter 164 - You Who Live within a Book (4)

    <h4>Chapter 164: Chapter 164 ¨C You Who Live within a Book (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°That noodle soup was really something, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It was pretty good.¡±

    After finishing their lunch, Juho and Sung Pil were on their way back to Garam Hall when they saw a crowd of staff setting up the stage for the award ceremony.

    ¡°That must be where the award ceremony is taking ce,¡± Sung Pil said as the staff were busy setting up the microphones.

    Unhindered, the two walked past the stage and went into the lecture hall, where a good number of contestants had already arrived, and the professor and the T.A.¡¯s were moving busily around the podium in preparation for announcing the winner. Then, Juho sat on the same spot where he had sat previously, while Sung Pil sat diagonally behind him. The hall was noisy from all the chattering. Soon, the doors closed, and the professor spoke up.

    ¡°Is everyone here?¡±

    Like previously, a handful of students answered by reflex, and Juho listened intently to Professor Hwang, who seemed to be observing the students more intently than before.

    ¡°Great job everyone. I realized the students nowadays hade a long way as I read through your essays. You all did well,¡± she said as if trying to encourage the contestants.

    ¡°As you know, there will be an award ceremony after announcing the winner. Attendance is not mandatory, but if you¡¯re one of the winners and you are absent when we call out your name during the ceremony, please keep in mind that your award will be nullified.¡±

    At that, a series of answers sounded yet again, and Juho hid behind them, murmuring, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll dly ept the loss.¡±

    Then, the professor opened up a sheet of paper that seemed like it would contain the list of winners. The contestants waited anxiously for the announcement, each in anticipation for their names to be called, hoping that the judges were moved by their heartfelt writing.

    ¡°We will now announce the winners.¡±

    Then, as Professor Hwang paused briefly to drink out of her water bottle, the air sank into silence immediately as all eyes were focused on her.

    ¡°Starting with third ce.¡±

    With that, the professor called out a name, and a sound came from the back of the lecture hall. While a handful of them looked in the contestant¡¯s direction quietly, others apuded for them. Before the dull celebration came to its end, Professor Hwang moved onto the next person.

    ¡°Second ce.¡±

    Juho heard the person sitting next to him tensing up. It was the very breath of a person who had worked hard toward their dreams, and the fact that they anticipated an award meant that there was a level of confidence toward their efforts and skill.

    At that moment, Juho nced over his shoulders at Sung Pil, who was sitting diagonally behind him, locking eyes with him.

    A unexinable tension traveled from his fingertips to his arms, urging him and making him think that he wanted to beat Sung Pil.

    ¡°Pil Sung Choi.¡±

    For a brief moment, Juho found himself wondering who that was. Pil Sung Choi. It was the name of the future author who would be called by his alias, Sung Pil. Sitting diagonally behind him, Sung Pil remained silent and looked straight ahead while the contestants around him looked around, confused and pping. Then, Juho looked up slowly and also looked forward.

    ¡°First ce.¡±

    The professor paused briefly, and announced...

    ¡°... Juho Woo.¡±

    ... his name.

    ¡°Congrattions.¡±

    The professor congratted the winner as she continued to observe the contestants. Then, reminding them where the award ceremony was taking ce, she left the podium in a hurry, and the contestants also rose from their seats. As the lecture hall grew emptier, Juho stayedpletely still in his seat.

    ¡°Congrattions,¡± Sung Pil said, and Juho smiled.

    ¡°Is it a one-to-one situation, now?¡±

    ¡°You can say that.¡±

    With that, the essay contest came to an end. Being thest ones to leave the lecture hall, Juho and Sung Pil stood quietly as they watched the contestants exiting the campus to go home. The path was split in two: one toward home, and the other toward the award ceremony. The first path seemed to be significantly more popr, but before he joined in with other contestants himself, Juho asked Sung Pil, ¡°What are you gonna do?¡±

    Sung Pil pondered for a little while, looking to the left and to the right.

    ¡°You won first ce. Are you really not gonna go?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡®I¡¯m gonna go home. I already got to experience what it¡¯s like to win an award,¡¯ Juho said to his friend internally, and Sung Pil nodded quietly.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t think the bet was fair because my award was nullified, feel free to call it off.¡±

    ¡°No, that doesn¡¯t change the fact that you won. I¡¯ll buy the drinks tomorrow morning.¡±

    Juho smiled at the appropriate recognition, and after a brief time thinking, Sung Pil said, ¡°I¡¯m gonna go to the award ceremony.¡±

    To which, Juho thought to himself, ¡®I knew it.¡¯ He knew that Sung Pil would have gone to the award ceremony even if he hadn¡¯t won.

    ¡°Well, take care now,¡± Juho said as he raised his hand, and they said goodbye to each other. As Juho walked toward a crowd of students unhurriedly, Sung Pil looked at him for a little while. He stood out among the others around him.

    Then, Sung Pil remembered Juho¡¯s appearance while he had been busy writing. Sung Pil waspletely incapable of multitasking, and in the end, he had chosen to focus on writing. By the time his essay was nearly finished, he had looked up at Juho, and he found himself regretting having made that decision in hindsight.

    ¡°He was desperate.¡±

    Juho had written desperately, and he was quite unique even among Sung Pil¡¯s friends. By nature, he remained unfazed at all times and knew how tough off any taunts directed toward him. He also had a tendency to to stare intently at certain things, and Sung Pil realized that his thick eyebrows were one of his friend¡¯s subjects of observation. Looking like he didn¡¯t have a care in the world, he wasn¡¯t afraid to talk to strangers when he hardly ever talked about himself. It wasn¡¯t clear whether or not he was fond of Yun Woo.

    For those reasons, it had been Sung Pil¡¯s first time seeing such serious and desperate look on Juho¡¯s face. It had been clear that he had been concentrating. Something had welled up from within, and Sung Pil grew all the more curious about Juho. He wanted to approach his mysterious friend, but unfortunately, Juho didn¡¯t wait for Sung Pil. As Juho looked up after finishing his essay, the world around him seemed to grow silent as his usual,zily peaceful look appeared on his face. Although Sung Pil was left feeling unsatisfied, he hade to realize where his priorities needed to lie and how much room for improvement there was for him still.

    Slowly, Sung Pil tried to revisit the things he had felt back then. From the rustling sound of the leaves and the surface of his paper, to the rigidity of the bench, the memories were still vivid. They were burned into his mind, unwilling to be removed. Then, suddenly, he had a feeling that things would never be the same as before, thanks to his strange friend.

    ¡®Had Juho worn that same look while he was interviewed?¡¯ Sung Pil asked himself as he saw and walked toward a number of tents in the distance, set up along a stage for the award ceremony.

    ¡®After the ceremony, I¡¯ll go home, eat, and write. I need to start writing about this person that I have in my mind.¡¯

    ¡°The ceremony is this way!¡± a voice shouted as the judges had already taken their seats.

    Then, while Sung Pil had to endure a displeased re from the judges as he received his award, Juho was learning of some unexpected news.

    ¡°A character based on Yun Woo.¡±

    Juho read the title on his phone¡¯s screen out loud. Although it was unlikely, Juho wondered if Sung Pil had already made his professional debut as an author after publishing his book.

    Then, he read through the article and saw the name Mideum. Upon reading the article that read ¡®The most recent volume of the Dr. Dong series has been drawing the attention of the masses with a character based on the author Yun Woo,¡¯ Juho couldn¡¯t help but find himself confused, as it was news that he wasn¡¯t expecting.

    The names Yun Woo and Mideum were already on the rise in the most-searched list, and articles poured out about them through all media. As he stared at his phone in a daze, his phone started to vibrate, showing the moniker Mideum.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡±

    A lively voice came from the receiver as soon as Juho answered the phone.

    ¡°About what?¡± Juho asked even though he was slowlying to grasp things.

    ¡°Did you read the articles by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was just reading them.¡±

    Then, Juho heard Mideum writhing in shame over the receiver.

    ¡°Things are starting to sound like I was taking advantage of your name...¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that what this is about?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing to worry about. I didn¡¯t take it personally.¡±

    While the news was sudden, Juho wasn¡¯t all that offended, but despite Juho reassuring her, Mideum apologized profusely and tried to exin how things came to be. She was quite desperate.

    ¡°So, I had an interview that was about an hour long recently, and I talked about all sorts of things, from my book to authors I¡¯m close to, my values, writing environments and the industry. I did try to answer the questions as sincerely as possible, but I only mentioned you for like five seconds! I can barely remember what I said because it was so short! I just said that ¡®I got a hint from Yun Woo¡¯ in passing. That¡¯s all I said, I swear!¡±

    While Mideum was starting to get worked up, Juho caught on to the situation and how it had had an unintentional consequence.

    ¡°I didin to the reporter, but it was toote by then. I swear, I¡¯m never getting interviewed by that prick again!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK, really.¡±

    Then, as ifforted by Juho, she went on to express her frustration to him in a yful tone, ¡°And guess what! Those five seconds in the interview ended up being the headline. Your name was marginally more popr than my convictions as an author.¡±

    ¡°This is Yun Woo we¡¯re speaking of.¡±

    ¡°Ugh. I don¡¯t know what to say to that. I¡¯m experiencing the power of your name.¡±

    Then, Juho asked as he remembered the articles that had exaggerated the truth, as if the character in Mideum¡¯s book was the equivalent of Yun Woo in real life, ¡°I can¡¯t remember what kind of hint I gave you, but it seems like it¡¯s inurate to say that there¡¯s a character based on me. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Um... Yeah, you can say that. M-hm.¡±

    She sounded ambiguous for some reason.

    ¡®Is it really true, then?¡¯ Juho asked himself internally, but there was no way to know because he had yet to read her new book.

    ¡°What¡¯s the character like?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t read it yet, have you?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s brief answer, Mideum groaned, making a slightly bizarre sound. She wasn¡¯t angry. Rather, she sounded tantalized.

    ¡°It¡¯s still new. Could you let it slide?¡±

    ¡°No, no. I should be the one asking you to read it. Hm... How should I say this? There¡¯s something ambiguous about the new character.¡±

    ¡°Ambiguous? Are we talking about the culprit?¡±

    At that, Mideum denied emphatically and said, ¡°Dr. Dong¡¯s friend.¡±

    Dr. Dong was the detective in Mideum¡¯s novel, and it wasn¡¯t clear what could be so ambiguous about his friend.

    ¡°The one that¡¯s mentioned only in the letters.¡±

    ¡®A-ha!¡¯

    At that, Juho finally realized why Mideum had been beating around the bush so much. There was yet to be a definite description of that character.

    ¡°Frankly, it¡¯s more urate to say that the character hasn¡¯t appeared yet. I didn¡¯t even reveal what was on the letter, so that character hasn¡¯t said a single word. I¡¯ve been saving the character for the next volume, but now that we found ourselves in this ordeal, I feel like it¡¯s hindering my ns.¡±

    ¡°What kind of character was it supposed to be?¡±

    ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t one of the important ones... like a piece of cloud floating by.¡±

    A character that was yet to even make an appearance had managed to draw the attention of her readers somehow, and it was all thanks to the name Yun Woo. As an author, Mideum, too, was in a rather sticky situation, and there were usually two ways to go about it. The first was to go with the n, and the second was to change the n. It all depended on the author¡¯s choice, and she had expressed that she was tempted to change her n.

    ¡°So, what are you gonna do? Are you gonna change it?¡±

    Thankfully, the book was yet to be published, so the author still had the creative flexibility to change things around in her book.

    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t change the flow of my novels or anything just solely on the readers¡¯ responses, buttely, I¡¯ve started ying around with the idea of creating a character that¡¯s actually based on you. So, in light of that...¡±

    She dragged on, and, by reflex, Juho knew that she was about to ask for a favor.

    ¡°Can I interview you?¡±

    As expected. She was working on turning what had been exaggerated into truth.

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m way too popr for my own good.¡±

    Juho sighed quietly thinking of all the authors desperate to write about him.

 Chapter 165 - You Who Live within a Book (5)

    <h4>Chapter 165: Chapter 165 ¨C You Who Live within a Book (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What could you possibly get out of interviewing me?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo, I need you to be on the same page as me. You¡¯re a sensation with legs.¡±

    ¡°Maybe from afar, but I don¡¯t have much to offer up close.¡±

    ¡°No. You¡¯re an author of unlimited potential. I know it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for saying that.¡±

    ¡°So, at least consider it,¡± Mideum said in a desperate tone as Juho contemted the idea. ¡°This is a novel, so it¡¯s not like you¡¯re exposing yourself or anything, you know? If you¡¯re still not sure, do you want me to let you read the part you¡¯d be in ahead of time?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make it sound nice. Do you not trust me? My name isn¡¯t Mideum for no reason, you know!?¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: Mideum means trust in Korean)

    Then, Juho thought of the articles he had read earlier. People were already ecstatic about the idea that there was a character modeled after him, and they waited desperately to read about the character in the book. That meant that his name would be attached to the character forever, no matter what Mideum made the character be like. In that case...

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not a terrible idea.¡±

    ¡°Really? Really!?¡± she asked with her voice filled with excitement. And in the end, Juho ended up giving in to Mideum¡¯s request. Besides, it seemed like it would be fun to be part of a novel.

    ¡°OK. I¡¯ll cooperate.¡±

    Then, a loud cheer sounded from Juho¡¯s receiver. To get ahead of the interview, Juho told Mideum about his humble daily life. Without even a hobby, the only thing he did was write, whether at home or at school.

    ¡°Are you still interested?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Don¡¯t worry. Leave all the question to me. All you gotta do is sit back and rx.¡±

    Mideum was already ecstatic.

    ¡°What day works best for you? Where do you wanna meet? I¡¯ll go to you.¡±

    ¡°Please be mindful that I¡¯m a student. You said it would be an interview, right?¡±

    ¡°Actually, while we¡¯re at it, I¡¯d like a little tour of your writing environment.¡±

    ¡°Are you nning on visiting me at my school? You most likely won¡¯t get past the front gate.¡±

    ¡°You know what, I¡¯ll settle for your studio. Where do you write?¡±

    ¡°At home.¡±

    ¡°Mind if Ie over, then?¡±

    Although Juho had never had another author over at his house, there was no reason to say no, and just like that, he agreed to be interviewed by Mideum,pletely forgetting about his prior engagement with the club members to update them on the contest results.

    As Juho woke up early the next morning, he got out of bed and opened the window in his room for venttion. There was no drastic change from the day before, except for his desk, which was slightly more organized. After all, what Mideum wanted to see wasn¡¯t a tidily organized room. Then, Juho got ready to go out.

    ¡°Is that authoring over today?¡± his mother asked as he closed the door on his way out of the room.

    ¡°Yes. She won¡¯t be around for too long. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s a whole lot to see or anything.¡±

    ¡°All right. Did you clean your room? Do you want me to go in and clean it up a little?¡±

    ¡°No, thanks. It should be OK as is.¡±

    Then, his mother nodded willingly. She didn¡¯t try to force herself into the life of her son, who had a social life while still being a student. She knew how to be respectful of her son as a student and a responsible adult in society, and Juho was grateful for having a mother like that.

    ¡°Bye.¡±

    ¡°Be safe now.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    With that, Juho left his house to meet with Mideum. When he looked up at the sky, he saw that it was covered in clouds, and the gusts of wind made the weather all the worse. Fortunately, bad weather wouldn¡¯t be enough to bring Mideum down.

    As he walked toward the wind, the scent of freshly-baked bread in the air indicated to him that he was almost at the meeting spot, and when he looked up as he walked out of the alleyway, Mideum was standing in front of the subway station with her camera.

    ¡°That¡¯s one hefty-looking camera.¡±

    ¡°For our asion, it¡¯s an essential,¡± Mideum said, shaking the camera that she was wearing around her neck. She seemed proud of herself that she had managed to remember to bring the camera with her, and she was just as bright as Juho had expected her to be.

    ¡°This is the perfect weather for an interview!¡±

    Despite the wind blowing her hair all over, she paid no attention to it and looked around curiously.

    ¡°So, this is the neighborhood our man of the hour lives in. I love the smell of freshly-baked bread,¡± she said as she inhaled deeply.

    ¡°Where do you wanna go?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s your studio that I¡¯m most interested in, but we¡¯ll save the best forter for now. Why don¡¯t we walk around the park for a little while?¡± Mideum said, looking at the park on the other side of the street.

    ¡°So, I¡¯ve never been interviewed like this before. What do I do?¡± Juho asked as they stepped into the park, and Mideum answered as she fiddled about with her camera, ¡°Just... Whatever you feel like doing?¡±

    ¡°Sounds prettyx for an interview.¡±

    ¡°This is my first time interviewing a fellow author, too. I¡¯m sure we can figure it out as we go, as we always have.¡±

    There was no way to predict when an author woulde across inspiration. In Mideum¡¯s own words, they were ¡°figuring it out¡± as they went. With that, Juho went where his feet took him. It was a familiar route.

    ¡°I usuallye here for my morning exercise.¡±

    ¡°You exercise? You don¡¯t say?¡±

    ¡°AKA, jogging.¡±

    ¡°Impressive.¡±

    Then, she shared information about her gym membership, which was yet to be put to use.

    ¡°My covers feel so much warmer the day I decide to go to the gym.¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t agree with her more. The covers felt much warmer before having to get out of bed for morning exercises. The two authors had a casual conversation about their daily lives.

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a fountain show!¡±

    As the two authors walked further into the park, the fountain at the center of the park came into their view, which was spraying water about in various patterns along with colorful beams of light shooting out of it. There were only a handful of people around the fountain.

    ¡°Ah, this is nice! Should we sit and watch for a few minutes?¡±

    Then, the two headed toward the stair-like seating area around the fountain. Juho bought a couple of beverages from the vending machine and handed one over to Mideum.

    ¡°Do youe here often, too?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s a botanical garden past the fountain.¡±

    As streams of water shot up to the sky, people looked up at them simultaneously. Juho found himself being drawn more to the crowd than to the jets of water shooting out of the fountain, and he realized that Mideum was feeling the same way, except she was more interested in Juho being interested in the crowd.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if we¡¯re looking at the fountain or the people around it,¡± Juho murmured.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re authors after all. What can you do?¡±

    With that, Mideum picked up her camera, and it wasn¡¯t hard to figure out where she was pointing it at.

    ¡°Should I make a V with my fingers or something?¡±

    ¡°Nah. Just sit still. Looking good.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Juho answered light-heartedly to the light-heartedpliment, and...

    ¡®Click.¡¯

    ... the dull sound of the camera filled the void between Juho and Mideum.

    ¡°How much do you think I can sell this picture for?¡±

    ¡°Who would buy a picture of an average-Joe high school student?¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Mideum said as she put her camera down, smacking her lips.

    ¡®So much for trust,¡¯ Juho thought as he chuckled at Mideum¡¯s exaggerated response.

    ¡°I read your book.¡±

    ¡°The new one?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Like you said, it was a really brief appearance.¡±

    Juho was referring to Dr. Dong¡¯s friend who sent a letter to him after he had solved a case toward the very end of the book. The book didn¡¯t even rify the character¡¯s gender, and Mideum didn¡¯t intend on making the character y a leading role in the novel.

    ¡°So, what am I like in the novel?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. I haven¡¯t started writing the manuscript. I¡¯m not in the habit of writing out the plot, and I mostly prefer to work with the bare bones. It allows me to have the flexibility to change things down the line. Of course, the downside is that I have to do more research and spend more time on revisions.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    There were other authors who approached writing in a simr manner to Mideum. Every author was different in the way they wrote, and there were no rules like those inpetitions. If an author wanted to, they had the freedom to kick the ball from the audience.

    ¡°You have your own studio, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Dae Soo found me one. It¡¯s a small office space, but it¡¯s actually pretty nice.¡±

    As the name, Dae Soo came up in the conversation, Mideum brought up something that she remembered.

    ¡°Oh, yeah! Dae Soo¡¯s been staying in a hotel room somewhere.¡±

    ¡°A hotel room? Where?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. All I know is that it¡¯s somewhere in Gangwon-do. Whenever she¡¯s struggling to make progress, she stays at a random hotel room.¡±

    Dae Soo¡¯s purpose for staying at a hotel was quite unusual, and it was as if the goal of her trip was to be in the hotel room.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she odd? Once she finds a room, she disappears with herptop and research data, and thenes back with amazing results. Whenever I read her work, I¡¯m tempted to try writing at a hotel room myself,¡± Mideum said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Even though she was still talking about Dae Soo, her eyes were fixed on Juho.

    ¡°What about you? Do you do anything weird when you¡¯re stuck?¡±

    Then, she tantly changed the subject. It was obvious that her sole interest was Yun Woo. After a brief time thinking, Juho answered, ¡°Not really. I don¡¯t get stuck all that often.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s answer, a dissatisfied look appeared on Mideum¡¯s face. She wasn¡¯t afraid to show her feelings.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to write about such an arrogant character. This changes things a little bit.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a little harsh, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s really nothing? Even when you¡¯re making good progress?¡±

    ¡°Nothing out of the ordinary. I just pick up a pen and write.¡±

    ¡°Ordinary people don¡¯t see ghosts, you know.¡±

    ¡°Of course they can, if they¡¯re writers.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m not a writer, punk?¡±

    ¡°Well, it puts me in an awkward position if you put it that way.¡±

    The ghosts she was referring to were Juho¡¯s creative process of interacting with the characters within the novels. In other words, they were the interaction between the young author and writing that had no shape to it yet. If he didn¡¯t write, he wouldn¡¯t be seeing ghosts in the first ce. After Juho exined, Mideum nodded affirmingly, adding, ¡°You know, you¡¯re kinda like a ghost at times.¡±

    Although it had been a rather unexpected remark, Juho felt ufortable internally. He felt pricked in the heart.

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°A ghost wouldn¡¯t be taken aback by seeing other ghosts.¡±

    Then, a gust of wind blew all of a sudden, and the streams of water from the fountain sshed sideways.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get fazed by ghosts.¡±

    She checked the picture in her camera.

    ¡°I see it in the picture.¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s alive.¡±

    ¡°Kind of a letdown, ain¡¯t it?¡±

    Her disappointment seemed genuine, and it was only natural. If Juho were a ghost, he wouldn¡¯t have to rely on the power of alcohol for the experience Mideum had been yearning desperately for.

    ¡°Well, I might be a half ghost.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡±

    Since he couldn¡¯t tell her that he hade back from the dead, Juho had to answer her ambiguously.

    ¡°ording to this one famous scientist, there¡¯s a high probability that this world is one giant hologram. There are a lot of things about this that humanity doesn¡¯t know about.¡±

    ¡°What, are we going the sci-fi route now?¡±

    As Juho took a sip of the beverage from his can and the liquid flowed into his mouth, he saw tall streams of water shooting up from the fountain.The wind gave them ghost-like appearance, and the drops of water plummeted toward the ground, never to rise back up.

    ¡°What the?! Why¡¯s that thing stopping already? The announcement said the show would end at 9:00 a.m.!¡±

    The children who had been running around the fountain stood confused, and the crowd who had been watching the fountain show began to leave one by one.

    ¡°It stopped,¡± a child said to its father as if it were telling a truth that was known only to it. Soon, they, too, left the fountain and headed toward the yground. Most people responded in such ways when the fountain stopped working. Then, feeling a piercing gaze beside him, Juho said, ¡°It¡¯s empty now.¡±

    ¡°Yep. Nobody¡¯s interested in finding out the truth. Seems like we don¡¯t have any detectives around here.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they left because they already found out the truth. Also, I think the weather has a lot to do with their behavior.¡±

    The wind was strong, and the weather was not suitable for a fountain show. However, the detective writer was yet to be satisfied by what she had found.

    ¡°Let¡¯s think about it some more.¡±

    So, Juho yed along willingly.

    ¡°Do you think this was a homicide case, then? Maybe the detective already smelled the blood and tragedy of the custodian¡¯s death.¡±

    At that, Mideum presented an argument as if she had been waiting for him, ¡°The detective might not be all that good at what he does. No curiosity, reasoning skills, or an assistant.¡±

    ¡°Well, lucky for the culprit then. They have it easy with an ipetent detective like that.¡±

    ¡°No. The culprits always reveal themselves in my novel, so that I make sure they pay for their crimes in the most unfortunate ways.¡±

    ¡°Oh, man. I guess the culprit¡¯s not so lucky, after all.¡±

    Mideum wasn¡¯t afraid to use the word ¡®always,¡¯ and insisting on the same ending was a big burden for writers as it could very well be their weakness. After all, there were bad people who lived prosperously while the good lived in poverty. However, Mideum had made her choice to show no mercy to the culprits in her novels, and Juho made noment about her decision.

 Chapter 166 - You Who Live within a Book (6)

    <h4>Chapter 166: Chapter 166 ¨C You Who Live within a Book (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    It wasn¡¯t until the fountain grew silent that Juho realized how loud the fountain show had been. It had to be the absence of music.

    ¡°What¡¯s the first thing you do when you write a detective novel?¡± Juho asked, since detective novels were a territory he was yet to have explored.

    Mideum smiled at his question and said, ¡°For me, it¡¯s collecting data. I decide what kind of case I want to write about. From then on, I don¡¯t follow a particr order since I have a pretty good idea of the subject, characters and backgrounds by the time I finish researching.¡±

    With that, she added, eximing as if she had remembered something, ¡°But the culprit is usually what I start with. At least with characters, anyway.¡±

    ¡°The culprit, huh.¡±

    At that moment, the image of an unfortunate culprit appeared in Juho¡¯s mind.

    ¡°From their faces, to things like height, weight, habits, favorite foods and ces, hobbies, values, rtionships with friends as students, and who and how many people they had made love to thus far. I shape the culprits thoroughly because they are the people who are most closely rted to the criminal cases. I don¡¯t know... It just happens that way.¡±

    Judging from the intricate process, Mideum had to have a detailed understanding of the crime that was about to bemitted by the culprit. Perhaps, that was why the author was so intentional about making sure that the culprits in her novels paid dearly for their crimes. However, Juho decide not to bring up his conjecture about her thought process.

    ¡°That¡¯s intriguing.¡±

    ¡°Really? I thought I was normal inparison to someone whoes up with a slew of bizarrenguages.¡± Mideum smiled, and pointed at the fountain that was no longer working. Then, she said, ¡°Now, first question... ¡±

    ¡°... If you were to write about this case, who would you make the culprit?¡±

    Her eyes were fixated on Juho, indicating that she wasn¡¯t looking to miss the slightest of details in his answer. While being on the receiving end of her piercing gaze, Juho thought for a brief time.

    ¡®The culprit who had stopped the fountain show. Did they have a bad memory associated with the fountain, or are they using the fountain to their advantage for an unknown reason? In any case, the culprit¡¯s capable ofmitting a crime, and I have to think within that boundary. Maybe there was more than one culprit hiding among the people near the fountain, the custodian...¡¯

    A number of faces rushed past Juho¡¯s mind.

    ¡®Would this person feel no guilt, even if the fountain were to stop working, or is this a person who¡¯s still willing to do something foolish at the cost of taking on the burden of sin?¡¯

    When the thoughts reached that point in his mind, Juho let out a quiet sigh.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it really matters.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°The culprit. It doesn¡¯t matter what kind of person they are. As soon as theymit the crime, they be the culprit.¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah. That¡¯s what makes the culprit a culprit, right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I would make anybody the culprit.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Mideum furrowed her brow as if confused.

    ¡°Because people are much more interesting than a fountain.¡±

    Those who benefited or suffered a loss as the fountain stopped working. Those who ignored of epted the situation. Those who knew or didn¡¯t know the culprit responsible. Those who were overlooked or suspected.

    ¡°I¡¯d probably go from there and pick a random person to be the culprit.¡±

    It was the exact opposite of Mideum, whose creative process started with shaping the culprit. Regardless of their intention or the kind of life they had led in the past, a person was always capable ofmitting a crime, and authors were people who wrote about people.

    Although frowning for a little while, a smile appeared on Mideum¡¯s face. Then, picking up her camera, she began to take pictures of Juho and the fountain.

    ¡°Maybe detective novels aren¡¯t for you.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know the joy of being part of the mind game between a detective and the culprit. I feel bad for you.¡±

    ¡°Of course I do. I¡¯m just saying that¡¯s how I would go about writing a detective novel. Although, I won¡¯t know until I actually start writing one.¡±

    ¡°What the... Are you nning on writing one?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to write any genre of novel.¡±

    ¡°Great answer.¡±

    ¡®Click,¡¯ the shutter sounded off, and with that, Juho and Mideum left the fountain. After they had been walking around the park for a while, Mideum grew more curious of Juho¡¯s school.

    ¡°So, your friends at school really don¡¯t know that you¡¯re Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, except for my clubmates in the Literature Club.¡±

    ¡°Do your books evere up during Linguistics?¡±

    ¡°Not really. It¡¯s not like they¡¯re in the textbook, either. However, when I get caught dozing off, the teacher says, ¡®You can keep sleeping as long as you¡¯re Yun Woo,¡¯ so I keep sleeping.¡±

    Mideum chuckled.

    ¡°Yun Woo? In a Literature Club? Did anyone figure out that you were Yun Woo after they read your writing?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Because Juho didn¡¯t write in Yun Woo¡¯s style at school, there was no way for anyone to know, and being oblivious to that fact, a puzzled look appeared on Mideum¡¯s face.

    ¡°You know, I think I want to take a look around your school now.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to get in.¡±

    ¡°At least from the outside.¡±

    She was insistent.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s quite a distance from here. Should I call a cab?¡±

    ¡°Nah. We¡¯ll walk there.¡±

    With that, she urged Juho to lead the way from behind him, and the two made their way to the school, making petty conversation along the way. Upon arrival, Mideum eximed as if impressed by the sight of the school building and the schoolyard. After taking a picture, she added, ¡°I know that it¡¯s an ordinary school, but knowing that it¡¯s your school makes it anything but.¡±

    Then, she stared intently at the school building as if she was thinking about what to write. While Juho waited patiently for her to finish, a centipede crawled under his feet, and after looking around for a while, it hid itself behind the nearest flower bed.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting hungry,¡± she said quietly, dering the end of her serious contemtion. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a favorite snack shop?¡±

    ¡°A snack shop?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Since we¡¯re already at a school, we might as well eat like students. This is really taking me back.¡±

    With that, Juho took her to the snack shop he and the other club members were regrs of. Fortunately, the shop was open, and Juho went inside with Mideum as he exchanged brief greetings with the owner, with whom he was well acquainted. After taking their seats, they ordered some tteokbokki, soondae, and some fritters.

    ¡°My, it¡¯s been so long!¡± Mideum said of eating the tteokbokki being sold in a snack shop in front of a school and reminiscing about her high school days. Juho, too, was well acquainted with that experience.

    ¡°It¡¯s a nostalgic vor.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s words, Mideum said with a snicker, ¡°Pff! OK, grandpa.¡±

    ¡°Age is of little importance to memories.¡±

    The two focused on eating, and the tes grew emptier at a fast pace. Although it wasn¡¯t clear whether it was because of nostalgia or the distance they had walked, Mideum had an impressive appetite. The two would have been able to finish the food, that is if it hadn¡¯t been for her phone singing cheerfully in her pocket.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Dae Soo.¡±

    Upon checking the name of the caller, Mideum answered the phone, and a few sentencester, a loud voice burst from her receiver. It wasn¡¯t clear what Dae Soo was saying, but judging from the look on Mideum¡¯s face, she had to be nagging at her.

    ¡°OK! OK! I know why I¡¯m here!¡±

    Mideum emphasized the words as if Dae Soo had doubted her and, as Juho watched her quietly talking on the phone, Mideum handed her phone over to him all of a sudden. Taking it by reflex, Juho brought it up to his ear.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Hi! You must be going through a lot, Yun Woo,¡± Dae Soo saidfortingly, out of nowhere.

    ¡°No, not really.¡±

    ¡°I swear, she thinks I¡¯m a troublemaker or something...¡± Mideum grumbled from the other side of the table. At that moment, Juho heard somemotion from the receiver, and a familiar sounding voice interjected all of a sudden.

    ¡°Juho! You gotta stay mysterious!¡±

    ¡°Was that Seo Joong?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Uhm¡¯s here too.¡±

    ¡°Dong Gil, too? I heard he went searching for the hotel you¡¯re staying in!¡±

    ¡°Oh, did Mideum tell you? Yeah, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m in Gangwon-do, Yangyang-gun. I told them that I was going to stay by the beach, and they decided to follow me here. They were craving sashimi, apparently.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you distracted?¡±

    ¡°I got a separate room, so it¡¯s fine. We were in the middle of having lunch together.¡±

    Juho heard Seo Joong still shouting the same thing in the background.

    ¡°What¡¯s with Seo Joong?¡±

    ¡°We made a bet,¡± Dae Soo said indifferently.

    ¡°... What bet?¡±

    ¡°On whether or not Mideum gets useful information out of you.¡±

    These authors knew how to entertain themselves.

    ¡°Well, which side are you on, Dae Soo?¡±

    ¡°I bet that she would, as always.¡±

    Useful information. Judging from Seo Joong¡¯s shouts, he had to have bet otherwise.

    ¡°Uhm kept ying hard to get, but he gave in eventually and took my side,¡± Dae Soo added. ¡°So, keep iting! Tell us what you¡¯re thinking!¡±

    It was clear that she was looking to win the bet, and Juho reassured her that he was cooperating to the best of his ability. Then, as if she had something to say, Mideum reached for Juho, for her phone, and as he handed her phone back, he saw that the tes werepletely clean.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m about to go to the studio now. Jealous? Tell Seo Joong that there won¡¯t be an epilogue. OK! Bye now!¡±

    With that, she hung up the phone without hesitation, checking the time.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time to get a tour of your writing space. The main dish!¡±

    Staring at the empty tes, Juho said, ¡°You mean my room.¡±

    ¡°Your mother¡¯s home, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s ecstatic about youing over.¡±

    ¡°We should stop by somewhere and get her a gift then! What does she like?¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡±

    Despite Juho¡¯s attempts to keep her from getting a gift, Mideum didn¡¯t let up, and in the end, she bought a box of fruit on the way.

    Juho didn¡¯t live very far from the school. Walking past the same buildings in the same ces, they let the carsing from behind them through and had a staring contest with a stray cat on top of a wall, which walked about for a little while until it hid under a car. The two authors didn¡¯t say anything to each other as they walked, and a littered, ck stic bag flew about from the wind.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    When Juho and Mideum stepped into his house, they were greeted by his mother, who was in the living room, and Mideum handed her the box of fruit with a bright smile, exchanging brief greetings with her.

    ¡°I heard you¡¯re here to see Juho¡¯s room?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You see, I¡¯m in desperate need of help from my friend here.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Well, make yourself at home. I¡¯ll bring out some tea.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Mideum eximed as if she were talking to her friend¡¯s mother, and Juho led her to his room while his mother went into the kitchen.

    Pointing at the closed door, he said, ¡°Here we are.¡±

    ¡°Finally.¡±

    Her heavy breathing indicated that she wasn¡¯t afraid to express her excitement.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting nervous.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a room.¡±

    ¡°AKA, Yun Woo¡¯s writing space.¡±

    Then, Mideum grabbed the door knob, and after what seemed like a brief moment of meditation, she turned the knob with a strange shout. The door opened, and a gust of wind blew through her hair.

    ¡°Wow...!¡±

    Much like Juho¡¯s mother, who had rushed to see where the shout hade from, both Juho and Mideum stared nkly at the room. The red lines on manuscript papers. Letters of various writtennguages. Stories. Sentences. They were all flying about the room.

    As Juho picked up a sheet of paper that hadnded before his feet, he realized that he had left the windows in his room open while he had hastily organized the stacks of paper to enhance the room¡¯s ambiance before he left the house. The wind blew again.

    ¡°This is... dreamlike,¡± Mideum let out in a daze, her eyes still fixed on the room.

    ¡°There is writing everywhere,¡± she murmured. ¡°Is this where you sleep? On a bed surrounded by manuscript paper?¡±

    The boxes and stacks of manuscript paper were piled on top of each other, looking like they would topple over at any given minute, standing well over Juho¡¯s height. They were all things that hade out of Yun Woo, and the room was filled with nothing but writing. Then, brushing past the camera around her neck, Mideum reached into her pocket, where she had a pen and a notepad.

    ¡°If you need ¡¯em, I have bigger sheets.¡±

    ¡°No need. I¡¯m just gonna jot down some keywords really quick.¡±

    With that, she hastily jotted down the words on her notepad. That was her way of retaining information, and her face was filled with joy.

    ¡°He¡¯s gonna be an author.¡±

    She brought up the character she would be creating.

    ¡°A very unsessful author.¡±

    Juho listened to her quietly.

    ¡°An author who¡¯s never finished a story in his career, and his room is filled with iplete manuscripts. Loaded, and likes to live it up...¡± Mideum said with a smile. ¡°... and arrogant beyond belief.¡±

 Chapter 167 - The Top Author (1)

    <h4>Chapter 167: Chapter 167 ¨C The Top Author (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Turning down Juho¡¯s offer to see her out until they had reached a major street, Mideum left Juho¡¯s house in a hurry. When Juho¡¯s mother heard Mideum¡¯s exnation as to why she had to leave in such a hurry, she let the author go willingly and quietly. Of course, Mideum didn¡¯t forget to say goodbye to Juho¡¯s mother on her way out, and the shout of joy that echoed in the alleyways sounded undoubtably like her voice.

    After Mideum left, Juho began to organize his room, picking up the sheets of paper scattered about and organizing them in their proper order. It was a rather time consuming task. As he ced them in a box, he closed the lid. Then, he ced a hefty book on top of each of the stacks of papers, making the stacks towering over him even taller than before.

    ¡°That¡¯s one interesting acquaintance you have,¡± his mother said while handing him the cup of tea that would have belonged to Mideum, who had left much earlier than expected. ¡°Are all writers like that?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it.¡±

    ¡°I saw it on TV earlier today. Is it true that Arthur Conan Doyle had a thing for spiritualism?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say whether he had a thing for it or not, but he did want the ability tomunicate with spirits.¡±

    ¡°He liked fairies too, apparently.¡±

    ¡°Well, he did believe a photo that ended up being a hoax.¡±

    Doyle¡¯s lecture on spiritualism had brought him a great deal of ridicule from the masses, and while he even wrote a book inspired by a photo of two young girls surrounded by fairies, his achievements before that were far too impressive for the book to receive the same amount of attention. By the time Juho was on his second cup of tea, his phone began to ring.

    ¡°Did you get results?¡± Dae Soo asked as soon as he answered the phone.

    Realizing that she was asking about the bet, Juho answered with a smile, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°So? Who won?¡±

    Juho heard somemotion in the background. It was Seo Joong¡¯s voice.

    ¡°She just went home to write.¡±

    ¡°Which means?¡±

    ¡°Congrattions!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Uhm, hold Ahn for me, will ya?¡±

    The victory went to Dae Soo, who had faith that her friend would turn up.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Congrattions!¡±

    Bo Suk¡¯s cheerful exmation echoed throughout the science room, and the other five club members stared in her direction simultaneously. Then, she went on to pull out and pop the party popper that normally came with the birthday cakes from bakeries. The lone popping noise echoed throughout the room, and the paper debris from the popper fell on top of Seo Kwang¡¯s head.

    ¡°Congrattions, Baron!¡± Bo Suk eximed once again.

    While Baron managed to keep a straight face for the most part, Juho caught the corner of his mouth twitching. Then, he, too, joined in pping and celebrating the junior¡¯s recent achievement at thepetition Baron had taken part in.

    Baron had finished the artpetition in third ce, and Juho decided to overlook the irony of the first awardee in the club being an artist. After celebrating boisterously for some time, Bom murmured, ¡°My result ising out next week. I wonder if I will be able to measure up to Baron.¡±

    There was a mixture of anxiety and anticipation in her eyes. Then, Sun Hwa patted her back forcefully, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sure you did fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°I sure hope so. Gosh, I¡¯m nervous.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have the party popper ready!¡±

    As if burdened by Bo Suk¡¯s words, Bom smiled awkwardly and hunched forward, and Sun Hwa gave her another good pat on the back.

    Then, Seo Kwang chimed in with his finely decorated head, ¡°I know, right? If only SOMEBODY didn¡¯t get disqualified from their award, Bom wouldn¡¯t have had to take on so much burden.¡±

    ¡°Sorry about that, but from what I hear, somebody didn¡¯t even get close to winning. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°We both came back empty-handed, you know!¡± Seo Kwang shouted annoyedly.

    However, instead of listening to him, Juho decided to turn to Bo Suk to ask, ¡°Well, how about you? Have you decided on the contest you want topete in?¡±

    ¡°Uh... not yet,¡± she said timidly.

    ¡°There¡¯s no rush,¡± Juho answered.

    And after some brief hesitation, Bo Suk opened her mouth to say, ¡°I¡¯m thinking aboutpeting in the same contest you were inst year.¡±

    ¡°You mean The Youth Literary Essay Contest?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Aside from being it being where Juho first met Joon Soo, it was also the very contest where he firstpeted with Sung Pil. After a brief time thinking, Juho said, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not the shabbiest ofpetitions. Just be mindful of the space. You won¡¯t get a whole lot of it.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me more?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not much else.¡±

    ¡°Still.¡±

    Giving into Bo Suk begging, Juho told her what he remembered, from directions to and a description of the ce, to the essay topics and the optional lecture after the contest, adding that it would be worthwhile as long as it was being delivered by Joon Soo Bong.

    Bo Suk listened to him intently from beginning to end.

    ¡°So, do you still want to take part in it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I think I can do it.¡±

    A few dayster, Bo Sukpeted in the preliminary round and received a text informing her that she had been eliminated. Although she felt depressed for a little while, she regained her hope with the encouragements of the veteran club members. Then, the party poppers went off yet again with the news of Bom receiving first ce in herpetition. While the entire club was in high spirits, there were no more winners from then on. And just like that, time passed, and the school went on break. Although the club members were sad that they had to part ways, nobody expressed a desire to give up writing.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Do you wannae over to my office?¡±

    The bus shook Juho¡¯s body while he thought back on Dae Soo¡¯s words. He was on his way to Dae Soo¡¯s office. Mideum had been busy writing since visiting Juho¡¯s house, and Juho was spending his break working on short stories.

    ¡°Whose office?¡±

    Dae Soo chuckled as if the answer was obvious.

    ¡°My office. Dae Soo Na¡¯s.¡±

    A sudden invitation.

    ¡°Let¡¯s y some board games!¡± she suggested out of nowhere.

    ¡°In the office?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my office, so I get to do whatever the heck I want with it.¡±

    Then, after going on for a good while about her board game collection, she added, ¡°Although, the games need three yers.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that there¡¯s going to be another yer. You interested?¡±

    Then, Juho realized the intention behind her sudden invitation.

    ¡°A member of our group,¡± she added quietly.

    She was referring to the group of authors who got together over a meal from time to time. Adding that the day everyone in the group was finally getting together was just around the corner, Dae Soo asked Juho, ¡°If you¡¯re gonna meet them, you might as well know who you¡¯re meeting, right?¡±

    There were only two people in Dae Soo¡¯s group who Juho was yet to meet: San Jung Youn and another unknown author. Juho grew curious.

    ¡°Is it San Jung Youn?¡±

    ¡°Hate to disappoint, but it¡¯s the other one.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Choi.¡±

    Unfortunately, Juho wasn¡¯t very familiar with the name. There were countless authors in Korea, and quite a few of them had thest name Choi.

    ¡°Would you tell me the person¡¯s full name?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡±

    ¡°Does the person even know that I¡¯ming?¡±

    ¡°You know that I¡¯m all about ying fair. Choi doesn¡¯t know that you¡¯reing,¡± Dae Soo said cheerfully.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s y!¡± she said as if trying to convince a child, and as a current student, Juho couldn¡¯t help but give in. In the end, on his way to the bus stop, Juho bought a bag of apples from the same store Mideum had bought the box of fruit.

    Then, the bus arrived at the stop Dae Soo had told Juho previously. As he got off in a hurry, he saw that Dae Soo hade out to greet him, and they exchanged brief pleasantries.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have toe out.¡±

    ¡°I just thought I shoulde get you while I was out on a walk. What is all this stuff? You didn¡¯t have to bring anything!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡¯

    Ignoring Juho¡¯s refusal for help, Dae Soo snatched the bag of apples from his hands and led the way with confidence. Juho followed her quietly. They were in a neighborhood he had never visited before. There were a number of corporate buildings with a number of people walking about in formal business attire, and Juho walked as he looked at everything attentively.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your office?¡±

    ¡°About fifteen minutes walking.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not too far.¡±

    ¡°Right? Seo Joong, on the other hand, was throwing a hissy fit,ining about how much he had to walk.¡±

    ¡°It must have been a hot day.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re sharp.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t all that difficult for Juho to imagine, and neither was the look of displeasure on Dong Gil¡¯s face.

    ¡°I can almost see the look on Dong Gil¡¯s face.¡±

    ¡°That guy. Heins and judges Seo Joong every chance he gets, yet he still follows him around. He¡¯s an oddball too.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they influence each other in positive ways? One¡¯s toox while the other is too rigid.¡±

    ¡°The way I see it, they both need more friends. Not only were they born in the same neighborhood, but they also went to the same schools. Not to mention, they¡¯re in the same field. They only have each other as friends.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you call a BFF?¡±

    ¡°Do you see them as BFFs?¡±

    Juho thought of the two authors who acknowledged each other while being clear about the things they disagreed on. They weren¡¯t all that fond of each other¡¯s books and they weren¡¯t afraid to express themselves regarding that.

    ¡°Yes, quite so.¡±

    Then, Dae Soo swung her arm with the bag of apples in her hand, making a big circle.

    ¡°I think so too.¡±

    From then on, Juho and Dae Soo conversed light-heartedly until they arrived at her office, which was in a new building.

    ¡°We¡¯re here. Second floor.¡±

    Following Dae Soo, who was leading the way, Juho went up the glossy stairs.

    ¡°Is the person in the office?¡±

    ¡°Yep, but don¡¯t worry. Choi recognizes you as an author. Annnd, ta-da!¡± Dae Soo said, adding a half-hearted sound effect.

    As they walked in, a spacious office came into view, filled with books and with various photos on the walls.

    ¡°This is the conference room, and this is the kitchen, and here, is the studio.¡±

    After she pointed out, waving her hands about half-heartedly, Juho followed her to the kitchen and saw somebody standing in there. Seeing how his head was tilted slightly back, he had to be looking at the cupboard, which was covered by all sorts of patterns.

    ¡°Ta-da!¡±

    As another half-hearted sound effect sounded from Dae Soo¡¯s mouth, the man turned around and locked eyes with Juho. Being a leading figure in romance novels, he was an author known for implementing elements of sci-fi and science into his works. His distinct style was shaped by his unique take on love, and it was growing rather popr. At the sudden encounter, Juho found himself at loss for words.

    It wasn¡¯t clear whether it was his long bangs or his sense of fashion, but the author looked much younger than his age. Before Juho even had time to greet him, his eyes went to the bag of apples in Dae Soo¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Dae Soo, I don¡¯t take food from other people, even if you are the one offering.¡±

    ¡°Whoever said anything about offering? Get your own.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m nning on eating my own lunch. I brought some fruit, too.¡±

    Just as the author had said, there was a lunch box on the table.

    ¡®So, he¡¯s also part of the group, huh.¡¯

    The more Juho learned about Dae Soo¡¯s group, the more intrigued he got. At the same time, Juho started to realize why there were such few people in the group.

    ¡°Who is this? He looks way too different to be your sibling. Cousin, maybe?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo, who? Did you meet him on the way?¡±

    ¡°THE Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The office grew silent, and the author¡¯s eyes fixated on Juho. After rolling his eyes around for a little while, Juho took the initiative to introduce himself.

    ¡°Hello. Yun Woo.¡±

    At the unexpected encounter, the author seemed to be at loss for words as well. For someone who refused to take food from other people, his eyes were rather intense. Then, he took a step closer and said, ¡°So, this is what you look like.¡±

    Although Juho didn¡¯t mind his tant fascination, Dae Soo pped the author on his back. Only then, did he introduce himself properly and reached out for a handshake.

    ¡°Hello, Sang Choi.¡±

 Chapter 168 - The Top Author (2)

    <h4>Chapter 168: Chapter 168 ¨C The Top Author (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Please, you don¡¯t have to be so formal.¡±

    ¡°Right. Thanks,¡± Sang answered without hesitation, shaking hands with Juho while staring intently to the point of making the young author ufortable. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Now, now. We¡¯ll save the conversations for the game,¡± Dae Soo interjected, and Sang and Juho sat at the table where she suggested they sit. Then, going through her board game collection stashed in a drawer, she said to Sang, ¡°Choi, you mind cutting up some apples?¡±

    Without any trace of displeasure, he took a knife out and turned down Juho volunteering to do it himself. Seeing as how Sang even knew where to find the tes, he seemed rather well acquainted with the task.

    ¡°Do youe here often?¡±

    ¡°Not really. I do cut quite a bit of fruit, instead¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because I eat ¡¯em often.¡±

    Realizing that there wouldn¡¯t be much point in asking questions, Juho said no more. After washing the apples in the running water, Sang peeled the apples using simple wrist motions. As the flesh revealed itself, he took the seeds out while cutting the apples in halves, cing them on a te. With that, he reached for his lunchbox and opened it. It contained apple slices on the top section of the dualyered container. Although they were slightly discolored, they were as uniform in shape as the ones he had just cut up.

    ¡°You just said that you don¡¯t take food from other people, right?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Sang said with an apple slice in his mouth.

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because I can trust my hands.¡±

    ¡°And you can¡¯t trust other people¡¯s hands?¡±

    ¡°I trust ¡¯em less.¡±

    Juho opened his mouth after looking down at the container, but Sang beat him to it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you argue with me by saying things like, ¡®Those apples you¡¯re eating are raised by other people¡¯s hands, too.¡¯ I don¡¯t care one bit. I¡¯ll do things as I like. Nothing beats food that I made with my own hands, and that goes for fruit that I cut myself, too. I¡¯m just trying to look out for myself. That¡¯s all.¡±

    He took care of himself with the most trustworthy-pair of hands, and for that reason, he refused to eat any food or fruit that was cooked or brought by another person. Instead, he chose to pack his own meals. He was quite entric.

    After blinking awkwardly for a little while, Juho went on to say what he had been meaning to, ¡°I like your lunch box.¡±

    At that, Sang nced up and down at Juho as if he was observing a strange creature.

    ¡°I paid thirteen dors for it.¡±

    At that moment, Dae Soo returned, smiling as if she had been listening to their conversation.

    ¡°You can just tell by his name. I mean, c¡¯mon. His alias means ¡®The Top.¡¯ I think I¡¯ve said enough.¡±

    ¡°Envy and jealousy tend to follow those who are distinguished. Just be honest with yourself, Dae Soo.¡±

    ¡°I am. Why do you think I call you ¡®Choi?¡¯¡±

    The reason why she hadn¡¯t given Juho Sang¡¯s full name was that she didn¡¯t want to say it out loud. Then, setting up the board game on the table, she handed out the pawns to each of the two authors. Looking at a blue pawn in front of him, Juho realized that he had never yed a board game with someone he had met for the first time.

    ¡°OK. Now, let¡¯s see how Yun Woo¡¯s like with board games,¡± Dae Soo said, putting down the dice. Although it was a simple game of who reached the finish line first, the board was filled with all sorts of obstacles that prevented the yers from progressing in the game. Those who were less fortunate were bound to end up either having to backtrack or lose their turn.

    ¡°Are you any good?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I enjoy ying it. Although, it does get pretty annoying quickly when you y against Choi. Well, I try to be the bigger person and not act on my emotions.¡±

    After deciding on an order, Dae Soo went first and rolled the dice, rolling a six. Then, the turn went to Juho, and he rolled an eight. Next came Sang¡¯s turn.

    ¡°I¡¯m a lucky guy,¡± he said confidently just before rolling the dice. It almost sounded like a deration. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll roll the highest number possible and finish in first ce. Just like that.¡±

    ¡°Well, then. I guess all you gotta do is roll.¡±

    At Dae Soo¡¯s words, Sang raised his hand up high, and Juho¡¯s eyes followed his hand by reflex. Then, the dice that were in Sang¡¯s palm, juxtaposed with the fluorescent light, rolled onto the board, and just as he had predicted, they came out a ten.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Juho let out, impressed.

    With a proud expression on his face, Sang continued on with the game. From then on, he rolled high numbers repeatedly, and just as he had predicted, he was on the lead.

    ¡°Juho, let¡¯s team up.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no use, Dae Soo. He¡¯s been blessed by the Goddess of Victory herself.¡±

    ¡°Well, as long as you don¡¯t roll a five.¡±

    Dae Soo gave him a subtle warning, and looking at his pawn chasing that of Sang¡¯s closely, Juho rolled the dice absent-mindedly. As the dice rolled a five, Juho saw something written on the board in red.

    ¡®Go back to the starting point.¡¯

    ¡°Oh, my!¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    Observing the two contradictory expressions on the two adults¡¯ faces, Juho moved his pawn to where he had first started. It was a reset.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem all that sad,¡± Sang said afterughing for a while. When Juho looked up, his eyes locked with Sang¡¯s. The author had been keeping his eyes on Juho throughout the entire game.

    ¡°You, on the other hand, seem rather happy, Mr. Choi.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so polite. Call me whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°Well, then. I¡¯ll call you Mr. Choi from now on.¡±

    ¡°Why does everyone leave out my first name?¡± Although a perplexed look appeared on his face, he moved on and got to the point, ¡°Are you notpetitive?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. Of course, I am. I wanna win.¡±

    ¡°Then, are you thinking that you can still win at this point?¡±

    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t given up just yet, but I am aware that the chances of me winning are pretty slim,¡± Juho said, looking at his pawn, which was back where it had first started.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not out of the game, yet.¡±

    Then, Sang added emphatically, ¡°You¡¯ll be remembered as one of the losers.¡±

    ¡°ording to this game¡¯s rules, yes.¡±

    The game¡¯s rules deemed whoever reached the finish line first as the winner, which meant that the rest of the yers were deemed the losers.

    ¡°There¡¯s not one game in this world where the slowest wins,¡± Sang said as he caught on to what Juho was about to say.

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Juho answered with a smile.

    ¡°There exists a mister who prefers to carry his own lunchbox because he doesn¡¯t trust other people as much as he trusts himself. The way I see it, that kind of games might very well exist.¡±

    At that, Sang stared at Juho intently and rolled the dice, which rolled the lowest possible number.

    ¡°I was joking. I don¡¯t think I can say something like that. It¡¯s just too arrogant, even for my standards. Also, I know I told you that you can call me whatever you want, but mister is one thing you can¡¯t call me.¡±

    ¡°I was joking too, Mr. Choi.¡±

    From then on, the game continued, and the victory went to Sang. However, he wasn¡¯t as lucky as his previous rounds in the new rounds. Shaking her head at Sang Choi, who no longer wanted to y the game, Dae Soo rose from her seat and brought out yet another board game, Jenga. Pouring the wooden pieces out of the rectangr container, Dae Soo skillfully built a tower.

    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors!¡±

    Juho put out paper by reflex, Dae Soo and Sang put out rock.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not so lucky when ites to rock-paper-scissors.¡±

    ¡°Well, the main round is always the most important, just like with everything else,¡± Sang answered as he recovered his confidence quickly. Then, after losing to Dae Soo, he ended up asst.

    Taking the wooden block that he pulled out of the tower, he ced it on top, and after the turn circted a few times, the tower became significantly less stable. Observing the tower, Juho found the block that would have the least amount of impact on the overall structural integrity of the tower. Then, the three tensed up simultaneously as the tower shook when Juho carefully brought his hand to it. Lowering his torso while keeping his eyes on the blocks above and below his eye level, he pulled the block out carefully. Although, it ended up partially pulling out the blocks around it and causing the entire tower to shake precariously, in the end, Juho managed to keep the tower from copsing. However, it became even more unstable than it had been.

    ¡°You¡¯re next, Dae Soo.¡±

    ¡°I know! You don¡¯t have to remind me!¡±

    While everyone was high strung, Sang said, ¡°My turn will probably nevere.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m gonna do this!¡±

    With that, Dae Soo brought her hand to the tower slowly, and Juho held his breath and looked intently at the top of the tower, which shook precariously everytime she moved her hand. As she realized how much the tower was moving, Dae Soo concluded that she had made a bad move. She had chosen a block that was essential in the tower¡¯s overall structural integrity, and the tower fought Dae Soo¡¯s hand off desperately in order to keep her from taking it, even at the cost of falling apart. However, being an author who wrote grotesque, fast paced novels, she managed to swivel the piece out of the tower sessfully.

    Then, Juho looked at Sang Choi since his prediction turned out to be inurate. Yet, he remained calm.

    ¡°Here goes nothing.¡±

    As if he had never made the prediction, Sang started choosing a piece carefully. Just like how he had given himself the alias The Top, he was quite generous toward himself. He hadn¡¯t given up just yet, and still held on to an ambitious hope that he would be able to keep the whole tower from toppling over. He believed in himself and that his hope woulde true. Then, he raised his hand, and the tower toppled over the very moment he pinched a block.

    ¡°Seems like you lost.¡±

    He answered while staring at the wooden block in his hand, ¡°I won the boardgame, so I¡¯m satisfied.¡±

    At that, Dae Soo didn¡¯t hesitate to mock him, and after staring intently at her and Juho for a little while, he looked at his own hands and shook them off. From then on, the three repeated the process of building the tower and toppling it over, and after a while, what was once a fiercepetition for victory took on a different shape as the three began to focus more on the appearance of the tower,peting to see who could make the most bizarre-looking tower.

    As Juho fiddled about with the wooden pieces after spending a good amount of time ying, Dae Soo said out of nowhere, ¡°Congrattions on finishing ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    At that, he remembered thest volume of the book, which had been published recently. The grand journey had finallye to an end, and Juho had received countless congrattory messages from those around him.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°How does it feel to have set a new milestone in Korean fantasy novels?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re ttering me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Sang interjected in an emphatic tone. ¡°She¡¯s not ttering you at all. If anything, it¡¯s not enough. After all, you¡¯re an author that I¡¯ve acknowledged.¡±

    Then, Juho answered while building another tower out of its remnants, ¡°Is that right?¡±

    At that, Sang furrowed his brows, and Dae Soo redirected the subject back to its track.

    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that there are quite a few readers who are really bummed about the seriesing to an end. Do you have any ns on writing another series?¡±

    ¡°I yed around with the idea of writing a prequel, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve reached a decision.¡±

    ¡°Prequel as in... the war?¡±

    ¡°As well as the mythology.¡±

    One was able to reach God because of the mythology and the code hidden within it. In that case, who could havee up with the code, let alone the mythology?

    ¡°You see, I happen to know the person. Although, it would be perfectly fine even if I were to never talk about them.¡±

    ¡°I would write about them,¡± said Sang in a rather emphatic tone.

    ¡°Howe?¡±

    ¡°Because I wanna brag about it.¡±

    ¡°Brag?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. My skill, knowledge, existence, anything.¡±

    At that, Juho barely managed to keep himself fromughing. Just as Juho had noticed for some time, Sang Choi was an author who loved himself rather dearly, and Dae Soo nodded when she saw the look on Juho¡¯s face as if she understood what he was feeling.

    ¡°It¡¯s funny how somebody like that writes romance novels, right?¡± she said.

    She was right. Sang¡¯s novels were filled with love toward others. The characters sought their identity and significance in those around them. Ironically, the person who was responsible for writing novels like that happened to be full of self-love.

    Organizing the wooden blocks, Sang said, ¡°There are rtionships that are only visible to people like me.¡±

    ¡°So, you do know that you love yourself a bit too much?¡±

    ¡°Of course! I¡¯m constantlyparing myself to other people, and realizing that I¡¯m better.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that tiring?¡± Juho asked by reflex. Of which, he didn¡¯t deny, saying, ¡°It sure is, but it helps when I write.¡±

    At that, Dae Soo chuckled.

    ¡°You know, being an author isn¡¯t all that great sometimes, having to peak your head into all sorts of worries and concerns in this world and all.¡±

    Juho agreed. As people who wrote about dangers, events and conflicts, authors had all the more reason to keep those things close to their lives.

    ¡°You have to feel what the characters are feeling. There¡¯s no way around it,¡± Juho said as he picked up an apple slice that had been set aside because of the board games for himself and handed another to Dae Soo.

    ¡°You picked the good one. This one¡¯s sweet!¡±

    Juho agreed as he ate his slice. Then, Sang carefully took out an apple slice out of his

 Chapter 169 - The Top Author (3)

    <h4>Chapter 169: Chapter 169 ¨C The Top Author (3)</h4>

    Leaving the kitchen, Juho walked to the office space to look around. It was quite spacious and it felt more like a rest area than an office, maybe because of the board games. Along with a sofa,mps, paintings, photos, books and manuscripts, there was also a desktop on top of a long desk that was facing the wall. That had to be Dae Soo¡¯s workstation. Next to it, was a wall covered by curtains, making it seem like there were windows behind it.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    Dae Soo and Sang¡¯s eyes followed the tip of Juho¡¯s finger.

    ¡°Oh, that.¡±

    Then, Sang¡¯s expression grew darker, and looking at him, Dae Soo started giggling.

    ¡°It¡¯s a courtesy for guests. Are you squeamish, at all?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡°Bummer. You¡¯re just too young. It¡¯s not something I can show someone underage,¡± Dae Soo said yfully, but she was also emphatic. She was assuming that what was hidden behind the curtains might have a negative influence on the young author. Then, setting his curiosity aside, Juho stared at the ck cloth between him and the mysterious object.

    Sitting down, he asked Dae Soo, ¡°Seems like that¡¯s where the inspiration for your book came from, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve said this before, but you really are a sharp one.¡±

    Along with its bizarre and violent nature, her books were defined by their grotesqueness. At the same time, there was philosophy amid the horror, as well as love and life. Her books were loved by many, and she was often the target of those who criticized her for the violent elements in her books.

    ¡°What kind of photo is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a picture of anguish.¡±

    The very anguish she had peaked her head into was in the mysterious photo behind the curtains, but Juho didn¡¯t insist that she show it to him. He was more interested in Dae Soo¡¯s attitude toward the photo.

    ¡°Do you just keep the curtains open when guests aren¡¯t around?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I¡¯ve gotten used to it, so I look at it while I¡¯m eating, too.¡±

    At that, Juho remembered her most recent book: ¡®The Finger that Rings the Bell.¡¯ The book showcased Dae Soo¡¯s distinct writing style, with its gloomy and musty plot that kept its readers on their toes, and its focus was especially provocative.

    ¡°Is there a reason for you to prefer to write about things that are over the top?¡±

    ¡°A reason, huh.¡± With that, she poked the fork thoroughly into a crisp apple slice. ¡°Maybe I just have a different idea of what over the top means.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I write based on real life events. People always talk about how I have a bizarre imagination, but my imagination is far from realistic. If anything, I start by trimming out things that are unconventional, so that it bes more rtable for the readers. There are those who kill other people for no apparent reason in this world, but that can¡¯t happen in novels.¡±

    Then, she gave Juho an example that would be the easier to understand, and Juho looked intently at thepletely peeled apple slice.

    ¡°So, with that out of the way, I probably won¡¯t water down my books anytime soon. This world has never been better than at the present time.¡±

    At that, Juho asked no more. Instead, he imagined the world she might have seen through the photo behind the curtains. Irrational reality and negative emotions. An image of Dae Soo twisting those things in her writing rushed past Juho¡¯s mind.

    After he heard Dae Soo¡¯s story, Juho grew curious about Sang.

    ¡°How about you, Mr. Choi?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± he opened his mouth as if he had been waiting for the question. Having a high opinion of himself, he was quite keen on being the center of attention. ¡°I wanted to be God.¡±

    His goal was just as lofty as his self-esteem.

    ¡°... God.¡±

    ¡°Yes, God. Then, I failed.¡±

    It was an obvious failure, and Dae Soo stared at him as if he was beyond help.

    ¡°Before that, I wanted to be Mozart.¡±

    It was a much more realistic goal than being God. However...

    ¡°You failed, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I sure did. He had a talent for music, but I didn¡¯t. It was sad.¡±

    ¡°Seeing how your following goal was to be God, it seems like you didn¡¯t quite learn from the experience.¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s the opposite. I set that goal out of anger, but I still took it seriously. I read tons of books on religion and mythology and even went to the psychics, but there was no gods willing to make me one of their kind.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°So, I decided to be a novelist.¡±

    Mozart, God, and now, a novelist. After a couple of failures, his dream had finallye true.

    ¡°How did you transition from being God to a novelist? Not that the transition between Mozart and God made anymore sense.¡±

    ¡°I heard somebody say that authors do something simr to God.¡±

    ¡°A-ha!¡±

    Authors werepared with God asionally, since they created whole new worlds, deciding the fates of the characters living within them and what they will go through in their lives.

    ¡°But it wasn¡¯t exactly like the god I had in mind,¡± Sang said in a serious tone.

    ¡°In what ways?¡±

    ¡°First of all, I needed to put in the work. I¡¯m not an all-capable being, so creating an entirely new world within one week is impossible.¡±

    ¡°You have to rest on the seventh day, too.¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t have what it takes.¡±

    In the Book of Genesis in the Bible, God had created the world in one week. Sky andnd, light, day and night, etc. Having finished the load of work in six days, God rested on the seventh day, looking at his creation, the world, and saying, ¡°Looks great.¡±

    ¡°And we, authors, have to do revisions as soon as we finish writing.¡±

    ¡°Right. The manuscripts are far from perfect before revisions and edits. It takes forever, too,¡± Juho said, chuckling quietly. ¡°If we were God, we wouldn¡¯t be able to write anything so human, don¡¯t you think? Books filled with anguish and conflict.¡±

    ¡°Well, the sovereign God might be able to, but I doubt he would do as good of a job as I would have.¡±

    Juho ate his apple slice while listening to the words filling the void between himself and Sang¡¯s arrogance. Though he felt the chunks of apple getting caught in his throat slightly, they were still delicious.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯m d I chose to be a novelist. I can meet just about anyone through writing, so I¡¯m satisfied.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, there were quite a few references to music and religion in your books. Although, the way they unfolded was quite scientific. So, that¡¯s where you got those influences.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Sang answered proudly. The love in his books was quite unique, and it started to dawn on Juho why the critics were saying that his books were dynamic and realistic.

    ¡°How about you?¡± Sang Choi asked.

    And Juho blinked awkwardly, asking, ¡°What about me?¡±

    ¡°How did you start writing?¡±

    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a good one.¡±

    Dae Soo looked at Juho with eyes filled with interest. Although he preferred not to disappoint her, Juho didn¡¯t have anything as lofty as Sang, like wanting to be God or Mozart. He was simply...

    ¡°I was bored.¡±

    ¡°But when did you first start writing, though? You debuted toward the tail end of your middle school years.¡±

    ¡°So, that must mean that you¡¯ve been writing since you were young.¡±

    Then, Juho brought up an analogy that rose to the surface of his mind, ¡°It¡¯s like a digestive process.¡±

    ¡°A digestive process? That¡¯s an odd analogy.¡±

    Juho agreed. It was a rather strange analogy.

    ¡°Well, it is true that one doesn¡¯t be a better writer overnight. You know, I think I¡¯m starting to realize how skilled Yun Woo really is.¡±

    ¡°You still have a long way to go, Dae Soo.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°In that case, Yun Woo¡¯s level of skill isn¡¯t something that can be achieved within the span of a few years.¡±

    At Sang¡¯s arrogant remark, Dae Soo¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she asked, ¡°Well then, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really have an answer. This kid is a mystery, much like Yun Woo and how he came about.¡±

    ¡°I think you have a ways to go yourself, Choi,¡± Dae Soo scolded him and changed the subject. ¡°Well, tell us more about what happened with Mideum. She wouldn¡¯t even talk to me, saying that she¡¯s busy working.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not much to it.¡±

    Then, Juho told them a brief summary of what had happened during her visit, and the two authors listened intently, immersed in his story.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how impressive of a character shees up with.¡±

    Remembering Mideum¡¯s behavior in his room, Juho nodded quietly. He looked forward to how the next volume of her book would turn out.

    Then, Sang opened his mouth and said, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, that big mouth of hers will be her downfall. She gets excited so easily and she can¡¯t control herself. She¡¯s always bbering out loud, too.¡±

    ¡°What? She¡¯s cute. Besides, she handled herself fine.¡±

    ¡°Dae Soo, you can¡¯t just let her be. Who knows what kind of trouble she might get herself into?¡±

    Just as Sang had said, Mideum was easily excited and influenced. Looking at Sang, who had talked about Mideum without hesitation, Juho said, ¡°You must be close to her.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re part of the same group, after all. She¡¯s one of the few authors that I know remotely well,¡± Sang said, as if confessing his limited social life.

    Then, Dae Soo chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s so easy to convince him to do something, that it¡¯s not even funny. All you gotta do is let him bring his own lunch.¡±

    ¡°His own lunch?¡±

    ¡°Yep. He¡¯lle out regardless of the distance, as long as I let him bring his own food. That¡¯s why I told him to bring his own food when we were meeting at Madame Song¡¯s restaurant.¡±

    Although it made sense to Juho judging from Sang¡¯s behaviors up to that point, it urred to him that Madame Song might have been unhappy to see a customer bring their own food to her restaurant.

    ¡°Well, I eat there now. Gosh, that was ages ago!¡± Sang added in a hurry.

    ¡°You eat at the restaurant, now?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I can trust Madame Song¡¯s cooking.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re insisting on carrying your own lunch because you don¡¯t trust all the other restaurants?¡±

    ¡°I trust ¡¯em less. Who knows how they cook, or where those hands have been? That goes for the ingredients, too. I can¡¯t eat anything like that,¡± he said emphatically.

    ¡°Well, I get free food from time to time, so that¡¯s always nice. It¡¯s super convenient, especially when I¡¯m nning on staying at a hotel.¡±

    Dae Soo had a habit of staying in hotel rooms when she experienced writer¡¯s block, and she had probably been asking Sang to pack her meals, which exined why they had beenmunicating regrly. She seemed fond of Sang¡¯s cooking, and Sang himself didn¡¯t seem to have an issue with cooking for her. The romance and the grotesque. Even though their books were pr opposites in nature.

    ¡°You seem like you enjoy cooking for other people, Mr. Choi.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an opportunity to show off my cooking skills. The better the response from those who taste my food, the better I feel,¡± he said proudly. It was a rather simple reason.

    Then, Dae Soo whispered to Juho, loud enough for Sang to hear, ¡°He¡¯s so simple, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    There were all sorts of authors in the world. Hotel rooms, cooking. Thinking of a poet, or regretting repeatedly. There were even authors who lived in the mountains in order to write.

    ¡°Oh, I was just about to tell you,¡± Dae Soo said with a big smile. ¡°It¡¯s about the outing. We¡¯re nning on having everyonee out in celebration of Yun Woo joining us as the new addition to the group.¡±

    It was an asion to which Juho had been looking forward as well, and Dae Soo gave him an update, ¡°So, including Choi, here, I¡¯ve confirmed with most of the members in the group over text. The only person I¡¯m still waiting for is San Jung.¡±

    At that, Sang Choi didn¡¯t seem all that surprised.

    ¡°She¡¯s probably in the mountain somewhere, writing. We can barely get a hold of her. Why don¡¯t we just meet on our own?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Dae Soo said emphatically, and while Sang looked dissatisfied, he didn¡¯t try to argue any further. Instead, he exined calmly that finalizing the outing would take significantly longer if they were to wait for San Jung¡¯s confirmation.

    ¡°She¡¯s the hardest person to convince toe out to group outings. Even if we did manage to get a hold of her, she¡¯lle up with all sorts of excuses to stay home.¡±

    Despite Sang¡¯s pessimistic conjecture, Dae Soo was still wearing the same smile, as if she had a hidden card in mind.

    ¡°You seem like you have an idea.¡±

    ¡°That I do. An amazing one, at that.¡±

    With that, she raised her hand, and at the end of her fingertip, was Juho.

 Chapter 170 - Coming Together (1)

    <h4>Chapter 170: Chapter 170 ¨C Coming Together (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Looking straight at Dae Soo¡¯s fingertip, Juho asked, ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We have Yun Woo,¡± she said with a mischievous smile, and Sang eximed, impressed, ¡°Even a hermit like San Jung would know who Yun Woo was, and as long as she knows who that is, she¡¯s bound to considering out.¡±

    At that, Dae Soo gave Sang an affirmative thumbs-up.

    ¡°All we gotta do now is get a hold of her.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t take very long, either.¡±

    With that, she walked over to the studio and brought out aptop, searching for something on the inte. Then, she turned the screen of theptop around toward Sang and Juho, which was showing the name San Jung Youn.

    ¡°San Jung Youn releasing new book.¡±

    Juho read the title of the article that hade up just a few hours ago out loud.

    ¡°So, I got a hold of her editor earlier today and I was told that she finished writing her book, which means she¡¯ll start charging her phone to check the dozens of missed calls, and that¡¯s when we get her with the name Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Our fearless leader! You understand the art of persuasion,¡± Juho said, pping quietly, but what returned was Dae Soo¡¯s sudden warning.

    ¡°You might wanna stay on your toes.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°San Jung¡¯s new book ising out, and it just might mark the end of the Yun Woo era.¡±

    She was right. San Jung was an incredible author who had built herself a house in the middle of a mountain out of sheer will to write. Taking about a five-year hiatus in between her books, she tended to spend quite a bit of time writing, and as a result, she came out with a quality product. There were a slew of readers who had been waiting desperately for her new book, and Juho was one of them.

    ¡°Before you turned up, the position you are in belonged mostly to San Jung.¡±

    ¡°Whenever she came out with a book, it would always reach number one, without fail,¡± Sang said, squinting at Juho.

    Although their intentions weren¡¯t clear, Juho smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m excited!¡±

    ¡°Really? Did that really juste out of your mouth!? You should be worried!¡± Dae Soo said, looking both yful and disappointed.

    ¡°Of course. This is San Jung Youn¡¯s new book we¡¯re talking about!¡±

    ¡°I mean, yeah, but I was expecting more passion from your response. That was no fun,¡± she grumbled. At that, Juho quickly changed the subject, and the three conversed for hours on end in Dae Soo¡¯s office. After confirming with each other when their next outing would be, they parted ways.

    On his way out, Sang asked her to let him know ahead of time if the outing wasn¡¯t going to take ce at Madame Song¡¯s restaurant because he needed time to prepare his food. Dae Soo waved her hand and answered half-heartedly as if he didn¡¯t have to remind her.

    A few weekster, Juho received a text from Dae Soo about the ce, time, and date of the meeting. When he saw that the meeting was to take ce at Madame Song¡¯s restaurant, he immediately thought of Sang Choi¡¯s face. He wouldn¡¯t have to pack his lunch, after all.

    After sending a reply, Juho looked away from his phone and redirected his attention to a book he had been reading. It was San Jung¡¯s new book, and he had been reading it quite intently. The content was exactly the same as he remembered from his past life, and Juho grew curious about her.

    ¡®What is she like as an author?¡¯

    ¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s getting dark out.¡±

    It was evening, and Juho made his way toward Madame Song¡¯s restaurant as the sun was starting to set. Knowing that there would be quite a few familiar faces at the meeting, he wasn¡¯t worried about feeling ufortable. And having managed to bring everyone in the group together sessfully, Dae Soo was quite ecstatic, reserving thergest room in the restaurant.

    Looking up at the dark sky, Juho took the wider path, unlike during hisst visit with Hyun Do, when he walked through narrow alleyways. Although Juho would have taken the alleyways without hesitation, he had decided to take a different route as he had been informed about the meeting by Dae Soo ahead of time.

    There were waves of cars and people in the street, as well as bicycles that squeezed their way through the sea of people and cars. It was an entirely different route from his previous visit to the restaurant. Perhaps, it was the absence of Hyun Do or vestiges of him, but the peace that he had felt when he had walked with him was nowhere to be found in those busy streets.

    Upon arriving at the restaurant, Juho sent Dae Soo a text, informing her that he had arrived. When he checked the time, he realized that he had arrived well before the time they had agreed to meet. Paying no attention to it, Juho walked into the restaurant without hesitation.

    ¡®Clink,¡¯ the familiar doorbell rang.

    As Juho came into the waiting room, there were few other, unrted people who had arrived ahead of him, each wearing an excited look. Then, Juho stood in front of the mirror in order to make sure that he was dressed properly and walked toward the employee standing by the register, who greeted him with a weing smile.

    ¡°I have a reservation under the name Dae Soo Na,¡± Juho said to her, and the employee nodded and led him to the reserved room immediately. Walking past the tables and the restrooms, he also walked past the room where he had eaten with Hyun Do, and after going even further into the restaurant than he had ever been to, the reserved room finally appeared. It was thergest room in the restaurant. At that moment, Juho checked his phone as it vibrated. It was a text from Dae Soo, which read, ¡°Already!? Shoot!¡±

    The text gave Juho a bad feeling. ¡®Is no one else here, yet? But there are eight of us. No way. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s going to be at least one person. I know most of them, so it should be fine,¡¯ Juho reassured himself as he contemted going to the restroom. Unfortunately, before he had time to act on his decision, the friendly employee opened the door to the room for him, revealing a figure who had been sitting in the room. ck. It was the first thing that came into Juho¡¯s view. She was dressed in ck.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Juho let out, baffled. He wasn¡¯t expecting to meet someone new that soon, and even as the employee closed the door on her way out, Juho stood awkwardly, facing her. She was dressed in mostly ck, from her dark, long, wavy hair, to her eyes and dress shirt. Although it wasn¡¯t visible because of the table, she had to be wearing either a ck skirt or a pair of ck pants, and most likely, her shoes were ck as well. Something was telling Juho that she would be dressed like that underneath the table.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked in a thin, sounding voice, and Juho came to his senses upon hearing it.

    ¡°Hello, Yun Woo,¡± he introduced himself properly, and the woman¡¯s lips parted ever so slightly. Only then, did Juho recognize that she had been wearing another color other than ck. Her red lips.

    ¡°Whoa,¡± a childlike exmation broke the tension. She was smiling, with dimples visible on each corner of her mouth.

    ¡°Really?¡± she asked to confirm, and Juho couldn¡¯t give her any other answer other than yes.

    ¡°If you¡¯re still doubtful, would you like to talk to Dae Soo on my phone?¡±

    ¡°You really are him!¡± she said. Fortunately, she was easily convinced. ¡°I knew it was gonna be worthwhile to get here early.¡±

    Juho waited patiently for her to introduce herself, but what came out of her mouth was something entirely different.

    ¡°I came down from the mountains because of you.¡±

    In the end, Juho had to piece the puzzle together.

    ¡°You must be San Jung Youn.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Yes. I¡¯m San Jung Youn. You can talk to Dae Soo on my phone too, if you¡¯d like,¡± she said as she took a flip phone out of her pocket, opening it and offering it to Juho. As Juho respectfully declined, she closed the phone back up. Then, the room sank into silence. Without even offering him a seat, she kept staring at him intently without saying anything. Juho felt his face itch for some reason. Her gaze was different from that of Coin¡¯s or Hyun Do¡¯s, neither burning nor gentle.

    It was hard to figure out the right time to speak, and in the end, Juho decided to converse with San Jung while standing in his ce. Besides, his legs weren¡¯t going to hurt anytime soon.

    ¡°I enjoyed your new book quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    It was a brief answer, and by the time Juho started to think that she had no intention to converse with him, San Jung opened her mouth and said, ¡°I read your books as well.¡±

    Her voice was thin, yet stable. However, it felt like it wasing from a distance and it gave off a mysterious vibe, and because of that...

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t write for a week after reading them.¡±

    ... Juho caught her words in a dy.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t write?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, because the books were so raw.¡±

    Not knowing what to say, he stood quietly. Fortunately, San Jung had something she wanted to say.

    ¡°They hadsting impacts. They reminded me of when I first read Mr. Lim, Mr. Kang, or Mrs. Baek¡¯s books. Maybe more.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the kind words.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± she said, acknowledging that her intention was for him to thank her. Then, the room sank back into silence. Before Juho opened his mouth to ask her about her new books, San Jung beat him to it.

    ¡°So,¡± she called for him.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Are you really eighteen years old?¡± she asked in a doubtful tone.

    Barely suppressing a chuckle, Juho asked back, ¡°Do I look older?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Your writing.¡±

    At that, Juho felt pricked in the heart.

    ¡°In that case, your books are no exception.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a big difference between a person in their forties writing like they¡¯re in their fifties, and teens like they¡¯re in their fifties.¡±

    She was right, and Juho understood what she was saying. There was such a thing as age in writing. Some authors¡¯ writing was more mature than they were themselves, while others¡¯ were less or just as mature, and not one was better than the other. Some preferred to write something more mature, and others wanted to write something more youthful.

    ¡°There are times when the age of the author dawns on you while you¡¯re reading a book. Do you know what I mean?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Sure.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve yet to meet an author with such a drastic age difference between the person and the writing.¡±

    Spection and realization. Then, she asked again, ¡°Are you really eighteen?¡±

    At that, Juho looked through his pocket and asked, ¡°Would you like to see my student ID?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    It was a rather serious answer. Taking the student ID out of his wallet, he handed it over to her, and after looking down at the rectangr card in her hand for a little while, she gave it back to him.

    ¡°Fascinating.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°How are you able to write like that?¡±

    ¡°There are all sorts of authors in this world.¡±

    ¡°Is that right? Maybe I¡¯m just having trouble understanding because it¡¯s just beyond the boundaries of my understanding.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡®Unless you have experienceing back from the dead, there¡¯s no way for me to exin this,¡¯ Juho murmured internally as he decided to sit, walking toward a chair.

    ¡°So...¡±

    As San Jung called for Juho yet again, Juho retracted his step.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Can you say something in Scandinavian?¡±

    ¡°... Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you speak thenguage? You mentioned in ¡®Language of God: Languages¡¯ that you referred to the Scandinaviannguage when creating differentnguages in the book.¡±

    While it was true that Juho spoke thenguage, San Jung¡¯s request was simply out of ce. Juho found himself in an awkward ce, where things would be odd whether or not he chose to grant her request.

    As he remained silent for a little while, she asked, ¡°Do you not know thenguage?¡±

    To which, Juho answered, ¡°Sure, I do.¡±

    In the end, he decided to grant her request.

    ¡°Ski.¡±

    ¡°...¡± San Jung blinked awkwardly, wearing a disappointed look.

    ¡°Ski in Scandinavian means thin nk, and it also means the name of the sport we¡¯re all familiar with.¡±

    ¡°...¡± The look on her face didn¡¯t change one bit, and looking at Juho¡¯s face, she said, ¡°You¡¯re funny.¡±

    From then on, her eyes moved elsewhere, and Juho, too, turned around and saw Sang Choi standing behind him. Juho couldn¡¯t be happier to see him. Seeing Juho standing and San Jung sitting in her chair, he asked, ¡°What are you keeping him standing around for?¡±

    ¡°Oh. Right. Have a seat.¡±

    Only then, did Juho take a seat opposite of San Jung, and naturally, Sang Choi sat left of Juho.

 Chapter 171 - Coming Together (2)

    <h4>Chapter 171: Chapter 171 ¨C Coming Together (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    ¡°Yep, been a while.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s life in the mountains?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good.¡±

    ¡°Oh, did you get to say hello to Madame Song?¡±

    ¡°She seemed busy.¡±

    As if he had been used to San Jung¡¯s brief answers, Sang Choi kept asking her questions back to back. They seemed close to each other.

    ¡°Did you see Yun Woo?¡± Sang asked as if talking about an indigenous product, and San Jung chuckled quietly.

    ¡°We talked.¡±

    In order to steer the subject away from him, Juho spoke up.

    ¡°Where are the rest?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re almost here. Dong Gil and Seo Joong areing together, and Joon Soo and Geun Woo are doing the same. So are Dae Soo and Mideum.¡±

    ¡°Everyone¡¯sing in pairs.¡±

    ¡°Because they live close to each other. We¡¯re the only ones who came by ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I shoulde with another person next time.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Sang asked as he picked up the water cup next to his utensils, and Juho answered ambiguously, checking the time. It was almost time.

    ¡°Oh, man! What a sight!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    At that, Juho turned around toward the source of the voice. It was Seo Joong and Dong Gil. That day, Seo Joong was wearing fluorescent-colored sweatshirt and pants.

    ¡°I see that you dressed up a little bit today.¡±

    ¡°Right?! But SOMEBODY keeps talking about adding fluorescent colors to his list of things he dislikes.¡±

    ¡°I already did.¡±

    Then, the two sat between Sang and San Jung. Dong Gil sat next to Sang, and Seo Joong audaciously struck up a conversation with San Jung, who was sitting next him. Dong Gil and Sang also exchanged brief greetings with each other.

    ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡± Dong Gil had asked San Jung, but the answer came from Sang.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been good, as always. I take good care of myself.¡±

    ¡°I see that you haven¡¯t changed one bit.¡±

    While Dong Gil and Sang conversed, Seo Joong talked to San Jung, swinging his fluorescent sleeve about.

    ¡°San Jung! Can we PLEASE have you more often??¡±

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m not all that busy anymore, so feel free toe by whenever you want to.¡±

    ¡°Really!? Wait, but there are snakes there.¡±

    ¡°There are, indeed.¡±

    At that, the room grew all the more boisterous, unlike just a moment prior, when the room would sink into silence at every opportunity. Soon, the rest of the group arrived.

    ¡°Whew! The room¡¯s filled to the brim with authors!¡±

    ¡°Great to see you all!¡± Dae Soo said in high spirits, and Mideum, who greeted the others simultaneously with her, looked at San Jung and Yun Woo in turn with sparkling eyes.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Been a while, everyone.¡±

    With that, Joon Soo and Geun Woo arrived. Each of the four authors sat between San Jung and Juho, with Geun Woo sitting to the right of Juho, then Joon Soo, Mideum, San Jung, and Dae Soo, who sat closest to her. The round table was now fully upied, and everyone exchanged brief greetings with each other.

    ¡°All right. Should we order, now?¡± Dae Soo asked, and each ordered their food and drinks ordingly. Soon, tes of hot food filled the once empty table. Having ordered the same dish previously, Juho took a bite from his chicken, which tasted just as pleasant asst time. With the exception of Juho, the eight authors each conversed with one another about different things.

    ¡°How is it that you look worse and worse every time I see you, Geun Woo?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m writing. I haven¡¯t been getting a whole lot of sleep,tely.¡±

    ¡°What? Were you always that sensitive? Have you been feeling under pressure?¡±

    ¡°Of course! I¡¯m not as bold and daring as Dae Soo.¡±

    Then, Mideum chimed in, taking swigs of her beer, ¡°That¡¯s because Geun Woo was born looking depressed. C¡¯mon, Dae Soo. You know better.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Touch¨¦.¡±

    With that, Geun Woo¡¯s naturally gloomy face grew all the gloomier. Then, Joon Soo intervened on Geun Woo¡¯s behalf, knocking lightly on the table three times.

    ¡°Cut him some ck now, will ya? Mideum, you should slow down with your beer. Geun Woo, why the long face when you have a te full of amazing food before your eyes? That¡¯s no way to show respect to the food or the chef.¡±

    Chewing on his food, Juho looked the other way, to where Sang had just started talking.

    ¡°In my opinion, your writing is way too rigid. There¡¯s not enough love and romance.¡±

    ¡°You really have an eye for things like that, Sang. I agree. Your writing¡¯s just way too cold. Why don¡¯t you write something more heart warming? Think outside of yourfort zone every now and then, you know?¡±

    ¡°You do realize that my recent book was an experiment, right? Get off your high horses, why don¡¯t you, you two?¡±

    ¡°All right, look, Uhm Dong. Seo Joong has a point. You do tend to focus on yourself a tad too much. Do you know what I mean?¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: Sang seems to call Dong Gil ¡°Uhm Dong¡±, which means ¡®a cold winter,¡¯ fitting for Dong Gil¡¯s personality.)

    ¡°No offense, but I don¡¯t think you should be the one to tell me that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still writing that weird list, aren¡¯t you? Why don¡¯t you focus on me while you¡¯re here? Sang Choi¡¯s top favorites list. You have my permission to start writing at anytime.¡±

    ¡°No, thanks. Your books aren¡¯t exactly my type, either.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Unfortunately, there was no one in the room who could intervene for those three authors. At that time, Juho looked straight and saw San Jung, who had been quietly enjoying her food, much like him. While she was a woman of few words, she didn¡¯t seem all that ufortable either. Having ordered a thick, well-done steak, she cut herself a big piece and put it into her mouth, chewing it slowly. Then, taking her wine ss, she chugged the entire thing. At that, Juho remembered Geun Woo telling him that she liked to drink.

    When he looked at her, a strange feeling came over Juho. It was as if he wouldn¡¯t be able to remember anything about her but her dark shadows when he turned back. The steak she had been cutting, her wine, red lips, ck clothes. There were only fragments of her that he could remember, and they were nowhere near whole enough to represent her as a person. With that, Juho struck up a conversation with her.

    ¡°Are they good?¡±

    Taking turns to look at her steak and wine, she asked, ¡°Which one?¡±

    ¡°Both.¡±

    ¡°Very.¡±

    Then, San Jung put another big piece of steak in her mouth, as if trying to prove it to Juho. She chewed slowly, and Juho saw that the redness of her lips had faded ever so slightly, making her appearance fuzzier.

    ¡°Trade? Would you like a piece?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m OK. There¡¯s no te or anything, so it¡¯d be a hassle.¡±

    ¡°OK, then.¡±

    Without offering again, she went back to cutting her steak. That time, she made Juho a question first, ¡°In what environment do you usually write in?¡±

    ¡°What environment?¡±

    ¡°Environment as in... environment. I write in the mountains. I moved to apletely secluded ce just so that I can write. How about you?¡±

    ¡°I write in my room, at an ordinary home.¡±

    ¡°Is it big?¡±

    ¡°Kind of small, and it¡¯s getting smaller, actually.¡±

    ¡°Because of what?¡±

    ¡°Because of paper.¡±

    Then, she chugged her wine. Although she had been drinking it quickly, she didn¡¯t seem like she was getting drunk.

    ¡°Can you write where there¡¯s a lot of noise?¡±

    At her question, Juho shook his head and said, ¡°Not at all. I still have ways to go, so I go through quite a bit of ups and downs. I tense up when I need to focus and I struggle to keep the flow steady. Although, I¡¯ve gotten better as ofte.¡±

    He had been writing at the Literature Club, and because he had gotten used to writing with other people around, he found himself growing fond of such environments.

    ¡°What about you? Can you write in noisy environments?¡±

    ¡°Not at all. In fact, that¡¯s one of the reasons why I write in the mountains.¡±

    ¡°Is it quiet there?¡±

    At that, San Jung shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s just as noisy, if not noisier than the city. The only difference is that the noise is not made by people.¡±

    There were all sorts of lifeforms in the mountains, from trees to insects, animals, and reptiles. It only made sense that there would be that much sound.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I get scared sometimes, because I can¡¯t tell where those sounds areing from or who or what is making them, so I end up giving into my imagination, which is, simply put, not helpful. There are times when I feel like I¡¯m being ostracized by other animals in the mountains, just like how it is in your book. I ask myself: ¡®What if I¡¯m the only one who can¡¯t understand them? What if I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s hearing it as a meaningless noise, nothing more than mere wind?¡¯¡±

    She had made a reference to ¡®Language of God¡¯ and the animals who had attempted to ostracize humans by using anguage that humans wouldn¡¯t be able to read or understand. Then, she looked at him intently and said, ¡°I wonder if you¡¯d be able to understand what those sounds are trying to say.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it.¡±

    At that moment, the sharp sound of someone inhaling resounded in the room and forced everyone to turn toward its source. It was Mideum, who was wearing a big smile on her face while looking at Juho and San Jung, a sign that she was excited, and her eyes sparkled with curiosity. However, she wasn¡¯t the only one interested in their conversation. All of the other authors in the room had been listening to Juho and San Jung¡¯s conversation intently.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Oh, nothing. I just noticed that San Jung and Yun Woo were having a conversation.¡±

    Mideum¡¯s voice shook, and it was obvious that she was suppressing her emotions. It was a familiar reaction.

    ¡°But you¡¯re all talking, too.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re Yun Woo, and she¡¯s San Jung.¡±

    In the end, she gave into her excitement.

    ¡°Yun Woo, who has written nothing but steady and uing bestsellers, and San Jung, the backbone of Korean literature, are having a conversation! Right before my eyes! Not just about anything, but about each other¡¯s books! A summit between Yun Woo and Won Yi Young!¡±

    The table shook as she moved enthusiastically, and Dae Soo kept her from standing up to give a passionate speech. Handing her a ss of beer, she said, ¡°Rx. Here¡¯s your beloved drink.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make it worse?¡±

    Despite Juho¡¯s attempt at keeping Dae Soo from offering Mideum alcohol, the ss went to the excited detective novelist, and the room grew silent the moment she brought the ss up to her mouth, which was the very moment Dae Soo had been waiting for.

    Then, Dae Soo continued on Mideum¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°It makes sense for Mideum to be that excited. I was really curious myself when it came to the two of you meeting. Think about it. Changes are happening at bookstores that were filled with nothing but Yun Woo at one point. I heard that San Jung¡¯s books are climbing up the bestsellers¡¯ list at a frightening rate,¡± Dae Soo said yfully about the seemingly serious topic.

    To which, Juho answered unhurriedly, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. I enjoyed her new book quite a bit myself. I was moved.¡±

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon now. Don¡¯t talk your way out of this.¡±

    ¡°Whoever said anything about talking their way out?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you anxious? You thought you¡¯d be at the top forever, but there¡¯s someone chasing after you. Don¡¯t you feel threatened?¡± Dae Soo asked, exaggerating, and just as she had said, Juho¡¯s past self would have felt anxious and threatened.

    Unfortunately, there were simply too many authors in Korea who were more than capable of taking his ce at the top, and his insecurity had be a reality upon the release of San Jung¡¯s new book, leading him toward the suicide of his writing career. It was in that very direction he had run toward, which, in hindsight, was obviously the path toward his downfall.

    Juho thought back on the articles he had read in his past life at around the same time.

    ¡®San Jung Youn Surpasses Yun Woo. The Power of the Veteran Author.¡¯

    ¡®Will San Jung Youn Be a Match for Yun Woo?¡¯

    ¡®Before Yun Woo, There Was San Jung.¡¯

    ¡®Where¡¯s Yun Woo, the Face of Korea? Publishing Company Remains Silent.¡¯

    ¡®Who¡¯s San Jung Youn? Yun Woo¡¯s Reaction?¡¯

    The titles had been quite provocative and had shaken the young author¡¯s heart relentlessly. As Juho remained quiet, Joon Soo intervened, moving his finger three times. At that, Juho chuckled by reflex, and everyone turned their eyes to him.

    ¡°Threatened by what?¡±

    It was an answer that could be interpreted in multiple ways, and that time, Dae Soo remained quiet after Juho¡¯s ambiguous answer. At that moment, Mideum, whose reasoning skill was less than impressive, interjected, ¡°Are you saying that San Jung¡¯s new book is not a threat to you at all?¡±

    ¡°Mideum, you even visited my school. You should know better.¡±

    ¡°If a single interview was all it took for me to know someone, I wouldn¡¯t have gone out of my way to try to write about people.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rather simple person.¡±

    Then, Dae Soo stopped Mideum, who was ring at him fiercely and was about to argue back. Dae Soo was adamant about making sure the authors in the room didn¡¯t share more than they ought to.

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°Think about it. It¡¯s not like I own the number one or anything. Anyone can have it, and it¡¯s kind of misleading to say that one can take it away from another person.¡±

    Then, another voice interjected, ¡°Astounding.¡±

    It was Sang Choi, who took the opportunity to share his experience.

    ¡°When I first reached number one on the bestsellers¡¯ list, I would lose sleep every time I got pushed down to a lower rank. I was so disappointed.¡±

    Disappointment. Juho was well acquainted with the emotion. It had felt like readers were no longer interested in reading his books. The lower the book had fallen in the rankings, the more the book, which had been written over a span of months or years, had felt like chewed up gum that had lost its sweetness. It had taken some time until he realized that what he had felt wasn¡¯t the truth, and considering how much pride Sang took in his work, the experience had to have been even more painful for him.

    ¡°I¡¯d figure that it¡¯d be even worse for you.¡±

    Sang said something simr to what Juho was thinking. It was as if he saw himself and Juho in a simr light.

    ¡°Yun Woo has been constantly turning up at the top, from his debut title to his sophomore title, ¡®Language of God,¡¯ and its offshoot volume. He was never threatened by anyone, and the dispute between Yun Woo and Won Yi Young proved that even further. You¡¯ve always beenpeting against yourself up to this point, and then, San Jung makes an appearance.¡±

    Her books were selling at an increasing rate.

    ¡°Her new book has already passed Yun Woo in the weekly bestsellers¡¯ rank, and it¡¯s very likely that the same thing will happen in the monthly, or the steady bestsellers¡¯ rank,¡± Sang said as if trying to provoke Juho.

    To which, he answered, ¡°You¡¯re probably right. Considering how powerful San Jung¡¯s writing is, it¡¯s very much possible.¡±

    At that, Sang¡¯s expression grew darker, as if he had tasted something rotten.

    ¡°No. Something¡¯s not right. You should be falling apart. Anxious and on your toes. You should feel threatened, fighting desperately to protect your delusion. You should be making mistakes and bad decisions. THAT is what humans do.¡±

    At that, Juho simply chuckled.

 Chapter 172 - Coming Together (3)

    <h4>Chapter 172: Chapter 172 ¨C Coming Together (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    That was what made humans human. Greedy, prone to fits of rage when things didn¡¯t go their way, wavering at the smallest inconveniences, failing, and despairing.

    ¡°I really love Madame Song¡¯s cooking,¡± Juho said as he cut himself a small piece of chicken, putting it into his mouth. At the same time, finding joy in the smaller things was also one of the defining characteristics of a human. ¡°You know, I¡¯m not finding myself getting all that upset. It must be the food.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Sang asked, and San Jung, who had been observing them quietly, interjected.

    ¡°Now that I saw with my own eyes, I realize that it¡¯s not just your writing that¡¯s mature.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not saying that I look old, are you?¡±

    ¡°No. Not at all.¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Sang let out, perplexed, and Dong Gil told him, ¡°Choi, forget it. That¡¯s how he¡¯s able to write like that.¡±

    ¡°... I just can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s carefree or mature.¡±

    At the sight of Juho, who was enjoying his meal in peace, Sang Choi couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Then, Dae Soo said to San Jung in an exaggerated tone, ¡°You know what? While we¡¯re at it, why don¡¯t we juste together to bring Yun Woo down? Put an end to his reign.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Behead the enemy!... So to speak.¡±

    ¡°But my book has already left my hands.¡±

    Despite the provocative wordsing out Dae Soo¡¯s and Mideum¡¯s mouths, San Jung remained unaffected. She simply stared quietly at Juho, who was sitting opposite of her.

    ¡°Hello? I¡¯m right here. I can hear you guys.¡±

    Dae Soo and Mideum paid no attention to Juho¡¯s yful fuss, and in the end, Joon Soo intervened yet again to calm them down.

    ¡°Thanks for all your hard work, Joon Soo,¡± Juho told him, the mediator of the group. Then, he waved his hand in denial three times, wearing his distinctively innocent smile.

    ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ll get me another beer. Dae Soo, how about you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have a beer too.¡±

    ¡°A ss of wine for me.¡±

    Dae Soo and San Jung each answered Mideum, and the room returned to its boisterous state. Thinking that it was a rather interesting asion, Juho sipped quietly on his coke.

    ¡ª

    ¡°So, I heard that Kelley Coin bailed on a special event recently?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s Kelley Coin for ya.¡±

    ¡°His temper must havee back with his books.¡±

    The authors took turns to talk about Coin¡¯s infamous temper.

    ¡°You¡¯ve met him in person, right? How was it?¡± Geun Woo asked, and after a brief time thinking, Juho answered, ¡°He was just an author who really liked coffee.¡±

    ¡°Well, tell us more. We¡¯re curious.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know, either. We didn¡¯t spend all that much time together.¡±

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon. You were his trantor. Surely, you can do better than that?¡± Seo Joong said, shaking his fluorescent arm.

    ¡°We had no clue, even when you were over at my house. How were you able to trante like that? You went beyond the notion that you were fluent in thenguage. Now, tell us. Something happened between you too, didn¡¯t it? Did he give you any eye-opening hints?¡±

    ¡°I wish, but as you know, one can expect only so much from Kelley Coin. I sent him a number of emails while I was tranting, but he didn¡¯t tell me anything helpful. Even recently, he was clicking his tongue at me, saying that he was hoping to see Yun Woo¡¯s career falling apart. That¡¯s no way to treat a trantor who worked their butt off,¡± Juhoined.

    ¡°Guess that¡¯s what being a world-renowned author is like,¡± Seo Joong murmured, adding to Juho, ¡°Man, somebody has toe up with a device that can pick people¡¯s brains, so I can see what¡¯s in this guy¡¯s head.¡±

    It was a rather frightening remark for Yun Woo, whose identity was still a mystery to most people. Sipping his Coke, Juho avoided eye contact with Seo Joong.

    ¡°How¡¯s school?¡± Dae Soo asked. She had been curious about his life as a student and as an author, and the subject shifted to Juho¡¯s school life.

    ¡°The usual. I¡¯m still a student, so there¡¯s not much to look forward to in a day. On the other hand, there¡¯s not much to dread about, either.¡±

    ¡°I guess that makes sense. Being part of something is always exhausting.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still fun though, thanks to the Literature Club.¡±

    ¡°The Literature Club? Are you part of that?¡±

    Aside from those who already knew, the rest were taken aback by the fact that Juho was part of the Literature Club at his school.

    ¡°What do you do there? Do they know that you¡¯re Yun Woo?¡± Seo Joong asked, and Juho gave him an affirmative answer. Everyone in the club knew and epted his identity as Yun Woo.

    ¡°Although, aside from those in the club, no one else at school knows.¡±

    ¡°So, does that mean you get mentioned during linguistics?¡± Sang asked.

    Obviously, Yun Woo was a go-to name to mention when it came to waking up students who were dozing off during ss.

    ¡°There were times when we did analysis studies on Yun Woo¡¯s identity or studied his works.¡±

    Then, the image of Mr. Moon talking enthusiastically about Yun Woo on the podium rushed past Juho¡¯s mind. When the teacher would look intentionally in his direction in between remarks, Juho had to fight off the urge tough out loud with every bit of strength in his body.

    ¡°Well, that sounds fun! I don¡¯t think there¡¯s going to be another person who will have a school life as interesting as yours.¡±

    ¡°Everyone experiences school differently.¡±

    ¡°And you, sir, are the conspicuous one in the school. Are you a spy?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t sneak out any information.¡±

    ¡°Well, considering the aspect of his anonymity, wouldn¡¯t he be closer to a superhero?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t recall saving the world, either.¡±

    Then, San Jung asked calmly, ¡°Did anyone in the club catch on that you were Yun Woo by the way you write? Your style is very unique, so I have a feeling that there would be at least one person who¡¯d have figured it out.¡±

    For once, that was a question Juho was able to give a definite answer to.

    ¡°Not one,¡± he said confidently, and she tilted her head in confusion.

    ¡°How are you so certain?¡±

    ¡°Because I write differently from Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Just as it sounds. I¡¯m not Yun Woo at school.¡±

    ¡°Was that name supposed to be separable?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s say that it¡¯s closer to distancing myself from him.¡±

    At that, only Joon Soo and Geun Woo understood what Juho meant. Another style. As long as Juho had that, there was no way he would get caught at school. While San Jung was still puzzled, Juho didn¡¯t go into detail since the asion fittingly called for more light-hearted subjects.

    ¡°In the club, we do these fun activities or training of sorts, like listing as many random words in our surroundings, writing a story about something absurd, or using our clubmates as characters in a story. We makeptions, too.¡±

    ¡°Comptions! I like that idea!¡± Dae Soo said, and Juho briefly exined the process to her. With eyes filled with interest, she asked, ¡°So, what kind of story did you end up including in theption?¡±

    ¡°A short story called ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯¡±

    Fitting of their upation, as the subject shifted to writing, the room came alive all the more.

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of like a sister version of ¡®Language of God.¡¯ I thought of the plot at the same ce, looking at the same scenery. Although, they¡¯re very different in nature.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I know what you mean.¡±

    ¡°There are times when two different ideas hit you all at once. Most writers either choose one over the other, or mix the two ordingly.¡±

    Having simr experiences, the other authors chimed in and agreed with Juho.

    ¡°I¡¯m a student, so I wrote one at school while I wrote the other at home.¡±

    ¡°Man, you really do write a lot,¡± Mideum murmured. Then, taking a big swig off her beer, she said loudly, ¡°So, as you all know, I¡¯ve been to Yun Woo¡¯s writing space in person, and I gotta tell you, it was amazing! This tiny room is filled to the brim with manuscript paper. Of course, you might think that most authors have simr looking studies at their homes, but... how should I put it? It was as if there was writing floating around the room. There were boxes and boxes stacked on top of each other, filled with even more manuscript paper, and Yun Woo writes and sleeps surrounded by those very things. I was kind of envious, but I gotta say, it was pretty overwhelming at the same time.¡±

    Although she might have seemed drunk at a nce, she wasn¡¯t slurring her words, nor were her eyes shaking. It was her natural tone, even without the effect of alcohol.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s what Yun Woo¡¯s writing space is like, huh? How curious.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just an ordinary room,¡± Juho said, but nobody believed him. However, his room really was nothing to write home about. In the small, boring room, there was a desktop, a bed, a bookshelf, and stacks and stacks of manuscript paper, and there was not a single poster in the room.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Juho. You¡¯re a teenager! Live it up a little. When I was a student, I spent all my money collecting all sorts of music records from overseas.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, now,¡± Dong Gil warned Seo Joong, and with that, each of the authors began to share their memories of their school years.

    ¡°I went to an all-girls high school.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, high school friends willst you a lifetime! We still keep in touch.¡±

    Mideum and Dae Soo said in turn.

    ¡°Well, we went to the same schools, from elementary to college, so even reminiscing to those times is a hassle.¡±

    ¡°You guys seriously have one of the most bizarre rtionships.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a curse, if you ask me.¡±

    ¡°I kept my social life limited, even as a student,¡± Sang added to Seo Joong and Dong Gil¡¯s well-known rtionship.

    ¡°When I think back on it, I did a lot of dumb and embarrassing things.¡±

    ¡°We were all immature at one point.¡±

    ¡°But you were always a good student, Joon Soo.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s... not entirely true.¡±

    With that, Geun Woo and Joon Soo discussed their embarrassing past. Everyone in the room was reminiscing to their respective past, indicating the years that had gone by.

    ¡°You know, hearing Juho mention it, I kind of miss it all of a sudden. I used to be part of the Literature Club at my school, too.¡±

    ¡°Pff. You were barely there.¡±

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that I still miss it. I really enjoyed it back then, writing about the same topic while surrounded by friends.¡±

    Although Dong Gil usually would have scolded Seo Joong, he agreed quietly with thetter half of Seo Joong¡¯s statement.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t part of the Literature Club because our school didn¡¯t have one.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, same here. I wasn¡¯t part of the Literature Club at my school, either. I didn¡¯t actually start writing until college.¡±

    ¡°Literature Club, huh? I¡¯m jealous that you get to experience that. Sounds fun.¡±

    San Jung was also among the authors who had never been part of a Literature Club, and when she finished speaking, the room sank back into silence. Everyone was having a simr thought and wanting the same thing.

    Then, Dae Soo spoke up on everyone else¡¯s behalf, ¡°It¡¯s never toote.¡±

    It was never toote.

    ¡°Nine authors. How hard can it be?¡±

    Then, Sang asked in order to rify, ¡°So, what are we suggesting, here? Are you saying that we should make a club of our own? It¡¯s been years since we graduated!¡±

    ¡°No, not like that.¡±

    The idea wasn¡¯t to go back to the past. Instead, there was something that could be done in the present, and like a leader, Dae Soo said loudly, ¡°Let¡¯s say... a club?¡±

    ¡°A club?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. All we gotta do is change the name ever so slightly, and we¡¯ll find what we¡¯re looking for.¡±

    ¡°Like how?¡±

    Literature Club,ption, club, and the word Juho guessed in his mind all came out of Dae Soo¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Our club¡¯s very own literature magazine.¡±

    A literature magazine was a rarity, and not at all popr. However, in the early stages of Korean literature, a number of authors woulde together and publish a literature magazine.

    ¡°The very first literature magazine came out in... 1919? During the Independence Day Movement?¡±

    ¡°I mean, to think that writers back then woulde together to write is really breathtaking.¡±

    As the authors thought about the authors through history, whether of novelists or of the poets of Chungrokpa, interest began to stir in each of their hearts.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Chungrokpa was a group of three poets in Korea in the 1940s who contributed to the preservation of Korean poems before and after the nation¡¯s liberation from the Japanese upation.)

    ¡°Well, the literature magazines from back then were, needless to say, legendary.¡±

    With that, the eyes of all the other authors sparkled with interest as well, captivated by the idea.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Dae Soo!¡± Mideum let out, excited, and Dong Gil, who was always level headed in every situation, agreed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. There are nine authors here, and I¡¯m sure we each know at least one printing factory. Besides, more and more people have been publishing their books on their own, and a lot of amateur clubs publish their own magazines. If we keep things small and manageable, there¡¯s nothing to lose.¡±

    Then, Juho looked around at the authors who hade together, each distinct from one another. If each author were to contribute with one piece of writing, they would be able to put together a literature magazine that was both artistic and appealing to the masses.

    ¡°That sounds fun,¡± Sang murmured. The idea was starting to develop more and more, reaching the point of actually being carried out.

    At that moment, Geun Woo added in a hurry, ¡°Hold on! I¡¯ve been working on something!¡±

    ¡°Is there a deadline?¡±

    ¡°No... It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s there to worry about? Think of it as a breather.¡±

    Determined to carry out the idea, Dae Soo shot down Geun Woo¡¯s concern, and as Juho admired her proactivity, they locked eyes with each other. A mischievous smile appeared on Dae Soo¡¯s face.

    ¡°Mr. Woo. How much longer will you let San Jung chase you around?¡±

    After that, she turned her head without even giving him time to respond.

    ¡°While we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s allpete on whose writing stands out the most. I know I shouldn¡¯t be the one to talk here, but we are all decent writers here, right?¡±

    ¡°Compete? There is no such a thing in art,¡± Dong Gil said, alone and proudly, but he was soon buried by Mideum¡¯s exmation.

    ¡°You¡¯re on! I won¡¯t go easy on anybody. I¡¯d be SO happy if my writing turns up at the top, above everyone else¡¯s here. After all, we¡¯re greedy by nature.¡±

    ¡°You can discuss being at the top when I¡¯m not present,¡± Sang said.

    To which, Seo Joong argued, ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. Even Dong Gil struggled to beat me at one point in the past.¡±

    ¡°I think I just heard something that I can¡¯t ignore.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, buddy. I know what happened.¡±

    ¡°I proved, a long time ago, that you still have a ways to go until you reach my level,¡± Dong Gil said, contradicting his proud statement from earlier. Competition was bound to exist in any field of expertise, and Geun Woo grew pale, begging Joon Soo to stop them.

    ¡°Joon Soo, you gotta do something!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m actually kind of interested, myself. Maybe you should take the opportunity to prove yourself, Geun Woo.¡±

    ¡°What would I do among all of these authors? From San Jung to Yun Woo? And there¡¯s you, who would never fall short in artistic value.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. You have a style that¡¯s unique to yourself.¡±

    ¡°... Joon Soo!¡±

    Just like that, the opposing party was silenced, and amid themotion, Juho thought, ¡®How did we get here from talking about the Literature Club?¡¯

 Chapter 173 - Coming Together (4)

    <h4>Chapter 173: Chapter 173 ¨C Coming Together (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°All right! That settles it then. We¡¯re doing this!¡±

    ¡°Woo-hoo!¡± Mideum eximed cheerfully at Dae Soo¡¯s decision, raising her ss.

    Then, Seo Joong chimed in, ¡°Now, let¡¯s set the tone, shall we? Will there be given topics for us to write about, or is it gonna be free-topic?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! The whole reason behind starting this was to replicate what it was like to be part of a Literature Club, wasn¡¯t it?¡± I think it would be fun if we all write about one shared topic. What do you think, Dae Soo?¡±

    At that, Dae Soo contemted for a little while, but it wasn¡¯t long before she had made up her mind.

    ¡°OK. We can only write about one topic at any given time. Let¡¯s keep it special. Instead, why don¡¯t we each decide on what genre we want to write in? Essays, novels, poems, reviews, trantion, anything.¡±

    ¡°Sounds great!¡±

    ¡°OK, then. Now, the question is: ¡®What are we all gonna write about?¡¯ Any suggestions? Anything you¡¯ve been wanting to write about?¡±

    A shared topic. Everyone in the room was immersed in their thoughts, trying to figure out what would be the most appropriate topic for the club. At that moment, Geun Woo, who had eventually joined in on the fun, raised his hand.

    ¡°What about a certain object? Like a violin, for example. We practice writing about objects with Mrs. Baek from time to time.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound half bad,¡± Dae Soo nodded with a lukewarm expression. Although it wasn¡¯t a bad idea, it wasn¡¯t very captivating. Then, Joon Soo chimed in, ¡°What about a certain time period?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not bad, either,¡± she said with a simr expression on her face, and without saying anything, San Jung sipped her wine quietly.

    Then, Sang Choi said, ¡°I guess we have nothing else to write about except love.¡±

    ¡°That gives you way too much advantage! C¡¯mon, now, you hopeless romantic. Get with the program.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! If that were the case, I¡¯d suggest we all write about an unsolved, mysterious case.¡±

    Sang furrowed his forehead at Mideum¡¯s adamant opposition.

    ¡°But love is universal and an essentialponent of art.¡±

    ¡°You do have a point there, but as long as you¡¯re part of the club, it wouldn¡¯t be fair to everyone else to have to write about that topic.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! You took the the words right out of my mouth, Dong Gil.¡±

    Although Sang still looked displeased, he retracted his suggestion. From then on, a number of other opinions came up, but none of them were convincing enough to move the authors. As everyone listened to each other¡¯s opinions while immersed in thought, Dae Soo opened her mouth and said, ¡°Death.¡±

    Then, the authors responded keenly to the provocative word.

    ¡°Death.¡±

    ¡°Death, huh.¡±

    ¡°Also another essentialponent in art,¡± Sang said, murmuring, ¡°along with love.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t give anybody an advantage.¡±

    ¡°And you can think of all sorts of stories rted to it.¡±

    ¡°Captivating.¡±

    ¡°I think that¡¯s the most charming one, so far.¡±

    Everyone nodded.

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± San Jung said her first affirmative answer. Death was, inarguably, one of the mostmon themes in art, and countless authors had written about it. On top of that, none of the authors in the room were experts on the subject of death, making it the fairest suggestion so far. However...

    ¡°Death, huh.¡±

    ... with the exception of Juho, it was highly unlikely that any of the authors had experienced death themselves. And it wasn¡¯t something that he can share openly about, either.

    ¡°I¡¯m on board,¡± he said.

    And Dae Soo said, wearing an excited look on her face as if quite satisfied with how things were turning out, ¡°I sense something really special is about to happen.¡±

    ¡°This almost makes me wish that the club was bigger. We¡¯re not gonna publish them, are we?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s y it safe, for now. Once we try to make a profit out of it, that¡¯s when we lose our creative control.¡±

    With that, Dae Soo and Dong Gil began to discuss matters that were more realistic, and Juho took a sip of his Coke. Some authors were already starting to think about how to go about writing their segment in the magazine, and just as Juho was about to join them, he locked eyes with San Jung.

    ¡°Novel?¡±

    Juho shrugged.

    ¡°Not sure yet.¡±

    ¡°San Jung, remember that he even has trantion at his disposal,¡± Seo Joong interjected, holding a beer mug in his hand.

    ¡°He can probably write things like reviews or essays just as well,¡± Dong Gil added, and Juho didn¡¯t try to deny it. After all, they were both urate. Authors tended to be sharp and perceptive. Juho had a number of creative tools at his disposal, from trantion to essays and reviews, and he was more than capable of utilizing those tools to his advantage because of his experience at the Literature Club up to that point.

    ¡°And I¡¯m guessing that you¡¯re sticking with novels, San Jung?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I like novels the best.¡±

    She was someone who went as far as relocating to the mountains for the sake of writing her novel, so her affection and obsession toward novels was only natural.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m drawn to novels as well.¡±

    From the moment ¡®death¡¯ had been decided as the shared topic, Juho had felt strongly inclined to write a novel. Writing for a magazine with such established authors was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and just like San Jung, Juho was also drawn to writing novels.

    Then, Seo Joong murmured, ¡°Maybe I should go with a novel, too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been think about the same thing for a while now.¡±

    ¡°Me, too.¡±

    Juho smiled and chuckled at thepetitive remarks from the authors, and of course, he, himself, didn¡¯t intend on backing out, either. Then, Joon Soo asked after having been thinking for some time, ¡°Are we limited to writing one piece each?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll write a novel AND a poem.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly happy with writing just one novel.¡±

    Joon Soo and Geun Woo seemed like they had made up their minds for the most part, and Mideum, too, raised her hand to say, ¡°I¡¯m going with a novel!¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m leaning toward a novel, too.¡±

    With that, Juho counted how many authors had chosen novels as their genre. There would be nine novels and a poem, which unintentionally shifted the focus of the magazine to original novels.

    ¡°So, are we all writing novels then?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad thing though, don¡¯t you think?¡± Dae Soo said, and Juho nodded affirmingly. There was nothing bad about it. Besides, all of the pieces would be on the subject of death, so every single piece would be worth collecting.

    ¡°You seem confident,¡± Joon Soo asked quietly, and just like before, Juho didn¡¯t deny it.

    ¡°Yes. You see, I happen to be acquainted with death, myself.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the youngest one here?¡±

    ¡°Choi, there is no particr order in which people go.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying? You sounded a little edgy there.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re gravely mistaken.¡±

    Ignoring the light-hearted bickering between Dong Gil and Sang, Dae Soo looked at Juho.

    ¡°Now that I think about it, you were pretty explicit about the mother¡¯s death in ¡®Sound of Wailing,¡¯ right? It was brief, but it had weight.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Wait, does that mean this topic gives Yun Woo the upper hand?¡± Dae Soo asked, narrowing her eyes, and Mideum waved her hand in denial.

    ¡°Nah, that can¡¯t be right. You and I have both written a slew of death scenes up to this point, and so has everyone else here.¡±

    ¡°I know that. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t see Yun Woo as the type to be confident for no apparent reason.¡±

    That was her perception of Yun Woo. As Dae Soo expressed her light-hearted concern, Juho waved his hand in denial, saying, ¡°I¡¯m just showing off, so, please, you don¡¯t have to have your guard up.¡±

    ¡°OK, then. But keep in mind that I got my eyes on you,¡± she said emphatically. To which, Dong Gil added with a chuckle, ¡°Nobody¡¯s stupid enough around here to let their guard down when they¡¯repeting against Yun Woo. Except, maybe Choi.¡±

    ¡°I never let my guard down. I¡¯m just confident.¡±

    ¡°See?¡±

    Then, taking a swig off her beer, Mideum said, ¡°Speaking of which, Yun Woo should be on his toes, too. We have San Jung, and then there¡¯s me... anyway, there are so many authors here!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true. Mr. Bong here is a magician when ites to figures of speech,¡± Seo Joong took the opportunity to chime in, and Joon Soo returned thepliment, ¡°I¡¯m nowhere near your level, Seo Joong.¡±

    ¡°Unlike Joon Soo, my buddy here specializes in writing rigid sentences.¡±

    ¡°You mean clean-cut and calcted?¡±

    ¡°Geun Woo writes stories that are just as depressing as he looks.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that out loud,¡± Geun Wooined, but it was swiftly ignored.

    ¡°And then there¡¯s Choi. Yes, he¡¯s not all that pleasant of a person, but his writing is anything but. Gentle, and lovely. And don¡¯t even get me started with Dae Soo and her frightening stories. Mideum might not be the best with reasoning, but you are good at keeping your readers on their toes. San Jung. Well, what more can I say? She¡¯s the backbone of this country¡¯s literature.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Unlike all the other authors who had looked perplexed by what had sounded like either apliment or an insult, San Jung acknowledged her ce with confidence. When it came to writing, she was a person who was neither yielding, nor modest. Then,stly, Seo Joong moved on to Yun Woo.

    ¡°Last, but not least, our young, genius novelist, himself, who¡¯s more than adequate, to say the least.¡±

    Juho felt that the word ¡®adequate¡¯ was far from describing him urately, thinking that he still had a ways to go as an author. With that, he raised both of his hands and said, ¡°Go easy on me now.¡±

    Then, Mideum mmed her beer mug on the table, shouting, ¡°You know, my heart starts beating like crazy when I think about how these authors will portray death.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, but is she drunk?¡±

    ¡°No way. A few beers isn¡¯t enough to get her drunk.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I can never tell.¡±

    Sang and Seo Joon said in turn, and finishing herst bit of beer, Mideum ordered herself another ss. She was quite the drinker and seemed like she was capable of drinking three times as much as everyone else in the room.

    As Juho stared at her intently, Mideum asked as if misinterpreting his gaze, ¡°Would you like some?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. Teenagers tend to want to try everything at least once out of curiosity, you know?¡±

    At that, he realized that there was no way to talk himself out of the situation.

    ¡°So, would you like some?¡± Mideum said, shaking the new cup that had just arrived at the table with the beer.

    At that moment, Dae Soo gave her a p on the back, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing!?¡±

    At the same time, Juho saw Sang lowering his hand, as if he had been just about to offer Juho some alcohol.

    ¡°Yun Woo. You make sure to learn your drinking etiquette from no one other than your parents.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I didn¡¯t even feel like drinking, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Atta boy!¡±

    With that, Juho took a drink off his Coke as if to prove himself to Dae Soo, and Dong Gil and Joon Soo smiled with satisfaction. The club seemed to be made up of a healthy bnce of adults who were both good and bad influences.

    ¡°How should we go about writing our epilogues? Should we write something about the first issue?¡±

    ¡°We can also publish one piece at a time.¡±

    ¡°Hm. What should we do?¡±

    Although the ns of publishing their own magazine were still in their early stages, the faces of the authors discussing them couldn¡¯t be happier. nning for an anticipated future always brought about joy.

    ¡°Oh! We¡¯re gonna need a name. What should we name our magazine? Death? Like our topic?¡±

    ¡°That would be the simplest and the most straightforward.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t that kind of... ominous for the name of our first issue?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Something tells me that our first issue will be ourst.¡±

    ¡°There have been plenty of famous literary magazines like that, though.¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re just starting off. We shouldn¡¯t be thinking about the end already.¡±

    As Juho listened quietly, he brought up a thought that rushed past his mind, ¡°¡®The Beginning and the End.¡¯¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°¡®The Beginning and the End.¡¯ How¡¯s that for a title? After all, there¡¯s nothing in this world that says death marks the end of our lives.¡±

    ¡°Not bad...! Not bad at all!¡± Mideum agreed enthusiastically, and Sang Jung nodded quietly as well, looking like she had lost interest in the matter.

    After contemting for some time, Dae Soo said, ¡°OK. We¡¯ll decide on ¡®The Beginning and the End¡¯ as our working title for now. Once wee up with a better title, we¡¯ll change it then.¡±

    At that moment, the door opened, and everyone looked toward it. It was Madame Song, who hade by to greet her regrs while things were slowing down in the restaurant. And everyone greeted her weingly.

    ¡°Madame Song! The food is amazing as usual!¡±

    Needless to say, the person who was the most excited to see her was Mideum, and Madame Song expressed her gratitude by smiling like a bear cub.

    ¡°You guys are running low on drinks, right? I¡¯ll go bring some more.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re seriously the best, Madame Song.¡±

    She greeted the authors one by one, and when she saw San Jung, a cheerful expression appeared on her face.

    ¡°Oh, my! It¡¯s been ages! How¡¯s life in the mountains?¡±

    ¡°Good. I love your cooking still.¡±

    ¡°While you¡¯re all here, eat up. You guys are writers, so you need all the energy you can get.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    Then, as San Jung dropped her head slightly, Madame Song turned her attention to Juho.

    ¡°Juho! It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you too! I love that you¡¯re getting along with all these authors. How are they treating you? If any one of these people pick on you, you let me know.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Madame Song. You don¡¯t really think we¡¯ll do something like that, do you?¡± Mideum asked proudly, as ifpletely forgetting she had been about to offer Juho a drink.

 Chapter 174 - Coming Together (5)

    <h4>Chapter 174: Chapter 174 ¨C Coming Together (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Thank you, Madame Song!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯lle again soon!¡±

    The authors took turns thanking Madame Song on their way out, and as Juho bowed to her, she said, ¡°I can¡¯t remember thest time I had this many authors at my restaurant at once! It was so wonderful. Feel free toe whenever you¡¯d like!¡± Then, before going their separate ways, the nine authors conversed a little longer in front of the restaurant.

    ¡°Well, we should probably get going.¡±

    ¡°Aw, do we have to? Can we go to karaoke or something?¡±

    ¡°Hello? We have an underage boy and a mountain hermit in the group! Besides, we¡¯re nning on meeting again.¡±

    Juho heard Dae Soo and Mideum¡¯s voices. Mideum seemed to be feeling dissatisfied that the only thing they did collectively as a group was have a meal, and truth be told, it was nearly impossible to have everyonee out to the meeting. As someone who lived in the mountains, San Jung seemed rather sleepy, yawning quietly. Seeing that, Juho asked, ¡°You¡¯re not going back to the mountains, are you? Where are you staying?¡±

    ¡°A hotel,¡± she answered briefly and, looking around, added, ¡°You know, the city is just as bright as I remember it when I used to live in one. The sun has probably set in the mountains a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your bedtime, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I would have gone to bed a while back, by now,¡± San Jung said, yawning yet again. Her lips weren¡¯t as red as when Juho first saw her, and as he stared attentively at her fuzzy appearance, she asked a question out of nowhere, which Juho answered in a dy.

    ¡°You said you were confident, right?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Earlier, in the restaurant.¡±

    As Juho remained quiet, she added, ¡°So am I.¡±

    She was calm. If there was such a thing as win or lose in art, which had no rules or points to keep track of, it would be determined by emotional scale: a measurement of how much an author moved their readers with their writing. While abstract and subjective in nature, there were no arguments between opposing opinions as people were either moved, impressed and captivated, or uninterested or bored. There was no misjudgment, either, aside from pure honesty.

    Amid the strange experience of seeing San Jung in the bright city lights, Juho asked himself, ¡®Would I be moved by her writing, and would mine move her? What kind of piece will she end up writing, and what will I?¡¯

    As Juho stared intently at San Jung while surrounded byplicated thoughts, Mideum interjected, excited, ¡°I¡¯m here, too!¡±

    Then, the sound of frivolousughter resounded. It was Seo Joong, who had a toothpick in his mouth. His fluorescent-colored sweatshirt and pants shone all the brighter under the street lights. Perhaps, it was because Dong Gil was standing next to him, rtively better dressed.

    ¡°Yeah! We¡¯re still here. Yun Woo isn¡¯t the only author around here, you know.¡±

    They were some of the most prominent authors in the country, and Juho felt that writing about a shared topic with them would be a fun experience.

    At that moment, a voice said, ¡°¡®Scuse me.¡±

    When he looked toward the source of the voice, he saw two women locking arms with each other. Then, one of them asked San Jung cautiously, ¡°Are you San Jung Youn by any chance?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my gosh! We¡¯re such big fans!¡±

    With that, the two covered their mouths with their hands, unafraid to show that they were her fans. Then, riding the wave of confidence after recognizing San Jung, they asked Dae Soo, who was standing next to her, ¡°And you must be Dae Soo Na, right?¡±

    As Dae Soo nodded affirmingly, the two stamped their feet with excitement, and while eximing repeatedly, they looked at all the other authors around them. Mideum, Dong Gil, Seo Joong, and Sang Choi. They seemed to know them all.

    From the moment the two women recognized San Jung, Juho took a step back and hid behind Joon Soo and Geun Woo, joining unintendedly the group of less popr authors.

    While watching his fellow authors giving autographs to their fans, Geun Woo said, ¡°You know Joon Soo, I¡¯d love to be part of that group.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure your time wille,¡± Joon Soo said, patting Geun Woo¡¯s back with a gentle smile.

    ¡°Joon Soo¡¯s right, Geun Woo. Enjoy your peaceful life while you still have it.¡±

    ¡°No offense, but I don¡¯t find those wordsforting at all,¡± Geun Woo said, rejecting Juho¡¯s attempt to encourage him. What had started with two authors had now evolved into a handful of authors and the addition of a spontaneous photo session. Resolving not to go near them, Juho distanced himself from the group, and catching on to what Juho was doing, Joon Soo suggested, ¡°Should we go on ahead?¡±

    ¡°But we didn¡¯t even get to say goodbye to everyone.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Everyone tends to do their own thing at the end of every meeting. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    At that, Geun Woo agreed, and after sending a text on his phone, Joon Soo left without hesitation.

    ¡°Let me give you a ride. I¡¯ll bring my car in a little bit, so wait here,¡± Joon Soo said as they came out of an alleyway. Although Juho respectfully declined, saying that he could catch thest bus back home, Joon Soon was adamant about not sending an underaged person home alone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get an earful from Mrs. Baek, otherwise. You saw that I didn¡¯t drink earlier, right? I¡¯m a designated driver, so you can rest assured.¡±

    Because it wouldn¡¯t have been proper to decline repeatedly, Juho willingly took up Joon Soo¡¯s offer. With that, Joon Soo headed for a parking lot nearby, and Juho and Geun Woo waited for him under an orange streetlight. Although they weren¡¯t all that far away from the restaurant, their surroundings were rather quiet, making their loud, boisterous day feel distant.

    Then, as if feeling the same way, Geun Woo struck up a conversation with Juho, ¡°Have you been working on anything,tely?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m always working on something.¡±

    ¡°So, nothing big, huh? I suppose that means you¡¯ll get started on your piece for ¡®The Beginning and the End¡¯ right away?¡±

    ¡°Most likely. I¡¯ll probably start mapping things out as soon as I get home.¡±

    At that, Geun Woo gave him a small nod and chuckled as if dumbfounded.

    ¡°Wow. I wouldn¡¯t have thought in my dreams that I would end up writing for a magazine with Yun Woo.¡±

    Then, a small shadow of a moth rushed over the orange light.

    ¡°You make it sound like it¡¯s a new development. How many meals have we had together, now?¡±

    ¡°Seriously. I don¡¯t know why it feels so surreal. Maybe it¡¯s the alcohol.¡±

    ¡°Are you drunk?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Geun Woo said emphatically. Although he didn¡¯t look drunk, his ears were glowing bright red. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been working on something.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you brought it up at the restaurant.¡±

    ¡°Ask me what I¡¯ve been working on.¡±

    Juho decided to y along and asked, ¡°So, what have you been working on?¡±

    ¡°Not telling you.¡±

    At that moment, it urred to Juho all of a sudden that Geun Woo was actually quite drunk. He had to be the type who grew gradually more inebriated over time.

    ¡°I¡¯m kidding, I¡¯m kidding,¡± Geun Woo added,ughing. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on a story about a guy with bushy hair.¡±

    At the words ¡®bushy hair,¡¯ a face rushed past Juho¡¯s mind: the author who had flushed his sh drive down the toilet. Having been an old pupil of Yun Seo, he was also a no-name author who had left the literary world, and Geun Woo had been one of the witnesses of the events that day.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been getting hardly any sleeptely because I¡¯ve been so upied with writing.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you not sleep when you¡¯re writing?¡±

    ¡°No, I sleep like a baby.¡±

    ¡°Is there something special about this piece, then?¡±

    While Juho wondered what was keeping Geun Woo up at night, Geun Woo said, ¡°You,¡± with his eyes were fixed on Juho.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you. A coincidence. It tends to keep people on their toes.¡±

    The orange streetlight made Geun Woo¡¯s bright red ears even brighter, and Juho was also probably red in Geun Woo¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I was influenced by you. I never write this desperately. I¡¯ve always written just enough to not grow attached to my work.¡±

    At that, Juho remembered his first encounter with Geun Woo. He had been throwing away his manuscript.

    ¡°You mean you don¡¯t write until you regret doing it?¡±

    So, he had been regretting. The red-eared author chuckled and said, ¡°In other words, not desperately. Regret follows you around no matter what you do to avoid it.¡±

    The moth above their heads flew about busily, and its shadow pped about.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been writing about you,¡± Geun Woo said.

    ¡°And so had Joon Soo. When I read it, it was so unlike him. Rugged and incoherent. That¡¯s why it¡¯s sitting in his studio somewhere, most likely never to be published.¡±

    At that moment, Juho remembered the stacks of manuscript paper in his room. What Joon Soo had written had to be of simr kind.

    ¡°What I¡¯ve been working on is no different, and you know how things turn out when you¡¯re unstable. It just doesn¡¯t serve its purpose as well because it contains all the traces of you being swayed by those around you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why most authors tend to hide pieces like that in their rooms.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m nning on publishing mine.¡±

    Juho was caught off guard by Geun Woo¡¯s answer. The inebriated author was nning on publishing his crude and unstable writing, and there were rare asions when one¡¯s apprehension moved the hearts of those around them. Although, there was no way to know how the piece would actually turn out until it actually came out.

    ¡°You¡¯ll regret it.¡±

    The result seemed obvious to Juho.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of regrets.¡±

    ¡°I like the sound of that.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I am... a little.¡±

    ¡°You would¡¯ve sounded so much cooler if you hadn¡¯t said that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m regretting it as we speak.¡±

    That was the kind of person Geun Woo was, and apprehension portrayed by an author like him was a treat worth looking forward to. After all, he tended to excel in portraying such emotions.

    ¡°There¡¯s Joon Soo.¡±

    A light shone in the distance, and riding in Joon Soo¡¯s car, Juho arrived home safely, going straight to bed as he returned well into the night. Regrets, death. Those two words lingered in Juho¡¯s head, and in the end, it wasn¡¯t until after he sat up and made a new addition to the towering stacks of paper that he went to sleep.

    ¡ª

    ¡°The weather¡¯s nice today,¡± Juho said, looking up at the blue sky, and when he looked down, a river came into view. The entire world was blue, shining mysteriously and full of life.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go for a ride.¡±

    ¡°Want some ice cream?¡±

    ¡°All right. There¡¯s a good spot over there. Oh, did you hear?¡±

    There were quite a few people at the Han River. Those who were walking, eating, riding their bicycles or fishing. Juho had been sitting on thewn, looking at the people around him. Because it was an open space, it was quite suitable for people watching. Of course, it was only fair that he was just as exposed as everyone else.

    At that moment, an infant holding its mother¡¯s hand walked past Juho. Looking like it was still learning to walk, the child moved his legs sluggishly, yet precariously, and the mother seemed like she was on her toes, worried about her child falling over. The people who walked past them smiled, and some even cheered for them. Then, a dog walked past them, with its tongue sticking out and with the corners of its mouth turned up as if wearing a big smile. With its dark, ssy eyes, the dog stared at the baby and its mother in the most cheerful and purest way. Nobody would be able to tell whether or not the dog was rooting for the infant, but there was no doubt that it was an adorable sight.

    Then, a thought popped up in Juho¡¯s mind.

    ¡®Even things that adorable wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid death, whether it was a dog or a person. As long as there is a beginning, the end is inevitable.¡¯

    For an unknown reason, he felt like he was the only person around who was immersed in dark thoughts. His state of mind was quite distant from his bright and cheerful surroundings. If only he wasn¡¯t an author writing about death, he would have been able to root for the infant in peace.

    ¡®The Beginning and the End.¡¯ That was the name of a literary magazine that Juho and his fellow authors had agreed to publish as a collective effort. ording to Dae Soo, every author involved in writing it had already started writing after finishing mapping out the plot for their respective pieces. Some wrote in hotel rooms, while others in offices or in the mountains.

    Contrary to them, Juho hadn¡¯t even started the process of mapping out the plot, and the reason wasn¡¯t necessarily that he wascent or overly tense. In fact, Juho had been approaching his piece with the same mindset with which he had always written.

    He stared at the ever-flowing river, going on endlessly and without stopping. There had to be endless tales submerged within it, including his past. At that moment, Juho felt like he would be able to pull out the story he¡¯d been looking for out of the water, but was soon struck by the sudden realization that he would never be able to get back out. And it was for that very reason that he chose not to go into the water. After all, there was a piece that needed to be written, and even more that he wanted to write.

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not missing all that much.¡±

    There was no need to map out a plot. And just like that, Juho ced his hands on hisptop.

 Chapter 175 - A Short Story

    <h4>Chapter 175: Chapter 175 ¨C A Short Story</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    In a crowded ce, a student staring intently into hisptop was more than enough to arouse the curiosity of the pedestrians. However, just as how modern people tended to be, their curiosities were fickle. They were upied with protecting their babies, walking their dogs, fishing, riding their bicycles, and passing out flyers. And for those reasons, Juho decided to pay no attention to his surroundings.

    The reason why Juho had bought hisptop had been to write while looking at the serene river. With the nk page on the screen, Juho concentrated all the more. He was about to write a short story about death, which he had experienced firsthand, and which everyone was bound to experience eventually. In other words, it was a subject everybody would find rtable.

    There was a reason why love and death were such popr subjects among artists. While people were terrified of death, they were swayed by love. The river flowed serenely, but despite its calming appearance, one couldn¡¯t breath in it, leaving them helpless. Then, a thought rose to the surface of Juho¡¯s mind: ¡®I want to write a piece like that.¡¯

    With that, he began to type away slowly on hisptop. The reflection of a man looking at the screen of Juho¡¯sptop rushed past the screen. Fortunately, the young author didn¡¯t have to worry about his story leaking out to the public because it was going to be written in a differentnguage. In fact, Juho intended on writing the short story in anguage only he could understand.

    Having experienced death once, Juho wondered about what kind ofposition he would be able toe up with, and he had no clue as to what kind of ideas woulde out of his fingertips. Much like death, there was no way to know what was on the other side.

    However, Juho didn¡¯t try to fight what he was feeling, and the fact that there was no pen or paper next to him was proof of that. There was no trajectory or objective. Instead, he simply filled his head with thoughts about death while writing. Although it wasn¡¯t clear as to how things would turn out, Juho assumed it would be something closest to his experience with death.

    That situation, emotions, and memories. Explicitly. Because Juho wasn¡¯t nning on sugarcoating his story, it had to be short and pack a punch. And he wrote while being conscious not to get ahead of himself, keeping a rational mindset.

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    While the wet, emotional hands in his mind urged him on, the dry, rational hands clutched at his legs. Writing in that awkward and ufortable ce was, simply put, a death-like experience. The river flowed peacefully, uninterrupted, without a clue of where it would end up. The wavelets broke fearlessly, serene and beautiful. There was nothing murderous about its appearance despite it being responsible for killing an author.

    With that, Juho kept typing away, asking himself, ¡®Why did I have to die?¡¯ Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t reach an answer. The river flowed, and the young author kept on writing.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m getting hungry.¡±

    The sun had already set by the time Juho finished writing. As the battery in hisptop ran low, he had been going repeatedly to a nearby cafe in order to charge it, and the only thing that had gone into his stomach the entire day was coffee. Feeling insecure about bing more like Kelley Coin, Juho picked up a flyer he had received as he arrived at the park near the Han River and ordered himself a bowl of ck bean noodles. Korea was a fascinating country where there was always somebody working.

    The noodles Juho had ordered arrived in no time, and he began to slurp away at it as quickly as it had arrived. Then, as he ate hastily, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡®Man, what am I doing?¡¯

    Writing had the power to reduce its creator to a beggar, and despite the seemingly harsh truth, the noodles were all the more delicious.

    Although sunset had been the only new development, the park near the river looked entirely different. He was alone, and there were no babies or dogs to be found anywhere. Except, bicycles were rushing past him even faster than before, and people paid no attention to the young author. Despite having the choice to make the night be day-like with all the lights in the city by simply relocating, Juho chose not to.

    The ck river came into view. ck. Juho remembered San Jung and the clothes she had been wearing. And now, death. Only then, did he realize that the culprit responsible for taking his life had not been the serene river from earlier that day, but the ck water before his eyes. It was in that gaping darkness that he had drowned.

    Then, he looked at the letters that filled theptop¡¯s screen. He had to delete them. They weren¡¯t what he had had in mind. Upon pressing a button on hisptop, the letters disappear one by one, and with that, Juho ended up deleting more than half of what he had written. At the sight of it, Juho couldn¡¯t help but feel like his efforts had been in vain. What he had written while enduring an empty stomach had evaporated into thin air. However, he had had no choice. It simply hadn¡¯t been what he had been looking for, and he knew that he could do much better.

    While bearing many lifeforms within it, Juho couldn¡¯t adapt to the ck water that shone brightly. He couldn¡¯t be like the numerous creatures that lived within it. He was a foreigner, a loser, and a failure who couldn¡¯t adapt to his new environment.

    He typed away, asking himself, ¡®Why did I have to die?¡¯ Unlike previously, Juho reached an answer as if told by the dark water. The river flowed, and the young author kept on writing.

    Things were different from the past, when he had been on the verge of death. His hands had shaken from the alcohol abuse, and he had been entirely incapable of writing out the sentences in his mind. With that, Juho thought of the new faces he had met, and among them, a young girl who mourned the death of her even younger brother. Then, the moment he mixed those thoughts into his ever-so-peaceful plot, he noticed the pleasant changes that urred from it.

    Juho took a notepad out of his inner pocket. However, no matter how many times he examined it, he couldn¡¯t find anything about the girl in it. The notepad had to be back in his room, amid the stacks of papers that had scattered all about it when he forgot to close the window before leaving his house.

    ¡°Ugh,e on.¡±

    With that, Juho rose from his ce in a hurry. Along with hisptop, he also carried a notepad, and although his life had stabilized significantly since the past, Juho found himself running yet again. His vision shook, and theptop felt quite heavy in his arms, but when he realized that he wasn¡¯t fighting for breath, it dawned on him how different things were from the past.

    ¡®I¡¯ll probably end up writing some more when I get home. I¡¯ll go through those papers until I find what I¡¯m looking for. Then, I¡¯m gonna turn what I¡¯m feeling into writing.¡¯

    Juho was motivated to win, and he wanted to turn up above everyone else. He wanted to move them and leave them shaken.

    Unfortunately, those were the very things that he would have to forget as soon as he picked up his pen. And for that reason, Juho decided to indulge in his greed until he arrived home.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Authors of Various Bestsellers Come Together to Publish a Literary Magazine! Yun Woo Reported to be Participating. Friendship among Yun Woo and Authors Draws Attention.¡±

    ¡°Is Yun Woo Really a Part of the Literary Club? News on Their New Literary Magazine.¡¯

    ¡°Who Else Is in the Club with Yun Woo? Mideum Choo, the Author Who Created a Character Based on Yun Woo, Reported to Be in the Club.¡±

    ¡°Sang Choi, the Leading Figure in Korean Romance Novels, Part of a Social Club with Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°A Closer Look at Korean Literary Magazines and Their Humble Beginnings Dating Back to 1919.¡±

    ¡°San Jung Youn, the Backbone of Korean Literature, Reported to Be in the Club with Yun Woo. The Club of the Giants and the Reason Why We Should Look Forward to Their Magazine.¡±

    ¡°A Number of Yun Seo Baek¡¯s Pupils Reported to be Participating in the Creation of the New Literary Magazine. Is Her Effort to Train Authors for the New Generation Finally Paying Off?¡±

    ¡°A Number of Bestselling Authors, Including Dae Soo Na, Seo Joong Ahn, Dong Gil Uhm, Reported to Have Met Yun Woo in Person. How Long Have They Known About Yun Woo¡¯s Identity? An Interview on Their Current State.¡±

    ¡°Fans Already on Their Toes for the New Literary Magazine. The Best of the Generation Come Together. Inquiries Flooding in.¡±

    ¡°¡®Koreans Don¡¯t Read.¡¯ No Longer True? Yun Woo at the Center of the Golden Age of Korean Literature that Came After Crisis.¡±

    ¡°Will Yun Woo¡¯s Piece Be Included in the New Literary Magazine? Publishers Focus on Yun Woo yet Again. Would the Young Author Survive among the Veteran Authors?¡±

    ¡°Will Yun Woo Take Back His ce at the Top from San Jung Youn? Yun Woo¡¯s Reaction?¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°So, who was it?¡± Juho asked Dae Soo on the phone. Who could¡¯ve leaked information about the club and caused such a ruckus? Who was responsible for keeping the writers from writing due to the countless phone calls flooding in? There were a handful of suspects, and although Juho could very well be one of them, he himself knew that he wasn¡¯t the culprit.

    Then, a heavy sigh sounded from Juho¡¯s receiver.

    ¡°It was none other than our very own detective writer.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled. Mideum seemed like she had a talent for blowing things out of proportion.

    ¡°She does have a history.¡±

    There was the time when she created a character based on Yun Woo and mentioned his name explicitly in an interview. Thanks to that incident, Mideum had earned herself an interview with the young author. However, Juho couldn¡¯t quite wrap his head around what had happened this time around.

    ¡°It¡¯s our sad fate to repeat the same mistakes over and over again,¡± Dae Soo said as if she had let everything go. She had to have punished Mideum already. Then, hearing somemotion in the background, Juho asked, ¡°Seems like you were in the middle of something.¡±

    ¡°You might be leading a quiet life, but we¡¯ve been getting phone calls left and right, from both readers and publishers.¡±

    At that, Juho sipped his tea unhurriedly and asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s your n, our fearless leader?¡±

    ¡°Well, seems like we don¡¯t have much of a choice other than to go big,¡± Dae Soo said confidently. ¡°Thanks to you, Mr. Woo, the demand for the magazine is exploding, and this is a literary magazine we¡¯re talking about! We haven¡¯t even started putting the pieces together!¡±

    ¡°Please, how are you so certain that it¡¯s because of me?¡±

    ¡°Are you really asking? Did you see how much you¡¯re mentioned throughout the media?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Juho admitted, since it was true that the name Yun Woo was being mentioned significantly more in all media.

    ¡°Well, since we already decided to go big, we should be the ones thanking you.¡±

    The name Yun Woo was an excellent means of advertisement, and Dae Soo confessed that it was foolish to have thought that they wouldn¡¯t enjoy the benefit of bearing that name.

    ¡°It¡¯s gonna sell like there¡¯s no tomorrow, and we¡¯re gonna donate every cent we make out of it.¡±

    At Dae Soo giving him the opportunity to object, Juho said, ¡°How can I? I¡¯m on board.¡±

    ¡°OK, then. Now, from here on out, forget about having a light-hearted attitude. We¡¯re each writing pieces to be published to the world. Of course, you didn¡¯t need me to remind you of that, right?¡±

    Juho hadn¡¯t intended on approaching the project light-heartedly from the get-go, and it had to be the same way for the rest of the authors in the club.

    ¡°Of course. Seems like things got even more interesting!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear! Geun Woo was groaning miserably.¡±

    ¡°He tends to make a fuss.¡±

    It was easy to imagine the author¡¯s depressed expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing Mr. Choi is ecstatic?¡±

    ¡°Of course! It¡¯s an opportunity to get more attention.¡±

    ¡°What about San Jung?¡±

    ¡°As usual. Nonchnt. Nothing fazes her, really.¡±

    ¡°That sounds about right.¡±

    Then, Dae Soo changed the subject to Mideum.

    ¡°Oh! If you¡¯d like to punish Mideum in person,e over now.¡±

    ¡°Punish? I have intention to do such a thing.¡±

    ¡°Really? Well, Uhm and Ahn are on their way.¡±

    It was rather unfortunate for Mideum. Although it wasn¡¯t clear how much she would suffer from Dong Gil and Seo Joong, Juho sent some small encouragement her way. Then, before hanging up, he added, ¡°You won¡¯t be able to get a hold of me until I finish writing. I¡¯m nning on keeping my phone off.¡±

    After the news about the literary magazine got out, his phone started ringing relentlessly, and there was no denying that it was a distraction. Now that he had had the opportunity to exin himself to Dae Soo, Juho fully intended on keeping his phone turned off for a while.

    ¡°O-ho-ho! Sounds like you¡¯re going all in on this, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I fully intend on staying focused.¡±

    From then on, Juho decided not to let anybody disturb him.

    ¡°By the time we talk again, I will have finished writing.¡±

    Then, a quiet chuckle sounded from his receiver, saying, ¡°OK, break a leg.¡±

    With that, Dae Soo hung up. There was a subtle hint ofpetitiveness in her voice. After Juho turned off his phone and put it in a drawer, he ced his hands on the keyboard. The act bridged the gap between the present and the moment in which he had been writing while looking at the river. The emotions that he had brought home after meeting the girl and her brother, preserved in manuscript paper, were scattered all about his desk. From then on and for a very long time, only the keyboard resounded in the room.

 Chapter 176 - The Beginning and The End (1)

    <h4>Chapter 176: The Beginning and The End (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    A car zoomed past. Juho was out on a major street in front of his house, waiting for Joon Soo.

    ¡°Is a bottle of water really all I need to bring?¡± Juho said, fiddling with the water bottle in his jacket¡¯s pocket. They had decided to go hiking at the mountain near Yun Seo¡¯s house, and because it wasn¡¯t too difficult of a hike, Juho was told by Joon Soo that he wouldn¡¯t need to prepare a whole lot.

    There wasn¡¯t any particr reason to their hike. It was purely idental. It was their means of celebrating having finished writing. Every author in the club had finished writing their respective pieces on death, and the literary magazine, ¡®The Beginning and the End,¡± had officially gone into production.

    Because he had been wrestling with his piece for an entire month, Juho had expected to finishst. However, he was proven wrong by San Jung, who was known to take her time writing.

    One of the reasons that the magazine had been drawing so much attention had to be that she wasing out with yet another piece within a year of her new book. Juho remembered her ck clothes, and the lingering impact of the short story he had written came rushing back.

    At that moment, the honk of a horn sounded out, and when Juho looked up, a familiar-looking car was parked in front of him, with Joon Soo in the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Lost in your own world, I see?¡±

    ¡°I guess so. Been a while.¡±

    With that, Juho got in the car. Because Juho had kept his phone off the entire time he had been writing, it was their first time seeing each other since the meeting at Madame Song¡¯s restaurant. Although the interior of the car wasn¡¯t all that different from thest time he was in it, the car did feel different since Juho was sitting on the passenger¡¯s seat, unlikest time, when he had sat in the back.

    ¡°Going home was a breeze, thanks to you,¡± Juho said, remembering thest time he had been in Joon Soo¡¯s car.

    Wearing a weing smile, Joon Soo replied, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. How¡¯s writing? Did everything turn out OK?¡±

    He made the questions as if curious about Juho¡¯s piece, and because Juho was interested in Joon Soo¡¯s piece himself, he didn¡¯t try to change the subject.

    ¡°I can¡¯t share that with an enemy.¡±

    ... Of course, he wasn¡¯t so naive as to share information with apetitor, either.

    ¡°Well, that didn¡¯t work,¡± Joon Soo said, focusing on driving.

    After looking out the window for a brief time, Juho opened his mouth and asked, ¡°What about everyone else? Have you heard anything?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any details, either, but I do know about Choi.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s makes sense, considering how confident he is,¡± Juho said, remembering Choi¡¯s naturally confident expression. From what Juho heard from Joon Soo, Sang Choi had implemented the widely identified subject of ¡°death with love¡± into his piece, which made a lot of sense, considering that he excelled in writing romance novels. He was already famous for his stories on interpersonal rtionships, which unfolded as the plot jumped back and forth between the boundaries of sentimentality and rationality,

    ¡°The main plot is about two people who go on a trip, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s going to be a romance novel with an added element of thriller? I think Mr. Choi would excel at writing a story like that.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to find out when the magazinees out, but from what I heard from him, apparently, there are elements of death throughout the course of the trip.¡±

    Death was rted to more destinations than one realized.

    ¡°Even the protagonist¡¯s birthce belongs to someone who has already died.¡±

    ¡°I think Choi¡¯s portrayal of death will be refreshing.¡±

    ¡°Refreshing? That sounds a little odd when used in the same sentence as death.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s good ating up with odd things... like that.¡±

    Although Juho had never read Sang¡¯s books himself, he found himself looking forward to them, and as Joon Soo turned the steering wheel, Juho asked, ¡°So, what kind of novel did you end up writing?¡±

    Then, as Joon Soo¡¯s body tilted to the left and back, Juho added, ¡°Mr. Joon Soo Bong, the new, hottest author.¡±

    At that, his weing smiled faded away. Juho had never seen him furrowing his brows up to that point, and Joon Soo seemed blind-sided.

    ¡°I would¡¯ve never thought that I would hear that from Yun Woo.¡±

    His recent book had made an appearance in ¡®The Great Book Club¡¯ on TV, which had had skyrocketing viewership after the special episode on Yun Woo. There had been multiple asions where a book that had appeared on the show had reached the bestsellers¡¯ list, but none of them were as drastic or explosive as Joon Soo¡¯s books. The fans cheered on as the ill-fated, yet skilled author climbed his way up the bestsellers¡¯ rankings. The intricate sentences and poetic nature of his stories grew massively popr and sold at an increasing rate. The weekly bestsellers¡¯ rankings had been entirely upied by San Jung, Yun Woo, and Joon Soo.

    ¡°¡®I Remember the Lightning from that Day¡¯ has been doing especially well, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. When it first came out, it was one of the books that got pushed aside because of Yun Woo¡¯s books.¡±

    Unfortunately, Joon Soo¡¯s book had been first published around the same time as Yun Woo¡¯s, and in the end, it had received significantly less attention. However, things were different now, and his book was finally seeing the light of day, following in second after San Jung¡¯s book. He had surpassed Yun Woo in the weekly totals.

    ¡°I remember the time when you were confident about the book because it was your ninth one. That was really strange.¡±

    ¡°Right? I¡¯m telling you, the number three really serves me well!¡±

    With that, he flicked the steering wheel with his finger three times. Then, Juho recited the title of an article he had seen recently: ¡°¡®Yun Woo Pushed Aside by Veteran Authors.¡¯ What is your opinion on that title?¡±

    ¡°Hm. I think it¡¯s quite provocative. It doesn¡¯t sound all that convincing, either. Whoever wrote that article couldn¡¯t have seen you in person, you know?¡±

    It was a rather honest answer, and with his distinct, weing smile, he added, ¡°Although, I can¡¯t say that it¡¯s entirely inurate.¡±

    The words contradicted the expression on his face. He had to be a lot more passionate about his work than he had been letting on.

    ¡°Well, this time, we¡¯ll get to find out if that provocative title was actually urate or not, right?¡±

    At that, Joon Soo chuckled quietly.

    ¡°You really are grounded. You¡¯re not swayed by anything.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true. I got distracted while I was writing because I was curious about what the other authors were writing, and that includes you, Joon Soo.¡±

    ¡®Therefore, I plead you to share more about your work.¡¯

    At the subtle, yet unmistakably clear message, Joon Soo let out a sigh as if giving in and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been writing about powers.¡±

    ¡°There are all sorts of powers in this world.¡±

    ¡°More specifically, political. It¡¯s about the life of an ordinary citizen who¡¯s helpless against the national authority.¡±

    National authority. Ordinary citizen. They were rather in-sounding words.

    ¡°Is it about resistance?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Is it about fighting something greater?¡±

    ¡°No. The authority gets exerted strictly in one direction, and no citizen can stand against it.¡±

    ¡°What about the ordinary citizen? Do they die?¡±

    ¡°No. Nobody dies in this piece. It just doesn¡¯t call for any deaths.¡±

    With that, the car came to a stop, and before Juho knew, they had already arrived at Yun Seo¡¯s house.

    ¡°It¡¯s a scenario where things like freedom and rights have been long dead.¡±

    It was a very Joon-Soo-like approach, heavy and serious. He was portraying an imbnce between individual rights and the national authority.

    ¡°That¡¯s rather provocative.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what death is like.¡±

    Then, Juho unbuckled his seat belt, and as he was about to get out, Joon Soo asked, ¡°Am I still your enemy? Even when I came clean?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve realize now that you¡¯re much more threatening of an enemy than I thought.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s disappointing. Not even a snippet?¡±

    As Juho opened the door, a fresh, cold air rushed into the car. Then, he decided to be a bit more generous toward the author.

    ¡°It seems like we¡¯re opposites, you and I.¡±

    ¡°Opposites?¡±

    In Juho¡¯s writing, there was no such a thing as a nation or an authority or any sort of big background. Simply...

    ¡°My story is about a dying person.¡±

    Juho was intentional in his choice to leave out any cumbersome decorations or details, and simple stories like that tended to reveal the author explicitly, from their skills to emotions, thoughts, goals, and the messages they were trying to convey. Although there was no way to know whether the story would turn out to be a letdown or be able to move the hearts of its readers from within, Juho wrote without second guessing himself.

    Looking at Joon Soo, he said, ¡°In any case, I really worked hard on it.¡±

    With that, he got out of the car, and Joon Soo stayed in his seat in order to park, letting the young author leave. Left alone in his car, Joon Soo reyed the words that Juho left behind in his head.

    ¡°It kind of scares me that he worked so hard,¡± he said to himself with a chuckle, flicking the steering wheel three times.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho greeted Yun Seo, who stood by the entrance of the mountain. Dressed in simple hiking attire, she greeted Juho with a weing smile, as she always had.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Geun Woo greeted Juho, waving his hands while wearing miserable look. It was obvious that he had been dragged out of the house against his will.

    ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve been working on something with other authors?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure everyone knows by now.¡±

    Thanks to Mideum, the literary magazine Juho had been working on with his colleagues had be a widely spread news. Rumors circted among the fans, such as:

    ¡®Apparently, a bunch of authors got together to publish a literary magazine, and it turns out that Yun Woo is a part of that, including a handful of Yun Seo Baek¡¯s pupils. The word is that they are allparable to each other when ites to writing.¡¯

    ¡°Geun Woo had been looking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, saying that he had no idea of what to write in the midst of all those talented authors.¡±

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon, Mrs. Baek! I wasn¡¯t THAT bad.¡±

    Although he declined Yun Seo¡¯s im, a pair of dark circles under his eyes were telling Juho that the anxious author wasn¡¯t getting much sleep still.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t give up, though.¡±

    ¡°Thank goodness. Otherwise, I¡¯d be stuck in my room to this moment.¡±

    The fatigued look on his face only added weight to his statement, and looking at Joon Soo, who joined the group after parking his car, he said, ¡°You must be having the time of your life, Joon Soo.¡±

    At that, Yun Seo smiled brightly, adding, ¡°I bet! Good things are bound toe to good people. We even bought a cake to celebrate.¡±

    ¡°I knew things will turn up for ya.¡±

    While his teacher and colleague were genuinely celebrating his sess with him, Joon Soo was wearing an awkward expression on his face, as if unfamiliar with the situation.

    ¡°Man, what I would give to be famous!¡± Geun Woo eximed.

    Although there had been honesty in voice, he looked rather exhausted, so Juho asked, ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be able to survive the hike?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you underestimate my endurance.¡±

    With that, the four set their feet on the hiking trail at the mountain near the neighborhood. Walking past a set of exercise equipment, they took the side route before reaching the paved trail and climbed a steep set of stairs. When Juho observed the three walking ahead of him, he saw Geun Woo and Joon Soo were keeping a steady pace while Yun Seo walked ahead of the group. It was a moment when her endurance truly shined.

    Then, a rock appeared in between the stairs, but the three kept on climbing, stepping on it like stairs. A tree root next to it had lost its distinct, natural pattern, as it had been treaded over the course of time.

    The daylight revealed the mountains in their full splendor. There were tree branches that had been broken off, and asionally, stic bags that flew about. After stepping aside and letting other hikers through, the four resumed their hike.

    ¡°Are you all doing OK?¡±

    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry about us,¡± Juho answered confidently.

    At that moment, a sign that exined what was on the other side of the hill appeared.

    ¡°There¡¯s a buddhist temple nearby, and they hold a lotusntern festival there on his birthday,¡± Joon Soo said, followed by Geun Woo, who added that their food was a delicacy. It was clear that the three were frequent hikers of that trail.

    After climbing a little longer, a neighborhood with buildings the size of ants in the distance came into view. While Juho looked out into the distant view, Yun Seo said, ¡°Should we take a break?¡±

    Having arrived at the midpoint of the trail, there were plenty of ces to sit and rest since the the terrain was mostly rocky. There were vendors here and there, selling snacks like cup noodles and ice cream, as well as other hikers who were resting either on their way up to or down from the peak.

 Chapter 177 - The Beginning and The End (2)

    <h4>Chapter 177: The Beginning and The End (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Let¡¯s sit here,¡± Yun Seo said, checking her spot as she sat gently.

    After Juho and her pupils also sat down, Geun Woo took some snacks out of his backpack, and Joon Soo, a thermos. At that, Juho realized why he had been told to bring nothing but a bottle of water.

    ¡°Here, have some cucumber.¡±

    ¡°Some coffee for ya.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: Cucumbers are a popr snack for hikers in Korea.)

    Struck all over again by the sudden realization of how familiar Yun Seo and her two pupils were to the trail, Juho bit into the cucumber in his hand. Crunchy and refreshing, it was more than enough to quench his thirst from the hike.

    ¡°A lot of people die in the mountains, right?¡±

    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re thinking about in a peaceful ce like this?¡±

    ¡°I was just having some lingering thoughts.¡±

    Feeling the inclination of the trail, Juho looked into the distance at a forest of buildings. Being in the mountains, it was only natural that he felt like he was leaning forward. Then, he wondered what life would be like for those who lived in such a ce.

    ¡°I heard you met San Jung?¡± Yun Seo asked, drinking her coffee. Juho had already been informed by Geun Woo that San Jung had also been one of Yun Seo¡¯s pupils.

    ¡°She was a fascinating person. Quite different from the way she writes,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°San Jung is a gentle soul, unlike her writing style,¡± Yun Seo agreed.

    As Yun Seo and Juho had said, there was a stark contrast between San Jung¡¯s quiet personality and her writing style. Portraying situations and emotions associated with them that were almost over the top, her writing was, simply put, intense. However, the fact that her readers were able to read through and resonate with such emotionally overwhelming books proved that San Jung knew exactly what kind of sentences to use in various situations. Her stories revealed her obsession with writing explicitly, and whenever Juho read a book of hers, he couldn¡¯t help but ask himself as a fellow author, ¡°Is she OK?¡±

    ¡°But you two are quite simr in some ways.¡±

    ¡°We are?¡±

    ¡°You look like an average Joe, yet your writing style is anything but,¡± Yun Seo said calmly.

    While Geun Woo giggled, Joon Soo added, ¡°They both make me wonder if they¡¯re OK after writing with such intensity.¡±

    ¡°So, am I OK?¡±

    Juho was, in fact, well enough to climb up a mountain.

    ¡°Yes. Hyun Do also said that you would be. Although, I¡¯m not sure if I can say the same for the other person.¡±

    She was referring to San Jung. Thinking back on his conversation with Hyun Do, Juho asked, ¡°Howe? Does she have indigestion?¡±

    ¡°A digestive process might not be the best way to describe her writing process,¡± Yun Seo said as she looked at the buildings the size of anthills in the distance. The world tended to look different depending on how people looked at it. In San Jung¡¯s case...

    ¡°She¡¯s an author who bes prey to herself voluntarily.¡±

    At that, Juho cocked his head in confusion.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Geun Woo asked, just as confused as Juho.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple. You can just feel it when you read her books: desperate, getting eaten away in the inside. There are authors like that among the greats.¡±

    Thest word in her sentence lingered in Juho¡¯s ears for a little while.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if this would apply to San Jung, but authors like that tend to value writing over their own lives, so they dedicate everything to it, without holding back. Their values, emotions, efforts, talents. They just let their own work chip away at their being.¡±

    Books written in such a manner tended to yield one of two results: a book that was unrtable and at best, forgettable, or a masterpiece that overwhelmed its readers. It was a romantic notion, which many authors held dear to their hearts, to let their own craft eat away at their lives so that their works outlived their creators. Unfortunately, there were extremely few who were capable of that, and even if it was possible, even fewer actually carried it out.

    Smiling awkwardly, Joon Soo said, ¡°I do get the impression that she doesn¡¯t really understand the concept of ¡®taking it slower.¡¯¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s kind of out of it, too.¡±

    ¡°Can I tell San Jung about all this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s apliment. I mean, you can just tell it from her moving to the mountains on her own. Her obsession with writing is second to none,¡± Geun Woo said hastily, and after hesitating for a brief moment, he asked, ¡°Do you think she would really go that far?¡±

    Did she have what it took to be a great storyteller? Then, Juho remembered seeing San Jung¡¯s face before his death. Back then, nobody had called her by a title like that.

    ¡°Well, in any case, I¡¯m really looking forward to her piece.¡±

    ¡°How are you saying that?!¡±

    At that, Geun Woo dropped his head, and the dark circles under his eyes grew all the darker.

    ¡°Yun Woo and San Jung. And now, you. I¡¯m the only one left out,¡± he said, and his distinctively depressing expression appeared on his face, which suited his personality quite well.

    ¡°Nobody knows what I look like either. You¡¯re not alone, Geun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t push it.¡±

    As Geun Woo was about to give into anger, Joon Soo intervened. And Juho thought as he ignored him swiftly, ¡®I never have nor will let myself be devoured by my own mind. Maybe that puts me in the pr opposite from San Jung.¡±

    Although there were times he found her writing style charming, Juho was fully aware that it was something that he couldn¡¯t dare to replicate. He was simply too greedy. Values, emotions, efforts, and talents. In his mind, they all belonged to him.

    Then, Juho remembered his most recent piece, which was just over nine thousand words. It was rather short considering that he had dedicated an entire day at the Han River to it, eating just one meal that whole day, and it was that very piece that he had wrestled with for an entire month. He had forgotten long ago how many times he had read through it or how many revisions he had made, and the only reason he was able to see it to the end was because it belonged solely to him.

    ¡°Speaking of which, this is going to be Yun Woo¡¯s first short story, isn¡¯t it?¡± Geun Woo said. The piece would be Yun Woo¡¯s first short story, or perhaps, an autobiographical tale of his death, which nobody would know about. And holding on to that secret, Juho smiled quietly, unlike Geun Woo, whose expression grew all the more depressing.

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s first short story, huh? That alone should be enough to catch people¡¯s attention. I just hope it doesn¡¯t get pushed aside.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Juho said. Perhaps death was a subject best suited for an author like Geun Woo. After all, death was often apanied by depression. When Juho expressed his honest opinion, Geun Woo didn¡¯t try to argue.

    ¡°Death isn¡¯t just depressing, you know. From what I¡¯ve found out while writing, it¡¯s also contagious.¡±

    Contagious. Death was like a cold, which spread through a person¡¯s sneeze. Juho agreed.

    ¡°There is such a thing as a suicide contagion, right? Or a copycat suicide?¡±

    It referred to a phenomenon where people made the unfortunate choice to take their own lives after the death of a celebrity or a person of influence. It was an act in which people followed in the footsteps of their idols.

    Then, Yun Seo said, ¡°That reminds me of ¡®The Sorrows of Young Werther.¡¯¡±

    Along with Juho, her pupils had been thinking of the same thing. Written by a literary great named Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, ¡®The Sorrows of Young Werther¡¯ was responsible for the numerous deaths of young readers who had worshipped Werther as an idol, leading them to make the foolish choice of taking their own lives. It was for that very reason that the phenomenon was referred to as ¡®The Werther¡¯s Effect.¡¯

    ¡°That novel came out in 1774, right? People must have been sensitive to trends back then, too.¡±

    ¡°They always have been. There were countless young people who dressed like Werther in the book.¡±

    ¡°Apparently, there were colognes and works of pottery too. If you think about it, there¡¯s a long history of ¡®goods based on stories.¡¯¡±

    A book that portrayed the events that ur as the protagonist, ¡°Werther,¡± falls in love with a girl engaged to another man,¡¯The Sorrows of Young Werther¡¯ had a rather simple plot, and just as the title suggested, it was about Werther¡¯s sorrows. In a love that couldn¡¯te true, sadness was inevitable.

    Werther was someone who was quite sensitive to his emotions, to the point of, when ovee with sorrow, taking his life with a pistol. While some may have thought the character to be idiotic and absurd, readers resonated deeply with the deep emotions portrayed by the author, to the point where some readers took their own lives.

    ¡°Goethe, himself, was dumbfounded by the phenomenon. After all, he didn¡¯t look at Werther¡¯s suicide in a positive light, either. Apparently, he even begged his readers not to kill themselves like Werther.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it. I would too. I mean, how tragic would it be to find out that your own work was urging people tomit suicide? The thought of it alone is making my stomach turn,¡± Geun Woo said with his mouthful of cucumber, and Juho was no different. He couldn¡¯t begin to imagine what that had been like for the unfortunate literary great.

    ¡°There are a lot of different opinions on how that novel came to be so influential, but the way I see it as an author, it had to be based on the author¡¯s personal experience.¡±

    Like Joon Soo had said, ¡®The Sorrows of Young Werther¡¯ was a book based on its author¡¯s personal experience in having loved an engaged woman, and that of a friend, who had taken their own life after they were ovee by the sorrow of love.

    ¡°I agree. The ending of that book was influenced by the death of his friend. A piece of writing that was influenced by something tends to influence yet something else.¡±

    Although Geun Woo was stating the obvious, Joon Soo nodded affirmingly. Then, looking at the authors who had written on the subject of death with narrowed eyes, Yun Seo said, ¡°You don¡¯t think that kind of writing woulde out of this group, do you? Oh, maybe when I die?¡±

    At that, everyone shook their heads simultaneously.

    ¡°Mrs. Baek! Why would you say that!?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon now, Mrs. Baek. Here, have a cucumber.¡±

    ¡°And some coffee.¡±

    Giggling at their reactions, Yun Seo told them that she¡¯d be looking forward to their uing pieces.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up too much, Mrs. Baek. It burdens me.¡±

    ¡°All right. If you say so.¡±

    ¡°I mean... maybe a tiny bit,¡± Geun Woo said, struggling to make up his mind.

    Juho looked at at the inclining trail. He had written about death, and he, himself, had had firsthand experience with it. Whether or not he had actually died was up for debate, but in any case, it was true that his experience came very close to it. But, he hade back to the past.

    A piece like Goethe¡¯s. As long as Juho was Yun Woo, reaching the skill level of the German literary great was nearly impossible. Besides, Juho wasn¡¯t confident that he was capable of writing something that would move the readers to the point of making them take their own lives. However, nobody could know the results. Even Goethe, himself, had had no idea of what kind of effect his novel would have on its readers. That was what the future was like.

    Juho reminisced about his past life, made of nothing but an unpromising future. Because it had only grown worse by the day, only spiraling down further, Juho worked hard to twist and distort his experience, and he did it to his heart¡¯s content. A choice tended to yield various results, and now, he was building rtionships with people he had never met in the past. The proof was in the literary magazine he was taking part in, which hadn¡¯t existed in his past life. The group of authors had also been no more than a social gathering.

    ¡®Will the future I¡¯m about to face still look anything like the past?¡¯

    It was very likely that it would be nothing like the future he had experienced. However, the opposite was always a possibility.

    ¡°All right. Shall we?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Juho thought of the entric author. Dressed in ck, red lipstick, preferred her steak well-done, and a wine drinker. However, he couldn¡¯t remember her face for some reason. Even when he put the bits of his memories of her together, they were simply not enough to help him remember, and Juho was well aware as to why. He knew the reason she had felt like she had been surrounded in fog when he had first met her, and he was looking forward to her portrayal of death.

    How many people had been affected by her death? Juho remembered the media moring about her death. Before he had died, there was a time when she had taken her own life.

 Chapter 178 - The Beginning and the End (3)

    <h4>Chapter 178: The Beginning and the End (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°It¡¯s Finally Out! The Literary Magazine ¡®The Beginning and the End.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡®The Beginning and the End¡¯ Marks the Highest Daily Sales in the History of Korean Literary Magazines. The Resurrection of Literary Magazines.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo, the Shining Star Among the Veteran Authors. The Significance Behind His Portrayal of Death. The Awe-Inspiring Capacity of the Young Author.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s New Short Story, ¡®River,¡¯ Delivers a New Wave of Shock. What Are Some Things that Can Be Achieved Through a Short Story?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo, Arguably the Most Distinguishable of the Nine. A Closer Look at the Critically Acimed ¡®River.¡¯¡±

    ¡°The Battle between San Jung Youn and Yun Woo. Yun Woo Wins? Fans React.¡±

    ¡°The Critic, Pyung Jin Lee, Discusses the Difference between San Jung Youn and Yun Woo. The Perspective on Death, and the Gap between Ideals and Reality.¡±

    ¡°Critics Deem Yun Woo¡¯s Recent Work, ¡®River,¡¯ His Deepest Work Yet.¡±

    ¡°¡®The Youngest to Debut as an Author.¡¯ A Closer Look at the Genius Author¡¯s Portrayal of Death.¡±

    ¡°The Once Dwindling ¡°Yun Woo Fever¡± Strikes Again, Passing San Jung Youn and Joon Soo Bong¡¯s Close Pursuit.¡±

    ¡ª

    A bicycle rushed past like wind behind Juho, followed by an excited child with a kite in its hand and its parents.

    Standing at a spot on the bridge from where the Han River was visible, Juho opened the literary magazine that Dae Soo had sent him. While the gust of wind blew against the pages, Juho maintained a safe distance from the rail, which was about three steps away.

    First, he looked at the table of contents, where the titles of each piece were listed along with the authors who wrote them. The magazine started off with Geun Woo¡¯s piece, followed by Mideum, Dong Gil, Seo Joong, Dae Soo, Sang Choi, Joon Soo, San Jung, andstly, Yun Woo. Although it wasn¡¯t clear as to how the order had been decided, it bothered Juho slightly that he was at the very end. With the special condition of writing about a shared topic as a group, being thest in line was a disadvantage because there was danger of readers growing more familiar with the content.

    ¡®What if it gets buried?¡¯

    ¡°Dad! The string¡¯s all tangled up!¡± the child shouted in the distance while flying its kite, and the lone kite in the sky plummeted to the ground. After looking at that for a little while, Juho redirected his attention to Geun Woo¡¯s piece. Something welled up from within him, as it was their first time reading each other¡¯s works. The other authors had to be doing the same thing, looking at the newly published magazine in their respective ces.

    ¡°Ha...!¡± Juho let out by reflex after reading Geun Woo¡¯s piece. It was depressing.

    The fact that the magazine started off with such a depressing piece entuated the nature of the magazine, which was on the subject of death. Geun Woo¡¯s portrayal of depression was addicting in a way that was unexinable, making the readers want to read on.

    Then, the Mideum¡¯s piece followed after it, bringing about aplete change in mood. There was a strong element of humor, and with the author being a writer of detective novels, the plot centered around a mysterious death. It was entertaining. Considering the unique characters and friendly plot development, Mideum¡¯s piece had to be the most appealing to the masses. She was an author who was very well aware of the charm in her writing style.

    Next, came the section where the magazine transitioned from Dong Gil to Seo Joong. Just like their personalities in real life, there was a stark contrast between their writing styles, and it was satisfying to see such prizing styles back to back. A heat that peeked through the greasiness. Or the savory that followed after sweetness. The vors of the two pieces weren¡¯t merely sweet or salty. They were overwhelmingly so. While one was rigid and the other mushy, they were both outstanding in terms of their skills, bncing each other out.

    Then, there was an unpleasant stench of mold. Thankfully, the source of the odor became clear when Juho read the next piece. Casu Marzu. It was rotten cheese that was fermented by cing live maggots in it, which had the surprising effect of giving the cheese a softer texture. Although most people would find it repulsive and nauseating, those who developed a taste for the cheese couldn¡¯t stop craving it. Because the cheese was prohibited from being sold in public markets due to the food safety and hygienews in various countries, the Casu Marzu was sold in the ck market. It was a delicacy for many, to the point where they would prioritize getting their hands on it despite thew or the maggots living within the cheese. It was a piece that reminded Juho of a strong wine.

    ¡°A-ha! Herees the wine.¡±

    The wine that popped up in Juho¡¯s mind finally appeared in the following piece written by San Choi. Filled with self-love, he was an author who was quite sensitive to the rtionships of others. Love was the most potent emotion that could ur from interpersonal rtionships, and that was also where death existed. Not only was the wine strong, but it was also quite bitter. It was a magical elixir, capable of calming a storm of emotions while allowing its drinker to neglect the reality they were facing.

    By the time Juho¡¯s body and mind began to grow hazier, Joon Soo appeared, and the readers who had been indulging in wine tensed up at the sudden appearance of an intimidating father, finding themselves in ces like a conference room or a ssroom. The air was cold, and Juho felt pricked in the heart. It was a rather heavy and serious piece. By the time the stench of alcohol had left the body, Juho felt the tightness of a formal attire on his skin, and responsibilities like assignments, homework, and projects rose to the surface of his mind.

    ¡°How Joon Soo-like,¡± Juho let out, snapping out of the debauchery. The party was over. Then, when he flipped the page, a title written in dark ink appeared. ¡®State of Ecstasy.¡¯ That was San Jung¡¯s choice for the title.

    At that, the list of novelists who had ended their own lives rushed past Juho¡¯s mind. An artist who jumped into the river after being ovee by a sense of self-destruction. A great storyteller. Without even mourning the passing of their creators, stories written by such writers were still just as popr as when they were first published.

    However, San Jung¡¯s book was different. It had yet to reach that point. Like a kite with tangled up string, she had never been able to reach the top before her string broke.

    As the gust of wind blew against the pages of the magazine yet again, Juho applied more pressure through his hands and read on carefully. It was a story about a man who was stranded, exhausted, and wrestling with the temptation of death. After fighting against the formless enemy, the man fell into a state of ecstasy with death, which took shape of a person.

    Ecstatic. It was just as the title had suggested. Juho didn¡¯t want to miss a single word while he read. Much like Juho, San Jung¡¯s portrayal of death was quite explicit. However, there was a difference. Jumping back and forth between the boundaries of reality and fantasy, she had portrayed even something like that as an illusion. It was closer to idealism than rationality, and that was where the difference between the two authors urred.

    Juho breathed slowly, and without even reading thest piece, he closed the magazine. While he felt hazy after reading about death for an extended period of time, there was a sense of satisfaction within him. The magazine was quite a treat.

    Then, he looked up at the sky, where a kite was flying. It was the very kite that had plummeted to the ground when the string had tangled up. Now, it was flying high in the sky, and following its father¡¯s advice intently, the child sped on to the string. Then, the child shouted, ¡°I¡¯m gonna make it go higher!¡±

    The child believed firmly that there would be a next time. Juho listened quietly to the joyful sound of the child¡¯sughter.

    Thinking of San Jung, he asked himself, ¡®Will she make the same choice? Has she read my piece?¡¯

    At that moment, his phone began to ring.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Then, Dae Soo¡¯s voice, which was calmer than usual for some reason, sounded from the receiver.

    ¡°So, San Jung asked me to talk to you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Then, it dawned on Juho that he didn¡¯t have San Jung¡¯s contact information.

    ¡°She wants to see you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    ¡°As soon as possible. At her ce.¡±

    ¡°... Pardon?¡±

    ¡°She wants to invite you over to her ce.¡±

    ¡®Her ce as in... her house in the mountains?¡¯

    ¡°You mean, the ce in the middle of the mountains?¡±

    It was the very ce where snakes were amon find. Dae Soo gave him an affirmative answer, and while Juho had been caught off guard by the sudden invitation, he answered calmly, ¡°Sure. How about tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow? Isn¡¯t that a weekday? Do you not have school? Is it your school¡¯s anniversary or something?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ll just skip.¡±

    In Juho¡¯s mind, there was a lot more to get from a visit to San Jung¡¯s studio than to being at school, so needless to say, the choice was obvious.

    ¡°Man, that¡¯s one ballsy decision for a high school student in Korea!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. It won¡¯t be that big of an issue as long as I have my parents¡¯ consent.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you have experience?¡±

    ¡°A few times. I was writing back then.¡±

    ¡°OK, then. I¡¯ll go ahead and deliver this endearing news to San Jung. Oh! While we¡¯re at it, what do you think about staying there for a few days? Say... a couple nights?¡±

    ¡°As long as the owner is OK with it.¡±

    At that, Dae Soo let out a heartyughter, satisfied with Juho¡¯s answer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there too.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°As your guardian. Besides, it¡¯s interesting. San Jung? Inviting Yun Woo?¡±

    Dae Soo¡¯s excuse to join as a guardian was rather obvious. She simply wanted to look around. Then, she hung up after telling him to meet her at the office by a certain time to carpool. After staring at the river for a little while, Juho turned around and locked eyes with a man.

    Although Juho had no recollection of ever meeting him, the man was staring intently at him. For a brief moment, Juho wondered if the man had heard him talking on the phone, but there was quite a bit of distance between them. And because they were on a bridge, the wind was rather strong, so it was unlikely that the man had heard Juho while he had been on the phone.

    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s a coincidence... But there is no such a thing as a coincidence.¡¯

    While Juho was immersed with seemingly unhelpful thoughts, they crossed paths with each other, and soon, Juho forgot about him.

    ¡ª

    The man stared intently at a student who had just walked past him. He had been watching the student from the moment he opened the magazine. The student was quite into what he was reading. As if there were all sorts of emotions in the book, he was reading with his entire body while adjusting his poise from time to time.

    For that reason, the man reached the decision to make a final stop at a bookstore to see for himself what the student had been reading.

    Finding the magazine at the bookstore was not difficult since it was being disyed in the most visible spot. Without hesitation, the man picked up a copy and headed toward the corner of the store, where the shelf for the technical books was, and plunked down in front of it, hoping nobody woulde near him.

    He examined the magazine called ¡®The Beginning and the End.¡¯ Although he had been under the impression that it had been a novel, he came to learn that it was actually a literary magazine. There was band wrapped around the magazine with the phrase ¡®All profits will be donated¡¯ written on it, but the man paid no attention to it. All he wanted was to be able to enjoy the book as much and as lively as the student he had met on the bridge.

    Then, when the man opened to the first page, a word stood out to him: Death. At which point, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡®What are the odds of reading something like this on this day?¡¯

    ¡°I killed a person,¡± the man said light-heartedly, as if reading the book out loud. He had killed a person three hours before, and while walking aimlessly, he ran into a student. Then, he decided that he would read what the student had been reading. If only he had known what the book was about.

    Dumbfounded by his choice, the man opened the book. Although it was quite a depressing read, it was nowhere near as depressing as the situation he was in. Next, was a detective novel, which he swiftly skipped over. Each of the following pieces was just as uninteresting as thest, and the man found them unrtable. As he flipped through the pages meaninglessly, he found himself getting angry all of a sudden.

    None of the writers understood what death was, and the man found their portrayals of it to be insignificant, especially the piece called ¡®State of Ecstasy.¡¯ He was quite bothered by it, to the point of feeling annoyed.

    ¡®How can one write something like this and grow popr? How can they make money with something like this?¡¯

    The world was a rather unreasonable ce. Then, it dawned on the man how the student had been able to enjoy what he had been reading so much. The student had to be too young to realize that the lies he was reading were untrue. He had been deceived.

    Annoyed, the man flipped to thest piece and saw the name Yun Woo. It was a name he was also familiar with. Looking to ridicule the young author, the man read on.

    ¡°Sir, you can¡¯t read here.¡±

    Despite the employee¡¯s voice, the man didn¡¯t move a muscle. From then on, the employee called for the man several more times, but the man satpletely still in his ce, and as the situation grew into amotion, people in the bookstore began to stare in the man¡¯s direction. He was holding desperately to thest page of the book, crumpling it.

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    At that, the man¡¯s mouth parted open ever so slightly, and he let out a faint moan. His voice cracked dreadfully, and his heart throbbed as if it would jump out of his chest. He couldn¡¯t say a word. Then, looking up, he locked eyes with the employee, who looked extremely displeased while looking down at him with eyes filled with disgust.

    Then, the man wept.

 Chapter 179 - The Beginning and the End (4)

    <h4>Chapter 179: The Beginning and the End (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The car shook, but Juho¡¯s butt had grown numb from the vibrations long ago. Everytime Dae Soo moved her hands, the car tossed Juho¡¯s body left and right, making for a fantastic ride thatbined the driver¡¯s reckless driving with the unpaved road. When Juho looked at Dae Soo in the mirror, he thought she seemed to be in a good mood.

    ¡°Do you mind driving a little safer?¡±

    ¡°me it on the road. It might not seem like it, but in thest twenty years, I¡¯ve never gotten into an ident.¡±

    While the car shook him busily, Juho rubbed his arm as it bumped against that of another person, one with a displeased look on his face. It was Sang Choi. Thinking back to the time when Juho had greeted him in front of Dae Soo¡¯s office with a lunch box in is hand, he asked Dae Soo, ¡°Remind me again why Mr. Choi¡¯s here?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess he wants to show the world how much time he has in his hands.¡±

    At the absent-minded remark, Sang answered with a genuinely confident look, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I just happen to stumble across an interesting subject.¡±

    Then, he closed his lips tightly, as if he had no intention of exining what was so interesting. Juho, too, didn¡¯t bother to ask, but he had noticed the burning gaze that he had been feeling on him from time to time long ago. Then, the car shook again, and the lunch box on Sang¡¯sp ttered about, making Juho wonder if the food inside would maintain its shape.

    After concerning himself with the state of Sang¡¯s food inside the lunch box for a brief moment, Juho took his phone out. Although the screen shook with the car, it was filled mostly with news of Yun Woo¡¯s books selling at an increasing rate and of his recent short story. People were busyparing the nine authors. At that moment, a head appeared from his side out of nowhere.

    ¡°People are so envious of your wealth,¡± Sang said, reading thements on one of the articles. Juho had a sessful career at an early age, and there were countlessments of a simr nature. Some even attempted to spread a story of mysterious source, iming that Yun Woo was buying off all of the most expensivend in Gangnam. Although stories like that had always existed throughout the young author¡¯s career, under no circumstances did he offer any exnations. The rumors tended to repeat the process of hyping him up and dying down.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Gangnam is considered one of the richer parts of Seoul, South Korea, which means thend there would be significantly more expensive than in other areas of the country.)

    Reading a post that even included pictures of a mansion only the richest of the rich would be able to live in, Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. While seemingly absurd, they were establishing somewhat of a basis for their conjecture regarding Yun Woo¡¯s wealth. Whileparing the young author to other world-renowned authors, they were ranking all of those authors based on their wealth.

    ¡°Too bad I don¡¯t actually live in a mansion like that,¡± Juho said, remembering a mansion near his school. To which, Sang said, ¡°C¡¯mon. Don¡¯t be so modest, now. You¡¯re loaded.¡±

    ¡°And how would you know?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? The whole country knows that your book sold over a million copies only two months after its release. Of course, sales aren¡¯t everything for us writers, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that your books have sold at an incredible rate. The more books you sell, the more money you make. On top of that, it¡¯s not like you¡¯ve only written one or two books. And you have a significant fan base overseas, which would only multiply your profits. ¡®Language of God¡¯ is still doing well, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Recently, the Dong Baek Publishing Company had put out the entire series of ¡®Language of God¡¯ as a set. Consolidating the series into a total of four books bybining thinner volumes together, thepany gave the books entirely different appearances, from the quality of the paper to the cover designs. Those who took their fandom further than just being fans of the book to being fans of the world within the series didn¡¯t hesitate to buy the new edition of their favorite series. Fans across the globe were no exception. Because the novel was under a category they had already been familiar with, not to mention its quality and originality, the international fans weed the novel enthusiastically. Just as Dong Baek had predicted, genre novels tended to sell uncontrobly once they started selling.

    ¡°Speaking of which, howe you¡¯re living in the same ce, still?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I heard from Mideum. It got brought up in ourst meeting too, right? Your writing space. A small room. Why don¡¯t you move to a bigger space?¡±

    ¡°Hey, Choi! That¡¯s enough!¡± Dae Soo intervened in order to keep Sang from going any further.

    But he said with a shrug, ¡°Well, he just won¡¯t answer if he doesn¡¯t feel like it, right?¡±

    ¡°How did you be so mature?¡±

    ¡°Just like everyone else.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t all that difficult of a question to answer. There was no sad story like having to grow up quickly in order to pay off a family debt, or getting all of his money taken away by a father addicted to gambling. The current house Juho was living in was in a convenient location for him as a student, and there was nothing inconvenient about it in particr, either. Besides, Juho, having lived in it for a long time, had grown attached to the house. After discussing it with his parents, Juho had decided to live in the same house, at least until he graduated. Also...

    ¡°I don¡¯t have all that much money.¡±

    ... The young author wasn¡¯t as wealthy as others imagined him to be because he had spent every penny he had made from his books.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°That, I don¡¯t really feel like exining.¡±

    With that, Juho clenched his lips tightly and redirected his attention to his phone, ignoring Sang¡¯s repeated calls for him. Juho had spent everyst penny in donations, and the reason for that had nothing to do with him wanting to go back to being homeless like in the past or not wanting to repeat the mistakes of the past. He had simply wanted to do it.

    Aftering back to life, a voice resounded in his head whenever he thought about death. It was a scream. Juho couldn¡¯t be more thankful that there had still been someone who had screamed for him as he had fallen in the river. He was grateful that there had been a person who had cared for him. People weren¡¯t made to live in solitude.

    Yun Woo¡¯s money had been going toward those who were suffering from disease, poverty, violence, deprivation, historical usation, war, disability, alcoholism, and prejudice.

    ¡°I swear, kids nowadays. All they care about is their phones,¡± Sang muttered, and holding back a chuckle, Juho read from the phone screen. Assuming that Yun Woo possessed substantial wealth, there were all sorts of opinions regarding the matter. It was easy to make direct statements while hiding behind anonymity, and it made for interesting writing material.

    Unfortunately, the car was simply shaking too much for him to keep reading, and despite his willingness to endure it, he had to look up from his phone.

    ¡°Going over to San Jung¡¯s is an adventure in and of itself,¡± Dae Soo said joyfully. She was a natural born driver. However, Juho began to feel like he might sumb to motion sickness if he were to stare at his phone screen any longer. With that, he opened the window, and the distinct smell of mountains rushed into the car. Because they didn¡¯t leave untilter in the day and the weather wasn¡¯t all that great, it was already starting to get dark out, and being in the mountains meant that the sun would set even sooner.

    Then, Dae Soo turned on the radio, and the news came up saying that a criminal on the run had been caught. The car shook all the more, and the mountains were as dark as ever. At that, Juho realized with his entire body just how isted San Jung was from the rest of civilization. Finally, the car came to a stop when they reached a point where they couldn¡¯t go any further in it.

    ¡°All right, time for some exercise.¡±

    Getting out of the car, the three each put on their backpacks and headed into the forest. What was supposed to be a trail seemed like it had been paved by the feet of those who had been through it up to that point, and it was hard to distinguish the boundaries between the grass and the dirt. The signs that appeared from time to time were less than helpful as they pointed in ambiguous directions. Thankfully, it was clear that there was a buddhist temple nearby.

    Juho observed Dae Soo, who led the way, and Sang from behind. Neither of them were fighting for breath, and Juho saw with his own eyes that Sang really had been taking care of himself, just as he had imed.

    ¡°All right, I get that writing in mother nature is romantic and all, but this is just ridiculous!¡±

    Nevertheless, he tended toin quite frequently. Murmuring, he looked around at his surroundings, which were filled with trees and dirt.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Choi. Man up. Even Juho¡¯s doing this.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s him. I¡¯m my own person.¡±

    Despite Dae Soo¡¯s provocation, it wasn¡¯t until Sangined some more that he walked in silence. Because he was in an unfamiliar environment, Juho felt that his sense of time had grown dull. He had no clue as to the direction in which or for how long they had been walking. The only thing he could do was to follow the two people in front of him.

    ¡°Are we almost there?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Yes, almost,¡± Dae Soo answered. However, they had to walk even longer.

    By the time they had repeated the same conversation about five times, Juho wondered, ¡®How long have we been walking for? Thirty minutes? An hour? Or maybe it hasn¡¯t even been ten minutes. Am I tired, or still doing OK?¡¯ It was all hard to tell.

    At that moment, a rustling sound came from the side, and when he checked it, he realized that it had been made by a cat. Paying no attention to them, it sat and bathed in what little sunlight there was left. Feeling exhausted for some reason, Juho kept on walking quietly, with the sun already about to set.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    At Dae Soo¡¯s voice, Juho looked up to see a house built in an open space. The color of the house blended with the dirt around it, almost like a camouge.

    ¡°Wee,¡± a thin voice said. Just like before, she was dressed in ck.

    Then, Sang went on toin meaninglessly, ¡°San Jung, are you thinking about moving out of these mountains anytime soon?

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought it¡¯d be soborious to go over to a colleague¡¯s house?¡±

    ¡°Come on in and get some rest.¡±

    With that, San Jung let them in, and the interior of the house wasn¡¯t all that different from the exterior. There was a kitchen connected to spacious living room. There was a room, and books.

    ¡°There are a lot of windows here.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I had them built so that I can see the outside.¡±

    As he looked around the house, Juho drank the beverage that San Jung had brought out. However, what had seemed like ordinary barley tea was not anything like Juho¡¯s expectations. The bitter taste made it closer to medicine than water. Still, it was refreshing after that long hike. As he chugged the entire cup and sighed with satisfaction, he locked eyes with San Jung, who was staring intently at him. Then, wiping his mouth, he asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Would you like more?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please,¡± Juho said as he pulled out his cup, and San Jung poured the liquid from the stic bottle into it. The liquid had a yellow tinge to it. That time, Juho drank it slower.

    ¡°I see that there is a lot of paper here as well.¡±

    ¡°This ce is more like a writing space than a home.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fascinating.¡±

    ¡°Feel free to look around.¡±

    Looking at the books and manuscript paper on her workstation, Juho was reminded of his room for some reason. He was well acquainted with stacks of paper in no particr order on top of each other.

    ¡°That¡¯s the study over there. I have even more books there. Next to it, is the kitchen.¡±

    Looking in the direction of San Jung¡¯s exnation, Juho grasped the overallyout of the house. It really felt like a dorm. Then, a medal in a small ss cab located next to a couch in the living room came into his view.

    ¡°That¡¯s the international award from Italy, right?¡± Juho asked, and following his eyes, San Jung turned in the same direction.

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±

    ¡°You were the first Korean winner.¡±

    It was a widely recognized award. Given based on books that had been tranted into English, the fact that San Jung had been chosen was nothing short of impressive. In the currently ongoing globalization of Korean literature, it was difficult to argue that San Jung had no influence in it whatsoever. It was through the very path that she had paved that exporting became a possibility.

    ¡°How did you feel when you received it?¡±

    ¡°I was happy. I felt like the entire world was recognizing me. Let¡¯s say that it was the moment when all my hard work up to that point was finally paying off. But now, I don¡¯t really care for it.¡±

    As if proving her point, she reminisced with a dull, indifferent expression.

    ¡°Howe? Is it because it has been a while?¡±

    ¡°No, time has nothing to do with it.¡±

    ¡°Then, what is it?¡±

    Then, she looked at Juho with eyes that were as dark as her clothes.

    ¡°Because you¡¯re here.¡±

    With that, her dark, gaping eyes became fixated somewhere slightly deeper.

 Chapter 180 - The Beginning and the End (5)

    <h4>Chapter 180: The Beginning and the End (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho thought about what San Jung had just told him. With his mind working busily to interpret her words in different ways, he kept his eyes fixed on her.

    ¡°Why so serious?¡± Sang asked on his way out of the bathroom, from where the flushing sound of a toilet came.

    Then, San Jung answered in an indifferent tone, ¡°We were in the middle of talking about my award.¡±

    Nodding affirmingly, he looked out the window.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s toote to do anything now. It¡¯s already dark out. Why don¡¯t we just eat and call it a night?¡±

    ¡°OK. You two sleep in the big room, then. Dae Soo and l will take the master bedroom.¡±

    ¡°Where are the nkets?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring ¡¯em out.¡±

    Just like that, Sang secured a ce to sleep like an old timer, and Juho followed San Jung in order to get his nket. Her ck clothes swayed about.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Goodnight.¡±

    ¡°You too, Mr. Choi.¡±

    Because there was no bed in the room, the two guys had to sleep on the floor. When Juhoy down, he saw what seemed like a crossbeam on the ceiling. Judging from the looks of it, it didn¡¯t seem like it was actually contributing to the structural integrity of the house. If anything, it seemed more like a decoration.

    ¡®If it¡¯s just part of the interior, why is it in this room?¡¯

    With that, Juho reminisced to the memory of his past life. He couldn¡¯t remember exactly when San Jung had died. It had been news that he hade across years after he had graduated from high school, when he had had no ce to go.

    ¡®Was it in the subway station? Maybe I saw it on somebody¡¯s phone. Or a rumor, perhaps?¡¯

    Whatever it had been, it had been delivering the news of her death repeatedly, saying that the author hadn¡¯t even left a will. What Juho did remember vividly was the ce of her death: in the mountains. He also remembered thinking that the ce had suited her personality. She had lived in the mountains, and on the ceiling of a room within it, there was a crossbeam.

    ¡°Do youe here often?¡± Juho asked Sang, who was lying next to him.

    ¡°As much as I can. Why do you ask?¡± Sang said, tossing and turning toward Juho.

    ¡°You seemed like you knew where everything was when you were cooking dinner.¡±

    He had known where to find everything in the kitchen, and as a side note, his cooking skill was quite impressive. Unfortunately, the food in his lunch box had transformed into a mess that had looked less than appetizing.

    ¡°Man, I¡¯ve said this before, but you really are quick.¡±

    Then, lifting his foot up, he grabbed behind his knees and pulled them toward his torso. It was his method of stretching.

    ¡°Ie visit so San Jung doesn¡¯t get bored by herself.¡±

    With that, Juho looked at Sang¡¯s toes. They were quite long.

    ¡°She seems like the type who wouldn¡¯t even bother to eat when she¡¯s alone, you know? Dae Soo¡¯s been taking care of her a lot, too. It¡¯s a gathering. A ¡°ss reunion,¡± if you will. Anyway, when San Jung¡¯s not writing, the memberse here often, even without her inviting us.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    The rest of the authors in the group had to be thinking the same thing. It wasn¡¯t clear whether or not it was conscious, but they certainly didn¡¯t feel safe about leaving San Jung alone in the mountains. After all, they had been reading what she had been writing. As Juho looked at the crossbeam on the ceiling, he couldn¡¯t help but imagine it getting closer to him. Then, a scene yed in his head where the crossbeam fell from the ceiling, crushing him underneath it. The coarse-looking crossbeam wasn¡¯t supporting anything.

    Then, a choking sound filled the room. When Juho looked to his side, Sang had already fallen asleep with his mouth slightly parted. It sounded like air was rushing into that hole, or perhaps, his nostrils, which were always open. The snoring repeated the cycle of crescendos followed by diminuendos.

    In an attempt to sleep, Juho closed his eyes, but unfortunately, his ears kept working restlessly. Then, with one, loud choking sound, the room sank back into silence.

    ¡®Is he not breathing?¡¯

    Juho opened his eyes in order to check on Sang, and soon, there was sound air escaping. From then on, the snoring continued.

    ¡°Cough.¡±

    Wanting to sleep, Juho tossed and turned noticeably, but as audacious as he had always been, Sang¡¯s eyes remained closed. At that, Juho let out a sigh, realizing that sleeping was no longer a possibility. Then, he sat up slowly, secretly hoping that the movement would wake up Sang, but just like his name suggested, Sang Choi really was on top of everything he did. At which point, it dawned on Juho what San Jung had said about sounds in the mountains.

    Having given up trying to sleep, Juho went out to the living room. Because there were so many windows in the house, the living room felt rather cool, as if maintaining the same temperature as outside. However, it did feel like it would get cold in the winter. While the ce might not be the best living space, it was quite nice as a writing space, and San Jung seemed to have been well aware of her priorities.

    Then, he went into the kitchen and turned on the light in order to pour himself a cup of water. Letting his eyes adjust to the sudden brightness for a brief moment, he opened the refrigerator and poured himself a cup of water. After quenching his thirst, he stared at the sink absentmindedly for a little while. Then, when he reached into his pocket in order to check the time, he realized that it was empty, and that he had left his phone back in the room.

    The faint sound of Sang¡¯s snores reverberated from the distance.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe I can hear it from all the way here.¡¯

    It was almost awe-inspiring. Because Juho no longer had the confidence to go back into the room, he walked back out to the living room and saw San Jung.

    ¡°Were you not sleeping?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    She didn¡¯t seemed taken aback by Juhoing out of the kitchen. Simply, she stared in the direction from where Sang¡¯s snores wereing.

    ¡°Quite a snorer, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s known for that.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you put me in the same room as him?¡±

    ¡°I actually wanted to go on ate night walk with you,¡± she said as if she had predicted that Juho woulde out of the room, unable to sleep. Then, San Jung¡¯s clothes came into Juho¡¯s view. They were still ck and looked more like something she would wear when going out. However, because Juho himself had gone to bed wearing his sweatshirt and pants, the sight wasn¡¯t all that jarring. With that, San Jung walked toward the door, and as he had done previously, he followed her.

    ¡°You could have just asked.¡±

    ¡°Dae Soo suggested that you should experience Sang Choi¡¯s top-notch snores in person.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s cruel of you two.¡±

    As soon as Juho walked outside, the wind blew. The mountain visible from the front yard of the house was nothing but a ck mound. It was too dark to see anything. Then, as soon as she came out, she opened a cab in the corner of the house and handed Juho a shlight. It would be Juho¡¯s first time hiking at night.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous here? You said there are snakes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. I know the safe paths.¡±

    With that, the two made their way up the mountain. With a long tree branch in her hand, San Jung walked while tapping the ground constantly. Relying solely on a shlight for visibility while hiking was a rather nerve-racking task, and much more demanding physically. They were vulnerable and would fall prey to whatever decided to jump out and attack them.

    ¡®Is this why she hikes at night? For this experience?¡¯

    Aside from their footsteps and breathing, the mountains werepletely silent, and just as she had described previously, there was no sound aside from those which were being made by humans. On top of that, Juho had to be contributing to the silence, making the creatures wary of his unfamiliar presence.

    As he walked while looking down at his feet, San Jung¡¯s voice came from the front.

    ¡°I read your piece, ¡®River,¡¯¡± she said in the dark, shaking along with her steps. ¡°It was well written.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Juho said, expressing gratitude for herpliment.

    ¡®Tap. Tap.¡¯

    The sound of the tree branch rhythmically hitting the surface of the ground resounded throughout.

    ¡°Have you ever drowned?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What about dying?¡±

    Although the answer would be a ¡®yes,¡¯ Juho hesitated for a little while. Then, something snapped under his foot.

    ¡°Do I seem like a ghost to you?¡± he asked, in a the same manner in which he had heard her ask previously.

    Then, without even looking back, she said, ¡°No.¡±

    It was a brief answer, and it faded only quicker in the dark.

    ¡°That would mean that you¡¯re writing even as a ghost. That would be absurd.¡±

    Juho felt pricked in the heart.

    ¡°Right? Haha! That would be absurd.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in ghosts.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because there shouldn¡¯t be anything after you die. That¡¯s what makes death, death, right?¡±

    At that, Juho looked down at his hands holding a shlight. It was with those very hands that he had written a number of pieces after he had died, and he had also read a number of books since.

    ¡°How are you able to write like that?¡±

    Then, focusing on the path illuminated only by his shlight, he answered, ¡°as in... ?¡±

    ¡°Your portrayal of death.¡±

    Juho tried to breathe quietly in order to hear her thin voice better.

    ¡°What about it?¡±

    She gave no answer, and Juho, too, followed her quietly. The higher up they went, the darker their surroundings grew.

    ¡®How far are we going? Where are we going?¡¯

    Asking himself questions which he should have asked before they had started climbing, Juho looked back, and saw nothing but gaping darkness, much like San Jung.

    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t I write like that?¡±

    What came out of her mouth after quite some time was a question. Looking down at his feet, Juho answered. His feet moved busily, and he couldn¡¯t tell whether or not he was running out of breath.

    ¡°Because you¡¯re not Yun Woo.¡±

    Only Yun Woo was capable of writing ¡®River,¡¯ and as someone who had experienced death firsthand, only Juho was capable of writing a short story like that. Needless to say, Juho had put in a lot of effort into making sure that it turned out the way he had intended, and behind that intention, was sincerity.

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    Again, a brief answer. Because Juho had been upied with his steps, he didn¡¯t catch the subtle emotion hidden within that brief moment. All he could do was look into the dark and try to imagine the look on San Jung¡¯s face. Then, she asked, ¡°Did you read my piece?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°What did you think?¡±

    A snapping sound came from below. Although it was a tree branch, what Juho felt through the sole of his shoe was simr to a snake.

    ¡°Ideal, kind of fuzzy, subtle, and a little exciting at times. It was almost like being saved.¡±

    That was what her writing had been like.

    ¡°Even though it was on the subject of death.¡±

    That was San Jung¡¯s perspective on death. Contrary to her belief, her portrayal of death was heavily embellished. Despite iming that there was nothing after death, she, herself, was leaning on it.

    ¡°Seems like my piece didn¡¯t really resonate with you,¡± said the darkness.

    When Juho pointed his shlight slightly higher, he was reassured by the sight of San Jung¡¯s legs in front of him.

    ¡°Is that how it came across?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just feeling pricked in the heart.¡±

    With that, San Jung kept walking in silence. After walking quietly for some time, Juho realized that his sense of time was starting get hazy yet again. He had no idea for how long or how far he had been walking, nor did he know the direction he had been walking toward. Still, it was somewhat of a familiar feeling. Then, a crow in his mind cawed, echoing throughout the mountains.

    ¡°I really look up to Mrs. Baek,¡± San Jung said after having remained silent for some time. She sounded fatigued.

    ¡°In what ways?¡±

    ¡°The fact that she poured everything into her craft. Isn¡¯t it incredible that she¡¯s still able to write even after that? Most writers would stop due to lingering attachments and for reasons that were very insignificant in hindsight.¡±

    Writing tended to be cruel. Once they were depleted, authors were left helpless and unable to write. However, what was even more cruel was the reality of it. Countless authors had given up on writing before they had even gotten to use up their creativity tank, leaving the literary world. It was an obstacle even Yun Woo couldn¡¯t ovee.

    ¡°I wanted to be like that, too,¡± San Jung said. ¡°I wanted to pour everything out like her. I don¡¯t mind being emptied out myself. I just want my craft to take everything there is to take from me. I want my works to outlive me.¡±

    Then, San Jung stopped in her tracks all of a sudden, and Juho also stopped. Wondering where they were, Juho pointed his shlight around only to find out that they were in the middle of nowhere. There was a trail over her shoulders, or the path they had been walking on behind his.

    ¡°Are we stopping here?¡±

    As she gave no answer, Juho shone his shlight slightly higher in order to check on her, revealing her ankles, waist, chest, neck, and face. San Jung Youn.

    ¡°I was nning on it. Until you showed up.¡±

 Chapter 181 - The Beginning and the End (6)

    <h4>Chapter 181: The Beginning and the End (6)</h4>

    Their eyes locked. The eyes that shone in the light were gaping ck, and the emotions behind them became more apparent than just a moment before.

    ¡°Deep inside, I¡¯m a hypocrite,¡± San Jung said, her voice reverberating through the mountains. She sounded calm, to the point of making Juho forget where he was. Within her, the spear that could pierce anything and the shield that couldn¡¯t be pierced coexisted, and there was no way to know what the result of the two colliding would be.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before about how I couldn¡¯t write for an entire week after reading your book.¡±

    That had been one of the first things she had said to Juho on their first encounter.

    ¡°It felt like I¡¯d been emptied out.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve aplished what you wanted.¡±

    ¡°No. I told you, not until you came around,¡± she denied Juho¡¯s remark. What he had understood as her desire was, in fact, not her desire. Then, a strange, mysterious sound echoed in the distance.

    ¡°It was a frightening experience,¡± her pale lips moved busily. ¡°It was clear and realistic, even though it was about death.¡±

    Then, different emotions appeared in her eyes. Jealousy, envy, admiration.

    ¡°Thanks to you, I won¡¯t be able to write for a while again because I was influenced by your writing before I even had the chance to start.¡±

    Although there was no change in the expression on her face, all of her emotions were concentrated deep within her eyes. Writing meant everything and was of the utmost importance to San Jung, and it was that very thing that she was made incapable of doing.

    Even if it meant she could write no longer, even at the cost of her own life, the sentences sounding of admiration began to fall away from her.

    ¡°After reading your piece, for the first time in a long time, I was afraid of death.¡±

    Then, before Juho could help himself, he blurted out, ¡°So, is that why you¡¯re still alive?¡±

    At that, San Jung¡¯s eyes shook ever so slightly. She didn¡¯t deny him, and it was at that moment that Juho realized that the reason she had taken her own life in his past life had been the same as the one at present. She might have been in a slump or actually deprived of her ability to continue writing, but for whatever reason, she had reached the conclusion that she could no longer write. There had to be an ongoing urge within her to take her own life, even at the present moment. However, she hadn¡¯t carried it out. Instead, she had brought the young author out into the mountains with her.

    ¡°You portrayed death as if it was your savior, right? A beautiful being that would rescue you when you were faced with difficulties. Like a magic spell, that puts and end to all stories.¡±

    At that, San Jung reached for Juho slowly, and the light fell away from her arm. Her torso leaned toward him, and Juho felt the incredible strength in her arm. Her eyes drew closer. Having forfeited her journey midway, she wasn¡¯t going to be remembered as a great storyteller.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s garbage that had barely any impact on you,¡± she said, looking angry. However, Juho couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Death doesn¡¯t solve anything.¡±

    It was an unexpected remark,ing from her.

    ¡°Your writing made it that way,¡± she concluded.

    The fact that his writing had influenced her made the corners of Juho¡¯s mouth turn up all the more, despite not even knowing where in the middle of the mountains he was. In a situation where he would be left stranded as soon as San Jung decided to leave him behind, Juho couldn¡¯t stop chuckling. He saw his past self in her current self. What had changed him as he fell into the river had not been death. A pen and some paper had been in his hands even in hisst moments, to write with hands that had reeked of alcohol.

    He hoped that she would understand and feel the message behind his piece.

    ¡°Why can you write something like that?¡± she asked. ¡°What must I do to be able to start writing again?¡±

    In a situation where she had lost the very thing that meant everything to her, instead of death, she began to seek another solution. Holding her hand, Juho lowered it slowly. Although it was cold, her pulse was racing. Then, he parted his lips slowly to say, ¡°I, too, look up to Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°... In what sense?¡±

    ¡°The fact that she doesn¡¯t give up writing even after having poured out everything into it.¡±

    At that, a perplexed look appeared on San Jung¡¯s face, and remembering something that he had heard while looking at the mountains in the daylight not too long ago, Juho said, ¡°She¡¯sing out with a new book soon. From what I heard, it¡¯s already written. And it¡¯s a full-length novel, at that.¡±

    The icy expressions shattered away, and for the first time since they met, a discernible emotion appeared on her face. Her brow was raised and her eyes, widened. With her mouth parted open, she breathed in quietly. Her face was full of life.

    ¡°If the tank is empty, then all you gotta do is fill it back up. It might take some time to reach the peak if you decide to take it slow and take breaks in between, but in the end, you get there eventually.¡±

    Then, a mysterious voice echoed from the peak of a mountain in the distance. As it echoed repeatedly, the two stoodpletely still in their ces.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Baek wrote a new book?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°She started writing again?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Initially looking dumbfounded, San Jung began to chuckle. Then, Juho picked up the shlight that she had dropped, and handed it over to her, which she took willingly.

    ¡°Should we head back?¡± she asked in her thin voice. Only that time, it was clearly audible.

    ¡°Sounds good. We shoulde back tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°... Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±

    ¡°Is there anything to snack on?¡±

    ¡°Instant noodles.¡±

    With that, they carefully made their way back to the house. Although he still had no clue where he was or how long or far he had been walking, he was much more at peace now than when he was when going up the mountain.

    ¡ª

    Waking up early in the morning, San Jung washed her face. Despite returning homete into the night, she was never in the habit of oversleeping. Then, noticing that somebody had already woken up, Dae Soo, too, got out of bed earlier than usual. While she took a makeup pouch out of her backpack to apply some makeup, San Jung folded up the nkets.

    ¡°Take me with you on your way down.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Are you going somewhere?¡± Dae Soo asked, looking puzzled.

    To that, San Jung answered in a calm tone of voice, ¡°Yes. I want to go see Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°OK, no problem.¡±

    With that, Dae Soo sat in front of a mirror, patting her face.

    ¡°What¡¯s the asion, though? Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to write.¡±

    Then, Dae Soo¡¯s hand came to a sudden halt, and seeing the look on Dae Soo¡¯s face in the mirror, San Jung chuckled quietly.

    ¡°Are you in a slump?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what it is, really.¡±

    ¡°... Are you OK?¡±

    Looking at Dae Soo, who looked shocked, San Jung said, ¡°You read it too, right? ¡®River?¡¯¡±

    From that sentence alone, Dae Soo caught on to the situation San Jung had been going through. After all, she was an author, active in the same field, and also a fan of Yun Woo.

    She had read Yun Woo¡¯s story ahead of most people. What she had started out of curiosity had led her to a breathtaking experience, and the emotions that came flooding in afterward were rather intense. ¡®Why couldn¡¯t I write like that? I¡¯m just as much of an author as he is.¡¯ It had been a defeat in a battle that she had been unaware of. And the young author¡¯s capacity was so much greater than she could dare to fathom.

    Having been writing for nearly two decades, Dae Soo had made a name for herself since starting and was reasonably confident in her work. However, at the appearance of Yun Woo¡¯s short story, everything she had built throughout her career had been lost at once.

    ¡°You know, I really wanted to do better than everybody else,¡± Dae Soo said jokingly, but sincerely. Everyone in the club was an author and wrote with simr determination to hers, and there was no room for considering or yielding to others. Nobody raved about how impressive each others¡¯ stories were, or cared one bit about experience or age. The club was filled with authors who were less than mature, and every single one of them had lost to the young author named Yun Woo.

    ¡°I wanted to write well,¡± San Jung said while taking her ck clothes out of her closet. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying hard to be a better writer than anyone, and that¡¯s why I¡¯ve given up on the convenience of city life and the joy of friendships. I even won a world-famous award, heardpliments from Mrs. Baek, became a bestselling author whenever a book of mine was published, and won over the critics.¡±

    Dae Soo listened to her quietly.

    ¡°I wanted to write something that would leave everyone shaken, including you, Choi, Mideum, Joon Soo, Seo Joong and Dong Gil, Geun Woo, and even Yun Woo.¡±

    Then, San Jung tossed the ck clothes onto her bed. The ck fabrics sank lifelessly in the air.

    ¡°But, I failed.¡±

    Dae Soo looked at San Jung in the mirror. For someone who was talking about failure, she looked rather relieved.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s why I wanted to go see Mrs. Baek: to get some advice, after my confidence and pride were shattered into thousands of pieces because of that weird kid, who goes by Yun Woo. No matter what or how much I write, nothing feels right, and most of all, I can¡¯t stand what I¡¯ve written for the magazine recently. I have to talk to Mrs. Baek. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±

    Then, the door flung open all of a sudden. It was Sang Choi.

    ¡°Failure is the mother of sess.¡±

    ¡°Have you been eavesdropping on our conversation!?¡±

    ¡°A little bit,¡± he said in a shamelessly confident tone. Then, as Dae Soo asked what his business was, he said, ¡°Can I borrow something to put on my face? I think the water around here isn¡¯t ying very nice with my skin. My face is killing me!¡±

    At that, Dae Soo tossed him a moisturizer, and he began to ther it on his face. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, Dae Soo asked, ¡°Well, how about you? Didn¡¯t you hate yourself after reading Yun Woo¡¯s story?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Sang Choi, Dae Soo. The top,¡± he said, delicately patting his face. However, he didn¡¯t sound as confident as he had previously.

    ¡°Uh-huh. Yet, you followed us all the way here.¡±

    ¡°Same goes for you.¡±

    He had followed Dae Soo to San Jung¡¯s ce because of Yun Woo. After reading the young author¡¯s piece, his presence had grown too massive for Sang to ignore.

    ¡°So, I¡¯ve read through his piece about forty-two times now, and I think it¡¯s starting to dawn on me.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°That I don¡¯t have what it takes to be able to write like that,¡± he said, as confident as ever. ¡°When I realized that, I didn¡¯t even want to write anymore. His writing is far from beautiful. Whether something¡¯s vorful or rancid, he includes it all. He doesn¡¯t care about his readers one bit, or authors who could fall into despair after reading his piece, for that matter.¡±

    ¡°Wow. Did all of that juste out of your mouth?¡± Dae Soo said sarcastically. On the other hand, it dawned on her that Sang had finally met his match.

    ¡°I mean, think about it. How can he write something like that while knowing that it would end up in the same magazine as my piece? I felt this way during our meetingst time too, but I¡¯m telling you, he¡¯s an oddball without description! I have NO idea what his thinking process is like!¡±

    Then, he locked eyes with the young author in his head. Being the self-absorbed person he was, he had to havepared himself to Yun Woo tirelessly ever since their first meeting and reached a conclusion.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just stay as someone who knows him,¡± he said while rubbing the back of his hands.

    ¡°When people ask me, I¡¯ll tell them that I knew him from the time he wrote ¡®River.¡¯ For now, I¡¯ll make do with raving to others about my presence having had an influence in his writing. For now,¡± he said calmly. It was his way of defending himself. ¡°And one day, I¡¯ll make him envious of me and admire my achievements.¡±

    ¡°If you say so.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s too quiet around here,¡¯ Dae Soo thought. Secluded from the rest civilization, there were no cheers or admiration toward Yun Woo. Instead, there were only self-usations,petitiveness, and sense of emptiness hiding quietly within the authors¡¯ hearts.

    Yun Woo¡¯s portrayal of death carried intensity and mercilessness, leaving the authors to regret their decisions to read it.

    ¡®I should have tried a little harder. I shouldn¡¯t have made the club. I shouldn¡¯t have raved about publishing a magazine together.¡¯

    It was a truly painfully, regrettable story, and even the thought of it alone was apanied by a painful blow to the stomach. Then, Dae Soo breathed in slowly, but quietly.

    ¡°How do you think he¡¯s doing?¡±

    She was curious. Would he be afraid of his own work after having written something so intense, so reckless? What would he do afterward? Would he be able to handle the aftermath? Would he be concerned with anything? Would he feel empty? Had he had any thoughts writing such an intense story?

    There was no way to answer any of those questions, and as always, Yun Woo did not offer any exnations.

 Chapter 182 - A Book Concert (1)

    <h4>Chapter 182: A Book Concert (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Huh, so this is where you guys were all hanging out.¡±

    The door opened, and Yun Woo came in looking for them. Juho stood in front of the door with a towel on his head covering his wet hair, vulnerable and clueless. Droplets of water were still dripping from his hair, wetting his shirt and leaving a trail on the floor.

    ¡°It¡¯s because SOMEONE wouldn¡¯t stopining about their skin. Would you like some?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡±

    Although he never really used lotions regrly, he took a dollop from Dae Soo to the back of his hand and began to rub his hands on his face as if washing it. Then, Dae Soo asked in passing, ¡°Choi¡¯s snores were really something, weren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°They were exceptional,¡± Juho said, mumbling through his hands while applying the lotion on his face. As if aware of his snoring, Sang Choi pretended to be distracted. Being the astounding snorer he was, there had to have been times when he had woken himself up due to their sounds.

    ¡°Have you been thinking about your next book?¡± Dae Soo asked. Seeing the young author¡¯s eyes through the reflection of the mirror was quite different from usual.

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    After that answer with no trace of fear whatsoever, Dae Soo felt a slight disappointment, but at the same time, relief.

    ¡°You know what, there¡¯s a ravine nearby that¡¯s perfect for rxing. Wannae?¡±

    ¡°Sure. I haven¡¯t been to one in ages.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you gone with your friends? Well, I guess your generation prefers to hang out at inte cafes. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°No, I prefer the bookstore.¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to show off because you¡¯re friends with authors?¡±

    After breakfast, the four went to a nearby ravine and had the time of their lives until sunset.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Must¡¯ve been nice not having toe to school.¡±

    Juho had lost count of how many times he had heard that sentence. After running into Seo Kwang in the science room for the first time in a while, Juho started listening to his grumbling patiently.

    ¡°It sure was.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang pouted and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m sure it was. While your friend is in the prison called ¡®school,¡¯ staring up to the sky through the bars...¡±

    ¡°The weather was nice though, right?¡±

    ¡°... Eating nasty school lunch.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you were able to make up for it at the cafeteria.¡±

    ¡°Nope. Stayed in ss the whole time.¡±

    There was simply no end to hisints. However, Seo Kwang had a reason that had nothing to do with Juho¡¯s absence in thest several days, or even that he hadn¡¯t been invited to the vacation.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get a hold of you the entire break, and you couldn¡¯t even tell me that you wrote a short story like that?! Seriously, what was that story!? It¡¯s a freakin¡¯ masterpiece! My heart tightens up just thinking about it, and you didn¡¯t even tell me about it!? Oh, yeah, right... Don¡¯t let me get in your way. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m your FRIEND or anything. I¡¯m just a helpless reader who can¡¯t meet Yun Woo, even by coincidence.¡±

    Then, Juho looked up at the ceiling. Wearing his earbuds, Baron had been tuning out Seo Kwang and his ongoing grumbling for some time, and while Bom had offered Seo Kwang some cookies while wearing an awkward smile, that had only resulted in providing him even more energy to go on.

    Then, Sun Hwa blurted out, ¡°Shut up already! For how much longer are you nning on being a crybaby!? So much for being a cool guy. Don¡¯t you try my patience, now.¡±

    ¡°My emotions are delicate and fragile. I can¡¯t just stop them froming out.¡±

    ¡°Ugh! You¡¯re such a PAIN!¡±

    Despite Sun Hwa¡¯s disgusted re, Seo Kwang didn¡¯t stop. Then, Bo Suk, who had been spectating the situation quietly, opened her mouth.

    ¡°I read that short story, too. Maybe it¡¯s still sitting heavily in Seo Kwang¡¯s heart. It really was scary.¡±

    At that, the entire literature club turned their eyes toward Juho. Everyone in the club had read the story, and they all knew that it couldn¡¯t havee from a friend or their other peers. As if...

    ¡°It felt like it was written by someone who had died once,¡± Seo Kwang said, and Juho, too, turned around to look at him. He was quite perceptive, and the amount of reading he did on a regr basis was second to none. He had the subconscious training to reach the deepest possible understanding of a book, and as far as Juho was aware, he was one of the most sensitive readers he knew.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been reading it, even up to today,¡± Seo Kwang said, staring quietly at Juho.

    ¡°Yep. I saw you reading it during recess.¡±

    Juho had witnessed him with the magazine in hand, in person. He had bragged to Juho about purchasing three separate copies for himself. One of which, he carried around until it wore out and became raggedy.

    ¡°You know, this magazine is just full of charm. I¡¯m in love with every single piece in here.¡±

    ¡°Ugh,¡± Sun Hwa let out, disgusted, but Seo Kwang remained unfazed.

    ¡°But yours? I had a bad feeling from the moment I first started reading it. It undid whatever emotions had built up from the pieces before it. But you know what¡¯s really weird? I can¡¯t stop reading it. In fact, I read it the most out of all the pieces in the magazine.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ttering.¡±

    ¡°No, no. This isn¡¯t just about making you look good,¡± Seo Kwang said, taking the raggedy magazine out of his bag. ¡°I¡¯ve read pieces like this before. One written by an author who had been pardoned from death row, and another by an author who had broken off their engagement because of their calling to be a writer. It was also simr to a piece that was written by an author moments away from their death.¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang pulled out the magazine, and although Juho retreated, he still clearly saw the title, ¡®River.¡¯

    ¡°Are you OK?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°After writing a story like that?¡±

    ¡®River¡¯ was an autobiography, and the plot was rather simple: a person drowned to death. At just over nine thousand words, Juho had polished it thousands of times while staring at the very river in which he had drowned.

    ¡°I wrote that over a bowl of ck bean noodles.¡±

    At that, a hopelessly disappointed look appeared on Seo Kwang¡¯s face. Then, burying his face on the desk, he muttered, ¡°Give it back. My reading experience. My love.¡±

    ¡°I thought it made you feel ufortable?¡±

    ¡°I said I read it the most.¡±

    Then, Sun Hwa took the opportunity to mock Seo Kwang, who grumbled, ¡°Now, I¡¯m gonna think of ck bean noodles every time I see the title. I¡¯ll never be able to look at that piece the same way, ever again.¡±

    Although his attitude change was good for Juho, Seo Kwang read ¡®River¡¯ from that day on for an entire week, despite what he had said.

    ¡°The teacher¡¯s here,¡± Mr. Moon said, making his presence known as he walked into the room with ¡®The Beginning and the End¡¯ by his side.

    ¡°Did you all stop writing? What about you, Bo Suk? Did you do your homework?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon.¡±

    ¡°Learn from the freshman, ya rebels.¡±

    With that, he sank into hisfortable chair and began to read Bo Suk¡¯s manuscript, and everyone else returned to working on their own assignments.

    While Juho was busy mapping out his piece, his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. Looking cautiously in Mr. Moon¡¯s direction, he checked his phone and saw that had received a text from Dae Soo. Intending on skimming through it, Juho tapped the screen and let out involuntarily, ¡°A book concert?!¡±

    Along with the message saying that she nned on making it a club-wide event, there was also a somewhat forceful-sounding line: ¡®I expect you to participate.¡¯

    ¡°What is it?¡± Mr. Moon asked as Juho stared intently into the screen of his phone. At which point, Juho shoved the phone back into his pocket and shook his head in denial.

    ¡ª

    ¡°What I meant was that you shoulde as a member of the audience,¡± Dae Soo said, offering Juho a cold beverage.

    It wasn¡¯t until he went to her office after school that he got to hear a detailed exnation.

    ¡°A member of the audience?¡±

    ¡°Yes, as Juho Woo, instead of Yun Woo. That¡¯s doable, right? It shouldn¡¯t cause any issues, either.¡±

    In that case, there was nothing to worry about for Juho. Aside from the eight authors, nobody would know who he was, and being in the audience as an ordinary student would allow him to blend in with everyone else around. Munching on a scoop of ice in her mouth, Dae Soo directed her attention to Juho¡¯s school uniform.

    ¡°You really look like a student.¡±

    It was an obvious statement.

    ¡°I am one,¡± Juho answered.

    ¡°Yes, but now that I see it with my own eyes, it¡¯s really starting to dawn on me. Yun Woo wearing a school uniform. Man, I¡¯m almost tempted to take a picture of you and sell it. Maybe I should give ¡¯em out to everyone who shows up to the concert?¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡±

    Then, sheughed heartily and gave Juho the time and location of the concert, which was to take ce in the corporate building of a well-known bookstore in Gwanghwamun.

    ¡°Is it going to be in a concert hall?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I gave a lecture there once. There are three hundred and fifty seats, and we¡¯ll start at nine o¡¯clock.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite a few.¡±

    ¡°Everyone else in the club is going to be there, so it¡¯ll be necessary to have that many seats avable for the fans. San Jung has been staying at Mrs. Baek¡¯s ce, so I was able to get a hold of her without much trouble.¡±

    Without Yun Woo, there would be eight authors, which meant that there would be a significant number of fans. It seemed like it would be a rather massive of a concert. Then, Dae Soo handed Juho an envelope that had a ticket inside.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be sitting in the center, first row. I need you to work up the crowd.¡±

    ¡°I think the fans will be very enthusiastic, even without me,¡± Juho said in passing.

    And Dae Soo, looking expectantly at him, answered in a whisper, ¡°C¡¯mon, try interacting with your readers, this time.¡±

    ¡ª

    As the news of the book concert spread rapidly, getting a hold of a ticket grew into a bigger challenge. Since all of the club members wanted to go to the concert, Juho had promised to get them each a ticket, but they had all insisted on getting the tickets themselves, which ended in an utter failure. The tickets flew off the shelves because of a rumor that Yun Woo would be participating in the concert, and due of that, Juho ended up having to watch the book concert on his own.

    On the day of the concert, the twenty-first floor of the building was booming with people waiting anxiously for the concert. Although it was well before start time, there were people standing in line, which stretched endlessly, and Juho couldn¡¯t believe the sight of it.

    ¡°What¡¯s this line for?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so long.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen anything like this.¡±

    The line that started from the entrance hall extended all the way to the emergency exit and was separated into multiple rows in order to seat people in order.

    While walking toward the front of the line, Juho saw the crowd, which consisted of all sorts of people. There were some who looked like they were around Juho¡¯s age, while there were others carrying brand-name bags. From grandmothers holding their grandsons¡¯ hands to young couples, fathers and their daughters, older men on wheelchairs and an incredibly tall woman who appeared to be an athlete, there was quite an array of people.

    Born out of an impulsive decision made by nine, well-known authors, ¡®The Beginning and the End¡¯ had left the hearts of its readers shaken. As the disappointed look on the club members¡¯ faces rushed past Juho¡¯s mind, he was reminded that there had to be countless others who had hoped desperately toe to the concert. When he looked down at his ticket, it read: A-13. He was going to be sitting in the center, at the very front.

    ¡°Is this the line for row A?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± a woman answered him in a friendly tone.

    When they locked eyes, there was a trace of pleasant excitement on her face as she seemed to be feeling a mysterious sense of unity and belonging, and being unfamiliar with concerts, Juho stood behind the woman, sharing that same feeling. As Juho got in line, the man behind him made room for him with no trace of displeasure. When there was joy before their eyes, people were capable of being much friendlier to each other.

    ¡°This is incredible,¡± Juho said, impressed by the long lines all over again. The sight and the excitement level of those in line reminded Juho of a celebrity¡¯s fan gathering, a musical, or a y. Book readings were typically humble events where only a handful of readers came together at a ce like a book cafe in order for each to read their books out loud, but this was a concert. Having had a simr image of the event in mind, Juho couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback by what he was seeing.

    ¡°Do you think Yun Woo is here?¡± a woman asked. She, too, was rather friendly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe?¡± Juho answered awkwardly.

    Carrying arge bag next to her, she had a defiant look about her.

    ¡°When I heard that cameras aren¡¯t allowed, I knew immediately.¡±

    ¡°Knew what?¡±

    ¡°That Yun Woo might actually be at the concert.¡±

    At that, Juho corrected her gently, ¡°I heard there was a separate time designated for photos? They don¡¯t allow photos because it can be distracting for the people onstage. It¡¯s quitemon, actually.¡±

    ¡°Well, my intuition is saying otherwise. Something very unusual is going to happen. I just know it. I mean, seeing Yun Woo onstage? My heart beats faster just thinking about it.¡±

    Then, she went through her bag and took out a small digital camera.

    ¡°As soon as I see Yun Woo, I won¡¯t hesitate to use this.¡±

    ¡®Well, the time for that would be now,¡¯ Juho muttered internally.

 Chapter 183 - A Book Concert (2)

    <h4>Chapter 183: A Book Concert (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Well, good luck with that,¡± Juho said to the anxious, yet defiant fan, then looking ahead. At that moment and just as he was about to check how much time there was left until the start of the concert, his phone began to vibrate. Geun Woo was calling.

    ¡°You here?¡±

    To the brief question, Juho answered, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m waiting in line.¡±

    Soon, Juho received a text from Seo Joong...

    ¡®It¡¯s crowded, huh?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, it makes me wonder if there will be enough seats for everyone.¡¯

    ... followed by Mideum.

    ¡®We¡¯re in the seminar room on the same floor. We¡¯re all in the same message group.¡¯

    ¡®You don¡¯t seem all that nervous,¡¯ Juho said. Then, Joon Soo replied, ¡®Geun Woo just took two doses of sedatives.¡¯

    When Geun Woo¡¯s pretentious message followed after Joon Soo¡¯s, Juho looked away from his phone, which vibrated restlessly. It was almost time to go in.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please make your way into the hall by the order of your seat!¡±

    Listening to the usher¡¯s instructions, Juho went into the concert hall. The frontmost seats were eye-level with the stage. The interior resembled a lecture hall, and there was raked seating like at a movie theater. There were eight chairs on the stage, with a water bottle ced next to each of them. Thinking about the authors who would be sitting there, Juho took his seat at the center of the frontmost row, which was at a distance where he would be able to lock eyes with the authors onstage. The hall was filled with excitement and anticipation, and havinge on his own, Juho took a deep breath, letting the atmosphere carry him along. There was a thrill in the air, and Juho felt the affection of the fans toward their favorite authors and how much they anticipated meeting them.

    At that moment, the light turned off, and bright spotlights illuminated the stage. Then, from behind the stage, the authors began to make their appearance one by one. First in line, was Seo Joong, who was in appropriate attire for the first time. At the author walking out to the stage, light-footed, the crowd cheered and apuded without holding back.

    Then, the rest of the authors followed him. Dong Gil, Sang Choi, San Jung, Joon Soo, Geun Woo, Mideum, and Dae Soo. The hall quaked with the apuding fans, and Juho felt his body vibrating from it. Although all eight authors were onstage now, the apuse continued until Dae Soo opened her mouth to speak on the microphone.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Dae Soo Na.¡±

    Then, the rest of the authors each gave a brief self-introduction. Having spokenst, Seo Joong said, after introducing himself to the fans, ¡°Unfortunately, Yun Woo wasn¡¯t able to join us today.¡±

    With that, the crowd went wild with disappointment. The sighs of three hundred-fifty people was just as powerful as their shouts.

    ¡°A!¡±

    While blending in with the crowd, Juho locked eyes with Seo Joong.

    ¡°BUT, he might still be watching us from somewhere. Who knows? Maybe he¡¯s just behind the stage, or blending in with the crowd. You never know who you¡¯re sitting next to.¡±

    The crowdughed quietly, and although they understood Seo Joong¡¯s remark as a joke, they turned to look at each other. Juho, too, looked at the person sitting next to him and exchanged a brief pleasantry with an older gentleman wearing a fedora.

    ¡°All right. We will now begin the concert with the authors of the literary magazine ¡®The Beginning and the End.¡¯¡±

    The concert was hosted by the authors autonomously, with minimal instructions from the backstage, which was invisible from the audience. It was casual, and the biggest advantage of how the stage wasid out was that it allowed for the rtionships and dynamics between the authors to transfer directly to the audience. Even while onstage, they behaved just as they always had.

    In the beginning, the authors took some time reciting the most memorable parts of each other¡¯s works. While the crowd thought Dong Gil was joking about Seo Joong¡¯s books when he started every sentence with a phrase like ¡°What made it tolerable, though...¡± or ¡°The saving grace of... ,¡± the wrinkles on his brow proved otherwise.

    Then, the authors moved on to discussing the magazine. Rampant with harsh, tant criticism, the segment kept the audience on their toes. While it was clear that Mideum and Geun Woo were hurt, the rest of the authors skillfully analyzed each other¡¯s works, presenting opposing arguments while disagreeing or agreeing with each other.

    ¡°Mr. Bong¡¯s sentences were outstanding. I don¡¯t know how many times I found myself impressed. I¡¯d go as far as saying that he sets the example on the utilization of certain sentences and of appropriate use of figure of speech.¡±

    ¡°Should I be scared of what¡¯s to follow?¡± Joon Soo said with a pleasant smile. While the two were simr in many ways, they were also different in just as many ways. Although their topics or directions had a lot inmon, there was a stark contrast in the way they went about expressing themselves. They both had a style that was serious and heavy, but one of them was concise, while the other was intricate.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing big, really. I was just thinking that it might not be the most efficient delivery mechanism.¡±

    Therefore, Joon Soo¡¯s style was inefficient in Dong Gil¡¯s eyes. Then, remaining unfazed, Joon Soo opened his mouth and said, ¡°I think otherwise. If anything, I find your style of writing more excessive, leaving out all emotion and rhythm in your sentences.¡±

    As a poetry lover, Dong Gil¡¯s style was simply too practical in Joon Soo¡¯s eyes, and just as it had always been, there was no way to discern who was right. At that moment, Sang Choi interjected into the ongoing debate.

    ¡°How about me? What are your opinions of my work?¡±

    At that, Mideum and Geun Woo looked at Sang, who was brave enough to ask for criticism willingly, with respect. He looked quite confident. Then, Dae Soo took the opportunity to speak.

    ¡°First off, it was nice and sweet. I think it really entuated the positive aspects of the emotion, which is love. It made me want to fall in love with someone, and I found a lot of joy in seeing how the two charactersplimented each other in their rtionship, like a jigsaw puzzle. It was very immersive. However...¡±

    She added, ¡°I did wonder if it was clouding the author¡¯s portrayal of death.¡±

    In Dae Soo¡¯s eyes, Sang¡¯s interpretation of death was, simply put, nd. However, Sang stood his ground.

    ¡°You gotta understand something, and that is that the ndness of my piece was the result of careful calction.¡±

    ¡®Is he admitting that his piece was too nd?¡¯ Juho asked himself, chuckling.

    ¡°I also have something to say about your piece. Did you have to make it so creepy and damp? It¡¯s something that can only be enjoyed by those who can withstand it.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like I did something right.¡±

    To Sang, Dae Soo¡¯s style was too potent. The two debated for a while, and eventually, Geun Woo opened his mouth timidly to interject, ¡°I, personally, learned a lot from Mideum¡¯s piece. I think it was the piece I was most at peace with while reading.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Mideum said, smiling shyly.

    ¡°I loved the bnce between the depressing and dry elements. It definitely wasn¡¯t something you see everyday.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Of course, not everyone was looking to talk each other down, and the variety in dynamics made the concert a rather entertaining experience. Immune to the edgy criticisms between authors, Juho watched and listened in peace. That is... until his piece was mentioned.

    ¡°OK,st, but certainly not least, let¡¯s move on to discussing Yun Woo¡¯s piece.¡±

    At that, the crowd lit up, and the authors¡¯ eyes scanned past Juho as they pretended to look around the crowd.

    ¡®They didn¡¯t tell me anything about mentioning me or my piece?¡¯

    Then, everyone onstage brought their microphones up to their mouths in preparation. It was hard to imagine that, even up to a moment ago, they had been fighting fiercely with each other.

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s portrayal of death was very explicit. The plot, itself, is about a person on the verge of death,¡± Dae Soo started out with something that had to be well known to every fan of the young author. The authors took their time in getting their hands on their prey, and Dong Gil added what sounded like a personal remark.

    ¡°I¡¯d like for us to focus on WHERE the main event took ce. The protagonist drowned, which means it was water that was responsible for the death of this individual. As soon as I read this piece, I called Yun Woo.¡±

    At that, quiet cheers sounded from the audience. The fans were envious of Dong Gil, who had the liberty to call the mysterious young author whenever he wanted. However, Dong Gil paid no attention to the crowd¡¯s response, adding, ¡°And I asked: Why did you make him drown? Why water?¡±

    The audience listened to him intently, and just like Dong Gil had said, he had called Juho, and Juho had answered. Dong Gil had asked about water being the medium to the point of obsession. His perception had been rather impressive.

    ¡°Uh... I don¡¯t remember hearing about this,¡± Seo Joong murmured, but nobody answered as they were focused on Dong Gil¡¯s story about Yun Woo.

    ¡°Then, he said in a tone that was as light-hearted as ever: ¡®Just because.¡¯¡±

    At that, Geun Woo let out, disappointed, ¡°What? That¡¯s it?!¡±

    And Dong Gil answered with a cold expression on his face, ¡°That was it. Yun Woo didn¡¯t exin himself, and I don¡¯t see that in a negative light. I believe that forcing the story to have one, single meaning takes away from the reading experience, and I think this is especially true of Yun Woo¡¯s piece. I¡¯m sure he, himself, knows this well.¡±

    Unfortunately, Juho had only given Dong Gil such an answer because he hadn¡¯t been able to figure out a way to avoid saying that it hade from experience.

    ¡°So, this is my interpretation of his piece. As you know, it was very explicit and detailed in the description of one¡¯s terror of water rushing into their body and the pain of suffocating. Although I, myself, have never drowned, I was still able to rte to his portrayal of death because it bears a lot of resemnce to the terror any adult feels at some point in their lives when being part of a society.

    At that, Sang nodded affirmingly.

    ¡°Water carries a slew of meanings. One may perceive deep water as dark and cold, but it¡¯s a ce that¡¯s brimming with life. It can also be treated as a figure for the cruel world as well as a mother¡¯s womb, all at the same time. It¡¯s both realistic and idealistic. Yun Woo managed to control and portray the many meanings that water carries, and he did so in the most outstanding manner, which is why we find ourselves reading his piece repeatedly, despite how ufortable it makes us feel. Most people will not be content with reading through ¡®River¡¯ just once,¡± Dong Gil said fearlessly, and the crowd apuded him for an unknown reason.

    Then, Sang interjected quietly, ¡°As for me, I found that pun... I mean, Yun Woo¡¯s writing, pretentious.¡±

    Although he was filtering his words because he was onstage in front of his and Yun Woo¡¯s fans, there was a strong sense of self-awareness in his tone.

    ¡°Yes, I agree.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Same here.¡±

    At the authors agreements of Sang¡¯s remark, Juho chuckled. ¡®Pretentious, huh?¡¯

    Then, Dae Soo went on to exin, ¡°Not everyone here might know this, but the decision to publish the magazine happened very quickly in the first ce, and it was an impulsive one at that. In those moments, there waspetitiveness, respect, and confidence for each of our own works, and it was in midst of that subtle mind game that we decided on the title for the magazine and its topic. Yun Woo was also there.¡±

    Just as Dae Soo had said, Juho had also been at the scene.

    ¡°Geun Woo, here, may be the least experienced among us, but we all know that Yun Woo¡¯s only eighteen years old. Us authors tend to reveal our true nature when ites to writing, and nobody cared about things like experience or age, or left room to consider the idea or yielded to others. If you¡¯ve read our magazine, you know what I mean. We were all sincerely desperate for attention when we wrote it.¡±

    At that, the audience broke out intoughter, but it didn¡¯tst long because of what came out Sang¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Yet, this punk, I mean, Yun Woo, isn¡¯t intimidated by anything. Nothing fazes him. On top of that, he had no respect for the veteran authors. There was nothing but death in his piece, and if it had stopped there, I would have been more willing to put my feelings behind me. BUT, he goes the extra mile and picks a fight with other authors, saying: ¡®You probably don¡¯t have what it takes to write like me, even if we were writing about the same topic. Only I can write like this and only I can express things the way I do. Only my writing is capable of delivering such emotions, and whether you¡¯re an adult or not, your writing is nothing but an ornament, an ornament that entuates my work. Do you understand?¡¯¡±

    With that, the hall sank into silence. Sang had gotten quite worked up as he ranted, and Juho couldn¡¯t help but feel wronged.

    ¡®But I never said anything like that.¡¯

    ¡°But what really rubs me the wrong way is that Yun Woo never said any of those things explicitly. It¡¯s just my personal, emotional interpretation. He has no regards for his fellow authors, and nothing or no one else matters, except for himself and his own works.¡±

    Sang couldn¡¯t have been further from the truth, and Juho was quite bothered by what he had said. Nobody knew how much he wrestled between veteran authors who had been writing for two decades. Although Juho tried tomunicate his sentiment with his eyes, Sang was too self-absorbed at the moment to lock eyes with him.

    ¡®Sang Choi, of all people.¡¯

    It was ament that Juho would have much preferred to hear from somebody else.

 Chapter 184 - A Book Concert (3)

    <h4>Chapter 184: A Book Concert (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    What had been once a light-hearted and entertaining asion had turned into something chaotic as everyone onstage each responded differently to Sang Choi¡¯s remark. The majority of the authors resonated deeply with him.

    ¡°Man! That was satisfying!¡± Seo Joong said while strong displeasure appeared on Dong Gil¡¯s face, and Dae Soo was busy trying to figure out how to handle the situation. Geun Woo looked even more depressed.

    At that moment, San Jung, the quietest one onstage, raised her hand.

    ¡°I, on the other hand, liked his piece the most,¡± she said calmly.

    As if the bomb that had gone off a moment ago hadn¡¯t been big enough, she dropped an even bigger bomb. Often referred to as a rival of Yun Woo, her new book had put an end to his era. Despite her fame, which came with being the first Korean author to win a widely recognized award throughout the world, she had moved into the mountains, secluding herself from the rest of civilization in order to write. Fitting to her widely known image as an entric, she had blurted out words that most people wouldn¡¯t even dare think about. Although Sang¡¯s expression grew darker at San Jung¡¯s sudden remark, he didn¡¯t try to argue with her. After all, everyone was entitled to their opinions.

    ¡°In what ways?¡± Joon Soo asked while wearing his trademark smile, which was the exact opposite of the expression on Sang¡¯s face. Thankfully, Joon Soo¡¯s smile had the effect of diffusing the tension.

    ¡°That he wrote like someone who had died once.¡±

    Although it was only temporary, the stage grew silent, and the expressions on the authors¡¯ faces grew darker. Juho was able to see them clearly from where he was.

    ¡°Could you borate?¡± Dae Soo encouraged San Jung with an expression filled with interest.

    Then, looking indifferent, San Jung exined calmly, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to borate. You¡¯ve all read it. In which case, you should all be able to identify with me. The capacity Yun Woo disyed through this piece will be remembered for a long time through history.¡±

    Although San Jung was looking in the direction of the audience, she didn¡¯t lock eyes with Juho, and when he looked at her, she was under a spotlight on a tform of a slightly higher elevation. Her eyshes moved with her every blink, and Dae Soo moved on to another person as if left with no choice.

    ¡°All right, then. How about you, Mr. Bong, our very own celebrity author?¡±

    Feeling awkward with Dae Soo¡¯s adjectives, he waved his hand in denial, and answered, ¡°I strongly agree with Ms. Youn¡¯s opinion, as well as Mr. Choi¡¯s. On that note, I would like to share a story that I would not share outside of this event. There was a time when Yun Woo and I were having a conversation about an article that said that the veteran authors were struggling to pass Yun Woo.¡±

    At that, the authors allughed, simultaneously, since they all knew the result.

    ¡°And one thing I would like to make clear is that Yun Woo was the person who brought up that subject first, sitting on the passenger seat while I drove.¡±

    ¡°Lucky!¡± a voice shouted at that moment, and although Juho looked back, he couldn¡¯t see where it hade from.

    Then, remaining calm, Joon Soo kept on with a smile, ¡°Right? Anyway, he asked me what I thought about the article, and I answered negatively, staying true to how I actually felt at that moment. Writing isn¡¯t something that can be judged based solely on sales or ranks. Just because a book falls to a lower rank, it doesn¡¯t mean that the quality has suffered. Neither does it reflect on the author¡¯s skill as a writer.¡±

    At that, Juho saw the older gentleman next to him nodding while letting out an affirming groan.

    ¡°That was when I felt a little mischievous. In Mr. Choi¡¯s own words, I¡¯m an author myself, so things like consideration for others or maturity go out the window when ites to writing. Therefore, I said somethingpletely unnecessary to him.¡±

    ¡®Maybe it won¡¯t be entirely inurate, this time,¡¯ Juho thought. Joon Soo unfolded the story as if reenacting the events that urred that day. To which, the audience, as well as the authors, listened intently.

    Juho thought back on that day. ¡®What did I say in response to the article?¡¯

    ¡°We¡¯ll find out,¡± Joon Soo said with his smile fading slightly.

    ¡°Can you get a feel for what kind of person he is from his piece? So, that¡¯s why I thought to myself, ¡®OK, then. Let¡¯s see what you got.¡¯¡±

    Then, Yun Woo came out with his piece, and Joon Soo¡¯s hand flinched ever so slightly.

    ¡°The moment I read the first sentence, that was when I realized that the journalist couldn¡¯t be further from the truth, and how unnecessary of a remark it was that I had made that day.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s so unlike you, Joon Soo! You¡¯re bing more like Geun Woo, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Why are you dragging me into this?¡±

    The authors behaved just as they had always had, even onstage, and the crowd exploded with apuse as soon as Joon Soo finished his story, which was a stark contrast from the way they had responded to Sang Choi. Maybe Joon Soo¡¯s poprity had something to do with it, or the audience also knew that Sang would grow cocky when encouraged.

    Then, Mideum raised her hand in order to speak.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to shed some light on the two most distinguishable characters, the brother and the sister.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± the authors let out.

    ¡°Yes, can¡¯t forget about them,¡± Dae Soo said, and Sang Jung nodded in agreement. Appearing very briefly toward the end of the story, the two characters were a crucial, yet clever device within the story.

    Mideum gave her interpretation, ¡°When the two make their appearance, the time in the story speeds up. Under the author¡¯s careful calction, the sentences be shorter and more concise, and this is where we can really feel the different dynamics within this short story. The climax in theter part of the story bes clearer through the two characters, and it gives the readers the impression that they are the incarnation of death itself, as if they hade to mark the end of the story.¡±

    With that, her eyes shone with excitement, and that excitement spread throughout her face, looking like she was itching to shout out the truth. By the time her excitement had reached its peak, a voice intervened, ¡°I disagree.¡±

    It was Seo Joong, who had been sitting the farthest from her, and caught off guard by his interference, Mideum stared at him with widened eyes.

    ¡°They not only give the impression that the story ising to an end, but also the implication of a new beginning. Especially the pen and paper in the brother¡¯s hands.¡±

    At that, Dong Gil nodded ever so slightly, indicating that he was reluctantly agreeing with Seo Joong over Mideum.

    ¡°The narrator reminisces back to a novel based on the two objects in the boy¡¯s hands, imagining the novel he would write when he grows up. This can be interpreted as the boy having an infinite potential, and what he writes can be interpreted as a version of hope.¡±

    Then, Seo Joong continued after clearing his throat.

    ¡°Based on the two sibling¡¯s personalities in a story about the death of a person, I think their images are actually contradictory to the one they let on. Besides, it¡¯s more interesting that way.¡±

    Then, Mideum smiled as if showing that she was mature enough to ept Seo Joong¡¯s opinion. However, the subtle twitch on the corner of her mouth indicated that she was struggling internally.

    ¡°Yun Woo had to be intentional when he made the child so weak and frail,¡± she said, standing her ground. Then, Seo Joong loosened his tie slightly, saying, ¡°Maybe the author wanted to convey that even a weak and frail person like him can live on?¡±

    ¡°I disagree. I think we can approach it more directly, and think about the child who¡¯s terminally ill.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t get that impression, at all.¡±

    ¡°Oh, C¡¯mon, Seo Joong! Think about it!¡±

    Then, Dae Soo interjected.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this fun? As you can see, there are so many different ways to interpret a novel.¡±

    Judging that the debate wasn¡¯t going to be any more rational, and that Mideum¡¯s patience was reaching its limit, Dae Soo candidly moved on to the next segment of the concert.

    ¡°Listening to authors talk gets boring after a while, so why don¡¯t we take this time and interact with them? Feel free to ask anything, including your own interpretation. If you wish to speak, please raise your hand.¡±

    The audience fell into an awkward silence, and having expected it, Dae Soo rose from her seat and pointed at a random member of the audience.

    ¡°You there, sir. Do you have any questions?¡±

    Rather than being caught off guard and flustered, the man jumped up from his seat with excitement and asked in a loud voice, ¡°My daughter¡¯s a big Yun Woo fan. Can you tell me what he looks like?¡±

    There was a slight ent in his speech, as if he spoke a different dialect, and at the mention of Yun Woo¡¯s name, the crowd went wild. At that point, Dae Soo pretended to be in a dilemma with exaggeration, and Juho joined in with the rest of the crows, shouting, ¡°Tell us! Tell us!¡±

    At that, all of the authors onstage responded with nk stares into the distance. Not only were there no pictures of him to show, but anything that had to do with Yun Woo was a sensitive topic. It was quite cumbersome.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that he¡¯s pretty good looking?¡± Seo Joong asked Dong Gil out loud, on purpose.

    ¡°One¡¯s bound to be disappointed when they actually see him in person,¡± Dong Gil calmly reminded him of the reality.

    Then, Sang waved his hand in disagreement, saying, ¡°Whether people get disappointed or not when they meet Yun Woo in person isn¡¯t our business. Besides, everyone has their own image of him in their heads, right?¡±

    Therefore, no matter how high of an expectation a fan had when they met the young author in person, that meant that the responsibility fell solely on him.

    Then, Mideum rose from her seat and shouted, ¡°He¡¯s so handsome! Second to none! Dreamlike! It¡¯ll be beyond your expectations!¡±

    Juho hoped desperately that that rumor wouldn¡¯t spread. While he looked away from the stage for a little while, a member of the audience raised their hand, a woman who had dyed her hair yellow.

    ¡°I have a question for Ms. Choo,¡± the woman said clearly.

    Having just shouted with excitement a moment ago, Mideum sat back down and listened to her question.

    ¡°There was a character based on Yun Woo...¡±

    At that, the crowd lit up once again.

    ¡°... I¡¯d like to know exactly how it¡¯s based on Yun Woo, and how it came about.¡±

    ¡°Ohh. Great question!¡± Mideum said as she paused to think for a brief time, and after a while, she answered cautiously, ¡°The book hasn¡¯t been published yet, and we¡¯ll have to have a whole ¡®nother concert if I were to get to it all. A lot happened until I reached the decision to include the character in the novel. So, in short, I visited his studio in person.¡±

    Yun Woo¡¯s studio. At that piece of information veiled in mystery, the audience grew all the more excited.

    ¡°I gotta admit, there is some difference between the Yun Woo I¡¯ve met and the character in my book, who is based on him. But, what I can say is that there is a ce in the novel that¡¯s based on him and his studio. Curious? I suggest that you wait until the bookes out.¡±

    Mideum wrapped up her turn with a light-hearted joke. It was clear that she was trying hard not to repeat the same mistake as before. However, after a brief time thinking, she added, ¡°If I were to add one more thing... Yun Woo is an author who writes an incredible amount, to the point of leaving me in shock. That¡¯s it, for now.¡±

    Looking satisfied, the woman in the audience sat back down. There were many people willing to ask questions, and after looking around for a little while, Dae Soo picked a person at random.

 Chapter 185 - A Book Concert (4)

    <h4>Chapter 185: A Book Concert (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The member of the audience Dae Soo had chosen was a man who seemed to be a university student. He was wearing a id shirt, and had a face that emanated excitement. Because of that, he talked excessively fast.

    ¡°Hi! So, I¡¯ve read every book written by every single author here, and because you guys made a club together and published a literary magazine, I can confidently say that I¡¯m living the happiest time in my life.¡±

    His voice was shaking uncontrobly, making it difficult for the listeners to understand. So, Dae Sooughed heartily and reassured him, saying that he could speak slower.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m curious as to how you guys came together? And uh... and... I¡¯d like to know how you guys came to decide on forming a club, in detail.¡±

    As he barely managed to ask his question, the authors locked eyes with each other briefly and agreed that it would be best to have Dae Soo answer the question as the leader of the group. She didn¡¯t deny it.

    ¡°Uh... First off, we knew each other before we made our club. We would give each other tips or share ideas over a meal asionally. Oh! This is before the club, by the way, BEFORE we met Yun Woo, to be more precise.¡±

    Then, Dae Soo told the story of how the authors came together before they officially made the club.

    ¡°Nothing fancy. We were just friends andpanions, always talking about silly things, but that¡¯s when this mysteriously strange author showed up out of nowhere, as if by coincidence or by fate.¡±

    ¡°It was Yun Woo,¡± Dong Gil said from behind, and looking in his direction, Dae Soo reminisced about the time when Yun Woo first appeared. Many people took interest in the young genius author, including publishers, readers, the masses, and other authors. The first person to reach out to him was Dong Gil. He had gone to him in person, and although he had been hearing about the young author, it had never urred to him that he wanted to get to know him better over a meal. After all, Yun Woo was rather young, and the book he had published was merely a debut title. However, Yun Woo¡¯s presence began to grow over time, and those who had talked to him in person described him as quite the interesting person, which aroused Dong Gil¡¯s interest as well.

    ¡°So, I invited him to our group, and the nine of us, including the eight of us onstage, ended up having a meal together. Authors have a strong tendency to want to see things for themselves before they actually believe in something.¡±

    Then, after a brief pause, Dae Soo continued, ¡°You said you wanted to know how we came to decide to form a club in more detail, right? I realize that this is bing more and more about Yun Woo, but I¡¯ll just tell you anyway. While the nine of us were talking about Yun Woo¡¯s school life, we ended up obsessing over this one word, and just like that, we made the impulsive decision to form a club and publish a literary magazine. We are also aware of each other¡¯s talents.¡±

    With that, Dae Soo smiled confidently.

    ¡°So, in conclusion, the decision to form a club was an impulsive and emotional one. There was alcohol involved that day, and there were a handful of people on the scene who we hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, so we all stayed true to our emotions and put our idea into action. And now, we¡¯re having a concert of our own, meeting our fans. It seems like it wasn¡¯t such a terrible idea, after all.¡±

    Then, the crowd exploded apuse, and Dae Soo yed along, pretending to be bashful. From then on, a number of questions followed about the personal lives of the authors, things that happened while writing, and how to write better. With the exception of Yun Woo, the eight authors answered each and every question with sincerity and, at times, with light-hearted jokes.

    Sitting quietly in his seat, Juho watched the authors interacting with their fans. Then, he locked eyes with Dae Soo.

    ¡°¡®Scuse me, sir¡±

    Despite being aware that the voice was calling for him, Juho looked around in every direction, except in the direction where the voice wasing from. It was a nonverbal gesture, indicating that he didn¡¯t want to be bothered.

    ¡°¡®Scuse me, sir. You, looking around,¡± Dae Soo said insistently. She wasn¡¯t going to back down.

    ¡°... Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you.¡±

    The audience took interest as the host picked a person at random and out of nowhere. Then, he rose from his seat slowly, and the eight authors onstage fixed their eyes on him. With the bright spotlight that shone on the stage, Juho found their gaze even more ufortable.

    ¡°OK, then. Hope nobody minds if I were to pop thest question.¡±

    At that, the crowdughed light-heartedly, relieved that the somewhat-ufortable segment was finallying to an end.

    ¡°A lot of the questions were about Yun Woo, and I understand since I¡¯m curious myself. Yun Woo is quite mysterious, even among the authors. So, on that note, I wanted to ask...¡±

    Then, looking straight at him, Dae Soo asked, ¡°How do you think he was able to write a piece like that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, the short story?¡±

    Juho answered in a slight dy, and just like the other authors onstage, Dae Soo looked at the young author who had been hiding in the crowd. With the exception of the members of the audience, who were oblivious to Juho¡¯s identity, the eight authors focused on the young author¡¯s answer. The asion would call for an answer that was closest to the truth, which would then represent Yun Woo. Then, standing in the dark, Yun Woo opened his mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Juho answered in a dull voice. There was no fluctuation in his voice. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s actually died once?¡±

    Despite the quietughter breaking out in the audience, nobodyughed or said a word onstage, and by the time theughter died down, Sang Choi spoke up.

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡±

    Although he wasn¡¯t very respectful in the way he addressed the member of the audience, nobody called him out for it since they were all upied with something else.

    ¡°But, isn¡¯t that what you felt, though? ¡®It¡¯s as if it was written by someone who has died once.¡¯¡±

    Just as Juho had said, the short story was incredibly rtable and realistic because it portrayed death in the purest and most detailed manner, giving the readers an impression that they were actually watching someone on the verge of death. Although it was rtable and immersive, the line had been drawn clearly. It was the character in the story who was drifting toward death, not the readers, which only amplified the fear. The terror came flooding in and left the readers helpless, wanting to cling to their mothers in tears like children waiting to see the doctor. They were terrified of the moment that was drawing near. The smell of disinfectant and the doctor¡¯s office behind the tightly shut door. The wailinging from behind the door left those in waiting anxious.

    The story only pushed its readers thus far, like a knife that stopped drawing closer all of a sudden, just moments before touching the victim¡¯s throat. The door to the doctor¡¯s office remained closed, never to open again, leaving no room for readers to recover or let their guard down.

    The author knew everything there was to know about the scene, from the direction to the hospital to the wait time, and everything that took ce in the hospital.

    ¡®Wait here. Don¡¯te any closer. This is as far as you cane.¡¯

    There was no way the readers could deny the powerful sentences in the story.

    An author was capable of writing a story like that only in one of two cases: either as a person with firsthand experience, who thoroughly understood the situation, or an incredibly talented con-artist, capable of tricking the entire world.

    In either case, the victims knew only one thing: they knew it all along.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s why I think Yun Woo is someone who has died once.¡±

    The young author said nonchntly, and his voice reverberated throughout the dark concert hall. It was impossible to discern whether he was lying or telling the truth.

    ¡°In that case, how do you think he was able toe back from the dead?¡± Dae Soo asked thest question, and Yun Woo immersed himself in thought for a brief time, standing somewhere neither bright nor dark.

    Then, looking up, he locked eyes with the host, standing closer to the light than anyone in the audience.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s still writing.¡±

    Juho wondered how things would look from where Dae Soo was, but soon, concluded that it had to be entirely different from what he was seeing from where he was. While some clicked their tongues in pity, and others chuckled quietly, Dae Soo sighed quietly.

    ¡°Well, to be honest with you, I preferred all the other pieces in the magazine over Yun Woo¡¯s. May I sit back down?¡±

    ¡°... Yes, you may.¡±

    It was only fair that he, as the author, couldn¡¯t experience his own work in the same way his readers did. And for that reason, the shock and the terror of the readers would forever remain a mystery. Never to experience the power of his own work, Yun Woo would only have an intellectual understanding of the overwhelmingly emotional experience of his readers.

    From then on, the concert was smooth sail, and Dae Soo tried hard not to look at Yun Woo, who was still hiding in the audience.

    ¡ª

    Under a bright light, there were unique-looking clothes scattered about in a neatly organized space. Wearing her pants waist-high, the owner of those clothes took pictures of the concert ticket and its poster.

    Then, she sat in front of herputer and began to type away at the bulletin board in Yun Woo¡¯s fancafe.

    Her most recent post had been on her prediction of Yun Woo¡¯s appearance at the book concert, and now, she was writing a follow-up post as a means to update the members of the cafe.

    ¡°Unfortunately, there were only eight seats onstage.¡±

    She started off with the first thing that she had noticed. Unfortunately, there had been no seat prepared for Yun Woo. Although gnashing her teeth, she wrote away while maintaining the proper attitude of a true fan, saying that she would embrace the circumstances of her favorite author, even if it came with disappointment. Thankfully, the post eventually became more about how entertaining the concert had been, so the disappointment began to fade. On top of that...

    ¡°The bits of information about Yun Woo told by the authors were so much more than what I could¡¯ve asked for, and I¡¯m so d I went. For those who couldn¡¯t get their tickets in time, I offer my deepest words of constion.¡±

    Rather than being mischievous and cruel, she decided to share with the members snippets of what she had learned of Yun Woo at the concert, from Yun Woo¡¯s appearance to personality, and the mindset of authors at the concert who had evaluated his work. It was quite serious. Then, she revisited her experience at the concert hall and the thoughts the authors had expressed during the concert. Having answered each and every question with utmost sincerity, every author had a clear sense of direction in their craft, and they had all recognized Yun Woo as a fellow author.

    At one point of the concert, she couldn¡¯t help but shout ¡°Lucky!¡± while listening to Joon Soo share his story about Yun Woo because of how close they seemed to be to each other. In hindsight, it was a moment that she never wanted to revisit.

    ¡°But it¡¯s what happened toward the end that still bothers me.¡±

    With that, she stopped typing and referred to one of her older posts. ¡®Yun Woo WILL be there!¡¯ It had been a prediction that had been no more than mere delusion. Knowing that the concert was about the literary magazine ¡®The Beginning and the End¡¯ and that Yun Woo would have to attend as an author who had partaken in it, the post was filled with her confidence.

    ¡®Was he really not there?¡¯

    At first, Seo Joong had made a remark that had sounded like a light-hearted joke, ¡°He might still be watching us from somewhere.¡±

    On top of that, the fact that Dae Soo would choose a person at random out of nowhere toward the end bothered the avid fan. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the first time she did it, but previously, it had been when nobody wanted to speak up and ask questions. Something was different between the two asions, and the second time around, Dae Soo had chosen someone out of nowhere as if trying to break the flow, before anybody else had the chance to raise their hand. Then, the person she chose happened to be a male student who seemed like he would be around the same age as Yun Woo.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve been reading the Dr. Dong series too much. I can¡¯t stop picking at it.¡±

    Ever since learning that there was a character in the book that was based on Yun Woo, the avid fan had been binge reading the Dr. Dong books and had gone on to splurge on the entire series at once. From then on, she often found herself ying the detective, and her most recent conjecture wasn¡¯t entirely absurd. There was a cause to every effect, which, ording to Dr. Dong¡¯s own words, was the very foundation of detective work.

    ¡°There has to be a reason for why she chose him of all people.¡±

    It just so happened that the student chosen by Dae Soo had had rather profound answers, and the authors onstage were also wearing the most peculiar looks. Although, the assumption that the student was Yun Woo would make everyone a suspect.

    After contemting for a little while, she resumed typing, writing that there was a possibility that Yun Woo had attended the concert as a member of the audience.

    Despite feeling tired, she finished writing and included the pictures of the concert ticket and a number of pictures she had taken at the venue, each clearly focusing on certain objects. Then, she sighed with disappointment.

    ¡°Maybe I should¡¯ve just taken more pictures inside, anyway.¡±

    A picture of the student she suspected of being Yun Woo. However, taking photos in the concert hall was prohibited, and that had prevented her from effectively taking out her camera. Besides, she had no proof that the student actually was Yun Woo and, needless to say, shecked a permit to take photos. Being an ordinary, timid citizen, she went to sleep,forting herself that she had made the right choice amid her deep regrets.

 Chapter 186 - The Opposite of Plummeting

    <h4>Chapter 186: The Opposite of Plummeting</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°The Book Concert Ends in a Massive Sess! Eight Authors on the Subject of Death. Their Portrayal in ¡®The Beginning and the End?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo, Nowhere to be Found at the Concert, Left Fans Disappointed.¡±

    ¡°An Author Recognized by San Jung Youn, Yun Woo Writes the Most Superior Piece Out of the Nine Pieces. Authors Respond.¡±

    ¡°Authors¡¯ Responses to Questions Regarding Yun Woo. Exposing Yun Woo¡¯s identity!¡±

    ¡°The Secret of Yun Woo. How Did He Write ¡®River?¡¯ A Closer Look.¡±

    ¡°All the Hottest Authors in One ce? A Subtle Mind Game between San Jung Youn and Joon Soo Bong. Authors Fight for Yun Woo¡¯s Position.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo and the Intensity of His Work ording to the Authors. The Finest of this Generation.¡±

    ¡°Mideum Testified about Yun Woo¡¯s Studio? How Much Does He Write?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo Hid in the Audience the Entire Time? The Controversial Review from Fans ¨C ¡®He Might Have Been in the Audience.¡¯ Did Any of the Eight Give a Subtle Hint? Was Yun Woo Really There?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo Likely Attended as an Audience Member. Authors Leave Answers Open. ¡®Was He Sitting Next to Me?¡¯¡±

    ¡°There was a student sitting next to me at the concert! It would¡¯ve been so cool if he was Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I sat next to some grandpa. No hope there.¡±

    ¡°You never know. Who knows if that¡¯s Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°There was a grandma sitting next to me. Could it be......?!?¡±

    ¡°Normally, I would find things like this absurd, but this time, I actually find myself doubting it. That piece was NOT the work of an eighteen-year-old.¡±

    ¡°Everyone who read it will agree. Yun Woo¡¯s writing is way beyond his age, already.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. I forgot he was eighteen. I¡¯m reading ¡®River¡¯ for the twentieth time, and it still sends chills down my spine. It¡¯s not even a thriller or anything.¡±

    ¡°I heard Joon Soo Bong¡¯s interpretation of ¡®River¡¯ at the concert, and apparently, it might be talking about the society we live in. In other words, the death in the book is the death that we will all experience in the future.¡±

    ¡°I have no clue what that means. Well, in any case, you¡¯re saying that his piece was the best out of the nine, right?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°¡±Eh, that sounds kind of rash. I mean, wasn¡¯t San Jung Youn¡¯s pretty good? I¡¯m so thankful that she came out with a new piece so soon.¡±¡±

    ¡°It does feel kind of floaty though. There¡¯s something about it that makes it not as rtable as Yun Woo¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? Do you know anything about literature?¡±

    ¡°Hey man, take a chill pill. It¡¯s just an opinion. No need to get all worked up.¡±

    ¡°I agree. In that case, every single author who wrote in that magazine has at least a decade of experience, so they had to be above average, at the very least.¡±

    ¡°Yet, Yun Woo managed to secure his ce among those veteran authors.¡±

    ¡°Even San Jung Youn recognized him.¡±

    ¡°If writing was something that was judged solely on experience, Yun Woo would be way at the bottom. Writing has nothing to do with age or experience.¡±

    ¡°What the heck? Did you just say that? This is what happens when you judge Korean literature in its entirety based solely on Yun Woo. We don¡¯t find prodigies in the literary world anymore for a reason, and Yun Woo was just lucky, just like his name, ¡®Coincidence.¡¯ People aren¡¯t doubting his age for no reason.¡±

    ¡°All that matters is how immersive a book is. On that note, I vote Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Ditto.¡±

    ¡°Second that.¡±

    ¡°No matter what Yun Woo writes from now on, he won¡¯t be able to outdo ¡®River.¡¯¡±

    Sitting under a tree, Juho stared out at the schoolyard in the distance. As the recess bell rang, the kids went their own ways while in their P.E clothes, ying ser, dodgeball, or basketball.

    ¡°Don¡¯t they ever get tired?¡± Seo Kwang murmured. Although he was rather distant from physical activities, he couldn¡¯t bring books to read in P.E, so with his legs crossed while resting his chin on his hand, he watched the students who were more active than him from afar.

    ¡°I mean, recess isn¡¯t even that long, but they still run out of their sses with a ball in their hands. They eat lunch faster so that they can y ser, right? I feel like theye to school to run around in the schoolyard,¡± Seo Kwang said, staring at them as if looking at someone from another world.

    At that, Juho said mockingly, ¡°They¡¯d probably say something simr to what you said: ¡®Doesn¡¯t he ever get tired of reading?¡¯¡±

    ¡°What?! When??¡±

    ¡°When you read.¡±

    To be more precise...

    ¡°I¡¯m just going off of what I¡¯ve seen so far. Recess isn¡¯t even that long, but the first thing you do is to take out a book and read. You read while eating and during ss, behind the textbook. They might feel like youe to school to read.¡±

    ¡°Those pricks,¡± Seo Kwang let out, unaware that he was making a fool out of himself. To which...

    ¡°Right?¡±

    ... Juho simply agreed, quietly.

    ¡°They¡¯re freshmen, right?¡± Seo Kwang asked as he turned his head, and just like he had said, those who had gathered around in the schoolyard were freshmen. Although they had a P.E teacher, he simply allowed them to have free time after leading a brief stretching session. Because the sophomores had taken over the schoolyard, the freshmen were mostly hanging out in the corner of the yard, talking.

    ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that Bo Suk?¡±

    At that moment, Juho recognized the protruding gem among the group. At which point, that gem began to walk straight through the swarm of sophomores ying sports. Her hair moved about busily.

    ¡°Yep. That¡¯s her.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯sing our way, right?¡±

    Because she had already arrived, there was no need for confirmation. Having ran in their direction, she stopped in front of Juho and bowed.

    ¡°Hello!¡± she greeted the two with confidence. As Juho pointed out to her that there was sand on her knees, she brushed them off impatiently. Then, sitting next to Seo Kwang, she asked Juho out of nowhere, ¡°You¡¯re a genius, right, Juho?¡±

    At that, having been staring absentmindedly at the pull-up bars in the distance, Juho turned his head toward her, but what came into view was the back of Seo Kwang¡¯s head.

    ¡°Do you have any idea of how stupid this guy is? You¡¯ll be shocked when you see his linguistics grades,¡± Seo Kwang said as if trying to obliterate the innocent delusion of the freshman. Then, as Juho, too, remembered his linguistics grades, he couldn¡¯t say otherwise.

    At which point, Bo Suk shook her head, adding, ¡°Oh, no. Not that. What else can I mean when I say that he¡¯s a genius?¡±

    It was brutal honesty, but she didn¡¯t stop there.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re a genius, right?¡±

    At the simple question, Juho answered with a question, ¡°If I say that I am, does that mean I really am a genius?¡±

    ¡°Uh... I guess so? Now that you mention it, what would that mean for actual geniuses, then?¡± Bo Suk said, blinking in confusion, and at that, an impatient look appeared on Seo Kwang¡¯s face.

    ¡°You just know. ¡®Oh, yeah. This person¡¯s a genius,¡¯ or ¡®Oh. This guy¡¯s an idiot.¡¯¡±

    Because there was no certificate of any sort that would prove that one was a genius, those around them had to rely on their instincts as their primary indicator, and because of that, the results were subjective.

    Then, after a brief thought, Bo Suk went on to exin why she brought up the subject, ¡°So, while I was talking to my friends, things like colleges and careers came up, and that¡¯s where we branched off to things like talents and effort.¡±

    ¡°Happens often.¡±

    ¡°Then, I thought of you because I, personally, consider authors to be a genius.¡±

    At that moment, Juho locked eyes with her.

    ¡°I thought that you were the first genius I had seen in person.¡±

    ¡°... Really?¡±

    ¡°But the standards don¡¯t seem to be all that impressive. Maybe there are more geniuses in this world than I thought.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang shook his head, pitying the naive freshman.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing stricter or more cumbersome than meeting subjective standards. It takes sacrifice of your pride and being exceptionally outstanding on something.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think that this guy is the only genius you¡¯ve ever met in your entire life when there might be more geniuses in this world than you thought? It¡¯s because you¡¯ve already made up your mind not to consider just anybody a genius.¡±

    Bo Suk blinked while thinking back on the time when she read Yun Woo¡¯s story for the first time. What hade out of her ahead between pride or mindset had been an exmation.

    ¡°That¡¯s my case, anyway. I have high standards,¡± Seo Kwang said as a way to wrap up the conversation. Considering the number of books he had read up to that point, it only made sense that he would have high standards.

    ¡°I concur,¡± Bo Suk said. She was honest, and being honest with oneself was a powerful tool that served them well in life.

    From her answer, Juho thought, ¡®She¡¯ll be a good writer.¡¯

    At which point, Bo Suk asked again, ¡°Well, do you consider yourself to be a genius, Juho?¡±

    The question was better-phrased that time, and Juho looked at the other students, who were wiping their sweat with their clothes after running around the schoolyard.

    ¡°I still have a ways to go.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now.¡±

    ¡°Well, that was disappointing.¡±

    Seo Kwang and Bo Suk said, simultaneously. Then, she directed her question to another person. Looking at Seo Kwang, she asked, ¡°Do YOU think that Juho is a genius?¡±

    At that, Juho looked at his friend, or more precisely, the back of his friend¡¯s head, which answered, ¡°I think he still is.¡±

    ¡°Still is?¡± Bo Suk asked, and the head nodded affirmingly.

    ¡°I think he is a genius still. I can¡¯t think of another word that would describe him. At least, in that field, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean that there could be a time when you think otherwise? Can you lose the title genius, kind of like a fallen genius?¡±

    It was more than possible, and Juho¡¯s flinching hand was proving that. Then, the head said quietly, ¡°We¡¯ll see when the timees.¡±

    At that, Bo Suk briefly lowered her head as if she understood, but soon, a puzzled look appeared on her face.

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s above a genius? What would be the opposite of plummeting?¡±

    At the seemingly naive question, Seo Kwang sneered while Juho listened to their conversation quietly.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of knowing either of those? Words don¡¯te with numbers, you know.¡±

    Instead, every word carried its own, distinct feel. They had shape, smell, vor, and texture, allowing them to dig deeper into people¡¯s hearts. Something slightly greater than the word genius. Something slightly more dated. Something that seemed wiser and more admirable.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Well, my friend, you have a lot more writing to do,¡± Seo Kwang said, bragging.

    One could think that he was Yun Woo. Seo Kwang was aware of the readers¡¯ evaluations of Yun Woo¡¯s new short story, ¡®River,¡¯ which was: The best work by Yun Woo, yet. At the same time, there were those who went even further, saying that Yun Woo¡¯s skill had finally reached its limit and that he had written the masterpiece of his life, as if he wouldn¡¯t be able to outdo himself in the future. Although it was subtle, there was covet and jealousy behind those words, which hoped for Yun Woo¡¯s downfall.

    Then, he remembered his meeting with Nam Kyung not too long ago, who had also expressed concerns, saying that Juho could take his time writing his next piece in order tofort him about something. Jang Mi and Nabi had behaved in the exact same manner, and although they weren¡¯t explicit about it, other fellow authors had to be feeling the same way. They had to be wondering if he was OK after writing such an intense piece with little regard for emotional consequences, if he was struggling with the weight of it. They had to be wondering if he would be able to surpass his own achievement.

    Whether it was for better or for worse, Juho was OK because he had no idea if what he had written was good or not. After sending his manuscript of ¡®River¡¯ to Dae Soo, Juho wasn¡¯t able to sleep for an entire week, and he knew that it was nowhere near enough to earn him the title which he yearned for, The Great Storyteller. He knew he could do better... Probably.

    ¡°Me too,¡± Juho said, and Seo Kwang and Bo Suk looked at him.

    ¡°I think I need to write more, too.¡±

    At that moment, a stark contrast appeared in their expressions, but Juho paid no attention to them. There were two people hanging on the pull-up bar, and the teacher was dozing off while sitting on a chair of mysterious origin. It was a battle without a referee.

    ¡°Yeah, sure, don¡¯t mind us, or anybody around you for that matter. Ugh. It¡¯s like we have to worry FOR you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible, Juho. You¡¯re just that word I was looking for: the one above genius. Hm... like... a cloud!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say they looked like stools,st time?¡±

    ¡°I sure did.¡±

    Then, the bell rang, and the three rose from their seats under the tree.

 Chapter 187 - A Way to Remember (1)

    <h4>Chapter 187: A Way to Remember (1)</h4>

    ¡°OK. I want you to eat these and describe them in words,¡± Mr. Moon said as he ced an array of different food on the desk. Knowing what the training was about by experience, the veteran club members surrounded the desk, each wearing a weing expression.

    An apple, a variety of snacks, paprika, salt, sugar, a macaron, dried squid, dried filefish, roasted egg, sikhye, Coke, green tea, red ginseng, and green grape- vored candy.

    (TL¡¯s Note: sikhye is a sweet, traditional Korean beverage that is made with fermented rice, and it¡¯s typically served ice cold in the summer.)

    ¡°They all look so good!¡±

    ¡°Well, you guys don¡¯t get any,¡± Mr. Moon said in order to prevent the rest of the club members from eating the food on the desk, and of course, he was met with bacsh.

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon! That¡¯s so much food!¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Can we have just a little bit, Mr. Moon? We¡¯ve been looking hard for things to write about, and I think I can use more training right about now.¡±

    Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang shouted in turn, raising their hands. Then, looking at his cumbersome pupils, Mr. Moon, said, ¡°Fine. As long as Bo Suk is finished.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°And this is training, so I expect a piece from you all.¡±

    ¡°You got it!¡±

    Ecstatic that they would get to eat, the club members began to pressure the freshman nonverbally. However, Bo Suk paid no attention to them since she was busy trying to decide what to eat first.

    Then, Sun Hwa said, ¡°Go for the filefish.¡±

    ¡°No, go with the red ginseng.¡±

    ¡°Red ginseng!? Are you kidding?! C¡¯mon now, Bo Suk. Why don¡¯t you start with a nice sip of that sikhye?¡±

    ¡°Man, I want the apple.¡±

    Listening to what sounded like suggestions or preferences, Bo Suk chose an item from the desk: salt.

    ¡°Of all things?¡±

    ¡°Man, you¡¯re weird, too.¡±

    Although Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang muttered one after the other, her decision was rather wise in Juho¡¯s eyes. The simple vor of salt would make it much easier to describe it into words. Then, Bo Suk dipped her pinky in the salt and brought it up to her mouth.

    ¡°Salty.¡±

    Though simple, there were no better words to describe salt. At that, Mr. Moon reminded her of the rule of having toe up with three words for each of her choices after some thought. Then, Bo Suk¡¯s face turned serious, and she tasted the salt yet again.

    ¡°It¡¯s just salty.¡±

    ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°Hm... maybe bitter, or astringent?¡±

    ¡°What else?¡±

    Due to her teacher¡¯s urging, she focused on the vors in her mouth.

    ¡°Pungent.¡±

    ¡°OK, next.¡±

    Her next choice was the dried squid, from which she ripped off one of its legs and put it in her mouth, chewing.

    ¡°Chewy, a little fishy, and... well, salty. I can¡¯t repeat words, can I?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Then, savory.¡±

    ¡°OK. Next.¡±

    With that, she took turns tasting each item on the desk, and with their eyes fixed on her, the veteran members smacked their lips impatiently. While Bo Suk had made steady progress, thest item proved to be a challenge.

    ¡°Grapes, green grapes, and... more green grapes.¡±

    ¡°You can do better than that.¡±

    As Bo Suk rolled the candy around in her mouth, her eyes rolled with it.

    ¡°Rigid.¡±

    ¡°You already said that.¡±

    ¡°Hard.¡±

    At that, her cheek bulged out with the candy.

    ¡°Green grape- vored.¡±

    ¡°OK,st one.¡±

    Clenching her hands into fists, Bom rooted for her, who seemed to be struggling to think of other words aside from ¡°green grape- vored.¡± It was only natural since that was the vor of the candy. Besides, her vocabry had long been depleted by that point.

    ¡°You can do it, Bo Suk.¡±

    What the freshman really needed to realize was that the training wasn¡¯t intended for developing a sensitive palette. Mr. Moon was training her in describing what she was eating, and there was no restriction to the way she could choose to go about it. No matter what the wrapper said about the vor of the candy, if one believed it tasted like sardines, then it became a sardine-vored candy. What others would taste was of no importance. After all, Bo Suk was the person with the choice of epting the signal being sent to her brain from her tongue and,stly, turning that into words.

    Of course, even in the literary world, it was essential for one to have a reasonable basis for their beliefs, since, without it, they would most likely be disregarded by those around them and treated as if they were in need of medical attention. Thankfully, Bo Suk was about to ovee her obstacle...

    ¡°Fruit-vored.¡±

    ... although, she still didn¡¯t quite understand the intent of the training. Fortunately, after a brief time thinking, Mr. Moon decided that she had done quite well for her first time and let her move on. From words to sentences, from sentences to literature, and eventually, she¡¯d grow more mature as a writer.

    ¡°NOW, can we eat??¡± Baron asked, holding a piece of dried filefish in his hand.

    At that, Mr. Moon said, tearing off a piece of the dried squid, ¡°Yes, you can. Leave some for me.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Just like that, the Literature Club started a spontaneous party. Biting into an scrumptiously red apple, Juho wondered if the fruit in his hand and mouth could be a hint for his next piece. From then on, he wrote habitually, in anticipation of a piece that would somehow resemble a ripe apple.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Mideum Choo Returns with the Seventh Volume of the Dr. Dong Series.¡±

    ¡°Once Controversial, the Character Based on Yun Woo in the Dr. Dong Series Finally Makes an Appearance.¡±

    ¡°The Shocking Short Story. Hints about Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo ording to Mideum Choo.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo, of ¡®River.¡¯ Fans on Their Toes about the Mysterious Author. Who is He?¡±

    ¡°Is this the book where Yun Woo appears?¡±

    ¡°At first, I read one volume just to see what the character was about, but now, I ended up buying the whole series. It¡¯s freakin¡¯ amazing!¡±

    ¡°The Dr. Dong series is popr in Japan, too. Mideum has always been famous, and every detective novel buff knows her.¡±

    ¡°Seems like she owes one to Yun Woo. She had to have spilled the beans on purpose!¡±

    ¡°Have you been living under a rock or something? It was the journalist¡¯s fault.¡±

    ¡°But is this Yun Woo in the book really Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°They have to be different. Besides, it¡¯s fiction.¡±

    ¡°The character¡¯s an arrogant a-hole. I think he¡¯s even less likable than Dr. Dong.¡±

    ¡°Well, in either case, they¡¯re both probably loaded. His books have sold millions.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think Mideum and Yun Woo are probably pretty close? They¡¯re in the same club and they even published a magazine together.¡±

    ¡°I heard she even interviewed him. In which case, they would be pretty close. Maybe he¡¯s actually pretty simr to the character. Who knows?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, Yun Woo stood out the most in ¡®The Beginning and the End.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I see thisment everywhere¡±

    ¡°I saw a clip of Pyung Jin Lee interpreting ¡®River,¡¯ and even he was surprised. He¡¯s an expert! People are saying it¡¯s Yun Woo¡¯s best work, yet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just d that Yun Woo is a prolific writer.¡±

    ¡°His piece was inherently different from San Jung¡¯s, almost like the difference between ideals and reality. If San Jung¡¯s style was ambiguous and dream-like, Yun Woo¡¯s was clear-cut and realistic in the way he portrayed death. What¡¯s even more shocking here is that he¡¯s only been around for eighteen years.¡±

    ¡°Who the heck is he anyway? An alien?¡±

    ¡°I tried asking the other authors in the club, but even they wouldn¡¯t give me anything, saying, ¡®We prefer to keep that to ourselves.¡¯ I swear, Sang Young Ju and his random catchphrase.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡®Is this really what people think of me?¡¯

    Juho was reading Mideum¡¯s new book in the subway, and just as she had announced previously, the character was arrogant beyond belief. First, he was wealthy and lived in arge, luxurious house. It was as if pouring oil on the fire, like there weren¡¯t enough people who believed Yun Woo had great wealth already.

    On top of that, the character had never seen a single piece to the end in his entire career. His stories stopped midway, and there was no trace of patience in him. Yet, he proudly introduced himself as an author to others.

    Then, Juho flipped a page, and Dr. Dong asked, ¡°With what right?¡±

    To which, the author answered, ¡°I¡¯ll write ¡¯til the day I die. Besides, what¡¯s so important about genre or length in a book? What else would you call me, if not an author?¡±

    ¡°Useless piece of trash,¡± Dr. Dong let out.

    Just as Mideum had shared during the book concert, the author¡¯s room really was simr to Juho¡¯s, filled with manuscript paper covering the walls.

    ¡°Next stop, is...¡±

    Taking his eyes off the book, Juho checked the station at which the train was stopping. Since he had to get off the train, he rose from his seat and shoved the book into his backpack. Then, exiting the station, he walked through the streets that he was well acquainted with, and up the hills, from where Yun Seo¡¯s studio, private institute and home appeared.

    Unlike the busy streets that he had previously been in, the scenery of the house gave one the illusion that they were in the countryside. Then, a dog barked in the distance, indicating that Juho was nearly there. Lastly, while walking up a nted alleyway, a group of people came rushing down. Considering how Yun Seo¡¯s house had always been the only building at the top of the hill, they had to be her students.

    In the narrow alleyway, Juho stepped aside in order to let the crowd through, who were in a group of twelve, and a woman in the very front passed by in a hurry, greeting him. Although they were quickly walking down the alleyway, they all seemed joyful. Looking attentively at them, Juho, too, made haste.

    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    Before even going inside, Juho ran into Yun Seo waving at him while sitting on a t bench in the front yard.

    ¡°You¡¯re wearing your uniform, today?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ming straight from school.¡±

    She had been inviting Juho for dinner from time to time, and he hade with the expectation that he would be able to think of the topic for his next piece, which was struggling with.

    Unlike usual, Juho looked at the buildings in the distance before him and Yun Seo and asked, ¡°What¡¯s with the paint and the canvas?¡±

    Yun Seo was sitting in front of an easel, and while Juho wondered if she painted as a hobby, Yun Seo answered, ¡°It¡¯s teaching material. We painted today, and this is mine.¡±

    Then, she showed Juho a painting of a big moon.

    ¡°That¡¯s one peculiar-looking moon,¡± Juho said honestly, noticing that the moon in the painting was crooked. ¡°There¡¯s a strong sense of irregrity. I think it¡¯s actually artistic.¡±

    ¡°Right? You know what you¡¯re talking about!¡±

    In any case, it was rather peculiar that there was painting involved in a writing lesson. On the other hand, she had taught Mr. Moon, which made the peculiarity somewhat normal. Then, Joon Soo came out of the house.

    ¡°Oh, hey! I see that you¡¯re in your uniform!¡± Joon Soo said, looking at Juho¡¯s uniform. At which point, Juho repeated what he had said to Yun Seo, ¡°I came straight from school.¡±

    ¡°Did you paint too, Joon Soo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have, before.¡±

    Then, looking at the painting, Juho asked, ¡°Does it really help you write?¡±

    ¡°In some ways, yes,¡± Joon Soo said, and Yun Seo chimed in, ¡°Painting and writing have a lot inmon. One observes an object and draws what¡¯s within it. You can see it often in eastern paintings. The reason our ancestors didn¡¯t vary in contrasts of color had nothing to do with their skill or with them being unaware of the concept of it. It was an intentional decision to express the magnificent spirit thaty within an object, which couldn¡¯t be altered by light.¡±

    An object changed its shape depending on the light. When the sun was up high, the shadows tended to be shorter and stouter, and while the sunset dyed everything in red, the dark removed any shape that had once existed. Juho remembered finding a western painting that portrayed an object that changed its shape over time.

    ¡®It¡¯s fascinating how an object changes its shape depending on the perspective and the movement of the light, even when viewed from the same angle,¡¯ Juho thought as he remembered a few eastern paintings in his head that didn¡¯t utilize any contrast of color. The technique was often used in painting portraits because the painters ced a higher value in portraying the noble spirit that resided deep within the person they were painting, which would remain unaffected by the sun.

    In the sense that it involved portraying things that couldn¡¯t be seen with bare eyes, painting and writing shared a lot inmon.

    ¡°Whenever I hold a brush instead of a pen like this, I get a better understanding of what I do as a writer, and it allows me to find new inspiration. Besides, it¡¯s a good way to unwind.¡±

    It was quite intriguing, and it sounded like it would be a lot of fun. Then, Juho remembered the apparent joy on the faces of the twelve he had previously run into in the alleyway.

    ¡°Would you like to try?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s plenty of paper,¡± Yun Seo said, moving aside from the easel. Where she had been sitting, there was a palette with a variety of paints on it, as well as a set of brushes, and a small pail. Then, being the tactful person he was, Joon Soo handed him a clean, four-by-six sheet of paper.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take your bag.¡±

    Although Juho had yet to say a word, everything happened swiftly and efficiently. The teamwork of the teacher and her pupil was truly impressive. And because he didn¡¯t have a reason to decline, Juho sat in Yun Seo¡¯s ce willingly and ced the paper on the ck, aluminum easel.

    ¡°So, what am I doing?¡±

    ¡°You paint. Anything you¡¯d like. Just like writing.¡±

    Just like writing. Writers observed whaty within an object and portrayed that in their own way. Although Juho had been creating sentences out of words up to that point, he had not been faced with the challenge of having to paint, and while it was different, it was also simr in some ways. Looking at the paper in front of him as if here were looking at aputer screen, he ced his hands on the palette like he was typing on a keyboard.

    ¡°Hm,¡± Juho let out, thinking back to a time when he was writing. He couldn¡¯t afford to keep his hands idle. He had to paint something, anything. Then, raising his brush, he ced it on the canvas. A blue line came gliding down the middle of it.

    ¡®What is this?¡¯

 Chapter 188 - A Way to Remember (2)

    <h4>Chapter 188: A Way to Remember (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What are you drawing, there?¡± Joon Soo asked.

    ¡°The answer is a single brush stroke away,¡± Juho gave him a somewhat ambiguous answer, but both he and Joon Soo knew the meaning behind that sentence. Then, a quiet chuckle sounded, and Juho stared intently into the white canvas with only the single streak of blue.

    ¡®Maybe I should paint a dog or something. What would dogs be like internally? What would they think about?¡¯

    There was a dog that always barked in the distance when Juho would visit Yun Seo at her house. And despite how it sounded when it barked, it wasn¡¯t the wariest of dogs. It was simply trained to be defensive and to bark whenever strangers were near. If one were to give it a humannguage, it would say something to the effect of: Bark. Bark.

    Juho swallowed quietly. ¡®No, that¡¯s not it.¡¯ Then, he thought of all the training he had received in the Literature Club taught by Mr. Moon. Dried filefish and squid, salt, apple. He couldn¡¯t remember anything except for the things he had eaten. If Mr. Moon were to see him in his current state, the teacher would immediately start grumbling about his reluctant choice of career. With that, Juho decided to paint something else. Yun Seo. She had always emphasized love: to love each other, as well as oneself.

    ¡®Writing for myself. Me.¡¯

    The subject Juho had chosen to embrace and portray was himself.

    Then, the blue streak on the canvas turned into a river. The lesson was about portraying the spirit or inner nature of an object, but that didn¡¯t necessarily mean that he had to paint a river. In fact, it would have to be the person looking at the river. Juho wanted to paint the inner being of that person.

    Juho looked down at the palette in his hand, filled with clean, crisp colors. Yellow, green, purple. They were all vivid. Then, in his head, he tried listing a set of sentences. ¡®He was looking down into the river while holding a piece of paper in one hand and a pen in the other, writing with trembling hands. He was depressed and angry with himself. He was trying desperately to hope for something and to make something happen. He wanted to live. He wanted to write.¡¯

    With that, Juho put down the palette and the brush and picked up the pail of water, which was filled with a gray liquid of a rather peculiar shade. It was the result of the different colors mixing together. Then, rising from his seat, he picked up the paper from the easel and stepped off the bench.

    ¡°Careful. I wouldn¡¯t want you to get sshed.¡±

    ¡°Wha-?¡±

    Before Joon Soo had time to react, Juho threw the water in the pail at the paper in his hand, wetting his hands and the sleeves of his uniform. However, Juho paid no attention to it. What had once been a white piece of paper was now soaked in water, limp and hanging lifelessly in his hand, as if it would tear away from it at any given minute. Then, putting the empty pail down, he picked up the paper with his both hands, and turned around.

    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±

    However, the Yun Seo and Joon Soo were staring over Juho¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°My, my. What¡¯s with all this water?¡± a familiar voice said. When Juho turned his head slowly toward where the voice wasing from, the surroundings that had grown fuzzy became clear as he took his eyes away from the paper. It was Geun Woo and Hyun Do, who stood behind him.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho greeted the two, and Geun Woo received his bow while wiping the drops of grey liquid off his face, which looked like moles.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t toilet water, is it?¡± he asked, looking at the pail. Then, pointing at the empty pail, Juho told him the source of the water.

    ¡°Sorry about that. I didn¡¯t know you were there.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to get soaked, either.¡±

    ¡°Did your clothes stain?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but it should be fine. If not, I¡¯ll send you the bill.¡±

    Then, walking past Geun Woo, Hyun Do said to Juho while looking at the paper in his hand intently, ¡°Next time, try putting the paper on the ground before throwing water on it.¡±

    At that, Yun Seo and Juho looked at the painting and Hyun Do in turn, and leaving her old friend standing, she asked him, ¡°What do you have there?¡±

    After a brief thought, he answered, ¡°It depends on how my readers interpret it.¡±

    Juho gave them a somewhat ambiguous answer. Then, narrowing her eyes, Yun Seo asked another question, ¡°Then, how would you like to name it?¡±

    Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t too difficult of a question.

    ¡°An author.¡±

    ¡ª

    After cleaning up after himself and letting his painting dry on the t bench outside, Juho walked into the house and saw four people in the ssroom. There were traces in there that made it seem like Yun Seo had been teaching even up to a moment ago, and the projector screen in the front was only further proof of that. Then, Juho sat next to Geun Woo, who had changed into a fresh set of clothes.

    ¡°Did San Jung make it back in one piece?¡±

    She had stayed at Yun Seo¡¯s house not too long ago while visiting her old teacher to seek help in oveing the crisis she had been facing. However, the fact that she was no longer in the house meant that she had been able to ovee her obstacle sessfully.

    At that, Yun Seo nodded affirmingly while chuckling quietly. Sitting in front of the desks, she was holding a steaming mug with both of her hands.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting her to show up, like that,¡± Yun Seo seemed like she had been pleasantly surprised by one of her old pupils visiting. ¡°Do you know what the first thing she said to me was, after walking in through that door? ¡®Mrs. Baek, is it true that you¡¯reing out with a new book?¡¯¡±

    ¡°What did you say to her?¡±

    ¡°I asked her where she had heard that.¡± It was the confirmation, and Yun Seo looked intently at Juho and said, ¡°She told me she heard it from you.¡±

    ¡°It just came out, somehow.¡±

    Then, Juho asked curiously, ¡°What did she do here? Did she write?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± The answer came from Geun Woo, instead. ¡°San Jung didn¡¯t do a thing the entire time she was here. She didn¡¯t even write.¡±

    ¡°It might have seemed that way,¡± Yun Seo said. ¡°As long as we keep our eyes open, there will always be an endless stream of information flowing into our brain, which then, sorts and processes them automatically at a subconscious level. So, San Jung might not have written a single word during her stay, but she had so many different experiences.¡±

    ¡°I saw her snooping around your studio while you were writing, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    Then, Joon Soo interjected in order to rephrase Geun Woo¡¯s rude choice of words.

    ¡°You mean, she was observing Mrs. Baek writing, intently.¡±

    Neither Joon Soo nor Geun Woo seemed to know about San Jung¡¯s visit in detail, and Yun Seo, too, didn¡¯t exin to them what had happened with San Jung. Simply, she told them that the author was free from her crisis and had now regained her ability to write.

    ¡°I see,¡± Juho said, relieved. Hyun Do kept listening to the three until they had finished talking since he was a person who much preferred to listen than to talk. And although neither Geun Woo nor Joon Soo were explicit about it, it was rather obvious to Juho that they were conscious of Hyun Do¡¯s presence, and the fact that their backs were much straighter was further proof of that.

    Then, taking his eyes off of their backs, Juho redirected his attention to the projector screen and asked, ¡°What¡¯s that? Did you watch a movie in here?¡±

    ¡°Huh, how¡¯d you know?¡±

    ¡°Really?!¡±

    ¡®Was it a slow day?¡¯

    At that, it was Yun Seo¡¯s answer that cleared up Juho¡¯s question.

    ¡°It was for a lesson on writing a visual portrayal. In other words, writing out a scene in a movie.¡±

    ¡°Like a depiction?¡±

    ¡°Simr.¡±

    It wasmon for authors to strive toward writing a story that their readers would be able to visualize what they were reading in their heads as soon as they read it. Authors who excelled in portrayals were capable of making their readers picture the scene in their heads immediately, from characters to the background to the climax. It was like watching a movie. Not only was it possible for those authors to convey things like acting, dialogues, monologues, and the background, but also the epic background music, the taste of food being eaten by the protagonist, or the scent of summer rain.

    ¡°It allows you to perceive touch, sound, smell, and taste at a deeper level, even looking into the character¡¯s mind.¡±

    An author had the power to tell their readers the mindset and the motives behind their characters¡¯ behaviors. They were capable of making the readers understand every event in their novels, making them resonate with them and sending chills down their spines... Assuming that the author had the skill for that, that is.

    ¡°If only,¡± Geun Woo said while wearing his distinctively depressed look, and Juho, too, identified with him. An excellent portrayal called for a firm foundation in the story, so that the changes in points of view or the detailed descriptions wouldn¡¯t confuse the readers. Jumping back and forth between the internal and external being of a character, an author had the creative power to decide what to reveal to their readers, and among those present in the ssroom, the author who was the most skilled in doing just that was Hyun do.

    Like most things, writing evolved over time, as well as based on trends. And Hyun Do was capable of epassing both modern and contemporary literature in the way he wrote, allowing him to move his readers from deep within, stimting every sense. It was also one of the reasons for his longsting career as an author loved by many. He was sensitive to changes and quick to adapt. At the same time, he was able to embrace those changes. The careful calctions that went into his writing were both powerful and beautiful.

    ¡°How are you able to describe things like that, Mr. Lim? I¡¯m telling you, I find myself getting impressed everytime I read your books,¡± at Juho¡¯s question, Geun Woo and Joon Soo writhed silently for an unknown reason, making quite a fuss.

    Then, chuckling quietly, Hyun Doo looked down, and said, ¡°Thank you for your ttering words.¡±

    In other words, he had no intention of telling the young author. Then, Yun Seo asked Juho, ¡°Would you like to give it a try? I¡¯ll y a movie.¡±

    Just like she always did, she walked toward the front of the ssroom before hearing Juho¡¯s answer and turned on the projector. As the light came on the white screen, Juho rose from his seat and turned off the lights in the room. Although the room wasn¡¯tpletely dark because of the light that shone through the window, it wasn¡¯t bright enough to disturb them from the movie.

    Then, Juho observed Hyun Do, who was sitting in the opposite side of the ssroom, against the light. Drinking his tea with a calm expression, his posture was quite sharp.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about what we¡¯re going to be watching,¡± Juho said, and Geun Woo chuckled quietly. Being able to take lessons from Yun Seo for free was a huge privilege, so Juho simply waited for the movie to y on the screen.

    ¡°There it is,¡± Geun Woo said to Juho as if signaling him. As the person on the screen began to move around, the first thing that caught Juho¡¯s attention was the passionate music. It wasn¡¯t background music. In fact, the person on the screen was ying the piano.

    ¡®A recital, maybe?¡¯

    It seemed to be taking ce in a conference hall, and because there was little context, Juho had to infer what might have happened prior to and after the scene. The camera focused on the look on the faces of the audience rather than the performer, who was ying an intricate piece of music with ease. There were strong emotions on their faces, like jealousy. The music only built up the tension toward the climax, and although Juho had no idea who theposer was, it was obvious to him that the person had been rather twisted on the inside. Then, a man bit into his fingernail, and at that moment, the movie stopped abruptly.

    ¡°Aw! Can we watch a little more?¡±

    ¡°This is it,¡± Yun Seo said emphatically, asking, ¡°How would you portray the inner state of the members of the audience?¡±

    It was a continuation of the lesson that had previously taken ce in the front yard. However, it was the opposite this time: Turning a movie into writing.

    ¡°First of all, I can clearly see jealousy on their faces,¡± Juho said, and Geun Woo interjected quietly, ¡°I wonder if you know what it feels like?¡±

    At that, Juho answered, ¡°You think Yun Woo has never been jealous of anyone?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Geun Woo, leave him alone,¡± Joon Soo said in order to prevent Geun Woo from interrupting Juho. At that, Joon Soo clenched his lips tightly. Then, the scent of alcohol in Juho¡¯s mind tickled his nose. In his past life, not only had he been jealous of other authors who had been more sessful than him, but he had also been incredibly pretentious, regrly blurting out things like: ¡°That¡¯s nothing! Give me a pen, and I¡¯ll write something like that with my eyes closed!¡±

    It was a rather embarrassing past, which he wouldn¡¯t even think about sharing with anyone.

    ¡°The man at the end had to be a rival of the performer. Whether it was intentional or not, he¡¯s probablyparing himself to the performer, and it seems like he¡¯d just discovered that he had lost. The nailbiting shows that he¡¯s anxious, so it had to be a situation where he couldn¡¯t afford to lose. Maybe they were having a bet?¡±

    Juho started off with his overall understanding of the situation, and Yun Seo nodded affirmingly. In order to turn the emotions in his heart into writing, Juho had to start writing, which meant he needed a seat.

    ¡®Should I write from the narrator¡¯s point of view?¡¯

    With that, Juho decided to unfold the story by how the man on the screen would respond to or be affected by the situation from the omniscient viewpoint. The all-capable God would know every thought in the man¡¯s mind and had every right to expose them to the readers.

    ¡°First off, the spacial setting is a recital, so it makes it easier to give impressions like: ¡®He¡¯s sensitive to criticism.¡¯ But, one thing we need to be clear about is that the reason for his nailbiting had nothing to do with the criticisms of others.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡± Joon Soo asked light-heartedly, sounding more like he was looking for confirmation rather than an answer.

    ¡°It¡¯s his own. He recognized his defeat on his own. ¡®I can¡¯t sound or y like that.¡¯ You can tell from the sound, acting, camera angle and the contrast in the overall color scheme just now. Look, this man is closer to the camera than the performer onstage, yet he appears even smaller somehow. It has to be a visual portrayal of the inner state of the character,¡± Juho said, pointing at the screen. Just as he had said, the performer and the member in the the audience were both on the screen, and the screen captured the image over the audience member. Although close to the camera, that character appeared smaller than the performer onstage in the distance.

 Chapter 189 - A Way to Remember (3)

    <h4>Chapter 189: A Way to Remember (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The performer in the light and the man in the dark. The enormous performer and the man reduced to a timid member of the audience. The performer moving the hearts of the listener with the beautiful melody and the man leaving the viewers of the movie feeling uneasy with his anxious look on his face. Although the two were rivals, the contrast between them was being conveyed to the viewers visually. After all, it was a movie. The notes yed by the performer were quite passionate. Fast and dark, they gave the viewers an implication of the state of the man in the audience.

    ¡°Jealousy only appears when there¡¯s someone better. If I were to describe what that man is feeling about the performer, I¡¯d have to use the word timid. Timid jealousy. I¡¯m not talking about the intensity of his jealousy necessarily, but rather, the degree of his expression. The man probably doesn¡¯t have to guts to inflict any harm on the performer. If anything, he¡¯ll probably me himself in a corner, somewhere.¡±

    That was the image being conveyed by the man¡¯s petite figure. If he had been a person who expressed his emotions more directly, rather than biting his nails, he would have either stormed out of the hall or kicked things angrily. Or, at the very least, clenched his hands tightly into fists. In other words, rather than being anxious, he would have chosen to express an emotion closer to anger.

    ¡°I hope he¡¯s a person who has performed all of his life and did nothing but y,¡± Juho said. Based on the personality of the character, Juho imagined an arbitrary version of the man¡¯s life. The man had lived his entire life in front of a piano. His fingers were long and clean, and he had led a rather peaceful life, filled with music. Then, the performer appeared, and for the first time, he had met another musician who was better than him. The performer¡¯s ying had to be...

    ¡°... the biggest trial in the man¡¯s life, I¡¯d say.¡±

    As far as hardships for such a timid, yet delicate character, the degree of it was just right. At this point, at least.

    ¡°This is still the beginning of the movie, right?¡± Juho asked Yun Seo, and she gave him an affirmative answer. In Juho¡¯s mind, sentences began to form quickly, and Juho had a desire to show everyone in the room even those things that moving images wouldn¡¯t be able to show. In writing, it was very much possible to ce the camera right next to the heart of a person.

    ¡°I read your piece, ¡®River,¡¯¡± Hyun Do said quietly.

    At that, Juho listened intently.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired ofpliments by now, so I¡¯ll just get right to the point,¡± the literary great said in a calm and pleasant tone of voice. ¡°Were you challenged in any way when you were writing?¡±

    ¡°... Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Did you find yourself getting frustrated with anything?¡±

    Unlike normal, Juho was quite taken aback because of how unfamiliar he was with the questions. Nobody had asked questions like that. Everyone had been upied with how impressive the piece was and recovering from the emotional impact of it. Many people had concerns about Yun Woo¡¯s dark past, which had enabled him to write such a dark piece, as well as about his future, believing that he would face the challenge of having to outdo himself. However, those very concerns were the things that Hyun Do had leisurely addressed by asking about the young author¡¯s current state.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Of course, there were bound to be challenges when writing.

    ¡°Although I really wanted to write well, I wanted to write especially well this time.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°So, I made an investment. I bought myself aptop because I wanted to work while looking at the river. But I was caught off guard by how fast the battery runs out.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°And this time, I made a lot more revisions than I normally do, and it was incredibly boring. I found myself getting distracted, mostly wondering what kind of stories other authors would write about.¡±

    It was quite a refreshing feeling.

    ¡ª

    While conversing with Hyun Do about various topics, Juho suddenly changed the subject, as curiosity rose to the surface of his mind.

    ¡°Mr. Lim, have you ever written for a literary magazine?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Yun Seo said vividly. Taken aback, her pupils asked in turn,

    ¡°When?? This is my first time hearing this.¡±

    ¡°What was it called? Where can we find it?¡±

    At the two making a fuss, their teacher answered delightfully, ¡°It was between us three: my husband, myself, and Hyun Do.¡±

    ¡°What are you bringing that up, for?!¡± Hyun Do said to her, looking displeased, and she got a kick out of it.

    ¡°Why wasn¡¯t it known? I¡¯m not the only one who doesn¡¯t know about this, am I?¡±

    It was a coboration between Wol Kang, Yun Seo Baek, and Hyun Do Lim. Yet, Juho knew nothing about it. Then, Hyun Do said, ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s not worth talking about.¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t publish it. It was like a joke between the three of us.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°The circumstances weren¡¯t in our favor. Our rtionship with the publishingpany had gone sour, and the editing process went on a lot longer than anticipated. So, in the end, Wol lost interest, and the whole thing fell through. After all, he was the one that suggested it.¡±

    ¡°Ugh! Such a waste!¡± Geun Woo let out involuntarily, covering his mouth immediately after. However, Juho felt the same way. A literary magazine written by the three literary greats. He found himself desperate to get his hands on one, but unfortunately, it was no longer around.

    ¡°It seems like Mr. Kang had a fickle side.¡±

    ¡°He was the living example of what it was to be fickle,¡± Hyun Do said, and despite him openly making such a cold, heartless remark, Yun Seo didn¡¯t deny it.

    ¡°Are the pieces gone for good?¡±

    ¡°It might be collecting dust somewhere. I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll look for it, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t bother. It¡¯s ancient, now.¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    Dissuading her two pupils, Yun Seo skillfully changed the subject.

    ¡°Speaking of which, aren¡¯t you forgetting something, Geun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you were so excited about Juhoing over.¡±

    At that, Geun Woo pped loudly and pointed at Juho.

    ¡°Yun Pil! The arrogant!¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: the name ¡°Yun Pil¡± (not to be confused with the Korean word for pencil, which sounds the same.) would be ¡°Pil Yun¡± in Korea, which means fate ¨C the opposite of coincidence, ¡°Yun Woo.¡±)

    ¡®A-ha,¡¯ Juho immediately caught on to who Geun Woo was referring to. Yun Pil was the name of the character based on Yun Woo in Mideum¡¯s novel, which Juho had read in the subway on his way there.

    ¡°It was very, very interesting reading about Mideum¡¯s take on Yun Woo.¡±

    At that, Juho smiled awkwardly, ¡°He was very different from me.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure about that.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you find me arrogant?¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that this is a great opportunity for self-reflection.¡±

    Geun Woo was quite excited, and although Juho looked at Joon Soo for help, he was finding the situation all too entertaining.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve read it too, Joon Soo.¡±

    ¡°Of course! It¡¯s Mideum¡¯s book. People were going crazy about it even before it came out because of the character based on Yun Woo. I¡¯m sure Mideum lived up to her readers¡¯ expectations. Besides, that Yun Pil? He¡¯s an interesting one, that one.¡±

    ¡°And arrogant,¡± Juho added. At which point, Joon Soo burst outughing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take it so hard now. It¡¯s the ¡®charming¡¯ kind of arrogant,¡± Joon Soo said, subtly admitting that the character was arrogant.

    ¡°I saw that Mideum put a lot of work into it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve read it too, Mrs. Baek?¡±

    ¡°Of course! I love her books, especially the Dr. Dong series. By the way, I¡¯m sure Hyun Do read it too.¡±

    At that, Juho looked at Hyun Do, who nodded subtly, but affirmingly. Then, Geun Woo whispered to Joon Soo, ¡°We should tell Mideum, right away. When she finds out that Mrs. Baek and Mr. Lim read her book, she¡¯ll freak.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine Mideum being ecstatic. Then, Joon Soo said, ¡°I, personally, thought Mideum was quite perceptive in the way she captured your personality.¡±

    ¡°In what sense?¡± Juho asked, genuinely. In his eyes, Yun Pil was the pr opposite of him, just like their names.

    ¡°Well, the character constantly crosses the line, and he does it so nonchntly, to the point of it being appalling.¡±

    ¡°Was I ever rude like that?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve yet to meet a high school student who¡¯s as polite as you, to this day. BUT, you are kind of like Yun Pil when you write, right? Your writing is sensational for a reason. I mean, just look at Kelley Coin.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, you can¡¯tpare me to Kelley Coin,¡± Juho said emphatically.

    At which, Joon Soo chuckled, and said, ¡°Well, in any case, you¡¯re known to be arrogant from now on.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡± Juho said. Then, he added in a somewhat fatigued-sounding voice, ¡°Well, I do think it was inevitable, but this doesn¡¯t just apply to me. Everyone perceives each other in a certain way, and that¡¯s the image that defines a person to those around them. To those who went to a prestigious school, that bes their image. Cops are cops to everyone. It¡¯s not easy to see the true inner being of a person.¡±

    It was the same way when watching TV, even if only for a few minutes. A person¡¯s character on TV became their defining image as a person. And that was why actors who yed viins in soap operas often suffered malicious and/or profanements made about them on the inte.

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s no different.¡±

    Yun Pil¡¯s image was starting to ovep that of Yun Woo. Wealthy, lives in a mansion, speaks recklessly,cks consideration toward others, shameless, has no friends, and insists on being considered an author.

    At that, Hyun Do stared intently at Juho, raising one of his eyebrows. Then, after studying his expression for a little while, Joon Soo tactfully rose from his seat.

    ¡ª

    After getting made fun of by Geun Woo, Juho walked out to the kitchen to get some snacks since Yun Seo had finally agreed to show the rest of the movie. Then, on his way back to the ssroom, while carrying as many bags as he could, he saw Joon Soo through the living room window. He was staring intently at Juho¡¯s painting, which Juho had previously left out on the t bench in order to let it dry out.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Juho asked as he came out the door. Then, taking his eyes off of the painting, Joon Soo looked toward him.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Carrying these back to the room,¡± Juho said, showing him all the snacks in his arms. ¡°I pestered her for a little while, and she gave in.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve already seen it, though.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Seems like it¡¯s a movie that you wouldn¡¯t wanna watch again.¡±

    At that, Joon Soo remembered the movie. The protagonist didn¡¯t die, unlike what Juho had posited about him. He simply kept on ying the piano.

    ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s a great movie.¡±

    Then, Joon Soo reminisced to his youth, when he had been drawn to the performer more than the man in the audience because of his obvious talent. Showcasing his talent on a brightly-lit stage and leaving his audience in shock, the performer was quite charming, and seeing his life on the screen brought about a great sense of satisfaction. Joon Soo also remembered how intensely biased he had been toward the character, to the point of fast-forwarding the movie whenever the man in the audience would appear on the screen.

    However, yearster, and after meeting all sorts of people, he had finally been able to embrace those around the brightly-lit stage. Those who failed, those who were trying again, those growing and yet to reach the top. Andtely, he began to resonate with the less fortunate, who had nothing to show for. It wasn¡¯t clear as to why. Perhaps he was getting older or turning a new leaf. Or maybe, he saw himself bing more like those people.

    Being a genius was a much more realistic goal as a child. However, as one grew older, the chance of achieving that goal dwindled increasingly because the title ¡°genius¡± tended to perish quickly. It was for that reason that it often left those naive enough to try to obtain it in pain. This was especially true in the literary world. The nickname ¡°genius¡± lost its charm quickly, and nobody was foolish enough to covet it.

    Joon Soo took a deep breath.

    ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I felt this way.¡¯

    Perhaps it was Joon Soo¡¯s first time meeting someone who wasn¡¯t inherently talented, yet Joon Soo found himself calling him a ¡°genius.¡± Whenever he read this genius¡¯ works, he couldn¡¯t help but be impressed.

    When Joon Soo looked at Juho, he saw the young author munching on some of the snacks he had in his arms, looking as calm and unfazed as ever. There was no trace of fear or lingering attachment in his expression, and he had always moved on from those emotions, one step ahead of those around him.

    ¡°This painting is incredible,¡± Joon Soo said, looking at the painting that was drying on the t bench. It had shrunk from the excessive moisture. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s about to rip at any given minute.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it does.¡±

    That was what made the painting all the more incredible. Joon Soo remembered his very first painting, when he was being trained for the first time. Andscape painted at the center of the paper, it was still being kept in his studio. In order to portray the spirit of the subject, he had stretched and shrunk the object, and ording to the words of his teacher, he had imitated an eastern painting. That was his first painting.

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe he soaked the paper in such a dirty water.¡¯

    Juho hadn¡¯t even tried to draw anything. In fact, he hadn¡¯t even tried, or even intended on creating something beautiful or attractive. Simply, Yun Woo took a pail of dirty, grey-colored water and threw it on the paper. At that moment, Joon Soo had been reduced to a coward.

    ¡°You were like that when you were writing ¡®River,¡¯ weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    As a creator, Yun Woo wasn¡¯t afraid of being broken. Which meant...

    ¡°I get a feeling that you would finish writing only to delete it all. At once and without hesitation.¡±

 Chapter 190 - A Way to Remember (4)

    <h4>Chapter 190: A Way to Remember (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Wiping the crumbs around his mouth, Juho said, ¡°Wow, how¡¯d you know?¡±

    ¡°I can tell from your painting,¡± Joon Soo said, chuckling light-heartedly, and Juho stared at him intently.

    ¡°You seemed to have a lot on your mind.¡±

    ¡°I always do.¡±

    Juho had no idea what Joon Soo had in mind. However, what Juho did know was that despite his perpetual, friendly smile, Joon Soo was rather greedy and ambitious when it came to writing, and his writing style was further proof of that. Juho couldn¡¯t dare to imagine how much he wrestled with his sentences, searching for ways to improve them. Then, after a brief time thinking, Juho walked out to the t bench.

    ¡°So, there¡¯s this article I saw, and it said, ¡°Yun Woo of ¡®River.¡¯¡± Apparently, that¡¯s how I¡¯m going to be called for the next several years.¡±

    ¡°I bet. Your most recent piece became your representative work. Starting with ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ to ¡®Sound of Wailing.¡¯ And now, ¡®River.¡¯¡±

    ¡°The article also said that Yun Woo would be going on hiatus to rest.¡±

    Although the publishingpany had spoken up in order to disprove the news, it had been toote by that point. The news had already spread to the readers. Besides, it only made sense that the young author would rest after writing a piece that seemed so emotionally taxing, and his fellow authors seemed to think the same way.

    ¡°But, I¡¯m nning to keep writing,¡± Juho said. There was simply too much work backed up for him to take a break. To be more precise, it was umting. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t have any positive memories associated with the river. I¡¯m not too fond of that nickname, either.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    At Joon Soo questioning him about what he was trying to say, Juho opened his mouth and said, ¡°It means I can do better.¡±

    Juho felt Joon Soo¡¯s gaze fixed on him like an arrow. There was a higher ce that he wanted to reach and he wanted to climb up to it. He was no different.

    ¡°One can only stay afloat when they move their hands and feet.¡±

    ¡°... right.¡±

    Then, Joon Soo looked up slowly.

    ¡°I should be writing if I have the time to wander around, right?¡±

    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t trying to sound arrogant.¡±

    ¡°Well, I, myself, must have gotten a little too confident. Is this the kind of power media has on authors? Isn¡¯t it a syndrome of sorts? What¡¯s your diagnosis, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Your symptoms are very, very mild. Trust me,¡± Juho said, suppressing memories of his embarrassing past. Then, hearing someone behind him, he turned around. Hyun Do was standing there, and both Juho and Joon Soo jumped internally.

    ¡°Yun Seo¡¯s waiting. Her patience is wearing thin.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. We were out for a while, weren¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be in, soon.¡±

    Joon Soo and Juho headed for the ssroom quickly. At that moment, at the sight of his painting, Juho stopped in his tracks abruptly.

    ¡°Should I take this inside? It¡¯s kind of cloudy out.¡±

    ¡°Sure, leave it on the table in the kitchen. I¡¯ll take this,¡± Joon Soo said, taking the snacks Juho had brought out from him. Then, as Juho was about to go inside with his painting, he saw that Hyun Do was standing in his ce still.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Would you like to know how else you can stay afloat?¡±

    ¡°... You heard?!¡±

    At that, Hyun Do let out a snicker.

    ¡°I can¡¯t close my ears like I can my eyes, or flip them around somehow, unfortunately. Clogging my ears can only get me so far. I apologize if you found it intrusive.¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Juho said, lowering his head with respect. Then, the voice of the literary great came from above.

    ¡°Loosen up.¡±

    At that moment, Juho rxed his shoulders by reflex and quickly realized that that wasn¡¯t what Hyun Do was talking about. Another way to stay afloat.

    ¡°One can stay afloat by loosening up and staying rxed. Kicking under water will keep you floating, but it¡¯s bound to wear you out sooner orter. Although, that might not apply to a young man like you,¡± Hyun Do said with a rxed smile.

    At that point, it dawned on Juho just how handsome he was. Hyun Do was an incredibly good looking man.

    ¡°No... it does,¡± Juho answered weakly, and Hyun Do turned around, and went back inside, heading toward Yun Seo¡¯s study rather than going back to the ssroom for the movie.

    Looking down at his painting, Juho murmured, ¡°How did he know?¡±

    Before he knew it, his shoulders felt a tad bit lighter.

    ¡ª

    People rushed to cross the street before the traffic light turned red. Once the numbers in the light disappeared and the light turned another color, crossing the street was no longer possible. Thankfully, all it took was a little bit of waiting until the red light turned green again. However, the pedestrians rushing past Juho and crossing the major street before even reaching the crosswalk didn¡¯t seem to be aware of that fact.

    It was understandable that one would grow anxious knowing that they were given only so much time to cross the street, and Juho was fully aware that the pedestrians were fast enough to cross the street in time. He also had faith that the cars would wait for the pedestrians until they had safely reached the other side of the street. Then, a person ran toward the crosswalk and safely crossed the street, and by the time Juho reached the traffic light, the cars were zooming past him on the street.

    Juho waited patiently for the traffic light to turn, that an external cause would somehow speed up the change. He was beginning to grow anxious to work on a new piece, which he had had in mind for a while. Following the steps of ¡®The Beginning and the End¡¯ and its sess, the literary magazines from other publishingpanies, each unique to their own, were selling at an increasing rate. The word ¡®River¡¯ was still following around Yun Woo¡¯s name, and Yun Pil, a character in Mideum¡¯s novel series, had already grown wildly popr. Also, people were showing exaggerated interest in the ovep between Yun Woo and Yun Pil.

    The traffic light was still red, and Juho stood there, thinking about what to write. Unlike those around him, who were just standing, waiting for the light to turn green, Juho had been waiting for the answer to a burning question in his mind. ¡®What should the topic be? How should it unfold?¡¯ Juho was waiting to reach an answer with the same patience he had for waiting for the traffic light to change.

    ¡°There it is.¡±

    At the sight of the light turning green, Juho crossed the street. There was arge, sophisticated, mental health center building on the other side of the street. From a nce, it looked like a scienceb straight out of a science magazine, or a building in a university campus. Although it had been an ordinary psychiatric hospital only up to a year ago, it had been a in, brick building, surrounded by tall walls and metal fences.

    Even though the facility itself had gone through a name change and considerable renovation, the look of the rehabilitation center still maintained traces of the past whenpared to it. An old, dark-brown building with a small tennis court was still within the confinements of the green, metal cage.

    ¡°This reminds me of a trail.¡±

    Complete with benches, trees, and a tall anemoscope, the newly-renovated mental health center had been given a new look. Its previous defining elements, like the metal fences that had separated the building from the street, and thick, grey cement walls, were nowhere to be found. Judging from the peaceful surroundings, and from a child who appeared to be around the age of an elementary school student riding its bicycle around the facility, and from the people and cars around moving about busily, the efforts to transform the hospital seemed to have been a sess.

    Juho sat on a bench in order to rest for a little while.

    ¡®I¡¯m d I came out.¡¯

    Despite the terrifying rumor circting at school, saying that there were escaped patients lurking around the trail in the dark, hiding behind streemps, it wasn¡¯t such a bad environment.

    Then, Juho remembered a conversation he had overheard in his ssroom.

    ¡®How did thate up?¡¯

    A fire. There was a fire in a building in a residential area near the school, and there was a student in the ss who happened to live near the area. The ss had been moring about it for some time, and whenever the student described the location, they would always include the words ¡®psychiatric hospital.¡¯ Although there were no casualties, Juho remembered hearing that the fire had been quite destructive, spreading to the surrounding buildings, and how residents had tried desperately to put it out with pails and pails of water, anxious that it would spread even further.

    ¡®Maybe I should see it with my own eyes.¡¯

    The building that had burned down wasn¡¯t very far from the hospital. Looking at the anemoscope and its needle changing its direction slightly, Juho rose from the bench and made his way to the scene of the fire.

    ¡°So, this is it.¡±

    Juho was able to recognize it at once. Everything had burned to crisp, and things like doors and windows had fallen away long ago. What was once a two-story building had been reduced to ruin, making it difficult to picture its original color.

    He stared intently at the sight of the out-of-ce remains of the building. They were deep-ck, unlike the streets and the residential buildings around them, and despite theck of doors and windows, the inside waspletely hidden. It almost seemed like it had been cursed with all sorts of spells. The pedestrians nced over at it as they walked past, and considering its frightening appearance, it was only natural that people couldn¡¯t help but look at it. Fire tended to leave truly horrifying traces, and the magnitude of the fire really sank into Juho.

    Then, a gust of wind blew against a persimmon tree nearby, and Juho fixed his eyes at the sight of the falling leaves as theynded gently on a car parked under it.

    ¡®A persimmon tree, leaves, and a car.¡¯

    ¡°A persimmon-leaf mobile.¡±

    ¡°Pff!¡±

    At that moment, a burst ofughter sounded out of nowhere. When Juho turned around, he saw a man who gave off a weing impression, with a patchy beard and an unlit cigarette in his mouth. Despite being the culprit behind the fizzling sound, he was still smiling.

    ¡°Haven¡¯tughed like that in a while,¡± the man said. He was in a hospital gown, marked with the name of the mental health center. Then, after he looked at the persimmon-leaf mobile, Juho, and the burnt remains of the building in turn, with the cigarette still in his mouth, he turned around and walked away. There was no way to know where he was headed or why he had been standing in front of the building that had burned down.

    Juho didn¡¯t try to stop him. Simply, an image of a firefighter rushed past his eyes, above the man¡¯s head. Juho had a strong but strange feeling that the man was responsible for putting out the fire, but of course, it was no more than groundless conjecture. It had to be the effect of watching a clip of firefighters reduced to tears during their sessions with a psychologist. With guilt still fresh in their minds, tears flowed down their cheeks at the thought of those who couldn¡¯t be saved, including their colleagues who had been crushed to death by falling debris. Heart conditions was one of the badges that came along with the upational hazard due to the toxic fumes in the fire. They were in pain and helpless in the face of guilt.

    With the appreciation and respect of the citizens, they were people who were willingly putting themselves in the line of danger, saving the lives of many, like a stream of hope in the rampant fire. Most people wanted them to lead happy lives, and to be treated by others in the way they deserved.

    Juho stared at the man walking further away and imagined him in his firefighting equipment, his face stained with soot. It suited him quite well.

    Then, the man bumped shoulders with another pedestrian, and after staggering briefly, he let out...

    ¡°The fuck!?¡±

    The man was furious, and Juho saw the pedestrian panicking, bowing in apology. Upon witnessing the murderous anger, Juho¡¯s conjecture shattered to pieces.

    At that moment, he pictured the man as the arsonist responsible for starting the fire and remembered the rumors from school about the hospital. Putting the pieces together, Juho imagined the man escaping from the psychiatric hospital nearby, stalking someone at random and starting a fire in the building, which nowy in ruins. The reason being that he had lost the person he was stalking. Because of that, he had resorted to expressing his anger with fire.

    What was the truth? Who was he? The face that gave off a weing impression, eyes filled with murderous anger, unlit cigarette, hospital gown,ughter, and profanity. As they lingered in Juho¡¯s ears, he found himself growing anxious.

    ¡®OK, let¡¯s stay focused. What must I do?¡¯

    Staying true to his instincts, he looked for the man, who was already nowhere to be found. Then, Juho began to run, searching for him. But even as he reached the hospital, there were no signs of the man. Perhaps, he had already gone back into the hospital, in which case, meeting him would no longer be possible. From his name to his age, Juho knew nothing about the man. Nothing.

 Chapter 191 - Burning Away (1)

    <h4>Chapter 191: Burning Away (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    While Juho stood in front of the psychiatric hospital, having lost track of time thinking about the man¡¯s whereabouts, the traffic light had already turned a number of times. The man had to be in the massive building before his eyes. However, it was also possible that he may have gone underground, into the subway station past the anemoscope, or that he had already crossed the street, never to be found again.

    Pedestrians and cars rushed past Juho while he stood in a daze. The anemoscope worked busily, and the children riding bicycles pedaled around the trail all the harder while the children chasing them ran even faster.

    In the same manner, Juho made haste and reached the traffic light. Although the cars had the right of way, there were no cars on the road. And at the sight of that, Juho felt the strong urge welling up from within. He was anxious to get across to the other side while the road was empty. Then, checking his sides to make sure that there were no iing cars within eyeshot, he took a step forward, past the yellow tiles on the ground. The traffic light came into view, still red.

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    ¡®OK, rx.¡¯

    Although Juho¡¯s hope to meet a different demise from his past was very much intact, death by the vition of trafficw was a less-than-desirable way to go. With that, Juho waited, shaking his leg anxiously. The light was still red, and time couldn¡¯t go any slower. ¡®C¡¯mon. Turn green.¡¯

    Upon returning home, Juho gulped down a cup of water, and trying hard to remain calm, he went into his room. Due of the freedom that came with writing, and itsck of notion of time and space, Juho had the power to return to the moment when he first met the man whenever he desired.

    As always, his room was a sty, filled with stacks of papers and boxes that towered over him. Standing in front of his desk, he pulled out his chair, and with a quiet sound, the wheeled chair rolled out. Then, sitting on the chair¡¯s cushion, he pulled it closer to the desk. There were pens and papers rolling around the wooden desk. With that, he opened a new notebook, and enjoying the feeling of it, he picked up a pen and closed his eyes, slowly recreating the scene.

    Present and past. Brown bricks and grey walls. A secluded, psychiatric hospital had turned into a peaceful mental health center. Six benches, three working-anemoscopes, two boys who appeared to be in elementary school, one girl, and two bicycles. The girl was chasing after a boy, and from there, about thirty to thirty-five steps away, the burnt ruins appeared. The streetmps stood uniformly apart, and there were alleyways in between residential buildings. In the alleyway next to the burnt ruins, was a persimmon tree with a car parked under it. Then, a gust of wind blew, and the leaves shook and fell on to the car, and that was when the man finally made his appearance.

    ¡°Pff!¡±

    They met again. Wearing a patchy beard and holding an unlit cigarette in his hand, the man gave off a weing impression, and it was in front of that man that the burnt ruinsy.

    ¡°Are you a hero?¡±

    The man gave no response.

    ¡°Or a criminal?¡±

    Again, the man stayed silent. Instead of giving him an answer, he threw the cigarette in his hand down on the ground. The entire space shook. The air changed, and the anemoscope stopped working all of a sudden. Then, Juho felt intense heating from the house engulfed in mes. However, the man didn¡¯t move a muscle.

    As the me grew all the more rampant, Juho contemted what to ask him. The heat was only growing more intense, and ominous smoke went up the sky while the traffic light on the other side of the street blinked about as it went into counting down through the single digits.

    ¡°The fuck!?¡±

    At that moment, Juho heard the man cursing out loud. There was a mysterious emotion behind it. And when Juho looked at him, he was melting away, unable to resist the heat. Then, the man began to walk, but Juho couldn¡¯t tell if he was walking toward or away from the burning house. As the entire ce shook again, Juho staggered, and the space Juho had created began to fall apart. There was no time. Catching up to the man, Juho managed to reach him before his mouth melted away from the heat.

    ¡®What do I ask him?¡¯ Juho contemted.

    The man was shrinking even smaller, and his head tilted back as his body softened up like a lump of y. Despite the ashes on his eyshes, he was still blinking. The sky was now covered in ck, ominous smoke.

    ¡®What do I ask him?¡¯

    ¡°I know nothing about you,¡± Juho said. Then, the man¡¯s mouth parted open, his throat throbbing. He seemed to be swallowing something. No. Something was about toe out. Then, a fizz came out of nowhere, and a piece of information entered Juho¡¯s mind immediately.

    ¡®Maybe that will be enough. Wouldn¡¯t I know enough about him, then?¡¯

    In that space where everything was burning away, Juho was stuck with an irresponsible certainty.

    When Juho looked down at the man, he had already turned into what looked like a crudely-kneaded lump of y. That meant that Juho had the power to shape it however he wanted to, and that knowledge tickled his hands. In that moment, Juho found joy in the fact that he still knew nothing about the man. He was grateful that he had lost him in the street. Then, Juho stomped on a pair of lips that appeared to be made of y, still open toward the sky. The footprints remained, and the fire kept burning.

    Then, the traffic light blinked about, stuck on the number one. The buildings began to copse, and eventually, the entire space began to fall apart. And with that, Juho opened his eyes. When he checked the time, it was midnight.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯ve been working on something,¡± Juho told Nam Kyung, whom he was meeting for the first time in a long time. The editor put a sandwich and a cup of Job¡¯s Tears tea down on the table, while Juho kept his eyes fixated on hisptop.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been writing.¡±

    ¡°Oh, in the Literature Club?¡±

    ¡°No, something I¡¯ll end up publishing, most likely.¡±

    ¡°... what?!¡± Nam Kyung said, pulling his sses up. Despite the meaningless question, Juho answered sincerely.

    ¡°I¡¯m working on a new piece.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung jumped from his seat and charged toward Juho¡¯sptop, but saw nothing but a search engine on the screen.

    ¡°What is this about, Mr. Woo? You gotta revise your work, don¡¯t ya? Let¡¯s see the manuscript.¡±

    ¡°I have no intention to show it to you before it¡¯s finished.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mooon!¡±

    ¡°Please, wait til I¡¯m, at least, almost done.¡±

    Although Juho had been sharing his unbearable manuscripts with Nam Kyung for them to be edited, he was still reluctant to show the editor a manuscript that wasn¡¯t even good enough to be the first draft. At the young author¡¯s adamant attitude, Nam Kyung went back to his seat, smacking his lips. And, after a brief thought, he said cautiously, ¡°Are you rushing, because you¡¯re feeling pressured?¡±

    ¡°About what?¡± Juho asked, and a hesitant look appeared on Nam Kyung¡¯s face. He seemed to be unsure of whether it was something that could be mentioned explicitly. Seeing that, Juho took the initiative and asked, ¡°You mean about ¡®River?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes, precisely,¡± Nam Kyung said, nodding with exaggeration. ¡®River¡¯ was a short story and considered to be Yun Woo¡¯s best work yet. At just over nine thousand words, not only did it surpass the works of the other authors of the same generation, but it had also outdone Yun Woo¡¯s previous works, and Nam Kyung was among the impressed readers who had been going wild with the piece. As soon as he read ¡®River,¡¯ the thought that it was the best the young author could ever do crossed over the editor, and it remained deep within him to that day. Aside from Nam Kyung, there were many others who thought the same, believing that the young author wouldn¡¯t be able to ovee the challenge of outperforming himself this time. They believed that the young author was finallying to taste the bitter reality of this world, and that he would be able to learn from his very first failure.

    However, Yun Woo was simply too sensitive and perceptive to be gullible. Seeing Nam Kyung¡¯s gaze, Juho said, without a care in the world, ¡°I¡¯m not writing in a hurry.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m writing because there¡¯s something I want to write about.¡± With that, Juho closed hisptop and added, ¡°You see, there¡¯s a question that traveled a long way to find me so that I can write about it.¡±

    ¡°... Did you find inspiration?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What is it about?¡±

    ¡°I told you. It¡¯s not even good enough to be the first draft.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a plot. C¡¯mon, tell me about the direction you have in mind, at the very least.¡±

    At that, Juho took a brief moment to think and opened his mouth to say, ¡°Let¡¯s say it¡¯s a book Yun Pil would write.¡±

    There was no set hero nor viin, and the author, himself, had no clue who was going to be what. Amid the ambiguity, the only thing that was clearly defined was the main event. There was no promise that Juho would be able to finish writing the story, and much like fire, it carried an element of danger.

    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure, either. There¡¯s a viin, a hero, and a central theme that¡¯s mutual to everyone¡¯s eyes within the story.¡±

    At the abstract-sounding exnation, Nam Kyung asked, ¡°Is it a thriller?¡±

    ¡°It will definitely be tense, but I can¡¯t say.¡±

    ¡°Or... a detective novel?¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s no trick, like a secret room or a weapon.¡±

    ¡°Romance?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s going to be somebody who¡¯s in a rtionship at some point, but I wouldn¡¯t necessarily categorize the entire novel as a romance novel.¡±

    Then, after a brief pause, the editor asked, ¡°Are you really writing?¡±

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Juho sighed quietly, and feeling his strength leaving his body, he leaned on the backrest. Indeed, Juho had been writing a story that began as the fire rose. Due to the nature of the story, Juho was leaning in the direction of keeping the story tense throughout.

    When he wrote ¡®River,¡¯ writing had been a breeze since all he had to do had been to stay true to his impulsivity and color what had been used as the foundation, that is, his personal experience. Of course, the result of that was having to make several times more revisions than usual.

    Juho reached for a cup, which was empty and light. Despite having expected it to be empty, he brought it up to his mouth anyway, only to be reminded that it was dry and of the coffee stain at the bottom of the cup. There was data he had collected up to that point scattered throughout his desk, and thanks to the help of his publishingpany, he had been able to interview a working firefighter. The interview took ce as a group effort between Juho, Nam Kyung, and Mr. Maeng, due to the situation calling for someone to take Yun Woo¡¯s ce. While Mr. Maeng pretended to be an author, Yun Woo pretended to be a rookie editor, and as the young author acted as he always did, the interviewee didn¡¯t bother to question their legitimacy.

    Through the interview, Juho came to learn that the firefighting hierarchy and its system went all the way back to the Joseon Era, and how it had risen in significance after the country had be industrialized. Juho not only learned about the history of firefighting, but also learned more about it in action, from the interior of a firetruck, to how to open and close the valves, and the different situations that can take ce at the scene. Fire was, indeed, cruel and frightening.

    However, Juho wasn¡¯t nning on making the protagonist in his novel a firefighter who had been and would always be a hero. There was no need to figure out if the protagonist would be a hero or not. In a novel filled with conflict and all sorts of intrigue, there was no room for a hero. However, due to the fact that there were always firefighters where there was fire, interviewing a working firefighter was a must.

    While taking a short break, Juho looked up some articles about a natural fire that had started a few days back. And that same day, there was report on the TV in the restaurant Juho had gone into after his evening exercise showing the mountains burning red and helicopters flying around them, spraying water.

    Everyone in the restaurant responded differently to the rming news. While some became anxious, others were getting worked up. Their voices grew louder, and some began to share their experiences with fire. There were also those who renewed their awareness of the dangers of fire. With that, the TV yed the footage of the fire being extinguished, announcing that there were no casualties. At which point, most people were genuinely relieved, but there were also those who reacted unnaturally. They had to be hoping, secretly, that the fire would grow bigger, and that it wouldst longer.

    Juho found himself slightly better educated about wildfires through the news, which said that they tended to ur more frequently on the even-numbered years, and that fires that urred during the spring tended to be more destructive and more difficult to put out.

    At that moment, a self-proimed expert in the restaurant spoke up, ¡°When I was young, there was a fire in the neighborhood mountain, and I remember it being around April of an even-numbered year. It was so big and fierce that it made me reflect on my own arrogance as a child.¡±

    On his way home, Juho decided to make a detour out of blind hope and check the surrounding areas of the psychiatric hospital. Part wishing that he wouldn¡¯t run into the man, and part thinking that he would like to meet the man onest time, Juho sat on the bench and waited. However, the man was nowhere to be found.

 Chapter 192 - Burning Away (2)

    <h4>Chapter 192: Burning Away (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Humans have conquered fire.¡¯

    The discovery of fire was a major addition to humanity¡¯s arsenal. With the power of fire in their hands, humans began to conquer mother nature. Taking hold of what had been feared by all animals, humans had learned to utilize fire at their disposal.

    One of the prime benefits that fire had brought humans had been cooking. Cooked food tended tost longer than its raw counterpart, allowing humans to consume more nutrients while prioritizing other things in life. The world evolved quickly, from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age. Humans had finally reached the present point after having killed each other with bombs and cannons and undergone an industrial revolution. As always, fire was near to humanity¡¯s existence.

    Not only did fire provide warmth, but it was also merciful, providing food through cooking and thawing. It enabled humans to survive and protected them from the cold. For that reason, worshipping fire had beenmon throughout history. Humans had either worshipped fire itself,or a deity of it. Being a symbol of purification and prosperity, fire had the power to create, as well as to burn without discrimination.

    Juho opened the drawer next to him and took out a lighter, which was a small, half-held ignition device. Making fire was as simple as moving a thumb a certain way, and as Juho lit the lighter, a small me came out of it. Despite its size, it was more than enough to burn down his entire paper-filled room. Humans were helpless before fire, no matter how small it was. And....

    ¡°It¡¯s perfect for driving the plot to an extreme.¡±

    ... that applied to authors just as much. Even he didn¡¯t know who the culprit was. Perhaps there had been no culprit from the get-go. A pleasant uncertainty scattered the thoughts within Juho¡¯s mind.

    Then, Juho took his back off the backrest, and after organizing his thoughts about fire, he ced his hands on the keyboard. He had decided on a direction during the interview. Although things were still fuzzy and unclear, there was certainly a path. ¡®Let¡¯s just go for it.¡¯

    Juho imagined a scene in his head, a picture on one hand and a movie on the other, that turned into sentences. Those sentences had to be even more realistic and detailed than the images in his head.

    The scene Juho was writing was of when a building catches on fire. The narrator was looking at the building getting engulfed by the mes. However, Juho didn¡¯t exin what the narrator was feeling in that moment because it was a scene that ced a higher priority on the portrayal of the fire. In order to create a convincing portrayal of the fluctuating emotions of the characters who were looking at the fire, the readers also had to be sharing in their fear of fire. And in order for that to happen, emotions were needed, but not those of the narrator.

    Juho decided to give emotions to the fire, as well as a mouth and teeth. He made the fire enormous enough to intimidate just about everyone who saw it, and gave it a raging voice. Fire was no more than fire in real life. However, on paper, it came to life, bing anything, from a beast to a deity.

    ¡®The fire swallowed people whole, puffing out ck smoke as it engorged on helpless prey. There was poison inside the fire, distorting the skin of its victims which apanied extreme pain. Those who fell prey to fire writhed in agony within its stomach.¡¯

    After a long description, Juho stopped typing for a brief moment. It was time to look into the thoughts of the narrator. As he moved his hands, a wave of useless thoughts came rushing like the ck smoke of fire: ¡®Do I have to go into more detail? Should I have made the description more intense? Or should I have started talking about the narrator?¡¯ A choice was often apanied by regret, making one second guess their decision.

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    Juho intentionally erased the thought from his mind and focused solely on the story itself, ignoring that he was making choices in the first ce or the burden that came from knowing that those choices could determine the overall quality of the novel. Simply, he wrote.

    The clock ticked away. A new year came, and a car rushed past. The wind blew into the room, and the room resonated with the mysterious movement. The refrigerator moaned in the kitchen, and the birds chirped. Time passed, and Juho¡¯s hands finally came to a stop.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I like this part.¡±

    Although he knew that his progress was being hindered by his grief, Juho couldn¡¯t help himself. There was one particr sentence that bothered him, and Juho wrestled with it in his head.

    ¡®To be reasonable, it is the first draft, so I should be able to let it slide. I can always revise itter.¡¯

    However, he still didn¡¯t feel internally at peace. There was something about the sentence that he wasn¡¯t fond of, and a mild annoyance welled up from within him. It bothered him like a small thorn under his fingernail, and Juho felt like it would continue to haunt him throughout the writing process. In which case, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to change it now. After all, it wasn¡¯t like there was a deadline or like he had made anymitments. A bird chirped about, outside the window, and Juho rose from his seat to open the window for venttion. A cool, refreshing breeze came rushing in, and had a soothing effect on the young writer.

    ¡®All right, let¡¯s fix this,¡¯ Juho thought to himself as he picked up a pen. First of all, he looked at the overall flow of the story. The narrator ran into the suspect and believed that they were the arsonist responsible for starting the fire. Then, the suspect said, ¡°Fire can¡¯t do anything on its own. You have to keep your eyes on it.¡±

    Next to him, was a gas stove spewing blue mes. Then, the suspect added, ¡°God and fire have a lot inmon.¡±

    At that, the narrator asked, ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    To which, the suspect answered, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone so dependent of others.¡±

    That was the suspect looking for the reason behind good and bad deeds.

    ¡°With grace before them, people bow to God. And before sin, they ask that same God for forgiveness. The world was designed for us to seek God, and for God to live in it. Because of his survival tactics, countless innocent people have been getting sacrificed.¡±

    The suspect spouted those words as he ced a pot of water on the stove, like a person who worshiped fire. It was a poor excuse to cover up their sins, and it was, simply put, impure. The narrator didn¡¯t ept those words, and the suspect whispered, ridiculing the narrator, ¡°Everybody wants to be God.¡±

    Although the suspect was responsible for his actions, it was the people around him who called out his name. People admired, suspected, or used each other while iming their innocence. It was a scene that Juho had included in order to indirectly describe those who desired to be understood by others around them while being afraid of being criticized. It was a rather crucial scene, and although it wasn¡¯t exactly bad, Juho felt that something was missing. So, he decided to try to modify it somehow.

    ¡®Maybe I should bring up the tension to the maximum. Coming to think of it, I haven¡¯t seen it once. Not once.¡¯

    Juho thought to himself while thinking of a list of words that were simr to the one he was looking for. His head tilted to the side. ¡®I think it would be better to use a cleaner-sounding phrase here. What if the suspect was talking to God directly? ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anybody as dependent of others as you, God.¡± No... it¡¯s awkward. What if I just reconstruct the sentence, altogether? ¡°It was humans who made God, and God who depended on other people.¡± A god. The God.¡¯

    Juho flipped the page, which was filled with the same sentence written over and over again. After reciting the same sentence tens of times, he couldn¡¯t discern what was what. At that moment, he was struck by the sudden realization that he had been making the wrong choice all along, and that it had been holding back his progress significantly.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Juho let out, wondering about the culprit responsible for leading him into a rut.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Is everything OK, Juho?¡± Bo Suk asked him as he buried his head on his desk. He was resting his cheek on the desk while staring at a corner of the chalkboard absentmindedly. He had been in the same state since he got to school, whether it was during ss or recess, or even lunch. Even in the science room, where he had arrived earlier than usual, he was no different.

    He had been writing, wrestling with conflicting ideas and self-contradictions. It was a pigsty of aposition, in which the climax, doubt, fire, and the culprit were all scattered throughout. And after thinking long and hard for an entire week, Juho reached the decision to go with the first tone that he had initially thought of when he had first started writing. And now, he was on the verge of madness from how much he disliked what he had written up to that point. By the time he had recognized his regrets, it had been toote.

    So, Juho stopped writing in order to think. ¡®Who is the culprit, anyway? What am I writing?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t reach an answer, and just like that, time had passed. Time never waited for anything or anybody.

    ¡°Juho?¡±

    ¡°Thinking.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s answer, Bo Suk blinked in confusion.

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°About the identity of my piece.¡±

    ¡°... have you been writing?¡±

    ¡°I always am.¡±

    ¡°But what made you think about that, all of a sudden?¡±

    The answer came from Seo Kwang, who was sitting next to Juho, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? He¡¯s having writer¡¯s block.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not stuck,¡± Juho denied him, and just like he had said, he wasn¡¯t stuck. If he were to write that very moment, he was confident that he would be able to. However, things were tangling up into a mess, and Juho now found the very uncertainty which he had once found pleasant, unpleasant. It felt like the entire story had lost its credibility, and doubt had spread throughout it. Juho knew by experience that if he were to continue writing in that state, he would end up wanting to erase everything down the line. And for that reason, he had stopped writing. However, Seo Kwang snickered.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been learning from Mr. Moon, so we know that nothing good cane out when your head is in a disarray and full of useless thoughts. You know what sucks even more, though? Those useless thoughts fill up our minds when we can¡¯t write,¡± Seo Kwang said in an ominous tone of voice.

    ¡°We¡¯re also aware that it¡¯s both easy and difficult to break out of that vicious loop.¡±

    ¡°Easy, but difficult?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, the problem practically solves itself with a very simple answer, but there are times when we ask the same question for years on end. That¡¯s what the human mind is like.¡±

    ¡°That sounds cumbersome.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what the human mind is like,¡± Seo Kwang repeated himself. Then, Juho looked up from the desk and leaned against the backrest of the chair, staring at the ceiling.

    ¡°I told you. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m stuck. I¡¯m just not fond of what¡¯sing out.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s that different? See, Bo Suk? This is how cumbersome it gets.¡±

    Then, Bo Suk nodded in exaggeration, as if she was finallying to grasp it all. Juho chuckled quietly as he stared at the same stain that had always been at the same spot on the ceiling. Trying to understand how he had gotten to where he was, Juho immersed himself in thought. It had all started with a single sentence, which he had not been at all fond of, ¡®Man, I should¡¯ve just let it slide.¡¯ Unfortunately, it was always toote by the time regret took root in one¡¯s mind.

    From then on, Juho had be dissatisfied with his writing, as if he was perpetually concerned with useless things. Greed quickly puffed itself up, and it took on an innocent veneer: ¡®I want to write just a little better this time,¡¯ or ¡®I want to make sentences that are slightly better this time.¡¯ It was greed that had brought Juho to where he was now.

    ¡°Identity. Culprit.¡±

    The two words kept lingering in Juho¡¯s mind, disrupting his thoughts. ¡®Is he or it a hero, or a criminal? What am I trying to write? Is it just naturally chaotic? Is it supposed to hide the culprit¡¯s identity?¡¯

    In hindsight, Juho had a feeling that he might have started on the wrong foot. ¡®I knew I had to talk to the man. I should¡¯ve asked him more questions. Maybe it¡¯s not toote to build a culprit.¡¯

    Juho dropped his head as his thoughts ran amok. The pain came rushing back after hitting his forehead on the desk.

    ¡°That hurt,¡± he muttered, and Seo Kwang said mockingly, ¡°Boo-hoo! Do you need to go home?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    With that, Juho rose from his seat and began to pack his bag. Although it was almost time for club activities, he didn¡¯t mind one bit. Then, he saw the dumbfounded look on Seo Kwang¡¯s face.

    ¡°What the!? Are you serious!?¡±

    Yes, he was.

    ¡°Where? Home? How would that help? Just ask Mr. Moon for help.¡±

    ¡°No, not home,¡± Juho said, with another person in mind. The identity of the culprit. He knew the person who was most well-versed in writing about a culprit. ¡®I need to talk to her. She owes me for the interview, so things should work out, somehow.¡¯

    ¡°Bye,¡± Juho said to his friends. Then, he went down to the staffroom and exined himself to Mr. Moon, who was just on his way to the science room. Swiftly getting Mr. Moon¡¯s approval, Juho walked out of the school. The air was crisp and fresh.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    And, he called Mideum in front of the main gate. By the time he had started to think that she wasn¡¯t going to answer, she answered her phone.

    ¡°Mideum? Where are you right now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m at Dae Soo¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Dae Soo¡¯s? What for?¡±

    Her voice sounded slightly hoarse as if she had just woken up. ¡®Is she there to kill time?¡¯ In that case, things were looking for the better.

    ¡°To get help.¡±

    ¡®Uh-oh.¡¯

    It might not have been the best time to go to Mideum, after all. Her hoarse voice must have had nothing to do with her waking up. It was as if when Juho reached his hand out of the water, Mideum answered his call for help from underneath him.

    ¡°What help? Have you been working on something?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, a manuscript request. I have a deadline to meet, and I¡¯m screwed.¡±

    She exined that she was in the middle of writing for a detective magazine. At that, Juho contemted what to do next. ¡®Should I go talk to another author? Mrs. Baek?¡¯ Then, he remembered what she had told him not too long ago, about San Jung having observed her teacher¡¯s writing process.

    ¡°Can Ie over, too?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°... Yun Woo? Come here? I mean, yeah, I¡¯d be fine with that. I might be able to think of something while you¡¯re here... hold on.¡± Then, Mideum passed on the word to Dae Soo, and Juho heard her voice through the receiver approving willingly from afar. With that, he made his way for the bus stop without dy.

 Chapter 193 - Burning Away (3)

    <h4>Chapter 193: Burning Away (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Come on in!¡± Dae Soo said, opening the door for Juho after he rang the bell. Since he had been there once previously, finding his way to the office wasn¡¯t all that difficult. There were numerous corporate buildings around, as well as people dressed in professional attire. As always, Dae Soo¡¯s office felt more like a rest area than an office, and the walls were covered with pictures. Also, like in Juho¡¯s previous visit, one of the walls was hidden behind a ck curtain. The only thing different in the office had to be the miserable-looking author sitting in front of aptop, as opposed to the author eating apple slices out of his lunch box.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, Mideum.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo. Save me!¡± Mideum said with her limbs hanging limp, and Juho smiled awkwardly at the sight.

    ¡°Deadline, don¡¯t do this to me. Have mercy!¡± she cried out as if having a nightmare. That was what an author looked like when they were being chased by a deadline, and there was no better way to describe it. Just as the word suggested, it was a chase, one where the author had to finish their work before the deadline caught up to them.

    ¡°Deadlines have no feelings,¡± Mideum said weakly. And just like said, deadlines were heartless. No matter how much an author begged it to wait for them, it didn¡¯t listen, only drawing closer to the helpless author. Merciless. It didn¡¯t shed tears or smile.

    ¡°Deadlines don¡¯t have a body, either,¡± Dae Soo said. Deadlines didn¡¯t have bodies, so they never got sick or grew weary. The idea of rest only applied to authors. Despite the essential needs authors had of having to eat and sleep, to their misery, deadlines drew closer day by day and with a disconcerting noise.

    ¡°So, that would make deadlines time,¡± Juho rified their identity. Having no bodies or hearts, deadlines were time, and humans had always been desperate for its mercy, just like the author in front of Juho¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I see that you¡¯re in your uniform today? Are you done with school already?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡±

    ¡°Well, have a seat. I¡¯ll bring out something to drink. Would you like something cold?¡±

    With that, Juho thanked Dae Soo and sat across from Mideum, who was ring fiercely into theptop screen with bloodshot eyes. She seemed to think that if she were to re at it long enough, theptop would give into fear and spew out the information she needed. It was the look of a colleague in anguish, wrestling with her work. Looking at her intently for a little while, Juho opened his mouth and asked, ¡°Should I give detective novels a shot?¡±

    At that, the sound of what seemed like a bowl falling on the floor came from the distance. Then, Dae Soo came out of the kitchen, asking, ¡°What!? Yun Woo? Writing a detective novel? Like, as a challenge to yourself?¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    By adding a detective and an element of reason to the piece Juho had been working on, there was no reason not to call it a detective novel. Although he had never intended on turning it into one, nobody knew what the future held. After all, uncertainty was a shapeshifting trickster. The culprit hiding his identity became a hero, while a mother became a teacher.

    ¡°... No.¡±

    It was a quiet murmur. Mideum was burying her head on the table.

    ¡°No, not now. You¡¯re a sneaky one, aren¡¯t you? Striking when your prey is most vulnerable...¡±

    Juho had no recollection of challenging her, but what he did know was that he was finding her eyes peeking through her hair covering her face quite terrifying. Before she went on any further, he shook his head in a hurry.

    ¡°No, no. There¡¯s a piece I¡¯m working on.¡±

    ¡°Is it a detective novel?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°Thriller? Grotesque?¡±

    ¡°Would you listen for a minute?¡±

    Her bloodshot eyes followed Juho¡¯s movements.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been kind of in a rut. There is a culprit, but no detective. Tension, but it¡¯s not enough to be scary.¡±

    ¡°Ambiguous.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unclear, I know. I kind of liked it at first, but now, I¡¯m trapped by it.¡±

    After thinking for a brief moment, Mideum asked, ¡°What about finding more answers in your fantasy? Like a true novelist.¡±

    Unfortunately, that was no longer possible because Juho had trampled on what had been left of the man as he melted away from the heat: his mouth. The man no longer had the mouth he would need to answer Juho¡¯s questions. Besides, Juho wasn¡¯t entirely sold on that idea. With that, Juho decided to give her a brief exnation of his situation.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m here to get some advice from you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got my own issues, man,¡± Mideum said, still burying her head on the table. It was a familiar sight, and seeing it, Dae Soo clicked her tongue with pity.

    ¡°Getting sick is just an everyday thing for you now, huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you kept saying that I wasing down with a cold. I¡¯m terrified of feeling like this in between seasons.¡±

    For some reason, seeing her drowning in anguish didn¡¯t seem all that foreign to Juho.

    ¡°Really? You¡¯re ming me, now?¡±

    ¡°Argh! Whatever! You¡¯re too heartless toward a patient.¡±

    As Mideum muttered something about having a drink, Dae Soo swiftly ignored her whining and made her way to the kitchen, bringing back a can of beer and a cup of green tea.

    ¡°As you can see, she might not be in a ce to offer any advice at the moment.¡±

    With that, the crisp sound of a can opening resonated throughout the office.

    To which, Mideum responded at once, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re THE Yun Woo, a fairy who can fly to fantasynd whenever it wishes. Fly away, already.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, you have the incredible ability to act and sound like a drunkard even without the power of alcohol, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d you say!?¡± Mideum said, furrowing her brow.

    Then, Juho said, ¡°Yun Pil was not at all like a fairy.¡±

    At that, her face lit up all of a sudden.

    ¡°So, you read it! I thought he was such a charming character even though I¡¯m the one who came up with him. You like it too, right?¡±

    ¡°I got made fun of by Geun Woo, saying that the character was arrogant as all heck, just like me.¡±

    ¡°Made fun of?! I swear, that Geun Woo doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about. The shameless rich or the clumsy genius have been some of the most popr characters in the history of literature. On top of that, I added a little spoonful of my conviction as an author. Yun Pil is such a charming character... to the point of threatening Dr. Dong¡¯s ce!¡±

    ¡°Well, thanks to you, a lot of people have been ovepping my image with his.¡±

    ¡°Which means a lot of people read my book, right?¡±

    Although it was a strange thing to be optimistic about, Mideum seemed to be quite proud of how her character had turned out. And at the sight of that, Juho wondered what the point of her previous interview with him had been. Then, he remembered why he was there. The whole reason for him to go all the way to Dae Soo¡¯s office had nothing to do with Yun Pil.

    ¡°How do you usually go about writing?¡±

    ¡°Writing?¡± Mideum asked back at Juho¡¯s unexpected question.

    ¡°Yes, writing.¡±

    At that, she rolled her eyes away from Juho, saying, ¡°You just write. What else is there to it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± Dae Soo said mockingly. ¡°Who are you trying to fool? Remember how pissed off your neighbors were whenever you started writing? That¡¯s why you decided to get an office to begin with.¡±

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon, Dae Soo! Way to spill the beans while Yun Woo here telling us that he¡¯s working on a detective novel.¡±

    ¡°What secrets can you possibly have? You¡¯d tell everything if a reporter were to walk in through that door and ask questions.¡±

    At the word reporter, Mideum clenched her lips tightly. She was well aware of her prior deeds, remembering the trouble she had caused. In any case, the fact that Mideum was being so defensive had to mean that there was something.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see what it is like,¡± Juho said instead of asking a question.

    ¡°See what?¡± Mideum muttered.

    ¡°Your writing process, which your neighbors couldn¡¯t stand.¡±

    Reporter. Interview. Visit. Revealing information. As Juho brought up those words, one by one, Mideum¡¯s brow began to narrow more and more. And eventually, she chugged the cold water in Juho¡¯s cup without hesitation.

    ¡°Fine. I might be able to figure something out along the way, too¡±

    It could be a win-win situation. Dae Soo, too, seemed quite pleased with what was about to take ce, and Mideum rose from her seat in order to prepare herself.

    ¡°Dae Soo, you mind if I move the desk in the living room over there?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    The three moved it swiftly and made space in the living room.¡±

    ¡ª

    Mideum gave Juho a brief exnation of the plot of the piece she was currently working on, which was a story that incorporated elements of dancing, murder, and detective work. Also the narrator of the story, the protagonist was a student majoring in dance who had lost her friend and was searching for the murderer responsible.

    Then, Juho saw Mideum in the spacious living room, holding herptop in her hands. There was always a culprit in her stories, who used various excuses tomit crimes. The well-known detective was merciless toward them, and so were the victims and/or their families and friends. The culprits remained culprits until the end in Mideum¡¯s novels, and were given no other name. While that was an element that her fans had prizing responses to, the author stood her ground, not giving into negotiations of any sort. Juho, on the other hand, was quite fond of her novels.

    ¡°Where in the novel are you stuck?¡±

    ¡°The part where the culprit gets revealed. It¡¯s the climax, but it just felt lukewarm.¡±

    Fans of detective novels tended to be quite enthusiastic. While being well-acquainted with tricks and devices within the novel, they enjoyed the mystery, challenging the detective and solving the case alongside them. Detective work was both beautiful and powerful, and had an uncanny resemnce to both hunting and thinking games. There was a reason that those were hobbies of the noble families in Europe.

    There were countless detectives in modern society, and having survived thepetition as a detective writer, Mideum had standards that were very harsh, which was why she was in despair before her craft, as ifing down with a cold.

    Looking at her own writing, Mideum¡¯s brow began to narrow. It was clear that she was getting frustrated, and the frustration on her face drew closer to Juho¡¯s. Then, putting down herptop, she pulled out her hand.

    ¡°Grab my hand.¡±

    At that, Juho stared at her hand in confusion.

    ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°You said you wanted to see it.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean your hand.¡±

    ¡°The writing process,¡± she said, lowering her hand impatiently. Then, reading a passage on the manuscript, she copsed onto her knees, onto the floor.

    ¡°Ahh! I¡¯ll never forget this! I¡¯m going to find him and bring him to justice. No matter what it takes!¡±

    Then, she went even further, grabbing her head and groaning in pain.

    ¡°Ughhhhh.¡±

    At the bizarre sounding out of the author, Juho took a step back, questioning Dae Soo, who was drinking a beer.

    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡±

    ¡°Acting.¡±

    Authors each had their own way of writing, and among them, were those who acted out the characters within their novels. Mideum was one of them.

    ¡°She always makes amotion whenever she¡¯s writing. It makes sense that her neighbors were so unhappy, right?¡±

    There were quite a few scenes in Mideum¡¯s novels that included use of a weapon or a description of a person writhing in pain or struggling while being on the verge of death. Due to the nature of her novels, amotion like that had to be a necessity.

    ¡°Did anybody call the cops on her?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    Despite Juho and Dae Soo¡¯s conversation, Mideum stayed focused on her acting. It was a writing process that suited her expressive personality very well. Although the vocalization needed work, the emotions in her performance were quite impressive andparable to professional actors. If Sang Young were to have seen her, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to cast her.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    At that sound of what seemed to be sudden realization, the acting came to an abrupt stop, and Mideum stood up with a bright expression on her face.

    ¡®Did she think of something?¡¯ Juho wondered, realizing that the detective writer had her eyes fixated on him.

    Just as the young author was about to realize that he had a bad feeling about what was toe, Mideum opened her mouth and asked, ¡°Would you like to try?¡±

    Of course. Juho took a step back, and Mideum came a step closer.

    ¡°Me? How?¡±

    ¡°You have what it takes. You¡¯re Yun Woo. Seize the opportunity, be the hero that discovers who the culprit is. Be fancy. Stylish. Don¡¯t let anything hold you back. I know from experience that something goodes out when I refer to you,¡± Mideum said. She seemed like she was fully intending on using Juho¡¯s acting as reference for her writing.

    Unfortunately, Juho wasn¡¯t a detective, so he was incapable of doing any detective work. Although he declined Mideum¡¯s offer repeatedly, she was already mesmerized by her own idea.

    ¡°You can do this,¡± she said, exining the alibis and the evidence that pointed toward the suspect to Juho. The time of the crime, motive, suspicious behaviors, doubts, and the most likely suspect. Although the words each carried an unmistakable presence, Juho remained confused and clueless. The main characters were the dance instructor and the students. Then, Mideum pulled out her hand again.

    ¡°Dance with me.¡±

    Left with no choice, Juho took her hand. Then, the detective writer said, ¡°The culprit is in here.¡±

 Chapter 194 - Burning Away (4)

    <h4>Chapter 194: Burning Away (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Involving a man and a woman, the waltz was one of the standard social dances in the neenth century. Typically danced to afortable tempo, the people danced in circles that were, simply put, rxed and sophisticated.

    ¡°Why are we dancing?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s part of my daily life.¡±

    Mideum was already immersed in her character. The student majoring in dance was both the detective and the narrator of the story. Despite the epic waltz music Dae Soo had put on in the background, Juho stood still, like a statue.

    ¡°What kind of character is she?¡±

    ¡°Outgoing and with a strong inclination toward justice. She¡¯s a great dancer, too.¡±

    ¡°What about her dead friend?¡±

    ¡°The second best.¡±

    ¡°And the culprit?¡±

    At that, Mideumughed and said, ¡°Who knows?¡±

    That was the only answer she could give since she was yet to find the culprit.

    ¡°Tell me what the dance studio looks like.¡±

    ¡°There are mirrors everywhere so that the students can see what they look like when they dance.¡±

    From then on, Mideum went on in great detail about the interior of the studio, from the square-shaped floor to the mirrors surrounding the studio, the teacher, her two older couples, a younger couple learning as a hobby, and finally, the protagonist. The studio was located in a basement, which made it less susceptible to intruders. On the day of the crime, the protagonist had the key on her in order to use the studio on her own, turning everyone else into suspects. Everyone was looking for the culprit, and she saw a red fire extinguisher in the corner of the studio, collecting dust.

    Her dance was quite revealing of her state of anxiety, and like the detective in the novel, she had the ability to look at things from the most objective point-of-view. At the same time, there was a fiery desire for revenge hidden within her.

    Juho imagined the look on the six students, and the six pairs of legs, the sounds of the dancers¡¯ feet stomping the floor, and their costumes, which entuated their choreography. There were mirrors all around the studio reflecting every one of the dancer¡¯s moves as they danced to the loud music in the background. Juho, too, moved his feet ording to the music, and found his foot under Mideum¡¯s.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say she was a great dancer?¡±

    ¡°I sure did.¡±

    ¡°And her dead friend was the second best?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Although the pain in his foot was quite distracting, Juho tried to focus in acting out the scene. Twelve eyes, sixty toes, and mirrors that reflected every little thing.

    Then, Mideum briefly stepped away from Juho, spun in ce, and returned to Juho, murmuring, ¡°Natural pivot-turn, Rudolph-Ronde, reverse-pivot.¡± It was the name of the dance move in her novel. However, it had actually looked very different. While Mideum leaned back, Juho clenched his teeth and supported her with every bit of strength in his body. His hands shook.

    ¡®What am I writing?¡¯

    Juho hade to Dae Soo¡¯s office for help because his story shook at its foundation. The very existence of the culprit had a destructive effect on the overall structure, muddying up the plot. Then, Juho decided...

    ¡®Eh. Might as well catch the culprit.¡¯

    Rather than catching the culprit in his novel, the young author blindly hoped that he would find some sort of inspiration as he helped Mideum catch the culprit in her novel.

    ¡°Ow!¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    That time, it was Juho who stepped on Mideum¡¯s foot. Then, the time came for him to decide how he would go about catching the culprit. Juho looked down while still dancing. He had two legs and ten toes.

    Although in a gorgeous looking dress and tuxedo, the dancers didn¡¯t quite fit them. While the red fabric danced along with the dancer wearing the dress, the men in their suits didn¡¯t look as impressive, giving the impression that they had rented theirs. With the exception of the students in the hobby ss, who watched the practice while looking depressed from theirck of progress in losing weight, everyone else had been practicing for the amateurpetition.

    The ss schedule was written on one of the walls. While some wore clothes that were stained, others wore shoes that they had borrowed from other people, after forgetting to bring their own. The person with the ambiguous alibi was dancing with the witness, who had witnessed something suspicious about their partner.

    The music filled the room, and people danced in circles. When Juho looked in the mirror, he saw a reflection of himself dancing with the protagonist. The mirrors reflected every little thing in the room, especially the movement of the dancers. ¡®Who¡¯s the murderer?¡¯

    ¡°I have no idea.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mooon!¡±

    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not a detective.¡±

    For that reason, Juho decided to take a blind guess.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the narrator, is it?¡±

    At that, the corner of Mideum¡¯s mouth turned up, indicating that he was wrong.

    ¡°What made you think that?¡±

    ¡°She has a clear motive, like jealousy, for example.¡±

    It was conjecture based on the fact that the friend had been the second best dancer in the ss next to the narrator, and Mideum delighted in Juho¡¯s inurate guess.

    ¡°Unfortunately, the detective can¡¯t be the culprit at the same time,¡± Mideum said, stating one of the general rules in detective novels. There were rules made by some of the greatest detective writers in history, and when they were broken, the novels quickly lost their charms, and the detective work becameckluster. Of course, the detective novel wasn¡¯t a sport, so readers didn¡¯t have to worry about being disqualified or getting a yellow card. It was for that reason that there was an increasing number of authors who were trying to break away from the cliches of the genre.

    Then, Juho thought back on the rules he knew vaguely. ¡®Do not make twins or the servant the culprit. Don¡¯t obsess over descriptions. The detective shouldn¡¯t be the culprit. There cannot be more than one detective. The culprit must have made an appearance from the start, and the culprit has to be a character of significance.¡¯

    ¡°Do you have an idea now?¡± Mideum asked.

    ¡°Would you care to enlighten us, Mr. Detective?¡±

    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not a detective!¡±

    Juho was an author incapable of any detective work. However, he did have an idea of what was happening around the world, and right before his eyes, was the very creator of a story that was worth exploring.

    Then, Juho said, ¡°It¡¯s the teacher, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    At that moment, the music stopped abruptly, marking the end of the awkward dance session. Juho looked intently into Mideum¡¯s eyes right in front of him.

    ¡°... What made you think that?¡± the author asked, clearly flustered. Bingo.

    ¡°Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°... I asked you a question! If you¡¯re a detective, you gotta be able to back up your conjecture.¡±

    ¡°I noticed that you¡¯re talking faster. Your eyes are moving busily, and your lips are tense, which all leads me to believe that you¡¯re lying.¡±

    ¡°Are you probing me?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to know what it was like to sound like a famous detective,¡± Juho said light-heartedly and with a smile. At which point, Mideum grew impatient.

    ¡°Well, how are you gonna prove it? Are you nning on using an innocent citizen of being a criminal?¡±

    At that, Juho was made certain.

    ¡°I¡¯m the culprit.¡±

    The mirrors reflected every little thing vividly: Juho dancing with the protagonist, students practicing for the uingpetition, those who were dancing as a hobby, andstly, the detective and the culprit. There were eight people in total.

    Although Mideum had called herself the detective, the protagonist never did, and there couldn¡¯t be more than one detective. Juho was merely a reader imitating a detective. He was fully aware that there was no room for him in the novel. In that case, who was he? What role did he serve and y? Was he a nobody? Mideum had clearly given Juho a role, and her putting out her hand was further proof of that. The waltz was a dance in which a man and woman danced together, and Juho was the protagonist¡¯s partner, and the only person who could have danced with her in the setting described by the narrator was the teacher.

    With the exception of Juho and the protagonist, there were six people. Eight, in total. Without even knowing, Juho had been ying the role of the teacher dancing with the protagonist. On top of that, if he had been the author...

    ¡°The culprit really is here.¡±

    Although redundant on the surface, Juho was referring to reality rather than the novel. There was a culprit in Dae Soo¡¯s living room, and it was none other than himself.

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon!¡± Mideum let out, scowling. ¡°What is this!? Does this have anything to do with you being Yun Woo? Is that how you¡¯re able to figure it out like that?¡± she said, pulling her hair out for reasons different from before.

    Meanwhile, Dae Soo simply watched,ughing heartily. In the end, it had been up to Juho to stop Mideum.

    ¡°Mideum, please. You won¡¯t have any hair left at that rate. You wanted me to figure it out, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I told you to seize the opportunity, be the detective! With style! Without hesitation! Ugh, what the heck! Why do you always have to be right!? You should¡¯ve just kept giving me wrong answers, so that I could AT LEAST have SOME confidence in my work! I got nothing out of this but wounds. Why!? Why is it that you know!? Was it... was it too easy? Is that what it was? Do I have to rewrite the whole thing?¡±

    There was no need to rewrite anything. Juho had only been able to reach the answer because of the hint Mideum had given him: the dance. He had guessed, adding an exnation that would make sense, and most of all, Juho felt at peace because the author was right in front of him. However, no matter what Juho said, Mideum kept muttering, still looking upset.

    ¡°You know what? Yeah, I was too confident. I got cocky because of how sessful the Dr. Dong series was. Don¡¯t be content, just yet. Oh, no. You have a ways to go, my friend, because my readers are so much smarter than you!¡± Mideum said, as if about to rewrite her entire novel at any given minute.

    Then, Juho asked Dae Soo, ¡°What do I do?¡±

    ¡°Just let her be. If she misses her deadline, that¡¯s on her,¡± she said indifferently and asked, ¡°Well, what about you? Did you get anything out of this?¡±

    At that, Juho took out his sh drive and asked without dy, ¡°Can I use yourputer?¡±

    Then, giving him permission willingly, Dae Soo led him to another room in her office.

    ¡°You can work here. It might take some getting used to, but you¡¯ll be able to work in peace. As for that troublemaker, she¡¯ll calm down once I feed her.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Then, as Dae Soo closed the door on her way out, Juho opened the manuscript at once, deleting everything he had written while obsessing over the existence of the culprit, which turned out to be about twenty-pages worth of material. Despite the seeming loss, he felt at peace internally, and everything became much clearer. What his novel, which pretended to a detective novel while hiding behind the mask of thriller, really needed was truth.

    ¡°A story about self-identity.¡±

    Asking whether the protagonist was a criminal or a hero was not the right question. The answer couldn¡¯t be found in other people. The proper question, which was the core of the novel, was: ¡®Am I a criminal or a hero?¡¯

    Overseer, subject, me, myself, an individual. It was an existence that had many names, causing confusion in the young author¡¯s mind. It was the story that he had thought of after meeting the man in front of the fire.

    Juho had had a selfish perception of the other person, thinking that the man in the hospital gown had been a hero at one point and suspecting him of being a criminal in the next. Juho became Yun Woo, and Yun Woo became Yun Pil. ¡®Who am I?¡¯

    The narrator of his novel was an adult who looked up to heroes while despising criminals. However, he had to be capable of being both a hero and a criminal and he needed to change. He grew mature as he aged.

    Then, Juho kept on with the plot in his head and reached the end. It was the conclusion, as well as the climax. He wanted to remove the boundary between the narrator and the world outside of him, and before the appearance of a hero, the story came to an abrupt end before the culprit was caught. ¡®Who am I?¡¯ Juho decided to take a different direction in the way he portrayed the narrator, a contradictory one to his previous portrayal.

    Juho brought all the suspects together, taking away their names. It was one of the more obvious boundaries that separated the subject from object. Parents, background, wealth, fame. Juho took everything away from the characters, one by one, until they were left only with their voices. They all shared mutual desires and opinions. They were innocent, and although they conversed with each other, it yed out as a monologue.

    ¡®Just a little more. What about using a mirror?¡¯ Juho felt something heavy in his stomach. There had to be a little bit more. Otherwise, the story wouldn¡¯t be enough to surpass ¡®River.¡¯ As greed began to creep up yet again, Juho took a moment to take a deep breath. He had to focus on his piece. ¡®How can I write something that I¡¯d be satisfied with? Good and bad deeds. Coexistence. Spear and shield. Contradiction. Two people.

    ¡°Writing style.¡±

    It seemed like the perfect time to introduce his readers to a different style.

 Chapter 195 - Burning Away (5)

    <h4>Chapter 195: Burning Away (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±

    Dae Soo shoved a cookie into Mideum¡¯s mouth as Mideum¡¯s voice grew louder.

    ¡°Quiet.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. Yun Woo¡¯s here,¡± Mideum said in a lowered voice and chewed the cookie in her mouth fiercely. Yun Woo was writing on the other side of the tightly-shut door.

    ¡°Should we watch him write for a little bit?¡±

    ¡°You must be feeling pretty confident about your progress,¡± Dae Soo said like a warning. At which point, Mideum redirected her attention to herptop filled with words. Every single one of them had been for the Dr. Dong series. All because she had thought of what kind of clues the detective would get out of Yun Pil, the author.

    ¡°They said they¡¯ll push the deadline back, so it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just have to write it again.¡±

    ¡°You know, I feel sorry for your editor.¡±

    Mideum typed away, pretending not to hear Dae Soo. The detective fiction writer was in a much better mood after the extension. Humming while writing the plot of her next volume, Mideum suggested, ¡°What should we eatter? Should we go out with Juho while he¡¯s here?¡±

    ¡°He might go home to write.¡±

    ¡°Well, we can just go on our own, then. We each got what we were looking for from each other.¡±

    Dae Soo smiled as she looked at the two authors hard at work in her office, thinking of ways to turn the situation into a story. And Juho, having written and losing track of time, went straight home after fighting off the pleas of the two authors, who were tempting him with an outing and a meal.

    ¡ª

    Met with a warm wee from her fans, Yun Seo¡¯s new full-length novel began to take over bookstores. While impressive to readers, her writing also carried emotions that resonated deep within the readers. The homey feel of her style allowed her readers, ovee by the busyness of city life, to get away from their suffocating daily reality, giving them a breath of fresh air, as if standing on the earth in the countryside. It left her readers full and satisfied, and it was also generous and abundant like her cooking, gently putting out the remnants of the fire that burned deep within a person. However, it was that very reason that kept Juho from reading the novel. He had been keeping the book on his shelf, afraid that it would put out even the fire that he was writing about.

    ¡°You wanna read it, huh?¡± Seo Kwang asked, catching onto Juho¡¯s struggle.

    The young author answered honestly, ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang came alive all the more, brushing his hand down his own copy of Yun Seo¡¯s new book exaggeratedly. However, it was no different from his usual demeanor.

    ¡°You got work to do, Mr. Woo. You can¡¯t afford to be influenced by other people¡¯s works.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my! Is he listening to himself?!¡± Sun Hwa let out, scowling instead of Juho.

    There were pages of manuscript paper scattered about in front of her. Of course, Seo Kwang wasn¡¯t looking to stop any time soon.

    ¡°I believe you also have work to do, ma¡¯am. Gotta work hard on that piece for the school festival!¡±

    ¡°How are you so confident when you¡¯re not even taking part in it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m doing anything wrong. Why should I be the guilty one?¡±

    ¡°Of course, you are! Guilty of disrupting someone who¡¯s writing!¡±

    Then, Bom whispered from the side, ¡°Sun Hwa, you¡¯re the loudest one here.¡±

    She, too, was wrestling with her piece. Like in the previous year, the Literature Club members had decided to exhibit their work in the library for the uing school festival. While Sun Hwa and Bom had decided to partake in it, Seo Kwang had decided to sit out.

    ¡°How are things looking for you?¡± Juho asked, and Bom shook her head quietly andined, ¡°It almost feels like it¡¯s harder thanst year. Maybe I¡¯m backsliding? I just can¡¯t seem to make any progress.¡±

    Despite her anguish, that struggle meant that she had be better acquainted with writing.

    ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be that way. Everyone¡¯s figuring it out as they go. You know how you find yourself wondering how you were so brave when you think back to the past? Well, that¡¯s because the more ignorant we are, the more daring we be.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean I know better, now?¡± Bom asked, resting her chin on hand and ring fiercely at her manuscript. What hindered her progress was greed and fear. She wanted to write well and better than in the previous year. However, that was the very source of her fear. Fear of disappointment and not being able to satisfy her greed. It was a ratherplicated emotion.

    Then, having listened from the side, Bo Suk asked, ¡°In that case, howe I¡¯m not making any progress? Is it because I¡¯m both ignorant and cowardly?¡±

    ¡°No. That¡¯s because you¡¯re still getting used to writing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Inexperience suits our precious freshman a lot better than ignorance. In fact, there is potential in inexperience. Keep refining it, and you¡¯re bound to end up with a sparkling gem,¡± Seo Kwang said, encouraging the freshman in the middle of bickering with Sun Hwa.

    That year¡¯s festival would be Bo Suk¡¯s first time writing for an audience, and rightfully so, she looked somewhat excited while obviously concerned. Just like Bom, she also had to be anxious. However, there was a difference in what the two members were feeling. One¡¯s fear before the storm was not the same as the fear within the storm, and there was no significance in deciphering which was greater.

    ¡°I guess that makes Baron the only person in this room who¡¯s not in a rut,¡± Juho murmured while looking in his direction. Wearing a confident smile, the sole artist in the club was just about to finish his colorful sketch of the club members.

    ¡°I mean, I am the ace of the club.¡±

    ¡°Wow! Such arrogance!¡±

    ¡°You gotta admit the truth.¡±

    Despite the bitter look on her face, Sun Hwa didn¡¯t argue against Baron¡¯s confident remark. After all, he really was multitalented. While an impressive runner, Baron had shown talents in finding words and creating sentences. On top of that, he was also a talented artist. And he was, inarguably, the sole artist in the club.

    ¡°You know, your shamelessness is second to none, Baron.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a professional at eating alone, too.¡±

    ¡°Not to mention how skilled he is at tooting his own horn.¡±

    Despite the remarks that sounded both like insults andpliments, Baron maintained his confident look.

    Then, Sun Hwa asked, ¡°How are things going with your graduation? You¡¯ve been busy as ofte.¡±

    Being a third year, Baron would be graduating high school that year, and he hadn¡¯t been able toe to the club activitiestely to prepare for the university entrance exams.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a hassle.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re looking into the arts, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve definitely thought about it.¡±

    Whether or not one had the desire to learn, they had to go to a university, and as strange as that sounded, sentences like that permeated the entire world.

    ¡°You have decent grades, don¡¯t you, Baron?¡±

    ¡°You can say that. Although, I don¡¯t know if ¡®decent¡¯ will cut it.¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to get into a school in Seoul?¡±

    ¡°Not sure. It¡¯s hard to say. My entire experience is made of activities I did in school. I don¡¯t know what will happen to me if I get into a school... or if I never get into one. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m capable of aside from drawing or studying, either,¡± Baron said.

    Seeing his distinctively white teeth, Juho remembered the surprise on people¡¯s faces when they found out that Baron couldn¡¯t speak a word of English.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m gonna give it a shot, anyway. If I don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll quit,¡± the sole artist in the club said emphatically.

    ¡°You¡¯ll do fine. Besides, you¡¯re the one who joined the Literature Club wanting to draw.¡±

    ¡°I think so, too.¡±

    With that, Juho redirected his attention to the manuscript paper in front of him, which wasn¡¯t for the school festival.

    ¡°Juho¡¯s not participating this year, so we have to try even harder.¡±

    ¡°Break a leg.¡±

    It was about self-identity. The story was nearing the end, and as he had nned, Juho had to write in a different style from Yun Woo¡¯s, which had kept his identity hidden while allowing him to reveal himself to the ones he trusted.

    It was that very element that Juho nned on including in Yun Woo¡¯s new novel, tearing down the boundary between himself and the author, just like the characters in the novel.

    First, he started with two characters: White and ck. White was a good character with a strong inclination toward justice, and who was also a respected figure of society while maintaining a stable social position. ck, on the other hand, was a bad character with a strong inclination toward evil. Dominant and possessing deep-seated insecurities, ck tended to get excited at the sight of fire.

    The two characters were mere emotions, divided only by their names, White and ck. They lived deep within a person¡¯s heart as simple lumps of feelings, coexisting andpeting. The results, never permanent, were ever-changing.

    That was the very challenge Juho had been facing: to remove all humanity from the characters while simultaneously having them look like humans on the surface. At which point, the readers would be left only with chaos and an arbitrary understanding of those characters, and that was exactly what Juho wanted.

    There were a total of eight suspects, and Juho had removed all the unnecessaryponents getting to that point. From their parents to their siblings and friends, the young author had isted everyone who knew White and ck from them. The objects that would prove the identity of the culprit had lost their credibility, and the witnesses themselves no longer had any power in their words. Without understanding the true nature of the game they were ying, everyone in the novel focused on the meaningless search for a thief never to be sought by the cruel, unfair world.

    Although the characters each fought desperately in order to make themselves known to each other, they each had priorities of their own and, over time, they came to realize how weak they had been in their process of trying to prove themselves.

    Although having loved shrimp as a child, the culprit eventually developed a shrimp allergy as an adult. He had underwent a double-eyelid surgery at the age of twenty and had conflicting memories of his first kiss, unable to decide if it took ce in front of his house or under a tree at a park. The man had no idea why he had to be born or to die, or where his life was heading.

    However, if his significant other were to appear before his eyes and tell him that their first kiss had been at the beach, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to abandon his vague memories and nod in agreement with her, saying, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I remember how gorgeous that beach was.¡±

    As if practicing, Juho wrote away on his paper, giving new shape to the lump of y he had gotten hold of previously and leaving a new set of fingerprints, which were different from the preexisting ones.

    Writing a story of such nature tended to suck the author in, and Juho had to remind himself, ¡®I am me, and nobody can change that, no matter what they say.¡¯ It was an unshakeable belief, which called for no evidence or witness in order to prove its validity. Whether it was trouble or happiness, every part of his life belonged to him, and he had no intention of handing it over to another person.

    ¡°Oh, this is good!¡±

    ¡°I saw it at a shop that just opened up near my ce. I¡¯ll take you there one of these days.¡±

    It was a snack that Bom had brought out. Juho, too, took a piece of the chocte covered in cocoa powder and brought it up to his mouth. It was delightful. If he were to find out that such happiness belonged to another person, Juho wouldn¡¯t forgive them... no matter who they were.

    ¡°Uh-oh. You dropped it.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Your manuscript!¡±

    Knowing that the manuscript was none other than Yun Woo¡¯s, the club members all made a fuss. However, Juho himself looked at the paper indifferently, certain that the culprit in his novel wouldn¡¯t forgive him for the dark chocte stain on the manuscript paper.

    ¡°Yo! You call yourself an author!? Have some respect for your work!¡± brushing the cocoa powder off of the pages as if it were a treasure box, Seo Kwang criticized Juho. Then, he stared intently at the letters that filed the manuscript paper and asked, ¡°Whichnguage is this written in?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a name for it.¡±

    It was anguage that Juho had made up, and Juho asked light-heartedly, ¡°Why? Are you curious about the content? Would you like to know?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, no, no,¡± Seo Kwang declined emphatically while still keeping his eyes fixed on the manuscript. ¡°You said you¡¯re near the end, right? Does that mean it¡¯s gonna be published, soon?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t promise that.¡±

    Just as Juho had said, there was no promise. Writing in two distinctively styles was much more difficult than one would imagine. Of course, writing two separate stories in different styles was not an issue, but the risk was when they both existed in the same manuscript. There was no way to predict what would happen.

    While it would be a sess if readers were to find it original and shocking, it would be a failure if the difference in the styles disrupted the reading experience. If the two coexisting styles were to create a sense of disconnect, Juho would be better off not gambling. There was simply too much at stake. He would risk ruining the overall plot and flow of the story during the transitions of the styles. Although it would be in his best interest to keep the contrast of the two styles somewhere between difort and a sense of esction, Juho wanted to get as close as possible at the most sensitive ces.

    Unfortunately, writing often left no time for such intricate calctions. In the end, an author had to write arge amount and often try a number of times. Then, revisions would follow. With hope that it would be refined to its most ideal shape possible, Juho kept writing.

 Chapter 196 - We All Graduate (1)

    <h4>Chapter 196: We All Graduate (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°How are things going?¡± Bom asked amid the noise that filled the ssroom. While turned to look at him, Juho remained focused on the manuscript on his desk.

    ¡°Hard to say.¡±

    ¡°Yet, you¡¯ll probably end up writing something that will blow everyone out of the water.¡±

    ¡°I sure hope so.¡±

    Then, Bom rolled her eyes around for a little while and said, ¡°I saw somebody crying while reading my story.¡±

    At that, Juho looked up and saw an expression that was somewhat bashful, but proud. It was a feeling that he understood wholeheartedly. Some authors even made it a goal of their work, which only made sense considering how powerful of an experience it was to know that their work had be the source of their readers¡¯ tears.

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Juho said genuinely, and just like he had said, Bom really was a great writer. At hispliment, she turned bright red from the neck up.

    ¡°No, no, no. You shouldn¡¯t be the one to tell me something like that. It¡¯s embarrassing. Besides, it was my mom. My mom was crying while reading my story, and that¡¯s because she¡¯s my mom,¡± Bom said, looking down and waving her hand in emphatic denial. However, she had to know that who the subject was was of very little importance in the matter.

    ¡°It felt good, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it a touching moment?¡±

    Then, thinking and rolling her eyes around for a brief moment, Bom smiled again. And from then on, that smile remained on her face.

    ¡°Was it a touching moment for you, too?¡±

    At her question, Juho thought back to the time when he had felt a simr joy. It was quite some time ago.

    ¡°I was way too excited. It was kind of embarrassing.¡±

    At least until his readers began to turn their backs on his work, which was an emotion Bom was yet to experience. If she were to keep on writing, she was bound to experience it herself, eventually.

    ¡°I want to give writing a try...¡±

    Then, Juho looked at Bom, who seemed to have made up her mind to be an author. She was mesmerized the moment she realized the power in her writing. It became a dream and a goal. Then, after a brief pause, she added, ¡°... but I don¡¯t dare think about bing like you.¡±

    After all, she was well aware that it would be impossible. Although her voice wasn¡¯t all that loud, Juho heard it quite clearly in midst of themotion in the ssroom.

    ¡°So, I want to start writing and to learn more.¡±

    She had made her choice.

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ... and Juho answered briefly. Juho was going to root for her, whether she would achieve her goal or not, and as if satisfied by his brief response, she turned around with a short word of encouragement to Juho, her long hair moving ever so slightly. She would choose to go in the direction that she had said she would.

    In the midst of the noisy ssroom, Juho looked down at his manuscript paper. Another writing style was also proof that he really dide back from the dead and that his past had not been an illusion. The writing style of a boy who had been embarrassingly excited. The writing style of a middle-aged, alcoholic man.

    There was a time when Juho was told that his writing was like wet, heavy sand, fresh out of the water. The water kept the grains from flying off. Then, at the sudden caw of a crow, Juho looked toward it as it peeked its head above the window. The crow was a grisly creature that would show up out of nowhere and observe the young writer, and to that day, Juho had never seen it fly.

    Then, he remembered the reader who told him about the sand. In a ce filled with books, she had expressed the sincere hope that he would write another story. At that moment, the bell rang, yet the students remained just as boisterous. Juho picked up his pen since there was nothing left that would bother him.

    ¡ª-

    ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s have a good time!¡±

    A series of voices sounded from the crowd. The school festival had begun, and unlike usual, the building had been decorated borately with all sorts of colors and shapes. People of all ages came in and out of the gate, looking all the more lively. Unfortunately, there were bound to be those who were being exploited forbor behind the scenes. Seo Kwang and Sun Hwa were busy cooking up a concoction fittingly called ¡°toast with the devil¡¯s jam,¡± and Juho, too, wasn¡¯t exempt from having to participate since his ss had decided to get involved in the festival. On the crudely-made picket sign in his hand, there was a glued piece of paper that read ¡°wholesome cocktails.¡± Contrary to what the name suggested, the reality was that the cocktails were no more than non-alcoholic soft drinks.

    Juho walked around the entire first floor full of freshmen experiencing the school festival as high school students for the first time with the picket sign in his hand.

    ¡°Juho!¡± a voice called out for him.

    When Juho turned toward it, it was none other than Bo Suk, except she was covered in what seemed like blood.

    ¡°Whoa, that looks real!¡±

    ¡°Right?! It¡¯s my middle school uniform.¡±

    Just like her face, her uniform was covered in what had to be either paint or some sort of makeup product.

    ¡°I¡¯m also in charge of dances in my ss,¡± she said.

    ¡°But what¡¯s with the costume?¡±

    ¡°Our theme is ¡®Dancing with Monsters.¡¯¡±

    ¡°A-ha.¡±

    It was quite an entric setting. Then, Juho saw that Bo Suk was also wearing a band with a promotional phrase across her uniform. She, too, was responsible for advertising for her ss.

    ¡°You shoulde too, Juho! Come dance with me!¡±

    ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯ve had my fill of dancing.¡±

    ¡°Aw, why?¡±

    Then, Juho felt the top of his foot getting sore.

    ¡°Speaking of which, if you ever get thirsty walking around,e to my ss.¡±

    ¡°You mean the cocktails? Are you guys serving alcohol?¡±

    ¡°No way. It¡¯s just soft drinks with a touch of something.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there!¡±

    Bo Suk smiled brightly, but despite her intention, her smile gave off a rather grotesque expression, especially with the red substance painted all over her lips. Then, before parting ways, Juho added, ¡°I enjoyed your piece.¡±

    ¡°... Thank you. I mean, I still have a ways to go, but thank you!¡±

    Again, despite her intention, her sparkling eyes conveyed a message that was quite different from the one she was trying to convey. Aftering down to the first floor, people looked at him oddly as he walked around with the picket sign on his shoulder. Aside from shouting ¡°Cocktails! Come get your cocktails,¡± there were no other activities involved in his role. Although he wondered very briefly if he should have worn makeup like Bo Suk, he quickly reached the conclusion that he would rather not.

    While walking through the hallway toward the entrance at the first floor, Juho saw that there was a sociable-looking male student with a striking resemnce to a monkey, shouting, ¡°Get your newspaper!¡±

    The volume of his voice was rather impressive. Then, as Juho approached him in order to get a copy of the newspaper for himself, the monkey-like student recognized him and said, ¡°Why, who do we have here? It¡¯s Mr. Woo!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the formality? Just call me by my name,¡± Juho said, feeling ufortable.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s no way to treat a former interviewee,¡± the monkey said, looking at the picket in Juho¡¯s hand.

    Then, taking the newspaper from the monkey¡¯s hand, Juho advertised for his ss, ¡°If you ever get thirsty at any point,e by.¡±

    ¡°Do I get a free drink if I mention your name?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it. My name wouldn¡¯t be worth enough for that.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll pass,¡± the monkey declined rather emphatically. However, since Juho wasn¡¯t trying to make a profit, the way people responded to his advertisement didn¡¯t really matter.

    Then, in order to take a quick break, he put down his picket sign, took a seat somewhere, and opened his newspaper, which contained news about the school, along with a directory and a list of sceneries found throughout school, done through a coboration with the Photography Club. From night views fromte night study sessions to flowers and ssrooms, there was quite an array of pictures in the newspaper, and of course, the names of the photographers were next to each of the pictures. Among them, was a name Juho was also familiar with, one that had been next to a picture of a frog.

    ¡°It¡¯s different fromst year. Are there no interviews this year?¡±

    At Juho¡¯s question, the monkey stopped handing out newspapers and turned his head to Juho, ring fiercely at him for an unknown reason.

    ¡°That¡¯s because SOMEBODY wouldn¡¯t write again.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s no one else at school who would interview me aside from you.¡±

    The monkey clenched his lips tightly in response to that, and as Juho blinked awkwardly, waiting for boration, the monkey added, ¡°You know, I believed wholeheartedly that you would write the best piece of writing this year.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°But you know what your answer was when I went to you? ¡®I¡¯ve got nothing to show you.¡¯¡±

    Juho had no recollection of saying anything like that. It had to be the creative touch of the Newspaper Club.

    ¡°And just like that, the three-part interview I had been nning went down the drain.¡±

    ¡®Well, you¡¯re the only one who nned for it and celebrated way too early, so what more do you have to say?¡¯ Juho thought, deciding not to say it out loud.

    And the monkey kept on with his resentful remarks, ¡°If you¡¯re an author, shouldn¡¯t you be writing constantly? I wouldn¡¯t really know since I¡¯m not one, but it¡¯s still your club activity. How is it that you¡¯re so free-spirited? Shouldn¡¯t you have a stricter routine? I mean, how else would I find a consistent topic for my interviews, am I right?¡±

    ¡°I need to go,¡± Juho said, realizing that there wouldn¡¯t be an end to his story. Then, picking up the picket sign and with the rolled up newspaper at his side, Juho left the scene in a hurry, ignoring the voice calling out for him.

    When Juho came out to the schoolyard, there was already an enormous crowd, and within it, were the Science Club members selling cotton candy. Judging from the long line, they had to be quite popr. So, Juho took the opportunity to carry out his obligation of advertising for his ss, ¡°Cocktails! Come get your cocktails!¡±

    Although he modeled his approach after the monkey by shouting louder, people in line only red at him for a brief moment and went about their business.

    Then, Juho saw a familiar face standing in line giving off a inherently different re, and who was taller than anybody around him by at least a head. Juho called out, ¡°Baron!¡±

    Hearing that, he looked toward Juho and raised his hand candidly in order to greet him. That¡¯s when the cotton candy he had ordered came out, and taking his order, Baron walked out of the line.

    ¡°It must be nice being a junior, not having to worry about school festival and all.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s the juniors who are envious of the sophomores and the freshmen.¡±

    It wasmon for the opposite parties to be envious of each other. Then, Juho took a piece of cotton candy from Baron¡¯s hand and brought it up to his mouth. It was sweet and airy, and the sensation of it melting away in his mouth was a treat that Juho was experiencing for the first time in a very long time.

    ¡°Are you here to hang out?¡±

    ¡°Duh! I wouldn¡¯t be here to study, now, would I?¡±

    ¡°Seems like things are going well with the preparation for the entrance exams.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m nning on applying early. Keeping a good school record takes time.¡±

    ¡°Oh-ho-ho. Look at you!¡±

    ¡°I have a long way to go still. SAT scores, my student record, and my art activity report.¡±

    ¡°You got this,¡± Juho said, genuinely rooting for him. At which point, Baron snickered, looking indifferent for some reason. Then, raising the picket sign in his hands, Juho said, ¡°If you ever get thirsty,e and pay me a visit.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Baron said without hesitation. It seemed like Juho had no talent for advertising. Then, resting the sign on his shoulder, Juho said, ¡°I really liked the cover designs this year, too.¡±

    Despite being busy preparing for the entrance exams, Baron had volunteered to design the covers for his clubmates writing for the school festival, and Mr. Moon hadn¡¯t stopped him.

    Cover design was one of the crucial elements in a book. There were countless people who based their purchases on cover designs, which was the usual type of consumption among students who had little to no interest in literature. Baron¡¯s designs were more than enough to captivate such readers. Beautiful and artfully summarizing the plot of the book. They stirred up the interest of those who saw them, and they were all the more essential for amateur writers such as the members of the Literature Club.

    ¡°It seems like they are growing more popr this year, too.¡±

    ¡°I liked Bom¡¯s piece, in particr. She¡¯s gotten a lot better recently.¡±

    ¡°Do you feel that way, too?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s changed a lot since I did the cover design for herst year,¡± Baron said, ripping off a small piece of cotton candy. ¡°I am kind of bummed that you¡¯re not writing for the school festival this year. This is thest year I get to design your book cover.¡±

    At the unexpected remark, Juho¡¯s eyes moved on from the cotton candy to Baron, who was looking at the cotton candy himself.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were this passionate about cover design.¡±

    ¡°Your writing stands out.¡±

    Ironically, the cotton candy in Baron¡¯s hand had a presence that matched that of Yun Woo¡¯s.

    ¡°The opportunity to design your book cover will... well, nevere again, probably. Even by coincidence.¡±

    Baron had also been a fan of Yun Woo, and there had to be joy in knowing that he had designed Yun Woo¡¯s book cover. Unfortunately, Juho had decided not to write for the school festival as himself on the year Baron was graduating, and having been upied with finding the culprit in his novel, Juho had beenpletely oblivious to the fact that it was Baron¡¯sst year in high school. Then, after looking intently at him, he brought up a passing thought, ¡°You never know.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll probably keep drawing, and I¡¯ll keep writing, so the way I see it, there¡¯s going to be an opportunity someday.¡±

    Although Baron was about to graduate, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean that it was the end for him.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. We first met after having graduated from something, too,¡± Baron said, looking back at the school building.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m the only one leaving, again,¡± Baron said, his voice slowly sinking. He had had a friend middle school who hadn¡¯t been able to graduate, and Baron had been fighting bravely in order to keep himself from giving into his fear of standing out or shrinking out of fear of being alone.

    ¡°Are you still scared?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Baron said confidently, and after a brief thought, Juho asked, ¡°Should we make a bet, then?¡±

    ¡°On what?¡±

    ¡°On whether you¡¯ll end up alone or not.¡±

    At that, Baron smiled brightly, showing his white teeth.

    ¡°And which side are you betting on?¡±

    ¡°That you won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You see, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s gonna work,¡± Baron said, bringing the piece of cotton candy up to his mouth. ¡°Because I was nning on betting on that, too.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not falling for that again.¡±

    ¡°I was gonna ask you for some sponge cake.¡±

    Then, Juho saw a tree behind Baron standing tall and still. There was also a sparrow sitting on its branch, looking attentively at the people waiting in line for cotton candy, amused.

 Chapter 197 - We All Graduate (2)

    <h4>Chapter 197: We All Graduate (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Time passed, and thestption that Baron took part in came out. Then, the day of his entrance exam arrived, and despite the bitingly-cold weather, the entire Literature Club came out to root for him. Although he managed to score higher than the lowest possible score he had nned, he wasn¡¯t able to get into the school he had desired to attend the most. Nevertheless, he managed to get into a fairly-recognized school as a design major. While everyone celebrated with him, they were also sad to see him go.

    ¡°I¡¯m sad that we won¡¯t have you around in the club, anymore,¡± Sun Hwa said, dejected, unlike her usual self.

    ¡°Who¡¯s gonna design our book covers now?¡± Seo Kwang said yfully, but he, too, sounded weak.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sad that you¡¯re leaving,¡± Bom said, about to burst into tears at any given minute, and...

    ¡°You¡¯ll do great, no matter where you end up.¡±

    ... Bo Suk wished him luck, sincerely and maturely.

    To which, Baron answered with his mouthful of chips, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Nothingsts forever. You¡¯ve read ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true! This moment will never change! That¡¯s what ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ said!¡± Sun Hwa said, denying him emphatically while the author of the two stories was distracted by something between her and Baron.

    Then, putting down his sketchbook, the junior said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave this sketchbook here before I go so that you can look at it when you miss me.¡±

    ¡°Sniff, Baron!¡± Seo Kwang said, covering his face with his hands. Although he was making a fuss about it, it was obvious that he was sad about Baron¡¯s departure. Now, there was no one in the club who could draw the club members when they were busy writing, or no one to design their book covers. There was no one who ran faster and stuck out more than Baron.

    ¡°Come by every now and then,¡± Mr. Moon said while sitting on hisfortable chair with a dried squid in his mouth and aic book in his hand, looking a tad toofortable. As club activities officially came to an end, both the club and the teacher grew idle. Juho looked at Mr. Moon, who had sunkfortably on his chair. Although he didn¡¯t appear so on the surface, he had to have mixed emotions about the junior graduating. After all, Baron was the first student to graduate from the club that the teacher, himself, had formed. Mr. Moon just happened to be better acquainted with goodbyes than the kids in the club.

    ¡°Thank you for everything,¡± Baron said, and the teacher gave him a slight nod.

    ¡°You know, it still blows my mind how generous I can be, epting you into the club and all.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    As the room was filled with nothing but the sound of Mr. Moon chewing on a piece of squid, Juho found himself getting confused, wondering, ¡®Is he really OK? Did he really have no attachment?¡¯ Mr. Moon genuinely seemed calm and unfazed.

    At that moment, while everyone fixed their eyes on the teacher, a corner of his mouth turned ever so slightly. Then, swallowing the squid in his mouth and setting hisic book down, he pointed at Baron and said, ¡°So, from now on, you¡¯re in charge of cover designs for theptions!¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t going to be the extent of your gratitude, was it? Saying ¡®thank you?¡¯ From here on out, I expect you to keep reading and to think of fitting designs for what you read.¡±

    What was he saying to a graduate?

    ¡°Uh... Mr. Moon? I think he¡¯s gonna be busy with school. Isn¡¯t that a bit much?¡± Seo Kwang asked quietly, and the shameless teacher said, ¡°It¡¯s once a year. I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s too much.¡±

    ¡°From what I hear, the amount of assignments art majors go through is beyond one¡¯s imagination.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. If the quality isn¡¯t there, I won¡¯t use it.¡±

    Mr. Moon didn¡¯t seem to have understood, and ording to his logic, it would have been better to hire a professional. Before anybody had time to make ament, he asked the junior, ¡°You wanna do it, right?¡±

    Then, he walked toward the desk and picked up a piece of dried squid.

    ¡°You still wanna see what kind of writing these kidse up with, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Comptions were about the process, and they contained every piece of writing that had been written within that year as a record. What Mr. Moon was suggesting Baron do was to read what woulde out of the Literature Club in the future.

    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not all that much trouble to print one more copy while we¡¯re still in the process of making theption,¡± he added.

    At which point, Baron answered, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    At Baron¡¯s answer, Sun Hwa cheered out loud.

    ¡°Does that mean we still have an artist in the club?¡± Sun Hwa asked.

    ¡°Once a year,¡± answered Mr. Moon.

    ¡°That¡¯s so cool! It¡¯s like a love story,¡± Bo suk said.

    ¡°You mean between the Literature Club and the artist?¡± Seo Kwang asked,

    ¡°That sounds like some good material,¡± Sun Hwa said, and Seo Kwang said in a hurry

    ¡°I said it first.¡±

    ¡°In that case, it belongs to Bo Suk.¡±

    Then, Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang began to quarrel over Bo Suk¡¯s idea, and Bom quietly picked up her pen. Amid the scene that was all too familiar to him, Juho looked at Baron, who was wearing a bright smile.

    It wasn¡¯t untilter in the future that Juho reminisced to that day while exining how Baron came to be a book designer.

    A day before the winter break, the school held a send-off event for the juniors. The freshmen and sophomores came together in order to send the juniors off. There were two thick, chalk lines on the ground at the schoolyard, and the juniors walked within them while the younger schoolmates cheered for them and celebrated their graduation, giving them gifts or flower nes.

    Because there were no sses that day, everyone was in high spirits, and Bom and Juho were chatting while waiting for the event to start.

    ¡°How do you think Baron is feeling?¡± Bom asked, saying that she was curious about what it would feel like to graduate high school.

    ¡°Anxious, happy, something along those lines, I¡¯d presume?¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡¯

    ¡°You¡¯ve graduated before.¡±

    ¡°But I feel like graduating high school is gonna be a different experience.¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±

    At that moment, Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang walked in through the back door. Although the students took a brief interest in the outsiders, they soon went about their businesses.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡± Juho asked, and Seo Kwang said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? We have to n for when Baron shows up.¡±

    ¡°What n?¡±

    For what it was, it was quite the title.

    ¡°Is that really necessary? Can¡¯t we just wave our hands or something?¡± Sun Hwa said, sitting on a desk.

    ¡°Baron likes to stand out, so let¡¯s give him what he wants. Let¡¯s make him a legend while we¡¯re at it.¡±

    ¡°A legend? How?¡± Juho asked, and Sun Hwa said, ¡°What about tossing him up in the air?¡±

    For something that came after the word legend, it was quite weak. On top of that, it was not realistic by any stretch of the imagination.

    ¡°I doubt that¡¯s gonna be possible. I mean, look at that line. There¡¯s not gonna be time or space for that.¡±

    ¡°Should we pop some party poppers?¡±

    ¡°Do you have any?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Sun Hwa seemed to be thinking out loud. Then, Seo Kwang opened his mouth and said, ¡°What if we recite a poem on his way out, like ¡®Azaleas¡¯ by Sowol Kim? It suits us being in the Literature Club and all.¡±

    ¡°That sounds embarrassing...¡± Bom opposed timidly, and Juho also agreed.

    ¡°It¡¯s gonna get buried when people start pping and shouting. How¡¯s he gonna hear that?¡±

    ¡°Then... what about flipping through the pages of his sketchbook as a way to reminisce past memories?¡±

    ¡°Same problem. How are we gonna flip through the pages when the whole ce is already booming with people?¡±

    As Juho reasoned against their ideas, frustrated looks appeared on Sun Hwa¡¯s and Seo Kwang¡¯s faces. Although their hearts weremendable, the setting brought about a series of challenges.

    From then on, a few more absurd ideas came up, but none of them realistic enough to be actually carried out. In the end, Juho had to calm down the two.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be enough to just hand him the gifts that you guys prepared? I think Baron will appreciate that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, at this rate, we¡¯re gonna end up being the legends,¡± Bom said, agreeing with Juho¡¯s idea. Having been absorbed in thinking of creative ways to send off the sole artist in the club, Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang contemted for a little while, but the bell rang, indicating that there was no more time to think.

    By the time the club members went down to the schoolyard, there was already a massive crowd there, starting from the stairways all the way to the front gate. Arranged in what looked like an intestine, a snake, or a waterway, the freshmen and sophomores waited anxiously for the juniors.

    ¡°Oh, my! Look at all these people!¡±

    Because the Literature Club fell behind on securing a spot, they ended up having to stand the closest to the gate, and Sun Hwa scowled as if unhappy with the spot, but there was simply no choice. Then, they ran into Bo Suk on their way, who seemed fascinated by the event she was seeing for the first time. There were quite a few people who wanted to send someone off on a good note.

    ¡°They¡¯reing! They¡¯reing!¡± somebody said from the front, and the crowd shouted in the distance, the cries eventually spreading to the entire schoolyard. Walking in groups of two or three, the juniors were all wearing a colorful paper ornament on their heads and around their necks, and carrying bundles of gifts in their hands. Excitement was in the air, intoxicating even those who didn¡¯t know anybody younger in school and the freshmen or sophomores who didn¡¯t know anybody older.

    Then, a student who was exceptionally tall appeared in the distance.

    ¡°Baron!¡±

    ¡°Baron! Here!¡±

    Despite the distance, everyone waved their hands enthusiastically, and seeing his clubmates waving, Baron, too, responded by waving back. Thanks to his distinctively white teeth, his smile was clearly visible even from afar. As the juniors responded to the cheers of their younger schoolmates, everyone waved and shouted all the more. While Baron walked down the aisle alone, the club members handed him their gifts. Bo Suk was first in line.

    ¡°I heard you¡¯re an active person, so I got you these,¡± the freshman said, handing him a box filled with wristbands and various sporting goods made by her favorite brand since middle school.

    ¡°These, are your favorite snacks,¡± Bom said, handing him a ck stic bag.

    ¡°And these areic books. I chose them carefully based on your preferences. Give me a call when you finish them. I¡¯d love to talk about them with you,¡± Sun Hwa said, handing him a hefty tome. It was quite a long series.

    ¡°These are top-secret ideas, so make sure to keep them to yourself. They¡¯re conjectures and theories on Yun Woo¡¯s identity. Although you probably know by now, you¡¯ll also find an added bonus about HongSam¡¯s identity in there,¡± Seo Kwang said, handing him a thick bundle of pages. Baron¡¯s uniform was no longer visible through the gifts.

    Then, Juho said to him, ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡±

    With that, Baron stared at the gifts in his hands for a little while, and thanked his club members for them before walking on. The freshmen and sophomores followed the juniors to the front of the gate, and Baron, too, was surrounded by his clubmates, who wereining about how every one of their ns to serenade him had fallen through. Meanwhile, Juho watched from afar.

    ¡°A person like you can¡¯t possibly be left alone, Baron.¡±

    Just like that, Baron graduated in one piece.

    ¡ª

    The next morning, Juho came out to the park for his morning exercise. His ears felt like they were about to fall off from the cold, but he quickly got used to it on his way to the park. Despite it being early in the morning, the bakery was already open, and the scent of freshly-baked bread permeated the air around the stores that were yet to open. Then, a corporate worker walked into the bakery looking exhausted, as though made miserable by the fact that they no longer got to enjoy the benefit of winter break. Walking past the bakery, Juho crossed the street and headed toward the park.

    ¡°Hey, Baron,¡± Juho said, waving at the figure who had arrived at the park ahead of him. Wearing his sporting attire, he no longer had the look of a young high school student.

    ¡°It¡¯s cold out,¡± Baron said as soon as he saw Juho. Until the beginning of his first semester, Baron would be killing time while looking for a part-time job. Since the SATs, Baron and Juho had been exercising together on a regr basis.

    Then, Juho said while stretching his body stiff from the cold, ¡°You¡¯re early.¡±

    ¡°I managed, somehow. I figured it wouldn¡¯t get any easier if I were to stay in bed any longer.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    It was only natural that one would find it less than desirable to get out from under their nket in weather like that. The cold winter made the warm, cozy bed all the more tempting, making them wish that humans could also hibernate. Of course, fighting off that natural desire was always a tough battle. However...

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ... there was yet another person who managed to win that battle. Juho greeted the person while looking at his thick eyebrows, and after conversing for a little while, Juho introduced his friend to Baron.

    ¡°This is the friend I told you about, Sung Pil.¡±

    ¡°Pil Sung Choi.¡±

    Baron was caught off guard by the two different names that hade up simultaneously. Then, seeing the two exchange brief greetings, Juho believed that he was witnessing the beginning of a new friendship.

 Chapter 198 - About an Incredible Accomplishment (1)

    <h4>Chapter 198: About an Incredible Aplishment (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The three began to run at simr paces. Although it was a trail that they were all well acquainted with, running with more people than usual made it a different experience. Because they were running while matching each others¡¯ paces, the speed wasn¡¯t quite there. The trees in the background rushing past them were all dressed for the cold. After a brief silence, Baron broke the ice, ¡°I heard you write as well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do,¡± Sung Pil said, answering clearly.

    ¡°Are you in a Literature Club at your school or anything?¡±

    ¡°No. We don¡¯t have one.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    With that, the conversation came to an abrupt end. The encounter of the two least sociable people Juho knew was proving to be a lot more intense. As the three ran in silence, Sung Pil opened his mouth next.

    ¡°Congrattions on graduating.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    And just like that, the conversation ended once again, and Juho had to try desperately to hold back theughter. They were both like logs. In the end, Juho stepped in.

    ¡°How are things looking with your piece?¡±

    ¡°So-so. The more I write, the more I see what Ick,¡± Sung Pil said, staying within the subject that time.

    ¡°Still going to the bank?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll keep going until I finish writing at least. Lately, I¡¯ve been visiting another bank in another neighborhood, too. One might think that there wouldn¡¯t be any differences, but there were.¡±

    With that, Sung Pil began to share his story about his visits to a bank. Then, Baron interjected and asked why he had been going to the banks, and Sung Pil answered in a detailed and friendly manner. That time, the conversation went on for quite a while. Although there were still remnants of awkwardness, it was a significant improvement whenpared to a moment ago. Listening quietly, Juho repeated the process of chiming in at the time their conversations would cut off, and so far, Sung Pil and Baron didn¡¯t seem to have such terrible impressions of each other.

    ¡°Speaking of which, I have a question regarding my school¡¯s tuition.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s beyond my knowledge.¡±

    Hearing Sung Pil¡¯s detailed description of his visits to the banks, Baron eventually began to treat him as a financial adviser. When listening to Sung Pil¡¯s story, it was only natural for one to want to ask him questions regarding money.

    At that moment, they reached the ce where Sung Pil and Juho had once raced previously. Juho nced at Baron in passing. He had vivid memories of the recent graduate¡¯s ability as a runner and he would be hard pressed to beat him. In the end, Juho decided to remain quiet and not suggest a race. That is...

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we race?¡±

    ... until Sung Pil made the fearless suggestion. At that, Juho let out a sigh.

    ¡°He¡¯s fast, you know,¡± Juho warned Sung Pil, but he simply nodded, and Baron was already wearing a bright smile, revealing his white teeth.

    ¡°It¡¯s cold out today, so why don¡¯t we just keep it at this pace?¡± Juho said in order to discourage them. However, the two logs had already started burning.

    ¡°Losers write their names with their butts?¡±

    ¡°Kind of childish, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re on.¡±

    The world always leaned toward the majority opinion. The race, which began all too suddenly, was quite close until midway, when Baron began to pull ahead. By the time Juho was about to catch up to him, the race came to an awkward end as Sung Pil stepped on a patch of ice and plummeted to the ground.

    While the three were catching their breaths, Sung Pil said while rubbing his butt, ¡°That hurt.¡±

    There was no trace of humiliation on his face, and the only thing that was left broken was the patch of ice on the ground.

    ¡°Well, that was fun,¡± Baron murmured while buying cups of warm drinks from the vending machine.

    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±

    ¡°Anytime.¡±

    Breathing white steam out of their mouths, the three sat down briefly, nning on being on their way before the sweat cooled their bodies.

    Then, Sung Pil opened his mouth and said, ¡°Recently, I read that Geun Woo Yoo won the Dong Kyung Literary Award this year.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I read that article, too.¡±

    Juho had sent him a congrattory text. When they talked on the phone, Geun Woo had sounded rather excited. The man who had pushed himself deep into regret was finally seeing the light of day. He was also quite fond of his own writing.

    ¡°I guess that means it¡¯s time to find out who¡¯s getting the Literary Award,¡± Sung Pil murmured. At which point, Juho remembered hearing that his piece had been chosen as a candidate for the Rational Literary Award.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Yun Woo will get the award this year for his short story. The Rational Literary Award tends to lean toward short stories.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°¡®River¡¯ was excellent.¡±

    Then, Juho locked eyes with Baron. While a gradual smile appeared on Juho¡¯s face, Baron looked away, drinking his beverage. Soon, at the thunderous roar that came from Sung Pil¡¯s stomach, the three headed for a nearby restaurant.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Professor Kong let out, looking at the scenery rushing past the windows of the taxi. The Rational Literary Award. ording to the result of the survey that had been conducted among authors, the Rational Literary Award was considered to be the most honorable of all literary awards in Korea, and only short stories published within a year of the award were considered.

    That year, he had been chosen as one of the judges for the finals of the Rational Literary Award. At the ce where the taxi he was in was headed to, were the pieces that had survived the preliminary rounds of the judgingmittee.

    Because he had received a list from themittee, the professor was already aware of the surviving pieces, and the results were simply unheard of. Every single piece that was in a single literary magazine had been chosen as candidates, and the first thing that came out of the professor¡¯s mouth when he saw the list was a heavy sigh.

    ¡°Turn left,¡± the GPS¡¯s voice sounded from the front of the taxi, carried along with the heat from the heater. The reason Professor Kong didn¡¯t find the results surprising was because there had been a part of him that had expected it. The number of subscribers a literary magazine possessed was also an important quality in the Rational Literary Award, as it indicated how much appeal the magazine had to the masses. On top of that, the professor, himself, had read the magazine ¡®The Beginning and the End.¡¯ Every single piece in that magazine had been a gem, and on top of that, it was also the very magazine responsible for starting the literary magazine fad in bookstores.

    Then, he took a piece of paper out of his bag. Because San Jung Youn, Dae Soo Na, Sang Choi, Seo Joong Ahn, and Dong Gil Uhm were previous winners of the award, they were being considered for the Specialty Award, while Joon Soo Bong, Mideum Choo, Geun Woo Yoo, and Yun Woo remained as candidates. Both awards would be given to only one author.

    The authors who had either been critically acimed or harshly criticized in the past had somehow been able to make the most out of their potentials as writers, and within the same magazine on top of that. Regardless of what award it was, judging the winners had never been so difficult in the history of an award¡¯s judgingmittee, and frankly, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if any of the nine were chosen as the winner.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± he let out once again, like a habit. Usually, it would be something to be excited about, but as a judge, that excitement was a luxury as he had the obligation to rank each of the candidates. Somehow, and out of nowhere, the professor found himself being responsible for judging the superior piece.

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    The face being reflected on the window of the taxi looked quite exhausted, and having gotten little to no sleep the night before, that was only natural.

    In reality, a lot of the literary awards in the country were quite controversial even among the literary society. There were quite a few awards that didn¡¯t judge its candidates fairly, while others were t out questionable as awards. Unfortunately, ws existed even among awards with longer histories as the standards by which the judges judged the candidates became unclear and ambiguous, causing controversy. What was meant to contribute to the development of literature had turned into something that ate away at the sincerity of literature. Books that shouldn¡¯t have been recognized had been brought to light, while the books that deserved to be out in the light were forgotten in the dark. Books that contained unconditional praise toward a political figure tended to win an award when those that had nothing to do with politics weren¡¯t even considered. Due to those reasons, authors began to turn down awards, and more and more literary societies had been dering no winners. There were extremely few literary awards that maintained their original intentions and traditions, and the Rational Literary Award was one of them.

    It was that very award, that Professor Kong would end up judging, and it came to him as a hefty burden. It was no wonder that he couldn¡¯t stop sighing. He looked through the list of candidates, the pieces written by Geun Woo Yoo, Mideum Choo, Dong Gil Uhm, Seo Joong Ahn, Dae Soo Nah, Sang Choi, Joon Soo Bon, San Jung Youn, and Yun Woo.

    Despite hisck of experience, Geun Woo Yoo had sessfully made the most out of his strength as an author. His writing was like a sad movie that the professor craved from time to time, and whenever he felt that way, Geun Woo¡¯s books were just the thing. As the winner of the Dong Kyung Literary Award of that year, word about him had been spreading to more people.

    In the case of Mideum Choo, she usually excelled in writing books that appealed to the masses. However, in her piece in ¡®The Beginning and the End,¡¯ she had managed to strike a fine bnce in literary value. With its distinctive nature, memorable story, and the subject of death, the readability of her books spoke for itself.

    On the other hand, Dong Gil Uhm¡¯s books tended to be more hard-boiled, and his story tended to be the most rigid and dry within ¡®The Beginning and the End.¡¯ Professor¡¯s Kong¡¯s preferences happened to lean toward this direction, and the sentences written with an objectivenguage allowed its readers to expand their imagination. It had to be, perhaps, the style most capable of carrying emotions at the deepest level.

    On the contrary, Seo Joong Ahn was just the opposite of Dong Gil Uhm. His writing had the power to soften up the readers from within, and as one followed the path the author had paved in his books, they were often rewarded with a touching moment. On top of that, there were original sequences throughout his books that kept the readers stimted. His most recent novel, ¡®One Room,¡¯ was proof that Seo Joong had evolved as an author and was capable of writing an even deeper story.

    Dae Soo Na. The decision to read her novels often followed a thorough schedule check. Before or after a meal were some of the worst possible times to read Dae Soo¡¯s novels. However, the professor couldn¡¯t help but read them anyway, despite the trouble he would go through. On the other hand, the best time to read her novels was on a summer night. If the evaluation had taken ce on a summer night, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to fight off the temptation to reach for her novel.

    Sang Choi, AKA Choi, was an author known as a romance writer. His portrayal of love had a lot inmon with puzzles and Jenga. Reading his books felt like putting the pieces together, one by one, like building a tower, and after repeating the process of copsing and scattering the pieces, the tower grew taller and sturdier. The author¡¯s unique take on rtionships was rather sophisticated and dignified.

    Joon Soo Bong was one of the authors on the rise as ofte. His sentences tended to remind readers that he really was a pupil of Yun Seo Baek. Having a strong obsession toward vocabry, his sentences were irreceable. Every word had its ce, and recing them with other words often resulted in awkward-sounding sentences. Due to his recent sess, everyone in the country had to know him.

    ¡°San Jung Youn,¡± Professor Kong let out with a sigh, brushing the back of his neck as he remembered her piece, which had been near perfect in quality, fitting of her title as the first Korean winner of the international award in Italy. However, the professor wasn¡¯t quite fond of her piece. It might very well have been his personal opinion, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel that something was seriously wrong. There was an unusually short gap between her most recent novel and her piece in the magazine, her first short story in several years, something that left one feeling ufortable and subject.

    The shared topic among the authors of ¡®The Beginning and the End¡¯ had been death, and the author who had written the most appropriate short story on the subject had to be...

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ... Yun Woo. At that moment, the taxi made a sudden stop, and the driver drove on as if nothing had happened. After looking ahead briefly, Professor Kong rolled down the window. The breeze rushing in was quite cold but refreshing at the same time, clearing up the interior of the car made stuffy by the heater. At that, the professor let out a sigh yet again.

    ¡°Are you going through something?¡± the driver asked, and with an awkward smile, the professor answered, ¡°Yes. Somethingplicated.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± the driver said, and immediately moved on to his own story. As the professor showed some response, he began to exin why he had be a taxi driver, and while listening absentmindedly, the professor wrestled with his mind.

    Yun Woo was a genius author who was very muchparable to the previous winners and the current candidates of that year. To be precise,parable wasn¡¯t a fair assessment. The thoughts within his writing alone were enough to send chills down the professor¡¯s spine.

    After the literary magazine had been published, debates among professors about his writing had spread like a fad. His skill and his stories defied his age, and his recent short story, ¡®River,¡¯ gave readers the impression that the author had actually died once. The short story was capable of nting such unrealistic doubt in the hearts of its readers.

    Professor Han had brought up, in all seriousness, the possibility of a ghostwriter or of the author lying about his age. Then, the professors, intoxicated by the alcohol and the asion, began to pour out their absurd predictions. A foreigner, an alien, ghostwritten by their parents, working secretly with the publisher, publishing a manuscript that had been abandoned at some point, a magic pen or magic paper, time traveling, doping, the reincarnated version of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe or Leonardo Da Vinci, Mozart writing novels instead of music, a fairy that flew around the author, giving hints, and so on.

    Professor Kong was responsible for making the im that was rtively more reasonable than the others: the time-machine theory. In hindsight, it was all too embarrassing.

    ¡°So, my business fell apart with the economy...¡± the driver kept on with his life story, and the taxi went forth just as unhindered as the driver. Professor Kong had to decide which of the nine pieces would receive the award before he reached his destination. At that moment, his phone rang, and thanks to that, the driver¡¯s life story was put on hold just like the anguish that was going on within the professor¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    It was one of the judges asking for his ETA. Then, exining that he was still in a taxi, but that he was nearby, the professor hung up the phone. Looking at the view rushing past, the professor let out yet another sigh.

 Chapter 199 - About an Incredible Accomplishment (2)

    <h4>Chapter 199: About an Incredible Aplishment (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    After ate lunch, Nam Kyung made his way back to his office through an empty street. The faint voices of a family seemingly visiting the publishing district came from the distance. They were iparably happier than the editor on his way to work. Then, remembering the uing visit to the print shop, Nam Kyung made haste.

    ¡°We made quite a scene around this timest year,¡± Mr. Maeng said, and anxious memories of waiting desperately for the results came rushing back to Nam Kyung. He had never been as concerned about ckouts than on that day.

    ¡°We sure did. Well, he already won once, so I guess that¡¯s it.¡±

    It was a policy that gave other authors the opportunity to win the award in the future. With Yun Woo having already earned the title of being the youngest winner, the publishingpany had nothing to lose. ¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ was still one of the major bestsellers of the Zelkova Publishing Company.

    ¡°Do you think Mr. Woo will get an award this year?¡± Mr. Maeng asked.

    The young author had been chosen as a candidate for the Rational Literary Award of that year. Then, having the strangest feeling that he had joined the family in the distance, Nam Kyung slowed down.

    Thepetition for that year¡¯s award was turning out to be quite interesting. Every short story in ¡®The Beginning and the End¡¯ had be a candidate, which meant one of the nine would turn up at the top as the official best, putting an end to the debate among the readers.

    ¡°San Jung Youn is unbeatable.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget Joon Soo Bong.¡±

    In what would have been an endless, ongoing fight, the authors would finally receive a rank. The award was going to determine the payoff of the readers¡¯ support of their favorite authors, and of course, it only made sense that readers would take interest in the matter, each wanting their favorite author and story to win.

    ¡°You want Yun Woo to win, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You sound so certain.¡±

    ¡°Am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Nam Kyung said after trying to y coy. At the end of the day, he was Yun Woo¡¯s editor. There was no equality in emotions, and it was only natural that one would lean toward a book that they could rte to, written by someone they knew even remotely, and what kept that from being shameful was certainly at the author¡¯s discretion. ¡®River¡¯ was an incredible achievement, even from an objective point of view. It was incredible to the point of making the editor concerned for the well-being of the author. It was a short story that Nam Kyung had read more than forty times, and as his editor, he thought Yun Woo¡¯s first official short story as a professional writer was quite lovely. He was proud of the author he had been working with. Then, being careful not to get carried away by his emotions, Nam Kyung asked Mr. Maeng, ¡°Well, what about you?¡±

    ¡°Me too. My vote goes to Won Yi Young.¡±

    ¡°You mean Yun Woo. You work for Zelkova, remember?¡±

    Ever since the news got out and Won Yi Young turned out to the Yun Woo all along, Mr. Maeng hadn¡¯t been afraid to express his affection for the author. Being a fantasy novel buff, he listed ¡®Language of God¡¯ and ¡®River¡¯ as proof of Yun Woo¡¯s potential as an author.

    ¡°Well, there are still other authors who are just aspetent, so we can¡¯t be so sure just yet. Besides, one of them is San Jung Youn.¡±

    ¡°The readers were especially prizing this time around. Personally, I really think Joon Soo Bong has a lot of potential this year. He¡¯s been on the risetely, too.¡±

    ¡°He is a good writer,¡± Nam Kyung admitted. However, it didn¡¯t mean that otherscked potential by any means. Every single piece was just as threatening to each other as thest, and the fact that they all had been appointed as candidates meant that they all had the potential to be winners. Now, it was all up to the judges, who consisted of a critic, a reader, a professor, and a journalist. The winner of the award would be based on their decision. Everyone working in the publishingpany was constantly discussing who the winner might be, and there was even a rumor circting that bets were being ced at the business department.

    Walking into thepany building, Nam Kyung went to the lounge and bought himself a cup of coffee from the vending machine.

    ¡°Be safe now.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    Unlike Mr. Maeng, who was sitting down, Nam Kyung prepared to leave. Since he nned on going straight home from the print shop, he packed Yun Woo¡¯s new manuscript with him. Although he wanted to stay true to his instincts and read it, he had decided to wait until he was on his way home in order to avoid the risk of forgetting about his visit to the shop altogether. His heart raced with anticipation. Then, right as he was about to leave, the phone began to ring.

    ¡°Hello, Zelkova Publishing Company.¡±

    ¡°Is this Nam Kyung Park?¡±

    Nam Kyung didn¡¯t recognize the voiceing from the receiver.

    ¡°Yes, this is he.¡±

    Then, the person on the other end of the line introduced themselves briefly.

    ¡°Mr. Woo has been chosen as the best trantor of the year.¡±

    Because his head had been upied with thoughts of ¡®The Beginning and the End,¡¯ the information registered in Nam Kyung¡¯s mind with a slight dy.

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Congrattions.¡±

    The editor found himself hopelessly lost.

    ¡ª

    Yun Woo¡¯s Incredible Aplishments by Myung Sil Oh.

    There are many things to look forward to in the winter. From the first snow to the steaming street food, parties, and food of all sorts. For students, there¡¯s a long winter break to look forward to, and for adults, we look forward to finally opening that bottle of wine we¡¯ve been saving, or the simple pleasure of enjoying soju and beer from the nearby convenience store. Also, there are probably quite a few people who are hoping that Santa works extra hard this winter. I, myself, was one of them until I got to third grade (As for the children asking why I stopped believing in Santa in third grade, I choose not to answer that question.). In any case, when winteres, the cold isn¡¯t the only thing thates blowing our way.

    As we near the end of the year, we can¡¯t forget about the award ceremonies. From entertainment awards for the greatest actor/actresses to music awards, watching the ceremonies across all three TV stations has long been a habit of mine. However, as a journalist who specializes in books approved by the Ministry of Culture, the one type of award ceremony I look forward to the most is the literary award ceremony. There exist countless literary awards in Korea, and of course, some have questionable titles that would leave the heads of those who hear about them twisted. In our heartless, modern society, things that stay true to their original intentions are bing increasingly rare. However, not all hope is lost just yet. Just like there are things that bring us nothing but disappointment and hopelessness, there are also things that restore our hope in humanity (just like a hot cup of soup and the cold winter often go hand in hand.).

    As early as yesterday, the winners of the Rational Literary Awards were announced. One winner of the grand prize, one winner of specialty award, and eleven winners of awards of excellence. The evaluation is said to have been, by far, the most difficult up to date. And now, the results of the mostborious evaluation in history...

    The winner of the grand prize of the Rational Literary Award: Yun Woo

    The winner of the specialty award: Seo Joong Ahn (I will list the names of the remaining eleven at the bottom, as this article is primarily about Yun Woo and the literary magazine ¡®The Beginning and the End.¡¯ Also, for the reason I have mentioned above, let us briefly touch on Seo Joong Ahn¡¯s story.)

    Seo Joong Ahn¡¯s victory caught many by surprise because it meant that he had managed to beat San Jung Youn. Although Seo Joong Ahn¡¯s brilliance and subtlety is well known among readers in Korea, San Jung Youn is an author who has been recognized internationally. Everyone knows that she was the first Korea winner of an international award in Italy. To the readers with opposing opinions, the judges offered an exnation, saying that they ced high value on her method of approaching the subject of death by utilizing a literary device (This is what makes literature so interesting. Even Ernest Hemingway of ¡°The Old Man and the Sea,¡± who we all know and love, has a record of making a bad move in his career, bing the target of all sorts of harsh criticisms from the masses.).

    Having written mostly about growth, Seo Joong Ahn had undergone a slight change through his previous novel, ¡°One Room,¡± and that change turned out to be a massive sess. On that note... Let us move on to Yun Woo, the winner of the grand prize. Just likest year, at the mere age of eighteen years old, the young author managed to earn the title of being the youngest winner. For those who are reading this article, I¡¯ll assume that you¡¯ve read ¡°River,¡± yourselves. Otherwise, I wholeheartedly rmend you do so. Read it, and you¡¯ll understand why I, a journalist who specializes in books approved by the Ministry of Culture, was in such shock when I first read it. (That¡¯s right. Yun Woo¡¯s short story was an event in and of itself.)

    Is this truly death portrayed by an eighteen-year-old teenager? My heart is filled with doubt on one hand, while moved deeply on the other. Lately, there are all kinds of theories surrounding the identity of the author, and it only serves as further validation that the young author did something right. Now, staying true to the title of this article, I will discuss Yun Woo¡¯s aplishments as an author. Aside from his debut title being made into a movie that reached well over ten million viewers, he also finished ¡®Language of God,¡¯ as well as tranted Kelley Coin¡¯s book. Coin himself had requested the young author in person, and as a result, Yun Woo was chosen as ¡°The Best Trantor of the Year.¡±

    ¡°The Best Trantor of the Year¡± is chosen based on poll results from publishers and the recognition of professional trantors. Now, I¡¯d like to emphasize once again that this is what Yun Woo has aplished at the age of eighteen. Yun Woo is... (I probably sound like a fangirl by now, so I¡¯ll try to refrain myself from any furtherpliments toward the author.)

    In conclusion, Yun Woo¡¯s aplishments are, simply put, ster. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m witnessing the prime of the author¡¯s life. At the same time, that also brings me a sense of anxiety, leaving me insecure about him having his career cut short. I¡¯m sure we all, as readers and fans, want our favorite author to be around longer, while we anticipate his books in the future. Therefore, I¡¯d like to urge my fellow fans to be mindful of burdening the young author, whom I firmly believe has a bright future ahead of him.

    ¡ª

    ¡°The article might be full ofpliments toward Yun Woo, but none of them are wrong. The youngest winner of the Dong Kyung AND the Rational Literary Award. The youngest author of the book made into a ten-million viewers movie. The youngest to trante a Kelley Coin novel.¡±

    ¡°His sense ofnguage in ¡®Language of God¡¯ is out of this world, and I think it contributes majorly to his career. I got the chills reading the offshoot volume.¡±

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ is super popr overseas. Have a friend who lives in California, and he¡¯s a massive fan of Yun Woo. I mean, he started studying Korean because of that!¡±

    ¡°That series is at number ten in the overall sales rankings of foreign online bookstores, and I¡¯m talking about OVERALL rankings. Not only in the fantasy genre, but overall. Among those books that are written in English, ¡®Language of God¡¯ is the tenth most-sold novel of all time. I believe it¡¯s the first Korean novel to enter into a top ten list in any overseas market.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s already famous all across the globe. It¡¯s almost scary how popr he is in countries like China, Japan, and India. From what I saw on the TV, they¡¯ve been describing him as this mysterious, genius author.¡±

    ¡°Where can I see that??¡±

    ¡°Link:¡±

    ¡°On top of all that, ¡®The Best Trantor of the Year.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I figure that whoever ends up tranting Yun Woo¡¯s books will be dumbfounded, wondering why the author doesn¡¯t do it himself.¡±

    ¡°I mean, you can¡¯t scratch your own back, right?¡±

    ¡°Authors go through a ridiculous amount of reading when they write, so tranting might not be the most appealing to him after writing an entire book.¡±

    ¡°There are other authors who trante on top of their own writing besides Yun Woo. Also, plenty of authors don¡¯t trante their own works.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s trantor knows what he¡¯s doing. Considering it¡¯s being published by Fernand, I guess the quality only makes sense. On top of that, the senior editor is famous for being a fan of Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s sad to see Seo Joong Ahn getting buried amongst all these authors when he¡¯s just as incredible of an author. His stories always have some sort of unimaginable twist, and even his best friend, Dong Gil Uhm, recognizes his talent.¡±

    ¡°I loved his recent short story. IMO, he deserved the award over San Jung Youn.¡±

    ¡°I think the judges ced a higher value on Seo Joong Ahn¡¯s piece because he¡¯s maturing as an author. He was already famous, but he just keeps getting better!¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have guessed in my dreams that San Jung Youn wouldn¡¯t win.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, her piece was somewhat controversial for the judges this year. I think that had something to do with it.

    ¡°What wrong did the judges do, anyway? If I were one of them, there¡¯s no way I could have picked only one. I¡¯m serious, they get all the crap, no matter what.¡±

    ¡°¡®The Beginning and the End¡¯ is marking a new era in the history of literary magazines.

    ¡°And Yun Woo wins the grand prize.¡±

    ¡°¡®River¡¯ is essentially about my life.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never read the same book over and over again, but I¡¯m still not tired of it.¡±

    ¡°I agree. I¡¯ve read it so many times that I memorized all of the dialogue. Seriously, those are some hard-hitting conversations, though.¡±

    ¡°I wonder when the next book ising out? I mean, Yun Woo¡¯s human too, so I presume that it would take him some time.¡±

    ¡°I logged into the publishingpany¡¯s website to ask, but the website was down. Typical Zelkova.¡±

    ¡°Oh, wow. It really is.¡±

    ...

    ¡ª

    ¡°To Yun Woo, for winning the grand prize!¡±

    ¡°Cheers!¡±

    Juho chuckled as he shouted cheers with sses filled with soda. First, he was proud of his underage friends for raising their sses with colorful soft drinks instead of alcohol, and second, there was joy in their voices. They were not only celebrating, but there was even greater joy in that they finally got to call out the name ¡°Yun Woo¡± without reservation. Then, when Sun Hwa saw the look on Juho¡¯s face, sheined, ¡°Why the long face? Aren¡¯t you happy?¡±

    ¡°Me? Long face? You have no idea how happy I am.¡±

    ¡°But where¡¯s the soul? We even made a toast.¡±

    As Juho looked away from her quietly, he saw Seo Kwang, wearing a proud expression on his face for some reason. Chugging his Coke, he let out a long, satisfied sigh and wiped his mouth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m the only person here who can provide you a ce to celebrate, especially Yun Woo being awarded the grand prize. You¡¯re wee,¡± he said, emphasizing Yun Woo. Then, Juho looked around at his surroundings, which were filled with books and hand-written rmendations and smelled of coffee. It was no other ce than Seo Kwang¡¯s mother¡¯s book cafe.

 Chapter 200 - About an Incredible Accomplishment (3)

    <h4>Chapter 200: About an Incredible Aplishment (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Although the book cafe would normally turn into a bar in the evening, Seo Kwang¡¯s mother decided to close the shop early because of a prior engagement with her parents. And knowing that, with his mother¡¯s permission, Seo Kwang had reserved the shop to celebrate the aplishment of his friend in the form of a party. Each of them havinge with food and drinks, the club members were ecstatic about the rare asion. With the candle on the table at the center as the only light source, the club members enjoyed the cozy warmth along with all sorts of food and snacks, carried away by the intoxicating atmosphere of feeling like adults who were celebrating over drinks.

    ¡°I knew you had it in you. This is my friend!¡± Seo Kwang shouted, followed by Bo Suk¡¯s, ¡°And my hero!¡±

    The club members celebrated boisterously, as if letting out all of their pent up frustrations. Then, stuffing his mouth with fish sausage, Seo Kwang asked Juho, ¡°How are things going with the new book?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going through revisions. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to make it today.¡±

    The manuscript was in Nam Kyung¡¯s hands, and the editor would bring upments on ces that were ambiguous or dragging on. The process was more heartbreaking and undesirable than anything. On top of that, Nam Kyung, being the perfectionist that he was, tended to be relentless with hisments. While that meant that he had a sharp eye forpositions and that it would ultimately result in a better product, Juho couldn¡¯t deny that it was among the most painful processes of all.

    ¡°I needed a ce to breathe.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯vee to the right ce, my friend.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! That¡¯s right!¡± Sun Hwa agreed emphatically. ¡°Besides, Baron¡¯s here, too!¡± she added, looking in his direction.

    Juho, followed her eyes and saw the graduate, drinking his orange juice quietly. The club members were incredibly excited to see Baron after he had graduated.

    To which, Baron responded brusquely, ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been that long.¡±

    ¡°Oh! C¡¯mon, now! Emotions are always stronger than time,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°And that¡¯s why time flies by when things are good, and long and tedious asions feel like an eternity. In that same way, time goes slower when we wait for something, but it goes by twice as fast the day before an exam,¡± Sun Hwa added. While Bo Suk pped quietly at her rather profound remark, Baron couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    ¡°You just wait ¡¯til next year, when the freshmen starting in. I promise you, it won¡¯t even ur to you to think about me. Memories are weaker than time.¡±

    ¡°Wow, good one.¡±

    ¡°If anybody were to listen to our conversations, they would know immediately that we¡¯re in a Literature Club,¡± Bom murmured. Then, she shouted, ¡°But in here, it doesn¡¯t matter who¡¯s weak or strong!¡±

    She appeared to be in high spirits. Sun Hwa, who was also in high spirits, asked the freshman to put on some background music. Meanwhile, Juho saw the potential customers looking into the shop through the window to see if it was open, and turning back soon after, realizing that it wasn¡¯t. For the sake of letting the girls have their fun, Juho decided to keep it a secret from them. Then, putting a piece of sweet and sour chicken into his mouth, Juho watched the club members breaking out into a dance frenzy out of nowhere.

    ¡°Juho,¡± Bo Suk called for him, observing him. Juho felt her gaze from time to time.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I have a question.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Juho asked as an affirmation, bringing his cup up to his mouth.

    ¡°How are you so calm?¡±

    ¡°Calm?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Not only did you manage to win that award over all those incredible authors, but you¡¯re also being recognized as a trantor for tranting Kelley Coin¡¯s book. On top of that, you wrote a short story that everyone recognizes, ¡®River.¡¯ And now, you¡¯re getting all the attention because of your uing book.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡± Juho said, drinking his soda.

    ¡°See? You¡¯re so calm, even now,¡± Bo Suk said, fixing her eyes on him, looking attentively at his every movement.

    ¡°I see. So, it sounds like what you really want to know is what I¡¯m like internally, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Then, there¡¯s a better way to find out than asking questions.¡±

    At his response, Bo Suk¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity, and Juho decided to teach her how Literature Club members could explore their minds when writing.

    ¡°Empathy.¡±

    Empathizing allowed a writer to understand their subjects at their hearts, even up to the effervescence of the soda in Juho¡¯s cup. The effervescence was filled with joy at the sight of the kids who are also filled with joy, and it also felt joy for Juho winning the grand prize and bing the trantor of the year.

    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna tell me, are you?¡± Bo Suk asked, pouting.

    To which, Juho said, ¡°Words are stronger than emotions. One may be sad, but they can always say that they¡¯re happy, even when they¡¯re anxious and insecure.¡±

    At his mysterious answer, Bo Suk stared intently at Juho.

    ¡°It seems to me that you¡¯re stronger than emotions.¡±

    At those glittering words, Juho simply smiled awkwardly.

    ¡ª

    In the meantime, having gone home after his visit to the print shop, Nam Kyung hadn¡¯t been able to leave his car for several hours after giving into the temptation of reading Yun Woo¡¯s manuscript upon arriving at his home¡¯s parking lot. It was already dark out, and when the editor checked the time, it was 4:00 a.m. His neck and shoulders felt tense, and his eyes dry. His chest felt tight, and he felt his body stiffening up while he read.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± he let out a long, heavy sigh.

    Then, rxing his tense body, he tried to organize his mind, scattered about by the storm within. However, realizing that it wasn¡¯t going to happen, he gave up.

    ¡°What did I just read?¡±

    What had been clear as day while reading had evaporated the moment he looked up from the pages, like a mirage. Yun Woo was like smoke. After writing ¡®River,¡¯ the young author had brought back yet another piece of writing, which was, to say the least, baffling.

    ¡°Is it falling apart, or did he mangle up the whole thing intentionally?¡± Nam Kyung asked himself, putting his hand on his forehead.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think this will work,¡± he said.

    Those were the very first words toe out of his mouth as soon as they met. Looking at the editor¡¯s face, Juho noticed that he had a haggard look about him, which told the author how much he had wrestled with his mind until reaching his decision.

    ¡°In what ways?¡± Juho asked, and instead of giving an answer, Nam Kyung stared intently at the young author¡¯s face.

    ¡°You should know. Why do you think it¡¯s not gonna work?¡±

    ¡°It has to be the ending.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    As an author, there was no way Juho didn¡¯t know the ws of his own work. From the weakest part to the most emphasized, the climax, and the scenes that evoke the most desperation, an author was bound to know their work inside and out. Nevertheless, they would lose sight of their ws while they were busy looking around for iing danger. After all, they were the creators of their own craft. As an editor, it was also Nam Kyung¡¯s job to correct an author¡¯s path in their creative endeavor. However, that was also what made his job difficult at times. Never had he came across such writing in his career.

    ¡°Do you have any idea how lost I was?¡±

    Because it was going to be the piece to follow ¡®River,¡¯ Nam Kyung had prepared himself internally as he received the manuscript from the author. When he read the first page, he had felt immediately confident. Fire was a fearsome being in the novel, and the deeds of those who had been affected by the fire were just as fearsome. In what felt like a parade of rage, terror, and doubt, the editor couldn¡¯t hold back his excitement. That was until he reached thest ten of the two hundred pages, which he had waited for anxiously.

    ¡°Frankly, I have no idea how you were able to write that part, Mr. Woo,¡± Nam Kyung said honestly, and Juho simply listened quietly. ¡°I just can¡¯t seem to justify it, no matter what theory I use. At first, I just read through them candidly. I thought the scene where all of the characters get jumbled up and be indistinguishable was outstanding. It was to the point of losing the ability to think clearly.¡±

    However, something had bothered the editor, tugging away at his heart. Something wasn¡¯t right. Even though all of the characters were bing one, there was nothing about it that felt alien or out of ce. In fact, it feltpletely natural. Typical Yun Woo: pure and colorful. Despite the appalling, sludgy, and damp content, everything felt natural.

    ¡°Then, I realized what had changed. It was sneaky of you, but I did notice a change in between the characters. Although, I have no idea if this is even possible to execute...¡± Nam Kyung said, looking straight at Juho.

    ¡°Your style.¡±

    At his answer, Juho nodded, quietly.

    ¡°Because everything changes at the end.¡±

    In the novel, everything and everyone changed in the end, from the culprit to the hero, the narrator, and the author. To be more precise, it wasn¡¯t the direction that Juho had intended from the beginning. Being shapeless and uncatchable, water took the shape of the container it was in. In that same way, the readers would feel as though things had changed, as if betrayed. And just as Juho had thought, Nam Kyung had a sharp eye forpositions.

    At that moment, Nam Kyung mmed his hands on the table and jumped from his seat, saying, ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. This, this is strange. How can a piece of writing change like that, as if written by someone with a split personality? How could something that should stay consistent from cover to cover in a book, fall away all of a sudden at the end? And why do I find it so charming?¡±

    It was as if...

    ¡°Another person wrote it, I mean,¡± Nam Kyung paused briefly in order to correct the blunt remark he had blurted out by reflex. However, Juho had heard him clearly. As the young author smiled, the editor let out a sigh and added, ¡°OK. Honestly, I doubted for a split second that another person wrote thest ten pages, no more, no less. I thought it was the most logical exnation, although it wasn¡¯t long after that that I realized that you wouldn¡¯t have a reason for it that would benefit you in any way.¡±

    It was the exnation that made the most sense, and Juho understood where Nam Kyung wasing from. Then, as if giving up, the editor began to share his honest thoughts.

    ¡°Did it happen by coincident?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Was it a breath-of-fresh-air sort of situation while you were wrestling with it?¡±

    ¡°I wrote it just as I have always done.¡±

    ¡°Or were you starting to wear out?¡±

    ¡°I jog on a daily basis.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung let out a sigh.

    ¡°So, which one is it? The magical pen, time machine, or doping?¡±

    ¡°None of the above.¡±

    ¡°Then what is it?¡±

    ¡°I told you. I changed too, along with my writing.¡± Juho had no recollection of writing with a magical pen or being in a time machine or having used any sort of drugs. Then, putting on a smile, he asked slowly, ¡°Would you like to know the secret?¡±

    ¡°... so there is something, huh?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Then, please,¡± Nam Kyung said, looking at the young author over his sses.

    Then, after the initial thought of dragging it on, Juho decided to cut to the chase, ¡°I have two different writing styles. That¡¯s all.¡±

    At the baffling answer, Nam Kyung tilted his head, perplexed.

    ¡°Two. Different. Writing styles,¡± the editor said, furrowing his brow. Then, Juho picked up the manuscript that proved what the young author had imed. At that, Nam Kyung froze in his ce.

    ¡°Is that possible?¡±

    ¡°Apparently, as you can tell,¡± Juho said, drinking his tea.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Nam Kyung let out. From then on, he wasn¡¯t able to say anything for quite a while. As the editor looked through the manuscript over and over, Juho waited patiently for him to finish. Then, by the time he started feeling dazed, the young author asked, ¡°It doesn¡¯t necessarily take away from the novel, does it?¡±

    ¡°... Hm,¡± Nam Kyung let out as he reconnected with reality. ¡°... are you nning oning clean about being able to write in two different styles?¡±

    ¡°I prefer not to give out too much information when ites to my work.¡±

    ¡°Right. Yeah,¡± Nam Kyung concurred, nodding. Significance and symbolism. It was quite a Yun Woo-like decision, and Nam Kyung agreed with the young author that it would be better not to disclose information like that. Then, he thought about the possible consequences that would follow once the book came out to the world. ¡°People will say all sorts of things.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been Yun Pil before. I¡¯ve had worse.¡±

    ¡°People will start thinking that you hired a ghostwriter.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nothing new, is it?¡±

    ¡°... You knew?¡±

    As the editor kept wrestling with his thoughts, Juho asked, ¡°Is there an issue with how the novel ends?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Are the sentences not strong enough?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Is having two styles distracting?¡±

    ¡°No, the contrary.¡±

    ¡°Is it too subtle?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯d find yourself getting into trouble if you were to make it any more obvious.¡±

    If Juho were to ask what the issues were, Nam Kyung wouldn¡¯t hesitate to tell him. Out of ce. Foreign. Chaotic. An ambiguity between coincidence and skill. Excellence. Strictly speaking, Yun Woo¡¯s second style was fantastic, and there was a reason that authors romanticized the ability to utilize an array of styles at their disposal. Being able to write ording to the overall flow while changing the ambiance was only possible in a fairytale. It was a skill most writers would go to great lengths to obtain, and the thought of it alone made their hearts jump. Being able to write beyond the boundaries of one¡¯s self was the ultimate form of art.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Nam Kyung let out, failing to calm his mind and simply scanning through the manuscript with raw emotions. The writing style didn¡¯t change whenever the plot moved forward or depending on the characters¡¯ points of view. However, at the end, at the very end, the writing style changed out of nowhere at the climax, when the message of the novel became the most apparent. It was the scene that would bring about serious doubt on the author, leaving readers to wonder: ¡®Did Yun Wooe up with the ending and did he write it himself?¡¯ The style couldn¡¯t fit the overall atmosphere of the novel any better.

    Even without fully understanding the situation, most people would be in shock. Some would start asking questions and begin to look for answers themselves as they wrestled with their minds, while others would list out absurd conjectures,cking in any evidence. In the end, people would fall back into the routine of surrounding the mysterious author with all sorts of assumptions and doubts.

    Then, Nam Kyung looked up, looking much more at peace. However, Yun Woo remained unafraid. After all, he was an author who was well acquainted with those types of circumstances.

    ¡°Maybe we should give it a go.¡±

    Perhaps, it would be worth a try.

 Chapter 201 - One Step Forward (1)

    <h4>Chapter 201: One Step Forward (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°How would you like to name it?¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t thought about it, have you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    After some discussion, Juho and Nam Kyung left the botanical garden in order to get some food. Walking past the tropical nts, Juho wondered, ¡°What if this ce burns down?¡±

    ¡°Should we make the title something relevant to fire?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s see... Arson, mes...¡± Nam Kyung said, thinking out loud, even mentioning several phrases from the novel.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Juho said after brief contemtion.

    As me began to engulf the entire garden, the unfortunate nts started burning away, unable to run away from the fire. Then, amid the ck smoke, the green leaves moved about before falling to the ground, one by one. The thing that both fire and trees needed was water.

    ¡°Evaporation.¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s that sound? ¡®Evaporation¡¯¡±

    It was the process of liquid turning into gas, and it gave an image that something was fading away. Juho felt like it would suit the ending of his novel quite well.

    Then, rolling the word around in his mouth for a little while, Nam Kyung tilted his head. Although it wasn¡¯t half bad, it stillcked impact. Yun Woo tended to be modest toward his own work, so Nam Kyung shared his opinion, ¡°I keep thinking ¡®Sublimation.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Sublimation?¡±

    ¡°Yes, give me a moment.¡±

    Then, Nam Kyung took his phone out and looked up the definition of the word: A phenomenon which elevates to a higher degree.

    (Editor¡¯s note: In English, this is the archaic definition of the word, but if you look up the word, all other, more current definitions apply as well, which is very clever.)

    ¡°So, it¡¯s often used in describing art. It means to change, so it suits your novel well.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°The way I see it, it suits the overall vibe of the novel without any problem. It really entuates the elements of uncertainty and mystery.¡±

    While Juho contemted the idea, Nam Kyung took the opportunity to appeal the title, which he was seemingly quite fond of, to the young author.

    ¡°It would also serve as a device to keep the readers from having an overly negative view of wrestling with self-identity, so it bnces out the novel, which is full of doubt and lies. There¡¯s a holy aspect to it too, so it gives that subliminal touch. ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ It fits the ending of the novel just right.¡±

    Juho listened quietly to the editor, who was mildly excited.

    ¡°It would also feel like your writing has evolved even further since ¡®River.¡¯ I think this is also the perfect opportunity to show those pricks up for thinking Yun Woo wouldn¡¯t be able to outdo himself past ¡®River.¡¯ Just imagine, ¡®Yun Woo sublimates his burden as an author into an art.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I feel about that.¡±

    ¡°No, no. So-to-speak.¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s think it over while we eat, shall we?¡±

    Just like that, after a discussion over a meal, ¡®Sublimation¡¯ was decided as the title of the new novel.

    ¡°Now, time to have some fun with revisions,¡± Nam Kyung said before they parted ways at the entrance of a park, implying that they should shoot for the stars.

    ¡ª

    ¡®Language of God.¡¯ It was a novel about fourpanions who left on a quest to meet God. A full-length novel, their grand journey had been printed, tranted, and spread throughout the world. Many had bought the book, reading, discussing, feeling, and sharing it.

    The readers of ¡®Language of God¡¯ naturally found themselves asking about the author, and eventually started looking for answers themselves. The easiest way to go about this was to look within the book. The ¡®About the Author¡¯ page. However, as readers overseas opened the book in order to learn more about the author, they only found themselves riddled with even more questions. Debuting at the age of sixteen, and still writing at the age of eighteen. Then those readers moved on to the inte, where a plethora of information about the author was readily avable. However, most of the information was far from urate or reliable. Yun Woo was a Korean author who became known for pure literature before attempting genre novels. There was no information regarding his appearance or the sound of his voice. He was also known as the Kelley Coin Trantor, and there were a number of his pieces that were yet to be tranted. His most recent short story had been received extremely well in Korea. The senior trantor of Fernand, arge American publishingpany, was known to be a fan of Yun Woo, and his books had made bestseller lists across the globe, including the US, France, and all across Europe.

    ¡°At the same time, there are those who don¡¯t recognize Yun Woo¡¯s work as literature.¡±

    A thirty-eight-year-old Korean man living in Los Angeles was reading a book while lying down in his room, written by none other than the Korean-born, genius author, Yun Woo. It was ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Despite the weight of the book, the man was quite fond of it. As a fan, the fact that there was more to read was something to be grateful for. The weight was proportional to how much of the author the man got to know, and how much he got to experience of the world the author had created. Living in Los Angeles, the thirty-eight-year-old Korean man was a fan of Yun Woo, as well as an avid fan of ¡®Language of God.¡¯

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you recognize him as an author?¡± the man asked his friend, Jay, who identified himself as being anti-Yun Woo.

    Then, with his mouth full of nachos, Jay said, ¡°He¡¯s too young.¡±

    Although it was a simple answer, it was undeniable since the author was actually young.

    ¡°But his writing is just out of this world.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I hear. Even critics had a lot of good things to say about him.¡±

    ¡°Yet, you don¡¯t recognize him as an author because?¡±

    Then, a faint trace of annoyance appeared on Jay¡¯s face.

    ¡°Why are you so obsessed with that?¡± I can¡¯t stand that kid. He¡¯s a show-off.¡±

    ¡°Who is?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    It was an absurd and delusional statementing from a ce of jealousy. As the man stared at Jay intently, Jay exined himself in a hurry as if pricked in the heart, ¡°Look, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s never won any major awards or anything. Besides, what you¡¯re saying right now is like calling a burger with a greasy patty and limp pieces of lettuce the best dish in the world, and offering it to me. Sure, it¡¯s tasty, but the taste is about the only good thing there is about the burger. It causes all sorts of diseases. As for me, I happen to know restaurants with three Michelin stars that make healthier and better-tasting food.¡±

    At his friend¡¯s answer, the man contemted something genuinely, thinking, ¡®How do I get this arrogant bastard to shut up?¡¯

    ¡°So, Yun Woo¡¯s no different than a burger to you?¡±

    ¡°So-to-speak.¡±

    ¡°You just managed insult burgers and Yun Woo at the same time.¡±

    ¡°Yep, and I hate them both, equally as much,¡± Jay said, the chewing sound reverberating throughout the room. He had mentioned something about an award.

    ¡°Speaking of awards, are you nning on only reading books written by award-winning authors?¡±

    ¡°I was just answering your question, man. You¡¯re the one who asked why I didn¡¯t recognize him as an author.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that authors who don¡¯t get any awards are not even real authors?¡±

    ¡°No way. That would just make them authors who haven¡¯t won any award.¡±

    ¡°Well, lucky for you, I happen to know just the remedy for that narrow-minded mentality of yours. You know what you need? You need a dose of Yun Woo¡¯s books. Once is all it takes.¡±

    ¡°No, thanks.¡±

    Although Yun Woo was an eighteen-year-old, bestselling, genius author, he had never won any major awards overseas. Despite having written titles like ¡®Language of God,¡¯ ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ and ¡®Sound of Wailing,¡¯ he had never won an award outside of Korea.

    ¡°Well, for your information, he did win awards. In fact, he¡¯s the youngest winner of two major literary awards in Korea.¡±

    ¡°In Korea.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking trash?¡±

    ¡°Maybe a little.¡±

    At Jay¡¯s less-than-likable attitude, the man gave in to his frustration and shouted, ¡°Because he¡¯s still young! Do you know what the age of the youngest winner of a literary award is in this country? Forty-eight! Yun Woo is only eighteen, and OF COURSE they wouldn¡¯t give one to him! This world hates new things, after all. Everyone raves about evolving and moving forward, but in reality, they¡¯re all just busy trying to look good on the outside, am I right!? Damn it!¡±

    Then, the book in the man¡¯s hand fell to his thigh. He had drawn a circle on the page he had been reading, which exined the difference between discrimination and difference. The difference in wealth, position, appearance, and things people were born with. They all changed over time.

    ¡°All the literary awards that are recognized worldwide are all from the west, anyway. Not to mention, all of the judges are Americans. Do you have any idea how hard it is for an Asian to win that award? I¡¯m sick and tired of scandals that have to do with literary awards! If they are going to judge based on race, gender, and nationality, what¡¯s the point in voting? Why don¡¯t they just call the author they feel like giving the award to and give it to them? This is the twenty-first century we¡¯re living in, yet how is it that there¡¯s not a single Asian author who¡¯s won the Annr Award, let alone be candidates? Think about it! Isn¡¯t it strange? And you talk about the award being recognized worldwide? About burgers? He¡¯s never won any major awards? Who are you to talk like that!? What kind of award have you won, huh!?¡±

    ¡°Whoa, whoa!¡±

    Having been envious of the young author who had seeded in life at an early age, Jay raised both of his hands and backed off. The Annr Award,monly known as The Fantasy Literary Award, was one of the four major, international science fiction literary awards given to authors by the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America. Along with a trophy, the winners were given the opportunity to raise their sales across the globe by an astronomical margin.

    The judges of the association consist of preexisting members, and those authors who wished to join the association had to meet fastidious standards, like having published at least three novels in the past, or having sales above a certain amount. Even then, memberships were divided into levels within the association, making it an incredible challenge to obtain even the most basic membership.

    Unlike their worldwide recognition, the award was based mostly in the US, and was entirely centered around books written in or tranted into English. For that reason, there was never an Asian winner of the Annr Award. And after mentioning the award, which any science fiction fan would know, Jay tried to calm the man down.

    ¡°Hey, rx. I was just poking fun at ya. I know that award isn¡¯t the ultimate goal for authors. Besides, even the act of giving out awards itselfes with a world of issues. For example, the Olympics. Referees misjudge all the time, and some results are just tantly fabricated. Honestly, things like that make me wonder if judging athletes with fairness was ever a priority. But they keep giving out those awards, and glory goes where the award goes. Why? Because in this consequentialist, modern society, getting an award is the simplest, the easiest, and the most convenient way to be recognized.¡±

    There was glory even in false awards, bringing the winner fame and cing them in a higher social position. Perhaps there was no such thing as a false award in this world, only those who shouldn¡¯t be given awards. Those ideas were quite stale, and the man clenched his hands into fists. If he were to admit that those ideas were, indeed, stale, then he, too, would be stale. So, he believed. He believed that ¡®Language of God¡¯ had the potential to transcend suchws. In his years of living in the US, he had never witnessed a Korean novel being sold at the rate in which ¡®Language of God¡¯ was selling at. The man believed in his favorite novel, written by his favorite author.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet.¡±

    ¡°A bet? On what?¡±

    ¡°On something that gives you an advantage. There¡¯s not going to be a trace of fairness, and the chance of me losing should be ny-nine percent. But as you know, I happen to be the type who ces his hopes on the one percent.¡±

    ¡°Well, then, sounds like I¡¯ve got nothing to lose. What¡¯s the bet?¡± Jay said with a smile. The freckles on his cheeks also moved up as the corners of his mouth turned up.

    ¡°I know for sure that Yun Woo¡¯s books, like this ¡®Language of God¡¯ here, are fully qualified to win the Annr Award because they¡¯ve been tranted into English.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Although the Annr Award was typically known as an award given out to authors of science fiction, they also considered fantasy novels. On top of that, the award wasn¡¯t just limited to novels, considering evenpositions like screenys and reviews. The moment ¡®Language of God¡¯ was tranted into English, the man started secretly hoping that the book would win the award. Although it might not have been the case for other major literary awards, the youngest winner of the Annr Award was twenty-three years old. There was a chance.

    ¡°I bet that Yun Woo will be the youngest, and the first Asian, and Korean, to be chosen as a candidate for the Annr Award.¡±

    ¡°A candidate? Instead of a winner?¡¯

    ¡°It takes time to get there. The evaluation goes on for a while.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re already gung-ho about this, aren¡¯t you?¡± Jay said, his smile turning into a mocking snicker. ¡°Well, what¡¯s in it for me?¡±

    ¡°When I win,¡± the man said, cutting Jay offpletely. ¡°If I win, you stand in the middle of a public square and shout ¡°Yun Woo is the best novelist in the world!¡± three times. Then, I¡¯ll record it and put it up on the inte. Also, you eat nothing but burgers for an entire week.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Jay said, his voice filled with interest. ¡°OK. Well, if I win, you¡¯re forever banned from buying, reading, or even making any rmendations of Yun Woo books to me. On top of that, you owe me a meal at a three-Michelin star restaurant.¡±

    ¡°... Isn¡¯t that a bit much?¡±

    ¡°At least I¡¯m not putting you through public humiliation. Why? Are you afraid you¡¯ll lose?¡±

    ¡°Deal.¡±

    Just like that, the two kept an eye out for news of the Annr Award.

    ¡ª

    Coming back from his morning exercise, Juho realized that he had missed a call while he¡¯d been out. It was from Jang Mi, and when he called her back, the voice on the other end of the line was exploding with joy, sounding happier than Juho had ever heard her. The joy was overwhelming, to the point of the editor beingpletely incoherent in her speech.

    ¡°Could you repeat that?¡± Juho asked calmly, and after taking a deep breath, Jang Mi said, ¡°You were chosen as the candidate for an international science fantasy literary award!¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡± Juho asked again.

    At which point, she rephrased her words, ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ might end up getting the Annr Award!¡±

 Chapter 202 - One Step Forward (2)

    <h4>Chapter 202: One Step Forward (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Dong Baek, the president of the Dong Baek Publishing Company, and Jang Mi, the editor-in-chief, sat opposite of each other, each looking as serious as the other. ¡®Language of God¡¯ had been chosen as the first Korean candidate for an international science fiction literary award. Of the five awarded categories, the novel had been chosen as a full-length candidate. Once the novel had gone through several months of evaluations and was chosen as the winner, the author would be awarded with one of the most widely recognized literary awards in the world, along with the title of being the youngest and the first Korean and Asian winner in the history of the award.

    ¡°Mr. Young sounded pretty excited, too,¡± Jang Mi said, remembering the voice she had heard during the call. However, after chuckling for only a brief time, the young author went back to being his usual self, as if the news no longer excited him.

    ¡°It seems like Mr. Woo is much bolder than I thought.¡±

    Yun Woo was an author with guts, which exined how he was able to write the kinds of novels he had, all with any hesitation.

    ¡°He¡¯s in the middle of revising the manuscript of his uing novel, even after writing such an intense short story. He¡¯s a true novelist,¡± Dong Baek said with a heavy sigh.

    Unlike the president of thepany and the editor-in-chief, whose hearts were pounding restlessly and whose hands trembled to the point of keeping them from even picking up a ss of water, the author himself couldn¡¯t be any more at peace.

    ¡°Mr. Young scares me sometimes.¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s the kind of person it takes to write novels like that.¡±

    ¡°I guess so. That also has to be how an eighteen, now neen-year-old author was able to be chosen as a candidate for an international literary award,¡± Jang Mi said as her face loosened up by reflex. She was ecstatic even with just the thought of the author being chosen as a candidate and, when she thought of ¡®Language of God,¡¯ she felt confident that it was a novel that deserved more than just the appointment. The delicate settings, the author¡¯s distinctively pure writing style, the profound content and the hard-hitting ending. Both critics and readers had recognized the novel and the significance of its mythology, along with the originalnguages used in the world within the novel. That a novel like that had been chosen as a candidate... Jang Mi began to grasp the unexinable admiration and joy she had felt when she first came across the novel. ¡®Language of God¡¯ had been a novel worthy of such award all along.

    ¡°This might sound crazy, but...¡± the editor-in-chief opened her mouth and said, struggling to say the words. ¡°You don¡¯t think Mr. Young would turn down the award or anything like that, do you?¡±

    Although that was a thought that would be best left as an irrational fear, based on what the two knew about the author¡¯s personality, it was quite possible. Then, Jang Mi imagined the author. The first thing that came to her was his calm, peaceful face, mysterious and impossible to read. The author in her imagination wasn¡¯t looking at her. Instead, his eyes were fixed on his manuscript. Then, writing frantically, the author said, ¡°I find this whole thing quite distracting, so I¡¯d like to decline the award. I¡¯d like to focus on writing.¡±

    A chill ran down her spine. An author had rights to do things like that, and she had no right to stop him. Despite his unassuming appearance, Won Yi Young had an unyielding side to him, especially when it came to writing, and having experienced that firsthand while revising his manuscript, Jang Mi was well aware of that about the author. He tended to be quite stubborn, and it was near impossible to convince him of something, no matter how she phrased her suggestions. After all, even from Jang Mi¡¯s point of view as an editor, it madeplete sense that the young author was that stubborn. And now, things were no different.

    To an author, writing came before awards, sales, or poprity. A good piece of writing tended to sell and grow increasingly popr, but sales and poprity weren¡¯t necessarily a reflection of quality. Therefore, if the author were to actually say what Jang Mi had imagined him saying, she would try desperately to convince him otherwise, only to end up respecting his choice in the end. And it would be no different for the president. Shaking his leg anxiously, Dong Baek said, ¡°But, this is Annr Award we¡¯re talking about. Didn¡¯t you say it was one of the world¡¯s four major literary awards?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but you know Mr. Woo wouldn¡¯t even flinch.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in the middle of revisions, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s not writing, so he might listen.¡±

    ¡°Right? It¡¯s just an irrational fear, right?¡±

    At her question, Dong Baek hesitated for a brief moment, and the air sank into a heavy silence. Yun Woo turning the award down would be the worst possible scenario from thepany¡¯s perspective.

    ¡°... We¡¯re seeing him tomorrow, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The reporters are surrounding the building entrance, so we¡¯ll have to go to the botanical garden.¡±

    The news of Yun Woo being chosen as a candidate spread quickly. Sitting in the conference room, Jang Mi looked at theptop ced in the middle of the desk, reading through the articles that wereing up on the inte.

    ¡°He¡¯s Done It!¡±

    ¡°Won Yi Young Finally Earns Worldwide Fame.¡±

    ¡°Won Yi Young Moves the Hearts of Men Across the Globe.¡±

    Every single one had an exaggerated title, yet there was not a single person pointing that out in thements. Everyone was ecstatic, proud, admiring and rooting for the Korean author. At the same time, they were curious and looking forward to the author getting the award.

    ¡°First off, why don¡¯t we make it so that Mr. Young can¡¯t really chime in?¡± Dong Baek said, making a cheap suggestion. The author was neen. He had the mentality of a middle-aged man, but nevertheless, he was a neen-year-old teenager. Although Yun Woo was yet to have said anything, as president, Dong Baek had the responsibility to prepare for the worst. Once Yun Woo spoke, it would be toote. Then, withoutining, Jang Mi agreed to her boss¡¯ n. She, too, wanted to see the book edited by her and published by herpany receive an international literary award. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

    ¡°What about some party poppers? As soon as he walks in, we pop ¡¯em.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. Should we just burst out into tears, too, while we¡¯re at it? If Mr. Young sees us crying, he might not be so heartless toward us.¡±

    Once their discussion went as far as preparing artificial tears, the two sighed out loud together. The author had no clue of what the people around him were going through, and how tricky and difficult of a person he was.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Young!¡±

    ¡°Marvelous! I¡¯m so proud of being your editor. I¡¯ve already told all of my family and friends about it. Thought I should get it out of the way!¡±

    ¡®Bam! Bam!¡¯

    Juho grabbed the colorful pieces of paper on his head. It was quite noisy, and for some reason, Dong Baek and Jang Mi were making a bigger fuss than usual. There was a box with cake in the president¡¯s hands, probably in celebration of the author¡¯s achievement.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Juho said, looking at the cake, which had been ced on the table. ¡°Should we all eat it, now?¡±

    ¡°Oh, in here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course. It might not seem like it, but we use this room as a lounge, too, so we have everything we need, like disposable chopsticks.¡±

    At that, Juho rose from his seat, reached over and looked through a box that looked like a bonsai tree had been stashed in it. Then, amid all the straws, a pair of wooden chopsticks appeared.

    ¡°Ta-da!¡± Juho said, waving his find, and the two smiled brightly. Juho observed them slowly, yet subtly. He couldn¡¯t put his finger on it, but there was something unnatural about their behavior. Then, thinking that sweets would help him think straight, the young author began to set up the cake on the wooden table.

    ¡°This is a good cake,¡± Juho said as the sweetness of the cream, the sponge, and the fruit spread in his mouth.

    ¡°Do you like it, Mr. Young? We got it from a famous bakery,¡± the president said, chatting up the author. Then, while eating the cake, Juho felt a burning gaze on him.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°How do you feel? You¡¯re chosen as a candidate.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled quietly, and said, ¡°I feel good.¡±

    At his brief response, the president and the editor-in-chief locked eyes quietly. It was a more positive response than they had anticipated. However, nothing else followed. That was the extent of his happiness.

    ¡°Is that it?¡±

    ¡°What else should I be feeling?¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe you could be looking forward to the award, or even feeling anxious.¡±

    At that moment, Dong Baek tapped Jang Mi¡¯s foot under the desk, reminding her that there was no benefit in bringing anxiety into the conversation. Then, the editor-in-chief added candidly, ¡°Or how you n on oveing that anxiety.¡±

    ¡°No, not really.¡±

    Despite her attempts, only a nd answer came back. Then, taking his eyes off the cake, Juho looked up all of a sudden, looked at Dong Baek and said, ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯d like to decline my candidacy.¡±

    At that statement the two had dreaded hearing the most, their faces turned deathly pale.

    ¡°... Was that what you were expecting me to say?¡±

    ¡°... Pardon?¡±

    Juho chuckled light-heartedly. ¡®I knew something was off,¡¯ Juho thought. They had been worried about what he had just said. Observing the look on their faces, Juho saw both anticipation and anxiety. However, what the young author had observed even before those two emotions had been their excitement of experiencing something new. A new attempt brought about a new set of processes, and the only way to find out whether there was sess or failure at the end of the path was to go all the way to the end.

    ¡°I won¡¯t turn down my candidacy, so you can enjoy the moment in peace.¡±

    ¡°... You have a terrible sense of humor, Mr. Young.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d noticed that something was off, so I thought I should lighten things up a little.¡±

    ¡°Your perception is impressive.¡±

    Although Jang Mi¡¯s eyes changed as if looking at something special, Juho waspletely oblivious to it since he was upied with eating his cake,

    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be all that busy, either. It¡¯s the judges who are doing all the work.¡±

    ¡°That is true. You don¡¯t have to worry about getting hassled by reporters, either. If someone, we¡¯re the ones who are running around like headless chickens. Everyone¡¯s busy talking first this and first that.¡±

    ¡°People seem to be making a big fuss about it when I haven¡¯t even gotten the award yet.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to be so modest now, Mr. Young. You were chosen as a candidate out of all science fictions novels written in English. On top of that, it¡¯s your book! An Asian and Korean novel! This is huge!¡±

    Then, Jang Mi lowered her voice to a whisper, murmuring, ¡°Speaking of which, the award tends to lean too much toward one side. They love stories that are based on the Eastern culture, yet they only consider works written in English.¡±

    ¡°Sad realities,¡± Dong Baek said with a bitter smile. No matter how much one grumbled about it, the fact that the Annr Award was a literary award of international recognition remained unchanged. With the award, came the recognition of the entire world, as well as an astronomical boost in sales, poprity, and social status. Being an award with half a century of history, the Annr Award carried quite the weight and power. If Yun Woo, or Won Yi Young, were to win an award like that... Dong Baek cleared his throat as he felt something welling up from within. He couldn¡¯t help but imagine and look forward to it. Then, looking up at the author, he wondered, ¡®How can he be so calm? What a specimen! He¡¯s just as incredible as his writing.¡¯

    ¡°Well, first of all, you¡¯re gonna have to make a brief statement about your candidacy.¡±

    ¡°What statement?¡±

    ¡°How you feel, and so on. Your readers are dying to know what you¡¯re thinking, and I¡¯m sure that curiosity spans the globe, now.¡±

    ¡°... But I¡¯m in the middle of revising a manuscript.¡±

    ¡®In here? Now?¡¯ Dong Back thought, fighting desperately to keep his expression calm.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be that long. You said you felt good about it, right? What if you deliver that to your readers, somehow?¡±

    ¡°Yes, thanking and appreciating them, while you¡¯re at it,¡± Jang Mi added.

    At her suggestion, Juho contemted the idea for a brief moment. A thankful heart. A word to those who read his novels.

    ¡°When do you need it by?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no rush, but the sooner, the better.¡±

    ¡°... Then, I¡¯ll send it your way by the end of this week.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s affirmative answer, Dong Baek thanked the young author, and after a brief thought, he asked, ¡°In my opinion, I don¡¯t think it would be such a bad idea to update your readers on the sequel to ¡®Language of God.¡¯ What do you think?¡±

    A sequel. It was a topic that had been discussed at length. The readers and the editor shared a simr opinion. The readers wanted to interact with the world within the novel at a deeper level, while the editor thought that it was too early for the series to be over. Everyone wanted a sequel. However, Juho tilted his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Nothing¡¯s set in stone yet, so that might be a little tough. I¡¯m honestly not sure if I¡¯d be able to write a sequel.¡±

    ¡°If you do, you mentioned at one point that you¡¯d be talking about the past, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    The origin of God. The mythology that One had studied and its birth. Thenguage iprehensible to humans and the traitor of the animals. Juho did recall wanting to discuss those things in more detail.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get to it, eventually,¡± the young author said. When the inspiration called out to him in a louder voice, only then would he respond. Then, remembering what he had heard in the past, Juho asked, ¡°What about the interview requests that have beening in from overseas? Are you getting them, still?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll go on for a while. Rest assured, Mr. Young. We¡¯ve been turning down every single one of them.¡±

    Then, at the mention of a famous broadcasting station in the US, Juho thought to himself,

    ¡®I¡¯m sure he knows about me by now.¡¯

 Chapter 203 - One Step Forward (3)

    <h4>Chapter 203: One Step Forward (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Kelley Coin,¡± Isabe, the editor in charge of him, called out to the author in an anxious, distrusting voice. Then, a horn sounded twice in the distance. Inside the car, Coin looked ahead after looking out the window for a little while and saw his editor, whose facial expression was anything but calm.

    ¡°I beg you, can we PLEASE do this without causing any trouble today?¡±

    ¡°We never caused any trouble.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, because you were never there.¡±

    At that, Coin waved his hand in denial, indicating that he no longer wanted to waste his energy in the meaningless conversation. Then, swiftly ignoring his gesture, Isabe said, ¡°No disappearing in the middle of the event, punching, or cursing during the interview, got it?¡±

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Coin let out, taking a big swig of the supersized coffee in his hand, which was already half-empty. Because of the bumpy ride, the advice of his distrusting editor, and the massive hassle that was the interview, the author grew increasingly irritable. However, the biggest factor contributing to his irritable mood was Yun Woo. Coin had heard the news that the arrogant boy had been chosen as a candidate for the Annr Award.

    The questions in ¡®Language of God¡¯ were directed toward God. Along with the message of ¡®nothingsts forever,¡¯ the novel portrayed an ever-changing world, and the dimensional characters living within that world who were being affected by it. With a world that consisted of facts andnguages that were scientifically and historically sound, ¡®Language of God¡¯ appealed to the readers with its quality. It was more than good enough to be chosen as a candidate for the award.

    ¡°Are you bothered by the news about Yun Woo?¡± Isabe asked, interfering with his thoughts.

    Then, his face twisted into a scowl ever so slightly, and he said, ¡°If you already know, then be quiet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to talk to you BECAUSE I know. Well, what do you think? Do you think he¡¯ll win?¡±

    ¡°Who gives a crap?! I¡¯m sure the judges will take care of it.¡±

    ¡°I think he might.¡±

    At that, Coin nced over at Isabe, who seemed quite certain that the young author would win.

    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s about time we have an Asian winner. Although, I was keeping my eyes on some of the Chinese authors, it seems like Yun Woo beat them to it.¡±

    ¡°Well, lucky for them that I was concentrating on pure literature this year,¡± the author said, making quite a pretentious remark. However, Isabe didn¡¯t deny it since Coin was a four-time winner of the Annr Award.

    Then, she added, ¡°Who was the guy that grumbled the entire time he was getting his award?¡±

    ¡°I just couldn¡¯t stand those arrogant bastards, is all.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ever say things like that during the interview.¡±

    ¡°I decide how I answer my questions.¡±

    ¡°You mean your brain.¡±

    At that moment, the car came to a sudden stop. It didn¡¯t matter whether it was Yun Woo or some Chinese author who was getting on his nerves. No matter how great or massive the award was, it could never supercede a well-written piece or its author. That was just about the value Coin ced on the Annr Award. The thrill and the joy of receiving the award was all but a moment, and the trophies and medals collecting dust in the storage room in his house were proof of that. Though it drew attention, the ribbon holding the medal was bound toe untied at some point. After all, what the people who chose to read the book kept with them until the end was the book itself, and not the ribbon tied to the medal. As long as the writing stayed alive and well, the readers would always have ess to the touching moments they had experienced by reading the book.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Isabe said, and the two got out of the car.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hello,¡± the author exchanged a brief greeting with the interviewer, resting his chin on his hand with his legs crossed.

    Camera and lights. Couch and rug. As if he had expected it, the interviewer paid no attention to the author¡¯s attitude and prepared for taping. As his premonition told him that the interview was going to be long and tedious, the author drank his coffee from the cup he had filled ahead of time. Then, when he looked toward a camera, he saw his editor, Isabe, standing behind it, narrowing her eyes and mouthing words at him. He had no interest in what she was trying to tell him.

    ¡°Kelley, it took a while to have you sitting on that couch,¡± the interviewer said, sounding slightly excited. Then, Coin nodded his head with indifference.

    ¡°Yes, because I didn¡¯t want to be here.¡±

    At the author¡¯s edgy remark, the interviewerughed, and Isabe¡¯s brow furrowed.

    ¡°I guess we can¡¯t always live our lives the way we want to, even somebody like you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a big misunderstanding. I¡¯m getting off this atrocious-looking couch the second I realize that this interview is not worth my time.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. We can¡¯t let that happen, can we? I¡¯ll do my absolute best.¡±

    With the author¡¯s edgy sense of humor, the set grew morous. Then, at the director¡¯s signal, the set sank back into silence. With a formal, opening phrase, the interviewer led the interview in the direction of Kelley¡¯s works. The most recent. The biggest hits. The most memorable and some well-known anecdotes.

    Questions followed after questions, showing the interviewer¡¯s will to get as much about the author¡¯s life out of him as possible. Understanding an author¡¯s life was an incredibly helpful tool in interpreting their work. The interviewer dug deeper into the author¡¯s life and upbringing, including environments or people he had been influenced by, as well as authors of the past and the present who could have shaped Coin as an author. Then, leaving out the core of the answers to those questions, Coin kept spewing out pieces information as if luring the interviewer into distraction, drawing the interview further away from important truths. It was subtle, yet crafty.

    ¡°Recently, there was a time when you became the target of criticism, and your career stalled a bit as a result. Needless to say, you managed to ovee it like a champion. Was that when you visited Korea?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that happened. Frankly, those criticisms had no effect on me. Those who are generous to themselves while being merciless toward others are not worth listening to. They¡¯re kind of like a crying baby. Feed me. Change my diapers. When in reality, they¡¯re just after what¡¯s convenient for them. No matter what kind of image others put on me and my work, my work will never change. It¡¯ll always stay the way it was printed,¡± Coin said, filtering his words as much as possible to avoid any harsh, offensive statements.

    Although the look on his editor¡¯s face didn¡¯t look any better, the interviewer continued with his question, ¡°So, what brought you to that country?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to meet this one author who¡¯d been on my mind. So, I visited him, making a vacation out of it while I was at it. Actually, it would be more urate to say that I met him while I was on a trip,¡± Coin said, adding thetter half in a hurry.

    ¡°And who was this author who¡¯d been on your mind?¡±

    The answer was not a difficult one.

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    At that name, the filming staff responded with excitement, and the interviewer also nodded affirmingly.

    ¡°He¡¯s one of the authors chosen as a candidate for this year¡¯s Annr Award, but there was news of him long before that. His skill and potential as an author defy his age. Well, what do you think, Kelley? How was he like in person?¡±

    ¡°He was just a kid who spoke decent English.¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡± the interviewer asked for him to repeat.

    At which point, Coin added, ¡°I never made ns to meet with him. I mean, I was already in Korea before my publishers even found out. Then, when I got there, I found myself in desperate need of coffee, so I just asked a random pedestrian to take me to my favorite coffee shop, and it just so happened that pedestrian was the person I came across at thepany building of the publishers responsible for tranting my books in Korea.¡±

    ¡°Wait, hold on. You mean, that was Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The interviewer was fascinated by the author¡¯s story.

    ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that you ran into Yun Woo without even knowing, right? Did Yun Woo know that you were Kelley Coin?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Right, obviously. Haha, man, this is incredible!¡±

    Then, the interviewer moved on to asking about how the author came to request that Yun Woo be his trantor.

    ¡°I told them to let Yun Woo take the gig if the spot was still open,¡± Coin said, giving the interviewer a brief summary of what had happened. From then on, the interviewer attempted to get more out of the author, but to no avail.

    ¡°What does Yun Woo look like? Of course, I¡¯m aware of how strange and ridiculous I sound when I ask this, but I gotta know.¡±

    ¡°He was a person, with a pair of eyes and a nose.¡±

    ¡°Were you ever invited to his home or anything?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Has Yun Woo ever visited the States?¡±

    ¡°How should I know?¡±

    In the end, the interviewer put both of his hands up as a gesture of surrender.

    ¡°But it seems like you still recognize Yun Woo for hisnguage skills, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Enough to write ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°And clearly, he had the skills to trante your book. So, there¡¯s a reason for everyone to call him a genius.¡±

    Then, the interviewer asked light-heartedly, ¡°Did you ever feel threatened by him?¡±

    At his question, the corner of the author¡¯s mouth twitched by reflex.

    ¡°Threatened? How would that be possible? Writing is not apetition.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m sure you felt like there was somebody else better than you at some point. No, writing is not apetition, but it¡¯s not limited to the writer alone, either. As you share your work with other people, you find yourself getting jealous of your colleagues.¡±

    ¡°Is that from experience?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Interviews are notpetitions either, but I get envious of my colleagues all the time.¡±

    ¡°Haha. You must have forgotten it while we were talking about Yun Woo, but I believe the person you¡¯re supposed to be interviewing is me, Kelley Coin. If I thought my writing fell short of Yun Woo¡¯s, I wouldn¡¯t have had the time to spare on some interview.¡±

    At the author¡¯s edgy attitude, Isabe waved her hand, gesturing him to take a deep breath. However, when Coin ignored her altogether, the editor went over to one of the staff members and started talking to them. She had to be asking them to be mindful of the questions they were asking. Usually, when Coin met with an experienced interviewer, things like that happened frequently.

    Then, in order to adjust the flow of the interview, the interviewer asked another question, ¡°What kind of conversations did you guys have?¡±

    ¡°Hm. About paprika and unicorns.¡±

    Although the interviewer¡¯s eyes narrowed as a gesture of confusion, the author didn¡¯t change his answer.

    ¡°So, are paprika and unicorns primarily what you guys talked about?¡±

    ¡°We talked about alcoholism, primarily.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I figure that it wouldn¡¯t have been much of a conversation since only one of you could speak on the subject.¡±

    ¡°I have no intention of sounding like a broken record here, but I¡¯d like to say that it wasn¡¯t half bad.¡±

    Then, after raising a mug in order to quench the thirst, the interviewer sat up and looked straight at the author.

    ¡°So, what was Yun Woo¡¯s opinion of you?¡±

    How did Yun Woo feel about Kelley Coin? Jealous? Inferior? Perhaps he snickered arrogantly? Coin gave no answer, and the interview immediately caught on to the reason for his silence.

    ¡°Did he ever tell you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Coin said, immersing himself in thought. He knew nothing about what Yun Woo thought of him. He had never bothered to ask, and Yun Woo would never give an answer to a question that had yet to be asked. Even when the young author met him, Yun Woo had pretended not to know him. Then, the interviewer¡¯s question began to stir up interest in Coin¡¯s mind. What did Yun Woo think of him, the author Kelley Coin? Coin had been conscious of Yun Woo to the point of visiting him all the way in Korea, but what about Yun Woo?

    ¡°Maybe I should ask.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask him, right now?¡±

    At that, the interviewer¡¯s mind worked busily, thinking, ¡®Did he just...¡¯

    ¡°Now, where was my phone?¡± Coin said, suggesting that he was going to call the young author. The anonymous, mysterious Yun Woo. It was that very author that Coin was looking to call.

    Then, with their eyes wide, the interviewer locked eyes with someone from the staff standing behind the camera, who also had a nervous look about him. The interviewer¡¯s blue eyes moved as busily as his mind in order to seize the opportunity, while Isabe was giving the author an appalled look. The only person who was calm and indifferent on set was Kelley Coin.

    ¡°Uh...¡± the interviewer let out, but just as quickly, closed their mouth. ¡®There has to be a significant time difference between here and Korea. Can we really call him like this? Did anybody get permission from Yun Woo?¡¯ Although the questions traveled all the way up to the interviewer¡¯s throat, he managed to swallow them. If that opportunity were to be lost, the interviewer felt like he would lose many nights of sleep in regret.

    Click. A faint sound came from the receiver of the phone next to Coin¡¯s ear. At that, Coin answered, and everyone on set listened quietly.

    ¡°Hey, what do you think of me?¡±

    There was a response to the author¡¯s absurd question, but unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t very audible. Although the interviewer felt the urge to ce a microphone next to the receiver of Coin¡¯s phone, he couldn¡¯t dare take the phone away from the author. The staff on set moved busily in order to capture Yun Woo¡¯s voice, and after a few sentences, Coin said, ¡°Me? I¡¯m in the middle of an interview.¡±

 Chapter 204 - One Step Forward (4)

    <h4>Chapter 204: One Step Forward (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Do you have any idea of what time it is here?¡±

    ¡°No clue,¡± the confident voice sounded from the receiver of Juho¡¯s phone.

    Then, chuckling, Juho epted the situation, thinking, ¡®At least he doesn¡¯t know.¡¯

    ¡°Any time, now,¡± Coin rushed the young author for an answer. Having answered the phone while he was still half asleep, Juho remembered hearing Coin asking a strange question in English: ¡°What do you think of me?¡±

    Then, rubbing his eyes, Juho asked, ¡°Well, what are you doing right now?¡±

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m in the middle of an interview.¡±

    ¡°... Am I dreaming?¡±

    In which case, it had to be a nightmare.

    ¡®If I am dreaming, shouldn¡¯t I be flying or something, at least?¡¯ Juho asked himself while his body only felt heavier.

    As if that wasn¡¯t enough, Coin¡¯s coarse voice murmured through the receiver, ¡°Who gives damn? Answer the damn question and go back to bed.¡±

    ¡°... You¡¯re in the middle of an interview, huh? Oh, are you on break?¡±

    ¡°No, the cameras are rolling.¡±

    ¡°... Are you sure you¡¯re calling the right person? Maybe you misdialed some other colleague you¡¯re close to.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a colleague I¡¯m close to.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha.¡±

    Juho had no choice but to ept the situation. The person on the other end of the line was, indeed, Kelley Coin, who was being interviewed on the other side of the and who, for some reason, was calling the young author with no regard for him.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure the cameras are still rolling.¡¯

    It was something Kelley Coin was more than capable of doing.

    ¡°Your interview¡¯s not going live, is it?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    No broadcasting station would have the guts to air Kelley Coin¡¯s interview live. First off, Juho got out of bed and turned the light on. Then, he picked up the cup of water from his desk and drank it in order to wake himself up.

    ¡°So, you were asking what I think of you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. What do you think of me as an author?¡±

    ¡°I look up to you.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Coin said, immediately doubting Juho¡¯s answer.

    Then, resisting his urge to yawn, Juho added, ¡°I mean it. The number of works you¡¯ve published alone impresses me.¡±

    ¡°What else?¡± Coin asked shamelessly. Though briefly thinking about hanging up, Juho was afraid that the ill-tempered author would fly to Korea just to punish him personally. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still half asleep. Cut me some ck, will ya?¡±

    Kelley Coin, an internationally recognized author. Although Juho had barely been chosen as a candidate for the Annr Award, Coin had won the award four times throughout his career. On top of his indiscrimination toward genre, he was a fierce writing fanatic. Despite his notorious temper, there were countless people who were desperate to interview him, as well as those who wanted more of his books. Juho happened to be one of those people and, from author to another, Juho looked up to him quite a bit. After having immersed in thought, Juho opened his mouth and said, ¡°So, it urred to me while I was tranting your novel.¡±

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    Juho had realized deep down.

    ¡°You¡¯re, seriously, an incredible writer.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Unlike usual, Coin remained silent. Then, while the young author blinked his tired eyes, the voice on the other end of the line suddenly exploded intoughter. Juho had never heard Coinugh before, and the sound of it woke him right up.

    ¡°That was the most pathetic opinion of me I¡¯ve ever heard.¡±

    How unfortunate.

    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. Well, ya happy?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Also, I¡¯m wide awake now, thanks to you,¡± Juho said, opening the window. As a cold breeze rushed into his room, the situation dawned on him, enabling him to imagine the look on the faces of the filming crew on the set. ¡°Well, what are you gonna do about this? Thanks to you, I ended up revealing my voice.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ll tell them to edit it out,¡± Coin said, and Juho heard amotion break out in the background. Amid all the voices talking over each other, Juho heard what sounded like Isabe¡¯s voice. Themotion went on for a while, which only made sense.

    ¡°Hey, Coin?¡± Juho called to the author on the phone, and Coin answered with a slight annoyance in his voice.

    ¡°Well?¡± he asked briefly, but with the certainty that Juho would know the situation he was in. The filming crew wanted to hear Yun Woo¡¯s voice, while Coin, himself, was waiting for an answer from the mysterious, young author. If Juho were to refuse, Coin wouldn¡¯t allow the filming crew to keep a recording of Yun Woo¡¯s voice, even if that meant the ill-tempered author had to break the cameras into pieces.

    Then, feeling the cold wind rushing in through the window, Juho looked at his desk, where the thank-you message for his readers for the publishingpanyy. ¡®Maybe I should just read it out loud while I¡¯m at it,¡¯ Juho thought as he paused briefly in the middle of the conversation with Coin.

    ¡°All right. It¡¯s just my voice.¡±

    At the young author¡¯s answer, themotion grew even louder. And after a little while, another voice, speaking in an ent Juho wasn¡¯t familiar with, sounded from the receiver of his phone, introducing himself as Kelley Coin¡¯s interviewer. The excitement in his voice was quite noticeable.

    ¡°Yes, hello. Yun Woo speaking.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually talking to you! Uh, would you mind if I asked a few questions?¡±

    ¡°Sure, not too many, though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s quitete there, so I won¡¯t take up too much of your time,¡± the interviewer said, speaking faster and faster. Then, searching desperately for meaningful questions, he dragged on for some time, all the while adding that he had read the young author¡¯s books.

    ¡°Your stories were just beautiful. The poprity of your books, especially in this country, is an anomaly in and of itself. Are you aware of this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, so I¡¯ve been told by my agency.¡±

    ¡°In my opinion, the one thing people pay the closest attention and are most impressed by in ¡®Language of God¡¯ is thenguage. Even linguistics experts acknowledged that they were linguistically sound. Now, I must ask, did you actually create them? There weren¡¯t any other experts involved in the process?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho answered briefly.

    Then, after a brief silence, the interviewer asked again to confirm, ¡°Does that mean there was nobody else involved in the writing process of the novel?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. I never sought outside help in the construction of thenguage while writing ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Although, thenguages that are used within the novel are allnguages based onnguages that already exist throughout the world, so from a very broad perspective, it wouldn¡¯t be an understatement to say that I received help from the all of humanity.¡±

    ¡°... Wow,¡± the interviewer let out quietly and moved on to the next question, ¡°Are you really eighteen?¡±

    It was a question the young author was all too familiar with. However, he was never asked the question in an official manner. Then, chuckling quietly, Juho said, ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    At his brief answer, the interviewer grew silent once again. Then, he filled the gap with his own voice.

    ¡°So, this is about ¡®Language of God.¡¯ You¡¯re currently a candidate for the Annr Award in the full-length novel category. If you were to win this award, it would make you the youngest and the first Asian winner of a literary award of international recognition with more than half a century of history. How did you feel when you first heard the news?¡±

    ¡°I was happy.¡±

    ¡°Was that it?¡±

    ¡°Hm. Well, when I got the news, I was in the middle of something, and I was also dealing with an important matter. In any case, other people decide who gets the award, so there was no need for me to do anything else.¡±

    ¡°... I have so many questions to ask you. If you were sitting in front of me, I would have asked at least twenty more questions, back to back. But, I¡¯ll save you the trouble and ask you one more. What was more important than the news about being chosen for one of the four major, internationally recognized, science fiction literary awards? That is, the Annr Award?¡±

    ¡°Uh, I won¡¯t get in trouble for saying this, will I? I was working on a manuscript back then, which is currently being revised.¡±

    ¡°... Which means?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say when, but it means I¡¯ll being out with another book.¡±

    ¡°I heard that you published a short story in Korea recently and I heard lots of great things about it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was well received, thankfully, but it didn¡¯t keep me from writing.¡±

    After thetter half of the young author¡¯s answer, what sounded like a faint sigh came from the receiver.

    ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯m in the middle of working on a thank you message for my readers. I epted your request because I thought I might as well thank and show my appreciation toward them in person. Is that OK?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes! Of course!¡±

    Then, clearing his throat and putting pressure into his abdomen, Juho said in Korean, ¡°To all readers of my books, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.¡±

    At that, the interviewer knew by instinct that the young author was making a closing statement. Then, after a brief goodbye, the phone was returned to Coin¡¯s hands, and after telling Juho to go to sleep, he hung up. At which point, Juho stared intently at the phone in his hand for a little while, turned off the light, and went back to bed.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s making an appearance.¡±

    James, a high school English teacher in Korea, heard the shocking news from his friend who had recently be a Yun Woo fan. And it was that Yun Woo that would be making an appearance in the interview of the internationally recognized author Kelley Coin. The station that carried out the interview had advertised the news extensively, and the crew that was present at the taping of the interview testified the truth. urate information regarding Yun Woo was difficult toe by because the young author never spoke first. After being chosen as a contestant of an internationally recognized literary award, the media overseas began to take interest in the young author. Articles iming that they attempted to contact him directly were among the mostmon, and the ones that reported their failure to reach the author were even moremon. However, thanks to Kelley Coin, the mysterious author had managed to take one step forward toward the rest of the world.

    James waited anxiously for the show toe up on the inte. Although it wasn¡¯t time for the broadcast yet, thements had started going rampant as early as ten minutes before showtime. People who logged in to watch Kelley Coin¡¯s interview and people who logged in to hear Yun Woo¡¯s voice were mingling together in one massive group, and there were even those who introduced themselves as Koreans, some even typing in Hangul. No matter what their intentions for logging on, everyone on the website was a literature and book lover.

    ¡°Finally.¡±

    The show finally came on. Since it was an interview, the atmosphere was quite serious. Kelley Coin and the interviewer were on set, sitting opposite of each other. And focusing on the two people in turn, the camera captured and aired their conversation.

    ¡°Among your novels, I like ¡®The Pearl Earrings¡¯ the most.¡±

    ¡°What else is new?¡± Coin said, nodding indifferently at what was meant to be apliment toward him. Those who had even a remote interest in Anglo-American literature knew who Kelley Coin was, and among those who knew him, there was not a single person who didn¡¯t know about his less-than-pleasant temper. The author had a history of ruining countless events and interviews, and Yun Woo¡¯s appearance aside, his fans weren¡¯t expecting any different from the interview. Using the phone in the middle of the interview had obviously been an ident.

    ¡°Paprika and unicorn.¡±

    The interview continued in an edgy, yet serene atmosphere. While listening to Coin, the interviewer managed to make risky moves when taunting the author while making sure that things didn¡¯t get out of hand, and Coin, too, respected those boundaries. He was never in the habit of running, but reacting. When taunted, the author taunted back, and when the other person let up, Coin also didn¡¯te after them. Coin wasn¡¯t the one who grew tired in that type of dynamic. Then, James looked away from the show for a little while and looked through thements, which were filled by fans waiting anxiously for Yun Woo¡¯s appearance.

    ¡°Maybe I should ask,¡± Coin responded to the interviewer on screen and took out his phone. He was nning on asking the young author directly, and the interviewer was clearly caught off guard by Coin¡¯s unexpected move. At the same time, the interviewer looked as though he had been gifted an opportunity. It was clear that he had a lot to say, but he also seemed determined to save all questions for when he heard the young author¡¯s voice. James was well acquainted with what the interviewer was feeling in that moment. Then, when he listened intently, what sounded like Yun Woo¡¯s voice came ever so faintly out of the speaker.

    ¡°No clue,¡± Coin said, overpowering Yun Woo¡¯s faint voice with ease. Then, in order to get a better listen, James turned the volume up all the way, only to hear the murmursing from the receiver of Coin¡¯s phone. The set was in a state of panic due to the unexpected situation, but paying no attention to themotion around him, Coin focused on his conversation with the young author on his phone. Then, after a little while, three people who seemed to be part of the filming crew and a woman came into the frame, growing restless while surrounding Coin. Then, the woman said, ¡°You know... You¡¯re really creative in the way you get yourself into trouble, you know that?¡±

    However, the troublemaker paid no attention to his editor, continuing on with his conversation with Yun Woo. Then, to James¡¯ surprise, the author burst intoughter out of nowhere, and James doubted what he was seeing and hearing. Kelley Coin wasughing.

 Chapter 205 - One Step Forward (5)

    <h4>Chapter 205: One Step Forward (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The sight of the notorious authorughing came as a shock to many. Kelly Coinughing out loud, cheerfully and heartily at that. Of course, with the author being human, viewers were fully aware that he had to be capable ofughing, but the celebrity on screen was none other than Kelley Coin himself. He had neverughed like that in an official setting before, always wearing his usual humdrum and crabby expression. At the sight of the author known for hisck of joyughing, the interviewer mustered up some courage to ask him a question, ¡°Would it be possible for us to have a word with him?¡±

    It was an invitation for the young author on the other end of the line of the notorious author¡¯s phone, and an apparent annoyance appeared on Coin¡¯s face. Then, there was a brief pause after the author asked Yun Woo for his thoughts. Despite already expecting a negative result, the interviewer couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous.

    ¡°Here,¡± the author said, handing his phone over to the interviewer. While ecstatic looks appeared on the faces of the filming crew and the officials, the author¡¯s editor appeared as though she was ready to give up at any given minute. The atmosphere on the set transferred directly, and vividly, to the viewers. Then, the interviewer greeted the young author on the phone, trying to suppress his nervousness.

    ¡°Yes, hello. Yun Woo speaking.¡±

    At that moment, James heard the voice of the ever so mysterious author, Yun Woo. Calm and peaceful. Yun Woo was real, and now he existed within the viewers.

    ¡°Are you really eighteen?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    James listened the young author¡¯s voice with intense concentration. Thements were running amok, his hand was tensing up, and his heart beating out of control. The teacher was able to connect with the emotions of the peoplementing on the video. Then, James ced his hands on the keyboard in order to write ament himself, but soon, retracted them out of fear that it might disrupt him from hearing the young author¡¯s voice.

    Looking down and seeing that the hairs on his arms were standing, James asked himself, ¡®Why is this such an emotional experience?¡¯ It had to be that he was familiar with the voice, somehow. He had heard that voice somewhere. ¡®Did I meet him without even knowing, or am I just going crazy?¡¯ There was no way to know, yet he was having a hair-raising experience. Hearing his voice, James couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelming joy, as if he had gotten his hands on a clue that would help him find a criminal. It was a remarkable moment.

    ¡°Uh, I won¡¯t get in trouble for saying this, will I? I was working on a manuscript back then, which is currently being revised.¡±

    At that moment, James looked up at the sound of the perfectbination of words at the end of the sentence. What did the young, genius author just say? The heartbreaking shout of the short story, ¡®River,¡¯ was still quite raw within the readers¡¯ hearts. Everyone expected the young author to go on a long hiatus, and James, too, recalled having sad thoughts about having to wait for at least a year before the author came back with a new book.

    ¡°... Which means?¡±

    While the veteran interviewer locked eyes with Coin, unable to hold back his excitement,

    Yun Woo said in a calm tone of voice, ¡°I can¡¯t say when, but it means I¡¯ll being out with another book.¡±

    ¡°My God,¡± James let out, his mouth parted open. Then, resisting the urge to shout for joy, he concentrated on Yun Woo¡¯s voice. At that point, Coin was looking fiercely at the interviewer¡¯s hand.

    ¡°... but it didn¡¯t keep me from writing.¡±

    The interviewer let out a chuckle. Then, without any concern, Yun Woo continued, moving on to a thank you message. The reason that he had revealed his voice had been for his readers, and his readers only.

    ¡°... I thank you from the bottom of my heart,¡± the young author said in Korean. It was a phrase that the English teacher had heard countless times from his students, coworkers, and employees at stores. Yet, never had there been a time when he had been so moved by it like at present. While he was in a daze, Yun Woo vanished into the distance, and even after Coin hung up his phone, the interview went on.

    ¡°This is unbelievable! Oh, my! Oh, God.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we calm down and move on to my interview?¡±

    ¡°Yes, right. But... Haha! Oh, such specimen. I like him even more after hearing his answers. Man!¡±

    ¡°... Well, that was a mistake,¡± Coin said, his face going back to his usual, crabby expression. However, everyone remembered hisughter vividly.

    From then on, the remainder of the interview after the phone call with Yun Woo was all but background noise. As the mysterious author¡¯s voice lingered in James¡¯ ears, he asked himself, ¡®Where did I hear that voice? Where?¡¯

    In hopes of finding a clue to his question, James looked to thements.

    ¡°Seems like there are at least ten thousand people asking the same thing.¡±

    He felt his strength leaving his body upon seeing the overwhelming number ofments saying that they were doubting their neighbors or sons, or t out iming to be Yun Woo. Then, realizing that he had been mistaken, James let out a heavy sigh. ¡®Of course I haven¡¯t met him.¡¯ Considering how many eighteen-year-olds lived on Earth, and how many of them lived in the small country called South Korea, it was highly unlikely that James could have met the author. Then, feeling a void in his heart, he ced his hands on his keyboard in order to join his fellow Yun Woo fans in thements.

    ¡°Oh.My.God. I finally heard Yun Woo¡¯s voice!¡±

    ¡°Is he really eighteen, though? How does an eighteen-year-old Korean speak English that fluently? I mean, listen to his pronunciations.¡±

    ¡°His voice is really charming. I¡¯m sure he looks just as good as he sounds.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    ¡°What if we¡¯re just getting our hopes up?¡±

    ¡°Even if he looks like a troll, I¡¯d be fine with it. Any guys who can write like him is my type.¡±

    ¡°Even Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been listening to his voice on repeat because I love it so much. Especially the part where he talks in Korean.¡±

    ¡°He does have a really good voice. His enunciation, his English. They¡¯re all good. Love me some Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Man, look at him go, talking to the interviewer in English! That must be the kind of author it takes to write a novel like ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°If anything, the person who was freaking out was the interviewer. His face when answering the phone was the exact look on my face. Thought his eyes were gonna pop out.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even breath trying to hear Yun Woo¡¯s voice.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even swallow.¡±

    ¡°Love what he said at the end. He never forgets about his readers.¡±

    ¡°If I were in his position, I¡¯d be so upied with tooting my own horn. I salute you, Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I read his thank you letter on Zelkova¡¯s website. It was so genuine. The moment you realize that it was written by the same hands that wrote ¡®River,¡¯ you¡¯re in for a-whole-nother experience.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t believe how modest he is even though he is so young and sessful. It blows my mind how calm his responses were to an interview request that came out of nowhere. I can rte to the interviewer and how impressed he was. I¡¯m a fan of the author, now, and I believe wholeheartedly in his existence. I won¡¯t takements that use him seriously anymore. For those who haven¡¯t heard his voice, I suggest you do.¡±

    ¡°Did you see Kelley Coinughing? I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever seen him do that.¡±

    ¡°Yet, Yun Woo does it again. I knew it from the time he took up that trantion gig. They must be close to each other. I can¡¯t even imagine how they would be like as friends.¡±

    ¡°Coin¡¯s notorious for his temper, and he¡¯s known to storm out of official events. It¡¯s a well-known fact that even the publishers try to avoid getting associated with him. But I gotta admit, never knew the guy had it in him tough like that.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s famous for breaking a journalist¡¯s nose for criticizing his book.¡±

    ¡°I wonder what Yun Woo said to make somebody like Coinugh like that? Who is Yun Woo really, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Maybe he cracked a joke?¡±

    ¡°What joke?¡±

    ¡°If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t be asking.¡±

    ¡°Like, an American joke?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo cracking jokes with Coin.¡±

    ¡°Holy cow, man. With Kelly Coin?¡±

    ¡°I gotta shed some light on the bomb that Yun Woo just dropped during the phone call. If there¡¯s a manuscript that¡¯s being revised, that means he¡¯sing out with a new book soon, right? I¡¯m not going crazy, am I? I really hope I¡¯m not hearing things and telling myself a really borate lie.¡±

    ¡°There will never be another author like Yun Woo in my lifetime.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t help but be concerned for him. Isn¡¯t he pushing too hard? One can¡¯t simply write like that.¡±

    ¡°I think it only makes sense, considering how fast his books have beening out. He¡¯s being his usual self. Besides, he has such a strong mind that even the Annr Award isn¡¯t enough to faze him.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo is now, officially, a prolific writer. The amount of writing prolific writers do is beyond our imagination. I mean, just look at Stephen King. He¡¯s published well over two hundred pieces throughout his career, and I don¡¯t have to mention how sessful a lot of them were. Yes, prolific writers don¡¯t always write good books, but that doesn¡¯t mean they only write bad ones, either.¡±

    ¡°I second that. If you watch clips of his interviews, there are stacks and stacks of unpublished manuscripts in his workstation.¡±

    ¡°I mean, we¡¯ll have to wait and see until the book actuallyes out, but I do understand the concern. A genius author and his insatiable hunger for writing.¡±

    ¡°I hope he writes something like ¡®River¡¯ again.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine how much pressure he¡¯s feeling, but apparently, he¡¯s already written another novel. Yun Woo, you crazy rascal, you.¡±

    ¡°The interview is getting a massive number of views even though Yun Woo only talks for like three minutes out of the entire time.¡±

    ¡°Did anyone see this? There¡¯s this dude screaming that Yun Woo¡¯s the best writer in the world. He lost some bet, apparently?¡±

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah. I know this video. He cries while eating a burgerter into the clip.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Oh, boy. So, Yun Woo finally revealed his voice.¡±

    While looking through the edits in the manuscript, Nam Kyung looked toward the voiceing from next to him. It was Mr. Maeng, who had already seen the interview.

    ¡°People are going crazy, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Not only in Korea, but in other countries, too. Mr. Woo¡¯s one of the most talked about authors these days. Besides, the timing is just impable. Kelley Coin of all people?! I¡¯m telling you, nothing fazes Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Thanks to that interview, people who didn¡¯t know Yun Woo are starting to take interest.¡±

    Because of Yun Woo¡¯s association with Kelley Coin, the foreigners who knew nothing about the author from a tiny country in Asia began to take interest in him. Yun Woo had the unmistakable quality of a star, making even those who don¡¯t read regrly pick up his books out of sheer curiosity from his aplishments. It wasn¡¯t a bad phenomenon. No matter what made people read a book, whether it was the cover design, the title, or the name of the author, the fact that they wereing to read it was enough to be deemed a sess. After all, there weren¡¯t many who would forget about Yun Woo after reading his books.

    ¡°Mr. Woo speaks quite well, especially when it came to the questions about the candidacy.¡±

    The young author had been chosen as a candidate for the Annr Award. After his coworker¡¯s remark, Nam Kyung smiled cheerfully, and said, ¡°Even being chosen as a candidate is already half the sess. Yun Woo¡¯s gonna be an international author, and nobody¡¯s going to be able to speak badly of him. On top of that, we¡¯ve been having to print additional copies of ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ and ¡®Sound of Wailing.¡¯¡±

    All preconceived notions about the young author would be overshadowed by the international literary award. The massive attention the author received had nothing to do with his age or the age he debuted. It was his writing. His skill. The literary value of it all.

    ¡°Although, there are bound to be haters who hate for no apparent reason.¡±

    ¡°It really depends on how Mr. Woo does things from now on. There have been authors in the past who fell away around the same ce in their careers.¡±

    ¡°These authors, they¡¯re delicate people.¡±

    Interpreting and analyzing the emotionsing into them, authors tended to capture every single thing they were feeling. Whether it was regret or despair, they brooded on their feelings until they felt satisfied, all for the sake of writing. It was on manuscripts like that that Nam Kyung had been drawing red lines across. Despite the pain and suffering that had gone into writing a novel, there always existed room for improvement because novels were made by human hands.

    ¡°I really hope the new novel does well,¡± Mr. Maeng said, and pushing up his sses, Nam Kyung answered, ¡°You know what I think about the most while editing Mr. Woo¡¯s manuscript?¡±

    ¡°... What?¡± Mr. Maeng asked, looking like he had a vague idea.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be reading the book. I need to be editing it.¡±

    When he had Yun Woo¡¯s manuscript in his hands, he couldn¡¯t help but read it over and over again. Immersed in the contentpletely, he frequently lost sight of ces to edit or of typos, even while he was scanning through it before he started editing. The young author¡¯s writing had a charm that kept making readers of ite back for more.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s not worry about things that don¡¯t really matter to us at the moment, and let¡¯s focus on the task in front of us.¡±

    Then, after checking the time, Nam Kyung rose from his seat.

    ¡°Are you going out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m meeting with reporters for a meal.¡±

    Mr. Maeng looked at him packing his things. Then, feeling his coworker¡¯s gaze on him, Nam Kyung said, ¡°We¡¯re officially announcing Yun Woo¡¯s new book today.¡±

    ¡°Oh, wow,¡± Mr. Maeng let out with a faint sense of excitement and weariness. As a fellow editor, he had been dealing with the massive amount of inquiries flooding the office. Thanks to the bomb the young author had dropped without even a warning, the fans have been running amok, anxious to know more about the new book. In the end, after a discussion, the publishingpany had decided to make an official announcement regarding Yun Woo¡¯s new book.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t even designed a cover for it, yet.¡±

    ¡°If we keep our mouths shut, though, our phones and website won¡¯t be able to handle the traffic. Anyway, break a leg.¡±

    With his coworker¡¯s insincere blessings, Nam Kyung stepped out of thepany building.

 Chapter 206 - Colorful Nails (1)

    <h4>Chapter 206: Colorful Nails (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    From a purely aesthetic point of view, Yun Woo¡¯s books were beautiful. From the curves to the lines and angles, everything was perfect, pleasing to the eye, and impressive. Among the many aspects of the books that contributed to their beauty, what stood out the most were the cover arts, which were designed by the designer responsible for all of the cover arts of the books published by Zelkova, Jung Eun Kong.

    Workingte into the night, Jung Eun had been looking into the monitor in the office, alone. The screen was filled with news of Yun Woo¡¯s uing book, ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ As an author, there was no way Yun Woo would be unaware of how ¡®River¡¯ had been received. However, the author kept writing as if none of it mattered.

    Yun Woo wasing back with a new book a lot sooner than she had expected, and just like the previous book, she was working on Nam Kyung¡¯s request for cover designs, which she had taken up dly. After reading the book, the designer came up with different designs ordingly. Then, the samples were sent to the publishingpany. Once again, she was designing a cover that would be wrap around a Yun Woo book.

    When designing for Yun Woo¡¯s books, Jung Eun tended to focus on the content of the book in order to think of a design that would allow people to get an idea of its overall atmosphere. Designing a cover also came with a lot of contemtion and decision making. What is the author trying to say? What are the goals of the characters? Whether she chose to go in a direction that entuated what the story emphasized even more or in a direction that epassed the story. Whether she chose to tantly expose the message being conveyed by the story or to hide it. No matter what the decision was, she couldn¡¯t afford to overlook her choices. There was a difference between charming people and deceiving them.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± she let out, dropping her head. Yun Woo¡¯s fans were in the middle of celebrating the news of his uing book, filled with joy that they got to see yet another book from their favorite author. Normally, Jung Eun would be one of them, working busily with a sense of superiority in her heart that came from knowing that she had ess to Yun Woo¡¯s novel before anyone else. However, something wasn¡¯t right. The despair she was feeling was quite out of ce. Although wrestling for an idea was an everyday task for her, she had never felt so lost in the past. At least, not in a very long time.

    Jung Eun looked at Yun Woo¡¯s manuscript on her desk. ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ It had a good vibe to it and it stirred up a sense of anticipation. Yun Woo¡¯s writing had always been able to satisfy the readers who had longed for his books. That was, until she reached the very end of the story. Although the ending itself wasn¡¯t strange by any means, it came to her as a shock, as if she had been hit in the back of her head. It waspletely unexpected. Although it was an ending that betrayed its readers while they had been busy figuring out who the culprit was, a sense of admiration welled up before that of betrayal. She felt overwhelmed by the conclusion that was far beyond all expectations.

    On top of that, the ending yielded a rather bizarre reading experience. It was immersive, and as all of the characters became one in the novel, she, too, was among them. She felt as if sinking into the book¡¯s sludgy and damp atmosphere. Then, by the time she came out of it, there was nothing left.

    Nothing. It left her clueless as to how she should proceed about designing its cover. It was hard to decipher the central message of the novel. Fire, the arsonist, firefighter, growth, narrator, doubt, innocence, the culprit, subject. Everything was in a jumbled mess, unable to find their ces. It was like abyrinth, and she, apetitor who had misunderstood the rules of the game. Everything felt foreign. Covering her head with her hands, she let out with a sigh, ¡°OK. First, an image that has to do with fire.¡±

    After all, she had work to do. Being lost didn¡¯t mean that she could dwell in cluelessness and give up. At the same time, she knew, by instinct, that whatever was about toe out would be less than satisfying. Staring into the bright monitor, which was the only light source in the entire office, Jung Eun typed ¡°Yun Woo¡± on the search window. News of his new book. His voice. Interview. Kelley Coin. Then, after only a few clicks, she yed the video of Kelley Coin¡¯s recent interview, which she had watched at least thirty times. Everyone was waiting desperately for Yun Woo¡¯s new book, and that meant she didn¡¯t have much time. She had to design a cover that would fit his writing well. Yet, she was still clueless, and remained so for quite a while longer. Then, the video came to an end, and a car¡¯s horn sounded from outside, followed by a siren and shouts from unknown sources. As a final touch, a dog¡¯s bark.

    ¡°Maybe I should ask,¡± she said. She had to reach out for inspiration, and she was in desperate need of hearing the author¡¯s voice. Then, she made up her mind to give Nam Kyung a call upon sunrise and ask for some face-to-face time with the author.

    ¡°If he says no, then I¡¯ll at least ask for his email address,¡± Jung Eun said, her eyes sparkling with dangerous determination.

    ¡°I hate to tell you, but Mr. Woo declined.¡±

    At Nam Kyung¡¯s answer, the designer froze in her ce. It was more painful that she had thought. While she sped her chest, she took a deep breath, and seeing as though she wasn¡¯t taking it well, Nam Kyung opened his mouth while wearing a concerned look on his face. Then, Jung Eun waved her hand, gesturing that she was OK.

    ¡°Then, can I have his email address, at least? If you want my design in time, you have to help me with that.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    As the editor hesitated, Jung Eun began to wonder if she was asking for too much. The person she was trying to meet was Yun Woo, the anonymous, genius author. It was the mysterious author she was daring to meet with her attempts, and she couldn¡¯t afford to let up. There was work to be done. Bills needed to be paid. And most of all, she was responsible for her work. Besides, if she were to be frank, she was desperate to meet her favorite author. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Although she wasn¡¯t explicit about it, she was growing quite anxious.

    Then, Nam Kyung said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t give you that information, either.¡±

    It was hill after hill. At that moment, an image of Yun Pil, the arrogant and unlikeable character in the Dr. Dong series came up in her mind.

    ¡°Mr. Woo seems to bepletely oblivious to the importance of...¡±

    That time, Nam Kyung raised his hand, and Jung Eun stopped talking with her mouth still open.

    ¡°Mr. Woo prefers the phone as his primary source ofmunication.¡±

    As the editor¡¯s words registered in her mind, Jung Eun closed her mouth. A phone call with Yun Woo. It was a much greater yield than an email. Then, covering her mouth, the designer nodded repeatedly. There was something inherently different about an author who consistently wrote amazing novels. Then, unable to control her excitement, the designer said, ¡°Yeah, that makes sense. I never thought I¡¯d be able to see him so easily because I have the ability to portray the image that resides in my head onto paper at my disposal. Even if Mr. Woo was wary of me, I would have nothing to say.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Nam Kyung said emphatically while his sses shone. ¡°Mr. Woo¡¯s not that serious.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°The reason he prefers to talk on the phone is that he watched a spy moviest night.¡±

    ¡°... A spy movie?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He wanted to experience what it was like to talk to someone without knowing their face, indirectly. He also said that it was not every day that he got to do something like this. The way I see it, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll apply the experience to his novel, somehow,¡±

    Jung Eun was doubting what she had just heard. What the editor had just told her was that the anonymous, genius author offered a phone call as the main source ofmunication for a reason that had nothing to do with keeping his identity hidden, but instead, to keep her identity hidden. After thinking of words to describe her feelings for a little while, she gave up and asked, ¡°What¡¯s Mr. Woo like as a person?¡±

    As Nam Kyung moved his head, Jung Eun saw his eyes behind his shiny sses.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± the editor said, handing a piece of paper over to her. As soon as she took it from his hand, Jung Eun checked what was written on it. Along with that day¡¯s date and a time that woulde in thirty minutes, there was the name of a ce she was also familiar with.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°This is the process you¡¯ll have to go through in order to speak with Yun Woo on the phone.¡±

    With that, Nam Kyung rose from his seat and asked, ¡°Shall we?¡±

    Feeling both impressed and slightly confused, the designer packed her belongings and prepared for what had to be the most unique meeting.

    The ce they were headed to was in front of a payphone booth on the street, which was about a ten minute walk from the office. The town office was only a few steps away from the booth, and across that, was a convenience store, which was next to another convenience store of a different brand. Because the ce was near her work, she was quite familiar with the area, but she had no recollection of ever using the payphone.

    Jung Eun had a vague memory of standing in line to use the payphone, of which she also remembered waiting anywhere from ten minutes to an hour. During a time where there was no way to talk to someone else without seeing them in person, there had been no other way tomunicate with others. Since then, times had changed, and even the booth had a different look to it. It was much better-looking than before, and it was also designed to be used as a shelter in times of danger. However, nobody cared to use it. A car zoomed quickly past the other side of the booth, without regard or hesitation.

    Then, as Nam Kyung entered the booth first, Jung Eun knew by instinct that that was where they were going to be talking to Yun Woo. After sliding his card into the phone, Nam Kyung punched in the PIN, and then the phone number. Whether he was calling Yun Woo or another person was unclear to her. The only thing she could do was try to remain calm and rxed, preparing herself as she was about to hear Yun Woo¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Yes. Hello, Mr. Woo,¡± Nam Kyung¡¯s voice sounded.

    Yun Woo had to be on the other end of the line. As Jung Eun stared intently at the receiver in Nam Kyung¡¯s hand, she heard the editor talk into it a few times. Then, after setting the receiver to the side, he came out of the booth, and as if taking turns, Jung Eun went into it without hesitation and picked up the receiver. It was quite hefty, making a sharp, metallic sound as the long cable unwound itself. The faint sound of breathing came from the receiver.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Low and calm. That was her impression when hearing Yun Woo¡¯s voice for the first time.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Woo. I¡¯m Jung Eun Kong, the designer in charge of designing your book¡¯s cover.¡±

    Her voice resonated throughout the booth as she spoke, sounding as if it belonged to another person.

    ¡°Yes, hello,¡± the low, and calm voice answered. ¡°I¡¯m Yun Woo. Pleased to meet you.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure is mine, sir.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that we have to talk in such a bizarre setting. I¡¯m in a bit of a circumstance. I hope you understand.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I was already told about your circumstance, Mr. Woo. Not a problem.¡±

    A spy movie. Although she was still entirely clueless, the designer willingly went along with the author.

    ¡°It¡¯s as if meeting a person from legend.¡±

    At that, a burst ofughter sounded in the distance. Yun Woo wasughing.

    ¡°So, you really are real.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thankfully. It allows me to write more.¡±

    Sensing that she had made an unnecessary remark, Jung Eun exined in a hurry, ¡°You see, I¡¯ve made a sketch of you based on how I imagined you¡¯d look. I think that had something to do with what I said, haha.¡±

    ¡°Huh, interesting. What do I look like?¡±

    ¡°Incredibly handsome. There¡¯s also a female version, as well as a version of you with long hair.¡±

    Then, as the conversation cut off for a brief moment, Jung Eun set all of her thoughts aside and changed the subject altogether.

    ¡°I read your recent work very intently. I don¡¯t know what to say other than that I¡¯m impressed.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the author answered in a simr tone of voice to the one she had heard in the video. He was Yun Woo, and suppressing the excitement welling up from within, Jung Eun kept the conversation going, and things lightened up gradually. Then, by the time she was thinking about getting to the point, Yun Woo beat her to it and asked, ¡°What are you confused about?¡±

    ¡°All of it,¡± she answered without hesitation. Since the central message of the novel wasn¡¯t clear to her, it didn¡¯t matter how much she understood everything else in the novel. The extent of her understanding of the novel was limited to the information on the surface, such as the fire and the characters. There were different shapes to the fire, and in that same manner, there were many different faces to the characters within the novel.

    Then, the voice from the receiver validated her confusion and said, ¡°I was confused myself while writing.¡±

 Chapter 207 - Colorful Nails (2)

    <h4>Chapter 207: Chapter 207 ¨C Colorful Nails (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°You? You were?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was actually a lot of work. Having to y detective and dance and all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure what any of that means, but how interesting!¡±

    It was Yun Woo¡¯s personal life, and curiosity and interest were bound to follow. Although Jung Eun hoped the author would be a little more specific about his life, Yun Woo went no further than he had done. Feeling somewhat unsatisfied, the designer fiddled about with her well-decorated nails,plete with geometrical patterns and stones, feeling their textures. The parts that were glued onto her colorful nails sparkled brightly, and they were quite beautiful. It was out of those very fingertips that her designs would flourish. Then, taking the notebook out of her bag, which she had prepared ahead of time, she asked, ¡°So, does that mean the chaos within the novel was intended?¡±

    She was referring to her experience reading the novel, which had left her as though she were lost in the middle of nowhere, making her wonder if that had been the intent of the author. Then, after a brief pause, Yun Woo said, ¡°Hm... I think ¡®imprecise¡¯ would be a more urate way of describing the novel.¡±

    ¡°Imprecise? What¡¯s the difference between that and confusing?¡±

    ¡°First of all, there¡¯s the reading experience. The readers should be able to read through the novel uninterrupted.¡±

    Just like the young author had said, Jung Eun had been able to read through the novel without losing her concentration. The novel read seamlessly, and her experience of having read through the entire manuscript the moment she took it from Nam Kyung¡¯s hands was just further proof of that. Despite a reading experience that had felt chaotic, she had been able to read the novel with intense concentration.

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not the mostplicated plot.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that the novel was convoluted. Theck of anybels or clear boundaries within the novel had simply made it unclear. At that moment, the reason for why she had been struggling so much withing up with a design for that particr project began to dawn on the designer. Then, the young author said, ¡°That novel is like a padlock. Only after you open up the plot, can you see what¡¯s within it.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s in it?¡±

    ¡°The fact is that you can¡¯t know what¡¯s behind the padlock until you see it with your own eyes. Even if a person next to you were to whisper the answer, the box would be nothing more than a mere box. On the other hand, if one believes that it contains a deity within it, the box bes something that they won¡¯t even dare touch.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m getting the gist of it, but I¡¯m still not quite sure what you¡¯re trying to say.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still confusing, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡®Is this really what a conversation with a teenager sounds like?¡¯ Jung Eun thought to herself.

    An image of Yun Woo popped up in her mind. He was wearing a pair of sses and dressed up in a suit. While his downward nce gave off an intellectual vibe, his smile was apanied by dimples and beaming eyes. The bags bulging ever so slightly under his eyes were telling her that he was still young. Then, while jotting things down on her notebook in search for keywords, she made a rough sketch in order to give the image in her head shape. A lightly-drawn circle. It would soon be Yun Woo¡¯s face.

    ¡°It seems like we¡¯ll have to go on for quite a while longer. Why don¡¯t we discuss this in person?¡±

    Then, the designer¡¯s hands came to an abrupt halt.

    ¡°Wait, are you serious, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes. To tell you the truth, I¡¯m near your office at the moment. Oh, also, do you think you can do me a huge favor? I forgot my wallet at home. Do you think you can take some cash out on your way? I think there¡¯s a bank nearby.¡±

    Cash? Jung Eun blinked in confusion. Money? Yun Woo? Her mind filled up to the brim with questions as the image of the author in her head evaporated all at once. Suit, sses, intellectual demeanor. All of it.

    ¡°Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Yun Woo answered. He really was Yun Woo, and the fact that the editor in charge of him had brought her to where she was made that an undeniable truth. She remembered receiving the manuscript from Nam Kyung vividly. Yun Woo¡¯s manuscript, at that.

    ¡°Um...¡±

    ¡®He forgot his wallet? How did he manage toe all the way here, then?... It has to be a lie,¡¯ the designer thought to herself as a painful memory rose up to the surface of her mind. She still remembered having lost fifty dors to a man who imed to have left his wallet in the cab. People often tended to fall for such obvious lies, and doubt began to sprout in her mind.

    ¡°So...¡± Jung Eun repeated herself absentmindedly as the realistic possibility managed to get past the thick wall of questions in her mind. ¡®This is not Yun Woo. He might not be him. What if Nam Kyung¡¯s the one behind all of this? What if he¡¯s the one who¡¯s making me talk to some fraud? Even the manuscript could be fake. Considering his job, he has to know at least one or two people who are decent writers.¡¯

    Then, the end of ¡®Sublimation¡¯ came to her all of a sudden. The ending that gave off the strangest feeling that it wasn¡¯t written by Yun Woo. Things hadn¡¯t been adding up all along. ¡®C¡¯mon, a spy movie? Really?¡¯

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    She no longer nned to address the person on the other end of the line, Yun Woo. Then, she looked in his editor¡¯s direction, where he stood next to a gingko tree with arms crossed, without a clue as to what was taking ce within the booth.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Yun Woo¡¯s voice reverberated in her ear. They were the same words in the same tone to the ones she had heard from the video of Kelley Coin¡¯s recent interview. But was it really him? Was it really the same one she had heard on the inte? Suddenly, she couldn¡¯t remember the video she had watched more than thirty times or the voice that supposedly belonged to the mysterious young author. Everything had evaporated, leaving nothing behind.

    ¡°Is this really Yun Woo?¡± she asked the silly question, and the reverberation of her flustered voice returned to her ears after having echoed throughout the booth.

    ¡°Actually...¡±

    The booth felt suffocating, and the cars rushed past it. What was the truth?

    ¡°I lied...¡±

    It was a lie. He wasn¡¯t Yun Woo, after all. Upon reaching that conclusion, another question rose to her mind: ¡®Does that mean none of our conversations nor everything that I¡¯ve been getting impressed by so far was real?¡¯

    ¡°... about having suggested talking on the phone call after watching a spy movie,¡± the calm, serene voice added.

    ¡°... Pardon?¡± Jung Eun let out. ¡°... This really is Yun Woo, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the brief answer sounded from the receiver.

    ¡°You mean, you never watched a spy movie?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What about the money?¡±

    ¡°My wallet is safe and sound in my pocket.¡±

    ¡°... Wait, hold on. What is this about?¡± she let out as though about to vent angrily at any given minute.

    Then, Yun Woo added, ¡°This is what that novel of mine is like.¡±

    The moment those words entered the designer¡¯s mind, the only thing that remained within it was a deep sense of pleasure. Then, she looked in Nam Kyung¡¯s direction once again. That time, she locked eyes with the familiar face as he smiled and waved. Jung Eun had been working with the editor for quite some time now. However, everything had dispersed into thin air, like smoke, including the trust she had built with the editor throughout her career.

    After the thoughts had already entered her mind, she wasn¡¯t able to trust Yun Woo¡¯s answers entirely. There was nothing around her that would prove that she was talking to Yun Woo, not anywhere. That¡¯s what the novel, ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ was like. As she remained silent, the voice spoke up from the receiver.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯d like to ask you a question as well,¡± the voice said. ¡°Are you really the designer?¡±

    They had been strangers to each other, and she was just another stranger, locked away in a box.

    ¡°Yes. This is Jung Eun Kong, the designer.¡±

    However, there was no evidence that would offer any final exnation. She had no other option but to hope that the voice would trust her.

    ¡°This novel is about self-identity, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked, finally grasping something. The realization came with a breath of fresh air. ¡®Finally!¡¯ Once the keyword rose to her mind, she made a quick sketch of a box with the front and the back burnt away. Her nails sparkled with every movement of her hand, and it was unquestionable that those colorful nails belonged to her.

    ¡°Are you still confused?¡±

    ¡°I gotta tell you. That was such an effective description,¡± Jung Eun said, winding down.

    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange a meal with you, soon. I¡¯ll see you then.¡±

    ¡°... Can you afford to show your face?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve been designing the covers for my books, so I wanted to show you my appreciation for your work. I know a ce. When would you prefer to meet?¡±

    After a brief time thinking, the designer answered, ¡°Why don¡¯t we meet after I finish this project? I just have way too many ideas at the moment.¡±

    A number of good ideas came to her, and the focus of the design became more defined. As things became clear, Jung Eun felt like she hade across the answer rather than a clue, and she found herself in high spirits.

    ¡°Is there an image that you had in mind for the design of the cover?¡± she asked. If the author had an image in mind, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to reflect it broadly in the design.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see...¡± Yun Woo said, dragging on. The designer waited patiently for his answer, anticipating what it would be. ¡°A crow.¡±

    It was an answer that was both random and Yun Woo-like. After all, birds were like a symbol for him. But why, of all birds, a crow?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Jung Eun asked.

    To which, Yun Woo answered light-heartedly, ¡°Because it¡¯s about self-identity.¡±

    At that, the designer asked no further questions. Rather, she listed the characteristics of the bird in her head. ck feathers, ominous, wings, soaring. Her premonition told her that a good product was at hand.

    ¡°Thank you for your cooperation.¡±

    ¡°No, thank YOU.¡±

    Then, she realized that it was time for her to hang up. ¡®When will I hear his voice again after I hang up? Will I really meet him in person? Maybe that was also a lie,¡¯ she thought to herself. In that case, this really would be the end.

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    Yet, she felt no lingering attachment because of her unexinable faith that Yun Woo would keep writing, and that she would be able to hear his voice once again if he did.

    ¡°Please keep up the good work.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± the author answered in a calm tone of voice. Waiting patiently for his goodbye, the designer held on to the receiver. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been meaning to bring it up for a while now, but I like your nails.¡±

    ¡°Eh?!¡±

    ¡°Take care, now.¡±

    ¡°Wait! Hold on! Mr. Woo!¡±

    ¡®Click.¡¯

    Just like that, the phone call came to an end, and after staring at the receiver in a daze, she ran out of the booth and looked around frantically. The streets were quite crowded, and she didn¡¯t know what Yun Woo looked like. In other words, she would never find him, no matter how hard she looked. However, she still couldn¡¯t stop looking.

    At that moment, a person infortable attire came out of the convenience store with a ck stic bag in their hand. ¡®Is it him?¡¯ she wondered as yet another person wearing a hat walked out of the other convenience store right next to it. In the end, she turned around and charged toward Nam Kyung.

    ¡°Mr. Wooplimented my nails!¡±

    ¡°Wha? Oh, uh, that¡¯s great!¡±

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not that I¡¯m saying!¡±

    From then on, Nam Kyung had to put up with the designer, without a clue as to what had happened that day.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Man, it came out great!¡±

    Agreeing with Mr. Maeng, Nam Kyung picked up the book in order to check how it had turned out. A lot of work had gone into the making of that book.

    Made of a reflective material, the book was ck all around, and the title, ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ was written at the top, like smoke. The ck cover of the book gave off the impression that the readers were about to be part of something greater than normal, as if looking at a closeup image of an object. While it looked like a house that had burned down, it also looked like a pile of ashes. The true identity of the ominous color revealed itself when one looked at the cover designs as a whole. Opening the book, Nam Kyung ttened it so the front and back covers showed one image. It was a pair of eyes. More specifically, a crow¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°This... Is what makes it.¡±

    Since the the ck cover carried such an unmistakable presence, the meeting went on for a rtively short time. The publishingpany had intentionally spread the news that Yun Woo had personally taken part in designing the cover for his novel this time. While most fans¡¯ expectations were through the roof, there were also voices of concerns: ¡®Will he be able to outdo ¡®River?¡¯ What if he¡¯s reached his limit? Shouldn¡¯t he have taken a longer break? What if we¡¯re disappointed?¡¯

    However, Nam Kyung took no interest in such matters. After reading the novel, he knew immediately that Yun Woo was like an ever-flowing stream of water.

    When he flipped the book, the reviews came into view, and among them, was a review by San Jung Youn herself, who had described the book as having the power to stir up doubt within the hearts of its readers. Doubt of their own existence.

    ¡°The number of preorders is beyond what we¡¯d imagined. We just started printing another fifty thousand copies, and the book isn¡¯t even out yet.¡±

    ¡°I told you, fifty thousand was way too little to start with. Yun Woo isn¡¯t just a popr author.¡±

    Considering the average two to five thousand copies the first print of a novel got, fifty-thousand was a massive number. It was a number that could only be seen next to the names of the top authors in the nation, or of internationally-recognized authors. However, the author responsible for this number was Yun Woo, whose novel ¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ had sold more than two million copies in thest year and a half. If sales overseas were brought into the equation, the number grew into an astronomical one. The ¡®Language of God¡¯ had exceeded the sales of the first Korean novel that had been published in the US by a significant margin, following after ¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ at thirty thousand copies, and ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ at twenty thousand copies. On top of that, Yun Woo¡¯s books were still in print.

    ¡°Well, we couldn¡¯t really do anything about it. If we invest too much on the first batch, we¡¯ll have less money to spend elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I find frustrating. I mean, Yun Woo¡¯s books practically advertise themselves. It costs us hardly anything.¡±

    ¡°We should suggest printing twice the amount next time,¡± Mr. Maeng said in order to calm Nam Kyung down. Then, taking a deep breath, the editor brushed his fingertips down the book¡¯s cover.

 Chapter 208 - Sublimation (1)

    <h4>Chapter 208: Sublimation (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho stared at the man-madeke in front of him, which was in a university campus next to a shopping mall. Within the mall, was arge bookstore. In order to let a group of people through, Juho stepped aside. In their hands, were paper bags with the bookstore¡¯s logo printed on it. The ck cover peeking through the opening caught Juho¡¯s eyes. It was his novel, ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ and he had heard from Nam Kyung that the number of copies sold had reached three hundred fifty thousand in just four days.

    ¡°Man, It¡¯s cold out,¡± Juho murmured as he sat down on a bench in front of theke. The coldness seeped in through his pants. The benches were all empty, and he was the only person sitting on one. However, there were a couple of people, who appeared to be siblings, talking just a few steps away.

    ¡°That¡¯s a goose.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s a duck!¡±

    The two argued while looking at a bird swimming around the edges of theke. The way Juho saw it, it looked more like a swan, which was in the same family as the duck. In other words, it was closer to being a duck than it was a goose. However, there was no solid evidence that would prove his observation, which meant that nobody at theke knew what kind of bird they were looking at. Simply, each thought of it ording to what they saw.

    ¡°It¡¯s a goose! Just look at the beak.¡±

    ¡°Ducks are the only kinds of bird that would still be around in the winter. I learned it at school.¡±

    ¡°How does that make any sense?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious! That¡¯s what my teacher said!¡±

    Shallow evidence only got in the way of an argument, and the two went on for a long time, all without even properly backing up their ims. Perhaps the uracy of the information wasn¡¯t quite a matter of concern. If anything, it seemed like one of the parties was getting a kick out of bickering with the other person, not letting up despite knowing that the other person was right. In actuality, the child who appeared to be the younger brother had a mischievous look about him. Then, as a woman, who seemed to be their mother, appeared with her hands full of things, the two left theke, leaving Juho as the only person around theke.

    After staring into theke absentmindedly for a little while, Juho reached for his bag, took hisptop out, and logged into a search engine. Although his hands were sluggish from being nearly frozen, it was hardly an issue for him since the word ¡®Sublimation¡¯ was among the most searched words on the inte. He had ess to the opinions of his readers at the tip of his fingers, including articles with provocative titles,ments, ratings, and reviews. Looking at the tiny screen filled with numerous opinions, Juho read through them slowly, one by one, being attentive to each and every one of them, especially of the criticisms toward his book. He was able to peek at the hearts of those interpreting his book to his heart¡¯s content. He read on until he reached the limits those people had set, perhaps even going beyond them.

    At that moment, a wind blew against his face, and his eyes tingled from the cold while the light reflected from the water burned them as fire would.

    An outstanding piece of writing. Favorable reviews from the critics. Praises that far surpassed the reviews of the critics. Questions. A touch of controversy. Selling out in realtime. A proud author. Genius. Skills hard to believe. Limits broken by the author. The identity that came to him by coincidence. Yun Woo. Yun Woo.

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    A voice called for him, but Juho soon realized that it had just been his imagination, an illusion molded from the remnants of y left on the ground.

    ¡°Yun Woo. Yun Woo. Yun Woo.¡±

    That time, a chant sounded. A series of voices called out to him emphatically, shaking the ground and the air above it. As Juho absorbed and embraced the sound, the crowd shouted with joy.

    ¡°Yun Woo, you¡¯re a genius!¡± a person shouted from the frontmost row. Juho was standing on the stage in the concert hall where they had held the book concert some time before. The spotlights came on, and Juho was sitting alone on a chair set up on the stage, interacting with three hundred people in the audience.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Juho let out briefly and covered his mouth with his hands.

    ¡°My son really liked this book. He hates reading, but he just can¡¯t seem to get enough of this book. He told me that it¡¯s like reading a detective novel.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my daughter only reads horror or thriller novels, but she reads this book nonstop.¡±

    Then, Juho looked quietly to the other side of the audience, from where he also heard a series of voices. Except, they were slightly more rigid and emphatic.

    ¡°Fire, God, and humans. The way you unfolded each of their significances was very interesting. The lives of the firefighters were quite urate, as well.¡±

    ¡°The emotional description of each of the characters was also spot on. It wasn¡¯t too much or so subtle that it felt either ufortable or boring. You¡¯ve done well staying within the flow of the plot.¡±

    ¡°The scene where the characters begin to doubt each other was portrayed quite effectively. With the fire in the center, other characters continue to experience conflict with each other, and the way you utilized the narrator really stood out. As long as we pay attention to how he¡¯s feeling, we don¡¯t have to worry about getting lost amid all the riddles.¡±

    ¡°As always, Yun Woo¡¯s sentences were beautifully constructed. It was very colorful, yet controlled. It really brought out the pain of slowly falling apart from within.¡±

    Everyone in the audience agreed, and they exploded into apuse. However, the reviews were yet toe to an end.

    ¡°Your debut title had a strong, hopeful image of oveing darkness, but the pieces that followed after it all die away in it. There are characters who are swayed by the people around them and their circumstances, and every one of those events is utilized as a tool for providing evidence of hope. The child-like purity of your style really brings that out.¡±

    Then, another voice interjected.

    ¡°You excel at describing the experience of death. It was as if you had actually died once. That kind of portrayal written by a teenage author can only be described as talent.¡±

    ¡°As well as solitude and loneliness.¡±

    ¡°Same goes for goodbyes and pains.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an author who¡¯s well acquainted with taking away the wings from the characters within your novels.¡±

    ¡°At the same time, you¡¯re skilled in reminding the readers of the fact that they had wings to begin with.¡±

    ¡°As always, outstanding.¡±

    ¡°Marvelous!¡±

    ¡°Who else is capable of writing pieces of such literary value?¡±

    ¡°The weight your writing carries supersedes your age.¡±

    Endless praise flowed out from the dark, intoxicated by the author by the name of Yun Woo.

    ¡°But.¡±

    An emphatic word put an end to them all. Amotion broke out within the shadows, and the audience members began to look around themselves. Then, a hand popped out of the shadows. It was an attempt to obtain the right to speak. At that, Juho nodded as a gesture of confirmation.

    ¡°What was with that ending?¡± the member of the audience asked in a shaky voice, sounding either angry or ecstatic. Either way, the hand was quite worked up.

    At which point, Juho answered in a calm tone of voice, ¡°As you said, it¡¯s an ending.¡±

    Then, the member of the audience shook their head in denial.

    ¡°No, no. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. What I¡¯m asking is what was that ending ABOUT?¡± the audience member said with threatening gestures, as if they would take the young author by his cor.

    After a brief pause, Juho asked, ¡°Was it not to your liking?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what this is about. This is an event. The end of Yun Woo¡¯s ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ is the event. The inner beings of the characters mix into one, single concoction, and it changes everything, while the traditional structure of a novel gradually falls apart. It takes a serious amount of skill in order to make the most out of a scene like that, and you¡¯ve done it. But there is something that I just can¡¯t seem to understand.¡±

    ¡°And what is that?¡± the author asked from the stage, and the hand answered without a dy.

    ¡°Why were you in the novel?¡± the member of the audience asked, his voice reverberating throughout the hall while the spotlights shook.

    ¡°In a scene where people were deprived of their names and their very existences, why were you part of that scene? You¡¯re the author, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    The sharp, poignant hand pointed toward the stage, and blue veins became visible from it.

    ¡°Also, what was with that writing style?¡±

    The blue veins began to analyze the novel.

    ¡°It was anything but pure. It wasn¡¯t colorful, nor was it controlled. That was very unlike Yun Woo and detached from the beautiful sentences I¡¯ve seen up to this point. Only the end was different.¡±

    Juho stared intently at the member in the audience whose hand was shaking uncontrobly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it was written by Yun Woo. I don¡¯t think that you hired another author to write on your behalf, either. There¡¯s no denying the fact that you wrote those sentences, but they couldn¡¯t possibly havee out of you.¡±

    The audience member started to grow antsy with curiosity and uncertainty, and as a response, Juho asked, ¡°What would you like for me to do for you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to look into your mind. There has to exist yet another version of you in there,¡± the audience member said, waving his hand as if trying to grab something.

    ¡°I want to meet him in person, and I want to see more of him, for a while longer. I want to pick apart and analyze the version of you that ispletely devoid of color or control,¡± the audience member said and waited for the author¡¯s answer. However, the stage had sunk into silence, and Yun Woo didn¡¯t say a word. At that moment...

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ... a voice called to the young author. At which point, there was yet another round of chanting. The entire hall vibrated, and some even stomped their feet.

    ¡°¡®Sublimation¡¯ is an amazing book!¡±

    ¡°There is no such things as a limit for Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡°More!¡±

    ¡°The ending of ¡®Sublimation¡¯ will mark a new era in literary history!¡±

    With that, Juho closed hisptop. A wind blew in his direction once again, and what was either a duck, a goose, or a swan was swimming away from Juho, toward the opposite side of theke, and Juho simply stared at it absentmindedly.

    ¡°It¡¯s cold out,¡± Juho said as he rose from the bench. His body felt stiff, and his toes in his shoes had grown numb. Then, a sound came from behind him. There were a couple of people walking in his direction with a paper bag with the logo of the bookstore Juho had been in on it.

    ¡°Man, I freakin¡¯ love Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right.¡±

    Until their voices grew faint, Juho stood still in his ce.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Yun Woo Comes Back with New Book! A Closer Look at the Controversial Piece, ¡®Sublimation.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo Blows It Out of the Water Yet Again! What Are His Limits?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo Receives International Attention. The World Expresses Interest in the Fans¡¯ Reactions in Korea.¡±

    ¡°Is It a Burnt Down House? Is It a Crow? Yun Woo Participates in Designing the Cover of His Most Recent Novel, ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ AKA ¡®The ck Book.¡¯ The Web Grows Wild with Theories. The True Significance Behind the Cover Design?¡±

    ¡°A Reported Controversy Among Critics. The Meaning Behind the Ending of ¡®Sublimation.¡¯¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s Yun Woo Implying in the Ending of ¡®Sublimation?¡¯ Fans Coming Up with Prizing Opinions.¡±

    ¡°¡®It¡¯s Not the Content of the Ending That¡¯s the Issue?¡¯ Critics Address Issues with Yun Woo¡¯s Recent Novel, ¡®Sublimation.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Pyung Jin Lee, the Celebrity Critic Speaks! ¡®There Will Never Be Another Yun Woo. I Won¡¯t Dare to Critique ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ but Simply, Read It.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Artistic and Appealing to the Masses, Yun Woo Catches Two Birds with One Stone! Downfall is a Luxury for Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s Recent Novel, ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ Not a Detective Novel? Who is Yun Woo ording to the Fans?¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°What is this? Oh, my! Is this author seriously crazy or what? Has everyone read his most recent novel?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just as the title suggests. It¡¯s Yun Woo¡¯s sublimation. This novel proved to me that the next most useless thing to worry about aside from celebrities is about Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a tank. I¡¯ll give him that. He was chosen as a candidate for the Annr Award, yet he writes a novel like ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ If I were in his shoes, I¡¯d just disappear from the face of the Earth for a while.¡±

    ¡°Same here. I¡¯d be gone for like five years.¡±

    ¡°Second that.¡±

    ¡°Ten years, for me.¡±

    ¡°Personally, out of all of his novels so far, I love ¡®Sublimation¡¯ the most. The suspense is just so intense!¡±

    ¡°I agree. It¡¯s super immersive and readable. It has to be the most appealing novel he¡¯s ever written.¡±

    ¡°I, on the other hand, think that it had the highest literary value of all of his other novels. The chaos really hit me hard. I thought it was gonna be a story about another person¡¯s life and growth, but boy was I wrong. I got chills at the end.¡±

    ¡°That was seriously insane! When everything goes haywire, and the perspective deviates from the narrator? Oh, man! The thrill!¡±

    ¡°There are so many controversies surrounding the ending of that book. The critics keep raving about writing style or whatever, but it all just goes over my head. What I can tell you is that I got such bad goosebumps from the ending that I almost turned into a chicken.¡±

    ¡°Are the critics not liking the book? Are they talking trash?¡±

    ¡°The writing style changes in the end, apparently out of nowhere. That must be what makes it so difficult.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not difficult. It¡¯s impossible. There are theories about Yun Woo having a split personality or hiring a ghostwriter because of the ending, where not only the sentence structure changespletely, but the writing itself also flips upside down as if written by another person. Writing tends to have a trace of the author¡¯s habits or feelings, but none of that exists in the end of ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ In other words, it feels like another person wrote that part for him. Think about it! Unless he has split personality or hired a ghostwriter, this is impossible to pull off. The fact that it matches the ending of the novel doesn¡¯t really seem to help, either.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something scary about that. Does it have anything to do with Yun Woo being a genius?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because he was super into writing it?¡±

    ¡°He had to have been really intentional since it was the piece following ¡®River.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he was, considering how he was even part of the cover¡¯s design process. The publisher really pushed for that, too.¡±

    ¡°It might be he¡¯s just being himself: Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s incredible, even for Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s incredible BECAUSE it¡¯s Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s already anonymous, but now that he¡¯s written a novel like this, the curiosity is driving me nuts! Don¡¯t quote me on this, but I have a feeling that it¡¯s something simr to what he¡¯s actually going through. I mean, people associate him with all sorts of images. On top of that, he debuted when he was sixteen, so it might have had the right impact at just the right time.¡±

    ¡°That sounds legit.¡±

    ¡°So, I guess that means it¡¯s a novel only Yun Woo can pull off.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo. Yun Woo. Yun Woo.¡±

 Chapter 209 - Sublimation (2)

    <h4>Chapter 209: Sublimation (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°And, that¡¯s all for the day.¡±

    ¡°Good job, everyone.¡±

    At the end of filming, the set was filled with the sound of the filming crew acknowledging each other for their hard work, and one of them was Ji Hye Goo, who made her way to her van while drying her hair with a towel. Then, as soon as her back hit the soft backrest of the warm, cozy van, the actress let out a deep sigh, filled with a sense of relief and aplishment.

    ¡°Ji Hye, you were amazing til the end,¡± her manager, who had been waiting for her in the car with the heater turned on ahead of time, said while sticking his thumb up. That day was thest day of filming, and next to the actress, was a pile of crumpled up scripts. She had always given it her best in an attempt to get that perfect take and she had always wanted to be the best there was. She wanted to be able to express a wide array of emotions, and as an actress, that desire had be something natural and, in some ways, even obligatory.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty happy with how things turned out today, too,¡± the actress said yfully, and the manager yed along with a smile.

    ¡°Yun Woo must have been a big help.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo is seriously an incredible author. He¡¯s astounding,¡± Ji Hye said as she picked up a book from under the piles of crumpled up scripts. It was a literary magazine, written by nine authors, on the subject of death. It was a coboration of some of the top authors in Korea. From San Jung Youn, who was the very first recipient of an international award in Italy, to Joon Soo Bong, who was on the rise as ofte, the list of authors included some of the most famous and familiar names in Korean literature such as Seo Joong Ahn or Dong Gil Uhm, the youngblood of detective novels, Mideum Choo, and the leading figure of Korean horror novels, Dae Soo Na. On top of that, the list went on with the most recent winner of the Dong Kyung Literary Award, Geun Woo Yoo, and the name of the person whose thoughts alone made the hearts of many jump, Yun Woo.

    ¡®The Beginning and the End¡¯ contained Yun Woo¡¯s piece by the name of ¡®River,¡¯ which was often credited as the piece that showed up those who looked down at the young author. It had sessfully managed to remove most preconceived notions about the young author, leaving numerous critics and fans impressed. People either grew fond of Yun Woo or deepened their preexisting affection for the author, and it was the same way for Ji Hye. Yun Woo¡¯s writing had a powerful impact on her acting. During the filming of a scene where she had to portray death, she had always brought a copy of ¡®River¡¯ with her, constantly thinking back on it on set. Ever since reading the short story, her portrayal of death had improved significantly.

    Every time she read ¡®River,¡¯ she always felt something welling up from within, making her shake her head violently in order to shake it off. It made her feel as though she knew what death really was, as well as the reason for her birth and the direction she was headed to in life. It allowed her to indulge in her arrogant yet blissful delusion, all without a sense of guilt.

    Yun Woo¡¯s writing wasparable to a skilled actor¡¯s performance. The audience would receive the emotions expressed by the author with their hearts open. When he breathed, the audience breathed as well, and when he died, the audience shed tears of sorrow. The readers were able to understand and ept his stories, being closer to them than anybody else.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± the actress let out, patting her hair with the towel. The cloth absorbed the moisture in her hair. Yun Woo had been of incredible help to her, and thanks to him, she had been able to die better than anyone else and finish filming in one piece.

    ¡°You can read that book now, right?¡±

    At the manager¡¯s question, the actress smiled brightly. The novel he had published within a year of teaching the actress about death. The very book that shattered the worries of those who had doubted him. The book responsible for cing the author in the middle of all sorts of horror stories. ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ AKA The ck Book. The publishingpany had revealed that the author had been part of designing the famous ck cover. Although she had bought it the day it was published, she had been putting off reading it in order to focus on filming. Afterforting herself repeatedly that she¡¯d read after filming had ended and that that day wasn¡¯t far away, she had endured as though going through a miserable diet routine.

    Now, the day had finallye. After drying her hair, Ji Hye went out in order to say goodbye to the filming crew once again and finalize her future schedule with them. Then, as the actress enjoyed her long-anticipated book, the van took her home after everything had been put in order.

    The first thing that came to her attention was the insatiable fire, despite it having swallowed everything around it already. In the moving car, Ji Hye turned the pages skillfully. Even without readers having to make an effort to concentrate, Yun Woo¡¯s writing tended to guide them naturally. Yet, determined to not miss a single word, the actress read through the novel cautiously and intently while the van repeated the process of stopping and moving.

    ¡°Ji Hye, we¡¯re here,¡± the manager called to her upon arriving at the parking lot, which had taken them two and a half hours to do. However, the actress gave no answer.

    ¡°Ji Hye?¡±

    ¡°You go on ahead.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    As the flustered manager looked back in her direction, he saw that the actress looked extremely bothered, unlike her usual self. The manager had been working with her for a decade, and just like her widely-perceived image of being positive and healthy, Ji Hye Goo, one of the top stars in Korea, was as wise as her name. Well versed in interpersonal interaction, she never gave into anger or annoyance easily, and while she was friendly, she was never excessively so.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Ji Hye means wisdom in Korean.)

    However, there had been rare asions when Ji Hye had worn that expression on her face. It had happened when she hadn¡¯t been treated fairly or had been disrupted in the middle of a performance. During an informal asion, Ji Hye had shared that she had lingering displeasure within her of when she couldn¡¯t express her emotions to the degree she had in mind, and the manager had interpreted that as her feeling bothered, a feeling that rose up when a straight line got crooked. After a messy coloring job that neglected the perfect outline of a circle or after finding a tiny speckle on a white garment. Something that came from the very first handprint on a new car or from an mismatched pair of chopsticks. They all apanied a sense of displeasure, and having worked with the actress for thest decade, the manager knew instinctively that that was what she was feeling. She had been bothered beyond belief by the voiceing from elsewhere, pulling her out of her immersion of the scene in the novel.

    ¡°Is everything OK?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯lle out after I¡¯m done reading,¡± she said in a calm tone of voice. However, when the manager studied her appearance, she was quite tense, all while wearing an expression that was the pr opposite of ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ the novel she was reading. She looked like she was never going to put the ck book down, and without saying anything, the manager got out of the car with the key still left in the ignition. With the manager gone, she was all alone and she didn¡¯te out of the car until the sun hadpletely set and risen again the next morning.

    ¡°Ha,¡± she let out as she closed the book. ¡®What¡¯s this ending? I don¡¯t get it. I don¡¯t get what Yun Woo did here.¡¯ She realized that she had been influenced by the author without a clue as to how. The book had somehow managed to overwhelm herpletely even before she had read it. Then, remembering thest scene she had just filmed the night before, a sense of relief sank into her, followed by the thought of the satisfying portrayal of death, which was still fresh in her mind.

    Yun Woo¡¯s writing was like a performance from a talented actor. An image of an empty, well-lit stage popped up in her mind. The talented actor had left without even a goodbye. Then, another actor appeared onstage, an actor who was slightly older and carried a weightier presence. However, that actor was nowhere near as calm or graceful as the previous actor. On top of that, he had a nonchnt and shameless attitude about him. Shallow, and indecent. Yet, he was a good actor. A famous actor. The distinction between the two became fuzzier and more difficult. What set them apart from each other? What separated before and after? There was no way to know. Were the two actors inherently different? Were they different actors? What if it was the same actor all along, tricking the audience with his skills, which were beyondprehension? What if it was a performance that tricked even the actors? Ji Hye¡¯s heart began to beat faster, and the fact that she could no longer decipher it came with a sense of pleasure. Then, she covered her face with her hands, feeling like she would cry at any given minute.

    ¡°I am me.¡±

    What sounded like an excuse came out of her mouth behind her hands.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. All you gotta do is write.¡±

    ¡°No. You, of all people, have no right to tell me things like that. I find it rather arrogant. Kind of like Yun Pil.¡±

    ¡°So, you agree that Yun Pil is arrogant?¡±

    Burying her face in her hands, Mideum groaned in pain, and after having been summoned somewhat against his will, Juho was now dealing with her. He was well acquainted with her drunkard-like words by that point.

    As he stared at her for a brief moment, Dong Gil asked while wearing his usual, cold expression, ¡°So, you wrote this ending, right?¡±

    ¡°Who else? It was published with Yun Woo¡¯s name on it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just having reasonable doubt.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Juho said calmly, and at that, Dong Gil¡¯s expression softened up a bit.

    ¡°I know that you don¡¯t really have a reason to pull of something like that. I mean, it wouldn¡¯t make sense to hire another author when you¡¯re near the very end of the novel.¡±

    ¡°Right?!¡±

    ¡°So, does that mean you have a split personality?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    There was no end to Dong Gil¡¯s doubt, and unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t the only person who responded that way. In reality, there had been all sort of horror stories, which were far worse than Dong Gil¡¯s conjectures, floating around the inte. Yun Woo, sublimated.

    ¡°I just changed the writing style at the very end so that it would fit whatever was going on better,¡± Juho told the truth with honesty. However, the more the authors listened, the more bitter their expressions grew.

    ¡°If it was that simple, I would have been doing it already!¡± Mideum shouted, and Dong Gil stopped her emphatically because they were at a restaurant. Even though they were in a room, there was no promise that the walls would keep their voices from getting out if they kept raising them. Then, Juho cut a small piece of chicken and brought it up to his mouth. Contrary to what he had been told about getting a free meal, what had really been waiting for him at the restaurant had been an interrogation.

    ¡°Pyung Jin Lee¡¯s been drooling all over your novel. He¡¯s not going to critique it, apparently,¡± Sang Choi said with his mouth full.

    ¡°Why would he drool all over my novel?¡±

    ¡°Hello? Because what you wrote was out of this world! Yun Woo is a mystery to most people, and do you know how many people out there are prone to thinking that you have a split personality? Personally, I think you had some sort of trick up your sleeve, a trick that no one can know unless you tell them. When ites to legality, I say we set it aside for now.¡±

    At that, Juho quietly locked eyes with the author, and after a snicker, Sang changed the subject, ¡°Anyway, that was a smart move you made, sending society such heartrending message after a piece like ¡®River.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Whoever said anything about a heartrending message?¡±

    ¡°ying coy, huh?¡± Sang said, cleansing his palette with the ss of red wine.

    ¡°¡®Live. Live on.¡¯ That was the central message of ¡®River,¡± he said, pointing at Juho with his fork. ¡°And then, ¡®Resist!¡¯ That was the message that followed after the short story. Am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°Is that how you interpreted it?¡±

    ¡°Identity crisis, an ego gone astray, and the missing subject. Hell awaits those who doubted and argued, despite having wandered around the wilderness,¡± Sang said while narrowing his eyes, emphasizing the word hell. ¡°A hell made of sentences that couldn¡¯t have possibly been written by Yun Woo.¡±

    Juho mashed a piece of chicken with his knife, making a soft noise as it rubbed against his te.

    ¡°Do you doubt me as well, Mr. Choi?¡± he asked light-heartedly, and the romance writer shook his head in denial.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m grateful.¡±

    As he answered Juho in a calm tone of voice, all the other authors looked in his direction.

    ¡°¡®An author writes a piece that brings up questions regarding his personality.¡¯ You have no clue how shocking that would be to any author. Oh, no. Not you. You¡¯d never understand. I¡¯m sure there are a number of aspiring authors who¡¯ve given up writing after reading your novel.¡±

    It was a rather cruel remark. Yun Woo. Genius. Ster. Mysterious. Those who were led to doubting their own identity by that mysterious existence soon found themselves in a swamp of despair.

    ¡°¡®Sublimation¡¯ is just the right book for this age. One of the reasons your readers are so obsessed with you is that they are able to rte to a story that is so terrifyingly unrealistic. Why do they rte to it? Because the terror in ¡®Sunlimation¡¯ isn¡¯t very far off from the terror in reality. People living as cogwheels in this modern society are wearing out their identities, day by day.¡±

    The room sank into silence, and Juho slowly raised his hand to scratch his neck.

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting way to look at it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a cheeky one, you know that? I just pray that there won¡¯t be idiots who try to change their writing style because of you.¡±

    At Sang¡¯s remark, Mideum lifted her head as if pricked in the heart. Then, looking in Juho¡¯s direction with narrowed eyes, she said, ¡°Choi, isn¡¯t he just like Yun Pil?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never read the series, so I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t?¡±

    Ignoring the apparent look of hurt on her face, Sang said, ¡°I¡¯m sure my writing will improve because of yours. After all, I am Sang Choi, the top.¡±

    Listening to Sang¡¯s remark, Juho felt like he had gotten a glimpse of how his writing affected his fellow authors. A piece of writing that had left its creator¡¯s hand tended to grow in size, much like a lifeform. It felt like a lifeform that had borne out of thin air rather than that his own hands were selling it out to the world. As it caught people¡¯s eyes, those lifeforms provoked emotions, and as an author, Juho couldn¡¯t do anything to control that. He was powerless. Yet, he couldn¡¯t help but smile ever so slightly at that sense of pressure.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯d like to hear more about this alternate writing style of yours,¡± Dong Gil said quietly, wearing the look of a reporter staring at his prey right before his eyes. There was doubt and curiosity in those eyes that were yet to be appeased. Then, with an awkward smile, Juho spoke as sparingly as possible.

 Chapter 210 - Sublimation (3)

    <h4>Chapter 210: Sublimation (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Having left the house early in the morning, Juho arrived at the park and took some time to stretch. There was nobody around, and that time, he was the first one to arrive. The other two would arrive at any minute. Then, opening his stance out to his shoulders¡¯ width, Juho stretched his sides. A rotated world came into view. Everything was in their rightful ce. At that moment, he saw a silhouette approaching him, and in order to greet the familiar figure, Juho straightened his back and opened his mouth... He tried to, anyway.

    ¡°Hey,¡± the figure greeted him in a calm tone of voice.

    ¡®There¡¯s no way he doesn¡¯t know where I¡¯m looking,¡¯ Juho thought. Then, the wind blew against the figure¡¯s face, blowing on the messy bangs that were covering his forehead.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    Then, Juho asked Sung Pil once again, ¡°Where are your eyebrows?¡±

    There was nothing but flesh where his eyebrows were supposed to be. His thick, trademark eyebrows had gone missing, and it was in that state that Juho¡¯s friend hade out to join him for morning exercises. Juho had never experienced anything like it.

    ¡°I shaved them.¡±

    ¡°You shaved them?¡±

    Apparently, Sung Pil had shaved his perfectly fine eyebrows. Thanks to that, it dawned on Juho just how big of impact eyebrows had on one¡¯s appearance. There was not a trace of shame or embarrassment on Sung Pil¡¯s face. He seemed to have epted the fact that he was responsible for his decisions. On the other hand, it was a good thing that his eyebrows hadn¡¯t been shaved by another person, against his will. Did something cause him to resent his distinctive eyebrows?

    ¡°Why?¡± Juho asked for his reason.

    ¡°Because I couldn¡¯t write.¡±

    After the rather author-like answer, Juho couldn¡¯t say anything in response. Then, his memory of the older Sung Pil crossed his mind. Although it was different from his current face, whichcked eyebrows, he still looked the same. Whether or not he had eyebrows, Sung Pil was Sung Pil. Juho looked intently at his bald face for a brief moment.

    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you write?¡± Juho asked, and just like previously, the answer came quickly.

    ¡°Because of Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    It seemed like Juho was at least partially responsible for the loss of Sung Pil¡¯s eyebrows. As their eyes locked, Baron¡¯s voice sounded off.

    ¡°You guys are early.¡±

    Coming from behind, Baron was yet to grasp the situation. While Juho greeted him awkwardly, Sung Pil turned toward him, and Baron looked intently at something past Juho. Then, there was an awkward silence.

    ¡°Are you trying to be a rebel?¡±

    At that, Juho couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing. It seemed like the morning exercise wasn¡¯t going to happen. However, the weather didn¡¯t allow them to stay out chatting for an extended period of time, so Juho took them to a nearby twenty-four-hour cafe. Located within the neighborhood, the cafe was quiet.

    ¡°It¡¯s warm in here.¡±

    The three took their seats, each with a cup of warm beverage in their hands. Because it was early in the morning still, the cafe was mostly empty. However, there were people making quick stops to buy a hot cup of coffee, such as the owner of a dry cleaner¡¯s nearby, a corporate worker wearing a coat, or a university student wearing a padded jacket over their pajamas. After looking around the interior of the cafe for a little while, Juho opened his mouth and asked, ¡°So, going back to our conversation earlier, you shaved your eyebrows because of Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo? What¡¯s he got to do with anything here?¡± Baron asked, and not knowing the answer himself, Juho shrugged. In the end, their eyes turned toward Sung Pil, who was drinking his chocte mocha with a nk expression on his face, all the while missing his eyebrows.

    ¡°No, I shaved my eyebrows because I couldn¡¯t write.¡±

    ¡°And the reason why you couldn¡¯t write was Yun Woo, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Sung Pil said, correcting even the seemingly minuscule difference.

    ¡°Why? Did he pick on you or something?¡± Baron asked, resting his chin on his hand while still looking intently at the missing eyebrows behind his bangs.

    ¡°No, he encouraged me if anything.¡±

    Encouragement. That was what had made Sung Pil a Yun Woo fan. He had previously shared with Juho that he had feltforted by Yun Woo¡¯s writing.

    ¡°To tell you the truth, I finished a story recently, although it¡¯s the first draft.¡±

    ¡°You mean the story about the bank?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s something to celebrate,¡± Baron said.

    However, Sung Pil answered indifferently, ¡°But I¡¯m not very happy with how it turned out.¡±

    ¡°Howe?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s missing something.¡±

    ¡°Well, it is the first draft. You can always improve on it as you revise.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean,¡± Sung Pil said, and after a brief pause, he added, ¡°I read ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ I was shocked.¡±

    At his response, Baron looked intently at him for a little while and nodded quietly. Just from the sound of the word sublimation, he was able to get an idea of Sung Pil¡¯s situation. Then, he looked at Juho, who was listening quietly, without responding in any way.

    ¡°Fire was terrifying, and sin still exists, yet I couldn¡¯t figure out what. In the end, the book just ends while leaving the readers crippled with terror. It doesn¡¯tfort them in any way. Instead, it drives them into a corner with nothing but ambiguous, undecipherable emotions. I couldn¡¯t believe he wrote that after ¡®River.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I agree. That ending was really something,¡± Baron murmured.

    ¡°How¡¯s Yun Woo able to write like that? When I read my manuscript after reading ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ it just felt like trash.¡±

    Juho felt the heating up from the mug within his hands, and Sung Pil¡¯s low voice reminded him of the conversation he had had with Sang not too long ago. The romance write had said that there had to be aspiring writers who had given up on their dreams.

    ¡°So, are you gonna give up?¡± Juho asked in a calm tone of voice.

    ¡°No,¡± Sung Pil said emphatically. Despite the frustration that drove him to shave his eyebrows off, he wasn¡¯t willing to give up. Unfortunately, his bald face made it somewhat difficult to take him seriously. Then, Sung Pil looked down and said, ¡°It¡¯s strange. There are no scores or right answers in writing, yet you just know when someone¡¯s better than you. It was frustrating. My mind was in utter chaos, and I couldn¡¯t write a word, so I tried looking for ways to divert myself.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s how you came to shaving your eyebrows?¡±

    ¡°I thought I¡¯d feel refreshed.¡±

    ¡°You do, so much so that you look cold.¡±

    ¡°But it made hardly a difference in reality.¡±

    At that, Baron put his hand on his forehead, dumbfounded.

    ¡°You¡¯re an oddball too, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I gotta admit, theck of eyebrows really throws things off.¡±

    ¡°... Right. So, what are you gonna do? School¡¯s about to start soon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure my bangs will cover it up just fine.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re doing as well as you think they are.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s OK. I don¡¯t have friends, so I don¡¯t have to worry about getting made fun of.¡±

    ¡°... Ain¡¯t that a relief.¡±

    Juho looked at Sung Pil conversing with Baron from the side.

    ¡°How about you, do you wanna meet Yun Woo?¡± Sung Pil asked, looking in Juho¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Would you like to meet him?¡± Juho asked, but a stoic expression appeared on Sung Pil¡¯s bald face, not even asking a question or trying tough it off like a joke. Then, Juho asked with a smile, ¡°Do you wannain to him that you haven¡¯t been able to write because of him and that you¡¯re not satisfied with the novel you finished recently, and it¡¯s driving you insane? So much so that you ended up shaving your own eyebrows off?¡±

    After the question, he observed the expression on Sung Pil¡¯s face.

    ¡°Do you wanna ask him about the ending of ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ and how it¡¯s even possible to write something like that? If he¡¯s hiding his age? If he has a ghostwriter? If he really managed to write that novel in a legal and legitimate way? Would you like to ask him what his secret is?¡±

    ¡°... No,¡± Sung Pil said in a dy. Nevertheless, it was an emphatic answer, and Juho was made certain by it. Sung Pil was doubting himself, and it had to have begun with the voice. Yun Woo had revealed his voice recently, and of course, his voice alone didn¡¯t give enough information to enable one to figure out that Juho and Yun Woo were the same person. However, after that event, ¡®Sublimation¡¯ had been published, and Sung Pil had read the novel and its ending, which included a writing style that had an uncanny resemnce to Juho¡¯s. Not only had Sung Pil read ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ at Juho¡¯s school¡¯s festival, but he had also read a piece that Juho wrote in the Literature Club.

    Sung Pil was quick to catch on to the meaning behind the questions Juho had just asked. Yet, he declined. Sung Pil didn¡¯t want Yun Woo to reveal his identity in that moment, where they were: out in public.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go see him in person.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°By bing an author.¡±

    The internationally recognized author Yun Woo and an aspiring writer who was yet to even debut as an author. Unfortunately, Sung Pil¡¯sck of eyebrows got in the way of his lofty deration.

    ¡°Yun Woo will head somewhere even further.¡±

    At that, Sung Pil¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Juho looked out the window and saw a bird flying by. Although he had no clue as to what kind it was, he was certain that it was flying past his sight.

    Then, following his eyes and looking at the bird with Juho, Sung Pil soon nodded willingly. Yun Woo would go even further and soar up even higher. From under where his eyebrows had once been, his eyes burned with determination.

    ¡ª

    After walking around the parkter into the day than usual, the three went their separate ways. Although there were pedestrians ncing in Sung Pil¡¯s direction, there weren¡¯t all that many who made a big deal out of it. Despite a group of people whispering to each other, Sung Pil paid no attention to them, and Juho apuded the aspiring writer, who was courageously confident. Then, after Sung Pil left and Juho was left alone with Baron, Baron asked, ¡°What if you never see him again?¡±

    To Baron, the conversation between Sung Pil, who was certain that he would be an author, and Juho, who knew he would be an author in the future, was filled with uncertainty. Looking at the bus stop in front of him, Juho saw countless people crossing paths. While there were people who needed to get off the bus, there were also those who needed to get on the bus, all at the same spot. To some, it was a destination, while to others, it was a starting point.

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing. After all, he¡¯s probably the one reader who¡¯s closest from me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think Sung Pil would find that hurtful?¡±

    ¡°You seem to have already gotten close with him.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject.¡±

    Juho had no intention of doing so. Then, he looked at the bus as it took off.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. He¡¯ll be an author, for sure, and he¡¯ll meet Yun Woo too, eventually. I¡¯m not sure what kind of conversation will take ce then, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll find himself on his toes after seeing what kinds of books Yun Woo wille out with.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you confident?¡± Although Juho denied it, Baron didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°I¡¯m curious about his writing, too. I mean, shaving his own eyebrows off out of frustration? He can¡¯t be in his right mind. Writing must be for the insane. Or people with split personalities.¡±

    ¡°Writing is for everyone. You¡¯ve written in the past too, Baron,¡± Juho said honestly, and Baron raised both of his hands.

    ¡°Almost made a fool of myself there,¡± he said, waving his hefty hands and standing up straight.

    ¡°Your writing has a profound effect on many,¡± Baron added, looking in the direction Sung Pil had disappeared. ¡°The ending of ¡®Sublimation¡¯ will be talked about for a long time. Heck, it might even end up in textbooks.¡±

    Juho listened to him quietly.

    ¡°All the critics are raving about how great the novel is, but none of them can really offer any real exnation. They¡¯re just saying, ¡®What was thought to be an ideal has taken ce like by coincidence.¡¯¡±

    Then, a motorcycle rushed past in front of them, roaring thunderously and making people around frown. However, in the middle of that, a whisper reached Juho and Juho only.

    ¡°You¡¯re an incredible author,¡± Baron said in a serious tone. There was admiration, awe, and also a sense of concern in his voice. ¡°If you ever find yourself struggling with something, let me know.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    For that reason, rather than denying it, Juho answered willingly. The traffic light changed from red to green, and because they were the only two people standing in front of the light, the cars stopped way past the white line where they were supposed to stop, looking to hog the road at any given minute. Then, as Baron took a step forward, Juho said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry...¡±

    ¡°... I have plenty of stories I want to write, still.¡±

    Oblivious to what Juho had said, Baron crossed the street, and after watching him for a little while, Juho, too, turned around.

 Chapter 211 - The Password is 0108 (1)

    <h4>Chapter 211: The Password is 0108 (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    A new semester started at the end of the break. Now a junior, Juho had to walk up a significantly higher number of stairs than during his previous years. On the floor where the exhibition with the frog picture had been held two years prior, there was a walkway to another building, and after walking up the stairs of that walkway to a floor above, was the smaller floor where all the juniors were. Neither freshmen nor sophomores had any business going up there, and the juniors also had no business on the underssmen¡¯s floors. Those who had been inzy clubs in the past years had applied for yet anotherzy club that year as well, not even bothering to go to club activities. Instead, they stayed in their ssrooms in order to study.

    For that reason, there were only a handful of students who kept their clubs alive with the support of their homeroom teachers, and they, active members since freshman year, were usually students who were part of clubs with elements worth of being included in student records. The Broadcasting Club, the Literature Club, the Newspaper Club and the Art Club were some of the clubs in that category.

    ¡°Oh, my! This is so exhausting,¡± a person said, fighting for breath and copsing on the seat in front of Juho. It was Sun Hwa,ining about the distance of the floor they were in. Unfortunately, she had reached the age where she had to climb to the highest floor in the school on a regr basis and, needless to say, she wasn¡¯t the only student who got exhausted from all the climbing.

    ¡°Which way did youe from?¡±

    ¡°I met up with Bo Suk, so through the freshmen¡¯s floor.¡±

    She seemed to havee from the same direction as Juho. There was another route around the building that led directly to the floor. Of course, the downside was that one would have to climb a steep hill, but the general consensus was that it was far better than climbing a seemingly endless number of steps. Sun Hwa, too, dered that she would take no other route from that point on while fixing her messy hair into a neater ponytail.

    As she fixed her hair, her neck became bare, and the tip of her ponytail dangled around it. Juho and Sun Hwa were juniors now, and after being ced in different ssrooms in their previous years, they ended up in the same ss that year. In a ssroom located further down the hallway, Bom and Seo Kwang were probably talking to each other.

    ¡°I thought I was gonna die from carrying all these workbooks,¡± Sun Hwa grumbled as she took the workbooks out of her backpack, shoving them into thepartment under the desk. Considering her grades, seeing her with one or two workbooks was not a surprise. After all, she was still maintaining the impressive grades she had been bragging about since her freshman year. ¡°Man, I even have a ssmate who makes a living by writing. What am I gonna do for a living?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the long face?¡±

    ¡°No reason. Bom already started looking into creative writing, Seo Kwang¡¯s considering linguistics or interpretation/trantion. Baron has already gone into design, and you... Well, I don¡¯t even have to say it. Finally, Bo Suk still has some time to consider. I, on the other hand, still have no clue about what I wanna do.¡±

    The junior year was off to a sad start, and was apanied by big, intimidating decisions. She had nothing to offer aside from having looked at the chalkboard in front of the ssroom throughout her high school career and, now, she was expected to write out her career path and take it to her teacher. She was utterly lost, feeling like she had nothing with which to prove herself.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what my strengths and weaknesses are, or even what I like, for that matter. In my entire life, I¡¯ve never been in a rut, or been through a shocking, life-changing event. I¡¯m just an average, run-of-the-mill girl.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad, actually.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it is! You know what the adults say, ¡®Ordinary is extraordinary.¡¯ What I don¡¯t get is why I even have to bother going to college. You get epted into schools based on your grades, right? You can¡¯t go to a good school unless you have the highest grade in the entire school, right? Think about it. What¡¯s so ordinary about that? How¡¯s a student with a record full of awards, ordinary? Do you have to be inherently special to be ordinary or what? What sense does that make?¡± Sun Hwa said, sharply pointing out the convoluted reality of a high school student in Korea.

    Then, Juho nodded solemnly and agreed with her opinion, ¡°Well, that sounds like something worth writing about.¡±

    ¡°I did think about that, too,¡± Sun Hwa said, opening one of her workbooks and jotting down a brief summary of what she had just said in the corner. Having improved significantly from when she started, her writing skill had reached the level of being able to develop her plot throughyers of different dynamics, unlike in the past, when she insisted on keeping the tension at a constant climax, all without any sort of plot development. After immersing herself in thought, she said, ¡°So, there are these students who have a passion for straightening their crooked world, and they nt a bomb in their school.¡±

    ... Of course, her habit of getting ahead of herself was still very much intact. However, Juho pped, telling her that it wasn¡¯t half bad. At that moment...

    ¡°Yo, you two from the Literature Club.¡±

    ... a ssmate called to them. Before Sun Hwa even had the time to ask what, she and Juho rose from their seats upon seeing Bo Suk.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moon wanted me to bring everyone to the science room,¡± Bo Suk said, fighting for breath.

    ¡°As in... everyone?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Mr. Moon had a brief announcement to make, and he had called for his students to gather in the science room. Then, the three ran into Bom and Seo Kwang walking out of their ssroom, and the club members all walked down the same stairs they had walked up previously, toward the out-of-sight science room. When they arrived, the room was empty.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Moon?¡±

    ¡°Here.¡±

    Everyone had arrived around the same time, and as everyone took their seats, Mr. Moon said, ¡°I have a job for you all. Go around the ssrooms and advertise our club.¡±

    ¡°Advertise? You mean going-into-the-freshmen¡¯s-sses-and-convincing-them-to-join-our-club advertisement?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that.¡±

    It waspletely unexpected news. When most of the club members were freshmen, the Literature Club hadn¡¯t even bothered to advertise, and even when they were sophomores, they didn¡¯t recall going around advertising for their club. While a puzzled look appeared on everyone¡¯s faces, Mr. Moon exined, ¡°Seeing how we were winning awards and all, the school seems to be taking interest in supporting us more. From what I hear, there¡¯s a fad among elementary school parents of sending their kids to private writing institutes because of the Yun Woo fever. You guys know that we have an Ice Skating Club, right? They came about during an ice skating fad, too.¡±

    Schools tended to be more sensitive to trends, more so than one would imagine. While Juho ignored Seo Kwang poking at his side, Bom asked the teacher, ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that we¡¯re going out as recruiters, right?¡±

    At that, Mr. Moon answered with his trademark phrase: ¡°Not exactly wrong, but not exactly what I¡¯m looking for either. There are a lot of students who are still inherently turned off by writing, and unfortunately, that¡¯s just how they were brought up. Nobody expects to expand their club with a single day of advertising.¡±

    ¡°Then what did you mean by ¡®advertising?¡¯¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about making it look as official as possible. Students don¡¯t need to be involved in expanding the club. That¡¯s the school¡¯s job. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll move to a bigger room and all that starting next year. Not only that, we¡¯ll probably grow out of being another ordinary club, offering after-school activities, inviting guest instructors, having boot camps, and so on.¡±

    ¡°Wow! That sounds serious.¡±

    It was up to the school. The phrase, ¡®The Literature Club wins awards,¡¯ was not only a major boost to the school¡¯s reputation, but it was also a great boost to the students¡¯ university applications, allowing them to get into better universities. In actuality, the school that Dong Gil Uhm and Seo Joong Ahn had gone to was known for their Literature Club, and suffice to say, it hadn¡¯t happened overnight. Although there wouldn¡¯t be significant progress at the moment, they had to appear as established as possible. They had to take their first step. Therefore, advertisement. Juho reminisced to the time when he saw the upperssmen advertising for their respective clubs in his ssroom. Most of them had been active, which involved either activities outdoors or on a stage. It was obvious that they had all worked hard for their clubs, and it was of that group, that the Literature Club was about to be part, blending in with other clubs that were more active.

    Although the club members understood the situation, understanding and acting on a situation were two different things. And quite frankly, they found themselves caught off guard by the sudden, unexpected task.

    ¡°So, how do we do this advertising?¡±

    There had only been one new addition to the club in the previous year, and she had joined of her own volition, just like everyone else in the club. Although they had never experienced the club¡¯s recruitment process, they had all joined the club of their own will. Then, Mr. Moon said in a calm tone of voice, ¡°Just wing it for now. Exin what we usually do and things like that.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of... haphazard? What if nobody wants to join? Besides, the club is mostly made of juniors,¡± Sun Hwa said.

    At which point, Mr. Moon smiled without a care in the world and added, ¡°You don¡¯t think we had that concernst year, or the year before that?¡±

    Adding that the same concern had always existed from the time he had first formed the Literature Club, he said, ¡°People will still join even if you guys do a crappy job at advertising, so stop worrying preemptively and rx.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s easier said than done!¡± everyone grumbled, but their expressions looked much brighter.

    ¡°So, when do we start?¡±

    ¡°In four days.¡±

    ¡°Egh!?¡±

    There wasn¡¯t a lot of time. Then, telling them to return to their respective ssrooms before the end of the morning study session, Mr. Moon left the room, leaving everyone clueless.

    ¡°What do we do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Not a single person in the room had experience with advertising for a club, and everyone was worried,

    ¡°Should we make picket signs or something?¡± Juho suggested, remembering what he had done in the previous school festival. However, his idea was met with strong opposition from his clubmates.

    ¡°That¡¯s way too ordinary! Boring!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one that said, ¡®Ordinary is extraordinary?¡¯¡± Juho murmured, but with the exception of Bo Suk, who listened to him intently, everyone else paid no attention to his suggestion.

    Then, Bom said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we think about how we came to join the Literature Club? We might be able to think of something.¡±

    At her suggestion, everyone thought back to what made them join the club, and everyone reached a mutual conclusion, ¡°Because I wanted to ck off.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that mean that it would be better not to advertise, then?¡± Seo Kwang said, and the room sank into silence.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s best if we stick to how it¡¯s always been done, just like everyone else,¡± Bo Suk suggested light-heartedly, and Bom agreed.

    ¡°On top of that, we should offer to show ourptions and our stories that are exhibited in the library.¡±

    ¡°Tell them about Yun Woo a little bit, too.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s Yun Woo have to do with this?¡± Juho rebutted Seo Kwang.

    Then, raising his finger, Seo Kwang said, ¡°If we don¡¯t talk about Yun Woo at this point, when would we ever talk about him, then? If we don¡¯t bring up the literary divine miracle, and focus on it while advertising for the Literary Art Club, I mean the Literature Club, when would we ever bring that name up?¡±

    As Juho opened his mouth to answer, Seo Kwang interjected, ¡°You know what kind of power the name Yun Woo has. A book that bears that name is bound to sell. Although, we¡¯re not selling a book here, so we can just use it as a bait to bring people in and approach them in a friendly manner.¡±

    ¡°Bait? It¡¯s not like Yun Woo¡¯s in the club or anything.¡±

    Feeling everyone¡¯s gazes fixed on him like arrows, Juho added in a hurry, ¡°From the freshmen¡¯s perspective, of course.¡±

    At that moment, the bell rang, putting an end to their first meeting. From then on, after discussing a few more times during recess, the club members were able toe up with a more definitive n, and Juho headed to the library in order to take theptions and the stories that were being exhibited in the library back to the club. When he arrived, there were two people reading the exhibited books, and after trying to peek at them through the cracks in the bookshelf, he turned around.

    ¡°I see that you¡¯re still in the Book Club.¡±

    ¡°Same to you,¡± the girl in the library said in a calm tone of voice, and Juho took theptions from her hands. The club members had decided on using only the two volumes they had made themselves during their time in the club. As he checked to make sure he had everything, Juho realized that there was a book missing.

    ¡°Where¡¯s ¡®Grains of Sand?¡¯¡±

    At his question, the girl pointed somewhere, and when Juho turned toward it, he saw a pair of feet through the bookshelf. Then, he asked in a whisper, ¡°You mean, somebody¡¯s reading it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. If you¡¯re in a hurry, I can go talk to them.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. This should be enough.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t want to be the author who took books away from his readers. Then, thanking the girl, he walked out of the library feeling like he had locked eyes with the person reading his short story for a split second on his way out.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Man, I¡¯m so nervous. What if I get made fun of?¡±

    ¡°Made fun of? You¡¯re probably no more than a junior who came to advertise for her club. The freshmen should be getting tired of all the advertisements by now.¡±

    While Seo Kwang made fun of Sun Hwa when she was at her most vulnerable, Juho knew how nervous his friend really was on the inside. He was merely trying to cover it up by talking more than usual. When the club members arrived at the freshmen¡¯s floor, they realized that there were a lot more people in the hallway than usual because of the upperssmen who hade to advertise for their respective clubs, much like the Literature Club. Each was carrying a picket sign or wearing a belt made for advertising purposes, and they were exactly the same as the ones the upperssmen had worn while advertising for their clubs during Juho¡¯s freshman year. There seemed to be quite a few props that were handed down from the students who had previously graduated.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have anything like that.¡±

    ¡°We have ourptions,¡± Bom said as a reminder for Sun Hwa, who was looking at the props in other people¡¯s hands with envious eyes. Just like Bom had said, the Literature Club had theptions. Although work on theptions had stopped midway at some point in the past, they had managed to bring them back.

    ¡°OK, those guys are from the Cultural Exploration Club. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Because they intended to start with ssroom 1, the Literature Club went in after the Cultural Exploration Club, as if taking turns, and as soon as they went in, they locked eyes with the freshmen sitting in their seats. They were looking at the club members with lively, yet curious eyes, carefully considering which club to join.

    ¡°Hello, we¡¯re from the Literature Club.¡±

 Chapter 212 - The Password is 0108 (2)

    <h4>Chapter 212: The Password is 0108 (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Unlike how she was up to a moment ago, trembling with insecurity, Sun Hwa spoke clearly and calmly. From mechanical pencils to notebooks, textbooks, and cardigans, the desks were less than tidy. Under the desks divided into rows, were chunks of dust that didn¡¯t quite make it into the dustpan during cleaning because of the old, worn out broomstick. Sitting in front of their messy desks, the freshmen were looking at the club members with intrigue.

    ¡°Our club activities are mostly rted to literary arts. Which brings the question: What is literary art? Literary art is a term that epasses both literature and art. In other words, the Literature Club can be identified as being a form of an art club.¡±

    A few chuckled at the word, ¡®art,¡¯ while others lost interest and looked away. Then, observing the reactions of the freshmen, Sun Hwa continued, ¡°I¡¯m sure some of you are intimidated by the word ¡®art,¡¯ and to be honest, I know I was when I first started. Art feels like some sort of esoteric activity for the chosen people. Some of the finest brains and artists of this age, like Vincent Gogh and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, would be examples of those who created time-defying pieces of art.¡±

    Then, as a handful of freshmen responded to her, Sun Hwa took the opportunity to lock eyes with them.

    ¡°But I must tell you. That is a preconceived notion. Why? Because these five, run-of-the-mill students are in the Literature Club, making art,¡± she said, pointing toward the club members standing in line in front of the chalkboard and looking at them.

    ¡°Now, we will briefly introduce ourselves. Nobody¡¯s introduced themselves yet, right?¡±

    The freshmen nodded. All the previous clubs had been busy talking about their clubs. However, what the freshmen were really curious about was what the experience of being part of a club was like. In other words, the situations they would find themselves in. If the club members looked anything like how the freshmen wanted to look in the future, the freshmen were bound to lean toward joining that club. At Sun Hwa¡¯s signal, Bom started off.

    ¡°My grades were just above average, and I didn¡¯t have a particr hobby either, so I joined the club with my friend here when I was your guys¡¯ age. Also, I¡¯ve won an award at an essay contest outside of school,¡± Bom said, hiding her embarrassment. The mention of her award had already been agreed upon beforehand, and just as the club members had expected, the freshmen began to respond to it.

    ¡°Grades: average. Hobby: reading. I thought about joining the Book Club, but the teacher there was intimidating as heck, so I gave up and joined a simr club instead: the Literature Club. I enjoy reading to this day, and that was possible because of how flexible the club is. One of our recent graduates used to draw most of the time during club activities. Also, the members get to choose whether or not to take part in the aforementioned essay contests.¡±

    Upon hearing Seo Kwang¡¯s description of the club¡¯s flexibility, the freshmen responded even more.

    ¡°Grades: average. Hobby: table tennis. I applied to the club thinking that it would be azy club. By the way, I¡¯d read a total of five books through my entire middle school career. Since joining the Literature Club, I¡¯ve been realizing just how fun literature can be. Even if you don¡¯t know a thing about writing, don¡¯t let that stop you from considering our club. It won¡¯t be an issue at all, trust me.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang let out a quiet sigh, but Bo Suk ignored it just as quickly. Lastly, the turn went to Juho.

    ¡°I¡¯d always been writing, even prior to joining the club, but being part of the club was not something I was nning on. I picked up a pamphlet on the floor once, and I just joined without much thought, carefree. If I hadn¡¯t joined the Literature Club, I would be in the Documentary Appreciation Club. I don¡¯t know. It just didn¡¯t sound all that bad to me when I first saw it.¡±

    With the exception of the Literature Club members, everyone in the ss chuckled.

    Then, with a fierce re in her eyes, Sun Hwa took the turn to speak, ¡°Grades: top ten in the school. Hobby: readingic books. Because the Comic Book Club was one of thezy clubs, I decided to join the Literature Club instead. I¡¯ve been maintaining my grades since the first grade, and with that said, if you¡¯re worried about your grades suffering from the club activities, the Literature Club will NOT hurt your grades.¡±

    A quiet exmation came from the audience.

    ¡°As you¡¯ve all heard, most of our club members had little to no association with either literature or art. Everyone joined light-heartedly, and needless to say, with no experience in writing. But now...¡±

    As Sun Hwa looked at Juho and Bo Suk and gave a signal, they each took theptions and stories out. The covers designed by Baron were more than enough to captivate the curious freshmen.

    ¡°... We¡¯ve all grown to the point of being able to write books. There were no strict guidelines or restrictions. Everyone, art is freedom, and there is no limit to freedom. It¡¯s for everyone, including a bookworm, a writer, aic book buff, an athlete, and... well, somebody who didn¡¯t like anything in particr!¡±

    It felt like a perfect presentation, and the club members looked around the audience cautiously. Then, Juho began to pped quietly, and one or two students began to p along. As the brief apuse came to an end, Sun Hwa began to exin the club activities in more detail.

    ¡°First off, we members also write, and Mr. Moon, our homeroom teacher, teaches us how to write better. You all know him, right? I believe he teaches freshmen, as well.¡±

    At the mention of the teacher¡¯s name, a bright expression appeared on a number of the students¡¯ faces. Mr. Moon was surprisingly popr among students.

    ¡°Our goal is to write as much as possible, and that means the process has to be fun. It can¡¯t be boring. We¡¯re always thinking of different ways to have fun while we improve our writing skills, and there have been times when we made a character out of a ster figure orpared it to a dish, or observed pedestrians walking past the school.¡±

    Sun Hwa was trying to bring up the positive aspects of the club as much as possible. It was the foundation of advertising, and Sun Hwa stayed true to it.

    Then, Seo Kwang stepped out and asked, ¡°Any book lovers here?¡±

    There was no answer. However, Seo Kwang didn¡¯t let up, either.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure some of you hate writing and love reading, but you don¡¯t feel like joining either the Literature Debate Club or the Book Club. If that applies to you, listen very carefully as I exin why the Literature Club would be just the club for you.¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang proved his obsession with reading to the freshmen. Talking about books at great length was one of his specialties, and upon witnessing that, the freshmen were bound to realize the severity of the junior¡¯s obsession, whether they wanted to or not. Then, with appropriate timing, Bom signaled Seo Kwang to stop.

    ¡°The desire to know more about your passion is only natural, and it makes you want to know everything there is to know about that subject. The moment you step into the Literature Club, that yearning will be resolved. You may have been merely interacting with books from a reader¡¯s standpoint, but as soon as you create your first sentence, you get to see everything that happens in the background. The things you couldn¡¯t see, no matter how many times or for how long you read the same part of a book, unfold right before your eyes the second you finish writing your very own sentence. It¡¯s truly an incredible experience,¡± Seo Kwang said, his eyes burning with passion while expressing just how amazing the experience had been for him. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t seem like there were any book lovers in ssroom 1, at least no one who liked books as much as Seo Kwang, anyway. Seeing theck of response, Bom stepped in to deal with the situation.

    ¡°Uh, so, if we were to talk about our grades, our club has something to offer when ites to boosting your student records: The Literary Awards. Our members take part in all kinds of essay contests on a regr basis, hosted by various organizations, and there¡¯s an array of awards out there. Some contests offer cash prizes of a whopping thousand dors, while there are also awards that offer special recognition that would get you epted into a university. I¡¯ve won an award, which was unthinkable when I first joined the club. But, I believe the only reason I was able to win was that I joined the Literature Club.¡±

    The freshmen fixed their eyes on Bom. At which point, she emphasized, ¡°So, on that note, I¡¯d like to urge everyone here to consider joining us, even those with the most remote interest.¡±

    Then, Bo Suk spoke up, ¡°Everyone here knows Yun Woo, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the freshmen answered in a more recognizable voice that time. Everyone in the ss knew Yun Woo.

    ¡°¡®The faceless, genius author, Yun Woo.¡¯ People call him all sorts of cool-sounding names, right? The youngest, the first author in Asia and the world, and the first in Korea. He grabs coffee with Kelley Coin, apparently. His fellow authors get inspiration from him and include those in their own novels. Every single one of his books has made it to the bestsellers¡¯ list, and they¡¯re all in the top-ten bestsellers¡¯ rankings to this day. If you go to any bookstore, you¡¯ll quickly find the enormous stash of Yun Woo books. I mean, considering how many books he has sold so far, he¡¯s gotta be loaded, and if I were to be honest with you, I thought to myself once that I wanted to be like him when I grew up. I¡¯m sure everyone here has had the same thought at some point, at least once. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± a student answered in a loud voice, and the ss broke out into a chuckle. Then, Bo Suk pointed at the student and said, ¡°Then, join the Literature Club, where your legend will start. Who knows? Yun Woo mighte looking for you one day, impressed, asking you how you were able to write a novel like that!¡±

    The freshmen looked unconvinced, as if they didn¡¯t even wish for that to happen. Then, Bo Suk took decided to approach things from another angle.

    ¡°Being part of the Literature Club, you¡¯re bound to hear about the literary world, including stories about Yun Woo. When his identity gets revealed, I¡¯m sure the Literature Club will be the first to know. I mean, we¡¯re all curious, aren¡¯t we?¡±

    Although the students remained unconvinced, they began to show interest in Bo Suk¡¯s words. Then, Juho stepped forward quietly and lifted up the book in his hand, and Bo Suk gave him a helping hand.

    ¡°This is aption that the Literature Club has put together. You can say that it¡¯s a record of our yearly progress. Don¡¯t you just love the cover design? Well, guess what, it was designed by a member who has just recently graduated.¡±

    At that, the freshmen were taken aback by its quality.

    ¡°There are plenty of otherptions like this that date back to a time even before we were in high school. You can learn about the school¡¯s history, and dare I say, secrets. Not only are they fun to read, but they¡¯ll move you from deep within. I rmend you check them out when you have time, but for now, why don¡¯t we take a quick look at it?¡±

    The twoptions were put in the hands of a student sitting in the frontmost row, and handing one to the ssmate next to them, the two began to scan through the tomes. Rather than being genuinely interested in the content, it was more apparent that they were trying to be polite in front of the sophomore and juniors standing in front of them. Theptions circted the ssroom quickly.

    ¡°Now, these here are the stories that Seo Kwang mentioned that are being exhibited in the library. The covers for these books were also designed by the same person who designed the covers of theptions.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that looks amazing,¡± a quiet voice sounded from the audience. Baron¡¯s designs were pleasing to the eye, and things that were pleasing to the eye tended to captivate people, making them want them for themselves. They wanted to touch it for no apparent reason. Then, Juho nodded with a smile.

    ¡°This here was written by Sun Hwa, and this here was written by Bom herself And this one was written by Bo Suk. Every bit of these books was created by our respective members, down to every punctuation. They might not be that long, but I can assure you that they¡¯re of great quality. Not only are they substantial, but they¡¯re also fun to read. If you¡¯d like to know if I¡¯m telling the truth, you can find out for yourselves by looking at these books,¡± Juho said, locking eyes with each student. Then, the moment he was about to open his mouth to speak, a student sitting in the back of the middle row raised their hand. It was the first interaction up to that point, and Juho looked at the student and his long, thin eyes.

    ¡°Do you have a question?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the student answered in a light voice. He had a yful look about him, and Juho imagined it would only be more apparent if the student were to put on a big smile. As if aware of that, the freshman maintained a straight face.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the other book?¡± the student asked in a rigid tone of voice, unlike his appearance.

    ¡°Other book?¡± Juho asked, looking down at the three books in his hand.

    ¡°¡®Grains of Sand is missing,¡± the student said.

    ¡°Oh, that.¡±

    As the long, thin eyes blinked, Juho exined the whereabouts of the book.

    ¡°It¡¯s still in the library.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°It was just too good. I wrote it, by the way.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    A handful of students chuckled, perceiving Juho¡¯s statement as a joke. Then, Juho flipped to theter pages and handed the tome over to another student in the frontmost seat, who took it from Juho¡¯s hand willingly.

    ¡°If a beginner were to see it, it would kill their drive to write. It¡¯s a piece that encourages the desire to write, all the while taking away the courage to.¡±

    There were times when two different emotions woulde up to a person¡¯s heart at once, and one of those times was when something captivating was in front of their eyes. They wanted to, yet they couldn¡¯t. While feeling the desire to be able to write a piece like that, there was also a realization that they would never be able to. It wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad phenomenon. Rather, it was a matter that took contemtion and decision-making. However, the club members were facing the particr situation of advertising for their club, interacting with students with no interest in books. Presenting a thick tome, made of ssic literature to kids who had barely read a single book the entire previous year would only work against the club members. Only when people felt closer to the club members, would they be willing to consider joining light-heartedly. However, despite Juho¡¯s intention, the freshmen looked at Juho as if looking at someone with a tad too much self-esteem.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s all a joke, but really, if you¡¯re curious, go check it out at the library. It¡¯s free,¡± Juho said with a smile.

    ¡°And those who find themselves moved by what they read, the Literature Club wouldn¡¯t be a bad ce to be. Sensitivity is a crucial element of art. If a piece written by an amateur manages to move its readers, it would mean that they have talent. I rmend checking out otherptions while you¡¯re there. Also, the Book Club isn¡¯t such a bad club, either.¡±

    ¡°It seems like our time is up,¡± Sun Hwa said in closing, cutting Juho off as he was about to advertise for another club.

    ¡°If you¡¯re interested, please feel free to apply. You can turn your applications in to Mr. Moon. We ept anyone and everyone with open arms.¡±

 Chapter 213 - The Password is 0108 (3)

    <h4>Chapter 213: The Password is 0108 (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Just like that, the club members¡¯ experience in promoting their club came to an end, and the club members emphasized the name of the club until the veryst second on their way out. As the Literature Club stepped out of the ssroom, the Volunteering Club, who had been waiting for their turn in the hallway, went in with their colorful tools.

    ¡°Honestly, the response wasn¡¯t too terrible!¡± Seo Kwang said nonchntly, and Bom agreed.

    ¡°Yeah, it really wasn¡¯t that bad. I think we can keep it going like this!¡±

    Then, remembering something, Sun Hwa stared daggers at Juho, ¡°You know, you did well back there, but why do you keep bringing up other clubs?¡±

    ¡°It just came out,¡± Juho said calmly, and the displeasure on her face deepened.

    In the end, Bo Suk interjected, ¡°Let¡¯s look at the bright side. I think the story about Yun Woo really worked. I saw their eyes sparkle.¡±

    ¡°That is true.¡±

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s move on and get this out of the way,¡± Seo Kwang rushed his clubmates, and they headed toward ssroom 2, which was right next to the ssroom they had just left.

    Then, after thinking for a brief moment, Juho asked to be excused, ¡°You guys go on ahead.¡±

    ¡°What?... Well, we have to wait anyway, so hurry back.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t take long.¡±

    As if irked by him, Sun Hwa waved irritably and walked away. Then, Juho turned around and peeked his head through the back door of ssroom 1 and saw the student sitting in the backmost seat. Conveniently, the freshman with long, thin eyes was looking in his direction. As Juho waved, the freshman looked around in confusion. ¡®Yes, you,¡¯ Juho murmured internally, and the freshman, who wasn¡¯t as tall as he had appeared to be, walked toward him.

    ¡°Were you looking for me?¡± the freshman asked in a rigid voice, obviously nervous.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Juho said with a smile, indicating to the nervous freshman that he hade in peace.

    ¡°What is it?¡± the freshman asked, still nervous.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Juho asked light-heartedly. The freshman wasn¡¯t wearing a name tag.

    ¡°Gong Pal Kong.¡±

    A name that grabbed attention came from the freshman¡¯s mouth. ¡®Is it a name or a series of numbers?¡¯ Juho thought to himself. Nevertheless, although it was rather unusual, it was also an interesting name, and swallowing the question that came to him by impulse, Juho got to the point.

    (TL¡¯s Note: ¡®Gong Pal¡¯ trantes or sounds like ¡®zero eight¡¯ in Korean.)

    ¡°I wanted to ask you something. You¡¯re not busy, are you?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all.¡±

    At that, Juho nodded.

    ¡°We locked eyes in the library, didn¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°... Yes, we did.¡±

    ¡°I knew it. You were the one reading ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ huh?¡±

    ¡°Just like you said, it was just too good.¡±

    ¡®But I had no clue that it was written by someone like you.¡¯

    That tant sh of emotions appeared on Gong Pal¡¯s face. However, Juho was quite fond of his honesty

    ¡°Gong Pal,¡± Juho called to him. It rolled right off the tongue.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°So, are you nning on joining the Literature Club?¡±

    ¡°I... can¡¯t say at the moment,¡± Gong Pal said, looking at Juho.

    ¡°If youe to our club, you¡¯ll find even more things to read.¡±

    After Juho¡¯s tempting words, Gong Pal just stared at him instead of giving him an answer.

    ¡°Not just what¡¯s already been written, but what¡¯s going to be written in the future, as well.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    While he was hesitant, Juho patted him on the shoulder as a gesture of telling him to think about it some more.

    ¡°It¡¯s a fun club to be part of. Come visit if you¡¯re ever curious.¡±

    After a long pause, Gong Pal gave him an affirmative answer. Then, checking the expression on the freshman¡¯s face one more time, Juho walked away in order to reunite with his clubmates while thinking back on the faces of the people who had been moved by his writing. Juho¡¯s writing had a profound impact on people.

    Gong Pal was fond of ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ in particr, and reading one¡¯s favorite piece of writing brought about joy. Maintaining a state of joy was part of humanity¡¯s natural instinct, and it was for that reason that people looked at books written by other authors. They wanted to replicate the emotional experience, and they wanted to experience it repeatedly. The bait that Juho had just ced before the freshman had to be quite appetizing for him, and Juho hoped that he would take it.

    ¡°What did you guys talk about? Were you advertising? How¡¯d it go?¡± Seo Kwang asked, and at that moment, the club that was in the ss came out of ssroom 2. Then, Juho said as he walked in, ¡°He had a cool name.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang gave him an emphatic, non-verbal signal, suggesting that they should resume their conversationter. Meanwhile, Sun Hwa repeated things simr to what she had said in the previous ssroom and Juho looked around the ss, standing still with books in his hands. At that moment, his eyes were drawn to the backmost seat of the middle row.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    They met again. The long, thin eyes. Juho blinked twice to make sure that he wasn¡¯t hallucinating, but sure enough, it was the same pair of eyes from a moment ago. The student also had a yful look about her, and just like Gong Pal, she had a straight face, as if knowing that she coulde across as insincere and frivolous. However, her long hair followed her sharp chin line past her shoulders. On top of it all, she was a girl.

    ¡°Juho,¡± Bo Suk called to him, poking at his side. Then, stepping forward in a dy, Juho exined about the books. At that moment, the girl raised her hand.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the other book?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Only then, did the rest of the club members recognize the student. Then, Seo Kwang, taken aback, asked, ¡°You look just like the guy we saw in ssroom 1!¡±

    At that, the girl answered sullenly, ¡°We¡¯re twins.¡±

    ¡°Huh, twins!¡± Sun Hwa said, also taken aback. As if familiar with the situation, the girl epted the club members¡¯ responses. After thinking for a brief time, Juho asked, ¡°Your name?¡±

    Then, blinking twice, the girl answered, ¡°Gong Il Kong.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: ¡°Gong Il¡± means ¡°zero one¡± in Korean. Thest name ¡°Kong¡± is also interchangeable with ¡°Gong.¡±)

    At that, Juho found himself thinking, ¡®So, not 007.¡¯

    (TL¡¯s Note: Remember,st namese before first names in Korea!)

    ¡ª

    ¡°Ugh! I¡¯m beat.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it.¡±

    The club members were exhausted after having visited every single ssroom on the freshmen¡¯s floor. Believe it or not, speaking in front of a crowd was a rather taxing task, and with the exception of Juho, everyone in the science room was plopped on their desks, either on their cheeks or their foreheads.

    ¡°Guess we just gotta wait and see now,¡± Sun Hwa said in a slur, and Bom sat up slowly with a concerned look on her face.

    ¡°Do you think anybody wille? Now that I think about it, I do feel like we kind of rambled on. Maybe we might have been better off to have them experience things themselves, somehow.¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t have enough time, though. There were other clubs waiting in line, too.¡±

    ¡°True. Honestly, I was hoping to have an in-depth conversation about books with them. Longer and more borate.¡±

    ¡°Then, they¡¯d just join the Book Club.¡±

    At that, Juho nodded and said, ¡°We did our best.¡±

    Whether the freshmen joined the Literature Club or not, the club members had done everything within their power.

    ¡°Besides, there¡¯s nothing we can do, now,¡± Juho said, and Sun Hwa agreed.

    ¡°It¡¯s too early for reflections, too.¡±

    At that, Bom smiled faintly, and Seo Kwang, who had plopped his forehead on his desk, turned his head toward Juho.

    ¡°I miss Baron. He would have been so good at all this.¡±

    ¡°He would havee up with a poster in no time.¡±

    Sun Hwa murmured that they wouldn¡¯t have been as worried if they¡¯d been able to stand in front of the freshmen with a poster from Baron.

    ¡°But there were a few who seemed interested, weren¡¯t here?¡± Bo Suk said, unlike the rest of the club members who were filled with worry and concern.

    ¡°I think they liked it when we mentioned the cash prize, too.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! There were even some who seemed pretty interested when we mentioned a specific amount of money.¡±

    ¡°Hooray for capitalism!¡±

    Through the experience, the club members learned that it wasn¡¯t all that difficult to take interest in things, and that all it took was to give it a try. From money to grades, university, books, and awards, the club members had prepared an array of baits for a reason.

    ¡°I think we¡¯ll have at least two,¡± Juho murmured, and the club members jumped out of their seats.

    ¡°Really!? You think so!?¡±

    ¡°Who? Was there anybody interested?¡± Seo Kwang asked, having caught on to where Juho wasing from.

    ¡°Oh, the twins?¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, you were gone for a little while to talk to one of them, right?¡±

    ¡°Why? Were they anxious to join?¡±

    ¡°No, just a feeling,¡± Juho said.

    However, the club members ignored his denial and kept on, ¡°Yeah, they were both really into ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ weren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°They wanted to know more about Juho, too.¡±

    ¡°Neither of them seemed super outgoing, either. Normally, students have no hobby nor do they know what they want to do with their lives, so it makes sense that they would be drawn to the Literature Club.¡±

    ¡°That sounds reasonable,¡± Bo Suk said in a serious tone of voice. Unfortunately, as reasonable as it might have sounded, there was no way to back it up, making it all mere conjecture.

    From all that, Juho witnessed just how much influence his words carried.

    ¡°Well, in any case, I¡¯m sure somebody¡¯s going toe.¡±

    From then on, the club members went down to see Mr. Moon in the staffroom in order to check the number of applications that were submitted, and wearing an indifferent expression, the teacher showed them his empty hands. The club members became exceedingly disappointed and anxious.

    ¡°I¡¯m going, now.¡±

    ¡°OK, bye,¡± Juho said while sweeping the floor with a broomstick, and without even looking back, Sun Hwa left the ss. Feeling the stuffy air in the ssroom, Juho stood near the window for a little while in order to get some fresh air, but the air quality was just as bad outside as inside. At that moment, a voice came from behind him telling him not to ck off, and Juho went back to sweeping the floor immediately and thoroughly. There were all sorts of things on the desks, from workbooks to textbooks.

    ¡°Done,¡± Juho said as he closed the window and wrapped up, leaving the ssroom without hesitation. Then, as he went down to the science room by habit, he was met with his clubmates exploding into cheers and he was well aware that they weren¡¯t celebrating his appearance. There were more people in the room than usual. To be precise, there were two more people. Two nearly-identical-looking silhouettes.

    ¡°Juho!¡± Bo Suk cried out upon seeing him, and at that, everyone else looked in his direction. Then, Juho walked into the room.

    ¡°Freshmen?¡± Juho asked despite recognizing the long, thin eyes, and the two answered at the same time, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Have you guys turned your applications in already?¡±

    That time, the twins also answered simultaneously, ¡°We did.¡±

    After their answer, Juho nodded with satisfaction.

    ¡°There¡¯s no turning back, now.¡±

    ¡°So we heard.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know.¡±

    That time, the twins gave different answers. The harmony of their higher and lower pitched voices wasn¡¯t half bad. Then, wearing an excited look on her face, Sun Hwa asked, ¡°You guys joined because you liked what you heard, right?¡±

    She wanted to know how effective her promotional tactics had been, and after locking eyes with each other, the twins answered at the same time, ¡°Yes, we couldn¡¯t resist.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled, and with tant joy on his face, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°Man, who would¡¯ve thought we would be short on seats? We¡¯re gonna need another desk, right?¡±

    ¡°Man, we haven¡¯t done this in so long!¡±

    Due to Baron¡¯s absence, only one other chair and desk was needed, but that didn¡¯t get in the way of the club members celebrating the new additions to the club. Because the club was mostly made of juniors, they wouldn¡¯t be able toe to the science room as often toward the end of the semester. And previously concerned about that, the veteran members were relieved to bring in more members.

    Then, Seo Kwang and Juho each brought out a desk and a chair, which had been collecting dust in the corner of the room, and Bom and Bo Suk wiped them with wet wipes while Sun Hwa exined the use of the manuscript papers stacked in another corner to the twins. Listening to the junior¡¯s exnation, the twins looked awkwardly at the club members working with clockwork precision. Just like that, another desk was ced next to the one that had belonged to Baron.

    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s have a seat.¡±

    At that, Gong Pal took a seat closer to Juho, and after staring intently at him for a little while, the freshman looked away and down at his desk. Although he seemed awkward still, nobody pressured him to get used to the surroundings any quicker.

    ¡°Huh?! You guys already set the seats up and all,¡± Mr. Moon said as he walked in unhurriedly, looking at his pupils as if looking at objects that made his life easier and more convenient.

 Chapter 214 - The Password is 0108 (4)

    <h4>Chapter 214: The Password is 0108 (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°We have some new members in the club. Put your hands together for them,¡± Mr. Moon said, and the club members all apuded simultaneously, the crisp sound reverberating throughout the science room. Waiting patiently for the apuse to die down, the teacher opened his mouth and said, ¡°Needless to say, we¡¯re going to be writing, but should you have anything else in mind, don¡¯t hesitate toe and find me in the staffroom.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moon,¡± the club members answered in a dry tone, as if they had no intention of actually visiting him in the staffroom.

    ¡°This year, four of our members are juniors, and as most of you may have seen from the recent graduate that the juniors most likely won¡¯t be able to participate in club activities due to exams, SAT preparations, and figuring out their career paths.¡±

    There was no way around it.

    ¡°Building student records, SAT preparations, interviews, self-introductions, activity records, etc. There will be all sorts of tasks waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Agh! I hate my life!¡± Seo Kwang murmured, and from his deeply sincere expression, the club members all empathized with him.

    Then, with a serious expression on his face, Mr. Moon added, ¡°You can¡¯t afford to get distracted. Otherwise, you¡¯ll end up regretting not having worked hard enoughter, when you can now. You¡¯re facing the situation of having to sacrifice your present as an investment for your future.¡±

    At that, Juho stared intently at Mr. Moon. Although he was still distinctively blunt, those words felt odding from him. Then, the teacher sat on hisfortable chair and crossed his legs.

    ¡°Instead, you have my permission toe and write when you need to. If anybody gives you a hard time for writing, stand against them and keep writing.¡±

    ¡°... What?¡±

    That statement made Juho relieved on the inside. That was the Mr. Moon he was used to. Despite the club members locking eyes with each other in confusion, the teacher maintained a straight face. There was nothing about his appearance that would make one think that he was joking.

    ¡°Writing is an eptable form of distraction. The way I see it, some of the most painful regrets are in wondering: ¡®Why didn¡¯t I write more before?¡¯ Compared to that pain, your regrets as a junior in high school are nothing.¡±

    ¡°... I thought he was giving the juniors advice?¡± Bo Suk let out. However, Mr. Moon couldn¡¯t be more serious.

    ¡°Yes, I am giving advice. To be more urate, advice none of you asked for. Call it the self-gratification of wanting you all to turn out OK in the future. I want you all to be better writers.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Just like he had said, nobody had asked for the advice. He had taken the initiative to bring it up himself and expressed his sincere wish that his students would stick around in the club and write, regardless of their grades. Needless to say, he was a teacher at that school.

    ¡°I wanted to be a novelist.¡±

    As Mr. Moon went even further and started talking about himself, Seo Kwang chuckled silently. That was what Mr. Moon was like. Although being hopelessly lost from the advice they had just heard a moment ago, the club members took interest in his story.

    ¡°I had talent too, but in the end, it didn¡¯t work out, so I fell behind everyone else.¡±

    When he finally failed and gave up, everyone else around him had already been doing something with their lives. Mr. Moon was left all alone, with nothing in his possession.

    ¡°But now, as you can see, I¡¯ve be one impressive teacher. Does that mean this willst for the rest of my life? No way. I¡¯m tired of teaching. It¡¯s just not for me. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll either get fired or quit, and eventually look for another work. Better yet, I¡¯ll be even older by that point. The thought of it alone just makes me shudder,¡± the teacher said, letting out a heavy sigh.

    ¡°The situation I¡¯m in is no different from the one you guys are in currently.¡±

    By that point, everyone had a noticeably different look on their faces.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s why I formed the Literature Club: to get away from the loathsome worries of life. I wanted tough while reading your awkward pieces of writing. I wanted to eat fried chicken at school and pieces of dried squid, all under the excuse of leading the Literature Club. I wanted to bezy and rx, knowing that there was always going to be tomorrow. So, you guys have my permission to do the same. Your parents and teachers might not approve, but I¡¯m willing to let it slide.¡±

    With that, the teacher finished his speech, and the room sank into silence. Then, Juho cautiously looked around and observed his clubmates. While everyone had different looks on their faces, they all knew that they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about ruining their lives by following Mr. Moon¡¯s advice. Then, he rose from his chair, and said, ¡°With that, we¡¯ll take some time to introduce ourselves today.¡±

    Some wind blew and ventted the room. With the exception of the twins and Bo Suk, the rest of the club members exploded into a mor at those words.

    ¡°We¡¯re not doing it too, are we?¡±

    ¡°Of course, you are.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been talking about ourselves all day while advertising for the club!¡±

    ¡°Then, I guess you just gotta write it out.¡±

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon!¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t feel like writing, you can alwayse up to the front and introduce yourself in front of everyone.¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯ll just write.¡±

    Everyone was tired of talking in front of a crowd. Therefore, Seo Kwang picked up his pen quietly. Then, looking at the twins, Mr. Moon gave them a choice on how they could go about introducing themselves. Bom was already up and ready to get the sheets of manuscript paper for them.

    After locking eyes with each other, the twins answered, ¡°We¡¯lle up to the front.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    They were the first members to choose to introduce themselves in front of everyone else, and taken aback, the club members stared at the twins. Meanwhile, Mr. Moon sat back down on hisfortable chair and pushed himself away from the podium with his feet, making a rattling noise as the wheels of the chair turned.

    ¡°Who wants to go first?¡±

    ¡°Me,¡± Gong Il raised her hand, and Gong Pal didn¡¯t make any objections. Then, Gong Il went up to the front without a dy, and putting her hands together in a polite manner, she opened her mouth to start her introduction, ¡°Hello, My name is Gong Il Kong. I¡¯m a freshman from ssroom 2.¡±

    After locking eyes with each other, the club members apuded awkwardly. Although Gong Il herself looked just as awkward, she kept on in a calm,posed manner.

    ¡°A lot of people ask me about my name.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I was about to ask, myself,¡± Seo Kwang murmured quietly.

    ¡°I have a twin brother who was born one minute ahead of me. Needless to say, we¡¯re twins, born on the same day, on the eighteenth of that month. From what my parents told me, my father conveniently had thest name ¡®Kong,¡¯ which is how they came to name us. ¡±

    ¡°Her parents have a sense of humor,¡± Seo Kwang muttered, looking somewhat disappointed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that it was sad that I wasn¡¯t born on the seventeenth instead. If we had, my brother would¡¯ve ended up with a cool name, Gong Chil Kong.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: Last nameses before first names in Korea, which would make the name ¡°Gong Chil Gong (or Kong),¡± ¡°Gong Gong Chil,¡± which means 007 in Korean.)

    Bom chuckled quietly at her witty remark, and the twin brother narrowed his already-narrow eyes, ring at his sister.

    ¡°By the way, my nickname is Gong Il Gong.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: ¡°Gong Il Gong,¡± or 010, is usually associated with spam calls in Korea.)

    ¡°She has her parents¡¯ sense of humor,¡± Seo Kwang muttered, and he didn¡¯t stop talking until Sun Hwa kicked him in the shin.

    Oblivious to that, Gong Il kept on, ¡°I, personally, have a keen interest in love.¡±

    Love. After the intriguing remark, Juho listened intently. It had a pleasant ring to it. Unfortunately, he had to force himself from thinking of Sang Choi¡¯s face.

    ¡°Question!¡± Bo Suk let out, raising her hand as she saw Seo Kwang rubbing his leg. At that, Gong Il looked at Mr. Moon, who nodded affirmingly.

    ¡°There exists all sorts of love in this world. Which love are you most interested in?¡±

    ¡°The physical love,¡± Gong Il answered immediately, and Sun Hwa let out a long, mysterious exmation.

    ¡°I have a lot of interest in the physical love that takes ce between two people. When did humans start having intercourse with each other? Why does that function exist? Where do the desirese from? What sets humans apart from animals? Why are bolts and nuts, bolts and nuts? Why do bolts and bolts or nuts and nuts get ostracized? Which bolt or nut is the most superior? Is one superior or inferior to the other? Where did the standardse from? How does the bolt in our minds affect our physical bolts and nuts? Why are we born with either a bolt OR a nut, only? Why do or don¡¯t we want the other? Bolts and nuts...¡±

    ¡°Hm. I think that¡¯s enough bolts and nuts for the day,¡± Mr. Moon said politely in order to stop Gong Il¡¯s ongoing exposition, and the club burst intoughter. As Seo Kwang offered an exnation of the nuts and bolts that no one asked for, Gong Il changed the subject, unfazed, mostly about her favorite or least favorite subjects, shows, and books.

    ¡°After moving up to high school, I visited the library by coincidence and came across a book called ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ It was very moving,¡± the freshman said, and returned to her seat.

    Then, Juho shared his thoughts on her self-introduction, ¡°Very philosophic. I liked it.¡±

    At that, her lips puckered up ever so slightly. It was her way of being bashful.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    After Gong Il, the turn went to Gong Pal, who ced his hand on the podium gently.

    ¡°Hello. My name is Gong Pal Kong, and I¡¯m a freshman from ssroom 1.¡±

    Like done previously, the club members apuded, much more stable than when delivering the apuse to Gong Il. The awkwardness in the air dissipated.

    ¡°The reason I¡¯m up here second is that I had lost thepetition that determined who would go first.¡±

    Lost. It had a heart-aching ring to it.

    ¡°Because we spend so much time together, our experiences often ovep with one another. Therefore, on an asion like this, the person who goes second tends to have nothing left to say. We both dreaded being the second in line, but since we¡¯ve been born twins, it was inevitable. If there¡¯s a first, then there has to be a second. So, in pursuit of fairness, we agreed topete for our turn. The rights to be the first in line for the rest of our lives have been decided by one single game of rock-paper-scissors, and as a result, despite having been born first, I was made the permanent second in our lives.

    ¡°Then, I came to realize that there were indeed strengths to being second in line in its own right. For example, it gives me more time to think ahead or the opportunity to use my time to the fullest.¡±

    ¡°I think I get the gist,¡± Bom said, identifying with him.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, my nickname used to be ¡®Kong Pat.¡¯¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: ¡°Kong Pat¡± means kidney, but the nickname had to havee from the fact that it sounds like his name, ¡°Gong Pal.¡±)

    ¡°So, not a number, this time,¡± Seo Kwang murmured in an even quieter voice.

    ¡°I like video games.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Video games!¡± Bo Suk eximed, raising her hand as she had previously and asking, ¡°Which games are you into?¡±

    At her question, Gong Pal answered without a dy, ¡°There is a game that I started ying when I was in sixth grade, and I¡¯ve been ying ever since.¡±

    ¡°You mean, one game?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Although the genre can be identified as a roleying adventure, you can also think of it as a story-driven game for the sake of convenience. It involves taking control of a character and going through the storyline within the game.¡±

    ¡°So, do you get different endings depending on the choices you make, and things like that?¡± Seo Kwang asked, thinking there had to be an element like that if one were to y the same game for four years. However, Gong Pal shook his head.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s one ending to the game, and it¡¯s fixed.¡±

    ¡°And you saw it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    Considering that he had been ying it for thest four years, he had to have seen it. Then, looking perplexed, Sun Hwa asked, ¡°And you still y?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I tend to y games when I¡¯m sad or happy.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Hm. I¡¯m kind of like that too. I tend to read when I¡¯m hungry,¡± Seo Kwang said, raising his hand.

    Then, with her eyes sparkling with curiosity, Bom asked, ¡°How many times have you seen the ending of that game in thest four years?¡±

    At her question, Gong Pal stared off into thin air for a little while and said, ¡°More than I can count.¡±

    As the club members eximed, the freshman began to exin the plot of the game in great detail, as well as the format, genre, production, climax, hidden secrets, the power within the story, the tear-jerking ending, the creators, and how one can go about ying the game. Listening to him, Juho remembered the story about the grilled-mackerel, which he had written as his self-introduction when he was a freshman.

    ¡°Hm. I think that¡¯s enough description of a video game for the day,¡± Mr. Moon said, interjecting once again in order to stop the ongoing exposition of the freshman. Then, with a lingering emotion on his face, Gong Pal wrapped up his self-introduction. From sixth grade to a freshman in high school, he had spent those four years ying video games. That meant that either the game was a masterpiece, or he had an obsessive personality and liked to see things to the end. Perhaps both. Nevertheless, the club members were able to get a much better idea of what kind of characters the twins were.

    ¡°After moving up to high school, I visited the library by coincidence and came across a book called ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ After that, I dragged my sister along with me to the library and read it again. It was very moving,¡±

    As Gong Pal wrapped up his self-introduction, Mr. Moonplimented him on a job well done.

 Chapter 215 - The Password is 0108 (5)

    <h4>Chapter 215: The Password is 0108 (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The twins adapted to the Literature Club without much trouble. Not only were they keen on Mr. Moon¡¯s lessons, but they didn¡¯t have any noticeable resistance toward writing, either. Since they had chosen to introduce themselves through presentations, Mr. Moon put them to the test immediately in order to gauge their foundations in writing. After a round of the word-chain game, the twins had wound up with, as expected, three words that werepletely irrelevant to each other with which toe up with a story: scissors, duck feathers, and ss slippers.

    Gong Pal, in particr, knew the best yet most obvious approach to plot development. He knew all the cliches. The fact that they were obvious meant that they were used very often, and the fact that they were used that often meant that they were very effective. He seemed to have had some experience with story development.

    On the other hand, his twin sister, Gong Il, wasn¡¯t quite as skilled yet. She appeared not to be as well acquainted with handling a story. However, she had a keen interest in people, particrly, in the origins of humanity. The love of which she had spoken had neither been romantic nor sexual in nature. If anything, it was closer to mathematics, but substituting an equation with a question and drawing an answer out. Much like her twin brother, she, too, had been ying the same thing for a long time. Game and love. Although they were seemingly different on the surface, they were quite simr in the way they were handled.

    ¡°I want this book, too.¡±

    ¡°No, I had it first!¡±

    At that moment, the two, nearly identical siblings were fighting over a book.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you popr,¡± Seo Kwang whispered to Juho ominously, and Juho responded by pushing his head away. Then, Juho looked at ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ ced in the middle of a desk. There was a tense-looking pair of hands, which belonged to one of the twins, on top of it. Juho remembered what had happened just a moment ago:

    After exining in great length what transcribing was and its importance, Mr. Moon had said, ¡°Now, go to the library and bring back books for you to transcribe. It doesn¡¯t matter what they are as long as you pick them yourselves. Also, they HAVE to be books that you¡¯ve read before.¡±

    After that, the twins had bolted from their seats and out of the science room, their hurried footsteps fading into the distance. They had realized by instinct that they were both thinking the same thing. The battle was on. First, Juho tried to calm them down, ¡°There are other books too, you know? The library has a whole array of them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pick another book after I¡¯m done with this one,¡± the twins said simultaneously. With that, ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ had been chosen for their very first transcription assignment.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about sharing. One. Book. Per. Person. No exceptions. Now, make a decision. Fight if you have to,¡± Mr. Moon said. It was just like he said. For transcription, sharing one book between two people had toe with significant inconveniences. Because their paces would most likely be different, one wouldn¡¯t be able to flip to the next page when they wanted to, at which point, the flow of the entire process would be disrupted. Because it was a process that involved following the author¡¯s intent and thoughts down to every period and punctuation, concentration was crucial in transcription. The slightest differences that could ur from the two sharing the book would be an incredible distraction.

    ¡°One of you will have to yield,¡± Sun Hwa suggested the obvious. And while the twins locked eye with each other, neither of them took their hands off the book.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you guys agreed on a rule? So, what if you just follow that? Gong Il goes first, and Gong Pal, second.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m the one who read ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ first. In that regard, my sister was second. So, I think it¡¯s only fair that we approach this matter in the same manner.¡±

    ¡°No, no. That¡¯s strictly regarding the act of reading. It has already happened, so it makes sense to start fresh and apply the rule that we agreed to follow.¡±

    Gong Pal red down at ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ fiercely, and without an inkling of letting up anytime soon, Gong Il held on to the book tightly.

    ¡°Seems like they both have obsessive personalities,¡± Bom murmured quietly, and Juho agreed. Meanwhile, the twins were engaged in a fierce quarrel.

    ¡°I can just give it to you when I¡¯m done. I don¡¯t see an issue there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll give it to you when I¡¯m done.¡±

    ¡°You know, I saw a book on love in the library earlier. You should go with that. I can run there and fetch it for you this instant if you just agree to it.¡±

    ¡°No. You¡¯re gonna be busy with that video game of yours anyway. I¡¯ll just finish it fast and hand it over to you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m taking it first.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m taking it first.¡±

    Despite their default, nk expressions and rigid speech, the two didn¡¯t hesitate to use poignant words with each other. They were undoubtedly siblings, and they seemed to be quite used to their dynamic. Though subtle, there was enough indication in their interaction to show that the order the twins had agreed on in the past wasn¡¯t always respected.

    ¡°OK, how about this?¡± Bo Suk said, raising her hand as though she had had an idea. At that, the club members, including the bickering twins, fixed their eyes on her, who was looking at Juho.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we let the author decide?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    With the exception of one person, everyone agreed, and with a proud expression on her face, the sophomore looked to the author of ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ No matter how aplished she might feel, her assurance provided no help to the trouble the author was about to go through, not in any way.

    ¡°Why are you dragging me into this?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re the author, AKA The Owner of the Book.¡±

    ¡°But Seo Kwang said that books belong to the readers.¡±

    ¡°Only if you paid for them. Of course, there are different ways readers can be the owners of books from a broader point of view, which would require us to take a closer look at how the book came about.¡±

    Then, cutting Seo Kwang¡¯s ongoing exposition off, Sun Hwa eximed, ¡°Good! You decide who gets to take the book first.¡±

    ¡°Remind me why I¡¯m the one making that decision?¡±

    ¡°Majority rule. Sorry, buddy.¡±

    At that, Juho let out a faint sigh, and the twins waited anxiously for the author¡¯s decision. Aside from the siblings, who seemed quite serious, the rest of his clubmates seemed to want to put him through some trouble.

    ¡°Are you really gonna follow my decision?¡± Juho asked, and the twins nodded reluctantly, taking their hands off the book slowly. ¡®Is this really worth it?¡¯ Juho thought to himself.

    ¡°Hm. All right.¡±

    Juho was given the rights to choose, as well as the promise from the twins that they would conform to the result unconditionally. And some brief contemtion, Juho opened his mouth, and said light-heartedly, ¡°Then, neither of you get to transcribe ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ There, fair and square.¡±

    As their n deviated from their expectations, the crowd jeered at the author, and Juho snickered without a care in the world.

    ¡°You two are the ones who agreed to follow my decision.¡±

    ¡°... But!¡±

    The twins turned deathly pale and looked at ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ filled with lingering attachment.

    Then, the club members interfered, ¡°No, no. Forget it. Seriously, you are no fun.¡±

    Just like that, the club members, including the twins, went back to their previous status quo and began to discuss amongst themselves as if there had never been rules from the get-go. That was the very example of the danger of verbal contracts. It rendered decisions by majority useless. Meanwhile, Juho spectated over the members of his club in peace.

    ¡°Just do rock-paper-scissors.¡±

    In the end, the twins agreed to a more definitive approach. One would have to stand on top of the other in order to obtain what they wanted. Then, as a means tofort them, Seo Kwang reached toward the anxious twins and said, ¡°And one of you gets to transcribe one of Yun Woo¡¯s books.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Why Yun Woo?¡±

    The twins asked simultaneously, and Seo Kwang asked back, unfazed, ¡°Don¡¯t you like Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°No, I do.¡±

    ¡°I like him.¡±

    The twins answered without a dy, and Seo Kwang said, in a serious tone that time, ¡°The way I see it, Yun Woo and Juho have a lot inmon. First, their ages. As you guys know, Yun Woo¡¯s a junior this year, same as us. And most importantly, the skill. Juho, our ace and the pride of our club, has a skillparable to Yun Woo¡¯s, and I¡¯m sure you guys, having already read ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ would know that by now.¡±

    The twins didn¡¯t deny it.

    ¡°¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ was a big enough deal to be in the school newspaper, and everyone who read the book knows about it, which is also why you two are trying to get your hands on the book at the cost of your friendship. Unfortunately, there¡¯s only one copy in existence, which means it can¡¯t be shared, and the only thing the less fortunate of you two can do is wait. The loser suffers from heartache, and the winner, too, has to deal with that remnant of guilt in their heart. But what if a book that isparable or even better shows up? Not only that, one that yields a very simr emotional experience?¡±

    ¡°It justifies the situation.¡±

    ¡°The heartache would be significantly less.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Seo Kwang said, proud of the tactful freshmen who were quick to catch on.

    ¡°You guys know how much I read, love, and know about books, right?¡±

    ¡°How can they not? You¡¯re probably all over your book whenever they see you,¡± Sun Hwa muttered, and at that, the twins nodded.

    ¡°Which means, you can trust my suggestions, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I trust you.¡±

    ¡°Which also means, you recognize that I have an eye for books, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang got to the point, ¡°Then, I would rmend ¡®River.¡¯ It has a lot of simrities with ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ both being short stories that capture a specific moment in life. On top of that, it stirs up uncontroble emotions within its readers, along with a deep sense of admiration. Furthermore...¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    The twins agreed at the same time, and without hesitation, Sun Hwa raised her hand, marking the start of the battle.

    ¡°OK, then. We¡¯ll start with a round of rock-paper-scissors.¡±

    The twins both clenched their hands into fists, and after promising to give it their all, they raised their hands in the air. Rock-paper-scissors. The winner eximed. A bright smile appeared on Gong Pal¡¯s face, his hand shaking with joy. It was a cheerful smile that they had yet to see, and which brightened the entire room. After looking at ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ with lingering eyes, Gong Il, too, gave into her brother¡¯s joy.

    ¡°But there is no ¡®River¡¯ in the library, is there?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a copy,¡± Seo Kwang said, taking ¡®The Beginning and the End¡¯ out of his backpack as if he had already had it prepared ahead of time and handing it to the twins proudly.

    ¡°It¡¯s for practical use, so you may use it in peace.¡±

    ¡°For practical use?¡± Gong Il asked.

    ¡ª

    ¡°You guys transcribed too, right?¡± Gong Il asked. Her desk was upied with her new transcription notebook and the copy of ¡®The Beginning and the End.¡¯

    Then, Sun Hwa answered proudly, ¡°Of course, I still do when I¡¯m at home.¡±

    She had been transcribing even without being told to, and the desire to write better was mutual among the club members. In order to achieve that desire, she worked hard, giving it all she had.

    ¡°I¡¯m about twenty books in now.¡±

    ¡°Wow, twenty?! That¡¯s incredible!¡± Gong Il said, taken aback. Juho had also had no clue.

    And pointing at Bom, who was sitting quietly, Sun Hwa said, ¡°She just broke thirty.¡±

    ¡°Whoa! I barely got to ten,¡± Seo Kwang eximed. Transcription was a physically taxing task. Then, feeling ufortable with being the center of attention, Bom waved her hands in denial.

    ¡°I just happened to have too much time in my hands. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so bashful now. You should be proud and confident while saying something like, ¡®I¡¯ll be a writer that surpasses Yun Woo one day.¡¯¡±

    Bom was still simply too timid to deal with Sun Hwa¡¯s ambitions. Then, as Bom curled up with embarrassment, like a mouse looking for a ce to hide, Sun Hwa pped her friend on her back with a full swing, making a sound loud enough to startle the twins.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t heard from Juho yet. How far did you get, Juho?¡±

    In the end, under pressure, Bom changed the target of the subject, and that proved to be quite effective.

    Juho answered light-heartedly, ¡°Half a book, maybe?¡±

 Chapter 216 - The Password is 0108 (6)

    <h4>Chapter 216: The Password is 0108 (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What!? You mean you haven¡¯t even finished one!?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    The twins seemed perplexed, as if that had been out of character for him. The junior who had written ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ was yet to even finish transcribing one single book, unlike his clubmates, who had transcribed into the double digits.

    ¡°It really is talent...¡± Gong Il murmured by reflex. Although Sun Hwa and Bom had put a significant amount of time into transcribing, they couldn¡¯t write anything that came remotely close to ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ Having read every book exhibited in the library, it was only natural that the twins would think Juho was talented.

    ¡°If you want to call me a genius, feel free to,¡± Juho said in a calm tone of voice. While Gong Il studied his expression because of his dry tone, Juho waved in order tofort her.

    ¡°You can call me whatever you want, but at the end of the day, I¡¯m me,¡± he said, trying toe across as more carefree. Then, he remembered the stacks of papers taking up most of his room, which were mostly pieces of writing that were less than satisfactory to him. They were failures that Juho had piled up just to write one book. Fortunately, the suffocating state of his room was not visible from the outside.

    ¡°There¡¯s something about that that makes you look like an actual author,¡± the twins said to Yun Woo simultaneously. From then on, he had to endure a barrage of questions from them.

    ¡°Juho, did you ce these short sentences back to back to make this part more immersive or were you just really into it when writing?¡±

    After a brief pause, Juho answered, ¡°I¡¯d say both?¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you recognized the fact that she wasn¡¯t alone from the beginning?¡±

    Another question followed without a dy.

    ¡°Hm, yeah.¡±

    ¡°Juho, is the woman¡¯s description of the school foreshadowing the uing events?¡±

    ¡°I think so?¡±

    ¡°Why is it that she doesn¡¯t say a word?¡±

    ¡°Words vanish in a split second. That¡¯s what she¡¯s most afraid of.¡±

    Considering both the quantity and quality of his questions, Gong Pal was on the right track with his transcription. Juho thought it was rather refreshing to receive questions from a person transcribing his book. At the same time, it was ufortable. Watching someone grope about in his writing right before his eyes was quite unpleasant.

    ¡°Juho.¡±

    That time, a simr but thinner voice called to him. There was one more. As ifpeting with her brother, Gong Il also came to Juho with questions. Because he couldn¡¯t turn the curious freshmen away, avoiding the unpleasant feeling of having his book examined was no longer possible.

    ¡°Do you think Yun Woo is an older man?¡± Gong Il asked a question that prated deep into Juho¡¯s heart.

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I just feel it while transcribing.¡±

    ¡°That it¡¯s written by an older man?¡±

    ¡°His experience,¡± Gong Il said in a serious tone. ¡°The only thought I find myself having while transcribing ¡®River¡¯ is: ¡®I can¡¯t believe this was written by someone who¡¯s just two years older than me.¡¯¡±

    ¡°... That sounds about right. I mean, the title alone kind of gives off that impression, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Juho said, looking down at ¡®River¡¯ under her arms, the printed wordsing into view.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you watch the interview? He revealed his age himself,¡± Gong Pal rebutted from the side.

    Although looking unsatisfied, Gong Il admitted quietly, ¡°I know. When he¡¯s talking about the boy, it¡¯s so pure, like in ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ but the rest of the characters feel like they were written by a middle-aged man.¡±

    In ¡®River,¡¯ there was a boy always holding hands with his sister, walking alongside the riverbank. In actuality, that was a character based on a real fan who had lost her brother to leukemia. Then, Gong Il let out a faint sigh, clearly lost.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t get him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s probably because this is your first time transcribing,¡± Juho said with a smile. Then, after staring intently at Juho¡¯s face for a while, Gong Il looked away.

    ¡°Juho.¡±

    Another question...

    ¡°Why do you think we¡¯re born?¡±

    ... a random question.

    ¡°Through physical love,¡± having been quietly listening to their conversation, Seo Kwang said. Although it wasn¡¯t necessarily the wrong answer, it was most likely not the answer Gong Il was looking for. Because if that were the case, the freshman would have known it a lot better than anybody else in the room.

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Juho asked, observing her.

    After thinking for a brief time, she looked down and said, ¡°Reading ¡®River,¡¯ I just had a realization that the answer might be found in death. I¡¯ve been lingering on the idea of birth this entire time.¡±

    ¡°So narrow-minded,¡± murmured ¡®Kong Pat,¡¯ and his sister looked at her twin brother with displeasure.

    ¡°So, what happened?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I kept looking, but it turns out death is nowhere near as fun as nuts and bolts.¡±

    ¡°Pff!¡± Bo Suk let out, covering her mouth, but Gong Il paid no attention to it. As if she had more to say, she kept on, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve started transcribing, I¡¯m curious. What would this person, the author capable of such a vivid portrayal of death, believe to be the reason for our birth?¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°You have a lot inmon with Yun Woo, so I thought I should ask.¡±

    Why are people born? At the seemingly basic yet profound question, the room sank into a heavy silence, and the club members, including those who were and weren¡¯t aware of the subtle situation, waited anxiously for Juho¡¯s answer.

    Then, Juho tilted his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    The club members groaned out loud from his response. Expecting an extraordinary answer, they couldn¡¯t help but writhe with disappointment. Meanwhile, resting his chin on his hand, Juho said, ¡°What were you expecting? I¡¯m just as much of a student and a person as any of you here. I worry about things everyone else does.¡±

    ¡°Right. At least you DID.¡±

    ¡°You know, I was hoping you¡¯d unveil the secrets of this world as if a coincidence,¡± Seo Kwang said like singing a melody. He had waited for an answer from Yun Woo himself, and it was obvious he had had faith that the author wouldn¡¯t have given a disappointing answer like, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo probably doesn¡¯t know either,¡± Juho added. Then, as Gong Il looked up, Juho exined it to her once again in a friendly manner, ¡°Yun Woo probably doesn¡¯t know it himself. Why are we born? Why live or die?¡±

    ¡°Even though he writes such amazing novels?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Even though he seems like he has died once?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Why? Because he¡¯s human, too?¡±

    Although not exactly wrong, there was another answer that was even closer to the truth.

    ¡°Because Yun Woo writes.¡±

    ¡°What about it though?¡± Gong Il asked, still puzzled.

    Juho exined, ¡°Life, is what we call the time spanning the moment we¡¯re born until we die, and it¡¯s an author¡¯s job to observe that life, wrestle with and think about it, andstly, write about it. That¡¯s a job only someone who doesn¡¯t know what life is can carry out.¡±

    Then, he pointed at the literary magazine under her arms.

    ¡°Have you read all of it?¡±

    ¡°Uh, no. The only piece I¡¯ve read thoroughly is ¡®River.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Then, take some time to read the rest of the book. I assure you, there¡¯s not going to be a single piece that¡¯s the same.¡±

    At that, Gong Il looked down.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m sure Yun Woo¡¯s asking himself the same question you¡¯re asking. He¡¯s probably just as clueless and hopelessly lost.¡±

    The freshman remained silent. However, when she parted her lips, an incrediblypulsive remark came out of her mouth, ¡°I want to write.¡±

    Then, Gong Il realized by instinct that her twin brother was thinking the same thing.

    ¡°I want to write better.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get there. You¡¯re part of the Literature Club, after all,¡± Juho reminded her of the truth in a calm tone of voice.

    ¡ª

    A video game yed on the screen, lighting the dark room. It was a world made entirely of incredibly simple designs and short, stubby characters, and the graphics were less than impressive. It was a game made with a game development tool called Tsukuru, or RPG Maker, and it was obvious it was made by an amateur rather than an actual gamepany. Everything was simple. Moving left, right and up and down, the characters went around meeting other characters within the game and granting their requests, which advanced the story.

    ¡®Kong Pat¡¯ hade across that game by coincidence when he was in sixth grade, and needless to say, it was sloppily made. The first impression of a game made using RPG Maker was no more or less than what Gong Pal had expected. However, the game had a redeeming factor, and that was the story within it. The heartbreaking story gave life to what would¡¯ve otherwise been a lousy game.

    Gong Pal pressed the arrow keys, controlling his character by the name of Jack solely on muscle memory. Jack left on a journey spurred by a will left by Letter, his grandmother, and the process of him delivering her will was the overall plot of the game. The contents of the will, the identity of the recipient and the path Jack had to walk through in order to meet him, and the reason his grandmother had been found outside, dead. As Gong Pal solved the mysteries one by one, he was rewarded with a sense of catharsis.

    ¡°Gong Pal.¡±

    As the door opened and a voice called out to him, Gong Pal looked back, taking the headset off. His twin sister, Gong Il, was looking in his direction, and when she saw the light from the monitor and the images on the screen, she shook her head in disapproval.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you sick of it?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t get sick of a masterpiece, no matter how many times you y it.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s such an old game.¡±

    ¡°In that case, isn¡¯t physical love something really, really outdated? It makes you delve into human fossils, like ¡®Homo habilis.¡¯¡±

    ¡°How are they simr!? Love is an emotion!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s emotion in video games, too.¡±

    Just like Gong Pal had said, there was story and love within video games. The game began with the announcement of Letter¡¯s death. ording to the forensic results, she had passed away between noon and 2:00 p.m. It was July, and Letter had been under the Sun.

    ¡°The atmosphere is what¡¯s really important, here. The plot makes everyone think that the Sun is responsible for the grandmother¡¯s death, and there are clues that make you wonder if the Sun is part of something greater and sinister.¡±

    After her brother¡¯s speech, a tant look of disgust appeared on Gong Il¡¯s face. Then, looking straight at the face that looked nearly identical to him, Gong Pal said, ¡°But the Sun was the symbol for something she had loved. Letter gave it her all to fulfill the promise with her beloved of reuniting after they had each realized their dreams, and her life was nothing short of greatness. I still vividly remember hugging the monitor and crying my eyes out when I was in sixth grade. Even now, when I see the intro scene, I feel something well up from within. The truth you face after two hours of gamey is truly heartbreaking, yet it is also beautiful.¡±

    ¡°OK. I get it. Just lend me an eraser. Mine¡¯s missing.¡±

    Looking at his twin sister with displeasure after herck of appreciation for his favorite video game, Gong Pal pointed to his backpack.

    ¡°Take it. It¡¯s in there.¡±

    After finding the eraser, Gong Il left the room and closed the door. The room grew dark once again. Then, just as he was about to get back into the game, the word ¡®transcription¡¯ began to bother him. In the end, after brief contemtion, he saved the game as was customary and turned the light on.

    The backpack was left open after Gong Il had gone through it, and inside it, were ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ and his transcription notebook. Then, moving cautiously, he took out the book, shuddering from the terrifying image of spilling coffee on it.

    ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯ Gong Pal had juste up from the sixth grade when he first read the book, and what he was feeling at the moment was quite simr to what he had felt back then. Despite it being written by an amateur and a book that he had read in the school library, its quality was outstanding. He thought of the author: Juho Woo, the junior. Even the mostplex of characters became easy to understand through Juho¡¯s sentences, and readers were able to picture the woman immediately upon reading them, able to understand her every single action.

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    Gong Pal still couldn¡¯t understand what kind of person Juho was. Even though he was transcribing his book, and after having asked questions, and even after hearing the answers directly, everything became hazy the moment he turned around. If the book was really written by somebody like that, then it was truly remarkable. It was an endless string of doubt and admiration.

    ¡®How was he able to write like that?¡¯ The freshman had yet to see the junior write, yet Mr. Moon had never bothered to scold him, and neither had the rest of the club members. However, there had been asions when Bo Suk had looked at the mysterious junior with anticipation.

    ¡°I think I wanna see him write,¡± Gong Pal murmured and picked up his pen.

 Chapter 217 - The Password is 0108 (7)

    <h4>Chapter 217: The Password is 0108 (7)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ was a short story. Though transcription is a time-consuming process that involves copying a book down to itsst punctuation, the amount of work was manageable, considering that it was a short story. After setting a transcribing goal for himself for the day, Gong Pal wrote away deep in concentration just as the story was nearing its end. Reading each and every sentence thoroughly and attentively, he wrote with his hands what he had taken into his head, acquainting himself even more with the sentences written by the author.

    Transcribing a book written by a junior who went to his school was a fascinating experience. Although Gong Pal couldn¡¯t put his finger on it, he was getting the impression that Juho was quite the writer, capable of writing stories that Gong Pal wouldn¡¯t be able to write even if he were to be born again. The more he transcribed and understood the depth of the short story, the more it dawned on the freshman just how incredibly talented Juho was. It was easy to picture him being an author.

    ¡°Ah, shoot!¡±

    Then, Gong Pal found himself in need of an eraser, which he had lent to his twin sister.

    ¡°Yo! Number one!¡± he called out to her, but there was no answer no matter how many more times he repeated himself. In the end, Gong Pal walked out of his room irritated. When he went into his sister¡¯s room, she was lost in her transcription of Yun Woo¡¯s book.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I need that back.¡±

    ¡°Take it,¡± Gong Il said in a dry and indifferent tone, and Gong Pal retrieved his eraser from her.

    Upon seeing his sister working busily, a question arose in his mind: ¡®Who would be a better writer? Juho or Yun Woo?¡¯ Considering the fame, poprity and his recent candidacy for a renowned literary award, it had to be Yun Woo. Besides, he was a professional author, while Juho was no more than a member of the Literature Club at some high school. Comparing the two was nothing short of mockery. Yet, Gong Pal couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ was that great a piece of writing, so much so that it enabled its readers to imagine the junior rising above Yun Woo.

    ¡°How¡¯s the book?¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    ¡°How good?¡±

    ¡°Very.¡±

    ¡°Better than Juho¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°...¡± Without replying, Gong Il stopped writing, looked up, and started to contemte the question with all seriousness. She, too, was a reader with a deep affection for ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯

    ¡°Well, what do you think?¡± in the end, rather than answer, what came out of her mouth was a question.

    ¡°... Juho¡¯s.¡±

    ... and before he could help himself, Gong Pal blurted Juho¡¯s name, admitting that a junior in some random Literature Club was a better writer than Yun Woo, the world-renowned author. Then, without saying much else, her nearly-identical twin murmured, ¡°I think I wanna see him write.¡±

    As usual, they were thinking the same thing.

    ¡°When do you think he¡¯ll write?¡± she asked. Unfortunately, that was a question that only the author would know the answer to, and the author was elsewhere.

    ¡°Should we ask him tomorrow?¡± she suggested.

    ¡°OK. You ask.¡±

    ¡°... No, you ask.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who wants to see him write. Besides, you¡¯re the one transcribing ¡®Grains of Sand.¡¯¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re number one. You ask him first.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point in setting an order when we¡¯re asking a question we¡¯ll probably never ask again anyway? You do it.¡±

    ¡°No, you do it.¡±

    In the end, the two only agreed to an order the following day.

    ¡ª

    Juho had stayed back reading while waiting for club activities. As Seo Kwang¡¯s rmendations tended to be, it was a fun read. The book was closer to being a collection of reports written by a psychologist based on actual experiences rather than a novel. It outlined various patients whose cases had mostly to do with dreams. From people suffering from insomnia or nightmares to people having prophetic dreams or out-of-body experiences, there was a wide array of cases that were either realistic or hard to believe.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the twins greeted Juho. When he looked up, the two nearly-identical faces came into view.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s everyone else?¡±

    ¡°They went to the cafeteria. Sun Hwa¡¯s on cleaning rotation today, so she¡¯s not here yet.¡±

    Then, looking at the backpack next to him, the twins nodded.

    ¡°... What are you reading, there?¡± Gong Pal asked, and Juho showed the cover of the book he was reading to him willingly.

    ¡°Seo Kwang¡¯s rmendation.¡±

    Upon seeing the title, the twins shook their heads, unfamiliar with the book, and Juho went back to reading. Then, rustling around briefly, they took their writing tools and transcription notebooks out of their backpacks. Nevertheless, the science room was quiet, and the faint sounds in the distance only entuated the silence. Locking eyes with each other, Gong Il and Gong Pal began to nudge each other¡¯s arms.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Juho asked, noticing them quarreling silently.

    As the junior looked intently at the twins who seemed like they had something to say, Gong Il spoke up, ¡°So, are you nning to write anytime soon?¡±

    ¡°Write?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, uh... I saw everyone else working on something.¡±

    At that, after staring briefly at them, Juho said, ¡°I don¡¯t really have a reason to.¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just I haven¡¯t had a whole lot of time to readtely because I¡¯ve been so upied with writing. So, I got Mr. Moon¡¯s permission to read for a little while. Besides, reading can be good practice to help you be a better writer.¡±

    At that, the twins caught on to Juho immediately and asked, ¡°So, when are you nning to start writing again?¡±

    ¡°I write every day.¡±

    ¡°Every day?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Even if I don¡¯t have any good ideas, I write at least five pages before I go to bed.¡±

    ¡°... That¡¯s quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°If you wanna be a better writer, then you gotta write a lot,¡± Juho said, stating the obvious.

    Then, as he was about to direct his attention back to his book, ¡®Kong Pat¡¯ interjected, ¡°Then, when are you nning to write during club activities again?¡±

    Juho stared at the twins intently, finally noticing the repetitive questions. The twins had a specific answer they wanted to hear, and from the sound of it, they wanted to see him write.

    ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± a voice announced as the door flung open, and the room became filled with noise all at once.

    ¡°Oh! The freshmen are already here!¡±

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Well, well. I see that you¡¯re reading the book I rmended.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pretty good book.¡±

    As the room filled with voices and the sound of chairs dragging, Juho looked at the book and at the twins in turn and closed the book. Then, rising from his seat, he walked over to the corner and returned with a few sheets of manuscript papers. Seeing that, the club members looked at him with interest.

    ¡°Are you gonna start writing?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Already? Didn¡¯t you say you were gonna read?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to write all of a sudden.¡±

    ¡°Oh-ho!¡± Sun Hwa let out a long exmation, and the twins, too, shouted for joy internally.

    ¡°What are you gonna write about?¡±

    ¡°I still gotta figure that out.¡±

    ¡°What topic?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know, yet.¡±

    ¡°What about a character?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Is it for the exhibition?¡±

    At Bom¡¯s question, Juho faced a dilemma. Not too long before, due to their schedules growing more hectic toward the end of the semester, Mr. Moon had suggested that the juniors each start writing a piece to be exhibited. So, with the exception of Seo Kwang, the club members had decided to each write a piece to be exhibited in the library onest time.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to find out,¡± Juho said. There was no way to know what kind of story woulde out at that moment. The only way to know whether it was good enough to be exhibited or not was to see the finished product.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to give you any helpful answers anytime soon, so you guys should just start writing.¡±

    At that, the club members let up, smacking their lips. Then, Mr. Moon came in shortly after. ncing at the sheets of manuscript paper in front of Juho, the teacher put the twins to work, making them y word-chain with each other. Then, while Bo Suk, Sun Hwa, and Bom came up with plots for their new pieces, Seo Kwang worked on a trantion with Mr. Moon¡¯s permission. Everyone was busy with their own tasks, and amid it all, Juho concentrated all the more.

    By that point and because of the experiences he had had while being part of the Literature Club, Juho had be well acquainted with the sight of his clubmates rustling around. The more his piece took shape, the more distant it grew from the outside world. Then, Juho listed a series of images that came up in his head: Simr. Love. Video game. One and eight. Curiosity toward birth. Question. Influence. Obsession. Stubborn.

    The beginning, the decision, the conclusion, the development, the crisis. As a series of scenes appeared in his head, Juho ced them in order and saw that some of the transitions needed to be improved. Upon fixing them, the narrator appeared, and the world, ording to her point of view, along with her. Her misunderstandings became truth, and her decisions, results. While the readers were free to doubt, they wouldn¡¯t be able to get away from those truths and decisions.

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    A box appeared in front of the narrator. She wanted to know what was inside of it. She embraced the box with both of her hands. Then, trees filled with ripe fruit appeared, and under a peach tree at the center of all other trees, she buried the box and went on her way. Soon, she came across an old man opening up the prickly outer shell of chestnut with a branch and asked, ¡°I wanna open that box. How can I do it?¡±

    The old man answered, ¡°Wanna give this branch a try?¡± What the old man was offering was less than helpful. She wouldn¡¯t be able to open the box with a mere branch. As she kept on walking, she eventually ran into a woman feeding cows and, just like she had asked the old man before, she told the woman, ¡°I wanna open that box.¡±

    At which point, the woman answered, ¡°What makes beasts beasts is that they can¡¯t keep their mouths shut for even a day when you starve them.¡±

    A box had no mouth, therefore her answer was unhelpful. After walking for a little while, she came across a child ying with marbles. Again, she said, ¡°I wanna open that box.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a box at my house, too, and I open it only when I wanna put something in it,¡± the child answered.

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s it!¡± the woman let out as she found the answer she was looking for and retraced her steps.

    Juho wrote away unhindered. She dug the box from under the peach tree. Although it was exhausting, she didn¡¯t stop. Inside it, was the one thing that she had always wanted: happiness. Then, without hesitation, she opened the box.

    ¡®Rip.¡¯

    The sound of ripping paper echoed Then, stopping his hand, Juho turned toward the source of the sound and saw that Gong Il had identally ripped her manuscript paper while trying to erase something using a cheap eraser. Some of the lines were fading from excessive erasing, and Juho realized that she was repeating the same movements over and over again,pletely lost in something.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Ripping your paper isn¡¯t something to apologize for.¡±

    With that, Juho directed his attention back to his piece. A box. As she finally opened the box, she woke up. It had all been a dream. The beautiful scenery that hadin before her eyes was nowhere to be found in reality. Instead, there were children in front of her.

    ¡°Mom,¡± one of them called to her, and at the sound of her child calling out to its mother, she snapped herself out of the state she was in and asked, ¡°Where was I?¡±

    The child answered, ¡°You opened the box.¡± Then, the older child asked, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you opened it in the beginning?¡± To which, the mother answered, ¡°Because it was password protected.¡±

    Then, the younger child asked, ¡°Did you figure out the password then, mom?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I fought against the world with everything I had to protect what I wanted,¡± the mother said, and the two children asked simultaneously, ¡°What was the password?¡± The mother smiled, and the two children smiled along with her. There was no one else there aside from those three.

    ¡°Zero-One-Zero-Eight!¡± the twins answered, their eyes sparkling brightly.

    Then, scanning through his manuscript, Juho said, ¡°I don¡¯t think this is good enough to be exhibited.¡±

    ¡°Can I read it?¡±

    ¡°Can we?¡±

    ¡°It still needs to be revised.¡±

    Although Juho didn¡¯t feel like the piece was good enough to be published, he decided to improve on the scene of the mother having the conception dream, as well as expound on her raising the children as a single mother.

    ¡°When would that be?¡±

    ¡°How long does it take you to finish a piece of writing?¡±

    The twins began to pester the young author with words disguised as questions. Then, after a brief pause, Juho raised his manuscript and said, ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up now.¡±

    As the corners of their mouths turned up, Mr. Moon rose from his seat.

    ¡°But first, you gotta turn it in.¡±

    Just like that, the manuscript went into Mr. Moon¡¯s hands, and having been pushed back in line, the twins weren¡¯t able to get their hands on Juho¡¯s manuscript until muchter. After that, the twins took all of their password-protected belongings and changed the passwords to 0108, which became a popr topic among the club members for a while.

 Chapter 218 - The Two Crowns (1)

    <h4>Chapter 218: The Two Crowns (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Juho let out deeply while massaging his tense shoulders. Feeling dazed after writing intensively, Juho stared nkly at the edge of his table. Then, he felt a burning gaze on his face. It was from the twins.

    ¡°What kind of piece did you write this time?¡±

    At that, Juho looked down at his manuscript filled with words.

    ¡°A failure,¡± he answered briefly, and a tant look of distrust appeared on the twins¡¯ faces. Unfortunately, he was telling the truth. It was a short piece about fingernails, which was about a protagonist waking up in a world where devoid of the concept of fingernails.

    ¡°¡®Fingernail¡¯ is a word that refers to a rigid surface made of keratin on your fingertips,¡± Juho said, spreading his fingers simultaneously. The twins fixed their eyes on them. ¡°The characters in the novel don¡¯t mention anything about them.¡±

    In the world in which the protagonist found himself upon waking, the only thing that had changed from reality was the nonexistence of fingernails. Nobody took interest in the tiny, minuscule object at the ends of their fingertips, and just like everyone around him, the narrator lived on in peace. Then, exactly a decadeter, the narrator noticed the subtle change that had been hiding in in sight. With the exception of the narrator himself, nobody else knew about the existence of fingernails or even brought up the word.

    ¡°But it¡¯s part of their bodies. Fingernails are one of the protective tools our bodies possess,¡± Gong Il said. Fingernails were tiny shields essentially, which fought on the frontlines in order to protect their owners from getting hurt when they came into contact with objects.

    Then, ¡®Kong Pat¡¯ said, ¡°Maybe they thought it wasn¡¯t significant enough.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Man, no wonder we click!¡± Seo Kwang said from the side,ughing.

    Then, resting his chin on his hand, Juho brought up a question regarding his own story, ¡°What kind of meaning would fingernails take on in that world?¡±

    That time, Bo Suk burst intoughter. In a world where fingernails were neglected, how would nail clippers have developed? As long as there was something growing at the end of one¡¯s fingers, there had to be an invention that came about in order to keep that growth under control.

    ¡°Maybe an average trash can? If it¡¯s something that nobody pays attention to, then it¡¯s not going to be treated with any respect either,¡± Bo Suk said, but Seo Kwang shook his head. Before anybody realized, he had stopped writing and fallen deep in thought.

    ¡°No, no. We hardly even recognize dead skin on our own bodies, but we don¡¯t feel like we are taking out the trash when we bathe. The way I see it, they might be luxury goods that sell at ridiculous prices.¡±

    ¡°No way. How can one be indifferent when ites to spending?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where the word ¡®squander¡¯es in. If it was a scenario where the price of one¡¯s decision came back in the far, distant future, it would be more than possible. Think about all the pollution that¡¯s taking ce around us. Yes, it¡¯s rming, but disposable goods are far too convenient.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re still not the same as luxury goods.¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah. True. But it¡¯s just a thought.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean they don¡¯t even have things like nail art?¡± Sun Hwa interjected, and Juho nodded slowly.

    ¡°Nope. It¡¯s a world where colorful nails are unthinkable. You won¡¯t find them anywhere in that world.¡±

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like they would make trash look all pretty or anything, right?¡±

    ¡°Why not? There¡¯s graffiti. Paintings on walls,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Fingernails are even less significant than walls in the story,¡± Bom said quietly.

    ¡°I do feel kind of bad for fingernails though. They might be small, but life would be so much more painful without them.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled quietly and exined the secret behind fingernails within the story, ¡°People in the story have really strong fingernails, so nobody¡¯s worried about hurting their hands. They don¡¯t know the pain of losing their nails.¡±

    In that case, it did make sense that those people would think so little of their fingernails. The club members began to understand the world of Juho¡¯s story little better.

    ¡°How interesting! That sounds amazing! I don¡¯t get what makes it a failure.¡±

    ¡°Because there are nail clippers.¡±

    After his response, Sun Hwa furrowed her forehead, and Juho added, ¡°The way I see it, people in the story¡¯s world have to have something much more advanced than nail clippers. If they want to clip their nearly-indestructible fingernails, then the tool they cut their nails with has to be just as strong. BUT, that means people are aware of how strong their nails are, in which case, they should be aware of how incredible their nails are as well.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Something didn¡¯t quite add up. Of course, it was always possible to add a lengthy backstory as exnation, along with sentences that would fill the gaps between nail clippers, fingernails, and people.

    ¡°For example, making the origin of nail clippers a mystery, just like fingernails. People just find them on their fingers after they¡¯re born, and nobody knows how they came about.¡±

    ¡°That might work.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that sounds good. It¡¯d be interesting to include things like: evolution vs. creation of nail clippers.¡±

    The club members focused on the scenario as if they tried to figure out the answer. Unfortunately, that was the very problem Juho was wrestling with. What he really wanted to write about had nothing to do with someone who understood the significance of fingernails or the evolutionary theory of nail clippers. It was supposed to be a story about arrogant people who had eliminated fingernails from their lives.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way around this. It¡¯s a failure.¡±

    ¡°But what are we supposed to do if you consider something like that a failure?¡± Kong Pat said, and Seo Kwang looked at him with tant mockery.

    ¡°You got gutsparing yourself to this guy, you know that?

    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry. I got carried away.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. ¡®Know thyself¡¯ is the single most important phrase to remember when writing,¡± Seo Kwang said, despite being the person who wrote the least in the entire club, and Sun Hwa looked at him with disgust.

    ¡°The portrayal in this scene, though, is really hard-hitting,¡± Bo Suk said with the manuscript in her hands. The part of the story she was pointing to with her fingernails was the scene in which the protagonist found himself perplexed by the peculiar state of his body, his fingers, in particr when waking up in the morning. However, upon realizing theck of any noticeable difference in his appearance, the protagonist eventually lost interest in the mysterious change in his body. The twins stared intently at that particr part of the story.

    ¡°It must be something about talented writers. Being able to write a scene that ispletely unrealistic, yet making it soundpletely convincing, as if they themselves went through it at some point.¡±

    ¡°Like ¡®River,¡¯¡± Gong Il added.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Juho said carelessly, and with the exception of the twins, everyone fixed their eyes on him.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not from another world or something?¡±

    ¡°You got me,¡± Juho said, taking the manuscript back from Bo Suk.

    ¡°We alle from our mothers¡¯ wombs, and maybe those, too, can be interpreted as other worldspletely isted from the world outside them.¡±

    ¡°Oh, the power of literature,¡± Sun Hwa let out as Juho created whole worlds with mere words.

    Then, Gong Pal asked, ¡°So, what are you gonna do with that piece?¡±

    ¡°Put it in a box,¡± Juho said. The piece would end up in one of the stacks of boxes that towered over Juho¡¯s height as the newest addition to the countless failures that Juho had gone through.

    ¡°How¡¯s the transcription going?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s going well.¡±

    After finishing ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ without trouble, Gong Pal chose ¡®Sublimation¡¯ as his next project. Although Gong Il had chosen ¡®Sound of Wailing,¡¯ she had been scolded by Mr. Moon, who had told her that it wasn¡¯t good to transcribe books written by the same author over and over again. As much as his words had been directed at Gong Il, they applied to Gong Pal just as much, and the twins both made up their minds not to transcribe books written by Yun Woo for a while after they had finished.

    When Juho asked Gong Pal about his progress, the freshman told him that he had just passed the beginning of the main event. Then, after hesitating briefly, he said in a whisper, ¡°To tell you the truth, I tried transcribing the end first.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Seo Kwang interjected.

    ¡°The conclusion of ¡®Sublimation¡¯ is like a chuck p tail beef, so to speak.¡±

    Not knowing what chuck p tails were, most of the club members couldn¡¯t understand his reference. When discussing the best-tasting cuts, chuck p tail would oftene up as the best cut for grilling. It was also known for its value, as one cow was capable of producing only five kilograms of it.

    While Seo Kwang was upied with giving a speech on the marbling of the cut and how juicy it was, Juho asked Gong Pal, ¡°So, how was it working your way down from ¡®chuck p tail?¡¯¡±

    ¡°So...¡± Gong Pal hesitated. In the end, failing to find the right words to describe the vor, the freshman said, ¡°For one, it was definitely worth the title of being the best. And...¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°That nothing would be anywhere near as good, no matter what I put it in my mouth,¡± Gong Pal said, his eye moving busily. ¡°I wanted more people to appreciate how incredible it is.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Juho said, nodding.

    ¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s damp here.¡±

    Juho was met by a damp, moist air and a sweet fragrance as he opened the ss door to the entrance of the botanical garden. As for the sweet fragrance in the air, it wasn¡¯t all that difficult to figure out the source. The garden was blooming with flowers, which had been hiding during the winter and budded after the harsh weather had passed. After looking briefly at each of their unique shapes and colors, Juho made his way further into the garden.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho said, seeing Nabi, who he hadn¡¯t seen in a while, as he opened the door. Nabi also greeted the young author dly. Looking just as confident as ever, she was dressed in her professional attire, impably groomed. On the table, were her phone and two cups of coffee.

    ¡°I¡¯m seeing more flowers in the garden.¡±

    ¡°I saw. The butterflies should be getting busy right about now.¡±

    Seeing Juho sitting down, a confident smile appeared on the agent¡¯s face.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know that sales of ¡®Language of God¡¯ have been skyrocketing, am I right?¡± she asked, looking like she was in a great mood.

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s because of the Annr Award, right?¡±

    ¡°Thirty copies are being sold every minute on the inte as we speak.¡±

    As the words ¡®Nominated for the Annr Award¡¯ ended up on the book¡¯s cover despite it having already been a bestseller, ¡®Language of God¡¯ had been selling at twice the rate that it had sold previously.

    ¡°The Annr Award is given by professionals rather than readers, so the fact that your novel was nominated for it essentially means your work is being recognized by themittee. It¡¯s like pping a phrase on it that says, ¡®This great book will help improve your life.¡¯¡±

    Like sneakers worn by professional athletes or makeup products used by celebrities, consumers knew immediately, even before learning of what the product was made or how it was made, that: ¡°This is a good product.¡± In that same manner, books were no different. His novel had been recognized by the judgingmittee of a internationally-recognized literary award.

    With obvious joy still in her voice, Nabi said, ¡°Your poprity is through the roof in the US, and everyone¡¯s desperate to import books with the name ¡®Yun Woo¡¯ on it. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. We¡¯d always worked our butts off just to be included in the fraction of a percentage.¡±

    Tranted literature only took up a 2-percent portion of the entire literary market in the US, and a number of countriespeted fiercely against one another in order to be included in that seemingly insignificant figure. Then, Nabi remembered working restlessly in order to push through that narrow threshold of the US literary market. More urately, for Korean literature to make it through.

    ¡°Nothing like this has ever happened before,¡± she said with a trace of sorrow.

    ¡°Your books are selling out everywhere, and it¡¯s hard to keep track of how many bookstores are selling out. Have you heard of a Korean novel selling out in bookstores overseas? On top of all the daily additional orders, there¡¯s more being printed in every country we¡¯ve exported to.¡±

    Simply put, it was selling like there was no tomorrow. The power of the Annr Award, which was one of the four major, internationally-recognized, science fiction literary awards, was astounding. On top of that,bined with the uniqueness of the young author, the synergistic effect just yielded evenrger figures. ording to Nabi, her agency was pouring all of their resources into their first world-renowned author. Despite sounding like she wasining about how busy she was with all the interview requestsing in from all over the country and overseas, there was a smile on her face. Never in his life, did he take so much interest in the upation called ¡®publishing agent,¡¯ and considering her personality, there was nothing she wouldn¡¯t like about her job.

    ¡°There are videos of famous critics admiring ¡®Language of God¡¯ floating around the inte, even with Korean subtitles. Both doubting and astonished that you actually created all thosenguages,¡± Nabi said, her eyes sparkling with dangerous determination.

 Chapter 219 - The Two Crowns (2)

    <h4>Chapter 219: The Two Crowns (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°The critics agree that the center of the borate world in ¡®Language of God¡¯ is thenguage. As you may be aware,nguage and culture are very closely rted. Idiosyncrasy is a great tool for attracting people, and the most efficient medium with which to bring that idiosyncrasy out within a novel isnguage. On top of that, the novel resonates with the readers as theye to realize the fact that none of the troubles, ordeals, and conflicts that the characters in the novel go through are alien to them. Readers can identify with the deeds and values of the characters within the novel, which is integral to the story,¡± Nabi said in a single breath.

    ¡°All that to say, Mr. Woo, that your skill as an author to deliver such an borate world with remarkable stability to your readers has left the globe astonished. There¡¯s even a rumor spreading that your name and age are some of the most searched information on the inte.¡±

    Juho had been a freshman when he wrote ¡®Language of God,¡¯ and the novel was still alive and well, influencing many. ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ was the same, bringing the two people Juho had beenpletely forgetting about while writing into the Literature Club. The short story had moved two people¡¯s hearts. Juho thought back on how the two books hade about. The contradicting personalities between of the timid and the violent protagonists. One, a humble piece of writing exhibited in a small library in some high school, and the other floating around the world. The destinies of his two books were still as prizing as ever.

    ¡°But we can¡¯t stop now, can we?¡±

    ¡°You mean, you actually wanna shoot for the award?¡± Nabi asked, her eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a matter out of our hands now that I¡¯m a nominee. There¡¯s another award thates to mind when one thinks about the Annr Award. Do you know what I mean?¡±

    Most people who knew about the Annr Award also knew about yet another award: ¡®The Hugo Award.¡¯ That was because there had been cases when the winner of the Annr Award had also won the Hugo Award, simultaneously. This phenomenon was referred to as ¡®The Double Crown.¡¯ The Hugo Award was one of the four major, international science fiction literary awards. However, unlike the Annr Award, the winner of the Hugo Award was chosen by the readers, while the award ceremony was hosted by the World Science Fiction Society. Because fans held the most power, rather than apany or a publisher, the award naturally tended to stress just how much a book appealed to the masses.

    Once an author had been recognized for their literary value through the Annr Award and their poprity through the Hugo Award, they would gain ownership of ¡®The Double Crown,¡¯ recognized for the two most crucial, yet contradicting, qualities of an author.

    ¡°Speaking of which, the nominees should be announced right around now,¡± the young author said as he looked at Nabi¡¯s phone on the table inadvertently.

    Thest five nominees for the Hugo Award would be chosen by that point. Nominees were chosen through a series of votes, and the right to vote was given only to members of the World Science Fiction Society. Unlike the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, whose qualification for membership tended to be rather finicky, the World Science Fiction Society epted just about anyone, as long as they had the money to support their members. The voting process spanned a few months up to the very day of the ceremony. Although the fact that the winner was chosen by readers made the award much more meaningful, there were still limits since only books tranted into English were considered for the award, and over 90 percent of the World Science Fiction Society¡¯s members were Americans.

    ¡°Mr. Woo, let¡¯s shoot for the stars while we¡¯re at it. Let¡¯s aim for the ¡®The Double Crown,¡¯¡± Nabi said in a serious tone, but instead of giving her an answer, Juho scratched his head.

    ¡°But it¡¯s not like I can do anything to win even if I tried, right? I mean, sure, the same goes for the Annr Award, but the Hugo Award is given to books as well.¡±

    As an author himself, it was unthinkable that he should to intervene with his fans¡¯ assessments.

    ¡°I see. It seems like I¡¯ve spoken rashly,¡± Nabi said, and clearing her throat, she added, ¡°I predict that ¡®Language of God¡¯ will be nominated as one of the final candidates, following immediately after your nominations for the Annr Award.¡±

    The truth came out. Frankly, Nabi wasn¡¯t the only person with a prediction like that. Since the nomination for the Annr Award, the possibility of Yun Woo achieving ¡®The Double Crown¡¯ was being constantly mentioned by the media overseas. There were quite a few articles in Korea that mentioned the Hugo Award, and it was likely that a significant number of people within the Dong Baek Publishing Company were anticipating Yun Woo¡¯s nomination. The two awards were very closely rted. The moment an author was nominated for one award, people waited for news of that same author being nominated for the other. In that same manner, when an author won one of the two awards, people often anticipated news of the same author winning the other.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡± Juho hesitated.

    But what about ¡®Language of God?¡¯

    ¡°There¡¯s yet to be a Hugo Award winner from a non-English-speaking country, especially in the full-length category. As far as I know, the only other foreign winning countries, aside from the US, were either the UK or Canada,¡± Juho said.

    Considering the proportion that tranted literature took up within the market, maybe the phenomenon was only natural. Although statistics were indicating an increase in Korean novels being exported to the US, it was nowhere near as much as other countries.

    ¡®But ¡®Language of God¡¯ has already been nominated for the Annr Award, and it¡¯s a bestseller in every country it¡¯s been exported to,¡± Nabi said.

    Juho looked up at the ceiling, but the translucent stic kept the sky from being visible.

    ¡°Considering how much the award stresses poprity, I probably shouldn¡¯t be so quick to give up, and it¡¯s not as if there¡¯s no chance. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo,¡± Nabi said in a low, serious tone of voice. ¡°I¡¯ve witnessed with my own eyes just how popr your books are.¡±

    Her attitude was rather confident, and she was the person responsible for spreading Yun Woo¡¯s books to as many ces as possible.

    ¡°Your books are much bigger, more incredible, and more loved than you think.¡±

    Then Juho opened his mouth to speak, but Nabi beat him to it.

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ is a book that contains the very essence of your sense ofnguage, including some of the most obscure, seemingly insignificantnguages of some of the smallest countries in the world. The protagonists and their wishes, the mythology and the traitor, a country and its culture, war and destruction. You have sessfully turned all of those things into writing.¡±

    There was a strong desire melded into her every word. Juho remembered his first impression of the publishing agent. Greedy. Ambitious. Nabi had a determined look about her, as if she had to witness the book she was spreading to the world win the award. She exuded the smell from the outside world. The ground that quaked with the thunderous roar of the young author¡¯s fans only fueled her drive even more.

    ¡°In my opinion, it¡¯s more than possible,¡± she said, sounding like she wanted the young author to win the award for some reason.

    She fiercely wanted him to win, and sincerely hoped that ¡®Language of God¡¯ would receive the rightful recognition it deserved from the rest of the world. As an author, it didn¡¯t feel half bad being around a person who had a burning passion for his work. Considering how ambitious and determined she was, it only made sense that Juho would be taken by her attitude. Part of him wanted to be recognized by the rest of the world, and for his books to spread even further out. And just as Nabi had said herself, Juho hoped that winning the Hugo Award was ¡®more than possible.¡¯

    ¡°You know, I think I would like that.¡±

    He wanted to soar up to the sky. At that moment, his phone went off, and as he reached into his pocket and took it out, he saw Jang Mi¡¯s name on the screen. Juho looked at Nabi, who also had a phone in her hand. There was vibration on one side, and a melody on the other. The author and the publishing agent were each receiving a call at the same time. Then, locking eyes with each other, they talked to each other through the vibration and the ringtone, which repeated in steady rhythms.

    ¡°I think I have an idea of what this call is going to be about,¡± Nabi said, her eyes already filled with joy. ¡°I asked my coworker to give me a call if the nominations got announced while I was meeting with you, the Hugo Award nominations.¡±

    Three distinctive sounds mixed into a chaotic mess in the air, making Juho feel dizzy. The phones shook precariously, as if they were running out of time.

    ¡°I think it might just be what you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    Perhaps it was Nabi¡¯s voice that was shaking. Then, after tapping the screen of the phone, he brought it up to his ear slowly.

    ¡°Mr. Woo!¡± a voice sounded off from the receiver.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Juho answered. Jang Mi¡¯s voice was simr to the time she had called to inform him of his first nomination. Actually, she was ecstatic. Her emotions and sentences were in a jumbled mess, making them incoherent for Juho.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Can you say that again?¡± Juho asked calmly.

    Then, taking a deep breath, she said, ¡°You¡¯ve been nominated!¡±

    At that, Juho inhaled deeply, smelling the sweet, floral fragrance in the air that time.

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ might win the Hugo Award!¡±

    At Nabi crying out and Jang Mi¡¯s cheers, Juho smiled.

    ¡°I got carried away for a second there. I apologize,¡± Nabi said while trying to cool her cheeks, which were still flushed bright red. However, it wasn¡¯t until she had had her share of congratting the young author that she finally calmed down.

    ¡°It¡¯s such an honor to be part of this asion with you, Mr. Woo,¡± she said as if she was about to take Juho by his hands and start dancing at any given minute. As the image rushed past Juho¡¯s mind, he let out a chuckle, and Nabi quickly changed the subject. Despite themotion, her professional attire was still just as impable. ¡°Now, we have to start preparing ourselves for the award ceremony.¡±

    Pretending not to see the corner of her mouth flinching, Juho brought his cup of coffee up to his mouth. The joy of obtaining one¡¯s deepest desire had asting impact.

    ¡°You had mentioned something about having someone represent you instead, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The nomination meant that the nominee would have to attend the award ceremony. Needless to say, it would be an asion where some of the most famous authors around the world woulde together, along with internationally-recognized publishers, editors, and a slew of reporters and journalists from various magazinepanies. However, Juho couldn¡¯t be there. He was Yun Woo, after all. He had sent a representative to every award ceremony up to that point, and the young author was nning on doing the same for this ceremony, as well.

    So, he had previously asked Nabi to be his representative, and she had said, ¡°I¡¯ll give it some thought.¡± Frankly, the meeting was essentially an asion to get her answer.

    ¡°After some thought, I realized that I might not be the best fit for the role you¡¯re looking for,¡± she said, respectfully declining.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s more than enough that I¡¯m watching from the back. Besides, being on stage is just not for me,¡± she said, thanking him and apologizing once again. Seeing how firm she was, Juho couldn¡¯t insist.

    ¡°Nobody seems to be up for the task,¡± Juho murmured with a sigh, and Nabi expressed interest in the matter.

    ¡°Who else did you ask?¡±

    ¡°My trantor.¡±

    ¡°A-ha.¡±

    The trantor of ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Having showcased his impressive skill, which had brought the novel its nominations, Juho had asked him to be his representative at the ceremony. After all, the nomination wouldn¡¯t have been possible without him.

    ¡°Did you meet with him?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    He had spoken with him through Jang Mi. Then, taken aback, Nabi asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you two exchange emails while tranting or anything?¡±

    ¡°No. He told me he didn¡¯t need to.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    While tranting, there were often moments when trantors wanted to get the opinion directly from the author, and that was when they either met with the authors in person ormunicated through email. Juho, too, had sent Kelley Coin a number of emails while tranting his book. However, the trantor of ¡®Language of God¡¯ had emphatically declined tomunicate with the author.

    ¡°As you know, ¡®Language of God¡¯ is a book published by an author by the name of Won Yi Young.¡±

    ¡°... Right.¡±

    ¡°And Won Yi Young was considered to be Yun Woo¡¯s rival at one point, and a fight actually broke out between their fans.¡±

    But when the truth was unveiled, only one author really existed.

    ¡°And that author turned out to be Yun Woo all along, whose identity is also a mystery. So, the trantor seems to have thought that getting my opinion would distract him more so than help him. He told me that he wanted to leave the mystery, veiled inyer afteryer, intact.¡±

    As a result, the book had turned out to be a massive sess, and that was only further proof that the trantor had made the right choice.

    ¡°But giving up the chance to meet Yun Woo in person? That¡¯s incredible,¡± Nabi said sincerely.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem all that curious.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I am! I¡¯m sure he¡¯s holding back with everything he¡¯s got. As long as he¡¯s read Yun Woo¡¯s writing, there¡¯s no way to run from that desire of wanting to meet him.¡±

    ¡°Is that right? Well, he turned it down, saying that he felt weird about representing someone whose face he didn¡¯t even know.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable,¡± Nabi said. Because not many people knew what Yun Woo looked like, choosing someone to attend an award ceremony on his behalf came with challenges, and Nabi expressed her concerns for him.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    There were still other ways. There was another person in Juho¡¯s mind, and he was intending on getting a hold of him that very day.

 Chapter 220 - One Star (1)

    <h4>Chapter 220: One Star (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Breathing in, Juho picked up a faint scent of dust in the night air. Then, he breathed out. Lit by one, single star, the night sky in front of his apartment was no different from the one he had seen through the window in his room.

    Because it was well into the night, there weren¡¯t any pedestrians around, as far as Juho could tell anyway. There was a cat underneath a pickup truck on the opposite side of street, its eyes shining brightly in the dark, and a street light in the distance blinked repeatedly. Quietly watching the orange light fading, Juho took his phone out, and as if not fond of what he was doing, the cat disappeared. He checked the time. It would be just past 10 a.m where the person in Juho¡¯s mind lived. He called a number on his phone. Then, after waiting for a while, a coarse voice answered, ¡°What do you want?¡±

    At that, Juho knew immediately that he had called the right number. It was Kelley Coin.

    ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡±

    ¡°Not well,¡± Coin answered immediately, getting to the point ahead of Juho. ¡°What? You wanted to show off being nominated for the Hugo Award after the Annr Award?¡± he asked, sounding as crabby as ever. He sounded like he was genuinely displeased by the news.

    ¡°You have a quick ear.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. I hear everything, whether I want to or not. Thanks to my editor, Isabe, who wouldn¡¯t stop talking about it. Groundbreaking this and that.¡±

    Yun Woo had be an internationally-recognized author at the mere age of neen, and it was quite the groundbreaking achievement, to say the least. To others, he was moving up in the world at a dangerous pace. However, in hindsight, he had simplye too far. Juho still remembered every single one of his past failures vividly, even at that point. The fact that there were still a whole slew of failures to go through was simply astounding. Then, remembering the two people who had turned him down, Juho asked Coin, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to congratte me?¡±

    ¡°For what? You haven¡¯t even won yet.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you will when I do win?¡±

    ¡°Not a chance.¡±

    Of course. Kelley Coin. Congratting someone. It would make for a terrifying nightmare.

    ¡°Just get to the point.¡±

    ¡°Could you be my representative at the award ceremony?¡± Juho asked, getting to the point just as he was asked to, and there was silence.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°You want me to do be your what?¡± Coin asked, dumbfounded.

    ¡°A representative.¡±

    ¡°You know, nobody¡¯s had the guts to ask me something like that until now.¡±

    Considering who he was, that just made sense. He was none other than the infamous Kelley Coin. Thankfully, Juho was far enough away from him that his fists couldn¡¯t reach. Staring intently at the star shining brightly in the distance, Juho said, ¡°I never had to wake up in the middle of the night for an interview either.¡±

    ¡°... So you¡¯re keeping score, huh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather you see it as me not wanting to be rejected.¡±

    ¡°Enough beating around the bush. Is this a trade or a favor?¡±

    The savage-like attitude transferred directly to Juho through his phone¡¯s receiver. At which point, Juho raised his hand in surrender.

    ¡°A favor, of course.¡±

    There was no such a thing as a fair trade with Kelley Coin.

    ¡°Sure. I don¡¯t have a reason to say no.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Thankfully, Juho had gotten the answer he had been looking for. However, it was unexpected.

    ¡®I thought he would at least curse me out for a while before saying yes,¡¯ Juho thought.

    Then, snickering ominously Coin said, ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll regret asking me for that favor.¡±

    At that, Juho felt a wave of worry wash over him. However, he decided to stick with it all the way through.

    ¡°Go easy on me now. Oh, and don¡¯t forget to attend both ceremonies. For the Annr and the Hugo Awards.¡±

    ¡°... Prick,¡± Coin let out, obviously annoyed and irritated. Then, what sounded like a person drinking something echoed from Juho¡¯s receiver. Needless to say, it was coffee. ¡°Do you have any idea how many publishers show up to those ceremonies? Oh, and all those photo sessions, posing with the award, looking like an idiot. But you know what¡¯s worse? The Hugo Award ceremony! You¡¯ll find all sort of science fiction freaks there, and it¡¯s the loudest, noisiest award ceremony there is.¡±

    The Hugo Award ceremony was also the highlight of thergest, yearly science fiction event of the World Science Fiction Society. It was a festival where both celebrities and officials from around the world came together, along with other members of the society and the readers. Upon being asked by Juho about the atmosphere of the ceremony, Coin vomited a number ofints, ¡°It¡¯s utter chaos. There are people dancing in one corner and lectures being delivered on the other, all the while there¡¯s a signing event taking ce in yet another corner. It¡¯s a mess. Oh, and there will be plenty of people, swinging their lightsabers around,¡± Coin said, adding that there were also people dressed up as aliens, painted green from head to toe.

    ¡°That sounds like fun.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re there to have fun, then sure, it¡¯s all fun and games. For the VIPs, it¡¯s a ce for mind games, at best. They disguise themselves as social, but they¡¯re really talking about their businesses. Who talks about work at a party!?¡±

    ¡°Well, what about the losers¡¯ party?¡±

    ¡°Are you asking ME about the losers¡¯ party?¡±

    ¡°You know, I just regretted asking that myself.¡±

    There was nothing sillier than asking Kelley Coin about ¡°the losers¡¯ party,¡± which was a gathering of authors who had failed to win an award.

    ¡°You¡¯ve won the Hugo Award... four times, now? Is that right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Although, I¡¯ve never achieved the Double Crown.¡±

    ¡°... A-ha! So, that¡¯s why you¡¯re so bitter.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth is all!¡±

    Although he was undoubtedly the most representative author of the US, winning both the Annr and Hugo Awards four times each, he had never won both awards simultaneously. It wasn¡¯t that the books that had won the awards hadn¡¯t been popr. He simply hadn¡¯t had the best of luck with the Double Crown, and there were all sorts of rumors surrounding that phenomenon. Some even imed that Coin¡¯s rtionship with the executive director had something to do with it, that the director had subtly prevented the author from winning once their rtionship had turned sour. Others imed that it had to do with his speeches reflecting negatively on the integrity of the awards, getting on the bad side of themittees. Juho found both theories to be quite convincing.

    ¡°Well, if those ceremonies are the types that wouldn¡¯t let you have the Double Crown, then that says enough about them.¡±

    ¡°... Ha!¡± a burst of loudughter, like the one Juho had heard in the middle of the night after waking up for a phone interview, sounded from Juho¡¯s receiver.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    ¡°That was a perfect opportunity to talk yourself up, yet you blew it. You moron, do you realize that you just wasted the opportunity of your lifetime?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    In many aspects, Kelley Coin was much closer to obtaining the Double Crown, and Juho would have been making a fool of himself if he were to rave about his nominations. For example, Coin had adjectives attached to his name such as ¡®infamous.¡¯ As Juho let out a sigh, Coin said, ¡°I see what the four major, internationally-recognized literary awards mean to you.¡±

    ¡°... Well, an award is an award.¡±

    ¡°No, an award is never just an award. It¡¯s honor. It¡¯s wealth. And it¡¯s your work. You should know this yourself. Your books have been selling a lot more since you were nominated, right?¡±

    Yes, they had.

    ¡°If you were to win, and achieve the Double Crown on top of that, the world would do everything they could to find out who you are, down to analyzing every single word choice of yours.¡±

    ¡°That sounds terrifying.¡±

    ¡°For a kid like you, who has no regard for authority, it should be fine.¡±

    No matter how many times Juho exined himself on his view of authority, Coin didn¡¯t listen. In the end, leaving off with the words ¡°be prepared,¡± Coin hung up without hesitation. Then, Juho lowered his phone and looked up at the sky.

    ¡°Oh, another one.¡±

    There was yet another, even smaller star next to what had appeared to be the only star shining in the night sky. It looked a lot like an ornament on a crown. Then, looking at it until his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Juho made his way back home with the image still lingering before his eyes.

    ¡ª

    In a ne flying across the dark, night sky, Nabi was the only one with her eyes open. Her heart was pounding, and her hands, soaking wet. She was on her way to the Annr Award ceremony, where science fiction writers all around the world came together. Authors whose worldwide sales were in the tens of millions were gathering for the ceremony in order to win the award, and Yun Woo was one of the nominated.

    Burying her face in both of her hands, she screamed silently. Although she had had her share ofmotion previously at home, the excitement still remained. The author she was working with had been summoned by one of the four major, internationally-recognized literary awards. She couldn¡¯t have dreamed that a day like that woulde, and the thought of attending the ceremony while hoping for someone to win the award was enough to keep her up. Then, cing her hands on her chest, she felt the faster-than-usual heart rate on her palm.

    ¡®OK, I need to calm down,¡¯ she thought to herself, taking deep breaths while thinking about Kelley Coin, who she was about to meet just after sunrise. She was well aware of his infamous reputation, and being in her field of work, it was nearly impossible not to hear about the author¡¯s personality.

    ¡®I was hoping I wouldn¡¯t have to get involved in anything with him.¡¯

    Despite her wish, Yun Woo had asked the nightmarish author to attend the ceremony on his behalf.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Nabi let out and opened herptop. Although she had initially thought about putting on some music, after some brief contemtion, she changed her mind and opened her emails instead. The inbox was full of congrattory messages from publishing agents all around the world. After reading for a little while, she moved her mouse a few times, and the screen became filled with countless articles and videos regarding Yun Woo.

    Interest in the Annr Award had grown iparably from the previous year in Korea. Despite having never heard of it before, people were going wild by the birth of an internationally-recognized author. A national hero. The books written by the young author by the name of Yun Woo had been tranted into variousnguages and were spreading throughout the world. Experienced with reading overseas novels that had been tranted into Korean, fans found this phenomenon to be strangely cathartic. Everyone was united in their hearts in wanting Yun Woo to win the Annr Award. The members of the science fiction/fantasy novel cafes, who were secretly active both on and offline, expressed their joy in their respective cafes as the world was finallying around in their favor. Consequently, posts like that were often quoted in news articles. In order to know just how incredible of an author Yun Woo was, people searched and interacted with as much information as possible.

    Nabi clicked an icon on the screen in order to ess thement section, which was already filled with people saying how proud they were. The simple fact that the young author had been nominated was massive. The author had managed to create history. Now, no matter who people asked, or no matter which website they used to do their research, Yun Woo was the youngest nominee of the Annr Award, and ¡®Language of God,¡¯ the first Asian novel to be nominated. However, Nabi was fully aware that, should he fail to receive the award, the proud fans wouldn¡¯t hesitate to criticize their favorite author.

    Due to her upation, Nabi had met countless authors: those who waved their fists at the uneptable critiques, those who went into a slump whenplimented, those who wrote, fueled by their anger toward the harsh criticism directed at them, and finally, those who fell away. There existed all sorts of authors in this world. What did that mean for Yun Woo? Every piece of writing of his was incredible. His stable, yet pure and controlled style of writing brought out everything there was to know about this world. He was skilled in all aspect, from a story that takes ce in a restricted space to an enormous, gigantic world. He knew how to use sentences filled with reason, like a detective, as well as rigid, strictly-structured sentences. Whenever Nabi thought of the young author, she was reminded of a pair of wings and the tale of Icarus, who plummeted into the sea after ignoring the warnings of his father not to fly too close to the Sun. While he was an immature son, he was also a fearless hero. However, despite the young author¡¯s age, Nabi couldn¡¯t imagine him being fearful of something. ¡®If he doesn¡¯t get the award, how will he react?¡¯ There was no way to know.

    What she did know was that she wanted Yun Woo¡¯s wings to remain intact, without them being melted away by the Sun, so that he could soar just a little higher and fly just a little longer.

 Chapter 221 - One Star (2)

    <h4>Chapter 221: One Star (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    (Editor¡¯s Note: We are going to change the Annr Award to the Neb Award. Every piece of information aside from the name of that specific award within the novel is based on reality, so to keep everything consistent, we are changing the award¡¯s name to its real name. We¡¯ll also go back and change the previous chapters to reflect that, but it might take a few days before that happened. Again, we don¡¯t think it was a mistrantion on our part, and we don¡¯t have ess to the author to check, but seeing as how everything else kept its real name, we¡¯ll move forward with the award¡¯s real name as well.)

    ¡°The Neb Award Ceremony Finally Draws Its Curtains! Who Will Win? Will Yun Woo Attend the Ceremony?¡±

    ¡°No Response from the Publishers. Where Is Yun Woo Now? The Neb Award Ceremony Set to Take ce on the 16th in Texas. Authors from All Across the Globe Coming Together.¡±

    ¡°The Neb Award, The New Sensation. No Cash Prize? The Significance and Meaning of the Award. What Are Some of the Novels That Were Imported and Tranted?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo. Will He Be the First Asian, First Korean, and Youngest Winner of the Neb Award? The Significance Behind the Records He Would Set.¡±

    ¡°The International Media Focuses on Yun Woo. What Would It Mean for Him to Win the Neb Award? In Tonight¡¯s News: An Interview with an American Celebrity Book Critic.¡±

    ¡°Why ¡®Language of God?¡¯ The Internationally Recognized Novel and Its Message to the World. What Was Yun Woo Trying To Tell Us?¡±

    ¡°Linguists Speak on the Languages within ¡®Language of God¡¯ and Find That It More Than Qualifies for the Award. The World Recognizes the Young Author¡¯s Incredible Potential and Talent.¡±

    ¡°A Congrattions from Yun Woo¡¯s Fellow Authors. ¡®We Don¡¯t Know If He¡¯ll Attend the Ceremony or Not.¡¯¡±

    ¡°A Sincere Congrattory Message from Myung Joo Mu, the Star of Chungmuro, to Yun Woo Draws Massive Attention. ¡®I¡¯m a Fan.¡¯ The Star¡¯s Rtionship with Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Will Yun Woo Get the Honor of Being the First Asian Winner? Yun Woo¡¯s Chances of Winning the Neb Award ording to the Fans and Critics Overseas. His Disadvantages?¡±

    ¡°The Birth of the Genius Author from a Small Country in Asia. How Did It Happen? The Power of Korean Novels? Fans in China and Japan React.¡±

    ¡°The Show Must Go On! The Neb Award Said to Take ce As nned While ¡®Sublimation¡¯ Remains Controversial. Winner Announced Tomorrow.¡±

    ¡ª

    The day was the sixteenth of the month. Kelley Coin hade to a three-star hotel for the Neb Award ceremony, located in Northern Texas, on Yun Woo¡¯s behalf. The hotel was brimming with people and cars, and a slew of cameramen sent by a number of different media was filming the hotel from the distance. Surrounded by gray and brown walls, along with windows that reflected the sky rather than revealing the interior of the rooms, the building was somewhat massive, but with nothing impressive to show for.

    After taking a break in the hotel room reserved for him, Coin headed out of his room to go for a walk. Then, he returned around the time the ceremony would start with a cup of coffee in hand. Meanwhile, Isabe, his editor, stared fiercely at him. However, without a trace of remorse or regret, Coin went on to make all sorts of unreasonable demands, from wanting to see the restroom on every floor of the building to pressing every possible button in the elevator, to looking at a painting in the hallway and trying to deliver a spontaneous speech on how unsavory of a forgery it was, to waving his empty hands and insisting on returning to his room just to get his coffee, to refusing to wear a name tag and pretending to be traumatized by a mere scratch,pletely unlike himself.

    ¡°Youmitted to this. Please, practice some self-control.¡±

    ¡°Yep. You see, it turns out that prick was keeping track.¡±

    ¡°Then, do what you need to pay him back.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? There¡¯s still time.¡±

    ¡°Are you even aware that the ceremony has already started!?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. It¡¯s not like this is our first or second time here. The VIPs should still be delivering their speeches by now.¡±

    Then, ignoring what the author said, Isabe urged him, ¡°Just be quiet and hurry up!¡±

    The presenter working the crowd in the event before the name Yun Woo got called out; the crowd shouting and cheering with joy, wanting to share the moment with the winner, but to no avail as the winner never turned up. Imagining it all taking ce, Isabe led the way.

    ¡°If I may, I¡¯d like to second that request as well,¡± Nabi, dressed in ck, formal attire for the asion, said politely. Then, after looking briefly at her, Coin continued on his way. Nabi checked her phone and saw that it was exploding with text messages from the anxious officials of the Dong Baek Publishing Company, who had all already arrived.

    ¡°This way!¡±

    ¡°Bah, maybe this was a mistake. If I don¡¯t get the awards, then I will havee here for no reason. I think I feel like going home all of a sudden.¡±

    ¡°Ha! That sounds good. I could use the tea time with Susan right about now.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be childish now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not the one with that problem.¡±

    Nabi had been fed up with Coin¡¯s temper long ago. Upon exchanging an awkward nce with Isabe, the unfortunate editor whispered to Nabi that the author was much worse than usual. To which, Nabi nodded. From the never-before-seen environment to being in a city that she had never been to, everything was new and overwhelming to her.

    ¡°Coin, do NOT forget that you¡¯re representing another author today,¡± Isabe warned him in a heavy tone, and Coin walked without giving her an answer. The hall was already brimming with people, most of them from famed publishingpanies, magazines, or agencies, including those from Fernand. However, Coin walked right past them, unimpressed and unhindered.

    ¡°Oh, my! Is that Kelley Coin?¡±

    ¡°The rumor was actually true!?¡±

    A couple of people let out. While some looked appalled to see him, others looked at him indifferently, as if they had expected his presence. Nobody dared talk to him first, and Coin, too, walked on without even bothering to strike up a conversation with anybody. It was all too revealing of his position in the literary world. Nabi, on the other hand, followed him quietly.

    ¡°Is it here?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Then, without hesitation, he flung the door open, and Nabi inhaled slowly as the view of the room appeared before her. There were round tables set up throughout therge hall, about eight people sitting on each table in the tight space. Every single one of them was an established author. ¡®Is this what it feels like to be at an award ceremony in Hollywood?¡¯ Nabi was surrounded by celebrities, no matter in which direction she turned. The dim lighting and the nude-colored interior made the ce all the more suffocating to be in, and the chairs dressed in red velvet jumped out at her.

    ¡°Is that Coin?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡±

    People whispered amongst themselves upon seeing the author, who had turned upte and with confidence. As usual, some frowned or looked at him with disgust, while others smiled with interest. Then, having witnessed the looks on the people¡¯s faces, Nabi murmured by reflex, ¡°Man, this is insane. I¡¯m so d I was born.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, nothing.¡±

    There were a bunch of cameras and photographers, even within the hall. At Kelley Coin¡¯s appearance, they turned their cameras toward him, and the shutters sounded off restlessly.

    ¡°With that, in this 47th Neb Award Ceremony...¡±

    The person speaking behind the podium was the executive director of the World Science Fiction Society, and he was delivering his speech while paying no attention to the shift in atmosphere. Because of that, things quickly returned to normal.

    Meanwhile, looking clearly displeased, Coin took his seat at the backmost table. Isabe and Nabi also took their seats on the chairs ced in a row against the wall.

    Nabi brushed her hand down the name tag on her chest, feeling the texture of its material. It had her name and affiliation on it. It was dreamlike. One of the books written by an author she was working with had been nominated for the Neb Award, making it all the more emotionally overwhelming.

    In the audience, was the author of a popr series that had been made into a TV show in the US alongside one of her favorite authors, who had part of a famous science fiction magazine. The winner of the previous year was also sitting there, as a nominee once again. While some were dressed formally, others wore zers on top of that in their usual,fortable attire. While there were some wearing fancy dresses, there were others in simple, one-piece dresses. They, too, were wearing simr name tags to the one Nabi was wearing.

    ¡°Coin? What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°Do. NOT. Talk to me.¡±

    Nabi almost bit her tongue at the barely audible voice nearby. The author who had tried to strike up a conversation with Coin had the record of selling a whopping 120 million copies of his books. At the same time, Coin was also a renowned author, and someone who had won the Neb Award four times.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, he¡¯s a time-bomb,¡± Isabe murmured to Nabi, and the publishing agent couldn¡¯t do anything but to smile awkwardly. The editor was watching Coin like a hawk.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    The ceremony was tedious beyond belief. Upon being called, the person went up to the stage in a hurry and took a piece of paper out of their pocket, where they had written down their speech. Feeling the trophy in one hand, the winner of that particr award expressed their joy, and the crowd, in unison, congratted them. Within that joyful asion, Coin was the only person with a crabby expression on his face.

    ¡°This is bullcrap,¡± Coin muttered, but his voice was buried by the loud cheering of the crowd. To make matters worse, the author sitting next to him was stamping his feet as if overwhelmed with joy. Then, taking the water ss that had been prepared ahead of time for each table, Coin brought it up to his mouth. Lukewarm water rushed into his mouth as the distinctive dryness of the ceremony made the inside of his nose even dryer, reminding him why he hated award ceremonies so much.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we will now announce the winner of the Neb Award in the full-length category,¡± the presenter said with a smile on his face and a card with the name of the winner written on it in his hand. Meanwhile, feeling the lukewarm surface of the water ss, Coin thought to himself, ¡®If it¡¯s Yun Woo¡¯s name on that card, I¡¯ll have to get off my seat and go up to that stage.¡¯

    After the presenter¡¯s light-hearted joke, the audience broke out into a quiet burst ofughter. Attending an award ceremony on behalf of another author was not something Coin was used to, let alone for Yun Woo. At the same time, he was quite used to receiving awards on behalf of something because he had been the one receiving the awards for his books. Authors received awards on behalf of the pieces of writing the awards were given to. A book had no mouth or limbs, and it waspletely incapable of getting up on a stage on its own or thanking its readers. It was for that very reason that authors received the awards on behalf of the books, celebrated on the others¡¯ behalf, and returned to their seats. In that case, where was Coin¡¯s unfamiliarity with the situationing from?

    People around him took deep breaths, looking nervous. Like Yun Woo, they, too, were all nominees for the award, growing anxious as the winner was about to be announced at any given minute. At that moment, Coin locked eyes with another author. Being in his forties, he was someone who had written a number of bestselling books. However, he, too, was just as nervous as everyone else around him, and in his eyes, was the answer Coin had been looking for all along: Yun Woo. They were afraid of the young author from the East, afraid that they would get pushed aside.

    The anxiety the nominees shared was not a new development. It had to have been following them from well before entering the hall, when they had first heard the name of the young author after arriving at the hotel. Despite the ridiculous look on his face, that author was still staying in his seat because of his foolish hope that it would help him write, and his unfortunate curiosity toward the unseen.

    ¡°Ha!¡±

    At Coin¡¯s short burst ofughter, the author¡¯s face twisted into a scowl. The crowd keptughing meaninglessly at the worthless jokes, and hearing theughter reverberating throughout the dry hall, Coin thought of Yun Woo¡¯s voice. Calm and unfazed, the young author¡¯s voice lingered in Coin¡¯s ears, asking him to retrieve the award on the author¡¯s behalf, all the while keeping his face hidden, as always. Yun Woo was neither foolish nor jealous, and his tone was anything but pure.

    ¡°Now, the winner in the full-length category is...¡±

    Coin put pressure onto his legs. He still remembered his first encounter with the young author. It was almost as if by coincidence. Yun Woo hade without warning, and the mysterious author had appeared in front of him carrying a different name, and it wasn¡¯t until everything had gone past him, that the young author revealed his alias.

    ¡°Won Yi Young of ¡®Language of God!¡¯¡±

    At that, the infamous author gnashed his teeth, and the presenter adding the name Yun Woo with a dy, bothered him all the more. He chugged the remaining water from the ss. The sensation of the water flowing down his throat couldn¡¯t have been more unpleasant. Then, with only one corner of his mouth turned up, the author went up to the stage. The red carpet, the velvet covers, and the warmth of the spotlight all came at him at the same time. Unfortunately, none of the beautiful sceneryid before his eyes belonged to him.

 Chapter 222 - One Star (3)

    <h4>Chapter 222: One Star (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I came to write ¡®Language of God¡¯ when I was given a piece of advice by another author. Without a dy, I rushed to the beach and came up with the story.¡±

    Standing behind the podium, Coin read the speech written by Yun Woo in a dry, soulless tone. However, every member of the audience listened intently to what the young author had to say. While the camera shed sporadically, and the shutters sounded off, others raised their phones to take pictures. No matter how the audience was capturing the moment, they were all witnessing the birth of the youngest winner in the history of the award.

    ¡°In my novel, the process of downfall, decline, and birth repeat itself over and over again. Although a child started to learn anguage after it was born, the nation falls, and thatnguage, too, vanishes. The era of endless war eventually became the past, and the Golden Age of the Great Empire is passed down only as mythology. The person they believed to be God had a mere lifespan of three hundred years, and the hope thepanions thought wouldst forever, dwindled away along their journey.¡±

    The authors sitting at the round tables looked up at Coin on stage, and a handful of them nodded in agreement.

    ¡°But, it¡¯s not over just yet. There are things that are yet toe to an end. The pain of war, the glory of the mythology, and the magnificence of God, to name a few. The people are swayed by the things that areing to an end. All in all, what I¡¯ve been meaning to say is that nothingsts forever, and the end ising, no matter what. After that, something slightly better wille around,¡± Coin read from the piece of paper in his hand while getting a better grip of the clear, rectangr trophy.

    ¡°I would like to thank each and every person who had an influence on me while writing the novel. Including Kelley Coin, of course.¡±

    At the mention of his name, the audience exploded intoughter and apuse, some even cheering out loud. The excitement in the air made Coin all the more displeased. Then, as he crumpled up the paper and shoved it back into his pocket, the cheers grew even louder, as if indicating the end of the speech. Coin looked down at the audience from the stage, and seeing as though the infamous author wasn¡¯t about toe down from the stage anytime soon, the cheer eventually died down. Then, with his hand still in his pocket, he said, ¡°As a representative, I¡¯d like to add a few things as well. To be clear, I¡¯m not happy for Yun Woo, at all.¡±

    At the author¡¯s sudden remark, the atmosphere changed. After Yun Woo, who was like serene water, Kelley Coin, whose fire burned fiercely, appeared. He saw Isabe in the distance, looking at him with piercing eyes as if looking at a troublemaker. Next to her, was Nabi with her mouth still parted open from the speech.

    ¡°Aside from my own writing winning an award, I take no joy in the happiness of others. Now, I can see that clearly thanks to Yun Woo. I think I¡¯ll go home and write as soon as I hand this hefty thing over to him,¡± Coin said with a perverse attitude. The trophy in his hand waving left and right showed just how irritated he was.

    ¡°For those who couldn¡¯t understand the message Yun Woo was trying to convey through his novel, I¡¯d like to sacrifice my precious time to offer you an exnation. Of course, I¡¯m talking about those of you I¡¯m about to offend.¡±

    At the infamous author¡¯s remark, the expression on the executive director¡¯s face grew darker.

    ¡°In this world, there exist numerousnguages, and we live in an age where we can feel just how manynguages there are in this. At the same time, we also live in an age where we canmunicate with those who speakpletely differentnguages. Through his novel, Yun Woo unveiled the roots of the differentnguages that exist on Earth, and today, that very novel has won the Neb Award.¡±

    The transparent trophy shone brightly under the spotlight.

    ¡°Novels that include only Caucasian characters have be unbearably boring. Times have changed, and a great storyteller is always sensitive to change. Unfortunately, this realization came way toote to the judges here, who are responsible for judging some of the greatest stories in existence.¡±

    As the room grew silent, Coin stepped down from the stage. However, it was at that very moment that the audience exploded into the loudest cheers and apuse of that day.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve had just about enough with the pictures.¡±

    Juho watched Kelley Coin holding his trophy, looking as irritated as ever, in the video ying on his monitor. It was a recording of the award ceremony, uploaded on the World Science Fiction Society¡¯s website. Some of the most widely-recognized authors at the ceremony were in it, and Coin was being interviewed at his table, after the award had been given out and the ceremony hade to an end. Although it wasn¡¯t clear as to what had happened, people were chanting the name of the winner in the screenwriting category. At that moment, the picture of Coin standing alongside the winners of that year while holding the transparent trophy in his hands appeared.

    ¡°What did Yun Woo have to say about all this?¡± a reporter wearing anyard asked, bringing a mic up to the author¡¯s mouth. The irritable look on Coin¡¯s face didn¡¯t hold much power amid the excitement surrounding him.

    ¡°He told me that he didn¡¯t give a damn about the award. Whether it¡¯s one of the four major, internationally-recognized literary awards or not.¡±

    Juho had no recollection of making a statement like that, and the flustered look on the reporter¡¯s face was no different from the one on his face.

    ¡°Wow, is that true?¡±

    ¡°It sure is. You¡¯d like to know more about Yun Woo, don¡¯t you? Then bring the questions to me. I¡¯m a three-eyed, six-eared, and eight-armed beast.¡±

    The reporterughed Coin¡¯s incredibly sarcastic remark off, and by contrast, Coin¡¯s expression grew even more irritable.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯d like to ask YOU some questions. You¡¯ve won that trophy four times thus far, and the one in your hand would make it your fifth. I can only guess how much it means to you. What does it feel like to receive that award on behalf of another author?¡±

    ¡°Uh-oh.¡±

    A mechanical beep censored the words that came out of Coin¡¯s mouth, and Juho felt a burning curiosity for what he might have said. Despite the profanity, the reporter didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°All right, onest question. Yun Woo has be one of the most widely-recognized authors in the world by winning this award, and fans are growing wild across the globe. Yun Woo might be young, but there¡¯s never been an author like him. The appearance of Yun Woo is, simply said, an anomaly in the literary world. What¡¯s your perspective on his achievement?¡±

    At that, Coin answered while wearing the same look on his face, ¡°Who cares? Each author is unique to themselves, and it¡¯s always been that way. I told you earlier, this ceremony means jack to him. It¡¯s probably something to write about in his next novel, at best.¡±

    ¡°Next novel, as in?¡±

    ¡°Unless it¡¯s my ear or your tongue that¡¯s not functioning properly, I believe you already asked yourst question. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯d like to go back to my room.¡±

    Then, the edited clip transitioned to another winner sitting on a velvet chair with a trophy in her hands. Having won the award for the short story category, she had a green one-piece dress on and was well-advanced in her age.

    Juho leaned back on his chair¡¯s backrest and rolled his eyes to the right. The same trophy in the clip was shining brightly on a stack of manuscript paper. It had been delivered to him by Nabi, who had been ecstatic when she handed the trophy over to him. However, she had struggled to hide the bitterness she had felt when talking about Coin. She had let out a heavy sigh, saying the infamous author nearly tossed the trophy at her when he was handing it over.

    Under the base of the clear, rectangr trophy, there was a golden te with an English word engraved on it, which made a dull sound upon flicking it. ording to the engraving, the trophy was the work of a renowned designer. Then, Juho tried picking up the trophy. It was slightly heavy. Although it was a small trophy, the sales of ¡®Language of God¡¯ had multiplied to a figure iparable to that of the past, and after winning the award, Juho realized just how different a nomination and winning were. The stark difference was engraved into Yun Woo¡¯s mind, never to be forgotten. The first Asian, Korean, and the youngest winner.

    ¡°Haha,¡± Juho let out, tossing the trophy on top of his bed. Then, after looking up at the ceiling briefly, he reached for the manuscript papers next to him, all the while wearing a faint smile.

    ¡ª

    ¡°The First Asian Winner of The Neb Award! Yun Woo Beats the Record of the Previous Youngest Winner! The Korean Hero!¡±

    ¡°A Dream Come True! Korea¡¯s National Writer, Yun Woo, the First Asian Winner of the Neb Award! The Sales of His Previous Books Skyrocket! Publishers Celebrate.¡±

    ¡°The Book-District Comes Alive with Yun Woo¡¯s Recent Award. The Globalization of the Korean Novel. How Did It Start?¡±

    ¡°Publishing Agent, the New Hottest Job? The Key Component in Exportation!¡±

    ¡°The Joy of This Generation! Yun Woo Delivers Hope.¡±

    ¡°The Result That Left the Globe in Shock! How Did the Neen-Year-Old Genius Author Come About? The Globe Focuses on Korean Novels.¡±

    ¡°Kelley Coin¡¯s Sensational Speech at the Neb Award Ceremony! A Closer Look.¡±

    ¡°The Poll Results Are In! Kelley Coin, the Most Popr Author Overseas, Growing in Poprity Along with Yun Woo! A Closer Look at His Incredible Mischief. A Character That Would Never Come Out of Korea!¡±

    ¡°The New Wave of Private Writing Institutes. Parents in Search of Second Yun Woo. Our Future Generations Learning the Joy of Literature!¡±

    ¡°The Proud Teenager of Korea, Yun Woo. Who Else Is There? Sports Stars, Idols.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo Eradicates All Doubt. The Preconceived Notions Surrounding the Young Author. Yun Woo¡¯s Grief Blown Away at Once by the Neb Award! One Step Closer to Achieving the Double Crown.¡±

    ¡°Let Him Be Known to the Rest of the World. His Astonishing Works!¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of him. He¡¯s achieved a miracle.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have imagined in my dreams that a Korean author would win the Neb Award.¡±

    ¡°My palms were all sweaty when they were announcing the winner. Proud of you, man!¡±

    ¡°What makes Yun Woo so incredible is that ¡®Language of God¡¯ was published under another name. Yet, it became a bestseller, and now, the Neb Award. That¡¯s just insane.¡±

    ¡°No wonder I was so desperate to learn thenguages in ¡®Language of God.¡¯ It¡¯s seriously the best. Centering the book aroundnguages was a stroke up genius. It only makes sense how borate the world is.¡±

    ¡°Neb? THE, Neb!? Yun Woo won the Neb!? This is a miracle.¡±

    ¡°The media overseas are going crazy right now. Everyone¡¯s desperate to hear from him. Well, he¡¯s hanging just as loose as ever. Did I mention that the publisher¡¯s website is down again?¡±

    ¡°Wow, ¡®Language of God¡¯ is ranked number one in online bookstores across the globe. Do you know what that means? It means his books are selling the most out of all the books that were ever tranted. I¡¯d never seen a Korean Novel get so popr.¡±

    ¡°Did you guys hear Yun Woo¡¯s speech? I mean, it was delivered by Kelley Coin, but wow, did it move me to tears. Those sentences were just exuding confidence. Guess that¡¯s the kind of author it takes to send Kelley Coin to fetch his internationally-recognized award for him.¡±

    ¡°It was insane how Kelley Coin was at the ceremony on Yun Woo¡¯s behalf. I mean, everyone here knows what kind of person he is, right? He¡¯s somebody who wouldn¡¯t even go to his own ceremonies. Now, that¡¯s just crazy.¡±

    ¡°The reason the Neb Award is so widely recognized is that it¡¯s judged by professionals. That only goes to show how great of a book ¡®Language of God¡¯ is, superseding all the major weaknesses of the author, like his age and nationality.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a genius, all right. The kind that turns up maybe every three hundred years.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m sure there are still people doubting his identity. I mean, he¡¯s just too good at what he does.¡±

    ¡°People are starting to predict that Yun Woo will be nominated for another major literary award, the Hugo Award. It¡¯s based heavily on the opinions of the fans, so poprity is one of the major aspects that determine the winner.¡±

    ¡°Double Crown! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Man, why am I the one getting all nervous?¡±

    ¡°This guys is insanely popr. He¡¯s exploding in Japan too, apparently. I saw it on TV, and people came all the way to Korea just to find him. Of course, they ended up going home empty-handed, with just footage of the streets.¡±

    ¡°Has anyone heard him being called the reincarnated version of Shakespeare in other countries? I asked myself the same question.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. I was seriously confused as to who he was after I read ¡®Sublimation.¡¯¡±

    ¡°¡®Sublimation¡¯ is legit!¡±

    ¡°I wonder how that book would do overseas though. From what I hear, it hasn¡¯t been exported, yet.¡±

    ¡°I heard Fernand¡¯s on it, already.¡±

    ¡°Well, there it is. I¡¯m marathoning through the entire ¡®Language of God¡¯ series.¡±

    ¡°Already on it.¡±

    ¡°Already done it.¡±

    ¡°Politics, military, viges, families, weddings, funerals, the different food, clothing, and housing culture in different regions, general culture, books,nguage, hunting, entertainment, sports, mythology, history, tribes, nations, climate, seasons, the sr terms, the geological formation process, the education level of the intellectuals, welfare, economy, and the list goes on and on. It has it all. The more you dig in, the more you find.¡±

    ¡°Personally, thenguage God uses was my favorite of all. In the offshoot volume, the author says that it has its roots in Hangul.¡±

    ¡°Oh, man! I think that¡¯s making me drunk.¡±

    ¡°Hooray for King Sejong!¡±

    ¡°With all nations in the novel aside, Yun Woo is just an incredible specimen. I can¡¯t imagine how much work he put into writing this massive, epic series that is ¡®Language of God.¡¯ It had to have taken more than just genius to aplish that.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the best.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

 Chapter 223 - Embellished (1)

    <h4>Chapter 223: Embellished (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho walked up a long hill. Although the incline looked quite steep from afar, in reality, it wasn¡¯t as bad as it looked. However, if one were to turn back, they would be greeted with an intimidatingly steep incline once more. Looking at the grass growing out of the cracks of the buildings around him and from the ground, Juho made his way up the hill he had climbed a number of times already. Then, a beast cried out in the distance.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    Juho heard a thin voice speaking near Yun Seo¡¯s house. Then, at the sight of a man with both of his hands full of things lowering his head, Juho stopped in his tracks. In front of the man, was Yun Seo.

    ¡°You take care of yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Although Yun Seo calmly epted the man¡¯s goodbye, it was undeniable that she, of the two of them, was the one in pain. Her neck and shoulders looked quite tense, as if desperately holding something back. It wasn¡¯t clear whether it was anger or tears she was holding back. Then, as the man turned around with a clear look of guilt on his face, Juho locked eyes with him and saw reluctance in his gaze. However, it wasn¡¯t long before the man looked away, and Juho let him through. The man had the look of a person bidding farewell.

    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°Good to see you, Juho,¡± she said, greeting him just as calmly as when she had said goodbye to the man.

    ¡°Who was that?¡±

    ¡°A former pupil of mine.¡±

    A former pupil. It implied that the man was no longer her pupil. After brief contemtion, Juho decided to ask no further, and looking at him, Yun Seo put on the same, weing smile she always wore. However, something made it feel out of ce, like she was d to be in the situation she was in.

    ¡°Go ahead and take a seat. It¡¯ll only be a minute.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    The reason Juho was visiting her house was a gathering at Madame Song¡¯s restaurant. To be precise, they were gathering to celebrate Juho winning the Neb Award.

    Then,ing back out shortly, Yun Seo said in a rxed tone of voice, ¡°Hyun Do says he¡¯s almost at the restaurant.¡±

    ¡°... We better hurry, then.¡±

    In the end, the only person in a hurry was Juho.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Madame Song seemed to be in a good mood, too,¡± Yun Seo said. ording to her, she had visited the restaurant after her novel had been published, and because of that, the two weren¡¯t as delighted to see each other as they would have usually been. Still, it was obvious that they were very close friends. She enjoyed her favorite pork dish, and like an author who had earned her sabbatical, Yun Seo also enjoyed a ss of wine without guilt.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± she asked, carelessly.

    ¡°Good,¡± Juho answered briefly, mirroring Yun Seo¡¯s brief question. Nevertheless, it was an honest answer. Winning one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world was an aplishment in and of itself, and there was no reason not to feel good.

    ¡°I can tell! You definitely look better.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you look good.¡±

    Contrary to Yun Seo¡¯s assumption, Juho was looking better because he had been getting more sleeptely. Since he wasn¡¯t working on anything in particr, there were fewer nights where he stayed up, unable to put his pen down.

    ¡°Congrattions.¡±

    ¡°You helped tremendously, Mrs. Baek. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I barely did anything to help,¡± Yun Seo said, waving her hands in denial, but Juho was genuinely grateful for her. There was a reason he looked up to her as his teacher, and she had definitely yed a big part in making the life Juho was leading in the present possible.

    ¡°This is the person you should be grateful to,¡± she said, spreading her hands and pointing to the seat next to her. As Juho¡¯s eyes followed the direction to where her hand was pointing, he saw a gentleman with only half of his hair grey.

    ¡°I¡¯m the one who barely did anything. It¡¯s not like we see each other often, either,¡± Hyun Do said, with a calm, peaceful expression on his face. Just like he had mentioned in his speech, Hyun Do was the person who had directly influenced Juho to write ¡®Language of God.¡¯ As the young author thanked him, the literary great simply gestured with his hand, urging him to keep eating.

    ¡°Did you find a good spot for your trophy?¡± she asked, and Juho remembered the trophy rolling around his room.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s on top of a pile of manuscripts.¡±

    ¡°Huh! What kind of manuscript?¡±

    ¡°Just some things I¡¯ve been working on here and there. I use them as scratch paper. The trophy¡¯s got some weight to it, so it¡¯s perfect to keep the stack in ce.¡±

    Just like Juho had said, the trophy was being put to good use by keeping his stacks of paper from flying off the desk. Then, chuckling quietly, Yun Seo said, ¡°That sounds like a good spot, all right. It¡¯s better than collecting dust elsewhere.¡±

    The meal with Yun Seo and Hyun Do was as warm and smooth as it could be. Amid the calm atmosphere, Juho was able to release some of his pent up excitement.

    There were still people chanting Yun Woo¡¯s name, and more people kept searching for that name on the inte. Meanwhile, new articles kept turning up on regr basis, talking about the significance of the award Yun Woo had received, how big of a challenge it was to obtain, how great of an author he was for achieving just that, and how the world viewed the young author and his works. Along with the colorful adjectives, the articles were multiplying, each backed up by as little as a single statement made by a relevant expert. The fans were going wild, calling their favorite, young genius a hero. There was even a time that Juho read somebody¡¯sment on the inte saying that he had brought them a breath of fresh air while they lived in a world filled with suffocating uncertainties. Many wereforted by the confident statement he had made through Coin at the award ceremony.

    It was all too familiar to him. He had heard the acmations of his fans and had received their affection in the past. However, when he hade out with a new book, those same fans who had cheered for the young author had all turned their backs on him, without hesitation. With that experience in mind, Juho reminded himself that he couldn¡¯t afford to slip back into alcoholism.

    ¡°Would you like more to drink?¡± Yun Seo asked, and seeing as though his cup was empty, Juho nodded willingly. Once the cup was filled, Yun Seo changed the subject, ¡°Six people quit this month alone.¡±

    At that, Hyun Do turned his head to look her, and Juho remembered seeing one of her former pupils on his way out beforeing to the restaurant.

    ¡°Sincest month, twenty people started doubting their enrollment, and they¡¯re still contemting. Every single one of them is unemployed now, having quit their corporate jobs to pursue their passion before all this.¡±

    ¡°Why? Do they not want to be taught by you?¡±

    ¡°No. They are saying that they can¡¯t possibly write a piece like ¡®Sublimation.¡¯¡±

    As he drank slowly, Juho said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that natural?¡±

    ¡°It is, and that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been telling my pupils all these years, but then, you came along, the young, genius author,¡± Yun Seo said, finally bringing up what she was desperately holding back. The reason the man Juho had seen upon arriving at Yun Seo¡¯s house left was Yun Woo.

    ¡°The genius they all thought would eventually disappear from the face of the Earth has risen to worldwide prominence. Of course, they would be conscious of the author. There are so many kids who have their eyes fixed on you, all the while sacrificing time to write.¡±

    ¡°Your identity is a puzzling one.¡±

    A genius. That was the title that everyone associated him to. It was understandable when considering how dubious of an identity Yun Woo was. Although capable of seeing only what was on the surface, the fans were sharp and urate. The shell that Juho was hiding behind wasn¡¯t capable of writing a piece like ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ and neither was a boy. The wall ofmon sense was simply too thick for the fans to get any closer to the truth, and frankly, everyone was wandering aimlessly before the seemingly impossible obstacle. There was no way around it but to admit that the young author was a genius, and many had to have found the reality mortifying. However, the young author had no intention of tearing down that wall for his fans.

    ¡°I guess I really am a genius, it seems like.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s remark, Yun Seo chuckled quietly while moving her knife. There was no trace of resentment in her eyes.

    ¡°But five of them began to approach writing with a very different attitude from before, and it¡¯s all because of you.¡±

    At the sound of thest few words at the end of her sentence, Juho thought back on the faces of the people who had passed by him near Yun Seo¡¯s house. Every single one of them had had a smile on their face, and it felt as though the man he had seen earlier had been part of that group.

    ¡°I think they¡¯re flippant.¡±

    ¡°My pupils?¡±

    ¡°No, my stories.¡±

    Despite their influential nature, Juho found his stories flippant and imprudent, stirring the pot needlessly. They caused trouble and interfered with people¡¯s lives whenever they felt like it, like a yboy whose only way to satiate his desires was to remain involved in messy drama.

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting way to put it,¡± Hyun Do said, his gray hair covering his eyes halfway.

    ¡°Just because something¡¯s colorful and well-decorated, it doesn¡¯t always mean it¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    Colorful and well-decorated. They were some of the moremonly used adjectives when describing Yun Woo¡¯s books. Although captivating, there were also cases where they shone too brightly, putting a frown on the face of the person looking at them.

    ¡°Same goes for new things.¡±

    Sinceing out with ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ Juho had been getting feedback that the novel was new and original.

    ¡°There¡¯s never been an ending like it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever been that shocked.¡±

    In other words, that also meant that Yun Woo had abandoned his traditional style.

    ¡®Sublimation¡¯ was a novel that was still just as prizing as when it was first released. Both Dong Baek and Zelkova Publishing Company were still receiving daily emails from professors, journalists, and critics wanting to meet Yun Woo in person. Unfortunately, offering no exnation, Yun Woo had turned every single one of those requests down. Meanwhile, he was also being told constantly that reporters and journalists were contacting his publishing agency in attempts to interview the young author.

    ¡°Some professors are t out saying that they found ¡®Sublimation¡¯ to be uneptable.¡±

    ¡°Yes, so I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    ¡°And in the meantime, you won one of the most prestigious awards in the world.¡±

    Things were getting ratherplicated, and at the center of that contradiction, was Juho¡¯s work.

    ¡°In front of Yun Woo, the intellectuals can¡¯t seem to voice their opinions as openly. I gotta admit, it brightens my day when I see the looks on their faces,¡± Yun Seo said while scrunching up her nose, for some reason. Strictly speaking, the Neb Award was given to ¡®Language of God,¡¯ both as an award and a mark of recognition. Yet, the honor was transferred to the author just as intensely, and that was inevitable. Just as food came in through the mouth and got broken down and distributed through the body, there was no way to prevent that from happening. The acknowledgment of a piece of writing became an acknowledgment of the author, and the acknowledgment toward the author became an acknowledgment of the most controversial piece of writing at the time. The phenomenon that dictated that one sessful piece written by an author had the effect of boosting sales for all the other pieces written by that same author worked much in the same way.

    ¡°You said your writing was flippant?¡± Hyun Do asked.

    ¡°So to speak.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely true in some aspects,¡± the literary great said as if backing off. However, he wasn¡¯t ready to let up anytime soon. ¡°Everyone seems to go into a frenzy when they hear the name Yun Woo. It¡¯s hard to say that it¡¯s serious. It¡¯s unreasonable and debaucherous.¡±

    ¡°If you put it that way, Mr. Lim...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because there¡¯s too much going on on the surface.

    Juho felt pricked in the heart from Hyun Do¡¯s remark. ¡®I¡¯ll make sure you know why you¡¯re feeling that,¡¯ a voice echoed in his head. People went wild, apuding an author they hadn¡¯t even seen. However, in reality, Juho was less than impressive. All he did was sit in his dusty room with his greasy hair writing, focusing only on his own emotions. It was like there was a middle-aged man in the young boy¡¯s body.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it wasn¡¯t,¡± Hyun Do agreed.

    ¡°Pardon?¡± Juho asked, caught off guard by his answer.

    ¡°Because that decoration came from those around you.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°From the point of view of the person who¡¯s doing the decorating, it all just looks pretty.¡±

    Hyun Do wasn¡¯t rebuking the young author. He was simply exining what was really happening, reminding Juho that he was the only person who felt that his writing was flippant, therefore, doubting the sincerity of his work unnecessarily. Novels were made up things from the start. However, there was truth in them, and Hyun Do had learned that over time. He used to be just like the young author.

    ¡°Fyodor Dostoevsky was on death row.¡±

    Edgar Allen Poe struggled with debt, and Honore De Balzac was a glutton. Mark Twain was dissatisfied with the size of his genitals. Shakespeare did everything he could to avoid paying taxes, despite his wealth, and F. Scott Fitzgerald had a serious obsession with feet. There were also authors who suffered from mental breakdowns, as well as those who spent the rest of their lives relying on alcohol. Although each of the countless authors had led a life nothing short of a trainwreck, their fame still remained intact to that day.

    Whether or not some of the greatest authors in history had led good lives was debatable. Many of them were terrible parents, neighbors, or citizens. Yet, they were all magnificent writers. The stories written by those authors were both groundbreaking and beautiful. The gap between the authors¡¯ personalities and their works had always been there, and that was truly mortifying.

    ¡°None of those authors were even remotely as great as the pieces they had written. Every single one of them met an unfortunate end, as if paying for their previous sins, like being eaten alive by their own craft,¡± Hyun Do said, bringing his ss filled with water up to his mouth.

    ¡°Personally, I¡¯m doing everything I can to not end up like them.¡±

    Hyun Do¡¯s straight posture became more apparent.

 Chapter 224 - Embellished (2)

    <h4>Chapter 224: Embellished (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The three authors conversed candidly, and the atmosphere repeated the pattern of gradually building up and subsiding as the subject changed through the course of their meal. By the time Yun Seo had had her third ss of wine, Hyun Do two sses of water, and Juho two cups of soda, the conversation took a turn and put the spotlight on the young author.

    ¡°That ending was superb,¡± Yun Seo said, looking like she was drunk from the atmosphere rather than the wine. As she looked at Juho, there was not a tinge of red on her face.

    ¡°Some of the older authors I know were all astonished,¡± she said, moving on to telling him about the conversations that had taken ce at official events or at offices about ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ Although they had been mostly positive, there had been those who were doubtful of the young author. Then, bursting intoughter out of nowhere, Yun Seo said, ¡°Boy, the look on this man¡¯s face right here. He looked so bored! Your name came up during my book release event, and he was the only person sitting there quietly, not saying a word. If anything, he stood out.¡±

    At Yun Seo poking fun at him, Hyun Do added indifferently, ¡°Everyone was talking about the ending of the book. I was bored, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°But it was worth getting that much attention.¡±

    ¡°Which is why I sat there quietly.¡±

    Then, as if she had been reminded of that image of Hyun Do, Yun Seo burst intoughter again. Juho turned to the literary great, who was enjoying his meal quietly. Unlike all the other authors he had met, Hyun Do didn¡¯t ask questions about his writings style, let alone doubt him.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking me?¡±

    ¡°Asking you what?¡±

    ¡°About my writing style.¡±

    Hyun Do brushed his gray hair back. Although Juho¡¯s writing had been causing a ruckus, it seemed to have had no impact on the literary great. If anything, Hyun Do seemed like he had silenced it as gracefully as ever. Yun Seo was the same way. No matter how many of her pupils abandoned her, she kept her ce There was an undeniable gap between the young author and the two, significantly older authors. Juho knew that he was far from reaching their level, and Hyun Do¡¯s calm voice was only further proof of that.

    ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    Just like Hyun Do had said, nothing was going to change, even if the literary great were to ask the young author about his controversial writing style. Hyun Do had already established a world of his own, which was like a tightly-shut gate that couldn¡¯t be opened from the outside.

    ¡°... Aren¡¯t you curious?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m old enough to not let my curiosity get the best of me.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like you are curious.¡±

    At that, a corner of Hyun Do¡¯s mouth turned up, and what seemed like dimples appeared on his face.

    ¡°At the end of the day, I¡¯m an author myself.¡±

    At his answer, the faces of some of the most aggressive writers rushed past Juho¡¯s mind. They were willing to do just about anything in order to acquire what they wanted. Some never left their rooms for years on end, while others put themselves through the trouble of making lists about themselves in order to understand themselves better. Some acted out the scenes they were writing, even at the cost of making fools of themselves, while others went as far as digging deep into some of the most gruesome data for the sake of understanding their topics better. Likewise, the older gentleman sitting before Juho¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t be any different.

    Then, catching on to what Juho was thinking, Hyun Do said, ¡°You know, I¡¯ve never killed a person.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°But I do have experience writing about it.¡±

    Juho understood what Hyun Do was saying from that sentence alone.

    ¡°I know that I can¡¯t do everything. There are foods that I can¡¯t eat, as well as foods that I hate.¡±

    ¡°Do you ever force yourself to eat them?¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no reason.¡±

    Children often found certain foods repulsive, even without having tasted them before. It was possible to imagine what the food was going to taste like. It was possible to predict the taste, fear it, and even grow fond of it.

    ¡°I, personally, ask questions after I write. For example, a homeless man. I ask him if they find what I wrote about them offensive.¡±

    Then, Juho put himself in the position of the homeless man Hyun Do was talking about. Having first-hand experience with being homeless, it wasn¡¯t all that difficult to do so. As far as he could tell, he would have burst outughing or crying. Either way, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep his calm. He would have murmured, ¡®Here¡¯s yet another wretched life,¡¯ and gone to the bookstore to fetch a book without anyone knowing afterwards.

    ¡°If I were to write about you, it wouldn¡¯t be until I¡¯d written however I saw fit that I would ask you any questions.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m sure I¡¯d be taken aback after seeing how little difference there would be between your writing and reality.¡±

    Despite Juho¡¯s answer, there was no change in the expression on Hyun Do¡¯s face.

    ¡°I¡¯m much more interested in what kind of piece you¡¯lle up with than how you go about writing it. And even more so, what kind of piece I¡¯lle up with.¡±

    At that, Juho felt like he¡¯d gotten a glimpse of desire hidden deep within the literary great and his bottomless, serene eyes. It was the desire to write better than anyone else. Upon that realization, the elements that made the literary great who he was began to waver, including his grey hair and his straight posture.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been working on something.¡±

    ¡°I sure have.¡±

    Hyun Do was also an author, after all. He wasn¡¯t in the habit of wandering and he was different from those who couldn¡¯t write a single word after reading Juho¡¯s writing. No matter what he read, including ¡®River,¡¯ ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ and all of the articles on the Neb and Hugo Awards, Hyun Do simply wrote away. Juho looked at him attentively, feeling a faint desire to write, and thinking, secretly, that he wanted to see his own writing cause more of a ruckus. Juho¡¯s singing was boisterous, and he imagined the literary great humming along with his tune.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hey, wake up.¡±

    Upon feeling a blow to his back, Juho heard a voice waking him up. Then, rubbing his back, he opened his eyes and saw Sun Hwa in front of him.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Club activities.¡±

    Still half asleep, Juho brushed his face, and as he packed his bag in a daze, Sun Hwa, who had already packed up, stared intently at him.

    ¡°Is there something you wanna say?¡±

    ¡°Have you been writing?¡±

    ¡°I write every day.¡±

    ¡°No, no. C¡¯mon, you know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t hurt to be borate. That way, there¡¯s nothing to misunderstand.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s response, Sun Hwa¡¯s distinctively confident eyes turned up. As ofte, her eyes had been downcast with worry. Therefore, the fact that there was a change in her appearance meant that she had made a breakthrough, somehow.

    ¡°Whenever you stay up writing, you alwayse out with a new book. So, I¡¯m just asking if that¡¯s what you¡¯re doingtely.¡±

    Exactly like Sun Hwa was thinking, Juho had written the night before.

    ¡°I wanted to get the one that¡¯s due out of the way.¡±

    ¡°We have an assignment due?¡±

    ¡°For the Literature Club?¡±

    ¡°Ah, right,¡± Sun Hwa said, nodding. They were working on theirst pieces as members of the Literature Club before graduating, and rightfully, Sun Hwa was putting her heart and soul into developing the plot of her story.

    ¡°You¡¯re already done, huh?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not finished, technically.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I haven¡¯t even started.¡±

    Then, Juho changed the subject, ¡°Speaking of which, you seem to be in a better moodtely. What¡¯s new?¡±

    ¡°There is something new, indeed,¡± she said with a bright smile. ¡°One of my favoriteic artists released a new series.¡±

    ¡°Well, ain¡¯t that something to celebrate?!¡±

    ¡°And I finally thought of what I might wanna do.¡±

    That had to be the real reason. Juho looked her, smiling brightly.

    ¡°That¡¯s also something to celebrate. What is it?¡±

    Then, twisting her body bashfully, she said quietly, ¡°Teaching.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised,¡± Sun Hwa said with a sullen look on her face. To be frank, Juho had had an idea for some time. Her appearance had changed when Mr. Moon started offering so-called advice to the club members, calling it self-gratification. Juho had observed his clubmates then, and he saw Sun Hwa¡¯s eyes sparkling with motivation. She had actually beenforted by the words that hade out of the entric teacher.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be surprised about.¡±

    ¡°Bom was.¡±

    Juho imagined the timid junior, frivolously congratting Sun Hwa. With a faint chuckle, they headed to the science room. The others had already arrived there.

    ¡°What you got there?¡± the twins asked as Juho took a bundle of manuscript paper out of his bag. While Gong Pal was holding a portable gaming console in his hand, Gong Il, his twin sister, was holding a book on sex life.

    ¡°It¡¯s a piece that I might end up submitting for the exhibition.¡±

    ¡°Oooh!¡±

    At that moment, Bo Suk also approached them, her eyes sparkling with interest.

    ¡°I guess that means the piece about fingernails will stay a failure, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, unfortunately.¡±

    No matter how hard he tried to salvage it, a failure was a failure. Just as time was irreversible, failures were the same way, and they remained and were piled as they were: failures. However, as those failures stacked on top of each other, they became experience, and eventually, standards.

    ¡°I guess even somebody like you struggles.¡±

    At that, Juho waved his sheets of manuscript paper and said, ¡°And that failure is all in here.¡±

    ¡°I wanna read it first,¡± the twins said simultaneously and locked eyes with each other, their eyes burning ever more fiercely than ever.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourselves, now. It¡¯s not even finished yet. Besides, Mr. Moon¡¯s always the first person to read our stories.¡±

    ¡°But the manuscript is packed to the brim with words.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve said this before, but a piece of writing isn¡¯t finished until it¡¯s been revised.¡±

    ¡°First a failure, and now, revision. Even somebody like you,¡± the twins murmured simultaneously, and Seo Kwang interjected, finding it all too entertaining.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Yun Woo goes through the same, exact process when he writes.¡±

    After Seo Kwang¡¯s unnecessary remark, Juho changed the subject, ¡°If you wanna enjoy my writing to the its full extent, then I advise you two to work on your patience. They say that hunger is the best seasoning.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± the twins answered, obviously reluctant. However, there was still some time until the club activities officially started. Just as Juho was about to look through his manuscript, he heard the twins talking to each other, ¡°You know about Yun Woo winning the Neb Award, right?¡±

    Despite the ear-catching subject, Juho kept his eyes fixed on his manuscript. His clubmates were also doing the same thing, but they couldn¡¯t prevent things from getting awkward.

    ¡°I wonder what he¡¯s doing, now,¡± Gong Pal said, and his twin sister sympathized, ¡°Yeah, seriously. I heard people saying that he¡¯s in another country, staying with Kelley Coin.¡±

    ¡°For real?!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I saw some blog that had all the theories on Yun Woo put together, and you know what? They were actually pretty convincing! There are even people saying that Yun Woo was actually at the ceremony. There was someone Asian who got caught on camera, and they looked super young.¡±

    ¡°An article came out today about that. She was from a publishingpany.¡±

    ¡°Ohhh, is that right?¡± Seo Kwang interfered. And correcting their misinformation, the twins nodded.

    ¡°I saw a clip of an interview of Yun Woo¡¯s... publishing agent, was it? Anyway, I came across a video of her being interviewed in another country, and she didn¡¯t mention anything about Yun Woo, either, saying that she might lose her job if she were to let anything that had to do with him out.¡±

    Juho had never heard about that. From the sound of it, Nabi was going around telling vicious jokes.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t somebody like Yun Woo have the power to rece his publishing agent at the snap of a finger?¡±

    ¡°I mean, he¡¯s world-famous, so I¡¯m sure that¡¯s nothing to him. But I didn¡¯t know authors worked with agents.¡±

    What had started off as a joke had turned into somethingpletely different. Gong Il¡¯s information was mostly wrong, and Gong Pal was only making matters worse by puffing it up, without even a trace of doubt. It was amon urrence within conversations about celebrities.

    ¡°So, there¡¯s someone I know in a publishingpany,¡± Juho said, looking away from his manuscript, and the twins reacted at the blink of an eye.

    ¡°Really!?¡±

    ¡°You do??¡±

    ¡°You guys remember hearing from Bo Suk when we were going around school advertising that we get a lot of news about Yun Woo quickly.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s what she meant,¡± the twins let out, catching on to the situation. Soon, they asked with anticipation, ¡°Have you heard anything new since then? What¡¯s he doing?¡±

    Before giving them an answer, Juho paused in order to choose the right words in his mind. Then, looking at his manuscript before his eyes, he was reminded of his reality as an author, writing through failure after failure. After he started writing, the young author met someone who wasn¡¯t affected by his writing, and he also met someone who gave up the dreams they¡¯d been fighting for. Juho realized just how powerful and influential the small trophy could be when attached to a book and the effect it had on the preexisting prejudice and assumptions surrounding him, making them grow even more. It was both colorful and well decorated, but at the same time, it was flippant and imprudent. Even then, it was mildly entertaining.

    ¡°Nothing all that special, just...¡±

    ¡°Just?¡±

    ¡°Just going about his daily life, eating three meals a day.¡±

    What had changed hadn¡¯t been himself. Rather, it had been the situation he was in. Then, the twins caused an exasperatedmotion, saying that anybody could¡¯ve said what he said.

 Chapter 225 - Embellished (3)

    <h4>Chapter 225: Embellished (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As Mr. Moon stepped into the room, the club members began to write in earnest. Needless to say, Juho¡¯s progress was significantly faster than those of his clubmates.

    ¡°Here we go,¡± Juho said and picked up his manuscript. A thin stack of paper, thin enough to fold over like it would wrap around his hand, it was the piece Juho had written after returning home from the Neb Award celebration with Yun Seo and Hyun Do. Given the impulsive nature of the piece, it would probably need a significant amount of revision.

    Then, Juho looked down at the fingernail in his hand holding a pen. It was a in-old fingernail with a tinge of red. In contrast to his in nails, Juho remembered yet another set of nails that had been colorfully decorated. They had belonged to a hand that had been holding the receiver of a payphone, and they had been clearly visible, even from afar. Juho had been in the convenience store across the street from the booth at the time of the phone call, and he also remembered telling her a small, seemingly insignificant lie. Part of him had found the long, pointy shape of her nails threatening, and he imagined them digging into his neck. It had been at that moment that it had urred to the young author to use fingernails as an ingredient in his writing.

    Juho read through the sentences of the manuscript. The narrator awoke from their sleep, starting the day as usual. It was morning, which repeated itself day after day, tedious and uninteresting. Feeling groggy no matter how many hours of sleep he had gotten, the narrator prepared to go to work. The monologue continued, and nobody talked to the narrator while he got ready for work.

    The narrator got on the subway and got carried to another destination along with other, simrly dressed people sitting together in a tight space. The handles dangled from the top. Then, a set of five nails appeared, stopping one of them from moving. Both long and sharp, they were decorated to the point of being distracting, and the narrator was turned off by what he saw. ¡®Those are not fingernails.¡¯ No matter how the narrator looked at them, the fingernails didn¡¯t seem to be serving their intended purpose, and looking at them made for an unpleasant experience, something that resembled watching a beast on a leash crying out in pain. The narrator wasn¡¯t fond of cloned sheep, lions in zoo cages, or seedless watermelons. Therefore, the narrator was also not fond of the artificial-looking colors of the woman¡¯s fingernails, nor of the strange looking bits glued on to them. The narrator stared intently at the scarlet nails. They were long and thick, and every time the wearer moved, they shone brightly as the angle changed. The impably-smooth surface of the nails reminded the narrator that they weren¡¯t natural. The narrator pitied the woman¡¯s real nails underneath the artificial ones. To the point of anger, perhaps.

    With a sense of pleasure that lingered in thought, the narrator arrived safely at work, where even bigger challenges awaited. The new boss began to nitpick the state of the narrator¡¯s fingernails. There was nothing wrong with them, nor would they affect the narrator¡¯s performance at work. However, the boss ordered constantly: ¡°Cut ¡¯em shorter. Even shorter than you have them now. Short enough that you can¡¯t feel them when you feel your fingertips.¡± There was no choice but to obey. Although the subordinates spoke behind their boss¡¯ back about the unreasonable requests, the narrator ran to the convenience store without a dy. What was supposed to be a precious, protective tool, had to be cut away by its owner, and the narrator couldn¡¯t to do it. The idea was repulsive, and a tiny feeling of fear followed shortly after.

    Then, the setting changed, following the narrator¡¯s fear into the past. Instead of at apany, the narrator was now attending school, wearing a uniform instead of professional attire, riding a bicycle rather than taking the subway. However, mornings were no different from the one in the future.

    There was a new home economics teacher at the school who said, ¡°From now on, I will be checking your nails before we start. They should be short enough that you can¡¯t feel them when you feel your fingertips. Those who fail to abide will not only receive penalty points, but they will also be required to clip their nails with the nail clipper I bring with me.¡± There was no choice but to obey. So, the narrator looked down at her fingers and saw the white, crescent-shaped nails at the end of her red fingers, smiling at her. They needed to be cut out.

    ¡°They don¡¯t check our nails, do they?¡± Juho asked, and the freshmen, sophomore, and juniors nodded in turn.

    ¡°They did back when I was in middle school, though.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah... Man, that was such a pain in the neck. I never understood why they even did that.¡±

    ¡°I know! They¡¯re MY nails.¡±

    Bom and Sun Hwained as if reminiscing to their past. Simrly, Seo Kwang had had an experience being openly humiliated in front of his entire ss for having dirty nails. Listening to each and every one of them, Juho lowered his head back down.

    In the end, the narrator got in trouble with the teacher, and after clipping her nails, the narrator was left dejected in front of a ss of over forty students. The teacher had said, ¡°You stay there until you¡¯re done clipping your nails, and we¡¯re not starting until you do.¡± All eyes had been on the narrator, and everyone had pressured the unfortunate student: clip your nails.

    Reading through the manuscript, Juho marked ces that needed to be revised. There were paragraphs that dragged on, as well as sentences that were unnecessary or that had repeating vocabry. In his head, Juho tried changing the order in which the scenes took ce or inserting scenes that were more specific. There were already multiple directions in which the story could go, and it was waiting for the author¡¯s decision. So, he tried numbering the options in his head. ¡®One: include the scene of the teacher clipping the narrator¡¯s nails by force. Two: Make the ssrger, from forty to fifty students. Three: The boss gives the narrator a nail clipper as a gift. Four: Include a scene of the narrator in anguish with the new nail clipper in her hands. Five: Line everything up in chronological order. Six: The narrator bes hysteric and tries to choke her boss to death. Seven: The narrator chokes the teacher, instead.¡¯

    It felt like the more Juho thought about the choices, the bigger the list grew. But, of the numerous choices he hade up with, he had to choose the best one. The standard for that was rather simple: Which gave weight to the message he was conveying, and which one stayed true to the topic?

    Juho spent some time organizing his thoughts. The nails served the same purpose that shields did, they were protection. Nails were tools that deserved more appreciation, and yet, the world demanded that people cut them off. Forgetting their intended purpose of protecting us, people focused on appearance, and that made the narrator uneasy.

    Then, Juho decided to include a more thorough exnation for why the boss insisted his subordinates wear short nails. Simrly, the young author decided to include a philosophy behind the new home economics teacher¡¯s strict standard on nail lengths, and why the students had to go through the trouble of having their nails checked on a regr basis. It was a story on cleanliness and tidiness.

    With that, Juho added and took away sentences. The plot became clearer, looking more and more like the image in his head. ¡®What about bringing someone to tears?¡¯ Juho asked himself, briefly imagining the narrator weeping as her nails got clipped away, one by one. He wrote out the scene. Then, it urred to him that the narrator never cried, no matter what, even at the cost of her fingernails.¡±

    The piece fell short in many different ces, making Juho wonder if it was really OK to go on. ¡®Is the fear apparent enough? Will readers be able to resonate with what the narrator is feeling? Will they be able to catch on to the significance of fingernails? Are there only necessary scenes?¡¯

    Then, Juho began to erase the sentences he had written, one by one, making changes to the character and the story he had created. However, enduring that painful process didn¡¯t necessarily yield better results. If at all, many authors tended to get carried away and make bad decisions. In which case, the author needed to make up for their mistake immediately, which led to even more revision. While part of the young author thought of the woman with scarlet nails choking her boss by the neck, another part of him thought of the hands quietly clipping away at the nails that had been deemed to be a tad too long. There was a stark contrast between blood sttering about the room and the pieces of nails clipped away from the hands.

    Eventually, Juho came to the decision to go with thetter of the two images in his head. The narrator clips her nails willingly, and the young author made the changes to the sentences, ordingly. The two actions had a lot inmon, and Juho felt something chipping away, and those fragments scattered throughout the ground. Then, he nced down at his feet. There was nothing but chunks of dust. They had to be the fragments of sentences that were yet to be seen somewhere. ¡®What happens when they pile together? Would they enhance the story and make it more mature in any way?¡¯ Juho asked himself as he moved his hands slowly, writing away until the shouting around him died down and sank to the floor, along with the chunks of dust.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Mr. Moon,¡± Juho called to the teacher in the staffroom. Then, remaining seated in his seat, Mr. Moon turned his head toward Juho¡¯s voice. The room was mostly empty as most teachers were probably in their respective clubs by that time. On one side of the office, was the math teacher, leaning back on his chair with his eyes closed. There was no mistaking that he was asleep.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to turn my manuscript in. It¡¯s for the exhibition,¡± Juho said like an author who had managed to meet his deadline, submitting his manuscript to his editor with a mild sense of aplishment and anxiety. Upon taking the manuscript from the young author¡¯s hands, the teacher began to read, and while contemting whether he should leave or stay, Juho stood in his ce, looking around the staffroom.

    Each of the desks were distinct enough for Juho to be able to distinguish to whom they belonged. Textbooks, backscratchers, attendance books, progress reports, exams, massage slippers, pencil stubs, poetryptions,passes, jump ropes, various portable gaming consoles, and makeup products, which had clearly been confiscated from the students. There was also a stark difference between the desk of a rookie teacher and that of a teacher who was close to retiring.

    ¡°This is good,¡± Mr. Moon said briefly.

    ¡°Do I need to change anything?¡±

    ¡°It seems fine to me. You¡¯ve already revised it a number of times, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Just thought I should ask,¡± Juho said, remembering the look of disappointment on Mr. Moon¡¯s face as he read Juho¡¯s recent failure. Because Juho hadn¡¯t been in the habit of ruining his pieces with absurd endings as ofte, he hadn¡¯t seen an expression like that on Mr. Moon¡¯s face in a while.

    ¡°Good call on not taking this part out,¡± the teacher said, pointing to something on the first page. It was the scene of the narrator waking up early in the morning. In his recent failure, that narrator had found himself in apletely different world. Thankfully, Mr. Moon seemed to be fond of the monologue, which continued until the narrator opened her eyes and started moving.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you were making a scene, saying that I shouldn¡¯t let such a good intro go to waste.¡±

    ¡°I sure did. I still think it would¡¯ve gone to waste if you had left it out. You see, that heavy style of yours tends to shine in the most unrealistic of scenes.¡±

    Then, after staring intently at the manuscript for a little while, Mr. Moon said, ¡°I gotta admit. I was worried that you might get carried away after winning that award, but it seems like I got nothing to worry about.¡±

    A look of relief appeared on the teacher¡¯s face for a split second.

    ¡°Did you think I¡¯d get cocky?¡±

    ¡°At least ufortable.¡±

    ¡°I think I kind of am still.¡±

    ¡°Well, as long it doesn¡¯t show in your writing.¡±

    With that, Mr. Moon took the manuscript from Juho so that it could be made into a book and exhibited in the library. Published under the name Juho Woo, it would be his first book since being awarded the Neb, and with that, the young author walked outside, feeling relieved.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Sigh,¡± a man let out in the room, alone. With a serious look on his face, he picked up a book with a title written in Korean from the top of a stack of manuscript paper filled with words in English. ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ The ck cover wrapping the book gave it an ominous feeling. Then, looking at it with a dark expression, the man brushed his hand down the cover of the book and sighed once again.

    ¡°This has gotta be the most convoluted book in my three decades as a trantor.¡±

    Remembering ¡®Language of God,¡¯ which he had tranted not too long ago, the man opened ¡®Sublimation¡¯ once again, and the bookmark fell to the floor. However, rather than picking it up, he read on with all seriousness. Then, picking up the original manuscript, he ced it next to its transcription in English and took turns reading them, sentence by sentence. His faded green eyes traversed through the words in a rush.

    ¡°Will this be good enough?¡± he let out. The manuscript he was working on was of a novel written by the first Asian, and the youngest winner of the Neb Award, Yun Woo, and it was scheduled to be published in the States for the first time since the author¡¯s victory of the award. Fernand didn¡¯t hesitate in its decision to reach out to the young author. Then, thepany immediately hired one of the most widely-recognized trantors, one who had proven himself through his numerous works: Taylor Sanders.

    ¡°Hm,¡± the trantor let out. Then, closing the book, he began to write an email to the editor in charge of Yun Woo.

 Chapter 226 - Santa Claus and Translation (1)

    <h4>Chapter 226: Santa us and Trantion (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Please tell me a way to get a hold of Mr. Woo,¡± Nam Kyung read the email he had received out loud. It had been sent by a person by the name of Taylor Sanders, the trantor who had tranted the sensational ¡®Language of God¡¯ into English. ¡°I¡¯d like to meet with Yun Woo.¡± The reason the editor was taken aback was because that same trantor had previously rejected the opportunity to meet with Yun Woo in person. It was a well-known anecdote in the publishing industry.

    ¡°So, even the almighty Sanders is struggling with ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ huh?¡±

    Sanders was also the trantor in charge of tranting ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ which was scheduled to be published in the near future. Although having tranted an entire epic novel series without even an ounce of help from the author, Sanders was struggling to make progress with ¡®Sublimation.¡¯

    ording to the trantor¡¯s own words, he was not confident in his work in tranting ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ and Nam Kyung was able to rte to the situation Sanders had found himself in. They were both in the position of having to work with Yun Woo¡¯s sentences directly. The young author¡¯s sentences were like beams of light that inevitably cast shadows over those standing behind them.

    ¡°Well, better talk to Mr. Woo first before I write back to him.¡±

    The editor rose from his seat and went out to the terrace. Decorated with man-made flowerpots, there were benches avable on the terrace. Leaning against the silver rail, Nam Kyung dialed the number, chuckling as he was reminded of the sheer number of people who were desperate to know it.

    ¡°Mr. Woo! This is Nam Kyung.¡±

    ¡°Hello, what can I do for you?¡±

    A dry voice contradictory to his dazzling fame sounded off from the receiver, and after clearing his throat, Nam Kyung got to the point. The young author had hardly changed from the time Nam Kyung had first met him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you know who Taylor Sanders is, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he tranted my novels, didn¡¯t he?¡± the young author said with a crisp voice, and Nam Kyung fixed his eyes on the pointed tower of a church in the distance.

    ¡°Precisely. So, it turns out he wishes to have a word with you.¡±

    ¡°A word?¡±

    ¡°Yes, regarding his most recent project, ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ It appears that there¡¯s something about the ending of the novel that¡¯s bothering him.¡± Nam Kyung said, adding thetter half of the sentence while the young author remained silent.

    ¡°I hope you understand, Mr. Woo. The ending to that novel, in particr, is quite the punishment for those who have to work with those sentences directly.¡±

    At that, instead of an answer, a dry chuckle came from the receiver of the editor¡¯s phone. ¡®I mean, if THE Taylor Sanders is struggling with it, that says it all,¡¯ Nam Kyung thought to himself and asked the author for his decision.

    ¡°What would you like to do?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Sanders is in the US, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but he told me that he¡¯s more than willing to fly to Korea as long as you¡¯re willing to meet with him in person.¡±

    Sanders had stated that he was willing to visit Korea at any given moment in his email to the editor.

    ¡°Well, if I can be of any help, then of course, I¡¯ll meet with him,¡± the young author answered briefly. Nam Kyung thought of Sanders waiting anxiously for his reply. Those who knew nothing about Yun Woo would have no idea of how unfazed Yun Woo was at all times, distracted by the colorful images surrounding the author.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Yes, hi. Then I¡¯ll go ahead and arrange a meeting with him.¡±

    With that, Nam Kyung wrote back to Sanders without a dy.

    The day after the trantor¡¯s arrival, Nam Kyung was on his way to pick up Yun Woo. The weather couldn¡¯t be any better.

    ¡°You put your seatbelt on?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Noticing Yun Woo slowly looking around his car, Nam Kyung drove gently and headed to a famous Korean restaurant in Gangnam that provided private rooms for their guests. Closed-off space was a must when meeting someone with Yun Woo, and Nam Kyung said while driving, ¡°From what I hear, Mr. Sanders has been getting a lot of attention.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I saw the articles.¡±

    When an author won an award, a series of in-depth analysis of the results followed, and among them, were opinions on the trantors. Having thoroughly tranted Yun Woo¡¯s writing into English, Sanders started growing in poprity in Korea after the young writer won the Neb Award.

    ¡°It seems like he¡¯s been getting overwhelmed with questions too, questions of whether he¡¯s ever met you.¡±

    ¡°But we never have.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not an answer a journalist would settle for, unfortunately. Well, I guess my position is not all that different from Sanders¡¯.¡±

    On top of the journalists, even people around Nam Kyung flooded him with questions since they knew he was Yun Woo¡¯s editor:

    ¡°Show me a picture of him, will ya?¡±

    ¡°Can you let me talk to him on the phone, just this once?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s Yun Woo been up to these days?¡±

    The list went on.

    ¡°So how do you go about handling that predicament?¡±

    ¡°I tell them that I¡¯m not looking to get buried alive in the industry for leaking information about Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Buried alive, huh.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s far from being an overstatement. Trust me. Even the foreign press would start raving about it. ¡®ording to Nam Kyung Park, Yun Woo¡¯s editor-in-charge, the winner of the Neb Award is such and such.¡¯¡±

    Now that Yun Woo had won the award, any mention of him would spread to an international scale, and Nam Kyung was fully aware of that.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I should¡¯ve said while I could, anyway. When I didn¡¯t have to worry about the aftermath as much.¡±

    ¡°The higher you go, the scarier the fall gets.¡±

    The higher one climbed, the more terrifying the height became. Made curious by Juho¡¯s calm and unfazed remark, he wondered, ¡®Then, what does that mean for him? He¡¯s already so high up when he hasn¡¯t even graduated high school. Treated as a national author, the youngest, first Asian and Korean winner of a literary award with half a century of history, and now, aiming for the double crown. How terrifying of a height would that be? I can only imagine.¡¯

    ¡°Yawn,¡± the young author yawned quietly.

    ¡°Did you not sleep wellst night?¡±

    ¡°I was writing. I¡¯ve been working on a piece to have exhibited at my school.¡±

    Upon hearing Juho¡¯s answer, Nam Kyung let out a chuckle.

    ¡°Man, I wonder how your friends will react once they find out who actually wrote that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll draw more attention.¡±

    Nam Kyung nced over in Juho¡¯s direction at his nonchnt remark. He was well aware that the young author knew what he was saying, yet his response was as indifferent as ever.

    ¡°When you p the name Yun Woo on to a piece of stool, people suddenly see it as a gold nugget.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t mask the smell though. Readers aren¡¯t that stupid, and they won¡¯t fall for a trick like that just from the name they¡¯re seeing.¡±

    ¡°... Touch¨¦.¡±

    Despite his aplishments, Juho was still a student in uniform, active in a Literature Club at his school, who came with a piece of writing every now and then. However, if that had been the extent of his talent, there wouldn¡¯t have been a need for a sense of responsibility like the one he was showing. At that moment, the car shook slightly.

    ¡°Are you looking forward to meeting Mr. Sanders?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m curious of what he has to say.¡±

    Then, ncing over in Juho¡¯s direction once again and seeing the peaceful look about him, Nam Kyung looked straight ahead. The editor genuinely hoped that the young author would stay up in the sky for much longer and without any burdens, writing as he soared up even higher, learning and experiencing even more things.

    ¡°You can get some shut-eye until we get there.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not that bad.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung pressed harder on the gas pedal.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Sir, your party has arrived.¡±

    Not too long after their arrival, a voice said to the editor and made him flinch. The seat next to him was empty. Yun Woo had gone to the restroom, so Nam Kyung rose from his seat in order to greet the guest.

    Then, as a male manager capable of interacting with foreign customers opened the door, the significantly older trantor greeted Nam Nam Kyung in English, sounding slightly rigid.

    ¡°Pleasure to have you, Mr. Sanders. I appreciate youing all the way here from so far.¡±

    Then, Sanders smiled brightly and said, ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s always a pleasure to visit a country I¡¯m not familiar with. Even if it¡¯s for work.¡±

    The two sat down after exchanging a handshake, with Sanders sitting across from Nam Kyung. Because there was space carved out for the feet, the trantor didn¡¯t have to sit in a way that was awkward and ufortable for him.

    ¡°Is Mr. Woo here, yet?¡± Sanders asked, and Nam Kyung waved his hand in denial and said ¡°Oh, no. He¡¯ll be here any minute now. We came together.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    From his eyes, Nam Kyung was made certain of how curious the trantor was. Yet, he was the same trantor who had refused to meet with Yun Woo while tranting ¡®Language of God.¡¯

    ¡°So, Mr. Woo is...¡±

    As Sanders said after taking a sip of water, the door opened, and the trantor looked toward it by reflex. There was a young person standing at the door. Then, recognizing that shift in the expression on Sanders¡¯ face, Nam Kyung greeted the young author in a hurry.

    ¡°Ah, speak of the devil!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I had some trouble remembering how to get back.¡±

    As the trantor spoke to the young author in English, the young author answered also in English, impressing the trantor.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Woo.¡±

    That time, the words that came out of the trantor¡¯s mouth were in Korean.

    ¡ª

    Taking his hands off of the automatic water faucet, Juho walked out of the restroom while shaking the moisture from his hand. Then, as he made his way back to the room, he realized that he had trouble remembering how to get back. Because all the doors looked identical, there was no way to know which one was the one he was looking for. In the end, after contemting peeking into a room at random, Juho was able to return to the right room after asking an employee passing by. Upon opening the door, Juho saw a foreigner who he had never met sitting in the room.

    It had to be Sanders. At the sight of the man¡¯s chubby figure and bushy beard, a thought came to Juho that Santa us would have looked just like that when he was younger. Needless to say, he had never met Santa us in person, let alone a young Santa us, but something told him that that was how the Santa us in illustrations or advertisements would have looked before aging and leaving his hair and beard white. Sanders looked just like he had in the picture Juho had seen.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Hearing Santa us speaking in Korea made for a rather odd experience. Then, as the man introduced himself as Taylor Sanders, Juho bowed in response.

    ¡°Yun Woo. My real name is Juho Woo, but please feel free to call me whatever name you wish to call me by.¡±

    As Juho introduced himself with clear enunciation, Sanders reiterated the young author¡¯s name, his beard moving up and down with his mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably best to call you by your real name when we¡¯re outside.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, congrattions on winning the Neb Award! I wanted to tell you that when I met you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    As assortments of side dishes and scrumptious-looking food made their way to the table, Sanders tasted each and every one of them, expressing interest. Then, bringing up the things that had taken ce since his arrival and the ces he had visited up to that point, the trantor continued the conversation. The subjects of the conversations that were taking ce during the meal effectively kept the atmosphere rxed andfortable. Unfortunately, looking away from Santa us, who was skilled in using a pair of chopsticks, was proving to be quite the challenge.

    ¡°I studied Chinese characters in college, and I¡¯ve been trantingpositions from all over Asia. Learning and tranting Hangul was actually a rtively recent development. I gotta say, thenguage is quite charming. I fell in love with it and started looking into it before I even realized.¡±

    The fluency with which he was speaking only proved his point further.

    ¡°So, have you read the tranted version of ¡®Language of God?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes. I thought it was beautifully done. I was very grateful.¡±

    Juho had read it. At the same time, he had been able to read it. Sanders¡¯ trantion contained an interpretation of his own. Despite having followed the original, strictly speaking, it was more urate to consider it as a separate piece of writing. Nevertheless, that didn¡¯t make it a bad thing. It was only natural. After all, what he had done was trante the book, not copy or transcribe it.

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ was delightful. As a person obsessed withnguage, I¡¯ve read it over and over. Repeatedly.¡±

    ¡°Were there any difficulties when tranting that book?¡± Nam Kyung asked, and Sanders chuckled, looking and sounding even more like Santa us.

    ¡°Of course! It was a lot of work tranting a world with such an borate structure. To be frank, Mr. Woo, your writing is on the trickier side for trantors.¡±

 Chapter 227 - Santa Claus and Translation (2)

    <h4>Chapter 227: Santa us and Trantion (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The young author had just been told that his writings was difficult to trante by the trantor tranting his books. Considering the amount of research the process had called for, as well as the array ofnguages within it, it was, unfortunately, true.

    ¡°There are ces in ¡®Language of God¡¯ where a variety ofnguages are exposed as is, without any trantion. Not to mention the amount of data that it was needed for reference. If I hadn¡¯t known Chinese, I would have had to spend twice as much time tranting that novel. Side note, I was d to have picked up Spanish as a hobby.¡±

    Being a polyglot had definitely worked to his advantage when tranting ¡®Language of God.¡¯

    ¡°So, you speak Spanish too, huh?¡±

    ¡°Intermediate at best, but I was very relieved that you came out with the offshoot volume. I was able to get a clearer understanding of what I was tranting.¡±

    The offshoot volume of ¡®Language of God¡¯ was a book often bought by fans who wanted to have a deeper understanding of the world within the novel. It was often used as evidence that Yun Woo really did create all thenguages within the novel, and Juho was d to hear that the trantor found it to be of help.

    ¡°To be frank, I thought about contacting you throughout the trantion process. Although I¡¯m sure a lot of people have simr thoughts, I was genuinely curious about you, Mr. Woo.¡±

    In the end, Sanders never carried out his desire, and Juho already knew the reason: Yun Woo¡¯s identity was still a mystery.

    ¡°If I had known that we would meet in person like this, I wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to write you an email. On the other hand, I¡¯m perfectly content with how things turned out. I turned down the opportunity to meet you for the sake of the trantion, and yet, here we are, meeting for that very same reason,¡± Sanders said, his facial hair moving with his mouth.

    ¡®He¡¯d look good with a braided beard,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it was quite the inconvenience not being able to get a hold of me. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Not all trantors are in the habit of contacting authors. Besides, I¡¯m used to not doing so.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re used to it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You see, I also happen to be tranting really, really old books, published way back when. As you know, the dead don¡¯t speak.¡±

    Upon hearing the trantor¡¯s remark, the word ¡®dead¡¯ crept up on Juho.

    ¡°Do I look dead to you?¡± Juho asked, and Sandersughed as Santa us would.

    ¡°Oh, no. You¡¯re very much alive. You¡¯re at your prime, in fact. If that¡¯s not true, then we¡¯re all most likely in theherworld. At which point, I¡¯d be a fool to havee all the way here to find out what you look like.¡±

    Juhoughed at his witty remark, and Nam Kyung brought his water cup up to his mouth quietly.

    ¡°Although, I gotta admit. While I was tranting, that is before I saw you with my own eyes, you might have been closer to being dead than alive. It¡¯s probably an old habit of mine that I picked up over time, tranting old, ancient books. You see, I tend to assume that those I can¡¯t see are dead. Ah, hold that thought,¡± Sanders said, raising his hand in order to correct himself. ¡°The dead cannot be seen. That¡¯s a better way to put it.¡±

    The answer made Nam Kyung nod in affirmation, and just as the trantor had said, it was impossible for the living to reunite with the dead.

    ¡°As someone who trantes books written by people who are no longer around, getting help from dead authors is simply not an option for me, even if they¡¯re lingering around the book as ghosts. I wouldn¡¯t be able to hear them even if they were to beat me upside the head,¡± Sanders said, and after staring intently at him, Juho asked, ¡°What¡¯s it like to trante books that old?¡±

    ¡°Nothing special, really.¡±

    ¡°There are bound to be trickier sentences to trante, right?¡±

    ¡°That applies just as much to books written by authors who are still around. There are times when I just don¡¯t feel confident about my trantion. Although, it¡¯s been happening less and less frequently as I gain experience. As one grows in their skill, standards tend to form within.¡±

    Regardless of what, people tended to make fewer mistakes as they grew more familiar with a task. As their skills grow, they began to have a better understanding of how to handle challenges that came their way. Unfortunately, failure was still inevitable, and it had brought the trantor all the way to Korea in order to meet with the young author.

    ¡°I read the book you tranted,¡± Sanders said, changing the subject, and Juho followed without saying anything.

    ¡°How was it?¡±

    ¡°What is there to say? I read the article saying that you were chosen as the trantor of the year. Every Hangul-literate trantor acknowledged your work.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I worked really hard to make sure nothing strident came out of Kelley Coin¡¯s mouth.¡±

    At the mention of the infamous author, Sandersughed heartily and said, ¡°Well, you got what you wanted. I mean, that was some quality trantion! Needless to say, not a trace of mistrantion anywhere.¡±

    Then, the trantor looked up at the ceiling as if thinking back on Juho¡¯s trantion.

    ¡°It was incredible. I almost thought I was reading the original. A trantion faithful to the original. That¡¯s what many trantors dream to aplish. It¡¯s almost idealistic, really. You know, something only possible in theory. That¡¯s why they get so ticked off when somebody tells them to stay true to the original. They would if they could.¡±

    Tranting involved a text being written in apletely differentnguage, and it was anything, but simple. When discussing what made ¡®Language of God¡¯ so sessful, most critics pointed to thenguages within the novel. Thenguages really brought out the characteristics of the world. Becausenguage was such an integral part of life, it wasn¡¯t an overstatement to say that it was lifestyle that gavenguage its shape.

    The fact that everynguage had a different sentence structure meant that the speakers of eachnguage had a different way of thinking. Simultaneously, the fact that people had a different way of thinking also meant that they were more likely to find a direct trantion of a text in theirnguage to be awkward.

    However, the original was the ideal standard when tranting, and the priority was in transferring the original as a whole to the readers of anothernguage. For that reason, trantors often found themselves in a dilemma, between keeping the original intact and making modifications to it. In other words, it was impossible for trantors to leave any of their own interpretation of the text out. No matter how they approached it, trantors were bound to leave traces somewhere, somehow.

    ¡°To trante is to transfer. A book has its meaning in being read, which means, the priority is in how easily readers can understand what they¡¯re reading. This is especially true in modern trantion.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I agree. The fact that trantors are growing distant from the originals means they¡¯re growing closer to readers in other countries. Although, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that¡¯s always the case.¡±

    ¡°You know, for somebody who makes remarks like that, you¡¯re quite tenacious in your work.¡±

    ¡°Tenacious?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The tenacity of keeping yourself hidden.¡±

    At Sanders¡¯ remark, the word he had used previously, ¡®dead,¡¯ lingered in Juho¡¯s ears. Juho did remember wanting to be a ghost back then. He had strived, as much as possible, to keep the sentences written by Coin intact.¡±

    ¡°I have personally been studying your trantion,¡± the trantor said, and Nam Kyung asked by reflex, ¡°Analyzing it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Mr. Woo has tranted Kelley Coin¡¯s book in a manner worth studying. There are definitely traces of liberal trantions throughout, but reading it makes its readers think that they¡¯re reading a book written by Coin. It¡¯s almost like looking at the Moai statues of Easter Ind.¡±

    ¡°... Moai?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve actually been to the ind myself, and I gotta tell you, it was astonishing. I can only imagine who or how they made those hrious looking statues or what their significance is. There was nothing on the ind, no tools for transferring those massive statues, or even trees. The entire ce is full of those statues, and apparently, their height ranges anywhere from three to ten meters, with bigger ones weighing up to ny tons. They all look different, too. Some are even wearing hats.¡±

    Then, the trantor took his camera out of his bag and showed Juho and Nam Kyung the pictures he took. The statues were spread throughout the entire ind, from the center of the ind to the shores, in every direction. There were also statues wearing hats, just like Sanders had described, and next to them, was his bright smile. While Juho was looking at the pictures with Nam Kyung, the trantor said, ¡°It makes you think that it was either built by aliens or God, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It does. Or our ancestors, who are very, very distant from us, were giants, most likely.¡±

    Sanders agreed with Juho¡¯s conjecture.

    ¡°That¡¯s what your trantion was like,¡± the trantor said, referring to his description of Juho¡¯s trantion.

    ¡°But there¡¯s something about it that makes it stand out. It¡¯s surpassed the ideals and realities of trantions somehow. Well, maybe pushing the boundaries is a better way to describe it,¡± Sanders said, his head tilting slightly as if there were still questions lingering in his mind. Then, a perplexed look appeared on his face.

    ¡°As you can see, whenever I try to describe your trantion, I always find myself treading the territory of abstraction. It¡¯s quite troubling. Well, it seems like there¡¯s going to be two new additions to the ind already full of mysterious stone statues: your trantion, and my vocabry.¡±

    Juho simply smiled at his confusing remark, not knowing how to react.

    ¡°Anyway, what I¡¯m trying to get at is that your liberal trantion was as close to the original as it could get, and the opposite would also be true. It¡¯s almost like stopping a car just inches away from the collision. So close, our brains can¡¯t recognize it. Like an optical illusion, if you will. When you position two identical shapes with entirely different sizes a certain way, you give people the illusion that they¡¯re the same size. That¡¯s what your trantion is like, except nobody knows what¡¯s in the background or where it is, besides yourself. So, those shapes also end up bing the Moai statues,¡± Sanders said, scrunching up his nose. Not only was he fluent, but he was quite talkative.

    ¡°If more people were using Hangul, then your trantion would have been a sensation several times bigger. It¡¯s a tragedy that it¡¯s only known to those who know Hangul, but even if you tried to exin it to somebody who doesn¡¯t know Hangul, they would never be able to rte. Same goes for those who don¡¯t know English or what trantion is or entails. It¡¯s so sad that there are such few people who can appreciate this greatness.¡±

    More so than what the trantor was saying, Juho was astonished by the speed in which he was speaking. Sanders was incredibly fluent in Korean.

    ¡°Would you mind giving me your hand, for a second?¡±

    ¡°My hand?¡± Juho asked, raising his hand by reflex as Sanders reached for it as if about to give him a handshake. Upon grabbing the young author¡¯s hand gently, the trantor examined it, flipping to and fro as if appraising an antique. Juho felt like he was getting his palm read.

    ¡°Would you mind if I took a picture of it?¡±

    ¡°A picture?¡± Juho let out before he could help himself. However, Sanders had a serious look about him. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s taking a picture of my face or anything,¡¯ Juho thought to himself and nodded awkwardly. Then, with the assortment of side dishes in the background, the trantor snapped pictures of Juho¡¯s spread-out hand, and the shutters of his camera sounded away.

    ¡°I can tell that you¡¯re a writer.¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah.¡±

    With that, Sanders lowered his camera.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get to the point, shall we?¡±

    With that, the trantor looked at Juho with anticipation, as if he couldn¡¯t wait to find out what kind of answer the young author was going to offer him. They were eyesparing the wall hindering his progress to the person who had ovee it.

    ¡°Have you read my trantion of ¡®Sublimation?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    That time, with his eyes fixed on it, Sanders took the manuscript he had received from Nam Kyung ahead of time out of his bag. It was his trantion of ¡®Sublimation.¡¯

    ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn. How was MY trantion of your novel, in your opinion?¡±

    Juho paused briefly before answering the question. ¡®How do I put it?¡¯ Unlike Sanders, Juho didn¡¯t think of the Moai or of optical illusions while reading his trantion. While it was definitely different from the original, Juho didn¡¯t have anything toin about in particr. He was well aware of the process himself, and the trantion was actually quite clean. There were no mistrantions anywhere, and if the English-speaking readers were to read it, they would have been able to understand what they were reading with ease. The fire was just as scary in Sanders¡¯ trantion, and it was just as convincing as the original. The characters and their states of mind were spot on. Sanders didn¡¯t misinterpret or mistrante the novel, with the exception of one ce.

 Chapter 228 - Santa Claus and Translation (3)

    <h4>Chapter 228: Santa us and Trantion (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°This part here.¡±

    Pushing the side dishes taking up space on the table to the side, Juho ced the manuscript on the table. Then, Nam Kyung and Sanders scanned through the sentence Juho was pointing to, the descriptive sentence intended to give the fire a frightening image.

    ¡°It¡¯s actually quite convincing,¡± Juho said. Despite being in English, the fire was just as frightening ording to the description, making it clear just how merciless it was. Where there was fire, humans also existed.

    ¡°And this part,¡± he said, pointing to another ce on the manuscript. It was a description of God. Where there was fire, there were bound to be people who worshipped it. Deities of fire weremonly seen in both Eastern and Western mythology, including the Greek, Roman and Northern European myths. However, the description in ¡®Sublimation¡¯ had a stronger Eastern influence.

    ¡°There¡¯s a slight liberal trantion here, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an issue. You used concretenguage here, right? I mean, that¡¯s what people are used to in the US, so it probably makes it easier to read, if anything,¡± Juho said, quickly flipping through the pages to the end, with what Sanders had wrestled to no avail. It was where the writing style changed, when the characters doubt each other, all the while iming their own innocence. After losing track of the preexisting boundaries, the characters wandered aimlessly, and in the end, all became one in nothingness. The tool that Juho had used to portray the scene effectively was another writing style.

    ¡°This here, though, leaves me wanting a little more.¡±

    The stark contrast between the two writing styles was no longer there, united by the trantor¡¯s interpretation. In ce of the precarious nature, there was only bnce and stability. The suspense, the alienation, all gone. The bnce Juho had managed to strike after trial and error was no longer there.

    It was inevitable, but it wasn¡¯t fair to treat Sanders as an ipetent trantor. Then, the trantor exined in a calm tone of voice. ¡°I wrestled with that scene even at the cost of pushing the deadlines back, but to no avail.¡±

    Looking at his trantion with a serious look on his face, the mustache covering his mouth made him look like he was smiling, Sanders said, ¡°And something tells me that you¡¯ll never tell me how you wrote this, am I right?¡±

    ¡°No, unfortunately. That would take the fun out of it. If Easter Ind didn¡¯t have its mystery, the Moai, who would bother visiting it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful ce, regardless. I¡¯d love to go back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯ll have to stay a secret.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a bummer,¡± Sanders said, smacking his lips with lingering attachment. Then, he asked shortly after, ¡°How can I make people use me of having another person tranting on my behalf?¡±

    Juho was well-acquainted with a remark like that, especially since bringing the new writing style to light.

    ¡°Let me tell you as a person with firsthand experience. It¡¯s not going to be pleasant.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just have to face it then, I suppose. Personally, I¡¯m one of those trantors who believes that the distance between the original and the trantion is actually beneficial to the original. Also, I prefer my interpretations to be part of my trantions. But with ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ I made an exception and thought that I had to stay true to the original in its entirety. Although, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ming to the painful realization that it¡¯s not possible,¡± Sanders said. In the ending of the book, at least, he wanted to keep the spirit of the original intact as much as possible. Being a trantor with a career that spanned three decades, his words had weight. Then, after brief contemtion, Juho brought up the thought that came to him by impulse.

    ¡°Well, you can actually have another person trante on your behalf.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Sanders remained silent, but his eyes were still smiling.

    ¡°You know, I did think about that, but you did it all by yourself...¡±

    Then, Sanders paused for a little while as he immersed himself in thought.

    ¡°Does that mean you will trante?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, me?¡± As the author of the novel, tranting it wasn¡¯t the desirable of tasks for him. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡±

    ¡°And why is that, Mr. Woo?¡±

    Then, like someone who had spotted an opportunity, Nam Kyung¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°When the news gets out that you took part in the trantion, it¡¯ll be massive.¡±

    ¡°But there are plenty of other trantors who are just as capable...¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure, but nobody¡¯s going to be able to measure up to you.¡±

    As Juho looked away from Sanders¡¯ persuasive argument, he felt the trantor¡¯s piercing gaze,ing at him like an arrow. Then, the trantor looked at Juho with a look of surprise on his face.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem too enthusiastic about tranting your own novel.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well. You see, I¡¯m not fond of reading my own writing.¡±

    To Juho, writing was a means of letting his emotions out. Anger, sorrow, depression, and cowardice. Taking the very emotions he had vomited out and putting them back into his mouth was undoubtedly repulsive. Looking at the young author frowning, Sanders swept his beard.

    ¡°I see. There are definitely authors out there who feel simrly.¡±

    However, there also existed those who were heavily invested in the trantion of Yun Woo¡¯s books. Finding himself in a dilemma, Sanders moaned faintly.

    ¡°But if we¡¯re to make this happen, your vision has to be in line with my trantions, at least somewhat. We don¡¯t want to mistrante anything.¡±

    ¡°Right, and it¡¯s definitely not that simple.¡±

    Just as Sanders had said, Juho had to take Sanders¡¯ trantion into ount as well. If the gap between the author¡¯s vision and the trantor¡¯s interpretation was too wide, the overall quality would suffer, yielding undesirable results. On top of that, the change in writing style at the end of ¡®Sublimation¡¯ was not the only matter of concern. The content was also incredibly convoluted since everything that had built up to that point fell apart. In other words, there was a dire need for a trantor who understood the novel better than anyone else, as well as how Sanders went about tranting it. On top of that, he had to possess the skill to trante ordingly while leaving the content intact. Unfortunately, a trantor like that was incredibly difficult toe by.

    ¡°It seems like Mr. Woo fits just that description,¡± Nam Kyung interjected.

    ¡®Man, I should¡¯ve been more careful with my words,¡¯ Juho thought to himself with regret, and catching on to the young author¡¯s hesitation, the editor kept on, ¡°We¡¯re talking about a very, very small amount of work. Is there no way, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°... Hm.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to do anything like this again, from now on. Do you think you can consider it, Mr. Woo? Just this time?¡±

    While Juho was faced with a dilemma, Sanders opened his mouth and said, ¡°Is it because you can¡¯t write it again?¡±

    At that, Juho set his thoughts aside and looked at him. The expression on his face made it clear that he wasn¡¯t taunting him. If anything, Santa us always had a weing look about him.

    ¡°Is that what you think, Mr. Sanders?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really know the truth, so I¡¯m prone to think in whatever way makes sense.¡±

    ¡°Do you think we can make it seem like it was written by Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a single person on this who can do that better.¡±

    Having trouble interpreting what the trantor meant, Juho chuckled.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Remember, Yun Woo, is Woo Yun in Korea, meaning coincidence. Sanders is being ambiguous with his use of the word intentionally, and Juho isn¡¯t sure if the trantor is referring to his alias or coincidence.)

    ¡°All right, then,¡± he said. After all, it was his idea, and it wasn¡¯t remotely as much work as tranting an entire book. Although part of him was still reluctant, it urred to him that he would be as good as dead if he didn¡¯t voice his opinion, which made the situation all the more undesirable.

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±

    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be looking forward to it, Mr. Woo,¡± Sanders said, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. Meanwhile, Nam Kyung took his phone out and sent a text to someone in a hurry.

    It dawned on Juho that there were quite a few things that he had to be involved in associated with ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ It was the nature of the novel, as well as Juho¡¯s desire to make it entirely his. Humans who tried to conquer fire, those who reached for the unadulterated truth, they were all expressions of his identity, and considering how the novel was full of them, perhaps Juho¡¯s desire simply made sense. After all, he was an author and the owner of the book.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Adam.¡±

    ¡°Ah, hello,¡±

    Adam, the senior editor of Fernand, greeted the guest visiting his office, a journalist from one of the top magazines in the States. He was responsible for delivering news about Fernand to the rest of the world.

    ¡°Still as organized as ever,¡± the journalist said as he sat down, looking at the bookshelf against the wall, which was filled with books. They were organized by publishers, series, and the names of the authors, and looking at them brought Adam peace. Then, as he skillfully prepared for the interview, his secretary brought out a cup of tea for each of the two. With that, the interview began.

    ¡°First, I¡¯d like to start off by asking a questions that¡¯s been burning in my mind.¡±

    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always liked your style.¡±

    Countless authors published their books through Fernand, including former presidents and spies. Most of the rookie authors who had published their books through thepany had also been sessful. The books chosen and edited by Adam tended to sell at an increasing rate, and he was well aware of which books the journalists would bring up, as well as which authors they wanted to bring up the most. As for the question, it was about an author who had experienced massive sess recently.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask about Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to answer that question, but I don¡¯t know a whole lot about him unfortunately,¡± Adam said, bringing the tea mug up to his mouth.

    ¡°You don¡¯t say?! Even you?!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Yun Woo¡¯s a mystery even to me.¡±

    As the journalist¡¯s eyes sparkled all the more with interest, Adam nced over at the recording device on the side of the table.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t started recording, yet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡±

    ¡°Well, nothing? Even for the sake of my curiosity?¡±

    ¡°My curiosity is very much intact still.¡±

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m not the only person who¡¯s desperate for information on the youngest Neb winner.¡±

    ¡°All right, why don¡¯t we back up a little? As you said, he¡¯s the youngest winner. He¡¯s still a kid.¡±

    ¡°But his writing seems to say otherwise. It¡¯s simply astonishing.¡±

    Taking a sip of his tea, Adam ced his cup back down silently.

    ¡°Have you heard of his novel ¡®Sublimation?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Sure, it hasn¡¯t been published in the States yet, but you¡¯re working on it, as far as I¡¯m aware.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you see, the trantion was officiallypleted just yesterday.¡±

    Then, Adam reached over and picked up the recording device. The cold, lifeless machine whirred in his hand.

    ¡°How¡¯s the novel being received where Yun Woo¡¯s from?¡± the editor asked

    ¡°It¡¯s quite controversial, from what I heard, but a lot of people seem to think that it¡¯s the best ending in literary history. At the same time, I also heard a rumor circting that said he hired a ghostwriter. Oh, he took part in designing the book cover, apparently. The ck Book.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and Yun Woo also took part in tranting the novel.¡±

    ¡°... Trantion, huh.¡±

    ¡°Hisnguage skills need no exnation. I mean, he¡¯s the Neb winner.¡±

    ¡°My understanding is that trantion takes more than fluency in thenguages.¡±

    ¡°Right. Which is exactly where I¡¯m getting at.¡±

    ¡°... Wait, what does that mean for Taylor Sanders, then?¡±

    Adam had no intention of exining every little detail to the journalist. The questions would be answered at once upon the release of the book. After all, Sanders would be able to offer some exnation in the ¡°About the Trantor¡± section.

    ¡°I read the trantion of ¡®Sublimation¡¯st night,¡¯ Adam said, revisiting the question the journalist had asked earlier, and as the words stirred the journalist, the editor hit the record button on the device.

    ¡±Sublimation¡¯ is Yun Woo¡¯s first book since his Neb Award, and I chose that book personally. The young, anonymous author. I mean, it doesn¡¯t get any more charming than that. The adults who looked at him with doubt are moved to tears upon reading his book, and truth be told, I wouldn¡¯t care even if the whole thing turned out to be a massive sham. It doesn¡¯t matter who Yun Woo is. Whether he¡¯s an old man on his deathbed or an alcoholic beyond recovery, nothing will change. His writing is, simply put, beautiful.¡±

    Just as the title suggested, the phenomenon was nothing short of a sublimation. The novel had elevated the young author to a higher state, and Adam had never seen anything like it. He had nevere across writing like that in his entire career as senior editor of Fernand. The heat and the sense of loss brought about fear, and upon reading it, the editor was made certain of its sess in the States. Yun Woo wasn¡¯t about toe crashing down any time soon.

    ¡°I can just see it. ¡®Sublimation¡¯ will be sensational and take Yun Woo to an even further ce, and he¡¯ll be even more mysterious, then.¡±

    Because the journalist was yet to have read the book, he wasn¡¯t able to sympathize with the editor¡¯s words to their full potential.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s pure literature by Yun Woo.¡±

    At that, a smile closer to a sneer appeared on the senior editor¡¯s face. What Yun Woo was about to show was much more intense. The readers would feel their identities disappear before their eyes. Yun Woo was anything but pure.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±

 Chapter 229 - Santa Claus and Translation (4)

    <h4>Chapter 229: Santa us and Trantion (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Yun Woo, the first Asian Neb Winner, Making a Comeback with a New Book!¡±

    ¡°Pre-orders Deluge All Across Europe. Fans React Online.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo Showcases His Literature Piece. The New, International Bestseller.¡±

    ¡°Never Heard of a Korean Novel? This Author Will Change Your Mind. Yun Woo, the Hottest Author from the East.¡±

    ¡°A Closer Look at Yun Woo¡¯s ¡®Sublimation¡¯ and His Incredible Language Skills. What¡¯s All the Fuss About?¡±

    ¡°¡®Sublimation,¡¯ Yun Woo¡¯s Most Controversial Piece Yet. Senior Editor¡¯s Interview Draws Massive Attention: ¡®Through This New Piece, We Will Get to Know the Author a Little Better. Yet, Find Him All the More Mysterious.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo Takes Part in Tranting His New Novel, ¡®Sublimation!¡¯ Why?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s Trantor-in-Charge Struggles to Make Progress with the Controversial Ending of ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ Forcing Yun Woo to Step In. An Author Tranting His Own Novel?¡±

    ¡°¡®Sublimation¡¯ Said To Be Exported to About Forty-Five Countries. Yun Woo Only Taking Part in English and French Trantions. A Closer Look.¡±

    ¡°The Prizing Views of the Critics. What¡¯s the Big Deal? The Secret Identity of the Author We¡¯re All Dying to Know: Yun Woo! Who Is He? Where Is He? Is He Even Real? The Young Author in the Spotlight, Rewriting History.¡±

    ¡°From the Cover Design to Trantion. Most Hands-On Piece of the Author Yet!¡±

    ¡°The Anticipation Toward Yun Woo¡¯s New Novel, ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ ording to Kelley Coin.¡±

    ¡ª

    In a well-ventted area, Susan, Kelley Coin¡¯s Mother, was at the dining table, immersed in a book. Widely known for its author having contributed to its designing process, the ck cover stood out even when in contrast with the tablecloth with exotic patterns. Taking after the original design of the cover, Fernand had made minimal changes to the appearance of the book. In her seat, Susan gently brushed her hand down the book, which was Yun Woo¡¯s most hands-on work yet.

    ¡°Yet, the mystery grows,¡± she murmured, opening the book for the second time. Then, taking a lighter that was rolling around the table, she lit the cigarette in her mouth with it. Reading ¡®Sublimation¡¯ made her crave for a cigarette for some reason.

    Taking a deep drag off her cigarette, she breathed out a thick cloud of smoke into the air. Then, savoring the unusually-pleasant bitterness of the smoke lingering in her mouth, Susan continued reading. The book was easy to read, and Sanders¡¯ trantions were always trustworthy.

    Shortly after, Susan remembered what was on the ¡®About the Trantor¡¯ section at the very end of the book. Taylor Sanders, one of the most talented trantors around, had confessed that he hadn¡¯t been confident in his original trantion, forcing him to travel all the way to South Korea in order to meet with the author. Then, after a long, in-person conversation with the young author shrouded in mystery, Sanders finally managed to bring back an answer. Yun Woo had agreed to lend a hand.

    Then, flipping through the pages, Susan opened the book to the ending. Who started the fire? Who worshipped it? Who was afraid of it? All the characters were at odds with each other, and the tension was at its maximum. Then, everything simply fell apart. Just like Yun Woo¡¯s identity, it wasn¡¯t clear exactly when things began to disintegrate. The author had retrieved the identities of each and every character in the novel without anybody knowing, leaving the readers clueless. Finding the culprit was no longer the priority. All the events and conflicts leading up to that point of the novel allowed the readers to be able to indulge in the precarious pleasure, and the fact that a young author was unfolding it all in such a cruel manner was rather quite astonishing. The cleaner the mirror, the clearer it reflected the world. The novel showed how the numerous rumors that surrounded the author reflected on him, as if he was saying to the readers: ¡®You don¡¯t know a thing.¡¯

    At that moment, a sharp, shattering sound broke the silence. It sounded like somebody had flung an object against the wall with ill-intent. Nevertheless, remembering her son, who was writing upstairs, Susan flipped to the next page unfazed. Coin had acquired and read the book much sooner than his mother, and the shattering sound had be increasingly moremon since then. ¡®Better to let all that anger out somehow rather than keeping it in. I can always rece the things he breaks,¡¯ she thought.

    With that, she took a deep drag off her cigarette once again. The deity of fire was foolish, and its worshippers should have done a better job at keeping it safe. They should have hidden it out of other people¡¯s sight, even at the cost of losing their clothes to the burning fire of their deity. Upon acquiring fire, humanity evolved at an exponential rate, and some believed that it was the most humanly-way to live. They believed the time they were currently living in, after the industrial revolution, was the very essence of humanity. However, who were the most distant from their origins? Were people so arrogant as to be proud of the reality they had created, widening the gap between wealthy and poor, taking nature for granted, and knowing nothing but conquering what was around them? Reading ¡®Sublimation¡¯ brought doubt to the hearts of its readers, and made them reflect on the history built by humans up to that point. In it, they found sin, as well as cowardly attempts to look away from it. At the same time, there was hope for humanity to move forward. At that moment...

    ¡°Better do something about that cigarette ash,¡± a voice said to Susan. It was Coin.

    ¡°You done breaking stuff?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not gonna have enough cups for a little while,¡± he said, cing the pieces of shattered mugs into the sink. He had been collecting them on top of the stacks of manuscript paper in his room. A sharp sound came from the kitchen, and there were simply too many pieces with a handle on it to think that they were all from the same mug. He had to have brought down even the pieces that had beenying around in his room from his previous fits of rage. Then, ncing over at the book in his mother¡¯s hand, the author¡¯s face scrunched up.

    ¡°This is a great book,¡± Susan said, as if trying to rub it in. However, Coin maintained the crabby look on his face.

    ¡°I love the the cover design, and the trantion is top-notch, too. That Yun Woo is one talented person.¡±

    ¡°Talent? Yeah, right,¡± Coin let out, snickering. If talent was all it took to be able to write a novel like ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ then Coin would have felt much more at peace.

    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve noticed how much writers hate the word ¡®talent.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s destructive,¡± Coin said, leaning against the sink. ¡°The so-called, ¡®talented¡¯ can¡¯t survive in this world.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Does that mean this kid will die, too?¡±

    ¡°Everyone dies.¡±

    Seeing that her son was avoiding her question, Susan put out the cigarette she had been smoking in her coffee.

    ¡°I think I prefer this one over ¡®Language of God,¡¯ maybe over ¡®Sound of Wailing,¡¯ even.¡±

    ¡°And why?¡±

    ¡°Because I have a son that has an uncanny resemnce to fire.¡±

    As the author¡¯s face twisted even more into a scowl from his mother¡¯s response, Susan said, ¡°This is just an unfounded assumption I¡¯m making here, but maybe you were the inspiration for the fire. It has a lot inmon with you.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand anything hot.¡±

    Then, ignoring his mother¡¯s heartyughter, Coin turned around, returned to his room upstairs and sat on his chair. It was a pigsty of a room, with sheets of paper and his nket jumbling into one big mess. Reaching for his desk, Coin grabbed the same book his mother had been reading. It was sticky, and the pages were stained with brown liquid. His mug had tipped over it before, while he had been looking through the ending of the book, spilling coffee all over it. Then, the mug met its unfortunate demise as the author furiously flung it against the wall.

    ¡°There¡¯s no mistake that it was all done by Yun Woo, from the writing to the trantion and the cover design.¡±

    Yun Woo was impossible to figure out. ¡®What is this ending about?¡¯ It diverted out of nowhere, adding weight to the novel all of a sudden. Coin thought of a ballerina¡¯s feet. At the tip of the body that stood gracefully, were the crushed, twisted up feet, never to be shown on stage. Because they were something the audience would never see, the ballerina¡¯s feet had no presence, as if they didn¡¯t even exist, leaving all but her graceful motions.

    What Yun Woo had revealed wasn¡¯t meant to exist, as if the ballerina had taken her shoes off in the middle of a performance. Needless to say, the audience was in shock, yet in awe, having a newfound respect for the ballerina¡¯s sublime beauty. Unfortunately, the truth wasn¡¯t as obvious as the audience thought. A book typically didn¡¯t have feet.

    ¡°I hate this,¡± Coin said, forcefully separating the pages that were stuck together. A book was not the same as a human. Therefore, it couldn¡¯t put on or take off shoes, neither could it be twisted in any way. Yet, Yun Woo had managed to do just that, like a chameleon moving its eyes independently from one another, a snake with its tongue split at the end, and a cow with its multiple stomachs. None of which would be possible for humans.

    ¡°You have a split personality or what?¡±

    No matter how he looked at it, the author simply couldn¡¯t figure it out. He couldn¡¯t understand how it was even possible. It was like watching a well-orchestrated magic show. ¡®Was he trained in some way? Eh, I¡¯m sure it only looks like a miracle to people who know nothing about the tricks involved.¡¯ Coin had never met anybody like that in his entire career as an author.

    Then, raising his hand, the author flung the book against the wall, and upon hitting the bookshelf, the book fell on the floor. However, it did little to alleviate his anger. With that, he grabbed hisptop, opened it, and began to type away, looking lively for some reason.

    ¡ª

    ¡°All right, Susan. Understood,¡± Isabe said and hung up the phone. She was at a busy bookstore, which was jam-packed with people trying to buy books. There was a faint scent of knowledge in the air, of which the editor was quite fond. The bookstore was quite busy with mothers with their children, couples locking arms with each other, and corporate workers making a quick stop on their way home from work. There were also books written in English, French, and Spanish among the sections divided into numerous categories, and Isabe was walking about, looking around the store.

    Politics was the most popr topic as ofte, which meant memoirs and biographies of presidents were growing increasingly sought-after. Essays had also been growing in poprity, and most recently, a book written by an author suffering from a severe burn had be a massive hit. Having been through an unfortunate ident, the author had already gone through a total of eight procedures, and had four additional procedures scheduled for the future. Although recognizing traditions as something to be preserved and respected, bookstores were just as sensitive to the evolving trends. The Bible was ced right next to a book on Charles Darwin¡¯s Theory of Evolution, which contained records of the most distant past that humans could recall to the present day.

    With that, Isabe walked to the literature section. Novels were, inarguably, one of the most popr of all genres, and there was nothing more interesting than a person¡¯s life story.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It appears to be sold out at the moment,¡± an employee said to the customer who was looking for Yun Woo¡¯s book, which had started selling at an incredible rate even before its release. Even online purchases took at least two weeks until they reached customers, and that wasn¡¯t surprising considering the adjectives associated with the author. Being the first Asian Neb winner, Yun Woo was very young, and although anonymous, his skills were astounding. He had recently revealed his voice and received the Neb Award through Kelley Coin, and the friendship between the two authors was more than enough to alleviate the unfamiliarity with Korean novels that existed in other countries. All there was left for the young author was curiosity and rumors.

    ¡®Sublimation¡¯ was Yun Woo¡¯s first novel after his victory of the award, and needless to say, the publishing industry had predicted its massive sess. And now, that had be a reality. People were anxious to read his book, see the cover the author had taken a part in designing, and interested in seeing the novel tranted by the author himself.

    The controversy surrounding the ending of the novel was very much alive in the States, and even critics had prizing opinions about the novel. Those who doubted until the end, and those who didn¡¯t. Those who raised questions endlesslypeted against those who supported the author. On top of that, a blog with trantion of the fans¡¯ reactions in Korea turned up, along with videos of a popr TV show in Korea, ¡®The Great Book Club,¡¯plete with English subtitles. It was all an effort to gather more information about the young author, and the same went to interview videos of Yun Woo¡¯s professional acquaintances.

    There was at least one mention of Yun Woo in Coin¡¯s interview requests, and that had only provoked the author further. After canceling all interviews that had been scheduled, Coin had shut himself in his room. However, Isabe didn¡¯tment on it since there was still time until the deadline. Besides, she had a good feeling about Coin¡¯s new book.

 Chapter 230 - Sang Choiéˆ¥æªš Playground (1)

    <h4>Chapter 230: Sang Choi¡¯s yground (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho was catching up on the sleep he had been putting off while tranting. There were boxes filled with the manuscripts he had written towering over him, surrounding the bed, and there was a clear trophy, which looked out of ce, by his feet, looking like it was about to topple over at any given minute.

    Fast asleep, even the sunlight shining through the window wasn¡¯t enough to wake up the young author. However, it was at that moment that his phone began to vibrate next to his head, waking Juho up. Having just awakened from a deep slumber, he barely managed to open his eyes.

    ¡°Hello,¡± he said.

    ¡°Were you sleeping?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was,¡± Juho answered. Judging from the unapologetic attitude, it urred to Juho just who was on the other end of the line. It as Sang Choi. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s y.¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry, what?¡±

    ¡°I said let¡¯s y.¡±

    ¡°... Why?¡±

    ¡°Do you need a reason to y?¡± Sang asked,pletely misinterpreting Juho. Then, burying his head into the pillow, Juho asked himself, ¡®What time did I go to bedst night?¡¯

    ¡°You asleep?¡± Sang asked as Juho remained silent, and...

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Juho murmured.

    Impressively, understanding what Juho was saying, Sang said, ¡°I got my hands on an extra ticket for the theme park, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m calling: to let youe with me.¡±

    ¡°Why me, though?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re the only high school student I know.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that. Well, let¡¯s say we meet... tomorrow?¡± Juho suggested, thinking that he¡¯d quickly be able to go back to sleep if he were to hang up then. Everything around him was leading him to a world of dreams, and Juho had no intention of resisting the impulse, nor did he have a reason to. From his hazy consciousness to the phone in his hand, everything was just barely staying in its ce.

    ¡°It expires today.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Sang seemed to believe that he had a good reason for waking Juho up. In the end, as a means of resisting, Juho said, ¡°Can¡¯t you go with another person?¡±

    ¡°Like who?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty. There¡¯s Dae Soo...¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me to go to the theme park with Dae Soo? Just us two?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s Mideum.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d die from embarrassment walking around in public with her.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s also Dong Gil.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh, right. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d love to go to some theme park with me.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Are you asleep?¡±

    Juho chuckled at Sang¡¯s audacity, feeling wide awake. Then, it dawned on the young author that going back to sleep was no longer an option.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner? What if I had ns?¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, sure. Where are we meeting?¡± Juho asked, and Sang said the name of a station next to the theme park that wasn¡¯t all that far from where Juho lived. Somehow, Juho found himself in the position of having to go to a theme park with Sang Choi, moments after waking up. Then, after washing his face, Juho changed into different clothes and came dangerously close to knocking over the stack of boxes nearby. Thankfully, it was only the trophy that fell to the floor. After cing it somewhere haphazardly, Juho went out of his room.

    ¡°Where you goin¡¯?¡± his mother, who was sitting in the living room, asked.

    ¡°To the theme park.¡±

    ¡°Oh, with friends?¡±

    ¡°No, with a professional romance writer in his forties.¡±

    ¡°What?? Why??¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been asking myself the exact same question. Why did I agree to this?¡±

    Sadly, it was toote for an answer, and Juho suddenly found himself bound to go to the theme park with a romance writer.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m goin¡¯ now,¡± Juho said to his mother, thinking, ¡®I might as well get my fill of churros while I¡¯m at it.¡¯

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hey! Over here!¡±

    ¡°Did you have to wait long?¡±

    ¡°Nah, I just got here.¡±

    In a crowded subway station, Sang, dressed infortable attire, was standing in front of a ster cupid, which was naked as a means to express freedom. While Juho was busy looking at the cupid statue and Sang in turn, the romance writer asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet, huh?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I just got out of bed.¡±

    ¡°Good. I say we eat before we go in,¡± Sang said, leading Juho to the food court within the station. Then, going into the shop with the least number of customers, Juho ordered a rice bowl. They took a seat while Sang brought out the lunch box he had prepared ahead of time. Despite the man, who appeared to be the owner, ring at him, the romance writer paid no attention. Even though he was quickly bing the center of attention, Sang didn¡¯t seem to mind one bit.

    ¡°People are looking at us.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°I think it has something to do with your lunch box.¡±

    ¡°Are you embarrassed?¡±

    ¡°A little,¡± Juho didn¡¯t deny it.

    ¡°Hehe. Well, I used to be conscious of how others looked at me when I was your age too.¡±

    ¡°Dong Gil told me that he¡¯s embarrassed by you.¡±

    ¡°Eh, he just doesn¡¯t know what it means to enjoy himself,¡± Sang answered, shamelessly eating his every bite of his lunch. He wasn¡¯t ashamed to express his pride in his cooking skills.

    ¡°It¡¯s packed today.¡±

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the weekend,¡± Sang said, striding onward. As Juho followed Sang, the young author found a ticket in his hand before he noticed it being put there. Then, when they passed through the entrance, Juho was greeted by adorable-looking decorations, as well as the vendors selling headbands and balloons. People were shouting in all directions.

    ¡°Mr. Choi?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± he answered brusquely, and following his question, Juho asked, ¡°I don¡¯t know if now is the best time to ask this, but what are we here for?¡±

    Then, Sang answered Juho¡¯s question with yet another question, ¡°What do you think authors woulde to the theme park for?¡±

    ¡°To get on the rides?¡±

    ¡°No! To find inspiration!¡± Sang said. Then, upon stopping, Juho realized that they were in front of a churro stand. ¡®I thought something smelled good,¡¯ he thought to himself. Shortly after, handing Juho a churro and a corndog, the romance writer said, ¡°This is where love and dreams reside.¡±

    At that, Juho looked at his surroundings. There were massive rides designed to provide for the daring souls with a hunger for thrills, as well as people waiting in a long, seemingly endless line for a ride next to an LED board that read: 100. It was indicating the wait time.

    At the thought of getting on the rides with family, friends, or their significant others, everyone was in high spirits, even those who sat on the bench and appeared to be exhausted.

    Then, a mascot walked by, waving at the customers and posing for photos by request. There were quite a few people who weren¡¯t afraid to hug the mascot. Despite knowing that it was just another person in a costume, everyone yed along and let themselves be deceived by the adorable-looking mascot.

    ¡°This is some good churro.¡±

    ¡°It better be. It was expensive.¡±

    ¡°I never asked for it though.¡±

    ¡°Then give it back.¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re gonna eat it anyway,¡± Juho said, taking a big bite of the churro. If there were those who were yet to reconcile to a world where love and dreams resided, it had to be the two authors sitting on a bench shaped like a zebra, munching on churro and corndog. Because of the gift shop near the bench, the area was particrly crowded.

    Everyone looked simr, and was in a simr state, raising their cameras in effort to capture the joy-filled moments. Nevertheless, they seemed happy, and there were quite a few people wearing matching headbands or T-shirts. There were also those who had just gotten off the ride, the excitement still raw and fresh in their voices. When Juho looked at Sang, he noticed the romance writer listening to the voices around them.

    ¡°You¡¯re not hoping for any trouble, are you?¡± Juho asked. What was he really looking for?

    ¡°Of course not! If anything, I¡¯m someone rooting for all the kinds of love that exist in this world.¡±

    ¡°That, I didn¡¯t know,¡± Juho said as he wiped the cinnamon sugar off his mouth and bit into the corndog. The strong vor of ketchup and mustard spread in his mouth.

    ¡°That way, I don¡¯t starve,¡± the romance writer said. From his point of view, living in a world without love was no different from unemployment.

    ¡°I thought romance novels were stable, even more so than government jobs?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand. Nowadays, even love is in recession,¡± Sang said, leaning back on the bench. ¡°Love is truly magnificent.¡±

    ¡°Yep. Magnificent,¡± Juho said, agreeing with him haphazardly while wiping the ketchup off his hand with a napkin.

    ¡°And if anybody were to ask why, I¡¯d say it¡¯s because I¡¯m a romance writer.¡±

    ¡°That could be an answer, although I doubt anybody would be interested in knowing,¡± Juho said, chewing the corndog in his mouth while looking at the romance writer. Sang was definitely exuding a boundless love. Self-love, to be more precise.

    ¡°You seem to be pretty well off,tely,¡± the self-loving author said, changing the subject all of a sudden. Meanwhile, Juho kept chewing the corndog in his mouth. ¡°Especially overseas.¡±

    ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m grateful.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s OK to have a little more pride?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I did everything on my own.¡±

    As Juho answered in a calm tone of voice, Sang crossed his legs, looking dissatisfied by the young author¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Do you see how vulnerable these people are?¡± Sang asked, and looking away from him, Juho looked straight ahead, to where many were talking out loud.

    It was inevitable that their voices were audible to those around them. Yet, as if oblivious to that, people spoke even louder in order to cut through the other voicesing from all directions. Because they were in a noisy environment, they, too, were raising their voices naturally so that the people they were talking to could hear.

    ¡°You can tell that the people who walked past us earlier were students.¡±

    ¡°Yep. Sounded like they were trash talking their teachers.¡±

    ¡°And the people that walked past us just now seem to have a mutual friend.¡±

    ¡°Discussing what to get him as a gift.¡±

    ¡°And the people that just walked by were on their way to buy something.¡±

    ¡°They seemed like they wanted the headbands. They were saying that they would be useless outside of the theme park, yet they were letting the atmosphere carry them along.¡±

    Yet, with the exception of the two authors, nobody else knew that those people were students, or had mutual friends, or were on their way to buy headbands. Everyone was busy talking among themselves, upied with getting to the rides on time while hoping the line would move faster.

    ¡°This is Yun Woo, everyone,¡± Sang murmured. Thankfully, there was not a single person who responded to him. Of course, hardly anybody would believe him, even if they were to have heard him.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you shout out while you¡¯re at it?¡±

    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s not like anybody¡¯s going to believe me,¡± Sang said, and Juho put the wooden skewer in his mouth.

    ¡°I love the theme park. The excitement in the air, the busyness, everything. In a colorful, and noisy ce like this, people tend to be short-sighted. Everyone focuses on their own party or themselves. It¡¯s love. Selfish, individualistic. Only those who love will receive love. Just how I like it,¡± Sang said. His preference had been well reflected in his writing up to that point. However, his novels weren¡¯t so short-sighted as to stress only how magnificent love was. They included emotions like yearning, resentment, and hatred. Emotions associated with love weren¡¯t always positive.

    At that moment, a high-pitched scream came out of nowhere, indicating the ride had reached its apex. The scream continued until the ride reached the lowest point, and it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine how fast their hearts would be beating.

    Then, a couple with their arms wrapped around each other¡¯s waist walked by, giving each other a quick kiss. Imagining how fast their hearts were beating wasn¡¯t all that difficult, either. In a ce where fear and romance coexisted, both sets of hearts had to be beating a lot faster than usual.

    ¡°Well, I better head back,¡± Sang said in a calm tone of voice. In it, was the heavy sigh of an experienced lover, concerned for the new love that he was about to face. His heart, too, had to be beating slightly faster than usual. Then, as the romance writer looked at Juho, the young author realized immediately that there was another reason Sang had invited him out.

 Chapter 231 - Sang Choiéˆ¥æªš Playground (2)

    <h4>Chapter 231: Sang Choi¡¯s yground (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Huh! Is that right? That should make your fans happy!¡± Juho said candidly, and Sang Choi simply nodded.

    ¡°But then, I became curious.¡±

    ¡°About?¡± Juho asked, sensing trouble. Unfortunately, it was a tad toote for him to get out of it. As a scream came from afar, Juho thought about suggesting to the romance writer that they get on of the rides.

    ¡°The love story of a genius,¡± Sang said, looking at the young author. Upon realizing that he was being stared at, Juho looked away from the romance writer¡¯s ufortable gaze.

    ¡°I have a keen interest in you, as well as your young, fresh love.¡±

    ¡°Young and fresh, huh.¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t remember thest time he had experienced that. As the young author dragged on, Sang asked, ¡°Have you ever loved someone?¡±

    It was a question Juho wasn¡¯t quite used to hearing. However, his instincts had told him that the romance writer would ask that very question someday.

    ¡°Sure, I have.¡±

    ¡°You have?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m human, and I have primitive emotions like that too. Since I was born, I came to realize the love my parents have for me, along with friendship and patriotism.¡±

    ¡°I find your answer highly unsatisfying,¡± Sang said, resting his chin on his hand. Yet, his eyes were still fierce.

    ¡°What I¡¯m talking about is an interaction with another person, outside of family. Instinctive and provocative. You know, the kind that gets a bad rep for being immature. Eros. Sexual love,¡± he said, rifying himself in order to prevent Juho from backing out. Then, he raised his hand as a gesture of his willingness to exin things in even greater detail if necessary. Love. It was a topic inseparable from literature. Then, seeing the mascot walking by, Juho answered, ¡°Yes, I have experience with that as well.¡±

    Just as he had said, Juho did experience such a love in the past, and he had even lived together with a woman at one point, with whom he was in a deeply physical and emotional rtionship. As the young author felt the romance writer¡¯s piercing gaze on his cheek, Juho looked away briefly, regretting the answer he gave Sang. There wasn¡¯t much else to be said, even if Sang were to ask more questions.

    ¡°First love?¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± Juho dragged on, but it wasn¡¯t because he was bashful or had something to hide about the woman. Besides, there weren¡¯t any interesting stories to tell either. His memory of her was simply hazy, and Juho had lost nearly all of the memories rted to the woman he had had a rtionship with. From her appearance to her voice, touch, things she liked and disliked, nothing was certain, and it had nothing to do with himing back from the dead. It had just been natural to forget about her. They had parted ways, after all.

    ¡°So, does that mean you¡¯re not in a rtionship at the moment?¡± Sang asked, but there wasn¡¯t much Juho could say, unfortunately, and the fact that he was at the theme park with a forty-odd-year-old romance writer was further proof of that.

    ¡°We broke up a very long time ago,¡± the young author said, and Sang scoffed at thest three words in his sentence. However, Juho brushed it off with a shrug.

    ¡°Sounds like you don¡¯t love her all that much anymore, seeing how dry your tone is...¡±

    ¡°We parted ways. What else can I say?¡±

    ¡°Man, this is why people shouldn¡¯t be so quick to underestimate kids. He knows what love is.¡±

    Juho¡¯s past love existed only as an abstract memory. His instincts were telling him that it was an experience that he most likely couldn¡¯t go through again. At the same time, there was an arrogance in his heart that was telling him that what he had experienced really was, in fact, love. Also, there also existed gratefulness toward the woman who had taught him love.

    ¡°Was she a high school student?¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t remember seeing her in uniform. They both had to have met as adults. Juho tried to retrace his memory to remember where they had first met. ¡®Was it by the Han River? Maybe it was the beach. Or was it at the park? A subway station? Bah, I don¡¯t know anymore.¡¯ It was useless. The young writer couldn¡¯t remember anything about her, including how she had been dressed, or what kind of shoes she had been wearing. After staring at the air, Juho said, ¡°I can¡¯t really remember.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. You don¡¯t think I¡¯ll let you off the hook with an answer like that, do you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°Well then, that presents a-whole-nother issue in and of itself. Aren¡¯t you a little young to be saying things like that? You¡¯re not even allowed to drink, yet.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Juho said in order to brush off the romance writer¡¯s relentless questions. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair to say anything about the matter without the consent of the other party, so I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t speak any further.¡±

    At the young author¡¯s emphatic answer, Sang sighed and said, ¡°All right. Fine. I won¡¯t ask about your past love. Then, how about this? Do you like anybody at the moment? You know, a potential new love.¡±

    ¡°You sound like a dad talking to his teenage son that hit puberty.¡±

    ¡°Tell me,¡± Sang said, although looking nothing like a father looking at his son.

    ¡°Recently? Sure.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°The people obsessed with fire. Before that, One, Two, Three, and Four. And before that, I was in love with a neighborhood dog,¡± Juho said, remembering the dog barking in the distance whenever he visited Yun Seo at her house. It was rather adorable. However, Sang was looking quite displeased.

    ¡°Right. I get it. You¡¯re an author too. What, you trying to show off what you learned from Mrs. Baek? Are you in love with the world, all of a sudden?¡±

    Juho chuckled quietly at Sang¡¯s sarcastic remark and changed the subject subtly.

    ¡°Well, how about yourself, Mr. Choi? I¡¯d love to get a professional opinion on the matter of love.¡±

    ¡°Go look for it in bookstores.¡±

    ¡°Oh... C¡¯mon, now. It¡¯s not the same.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just too young for this. When you¡¯re old enough to have a drink with me, ask me again.¡±

    ¡°So, when did you start treating yourself with so much respect?¡±

    ¡°From the moment I was born.¡±

    When Sang answered in a heartbeat, a subtle smile appeared on Juho¡¯s face. He, too, had to have his share of embellishment. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t make sense to Juho that Sang would be capable of writing such borate love stories.

    After that, the young author thought of his other fellow authors and their portrayals of love. Seo Joong had written a version of it that suited his personality just right, and Dong Gil had done the same. When Juho brought up the two authors, the self-loving romance writer snickered, saying, ¡°They both have a ways to go until they catch up to me.¡±

    However, Seo Joong and Dong Gil¡¯s portrayal of love focused on life itself, which made it inherently different from Sang¡¯s.

    ¡°Seo Joong¡¯s portrayal of love is... how should I put it? It¡¯s mostly familial love. It¡¯s immensely safe, and in terms of color, I¡¯d say it¡¯s closer to yellow than pink.¡±

    ¡°I think I get what you¡¯re saying. He focuses more on the aspects of trust and interdependence than the heart-throbbing side of things.¡±

    As someone who had read Seo Joong¡¯s story, Juho was able to catch on to Sang immediately. Seo Joong was more likely to portray love as thestingmitment of being by each other¡¯s side until the end rather than something more tant, like jealousy.

    ¡°As for Dong Gil, his love life is... Well, it¡¯s hard to watch.¡±

    ¡°He usually doesn¡¯t get past having a crush on someone, doe he? I¡¯ve seen him drive a depressed character to the edge of the cliff after being rejected by a woman.¡±

    ¡°And his style just makes him look all the more pitiful, you know?¡±

    ¡°Love with a rigid ending tends to arouse pity,¡± Juho said, seeing the vivid look of displeasure on Sang¡¯s face as he nced over in his direction. ¡°Your version of love, on the other hand, is very entertaining. No other author may be as borate as you when ites to portraying one¡¯s process of falling in love, what happens to somebody in love, how love ruins lives and how people can save themselves from it.¡±

    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no one! Only I¡¯m capable of writing my novels,¡± Sang said, going further rather than epting Juho¡¯spliment modestly. Then, after his emphatic answer, Sang pointed at the young author and asked, ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you. I¡¯ve never read Yun Woo¡¯s portrayal of romance. Why haven¡¯t you written about it yet when you have the experience?¡±

    ¡°I have. I¡¯ve written about familial love too... in ¡®Sound of Wailing.¡¯¡±

    ¡°No, no. That¡¯s way too twisted for it to feel like love,¡± Sang said emphatically and questioned the young author again.

    ¡°No reason in particr. I just stay true to my instincts and write what I feel like writing.¡±

    Sang narrowed his eyes at Juho¡¯s answer. ¡°Well, you do have a darker personality than you let on. Maybe death suits you better than love,¡± Sang said, making a valid point.

    Then, after some brief contemtion, Juho asked, ¡°Should I try writing about love?¡±

    ¡°What? You mean at home?¡±

    ¡°No, I mean for real.¡±

    ¡°Wait, are you telling me that you¡¯re thinking about publishing another piece!?¡± Sang asked, and as Juho nodded, the romance writer scanned the young author, up and down.

    ¡°... Remind me how long it¡¯s been since you published a novel.¡±

    ¡°You see, I have way too much time in my hands.¡±

    ¡°If authors wrote because they had too much time, then they wouldn¡¯t have to suffer so much. If I were to write at the pace you usually write, I¡¯d be vomiting blood. Don¡¯t you ever get tired? How many pages do you write in a day?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t write a set amount, but on average... I¡¯d say anywhere from fifteen to twenty pages.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s answer, Sang groaned painfully, looking like he immediately regretted hearing what came out of Juho¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°So, that would add up to about six hundred pages a month, more or less, which means you¡¯re essentially writing a full-length novel every three months. But you don¡¯t stop there, do you? You go out looking for things to write about immediately after you are done, don¡¯t you? If I were to hear what you just told me from another person, I wouldn¡¯t have believed them, but then you¡¯ve actually done it... Man, that¡¯s just gross.¡±

    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? There are plenty of authors who write a number of pages every day. I¡¯m not even that diligent, which means there¡¯s nothing special about me inparison to authors like that.¡±

    Despite Juho¡¯s argument, the way Sang was looking at the young author didn¡¯t change.

    ¡°Where do you find all those things to write about, and where do you get the stamina? Please, enlighten me.¡±

    ¡°You see, I¡¯m a small eater. It doesn¡¯t take a lot of food for me to fill satisfied. Even this short conversation we¡¯re having at this moment could give me enough material with which to write a book.¡±

    The truth was that Juho was merely catching up on the writing he had been putting off. There had been times when an assignment he had procrastinated on had proved to be of help in an unexpected way, and love had been the same way. Juho felt like he had been trying to write about her, all along. He had to have been. However, he had been putting it off because he had felt like the genuine desire had nevere to him. Then, after putting off writing about her repeatedly, the memories of her eventually faded away. He must have wanted to write about forgotten love. Or perhaps, forgetting her was what it took for him to be able to write about her. In any case, what was important was that he was finally able to face the matter after wandering aimlessly for years on end. With that, after plugging her into an array of stories in his head, Juho came to the conclusion that he needed more material to work with.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Give it here,¡± Sang said, putting his hand out and staring intently at it.

    Juho asked, ¡°Give you what?¡±

    ¡°The trash. I¡¯ll go take it out.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can go.¡±

    ¡°No, I can do it. I need to go to the restroom, anyway,¡± Sang said, bunching the trash together. Then, with one hand in his pocket, the romance writer walked leisurely through the space filled with joy and happiness. If he hade to the theme park on his own, that was probably how he would¡¯ve looked. If anything, Sang was ying the role of entuating the space. Perhaps, that was why the love born out of his hands was loved by so many. After all, he loved himself more than anybody. Perhaps, that was how he was able to write about people who gave their hearts to others in a more original and urate manner. At that moment...

    ¡°Pardon me,¡± a voice said in anothernguage. When Juho turned toward it, he saw a couple. Thenguage he had just heard had been Japanese. Then, politely handing the young author their camera with both of their hands, one of them asked, ¡°Please take a picture of us.¡±

    The man had done so in inarticte Korean, making a gesture as if to take a picture with a camera with both of his hands. Then, Juho rose from his seat.

    ¡°Sure, which button do I press?¡±

    ¡°Oh, my! You speak Japanese! Are you Japanese?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I know enough to get by.¡±

    The man¡¯s hair was dyed in bright brown but the roots were still ck. Around the wrist of the woman handing Juho the camera, was a colorful assortment of bracelets.

    ¡°Are you two visiting?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we are,¡± the Japanese couple answered, adding that they were frequent travelers.

    ¡°Whenever we visit a country, we always go to a theme park.¡±

    Then, they would always take a picture afterward. It was clear that the couple had been dating for a long time from the way they interacted with each other.

    Upon seeing a mascot walking by, they brought it toward them and stood on either side of the mascot, who waved dly and posed appropriately. Then, as exined by the woman, Juho pressed the big button on the camera.

    ¡°One more,¡± Juho said, and the shutter sound followed after the couple¡¯s response. With that, after taking the pictures, the mascot waved once again and went on its way. As the couple approached him, Juho handed the camera over to them, and they, too, waved goodbye.

    That¡¯s when a voice said to him, ¡°Your Japanese is impressive.¡±

    When the young author turned around, there was Sang Choi, looking unsurprised.

 Chapter 232 - Sang Choiéˆ¥æªš Playground (3)

    <h4>Chapter 232: Sang Choi¡¯s yground (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°They¡¯re a couple.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°You heard?¡±

    ¡°I saw. I don¡¯t speak Japanese,¡± Sang Choi said indifferently, adding that his years of observing love had enabled him to be able to catch on to the rtionship between couples merely by looking at them. Although there wasn¡¯t really a way to prove it, he was quite confident in the statement he was making. Juho looked at his surroundings. Every couple had characteristics that gave out their rtionship, and that gave Juho an idea of how Sang¡¯s trick worked. At that moment, an upbeat tune came from the distance.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re at a theme park, so shouldn¡¯t we get on at least one ride?¡±

    ¡°Hm, should we? Then, let¡¯s get on the one with the shortest line, and we¡¯ll be on our way.¡±

    With that, the two meandered through the theme park for some time, walking through all the shouting and long, endless lines until they found the ride with the shortest line. The ride consisted of a number of massive mugs, in which people sat in groups, spinning them ruthlessly. Just the sight of it was enough to induce preemptive motion sickness.

    ¡°Are we getting on that?!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why? You said you wanted to get on a ride, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°It looks dizzying.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. My semicircr canals are rock solid.¡±

    Although Juho wasn¡¯t expressing his concern for the romance writer¡¯s semicircr canals, the young writer decided not toment on it. Once a certain number of people stepped through the entrance, the mugs, which had been spinning all around and in all directions, came to a stop. Then, as the next group of people got on the ride, the mugs and the floor started to spin all over again. Everything spun, and there were even those were daring enough to spin the handle in the center of the mug in order to make it spin even faster, enjoying themselves like there was no tomorrow. Some were spinning so fast that their faces were unrecognizable, and Juho could only imagine how they would have yed in the yground as children. Then, the young author looked to his side. How had Sang yed growing up?

    ¡°Are you nning on making us spin that fast?¡±

    ¡°If we¡¯re doing this, we might as well do it right.¡±

    Then, the people exited the mugs, and the next group went in, including Sang and Juho. The two authors sat on the innermost, pink mug, and the rest of the group who came in with them went into their respective mugs as well, looking both excited and anxious. Some were afraid that they would vomit during the ride, whereas a group of three well-built men sitting in a mug together dered out loud that they would spin as fast they could. Juho ced his hand on the silver handle in front of him. It still maintained the raised temperature from the people who had been previously in the same mug.

    ¡°Here we go!¡± the employee said, and the mugs and the ground began to spin leftward. The mug was spinning even without the silver handle being turned, and the mug with the three well-built men was spinning at a truly frightening speed, their scream-likeughter provoked fear in Juho¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Off we go.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    While the young author was distracted by the three men, Sang began to spin the handle. There was no trace of fear in his eyes, and he seemed to trust his sense of bnce and the state of his semicircr canal wholeheartedly. Before Juho even had time to stop him, their mug began to spin, and the employee urged people to spin even faster on the microphone, which turned out to be thest thing Juho heard while his consciousness was still intact, ¡°C¡¯mon, you guys! Is that the best you can do!? Faster!¡±

    The world spun just as much as Juho¡¯s eyes and the romance writer. Juho felt his body tossing left and right, and before he knew it, he was shouting along with everyone else around him, and Sang, too, was shouting what sounded like words. Although he was incoherent, it was clear that he was having the time of his life. Then, after closing his eyes, Juho opened and closed them again. It hardly made a difference. The sound of wind was just as fierce, and everything around him began to lose its shape, lines, and colors. Everything was mixing into one single concoction. At that, Juho remembered his most recent novel, ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ and asked himself, ¡®I wonder if this is what it felt like for them.¡¯ After asking himself that question, Juho felt a sense of guilt toward the characters in that novel.

    ¡°All right! That was fun!¡± the employee said on the microphone, indicating the end. However, the mugs were still spinning, slowing down gradually. As the spinning world began to recover its shapes and colors, Juho was ovee by dizziness .

    ¡°I think I feel the corndoging up,¡± Juho said, covering his mouth while Sang fixed his hair.

    ¡°We can get on up to five rides for free with this ticket. Let¡¯s get on four more.¡±

    ¡°Then, leave me out, please.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nowhere near as fun on my own.¡±

    Adding that he¡¯d feel better with some fresh air, Sang led him to the outdoor portion of the theme park, where there were even bigger rides. Fortunately, just as Sang had said, Juho did feel significantly better as he got some fresh air. Taking care of Juho staggering his way through, the romance writer led the way to the line for another ride. From then on, they spun in midair, plummeted from a terrifying height, and soared up to the sky. Juho lost count of how many times he experienced the tickling sensation in his gut and felt like his heart was dropping out of his chest. Nevertheless, the two authors were ecstatic, shouting at the top of their lungs,ughing, and looking just like everyone else around them. There was no doubt that they had entirely adapted to thend of dreams and hopes.

    ¡°There¡¯s gonna be a parade soon,¡± Juho told Sang.

    There was arge crowd waiting for the parade in the distance. Naturally, the two authors stood among the crowd in order to watch the parade. Along with the prince and the princess standing on stop of arge carriage decorated with leaves, a fairy and a clown were also on a moving tform, dancing and waving. They were all dressed in colorful costumes. With the train shing its light, the parade came to an end as people exploded into apuse. It was an uplifting sight. With that, after watching the parade disappear in the distance, the two moved on. Although they hadn¡¯t said anything to each other, they were both making their way out of the theme park. It was time to go home.

    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m getting a call.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    As his phone rang, Sang walked away in search of a quieter spot. Meanwhile, after staring at him for a little while, a vendor selling drinks appeared in view. Juho was quite thirsty, so after choosing a vor, the young author bought himself and Sang a beverage. Then, Sang made his way back after his phone call.

    ¡°Here!¡± Juho called to him. Taking the beverage from the young author¡¯s hand, Sang guzzled it down in a hurry.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious,¡± he murmured.

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°Your next piece,¡± the romance writer said, chuckling quietly. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the entire world will flip upside down, saying that you¡¯re in love.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡± Juho asked, expecting yet another rumor to spring up. Because there were so many rumors already, one more wouldn¡¯t make a difference.

    ¡°What do you have going on next week?¡±

    ¡°Me? Well, I don¡¯t have any deadlines to meet or anything, so I should be free.¡±

    ¡°Wanna go over to San Jung¡¯s ce with me?¡± Sang asked, adding that he had business to attend to there. Then, feeling like climbing the mountains again for the first time in a while, Juho nodded without hesitation.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Would you mind driving a little safer, Mr. Choi?¡± Juho asked, letting go of the assist grip above the passenger seat, the one he held on to for dear life their entire way there.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my driving that¡¯s the problem. It¡¯s the road.¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t remember thest time the car wasn¡¯t shaking. Nevertheless, the romance writer exited the car with his backpack and lunch box, paying no attention to Juho¡¯sints. In a simr manner, Juho, too, took his backpack out of the back seat and left the car. The distinctively fresh mountain air was quite pleasant, and it made it easier for Juho to breathe after the long drive through the rough, unpaved road in the mountains.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Sang said, putting on a baseball cap, and Juho also took his red baseball cap out of his backpack. Seeing that, the romance writer looked at Juho with disgust and said, ¡°What¡¯s with the hat? It¡¯s tacky as heck.¡±

    ¡°It might not look like much, but it¡¯s made of quality material. Just feel it. You¡¯ll know what I mean.¡±

    Staring at the young author¡¯s bright red hat with loathing for a little while, Sang looked away and began to walk, and Juho followed him quietly. It was his second time there, and everything felt just as unfamiliar as it had during his previous visit. There was a saying that the mountains changed their appearance with each season. Then, after looking around briefly, Sang stepped forward with confidence. However, Juho couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy by his confident appearance. ¡®We¡¯re not gonna get stranded, are we?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re going the right way? I feel like it¡¯s different fromst time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a shortcut I found.¡±

    ¡°What if there are snakes?¡±

    ¡°Tell ¡¯em we¡¯re just passing by.¡±

    Despite the uneasiness, the leaves and earth underneath their feet felt quite pleasant. The rocks that turned up every now and then were also pleasant surprises.

    ¡°How long has it been since we started walking?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Just because.¡±

    Juho felt his sense of time growing dull, just like during the previous time. From then on, the two authors didn¡¯t talk about anything in particr. They would simply try to figure out the kind of butterflies that were flying around, fiddle with mushrooms hanging from trees, or some grass, wondering if they were lucky enough toe across wild ginseng.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Wild Ginsengs are incredibly preciousmodities and are usually sold for a substantial amount of money in Korea.)

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Sang said as they arrived at San Jung¡¯s house, which existed in harmony with the mountains. It blended well with the surrounding environment.

    ¡°Hello,¡± San Jung greeted the two authors. Her ck clothes entuated the lively look on her face. Her writing space had hardly changed since theirst visit.

    ¡°Congrattions on the award,¡± she said, bring out a cup of water for each of the authors as they came in and unpacked their things.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Although Juho had already received all the congrattory messages, San Jung didn¡¯t hesitate to congratte the young author again, in person.

    ¡°Should we eat first?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good!¡±

    ¡°I still have some of the seafood you sent me.¡±

    Then, Juho looked at Sang, who was shaking his lunch box insistently, as if he didn¡¯t need to remind her about his habit of not eating food prepared by most people. Nevertheless, San Jung opened the refrigerator nonchntly and said, ¡°I have a feeling he¡¯s going to sneak into the kitchenter, so I¡¯ll just make enough for the three of us.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡±

    Although the romance writer insisted on not eating food prepared by others, his standards were extremely subjective. He was willing to be more flexible when he was treated to a meal by people he was even remotely close to. When it came to his favorite food, the standard became even more subjective.

    ¡°These look fresh.¡±

    As expected, Sang showed interest upon smelling the fresh seafood.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like some cheap seafood, does it? Considering that it was sent by Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Of course! I made sure I picked the best.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ve been enjoying them.¡±

    Juho had been sending food to San Jung every now and then, just like most of the other authors in the club. It was only natural that her fellow authors would be concerned about their fellow author who lived in the middle of the mountains all by herself. Not to say that she didn¡¯t know how to take care of herself, of course.

    ¡°Dae Soo sent me some really good beef not too long ago, but I finished it just yesterday. If I had known you guys wereing, I would have saved it for today. Bummer.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we should¡¯vee yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a junior in high school? Can you do that?¡± Sang said, interjecting for no apparent reason, and Juho shrugged it off.

    ¡°I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°You should¡¯ve told your ssmates that.¡±

    ¡°You know, I did have some trouble getting excused from thete-night study sessions.¡±

    With the exception of students pursuing a career in arts and physical education, every junior was forced to attendte-night study session as a rule. Because of that, the young author had had to prove to his teacher that he was one of the students seeking a career in the arts.

    ¡°How did you manage to do that?¡±

    ¡°I told my teacher that I¡¯ve been learning from Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°I see. Well, you¡¯re not lying.¡±

    That had been precisely what Juho had aimed for. In reality, Juho really had been learning from Yun Seo at her studio. Although he wasn¡¯t officially her pupil, it didn¡¯t change the fact that he was learning from her.

    ¡°But then my teacher tried to talk me out of it.¡±

    ¡°Talk you out of it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, saying that it was not toote to back out.¡±

    Juho¡¯s homeroom teacher was acquainted with Yun Seo and the fact that she had been investing heavily in the future generation of authors. Secretly hopeful, the teacher had looked into Juho¡¯s student record. However, to the teacher¡¯s surprise, the young author had no record of winning any awards. So, the teacher probably thought that Juho was someone putting in all that effort without having any talent.

    ¡°He was telling me that it wasn¡¯t toote, saying that life was all about timing.¡±

    ¡°You mean, to give up writing?¡± Sang said sarcastically,ughing while holding his sides. Something about it felt slightly spiteful. Meanwhile, San Jung snickered as if sighing. However, it wasn¡¯t aughing matter to the young author. Although he had managed to be excused from thete-night study session with Mr. Moon¡¯s help, he had beenbeled an unfortunate youth meandering his way toward a goal while having trouble epting reality.

 Chapter 233 - A Bug on His Forehead (1)

    <h4>Chapter 233: A Bug on His Forehead (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Oh, man. This is almost too good to keep it to myself.¡±

    ¡°Please try not to go around starting a rumor.¡±

    ¡°You gotta admit it, though. I think your teacher has a valid point, too.¡±

    ¡°That is true,¡± Juho said, with a mouthful of abalone. Simrly, a shrimp went into Sang¡¯s mouth before anybody even realized it, and he was chewing it despite the young author staring at him. By the time the meal wasing to an end, the romance writer brought up the reason for going all the way to San Jung¡¯s house in the middle of nowhere. After exining what he wanted to interview her about, he brought up the name of a professor with whom San Jung was acquainted.

    ¡°I was wondering if you could introduce me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a reason to say no. Although, you could¡¯ve just called me for something like that.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon now, San Jung. If I were to call instead of visit you, when would we, or anybody for that matter, ever have the opportunity to see each other¡¯s faces? We live in a world where most things in life can be taken care of with just a few mouse clicks. Rtionships are growing less and less significant, and that¡¯s a sad reality.¡± Sang made a surprisingly moving remark. However, San Jung knew better.

    ¡°You¡¯re here to get data from me, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Just a quick look while I¡¯m here.¡±

    Meanwhile, letting the two authors converse, Juho was looking out the window at the mountain. What looked like a ck stic bag shone among the trees.

    At that moment, Sang blurted out all of a sudden, as if exposing a massive piece of information, ¡°San Jung, did you know that this kid is already thinking about his next book?¡±

    ¡°Already?¡± San Jung asked, taken aback. Because she was in the habit of writing over a long period of time, she appeared to be impressed by the pace at which the young author wrote.

    ¡°I thought of something I wanted to write about. Whether it¡¯s something worth publishing or not, we¡¯ll have to see.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about love,¡± Sang interjected, and San Jung took turns looking at the romance writer and Juho.

    ¡°Love? After winning the Neb? Not bad.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever been in love, though?¡±

    As San Jung asked, Sang interjected yet again, answering on Juho¡¯s behalf, ¡°He has, apparently, but he doesn¡¯t wanna talk about it. He¡¯s a cheap shot, that one.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s around that age. It makes sense that he¡¯d be sensitive about it. Does that mean you¡¯re dating right now?¡±

    ¡°No, he isn¡¯t. If he had a girlfriend, do you think he would be here eating some abalone with us?¡± Sang said, pointing out the answer precisely. Just as he had said, if Juho really had a girlfriend, then he wouldn¡¯t have had the reason to go to a theme park with Sang.

    Then, Juho opened his mouth and changed the subject, ¡°Well, it¡¯s still in its nning stage.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll draw a lot of attention,¡± San Jung said, sharing her experience shortly after. She, too, remembered being caught off guard by the kind of attention she and her writing had received after winning the international award in Italy.

    ¡°The award changed everything, including the sales figures. That¡¯s how much power an award carries, and I can only imagine how much worse it will be for you since you¡¯re carrying all those titles already. Drawing attention will be inevitable.¡±

    ¡°That sounds... cumbersome.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even have to try to outdo yourself, but you cannot backslide. You know that, right?¡± San Jung said dispassionately. Although Juho was already aware, he paused briefly in order to think of a response, but gave up shortly after, smiling.

    ¡°It still doesn¡¯t change what I need to do.¡±

    San Jung nodded at the young author¡¯s response.

    ¡°If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to call me, like this guy.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s all go to the ravine. How¡¯s that sound?¡± the romance writer said, resting his chin on his hand as if not fond of conversations about awards. Although the suggestion came out of nowhere, they had already eaten, and Sang had gotten all the information he needed from San Jung, which meant the only thing left to do was to have fun. With that, everyone rose from their seats and prepared to go out.

    ¡°The water¡¯s crystal clear,¡± Juho said, looking into the serene creek flowing underneath a small bridge in the mountains. Arge rock in the middle was splitting the stream in two. Then,ing down from the bridge, the three sat on the rock. Small fish were clearly visible in the water, and a frog jumped across the water in the distance. The peaceful stream carried all sorts of sounds made by different lifeforms along with it. In the end, Juho couldn¡¯t resist taking his socks off and dipping his feet in the water.

    ¡°So refreshing,¡± he said with his feet in the water up to his ankle. The water flowing through between his toes gave him chills. At that moment, he saw a leaf being carried along by the current. Despite his efforts to catch it with his feet for the heck of it, the lone leaf gracefully escaped the young author¡¯s grasp and flowed away. Upon kicking, the water sshed in all directions.

    ¡°You behave, now.¡±

    ¡°Come dip your feet in the water.¡±

    ¡°No, thanks. It¡¯s way too cold.¡±

    Sitting on top of a mat, the two older authors seemed like they had no intention of getting up. Nevertheless, it was apparent by their expressions that they were enjoying the moment. Then, as Juho dipped his hand in the water and flicked it in their direction, Sang took a branch that was lying around and chucked it into the water, making a big ssh.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s some payback. You didn¡¯t even move an inch.¡±

    ¡°Retaliation with no repercussion. That¡¯s what I believe to be of true revenge.¡±

    ¡°Attaboy,¡± San Jung said, taking a hard-boiled egg she had brought from her house and smashing it against the romance writer¡¯s head.

    ¡°Are you serious!? First, the water, and now, this!?¡± Sangined, but to no avail as neither of the authors was listening to him. Then, San Jung put the entire egg into her mouth and began to chew, giving off a subtle egg smell. Shortly, after opening a can of soda, she handed it over to Juho.

    ¡°Can I have one, too?¡±

    Sang picked up an egg. Then, spotting a dragonfly on the rock, Juho stared at it intently. It had what looked like a fly in its mouth, and turning it to and fro with its front legs, the dragonfly chewed away at its prey. At that, Juho became curious about just how many things were eating something else in the mountains at that moment.

    ¡°Hey, Juho,e eat.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± Juho said, climbing onto the rock with his wet feet and taking the egg from Sang, which he had boiled himself. Because it was already well seasoned, it didn¡¯t need salt. Meanwhile, the sound of flowing water came from all directions.

    ¡°Let¡¯s build a tower,¡± Sang said, picking up rocks around him and stacking them. Simrly, Juho looked for rocks that were tter, not too big or small. Meanwhile, Sang stacked the rocks on top of each other with ease as if putting together a puzzle, and with a rock about the size of the joints on his finger as thest piece, the romance writerpleted an eight-tier, stone tower.

    ¡°Are you gonna make a wish?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t make wishes to other people.¡±

    ¡°Then, don¡¯t mind if I do,¡± San Jung said, closing her eyes and putting her hands together, resembling a position of prayer. Then, she made a wish out loud, ¡°Help me lead a long life writing novels.¡±

    As she moved her hands, her ck sleeves also moved down her forearms. She was smiling, and being in the daylight rather than the dark made it a whole lot easier to see her face. Then, Juho looked up to the clear sky. The weather was perfect, and where they were couldn¡¯t be any more peaceful. The clouds floated by. As the young author inhaled slowly, the distinctive scent of the mountains came at him.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Juho let out upon feeling something on his forehead. When he closed his eyes by reflex, he felt the weight on his forehead even more. What he saw before closing his eyes was a ck object, which had moved as if alive. At that moment, amotion broke out next to the young author, along with what sounded like the tower toppling over and eggs shattering as they fell on the rock. It was all done by Sang Choi.

    ¡°A bug!¡± he said, blurting out the name of the creature moving about on Juho¡¯s face. However, unlike the frightened romance writer, Juho slowly raised his hand, took the insect off his forehead, and ced it on his palm. The insect crawled on to his palm willingly. Contrary to the peaceful young author, Sang was gasping for breath, hyperventting.

    ¡°Get that thing away from me!¡± he said in an almost-desperate voice, looking deathly pale. Then, smiling, Juho opened up his palm as if showing what was in it. As the insect flew off, the romance writer screamed ghastly yet again. Thankfully, instead ofnding on him, the insect came right back to Juho andnded on his arm.

    ¡°It looks pretty,¡± San Jung said in a calm tone of voice. Only Sang had a miserable look on his face. At that moment, searching desperately for a deity, whom he had recently treated as merely another person, Sang began to make his wish in a hurry.

    ¡°Please let me live in a world without insects!¡±

    Unfortunately, the stone wishing tower was no longer there, and the insect began to crawl about Juho¡¯s arm as if trying to make its presence known to the frightened romance writer.

    ¡°What do you think it is? A beetle?¡±

    ¡°Not sure. I don¡¯t see this one all that often, either.¡±

    It had a blue tinge all around. Upon a closer look at the insect about the size of the joints on his finger, Juho learned that it had six legs, a pair of antennae and wings on its back. The young author couldn¡¯t imagine the innocent insect having a whole lot of experience with the world, and for all he knew, it could even be a young insect. Yet, it had approached a human fearlessly. Those who didn¡¯t know fear were capable of being brave at all times.

    However, there were punishments for the creatures that didn¡¯t have an awareness of danger. A shadow cast on top of the insect. It was Sang, holding a branch that was significantly thicker and longer than the other one. Then, in order to get the bug off of Juho, he swung his weapon sideways.

    ¡°That¡¯s dangerous!¡± Juho said, snatching the branch with his hand, feeling the wetness of it. From then on, the two authors struggled against each other for a little while. The branch was held securely in both of their hands.

    ¡°It¡¯s gotta be poisonous! That thing will kill you!¡±

    ¡°Oh, would you stop making a fuss already!? It¡¯s actually kind of cute if you look closely. Here,¡± Juho said, putting out his arm with the insect on it. Unfortunately, that proved to be less than effective as the romance writer lost the little judgment he had left at the sight of the insect. There was a vivid look of pure, unadulterated terror on his face, and Juho secretly wanted to prolong the experience of seeing that look of sheer horror on Sang¡¯s face.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    As Juho approached him, Sang ran away even more frightened. His speed was quite impressive. If he was capable of getting up that quickly, he had to be making a big fuss about the water being too cold earlier.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t move a muscle when I suggested dipping your feet in the water.¡±

    ¡°There won¡¯t be a tomorrow if you take one more step from where you are.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. You don¡¯t have to be that menacing.¡±

    Juho decided that he would stop there. As if aware that the young writer had protected him from imminent death, the insect stayed close to him in a friendly manner. Then, when Juho reached toward it with his hand open, the insect responded to it immediately, crawling onto the palm of his hand. They weremunicating and understanding each other as they got to know each other better. As San Jung looked intently at the insect, Sang moved toward her, about five paces away from the insect.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna get bit!¡± Sang shouted from the distance, but Juho paid no attention to him. The insect¡¯s massive antennae, which were the size of its body, moved about busily, and the tickling sensation Juho was feeling on his palm reminded him that the tiny friend was very much alive.

    ¡°Do you think this is an eye or a mouth?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an eye, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Right? I think so, too.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s poison, that¡¯s what it is!¡± Sang shouted again, holding the same branch in his hands still. He was terrified that the hideous insect would fly in his direction. His eyes were fixated on the insect. Unfortunately, regardless of how grossed out he was, Sang had no choice but to look straight at the very subject of his fear. Considering how fast Sang¡¯s heart had to be beating, the disconnect in his actions made Juho think that it wouldn¡¯t be surprising to see the romance write suddenly fall in love with the insect.

    ¡°It¡¯s still moving,¡± San Jung said, looking at the insect moving about in Juho¡¯s palm. As it tried to crawl over to the back of his hand, he gently flipped his hand over in order to make it easier for his new friend.

    ¡°It¡¯s really cute.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna throw up,¡± the romance writer said, pretending to gag with exaggeration. However, Juho genuinely found his tiny friend adorable, and he remembered something Yun Seo had said previously: ¡°It¡¯s affection.¡± Juho was no different from the insect exploring his palm. Letting it wander around exploring, Juho, too, was trying to get something out of the insect.

    ¡°Is it cold?¡± San Jung asked.

    ¡°It tickles,¡± Juho said, honestly.

    ¡°That is gross,¡± Sang added despite nobody asking him. Those were the three different views on the insect. However, paying no attention to how it wasing across to the three humans, the insect kept moving its legs. Perhaps, Juho was like an enormous tree to the insect, an intriguing tree capable of moving its leaves and branches. Or maybe, the insect was wandering around in search for a new home. The insect peeked its head out between the young author¡¯s fingers, moving what seemed like either eyes or nasal cavities. When Juho put some slight pressure on his hand, it backed up, making his giant friend proud.

 Chapter 234 - A Bug on His Forehead (2)

    <h4>Chapter 234: A Bug on His Forehead (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯d eat hard-boiled eggs, do you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It doesn¡¯t look hungry, though.¡±

    Looking in Juho and San Jung¡¯s direction, the insect turned away from the egg and crawled toward the young author¡¯s fingertips.

    ¡°Maybe, it¡¯ll fly off if we force it to eat something.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Juho said.

    The insect bnced itself on the tips of Juho¡¯s fingers, looking adorable with its set of legs bunched up together on a small space. At the same time, it looked as though it was about to spread its wings open, ready to fly off at any given minute. At that, Juho sensed an imminent farewell and was reminded of how attached he had grown to his tiny friend.

    ¡°I think it knows itnded on a bad spot,¡± San Jung said quite urately. The insect was getting ready to fly off to where it belonged.

    ¡°Mr. Choi, I think you better prepare yourself. It looks like it¡¯s about to fly off.¡±

    ¡°This way?? You mean this way!?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? That¡¯d be up to this tiny fe here.¡±

    ¡°Make it stop! Do something!¡±

    ¡°How am I supposed to do that?¡±

    Juho had no power to keep it from leaving, or to set the direction in which it should fly. The young author would take the direction he wanted to, and simrly, the insect would fly in the direction it wanted to.

    ¡°Huh,¡± the young author let out, feeling a faint vibration on his fingertips. There was a distinct sounding from the insect, resonating at the tips of his fingers. With Sang¡¯s terrified scream in the background, the insect shook its abdomen and rubbed its wings against one another. Then, out of nowhere, something turned up from its sides, revealing its shape for a split second. It was as if a door was opening. ¡®Are those wings on its sides?¡¯ Before Juho had time to confirm, the insect flew away.

    ¡°It¡¯s fast.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t even look back or anything,¡± Juho said, brushing his hand down against the palm of his other hand for no apparent reason. The young author had a feeling that his former lover had been like that insect, with which he had had a short friendship. She, too, hadn¡¯t been afraid to part ways with Juho, and what was left at his fingertips was a sense loss, something he was all too familiar with. He could¡¯ve sworn that she had acted charmingly around him, seeking his protection. However, to his dismay, that had been all a delusion. Simrly, the insect was more than capable of living on, with or without the young author. It had flown toward a bigger world. Love, insect, sky, delusion, and farewell.

    At that moment, a ssh of water came up Juho¡¯s face, clogging his nose. Then, wiping his face, the young author opened his eyes and saw Sang standing tall and proud, with his hands wet.

    ¡°What was that about?¡±

    ¡°I was washing the poison off your face,¡± the romance writer said. However, it felt a tad too spiteful for it to be as good-willed as he imed. It had to be an act of revenge. With that realization, Juho stood up, barefooted and soaking up to his neck, and started walking toward the romance writer through the cold sand and pebbles on the ground. It wasn¡¯t long before a water fight broke out. The two authors sshed at each other relentlessly, paying no attention to their clothes getting soaked. With the exception of San Jung, who was watching from the distance while eating her hard-boiled eggs, everything around them became wet. The dragonfly shook off the moisture on its wings, and the grass hung limply from the weight of the water. As always, revenge had a futile and unfortunate ending.

    ¡°I¡¯m soaked! This is incredibly unpleasant,¡± the young author said, feeling the weight of his wet clothes. No matter how much he squeezed them in order to get the water out, it seemed to make hardly a difference.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring any extra clothes with me. This isn¡¯t good,¡± he said, realizing just how wet his clothes were.

    Then, hearing the young author was in a predicament, Sang sneered at him, ¡°Well, good thing I brought mine.¡±

    ¡°You carry an extra set of clothes with you?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand borrowing clothes from other people.¡±

    ¡®How often does that even happen, though?,¡¯ Juho wondered, impressed by how prepared Sang was.

    ¡°In that case, I¡¯m sure you also can¡¯t stand lending your clothes to other people, right?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, but I only have one extra set of clothes.¡±

    It started to look like the young author would have no choice but to stay in his wet clothes. ¡®Eh, it¡¯s fine. This was supposed to be a day trip anyway, and my clothes will eventually dry if I sit in the Sun long enough. But what about the car seat?¡¯ As the young author pondered the idea, San Jung chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s OK. I have some extra clothes back at the studio.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. My brotheres over every now and then, so he leaves some of his clothes at my ce,¡± she said. It was a stroke of good luck. Then, after the three returned to the house, Juho received a sweatshirt and pants. Although their colors didn¡¯t match at all, and the rubber band around the waist felt slightly loose, they were quitefortable.

    ¡°Those must have been sitting in the bag for a while,¡± Juho said to Sang. It was obvious that the clothes had been put away for a long time, and there were folding lines all over the shirt and pants. Nevertheless, with a content look on his face, the romance writer brushed his dry clothes while letting his wet clothes dry beside him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring these back next time. I just hope these aren¡¯t your brother¡¯s favorite clothes,¡± Juho said. Although he had no clue of what San Jung¡¯s brother was like, the young author hoped that he wouldn¡¯t be upset that his sister had lent his clothes to some stranger. At that, San Jung waved in denial.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not even on his mind. It¡¯s essentially trash to him. He¡¯s probably bought new clothes by now.¡±

    Juho looked down at the sweatshirt and pants he was wearing, wondering if they really were trash.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll send new ones your way.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s really OK. If you insist on repaying me, you can give me an autograph. My brother¡¯s also a big Yun Woo fan,¡± she said. However, she had to be already aware that Juho would be sending her new clothes, along with the ones he was wearing. With that, after Sang and Juho decided to stay until their clothes had dried, the three authors sat around the table and enjoyed themselves a cup of tea.

    ¡°Have you been working on anything recently?¡± Juho asked, and San Jung nodded light-heartedly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been going around doing research. However, it¡¯s still too early to know for sure.¡±

    With that, she started telling a story about the things she had seen and heard up to that point. Her memories of the different people she had met at different ces, the different food she had eaten, and the situations she had gone through were still vivid. Then, time flew by, and the Sun set. Being in the mountains and because of the elevation, the Sun felt like it was setting sooner than usual.

    ¡°Be safe, you two. Good luck with your writing,¡± San Jung said, waving at the two authors, and with that, they went down the mountain and got in their car. While Juho was upied with thoughts of the blue insect that had flown away from his hand earlier, Sang didn¡¯t bother him in any way. Until they arrived at Juho¡¯s house, that is.

    ¡°Break a leg.¡±

    Uponing back to his room, Juho folded up the sweatshirts and pants San Jung had lent him, set it aside, andy on his bed. Despite his hope of spotting the blue insect on his way down from the mountains, the tiny friend was nowhere to be seen. It had flown away to a ce unseen, far, far away.

    ¡°Love and insect,¡± the young author murmured, staring at the ceiling for a little while. Then, reaching for his pen and notebook on the desk, still in bed, he started writing a story by the whim of his pen. The adventures of a blue bug searching for its mate. A blue insect on an adventure. A blue insect flying in the blue sky.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t it,¡± Juho said. Itcked something. He wanted to write a story that was so deep that even he wouldn¡¯t dare reach into its depth, leaving him tantalized. He wanted a story with a depth that would make him think that it was better to forget about it. A story that would make him deathly pale, like Sang when he saw the insect. With that, the young author moved his hand.

    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything other than Fabre.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: Jean Henri Fabre was a French Entomologist.)

    Then, Juho chucked his notebook into the distance.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Here¡¯s your peppermint tea.¡±

    Despite having wrestled with it at home for days by that point, Juho couldn¡¯te up with anything that satisfied him. That day, Juho hade out with hisptop as an addition to his walk. The peppermint tea he had ordered emanated a strong, minty scent. Along with the clear teapot, there was also a clear teacup. ¡®Is it ss?¡¯ Juho wondered, picking them up. They weren¡¯t nearly that heavy. Then, as he poured the tea into the cup, steam rose from it. Juho was the only person who had ordered a hot tea in the entire cafe. Decorated to have a vintage look, a total of three tables, including the young author¡¯s, were taken in the cafe. Of them, one other was alone, much like Juho, and seeing as though the person¡¯s hands were moving busily, they had to be either studying or working on an assignment. Because Juho was sitting at the innermost table of the cafe, the entire shop could be seen from his seat. There were two employees, who didn¡¯t seem to be all that close, working behind the bar.

    Juho looked at theptop before his eyes, which disyed an empty manuscript. From his former lover to an insect with blue wings, there was a decent assortment of material to work with, but unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t enough.

    ¡®Am I rushing this? Am I trying to write somethingpletely meaningless out of my own sense of urgency? Was I not excited to write about this, after all? Am I still caught up with winning the Neb? Am I being too conscious of it? Or, am I trying too hard to ignore it?¡¯ the young author asked himself calmly.

    Then, the young author reminisced to the time he first held the trophy in his hand. He had felt the weight of it. At that moment, his instincts had kept it from reaching his heart because he knew, by experience, that he would be susceptible to making the same mistakes he had made in the past. With that, Juho ced his hands on the keyboard. However, not a single sentence came out.

    At that moment, the bell attached to the cafe door rang. When he looked up, the person who¡¯d been alone was gone, but their belongings were still at their seat. Juho nced over at the bathroom key hanging by the doorknob of the bathroom to his side. The key was still there. ¡®Must be taking a call,¡± Juho thought.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Juho let out heavily. The fact that he was calcting meant that he was afraid of failure. He didn¡¯t want to fail, just like everyone else. When Juho looked back, he would often find that he had climbed to a frightening height without knowing. Although faint and subtle, the fear was holding him back. Then, raising both of his hands, Juho patted his cheeks. ¡®Let¡¯s just write for now. If I don¡¯t like it, then I¡¯ll write it again,¡¯ he told himself as he ced his hands on the keyboard.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡®Maybe I should look at the inte for a little bit,¡± the young author thought to himself, logging into a news website and reading through provocative articles one by one. Homicide, assault, celebrity divorce, conglomerates, political disputes, and Yun Woo. There were all sorts of keywords surrounding the name. Identity, rumors, writing style, Neb and Hugo Awards, voice. Upon Juho clicking ¡®voice,¡¯ a video of Kelley Coin¡¯s interview came up, and putting his earbuds on, Juho yed the video. The same voice he had heard on his phone while talking to Kelley Coin sounded through his earbuds.

    A word said on one side of the globe was being conveyed to the other. In the same manner, an interview that had been held on one side of the was being shown on the other. It was avable for those who were interested in watching it, and simultaneously, they also had the freedom to shut it off whenever they felt like it. It was a fascinating world.

    At that moment, Juho heard the bell attached to the door ringing, ever so faintly, over his earbuds. One of the employees was going outside with a broom and a dustpan. Because the cafe was on the second floor of the building, it seemed like they were going out to clean the stairway.

    With that, Juho redirected his attention to the video on hisptop. The two were fighting a fierce battle. Then, the infamous author decided to do somethingpletely unexpected. He called Yun Woo. While everyone was caught off guard, it wasn¡¯t long until they grew ecstatic, their distant hope of hearing the young author¡¯s voice on the phone had been realized. Then, Coin turned up on the screen, looking indifferent about his actions. Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. What followed immediately was his own voice. Hearing himself on the show, speaking through the receiver of a phone, was a rather strange experience. It simply didn¡¯t sound like him, and to be frank, Juho had been feeling that way from the moment he started watching the video. It was unpleasant.

    Then, while looping the part of the video of himself speaking, Juho came across another video, one that contained only the portion of the interview in which he spoke. Just as he had done with the previous video, he yed it over and over again. He was repeating the same word at the same, exact time, without stopping. His voice in the video was saying only certain things, like the interviewer, and the infamous Kelley Coin. Everyone moving within the rectangr screen was repeating the same words. The more Juho looked at it, the more it became cloying. Because he was able to predict what was going to be said, there was no originality or freedom. It felt like a prison.

    ¡°Get me out of here!¡±

    At that moment, the young author heard a cry. Even when he took his earbuds off, it still sounded muffled. Then, what sounded like a person banging on the wall followed. It was alsoing from afar. Everyone in the cafe had heard it and was looking around cluelessly. Juho rose from his seat in order to find out what was going on. Meanwhile, the person on the other table remained in their seat, awkwardly locking eyes with yet another person on the other side of the cafe. What was happening?

 Chapter 235 - A Bug on His Forehead (3)

    <h4>Chapter 235: A Bug on His Forehead (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The sound wasing from too far a distance to being from theptop. Then, two employees came out from behind the bar. ¡®Two? Has the other onee in already?¡¯ Juho asked himself. His eyes went to the empty seat by reflex. There was one person who had yet to return to the cafe.

    ¡°It won¡¯t open!¡± a voice cried out, and upon hearing it, Juho, along with one of the employees, went outside of the cafe. As soon as they stepped out of the shop, what came into view was the door to the restroom. It was vibrating. Somebody was banging against it from the inside.

    ¡°Hello!?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we can hear you!¡± Juho answered with a cracked voice. It wasn¡¯t that he was desperate or terrified. The young author was simply flustered by the situation, even mildly amused.

    ¡°Thank goodness! I can¡¯t open the door from the inside.¡±

    ¡°Sir, would you give me a moment?¡± the employee said, going back into the cafe and bringing the key out in a hurry, looking mildly guilty. At that, Juho realized that it was the employee who was responsible for locking the restroom door. There was a phrase on the door, which read: ¡°For cafe customers only. Please keep the door closed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sir. I had no idea,¡± the employee said, exining the situation to the personing out of the bathroom. Havinge out to clean, the employee had tried opening the door out of habit in order to make sure it was shut tightly. Upon checking the door, the employee had thought that somebody had forgotten to close the door on their way out. Besides, the employee had seen that the key was still in its ce beforeing out of the cafe. Then, taking the key, the employee had locked the restroom door without hesitation or even bothering to check if anybody was inside. And apparently, the person in the restroom didn¡¯t take notice of what had happened, thinking that it was someone elseing in.

    ¡°I am so sorry,¡± the employee apologized, and as the situation dawned on him, the customer grew exceedingly angry. At which point, the employee apologized again, repeatedly.

    Meanwhile, Juho kept watching from few paces away. At that moment, he started feeling a throbbing sensation on his palm. Then, realizing he had found just what he had been looking for, the young author went back to his seat unhurriedly. Loud voices came from the outside, and those who had been observing from the inside started whispering to each other as they caught on to what had happened.

    When Juho first heard the voice asking for help, he was quite taken aback because he had thought it wasing from hisptop. There were two prizing voicesing from the stairway: one as edgy as a knife, and the other, weak and timid. Although trapped in the restroom for only a short time, the customer had grown furious upon realizing the truth. It wasn¡¯t until he got out that he started expressing his displeasure. Juho plugged his ears with his earbuds. As the voices faded into the distance, he yed that same video he had been watching, in which he kept saying the same words, at the same, exact time.

    With that, he closed his eyes in order to think of a setting. A ferris wheel was turning. A pendulum ride shaped like a Viking ship, a train, a rollercoaster, a monorail, a set of bumper cars, a merry-go-round, the spinning cups, bungee jumping. It was a theme park with colorful rides lined up back to back. Thend of hopes and dreams.

    The entire ce was filled with jingles and people¡¯s shouting, sounds made by rides that dropped from terrifying heights repeatedly. Everything moved restlessly.

    ¡°Please take a picture of us,¡± a voice said to the young author in a foreignnguage. It was the Japanese couple, who loved theme parks so much that they visited one in every country they went to. Then, one of them handed Juho their camera, wanting to treasure the present moment. As he took the camera from their hands, the couple posed shoulder to shoulder, appearing in the narrow-angle of the camera. All the while, the spinning cups spun restlessly in the background.

    As Juho pressed the button, the shutter went off. A man-made bird sound came from the sound system around the theme park. Needless to say, there weren¡¯t any actual birds. The theme park was designed strictly for people. At that moment, a mascot cut through the camera and the couple.

    ¡°Please take a picture of us,¡± the couple said, and the young author pressed the shutter release button once again. The sh went off. Then, Juho listed the questions he wanted to ask them in his head, ¡®Where are you nning on going after this? Are you guys nning on getting married? Is either of your parents against the marriage? How did you first meet? Are you confident that you love each other? What¡¯s your reason? What do you like and dislike most about each other? Is there an acquaintance that you wish your significant other would stop hanging out with? Have you ever had a fight? How did you make up? How well do you know each other? Is there anything about your rtionship that makes you anxious? Will you ever break up? Do you believe that you¡¯ll be together forever?¡±

    ¡°Would you like a picture?¡±

    ¡°Please take a picture of us.¡±

    The shutter went off once again. Then, darkness. When Juho took his eyes off the camera, he realized that there was something on the lens. It was blue and had a pair of antennae that were as long as its body. What looked like eyes, or the mouth, was shining. Juho pressed the shutter button once again. However, even when the camera made a sound, the bug didn¡¯t fly away. Instead, it started to explore the camera, crawling about and studying its shape. Then, it shoved its head into a hole in the camera, where the film should be. Although Juho wanted to stop it from shoving itself into the camera by force, there was nothing he could do. In the end, with a crunch, the exoskeleton on its back started to crack. Yet, the insect wasn¡¯t about to let up any time soon. Pieces of its body fell out, as well as its legs. With only the long antennae intact, the insect managed to get inside the camera. ¡®What do I do?¡¯ Juho asked himself, looking at the couple. Unfortunately, by the time he looked down at the camera again, there was no trace of the insect, or even the antennae.

    ¡°Uh, a bug went into your camera,¡± the young author said. Yet, the couple remained just as happy as when Juho first met them, posing with bright smiles on their faces. Juho brought the camera up to his eyes, seeing nothing but the insect¡¯s bluish back. In an attempt to get the insect out of the camera, he shook it and blew on it, but to no avail. If anything, it sounded like the insect was hiding even deeper within the camera. When Juho brought the camera up to his eyes again, he saw a hairy leg creating a line between the two people.

    ¡°Are you gonna stay in there?¡± the young author asked without expecting a response. However, to his surprise, the insect responded to his question by making a sound by rubbing its wings. The camera began to shake as if it was shaking its abdomen. It seemed like the insect wasn¡¯t nning oning out of the camera anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°All right, suit yourself.¡±

    Because there was no way to force it out, either, Juho started walking away with the camera still in his hand. However, the couples didn¡¯te after him. Shortly after, a gift shop appeared, so Juho opened the door and went inside. The first things he saw, were the spinning cups. There was yet another couple holding each other. A mascot walked by, and the insect inside of the camera started chirping. With that, Juho walked a little further. Shortly after, a gift shop appeared, so Juho opened the door and went inside, again. The first things he saw, were the spinning cups.

    At that moment, parade music sounded from the distance. A train emitting bright lights approached, carrying the prince, the princess, fairies, and clowns. Then, just as Juho was about to walk toward it, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    It was a mascot, one which the young author had no recollection of talking to. Looking like either a dog or a roon, the mascot had three fingers, and was without nails or teeth. Not only did It have nothing to harm people with, but it also looked rather adorable. However, behind the mask and the costume, was a person. The situation was bound to change once the mask came off. At that moment, the mascot pointed toward something with its soft, round finger. It was pointing at a bench with a zebra-like pattern.

    ¡°You wanna sit there?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± an unexpectedly clear voice said, and just like the mascot wanted, Juho sat on the zebra bench. He tried patting the mascot¡¯s massive head. It was soft and fragrant. It made sense that people wanted to take pictures with it and that they weren¡¯t afraid to hug it. The mascot¡¯s aura immediately made Juho think that it was harmless. It also brought peace to his heart. Then, it dawned on the young writer that he wanted to take it home with him. He wanted to stay by its side forever.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been doin¡¯ all right?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    There was a small space between the mask and the body, but nothing was visible through it.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the mask ufortable?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°You can always take it off, you know.¡±

    ¡°I find it neither ufortable nor do I want to take it off,¡± the mascot said in afortable voice.

    In the end, Juho gave in and came clean, ¡°I wanna know what you look like.¡±

    At his request,ughter came from within the mask, and the bug inside the camera responded to it by rubbing its wings together.

    ¡°I have the right to be forgotten,¡± the mascot said confidently, and Juho couldn¡¯t deny it. He had no choice but to move on. As the young author tried to shrug off his curiosity, the mascot added, ¡°And you, too, have the right to forget.¡±

    There hadn¡¯t been anything strange, wrong, or that needed to be changed. It was only natural to forget the person one had parted ways with, and there was no need for guilt or responsibility.

    ¡°From what I heard, forgetting is no different from abandoning.¡±

    ¡°Right. I don¡¯t know if you noticed, but I don¡¯t have a tail. I¡¯m not sure if I lost it, or simply forgot about it,¡± the mascot said, rising from the bench and showing it to Juho. Just as it had said, there was nothing where there should¡¯ve been a tail.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s the same way with people?¡± The young author asked. Did the same principles apply to people? Did forgetting them, like the mascot¡¯s tail, mean losing them forever? Juho hoped it wasn¡¯t true.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± the mascot said. Although it was just the answer Juho had been looking for, he couldn¡¯t help but doubt it, rather than find joy in it. Something was telling him that the mascot was simply ying along, rather than being honest.

    ¡°Howe?¡±

    ¡°Because they¡¯re people, and people are special.¡±

    ¡°And what makes them special?¡±

    ¡°That you can¡¯t abandon them, no matter how trashy they are,¡± the mascot said poignantly.

    ¡°And there¡¯s no designated garbage bag for people.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: In Korea, people are obligated byw to separate their trash ordingly. For example: recybles, food waste... etc.)

    For being an adorable-looking mascot, the words that wereing out of it were quite threatening.

    ¡°If we¡¯re both referring to the same trash, then there¡¯s a ce called prison. You could think of that as a human dumpster, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°If prison was a dumpster, then they should be gathering their trash into one ce, and either burn it or break it apart so that it could be either buried in the ground or dumped in the ocean. Or, I suppose they could shoot it into space, too. We could call them ¡®trash,¡¯ but at the end of the day, they¡¯re still people. People will always be people,¡± the mascot said, chuckling cynically. Although it wasn¡¯t visible, Juho didn¡¯t find it all that difficult to imagine the look on the person¡¯s face behind the mask. ¡°All that¡¯s to say that people can¡¯t be abandoned simply by being forgotten.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± If what the mascot was saying was true, then Juho found it a relief that a human was inside of that costume. Then, the air sank into silence, and fiddling with the camera in his hand, Juho asked, ¡°Should we go watch the parade or something?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re kind of heartless, you know that?¡±

    At that moment, the bug started chirping again, making its distinctively harsh noise. When Juho brought the camera up to his eye, he discovered that the bug had managed to go even deeper into it. Even its legs were no longer visible. Then, taking advantage of the fact that the screen was unobstructed again, Juho aimed the camera at the mascot.

    ¡°Well, then. Why don¡¯t we take a picture before we part ways?¡±

    The mascot nodded at the young author¡¯s suggestion, and as Juho applied pressure to his finger, the shutter went off. Juho was d to have forgotten her, and he was d that he had loved her. He was finally in a ce where he was able to think like that.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t stop writing,¡± the person on the other end of the camera said. ¡°I¡¯ll read it, no matter what.¡±

    Then, with the mascot¡¯s smile, the world fell apart. The spinning cups came to an abrupt stop, and the sound of the parade faded further into the distance, much like the mascot, who was walking away from the young author without even looking back. By the time he looked away from the fading theme park, he was left only with the rich aroma of coffee beans lingering around him. Then, when he looked up, one of the cafe employees came into view with a cup of coffee and a piece of bread, which Juho had no recollection of having ordered.

    ¡°I apologize for what happened earlier. These are on the house.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. I don¡¯t know if I did anything to help, but thanks.¡±

    With that, leaving the coffee and the bread on Juho¡¯s table, the employee went back to the bar. Juho looked around the cafe slowly. He was the only customer around. Before he even realized, everyone had already left. The young author reached for the coffee. It was still pleasantly warm. Then, putting the mug back down, he broke the bread and put a piece of it into his mouth. It was quite tasty and enough to fill him up for a little while. The lingering anxieties in his head were no longer there, and brushing the crumbs off his hands, Juho knew by instinct that he was in the perfect ce to write.

 Chapter 236 - A Bug on His Forehead (4)

    <h4>Chapter 236: A Bug on His Forehead (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    A zebra came into view. Although alive, the animal was sittingzily behind the fence, flicking its tail carelessly. It looked quite filthy as its distinctive beauty was covered inyers of dirt and dust.

    ¡°It¡¯s a zebra!¡±

    A voice shouted from the group of people walking toward the cage. Considering the size of the zoo within a neighborhood park, they were quite boisterous. Then, as one of them took his phone out in an attempt to take pictures of the animal, the zebra gave him a brief stare before it shoved its head into its home, leaving only its behind, exposed.

    ¡°Dude, look!¡±

    The zebra, wiggling its butt, moved no more. However, the person who took the picture of the animal didn¡¯t appear to be disappointed. Rather than genuinely trying to talk to the zebra, it seemed like he had shouted in order to get his friends¡¯ attention. As the group of people walked away shortly after, the zebra took its head out of its home. Juho was fully aware of the animal¡¯s reason for burying its head in its home. It probably didn¡¯t want to be in the picture. As if the animal being trapped in a cage, having to walk around the same ce over and over, was not enough, humans were trying to trap the helpless animal into the tiny screens of their cameras. As a means of resisting them, the zebra hid its face from them whenever they tried to take pictures of it.

    ¡°So pretty,¡± a voice said, and the shutter¡¯s sound came immediately after. Somebody had taken a picture of the zebra while it had its head out for that brief moment. There was no liveliness in the animal¡¯s eyes whatsoever. At that moment, a burst of high-pitchedughter sounded from behind, ¡°C¡¯mon! Hurry!¡±

    When Juho looked back, he saw five older women posing under a tree, exploding intoughter, cheerful enough to make the tree behind themugh. They were standing sideways, in a line, each in their colorful hiking clothes. Then, one of them went over to their camera, set the timer, and ran back to her group. There was dignity in the eyes looking at the camera. It was simply standard procedure to take group pictures before and after a hike, and it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine them making copies of the best-looking shot, framing it, and putting it where it could be easily seen. Juho, too, needed picture frames for the pictures taken with the camera with the bug inside of it. Simr to photos, there was something that served a simr purpose in novels: an outer story that surrounded the inner story.

    ¡°A frame story.¡±

    It referred to a story structure that resembled a picture frame. Just like a picture told a story while protected by the frame, the same principles applied to the stories written in frame structure. The inner story was the most important.

    Juho thought of the blue insect, which had crawled into the camera voluntarily. The mascot hadn¡¯t had any negative responses to being forgotten, and the zebra had resisted. ¡®What am I gonna write?¡¯ Love. The young author had decided to write about love.

    Then, he opened theptop that had been resting on hisp. The structure had already been decided on, but the materials, which were to be used for the picture and the frame, were all in a mess. The outer story, which would serve as the frame, started from a first-person point of view. In order for it to be in first person, there had to be an ¡®I.¡¯

    I am me. I was going away, away from the town in which I had lived my entire life. I was made certain that I had forgotten something, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t remember what it was or where I forgot it.

    Juho decided to put ¡®I¡¯ in a more pressing situation. The setting in which ¡®I¡¯ realized that he had forgotten about something was on a train. Despite realizing that he had forgotten about something, he couldn¡¯t get off the train. The train was already moving.

    I looked like I was about to burst into tears at any given minute, even thinking about going back. At that moment, ady struck up a conversation with me. She was on the train with me.

    ¡°Why so anxious?¡± she asked.

    And I answered honestly, ¡°I forgot something really precious to me. Now, here I am. On a moving train. I almost feel sick from the guilt.¡±

    Unlike me, thedy told me that she was on her way home. And in order tofort me, she began to tell a story, one that I had been forgetting all along.

    ¡°So, I remembered very recently...¡±

    It was a story she had heard in her hometown, about a missing child.

    With that, Juho stopped typing. That was going to be the outer story that would surround the inner story about the missing child, which would turn up soon. Although they were on the same train, the significances of their destinations were entirely different from one another. It would make for a good frame, just right for the picture within.

    At that moment, a scream simr to that of Sang¡¯s sounded out of nowhere. When Juho looked up, he was greeted with a familiar sight. A group of people was moving away from an insect that was flying about with its wings buzzing and its two longer legs hanging loosely. It looked just about the opposite of the blue insect that Juho hade across in the mountains. Dark and round, it was also significantlyrger.

    ¡°It¡¯s on your back!¡±

    ¡°Where! Where!?¡± a voice shouted, taking hold of their shirt as if ready to take it off at any given minute. Before the person had a chance to do so, the bug flew away. Then, taking his phone out of his pocket, Juho tried to take a picture of it from where he was sitting. The distance made the insect look like a speck of dust, and after looking at it just a little longer, Juho deleted the picture.

    Now, the picture: the inner story. A story about home, a missing child, and an insect. It would be told from a third-person point of view.

    The child was an introvert. He had received no affection from his parents, nor experienced friendship from his peers. He despised his inexperienced parents and was annoyed by the world that encouraged people to be independent. After leaving home, the boy headed for the mountains in the distance, all alone, without friends or family. Although he was used to seeing them in the distance, the boy had never actually gone to them in person.

    Then, Juho imagined the boy wandering in the mountains aimlessly. Although the boy thought he was being cautious, it wasn¡¯t long until he found himself lost, stranded in the mountains all by himself until sunset. At that moment, an insect approached him. Having a bluish tinge to it, it looked quite beautiful. Even as the boy gently ced it on his palm, the insect didn¡¯t try to resist or fly away. If anything, it shook with joy, like a warrior who had conquered the world. Then, after being found by a neighbor, the boy returned home safely, and his friendship with his new, tiny friend began.

    Sneaking into his parents¡¯ room, the boy emptied out their goldfish¡¯ fishbowl and made a new home for his new friend. Shortly after, discovering that their goldfish had gone missing, along with its fishbowl, the parents asked their son about the whereabouts of the fishbowl. Of which, the boy pretended to know nothing about. The boy hid his friend¡¯s tiny home inyers of clothes and boxes, but he was eventually caught by his parents. The house belonged to the parents. No matter how hard the boy tried to hide anything, there was a limit to how long he could keep his secret from them. In the end, his angry parents cornered the boy, questioning him.

    With that, Juho decided to redirect the plot to the outer story.

    The train came to a stop, but both characters had a long way to go until they reached their destinations. They watched people getting in and out of the train. Then, taking some hard-boiled eggs out of his bag and sharing with thedy, ¡®I¡¯ urged her to go on with her story,pletely oblivious to the fact that he had forgotten something. Her story was riveting, and more and more people began to eavesdrop, expressing interest.

    At that moment, Juho¡¯s phone started ringing in his pocket. Taking his hands off theptop, Juho answered the phone.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Where are you?¡±

    It was Nam Kyung. Because he was still distracted with writing, the young author answered in a daze, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°We were supposed to meet. Are you at the park, yet?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Juho let out, remembering why he hade to the park in the first ce. He had made ns to meet with the editor. If Nam Kyung hadn¡¯t called, Juho would have kept writing, having lost track of time, clueless. Fortunately, the botanical garden wasn¡¯t too far from him, so Juho rose from his seat without dy and headed toward the meeting spot. Upon arriving, Juho saw the editor eating his sandwich in peace, contrary to himself, who had clearlye in a hurry.

    ¡°I got yours, too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Then, ncing at Juho¡¯sptop, Nam Kyung asked, ¡°Were you about to write?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was writing up to a moment ago actually.¡±

    ¡°Oh, man. Maybe I should¡¯ve waited a little longer, then,¡± Nam Kyung said, looking concerned about having interrupted the young author while he¡¯d been working on a potential piece.

    Seeing the look on Nam Kyung¡¯s face, Juho reassured him, ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m still building the foundation. Well, it was getting closer to writing toward the middle.¡±

    Juho had never been in the habit of mapping out his work, and because of that, he tended to digress often while developing a plot.

    ¡°Is it for the Literature Club?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m nning on publishing it for now,¡± Juho said while checking what was in the sandwich. There were mashed up, hard-boiled eggs. ¡°I think I¡¯ve been eating a lot of eggstely.¡±

    ¡°... What was that?¡±

    ¡°Eggs. I¡¯ve been eating more of themtely.¡±

    ¡°No, no. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about,¡± Nam Kyung said, swallowing the sandwich in a hurry. ¡°Did you just say that you¡¯re working on a novel to be published?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to see if it¡¯s worth publishing or not, but yes.¡±

    ¡°... and you have the Neb Award in mind, right?¡±

    ¡°Must I? I¡¯m just writing because there was something I wanted to write about.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s response, Nam Kyung put his sandwich down, with an entirely different expression on his face. From then on, it was going to be a meeting between an author and an editor.

    ¡°All right. Why don¡¯t you tell me a little bit about the plot? Let me do the worrying.¡±

    There was no reason to say no.

    ¡°What if it¡¯s subject to change?¡±

    Wearing a serious expression, Nam Kyung nodded at Juho¡¯s question. Then, after organizing his thoughts briefly, Juho said, ¡°First of all, it¡¯s about love.¡±

    ¡°A romance novel?¡±

    Nam Kyung put his brains to work immediately. Love had always been one of the most popr topics in literature, and there was no surprise in the fact that Yun Woo was writing about it. ¡®What would love look like at this point?¡¯ It was highly probable that love experienced at Juho¡¯s age was pure and beautiful. What the young author was working on would be the first novel to be published since winning the Neb Award, and the depth and weight of his writing, which superseded his age, had yed a major role in bringing him the award.

    As a a fan, Nam Kyung wanted to see Yun Woo¡¯s portrayal of pure love. However, considering the situation they were in, what Yun Woo really needed to showcase was his distinctive sensibility: like a clean mirror reflecting the back alley of society. In Nam Kyung¡¯s mind, it felt slightly risky.

    ¡°You look serious. Are you not fond of the topic?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I was getting ahead of myself, wanting to know more about what you were working on,¡± Nam Kyung said, pushing his sses up. The topic alone wasn¡¯t enough for him to make any judgments. Then, staring at him intently, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of a character who falls in love with an insect.¡±

    ¡°A-ha, I see. Is this going to be a brighter piece, overall? Like the protagonist growing and maturing with his little friend?¡±

    ¡°No. He swallows the bug whole, and loses his sanity.¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry, what?¡±

    Juho thought back on the story he had been working on just moments prior. Having been cornered by his parents, the boy was in desperate need of another ce for his friend.

    ¡°Because the boy doesn¡¯t want to be away from the bug, he keeps it in a fishbowl, but the fishbowl isn¡¯t meant for insects to live in. It¡¯s not enough to keep his friend safe, so he decides to keep it elsewhere, the safest ce he could think of: his body. He eats it.¡±

    Nam Kyung¡¯s expression grew darker at the author¡¯s shocking exnation of his new work-in-progress.

    ¡°And then, he forgets.¡±

    The act of forgetting was meant to be liberating. Juho imagined the life the insect had lived. Mountains. Home. Room. Fishbowl. His body. Everything around him kept shrinking, and its home grew smaller and smaller. Living in a tight space came with sadness, and simrly, confinement came with difort. At the same time, there was protection. The insectpared its life at the forest up to that point to life with the young human. Living in the forest meant having to be constantly on guard for enemy attacks. Upon realizing the difference, the insect showed no resistance.

    What the boy felt toward the insect was empathy. He was born in a small town in the countryside. On top of that, he lived in one of the smallest houses around, in a tiny room. He was left out by the neighborhood kids and neglected by his parents. The only friend he had to talk to was the bug he brought back from the mountains. However, upon waking up the next day, the boy discovered that the bug had disappeared. The boy gradually became insane, and in order to keep word from getting out, his parents kept their son confined in their home.

    Nam Kyung seemed to be in a dilemma, as if unsure about the piece. However, paying no attention to his state of mind, Juho added, ¡°The boy eats the insect at night, and the next day, hepletely forgets what he did the night before, wondering if his little friend has been stolen or if it ran off. He keeps on doubting and grows insane. I wanted to be explicit about that part in particr. I think it¡¯d be interesting to make it sound like it was written by a drunk person, too.¡±

    The boy grows increasingly feeble, crying out like a beast and crawling on his hands and knees. The look on Nam Kyung¡¯s face kept growing darker. As shocking as it was, it was starting to sound riskier. In the end, the editor said cautiously, ¡°I think it¡¯s powerful, and it definitely has enough potentials to stand side-by-side with ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ Given your skills, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t have a problem pulling off a story like that. But let¡¯s get realistic for a second. If the overall bnce isn¡¯t there, then it renders even the most shocking scenes useless. I mean, eating a bug, or crawling on both hands and knees like animals... Isn¡¯t it a little excessive? There¡¯s something about it that feels somewhat absurd. So, with that said, I think we should y a little safer...¡±

    Then, Juho shook his head slowly in denial. There was no need to y safe. If anything, there was room to make it even more shocking and ghastly, because...

    ¡°Because it¡¯s a story that will be told by another person.¡±

    It was going to be the story told by thedy on the train. A story told by a stranger. It was OK to be absurd. It was possible to forgive any exaggeration or omission. It was only natural that a story passed around by word of mouth would change and twist. Nam Kyung breathed in, catching on to what Yun Woo was really trying to write.

    ¡°A frame structure,¡± he let out, covering his mouth and thinking. In that case, there was no issue. A frame protected the picture within while supporting it so that it stayed standing. Likewise, the frame in the novel served a simr purpose. The most notable function of the frame structure was that it made the story significantly more convincing. ¡®There¡¯s a guy who went insane after falling in love with an insect.¡¯ It was more than convincing. Interesting, even. The less realistic it became, the more the method shone. On top of that, with the addition of Yun Woo¡¯s skill, the results would be promising.

    ¡°Marvelous.¡±

    It was marvelous.

 Chapter 237 - A Bug on His Forehead (5)

    <h4>Chapter 237: A Bug on His Forehead (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Is this going to be written from a first-person point of view?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯d be better that way.¡±

    Nam Kyung was deeply impressed. The young author was on to something. As long as it was properly executed, the novel would be superb. Brilliant. As long as the author managed to pull the pieces of the story in his head out to reality, the results would be quite promising. It would be a fine story, and the author would be able to remain unhindered by the Neb Award. As the editor barely managed to calm himself, he focused on listening to the author some more.

    ¡°Is this going to be all right?¡± Juho asked as if seeking Nam Kyung¡¯s affirmation, and the editor nodded heavily.

    ¡°I think it¡¯ll be more than all right. The closed-off image is brilliant, and the ustrophobic nature will only add to the suspense,¡± he said, tactfully catching on to what the young author was emphasizing. It simply made sense when considering the bug¡¯s final destination. Then, imagining the boy swallowing his insect friend, Juho said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing more cramped than a person¡¯s heart.¡±

    The boy was all alone, oppressed by the parents who had given birth to him. It was amonly seen phenomena, and it was in that very environment that the insect had hidden.

    ¡°I think the fact that the bug doesn¡¯t resist really adds to the story somehow. On top of that, it¡¯s easy to make the connection that it could be a person, which also makes it creepy.¡±

    The insect chooses the safer life by willingly going into the boy¡¯s body. Unfortunately, it quickly turns out to be a bad decision. Its new home grows increasingly insane. Then, looking at the egg sd in his sandwich, Juho said, ¡°Frankly, I think the bug was already dead.¡±

    ¡°Dead? Because it got eaten?¡±

    ¡°No, even before that. After being neglected, without proper care.¡±

    After getting dragged out of the mountains, the insect found itself in a new prison: the fishbowl. The boy had never seen an insect like that, not to mention he was raising it without his parents knowledge. There was no way that the boy would be able to find food for his little friend. As the bug grew weaker, the pressure would grow in the boy¡¯s mind, leaving only the extreme choice in the end.

    ¡°Sounds like the bug and the boy have a lot inmon,¡± Nam Kyung said, and Juho nodded. That was precisely the reason why the boy had loved the insect.

    ¡°What about the characters in the outer story?¡± the editor asked with an apparent look of anticipation, urging the young author to tell him more. Juho imagined the two people conversing on the train. Though headed for the same destination, the significance of arriving there was different for the two.

    ¡°She¡¯s from the same town as the guy, and she¡¯s the one who came across the fishbowl.¡±

    ¡°You mean, the one where the boy kept his bug?¡±

    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s bound to throw the fishbowl out no matter what. Then, he goes missing. Word of it spreads through the town, and the story bes known to every single person in town. Thought it isn¡¯t clear what happens to him afterward.¡±

    Then, after brief contemtion, Nam Kyung asked, ¡°Is this after he gets trapped in his house?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    The fishbowl was the connecting piece between the outer and the inner story. It was also the first house the boy had used to trap the insect, as well as the one he abandoned. Instead of being filled with water, the fishbowl was filled with dirt and tree branches.

    ¡°So, what happens after he goes missing?¡± Nam Kyung asked, getting slightly impatient.

    Juho thought carefully. ¡®What happens to him?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine the man going into the mountains, and it was always possible that he would go on living under another person¡¯s protection and care. He might be wandering aimlessly, yearning for the insect for the rest of his life, or simply, copse, choosing not to do anything about his yearning. Or, he could get on a train heading away from his hometown.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think he might evene back home?¡± Nam Kyung asked, unable to resist any longer. Juho thought back on the looped videos he had watched. He had been trapped, repeating the same, daily life, saying the same, exact things, meeting the same, exact people. The couple Juho had met in the theme park had asked him to take a picture of them because they had wanted to treasure that moment forever.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s very likely.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because he forgot,¡± Juho said. After swallowing the bug, the boy forgot about his tiny friend, further proof that he hadn¡¯t thoroughly trapped the insect in a photo. If he were to have taken photos of the insect, he wouldn¡¯t have had to worry about forgetting his tiny friend. If anything, it was a possibility, the possibility for a change. A possibility that he could always raise the insect in a more open environment. Nothing was as wide and broad as a person¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Well, it seems like that character has fully taken shape in your mind, Mr. Woo,¡± Nam Kyung said, looking at the young author predicting the character¡¯s life in its entirety. Yet, Juho shrugged it off, saying, ¡°Things can change, of course, but that¡¯s how I see it at the moment.¡±

    With those words, Juho paused for a brief moment. Memories were part of the outer story as well. ¡®I,¡¯ who had forgotten something, and thedy who remembered what she had been forgetting. There had to be a reason that she had remembered. Why was she recently able to think of the story about the child who had gone missing?

    ¡°Maybe she found the fishbowl that was lying around her house somewhere.¡±

    The fishbowl would serve as the clue. Upon finding it, thedy tried to remember where it hade from. In that case, why did she have to take it out in the first ce?

    ¡°Because she came across a new animal, one that would be living in it.¡±

    That indicated that she was ready to ept another life. She was on the way home, while ¡®I¡¯ was going away from his hometown. Going back home was only possible for those who had left their home. She had to havee across a new lifeform to upy the fishbowl.

    ¡°Forgetting can also be a form of protection. She was probably the same as ¡®I,¡¯ who she met on the train. She had to have forgotten her story when she first left her hometown.¡±

    Then, Nam Kyung asked, ¡°That means there will be a day when ¡®I¡¯ finally remembers what he has been forgetting, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. As long as he¡¯s still alive.¡±

    With that, the editor carefully put the pieces of the story together in his head.

    ¡°As long as you can turn it into writing, it should be great. Oh, you mentioned making a reference to a drunk person? If you need help with that, don¡¯t hesitate to let me know. I might be able to take you to apany dinner.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a bad idea at all!¡±

    As their discussion neared its end, the two picked up their sandwiches.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Are you really not gonna take part in any contests?¡±

    Because Juho was upied with organizing his thoughts, Bom¡¯s question registered with him in a dy. Then, looking up, he asked, ¡°Wha?¡±

    ¡°The essay contest. We barely managed to get an OK from our teachers.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that.¡±

    As juniors, it wasn¡¯t easy for the veteran club members to take part in an essay contest.

    ¡°If you have the time topete in some contest, you should be putting that time into studying.¡±

    That was the general opinion of most teachers. However, the juniors in the Literature Club weren¡¯t about to let the opportunity to take part in an essay contest slide any time soon, and after persuading their teachers persistently, their teachers finally gave them permission that very day. Unlike in previous years, Seo Kwang was also willing topete in a contest. ording to his own words...

    ¡°When others tell me not to do something, it makes me wanna do it more.¡±

    On top of that, with the addition of Bo Suk and the twins, the entire Literature Club was in the process of choosing a contest they wanted topete in.

    ¡°I thought you wouldpete this year, too.¡±

    Of course, that was with the exception of the young author. Then, Juho said with a shrug, ¡°There¡¯s a piece that I wanted to focus on.¡±

    Although Bom was aware of it now, it hade to her as a massive shock when she heard it for the first time.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯re being chased by somebody. Rx. Take your time,¡± Bom said, but she was fully aware that Juho wasn¡¯t going to stop. Although she was taken aback when she was told that he was working on his next novel, she came to ept it soon after. After knowing him for three years, Juho was more than capable of doing something like that. Regardless of the circumstances, he wrote relentlessly and restlessly. He was truly an author.

    ¡°Are you nervous at all?¡± he asked Bom, looking at the pamphlet of the contest she had chosen to be part of in her hand.

    ¡°Of course, I am. This is a massive contest.¡±

    Taking ce over the course of two days, it was a ratherrge contest. The contestants were mostlyposed of students who were formally trained or had serious aspirations of bing writers. Winning an award at that contest would make it significantly easier to get into a university, and because of that, many studentspeted in it.

    ¡°Are you aiming for first ce?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Might as well aim for the stars while I¡¯m at it,¡± Bom said confidently. ¡°I mean, what are the odds ofpeting with another person who has been writing with Yun Woo for three years?¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    Bom stared intently at Juho as he nodded nonchntly. She had always considered herself lucky. Sitting across from Yun Woo, let alone being part of the same club as Yun Woo. It was like having the luxury of listening to a world-renowned pianist performing right before her eyes on a daily basis. It was extravagant, and Bom would get to have a closer look at the pianist¡¯s techniques and their incredible performance in great detail. She would grow and mature just from watching, and that was the kind of presence Yun Woo had.

    ¡°I got kind of cocky after winning first cest year,¡± Bom said with a bashful look. ¡°And that¡¯s when you went out and got yourself the Neb Award.¡±

    It was an award iparable to that of some nameless essay contest. Knowing how serious he was about literature, Bom had genuinely congratted the young author.

    ¡°I saw the video of Kelley Coin reading your speech after getting the award on your behalf. I gotta say, it was rather strange since you weren¡¯t even there, but it was still really cool!¡±

    It was an award that she could only dream of winning. He looked all the more remarkable and admirable in her eyes. She had genuine respect for the young author. On the other hand, she couldn¡¯t help but regret not havingpeted or asking topete in the same contest as him. Fortunately, it was still not toote. If she were to ask him, even now, he would be willing to grant her request. If she were to ask with enthusiasm, he wouldn¡¯t turn her down. However, Bom chose not to. She didn¡¯t deny her regret, which also felt like a relief at the same time. She had epted that she didn¡¯t have what it took to be like Yun Woo, nor did she have the desire to be him. That was how she saw herself, and she didn¡¯t feel ashamed of it by any means. Being in the Literature Club, she came to learn that there was always room in this world for more writing, even for things written by somebody like her.

    Meanwhile, Juho, too, was quietly staring at Bom, reading her thoughts.

    ¡°You¡¯re not all that different yourself.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You won an award, too. The first, and the youngest winner to win first ce in the club. I can hardly see the difference.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. Of course, there is a difference. I mean, just think about the scale.¡±

    ¡°It might be different in terms of scale, but if you think about it, there are more simrities than differences. They¡¯re both judged and evaluated by other people, thene the results, honor, congrattory messages, which get recorded or exhibited somewhere.¡±

    Just as Bom was about to deny it, Juho beat her to it.

    ¡°At the end of the day, an award is an award. What you really need to look at is your writing, not the award. I know for certain that there are readers out there who would prefer your writing over mine.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s remark, Bom thought of someone by reflex, her mom. Then, seeing as though she was starting to agree, Juho smiled, making her blush.

    ¡°Oh, no. That¡¯s not...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s about as epassing as an award gets. Our hearts are much broader.¡±

    She had never heard anything like that, and the fact that it wasing out of the mouth of a Neb winner was even more astounding. Bom found herself getting impressed yet again. ¡®He really is inherently different. His posture, his heart, his skills. That¡¯s how he¡¯s able to write like that.¡¯

    Bom was well aware of how the world viewed the young author. Mysterious. Alien. Talented beyondprehension. However, anybody would be able toe to terms with one thing if they met the young author in person: only Yun Woo could write those novels. Those were truly Yun Woo¡¯s work. His most recent work-in-progress had to be the same way. Then, she thought to herself once again, ¡®Might as well aim for the stars while I¡¯m at it.¡¯

    ¡°You know what, who cares about the award? I¡¯ll just focus on my writing.¡±

    Juho smiled with satisfaction at Bom¡¯s confidence.

 Chapter 238 - The Reason Heéˆ¥æª‡ Never Won (1)

    <h4>Chapter 238: The Reason He¡¯d Never Won (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°So, we¡¯re all gonna be in the samepetition?¡±

    ¡°Yep. That happened.¡±

    Seo Kwang looked at Juho with excitement. And Bom, upon checking that the contest wouldn¡¯t interfere with the one she would bepeting in, also decided topete with her clubmates. It was going to be a lot of fun. For the first time ever, almost everyone in the club was going to bepeting in the same essay contest, together.

    ¡°Did Mr. Moon say anything?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Probably not.¡±

    Staying out of his pupils¡¯ decision-making process was Mr. Moon¡¯s specialty. Juho examined the pamphlet of the contest they were going to take part in. Being hosted by a university in Seoul, it offered a cash prize of one thousand dors and it seemed to offer lectures and a campus tour afterward. It was a legitimate contest. Because they were all partaking in the same contest, the club members would bepeting against each other. However, that would help the less-experienced members, like Bo Suk and the twins.

    ¡°Bom?¡± the twins called to her. They were preparing themselves thoroughly for their first essay contest, and their obsessive personalities seemed to have kicked in, wanting to see it to the end. Nevertheless, Juho was proud of their enthusiasm.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to move forward from here.¡±

    ¡°Can I see?¡± Bom said, scanning Gong Il¡¯s manuscript cautiously. Meanwhile, Gong Pal was striking up a conversation with Bo Suk from behind. Looking at the younger clubmates, Juho, too, moved his hands across the keyboard. Juniors weren¡¯t prohibited from bringing theirptops to school because there were a lot of procedures that required aputer, such as applications and self-introduction. It saved him a number of trips to theputer room, and he found it rather convenient.

    ¡°So, Bom. What are some things that I should be mindful of at the contest?¡± Gong Pal asked in a whisper, as if trying not to bother his clubmates. Unfortunately, despite his considerate gesture, Juho couldn¡¯t keep his ears from listening, which inevitably made his hands slower. Meanwhile, after brief contemtion, Bom said with an awkward smile, ¡°It¡¯s hard to say because every contest is different.¡±

    In actuality, there were noticeable differences in rules in every contest. From the scale of the contest to the topics, time and ces, every contest was distinct, which made it difficult for Bom to offer any advice.

    ¡°Well, you always have to write within the given amount of time. That¡¯s the most standard.¡±

    Unfortunately, it was something Gong Pal was already aware of. Then, Seo Kwang, who had been looking up English words on hisptop, stopped his hands much like Juho and said, ¡°There are literature clubs in other schools that teach their members how to win contests. Call it knowhow.¡±

    ¡°Seriously!? What about us!?¡± Gong Il said with interest, and Sun Hwa chimed in,ughing.

    ¡°Of course not! You¡¯ve seen us write, haven¡¯t you? We just write what we wanna write about, and Mr. Moon only teaches us the basics.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that put us at a disadvantage?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Sun Hwa said emphatically, and the twins locked eyes with each other. No matter how confident she was in her statement, it was always safer to have tangible knowhow, and reading that on their faces, Bom spoke up, ¡°If you take part in an essay contest, there¡¯s a chance that you¡¯ll run into students who go to schools known for their literature clubs. Some even go to private institutes after school or learn from professional organizations. You¡¯ll flip once you find out how much money they¡¯re paying those ces.¡±

    Then, looking straight into the twins¡¯ eyes, which were moving busily, the junior added, ¡°Yet, I won first ce.¡±

    Bo Suk eximed from the side.

    ¡°In the end, there is no such thing as a secret that will guarantee you an award. The best thing to do is to write in peace. I once heard a super famous author say that writers should be thinking about their writing, not their awards. At least, when you¡¯re jotting something down,¡± Bom said, looking in Juho¡¯s direction. Avoiding eye contact with her, the young author studied the look on the twins¡¯ faces. They seemed anxious on one hand but excited on the other. It was a future impossible to predict, and it came with emotions that every club member had experienced at least once. So, the juniors offered the freshmenforting words.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get caught up with how much time you have. Once you start writing, you¡¯ll find that you actually have plenty.¡±

    ¡°There are times when professors stare at you. If it bothers you, then just stop writing. They¡¯ll walk right past you and leave you alone.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always wise to know where the restrooms are.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget your writing tools. Pick the ones that feel the best in your hands.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going alone, either, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡±

    The club members shared as much of their experiences with the twins as possible. Bo Suk, in particr, was the most enthusiastic. Then, after writing down every single advice they had heard from the older clubmates, the twins briefly nced over in Juho¡¯s direction and asked cautiously, ¡°Howe Juho isn¡¯tpeting?¡±

    ¡°I have a piece that I want to focus on,¡± the young author said as he started writing again. However, the twins looked puzzled.

    ¡°You mean, you¡¯vepeted before?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Every year.¡±

    ¡°... Did you win any of them?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Although he was fully aware of what the twins really wanted to know, Juho didn¡¯t bother to exin himself.

    ¡°Maybe Juho¡¯s the type who has trouble functioning under pressure.¡±

    ¡°But this is Juho, we¡¯re talking about.¡±

    Hearing the twins whispering to each other, Juho chuckled.

    ¡ª

    ¡°They should all be there by now,¡± Juho said, looking up at the clock to look at the time. It was 9:00 a.m, and it was the day when all of his clubmates would bepeting in the same essay contest. Because it was the weekend, Juho ate breakfast unhurriedly and prepared to write. The weather was beautiful that day. He imagined his clubmates writing, all sitting together. It would look different from how they did in the Literature Club.

    ¡°Well, I better get to working.¡±

    With that, Juho ced his hands on the keyboard, looking at the plot that Nam Kyung had been so fond of. ¡®Let¡¯s not thinking too much. It¡¯s just the first draft,¡¯ the young author reminded himself as he breathed in quietly. First, the frame. It was necessary in order to acquire the space for the picture within it. In the frame, there would be I, who was going away from his hometown, and thedy, who was headed for her hometown. The train kept moving forward, never arriving at their destination until the inner story came to an end. The encounter between I and thedy woulde to an end as the train came to a stop. Therefore, the train never stopped.

    The young author tried looking at the story through the I¡¯s perspective. I am me. Juho saw the world from I¡¯s perspective: ¡®After packing my belongings, I put them around my shoulders. I felt the weight of that on my entire body. Then, I headed for the train station in order to buy a ticket for the train that would take me away from my hometown. As I got on the train that was yet to have left, I started having conflicting thoughts. Should I not go? Should I just go back home?¡¯

    I knew nothing about the ce he was headed to. It was an area being redeveloped, and he was fully aware that he could never make it a home, no matter how long he lived there. He would always be an outsider. He was afraid. Pessimistic thoughts started to take over his mind. At that moment, as he was still struggling with the conflicting thoughts in his head, the train started moving. Now, there was no turning back. He was already on the railway.

    His hometown was less than impressive. It was mostly made of fields and rice paddies. As he grew farther from home, fear started to creep into his mind. Then, he realized that he had forgotten something. He knew he had left it behind, but he had no idea what. He had forgotten.

    ¡°Hi,¡± ady struck up a conversation amid the panic in his mind. It was natural considering that she had been sitting just across from him. After a brief conversation, the twoe to realize that they were headed toward the same destination. Talking about the weather, their food preferences, and their hobbies, they slowly got to know each other.

    ¡°You seem to like eggs,¡± Juho tried murmuring out thedy¡¯s line...

    ¡°Yes. I like them hard-boiled. The amount of water is really important. You gotta make sure that the eggs aren¡¯tpletely submerged.¡± ... as well as I¡¯s.

    I confessed that there were times when boiling his egg that the water surrounding the egg reminded him of the water that surrounded a fetus in a mother¡¯s womb. Protecting the egg from cracking, the water regted the temperature. Juho thought of long, thin eyes for thedy. While it made her look aggressive on one hand, it also made her frivolous on the other. I found her eyes rather charming, and he wanted to get a closer look.

    At that moment, Juho¡¯s phone began to vibrate, startling the unsuspecting author. The phone on the desk wailed all the louder, showing Sun Hwa¡¯s name on the screen. ¡®Sun Hwa? Shouldn¡¯t she be preparing for the contest?¡¯ Juho thought. Puzzled, he answered the phone.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    As he answered the phone, the sound of rushing air came from his receiver. She was running.

    ¡°Zero-One-Zero-Eight,¡± she blurted out the numberbination that Juho was well acquainted with. Naturally, he was reminded of the twins¡¯ long, sharp-looking eyes.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t they be at the contest with you guys?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not?¡±

    The twins weren¡¯t at the contest. Juho checked the time. The contest should be starting any minute now. As Sun Hwa shouted for a reason that Juho was yet to be aware of, the young author asked his clubmate what was happening.

    Then, she got to the point in a hurry, ¡°We were supposed to meet in front of the campus because they told us that they were nning on taking the cab here. But they¡¯re still not here!¡±

    Then, Juho heard some noise in the background. He heard a voice say that they were ¡®connected,¡¯ so it seemed like they were able to figure out the whereabouts of the twins. Juho waited patiently.

    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Sun Hwa let out. It was obvious that the situation wasn¡¯t looking good.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I think the cab driver took them to the wrong ce.¡±

    ¡°Wrong ce?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re in front of another university.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no...¡±

    Without saying anything else, Sun Hwa sighed heavily. It was toote. The twins wouldn¡¯tpete with their clubmates. They wouldn¡¯t write.

    ¡°Sun Hwa, we gotta go,¡± Bo Suk¡¯s voice came from Juho¡¯s receiver, urging Sun Hwa. The situation was clear. The twins were the youngest members of the Literature Club. It hadn¡¯t even been a year since they had graduated from middle school. And now, finding themselves in a circumstancepletely out of their hands and stranded in an area they weren¡¯t familiar with, they could no longerpete in the contest. In any case, somebody had to protect them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll head there. Does Mr. Moon know?¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Seo Kwang is trying to get a hold of him.¡±

    Then, after getting the whereabouts of the twins from Sun Hwa, Juho rose from his seat, got prepared to leave in a hurry and left the house. While still walking, Juho called the twins. Gong Pal answered.

    ¡°Hi, Juho,¡± he answered, sounding calmer than Juho had expected. With that, after confirming where they were, Juho went out to the major street and caught himself a cab. Reminding them to go into a nearby cafe, he hung up the phone. Although Gong Pal was saying that Juho didn¡¯t need toe for them, Juho insisted, telling him that he was already on his way. Looking at the scenery rushing past, Juho wondered if I was seeing something simr on the train.

    ¡°Hey, Juho.¡±

    As he entered the cafe the twins had told him they were in, Juho saw them sitting by the window immediately, looking as unfazed as ever. Then, he called Mr. Moon as soon as he saw them.

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Let me know when you¡¯re back home,¡± the teacher said and hung up.

    ¡°We feel bad for making youe all the way here,¡± Gong Il said bashfully, her long, thin eyes, getting even thinner. ¡®Those eyes.¡¯ Thedy on the train had those same, exact eyes. Because Juho hade in a hurry, he was quite thirsty. So, he ordered himself a cold drink.

    ¡°So, the cab driver took you guys to the wrong ce, huh?¡± Juho said, bringing up what he had heard from Sun Hwa, ready to hear their side of the story.

    ¡°Yes. We had no idea until we got here.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t until we¡¯d wandered around campus for a good while that we realized.¡±

    ¡°That happens.¡±

    They were in a ce they had never been before, so there was nothing strange about their dyed realization.

    ¡°Although, we did have a feeling that something wasn¡¯t right.¡±

    ¡°When we realized what had happened, we started breaking out into cold sweats.¡±

    Their voices grew louder as they exined their unforeseen circumstance, as if the confusion they had felt was finally catching up to them.

    ¡°Well, good thing that you guys were together. If it had been only one of you, you¡¯d have really panicked,¡± Juho said, and the twins nodded in agreement.

    ¡°My brother got really angry at the driver.¡±

    ¡°So did you,¡± Gong Pal said, ring at his sister and looking embarrassed.

    ¡°Everyone else should be writing by now, huh?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    Juho checked the time. The contest should have already started.

    ¡°I worked really hard for this...¡±

    Seeing the twins discouraged, Juho contemted on how tofort them.

 Chapter 239 - The Reason Heéˆ¥æª‡ Never Won (2)

    <h4>Chapter 239: The Reason He¡¯d Never Won (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°This is one cruel way to start,¡± Gong Il muttered, dropping her head. Her first essay contest experience had been ruined, and that was enough to justify her feelings. On top of that, it was thest opportunity to take part in a contest with her clubmates. The juniors, with the exception of Bom, were not nning onpeting in another contest, and the twins were far from being equipped for the contest Bom was going to bepeting in.

    ¡°You can always go with Bo Suk, next time,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Still.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this happened. We didn¡¯t even get to write a single word! This doesn¡¯t feel real.¡±

    As Juho stared at her, the freshman sighed heavily.

    ¡°Well, I guess this is one way to fail,¡± Gong Il muttered again.

    ¡°Sincest night, I¡¯d been worrying about not being able to write or think of what to write after I was given the topics, or running out of lead for my mechanical pencil or ink for my pen. But who would¡¯ve thought that we wouldn¡¯t even get to the campus?¡±

    Inparison to the amount of worrying she had done, it was quite a disappointing result. Because the cab driver had looked up the wrong ce on the GPS, they had ended up in the wrong ce. They didn¡¯t even get to see what an essay contest was like.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t fair.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m depressed.¡±

    The twins let out. They were clearly gloomy. Meanwhile, wearing a smile that wasn¡¯t visible to the twins, Juho asked, ¡°What are you most depressed about?¡±

    ¡°The cab,¡± they answered without a dy.

    ¡°Why did we have to get on THAT cab of all cabs? Why did the driver have to misunderstand us? Why didn¡¯t he bother to check if he heard us right? If only it urred to him at some point, if only something had changed, you wouldn¡¯t have had to be here,¡± Gong Il said, almost like throwing a tantrum. Her voice was filled with shame and resentment toward the cab driver.

    ¡°I knew something didn¡¯t feel right this morning,¡± Gong Pal added, pouting his lips.

    ¡°I mean, c¡¯mon! Who gets to an essay contestte!? We gotta be the first ones!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. At least in the Literature Club.¡±

    Juho thought back to his first essay contest and felt that his first impression had been, in way, simr to theirs.

    ¡°Nobody has a positive memory of their first essay contest.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Your clubmates! Nobody won the first time around.¡±

    Then, taking an interest in Juho¡¯s story, the twins asked, ¡°Even you?¡±

    ¡°Duh!¡±

    Gong Il furrowed her brows at Juho¡¯s brief answer. That time, she asked without hesitation, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t get it. Why is it that you haven¡¯t won a single award? You¡¯re the best writer in the club, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Anybody would recognize your skills. More people have to know you.¡±

    ¡°Well, what can I say?¡±

    ¡°... Were you having stomach problems while you were at the contest?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? Should you havepeted in the contest with me, you¡¯d know.¡±

    ¡°All right, now you¡¯re just adding fuel to the fire.¡±

    After observing the apparent look of displeasure on the twins¡¯ faces, Juho rose from his seat, and staring at him awkwardly from their seats, the twins asked, ¡°Are you going to the restroom?¡±

    ¡°No, to the stationery store.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°I came out in a hurry, so I forgot to bring manuscript paper with me.¡±

    ¡°Manuscript paper?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve been working on a piece. You know this.¡±

    Looking at the twins¡¯ eyes, Juho felt his palms itch. Then, the expression on the twins¡¯ faces started to change. They seemed anxious and confused, not sure if they had to write with him. At that, Juho waved his hand in denial, reassuring them.

    ¡°You¡¯re probably not in the mood to write. I won¡¯t force you. I¡¯ll get just enough for myself.¡±

    With that, the young author left the shop. Being in the vicinity of a university campus, finding a stationery store wasn¡¯t all that hard. Because there were both amunity college and a university within close proximity of one another, the town was significantly busier than most college town, most of the customers being university students. Then, after buying four two-hundred page boxes from the store, Juho made his way back to the cafe. It didn¡¯t take all that long, and the twins were still in the shop.

    ¡°Is that all for you?!¡±

    ¡°Yep. Wouldn¡¯t want to run out while I¡¯m writing.¡±

    ¡°... I don¡¯t think that¡¯s gonna happen anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°You never know,¡± Juho said, taking a card out of his wallet and handing it over to the twins. ¡°If you guys get hungry, get yourselves something to eat.¡±

    As the twins remained silent, Juho quietly moved on to his manuscript paper.

    ¡°So, we checked the website,¡± a timid voice said. Despite already knowing what was about to be said, Juho asked, ¡°Which website?¡±

    ¡°The university¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°For the heck of it. We just thought we should look at it while we waited. But we saw the topics there. Not today¡¯s, but the one¡¯s forst year¡¯s contest. It had the time and ce too.¡±

    Whatever the time and ce were, they were already a thing of the past for Juho. As he stared intently at them, waiting for what they were going to say next, the twins rose from their seats with Juho¡¯s card in their hands.

    ¡°We¡¯re gonna go get some manuscript paper, too.¡±

    ¡°We might as well write here since we missed the real thing.¡±

    ¡°Well, have a seat, for now.¡±

    They were quite naive. At the same time, quite stubborn. They were predictable. Because they were looking at a person writing right before their eyes, they were feeling the urge to write. Juho had an idea of the conversation that had taken ce in his absence. In the end, Juho gave two of his boxes of manuscript paper to the twins.

    ¡°As for time limit, let¡¯s say... an hour? Like an actual essay contest,¡± Juho said, checking the time on his phone. Taking the manuscript paper from him dly, the twins took each of their writing tools out. Juho anticipated fine pieces of writing, although they would call for a significant amount of revision due to their emotional states. An angry person tended to charge forward without thinking about consequences. Simrly, Juho would always make sure he was ready to write, mentally and physically, before he started writing.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be writing with us, right? The topics were American football, wind, and duck feathers.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. Uh, sure. Yeah.¡±

    The twins grew increasingly excited by the young author¡¯s answer. They were essentiallypeting in an essay contest with the junior they looked up to the most. With that, after studying the twins for a little while, Juho wrote away. It was a story that had nothing to do with the three topics, and it wasn¡¯t until they were thirty minutes in that the twins caught on to what the young author was doing.

    As he was ncing over at the manuscript across from him, Gong Pal shouted by reflex, ¡°Juho! What are you writing!?¡±

    Having been upied with writing, Juho answered the freshman with a dyed response, ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re writing about a bug!¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not relevant to any of the topics, right?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that, can you? You¡¯d be disqualified.¡±

    ¡°Yep. That¡¯s exactly what happened.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    The young author said in a calm tone of voice. He had experienced disqualification in an essay contest for writing an essay that was entirely irrelevant to the given topics.

    ¡°There¡¯s a piece I wanna focus on. That¡¯s my priority.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Gong Il slowly grasped the situation, and meanwhile, Gong Pal murmured, ¡°So, that¡¯s why he¡¯s never won a single award.¡±

    Then, as the freshmen became more talkative, Juho warned them, ¡°Don¡¯t you twoe begging for an extension.¡±

    Although the twins had a lot to say still, they barely managed to swallow their curiosity. Writing was of the utmost priority at the moment. The three wrote away quietly. There were hardly any people in the cafe, and even then, they were mostly university students either writing something or staring into theirptops. It wasn¡¯t exactly the most riveting sight.

    One could write anywhere. While writing unhurriedly, the young author decided to pay a visit to I in his imagination. Juho pulled him out of the deepest depths of the novel to the surface. His eyes were long and thin. He was a man of small physique. Wearing a nk expression on his face, I wasn¡¯t doing anything. With an empty fish bowl at his side, the man was ring into the air.

    There was nobody around him, and Juho, too, didn¡¯t bother going near or talking to him. The young author simply maintained his distance, observing the character. I seemed anxious. He looked like he was ming himself for something. Self-me came from failure. He had failed, failed to keep the insect alive. No matter how much he denied it, there was nothing he could do to change the truth. It was agonizing. Therefore, he had swallowed the bug.

    At that moment, I took a step forward toward a lone tree. It was clear that the roots hadn¡¯t gone down properly. The tree was out of ce. It should¡¯ve been nted in the mountains or in a field.

    With that, he hugged the tree, reaching his hand and grabbing its branches. Then, lifting his leg, he hung from the tree and started climbing it. His petite body moved restlessly. An insect. He was acting like an insect. Pathetic and weak. Yet, he seemed much better off than when he had been at home. As the body shook, what sounded like wings rubbing against one another became audible. The insect chirped.

    ¡°Juho?¡± Gong Il said. When Juho reconnected with reality, the freshman¡¯s image appeared before him. Then, slowly reaching for his phone, he switched the rm off. The cafe grew silent immediately after.

    ¡°Let me see.¡±

    ¡°Here.¡±

    ¡°Huh! You did finish in time.¡±

    ¡°Of course! We got a lot of practice.¡±

    Taking their manuscripts, Juho ced them on one side of the table. Then, as the twins looked at him with puzzled expressions, the young author took the card that had been left elsewhere on the table and offered it to them.

    ¡°Get yourselves something to eat. I need to write for a little bit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t be long. Just up to this part.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you get disqualified if you don¡¯t finish in time?¡±

    ¡°They just collect your paper without mercy.¡±

    ¡°... Maybe the essay contests aren¡¯t exactly your thing .¡±

    With that, Juho looked away from them. Then, before he started writing, he asked Gong Pal, who had read what Juho was working on, ¡°Do you remember any of it?¡±

    ¡°What? Oh, uh... yes. Although I didn¡¯t look at it for that long. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to forget it even if I wanted to, though.¡±

    ¡°Then keep remembering it. Try not to forget.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna let me read it once you finish, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, when I¡¯m done.¡±

    Shortly after, when Juho looked up after having finished writing the paragraph, he saw the twins lost in their phone games. The characters in their phone screens moved ording to theirmands, and after looking at the characters in the screen for a little while, the junior picked up their manuscripts.

    ¡°They¡¯re both well-written.¡±

    As Juho murmured, the twins looked away from their phones and responded immediately.

    ¡°Really!?¡±

    ¡°Although, there are ces that are overly emotional.¡±

    Nevertheless, they weren¡¯t half bad. It hadn¡¯t been Juho¡¯s intention for them toe up with an impable piece of writing. Rather, it was a means of release. Gong Pal had written about American football. Though the ball handling was incredibly rough and passes were far from perfect, it was written with honesty. There was not a peaceful moment. The protagonist was being constantly hampered by the people around them, and in the end, the game came to an end without him scoring a single point. The protagonist became furious, almost tearful. Gong Il¡¯s story about wind was also quite sad. However, both of their stories had endings that would put a smile on their readers¡¯ faces. At that moment, the twins asked anxiously, ¡°So, who¡¯s getting the award?¡±

    ¡°Award? Did we agree to have one?¡± Juho asked, and the junior was met with an angry bacsh from the freshmen.

    ¡°C¡¯mon! Tell us which one of us did a better job!¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°Somebody¡¯s gotta win. This is a contest, after all,¡± the twins said, putting their phones down and looking intently at Juho.

    ¡°A contest, huh,¡± he said, putting the manuscripts down on the table.

    ¡°Then, neither.¡±

    As the twins became flustered by Juho¡¯s unexpected answer, the young author added, ¡°Neither of you would have gotten an award even if you were to have been at the contest. Besides, I¡¯m disqualified myself. So, all that¡¯s to say, there is no winner.¡±

    They weren¡¯t equipped enough and they still had ways to go before they reached the skill level that would bring them an award. Then, the twins broke out intougher, looking neither angry nor wronged. Meanwhile, Juho returned the manuscripts to them.

    ¡°Now, revise them.¡±

    ¡°Revise?¡±

    ¡°If this was an actual contest, you wouldn¡¯t be getting your manuscripts back, but hey, perks of being part of a fake contest. Try finishing them. You guys are going somewhere. If you finish them before the school festival, you might even be able to exhibit them.¡±

    Then, the twins took their manuscripts back with looks of excitement on their faces.

    ¡°Should we try giving our clubmates a ring? The contest should be over by now.¡±

    As the idea of celebrating came up, the club members rendezvoused in front of their school. While Sun Hwa charged toward the twins as soon as she saw them, Seo Kwang grumbled, saying that creative writing didn¡¯t suit him. All the while, Bom and Bo Suk tried to break them up. Just like that, the twins¡¯ first essay contest experience came to an end.

    ¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s started,¡± Isabe murmured as she read the email that had just arrived.

    ¡°The Hugo Award.¡±

    Underneath it, was a list of nominated works, and among them, was Yun Woo. Then, Isabe thought of the author she had been working with, thinking, ¡®Would Yun Woo be able to surprise us, yet again?¡±

 Chapter 240 - The Double Crown (1)

    <h4>Chapter 240: The Double Crown (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Isabe.¡±

    ¡°Been a while.¡±

    An employee in the bookstore greeted the editor. Despite having had impressive grades, which would have allowed him to apply to Ivy League schools, the man had chosen to work at a bookstore instead. It was a well-known tale within the publishing industry. Having had an immense passion for bookstores since young, he knew the books being sold in the store better than any other employee there.

    ¡°Are you here to pick up your order?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s here, right?¡±

    ¡°It sure is. It got here in one piece. Don¡¯t forget to pick it up from the cashier on your way out.¡±

    Isabe nodded. Then, the editor struck up a conversation with him about the most recent trends in the bookstore. At that, the employee lowered his voice all of a sudden, asking ¡°Any news on Kelley Coin¡¯s new book? If there is, can you tell me?¡±

    There was a tangible sense of affection in his voice. He was an avid fan of Kelley Coin.

    ¡°Hard to say. He¡¯s always writing, but only he would know whether or not he¡¯ll publish it.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. Help me out here.¡±

    Those who loved Kelley Coin and his books tended to take after their favorite author. They weren¡¯t afraid to show their affection. Although she found his attitude to be quite pleasant, she didn¡¯t relent. In the end, the man let up, smacking his lips.

    ¡°I, personally, am grateful for Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The literary freak of nature.¡±

    Despite the odd-sounding nickname he was using to describe the young author, he wasn¡¯t far from the truth. Considering his aplishments up to that point, one was bound to see him in that way.

    ¡°You¡¯ve met Yun Woo in person, haven¡¯t you? I mean, what happened with him and Coin is already pretty well-known. You were there at the scene, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re trying to get answers out of me, you¡¯re wasting your time. In fact, why don¡¯t we keep talking about what you just brought up? What did you mean when you said you¡¯re grateful for Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°That was cold,¡± the employee said without a trace of disappointment, as if he had expected it.

    ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s grateful for him. I¡¯m sure every single one of Coin¡¯s fans feels the same way. I mean, Yun Woo managed to have Coin represent him at the award ceremony. It¡¯s not every day that you see Coin so well behaved.¡±

    ¡®So, that¡¯s what he meant,¡¯ Isabe thought and agreed with the employee.

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    Needless to say, a lot had happened at the award ceremony. However, they were hardly any concerns. Once Isabe managed to bring him into the conference hall without the author acting up by leaving in the middle of an event or causing a ruckus, the editor had been able to rest assured that the rest of the ceremony would go as nned. Coin had been fully aware that the asion had been for Yun Woo, which had been why he had dreaded going into the conference hall so much.

    ¡°Is he going to the Hugo Award Ceremony on Yun Woo¡¯s behalf, too?¡± the employee asked, and sensing the expectation in his voice, Isabe chuckled. In the end, his efforts to get an answer out of the editor proved to be somewhat sessful, as he managed to get her to tell him one thing.

    ¡°You see, Mr. Woo likes to be thorough. He never leans on just one side.¡±

    ¡°My. Goodness,¡± the employee let out, clenching his hand into a fist. ¡°I really hope that dayes sooner.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s actually happening pretty soon.¡±

    Then, bringing his voice down to a whisper again, he asked, ¡°Do you think Yun Woo will get the Double Crown?¡±

    Isabe smiled at his question.

    ¡°I think you¡¯d know the answer to that question better than me. You work at a bookstore. You¡¯d know which books are popr, and the Hugo Award tends to stress poprity. Well, how¡¯ve Yun Woo¡¯s books been doing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just as you would expect. First, ¡®Language of God,¡¯ and now, ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ or ¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ are still just as popr. People who are curious about Yun Woo tend to buy his books more often, and as you know, everybody wants to know who he is. It only makes sense that we¡¯d carry more and more of his books.¡±

    Referring to ¡®Sublimation¡¯ as the ck Book, the employee exined that he found the book to his liking.

    ¡°The ck Book has everything I like about some of my most favorite books. Philosophy, life, suspense, and the author¡¯s experimental spirit. He managed toe up with an ending that no writer had ever been able to imagine, and I have genuine respect for him. No matter who he turns out to be, the ck Book will always have a ce in my collection.¡±

    ¡°All right. I get it,¡± Isabe said impatiently, looking toward other books in order to distance herself from his ongoing exposition.

    ¡°So, I shouldn¡¯t be telling you this, but the majority of people who work here are predicting that the award will go to Yun Woo.¡±

    While Isabe was taken aback by what she had just heard, the employee reminded her, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to update me on Coin¡¯s new book, next time.¡±

    With that, the employee went back to work without even waiting for her answer. Shaking her head, the editor left the store. The store sold many more books after her departure, and the books it sold the most copies of were Yun Woo¡¯s.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hey, Susan. It¡¯s Isabe.¡±

    ¡°Come on in.¡±

    In order to get updates on the progress of Coin¡¯s new book, Isabe visited Coin¡¯s house for the first time in a long time. Since the Neb Award Ceremony, he had been busy writing.

    ¡°Here. This is the book you¡¯ve been wanting to read, right?¡± Isabe said, handing over the book from the bookstore to Susan. Upon checking the title of the book, Susan brushed her hand down the editor¡¯s cheek, saying, ¡°You should stay for lunch.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡±

    After briefly catching up with Susan, Isabe naturally went upstairs. When she opened the tightly-shut door, she was greeted with the smell of caffeine.

    ¡°Well, how¡¯s it looking?¡±

    ¡°If it looked good, then I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here, wasting my time with revisions,¡± the author said, annoyed. He was quite on edge, and Isabe was all too familiar with the situation. He tended to be the most on edge during the revision process.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± Coin let out. It was directed at his own writing. Looking for ways to move forward while denying oneself had always been agonizing. In terms of sports, it was the equivalent of an athlete repeatedly watching a game he had lost. Revision was closer to writing yet another draft that was different from the first. In other words, it was the next game. When a team or an athlete lost a game, they always took time to analyze what brought them defeat, and then, improved on it before the next game. Then, after repeating the process for some time, they stopped once they reached a level with which they were satisfied. There were a number of standards that determined the result of a game in sports, and scoring took longer for certain sports. There were even athletes who weren¡¯t recognized until after their deaths.

    ¡°There¡¯s still time, Coin. You can take it slow.¡±

    ¡°These damn sentences are getting in the way of my novel, and you expect me to take it slow?¡±

    ¡°Those damn sentences came from you, too, so why don¡¯t you try to be more loving toward them?¡±

    ¡°Tell me to love on a piece of stool, why don¡¯t ya?¡±

    Isabe chuckled quietly at the author¡¯s sarcastic remark. She had expected him to respond like that. Then, she opened the window in order to let the room breathe. Meanwhile, Coin red fiercely at hisptop¡¯s monitor, deleting sentences, switching paragraphs, and flipping the overall order in which the events took ce back and forth. While there were times when his hands moved busily, there were also times when they didn¡¯t move at all.

    ¡°There¡¯s not enough weight.¡±

    ¡°In which part?¡±

    ¡°The part that leads to the crisis is a little weak.¡±

    At that, Isabe read the part of the novel he was referring to over his shoulders. It was a well-written novel.

    ¡°I think there¡¯s plenty of suspense.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly the problem. I wanted to let it build up more and make it explodeter. It shouldn¡¯t be this suspenseful already. Ugh, things are just fizzling out. This is unbearable. I hate it,¡± the author said, grumbling about his writing repeatedly. However, Isabe left him be. When she interjected before she officially received his manuscript, Coin tended to throw tantrums like a spoiled child. Then, with a deep sigh, Coin leaned back on his chair¡¯s backrest. Although his eyes were fixed on the monitor, still, his gesture suggested that he was taking a break.

    With that, the editor brought up the real reason for her visit, ¡°You know you have to start getting ready for the Hugo Award Ceremony soon, right?¡±

    ¡°Damn it,¡± the author let out, scratching his head annoyedly.

    ¡°Also, Worldcon is being held in Colorado, this year.¡±

    The Hugo Award Ceremony took ce during a massive science fiction convention by the name of Worldcon, and it was easily the highlight of the of the convention. When tracing the roots of the Hugo Award, one was bound to find readers. In other words, it was an award ceremony styled to be most enjoyable for readers.

    ¡°Damn, I could really use a drink right about now.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you even think about it,¡± the editor said emphatically in order to prevent him from thinking about alcohol any further. ¡°You made a promise with Yun Woo. I stopped by a bookstore on my way here, and the people who work there seemed to be predicting that Yun Woo was going to win.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo this, Yun Woo that.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon. You were so motivated when you came back from the ceremony. I¡¯m sure something good wille out of the Hugo Award Ceremony too.¡±

    With that, Isabe waited patiently for Coin, expecting him to refute her or curse up a storm. However, to her surprise, Coin remained silent. To be more precise, he seemed to be lost in thought. ¡®Did he think of an idea or something?¡¯ Isabe asked herself, waiting patiently. Then, instead of cing his hand on the keyboard of hisptop, he said, ¡°It¡¯s not fair.¡±

    It was out of the blue. On top of that, for someone who wasining about unfairness, he was smiling ominously. Sensing trouble, the editor¡¯s brow furrowed.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°Exactly what it means. It¡¯s not fair. Why am I the one getting on an airne? It¡¯s not even my award.¡±

    ¡°Because you agreed to help Yun Woo out of your own volition.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just not fair.¡±

    It was impossible tomunicate with him, and Isabe¡¯s face twisted into a scowl. ¡®Is he implying that he¡¯s not gonna go to the ceremony...!?¡¯

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be there. No matter what,¡± she warned him before the author had a chance to say anything.

    At which point, Coin answered, ¡°Tell Yun Woo toe, too.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t believe what she had just heard.

    ¡°... What was that?¡±

    ¡°Tell Yun Woo toe.¡±

    ¡°... Do you think that what you¡¯re saying makes any sense?¡±

    If that¡¯d been possible, Yun Woo wouldn¡¯t have asked Coin to be his representative, putting his safety on the line. In actuality, there had been an incident in which a staff member of Asian descent at the Neb Award Ceremony had been mistaken for Yun Woo. To make matters worse, the hall had been filled with cameras already, and there was the live broadcast. As Isabe stood in her ce with her mouth parted open in disbelief, Coin waved his hand in denial.

    ¡°Whoever said anything about putting him up on stage? All I¡¯m saying is that I shouldn¡¯t be the only one getting on a ne. Therefore, he should be suffering with me.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll invite him over.¡±

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    His absurd stubbornness wasing out again.

    ¡°Seriously? Invite him over? My goodness, are you listening to yourself, right now!?¡±

    ¡°What? Do you have any idea of how difficult it is to get invited to my house? I¡¯m telling you, let¡¯s bring him here. We¡¯ll cover the ne ticket. Withyover and dyed flights. Even better if there¡¯s a hurricane.¡±

    Crossing her arms, Isabe asked, ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡±

    ¡°About the hurricane, maybe.¡±

    Then, their eyes locked. Having stayed up all night, Coin¡¯s eyes looked noticeably more threatening than usual. However, the editor remained unintimidated.

    ¡°We¡¯re talking about an underaged person. He¡¯s still in school,¡± she said with a snort.

    ¡°What¡¯s he got to learn from school?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not for us to decide.¡±

    ¡°You know what, yeah. You bring up a good point. Let¡¯s send him an invitation. He¡¯ll decide whether or not he¡¯lle here.¡±

    As Isabe remained silent, Coin snickered with confidence.

    ¡°My house has to be significantly more charming than some school.¡±

    Then, the editor raised her hand while thinking that she would prepare the ne ticket, ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll say no.¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯lle.¡±

    Isabe let out a heavy sigh at the author¡¯s stubborn remark. And before leaving the room, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the award ceremony.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. You know me. I¡¯ve never given up on a task midway from the moment I was born.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that why you always bail in the middle of an event?¡±

    ¡°I decide when an event ends.¡±

    ¡°Why do I even bother?¡±

    With that, Isabe walked out of the room and went down the stairs, calcting the time difference between the States and where Yun Woo lived. She was nning on emphasizing to him that it was entirely OK for him to turn down her request.

 Chapter 241 - The Double Crown (2)

    <h4>Chapter 241: The Double Crown (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Come again?¡± Nam Kyung asked, and Juho repeated what he had said slowly, ¡°I said I¡¯m epting Kelley Coin¡¯s invitation to go to the US.¡±

    ¡°Invitation to?¡±

    ¡°His house.¡±

    ¡°His house as in...¡±

    ¡°Yes, Coin¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°You mean you¡¯re going to Kelley Coin¡¯s house!?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    A slew of words came up in the editor¡¯s mind. ¡®But, what about school? This is so sudden. What about the manuscript that¡¯s being revised as we speak? The Hugo Award announcement is right around the corner.¡¯ However, what came out of his mouth had nothing to do with those thoughts in his mind.

    ¡°Are you going with somebody from Dong Baek Publishing Company?¡±

    ¡°No. This is an informal invitation. It¡¯s personal.¡±

    When Juho informed Jang Mi, her reaction hadn¡¯t been far from Nam Kyung¡¯s. Recently, Dong Baek Publishing Company was experiencing a steady increase in their stock price as Juho was nominated for the Hugo Award and formally invited to Worldcon, making him the first Korean to be invited there. With the massive festival that was Worldcon, where people would rent entire hotel buildings for different nations¡¯ delegations, Jang Mi was in a critical position. If things had been normal, Juho, too, would be there.

    ¡°Are you going with your parents?¡±

    ¡°No, I was nning on going by myself. It¡¯s not like I have troublemunicating with them or anything. Besides, Isabe told me that she¡¯lle and pick me up.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a rough world out there. You¡¯re a VIP, Mr. Woo. Don¡¯t forget that,¡± Nam Kyung said, but his intention was obvious. As Juho pretended to be oblivious, the editor brought up what was in his mind inly, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you as your guardian.¡±

    It was obvious that he was desperate to take hold of the opportunity to visit Kelley Coin at his home.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯d be necessary.¡±

    ¡°All right, fine. I wanna go too, OK?¡±

    Before long, the editor spilled the truth. It wasn¡¯t rare for one to fly overseas when working for a publishingpany. In fact, Nam Kyung had made a trip to Japan recently. Nevertheless, when it came to a matter regarding Yun Woo, who was essentially Korea¡¯s first, internationally acimed author, it only made sense that his publisher would prioritize the author. Nam Kyung exining himself without even breathing, and needless to say, the young author had expected Nam Kyung to say those things from the moment he started talking.

    ¡°OK. The more the merrier, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Great! I¡¯ll take care of the ne tickets.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that won¡¯t be necessary. Isabe told me that she¡¯ll be covering for our flight.¡±

    The editor was delighted to hear that. Then, he began to ask about the details shortly after.

    ¡°But, why the invitation all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°So...¡±

    Juho thought back to his phone call with Isabe. He had received the call right after arriving home from school. Though more timely, the call had left Juho puzzled initially, as it wasn¡¯t often that she called the young author personally. When he answered, he heard Isabe¡¯s brighter-than-usual voice.

    ¡°So, Mr. Coin wants to invite you to his house.¡±

    It was simply out of the blue.

    ¡°Oh, uh... I appreciate it and all, but... why?¡±

    ¡®He probably wants to catch up with you.¡¯

    There was no way that Kelley Coin¡¯s editor-in-charge would say something like that. It was highly unlikely that Coin would invite someone to his house simply out of good will. Then, upon reading the young author¡¯s demeanor, Isabe started beating around the bush, ¡°As you already know, the Hugo Award Ceremony is just around the corner now.¡±

    ¡°Right. The convention is in August, I believe.¡±

    ¡°Right. And we, as in Mr. Coin and myself, will be attending the ceremony on your behalf. The convention is going to be held in Denver this year, and let me tell you, it¡¯s a beautiful ce. It¡¯s really close to the Rocky Mountains. Although, it¡¯s a bit far from where we are.¡±

    ¡°... you¡¯re saying?¡±

    ¡°So, Mr. Coin is insisting on sharing this wonderful opportunity with you. Should you decide toe, we¡¯re willing to cover your ne ticket here,¡± she said quickly but precisely. Though she was speaking in a calm tone of voice, it was clear that even she knew how ridiculous her request was. Having grasped an idea of the situation through the conversation, Juho realized that the invitation wasing from a ce of mischief, making Yun Woo endure hours and hours in an airne.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine Coin throwing a tantrum, refusing to go to the ceremony. He had to havee up with usible arguments. What a child would normally joke about, the infamous author would say wholeheartedly and carry it out. Meanwhile, Isabe was rying the situation to the young author, all while avoiding speaking ill of the author she had worked with.

    ¡°You¡¯re not asking me to attend the ceremony myself by any chance, are you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. You don¡¯t have to worry about that, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Is he aware that I¡¯m underaged?¡±

    ¡°He is, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Does he know that I¡¯m in school, still?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he does.¡±

    The Hugo Award Ceremony was going to take ce after the break was over. As the young author pondered, Isabe added, ¡°You¡¯re more than wee to decline, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s always next time, like the winter break. Coin will understand that much.¡±

    Then, after some brief contemtion, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just skip school for a few days. Gotta get my trophy. Although, there¡¯s no promise that I¡¯m actually getting one.¡±

    At that, Isabe answered by reflex, ¡°A lot of people consider you to be one of the most prominent candidates. Are you reallying though?¡±

    ¡°How can I not? I was invited by Coin.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? You can always turn it down, you know,¡± she said, as if wanting him to for some reason. However, If anybody were to ask the young author if he would rather go to school or to the house of a world-renowned author, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to choose thetter. On top of that, the fact that Juho was an author himself made the decision-making process even easier.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Woo. I¡¯m sure Coin will be delighted to hear this. I¡¯ll look in to that ticket right away,¡± she said quietly and hung up.

    ¡ª

    ¡°The US?¡±

    Juho swallowed the cold beverage that traveled up through the straw. It was sweet and delightful. Meanwhile, Seo Kwang was giving him a dumbfounded look. Then, Juho nodded affirmingly.

    ¡°And you¡¯re going AFTER school starts? Aren¡¯t you a junior?¡±

    Because he was attending summer school, Seo Kwang was still in his uniform. His head hung low as the young author shrugged it off. His mother was behind him by the register, busy making drinks.

    ¡°You know what? It¡¯s Kelley Coin of all people. You have to go. I know I would. Who cares about school?¡± Seo Kwang said. His fist shaking on the desk was telling Juho how he was really feeling.

    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous,¡± Seo Kwang said, adding quietly, ¡°Must be nice being Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Well, bring back bunch of pictures, all right? I promise I¡¯ll keep them to myself.¡±

    ¡°As long as the host lets me.¡±

    ¡°And Kelley Coin is that host! This is insane!!¡± Seo Kwang said frantically. Considering that his friend was going to miss school for a few days in order to go to the US under invitation from Kelley Coin, it only made sense that Seo Kwang would get that excited. Those were things that Seo Kwang could only dream of.

    ¡°You know what? I¡¯m giving you the copy of his book I keep for preservation.¡±

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°I want you to get it signed.¡±

    That was quite the tall order.

    ¡°You do realize whose house I¡¯m going to, right?¡±

    ¡°Not even you, though?¡±

    ¡°Not even me.¡±

    Seo Kwang sighed deeply at Juho¡¯s disappointing answer. At that moment, Juho remembered another person who had had a simr reaction.

    ¡°Baron had the same reaction as you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah! Baron,¡± Seo Kwang let out, looking up and adding that he had visited the store recently.

    ¡°You know, it must be nice being on break as a college student,¡± Seo Kwang said with the genuine longing of a high school student.

    ¡°But it seems like college students have their own problems to deal with.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they do.¡±

    ¡°Baron told me that he¡¯s been going around looking for a part-time job.¡±

    Baron, too, was aware that Juho was going to the US, and when he heard the news for the first time, he sighed heavily and said, ¡°I guess the world is your oyster, still.¡±

    ¡°And what did Sun Hwa have to say?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°She just pped me on the back. I think she¡¯s been getting stressed out preparing for the SAT.¡±

    Sun Hwa was the most mindful of her GPA out of the entire Literature Club. Because she had been maintaining impressive grades up to that point, she was aiming for the top universities within Seoul. Since establishing her goal of being a teacher, she had been working even harder to maintain her grades.

    In the meantime, while Seo Kwag was resting his chin on his hand, Juho stared into the wall for a little while and asked, ¡°What about Bom?¡±

    ¡°She said ¡®Have a safe a trip.¡¯¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Oh, she wants you to bring something back for her.¡±

    ¡°That was disappointing.¡±

    ¡°Bo Suk¡¯s eyes though. They were so sparkly that I had a hard time looking away.¡±

    ¡°I can only imagine... And the twins?¡±

    ¡°I told them that you¡¯re going on a trip. I mean, it¡¯s not a lie technically,¡± Seo Kwang said, snickering quietly. Then, he added, ¡°Man, just imagine the look on their faces when they put the pieces together.¡±

    The club members saw Juho off, each reacting differently to his trip. Meanwhile, Seo Kwang drank his coffee.

    ¡°So, when are you leaving?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow?!¡± Seo Kwang asked with a puzzled look on his face, as though wondering what the young author was still doing in his store. Then, Juho waved his hand in order to reassure his friend.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already packed everything.¡±

    ¡°Still. Aren¡¯t you a little tooid back right now?¡± Seo Kwang grumbled, scratching his head and rising from his seat. Then, after pulling a book out of a shelf, he handed it over to Juho. It was one of the books being sold in the cafe.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be flying for a while. Read that while you¡¯re in the ne.¡±

    It was a traveler¡¯s journal written by Hermann Hesse after his trip to India.

    ¡°But I¡¯m going to the US.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I specifically chose that book. I¡¯d be spoiling your trip if I were to I give you a simr book written by someone who went to the same country you¡¯re going to.¡±

    ¡°Well, thanks. Although, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll have the time to read it.¡±

    ¡°Why? Do you have things to do?¡±

    ¡°Revisions.¡±

    ¡°Then you take care of that first,¡± Seo Kwang said emphatically, and nodding haphazardly, Juho opened the book Seo Kwang had given him. While Hermann Hesse¡¯s books tended to be a bit difficult to understand at times, they were good reads for the most part. In the end, the young author ended up reading through the entire book before he had to leave for the airport the next morning.

    ¡°You look tired,¡± Nam Kyung said as they met in front of the airport, and Juho simply smiled. Although Isabe had prepared first ss, direct flight tickets for them, simply the thought of having to stay in the same space for fourteen hours was quite suffocating to the young author. While Nam Kyung took advantage of the first-ss services and pressed every button around him, Juho focused on revising his manuscript for most part of the trip, stopping only for meals.

    Then, while Juho was eating, a foreigner struck up a conversation with him on his way back from the restroom.

    ¡°You seemed to be hard at work. What you got there, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±

    He had to be curious of the restless keyboard noises that he had been hearing. While feeling Nam Kyung studying the situation, Juho said carelessly, ¡°I¡¯m writing.¡±

    ¡°I knew it!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a novel.¡±

    Although he appeared to be slightly taken aback by how fluent the young author¡¯s English was, the foreigner smiled at Juho¡¯s answer. Then, upon realizing that he had someone to talk to in his native tongue, words started gushing out of the foreigner, ¡°You know, I wrote a script when I was young, too. I was the protagonist of the story.¡±

    ¡°What happened to it?¡±

    ¡°It became fodder for my wife¡¯sughter. I still have it, though.¡±

    The foreigner had a keen interest in writing. Then, as he tried to peek into Juho¡¯sptop, Nam Kyung jumped out of his seat, and Juho covered the screen even quicker. Smiling brightly, the foreigner said, ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t beg you to show me what you¡¯re working on.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that.¡±

    ¡°Well, break a leg.¡±

    With that, the foreigner returned to his seat, and Nam Kyung, too, sat back in his seat with a sigh of relief.

    ¡°You have to protect your manuscript at all cost,¡± the editor whispered, asking the flight attendant passing by for ss of whiskey.

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve done this long enough.¡±

    ¡°You tend to let your guard down at times because you don¡¯t know just how famous you are.¡±

    ¡°Well, I just look like an ordinary student on the outside,¡± Juho said to the editor in response to his nagging. To which, Nam Kyung nodded affirmingly. The young author looked out the window at the bed of clouds.

 Chapter 242 - The Double Crown (3)

    <h4>Chapter 242: The Double Crown (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Whew, finally!¡±

    Afternding at JFK Airport, Juho stretched as he walked out of the ne. His entire body felt stiff after being in the airne for so long. Although the airport was brimming with people, Nam Kyung skillfully led Juho out of it.

    ¡°We should go out. Isabe¡¯s waiting outside.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Walking past the giant American g at the airport, Juho followed his editor outside. The New York air felt somewhat different from the air in Korea, and as they saw the foreigners going about their ways on the streets, it dawned on Juho that he really was an outsider. The graffiti on the walls looked just like they did in the movies. The thunderous sound of engines roared in the sky. The ne flying across the sky seemed a lot bigger than usual. While the young author was looking around, Nam Kyung struck up a conversation with him, ¡°Having fun?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. We really are in New York.¡±

    ¡°How is it?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that it feels like a big city.¡±

    ¡°That sounds about right. Shopping is just about the only thing there is to do around here,¡± the editor said, shaking his head and adding that he had never had a positive experience while visiting New York. It wasn¡¯t clear whether it was the weather or the buildings around them, but the entire city seemed to have a grey tinge to it.

    ¡°There she is,¡± the editor said. When Juho looked forward, he saw Isabe leaning against her car, looking in their direction. Then, spotting them from the distance, she walked toward them.

    ¡°Wee to the US,¡± she said light-heartedly, and Nam Kyung greeted her back in a slightly stiff English, ¡°How have you been?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been well. Mr. Woo... or, uh... would it be better to call you Juho?¡±

    ¡°Yes, no need to be so formal.¡±

    Then, being conscious of the people around her, she added, ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve been doing well yourself, Juho.¡±

    She drove a British car. After putting his bags in the trunk, Juho entered the car and sat in the back seat, while Nam Kyung sat on the passenger¡¯s side. Enjoying thefortable ride, the young author looked out the window and watched the scenery roll by. Although the sights were unfamiliar, there was nothing that felt new because Juho was able to understand every word Isabe and Nam Kyung was saying in the car. Rather than a foreign country, it felt more like his first time visiting Myungdong. A yellow cab rushed passed them. Then, stopping at a red light, Isabe said, ¡°We¡¯re headed for Manhattan now, and you¡¯ll be staying in Coin¡¯s apartment there for the next three days.¡±

    ¡°Three days?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You might as well get a look around while you¡¯re in the States before you see Coin. After that, we¡¯ll be on our way to his vi, which he uses as his studio. He should be back from Worldcon by the time we get there. Until then, you¡¯re free to look around.¡±

    Then, she added in a hurry,¡± Oh, one more thing. I¡¯d like for you to understand that our schedule heavily reflects Coin¡¯s opinions.¡±

    After brief contemtion, Juho asked, ¡°Do you think we can see the apartment building in Manhattan?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a luxurious building that Coin bought for himself with the money he made from his books. I¡¯m sure he means to ensure that his guests have a good time.¡±

    At that, Juho was made certain that Coin was looking to show off his possessions and wealth.

    ¡°When we get to his vi, you¡¯ll be able to meet Susan as well.¡±

    Knowing that Susan had made appearances in a number of Coin¡¯s books in various forms, Juho grew curious as to what she would be like in person.

    ¡°Is the vi luxurious too?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a ce known for corn ntations. You¡¯ll see why he chose that ce to write when we get there.¡±

    From then on, Isabe took Juho and Nam Kyung around Manhattan, to Fifth Avenue and the St. Patrick¡¯s Cathedral.

    ¡°Well, how are you feeling? The Hugo Award Ceremony is just around the corner,¡± she asked, locking eyes with the young author through the mirror. Then, he cracked the window open slightly and said, ¡°Not bad. Not bad at all.¡±

    ¡°You seem a lot calmer than I thought you would be. Are you expecting you¡¯ll win?¡±

    ¡°No way.¡±

    ¡°If I were in your shoes, I¡¯d be dancing up and down.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too early to celebrate, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see what I mean once we get to the bookstore,¡± having a solid understanding of the characteristics of the Hugo Award, she said honestly. Simr to the time when Coin came out with his sophomore title after his debut title turned out to be a failure, Yun Woo was currently among the most prominent figures in the literary world. While everyone was wary of the young author on one hand, they were curious on the other. Whether they viewed him from a positive or negative perspective, it was undeniable that they were fixing their eyes on him.

    ¡°You, Mr. Woo, are a very strong candidate,¡± Isabe said. Many of her professional acquaintances shared a simr opinion.

    Yet, with a shrug, the young author answered modestly, ¡°You never know, just like how I had no idea that Kelley Coin would invite me to his house.¡±

    ¡°You got me there. I had no idea that you¡¯de to the States, either,¡± she said, studying Juho¡¯s face. Unlike Coin, he was calm. He wasn¡¯t in the habit of frowning or cheering out loud. He was quite the riveting person, and she thought to herself that Coin should learn to be more like the young author.

    ¡°If Coin were in my shoes, do you think he would¡¯ve been going around telling people that he¡¯d win?¡±

    Though Isabe was caught off guard by the young author¡¯s timely question, she was still able to respond with ease, ¡°I¡¯d say to the point of arrogance. He¡¯d even go as far as telling people that it would be wrong for that trophy not to end up in his hands.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess he¡¯s earned the right to.¡±

    Then, looking ahead, she added, ¡°So have you.¡±

    Much like Coin, Yun Woo was also a world-renowned author. However, the young author simply smiled quietly. Meanwhile, listening to their conversation, Nam Kyung read the articles that were turning up in real-time on his phone.

    ¡ª

    ¡°The Double Crown! The Next Challenge of the First Asian Neb Winner!¡±

    ¡°What is the Hugo Award? A Prestigious Literary Award Named After the President of a Famous American Magazine with a History of Half a Century.¡±

    ¡°Who Has Earned the Double Crown Thus Far? Will Yun Woo Be Able to Jump the Wall That Was Too High Even for Kelley Coin?¡±

    ¡°The Doubts of Critics Overseas. ¡®How Was a Country Void of Support, Educational Facilities, and Investiment for Writers Able to Produce an Author Like Yun Woo? He¡¯s Like a Bird That Came Down from the Sky. We Don¡¯t Know Where He Came From or Where He¡¯s Headed.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo, the New Wave in the Literary World. His Future Trajectory. What Makes His Writing So Special?¡±

    ¡°The Ever-So-Controversial Writing Style of the Young Author. Split-Personality Theory, Proven To Be True? Critics Overseas Speak.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo, a World-Renowned Author Who is Still in School. What¡¯s He Got to Say? Where Is He? A Wave of International Media Floods South Korea. His Publisher Remains Silent.¡±

    ¡°¡®Cast Your Votes!¡¯ Who Will Be the Next Hugo Winner? A Closer Look at the Authors and Participants of Worldcon.¡±

    ¡°Team Korea Gets a Formal Invitation, but Where¡¯s the Author? Reported to be Staying at a Hotel Nearby.¡±

    ¡°An Interview with Yun Woo¡¯s Competing Nominee. ¡®It¡¯s an Honor Regardless of Who Wins. Come Join the Readers and Their Favorite Authors at Worldcon. You¡¯re Missing Out!¡¯¡±

    ¡°Kelley Coin Appears Again! Participating as a Representative. His Prediction?¡±

    ¡°¡®I Don¡¯t Care Who Wins. It¡¯s None of My Business. Enough with the Same Old Questions.¡¯ Photos of the Angry Author.¡±

    ¡°The Award Ceremony Just Around the Corner. Who Will Readers Vote for?¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Man, I love Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°If not Yun Woo, then who else? Just give it to him, already.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo! Get that Hugo, man!¡±

    ¡°I love all geniuses that exist in this world, but among them, I love Yun Woo the most.¡±

    ¡°If he really ends up getting the Double Crown at neen, that will be a record that nobody will be able to break for at least another century.¡±

    ¡°I predict three centuries. His record will stand until God in ¡®Language of God¡¯ dies.¡±

    ¡°So proud of him! The fact that I even get to talk about something like this is unbelievable. It brings tears to my eyes whenever I think back on how science fiction has been received in Korea.¡±

    ¡°The unthinkable has happened.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever felt this way toward an author. That¡¯s just amazing.¡±

    ¡°The Double Crown will really suit him well. I think Yun Woo has what it takes to carry that weight.¡±

    ¡°Whenever I read his books, I can¡¯t help but struggle to find the adjective that sufficiently describes him. His writing is life-changing.¡±

    ¡°Maybe this is what it felt like to be living in the same age as Shakespeare.¡±

    ¡°I wish the entire world knew about him.¡±

    ¡°Commenting here after watching Taylor Sander¡¯s special interview for the Hugo Ceremony. I think it¡¯s worth watching if you wanna know more about the author.¡±

    ¡°I just saw it, too. He had a lot of subjective things to say, but they¡¯ll remind you that Yun Woo never lets us down. There¡¯s a tranted version avable, so go check it out.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯d be more urate to say that he¡¯s an astounding specimen rather than just another trantor who excels at subtle nuances when tranting.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to talk about how amazing his writing is, but it seems like he has a talent in tranting, too. Sanders had a lot of good things to say about him.¡±

    ¡°Sanders is one of the most highly-acimed trantors around, and yet, he had nothing but good things to say about Yun Woo¡¯s trantion.¡±

    ¡°¡®I respect him.¡¯ His own words. He said he respects Yun Woo not just as a writer, but as a trantor, too.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s what happens when yournguage skill is on overdrive.¡±

    ¡°When a genius pursues the path of music, they be the next Mozart. When they pursue art, they be the next Leonardo Da Vinci. When they pursue writing, though, I would say that they be Yun Woo. We¡¯re reading novels written by a genius, people!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a fancy way to put it. It makes me feel super privileged just reading his books. I definitely recognize Sanders and his works, but the fact that I get to read Yun Woo¡¯s book in its originalnguage is really something.¡±

    ¡°I really hope he keeps writing for a long time. I¡¯d buy every single one of his books. I never second-guess myself when buying books.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Yun Woo is a marvelous author. He¡¯s bound to be happy if he were to win.¡±

    An avid science fiction fan participating in Worldcon was reading an article in a magazine. It had an exaggerated title that read, ¡®The Chance Yun Woo Has of Achieving the Double Crown ording to Taylor Sanders, the Trantor of ¡®Language of God.¡±

    With the ballot before him, the fan was feeling conflicted. Six nk spaces. Five candidates. With the exception of the option to abstain from voting, all five candidates were excellent authors who had written excellent pieces of writing, which were considered to be the most outstanding science fiction fantasy novels of thest two years. Of course, the fan had read every single one of them, and not a single one had brought him disappointment. Because of fans like him, those five novels were able to make it all the way to the finals.

    ¡°Choices, choices.¡±

    The fan pondered, thinking back on each and every one of the novels. Then, his eyes went to the magazine he had been reading. Frankly, he had been hearing about one particr nominee up to thest minute. To be precise, his head had been filled to the brim with thoughts about his novel. The novel had won him over with its very first sentence, and the fan vividly remembered the experience of shock and awe he learned just by whom the novel had been written, by an author who was growing increasingly popr in the States: Yun Woo of ¡®Language of God.¡¯ The fan brushed his hand across the author¡¯s name on the ballot, listed as the fifth candidate.

    There was no end to exnations of how excellent ¡®Language of God¡¯ was. Along with theories on Yun Woo, ¡®Language of God¡¯ was amon topic in a monthly gathering the fan had been going to. Since the winner of the Neb Award had been dered, and the Hugo Award Ceremony had started, the topic of Yun Woo had be even more popr.

    ¡°Yun Woo, the Eighth Wonder of the World.¡±

    That was the title the group had decided to give the young author. Like the Great Pyramid of Giza or Machu Phu, asking questions about Yun Woo only led to more questions. There was no solid evidence of anything, anywhere, only questions. How? How was he able to write like that?¡±

    Science fiction fans tended to love authors of excellent science fiction fantasy novels. They looked up to them, and that same affection was directed toward Yun Woo just as intensely. They loved and respected the young author. Then, why couldn¡¯t they vote for him more willingly? That was because Yun Woo was simply too massive of an identity. Humans tended to be overwhelmed before an identity that they couldn¡¯tprehend, denying it. Then, the fan read Sanders¡¯ response to the interviewer in the magazine.

    ¡°Yun Woo is real. He¡¯s alive. He eats with chopsticks and types away on the keyboard of hisptop. Not only does he trante, but he also writes. We canmunicate in the samenguage. He¡¯s also the youngest and the most mature author of all the other authors I¡¯ve met thus far. He knows how to contemte, make decisions, and be responsible with the results of his choices. While he¡¯s ordinary at times, he can also be anything but.¡±

    The fan read on.

    ¡°The one thing I can say for certain is that I¡¯ve never met anybody like him. He¡¯s truly unique!¡±

    The fan recognized the young author¡¯s existence. There were traces left by the author that were simply undeniable, too real to think that he didn¡¯t exist. A Neb winner, not only did he send Kelley Coin as his representative and meet with Taylor Sanders, but he also took part in tranting his own novel. Yun Woo was very much real. However, the same question returned the moment one epted that truth: How was he able to write like that?

    ¡°Damn it. Thest time I had this hard a time making a decision was deciding where to go out,¡± the fan let out, rubbing his face irritably. A part of him made him think that he didn¡¯t want to cast his vote for an author who was putting him through such misery. While he wanted to vote for Yun Woo, another part of him didn¡¯t want to. Whenever the fan thought about the young author, he couldn¡¯t help but find himself wrestling with contradicting thoughts.

    Next to the young author on the ballot, was a fifty-five-year-old author who was being nominated for the Hugo Award for the fifth time. The fan felt his heart leaning toward him. ¡®Who did others vote for?¡¯ A lot of people had to be going through what he was going through. Then, after wrestling long and hard with his thoughts, the fan made up his mind. He wasn¡¯t certain as to how his vote would affect the results, but he was certain of one thing.

    ¡°If Yun Woo achieves the Double Crown, then I¡¯m starting a protest to demand he reveals himself.¡±

    With that, his arduous voting process finally came to an end.

 Chapter 243 - The Double Crown (4)

    <h4>Chapter 243: The Double Crown (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Mr. Woo is resting in his room,¡± Isabe said, conveying the news about Yun Woo to Coin, who was staying in a hotel in Denver, Colorado. He had finished his room service meal by that point. Coin was solely responsible for Juho and Nam Kyung being forced to walk about the streets of New York. As he rxed with his feet on the table, Isabe said, ¡°Was that really necessary? You hardly ever touch the ce.¡±

    The apartment he had provided Yun Woo with was in one of the buildings that he would visit once or twice a year at most, and he was leaving the management of the building to a hired hand.

    ¡°That¡¯s gotta be the dumbest question I¡¯ve ever heard.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°My houses, cars, properties. I paid for them with the money I made out of my books. If I don¡¯t show them off to Yun Woo, then who else can I do that to?¡±

    Holding back herughter at his shameless remark, Isabe said, ¡°One would think that you bought those houses just so you can show them off.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I wanted to show that pretentious journalist up.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s gotta be the dumbest thing I¡¯ve ever heard.¡±

    Then, without giving an answer, Coin redirected his attention to the view out the window, from where he could see countless cars and homes.

    ¡°I make a living by writing.¡±

    ¡°That, I know. What else would you have left without it?¡±

    ¡°My social skills and sense of cooperation.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a terrible joke,¡± she said, looking at the author. However, he was serious.

    ¡°I mean it. There¡¯s no way to get around them, no matter how well-off I might be. Those are skills necessary for survival, don¡¯t you think? This damn ecosystem of ours,¡± he said, looking down at the streets and the pedestrians walking on them. Looking at his back, it sounded, to her ears, like he was picking a fight with the rest of the world.

    ¡°I know my ce in the literary world, and it all started when I threw a punch at the face of this world¡¯s hierarchy.¡±

    ¡°You punched a person, I believe.¡±

    At that, Coin¡¯s shoulders moved up and down as heughed. His face wasn¡¯t visible from where the editor was.

    ¡°Good point. You see, it¡¯s strange how I made enemies with the rest of the literary world and some societies when I punched that person.¡±

    Although his personality had definitely been one of the major contributing factors to his reputation in the industry, there also existed an even bigger contributing factor, and Isabe was also well aware of that. If it had been the nose of another rookie author that Coin had broken with his fist, things wouldn¡¯t have blown out of proportion like they had. In fact, nobody would¡¯ve remembered it ever happening. Coin had authority, and breaking some rookie author¡¯s nose wouldn¡¯t change a thing. Those with authority tended to have connections. Lots of them.

    ¡°I¡¯ve won both the Neb and Hugo four times each, along with countless awards in the genre, pure literature, screenwriting, and children¡¯s literature categories. My skills have been approved, and even though people might hate my guts, they have no choice but to approve of me as well. At the end of the day, my books are the ones flying off the shelves.¡±

    ¡°So, you survived solely on your skill as a writer.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true,¡± he denied it, which took the editor by surprise.

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°Luck. The fact that I¡¯m the only survivor is evidence of that.¡±

    Coin was a world-renowned author, and of course, given that he had had a rough start as an author, getting to that point meant having to fight his way through. Isabe recalled shedding tears when reading Coin¡¯s writing. At the same time, she also recalled shedding tears reading books written by other authors. There had to have been authors who hadn¡¯t been as lucky as Coin, and even more suffered under an unfair system.

    ¡°It¡¯s all made by men,¡± Coin said. Both system and authority had been born out of the hands of men, and that applied to just about everything Isabe saw when looking over Coin¡¯s shoulders. It was a bitter reality, and it was all the more vivid to Coin.

    ¡°In this world, there are murderers as well as doctors.¡±

    ¡°Yes, just like in your writing,¡± Isabe said, remembering one of Coin¡¯s manuscripts in the past. A murderer and a doctor had been two of the characters in one of the novels Coin had written. ¡°Someone whomitted a murder in order to protect their child, and another who revived the dying patient for money and fame. Someone who became a murderer after killing a burr, and another who became a doctor after saving a murderer.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s my job to write about people,¡± Coin said with his eyes fixed on the window. Although Isabe wasn¡¯t seeing anything particr, Coin had to think otherwise. ¡°Now, tell me. Whose side are you on?¡±

    Crossing her arms, Isabe yed along with the author¡¯s childish attitude.

    ¡°He stabbed a person to death, though.¡±

    ¡°But the court rules it¡¯s self-defense.¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯d still take the doctor¡¯s side.¡±

    ¡°Right. You mean the one that takes bribes and only epts patients he feels like,¡± Coin said with an apparent sarcasm in his tone.

    ¡°Yep, that doctor. The one that neglects patients who are poor and helpless,¡± the editor answered, standing her ground.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because the murderer bought his innocense. I just can¡¯t ept it.¡±

    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯m sure there are plenty of readers out there who think like you. At the same time, there should be just as many who would disagree with you,¡± Coin said.

    ¡°But you know what? Both sides of the argument are wrong. Both of those characters are monsters, so there¡¯s no use in choosing a side. Those characters changed once they tasted the sweet temptation of their world.¡±

    ¡°I thought it was your job to write about people?¡± Isabe said poignantly.

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem. The monsters always turn out to be people in the end.¡±

    Coin¡¯s writing was both warning and insult. It was a means of pointing fingers at the ufortable truth that said, ¡®There exist people like this, and you, too, may very well be like them one day. In fact, some of you are already there.¡±

    ¡°Then, whose side are you on?¡± Isabe asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m on my side,¡± he said at once, and the editor yed along, ¡°Opposed to what?¡±

    ¡°To myself before I started writing. As everyone knows, I tend to soften up when I write. It¡¯s only gotten worse as ofte.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s something I don¡¯t hear every day. The difference must be apparent only to you.¡±

    ¡°Well, in any case, that¡¯s why I¡¯m on my side.¡±

    Isabe clicked her tongue. Although she wanted to let him have it, there was no means to do it. She couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. Then, she remembered a coworker of hers who had decided to leave thepanyst month. The coworker had already been searching for a new job, and their young age didn¡¯t work to their advantage. Everyone around them, including Isabe, had tried to talk the coworker out of their decision because they knew just how cruel the world could be. It would be a battle that the coworker had no chance of winning. When hearing Coin say that he had softened up, Isabe couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ording to the world-renowned author she had been working with, she was supposed to be rooting for him rather than opposing him. Then, Coin turned away all of a sudden.

    ¡°So, I have no problem showing off to Yun Woo. If anything, I should be showing myself off to him because it¡¯s something to be proud of. All these literary societies will have to give me more awards, and more people will have to read more of my books. Even if Yun Woo were to achieve the Double Crown, he would still have a ways to go until he caught up to me, and I have been going out of my way to let him know that.¡±

    Isabe shook her head at the author¡¯s paradoxical thought process.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing tackier than showing off your wealth.¡±

    ¡°Maybe in the hierarchical sense.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Does that mean you recognize that Yun Woo¡¯s skill level is equivalent to yours?¡±

    At her question, Coin¡¯s mood deteriorated in no time. Then, he turned around andid himself on his bed. Letting him be, she checked her phone and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we make our way to the ceremony, now? The people from Dong Baek Publishing are already there.¡±

    The author remained silent, and Isabe sighed heavily, saying, ¡°Here we go again.¡±

    In the end, Coin and Isabe ended up runningte for the ceremony, interrupting the presenter working the crowd up. In wasn¡¯t long before the crowd in the hall, which was significantly bigger than the one for Neb¡¯s ceremony, recognized Coin¡¯s unnecessarily confident presence. Everyone there was an author, and authors tended to be sensitive to their surroundings.

    ¡°Kelley Coin,¡± somebody let out. Among them, were those who med Yun Woo for sending Coin as his representative.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t he saying anything all of a sudden? Juho asked looking at the presenter on the screen. Although talking uninterruptedly even up to a moment before, the older, half-bald presenter was looking into the distance in a daze. Meanwhile, Susan shrugged while eating her popcorn, ¡°Who knows? Maybe there¡¯s been an ident of sorts.¡±

    Juho had flown from New York just the day before. He had stayed in Manhattan for three days before that, catching up with Nabi in the meantime, who was on a business trip. Unfortunately, meeting with Sanders proved to be difficult due to their conflict in schedules, forcing them to hold off on their meeting. Meanwhile, eating bread made and offered by Susan, Juho thought back on the time he met with Nabi. She had taken the young author to a Korean restaurant in the States.

    ¡°It still feels surreal to think that I was at the ceremony when you won the Neb. You weren¡¯t there, of course, but that¡¯s just a minor detail. That had to be one of the happiest days of my life.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not ready to let up just yet.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t find her words surprising. She was an ambitious person, and it seemed like her mind was already full of thoughts about the Hugo Award. As the young author remained unfazed, the agent mmed her hand down next to a te on the table and said, ¡°If you were to achieve the Double Crown, you¡¯ll be the center of global attention, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°You mean, more than I already am? I don¡¯t know if I like the sound of that.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about!? Everyone will look up to you! No author has ever made a name for themselves at your age!¡± she said, looking straight at the young author¡¯s eyes. ¡°Everyone will think that you¡¯ve led a sessful life.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled and said, ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°Of course! There are plenty of people out there who want to be like you, live like you, and lead a life like yours, even as we speak.¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t remember what he had said to Nabi in response because he had been distracted by another thought. He reminisced to his past. Everyone had probably thought of him as someone who led a failed life, and the name Yun Woo had always been associated with downfall and misfortune. The media had constantly shown his face on the screen and brought up his name once people forgot about him. Did the unfortunate author think that he had led a failed life, too? Perhaps that had been why he had drowned his brain in alcohol as a means to avoid thinking about his life.

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Juho looked up at Susan¡¯s voice. She was holding a shiny white teacup in her hand, which looked new.

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°The results.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you mean the Hugo Award.¡±

    Then, Susan stared intently at the young author.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem nervous. Not one bit. Your editor, on the other hand, seems like he¡¯s on the verge of having a heart attack.¡±

    At that, Juho looked at Nam Kyung, who was sitting next to him, and whose limbs were shaking uncontrobly.

    ¡°Are you OK?¡±

    ¡°I feel like my heart¡¯s about to burst,¡± the editor said, looking deathly pale. At that, Juho was made certain that he wasn¡¯t joking.

    ¡°Should I call an ambnce?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m OK... for now.¡±

    Juho looked at the two talking candidly. There was not one bit of awkwardness in the air from the moment they first met. Being an editor, Nam Kyung excelled in interpersonal rtionships. On top of that, Susan was just as interesting.

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be sharing this moment with you, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Same here,¡± Susan said, cing her hand on the editor¡¯s, which was still shaking uncontrobly.

    ¡°Me too. Watching the ceremony on live TV at Kelley Coin¡¯s house? I¡¯m ttered.¡±

    At that moment, the crowd on TV exploded into apuse, and the three turned their eyes toward the screen at once.

 Chapter 244 - The Double Crown (5)

    <h4>Chapter 244: The Double Crown (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Huh. I read that book.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good read.¡±

    Juho looked at the screen. The authors who won the award in the short story category were running up to the stage from the dark. There were two winners sharing the prize, and both of them seemed to have paid close attention to their clothes. They were each dressed in a ck, one in a suit and the other in a dress. The female author received her trophy first, and with the consent of her co-recipient, she gave her speech. Looking deeply moved, she spoke clearly, facing the audience. Meanwhile, the ck trophy in her hand shone from the spotlight. She brought up the messages she had conveyed through her writing, as well as some of the realities she had faced while writing. At that moment, Juho felt a weight on his arm.

    ¡°This is it, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Next, was the full-length novel category. There had been five novels that had been nominated for that category, including ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Meanwhile, feeling Nam Kyung¡¯s hand tightly grasping his wrist, Juho felt just how nervous the editor was. It was ice-cold, and the young author was fully aware that his hands were just as cold. Then, afraid that the editor would catch on to his faster-than-usual pulse, Juho move Nam Kyung¡¯s hand off his wrist, chuckling.

    ¡°Breathe, Mr. Park,¡± the young author said. Nam Kyung tried to lookposed, but to no avail. Despite having taken no part in the book that had been nominated for the award, Nam Kyung was still on the edge of his seat. Having been reading Juho¡¯s writing in its rawest form, Nam Kyung was the strictest and most level-headed when it came to editing the young author¡¯s novels. Juho reminisced to his failures in his past life. He recalled Nam Kyung trying to talk him out of a decision that would lead him to tragedy, but Juho hadn¡¯t listened to him. As a result, their rtionship hade to an end.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯m getting all nervous,¡± Susan said, rubbing her hands together. She was enjoying the contagious thrill.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re gonna get that award, young man,¡± Susan said with her eyes fixed on the TV. The camera was showing the hall.

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±

    ¡°Because nobody there is as riveting as you are, aside from my son,¡± Susan said, and Juho smiled. Seeing his own writing on the screen was quite the fascinating experience. And now, after causing a ruckus, it was chasing after an award.

    ¡°This must be how parents feel, wishing that their child gets the award,¡± the young author said.

    ¡°Well, ain¡¯t that an interesting analogy,¡± Susan said,ughing, but she soon disagreed with him.

    ¡°How are they different?¡±

    ¡°How often do parents go up on stage on behalf of their kid? If their kid did well, then the award will go to the kid, and what the parents end up with is the gratitude of their kid, not their award.¡±

    At that, Juho nodded in agreement. Coin had mentioned his mother¡¯s name frequently in his speeches at award ceremonies.

    ¡°But books don¡¯t thank their creators. Books don¡¯t get awards because they don¡¯t do jack.¡±

    Then, thanking her parents in closing, the female author stepped down from the stage on the screen.

    ¡°The way I see it, my son¡¯s been getting those awards because he earned them himself.¡±

    ¡°Your love for your son is admirable.¡±

    Laughing heartily at the young author¡¯s remark, Susan said, ¡°So, stay on your toes a little. After all, one gets nervous when one expects something, like your editor next to you.¡±

    At that, Juho looked at Nam Kyung, whose legs were shaking uncontrobly still. He was genuinely hoping that Yun Woo would receive the award. Then, before Juho had time to say anything to him, the editor pointed toward the TV.

    ¡°All right, now, that brings us to the full-length category,¡± the presenter on TV said, holding an envelope that contained the name of the winner within it. The three fixed their eyes on the screen and watched the presenter open the envelope in his hand, slowly taking out the paper within it. Juho sped his hands together. They were cold and damp, telling him just how nervous he was with expectation for the award.

    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± a voice murmured from the side. At that moment, the presenter on the screen moved his lips for a split second, announcing the winner. At that, Nam Kyung jumped from his seat, and Susan threw both of her hands in the air. The audience was exploding into apuse, its loudness iparable to that directed toward the previous winner.

    ¡°Yun Woo! Congrattions! Oh, right. Also known as Won Yi Young!¡± the presenter added in a hurry, but it got buried by the apuding audience.

    At that moment, as Coin rose from his seat, a handful of the audience members let out a gasp in awe. Everyone there knew that the young author had set a new record in winning the two awards considered to be the highest honor in science fiction.

    Then, the camera focused on Coin going up to the stage, wearing a seemingly sulking look on his face. The apuse continued even as the presenter handed him the trophy and while Coin took a piece of paper out of his pocket. With both of his hands on his head, Nam Kyung was about to fall over backward, and Susan was getting a goodugh out of him. Meanwhile, Juho couldn¡¯t keep the corners of his mouth from turning up. Taking the hand that he had shared Nam Kyung¡¯s anxiety with, Juho covered his mouth and locked eyes with Coin on the screen.

    ¡°Mr. Woo!¡± Nam Kyung let out, charging toward the young author. His weight tipped the young author backward. Then, with his back on the floor, the young author burst intoughter at the sight of the ceiling.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Starry night,¡± the young author let out, looking up at the sky outside. Although it waste, he was wide awake. Juho recalled seeing only two stars in the sky when he¡¯d first asked Coin to be his representative. And now, the sky was full of them, more than he could count. Depending on where he was, the night sky also changed its appearance.

    Since news had gotten out that Yun Woo had won the Hugo Award, Juho and Nam Kyung were getting flooded with phone calls. Nam Kyung, in particr, had to answer call after call, all the while trying to calm himself down. Meanwhile, Susan took them to a restaurant in order to celebrate the young author¡¯s victory. Although it wasn¡¯t exactly close, their food turned out to be worth the drive.

    ¡°It¡¯s so t here,¡± the young author said as he looked around at the scenery. Although he had felt that way when he first arrived at Coin¡¯s house, the view waspletely different from Manhattan. Unlike downtown, which was filled with skyscrapers, famous brands, and pedestrians, there was nothing around the house but nd stretching endlessly into the horizon. Coin¡¯s house was built in the middle of nowhere. Juho recalled corn being the only thing he had seen on his car ride there. It was the countryside, and seeing the open field brought peace to the young author¡¯s heart. It made sense that Coin had decided to write there.

    After a little while, Juho saw a pair of lights approaching from the distance. A car wasing. The house was just about the only thing around in the area, which meant that it was highly likely that the car was headed for the house. Juho stood straight as the car approached the house at a dangerous speed, stopping shortly after.

    ¡°Coin,¡± the young author let out as the driver came out of the car. Coin, too, was looking in Juho¡¯s direction, looking as crabby as ever.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡±

    ¡°Because I can sleep when I want to.¡±

    It didn¡¯t sound quite like a conversation between a guest and the person who invited him to the States. Then, as if he was having a simr thought, Coin, too, snickered. After that, taking something out of the car, he threw it at Juho, and the young author caught it by reflex. It was a trophy.

    ¡°Did you have to throw it? It would¡¯ve shattered into pieces if I hadn¡¯t caught it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡±

    Long and shaped like a rocket, the trophy had some weight to it. After feeling it and tapping on it, he asked his representative, ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna congratte me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Of course.

    ¡°All right. I still have a ways to go until I get congrattions from Kelley Coin.¡±

    ¡°You should be showing off.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary for a person who actually has something to show off.¡±

    ¡°Why? Because you¡¯re Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong.¡±

    Then, after turning off the engine, Coin approached the young author.

    ¡°Can¡¯t sleep, huh?¡± he asked, looking around at the dark.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°You must be pretty excited,¡± Coin said, narrowing his eyes at the young author.

    To which, Juho answered honestly, ¡°It¡¯s the jeg.¡±

    ¡°Yeah right.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±

    Coin didn¡¯t believe him for a second. Then, seeing a smirk on his face, Juho remembered something he had seen on TV earlier that day.

    ¡°Seemed like you caused quite a ruckus at the ceremony.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    Then, Juho quoted his interview, which took ce after the ceremony, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m lesser than Yun Woo. In other words, the reason I couldn¡¯t get the Double Crown is solely on you people, who clearly haven¡¯t learned how to count.¡±

    Among the suspicions that had been following Coin, were also scandals rting to the ballot, which most people knew about.

    ¡°Seems like things are about to get noisy again.¡±

    ¡°When haven¡¯t they been?¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°You make it sound like it only applies to me.¡±

    Just as Coin had said, Yun Woo¡¯s decision to have Coin represent him at the ceremonies turned out to carry just as much noise.

    ¡°Do you have any idea how much of a hassle it was to answer all those questions about you?¡± Coin said, wearing a simr expression to the one he had had on the stage.

    ¡°I¡¯m never doing this again,¡± he said, just like Juho had expected he would. From the start, the young author didn¡¯t think that he would be able to ask him to do it again. On top of that, nobody else would be as daring as Juho to ask Kelley Coin to receive an award on their behalf.

    ¡°Well, I appreciate you trying. Although, I don¡¯t think I can ask you to do this again. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d break my trophies.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m sorry. Maybe I should¡¯ve snapped it in half on my way here.¡±

    As absurd as it sounded, it was more than possible for Coin to carry that out into action. And knowing that, Juho didn¡¯tment on it any further. Then, the two went into the house, and each went back to their rooms. That night, Juho couldn¡¯t get any sleep.

    When Juho went downstairs the next morning, he saw Susan on the couch, watching the TV with a cigarette in her mouth. Although it wasn¡¯t exactlyte, she seemed to have finished all the housework that she needed to do. Juho walked over to an antique-looking chair next to her and sat on it.

    ¡°Do you know that your son came homest night?¡±

    ¡°I saw his car.¡±

    ¡°He must¡¯ve driven into the night. What was the hurry?¡±

    ¡°There is none. He¡¯s just impatient,¡± Susan said, shaking her head subtly. Then, following her looked over his shoulders, Juho turned back and saw that Coin had alsoe downstairs.

    ¡°Kind of early for gossip, ain¡¯t it?¡± he said. Still wearing his pajamas, it seemed like he hadn¡¯t even washed his face yet. Despite havinge home well into the night, he had managed to wake up quite early. He, too, had to have quite the stamina.

    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Susan said, picking up a magazine from the stack on the table.

    ¡°I already ate. I made soup.¡±

    ¡°Is there bread?¡±

    ¡°I bought some hand-cured bacon, too.¡±

    Juho remained silent between their conversation. Then, he watched Coin go into the kitchen and take a frying pan out.

    ¡°Are you gonna cook?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± Coin said. As Coin took a couple of eggs out of the box, Juho stood next to him and asked, ¡°Are you gonna make me some, too?¡±

    Coin remained silent, and it wasn¡¯t clear what answer he was giving Juho. In order to confirm, Juho observed the space left and where the oil was on the the frying pan.

    ¡°There¡¯s one more aside from myself, don¡¯t forget.¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me to make breakfast for somebody who¡¯s not even awake yet?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go wake him up.¡±

    ¡°Well, hurry up. You wouldn¡¯t want it to get cold.¡±

    With that, Juho went upstairs. There were five rooms on the second floor. While two of them were facing each other, there was another room that was facing the stairway, which was Coin¡¯s bedroom that also served as his studio. Standing in front of the first room, Juho knocked on the door.

    ¡°Mr. Park?¡± Juho called to him, wondering if the knock was too subtle. Then, he heard a rustling sounding from the room. When Juho opened the door and went into the room, Nam Kyung was putting his sses on.

    ¡°Come get your breakfast. He says he might change his mind if we don¡¯te down in time.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t eat breakfast.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s made by Kelley Coin, himself, though. Would you still not eat it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ming.¡±

    Blinking his bloodshot eyes, Nam Kyung went into the bathroom, which was connected with the room. He was making quite a bit of noise washing his face. And as he came out shortly after with water dripping from his face, he looked at the young author, looking slightly more awake.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a dream, right? You winning the Hugo Award?¡±

    Perhaps he wasn¡¯t entirely awake, just yet.

 Chapter 245 - The Double Crown (6)

    <h4>Chapter 245: The Double Crown (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Upon being reminded by the young author that he had had his hands on the trophy that previous night, Nam Kyung¡¯s face lit up.

    ¡°I gotta see the trophy myself,¡± the editor said as he walked right past Juho. Then, while Nam Kyung was busy making a big fuss after seeing the trophy sitting haphazardly in Juho¡¯s carrier, the young author left him be and went downstairs.

    Coin was cooking the egg in bacon fat, which gave off an irresistible smell. Juho helped Coin by putting the soup into bowls until Nam Kyung came down. Seeing as though the young author was acting tactfully, Coin didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Man, I gotta say, Mr. Coin. You¡¯re a great cook!¡± Nam Kyungplimented the author with a cheerful expression on his face, unlike his normally rigid demeanor. Coin shrugged it off.

    ¡°All I did was panfry,¡± he said while cutting his bacon.

    ¡°Which is one of the foundational skills in cooking.¡±

    ¡°This is good bacon,¡± Juho chimed in, and instead of giving him an answer, Coin brought mashed potato up to his mouth. Meanwhile, looking unbothered, Nam Kyung chewed away at his food.

    ¡°What do you have going on today?¡± Juho asked the editor.

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± he answered.

    ¡°I wanted to look around a little.¡±

    Because of the location, Juho had to be apanied by someone else even if he wanted to go out alone because he had to rely on those with driver licenses. Meanwhile, with an ambiguous expression on his face, Nam Kyung said, ¡°I do have ns to visit a publishingpany in the afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Great. Do you think you can take me with you? You can just drop me off anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Without a guardian? I can¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really OK.¡±

    ¡°On the off chance that you get into some sort of ident, things will be much moreplicated. We might not have to deal with thenguage barrier, but might I remind you that we¡¯re in another country, Mr. Woo,¡± the editor said, clearly with no intention of letting the underaged author loose. Although Juho didn¡¯t have a problem being on his own, he also understood that Nam Kyung was justified in his attitude, especially as an editor. With that, Juho had to make due with going on walks around the house.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you,¡± Coin interjected. And sensing the puzzled look the guests were giving him, the author exined, ¡°I¡¯m the one who invited you here, so I should see it to the end.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna leave me in the middle of nowhere, are you?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡±

    Juho imagined Coin forcing him to get out of the car in the middle of nowhere, shouting, ¡°This is the end, kid!¡± By contrast, Nam Kyung was delighted by Coin¡¯s suggestions. Frankly, looking around the country while staying in Coin¡¯s house was an incredible luxury.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be counting on you,¡± Juho said as he finished his meal.

    Letting Susan know that he had enjoyed the soup, the young author went upstairs to his room, which was the second to the left from the stairs. The first room on the right was for Nam Kyung. As he was going into his room, Juho saw the tightly shut door to Coin¡¯s room. Although he briefly entertained the thought of taking a peek, he chose to prepare to go out instead of carrying it out.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that hat?¡±

    ¡°Is it weird?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll look right at home standing in the cornfield.¡±

    Because he had started showering when Juho when to get his hat from his room, it wasn¡¯t until muchter that Coin showed up, after the show Susan had been watching had ended. Juho was puzzled by why he had taken so long when he saw the author in his T-shirt, unshaved.

    Then, putting on his sunsses and hat, which looked like the type explorers would wear, he rushed the young author, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you cover yourself up a little more? What if people recognize you?¡±

    ¡°No need when I grow out a beard. This is how I usually dress. Must I make more adjustments to my lifestyle for you?¡±

    Juho looked at him. Although he was unmistakably Kelley Coin to Juho¡¯s eyes, Coin had already covered more than half of his face.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t those the same sunsses you were wearing in Korea?¡±

    ¡°You have a good memory,¡± Coin said as he started the engine. The car started moving without trouble. While his car was clean for the most part, the cup holder had vivid coffee stains on it. When Juho cracked the window open, he was greeted by the earthy scent in the air.

    ¡°This ce is massive,¡± Juho said. The entire area was t, even into the distant horizon. Having lived near the mountains all of his life, it was quite an unusual sight.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It sure is,¡± Juho said in response to Coin¡¯s confident remark. It was a nice ce indeed. Peeking his head out the window, the young author looked back at the house as it grew farther away into the distance. The white building reflected bright lights, enough to make his neighborsin to him about it. If he had had any, that is. Built in the middle of nowhere on nd, the house looked more steadfast than lonely.

    ¡°What you lookin¡¯ at?¡±

    ¡°You know, that house looks a lot better from afar.¡±

    Instead of looking back while driving, Coin revisited his memory of the appearance of his house.

    ¡°My house looks beautiful, no matter from where you look at it.¡±

    ¡°Right. Your house is known for its interior,¡± Juho said, remembering an article about the beautiful interior of the infamous author¡¯s house. ¡°I heard you had somebody you met during an interview do the interior of your house. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You know your facts.¡±

    ¡°I also heard that he¡¯s one of your only friends.¡±

    At that moment, as the car shook violently, and Juho immediately closed his mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s a professional rtionship.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha.¡±

    From then on, they remained quiet for a while. Then, by the time a corn ntation appeared in view, Juho opened his mouth again and said, ¡°Where are we going again?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing but corn around here, so I¡¯m taking us downtown. They have some stores and restaurants there, at least. Well, I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s gonna be anything to do for a kid like you. Maybe a basketball court?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been to the restaurant, though.¡±

    At the mention of the restaurant, which Susan had taken Juho and Nam Kyung to, Coin nodded his head. Then, he raised one of his fingers on the hand with which he was holding the steering wheel.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a drive, but there¡¯s a state park with ake beach a little farther out. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a flea market happening right about now. The beach is perfect to walk around in. The only thing is that it gets way too packed since there are more things to look at in that area.¡±

    Then, Coin raised another one of his fingers.

    ¡°There¡¯s also a small neighborhood park nearby, but there¡¯s nothing there that¡¯s worth the time. They don¡¯t even have an art center, let alone a gift shop. On the other hand, that also means there are less people there. There¡¯s a decent spot in the park under a willow tree. It is well maintained, so you¡¯ll see people taking wedding photos there every now and then. So, what¡¯s it gonna be?¡±

    After some contemtion, Juho answered, ¡°Somewhere quiet.¡±

    Without saying anything, Coin jerked the steering wheel.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Havin¡¯ a long day, hon?¡±

    The journalist opened his eyes at the sound of the voice asking him a question. When he turned toward it, he saw a lovely face looking in his direction. He had been working on an article until the day before, and work had been getting increasingly busier, as it tended to be around that time of year.

    ¡°Something crazy happened this year, which means things will be even busier for me.¡±

    At that, his wife brushed her hand across his face.

    ¡°Maybe we should¡¯ve waited a little longer.¡±

    ¡°No, no. I can¡¯t just think about myself, you know? There¡¯s nothing more important in my life than you.¡±

    ¡°In that case, should we just leave for our honeymoon this instant?¡± At that, the husband quietly begged for her forgiveness. To which, she smiled and brought up what had made his schedule so hectic, ¡°It¡¯s because of what happened with Yun Woo, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°I get a lot of clients who are Yun Woo fans, so I talk about him a lot.¡±

    Being a yoga instructor, there were definitely moments when she would talk candidly with her students. In her ss, Yun Woo had been the hottest topic, and the husband thought that made a lot of sense.

    ¡°The ck Book was incredible. Do you know which one I¡¯m talking about? ¡®Sublimation?¡¯ I got curious, so I ordered his other books, too,¡± she said, and he nodded. Yun Woo had been active across various styles, like pure literature and genre novels.

    ¡°He might be young, but he¡¯s versatile.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever seen him in person?¡±

    The journalist chuckled at her childlike question.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what he looks like. The people we send to Korea have beening back empty-handed.¡±

    The journalist remembered his visit to Fernand Publishing. He hadn¡¯t been able to get a single piece of information out of its senior editor, known for the pungent cologne he wore.

    ¡°Man, if only I could find out,¡± he let out with a sigh. He was curious about the identity of the mysterious author, Yun Woo.

    ¡®What does he look like when he writes?¡¯ he wondered. Unfortunately, the only thing he knew about the young author was his voice giving brief answers to questions during Kelley Coin¡¯s interview.

    ¡°He¡¯s still young. He should be protected.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± he said affirmingly, but he wasn¡¯t being entirely genuine. Yun Woo might be underage, and he definitely needed to be protected from the press, but he was a world-ss author. ¡®In that case, it wouldn¡¯t be an issue even if I were to know, as long as I kept it to myself.¡¯

    Then, as if she had read his thoughts, his wife whispered to his ear, ¡°If you find anything out, though, you let me know, all right?¡±

    Though he felt pricked in the heart, he acted candidly and said, ¡°Of course. I couldn¡¯t possibly keep secrets from you.¡±

    With that, the two kissed each other. At that moment, the car came to a stop, and the cameraman, who was driving, looked toward them and said, ¡°We¡¯re here. Get outta here, ya lovebirds.¡±

    The journalist got out of the car, holding the hand of his bride-to-be wearing a white dress.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Whoa! This is actually kind of big,¡± Juho murmured, looking up at the willow tree before his eyes. Meanwhile, instead of giving him an answer, Coin, who had been standing next to Juho with a paper cup filled with coffee, sat under the tree. He didn¡¯t seem to mind his pants getting dirty, and Juho was quite familiar with his demeanor.

    ¡°Youe here often?¡±

    ¡°asionally. It¡¯s a good spot to rest my mind.¡±

    Juho observed the small pond in front of him. Thendscape carried a western feel. With the bridge in the center, there were symmetrical sceneries to either side of it. The park was, aesthetically speaking, quite beautiful. Streams of water were springing up from the pond with angled corners, which was surrounded by various nts. It wasn¡¯t clear if the trees were of species that didn¡¯t have budding flowers, or if they were simply not in the proper season, but it was green throughout the entire park. Unlike how Coin had described it, the park was more than big enough for Juho.

    ¡°It¡¯s peaceful here,¡± the young author let out. Then, he walked over to the pond and looked into the water. It didn¡¯t seem like there were any fish, or ducks for that matter. There was only grass and pebbles, and because they couldn¡¯t move on their own, the pond waspletely still, as if time had stopped ticking. Nevertheless, it was romantic, and it made sense that people chose to take their wedding photos at the park.

    ¡°So, there¡¯s this author I know. She lives in the mountains.¡±

    ¡°In the mountains?¡±

    ¡°Yes, mountains. She built a studio in the middle of nowhere.¡±

    Coin pulled his sunsses up above his head. Meanwhile, his hat was already rolling around in the grass.

    ¡°The way to her house kind of looks simr to this ce.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Coin asked, focusing on what he wanted to know.

    ¡°San Jung Youn. She won an international award in Italy, I believe. Do you know her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the name,¡± Coin said, which made Juho certain that he had read her book. Then, after looking at the charming sight of the willow tree from the pond, Juho joined Coin in the shade.

    ¡°Can you take that thing off?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why people hate this hat so much. I just don¡¯t get it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s tacky as hell. It hurts my eyes when I look at it and it¡¯s annoying me.¡±

    Although Juho didn¡¯t necessarily agree with him, the young author decided to practice some flexibility and take the hat off. The breeze blowing through his hair felt quite refreshing. Juho brushed his hair back, watching the pond rippling in the wind. It almost looked like an omen of sorts.

    ¡°You happy?¡± Coin threw the question at the young author out of the blue.

 Chapter 246 - The Double Crown (7)

    <h4>Chapter 246: The Double Crown (7)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Coin asked the young author a question out of the blue. After thinking about where he might being from, he answered while fiddling with his red hat in his hand, ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°What do you think? Getting the Double Crown.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I am. It¡¯s the highest honor an author can receive.¡±

    It was needless to say that the young author was happy. There was no reason not to be. The Double Crown was one of the few honors an author could experience. Juho had written even after having lost his house, wealth, health, and eventually, his life. In the end, he had been rewarded with insurmountable joy.

    ¡°A genius,¡± Coin said. ¡°First Asian, Korean and the youngest winner of the two most prestigious literary awards,¡± he added, and Juho looked toward him. Coin was looking at him like he was testing him.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the titles?¡±

    ¡°You like ¡¯em?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have control over what people call me.¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my question.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I gotta admit, it doesn¡¯t feel half bad hearing it from Kelley Coin himself.¡±

    ¡°Smartass,¡± Coin let out, and Juhoughed by reflex.

    ¡°What makes you think that, though? Genius is a good word,¡± the young author said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t y coy with me now. What you¡¯re saying might be true elsewhere, but not in this field. If you didn¡¯t know that, you¡¯d be on cloud nine still.¡±

    Juho looked at the water trickling down into the pond. There was nothing weird about a stream of water falling from a height. It was simply returning to where it belonged, just like how it was unnatural for humans to fly.

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Juho admitted. He wasn¡¯t fond of the fact that the water trickled downward. ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of the word,¡± he said in a calm tone of voice. Juho¡¯s face wasn¡¯t visible from where Coin was. Then, Juho heard him standing up.

    ¡°And what¡¯s your reason?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it too much for way too long.¡±

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°Very long, long enough that thinking about just how much I¡¯ve heard people call me a genius makes me gag.¡±

    The young author was not satisfied with the title. He had fallen despite having been called a genius by people, and people were still calling him by the same title to that day. It brought Juho a sense of crisis and it forced him to write, making him kick desperately in order to stay above water.

    ¡°I won those awards because I¡¯m alive, and to live is to fight. I stood my ground with everything I had, and I won.¡±

    ¡°The victory belongs to those who survive.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    He had survived. When he breathed in, he smelled the water in the air. To write was to repeat that process over and over.

    ¡°There is no talent in surviving,¡± Juho said. It was with the help of countless people that he had gotten to where he was currently.

    ¡°¡®Genius¡¯ isn¡¯t enough. I don¡¯t find it satisfying. I¡¯d much prefer something even bigger, shinier and more embellished.¡±

    Then, a burst of heartyughter came from behind, and Juho turned his head to look toward Coin in order to catch the moment. Coin was bending down while holding his sides. It was a rare sight.

    ¡°I knew it. Pure, huh? You want more people to agree with you and recognize you. You want every person in this world to read your writing.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t deny it since he knew those very desires were hidden deep within him.

    ¡°You¡¯re the same, aren¡¯t you?¡± he asked. Coin had published about two-hundred forty pieces of writing in different genres, and his study was filled with even more pieces that were yet toe out to the world. He was rugged and blunt, and Juho already knew what his answer was going to be.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Coin said. Then, narrowing his eyes, he looked at the young author. ¡°You know, you tend to act like an old man who¡¯s pretending to live his second life.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Juho asked, trying to remain calm while feeling pricked in the heart. Then, as he waited for Coin¡¯s answer, Juho heard a group of people approaching in the distance. The two authors looked toward them, and soon, the group came up to the stone bridge. All were dressed formally, and one was in a white dress and another in a tuxedo.

    ¡°Wedding photos.¡±

    The white dress of the bride was, by far, the most captivating. The bride was smiling brightly. Juho took a step forward in order to get a better look. As he got out of the shade, the Sun beat down on him. As Juho covered his eyes, the bride in the white dress looked in the young author¡¯s direction. Then, confirming that there were other people in the park, she looked away. The shutter sounded off, and they seemed like they had already had a number of photo sessions in other parks prior to that. As the bride and the groom switched ces, the groom became more visible. At that moment, the bride whispered something into his ears, and the groom looked in the direction of the two authors.

    ¡°Uh-oh.¡±

    At that moment, a shadow cast over Juho as Coin stood in front of him. When Juho looked up at him, puzzled, he was wearing his sunsses.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Put that hat back on.¡±

    ¡°But you hated it.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a journalist.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Juho let out by reflex as he put the hat back on. Meanwhile, Coin¡¯s brows furrowed with annoyance. ¡°He¡¯sing toward us. I think he recognized you.¡±

    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I think he did. So much for the beard.¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not in trouble, are we?¡±

    ¡°What can a journalist in a tuxedo do without a camera? He¡¯sing,¡± Coin said quietly. Unlike the things he was saying, he was speaking quite fast. Then, he put his hands into his pocket, looking defensive. Meanwhile, Juho remained standing candidly next to him.

    ¡°Kelley Coin! I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you here.¡±

    ¡°Have we met?¡±

    ¡°Oh, shoot. Where are my manners? Pardon me,¡± the man in the tuxedo said, looking through the inner pocket of his jacket by habit. Then, realizing that he wasn¡¯t in his usual attire, he reached for the back pockets of his pants and took a slightly crumpled up business card out of his wallet. There was a logo of a famous magazine on it, which Juho also recognized. It was a magazine that introduced books that were published by Fernand, and Coin, too, had published quite an array of works through thepany.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re in the middle of a photo session.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m on the other side of the camera for once.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let you get back to your business, then.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re taking a break. And don¡¯t worry. I have no intention of interviewing you.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s another reason you should be on your way.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. Bear with me, would ya?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t clear if he was simply oblivious or if he was merely pretending, but despite the apparent look of displeasure on the author¡¯s face, the journalist didn¡¯t seem like he was going to walk away anytime soon. He kept trying to strike up a conversation with Coin in a friendly manner, saying how he knew that he lived nearby and asking if he came to the park often and raving about how beautiful of a park it was. As the exposition went on, Coin grew increasingly annoyed, and Juho started to naturally walk away from them.

    ¡°Speaking of which, who¡¯s your friend? I love his hat.¡±

    As the journalist brought attention to the young author, Coin answered in a hurry, ¡°I don¡¯t know him. Just some local kid who¡¯s been pestering me, like you. Actually, this is perfect. Why don¡¯t you try talkin¡¯ to him instead, and you can let me go?¡±

    ¡®What¡¯s he up to? Is he genuinely annoyed and trying to get himself out of the situation, or does he have some sort of n?¡¯ Juho wondered, pulling his hat down as he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the situation.

    ¡°Hey!¡± the journalist greeted him in a friendly manner, and instead of greeting him back, Juho responded with a subtle nod.

    ¡°Did you know he was famous?¡± the man in the tuxedo asked, pointing at Coin, and after some contemtion, Juho answered, ¡°He¡¯s written some books, hasn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Haha! That¡¯s right!¡±

    As Coin looked down at the young author quietly, Juho resisted his piercing re and pressed on with the conversation.

    ¡°So, I saw a street performance recently. It was of a story that takes ce in the UK, and the actor who yed the king was wearing a red hat that looked just like yours.¡±

    ¡°You mean a crown?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Was it really that simr to my hat?¡±

    ¡°Very.¡±

    Juho lowered his eyes slightly. The journalist was sounding the young author out. Kelley Coin and an Asian boy. It painted too clear of a picture for it to be a coincidence. ¡®I wonder what he made of the conversation I was having with Coin earlier,¡¯ Juho wondered. Then, pretending not to know, Juho kept on, ¡°Was the performance any good?¡±

    ¡°I guess so? It was all right. Although, I can¡¯t say the same for the costumes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s hriousing from a man in a tuxedo.¡±

    ¡°Oops. I forgot I was wearing one,¡± the journalist said. Then, he sighed quietly as if he was about to give up on something. ¡°I loved your speech at the Hugo Award Ceremony.¡±

    ¡®Does he know?¡¯ the young author asked himself, looking up slowly. The journalist was looking toward Coin. An unfounded belief didn¡¯t have much use. On top of that, the man didn¡¯t even have a camera, let alone a recording device. As Juho remained silent, Coin said in a calm tone, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Yun Woo when you see him?¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure. Here¡¯s the thing, though. Will I ever see him?¡±

    ¡°Why ask me?¡±

    ¡°No reason. Call it a lingering attachment,¡± the man in the tuxedo said. He had to turn back although it was probable that the boy in the red hat was Yun Woo. That day, he would have to be on the opposite side of the camera from the one he was normally on. On top of that, the bride was waiting for him.

    ¡°Hey, you in the red hat.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Show me what you look like next time, will ya?¡±

    Juho gave no answer. Then, saying a brief goodbye to Coin, the journalist crossed the stone bridge.

    ¡°He clearly underestimated my fame.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get outta here.¡±

    With that, the two authors left the park in a hurry. Later, when the man returned to the same spot as a journalist, there was nobody there.

    ¡ª

    The journalist was at his bachelor¡¯s party. Despite the name, it was closer to a get-together between friends. Although the man of the hour showed up nearly an hourte, his groomsmen had already started enjoying themselves without him. Some of his closest friends hade together, from the friends he had made after he became a journalist to friends from school.

    ¡°So, anything fun?¡± one of his friends asked, one who dug up information in politics for a living. Pushing him aside, the groom took a swig of liquor in order to soothe the lingering attachment in his heart, which bothered him quite a bit. ¡®I should¡¯ve been direct and just ask. Maybe I should¡¯ve been audacious and just taken his hat off,¡± he thought to himself. Even the thought that the boy might have been Yun Woo made his hands shake. Although that would have been as pretentious as he could have gotten, he didn¡¯t even dare to think about getting his hands on the boy¡¯s hat.

    ¡°It was probably a coincidence,¡± his friend let out. Then, the groom was struck by a sudden realization.

    ¡°What was!?¡±

    ¡°Yo, get off me!¡±

    The boy had to be Yun Woo. An Asian boy who was apanying Coin, speaking fluent English in a simr voice to the one he had heard in the interview. It wasn¡¯t umon to see an Asian child speaking fluent English, and unfortunately, the journalist didn¡¯t have the ear for voices. It might have been exactly like Coin had said, ¡°Just some local kid.¡± Although there was not a single piece of evidence, the journalist couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that the boy could¡¯ve been Yun Woo. His heart started beating faster, and as the alcohol entered his body, his emotions became more intense. He had spoken with Yun Woo in person. The young author had been right before his eyes.

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    If the journalist hadn¡¯t been in his tuxedo, he wouldn¡¯t have thought twice about interviewing him, which would¡¯ve given him enough to write a myriad of articles. Although his wife-to-beforted him, telling him that he had made the right decision, the journalist felt a desperate need to get drunk.

    ¡°You listenin¡¯? What¡¯s a coincidence?¡± his friend asked relentlessly, pestering him.

    The next day, when the journalist woke up with a terrible hangover, the world was flipped upside down with the news of the boy wearing a red hat.

    ¡°Yun Woo Was in the States. Asian Boy in Red Hat Spotted?¡± he read the short sentence out loud. He felt nauseated and, needless to say, he couldn¡¯t remember a thing. However, one thing was certain: he had done something unbing.

 Chapter 247 - The Double Crown (8)

    <h4>Chapter 247: The Double Crown (8)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Can I see it?¡± Juho asked while drinking tea with Coin. Neither Susan nor Nam Kyung were around.

    ¡°See what?¡± he asked, looking up from the book he had been reading.

    ¡°Your studio.¡±

    It was a peaceful afternoon with all the electronics switched off. Juho closed the philosophy book in his hand, which he had borrowed from the study on the first floor. The vocabry in a philosophy book written by an actual philosopher tended to be quite different from the norm. If anything, it was closer to being anothernguage. Philosophy was one of the characteristics of a country, and one needed to be taught to understand itsnguage because of the widely perceived notion that it was difficult to understand. Fortunately, just like anything else in this world, it was possible to get used to it, and once one got used to it, it became more fun: To peek into the worries of a proud intellect, while resonating with them as a fellow human, and the intellectual joy that came with understanding thenguage.

    ¡°What gave you that idea?¡±

    ¡°It just urred to me while I was reading this.¡±

    After reading the book, Juho became curious about Coin¡¯s studio. It would be absurd not to see his writing space when he had flown all the way from another country. Then, wearing a brusque expression on his face, Coin rose from his seat and said, ¡°Come.¡±

    At that, Juho followed him with a mug in his hand. Within the scenery he had gotten used to seeing, was a door that had always remained tightly shut. Then, as Coin cracked the door open, the first thought Juho was struck by was:

    ¡°It¡¯s messy.¡±

    There were paper cups and mugs spread throughout the room, most likely filled with coffee. The walls were surrounded by bookshelves containing his books and research data. There was also a metal desk facing the window, and there were stacks of papers jumbled in no particr order. A lot of Coin¡¯s writing was also visible, and it dawned on Juho that the author had an atrocious handwriting, probably from being half asleep or drunk with caffeine. His letters were rugged and sharp, like their creator.

    ¡°Because I¡¯ve been writing up until recently.¡±

    ¡°Do you need help cleaning?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± he said, waving his hand as if scaring off a fly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to keep your trophies here.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not enough room.¡±

    Considering the number of trophies and the cash prizes he had won thus far, what Coin was saying made sense. There would be more than enough to fill every inch of his room.

    ¡°It kind of feels like an attic, too. Maybe the wooden walls got something to do with it.¡±

    ¡°Bah, I don¡¯t care,¡± Coin said indifferently. Although it was a big room, Juho was getting the impression that everything was close to each other. While he was looking around, Coin sat on his bed, drinking his coffee. Then, Juho walked over to his desk.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing here I shouldn¡¯t look at, right?¡±

    ¡°I know how to take care of my data.¡±

    Juho felt the words ¡®I don¡¯t think you can say the same about your room, though,¡¯ welling up to his throat, but he chose to swallow them instead. Looking through sentences arranged in a context that only Coin would know, Juho moved on to the medical and legal data.

    ¡°A lot of technical stuff here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are even some you wouldn¡¯t be able to understand.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    There was not a single writtennguage the young author couldn¡¯t read. Dted Cardiomyopathy. Batista Operation. Ineffective Tissue Perfusion. Escharotomy.

    ¡°Quite an array of data you have, here. It didn¡¯t end up in your books, did it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. It got left out,¡± Coin said, looking intently at the young author. ¡°Yournguage skill developed in the most obscure ces. You were reading a dense philosophy book earlier without trouble, and I know for a fact that one needs to be taught how to read those.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of author it takes to write a novel like ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Your self-esteem is just through the roof after getting those awards, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    At that, Juho gave Coin an evasive answer, saying that he had experience researching for his novel as well. Then, after taking a swig of the coffee in his hand, Coin said, ¡°I didn¡¯t see any medical things in the ck Book.¡±

    ¡°The ck Book? You mean ¡®Sublimation?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s an honor to hear that you¡¯ve read it.¡±

    Then, Coin brought his mug up to his mouth again.

    ¡°What was with that ridiculous writing? That ending bothered the hell out of me. I hated it,¡± Coin said harshly, but the young author shrugged it off.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I went through hell toe up with that ending.¡±

    At that moment, an explosive sound came from the hallway instead of an answer. When Juho nced over in that direction, he saw that the mug, which had been in Coin¡¯s hand up to a moment ago, shattered in two pieces.

    ¡°... Uh...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry. I just can¡¯t help myself whenever I think about that ending. I have to throw something.¡±

    ¡°... Are you expecting me to do something for you?¡±

    ¡°Just stay where you are,¡± Coin said, taking a newspaper out of a corner of his room. Then, violently ripping it in half, he added, ¡°You just wait. My current work-in-progress will be far superior to that absurd ending of yours.¡±

    At that, Juho slowly raised his hand and scratched his cheek. It was a favor that the young author simply couldn¡¯t grant, unfortunately.

    ¡°You seem confident about it.¡±

    ¡°That goes without saying.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like you, all right. The thing is, if what you¡¯re saying is true, then it makes me wonder how convincing you can be when you¡¯re asking me about my ¡®ridiculous writing.¡¯ If your novel is going to be far superior to mine, but you can¡¯t understand my ending, then how convincing could that be?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s is such a thing as a tolerable level of trainwreck. Anything beyond that makes the writing ambiguous and convoluted. Just listen to the people who read the ck Book, saying stupid things like the Eighth Wonder of the World.¡±

    Unfortunately, the words that wereing out Coin¡¯s mouth weren¡¯t that far off from the words of those who called the ending of ¡®Sublimation¡¯ the Eighth Wonder of the World. Instead of bringing it up, the young author smiled.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being a little harsh, though? It did turn out pretty good in the end, so why don¡¯t you go easy on this young author and congratte him on a job well done?¡± Juho said light-heartedly.

    To which, Coin snorted and said, ¡°There is no such thing as rank here, in the literary world. There is no difference whether you¡¯re in second or tenth ce. But I¡¯ll tell you what there is. Subjective opinions and discouragement. Do you have any idea how many greenhorns are out there, discouraged, void of confidence after reading your book?¡±

    Juho was all too well-acquainted with the discouragement that came with the realization that he was inferior to others. He had gone through it way too many times in the past.

    ¡°Let me show you the manuscript,¡± Coin said, cing the shattered pieces of his mug on the newspaper. He was crouching, like an ember that was ready to burn up at any given minute.

    ¡°All right,¡± Juho answered quietly, remembering the manuscript that he had revised on the ne ride to the States. It was a frame story.

    ¡°Would you like to read mine and keep yourself upied in the meantime?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see it.¡±

    Just like that, the two authors exchanged their manuscripts with each other. While Juho read through Coin¡¯s manuscript on his desk, Coin read through Juho¡¯s lying on his bed, flipping through it abrasively. They didn¡¯t talk to each other. While Coin sipped on the new cup of coffee he had brought to the room, Juho changed his posture while reading. Although they were simr in length, their contents werepletely different. The message they conveyed, the stories, characters and writing styles. It was a difficult piece topare his writing to, so Juho decided to focus on reading instead of lingering in thought. Four hours had passed by the time the two authors had finished reading the manuscripts. There was a long silence. Then, as Juho flipped to the front page of the manuscript he had been reading, Coin did the same.

    ¡°Good stuff.¡±

    ¡°Not bad.¡±

    They said simultaneously. Their words may have sounded different, but they were essentially the same in meaning. Juho put the manuscript down. Nobody was discouraged. If anything, something told the young author that they had both tapped into heightened emotions. ¡®Does that mean I¡¯m not below him, at least?¡¯ Juho asked himself, hoping it was true.

    Then, they heard somebodying into the house downstairs. After wondering about the first floor for a little while, the person came up the stairs shortly after. Because of the room¡¯s location, it was easy to identify who wasing up. It was Nam Kyung. Upon seeing the two authors together, he stopped in his tracks and slowly walked toward them, trying to grasp the situation.

    ¡°I came with Susan. I¡¯m not interrupting, am I?¡±

    ¡°No. I was just showing him around,¡± Coin said and left the room shortly after. As Juho followed the author out of the room, Nam Kyung poked at his side as he moved aside to let the young author through.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in a little bit.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget.¡±

    Later that day, Nam Kyung couldn¡¯t have been more excited after hearing Juho¡¯s story.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Trapped.¡±

    Havinge up to his room after dinner, Coin was staring up at the ceiling while lying on his bed. There was a bunch of crumpled up manuscripts in his hand. An image of a picture came to mind, but it wasn¡¯t necessarily because of Juho¡¯s new frame story. A trapped image was proving to be an effective tool when it came to portraying the foolish tendency humans had of staying in one ce for their entire lives. Coin looked at the camera on his desk along with his research data.

    After reading Juho¡¯s manuscript, the experience of holding a camera had turned into somethingpletely different, and Coin found the influence to be undesirable. Then, in order to put the camera away, Coin got out of bed. While he looked around his room with the camera in his hand, he noticed amotioning from downstairs. When he went down the stairs, he saw his mother standing by the door, looking disgruntled.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Reporters.¡±

    ¡°Reporters?¡±

    Standing in front of Susan, he looked out the door through the crack. There were quite a few reporters crowding the doorway. At that moment, he was struck with the realization that it had something to do with the young author. ¡®That punk,¡¯ he thought to himself. As he opened the door angrily, the reporters came flooding through.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°We heard that Yun Woo was staying with you,¡± one of the reporters said, followed by a series of voices speaking over each other. Then, annoyed, Coin took the camera and took a picture of them. The sh took the unweed guests by surprise, as if they weren¡¯t used to getting a picture taken of them, an irony of their upational habit of bringing their cameras up to their eyes before asking questions.

    ¡°You all came at the perfect time. I¡¯m suing the hell out of each and every one of you. Mom, call the cops.¡±

    ¡°Way ahead of ya.¡±

    ¡°Is it true that you¡¯re currently with Yun Woo?¡±

    At that moment, as a slower-to-catch-on reporter asked a question, Coin took yet another picture.

    ¡°He¡¯s not here, damn it.¡±

    ¡°We had some leads that he¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°And you must¡¯ve missed what I said just now. I¡¯m suing all of you. You¡¯re screwed,¡± Coin said and took a step forward toward the reporter. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you¡¯re from, but something tells me that yourpany isn¡¯t well off enough to put themselves through a mud fight just to save your ass. If you¡¯re here to interview me, that already goes to show how disposable you are to them.¡±

    As the reporter remained silent, the author took yet another picture of his face.

    ¡°But don¡¯t you worry. I¡¯m a generous man. I¡¯ll sue your whole damnpany.¡±

    At that moment, sirens sounded off in the distance. Recognizing that the cops had arrived, Coin closed the door and walked back in. While Susan was watching the TV and eating popcorn, Coin sat on the chair next to her. The two being the only people in there, the house was quiet.

    ¡°About damn time,¡± Susan said sarcastically. It was clear who Coin took after.

    ¡°Seriously. Yun Woo left ages ago,¡± he said as he took some popcorn from his mother. Yun Woo had already left, and he had to be flying back to Korea by now. Then, bringing his phone out, Coin checked for an update. Yun Woo had definitely been in the States. ¡°Boy in Red Hat Spotted.¡±

    ¡°Ugh. Couldn¡¯t they take it elsewhere??¡± Susan grumbled, raising the volume on the TV. It was a peaceful day.

    ¡®Yun Won in the States? Was He at Worldcon? Confirmation in Progress with Broadcasting Stations.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo Finally Reveals Himself. A Man of Asian Decent Caught On Camera. Confirmed to be Yun Woo.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo Caught On Camera? The Man Reported Being Chinese American. ¡°I¡¯m not Yun Woo.¡±¡®

    ¡®Yun Woo Was with Kelley Coin All Along? He¡¯s Everywhere! Foreign Reporters Return Home Empty-Handed.¡¯

    ¡®Presses in Desperate Search for Yun Woo Criticized by Fans.¡¯

    ¡®The Reporters at Coin¡¯s Residence Reported being Driven Out without an Answer.¡¯

    ¡®The Young Author Flooded with Congrattory Messages. Yun Woo Puts on Both Crowns. Will He Be Able to Handle It?¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo, the Boy in Red Hat? Theory on the Asian Boy Who Is Reported To Have Been with Kelley Coin? Where¡¯s the Evidence? Yun Woo Disappears into Thin Air.¡¯

    ¡®Where Is the Champion? Gone with the Wind.¡¯

    ¡®¡±Yun Woo Is an Amazing Writer¡± Bing an Inarguable Truth? What Are Some of the Rumors Surrounding the Young Author?¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Language Skill as Showcased in ¡°Language of God.¡± His Writing Is, Simply Put, a Language of God.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo, the Readers¡¯ Choice. Humiliated by the First Asian Winner? What¡¯s the Significance? The Ratio of American Hugo Winners.¡¯

    ¡®The Dispute that Brought Yun Woo to His Present Glory. ¡°We Knew He Had What It Took, All Along.¡± His Aplishments Outside of the Alias Yun Woo.¡¯

 Chapter 248 - Who is Yun Woo? (1)

    <h4>Chapter 248: Who is Yun Woo? (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Seems like we¡¯ve made quite the noise during our trip,¡± Nam Kyung said while looking at the articles. The news had gotten out that Yun Woo and his editor-in-charge had been in the States. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t until they were on their ne ride back to Korea that the news really started to spread. The scenery out the window was telling them that they were flying over Korean soil, and the ne was about tond at any given minute. Meanwhile, Nam Kyung was chuckling while reading the articles written in English.

    ¡°Look at this,¡± he said, showing one of them to the young author.

    Then, after ncing at it, Juho said, ¡°Why would I read that article?¡±

    ¡°To see just how popr you are.¡±

    ¡°And what good would that do me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know. Help you think about your figure and all.¡± Then, fond of the words that hade out of him on a whim, the editor kept on, ¡°The single most important thing in importing a book is whether or not it will sell. In that case, what do you think would be the most efficient way to pick out a book that would sell?¡±

    ¡°Going with a book that¡¯s already famous.¡±

    ¡°Man, you¡¯ve always been quick to catch on! That¡¯s exactly it. It¡¯s rare that a book gets pushed out of the bestsellers¡¯ list once it reaches it. Of course, there are different ways by which a book bes known, and winning a prominent award is definitely one of them. Even Korea has been importing a bunch of science fiction literature that was nominated for some literary awards.¡±

    Then, leaning back on his seat, Juho said, ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re saying that my books have finally met that standard.¡±

    ¡°Many times over. Your name carries power now. Yun Woo literature.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to think of that,¡± the young author said in an even tone of voice, and while Nam Kyung looked at him, Juho thought, ¡®When power grows, incidents are bound to happen. No matter how much anybody discusses the name Yun Woo, there¡¯s no way they can predict what¡¯s going to happen in the future.¡¯ Then, telling Nam Kyung to stop looking at the articles, Juho pulled out a picture he had been holding in his hand.

    ¡°Look at this picture. It came out well, didn¡¯t it?¡± It was a picture of himself and Coin standing in front of his house. Taking the picture from the young author¡¯s hand, Nam Kyung looked around to make sure that no one was nearby and started looking at the picture in peace. While one person was calm and peaceful, the other was edgy and sharp. Their characteristics were being reflected explicitly. Surprisingly, Coin had been the one to suggest that they take a picture before Yun Woo and Nam Kyung headed for the airport.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he read your writing?¡± he said, and the young author shrugged it off.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just for research.¡±

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Juho said and looked out the window. The ne had safely brought the young author and his editor-in-charge back home. From then on, upon arriving home, Juho copsed on his bed and fell sound asleep.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hows was the trip?¡± Seo Kwang¡¯s mother asked. Having been excused from school until the following day, Juho came out for a walk and ended going as far as Seo Kwang¡¯s parents¡¯ store. Because Seo Kwang had told him ahead of time that he was nning on ditching thete night study session ande straight to the store, Juho decided to wait for him there. Upon seeing him, Seo Kwang¡¯s mother greeted the young author dly. She, too, had been aware that Juho had gone to the US recently.

    ¡°It was great.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. You should be going around while you¡¯re still young,¡± she said. She didn¡¯t seem to have a negative perspective toward traveling despite the fact that he looked like a run-of-the-mill high school junior.

    ¡°Maybe I should go on a trip, too,¡± she said, giving serious thought to the idea. ¡°Well, Seo Kwang should be here any minute now, so eat something while you wait. Oh, feel free to read anything you want.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Juho looked at the books on the shelves. His ck Book was being disyed in the most visible spot in the store. As the young author walked toward it, he stopped in front of the promotional banner when he saw the words ¡®Neb Winner.¡¯ There was yet to be mention of the Hugo Award. Nevertheless, his books had to be selling at a rate higher than ever.

    He saw a customer reading while sitting at a table. She, too, had a copy of the ck Book in her hands. Then, after picking up his book for no apparent reason, he put it back down and picked up a book from the stack next to it, which was of copies of the book written by Yun Seo. Then, sitting where he normally sat, he read in peace, all the while enjoying himself a cup of tea.

    At that moment, the bell attached to the door rang noisily. When Juho looked up, wondering if it was Seo Kwang, it turned out to be another customer, who soon walked toward the window.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± she said, tapping the woman who had been reading at the desk on the back of her head. Then, looking away from her book, the woman poked her friend in her belly and said, ¡°OK, all right.¡±

    ¡®They seem close,¡¯ Juho thought and redirected his attention to the book he was reading. However, he couldn¡¯t help himself but take interest in their conversation.

    ¡°Yun Woo? Again?¡± one of them criticized the other for reading a Yun Woo book, looking at it with disgruntled eyes. However, she didn¡¯t seem genuine in her displeasure toward the book. Then, the friend who had been reading the book hugged it and said, ¡°Well, yeah!? This has gotta be one of the most original pieces I¡¯ve evere across in my twenty years of reading. The fact that there¡¯s a creative boundary that¡¯s beyond my understanding is something to take delight in.¡±

    Meanwhile, her friend who had juste into the store was looking like she had heard those words way too many times. Then, adding to her misery, the Yun Woo fan said, ¡°He¡¯s a genius.¡±

    With that, the friend walked over to the counter in order to ce an order for their drinks. When she returned to her friend, they started talking about a different subject. With the exception of the two friends and Juho being the only customers, the cafe was empty for the most part. Juho focused on reading his book, which was written by Yun Seo. It brought peace to his heart. Yun Seo¡¯s writing had a satiating effect on readers. It filled them up and put them in a state simr to fooda. It wasn¡¯t until then that the young author realized just how tense he had been up to that point. Perhaps that was how Yun Seo had been able toe back with a new book. In a world filled with unresolved tension, her writing was like an oasis in the middle of a desert. Losing track of time, Juho read on. Then, by the time he waspletely immersed in the book, he sensed a person sitting across from him without even asking for his permission.

    ¡°Been a while.¡±

    It was Seo Kwang. Upon realizing who it was, Juho took Seo Kwang¡¯s gift out of his bag.

    ¡°For you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a book!¡±

    Juho had pondered on what to get him as a gift for a good while. In the end, he had concluded that his friend would much prefer a book over just about anything.

    ¡°I got it from a bookstore in Manhattan,¡± Juho said. Meanwhile, with a big smile on his face, Seo Kwang picked up the book. It was written by one of his favorite authors, in its originalnguage. Then, Seo Kwang opened the book, buried his face in it, and inhaled deeply.

    ¡°Ah, smells like New York,¡± Seo Kwang said, which rewarded Juho with a sense of aplishment.

    ¡°You like it?¡±

    ¡°A lot,¡± Seo Kwang said flipping through the pages quickly. He was proficient enough at that point to be able to trante and interpret sentences written in English.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna savor this and enjoy it for a long time,¡± Seo Kwang said. Then, he asked, ¡°What was the bookstore like in New York?¡±

    Remembering the environment of the bookstore he had been to, the young author answered, ¡°It¡¯s not all that different from the bookstores here. There were a lot of chairs though. Ones that look like that.¡±

    Juho pointed at the series of bar stools with circr seats, which were lined up by the window. During his recent visit to the States, it stood out to Juho that there were seats ready throughout the store for those customers who wanted to read.

    ¡°There were bookstores that sold clothes too.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I heard of that. I¡¯ve been eying them for some time. So, did you go to one?¡±

    Seo Kwang was better versed in the bookstores in New York than the young author who had recently been there. Hearing Seo Kwang say that he wanted to visit a used bookstore in the States at some point, Juho was struck by the thought that if they were to go to the States together for a trip, it would quickly turn into a bookstore tour. While Juho was listening quietly, Seo Kwang brought up something that urred to him, ¡°Oh, did you see this?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    With an exhrated look on his face, Seo Kwang took his phone out and handed it over to Juho. It had an image of a foreigner holding a picket sign that read: ¡°Tell us who Yun Woo is!¡±

    Juho read the letters written in red paint on the picket sign. The paint running down the sign gave off an ominous look, almost like it had some sort of curse written on it. Meanwhile, Seo Kwang nodded, still chuckling.

    ¡°I think he¡¯s holding a one-man protest in front of Fernand¡¯s building.¡±

    The building behind the man was unmistakably that of Fernand Publishing.

    ¡°Why there of all ces?¡±

    ¡°Dude, you said it yourself: he¡¯s expressing the burning curiosity of the fans desperate to know who Yun Woo is. This guy¡¯s pretty well known in the science fictionmunity, actually. He runs a blog, too.¡±

    ¡°Does he, now?¡± Juho asked. He looked closely at the man¡¯s face, but he didn¡¯t recognize him. On the other hand, Seo Kwang seemed to be well acquainted with him.

    ¡°His blog is really something. It has this power to make you buy books before you even realize it.¡±

    Considering that he would buy whichever book he felt like with or without some blog¡¯s rmendations, Juho didn¡¯t find his im all that convincing. Then, reading Juho¡¯s thoughts, Seo Kwang added with more emphasis, ¡°I¡¯m serious! You can just feel his passion. Here, he put up some pictures he took at the Denver Worldcon this year.¡±

    There were an array of people and ces behind the avid science fiction fan in the pictures, and it certainly was Denver.

    ¡°He looks like a cheerful guy,¡± the young author said. The man was opening his mouth in some pictures while sticking his tongue out in others. It was clear that he was enjoying the convention to his heart¡¯s content. Then, Seo Kwang lowered his voice and said, ¡°He¡¯s mentioned Yun Woo in his blog too. Several times.¡±

    Seo Kwang¡¯s statement made the young author wonder what the man thought of him as an author.

    ¡°What did he say?¡±

    After organizing his thoughts, Seo Kwang answered, ¡°He didn¡¯t have a lot of good things to say at first.¡±

    Yun Woo was a young author, and a piece written by a young author was inevitably less mature. Science fiction or fantasy novels were strictly fictional. At the same time, that very quality served as a delivery mechanism for poignant portrayals of reality, conveying political messages and philosophy. In that case, Yun Woo¡¯s age made himughable at best. How much would a neen-year-old know about politics? The world? Reality?

    ¡°That was his response when Yun Woo had just started making a name for himself through pure literature, which was also around the time when the rumor that Yun Woo was nning to write a fantasy novel started circting. This isn¡¯t a post in his blog, but it¡¯s his response to ament in one of his posts that said, ¡®What are your thoughts on the author by the name of Yun Woo?¡¯¡±

    In other words, it had been before the avid fan had read ¡®Language of God¡¯ himself. Not only did he know nothing about the young author, but he also didn¡¯t even bother to know about him. His posts tended to be quite emotional. His bouts excitement and anger were explicit in the way he wrote, just as much as his curiosity and joy. Nevertheless, people found that side of him entertaining.

    ¡°Then, after some time, thises up,¡± Seo Kwang said, showing another post to the young author.

    ¡°This is it,¡± Juho read the first sentence out loud.

    An exnation followed saying that it had been the first realization that he had been struck by upon reading ¡®Language of God.¡¯ It was a post rmending the book. The avid fan was describing his emotional state in great detail of when he tried searching for Yun Woo on the inte. In the end, the only thing he had learned about the young author had been his age. There had been hardly any information on him. In the meantime, Seo Kwang showed Juho the most recent post on the avid fan¡¯s blog.

    ¡°I want to know more about him. When I found out the results for the Hugo Award, I just couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I¡¯m going to the publisher, and since there¡¯s no way I can meet with the author, I just hope the publishers understand where I¡¯ming from.¡±

    Then, another post followed, which read, ¡°Yun Woo, if you¡¯re reading this, I sincerely hope that you give some sort of answer. Where are you?¡±

    ¡°Time¡¯s running out,¡± Seo Kwang said. When Juho looked up at him, he had a book in his hand. However, instead of the book Juho had given him as a gift, he was holding Yun Seo¡¯s book. Meanwhile, Seo Kwang¡¯s expression indicated that he knew full well why he was holding that book in particr. ¡°You know where I¡¯m going with this, don¡¯t you?¡±

    As the young author remained silent, Seo Kwang continued, ¡°Remember what you promised? People are getting antsy. Their patience is running thin.¡±

    At that, Juho remembered why he had decided to remain an anonymous author from the beginning: He had wanted afortable school life.

    ¡°We¡¯re about to graduate,¡± Juho said with a smile, but Seo Kwang maintained the look on his face.

    Then, the young author read one of the sentences in the book, ¡°There¡¯s an end to everything.¡±

 Chapter 249 - Who is Yun Woo? (2)

    <h4>Chapter 249: Who is Yun Woo? (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Woo! The Double Crown! You¡¯ve done it!¡±

    ¡°I was so overwhelmed when the presenter said your name!¡±

    Dong Baek and Jang Mi said, sitting in front of a wall with red wallpaper on it. Juho was seeing them for the first time since winning the Hugo Award. While the young author had watched the ceremony live from Coin¡¯s residence, both Dong Baek and Jang Mi had been at the scene. Juho bowed to them as an expression of gratitude. If it weren¡¯t for them, ¡®Language of God¡¯ would have nevere out to the world. A book had to go through a slew of processes until it was released. When an author won an award, the honor wasn¡¯t meant to be hogged by the author alone.

    ¡°How was your trip?¡± Jang Mi asked, curious about his visit to Coin¡¯s residence. Then, the young author gave her a brief description of the house, starting with Coin¡¯s apartment in Manhattan and then talking about the corn ntation on the way to the house. The president and the editor listened intently to the young author¡¯s story. After all, it was about none other than Kelley Coin.

    ¡°He made us breakfast, too.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my! How¡¯d it taste?¡±

    ¡°It just tasted like bacon.¡±

    The bacon had been quite the delicacy in and of itself, and cooking it on a frying pan had only enhanced the vor. Meanwhile, Jang Mi looked at the young author with envy and added that she was a fan of Coin¡¯s books.

    ¡°How about you, Ms. Hong? How was Worldcon?¡±

    ¡°The best,¡± she said, sticking her thumb out. With that, Jang Mi and Dong Baek told the young author about their experience at the convention. Because the location varied every year, the convention also tended to change slightly every year, and ording to the two, the Worldcon in Denver had been quite liberating.

    ¡°We were getting a lot of questions about you, too.¡±

    In some sense, it was natural for people to ask about an author who wasn¡¯t attending the ceremony. While they talked, Jang Mi spun the Lazy Susan on the table, and the dishes on it switched ces with one another.

    ¡°A lot of people were asking if we had pictures of you, too.¡±

    ¡°And just as many people were curious about your writing process.¡±

    ¡°We were getting a lot of questions about what kind of books you read.¡±

    ¡°As well as your favorite Hollywood celebrity.¡±

    ording to Jang Mi¡¯s own words, Worldcon had been a one-of-a-kind experience. Then, the young author was struck with the thought that the piercing in between her nostrils would¡¯ve shone all the more at the convention.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been getting those questions in Korea every day, but it felt different hearing them in another country.¡±

    Then, she brought up the names of the people who had asked her questions. From a bestselling American author to an editor from a publishingpany in the UK, a leading official of an association, and apeting candidate for the same award, there was quite an array. Considering the asion, it wasn¡¯t surprising that titles like those were being brought up.

    ¡°Was it fun?¡± Juho asked, and Dong Baek smiled at the young author¡¯s innocent question.

    ¡°Honestly, we were there to work, so we had to be on our toes a lot of the time. There was some trouble while we¡¯re there, too. At the end of the day though, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that it was an unforgettable experience.¡±

    ¡°I mean, we were the first Koreans to be invited to the ceremony! Yes, it came with a heavy responsibility, but the result couldn¡¯t have been more rewarding.¡±

    Then, dipping his chopsticks into his noodle soup, Juho said, ¡°Do you think it would¡¯ve been better for me to be there?¡± Though his tone was indifferent, the meaning was much more profound. At that, the president and the editor locked eyes with each other,municating that they were on the same page. The young author seemed to be pondering something important, so Jang Mi took the initiative.

    ¡°Well, it would¡¯ve been nice for us. I definitely think you would¡¯ve had a lot of fun if you were there. There were a lot of things to see. Although, it was kind of hectic.¡±

    Then, Dong Baek backed her up, ¡°But, let¡¯s put it this way, you were able to stay in Coin¡¯s residence BECAUSE you decided not to attend the ceremony, am I right? Every decision has its pros and cons.¡±

    That time, picking up a piece of bok choy out of his soup with his chopsticks, Juho said, ¡°Should I reveal my identity?¡±

    A rattling sound reverberated throughout the room at the jarring statement from the young author. Meanwhile, the young author simply smiled. Thefortable atmosphere froze over in a matter of seconds.

    ¡°Uh...¡± Jang Mi let out, moving her lips in an attempt to speak. However, putting the thoughts running amok in her mind into words was proving to be a challenge. Yun Woo revealing his identity was a substantial matter, and it was especially true in the time they were living in, immediately after a neen-year-old author had achieved the Double Crown.

    ¡°May I ask how you came to that?¡± Dong Baek asked quietly.

    To which, the young author answered in a calm tone of voice, ¡°I thought it was about time for me to start thinking about it.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    The room sank into silence. Sensing the tension in the room, the young author said, ¡°Frankly, I¡¯ve been hearing mostly good things since my first book.¡±

    ¡°Right. The beginning of Yun Woo,¡± the president said. It was a rather heavy answer to a light-hearted remark.

    ¡°I had juste up to high school back then, and something was telling me that things were about to getplicated, so I figured it would be wise to take a step back. You know?¡±

    ¡°Right. I agree that it was a wise decision,¡± Dong Baek said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve written a number of pieces from then on, and thankfully, I¡¯ve yet to disappoint my readers.¡±

    ¡°On the contrary, you¡¯ve brought them joy.¡±

    ¡°But here¡¯s the thing. That¡¯s not why I write. I¡¯m not writing in order to please others.¡±

    Dong Baek and Jang Mi nodded at his statement simultaneously. ording to their experiences, each author had their own motive for writing. Not only was it their means of making a living, but it was also a need that arose from self-realization. While some dedicated their entire lives to their writing, there also existed those who simply wrote as a means of passing time.

    At that point, Juho added, ¡°Not to say that I¡¯m looking for negative criticism, of course. I¡¯m human too, so I do think about it. If I were to be honest, I want every single one of my readers to be happy.¡±

    ¡°We understand.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡± Juho asked

    ¡°What was that? Oh, right. Yes. I believe contradiction is the word we¡¯re looking for here.¡±

    Then, leaning back on his chair¡¯s backrest, Juho asked, ¡°So, should Ie clean about my identity?¡±

    The room sank back into silence. Then, Dong Baek asked as he took a sip of water, ¡°Is that what you want, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°Or would you rather stay anonymous?¡±

    ¡°I think that would bother me in the long run.¡±

    ¡°... So, it seems like it wouldn¡¯t help one bit if I were to suggest that you follow your heart.¡± Juho nodded at his statement, and Dong Baek added with the proper posture of a businessman, ¡°Well, here¡¯s my thought.¡±

    ¡°Please. That¡¯s why I brought this up in the first ce,¡± Juho said.

    ¡®He¡¯s really mature for his age,¡¯ the president thought to himself. Then, he brought up the thought he had been having for a long time, ¡°I think you should reveal your identity.¡±

    He wanted the young author toe out to the world with his mask off.

    ¡°Why is that?¡± Juho asked.

    To which, Dong Baek answered without even taking the time to breathe, ¡°Because it¡¯ll boost sales substantially.¡±

    ¡°Sales, huh.¡±

    ¡°Yes. If you were to reveal yourself, the books would sell even more.¡±

    ¡°But, my understanding is that my books are already selling well.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll sell even more,¡± the president emphasized. They¡¯ll sell even more. As the president of a publishingpany, Dong Baek was well aware that every author wished that their books would be read by more people.

    ¡°You seem to be certain of that. How would you know? It¡¯s very possible that people will be disappointed to learn that Yun Woo was nothing like the Yun Woo they had imagined.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re incredibly charming, Mr. Woo,¡± Dong Baek said, and Juho looked away at the president¡¯s sudden, slightly ufortablepliment. Nheless, Dong Baek didn¡¯t let up. If anything, he pressed on, ¡°You have a mysterious side to you. For example, your calm, unfazed nature, as if you had poured all of your feelings into your work, and your maturity. You¡¯re strangely mature for your age, but I find us often speaking the samenguage, Mr. Woo. I see how you¡¯re able to write like that, and to understand is to ept.¡±

    Dong Baek was certain.

    ¡°I still remember the day when I talked to you for the first time. As far as I¡¯m aware, you¡¯ll be greeted with opened arms by your fans, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Juho recalled the president showing simr confidence previously. It had happened when they first discussed ¡®Language of God.¡¯ His prediction had be a reality, and it showed that he had the ability to read the market and the readers. Charming. Shaking off the memories of the lowest point in his past life, Juho said, ¡°You¡¯re very convincing, Mr. Lee.¡±

    As Juho picked up his water cup, the atmosphere eased up again.

    ¡°Anyway, those are my thoughts. Should you need a press conference, please don¡¯t hesitate to let us know, Mr. Woo. We¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯ll be necessary.¡±

    ¡°Just so you¡¯re aware of the option,¡± Dong Baek said as he spun the Lazy Susan. ¡°There¡¯s still time, so think it over, Mr. Woo.¡±

    It was theplete opposite of Seo Kwang¡¯s opinion. Nevertheless, Juho nodded with a smile on his face.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Should I reveal my identity?¡±

    Although Juho was murmuring to himself, it was still loud enough to be heard by those around him. Then, a pool cue came into Juho¡¯s view, and Seo Joong sprung up from his ce, asking, ¡°What!? Are you serious!?¡±

    ¡°Say it louder, why don¡¯t you?¡± a voice said, criticizing Seo Joong and his behavior. It was Dong Gil.

    ¡°How can I be quiet!? Yun Woo¡¯s gonna reveal his identity!¡±

    ¡°Nobody¡¯s said anything about revealing anybody¡¯s identity. It was a question.¡±

    ¡°Well, when people ask questions like that, they usually have an answer in their minds.¡± Then, looking toward the young author, Seo Joong said, ¡°Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Maybe?¡±

    With that, Juho rose from his seat. Then, three of the balls on the table sank into holes with a crisp sound that reverberated through the living room. One cue ball was moving the entire table. Buzzing through each other, the other balls dodged or collided with the white cueball, either bouncing against the cushions or sinking into a hole. When a ball started moving, it couldn¡¯t stop itself.

    ¡°Having trouble figuring out what you wanna do?¡± Dong Gil asked, and Juho said with a shrug, ¡°Just something every high school junior goes through.¡±

    ¡°Oh-ho! Man, you¡¯re a junior now, huh? I spent ages deciding on whether or not I should go to college.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Dong Gil said with a disgruntled look on his face as if annoyed with Seo Joong for putting his own insignificant worries on par with Yun Woo¡¯s, and Seo Joong responded by taunting him, wiggling his butt.

    ¡°Eh, how different can it be? Everybody feels like their bad decisions will make the world fall apart at one point. I mean, I was going through a living hell when I was writing ¡®One Room,¡¯ but in hindsight, I realize that it was hardly any different from the time when I was trying to decide whether to go to college or not.¡±

    Then, shoving his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants, he added, ¡°So,ing from somebody who wrestled with simr concerns, how about you give it about five years or so? You know, think long and hard.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. It won¡¯t help at all,¡± Dong Gil said, giving Seo Joong a disgusted look. Then, he shared his thoughts unhurriedly, ¡°I¡¯ve never been anonymous, let alone win the Neb or the Hugo. I¡¯ve never written anything like your pieces, either. I¡¯m not sure what kind of advice I can offer.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°What I do know is that it¡¯s impossible to stay hidden forever,¡± Dong Gil said, sharing his level-headed opinion. Just as he had said, considering the circumstances, it would be incredibly difficult to conceal his identity, both impably and indefinitely.

    Seo Joong interjected, ¡°All right, how about this? You wait it out as long as you can. That doesn¡¯t sound half bad, does it?¡±

    It was an interesting opinion.

    ¡°Why, though?¡±

    ¡°If what Dong Gil said is true, then it means your identity wille to light sooner orter. In that case, just enjoy yourself.¡±

    Before the young author even had time to answer, Dong Gil said cold-heartedly, ¡°No, it¡¯d be better to reveal it yourself in that case. It¡¯s your identity, after all.¡±

    ¡°Do you have to exaggerate everything like that?¡±

    ¡°You tend to make light of the world around you.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re so rigid. Ugh, makes me feel like I¡¯m choking.¡±

    In between their conversation, Juho organized his thoughts.

 Chapter 250 - Who is Yun Woo? (3)

    <h4>Chapter 250: Who is Yun Woo? (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Juho let out. Upon returning home and opening the door to his room, the young author was reminded that there was yet another thing on the list of things that needed to be organized: the boxes of manuscript paper. They were like mountains made of paper. Because he was running out of space for the boxes, some of them had been taking up one of the corners of the living room. His mother would always tell him to move the boxes elsewhere or throw them out every time she came into his room. Then, with the conviction that it wouldn¡¯t be long until he¡¯d lost his bed to the boxes of manuscripts, Juho turned toward the window and opened it. Of course, the boxes were getting in the way of him doing that.

    Nevertheless, the young author didn¡¯t find his room suffocating because everything that had stifled him at one point had all been turned into writing and was sitting within those boxes. The stacks of paper were the very proof that Juho had sessfully alleviated his emotions. Having digested all of those emotions, it made sense that that much writing would¡¯vee out of him.

    Then, Juho took a book out of his backpack. It was the book written by Yun Seo, which he had been reading constantly. Yun Seo had started writing that book just when she had thought she had had nothing left as an author. Although she had always imed that she had had no more stories left to write, she had sessfully created yet another outstanding story. She was just as great of an artist as she had always been, as well as a respected novelist.

    Her book had the power to revive people. Yun Seo¡¯s book carried a certain warmth to it. The fact that the young author was reading her book at that point in his life, in particr, was far from coincidence. Yun Seo had the ability to write books that people would reach for whenever they found themselves at a crossroads.

    ¡°A genius,¡± Juho let out as he remembered the conversation he had had with Coin. Juho had disliked the word quite a bit. However, regardless of how much he hated the word, Yun Woo and Won Yi Young had always been geniuses in the eyes of others. But what did that mean for Juho Woo? He was a run-of-the-mill high school student, and Juho much preferred that than anything. However, his peaceful school life was short lived. An underssman had appeared and started calling him by the very title he disliked so much. It had to be a sign, a sign that Juho wouldn¡¯t be able to get what he wanted staying where he was, and that the time to make a choice was imminent. It was a powerful sign, and Juho recalled hearing it even from his book-loving, yet cheerful friend.

    Then, a bird chirped outside the window. The young author thought back to the conversation he had had with Dong Baek. He had described him as being charming. However, Juho was fully aware that, within him, lived a homeless, alcoholic man. He closed his eyes. He wanted to keep the conversation going and bring up what he couldn¡¯t bring himself to bring up. The red wallpaper appeared before his eyes. In fact, everything was red, from the floor to the chairs. An image of red flowers lingered in Juho¡¯s head.

    ¡°You¡¯re incredibly charming, Mr. Woo,¡± Dong Baek said. ¡°You have a mysterious side to you. For example, your calm, unfazed nature, as if you had poured all of your feelings into your work, and your maturity. You¡¯re strangely mature for your age, but I find us often speaking the samenguage, Mr. Woo. I see how you¡¯re able to write like that, and to understand is to ept.¡±

    Dong Baek was certain.

    ¡°I still remember the day when I talked to you for the first time. As far as I¡¯m aware, you¡¯ll be greeted with opened arms by your fans, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Juho recalled the president showing simr confidence previously. It had happened when they first discussed ¡®Language of God.¡¯ His prediction had be a reality, and it showed that he had the ability to read the market and the readers. Charming. That time, Juho didn¡¯t try to shake off the image of himself at the lowest point in his past life.

    ¡°I might end up homeless,pletely incapacitated from alcohol abuse.¡±

    Then, Juho added the truth, which sounded all too much like an excuse, ¡°It could happen to anybody.¡±

    Although the young author couldn¡¯t make out Dong Baek¡¯s face, his answer wasn¡¯t a serious one: ¡°Well, that would leave me feeling uneasy, if you put it that way. I am the president of apany at the end of the day.¡±

    Dong Baek, too, had a fear of failure. Meanwhile, Jang Mi, who was sitting next to him, nodded with exaggeration. Everything was as red as a warning light.

    ¡°In that case, everyone would me the one who failed. In this case, the president.¡±

    It was ugly and pitiful. ming those who had fallen away from society was easier than breathing. At the same time, it came with a strange sense of pleasure. Those who med were able to rest assured because they knew that they were in the position of being able to me.

    ¡°Most likely,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    The young author was afraid of getting med. He was afraid to fail, as well as of humiliation and the wound that came with it. Juho knew all too well just how painful that could be, and he never wanted to be on the receiving end of his readers¡¯ disgusted res.

    ¡°But, if I were to stay afraid, I wouldn¡¯t be able to write.¡±

    There was nothing more crippling for an author than fear of failure. It prevented them from writing a single word as their minds became filled with worry and insecurity. ¡®What if there¡¯s a better sentence? If I wrote this one sentence, would it ruin the entire thing? What if people say that I should¡¯ve left that sentence out?¡¯ The thoughts only grew scarier, leaving the author to obsess over a single sentence until it was impable.

    ¡°There is no such thing as a perfect sentence.¡±

    Failures were painful, and it was only natural to fear things that caused pain. However, lingering in that fear left one entirely incapacitated. In that case, did that mean that it was natural for them to feel like they couldn¡¯t do anything, making everything they had done up to that point unnatural? The answer was no. Fear hadn¡¯t been the only emotion the young author had felt, and it only tended toe out when a concoction of emotions was bing a piece of writing.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Dong Baek said. He was listening to Juho¡¯s every thought. ¡°You seem to be at a crossroads.¡±

    ¡°Very much so.¡±

    ¡°You know, that¡¯s not a bad thing. It¡¯s just the process of reaching a conclusion of your own. After all, it¡¯s part of life to ponder, act and problem solve.¡±

    ¡°But it leaves the mind in a jumbled mess.¡±

    ¡°I agree, and it¡¯s definitely not something you want to make a habit of. Everything in moderation, right?¡±

    Then, Jang Mi chimed in, ¡°I think you¡¯re in denial, Mr. Woo.¡± And the table started spinning as if it would never stop. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking about what¡¯s actually important.¡±

    Juho nodded in agreement to Jang Mi¡¯s statement.

    ¡°It¡¯s not an in-depth analysis of the nature of failure that you should be thinking about. Rather, it¡¯s whether or not you¡¯ll face it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯re sharing the same knowledge here, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯re not the ones you should be worrying about.¡±

    Then, along with what sounded like wailing, another person walked into the room. It was Kelley Coin.

    ¡°Genius.¡±

    Juho heard the conversation they had had. The young author definitely recalled saying, ¡°¡®Genius¡¯ isn¡¯t enough. I don¡¯t find it satisfying. I¡¯d much prefer something even bigger, shinier and more embellished.¡±

    Then, a burst of heartyughter came from behind.

    ¡°I knew it. Pure, huh? You want more people to agree with you and recognize you. You want every person in this world to read your writing,¡± Coin said.

    ¡®Of course,¡¯ Juho thought. He didn¡¯t deny it since he knew those very desires were hidden deep within him. The wailing didn¡¯t stop. Then, when he looked at the wall with floral-patterned wallpaper on it, he saw a ck stain that looked like a burnt spot.

    ¡°The bird¡¯s here,¡± Juho let out, seeing the crow sitting still on the table. The table was still spinning, and although the crow pped its wings by reflex, it seemed to be enjoying the ride that made the world around it spin, as if oblivious to the fact that the fun would eventuallye to an end.

    Juho was fully aware of what he had been avoiding. He had to make a choice. The world was full of terrifying things. From eating to walking, there was not a single thing that didn¡¯t involve some sort of hazard. The young author had always been afraid of failure, but he had been just as afraid of sess. A sess beyond what one could handle was no different from a failure, and remaining in a ce of sess all by himself was the same thing. Once fear started creeping in, there was no end to it. With that, as if seeking advice, the young author asked the crow, ¡°Have you grown weary?¡±

    The bird shook its head.

    ¡°Are you tired?¡±

    That time, the bird took some time to think, but it soon shook its head once again.

    ¡°In that case, you could probably handle taking one step forward from where you are, right?¡±

    The young author had sought advice from a number of people. While some had encouraged him to reveal his identity, others had tried to discourage him from doing so. Eventually, Juho came to realize what he really wanted. The crow cawed. Juho wanted to be great, but what did that mean? Everything in toward that path was ambiguous, and the young author didn¡¯t know how to get there. Nevertheless, that wasn¡¯t to say that he was apathetic. He might have been afraid to fail, but he didn¡¯t seek after sess either.

    Then, Juho swung his hand toward the crow. The table stopped and the crow, caught off guard by the young author¡¯s sudden movement, took a step back, frightened. However, its eyes were still fixed on Juho. It was looking to resist him. pping its wings about, it hesitated out of fear, pondering.

    ¡°You and I are actually on the same page for once.¡±

    Then, as if mocking him, the bird turned away from him, and it was at that moment that Juho opened his eyes. He looked at the book written by Yun Seo in his hand. ¡®I¡¯ll make a decision once I finish this book. That¡¯s a pace I can manage to keep without falling on my face.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡®Will we evere to see Yun Woo? While the Earth keeps spinning, and time passes, the high school juniors in Korea are absorbed with preparing for the uing SAT. The number of days left until the test day is getting crossed off one by one on the chalkboard. I was both delighted and unsurprised by photos of a scene from a typical high school ssroom, those that turn up every year. However, thanks to Korea¡¯s very own world-ss author, things are looking a little more special. Having debuted at an early age, his debut title had not only been received with critical acim, but it also quickly became a bestseller. BUT, that isn¡¯t to say that¡¯s the only thing that¡¯s bringing him so much attention. There¡¯s yet another factor that is bringing a type of curiosity that feels closer to torture. Anonymity. Yun Woo¡¯s identity has been a mystery. In reality, there have been quite a few authors who have chosen to remain anonymous. Authors who are less popr, authors who suffer from social phobias, and surprisingly, even some authors who are credited with writing some of the greatest pieces in history.

    ¡®As far as I¡¯m aware, Yun Woo had personally requested his publishingpany to keep his identity hidden in order to ensure hisfortable school life. Then, what would it mean for the young author once the SAT is over, and the juniors graduate? Would Yun Woo reveal his identity? Would he face his readers in person? Would he expose himself to the press? If not, would he remain anonymous to ensure a peaceful life as a college student? There are a number of possible scenarios... I, personally, share a hope simr to the rest of the fans across the globe. I hope that Yun Woo will reveal himself. Why? Because he¡¯s our favorite author, who writes our favorite books. When ites to somebody we¡¯re fond of, we tend to want to know everything there is to know about them.¡¯

    Nam Kyung let out a deep sigh as he put the paper down. There were tens of other versions of simr drafts. That one had been written by a fan who hoped the young author would reveal himself, and simr posts had been turning up on the bulletin board of thepany¡¯s website.

    The inquiries kept flooding in while the editor was busy trying to decide on the kind of paper to use for a book, looking at samples of bookmarks, setting dates for a meeting with clients, and even during apany meeting. ¡°Is Yun Woo going to reveal himself?¡± Although the meeting in the editing department had been long over, the reporters had lingered in the meeting room. It had been an asion to disclose information about Yun Woo that wasn¡¯t going to be revealed to the public, and everyone had hoped for an official statement from the publisher.

    ¡°We¡¯d have to wait for a response from Mr. Woo himself.¡±

    Although it was unfortunate for the fans hoping earnestly to find out more about the young author, the publisher didn¡¯t know what the young author was thinking, either.

    ¡°Mr. Park.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung resisted the urge to sigh heavily.

 Chapter 251 - Who is Yun Woo? (4)

    <h4>Chapter 251: Who is Yun Woo? (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Because Nam Kyung had been the only connection between fans and the young author, the editor quickly became the center of attention.

    ¡°Are you sure we aren¡¯t rushing this?¡±

    ¡°You know the situation.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo has to graduate, too.¡±

    ¡°Whoever said anything about keeping him from graduating? Nobody has the patience to wait around anymore. Do you have any idea how many people out there are desperate to hear from him?¡±

    ¡°Words can¡¯t be taken back,¡± the editor said lukewarmly, and the editor-in-chief pointed toward the window, saying, ¡°There¡¯s a whole crowd of ¡¯em just outside of our building.¡±

    Nam Kyung was fully aware of that. He had been running into the crowd on his way to work every morning. They were a throng of Yun Woo¡¯s fans wanting to see the young author. There was a crowd of anywhere between forty and fifty people gathering at the entrance of Zelkova Publishing, watching those who went in and out of the building. Even when the publishers would call the cops on them, the crowd returned the next day. It was a sight simr to that of an entertainment agency. Nam Kyung had never seen anything like it in his time working at thepany. The situation had forced the sales event to be dyed indefinitely, and going in and out of the staff room became seriously dangerous. Needless to say, the security guards in the building were on full alert.

    ¡°What I don¡¯t get is, how are they nning on seeing him when they don¡¯t even know what he looks like?¡±

    ¡°Where they¡¯reing from makes sense, though.¡±

    ¡°It seems like Mr. Woo¡¯s really starting to be treated like a celebrity.¡±

    The crowd had been gathering in front of the building since the day after the news of Yun Woo winning the Hugo Award. Coupled with the reporters, the front of the building was always in disarray.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we push the book festival back, too? The one that¡¯s happening at the book district?¡± Mr. Maeng said anxiously. Often held in the book district, the mini book festival was just around the corner. Then, with a troubled look on his face, the editor-in-chief shook his head.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re the only ones involved, and we¡¯ve already advertised for it. We¡¯ll suffer a substantial loss,¡± he said, bringing up the name Yun Woo again in order to keep things from digressing.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s best if we just reveal it,¡± Ms. Song said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think it¡¯d be better to wait until after Mr. Woo graduates,¡± Mr. Maeng answered. Since the individual directly involved was absent, they weren¡¯t going to reach a conclusion no matter how much they discussed the matter. Meanwhile, Nam Kyung thought of Juho, as well as all the other authors he was responsible for. Yun Woo¡¯s personality aside, he was still underage. Revealing himself meant standing before the eyes of the masses, which also meant bringing him face to face with the power he possessed as an author. By no means, was it a simple matter.

    ¡°What are your thoughts, Mr. Park?¡± Ms. Song asked. Nam Kyung found himself in a dilemma. While he wanted to see Yun Woo reveal himself confidently, he also wanted to respect the young author¡¯s space, especially if it meant having a negative impact on his creative process.

    ¡°I¡¯ll meet up with him in the near future,¡± Nam Kyung said evasively. Everyone had different expressions on their faces while trying to predict what Yun Woo would do, but it was clear that they were all both worried and hopeful.

    ¡°Personally, I really, really hope he reveals himself. So many people have been giving me a hard time, asking how I don¡¯t know his face when I work for Zelkova.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s definitely pressure from around us. Although, I don¡¯t see that changing anytime soon, even if Yun Woo were to reveal his identity.¡±

    ¡°All the details aside, I¡¯m dying to know what Mr. Woo looks like.¡±

    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s good looking?¡±

    ¡°How would an author benefit from good looks? What matters is their writing.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but is that what most Koreans would think, though? Lookse before everything else.¡±

    Nam Kyung sighed heavily between his coworkers. If that was the kind of conversation that was taking ce within a publishingpany, it had to be much worse everywhere else. Having been next to Yun Woo since the beginning, Nam Kyung had been asking himselftely, ¡°Why do people need pictures? Why do they need to know what the author looks like when they buy their book?¡¯ If anybody were to say that it¡¯s to know the author better, then it would be much better to show them a picture of the author¡¯s hand. After all, authors wrote with their hands, not with their face.

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll talk about how ugly or pretty his hands are andpare them side by side.¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we get back to work? We have a lot to do,¡± Nam Kyung said, leaving through the door that would keep all the information in the room from going out.

    ¡°Mr. Park.¡±

    During the break, Nam Kyung looked back at the voice calling for him and saw a new employee, who had recentlye from anotherpany. The editor was in a discussion with Jiyul Sohn about whether 5 percent was an appropriate figure for royalties or not. Nam Kyung didn¡¯t know too much about him since they worked in different departments, but the editor did recall having talked to him a few times in the past. Seeing the pen in his chest pocket, Nam Kyung remembered seeing a simr pen in the same spot when they first met. Secretly, the editor had been entertaining the thought that the pen was actually some sort of recording device, contrary to its appearance.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Nam Kyung asked, and raising the paper cup in his hand, the new employee said, ¡°Nothing really. I was just passing by and it seemed like you were talking about something fun. Back in my old workce, people would always talk about minimizing the amount of time spent doing other things aside from working,¡± he said, joining in on the conversation candidly. Due to the demanding nature of the job, quite a few editors tended to burn out. In terms of experience, the new employee would probably be just aspetent as all the other editors in thepany. Nam Kyung was made all the more certain of that after talking about work with him. Then, changing the subject seamlessly, the new employee said to Nam Kyung, ¡°Everyone seems anxious to know whether or not Yun Woo will reveal himself.¡±

    Because that was the hottest topic within thepany, Nam Kyung didn¡¯t find the transition in their conversation jarring. Besides, he was often approached by other employees within thepany who wanted to know about Yun Woo.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting curious myself,¡± the editor said genuinely.

    ¡°Seems like Mr. Woo has yet to give an answer?¡±

    ¡°No, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not surprising. After all, we¡¯re the anxious ones,¡± the new employee said and reverted the subject back to work. He seemed to have talent in storytelling. As Nam Kyungughed at his joke, he asked, ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t we go for a drink one of these days? What¡¯s your schedule like?¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung groaned with regret and said, ¡°Ah, man. I¡¯m actually leaving on a business trip tomorrow and have dinner ns with Mr. Lim the next day. He recently decided to publish a book through ourpany.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Yes, I heard. You¡¯re a busy man, Mr. Park. You must be hard pressed to make time for Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I intend on making it happen at all costs, even if it means staying up all night.¡±

    Then,ughing cheerfully, the new employee checked the time and said, ¡°Well, I better get back to work now. Nice talkin¡¯ with ya, Mr. Park.¡±

    After watching him from behind, Nam Kyung, too, went back to his desk.

    ¡ª

    ¡®Paparazzi Academy. Capture anybody you want, even Yun Woo!¡¯

    Juho looked intently at the advertisement. Although he had heard that there had been paparazzi out to capture him on camera, the young author had never actually run into one.

    Defined as a hungry insect strolling about for an opportunity to feast, the word paparazzi had its origin in Italy. Nevertheless, it was mostmonly associated with celebrities. Most recently, there seemed to be quite a few of them infiltrating illegally operated karaokes and private institutes, reporting them for rewards.

    Unfortunately, the paparazzi were one of the reasons that the young author couldn¡¯t go near the publisher¡¯s building. Since Yun Woo¡¯s victory over the Hugo Award, more and more people had been lingering around thepany building in order to capture the young author on camera. The name Yun Woo was still drawing massive attention. Although one might wonder how the paparazzi would take pictures of him without even knowing what he looked like, media tended to focus much more on the potential for attention than the truth, much more than most people thought. There were a handful of people who had been mistaken for Yun Woo because they had been at the award ceremonies, which was further proof of that. Even when articles that denied the rumors turned up, it took time until the excitement died down.

    ¡°You¡¯re early,¡± Juho said upon seeing Nam Kyung when he arrived at their meeting spot. As the young author sat across from him, Nam Kyung told him, ¡°I drove here.¡± Then, sipping on the fresh fruit juice that Nam Kyung had bought him, Juho observed him. Something was different about him.

    ¡°How¡¯s school?¡± the editor asked.

    ¡°Same ol¡¯, same ol¡¯.¡±

    ¡°And the Literature Club?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been fun. The new members have been getting noticeably better at writing, so I¡¯ve been on my toes as ofte. I think our library can expect some fine pieces of writing.¡±

    Then, Nam Kyung sucked on the straw in his cup. However, drinking the juice with a straw was proving to be harder than it looked. Something had to be caught in the straw. Meanwhile, the young author observed him quietly. The conversation wasn¡¯t all that different, but there was something awkward about him. Although Juho had a vague idea of what it could be, he decided not to bring it up until Nam Kyung brought it up first.

    ¡°Well, that sounds nice. A quiet, humble life.¡±

    ¡°It sure is,¡± Juho said. It wasn¡¯t bad at all. Then, after nodding, the editor gave his straw another try, but to no avail. Eventually, he pulled out the straw and threw it away as his patience failed him.

    ¡°Man, what the heck is wrong with this straw!?¡± he said, opening the lid on his cup and pouring the juice directly into his mouth in a very animated manner. Meanwhile, Juho drank his juice with a straw, peacefully. Then, after crunching on ice chunks, Nam Kyung swallowed them and said in a determined tone of voice, ¡°Mr. Woo.¡±

    To which, the young author answered calmly, ¡°Yes,¡± noticing the editor¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moving up and down.

    ¡°Do you know what the most popr subject between the people in ourpany is?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. I can¡¯t remember thest time I was there.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s you, Mr. Woo. Yun Woo,¡± Nam Kyung said, adding, ¡°Everyone¡¯s dying to know about you.¡±

    Despite his slightly unusual demeanor, he still had a look on his face that Juho knew very well. Then, the editor asked in a low, resounding voice, ¡°Are you nning on revealing yourself, Mr. Woo?¡±

    At that, the young author answered calmly, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Then, blinking, Nam Kyung said, ¡°Wait, what did you say?¡±

    As Juho gave no answer, the editor took a deep breath.

    ¡°Did you say you ARE going to reveal yourself!?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re serious!?¡±

    Juho nodded and said, ¡°I fully intend on doing so.¡± The young author seemed to have already made up his mind and was ready toe out to the world with his mask off. At that moment, Nam Kyung couldn¡¯t help but feel like his entirepany had been made a fool of.

    ¡°Just like that? Was it that easy all along?¡± he asked, perplexed and suppressing all of his pent up emotions.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it was an easy decision.¡±

    ¡°Actually, it sounds like it was very, very easy,¡± Nam Kyung said and Juho simply shrugged it off. There was no need to exin every detail of his thought process.

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± the editor asked repeatedly in disbelief. Juho was ready to ept that there would be times when he would second-guess his decision. He knew all too well what it meant for him to reveal himself from firsthand experience.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡®I¡¯ve gone through it once. It shouldn¡¯t be that hard the second time around,¡¯ he thought to himself with unfounded hope. At which point, Nam Kyung poured even more chunks of ice into his mouth, organizing his thoughts while chewing viciously.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll arrange with the press...¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Juho interjected, raising his hand and Nam Kyung asked, taken aback by the young author¡¯s sudden response, ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be through the press.¡±

    ¡°... Then, how are you nning on doing this?¡±

    ¡°Themon way.¡±

    Because of the distance between Yun Woo and the wordmon, Nam Kyung couldn¡¯t grasp what Juho was referring to.

    ¡°We¡¯ll include a picture in my new book,¡± Juho said, referring to the ¡®About the Author¡¯ section of every book. At that, Nam Kyung thought of the format of the book that was to be released in Korea and overseas. Although it wasmon in Korean books to include a summary of the author in either cover of the book, that wasn¡¯t the case for books in other countries. Assuming that they were putting Juho¡¯s n to action immediately, there was only one book that would allow them to reveal the young author¡¯s face in the most efficient way.

    ¡°The Insect.¡±

    ¡°A working title, but yes.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung chuckled involuntarily. Things were taking an interesting turn. In that case, Yun Woo would be including a picture of himself in his book for the first time, which carried a story that he had thought of after watching a video of himself speaking on the phone. He would be including himself in a book about people who were trapped, while at the same time, forever trapped in a photo.

    ¡®Impable,¡¯ Nam Kyung shouted internally.

 Chapter 252 - Who is Yun Woo? (5)

    <h4>Chapter 252: Who is Yun Woo? (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I gotta say, there¡¯s an irony to it,¡± Nam Kyung said, feeling hopeful. Whenever he would edit one of Yun Woo¡¯s books, he felt like things were getting closer to the ideal picture in his head. He became curious about the readers¡¯ reactions to the book they would buy just to see what their favorite author looked like. What would they think of the book? Nam Kyung sensed sess.

    ¡°But I have to remind you. Once your face is known, you won¡¯t be able to avoid interacting with the press. They¡¯lle for you, and they won¡¯t let up.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know. But I¡¯ll keep it at the lowest key possible. I¡¯ll interact with them when and where I chose to. But in terms of revealing myself to my readers, I¡¯d like to do that through my book.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Not only was Yun Woo prominent enough to make requests like that to the press, but Zelkova Publishing wasn¡¯t exactly the smallestpany, either. They, too, were big enough to host an annual award ceremony.

    ¡°All right, then. That should take care of the reporters camping out in front of my workce.¡±

    Juho smiled at Nam Kyung¡¯s witty remark. Then, the editor moved on to tell him about what had happened at his workce during their visit to the States, which hadn¡¯t been all that different from the current situation.

    ¡°Interview requests will be flooding in from overseas. It won¡¯t be easy to choose.¡±

    Juho sighed quietly at the dreading reminder of the interview requests. He still remembered having to set aside essentially an entire day for interviews. Because reporters and journalists would ask a series of simr questions, it ended with Juho having to repeat himself over and over. He had been tantly greedy toward fame back then, wanting to be recognized by everyone until he couldn¡¯t roam about the streets in peace. Although the goal hadn¡¯t been bad in an of itself, what he hadcked had been his understanding of who he was: an author. If he wanted to be famous, what he really should¡¯ve done was write rather than participate in interviews. It wasn¡¯t until muchter that Juho learned his lesson. Everything became clear in retrospect, and it dawned on him that he most likely wouldn¡¯t have listened to anybody, no matter how much they tried to talk him out of going in the direction he had had in mind. A realization had little meaning unless one came to it on their own, and it wasn¡¯t until muchter that a person could reach one.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re about to get a lot busier,¡± Nam Kyung said. Just as he had said, the young author was about to be unbelievably busy. Then, after checking his schedules on his phone, Nam Kyung decided to share some news with the young author, ¡°By the way, did you know Mr. Lim ising out with a new book soon? We haven¡¯t decided on a release date yet, but we¡¯ve been really pushing for it.¡±

    At that, Juho remembered what he had heard from Hyun Do previously.

    ¡°Now that you mention it, he did say that he was working on a manuscript.¡±

    ¡°Oh, wow! Are you two that close?¡±

    ¡°Just something that came up during a meal.¡±

    However, the editor didn¡¯t pay all that much attention to his response.

    ¡°Does that mean I can expect to see you two in an interview together?¡±

    ¡°Hard to say.¡±

    ¡°Or on TV?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Lim isn¡¯t a fan of getting involved with the press in any way, as far as I¡¯m aware.¡±

    ¡°Man, just the thought of it puts a smile on my face,¡± he said simpering. No matter what Juho said, it most likely wouldn¡¯t register to Nam Kyung.

    ¡°Oh, are you nning on taking pictures? Would you like a studio rmendation from me?¡± Nam Kyung said, adding that the young author had to pay close attention to his first official photo session in order to leave a positive impression on his readers.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re not gonna like it when I say this, but you have to pick the one thates out the best. You are Yun Woo, after all,¡± the editor said as if ready to take Juho to a photographer at any given minute. However, the young author shook his head.

    ¡°I already have a picture in mind.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s look like? How¡¯d ite out?¡± Nam Kyung asked, and Juho nodded confidently. Juho, too, was aware of the significance of the picture, and he was expecting that his fans would have differing opinions about his looks, as well as the things that brought them doubt. Even if he were to present the publishers as his witnesses, there was bound to be people who doubted whether he was real. ¡®Is this boy really Yun Woo?¡¯ ¡®He looks a lot better than I imagined.¡¯ ¡®He isn¡¯t as good looking as I thought he would be.¡¯ It was unlikely that the process, which involved an author who lived in people¡¯s heads as an image bing an actual person in reality, would go smoothly and noiselessly. Being well aware of that, Juho didn¡¯t n on choosing a picture of himself ording to the expectations of his fans. Rather, he went with what seemed the most fitting for him.

    ¡°Since it would be our first time meeting, it would be a courtesy to introduce myself. In that sense, I thought there would be nothing better than this picture.¡±

    ¡°Well, which picture is it?¡±

    ¡°One that you¡¯ve already seen.¡±

    ¡°I have?!¡± Nam Kyung asked with a perplexed look on his face.

    ¡°You know, the one we took while we were in the States?¡±

    The States. Coin¡¯s residence. As the picture came to mind, Nam Kyung pped his hands together. There was no picture like it, and Coin had the original.

    ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡±

    It was a perfect choice, and it would allow the fans to be able to ept the truth without too much trouble. It had to be the most convincing evidence when proving the young author¡¯s identity. A picture of Yun Woo and Coin, standing side by side in front of Coin¡¯s residence. Both authors were infortable attire, and their hairs were blowing in the wind. Although not exactly the tidiest photo, it was bound to make a positive impression on the fans.

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lie, Mr. Woo. I thought this would be a lot more time-consuming,¡± the editor said, delighted that everything was going seamlessly.

    At that, a subject came up in Juho¡¯s mind, ¡°So, I saw this advertisement on my way here.¡±

    ¡°An advertisement?¡± he asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Yes. It was for a paparazzi academy, but I thought their phrasing was quite threatening.¡±

    ¡®Capture anybody you want, even Yun Woo!¡¯

    At that, an ambiguous expression appeared on the editor¡¯s face. While his mouth was smiling, his brow started to furrow gradually.

    ¡°Paparazzi, huh,¡± he said. Nam Kyung didn¡¯t believe that people would be able to take pictures of the young author when they didn¡¯t even know what he looked like. At the same time, it was slightly disconcerting.

    ¡°Mr. Woo, you have to understand how hard we try to keep your identity hidden from the masses,¡± he said with a sigh. Then, remembering a manual in his department, which was made exclusively for Yun Woo, he added, ¡°There are a total of three people who know what you look like in the entirepany, and we¡¯ve minimized the number of people who have ess to information about you. We put a warning on every piece of data that has anything remotely to do with you. ¡®Confidential. Destroy after reading.¡¯ The general atmosphere within thepany has been pretty cautious. I think people are assuming that they would be driven out of the industry if they leaked any information about you. We¡¯ve been having our meetings in a different ce every time,¡± the editor said, emphasizing that thepany had been taking a number of precautionary measures in addition to normal.

    ¡°I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Mr. Park.¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for Nam Kyung and Zelkova Publishing, Juho wouldn¡¯t have been able to remain anonymous for three years. Then, with a look of relief, Nam Kyung said, ¡°Well, just a little longer now. We¡¯ll keep our eyes peeled just a little longer until the book is released.¡±

    At that, the young author nodded affirmingly.

    ¡ª

    The paparazzo smiled as he watched the secret meeting between Yun Woo and his editor from the inside of the car. The shutter sounded from his camera, and after taking some pictures of them, the paparazzo lowered the camera to check the photos of the two talking and drinking their fruit juices inside the shop. The young author and his editor appeared to be quite close to each other. ¡®Is this really Yun Woo?¡¯ the paparazzo asked, looking at the face that he didn¡¯t recognize.

    Then, he took a recording device out of their chest pocket, which contained the make and model of the editor¡¯s car and its te number, his schedules, and a recording of his voice about a future meeting that was more than likely to happen.

    ording to his informant, the editor should have left on a business trip that had long been nned for. However, he was still in Korea, meeting someone. More precisely, meeting Yun Woo. The man tried to suppress the wave of excitement washing over him.

    ¡°Well, things can always change.¡±

    So far, everything had gone ording to his informant, but as long as the paparazzo didn¡¯t know what Yun Woo looked like, there was no way to be certain of anything. Inparison to the photos the paparazzo had been selling up to that point, the set of pictures he had taken that daycked any substantial evidence that would prove their legitimacy. However, it was hardly going to be an issue because they were going to be sold regardless. There had been manypanies looking for items of provocative nature rather than the truth. The name Yun Woo had already been a sensation a number of times previously. The paparazzo swallowed anxiously. ¡®How much would I get out of these photos?¡¯ It had to be enough to cover the amount he had spent on the piece of information just to be able to capture the young author on camera. Then, the paparazzo picked up his phone.

    ¡ª

    ¡°You. Bring your phone up here,¡± the P.E teacher said to a student, taking their phone away. Meanwhile, having had their phone with them in secret, the student looked like they were about to burst into tears at any given minute.

    ¡°Make sure to clean up before you go inside.¡±

    That was the typical end of the weekly P.E ss. While some students were quite fond of it, others couldn¡¯t stand it. With that, picking up a basketball, Juho shot into the basket. The students had been told that their test scores would be based on the number of shots they had made within a one-minute time limit. That day, the ss had been mostly practicing for the exam, and the ss was far from special.

    Then, Juho went into the school building, which was noticeably cooler than outside. The junior had heard that the school was nning on going into renovations after he graduated, making a slew of improvements throughout the campus, like awn in the schoolyard, better air conditioning and heating, and repainting the outer walls of the building to a brighter color. Suffice to say, the juniors had much toin about the slew of improvements that were taking ce after they would graduate. No matter how much better the school became, it made no difference if they couldn¡¯t take advantage of the improvements. Internally, they had to being from a ce of sincerity, wanting the underssmen to enjoy the new and improved learning environment, as well as from a ce of mean-spiritedness.

    Walls with scribblings on them. Dusty hallways. Windows with metal beams. The lockers, desks, and chairs, which were visible upon opening the ssroom door. Chalkboard and podium. Looking attentively at those things, Juho took his seat. Students who had changed out of their P.E clothes were mingling with students who were yet to do so, either getting ready for the next period or snacking on something. On top of that, there was a mention of Yun Woo.

    ¡°If I were Yun Woo, I¡¯d do backflips in front of everyone.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that even mean?¡±

    ¡°It means I¡¯d enjoy the heck out of being the center of attention.¡±

    The young author chuckled quietly at his peer¡¯s ridiculous remark. At that moment, the bell started ringing, and the teacher walked in through the door. Then, with the teacher¡¯s strict voice, the ssroom grew silent at once, and the teacher proceeded to teach. Taking notes and underlining their textbooks, the students marked the subjects they were told to expect in the uing exam with stars. Although nobody knew for certain whether or not they would revisit their notes, they took them and marked their textbooks busily. Then, as the teacher called a random call number, a student rose from their seat, barely answering the teacher¡¯s question and sitting back down. The sounds of other students in P.E and shouts came from the open window. Then, the bell started ringing again, and the students started rushing out of the ssroom. Meanwhile, the teacher packed their belongings unhurriedly and rose from their seat. The Broadcasting Club was ying background music during lunchtime, and recently, they had started reading quotes or English texts rmended by teachers in coboration with the Newspaper Club. However, nobody seemed to pay any attention to it.

    Although it was time for club activities, that was merely a formality, as it was really independent study for the juniors. Meanwhile, leaving his peers behind, Juho walked out of the ssroom along with one of his peers, who was part of the Broadcasting Club. There were only a handful of students who were still going to their respective clubs during the club activities period.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    When Juho arrived at the science room, the sophomore and the freshmen were already there, ahead of him since their ssrooms were closer to the room. As he was greeted by them, Juho went over to his seat.

    ¡°Juho, did you see our stories in the library?¡±

    ¡°I sure did.¡±

    ¡°We loved the cover design so much!¡±

    Designed by Baron, they were just as captivating as they had always been. Although, he let it seem like his schedule was busy enough to make him live on campus, the former club member had willingly designed the covers for his clubmates after reading Juho¡¯s writing. The twins seemed to be blown away by the fact that their books were being exhibited in public. Meanwhile, Bo Suk raised her thumb, impressed by Baron¡¯s outstanding work.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure this is a no-brainer, but your book is the most popr out of all of ours, Juho,¡± she said. However, unlike what she had said, that wasn¡¯t as obvious as the sophomore thought. As Juho was about to exin, she beat him to it, ¡°But frankly, it seems like people are less interested this time around whenpared tost year. Maybe it¡¯s because we don¡¯t get to advertise using Baron¡¯s posters.¡±

    Then, after some contemtion, Juho yed along, saying, ¡°Maybe. It¡¯s important to promote.¡±

 Chapter 253 - Who is Yun Woo? (6)

    <h4>Chapter 253: Who is Yun Woo? (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I miss Baron.¡±

    ¡°Ask him toe visit.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s super busy though.¡±

    As Juho and Bo Suk talked about Baron, a loud pping sound came out of nowhere.

    ¡°What if you go professional? You know, as an author! You¡¯ll be so popr,¡± Gong Il said looking like she was both serious and joking, while her twin brother was agreeing with her enthusiastically. At that, Juho simply smiled without saying much. Meanwhile, Bo Suk stared intently at the young author.

    ¡°There¡¯s something about the name Yun Woo that makes people wanna buy more books. You have more than enough potential to be like him, Juho.¡±

    ¡°I have a better idea. What if you guys try to bring more people in with your writing?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s easier said than done,¡± the twins said, shaking their heads. Then, as the bell started ringing and the entire Literature Club came together in the science room, Juho opened hisptop. Although he didn¡¯t have anything to work on necessarily, he had been in the habit of writing on a whim. And as usual, there was nothing out of the ordinary during club activities. While some talked to each other about books, others either joked around or help the younger members with their writing.

    ¡°Bye-bye.¡±

    At the end of club activities, the club was divided into two groups: the juniors, who went back to their sses, and the underssmen, who headed home. Unlike his peers, Juho had permission to go home like the sophomore and the freshmen, but because he had a ce to be of his own, he parted ways with the younger members. It was the small library within the school, and as Juho had expected, there was nobody inside when the junior opened the door. It was as quiet and peaceful as usual. Remembering his younger clubmates telling him that the exhibition in the library had been getting fewer visitors than the previous year, Juho walked further into the library, toward his piece. Along with the sign that read ¡®Literature Club,¡¯ there was a brief description of each piece. There were quite a few books since all of the juniors and the younger members had participated that year. Then, as the junior looked through his clubmates¡¯ well-written stories, he came across his own writing: ¡®Fingernails.¡¯ Although he started skimming through it briefly, it wasn¡¯t long before he closed it back up and returned to pieces written by his clubmates.

    ¡°Very nice.¡±

    Upon looking at them, Juho realized that his peers hade a long way from way they started. They had reached impressive skill levels, and each and every one of them had improved drastically since first joining the Literature Club. They had grown, matured, and be proficient, and as if to prove that, Juho saw traces left by other students who had read their stories. In other words, readers. At that moment...

    ¡°I enjoyed it.¡±

    ... a familiar voice said from behind him. ¡®Isn¡¯t she was my age? I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be here,¡¯ Juho thought to himself. To Juho¡¯s surprise, the girl was still in the library, holding a book in her hand. She was the reader who had expressed hope that Juho would keep writing. Then, with a lingering attachment in her eyes, she stared intently at Juho¡¯s piece.

    ¡°I guess I won¡¯t be seeing your writing for much longer. It¡¯s the only reason I¡¯m not looking forward to graduating.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ttering,¡± Juho said. Actually, he was quite fond of what she had said.

    ¡°Will I evere across your writing again in the future?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Without a doubt,¡± the young author answered confidently. That day would being soon. Then, she looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face, as if confused by his confidence.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I will, as long as I¡¯m alive.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a fancy way to put it,¡± Juho said.

    She seemed to be going through something in her mind. Then, after a brief pause, she said, ¡°When I discover that not a single university in existence wants me, for example.¡±

    Juho shrugged. Books had always been within their readers¡¯ reach. As long as they made up their minds to reconnect with them, books were readily avable for them. In the meantime, she returned to her post, and that was the end of their interaction. Coming out of the library, Juho walked down the stairs and, finally, out the front gate of the school. Then, standing still in front of the metal gate, which was closed halfway as if to convey that only certain individuals might pass through it, the young author looked up at his school. The security guard was nowhere to be found. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that the person standing in front of the gate was a junior who was about to graduate in the near future. The realization that he didn¡¯t have much time left in that school left a bitter taste in Juho¡¯s mouth. Then, after staring up at the building for a little while longer, he went on his way.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Should we go somewhere?¡± Juho said to his mother, looking out of the patio window. The weather was pleasant and, as if aware of that, the pedestrians on the street were all in a hurry to get somewhere, all while their faces were filled with joy.

    ¡°Sounds good! Should we go to the Han River or something?¡±

    While talking about a potential pic, Juho¡¯s eyes went to the TV, which they had left on for a no apparent reason. It was showing a number of celebrities, and among them, was Myung Joo Mu, who Juho hadn¡¯t seen in a while. The actor had been busy appearing on a bunch of TV shows in order to promote his new drama.

    ¡°He¡¯s a good actor,¡± Juho¡¯s mother said while looking at the actor on the screen, and the young author agreed. Myung Joo was an incredible actor, and most viewers who had seen him onscreen were bound to agree. His versatility as an actor brought joy to his fans. Before Juho realized, the subject of the conversation had taken apletely different turn, from a pic to the actor.

    ¡°Do you still keep in touch with him?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    Unlike with Sang Young or Soo Jung, Juho hadn¡¯t kept in touch with the actor. Although he had his phone number, they were never close to each other, and their rtionship was no more than that of a fan and a celebrity. Besides, Juho hadn¡¯t had the time to watch the drama Myung Joo was in, which meant there was even less of a reason to call the actor. Nevertheless, the young author was happy to see the actor onscreen.

    ¡°Your phone¡¯s ringing.¡±

    Juho rose from his seat at the sound of his phone vibrating on the desk in his room. Entertaining the possibility that it might be the actor, he checked his phone¡¯s screen. However, to his disappointment, it was his editor, Nam Kyung. Blue sky. Pic-goers. Peaceful day. Then, a disrupting buzzing noise came from Juho¡¯s vibrating phone. Something wasn¡¯t right.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    There was no response.

    ¡°Hello? Mr. Park?¡±

    ¡°Your picture¡¯s turned up.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡®What does that mean?¡¯ Juho wondered. The first thing that came to mind at the word picture was Coin¡¯s face.

    Then, in his distinctively low voice, the editor said, ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s picture¡¯s turned up.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Look online.¡±

    ¡°... Online?¡±

    The inte was thergestmunicationwork forputers in the world, which connected the entire globe. Also referred to as ¡®the sea of information,¡¯ it was to that ce that Nam Kyung was directing the young author, and Juho started to have a bad feeling.

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I told you. Yun Woo¡¯s picture¡¯s turned up,¡± Nam Kyung repeated himself.

    Because Juho had left hisputer on, it didn¡¯t take long for him to ess the inte. The first thing he saw were the most searched words, which were updating in real-time. Yun Woo. Yun Woo¡¯s identity. Yun Woo¡¯s face. Yun Woo picture. When he clicked thest one, he saw a list of articles that referred to another article with the word exclusive next to its title. The article at the top of the list read, ¡®Paparazzi Snaps a Photo of Yun Woo Having a Meal with His Editor-in-Charge. Photo Revealed.¡¯ Applying pressure into his fingers, Juho clicked the article in order to read it. Then, a massive picture of Nam Kyung and Yun Woo appeared on the monitor¡¯s screen.

    ¡°This...¡±

    ¡°Have you seen it?¡± Nam Kyung asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking at it,¡± Juho answered and added, ¡°This isn¡¯t me, though.¡±

    At that, a deep sigh came from the receiver of Juho¡¯s phone. Just as the title of the article suggested, Nam Kyung was definitely in the picture. However, the person eating with the editor wasn¡¯t Juho.

    ¡°It¡¯s my nephew,¡± Nam Kyung said. ¡°He¡¯s your age. We ate together some time before I met with you,¡± the editor added, remembering the canceled business trip that day. He had met up with his nephew in ce of a canceled business trip he had had one day, and it wasn¡¯t until a weekter that he met with the young author at their usual meeting spot: the botanical garden.

    ¡°So does that mean the paparazzo took a picture of some random person thinking that he was Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the editor said. Nam Kyung was well acquainted with thepany responsible for distributing the photo. ¡°Their articles are just ridiculous. I mean, their most convincing one is on a theory on the moon actually being a man-made satellite,¡± he said as if forcing the words out of his mouth.

    Then, getting lost in the details, Juho asked in a dyed response, ¡°How¡¯s your nephew?¡±

    At that, the editor answered with a sigh, ¡°He¡¯s having the time of his life. He¡¯s exhrated that he doesn¡¯t have to go to school until thismotion dies down, and that he¡¯s be a superstar overnight. I¡¯m telling you, it kills me when I see him.¡±

    The photo hade out with quite the energy to it, and Nam Kyungined to the young author that his nephew had been fond of that.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Juho said and moving on to the next question, ¡°So, how are you nning on going about exining this?¡±

    ¡°How else? I¡¯ll let the press know that it was my nephew. Although, the higher-ups seem to be worried about what to tell them first. In any case, there should be an article turning up by the end of today.¡±

    The publishingpany had the young author¡¯s confirmation that he was nning on revealing himself. In which case, there would be a number of ways to go about handling the situation. One way was to leverage themotion to their advantage. If they were to make a federal case out of an event, in this case, one of their employees experiencing hassling, it would prove to be a great promotional tool. While it was likely that people would criticize the publisher for mishandling the situation, people were bound to be equally curious about Yun Woo and how he would respond. At that point, thepany would draw a line by the end of the day. It was clever judgment on their end.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s on full alert. There¡¯s the book fest that we decided not to push back, for one, and there¡¯s even a bigger crowd gathering in front of the building to see you. There are even reporters now.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, DO NOTe near the building, all right? I gotta go,¡± Nam Kyung said and hung up in a hurry. Then, as the call ended abruptly, Juho stared at his phone intently for a little while, the busyness on the other end of the line still lingering in his years. Juho had been told a number of times not to go near the building by that point due to the paparazzi and reporters lingering around the vicinity of it. ¡®There are just too many eyes. It¡¯s risky for you to be here.¡¯ Yun Woo¡¯s poprity far surpassed what anybody could have imagined, and ironically, the young author himself was the only person who wasn¡¯t aware of that fact. Looking intently at the picture of Nam Kyung and someone who was being assumed to be Yun Woo for a little while, Juho rose from his seat.

    ¡°I was nning oning clean anyway.¡±

    With that, he changed out of the clothes he was wearing. When he walked out of the room, his mother, who had been listening to his conversation with the editor, asked, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I think it¡¯ll sort itself out,¡± Juho said, adding a brief exnation of what was happening.

    ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ out.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°The publishingpany.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°I want to see it with my own eyes,¡± he said with a smile. With that, the young author went on his way. It had been a while since he had been on the bus going toward thepany. Although the bus was filled with people, it moved forward unhindered, passing the restaurant Juho had a memory of visiting with Nam Kyung. The photo believed to be of Yun Woo spread at an increasing rate. Meanwhile, Juho got off the bus along with many others who had been on the bus with him.

    ¡°So crowded in there,¡± somebody said. Just like they had said, the book fest was booming with people. When the young author went inside, there were a slew of booths set up by officials from various publishers, serving as guideposts while selling and promoting books. The book covers in different colors painted a beautiful scenery. If Seo Kwang were to be there, he would have beenpletely mesmerized by the view. Unfortunately, fate was cruel to him since he was a high school junior.

    People were looking at the books, talking to their groups about them. While it was quite crowded, Juho didn¡¯t sense any real danger. For a reason he couldn¡¯t quite understand, Juho found himself having trouble remembering where to go. Perhaps, it had been simply too long since he had been in the area, or maybe, it was the busyness of the book fest.

    After meandering through the crowd for a little while, Juho was able to find his way to Zelkova. He was made certain of that by the changing scenery around him growing farther away from the festival crowd and its friendly and weing atmosphere. They all faded away, as if the air had carried one¡¯s desire for possession away.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± a person in the crowd let out at the rming sight. Reporters were camping out in front of thepany building withrge, ck cameras set up to aim toward the building. A handful of them were aiming toward the crowd gathering in front of the building. Then, Juho realized that one of the circr lenses was pointed directly toward him.

 Chapter 254 - Who is Yun Woo? (7)

    <h4>Chapter 254: Who is Yun Woo? (7)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Are they filming?¡±

    ¡°I think they¡¯re waiting for something to happen.¡±

    The crowd talked among itselves. Meanwhile, Juho was observing the crowd of curious fans and reporters from afar. Staring intently at whoever went in and/or out of the building, there were no doubts that their purpose waspletely different from that of the crowd at the book fest. A handful of them was even looking in Juho¡¯s direction. ¡®So that¡¯s the crowd Nam Kyung was telling me about.¡¯ Simr in number to the time when the schoolyard had to be shared between three sses, fans had gathered in front of Zelkova¡¯s building in order to see their favorite author, sitting on the ground as if knowing that it wouldn¡¯t happen any time soon.

    ¡°What are they doing? That¡¯s just ridiculous.¡±

    The pedestrians were ncing in the direction of the crowd sitting on the ground. While some whispered to each other and mocked them, others eximed with admiration, impressed by their determination. The standing crowd took pictures of the crowd sitting on the ground, while the cameramen captured them. Meanwhile, the crowd from the book fest was watching everything taking ce from their respective spots. The crowd grew even bigger over time. Knowing that the crowd was there with ill intentions, Juho felt sorry for the building.

    Standing still, the young author kept observing them from the distance. When a person left, another came and filled the spot. The dynamic was mutual across the entire crowd. While some withdrew, others held their ces.

    ¡°You mean this whole crowd is here just to see Yun Woo!?¡± somebody let out. It didn¡¯t take much until the entire street buzzed with voices. At that moment, while the crowd was buzzing passively, a group of people started moving, another group of reporters who had just arrived at the scene. Then, one of them approached the crowd sitting on the ground and, as if they had previous experience being interviewed, a person sitting in the frontmost rowplied with the interview request.

    ¡°Are you a fan of Yun Woo?¡± the reporter asked.

    ¡°Yes. I own every single one of his books,¡± the fan said clearly, their confidence exuding intelligence.

    ¡°What do you like about him?¡±

    Upon hearing that question, a smile appeared on the fan¡¯s face, and it was clearly visible even from where Juho was standing.

    ¡°He¡¯s just incredible. Not only is he a young genius, but he¡¯s anonymous and he¡¯s even managed to win some really famous literary awards. His writing drives me nuts. I just can¡¯t get enough of it.¡±

    Then, as the fan looked straight at the camera, the reporter walked a little closer toward them.

    ¡°How can you know whether you¡¯ll see Yun Woo here or not?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m counting on my luck. As you said, there¡¯s no telling if I¡¯d be able to recognize him even if I were to see him. But who knows? That person might just be Yun Woo. And if he really is, then I will have met him.¡±

    ¡°How will you confirm the answer?¡±

    ¡°The answer?¡±

    ¡°As in, whether you really met him or not.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that. It¡¯s simple. I¡¯ll know as soon as Yun Woo reveals himself.¡±

    At that, the reporter continued as if the fan had taken the bait, ¡°Are you aware of Yun Woo¡¯s picture floating around the inte?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°So, what does that tell you about your answer?¡± the reporter asked and the fan hesitated for the first time.

    Then, with a slight disappointment in their face, the fan said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be here right now if it did anything to help me.¡±

    As the reporter was about to ask a series of questions about what they had said, but the fan beat the reporter to it, saying, ¡°But now that I know what Yun Woo looks like, I have the upper hand. I¡¯ll be able to recognize him the moment I see him.¡±

    ¡°Do you think Yun Woo will show up today? It seems highly unlikely to me,¡± the reporter asked, and the fan responded with a shrug, ¡°Only Yun Woo would know.¡±

    With that, Juho turned his head by reflex to look at the people around him. Some were sighing, while others were growing irritable, frowning. They were all dying to meet the young author. At that moment...

    ¡°Huh...?¡±

    ... Juho locked eyes with somebody standing next to the cameramen. Although Juho was about to ignore it, the man didn¡¯t seem to be thinking about doing the same. Then, raising his hand, he pointed in a direction, opened his mouth, and let out, ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡±

    The situation took a turn suddenly. As the man said repeatedly, ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo. He has to be,¡± the people around him looked around frantically. Meanwhile, the young author was still locking eyes with the man, even as his name was being called out. The man¡¯s finger and tongue were both directed toward him. The crowd on the ground jumped up at once, and the crowd in their feet took their phones out simultaneously. At that moment, as the tightly-shut door of the building flung open, a number of people poured out of it, including Nam Kyung. Then, with an urgent look on his face, he shouted, ¡°Hey! What do you think you¡¯re doing here?¡±

    Not only did the editor look furious, but his voice also sounded quite agitated. However, none of it was directed toward the young author. When Juho turned back, he saw Nam Kyung¡¯s nephew standing with a cheerful expression on his face, and a camera in his hand, capturing the chaos around him. From his appearance, seeming to be recording a video, Juho was made certain of what Nam Kyung¡¯s nephew was feeling. He was having the time of his life as people called him Yun Woo. He was on cloud nine, as if he had be somebody significant, and it was at that moment that Juho saw his old self ovep with the nephew¡¯s appearance. Drunk with fame, Juho had participated in interviews one after another in an attempt to expose himself to the press as much possible. The young author saw himself in the naive nephew, getting angry at people who didn¡¯t recognize him, his body shaking with humiliation. At that moment, Juho felt somebody pushing him from behind. The world shook before his eyes, as if he was being washed away by a strong current. It was an incredible amount of force. It was dangerous, and Juho felt an urgent need to escape. However, he couldn¡¯t move an inch as he was stuck in the crowd crushing and suffocating him. Juho felt an impact against his jaw, and pain on the back of his hand as well as his foot. The entire street roared with shouts.

    Feeling dizzy, Juho closed his eyes. When he opened them again after a little while, he was distant from ¡°Yun Woo.¡± The young author had barely managed to escape. Then, after gathering his senses, Juho observed the situation. The crowd surrounding Yun Woo as if there was an invisible boundary around him could be seen in the distance. Then, as employees squeezed through the crowd in order to protect him and as the barrier became clear, the crowd started going wild, throwing themselves at it in order to break through. It was quite intriguing when considering human nature was to be afraid of the things unseen. No matter how much the employees shouted at them to back up, it was no use. Meanwhile, Nam Kyung was desperate to take his nephew into the building.

    ¡°This is getting serious. What if people get hurt?¡± Juho let out.

    While the crowd was growing uneasy, they were also quite agitated.

    ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo! Yun Woo¡¯s here!¡±

    A camera sh went off, and people werepletely preupied with capturing the moment. The wall of voices and shing lights was quite hectic. At that moment, Juho¡¯s mouth moved on its own, saying, ¡°I¡¯m Yun Woo...¡±

    The boy people were surrounding was not Yun Woo. Juho was the one responsible for writing those novels. Yun Woo wasn¡¯t where people thought he was. When Juho looked up, he realized that nobody was listening.

    ¡°I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    ... but to no avail.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    Juho thought he was hearing things at that moment. As his mouth stopped moving, Juho turned to the side and looked at the person standing next to him.

    ¡®Click.¡¯

    The shutter went off, meaning that the real young author had been captured on camera. Then, the air sank back into silence.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    Despite the chaos, there was still somebody willing to listen to him, and Juho couldn¡¯t stop himself from chuckling at just how absurd of a situation he had found himself in.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Gong Pal, look.¡±

    While Gong Pal was ying video-games, he looked back upon hearing his sister¡¯s voice. Because he was fighting a boss, he couldn¡¯t afford to look away for too long. When he nced in her direction, what came into his view was her phone.

    ¡°What?¡± he said, watching the boss losing its hit points. It won¡¯t be long until it met its demise.

    ¡°This is Yun Woo, apparently.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo?¡±

    His fingers slipped from the keyboard at the unexpected name. It was at that moment that Gong Pal found himself in a dilemma. While he couldn¡¯t afford to let up during a boss battle, he wanted to see what Yun Woo looked like just as badly. Unfortunately, while he was wrestling with the conflicting desires in his heart, the boss took that opportunity to kill his character. Then, stopping the game, Gong Pal turned around on his chair and looked at his sister with his long and thin eyes and a sullen expression on his face.

    ¡°Let me see.¡±

    At that, his sister handed him her phone, which was showing an article iming that a paparazzo who had been following Yun Woo¡¯s editor around had managed to capture the young author on camera. Although it was obvious that the picture had been taken in secret, Yun Woo¡¯s face was clearly on it. It was a face Gong Pal had no recollection of seeing.

    ¡°Is it really this guy?¡±

    ¡°Read it.¡±

    Then, Gong Pal read through the article, which went into great detail about the situation. The article was iming that the paparazzo had received information from an employee in the publishingpany. The fact that Nam Kyung¡¯s business trip had been canceled out of nowhere and that the two people in the photo frequently ate together made the photo all the more convincing. With that, Gong Pal moved on to thements and came across somebody iming that Yun Woo¡¯s real name had been revealed, including which high school he went to.

    ¡°The age seems to match,¡± Gong Il said. However, Gong Pal was yet to be convinced.

    ¡°Is this really Yun Woo¡¯s editor?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Apparently.¡±

    Apparently. Did that mean the man in the picture really was Yun Woo¡¯s editor? Was the person he was eating with in the photo really the youngest and the first Asian and Korean winner of the Neb and the Hugo? Was he really an acquaintance of Kelley Coin? Was he really responsible for writing some of the greatest novels in literary history?

    ¡°Something¡¯s not right,¡± Gong Pal said honestly. Although he didn¡¯t quite understand what he had expected either, it was clear that he was disappointed by what he was seeing.

    ¡°Right?¡± Gong Il said, agreeing with her brother. It wasmon for the twins to have the same thought in the same situation.

    ¡°Not quite sure how to put it, but something feels out of ce,¡± she said, and her brother nodded in agreement. It was out of ce. Of course, what he was feeling was only natural since he had never met Yun Woo, but there was something about the Yun Woo in the photo thatcked affinity.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m even expecting Yun Woo to be friendly toward me, but that¡¯s how I feel.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you already had somebody in mind that you hoped would be Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Gong Pal looked intently at the photo on the phone¡¯s screen. He looked entirely ordinary. If he really was Yun Woo, Gong Pal would eventuallye to believe it. Besides, the article imed that not only the person was having a meal with his editor-in-charge, but that he also matched the description of Yun Woo¡¯s age. It had also stated that there had been information provided by an employee of the publishingpany. Then, a finger appeared on top of Yun Woo¡¯s face, and Gong Il took her phone back from her brother.

    ¡°Everyone else in the club probably knows, right?¡±

    ¡°Probably. At least, I¡¯m sure Seo Kwang knows about this.¡±

    ¡°What do you think Juho would have to say about this?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    At that moment, they thought of ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ and ¡®Fingernails,¡¯ along with the emotional experiences they had after reading them. Yun Woo and Juho Woo. The twins rememberedparing the two not too long ago. A world-renowned author and an ordinary high school student, member of a literary club. Frankly, they were iparable to one another.

    ¡°Why do I like Juho¡¯s writing better?¡± Gong Pal asked himself. When theypared things with Juho¡¯s face in mind, the twins found themselves preferring Juho¡¯s writing over Yun Woo¡¯s.

    Then, having stood still for a little while, Gong Il said to her brother on her way out, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let you y your game.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Because he didn¡¯t have a reason to stop her, he went back to his game without hesitation. However, he quickly realized that he was having trouble focusing on the game. Nevertheless, he pressed on and forced himself to y through it. Then, by the time he felt hungry, Gong Il came into his room again.

    ¡°Hey, look.¡±

    ¡°Ugh! Thanks a lot. I died again.¡±

    ¡°Just look!¡± she said with agitation that time.

    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, puzzled by what could have shaken her up.

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°You showed me earlier.¡±

    At that, Gong Il put her phone right in front of Gong Pal¡¯s face. Being that close, it was hard to make out what was on the screen.

    ¡°All right! OK! Give it here,¡± he said irritably. That time, it was a post written by an ordinary person rather than an article.

    ¡°The real Yun Woo?¡±

    Gong Pal read the post, which was written in the form of a dialogue. ¡®This is insane. This is unbelievable!¡¯ he eximed internally. His heart started jumping. In between the things said by the writer of the post, were what the narrator had experienced in person. The chaos in front of the entrance to the publishingpany, and Yun Woo¡¯s editor making an official statement. Yun Woo turned out to be at the scene, and as if expecting people to be skeptical, the narrator included a picture of the young author. Then, when Gong Pal saw the picture, he couldn¡¯t help but let out, ¡°Juho!?¡±

    At that moment, he jumped out of his seat. It was clearly Juho.

    ¡°He¡¯s Yun Woo,¡± his twin sister said.

    ¡°Juho was Yun Woo all along.¡±

    At that, Gong Pal nodded quietly. That time, there was nothing strange or off-putting about the conclusion. If anything, Gong Pal found the post much more convincing than some article written by a journalist. The post contained the raw emotions of what the narrator had gone through. Juho Woo was Yun Woo. As the pieces in Gong Pal¡¯s head starteding together, he started to feel overwhelmed.

    ¡°Do you think everyone in the club already knows about this!?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s find out.¡±

    With that, the twins called Seo Kwang that instant. Meanwhile, the post was spreading through the sea of information at an incredible rate.

 Chapter 255 - Read the Books (1)

    <h4>Chapter 255: Read the Books (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Wearing his uniform, which had the name of his school sewn on it, and after eating a quick breakfast, Juho went on his way earlier than usual. Because it was still early in the morning, there weren¡¯t all that many people on the streets. He walked unhurriedly. Whenever he would walk up the hills, Juho would find his body tensing up. To go to school was to climb up a hill. Because of its location, there was no other way to get there. Upon arriving at the building, Juho had to walk up a set of stairs... as if he hadn¡¯t been climbing enough. Eventually, he got to his ssroom before anybody else. Although it was way before school would start, the junior had things to do. After putting his backpack down on his desk, Juho opened the window. Even the schoolyard was eerily silent. With that, after looking down at it for a little while, he headed for the staffroom, where he found his homeroom teacher.

    ¡°Good morning.¡±

    At that, the teacher turned around.

    ¡°Mornin¡¯,¡± he said while wearing his usual expression. However, something was different. Then, without saying much, the teacher rose from his seat and started walking toward another room, which was connected to the staffroom. Being the tactful student that he was, Juho followed him into the room. Juho remembered seeing some of his peers, who had some of the highest GPAs in the entire school, in that very room with a teacher, discussing their career paths. There was a clunky-looking desk in the center, which had a sheet of green cloth between its surface and the sheet of ss on top. Underneath the ss but above the cloth, was a list of things students needed to be mindful of when deciding on a career path. Each and every one of them sounded cumbersome.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re Yun Woo, huh?¡± the teacher asked somewhat awkwardly. It had to be his first time saying something like that.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The teacher raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±

    Staring at his student intently, the teacher burst out into a heartyughter, either as if in disbelief of what Juho had just told him or that he had been Yun Woo¡¯s teacher all long.

    ¡°So, is there some sort of document you can bring that will prove that?¡±

    ¡°And what kind of documents would that be?¡±

    The teacher didn¡¯t seem to have an answer in mind either. In the end, what came out of his mouth was a suggestion that didn¡¯t sound like it was well-thought of.

    ¡°Well, you know... paperwork that shows that you¡¯ve actually published those books. You can talk to your publishers about it, can¡¯t you? If you really are Yun Woo, that is,¡± the teacher said, adding thest sentence quietly. At that, Juho was reminded of the living hell that he had found himself in in front of Zelkova¡¯s building. Although he felt bad for his teacher, the young author had no intention of submitting any kind of document to him because he didn¡¯t feel the need to do so. Then, thinking about the amount of time he had until the release date of his new book, Juho said, ¡°It might take a while.¡±

    ¡°All right. Sooner, the better.¡± With that, the teacher stopped talking, as if trying to figure out what to say next. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve taught for thirty years now, but I¡¯ve never experienced anything like this.¡±

    Then, he added, ¡°Although, it seems like going to college won¡¯t be a challenge for ya. If you really are Yun Woo, that is.¡±

    That time, the teacher let his thoughts out tantly, but packaged as a light-hearted joke. Listening to him chuckling, Juho also said what was on his mind, ¡°I¡¯d like to drop out.¡±

    ¡°Come again?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to drop out of school.¡±

    After repeating the words drop out to himself in a murmur, the teacher said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t advise it.¡±

    That time, the teacher looked much more at peace. After all, he had a teaching career that spanned three-decades and he had to have met a number of students who had wanted to drop out of school.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost at the end of the semester anyway. Besides, you¡¯re a junior. You¡¯ve met the required number of attendance days already. I understand where you¡¯reing from, so it might be better to just note to school instead,¡± the teacher said. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t try to force the junior toe to school.

    ¡°There¡¯s a whole process you have to go through in order to drop out. Not only will it be time-consuming, but you also have to go through counseling for a number of weeks. By the time you¡¯re done with everything, all of your peers should be graduating.¡±

    Adding some slight exaggeration, the teacher tried to talk Juho out of dropping out. As for Juho, it didn¡¯t matter as long as he didn¡¯t have toe to school. ording to his past experience, his peaceful school life was about toe to an end. Although he would have considered staying in school if he had been younger, he was already a junior, which meant that he would be with his peers in an area secluded from the underssmen. Because there had been times that his anonymity had worked to the disadvantage of others, Juho wanted to be as mindful of those around him as he could be after having revealed himself. Besides, he had never been all that attached to school. The only thing that was holding him back was the Literature Club. Although Juho wasn¡¯t adamant about dropping out of school, he wasn¡¯t exactly adamant about graduating either.

    Still, he asked, ¡°If everyone else will be graduating by the time I can drop out, what difference would it make if I were to just drop out?¡±

    The teacher looked at his student as if looking at a naive child that knew nothing about the realities of the world. Then, Juho remembered that his teacher knew nothing about what kind of life he had led up to that point. At which point, the teacher gave him someckluster advice.

    ¡°You won¡¯t get your diploma,¡± the teacher said, as if telling him an answer to a question on a test. ¡°You¡¯ll regret it.¡±

    Regret. Juho nodded in agreement. He had regretted attending a university in the past. But would it be the same this time? It was a possibility. Regret tended toe as an afterthought and, unfortunately, regret had always been able totch itself onto most decisions. In other words, it was always possible for Juho to regret the life he had led up to that point altogether. After some contemtion, the junior said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe that I¡¯m at a tight spot.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You said I¡¯ll regret it if I drop out, didn¡¯t you? One only finds themselves in a tight spot when they¡¯re forced to do something they know they¡¯ll regret doing. You see, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have to worry about regretting my decision because dropping out seems like a legitimate option for me.¡±

    Then, caught off guard by his answer, the teacher said to him as if he was a freak of nature, ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°So, now you believe me,¡± Juho said with s mil.e

    At that moment, somebody came in through the door. It was Mr. Moon. As Juho greeted him, he greeted Juho back and told the homeroom teacher, ¡°The principal wants to see you. Oh, bring him with you.¡±

    At that, the two rose from their seats, opened the door and headed for the principal¡¯s office, which was on the same floor. There had been quite a few students who hade to school while Juho had been in counseling with his teacher. Meanwhile, when the students who had been standing in front of the staffroom saw Juho, their eyes widened, as if they wanted him to walk away from them far enough so that they could talk about the young author among themselves. Just as they were wishing, Juho went into the principal¡¯s office.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± he greeted the principal, who was sitting on a leather chair. As if preupied with something, he asked Juho and his teacher that they take a seat and wait. As Juho breathed in quietly, he noticed the smell of red ginseng in the air. Soon after finishing up, the principal sat on his desk, and Juho started to have a bad feeling that things were about to getplicated.

    ¡°Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°That guy?¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡±

    Juho heard those words a number of times after he walked out of the principal¡¯s office and as he was climbing the stairs. The fact that people had started calling him Yun Woo made the junior feel frustrated. At the same time, part of him also felt relieved. While it all felt foreign to him, it also felt familiar at the same time. Juho stretched toward the ceiling. The talk with the principal had proven to be quite cumbersome. Maybe it was because it had been mostly the same as what he had talked about with his homeroom teacher. Repeating himself was quite tedious. At that moment, he heard Mr. Moon chuckling from behind him.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re Yun Woo, huh?¡± he asked despite already knowing the answer.

    Still, Juho yed along, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°The twins are losing it.¡±

    ¡°I know. We talked on the phone.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d they say? Did they even believe you?¡±

    Then, as Juho saw all the text messages piling on his phone, he was reminded of when the twins had learned that he was Yun Woo. He had called them without a dy, without fear, because he was confident of the evidence in his hand. In case the twins didn¡¯t believe him, Juho had nned on bringing up the new book he was releasing. Gong Pal already knew a part of it and it would be more than enough evidence on top of the photo of himself with Kelley Coin. However, as soon as the ringing stopped, the twins let out with excitement, ¡°So that¡¯s what it was!¡±

    They were exhrated, like they had figured out the answer to a difficult question. When hearing their voices, Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°Everyone else is in the science room,¡± Mr. Moon said. Juho recognized the need to exin the situation to his clubmates. As Juho walked up the stairs and along the hallway with Mr. Moon, James turned up. Upon seeing the two, the English teacher walked toward them at once.

    ¡°So, that voice WAS you!¡± James said in English. It urred to Juho that James might have recognized his voice since they had had quite a few conversations.

    ¡°Yep. You recognized my ent, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    While looking like he couldn¡¯t believe that he was acquainted with Yun Woo, James also seemed quite excited to have learned the truth. He had epted that Juho was the mysterious young author all along, and his knowledge of Juho¡¯snguage skill had to have contributed significantly to that.

    ¡°Your name always came up whenever my friends and I would talk about Yun Woo. I would always tell them that I have this student with an unbelievable sense ofnguage and that he¡¯s so impressive that I want to introduce him to a professor I know. But who would¡¯ve thought that you would be Yun Woo? Everything¡¯s falling into ce!¡±

    Juho had never heard James talk so fast since they met.

    ¡°Life can be funny, don¡¯t you think? By the way, I put your data to good use.¡±

    ¡°Wait... you don¡¯t mean...?¡±

    ¡°For ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    As James¡¯ earlobes turned bright red, he threw his arms up in the air. It would be obvious even to students who didn¡¯t speak English that he was exhrated. Although James wanted to talk some more, Mr. Moon intervened, saying, ¡°Juho has a ce to be. Why don¡¯t you two catch up another time?¡±

    ¡°Another time? Who knows when that¡¯ll be!? Are you nning on stilling to school?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°See?¡±

    Then, Juho calmed James down by sharing his phone number with him.

    ¡°If there¡¯s anything I want to ask regarding the Englishnguage, I¡¯ll give you a ring.¡±

    ¡°You got it. I¡¯ll give you a call if I have a question about English as well,¡± James said briefly, nodding, and Juho smiled. Even if Juho were to graduate, there were rtionships that were meant to continue. Then, as Juho walked through the hallway with Mr. Moon, the teacher looked at the young author and said, ¡°It feels like it was just yesterday that I doubted you were Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it.¡±

    The hallway had been empty back then. But now, there were a number of students around them staring at the young author. Because he was with a teacher, Juho probably looked like he had gotten himself in trouble. Although there were students who put themselves on equal footing to Juho or that looked down on him, Juho paid no attention, knowing that they wereing from a ce ofck of trust. Thankfully, there were no more students around by the time he and Mr. Moon were getting close to the science room. As Mr. Moon opened the door, Juho saw his clubmates sitting around his seat.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Seo Kwang said, waving at him, and waving back, Juho took his seat. Then, as soon as he sat down, the twins struck up a conversation with him, ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡± the twins let out, locking eyes with each other, intrigued. The rest of the club also brought up the name Yun Woo for no apparent reason.

    Meanwhile, Bo Suk asked with her eyes sparkling just as much as her name, ¡°Did you hear? The library is off limits.¡±

    At that, Juho brow furrowed slightly, and he asked, ¡°It¡¯s not because people are rushing in to read my writing, is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s precisely that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t all that difficult to imagine the situation. There were still students who doubted whether Juho was really was Yun Woo. In order to find an answer, they had all rushed to the library to read the piece written by Yun Woo, which had been written under the name Juho Woo.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you. The name Yun Woo is an advertisement in and of itself,¡± Seo Kwang said, nodding. Meanwhile, the twins had unusually cheerful smiles, and Mr. Moon had an unsurprised look on his face.

    Then, Juho sighed as he gave up trying to exin himself and said, ¡°Yep. It sure is important to promote.¡±

 Chapter 256 - Read the Book (2)

    <h4>Chapter 256: Read the Book (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what everyone else will think, though, since Yun Woo and Juho have such different writing styles,¡± Bom said, sounding concerned.

    Meanwhile, Sun Hwa, who was resting her chin on her hand, said indifferently, ¡°What can they do? He really is Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Yun Woo had some sort of n when he dropped a bomb this size, right?¡±

    At that, Juho came clean, ¡°It was half on impulse.¡±

    ¡°I knew it,¡± Seo Kwang let out, nodding.

    ¡°What did I tell ya? He has an impulsive side to him! If he ever gets into gambling, he¡¯ll lose money left and right.¡±

    While Sun Hwa gave Juho a pitiful look, Bom stepped in to save him, ¡°But you managed to hide it for three years, though. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn¡¯t havested a week.¡±

    ¡°That is true. You know, we yed a big part in that too,¡± Sun Hwa said, and just like she had said, Juho was also grateful to his clubmates for keeping the secret.

    ¡°I gotta admit though. Part of me was thrilled to know something others didn¡¯t. Now, I get to go around and show off, saying that I¡¯ve written alongside Yun Woo,¡± Seo Kwang said while stretching, and everyone agreed. The club members seemed to be in a good mood.

    ¡°I¡¯ve decided not toe to school from now on,¡± Juho said. The room sank into silence.

    ¡°But what about college?¡± Sun Hwa asked, breaking the silence.

    ¡°I won¡¯t go to one.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still graduating, right?¡±

    ¡°I was nning on dropping out, but my teacher doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    ¡°Of course! The semester¡¯s almost over. I¡¯d say the same thing.¡±

    ¡°Is that really necessary, though?¡± Bom asked quietly, looking sad.

    To which, Juho responded with a shrug, ¡°Things will be in perpetual chaos as long as I¡¯m around. People wille rushing to see me from other sses. I mean, it¡¯s Yun Woo of all people.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so full of yourself,¡± Sun Hwa murmured, but ignoring her, Juho continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s what I want.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re noting to the Literature Club anymore?¡± Bom asked looking intently in Juho¡¯s direction. Tilting his head, he answered, ¡°I guess so.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean we don¡¯t get to read your writing anymore?¡± the twins asked, their expressions growing darker.

    At that Juho smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯ll find them in bookstores.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what we meant. We want to read your stories while they¡¯re still fresh in their manuscripts.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s manuscripts tend to cost a little more.¡±

    ¡°But we joined the Literature Club because of you...¡±

    Although Juho had definitely yed a role in talking the twins into joining the club, it was more urate to say that Juho had provided them with an opportunity to join.

    ¡°What? You¡¯re gonna leave just because I¡¯m not around anymore?¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯re not.¡±

    The time they had spent together up to that point was definitely enough to help the twins realize just how fun and rewarding writing could be. Seeing that the younger clubmates were about to burst into tears at any given minute, Juhoforted them, ¡°I¡¯ll buy you guys food if you call me.¡±

    ¡°Even fried chicken?¡±

    ¡°You got it,¡± Juho said, thinking that it had worked even better than he had hoped for. With that, the young author looked around the science room. Half of the room was upied by junk, like old chairs and desks and experiment equipment and data for science ss. Not only was the room dusty, but it was also quite small and dark. Yet, the young author had written a stupendous amount there. Juho had received many priceless things during his time in the Literature Club, such as rtionships, Mr. Moon¡¯s lessons, and him pointing the young author toward a new dream. The fact that one had a ce where they belonged was something to be cherished. However, where there was a beginning, there was also an end. There would always be a next time as long as everyone was alive. With that, the young author rose from his seat.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Break a leg,¡± Seo Kwang said, patting Juho¡¯s shoulder in front of the ssroom. Although Juho wasn¡¯t sure of what Seo Kwang was getting at, he gave Seo Kwang an affirmative answer for the time being. Because he had spent quite a bit of time in the science room with his clubmates, ss had started long ago. As Seo Kwang and Bom went into their ssroom, Sun Hwa looked at Juho and asked, ¡°You¡¯re gonna be OK, right?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    Despite Juho¡¯s ambivalent attitude, Sun Hwa flung the door open. Suffice to say, as everyone looked toward them, Juho felt the piercing gazes on his cheeks, making him scratch them for no apparent reason. First period was math, and there were beautifully-drawn shapes on the chalkboard. While teaching the ss how to solve an equation, the teacher merely nced in Juho and Sun Hwa¡¯s direction and returned to solving the problem on the board. It seemed like he had been informed by Mr. Moon ahead of time. However, the students were having trouble looking away from the young author. Sensing that they had a lot of questions they wanted to ask, Juho deliberately walked toward his desk and took his seat. For the time being, he took out his textbook and decided to stay until the end of the first period. Although math had always been one of the sses that had bored him to death, the realization that he was nevering back made it somewhat special. Meanwhile, the students remained distracted, whispering and passing notes to each other, ncing over in the young author¡¯s direction.

    ¡°All right. We¡¯ll stop here for the day,¡± the teacher said, and the ss immediately broke out in amotion. Because the bell had yet to ring, the students couldn¡¯t go outside. Meanwhile, Juho started taking his textbooks out from underneath the desk and pack up his belongings. While he was busy separating what to keep and what to throw out, he heard someone trying to strike up a conversation with him, ¡°Hey.¡±

    When Juho turned toward the voice, he saw the peer who had been sitting next to him. He had always hung out with his own group of friends.

    ¡°What?¡± Juho answered nonchntly. He had already seen himmunicating with his friends nonverbally, with his eyes. Then, taking advantage his seat¡¯s location, the peer asked, ¡°It¡¯s you, huh?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t exactly the most pleasant question.

    ¡°What did I do?¡±

    As Juho asked briefly, a slightly irritated look appeared on the boy¡¯s face. He seemed to be growing impatient.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who imed to be Yun Woo, right?¡±

    To them, the fact that Juho was Yun Woo was merely an opinion. Then, Juho gave him the answer he had been looking for, ¡°Yep. That would be me.¡±

    Although Juho said it calmly, the boy looked at him as though he was desperate for attention. There was a noticeable difference between those who believed and those who didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Are you really Yun Woo?¡± the boy asked mockingly.

    ¡°Yep. I really am Yun Woo,¡± Juho said sarcastically, imitating his peer. At the young author¡¯s confident tone of voice, everyone else around them turned toward Juho and his ssmate.

    ¡°You mean, you wrote all those books?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re friends with Kelley Coin?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ve been to the US recently?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    As the young author repeated the same answer, his ssmates grew even more impatient.

    ¡°Can you prove it?¡±

    ¡°Can you prove to me that you¡¯re really you?¡± Juho asked, still in his calm tone of voice. At which, the boys brow furrowed. He seemed to be thinking that the young writer was slow to understand things.

    ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±

    ¡°Why not? I¡¯m Yun Woo, and Yun Woo is me.¡±

    ¡°Then, tell me every single book you¡¯ve written up to this point.¡±

    That would be a walk in the park. Not only would Juho be able to recite the names of each and every book he had written up to that point, but he would also be able to tell him the name of the new book that hadn¡¯t even been announced yet. Yet, the young author chose not to.

    ¡°If I were to tell you, would it prove that I¡¯m really Yun Woo? All you gotta do is type the name on a search engine on the inte. Anybody can do that.¡±

    ¡°Then, tell me something only you would know.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be able to tell whether or not I¡¯m telling the truth?¡±

    The boy¡¯s expression grew darker and darker as the conversation strayed further away from the direction he had had in mind. Meanwhile, Sun Hwa¡¯s shoulders moved up and down as she desperately resisted the urge tough.

    ¡°You¡¯re lyin¡¯ to me, aren¡¯t you?¡± the boy said in a slightly agitated voice, and looking intently at him, Juho said, ¡°No.¡±

    Although a brief answer, Juho was genuine. However, his ssmate seemed to think otherwise.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you y games with me now.¡±

    No matter how much the boy denied it, it didn¡¯t change the fact that Juho was, indeed, the young author responsible for writing all those books under the alias Yun Woo. Neither did it mean that it invalidated the rtionships he had built over the course of his writing career, nor the emotions he had pulled out of the depths of his heart that no longer belonged to himself. With that and without saying much, Juho looked away from his peer. However...

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ... the boy called to him shortly after, yet again. Unfortunately, the students sitting around them seemed to be hoping that the two would continue on with their conversation.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why are you packing?¡±

    ¡°¡®Cause I¡¯m noting to school anymore.¡±

    ¡°What!? Why?¡±

    ¡°¡®Cause I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡®Is he serious?¡¯

    Then, despite the young author having told the truth, the students started ying truth or dare among themselves. It was quite an interesting phenomenon. However, the students seemed to be approaching the matter with all seriousness. Soon, they moved on to Sun Hwa, who was sitting right in front of Juho.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Sun Hwa said with an irritated look.

    ¡°You¡¯re part of the Literature Club, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. And?¡±

    ¡°Is this guy really Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Why are you even bothering me? You don¡¯t believe him even when he¡¯s telling the truth.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen him write, haven¡¯t you? Well? Does he really write like Yun Woo?¡±

    As the ssmates showed no indication of letting up any time soon, Sun Hwa said, ¡°Yep.¡±

    It was an emphatic affirmation. Having hoped that she would weigh in on their doubts, the students started pouring out questions.

    ¡°C¡¯mon! Tell us! Is this guy really Yun Woo or not?¡±

    ¡°You need to work on your question-asking skills, man. I can¡¯t even tell what you¡¯re asking me. What does it even mean to write like Yun Woo, anyway?¡±

    Then, as he was about to speak, Sun Hwa gave him the finger.

    ¡°Get lost and stop wasting my time. I need to study.¡±

    With that, she turned around, and the students around her giggled at the sight of the student getting flipped off. Thankfully, it usually took a lot more than swearing for things to be tense between students. At that moment, the bell started ringing, and after ncing over in Juho and Sun Hwa¡¯s direction, the teacher left the ssroom. As soon as the bell sounded off, the hallway suddenly came to life, and Juho focused on packing his belongings. There were quite a few things that he needed to throw out.

    ¡°Hey, look. You got visitors.¡±

    The boy sitting next to Juho seemed to have a lot to say that day. Unfortunately, there was a whole crowd of students where he was pointing at, including the underssmen from the lower floors. Although Juho was well acquainted with the situation, it wasn¡¯t quite the same as the past. That time, the crowd of students wasn¡¯t looking at the young author in a positive light.

    ¡°He¡¯s gotta be fake,¡± somebody let out. Something was tugging at their hearts. Most of the students seemed to believe that Juho was getting expelled as punishment, and his ssmates enjoyed the situation from a distance. Although there were some juniors who weren¡¯t pleased to see the underssmen on the juniors¡¯ floor, the majority of the crowd seemed to take delight in the situation.

    ¡°Him? Yun Woo?¡±

    They were referring to Juho. At that moment, Juho remembered the time when the title of genius had fallen away from him. Revisiting an old memory was a strange experience. The young author felt his hand slowing down while he packed. People had been seeing impostors of the young author regrly. Those who they had believed to be Yun Woo had always turned out to be fake. When one became too familiar with one conclusion, it became harder to think outside of it. Simrly, maybe Yun Woo, too, had be too used to hiding. Then.....

    ¡°Huh?¡± Juho let out as a book appeared in front of his eyes. When he followed the hand holding the book, he learned that it was Bom and behind her, Seo Kwang.

    ¡°Can you sign my book?¡± she asked with a somewhat mischievous smile. Then, pushing all the preexisting thoughts from his head, Juho chuckled as he remembered something entirely different. Juho remembered the timid clubmate wanting to get her copy of ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ signed by an imposter during their freshman year.

    ¡°With pleasure,¡± Juho said, taking the book from her willingly. Meanwhile, Seo Kwang, also with a book in his hand, was standing in line behind Bom.

    ¡°Man! I only have workbooks on me!¡± Sun Hwa let out. ¡°It¡¯d be rude if I were to ask you to sign one of myic books, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Dude! You¡¯re part of the Literature Club and you don¡¯t carry a single book!?¡±

    ¡°Are you saying thatic books don¡¯t count as books?¡±

    In the middle of themotion were familiar voices, and the sound of them alone was enough to turn the humble book-signing into an entirely different experience from that of the young author¡¯s past. Then...

    ¡°Give me a break,¡± a spiteful voice interfered. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re wasting your book, a student said with an apparent look of displeasure.

    Upon closer look, Juho recognized jealousy in his face. It was jealousy toward somebody who had seeded early in life. The student was not keen on the fact that Yun Woo was around him, which was too much for a high school student living in a reality filled with uncertainty for the near future. Therefore, he chose not to believe, and most of his peers were more or less in simr positions. With that, Juho quietly packed his belongings.

    ¡°Bye,¡± Juho said. Then, as he rose from his seat, he was struck by the realization that he had remained mostly silent out of habit. At which point, he had to ask himself, ¡°Is it really time for me to go?¡±

 Chapter 257 - Read the Book (3)

    <h4>Chapter 257: Read the Book (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Want me to see you out?¡± Seo Kwang asked, and Juho shook his head as he gathered his senses.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. The next period is about to start.¡±

    With that, his clubmates waved goodbye since they couldn¡¯t leave the building. And with a reference book in his hand, which he nned on throwing out, Juho went down the stairs. When he reached the hallway, he came face to face with even more people. The long, straight hallway made it impossible for anyone to hide, as it exposed anybody walking through it. Being well aware of that, Juho walked while looking straight ahead. The students murmuring to each other became clearly audible, and Juho could tell that they didn¡¯t look at him in such a positive light. It was quite strange. Not everyone seemed to think of him as a fake. There had to be those who believed that Juho was actually Yun Woo. However, it was likely that they wouldn¡¯t dare speak up. The responses were obviously one-sided, and it was clear what the dominant beliefs were. ¡®Yun Woo is a fake, at least in this school.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t exactly a conclusion Juho was fond of.

    ¡°Yo, Yun Woo,¡± a voice called to the young author mockingly.

    Then, shortly after, Juho felt something hit the back of his head and fall to the ground. When he looked down, he saw a crumpled up piece of paper. Bending at the waist, he picked it up and opened it. It looked like a set of iplete notes. Although Juho looked around in order to return it to whoever it belonged to, his efforts were in vain. Whoever it was, they were hiding in the crowd, never to reveal their face. In a situation where anonymity was maintained, even the crassest of deeds were tolerated. Feeling the heftiness in his hand, Juho couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Then, he looked up at the sky, which was blocked by the concrete ceiling. With that, the young author went on his way unhurriedly.

    When he was just about to go down the stairs, another voice called to him, ¡°Hey!¡±

    When Juho turned around, wondering what kind of projectile wasing toward him that time, he saw the monkey charging toward him at a frightening speed. Then, grabbing onto his shoulders, he asked, ¡°You were Yun Woo!?¡±

    Looking at the monkey gasping for breath, Juho said, ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I knew it!¡± the monkey said, clutching his hair as soon as he heard Juho¡¯s response. He didn¡¯t seem like the type who cared about how others looked at him. ¡°I got an interview out of Yun Woo!¡±

    The monkey was having a deeply emotional experience, and after writhing with joy for a little while, he looked up all of a sudden.

    ¡°This will look good on applications, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon. It¡¯s interview time! The Yun Woo Special! Oh, yeah! Remind me where you were going again?¡±

    He seemed to be thinking out loud at that point.

    ¡°Home,¡± the young author said briefly.

    ¡°Come again?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m noting to school anymore.¡±

    After blinking quietly, the monkey started asking desperately for the reason behind Juho¡¯s decision. Because he wasn¡¯t in the mood to exin himself all over again, Juho gave him a brief summary instead, ¡°Because I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    Thankfully, that sentence was enough to convince the monkey.

    ¡°Right. Right. Then, what about the interview?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re toote.¡±

    At that moment, the joy that had been on the monkey¡¯s face disappeared at once as regret washed over him. Since bing a junior, he had been distancing himself from the Newspaper Club for various reasons and, because of that, he hadn¡¯t been able to interview the young author even after ¡®Fingernails¡¯ was exhibited in library. He had chosen to focus on preparing for the SATs instead.

    Meanwhile, Juhoforted the monkey, ¡°You gotta study.¡±

    Unfortunately, Juho¡¯s attempt at trying to encourage the monkey turned out to be in vain.

    ¡°How¡¯s that an issue when Yun Woo¡¯s right in front of me!? Are you trying to y hard to get now that you revealed yourself, or what!?¡±

    ¡°I turned down your interviewst year too, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°No! You can¡¯t do this to me! I¡¯m barely starting to understand your writing, which means I can ask even better questions now. I¡¯m not letting you go that easily. Oh, no,¡± the monkey said desperately. Unfortunately, his desperation made little difference to Juho. While he was pushing the monkey away as he clung on to the young author¡¯s arm, which was already heavy from the sheer weight of the things he had been carrying, a voice said to the monkey, ¡°He¡¯s not actually Yun Woo.¡±

    It seemed to believe in what it was saying. Then, the monkey rolled his eyes around in order to find out from where the voice wasing, but he gave up shortly after.

    ¡°And how do you know that?¡±

    That time, there was no answer. Instead, what returned to the monkey in ce of an answer was anger. Rather than supporting its conjecture with evidence, the voice was backing up its statement with its emotions. Caught off guard by the sudden outburst, the monkey appeared to be slightly intimidated by it. Meanwhile, Juho quietly listened to the angry voice. He found himself remaining silent yet again, as if he didn¡¯t have a mouth. Then, the young author brushed his hand down his face.

    ¡°I guess I cane clean now.¡±

    ¡°Wha-?¡±

    Juho looked at the monkey. The young author was able tomunicate with him just by looking, as if he were talking to him. After all, he was Yun Woo. Then, he handed half of the things he had been carrying to the monkey. Although taken aback, the monkey took Juho¡¯s things from his hands. With that, feeling much lighter than before, Juho ran down the stairs, nearly leaping. His hair was blowing in the wind. Although he was clearly running downward, the young author felt as though he was flying. The faster he ran, the farther away he got from the voices around him. He bolted across the hallway.

    ¡°Hey! Where you goin¡¯!?¡± the monkey asked with a puzzled look on his face, following him. To which, Juho answered while putting pressure onto his stomach, ¡°The broadcasting room.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡±

    ¡°You know how to work the machine, right?¡± Juho asked, thinking of the broadcasts that yed through the speakers during lunch every single day. The Newspaper Club had also taken part in them before. Meanwhile, the monkey answered, sounding unsure, ¡°Sort of...?¡±

    ¡°OK, that¡¯s good enough.¡±

    ¡°Why the broadcasting room, though?¡±

    ¡°Why else?¡±

    By the time the two arrived at the broadcasting room, the monkey was huffing and puffing. As Juho opened the door, he was greeted by an empty room that smelled of dust. Then, after turning the light on, they put down the things they had been carrying.

    ¡°Turn it on.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Walking past the monkey, who was questioning the young author with a dumb expression on his face, Juho closed the door.

    ¡°Turn the thing on and make my voice go out every speaker in the school.¡±

    ¡°... I didn¡¯t actually think you¡¯d go this far, but isn¡¯t this a bit excessive?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to exin myself, that¡¯s all. I mean, what¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t get permission.¡±

    ¡°Nobody out there got permission to insult me, either.¡±

    As the monkey hesitated, Juho patted him on the shoulder.

    ¡°All you gotta do for me is to turn this thing on. You can go after that.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Although he sighed, the monkey didn¡¯t seem like he waspletely dreading doing what he had been asked. If anything, he looked excited. He knew his way around theplicated-looking console, which was filled with all kinds of buttons. Then, moving only the necessary parts, the monkey managed to activate the P.A. system. Although his movements were still awkward, the system seemed to be in working order. Then, a jingle sounded throughout the entire school, indicating an iing announcement. As the monkey nodded at Juho affirmingly, Juho brought the microphone up to his mouth.

    ¡°One. Two. Can everyone hear me?¡±

    There was no answer. Then, peeking his head out the door, the monkey raised his thumb up at Juho as a gesture of saying goodbye and a signal that everything was good. ¡°We¡¯ll save the interview for another time,¡± the monkey said, mouthing the words silently. Then, he left the room without even looking back. Because the door couldn¡¯t be closed from the inside, Juho found a broomstick and put it against the door in case anybody tried toe in.

    ¡°Hello. Yun Woo speaking,¡± he said into the microphone. Introducing himself with a microphone in his hand was quite a foreign experience.

    ¡°I repeat. This is Yun Woo. By now, I¡¯m sure everyone heard the news that Yun Woo is in this school. Well, you heard it right. I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    The hallway was still quiet for some reason, which gave the impression that everyone was listening to what he was saying. It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine the students sitting in their sses, looking up at the speakers, discussing among themselves whether it was really Yun Woo or not. Among them, were a handful who recognized the voice and smiled.

    ¡°I was nning on leaving quietly, but I kept getting the impression that I¡¯m not very well liked around here. Now, I realize that there is onest thing I want to say. Oh, is there anybody who doesn¡¯t want to hear me talk? I understand. I know what that feels like. I heard some really harsh things through the course of the day. Well, anyway, sorry if you were expecting me to tell you how not to hear my voice.¡±

    Then, Juho licked his lips, feeling somewhat thirsty.

    ¡°It seemed to me that a lot of people were having trouble epting that I¡¯m actually Yun Woo. I mean, at the end of the day, I can¡¯t tell you what to believe or not to believe, but that isn¡¯t to say that you can say whatever you feel like to me. Nor am I saying that you can throw stuff at me. I¡¯m not saying that you can treat my friends badly, either. I¡¯d like for you all to know this.¡±

    With that, Juho moved around a little. As the microphone shook, a dull sound came from the speakers.

    ¡°Today¡¯s been seriously hectic, let me tell you. You see, I¡¯ve been nning to reveal myself for a while now, and I¡¯d discussed with my publishers before putting it into action. But then, an unforeseen circumstance happened that forced my n to take ce much sooner than I had anticipated.¡±

    Then, he paused, took the time to catch his breath and continued, ¡°In other words, I had a very formal way of going about this in mind, and in there, you¡¯d definitely find clues that would prove that I really was Yun Woo all along. If things had gone ording to n, though, I probably wouldn¡¯t have been so excited abouting into the broadcasting room.¡±

    The school was still quiet, and it was not a bad feeling.

    ¡°Thanks to those who im that I¡¯m a fake, my n isn¡¯tpletely ruined.¡±

    Juho cleared his throat.

    ¡°I¡¯m Yun Woo, whether you believe me or not.¡±

    No matter how much that offended people, nothing would change that fact. It couldn¡¯t, it wouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Would you like to know the truth?¡±

    At that moment, Juho heard footsteps approaching in the distance. It had to be of those who wanted to know the truth. In which case, Juho had only one thing to say, ¡°Read the books. Not only will you find the wisdom of life, but also clues that will lead you to Yun Woo. Read the books.¡±

    With that, Juho paused in order to resist the urge to chuckle. The message that had been delivered to an entire school would eventually be known to the rest of the world through another medium. ¡®There has to be at least one person who¡¯s recording all this,¡¯ he thought to himself, rising from his seat. Then, he made a brief closing statement, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    With that, Juho walked out of the room, leaving the system still on. As soon as he walked out to the hallway, he saw a crowd walking toward the broadcasting room in the distance. At that, he rushed down the stairs and out to the schoolyard. Although he had a lot to carry, it wasn¡¯t enough to slow him down.

    Then, a voice came through the P.A system, ¡°Yun Woo. Juho Woo! Where¡¯d he go??¡±

    Upon hearing that, Juho felt satisfied in knowing that he had been heard. ¡®That should do it,¡¯ he thought to himself.

    When he looked back, there wasn¡¯t anyone following him in the schoolyard. Soon, the bell started ringing through the entire campus, indicating that the next period had started. Assured that he had gotten away, Juho walked unhurriedly. At that moment, Juho saw a familiar face standing under a tree.

    ¡°Baron.¡±

    Wearing ordinary clothes, the recent graduate had been watching the young author since before Juho even realized that he was being watched.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I came here to see you. Heard you revealed your identity.¡±

    ¡°Did you hear it through the P.A system?¡±

    ¡°I would have heard it even if I didn¡¯t want to. I heard it all the way from the other side of the walls.¡±

    ¡®It must have been pretty loud,¡¯ Juho thought, shrugging.

    ¡°I see that you¡¯ve hardly changed.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°But it seems like those around you are also always looking to cause a ruckus.¡±

    ¡°I am Yun Woo after all,¡± Juho said. He couldn¡¯t remember how many times he had said those exact words, and it felt like he was trying to finish all of the homework he had been putting off at thest minute.

    ¡°Right,¡± Baron said in agreement. The schoolyard was empty and silent. Initially, Juho had decided to remain anonymous so that he could have a peaceful school life. However, as time passed and situations changed, the young author also changed his mind and eventually revealed himself to the public. Nevertheless, there were still quiet moments in life.

    ¡°How does it feel now that your face is known?¡±

    Inhaling deeply, Juho said, ¡°I think I¡¯ll manage.¡±

    ¡°Tryin¡¯ to y it cool?¡±

    ¡°I mean it.¡±

    With that, Baron walked toward the school building, and looking at that brought Juho a sense of peace. Just because one had graduated, that didn¡¯t mean that they could never return to their school. Then, Juho walked out of the gate to see, in the distance, a broadcast van heading toward the school, so the young author made haste.

    That day, when he arrived at home from school, he received a text message from Nam Kyung telling him that thepany had made an official announcement. Zelkova had talked to the press about Yun Woo¡¯s decision to reveal himself and detailed how the young author was nning to go about it. Then, news regarding his new book turned up, and Juho logged on to the inte without a dy. There wasn¡¯t even a need to type anything in the search engine. He simply looked at the list of most searched words.

    ¡°¡®An Insect Leaves No Trace.¡¯¡±

    It was the new and finalized title, the result of the working title ¡®Insect.¡¯ Not only did it fit the contents of the book, but Juho was also quite fond of the critical edge pointing at his picture, which was included in the book. Then, unable to hold back any longer, Juho burst intoughter.

 Chapter 258 - Read the Book (4)

    <h4>Chapter 258: Read the Book (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s photo. In the book,¡¯ Nam Kyung thought. In a sense, Yun Woo¡¯s new book was drawing more attention than any other book he had edited up to that point. Along with the two most prestigious literary awards, Yun Woo¡¯s identity and thepany¡¯s promotional strategy were some of the biggest contributing factors. There were unfounded predictions regarding the new book running amok on the inte. On the other hand, people¡¯s expectations were through the roof, in anticipation for what kind of story Yun Woo would release after ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ For the sake of research, Nam Kyung read through each and every one of thements. The international fans weren¡¯t exactly quiet about the young author either, and news of the senior editor of Fernand visiting Korea was drawing massive attention.

    ¡°Fernand,¡± Nam Kyung let out, leaning on his chair¡¯s backrest and thinking back to the recent past. ¡°They¡¯ll probably start with one million copies.¡±

    Nam Kyung asked Mr. Seo about the number of first editions. Considering the current situation, it would be safe to start the new novel off with a generous figure, hence one million. Nam Kyung believed that Korean publishers needed to be just as generous to Korean literature as they were towards any famous foreign literature. Meanwhile, Mr. Seo was staring into the air with an ambivalent expression on his face.

    ¡°Who knows? No publisher in their right mind would be that generous right off the bat.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung objected immediately, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s being generous at all. You know just how much attention Mr. Woo¡¯s new book has been receiving.¡±

    Mr. Seo nodded in agreement. Not only was the book written by Yun Woo, but it also contained a photo of the young author. On top of that, he was the first Korean winner of both the Neb and Hugo Award, which were two of the four most prestigious literary awards for science fiction in the world. Although there was no promise as to how the book would do in other countries, the publisher was confident that it would do well in Korea and in the US. Following in the steps of those awards¡¯ winning authors, having Yun Woo added to that equation would only make the results more promising.

    ¡°But it can be risky. There have been cases when books that sold nearly a million and a half copies in other countries ended up selling a third of that in Korea. The content ys a big role.¡±

    Since they were not running a non-profit organization, they had to make profit a priority. They couldn¡¯t afford to be generous. Nam Kyung, on the other hand, was growing impatient, ¡°But this is Yun Woo we¡¯re talking about. It hasn¡¯t even been half a year since he¡¯s got the Double Crown, and throw a picture into the mix? It¡¯ll sell! No matter what! For starters, I¡¯m getting three copies for myself.¡±

    Mr. Seoughed hollowly at that. In that case, he, too, had taken requests from those around him, including his children. No matter how much he had nagged at them to read more, his kids had paid no attention to their father, immersing themselves in video games instead. But now, they were begging him to get the new book for them. There was a clip floating around the inte with a massive number of views of the awards¡¯ ceremonies¡¯ hosts calling Yun Woo the winner on live television.

    ¡°The thing is, though, Mr. Woo¡¯s face is already public.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t the same as the photo of him standing next to Kelley Coin. The way I see it, I think it¡¯s better that people know what Mr. Woo looks like. Koreans tend to obsess over results rather than the process. That¡¯s just how they were taught and brought up. But thanks to Mr. Woo, the book became the answer to the curiosity burning within readers¡¯ minds.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until after pulling his immature nephew out of that living hell in front of thepany that Nam Kyung realized that Juho had been at the scene all along. Although everything had been in a disarray back then, the editor became hopeful once he realized how things were actually unfolding, The result was the answer to the fans¡¯ burning question: a book containing the truth. The expectations were through the roof.

    ¡°That¡¯s not all. The writing is solid, too. If it was some mediocre book, I would¡¯ve done everything I could to talk you out of it, Mr. Park. I mean, we gotta be mindful of the time, right?¡±

    There were times when expectations turned into burdens. Authors often wrestled with the burden of not letting their readers down, and as Yun Woo¡¯s editor-in-charge, Nam Kyung had to be more sensitive to that than anybody else. However, the piece of writing that he came across was beyond his expectations.

    ¡°He will NOT disappoint. Yun Woo still has a lot to show.¡±

    ¡°I know that,¡± Mr. Seo said, smacking his lips.

    ¡°Then, we can probably start with one million, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, there are about four-hundred thousand copies on pre-order already, so there¡¯s hope.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Nam Kyung. Cut me some ck here.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, Mr. Seo.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m getting back to work.¡±

    While the two quarreled, Mr. Maeng turned up from behind them. He looked quite excited for some reason.

    ¡°I was looking everywhere for you Mr. Seo. Hey, Nam Kyung.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°What about him?¡±

    Nam Kyung and Mr. Seo took turns to ask, and Mr. Maeng said without a dy, ¡°They¡¯re printing one million copies as the first batch.¡±

    ¡°Eh?!¡±

    ¡°Are you serious!?¡±

    While Mr. Seo looked puzzled, Nam Kyung was about to throw his hands in the air in celebration. At that moment, Mr. Maeng blurted out the rest of the sentence.

    ¡°In the US.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Nam Kyung let out, standing in an awkward stance and looking at Mr. Seo, whose mouth dropped open.

    ¡°In the States??¡±

    ¡°Yes! In the States! One million copies!¡±

    With that, after revisiting his memory, Nam Kyung sat up on his chair. One million copies. He didn¡¯t resist the corners of his mouth turning up, and seeing the editor smiling on his own, Mr. Maeng gave him a weird look. Then, wanting to see the reaction of the fans, Nam Kyung clicked an article on the inte.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s New Novel, ¡®An Insect Leaves No Trace.¡¯ First Edition Reported to Start with One Million Copies in the States. Zelkova Publishing Decides to Start with Eight-Hundred Thousand in Korea.¡±

    ¡°Fernand, the Publishing Titan, Said to Print One Million Copies of Yun Woo¡¯s New Novel, ¡®An Insect Leaves No Trace.¡¯ First Figure in the Millions for a Korean Author. The Young Author Isn¡¯t Finished Just yet.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo Draws International Attention. First Novel Since the Double Crown. It¡¯s Pure Literature This Time.¡±

    ¡°The Publisher Remains Silent. ¡®Nobody Knows Until the Book¡¯s Released.¡¯ Yun Woo¡¯s Actual Appearance!¡±

    ¡°The Top Secret of the Publishing Industry Comes to Light! Is He Really Yun Woo? ¡®We Might Have Seen Him Already.¡¯¡±

    ¡°The Mystery That Is Yun Woo. What¡¯s the World Like through His Eyes? Take a Closer Look at All the Events Up to Today.¡±

    ¡°The Astounding Aplishments of the Young Author. The Message of Yun Woo Literature?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s Never Been Anything Like It! What Makes Yun Woo¡¯s New Novel Special? His Profile Picture Said To Be Included in the New Book. Fans Finally Come to Face Their Favorite Author.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo Finally Comes Out of Hiding After Wandering like Coincidence. Picture Said To Be Included in His New Book. The Publisher Speaks Up: ¡®You Won¡¯t Be Disappointed.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Is He Really Yun Woo? Fans Still in Doubt? ¡®Yun Woo Only Exists in Our Minds.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo Reveals Himself. Book Districts on Their Toes. What¡¯s the Young Author Like?¡±

    ¡°Who is Yun Woo? Does He Exist?¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°What did I just read? Is Yun Woo really gonna reveal himself?!¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo! Finally! I¡¯m dying to know what he looks like.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s Yun Woo or his book thates out first. Just hurry up already!¡±

    ¡°Wow, I never thought I would see the day that I¡¯d wait for a book toe out so desperately.¡±

    ¡°I agree. I¡¯m going to the bookstore the day the book is released. I don¡¯t think I have the patience to wait for it to arrive in the mail.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the bookstore to see what Yun Woo looks like! They¡¯re not gonna keep it all wrapped up, right?¡±

    ¡°Looks like there are more people going to the bookstore to see Yun Woo than for his book.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going for his book! Personally, I¡¯m super stoked for his new novel. I mean, he made it to the top at the age of neen. How can you not check it out.¡±

    ¡°Wonder what it¡¯s like to be that sessful at that age.¡±

    ¡°I wanna live like Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°If only I could write like him. Please, Mr. Woo. Would you write my self-introduction for me?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he about to go to college? I wonder what his self-introduction would look like.¡±

    ¡°Probably the best self-introduction of the year.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s probably one of the rmended students.¡±

    ¡°Which school is he going to?¡±

    ¡°Heard he¡¯s not going to college. Although, it¡¯s strictly a rumor.¡±

    ¡°Look up a video called ¡®Yun Woo in the Broadcasting Room.¡¯ That was thest time he was seen apparently.¡±

    ¡°Is that real though?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it. He sounds different.¡±

    ¡°I thought he sounded the same.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he just desperate for attention?¡±

    ¡°What if he¡¯s real?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll find out when the bookes out. The book holds the key.¡±

    ¡°In the video, he says to read the books, and there¡¯s a rumor going around that he¡¯s implying something.¡±

    ¡°That sounds usible.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mooon, I wanna know!¡±

    ¡°I wonder what he looks like. Any day now, Zelkova.¡±

    ¡°Is ¡®An Insect Leaves No Trace¡¯ the sequel of ¡®Trace of a Bird?¡¯¡±

    ¡°I just read the plot and it seems like they¡¯re not rted at all. It¡¯s gonna be about love, apparently.¡±

    ¡°Is this gonna be Yun Woo¡¯s romance novel??¡±

    ¡°Blech! Romance. Well, as long as it¡¯s written by Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°A pure love story of a high school student?¡±

    ¡°Wonder how it rtes to the title. How can one fall in love with an insect?¡±

    ¡°Seeing how Yun Woo¡¯s saying that there¡¯s no trace, I don¡¯t think he knows what true love is.¡±

    ¡°The book isn¡¯t even out yet people...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna be at the bookstore right when it opens! The curiosity is killing me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the publisher telling fans to look forward to the picture? Are they that desperate for profit?¡±

    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a twist? Who knows?¡±

    ¡°What if Yun Woo isn¡¯t actually revealing himself...!? What if it¡¯s a picture of some guy!?¡±

    ¡°That better not happen.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna start a protest in front of the publisher¡¯s building.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll blow up their website again.¡±

    ¡°Noo, that can¡¯t be! Somebody, please tell me none of that will happen!¡±

    ¡°All right, now I¡¯m getting all anxious. I¡¯m really gonna have to go to the bookstore now.¡±

    ¡°I guess everyone¡¯s going to the bookstore. I better join in on the party.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised my parents haven¡¯t said anything. I guess it¡¯s because I¡¯m going to the bookstore to get books.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that I¡¯m even reading books.¡±

    ¡°I usually don¡¯t have time to read ¡¯cause of work, but I always carry one of Yun Woo¡¯s books around.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I ever stayed up all night to read.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo! Show yourself!¡±

    ¡°Zelkova! Hurry up!¡±

    ¡°We want it now!¡±

    ...

    ¡ª

    ¡°What the heck?¡± Juho let out. That morning, he had decided to walk to the book district for morning exercises and, when he arrived, he was greeted by an astonishing sight. It was just past nine in the morning, and the bookstore wouldn¡¯t open until 9:30 a.m. Which meant, the crowd had arrived long before opening time. It was a rare sight for a bookstore in Korea. Like Juho, there were other pedestrians walking by, looking at the strange phenomenon. Simrly, even the employees inside the store were busy taking pictures of the people waiting in line outside.

    ¡°Is something happening today? What¡¯s with the line?¡± somebody let out. Juho knew the answer to that. His book was being released that day, and that meant that he was officially revealing his face to the world as of that day. ¡®But are all these people really here just to buy a book though?¡¯ Juho asked himself. Then, his phone started vibrating. It was Seo Kwang, who had to be in school by that point. When the young author answered the phone, Seo Kwang¡¯s excited voice came from the receiver, asking, ¡°Your book¡¯sing out today, right?¡±

    Looking at the people waiting in two separate lines, Juho said, ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Man! If only I could be there right now!¡± Seo Kwang shouted genuinely. It was quite funny to hear thating from someone whose parents owned a bookstore. Seo Kwang was in school. After the SATs, the juniors had kept going to school for no apparent reason.

    ¡°Wait, you didn¡¯t turn your phone in?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother asking the obvious.¡± Seo Kwang said. Judging from what sounded like the noise of a video gameing through, things had to be quitex in school for the juniors.

    ¡°Oh yeah! Did you see the articles? People are lining up at bookstores.¡±

    Of course, the press wouldn¡¯t let something like that slide. There were pictures turning up on the inte in real time, both from reporters and fans.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking at them.¡±

    ¡°The articles?¡±

    ¡°The lines.¡±

    ¡°... Where are you at right now?¡±

    At that, Juho repeated the same exact words that Seo Kwang had just used on him, ¡°Don¡¯t bother asking the obvious.¡±

 Chapter 259 - Read the Book (5)

    <h4>Chapter 259: Read the Book (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Man, I knew I shouldn¡¯t havee to school today. I¡¯d kill to be there,¡± Seo Kwang said earnestly.

    ¡°I¡¯m seriously missing out! This is what happens in bookstores in other countries! Man, this sucks,¡± Seo Kwangined repeatedly.

    Then, Juho heard another person shouting at Seo Kwang, ¡°Hey! Zip it!¡±

    With that, Seo Kwang¡¯s grumbling came to an end.

    ¡°Are you with Sun Hwa?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Yep. Bom and I came to see her.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine them hanging out. With that, Seo Kwang gave him a brief update on the status quo of the school.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s anxious to find out whether you¡¯re really Yun Woo or not.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yep. There are guys making bets even. I did too.¡±

    Juhoughed at Seo Kwang¡¯s snarky remark. In actuality, it was a wise decision on Seo Kwang¡¯s end.

    ¡°Which side are they voting for?¡±

    ¡°That you¡¯re fake.¡±

    ¡°Well then, seems like you¡¯re gonna win big time.¡±

    At that moment, Seo Kwang already had a victorious smile on his face. He told Juho how Mr. Moon and the club members had been getting flooded with questions since Juho had dropped out of school, which madeplete sense since the individual in question had left. Neither Mr. Moon nor the club members answered any of the questionsing in. Although the teachers were remaining silent about the matter in order to prevent the juniors from getting distracted from the SAT preparations, the club members had a slightly different reason for keeping their schoolmates in the dark: to show everyone up.

    ¡°What use is there in telling the truth to people who¡¯ll never believe you?¡±

    ¡°It makes sense that they wouldn¡¯t, though.¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang snorted and said, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see the looks on their faces when they find out. I¡¯ll make sure to get a good look on your behalf too.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡±

    ¡°Then, should I take some pictures and send it to you?¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, either.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t mean any of that anyway.¡±

    Then, as they hung up, Juho saw that he had received a text while he¡¯d been talking on the phone. It was from Gong Pal. He had probably also seen the massive lines in front of bookstores. Underneath the article he was sharing in the text, there was a message that read, ¡®Looks like the crowds in front of video game stores when some gameses out.¡±

    When Juho looked around, there were even more people getting in line. The time flew by, and as it got closer to opening time, people waiting in line started growing anxious. Simrly, those around them also started whispering among themselves. However, the door to the bookstore remained tightly shut despite their hopes. The employees and employers seemed to be having a meeting. And just like that, another thirty minutes flew by. Then...

    ¡°Somebody¡¯sing!¡±

    ... an employee appeared on the inside of the store and opened both of the doors, and another employees also came out in order to keep the crowd under control.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, you may now enter in an orderly fashion.¡±

    However, those words didn¡¯t hold much power. The crowd went rushing into the store, and the employees tried to slow them down in vain. It wasn¡¯t long until the store was filled with people. Meanwhile, Juho looked at the scene attentively from beginning to end. An astounding number of people were all headed for the same ce.

    ¡°Wow,¡± somebody murmured. The people each picked up a book at the same time, and the stack disappeared at an increasing rate, one book at a time. When people got their hands on a copy of their own, they immediately opened the cover, where they were told they would find the truth. Finally...

    ¡°Yun Woo!¡±

    The fans got to see the face of their favorite author. They could finally say that they knew the young author. At that moment, somebody shouted for joy, and those whoughed at that also joined in on the celebration. The store was filled with the sound of shutters, as the crowd surrounding the stack of books was a sight to behold. Although the employees tried to keep people from taking pictures of the new book, it was all in vain. While some started getting in line to pay, others were busy putting the pictures up on the inte. With that, Juho went into the store, and the voices became clearly audible.

    ¡°So, he was real.¡±

    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that he would include a picture with Kelley Coin? Now, I have to believe it.¡±

    ¡°So, that¡¯s what Zelkova meant when they said to look forward to the picture.¡±

    ¡°Man, if it was just another picture of some guy, I¡¯d have been so pissed.¡±

    ¡°So, that¡¯s what he looks like.¡±

    ¡°He looks like a good writer, all right.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Coin¡¯s house, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Is that the Hugo trophy? So, that thing IS real!¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the red hat?¡±

    ¡°He looks different from what I imagined.¡±

    ¡°They should¡¯ve been a little closer to the camera.¡±

    ¡°Where is this? That¡¯s Yun Woo, right?¡±

    ¡°The dynamic duo.¡±

    ¡°Boy, I would love to meet him.¡±

    ¡°Wonder what he looks like in real life.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good picture.¡±

    ¡°They look so normal.¡±

    ¡°Looks really nice. He¡¯s got a good taste!¡±

    ¡®Things aren¡¯t looking too bad,¡¯ Juho thought to himself as a smile spread across his face.

    ¡°What the...¡± a voice let out. When Juho looked toward the voice, he locked eyes with somebody holding a book, whose eyes got wider and wider as they took turns looking at the picture and at the young author. At that, Juho took a step back.

    ¡°Yun Woo,¡± the person let out upon recognizing the young author, looking straight at him. At that moment, a strange emotion beyond what words can describe washed over him.

    ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡± the person said again.

    ¡°You¡¯re Yun Woo, right?¡±

    At that, people started looking up from their books, and the sound of shutters stopped. The very eyes of those who had been looking at the devices in their hands were now looking in the young author¡¯s direction.

    ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡± somebody shouted although Juho himself hadn¡¯t said anything, and people believed what they were hearing without even knowing from whom it hade.

    They were calling the young author Yun Woo without needing to be convinced. Simrly, they would no longer call him an impostor, even if Yun Woo were to try desperately to convince them of his identity. They were no longer getting him mixed up with someone else. Nobody would walk past him not knowing what he looked like. Meanwhile, the employee stared at the young author, taken aback, and those who had been looking into the store from the outside looked even harder upon realizing what was happening in the store. Only those who were yet to have seen the book were clueless as to what was going on.

    ¡°I¡¯m a fan!¡±

    ¡°I love your work.¡±

    ¡°Oh my goodness! It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡°Let me shake your hand!¡±

    As a hand appeared out of nowhere before Juho¡¯s eyes, the young author grabbed it gently and the person started stamping their feet. Then, after shaking it up and down for a little bit, Juho let go of the hand and said, ¡°Enjoy the book.¡±

    Upon hearing his voice, the person started screaming with joy, and Juho walked out of the store. While some followed him, others remained in the store. Some paid for their books, while others were attempting to leave the store without even paying. Needless to say, they were stopped at the exit.

    Meantime, Juho ran as fast and as far as he could, past theke and the park. ¡®Was this liberating or am I just in another cell?¡¯ he asked himself, unable toe to a conclusion. The scenery zooming past him was all in a blur. Although nothing seemed clear or definitive, one thing was certain...

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    ... he was in a great mood.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Yun Woo spotted.¡±

    Since arriving at school, Seo Kwang had been looking through the articles about Juho. Seeing his friend¡¯s name getting brought up on the inte all day long was quite entertaining. Considering his personality, it made things even funnier.

    ¡°So, he really was Yun Woo.¡±

    The ssroom was filled with the sound of students moring about Yun Woo. As the young author¡¯s book was released, not only did his face be known to the world at an incredible rate, but what had merely been a secret joy to the students had be public knowledge. The picture included in the new novel was impable proof that the young author in the picture was, indeed, Yun Woo. It was clear that it was a carefully calcted decision. Although an insect might not leave a trace, Yun Woo was making his presence known.

    Then, looking up, Seo Kwang looked around the ss. The very students who had mocked Juho when he revealed his identity as Yun Woo were exhrated by the fact that Yun Woo had been in the same school as them. They seemed to change their opinions ording to the situation they found themselves in.

    ¡°If I had known this was gonna happen... I should¡¯ve gotten an autograph.¡±

    Whenever they expressed their regrets jokingly, a small sense of gratification washed over Seo Kwang. Since the truth was out, it was visible in their faces that they realized that they had been wrong. Seo Kwang made sure to get a good look at them, even going as far as visiting Sun Hwa¡¯s ss just to see those faces. As if knowing that or because she had her own things that she needed see, Sun Hwa didn¡¯t visit Seo Kwang and Bom¡¯s ss first. She reminisced about that day, instead.

    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±

    What had started it all was a confession.

    ¡°He really is Yun Woo.¡±

    Who the students had thought to be an impostor had actually turned out to be real. What they had thrown out thinking it was a worthless rock turned out to be a priceless diamond. A piece ofnd they had gotten rid of thinking that it was useless had actually turned out to be the most valued property on the market. They had ced their bets on the wrong side, and now they had suffered an irrevocable loss. With the realization that they had made a poor decision, regret washed over the students.

    ¡°What¡¯d I say?¡± Sun Hwa said with a bright, victorious smile. ¡°I told you, idiots. He writes like Yun Woo.¡±

    Not a single person objected. And before long, those students started talking about the young author and expressing their admiration for him in an exaggerated manner. ¡°I seriously had no idea. Who would¡¯ve thought? Yun Woo¡¯s incredible.¡±

    At that moment, Seo Kwang felt an unusual urge to write.

    ¡°What you doin¡¯?¡±

    A crisp voice disrupted his thoughts. It was Bom, who was sitting in front of him.

    ¡°I was just thinking back on that day.¡±

    At that, a mocking smile, which didn¡¯t quite suit her, appeared on Bom¡¯s face briefly. It was obvious that she didn¡¯t look at the group of students that hade together just to ostracize the young author in a positive light. Meanwhile, Seo Kwang showed her the screen of his phone, which was filled with news of Yun Woo. Upon seeing that, Bom chuckled quietly and said, ¡°Getting fancy now, are we?¡±

    ¡°He was lingering around some bookstore on the date of his book¡¯s release, and somebody took a picture of him.¡±

    ¡°People are flipping out, huh?¡±

    Just like Bom said, everyone sharing their encounters with Yun Woo had been in an elevated emotional state. The fact that they could recognize the young author now had only made the experience more intense. It only made sense when considering all that he had aplished without revealing himself.

    ¡°It¡¯s explosive.¡±

    What had been lurking beneath the surface was now peeking above the ground.

    ¡°Hey,¡± a voice called to Seo Kwang. It came from a group of people he had never really hung out with.

    ¡°What?¡± Seo Kwang asked, and one of them asked curiously, ¡°You¡¯re close friends with Juho Woo, right? Did he ever do your writing assignments for you or anything?¡±

    Then, a smirk appeared on Seo Kwang¡¯s face.

    ¡°Did YOU ever do his writing assignments?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s an author though.¡±

    ¡°What? Were you thinking that he would just write away anywhere he wanted, just because he¡¯s an author?¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    From then on, the boy kept trying to strike up a conversation with Seo Kwang despite them never having interacted before. Things like that had been happening more frequently as ofte.

    ¡°Did you get an autograph?¡±

    ¡°Is that supposed to be a question?¡± Seo Kwang said nonchntly, resting his chin on his hand.

    ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°None for you. Stop asking.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon. Help a brother out.¡±

    ¡°Are they talking about Juho Woo?¡±

    Then, upon hearing their conversation, other students nearby came and surrounded them. As Seo Kwang was busy pushing them away, the homeroom teacher walked in through the front door. However, as if they had be useless to him after the SAT, the teacher didn¡¯t bother to say anything. All the while, the desks were still scattered about untidily.

    ¡°Seo Kwang and Bom.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Come out with me,¡± the teacher said, gesturing at them with his hand. All eyes were on the two who were walking out through the door after the teacher. As thest person closed the door, the teacher started walking. Then, they saw Sun Hwa in front of the teacher.

    ¡°They¡¯re here to interview you guys,¡± he said as he took the three juniors down the stairs. An interview. Grasping a feel for what it was going to be about, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°Is this about Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? They want to know more about our Literature Club too, so talk to them. All you gotta do is sit in the English ss and wait.¡±

    ¡°Why there?¡±

    ¡°Make sure to look tidy for the camera. If you¡¯re not in uniform on the outside, then take it off. Don¡¯t try to stand out too much,¡± the teacher said, tantly avoiding his question.

    Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t matter since Seo Kwang already had an idea of what the answer was. It had to be because the science room was small and run down, which meant it wouldn¡¯t be an ideal background for the camera. Not only was it small, but it was also quite messy. Therefore, the school had provided a slightly better room for their interview, hence the English ss.

    ¡°But it¡¯s cold without my jacket,¡± Seo Kwangined to no avail. At that moment, a thought urred to him, ¡®Maybe I should just make a run for it, like Yun Woo did.¡¯

 Chapter 260 - The Reason That Author Never Won (1)

    <h4>Chapter 260: The Reason That Author Never Won (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Following the teacher to the English ss, Sun Hwa, Bom, and Seo Kwang saw Mr. Moon talking to James in English.

    ¡°Mr. Moon.¡±

    ¡°Hey there,¡± Mr. Moon said with an odd expression on his face. While he seemed bothered by the situation on one hand, he seemed proud on the other. On top of that, James, who was standing next to him, was quite excited.

    ¡°I¡¯m about to have a new addition to my list of things to show off to my friends.¡±

    ¡°Are you now?¡± the teacher answered briefly.

    Meanwhile, Seo Kwang caught on to what they were talking about.

    ¡°Are we gonna be on TV?¡± Bom asked with a puzzled look, and Mr. Moon said, ¡°They already interviewed the teachers in the staffroom.¡±

    Soon, another teacher brought the younger club members to the English ss. Although they seemed confused initially, their faces brightened up as soon as they saw the juniors in the room. At the same time, they seemed to be somewhat excited by the situation that hade out of nowhere.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Gong Pal asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re being interviewed apparently,¡± Seo Kwang answered.

    ¡°Interview? What interview?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    While Seo Kwang answered Gong Pal¡¯s questions haphazardly, he heard a group approaching in the distance. The first person toe into the room was the cameraman, who started setting up all the necessary equipment throughout the ssroom. A camera with the logo of a broadcasting station was ced on top of a tripod to look down at the club members. Meanwhile, the principal was discussing something with someone else, the juniors¡¯ counselor, who was yelling at the other students lingering around the room to go back to their sses. At the same time, Seo Kwang looked attentively at everything that was taking ce around him because of his personal obligation to tell his friend all about it.

    Then, Sun Hwa murmured from the side, ¡°They¡¯re not even bothering to offer an exnation or even ask for our consensus.¡±

    ¡°I guess the school did it for us.¡±

    Sun Hwa clicked her tongue, and Mr. Moon told them, ¡°The interview¡¯s gonna be on the air apparently, so make sure you don¡¯t have anything stuck in your teeth.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t eat breakfast.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a mirror on me.¡±

    As Seo Kwang looked for a mirror, feeling slightly anxious, Bom took a small mirror out of her pocket and handed it to him. While he was checking his teeth with his mouth gaped open, a person who introduced themselves as the producer sat across from him and exined how they could go about answering the questions in a friendly manner. While they were friendly, the producer had quite a bit to say, and it wasn¡¯t until then that Seo Kwang realized just how nervous he was. There were cameras surrounding them from all directions.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind the cameras. All you gotta do is answer the questions like you normally would,¡± the producer said in an effort tofort the club members. Unfortunately, that proved to be less than helpful. As Seo Kwang answered him reluctantly, another person, who introduced himself as a reporter, came and sat in the producer¡¯s ce. After greeting the club members briefly, he started preparing for the interview immediately. Then, Seo Kwang turned his head slowly toward his clubmates. With the exception of Bo Suk, who was looking around curiously, the rest of the club members didn¡¯t seem all that calm.

    ¡°All right, here we go.¡±

    With that, the interview officially started. Seeing as though Mr. Moon was standing behind the camera along with the others, he had to be next.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    At the signal, the reporter started off with an opening remark in a voice noticeably brighter than before. The club members also greeted him back, ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°So, you guys are from the same Literature Club as Juho Woo, who turned out to be Yun Woo, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± the club members answered, nodding awkwardly. There wasn¡¯t a whole lot to say about the matter. The camera rolled, recording every second of it.

    ¡°Could you guys introduce yourselves briefly?¡±

    Self-introduction. At that moment, Seo Kwang felt the anxiety melting away. Simultaneously, his clubmates chuckled as if they had had the same experience. Resisting the urge to look at Mr. Moon, Seo Kwang focused on the interview, and out of his mouth, came the self-introduction he had written a number of times up to that point.

    ¡°I love books and that¡¯s why I joined the Literature Club,¡± he said. It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine how Juho would have gone about introducing himself. ¡®He would¡¯ve raved on about some grilled mackerel and stayed in his seat with a nonchnt look on his face, while everyone else around him was confused beyond all hope,¡¯ Seo Kwang thought to himself while suppressing the urge tough. As if hoping that the club members would talk about Yun Woo more, the reporter scratched his temple and said, ¡°All right, great. You all seem to be good speakers. I suppose it makes sense considering you¡¯re part of the Literature Club.¡±

    With that, the reporter got to the actual interview portion of the event.

    ¡°How was Juho Woo as a friend?¡±

    As a camera approached Seo Kwang, he said, ¡°Out of his gourd.¡±

    Then, Sun Hwa elbowed him at his side irritably, and the principal burst into exaggeratedughter. Nevertheless, the junior¡¯s behavior wasn¡¯t all that different from what they saw from his peers in the other sses. Meanwhile, the reporter had a merciful smile on his face, as if he had expected an answer like that from a teenager.

    ¡°He was a great writer. So much so that he even turned out to be Yun Woo. How do you think I felt when I read his writing before I knew he was Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°It must¡¯ve been unbelievable.¡±

    Not only had it been unbelievable, but it had also been shocking. It was a shock that carried enough impact to blow the dream that was lingering in the depths of Seo Kwang¡¯s heart away. However, Seo Kwang decided not to go into detail. With that, the camera moved on to Sun Hwa.

    ¡°What was your first impression of Juho Woo?¡±

    ¡°... He was really full of himself,¡± she said, unable to think of any other way to answer the question. Describing Juho became much more difficult without using harshnguage. And knowing that, Seo Kwang chuckled.

    ¡°He¡¯s just too good of a writer. All the training we had gone through in the club was hardly a challenge for him.¡±

    At that, the reporter smiled, nodding.

    ¡°How did you find out that your friend was Yun Woo all along?¡±

    Because it was a long story, the club members gave a brief summary instead, and the reporter listened to them with a satisfactory smile on his face.

    ¡°So, you already knew?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you wanna tell other people that your friend was Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I did, but I still kept it to myself. I mean, all hell broke loose when Yun Woo himself revealed his identity to the rest of the world. I don¡¯t even wanna think about what it would¡¯ve looked like if we were the ones to spill the beans,¡± Seo Kwang said. He wasn¡¯t confident that he would be able to handle amotion like that. With that, the reporter moved on to Bo Suk.

    ¡°So, how does it feel to have Yun Woo as an upperssman?¡±

    ¡°Very good,¡± she said briefly and without hesitation, and the reporter moved on to the next person.

    ¡°... Hm, how about you?¡±

    ¡°Us too.¡±

    ¡°We joined the Literature Club because of him from the get-go.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± the reporter asked, tantly wanting to hear more about Yun Woo. ¡°What kind of activities did you mostly do in the club?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s writing, first of all. And we¡¯dpete in essay contests here and there.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean there are still pieces written by Juho Woo around in school?¡±

    ¡°Yes. His short stories are being exhibited in the library actually.¡±

    Although the reporter pretended to be astonished by Seo Kwang¡¯s answer, he already seemed to know.

    ¡°Everyone must have read it without even knowing that it was written by Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Well, was he popr before everyone knew who he was?¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang answered with a shrug, ¡°He was popr as Won Yi Young, too.¡±

    Although the exhibition itself had never really taken off, those who visited the library would always read Juho¡¯s writing. At the mention of Won Yi Young, the reporter nodded as if he caught on to what the junior was getting at.

    ¡°You mentioned something aboutpeting in essay contests. What kind of contests did Juho Woopete in?¡±

    Nobody remembered what kind of contests Juho hadpeted in detail since he had intentionally chosen contests that were more obscure. On top of that, he had never brought back an award. While everyone was struggling to answer, the reporter asked, ¡°Did he ever bring back an award?¡±

    ¡°No. Bom here is the only person who¡¯s ever won an award in the entire club.¡±

    ¡°... You mean, Yun Woo never won an award in an essay contest?¡± the reporter said, looking toward Bom with narrowed eyes, as if he had caught on to something.

    Simultaneously, realizing that, Bom exined in a hurry, ¡°He forfeited most of them. Not going up to the stage to receive his award, for example.¡±

    Then, with an affirmative answer, the reporter asked no further, much unlike his attitude of viciously trying to dig up information about Yun Woo up to that point. Just as Sun Hwa, whose brow was furrowed, was about to speak up, the reporter beat her to it.

    ¡°What¡¯s it like to write alongside Yun Woo?¡±

    The cameras were still rolling. The role of the club members was to answer the questions they were being asked. They didn¡¯t have the option to revisit the question that the reporter had moved on from. Nevertheless, the club members participated in the interview with slightly anxious hearts. Then, two or three questionster, their interview came to an end.

    ¡°All right. Now, can we interview the teacher?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    The club members looked at the reporter with displeasure, but he seemed to pay no attention to them. Mr. Moon and the principal waved at them, gesturing for them to get off their seats, and the club members dawdled out of the room.

    ¡°Good job. You may go back to your sses now,¡± the counselor said in a much gentler tone of voice than usual. Meanwhile, other students on the same floor kept watch from afar.

    ¡°Sun Hwa?¡± Bo Suk called to the junior quietly and said, ¡°I think I¡¯ve thought of what to write next.¡±

    At that, Sun Hwa patted the sophomore on the back, as if encouraging her to keep writing even after she and the other juniors had graduated. Meanwhile, Seo Kwang sighed deeply while looking at the two. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be fine. Besides, he has a mouth now.¡¯

    ¡ª

    Juho was watching the interview on the TV in the living room. The crew was going back and forth between the staffroom and different ssrooms, asking about Yun Woo. The students in the hallway were busyplimenting the young author.

    ¡°He¡¯s the best.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so proud that we went to school together.¡±

    ¡°I had no clue that Juho Woo was Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I always thought that he was a good writer.¡±

    ¡°He was always writing during recess, too.¡±

    While he had vague memories of their faces, Juho didn¡¯t recognize any of them. They all sounded noticeably more rigid and excited than usual, as though saying what they had been told. Then, the screen transitioned to a ssroom in the middle of a lesson. Although it was obvious that the students knew they were being filmed, they were looking straight at the chalkboard. Even as the camera went into the ssroom, not a single person was startled by it.

    ¡°Do you know Yun Woo?¡± the reporter asked and every single student answered, ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s him,¡± he let out as he saw the boy who had sat next to him in ss.

    ¡°You used to sit next to Yun Woo, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Did you read any of his books?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I read ¡¯em quite often.¡±

    ¡°Are you a fan?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    There was something awkward about the way he spoke, and it was obvious that he wasn¡¯t being genuine. Neither was he in the habit of reading, nor did he like the young author, and the fact that he was only blurting out shallow answers was further proof of that.

    ¡°Were you close to him?¡±

    ¡°We were OK,¡± the boy let out after some contemtion. He seemed to have lost the courage to be honest in front of the camera.

 Chapter 261 - The Reason That Author Never Won (2)

    <h4>Chapter 261: The Reason That Author Never Won (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho was able to understand the absence of courage in the boy on the screen, who answered the reporter¡¯s questions while cautiously studying his expressions. The boy¡¯s behavior was closer to basic courtesy and bore a close resemnce to pretense.

    ¡°How did it feel when you found out that the ssmate next to you was Yun Woo all along?¡±

    ¡°I was taken aback.¡±

    ¡°Had you noticed anything strange before?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I had.¡±

    ¡°Then, how would you like to leave a message for Yun Woo?¡±

    A troubled look appeared on the boy¡¯s face, and the camera was capturing every moment of it.

    ¡°Hey. So, you were Yun Woo all along, huh?¡±

    He was unbearably awkward, and Juho heard the students in the background looking andughing at him. At that moment, Juho had the liberty to watch the interview whenever he felt like.

    ¡°Did you know that Yun Woo was a part of the Literature Club at his school? We will now take some time to meet his clubmates, who were active in the club with Yun Woo, also known as Juho Woo.¡±

    ¡°Finally,¡± Juho let out. He had been waiting anxiously for his clubmates to appear on the screen. However, something was odd. The camera showed the crew heading in apletely different direction from the one Juho had in mind. They were headed for the English ss. Yet, the crew kept on as if nothing was wrong. As they arrived in front of the ssroom and opened the door, Juho let out, ¡°What the...¡±

    The screen showed his clubmates sitting shoulder to shoulder in the English ss, tense and frozen. The atmosphere was noticeably different from that of the science room, which was run down, yet weing. Juho started to get a feel for the situation. The camera focused on his clubmates¡¯ faces, one by one. They looked quite funny.

    ¡°Could you guys introduce yourselves briefly?¡± the reporter asked. Knowing that his clubmates were capable of fulfilling the request, Juho was able to rx. Seeing his friends on the TV screen was quite a strange experience, but an entertaining nheless.

    ¡°What??¡±

    However, as the self-introductions dragged on, Juho noticed the segment had been cut short by adding strange visual effects along with their names and grades in subtitles. It was clear that the interviewer was interested in Yun Woo and Yun Woo only. The interviewer asked the club members the same ol¡¯ questions, and the entire interview lost its charm at once. The interviewer kept asking questions the club members had no way of answering. Yet, they were answering them to the best of their abilities.

    ¡°... You mean, Yun Woo never won an award in an essay contest?¡±

    As the interviewer let out, a sound effect came from the TV speakers, and the screen quickly transitioned to a different scene. It was the part of the science room where they used to keep Bom¡¯s trophy. In other words, it waspletely void of Yun Woo¡¯s awards. It was a scene that was included to emphasize that Yun Woo had never won an award at an essay contest. It was unexpected, shocking, and intriguing all at the same time. Then, after raving on about his thoughts in the matter, the screen transitioned to yet another scene. Mr. Moon was nowhere to be seen for the entire show.

    ¡°They must¡¯ve cut him outpletely,¡± Juho said, wondering what the teacher might have said.

    ¡ª

    ¡®Yun Woo. What Kind of Student Was He? We Visited His School in Search of the Answer.¡¯

    ¡®We Find Out Just How Popr Yun Woo Is. The School Puts Up a Banner with His Name on It: ¡°A Proud Author.¡±¡®

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Real Name Reported to be Juho Woo. An Ordinary Member of a Literature Club was Actually Yun Woo!¡¯

    ¡®Anecdotes Rting to Yun Woo. The Writing That Shocked His Peers.¡¯

    ¡®Juho Woo, the Proud Pupil. His Teachers Speak Up. ¡°There was Something Extraordinary About Him.¡±¡®

    ¡®The Student That Stood out for Some Reason. Juho Woo, a Teacher¡¯s Pet?¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo was a Model Student. Remembered to be Well Behaved.¡¯

    ¡®The Pride of the Underssmen. Yun Woo ording to the Younger Members of the Literature Club.¡¯

    ¡®Viewers Respond to the Interview. Highest Viewer Rating at the Time. The Show Marks the Highest Viewer Rating in History. The Interview of the Literature Club. The Best One Minute?¡¯

    ¡®Did Yun Woo¡¯s Friends Know About Yun Woo¡¯s Identity? ¡°It Was Hard to Keep the Secret.¡±¡®

    ¡®Yun Woo Was NOT in School During the Hugo Award Ceremony! All the Pieces Come Together!¡¯

    ¡®What was Yun Woo¡¯s Response After Winning the Neb? Reported to Be Calm and Unfazed. ¡°I Didn¡¯t Notice Anything Different.¡±¡®

    ¡®A Closer Look at His Peers¡¯ View on Yun Woo as Juho Woo, and His Ordinary Daily Life.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo Really is Neen? What Makes It Shocking When We Already Knew It? The Reason He¡¯s Drawing So Much Attention.¡¯

    ¡®An Unexpected Truth Revealed During Interview. ¡°Yun Woo Never Won an Award in an Essay Contest!¡±¡®

    ¡®To Yun Woo is to Double Crown? ¡®Juho Woo Had No Part in It?¡¯ A Suspicious Truth Discovered.¡¯

    ¡®What Were Some of the Contests That Didn¡¯t Give Yun Woo an Award? Controversy Rises.¡¯

    ¡®The Web in Confusion. ¡°There¡¯s Not Enough Room for a World-Renowned Author in This Country?¡±¡®

    ¡®An Author That Nobody Recognized. Why Did the Essay Contests Neglect Him?¡¯

    ¡®Who Won the Awards That Yun Woo Couldn¡¯t Win? Inquiry In Progress.¡¯

    ¡®What Are the Criteria in Essay Contests? Varies Per Contest. ¡°There¡¯s More than a Possibility That Yun Woo Couldn¡¯t Win.¡±¡®

    ¡®Yun Woo Reported Having Separate Manuscript for Contest. ¡°It¡¯s Not the Same As Writing a Book.¡±¡®

    ¡®Why Couldn¡¯t Yun Woo Win? Questions Grow.¡¯

    ...

    ¡ª

    ¡°Questions?¡± Nabi let out with a chuckle. The so-called questions were a mere product of the media. Despite the interview containing noticeable edits, the reporters were spewing out articles that caused confusion among fans.

    ¡°These morons,¡± Nabi said internally. Yun Woo was an author of international recognition. In other words, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the video of the interview spread to other countries. Yun Woo was essentially the face of Korea at that point. Yet, the broadcasting industry was preupied with its own benefits, all the while making a fool of itself.

    ¡°Not a chance,¡± she said while looking at the data on her ongoing projects. She was in the process of reviewing the various requests flooding in from overseas. The press starteding for the young author as soon as he revealed himself, and Yun Woo also seemed to have epted that reality, as if he had been expecting it. He was quite trustworthy, and as his agent, Nabi had been giving her best in every regard.

    What she wanted wasn¡¯t just another interview for the sake of damage control for the recent so-called interview, which was of embarrassing quality. She believed that people needed to have a long-term perspective since Yun Woo would continue to write for a long time. Therefore, his fans needed a deeper understanding of the young author, and Yun Woo¡¯s activities had to work in conjunction with that. Looking at the renownedpanies that wanted Yun Woo, Nabiforted herself.

    ¡°Yun Woo doesn¡¯t have to hold back anymore.¡±

    The theories and assumptions running rampant in the media would no longer be true.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Is it time?¡± Juho said, checking the time and rising from his seat. In order to avoid being recognized, he had been wearing a hat whenever he had to go outtely. And just as a precautionary measure, he put a mask in his pocket. At that moment, he received a text on his phone. It was from Nam Kyung, saying that he had arrived at the front of his house. As the young author stepped out, he saw a car, and as he soon as he got into the car through the passenger¡¯s side, the editor said with a determined look on his face, ¡°Today¡¯s the day.¡±

    Juho was well aware of what was happening that day.

    ¡°It sure is. The first official interview.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s first official domestic interview to be precise,¡± Nam Kyung said as he pushed his sses up. From then on, the car would be heading for the station.

    ¡°Did you warm up your face and all?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sort of,¡± Juho said with a yawn. From what he had been told, the questions had been chosen based on the number of votes they had received by the fans.

    ¡°Seems like they did a lot of the work.¡±

    ¡°Of course. They¡¯re interviewing Yun Woo of all people. They have to.¡±

    Juho looked forward to how the interview would go. And opening the window, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll keep us on track. Besides, it¡¯s not live either, so they can always edit things outter.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not. Do not trust anyone there. They¡¯re determined to get as much out of you as possible. They¡¯re enemies, every single one of them. Do you understand?¡±

    Nam Kyung¡¯s driving was slightly more aggressive than usual, and Juho knew the reason behind it. It was because of the articles that said that Juho Woo, unlike Yun Woo, hadn¡¯t won a single award in an essay contest.

    The young author reminisced to the day when Nam Kyung had first called him regarding the matter, as well as to bring up the n that he had had in mind, ¡°What do you say we do an official interview, Mr. Woo?¡±

    In other words, he was suggesting that they fight against the press in the way the press understood best: with media exposure. Juho was also aware of people¡¯s reaction after the interview had aired. There were quite a few people wondering why Yun Woo hadn¡¯t been able to win a single award in an essay contest. There had also been signs of conspiracy theories brewing. Because the young author had yet to make an appearance on TV, all the articles up to that point had referred to the photos included in his new book. Seeing as though his picture with Coin was floating around on the inte, Juho had had a good feeling, and because he had discussed things with Nabi prior to the question, he had been able to reach a decision with rtive ease.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you nervous? It¡¯s your first interview,¡± Nam Kyung asked, and Juho said with a smile, ¡°Probably not as much as you are.¡±

    ¡°Me? I¡¯m not nervous.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡± Juho said, looking at his deathly pale face. ¡°It¡¯s not my first time, technically.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°Being interviewed.¡±

    Though Nam Kyung seemed puzzled for a brief moment, he caught on to what Juho was referring to shortly after.

    ¡°You mean the interview at school?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho nodded, thinking of the monkey.

    Meanwhile, Nam Kyung¡¯s brow furrowed, and he said, ¡°That¡¯s different. Do you not know where we¡¯re going?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do. To an interview that we chose carefully.¡±

    ¡°You know, I feel uneasy looking at you at times.¡±

    ¡°I feel uneasy about you driving feeling uneasy, Mr. Park.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung grasped the steering wheel by reflex.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re not the type to get fazed by anything, but things might be different once you get there. Prepare yourself. I brought some sedatives too, so let me know if you need any.¡±

    ¡°Will do,¡± Juho said, nodding for the time being.

    After a brief silence, Nam Kyung brought up a different subject, as if feeling the need tofort the young author, ¡°Well, how¡¯s it been? Things are a lot different now than they were before you revealed yourself, huh?¡±

    ¡°Not that different, actually. The only thing different is that there are more people who recognize me.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. Don¡¯t be modest. Tell me what it¡¯s like to be a star,¡± Nam Kyung said, but the young author responded by simply smiling. After looking out the window for a while, Juho felt the irresistible urge to yawn. Because he had gone to bedte the night before, he felt his eyelids getting heavier. In the end, the young author told his editor, ¡°I think I¡¯ll get some shuteye.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I feel bad when you¡¯re the one driving.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the issue. Are you saying that you¡¯re gonna take a nap now?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±

    ¡°You do realize you¡¯re about to make a TV appearance, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do. I can¡¯t fall asleep during taping, so I¡¯ll get some sleep while I still can.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re serious? That wasn¡¯t a joke?¡±

    Instead of an answer, Juho pushed the backrest of the seat all the way down.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Rise and shine! We¡¯re here.¡±

    Juho opened his eyes at the sound of Nam Kyung¡¯s voice. When Juho sat up and looked around, he realized that they were in a parking lot.

    As he rubbed his face with his hands, Nam Kyung said in a dumbfounded voice, ¡°You slept like a baby.¡±

    ¡°I sure did,¡± Juho said, feeling much lighter. He didn¡¯t feel too terrible.

    ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± Nam Kyung said, rushing the young author while getting out of the car. After putting his hat on and pulling it down, Juho followed him.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you.¡±

    The two exchanged greetings with two other people who hade out to wee them, the main producer and the main writer, respectively. There was a banner that read ¡®Yun Woo¡¯ on the door of the waiting room, and following the young author into the room, the main writer gave a brief exnation of the show and left the room, returning yet again shortly after. There were bento boxes on the producer¡¯s and the writer¡¯s hands. It seemed excessive that two people were carrying such a load.

    ¡°Please feel free if you haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Along with four kinds of side dishes, there were pieces of deep-fried pork cutlet next to the rice, and on the wrapper of the wooden chopsticks, was the logo of a famous bento box chain. Even after handing the young author the bento boxes, the producer and the writer lingered in the room, as if they had a question. In the end, Juho looked at them and asked, ¡°Would you like some?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. We already ate. But, uh... Would you be willing to take a picture with us?¡± the writer said, adding that he had enjoyed the new book with a cheerful smile. Since he had no reason to decline, Juho posed for a picture with them.

    ¡°Enjoy your meal, Mr. Woo.¡±

    With that, the two finally left the room, and having been feeling hungry since waking up, Juho picked up one of the bento boxes.

 Chapter 262 - The Reason That Author Never Won (3)

    <h4>Chapter 262: The Reason That Author Never Won (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Popr,¡± Nam Kyung said yfully.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna eat, right? Juho asked, ignoring his joke.

    ¡°No. I think it¡¯ll sit in my stomach like a boulder.¡±

    ¡°All right, then. Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡±

    Leaving Nam Kyung be, who seemed to be growing increasingly nervous, Juho took the wooden chopsticks and split them apart. Meanwhile, the editor looked at Juho eating without a care in the world with admiring eyes.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been appearing on TV without me knowing, have you? How are you so calm?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that eating was such a nerve-racking activity?¡±

    ¡°It is in a broadcasting station.¡± Then, looking at the mirror on the wall, Nam Kyung said, ¡°I¡¯m sure the host is guzzling water down on an empty stomach too. It is Yun Woo¡¯s first official TV appearance.¡±

    Juho smiled at the editor¡¯s slightly exaggerated remark. About thirty minutes had passed by the time the young author finished his bento and started getting ready. Judging from how the voicesing from the distance sounded, it seemed like taping would start soon. Sure enough, the producer and the writer, who were earnestly trying tofort the young author, came to the room to get Juho.

    ¡°Things will follow the questionnaire for the most part, so you don¡¯t have to be too nervous.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the cameras at all. Just make yourself at home and think of it as having a nice conversation with the host.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there will be questions that are trickier to answer. In that case, take all the time you need to think about the question before you answer.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    ¡°We prepared a bottle of water for you next to your seat, so please feel free should you find yourself getting thirsty.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    As the young author stepped onto the set, a series of cameras and monitors surrounding the studio and a crowd surrounding the set came into view. Then, following the producer¡¯s guidance, Juho sat on the chair on the set. The chair was quite rigid. There was also a massive rectangr table, which kept the lower half of his body out of view. As Juho quietly waited on his seat, the people around him grew even busier. Seeing as though Nam Kyung was talking to the writer, it didn¡¯t seem like the taping would start that soon.

    ¡°Here¡¯s your microphone.¡±

    Somebody walked onto set with a microphone. Juho rose from his seat to let the person do their job. Then, he noticed that people were starting toe closer to the set one by one. Maybe it was because they had seen somebody walk up to Juho.

    ¡°Would you take a picture with me?¡±

    Wearing anyard around his neck, the man seemed to be an employee of the station. Just as he had done previously, the young author nodded willingly, and the two took a picture with the set in the background. There were also people who wanted to shake his hands and/or ask him to sign their copy of the young author¡¯s book.

    ¡°Break a leg.¡±

    Each and every one of those people left Juho with encouraging remarks. Nobody stuck around for longer than necessary. They approached when the timing was right and walked out of the set once they had gotten what they¡¯d wanted. They seemed to be nning on sticking around for the entire shoot. Then, as Juho looked around, he saw somebody with whom he was very well acquainted. The harsh, bitter criticism of the man immediately came to the young author¡¯s mind.

    ¡°We finally meet.¡±

    The man struck up a conversation as he approached Juho without hesitation. It was Pyung Jin Lee, the book critic. He had a cheerful smile on his face. The pieces of cubic zirconia sparkled brightly on the tie dangling from his neck. It had to be the most decorative tie in the entire studio. Juho bowed and greeted him, and the critic introduced himself to the young author with a dyed response.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching ¡®The Great Book Club.¡¯ It¡¯s a good show.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Pyung Jin said, astounded by what Juho had said.

    ¡°A lot of writers watch it, surprisingly. Oh, wait! I better let the producer know about this,¡± the critic said, making small talk with the young author while taking his phone out. Meanwhile, Juho stood in his ce and observed him quietly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get any sleepst night,¡± Pyung Jin said, and Juho asked why. ¡°Because I finally get to hear your answers. I didn¡¯t know what to do with myself.¡±

    While Juho was smiling awkwardly, feeling slightly ufortable, a voice called to him just in the nick of time. It was the host, who was dressed tidily in a suit.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Woo,¡± he said, reaching out for a handshake. At that, Juho shook his hand and greeted him back. He looked somewhat familiar since Juho recalled having been interviewed by him in the past life. While his questions hadn¡¯t been necessarily aggressive, he had closed in on the main points quite relentlessly. He excelled in identifying the things viewers would find interesting, and because the young author had watched his interviews frequently, he was also one of the only few TV hosts who stood out to Juho. Meanwhile, the host exchanged brief pleasantries with Pyung Jin, as if they had already known each other.

    ¡°How was your trip getting here?¡± the host asked. Juho recalled making small talk with him in the past, before an interview. And remembering Nam Kyung¡¯s driving, which was slightly less stable than usual, Juho said, ¡°It was good. There was no traffic, so that was a plus.¡±

    He noticed the host studying his expression. Then, after locking eyes with him briefly, the host walked over to his side of the table and took his seat, and Juho, too, went back to his seat, feeling like they had talked for a little longer in the past.

    As Pyung Jin sat next to the host, Juho was reminded that he was the protagonist of the interview when he saw the seat cements. There were a number of cameras that remained steady, taping him.

    As the host took his seat, the crew began to make haste. The employees who were stopping by to watch were standing in the distance, and the cameramen brought their faces closer to their cameras. Meanwhile, Juho watched the busyness of the studio in a daze.

    ording to what he had been told by the writer, they were nning for the camera to focus on Juho as soon as the host finished talking. That also meant that the only way for him to be part of the background was to wait for the host to start talking to him. Then, with the host and the producer exchanging a quick look, the taping started. There was no obvious indication that it had started. Rather, it was quite subtle and natural. When Juho looked out into the distance at the studio, he saw Nam Kyung shaking his legs anxiously, and he had to hold back hisughter with every bit of strength within him.

    ¡°We have Mr. Lee here, who will be joining us today. How are ya?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing great, thank you.¡±

    The host and the critic exchanged a quick bow, and as if to prove that they had been in separate ces before taping had started, they greeted each other again.

    ¡°I, personally, have been very much looking forward to this day,¡± Pyung Jin said to the host, and with a smile, the host answered, ¡°I believe you! Today is a special day, indeed. I¡¯ve met so many different people up to this point, but I¡¯ve never been so curious about what a person looked like.¡±

    ¡°I agree wholeheartedly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure our viewers can sympathize with us. In which case, let¡¯s get right to it, shall we?¡± the host recited the introduction that was on the script. Realizing that he was about to be invited into their space, Juho sat up and loosened up his shoulders.

    ¡°This author took us by surprise every time he released a book. The first Asian author to have achieved the Double Crown. Please wee, Yun Woo.¡±

    Then, the camera pointed toward the young author, and Juho felt the red lights beaming at him.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the host took the initiative to greet him first, and Juho, too, bowed in return

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for joining us today. I¡¯m sure there have been a number of other outlets wanting to interview you, am I right?¡±

    The young author nodded. Just as the host had said, Juho had quite a bit of trouble deciding on which interview to participate in.

    ¡°Yes, quite a few.¡±

    ¡°I have to ask, what brought you to us over everyone else?¡±

    Since he couldn¡¯t say that he had had experience with them, Juho stated a different reason instead, ¡°I asked around, and a lot of people seemed to like you guys.¡±

    Then, the host moved on to the next question written on the script, almost like a promise or an agreement.

    ¡°So, we don¡¯t get visitors here often, but today, I¡¯ve seen quite a few of the employees here in the stationing down to the studio for pictures. It was pretty crazy.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I was d to see that I¡¯m weed.¡±

    ¡°Your poprity¡¯s just unbelievable, Mr. Woo.¡±

    As the young author smiled without saying anything, the host turned his direction to his script.

    ¡°As you know, we¡¯ve tried to reach you a number of times in the past for an interview. If I recall correctly, we were desperate enough to settle for a phone interview.¡±

    Juho did recall that, and he had turned down every single interview or TV appearance request.

    ¡°And you turned it down every single time.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°I gotta tell you, our staff was pretty disappointed back then. But now, here we are, talking face to face. It¡¯s all thanks to you, Mr. Woo, for revealing yourself.¡±

    ¡°And thank you for having me.¡±

    Then, a subtle smile appeared on the host¡¯s face.

    ¡°Was there a particr reason that brought you to reveal your identity?¡±

    The host had asked a question Juho had been expecting, and after a brief pause, the young author said, ¡°Let¡¯s say I had a reason for not revealing myself more so than revealing myself.¡±

    ¡°And what was that?¡±

    ¡°I hoped people wouldn¡¯t know that I was Yun Woo.¡±

    It was obvious, and the interviewer wasn¡¯t looking for anything in particr. Then, the host asked again, ¡°Why was that? You were on the rise as the genius author back then.¡±

    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m a writer because I write, not because I getpliments from people, right? It was a decision that I came to hoping that things would look up.¡±

    Pyung Jin nodded by reflex at the young author¡¯s answer, and after taking a brief moment to grasp his answer, the host changed the subject.

    ¡°Now, as a result, consequently, you had a peaceful school life until recently, just as you intended, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°The show that aired recently covered your school, and it seems to be quite popr to this day.¡±

    It was just like the host said. The attention was almost overwhelming.

    ¡°Though it was received in a positive light for the most part, there were some controversies regarding what was being shown, that being the Literature Club and the question of why couldn¡¯t Yun Woo win an award.¡±

    The phrasing was quite provocative.

    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, it¡¯s hard to imagine Yun Woo not winning an award at an essay contest. Yet, the amateur writer by the name of Juho Woo has yet to win an award in that span of three years. Of course, it¡¯s not entirely up to the individual whether or not they¡¯re getting the award, but what are your thoughts?¡±

    ¡°First of all, I¡¯d like to address that the media and the press contributed in a major way for the controversy grow to this point. I realize just how determined everyone is in those fields, and it dawned on me then that there was wisdom in my decision to remain anonymous as a student after all.¡±

    The crowd around the studio chuckled quietly.

    ¡°Some posed the question that Yun Woo was hiding his skill on purpose.¡±

    ¡°I never hid my skill on purpose. I¡¯ve always written earnestly and honestly,¡± Juho answered, and the host asked again, ¡°In that case, does that mean that the judges of the contests youpeted in were intentional about concluding that your writing wasn¡¯t worth receiving an award?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they thought that they couldn¡¯t give me an award.¡±

    That made sense considering how much his writing tended to deviate from the rules, and a confused look appeared on the host¡¯s face.

    ¡°ording to what we¡¯ve found out, youpeted in three essay contests during your time in high school.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡±

    ¡°And you had already debuted as a professional writer by that point, right?¡±

    ¡°I was nning my second book when I firstpeted in a contest.¡±

    ¡°As a professional, was there any hesitation on your mind because you werepeting in an amateur contest?¡±

    ¡°I was told that anybody¡¯s eligible topete in those contests as long as they¡¯re high school students.¡±

    The air sank into silence briefly as the young author answered in a calm tone of voice, but it wasn¡¯t long before the interview resumed.

    ¡°But I¡¯d be lying if I were to say that it wasn¡¯t on my mind. I purposelypeted in contests where I wouldn¡¯t have a problem giving up the award. You know, the ones where I¡¯d be the one ountable for not showing up to the award ceremony.¡±

    Then, the host asked away without hesitation, ¡°Have you ever given up on an award?¡±

    And the young author answered honestly, ¡°Yes, I have.¡±

    With that, the flow of the interview changedpletely, and the critic interjected, ¡°Could you start from the beginning? I just gotta know.¡±

 Chapter 263 - The Reason That Author Never Won (4)

    <h4>Chapter 263: The Reason That Author Never Won (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The crowd behind the cameras started whispering to each other, and to make sure he was grasping the young author¡¯s answer thoroughly, the host asked again, ¡°You mean you onlypeted in contests that you could give up the award?¡±

    ¡°Right. Where the winner gets disqualified if they¡¯re not present at the award ceremony.¡±

    ¡°That sounds to me as though you were open to the possibility of winning. Did you ever think that you might win?¡±

    ¡°I did, just like every other contestant,¡± Juho added calmly.

    As long as one decided topete, there was a chance to win.

    ¡°What were some of the awards that you gave up on?¡±

    The questions were bing more and more specific. Then, along with the name of the contest, Juho answered, ¡°The first ce.¡± At which point, the host emphasized that it was the highest possible award in an essay contest.

    ¡°Were you hesitant to give up on those awards at all?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t bother you at all?¡±

    ¡°As far as awards are concerned, no.¡±

    ¡°How many awards have you given up so far?¡±

    Juho saw the crowd of employees who were visiting the set to watch the taping. Among them, had to be those who thought: ¡®What else could it be? He just fell short. Yun Woo still has a ways to go. He¡¯s young and inexperienced.¡¯

    ¡°One,¡± the young author said.

    ¡°One?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There was only one that I gave up of my own ord.¡±

    It was more than enough to shake the crowd. While they were busy going back and forth between trust and doubt, the host remained unaffected and asked, ¡°Does that mean there were other reasons that made you unable to win the other contests?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re inherently different contests, so the situations were also inherently different.¡±

    As Juho gave him a nod, the host calmly moved on with the interview.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s clear that your record thus far was the fruition of your intended n. It appears to me that you weren¡¯t after the awards after all.¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°Then, I have to ask. Why did youpete in those contests? Most people usuallypete for the award.¡±

    ¡®Why did Ipete?¡¯ Juho thought. Then, remembering his very first essay contest, he said, ¡°There were a number of reasons, but at the end of the day, Ipeted because I wanted to.¡±

    ¡°You wanted to?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted the experience. I was more interested in the contests themselves than their awards.¡±

    ¡°What about those contests caught your interest?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t used to the idea of writing as part of a big group.¡±

    The idea had been so foreign to the young author that it disrupted his thought process during the contest. Although Pyung Jin seemed like he wanted to hear more about it, the host decided to approach the interview from a slightly different angle. Meanwhile, the crowd hade closer to the set in order to listen better.

    ¡°Then, does that mean you find enough satisfaction just in the fact that youpeted in a contest? You even gave up on the awards, didn¡¯t you? Frankly, I¡¯m finding myself at a bit of a loss.¡±

    Then, Juho shook his head and said, ¡°Of course. That isn¡¯t to say that I came home empty-handed.¡±

    ¡°What did you get out of those experiences then? The host asked without hesitation.

    ¡°Lots of things. I learned that there are a lot of really talented writers out there, and that the idea of writing in a group was foreign to me. I also learned just how delightful it is to write outdoors.¡±

    With that, the young author looked at the crowd surrounding the set along with the cameras. There had always been doubt about his skill as an author, and Juho remembered when those doubts had been true. He had been perpetually anxious and sitting for an interview like that would have been unthinkable back then. He had had nothing to say, and the only thing he had been able offer his readers had been disappointment.

    ¡°Oh, there is one more thing I got out of those experiences.¡±

    However, things were different now. The young author was better equipped with the experience he had rued. He could afford to tell a story or two that would prove his readers wrong.

    ¡°I wrote the ending to one of my books during a contest. Have you heard of a book by the name of ¡®Sound of Wailing?¡¯¡±

    ¡°The ending to ¡®Sound of Wailing?!¡¯¡± the critic let out, taken aback by what he had heard.

    ¡°My first contest experience was during the time when I was nning for my second book, remember? I was a freshman back then.¡±

    Then, the host asked Juho in order to make sure that he had understood the young author urately, ¡°When you say you ¡®wrote,¡¯ that means you actually wrote the ending of the book in that setting, correct?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I happened to have a pen and some manuscript paper on me, conveniently.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the word I¡¯m looking for... Plot? Was it? So, you weren¡¯t just thinking of an idea for your book?¡±

    ¡°The book was still in its early stages. The manuscript has gone through a number of revisions since then.¡±

    At that, the critic smiled, impressed, and the host kept on with the questions.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you given a specific topic or set of topics at an essay contest?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Which is precisely why I was disqualified.¡±

    ¡°When you say the ending to ¡®Sound of Wailing,¡¯ you¡¯re talking about that scene where the protagonist goes out to meet her son, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Seems like you¡¯ve read the book.¡±

    ¡°I sure have. It came out even before the hype for ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ died down. Not only that, but the content carried apletely different feel from its predecessor. I gotta say, it was quite remarkable.¡±

    Most of the viewers could still recall their experiences with the book. Then, Pyung Jin spoke up, ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to get why you couldn¡¯t win those awards, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Because a contest was a means of determining a rank, there were always standards by which thepetitors had to abide, and failure to abide by those standards meant disqualification from the contest, even for Yun Woo.

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve noticed, most people who don¡¯t write within the given standards of the contest seem to end up either really making it or seriously breaking it. But you, Mr. Woo, seem to be an exception to that.¡±

    Then, avoiding a direct answer, Juho said, ¡°A lot of people seem to think that Ipeted in like twenty differentpetitions. The truth is, I didn¡¯t evenpete in half that. Maybe onepetition a year, on average.¡±

    With that, the young author sessfully exined himself, and a sigh of relief sounded from somewhere. As the crowd took a step back in ordance to one of the staff member¡¯s instructions, Juho saw that they had a look of trust on their faces. Then, everyone acted ordingly, as if trying to move on from the case that had been solved.

    ¡°All right. So we¡¯ve discussed the recent controversies surrounding Mr. Woo and his record of awards. Let¡¯s move on to the next portion. Mr. Woo, we have something special for our viewers here. It¡¯s something relevant to Mr. Woo¡¯s school life,¡± the host said, changing the subject to Juho¡¯s school life. There was a newspaper in his hand, but there was something different about it. It had been published by the school. With his eyes on the newspaper, the host asked, ¡°So, this is your school¡¯s newspaper, which you brought with you, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. They¡¯re hard toe by outside of my school.¡±

    ¡°From what I heard, before your identity was known, you used to write in your school¡¯s Literature Club under the name Juho Woo, and you were interviewed at your school regarding that matter. And this newspaper contains that very interview. Would you care to tell us a little bit about this newspaper?¡± the host said, and Juho answered that he had participated in an interview that had been nned by his school¡¯s Newspaper Club in light of the school festival.

    ¡°So, I suppose that means this isn¡¯t your first interview, technically?¡±

    ¡°It would be the first as Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I have to be honest with you. I wasn¡¯t getting the impression that it was your first time speaking in front of a camera. You¡¯re a good speaker, Mr. Woo.¡±

    After the long and fierce set of questions, the atmosphere eased up. And, as if enough had been said, the host moved on to the newspaper, starting a whole new conversation regarding Yun Woo¡¯s two hidden short stories.

    ¡°As far as we know, our understanding is that you¡¯ve published two short stories as Juho Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is correct. They¡¯re both being exhibited at my school. Although I don¡¯t know if published would be an appropriate word to use in this context.¡±

    Juho felt the critic¡¯s piercing gaze on his face. The light reflecting from the stones on his tie were hurting the young author¡¯s eyes. Meanwhile, the host struck up a conversation with the critic.

    ¡°So, we read the newspaper ahead of time, and we learned that the conversation that took ce was quite sophisticated. Even the journalists in the literature department were impressed.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Juho said, thinking that the monkey would be delighted to hear those words.

    ¡°Mr. Lee, why don¡¯t you give us a brief synopsis of the short story?¡±

    With that, the critic started telling a concise summary of the plot of ¡®Grains of Sand,¡¯ all the while looking straight at the young author.

    ¡°The plot¡¯s quite simple. It¡¯s about a woman who goes to the beach to see the ocean. She decides to go out when she receives a set of new clothes as a gift. Now, what¡¯s interesting here is that there¡¯s no dialogue in the piece whatsoever. Although it¡¯s been done before by other writers, it¡¯s gotta be the first time seeing it in Mr. Woo¡¯s writing.¡±

    Then, he asked, ¡°What was your reason for leaving dialogues out?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not the talkative type.¡±

    ¡°It seemed to me that the story centers around the theme of change. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a story about somebody wishing that things would stay the same as they are forever,¡± Juho said briefly and after a brief pause, the critic asked, ¡°Did you use a different writing style?¡±

    Those who had read Yun Woo¡¯s writing were bound to catch on to the meaning behind the question immediately. Looking at the nervous critic, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen it elsewhere.¡±

    The young author had already revealed his entire arsenal of writing styles. Then, just as the critic, who caught on to the young author¡¯s attempt to weave his way out with an ambiguous answer, was about to speak, the host stepped in to mediate, ¡°I¡¯m sure ¡®change¡¯ is a topic with which all fans of Yun Woo would be familiar. My understanding is that you talked about it in ¡®Language of God¡¯ as well.¡±

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ is a story about change-in-progress.¡±

    ¡°Was the book about the same topic?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re pr opposites, I¡¯m afraid. The only thing the two pieces have inmon is the time when they were written.¡±

    ¡°Oh! You mean you wrote them at the same time?¡±

    ¡°The ideas came to me at the same time. I thought about which one to write first for a little while, but I just decided to write them together.¡±

    At that, Juho noticed that the host was taking more interest. ¡®Language of God¡¯ had been the book to take Yun Woo out to the world, and it was also the book that appealed to the masses the most.

    ¡°So, you CAN write two stories at the same time, huh?¡± the host asked with a surprised look on his face. It was only natural when considering howplicated and technical it sounded on the surface. Although it wasn¡¯t exactly easy to execute, there were authors who preferred to write in that manner.

    ¡°Does that mean the two are connected somehow since you wrote them at the same time?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no direct corrtion, but there are simrities in terms of the settings. Siblings, if you will. While they are each unique to themselves, they do share some simrities,¡± Juho said. Meanwhile, the scenery of the beach rushed past his mind, along with the two characters who were just the opposite of each other. They had despised each other.

    ¡°I mentioned how I came about writing ¡®Language of God¡¯ in one of the award ceremonies recently. Are you aware of this?¡±

    To be urate, it was Kelley Coin who mentioned it. As if thinking the same thing, an ambiguous expression appeared on the host¡¯s face.

    ¡°Yes, I am. You said you followed your fellow author¡¯s advice and made a spontaneous trip to the beach, which is where you thought of the plot for the two stories.¡±

    At that moment, the critic interjected subtly, asking, ¡°Is that the same beach as the one you mentioned in the interview in the newspaper?¡±

    Juho answered Pyung Jin¡¯s simple inference affirmatively.

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lie, that sounds incredibly tempting. Do you think we can expect that piece to be published in the near future?¡±

    Then, looking at the critic, whose face was filled with anticipation, the young author said, ¡°I highly doubt it.¡±

    ¡°And why is that?¡±

    The young author shrugged at the critic¡¯s unexpectedly emphatic response. At the end of the day, ¡®Grains of Sand¡¯ was a piece written by Juho Woo, not Yun Woo.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a piece that should stay in a school and I think that¡¯s just where it belongs.¡±

    ¡°No, no. That¡¯s now true at all!¡± the critic let out in order to convince the young author, and as the discussion dragged on, the host interjected, ¡°Now, now. Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves just yet. There¡¯s yet another piece that we most likely will nevere across. ¡®Fingernails,¡¯ was it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I wrote it fairly recently, as a junior.¡±

    Then, Juho gave a brief synopsis of the piece. It was about a narrator with a strange obsession for fingernails.

    ¡°It¡¯s a story that jumps back and forth between the protagonist¡¯s past memories as a student and her present as an office worker. Oh, it¡¯s also a short story.¡±

    With that, Juho thought of the cover designer, who he had observed from afar: Jung Eun Kong. He distinctively recalled her colorful nails.

    ¡°I wrote a book by the title of ¡®Sublimation.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know this book,¡± the host said.

    ¡°We had to spend a little more time on the cover design than usual. ¡®Fingernails¡¯ was influenced by a certain event that urred during that time.¡±

    Pyung Jin sighed quietly. Every single word said by the young author had been provoking his possessive nature. Writing styles, ¡®Language of God,¡¯ ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ and a certain event. Like most critics tended to be, Pyung Jin, ovee with the desire to read, asked the young author desperately, ¡°Where can I get myself a copy of ¡®Fingernails?¡¯¡±

    To which, Juho gave a cruel answer, ¡°You won¡¯t find it in stores.¡±

    Then, studying the reaction of the host, the critic, the filming crew and the visitors, the young author said, ¡°I¡¯m sure the viewers who see this will share your feelings, Mr. Lee.¡±

 Chapter 264 - The Reason That Author Never Won (5)

    <h4>Chapter 264: The Reason That Author Never Won (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Feeling the dry air in the set, Juho opened his water bottle and drank from it, thinking, ¡®Good thing I ate that bento. I would¡¯ve been hungry by now.¡±

    ¡°All right. We¡¯ve asked our viewers what we should ask you,¡± the host said, adding that the staff had actually gone out to the busy streets to interview the fans while epting requests on the website.

    ¡°We were reminded of just how curious your fans were about you and your books.¡±

    While Juho felt concerned on one hand, he looked forward to it on the other. Then, without hesitation, the host revealed the first question.

    ¡°Are you really afraid of birds or do you actually like them?¡±

    It was a question which the young author had heard many times.

    ¡°I used to get that question a lot,¡± Juho said, feeling relieved by the familiar question.

    ¡°Did you now? Well, how are you with birds? Are you afraid of them or do you like them?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. As you probably noticed from my writing, I¡¯m kind of ambivalent toward birds, and my feelings tend to take on different shapes. It never stays in one uniform shape. I find them cute and adorable on one hand, but I can¡¯t stand them on the other,¡± Juho said, being mindful not to limit the significance behind the portrayals of birds in his books.

    ¡°The next question is about the film adaptation of ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ Are you close with Myung Joo Mu? What was one scene from the movie that stood out to you the most?¡±

    ¡®Movie,¡¯ Juho thought to himself as he organized his thoughts. The answer was quite simple, especially regarding the actor.

    ¡°First of all, it¡¯s hard to say that we¡¯re close. We haven¡¯t seen each other all that much.¡±

    ¡°His congrattions to your recent victory over the Neb Award were quite the sensation at one point. Are you aware of this?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I found that out through articles.¡±

    ¡°Yet, you two aren¡¯t close?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just a fan,¡± Juho said in order to make time for the next answer. Since it never urred to him to give specific scenes a ranking, he needed time to decide which scene from the movie had stood out the most to him.

    ¡°I think the ending is the first thing thates to my mind.¡±

    It was the scene where the bird flew up to the sky as the dark background became gradually brighter for the first time in the entire movie. The striking visuals and soundtrack made for a gratifying experience. Meanwhile, as the young author answered with ease, the host came back with yet another question.

    ¡°What do you like most about your books¡±

    ¡°Oh, my books?¡±

    ¡°Yes, about the books you¡¯ve written up to this point. I don¡¯t wanna be redundant by saying this, but you¡¯ve written some top-notch novels. Were there any scenes in particr that you enjoyed writing?¡±

    ¡°Uh...¡±

    It was the trickiest question by far.

    ¡°Is this a tricky question to answer?¡± the host asked, and after a long silence, the young author barely managed to speak up, ¡°... No. They were all mediocre at best.¡±

    Then, observing the young author, Pyung Jin asked, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to like your own works.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m always looking for ways to improve as an author.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s surprising. Don¡¯t you get a lot ofpliments from the people around you?¡±

    ¡°Thankfully. I think that¡¯s why I¡¯m so hard on myself.¡±

    ¡°How intriguing.¡±

    Contrary to their perception, it was far from it. Unlike what they had thought, Juho was an ordinary person on the inside, which was why they were finding the young author¡¯s answer intriguing. Juho simply smiled.

    ¡°I think the brother was the scene stealer of the movie. His character had some weight to it, even in the original novel as well. What was your take on Myung Joo Mu¡¯s portrayal of the character?¡±

    ¡°He had some trouble understanding the character while they were filming, so I told him my thought process from when I came to create the character for the novel. It didn¡¯t take long at all for him to ept and embrace my exnation. I, personally, was relieved that Myung Joo Mu was cast for the role.¡±

    Although Juho knew nothing about acting, from the point of view of the creator of the original, Juho considered Myung Joo a great actor. Then, as the young author thought, ¡®That should do,¡¯ another unexpected question came his way, ¡°Who are some of your favorite celebrities or musicians?¡±

    His ideal type of woman would be determined by how he answered that question. Meanwhile, the critic asked light-heartedly, ¡°There are a bunch of celebrities who are popr among teens. Don¡¯t you talk about them with friends?¡±

    At that, Juho thought about his immediate friends. From a bookworm to aic book buff, an avid gamer, and nuts and bolts fanatic, there existed a whole array of interests among the young author¡¯s friends, but not a single one was into celebrities. Influenced by the previous question, Myung Joo Mu was the only name that lingered in Juho¡¯s head.

    ¡°You see, I spend most of my time writing and I don¡¯t get to watch a whole lot of TV. I¡¯m afraid there aren¡¯t that many celebrities or musicians I know.¡±

    ¡°Not even one?¡±

    Realizing that they weren¡¯t going to let up anytime soon, Juho thought of an answer to weave himself out of that situation. At that moment, a certain individual came to mind.

    ¡°If I were to choose one, I do have a favorite singer.¡±

    A look of interest appeared on the host¡¯s and the critic¡¯s faces. They had to be expecting somebody popr, and Juho¡¯s answer was bound to disappoint them. However, Juho pressed on.

    ¡°She performs at this park that I go to frequently. She always hums wordless melodies and goes about her way.¡±

    As expected, an ambiguous look appeared on the host¡¯s and the critic¡¯s faces. Nevertheless, the young author continues, ¡°I like her songs the most. She told me once that she¡¯d write lyrics for her songs one day, which means that wordless humming won¡¯t be around much longer. There are times when I get impatient waiting for her to write her lyrics, and I find myself itching to hear her sing.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± the critic asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know her name.¡±

    That was about the extent of Juho¡¯s rtionship with her, and realizing that there wasn¡¯t much else to ask, the critic let up. The producer looked as though he had expected more. Nevertheless, the young author was quite satisfied with his answer. The next question was about the Neb Award.

    ¡°I believe we brought it up just now. You mentioned a fellow author giving you advice. Who was that author?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to know this myself,¡± the critic added.

    Then, after some thought, Juho said, ¡°Would it be OK to bring up his name without getting his consensus?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve done anything bad. You¡¯ll be fine,¡± Pyung Jin said, waving his hand in order to reassure the young author. Meanwhile, the producer and the writer at the front signaled to him emphatically, encouraging him to say the name, and when Juho looked at Nam Kyung, he nodded slowly with an ambivalent look on his face. ¡®Hope he doesn¡¯t get mad at me,¡¯ Juho thought as an image of the author gently admonishing him crossed his mind. Despite the gentleness, Juho couldn¡¯t help but be afraid. And eventually, after wrestling with his thoughts for a little while, the young author brought up the name cautiously, ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Lim. Hyun Do Lim.¡±

    At that, a look of shock appeared gradually on the critic¡¯s face.

    ¡°So, it was Mr. Lim!¡± he said, his voice getting louder by reflex. Seeing his reaction, the host asked, ¡°I¡¯ve read his books too. He¡¯s known for the depth of his descriptions, right?¡±

    ¡°He certainly is,¡± the critic said. Then, he started raving about how great an author Hyun Do was, until the host had to step in to stop him. Pyung Jin¡¯s praise toward the literary great was very much valid, even from an objective standpoint.

    ¡°He¡¯s also known for not asking favors from other authors. He turns down every testimonial request, no matter who it¡¯s from. He declined yours too, didn¡¯t he, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that was such a widely known fact.¡±

    ¡°Those who know will know.¡±

    Hyun Do Lim had taken the initiative to talk to Yun Woo, and as a result, ¡®Language of God¡¯ was born. Meanwhile, thrilled by what he heard, Pyung Jin started raving on about Hyun Do all over again, as if he had forgotten that he was on TV. Seeing the critic growing rambunctious, Juho started to feel ufortable.

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible. It makes me wanna get a peek at your daily life, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing out of the ordinary,¡± Juho said. However, the critic didn¡¯t believe him.

    ¡°Are you nning on publishing an autobiography or an essay anytime soon?¡±

    ¡°Not at the moment, no.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to brush it off, Mr. Woo. Give it some thought. Every single person in this country will buy it. You could also include your short stories while you¡¯re at it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡±

    From then on, an array of questions followed, from Juho¡¯s rtionship with Kelley Coin to how the young author started writing, his habits when writing, and tricks and tips. Although they seemed to have chosen questions that were more personal in nature, such as preferences or hobbies, Juho answered each and every one of them withplete sincerity. With that, break time came, and Juho rose from his seat in order to stretch.

    ¡°Gettin¡¯ long, huh?¡± the host said to him with an apologetic smile.

    ¡°A little.¡±

    ¡°We tried to condense it as much as possible, believe it or not. You see, there are quite a few questions that have been backed up for thest three years,¡± the host exined, and Pyung Jin agreed emphatically, adding, ¡°One of these days, Mr. Woo, I¡¯d love to have an long, in-depth discussion about your books.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled awkwardly. Soon, the taping resumed for thetter half of the show.

    ¡°OK. Now, let¡¯s talk about your books.¡±

    As the host listed the young author¡¯s books in the order they had been published, Juho took a sip of water from his bottle, and Pyung Jin straightened his tie.

    ¡°You¡¯ve managed to write all these books in the span of three years.¡±

    When Juho heard the titles of his books in the form of a list, it dawned on him just how much he had written up to that point.

    ¡°I¡¯m a fast writer.¡±

    ¡°Is there a reason for why you write so much?¡± the host asked.

    ¡°Nothing in particr. I just write when I think of something I want to write about, and here I am three yearster.¡±

    At that, Pyung Jin eximed quietly. It was a signal of sorts, and with the host¡¯s permission to speak, the critic said, ¡°There are still conflicting opinions about Mr. Woo¡¯s prolific writing, even to this day, because not only does it dilute the point of interest, but it also bes increasingly difficult to maintain the quality of each piece. And there are authors out there who struggle with this.¡±

    ¡°Am I one of them?¡± Juho asked the critic. To which, he answered, wincing, ¡°Not at all,¡± and proceeded to tell the young author what he wanted to hear, ¡°Each of your pieces has a distinct vor. Not only are they new every time, but they also bring precisely what the readers want from Yun Woo. Quickly at that. The length is also a plus. The readers tend to want to cherish and savor a piece written by their favorite author. Your books reassure the readers that they made the right decision to get into Yun Woo literature, and frankly, that¡¯s not easy to pull off.¡±

    It was quite the praise, and Juho couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes.

    ¡°So, I¡¯ve been dying to ask this in person,¡± he said in all seriousness. ¡°How were you able to do that?¡±

    Pyung Jin was referring to the deep emotional experiences that came from Juho¡¯s books. People had different ways to explore the iprehensible in their lives, and asking questions had to be one of the most effective ways to go about this. Asking somebody a question conveyed to the other person just how earnestly one wanted to know the answer. Then, Juho looked straight at him and gave him an honest answer, ¡°I write every day. I don¡¯t write a set amount within a certain amount of time or anything, but I¡¯m in the habit of writing every day. One time, our Literature Club teacher taught us just how easy it is to be a better writer. And that was to write more. In order to write more, one has to ask themselves what they have seen up to that point. That¡¯s the only way you can get the hand moving. I collect raw materials and I make a story out of them. The fewer the ingredients, the shorter the story. Likewise, the heavier the ingredients are, the weightier the story bes. Although, it¡¯s not always urate.¡±

    Then, thinking of all the manuscript paper he had used throughout his career, the young author added, ¡°Sometimes you end up with a defective product, but there are rare asions when you¡¯re awarded with a piece of writing that isn¡¯t too shabby. But more often than not, it¡¯s not long before you notice all the ws, which is why I rewrite the same story over and over again.¡±

    ¡°So it seems like you¡¯re not just being figurative here,¡± the host said, and Juho answered honestly, ¡°No, there are days I don¡¯t write.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯ve been writing that much, I can only imagine just how many stories there are.¡±

    At that, Juho couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of the stacks of manuscripts in his room.

    ¡°Yes, there are quite a few.¡±

    ¡°Do you pick which ones to publish out of that reserve?¡±

    That time, Juho shook his head without dy. That was unthinkable.

    ¡°They¡¯re all failures, every single one of them. I wouldn¡¯t even want to look at them.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by failures?¡± the host asked.

 Chapter 265 - The Reason That Author Never Won (6)

    <h4>Chapter 265: The Reason That Author Never Won (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    In response to the host asking about failures, the young author said, ¡°It¡¯s exactly as I said. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve experienced failure at some point in your life, right? It¡¯s embarrassing, and you¡¯d do anything to go back and fix it. Yet, you hope it will benefit you somehow in the future. That¡¯s how my failures are to me.¡±

    At that moment, a quiet chuckle came out of nowhere. It was Pyung Jin.

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lie, Mr. Woo. That sounds odding from you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t me you. I get that a lot,¡± Juho said. He had often been referred to as an author who was immune to failure. Whenever he would hear that, the distance between others and himself dawned on the young author all the more. Now, he was finding himself in a simr position to the host¡¯s. The reason they weren¡¯t making small talk with each other was simple: they were strangers to each other. Meanwhile, the host took the opportunity to speak as the conversation came to an end, ¡°Does that mean you went through the same process when writing the new novel?¡±

    ¡°¡®An Insect Leaves No Trace,¡¯¡± Pyung Jin murmured quietly.

    ¡°You can say that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a very interesting title. It reminds me of the title of your first book, ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯¡±

    Then, as Juho shifted his position on the seat, the host asked the very first question about the new novel, ¡°Is there any connection between the title of your new book and your first?¡±

    When the finalized title was announced, many had made a connection to Juho¡¯s debut title, ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ However, the young author shook his head slowly and said, ¡°No. The working title was ¡®Insect.¡¯ I kept ying around with it until something came to me, and that¡¯s how the title came about.¡±

    ¡°So, there¡¯s no corrtion between the two whatsoever?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go as far as saying that they¡¯repletely unrted, either. The atmospheres of those two novels are just the opposite of each other. If ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ can be described as simple and liberating, ¡®Insect¡¯ is convoluted and closed off, which exins why a bird would leave a trace when an insect wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    The host listened intently and with a determined look on his face, as if he wasn¡¯t going to miss even the most minute of information. And when Juho finished speaking, he looked at the critic and said, ¡°What was your take on the book, Mr. Lee? Would you mind enlightening us as a critic?¡±

    ¡°This is slightly embarrassing, especially with Mr. Woo around,¡± the critic said, hesitating. However, despite his attitude, Juho was fully aware that he was a person who wasn¡¯t afraid to speak his mind. Remembering the bitter criticism he had heard from Pyung Jin, the young author said, ¡°Please.¡±

    Then, straightening his tie, the critic said, ¡°Frankly, when I first heard that your new novel was going to be about love, I immediately expected to see the pure side of Yun Woo. I was curious about how you¡¯d portray love on one hand, all the while holding on to my preconceived notions about your age on the other.¡±

    Juho listened to him quietly.

    ¡°But all of that shatteredpletely about five pages into the book. Into thousands of pieces,¡± the critic said, emphasizing thest part of the sentence. Meanwhile, the host yed along to him, nodding.

    ¡°A ustrophobic feel. Forgotten and revived memories. The frame story really shined as a stable delivery mechanism for such a bizarre story about raising a bug,¡± the critic said, his sparkling tie moving with him everytime he spoke.

    ¡°Everything worked in perfect harmony, and it was very impactful. Before I knew it, I caught myself thinking, ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s done it again.¡¯ There was a reason behind your fearlessness in releasing a new book at a time like this. I realized just how confident you were.¡±

    Then, Juho noticed the camera focusing on him, observing as if they were going to capture even the smallest change in his expression. However, the young author simply blinked.

    ¡°And there were also things that went beyond my understanding this time around.¡±

    ¡°And what were they?¡± the host asked. There was no way that he was going to let that opportunity slide. As he gave the floor to the critic, Pyung Jin said, ¡°The book hasn¡¯t been out for that long, so I won¡¯t go as far as spoiling it, but I think anybody who reads the book will know where I¡¯ming from.¡±

    ¡°And where exactly is that?¡± Juho asked. Although his expression shook initially from the young author¡¯s straight-forward question, the critic got right to the point, ¡°Have you ever drunk alcohol, Mr. Woo?¡±

    Then, barely managing to keep a straight face, Juho said, ¡°I have. A handful of times when my parents offered me some.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever gotten drunk before?¡±

    ¡°In front of my parents? I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±

    ¡°It happens growing up. If I were to be honest, when I was a student, I drank with my friends without the adults knowing. At a school trip, for example. Did you ever take alcohol to those trips, say, in a water bottle?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Juho answered honestly.

    (TL¡¯s Note: It¡¯s amon school experience in Korea to go on school trips that span a number of days. This is where students who are more ¡°curious¡± bring alcohol without their parents and/or teachers knowing, most likely to share with their friends at night.)

    He had never gotten drunk in front of his parents or snuck alcohol in his water bottle to a school trip or retreat. However, he did recall drinking day and night as an adult.

    ¡°Why are we talking about alcohol all of a sudden?¡± the host said as if keep Pyung Jin from going too far. However, that was merely another way to continue the interview.

    ¡°There are a number of scenes in the story, both inner and outer, that involve gradual memory loss. But the way everything unfolds has an uncanny resemnce to someone who¡¯s growing drunk,¡± the critic said. He was catching on to the young author¡¯s intention quite urately.

    ¡°Memory serves as an important piece and a device within the novel. It brings a paradoxical element to a story that is gradually closing up as it progresses, and it brings readers a sense of liberation. It¡¯s bound to drive somebody crazy because of how frustrating it is. At the same time, it¡¯s just so incredibly satisfying. You might be wondering what I¡¯m getting at, but you¡¯ll know as soon as you read the book yourself,¡± the critic said, skillfully adding a subtle rmendation for the book, like someone who was a regr in a book-rted TV show. ¡°How were you able to portray that with such realism when you¡¯re underage yourself?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ttered, but there¡¯s not much to it. I just observed people around me when they were drinking. That¡¯s all,¡± the young author answered unhurriedly.

    At that, the critic shook his head subtly, as if he wasn¡¯t buying Juho¡¯s answer.

    ¡°In that case, how did you think of utilizing something that you have yet to experience in your book?¡±

    ¡°I saw something that¡¯s left quite the impression on me once. After that, I realized just how ugly a person can be when they¡¯re drunk.¡±

    ¡°... I see,¡± Pyung Jin said as he let up. However, he was merely looking for another opportunity to ask even more questions. ¡°Have you ever had any urges, then?¡±

    ¡°As in?¡±

    ¡°Like wanting to try alcohol yourself or wanting to get drunk so that you can have a deeper understanding of what you¡¯re writing.¡±

    Like a critic, Pyung Jin was well aware of the tendencies of authors.

    ¡°Would you rather me juste clean?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I have had those urges, and it turns out they be stronger over time.¡±

    Without a doubt, Juho had had the urge to drink, and it became more pronounced when he wrote. It had to be a change that came with time. His life had be a mess from alcohol abuse in the past, but the more he grew further from that past, and the more his memories of that past faded, the stronger the urges became. However, Juho chose not to give into his urges because, within him, there also lived the fear of failure.

    ¡°And how do you alleviate them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say liberate is a better way to describe it. After hearing Coin¡¯s personal ount of his experience with alcoholism, I drive them out with fear.¡±

    It was widely-known that Coin¡¯s alcoholism eventually led him to admit himself into a hospital. Nevertheless, as the host briefly exined Coin to the future viewers, Pyung Jin still didn¡¯t seem entirely convinced.

    ¡°Is that all?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Would you like to know how I was able to write that scene with such realism?¡±

    ¡°... By all means,¡± Pyung Jin said, his eyes sparkling as much as the stones on his tie while ring at the young author. At that, Juho decided to quote a piece of advise he had received from another author.

    ¡°So, this is something I learned not too long ago.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°When you don¡¯t know something, all you gotta do is ask, apparently,¡± the young author said. He had asked questions to his old alcoholic self the entire time he wrote. ¡®Is this close enough? Is this good enough to get some sort of reaction out of you?¡¯

    ¡°I know somebody who wasted his life away, all the while ming it on his issue with alcohol. When I took my manuscript to that person, he turned me down in the blink of an eye, saying that he couldn¡¯t afford another drink with what I was offering to him.¡±

    At that, a certain look appeared on the critic¡¯s face, as if he was thinking: ¡®He dared treat Yun Woo¡¯s manuscript with such disrespect?¡¯

    ¡°So, I made revisions so that he could at least afford a drink, but to no avail. ording to his own words, it was so boring that the words shook before his eyes. We repeated that process a number of times, and eventually, he snatched the paper from my hand and wrote the words himself. Although, they were only legible to him, unfortunately.¡±

    It was truly a bleak sight.

    ¡°So, what happened in the end? Did he read what ended up on the final draft?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he did.¡±

    ¡°What did he say?¡± Pyung Jin asked.

    ¡°He just quietly listened and went about his way,¡± Juho answered. Unfortunately, the man hadn¡¯t said anything.

    That had been the end of it. Nopliments or affirmations. Finally, the critic let up quietly. From then on, the host asked a number of other questions, and as the taping neared its end, the host turned toward the critic and said, ¡°Mr. Lee, if you¡¯d like to add anything before we wrap up, now would be the time.¡±

    At that moment, Pyung Jin seemed quite dissatisfied.

    ¡°I can¡¯t help but wish we had more time. I was hoping we could get to talking about your other books. Oh, before I forget, there¡¯s a show that I¡¯ve been appearing in. Do you know which one I¡¯m talking about, Mr. Woo?¡±

    It was ¡®The Great Book Club.¡¯

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a fan.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Then, I¡¯d like to take the opportunity to ask you to join us in the near future. I¡¯d love for us to touch on the topics that we couldn¡¯t get to today.¡±

    ¡°Is it OK for you to bring up another show here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. They¡¯re from the same station.¡±

    Although Juho felt that he had answered a quite a few questions, the critic still looked as though he wasn¡¯t satisfied. Seeing that, it dawned on the young author just how curious his fans had to have been for thest three years.

    ¡°Well, that was your first official interview. How was it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t have any trouble, thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°Do you think our viewers will get to know your identity, which was shrouded in mystery up to this point, a little better?¡±

    ¡°I sure hope so.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the final cut will look like, but I¡¯m sure nobody¡¯s going to doubt that you wrote those books yourself after seeing it,¡± the host said after some brief contemtion.

    As the young author smiled subtly, the host added, ¡°Thanks for joining us today, Mr. Woo,¡± looking at him and bowing. When Juho looked up, the camera was focused on the host, and that told the young author that he could no longer speak. Then, the host bowed to the camera, marking the end of the taping session.

    ¡°Great job, everyone!¡±

    The producer and the writer shouted as they rose from their seats. Meanwhile, feeling his strength leaving him as his body loosened up after the taping, Juho breathed a sigh of relief, paying no attention to his shoulders dropping. Then, the very people who he had greeted him before the start of the show came and greeted Juho all over again, as if they¡¯d gone somewhere else once the taping began, ¡°You did great, Mr. Woo. You¡¯re a great speaker, just as I thought you would be.¡±

    As the young author responded ordingly, the same people asked, ¡°Would you mind if I ask for your autograph?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    So, the visitors, who had watched the taping, started crowding around Juho once again. There were still some people who had yet to received the young author¡¯s autograph. Taking the books one by one, Juho wrote his name and signed them, taking pictures with those who requested it. After that, the young author returned to the waiting room with his editor, and, to Nam Kyung, who wasplimenting him with excitement, Juho said, ¡°Can we go home now?¡±

 Chapter 266 - That Authoréˆ¥æªš Home (1)

    <h4>Chapter 266: That Author¡¯s Home (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡®A Peek at Yun Woo¡¯s First Interview! The Web Gets Excited.¡¯

    ¡°So, that¡¯s the kind of person he is. I had a smile on my face the entire time I was watching it.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s so confident when he speaks. He doesn¡¯t even look nervous or anything.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in love! A fitting creator to his craft. Yun Woo will forever be a hero.¡±

    ¡°I was getting a kick out of the look on Pyung Jin¡¯s face. He wouldn¡¯t stop raving about how amazing Yun Woo was in ¡®The Great Book Club,¡¯ and he¡¯d be a saint all of a sudden.¡±

    ¡°I can tell that he was really intentional in his choice of tie.¡±

    ¡°I think it sparkled even more than Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I love that Yun Woo¡¯s talking about his own books. He answers all of the questions so seamlessly, too.¡±

    ¡°I can really tell that he wrote those books.¡±

    ¡°Man, he really was neen! He really did start writing books when he was sixteen!¡±

    ¡°He did say that he writes every single day. He¡¯s not the youngest, first Asian winner for no reason.¡±

    ¡°He seemed pretty sincere when he was talking about failures. I mean, I can only imagine just how terrifying it must be to seed at such an early age.¡±

    ¡°I really felt that he is going in the right direction with his life.¡±

    ¡°One can only imagine the burden. But then, he¡¯s Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I, personally, am interested in the short stories in his school. The look on the critic¡¯s face, that was exactly the look on my face the whole time I was watching the interview.¡±

    ¡°Zelkova! Get your butt in gear and publish those short stories! I¡¯ll buy them! No exception!¡±

    ¡°I wonder how he was inspired by the cover design, though. I¡¯d love to get my hands on those short stories.¡±

    ¡°¡®You won¡¯t find it in stores.¡¯ Yun Woo, you savage, you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about who that homeless man was that he talked to while writing.¡±

    ¡°Same here. They seemed to be close. A family member, maybe?¡±

    ¡°Shoot, I¡¯d be willing to go homeless if I got to read Yun Woo¡¯s manuscripts before anybody else.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like he revises the heck out of his manuscripts. I guess it makes sense considering the quality. A genius that actually works hard. I wonder how that homeless man felt as he read the story taking shape.¡±

    ¡°I think I get what the homeless guy was feeling when Yun Woo said that he didn¡¯t say anything and went about his way.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s gotta be the luckiest homeless person in the whole world.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I drink a lot. You could¡¯ve asked me.¡±

    ¡°Company dinners for a week straight. I might as well make alcohol my middle name.¡±

    ¡°Philosophy major here. Count me in.¡±

    ¡°Corporate worker here. Count me in.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: Philosophy majors have a reputation for their drinking habits in Korea. Corporate workers, on the other hand, are often exposed to social drinking with their coworkers and superiors.)

    ¡°But, how can a person who¡¯s never been drunk in his life write something like that?¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s what makes him Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°I mean, there¡¯s the whole spiel about alcohol, but I¡¯m more surprised by his portrayal of love. Is he really neen?¡±

    ¡°I second that. I think this book really proved to people that they shouldn¡¯t judge him by his age.¡±

    ¡°I can tell that he¡¯s a thinker. You¡¯re genius, man.¡±

    ¡°Authors do a lot of self-reflection when they write, apparently.¡±

    ¡°I wanna know that singer he likes so much! I wanna hear her hum, too!¡±

    ¡°Whoever it is, it sounded like somebody Yun Woo would like.¡±

    ¡°It dawned on me just how young he is when I saw his face on TV.¡±

    ¡°But one would never be able to tell from reading his books.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s probably livin¡¯ it up at that age. So jealous.¡±

    ¡°Wonder how much he made from his books.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s loaded from the royalties alone. His books are sold worldwide.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Everything about him is beyond our imagination.¡±

    ¡°I thought I¡¯d know more about him after watching the interview, but now, I have even more questions than I had before I watched. He was weaving himself out of all the questions, and I feel like I didn¡¯t get a single answer to my questions.¡±

    ¡°I really hope Pyung Jin brings him to ¡®The Great Book Club.¡¯ C¡¯mon, producers! Get on it!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d pay to see that.¡±

    ¡°I heard that was the only interview he agreed to participate in.¡±

    ¡°For real?!¡±

    ¡°Whaaat!? After all this time staying hidden and mysterious!? He can¡¯t do that! That just ain¡¯t fair! C¡¯mon, Yun Woo! You gotta do at least five. What? Are you tryin¡¯ to drive your fans crazy!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just thankful that he¡¯s decided to reveal himself.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s truly no end to human greed.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know English, but can somebody remind me of which country his next interview is going to be in? I¡¯m sure somebody¡¯s going to trante the thing, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t take long at all until a tranted version turns up on the inte. Where there¡¯s demand, there¡¯s supply.¡±

    ¡°Another interview? Is he making an appearance on TV in the US?¡±

    ¡°I think I saw an article say that there was nothing set in stone.¡±

    ¡°The US can¡¯t be the only country tryin¡¯ to get a hold of him. I¡¯m sure there are a bunch of other countries tryin¡¯ to do the same.¡±

    ¡°Pretty sure the people at his agency have it up to their ears.¡±

    ¡°They really have to take care of the little guy, especially when things are so hectic! They can¡¯t let him get dragged around and get all torn up.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a legitimate point. He did look pretty modest. I seriously hope he doesn¡¯t change.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, people. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s been popr for a day or two. If he wanted to let it get to his head, it would¡¯ve already happened.¡±

    ¡°I like every bit of that interview, but the fact that Yun Woo is acquainted with Hyun Do Lim made me love it even more. He¡¯s just surrounded by good people, from the authors who he published the magazine with to Yun Seo Baek.¡±

    ¡°Hyun Do Lim. Is. The. Best. My parents and I love him.¡±

    ¡°Same here. I first came across his books through my mother¡¯s rmendation.¡±

    ¡°Too bad neither of them are fond of making TV appearances. Ugh.¡±

    ¡°I heard somewhere that Yun Woo is a super unpleasant person to be around.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s this from?¡±

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re the only one with that knowledge, buddy.¡±

    ¡°I just heard that he shook hands with his fans.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon. He even shook hands and took pictures with everyone on set after taping. What about that makes him unpleasant?¡±

    ¡°You get a glimpse of his personality just from his friends¡¯ interview at their school. They kept his secret till the end. Friends that loyal are hard toe by these days.¡±

    ...

    ¡°Boy, look at you!¡± Juho¡¯s mother let out with a satisfied smile on her face. She had watched his interview on repeat a number of times. In the end, Juho, who was eating after waking upte, asked her, ¡°Haven¡¯t you watched that enough already?¡±

    ¡°What? The more I watch it, the better,¡± she said with her eyes fixated on the TV. ¡°You¡¯re a good speaker.¡±

    Being a mother who had been watching her son grow up since he had cooed as a baby, she seemed incredibly proud to see him speaking with rity. Meanwhile, Juho picked up a piece of the grilled mackerel and brought it up to his mouth. It was pleasantly savory. Although he wasn¡¯t saying a word, his voice was reverberating through the living room, and just the sound of it made him feel sick.

    ¡°We have to keep this with us somehow. Do you know how to record TV shows?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Juho said, focusing on chewing. Meanwhile, his mother seemed to be set on recording the interview for the sake of preservation. Unlike on the set, the final cut of the interview gave off a much more serious atmosphere. There were only three people on screen.

    ¡°Who¡¯s this homeless person you¡¯re talking about?¡± she asked unsuspectingly. Because he had never told her about having a homeless man as a friend, Juho had to put his brain to work in order to think of an answer. In the end, he gave her an honest one, ¡°It was just an analogy. There¡¯s always a lingering fear in people living within capitalist societies, and I was simply reflecting that through my answer.¡±

    At that, his mother nodded slowly and asked, ¡°Is that so? People seemed to think that you actually talked to a homeless person.¡±

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s entitled to their own beliefs.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t to say that you can make them think that they were lied to. You can¡¯t afford to lose their trust.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mom,¡± Juho said without resisting. His mother¡¯s words were always right. With that, she redirected her attention to the TV. Despite having watched it enough times to memorize all the lines, it was incredible how focused she was still. ¡®Maybe I get my tenacious side from her,¡¯ Juho thought. Then...

    ¡°You¡¯re moving out soon, right?¡± she asked out of nowhere. Thankfully, since it was a topic that they had been discussing frequently, Juho was able to answer without any trouble, ¡°Yes. I¡¯m almost done packing.¡±

    Then, he looked at his room. The door was open, revealing every corner of the room. It was, simply put, a trainwreck. Ropes and newspapers were wrapped around the stacks of paper, while all the boxes had been set aside to one side of the room. Juho had expressed his interest in moving out to his parents, and just as she had always done, his mother fully supported his decision. The first time the topic came up was when they were discussing what to do with the boxes of manuscripts that were starting to pile up in the living room.

    ¡°Should I throw them out?¡± she had asked cautiously.

    ¡°Sure...¡± Juho had said. Although he had made it seem like he had had no problem with her throwing them out, he had felt conflicted. When the time for a decision finally caught up to him, he couldn¡¯t help but feel attached to the stacks of paper.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind keeping them around, but as you already know, we don¡¯t have a whole lot of room around here,¡± she¡¯d said, and Juho had asked her in response, ¡°Should we move?¡±

    ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t go to school anymore, so there¡¯s no reason you shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    Because his mother had been willing to discuss the matter with her son, they had talked in order to reach a decision. And by the time he¡¯d started leaning toward moving out, Juho had brought it up, ¡°What if I move out?¡±

    Knowing that his mother would never get upset, no matter what he brought up, Juho hadn¡¯t been nervous about bringing up the idea of moving out.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a terrible idea. You wanna give it a shot?¡± she¡¯d said, giving off a strong impression that he should experience it for himself. The reminder to trust the process over result tended to lighten the burden in one¡¯s heart. From then on, things had progressed quickly. Until the publishing day of his new book, that is, until his face was officially known to the public, Juho and his mother kept looking around for houses. Since he hadn¡¯t been looking for anything too spacious, they had looked for something within a reasonable price range.

    ¡°Amodations are expensive nowadays.¡±

    That had been the young author¡¯s realization as he¡¯d gone around looking for his new home. It made sense that he had ended up homeless in the past.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing we found a decent ce for you,¡± his mother said, and Juho nodded while scooping the rice up from his bowl. Then, as if curious about how her son was feeling about living on his own for the first in his life or influenced by the interview, which she had watched on repeat for thest several days, she asked, ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°Not too bad,¡± Juho said after chewing and swallowing a mouthful.

    ¡°I was really excited when I first moved out,¡± she said, reminiscing about her past. Meanwhile, Juho was also reminiscing about his past. After moving out on his own and going through repeated failures, he had grown distant from his parents. Not only had their interactions been limited to asional phone calls, but there had been nothing sincere about those conversations either. Juho had been busy covering up his less-than-impressive life.

    ¡°Feel free toe back anytime if you ever feel lonely,¡± she said, just as she had done in the past. However, it hadn¡¯t been long before the foolish son had forgotten about what his mother had told him entirely.

    ¡°We¡¯ll always leave some space open for you, so don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Juho brought another spoonful of rice up to his mouth. It was deeply satisfying.

    ¡°I will. If I ever feel miserable, I¡¯lle back,¡± Juho said, deciding to take up on her offer that time should things go south.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m beat,¡± Juho said to Nam Kyung on the phone.

    ¡°Just one more while you¡¯re at it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m exhausted, Mr. Park.¡±

    Nam Kyung had asked the young author about making another TV appearance, which Juho turned down without dy. Interviews were quite taxing, especially when there were cameras around. After suggesting it a few more times, the editor let up since other ns had already been made.

    ¡°You¡¯reing over in a little bit, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Juho had decided to pay Zelkova a visit in order to decide on an interview request from another country and to meet with Nabi.

    ¡°Be safe, now. Things are NOT what they used to be.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to wear a hat.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha.¡±

    After checking the time for their meeting, they hung up, and Juho went back to packing his belongings immediately after. Although he had the choice to call a moving service, Juho didn¡¯t feel entirelyfortable with letting other people touch his manuscripts, especially when considering the nature of the manuscripts in the boxes. The idea of letting others see them was even more undesirable. In the end, he chose to put his time and strength into packing them himself. What he came to learn from that was simply how heavy papers really were. In fact, they were just as heavy as books.

    ¡°All right. Better get going,¡± he said, pushing all the boxes to one side of the room. After putting his hat on and a mask in his pocket, Juho left the house and headed for the bus stop. It was quite windy out, so he had to push his hat down to keep it from flying off.

    There were quite a few people waiting at the bus stop, and Juho also waited for the bus to arrive. It was a process he was well acquainted with. After waiting for about five minutes and seeing the bus approaching from the distance, Juho took a step forward as people got in line ahead of and behind him. It was obvious that they were looking to get on the same bus. The bus stopped just past the spot that Juho had predicted. As the front door opened, people started getting into the bus one by one. Then, as Juho was about to get on the bus, somebody let out, ¡°A red hat?¡±

 Chapter 267 - That Authoréˆ¥æªš Home (2)

    <h4>Chapter 267: That Author¡¯s Home (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Upon hearing the set of words that sounded all too familiar, everyone in the bus looked in the direction the voice hade from and at the person who was still waiting in line to get on the bus. Standing close to the bus stop still, she was looking precisely in the young author¡¯s direction. Then, just as he was wondering if he had been caught, another voice came out of nowhere.

    ¡°You¡¯re Yun Woo, right?¡±

    It was the person standing just behind Juho. Then, holding on to his hat, Juho thought, ¡®How¡¯d they know?¡¯ In the end, he answered honestly as he got on the bus, ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    As the young author answered awkwardly, the man pulled out his phone and asked, ¡°Would you mind taking a picture with me?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah. Sure.¡±

    Although Juho had taken turns to look at the driver and at the passengers and had hoped that the man would have realized that he was in a bit of a tight situation, the man had taken his phone out to the young author¡¯s disappointment. In the end, Juho stepped out of the bus. The passengers on the bus started peeking their heads out of the window, and those who were waiting in line were hopelessly confused. Then, a voice shouted from the inside of the bus, ¡°Are you getting in or what!?¡±

    At that, Juho walked further into the street, away from the bus stop, and a number of people got out of the line to follow him. There would always be another bus that woulde around, but the chance to meet Yun Woo wasn¡¯t as promising.

    ¡°I¡¯m a huge fan!¡±

    ¡°Would you take a picture with me?¡±

    While the young author took pictures with those who had been waiting in line, the bus took off unhurriedly. However, it came to a sudden halt soon after, and a number of people rushed out of it and ran toward Juho.

    ¡°You ARE Yun Woo, aren¡¯t you!? Take a picture with me, would ya??¡±

    The sound of a camera echoed, and the pedestrians who were passing by stopped in their tracks, taking interest in themotion.

    ¡°Who is that?¡± a voice asked, and another voice answered, ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo.¡± Simr conversations could be heard from all directions.

    ¡°Me too!¡± said the woman who had called Juho¡¯s red hat, walking toward him. ¡°I loved your interview,¡± she said after taking a picture with the young author.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She repeated herself a number of times as they took pictures. Because she kept pressing the shutter release, the sound was even noisier than usual. As more and more people recognized the young author, the line for a picture started getting longer. The crowd was growing increasingly dense. Looking at the people screaming at the sight of Yun Woo before their eyes, Juho sighed internally and thought, ¡®Guess I¡¯m runningte.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t until tens of minutester that he finally managed to free himself from the crowd.

    ¡°Finally.¡±

    As he got away from the crowd by the skin of his teeth, Juho decided to catch a cab. When he messaged Nam Kyung that he was runningte, the editor responded saying that he¡¯d be waiting with Nabi while having a cup of tea. After one already-upied cab and another that simply drove past him, Juho was finally able to catch himself a cab. The two cabs that chose not to let him in would most likely be clueless to the missed opportunity of having Yun Woo as their customer. As Juho told the driver his destination and rolled the window down, the driver greeted him, ¡°Hello, there.¡±

    Juho saw that he was wearing gradient sunsses.

    ¡®I need to get me one of those,¡± the young author thought to himself.

    ¡°Say, weren¡¯t you on the TV recently?¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m not really a celebrity.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a writer, though?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    His poprity had caught him by surprise. In the past, there had been quite a few people who had walked right past him, unable to recognize who he was. Resisting the urge to sigh, Juho decided to take the opportunity to ask the driver, ¡°Where did you get those sunsses?¡±

    ¡°Oh, these? My daughter got them for me as a gift. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°I was thinking of getting a pair for myself.¡±

    Then, after chuckling for a little while, the driver said, ¡°Should I ask my daughter?¡±

    ¡°No, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡±

    Since the destination was quite far away, Juho spent plenty of time talking to the driver, who turned out to be quite loquacious. Starting from how he had started driving a cab to what had happened to his family when the economy had hit rock bottom. Along with all the other pieces of information about him, the young author also came to learn that his daughter was a fan.

    ¡°Would you give me an autographter? Or a picture?¡±

    ¡°Sure, of course.¡±

    Saying that there was more for him to show off to his daughter, the driver delighted to learn new information. Then, as if looking to extend that list of things about which to brag to his daughter, he started bombarding the young author with questions.

    ¡°You write some good books from what I heard.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I think authors are incredible. Are you dating right now?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°How much do you make per book?¡±

    ¡°I make enough to make a living.¡±

    ¡°Writing a story must be hardly a challenge for you. Your pen practically moves on its own when you write, huh?¡±

    ¡°Not as smoothly and effortlessly as you¡¯re describing.¡±

    ¡°You know, you¡¯re a good speaker. I thought so when I was watching the interview.¡±

    When it came to things that weren¡¯t really worth hiding, Juho answered them honestly. The cab was quite fast, and since there was hardly any traffic, Juho was able to arrive at his destination a little earlier than he had anticipated. Then, as promised, he took a picture with the driver and gave him an autograph before getting out of the cab, thinking, ¡®I¡¯m adding that to my excuse for beingte.¡¯ With that, he walked into a building, which was iparably quieter than the street booming with people.

    ¡°Mr. Woo.¡±

    The employees greeted the young author as he walked into the building. It was quite a strange experience locking eyes with those who had walked right past him in his previous visits.

    ¡°May I shake your hand?¡±

    Then, it urred to Juho that it was going to be a while until he reached the conference room.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯rete this time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll all make sense once you hear my exnation,¡± Juho told Nam Kyung as he took the hat off. Meanwhile, Nabi waved her hand in denial, gesturing that it¡¯s OK.

    ¡°You were held up by the fans on the street, huh?¡±

    ¡°Something like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been getting a lot of questions about you, too. Twice as much, in fact.¡±

    People seemed to interpret Yun Woo¡¯s recent identity reveal as a sign that he was willing to share every piece of personal information with them. And having witnessed that in person, Nabi could only imagine how the person directly involved felt.

    ¡°It got cold, but here,¡± Nam Kyung said, offering the young author the coffee he had bought for Juho. Since Juho was thirsty, the temperature of the coffee was hardly a concern, and he was able to let go of the anxiety as he drank.

    ¡°OK, now that we¡¯re all here, should we take a look?¡±

    The desk was filled with data and magazines from thepanies that wanted to interview the young author.

    ¡°Are you really just gonna pick one? The number of countries alone is astounding,¡± the editor asked, and Juho answered emphatically, ¡°Honestly, I was over it after the most recent interview.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung gave Juho a perplexed look and asked, ¡°You seemed predisposed to interviews from what I saw. Why are you so emphatically against them?¡±

    ¡°And what gave you that impression?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being the type of person who can eat his bento in peace just moments before taping.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled, admitting to himself that the editor had a point. After all, the young author had been eager to get himself out there in the past.

    ¡°What¡¯s good is that the interview is being received incredibly well. Frankly, I was getting somewhat anxious since not a whole lot is known about you.¡±

    ¡°You got that right, Nabi. You have no idea how nervous I was!¡± Nam Kyung expressed his anxiety on the set. There was no doubt that people were clueless as to just how experienced Juho was with media exposure, which probably meant that people like Nam Kyung and Nabi would have been on their toes, not knowing what to expect from the young author.

    ¡°Might I add, this interview didn¡¯t just prove that you¡¯re a good writer. Otherpanies overseas that have been more passive are starting to express interest in you,¡± Nabi said and Nam Kyung added, agreeing with her, ¡°We¡¯ve been getting a lot of calls and emailstely too, saying that they¡¯re interested in hosting events with you.¡±

    ¡°Look at this. New York, Paris, London, Tokyo, you name it. All these offers at our discretion. This must be a dream, Mr. Woo!¡±

    As an agent, being in the position of turning down all but one offer from some of the most prominent outlets across the globe was, simply put, thrilling. Then, while her hands still shook from the excitement, she added, ¡°This means we don¡¯t have to take any nonsense from anybody, anywhere in this country.¡±

    Pretending he hadn¡¯t heard her, Juho looked through all the data on the desk, among which, were some of the most prominent magazines in the US that mostly covered current events and ran critiques on culture. They were names most people would¡¯ve heard of at least once.

    ¡°Oh! I know this one,¡± Juho said as he picked one of the magazines up. There was a photo of an Italian author on the cover of the most recent issue. Looking straight ahead, the author was sitting on an antique-looking sofa in a natural position. Perhaps shooting in the study within her home had made the session morefortable for her.

    ¡°They¡¯ve covered Coin before, too, haven¡¯t they?¡± Nabi asked as she recognized the background immediately, and Juho nodded. It was the same magazine that had covered Coin¡¯s residence, which the young author had visited recently, in one of their issues. And looking at the content of the magazine over his shoulders, Nam Kyung said, ¡°They cover authors¡¯ homes, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re pretty big, too,¡± Nabi said and brought up a name that Juho had also heard of. Juho remembered seeing the same set of letters on the business card of a journalist he hade across during his visit to the States. He had to have been affiliated with the same magazine as the one he was looking at currently. Then, Juho opened the magazine and started reading the interview of the Italian author, which was mostly about her uing novel. There were also photos of her posing naturally along with the transcription of the interview, and the questions in the interview gave off the impression that they had been more spontaneous than simply chasing after the author¡¯s answers. Although the author had mostly talked about her book, Juho couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was getting to know her at a much deeper level for some reason. Then, after some contemtion, the young author was able to reach a conclusion. It was the photos, more urately, the photos of her room, which contained traces of the writer in the background, almost as if telling a story. While Juho was reading the magazine unhurriedly, Nabi asked, ¡°How do you like it?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s decent.¡±

    ¡°Should I get in touch with them, then?¡±

    As Juho took some time to think, Nabi added that she had been eyeing the magazine herself.

    ¡°You¡¯re about to have your own ce now. It works out perfectly.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t even move my stuff yet,¡± Juho said with an awkward smile.

    ¡°We can always adjust the schedule. As you¡¯re probably aware, it¡¯s just the right interview for the time.¡±

    It seemed like a promising direction to take in terms of approaching his readers in a natural manner. And after some contemtion, Juho put the magazine down, reminding himself that there were still a lot more to look through.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what we have on our hands first, then I¡¯ll decide,¡± he said, and Nabi nodded willingly, adding that there were also other magazines that she had in mind.

    ¡°I just want you to know that your moving situation won¡¯t get in the way of finding what you¡¯re looking for, by any means.¡±

    Nabi seemed to imply that the people from the magazines would dly fly to Korea even if Yun Woo were to live on the streets. Since Juho was in the position to make a choice, he didn¡¯t have much to lose. Then, he reached over for another magazine, reading through it along with its data, studying which authors had been interviewed by them and the flow of the interviews. Every single magazine seemed like a decent choice, and while Nabi gave the young author some brief exnations in between, Nam Kyung rmended the ones with more appeal to the masses. Then, listening to his rmendation, Juho set one aside as his second choice. In the end, the one that ended up in his hand was the magazine with the old-sofa.

    ¡°All right, then! I¡¯ll get in contact with them.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    At that point, Nabi had no doubt that things were going to be smooth sail from then on.

 Chapter 268 - That Authoréˆ¥æªš Home (3)

    <h4>Chapter 268: That Author¡¯s Home (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I was told that they prefer that you¡¯re in the middle of moving.¡±

    Juho stopped packing upon hearing the news from Nabi. As he held his phone, which he had had between his face and his shoulder, more securely in his hand, he beheld the untidy state of the room.

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re OK with it, they want to have photoshoot session while you¡¯re still moving. What would you like to do?¡±

    Having assumed that the interview wouldn¡¯t take ce until after he had moved into his new ce, Juho asked, perplexed, ¡°Do they have a thing for messy rooms or something?¡±

    Then, chuckling quietly, Nabi exined, ¡°They like things as is. They¡¯re probably going for the dynamic feel of somebody still moving into a ce rather than the calm and organized feel of a home that¡¯s been settled in already, which would make things a lot less interesting.¡±

    ¡°Interesting logic.¡±

    Just like she had said, the magazine often tended to include photos of untidy desks or unmade beds, while revealing authors¡¯ favorite baseball teams, favorite drinks, or the pens or pencils they use to write, providing the opportunity to get a better look at the authors¡¯ everyday lives.

    ¡°They seem to understand the benefit of visiting authors at their homes,¡± Nabi said, adding that she was fond of their style. However, Juho couldn¡¯t help but feel hesitant. Seeing as it was going to be one of the things that would determine how the rest of the world viewed him, this interview was crucial, and Juho felt the need to be really mindful of what he was showing.

    ¡°Can I really show them the ce? With the boxes and all?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Like I said, Mr. Woo, they would prefer that,¡± Nabi said and added, ¡°Tell you what, why don¡¯t we take the opportunity and do something about the doubters out there once and for all? I think you¡¯re just in the right ce and time for that.¡±

    Then, in order to reassure the young author, she told him everything she had heard up to that point. As long as Yun Woo gave the OK, where he lived was hardly an issue.

    ¡°The untidiness can give the background some character, Mr. Woo. From what I¡¯ve heard, they¡¯ve interviewed authors in rooms that looked borderline like garbage dumps. I was told that they want something original, and they also asked me to ask for your forgiveness for interviewing you when you¡¯re in the middle of moving.¡±

    Hearing Nabi¡¯s exnation, it urred to Juho that not all authors lived in neat and organized rooms, and the coffee stains in Coin¡¯s room were a good example of that. While the authors revealed themselves, they took photos of them and their living spaces. Then, after some contemtion, Juho made up his mind, ¡°All right. Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    At that, with a more cheerful voice, Nabi gave him a brief exnation about how things would progress from then on.

    ¡°You just gotta act ording to the n. That¡¯s all you gotta do. By the way, is everything going OK with the move?¡± she asked, and at the sight of the books and manuscripts scattered about the floor, Juho hesitated and said, ¡°Uh... It¡¯s going all right, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not getting sick or anything, are you?¡±

    ¡°So far, so good.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna be under the weather during the interview, right?¡± she asked. Although she sounded yful, there was a subtle warning behind her question, made to remind the young author to take care of himself until the interview.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll take good care of myself,¡± Juho said, and after hanging up, Juho decided to follow Nabi¡¯s advice and take a short break, slowly rolling his stiff wrists. Then, he rose from his seat and picked up his sunsses. ¡®I¡¯m goin¡¯ for a walk.¡¯

    ¡ª

    It wasn¡¯t until he arrived at the park that Juho took his hat and sunsses off, which often got in the way of his view. There was nobody around. Nobody who would shout his name when they saw him. Although there had been a handful of people who¡¯d given him suspicious looks, Juho hadn¡¯t minded it all that much. As long as he didn¡¯t say it himself, there was no chance that people would catch him, and because of that, he was able to arrive at the park more easily than he had anticipated.

    As he walked into the botanical garden, he was greeted by the warm, damp air that he was well acquainted with by that point. Further into the garden, was a tree that looked a lot like a banana tree, and even further in, was an old door that was rusting from the humidity in the air. Because the leaves were covering the boundary between the doorpost and the wall, the door was difficult to spot, and the door handle was rusty and discolored, enough to make anyone hesitant to touch it. However, in reality, it was just a in ol¡¯ door handle that left no trace on the hand whatsoever.

    ¡°Why, if it isn¡¯t our beloved writer.¡±

    As Juho stepped in, an unexpected visitor greeted him. It was the custodian, who had exined the history and purpose of the room when the young author had first discovered it. He had described the space as abandoned, although there were no signs of it being off limits. With that, the young author walked to where the custodian was sitting. Like Juho, he was also wearing a hat with a cup of Job¡¯s Tears tea on it.

    ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    ¡°Our schedules are different.¡±

    It was rare for custodians to be in a resting area at that hour, and unlike Juho, most of them either had breakfast before work or a cup of tea during or after work.

    ¡°You have no idea of how shocked I was when I saw you on TV.¡±

    From his response when Juho had first walked in, the custodian seemed to know about Juho¡¯s identity.

    ¡°Would you like an autograph?¡± Juho asked as he put his sunsses down, and the custodian burst out into heartyughter. After buying himself a cup of tea from the vending machine, the young author sat across from him. On a shelf that had probably been filled with works of pottery once, were various tools for people, and all that being behind a custodian made for a different sight.

    ¡°I saw you in a different light when I found out that you are an author.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Juho asked, holding the warm paper cup with both of his hands, while the custodian fidgeted with his. There was something about him that was more awkward than usual.

    ¡°So, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to know.¡±

    Perhaps, he wasn¡¯t used to seeing Juho as Yun Woo just yet.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Juho asked, pretending not to show the bitterness on his face. ¡°Ask away,¡± he said.

    As soon as the young author gave the custodian permission to ask, the custodian lowered his head, covered his mouth with one hand, and whispered to him, ¡°You had meetings here, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    At that, Juho couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter, and interpreting that as confirmation, the custodian said with more confidence, ¡°I knew it! I guess I did contribute to keeping your secret, huh?¡±

    Although it had been apletely unexpected question, Juho nodded slowly. Just as the custodian had said, he hadn¡¯t only been taking care of the garden, but of the young author¡¯s secret as well.

    ¡°I was able to live my life in peace, thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°I knew something was odd. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything to do around here, especially for somebody your age. Did you write here and all?¡±

    ¡°asionally,¡± Juho said, and as he learned that he had contributed to Yun Woo¡¯s work in some capacity, the custodian smiled with satisfaction.

    ¡°I knew something was different about you from the first time I saw you here,¡± he said with a proud expression on his face.

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t know I was gonna be Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Nope. Didn¡¯t get that far,¡± the custodian said, pouring the rest of the steaming tea into his mouth. ¡°You seemed like a good speaker on TV. Why didn¡¯t you give me some sort of clue?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t really run into each other all that much.¡±

    ¡°You came here when I was not around on purpose, huh?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no.¡±

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have met today if I hadn¡¯te here,¡± the custodian muttered yfully.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true.¡±

    With that, the air sank into an awkward silence, and in order to validate that silence, Juho brought his cup up to his mouth. Since he couldn¡¯t understand what the nts were telling him, the ce was quiet.

    ¡°Does that mean you won¡¯t be needing this ce anymore?¡± the custodian asked quietly with a slightly yful expression on his face still. And as they locked eyes with each other without saying much, the custodian added, ¡°Since this ce was for you to hide that you¡¯re Yun Woo, wouldn¡¯t that mean you won¡¯t being here anymore?¡±

    ¡°I doubt that,¡± Juho said, lowering his cup slightly and getting a whiff of the tea. ¡°I came here to drink Job¡¯s Tears tea. There¡¯s something about vending machine teas. They have this unique vor.¡±

    ¡°Vending machine teas are all the same, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°And teas all taste different depending on the person who makes them.¡±

    The Job¡¯s Tears tea in Juho¡¯s hand could be found nowhere else but in that room in the garden. Should the ce and/or the situation change, the taste of the tea would also change, even if it were to be brewed exactly as it always had been. Simrly, lunch at a pic or having a ss of wine with loved ones tended to taste significantly better. The Job¡¯s Tears tea was a unique experience that could be found nowhere else outside of that garden.

    ¡°So I¡¯ll probablye by every now and then.¡±

    The custodian fixed his hat without saying a word. Just like the first time they had met, he neither told him not toe, nor toe more often. Even when the young author set foot on the ce for the first time, the custodian didn¡¯t try to impose anything on him.

    ¡°Besides, I think I¡¯m finding myself in a need of a ce like this even more now that I revealed myself,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Where¡¯d you get the sunsses?¡± the custodian asked, nudging the sunsses ever so slightly and adding as he rose from his seat, ¡°I bought your book. I don¡¯t know how far I¡¯ll get through this time, but I¡¯ll definitely give it a go. So, you keep writing, all right?¡±

    ¡°Will do,¡± Juho answered immediately.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Is this the country Yun Woo¡¯s from?¡± somebody said while looking out of the window on his ne ride to Korea. The sole purpose of his trip was to meet Yun Woo. Although everything looked simr from up in the sky, the list of differences grew exponentially once one stepped out of the ne, and his reason for insisting on meeting authors in person was simr to that idea: to get a better look at them. Meeting an author person allowed him to learn about them in greater detail. Everything in this world operated under principles that were rather simple.

    He was carrying a copy of the most recent issue of a magazine, which had a photo of an Italian author on the cover.

    Thepany the man worked for never insisted on just interviewing authors. In fact, they interviewed an array of people, from politicians to human rightswyer, and at times, even presidential candidates. The interviewees were mostly people leading a sessful lives. But how many of them were teenagers?

    ¡°Has no home,¡± he let out the part that had bothered him the most when requesting the interview with the young author. Although Yun Woo did have a home, it didn¡¯t necessarily belong to him. It belonged to his parents, technically, as with most teenagers. However, that was a very unusual case for a magazine that often visited authors of international acim because no other author had seeded in their career at such a young age. Since the author was a teenager, not only did they have to wait for the author¡¯s consensus, but they also had to respect his parents¡¯ decision. Although it was awkward, it wasn¡¯t necessarily hindering him in any way. If that was the environment in which the author lived, then it was just what they were looking for.

    After waiting anxiously, the magazine had received an incredible answer. It was delightful news that the young author was moving into a ce of his own for the first time in his life. The young author was bing an adult, a transitional period in his life, and the man wanted to capture the scene in its entirety.

    Then, he opened the magazine, which contained his questions and the Italian author¡¯s responses like a script. Just like his rightful title, his questions werebeled: ¡®Interviewer.¡¯

    ¡°Check your equipment once wend.¡±

    ¡°Will do,¡± the photographer answered in an excited tone.

    ¡°You gotta put your heart and soul into this, all right?¡±

    ¡°Of course! I was heartbroken when I saw how blurry the first Yun Woo picture that came out to the world was,¡± the photographer said, humming.

    ¡°Start off with a picture as soon as he opens the door.¡±

    Then, an announcement came from the speakers saying that the ne was about tond. When reading Yun Woo¡¯s books up to that point, the man had been asking himself: ¡®What kind of answers would he have to offer? What kind of questions would he find tricky? Offensive? Delightful? Comfortable?¡¯ He had had no certain answers for those questions whatsoever, as he had never met the young author in person. However, things had taken a turn. Yun Woo had finallye out to the world and revealed himself.

    ¡°Finally.¡±

    The long-awaited interview with Yun Woo was finally happening. A conversation with Yun Woo. The interviewer was finally going to see the young author and find out just how he was able to write such incredible books.

 Chapter 269 - That Authoréˆ¥æªš Home (4)

    <h4>Chapter 269: That Author¡¯s Home (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Before meeting the interviewee, the interviewer and his team met up with Nabi and the editor of the publisher that often published Yun Woo¡¯s books, Nam Kyung. Since they had been in contact, there was no awkwardness whatsoever.

    ¡°So, this is where Yun Woo lives, huh?¡± the interviewer said, looking out the window at the scenery rushing past. Although it might have been in and uninteresting to Nabi and Nam Kyung, it was an unusual sight for the interviewer, who was from the States. He hadn¡¯t intended on getting an answer when he said that, so Nabi chuckled quietly and yed along, ¡°Have you ever been to Korea?¡±

    ¡°No. This is my first time here,¡± the interviewer said looking at foreign characters as the car came to a stop. Since his Korean was limited to basic greetings and pleasantries, he waspletely clueless as to what the words meant. ¡°I¡¯m seeing words that I don¡¯t recognize, right off the bat.¡±

    Without knowing their meaning, the words in that foreignnguage seemed closer to drawings.

    ¡°Lots of signs and billboards.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I see something written in English there!¡± the photographer said, pointing at a road sign, which included an English trantion. He took pictures of the scenery from time to time, as if preparing himself before meeting Yun Woo, like he would his stomach with an appetizer before the entree. He was warming up in order to prevent himself from being too taken aback by the encounter. Meanwhile, looking at Nam Kyung, who had been Yun Woo¡¯s editor-in-charge since his debut, the interviewer asked, ¡°What¡¯s it like to put a book together with Yun Woo?¡±

    After some thought, Nam Kyung said, ¡°Is this an official question?¡±

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    As the interviewer rified that they were just making small talk, Nam Kyung smiled and said, ¡°Then, I suppose I can be upfront about it. It¡¯s incredibly daunting.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t apletely unexpected answer.

    ¡°I mean, my job involves editing Yun Woo¡¯s writing after all. Let me tell you, it¡¯s not easy having toment on a manuscript written by an author who¡¯s known as a genius.¡±

    The interviewer nodded sympathetically.

    ¡°Editors who work with world-ss authors all share a simr concern.¡±

    It was their job to find ways to make improvements to the manuscript, despite the concerns in their minds.

    ¡°But it¡¯s not entirely daunting, is it?¡± the interviewer asked, looking at Nam Kyung smiling, and of course, the editor returned the question with a positive answer, ¡°It¡¯s actually a lot of fun. I¡¯m editing Yun Woo¡¯s writing after all.¡±

    ¡°So, would you say that¡¯s why you¡¯re an editor?¡±

    ¡°I mean, I need to make a living, too,¡± Nam Kyung said as a joke. He seemed like somebody who would work as an editor for a long time. Meeting the people an individual surrounded themselves with said a lot about the person. Knowing that, the interviewer grew increasingly curious of whether the principle would apply to the interviewee he was about to meet.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    As the car came to a stop, the interviewer got out of it first and looked around. It wasn¡¯t all that different from the views he had been seeing on the car ride there. In other words, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Yun Woo was living in an ordinary neighborhood.

    ¡°There are small, triplet buildings there,¡± the photographer said, pointing at the three buildings nearby, which looked like houses that had been built haphazardly.

    ¡°I smell something delicious.¡±

    Although it wasn¡¯t clear where it wasing from, there was a potent scent of spice in the air.

    ¡°We need to go further.¡±

    Following Nam Kyung, they ended up in a neighborhood that looked rtively new. Then, leaving the staff preparing the equipment behind, the interviewer got on the elevator first.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve met countless authors up to this point,¡± Nabi said, striking up a conversation with the interviewer in the elevator. And with his eyes fixated on the changing numbers, the interviewer answered, ¡°Sure. Not while they¡¯re still moving in, though.¡±

    At that, a subtle smile appeared on Nabi¡¯s face, and seeing that, the interviewer sensed the confidence in her attitude. Then, he asked, ¡°You¡¯ve been here before, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Just yesterday, actually.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything special about the ce that I should know of?¡± he asked light-heartedly.

    Nabi gave him an equally light-hearted answer, ¡°He only has the bare essentials.¡±

    ¡°That sounds nice.¡±

    Although she noticed that his tone was bing less and less formal, Nabi paid no attention to it. Then, with a quiet jingle, the door opened as the elevator came to a stop. As the two got out of the elevator, they turned left in the hallway and ran into a person checking his mail box. When the person looked at the two, he had an easygoing look about him.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    At that, it became immediately clear to the interviewer that he was Yun Woo, and he almost chuckled at just how young the author was. He was younger than any other he had met so far.

    ¡°Mr. Woo, I presume?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be me,¡± Juho replied. As always, there was no awkwardness in his English, just like his usual tone. Meanwhile, the door to the elevator closed, returning it to the first floor.

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, sir,¡± the interviewer said genuinely. To which, Yun Woo smiled quietly. For somebody who was acquainted with Kelley Coin, he didn¡¯t seem very edgy. Simrly, for somebody who had seeded at such an early age, he was incredibly modest.

    ¡°How was your trip getting here?¡±

    ¡°It was good. Although, I was somewhat surprised by what I saw.¡±

    ¡°And what was that?¡±

    At that, the interviewer gave a roundabout answer, and in response, Juho summed up his words and asked, ¡°Is the neighborhood a tad too ordinary for Yun Woo?¡±

    Although the interviewer rubbed his nose and smiled, he didn¡¯t deny it.

    ¡°Where are the others?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re still down there. They should be here any minute now.¡±

    ¡°Well, then. Should we go inside?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± the interviewer said, trying not to show his excitement. Frankly, the interviewer had always felt nervous before visiting an author at their home. Inviting a stranger into one¡¯s house meant that there was a level of trust involved. Then, the interviewer saw that the door was slightly open, which told him that the young author had been preparing to greet the guests. The three arrived at Yun Woo¡¯s home shortly after.

    ¡°So, this is the ce.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Yun Woo said, flinging the door open nonchntly. Meanwhile, the interviewer and his crew had no choice but to follow the pace with which the young author led them. As the door opened, the hallway lit up at once, and they were greeted with an interior that was entirely white. The interviewer had never been anywhere like it. Then, as the shutters started clicking, the interviewer snapped out of it.

    ¡°Wow,¡± the photographer, who had followed him shortly after he had gone upstairs, let out from behind. While Nabi was smiling, the photographer gave in to his curiosity and asked the young author, ¡°Did you write all that!?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Makes sense that I¡¯m still in the middle of moving in, right?¡±

    The sheer amount of manuscripts in the house was breathtaking, and without saying a word, the photographer pressed the shutter-release button repeatedly. The interviewer was just as excited. The pictures they were about to release through their magazine were going to be anything but coincidence. At least that was the dominating thought in his mind. Telling others of one¡¯s effort came with a sense of fulfillment. The stacks of manuscripts were proof that Yun Woo had been writing without others knowing. And just as the interviewer and his crew were about to walk into the house to get a better look, Juho stopped them briefly and said, ¡°I do have to ask you all to take your shoes off.¡±

    ¡ª

    Juho looked at the interviewer, who had finished preparing for the interview. Because they had nned on making a short video for the website, there was a camera on standby between them.

    ¡°I noticed that you have no furniture around,¡± the interviewer said, looking at the white walls through the camera. Meanwhile, Juho looked down at the chair he was sitting on, which was a folding chair he had bought for the time being. Not only was it void of back rest, but it was a rigid and ufortable chair that rested on four legs.

    ¡°I was nning on getting new furniture in the near future. It¡¯s slightly better in the bedroom, though.¡±

    The living room was filled with nothing but stacks of manuscripts. It looked nothing like a normal living room, which should have a sofa, a table, a rug, electronics, and maybe some sort of flower pot. Rather, the entire space was filled with manuscripts that were yet to have made it into the study. When choosing where to hold the interview, Juho had suggested to Nabi and Nam Kyung that the interview be held in the study. Not that it was much tidier, but at least the books were on the shelves, which was a slight improvement over a background filled with towering manuscripts surrounded by white walls. However, the interviewer insisted that the interview be held in the living room, adding that he wanted to convey his first impression of the visit to the house to the subscribers as directly as possible. Considering their willingness to have an interview, let alone a photoshoot at a house into which the owner was still moving, Juho realized just how determined they were to achieve what they hade for.

    Meanwhile, following the boxes around him with his eyes, Juho looked around the house and realized just how bare and undecorated it was. Not only were there old, worn-out boxes scattered about, but the manuscripts that were yet to be put into boxes were stacked up against the wall with some newspaper between them and the wall, making it look like the owner was about to throw them out. At the same time, they weren¡¯t too far off from being garbage. They were sentences that didn¡¯t make it into the books. Yet, the interviewer and the photographer seemed to be rather fond of the ce.

    ¡°I like that there¡¯s no furniture in the house.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°It reminds me that you really are an author.¡±

    Then, sitting across from Juho, the interviewer asked, ¡°You don¡¯t think I can read any of them, do you?¡±

    ¡°That, I can¡¯t do.¡±

    Although the interviewer had asked as though he hadn¡¯t expected the young author to let him, his eyes still lingered on the stacks of manuscripts. Juho was also somewhat familiar with that feeling because he had felt something simr during his visit to Coin¡¯s residence.

    ¡°Seems like the only trace of you in this entire ce is your writing,¡± the interviewer said while looking around the house. To be more precise, the manuscripts around the house.

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I see nothing about your favorite baseball team, celebrity, food, car, or brand.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.¡±

    ¡°Not a single poster.¡±

    It was a tad too early for posters in a house that wascking even the most basic furniture. Truth be told, Juho had never had a poster in his room. When he heard the interviewer, it dawned on him just how empty his ce was.

    Then, Juho looked at Nam Kyung and Nabi, who were standing outside of the frame of the camera. The two had visited the young author¡¯s new ce just yesterday, and Juho had had to give up on organizing all the manuscript before letting them in.

    When Nabi came into the house with Nam Kyung, the first thing that came out of her mouth was, ¡°Leave them be.¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡± Juho had asked, unsure of what she had meant. To which, Nabi had repeated herself in a friendly manner, ¡°You can just leave things be until the interview.¡±

    ¡°But aren¡¯t they going to take pictures of the ce?¡± Juho had asked.

    ¡°They¡¯ll be very satisfied, Mr. Woo. Trust me. They¡¯re gonna find just what they¡¯re looking for here,¡± she had said with a confident look on her face.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. This will do,¡± Nam Kyung had interjected while picking one of the manuscripts up to read. Although Juho had wanted to stop him, he had decided to let him read it until he had finished reading the page he had been holding in his hand. When the young author nced at it, he saw the scene about the clown and the single audience member in ¡®Sound of Wailing.¡¯

    ¡°But aren¡¯t I being toozy? I mean, these people are guests from overseas,¡± Juho had said, and a smile had appeared on Nabi¡¯s face. Then, pointing at the living room, she had said, ¡°You¡¯re more than ready, Mr. Woo.¡±

    At that moment, the shutter sounded from the camera, and as the young author came to his senses, the interviewer asked, ¡°There isn¡¯t a whole lot around here, yet you won¡¯t even let me read any of your manuscripts.¡±

    It was just as Nabi and Nam Kyung had said. Fortunately, the interviewer seemed to be more than satisfied by the view.

    ¡°Are you asking indirectly that I let you read them?¡±

    ¡°That would be preferable, but no. I¡¯m justing to terms with the reality: that I can¡¯t really read you still. It almost feels too simr to the time before your identity was known,¡± the interviewer said with a cheerful smile. ¡°All in all, this is all very interesting,¡± he said with a smile, as if asking the young author for his permission to start his questions.

 Chapter 270 - That Authoréˆ¥æªš Home (5)

    <h4>Chapter 270: That Author¡¯s Home (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    From the cameras in his apartment to all the filming crew, the photographer, the publishing agent and the editor, everything looked as awkward as the clothes he was wearing, which he usually wore when going out. Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t take long to get used to them.

    ¡°So, you revealed your identity recently,¡± the interviewer said, starting the interview off. Coming from a renowned magazine in the US, the interviewer brought up how the interview had be possible. Because Yun Woo had revealed himself, the young author and the interviewer were finally able to meet.

    ¡°And I¡¯m sure most people know this by now,¡± he added. And just like he had said, most people knew what Yun Woo looked like now.

    ¡°I, personally, am curious about your life before you made your identity known, as in your life as the ordinary high school student by the name of Juho Woo. How did you bring it up to the people around you? I¡¯m sure there was a handful of people around you who already knew who you were.¡±

    ¡°A few, yes.¡±

    The interviewer started off with a subject that was both light-hearted and specific, and Juho decided to answer the question with one example in particr.¡±

    ¡°I have a friend who¡¯s a serious bookworm. A fiend, really. I had already made my debut as an author when we first met, and he was just as much a bookworm than as he is now. Needless to say, we grew closer and spent more time talking about books.¡±

    ¡°Did you guys talk about Yun Woo at all?¡±

    ¡°We did talk about Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Were you at all worried that your friend might find out?¡±

    ¡°Not really, no.¡±

    ¡°What gave you the assurance?¡±

    ¡°The fact that I¡¯m able to write in another style, different from Yun Woo¡¯s. Even after reading my writing, he didn¡¯t think I was Yun Woo.¡±

    Being also aware of Yun Woo¡¯s alternate writing style, the interviewer gestured to the young author to keep going.

    ¡°I decided to send a message when I was ready to share my story. There were some simrities between Yun Woo and Juho Woo, like age and writing skill.¡±

    ¡°So, your friend did catch on to something?¡±

    ¡°I think so. I think I might have given out some clues without knowing. I was nning on revealing myself eventually, after all.¡±

    ¡°So, how did you send a message to your friends?¡±

    Juho chuckled quietly as he remembered how he had sent the message to his clubmates that he had been Yun Woo all along. Meanwhile, the interviewer seemed like he hadn¡¯t expected the interview to be off to such an interesting start right off the bat. After all, surprises made life just a bit more interesting.

    ¡°Through my book. I included a message in the epilogue that only my friends and I would be able to recognize, and my bookworm friend didn¡¯t let me down.¡±

    Then, thinking that the young author might be referring to a book that he already knew, the interviewer asked, ¡°And which book was that?¡±

    ¡°You probably heard of it. It was from a series called ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Huh!¡± he let out, genuinely caught off guard by the young author¡¯s answer. ¡®Language of God¡¯ was Yun Woo¡¯s mostmercially sessful series, and it was in the epilogue of that series that the hint regarding Yun Woo¡¯s identity was hidden. It would be a sensation among fans if they were to find out.

    ¡°When was this?¡±

    ¡°When people still knew me as Won Yi Young.¡±

    ¡°Which means your friends already knew that you were Won Yi Young.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. And they also eventually learned that Won Yi Young and Yun Woo were the same person.¡±

    ¡°Haha! My goodness,¡± the interviewer let out, murmuring that he would love to interview the young author¡¯s clubmates one day. While the interviewer and the crew were left astonished, Nam Kyung and Nabi, looking slightly smug, were enjoying the scene of the secret unfolding. Then, deriving a question from Juho¡¯s answer, the interviewer asked, ¡°What was the significance behind publishing under the name Won Yi Young?¡±

    ¡°I was already starting to make a name for myself as Yun Woo by that point, which came with a fair share of chaos. People were doubting my skill as an author on one hand, while enjoying my work on the other. I think it stirred up mypetitive spirit when I heard people say that any book that bore my name would sell.¡±

    ¡°Was there a desire to keep yourself hidden? You stayed anonymous for quite some time, so you tend to have that image.¡±

    ¡°I think that, if anything, I wanted to reveal myself, which was why I presented myself in different ways. If I were to have revealed myself right off the bat, it would have solidified people¡¯s first impressions of me as truth, which would consequently have made all the other ways I present myself false.¡±

    ¡°I see. That makes sense. Then, let me ask you this. Do you feel like you have a lot to show, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I mean, I can¡¯t say that it¡¯s anything special, but I don¡¯t believe that there¡¯s one single thing that can sum me up as a person. We all have thoughts in our minds that are constantly contradicting each other, which is proof that we¡¯re multifaceted beings.¡±

    At that, the interviewer dug deeper into Juho¡¯s answer, and the young author focused on understanding and answering his questions thoroughly. After answering another question, Juho took a sip of water. There was still a ways to go with the interview.

    ¡°You know, the more we talk, the more it dawns on me just how good of a speaker you are, Mr. Woo. As far as I¡¯m aware, you¡¯re just as fluent in othernguages as you are in English, right? And I believe you¡¯ve done some trantion?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve tranted one of Coin¡¯s books into Korean and one of my own into English.¡±

    ¡°Being proficient at multiplenguages is not easy by any means. Were you trained in any way?¡±

    At the word ¡®trained,¡¯ Juho nodded at once, ¡°Of course. One has toe across anguage before they decide that they want to learn it. They have to learn to understand, read, and speak it. The only thing that sets me apart from everyone else is that that process happens just a tad quicker.¡±

    ¡°Are you just naturally talented?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Juho said clearly, and a skeptical look appeared on the interviewer¡¯s face.

    ¡°But you seem to far surpass most people¡¯s ability in that area.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t to say that I¡¯m a natural. If that were the case, I would¡¯ve picked up English at the age of two and learned about eleven more by four, making a name for myself as a child prodigy by the time I¡¯m six. Which isn¡¯t true, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Did you have no talent whatsoever innguages growing up?¡±

    ¡°My mother would alwayspliment me for reading backward.¡±

    Since the interview wasn¡¯t about how to learn anguage, the interviewer moved on to another subject.

    ¡°Are you aware that Taylor Sanders has been speaking highly of your trantion?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I found out that he brought me up in an interview.¡±

    ¡°You two coborated on tranting one of your novels, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It just happened that way.¡±

    ¡°I heard it was inevitable due to the nature of the book¡¯s plot, which involved a drastic change in writing style toward the end. ¡®Sublimation¡¯ did cause quite the controversy.¡±

    Then, the interviewer started asking more specific questions about the novel, which was still just as controversial to that day.

    ¡°I find the concept of changing writing styles within a novel difficult to grasp. Would you mind exining that a little bit?¡±

    Juho thought briefly about how far his answer would reach. After being tranted into English, his answers would end up on the magazine, which would then be tranted into multiple othernguages. Those who were curious about Yun Woo were bound to get their hands on a copy.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware of the controversies surrounding my writing style.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it could be any other way, though,¡± the interviewer said, and it was true. As the young author was contemting where to start, the interviewer asked, ¡°So, how many writing styles do you have? Can you switch between them back and forth at will, like shifting to another gear on a bicycle?¡±

    At that, Juho couldn¡¯t help butugh upon realizing just how little they knew about him.

    ¡°If only,¡± he said. Then, hoping that the message would get across as a whole, Juho chose the words carefully in his mind first.

    ¡°First, I want to establish that changing a writing style is anything but easy. The idea alone is extremely experimental in nature, and it¡¯s not long until it ruins the flow of the novel and turns the entire plot into somethingpletely irrelevant. I actually noticed a lot of inconsistencies while writing ¡®Sublimation.¡¯¡±

    ¡°But the change is still possible, right?¡±

    ¡°Otherwise, the novel would¡¯ve looked entirely different from what it looks like now.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it like to be able to write in multiple styles?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t a difficult question, ¡°It feels like there¡¯s an old man living inside of me.¡±

    ¡°... That¡¯s an interesting analogy. Did you ever feel like your personality was being affected in any way?¡±

    Juho had also been aware of the split-personality theory surrounding him. Wondering if the interviewer was joking, the young author studied the expression on his face, but he seemed to be genuine.

    ¡°Nothing like that, no. Striking a bnce between the two writing styles was definitely a challenge, but it wasn¡¯t to the point of developing a split-personality disorder.¡±

    ¡°When was it that you put the alternate writing style to use for the first time?¡±

    ¡°Are you aware that I used to be part of the Literature Club at my school?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard that you¡¯d published a couple of short stories there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re being exhibited, even. As I mentioned earlier, people around me had no clue that I was Yun Woo, and that¡¯s exactly how I wanted it. Do you know how I was able to make that happen?¡±

    At that, the interviewer leaned forward slightly in order to listen to the young author closely.

    ¡°You wrote in a different writing style.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I told myself that I could write, but I couldn¡¯t let others find out who I was. And sure enough, when I tried it, it actually worked. I¡¯vee to realize that my alternate style carries a noticeably different feel, too.¡±

    Then, a quiet exmation came from his surroundings. Juho reminisced to what he had felt in the past. The memories of his past had been very much intact, even after he hade back to life after drowning in the river, and they had been vivid enough for him to put it into writing.

    ¡°You said something simr in a recent TV interview here in Korea. That was very very brief, but whatever you¡¯re about to say might just scratch where it itches,¡± the interviewer said.

    He had quite a few questions regarding the young author¡¯s alternate writing style. However, being the professional interviewer that he was, he moved on quickly without lingering in the satisfaction of learning new information. Then, clearing his throat, he asked another question, ¡°Among the many characteristics you have as an author, I believe change to be one of them. For example, your readers can probably get a glimpse of that in the transition between your debut title and your sophomore title, as well as the change in writing style in ¡®Sublimation.¡¯ What other things are you expecting to change in the future?¡±

    ¡°It could be anything. Nobody knows how situations, perspectives or the future might change.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d say that you¡¯ve been writing pretty seamlessly up to this point, correct?¡±

    ¡°Rtively speaking, yes.¡±

    ¡°And you also write incredibly fast. Is there a certain pattern that you follow when writing, such as writing a set amount per day?¡±

    ¡°No, but when I¡¯m really into it, there are times when I write for over eight hours a day.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re essentially pouring yourself out at that point,¡± the interviewer said. To which, the young author responded with silence. Then, the interviewer moved on to the next question, ¡°Do you ever find yourself afraid that things might change?¡±

    When Juho looked at the interviewer, he looked calm andposed.

    ¡°Fear, you say?¡±

    ¡°I mean, who knows what the future holds? Do you ever worry about being unable to write in the future?¡±

    Juho nced over the interviewer¡¯s shoulder. Needless to say, both Nam Kyung and Nabi were looking quite displeased. Picking up the water bottle from underneath his chair, Juho took a sip, and as he was doing that, nobody said a word.

    ¡°I doe across as someone who¡¯s made it big in life, huh?¡± the young author said, and the interviewer¡¯s eyes shook ever so slightly.

    ¡°Mr. Woo, you¡¯ve experienced incredible sess at an early age. I think that, suffice to say, that¡¯s the objective truth.¡±

    ¡°To an extent, sure. My books are selling well, and I have won awards, too.¡±

    ¡°Do you not consider yourself sessful?¡±

    ¡°I think we should move on to another subject. I believe that what you¡¯re really asking is whether I¡¯m afraid of having seeded in life at such an early age, if I¡¯m afraid everything will vanish into thin air one day, right? Fear of loss, if you will.¡±

    The interviewer hesitated at the young author¡¯s slightly exaggerated statement but nodded soon after.

    ¡°To make a long story short, yes. I do have that fear,¡± the young author said. In fact, he had fear of both sess and failure, and he was deathly afraid that everything in his life would slip right through his fingers one day.

    ¡°How do you feel when that fear creeps in?¡±

    ¡°It neveres with a warning.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything you do to help you ovee your fear?¡±

    ¡°Write,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°So, has writing proven to be an effective way of oveing your fear?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if oveing is a good way to put it. Fear or terror are natural human emotions, and I don¡¯t go out of my way to tackle them on purpose.¡±

    ¡°Than how does writing benefit you?¡±

    ¡°It brings me skills that make me a better writer,¡± the young author said and added without hesitation, ¡°Simr to the fears I have of sess and failure, I also have an irrational fear that my luck will just run out when I wake up one day. Luck is part of any result, and there¡¯s simply no way around it. However,¡± Juho paused and looked around. There was one thing that never left his sight, no matter where he looked. Then, with a smile, he said, ¡°Who would bother trying to steal all of these manuscripts?¡±

 Chapter 271 - That Authoréˆ¥æªš Home (6)

    <h4>Chapter 271: That Author¡¯s Home (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Catching on to Juho ncing over his shoulder, the interviewer naturally followed the young author¡¯s eyes to the stacks of boxes and manuscript paper. There was simply too much for anyone to steal, and even if they were to go missing, that wouldn¡¯t invalidate the fact that Yun Woo would have actually written the number of manuscripts that would have been stolen. Yun Woo had something that could never be stolen in his possession. After looking at the awe-inspiring sight of cardboard boxes and manuscript paper, the interviewer moved on to ask a question, ¡°So, would it be safe to assume that your method of fighting fear is consistent with your prolific writing?¡±

    Writing really was an emotional outlet for Juho, but did that mean that there was a corrtion between his way of releasing his emotions and his prolific writing?

    ¡°Hard to say. Whates out of me as a byproduct of my emotions tends to be... well, overly emotional, so I keep it all at home, as you can see. The stories are so sloppy that I almost feel sick when reading them. But in terms of training my endurance for writing, it seems like it did help in some way.¡±

    Then, after pausing briefly to collect his thoughts, the interviewer asked shortly after, ¡°So, what about fear? Your fear enables you to write prolifically, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It does help, but I never publish a book as if I¡¯m being chased by my own fears.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Several of Yun Woo¡¯s books were still in the bestsellers¡¯ rankings of the bookstores across the country. There was a lot inmon between publishing multiple books within a short period of time and sprinting. No matter where one was, the scenery grew fuzzy and blurry when they were sprinting. Then, as the interviewer was about to move on to the next question, the young author said, ¡°I guess it is true in a sense that the surroundings be a lot less visible when sprinting.¡±

    Hearing the young author¡¯s answer, a troubled look appeared on the interviewer¡¯s face. At the same time, he seemed delighted by it.

    ¡°I gotta be honest with you, Mr. Woo. You¡¯re impossible to read.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°We need more people like you to interview.¡±

    Unfortunately, Juho had no intention of participating in another interview. Then, taking the notes in his hands, the interviewer flipped them to the next page.

    ¡°OK. Now, why don¡¯t we talk about the results of the awards? You were the first winner from Asia to win two of the four most prestigious literary awards for science fiction. You were staying at Kelley Coin¡¯s house in the States when the winners were being announced, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Juho said. The magazine had also visited Coin¡¯s residence at one point, and at the brief mention of the ce, the interviewer yed along immediately, saying, ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful house.¡±

    ¡°I agree. The park nearby is really nice, too.¡±

    Then, after talking about Coin¡¯s residence for a little while, the interviewer got right to the point.

    ¡°How did it feel when you found out that you had gotten the award?¡±

    ¡°I was happy. There¡¯s no mistake that the award was a tremendous honor. At the same time, I think it felt more like the award came to me as my work grew out of control rather than from me earning it.¡±

    ¡°Grew out of control?¡±

    ¡°Yes. All I did to win the award was to write. That¡¯s it. It¡¯s nothing new to an author.¡±

    The interviewer nodded, indicating that he understood where Juho was getting at.

    ¡°Did you ever regret not being able to attend the ceremonies?¡±

    ¡°Not really. At the end of the day, I¡¯m the one who chose not to. More than saying that I was unable to attend them, it¡¯d be more urate to say that I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I see. It appears to me that you¡¯re not all that crazy about winning awards. You¡¯ve set a record by being the youngest winner of the Neb AND the Hugo, and I think ¡®Language of God¡¯ was definitely worth that much. How did you feel when you found out that you were the youngest winner of those awards?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel anything in particr.¡±

    ¡°Did you ever think that you were moving up too fast?¡±

    That thought was no longer in Juho¡¯s mind because of the sheer number of years he had lived up to that point.

    ¡°There¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡®It¡¯s never toote,¡¯ which makes me wonder if there¡¯s even a point in distinguishing when something¡¯s too early or toote.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think that your journey leading up to the award was all that short, do you?¡±

    ¡°Do you think winning awards was ever a goal of mine?¡± the young author asked, and quickly recognizing the error in his interpretation of Juho¡¯s answer, the interviewer rephrased his question, ¡°As you mentioned earlier, it seems like you define sess a little different from most people. Did you not want to win awards?¡±

    ¡°I did start developing an appetite for it when I was nominated, but it wasn¡¯t even on my mind before that.¡±

    ¡°Did you not know about the awards at all?¡±

    ¡°I knew they were around.¡±

    ¡°Were you not expecting that to be nominated?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s probably a better way to put it,¡± Juho said, and the interviewer asked with narrowed eyes, ¡°Is there something you want more than awards?¡±

    After a brief pause, the young author asked, ¡°What made you think that?¡±

    ¡°I just don¡¯t feel any sense of aplishment in your answers whatsoever.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled quietly. Just as the interviewer had said, it wasn¡¯t the awards that Juho was after. It had never been them from the get-go.

    ¡°I still have a ways to go as a writer, and there are still mountains to climb for me. It¡¯s too early for me to indulge in my aplishments.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you proud of yourself whenever you see the trophy? Although, I don¡¯t see it anywhere in the house,¡± the interviewer said looking around the house. In a cepletely void of furniture, chairs, posters, or anything baseball rted, it didn¡¯t make sense for there to be trophies. Then, remembering where the trophies were, Juho said, ¡°They should be in boxes somewhere. I¡¯m not really sure which ones, though.¡±

    It was bound toe out eventually, and Juho had a vague memory of having packed them together with his clothes. Meanwhile, noticing the young author¡¯sck of interest in the whereabouts of the awards, the interviewer asked, ¡°OK, I get that winning awards isn¡¯t really a priority for you, but you seem almost careless about them. Do you really know just how prestigious those awards are, Mr. Woo? They¡¯re priceless in the literary world.¡±

    Because Juho was well aware of the value and significance of the awards, he shook his head.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think that I went out of my way to write a speech for ceremonies of awards I don¡¯t even know the names of just so that Coin could read them on my behalf, do you? Like I said, I was happy to win those awards. What else can I do?¡±

    As the young author finished speaking, he noticed the interviewer ncing over his shoulder. Although it was a quick movement, Juho had caught him nheless. The interviewer was able to find answers to his questions even without hearing them directly from the young author. Then, without asking if Juho was burdened or afraid to hear the news that he had won, the interviewer moved on, and Juho was able to tell just how experienced the interviewer was in interviewing authors in their homes.

    ¡°So, what IS your goal in life?¡±

    Though it was a question that Juho had expected the interviewer to overlook, the fact that Juho found it easy showed just how deep his desire was to be great. A great storyteller. Meanwhile, the room sank into silence as the young author immersed himself in thought. Finally, Juho decided that now wasn¡¯t the right time to bring it up.

    ¡°Well, to get all my stuff sorted out, first of all. Especially the manuscripts.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. That could be a goal, too. It¡¯s important to keep things organized,¡± the interviewer said. Although he seemed caught off guard for a brief moment, he kept asking more questions, as if telling the young author that he wasn¡¯t going to let up that easily. Nevertheless, that didn¡¯tst long.

    ¡°All right. Well, I have a feeling that I¡¯d be making a fool of myself if I were to tell you my life¡¯s goal is. I don¡¯t want your readers to think that I¡¯m begging them to buy my books just so that I can get there sooner. I wanna get there with my own ability.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    After a brief pause, the interviewer raised his hand and let out a subtle chuckle, almost like a sigh.

    ¡°Perhaps, you¡¯re a lot more experienced with interviews than I realized. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d turn down the question like that.¡±

    An interviewee had the right to refuse to answer any question that they didn¡¯t feelfortable answering. However, exercising that right was another challenge in and of itself, and that was especially true for those whocked experience with interviews. The simple fact of refusing someone didn¡¯te easy to a lot of people, and most interviewers didn¡¯t let up that easily. Knowing all that, Juho reminded himself that he had to be all the more emphatic in his answers, while still remaining polite. Leaving no room for questions, Juho led the interview so that it would be rude for the interviewer to ask about the subject.

    Although it was clear that the interviewer had a lot more questions about it that he wanted to ask, he got over it by moving on to the next portion of the interview. His impressive concentration helped Juho tremendously, enough to make the young author forget just how rigid and ufortable his chair was.

    ¡°My understanding is that there are some books that haven¡¯t been exported yet. Is that right?¡±

    Not all of Yun Woo¡¯s books had been tranted, which meant that they could be enjoyed only by those who knew Hangul.

    ¡°Yes, a short story called ¡®River.¡¯¡±

    ¡°And I found out that you even won a literary award with that piece, the youngest winner in Korea.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a privilege, really.¡±

    ¡°Would you care to exin a little bit of it?¡±

    At that, Juho gave the interviewer a brief summary of the story, which was about a person who was drowning to death.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s about death, then?¡±

    ¡°In simple terms, yes.¡±

    ¡°Death was definitely one of the endings that you showcased in ¡®Language of God,¡¯ and your attitude toward death left quite the impression on me. Is ¡®River¡¯ any simr to that?¡±

    They werepletely different stories. Not only were the dying people from different social standings and situations, but the setting was also entirely different.

    ¡°I¡¯d say ¡®River¡¯ is a bit more personal, and it feels somewhat like a confession.¡±

    ¡°As in, of your own?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m referring to the feel it carries.¡±

    Seeing that the interviewer was expressing a strong interest, Juho decided to take a step back, ¡°Although, I don¡¯t know how much is known about the piece, so I don¡¯t know if I can even talk about it.¡±

    Because the interviewer hadn¡¯t read the piece, it was inevitable that his questions would be shallow. Yet, he asked again, ¡°How is it like a confession? Have you experienced something simr to what happens to the protagonist?¡±

    ¡°Actually, yes. I drowned once.¡±

    Of course, the interviewer didn¡¯t buy it.

    ¡°I really hope somebody trantes this,¡± he said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a short story,¡± Juho said with a shrug, and the interviewer approached the subject matter from a different angle.

    ¡°It might be entirely foreign to us, but it was incredibly popr here in Korea, right? So much so, that your fellow authors who participated in putting the magazine together had a book concert. You never attended, of course.¡±

    Juho hadn¡¯t publically attended the concert. At that moment, the young author hesitated, and the interviewer caught on immediately.

    ¡°Is there something you¡¯d like to add?¡±

    ¡°Uh, maybe?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±

    Because the young author had been giving evasive answers, the interviewer asked upfront, and Juho came to a conclusion that now was the time to bring it up.

    ¡°It was a while ago, but I didn¡¯t attend the concert as an author.¡±

    ¡°And what does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means I attended as an audience member.¡±

    ¡°Wait! You mean you were there?¡± the interviewer asked after catching on to what Juho was saying with a dy.

    ¡°Yes. I still remember my seat. A13.¡±

    ¡°... This will catch your readers by surprise, especially those who were sitting next to you. Please, do tell more,¡± the interviewer said, and Juho brought up a certain member of the audience that came to mind.

    ¡°I remember saying hello to someone who had brought a camera to take pictures of Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°And did you two talk at all?¡±

    ¡°No, not really. It was while we were waiting in line, so we didn¡¯t talk all that much. She was one of the people who had predicted that Yun Woo would be at the concert.¡±

    ¡°Well, seems like she was right,¡± the interviewer let out quietly, and Juho agreed.

    ¡°She showed me her camera, saying that she was ready to take pictures of Yun Woo the moment he appeared. I remember thinking, ¡®Well, now would be the time to press that shutter release button.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    As the photographer behind the interviewer burst intoughter, the interviewer said, ¡°I sincerely hope she sees this interview.¡±

    ¡°I hope so too. I really want to take a picture with her.¡±

    They were nning to release the magazine containing the interview in Korea as well. Although there was no way to know whether or not she still remembered that day, Juho was now ready to take a picture with her.

    From then on, the interviewer asked about his writing process in great detail, such as habits and secret spots, and the young author answered each and every question with honesty.

    ¡°All right. I¡¯d like to talk about your most recent book for a little bit.¡±

    He was referring to the book with the photo of him and Coin, which was one of the hottest topics among readers.

    ¡°¡®An Insect Leaves No Trace,¡¯ was it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°First edition, one-million copies! If that isn¡¯t impressive, I don¡¯t know what is.¡±

    As the young author nodded affirmingly, a subtle smile appeared on the interviewer¡¯s face.

 Chapter 272 - That Authoréˆ¥æªš Home (7)

    <h4>Chapter 272: That Author¡¯s Home (7)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Your new book has been drawing massive attention since before its release, and the fact that it¡¯s your first novel since your victory over the Hugo and that it includes a photo of you only added to the hype,¡± the interviewer said, and Juho nodded quietly.

    ¡°Also, your portrayal of love was quite riveting. I waspletely taken by surprise when I read the book myself.¡±

    Both fans in Korea and overseas were reacting simrly to the novel, and having read an article about it ahead of time, Juho nodded.

    ¡°A lot of people were expecting and predicting that the novel was going to be about pure love.¡±

    ¡°So they did.¡±

    ¡°So, you knew?¡±

    ¡°I know the inte just as well as I know English.¡±

    As if the interview had just gotten a little easier, the interviewer smiled.

    ¡°Well, what was that like? I¡¯m sure you already knew that the product you had in your hands was quite different from what most people were expecting.¡±

    ¡°I knew what people were expecting from me.¡±

    ¡°So, you weren¡¯t all that worried about meeting their expectations, then?¡±

    The interviewer seemed to think that the young author took no interest in what other people thought of him.

    ¡°No, I did try hard. I wrote so that I could meet my readers.¡±

    Juho had been quite conscious of his readers, and with Juho¡¯s answer, the interview took a different turn.

    ¡°Do you write for your readers?¡± the interviewer asked.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what all authors do? A book can only be remembered if people read it. Readers are incredibly valuable to writers.¡±

    ¡°In that case, do you ever think to yourself that you want to give your readers what they want to see?¡±

    ¡°Of course. There have been times when I felt like giving the world what it wanted to see.¡±

    As if he had expected that answer, no change appeared on the expression on the interviewer¡¯s face aside from a subtle look of interest.

    ¡°Well, what do you think? Do you think your work up to this point is consistent with the kinds of stories this world wanted to see?¡±

    ¡°Hm. I don¡¯t think so. They were stories that I wanted to write more so than stories that people from across the globe wanted. At the end of the day, I write for myself as well.¡±

    Then, without looking at the notes in his hands, the interviewer said, ¡°Your most recent novel was about goodbyes.¡±

    As the young author remained silent, the interviewer kept on, ¡°And it¡¯s implied throughout the earlier parts of the novel. There¡¯s no rtionship with the opposite gender or any exciting encounter between two individuals anywhere. In fact, it¡¯s just the opposite. The story¡¯s about lifeforms that are growing further apart, and the only creature that is allowed to go into the boy¡¯s body is the insect. Which, to me, sounds more like a goodbye than an encounter,¡± the interviewer said and asked, ¡°So, how exactly did you want to portray love? What was the picture that you had in your mind?¡±

    It was a rtively easy question, so Juho said, ¡°I wanted to write a story that was unmoving.¡±

    With that, the interviewer moved on to the next question without hesitation, ¡°What brought you to do that?¡±

    ¡°I went to some amusement park with a romance writer I know.¡±

    ¡°... You don¡¯t say,¡± the interviewer said, looking like he needed an exnation.

    ¡°There¡¯s an author by the name of Sang Choi who is an expert when ites to romance. We went to an amusement park once, and that¡¯s when I thought of writing about love.¡±

    ¡°In conjunction with goodbye?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho said, noticing the interviewer¡¯s brow furrowing.

    ¡°I¡¯m having trouble seeing the corrtion. Aren¡¯t amusement parks typically where people are happy? How were you able to think of an idea that is so contradictory to your surroundings?¡± the interviewer asked, speaking slightly faster.

    ¡°He asked me about my first love,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Ah, all right,¡± the interviewer let out, sounding more relieved, as if he had found a clue. ¡°That¡¯s something I¡¯d also be interested in hearing about.¡±

    ¡°I hate to disappoint you, but I couldn¡¯t give him an answer.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°Because I couldn¡¯t remember,¡± Juho said. He didn¡¯t recall feeling anxious that he hadn¡¯t been able to remember. After all, it was natural for one to forget about goodbyes. Although, it did leave a bitter aftertaste.

    ¡°I tried as hard as I could to remember, but I just couldn¡¯t for the life of me. Although, I¡¯m pretty sure I was on cloud nine back when I was in love, and it starteding to me just how distant it had all be. On one hand, I felt like I¡¯d matured on, but that I was a cold, heartless person on the other, which made me think to write about it.¡±

    Then, the interviewer looked away from the young author for a little while. He had to be thinking about the book.

    ¡°In the beginning, there¡¯s a man who¡¯s leaving his hometown on a train, which is part of the outer story. He¡¯s perpetually anxious, feeling like he¡¯s forgotten something,¡± the interviewer said.

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°And in light of your personal experience, would it be safe to assume that love is the thing he¡¯s forgotten about and left behind?¡±

    Even until the end, the novel offered no exnation. Simrly, the young author decided to speak sparingly about the mystery, ¡°Theck of exnation in the novel was intended, but I don¡¯t see a problem with your interpretation.¡±

    At that, the interviewer nodded for a little while and asked, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the inner story for a little bit. Your portrayal of the insect stood out quite a bit. Given that it was one of the centralponents of the novel, you went into great detail and length about the insect, almost as if you were obsessing over it. Was the insect modeled after an actual insect?¡±

    At that, the blueish bug came to Juho¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Yes, I actually came across it in the mountains,¡± he said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what kind it was, do you?¡±

    ¡°No, unfortunately. It just fell on my forehead,¡± Juho said, pointing at his forehead, and a slight look of disgust appeared on the interviewer¡¯s face.

    ¡°I was rxing by the water, and something fell from the sky on my face. When I took it off my face, I saw that it was some bug. It was crawling all over me, as if I were a tree.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of bugs, are you?¡±

    ¡°Not really, no.¡±

    ¡°Is the insect in the novelpletely identical to its real-life counterpart?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily. It took on a slightly different shape in my head.¡±

    ¡°Why did you go into such detail about the insect in the novel?¡±

    ¡°Probably for a number of reasons. There¡¯s the presence of the insect, first of all, and part of me wanted to show readers how the boy came to fall in love with it. I also wanted to make it clear that the insect wasn¡¯t a made up image in the boy¡¯s mind... but I¡¯d say that the biggest reason was that I wanted to.¡±

    Juho had never had a solidified n while writing the novel. His desire to write about the insect in great detail had simply been a natural urrence, and he had wanted to convey the riveting colors of the insect in his writing.

    ¡°Maybe there was a part of me that didn¡¯t want to forget. Should my memories about the insect start to fade, I could always refer back to my novel, where I left traces of it.¡±

    ¡°I thought insects weren¡¯t supposed to leave any trace?¡± the interviewer said, chuckling quietly as if satisfied with his level of understanding.

    ¡°There seem to be a lot of simrities between you and the boy in the inner story, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure a lot of people out there are simr to the boy,¡± Juho said. People were bound to find at least one or two things they had inmon with each other as long as they tried.

    ¡°Is there a character that you consider to be the closest representation of yourself?¡±

    ¡°... the closest representation?¡±

    ¡°Yes, among the characters you¡¯ve created up to this point.¡±

    Juho immersed himself in thought. All of the characters he had interacted with in his fantasy lingered before his eyes. Not only did they eache from different backgrounds, but every single one of them acted however they saw fit. In the end, after some contemtion, Juho said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I can pick one.¡±

    ¡°Is there none?¡±

    ¡°I never intended for a character to be a representation of myself. Every character is simr to me in some sense, but at the same time, they¡¯re nothing like me in another sense. I want my characters to act ording to their own wills.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean when you say that you want them to act ording to their own wills?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s exactly as I said. They view their worlds a certain way, influenced by their past experiences. They¡¯re capable of making choices, judging what¡¯s right and wrong, and doing things that I wouldn¡¯t even dream of. Simrly, the things I would do without thinking twice don¡¯t even cross their minds,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Have you ever found yourself intruding in their territory during the creative process? You are the writer at the end of the day, so I can see that as a possibility.¡±

    ¡°Rarely. Although, there are times when I find mistakes during revision,¡± Juho said honestly, and eximing quietly, the interviewer shifted his position on his seat. Because they had been talking for a while, the young author and the interviewer were able to get to know each other a little better, which prevented the young author froming across as conceited.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to see you write one of these days,¡± the interviewer said with a quiet sigh. To which, the young author responded politely, ¡°I hope so, too.¡± Then, the interviewer reverted back to a certain photo that had been previously mentioned.

    ¡°When discussing Yun Woo, the name Kelley Coin is bound toe up at some point. We can also see this author, who we¡¯re all familiar with, in the photo with you. Did you ever discuss using that specific photo with him?¡±

    ¡°No. He also didn¡¯t know which book the photo would be included in.¡±

    ¡°Did he have anyints regarding the photo?¡±

    ¡°Nothing yet. He dide out better.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even have dared to think about doing what you did if I were in your shoes. There was a reason you picked that photo in particr, right?¡±

    ¡°I get a lot of doubters in general. At the time, it just so happens that there was an impostor causing quite the ruckus. I expected people to be skeptical even if I were to reveal myself, so I thought about how to build trust when introducing a person for the first time.¡±

    ¡°And you thought Kelley Coin was just the person you were looking for?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I needed a mediator who was known both by me and the readers.¡±

    ¡°A-ha,¡± the interviewer let out. When there was somebody trustworthy between two people who were meeting for the first time, a tacit trust tended to form. If one were to say, ¡°I was brought here by so-and-so,¡± the other would most likely respond, ¡°You must be that person. I heard a lot about you.¡±

    ¡°This was my so-called first encounter with my fans as well,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°I see. When was this photo taken?¡±

    ¡°Around the time of the ceremony for the Hugo Award, I believe.¡±

    Then, the interviewer took interest in the young author¡¯s rtionship with Coin.

    ¡°He flew all the way to Korea to meet you, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How did you two be friends?¡±

    ¡°I ordered coffee for him.¡±

    Having already known about Coin¡¯s love of coffee, the interviewerughed as if hearing a good joke.

    ¡°He actually didn¡¯t recognize me at first. He was practically snarling when he told me that he was there to meet Yun Woo, while the person he was looking for was right before his eyes. He didn¡¯t seem too fond of Yun Woo, though.¡±

    ¡°But you knew that he was Kelley Coin?¡±

    ¡°Yes, which was why I yed it safe. But he found out eventually.¡±

    ¡°What did he say when he found out who you were?¡±

    ¡°Nothing special. He was pretty candid about it, saying that he had thought something was odd. He had a sharp eye, though. It wasn¡¯t long before he pointed out my mistake and caught on to my identity.¡±

    ¡°Coin¡¯s definitely known for his writing, but he also has quite the reputation for his temper. Were you afraid at all when you were with him?¡±

    ¡°Coin¡¯s a pleasant person to talk to. He¡¯s a master at cooking bacon, too,¡± Juho said with a shrug, and seeing as though the young author remained unfazed, the interviewer asked, ¡°Then how do you see him as an author? You¡¯ve read his books, right?¡±

    ¡°I sure have. He¡¯s one of my favorite authors, and I was reminded why while I was tranting one of his books.¡±

    ¡°¡®Belongings,¡¯ I believe? Which is one of the books that alwayses up at least once when discussing Coin and his works. My understanding is that he chose you as the trantor personally, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It kind of came out of nowhere, really.¡±

    ¡°But you managed to pull it off.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled awkwardly and said, ¡°I know hees across as rough around the edges and narrow-minded, but that¡¯s not true at all. He always looks at the bigger picture before he digs into the details, which is exactly what enables him to reach the end of the path he has in mind, his goal.¡±

 Chapter 273 - That Authoréˆ¥æªš Home (8)

    <h4>Chapter 273: That Author¡¯s Home (8)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Then, what does Coin think of you?¡± the interviewer asked as if agreed prior to the interview. Nevertheless, it was a question that Juho was well acquainted with, and he recalled being asked a simr question before. When reminded of that, Juho knew exactly what to say.

    ¡°Phone call.¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Should we give him a ring?¡±

    Despite the unexpected suggestion, the interviewer didn¡¯t ask Juho for an exnation because he was also aware of how Yun Woo¡¯s voice first came out to the world. Seeing the interviewer busy trying to think of an answer, Juho said, ¡°It¡¯s probably best to hear from the person directly involved, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I have no problem with that,¡± the interviewer said, his eyes sparkling with delight. He seemed to be weing the situation with open arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s gotta bete there. You don¡¯t think it¡¯d be an issue, do you?¡± the reporter asked. However, it was merely a courteous concern, and the fact that he didn¡¯t try to talk the young author out of it was proof of that.

    ¡°When he called, he woke me up in the middle of the night,¡± Juho said indifferently, and the interviewer said without hesitation, ¡°Then, let¡¯s give it a go.¡±

    There was no need to make a long trip or spend time preparing thoroughly. All Juho had to do was take the phone, which he had switched off for the interview, out of his pocket and switch it back on. As the interview took an unexpected turn, the filming crew was in a state of confusion, while Nabi and Nam Kyung appeared to be discussing something. Though they didn¡¯t seem like they were against the idea of calling the infamous author, they seemed concerned about how Coin would respond.

    ¡°What do you think he¡¯ll say?¡± the interviewer asked. Would hepliment or criticize the young author, or share his honest feelings? Would he lie? The young author tried to picture Coin in his head. Then, a convincing image of the author rose to his mind.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll just hang up.¡±

    ¡°That definitely sounds like something he¡¯d do,¡± the interviewer said with a bitter smile on his face, and with that, Juho called the infamous author. The signal came from the receiver when he brought his phone up to his ear and, as the voice repeated the same words over and over again, the cameraman started moving busily.

    ¡°No one¡¯s ever had the guts to call the guy,¡± the interviewer murmured with his hand on his forehead. The crowd waiting for Coin to answer the phone kept growing bigger. At that moment, a click came from the receiver of the young author¡¯s phone, and the recorded message that had been looping stopped abruptly.

    ¡°Hello?¡± Juho said into the phone. Meanwhile, the air sank into silence, and the interviewer looked piercingly at the young author. Then...

    ¡°What do you want?¡± an irritable voice came from the phone¡¯s receiver. Coin was on the other end of the line.

    ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡±

    ¡°I was fine til you called.¡±

    It was quite funny to hear the infamous author criticizing the young author without the slightest hesitation. Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t seem like he had just woken up.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t sleeping, huh?¡±

    ¡°I was reading,¡± Coin said. It wasmon for him to read well into the night. Although Juho wasn¡¯t exactly proud of interrupting Coin¡¯s alone time, he decided to get to the point without dy while he was at it.

    ¡°Guess what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    ¡°Not in the mood.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in an interview.¡±

    ¡°... with?¡±

    When Juho brought up the name of the magazine, a sipping sound came from the receiver, followed by Coin¡¯s voice saying, ¡°I was interviewed by them once.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°As in, I was interviewed by them FIRST.¡±

    ¡°Heard you loud and clear.¡±

    There was stubbornness in Coin¡¯s voice. However, since Juho was well acquainted with that, he was able to remain unfased.

    ¡°So, what are calling me for?¡± Coin asked despite having grasped the situation already.

    ¡°Why, I had some questions to ask you.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°What do you think of me?¡±

    It was the same question that Coin had asked Juho at one point, and instead of an answer, Coin said, ¡°Your interviewer must be asking some pretty boring questions.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my first time getting asked that question, I¡¯m not gonna lie.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re asking me for an answer because?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve learned. What can I say?¡±

    Then, a noise that sounded like a tongue clicking came from the receiver, and after some contemtion, he ordered the young author, ¡°Put me on speaker.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Juhoplied without resisting. Getting a grasp of what he was about to say, Juho sighed and moved the phone away from his ear, and catching on to the situation immediately, the interviewer focused on the voiceing from the receiver.

    ¡°You asked what I think of you?¡± Coin said, his voice echoing through the entire house. There was anticipation in the air. However, being the only person reading in between the lines, Juho remained calm.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna say this once, so you listen carefully.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± Juho said, feeling like everyone was sticking their necks out closer to the phone. Then, Coin¡¯s voice came from the device in Juho¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time with useless questions like that.¡±

    With that, a thumping noise came from the receiver, and the call ended abruptly, leaving the tension he had built uppletely unresolved. As the interviewer stood in his ce in a daze, Juho said, ¡°Told you.¡±

    After a brief silence, only his awkwardughter lingered in the air.

    ¡°That¡¯s Kelley Coin, all right.¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    ¡°It seemed like he was conscious of you though, almost as if wary of you,¡± the interviewer said, adding that he heard Coin¡¯s murmur before he hung up.

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    Then, as if struck by a question, the interviewer said, ¡°Speaking of which, you ran into a journalist in the States before you revealed your identity, right? Although, you probably met him as a groom-to-be rather than a journalist.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Yes, I did,¡± Juho said as the memory of his red hat rushed across his mind.

    ¡°It just so happens that I know the guy. This was when the news of you wearing a red hat really started getting around. It was right after the Hugo Award Ceremony, I believe.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°So, you really were the boy in a red hat!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be me. Although, I had to y coy with your friend. What¡¯s funny is that Coin just t out left me with the journalist when he started asking a lot of questions.¡±

    At that, the interviewer chuckled quietly, unsurprised that Coin had done something like that. And after some thought, Juho said, ¡°Thankfully, the journalist didn¡¯t bombard me with questions. He probably couldn¡¯t see my face because of my hat. Before he left, he asked me to show him my face next time we met, so when this interview gets released in the States, I¡¯ll be keeping the promise.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so. But technically, he¡¯s a journalist, too. Are you open to the idea of meeting him in person with a recording device between you two?¡±

    ¡°As you can tell from my record, I¡¯m not all that fond of putting myself out there.¡±

    The reporter epted Juho¡¯s answer without saying much. Then, as he organized his thoughts while looking through the notes in his hands, the interviewer said, ¡°Let¡¯s go way back to the time when you first made your debut as an author with ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ You were... sixteen, I believe?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that you debuted at an early age?¡±

    ¡°As a matter of fact, yes. I was really young now that I think about it.¡±

    ¡°What about your book? Do you feel like your debut title was as young and fresh as you were back then?¡±

    Juho paused to choose his words carefully.

    ¡°I¡¯d say I was ignorant more so than young and fresh.¡±

    ¡°Ignorant?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I wrote without any sort of nning whatsoever. I was certain that I wasn¡¯t even going to be considered for the award.¡±

    ¡°What was the situation like?¡±

    It was a memory that Juho hadn¡¯t visited in a long time. It had been when he had been contemting his future.

    ¡°Most kids start worrying about their futures at around sixteen. I was no different and I wasing to realize that I needed to be able to take care of myself once I became an adult. But you see, I wasn¡¯t really good at anything. My grades were mediocre, and I¡¯m not exactly athletic, artistic, or musically inclined, either. I felt like I had nothing to offer, really. When I was struck by the realization that I might turn out a pathetic excuse for an adult when I grew up, it left me with a lot of anxiety.¡±

    ¡°So, it sounds to me like this was before you really understood who you were because, now, you¡¯re a world-ss author.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t true. Juho knew himself a lot better than the interviewer thought, and the truth was that he really was a pathetic excuse for an adult.

    ¡°You¡¯re about to be an adult now. Although, it appears to me that you¡¯re already there,¡± the interviewer said. Then, with a low moan, he asked, ¡°Are you still afraid of growing up into a pathetic adult?¡±

    ¡°I am. Nobody knows what the future holds.¡±

    ¡°What made you start writing for the first time? You might not always need to n when you write, but you do need to write, right?¡±

    ¡°Nothing really MADE me write. Writing has been more of a habit for me. Even from when I was very young, whenever something good or bad happened, or anything that evoked my emotions, really, I tended to pick up a pen and start writing. But never have I thought to myself that I am a good writer.¡±

    ¡°Why is that? A lot of people have incredibly high regard for your writing.¡±

    ¡°You see, all these manuscripts lying around the house are actually products of my habit.¡±

    Although having rebutted the young author¡¯s beliefs, the interviewer quietly epted the reality of the situation.

    ¡°So, ording to what you¡¯ve told me thus far, it seems like ¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ was actually the first piece you wrote as an author. After all, anything that came before that was nothing but byproduct of your habit, right?¡±

    Juho agreed.

    ¡°The wailing in ¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ was a cry for help, right? The protagonist stops wailing as soon as she realizes that no one¡¯s going to listen to her anymore.¡±

    ¡°In very simple terms, yes.¡±

    ¡°So, when youpare the novel to your own life, do you think the novel¡¯s actually somewhat autobiographical in nature?¡±

    ¡°I think they¡¯re definitely rted. I had an experience that first inspired me to write ¡®Sound of Wailing.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Would you care to tell us?¡±

    ¡°I remember catching a stroller that was rushing down a hill once. I caught the baby, but not the stroller. The baby wasn¡¯t crying, which made me think that it was dead. That¡¯s when I was suddenly struck by a degree of fear that I¡¯d yet to experience,¡± Juho said. The thought of that moment made the tips of his fingers ice cold, even to that day.

    ¡°So, what happened to the baby?¡±

    ¡°It started wailing.¡±

    ¡°So, it lived.¡±

    ¡°It did. It was slightly dyed, but it started crying. I don¡¯t know... I just had to write after what I¡¯d experienced.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that that was what made the overall plot of the novel significantly darker than its predecessor?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    It was the very first piece Juho wrote aftering back from the dead, and Juho didn¡¯t deny that it was the bleakest novel he had written thus far.

    ¡°As I¡¯ve mentioned earlier, you¡¯re on the verge of bing an adult. Not only will you be allowed to drink alcohol, but you¡¯ll also be able to smoke without legal restrictions.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°It seems like authors are keen on alcohol in particr. Does that apply to you too, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°My friends and I made a promise that we¡¯d grab a drink together once we became adults, but I want to stay as far away as possible from alcohol. Besides, I¡¯m not fond of authors who rely on alcohol to get by.¡±

    ¡°Is that your view on alcohol as a minor who has yet to have had a drink?¡±

    ¡°It could be. But there¡¯s a very high chance that I¡¯ll distance myself from alcohol. It tends to ruin the most important things for authors writing, and countless authors have proven that theory already.¡±

    ¡°Even if it allows you to see things?¡±

    At that, the young author chuckled quietly and said, ¡°All the more reason I don¡¯t need to drink,¡± Juho said emphatically, and the interviewer didn¡¯t ask any further.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll experience many more things in the future. In light of that, what do you most want to write about?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. I don¡¯t want to keep anything set in stone. Things almost never go ording to n, and I don¡¯t really see the need to n that far in advance. In other words, I want to write about something that I haven¡¯t decided to write about yet.¡±

    ¡°What does writing mean to you?¡±

    As Juho took some time to think about the question, a certain word popped up in his mind. Digestion.

    ¡°Writing is like an internal organ to me. It¡¯s an organ that digests emotions.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting way to put it. Would you mind exining that a little bit?¡±

    To which, the young author answered, ¡°I probably won¡¯t be able to lead a healthy life without it functioning properly.¡±

 Chapter 274 - That Authoréˆ¥æªš Home (9)

    <h4>Chapter 274: That Author¡¯s Home (9)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As the interview came to an end, the photographer, who had been taking pictures throughout the interview, approached the young author and asked him to pose in various ways, most involved him sitting naturally. In order to create different scenes, the photographer moved the boxes around or angled them in different ways.

    ¡°You seem to be used to doing this, Mr. Woo,¡± the photographer said.

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even have to ask you to loosen up or anything.¡±

    Most people tended to tense up in front of a camera, and when they were stiff, the picture was bound to turn out awkward no matter what clothes they were wearing or where they were. Being aware of that already, Juho was trying to appear as rxed as possible.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been photographed often,¡± Juho said yfully, and the photographer chuckled as if he understood where the young author wasing from. From then on. They took tens of more photos around the house. After inspecting through the photos thoroughly, the photographer finally ended the session, and the crew briefly apuded for an unknown reason.

    ¡°Would you mind taking one more?¡± the photographer said as he came into the frame of the camera. As the young author gave him permission to do so, a number of other staff members also pulled into the frame.

    ¡°I loved your book, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a big fan.¡±

    The staff members said in turn, and Juho expressed his gratitude by shaking the hand of each and everyone of them.

    ¡°You did great Mr. Woo.¡±

    A voice said in Korean, giving the young author the illusion that he hadn¡¯t heard thenguage in a while. It wasing from Nabi.

    ¡°I understand why Mr. Park was so nervous,¡± she said, and Juho looked at the editor, who was talking to the interviewer in the distance to invite the crew to an after party.

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. Your answers were putting us on our toes.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I said anything problematic, did I?¡±

    ¡°Not really, aside from that bomb that you dropped knowingly.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all true though,¡± Juho said with a shrug.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Nabi said. People were just starting to view the young author in a positive light. At the end of the day, Yun Woo was also human, an ordinary human rather than an alien or a wonder of the world. The moment one realized that, Yun Woo¡¯s aplishments would shine all the more.

    ¡°That was a great interview, Mr. Woo,¡± Nabi said with a satisfied smile, and after looking at her face for a brief moment, Juho asked, ¡°What do you think people will think of me?¡±

    Once the interview was published and distributed throughout the world, Yun Woo fans would be sharing that knowledge, his answers, with the young author. When that happened, what would people think of him?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Woo. People will still think of you as an excellent writer. Besides, you shared a lot about the new novel in this interview.¡±

    Although it wasing from a good ce, it wasn¡¯t exactly the answer Juho was hoping to hear. In other words, her answer could also mean that the young author was yet to have obtained what he wanted. Then, stretching his arms up to the ceiling, Juho asked, ¡°What should I write about next?¡±

    ¡°Are you thinking about writing another book, Mr. Woo? But we just got done with the interview!¡± Nabi said, chuckling, and Juho, too, chuckled quietly as he enjoyed the subtle responses from those around him.

    Upon returning to the States, the filming crew got to work without dy. While organizing the transcription of the interview, they also edited the videos. The photos that would end up in the magazine also needed to be chosen carefully and under strict guidelines, especially the one that would serve as the cover photo of that issue. Meanwhile, by the time the interviewer finished putting together the first portion of the interview, he received a call from an unwee individual.

    ¡°How was the interview?¡±

    It was his recently wed coworker, who had cried out about the red hat in a fit of alcohol-fueled despair. After receiving his coworker¡¯s call, the interviewer went downstairs, to the cafe near the office. Needless to say, the coworker was asking about the recent interview with Yun Woo.

    ¡°It was good,¡± the interviewer said clearly, looking at his coworker, who was in his T-shirt instead of a tuxedo.

    ¡°I know you wanted toe along.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping I could take advantage of my connections,¡± the coworker said.

    ¡°It¡¯s never that simple.¡±

    Aside from the filming crew and their acquaintances, there were countless other people who wanted to meet the young author. On top of that, an interview was not a spectacle. When the interviewer expressed that, the coworker blurted out irritably, ¡°Which is exactly why I didn¡¯t tag along!¡±

    ¡°And you came to me instead. What is it that you want?¡±

    ¡°... You know what I want,¡± the coworker said, staring intently at the interviewer without saying a word. At that, the interviewer threw both of his hands in the air. ¡°I wanted to ask you to arrange a meeting with Yun Woo for me,¡± the coworker said

    ¡°Then, book a flight to Korea.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not looking to get lost in a country so far away from home, thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°What were you expecting from me?¡± the interviewer asked.

    ¡°Simple. Show me the transcript of the interview.¡±

    The coworker was quite predictable in his answers. Leaning back on to the backrest of his seat, the interviewer said, ¡°Then, go to the bookstore. Oh, wait! It¡¯s not out yet. I guess you gotta wait til ites out.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon now. We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± the coworker said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just take a quick peek right here, right now, and you¡¯ll get it right back. You won¡¯t even have to worry about the thing leaking. C¡¯mon. We¡¯re coworkers, for goodness sake! I have no intention of bing a paparazzo, either. Remember when I gave you some information about Yun Woo¡¯s uing novel? I even told you about the scandals, from what I remember.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different. You don¡¯t think you¡¯re the first person to ask for the transcript, do you?¡±

    ¡°That... I figured as much. I know what kind of situation you¡¯re in. But you know what? I have a special edge.¡±

    ¡°And remind me what makes you so special again?¡± the interviewer asked with a mocking smile.

    ¡°I made a promise with Yun Woo.¡±

    Despite having understood the first time, the interviewer asked, ¡°What promise?¡±

    ¡°That we¡¯d meet again.¡±

    ¡°Well, you got what you asked for. It¡¯s been quite a while since Yun Woo revealed himself.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I said it as an implication that we¡¯d meet in person.¡±

    ¡°I said this once and I¡¯ll say it again: book a flight.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t wanna get lost there.¡±

    From then on, the conversation went around in circles, and in the end, the coworker let up.

    ¡°All right. Fine. You don¡¯t even have to show me the whole thing. Just one page then.¡±

    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d just wait. I¡¯ll send a copy over your direction when it¡¯s released.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, even just one question?¡±

    The two were longtime friends, and frankly, showing the transcript wouldn¡¯t have caused any issues. The coworker had no reason to leak such important information unless he was prepared to be ostracized by the industry. On top of that, the interviewer had an agreement with the young author. Finding amon theme during an after party was quite normal, and needless to say, there had been talks of the recently-wed coworker. The interviewer recalled expressing concern about this to the young author.

    ¡°What if he asks me to show him the transcript?¡±

    ¡°Show him,¡± Yun Woo had said. The young author was alsoing from a ce of wanting to see how people would respond to the interview. Then, hiding the fact that he had already made up his mind, the interviewer asked his coworker, ¡°I don¡¯t know, man. You be somewhat of a bbermouth when you¡¯re drunk.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll quit. Cold-turkey.¡±

    ¡°And how are you gonna prove that?¡±

    ¡°Seriously? We¡¯re both surrounded by reporters and journalists. You don¡¯t think you¡¯ll hear about it?¡± the coworker said, emphasizing that the case of the red hat had been special. ¡°All right. I drank to get drunk back then. Besides, what I heard wasn¡¯t some third-hand information, either, don¡¯t you think? I had ess to some pretty exclusive information, but what did I do? I chose to limit myself to talking about the red hat instead. I can think for myself. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have survived in this industry.¡±

    ¡°And what if it gets out? What are you gonna do then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll hand everything over to you. My house, car, everything.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just get married?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how confident I am.¡±

    Then, after a brief pause, the interviewer brought up his negotiable limit.

    ¡°A third of the interview.¡±

    ¡°Can we round that up to half, by any chance?¡± the coworker said.

    ¡°On second thought...¡±

    ¡°All right! OK... Do you think you can throw in a photo on top of that?¡±

    The interviewer shook his head. He understood the limit of which he would be able to salvage the situation if things took a turn for the worst. With that, the interviewer invited his recently-wed coworker to his house that same evening, and as soon as he stepped into the house, the coworker asked for the data from the interviewer. At which point, the interviewer handed it over to him. After taking the data, which the interviewer had prepared in advance, the coworker sat on the couch with his jacket still on and started reading through the content. It took about ten minutes to read through an entire page, and the interviewer noticed his coworker¡¯s hand shaking ever so slightly every time he flipped to the next page. He was clearly wanting the experience tost longer, and the fact that he was repeating Yun Woo¡¯s answers over and over was proof of that.

    ¡°... All right. I¡¯m done,¡± the coworker said and the interviewer snatched the transcript out of his hands without hesitation, taking it to the sink and lighting it up of fire. It wasn¡¯t long until the fire started by a cheap lighter burned every inch of those pages. As the interviewer leaned against the sink, the air sank into silence, leaving only the subtle scent of burning paper and ink.

    ¡°This is when I bring out a bottle of something usually.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± the coworker said with his head dropped. At that, in order to get some sort of response out of him, the interviewer asked, ¡°Well, how was it catching up with Yun Woo?¡±

    Without saying a word, the coworker brushed his hair back and leaned back on the sofa, revealing the look of thirst on his face.

    ¡°Now, I wanna read whates after,¡± he let out, and the interviewer was left satisfied by his coworker¡¯s desperate voice.

    ¡®Interview With Yun Woo by the Largest Magazine in the States. Release Date Just Around the Corner!¡¯

    ¡®A Video on an Asian Website Draws Massive Attention. First Visit to Yun Woo¡¯s Home. What Shocked the Crew?¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo Speaks Up About His Writing Style. His First Discovery of His Potential!¡±

    ¡®Yun Woo Proved His English Proficiency. The Interview Reported to Have Been Carried Out Entirely in English.¡¯

    ¡®The Words ording to the Interview: ¡°Yun Woo Knew Exactly Why We Were Visiting His Home.¡¯¡±

    ¡®Fans Growing Antsy for Yun Woo¡¯s Answers. How Will He Surprise Us This Time?¡±

    ¡®The Heat Goes On! The Fans¡¯ New Addition to their Wishlists: Yun Woo¡¯s Short Stories.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Picture Said to Be On The Cover of the Magazine¡¯s Most Recent Issue! The Young Author Comes Out of Hiding and Reveals Himself Confidently.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Editor-In-Charge and Publishing Agent Reported to Have Been at the Scene of the Interview. Rumors Surrounding Unannounced Novels by the Young Author Unmentioned in the Interview.¡¯

    ¡®Interview Said to Include Mentions of Kelley Coin. The Uing Issue of the Magazine Draws Attention Across the Globe.¡¯

    ¡®¡±We Finally Met Him!¡± A Closer Look at Yun Woo¡¯s Identity. ¡°After This Interview, His Books Will Be Even More Interesting.¡±¡®

    ¡°Anytime now!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m running to the bookstore on the day ites out.¡±

    ¡°This will be the first magazine I ever buy. I just have to since it has Yun Woo¡¯s interview in it.¡±

    ¡°I love the ¡°Homes of Authors¡± series! You get to see the daily lives of authors from across the globe. Seeing their workspaces and imagining them writing is a whole ¡®nother type of fun.¡±

    ¡°I really hope Yun Woo talks more about his books.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    ¡°I heard there¡¯s going to be a lot of information about his books in the interview.¡±

    ¡°I heard he talks about his writing style, too. I¡¯m super stoked about that. His writing style has to be the biggest mystery to a lot of people.¡±

    ¡°Is he finally bringing the ¡®Sublimation¡¯ secret to light? Was it really a book only he could write, though?¡±

    ¡°I can hear the critics rolling their eyes all the way from here.¡±

    ¡°This is why I HAVE TO buy this magazine.¡±

    ¡°I just saw the promotional video! I wonder what¡¯s in those boxes in the background.¡±

    ¡°Probably his stuff? Heard they interviewed him while he was still moving into his new ce.¡±

    ¡°Probably. The series is all about storming authors¡¯ houses in their most natural settings.¡±

    ¡°Who packs their stuff like that though?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s his stuff, either. Although, he doesn¡¯t seem to have a whole lot at home.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon enough when the magazinees out. I sure hope he brings up the short stories!¡±

    ¡°Is he really not gonna publish them? I wanna read the one he wrote alongside ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Zelkova! Get to work! People are dying here!¡±

    ¡°Their website is full of requests for Yun Woo¡¯s short stories.¡±

    ¡°Huh! I better go join the party.¡±

    ¡°Seriously, why aren¡¯t they publishing those short stories? They¡¯ll fly off the shelves.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think Yun Woo writes just to make a living, do you?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo! Give it some thought! Do it for your fans!¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling that there are gonna be a lot of pictures of Yun Woo in the magazine¡¯s uing issue.¡±

    ¡°I mean, yeah. He¡¯s gonna be right there, on the cover.¡±

    ¡°I wonder what other secrets he¡¯ll bring to light. I hope he talks about all the ces he went to while he was anonymous.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if anybody will believe me when I say this, but I met him at the book concert. He was there. We even talked.¡±

    ¡°You guessed it right. Not buying it.¡±

    ¡°I saw him too. He was walking his dog in front of my house.¡±

    ¡°I go to school with him.¡±

    ¡°I sat next to him at school.¡±

    ...

 Chapter 275 - A Bad-Tasting Drink (1)

    <h4>Chapter 275: A Bad-Tasting Drink (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho looked around the house. The books and sheets manuscript paper that had been scattered throughout the entire ce were nowhere to be found. Although his desk still needed to be cleaned up, and the sink was filled with dishes that needed washing, the apartment was starting to look more like an actual living space.

    Just before Juho looked up and around his house, he had been reading the transcript of his recent interview in the magazine, which had a ck-and-white photo of his face on the cover. Taken from an angle looking down from above, the photo showed the pigsty of a house that the young author lived in. From the shabby-looking chair he had sat on during the interview, to the cardboard boxes and stacks of manuscripts covered up with newspapers, the photo showed the state of the house quite explicitly.

    ¡°At least the picture came out well.¡±

    Fortunately, that was the cover photo of the uing issue of a prominent magazine in the States. It was the product of the photographer¡¯s skill. With the ck-and-white filter applied to it, the photo almost gave off the impression that it carried some sort of eye-opening secret, even if the young author was well aware that all the boxes in the background were merely his belongings that needed to be unpacked.

    On the release day in Korea, Juho was told that the magazine was sold out throughout the country. Some websites had sold one thousand copies in a span of five hours, while others sold outpletely within three. The additional inventory that had arrived just the day before had also been sold out, and preorders were no different. Most ces had sold out within a day, and additional orders were flooding the stores. Meanwhile, Juho found himself having conflicting emotions. While he was delighted to hear the news, he felt humiliated at the same time.

    Opening the cover, Juho looked through the magazine. The names of the interviewer and the young author were written one after the other on a white background, and next to those names were their respective answers, written like a script. There was a brief story, which was told from the interviewer¡¯s point-of-view, about his trip to the young author¡¯s house as well as a brief exnation of how they hade to interview the young author while he¡¯d been in the middle of moving in. Then, a picture of the apartment¡¯s interior followed. It had been the very first picture the photographer had taken on his way in. In the picture, which was in color that time, was an empty apartment full of manuscript paper. Underneath it, was a briefment from the photographer.

    Juho looked through his answers on the magazine. The answers that had been turned into sentences felt much more rigid, yet polished, than the actual conversation. The flow of the written interview wasn¡¯t all that different from when the interview happened. The description of the brief phone call with Coin carried a noticeably more subjective feel. However, that wasn¡¯t to say that the interviewer had forgotten that Yun Woo was the VIP of the interview, and that was apparent in the detailed description of the young author¡¯s reactions and changes in his expressions ording to Coin¡¯s responses.

    Then, after checking the time, Juho rose from his seat. He was expecting guests that day. The day he had once promised his clubmates had finallye. As Juho was closing the window, which he had left open for venttion, the doorbell rang. When he opened the door, his friends, who were now twenty years old, appeared, their hands full of food and alcohol.

    ¡°Drinks are here!¡±

    Juho and his former clubmates had made ns to get together to have their first drink, and the friends came storming into the apartment without hesitation.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it makes life so much easier when you have a friend who has his own ce,¡± Seo Kwang said as he plunked down on the floor, and the cans and bottles of alcohol in his bags bumped against each other.

    ¡°All right! Let¡¯s get this started!¡±

    ¡°One would think that you¡¯re the host.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with that,¡± Seo Kwang said nonchntly.

    ¡°Well, how¡¯ve you been, Mr. Celebrity, you?¡± Bom asked, looking at the magazines scattered about. Then, Sun Hwa interjected, ¡°Oh! Speaking of which, I wanted to read that magazine, but it¡¯s near impossible to get my hands on it. It¡¯s sold out everywhere.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re gonna have more in stock from what I heard,¡± Bom said.

    ¡°It¡¯ll fly off the shelves and, before I know it, it¡¯s gonna be sold out again.¡±

    Waving his hand as if telling her not to worry, Seo Kwang interjected, ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re Yun Woo¡¯s friends. It shouldn¡¯t be that hard to get a copy or two.¡±

    Meanwhile, Juho brought out a foldable table that he had brought from his parents¡¯ home just in case. Then, he broke out the disappointing news to them, ¡°I only have one copy for myself.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    ¡°Why?!¡±

    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to give it to you guys.¡±

    Seo Kwang didn¡¯t seem to buy the young author¡¯s answer.

    ¡°Pff! Good one. C¡¯mon, bring ¡¯em out. Let¡¯s see them.¡±

    ¡°Do you really wanna keep a magazine with my face on it in your room?¡±

    ¡°I love every book in existence, my friend.¡±

    Ignoring him, Juho took the drinks and the boxes of fried chicken out of the stic bags.

    ¡®I thought I could smell it when they wereing in,¡± Juho thought.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s dig in.¡±

    Still intimidated by the idea of getting drunk, the club members decided not to drink on an empty stomach. Seeing as though Juho had actually been serious when he had said that he only had a copy for himself, Seo Kwang clicked his tongue. And seeing the funny expression on his friend¡¯s face, Juho asked, ¡°You¡¯re asking me for a book when your parents own a bookstore?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a small neighborhood bookstore, man. We couldn¡¯t even get out hands on the magazines. Besides, we don¡¯t really do magazines,¡± Seo Kwang said. ¡°On that note, help me out here,¡± he said.

    Unfortunately, there was nothing Juho could do to help. The young author had intentionally asked for just the single copy. In the end, he agreed to contact the publishingpany and request some extra copies for his friends.

    ¡°I guess this will have to do for now,¡± Seo Kwang said as he picked up Juho¡¯s copy of the magazine. Then, looking at the atmospheric photo of his friend on the cover, Seo Kwang let out a long exmation.

    ¡°Man! You look like you¡¯re OUT OF IT!¡± he said mockingly. However, Juho didn¡¯t bother denying it, since he actually hadn¡¯t had any thoughts during the photo session.

    ¡°Need I remind you that we¡¯ve all been on the TV?¡± Juho said, reminding Seo Kwang that he was just as vulnerable to insults in that situation. At that, as the image of a ditzy-looking expression on his face came to his mind, Seo Kwang closed his mouth.

    ¡°Well, I say we eat while they¡¯re busy looking at the magazine,¡± Seo Kwang said, opening up the fried chicken box. However, Sun Hwa and Bom seemed to have a different idea.

    ¡°Come join us!¡±

    ¡°You know what? I¡¯ll join you after this,¡± Seo Kwang said, leaving Juho to eat on his own. While his friends were sitting in a circle, reading the questions and his answers, Juho quietly ate his pieces of chicken. He was quite bothered by the fact that friends were reading the interview right next to him. Then, looking at the beer in front of him, he quietly entertained the thought of drinking by himself.

    ¡°Wow, look at the length of these questions!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re intimidating.¡±

    ¡°But these are some choice answers though, Juho.¡±

    As the young author ate the fried chicken away, his friends looked at the photos and read through the interview.

    ¡°Huh! You mentioned us!¡± Seo Kwang let out with a satisfied look on his face. Seeing words like ¡®bookworm¡¯ and ¡®fiend¡¯ on the pages of the magazine, the club members burst intoughter.

    ¡°I guess these guys are big for a reason,¡± Sun Hwa said, impressed.

    ¡°What was it like in person?¡± Bom asked, returning to where she had been sitting.

    ¡°It was all right.¡±

    ¡°Were there any difficult questions?¡±

    ¡°Not too many.¡±

    ¡°It seems like they really base their questions around the authors¡¯ books. They asked a lot more about your personal life on TV.¡±

    ¡°I guess they¡¯re just looking for different things.¡±

    With that, the rest of the club members joined in on the meal. On the other hand, Seo Kwang reached for the chicken after having held on to the magazine until the veryst minute. After making a fuss about how tasty the chicken was, they reverted back to the interview.

    ¡°I think this interview is THE hottest topic right now,¡± Seo Kwang said. As a currently active blogger, his words were credible and trustworthy. On top of that, it made sense considering the number of copies the magazine had sold.

    ¡°Your answers in the interview are floating around the inte. People who haven¡¯t been able to get their hands on a copy of the magazine are making do with what they¡¯re finding online.¡±

    ¡°What if they like Juho less and think he¡¯s full of himself?¡± Sun Hwa asked. It was unclear whether she was joking or genuine.

    ¡°I hate to disappoint you, Sun Hwa, but people really like him,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    Meanwhile, listening to his friends, Juho ate pickled radish.

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s hard not to like him after reading his answers. So, did you really talk to Coin on the phone?¡± Bom asked, the only person with a smile on her face.

    ¡°I did. Although, he just hung up after a little while, like it says in the magazine.¡±

    Bom looked like she was delighted by her imagination alone.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s how your alternate style came about,¡± Seo Kwang murmured as he set the bone aside, and Juho shrugged instead of giving an answer.

    ¡°Oh, what was that with the stroller? I didn¡¯t know something like that happened to you.¡±

    ¡°And who was this first love of yours?!¡±

    ¡°I wanna hear more about this secretnguage acquisition technique.¡±

    The club members all let out at the same time, making Juho feel like he was interacting with his readers. However, it was the truth. They were not only his friends but also his readers.

    ¡°It¡¯s all in the magazine. Why ask me?¡±

    ¡°Because we have the real person in front of us. Now that you¡¯ve revealed yourself, there¡¯s no getting out of this, Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡®Some friends you guys are,¡¯ Juho muttered internally. Then, looking at the alcohol getting lukewarm, Juho said in order to change the subject, ¡°Should I put these in the fridge? You guys prefer it cold, right?¡±

    Then, just as Juho was about to get up with the bottles and cans, Bom said, ¡°Maybe we should just drink them now.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! That way, you don¡¯t have to go back and forth,¡± Sun Hwa said, agreeing with Bom.

    ¡°No one¡¯s going to force anyone to drink here, so let¡¯s take our time with the drinks,¡± Juho said, passing the cans of beer to his friends. The crisp sound of cans opening reverberated through the living room. The club members seemed excited about their first drinks. Then, Juho also opened his beer, and the same, crisp sound came from his can, along with a whiff of alcohol. ¡®How long as it been?¡¯ Juho asked, feeling somewhat nervous. Maybe he was even more nervous than he had been moments before the interview.

    ¡°Cheers!¡± Sun Hwa said, raising the can of beer in her hand. Then, after cheering, the club members each brought their beer cans to their mouths, looking refreshed after taking a sip.

    ¡°We¡¯re really drinking, huh?¡± Bom said, as if having an emotional experience. Juho had finally reached the age that he could drink legally, and seeing his friends, he was reminded of the reality. It wasn¡¯t likely that his twenty-year-old body would put him back in his old, alcoholic self of the past.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you drinking?¡± Seo Kwang asked, and instead of giving him an answer, Juho brought his beer can up to his mouth. He felt the liquid pouring into his mouth and the whiff of the alcoholing up to his nose as his mouth became filled with bubbles. It was bittersweet, and a burning sensation in the back of his throat followed shortly after. The young author exhaled unhurriedly. Just like that, the whiff of alcohol in his mouth told him that he had just drunk alcohol. Then, Juho peeked through the hole in order to check on how much he had drunk.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t taste very good,¡± he let out with a smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± his clubmates said yfully. They were eating more than they were drinking, and having already eaten before them, Juho sipped his beer instead of eating with them. However, the sipping didn¡¯tst long either. Then, taking the stic bag full of things that she had brought, Bom said while taking the contents out, ¡°Let¡¯s have some chips.¡± At which point, the young author epted gratefully. By the time the fried chicken was almost gone and they had had enough to drink, the club members started moaning about their futures.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m gonna survive when the semester starts,¡± Bom said. Because of her involvement in the Literature Club and her record of winning an award, she had managed to get epted by a university as a creative writing major. While Seo Kwang had gotten into a school as an English major, Sun Hwa had gotten into a school as a history major. They were all starting to build a foundation for the jobs they wanted in the future.

    ¡°We all got into different schools.¡±

    Even if they had ended up in the same school, it would still have been difficult for them to meet. Yet, the club members were not upset by that. They had epted that they each had their own path. At the same time, they were anxious about being on a new path.

    ¡°What if I end up with upperssmen who are really mean?¡± Sun Hwa murmured. The only upperssman they had had was somebody who had sat in the science room with them, drawing. The idea of being around upperssmen and having to interact with them was still foreign to the club members. It felt like it was yesterday that they had been worried about not getting into a university. But now, they were worried about not adapting to the new environment. It was an interesting phenomenon. Worries tended to follow people around.

    ¡°The beginning is always the hardest.¡±

    The principle remained true, no matter what it was. There was no way to predict what the future held, and when that realization started dawning on the club members, the air became heavy with depression. At that, Juho decided to offer a solution...

    ¡°What if you guys ask Baron when he gets here?¡±

    ... and it was to hear directly from an experienced individual.

 Chapter 276 - A Bad-Tasting Drink (2)

    <h4>Chapter 276: A Bad-Tasting Drink (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    At Juho¡¯s suggestion to ask Baron, who was in college, the faces of the club members lit up. Not only was it a simple solution, but it was more than possible to put it into action.

    ¡°Honestly, I was thinking about talking to him too.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    Sun Hwa and Bom said candidly. Although Baron had been the only upperssman they had interacted with, that didn¡¯t take away from the fact that he was their upperssman. Even if it wasn¡¯t clear as to whether or not he¡¯d be able to offer any helpful advice, it was a far better option than remaining silent and hoping for the best.

    ¡°How close is he now?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. Give him a call.¡±

    Baron was joining them a littleter because of his part-time job. At that moment, just as Sun Hwa was about to call him, the doorbell rang, and everyone immediately thought of Baron at the same time.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s Baron?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s gotta be.¡±

    Then, after checking through the peephole, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯m telling you. It¡¯s almost like he knows when we¡¯re talking about him,¡± and opened the door.

    ¡°Baron!¡± a voice cried out before Juho even had time to greet the guest.

    Then, walking into the apartment without hesitation, Baron greeted his former clubmates. Seeing as though they were drinking, he said, ¡°You guys already started drinking?¡±

    ¡°We just started.¡±

    ¡°Come join us!¡±

    At the club members wee of him, which was noticeably more aggressive than usual, a suspicious look appeared on Baron¡¯s face. Then, spotting the magazine, he asked, ¡°Is that the magazine that¡¯s so hard toe by?¡±

    ¡°Would you like one for yourself?¡± Juho asked, nearly giving up at that point.

    ¡°Hey! You tryin¡¯ to leave me out of this!?¡± Seo Kwang interjected in order to make his struggle to obtain a copy of it known.

    ¡°We barely got our hands on it too.¡±

    ¡°Good job,¡± Baron said haphazardly. Then, he sat on the couch and started reading the interview in the magazine.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just have one. I have to work tomorrow too,¡± he told Sun Hwa, who was offering him a can of beer. There was no excitement in his voice, nor was he making a fuss over the fact that he was drinking alcohol.

    ¡°College really changed you, huh?¡± Seo Kwang said. Unfortunately, the upperssman was busy looking at the photo of the young author.

    ¡°This is a good photo.¡±

    ¡°Good thing the photographer knew what he was doing.¡±

    With that, Baron immersed himself in the magazine, his eyes scanning through the pages. And as Juho watched him quietly, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°Did you ever catch up with that person?¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°From the book concert. The one that met you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, her.¡±

    Juho had yet to have made contact with her. Although, it hadn¡¯t been that long since the magazine had been published.

    ¡°I¡¯m still waiting,¡± Juho said. He was waiting for her to show herself first. At that, a mischievous look appeared on Seo Kwang¡¯s face.

    ¡°I hope she takes her sweet time and makes Yun Woo antsy.¡±

    ¡°And how would she benefit from me being antsy?¡±

    ¡°You know, seeing things from her perspective. Do you have any idea how badly these people wanted you to reveal yourself?¡±

    ¡°But you knew. You¡¯re guilty by association.¡±

    ¡°... Touch¨¦,¡± Seo Kwang let out as his confidence faded away quickly.

    Then, ignoring Seo Kwang, who was struggling to understand if he was a reader or an aplice, Baron, with his eyes still fixed on the magazine, told Juho, ¡°You sound like somebody who¡¯s gone through his share of failures.¡±

    At that, Juho felt as though the can of beer in his hand was getting heavier.

    ¡°Is it that apparent?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s consistency to your answers. You knew the things you were saying.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    Then, looking piercingly into the magazine, Baron said, ¡°Judging from these answers alone, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll ever let your sess get to your head. Seems like your readers will be able to rest assured.¡±

    That was the reason why so many readers, who had worried that the young genius might change one day, were so fond of the interview. Then, Sun Hwa interjected, ¡°I mean, you can just tell from the apartment that he chose to live in,¡± and pointed around the room.

    ¡°It is a little modest to be Yun Woo¡¯s home,¡± Bom said quietly.

    ¡°It¡¯s so small! It¡¯s tiny!¡± Sun Hwa said emphatically.

    To which, the young author rebutted, ¡°It¡¯s just right for me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just too small for Yun Woo, you know?¡± she said, impressed, and added, ¡°People will be shocked when they find out what kind of ce you live in. Oh, wait. They already do.¡±

    ¡°That shock is very much ongoing,¡± Seo Kwang said, confirming Sun Hwa¡¯s statements.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s all that modest. Isn¡¯t this house plenty big for a first apartment?¡± Juho asked. Considering when he had been homeless in the past, his current situation was a tremendous blessing. A good house wasn¡¯t determined by its size, and Juho knew that from firsthand experience.

    As the young author looked around his new home with a satisfied, affectionate look on his face, Bom said, ¡°I think you forget that you¡¯re Yun Woo sometimes.¡±

    Then, nodding emphatically to Bom¡¯s statement, Sun Hwa narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°This might be a big house for us, but you can afford to live in a much bigger, nicer ce.

    As his clubmates agreed with Sun Hwa, the young author smiled and asked, ¡°You sound as though you know how much money I have.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do!¡± she said emphatically. ¡°You have quite a lot,¡± she said confidently. There was not one bit of doubt in her voice.

    At that, Juho stared into the air for a brief moment and said, ¡°Well, yeah. Sure.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the answer? You¡¯re loaded, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Hm. Sure.¡±

    ¡°OK. Now, I¡¯m getting suspicious.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that everything¡¯s rtive. Besides, didn¡¯t you guys have questions for Baron?¡±

    ¡°That can wait. Seriously, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Despite Juho¡¯s attempt to change the subject, being the children of the capitalist society that they were, his clubmates insisted on knowing more about the subject matter, and the fact that there was alcohol involved didn¡¯t really help the situation.

    ¡°Just give me a ballpark, then. I¡¯ll tell you how much I make in a yearter, too,¡± Sun Hwa said in attempts to make a tempting offer.

    In the end, Juho fessed up, ¡°I used up all my money.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    At that moment, an array of expressions appeared on his friends¡¯ faces. Then, Sun Hwa shouted, ¡°I knew it! I knew you were just too clean! What is it? Are you a spendthrift? Did you get into gambling? Did you start a business that fell apart?¡±

    ¡°They all sound kind of scary for jokes, Sun Hwa,¡± Bom said with a smile. However, the subject at hand remained unchanged. A wealthy boy had spent everyst penny in his possession. When that sentence started to sink into the clubmates¡¯ minds, they all reached simr conclusions.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then people might view this interview in a slightly different light,¡± Baron murmured. The news would not only affect the interview but the young author¡¯s writing as well. However, Baron didn¡¯t sound all that serious.

    ¡°C¡¯mon! Does that sound like something he¡¯d do?¡± Seo Kwang said, taking Juho¡¯s side and asking in a serious tone, ¡°You invested into your next project, huh? What did you need? A world-ss painting? A boat? A personal ne? Whose thoughts did you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s it,¡± Sun Hwa said, nodding as if convinced by Seo Kwang¡¯s conjecture. Considering Yun Woo¡¯s character, it made sense that he would investrge sums of money into things like that. As everyone¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity, Juho said, ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± to their disappointment.

    ¡°Then, what is it!?¡±

    ¡°I thought my friend was loaded!¡±

    Seeing his clubmates were reacting very emphatically, Juho said nonchntly, ¡°I just let ¡®it go where it wanted to.¡±

    ¡°OK, now you¡¯re just pulling my leg. What? Did your money tell you that it refused to be in your pocket?¡± Sun Hwa said without hesitation.

    ¡°Ask it.¡±

    ¡°I would if it had a mouth! Seriously, what did you spend your money on!? How much did you spend!?¡±

    As Juho took his time answering, Seo Kwang grasped the young author by the shoulder and said, ¡°All right. I won¡¯t force you to tell me. It might be something a lot worse than I realize. But know this, your friend will be living in a perpetual state of fear and unending curiosity.¡±

    It was closer to a threat. Although Juho didn¡¯t deny that he had to think quite a bit before telling the truth, he wasn¡¯t necessarily trying to hide it, either. After all, he hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. As the young author immersed himself in thought for an even longer time, the silence grew heavier. Then, moving Seo Kwang¡¯s hand from his shoulder, Juho said, ¡°I donated it.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been donating it to different ces.¡±

    As dumbfounded looks appeared on his clubmates¡¯ faces, Juho took the opportunity to take a sip of his beer.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± a voice let out, disappointed.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good,¡± another voice let out, relieved. Eventually, it wasn¡¯t long before the sense of relief became mutual among the clubmates.

    ¡°OK. Fine. Yun Woo¡¯s impable in every way. Whoop-de-doo,¡± Sun Hwa said, throwing her arms into the air. Soon, everyone was giving the young author an admiring look that made him feel ufortable. What Juho had predicted would happen was happening before his eyes, which validated him taking his time in answering his clubmates bombarding him with questions. Then, Seo Kwang straightened Juho¡¯s clothes, only adding to the difort Juho was feeling.

    ¡°Well, then, I guess that settles it. So, what was it that you guys wanted to ask me?¡± Baron said, changing the subject in the nick of time. As Baron started talking about his college experience, it became more apparent to the others that their futures were looking less and less hopeful, which caused them to drink even faster than they had been. Just like that, they acquainted themselves with alcohol.

    ¡°Slow down, now. Eat something,¡± Juho said in an attempt to keep his clubmates from drinking too fast. Meanwhile, after emptying an entire can of beer in the blink of an eye, Seo Kwang called to him, ¡°Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Juho answered, checking his face to see if he was drunk. Thankfully, one can of beer didn¡¯t seem to be enough to get him drunk.

    ¡°When are you gonna publish those short stories of yours?¡± Seo Kwang said clearly, which made Juho realize that his friend wasn¡¯t drunk. Juho was well aware of what he was referring to. Seo Kwang had been referring to the two short stories that Yun Woo had written as Juho Woo. Since their existence became known, that became a much-discussed topic among fans, and their requests for them to be published had been ongoing to that day.

    ¡°I already said that I wasn¡¯t going to,¡± Juho said, remembering what he had said in the TV interview.

    ¡°But things are different now, don¡¯t you think?¡± Sun Hwa said.

    Just like she had said, the situation had changed. During the interview, Juho had answered the questions with the certainty that those short stories would remain as pieces written by Juho Woo. He had assumed that he¡¯d be able to remain as Juho Woo. However, the young author¡¯s assumption had turned out to be false.

    ¡°Nobody can read those short stories now,¡± Juho said, taking another sip of his beer as the words left a bitter taste in his mouth. The two stories that he had intended on keeping at school had been taken down as the exhibition period expired.

    ¡°I¡¯m still in denial about what happened at school back then.¡±

    Juho had also heard the news. As the interview, which had been held at the school, came out to the world, every student at school had the same thought: ¡®I gotta read Yun Woo¡¯s short stories.¡¯ Suffice to say, students started flooding into the library, and the policy to keep exhibited books in the library proved to be a disadvantage at the time.

    ¡°All of our books got destroyed,¡± Bom said bitterly. The books written by the club members had been destroyed by the crowd. The two books that had been exhibited to either side of the two short stories had fallen to the floor. Yet, nobody had bothered to pick them up or even pay attention to them, ruining them eventually.

    ¡°Mr. Moon was so angry that day.¡±

    The teacher¡¯s anger had been fully justified. Although those books might not have meant much to most people, they had been the fruits of the club members¡¯bor.

    The books had been put together with the help of many, Baron, who had taken the time to design their covers amid his hectic schedule, being one of them. Care and anguish, burden and effort. Gratefulness and guilt. Those were the very things that had been destroyed by the students who had flooded into the library. The Chinese teacher, who was also the Book Club¡¯s homeroom teacher, had even made rounds through the entire school to warn the students of each and every ss, saying, ¡°If this happens one more time, there won¡¯t be another exhibition, ever!¡± Meanwhile, Mr. Moon had written an announcement and passed it out to each and every ss. It had been a strong warning and it seemed to have had been somewhat effective. However, it wasn¡¯t long until the students started acting out again.

    ¡°And the exhibition eventually ended, just like that,¡± Baron said as if sighing. The result had been obvious.

    ¡°Thing is, I wish I could say that that was the end of it, but it wasn¡¯t,¡± Seo Kwang said, looking at Juho. Then, after taking another sip of his beer, Seo Kwang said, ¡°There was this prick who tried to steal both of your short stories.¡±

    At that, a bitter smile spread across the young author¡¯s face.

 Chapter 277 - A Bad Tasting Drink (3)

    <h4>Chapter 277: A Bad Tasting Drink (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As the value of the two short stories rose at an exponential rate, the school officials also started paying close attention to maintaining the books. Some argued that they needed to be removed from the library in order to conserve the work of the school¡¯s very own world-ss author. However, the young author wanted the exhibition to continue, and the school had no choice but to respect his opinion. To make matters worse, as the school¡¯s concerns about the exhibition grew, one of the attending students had been caught trying to steal the very books the school had been worried about. From then on, it became obvious what would happen next.

    ¡°Just like that, nobody can read those short stories anymore.¡±

    The fans were envious of Yun Woo¡¯s schoolmates for their ess to the young author¡¯s short stories. However, that envy had been short-lived, and the schoolmates were no longer the subject of envy.

    ¡°That moron really stirred the pot,¡± Sun Hwa said, and Seo Kwang gnashed his teeth as if the thief had be his worst enemy.

    ¡°I feel really bad for the underssmen. There¡¯s only so much fun they can have at school, and without those books, school will be even less interesting for them,¡± Bom said. Meanwhile, Baron was resting his chin on his hand with an unsurprised look, just as unfazed as the time when he had heard his posters had been trampled over by the frantic crowd.

    ¡°That¡¯s as expected. If anything, I¡¯m surprised it didn¡¯t happen sooner. Those were Yun Woo¡¯s unannounced short stories.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean some dimwit who can¡¯t even control himself should have the same privilege as everyone else. If he had actually gotten away and had those books to himself, that would have been stomach-churning,¡± Seo Kwang said, looking explicitly at Juho. He had to be expecting a certain answer. Although Juho avoided his friend¡¯s gaze, drinking his beer instead, Seo Kwang didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°Are you STILL not gonna publish them?¡±

    And after immersing himself in thought for a little while, the young author said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Needless to say, his clubmates didn¡¯t find his answer satisfactory.

    ¡°Just do it already!¡± Sun Hwa shouted, as if representing the deepest desires of the young author¡¯s fans. Seo Kwang, too, nodded with exaggeration and agreed with her.

    ¡°I think you should do it, Yun Woo,¡± Baron said, sitting on the couch, and Bom also agreed with him. Then, Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he saw an uncanny resemnce to another experience.

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m reading through thements on some article about me.¡±

    ¡°See? You get where we¡¯reing from. C¡¯mon, we wanna read those short stories again!¡±

    ¡°I actually have them with me right now. Do you want them?¡±

    As Seo Kwang hesitated noticeably, Sun Hwa grabbed him by the back of the cor of his shirt and said to Juho, ¡°OK, I have to ask you. Why are you so against publishing them?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I had scheduled a meeting with my readers today?¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Damn it, you¡¯re killin¡¯ me!¡± Sun Hwa let out, almost as if she¡¯d punch him at any given minute.

    ¡°They¡¯re both incredible, and to be honest, none of us thought that they should stay in school. And now, just look at how things turned out! Just publish them already! What¡¯s keeping you?¡± Sun Hwa asked.

    Juho was in a tighter situation than he had realized, and he was certain that his clubmates wouldn¡¯t take it well if he were to tell the truth. Their piercing gazes came at the young author like arrows, anxious to hear his answer.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t really see the point.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Sun Hwa let out as her brow furrowed. To which, Juho exined, ¡°I¡¯m not all that interested in the things that have been happening at schooltely. Most people are curious about the short stories because of their corrtion with ¡®Language of God¡¯ and the ck Book¡¯s cover.¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    ¡°And I, personally, don¡¯t think those short stories are all that great. That isn¡¯t that say that they¡¯re so bad that I¡¯m afraid to let others read them, either. Either way, they still have a ways to go until they¡¯re decent, and I don¡¯t even feel like reading them again. So, with all that said, I have no passion for publishing them.¡±

    ¡°Still...¡±

    ¡°And there¡¯s the writing style. Since I wrote as Juho Woo, they won¡¯t feel even remotely simr to Yun Woo¡¯s style. If anything, it won¡¯t all that long until people realize just how alien those stories feel.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    With that, Juho took a sip of his beer.

    ¡°But they¡¯re still your stories,¡± Seo Kwang said, and Juho nodded, saying, ¡°That¡¯s right. I wrote them.¡±

    ¡°And you wrote the ending to ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ too.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°If the short stories get out to the world, people will realize just how versatile you are as a writer,¡± Seo Kwang said in a calm tone of voice, and seeing theck of change in Juho¡¯s expression, he added, ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t really feel like exining yourself to anyone, but once your readers realize your versatility, they¡¯ll be able to appreciate your books at a much deeper level, which also means they¡¯ll be able to enjoy them even more.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°Both of your short stories are topnotch in terms of quality. On top of that, how many short stories has Yun Woo published in rtion to the number of full-length novels? This would be an opportunity for you to give your fans just what they want.¡±

    ¡°Hm...¡±

    ¡°Although, the oue could always be different from the hopeful picture we have in mind. What IS certain, though, is that your readers are thirsty for them. Desperately so. Are you just gonna neglect them?¡±

    ¡°If you put it that way, then that makes me the bad guy,¡± Juho said, chuckling.

    ¡°Well, you might not be far off. In fact, it won¡¯t be long until people startining about you not publishing them.¡±

    Then, Juho asked out of impulse, ¡°Should I?¡±

    ¡°Really!?¡±

    ¡°But what if Juho Woo gets his feelings hurt? They¡¯re his first pieces.¡±

    ¡°Nah! He¡¯s a bigger man than that. He¡¯ll understand.¡±

    ¡°Then, should I go for it?¡±

    ¡°You mean it though?¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re just too short.¡±

    ¡°....¡±

    As Bom guzzled down her beer, Juho offered her some snacks.

    ¡°Don¡¯t drink too fast.¡±

    With that, Seo Kwang started moaning about how ineffective his speech had been. However, he couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. As it dawned on the young author that he no longer had the luxury to remain silent, he started entertaining the thought of meeting up with Nam Kyung to discuss the matter. Then, remaining unfazed on the outside, Juho put his beer down quietly.

    ¡°Be safe,¡± Juho said as he saw his clubmates out. Although they looked much more excited, their excitement had little to do with alcohol.

    ¡°Seriously, give it some thought,¡± Seo Kwang said, grasping Juho¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°All right,¡± Juho said haphazardly. After waving his hand at his clubmates and closing the door, their voices could be heard fading into the distance. The once-boisterous house was now silent.

    ¡®Everyone¡¯s grown up now,¡¯ Juho thought to himself as he gathered the trash and wiped the table. None of his clubmates were in high school or had to dress in uniforms anymore. The conversation about the immediate future was still fresh in the young author¡¯s mind. They were worried about what was ahead of them: the new beginning. Was that because they were no longer within the safe boundaries of school, or were they thinking outside of the boundary of the present? Having be part of their past, high school was no longer a subject of fear for them. At that moment, Juho rubbed his right hand as he felt a tingling sensation on it, struck by inspiration.

    ¡°School.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Oh, yeah! That¡¯s the stuff!¡±

    Aftering home earlier than usual, Nam Kyung took a beer out of the refrigerator upon arrival. Since he had already eaten beforehand, he didn¡¯t need anything else. Then, walking over to the living room, he sat down and took hisptop out. His biggest concern had been the requests by Yun Woo¡¯s fans flooding the office as ofte, wanting the young author to publish the two short stories.

    ¡°What a mess,¡± the editor let out as he logged into thepany¡¯s website. The bulletin was filled with people¡¯s requests for Yun Woo¡¯s short stories. It was quite the contradicting sight from the past, when there had barely been any users. The fan cafes and blogs were in a simr state, and there was a considerable number of people who had be members of the cafes or the blogs for the sole purpose of leaving a request. As a reader and a fan himself, it wasn¡¯t hard for Nam Kyung to understand where those people wereing from. After all, the editor was also one of the people who sincerely hoped for the short stories toe out to the world.

    ¡°I don¡¯t me you people. I¡¯d pay to read those short stories.¡±

    The two short stories written by Yun Woo under the name Juho Woo had been growing increasingly valuable among his fans. Not only had the stories been written while the young author had still been anonymous, but they had also been written in secret. The fans were entirely justified in their curiosity and their desire to read and own them. Knowing all this, Nam Kyung was predicting that the short stories would be massive sess.

    ¡°Although, it¡¯s still a mystery to me why he¡¯s so uninterested.¡±

    However, Yun Woo tended to be aloof when it came to sess. While it did set him apart from all other authors, it did leave the editor perplexed. The young author didn¡¯t trust the overwhelmingly positive response of his fans. On top of that, the result was only good when he was satisfied with his work, no matter how sessful it might be. It was no different this time around. The fact that there were countless people wanting the short stories to be published didn¡¯t necessarily lead the young author to believe in his skills. Although Yun Woo¡¯s posture made him a trustworthy author, Nam Kyung found himself in a bit of a tighter situation than usual.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he decides to publish them now, when everybody wants it the most.¡±

    If it had been up to Nam Kyung, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to get started on the publishing process. ¡®How can I convince him?¡¯ Nam Kyung thought to himself as he organized the data about Yun Woo in his mind, thinking about bringing the idea up to the young author the next day. At that moment, as he was looking piercingly at his phone next to him for no apparent reason, the screen lit up all of a sudden.

    ¡°Juho?¡±

    Yun Woo was calling. Then, without hesitation, the editor picked up the phone and answered the call with dness.

    ¡°Hey, Juho.¡±

    ¡°Are you busy?¡± the young author said in his distinctively calm and peaceful tone of voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m havin¡¯ a drink,¡± the editor said, shaking the beer in his hand.

    ¡°By yourself?¡±

    ¡°Nothing too fancy, though.¡±

    ¡°I had a drink earlier, too,¡± Yun Woo said. At that, an unexinable emotion washed over Nam Kyung. The young author, who the editor had known since he was a minor, had reached an age when he was legally allowed to drink. Time had flown by.

    ¡°Maybe this is what it¡¯s like to be a father.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go out sometime, you and I,¡± Nam Kyung asked, feeling warm on the inside, possibly from the alcohol. As an editor in Korea, watching an author grow up into adulthood was an incredibly rare experience, and knowing that, Nam Kyung considered himself lucky.

    ¡°Speaking of which, why don¡¯t we meet tomorrow? I have something I want to talk to you about.¡±

    ¡°Is this work-rted?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then, my answer is always a resounding yes.¡±

    Yun Woo¡¯s writing had brought absolute benefits to Zelkova, which also ced him on a rather influential position.

    ¡°But what is it that you want to talk about?¡± Nam Kyung asked. It wasn¡¯tmon for Juho to take the initiative to talk. At which point, Juho responded in a calm tone of voice, ¡°My short stories.¡±

    When the very words that he had been thinking intensely about up to a moment before came from the receiver of his phone, Nam Kyung sat up involuntarily.

    ¡°As in THE short stories!?¡±

    ¡°Are we on the same page here?¡±

    ¡°School.¡±

    Then, a low, but innocent-sounding chuckle, which implied confirmation, came from the receiver of the editor¡¯s phone.

    ¡°Are you thinking about it!?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to talk about it with you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Absolutely!¡±

    Although it still wasn¡¯t clear what it was going to be about, it was certainly good news. Then, after making ns with Juho, the editor hung up, determined to convince the young author to publish those short stories.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Been a while since we came here, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    For the first time in years, Juho was at the restaurant near the editor¡¯s office, which they had visited once in the past. The fact that there were private rooms in the restaurants made it a convenient spot for a meeting.

    ¡°The magazine¡¯s doing pretty well, huh?¡± Nam Kyung said light-heartedly. Since the release of the magazine, fans had been absorbing every bit of information about Yun Woo like sponges, and its sales alone were proof of that.

    ¡°There are quite a few people who are impressed that the interview was carried out entirely in English.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    Although it was trivial and insignificant, seeing Yun Woo on the screen of aputer or a TV had been alien and distant to his fans. The interview in the magazine had sessfully removed that distance between his fans and their favorite author almost instantly.

    ¡°But nothinges close to how much people talk about the background in the photos.¡±

    The ce in which the interview had been carried out, the author¡¯s home. Stacks of manuscripts of towering height. The fans had grown wild, as if having obtained clues that they had long sought after. They were ecstatic that Yun Woo could be within the boundaries ofmon knowledge and rationality.

    ¡°A lot of people seem to see your frugal lifestyle in a positive light.¡±

    ¡°See, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m frugal at all. Yet, I get that a lot.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I get that a lot, too,¡± Juho said, chuckling quietly. He was starting to get a grasp for how others viewed him, and Nam Kyung seemed to be quite satisfied by how the young author was being received, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s been a single reader who came to oppose buying your books after finding out who you really were.¡±

 Chapter 278 - The Fate of the Short Stories (1)

    <h4>Chapter 278: The Fate of the Short Stories (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    When the waiter came into the room with Juho¡¯s and Nam Kyung¡¯s orders, Juho was struck by the thought that he had seen him before. With that, the waiter, who appeared to be the owner of the restaurant, nced at the young author¡¯s face and said, ¡°Enjoy,¡± leaving the room after. Then, after tasting a spoonful of the soup, Juho was reminded of just how delicious the food was, just like what he had thought during his previous visit. Nam Kyung eating there often made sense.

    After the two talked casually over the meal for a little while, the young author brought up the actual subject matter that he wanted to discuss with his editor. ¡°How¡¯s the website doing?¡±Juho asked about thepany¡¯s website, which was being actively managedtely.

    Then, Nam Kyung, looking like he was d that Juho was asking the question, reached for the side dishes and said, ¡°It¡¯s still being flooded by people asking us to publish those short stories. I could show it to you if you want.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡±

    The fans were still anxious to get their hands on the short stories, anxious to see what they were like.

    ¡°So, were you thinking about getting those short stories published?¡± Nam Kyung asked, and Juho didn¡¯t deny it. Seeing that the young author was being ambiguous and more reserved, Nam Kyung took the opportunity to push for it. ¡°I say we go for it, Mr. Woo.¡±

    It was a suggestion Juho had been hearing quite often as ofte. Since he had revealed himself, the distance between Yun Woo and his fans had shrunk considerably, which meant that their requests became all the more apparent to the young author. This time was no exception. Nam Kyung sounded as if he were ovepping with the readers¡¯ voices.

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought of what I wanna write about next.¡±

    ¡°Right... what?¡± Nam Kyung let out, caught off guard and blinking awkwardly.

    ¡°It¡¯s a story that takes ce in school.¡±

    ¡°Ah...¡±

    As the situation dawned on the editor, he found himself getting increasingly confused. Yun Woo had apletely different idea. Being the enticing author that he was, any idea for a book would have stirred Nam Kyung¡¯s interest. A story that took ce in school, it had a pleasant ring to it.

    ¡°I¡¯m more interested in what I¡¯m going to be writing in the future than what I¡¯ve written in the past,¡± Juho said calmly, like a true author.

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Frankly, I want to focus solely on mapping out this new book without having to worry about the short stories at all,¡± Juho said, thinking, ¡®If this had happened before I¡¯d revealed myself to the public, I would¡¯ve started writing right away without having to exin myself like this.¡¯

    ¡°But everyone around me seems to want me to publish those short stories really badly,¡± Juho said. As an author, it wasn¡¯t right to neglect what the readers wanted. Meanwhile, Nam Kyung nodded by reflex.

    ¡°And something tells me that this will continue until I make a decision, which is why I wanted us to meet today.¡±

    As an editor, Nam Kyung was someone who made books, and his role was inherently different from that of an author, who wrote books. As a result, his perspective on writing had to be inherently different from a writer¡¯s. When Juho suggested to Nam Kyung that they meet, he had done so with the intention of hearing a certain answer, an answer that the young author hoped to hear from his editor-in-charge.

    ¡°So, it seems to me that you¡¯re debating either publishing the short stories or writing a new book.¡±

    ¡°OK. Before we go any further, I want you to take a look at this,¡± Juho said as he took a manuscript out of his bag. And after watching Juho in a daze, Nam Kyung asked, ¡°Are those...?¡±

    ¡°The manuscripts for the short stories.¡±

    Nam Kyung took them with both of his hands. Although they looked quite untidy, it didn¡¯t change the fact that they were the manuscripts of the very short stories that readers had been desperately asking for. As the editor flipped through the pages, he realized that the two short stories were entirely different from one another, from their contents to their narrators. The first thing that he noticed when taking the manuscripts from Juho had been their sheer weight. However, it didn¡¯t take long to read through them.

    ¡°The writing styles feel quite different from the usual,¡± Nam Kyung said, and seeing as though he was liking what he was seeing, Juho felt relieved. As an author, it was always nerve-racking to see his editor reading his manuscripts, and showing what he had written at school as Juho Woo was quite a different experience from the norm.

    ¡°Right. I was trying to hide my identity through my writing,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°It feels heavier and more serious than Yun Woo¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s something familiar about it, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Nam Kyung recalled havinge across that writing style in the past, and he was already working out the details of the n in his head to bring the short stories out to the world. With that, he scanned through the manuscripts again.

    ¡°I think we can use these manuscripts as is.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°In terms of content at least. But I¡¯d say we revise them at least once. Assuming that you¡¯re publishing these, that is. But the length...¡±

    The length wasn¡¯t quite long enough.

    ¡®It¡¯d be nice if we could include a few more short stories and bundle them together into aption. Apletely different piece, even,¡¯ Nam Kyung thought. At that moment, the editor looked up quickly. Yun Woo had just expressed that he had been inspired to write a new book.

    ¡°Not quite long enough, are they?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Yes, unfortunately. We¡¯re gonna need more.¡±

    ¡°You see, I just happen to have a story that I want to write.¡±

    At that, the pieces starteding together in the editor¡¯s head, just as Juho had intended. There was only one way to go about this situation, which didn¡¯t take long at all until the editor acknowledged it.

    ¡°So, a new piece on top of the two short stories. That¡¯s where you¡¯re going with this, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°I see no potential issue.¡±

    Not only were the short stories of substantial quality, but there was nothing bizarre or out of ce with Juho¡¯s new story, either. With that, Nam Kyung started calcting in his head, and seeing how excited he was, Juho decided to exin a little more about the new piece.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have all the nitty-gritty details at the moment, though.¡±

    Nevertheless, Juho fully intended to write it. Then, the young author told the editor about how he came to want for the setting to be a school.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t until I left school that it urred to me that I wanted to write about school.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s prettymon, actually,¡± Nam Kyung said. He had seen many authors who¡¯d gone through simr experiences.

    ¡°The new story will be entirely different from the two short stories.¡±

    ¡°And how is it going to be different?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s gonna be written in a different style, first of all, and I wanted to write something more cheerful this time.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung thought that the timing was just right for the idea because there were readers who missed the feel of Yun Woo¡¯s early days as a writer. What really needed to be considered was the writing style.

    ¡°And how long is this new story going to be?¡± Nam Kyung asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d say about a semi full-length?¡±

    ¡°So, the entireption would be about the length of ¡®Sublimation,¡¯ more or less. One semi full-length and two short stories.¡±

    ¡°The stories are not gonna be connected this time,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°I see. In that case, they will really feel like they were written by different authors.¡±

    Although It wasn¡¯t clear how the book would turn out, there was no element of surprise, either. Things had always been that way.

    ¡°I say we go for it, Mr. Woo,¡± Nam Kyung said. Then, looking at his editor, Juho gave him the answer he had been meaning to give all along, ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    Nam Kyung¡¯s face lit up at Juho¡¯s affirmative answer.

    ¡°The readers will flip when they hear about this,¡± he said.

    However, Juho was cautious about it all. ¡°I say we wait a little bit longer before we make an announcement. We don¡¯t know how things will turn out.¡±

    ¡°No problem. There¡¯s no rush, so let¡¯s take our time.¡±

    With that, the two resumed their meal, which had been put on pause for their discussion. After swallowing what was in his mouth, Nam Kyung asked with a subtle hope in his voice, ¡°Are there any other pieces of writing that you wrote at school?¡±

    After some thought, Juho said, ¡°Sure. I spent three years in the Literature Club, as you already know.¡±

    From time to time, the two had talked about the pieces Juho had written at school.

    ¡°I was thinking about including other shorter pieces too, like zero-one-zero-eight, or the one about the gem. The one you submitted for the school¡¯s essay contest had some character to it too.¡±

    ¡°I... don¡¯t know about that,¡± Juho said. The first two pieces were based on his younger clubmates, and they were essentially his gifts to them. On top of that, the school had deemed the story about the Bonobos uneptable.

    ¡°All of those stories belong to somebody,¡± the young author said.

    ¡°You should look at them, anyway. Can¡¯t hurt to look,¡± Nam Kyung said insistently, and Juho gave him a half-hearted, affirmative answer. There was a slim chance that the young author would ever bring up those stories again as he wasn¡¯t actually nning on rereading them. However, as ifpletely oblivious to the young author¡¯s intentions, Nam Kyung murmured cheerfully, ¡°Whatever they are, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll sell.¡±

    As an editor, sales were definitely one of the things Nam Kyung needed to think about. Nam Kyung was confident that young author would bring back products of undeniable quality, predicting that he would be able to continue making quality books with Juho. Then, after staring intently at Nam Kyung, Juho asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t we getting a little ahead of ourselves. What if I bring back garbage?¡±

    ¡°I highly doubt that,¡± Nam Kyung said, and instead of giving him an answer, Juho smiled with his eyes.

    ¡°Like I said, there¡¯s no rush. With the number of books you have published up to this point, you can probably take a nice, long break of about three years without having to work a single day in your life.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say? Should I really take a break then?¡±

    At that, an unusually confident smile appeared on Nam Kyung¡¯s face.

    ¡°Do you think you could do that?¡± he asked. To which, the young author raised both of his hands and said, ¡°Probably not.¡±

    If Juho were to take a break from his writing career, it wouldn¡¯t be long until he¡¯d start writing again, even if it was of poor quality. Without writing, there wouldn¡¯t be a way to digest and alleviate the emotions hiding deep within his heart. Meanwhile, Nam Kyung was well acquainted with the author, who he had been working with for an unusual number of years. At that moment, Nam Kyung¡¯s phone started to vibrate on the table, and the two fixed their eyes on the device simultaneously.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    After briefly gesturing to Juho with his eyes, Nam Kyung answered the phone. Then, just as he was about to stand up, he stopped in his tracks. Juho was watching everything.

    ¡°Who called?!¡± Nam Kyung let out, looking at Juho. It sounded like somebody had called the publishingpany. ¡®Who could it be?¡¯ Juho asked himself. Then, a thought crossed his mind shortly after. Seeing the curious look on Juho¡¯s face, Nam Kyung moved the phone away from his mouth and said, ¡°from the book concert.¡±

    At that, the young author knew exactly who Nam Kyung was referring to. It was the reader. The fan from the book concert had finally tried to reach her favorite author after reading the recent interview in the magazine.

    ¡°Just the person I¡¯ve been waiting for,¡± Juho said.

    ¡ª

    The nine authors hade together in order to publish a literary magazine. Each and every one of them was a well-renowned name, and the magazine had been a massive sess, which had even led to the authors holding a book concert. Although it had been widely known that Yun Woo hadn¡¯t attended the concert, it turned out that he had, in fact, attended the concert after all. On top of that, the reader had talked to the young author in person.

    Yun Woo wanted to meet her. It had been through a blog that she had first found out about the interview. In the post that quoted the excerpts of the interview, she hade across a situation that had sounded all too familiar to her. The moment she read that, she grasped that she was the person Yun Woo had referred to immediately. However, at the end of the day, the information she hade across had been part of some blog, which wasn¡¯t exactly the most reliable source. It hadn¡¯t been reliable enough for her to call the publishingpany. In the end, she had chosen to make an effort to get a copy of the magazine that contained Yun Woo¡¯s most recent interview, and after some time, she had finally gotten her hands on one. After referring to the original source and checking the post that had gone viral in the fan cafe, she had finally mustered up enough courage to send Zelkova an email. Then, to her surprise, the publishingpany got back to her, nearly causing her to have a heart attack.

    ¡°Should we take a picture?¡±

    At the voiceing from nearby, the reader¡¯s hands started shaking involuntarily. It was the same voice as the one she had heard in the videos that had been floating around the inte, which she also recalled having heard in person once. It sounded familiar on one hand, and foreign on the other. As she looked up slowly, she saw Yun Woo right before her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± she asked, dumbfounded. Although she knew full well what the young author was asking, she couldn¡¯t say a word from the moment she first saw him. They were in a restaurant in Cheongdam-Dong on their own. In that spacious restaurant, there were only two more tables that were upied. It was a ce she had never been to, and it was clear that it wasn¡¯t going to be a cheap meal. She vaguely remembered hearing about the restaurant and how the head chef had made a TV appearance.

    ¡°The picture that you couldn¡¯t take that day?¡± Yun Woo repeated himself in a friendly manner. At which point, the reader couldn¡¯t help but smile, just as she had done in the past. It was an ambiguous smile that resulted from not knowing what to say. Her cheeks were starting to feel sore from smiling for such a long time. She was clueless as to how to respond to her favorite author¡¯s questions, feeling unbearably bashful.

    ¡°You know when we were waiting in line together?¡± Yun Woo said. His considerate nature made her all the more embarrassed.

    ¡°I remember how eager you were to take pictures of Yun Woo, saying that you were certain that he was gonna be at the concert.¡±

    ¡°I...¡±

    Revisiting that memory had always been humiliating. ¡®What were the odds of running into Yun Woo, of all people?¡¯ The thought suffocated her from within.

    ¡°I¡¯m terribly embarrassed about that,¡± she said, genuinely bashful.

 Chapter 279 - The Fate of the Short Stories (2)

    <h4>Chapter 279: The Fate of the Short Stories (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    When the reader looked at the young author, she immediately remembered what Juho had looked like when they had first met while waiting in line for the concert. As the light shone on his face, it dawned on her that Yun Woo was still quite young.

    ¡°Honestly, I appreciated you talking to me. I¡¯d never been to a concert up to that point.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so d that I was able to help in some way. I¡¯ve actually been to quite a few.¡±

    A concert hall was a familiar environment to her, and the Yun Woo she had seen back then had obviously not been used to being in one. If she had known that the young high school boy was Yun Woo, she wouldn¡¯t have been so brave as to strike up a conversation with him so seamlessly. If anything, she¡¯d have frozen like she was in the present,

    ¡°I¡¯m not quite used to eating at a ce like this,¡± Yun Woo said, which the reader thought was directed at her. As she watched the young author looking around the interior of the restaurant, a question that she had been meaning to ask finally came to her.

    ¡°Is this your first time here?¡±

    Which the young author answered calmly, ¡°It is. I asked my editor-in-charge for some rmendations, and he brought up this restaurant. I gotta say, the food is quite good.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    The young author¡¯s considerate nature was more than enough to melt the heart of the reader. Unfortunately, she had no time to savor the food. With Yun Woo before her eyes, the taste was hardly a concern. Then...

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said rigidly, and the young author waved his hand in denial. As his long fingers came into her view, it urred to her that it was with that very hand that the young author wrote.

    ¡°The pleasure¡¯s mine. Also, I apologize for not introducing myself properly and openly back then,¡± Yun Woo said.

    ¡°Oh! No, no!¡±

    Considering that Yun Woo had had to keep his identity hidden back then, it made sense to her that the young author had had to be so discreet. In her mind, the author didn¡¯t owe her an apology. At the same time, his humble and modest nature made him all the more likable. After that, the reader looked up to observe him some more. He was in the middle of eating. She looked attentively at her favorite author, from his eyes, which were looking down at the te, to his lips, and his thick, dark eyebrows. His straight posture stood out. He gave an impression that he would naturally smell like paper and ink. She sped her hands together as the desire to take pictures of him came rushing back. Although his pictures were no longer a rarity on the inte, that didn¡¯t make her any less willing. There was something special about Yun Woo. If she were to describe him as food, he would be simr to a stockpile of emergency rations: the bigger the pile, the more at peace one would feel.

    ¡°Did you realize that I was talking about you when you saw the interview?¡± Yun Woo asked, looking at the reader.

    ¡°I did. I remember writing a post on the fan cafe. I still remember it.¡±

    She also remembered Dae Soo Na pointing to the young author in the audience as the concert had neared its end. She recalled having been quite suspicious back then. When she told the author how she had felt during that time, Yun Woo was impressed.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite observant.¡±

    Then, she felt all of her facial muscles moving up on their own, much like her mood. As an active member of the fan cafe, who uploaded at least three posts a day, her state of bliss waspletely justified, and it was no longer possible for her to act normal while the person she had been writing about was sitting in front of her. But what about Yun Woo? This had to be his first time eating with an actual reader after revealing himself. Then, after ncing at him, the reader looked down. There was a question in her mind that she wasn¡¯t entirelyfortable asking.

    ¡°Do you have something you wanna ask me?¡± Yun Woo asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°Please, feel free.¡±

    The young author had an attitude that was consistent with the one he had had in the recent magazine interview. The celebrity author who had been interviewed by a renowned American magazine was sitting right in front of her. In the end, the question that had been lingering in the back of her throat came shooting out of her mouth.

    ¡°How does it feel to meet with a reader?¡±

    At that, a gentle smile spread across his face.

    ¡°It¡¯s confusing.¡±

    Unfortunately, what came out of the young author¡¯s mouth wasn¡¯t exactly the sweetest sounding words.

    ¡°How so?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s my first time. I¡¯m delighted to be here, but I¡¯m kind of nervous at the same time.¡±

    ¡°Nervous? I wouldn¡¯t have known if you hadn¡¯t told me.¡±

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s a good thing.¡±

    When she discovered that the author was actually nervous, she felt more at peace. Then, as she became morefortable, the question she had been holding back came out involuntarily.

    ¡°Would you mind showing me your hands?¡±

    ¡°My hands?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about what your writing hands look like.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re just as in as everyone else¡¯s,¡± the young author said, putting the knife down and putting one of his hands out. Although she reached for it with both of her hands, she didn¡¯t grab it. Instead, with her hands lingering around the young author¡¯s, she scanned through the hand she had been so curious about. With its long, bumpy fingers, it was a neat looking hand, and the young author had written a number of masterpieces that had brought him to the top with it. When she thought about that, the author¡¯s hand looked much more magnificent than any other hand she hade across up to that point. She felt an affection for him. She liked the young author in front of her. More precisely, she liked his writing.

    ¡°Would you like to take a picture of my hand too?¡± Yun Woo asked. At that moment, a waiter, who was dressed in the traditional attire of white shirt and ck pants, walked past their table, ncing at the young author and briefly locking eyes with the reader. When she saw that another person had recognized her eating, taking pictures, and talking to Yun Woo, she felt a sense of bliss and happiness wash over her.

    ¡°Oh! I¡¯ve been curious about the bird.¡±

    ¡°The bird, you say.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve always wanted to know what it signified in your writing.¡±

    Usually a significant being in his novels, the bird had always been closely associated with Yun Woo, and he had offered no exnation in any of the interviews he had been a part of, either. When she observed him, he was deep in thought. Then, his eyes narrowed shortly after.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to keep that a secret.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not surprising.¡±

    ¡°But if I were to tell you just a little bit,¡± Yun Woo said, pausing briefly before adding, ¡°There¡¯s a part of me that always wants to soar up to the sky.¡±

    That was the reason for the bird to be included in most of his novels. It was ambiguous on one hand, but it somehow made sense on the other. The bird was a representation of Yun Woo.

    ¡°Then why did you have the brother twist the bird by the neck and kill it in ¡®Trace of a Bird?¡¯¡±

    Then, Yun Woo looked intently at her, and it urred to her that she might have made a big mistake by asking that question.

    ¡°That¡¯s a sharp question,¡± he said.

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    With that, Yun Woo looked to the side, into thin air, deep in thought.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good question. Why do you think I killed it?¡± he asked. However, he didn¡¯t sound like he genuinely didn¡¯t know. It wasn¡¯t a difficult question by any means. In fact, it was so easy that a possible answer came to the reader¡¯s mind almost instantly. Ironically, Yun Woo wasn¡¯t big on coincidence. However, once the author brought up the answer, her doubt became fact.

    ¡°You¡¯re a handsome man,¡± the reader said in order to salvage the situation. Yun Woo seemed to be caught off guard by her remark, as if he had heard a word that he had never heard before. However, they weren¡¯t merely empty words. There were quite a few fans who thought he was handsome, and as an active member of the fan cafe, the reader would be able to testify to how her fellow members thought of the young author and his looks.

    ¡°Beauty is very much subjective,¡± Yun Woo said as he barely managed to think of an answer. Then, recognizing that the precarious atmosphere had passed, the reader asked another question in order to confirm that the young author was still open to answering more questions.

    ¡°So, there¡¯s something else I¡¯ve been really curious about.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can ask about something like this.¡±

    ¡°Ask away.¡±

    At his answer, the reader felt relieved. Like most fans, there was a burning question on her mind. It was a topic that was bound toe up at the mention of the young author¡¯s name: The fate of the short stories.

    ¡°It¡¯s about the short stories,¡± she said, and Yun Woo nodded quietly, as if he had predicted she would ask about them. ¡®How old was he again?¡¯ she thought to herself, feeling less confident about the things she knew about the author.

    ¡°Will you publish them at all?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Would you like to see them published?¡± Yun Woo asked the obvious question, and the reader responded by nodding emphatically.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m dying to read them,¡± she said, hoping that her eagerness would get across to the young author. However, unlike the reader, a peaceful smile appeared on Yun Woo¡¯s face.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m gonna tell you a little secret.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± she said in anticipation for what he was about to say. Yun Woo had always been mindful of his readers¡¯ expectations.

    ¡°They¡¯lle out in the near future.¡±

    And it was no different that time. The reader felt her heart jump. And being the tactful author that he was, having recognized that she wanted a confirmation, he exined it more to her in a friendly manner, ¡°They¡¯ll get released, no matter what.¡±

    Upon hearing the exciting news, she felt the sudden urge to scream with joy.

    ¡°You¡¯re serious, right!?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare lie to my reader.¡±

    ¡°Would it be OK if I told other people?¡±

    After all, good news needed to be shared.

    ¡°I¡¯d prefer it stay a secret between us, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll change the world or anything if you were to spill the beans, either.¡±

    Although it was an ambiguous answer, the reader was still ecstatic that Yun Woo was finally publishing the short stories, just like his readers wanted. Then, despite having decided to not let her emotions get the best of her, she said, ¡°Honestly, I had really debated on whether or not I should take pictures of you back then.¡±

    ¡°Back then as in...?¡±

    ¡°In the concert hall.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Yun Woo let out, indicating that he understood what she was referring to. As Yun Woo answered Dae Soo¡¯s questions, the reader couldn¡¯t help but think that the boy might be Yun Woo, and her intuition had led her to take her camera out. However, what had kept her from pressing the shutter release button had been the signs within the hall, which read: ¡®Photography Prohibited.¡¯ Although she had been fully aware that she shouldn¡¯t be taking pictures, her urges had been quite strong. In the end...

    ¡°So, I ended up putting it back in my bag,¡± she said, wearing a candid smile for the first time, adding, ¡°In hindsight, I think I did the right thing.¡±

    Because she hadn¡¯t given in to her urge, she had been able to meet her favorite author at the restaurant. If she were to have given in to her desire and taken pictures of the young author, she wouldn¡¯t have been able toe out to meet him. She would have been known as a reader with no regards for rules by her favorite author, and it wouldn¡¯t have been long until the news had gotten out that she hadn¡¯t abided by the rules.

    ¡°Also, I think meeting you without knowing who you were was for the better.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because if I had known who you were, I would have been way too nervous to even say a word, frozen, kind of like how I¡¯ve been today. You wouldn¡¯t have remembered my challenging spirit either,¡± she said, adding shortly after, ¡°and I¡¯m genuinely happy that you took your time with your decision to publish those short stories. Thanks to you, I have the privilege of being the first fan to know.¡±

    Although she was fully aware of how selfish that sounded, she wanted to remind the young author that there were readers who found delight and joy in his decision. Then, with an ambiguous look on his face, Yun Woo said, ¡°Right,¡± sping his hands together and rubbing them. The seemingly strange behavior continued throughout the meal. Scratching and pinching, the young author behaved as if his hands itched unbearably, all the while with a peaceful look on his face. However, when she decided that it was time to take pictures of the author, his behavior was no longer of concern. She was also preupied with thoughts of getting the best photo possible. With that, she took her camera out of her bag.

    ¡°I recognize that camera,¡± Yun Woo said. To which, she replied, ¡°I made sure to bring this one.¡±

    Standing shoulder to shoulder with Yun Woo, the shutter sounded from the camera.

    ¡°Oh, no! I blinked!¡± she said. From then on, they took a few more pictures together, and needless to say, the first thing she did after returning from the glorious meeting with her favorite author was to write a post on the fan cafe.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I took pictures with Yun Woo! Picture included. A gift from Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡®Hello! Yes, I am that person you¡¯re thinking of, the one who ran into Yun Woo by coincidence. Well, let me tell you, today was anything but coincidental because I met with him. For those who might not be aware, although you¡¯ll know what I¡¯m about to tell you immediately if you¡¯ve read the recent magazine interview, Yun Woo shared an anecdote in his most recent interview: that he had attended the book concert as a member of the audience. Shocking, I know. And I happened to have talked to him while waiting in line for the concert, all without even knowing he was Yun Woo. Anyway, as you¡¯ve probably figured out from the title, we had a nice conversation over a delicious meal in a high-end restaurant in Cheongdam-Dong followed by a brief photo session. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have a whole lot to say about the food since I was too nervous to even taste what I was eating.

    ¡®First of all, I¡¯m sure most of you are curious about what the experience was like. At first, I was so nervous that I couldn¡¯t say a word to him, like a fan meeting their favorite celebrity. Not only did I get a closer look at his writing hand to my heart¡¯s content, but I also took pictures of it. He was very open to answering my questions, but I don¡¯t think I even went through to a tenth of the number of questions I was meaning to ask him. I guess there¡¯s nothing really I could¡¯ve done to change that, and thinking about that honestly makes me a little sad. But that isn¡¯t to say that I came back empty-handed. First, he sent me a copy of each and every one of his books up to this point by mail the next day, including the ones I haven¡¯t gotten to read yet. Crazy, right? But that¡¯s not even the best part. If you¡¯re still reading, I want you to pay very close attention to what I¡¯m about to tell you. I¡¯m only sharing this because I got the OK from Yun Woo personally. Still with me? Good. Then, let me ask you this. What¡¯s the first thing thates to mind when you think of the name Yun Woo? Personally, I think it¡¯s his unreleased short stories. A lot of people have been wanting to get there hands on them, myself included. Now, do you see where I¡¯m going with this? That¡¯s right. I heard confirmation from the author himself, in person. If I were to describe the situation... Tell you what, I¡¯ll just cut to the chase and quote what he said, word for word.

    ¡®¡±They¡¯ll get released, no matter what.¡±

    ¡®All right! How¡¯s that for good news? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all doing this already, but let¡¯s all take a moment and shout with joy. Let the world know just how happy we are.¡¯

 Chapter 280 - The Fate of the Short Stories (3)

    <h4>Chapter 280: The Fate of the Short Stories (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho woke up just at the tail end of the morning. The house was quiet, and it remained that way as long as the owner of the house stayed quiet. Yet, the house wasn¡¯t exactly silent due to the noises that came from both inside and outside, from his toothbrush, which made noise as he brushed his teeth, to the refrigerator, and the cars outside. As the young author sat on top of his sheets, they also made a noise. Then, he went back to the bathroom in order to rinse out his mouth. That day, he was paying close attention to every little task he was doing, which he would hardly have paid attention to normally. He had to write a story in order to introduce the two short stories to the world and he wanted the new story to be something purer and more cheerful than what he usually wrote.

    ¡°I better eat something,¡± the young author said. After a quick meal, he opened the refrigerator in search of water and saw the leftover beer from the time when he had his clubmates over. Needless to say, a thought crossed his mind: ¡®Maybe I¡¯ll think of something after a drink or two.¡¯ Then, the sound of the refrigerator mming shut reverberated through the house shortly after.

    After meeting with a certain reader, Juho had decided on the direction the story would take. The reader¡¯s remark about the young author taking his time deciding to publish his short stories had been lingering in his mind, and in response, Juho wanted to write something that would be worth the wait to his readers. Frankly, on the day he had met with the reader, he had wanted to run out of the restaurant in the middle of the meal in order toe home and write. The itch on his hand had nearly gotten out of control. Upon arriving home, Juho wrote away frantically and discovered that the story still wasn¡¯t quite good enough. The stacks of manuscript paper on his desk were proof of that realization. One story was about dropping out of school. Another was about beautiful, daily life at school. And finally, one was about the chaos of a student¡¯s confusion upon finding out that the had been in the wrong ssroom the entire day. Every single one of them was subpar.

    Juho paced back and forth around the house, cleaning and ventting the house while he was at it. He also hung theundry and finished doing the dishes. As the house became more organized, so did his thoughts. His patience started to grow thin.

    In the end, he sat in front of hisputer and logged on the inte for some news. From the hottest topics to the biggest controversies, politicians targeted by critics, and weather, a slew of information appeared on the monitor. At that moment, the name Yun Woo jumped out at the young author.

    Yun Woo¡¯s decision to publish the short stories had already be widespread news, and the reader¡¯s post on the fan cafe, of which she was part, was spreading across the inte like wildfire, including the news about the short stories. As the fans grew incredibly excited, the media outlets started putting out articles that would hype up the news even more. Despite the obvious and shallow intentions of the media, people still fell for their strategy. However, Juho still couldn¡¯t find what he was looking for, even in the midst of the chaos. At that moment, a movie review caught the young author¡¯s attention. It seemed like Myung Joo Mu, with whom Juho was acquainted, was in the movie. Although the movie seemed well received by the general public, there were a handful of people who criticized the movie, as well as those who defended it. How people were able to take something as simple as a movie and to turn it into aplex debate was beyond the young author. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve watched a movie. Maybe I should go watch one sometime,¡¯ Juho thought to himself. However, he knew full well that he would most likely not be able to carry it out.

    ¡°The Sun¡¯s already setting,¡± he let out. By the time he finished the movie, Juho realized just how much time had passed. It was starting to get dark out. Then, after standing in a daze for a little while, he picked up a pen and started to write, still not entirely sure of what he was writing. Brushing his teeth. Alcohol. Politicians. Sunset. An actor. Nothing interesting came out. By the time he finished writing, it waspletely dark out. Just like that, after even more time had passed, a noise started echoing through the house all of a sudden. It sounded like something was shaking. It was his phone, which was vibrating, letting its owner know that Dae Soo was calling.

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    ¡°We need to have an outing again,¡± she said, getting right to the point. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t enough context for the young author to understand.

    ¡°What outing?¡±

    ¡°OUR outing!¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s about that time. We need to hang out. We¡¯ve all been very busy.¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true.¡±

    There were a handful of authors who Juho hadn¡¯t seen in a while, and as the leader of the club, it made sense that Dae Soo was trying to organize another outing.

    ¡°So, when is this gonna be?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re still figuring it out. When are you free?¡±

    ¡°Anytime. My schedule¡¯s been pretty flexibletely,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Dae Soo said as if d to hear that.

    ¡°Anybody who can¡¯t make it?¡±

    ¡°San Jung probably can¡¯t. She¡¯s in Taiwan.¡±

    San Jung had flown to Taiwan in order to gather more data for her next book. Once she finished collecting all the information she needed, she would probably start writing immediately. Slowly and unhurriedly, one word at a time. Her absence meant that her studio in the mountains had been left unupied, which made Juho wonder if the mountains were at all affected by the absence of the author.

    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s not easy to have everyonee out,¡± Dae Soo said.

    ¡°That¡¯s a bummer.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well. Makes nning easier on my end,¡± she said, adding, ¡°Choi¡¯s been acting like he¡¯s busy too. He¡¯s writing, apparently.¡±

    She still refused to call the romance author by his full name. Having been at the scene while Choi asked San Jung for information when they were at her studio, Juho thought it made sense that he would be busy by now.

    ¡°From what I heard, the two pupils have been spending most of their time in their studios as well. Eh, I don¡¯t know,¡± she said as if they were bothersome to her.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s turning out to be a bit of a challenge, huh?¡±

    ¡°There are still people whoe out more consistently though. Well, anyway, I¡¯ll just assume that you¡¯reing out then,¡± she said.

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    With that, he hung up and,ter, received a text from Dae Soo about the date, time, and ce of the outing. It was going to be on a weekend, and as usual, they were meeting at Madame Song¡¯s restaurant.

    ¡°Been a while since I¡¯ve gone,¡± he said, looking forward to the outing.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Get in,¡± the driver in the car told Juho, who was staring at the wall, still mapping out his story. As the window slid down halfway, Dae Soo¡¯s face appeared on the other side.

    ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡± Mideum said from the back seat, and he greeted them as he got into the passenger¡¯s seat of the car, ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the hat and sunsses?¡± Mideum asked, pointing at the young author¡¯s face and chuckling.

    Then, taking his hat off, Juho said, ¡°It was kind of bright out today. Besides, there are still a lot of people who don¡¯t recognize me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± Mideum said. Seeing that she wasn¡¯t buying his answer, Juho exined further in order to build up trust with her, ¡°I don¡¯t wear them when I go out to exercise.¡±

    ¡°Really? Do you put makeup on instead?¡± she asked, putting a different twist to the answer, just like a detective writer. However, the trick was much simpler than that.

    ¡°No. I just keep running,¡± the young author answered, As long as he kept running, others around him wouldn¡¯t recognize him, just like how he wouldn¡¯t recognize them. He had never been stopped while in his everyday run.

    ¡°So, you just keep running, huh? What about traffic lights?¡±

    ¡°I usually stop where there are no people around. I¡¯ve never been caught while waiting for the light... so far.¡±

    ¡°Huh!¡±

    While the two conversed, the car took off. Then, looking at the young author¡¯s house fading into the distance, Mideum said, ¡°How¡¯s it having your own ce?¡±

    ¡°Nothing all that special.¡±

    ¡°Do you keep your house clean and tidy? You¡¯re not living in a pigsty, are you?¡±

    ¡°I can confidently say that I live in a civilized home after all the cleaning I did a few days back,¡± Juho said, remembering all the cleaning he had done while mapping out the new story. Of course, not knowing what the young author was really talking about, Mideum eximed quietly, impressed.

    Then, Dae Soo asked, ¡°You don¡¯t have a pool table sitting in your house, do you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never do anything like that. You can rest assured.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, he really needs to work on that spending habit of his,¡± she said.

    ¡°But we get to y pool for free because of that,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Sure, but that¡¯s the only good thing about having a pool table, though,¡± she said. Although Dae Soo had some harsh things to say about Seo Joong and his spending habit, nobody dared object.

    ¡°Well, what did you do when you became an adult? Did you drink?¡± Mideum said in order to change the subject.

    ¡°I did, with my friends,¡± Juho said and told the two authors a brief summary of that day he drank with his clubmates at his home.

    ¡°Man, I remember when I was twenty years old.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like youth, all right.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, I can go for a drink or two. Dae Soo, what do you say?¡± Mideum asked. She was quite the drinker.

    ¡°You make it sound like you can keep yourself under control,¡± Dae Soo said, snorting.

    ¡°Juho, you¡¯re drinking with us, all right?¡± she said in an excited tone.

    Meanwhile, the young author was looking out the window, looking at the scenery rushing past, thinking of how uncannily simr it was to how things looked to someone drunk.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not really feelin¡¯ it today.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t really like the taste of alcohol all that much.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± Mideum let out with her jaw dropped. On the other hand, Dae Soo remained unfazed and said, ¡°That¡¯s natural. You wonder why people even drink in the first ce, you know.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You need experience.¡±

    At that, Dae Soo gave the detective writer a subtle warning, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about forcing him to drink.¡±

    ¡°... of course. That goes without saying.¡±

    The car zoomed through the road, as if representing Dae Soo¡¯s unforgiving point of view on alcohol. Arriving at Madame Song¡¯s restaurant in a car was quite a different experience. Simrly, depending on how one decided to go about getting to their destination, it was possible for them to have different experiences getting there.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°It seems like people got here early.¡±

    After getting out of the car, the three were greeted by the mirrors on the wall, with which they were all familiar. Then, led by the waitress, they arrived at a room that was slightly smaller than the one they had been in during their previous visit. However, it was still bigger than the one Juho had been in with Hyun Do.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Seo Joong greeted them, waving his hand and wearing his trademark sweatshirt and pants. Next to him, was Dong Gil, who gave them a nod with a cold expression on his face.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Dae Soo greeted back, seating in front of the round table. The seat facing her was yet to be taken.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you busy?¡± Seo Joong asked while Juho was preupied looking at the patterns of the wallpaper. His scrubby chin told the young author that he hadn¡¯t shaved on his way out.

    ¡°Not really, no.¡±

    ¡°It seemed like you were when I read about you on the inte.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a bit of a time difference between here and the US. I was pretty busy at one point.¡±

    ¡°Pff! You sound like an old man already. I think that what you¡¯re trying to say is that you¡¯re ABOUT TO get even busier,¡± Seo Joong said,ughing flippantly. Just as he had said, Juho was about to get a lot busier with writing.

    ¡°What have you been up to these days?¡±

    ¡°I watched a movie.¡±

    ¡°With friends?¡±

    ¡°No, on my own,¡± Juho said and gave Seo Joong a brief summary of the movie. Although he seemed to recognize the name of the movie, he didn¡¯t seem all that interested.

    ¡°Oh, man! We¡¯re notte, are we?¡±

    At that, Juho turned around to look to where the voice wasing from and saw two more people walking into the room, the two pupils. After Joon Soo came into the room, Geun Woo followed him shortly after, and when they took their seats, the table became fully upied at once.

    ¡°Is this everyone?¡± Dae Soo murmured. At that, Juho looked around. From Seo Joong, who looked like a local bum, to Dong Gil, who looked like an officer of some conglomerate. Joon Soo, who looked happy by default, and Geun Woo, who looked naturally sad. Dae Soo, the leader of the club, and finally, Mideum, the drunk.

    ¡°This is a lot more people than I thought,¡± Geun Woo said from the seat right across from Juho. There were deep, dark circles underneath his eyes, which only made him look even sadder. Then, as the food arrived, the outing officially began.

    ¡°Good to see you all,¡± Joon Soo said in a friendly tone. Unlike Geun Woo, he was always smiling. Juho saw him tap his ss with his finger three times. He tended to obsess over the number three.

    ¡°Whew! That¡¯s the stuff!¡±

    ¡°Go easy on the alcohol, now.¡±

    As Mideum started drinking without hesitation, Dong Gil talked to her in order to prevent her from drinking too fast. As usual of him, he was cautious even while he was eating, making sure not to let the food stain his clothes.

    ¡°Eh, let her be. She¡¯ll take care of herself.¡±

    Meanwhile, Seo Joong was picking up the pieces of meat that had fallen out of his te with his chopsticks.

    ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you to slow down a little, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°So what if I¡¯m drinking a little faster?¡±

    ¡°Excessive drinking ruins your health.¡±

    ¡°So what if it ruins my health?¡±

    At that, Dong Gil¡¯s face quickly twisted into a scowl. Because they were both equally stubborn, they tended to sh over the smallest things. It was very much a possibility that about half of their conversations took ce in the form of an argument.

    ¡°All right, guys. Break it up,¡± Joon Soo said, raising his hand. By contrast, Dae Soo, who was the oldest in the group, didn¡¯t even bother to break up the two.

    Remaining unfazed, as if he was used to Joon Soo¡¯s mediation attempts, Geun Woo struck up a conversation with Juho, ¡°I read your interview.¡±

 Chapter 281 - The Fate of the Short Stories (4)

    <h4>Chapter 281: The Fate of the Short Stories (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Did you?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I did. You¡¯re a good speaker,¡± Geun Woo said,plimenting Juho.

    ¡°They must¡¯ve edited the article so that it looked like I knew what I was talking about,¡± Juho said, waving his hand in denial.

    ¡°But you did just as well on TV, and I¡¯m sure they edited the video too,¡± Geun Woo said, taking a sip of his beer.

    ¡°That is true.¡±

    Whenever Juho looked at Geun Woo¡¯s eyes, his dark circles became visible, and that was proving to be quite distracting. Geun Woo had made a sessful debut, and he had been working incredibly hard in order to keep that sess from marking the end of his writing career. ¡®I wonder what he thinks of me?¡¯ Juho thought to himself.

    ¡°Maybe I should try this whole anonymous-author thing.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Juho let out by reflex, but realized that Geun Woo wasn¡¯t serious shortly after. If he had actually meant it, then he wouldn¡¯t have brought it up in an asion like that.

    ¡°I just thought that some unknown writing style hidden deep within my conscience mighte to life if I mimic everything you do.¡±

    Although Juho was about to say t out that that would never happen, he remembered that there existed someone who hade back from the dead. Then, after some thought, the young author answered, ¡°I suppose it¡¯s not entirely absurd.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡± Geun Woo said light-heartedly.

    ¡°It might not be some hidden writing style thates to life, but you just might discover your hidden potential.¡±

    ¡°... You know, I brought it up as a joke, but I¡¯m not gonna lie, this is actually starting to sound pretty tempting.¡±

    At that moment, a loud burst ofughter cut their conversation short, and Dae Soo asked Geun Woo, ¡°Do you wanna be like Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°I wanna be popr,¡± Geun Woo told her exactly what he wanted.

    ¡°Me too,¡± Dae Soo said, agreeing with him shortly after.

    Then, as both corners of his mouth turned down, he said, ¡°But you already are.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± she said.

    ¡°But in that case, you¡¯re a lot more popr than you think. Compared to some aspiring writers who haven¡¯t even debuted yet, you¡¯re practically a star.¡±

    ¡°You got me there,¡± Geun Woo said, looking down and admitting it with a sigh.

    ¡°Pff! Somebody got in trouble,¡± Seo Joong said, taking the opportunity to let his mouth run.

    At which, Geun Woo objected impatiently, ¡°Nobody¡¯s in trouble! We were just talking!¡± However, there wasn¡¯t much confidence in his voice.

    Patting him on the shoulder, Mideum chimed in tofort him, ¡°I get where you¡¯reing from though. I mean, Yun Woo¡¯s doing really well.¡±

    Then, Joon Soo asked in his distinctively gentle tone of voice, ¡°The interview¡¯s been a major boost, huh?¡±

    ¡°Thankfully.¡±

    ¡°You know, I¡¯d pay to see Yun Woo getting taken down the bestsellers¡¯ list,¡± Seo Joong interjected, resting his face on his hand with his elbow on the table. ¡°I mean, how many of your books are in the list? I swear, prolific writers.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯smendable if you ask me,¡± Dong Gil said, cutting Seo Joong off and looking at the young author. Then, giving his friend a judgemental look for his flippant attitude, Dong Gil added, ¡°It means that his books are superb in both quantity and quality. It¡¯s definitely not an easy achievement. Yun Woo¡¯s a talented author.¡±

    Contrary to what Dong Gil thought of Seo Joong, Seo Joong thought that Dong Gil was way too serious for his own good.

    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say that I¡¯m the only one doing well. Joon Soo here released a poetryption, and it¡¯s be a bestseller.¡±

    ¡°All thanks to the media.¡±

    After Joon Soo¡¯s poems were quoted in a drama, his poetryption was growing increasingly popr. Simrly, other authors were on the rise. Mideum recently had a signing event in Japan, while Dae Soo had organized a gueri event at a neighborhood bookstore. She was either one of the backbones of Korean literature or she was on her way to bing one in the near future. Most people in the room had authored books that sold steadily.

    ¡°And then, Yun Woo reveals himself to the public,¡± Dae Soo said yfully.

    ¡°And of course, that means we¡¯re all in trouble,¡± Seo Joong said. Then, being the mischievous person that he was, Seo Joong looked around the room as he became the center of attention. Seeing how Dong Gil was quietly eating his food, he gave Geun Woo a subtle look. At which point, he smiled and told Juho, ¡°Everyone around me has been bothering me to get them a copy of the magazine.¡±

    At his genuine congrattions, Juho felt something bitter in his mouth.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be so modest now. You know you¡¯re the best, huh?¡± Mideum asked. His fellow authors wanted to know what the young author was thinking. Maybe it was more urate to say that they wanted to see him drunk with fame. Although he swayed left and right due to the influence of the authors around him, the genius tended to shine brightest when it came to novels.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare call myself that,¡± Juho said, sping his hands politely as a subtle gesture that told them that he wasn¡¯t going to give in to their pressure.

    ¡°I swear, he sounds like an old man. No. Fun.¡±

    ¡°You mean mature? Unlike somebody I know?¡± Dong Gil said. Of course, Seo Joong paid no attention to it.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you talk about me in the interview?¡± Mideum asked, wiping the beer from her mouth. To which, the young author answered with a shrug, ¡°There just wasn¡¯t a right time.¡±

    ¡°You mentioned ¡®River,¡¯ and the book concert, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Well, what would you have liked for me to say?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. Something along the lines of: ¡®There¡¯s this fellow author of mine by the name of Mideum Choo, and she¡¯s an incredible detective novel writer,¡¯¡± Mideum said in a low voice, as if mimicking the young author.

    ¡°Just think about how massive of an advertisement it would¡¯ve been! Yet, you only brought up Choi.¡±

    ¡°I had to be mindful of the flow of the interview,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°A flow is created, my young friend.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just not all that used to being part of an interview.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right. I saw you on TV!¡±

    Then, Joon Soo said as he handed some tissue over to Mideum, ¡°It is true that Sang¡¯s been drawing more attention, though.¡±

    Juho, too, had been aware of people¡¯s heightened interest in the romance writer who had drawn his first love out of him. If he¡¯d been present, he wouldn¡¯t have been afraid to show himself off. Meanwhile, shredding the tissue she had taken from Joon Soo into tiny pieces, Mideum seemed like she wasn¡¯t ready to let the young author off the hook any time soon.

    ¡°Why did you move on so quickly, though? You should¡¯ve talked about the book concert some more.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t really remember.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± she said, chugging the remaining beer in her ss. ¡°I¡¯ll take another ss!¡±

    Despite the amount of beer she had been drinking, there was not a tinge of red on her face. It was truly impressive. Then, seeing as though Juho hadn¡¯t touched his first ss of beer, she said, ¡°You¡¯re an adult now. Try it.¡±

    His fellow authors had ordered the young author a ss of beer in order to celebrate him bing an adult. However, Juho hadn¡¯t even touched it. Perplexed, Seo Joong asked, ¡°I noticed that you haven¡¯t even looked at it. Why aren¡¯t you drinking it?¡±

    At that, Mideum answered on Juho¡¯s behalf, ¡°He says he doesn¡¯t like the taste.¡±

    ¡°A-ha,¡± Seo Joon let out, nodding and looking at Juho as if looking at a child.

    ¡°Well, give it try. Atmosphere is a big part of the drinking experience. It just might taste better than you remember,¡± Seo Joong said, subtly tempting the young author.

    Mideum weighed in with him, ¡°Yeah! You said you drank with your friends, didn¡¯t you?¡± Drink with us!¡±

    ¡°Sorry. Not today.¡±

    ¡°Why!?¡±

    Unfortunately, Juho wasn¡¯t nning on drinking that day or the day after that. In fact, he intended on not drinking for a while. Looking at his cup filled with beer, he exined, ¡°I have a story to write.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Mideum let out, taken aback by Juho¡¯s answer. When Juho looked up, she was looking at him with a perplexed expression on her face.

    ¡°What story?¡± Joon Soo asked. The fellow authors had to be aware of the short stories being published in the near future.

    ¡°The one that wille out with the short stories. You see, the short stories are not long enough on their own.¡±

    ¡°I see. So, that¡¯s how things worked out.¡±

    ¡°So, Yun Woo¡¯s at it again, huh?¡±

    The fellow authors grasped the situation with the little information they had been given. Then, the air sank into silence as the authors each retreated into their respective minds. The first one to break the silence was Geun Woo.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you put us through enough trouble already?¡± he asked. Contrary how harsh the words had sounded, he had an unusually cheerful smile on his face.

    ¡°You tryin¡¯ to take over the world or somethin¡¯?¡± he said. Despite the dark circles underneath his eyes, Geun Woo looked genuinely happy to hear that the young author was writing again. ¡°When is iting out?¡±

    ¡°... Once I write it probably.¡±

    ¡°Do you ever take a break?¡± he asked, which was ironic whenpared to the exhausted look on his face.

    After a brief pause, Juho answered, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve been struggling to think of the details for the story. Maybe I really should take some time off.¡±

    ¡°Hey, man! I never said that you should take a break now. You gotta keep the promise you made with your readers. That¡¯s what a professional does,¡± Geun Woo said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you wanted to read my short stories that badly.¡±

    ¡°I wanna read every single piece you¡¯ve ever written.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Was that a little too far?¡±

    ¡°No, I appreciate your enthusiasm,¡± Juho said in order to keep Geun Woo from regretting his statement, and the rest of the authors exploded intoughter.

    ¡°We have a mega fan over here,¡± Dae Soo said, still smiling.

    Then, embarrassed by his fellow author¡¯s reactions, Geun Woo said, ¡°I mean, I can¡¯t be the only person who feels that way, right? Yun Woo writes some good stuff.¡±

    ¡°Yep. No doubt.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with that tone...? You¡¯re being sarcastic, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Puahaha!¡±

    Having be a punching bag of his fellow authors, Geun Woo had to withstand them poking fun at him. Meanwhile, Juho looked intently at him, wondering if he had been sincere about what he had said. He didn¡¯t seem to be lying. In fact, Juho wanted to hear more from him. At that moment, Joon Soo struck up a conversation with the young author, saying, ¡°Your readers must be ecstatic.¡±

    ¡°I sure hope so,¡± Juho said, looking toward him.

    ¡°So, what are those short stories like?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re entirely different from the books I¡¯ve written up to this point.¡±

    The short stories had nothing inmon with Yun Woo¡¯s writing, to which his fellow authors were used. They were not at all like what they were thinking, and it was very much possible that they would be disappointed by them.

    ¡°What about the new one you¡¯ve been working on?¡± Joon Soo asked, flicking his cup with his finger.

    ¡°Also different from what I¡¯ve written up to this point.¡±

    ¡°You know, I understand where Geun Woo ising from. I really do,¡± Joon Soo said, leaning back against the backrest of his chair. ¡°Seems like this piece will show just how versatile you are as a writer.¡±

    Juho agreed silently, reminding himself that he was writing something within his capabilities and that he was capable of writing something entirely different from what his readers and fellow authors were used to. Then, Dong Gil said, ¡°But you¡¯re stuck.¡±

    Smiling at his straightforward remark, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯m still working on it, but I seem to have some trouble figuring out the main plot.¡±

    ¡°Sounds to me like you already have a direction in mind,¡± Dong Gil said, pointing out the young author¡¯s progress precisely, and Juho decided to give his fellow authors a small hint about the story, ¡°I wanted to write a story that takes ce at school.¡±

    From that small piece of information, Joon Soo and Dong GIl understood where Juho wasing from almost instantly.

    ¡°Authors tend to want to write about ces they have left behind.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because it¡¯s gonna be released with the short stories, but there¡¯s something really special about the setting,¡± Joon Soo said. Just like he had said, the timing was working out to the young author¡¯s favor.

    ¡°I felt like writing something a little more cheerful this time.¡±

    ¡°You mean like ¡®Trace of a Bird?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Even more than that.¡±

    Although a seemingly brighter piece inparison to Yun Woo¡¯s other novels, ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ still had some serious elements that were integral to the story. However, what Juho was after this time was happiness and humor.

    ¡°Although, things could always change as I write.¡±

    ¡°Is it gonna be about some funny events that happen at school?¡± Mideum asked, summarizing all the information up to that point.

    ¡°Or it could be about the Literature Club?¡± Dong Gil said. He tended to infuse his own experience into his novel.

    ¡°I did think about that.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s not what you had it mind.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Then, Dae Soo narrowed her eyes and stared into the air, saying, ¡°High school, huh? Feels like it was ages ago.¡±

    ¡°Really? I still feel like I graduated yesterday,¡± Seo Joong said, tilting his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re always hanging out with your high school buddy.¡±

    Seo Joong and Dong Gil¡¯s friendship went back to their childhood, and it included their teenage years.

    ¡°Yeah, well, neither of us changed all that much from the time when we were in school. I guess you can say that most of my memories from when I was a student are intact,¡± Seo Joong said calmly, and Dong Gil clicked his tongue irritably.

    Then, Joon Soo chimed in, ¡°A school is a ce for growth and learning. It¡¯s also a scaled-down version of our society, and there¡¯s a definite hierarchy that exists within the system. Although, it¡¯s sad that our educational system is often viewed negatively.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no freedom, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Geun Woo added quietly. It became apparent to Juho just how much everyone was looking forward to Yun Woo¡¯s new story and how it would unfold.

 Chapter 282 - The Fate of the Short Stories (5)

    <h4>Chapter 282: The Fate of the Short Stories (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°It is true that our education system is wed to say the least, which also means it¡¯s that easy to take a cynical point of view. Not to mention, being cynical can be fun at times.¡±

    ¡°That would be humorous, I suppose,¡± Dong Gil said, immersing himself in deep thought despite the light-hearted nature of Dae Soo¡¯s remark.

    The rest of the group joined in. ¡°If it were up to me, I¡¯d focus on the aspect of growth. I mean, it¡¯s at a school of all ces, right?¡± Seo Joong said. As an author, he excelled in writing stories about personal growth.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be too predictable, though?¡± Mideum asked.

    ¡°You can always make it less predictable.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Man, are you really making me do this right now?¡± Seo Joong said, looking like he was bothered by the unexpected challenge. Nevertheless, he put his brain to work, ¡°Let¡¯s see... I¡¯m thinking something along the lines of a student movement, or the youth growing and maturing as they fight against the adult authority.¡±

    At that, Mideum chuckled quietly and said, ¡°What about a homicide?¡±

    ¡°In a school? Isn¡¯t that a little too extreme for a ce full of kids?¡±

    ¡°You know what? I was reading about some shooting incidents yesterday. Those were pretty scary.¡±

    Mideum shrugged it off, and Geun Woo timidly weighed in on the detective writer¡¯s opinion, ¡°School is a depressing ce. Kids there are old enough to think for themselves, yet they¡¯re not given the right to speak their minds when they¡¯re already dealing with their studies, thepetitions with their ssmates and the social framework within the school. The adults are taking extreme measures of precaution because there is potential for extreme problems, from victims of a rescue attempt gone wrong, to youths struggling to adapt. Although I wouldn¡¯t go as far as a homicide, I¡¯d definitely go in that direction.¡±

    ¡°I think romance is also a good option. I was in high school when I fell in love with someone for the first time,¡± Joon Soo said, reminiscing to the young romance that took ce at schools everywhere.

    Dae Soo raised her hand to speak, ¡°In that case, I¡¯d rather write about the teachers. A story about the adults in a school dominated by kids.¡±

    Although Juho was the one who had to write the story, his fellow authors seemed to be having more fun discussing topics among themselves. As Juho watched them, Joon Soo asked, ¡°Well? Anything that catches your interest?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Juho said briefly, and Joon Soo smiled all the more innocently.

    At that moment, Mideum asked, ¡°Since the story¡¯s taking ce at a school, that would mean the characters are gonna be students too, right?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet,¡± Juho answered. Since he had yet to figure out the main plot, the story kept changing its shape depending on the thoughts that urred in the young author¡¯s mind. Nothing was set in stone. In fact, the only thing he knew for certain was that his desire to write a bright, cheerful story that took ce at a school. A dyed event yielding a positive result. The young author had no idea of what the story would look like in the end.

    Then, as Juho fell deep in thought about how to go about portraying the picture he had in mind, Dae Soo said, ¡°Tell you what, why don¡¯t you try looking outside of the ideas that came up here? You already know that you can only write a different story when you¡¯re able to look at the same object from different angles. If you¡¯re Yun Woo, then you need to have a perspective that¡¯s unique to Yun Woo. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious, Dae Soo?¡± Seo Joong said, only to be ignored by her. The rest of the authors agreed quietly.

    Raising her ss, Mideum said, ¡°I think it¡¯d help to visit that fantasynd of yours, don¡¯t you think?¡± and guzzled down on her beer.

    ¡°What kind of fantasynd are you tryin¡¯ to get to?¡± Dae Soo asked.

    ¡°What can I say? I just like the taste of alcohol,¡± Mideum said. Being the impatient person that she was, she turned to Juho and said, ¡°C¡¯mon, just try a sip. It won¡¯t affect your writing process by any means.¡±

    ¡°This must be what it¡¯s like to be tempted by the devil.¡±

    ¡°Hey, who are you callin¡¯ the devil!? I¡¯m just tryin¡¯ to teach you some basic drinking etiquette, that¡¯s all!¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled quietly and slipped his fingers through the opening of the mug¡¯s handle. Then, taking the hefty mug, he slowly brought it up to his face as his fellow authors pretended not to look. Juho thought back to all of the ideas that hade up that day. At the hands of their respective authors, each and every one of them would have be an excellent book. However, none of them were even remotely close to what Juho was looking for. In fact, he preferred something of his own, which none of his fellow authors had thought of, something only he could write. As the beer touched his lips, he felt a stinging sensation in his head. Then, seeing the young author had stopped drinking, Mideum asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you not like it?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t drink any,¡± Dong Gil said quietly.

    Feeling the whiff of alcohol from the beer filling up his nose, the young author put the mug down slowly.

    ¡°An older student.¡±

    Juho had been wanting to write a story that took ce at a school. However, he didn¡¯t want it to have anything to do with the Literature Club, homicide, depression, adult life, or pure, innocent romance. Taking the words that were about to jump out of his mouth, he kept them in his heart. Looking at the chalkboard from his desk, there was a student who seemed old enough to be the teacher standing behind the podium sitting among their younger peers. Despite their age, the older student remained in their seat, unfazed. It was a representation of the young author, himself: an old man hiding in the shell of a much younger man, which wouldn¡¯t be necessary within the novel. A story about a student who was significantly older than their peers.

    Then, the voice of an unknown source came toward the student, who was not young by any means. The student had experienced the cruel nature of the world they were living in. Not only had they lost much, but they had also given up on much. They had been betrayed and been victim to various incidents. They had hurt others and caused trouble in people¡¯s lives. However, the student had never gone to jail for their deeds. Although they put in the efforts to lead a righteous life, the student had no intention of being a pushover or an innocentmb.

    ¡®What would it look like for someone like that to be in school? It¡¯d be interesting if it creates an opportunity for the student and their peers to question each others¡¯ identities,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°Ah! See? Look at his face lighting up!¡± Dae Soo said, smiling. As the long-sought clue finally came into his hands, Juho couldn¡¯t keep himself from smiling. Although he had tried to hide it from his fellow authors, it was toote.

    ¡°That¡¯s the best part of being a writer,¡± somebody said, and everyone else agreed. As authors, they all knew exactly what Juho had experienced. Every author was bound to go through it some point.

    Then, a voice yelled at the young author, ¡°Well? What the heck are you waiting for? Jot it down somewhere! Don¡¯t be kicking yourself for not remembering itter!¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Get that notepad out!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do,¡± Juho said, reaching into his pocket without hesitation. As he made the breakthrough, an array of ideas starteding to him. The setting didn¡¯t necessarily have to be a high school. In fact, middle school, university, and even elementary school were all viable options. At that point, the question that naturally rose to his mind was: ¡®Why was the student going to school at such ate age?¡¯

    ¡°Man, look at you!¡± Geun Woo said.

    With his eyes fixed on the notepad, Juho answered, ¡°I just couldn¡¯t bear to disappoint you.¡±

    He noticed Geun Woo wincing at his unexpected answer. Seeing as though he wasn¡¯t saying anything, he had to be regretting having said what he had said. After writing to his heart¡¯s content, Juho exhaled quietly. And when he looked up, the beer mug came into view.

    ¡°Have yourself a drink if you¡¯re done,¡± Seo Joon said, smiling cheerfully. As Juho closed the notepad and put it back into his pocket, it urred to him just how thirsty he was. When he touched the surface of the mug, he felt the pleasant coldness on his fingertips, cooling them after having written with intense concentration. The liquid bubbling within the clear mug couldn¡¯t look more refreshing. However, Juho knew better than to drink it. Once alcohol entered the body, it tended to heat up one¡¯s stomach, causing them to be more emotional, tipping the bnce between emotion and logic.

    Then, picking up the mug, Juho got a whiff of the beer and said, ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass,¡± and put the mug down on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll probably end up writing tonight, so I gotta stay sober.¡±

    At that, some authors at the table clicked their tongues in disappointment, while others cheered the young author on for his wise decision. Although the reactions seemed to be contradictory, they were both sincere and yful.

    ¡ª

    Wrapping up their meal, the authors greeted Madame Song briefly on their way out and lingered in front of the restaurant, talking. Then, Mideum, who was in high spirits, suggested in a loud voice, ¡°Round two, anybody?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re on!¡±

    ¡°No, thanks.¡±

    The reactions were prizing. While Seo Joong and Dae Soo were enthusiastic about the idea, neither Dong Gil nor Geun Woo seemed to find it appealing. Meanwhile, Joon Soo and Juho smiled quietly, without saying a word.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere close by. Besides, Juho can legally drink now,¡± Mideum said.

    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t drink.¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s take him anyway.¡±

    Although Mideum appeared to be drunk, she was behaving just like her usual self. Her actual tolerance might be a mystery, but what was clear was that she would have to drink twice the amount she had drunk up to that point.

    ¡°I do feel like staying out longer and hanging out though,¡± Dae Soo murmured, thinking back to all the effort that had gone into bringing everyone together. Meanwhile, Seo Joong behaved as if enjoying the asion was the wiser choice.

    ¡°It¡¯s not good to get drunk,¡± Dong Gil said in a strict tone, as if bothered by the fact that his fellow authors were going to yet another ce, to drink even more. It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise to see drinking as the second entry on his list of things he clearly disliked.

    ¡°I¡¯m kind of tired, actually,¡± Geun woo said, agreeing with Dong Gil and sounding unmistakably tired. At that, Juho quietly walked over to Geun Woo and stood behind him.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we vote on it?¡± Joon Soo said, stepping in to mediate. The group seemed to be split quite evenly into opposing opinions.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you start thinking about your health at your age, Dae Soo? You too, Seo Joong. We¡¯re not young anymore.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ll always live as a boy.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid now. We have to learn to age gracefully. And to be frank, I think you¡¯re toox in that regard.¡±

    ¡°He has a point,¡± Dae Soo said in agreement with Dong Gil, and Seo Joong looked at her as if he had been betrayed.

    Then, Mideum took the opportunity to make a suggestion, ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we discuss it at a nearby bar?¡±

    However, her fellow authors knew better. As Geun Woo yawned, looking obviously tired, Juho asked, ¡°You¡¯ve been working on something, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Ah! You scared me!¡± Geun Woo said, turning toward the young author. Paying no attention to how startled he was, Juho repeated the question, and the dark circles underneath Geun Woo¡¯s eyes shone blue under the streetlight.

    ¡°So, what have you been working on?¡±

    ¡°... Something. I¡¯ve been working on it for a while now. It¡¯s gone through a number of revisions too.¡±

    ¡°And the one about me?¡±

    ¡°... You know. Not everyone¡¯s capable of writing as fast as you.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled as he was reminded that they had been in a simr situation when Geun Woo first told the young author that he had been writing about Juho.

    ¡°I figure you¡¯re making good progresstely? You see me a lot on the inte these days.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. No matter where I turn. Inte, TV, you name it. I¡¯ve been making a lot of changes too.¡±

    Seeing that Geun Woo wasn¡¯t getting into details, Juho also asked no further. Besides, who would be able to read a piece that its author refused to talk about?

    ¡°Well, break a leg. Get it done ASAP.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not entirely up to me, I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    Geun Woo chuckled as an ambiguous look appeared on his face, as if he knew that the young author was fully capable ofpleting his task. With that, the air sank into an awkward silence between them. It was a scenario likely ur between an author who had made a sessful debut, yet had a ways to go, and a young author who had already reached the top.

    ¡°Did I ever tell you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I really enjoyed ¡®An Insect Leaves No Trace,¡¯¡± Geun Woo said with his distinctively sad expression on his face.

    Not only was it out of nowhere, but Juho didn¡¯t recall ever hearing that from him. Nevertheless, he looked at Geun Woo and thanked him, saying, ¡°I appreciate that.¡±

    Then, smiling a smile that looked more like he was weeping, Geun Woo said, ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡±

    ¡°About?¡±

    ¡°You gathering my manuscript for me.¡±

    Because Juho couldn¡¯t think of an answer, he had to resort to something unstylish like, ¡°Me neither.¡± Nevertheless, it was the truth. The young author remembered their first encounter to that day. The scene of the white sheets of manuscript paper falling from the sky had been quite beautiful.

    ¡°Must be nice being so popr,¡± Geun Woo said, still looking sad. However, he didn¡¯t necessarily sound angry. Neither was he moaning, nor ming himself or others.

 Chapter 283 - The Fate of the Short Stories (6)

    <h4>Chapter 283: The Fate of the Short Stories (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°We all gotta take good care of our health,¡± Joon Soo said amid the group of authors discussing the subject. Meanwhile, the debate on whether or not they should go somewhere else for a second round was still ongoing. They were all quite tenacious. And, as her patience grew thin, Mideum dragged Juho into the discussion, asking, ¡°Hey, are YOUing?¡±

    Although he wanted to spend time with his fellow authors, whom he was seeing for the first time in a long time, Juho was also anxious to start working on the idea that had juste to him. In the end, after some thought, Juho reached a conclusion, ¡°I think I¡¯m calling it a night.¡±

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Mideum let out, grasping her chest with simr expression to the one she wore when she wrote.

    ¡°Wise choice. You have work to do,¡± Dong Gil said, looking at the young author with a look of satisfaction. Juho responded with a shrug. At that moment, what felt like an endless debate had taken an unexpected turn. A scream came from somewhere nearby. When the young author looked toward the source of the sound, he locked eyes with the person who had screamed.

    ¡°Yun Woo?¡± a voice unfamiliar to Juho said, sounding more astonished than doubtful.

    ¡°It is Yun Woo!¡±

    At that moment, Juho realized that he wasn¡¯t wearing anything to hide his face. However, none of his fellow authors had pointed that out because they were all preupied and for different reasons.

    ¡°Uh-oh,¡± Seo Joong let out quietly, but nobody objected since all the other authors had the same thought.

    ¡°I see Joon Soo Bong, too!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Seo Joong Ahn!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long until the scream attracted more people. When there were a handful of them in the same ce, fans were bound to recognize them eventually, whether the authors wanted them to or not.

    ¡°Oh, wow! It¡¯s really Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never seen him in person!¡±

    ¡°Me neither!¡±

    Of course, Yun Woo was the most popr name among all of the authors. Then, the young author looked at Geun Woo, who was standing next to him.

    ¡°Must be nice being popr,¡± Geun Woo said and walked away. Soon, he, too, would be in a simr position and find himself going through simr troubles to those of Yun Woo. There was no doubt that he was going to seed as an author, and his writing and his career, which had been on a steady rise, made that prediction all the more convincing. That was also the reason why his fellow authors often poked fun at him. If he really hadcked the potential as an author, then nobody would have actually thought of making fun of him.

    ¡°Could you take a picture with me?¡± the person who had screamed a moment ago said.

    ¡°Sure, no problem.¡±

    Another round of joyful screams came from the same person at the young author¡¯s affirmative answer. At the unrelenting reaction of the fan, Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°Me, too!¡±

    ¡°Pardon me, you¡¯re Dae Soo Na, right?¡±

    Meanwhile, other people started talking to Juho¡¯s fellow authors. The contrast in their reactions was quite apparent. Although they started screaming right off the bat upon seeing the young author, the fans politely confirmed the other authors¡¯ identities with them. After taking the picture, the fan asked, ¡°You guys are from the Death Club, right? Were you guys having an outing?¡±

    The Death Club. Due to the topic the writers had shared for their literary magazine, ¡®The Beginning and the End,¡¯ there were a handful of fans who addressed the club by that frightening name. However, none of the authors there had heard it in person prior to that day. Nevertheless, hearing it from a reader made it quite a memorable experience. Juho looked toward Joon Soo, who appeared to be smiling but not exactly weing the situation.

    ¡°We were. We just ate together.¡±

    Although he had already made that assumption when he had asked the question, the fan eximed, taken aback by the author¡¯s confirmation. Perhaps, he was just astounded by the fact that he was even talking to Yun Woo. The young author simply couldn¡¯t wrap his mind around why it was such a big deal for his readers to interact with him.

    ¡°I love your books. I hope you keep writing!¡± the fan said, moving aside to let another person have the chance to interact with the young author. From then on, the pattern repeated itself a few more times. That wasn¡¯t to say that people were all saying the same thing, however.

    ¡°Are you a regr at Madame Song¡¯s?¡±

    There were questions that were more personal and friendlier by nature. After some thought, Juho gave an affirmative answer.

    ¡°You see, I¡¯m also a regr.¡±

    ¡°I like the food here.¡±

    ¡°I know! I love the food here! What¡¯s your go-to dish?¡±

    ¡°I usually get their chicken.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my gosh! Me, too!¡± the fan said, sounding ecstatic that they shared something inmon with the young author. Then, Juho noticed that the crowd taking pictures of them had grown noticeablyrger, along with the crowd surrounding him and his fellow authors.

    ¡°Well, we better get going now,¡± one of the authors said in an attempt to get out of the situation with the rest of them. Then, having spent some time signing autographs for her fans, Dae Soo walked over to Juho and said, ¡°Man, I feel like a star! All thanks to Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡°You already were one, though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± she said humbly. In the end, the long debate came to an inconclusive end, and the authors each went on their ways. Juho was dropped off by Dae Soo in the same way he had arrived at the restaurant.

    ¡°Break a leg.¡±

    ¡°All right. Drive safely.¡±

    With that, the young author went inside, imagining Dae Soo¡¯s car fading into the distance. The elevator moved up unhurriedly. Upon arrival, Juho knew exactly what to do as he was greeted by the familiar view of his writing space. The bookshelf on the left side of the room, which was originally intended for storage space for his manuscripts, was filled with some of his favorite reads, his novels, reference data, history books, philosophy books, and science books. Juho had given up on trying to organize and distinguish the manuscripts long ago. There was simply too much to read through one page at a time. In the end, he had to resort to using another room as storage space for the countless sheets of manuscript paper.

    Sitting at the desk, Juho took the notepad out of his pocket and revisited the list of clues in his head, the first one being the young author¡¯s old ssmates, who were preparing to embark on a new journey after graduating from school. Neither Juho nor the ssmates had to dress in their uniforms for school anymore, and when that realization urred to him, he had found himself wanting to write a story that took ce at a school.

    Then, the second was the meeting with a certain reader, who had been quite nervous and ufortable, unlike the attitude Juho remembered she had had when they met at the concert hall. However, the young author didn¡¯t find her change in behavior strange. It was only natural that people tended to respond differently to different situations. Simrly, Juho had also been much more tense than usual. The young author remembered the reader¡¯s intense gaze that had started from his face, gone down to his legs under the table and gone back up to his hands. Although it hadn¡¯t been a cheap meal by any means, Juho had no recollection of what the food had tasted like. She had been looking at the young author as if havinge across the hero of her time. On top of that, her entire body was showing her interest and affection toward him and his books, rooting for his decision to publish his short stories despite it being a dyed one. She had reaffirmed the young author, reminding him that he had made the right choice, and Juho had every reason to be grateful for her. That gratitude toward her challenged him to want to write even better every time he held a pen. The young author also recalled her having said, ¡°I¡¯m genuinely happy that you took your time with your decision...¡± Her answer had also implied that she had been d that her favorite author had realized that it was betterte than never. Then, after flipping through a number of pages, he came across the most recent clue, which hade to him that very day. A character who was yet to have taken shape was breathing within that notepad.

    With that, the young author unhurriedly tied up all the clues into one, continuous line, taking everything he had learned and experienced up to that point into a stream of consciousness. Closing his eyes, Juho pictured the character, who turned out to be ady well into herter years, staring into thin air. The olddy had no name, and despite her age, her past didn¡¯t exist. She hade into existence as an olddy by necessity in order to reflect her creator¡¯s hope. Whenever she smiled, her pink gums became visible. With her teeth missing in ces, her mouth looked as pure and innocent as that of a child. Soon, she would be enrolled in a school.

    Adapting to the new environment was bound toe with its challenged, like it always happened. The need to adapt arose throughout life. Being old meant being alive, and to be alive was to be able to think. To think and to want, striving to win against the challenges of life. Then, when she smiled again, all of her teeth were back in ce.

    ¡°I¡¯m illiterate,¡± she said in a calm tone of voice. ¡°But I¡¯m eager to learn.¡±

    She wanted that opportunity earnestly. The world had changed significantly since she had been born. Not only had she found herself living in a different era, but also a different society.

    ¡°And now, I have that opportunity,¡± she said.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You do have that opportunity,¡± Juho answered.

    ¡°I wanna be better. I wanna know more,¡± she said. There were dark spots across her already-tan face. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to be better. And now, the era has finally caught up to meet my wish.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever been to a school?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Once, when I was very young.¡±

    ¡°If you had the choice, would you go back?¡±

    ¡°If I could, I would.¡± As her eyes quickly became filled with fear, she asked, ¡°What does one do there?¡±

    It was the fear of the unknown. Juho gave her a brief exnation of what school was. It was a ce where children received a foundational education.

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard of elementary schools, right? That¡¯s the very first school most people attend.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m sure I¡¯m gonna be the oldest person there.¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± the young author said.

    To some, it would seem like the olddy was much too old to be in school to learn alongside other humans who had been born within the past decade. On the other hand, it might even seem humiliating to others. However, to those who didn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t move on from where they were in life, the olddy would seem like she was moving forward.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll be embarrassing?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Juho said, shaking his head confidently.

    ¡°And how would you know that, young man?¡±

    ¡°Because I went back to high school at a veryte age.¡±

    At that, the olddy looked up and down at the young author, from top to bottom. She was still skeptical of him.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell from your appearance. You¡¯re not some con artist, are you? Trying to take advantage of old, helpless people?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I ask nothing of you,¡± Juho said, raising both of his hand in order to im his innocence. Then, he briefly told her about his life as a high school student, focusing primarily on the positive. After that, she seemed to be more at ease. ¡°It wasn¡¯t long until I adapted to my new school life. It was significantly easier than I had imagined, too. Although, the sses were a tad boring.¡±

    Then, Juho saw the olddy brush down her chest with her coarse, blunt hand.

    ¡°I think I feel a little better, but we¡¯ll see how I feel before bed.¡±

    Although she was doing noticeably better, she imed that it wouldn¡¯t stay that way.

    ¡°What if I get a head start?¡± she suggested. She was the type who put her thoughts into action quickly.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Reading and writing. If I start preparing now, I won¡¯t be as far behind as everyone else.¡±

    Behind her firm, stout appearance was a childlike heart. She feared change and struggled to adapt.

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, nobody¡¯s stopping you. A lot of people start studying ahead of time, in preparation for school, actually.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Everyone¡¯s afraid of falling behind.¡±

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll actually help to start early?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it. But, what I can tell you is that your preparation for school is about to get interesting.¡±

    ¡°I see... Well, I¡¯m doing it anyway,¡± she said. Despite her stubbornness, Juho didn¡¯t try to stop her. She would study and learn in preparation for school, only to find out how different school actually was. She was about to go through a series of events.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll be fun?¡± she asked in an awkward tone.

    ¡°No doubt,¡± Juho said confidently.

    ¡°Do you think the younger folks will like me?¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡±

    The protagonist acted andpeted in pursuit of her goal.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s really up to me, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Juho said, and she nodded with satisfaction, smiling and revealing her gold teeth. After seeing her smile, Juho opened his eyes and saw a white light in front of him, warming his face. The Sun was shining on his face through the window. It was morning, and the Sun had alreadye up.

    Then, staring at the light before his eyes in a daze, the young author thought about the short stories that were about to be published. Although unintended, there were mentions of school in both of them as memories of the past, passing by in the background. However, the role of the school was significantly different in each of the stories. Moving his pen, Juho organized the story that had juste to him. An olddy studying ahead in preparation for school. An elementary school. Adaptation and her struggle.

    Of course, Juho wasn¡¯t nning on writing a one-sided story. He thought of the scenes that would include peers who were, to say the least, out of the ordinary. With that, the overall plot had finally taken shape: the tumultuous journey of an olddy who earnestly wanted to learn to read and write. It was just what the young author had been looking for.

 Chapter 284 - The Full Moon (1)

    <h4>Chapter 284: The Full Moon (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    From senior centers to elderly welfare, from the Korean Senior Citizens Association to private and public schools, Juho had been visiting an array of ces with Nam Kyung in order to listen to the stories of the elderly. Finding a difference between those stories wasn¡¯t all that difficult. As long as one decided that they wanted to distinguish them from each other, that was all it took. However, none of them were of the young author¡¯s interest.

    Upon returning home, Juho took the pictures he had taken from the ces he had visited throughout the day and scattered them across his desk. What was particrly interesting was that the dynamic between Juho and the elderly hadn¡¯t exactly been simr to that of a grandparent and their grandchild. Both the young author and the elderly each had a role in their respective groups. Amid the atmosphere created among the elderly, Juho found them in a peculiar position. It seemed to be the result of trying to strike a bnce between having their own volition and respecting others¡¯ opinions. In other words, both the young author and the elderly were members of the society in their own rights. In the end, Juho had been led to decide that the protagonist¡¯s rtionship with her peers would be that of friends rather than family. Suffice to say, they would be friends with a significant number of years in between them, and soon, it wouldn¡¯t be long until they started cursing each other out for fun.

    Juho wrote in solitude. Living in his own home granted him the benefit of silence, which allowed him to focus on writing even more. On the flip side, it also came with its own side effects, such as forgetting to eat, not going out, or simply staying up into the next day. Bathing, eating a quick breakfast, and writing had be a daily routine for the young author, and once he had finished writing, he would go to sleep, only to repeat the pattern the next day.

    After some time had passed, Juho looked at his manuscript, which contained two months worth of writing. He was writing at a pace that felt satisfactory to him. Of course, there were parts that gave Juho the urge to change them, but he couldn¡¯t afford to let his urges hold him back. After collecting himself, he imagined the next scene, the scene of the protagonist walking into her school¡¯s campus. After getting involved in incidents, she found herself in a world of trouble, progressing the story in her own way.

    At that moment, the doorbell echoed through the house. Taking some time to recognize the sound, since he had been interrupted during his creative process, Juho thought about who the unwee guest could be. Then, unable to think of anyone, he walked over to the door to look through the peephole and saw a familiar face on the other side.

    ¡°Seo Kwang?¡±

    Juho wasn¡¯t all that d to see his friend who had been busy adapting to college life. In the end, smacking his lips for a brief moment, he closed the door to his room and opened the front door to let Seo Kwang in. Waiting unhurriedly in the hallway, Seo Kwang looked very natural standing there.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Dude, you look like crap,¡± Seo Kwang said nonchntly despite Juho¡¯s seemingly aggressive question.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°You look like a zombie, a zombie with bad cirction from sitting down for too long,¡± Seo Kwang said. It was quite the roundabout way of saying that his friend looked pale. At that, Juho chuckled and rephrased the question, ¡°But really, what brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I was in the area, so I thought I should drop by and eat with ya.¡±

    ¡°I kinda wanna focus on writing.¡±

    ¡°My mom packed you some food.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Since finding out that her son¡¯s friend had started living on his own, Seo Kwang¡¯s mother had been sending Juho some food from time to time. In the end, Juho moved aside to let his friend in. When he checked the time aftering inside, it was precisely the time he usually had lunch. If Seo Kwang hadn¡¯te, Juho would have certainly forgotten to eat.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even touch the food I brought youst time,¡± Seo Kwang said, looking into the refrigerator, and ignoring him, Juho grabbed some chunks of rice, which he had frozen prior to his friend¡¯s visit.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s for lunch?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Fresh kimchi with pork.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m famished.¡±

    Adding that his mother had made enough kimchi for the winter, Seo Kwang unpacked the food that was in the stic bag haphazardly, not even bothering to put the bag away. And just like that, the table was set in no time.

    ¡°This is good,¡± Juho said. Both the kimchi and the pork were quite tasty. Meanwhile, Seo Kwang was splitting the leaves of the pickled cabbage with his fingers. Then, he stuffed his mouth with kimchi, pork, and rice until his cheeks bulged out like a squirrel.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Koreans believe that kimchi¡¯s in particr tastes better when the uncut leaves are split by hand.)

    ¡°How¡¯s college?¡± Juho asked while Seo Kwang was still busy chewing. Judging from the look on his face, college life hadn¡¯t been kind to him.

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m realizing that this world is filled with all kinds of people. It¡¯s pretty damn mind-boggling,¡± Seo Kwang said. The aggression in his tone, especially toward the end of the sentence, was telling Juho that his friend wasn¡¯ting from a good ce. ¡°I don¡¯t know what these people are thinking or why they do what they do! Do they not know that they¡¯re being nuisances? Or maybe they do know, but they just don¡¯t care. In that case, those are some ss A jerks. Is this world supposed to be filled to the brim with douchebags?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound like you¡¯re havin¡¯ a good time in college,¡± Juho said as he got the gist of his friend¡¯s life, giving him a pitiful look. Then, sighing deeply, Seo Kwang picked up a couple of slices of pork and shoved them into his mouth.

    ¡°Well, how about you? How¡¯s writing?¡±

    ¡°Not too bad. Although, it¡¯s too early to rx.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t take too long now. Your friend could use some healing.¡±

    Juho thought back to the story he had been working on. Although he wasn¡¯t exactly sure if it wouldfort his friend in any way, Juho was confident that it will make himugh. In hindsight, the young author was d that he had decided to write a story that was cheerful and uplifting. Although, the decision hadn¡¯t necessarily been made with Seo Kwang in mind, writing an uplifting story tended to bring small, unexpected joy like that.

    Then, Seo Kwang said, ¡°Speaking of which...¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Can I see your writing space?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Seo Kwang squirmed in his seat at the young author¡¯s emphatic rejection. Although he had been desperate to take even a nce at Juho¡¯s new work-in-progress, the young author didn¡¯t allow him to. Soon, Seo Kwang gave up, stuffing his mouth with a spoonful of rice. By the time they had finished the pork as they talked about college, Seo Kwang brought something up, which had to be about one of two things: either a book ornguage.

    ¡°Oh! Did you hear?¡± he asked. There was a certainty in his voice.

    ¡°Hear what?¡± Juho asked.

    Then, giving his author friend who was slow to catch up a judgmental look, Seo Kwang said, ¡°Hyun Do Lim?¡±

    At that, Juho responded by reflex, ¡°Ah! His new book?¡±

    The release date of Hyun Do¡¯s new book was just around the corner. ¡®When was it?¡¯ Juho thought to himself.

    ¡°Ites out tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Right. Tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Seo Kwang said with his brow furrowed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been losing track of timetely.¡±

    It had been a daily urrence for the young author to look up from the monitor or a sheet manuscript paper and suddenly realize that it was morning or night. Then, shaking his head, Seo Kwang said, ¡°So, this is what happens when you¡¯re left alone. Going berserk.¡±

    ¡°I still exercise, though.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang narrowed his eyes. He seemed concerned for his author friend on one hand, while happy for him on the other. But, the subject of the conversation reverted back to what they had talked about previously: Hyun Do¡¯s new book wasing out tomorrow.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna get a copy right away. I have a feeling that it¡¯s gonna be mind-blowing.¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    Most of Hyun Do¡¯s books were mind-bogglingly good. Looking displeased by Juho¡¯s indifferent response, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°Well, what about you?¡±

    ¡°What about me?¡±

    ¡°Are you gonna check it out?¡±

    Chuckling quietly, the young author said, ¡°Not everyone in this world decides whether they wanna read a book or not as soon as it¡¯s released, you know.¡±

    ¡°Then, consider it. Oh, wait. You¡¯re not gonna read since you¡¯re in the middle of writing, huh? But you used to read Hyun Do Lim¡¯s books from time to time.¡±

    Juho thought for a brief moment. Hyun Do¡¯s book had been about the only novel that he had actually gotten his hands on during his time in the Literature Club, especially when he had been in the middle of writing a book himself. Although Juho tried not to read other novels during his writing phase, he had made an exception for Hyun Do¡¯s books and read them whenever he felt like it. Reminded of that, Juho found himself in a dilemma. ¡®What do I do this time? What would be the better choice?¡¯

    ¡°What do you think I should do?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re asking me? I¡¯d read it without thinking twice since I¡¯m not a writer.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    With a look of impatience and curiosity on his face, Seo Kwang silently rushed Juho for an answer. However, Juho was struggling to reach a decision. There were conflicting desires in his heart. Then, Seo Kwang started talking about everything he knew about Hyun Do¡¯s books and his thoughts on them, releasing his affection for literature like a flood.

    ¡°You do realize that it¡¯s Hyun Do Lim we¡¯re talking about here, right? As in THE Hyun Do Lim? His take on this world is just magnificent, to say the least.¡±

    Used to hearing Seo Kwang rave about the literary great, Juho let his friend talk, pretending to listen. Then, after finishing his food, Juho rose from his seat and grabbed a cup from the drying rack, and as Seo Kwang said, ¡°Oh! Me too!¡± the young author grabbed another cup, filling them both with water.

    ¡°I really hope he keeps writing for a long time.¡±

    ¡°I hope so too.¡±

    Fortunately, their hopes would eventually be a reality. Hyun Do would go on to write well into his old age and be the the nation¡¯s most recognized author. His readers would see the world through his eyes, sharing his perspective, and that, in and of itself, was a tremendous achievement.

    ¡°He¡¯s already one of the top authors in Korea, but he¡¯s still growing and improving, moving forward one step at a time. He keeps on training himself relentlessly. Isn¡¯t that incredible?¡±

    ¡°It sure is.¡±

    ¡°You can just feel it in his writing. Just how much effort he put into embodying as much or little as possible.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how he¡¯s able toe up with ideas like that. It makes me wonder how he sees everything. All I¡¯m capable of doing is imagine as I read. If he were to write about a math ss, I¡¯d actually want to read about the solving processes.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Are you listening?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Juho had been very much listening. In fact, the more he heard about Hyun Do, the bigger his desire to read his book grew. However, as if entirely oblivious to Juho¡¯s state of mind, Seo Kwang kept on about the literary great until they had cleaned up the table after having finished their meal.

    ¡°I read Yun Seo Baek¡¯s testimonial in one of his books. I¡¯d never heard of herplimenting somebody like that, let alone Hyun Do Lim.¡±

    ¡°... what did she say?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t read it yet, have you? No wonder you¡¯re so nonchnt,¡± Seo Kwang said, making sense of things. Then, he quoted Yun Seo¡¯s sentences word for word, ¡°¡®This is my most favorite piece by far.¡¯ She called it her ¡®most favorite¡¯ and she thinks that Hyun Do feels simrly. I mean, this is from Yun Seo Baek, so it¡¯s gotta be urate. The author himself is satisfied with his work, and it even has Yun Seo Baek¡¯s approval. What more do you need?¡± Seo Kwang said, looking even hungrier than when he had been eating.

    ¡°That makes me wanna read it,¡± Juho said quietly.

    ¡°Right!?¡±

    ¡°But would I be able to write as I read such an amazing book?¡±

    ¡°... Ah,¡± Seo Kwang let out, as if just realizing what he had been doing. Raving about a good book had already be somewhat instinctual to him.

    ¡°Well, I was just wondering if you¡¯re interested in checking out the book or not, so I thought I should ask, but I ended up sounding like I¡¯m selling the book somehow.¡±

    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve noticed that you talk even more than you used to now that you¡¯ve started your trantion studies.¡±

    ¡°Is that supposed to be apliment?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an insult.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang chuckled quietly and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible. You¡¯re Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never actually read Mr. Lim¡¯s books while writing,¡± Juho said. Since he had no idea what Hyun Do¡¯s new book was like, there was no way to know whether he would be able to keep hisposure after reading it. From then on, after eating dessert, Seo Kwang got ready to head out. He hadn¡¯t stayed all that long, as if trying to be considerate of his author friend¡¯s time.

    ¡°All right. I¡¯m off now,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°Take care.¡±

    After exchanging brief goodbyes, Seo Kwang disappeared out the door. The house sank back into silence. Although there wasn¡¯t anything to talk about because there wasn¡¯t anyone to talk to, Juho did feel pleasantly full. Instead of going back to his room and writing, Juho sat in the living room.

    ¡°Mr. Lim,¡± he murmured. For a while, the literary great had drawn quite the attention when the news had gotten out that he had inspired the young author to write ¡®Language of God,¡¯ However, he had remained at his ce, unaffected and without response. He simply wrote as he always did. No matter what he wrote and how it was received by the masses, the literary great remained still and tranquil, humbly going about his way.

    ¡°What would it be like for me?¡±

    Would it be possible for the young author to do the same? Juho reminisced to his past life, when he had let the noise created by his work get the best of him. Like the amateur writer that he had been, he had let himself get carried away by the tumultuous tornado of his life, thinking that he had been moving forward when he had been merely losing his footing in reality. He remembered having read Hyun Do¡¯s books back then. One of them was the only book that he had taken to heart back when he hadn¡¯t even been able to afford a book from the bookstore. It had given the young author courage, and thinking of his calm and tranquil demeanor, Juho recalled finding himself in tranquil silence.

    ¡°I really wanna read it,¡± Juho said as if sighing, feeling an insatiable desire for the book. Then, he rose from his seat and opened the door to his room, where the manuscript of his work-in-progress was. Although he tried to write, he couldn¡¯t get past forty words before he put the pen down.

 Chapter 285 - The Full Moon (2)

    <h4>Chapter 285: The Full Moon (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Do you have any award points that you¡¯d like to redeem today?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Juho said, pulling his hat down. At that brief answer, the cashier took the money from the young author¡¯s hand with a mechanical movement and put the book into the stic bag along with the receipt. Even as she ced the bag on the counter, the cashier was looking down.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for shopping with us. I can help the next person,¡± the cashier said, her response remaining just as mechanical. Being the biggest bookstore in the area, that store had an impressive inventory of all recent releases. Walking past a handful of people sitting in the corner of the store, reading, Juho exited the store and waited for the light to turn green. He looked down at the book peeking through the opening of the bag. It was Hyun Do¡¯s new book. Titled ¡®The Full Moon,¡¯ its ocean blue cover, which portrayed the moonlit night sky, was quite eye-catching. When Juho put pressure into the hand he was holding the bag with, thinking to himself, ¡®I¡¯m just gonna keep it for now. I¡¯m not opening it,¡¯ the bag¡¯s handle crumpled helplessly.

    Then, a group of shadows started moving around the young author as a pedestrian stepped forward to jaywalk across the street. Suffice to say, a look of displeasure appeared on the faces of those who had been waiting for the light, most likely thinking, ¡®That¡¯s exactly how you get yourself killed.¡¯ Then, about thirty secondster, the light finally turned green.

    ¡°Let¡¯s cross now!¡± a child wearing a kindergarten uniform shouted, holding their mother¡¯s hand and confidently raising their hand in order to signal their location to the drivers. The mother had the child¡¯s bag over one shoulder. A child, who was still learning, was far more aware of safety rules than adults who had significantly more knowledge, and they abided by them.

    Once the child graduated kindergarten, it would move up to elementary school. Juho imagined what their future would look like. As the child grew older, the idea of raising their hand and signaling the drivers would eventually fade away. Perhaps the child would even jaywalk for the first time in their life. Although there was no way to confirm that in real life, it was already a reality in the young author¡¯s new story. Children tended to change as they grew up, and the changing sceneries in the background were proof of how much those children had grown up.

    Upon arriving home, even before he changed out of his clothes, Juho put the bag down, took the new book and ced it on the bookshelf. Although he was adding only one more book to the collection, it felt like the book was taking up a significant amount of space. Then, after staring intently at the title, ¡®The Full Moon,¡¯ the young author looked away, feeling like he¡¯d give in to the temptation to start reading. Only a few paces away, was the manuscript that he had been working on up to moments before he had stepped out of the house.

    There had been cases when children, who acted their ages in front of their parents at home, became leading figures. A conversation between the children, who had just started learning about the world, and an olddy, who was still learning about the world, would be, simply put, unpredictable.

    As children criticized adults for their stupidity, adults questioned the environment their children were growing up in. Then, those children eventually grew up to be adults. Despite looking nothing like they once did, adult and child became the same person.

    After washing up, Juho walked back to his room and sat at the desk to resume writing, reexamining the overall story and the events that took ce within it. Reading through the entire story rekindled the feeling with which the young author had been writing, and writing in an emotional state as close to that as possible was the only way to make the story flow. If he were to write while depressed one day, but write again in high spirits the next day, there were bound to be inconsistencies.

    ¡°Not too serious.¡±

    Juho had been telling himself that throughout the entire writing process of that particr story. Although both the adult and the child were wrong, Juho wanted neither their portrayal nor the process to carry a serious tone. He wanted to write a story that could be read quickly but with a sense of anticipation. When he looked up from the manuscript, he realized that it had already gotten dark out.

    ¡°I better take a break,¡± Juho said, stretching both of his hands toward the ceiling, stretching his body that had be stiff after sitting for too long. Suffice to say, the stretch was turning out to be quite painful. Then, as he felt somewhat hungry and started thinking about what to eat, the full moon lighting the sky came into view.

    ¡°I really wanna read it.¡±

    After some contemtion, Juho picked up his phone, which he left on his bed, and called Seo Kwang. Although it was well into the night, it wasn¡¯t long before he answered the phone.

    ¡°Did you read it?¡± he asked out of nowhere, catching the young author off guard.

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ve spend most of my life reading,¡± Juho said in a higher-than-usual voice, confused.

    ¡°... I¡¯m talking about ¡®The Full Moon,¡¯ doofus.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± the young author let out, his voice sinking low.

    ¡°I have,¡± Seo Kwang said confidently, yet calmly. Then, he asked the young author, ¡°Have you?¡±

    It was a question that Juho didn¡¯t really feel like answering. Then, with a swallowed sigh, the young author said, ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Seo Kwang said as if pitying his author friend.

    ¡°... How was it?¡±

    ¡°It. Was. Insane,¡± Seo Kwang said, as if he had been waiting for Juho to ask. ¡°It¡¯s my favorite Hyun Do Lim book by far.¡±

    It was a simr response to Yun Seo¡¯s. Perhaps, it was just the default response of those who¡¯d read the book.

    ¡°For your sake, I won¡¯t spoil it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°OK. Let me share my thoughts on the book. It caught two birds with one stone,¡± Seo Kwang said genuinely. From then on, he raved on about the book, from how reading the book came with a painful reminder that the more he read, the less there was left to be read, to the fast pace, the author¡¯s philosophy and criticism, the characters and their personalities, and the author¡¯s unique ability to write about such a twisted subject in a clean, polished manner. Then, as if remembering the content of the book all over again, he started talking even faster. Seo Kwang tended to be predictable like that.

    ¡°Not only is it appealing to the masses, but it¡¯s also very artistic. There¡¯s no way this book won¡¯t make it.¡±

    It was the voice of a reader who had been deeply moved by a book. At that, Juho thought of the synopsis in the back of the book.

    ¡°The protagonist predicts death on a full moon,¡± Juho said. This time, it seemed like Hyun Do had written about death, which he had never done before.

    ¡°Right. Death,¡± Seo Kwang said, his voice growing softer. Then, as it returned to its normal volume, he added, ¡°It seemed like Hyun Do Lim really emphasized the aspect of death in this book. If I were topare it to ¡®River...¡¯ Hm, how should I put it?¡± he said, groaning as if in pain.

    ¡°So, if you were topare it to ¡®River?¡¯¡± Juho asked quietly, rushing his friend for an answer. It had caught his interest. Juho had be curious about the end portrayed by the literary great.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say anything in terms of ck and white, but I¡¯d say they are different, yet simr somehow. From a reader¡¯s standpoint, I think they both carry about a simr shock value.¡±

    ¡°Simr shock value?!¡±

    Death had always been somewhat of a specialty of the young author because of his firsthand experience of having died once. Yet, Hyun Do¡¯s piece carried a simr shock value. Juho was well aware of Hyun Do¡¯s skills. That made his heart beat faster.

    ¡°I really wanna read it now.¡±

    The urge was starting to get out of hand. Although he had read Hyun Do¡¯s books as a homeless man who couldn¡¯t even afford to eat, he couldn¡¯t read the book at present, when he had more than enough money to buy hundreds of books. It was ironic, yet funny.

    ¡°I read it,¡± Seo Kwang said provokingly, finding the situation all too amusing. He was ecstatic. The emotional experience the book gave him was still fresh in his heart, and looking at the full moon in the night sky only entuated the experience. Hyun Do Lim was an incredible author, and Seo Kwang found himself getting intoxicated by the emotions that the novel carried. The moon was noticeably brighter than usual that night. Then, after listening to his friend for a little while, Juho said in a serious tone, ¡°Maybe I should just read it.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang attitude changed at once.

    ¡°What?¡±

    There was nothing more unfortunate than being in a situation that kept one from reading books. Which, in Juho¡¯s case, the unfortunate situation was that he was in the middle of writing, and needless to say, it was not a weing situation by any means. Although he thought reading wouldn¡¯t be a bad solution to his predicament, the young author had toe to terms with his conscience and recognized that it was merely his desire speaking.

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be OK? This book is seriously a game changer,¡± Seo Kwang warned him, and added, ¡°I joined the Astronomy Club after reading that book.¡± The book had had a significant impact on the reader. ¡°You know what, I know that you¡¯re gonna do whatever you want at the end of the day, and I¡¯m not gonna tell you not to read it. Besides, a book like this needs to be read by more people.¡±

    After hanging up, Juho looked up at the moon for a little while and immersed himself in deep thought. ¡®Should I read it? Or should I not?¡¯ Then, walking toward the bookshelf, he picked up the book, which was solid and smooth to the touch. After brushing his hand down the book once, the young author ced it back on the shelf.

    ¡°After I finish writing.¡±

    Sitting at the desk, Juho picked up a pen. However, it wasn¡¯t long before he found himself standing in front of the bookshelf again.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna do it.¡±

    With the book in his hand, the young author went out to the living room, sat on the sofa, took a deep breath and opened the cover. A photo of Hyun Do and his distinctive hair, which only half of had turned white, came into view. At that, the young author was reminded of a certain fan who hadplimented him on his looks. However, the word handsome suited the gentleman in the photo a lot better. As he turned the front wing, the front cover, and the front page, the table of contents appeared. And soon, the very first sentence of the first chapter marked the beginning of the story. Feeling more excited than ever, Juho sped the book tightly by the back cover. As the young author flipped through the pages, the house grew darker.

    ¡°Anybody home?¡± somebody asked, banging on the door and ringing the doorbell repeatedly.

    As Juho remained in his seat, the door rattled, and the person walked away. The house sank into silence yet again. Juho turned yet another page, which was thest page of the book. The protagonist predicted death on a full moon, and in the end, he fails to escape the grasp of that dreaded moon. The full moon signified greed, envy, an absolute being, and power. The author¡¯s portrayal of vertical power was quite powerful, enough to crush and overwhelm the world. Finally, the young author closed the book, feeling an intense burning sensation on his eyes, as if he had looked directly at the Sun.

    He couldn¡¯t move his head. It felt like all of the events that had taken ce within the book wereing alive, filling every corner of the house. Juho had connected with the book almost instantly. No matter how far the protagonist ran, the moon kept following him. It was almost as if he was making a fool of himself by trying to outrun the moon. Then, covering his face with his hand, Juho knew that he wasn¡¯t going to get any writing done that day.

    At that moment, a vibration came from the room. It was a phone call. However, Juho stayed put, and soon, the vibration stopped. It almost sounded as if it was asking the young author for his thoughts on the book. ¡®How was it? How was Hyun Do¡¯s portrayal of death?¡¯

    As Juho took his hand off his face, his hair covered his eyes in ce of his hand. A shadow was cast in the living room, and Juho reminisced to the conversation he had had with Hyun Do, who had told him that he asked questions when he didn¡¯t have the answer. For example, to a homeless man, ¡®Is this offensive to you?¡¯ At that moment, finding himself answering the question without even realizing it, it dawned on Juho just how amazing of an author Hyun Do was.

    ¡°I¡¯m d I read it,¡± he murmured in a cracked voice in order to keep regret from creeping into his mind. If he had sat down and forced himself to write, wearing a naive look on his face, suppressing his urge to read, Juho would have been clueless. He was d that he had given into his urge.

    ¡°I guess I lost.¡±

    In reality, he was excited. He had met with the certain reader he had been looking forward to meeting. Then, he had caught up with his fellow authors. Prior to either of those events, he had even met the celebrity interviewer for an interview, which had aired on TV. Through the interviewer, the young author had learned how he wasing across to his fans. A humbling realization had urred to him that he had been content and satisfied when, in truth, he still had a ways to go as an author.

    Then, came the rain. Although invisible to naked eyes, it soaked every inch of the young author¡¯s clothes. What felt like a heavy sigh came out of his mouth. Despite feeling his clothes getting wet, the young author closed his eyes without moving a muscle.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Juho Woo!¡±

    Juho opened his eyes at the voice calling to him from the distance. His living room appeared before his eyes. As he struggled to keep his eyes open, he realized that he had fallen asleep sitting on his couch. At that moment, a series of banging noise came from the door, followed by a series of doorbell rings. Only then, did it ur to him who might be outside of the door.

    ¡°Coming!¡± Juho said, walking toward the door as he tried to wake himself up. When he opened the door, he saw his editor-in-charge, who looked at him with surprise.

    ¡°Are you OK?¡± Nam Kyung asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Do you realize that you have some serious dark circles underneath your eyes?¡±

    Then, as Juho stepped aside yawning, the editor came into the house. Taken aback by the jarring state of the living room, he asked, ¡°What in the world is all this!?¡±

    Being careful not to step on the sheets of manuscript paper scattered throughout the floor, Nam Kyung walked across the living room.

    ¡°For a second, I thought you¡¯d just moved in.¡±

    The table was also filled with stacks of manuscript paper, which had toppled over and made a mess. It was an intimidating amount. Then, as Nam Kyung closed the window, which Juho had kept open for venttion, Juho looked around the living room. It was the result of not picking up the pages immediately after they had fallen. Nevertheless, the mess was proof that the young author had been busy at work.

    After reading ¡®The Full Moon,¡¯ Juho had remained in a dazed state for a while. A wave of emotions flooded into his heart. He felt mortified and humiliated all at the same time, boiling with the ambition to be able to write like Hyun Do. Then, looking up to confirm that the sky and the ground were both in their rightful ces, the young author reminded himself that he would never stumble again, rising from his seat and going straight to his room, writing frantically until he felt numb and out of it. Fortunately, he was able to pick up where he had left off for the most part. However, there was one critical issue.

    ¡°Still strugglin¡¯?¡± Nam Kyung asked in a slightly low voice.

    ¡°Struggling? Do you see how much I¡¯ve written?¡± Juho said, ying coy. At that, a smile appeared on the editor¡¯s face.

    ¡°Except it¡¯s not the manuscript I¡¯ve been waiting for.¡±

    Then, the young author looked toward the editor. The story about the olddy wasn¡¯t making nearly as much progress as it should.

    ¡°Maybe I should join an astronomy club, too.¡±

    ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡± Nam Kyung said, ring fiercely at the young author.

 Chapter 286 - The Full Moon (3)

    <h4>Chapter 286: The Full Moon (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Avoiding the piercing re from his editor-in-charge, Juho went to the kitchen. As the host, he had to treat his guest to something. As he took the special cups out of the cupboard, Juho asked, ¡°I only have instant coffee. Would you prefer green tea?¡±

    ¡°Coffee¡¯s fine.¡±

    Although Juho normally drank green tea, he chose to drink coffee that day instead in order to wake himself up. While Nam Kyung moved through the sheets of manuscript paper cautiously, like he would with precious jewelry, Juho came out of the kitchen with the two cups of coffee and kicked the sheets of manuscript paper aside on his way to the couch. Then, pushing the stacks of manuscript paper on the table to the side, the young author ced the two cups on the table and handed the editor a cushion.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Nam Kyung said, taking a sip of the instant coffee while reading a page of the manuscript that he had chosen at random. Juho drank his coffee quietly and focused on waking up.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked the editor, looking at him with dry, disinterested eyes.

    ¡°It pains me to think that all of these pages are going to waste. These are incredible. They¡¯re like unrefined precious gems that would sparkle like no other after some slight refinement,¡± Nam Kyung said, clearly sounding like he was suppressing his emotions. ¡°Really? You¡¯reughing?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t help myself. I wish new ideas for my story wereing out instead of theughter,¡± Juho said. Although he was perfectly capable ofughing, he hadn¡¯t made any progress with the new story for nearly a month.

    When the editor had first found out, he had said, ¡°That¡¯s very unusual for Yun Woo.¡±

    The image of the editor¡¯s serious look on his face rushed past the young author¡¯s mind. However, Nam Kyung was sure that Juho was still capable of writing. While Juho thought of that, Nam Kyung had about twenty pages of manuscript paper in his hands. Although he wasn¡¯t clear about what he was reading, one thing was certain: the pages were much darker than the new story.

    ¡°¡®Full Moon,¡¯ huh,¡± Nam Kyung murmured. By that point, he had heard about the plot of the book from the young author.

    ¡°Mr. Lim¡¯s new book¡¯s been getting recognized by both readers and critics alike,¡± he said. Nam Kyung had also read the book, and there was no doubt that it was worthy of being considered the literary great¡¯s best work yet.

    ¡°I mean, he did say that he wrote it with Mr. Kang in mind,¡± the editor murmured. Wol Kang. He was Yun Seo Baek¡¯ste husband and their longtime friend.

    ¡°He left us way too soon,¡± Nam Kyung said, like anybody who knew the author would have. Wol had passed away much too soon, and the short life he had dedicated to writing still remained in the hearts of his readers and fellow authors.

    ¡°He was one of the greatest authors this country had to offer,¡± the editor murmured, brushing his hand down the stack of manuscript paper he was holding. At that, Juho leaned his head back against the backrest of the couch. There were times when Juho wished that the author were still alive, writing new books.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Nam Kyung said with a p, changing the subject. As sentimental it might have been, Wol wasn¡¯t the most pressing matter at the moment. Rather, it was the young author¡¯s progress and thinking of ways to improve it.

    ¡°Well, how are things looking?¡± Nam Kyung asked, and...

    ¡°How does it look?¡± Juho asked back, eying the pages in the editor¡¯s hands. Then, thinking back to what he had been reading up to that point, the editor said, ¡°It feels like the ideas are getting darker.¡±

    ¡°I think so too.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung¡¯s hand went up to his forehead. Since reading ¡®Full Moon,¡¯ Juho had been in a gloomy state of mind, making him more inclined to write darker things. The novel still lingered in his mind, popping up when he least expected.

    ¡°Mr. Woo. Have you ever considered taking a slightly different approach with this project?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Juho said. He insisted on the protagonist living in a bright and cheerful world. Besides, Nam Kyung¡¯s suggestion wasn¡¯ting from a serious ce, either.

    ¡°Then, how much longer do you think it¡¯ll be until you can start writing something more uplifting?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say.¡±

    At the young author¡¯s ambiguous answer, the expression on Nam Kyung¡¯s face grew even darker, which reminded Juho of Mr. Moon. When he had first joined the Literature Club, Juho hadn¡¯t been used to writing alongside other people. Not only had it been noisy, but it had also been incredibly distracting, which had caused him to lose his train of thought and finish his stories prematurely with absurd endings. Back then, Mr. Moon had given the young author the exact same look that Nam Kyung had currently.

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    ¡°Hey! This isn¡¯t funny! I mean it!¡± Nam Kyung said desperately, concerned about whether the young author was starting to fall apart from within. As if trying tofort his editor-in-charge, Juho said, ¡°It won¡¯tst forever.¡±

    ... Which seemed to be of little help. Sighing deeply, the editor picked up another sheet of manuscript paper next to him and read it, only to sigh even deeper. They were simply too good. The sentences were superb, and although they were short, the editor was able to feel the power they carried. From his point of view, Yun Woo was in his best condition yet, and the fact that he was able to write as much as he had was proof of that. At the same time, it pained him all the more that all of those pages were going to waste. It drove him nearly insane. With the much anticipated short stories by Yun Woo and the half-length novel that would be introduced alongside them, Yun Woo¡¯s distinct, pure writing style, which was missed desperately by readers, including Nam Kyung, was finally going to make aeback. Yet, why the young author wasn¡¯t making any progress was still a mystery to the editor, especially considering the state in which the author was. On top of that, the plot was also outstanding. The fierceness of the children. The foolishness of the adults. The young maturely carrying out their innocent thoughts. Characters with distinct personalities. A bright and cheerful world. The story¡¯s message to future society. It had to be Yun Woo¡¯s most diverse and borate work yet.

    ¡°Look how far you¡¯vee,¡± Nam Kyung said. When he read Juho¡¯s work-in-progress, the editor had found it quite convincing. Alexandria was the protagonist¡¯s name. After hearing about a city, which had first been built by Alexander the Great, called by the same name in Egypt in some documentary on TV, the protagonist realized that it had a pleasant ring to it. From then on, she wished to be called Alexandria by others, and her wish hade true.

    ¡°Are you just gonna leave Alexandria hanging like that?¡± Nam Kyung said desperately.

    At that, scratching his cheek, Juho answered, ¡°She¡¯s a tough cookie. She¡¯ll do just fine on her own, even if I were to leave her alone for a little while.¡±

    Nam Kyung wasn¡¯t buying the young author¡¯s answer. Meanwhile, Juho rested his chin on his hand.

    ¡°I just can¡¯t seem to find the right mood.¡±

    Furrowing his brow at Juho¡¯s ambiguous answer, Nam Kyung asked, ¡°As in... the right mood to write?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The right mood to write about Alexandria. Otherwise, my house wouldn¡¯t look like this.¡±

    There had been a significant amount of time between when he picked up the pen, put it down, and picked it up again. Time tended to create a gap. His old self that had written and his current self that was writing. It all felt different.

    ¡°That does happen,¡± Nam Kyung said, nodding in agreement. Every author had their own way of filling that gap created by time, and it usually involved reading everything they had written up to the point they had stopped, or recreating the emotional state they had been in when they first started writing through meditation or music.

    ¡°Thing is, I just can¡¯t seem to figure it out,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Figure out what?¡±

    ¡°How I was feeling before I started reading ¡®The Full Moon.¡¯¡±

    Juho did recall having bought the book from the biggest bookstore in the area. However, he couldn¡¯t remember the excitement he had felt when he bought the book or why he had thought to himself that the book was only a keepsakes when he would eventually give in and read through the entire book in one sitting. He couldn¡¯t figure out a way to revert back to his emotional state before reading ¡®The Full Moon.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t go back to his old self, before he learned about astronomy, when he had no interest in the subject whatsoever.

    ¡°I even tried writing some really dark stories just so that I could remember.¡±

    However, the more the young author tried, the further he got from Alexandria. It was quite ironic. A troubled look appeared on Nam Kyung¡¯s face. There was only so much he could do to help as an editor. After some thought, he looked up, struck by an idea.

    ¡°What if you go on a trip? You know, for a change of pace?¡±

    ¡°When I¡¯m still in the middle of writing, though?¡±

    ¡°I just thought I should bring it up. I was told that Mr. Uhm¡¯s leaving for a trip too. Did you know about this?¡±

    ¡°No. Where¡¯s he going?¡± Juho asked. It was news to him. As he was busy thinking about whether Dong Gil was going somewhere local or to another country, the editor gave him the answer as he pulled his sses up, ¡°Russia.¡±

    ¡°... Russia?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s going for research purposes. You know his style.¡±

    When discussing Dong Gil¡¯s writing, Hemingway was a name that was bound toe up at some point. Dong Gil preferred to infuse his own experience into his novel in the most realistic way possible. He believed that that was the most honest way of going about writing a piece that was as close to the truth as it could be. Being an introspective person, he liked to write things down, and his pursuit of the objective truth had put him on the crossroad between pursuing a career as a journalist or a writer. Yet, to the young author¡¯s surprise, Dong Gil was making a trip to Russia in order to gather more data for his book.

    ¡°What kind of book is he writing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but it seems like there is something he wants to experience in Russia.¡±

    ¡°How long do you think he¡¯ll stay there?¡±

    ¡°Considering his personality, I¡¯m guessing a month, at least.¡±

    Then, as Juho was about to ask more about Dong Gil, Nam Kyung raised his hand and stopped the young author from doing so, saying, ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t have all the details, so I would suggest asking him directly.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Frankly, Juho wasn¡¯t in the most sociable mood because of hisck of progress with Alexandria¡¯s story. However, the young author was still curious if Dong Gil had read ¡®The Full Moon,¡¯ which had been written by one of the authors he looked up to the most. Then, when Juho picked up his cup in order to drink from it, he realized that it was empty. There was sweetness from the instant coffee still lingering in his mouth, which was making him thirsty.

    ¡°I could use a drink.

    ¡°What?¡±

    The urge to drink had started to tempt the young author, making him think that alcohol would put an end to his predicament once and for all. Then, the memories of his past came up in his mind, reminding him of how he had started drinking the first ce. It had been an impulsive decision, and he had been in a simr ce emotionally. ¡®I guess I¡¯m just naturally impulsive,¡± Juho thought to himself. As Nam Kyung contemted whether he should talk the young author out of drinking or not, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Well, it might not be a terrible idea. You might feel a little better after a drink,¡± the editor said. There were times when alcohol provided momentum for authors. Humans were fragile beings that often got hurt easily by the smallest things in life, and there were times when alcohol was a means of healing those wounds. However, Juho thought otherwise.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I threw all the alcohol in the house out,¡± he said. Just as he had said, the young author had thrown out every bit of alcohol in his house just in case he gave in to his urges. Water, tea, and coffee were just about the only things to drink in his house. At that, Nam Kyung looked intently at Juho with narrowed eyes and asked, ¡°You know what? I noticed that you keep yourself away from alcohol in particr. I got that impression during the interview too.¡±

    ¡°It just doesn¡¯t taste good,¡± Juho said. With that, having no intention ofmenting on the young author¡¯s taste preferences, Nam Kyung didn¡¯t make any morements, still looking somewhat leery.

    ¡°Oh, well. Authors tend to have that one thing they obsess over,¡± Nam Kyung said, shrugging it off. Then, he started picking up the pages of manuscript paper scattered about the house.

    ¡°Keep them somewhere. We might be able to use one of these for the short storyption,¡± Nam Kyung said.

    ¡°I doubt that.¡±

    ¡°Well, you never know. There are fans who are particrly fond of your short stories. They still remember what ¡®River¡¯ was like,¡± the editor said. After staring at him for a brief moment, Juho bent down at the waist and picked up a page of a manuscript under his foot. Upon reading it, the young author realized that it wasn¡¯t actually half bad, and with slight refinement, it would be more than good enough to be published. Unfortunately, the content was much too dark. The story was about catastrophe and destruction, which was far from what the young author had been looking for.

    As he organized the pages with his editor¡¯s help, a book that had been buried under theyers of manuscript paper appeared. It was none other than ¡®The Full Moon.¡¯ At that, a subtle smile appeared on the young author¡¯s face. Deep inside, what he really wanted was to be able to write a story like that of Hyun Do¡¯s new book. In simple terms, he had been influenced by the book, intoxicated by it, and wanted more of it.

    ¡°Seems like I got my butt handed to me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°By Mr. Lim.¡±

    At that, the editor smiled bitterly and said, ¡°Well, it seems like his new book has that effect. I practically forgot about my work while I was reading it.¡±

    ¡°That almost sounds excessive,¡± Juho said.

    To which, Nam Kyung replied with the bitter expression on his face, ¡°... After reading ¡®The Full Moon,¡¯ I just couldn¡¯t bear to read sentences written by some rookie author.¡±

    ¡°So, what did you do?¡±

    ¡°I went back and read the manuscript again a weekter.¡±

    ¡°And what happened?¡±

    Instead of giving an answer, Nam Kyung showed him his hands, which were empty. The contract had fallen through, and the manuscript never got made into a book.

    ¡°I see,¡± Juho said, looking down at the empty cup in his hand, without anything in particr to say.

 Chapter 287 - The Full Moon (4)

    <h4>Chapter 287: The Full Moon (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    In the end, Nam Kyung went on his way without figuring out a solution for the young author¡¯sck of progress. ¡°Take some time to think about this, but really, the sooner the better.¡± Although what he had implied hadn¡¯t been clear, Juho had nodded. Then, after encouraging the young author to ask for help when needed, he had left. After the editor left, the first thing Juho did was call Dong Gil, who was apparently making a trip to Russia.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Dong Gil¡¯s low and cold sounding voice came from the receiver of Juho¡¯s phone. And, knowing his personality, Juho got right to the point without hesitation.

    ¡°I heard you¡¯re going to Russia?¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡± he asked, sounding like he was somewhat taken aback that the young author knew about the news.

    ¡°I heard it from my editor,¡± Juho said, rifying the source of his information.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Dong Gil let out, as if making sense of the young author¡¯s answer.

    ¡°When are you leaving?¡±

    ¡°In four days.¡±

    He was leaving much sooner than Juho had anticipated. Dong Gil was truly a man of action.

    ¡°Which part of Russia are you going to?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see... First, Moscow.¡±

    With that, Dong Gil gave Juho a brief summary of the itinerary of his trip, sounding noticeably more excited, which was unlike him. Nheless, he sounded like he was in high spirits, almost enough to be willing to talk about something more cheerful and light-hearted. If only that excitement were contagious.

    ¡°Should we meet?¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s catch up before I leave,¡± Dong Gil said, and since Juho had no reason to say no, he epted Dong Gil¡¯s suggestion dly.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Was that Juho?¡±

    After putting his phone into his pocket, Dong Gil looked up at somebody who looked like the most easy-going person in the world. It was Joon Soo. Having already visited Russia in the past, he had been a tremendous help to Dong Gil in nning the trip, which had included getting the best possible price for lodging.

    ¡°Yeah. He found out about my trip somehow.¡±

    ¡°Ah! See? You¡¯re a bigger celebrity than you think.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now,¡± Dong Gil said, looking around his house, which was in disarray since he was in the middle of packing for his trip. The screen of hisptop showed the spreadsheet with the list of things he needed to take for his trip and his budget.

    ¡°Did Juho say he read it?¡± Joon Soo asked out of nowhere. But despite theck of details in the question, Dong Gil was able to catch on to what Joon Soo was referring to immediately.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask,¡± Dong Gil said.

    ¡°He probably did,¡± Joon Soo said, and Dong Gil agreed by remaining silent. Juho had to have read ¡®The Full Moon.¡¯ Yun Seo had to be about the only author capable of resisting the urge to read such a charming book. Turning his eyes, Dong Gil looked intently at her pupil, who had met with Hyun Do immediately after the release of the book.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you. You can¡¯t help but fall in love with it.¡±

    Those had been Joon Soo¡¯s exact words aftering back from meeting with the literary great. An author loved by authors. It was a phrase that often came up when describing Hyun Do, which had also crossed Dong Gil¡¯s mind. Hyun Do Lim was the prime example of an author, and Dong Gil wanted to be just like him.

    ¡°I wanna go too,¡± Joon Soo said, causing Dong Gil to snap out of his thoughts.

    ¡°You mean to Russia?¡± Dong Gil asked.

    ¡°No, Yun Woo¡¯s house.¡±

    There was curiosity in Joon Soo¡¯s eyes, and Dong Gil was well aware of where he wasing from.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about what a genius author looks like at home too.¡±

    How would ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ have affected the young genius? How would Yun Woo have digested that book?

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you. You are the epitome of a go-getter,¡± Joon Soo said. However, seeing Dong Gil furrowing his brow at hispliment, he quickly changed the subject.

    ¡°Is Seo Joong still hiding himself at home?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    Although Dong Gil was looking even more irritable, the irritation wasn¡¯t directed at Joon Soo. Dong Gil thought of his friend¡¯s face, whom he hadst seen a month ago. Back then, he hade over to Dong Gil¡¯s house in his usual attire of sweatshirt and pants.

    ¡°He looked like such an idiot, blown away by the book he¡¯d brought himself.¡±

    Seo Joong¡¯s reaction to ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ had been simr to the time when he had read ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ for the first time. He had read both books at the same ce. However, he hadn¡¯t been as tearful and emotional as he had been when he had read ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ Rather, he had been in a daze, almost to the point of looking strange. On top of that, Dong Gil hadn¡¯t been able to get a hold of him as ofte. Seeing as though Joon Soo seemed concerned for his fellow author, Dong Gil shared a piece of information that he had barely managed to get before leaving for Russia, ¡°He¡¯s at his parents¡¯ house right now.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Good thing I asked you,¡± Joon Soo said, clicking his tongue and sitting up.

    ¡°Honestly, of all the authors I know, I¡¯m most envious of Seo Joong.¡±

    ¡°Really? That idiot of all people?¡±

    ¡°How deeply immersed do you have to be in a book for it to influence you like that?¡±

    As Dong Gil remained silent, Joon Soo looked up at the empty air and added, ¡°What do you have to see in a book to be affected that much by it?¡±

    There was no doubt that ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ was a masterpiece that renewed one¡¯s mind after reading it. However, Seo Joong¡¯s response to the book felt almost excessive in Joon Soo¡¯s eyes. It was as if the author was challenging the moon. It was iprehensible. Looking at Joon Soo in such a perplexed state, Dong Gil reminisced to his younger days, when he had been a student. No matter how hard Dong Gil had tried, Seo Joong had always been a step ahead of him, drawing inspiration from the most unimaginable ces and writing stories that he couldn¡¯t even think of with ease. In the end, despairing and frustrated, Dong Gil had sought out his own path, and eventually, he had found himself alongside Seo Joong.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know, don¡¯t care,¡± Dong Gil said and looked away. There was no way to know how far his gifted friend would go this time. However, regardless of where or how far, Dong Gil knew one thing for certain: that he¡¯d also move when Seo Joong moved. As if seeing the determination within Dong Gil, Joon Soo chuckled quietly.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve lost some weight,¡± Dong Gil said as soon as he stepped into the young author¡¯s house. After making a cup of green tea for the guest, Juho went into his room rather than the living room. Dong Gil was looking at the books on the bookshelf in his room, and fortunately, the pages of manuscript that used to be scattered about the house had already been cleaned up before Dong Gil had arrived. Then, Juho handed the green tea to his guest, whose eyes were still fixed on the young author¡¯s bookshelf, pulled a chair out and sat on it. As usual, Dong Gil was wearing a dress shirt that had been ironed impably. Although Juho was well acquainted of the author, he wasn¡¯t as used to having Dong Gil in his room.

    ¡°What¡¯s Seo Joong been up to these days?¡± Juho asked light-heartedly.

    ¡°No idea,¡± Dong Gil answered without hesitation, sounding slightly annoyed even.

    ¡°Howe? Did he go somewhere?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel like talking about him,¡± Dong Gil said emphatically, which Juho shrugged off while Dong Gil remained upied with the bookshelf. Asking any more questions didn¡¯t seem like a good idea.

    ¡°What are you looking so hard at?¡± Juho asked, noticing that Dong Gil had been staring at the same ce for some time. Then, just as the young author had expected, Dong Gil said, ¡°¡®The Full Moon.¡¯¡±

    Juho had ced the book in the most visible spot on the bookshelf.

    ¡°Have you read it?¡± Juho asked, bringing up the question he had been meaning to ask.

    To which, Dong Gil answered after a brief pause, ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°How was it?¡±

    Then, instead of giving an answer, Dong Gil turned toward Juho and walked unhurriedly toward afortable looking chair opposite of him.

    ¡°How was it for you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I asked first,¡± the young author responded.

    ¡°I¡¯m older.¡±

    Chuckling quietly at Dong Gil for ying the age card, Juho gave him an honest answer, ¡°I¡¯ve been having trouble writing what I wanna write these days.¡±

    ¡°It influenced you, didn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in a pretty serious condition,¡± Juho grumbled jokingly. However, there was no change in Dong Gil¡¯s expression. Rather, he epted Juho¡¯s yfulment at face value in a cold and brusque manner.

    ¡°Yeah... So, I¡¯ve been looking for a change of pace,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°And am I the lucky winner?¡±

    ¡°Something like that.¡±

    After hearing the young author¡¯s answer, Dong Gil gave his answer to Juho¡¯s question as promised, ¡°I was deeply moved.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because it was a deeply moving piece,¡± Dong Gil said, fixing his eyes on the ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ on the bookshelf yet again. There was an unusual affection in the way he was looking at the book, as if he was looking at one from Hemingway. ¡®I wonder if that¡¯s how I look at that book,¡¯ Juho wondered. But, it wasn¡¯t long until he reached the conclusion that he didn¡¯t look at the book with the same affection as Dong Gil, whose eyes were entirely devoid of greed or the willingness to resist it. On the contrary, the young author was determined to outdo the book.

    ¡°Mr. Lim is incredible. Authors in their prime tends to leave a strong, lingering impression in their readers. I just can¡¯t stop thinking about him. I wanna be like him.¡±

    Thoughts like those tended to ur even to authors with the most earnest yearning for their own colors and vors. After all, Hyun Do¡¯s writing was simply much too tasteful and stylish.

    ¡°His only w has always been that he¡¯s too pure and clean,¡± Dong Gil said. Despite what it sounded like, he wasn¡¯t referring to the actual state of the literary great. Rather, he was referring to his writing and how it had been received by the masses up to that point.

    ¡°It¡¯s much too calcted and it leaves no room for the readers to enjoy the book in peace. It¡¯s almost too detailed, to the point of being persistent. There were one too many things in his stories that I couldn¡¯t reconcile with.¡±

    ¡°At least, his earlier works were like that.¡±

    They were referring to Hyun Do¡¯s earlier days as a writer, when Wol Kang had still been around. Although there was no way to confirm it, Hyun Do¡¯s state of mind probably matched Dong Gil¡¯s description of him even after Wol had passed away, at least for a little while longer. In fact, Dong Gil was somewhat urate in the way he was describing the writings of the literary great until fairly recently.

    ¡°But I still liked Mr. Lim despite all that.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    Although critics might have had some opinions about Hyun Do¡¯s writing, what had seemed like ws to some hade across as a charm to others. It wasn¡¯t clear when he had started changing, but he was certainly changing slowly. The number of those who were opposed to his writing started to decrease over time, and gradual, unhurried growth apanied that with little to no pain.

    ¡°I got a sense of peace andposure from ¡®The Full Moon.¡¯ It almost felt like I was looking at the actual author. If I were to describe the change in his writing, I¡¯dpare it to a rigid block of ice in the pleasantly warm, springtime Sun melting and rounding out its sharp edges.¡±

    ¡°And that isn¡¯t to say that the flow of the story is weak, either. He left that pure writing style that¡¯s distinct to him intact.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s more urate to say that it¡¯s been sculpted.¡±

    Hyun Do was in his prime, all the while without losing a single thing. Or perhaps, he had already lost it all before, left with no choice but to start over. Nevertheless, there was only one description for the result of his work: beautiful. It was reminiscent of snow falling silently from the sky, which was also reminiscent of his white hair.

    ¡°Well, it sure made a lot of people think, including you and me,¡± Dong Gil said calmly, implying that something troublesome had urred in his life.

    ¡°Is there any sort of connection between your uing trip and ¡®The Full Moon?¡¯¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s both right and wrong,¡± Dong Gil said as he brought the tea up to his mouth. The steam rising from the mug covered his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m nning on writing a spy novel.¡±

    Juho was genuinely surprised by that news. No matter how he looked at it, there was no reason not to wee the idea of Dong Gil writing a spy novel, especially considering his hard-boiled writing style.

    ¡°That suits you really well, actually!¡±

    ¡°I think so too. Besides, I¡¯ve always wanted to write one.¡±

    ¡°Since when?¡±

    ¡°Since I was in high school.¡±

    Considering how long he had been thinking about it, he had to have some sort of storyline in mind as well.

    ¡°I decided on the characters, their names, and personalities a long time ago, but I had the ambition to wait until I became a better writer. Like an ace up my sleeve, if you will.¡±

    ¡°I think I get it.¡±

    ¡°After reading ¡®Full Moon,¡¯ I came to realize that I wasn¡¯t being ambitious, but cowardly,¡± Dong Gil said, his eyes sparkling, giving him an unusually aggressive look. ¡°It was fear that I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the story I had in mind to its full extent.¡±

    ¡°Seems to me like you¡¯ve underestimated yourself,¡± Juho said. That had to be the answer he disliked to hear the most. Dong Gil wanted to know himself better than anyone, and suffice to say, his brow was already furrowed slightly.

    ¡°When I realized that, I just couldn¡¯t sit there and not do anything about it. So, I made a n.¡±

    He was referring to his uing trip to Russia, which he was taking ce in order to put the long, aspired to story in his head to paper. Seeing how ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ had moved the once fearful author, Juho started making sense of why Dong Gil was in such a good mood. He was finally getting closure from his age-old struggle, which he was dusting off, taking a step forward toward its solution, never to let the past haunt him again.

 Chapter 288 - The Full Moon (5)

    <h4>Chapter 288: The Full Moon (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I think that¡¯s a wise choice.¡±

    At the young author¡¯s affirmation, a subtle smile appeared on Dong Gil¡¯s face, and the aggressive look that had been on his face was no longer.

    ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m used to seeing myself getting swayed by the works of authors around me,¡± Dong Gil said and added, ¡°But I bet you¡¯re not.¡±

    Then, blinking awkwardly, Juho said, ¡°You sound like Seo Joong.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s some strongnguage, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Despite Dong Gil¡¯s response, Juho kept the same look on his face, as if taunting him. Then, taking a sip of his green tea, the young author asked, ¡°How was my book?¡±

    ¡°Yours was more like Seo Joong¡¯s writing. It had a flippant side to it.¡±

    When the young author remained silent, as if having taken offense to his harsh criticism, Dong Gil added, ¡°Might I add, Seo Joong¡¯s is on a-whole-nother level. Your style is charming, but that friend of mine? Not even close.¡±

    It was hard to tell if he meant it as a way offorting Juho or insulting Seo Joong.

    ¡°Do you know why I was influenced by Seo Joong?¡±

    At that, Juho turned his eyes to look at Dong Gil. The young author was well aware of the answer.

    ¡°Because you wanna outdo him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Seo Joon¡¯s talent had stirred up apetitive spirit within Dong Gil¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Joon Soo seemed to think that you¡¯vee across something incredible and exciting. But I have a slightly different view.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the book that caused it. It¡¯s you. Both you and Seo Joong tend to reflect on yourselves almost excessively.¡±

    Dong Gil wasn¡¯t exactly wrong in the way he described Seo Joong and Juho. ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ was a great book, enough to pull the young author to the depths.

    ¡°¡®The Full Moon¡¯ is an amazing novel. I¡¯m sure he was moved after reading it. At the same time, you were arrogant enough to think that you could catch up to Mr. Lim. It¡¯s always the top percentile students thatpete for the number one spot. There¡¯s nothing more upsetting than losing that award you were so certain you¡¯d win.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t really thinking in terms of rank,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Neither was I. It was just a simple metaphor. There¡¯s a big difference between first and second ces,¡± Dong Gil said as he rose from his seat. Observing his movements, Juho asked, ¡°Well, what about you? Have you ever felt thatpetitive?¡±

    ¡°I have. In fact, I¡¯m sure most writers would have had simr thoughts, wanting to write better than that one person. But in most cases, that¡¯s about the furthest most writers are willing to go. They all eventually go back to their old ways.¡±

    No matter howpetitive authors felt, they never let themselves get carried away by a book to the point of losing track of what they had been doing up to that point. Juho was able to figure out that Dong Gil was talking about Seo Joong from the expression on his face, which tended to show itself whenever he was talking about Seo Joong. Juho felt pricked in the heart for some reason. Meanwhile, Dong Gil walked past the young author and toward his desk.

    ¡°It looks neat.¡±

    ¡°I cleaned the room just yesterday.¡±

    ¡°A page of some manuscript couldn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    ¡°Trust me. My editor-in-charge would NOT like that. He prefers me to keep my manuscripts organized and in one ce.¡±

    A metal pen holder with pens and pencils, a multipurpose bookshelf filled with notebooks and research data, a deskmp, a mini-humidifier, multivitamins that he¡¯d received as a gift, and red ginseng pills. Strange decorations he had bought on his way back from the States, aputer, a fax machine, and a nt, the name of which he didn¡¯t even know. Juho followed Dong Gil¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s hard to imagine that this is Yun Woo¡¯s room.¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not decorated at all, not a single poster or anything. It¡¯s as if all you do is write.¡±

    The room was far from what most people imagined the young author¡¯s room would look like. Then, shrugging while Dong Gil wasn¡¯t looking, Juho said yfully, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? I¡¯m somewhat of a goody two-shoes.¡±

    However, Dong Gil didn¡¯tugh at the young author¡¯s yful remark. Instead, looking around the room one more time, he asked, ¡°You¡¯re facing challenges that arepletely different from before, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I sure am. It¡¯s my first time on my own.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about your readers.¡±

    Instead of giving him an answer, Juho remained silent and listened, a nonverbal gesture for Dong Gil to keep talking.

    ¡°You¡¯ve reached a ce where you have toe face to face with your readers¡¯ opinions of you. But that isn¡¯t to say that that¡¯s entirely good or bad. After all, if there are good opinions, there are bound to be bad ones too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m slowly getting used to it.¡±

    ¡°I also think you have. In fact, you¡¯ve adapted without even breaking a sweat. But I¡¯m sure ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ made you think after you finished reading it, something like: ¡®Who would be happier? My readers or Mr. Lim¡¯s?¡¯¡±

    It was proof that the young author had started being conscious of his readers, which was both a benefit and a loss. As an author, Dong Gil was significantly more experienced than Juho.

    ¡°Is thising from experience?¡± Juho asked. After which, the young author saw the corner of Dong Gil¡¯s mouth turning up slightly.

    ¡°Of course. That¡¯s where my hopelessnesses from. Your books made me think it too. ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ ¡®Sound of Wailing,¡¯ ¡®Language of God...¡¯ And it wasn¡¯t just your books, either. For example, the way you answered the interview questions, those answers all caused excruciating pain to your fellow authors.¡±

    ¡°And how did you ovee that pain?¡±

    ¡°There was nothing to ovee. Seeing your colleague making it is definitely good news. In which case, my emotions are just a burden that I have to carry on my own.¡±

    Even if the two authors were to burn the bridges between them, as long as both of them remained authors, they were bound to face each other again at some point. In the end, there was no way to sever the rtionship.

    ¡°So, it seems like a wound only time can heal.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Dong Gil said as Juho brought up what he had been meaning to say all along. ¡°Seo Joong is back in his hometown right now. By the time I¡¯m back from Russia, he¡¯ll probably be shooting pool on his own, looking like a bum.¡±

    At that moment, the name Alexandria came up in Juho¡¯s mind. Although it was brief, his mind was filled with thoughts of the protagonist of his new story. It was a good sign. From then on, the two authors talked about Dong Gil¡¯s trip to Russia, from the cities and bookstores and the wild nature he was nning to visit, to the country¡¯s history and the people he was nning to learn about. Dong Gil was very much looking forward to his trip. As he rose from his seat, Juho also rose in order to see him out. Since it was well into the night, there wasn¡¯t anybody around. Juho looked at Dong Gil¡¯s dress shoes, which were well polished, unlike the sandals he was wearing.

    ¡°Get home safe, and have a safe trip.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s goodbye, Dong Gil ced his hand on his car¡¯s door and said, ¡°You too.¡±

    Although it wasn¡¯t clear what he was telling Juho to be safe from, Juho replied affirmatively. Maybe it was from hispetitive spirit stirred up by ¡®The Full Moon.¡¯ Juho stared at Dong Gil¡¯s car as it faded into the dark street. Being out in the dark on his own, the night sky felt even darker than usual. Then, making his way back home, Juho breathed out, ¡°Sigh...¡±

    The faint light from the nearby store lit the dark street. On his way home, he thought about Alexandria some more, wondering what kind of thoughts she would have walking through a dark street. At that moment, he felt a sudden craving for something cold.

    ¡°Ice cream, it is.¡±

    Juho walked toward the dim light, which was lighting the surroundings. As he came out of the dark, a person who had arrived ahead Juho stopped in their tracks as they were going through the freezer outside of the store.

    ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡± the shadow said.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho said, greeting his fan naturally. It wasn¡¯t his first timeing across a reader that way. Meanwhile, the young author was barely holding on to the thoughts of Alexandria in his mind.

    ¡°What are you up at this hour?¡±

    ¡°I came out for a walk,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Ah,te night walk.¡±

    Then, the person nced into the store and gestured for somebody toe out. After which, a child walked out and said, ¡°Yeah?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before their question turned into an exmation. After exchanging a brief greeting with the child, Juho remembered why he was there in the first ce and walked toward the freezer. Then, taken aback by the presence of their favorite author, the readers said in turn, ¡°I¡¯m a fan!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read all of your books!¡±

    As their voice registered in Juho¡¯s mind, the thoughts about Alexandria drifted away even further. Feeling an iciness on his fingertips, the young author said, ¡°Please, pick anything you¡¯d like. It¡¯s on me,¡± and passed the basket next to him to the readers.

    ¡°Really!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just take this one then.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have this, too.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy! You said you¡¯ve read all of my books!¡± Juho said, grabbing ice cream and popsicles by the handful, filling the basket. Considering howte it was, there were only so many he could choose from. While the young author went inside to pay for them, the readers waited for him outside, holding a ck stic bag filled with ice cream and popsicles. Meanwhile, the young author remembered what he had talked about with Dong Gil: ¡®Who would be happier? My readers or Mr. Lim¡¯s?¡¯

    ¡°Can I ask you guys something?¡± Juho asked the readers. It was a question Juho received a lot.

    ¡°Oh, right! Of course,¡± the readers said with a puzzled look on their faces, as if wondering what kind of question Yun Woo would have for them.

    ¡°Have you two read ¡®The Full Moon?¡¯¡± Juho asked, his voice trembling ever so slightly.

    ¡°¡®The Full Moon?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± the child answered, unlike the adult who appeared to be confused.

    ¡°What did you think?¡± Juho asked, and the child paused briefly, as if thinking about the young author¡¯s rtionship with the literary great. Then, they answered shortly after, ¡°It was super awesome!¡±

    The child¡¯s thought on the ¡®The Full moon¡¯ was short, yet direct. Hyun Do¡¯s new book was worthy of being considered the best, which meant no other would be above it.

    ¡°Can I ask something too?¡± one of the readers asked, standing a few paces away. At that moment, Juho knew by instinct that he had been influenced by a simr remark before he had started writing about Alexandria. It felt as though something awoke within him under the full moon. However, as if oblivious to the young author¡¯s thoughts, the reader asked more or less the same question, ¡°When are the short storiesing out?¡±

    They were obviously looking forward to the short story. Since it had been over a month since he had stopped making progress with the story, Juho couldn¡¯t answer their question immediately.

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know the exact date.¡±

    ¡°Aw...¡± the readers let out in a groan. The dark street sank into silence, only to be broken by the rustling sound of the stic bags reminding Juho that the ice cream and popsicles were melting. It almost felt as if they were rushing the young author. Then, looking up, Juho locked eyes with the two readers. The top half of their faces were covered in shadow. For some reason, Juho remembered having a simr feeling when he met with the certain reader. Alexandria was the young author¡¯s response to his readers¡¯ desperation for the release of the short stories. The schstic setting had been quite appealing to Juho, and he was happy that there were readers who waited for him.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be waiting.¡±

    With that, the readers went on their way, and Juho also turned around. ¡®Who would be happier? My readers or Mr. Lim¡¯s?¡¯ It was a rather shallow concern. The state of the readers was far from the image the young author had had in mind. They were more concerned about their ice cream. If Juho hadn¡¯te across them, it wouldn¡¯t have urred to him that his readers¡¯ concerns were nothing like his. His throat felt itchy for some reason. After all, there really was nothing to ovee.

    Upon returning home, Juho mmed the door shut, rushing to get inside and into his room. Then, taking the box under the desk, he flipped it upside down, pouring everything within it out on the floor. They were the pages of manuscript that were once scattered around the living room. There was something he was looking for: a story so heavy that readers would find themselves sinking into the ground before they even realized it. After scavenging through pages and pages of manuscript, Juho saw a particr word from the corner of his eye.

    A book thief. It was a story about a disgraceful thief whose future didn¡¯t look so promising. Then, picking up the remaining pages of that particr manuscript, Juho sat in front of his desk. It was a story about himself. Considering how much he had been writing, it made sense that he would end up writing about himself at some point. If he had never read ¡®The Full Moon,¡¯ it would¡¯ve never urred to Juho to even write a story about some thief. It was the moment when his month-long writing frenzy turned out to be very rewarding. Without it, Juho would have written something lukewarm and less than interesting, leaving nothing for the readers to look forward to.

    Thoughts drifted away against his will. Hispetitive spirit and desire to write better than ever, of wanting to impress and deeply move his readers. All those thoughts started fading away, making room for thoughts of Alexandria.

    ¡°Wee back, Alexandria,¡± Juho said as he picked up the pen.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Thank goodness you started writing!¡± Nam Kyung said, sighing a sigh of relief as he sank into a chair and carelessly put his phone on the young author¡¯s desk. The story about Alexandria had started moving forward again. The editor had no doubt that Yun Woo¡¯s cheerful story would bepleted this time. Nam Kyung thought back on the pages of a manuscript he had read in the young author¡¯s living room. Despite some inconsistencies within it, they were still incredibly well written, especially the segment about the book thief. A man, who seemed like he had been evil since birth, grows up to be a book thief. It was obvious that he wasn¡¯t going to be well off. Despised by those around him, the thief gets himself into debt. When reading about him, Nam Kyung couldn¡¯t help but miss Alexandria, who was just the opposite of the thief. Then, with the intention to strike up a conversation with Mr. Maeng, whose desk was next to his, the editor said, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Mr. Woo really knows how to bring the most out of any characters.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Hyun Do had replied, and recognizing his voice, Nam Kyung jumped from his seat.

 Chapter 289 - Alexandria Wins (1)

    <h4>Chapter 289: Alexandria Wins (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Hyun Do Lim was paying a quiet visit to Zelkova. Upon realizing his presence, all the editors jumped from their seats and greeted the literary great. Not only was Hyun Do the author behind the book that drove Yun Woo to his wits¡¯ end, but he was also the prime example of how authors should conduct themselves. Along with Yun Seo Baek, there was no reason not to respect him. Mr. Maeng was wearing a peculiar look on his face, looking as though caught off guard by the literary great¡¯s sudden visit and overwhelmed by the fact that he was seeing Hyun Do face to face. Thankfully, Nam Kyung was able to collect himself quicker when he saw the look on his coworker¡¯s face.

    ¡°What brings you here, Mr. Lim?¡± he asked. To which, the author replied, ¡°I just met with the president.¡±

    Because the president of Zelkova had a background as an editor, it wasmon for him and Hyun Do to meet.

    ¡°May I talk to your director?¡± the literary great asked.

    ¡°Oh, of course! One moment, sir,¡± Nam Kyung answered, eying Mr. Maeng. At which point, the coworker rushed out of the office to bring the director of the editing department over. While waiting for Mr. Maeng¡¯s return, Nam Kyung offered Hyun Do a seat and asked about the author¡¯s meeting with the president, ¡°So, how¡¯d it go?¡±

    ¡°He seemed busy, so I just left him be. Besides, it gets stuffy in his office real quick,¡± Hyun Do answered nonchntly. He seemed to have gone looking for the president¡¯s office himself instead of waiting to be greeted. There had to be a reason, and suspecting that it most likely had something to do with Yun Woo, Nam Kyung closed the blinds in order to create a more private setting. After that, the editors who were ncing over in their direction all turned their heads to their respective desks. As Nam Kyung sat down, the door opened gently, and Ms. Song, wearing a big smile on her face, came into the office with two cups of green tea.

    ¡°Oh! You didn¡¯t have to. Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no! It¡¯s my pleasure, sir,¡± Ms. Song said, shaking her head emphatically. After she left the room, Nam Kyung and Hyun Do picked up their cups at the same time and started drinking. The room sank into silence, and the editor started the conversation off with small talk, which was quite obvious.

    ¡°I really loved ¡®The Full Moon.¡¯¡±

    Although there was no change in Hyun Do¡¯s expression, things didn¡¯te across as brusque, either.

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized how frightening a full moon could be until I read that book.¡±

    Then, in a slight dy, the author answered unhurriedly, ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. There¡¯s nothing like gettingplimented by editors.¡±

    Nam Kyung chuckled on his own from the considerate response, and the sound echoed through the office. At that moment, the name Juho popped up in the editor¡¯s mind. What did the young author think of the literary great? Although Juho had been quite reserved about his opinions of Hyun Do, Nam Kyung suspected that it was something close to admiration.

    ¡°So, you mentioned Yun Woo earlier,¡± Hyun Do said.

    ¡°Pardon?¡± Nam Kyung said, caught off guard and feeling slightly exposed.

    ¡°Do you think he excels at bringing the most out of his characters?¡± the author asked, bringing up what Nam Kyung had meant to say to his coworker while clueless that Hyun Do had been in the office.¡±

    ¡°Haha. So you heard? I¡¯ve been quite satisfied with his work as ofte.¡±

    ¡°I heard he had to take a breather.¡±

    Although it wasn¡¯t clear how Hyun Do had ess to that information, it was clear that he already knew what had happened. Besides, it wasn¡¯t anything problematic, as it was a thing of the past. Currently, Yun Woo was wrestling with his new story and making significant progress.

    ¡°He got back up on his feet. He¡¯s back writing.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Hyun Do answered, unfazed. His new book had stirred up Yun Woo¡¯spetitive spirit within him, and considering the scale of the impact ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ had had in the literary world, it wasn¡¯t a surprise that it had had an effect on other authors, including the young author. Since Yun Woo¡¯s book was still in its early stages, there were rumors circting within Zelkova that something big and worthy of looking forward to wasing.

    Although ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ didn¡¯t quite have the same effect on Nam Kyung, it had left a deep impression on him nheless. He was able to look at the full moon in a different light, and the editor was certain that his new-found perspective would have a profound impact on his future. It was a thought that was both scary and exciting.

    ¡°Did you meet with Mr. Woo?¡± Nam Kyung asked.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s busy writing.¡±

    ¡°If he sees your name on the screen of his phone, he¡¯ll answer without thinking twice. Even if it was in the middle of the night,¡± Nam Kyung said, observing Hyun Do¡¯s expression, and whose eyes seemed cast down.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on that.¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡±

    ¡°I called him just yesterday, actually. He didn¡¯t answer.¡±

    ¡°...¡± Nam Kyung remained silent, caught off guard by the young author¡¯s unexpected behavior.

    ¡°He must¡¯ve had his phone on silent,¡± the editor said, barely managing to think of an answer. However, Hyun Do denied it, remaining calm and unfazed, ¡°He called back muchter, just as I was about to go to bed. He was probably taking a break.¡±

    ¡°... He must¡¯ve been preupied with writing. Oh, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°He told me that he waited until his phone stopped vibrating, which means he kept writing through the distraction of people calling him. He knew where his prioritiesy,¡± Hyun Do said.

    ¡°Is that what Mr. Woo said?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    When Nam Kyung nced at Hyun Do¡¯s face, there was no trace of anger in his expression. Rather, he looked delighted. As concern faded away, Nam Kyung became curious about the kind of conversation that took ce between the two authors.

    ¡°So, what did Mr. Woo have to say about ¡®The Full Moon?¡¯¡±

    ¡°He was very open about it. He said that there¡¯d been an aftershock he had had to deal with after reading my book, but he did get something out of the experience, for what it¡¯s worth.¡±

    For the young author, reading ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ had been both a loss and a gain.

    ¡°Did you two talk about his work-in-progress at all?¡±

    ¡°Not really. It seemed to be going OK,¡± Hyun Do said, picking up his cup. When he took a sip, his white hair covered his forehead. That time, the author took the initiative to ask, ¡°Well, what do you think? You¡¯ve read his manuscript, right?¡±

    The story about Alexandria had gone through an interim evaluation, and the editor recalled just how bright and cheerful the protagonist¡¯s life was when he read the manuscript. It had the power to put a smile on readers¡¯ faces. Although it was likely that some would find the story shallow andcking in substance, it was more than enough to get the readers to be able to connect with it emotionally. On top of that, the two short stories that were going to be included with the new story were more than enough to prove Yun Woo¡¯s skill as an author.

    ¡°I think this just might be Yun Woo¡¯s most lovable novel to this day,¡± Nam Kyung said, marketing the young author¡¯s work-in-progress to Hyun Do. To which, the author nodded affirmatively.

    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±

    Nam Kyung had never heard of a remark like that from Hyun Do, since it was extremely umon for him to express his expectations to others. He felt a heavy responsibility on his shoulders. However, the editor was fully aware that he wasn¡¯t the only one bearing that burden. The burden on the young author had to be significantly heavier.

    ¡°You should encourage him sometime,¡± Nam Kyung said with a subtle smile.

    At which, Hyun Do also responded with a subtle smile, giving off a serene, unhurried impression, ¡°I don¡¯t have that kind of time.¡±

    Nam Kyung looked at the author¡¯s wless posture. It was impressive how straight the line from his shoulders to his lower back was. However, the editor wasn¡¯t convinced that somebody who sat with such a straight posture on a regr basis couldn¡¯t afford the time to check in with the young author.

    ¡°But, Mr. Lim, ¡®Language of God¡¯ essentially came about because of you,¡± Nam Kyung said.

    ¡°At the end of the day, it¡¯s the author who does the writing, and I¡¯m sure Juho knows this very well.¡±

    Because the young author was aware of that, he had expressed his gratitude toward Hyun Do for giving him the inspiration.

    ¡°There, you guys are!¡± the director came in after knocking, and Nam Kyung rose from his seat to greet her. The director seemed to be d to see the editor and Hyun Do in one ce. After greeting the author briefly, the director struck up a conversation with him, ¡°I would¡¯ve gone to you if you¡¯d stayed in the president¡¯s office.¡±

    ¡°I had business to attend to,¡± Hyun Do said, and the director smiled as if used to his demeanor. Meanwhile, as Nam Kyung stood in his ce and observed the situation, the director looked at him and asked, ¡°How¡¯s Mr. Woo been?¡±

    ¡°Very good,¡± Nam Kyung answered without hesitation. Just like he had said, Yun Woo was doing incredibly well.

    Then, with a look of relief on her face, the director replied, patting the editor on the shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, he makes everything so much easier for us! He knows how to build trust with people. Well, you better start getting ready.¡±

    ¡®To do what? Resign? Publish? Outside duty? Business trip?¡¯ Nam Kyung thought to himself, confused by the director¡¯s remark. At which point, she exined in a friendly manner, ¡°Mr. Woo¡¯s signing event?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Nam Kyung let out as he was reminded of what he had been forgetting. Since revealing himself, not only had Yun Woo made an appearance on TV, but also participated in interviews. He was able to present himself on official asions, and it was normal for an author of his scale to have a signing event. Nam Kyung looked at Hyun Do by reflex, but he learned little about what the author was thinking. Then, as the editor thought of Juho, his busy mind came to a sudden halt.

    ¡°So...¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he said he wasn¡¯t going to do it,¡± Nam Kyung said quietly, dragging his answer out. At which point, the director¡¯s hand on the editor¡¯s shoulder grew tighter, implying that she wasn¡¯t going to go into details about the matter in front of Hyun Do.

    ¡°He¡¯s already revealed himself. I know he¡¯s gonnae around. Riiight?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Nam Kyung said, smiling along with the director. Now, he had to convince the young author to have the signing event at all cost, no matter what.

    ¡°Shall we?¡± the director asked Hyun Do, walking out of the office with him. The voice fading into the distance made Nam Kyung feel disconnected almost instantly.

    ¡°A signing event, huh,¡± Nam Kyung said, sinking into a chair. The time came for the young author to go through a bigger event. Although there was still time since the event would take ce after the release of the book, even if the young author were to change his mind, that day was bound toe eventually, which meant Nam Kyung had to n for it ahead of time and think about how to convince the young author.

    ¡°Who knows? Maybe he¡¯ll just do aplete one-eighty all of a sudden,¡± the editor murmured. However, he knew full well that that was merely wishful thinking, as other thoughts were already running amok in his mind.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Be safe.¡±

    ¡°Make sure to ce those orders by the end of the day, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Gotcha.¡±

    With that, Nam Kyung rose from his seat. When he walked out of the building, he narrowed his eyes from the bright sunshine on his face. The weather was quite pleasant that day. Then, trying to remainposed, Nam Kyung got in his car and went on his way. The GPS was leading him to one destination, the house of the author with whom he had been working. Although it wasn¡¯t his first time visiting the young author at his home, he felt noticeably more nervous than usual. Nam Kyung thought back to the text he had received that morning then, and after which, he immediately called the young author. The message read: ¡®I¡¯ve finished my first draft.¡¯

    ¡°You mean, you¡¯re done with your first draft?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Juho replied. The manuscript had finally beenpleted, and considering how troublesome the process had been, the editor weed the news much more eagerly. Meanwhile, the young author told his editor-in-charge that he had sessfully ovee the predicament he had found himself in, which made the editor even dder.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send it your way.¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Nam Kyung said while checking the scheduling app on his phone. There was some business that needed to be addressed, and doing so in person seemed to be the best way of going about it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to your house and pick it up in person, if you¡¯re OK with that.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Whatever floats your boat,¡± Juho replied affirmatively and in his usual demeanor.

    ¡°Turn right,¡±

    As the voice sounded from the GPS, Nam Kyung snapped out of his thought. At the end of the road, was the manuscript, and he was anxious to read it. The trip to meet with the young author to read the manuscript came with excitement. The fact that he, as Yun Woo¡¯s editor, would get to read it before anyone else was also incredibly rewarding, and it validated his decision to choose a career that could easily suck the life out of him.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Nam Kyung let out, as if eximing. Unfortunately, being an editor meant that there were times when he had to disagree with the author¡¯s choice in sentences. It all came from his efforts in trying to make better books. The revision process could be described as the saying: in with the new, out with the old. It involved undoing what had beenpleted and rebuilding it, and that process tended toe with guilt. It didn¡¯t help that he had to tear down a building that was already well built.

    Nam Kyung turned the steering wheel unhurriedly. As he drove, he rolled the window down in order to let the fresh air into the car. As always, his job required him to think, read, and edit carefully, and the editor kept reminding himself of that in order to keep himself calm. However, maintaining a peaceful mind was proving to be a lot harder, as other concerns tended to pop up despite his efforts to silence them.

    ¡°Better talk to him about the signing event.¡±

    At that moment, he was forced to slow down at the sight of the traffic jam. The honking of horns and what sounded like the noise of construction followed, and before long, the road was in a state of chaos. At the sight of the unexpected traffic conditions, Nam Kyung clicked his tongue irritably.

 Chapter 290 - Alexandria Wins (2)

    <h4>Chapter 290: Alexandria Wins (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    That day, the elevator felt like it was moving faster than usual. As Nam Kyung walked toward the young author¡¯s apartment, his footsteps echoed through the hallway. Then, after he rang the doorbell upon arrival, the sound of a lock disengaging came from the door, revealing the young author, who appeared to be in a noticeably better shape than before, behind it. However, Juho still seemed to have lost some weight.

    ¡°Hello, there,¡± Juho greeted the editor, letting him in.

    ¡°The living room¡¯s a lot cleaner than I remember,¡± Nam Kyung said, and Juho chuckled quietly. Then, watching him walk into the kitchen to prepare tea, Nam Kyung sat on the couch in the living room. Although he wanted to demand that the young author show him the finished first draft, the editor sat and waited quietly, reminding himself that there were steps that needed to be taken to get there. Soon, Juho returned to the living room with cold beverages in his hands, which appeared to be some kind of iced tea.

    ¡°I got it from Dong Gil as a gift,¡± Juho said, rifying the source of the teabags.

    Nam Kyung took the cup from Juho, which had what looked like look an owl drawn on the outer wall of the cup. Seeing as though the cup looked significantly different from the one in Juho¡¯s hand, Nam Kyung¡¯s cup appeared to be a special one for the guests.

    ¡°Are youing from work?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Nam Kyung said, feeling the breeze blowing into the house through the window, probably the reason for the house to have been in disarray, with pages of manuscript paper scattered about the entirety of it. Nam Kyung still had vivid memories of that day, of struggling to keep the pages from flying away. Now, the clean, organized state of the living room proved to the editor that Juho had really ovee his predicament.

    Frankly, it wasmon for authors to be influenced by external factors and to struggle to maintain the consistency in their writing. Because they were human, authors also had a life to lead, and it was impossible for them to approach writing with the same, consistent mindset and emotional state every time. Of course, every author had their own way of dealing with that, which obviously varied in effect. Whatever Yun Woo¡¯s method for dealing with the inconsistencies of being human, which often rose from his daily life, was, it was clearly ineffective when it came to protecting him from the impact of ¡®The Full Moon.¡¯ Since reading Hyun Do¡¯s new book, Juho had experienced a change, being unable to write in the way that he had in mind.

    Thankfully, what had helped the young author return to stability was a certain encounter with his readers. Nam Kyung observed the look on Juho¡¯s face. He was staring straight ahead and drinking his tea absentmindedly. It had an uncanny resemnce to the look on Hyun Do¡¯s face, including its ambiguity, making it impossible to read.

    ¡°So, did Alexandria finish school after all?¡± Nam Kyung asked. Then, he saw Juho¡¯s eyes move as he caught on to what the editor was implying. Chuckling quietly, Juho said, ¡°You¡¯ll find out.¡±

    As an experienced editor, Nam Kyung was well acquainted with the looks on authors faces when they were about to show their first drafts to their editors. Knowing the challenges they were about to face, most authors couldn¡¯t celebrate in peace, which meant editors had to be even more cautious in the way they approached the revision process. Authors tended to have incredibly sharp eyes, and they were capable of catching even the most subtle changes of expression on their editors¡¯ faces. Knowing that, Nam Kyung was well aware that he was bing the target of observation in that moment. He tended to refrain, as much as possible, from showing any emotion on his face when reading through a manuscript. However, he often found himself having to be twice as cautious in front of Yun Woo, as the young author was incredibly sensitive.

    ¡°Here you go,¡± Juho said as he brought the manuscript out. Hiding his anxiety, Nam Kyung took the bundle of paper from the young author¡¯s hand. While the editor read through it, Juho drank his tea. There was no interaction between the two for a little while, letting only the various random sounds upy the silence, such as the whir of the motor within the refrigerator, the sound of cars passing by outside, and the chirping of a bird. At that moment, the sound ofughter broke the silence. Nam Kyung hadughed while covering his mouth with his hand, which he had clenched into a fist for some reason. Then, looking away from the page, Nam Kyung looked at the person who had made him burst intoughter, who also had a subtle smile on his face, as if relieved to see the editor¡¯s response.

    ¡°She¡¯s a cheerful person,¡± Nam Kyung said.

    ¡°She has a unique way of problem-solving, doesn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°Indeed. She¡¯s very likable.¡±

    Just like her name, Alexandria tended to conquer all the challenges that came her way in the bravest manner. As Yun Woo¡¯s editor, Nam Kyung acknowledged that she was the most humorous character ever created by the young author. ¡®How could anybody possibly not like her?¡¯ Nam Kyung thought to himself. She had a presence fit for a king.

    ¡°Seems like the setting really brings out more of the story,¡± he added. Unlike the magnificent characters and their extraordinary life stories, the entire story took ce in a small, humble setting. It was that seemingly jarring contrast that had provoked theughter. In simple terms, it was aedy. After collecting himself, Nam Kyung resumed reading. The fast pace gave life to the sentences, making it difficult to figure out where he had left off. At the same time, it felt somewhat excessive, making the editor concerned about the story bing shallow down each line. Nevertheless, holding back any judgment, Nam Kyung read on. At that moment, something unexpected happened. What had felt like a seamless reading experience quickly became anything but. Something was out of ce, and Nam Kyung felt his brow tensing up as the young author¡¯s gaze bore down on him. In that moment, thinking that the best course of action was to cover his face somehow, Nam Kyung sat up and lowered his head, reading the pages up close. He couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that he had read about the thief at some point.

    ¡°This is the book thief, isn¡¯t it?¡± Nam Kyung asked. The thief was making an appearance in the most unexpected ce in the book. When the editor looked up at Juho, he was wearing a peaceful look, unfazed.

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. Keep reading,¡± Juho said, and ording to his advice, Nam Kyung read on. What had been a cheerful, uplifting story had taken a dark turn. Although the thief seemed to be slightly younger than when Nam Kyung had first read about him, the thief still seemed like he had been evil since birth, and that had remained true of him even as an elementary student. Shrewd, evil, and entirely devoid of conscience, the thief continued to steal books at school. Inclined to betray those around him, the thief didn¡¯t interact with anybody and only provided help when there was a benefit to him.

    Up to that point, Nam Kyung had met countless people like that in his life, and he would most likely meet more of them in the future. Children were growing up sooner and sooner. Simrly, the book thief, who had the appearance of a child, was already an adult on the inside, bearing an uncanny resemnce to his coworkers and those Nam Kyung had to bow to. Like day turning into night, what was once a naive and lovely story had started changing out of nowhere. As the Sun set and took the light with it, darkness engulfed the world. In other words, it was reality and thankfully, the Sun rose again in that dark reality. It was incredibly well done and distinctively Yun Woo.

    The presence of the book thief enhanced the quality of the book even more, which was still in its first draft. After revisions, it was bound toe to life even more. Then, looking up, Nam Kyung said, ¡°Thanks for your submission, Mr. Woo.¡±

    With that out of the way, there was one more thing that needed to be brought up to the young author. When reminded of that, Nam Kyung was immediately struck by anxiety.

    ¡ª

    When Juho saw his editorughing, the emotion that came to him was a sense of relief. It had seemed like at least some of the young author¡¯s intentions had gotten across. Thankfully, Nam Kyung saw the book thief coexisting with a character like Alexandria positively. However, the editor had expressed some concerns toward the end, when the protagonist came to face the thief. When Juho looked at Nam Kyung again, the editor seemed to have reconciled with his initial concern.

    Frankly, from the time the editor first stepped into the house, Juho had been nervous about Nam Kyung¡¯s visit. Whenever he was about to show a manuscript to his editor for the first time, Juho would always find himself getting nervous. Unfortunately, there was little he could do about it. At the end of the day, Nam Kyung was an editor, and Juho was an author. Contrary to the uplifting atmosphere of the novel, writing that story hade with its fair share of struggle. If Juho were to be honest, he would appear quite nervous about what Nam Kyung would have to say about the manuscript. Knowing that Nam Kyung tended to hide his emotions when reading a manuscript, Juho felt the need to observe him even closer. It wasn¡¯t long before his tea had run out while he was watching the editor reading.

    Then, Juho noticed something strange after Nam Kyung put the manuscript down, looking noticeably morefortable. There was something about the editor that made him look anxious, as if he had something to say.

    ¡°Would you like more tea?¡± Juho asked, and the editor epted his offer dly. Juho went to the kitchen with Nam Kyung¡¯s cup and filled it with water, reverting it back to itsposition of before Nam Kyung had started drinking from it. Meanwhile, Juho thought about what the editor was about to bring up. If it was about the manuscript, then it didn¡¯t make sense that he would be so anxious. Juho recalled having already declined an interview offer. Perhaps, he had a different manuscript in mind that he wanted to request. With that, as the young author returned to the living room, and Nam Kyung said, ¡°I think we can breathe now. You¡¯vee a long way.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lie, it wasn¡¯t easy,¡± Juho said, agreeing with Nam Kyung. ¡°Although, the real fun part hasn¡¯t happened yet.¡±

    Unfortunately, the writing process was still ongoing. The story was still in its early stages, and it still needed to go through a number of revisions until it became a book-worthy.

    ¡°Right. The real fun is just about to begin,¡± Nam Kyung said, nodding weakly. Something wasn¡¯t right. The editor was keeping the same behavior about him, even as they talked. ¡°I can just picture how things will look on the release day, you know?¡±

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not my first time writing a book. But if I were to be honest, I am still kind of nervous.¡±

    ¡°Right? I mean, seeing your book getting released is definitely something to celebrate.¡±

    As an author, the fact that his book was getting released was good news. Instead of the pages of manuscript paper in Nam Kyung¡¯s hands, the machine would print a revised version of the manuscript, which would be reformatted in order to make the printing process more efficient. After going through the revisions that would be made, the workers at the print shop would look at the spacings, the filming process, and the te making. Then, the printed pages would be bound into a book. Nam Kyung imagined a freshly printed booking out of the printer. As usual, the book woulde out in B6 paper. There would be countless promises that would be made in the process of estimating how many materials would be needed and the cost of production.

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of like a festival of sorts. You know, an event,¡± Nam Kyung said. It was quite different from what Juho had in mind.

    ¡°Right. Although, I¡¯m not sure how to feel about events.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not sure?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Then, pausing briefly, Nam Kyung put on a determined look, appearing as though he was about to get to the point.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do a signing event,¡± the editor said in a slight dy. Again, it wasn¡¯t exactly what Juho had had in mind, and the word signing event sounded quite foreign to the young author.

    ¡°You mean, me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Me? Have a signing event?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr. Woo? You seem shocked,¡± Nam Kyung said, looking much more at peace than before. ¡°Call it a special event in celebration of the release of your new book. Think about it. Spending the entire day with your readers at a bookstore on the day of release,¡± Nam Kyung said, emphasizing the participation of the readers.

    Then, after staring into the air in a daze, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯ve never done it.¡±

    Nam Kyung looked at him as if Juho was stating the obvious. However, Juho had never held a signing event in the past because his second book had turned out to be a disaster.

    ¡°What I¡¯m suggesting here is Yun Woo¡¯s first official signing event. Mypany and I will take care of all the details. Think about it, Mr. Woo. This is your opportunity to show just how grateful you are to your readers.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Nam Kyung kept on, as if determined to convince the young author.

    ¡°It¡¯s just so sudden.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting that you make a decision today,¡± Nam Kyung said, implying that Juho shouldn¡¯t be so quick to decline, either. It was a well-known fact that Yun Woo disliked appearing before the public.

    Then, recing the phrase said by his editor in his head, Juho asked, ¡°If I said yes...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Nam Kyung asked without even breathing.

    ¡°How would it happen?¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung gave the young author a brief summary of what the event would look like.

    ¡°First, we¡¯ll give everyone a numbered ticket and make sure people who areing from far away get the advantage of staying in the front of the line. Considering that it¡¯s your signing event, I¡¯m guessing there will be quite a few people who won¡¯t hesitate to travel a long distance. We¡¯ll discuss that in more detail as we go.¡±

    ¡°And if I said no.¡±

    ¡°Think about it,¡± Nam Kyung said, ring piercingly at the young author¡¯s face. Although Juho wasn¡¯t sure of what Nam Kyung was thinking, seeing as though he was busy trying to prevent the young author from declining right off the bat, Juho remained open to the idea. Not only was the fact that it was something he had never done before appealing to him, but he also recalled having received help from certain readers. He hade to realize that meeting with his readers was not entirely a bad thing. As he was deep in thought, Nam Kyung kept on, ¡°We¡¯ll have a team of talented individuals helping you out. Besides, I¡¯ll be right there, next to you. It might feel foreign and awkward since it¡¯s your first time, but eventually, you¡¯ll even start recognizing some of the readers who show up regrly as we hold more signings. A lot of fan cafe members tend toe to events like that actually. They¡¯re professionals when ites to signing events.¡±

    ¡°Please, tell me more,¡± Juho said, noticing the subtle smile spreading across Nam Kyung¡¯s face. The editor had to have noticed that Juho was taking an interest, d that the young author was open to the idea of holding a signing event.

    ¡°I think the biggest perk of having an event like this is that you get to see your readers¡¯ responses immediately after they¡¯ve read the book. After all, the event is going to be on the book¡¯s release day,¡± Nam Kyung said, and Juho became curious about what the readers¡¯ responses would be like immediately after they¡¯ve read the book.

    ¡°What if they hurl insults?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t get that from me, so you should be fine.¡±

    ¡°There are all sorts of readers out there, though.¡±

    When a manuscript became the subject of an editor¡¯s insults, it never got made into a book. However, that didn¡¯t necessarily mean that the opposite was true. The approval of the editor didn¡¯t necessarily guarantee the sess of the book either. It was the gap between ideal and reality. Thankfully, Nam Kyung had always been a trustworthy editor. Alexandria. The book thief. Short stories. Readers.

    ¡°Should I give it a try?¡± Juho asked, only to rephrase what he had said shortly after, ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it. As long as you arrange it.¡±

    That day, Nam Kyung smiled brighter than ever.

 Chapter 291 - Alexandria Wins (3)

    <h4>Chapter 291: Alexandria Wins (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Myung Joo Mu was an actor whose sess hade after many years of obscurity. He had be increasingly popr after his role as the brother in the movie ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯

    ¡°You did great, Mr. Mu!¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    After a gueri interview, the actor exchanged thank yous with the interviewer at a restaurant in Hongdae. On his way to the restaurant, Myung Joo had a number of impromptu fan events. Although he still felt awkward on one hand, he recognized that having fans was something to be grateful for. There were still a crowd outside the restaurant waiting for him toe out. His daily life was now filled with unthinkable urrences, and strangely, he was starting to have a hard time remembering how life as a no-name actor used to be. He was in a ce where he was able to reminisce about his difficult past with a smile on his face. It couldn¡¯t possibly be a bad change.

    As he stepped out of the restaurant, the crowd of fans screamed at the sight of him, and the actor waved before getting into his car. While the manager started driving, Myung Joo closed his eyes after looking out the window at his fans rushing past it.

    ¡°Tired?¡±

    ¡°A little bit.¡±

    ¡°That was a lot of fun! I think you¡¯ll look great behind the screen.¡±

    Myung Joo felt relieved almost instantly upon hearing the encouraging remarks from his manager. No matter how many times he went through it, the actor still had a hard time getting used to the the hectic schedule. Massaging this shoulders, he realized just how tense he was through the interview. After rotating his neck a few times, he reached for a book next to him, titled ¡®An Insect Leaves No Trace.¡¯ Written by Yun Woo, it was the book that the actor had been reading repeatedly. However, no matter how many times he read it, it was just as good as the first time. To him, Yun Woo was a great author, and the memory of their first encounter still remained fully intact in his mind. Despite being significantly younger than him, Yun Woo had had a mature vibe about him. ¡®I wonder if that¡¯s what happens to writers...¡¯ Myung Joo thought to himself despite knowing full well that that was merely an unfounded assumption.

    ¡°That book again?¡± His manager asked, as if tired of seeing the actor reading the same book.

    ¡°What? It¡¯s a good book.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m tellin¡¯ you, Myung Joo. You¡¯re obsessed.¡±

    Then, as the car turned to the left, their bodies leaned toward the same direction.

    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s understandable,¡± the manager said.

    Myung Joo¡¯s life had turned around because of Yun Woo¡¯s book. That was what a lot of people thought anyway. Nevertheless, the actor had no intention of denying it. Yun Woo¡¯s writing had a profound and deep impact in his life, even outside of his acting career.

    ¡°Considering how big of a fan you are,¡± the manager added.

    ¡°I do like him a lot, but that has nothing to do with why I read his books.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°It means I read them because they¡¯re good books,¡± Myung Joo told his manager. In the actor¡¯s mind, Yun Woo and ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ weren¡¯t on equal footing. Strictly speaking, what had really impacted his life had been the book rather than the author. In other words, he had always had the choice to stop after reading ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ However, every single book by the young author was a gem, each and every one of them impressive in its own way, which really made the actor look forward to the young author¡¯s new book.

    ¡°Really? Does that mean you don¡¯t like the author himself all that much?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, I¡¯m a fan!¡±

    ¡°So, if I were to summarize, you just like everything about him.¡±

    ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that I¡¯m not reading his books just because I like him.¡±

    ¡°All right. OK,¡± the manager said as he stopped the car at a red light.

    ¡°What¡¯s Yun Woo like in person?¡± the manager asked. Although Myung Joo had heard that question more times than he could count, the fact that the question wasing from his manager, who didn¡¯t have even a remote interest in literature, made it feel like he was hearing it for the first time. It was highly likely that the manager didn¡¯t know who Seo Joong Ahn and Dong Gil Uhm were, although he might have heard of Joon Soo Bong since he had been growing increasingly famous in the media. Rather than literature, the manager¡¯s interests were somethingpletely unrted. He was incredibly knowledgeable about tools and civil engineering. On top of that, he was an excellent manager.

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Myung Joo asked. To which, the manager answered nonchntly, ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that I hear about him everywhere these days. Yun Woo this, Yun Woo that. Now, people are raving about his short storiesing out. People tend to ask me a lot of questions about celebrities as soon as they find out what I do, and do you know about whom the second mostmonly asked question is? Yun Woo. So, I started getting curious myself. Honestly, though, I don¡¯t understand how people can get into books like that.¡±

    As the release date approached, the fans grew even more anxious. Their wish was finallying true: a piece that contained traces of Yun Woo¡¯s life. Myung Joo was also one of those fans. Part of him anticipated a promotional interview, and although he pretended not to be excited, Myung Joo couldn¡¯t deny that just the thought of the new short stories put him in a better mood almost instantly. However, none of that would answer his manager¡¯s question in any meaningful way. With that, he gave the same answer to the question he had heard one too many times, long tired of both. Besides, the fact that he was talking to his manager didn¡¯t really make a difference.

    ¡°If you wanna know about Yun Woo, it would be a lot quicker to read his books than to ask me.¡±

    At that, the manager gave the actor a look as though he had heard some clich¨¦ moral lesson. No matter how stereotypical his manager found Myung Joo¡¯s answer, however, the actor believed that reading Yun Woo¡¯s books was the best way to know the young author. Simrly, Myung Joo believed that his manager would be able to understand why people were so enthusiastic about books once he experienced a book himself. In either case, the quickest and most efficient way to know about an author was to read their books.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever read a book from cover to cover,¡± the manager said, confessing the reason why he couldn¡¯t get into a book.

    ¡°But you watch movies for hours on end,¡± Myung Joo said.

    ¡°Movies are entertaining though. The fancy sound effects to all the fancy action sequences and the enormous movie set.¡±

    ¡°I can tell that you¡¯re into fancy things.¡±

    Speaking of fancy, Yun Woo was one of the figures that shone the brightest in the literary world. Thankfully, he seemed like an author who would fall within the manager¡¯s preferences. Considering the manager¡¯s personality, it was very likely that he would buy every single Yun Woo book in print as soon as he discovered what it was like to read a book written by Yun Woo.

    ¡°If you have trouble getting through long books, then start with short stories. There are different kinds of books out there. ¡®River¡¯ is probably Yun Woo¡¯s most representative short story. It leaves you with asting impression. I think you¡¯ll like it.¡±

    ¡°You think so? ¡®River,¡¯ huh? But I¡¯m into things that are really intense though. Short stories aren¡¯t typically known for their depth, are they? At least that¡¯s my understanding of how they¡¯re viewed anyway,¡± the manager said, tilting his head as if still having trouble grasping everything.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out after you read it,¡± Myung Joo said. Seeing his manager repeating the title of the short story to himself, the actor recognized that as a weing change and added, ¡°If you¡¯re into more intense things, then ¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ is also a good choice.¡±

    ¡°¡®Sound of Wailing?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Although, in terms of immersiveness, you gotta go with ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°That one¡¯s way too long though,¡± the manager said. He also knew about the series. After all, it was quite famous by that point.

    ¡°In a sense, ¡®River¡¯ is more intense than ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Great. They sell all of ¡¯em in bookstores, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just lend ¡¯em to you. You cane in for a minute, and I¡¯ll fetch them for you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be great!¡±

    While he was at it, Myung Joo took his phone out in order to make sure that he was conveying urate information to his manager.

    ¡°When was it that you met Yun Woo again?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Myung Joo?¡±

    Although the manager¡¯s voice lingered in the car, the actor was entirely upied with the new information he had obtained.

    ¡°They¡¯re holding a signing event,¡± Myung Joo said.

    ¡°With whom? You?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Whoa! Seriously? I didn¡¯t know authors held signing events!¡±

    Unlike the manager, who spoke calmly, Myung Joo was struggling to suppress his excitement. It was a signing event in celebration of the new book¡¯s release. In other words, it was an opportunity for fans to get Yun Woo¡¯s autograph on the day of the short stories¡¯ release. Yun Woo had authored some of the most immersive books Myung Joo had evere across. Although there had been times when he had wondered what the world would have looked like if Yun Woo hadn¡¯t been an author, he was fully aware of how meaningless it was to think about such a thing. Yun Woo was one of the actor¡¯s absolute favorite authors. Checking his schedule, Myung Joo made sure that he was going to be avable on the day of the signing. ¡®I have to be there,¡¯ the actor thought to himself.

    Upon arrival, Myung Joo brought the books out to his manager as promised. Although the bundle turned out to be quite hefty, the actor was certain that his manager would be able to read every single one of the books. Then, as he was getting in the car, as usual, the manager said to the actor, ¡°You make sure to get some good rest, all right? Don¡¯t even think about going anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    Myung Joo wasn¡¯t the type to lie or go out of his way to go somewhere he shouldn¡¯t. After seeing him out with a smile, the actor rushed into his house and started looking into the signing event on the inte.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Woo.¡±

    On the day of the signing, the branch manager of the store greeted the young author, reaching for a handshake, and Juho responded with a smile and a handshake. It was 8:00 a.m., and the store wasn¡¯t opening for another hour and a half. Although the signing was nned to start after lunchtime, Juho had let his curiosity get the best of him and ended up arriving early. Due to the employees and store officials, the store wasn¡¯t entirely empty. Still,pared to his usual experience in bookstores, it was significantly quieter. The store was ratherrge, and because of that, the surroundings grew quieter as the young author went further into the store. His new books were already on the disy racks next to the cashier counter, where it could be easily seen by the customers.

    ¡°So! How do you feel holding your first signing event?¡± the manager asked. Although Juho didn¡¯t really have any thoughts about it, he gave a sincere answer, ¡°A little nervous, a little excited.¡±

    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve seen countless signing events for authors up to this point, but I¡¯ve never been more excited about any of them than for today. I hope you warmed up your wrists, Mr. Woo,¡± the manager said, warning the young author yfully. The signing was nned tost for several hours. Although it was bound to be physically demanding, it was also an opportunity for Juho to meet his readers. With that, the manager gave a tour of the store, particrly the sections that carried Juho¡¯s books. Unlike most books, which were organized by genre and the year they had been published, his books were allbined into one section. As the young author looked intently at the books, the manager started raving about the current trends of the publishing industry, as if feeling awkward or itching to talk some more. From the most printed to the most popr genres, he seemed to be quite knowledgeable.

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    An employee called to the manager. After which, he asked to be excused and walked away with them. Although listening to the manager had been quite entertaining, Juho wanted to explore every corner of the store while he was there. Then, aftering across a book with a certain title, he picked it up from the shelf. It was a new book, and it had just been included in the store¡¯s inventory. Although Juho had received his copy from his publisher,ing across a fresh copy at a bookstore before it was even open made it a different experience.

    The title, ¡®Alexandria,¡¯ jumped out at the young author, especially with its gold-colored cover. Designed by Jung Eun Kong, the focus was on the aspect of abundance and prosperity. Juho thought back to the stacks of books next to the cashier counter. Seeing a stack of gold books was quite a sight to behold, even befitting the title of the book somehow.

    With that, Juho walked toward the middle of the store, where the promotional banner with his face on it hung. It was the space designated for the signing event. Feeling ufortable staring at his own face, Juho walked toward another spot, where domestic literature was being disyed. Following his instincts, Juho looked for ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ and found three copies in the shelf, back to back. ¡®I wonder if this is what Seo Kwang¡¯s bookshelf looks like,¡¯ Juho wondered. Then, in order to see if there were other names he recognized, the young author started exploring other section in the store. Yun Seo Baek, Wol Kang, Kelley Coin, Seo Joong Ahn, Dong Gil Uhm, Dae Soo Na, Joon Soo Bong, Mideum Choo, and Geun Woo Yoo, whose books took a little longer to find than the others. It had been a while since Juho had been to a bookstore, and he was enjoying the peace and quiet to its full extent while itsted. As he walked around the store, he ran into Nam Kyung, who was justing out of a certain section. Then, looking as if he had been looking for Juho, the editor said, ¡°Did you get to look around? We better get going. You haven¡¯t eaten yet, right?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Juho said, realizing how hungry he was.

    ¡°Would¡¯ve been nice to do a quick interview before the signing,¡± Nam Kyung murmured as they were exiting the store, but Juho chose not to respond to it. When they were about to walk out of the ss door, they saw a group of twenty or so people on the other side, each with a book in hand. It was ¡®Language of God.¡¯ There was only one reason for why there would be a crowd waiting in front of a bookstore at that hour.

    ¡°People are starting to line up already!¡± Nam Kyung said, impressed.

 Chapter 292 - Alexandria Wins (4)

    <h4>Chapter 292: Alexandria Wins (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°They¡¯re here so early,¡± Juho said, noticing one of the employees from the store peeking out. That people waiting in line that early was puzzling to Juho. There was still quite a long time until the store opened.

    ¡°Why are these people here so early? The store isn¡¯t even open yet.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯repeting to be the first in line. Seeing the number one printed on the ticketes with a certain sense of achievement,¡± Nam Kyung replied immediately, as if he already knew the answer to the young author¡¯s question.

    ¡°So, they¡¯re the ones I¡¯m about to meet, huh?¡± Juho said, intently observing the faces of the people waiting in line. There were a handful of people who were talking among themselves. However, none of them looked bored. At that moment, as the young author locked eyes with the person squatting in the front of the line, the person sprung up in their ce.

    ¡°I¡¯d be ruining the experience for them if I ran into these people, right?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Probably. Let¡¯s go around the back.¡±

    With that, Juho and Nam Kyung turned around and headed for another door on the opposite side of the building, which took them to the editor¡¯s car safely and without running into anybody.

    ¡°I say we eat while we can. You won¡¯t even have the time to drink water once the signing starts,¡± Nam Kyung said, and Juho nodded. Everyone in the store, including the manager, had a determined look about them, which told the young author that it was going to be quite a daunting event.

    ¡°You can always take a break when you need it, so let the manager or one of the employees know.¡±

    ¡°OK,¡± Juho said as he got into the editor¡¯s car.

    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s gonna be a lot of people?¡±

    ¡°Of course! It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡°I saw Myung Joo on TV yesterday in a gueri-style interview.¡±

    The interview had taken ce in Hongdae, and the camera had shown the crowd surrounding the restaurant in which the interview took ce. That showed just how popr Myung Joo was bing.

    ¡°Oh! I read an article about that too,¡± Nam Kyung said, nodding.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be THAT many people, do you?¡±

    At Juho¡¯s question, an ambivalent look appeared on Nam Kyung¡¯s face while he looked straight ahead.

    ¡°I¡¯d guess about that many.¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± Juho said. Then, as if nothing had happened, he thought about what to eat for breakfast.

    ¡ª

    Despite feeling like their lungs were about to explode, the fan ran relentlessly, with an urgent need to get somewhere. Because it was still early in the morning, there were barely any people around, allowing the fan to run unhindered. Thanks to their favorite author, the fan was experiencing something they had never experienced before, and the realization made their heart beat even faster.

    ¡®First ce!¡¯

    The fan thought to themselves, looking around the bookstore that was yet to open. It was 6:00 a.m. The fan had arrived somewhere they had never been. Looking into the bookstore through the ss windows, the fan revisited the route they had mapped out in their mind. Starting from the ce where the numbered tickets were going to be given out, to where ¡®Alexandria¡¯ was going to be disyed, the fan had nned out a route in order to navigate through the busy store more efficiently. Taking out their phone, the fan checked the directory of the store in order to double check that everything had been nned urately. Since they had visited ahead of time just the day before in order to scout out the ce, as long as everything went ording to the n, the fan would be standing in the front of the line with the number one sticker on their book, being the first person to get Yun Woo¡¯s autograph. Plunking down on the stairs, the fan took their breakfast, which they prepared ahead of time, out of their bag.

    ¡°I can¡¯t screw this up,¡± the fan said in order to motivate themselves. Failure wasn¡¯t an option. While chewing on a piece of pickled radish, the fan took their phone out of their pocket and checked the group chat between those members of their fancafe who had agreed toe to the signing event. There were quite a few people who were just starting to get out of bed, which gave the fan a sense of pride and aplishment. Then, moving their fingers, the fan updated their fellow members of their status quo: ¡°I¡¯m in front of the bookstore now.¡± At that moment, a groan came out of nowhere, ¡°Aw!¡±

    As the fan turned in the direction from where it hade, knowing immediately that the person who had groaned had arrived at the bookstore with the exact same purpose in mind. Then, after taking turns looking at the store and the fan, the person who had groaned walked over to the entrance for no apparent reason, only to stand behind the fan.

    ¡°You¡¯re here for the signing event, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    There was regret in the person¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Hey, look at the bright side! Second ce is still impressive,¡± the fan said in order tofort the person second in line.

    ¡°You already know where the tickets are gonna be given out, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I did my research.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before the first and second in line discovered that they spoke the samenguage and shared food with each other.

    ¡°Hey, I have an idea. Why don¡¯t we take pictures of each other while we¡¯re getting the autographs?¡±

    ¡°That sounds brilliant! I¡¯ll take several in different angles.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. Since reading AILNT, I kind of choke up whenever I pose for a picture,¡± the second-in-line said, referring to ¡®An Insect Leaves No Trace¡¯ by an acronym like an avid fan.

    ¡°Yeah, I know what you mean.¡±

    With that, the two started talking about Yun Woo, and the second-in-line kept on about the book, saying, ¡°I¡¯m so proud that AILNT went into its second printing within two months in the US.¡±

    ¡°I was losing it when I found out that the first edition started at one million copies. It says a lot about where the book stands in the overseas market.¡±

    ¡°What do you think Yun Woo will be like in person? I can only imagine from what I¡¯ve read in the interviews.¡±

    They each had a certain image of what the young author would look like. Simr to the second-in-line, the fan had also been thinking about what Yun Woo would be like in person. Although the young author appeared to be serious and earnest on TV, that couldn¡¯t immediately be considered his natural self because the asion had him surrounded by cameras.

    ¡°He does seem mature... but I have a feeling that he¡¯ll be childlike too. I mean, you saw just how cheerful the synopsis of the new story was, right?¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯m having trouble picturing what that would be like. Yun Woo and humor just don¡¯t really click in my mind. If anything, I picture him as this fancy, heavy, serious, and somewhat precarious person,¡± the fan said, and the second-in-line agreed, saying, ¡°Right? I felt simrly when ¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ wasing out. I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah! That¡¯s true. That pure writing style in ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ kind of fit his age back then.¡±

    ¡°Just like ¡®Sublimation.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Man, that book! I think there¡¯s a reason why that one¡¯s so controversial though.¡±

    ¡°Yet, here I was, thinking he would stick with pure literature, and what does he do? He releases another book under a different alias. I¡¯m telling you, this guy¡¯s a genius!¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    Then, the second-in-line opened their backpack and showed off their entire set of the ¡®Language of God¡¯ series.

    ¡°In my opinion, I think the original was a lot better-looking than the hardcover version,¡± the second-in-line said, expressing their personal preference.

    ¡°Zelkova really knows what they¡¯re doing. Their book covers look great. Besides, who would¡¯ve thought Yun Woo¡¯s signing event would happen so soon? This is a dreame true,¡± the fan said, and the second-in-line agreed emphatically. It wasn¡¯tmon for Yun Woo to make public appearances, and the way he had answered the questions in the interviews had only proved that further. Suffice to say, those who knew the young author well had given up wishing for a signing event.

    ¡°Which is what made me even more excited!¡±

    It felt as though they were receiving a gift. As the two conversed, the line became noticeably longer, and the longer the line got, the more it dawned on the fan that the fan was the first person in line. Everyone else was lining up behind them and the store was about to open in about an hour. Squatting and in a daze, the fan fiddled about with a tree branch, which broke shortly after. At that moment, as the fan looked up, they saw somebody through the window of the store. It was Yun Woo.

    ¡°Whoa!¡±

    By the time the fan sprung up from their ce, the young author had already turned away. As the shadow of the author quickly faded away into the distance, the fan stood in a daze for a brief moment.

    ¡°Did you see him? It was Yun Woo!¡± the fan said.

    ¡°What? Who!?¡± the second-in-line said, turning toward the fan while conversing with the third-in-line. Although it was brief, the fan was certain that the person he had seen had been Yun Woo. ¡®What¡¯s he doing at the store so early? Well... I guess it kind of makes sense,¡¯ the fan thought to themselves. No matter what they thought, it didn¡¯t change the fact that their thoughts were merely unfounded assumptions. Then, as anxiety started creeping into their mind again, the fan reviewed their n in their head in order to stay focused. ¡®I¡¯ll get two copies and keep one of them as a signed copy,¡¯ the fan thought to themselves. Yun Woo¡¯s new book looked particrly stunning. He had thought so even when the fan had seen its gold cover for the first time on the inte. Not only was it fitting to Yun Woo¡¯s image, but the fact that the covers for the short stories within it had been designed by one the young author¡¯s peculiar acquaintances made theption even more appealing. Zelkova was definitely living up to its name. Although the short stories themselves would have provided more than enough leverage, the publisher had thought of a brilliant way to go about advertising for the book. They had known what information to let out to the readers in order to build up anticipation. ording to Zelkova, Yun Woo¡¯s new story was going to be new and different from his usual style, which meant that the fans would get to see yet another side of Yun Woo. ¡®Alexandria, wait just a little longer,¡¯ the fan thought to themselves.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost time,¡± somebody said from behind. It was 9:25 a.m when the fan checked the time, which meant the store was opening in five minutes. Then, making sure their shoes were tied, the fan braced themselves as the only thing left to do was to run toward their objective.

    ¡°Nine thirty.¡±

    The fan bolted into the store, running right past the employee greeting them. There was no time for pleasantries. Technical literature, children¡¯s literature, international literature, and domestic literature. Looking around frantically, the fan looked for the golden cover. Then, shortly after, the fan saw the stack of golden books next to the cashier counter, which they embraced dly. While the fan was paying for the book, the rest of the crowd rushed into the store toward the stacks of the golden books. The stacks were shrinking at an awe-inspiring rate.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± the fan said to the cashier. With the receipt in their hand, the fan rushed to the center of the store, where the signing was set to take ce. As they arrived, one of the employees asked, looking slightly taken aback by the fan¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Are you here for the signing?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This is where I get the ticket, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is. But, uh... we¡¯re not giving them out until eleven.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll wait in line. That number one spot belongs to me.¡±

    At that, as if impressed, the employee smiled, adding that they¡¯d remember the fan¡¯s face. ¡®What a great employee!¡¯ the fan thought, deeply moved by the employee¡¯s pleasant attitude. Then, shortly after, a line started forming behind the fan. The second-in-line became the third, and the third-in-line became the fourth. However, the fifth-in-line had moved up to second. Meanwhile, the fan felt proud of securing their number one spot. After some time passed, the employee took the sticker and handed it to the fan.

    ¡°Here¡¯s your number one ticket!¡±

    In a sense, it was a trophy for the fan¡¯s dedication. After taking the sticker from the employee, the fan opened their book and put the sticking on it without hesitation, being cautious to make sure that the sticker didn¡¯t end up crooked. Now, all the book needed was an autograph from Yun Woo, and then, it would be made perfect.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± the fan let out, relieved. Now that the fan had secured their number one spot, the next thing in the agenda was to go out for lunch at a restaurant not too far from the store. At that moment, just as the fan was about to head to the restaurant, the new second-in-line, who turned out to be a member of the same fancafe, struck up a conversation with them.

    ¡°Are you goin¡¯ out for lunch?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°Would you like to join us? I was supposed to eat with other members.¡±

    ¡°No, thanks. I already have a ce in mind.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect! We were still deciding where to eat. You wouldn¡¯t mind if we joined you then, would ya?¡± the new second-in-line asked, and since the fan didn¡¯t have a reason to say no, the fan nodded affirmatively. Besides, after getting their hands on Yun Woo¡¯s new book, the fan was in a great mood, feeling like nothing could wipe the smile off their face.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat quickly so we can start reading,¡± the new second-in-line said in a shaky voice, probably just as excited as their fellow fancafe members. Addressing each other by their respective usernames, the fancafe members weren¡¯t afraid to show their excitement. For them, having a copy of Alexandria in their embrace brought them more than enough happiness. They were anxious to read it, growing increasingly curious of whether they would end up viewing Yun Woo in a different light after reading it.

 Chapter 293 - Alexandria Wins (5)

    <h4>Chapter 293: Alexandria Wins (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Since the five members of the fancafe were focused on finishing their meal rather than the taste of their food, they ate in silence. There was important business they needed to attend to afterward.

    ¡°All right. I¡¯m gonna go on ahead,¡± the fan said after finishing their meal before anybody else. It wasn¡¯t until then that the other four members looked up from their bowls and dishes.

    ¡°Guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised to see you finishing first.¡±

    ¡°That was quick.¡±

    ¡°Enjoy your lunch, everyone,¡± the fan said as he paid for the food and exited the restaurant. Like the true fan that the fan was, the fan had already figured out a ce to read. There was a seating area near the store, which was close to the street, meaning that the fan would have to deal with the exhaust fumes of the cars passing by. However, the fan didn¡¯t mind it one bit as long they had the golden book with them. The fan rushed to their reading spot, which, thankfully, was still empty. Without hesitation, the fan grabbed a seat and opened the book, ignoring the car horns in the distance, murmuring the title of the book written in a stylish looking font.

    ¡°¡®Alexandria¡¯¡±

    As the fan turned to the next page, the About the Author section of the book became visible, which usually contained an author¡¯s name, level of education, nickname or nicknames, and biography. Although none of them were new to the fan, there was something special abouting across those pieces of information through the author¡¯s book. The fan had been in an elevated emotional state since the night before, even as they woke up at four in the morning to pack their breakfast. Just the fact that Yun Woo hade out with a new book made life so much better. ¡®How will he surprise me this time?¡¯ the fan thought, feeling their heart beating faster.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the surrounding noises faded away. ¡®How did the titlee about? What does it mean? What kind of story did he write this time?¡¯ Although the fan was full of questions, the answers became clearer as they flipped through the pages of the book.

    As cars and pedestrians passed by, a burst ofughter came out of nowhere. Humans were capable ofughing, and everyone had their own reasons for it. In the case of the fan, they wereughing because of the golden book, their shoulders, which had be tense as the fanpeted and fought for their desire, moved up and down. Alexandria¡¯s cheerful demeanor automatically put the reader in a better mood, making them hold their sides fromughing.

    ¡°So, Yun Woo¡¯s has a way withedy too, huh?¡±

    Reading a book from Yun Woo had never been funnier. The book was quite fast-paced, and before they knew it, the fan was burning through its pages. On top of that, not only was it easy to read, but it was also a great read. Alexandria was quite a loveable character. Originally, Alexandria was a port city located in northern Egypt, by the Mediterranean Sea, which was also known as a vacation spot. Thinking of the city, the fan often thought of the ancient library in Alexandria, which was thergest and most influential library in existence during its time. As a character, Alexandria was unreserved, sessful, and in her prime. As a protagonist, she wanted to learn to read, write and expand her world. Of course, she didn¡¯t let her desires stay as mere wishes. She acted on them, fought for them, and finally, obtained them. After having learned to read and write, she felt unstoppable.

    As the fan flipped through the pages of the golden book, impressed by the young author¡¯s sense of humor and wit, their hand stopped as the fan reached a certain point in the book when a character jarringly out of ce appeared all of a sudden. The unexpected turn only added to the anticipation. Somebody had stolen a book.

    ¡°¡®Scuse me?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Hello? Sir?¡±

    At the voice calling to them, the fan looked up in a dyed response and saw a cheerful-looking person. They had to be the one to interrupt the fan¡¯s reading experience.

    ¡°Do you know how to get to the bookstore from here by any chance?¡±

    At that, the fan felt their irritation welling up from deep within. ¡®Why me of all these people? It¡¯s gotta be the book,¡¯ the fan thought, pointing toward the store with a swallowed sigh, ¡°Go straight that way, and you¡¯ll see it.¡±

    ¡°Ah! I see, thank you very much!¡±

    Upon hearing the thank you from the pedestrian looking for the bookstore, the fan felt their irritation subside. Those who weren¡¯t used to the area were bound to ask for directions at some point. Besides, there had to be quite a few people traveling a long distance to get to the signing event. Then, just as the fan was about to resume reading, a man walking past them caught their eyes. Not only was the man tall, but well built. Although he was wearing a hat and sunsses, there was something about him that made him look out of ce. In other words, the man looked like a celebrity. As the man walked in the same direction as the pedestrian who had just asked for direction, the fan stared at him until he disappeared into the distance. He returned to reading shortly after.

    There was not a minute to waste. The fan was anxious to read more about Alexandria, the book thief, and their fight. As cars and pedestrians passed by. Birds chirped, and leaves blew in the wind. After some time had passed, the fan, who had finished the entire book in one seating, said, ¡°So good!¡±

    If only the fan could, they would grab a random pedestrian and urge them to read the book. A sense of satisfaction filled their heart to the point of making it feel like it was about to explode. What was even more irresistible was that there were two long-awaited short stories after the story about Alexandria. There was still more left to be read and enjoyed. Checking the time, the fan deciding to go to the bookstore, saying, ¡®I better go get in line. I¡¯m savoring those short stories.¡¯

    ¡°Hey! You¡¯re back!¡± the second-in-line, who was guiding people who were confused after having arrivedte, said to the fan.

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    The store was filled with people who were hopelessly lost, not knowing where to find the book or where to get the numbered ticket. Even if they managed to get their tickets now, they would most like be in the three hundreds, which meant they would have to wait for at least three hours until they could get an autograph from the young author.

    ¡°Did you finish reading the book?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    It made sense for the second-in-line to be in such a good mood, even going as far as helping others out with the friendliest looking expression in the world. Simrly, the fan was also wearing a simr smile. Then, in order to discuss the reading experience with a fellow fancafe member, the fan asked, ¡°Did you read Alexandria?¡±

    ¡°No. I started with the short stories, so I only got to the middle,¡± the second-in-line said, bringing their index finger to their lips, gesturing that the fan not spoil the book, as if saving the best forst.

    ¡°You must be on cloud nine.¡±

    ¡°I sure am!¡±

    The thought of what was left of the book alone made their heart beat faster, and the fan was fully aware of what that experience was like. Then, catching on to what the fan had been implying, the second-in-line asked, ¡°You saved the short stories forst, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    That time, a subtle look of superiority appeared on the second-in-line¡¯s face.

    ¡°Let me tell you, you won¡¯t be disappointed.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    At that moment, an announcement came out of the speakers in the store, saying, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, if you¡¯re here for the signing event, please form a line in an orderly manner.¡± When the fan got to the spot where the signing was set to take ce, they saw their fellow fancafe members also waiting in line, whom they walked right past in order to stand in the front of the line, feeling as though they had be Alexandria. After investing time and effort into nning for the event ahead of time, the fan had been rewarded with a sense of aplishment. Now, the fan would enjoy the privilege of being the first person to get Yun Woo¡¯s autograph. The fan looked behind at their fellow club members, who were having a heated discussion about the young author. Nevertheless, they were all excited. The wait for the actual signing event had begun, and the members of the fancafe remained in a heated discussion about Yun Woo.

    ¡°I think what sets Yun Woo apart is his unique writing style. ¡®Sublimation¡¯ has to be, easily, the most shocking book I¡¯ve evere across. How should I put it... It was like when I first heard a singer who sang like a dolphin. It was jarring at first, but before I knew it, I¡¯d fallen in love with it.¡±

    ¡°I, personally, would describe him like Lionel Messi¡¯s dribbling. When you watch how he handles that ball, you can¡¯t help but think that he¡¯s a genius.¡±

    ¡°For me, it kind of reminded me of my first time at the movie theater.¡±

    ¡°For me, I think it was simr to the cultural difference I felt when I traveled to another country for the first time. It felt awkward and foreign, but charming all at the same time.¡±

    While the fancafe members were busy talking to each other, the line started getting even longer. While some waited anxiously for the young author¡¯s appearance, a handful of others were reading the remaining portions of their books that they hadn¡¯t had the chance to get to. Meanwhile, those who had read the entire book were still enjoying the lingering emotional experience.

    As the time of the event approached, a store employee started passing out pens and sticky notes to those waiting in line, with which they wrote down their names as a reference for the young author during signing. Although the fan entertained the thought of writing down their user ID for the fancafe, or even Alexandria, they decided to take the asion more seriously and write down their real name. As the anxiety started catching up to the fan, they briefly reviewed the things they were going to say upon meeting Yun Woo as the first person in line, things the fan had already thought of the night prior to the event. First, woulde the hello, while telling the young author that they had been reading his books since ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ Then, after taking a picture and shaking the young author¡¯s hand, the fan would ask him the question that had been burning in their mind: ¡®What¡¯s your emotional state like when you¡¯re writing?¡¯ At that moment...

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Yun Woo!?¡±

    The fan saw somebody in the distance walking toward the crowd, the table and a couple of chairs that had been set up ahead of time. Those who had gathered around the store to observe without getting the young author¡¯s autograph all took their phones out at the same time. Being the first-in-line meant that they were granted the privilege to see Yun Woo up close. Then, the crowd started growing louder, eventually exploding into screams.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    It was Yun Woo. At the sight of the young author, the fan let themselves go, screaming from the top of their lungs, taking the store employees by surprise. Looking toward the crowd standing in an endless line, the young author smiled subtly at his fans, causing the fan to gasp for breath. Yun Woo was smiling. Being surrounded by people screaming from all directions, everything felt surreal to the fan. The staff from Zelkova were surrounding the young author, protecting him. Simultaneously, there was a group of reporters on one side of the store frantically taking photos of the young author¡¯s first signing event with professional equipment iparable to the mere smartphones of the fans and spectators.

    ¡°I¡¯m so nervous.¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡±

    A couple of the fancafe members said from behind, and frankly, the fan was practically in the same state. While the fan stood in a daze, Yun Woo¡¯s face came into their view, along with the people around him, each wearing anyard that read: staff.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we will start the signing now,¡± one of the staff members shouted. Then, catching on to an employee signaling them subtly, the fan started walking toward the young author, feeling like their legs were about to give out. As the fan ced their book on the table, which was covered in a velvet table cloth, the editor opened the book and handed it over to the young author, who proceeded to check the sticky note for the name and sign an autograph on a separate sheet of paper. Meanwhile, the fan¡¯s mind was nk.

    ¡°What time did you get here?¡± Yun Woo asked the fan.

    ¡°At six in the morning,¡± the fan replied by reflex. Then, realizing how cocky they must have sounded, a sense of humiliation washed over the fan.

    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s dedication,¡± the young author said, impressed. At which, the fan felt immediately validated. Despite the shes going off and the cheers that came from the crowd from time to time, the fan saw and heard nothing but Yun Woo¡¯s face and voice.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t we lock eyes with each other this morning?¡± Yun Woo asked, and the fan nodded emphatically, realizing that it really was Yun Woo that they had seen that morning.

    ¡°I saw you standing first in line. Getting here early really paid off, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Uh... I wanted to make sure I got here before anybody else. Although, I am the first-in-line... I mean, not that I¡¯m talking down to people standing behind me in line or anything like that. Um...¡± the fan started fumbling over their words. And, remembering what they had read in the book earlier, the fan tried to justify their statements. The fan was feeling pricked in the heart, being fully aware of all the name calling that had taken ce in their heart. With that, wearing a subtle smile on his face, Yun Woo returned the book to the fan along with his autograph.

    ¡°You know, you remind me of Alexandria,¡± the young author said to the fan. At which, an indescribable feeling washed over the fan. With that, the turn went to the next person in line, and being mindful of others, the fan stepped away to the side, clenching their empty hand into a fist. Despite having been the first person in line, the fan hadn¡¯t been able to shake Yun Woo¡¯s hand nor take pictures with him, which the second-in-line was in the midst of doing.

    At that moment, the fan was struck by a realization about themselves and Alexandria. Because everything had taken ce muchter than for most people, Alexandria was inevitably far from being number one. Nor was she in second or deadst for that matter. She was simply Alexandria. In an elementary school, she had a characteristic that was unique to her. Getting ate start in life had ultimately made her unique, no matter where she went. However, that wasn¡¯t to say that she had a reason to look down on or get intimidated by others. In the end, that was why the fan had been so fond of Alexandria. Emotionally overwhelmed, the fan ced their hand on their chest, realizing that that experience wouldn¡¯t havee through a handshake or through taking pictures with the young author.

    ¡°Thank you for writing,¡± the fan said amid the moring cloud. Although there was no way to verify if Yun Woo had heard that or not, the fan was genuine in what they said and wished that the young author would recognize that there were readers out there who felt like that. There was no promise that Yun Woo would hold another signing in the future. Nevertheless, the fan was ready and determined to be there to tell Yun Woo what they couldn¡¯t that day. With that, the fan turned around and walked away from the crowd. Even those who were visiting the store to buy books were looking in the young author¡¯s direction. When the fan exited the store with a sense of pride and aplishment, they were met with surprise yet again.

    ¡°How long is this line!?¡±

    The line was stretching out the door and around the store, even up to the stairway. It seemed like there was no end to it.

    ¡°What¡¯s this line for??¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s signing event.¡±

    ¡°Huh! Should we get in line too?¡±

    Even the officers regting traffic and the construction workers on the other side of the street took interest in the jaw-dropping sight. The drivers in their cars waiting on the street with their windows rolled down were also looking in the direction of the bookstore. Meanwhile, the fan walked against the direction in which the line was moving. Then, after locking eyes with the people waiting in line in the Sun, the people asked, ¡°Did you get his autograph?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I was first-in-line,¡± the fan said light-heartedly, and the people in line also epted it light-heartedly.

    ¡°So it begins.¡±

    There was a person squatting, lining up the rocks on the ground. Then, seeing that the rocks seemed like they were lined up ording to their rank, the fanughed out loud like when they had first read the golden book. ¡®I¡¯m gonna get started on those short stories, the first when I get home,¡¯ the fan thought to themselves, excited and deeply satisfied.

 Chapter 294 - Alexandria Wins (6)

    <h4>Chapter 294: Alexandria Wins (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    It was chaos. Everything was happening all at once. The shes were going off at the front, while the crowd was shouting from both sides. On top of that, right behind Juho, was a banner with his face on it. It was in a foreign setting like that that the young author was meeting his readers and signing autographs.

    ¡°I baked these cookies myself.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Juho said, thanking the reader who handed him a well-decorated bundle. Wrapped in clear stic wrapping, the cookies were quite delicious. Unfortunately, there was no time for distractions. There was a massive group of people standing before his eyes, iming that they had read his book.

    ¡°Could we shake hands?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Why not?¡± Juho said, looking at the reader who was clearly nervous. Hoping that his hand would get warmer before he shook the reader¡¯s hand, Juho balled his hand into a fist. Then, when they shook hands, the young author was reminded of just how cold his hand was whenpared to the reader¡¯s. Realizing that his attempt to warm his hand up had been useless, a subtle smile appeared on the young author¡¯s face. Then, looking thrilled to meet him, the reader started raving about Alexandria.

    ¡°It was such a good book!¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely! I couldn¡¯t stopughing!¡±

    With that, Juho handed the book back to the reader with his autograph, and Nam Kyung, who was sitting next to him, opened and handed him yet another book. As soon as Juho signed an autograph, another request came in immediately after. It felt endless. The different names on the sticky notes were all written in different handwriting, reminding the young author that there were all sorts of people reading his books.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been reading your books since ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ since you were in high school!¡± a reader, who appeared to be a university student, said.

    ¡°Have you now? Were there any books that you didn¡¯t like?¡± Juho asked, and the reader waved their hand in denial, saying, ¡°Oh, no! I loved every single one of them, seriously!¡±

    The reader¡¯s emphatic tone made them sound like they were trying to prove their innocence. Nevertheless, Juho believed them and smiled. Besides, there wasn¡¯t much of a choice in the matter.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. The pleasure¡¯s mine! Please, do this more regrly! I¡¯ll bring all of my friends along, even it means having to skip ss.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, there¡¯s this friend of mine who always skips his first morning ss. He¡¯s not even here at the signing either.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is this one of your friends from the Literature Club?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s one of them.¡±

    The reader seemed to have watched the interview. Then, after a brief photo session, Juho moved on to the next book. After a reader went about their way, another reader came and stood in front of the table.

    ¡°Hello,¡± a young voice greeted the young author. Judging from the voice alone, the reader seemed like they were yet to have reached puberty. When Juho looked up, he saw a child whose height only reached up to his waist. Appearing to be an elementary student, the child had to be the youngest reader up to that point.

    ¡°Where are you from?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°From Incheon.¡±

    With their buck teeth and big, wide eyes behind their green, horn-rimmed sses, the young reader had quite a distinct appearance.

    ¡°Was it hard waiting in line?¡±

    ¡°It was OK,¡± the child responded maturely. With that, one of the staff members led the child to a chair next to the young author. As they sat next to Juho, the child appeared to be quite nervous, looking back and forth between the group of reporters and the crowd of fans.

    ¡°You¡¯re here with your parents, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I pestered them to bring me here.¡±

    The child waited patiently for the book. However, just like all the other readers up to that point, they had a hard time asking for something from the young author.

    ¡°Can we shake hands?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    The child seemed to be shaking hands with another person for the first time, and their tense hand was proof of that. As Juho took the initiative to shake it up and down, the child¡¯s hand also moved along with his. Then, a man who seemed to be the child¡¯s father appeared and took a picture with them.

    ¡°Do you like Yun Woo?¡± Nam Kyung asked the child.

    ¡°Hm. Yes, I do,¡± the child said. Their hesitation made their answer sound more honest. Then, as if entertained by the child¡¯s response, the editor asked another question, ¡°Which book did you read?¡±

    ¡°All of them. I read this one while I was waiting in line.¡±

    ¡°Wow! How was it? Did you like it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I liked that there were kids my age in the book.¡±

    There was a sense of pride in the young reader¡¯s tone. Then, in high spirits and still somewhat nervous, the child flung their arms in the air in an exaggerated manner, saying, ¡°It felt like Alexandria was swearing and smiling at the same time.¡±

    ¡°Wow! How¡¯s that for an interpretation? You really read the book in depth, huh?¡± Nam Kyung said, smiling like the employees, the manager, and the spectators around them. Meanwhile, upon hearing the young reader¡¯s description of the book, Juho immersed himself in thought, asking himself, ¡®I wonder if everything got across the way I intended?¡¯

    ¡°You know, I was hoping that her smile became the insult.¡±

    At the end of the day, to insult somebody with a smile on one¡¯s face didn¡¯t make the insult any less offensive. In fact, if a smile was a means of insulting another person, all one had to do in order to insult somebody was to simply smile at them. Juho hoped that the readers would interpret Alexandria¡¯s smile in that way. Unfortunately, it seemed like it could have been executed better.

    ¡°But I still like One more than Alexandria.¡±

    ¡°You mean from ¡®Language of God?¡¯ You must have really liked that book, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I loved it.¡±

    ¡°You mean you¡¯ve read the whole thing? That¡¯s impressive.¡±

    ¡°I told you. I read all of his books,¡± the child said, slightly irritated by Nam Kyung¡¯s look of surprise. The child had strength and time left to use elsewhere, and the child had chosen to spend it reading Juho¡¯s books. On top of that, the young reader didn¡¯t seem to regret their decision either. Then, as the young author handed the book over to them, the child said just as politely as when they first stood in front of Juho, ¡°Bye-bye.¡±

    Juho saw the child reuniting with their mother, who had stayed back, waiting the child¡¯s return. Again, there was no time to do or look at anything else as Nam Kyung handed him another book.

    ¡°Hello,¡± a clear sounding voice said. That time, the reader was significantly more muscr, particrly his arms.

    ¡°Oh, and this too,¡± the reader said, handing something to Nam Kyung. Along with Alexandria, the reader had brought more books: ¡®The Beginning and the End,¡¯ and ¡®River.¡¯ However, before the books even reached Nam Kyung, an employee intervened, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. One book per person.¡±

    Caught off guard by that, a confused look appeared on the muscr reader¡¯s face. Then, just as he was about to take the books back, Juho stopped him and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll sign them. It¡¯s not a problem.¡±

    Despite the reader, who was hopelessly confused, the young author signed them withoutint, as a way to express his gratitude for the readering out to the event. Knowing that his fans had gone through the trouble ofing to the signing, Juho simply couldn¡¯t turn down a fan¡¯s request.

    ¡°¡®River¡¯ changed my life,¡± the reader said, that time in a heavy voice.

    ¡°A book is a book. You¡¯re the one who has to make the change at the end of the day, and I find it admirable that you did.¡±

    Although Juho had no idea of what kind of change the reader had made in his life or how he went about changing it, the young author was impressed nheless. There existed in this world those who believed that people could never change, and needless to say, there were also authors who wrote about that. At that moment, the reader reached into his pockets and took something out, which looked like a letter.

    ¡°I¡¯m not the most eloquent person, but that book really has a special ce in my heart.¡±

    With that, the reader walked away before Juho even had time to say anything in response, leaving only the letter behind. He must have thought that the letter would speak on its own. After Juho put the letter in his pocket, he signed about fifty more autographs. Yet, there was still a ways to go.

    ¡°Mr. Woo, I¡¯m a fan!¡± another reader said, reaching out for a handshake. Although Juho had heard the same remarks dozens of times, he wasn¡¯t getting sick of them. They all soundedpletely different. That time, the reader¡¯s hand was blunt and squishy. Looking up following the arm, Juho saw an older man wearing a beret, who declined Juho¡¯s offer to sit.

    ¡°You write great books, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m so d to hear that you like them,¡± Juho said, checking the man¡¯s name on the book, which was written in Chinese. The reader seemed to want his name to be written in Chinese characters. Then, looking at the young author as if saying, ¡®I trust you,¡¯ Nam Kyung handed the book over to Juho, and just as the editor had expected, Juho had no trouble with reading and writing those characters.

    ¡°This is Mandarin, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Do you recognize it? I lived in China when I was young.¡±

    The reader didn¡¯t get into any details, and neither did Juho try to pry it out of him. Instead, the young author wrote the characters that had defined the old man¡¯s life up to that point with intention. Meanwhile, the reader stood quietly, and the noise from the surroundings upied the silence.

    ¡°Here you go, sir. Did I write everything correctly?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I knew you¡¯d sign it without asking questions.¡±

    With that, the old reader lifted his beret slightly and walked away unhurriedly. The book in his hand would listen to the old man¡¯s life story on the young author¡¯s behalf, even at night when the old man was sound asleep. Thinking about his books on his readers¡¯ bookshelves, Juho felt a sudden spurt of energy.

    ¡°Should we take a quick break?¡± Nam Kyung asked. ¡°What did I tell you? There¡¯s not even time to drink water, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You were definitely right about that,¡± Juho said, rotating his wrist. Then, another reader stepped forward.

    ¡°He looks a lot more...¡± the reader murmured. Juho saw them covering their mouth the entire time they had been waiting in line, looking antsy. Now, standing in front of the young author, the reader seemed even worse, putting their hand on their chest, neck, and face, which looked even more nervous, as if they couldn¡¯t say a word.

    In order to sign the autograph, Juho looked down at the reader¡¯s book, which contained not only the name but a question. The reader had to have predicted that they wouldn¡¯t be able to speak in front of the young author. Then, Juho read the question on the sticky note: ¡®What is your goal?¡¯ At that moment, just as he was about to write his answer on it, he was struck by a sudden thought about ¡®The Full Moon,¡¯ which prevented him from doing so.

    Looking up, Juho looked at the stack of golden books in the distance, which shrunk and got restocked at the blink of an eye. Although ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ had quickly be a bestseller, it hadn¡¯t been selling anywhere near the rate at which ¡®Alexandria¡¯ was.

    While ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ had influenced the young author in a profound way, ¡®Alexandria¡¯ was a product that had been born out of all the things that had been building up within the young author. Although Juho couldn¡¯t determine which one of the two was closer to a great book, one thing became certain in his mind: a great book wasn¡¯t necessarily a book that sold well, and the fact that his goal still remained unchanged, even after having be a world-ss author, was proof of that. Then, after writing an answer to the question written on the sticky post, the young author closed the golden cover of the book.

    ¡°Make sure to look at it on your own.¡±

    ¡°Pardon? Oh! Right¡±

    Then, covering their cheerful smile with their hand, the reader walked away.

    ¡°Mr. Woo! Look this way!¡±

    A shout came from the crowd, a request which Juho granted with an awkward smile on his face.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please remain quiet.¡±

    At that moment, Juho sensed a subtle disturbanceing from Nam Kyung, who was interacting with another reader.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no name,¡± Nam Kyung said, as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. All he needed was a pen, which then, Nam Kyung would hand to the reader, and the reader would write their name on the sticky note. However, the reader refused to take the pen from the editor.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to write my name.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am. We can¡¯t do that,¡± an employee said. There was a chance that the signature would be abused, and there was no way to predict how. Then, after some contemtion, the reader took the pen and the sticky note from Nam Kyung and started writing. An ambiguous look appeared on the editor¡¯s face when he saw the reader¡¯s name. As he handed the book over to Juho, the young author immediately made sense of the look on Nam Kyung¡¯s face. The sticky note read: ¡®I¡¯m an aspiring writer.¡¯ After staring at it for a brief moment, Juho asked the aspiring writer,

    ¡°What do you like?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I love grilled mackerel.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. Uh... Mine¡¯s mango.¡±

    With that, the young author wrote ¡®Mango¡¯ on the sticky note, giving the aspiring writer a new and unique title: mango. With a title like that, one would be able to easily distinguish her from all the other aspiring writers out there.

    ¡°What have you been working on?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°A novel. I submitted it to a contest hosted by Zelkova and won the Rookie of the Year Award. I believe it¡¯s the same contest youpeted in.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung showed some sort of response. The contest had been a gateway for many aspiring writers. Nam Kyung knew many who had sessfully debuted as authors through the samepetition. At the same time, he had known many others who had fallen away from writing. At that moment, the editor thought of a certain acquaintance of his, who had also been an aspiring writer at one point. Now, that acquaintance was active as an author.

    ¡°Are you sure you can do this?¡± Juho asked as he closed the book after signing it. However, the aspiring writer¡¯s eyes were still lingering on the book.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to shake hands or take pictures with the young author. Rather, she chose to spend that time talking to him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be rooting for you,¡± Juho said, reminiscing about the samepetition. With that, Mango left with a smile on her face.

 Chapter 295 - Alexandria Wins (7)

    <h4>Chapter 295: Alexandria Wins (7)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Next person.¡±

    After the friendly signal from an employee, another reader came toward the young author. It was three hours into the signing, and yet, the line felt just as long as when the event had first started. ¡®Is there even going to be an end to this line?¡¯ Juho asked himself. Then, Nam Kyung turned toward a Zelkova staffer, who had been taping the event for a future promotional video, and asked, ¡°Are there a lot of people outside still?¡± Having gone outside not too long before in order to capture the line stretching endlessly, the staffer nodded affirmatively.

    ¡°A LOT more. At least a hundred, probably.¡±

    The bookstore was booming with people. Although it was a sight to behold, the young author had started to grow weary.

    ¡°Book, please,¡± Juho said to Nam Kyung with a smile, astonishing the editor with his tireless enthusiasm. While the young author signed his autograph and conversed with a reader, Nam Kyung took the book from the next person in line and stood by, handing it over to the young author once he had finished talking, repeating the process over. Then, as a reader walked away, the next reader stood in front of him and asked, ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Juho said, nodding with a smile. In the meantime, Nam Kyung was busy flipping through their book.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t actually write any of those books, did you?¡±

    At that remark, Nam Kyung stopped what he was doing and looked up at the reader, who had an evil-looking smile on their face. A crisis usually tended toe without a warning. At that moment, the reader started shouting even louder, ¡°I read every single one of your books, Mr. Woo and I loved every bit of them. But you didn¡¯t really write of them, did you? You haven¡¯t even been around for that long. How could you possibly write all that?¡±

    At the reader¡¯s provocative remark, Nam Kyung sprung up from his seat. Simrly, amotion started breaking out among the crowd and the reporters. ¡®Did this guy seriously wait all this time just to say all that!?¡¯ Nam Kyung thought, dumbfounded. Yun Woo¡¯s signing event would be the perfect ce to draw people¡¯s attention, and perhaps, that was precisely what the reader had been aiming for. As the staff on site led him out of the store, Juho watched everything unfold, and Nam Kyung busied himself trying to reassure the young author.

    Then, Juho said toward the man being dragged out of the store, ¡°Here you go,¡± and one of the staff took the book on the man¡¯s behalf, unsure of whether the young author wanted them to throw the book out or to give it to the man.

    ¡°Would you give this to him?¡± Juho said in a friendly manner. There was no trace of emotion on his face. Meanwhile, the cameras around them pointed straight at the young author, taping everything that was taking ce. At that moment, Nam Kyung felt the tension subside almost instantly. As long as Juho kept handling tense situations the way he had, future potential signings wouldn¡¯t be a problem for him. Compared to his state not too long before that, not knowing what to do with the book in his hand, it was a significant improvement.

    ¡°Book, please,¡± Juho said as a round of encouraging apuse came from the crowd. Thankfully, at the end of the day, no harm had been done.

    ¡°Next person, please.¡±

    With that, the next person in line tactfully handed the editor their book, as if nothing had happened. Then, taking the book, Nam Kyung quickly handed it over to the young author, desperate to move on from what had just happened. At that moment, the editor read the sticky note, right as Juho took the book from his hands.

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    It took a little while to process what he had read. Then, taking his eyes off of the note, Nam Kyung looked toward the tall man walking toward the young author, looking even more shocked than earlier.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Juho asked, seeing the look on Nam Kyung¡¯s face. And, when he followed Nam Kyung¡¯s eyes, the young author also let out, ¡°What the...¡±

    Although the reader was wearing sunsses and a hat, it wasn¡¯t hard to recognize who it was. It was the actor who had yed the brother in the movie version of ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ Myung Joo Mu. There was a celebrity on the loose.

    ¡°Uh...¡± Juho let out, looking around shortly after. They were surrounded by both a crowd and reporters, who were watching their every move from up close, not to mention the readers waiting in line. Nobody would have thought that the actor would show up to the signing in such a fearless manner. Then, realizing that his cover had been blown by the author and the editor, the actor chuckled quietly and said, ¡°I see that you¡¯re hard at work Mr. Woo. There are all sorts of people out there, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    As he subtly brought up what had taken ce earlier, a bitter smile appeared on Myung Joo¡¯s face. However, that was hardly a concern at the moment.

    ¡°What brings you here!?¡±

    ¡°Well, I want your autograph, of course.¡±

    ¡°... I guess that was kind of obvious.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been standing in line for four hours, but there was not a dull moment. You see, I was reading ¡®Alexandria.¡¯¡±

    His voice was still just as pleasant as Juho remembered it. His vocalization was spot on, which made him clearly audible, even in low volume. On the side, Nam Kyung appeared to be hopelessly confused by the actor¡¯s appearance. With that, just as he had been doing up to that point, Juho wrote the actor¡¯s name and signed his autograph.

    ¡°Can I shake your hand?¡± Myung Joo said, making the same request he had to have gotten from his fans more times than he could remember. At which, the young author responded by reaching his hand out and grabbing it. Then, the actor came next to the young author for a picture, and Juho rose from his seat in order to pose with the actor. As the employee counted down, the two posed, during which time, the actor said to the young author quietly, ¡°So, this must have been what it was like for you when you kept yourself hidden. You have no idea how much fun I¡¯m having.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably simr, more or less.¡±

    At the end of the day, Myung Joo wasn¡¯t somewhere he shouldn¡¯t be. After all, he was enjoying himself to the fullest extent. At that moment, Juho noticed that he was starting to feel slightly better.

    ¡°I got you some vitamins. You gotta take care of your health,¡± the actor said, handing the young author a shopping bag.

    ¡°Oh! You didn¡¯t have to!¡± Juho said as he took the gift from Myung Joo, which was an entire box of vitamins. Now, the pressing matter for Myung Joo was finding a way out of the store. As one of the employees nearby handed his phone back to him, the actor took it from her hands. At that moment, she gasped out loud and covered her mouth immediately after. However, the look on her face was more than enough to get the attention of the reporters, the crowd, and the readers waiting in line. As expected, the readers who were standing closest to the employee started shouting, ¡°It¡¯s Myung Joo Mu!¡±

    ¡°The actor!?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a celebrity here?¡±

    ¡°Where!?¡±

    The obnoxious reader who had picked a fight with the young author was no longer in people¡¯s minds. Instead, people started looking for Myung Joo Mu, who was one of the most popr actors at the time. Of course, the reporters were even more eager to capture the actor on camera. The shes started going off and a handful of people started approaching him past the line that was meant to keep them back. Taken aback by the situation, Myung Joo said his goodbye to the young author, ¡°Hope you keep writing some more books, Mr. Woo.¡±

    With that, the actor weaved his way through the crowd in haste, evading people reaching to grab him. However, his presence still lingered around the store.

    ¡°I came to see Yun Woo, but who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯de across a celebrity?¡±

    ¡°Seriously. This is unreal! I¡¯m gonna show off to my friends.¡±

    ¡°Did anybody take a picture of him?¡±

    ¡°Was Myung Joo Mu really here? Like, the celebrity?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not lying, are you?¡±

    The remaining people in line were excited by the unexpected celebrity appearance, cheering just as loudly as they had for Yun Woo at first. However, that time, Yun Woo also joined in on the fun,ughing and getting excited.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve really made a name for yourself, Mr. Woo,¡± Nam Kyung murmured. Meanwhile, the reader who had been standing behind Myung Joo in line was beating their chest, iming that they had recognized the actor from the get-go.

    ¡°Should we take a break?¡± Nam Kyung suggested, and everyone weed it.

    ¡°You know what? That doesn¡¯t sound like a bad idea. I could use a breather after all that.¡±

    ¡ª

    Led by an employee, Juho and Nam Kyung went into a room with a sign that read: Staff Only. As the sounding from outside faded away, the two sank into their chairs and sighed deeply, both of their ears ringing. Even with just a small distance between them and the crowd, their surroundings became much quieter, almost as if they were in a different world, a world simr to the one Juho used to live in before revealing his face. It dawned on the young author just how different his life had been at one point. Nevertheless, it was a weing change, and one day, that emotion would suffuse through his writing.

    ¡°Long day, huh?¡± Nam Kyung said, handing the young author a bottle of water. It was Juho¡¯s first sip of water since the start of the event. In one corner of the room, were the drinks that the store had given out to the readers waiting in line.

    ¡°You handled that really well,¡± the editor said, which took Juho a little while to understand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how things are looking on the inte,¡± Nam Kyung said, as if anticipating something. Considering how close the reporters had been to the young author and the editor, news of the confrontation had to be out already.

    After tapping on the screen of his phone a few times, Nam Kyung started reading something. Meanwhile, Juho did his best to make himselffortable on the rigid chair. The event definitely had been as physically demanding as Juho had anticipated. However, there was still a ways to go until the end, and the young author reminded himself that he shouldn¡¯t let his guard down just yet. With that in mind, he focused on getting as much rest as possible.

    ¡°Of course,¡± the editor murmured.

    ¡°Any mentions of the book?¡±

    ¡°Plenty.¡±

    Although normally it should have taken least a couple of days after the book¡¯s release for reviews to start turning up, reviews of the golden book were already starting to appear, on the same day it was released. Looking at the screen, a big smile grew across the editor¡¯s face, satisfied with the general response from the readers.

    ¡°Everyone seems to be digging ¡®Alexandria.¡¯ The short stories are doing pretty well too. ¡®Yun Woo, the One of a Kind Author. A Peek at His Past.¡¯¡±

    When Juho had firste across the reade skeptical of whether Juho was really Yun Woo or not, the young author had been tempted to be direct and prove him wrong. It was for that reason that the young author had handed the reader his book back. Juho hoped that he would have a simr reaction to that of the title of the article.

    ¡°Maybe I am asking too much,¡± Juho murmured

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    As the young author leaned back on his chair, the fluorescent light on the ceiling came into view. It had a yellow tinge to it, and the light lingered before his eyes even when he closed them. At that moment, Juho heard somebody approaching the room. Then, the door cracked open shortly after, letting the surrounding noise from the crowd into the room.

    ¡°Are you guys ready?¡± an employee asked, peeking into the room. At that, Juho and Nam Kyung rose from their seats and exited the room, feeling as if they were on their way to the signing event for the first time all over again. There were no words to describe how taken aback they were by the sight of the massive crowd. As the two turned the corner, the crowd exploded into shouts.

    ¡°Gosh! A warning would¡¯ve been nice,¡± Nam Kyung murmured, which was also representative of what Juho was feeling at the moment. He felt like now was the perfect time to warm up his hands, which had cooled down significantly. Just like they had before, the books starteding in along with their owners. Thankfully, it was nowhere near as nerve-racking the second time around.

    ¡°I¡¯m a fan!¡±

    Although it was a remark the young author had heard hundreds of times by that point, he was still able to maintain a smile and say from the bottom of his heart:

    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡®Alexandria Celebrates its Release with a Signing Event! The Reaction of the Fans on the Day of the Release?¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo Holds His First Signing! A Closer Look at the Event and Photos Capturing the Heat of the Event!¡¯

    ¡®The Yun Woo Fever Strikes Gwanghwamun Again! What Was the Line Surrounding the Bookstore About? Reported to be Fans Waiting for Yun Woo¡¯s Autograph.¡¯

    ¡±The Crowd Goes Wild!¡¯ Yun Woo Reported Having Been in the Center of the Crowd.¡±

    ¡®Who¡¯s Stirring the Pot? A Fan Who ims to Have Read All of Yun Woo¡¯s Books Reported to Have Called the Author Out. Attempt to Knock Yun Woo Off His Pedestal?¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s a Fake? How Did Yun Woo Respond to the Skeptical Fan?¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Impressive Wit. The Author Reported Having Responded with Composure. ¡®I¡¯m Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡®No Change in His Expression? ¡°He Was Completely Unfazed.¡± A Closer Look at His Journey Leading up to His Sessful Career.¡¯

    ¡®Fans Testify After Witnessing Yun Woo. How Did the Author Treat His Readers?¡¯

    ¡®An Unexpected Guest Shows Up at the Signing!? Who Was He?¡¯

    ¡®Myung Jo Mu Appears at a Bookstore in Gwanghwamun and Reunites with Yun Woo. The Author Said to Have Been Unsurprised. Did He Know?¡¯

    ¡±¡¯I Almost Missed It!¡¯ Myung Joo Mu¡¯s Surprise Visit. An Unexpected Coboration between Yun Woo and Myung Joo Mu. The Crowd Goes Wild.¡¯

    ¡±I Went Because I¡¯m a Reader and a Fan.¡¯ Myung Joo Moo and Yun Woo Reported Having Had No Interaction Prior to the Signing. ¡®Both Alexandria and the Short Stories Were Great Reads.¡±

    ¡®Yun Woo Said to Have Remained Unfazed and Collected. Signing Ends in Peace, Much to Zelkova and the Hosting Store¡¯s Satisfaction.¡¯

    ¡®Alexandria, the Lovable, Embarking on a Journey to Expand Her World! A Peek at the World Born out of Yun Woo¡¯s Mind and His Unique Sense of Humor.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Unexpected Change? The Twenty-Year-Old Author¡¯s Unbelievable Talent. Where¡¯s the Limit to His Versatility? His Endless Challenges = Endless Joy for the Readers.¡¯

    ¡®The Signing and the New Book. Yun Woo Catches Two Birds with One Stone.¡¯

    ¡®The Controversial Signing Comes to an End. What Makes Yun Woo¡¯s Life Special?¡¯

    ¡®¡±The Competition Will Be Fierce This Year,¡± Zelkova Publishing Speaks Up About Their Annual Contest.¡¯

    ...

 Chapter 296 - Sung Pil, the Writing Brush of a King (1)

    <h4>Chapter 296: Sung Pil, the Writing Brush of a King (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Waking up, Juho rubbed his tired eyes. Then, while stillying on his bed, he reached with both of his arms toward the ceiling in order to stretch, noticing a knot on his right shoulder. The cause of the pain was quite obvious.

    ¡°I¡¯m beat.¡±

    Feeling like he¡¯d never get out of bed in that state, Juho sat up and looked at the book that was resting above his pillow: ¡®The Full Moon.¡¯ Since he finished writing ¡®Alexandria,¡¯ he had been reading ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ on a daily basis, and needless to say, that day was no exception. Reaching for the book, the young author opened it. Since he had already read the entire book, there was not a single ce in the book that wasn¡¯t familiar to him, no matter where he opened it.

    ¡°I better eat something,¡± he said, putting the book down, hungry. While eating, Juho took his phone out and started looking through the list of articles about him on the inte. There were also countless reviews of the signing event. Choosing one at random, Juho logged into a blog, which had a post titled ¡®I saw Yun Woo today!¡¯ that contained a series of pictures of the young author from various angles, from him signing, to looking down and shaking hands with readers. The banner in the background was quite captivating.

    ¡°Huh. I guess the first person in line wrote a review of his own.¡±

    The fan¡¯s review had a detailed description of the event. It was through that review that Juho learned that the fan had actually woken up at four on the morning of the signing to pack breakfast. The post also contained pictures of the fan on their way to Gwanghwamun. Because it had been early in the morning, a lot of the pictures had been taken in the dark. Each of the photos had a brief description below it. Then, after a series of photos, came a long, in-depth review of ¡®Alexandria,¡¯ which was Yun Woo¡¯s first attempt at a cheerful, humorous story.

    ¡®Alexandria¡¯ had an uncanny resemnce to his debut title, ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ Those who missed the young author¡¯s writing style of his earlier days found his new book to be a weing addition. On top of that, the two short stories included with ¡®Alexandria¡¯ were doing incredibly well among those who preferred the young author¡¯s more recent style of writing. ¡®Alexandria¡¯ and ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ werepletely different in terms of feel and style, and readers seemed to have noticed the difference. The secret behind Yun Woo¡¯s writing style had always been a mystery to his fans. Suffice to say, they were anxious to know what it was.

    ¡°To my disappointment, I got the news that Myung Joo Mu showed up at the bookstore right after I left.¡±

    The review was heading in the direction of the fan¡¯spromise for having been the first person in line and getting to interact with Yun Woo at the signing at the cost of missing out on seeing the actor in person. The story about Myung Joo wasn¡¯t difficult to find by any means. Those who hadn¡¯t been at the signing at the time of the actor¡¯s appearance were envious of those who had been at the scene and seen him. Myung Joo was one of the most highly-valued actors at the moment, and it made sense that people were taking so much interest in his appearance at the signing. With that, Juho scrolled down through his screen untiling across a certain word. In fact, the entire title of the article was quite eye-catching, which read, ¡±The Competition Will Be Fierce This Year,¡¯ Zelkova Publishing Speaks Up About Their Annual Contest.¡¯

    Upon reading the title, Juho immediately thought of a certainpetitor from that same contest: Mango. At the same time, he thought of another acquaintance of his.

    ¡°Been a while since I saw him.¡±

    After some thought, Juho sent him a text: ¡®Wanna get some morning exercise for ol¡¯ times sake?¡¯

    ¡ª

    ¡°Been a while,¡± a voice told Juho, reminding the young author of just how long it had been since he had heard that voice. Simrly, Juho hadn¡¯t been to the park for about just as long. Upon turning back, Juho saw his friend sporting his distinctive eyebrows, which were now darker than ever.

    ¡°How¡¯s college?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±

    Sung Pil had been epted to a university as a creative writing major, which was the same major as Bom. Judging from his tone, Sung Pil didn¡¯t seem like he was enjoying the college life all that much.

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound all that excited. What¡¯s keeping it from being good?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just not used to being part of a group,¡± Sung Pil replied. It was no surprise that he would find it ufortable being surrounded by peers his age and upperssmen all at the same time.

    ¡°Well, how¡¯s that been?¡± Juho asked, and as he was stretching, Sung Pil told his friend all about his life as a college student, from getting invited to join a club by the student council, to the ss president and their often-inurate announcements, and a certain T.A. who was slow tomunicate with students, bringing disadvantage to them.

    ¡°Do you have to go to a lot of outings?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°Have you made any new friends?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s this person I go to ss and eat with, but I don¡¯t feel all that close to him.¡±

    ¡°There are rtionships like that too. How¡¯s writing been going for ya?¡±

    ¡°Writing?¡± Sung Pil asked, moving his thick eyebrows, which looked like streaks of ink.

    ¡°The story you submitted to the contest?¡±

    After finishing the story he had been working on for thest two years, Sung Pil registered for the contest that year, which was hosted by Zelkova. Aside from a general idea of the plot, Juho knew nothing about the story.

    ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s the best one of all the stories I¡¯ve written so far,¡± Sung Pil said. His story had gone through countless revisions. Walking slowly, the two kept the conversation going.

    ¡°It¡¯s about a bank, right?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    In order to write a story about a bank, at one point, Sung Pil had visited the neighborhood bank on a daily basis.

    ¡°Did making all those trips to the bank help?¡±

    ¡°The bank did all the work for me,¡± Sung Pil said with a nk expression on his face. Looking at him, Juho was reminded of a certain author who had recently left on a trip to Russia. Talking to Sung Pil gave Juho an idea of how Dong Gil must have felt. Then, Sung Pil started walking faster, and before Juho knew it, he found himself jogging as he tried to match Sung Pil¡¯s pace. Since it was early in the morning, there wasn¡¯t anybody around.

    ¡°Do you still visit the bank?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Sometimes. School¡¯s kind of far, so I can¡¯t visit as often.¡±

    As Juho started running faster, Sung Pil matched his speed without a problem. Juho feltfortable, and he wasn¡¯t about to run out of breath. He saw the scenery rushing past from the corner of his eyes.

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Juho asked, caught off guard by Sung Pil¡¯s unexpected question.

    ¡°How was the signing?¡± Sung Pil asked.

    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Juho replied, slowing down his pace slightly. ¡°I was so beat the next day that I could hardly get out of bed. My ears were ringing, and I was hurting all over, from my head to my shoulders to even my cheeks,¡± he said.

    Meanwhile, Sung Pil looked intently at the young author, as if expecting Juho wasn¡¯t quite done.

    ¡°If I was that exhausted from sitting down and moving my wrists, I can¡¯t even imagine what it must have been like for those readers waiting in line for hours on end. At the end of the day, though, I had fun and I learned a lot. I got a glimpse of just how far my books reached too.¡±

    ¡°It seemed like there were a lot of people there,¡± Sung Pil said, looking as if thinking back to a picture of Gwanghwamun in an article he hade across on the inte.

    ¡°There were,¡± Juho said briefly, adding shortly after, ¡°And one of your rivals was there too.¡±

    Despite feeling Sung Pil stare in his direction at the word ¡®rival,¡¯ Juho looked straight ahead.

    ¡°She was an aspiring writer, who made a submission to the same contest as you. She really likes mangoes apparently,¡± Juho said, struck by the thought that he should have asked about her story.

    ¡°She seemed like she was in college. You don¡¯t think she goes to the same school as you, do you? Maybe she¡¯s an upperssman in the same major.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s only one person I consider my rival,¡± Sung Pil said in his low, resonant voice. Remembering their unforgettable first encounter, Juho asked knowingly, ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°You,¡± Sung Pil said honestly. To which, Juho replied after a brief pause, ¡°... Interesting.¡±

    From then on, the two ran without saying anything to each other for a while. After the trail followed up the hill in an upward and downward incline, it curved sideways before it straightened up again. Leading up to that point, Juho had heard snapping soundsing from below him as he stepped on branches on the ground.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I understood you loud and clear,¡± he said.

    Then, by the time they started running up the hill, Juho heard Sung Pil¡¯s voice, which sounded neither angry nor pretentious, say, ¡°You¡¯re keeping me in check.¡±

    ¡°Haha,¡± Juho let out. He simply couldn¡¯t help himself, and eventually, his sides started hurting.

    ¡°You¡¯ve always been quick to catch on,¡± he said.

    Sung Pil was about to be an author who wrote quality books. In the past, while Juho had fallen away from the literary world, Sung Pil had been in his prime, which Juho still remembered vividly to that day. That memory was still very much intact deep within the young author¡¯s heart. At that moment, a vending machine appeared in the distance.

    ¡°Race?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    Sung Pil never turned down a race. If anything, he seemed to wee it. Then, Sung Pil posed a condition for the race, ¡°Loser grants the winner a wish. How¡¯s that sound?¡±

    ¡°All right. Hope you know what you¡¯re getting yourself into,¡± Juho said.

    With that, as soon as Juho finished his sentence, the two bolted forward at their full speeds. Flexing their legs, the two ran as fast as they could, hoping that they would arrive before the other person. While they were running, Sung Pil¡¯s appearance from the past shed in Juho¡¯s mind out of nowhere. When Juho had seen him from afar, Sung Pil had been much more mature, sturdier, and steadfast than his present self. At that moment, Juho felt something snatching at his ankle and sharp pain in his side. Clenching his teeth, the young author ran with everything he had.

    ¡°Agh!¡± Juho let out as he passed the vending machine, slowing down a few pacester. His lungs felt like they were about to explode.

    ¡°I win,¡± the young author said, pushing the words out through his throat, which felt like it was on fire. When he looked back, Sung Pil was bending at the waist, looking somewhat defeated. Then, he, too, looked up, still fighting for breath.

    ¡°All right, captain. What¡¯s it gonna be?¡± Sung Pil asked.

    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m not wasting this opportunity just to hear you call me that.¡±

    Even if Sung Pil were to call him that, Juho knew that it wouldn¡¯t make him feel good in any way. Instead, sinking on to a bench, the young author brought up his most pressing desire, ¡°I wanna read your story.¡±

    ¡°That...¡± Sung Pil said, moving his lips up and down as if it was hardly a challenge.

    ¡°At a bookstore,¡± Juho interjected. The young author wanted to read Sung Pil¡¯s book at a bookstore once again. Then, as Sung Pil remained silent, Juho gave him an alternative choice, saying, ¡°Or you can just get me a drink from the vending machine.¡±

    ¡°Go easy on me now. You¡¯re a professional writer, remember?¡± Sung Pil said, brushing his short hair with his hand.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m spending my wish on my friend¡¯s sess. You can¡¯t get any mushier than that.¡±

    Sung Pil sat next to Juho. Although their mouth felt quite dry by the time they caught their breaths, neither of them went for the vending machine. Instead, they leaned back on the backrest of the wooden bench.

    ¡°Should we go to a bank?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°A bank?¡±

    Juho was still curious about Sung Pil¡¯s story, and his desire to read it bothered him just as much as when he had had ¡®The Full Moon¡¯ before his eyes, but had told himself not to read it. What would Sung Pil¡¯s story look like after having put two years into it? Thankfully, there was a way to get an indirect answer: visiting the ce in which the book was centered ahead of time.

    ¡°I have to go to one anyway,¡± Juho said, and after blinking awkwardly for a brief moment, Sung Pil asked, ¡°I can drink the water there, right?¡±

    With that, the two rose from the bench and went to a nearby restaurant to have breakfast. Then, with Sung Pil¡¯s guidance, the two walked unhurriedly through a street, which Juho had never been to, and arrived at a bank. There was a four-way intersection in front of the bank, which was full of street vendors selling metal sponges, various tools and green vegetables. Seeing as though there were also children who appeared to be in elementary school, there seemed to be a school nearby as well.

    ¡°Here we are,¡± Sung Pil said as he stepped into the bank with Juho. Although it was an ordinary-looking bank, there was a security guard who opened the door for them as they walked in. In his middle age and with his belly bulging out, the man gave off a weing vibe.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the man greeted pleasantly, and the two bowed subtly at him. Then, recognizing Sung Pil, the man said, ¡°Hey! Haven¡¯t seen you in a while!¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a while.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s college?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±

    The two talked candidly, as if a grandchild was visiting their grandparents. The conversation continued until an olderdy came into the bank.

    ¡°How can I help you, ma¡¯am?¡± the man asked in a friendly manner. Then, taking a numbered ticket for her, he guided her through the process of how to go about doing what she needed to do.

    ¡°You can get your tickets here. Are you here to get cash? You can get up to six thousand dors with a debit card,¡± Sung Pil said.

    ¡°You almost sound like you work here,¡± Juho replied.

    Naturally, Sung Pil led Juho to a seat close to the teller¡¯s window. While they sat and waited patiently, a teller in a suit on the other side of the teller¡¯s window greeted Sung Pil with his eyes. Sung Pil bowed back. Wearing a nametag on his chest that read, ¡®Head Clerk,¡¯ the teller walked upstairs. Then, another teller recognized Sung Pil as she came out to the waiting area and greeted him.

    ¡°Hey! Been a while!¡±

    ¡°Yes. My friend here had some business to attend to.¡±

    ¡°Would you like some snacks while you wait?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s OK.¡±

    With that, the teller exited the bank, waving at Sung Pil and Juho.

    ¡°We got us a celebrity here.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s actually pretty funnying from you,¡± Sung Pil said in a calm tone of voice.

 Chapter 297 - Sung Pil, the Writing Brush of a King (2)

    <h4>Chapter 297: Sung Pil, the Writing Brush of a King (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Wanna read this?¡± Sung Pil said, grabbing a magazine and offering it to Juho to read while they waited. Although Juho took it from him, he didn¡¯t read it. Then, with a cheerful jingle, the number changed on the LED disy. As different people came to the bank and waited with a goal in mind, the tellers called each and every one of them without fail.

    Despite the bank smelling like disinfectant, Sung Pil didn¡¯t seem to mind it one bit. Juho found it quite intriguing that Sung Pil was able to blend in in a ce like that bank. Sung Pil seemed like he was so used to the ce that he couldn¡¯t even notice the smell. Juho inhaled deeply, hoping to get used to it. However, it seemed like it wasn¡¯t going to be that simple. ¡®I wonder if the bills smell like this,¡¯ Juho thought to himself. The money counting machine worked busily and loudly. Everyone on the opposite side of the teller windows was waiting with a numbered ticket in their hands.

    ¡°How intriguing.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡± Sung Pil asked, looking at Juho like somebody who had never been to a bank.

    To which, Juho said, ignoring the look he got from Sung Pil, ¡°I wonder if this is what your room is like.¡±

    ¡°Not even close.¡±

    Juho felt like he¡¯d discovered a new way of looking at the bank. ¡®What did he see here? What did he write?¡¯ Considering the nature of the ce, it had to be about money. In that case, what could Sung Pil have seen in money? What had been his perspective when he had observed the ce? After immersing himself in thought for some time, Juho felt an urge to use the bank as the setting of a story.

    Looking down, Juho checked his ticket. There were about twenty people ahead of him still. However, there were people who didn¡¯t respond to the teller calling out their number. After a customer had finished their business, the teller would proceed to call the next number, and the person after them would rise from their seat and prepare themselves to walk up to the teller calling their number. Meanwhile, Juho heard the employees guiding those people confused about where to go. Despite the endless stream of people that kept pouring into the bank, Sung Pil sat quietly on his seat, making it obvious that he was there with a purpose different from those of most people around him.

    ¡°Your turn,¡± he said, and with the numbered ticket in his hand, Juho pulled down his hat and walked toward a teller, who struck up a conversation with him.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re friends with Sung Pil?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Hees here often, right?¡± Juho asked, leveraging his rtionship with Sung Pil.

    ¡°He used toe every day at one point. He seemed kind of suspicious at first, but now, we even have lunch together. He helps us clean up from time to time before we close too,¡± the teller said with a smile, and added, ¡°Your PIN, please.¡±

    Then, after entering his PIN on the device to his left, Juho pressed the green button and asked, ¡°Do you know what hees here for?¡±

    ¡°I was told that he¡¯s working on a novel? We do asionally interview students who are looking into different career paths around here, but there¡¯s never been anybody like Sung Pil.¡±

    Juho wasn¡¯t surprised by the teller¡¯s answer. Imagining what the situation would have looked like, Juho couldn¡¯t help chuckle. Sung Pil had to have been in an awkward situation at some point, and being the dry person that he was, he most likely would have responded to a situation like that in a brusque manner. Then, as the teller held out a sheet of paper for Juho to sign, Juho winced, thinking that they were asking for an autograph.

    ¡°Did you guys go to the same school?¡±

    ¡°No, but we do have simr hobbies,¡± Juho said, signing the paper and handing it to the teller, who took it from him and nodded, gesturing that everything was in order. At that moment, as Juho looked up inadvertently, the teller checked the young author¡¯s face, looking as if something had been bothering them since they had first started talking.

    ¡°So you two write together...¡± the teller let out. At that moment, as Juho locked eyes with them, he sensed immediately that his cover had been blown.

    ¡°Yun Woo!?¡±

    At that, Juho sprung up from his seat with widened eyes. The teller traced him with their eyes with a look of shock on their face, forgetting to call the next number. Then, Juho walked toward Sung Pil and raised him up from his seat as the teller fixed their eyes on the young author.

    ¡°All right, I¡¯m done.¡±

    ¡°You got caught, didn¡¯t you?¡± Sung Pil said, getting ready to leave in a rush. Unfortunately, it was toote.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a writer?¡± somebody asked.

    At which point, everyone who had been looking at the magazines, their phones, or the advertisements for the bank¡¯s installment savings ounts turned toward where the voice hade from. Waiting was a tedious process, and the young author¡¯s appearance at the bank was more than enough to draw attention.

    ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡± another teller shouted from the other side of the teller¡¯s window.

    Meanwhile, the teller who Juho had talked to was telling something to their superior. And in no time, a crowd surrounded the young author and his friend.

    ¡°¡®Scuse us,in¡¯ through.¡±

    It being a public ce, Juho didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble. Despite themotion, Sung Pil lookedpletely unaffected by what was happening around him.

    ¡°Could I get your autograph?¡±

    ¡°Could you take a picture with me?¡±

    ¡°Could we shake hands?¡±

    Thankfully, the friendly security guard came to the rescue, trying to keep the crowd under control, giving Sung Pil and Juho enough time to escape. However, people started pouring out of the bank shortly after.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go this way,¡± Sung Pil said, leading Juho to a narrow alleyway nearby. Soon, they were quite far away from the intersection in front of the bank. Now, they were surrounded by restaurants with metal tables set up outside. They seemed like ces that would be booming with people at night rather than during the day. Sung Pil seemed to know his way around the area. With that, as the two stopped quite a whileter, Juho took his hat off, brushed his hair back with his hand, and put it back on. He was starting to get sweaty.

    ¡°You really are popr, aren¡¯t you?¡± Sung Pil said, looking at him as though deep in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen the bank get that crazy,¡± he said.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should¡¯ve taken you there earlier. I would¡¯ve been able to approach my writing from a slightly different angle.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ve already submitted it,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Bummer,¡± Sung Pil said. However, he didn¡¯t look all that disappointed. The manuscript was no longer in his hands, and the only thing Sung Pil could do was wait for the judges to read it.

    ¡°Who knows? You might have time to make changes if you get nominated.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m confident with my writing as is,¡± Sung Pil said. At that moment, children¡¯sughter came out of nowhere. It sounded all too out of ce. Looking around, Juho asked, ¡°Is this one of the ces you were inspired by?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. How¡¯d you know?¡± Sung Pil asked. Instead of giving him an answer, Juho looked around their surroundings. One of Sung Pil¡¯s greatest strengths as an author was his ability to describe ces in reality in meticulous details, giving readers the impression that they were actually in that city, that street, or in front of that store. The realism made the overall writing more convincing, and it made little sense that such a talented author would limit himself to using only the bank as the setting in his novel.

    Juho felt as though he had be a character in a novel of which he didn¡¯t even know the title, and something about that made his heart beat faster. It would be fun if he could face the characters created by Sung Pil.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Sung Pil murmured, turning toward Juho.

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°That you¡¯re here,¡± he replied, staring into the air as if thinking about a particr scene in his novel. Then, a cat peeked its head out from underneath the car, jumping up to the wall near it shortly after. Juho followed as Sung Pil started walking, noticing the rusted metal parts and concrete debris.

    ¡°Back at the bank, I realized just how far apart we are as writers with every fiber of my being,¡± Sung Pil said.

    ¡®Is he getting discouraged?¡¯ Juho wondered and looked at his friend.

    ¡°But I¡¯ll catch up to you one of these days. I¡¯ll be a much better writer in the near future. I promise you that.¡±

    ¡°... Right.¡±

    Of course, Sung Pil wasn¡¯t the type to get discouraged easily. If he had been, he wouldn¡¯t have called Yun Woo a rival right off the bat. Despite experiencing the gap between them as writers with every fiber of his being, Sung Pil wasn¡¯t about to let up any time soon. Although some would consider his tenacity recklessness, Juho apuded it, rooting for him. Besides, Juho recalled having had the same emotional experience in his past life.

    ¡°Should be doable, right?¡± Sung Pil asked.

    Juho sincerely hoped that his friend would catch up to him one day. At the same time, part of him wished that Sung Pil never would. It was an emotion difficult to describe, and the young author didn¡¯t bother trying to bring it up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be rooting for ya,¡± he said, remembering Mango¡¯s face. Then, a smile simr to Mango¡¯s appeared on Sung Pil¡¯s face.

    ¡ª

    From the noiseing from the neighboring room, it was clear that they were vacuuming their ce.

    ¡°Ugh!¡±

    In a micro-apartment, which had been built for people preparing for state exams, there was hardly any space in the room. Getting out of bed, one was immediately greeted by a wall, and the exit was one step away. When looking to either side, the desk and theptop became visible. That was the ce in which the man had been writing.

    ¡°Gettin¡¯ hungry,¡± the man said as he sent the final draft to Zelkova. It was a contest widely considered as a gateway for aspiring authors, the samepetition in which Yun Woo hadpeted and earned the title of youngest winner.

    ¡®That¡¯s who I wanna be,¡¯ the man thought to himself. He wanted to be just as sessful as Yun Woo. Instead of the the micro-apartment, of which he had long grown tired, he wanted to move into a mansion, something he thought Yun Woo would live in. Then, the man loosened up and fell backward onto his thin mattress, which provided little cushioning, barely absorbing the impact of the fall.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t even have to be fancy,¡± he said quietly. All he wanted was to debut as an author and see his writing get made into a book. He wanted to see it with his own eyes and he was willing to do just about anything to achieve that goal. At that moment, the man remembered the conversation he had had with his mother over barbecue.

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve worked hard enough,¡± his mother had said. However, the man hadn¡¯t been able to contradict his mother because he had been telling himself the same thing.

    ¡°Do you think I should stop now?¡±

    There had been pieces of meat burning on the grill. Although it had been a while since he had had a decent meal, the man simply hadn¡¯t had the appetite, feeling as if his stomach had already been full from resentment, sense of defeat, and the harsh reality. Since graduating from university and serving three years in the military, he had spent three years fighting to achieve his goal. He was living in an age where people lived up to a century, and he had reached his limit at the three-year mark. What was even more baffling was that he never seemed to have enough money for anything, whether he worked or not.

    He had been well aware of the challenges that came with pursuing a career as a writer. Nevertheless, that hadn¡¯t stopped him. He wanted to make a living as an author, writing books that made peopleugh and cry, leaving traces deep within the hearts of his readers. However, the reality had been far from his wish. His writing had never seen the light of day, never to be read by anyone, let alone leave a trace. Upon looking away from the pieces of meat burning on the grill, the man had locked eyes with his mother, who had looked at him with eyes filled with guilt and sorrow. Although he had wanted to give up, the desperate desire in his heart to be a writer had kept the words from leaving his mouth.

    ¡°Let me try just one more time.¡±

    The man had been living off of the money sent to him by his mother. Because of that, the man had had to plead with his mother to go on and had to get her permission. He had been fully aware of how shameful it had been to do so. However, the truth was that he knew nothing about what it felt like to get mooched on by his own family, which had allowed him to beg and to take the opportunity at hand to convince his mother onest time.

    ¡°OK, just this once,¡± she had said reluctantly, sounding exhausted. From then on, the man moved into the micro-apartment in order to focus on writing, day in and day out. Eventually, his efforts bore fruit. He was delighted that it had turned out far better than any story he had written up to that point. The moment hepleted hisst sentence, he realized that the journey leading up to that day hadn¡¯t been entirely depressing, even if it turned out to be a failure in the end. While he was relieved by the realization on one hand, he also felt mortified by it on the other. Nevertheless, the man considered himself lucky that he was able to pursue his dream. With that, he submitted the finished draft to the contest.

    At that moment, his stomach started growling. He was getting hungry. Thinking back to the meat that had burned on the grill, the man regretted not having stuffed himself when he had had the chance. However, there were times when regret served as an indicator that life was better than what it used to be. In order to feed himself with instant noodles and Kimchi, which were both provided by the building¡¯s management, the man exited his room, realizing just how warm the Sun was that day. While eating his noodles, the thought of paying Zelkova a visit urred to him, wanting to see the publisher that would determine his fate with his own eyes. Besides, it had been a while since he had gone out.

    ¡°Might as well get some fresh air while I¡¯m at it.¡±

    The man was down to hisst option. He had to prepare himself, whether things worked out in his favor or not. He couldn¡¯t afford to sit still. Rather, he had to work just as hard as he had been up to that point. In order to cover his greasy hair, the man looked around for a hat. Although there was a public shower within theplex, it was far too inconvenient.

    ¡°Now, where did I put that hat?¡±

    Then, spotting his gray hat in the corner, he grabbed it and put it on.

    ¡ª

    Curious of who the winner of the contest would be, Juho paid Zelkova a visit. Although the results woulde out soon, Juho secretly hoped that he could find out beforehand.

    ¡°Sorry. I got nothing.¡±

    Unfortunately, the young author¡¯s hopes went in vain. Meanwhile, Nam Kyung sipped on the iced Americano that Juho had brought him.

 Chapter 298 - Sung Pil, the Writing Brush of a King (3)

    <h4>Chapter 298: Sung Pil, the Writing Brush of a King (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you must know something? Anything?¡± Juho asked, looking at the iced Americano in the editor¡¯s hand. However, Nam Kyung shook his head, responding to Juho¡¯s question with another set of questions, ¡°What¡¯s with you, though? Why are you so interested?¡±

    Shortly after, Nam Kyung lowered his head, looking like he had had an idea, and whispered, ¡°Is this about Mango?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say that you¡¯re entirely wrong.¡±

    Mango was an aspiring writer they had met at the signing, and she was also one of the contestants of the contest hosted by Zelkova. Juho couldn¡¯t deny that her existence influenced his decision toe to Zelkova. Then, with narrowed eyes, Nam Kyung asked, ¡°There¡¯s something else, isn¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°Another acquaintance of mine made a submission for the Rookie of the Year Award.¡±

    ¡°... What?!¡± Nam Kyung said, taking his mouth off of the straw. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°A really talented writer.¡±

    ¡°No, no. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. He¡¯s a talented writer?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I can definitely see him bing an author someday.¡±

    At that, a look of interest appeared on the editor¡¯s face.

    ¡°Is that so? What are you guys? Friends?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±

    Then, letting out a long groan, the editor replied, ¡°C¡¯mon! We¡¯re keeping secrets now? If what you said is true, it means that friend of yours will end up working with us someday, doesn¡¯t it!?¡±

    ¡°In that case, I suppose I don¡¯t have to exin any further.¡±

    ¡°You tend to wanna know things like that soone! Don¡¯t you know!?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do. Why do you think I¡¯m here?¡±

    The results, obviously, were still a mystery to Nam Kyung, who was chewing on his straw, tantalized. As if anxious, the editor repeated the process of taking his phone out and putting it back into his pocket, rubbing his temple with his fingers and resting his chin on his hand. Then, looking around cautiously, he said, ¡°I do know this one thing.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Juho said as he drew closer to his editor.

    ¡°It seems like there¡¯s one contestant who¡¯s received a unanimous nomination,¡± Nam Kyung whispered, covering his mouth.

    ¡°Unanimous, huh?¡±

    ¡®That¡¯s a word I haven¡¯t heard in a while,¡¯ the young author thought to himself.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know who it is or what kind of story it is, but the judges all picked that one particr submission, which means...¡± Nam Kyung paused, squinting his eyes, and added, ¡°They¡¯ll probably receive the first Rookie of the Year Award since Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a winner since you won that award, all the way up tost year. All the rookies so far have barely cut it, and the standards have definitely gone up since you won,¡± he said, opening the lid of his cup and pouring the ice into his mouth.

    ¡°We¡¯ve been getting a lot of submissions from students too. At this point, it¡¯s pretty much proven that it¡¯s impossible to have your skill at that age. Sure, being younger definitely gives one an advantage, but that only applies when the quality is there. Since you won the award, there hasn¡¯t been a single winner who¡¯s a minor,¡± Nam Kyung said, the ice crunching in his mouth.

    ¡°Then, out of nowhere, this one contestant gets nominated by unanimous decision. Wait a minute... You don¡¯t think we¡¯re talking about the same person, do you?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t hard to picture Sung Pil making his debut as an author after getting nominated by unanimous decision. From then on, the room sank into silence as the two immersed themselves in thought. Then, Nam Kyung broke the silence, pounding on the desk, ¡°Hope Mango doesn¡¯t get her feelings hurt.¡±

    If what Juho was thinking was actually true, it meant that Mango would have to remain an aspiring writer a little longer.

    ¡°But we don¡¯t know what her piece is like. At which point, there¡¯s only so much we can do.¡±

    ¡°There are over fifteen hundred submissions for the Rookie of the Year Award alone.¡±

    Nam Kyung didn¡¯t know any of the names of the contestants or anything about the stories they had written for that matter. Each contestant had had their own life story when they had made their submission. Unfortunately, only one was chosen to be the winner.

    ¡°If you¡¯re that curious, why don¡¯t you try Mrs. Baek? She¡¯s one of the judges this year,¡± Nam Kyung said.

    ¡°I¡¯m nning to go see her today, actually.¡±

    ¡°Huh. That was quick.¡±

    Then, checking the time, the editor rose from his seat. The two went outside to the quiet street for a walk. Aside from the people who were going and out of the building asionally, there was hardly anybody around. The contrast was quite stark with a certain time in the past. Only then, did it ur to the young author that the street could be that quiet and uneventful.

    ¡°Pretty quiet today,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a weekday.¡±

    The streets tended to be much quieter during the week. Then, as the the publisher¡¯s building appeared in the distance again, the two stopped in their tracks to catch a cab.

    ¡°Would you like some books while you¡¯re here? You¡¯re free to take whichever books you want.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I better get going. I wouldn¡¯t want us to get surrounded by the crowd. Besides, what if somebody sees me and decides that they want to shout my name out loud?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s when you get in that taxi and make a run for it,¡± Nam Kyung said yfully. At that moment, Juho¡¯s concern became a reality as somebody shouted his name out loud.

    ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡±

    Until Juho heard Nam Kyung flustered voice, the young author was under the impression that he had been hearing things. Fortunately, there was nobody else around when he looked around. As the voice scattered into the air, the person to whom the voice belonged approached Juho and the editor in haste, wearing a look of disbelief.

    ¡°You really are Yun Woo, right!?¡± the man asked. His gray cap, which looked a tad too small for the wearer¡¯s head, caught the young author¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Yes, I am. Pleasure to meet you,¡± Juho said, well acquainted with encounters like that by that point. Meanwhile, the man still looked like he couldn¡¯t believe things, as though havinge face to face with his destiny.

    ¡°Au... Could I ...¡±

    ¡°Would you like an autograph?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please!¡±

    With that, the man went through his bag without a dy and pulled out a stack of manuscript paper, a lot of which seemed to have been used. Flipping through the pages in a hurry, the man finally found a clean page. Of course, at the sight of all that, Juho couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Do you write?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m an aspiring writer. I¡¯ve recently made a submission to the contest too,¡± the man said with an hesitant smile.

    From Mango to Sung Pil, and now, the man in a gray hat. There was only one exnation for why Juho was running into aspiring writers so often: to have other writers as colleagues. Taking the stack of manuscript from the man, Juho signed his autograph on it.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to visit Zelkova,¡± the man in the gray hat said awkwardly. The dark patch on his chin was telling Juho that he had not shaved.

    ¡°Were you on your way there?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Oh, no.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve already been there then.¡±

    At that, the man smacked his lips for a brief moment, as if having a lot to say. However, what came out of his mouth was a rather short sentence, ¡°No. I think looking from afar is quite enough for me.¡±

    It was an excuse simr to one Juho had previously used. After signing, Juho closed the stack of paper out of habit. Of course, reading what it was also part of that same habit. As the man in a gray hat reached out, expecting to get it back from Juho, he was caught off guard by the young author¡¯s question.

    ¡°Would you mind if I read it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    After some contemtion, the man nodded affirmatively, and Juho saw his editor, who was standing behind him, taking interest in the matter. Not minding whether the editor was reading over his shoulders or not, Juho read through the words on the pages of the manuscript. It was the beginning of the story, just enough to get a feel for the direction in which the story was headed. Seeing as though it was keeping the young author guessing, the story seemed quite promising, making Juho want to read more of it.

    ¡°You know what? I¡¯m genuinely curious about what happens afterward,¡± Juho said. At that, a strong emotion welled up on the man¡¯s face.

    ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± he said, clearly sounding excited. ¡°That was my submission.¡±

    Hearing that, Juho thought of his friend and Mango.

    ¡°This is myst hurrah. If this falls through, I¡¯m gonna have to look elsewhere,¡± the man said, sounding like he was pleading for something. ¡°Do you think I have a chance of winning?¡±

    The question came to Juho as a heavy burden, and the autograph on the manuscript felt irrelevant all of a sudden. The man had specifically described his writing as being hisst. Although Juho had no clue why that had to be, he did know that he wanted to read the rest of the story and understand it. Then, the man repeated himself, asking, ¡°Do you think I have a chance?¡±

    It was a question Juho couldn¡¯t give an answer to. Not only was he not a judge, but he hadn¡¯t read the entire story, either. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to take sides. Them, Juho locked eyes with the man in a gray hat. Although his eyes looked nothing like Sung Pil¡¯s or Mango¡¯s, he was certainly looking in the same direction as the two.

    ¡°Uh-oh. That¡¯s our cue. We better get going, Mr. Woo,¡± Nam Kyung interjected, looking over the man¡¯s shoulders. There was a crowd of people, who seemed to be getting a tour of the publishing district, approaching them. As Nam Kyung grabbed Juho by the arm, the young author said to the man in a hurry, ¡°Good luck. I¡¯ll be rooting for you.¡±

    At which, the man looked down briefly and replied with a satisfied smile, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    By the time Juho looked back, the man had long blended into the crowd. Nevertheless, his gray hat made him rtively easy to distinguish from afar as he was the only person wearing it. Juho stood in his ce, watching him until he hadpletely disappeared into the distance.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m here, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    Juho arrived at Yun Seo¡¯s house, his mind still lingering in the encounter with the man in the gray hat. On his way there, Juho asked himself if there was any way he would have been able to offer a better answer to the aspiring writer¡¯s question.

    In the end, Juho never reached an answer. Knowing that they would most likely never cross paths again, Juho couldn¡¯t help but feel a little sad, almost to the point of wishing that the man in the gray hat would win. At which point, the image of Sung Pil¡¯s and Mango¡¯s faces lingered before the young author¡¯s eyes. The clutter was proving to be quite bothersome, making Juho anxious to know who the winner was even more, just so he could get out of that state of mind.

    At that moment, a dog barked in the distance, and hearing that well known sound, Juho felt a little calmer. Then, the door opened, and Joon Soo, who Juho hadn¡¯t seen since the outing at Madame Song¡¯s, came out to greet him with a d smile. However, Juho stared intently at him and asked out of nowhere, ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Joon Soo asked, caught off guard, clueless.

    ¡°Mr. Lim?¡± Juho said, giving him a subtle hint.

    ¡°Ah, right.¡±

    Joon Soo had been the one to inform Hyun Do about Juho, which had caused Juho to receive an unexpected call from the literary great.

    ¡°Do you have any idea how taken aback I was? I couldn¡¯t even answer the phone, either.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, it just kind of came out while we were eating... Wait, you couldn¡¯t answer it?¡±

    ¡°I was in the middle of writing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. But in my defense, I only said as much as I heard from Dong Gil. Besides, Dong Gil¡¯s not the type to rave on about something like that, you know? What I¡¯m trying to say is that I know practically nothing. Anyway, let¡¯s go inside!¡± Joon Soo said.

    It being the space where she taught her students, Yun Seo¡¯s house was spacious,fortable, and always well-maintained. Sitting at the table, which he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, Juho asked, ¡°Is Mrs. Baek not home?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll be here in a minute.¡±

    ¡°What about Geun Woo?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s out.¡±

    Going into the kitchen, Joon Soo brought out a couple of cups. Then, going back into the kitchen, Joon Soo asked as he checked the refrigerator, ¡°We have some mangos. Would you like some?¡±

    ¡°Mangos, huh,¡± Juho answered, his voice gradually sinking.

    ¡°Oh, do you not like mangos?¡±

    ¡°I do. I¡¯m just not in the mood today, I guess.¡±

    ¡°... Still a little confused, but if you say so. Oh! I really enjoyed ¡®Alexandria!¡¯¡±

    ¡°How was it? It didn¡¯t turn out too bad for the amount of time I spent meandering, right?¡±

    ¡°It turned out incredible! Very, very interesting read. It felt like I discovered Yun Woo¡¯s unique sense of wit,¡± Joon Soo said, tapping a mug three times. There was ttering noise mixed in between his words. Bringing out what he described as Schisandra tea, Joon Soo brought a tray out to him. The house felt quite cool since the hallway was well ventted.

    ¡°You must¡¯ve been busy. You¡¯re a celebrity.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asking me? What about you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with a manuscript gig. I was taking a short break.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been the same, more or less.¡±

    Then, Juho brought up a thought that had urred to him, ¡°Oh! I heard your book¡¯s getting released in the US! Congrattions!¡±

    ¡°Hehe, thanks.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll do well.¡±

    ¡°You know what? That sounds really gooding from you. You sold the entire first edition within two months.¡±

    Joon Soo was referring to ¡®An Insect Leaves No Trace,¡¯ which had drawn massive attention for the printing of its first edition starting at a whopping one million copies. Now, only two monthster, the second edition was already in print. Meanwhile, seeing as though Juho wasn¡¯t showing any response, Joon Soo said, ¡°But it seems like you haven¡¯t changed a bit.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t really a reason to.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, if you¡¯re doing that well, it couldn¡¯t hurt to enjoy yourself a little bit, don¡¯t you think?

    ¡°Joon Soo, you know we don¡¯t get luxuries like that.¡±

    As soon as an author let their sess get to their head, they quickly found their sess threatened by other writers who wrote pieces that were just as, if not more,petent. The moment they stopped moving forward, everything became the past, and authors, of all people, had to be well aware of that. Then, a thought urred to the young, ¡®Maybe rooting for those aspiring writers is all I can do because I, myself, am an author. Maybe I¡¯m keeping them in check.¡¯ Then, seeing Joon Soo looking into the distance as if lost in thought, Juho asked, ¡°Why? Did Geun Woo write something mind-blowing?¡±

    Juho was aware that Geun Woo was in the middle of writing a story, and the young author was also aware that the story was about him.

    ¡°Yeah, he did,¡± Joon Soo said without hesitation, catching Juho off guard.

    ¡°... Did he?¡± Juho said, studying Joon Soo¡¯s expression. Because of his mouth, which naturally curved upward, Joon Soo appeared as if he was always smiling, making it hard to distinguish if he was joking or if he was serious at times. Yet, there was a part of Juho that was epting the statement as truth. He knew that Geun Woo had what it took to be able to pull off a story like that.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Joon Soo let out. The red liquid in the mug had somewhat of an rming look to it.

    ¡°Seems like our club is going international.¡±

    ¡°That would be great,¡± Joon Soo said, sipping his tea. From then on, the two authors drank their tea in silence, each retreated into his own mind. Meanwhile, Joon Soo stared at a leaf, which was blowing gently in the breeze. ¡°This takes me back to when you first debuted.¡±

 Chapter 299 - Sung Pil, the Writing Brush of a King (4)

    <h4>Chapter 299: Sung Pil, the Writing Brush of a King (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    While watching the ants crawling by on the ground, Juho looked up at Joon Soo¡¯s voice.

    ¡°It does?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Back then, people had predicted that you¡¯d fall away from the literary world in no time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s harsh.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ve been proving them wrong, haven¡¯t you? You¡¯re showing them up.¡± Rolling the mug around in his hands, Joon Soo added, ¡°Besides, there¡¯s this contest going on. From what I heard, there¡¯s a promising nominee for the Rookie of the Year Award.¡±

    ¡°And who would this be?¡± Juho asked, ying coy.

    ¡°A nomination by unanimous decision. The first since you.¡±

    ¡°Do you know whose story it was?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Joon Soo said confidently. Not only did he seem genuine, but he didn¡¯t seem like he was all that interested in knowing, either.

    ¡°You seem interested though.¡±

    ¡°Maybe a little.¡±

    ¡°Well, in any case, Mrs. Baek should know.¡±

    At that moment, the same bark Juho had heard when he had arrived rang from the distance, which made him look toward the door by reflex. It was Yun Seo.

    ¡°Look who¡¯s here!¡± she said

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho said, rising from his seat at once. As he bowed, a warm chuckle sounded from above.

    ¡°Did you try the Schisandra tea? It¡¯s good, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was very refreshing.¡±

    Instead of going into the house, Yun Seo sat on the t bench. At the same time, Juho was busy suppressing his urge to bombard her with questions such as: ¡®How did the evaluations go? Who¡¯s the winner? Mango? Sung Pil? Gray hat? None of the three?¡¯

    ¡°What were you guys talking about?¡±

    ¡°We were talking about the Rookie of the Year Award.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. Unanimous decision,¡± Yun Seo said, catching on to Juho¡¯s exnation immediately.

    ¡°How good of a piece was it for it to get nominated by unanimous decision?¡± Joon Soo asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lie. The evaluation was a lot easier this time around,¡± she said as if the results were already out, which was indicative of how big of a difference there was between the nominated piece and the otherpeting pieces.

    ¡°It was simr to when you first debuted,¡± Joon Soo told the young author, and a smile appeared on Yun Seo¡¯s face.

    ¡°Did you like the piece that was nominated the best too, Mrs. Baek?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Of course! That¡¯s what makes it a unanimous decision, right?¡±

    ¡°True, but what about everything else?¡±

    After some contemtion, Yun Seo said, ¡°There were submissions that were more memorable here and there.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like there were some hidden talents,¡± Joon Soo said quietly. To which, Yun Seo nodded and added, ¡°The contestants were all conveying their messages very clearly. Of course, some could¡¯ve been better in terms of plot development, while otherscked substance, but overall, I could tell that they had done their best.¡±

    At that, a childish thought urred in Juho¡¯s mind, ¡®If everyone worked equally hard, then what¡¯s the point in choosing only one person as the winner?¡¯

    ¡°People need to stop giving out those so-called literary awards.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you one of the judges, Mrs. Baek?¡± Joon Soo said, chuckling. However, she kept on, ¡°The more I evaluate, the less I see the point of it. A literary award is definitely a charming trophy to those who prefer a more tangible proof of their achievement, but the standards are much too stingy. It couldn¡¯t hurt to be a little more generous, rather than picking only one person, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Then, looking at Juho, she added, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m being too harsh with my words in front of a winner of literary awards recognized worldwide.¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Juho said, wondering if she had read his thoughts. Then,ing down from the t bench, Yun Seo said nonchntly, ¡°There was one particr piece that really seemed like the writer had invested a lot of time into. It was quite polished.¡±

    Then, as a smile grew on her face, and she said, ¡°That was one of the better ones.¡±

    At that, the first person who came to Juho¡¯s mind was his friend. Although he thought of two more after that, both of their faces faded away in no time. Juho was fully aware that he was being rash, but brushing off a thought that had already entered his mind was not very easy. Yun Seo had to be referring to Sung Pil¡¯s story. He had to have been the one nominated by the judges¡¯ unanimous decision.

    ¡°While you¡¯re here, sit back and rx.¡±

    The moment Juho was made certain of that in his mind, the young author realized that he had been rooting for only one person all along. Not knowing the results had had little to do with it. Rather, it was their friendship, which enabled the young author to watch his friend¡¯s growth from close proximity. When he looked up, the sunset was dyeing the sky red.

    ¡°Joon Soo¡¯s not working today, so I¡¯ll let you two have fun. I¡¯ll make us some dinnerter. I got some really high-quality beef as a gift while I was visiting Hoengseong.¡±

    ¡°That sounds amazing. I¡¯ll make sure to stick around,¡± Juho said nonchntly. Then, as Yun Seo was walking toward the door, she stopped in her tracks all of a sudden, looked back, and asked, ¡°Did youe here to ask about the award?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I was just getting the impression that you¡¯re interested in who won the Rookie of the Year Award. What did you want to know? Or did you already find out?¡±

    Juho found the red in the sky to be quite bothersome as it dyed everything red, including Yun Seo. He was probably no different. Whenever he felt her gaze, Juho felt a burning sensation on his face.

    ¡°The only piece of information that excited me was that you brought beef.¡±

    ¡°Well, good thing you found that exciting,¡± she said, smiling. That evening, Juho returned home early. Since Yun Seo had already figured out the purpose of his visit, Juho felt that there was no point in staying longer than necessary. On his way home, Juho immersed himself in thought, wondering about the stories written by Mango and the man in the gray hat.

    A few dayster, the day of the announcement came along with the results of the judges¡¯ evaluations. That day, Juho made sure not to look at any articles on the inte or visit the publisher¡¯s website. On top of that, neither did he call his editor nor visit Yun Seo at her house. He had already made up his mind to hear the results from one particr source. While he was reading ¡®The Full Moon,¡¯ his phone started ringing.

    ¡°I did it,¡± the voice said briefly through the receiver of Juho¡¯s phone. However, Juho remained unsurprised.

    ¡°I kept our promise,¡± the voice said proudly and added, ¡°Yun Woo,¡± recognizing Juho as an author for the first time.

    ¡°Congrattions,¡± Juho said genuinely. Then, a loud noise sted from the receiver. It was a cheer. Juho was hearing Sung Pil scream for the first time. Then, looking down, Juho saw the manuscripts of stories about Mango, the gray hat, and Sung Pil.

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    Sung Pil¡¯s scream lingered in the young author¡¯s ears.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Sung Pil?¡±

    Sung Pil looked up at the voice calling to him. A schoolmate, of whom he didn¡¯t even know the name, was striking up a conversation with him.

    ¡°Must be nice getting that award!¡±

    Despite therge campus, the word seemed to have gotten around quickly. Most of the students in the same major knew about Sung Pil¡¯s recent victory of the Rookie of the Year Award. Having one of his core sses that day, the rookie author felt like he was the center of attention, even more than usual.

    ¡°How¡¯d it feel?¡±

    ¡°Did you meet any other authors?¡±

    ¡°What was it like? Did you have to go to meetings or anything like that?¡±

    ¡°The professor was lookin¡¯ for ya. Man, if only I could be in your position.¡±

    ¡°Hey, there are some upperssmen that I hang out with, and they¡¯ve been wanting to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Debuting as a freshman... That¡¯s impressive.¡±

    ¡°Yo, can I have your number?¡±

    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re going outter. Wannae?¡±

    Being the center of attention was all too foreign for Sung Pil, and it left him helpless. People were eager to hear about his journey leading up to his debut. There had to be something that they wanted from him. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have taken interest in the rookie author all of a sudden.

    ¡°It feels like I¡¯m in a different world,¡± Sung Pil murmured, resting his chin on his hand. Then, the professor came into the ssroom. While checking attendance, he paused abruptly as he reached Sung Pil¡¯s name.

    ¡°Pil Sung Choi?¡±

    ¡°Present,¡± Sung Pil responded as usual. However, the professor¡¯s seemed to act a little different from usual.

    ¡°Would you stand up for a minute?¡± the professor said to him. At which, Sung Pil did as he had been told, bing the center of attention yet again. Just like his ssmates, who seemed to know why the professor had made him stand up, Sung Pil was also aware of the professor¡¯s intention.

    ¡°You¡¯re the student who debuted as an author recently, right?¡±

    Then, the professor proceeded to exin the structure within the Korean literary world, the significance of a literary award, and that Sung Pil had been the sole contestant nominated out of fifteen hundred people. Then, adding that his friend was the president of a publishingpany, the professor said, ¡°Sung Pil, here, has achieved something impressive.¡±

    Although Sung Pil was anxious to sit back down, he didn¡¯t necessarily feel ashamed that his professor was talking about him in front of the entire ss. If anything, it felt more like an award for the time and effort he had put into his work. Not knowing if it was OK to feel that way, Sung Pil struggled to stay focused through the entire ss.

    ¡°Hey,¡± a voice called to him as he wasing out of the building after ss. When he looked toward where the voice hade from, Sung Pil quick realized that it hade from another student in the same major.

    ¡°So, my name is Bom Yoon, and we¡¯re in the same major.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Sung Pil said, remembering having met her before.

    ¡°We met with Juho once, didn¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we did.¡±

    From time to time, Juho would make it seem like they were running into his friends by coincidence, and Sung Pil was fully aware that that was Juho¡¯s way of being considerate of him.

    ¡°I was supposed to meet with Juhoter today, and I was thinking it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to bring you along. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°... That was quick.¡±

    Having just debuted as an author, Sung Pil had all the time in the world.

    ¡°When is this gonna be?¡± he asked, checking the time. Then, smiling, Bom said, ¡°How about now?¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    With that, Sung Pil followed her quietly, not having anything to talk about in particr. Instead, he thought back to her writing, which he recalled havinge across once. It had been quite sensual, and her skillful use of figure of speech had stood out to him quite a bit. As they were walking quietly toward the front gate, Sung Pil asked, ¡°Are we going to his house?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Then, where are we meeting him?¡±

    The view opened up as they turned the corner, anding down the hill, the two went through the gate.

    ¡°Right. Here,¡± Bom said. When Sung Pil followed her gaze, he saw somebody wearing a hat, covering his face with it.

    ¡°And that¡¯s how you get caught,¡± Bom murmured, and Sung Pil agreed. At the same time, he liked Juho¡¯s free-spirited nature of walking about freely despite the looks he got from pedestrians. As they started approaching Juho, the young author looked toward them, waving.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you two toe together,¡± Juho said unhurriedly. ¡°So, this is what your school looks like.¡±

    As the two showed Juho around campus, he came to learn just how distant his two friends were from each other despite being in the same major. Considering both of their personalities, neither of them inclined to initiate a conversation with a stranger, and it wasn¡¯t too big of a surprise.

    ¡°We¡¯ve read each other¡¯s writings though,¡± Bom said, looking at Sung Pil. He agreed with a nk expression on his face.

    ¡°You¡¯re a good writer.¡±

    ¡°You too. I was impressed by how you handle sentences that are really long.¡±

    With that, the air sank into an awkward silence, which showed Juho just how distant they were.

    ¡°Is there a ce to go around here? I think I¡¯ve seen enough,¡± Juho said to Sung Pil. Then, after some contemtion, Sung Pil said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. I don¡¯t usually hang out in this area.¡±

    ¡°There are few restaurants and karaokes, but aside from that, there isn¡¯t a whole lot to do around here. I probably go to the bookstore the most...¡¯ Bom added. Then, looking at Juho and Sung Pil in turn, she asked cheerfully, ¡°You guys wanna go to the bookstore?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Unlike Juho, who was lukewarm, Sung Pil agreed without dy, almost weing it too much. He seemed to be genuinely weing the idea. Considering that his book hade out after his recent debut, it was understandable. With that, the three took the bus away from campus and to arge bookstore. Although Juho was familiar with thepany, it was his first time visiting that specific location. Nevertheless, the overall atmosphere was more or less the same as that of other locations.

    ¡°There it is. Right there,¡± Bom said, pointing at the golden book, which appeared as soon as they stepped into the store. Sung Pil stared intently in the direction she was pointing toward.

    ¡°Aedy with a kick by Yun Woo of ¡®River¡¯ and ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Discover the author¡¯s surprising sense of humor,¡± Bom read the promotional banner out loud, as if to Juho and Sung Pil.

 Chapter 300 - The Battle of the Winners (1)

    <h4>Chapter 300: The Battle of the Winners (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°That was a good book! Sun Hwa loved it!¡± Bom said cheerfully, as if to prove that there was no exaggeration in what was written on the promotional banner. Juho also remembered getting a text from Sun Hwa after the book¡¯s release, which had been significantly longer than the other texts.

    ¡°How about you? Did you think the book was funny at all?¡± she asked, looking at Sung Pil. At which, he gave a dyed answer, ¡°I think the book thief stood out to me the most,¡± turning aedy into a tragedy. Walking past Bom, who looked like she had a lot to say, Juho, who had a certain book in mind, walked further into the bookstore. There was no telling what would happen if he were to stand in front of the golden books any longer.

    ¡°Here it is: ¡®The Winner of the Rookie of the Year Award.¡¯¡±

    Author: Sung Pil. Instead of his real name, Pil Sung Choi, he hade out to the world with an alias, Sung Pil. Upon seeing his books on disy, Bom walked toward them as if d to see them. Because the publisher was quite prominent, the books were being disyed in a fairly visible spot in the store. The names of the judges were also visible, particrly Yun Seo Baek¡¯s.

    ¡°¡®Gingko Tree.¡¯ The first unanimous nomination since Yun Woo! Critically acimed by the judges of the contest,¡± Bom said, reading the promotional banner for the book out loud, just like she had done with Juho¡¯s. Looking at Sung Pil, Juho was greeted with a surprising sight. For the first time, Sung Pil seemed to be bashful. As Juho stared intently at him, Sung Pil¡¯s distinctively thick eyebrows squirmed, and he said, ¡°... I¡¯m just not used to seeing this,¡± which appeared to be true.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you like that, either,¡± Juho said. That time, Sung Pil asked Juho, ¡°What did you think?¡±

    ¡°It was good. Well-written.¡±

    Theck of hesitation in Juho¡¯s answer felt somewhat insincere, which caused Sung Pil to narrow his eyes at him. However, Juho was sincere in his answer. The book was actually good and well-written. Knowing how much time Sung Pil had spent polishing the story, Juho wasn¡¯t surprised to see how sessful it was bing. On top of that, his age made it an even more impressive achievement. Only then, did Juho start making sense of how Yun Seo had reacted to his interest in the book. At that moment, somebody came up next to Sung Pil and said, ¡°¡®Scuse me.¡± Then, reading the promotional banner as Bom had done, he picked up a book. At which point, Sung Pil took a step back, pretending not to mind the man¡¯s response to the book. Bom acted simrly. Then, flipping the book, the man started reading the testimonials in the back, and just like that, he walked away.

    ¡°Is he buying it?¡± Sung Pil asked, sounding confused and looking toward the cashier counter.

    ¡°I think so...! Congrattions!¡± Bom said, pping quietly. Then, Juho called to his new author friend as if trying to stir him up, ¡°Sung Pil.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    That time, Sung Pil¡¯s face started twitching from the corners of his mouth. He had to be experiencing a certain degree of joy, with which Juho, too, was well acquainted. For an author, seeing somebody buy their book brought them enormous joy. Seeing his friend¡¯s innocent response, Juho couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he had been the same way in the past.

    ¡°Our professor was saying a lot of good things about you today.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. He was saying, ¡®This gentleman, here, has recently made a sessful debut as an author by unanimous nomination in a literary contest,¡± she said, mimicking the professor. Unfortunately, Juho had no point of reference to determine how good or bad her impersonation of her professor was.

    ¡°Is that person looking in our direction?¡± Bom asked. At which point, Juho looked around cautiously. Although they weren¡¯t exactly loud, lingering in a spot in a bookstore, let alone in front of a certain book, tended to draw attention. Fortunately, since it was a weekday, the bookstore wasn¡¯t all that crowded.

    ¡°You guys are buying books, right? Let¡¯s all go and grab one.¡±

    With that, the three scattered in different directions. Initially, they all lingered around the domestic literature section. Then, Bom moved to technical literature and, after that, to the humanities section. From that point on, after learning and experiencing various things, she would eventuallye to create a style that was unique to her, just like all other authors. Being aware of that, Bom didn¡¯t rush the process either. Then, as Juho entered the international literature section from the guidebooks section, he reunited with his two friends.

    ¡°That was fast.¡±

    ¡°I already had a book in mind.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    Seeing that Bom had picked two books and Sung Pil one, Juho thought for a brief moment and picked up a book from the international literature section, which happened to be a novel that Kelley Coin had criticized harshly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go over to Juho¡¯s,¡± Bom suggested as they came out of the store after paying for their books.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem with that,¡± Juho said, and Sung Pil agreed. Then, she added, ¡°With alcohol.¡±

    ¡°Alcohol?¡± Juho asked. Meanwhile, Sung Pil nodded and weed the idea, saying, ¡°Sure.¡±

    Before long, Bom and Sung Pil seemed to get closer. In the end, they made a stop at a neighborhood grocery store to buy bottles of soju and beer. Upon arrival, as soon as the table was set up, the two started guzzling down their drinks. Although Juho tried to keep them from drinking too fast, his efforts went in vain. Soon, Juho gave up and let them be. With alcohol in their systems, Bom and Sung Pil started talking to each other more and more.

    ¡°You know what¡¯s the worst? Group projects. I just can¡¯t trust people anymore.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Sung Pil agreed with Bom. While Juho was sipping his can of beer, the two emptied three bottles of Soju in the blink of an eye. Seeing his friends¡¯ impressive drinking ability, Juho couldn¡¯t help but be astonished.

    ¡°Guys. Slow down,¡± Juho said in a concerned voice. At which, Bom waved her hand in denial and said, ¡°What are you talking about!? This is the perfect pace!¡± and proceeded to mix the soju and the beer to a very specific ratio. ¡®You really learn all sorts of things in college,¡¯ Juho thought to himself.

    ¡°Eh, whatever,¡± Juho said, reaching for the piece of whelk in the appetizer te. At that moment, Sung Pil said out of nowhere, ¡°I¡¯m finally in the same world as you.¡± There was a potent smell of alcohol in his breath.

    ¡°Is this your first time at my ce?¡± Juho asked. At which, Sung Pil replied, ¡°I¡¯m talking about the literary world.¡± Although his eyebrows looked like they were much closer to each other than usual, Sung Pil was staring intently into the chunks of seasoned whelks.

    ¡°I wanna write better than you and I want you to look up to me one day. But we¡¯re friends, and friends need to treat each other equally. You know what? Maybe there isn¡¯t such a thing as better or worse. But what¡¯s even funnier is that I still wanna beat you. In that case, what would it mean to beat you? What would that look like?¡± Sung Pil said, looking and soundingpletely sober. However, there was one part of his body that indicated to Juho that he was drunk. Sung Pil¡¯s ears, which peeked through his short hair, were burning red. Then, the rookie author started rambling on some more, ¡°You¡¯re just too good of a writer. Youforted me when I most needed, and nobody¡¯s ever approached me the way you did. I wanna be able to do that too, but that isn¡¯t to say that I wanna be like you. I just want my writing to have an impact on your life somehow. Oh, am I getting ahead of myself here?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re drunk. You should stop,¡± Juho said, snatching the cup from Sung Pil¡¯s hand as he was bringing it up to his mouth. The distinct whiff of alcohol rushed into Juho¡¯s nose, making him cringe against his will.

    ¡°Wow! I didn¡¯t know you could drink like that! Here, have some more,¡± Bom said, filling Juho¡¯s cup. Although she had had less to drink than Sung Pil, she seemed to be in a great mood still.

    ¡°I¡¯m just so happy.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    Then, covering her face with both of her hands, she said, ¡°That all of my friends are making it. I just want everyone to be happy, you know? Together.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re drunk too, huh?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± she said, guzzling down on her alcoholic concoction. Then, picking up her chopsticks, Bom brought them to the te to snatch a piece of whelk, but they seemed to be dancing around her chopsticks.

    ¡°You know what? From now on, I¡¯m going my way too,¡± she said, ring at the piece of whelk she had finally managed to pick up with her chopsticks. However, it seemed like she was about to drop it at any given minute. At that moment, a shadow cast over Juho.

    ¡°Jeez! You scared me!¡±

    It was Sung Pil leaping across the table. Although all the food and drinks on the table were intact, the piece of whelk that had been hanging precariously by the ends of Bom¡¯s chopsticks fell to the floor.

    ¡°I¡¯m not runnin¡¯. I¡¯m not goin¡¯ anywhere,¡± Sung Pil said, sitting next to Juho.

    ¡°You¡¯re not running?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. When the dayes that we have to face each other, I¡¯m not going down without a fight,¡± the rookie author said, as if imagining a sword fight.

    ¡°Promise me that you won¡¯t back out. That you won¡¯t go easy on me,¡± Sung Pil said, demanding the young author make a promise.

    ¡°What are you talking about? What? You want me to thumb wrestle you or something?¡±

    It seemed like Sung Pil became even more ufortable to talk to when drunk. In the end, Juho gave in to the pressure and nodded.

    ¡°All right! Would you stop drinking now? Look at you getting all drunk in the middle of the day.¡±

    From then on, Bom fell asleep, and Sung Pil started mumbling gibberish. And after some time, in the evening, the two started to sober up. Meanwhile, Juho read the book he had bought at the bookstore, realizing just how urate Coin¡¯s criticism of the book had been.

    ¡°Ugh.¡±

    For his friends who were struggling with the effects of the alcohol, Juho made each a cup of honey water.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Honey water is amon folk remedy in Korea for preventing or curing a hangovers.)

    ¡°Feel better now? Do you think you can get home?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Sung Pil said with his usual nk expression. The distance between his eyebrows had returned to normal, and neither were his ears burning red.

    ¡°Do you even remember what you said?¡± Juho asked. At which, Sung Pil looked straight into his eyes and replied, ¡°I do.¡±

    Yet, there was not a trace of shame or any kind of emotion on his face for that matter. In the end, Juho decided not to get into details. Soon, after walking his two friends out and seeing them leaving in a cab, Juho got back home. While cleaning the table and the leftover alcohol, Juho poured the remaining Soju in one of the cups into his mouth.

    ¡°So bitter.¡±

    ¡®I wanna beat you.¡¯ Sung Pil¡¯s words echoed in Juho¡¯s ears. Juho had only one response to them: ¡°And I, you.¡± Then, Juho poured himself another drink.

    ¡ª

    ¡°That¡¯s the stuff!¡± Nam Kyung eximed, feeling the alcohol going down his throat. He was having a drink at a street bar on his way home from work.

    ¡°OK. As Yun Woo¡¯s editor-in-charge, what did you think of today¡¯s meeting?¡± Mr. Maeng asked as Nam Kyung poured another round of alcohol into his mouth. While waiting for Nam Kyung¡¯s answer, Mr. Maeng slurped on the noodle soup.

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the idea of involving the previous award winners in the event, right?¡±

    Although that had been somewhat of an ongoing tradition, it hade to an abrupt halt with the appearance of Yun Woo. However, during the meeting, an idea hade up to leverage the literary award exhibition to bring back the old tradition. The fact that the book of the recently debuted author was drawing significantly more attention than expected had also yed a role in it. However, the conflicty in the nature of the event and Yun Woo¡¯s position.

    ¡°We are essentially revealing the authors¡¯ writing space to the public.¡±

    Nam Kyung nodded at Mr. Maeng¡¯s summary of the idea for the new event. The point of the event was to show people how an author went about writing a book.

    ¡°But the thing is, the idea was to bring the winners of the Rookie of the Year together,¡± Nam Kyung said.

    ¡°And Yun Woo¡¯s one of them.¡±

    ¡°Which means, if it were to happen, Yun Woo¡¯s writing process would get revealed to the public.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely not something that happens every day,¡± Mr. Maeng said.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s an understatement.¡±

    ¡°Which is why we¡¯re approaching this with as much precaution as possible.¡±

    Nam Kyung let out a sigh. Yun Woo had always been a tricky figure. Despite being one of the most prominent figures in the world, he was far too young. On the other hand, despite being far too young, he was one of the biggest names in the world. The young author stuck out like a sore thumb no matter where he was.

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lie. Even the thought of it stirs up my interest,¡± Mr. Maeng said, pouring Nam Kyung another drink, which Nam Kyung poured right into his mouth. If Yun Woo were to participate, fans would be able to see his writing process with their own eyes. There was no doubt that it would be sessful, and thepany was also confident in its sess.

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s more like a reenactment of the authors¡¯ writing process. It¡¯s not like they¡¯re actually writing, so I think it¡¯d be OK to have Mr. Woo there. Besides, it should be a safe setting, so we won¡¯t have to worry about any trouble.¡±

    It was a safe event that couldn¡¯t possibly damage the young author¡¯s reputation in any way.

    ¡°Of course, that isn¡¯t to say that I doubt his skill. I¡¯m just saying that there¡¯s no risk for any potential danger.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    If anybody, the editing department was confident in the young author¡¯s skill. However, people tended to talk him down at every opportunity that came their way. After all, the downfall of a genius carried quite the shock factor.

    ¡°But this is Yun Woo we¡¯re talking about. Even the story he¡¯d showcase at the event would draw quite a bit of attention,¡± Nam Kyung said.

    ¡°OK. How about this? What if we work with materials that have already been published?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t back out now. The bullet¡¯s already left the gun,¡± Nam Kyung said. Then, smacking his lips, Mr. Maeng added, ¡°Well, I suppose we can only get so far discussing this between us without knowing where Mr. Woo stands. Personally, I really hope Mr. Woo participates because, frankly, I wanna see him write. I wanna see what it looks like when Yun Woo writes.¡±

 Chapter 301 - The Battle of the Winners (2)

    <h4>Chapter 301: The Battle of the Winners (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What if he says no?¡±

    Yun Woo had every right to say no. The author had turned down an invitation to a recent book festival with a resounding no, simrly with many interviews and events rted to Zelkova, which had included a special event with another publisher in the UK. Reminded of the author¡¯s history with avoiding public appearances, Mr. Maeng sighed heavily.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be this hard if it were some other author,¡± he said, resting his chin on his hand. Then, looking like something had urred to him, he said, ¡°Wait... What if we can¡¯t find any other authors after we get Mr. Woo on board? That wouldn¡¯t be a good thing either.¡±

    While Mr. Maeng had said that jokingly, Nam Kyung shrugged and said, ¡°That¡¯s definitely possible. At the same time, there could be authors eager to participate after knowing that Mr. Woo was gonna be there.¡±

    Then, he emptied his ss. Nothing was set in stone yet. However, the higher-ups were definitely eager to push the event forward, which meant Nam Kyung would be incredibly busy.

    ¡°As for an author who debuted this year, it¡¯s pretty obvious, isn¡¯t it? Sung Pil seemed like a promising candidate.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Him!¡± Nam Kyung eximed, and Mr. Maeng nodded in agreement. He was the first contestant to be nominated by unanimous decision since Yun Woo. Not only was that an advertisement in and of itself, but the quality of his writing was definitely worth the overwhelming praise from the critics.

    ¡°I really hope he makes it.¡±

    ¡°I hope so too,¡± Nam Kyung said in agreement. Not only was Sung Pil one of the only people Yun Woo had his eye on, but they were also the same age. The editor thought back to the time when he met Sung Pil for the first time, not as an author, but as Yun Woo¡¯s acquaintance. It wasn¡¯t until Sung Pil debuted as an author that Nam Kyung started making sense of why Yun Woo had avoided getting into details about their friendship back then.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s too soon to leverage him being friends with Mr. Woo?¡±

    How would the public react to their friendship?

    ¡°Their friendship? Oh! They¡¯re the same age, aren¡¯t they? Wait... Do they know each other??¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. They just happen to be the same age.¡±

    Being a new author entailed having to start from the bottom, including building their fame. Although their books might be pouring out to the stores, there wouldn¡¯t be enough readers inparison to the number of books avable. Rumors usually contributed little to the sess of a new book, and making it into the bestsellers¡¯ list was practically impossible. It meant having to utilize every means necessary to get their names out early on in their careers.

    ¡°So, as long as Mr. Woo gives us an OK, we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about advertising, right? This is gonna be massive. I just know it.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s exactly why advertising is so important,¡± Nam Kyung said.

    The name Yun Woo was practically an endorsement in and of itself. At that moment, the editor emptied his ss once again.

    ¡°What could possibly go wrong?¡±

    The next day, suffering from hangovers, neither of them was able to remember what had happened that night.

    ¡ª

    Juho came out for a walk at a park on the riverbank of the Han River. There were quite a few riders pedaling along the side of the river. Walking past the observation tower, the one which Juho had entered at one point, the author kept walking forward, enjoying the weather.

    ¡°Go away!¡± a child shouted. When Juho looked toward where the voice hade from, he saw a group of children, ying together. After checking the time, he sat on a bench nearby and watched them y.

    ¡°Let¡¯s race!¡± another child shouted. The children seemed to be in high spirits.

    ¡°Whoever gets to the finish line wins!¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the finish line?¡±

    ¡°That white line over there.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    As they stood side by side, the youngest looking child said, ¡°This isn¡¯t fair.¡±

    Being a head shorter than the rest of the group, the boy had to be a younger sibling of one of the children. After some contemtion, the children agreed to let the younger child start slightly ahead of them.

    ¡°Five paces? So... right here?¡±

    ¡°Hey! That was six!¡±

    ¡°No! It was five!¡±

    In either case, five or six paces, for a boy his age, that didn¡¯t seem like much of an advantage. The children were incredibly unforgiving. Although the boy took a step back in order to appease his older brother, who seemed to be driven by fairness, the boy moved right back to where he¡¯d been as soon as the children looked away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about crossing the start line.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s cheating.¡±

    ¡°You cheat, you die.¡±

    What seemed like an innocent race between children suddenly turned into a matter of life and death. As the child who brought up death leaned forward as if about to bolt forward at any given minute, the child next to them positioned themselves as if mimicking a posture they had seen elsewhere. Each and every child got into a position of their own.

    ¡®Who¡¯ll win?¡¯ Juho thought to himself, taking interest in the race. At a nce, the tallest child, who also seemed to be the most athletic andpetitive, seemed like they had the most advantage. The child to their left was slightly shorter, but they seemed to make up for theirck of height with their brand-name ser shoes, which made a distinct noise whenever they took a step. Meanwhile, the child to the right of the tallest child seemed quite ufortable in their position, with their knees bent. In any case, it was already bing apparent that it wouldn¡¯t be long until the youngest child got outrun by the older children.

    Then, as Juho decided to bet on the child wearing ser shoes, the children took off. Just as Juho had expected, the tallest child had the fastest start. However, that child seemed to have trouble passing their friends. The slowest was the child who had waited for the signal in an ufortable-looking position. Although the track wasn¡¯t very long, the children ran with everything they had.

    ¡°No!¡± the youngest child eximed, watching his older friends outrunning him. Despite his desperate shout, the older children kept up their speed. Eventually, the race narrowed down to two runners: the tallest child and the child wearing ser shoes, both of whompeted fiercely, not letting up until the end. Then, as they both crossed the finished line, the results became clear.

    ¡°I win!¡±

    ¡°And I, too,¡± Juho murmured as the child wearing ser shoes shouted victoriously. The tallest child had a look of displeasure on their face, demanding a rematch. Of course, the child wearing ser shoes paid no attention to them. While the youngest child clung to his older brother,ining about the race, the child who had had the peculiar posture appeared embarrassed about the result.

    Looking at the children, Juho thought of a short story that took ce in the near future, after they had grown slightly older. Nobody knew what the future held, which meant it was always possible for the youngest child to surpass his older friends, at least in the scenario in Juho¡¯s head. The race that day would do hardly anything to determine the children¡¯s fate.

    Juho thought back to his friend, who had openly predicted his future victory. However, the biggest difference between them had been that he had reeked of alcohol, unlike the innocent children. ¡®Let¡¯s see who turns up at the top,¡¯ Juho thought to himself.

    ¡°It¡¯s a draw so far.¡±

    Previously, there had been no contest since Sung Pil had been overwhelmingly sessful, unlike him. Now, Juho was ahead in the race, making them even. As that urred to Juho, he trieding up with another condition for winning: who wrote better books.

    ¡°We¡¯re gonna need some judges,¡± Juho said, realizing that that wasn¡¯t all that different from his initial idea. So far, both Juho and Sung Pil had been nominated for their awards by unanimous decision.

    ¡°Wait for me!¡± the youngest child cried out, struggling to keep up with his older brother.

    ¡°Hurry up!¡± the older brother said, rushing his younger brother, seemingly having trouble getting away from his younger brother. Seeing as though the older brother was keeping his younger brother in check, there had to have been at least one time when he had been outrun by his younger brother.

    ¡°Take care of your little brother!¡± his parents said.

    At which point, a crabby look appeared on the older brother¡¯s face. Expecting someone, Juho checked the time. Then, just as he rose from the bench, thinking about getting coffee for himself and the other person, his phone started ringing.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Where did you say you were again?¡± the voiceing from the receiver asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s a body of water around,¡± Juho said, looking at the river.

    ¡°... I didn¡¯t realize you were directionally challenged.¡±

    Then, as Juho gave a bit more detail about his surroundings, the voice on the other end of the line said, ¡°OK, I think I¡¯m getting closer,¡± and soon...

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±

    The same voice came out of nowhere, as if proving what they were saying. Putting his phone down, Juho looked back and saw Nam Kyung, standing with two cups of coffee.

    ¡°Is it OK for us to meet in public like this?¡± the editor asked, looking around the busy park.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t had any issues so far,¡± Juho said, shrugging and tapping his hat. To which, the editor gave the young author a distrustful look and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to my car?¡±

    ¡°That works too.¡±

    The editor didn¡¯t mind going all the way back to his car at all. Upon arrival, Juho got in the passenger¡¯s seat and drank his coffee. The Han River was noticeably further away from where it had been.

    ¡°It feels like we are supposed to be in a drive-in theater.¡±

    ¡°Before we do that, have you given some thought to what I asked you?¡± Nam Kyung said somewhat impatiently. He was referring to their discussion about the event, which had taken ce prior to their current meeting. Meanwhile, Juho was staring at a miniature figure on the dashboard of the car, which turned out to be an air freshener.

    ¡°So, is this a presentation of sorts?¡± Juho asked.

    Clearing his throat, the editor replied, ¡°So to speak. It¡¯s nothing fancy. It¡¯s more geared toward showing readers what the writing process looks like for authors rather than presenting the book itself.¡±

    ¡°Even for Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the gist of it anyway. You¡¯ll have to prepare quite a bit.¡±

    Then, Nam Kyung added, giving the young author a choice, ¡°Should you be so inclined, you can always cite parts of your books that have already been published. For example, you can write parts of ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ and exin your creative process to your readers.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound all that fun.¡±

    ¡°In that case, all you gotta do is prepare a new manuscript. Oh! You could bring one of those manuscripts that used to be scattered about your living room.¡±

    ¡°Do I get a say in this at all?¡±

    ¡°Give it some thought. Frankly, the idea of this whole event came about because of you. Yun Woo¡¯s writing process.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    As Juho hesitated, the editor started exining the event in detail: the literary award exhibition, the hands-on event, and the riveting title of the event. Set to take ce over the course of five days, the event would showcase one author per day. They, every one of which would be a winner of a literary award, would present their writing processes. There were no limitations to what the authors could write, and the fact that they would be given time to prepare in advance reduced the burden on the authors¡¯ end.

    ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that people won¡¯t be t outparing the authors since we have a choice between bringing a manuscript that¡¯s been revised repeatedly or one that we wrote the night before.¡±

    Fans wouldn¡¯t have a way topare the authors.

    ¡°Yes. Now that you have a better idea of the event, how does it sound?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely more interesting,¡± Juho said, thinking of the racing children who seemed to ce a high value on rank.

    ¡°Then, when would I be presenting?¡± he asked. Noticing the editor¡¯s intent gaze ooking as though trying to understand the intent behind the author¡¯s question, Juho kept his eyes fixed on the figurine on the dashboard.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going first, am I?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. We haven¡¯t decided on the order yet. Just so you know, Mr. Woo, we¡¯re nning on making this as convenient as possible for the authors, including working around their schedules. But, the way I see it, I think it would be best to save the best forst.¡±

    At that, Juho immediately caught on to what his editor had in mind: to have him presentst.

    ¡°So, I¡¯d be goingst, then?¡±

    ¡°... That could be one way of putting it, but I think it¡¯d be more urate to describe it as the grand finale, if you will.¡±

    As Juho chuckled quietly, Nam Kyung said cautiously, ¡°We managed to get the winner of this year¡¯s Rookie of the Year Award on board.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Juho asked knowingly, but nodding as if he had had no idea. Having heard directly from Sung Pil, Juho was already aware of his friend¡¯s participation in the event. However, the young author didn¡¯t want that to be seen as his reason for participating.

    ¡°He¡¯s a lucky guy. A major public event like this will be a major boost to his career. It¡¯s practically advertising itself,¡± Nam Kyung said.

    ¡°Who are some of the authors on board?¡±

    ¡°Aside from Pyung Jin Lee, we¡¯re still working on it. You¡¯re the first author we¡¯re reaching out to after Sung Pil.¡±

    ¡°What do you think? Should I give it a go?¡±

    As the editor waited for Juho¡¯s next question, the author asked again, rephrasing his question, ¡°Should I give this whole writing-in-front-of-people thing a try?¡±

    Juho thought back to his days in the Literature Club. If he decided to participate in the event, it would be his first time writing in front of other people as Yun Woo. Unlike the contest he hadpeted in with Sung Pil, there wasn¡¯t a need to give up on an award because there wouldn¡¯t be an award ceremony, let alone a stage for it. If there weren¡¯t going to be limitations to what the authors could choose to write about, Juho had just the manuscript for the asion in mind.

 Chapter 302 - The Battle of the Winners (3)

    <h4>Chapter 302: The Battle of the Winners (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Can I watch other authors write?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Nam Kyung said, writing a text message to someone on his phone in a hurry. Then, he suddenly looked up at Juho and asked, ¡°Would you like a separate event for yourself? If you¡¯re open to participating in events like that, we can always go bigger.¡±

    ¡°No, thanks,¡± Juho said, shaking his head emphatically. Although smacking his lips, Nam Kyung seemed stoked that the young author was on board.

    ¡°Should we go to a drive-in theater or something?¡± he asked, looking like he was in a great mood. Instead of giving an answer, Juho drank his coffee quietly. Shortly after putting his phone back in his pocket, Nam Kyung exined the event in even greater details to Juho, from the schedules to the format, along with Juho¡¯s responsibility as a participating author. While listening to his editor talk, Juho wondered, ¡®Who will I see at the event?¡¯

    ¡°Hello!¡±

    Before the event officially started, Zelkova held a celebration after they had found enough authors to participate. Having arrived ten minutes earlier than he had nned, Juho ran into Nam Kyung as soon as he walked into the building.

    ¡°Hi, where are the others?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re inside.¡±

    Juho rushed to the conference room when he found out that he had arrivedst.

    ¡°This way,¡± Nam Kyung said, leading him toward the room, the same room in which Juho had had to decide which overseas interview to take part in. As the door opened, the same, familiar interior appeared. The only difference was that there were four other authors in the room aside from Juho, Sung Pil being one of them.

    ¡°Mr. Woo! Wee!¡± a familiar person greeted the young author. It was the director of the editing department. After shaking hands, the director started out with small talk.

    ¡°It¡¯s hot out, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The Sun is quite hot today.¡±

    As Juho talked to the director, he felt piercing gazes fixed on him like arrows. After that, he took a seat next to Sung Pil.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho greeted him. After staring intently at Juho for a little while, Sung Pil greeted the author back, ¡°Hello.¡±

    Seeing his thick eyebrows at the conference room of a publishingpany made for a different experience.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you all spend some time getting to know each other a little bit?¡± Nam Kyung suggested quietly, and the oldest looking author in the group replied, brushing his thin hair back with his hand across his balding head, ¡°Should we?¡±

    ¡°I won the Rookie of the Year Award the year before you, Mr. Woo. I run a small indoor fishing pond now.¡±

    Appearing to be in his mid-thirties at the oldest, the man seemed as generous as the size of his forehead. With that, the turn to speak naturally went to the person next to him.

    ¡°I debuted a couple of years ago. Since there wasn¡¯t a winnerst year, I suppose that would make me the second from thest person to win the award,¡± she said, making a ¡®V¡¯ sign with her fingers. There were silver rings on four of her fingers, making it look like she was spreading them all.

    ¡°I won the award the year before the gentleman sitting next to me, but I ended up moving to the US to study abroad,¡± the man next to her said, crossing his arms. Wearing a hairdo that split at a ratio of two-to-eight, the man had a very tactful fashion sense. Then, looking in Juho¡¯s direction, he added, ¡°I really enjoyed your books, Mr. Woo. Thanks to you, I didn¡¯t have to worry about forgetting my Korean during my time at the States.¡± Despite theplimentary words, his piercing gaze made him look quite unweing. While Juho was busy thinking of an answer, Sung Pil rose from his seat in order to introduce himself, ¡°I won the Rookie of the Year Award this year. Pleasure to meet you all.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you too,¡± the fishing pond owner said. Simrly, Silver Rings also let out a heartyugh. Unlike the two, the student abroad was pouting as if disgruntled by Juho¡¯sck of response. Sung Pill sat back down after sharing a few more things about himself, and naturally, the turn went to Juho, who introduced himself in his usual manner.

    ¡°Hello. Yun Woo. As for when I won the award, I believe it¡¯s alreadye up once, so I¡¯ll go ahead and leave that part out. My real name is Juho Woo, but please feel free to call me as you wish. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you all.¡±

    There was a brief and awkward pause as Juho finished speaking. As if everyone wasparing themselves to each other, the room sank into an ufortable silence.

    ¡°You know, I was skeptical when I first heard that you were gonna be part of this,¡± the student abroad said, adding, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually agree to participate.¡± That time, he didn¡¯t sound aggressive by any means. Rather, he exined himself calmly and honestly.

    ¡°Why was that?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that the Rookie of the Year Award sounds so shabby inparison to what your name entails. You¡¯re the winner of not one, but TWO of the most widely recognized literary awards in the world. Our awards might have some significance in this tiny little country we¡¯re living in, but at the end of the day, they¡¯ve got nothing on you.¡±

    As Silver Rings whistled quietly, the fishing pond owner looked toward the Zelkova staff, particrly in the direction of the director of the editing department, who was listening to their conversation unfazed. The other staff members around seemed to be on their toes. However, the student abroad didn¡¯t stop there, ¡°It¡¯s almost as if a world-ss athlete is forced to practice without getting any proper support.¡±

    ¡°Does it seem like I deserve to be in a better environment?¡±

    ¡°The way I see it, there¡¯s not a single event that takes ce in this country that suits you.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s never really urred to me before. I am thankful that people are still willing to talk to me though.¡±

    At that, the student abroad narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°I thought Yun Woo was invincible? Why so modest? You¡¯ve earned your bragging rights, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I mean, I could do that, if that¡¯s what you want,¡± Juho said, chuckling.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. Honestly, part of me wishes that you weren¡¯t so sessful, but I¡¯m not asking you to prove that you can be arrogant at will.¡±

    As the surrounding staff members listened to the conversation anxiously, Juho changed the subject subtly, ¡°If you really wanna know why I decided to be part of this, then I¡¯d be more than happy to tell you. It¡¯s simple. I happened to have a manuscript that I wanted to show my readers.¡±

    ¡°... Sounds like you came prepared.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll just have to find out yourself. Besides, I had a promise to keep with a friend who was drunk at the time,¡± Juho said, shrugging nonchntly as Sung Pil moved around on his chair timidly.

    ¡°What about you? What¡¯s your story?¡±

    At that, a not-so-pleasant smile appeared on the student abroad¡¯s face.

    ¡°Why, I¡¯m honored that you want to know about me. I guess there is hope in this country after all. I decided to participate because I wanted to seize the opportunity. It¡¯s just not easy for the younger authors to survive in this industry. My belief is that if you¡¯re an author in Korea, you have to grasp opportunities like this.¡±

    Juho noticed the strange pattern in the student abroad¡¯s attitude, which often appeared inconsistent with his speech. Hispliments were fierce and vicious, while his attacks were indifferent and careless. At the same time, he wasn¡¯t afraid to talk openly about things that made him look cowardly. At that moment, Silver Rings raised her hand in a cheerful manner.

    ¡°I came to take part in this because it sounded like a lot of fun. Besides, when I was told Yun Woo was gonna be there, I was sold. Also, part of me wishes that I start getting some gigs if I pull this off,¡± she said, making a rock on gesture with her hand.

    Then, the fishing pond owner chimed in, scratching his head, ¡°I¡¯m here for simr reasons. Sure, I¡¯m not a full-time author, but I¡¯ve always wanted to be sessful as a writer. It¡¯s always been a dream of mine. As soon as I be a bestselling author, I¡¯m selling my business.¡±

    After that, Sung Pil opened his mouth to share his reason for participating in the event, ¡°I¡¯m here to win.¡±

    ¡°Win?¡± the student abroad asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sung Pil replied brusquely. Although subtle, it was clear that he was determined not to lose to his friend, and the other authors in the room had to hold a simr feeling. As Sung Pil brought up the subject that everyone had been quietly avoiding, a strange sense of tension surrounded the room. Then, the director spoke up, pping, ¡°All right, then. I guess that means it¡¯s our turn to exin.¡± After handing out some printouts, she started exining details of the event, including those the authors had already heard. Taking ce as part of the Literary History Exhibition, the main point of the event was to show readers the writing processes of the writers who had won the Rookie of the Year Award at some point.

    ¡°As for the dates, I believe we¡¯ve already let you know.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you have,¡± the fishing pond owner said.

    ¡°And conveniently, I see that everyone¡¯s sitting in the order in which they¡¯ll be presenting,¡± the director said, looking around the room at the authors: the fishing pond owner, Silver Rings, the student abroad, Sung Pil, and Yun Woo.

    ¡°All you gotta do is write freely within the allotted time. Each of you will be given aptop that is connected to a projector, which will show your writing process on a bigger screen in real time. Your readers will be able to experience writing in a way they¡¯ve never done before,¡± she said, smiling. Although the handful of authors smiled along, none of them were in a position to be able to smile genuinely.

    ¡°If what we write during the event is decent, does that mean you¡¯ll consider publishing it?¡± the student abroad asked. To which, the director said peacefully, ¡°Of course. Making a good piece of writing into a book is our utmost priority.¡±

    Every participant was taking part in the event with their own agenda, and Juho was no different. The desire to write a perfect piece of writing kept popping up in his mind. Although he was fully aware that it was not a good attitude with which to approach writing, he couldn¡¯t help himself. Feeling his shoulders tensing up, Juho massaged them on his own. Then, Sung Pil raised his hand and asked, ¡°Are we allowed to watch each others¡¯ presentations?¡±

    ¡°I think we can make that happen. Should you be interested in doing that, please feel free to let me know.¡±

    Next, the fishing pond owner raised his hand, ¡°I have a notebook that I like to write on. Am I allowed to bring it with me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You may bring anything as long as it helps you feel more at ease.¡±

    After that, Silver Rings interjected, ¡°What about music?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We will do our absolute best not to limit you all in any way. The more you are yourself, the better.¡±

    ¡°Huh!¡± Juho let out, catching the director¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Will there be reporters?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Most likely. Your presence at the event will probably attract the media¡¯s attention.¡±

    ¡°Will you be announcing who¡¯ll presenting on which day?¡±

    At that, a smile appeared on the director¡¯s face, as if she had been waiting for the question.

    ¡°We want to keep it a secret. So, I¡¯d like to ask you all to do your best not to disclose that information to anyone.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like the crowd could chant for Yun Woo while we¡¯re going up to the stage.¡±

    Although Juho kept a smile on his face, he saw the determination in others¡¯ faces. After all, every author in the room had agreed to participate knowing that Yun Woo would be there with them.

    ¡°I trust that everyone here will do their best. I¡¯m sure this is nerve-wracking, but try to think of it as a walk in the park,¡± the editor said, sending mixed messages. From then on, Nam Kyung took over and exined the event further. What made a great author wasn¡¯t how many books they were currently selling, and it was always possible that one of the authors in that room would write a masterpiece. Nobody knew what the future held.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s do this,¡± the fishing pond owner said, and the rest of the authors agreed. Wishing sess for themselves didn¡¯t necessarily mean that they wanted the worst for others, although it naturally tended to appear that way. Every participant looked at each other, burning with the desire to win.

    ¡ª

    ¡®History of Korean Literature Exhibition Said to be Held at the National Central Exhibition Hall! Winners of Literary Awards Showcase Their Writing Process! This is How They Write. An Opportunity to Meet Yun Woo.¡¯

    ¡®An Unreleased Interview of Authors and Critics. A Space to See the Past of Celebrity Authors. Special Events Said to Take ce.¡¯

    ¡®Winners of Literary Award Comes Together. The Future of Korean Literature. Yun Woo Reported to Participate.¡±

    ¡®Five Authors Stand Before Their Readers. See Their Talent For Yourselves!¡±

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Writing Process Revealed. What Makes This Exhibition Special? The Website Reported to be Down.¡¯

    ¡®Where to Get Ticket for the Exhibition. Ways to See Yun Woo? Names of Other Participating Authors Remain Unannounced.¡¯

    ¡®¡±We Want to See Yun Woo Write!¡± Inquiries Flood Zelkova.¡¯

    ¡®The Only Way to Meet Yun Woo? By Coincidence! Order of Presentation Said to be Determined at Random. The Publisher Asks Fans to Receive Their Tickets in Order.¡¯

    ¡®The Long Kept Secret of Yun Woo¡¯s Skill! The Author Comes Face to Face with Doubts and Conspiracies.¡¯

    ¡®How Are the Other Authors Feeling? Would Any of Them Be Able to Attract the Attention of the Fans Away from Yun Woo?¡¯

    ¡®This is How Yun Woo¡¯s Writing Comes About! Yun Woo Showcases How His Novels Are Born.¡¯

    ¡®The Birth of a Special Event. Yun Woo Reported to Participate. The Exhibition Gets a Major Upgrade?¡¯

 Chapter 303 - The Battle of the Winners (4)

    <h4>Chapter 303: The Battle of the Winners (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Myung Sil?¡±

    Upon looking back, toward where the voice hade from, Myung Sil sighed internally. It was her former coworker, with whom she had worked at her previous workce. She had never been close with him, nor did she ever want to be.

    ¡°Huh. You¡¯re here too?¡±

    ¡°I just couldn¡¯t miss out on Yun Woo¡¯s writing process,¡± the coworker answered as if Myung Sil were stating the obvious.

    ¡°My team and I are on rotation since none of us know when Yun Woo¡¯s presenting.¡±

    ¡°You seem to like your current job?¡±

    ¡°Sure, except that it¡¯s just as hard.¡±

    That day was the first official day of the event where the authors would showcase their writing processes to the public. Smacking his lips, the coworker asked, ¡°You don¡¯t think Zelkova would start off with Yun Woo right off the bat, do you?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? That¡¯s why we¡¯re here, right?¡±

    ¡°I suppose. Well, in either case, I am looking forward to this. It¡¯s not every day you get to see authors write.¡±

    Myung Sil looked toward the Literary History Exhibition, which, frankly, wasn¡¯t all that impressive. The monitors installed throughout the hall were showing the younger authors in a Q&A session.

    ¡°I¡¯m realizing just how many authors have disappeared from the face of the Earth. These were some of the most popr authors at one point,¡± the coworker said.

    ¡°Most of them were.¡±

    Of course, among the authors on the screen were authors who were still active in the literary world, such as Seo Joong Ahn or Dae Soo Na. However, there were only an extreme few who were still relevant to the fans. As Myung Sil moved aside, the coworker followed her and said, ¡°So, anything interesting you¡¯d be willing to share?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just that you have credibility, so I thought you might know a thing or two that I don¡¯t, like the order in which the authors are presenting.¡±

    ¡°I got nothin¡¯,¡± Myung Sil said emphatically.

    ¡°Bummer,¡± the coworker said and asked, ¡°What do you think it will be like for the winner of this year¡¯s Rookie of the Year Award? Do you think he¡¯ll survive?¡±

    Myung Sil looked at her former coworker, studying his expression, and asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t read his book, have you?¡±

    ¡°... Was it that obvious?¡±

    ¡°Very.¡±

    With an excuse that he had no time to spare, the coworker defended himself desperately against Myung Sil¡¯s usation. Since she didn¡¯t have a reason to listen to his excuses, Myung Sil cut him off, ¡°His debut title was quite a piece of work.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say? How good was it?¡±

    ¡°You read out of obligation at first, but you¡¯ll find yourself loving every bit of it in the end.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like one heck of a book.¡±

    ¡°That book was entertainment in and of itself,¡± Myung Sil said.

    ¡°Wait, entertainment? I thought it took ce in a bank?¡±

    ¡°Which is what makes it such a great book. The originality of it.¡±

    ¡°I guess I better check it out then,¡± the coworker said, nodding as if having made up his mind to get his hands on a copy himself. However, Myung Sil had no interest whatsoever in whether he actually followed through with his statement or not. Then, she said quietly, ¡°Personally, I hope he survives.¡±

    What made Sung Pil¡¯s writing so intriguing was that it had a certain friendliness to it. It was hard to put it into words. However, it did keep readers, including Myung Sil, curious about the author¡¯s personality. Judging by the writing alone, the authors seemed quite sociable.

    ¡°I see Yun Woo over there,¡± the coworker said, walking ahead of Myung Sil that time. Complete with various records of the young author, it was the biggest segment of the exhibition by far. From the first to the youngest, world-ss, and genius, the young author¡¯s name had been decorated with all sorts of dazzling titles.

    ¡°There will never be another like him, huh?¡±

    ¡°Probably not, at least for another century.¡±

    Thinking that meeting an author like Yun Woo was a tremendous blessing, Myung Sil looked at her coworker, who had a smile on his face that also looked as if he were biting down on his lower lip at a nce.

    On the surface level, the event was primarily about showing the writing process of an author from beginning to end. However, Myung Sil knew that the young author would be stealing the show, which also brought about concerns for the other authors on whether they would be able to stand against Yun Woo.

    ¡°Well, in any case, I¡¯m looking forward to this event,¡± she said, wondering how the young author would go about writing.

    ¡°Honestly, I was skeptical when I first found out that Yun Woo was participating,¡± the coworker said. Quite a few people held a simr thought.

    ¡°And why were you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Because Yun Woo¡¯s someone who has a lot on his te, and to me, it seems like he¡¯d have a lot more to lose than gain by being part of this event.¡±

    Myung Sil agreed to her coworker internally. When she had firste across the news about the event, Yun Woo¡¯s participation had made sense to Myung Sil considering how formidable the rookies were that year. Her thought process was reinforced when she thought about Yun Woo¡¯s past as a winner from the start. However, before long, she found herself shaking her head, doubtful that he would actually turn up at the event.

    ¡°At first, I thought he was just trying to prove himself,¡± the coworker said, which was also one of the most logical possibilities. Being a prolific author behind some of the greatest books of the history, his mature writing, choice of subjects relevant to the youth, and bizarre mixture of various writing styles had brought him up to the top. However, his age had often worked against him. Having just turned twenty years old, there were countless critics and readers alike who doubted his legitimacy, some even going as far as iming that he was a fake. As special as Yun Woo was, there was something puzzling about the young author, which made Myung Sil wonder if he was finally starting to stand up to the skeptics.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it, either.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Myung Sil said, putting her hand in her pocket.

    ¡°I mean, he could¡¯ve had an entirely separate event for himself, and not to mention that¡¯d be a lot more effective. On top of that, the authors had to prepare a manuscript in advance, right? In that case, it would make more sense topete in some essay contest. If he slips and ruffles his fans¡¯ feathers just once, there¡¯s no recovering from that.¡±

    Then, ring into the air, the coworker shrugged and added, ¡°All that to say we still have no idea of why he¡¯s here.¡±

    Yun Woo was still shrouded in mystery. What could he possibly want out of a public event like that? Despite being known for avoiding public appearances, the author had decided to reveal his writing process to his fans out of nowhere. As Myung Sil was left baffled by the author¡¯s unpredictable nature, the coworker said out of nowhere, ¡°Personally, I hope other authors do a better job than Yun Woo.¡±

    Reminded of why she couldn¡¯t get along with him, Myung Sil sneered at her former coworker¡¯s remark. He wasn¡¯t rooting for anybody. Rather, he was hoping somebody would fall victim to misfortune.

    ¡°I can see that you still don¡¯t like him,¡± she said. Her former coworker used to dream of bing an author at one point.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Yun Woo doesn¡¯t even have that many friends. Think about it. Who would possibly want to hang out with a genius? Sure, some might strike up a conversation with him out of curiosity, but that¡¯s because they¡¯re looking to get something out of him.¡±

    Then, scratching his nose, he kept on, ¡°It seems to me that he¡¯s trying to make something happen now that he¡¯s revealed himself. But, I¡¯m gonna be real with you here. I hope he screws up somehow. For example, he could bring out some half ass manuscript that can¡¯t even stand up to some nameless authors, or the fans could find out that he¡¯s had a ghostwriter all along through this event. Just think about how provocative that would be. ¡®Yun Woo, the Biggest Scam of Our Time.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s dedicated writer. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for him to bring out anything crude,¡± Myung Sil said.

    ¡°That¡¯s just no fun. He¡¯s always moving up, so all the articles about him always look the same.¡±

    ¡°I think I like that.¡±

    ¡°Apparently, the other authors agreed to participate knowing that Yun Woo would be there, which means they¡¯re thinking of ways to show him up somehow.¡±

    ¡°Huh. So, you read minds now?¡± Myung Sil asked sarcastically. Despite being a reporter and a journalist, the coworker had no sense of neutrality, which made the kinds of articles he would be writing obvious. Noticing the scolding look he was getting from Myung Sil, the coworker changed the subject.

    ¡°Anyway, if Yun Woo really turns up, then that¡¯s something for us to be thankful for. Seeing him write was something that had only existed in people¡¯s imagination. On top of that, you get to see it in real time.¡±

    Then, he added, chuckling, ¡°But then, he¡¯s human too, so there could be a slip up that really upsets the readers, right?¡±

    ¡°You might wanna think about whether Yun Woo¡¯s even presenting today or not,¡± Myung Sil said, turning around and going inside.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Here it is.¡±

    Juho was looking around the exhibition hall, which was reminiscent of a lecture hall at a university. There was a desk with aptop set up onstage for the authors, and next to it, was arge projector screen. Whatever the authors wrote on theptop would be shown to the audience in real time.

    ¡°Nervous?¡± Sung Pil asked. After a brief thought, Juho replied, ¡°Not yet.¡±

    Everything still felt surreal. Although it was the first official day of the event, it wasn¡¯t Juho¡¯s turn to present. On top of that, it would be weird to walk through an empty hall nervous. When he exined himself, Sung Pil shook his head and said, ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true,¡± and brought up an article he hade across that morning.

    ¡°Everyone seems set onparing you to all the other authors. I can¡¯t say that I wasn¡¯t expecting that, but there were quite a few articles implying that you were gonna get knocked off the pedestal.¡±

    Making sense of the intentions behind such articles, Juho chuckled at Sung Pil¡¯s description them. The media seemed to be thinking of the event as an opportunity to uncover the mystery under which the young author was shrouded.

    ¡°It felt kind of weird when I read that your skills would be ¡®exposed to the public.¡¯ I thought that what determined an author¡¯s skill was their book? In that case, your skills are already public,¡± Sung Pil said, his heavy voice reverberating from the stage. Sitting in the frontmost row, Juho watched Sung Pil walk around the stage, looking at every corner of it. At that moment, a silhouette appeared by the door connected to the stage.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that person wandering around the stage? None of us have even presented yet.¡±

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    It was the fishing pond owner, who appeared noticeably more pale than usual.

    ¡°You guys are here early. There¡¯s still quite some time.¡±

    ¡°We just wanted to see the empty seats. Besides, we wouldn¡¯t be able to look around the ce in peace on the day we¡¯re presenting. Well, how are you doin¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you guys are here today. I¡¯m so nervous that I can¡¯t even drink my water,¡± the fishing pond owner said, almost making a fuss, but his hands were definitely shaky as he wiped his forehead with them.

    ¡°Nervous?¡±

    The fishing pond owner let out a deep sigh after looking around the stage and said, ¡°Quite so. I¡¯m struck by the realization that it¡¯s not the author whopletes their manuscript. If it was alreadypleted, I wouldn¡¯t be this nervous.¡±

    ¡°That is true. People are bound to find some sort of meaning the moment they read an author¡¯s writing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m petrified.¡±

    Then,ing down from the stage, Sung Pil asked, ¡°What are you most afraid of?¡±

    ¡°Getting right to brass tacks, I see?¡± the fishing pond owner said, walking in the opposite direction of Sung Pil. Their footsteps intertwined on the stage. ¡°Getting criticized.¡±

    It was a natural response. Then, he turned toward the seats as though looking at Juho.

    ¡°I¡¯m thin-skinned, so my wounds tend tost quite a while, which doesn¡¯t help in this situation. It does make me more cautious though.¡±

    ¡°You must¡¯vee well-prepared, then,¡± Juho said. To which, the fishing pond owner admitted willingly, ¡°I have, which is why I¡¯m still willing to be part of this knowing that Yun Woo will be there. I had this manuscript that I¡¯ve been holding on to for quite some time. I felt confident that it was the one story that I was better at writing than Yun Woo, but now that I¡¯m here, that confidence is really starting to dwindle.¡±

    There was a faint smell of dust and newly-built house in the air. Their voices were amplified in the empty hall.

    ¡°Yun Woo came along the year after I debuted.¡±

    Although it was something Juho already knew, there was something about it that felt new. Perhaps it was the acoustics of the hall.

    ¡°I thought you were incredible, but at the same time, I was worried for you because you became very sessful at such an early age. The world is an unfair ce, so life can¡¯t just be full of good events.¡±

    Juho looked up at the stage, at the fishing pond owner standing on the edge of it, looking down at him.

    ¡°Well, it turns out that I was worried over nothing,¡± he said, scratching his cheek with shaky hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna do this and I¡¯m gonna do this well. I want to hear people say that I did something better than Yun Woo,¡± he added, his voice also shaking nervously. As he waited for the young author¡¯s answer, Juho rose from his seat, and the chair folded itself automatically. While thinking about what to say, another person¡¯s voice reverberated through the hall, ¡°Yun Woo!?¡±

    There were two people standing by the entrance.

    ¡°You can¡¯t go in there!¡± the employees said, stopping the two from going any further. One of them revealed themselves on both of their behalves, ¡°We¡¯re reporters.¡±

    ¡°I see. We have a separate space arranged for you all.¡±

    Although one of themplied and walked away, the other ran into the hall. The person on their way out gave their colleague an absurd look. However, the reckless reporter had his eyes fixed in one ce.

    ¡°Mr. Woo,¡± he said to Juho.

 Chapter 304 - The Battle of the Winners (5)

    <h4>Chapter 304: The Battle of the Winners (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d run into you here. What a coincidence!¡±

    Juho gave no answer as he didn¡¯t find the asion surprising, especially somewhere a public event was set to be held. By the time the smile on the reporter¡¯s face started fading, the employee came rushing into the hall, unsure of whether to drag the reporter out or not.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Woo. Hello, Sung Pil,¡± the other reporter, who hade into the hall with the employee, greeted the two authors, handing them her business card.

    ¡°Myung Sil Oh. Reporter/Journalist.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Right!¡± the reporter who had rushed into the hall let out while also pulling out his business card, which seemed to be from a different agency.

    ¡°Do you have time to chat?¡± Myung Sil asked. When Juho looked at the other two authors, they seemed to be caught off guard by reporters¡¯ presence, something neither of them was used to. Although Juho wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to decline if he¡¯d been the only one there, the other two authors were in desperate need of exposure.

    ¡°Are you presenting today, Mr. Woo?¡± the male reporter asked. Studying his business card, Juho said, ¡°I can¡¯t disclose that.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. Work with me here! What brought you here today?¡±

    ¡°As you can see, this is an exhibition hall. I came to look around.¡±

    As the reporter chuckled, Juho decided to speak sparingly.

    ¡°But you already have the manuscript you¡¯ll be presenting ready, right? How do you think your readers will respond?¡±

    ¡°Hard to say.¡±

    ¡°My understanding is that there was a slight problem during the signing, which makes me think there is such a thing as being too sessful. Do you think your participation in this event will exacerbate the issue that came up during the signing in any way?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Are you worried that you¡¯ll make a mistake at all?¡±

    Juho noticed that the reporter was starting to show his true intentions with his questions and his stance on the young author¡¯s participation in the event. Despite being a reporter, whose job was to get to know the other person better, that reporter was exposing himself instead, making Myung Sil¡¯s silence look significantly wiser. To the reporter asking about his fear of making a mistake, Juho answered, ¡°My understanding is that the whole point of this event is to show the process of writing.¡±

    Judging from the expression on his face, the reporter also seemed aware of that. However, paying no attention to his expression, Juho added, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not umon to make mistakes during the writing process, don¡¯t you think? If there¡¯s a sentence that the author feels like it¡¯s not quite right, then all they gotta do is get rid of it. Right?¡±

    ¡°... Right. But if there¡¯s a process, then there has to be a result. Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s a possibility that your manuscript will fall short to those of your fellow authors?¡±

    It was getting clear that the reporter didn¡¯t like Juho very much.

    ¡°That¡¯s definitely a possibility.¡±

    ¡°Which means, presenting that to readers would be a very risky move on your end, right?¡±

    ¡°You can say that.¡±

    ¡°Then, did you decide to participate aware of that?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    At that, Juho looked up at the stage, and said, ¡°If I were a sham, then I¡¯d be a lot more troubled by now.¡±

    Knowing his identity, his editor-in-charge had brought the event up to the author without trouble. Simrly, those who didn¡¯t doubt Yun Woo¡¯s identity didn¡¯t wrestle with doubt. Rather, knowing that there was always some danger involved in every matter, they did their best to prepare for the unexpected without panicking. At that, the reporter¡¯s expression hardened ever so slightly, and his bombardment of questions came to an abrupt end. Looking away from him, Juho looked toward Myung Sil, who pointed toward the two authors who stood behind Juho.

    ¡°And I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be having a candid conversation with those two gentlemen?¡±

    Without giving an answer and without offering any encouragement orfort, Juho started walking away. Meanwhile, the fishing pond owner stared at the young author.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna get going.¡±

    With that, Juho turned around and walked out of the hall despite the male reporter trying to stop him. Then, he arrived on the second floor, which had been designated for the authors only. The location allowed for a bird¡¯s-eye view of the entire hall. When he nced down, the hall was empty. There were no reporters or employees. Then, as he made himself a cup of green tea by the water dispenser, Sung Pil appeared out of nowhere.

    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Juho asked. To which, Sung Pil stared intently at him and said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t speak well, unlike you.¡±

    Juho shrugged at Sung Pil¡¯s unexpectedpliment. Shaking the cup in his hand, Juho asked his friend if he¡¯d like something to drink.

    ¡°No, thanks.¡± Sung Pil said. At that moment, the door opened, making Juho think that the reporters had caught up with them.

    ¡°Huh! You two are early!¡± Silver Rings said, waving at the two. Then, without hesitation, she asked them, ¡°When did you guys get here? Did you get to look around?¡±

    ¡°We got here pretty early. We got a good look around the ce, including the stage.¡±

    At that, she let out a long sigh.

    ¡°If only I had had the time. My part-time shift had to be today... Wow! That¡¯s a good lookin¡¯ stage!¡± she said, raising two thumbs toward the stage. Of course, there was no response of any sort. Then, she plunked down onto the second from thest seat.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys nervous? I¡¯m so anxious.¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Sung Pil said honestly.

    ¡°You¡¯re a tough one, aren¡¯t you? I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯ve been so nervous all day. Even as we¡¯re speaking! Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m next.¡±

    She would be the second author to present on the stage. Then, wrapping her neck with both of her hands, she said, ¡°I¡¯m SO excited! Just look at that gorgeous stage! I¡¯m gonna jam to some good music while I write.¡±

    As she had implied with her question during the meeting in Zelkova¡¯s conference room, she seemed like she was bringing music to the presentation, which was quite unusual for a writer.

    ¡°Is that how you normally write?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s always been music in my life.¡±

    ¡°What are you gonna listen to?¡±

    ¡°Why, some good ol¡¯ rock, of course! Punk, psychedelic, alternative, you name it. Sex Pistols is my favorite!¡±

    Juho imagined her writing, lost in the aggressive sound of her favorite music. It was hard to imagine what kind of story she would write. Instead, he brought up a sentence that urred to him just then.

    ¡°Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die.¡±

    The phrase referred to the reality of one¡¯s life, when they were too young to die, but the world around them was simply too corrupted for them to live in. Widely-known, the phrase had also been quoted in a movie starring one of the members of Sex Pistols. As her eyes widened, Silver Rings took off her jacket, revealing the very phrase tattooed on her arm.

    ¡°Now I get why Yun Woo¡¯s been so sessful.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it has anything to do with rock, though,¡± Sung Pil said, only to be ignored by Silver Rings. Walking toward Juho, she started raving about rock music. Although Juho did his best to y along, he simply didn¡¯t know enough to be able to keep up with her. Then, when she moved on to Sung Pil, she was disappointed by the extent of his knowledge as the only relevant thing he knew about genre were the words Heavy Metal. At that moment, Sung Pil said, ¡°The audience ising in,¡± and Silver Rings turned her attention to the stage as the seats filled up, as if pouring water into a cup. Every member of the audience had a page of manuscript paper in their hands from the hands-on experience segment of the exhibition. Before long, the hall became filled with the sound of the buzzing crowd. After checking the stage, the staff turned the projector screen on, which disyed a nk page. Now, all there was left was for the author to make an appearance. Staring at the empty stage, the audience members waited anxiously for the author.

    ¡°They¡¯re all looking for Yun Woo,¡± a voice that belonged neither to Silver Rings nor to Sung Pil said.

    It was the student abroad, who was taking his seat at the end of the row while pointing toward a certain spot in the audience. Even without seeing where that was, Juho was immediately able to know what he was trying to say.

    ¡°Oh, how devastated these souls will be when they discover that they won¡¯t be seeing Yun Woo on the stage today,¡± he murmured.

    ¡°You¡¯rete,¡± Juho said, ignoring the student abroad¡¯s murmur.

    ¡°Our hero isn¡¯t even here yet, so I¡¯m still on time, technically.¡±

    ¡°There he is.¡±

    At that, the four of them looked toward the stage. The fishing pond owner wasing up to the stage, looking deathly pale.

    ¡°Oh, no.¡±

    At the sight of an author who looked nothing like Yun Woo, a wave of disappointment started rising within the audience. The student abroad clicked his tongue at the fans¡¯ tant attitude.

    ¡°He looks so nervous. I hope he doesn¡¯t pass out or something,¡± Silver Rings said. Just as she had said, the fishing pond owner seemed like he was about to copse onstage at any given minute. Then, taking the microphone that was handed to him by a staff member, the fishing pond owner mustered up the courage to greet the audience, ¡°Hello.¡±

    Weak-sounding apuse came from the audience.

    ¡°Thank you all foring,¡± the author said, reciting the lines he had memorized ahead of time. Meanwhile, the members of the audience listened to him quietly,pletely devoid of any excitement. Rather, there were clear signs among them that they were experiencing a sense of loss.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    With that, the author sat in front of theptop, took a deep breath, stretched his fingers and ced them on the keyboard. As he started typing his first sentence, the same words appeared on the screen simultaneously: The hunt turned out to be a failure today.

    Without saying a word to each other, the authors on the second floor concentrated on the words that were appearing on the screen. The author onstage had chosen a story about hunting, and indicative of his current upation, he was portraying the act of hunting in great detail.

    ¡°This is not bad at all!¡± Silver Rings said, impressed. The story appearing on the screen was definitely enough to convince the audience that the author was presenting alongside Yun Woo for a reason. It was an interesting subject and quite riveting. Then, looking away from the stage briefly, Juho looked in Sung Pil¡¯s direction.

    ¡°So, this is what it¡¯s gonna be like,¡± Sung Pil said, fixing his eyes on the author on the stage writing in front of the readers.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m getting the gist of this.¡±

    Aside from experiencing it personally, there was no other way to understand the current atmosphere in which the fishing pond owner was writing. Now, Sung Pil was starting to finally understand, and the three others looking down at the stage had to be having simr realizations.

    ¡°I¡¯m kind of afraid now that I know what this is like,¡± a voice came from the seat at the end of the row. It was the student abroad.

    To which, Silver Rings agreed, ¡°They say people are most daring when they¡¯re ignorant. I feel like being that ignorant person all of a sudden.¡±

    ¡°You mean, you wanna be more daring?¡± Sung Pil said, correcting her, and Silver Rings shrugged in a light-hearted manner. The lighting on the stage, the focus of the audience, and the sentences getting exposed on the screen in real time, it was a riveting sight.

    ¡°I better step up my game,¡± Sung Pil said, making Juho wince. When seeing the presentation taking ce in person, they couldn¡¯t help but feel that they had to give it their best.

    Resting his chin on his hand, Juho said nonchntly, ¡°I wonder what it would look like if I screw this up...¡±

    ¡°But you were so confident in front of the reporters.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not worried,¡± Juho said, identifying with what the student abroad had said: ¡°I¡¯m afraid now that I know.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with you, though?¡± Sung Pil asked, looking intently at Juho.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You look like Silver Rings.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°It means you look like you¡¯re anxious to write.¡±

    As Sung Pil rified, Juho looked toward the stage. Although clearly shaking, the author onstage was tackling the challenge before him one word at a time. In the end, the fishing pond owner hadn¡¯t given in to fear.

    ¡°Because nobody¡¯s looking for Yun Woo anymore.¡±

    Later, the fishing pond owner sessfully finished his presentation.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hello!¡±

    The next day, at the same time and ce, Juho, Sung Pil, the student abroad and the fishing pond owner watched Silver Rings¡¯ presentation from the second floor. As if a musician would with their audience, she pointed the microphone toward the members of the audience. Although they responded with simr disappointment to the day before, they were caught off guard by the author onstage pointing her mic toward them. Despite the weak response, she didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try this again. Hello!¡±

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    As the audience started responding more enthusiastically, a satisfied smile appeared on Silver Rings¡¯ face.

    ¡°Today, we¡¯re gonna have some background music,¡± she dered. Then, pointing at the desk on the stage, she said, ¡°I have my entire ylist on thatptop over there. Whenever I¡¯m thinking about what to write, I always have music ying in the background. It¡¯s kind of like a strange study habit, something I¡¯m sure we all have at least one of.¡±

    Walking around the stage freely, she interacted with the audience, not minding at all whether they were responding to her or not. Then, sitting at the desk, she started going through her ylist. She seemed to let her mood make the decision for her.

    ¡°You know what? Let¡¯s go with something heavier today. ROCK AND ROLL!¡± she shouted, throwing her fist in the air. As the members of the audience started breaking out intoughter, they were immediately caught off guard by the jarring death metal tune and its distinct growling vocals.

    ¡°I hope that flies,¡± the student abroad said, furrowing his brow. Silver Ring was the only person lost in the music.

    ¡°She¡¯s got quite the stage presence,¡± the fishing pond owner said quietly, sounding like he admired the author on the stage.

    ¡°You did great yesterday,¡± Juho said, and the fishing pond owner looked at the young author with a look of satisfaction on his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it was nowhere near Yun Woo¡¯s level, but I sure did my best. All I can do is wait for the results and enjoy the event,¡± the fishing pond owner said, whispering, ¡°I look forward to your presentation, Mr. Woo.¡±

 Chapter 305 - The Battle of the Winners (6)

    <h4>Chapter 305: The Battle of the Winners (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Silver Rings had won her Rookie of the Year Award two years after Yun Woo had debuted as an author. However, Yun Woo¡¯s appearance had also minimized the significance of the award, shaking her future as an author to its foundation. While readers had started demanding a finished product from someone who had had never written a single book in her entire life, the media had also focused on her weak points as an author, as if baffled by them. To add insult to injury, the judges of the contest had be conscious of the media and had raised the bar to an unrealistic level. Although the publisher responded by bringing Yun Seo Baek into the judgingmittee in order to break the cycle, Silver Rings had made her debut before Yun Seo became a judge.

    Looking at the screen, it was clear that Silver Rings hade with a sense of purpose. Amid the music, which others would argue it being noise, her first sentence appeared on the screen: ¡°My brother is deaf.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s definitely going somewhere with this,¡± the student abroad said quietly and Juho agreed. It was clear that she had polished the sentence repeatedly in her mind. It was stable. Waiting for the next sentence on the screen, every member of the audience had a serious expression on their face. Watching a story take shape was also a new experience for readers, and some might even think that were feeling closer to the story than they were able to with apleted book. The ingredients and the process through which the story came about was bing more and more visible, as if in a donut shop that fully exposed its cooking process to its customers. The customers would be able to enjoy its quality product at ease. A unique reading experience tended to heighten the readers¡¯ concentration.

    ¡°I think so too, but I can¡¯t predict the direction the story will go.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been so desperate to skip to the end to see what happens. I¡¯m so curious.¡±

    Her story was quite interesting, even to the authors.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s looking at us,¡± Sung Pil said. When Juho looked at Silver Rings, she was looking up at the second floor, from where they were watching her. Although she couldn¡¯t see them due to the structure of the building, Juho sensed the determination in her eyes as if he had locked eyes with her.

    ¡°I love the story and all, but is this heinous music really necessary?¡± the student abroad grumbled, shaking his head as if the music wasn¡¯t to his liking. Her writing was reminiscent of rock music. That day in particr, things were especially heavy, unlike on the one of the fishing pond owner, whose style had more inmon with folk music. Even if they were to write on a shared subject, such as sadness, it was inevitable that they woulde up with twopletely different products.

    ¡°What do you like listening to?¡±

    ¡°Why, there¡¯s nothing like ssical music!¡± the student abroad said, bringing up names like Mozart and his home country, raving about the genre¡¯s history. Needless to say, nobody paid attention to his exposition.

    ¡°As long as the writer likes it, that¡¯s all that matters, right?¡±

    ¡°Hold on! You¡¯re not telling me I have to listen to this until the end, are you!?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Who knows what she¡¯s feeling today?¡± Juho said, and the student abroad looked down at the stage, disgruntled. Once the song ended, the next song started ying, which also was another heavy metal tune. Then, massaging his temples as if his patience was wearing thin, the student abroad said, ¡°I have to go. I can¡¯t stand this.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s still in the midst of it,¡± Sung Pil said. At which point, the student abroad sneered and said, ¡°I¡¯m presenting tomorrow and I can¡¯t afford to waste my time listening to this atrocious noise. Conditioning is essential the day before a presentation. If I stick around any longer, listening to this, I have a feeling that I¡¯ll end up vomiting everything out, including my writing.¡±

    ¡°You better get going, then. As you said, it¡¯s important to take care of yourself,¡± the fishing pond owner said, nodding and looking like he understood. With that, the student abroad rose from his seat without hesitation, ncing at Juho for a brief moment. However, Juho paid no attention to him.

    ¡°What did she say her name was?¡± somebody in the audience asked. By the time the attention span of the members of the audience started deteriorating rapidly, a disturbance rose from them. It had been about an hour and a half since the presentation had started, and the author was writing a story about a disabled narrator and their deaf sibling, who lived in a secluded society. The narrator¡¯s friend knew nothing about their sibling. Simrly, the friends of the sibling knew nothing about the narrator. The two were never together, nevermind walking or eating together. They distanced themselves, despising each other, misunderstanding each other. At that moment, somebody started crying out in the audience amid the music. Everyone in the hall had grasped the message the author was trying to convey to them.

    ¡°Seems like the narrator needs to be more isted.¡±

    ¡°It is pretty extreme and radical, but I actually like it.¡±

    Although it was far from perfect, Silver Rings¡¯ story was quite riveting. Judging from the expressions on the faces in the audience alone, it was clear that they werepletely mesmerized by it. Then, as her music came to a sudden end, her story also came to an end.

    ¡°Well, how was it? Did you all enjoy it?¡± she asked, without a trace of weariness on her face.

    At that moment, the members of the audience shouted with an enthusiasm never seen before, ¡°Yeah!¡±

    ¡°That was great!¡±

    A satisfied look appeared on Silver Rings¡¯ face, simr to that of the fishing pond owner.

    ¡°Whoever¡¯s presenting tomorrow, I can only imagine how nerve-racking it must be for him,¡± the fishing pond owner said. Of course, since the student abroad, who was set to present next, wasn¡¯t there, there was no response. When Juho looked at the faces of the members of the audience as they made their way out, he noticed that they were all cheerful.

    ¡°I wonder if people will look that cheerful after reading my story,¡± Sung Pil murmured. The next day, when the authors reunited in the waiting room, the student abroad didn¡¯t appear to be all that nervous. Keeping his eyes closed with his arms crossed, he was probably still preparing himself.

    ¡°Should we let him be?¡± Silver Rings suggested to Juho. However, as Juho quietly backed away, Silver Rings strode into the room and said, ¡°Hi!¡±

    ¡°Hello,¡± the student abroad said briefly. Aside from him, Juho and Silver Rings were the only two authors who had arrived. Then, making a V sign with her fingers, she said, ¡°Are you nervous that you¡¯re going after me?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± the student abroad replied with a smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be coy, now. Didn¡¯t you hear the audience? They loved me!¡±

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not aware that I left early.¡±

    ¡°You did?¡± she asked. Without letting up, she started raving about her performance. Silver Rings seemed to be noticeably more talkative than before. There was a clear difference between a person¡¯s attitude after finishing their task, and one who had yet to do so. As thest person to present, Juho didn¡¯t exactly find the situation weing.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about the manuscript I¡¯m about to present?¡± the student abroad asked.

    ¡°Not really. I get to see it in a little bit, so I¡¯m not in a hurry,¡± Juho said honestly, and a look of displeasure appeared on the student abroad¡¯s face, as if he didn¡¯t like what he had heard.

    ¡°I am!¡± Silver Rings said, and the student abroad took the opportunity to talk about his manuscript.

    ¡°It¡¯s a novel based on a journal I wrote while I was studying abroad.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s gonna be more of an autobiography, then?¡±

    ¡°There aren¡¯t that many ways you can stand up against Yun Woo,¡± the student abroad said, looking down at his toes. Then, with a smile, he added, ¡°I¡¯m just relieved that I¡¯m not presenting just before Yun Woo. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything, even if he were to leave in the middle of my presentation.¡±

    The student abroad was sincerely hoping that Yun Woo would read his story.

    ¡°I¡¯m sticking around til the end,¡± Juho said, reassuring him.

    ¡°Is conditioning a luxury for Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily, but I am curious. It¡¯s the same thing as you watching my presentation. You¡¯re gonna be around, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Hold on! Does that mean you left while I was presenting because you weren¡¯t all that interested in my story?¡± Silver Rings said, reaching over and separating Juho and the student abroad.

    ¡°I was just prioritizing my condition,¡± the student abroad replied briefly.

    At that, she crossed her arms, with the confident look of a heavy metal vocalist on her face.

    ¡°Eh, whatever. Zelkova did promise that they¡¯d publish the good ones. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see my novel in bookstores in the near future.¡±

    When Juho came up to the second floor after talking with the student abroad, he learned that the other authors had already arrived, and before long, the hall was filled to the brim with readers. Seeing it for the third time, Juho was quite used to the sight. Just like always, the members of the audience had no idea of which author was presenting that day.

    ¡°Wonder what he¡¯s bringing to light?¡± Sung Pil asked. Shrugging, Juho replied, ¡°He said it¡¯s a story based on his life while he was studying abroad.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exciting.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried?¡±

    Sung Pil was presenting the next day. and the better the forerunners did, the more pressure the authors presentingter would feel.

    ¡°A little,¡± he said, scratching his eyebrows. At the unexpected answer, Juho looked toward him, and Sung Pil said, ¡°But you¡¯re goin¡¯ after me, though.¡±

    At that moment, amotion started breaking out in the audience. When Juho looked toward it, he saw the student abroad going up to the stage.

    ¡°That¡¯s not Yun Woo,¡± a member of the audience said, clearly disappointed. However, paying no attention to it, the author onstage took the microphone that was handed to him by a staff member and said, ¡°Bummer it¡¯s not Yun Woo, am I right?¡±

    At that, a burst ofughter came from the audience, as if the people were feeling exposed, and he student abroad waited until theughter died down before he started speaking again.

    ¡°The story I¡¯m about to present to you takes ce in Europe, and all the characters within it are foreigners,¡± he said, revealing the brief synopsis of the story he was about to write. Although initially disappointed that Yun Woo wasn¡¯t presenting, the members of the audience started listening intently to the author onstage.

    ¡°So, I¡¯d like to ask you all to be mindful of that as you¡¯re reading. If I was nning on getting it published, then I wouldn¡¯t have gone as far as asking my readers to read with a certain mindset, but this is a special asion because you¡¯re reading while I¡¯m writing in real time. A face-to-face interaction, if you will. Should you have any questions or trouble understanding something, please raise your hand. I may or may not see your hand, but if I do, I¡¯ll be more more than happy to allow you to speak.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± the fishing pond owner said, nodding. The author onstage was allowing the audience to take part in the presentation, and it wasn¡¯t a bad idea at all. In terms of the interaction with the audience, student abroad was even more hands-on than Silver Rings.

    ¡°I¡¯m aware that the author who presented yesterday was writing to some heavy metal tunes, but I¡¯m gonna be honest with you, it¡¯s not something I¡¯m really into. So, there won¡¯t be any music today, and I¡¯ll be writing in silence,¡± the author onstage dered to his audience and sat in front of theptop, which disyed a nk page. With that, the author started typing away without hesitation. The audience was still somewhat disorderly, however.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t speak to anybody,¡± the fishing pond owner murmured the sentence that appeared on the top of the screen. Not only was the character far away from home, but there was anguage barrier. Because they couldn¡¯t answer when the natives talked to them, it wasn¡¯t long before the character found themselves alone, unapproached.

    ¡°I betnguage barrier is hardly a concern for you,¡± Silver Rings said to Yun Woo, waving her hand in an exaggerated manner. After some thought, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯m notpletely foreign to the idea.¡±

    ¡°But you pick up othernguages in no time. That¡¯s what makes you a genius, right?¡±

    ¡°To learn something means that you didn¡¯t know it prior,¡± Juho said, shrugging.

    ¡°A-ha! Touch¨¦,¡± she said. However, she wasn¡¯tpletely wrong, either. There was a clear difference between the life of a student abroad studying far away from home, and the process through which Juho had gone before reaching where he was currently.

    ¡°That¡¯s got a good ring to it,¡± the fishing pond owner murmured, and the other authors nodded in agreement. The author onstage seemed more inclined to write in longer sentences, which also called for more improvements. The shier something was, the more maintenance it required.

    ¡°This is a slow-burner, huh?¡±

    ¡°The longer sentences really work well with the detailed setting though.¡±

    Although he often wrote in lengthy sentences, it was the student abroad¡¯s style to make the most out of it. Judging from the sentences appearing on the screen, he seemed to be doing quite well. There was an element of rejection throughout his story. A vige that ostracized outsiders. Xenophobic friends. The narrator who opposed those rejections.

    ¡°It must¡¯ve been pretty tough living in another country all by himself.¡±

    Although the story seemed to be talking about love and benevolence on surface, it was ruthlessly exposing the discriminatory tendencies of people at the core of it. On top of that, the sophisticated beauty entuated the gap even more.

    ¡°Look at the audience. They¡¯ve beenpletely sucked in,¡± the fishing pond owner said, looking down at them. Only then, did it ur to Juho that he hadn¡¯t looked down once. Completely immersed in the writing appearing on the screen, the members of the audience were in a simr situation.

 Chapter 306 - The Battle of the Winners (7)

    <h4>Chapter 306: The Battle of the Winners (7)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡®Fans Disappointed by Yun Woo¡¯s Absence, but the Show Goes On! The Rebellion of the Nameless Authors? Gems Hiding in in Sight?¡¯

    ¡®¡±This Isn¡¯t Just About Yun Woo Anymore.¡± The Fierce Battle of the Young Authors.¡¯

    ¡®¡±I Went to See Yun Woo, but I Came Back in Love with Another Author.¡± The Web Goes Wild over the Presentation at the Exhibition. The Names That Have Been Appearing on the Most Searched Words on the Inte? Young Authors Seizing the Opportunity.¡¯

    ¡®When¡¯s Yun Woo Presenting? Fans Devastated by His Absence.¡¯

    ¡®Heavy Metal? Tips on Writing Straight from an Author? The Writing Process Beyond Anyone¡¯s Imagination.¡¯

    ¡®¡±Where Did They Come From?¡± The Hidden Gems Appear Out of Nowhere! A New Wave in the Literary World.¡¯

    ¡®The Potentials of the Literary World ording to the Nameless Authors. There¡¯s a Bright Future Ahead! Authors with Special Sets of Skills.¡¯

    ¡®¡±But wait! There¡¯s More!¡± Youth Portrayed by a Legion of Young Authors. The Power of Young Blood.¡¯

    ¡®Where Is Yun Woo? When Is He Presenting? Two Authors Said to Be Left, Leaving Fans on the Edge of Their Seats. ¡°We Want Yun Woo!¡±¡®

    ¡®Sung Pil, the Winner of This Year¡¯s Rookie of the Year Award, Said to Be the Next Presenter. The Battle of the Twenties?¡¯

    ¡°I have a friend who went to this! He loved it.¡±

    ¡°All the reviews have been positive so far. At first, I was disappointed that Yun Woo wasn¡¯t there, but who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯de across new authors?¡±

    ¡°My jaw dropped when the girl started writing to heavy metal music! I love it! She needs to consider starting a band!¡±

    ¡°Love me some rock. Did she really write to heavy metal, though?¡±

    ¡°Zelkova¡¯s doing a really good job letting the authors be themselves, which, in my opinion, makes the experience twice as much fun.¡±

    ¡°I loved the presentation today! The author shared some information with the audience to be mindful of when reading, and sure enough, it was definitely a different experience reading with those pieces of information in mind. It was a-whole-nother world! Today was a good day.¡±

    ¡°He was such a good writer. I guess that¡¯s what makes him an author.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! It read so well! What¡¯s even crazier is that it¡¯ll be even higher quality when it gets made into a book.¡±

    ¡°It was like being at a book release or a cookingpetition between professional chefs! It definitely felt like the authors put a lot of work into their presentations. Definitely worth the money.¡±

    ¡°I thought I¡¯d get bored out of my mind reading for two hours straight, but time literally flew by! Sure, it¡¯s not a movie theater where they¡¯re equipped with top-of-the-line sound and projector systems or shy visual and sound effects, but this event is a-whole-nother beast of its own. If a simr event happens in the future, I¡¯m there.¡±

    ¡°I would¡¯ve loved to be there. If only I had a ticket...¡±

    ¡°They were all sold out, thanks to Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°I heard getting one was near impossible! How did these people do it!?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going tomorrow, and I PRAY that Yun Woo¡¯s presenting. I really, really wanna see Yun Woo write in person.¡±

    ¡°Mine¡¯s the day after. Yun Woo better not be there tomorrow! Not till I get there!¡±

    ¡°Wonder how Yun Woo writes.¡±

    ...

    On the day of the presentation, Sung Pil was wandering around the hallway. After rigorous consideration, he had chosen a manuscript that he felt confident presenting to Yun Woo and the readers. ¡®Would they like it?¡¯ he asked himself.

    ¡°I just hope this doesn¡¯t bite me in the buttter, somehow.¡±

    He was under quite a lot of pressure. Then, stopping in his tracks, he thought about what would happen if he were to disappear. There was bound to be those who¡¯d suffer losses, which would include disappointing the readers. His debut title would be thest book he¡¯d ever write. The reporters would do everything within their power to make sure his identity got revealed to the public, cing him on the chopping block, and eventually getting him deported out of the country. His imagination kept working.

    Sung Pil thought back to the time when he had rambled on to Juho while drunk, nearly threatening him against running away from their imminent face-off. As he started walking forward again, he tried tofort himself by thinking more positive thoughts. He had seen somebody buy his book for the first time before his eyes. He was recognized by another person for the first time. People actually started talking to him, including his professor,plimenting him. ¡®Everything will be OK.¡¯

    ¡°You¡¯re up in ten minutes. Get ready.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    When the other authors visited Sung Pil in the waiting room, Juho wasn¡¯t among them. The authors who had already presented seemed to be much more at ease. They didn¡¯t seem to think of Sung Pil as a threat. The student abroad, in particr, had a cocky look about him. When he had finished writing, the audience had exploded into apuse, which had been a first since the start of the event. After that, there had been noticeably more articles written about him and the event in a positive light. In that situation, neither advancing nor retreating was easy.

    ¡°Sigh,¡± Sung Pil exhaled, rising from his seat. While following a member of the staff to the stage, he read through his manuscript one more time. Although he had every single sentence memorized, he brushed up on them regardless. Soon, the stairs leading up to the stage appeared before his eyes, and the voices of the readers talking among themselves could be heard. Then, with a tap on the shoulder from the staff member signaling him to go up, Sung Pil let his legs take him up to the stage. The bright light exposed him to the audience as he walked on it.

    Yun Woo. They were the first words Sung Pil heard onstage. The view was quite different from the second floor. He was in the limelight and, before he knew it, he had a microphone in his hand.

    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Sung Pil,¡± he said. As the author introduced himself, the audience grew quieter.

    ¡°I debuted as an author this year.¡±

    Everyone looked at him as if looking at somebody for the first time. Nobody knew who he was. At that moment, the name Yun Woo shed in his mind. The eyes with which the audiences looked at Yun Woo looked nothing like the eyes they were using to look at Sung Pil. Turning his gaze, Sung Pil looked up to the second floor, wondering about the look on his friend¡¯s face.

    ¡°But that isn¡¯t to say that I just started writing this year. I genuinely respect all the authors who have presented up to this point. So, I¡¯ll do my absolute best.¡±

    The audience showed no response to his somewhat heavy-handed remark. Although it wasn¡¯t necessarily out of hostility, they weren¡¯t necessarily weing of the author either. However, Sung Pil paid no attention to them and said, ¡°Let us begin.¡±

    Putting the microphone down, he reminded himself that he was being watched by Yun Woo and of how much he wanted to outdo the author, wanting to stand side by side with him. More urately, he wanted to be slightly ahead of his friend. He wanted to see what it was like to be at the top, which was precisely the reason he had a manuscript in his hand. Although the stories written by the presenting authors before him were all interesting, they weren¡¯t enough to keep Sung Pil on his toes. The author thought about his friend and of when he first came across his friend¡¯s writing. Then, he typed out the first sentence, which he had read hundreds of times prior to the presentation.

    ¡°I had lost my memory.¡±

    Sung Pil had chosen a narrator who had lost their memory, enduring life alone in a ce where everything felt foreign.

    ¡°It¡¯s like getting left out at school,¡± Silver Rings said. Having lost their memory, the narrator struggled to find a ce to belong. Nobody was willing to let the narrator into their group, and the narrator departed willingly from the one group they had barely managed to be part of. Sung Pil unfolded the story in a very convincing manner, and the friendliness in his writing enabled the readers to empathize with the character.

    ¡°That must be his best bet,¡± Silver Rings said, resting her chin on her hand. With which, Juho agreed internally.

    ¡°I did the same thing,¡± she said. She had also chosen a subject and materials she had felt most confident with, probably having written several stories with them.

    ¡°Same here,¡± the fishing pond owner said, raising his hand. The student abroad also agreed silently.

    ¡°What do you think Yun Woo¡¯s will be like?¡± the fishing pond owner asked.

    ¡°It¡¯sing up. Wait just a little longer,¡± Juho replied, fixing his eyes on the screen.

    ¡°Howe you camete today? I thought you wereing to the waiting room with us.¡±

    After some thought, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯m keeping Sung Pil in check.¡±

    ¡°Haha! Were you having a stomach problem?¡±

    ¡°You slept in, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Nobody seemed to take it seriously that Juho was keeping Sung Pil in check. Considering that Sung Pil was the youngest and the newest, their response to Juho¡¯s statement made sense. Although Sung Pil¡¯s debut title was outstanding, everyone else¡¯s debut titles had been just as good.

    ¡°Look at that,¡± somebody said, pointing at the screen.

    ¡°Seems like he¡¯s off to a good start,¡± the fishing pond owner said calmly. The audience didn¡¯t seem too convinced by what they were seeing on the screen. However, Sung Pil was clever in the way he built his story. The words on the screen indicated to the authors that the author onstage was establishing a foundation. The fact that he got off on the right foot was a promising indicator that things would look up soon.

    ¡°Look.¡±

    And as if proving that, the authors and the audience alike grew quieter. At the appearance of a dark horse, the authors, with the exception of Juho, started growing anxious.

    ¡°He¡¯s good,¡± the fishing pond owner said. And taking that as a signal, the other authors started pouring out their thoughts about Sung Pil¡¯s writing.

    ¡°Seems like he really knows how to establish a good foundation. It lets the readers focus on the narrator¡¯s situation without the author having to exin why their memory isn¡¯t there.¡±

    ¡°His descriptions are impressive.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t think he¡¯d actually try that hard to outdo us.¡±

    The story had a clear sense of direction and the members of the audience grew increasingly curious as to how the narrator, who was overwhelmed with a sense of loss, would go about recovering their lost memory. The curiosity of the audience provided momentum for them to keep on reading in anticipation for the next sentence, making sure they weren¡¯t missing anything. As if aware of that, Sung Pil maintained a steady pace. He, too, was quite stable. Despite theck of music or interaction, the audience felt sufficiently connected with the author. It was a rtionship established through writing. Juho also focused on the words that appeared on the screen, thinking, ¡®What is he trying to say?¡¯ Aside from a handful of authors moaning from time to time as if representing what Juho was feeling, the hall waspletely silent. Then, as the story reached the halfway point, the fishing pond owner said, ¡°I¡¯m gonna get going now,¡± and started packing his belongings.

    ¡°What?!¡±

    When asked for the reason for his early departure, he looked up instead of giving an answer. From the sentences to the plot development, Sung Pil¡¯s writing was clearly better than his in every aspect. After sensing his failure, the fishing pond owner gave up on his dream of getting his writing made into a book almost immediately.

    ¡°Sung Pil¡¯s the same age as Yun Woo, I believe. He has just debuted, so he doesn¡¯t have a whole lot of experience.¡±

    At the mention of experience, Juho looked toward the screen inadvertently. Being ostracized and feeling isted, those were subjects Sung Pil excelled in. He had been holding on to them for a long time.

    ¡°What he has going on at the moment is special and unique to him, simr to our writing. You can just tell from those sentences,¡± the student abroad said in a calm tone of voice. Then, wiping his forehead, the fishing pond owner replied, ¡°I know. That was a slip of tongue. But for now, I¡¯m gonna get going. I¡¯ll see you all tomorrow.¡±

    Unlike Yun Woo, Sung Pil wasn¡¯t a genius. In the fishing pond owner¡¯s mind, the onepetitor who would beat him was Yun Woo and Yun Woo alone. Sung Pil, on the other hand, was supposed to be the least formidable opponent. Yet, his writing was proving to be just as intimidating.

    ¡°But if you stick around till the end...¡± Silver Rings said, but she closed her lips shortly after. Even without a formal evaluation or a tangible score, the unseen defeat was much more apparent that she thought. After she locked eyes with the fishing pond owner, he left in a hurry, and the air sank into silence. At that moment, Juho was struck by the thought of Gray Hat and the manuscript he had. The show had to go on, with or without the fishing pond owner.

    ¡°This is getting disconcerting,¡± the student abroad said quietly. It wasn¡¯t clear if he was referring to his situation or the situation within the novel. Then, looking away from the audience, Juho read the story on the screen. Although finding themselves in a peaceful ce after losing their memory and ce to belong, that peace was short-lived. However, unlike the situations prior to that scene, the narrator had let go of their peace willingly as they grew jealous of their friend. Although the story had been heading toward the climax from a crisis, it started receding back to yet another crisis.

    ¡°There is an end to this story, right?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like things are about to change any time soon, huh?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s almost out of time, and I thought the story was almost at the end.¡±

    There wasn¡¯t a rule stating that the presenting author had to finish their story within a given time. Rather, the focus of the event was in showcasing an author¡¯s writing process to the readers. The story came to an end when the segment came to an end. So far, all of the authors who had presented had written their story in their entirety. But what about Sung Pil?

    ¡°Ah! That should do it.¡±

    As Juho kept his eyes fixed on the screen, he made sense of the disturbanceing from the audience. A character had appeared, the character that would wrap up the story.

    ¡°The red stranger.¡±

    It was that stranger who saved the narrator from their life spiraling downward. At that moment, Juho reminisced to the time when he met Sung Pil for the first time. Sung Pil had been on his way to the police station after finding some money on the street. From picking up the money on the street to finding the narrator¡¯s lost memory, it was all the stranger¡¯s doing. Juho still remembered that the money had never ended up returning to the person it had once belonged, and it seemed like Sung Pil had had trouble epting that reality ever since.

    ¡°Much better,¡± somebody said. Finally, as Sung Pil wrapped up hisst sentence, the audience exploded into apuse and cheers for him. Not only were they satisfied by Sung Pil¡¯s writing, but they were also impressed by the quality of the event. The cheering crowd was iparably louder than that time when Sung Pil cheered on the phone call with Juho.

    Amid the readers cheering and apuding him, Sung Pil rose from his seat unhurriedly, faced the audience, bowed slowly, and came down from the stage. Sung Pil had far surpassed anybody¡¯s expectations. As the apuse died down, the audience started making their way out of the hall, each looking just as excited as the other.

    ¡°Uh-oh.¡±

    Sung Pil was proving to be a much more formidable opponent than Juho had thought. Feeling an itch on his palm, Juho rubbed his palms together. Leaning his head back, he remembered the weak points of his manuscript one by one, barely managing to swallow the words that hade up to his throat. However, they still lingered in his thoughts. After the authors had made their way out, leaving Juho alone, he tried murmuring that thought in his head, ¡°Maybe I need to make some adjustments to it.¡±

 Chapter 307 - The Battle of the Winners (8)

    <h4>Chapter 307: The Battle of the Winners (8)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    In order to meet up with Sung Pil, Juho made his way to the waiting room. However, before he reached the hallway, he was stopped midway by Nam Kyung, who seemed quite anxious for some reason.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer your phone!? Thank goodness I found you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t go there. The waiting room is swarming with reporters.¡±

    After his editor¡¯s warning, Juho peeked over his shoulders toward the waiting room, where there were a number of reporters with a camera crew taping Sung Pil¡¯s interviewing. Although there weren¡¯t that many people, it was definitely out of the norm. Meanwhile, Sung Pil seemed deeply moved. Although others might not have been able to catch on, it was apparent to Juho that his friend had yet to reconnect with reality. His experience on the stage should still be raw in his mind.

    ¡°Do you think that you can surpass Yun Woo?¡± one of the reporters, who looked quite familiar, asked the author.

    ¡°Mr. Woo hasn¡¯t presented yet, so I think it¡¯s too early for that question.¡±

    ¡°Still! That was some quality novel, Sung Pil!¡±

    At that moment, Sung Pil looked in Juho¡¯s direction, locking eyes with him. Although recognizing Juho from afar, Sung Pil didn¡¯t walk toward his friend. Instead, he simply looked like he was enjoying the asion.

    ¡°Who the heck does this guy think he is?¡± Nam Kyung said, pulling Yun Woo back. Then, he led the young author to another room, which had a sign that read ¡®Off Limits.¡¯

    ¡°That Sung Pil, he¡¯s a good writer,¡± Nam Kyung said briefly,plimenting Sung Pil.

    ¡°He sure is.¡±

    Although he seemed like he had a lot he wanted to talk about with Yun Woo, the editor seemed to prioritize Juho¡¯s condition for his presentation the next day. However, Juho wasn¡¯t looking for that kind of consideration.

    ¡°It was impressive. People were cheering in the end, and it almost made me feel like I was at some recital. I was happy for him.¡±

    Being under the bright spotlight, Juho¡¯s friend had definitely shone brightly onstage. Studying the young author¡¯s expression, Nam Kyung asked cautiously, ¡°... Aren¡¯t you nervous?¡±

    At that, Juho looked intently at his editor. At which point, Nam Kyung added in a hurry, ¡°It¡¯s just that he¡¯s not the only one who did really well. Yes, it¡¯s a GOOD THING, but I also thought that it might have made you feel like you had to keep up with them, and that could be burdensome.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t stand a chance against them?¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung hardened his expression almost immediately and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous now! Your writing is THE best.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re the one being ridiculous here,¡± Juho said, smiling.

    At which point, Nam Kyung softened his expression and said, ¡°You know, you¡¯re right. You had such a thick skin while we were in the States. I¡¯m sure this doesn¡¯t evene close to bothering you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m making some adjustments to my manuscript,¡± Juho said, rubbing his hands together. At that, Nam Kyung asked with a dumbfounded expression on his face, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m making changes to my manuscript.¡±

    ¡°... OK, that¡¯s not funny. You know what? I was wrong. Yun Woo¡¯s human, too.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be able toe up with something even better than what I have.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re serious!?¡± Nam Kyung eximed, looking at the young author in disbelief and shouting, ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Why not? I¡¯ll tell you why. You¡¯re presenting tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°And you wanna make changes to your manuscript NOW? The day before you present it? As much as I¡¯d love to support your decision, I think this is a terrible idea.¡±

    ¡°I can pull it off.¡±

    At a loss for words, Nam Kyung sprung up from his seat and started pacing back and forth in the room.

    ¡°You have to think clearly. I don¡¯t know what happened to make you think that, but try to give your thoughts some time.¡±

    Nam Kyung seemed to think that Juho wasing from a ce of anxiety and insecurity, so Juho spoke up in order to correct him, ¡°I am thinking clearly.¡±

    However, Nam Kyung shook his head even more emphatically, looking as if facing an unexpected crisis.

    ¡°You saw how these authors write, right? They¡¯re all very stable, and it¡¯s definitely wise to y safe in this case. You know how cumbersome it can be for authors to reveal their writing to their readers, don¡¯t you? That¡¯s exactly why we revised your manuscript rigorously ahead of time. And now, you wanna throw all that out the window? Do you really think you have enough time to finish this? We went through all that trouble just so you could have something better to present!¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to show my readers something even better.¡±

    ¡°OK, pause there. So, where are you getting this certainty that it¡¯s gonna turn out EVEN better in the end? You might be Yun Woo, but a first draft is nothing more than a first draft at the end of the day.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go as far as calling it the first draft. I¡¯d say it¡¯s closer to... a makeover?¡±

    ¡°Again, what makes you so cert... Wait, is this going to be an autobiography?¡± Nam Kyung asked, his expression changing abruptly. After locking eyes with him for a little while, Juho said, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then, it¡¯s a no.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something I think about habitually, tens of thousands of times. I¡¯ve thought about it over and over. I can do it.¡±

    Juho was also aware of everything Nam Kyung was telling him. There was a significant chance that he wouldn¡¯t be able to finish in time, making it worse than it was. However, he was struck by an idea too good to pass up, tempting him to take the risk, making him think it would be cowardly not to act on it. Of course, not giving his best in the presence of his readers would be a luxury. Meanwhile, Nam Kyung had a stunned look on his face, still perplexed by the young author¡¯s sudden deration. Then, covering his mouth with his hand, the editor immersed himself in thought.

    ¡°... No, what you have now is already plenty good enough. Why gamble?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? Why were you so concerned for me then? Wasn¡¯t it because something made you anxious?¡±

    ¡°I told you that¡¯s not the reason!¡±

    ¡°If my writing really was the best, you¡¯d have encouraged me to keep doing things the way I have been. Instead of asking if I was nervous, you¡¯d have reassured me, telling me not to worry about a thing, because you wouldn¡¯t be questioning that it would turn out well.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Nam Kyung furrowed his brow, clenching his lips. There had to be something bothering him.

    ¡°OK. I¡¯ll fess up. I was just worried because of Sung Pil, and Sung Pil only, because I liked his writing better than your debut title. That¡¯s really it. Overall, I don¡¯t doubt that your writing is significantly better, but we also have to take the situation into ount. Sung Pil just made his debut. He¡¯s fresh, and people don¡¯t know what to expect from him. Anything he does will impress them and far surpass their expectations,¡± Nam Kyung said. Then, swallowing, he added, ¡°Unlike you.¡±

    Looking down, Juho pinched his palm. As his hands tensed up, the young author rubbed his belly slowly, saying, ¡°I think I¡¯m about to have indigestion.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing it. No matter what, I have to.¡±

    The air sank into a silence soon to be broken by a ttering sound, a whir of a machine, and by the editor¡¯s foot rubbing against the floor as he shook his leg. In the end, Nam Kyung surrendered, throwing both of his hands into the air and quickly offering a second solution.

    ¡°OK. We¡¯ll give it a shot then. And if you don¡¯t finish in time, we¡¯ll go with the one we had originally prepared.¡±

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t finish in time, but it¡¯s still noticeably better than what we have now?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that far ahead, honestly,¡± Nam Kyung said. To which, Juho replied as if answering for him, ¡°I¡¯ll keep making changes, even onstage.¡±

    At that, a look of disbelief appeared on Nam Kyung¡¯s face all over again.

    ¡°Might I remind you that this isn¡¯t some spontaneous writing contest, Mr. Woo!?¡±

    ¡°Either way, I get to present my writing process to readers.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose, aren¡¯t you?¡± Nam Kyung said with a chuckle as if sighing. ¡°You do know that the director of the editing department will be there, right? Not to mention the president of thepany? Now that the news is out that Yun Woo¡¯s presenting, there will be at least twice as many reporters. After all, this is the writing process of Yun Woo, the genius author.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Juho said calmly.

    At which point, Nam Kyung gave a lengthy speech, ¡°Did you hear what I just said? It means there¡¯s no room for errors! You were given the luxury to prepare a manuscript in advance, and if it turns out what you¡¯re presenting doesn¡¯t measure up, then that¡¯s an issue. You far surpass most authors, and more importantly, you¡¯re famous! You have to understand that these things could work against you!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware of that.¡±

    ¡°Are you now? ¡®Cause it sounds to me like you don¡¯t realize the magnitude of the matter.¡±

    ¡°I do, which is exactly why I need to make those changes.¡±

    Juho had an even better story in mind, almost as if it lingered before his eyes. There were brilliant ideas floating around in his head. However, acting on them just so he could protect his dignity and position as an author wasn¡¯t what the young author wanted. He wanted to move up even higher, away from the ce he was in. In which case, it made logical sense to keep moving in some way.

    ¡°You sure you thought this through?¡± Nam Kyung asked, as if confirming with the young author.

    Since reading ¡®The Full Moon,¡¯ his friend had visited him. Sung Pil had been sending the young author an unusual signal. On top of that, there was a certain reader who actively hoped for his misfortune. Everything in conjunction had impacted Juho in some way, even as he was speaking to his editor.

    ¡°For the most part,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°And you still wanna do this?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Nam Kyung knew Juho and his tendencies. Even if he were to disagree with Juho, the young author would still do what he believed he should. Simrly, even if Juho were to decide not to follow through with his idea, he would eventually resort to making the changes to his manuscript. The itch on his hand was getting unbearable.

    ¡°Well, make it happen. ASAP. You got it?¡± Nam Kyung said.

    ¡°Gotcha.¡±

    With that, Juho sprung from his seat as if about to run home at any given minute. Then, Nam Kyung stopped him and asked, ¡°Can you at least tell me the story you have in mind?¡±

    There was a sense of desperation in his voice. To which, Juho answered with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s about Yun Woo¡¯s downfall.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Oh, man. I¡¯m screwed!¡± Nam Kyung let out, looking through all of his pockets. He seemed to have left the sedatives at home. Juho was thankful for his editor for always taking care of him. Although Nam Kyung thought about asking the employees around for a sedative, the editor gave up shortly after.

    There were two separate manuscripts before Juho¡¯s eyes, and only one of them would see the light of day. One of them was about Gray Hat, which Juho was inspired to write upon finding out that he was going to write in front of an audience. The one next to it was a manuscript he had written frantically from yesterday until that very morning. Juho tried recing the name Gray Hat with his alias, Yun Woo. He simply couldn¡¯t imagine Gray Hat bing the Great Storyteller. Soon, Juho made up his mind.

    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Nam Kyung said, checking the time.

    ¡°Yep. I¡¯ve been ready for a while now.¡±

    ¡°... Right,¡± Nam Kyung said, looking deathly pale, his lips parched.

    ¡°Are you really gonna write the ending on the stage?¡± he asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s the n.¡±

    ¡°How about you just go with the other one?¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re the one who liked this one better.¡±

    With the exception of the ending, Juho hadpleted his new manuscript in time. Although it wasn¡¯t entirely devoid of one, he had found it unsatisfying, no matter how many times he read it. At which point, Nam Kyung suggested that the young author go with the first manuscript they had originally intended to use.

    ¡°But there¡¯s still time.¡±

    ¡°No, there isn¡¯t.¡±

    Thinking about how to wrap up his story on one hand, the young author thought back to thepeting authors and their performances. Though extremely nervous, the fishing pond owner had finished his segment sessfully. While Silver Rings openly interacted with the audience, the student abroad had received some apuse. The explosive apuse and cheers by the audience lingered in Juho¡¯s ears. The feel he was looking for was just within reach, something tangible enough that he could almost touch it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in your right mind,¡± Nam Kyung said out of nowhere. At which point, Juho¡¯s thoughts scattered all over the ce. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you decided to make changes to your manuscript in a situation like this. Yet, somehow, you managed to surprise me AGAIN with this bizarre story of yours,¡± the editor said, chuckling as if giving up on the young author.

    ¡°You make it sound like it¡¯s all over when it hasn¡¯t even started yet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just so dumbfounded!¡± Nam Kyung said, fessing up his current emotional state.

    When he read Juho¡¯s first manuscript for the first time, with the author¡¯s permission, the editor had thought that there was nothing for him to worry about. Although most authors had been reluctant to be alongside Yun Woo, afraid of beingpared to the young author, there had been a handful of authors who had stepped up to write alongside the young genius. Assuming that they would bring a presentable manuscript, the event would provide them with significant exposure. Nevertheless, Nam Kyung had no doubt that the event would turn out in a way favorable to Yun Woo. If anything, he had worried for the otherpeting authors. Then, the day of reckoning came, and Nam Kyung discovered the youthfulness hidden behind Yun Woo¡¯s mature demeanor.

    ¡°You just abandoned something that you very clearly had the choice of protecting. Maybe it¡¯s your youth. Aren¡¯t you afraid of your career falling apart?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s always a way. It¡¯ll be OK,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡®Is this really a twenty-year-old kid?¡¯ Nam Kyung thought, then said, ¡°Well, have it your way now. I can¡¯t do anything to help once you¡¯re up on that stage.¡±

    ¡°I intend on doing just that,¡± Juho said, getting ready to leave the room.

    At that moment, Nam Kyung reminded him onest time, ¡°Remember that your readers are reading what you¡¯re writing in real time! Also, don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re being watched by both reporters and other authors!¡±

    Then, rising from his seat, Juho replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Park, but I intend on forgetting all that is even there.¡±

 Chapter 308 - The Battle of the Winners (9)

    <h4>Chapter 308: The Battle of the Winners (9)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°That¡¯s one intimidating crowd,¡± a staff member whispered to Juho while he was standing by. All of the stage crew had their eyes fixed on the audience, who was waiting anxiously for the young author¡¯s appearance. It was that very audience that the young author had to face.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not entirely confident that you can pull it off, then don¡¯t change anything,¡± Nam Kyung had said. Juho was also afraid of the cheers and apuse turning into an ufortable silence. However, his desire to write far outweighed his fear. Then, as he was thinking about the new manuscript, another thought urred to him, ¡®There¡¯s something even better, something closer to what you¡¯re looking for. Go for it. Forget who¡¯s watching. Being onstage changes nothing. You gotta focus on writing while writing. Forget about winning or losing, or that you¡¯re being exposed to the public. Focus on writing.¡¯ At that moment, somebody tapped Juho on the back. It was Nam Kyung. The staff members were also looking at the young author, signaling him to go up.

    ¡°Well, here goes nothin¡¯,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Break a leg,¡± his editor replied.

    With that, Juho went up to the stage. The bright spotlight shone on him, blinding him for a brief moment. Then, upon scrunching up his eyes, the faces in the audience came into view, each and every one of them wearing a look of anticipation.

    ¡°Hello. Yun Woo. It¡¯s a pleasure to be here.¡±

    At that, the audience exploded into massive apuse, significantly louder than the one Sung Pil had received. Thinking about the authors who had presented before him, Juho started realizing why some of them had been so nervous, while the others had interacted with the crowd or had talked about themselves. As he waited patiently, the apuse eventually died down.

    ¡°The story I¡¯m about to show you today has no corrtion with any of my books that have been published up to this point.¡±

    There were apparent smiles on the faces within the audience. They were delighted by the presence of the young author. However, he didn¡¯t hesitate to rain on their parade.

    ¡°But I regret to inform you that it hasn¡¯t beenpleted.¡±

    The audience was caught off guard by the young author¡¯s unexpected confession. The atmosphere took a sudden turn. While still somewhat anticipating what the author had in store, questions and doubts started rising among the crowd.

    ¡°I had to go through another revision process at thest minute, as in yesterday. Which is why I couldn¡¯t finish in time. I admit, I got kind of ambitious.¡±

    A mixed reaction came from the audience. While some cheered by habit, others groaned.

    ¡°But there¡¯s nothing wrong with that, right? The whole point of this segment is to show the writing process after all.¡±

    The audience responded in lukewarm manner, slowly catching on to what Yun Woo was telling them. The young author was about to write a whole new story onstage, right before their eyes. It was all very spontaneous. Then, moving the microphone to his other hand, Yun Woo added, ¡°All you have to do is enjoy the process. I can¡¯t promise you what kind of story you¡¯ll end up seeing on that screen, but I will do my absolute best.¡±

    Then, just as he was heading toward the desk, he turned around and added one more thing, ¡°Should you feel the story isn¡¯t measuring up to your expectation, then simply tell yourselves that Yun Woo¡¯s let you down this time. At which point, I¡¯ll do my best to make necessary improvements.¡±

    With that, he handed the microphone back to a staff member, who took it with a cheerful smile on their face. Simultaneously, there were also those who wanted to see Yun Woo¡¯s downfall. Taking a deep breath, Juho looked into the distance, which was clearly visible from where he was standing.

    ¡°I have a good feeling about this,¡± he said to himself, walking toward the desk unhurriedly. First, he read through the manuscript onest time. Meanwhile, the screen showed an empty page, but the young author didn¡¯t mind it one bit. The protagonist within the story had originally been based on Gray Hat, who Juho met near Zelkova once. Taking hold of hisst opportunity, the protagonist was giving his writing career one more try. However, the protagonist within the story was just the opposite of its real-life counterpart. Yun Woo had already been an author, but soon, he lost that title. Then, cing his hands on the keyboard, Juho typed out the name of the protagonist.

    ¡°Yun Woo?¡± the audience responded immediately and started whispering among themselves. Unhindered, the author onstage started typing away. The protagonist was a sessful author, whose life had been defined by nothing but sess. Having written a total of three novels for the duration of his career, which were ¡®Mango,¡¯ his debut title, ¡®Brush,¡¯ andstly, ¡®Gray,¡¯ the public recognized his talent, and his books started to sell at an incredible rate. The protagonist developed a reputation for writing some of the greatest novels in history.

    While Juho was writing a scene that portrayed the protagonist¡¯s sess, the hall waspletely silent. Yun Woo¡¯s life seemed to be leading quite a cheerful life. The sentences flowed seamlessly. Following the stream of thought, which Juho had already mapped out prior to the presentation, was hardly a challenge. The chuckles from the audience from time to time indicated to Juho that they were enjoying what they were seeing on the screen. At that moment, a voice came from the distance, disrupting the writing process, ¡°Can you slow down?¡±

    When Juho stopped typing and looked up, there was a disturbance in the audience. The shout seemed to havee from one of the audience members, which had not happened in the previous presentations. Unlike the authors who had presented up to that point, the young author onstage was a familiar face to every single member of the audience. Juho shook his hands off in the air for no apparent reason. Then, recognizing theck of a microphone, he applied pressure to his abdomen and said loudly, ¡°Am I moving too fast?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± a soft voice in the audience replied.

    ¡°I apologize. I¡¯ve never consciously tried to write slower. I can try, but I can¡¯t make any promises. Hope that¡¯s OK.¡±

    That time, a louder response came from the audience. They, too, were aware of the purpose of the event. Then, looking down, Juho took a deep breath and resumed writing. The practice beforehand made the process a lot easier. The flow of the story sped up even more, and soon, the moment came when Yun Woo¡¯s writing career finally came to its end. Thinking of those who desperately wanted to witness his downfall, Juho thought, ¡®Here¡¯s what you¡¯re looking for.¡¯

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of extreme?¡±

    A disturbance arose from the audience in the once-peaceful exhibition hall. The story was quickly losing its shape. There was no consideration toward the audience, or to winning or losing for that matter. The young author was running the protagonist down like no other. Yun Woo¡¯s life took an unexpected turn, putting an end to his happy, cheerful life. Letting sess get to his head, Yun Woo quickly bes arrogant. Having no consideration for those around him, Yun Woo looked down on them and becamezy and content, no longer trying to improve, clueless as to what he had be.

    Before long, people started associating the once-sessful author with monikers such as bully, dreadful, privileged, or at times, garbage. And soon, people didn¡¯t even bother giving the author those names. He was no longer taken seriously, nor did anybody bother with him or consider him in any way. Seeing his old self on the page suffering a due punishment, Juho felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

    As Juho moved to the next line on the page, the scene also changed with it. Unlike its creator, Yun Woo¡¯s three books remained in print, just as popr as they had been at first. It was as though there was no end to them, as if they had no concept of death. The fans praised, apuded, and weed those books. The three books were the most impable beings within the novel. At which point, strong jealousy stirred up within the foolish creator. Like a mushy, overly-ripe fruit, Yun Woo fell to the ground, helpless.

    ¡°He stopped,¡± a voice in the audience said. As the story that had been progressing unhindered came to an abrupt halt, some of the members of the audience covered their mouths. Yun Woo and his great novels had beenpletely separated. Yun Woo wasn¡¯t a great storyteller. Yet, he had managed to write some of the greatest novels in history. While their creator quickly spiraled down to poverty, his creations got nominated for literary awards of tradition and prestige, leaving the fans on their toes.

    When Juho looked up, there was no longer anticipation on the faces within the audience. Instead, there was a shared excitement among them. A hat came into Juho¡¯s view. Although it wasn¡¯t gray, his encounter with gray hat rushed past before his eyes. ¡®Do you think I have a chance of winning?¡¯ Gray Hat had asked Juho, forcing him into the position of having to answer. Then, taking the sentences that came to him at that moment, Juho listed them one by one. ¡®One day.¡¯ ¡®I know you have it in you.¡¯ ¡®You just have to work for it.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re not at your limit yet.¡¯ ¡®You can push further.¡¯ ¡®You can be even better.¡¯ ¡®That day ising, and I know it.¡¯

    Moving his hands, Juho typed them out as they were. The audience tilted their heads at the sentences that looked seemingly out of ce. Soon, amotion broke out in the exhibition hall. As Juho focused his thoughts on Gray Hat, the sound ofmotion faded away. However, a sense of disappointment lingered in Juho¡¯s mind. As if tired of hearing people trying to encourage him, Gray Hat walked away, leaving the sentences purposeless and useless. Because Yun Woo didn¡¯t know who Gray Hat was, he wouldn¡¯t be able to understand his thoughts. Gray Hat wasn¡¯t looking forpliments or people to validate his ns for his future. Juho distinctly remembered the man having said that his submission to the contest had been hisst hurrah. He had already made up his mind and had epted that it was hisst. With that, Juho erased every single sentence that he had typed out.

    ¡°You¡¯ll probably never get that award.¡±

    Although Gray Hat had already made up his mind, there was a part of him that made him second guess his decision.

    ¡°And that¡¯s fine.¡±

    There was no need to wallow in guilt. Nothing had gone to waste. Everything happened for a reason. Upon realizing that those were the words that he should have offered to Gray Hat, Juho felt a sense of regret traveling up from the tips of his finger. At that moment, he started typing slightly faster. He felt that the sentences had be blunter. However, he didn¡¯t stop. The vision of a story that he had been longing for was right before his eyes, enabling the young author to think of a way to wrap up the story in the way he wanted. Juho felt better almost instantly.

    ¡°Gettin¡¯ hungry,¡± he murmured, leaning back on the backrest of his chair. As he was checking the finished manuscript, a jingle sounded off, marking the end of the presentation. At that, Juho rose unhurriedly from his seat, walked toward the center of the stage and faced the silent audience. Then, when he reached his hand over to the staff member, who stared at the author in a daze, they handed the young author a microphone.

    ¡°Thank you for your time.¡±

    With that, Juho stepped down from the stage, all the while the audience kept their eyes fixed on the screen.

    ¡ª

    ¡°He¡¯s done it,¡± Myung Sil said, trying to get a hand off her hand, which shook uncontrobly from the excitement. Witnessing Yun Woo¡¯s writing process had gone beyond her imagination. She hadn¡¯t been able to look away from the screen for a single moment. Upon getting up onstage, Yun Woo had decided to drop a bomb on his unsuspecting readers. A manuscript that had been revised at thest minute. Iplete. The reporter was astonished by the young author¡¯s boldness and the spontaneous nature of his deration to write a whole new story, onstage and in front of his readers. It was an incredibly risky move on the author¡¯s end. It was a dangerous gamble that very well could have exposed his actual skill. At least, those had been Myung Sil¡¯s thoughts until the halfway point of the presentation. In the end, she was left puzzled.

    ¡°How is it that he knew so much about failing?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t make sense of why such a sessful author like Yun Woo had revealed such raw emotions. It simply didn¡¯t make sense that he knew so much about failure.

    ¡°And that ending.¡±

    The writing was clean and well trimmed. However, once he had stopped typing, the story had evolved into somethingpletely different. The sentences were rugged and disorganized. Yet, she couldn¡¯t help but keep on reading. There were raw, unadulterated emotions in his sentences, provoking a chain reaction in the audience. She had never witnessed such rawness from the author, which reminded her that he really was writing spontaneously.

    Meanwhile, Juho had been quite nervous. At the same time, he hadn¡¯t been able to wait to find out what kind of story woulde out. He had been aware of the risk involved. There had been that he¡¯d fail, leaving him in ruin like Yun Woo within the story. For the first time, Juho had felt threatened that his career might be at stake. However, he had managed to pull it off in the end.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± somebody next to her said. Even without looking, it was obvious to Myung Sil who it was. It was her former coworker who had desperately hoped that Yun Woo would slip and make a fool of himself in the presence of his readers. Yun Woo¡¯s failure would carry significant shock value. Knowing that, he had frantically pressed the shutter release button on his camera when Yun Woo hade up to the stage, saying, ¡°I wonder how nervous he is right now.¡±

    Myung Sil remembered him pointing at the president and the officers of Zelkova, who had participated in order to witness the sessful finale of the massive event. The audience had also been iparably more excited.

    ¡°Give me just one, decent shot,¡± the reporter had said, hoping to capture the author in the midst of being publicly humiliated. Ironically, Yun Woo had provided a number of riveting shots for the reporters who were putting articles and photos up online in real time. Every member of the audience was busy sharing the moment among themselves. It was simr to an audience pouring out of a movie theater after a movie. Of course, Myung Sil, who couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter at her coworker¡¯s misfortune, was one of them.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    After Yun Woo had stepped down from the stage after thanking the audience, the audience started getting louder, reminding Myung Sil that there hadn¡¯t been a single author who made their audience engage in discussions after the presentation. Every author had received cheers and apuse from the audience, which was an expression of admiration toward the authors who had sessfully written well-written pieces. It was a sign of joy toward the unique processes of writing. However, in Yun Woo¡¯s case, only his writing remained onstage, absorbing the emotions of its readers on its creator¡¯s behalf. Although Yun Woo had been thest author to present, his presentation had been far from stale or predictable. There hadn¡¯t been a boring moment throughout his presentation.

    ¡°Oh, Yun Woo,¡± Myung Sil let out, closing her eyes and enjoying the aftereffect.

 Chapter 309 - The Battle of the Winners (10)

    <h4>Chapter 309: The Battle of the Winners (10)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Impressive,¡± the fishing pond owner said amid the silence, and other authors responded by letting out heavy sighs. Having been intensely focused on the words that had been appearing on the screen, nobody had said a word since Yun Woo had started writing. The silence lingered even after the reporters had left. Thinking of the conversation he had had with the young author, the fishing pond owner said, ¡°I knew I was worrying over nothing.¡±

    Although he had secretly hoped that Yun Woo would be intimidated by the hidden talents of the nameless authors, that sadly didn¡¯te true. Instead, Yun Woo had written a story that was out of that world. On top of that, the young author had presented using an iplete manuscript. When reminded that the ending had been written on the spot, the fishing pond owner couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°That just wasn¡¯t fair!¡± Silver Rings said, throwing both of her hands in the air, adding, ¡°It was wless! That ending made it so that he didn¡¯t even have to try all that hard. Isn¡¯t that kind of reckless? OK, I get that he didn¡¯t just go up there trusting his own skills, but that ending was something else!¡± Listening to her talk was reminiscent of listening to heavy metal in some ways. It was exciting and stimting.

    ¡°That was insane...¡± she said quietly, still sounding somewhat in the moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m really afraid now that I know just how good he is,¡± she added, and the fishing pond owner agreed.

    ¡°Seems like we were a lot braver than we thought.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, this country just isn¡¯t big enough for Yun Woo,¡± the student abroad said, looking as thoughpletely enamored by Yun Woo¡¯s writing, rubbing his face with both of his hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m outta here. I don¡¯t trust myself with the mindset I¡¯m in at the moment. Who knows what kind of things I¡¯d end up saying when I see him? I¡¯m goin¡¯ home,¡± he said, rising from his seat, rubbing his face with his hands, and leaving the room with Silver Rings. The fishing pond owner also held thoughts simr to the two. ¡® The failures, the rock bottom. He had to have gone through hell leading up his sess,¡¯ he thought, then said, ¡°Is that normal?¡± as if striking up a conversation with the only person still left in the room, who remained silent.

    ¡°Do sessful people know that much about failure? I was hurting so much for him toward the middle.¡±

    ¡®What did it feel like to write so harshly about himself? Was all that carefully calcted?¡¯ the fishing pond owner thought, but gave up shortly after. There was a limit to his imagination, and he had no intention of writing such a destructive, self-deprecating story. Not to mention, he valued his mental health.

    ¡°I was really moved by yours too, Sung Pil. I gotta admit. You¡¯re a much better writer than I am,¡± the fishing pond owner said, studying his expression.

    However, Sung Pil still gave no answer. His writing had a sincerity to it, which gave it a friendly, familiar feel. The volume of the apuse and cheers he had received at the end of his presentation had been indicative of the quality of his story. However, his story hadn¡¯t been able to silence the audience. Then, the fishing pond owner added, as if talking to himself, ¡°I was actually at ease while reading his writing, but frankly, I¡¯m shocked by the sheer impact of it. I couldn¡¯t even leave the room in the middle.¡±

    With that, the fishing pond owner turned back, realizing Yun Woo¡¯s writing had made his retreat significantly less upsetting. Leaving Sung Pil behind, he went downstairs.

    Left alone on the second floor, Sung Pil murmured quietly, ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Yun Woo,¡± Nam Kyung called to Juho, with his head lowered. Juho sighed quietly. Since it wasn¡¯t the first time his editor called to him, Juho didn¡¯t bother to answer. Then, trembling with excitement, he sprung up from his seat and eximed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you write something like that in the first ce!?¡±

    He had been quite worked up ever since Juho hade down from the stage.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°That was brilliant! I can¡¯t believe you thought of sharing the moment you finished your story with your readers!¡± Nam Kyung said, pacing back and forth in the waiting room.

    ¡°I had a good feeling from the moment I saw the protagonist¡¯s name on the screen. You do know how charming that name is to readers, right?¡± he asked. Then, instead of waiting for an answer, he added, ¡°Why were you so obsessed with ruining yourself, though? What kind of stuff have you been looking at?¡±

    His face was now burning red, unlike before the presentation when it had been deathly pale. At which, Juho shrugged nonchntly.

    ¡°You have no idea how anxious I was... You saw the look on the readers¡¯ faces, right? They were out of it! That ending was perfect! All that trouble went through really paid off!¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Beautifully done! That¡¯ll show the doubters! Let¡¯s have another signing. What do you say?¡±

    ¡°Uhh... I don¡¯t know about that.¡±

    Nam Kyungughed out loud, paying no attention to Juho¡¯s response and looking as though he would keep onughing even if somebody were to chuck a wet sheet of paper at him.

    ¡°How were the sentences? Juho asked. After some contemtion, the editor replied, ¡°It did get a little rough toward the end, but they weren¡¯t bad at all. If anything, those unrefined sentences were proof that they were written spontaneously.¡± Then, raising his finger, Nam Kyung pointed at the young author and said, ¡°YOU were the best writer.¡±

    At that moment, a knock came from the door. At which, Nam Kyung walked toward it light-footedly and opened it, revealing Sung Pil on the other side. Although the editor winced initially, he moved aside shortly after and let him through.

    ¡°You must be here to congratte Juho. What about the others?¡±

    ¡°They left.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Nam Kyung said. Then, looking around, he added, ¡°I have plenty of things I¡¯d like to talk to Juho about, but I¡¯ll let you guys be for now. I need to go talk to the director, anyway.¡±

    As the sound of door closing reverberated through the waiting room, Juho gestured for Sung Pil to sit.

    ¡°Grab a seat.¡±

    Juho had been expecting him. However, Sung Pil stood in ce like a statue.

    ¡°When did youe up with that story?¡± Sung Pil asked. He seemed curious about how Yun Woo¡¯s story came to be.

    ¡°Before you debuted,¡± Juho replied. The young author¡¯s first encounter with Gray Hat had been before Sung Pil¡¯s debut.

    ¡°Me too,¡± Sung Pil said, then added, ¡°I thought of my story before you debuted too.¡±

    Juho thought of the manuscript he had presented. Being ostracized, feeling isted, and in the end, being rejected. It was the story he had lived through before Yun Woo had debuted as an author.

    ¡°Is this anotherpetition? Of who keeps their story in their minds the longest?¡± Juho asked. He had been imagining Yun Woo¡¯s downfall since long ago. ¡°Then, you won,¡± Juho added.

    No matter how long he had been thinking about his own downfall, he couldn¡¯t tell anyone about it, and that included Sung Pil, which left him with no chance to beat Sung Pil in theirpetition. Juho looked at Sung Pil¡¯s reflection in the mirror. It seemed somewhat upset. Suddenly...

    ¡°I lost,¡± Sung Pil dered his defeat.

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Juho asked. More urately, he was asking the standards by which he had reached that conclusion.

    ¡°What kind of thoughts were you having while writing?¡± Sung Pil asked instead of giving an answer. In order to answer that question, Juho revisited his experience on the stage. Shortly after, he replied, ¡°My writing.¡±

    ¡°Right. I thought so. I could tell. I saw nothing but writing in your eyes,¡± Sung Pil said, his reflection on the mirror exposing his emotional state. There was an apparent look of defeat about him.

    ¡°Well, what about you? What kind of thoughts were you having?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I wanted to win.¡±

    Sung Pil had wanted to win. For once, he had wanted to pass his genius friend who had far surpassed him long ago.

    ¡°When I first heard about this event, I also heard there was a chance that Yun Woo might also participate. At which point, I sincerely hoped that you would,¡± Sung Pil said. Back then, he had still been lost in the joy of having debuted as a professional author.

    ¡°I had thought I stood a chance. I wanted to win, and when I heard the apuse from the audience after my presentation, I felt certain that I might be able to do just that,¡± he added brusquely, with no trace of embarrassment.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the other authors wereing from a simr ce. They all wanted to outdo you somehow. You were essentially outnumbered. And then, you bring out that manuscript of yours. How do you think that looked to me and the other authors?¡±

    Yun Woo¡¯s manuscript had been cruel. It had received neither apuse or cheers while he¡¯d been writing it. The hall had beenpletely silent, leaving only the racing hearts of the authors.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t look up to us once.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°I was determined to beat you onstage. That was the only thing on my mind the entire time I was preparing my manuscript. But something tells me that you weren¡¯t as desperate as I was,¡± Sung Pil said.

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°You paid no attention to any of the authors in the hall, including me.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t deny Sung Pil¡¯s observation. If anything, he had made an effort to pay no attention to anybody in the hall.

    ¡°Does this mean I¡¯m not getting an award?¡± Sung Pil asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think either of us is,¡± Juho said, trying to suppress his chuckle.

    There were no award ceremonies in the event. As Juho took a deep breath, it dawned on him that the event had finallye to an end. Checking the time, Juho realized howte it was. Everyone had to have left at that point.

    ¡°Takes me back to my high school days,¡± Sung Pil said, holding on to the door.

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°When I was reading your book in front of you, not knowing that you were Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Right.¡±

    ¡°It turned out that I ran into Yun Woo at the bookstore by coincidence.¡±

    Back then, Sung Pil had beenpletely unsuspecting of Juho¡¯s identity. But now, they were both authors who participated in events together. Sung Pil was moving forward. He wasn¡¯t idle.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    With that, the two made their way out of the waiting room.

    ¡ª

    ¡°So, they were friends, huh?¡± the reporter murmured. Having overheard the two authors¡¯ conversation, he reyed the words he had heard up to that point in his head. High school and defeat. They had sounded like they were quite well acquainted with each other.

    Yun Woo¡¯s decision to participate in the event had been a mystery to him, but had be clear once he had read the young author¡¯s manuscript: Yun Woo had that manuscript all along. Having read it, the reporter couldn¡¯t avoid the truth. Yun Woo had participated solely for the sake of his writing.

    However, with the new knowledge of the young author¡¯s friendship with Sung Pil, there was a possibility for another scenario. From the sound of it, it seemed like they had made a bet of sorts. In which case, it would be usible to leverage Yun Woo¡¯s attitude toward his fellow authors at the event. Taking his phone out, the reporter started writing away, ¡®Yun Woo ying with the hearts of his desperate colleagues.¡¯ However, it wasn¡¯t long before his hands came to an abrupt halt.

    Hindered by the lingering effect of his writing, the image of the young author in the midst of writing shed in the reporter¡¯s mind. Yun Woo¡¯s desperation was a mystery to the reporter. Sessful at an early age, the young author had managed to win monikers such as the first, and the youngest, not to mention his wealth and fame. It almost seemed as if he were running from or chasing after something. Looking at the young author onstage when he had just started writing, his former coworker had said, ¡°How can anybody doubt him after seeing all this?¡±

    For a little while, the young author had repeated the process of writing and deleting a series of sentences. Meanwhile, the audience had watched the creative process of the stories and dialogues in the author¡¯s minding to be in real time. From time to time, the author would sit still, close his eyes and pause for a brief moment. None of his movements seemed forced, which indicated that he wasn¡¯t worried about his skill. He didn¡¯t bother convincing the skeptics. Instead, he focused on writing, and in the end, the reporter found himself hesitating.

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    The excitement he had felt when watching the presentation of the other authors was no longer there. It didn¡¯t make sense that Yun Woo was able to pull off a stunt like that with such ease. On top of that, it didn¡¯t make sense that an author like that even had friends.

    ¡°Prick. This is all your fault.¡±

    With that, the reporter deleted everything he had written up to that point and started writing all over again as he made his way out of the empty hallway.

 Chapter 310 - The Attention Yun Woo Brought (1)

    <h4>Chapter 310: The Attention Yun Woo Brought (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°How is it that not a single author turned up at the afterparty!?¡± Nam Kyung asked dumbfoundedly as they reunited at his office a few days after the event.

    Letting out a small yawn, Juho said to him, ¡°That happens. It was only five people. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a big enough number to ruin a party.¡±

    ¡°It got kind of awkward, but I suppose you¡¯re right.¡±

    Although the editor still seemed to be quite busy, he didn¡¯t seem nearly as busy as he had been before the event. Then, he led the young author to the same ol¡¯ conference room.

    ¡°Hey! It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡± Silver Rings said, stating the obvious. Thankfully, all five authors were in the conference room that time, reuniting for the first time since the event. For some reason, there were a handful who seemed to find the young author¡¯s presence unweing.

    ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡±

    ¡°Not too great,¡± the student abroad said, curling his lip. However, he didn¡¯t seem like he was being sarcastic.

    ¡°I heard nobody went to the after party?¡±

    ¡°It just kind of happened.¡±

    ¡°Did you have a prior engagement?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, somethin¡¯ like that.¡±

    Everyone seemed to be avoiding Juho¡¯s questions, and Juho didn¡¯t try to pry the answers out of them, either. Instead, he asked the student abroad, ¡°I thought you guys woulde visit me in the waiting room.¡±

    ¡°I could¡¯ve, but I just didn¡¯t have anything to say in particr.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Because you have no regard for us whatsoever,¡± the student abroad replied, unfolding his arms. At which, Sung Pil moved his eyebrows at Juho as if saying, ¡®What did I tell you?¡¯

    ¡°People could tell us how good your books are and how curious they are about you all day long, but at the end of the day, their reading experience doesn¡¯te even remotely close to what we feel after reading your writing.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that. What did you feel?¡±

    ¡°See? You don¡¯t understand. You never will,¡± the student abroad said, closing his lips. He was fully aware that Yun Woo wouldn¡¯t be moved by his writing, let alone get excited.

    ¡°As for me, I¡¯m just gonna stick to my fishing pond,¡± the fishing pond owner said as if he¡¯d never write again, chuckling. At that moment, a familiar voice came out of nowhere, saying, ¡°Ah, good! Everyone¡¯s here.¡±

    It was the director of the editing department, who hade into the conference room with a cheerful look about her. The same group of people who had gathered before the event hade together once more.

    ¡°The exhibition was a massive sess, and it¡¯s all thanks to each and every one of you in this room. You¡¯ve all done a wonderful job.¡±

    At herpliment, some waved their hand in denial, while others nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Juho listened to her intently and waited for what she was about to say.

    ¡°Did you see the article?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have.¡±

    ¡°You guys are well liked by the public. I¡¯m hearing a lot of good things.¡±

    Juho had already been aware of that. Although the word had started spreading mostly due to its association with the name Yun Woo, the event had ended on a high note.

    ¡°It helped that our expectations were so low,¡± the student abroad said with a cold smile on his face. Then, his gaze fixed on Juho like an arrow and said, ¡°The David-against-Goliath fight has a tradition for being popr.¡±

    ¡°David usually wins though,¡± Silver Rings interjected quietly. At which, the expression on the student abroad¡¯s face started growing noticeably darker.

    ¡°But it was Yun Woo we were up against. Not some giant,¡± the fishing pond owner said, waving his hand in denial. However, the words that came out of the director¡¯s mouth put an abrupt stop to that movement.

    ¡°Where did you hear that David won?¡±

    At which point, everyone fixed their eyes on her.

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°My understanding was that everyone here was hoping to get their books published,¡± the director said.

    ¡°And we still are.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we are,¡± Sung Pil said in his heavy voice.

    ¡°Would anybody like to take a guess as to why I brought you all here?¡± she asked, still wearing the same cheerful smile on her face. At that, Juho started to catch on to her slowly.

    ¡°Is somebody getting their book published?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s obviously Yun Woo,¡± Sung Pil said, and other authors agreed. However, the director tilted her head and replied, ¡°If that were true, then I wouldn¡¯t have dragged on like this, would I?¡±

    ¡°Then, what is it? Are you saying that there¡¯s somebody here who did a better job than Yun Woo?¡±

    As the ambition started creeping into the hearts of the authors, the director said, ¡°We decided to put everyone¡¯s manuscripts into one singleption.¡±

    ¡®Of course,¡¯ Juho thought, looking at his editor, who seemed to already be aware of the news. The positive reviews and responses of readers. Remarkable performances of the authors. There were readers out there who wanted to see their manuscripts get made into books, which meant that their manuscripts had met the standards that needed to be met before they got made into books. Turning a well-written piece into a book was the primary responsibility of a publishingpany. In which case, when a total of five incredibly well-written manuscripts had been presented during the event, the publisher had all the more reason to publish them. Meanwhile, Juho looked at the fishing pond owner, who seemed to be having a hard time believing the director¡¯s words. At which point, the young author said to him, ¡°Seems like you gotta keep writing.¡±

    ¡°... It appears so.¡±

    Noticing that the guilt that had once resided in his eyes hadpletely vanished, Juho made a mental note of that change in the fishing pond owner.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the order gonna be?¡± the student abroad took the initiative to ask. At which, the director answered in a calm tone of voice, ¡°The same as the order you presented.¡±

    ¡°There are some changes that I wanted to make to my manuscript. There will be a revision process, right?¡± the fishing pond owner asked in a rush, looking somewhat excited.

    ¡°Of course! It doesn¡¯t have to look exactly like it did during the presentation.¡±

    Then, in the middle of the authors getting stoked about getting their stories published, she said to Sung Pil, ¡°Also, I¡¯ve been discussing with my department about arranging an interview with you. Is that OK?¡±

    ¡°An interview?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s an interview that¡¯s typically held with one of the winners of the Rookie of the Year Award. I thought you¡¯d be the perfect fit for that since you¡¯re the winner of this year¡¯s award.¡±

    Although a rookie, Sung Pil definitely had potentials as an author, and now, he was about to publish his second story. However, his growth was only at the beginning since he would be a popr author in the future. If it weren¡¯t for Yun Woo, Sung Pil would¡¯ve received significantly more attention. As Sung Pil nodded in agreement in response to the director, Ms. Song, who was in charge of the interview, said to him, ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it in more detail soon.¡± Then, the director looked at Silver Rings and added, ¡°As for you, miss, it¡¯d be great if you could tell us the names of the songs you were ying in the background during your presentation.¡±

    ¡°Why? Are you into heavy metal too?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not for me, actually. It¡¯s for your editor-in-charge, who you¡¯ll get to meet soon. We¡¯ll probably bring it up in theption along with your picture.¡±

    At that, she threw her fists up into the air, delighted. She loved music just as much as writing.

    ¡°A happy ending,¡± Nam Kyung said, and Juho chuckled quietly.

    ¡ª

    Winner of Zelkova¡¯s Rookie of the Year Award. Age: Twenty. First Unanimous Nomination Since Yun Woo. Remarkable Performance in the Presentation Segment in the Literary History Exhibition. A Rookie with a Prospect. These were some of the titles of the articles that turned up when one would search the name Sung Pil.

    ¡°We¡¯ll take a quick break.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Sung Pil said, nodding at the publisher¡¯s staff member. They were in the stack room of thepany, which was filled with books published by them. The view was quite different from the picture included in the transcription of Yun Woo¡¯s interview in the magazine. Also, being the interviewee was apletely new experience.

    The rookie author took a sip of water. He had been answering questions about how he came to start writing and the submission he had made to thepany during the contest. So far, the questions mostly revolved around his debut title, ¡®Gingko Tree,¡¯ which Sung Pil greatly appreciated and enjoyed as he got to exin the setting and the characters in depth. Although there weren¡¯t that many questions, each and every one of them called for lengthier, more detailed answers. Then, after checking the camera, the interview resumed.

    ¡°You¡¯re currently majoring in creative writing at a university, right? Did that contribute to your recent piece in any shape or form?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. I was in still in high school when I first wrote ¡®Gingko Tree.¡¯ My guess is that it¡¯ll affect my future stories more than the current one,¡± Sung Pil said. Nodding, Ms. Song moved on to the next question.

    ¡°You¡¯re the same age as Yun Woo, correct?¡±

    At the mention of his friend, Sung Pil nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And he¡¯s also one of our most representative authors. Recently, you two participated in our exhibition event together. What do you think of him?¡±

    It was a question Sung Pil had been anticipating. He thought of the day of the fishing pond owner¡¯s presentation. While he had been looking around the hall with his friend, they had run into some reporters. As soon as Yun Woo had left, they had started bombarding Sung Pil with questions, all of which had been about Yun Woo. It had been at that moment that Sung Pil realized why the event had been drawing so much attention. Yun Woo. At the same time, he also realized that the name itself tended to draw attention, both desirable and undesirable alike. As a rookie author, Sung Pil was in desperate need of exposure.

    ¡°Yun Woo is an author of massive presence. When I was still dreaming of bing an author, he had already be one. All that to say, he was apetitor who was not to be looked down upon.¡±

    ¡°Did you two get to spend some time talking afterward?¡±

    ¡°Yes, plenty, in fact.¡±

    ¡°Is there a part of you that wants to be as popr as him?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there is.¡±

    In fact, that ambition was a big part of him. Sung Pil wanted his writing to be read by as many people as possible. As Ms. Song waited patiently for the rookie author¡¯s response, he replied, ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±

    Sung Pil wanted to determine the path to sess himself. He had no intention of bragging about his friendship with Yun Woo. He was very well aware that he still had a lot of catching up to do before he reached his friend¡¯s level, which was a humble realization that came to him for the first time since bing friends with the young author. Sung Pil¡¯s goal had been to be a professional author and win the Rookie of the Year Award in the end. He had genuinely believed that winning the award would put him on equal footing with Yun Woo, allowing him topete with his friend as rivals. Although the truth couldn¡¯t be further away, Sung Pil didn¡¯t necessarily find it upsetting. Meanwhile, as Ms. Song moved on to the next question, the rookie author saw Nam Kyung standing behind her, staring at him intently.

    ¡°Since Yun Woo, you¡¯re the first nominee by unanimous decision. What did that feel like?¡±

    ¡°I was stoked. At the same time, I was quite humbled after I read the evaluations. I was reminded that I still had a lot of growing to do.¡±

    ¡°Since your presentation, your name has be one of the most searched names on the inte. The public seems to view your potential in a positive light. What did that feel like?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, the manuscript I had prepared for the presentation was based on my personal experience. I have firsthand experience being ostracized at school and I know what it¡¯s like to be left out and isted, as well as the desperation of wanting to get out of it. When I turned those emotions into writing onstage, I saw people identifying with what I was writing, which was quite encouraging.¡±

    ¡°There are quite a few reviews out there saying that they were encouraged by your writing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ttered.¡±

    Ms. Song chuckled quietly at the rookie author¡¯s response. Then, just as Sung Pil thought that he had gotten away from questions about Yun Woo, another question about his author friend came up. At which point, Ms. Song asked deliberately, as if to confirm the response.

    ¡°Was it at the event that you saw Mr. Woo for the first time?¡±

    ¡°... As an author, yes.¡±

    Noticing Ms. Song tilting her head at his ambiguous answer, he exined quickly, ¡°Yun Woo was remarkable on that stage. So much so that I can¡¯t wait to stand by his side. This event was invaluable to me. It taught me so much about myself.¡±

    The event had been a humbling experience for Sung Pil. It had revealed precisely the areas in which he fell short. On top of that, he had alsoe to realize that he had more writing to do before he could improve on those areas. Then, as the interview brought upst the question, asking about his future n, Sung Pil paused briefly and replied, ¡°I want to be an author who can handle any burden that gets put on me.¡±

    He wanted to be in a position where he wouldn¡¯t be taking advantage of his friend¡¯s fame even after revealing their friendship to the public. With that, the interview came to an end, and the group of people who had been gathering in a tight cluster scattered throughout the room. Meanwhile, Nam Kyung stepped out of the room, bring his phone up to his ear.

    ¡°I think the interview wille out well!¡± Ms. Song said, walking toward Sung Pil to talk to him. While they were talking, Nam Kyung came toward them after the phone call, looking unsettled.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ms. Song asked. Meanwhile, Nam Kyung looked intently at the rookie author.

    ¡°Sung Pil.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Did you and Mr. Woo know each other in high school?¡± the editor asked, scratching his forehead. At that, the staff members who had been organizing the equipment also looked in their direction. Ms. Song, in particr, had the most peculiar look on her face.

    ¡®How did he know?¡¯ Sung Pil thought to himself. However, realizing that the answer wasn¡¯t far away from him, he looked at the phone in the editor¡¯s hand. At which point, Nam Kyung said, ¡°An article¡¯s turned up.¡±

 Chapter 311 - The Attention Yun Woo Brought (2)

    <h4>Chapter 311: The Attention Yun Woo Brought (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°The waiting room! I knew it,¡± Juho murmured as he read through the article. He had received an urgent call from his editor. Based on the pieces of information in the article, the waiting room was the only possible ce where the reporter could have found out about the young author¡¯s friendship with Sung Pil. Juho had let his guard down since things had happened just after a big public event. Juho looked at the phone on his desk, his friend¡¯s voice from a moment ago still lingering in his ears.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sung Pil had said, sounding sad and adding, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to take advantage of your name like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t.¡±

    Frankly, it didn¡¯t matter to Juho whether his friendship with Sung Pil got out to the public or not. Neither had he been lying nor been caught in the act of something morally questionable. Unlike thements on the inte, Sung Pil had never tried to leverage his friendship with the young author. However, only those who knew Sung Pil as a person knew the truth, and the unfortunate reality of it all was that the world was full of those who didn¡¯t know him, including those appearing on theputer screen. Most of them were criticizing Sung Pil for something he had never done, and the matter was only about to get worse if left unattended. There had to be some sort of countermeasure, and Juho thought long and hard about the possible ways to turn the situation around.

    Then, he realized that Sung Pil needed a ce to show his true intentions to the public. On top of that, Juho needed to prove to the fans that he had taken no offense to Sung Pil¡¯s seemingly opportunistic endeavor. In order for that to be possible, Sung Pil needed a ce where he could freely present his evidence to prove himself with, all the while without damaging himself in any way. At the same time, it had to be a ce where people didn¡¯t think would give one side an unfair advantage over the other. Although Zelkova had offered to provide a ce, Juho was reluctant to receive their help. At that moment, Juho¡¯s phone suddenly vibrated and broke the silence, startling him.

    ¡°Jeez!¡±

    Turning toward it, Juho checked the name of the caller on the screen: Pyung Jin Lee. With a smile on his face, the young author answered the phone.

    ¡°Mr. Woo! How would you like to be part of my show?¡±

    The critic got straight to the point, which Juho weed.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Are we really doing this?¡± Sung Pil asked, still sounding like he couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard. When Juho looked toward him, Sung Pil was staring back at his friend with his mouth slightly parted.

    ¡°Yep. ¡®The Great Book Club,¡¯¡± Juho replied calmly.

    ¡°You make it sound like you¡¯re not part of this.¡±

    The two were in a car taking them to the broadcasting station. A strange look appeared on Sung Pil¡¯s face.

    ¡°I¡¯ve only seen it on TV. I would¡¯ve never thought that I¡¯d actually be in it.¡±

    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you do that interview not too long ago as a special guest?¡±

    The show had been nned as a special episode focused on Yun Woo, and Sung Pil was supposed to make a surprise appearance during the show as a special guest. Both the media and readers had been wanting an exnation about the recent article, which both Juho and Sung Pil meant to offer. Thankfully, finding the right ce for it wasn¡¯t too difficult.

    ¡°The taping will go as you¡¯ve been informed. We¡¯re gonna have some spectators in the studio, so there¡¯s gonna be a Q&A session at some point. The host will let you know, so you¡¯ll know when the timees.¡±

    ¡°OK.¡±

    The main writer reviewed the information the two authors had been given on the taping session with them. As they made their way to the waiting room, Sung Pil got busy looking at his surrounding,pletely captivated. Then, the main producer said, ¡°We¡¯re so d to have you both together.¡±

    He seemed genuinely excited to have the two authors. At which, Juho said with a quiet chuckle, ¡°Mr. Lee¡¯s offer was just so riveting. I couldn¡¯t resist.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, he¡¯s the one who makes our show what it is!¡±

    Then, the producer looked toward Sung Pil, who was standing there absentmindedly, and asked, ¡°First time on TV?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! You don¡¯t have to be so nervous. Our writers are very very experienced, so they¡¯ll take good care of ya.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°So, if there¡¯s something you¡¯d like to say, don¡¯t hold back. Especially if it¡¯s about Mr. Woo,¡± the producer said, subtly adding thest part. At which, Sung Pil blinked awkwardly and replied, ¡°Will do.¡±

    ¡®Will do what?!¡¯ Juho thought to himself. At that moment, Pyung Jin came into the waiting room with a cheerful look about him, simr to the producer¡¯s.

    ¡°It is SO good to see you here, Mr. Woo!¡± he said, walking toward Juho. His recent review of Juho¡¯s most recent book, ¡®Alexandria,¡¯ had been quite generous. That day, the critic was wearing a green necktie, which seemed to catch Sung Pil¡¯s attention.

    ¡°And of course, we can¡¯t forget Sung Pil. Pleasure to meet you, sir.¡±

    ¡°Yes, hello.¡±

    The two exchanged a brief handshake.

    ¡°I really liked ¡®Gingko Tree,¡¯ as well as your recent presentation.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it felt rigid in ces?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Seems like you read my review.¡±

    Those words had been part of Pyung Jin¡¯s review of Sung Pil¡¯s story. Although Sung Pil was definitely talented and had potential as an author, there was also room for improvement in his writing.

    ¡°That¡¯s OK. I fully intend on improving myself.¡±

    ¡°I like your style,¡± the critic said, his smile growing bigger.

    ¡°OK, then. Shall we?¡±

    As the three chatted about, they made their way to the set at the producer¡¯s beckoning. On their way into it, Juho heard Sung Pil exim, impressed by what was around him. Soon, monitors, a series ofrge cameras hanging high above the ground and the seats for the audience appeared before his view. At which point, Juho said to Pyung Jin, ¡°It feels different from usual.¡±

    ¡°Fancy, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    As a frequent viewer of the show, Juho was able to tell almost immediately that the atmosphere of the set was slightly different from usual, which was simple and quiet. Now, the set was filled with antique-looking props.

    ¡°We couldn¡¯t invite you and do nothing,¡± the critic whispered to the young author. The host, who was originally aedian, was already sitting on the round table. As Pyung Jin headed toward the center of the set, Juho followed the guidance of a staff member and stood behind it, instructed toe out and introduce himself after the opening sequence. Sung Pil on the other hand, took a step back since he wasn¡¯t making an appearance anytime soon.

    ¡°Quiet on set!¡± the producer shouted, and as the staff member standing in front of the audience waved in response, the audience grew quiet. As the host started off with the usual opening sequence, they shouted ¡®The Great Book Club!¡¯ Bringing up the noticeable change in the set, the host struck up a conversation with the critic, also adding an exnation for having only two cast members, unlike usual.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re having a very, very special guest today, which is why our set looks so dazzling. Whatever we¡¯re about to get on camera, the cast members and I will get together to watch it all over again.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Today¡¯s episode is ultra-special! But you know what really makes all this special? It¡¯s our audience joining us on the set!¡±

    As soon as the critic finished his line, the audience erupted into cheers. Because the show had an element of entertainment infused into it, it was somewhat different from a formal interview.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we¡¯ve all been waiting SO long for this guest. I¡¯m a huge fan,¡± the host said with an exaggerated expression. At that moment, a camera approached Juho, who had been waiting behind the set for his turn toe out. Juho waved at it, imagining the shot would get cut out.

    ¡°I lost count of how many times we mentioned his name on this show. We even brought all of his books together for a special episode at one point.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Lee has a lot of good things to say about today¡¯s guest in particr.¡±

    ¡°Without further ado, let¡¯s invite our guest in, shall we?¡±

    The audience answered in loud unison, audible from behind the stage where Juho was.

    ¡°Go,¡± the producer signaled the young author. As the gate opened to both sides, the crowd started apuding even louder. The red carpet on the floor seemed slightly over-the-top.

    ¡°Hello!¡±

    The host and the critic rose from their seats in order to greet the young author on to the stage.

    ¡°Everyone you see in the audience hase here to see you today,¡± the host said, pointing toward the audience, where people of all ages were sitting, reminiscent of the recent exhibition event. The most noticeable difference was the difference in eye level between the audience and the people onstage, or in this case, the entire stage. Surrounding the set, the seats were arranged in tiers in a stair-like manner. After taking his seat, Juho took a sip of water. During which, the apuse continued.

    ¡°Wow! We¡¯ve never had our audience apud for this long. That¡¯s Mr. Woo for ya!¡± the host said, calming the audience down. Meanwhile, Pyung Jin looked at Juho like he had expected the explosive response from the crowd.

    ¡°How do you like our new set, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s very nice. The carpet was really, really soft. This table looks different from the one that¡¯s usually around too. I don¡¯t recognize this pattern here, either.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very sharp. Are you a frequent viewer of our show?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Juho replied, listing a number of episodes he had enjoyed in particr. At that, the host acted as if he couldn¡¯t believe that he was seeing Yun Woo before his eyes.

    ¡°I never thought the day woulde when I would see you before my eyes, Mr. Woo.¡±

    At which, Juho couldn¡¯t do anything but smile.

    ¡°This is your second TV appearance, right? How¡¯ve you been? I bet it¡¯s been hard for you to go outside. I also heard a rumor that you¡¯ve hired a manager,¡± the host said, bringing up one of the rumors about the young author floating around fan circles.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a manager, actually. I¡¯ve been able to go out without too much problem.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say! That can¡¯t be true.¡±

    The host seemed like he wanted Juho to talk more about his poprity.

    ¡°OK, how about this? You get in a cab, and the driver recognizes you.¡±

    At that, Juho brought up a brief anecdote that he had brought up before. To which, the host and the critic listened intently.

    ¡°So, what brought you to our show?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Lee here gave me a call,¡± Juho said, adding another anecdote of the things that had taken ce between him and the critic. For the sake of the show, the young author gave his best to maintain a good attitude, smiling at even the most uninteresting subject, doing his best to answer all the questions directed toward him.

    ¡°Now, I know this is very rude to ask, but I just have to know. You are the most sessful author in this country.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re buttering me up for something, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°How much do you make?¡±

    At that, Juho noticed the audience trying to listen even more intently. However, he decided not to give a specific number.

    ¡°I make enough.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just tell me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°I figure you make enough to afford dozens of imported cars. Am I right?¡±

    The conversation carried on smoothly, the host asking a series of yful and serious questions. Just like how it focused on the young author, the camera focused on the host, the critic, and then on the crowd. Aftermunicating with the producer with their eyes, the host said, changing the subject, ¡°You know, with Mr. Woo in the house, we can¡¯t not talk about his books.¡±

    At that moment, the light changed all of a sudden, and the set grew slightly darker, leaving only the table and its vicinity lit. Listing the books he had published thus far, the host said, ¡°On top of that, there¡¯s your trantion and your short stories. Bestsellers. Every single one of them. Not only have you won a number of literary awards in Korea, but you also won two of the most prestigious literary awards for science fiction in the world as the youngest and the first Asian author. Even Kelley Coin lets you off easy.¡±

    Although he had been listening quietly, Juho couldn¡¯t help but interject at thest part of the sentence.

    ¡°That, I¡¯ve never heard.¡±

    ¡°The star of this age who¡¯s paving a new path in the literary world. Today, we¡¯ve brought together every single one of Mr. Woo¡¯s books.¡±

    Initially, the conversation started off with the young author¡¯s personal favorite of his books, which he had shared previously.

    ¡°I remember us saying that we¡¯d save this discussion forter, when Mr. Woo finally came out. And that day is finally here! Did you see the subtitles written by our producer asking you to contact us?¡±

    ¡°Yes, which is precisely why I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Did you hear that?¡±

    Juho saw a bright smile on the producer¡¯s face. From then on, they briefly touched on the books, discussing characters or interpretations by quoting paragraphs. When they got to ¡®Language of God,¡¯ the discussion went for significantly longer and deeper.

    ¡°Your fame spans the globe!¡±

    ¡°There are quite a few viral videos rted to Mr. Woo in some way, like the one where people bet whether or not he¡¯d give a speech at an award ceremony,¡± Pyung Jin said.

    ¡°How does it feel knowing that your writing is doing so well, reaching such a wide audience? You¡¯re still quite young,¡± the host said, emphasizing the young author¡¯s age.

    After looking toward the audience for a brief moment, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯m definitely thankful. It really makes me wanna push myself.¡±

    ¡°Do you ever find yourself getting afraid that all this fame will vanish overnight?¡±

    ¡°Sometimes,¡± Juho said, following the script. Next, was Pyung Jin¡¯s turn.

    ¡°It sounds to me like that has some corrtion to the manuscript you presented recently.¡±

    At that, the host checked his cue cards and nodded.

    ¡°There¡¯s been a hot topic regarding Mr. Woo recently. You were onstage with other authors, Mr. Woo!!¡±

    ¡°I sure was.¡±

    ¡°And we found out that you have a very special rtionship with one of them, is that correct?¡± the host asked, looking directly at the young author. As he gave an affirmative answer, a loud hiss came out of nowhere. When he looked toward where it hade from, which was in the direction opposite from the one he hade out, he saw an apparatus set up, which was spewing out pirs of white smoke. Then, a part of the set lifted up and Sung Pil came out of it. At which point, the host eximed, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! Please wee our special guest, Sung Pil!¡±

 Chapter 312 - The Attention Yun Woo Brought (3)

    <h4>Chapter 312: The Attention Yun Woo Brought (3)</h4>

    <b>Trantor:</b> None <b>Editor:</b> Han Baek Im

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As Sung Pil came out on set in a slight rush, a disturbance arose in the unsuspecting audience. Soon though, ording to a staff member¡¯s instructions, they erupted into apuse. Meanwhile, Juho rose from his seat and greeted his author friend dly, noticing the camera aimed toward him.

    ¡°You two seem close,¡± the host said without hesitation, and Juho replied calmly ¡°Of course. We¡¯re friends.¡±

    Then, looking even more curious than he had, the host asked, ¡°So, you two have been friends since high school, correct?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Sung Pil replied in a brusque tone. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t seem too nervous.

    ¡°As far as I can remember, there weren¡¯t any mention of you being friends with Mr. Woo when he debuted. Then, all of a sudden, an article pops up out of nowhere, saying that you guys have been longtime friends/schoolmates.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not exactly schoolmates. We happened to live close to each other. There¡¯s not much to it, really. I don¡¯t really get what the fuss is about,¡± Juho said, shrugging. At which, Pyung Jin let out a small chuckle and said, ¡°So, initially, you didn¡¯t n on revealing that you were friends with Sung Pil, right?¡±

    ¡°No. Although, I think my friend here will be able to answer that question a lot better than I can. I did what I did because that¡¯s what my friend wanted.¡±

    At that, Sung Pil also followed the script in his response to Juho, ¡°Having Yun Woo as your friend is actually quite a lot of fun.¡±

    ¡°It seems that way.¡±

    ¡°But when that friend is an aspiring writer, it bes a different story,¡± Juho said, and those who knew him all agreed.

    ¡°You see, I didn¡¯t realize that this guy was Yun Woo at first.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Then you became friends with him without knowing that he was Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. When I first heard Yun Woo¡¯s voice, I thought it sounded a lot like somebody I knew.¡±

    The audience listened intently and with interest, which was a good sign.

    ¡°How did you feel when you found out the truth?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t recall feeling particrly upset because none of it felt real. At least until I debuted anyway. Then, it felt like I was in a-whole-nother world.¡±

    ¡°Ah, because you were somewhere where you could feel the impact of who Yun Woo was! That makes sense!¡± Pyung Jin replied, and Sung Pil nodded. After debuting, Sung Pil had found himself in a world where everybody addressed his friend by the name Yun Woo.

    ¡°The reason why the recent exhibition event had drawn so much attention was because of Yun Woo. When I got on that stage, I realized just how little the audience knew about me. Everyone was giving me that nk stare. Of course, it¡¯d be obvious if I said that it wasn¡¯t the case for Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°That experience alone must¡¯ve made you desire to be famous even more.¡±

    ¡°Right. I wanted to be somebody whose presence alone made the crowd go wild.¡±

    The camera focused on Sung Pil, whose face looked quite serious on the monitor¡¯s screen.

    ¡°But I quickly realized that I¡¯d be taking advantage of my friend and his fame just by mentioning his name. So, I told myself that I¡¯d never bring up his name again. At the end of the day, I have respect for myself as well.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s when things started going south,¡± the host said, and Sung Pil sighed heavily.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how that reporter found out, but thanks to him, I recently got my first taste of the angry fans on the web. I believe I don¡¯t have to remind anybody here of Yun Woo and his fame. Let¡¯s just say that the number ofments I got from disgruntled fans was astronomical.¡±

    ¡°How did that make you feel?¡±

    ¡°It was upsetting, and I also felt wronged in some way. But the most upsetting thing by far was that something that I¡¯d promised myself I would never do ended up happening by the actions of others.¡±

    At that, the producer nced at the producer and asked, ¡°From what I heard, you said in an interview once that you didn¡¯t know Yun Woo in person.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I participated in an interview before the article turned up. I get a lot of questions about Yun Woo since I¡¯m the same age as him. Although it¡¯s not something that I particrly wanna talk about, beggars can¡¯t be choosers. In this case, the beggar was the rookie author.¡±

    ¡°I believe we have a video clip from that interview ready. Let¡¯s take a look, shall we?¡±

    With that, the video started ying on one of the monitors on set, and the entire audience turned to it in unison, watching the video of the rookie author¡¯s interview. The screen was also showing the date and time of the interview. Judging from the looks on the faces within the audience, the video seemed to have sessfully convinced them.

    ¡°So, what do you think, Mr. Woo?¡± the host said, moving on to Juho, who had decided to put an end to the matter once and for all.

    ¡°A lot of readers were delighted by Sung Pil¡¯s writing during his presentation segment in the exhibition event, including myself. That¡¯s something even the name Yun Woo had no control over.¡±

    It was widely known that the rookie author¡¯s presentation had been well received by the public, with which Pyung Jin also agreed. The atmosphere was quite pleasant. All that was left was to turn Sung Pil¡¯s reputation around. As if having the same thought, the host moved on to Sung Pil, approaching the questions from a different angle.

    ¡°How¡¯s Yun Woo like as a friend? My guess is that you guys know each other fairly well since you two have been friends since high school. Is there anything juicy that you¡¯d like to share with us?¡±

    ¡°Anything juicy?¡±

    ¡°You know, like his secrets.¡±

    At that, the audience erupted into cheers. They were clearly interested in the subject. As Sung Pil sat and stared at the audience in a daze, Juho nudged him on the leg. After which, Sung Pil immersed himself in thought for some time and replied, ¡°Juho¡¯s a good runner.¡±

    ¡°Running, huh?¡±

    The response was lukewarm at best. Nevertheless, Sung Pil didn¡¯t let up and added, ¡°Whenever we race, he wins six out of ten times.¡±

    ¡°You mean eight?¡± Juho said quietly.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not that fast.¡±

    ¡°I see. But I was hoping for something a little more... secretive and riveting,¡± the host said, rifying the kind of answer he was looking for. After thinking a little longer, Sung Pil replied, ¡°There are times when he stares into my eyebrows. I don¡¯t think he knows, but I do.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled inadvertently. Sung Pil¡¯s eyebrows were exceptionally dark, and his heart was hidden deep within him. However, there were those who wanted more from him. That time, the critic stepped in to urge the rookie author.

    ¡°Is there anything writing-rted?¡±

    ¡°Writing-rted...¡± Sung Pil murmured, his head dropping lower the longer he got lost in his thoughts. Suddenly, his head sprang back up. ¡°There is something!¡±

    ¡°There is?!¡± Juho let out, waiting for Sung Pil¡¯s answer curiously and patiently, not knowing what to expect.

    ¡°I had a drink with Yun Woo once. I don¡¯t know if people are aware of this, but he¡¯s particrly exceptional when ites to describing drunk people or anything that has to do with the subject of alcohol.¡±

    ¡°Of course. He¡¯s been exceptional in that area since he was a minor, which I always found odd,¡± Pyung Jin said, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. Then, Sung Pil moved his eyebrows and replied in his low voice, ¡°But Juho doesn¡¯t like to drink.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    It was a widely known fact that the young author didn¡¯t enjoy drinking. Paying no attention to the response of those around him, Sung Pil had answered in a serious tone. He wasn¡¯t afraid to be himself, even on camera.

    ¡°Whenever we drink together, he¡¯s always sipping on the same drink the entire time. Yet, he knows all about the hardships associated with alcohol. It reallyforted my stomach, especially when I was hung over. It was very intriguing.¡±

    ¡°... Is that it?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything else...? Like a building or somend he¡¯s bought somewhere?¡±

    At that, Sung Pil shook his head and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that he was going to present an iplete manuscript.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think anybody did,¡± the critic said. Then, looking toward Juho, he added, ¡°Except Mr. Woo, maybe.¡±

    Then, the host gave Pyung Jin the opportunity to talk, giving him an opportunity to remember the young author on the stage of the exhibition hall and speak about it.

    ¡°What stuck out to me right off the bat was the speed with which he came up with those sentences. Yes, speed isn¡¯t everything when ites to writing. One may be a really slow writer, but if they can produce something better that way, than that¡¯s the better way to go about writing.¡±

    Then, catching his breath, the critic on, ¡°The thing to keep in mind here is this: being able to write as fast as Mr. Woo could mean that he requires less thinking. Writing without thinking is much harder than it sounds. One has to be able to ignore everything around and within them, from how the audience is looking at them, the criticisms, the current situations, the ambitions for better sentences, everything.¡±

    ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that Mr. Woo writes unhinderedly whether he¡¯s onstage, before his readers or not?¡± the host asked. Then, looking toward Juho and asked, ¡°Are you ever afraid of negative criticism?¡±

    Juho shook his head. He was human, which meant that he had to be afraid of it at least to some extent.

    ¡°I, too, get really hurt and discouraged whenever I get criticized. I always wanna do well. But, I wasn¡¯t thinking the way Mr. Lee was describing.¡±

    ¡°Is it easy to have a mindset like that?¡±

    ¡°By no means,¡± Sung Pil replied emphatically on Juho¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°What about you Sung Pil? What kind of mindset did you have while writing that day?¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to do a better job than Yun Woo. I was watching his presentation from the second floor along with a few other authors. If I were to describe the atmosphere, it almost felt like I was in Siberia. Everyone felt hisck of concern toward them.¡±

    Then, just as Juho was about to deny it, Pyung Jin beat him to it and said, ¡°Everyone there felt that way. It got really quiet in the audience too.¡±

    ¡°His story has also gone viral, which we brought up just a minute ago.¡±

    At that, a disturbance arose from the audience. Everyone was aware of the kind of story the young author had written during his presentation. As the host read the words on his script, Juho sat still and listened quietly, ¡°And all of a sudden, the story takes a turn. The protagonist¡¯s life keeps spiraling downward, beyond the point of recovery.¡±

    Then, the host brought up the question that had been burning in the minds of the readers, ¡°Why, of all stories, did you decide to present the one where the protagonist named Yun Woo, of all names, goes through a seemingly endless string of failures? I¡¯ve been very, very curious about that.¡±

    ¡°Originally, I was supposed to present a different manuscript. But when I saw Sung Pil¡¯s presentation, I felt as though I couldn¡¯t hold the pent up emotions within me in any longer.¡±

    ¡°And what kind of emotions are we talking about here?¡±

    ¡°If I were to put it into words, they would be a series of emotions that often causes people to misunderstand others, such as jealousy, spite, sense of crisis, empathy, discontentment, consideration, defeat. Things of that nature. Hoping for another person¡¯s misfortune, and the kind of bitterness thates when your attempt tofort someone turns into hypocrisy depending on where you¡¯re standing. I didn¡¯t want to hurt anybody, but I didn¡¯t wanna get hurt, either.¡±

    There had been authors who had wanted to outperform Yun Woo. Simrly, there had also been those who had desperately wanted Yun Woo to slip. While there had been those who had longed for an answer from Yun Woo, the young author hadn¡¯t given them the answer they had been looking for. It had felt as though everything had tangled together in a knot, and Juho had felt an urgent need to untangle it somehow.

    ¡°And that¡¯s when I thought of a piece of writing that could encapste all those emotions within me. So, in the end, it appears that I wrote that manuscript just because I felt like it,¡± Juho said, summing everything up in simple terms.

    ¡°Most people can¡¯t write stories like that even if they want to,¡± Sung Pil murmured quietly. At that moment, Pyung Jin sprung up from his seat, mming the table in front of him, which shook from the impact.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a piece that could be described in such simple terms!¡±

    Caught off guard by the critic¡¯s unexpected behavior, Juho asked, ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°The Yun Woo within the novel is anything but admirable. If anything, he¡¯s the one being punished. He¡¯s the moron who makes foolish decisions from start to finish. His sess is as brief as the life of a Petrushka doll, which bes lifeless as soon as it stops dancing. No matter how great a love it receives, a doll is a doll at the end of the day. It¡¯s disappointing AND bleak. The way his life falls apart has a lot inmon with the ranting of a straw doll. Nobody listens to it, nor can it affect anything in any way. In the end, which you wrote onstage, he only epts questions and gives answers about his books, the very subjects of his jealousy.¡±

    Unlike the critic who had made a long exposition about his spontaneous manuscript, Juho blinked awkwardly, without saying much.

    ¡°How else could one react to a story like that if not with silence?¡±

    Not only was Yun Woo young and healthy, but he was also known for his pure and colorful style of writing. Yet, he had written something thatpletely contradicted his reputation. The Yun Woo within the novel was a character that nobody could¡¯ve even thought of. Even those who hated the young author and wished the worst upon him wouldn¡¯t dare to describe their hate toward him in the way he had during his presentation. How was Yun Woo capable of writing such a realistic depiction of a failed life?

    ¡°That story left your readers an emotional mess, yet you are summing up a story like that in a few simple words and in such a nonchnt manner, which leaves me feeling extremely dissatisfied.¡±

 Chapter 313 - The Attention Yun Woo Brought (4)

    <h4>Chapter 313: The Attention Yun Woo Brought (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    There was desperation in Pyung Jin¡¯s voice. Although he clearly wanted something from Juho, the young author didn¡¯t have anything to offer.

    ¡°I understand... but I really wrote that story just because I felt like it.¡±

    ¡°What made you want to write a story like that?¡±

    ¡°Again, I just felt like it.¡±

    ¡°OK, it seems like we¡¯re not on the same page here,¡± Pyung Jin said, his eyes ring fiercely at the young author. At which point, the host stepped in to diffuse the tension.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you so worked up, Mr. Lee. Haha!¡± the host said, looking like he was enjoying the sudden change of pace. However, they were in a taping session for a show that was going to be aired in the near future. Seeing as though Yun Woo wasn¡¯t giving any information, the host felt the need to push forward. The critic¡¯s question toward the young author was better suited for an informal asion.

    ¡°In that case, we can assume that you were under a lot of pressure when you were writing that story, am I right?¡± the host asked, changing the subject subtly and skillfully, which Juho weed.

    ¡°Right. The other presenting authors had done a remarkable job with their presentations, so I was very nervous. If I hadn¡¯t been writing on that particr stage for that particr event, I think the ending to that story would¡¯ve looked a lot different.¡±

    The host smiled as Juho finished speaking. Meanwhile, Pyung Jin seemed quite anxious, as if there was more he wanted to talk about with Yun Woo. However, upon seeing the cameras around them, he collected himself.

    ¡°Now then, let¡¯s talk about ¡®Alexandria.¡¯ A very different story from the one you presented onstage, might I add,¡± the host said, and Sung Pil nodded in agreement. Then, the host said to the critic, ¡°Personally, I thought this book was particrly different from most of Mr. Woo¡¯s other books.¡±

    ¡°Especially the overall humorous atmosphere, which is quite removed from Mr. Woo¡¯s usual tendency to write pieces that are more serious and mature. ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ is often considered to be the purest of Mr. Woo¡¯s books, but that wasn¡¯t quite like ¡®Alexandria,¡¯ either. The children within the book are pure and innocent when ites to their interaction with Alexandria, but outside of that interaction, they¡¯re anything but, which is precisely why we find ¡®Alexandria¡¯ to be so different and original,¡± the critic said.

    ¡°What inspired you to go outside the box, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just part of my work. Writing a new piece often means having to try new things. This time, I wanted to try toe up with a story that took ce within a school,¡± Juho replied to the host.

    After which, Pyung Jin followed up with a question, asking, ¡°Alexandria is by far, the most prominent change of this book, who is also the readers¡¯ most beloved character. How did youe to think of a character like Alexandria? Was there some sort of motive behind it?¡±

    Remembering he couldn¡¯t say that the character was based on himself, Juho let out a small sigh and replied, ¡°No. I thought of Alexandria as I was eating with other fellow authors. I felt that she was the character with whom I would be able to depict the subject most effectively.¡±

    At that moment, Sung Pil raised his hand, and Juho stared at him caught off guard by his unexpected behavior. As the host gave him a chance to speak, the rookie author said, ¡°I think the character is very reminiscent of Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Juho asked, but Sung Pil didn¡¯t give him an answer. At which point, the critic took the opportunity to chime in, his tie moving about in a threatening manner.

    ¡°I find that very interesting, Sung Pil. You see, I thought just the opposite. I thought Alexandria was the mirror image of its creator in many ways.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Please, do tell us more,¡± the host said, giving the floor to Pyung Jin. At which point, the critic, being the experienced book critic that he was, said, ¡°When we think of the name Yun Woo, the first adjective thates to mind is ¡®young.¡¯ On the contrary, Alexandria is the oldest person in her school. Although she moves forward in life one step at a time, Mr. Woo rose to the top almost in the blink of an eye, rising to stardom with his debut title and receiving international recognition for his first attempt at a fantasy novel.¡±

    Nobody had an opposing argument to the critic emphasizing the rate at which the young author¡¯s life and career had progressed.

    ¡°What do you think, Sung Pil? What¡¯s your take on the subject matter?¡± the host asked, looking at him.

    ¡°Slow wasn¡¯t one of the words that came to my mind as I was reading the book. Rather...¡±

    ¡°Rather?¡±

    ¡°I got a sense of abundance. Her age, her memories, her experience.¡±

    At that, a subtle response came from the audience.

    ¡°Not only did she know a lot, but there was just as much she didn¡¯t know. There were plenty of things she struggled with and needed to adapt to. On top of that, she also had plenty of ambition and determination.¡±

    That time, the audience responded more noticeably to the author, as if identifying with his statement.

    ¡°I felt simrly when I saw Yun Woo. He writes an incredible amount. When we were in high school, something about Juho, in this case, Yun Woo, made me feel like we weren¡¯t the same age. He¡¯d almost look better standing behind the podium than sitting at a desk.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean he was mature?¡±

    ¡°No, not exactly,¡± Sung Pil said, turning toward Juho. Then, he started sharing the thoughts he had been having about his friend leading up to that point, saying, ¡°He¡¯s just inherently different from me. Like now. He¡¯s the same, whether or not he¡¯s surrounded by cameras. He¡¯s always calm and unfazed. Whenever there¡¯s trouble, he¡¯s often doing all the damage control.¡±

    Then, looking up into the air, he added, ¡°If I were Yun Woo, I would¡¯ve gone around telling people who I was. Think about it. It¡¯s a major bragging right, but I also don¡¯t have the patience to keep it to myself. Besides, it makes it even more tempting when all of your friends are starting to express interest in writing. But, Yun Woo wasn¡¯t like that. He didn¡¯t say a word about his identity. I haven¡¯t seen him get mad to this day. On the other hand, I couldn¡¯t stand that I was getting insulted by people who hardly knew me. This friend of mine really knows how to take a beating, no matter how bad or insulting it gets, all without saying a word. At the same time, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s holding it in either, which makes him even more mysterious. He¡¯s well off, yet, he¡¯s never extravagant. He¡¯s the most impulsive in the most crucial, urgent moments. He gives up on an award after giving it his best in a contest andes up with an alternate writing style just to avoid people finding out who he is. All that to say, he¡¯s quite the oddball.¡±

    As the host repeatedly asked the rookie author questions, Juho noticed that he was dragging the subject on. He had to be milking it for as much information on Yun Woo as possible.

    ¡°So, what are some things that you consider as his ws?¡± the host asked in a mischievous tone. At which, Sung Pil replied in a calm tone of voice, ¡°Everything I¡¯ve said up to this point.¡±

    The audience burst intoughter.

    ¡°Is that true?¡± the host asked, looking at Juho.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s how he sees me,¡± the young author said evasively.

    ¡°Bom agrees with me.¡±

    ¡°d to hear that you two have gotten closer,¡± Juho said. Bom and Sung Pil had to have talked about him at some point.

    ¡°Now, it¡¯s getting personal!¡± Pyung Jin said with a satisfied smile, and apuse came from the audience. Although Juho wasn¡¯t sure why they were apuding, the audience seemed to be weing something. Thankfully, Sung Pil didn¡¯t know any sensitive information about Juho. However, the young author wasn¡¯t used to another person talking about him. As he scratched his cheek, feeling somewhat awkward, the host asked, ¡°You go over to Mr. Woo¡¯s house from time to time, don¡¯t you?

    Sung Pil replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you evere across a manuscript for a novel that hasn¡¯t been released yet?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s never happened.¡±

    ¡°Do you two talk about each other¡¯s writing often?¡±

    ¡°Hm... I¡¯m not sure,¡± Sung Pil said, dragging on and looking toward Juho. At which point, the young author took over and said, ¡°I feel like we used to talk about my writing a lot more before he knew I was Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that makes sense. There had to have been times when he talked openly about your books in front of you, then.

    ¡°Right. We ran into each other at a bookstore once while he was buying a Yun Woo book. That was when ¡®Sound of Wailing¡¯ had juste out.¡± Pyung Jin seemed quite intrigued. After a brief summary of the situation, Juho kept on, ¡°And he started reading in front of me. I felt kind of ufortable, so I tried to give him subtle cues to stop reading, but he just kept going.¡±

    ¡°It was Yun Woo¡¯s new book. How could I not?¡± Sung Pil interjected.

    ¡°So, did he have anything bad to say about the book?¡±

    ¡°I highly doubt that. There aren¡¯t enough good things to say about ¡®Sound of Wailing,¡¯¡± Pyung Jin said quietly.

    ¡°If anything, Juho was the harshest to himself, more than anybody,¡± Sung Pil said, reminiscing to that time. Of course, being the sharp person that he was, Pyung Jin wasn¡¯t going to let that slide.

    ¡°Was he now?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes. Back then, I just thought he really didn¡¯t like Yun Woo. Unlike with other authors, he became really harsh when it came to Yun Woo. Now that I think about it, maybe he had been preparing for that stage all along.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo has always been modest,¡± the host said and since he couldn¡¯t deny itpletely, Juho smiled awkwardly. The young author was always thinking about his failure. At that moment, he felt a piercing gaze from the critic, ring intently at him as if observing him. Upon ncing over at him briefly, Juho looked away. Meanwhile, considering the time and the situation, the host moved on to the next segment of the show.

    ¡°Now, the moment we¡¯ve all been waiting for is finally here! The Q&A!¡±

    At that, the audience erupted into cheers and apuse. Judging from the questionnaire in the hands of every member of the audience, it was clear that they had a lot of questions.

    Each member of the audience had been given a number prior to the taping, and the host was to pick a number at random, giving the respective person the chance to speak.

    ¡°Could we get the microphone to the gentleman over there?¡± the host said, and a microphone was given to a certain member of the audience. After briefly introducing himself, the audience member went straight to the question.

    ¡°So, I was at the exhibition event not too long ago and watched the presentation, and I was quite moved by Mr. Woo¡¯s writing process. I was just blown away by his speed and the precision in his writing.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I can only imagine. So, what kind of question do you have for Mr. Woo today?¡±

    ¡°I was wondering if you¡¯ve ever found yourself getting distressed or upset in any way while writing such a tragic story like that. That story was actually quite frightening, even for the audience.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± the critic murmured. Upon finishing the question, the audience member put the microphone down, and the host repeated a short summary of his question back to him, which was, ¡®Does writing a self-deprecating story like that have an emotional effect on the author?¡¯ After some contemtion, the young author replied, ¡°If I were to get straight to the point, no, I didn¡¯t mind one bit. I didn¡¯t feel upset or bothered in any way.¡±

    That time, the host asked a question, ¡°Even if it was about you?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t about me, actually. It just so happened that the protagonist had the same name as me. It¡¯d be slightly far-fetched to say that I was depicting myself in that story. Me being here, onset, today is the proof of that,¡± Juho replied, shaking his head.

    ¡°But don¡¯t you get anxious still? Insecure that what happened in the story might happen to you in real life?¡±

    ¡°Sure. That¡¯s one way of putting it, but it¡¯s hardly any different from what I feel while reading a novel with a tragic ending. A dystopian novel, for example.¡±

    Although the story had been born from a ce of anxiety, his writing was proof that he had digested his emotions. At the same time, it was also both depiction and expression. As Juho rified, the host asked no further about it.

    ¡°OK. Let¡¯s move on. Next person,¡± the host said, picking another number at random. That time, the audience member who rose from the seat was a middle-aged woman, who kept looking to her side as if she hade with her daughter.

    ¡°So, I read ¡®Alexandria¡¯ fairly recently. It was the first book I¡¯ve read in thirty years, but I just couldn¡¯t put it down. Before I knew it, I ended up reading all of your books, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Wow! That¡¯s dedication! So, what did you want to know about Mr. Woo, ma¡¯am? You have the chance to ask the question that¡¯s been burning in your mind! Ask away!¡±

    At that, the audience member asked in a serious tone, ¡°I wanted to know what the characters¡¯ lives would look like after the story.¡±

 Chapter 314 - The Attention Yun Woo Brought (5)

    <h4>Chapter 314: The Attention Yun Woo Brought (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    After reading ¡®Alexandria,¡¯ the certain member of the audience found herself yearning to read it all over again. Although the story was only a book cover away, her chest ached as though she had gone through a heartrending breakup. The fact that the book was no longer new to her was, in some sense, equivalent to a breakup. She wanted to get to know Alexandria better, imagining the protagonist¡¯s life and identifying with it. She wanted the story tost just a little longer. It was clear that she had grown quite attached to the character. Whenever she would bring up the name Alexandria, her face lit up, as if talking about a friend who she hadn¡¯t seen in ages.

    ¡°I wanted to ask about Alexandria in particr. I think I¡¯ve grown really attached to her. Does she ever graduate from school? Does she ever get a job?¡±

    Her questions also stirred up curiosity among the other members of the audience around her. The novel only contained one particr year of Alexandria¡¯s life, which she had spent at school, leaving readers guessing as to how her life turned out. After some contemtion, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll part ways with her ssmates and make new friends as she goes up a grade. She¡¯ll probably find herself desiring after new things and she¡¯ll work toward that like she¡¯s always done.¡±

    ¡°How long does she live for?¡± the member of the audience asked curiously and concernedly.

    ¡°You know, I never thought about that! How far do you go with character development?¡± the host asked curiously. Of course, Juho had also thought about the end of Alexandria¡¯s life. Humans were bound to die at some point in their lives, and this principle remained true in the novel. Although Alexandria had still been full of vigor when Juho had first met her, there was no promise that she would be the same if he were to see her again. Looking toward the member of the audience, Juho gave an honest answer.

    ¡°That, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°But... you¡¯re the author,¡± the audience member said, implying that he should have an answer as the creator of the character. However, the young author was not nearly as capable and all-knowing as the audience member had assumed. He had no idea of when Alexandria would meet her demise. Her death wasn¡¯t something he had had in mind when he had first created her. While a part of him wanted her to be around forever, another part of him had actually made it a reality, which was further proof that he wasn¡¯t a god.

    ¡°All I know is that there are moments when I feel that her life is nearing the end. Whenever she forebodes her own death, I put it into writing. It¡¯s a premonition, so you never really know what could happen until it actually does.¡±

    When Alexandriained to him, as the author, Juho listened.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you write a sequel?¡± the audience member said, and the people around him weighed in to her suggestion by erupting into apuse. People wanted more of the story.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± Juho said ambiguously. At which, Pyung Jin added, ¡°I¡¯m sure Mr. Woo will when the timeses.¡±

    ¡°Haha, I agree.¡±

    At that moment, a shout came from the audience, ¡°What about ¡®Language of God?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Come again?¡± the host asked, and the same voice replied in an even louder voice, ¡°The ¡®Language of God¡¯ series!¡±

    ¡°Ah, ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    At the mention of Yun Woo¡¯s longest and most epic series, the audience looked at Juho with even more interest. Simrly, the host turned and looked toward the young author.

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ is definitely the book that¡¯s most appealed to the masses. What do you have to say to your readers, Mr. Woo? Should they expect good news?¡±

    Juho felt conflicted seeing the anticipation in the eyes within the audience. Since he didn¡¯t have any solidified ns, he couldn¡¯t give a solid answer, which left him to give the same answer he always gave, ¡°... It¡¯s hard to say.¡±

    At that, the audience started grumbling, and the host leveraged that atmosphere, rushing him for an answer, ¡°Can¡¯t you give any specifics? I¡¯m pretty sure the world is watching.¡±

    ¡°I guess I really have to think about what I say then.¡±

    ¡°Maybe just a snippet? Is there a story you have in mind? A direction that you wanted to take?¡±

    ¡°Ah! That, I have.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Although it was still an idea that was yet to even take shape, there was a part of the series that Juho had always wanted to expound on. Noticing the camera focusing on him, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯d focus on the past more than the future.¡±

    The story of the fourpanions within ¡®Language of God¡¯ had long been over. Although it wouldn¡¯t necessarily be a bad idea to have the same characters to go on a whole new journey, Juho wanted to focus more on the past and the history of the cultures the fourpanions experienced during their journey. Thenguages of those cultures had been slightly moreplicated and somewhat ambiguous during their transitional period in the past, which was precisely the time period Juho wanted to focus on. It was the period in which the development of thenguages was at its peak.

    ¡°Is there going to be any backstory for God? Or the traitor for that matter?¡± Pyung Jin asked, obviously well acquainted with the book. The mythology within the series had been the most integral part of the novel, which provided readers a picture of what the past Juho wanted to focus on looked like even after generations had passed.

    ¡°Perhaps. Perhaps not.¡±

    The audience grumbled at the author¡¯s ambiguous answer again. Although Juho didn¡¯t want to disappoint his readers, there was no other answer he could give them since nothing was set in stone. Clenching his hands into fists, the host expressed his discontentment.

    ¡°Well,dies and gentlemen, it seems like there¡¯s still hope, right? Let¡¯s wait just a little longer.¡±

    At that, the audience gave an affirmative answer in loud unison. A story that took ce in the same world as ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Although Juho tried ying around with the idea in his head, nothing came to him.

    ¡°Next person?¡±

    ¡°Here!¡± another member of the audience responded as they were given the microphone. A man of small stature, he was wearing a pair of sses.

    ¡°I loved the film adaptation of ¡®Trace of a Bird.¡¯ My understanding is that Myung Joo Mu, from the movie, was at your signing event recently. Are you still close with the actors and actresses in the movie?¡±

    ¡°That did happen!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good one! A lot of people have been wanting to know about that!¡±

    Questions about the movie, ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ were quitemon. Not only had the movie beenmercially sessful, but it had also been critically acimed, which had been proven by the fans of the original novel recognizing its film adaptation. After some thought, Juho said, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t see any of them that often. I was still anonymous when the movie was still in production, so we hardly ever met in person.¡±

    Yun Woo¡¯s face hadn¡¯t been known to the public back then, and Juho had wanted his identity to remain hidden.

    ¡°Besides, I had no intention of being part of the production. I just wanted to be able to enjoy the movie as another viewer. So, at the end of the day, the position I was in wasn¡¯t all that different from the one everyone else in here was. I¡¯m just another fan of the movie.¡±

    ¡°Do you keep in touch with the actors and actresses?¡±

    ¡°asionally.¡±

    ¡°Did you really not know that Myung Joo Mu was gonna be at your signing?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I was genuinely caught off guard when I saw him too.¡±

    From then on, after receiving a few more questions, Juho answered them with sincerity. Then, as the microphone went to thest person, the audience member asked, ¡°Do you consider Sung Pil your rival?¡±

    Looking at his friend, who was sitting next to him, Juho replied, ¡°I remember growing kidney beans for a school project once. Whenever I think about that, I realize just how much my friend here has inmon with those beans.¡±

    Sung Pil¡¯s eyebrows winced at Juho¡¯s unexpected analogy. Paying no attention to it, Juho kept on, ¡°Once you nt the bean, you don¡¯t see anything but dirt the first day. But the next day, the bean already starts sprouting, and the next day, the stalk starts toe up, and the following day, the leaves start growing. All that happens within the span of one week.¡±

    Looking at the pace it grew, the bean looked like it had taken root as though it would grow into the sky.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a nt backing away from something. Sung Pil¡¯s writing is kind of like that, which keeps me on my toes.¡±

    Pyung Jin eximed quietly, impressed. Meanwhile, with his eyes widened, the host asked Sung Pil, ¡°Mr. Woo seems to have a lot of good things to say about your writing! What do you have to say, Sung Pil?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already aware that Yun Woo¡¯s been keeping me in check,¡± he said. At which point, the critic¡¯s exmation turned into a subtle chuckle. Nevertheless, the rookie author didn¡¯t let up, ¡°And I¡¯m gonna do my best to ovee the burden that gets put on me by my friend here.¡±

    As the segment came to an end, the audience erupted into apuse. Indicative of the show¡¯s title, the topic naturally moved on to the subject of books.

    ¡°Is there a book that you guys have particrly enjoyed recently?¡±

    ¡°I like to binge read books written by the same author. I read ¡®One Room¡¯ by Seo Joong Ahn again recently and I found myselfpletely hooked,¡± Sung Pil said, beating Juho to it.

    ¡°Ah! I remember discussing that book!¡± the host said, weighing in on Sung Pil¡¯s recent obsession.

    ¡°Have you ever met him in person?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sung Pil said.

    ¡°What about you, Mr. Woo? You know him personally, don¡¯t you? You two have even published a book together.¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Juho said, nodding.

    ¡°You should introduce your friend to Mr. Ahn one of these days!¡± the host said, an idea that Juho didn¡¯t find to be bad.

    ¡°I think I will,¡± Juho said. Then, the critic immediately followed up with another question, ¡°What about you, Mr. Woo? Is there a book that¡¯s left a deep impression on you?¡±

    ¡°¡®The Full Moon,¡¯¡± Juho said without hesitation. As if weing his answer, Pyung Jin¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest.

    ¡°¡®The Full Moon¡¯ is a book that reminded readers of Mr. Lim¡¯s amazing talent. It¡¯s very popr among the younger generation as well. It seems that you¡¯ve enjoyed it yourself, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t just enjoy it. I got so sucked in that I forgot about writing my own book,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Do you meet with Mr. Lim in person often?¡± the host asked the young author, curious about his rtionship with the literary great. However, they weren¡¯t quite close enough for Juho to be able to brag about it. Although he shook his head, the host didn¡¯t let up. While Juho was thinking about changing the subject, another person came to mind.

    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s this novel that I¡¯ve been really looking forward to.¡±

    ¡°Really? Please, do tell,¡± the host said, looking somewhat reluctant to move on. Nevertheless, that was exactly what Juho wanted him to do.

    ¡°Did you hear anything about Geun Woo Yoo?¡±

    ¡°Not that I can remember... Is heing out with a new book? He¡¯s in the same club as you, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he is.¡±

    Before moving on to the next topic, the host took time to briefly mention the author.

    ¡°He¡¯s known for being one of Yun Seo Baek¡¯s pupils. He¡¯s written a sessful debut title by using the jarring subject of cannibalism and he¡¯s also known for his participation in the literary magazine, ¡®The Beginning and the End.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Right. When I checkedst time, he had recently announced the release date for his book,¡± Juho said. However, there was no response from the audience whatsoever. Only Pyung Jin nodded in agreement.

    ¡°He told me a little bit about the story not too long ago, and it was quite interesting. I¡¯m nning on going to the bookstore and buying it the day it¡¯s released,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Mr. Yoo¡¯s writing tends to drag a little,¡± the critic said.

    ¡°And it¡¯s that depressing vibe his writing carries that I really like. You see, his worries and concerns really shine in his writing. He excels at writing about subjects like fascism or nationalism too. He might sound pitiful in his writing, but it¡¯s not exactly ominous, either. He might sound weak and vulnerable, but he¡¯s unyielding at the same time. Timid, yet bold. What I really admire about him is that he¡¯s not afraid to dive into the very things he regrets to bring about a story. A story written by such an interesting person is bound to draw the readers¡¯ attention. As for me, I won¡¯t think twice about buying Geun Woo Yoo¡¯s book when ites out.¡±

    ¡°Sounds to me like you¡¯re a fan.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    From then on, they talked about Geun Woo just a little longer, and Sung Pill shared that he had also read Geun Woo¡¯s book.

    ¡°Now, I hate to be the one to say this, but we¡¯re all out of time for today. Why don¡¯t we wrap up with onest question?¡± the host said. Then, looking away from his script, he asked, ¡°How would you like to be remembered by your readers in the future?¡±

    At that moment, Juho noticed the cameras focusing on him, capturing every subtle change in his expression. Clenching his lips tightly on purpose, he replied, ¡°I gotta try not to be forgotten, first of all.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just silly! How can anybody forget your name?¡±

    As the idle talk around them faded away, the question went to Sung Pil, who repeated the same answer from his first interview. Finally, with the host¡¯s energetic closing remark, the taping session came to an end.

    ¡°Wonder how this will turn out,¡± Sung Pil said. To which, Juho answered confidently, ¡°I¡¯d say pretty OK.¡±

 Chapter 315 - The Attention Yun Woo Brought (6)

    <h4>Chapter 315: The Attention Yun Woo Brought (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡®Finally! Yun Woo Makes an Appearance in ¡®The Great Book Club!¡±

    ¡®The Truth is Out! Sung Pil Appears in ¡®The Great Book Club.¡±

    ¡®A Special Guest? An Unexpected Appearance in the Yun Woo Special.¡¯

    ¡®Q&A Session in ¡®The Great Book Club.¡¯ Yun Woo Answers Burning Questions from his Fans.¡¯

    ¡®Who is Yun Woo? A Closer Look.¡¯

    ¡®The Youthfulness of a Twenty-Year-Old Author. ¡®The Great Book Club¡¯ Reveals the Mystery That Is Yun Woo¡¯s Personal Life.¡¯

    ¡®First Entertainment Show Appearance! Yun Woo¡¯s Eloquence Leaves Fans Charmed.¡¯

    ¡®The Secrets Behind Yun Woo¡¯s Writing? A Closer Look at His Talent.¡¯

    ¡®A Closer Look at Yun Woo¡¯s Spontaneous Ending for His Story at the Exhibition Event¡¯s Presentation.¡¯

    ¡®Behind-the-Scenes Story of the Presentation? Yun Woo Shares His Experience.¡¯

    ¡®The Moment We¡¯ve All Been Waiting For! Yun Woo Finally Appears on TV!¡¯

    ¡®¡±Alexandria¡± ording to Yun Woo, and How He Approaches His Characters.¡¯

    ¡®The Fans React to ¡®The Great Book Club: Yun Woo Special.¡¯ The Show¡¯s Viewership Hits an All-Time High!¡¯

    ¡®The Truth Behind Sung Pil¡¯s Friendship with Yun Woo. Sung Pil Wasn¡¯t Trying to Take Advantage of Their Friendship.¡¯

    ¡®Sung Pil Shares Information about His High School Friend, Yun Woo. Fans Fired Up with Excitement.¡¯

    ¡®Sung Pil¡¯s Interview Prior to His Friendship with Yun Woo Going Public Revealed. ¡®I Don¡¯t Know Him in Person.¡±

    ¡±The Full Moon,¡¯ by Hyun Do Lim, the Book That Left a Deep Impression on Yun Woo. What Is It About?¡¯

    ¡®Geun Woo Yoo, the Author Praised by Yun Woo. Who Is He? The Web Goes Wild.¡¯

    ¡®Geun Woo Yoo¡¯s New Release on the Rise. What Happened?¡¯

    ¡®Geun Woo Yoo, a Pupil of Yun Seo Baek, Rises to Fame Overnight after Yun Woo¡¯s Mention of Him.¡¯

    ¡®Who is Geun Woo Yoo? ¡°We Wrote Together at One Point.¡± One of the Participating Authors of the Literary Magazine ¡°The Beginning and the End.¡±¡®

    ¡°Oh! Yun Woo! On TV! Finally!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s finally on ¡®The Great Book Club!¡¯ Pyung Jin Lee must be having the time of his life.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to see Yun Woo on that show so badly. It¡¯s just priceless to see your favorite author on your favorite show.¡±

    ¡°The stuff they were talking about was really interesting too. Sung Pil was on the show too! It turns out, it was the reporter who stirred the pot.¡±

    ¡°Sung Pil probably went through hell after that. Poor guy.¡±

    ¡°I was watching his original interview, and the interviewer was trying so desperately to tie him to Yun Woo. What¡¯s even more impressive is that Sung Pil doesn¡¯t ever mention Yun Woo, not once.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know who that was. I just thought he was known for being Yun Woo¡¯s friend.¡±

    ¡°That was the vibe that most articles up to this point gave off.¡±

    ¡°You know what¡¯s funny? People were in love with him after his presentation at the exhibition event, but they start trash-talking the guy as soon as they found out that the two were friends.¡±

    ¡°Personally, I loved Sung Pil¡¯s presentation. I believe the story is getting made into a book. It won¡¯t be long before everyone realizes that he has more than what it takes to make it as an author, with or without Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Sung Pil was the first one to get people to cheer like that.¡±

    ¡°Am I the only one who¡¯s in love with his eyebrows?¡±

    ¡°His eyebrows are hrious. Apparently, Yun Woo has been staring at them the entire time they¡¯ve known each other.¡±

    ¡°Can we talk about his age for a second? This guy is YOUNG. He¡¯s super talented for his age. He just happened to debut at a bad time. As in, when Yun Woo¡¯s around.¡±

    ¡°I agree. People tend to underestimate him, especially when he¡¯s standing side-by-side with Yun Woo. He¡¯s already publishing a second story at the age of twenty for goodness sake!¡±

    ¡°I just read Geun Woo Yoo¡¯s book, actually. Super depressing, but super good. Now, I see why Yun Woo loves him so much.¡±

    ¡°I loved his book on cannibalism. I think it¡¯s the epitome of who Geun Woo Yoo is as an author.¡±

    ¡°His books ARE depressing, but he takes something as jarring and frightening as cannibalism and creates something so beautifully harmonious.¡±

    ¡°His books are moving up lists across all online bookstores.¡±

    ¡°This goes to show how influential Yun Woo¡¯s words can be. Let¡¯s be honest, how many people even knew about him before Yun Woo brought up his name?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there were quite a few people who¡¯d read his short story in ¡®The Beginning and the End,¡¯ but it probably wasn¡¯t all that popr.¡±

    ¡°Every single author in that magazine knows what they¡¯re doing, so they each have their own fanbase. Personally, I¡¯m on team Dae Soo Na.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s because Geun Woo Yoo debutedst of that group. He¡¯s published the least number of books, too.¡±

    ¡°I fully intend on buying that book Yun Woo mentioned. I¡¯d love to see more of Geun Woo Yoo¡¯s books.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    At Geun Woo¡¯s exceedingly serious and heavy tone of voice, Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°Giving me a shoutout.¡±

    Geun Woo had been stoked as ofte. Since the show had aired, Geun Woo had be one of the most popr names on the inte. His name was constantly being mentioned, even as he and Yun Woo were speaking, as people discussed his older stories and the new story that was about to be published.

    ¡°I¡¯m not used to all this attention, but it sure feels good to get recognized,¡± Geun Woo said. However, his fame also meant that Juho wouldn¡¯t be able to see his usually exhausted and depressed expression as much.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been dder to know you,¡± Geun Woo said.

    ¡°I hardly did anything. I only brought up your name because you¡¯re a good writer. Others who¡¯ve read your books would agree with me.¡±

    If Geun Woo hadn¡¯t been all that great of a writer, it wouldn¡¯t have urred to Juho to even mention his name. Even if he had mentioned him then, the fans wouldn¡¯t have responded even remotely as intensely as they were currently. Geun Woo¡¯s recognition was the fruit of hisbor.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true,¡± Geun Woo said, chuckling awkwardly. Then, the air sank into silence shortly after. ¡°My book is already going into its second printing, even when it¡¯s still in the pre-order stage. This must be what it¡¯s like to live in your world.¡±

    As Geun Woo grew somber, Juho also remained quiet. Soon, along with some noise in the background, Geun Woo¡¯s voice came from the receiver of Juho¡¯s phone once again.

    ¡°But...¡± he said, sounding as depressed as his usual self. ¡°If this book doesn¡¯t do well, then none of this willst, will it?¡±

    Blinking awkwardly for a brief moment, Juho replied, ¡°That goes without saying.¡±

    ¡°Aghhh...!¡± Geun Woo let out.

    ¡°I thought you were confident in your book?¡±

    ¡°I was until suddenly I became the center of attention. I wasn¡¯t expecting to be the talk of the town like this. You don¡¯t think the book will flop, do you?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it. You put a lot of time and effort into it.¡±

    ¡°That, I did. I remember being satisfied with the result. My publisher liked the manuscript too. But why am I so anxious?¡±

    ¡°Beats me.¡±

    ¡°... You know what? It¡¯s gonna be fine. I¡¯m proud of how it turned out this time.¡±

    As Juho listened to him haphazardly, he remembered Geun Woo¡¯s past out of nowhere. Geun Woo had almost thrown the manuscript of his sessful debut title away at one point. There was no end to his discouragement. In order to prevent him from getting any worse, Juhoforted him...

    ¡°It¡¯ll be OK. Joon Soo thinks you did a remarkable job.¡±

    ¡°Does he now? When did he say this?... Wait, no, no. He knows me too well. There¡¯s no way he looked at my writing from an objective perspective.¡±

    ... Although, his words turned out to be less than effective.

    ¡°What happens now?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°The pressure is getting unbearable! I feel like I¡¯m getting crushed!¡±

    ¡®I thought he was thanking me just me now,¡¯ Juho thought to himself, confused.

    ¡°What if my book is a massive disappointment? What if I let everyone down?¡±

    ¡°Then, that¡¯s that.¡±

    ¡°How are you so nonchnt!? Is it because it¡¯s none of your business?¡±

    ¡°OK, Geun Woo, let¡¯s think about your situation for a little bit. You were on cloud nine just now, but you got sad and depressed all of a sudden, right? That also means the opposite can happen. And, before you know it, you¡¯ll start feeling better. You don¡¯t have to make this harder for yourself.¡±

    At that, Geun Woo¡¯s frivolous response came from Juho¡¯s receiver.

    ¡°I can¡¯t take this! I¡¯m still anxious and I don¡¯t know what to do with myself. I¡¯m gonna try giving my editor a ring. I¡¯m hanging up, now. Thanks!¡±

    Thanking Juho at thest minute, Geun Woo hung up the phone. ¡®Guess that¡¯s just who he is,¡¯ Juho thought to himself, carelessly putting his phone on his desk, imagining Geun Woo regretting his attitude on the phone with Juho as his book turned into a massive sess.

    ¡°All right then, time to get to work,¡± Juho said, stretching his hands and reaching for a pen. He had been in the middle of writing about freedom, writing down any sentence that came to mind. The bigger his stacks of failed manuscripts became, the closer he got to the release date of Geun Woo¡¯s book.

    ¡ª

    ¡°My books have been selling several times more than before,¡± Sung Pil said. Since the show had aired, his debut title had been selling at an increasing rate. After his appearance on ¡®The Great Book Club,¡¯ the rookie author had made several TV appearances, as well as a good number of interviews.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting my book to be a bestseller after being on TV. I realized then just how powerful Yun Woo and the media could be. And how important it is to promote yourself.¡±

    ¡°The name Yun Woo is definitely a great promotional tool.¡±

    ¡°It is so weird. My story is getting printed in massive quantities, put on disy in the most visible spots in bookstores. What¡¯s even weirder is that people are buying it.¡±

    Looking at Sung Pil, Juho asked, ¡°You go to the bookstore a lot these days, huh?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°... For this and that. While I¡¯m there, I get some books.¡±

    ¡°I know where you¡¯reing from. I also used to go a lot when my book first came out.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people have been asking me about you...¡±

    Because of his friendship with Yun Woo, Sung Pil quickly found himself being the main target of the curious fans who wanted to know more about his mysterious author friend. Not only were they curious about their stories, which they had mentioned on TV, but they also tried to get more information on Yun Woo through the rookie author.

    ¡°... But that¡¯s nothing new.¡±

    ¡°You mean it¡¯s happened before? When was this?¡± Juho asked, unsure as to when it could¡¯ve happened. At which, Sung Pil replied in his usual brusque tone of voice, ¡°Remember the time when I got your award instead of you in that contest? One of the professors who handed me the trophy had a lot of questions, asking me about your whereabouts, if you were really not at the ceremony, if I knew anything about you, or what you looked like.¡±

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯m hearing about this.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m telling it to you for the first time. I told him that I didn¡¯t know, and that was when he congratted me. I gotta say, those were probably the most insincere congrattions I¡¯ve ever gotten. That¡¯s when I thought to myself that I wanted to include that in one of my novels in the future.¡±

    While Juho was conflicted as to whether he should beughing or crying, the expression on Sung Pil¡¯s face didn¡¯t change one bit. In the end, letting out a small sigh, Juho said, ¡°I guess that means we just do things the way we¡¯ve always done.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Although the two found themselves in a situation different from the past, it hardly had an effect on their course of action. Sung Pil was still Juho¡¯s friend, and he still went over to his friend¡¯s house on a fairly regr basis. At that moment, as Sung Pil nodded, the doorbell rang, and it wasn¡¯t hard to guess who was on the other side of the door.

    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Bom said, greeting the two with a ck stic bag in one of her hands, which appeared to be filled with bottles judging from the clinking sound that came from it.

    ¡°How many did you get?¡± Juho asked. Then, spreading four of her fingers, she replied, ¡°Just enough, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Sung Pil said. Bom hade over to Juho¡¯s house in order to celebrate Sung Pil¡¯s debut title bing the bestseller. With alcohol, of course. Watching Sung Pil and Bom start taking and pulling the bottles out of the bag without dy, Juho also picked up a ss for himself. At which, Sung Pil asked, ¡°Are you gonna drink?¡±

    ¡°You see, I read a book recently that made me crave a drink,¡± Juho said, fiddling about with his ss.

    ¡°Really? Which book?¡±

    ¡°The one I¡¯d been looking forward to,¡± Juho said, and Sung Pil caught on to it immediately.

    ¡°But it hasn¡¯t been released yet, has it?!¡±

    ¡°Oh, he sent me a few copies. I¡¯ll give you er if you want.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°What are you guys talking about? Which book?¡± Bom asked, looking confused.

    ¡°The book that will make Geun Woo Yoo one of the finest authors around,¡± Juho replied. Then, he raised his ss, filled it with soju, stared briefly at the surface of the liquid bulging from the top, and emptied the ss. Meanwhile, his two friends stared intently at the young author and his unusual behavior. The sensation of the alcohol going down the throat was reminiscent of the feeling that Geun Woo¡¯s new book carried. With that, the young author flipped his ss upside down and said, ¡°OK, I¡¯m done. I¡¯m gonna drink some water.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?! I thought you were gonna drink with us?¡±

    ¡°Nah. I care about my health,¡± Juho said, washing the alcohol down in his throat with water. Meanwhile, his two friends filled each other¡¯s ss and changed the subject.

    ¡°Man, the ss went on forever today!¡± Bom said, grumbling, adding that there had been mention of Sung Pil¡¯s name during ss.

    ¡°The professor really seems to like you.¡±

    ¡°He treated me to some food along with a few seniors, too.¡±

    ¡°... That sounds ufortable.¡±

    ¡°The food was good, though.¡±

    As if she couldn¡¯t imagine herself in that picture, Bom shook her head.

    ¡°Well, tell me about your presentations.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not much to tell.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mooon,¡± she said, narrowing her eyes. Instead of attending the event, she had been working on a piece of writing of her own.

    ¡°Were you nervous at all?¡±

    ¡°A little bit.¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to beat him,¡± Sung Pil said.

    ¡°Were you able to see the faces in the audience?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was.¡±

    ¡°Did anyone try to barge onto the stage?¡±

    ¡°If anyone had, you¡¯d have already read about it on the news.¡±

    ¡°There was someone who shouted while Juho was presenting.¡±

    Bom asked an array of questions. The more questions they answered, the less drink remained in the bottles. As the number of empty bottles grew, Juho sipped on his water.

    ¡°It felt good, didn¡¯t it?¡± Bom asked Sung Pil, who seemed clueless as to what she was referring to.

    ¡°When people cheered for you. Your books are flying off the shelves. You¡¯re practically following in Yun Woo¡¯s footsteps.¡±

    An ambiguous look appeared on Sung Pil¡¯s face. However, he didn¡¯t deny it.

    ¡°I was so anxious when this whole scandal between you and Juho broke out. But hey, everything worked out! I don¡¯t know who¡¯s behind writing the article that started all of that, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not gonna be happy about it,¡± Bom said with a cheerful smile, simr to Sung Pil, who was smiling more subtly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure tomorrow morning you won¡¯t be happy about how much you had to drink, either,¡± Juho said, warning her as she guzzled down her drink. Of course, Bom paid no attention to her friend.

 Chapter 316 - The Genius with an Iron Stomach (1)

    <h4>Chapter 316: The Genius with an Iron Stomach (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I should¡¯ve just stayed home,¡± Sung Pil murmured, letting out a small sigh. No matter how hard he tried, his queasy stomach kept him from paying attention in ss. Feeling like throwing up, he walked out of the ssroom and sat by the stairs. Although he had felt fine when he had woken up that morning, reading a certain book just before breakfast had proved troublesome. Despite feeling like the words had kept floating about before his eyes, Sung Pil simply hadn¡¯t been able to put the book down.

    ¡°I drank way too much yesterday,¡± he said, regretting his decisions from the day before. The physical education majors were ying ser in the distance, shouting something. The sight of the ball rolling across the field alone was enough to make Sung Pil feel even more nauseous. He massaged his temples in an attempt to improve his state, but to no avail, which inevitably put him in a bad mood. At that moment...

    ¡°Hey! You¡¯re that Sung Pil, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ... Somebody called to the rookie author. When he looked back, he saw somebody with a bushy bleached hairdo, an upperssman who Sung Pil barely knew.

    ¡°Heard you¡¯re friends with Yun Woo?¡± he asked in a friendly manner, and Sung Pil was very well aware of why the upperssman was even talking to him. As ifpletely oblivious to the apparent look of suffering on Sung Pil¡¯s face, he walked toward the rookie author and stood in front of him. Looking up at the upperssman, who was standing against the Sun, was quite daunting in the state Sung Pil was in.

    ¡°Let me talk to him on the phone, will ya?¡± the upperssman asked. At which, Sung Pil couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow, feeling provoked, all without a way to control it. It wasn¡¯t just the hangover, either. He remembered the book he had read that same morning. In it, was a sense of inferiority and defeat. Sung Pil was well acquainted with the emotions within the book, and the entire story felt like he¡¯d been reading about his own life. Geun Woo¡¯s writing had caused the rookie author to reflect on everything he had gone through up to that point in his life.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you talking trash about me not too long ago?¡±

    ¡°Wha-?¡±

    ¡°Saying that I was taking advantage of Yun Woo?¡±

    The upperssman had been among the group of people who had insulted the rookie author for his friendship with Yun Woo. As if feeling exposed, he brushed his hair up with his fingers, which was much too stiff and messy to keep in control.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t me,¡± he said insincerely and without a care in the world. Sung Pil remembered having had trouble tolerating a situation like that when had was younger. He couldn¡¯t ignore it, either. He hadn¡¯t been able to stand people whose words and actions weren¡¯t in sync with each other. Their presence alone had often been highly bothersome. Now, for the first time in a very long time, he found himself revisiting those emotions.

    ¡°No,¡± Sung Pil said, deeply annoyed.

    ¡°Why not??¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll throw up on you if you keep bothering me.¡±

    However, the upperssman didn¡¯t let up despite the rookie author¡¯s warning.

    ¡°Must be nice having Yun Woo as a friend.¡±

    ¡°Yes, quite so.¡±

    ¡°Does he ever buy you stuff?¡±

    At that moment, Sung Pil sprung up from his seat. He had no time or energy to deal with the insensitive upperssman. As Sung Pil wretched toward him, the upperssman leapt back, frightened. In the state Sung Pil was in, throwing up was as easy as shaving his eyebrows off. Fully intending on vomiting all over the upperssman, the rookie author charged at him. At which, the upperssman kept backing up until he fell on his back, making a scene. Looking down at him, a thought, which felt more like the book talking to him, urred to Sung Pil. It said, ¡®This is why you don¡¯t get along with others.¡¯

    ¡°Here, I have some tissues,¡± the upperssman said as he got back up and took a few pieces of tissue out of his bag, which was something he would have more need for if Sung Pil were to vomit on him. Looking at the crumpled up tissues in the upperssman¡¯s hand, Sung Pil couldn¡¯t help but feel empty inside. Letting out a small sigh, he took the tissues, almost as if snatching them.

    ¡°I better drink some water.¡±

    Walking out of the campus, Sung Pil made his way to the convenience store. Although he didn¡¯t want to eat or drink anything, he needed something with which tofort his stomach. After pretending to retch, he was actually starting to feel like vomiting.

    ¡°Maybe I should just take something instead,¡± he said, changing direction midway. Since neither of the ces was too far off, he decided to go to the pharmacy instead. Upon seeing him, the pharmacist offered him a hangover recovery drink and a can of some beverage, as if well acquainted with young, hungover customers like Sung Pil. He took the pill and swallowed it almost immediately.

    ¡°You¡¯re that author, aren¡¯t you?¡± the pharmacist asked after staring intently at him. ¡°You¡¯re friends with Yun Woo, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Heard he¡¯s a good writer. Is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The pharmacist chuckled, as if finding Sung Pil¡¯s answer funny.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard being around a friend who¡¯s so sessful, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡°I was like that when I was younger, too. I was an aspiring singer. You see, I had a rival.¡±

    Sung Pil looked up at the pharmacist at the word rival. However, beingpletely oblivious about where the rookie author¡¯s interesty, the pharmacist kept on with his life story.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t stand a chance against him. He¡¯s still goin¡¯ strong. Do you know that one singer? That¡¯s my friend. You wanna see a picture?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Sung Pil said, looking at the picture the pharmacist was showing him of someone who the rookie author didn¡¯t recognize. The shiny jacket was about the only memorable thing.

    ¡°I went through some tough times. I was so jealous of his talent.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Sung Pil replied haphazardly. However, the pharmacist didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°I still found my own path, though. However, this friend of mine, he might be sessful, but nowhere near as sessful as Yun Woo. Something tells me that you¡¯re in a much more difficult position than the one I was in.¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡°Stand tall, young man. Don¡¯t lose hope.¡±

    Although Sung Pil couldn¡¯t understand what the pharmacist was talking about, he gave an affirmative answer since he didn¡¯t want to talk any longer. As he put the empty bottle in the trash can, the pharmacist asked, ¡°You don¡¯t think you could get me an autograph from him, do you?¡±

    Feeling his patience reaching its limits, the rookie author said, ¡°I¡¯m throwing up right here, right now.¡±

    ¡°No way! Not here! There¡¯s a restroom in the next building over!¡± the pharmacist said, handing Sung Pil a ck stic bag. Taking the bag, the rookie author made his way to the next building, feeling as though the world around him was spinning. After debuting and starting to make a name for himself, Sung Pil had just begun to realize what it meant to be part of the literary world. Yun Woo wasn¡¯t the only talented author. In fact, there were a slew of authors who were significantly more talented than Sung Pil.

    ¡°Now, I see why you don¡¯t drink,¡± Sung Pil said, stopping under a gingko tree on the street, burying his face in the ck stic bag and thinking that he¡¯d feel better once he poured everything out. ¡®I¡¯m gonna start writing as soon as I sober up,¡¯ he thought to himself. Of all books, Juho haduded a book that had a massive lingering emotional impact, which made Sung Pil wonder if Juho had known about the effect of the book all along. ¡®I can¡¯t let sess get to my head. There are so many more people who deserve to be more sessful than me. If I wanna protect what I have, then I have to put up a fight.¡¯

    ¡°One heck of a friend I have,¡± Sung Pil said, pouring everything out into the stic bag, along with the sense of inferiority and defeat welling up from within.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hey,¡± an exhausted voice greeted Juho as he walked into the studio. When the young author looked down, he saw Geun Woo lying in the middle of the room.

    ¡°Are you sick?¡± Juho asked, and Geun Woo waved his hand weakly in denial. All of his things were scattered about the room as if he had been cleaning, which made the room seem quite untidy. Putting the gift he had brought for Geun Woo down, Juho added to the untidy state of the room.

    ¡°Brought you a bottle of wine.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    It was to celebrate the release of Geun Woo¡¯s new book. The voice Juho had heard on the phone was nowhere to be found. Instead, the author was lying on the floor absentmindedly, like a marathon runner who just passed the finish line. Every time he inhaled, his stomach bulged up.

    ¡°Seems like you are in the middle of cleaning your room.¡±

    ¡°Yep. I wanted to organize the manuscript papers that had been stacking around the room.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡±

    ¡°Fine by me,¡± Geun Woo said, nodding willingly and getting back up to his feet. However, his hands were quite slow. Since they weren¡¯t his manuscripts, Juho couldn¡¯t even categorize them, which forced him to keep a simr pace to Geun Woo¡¯s.

    ¡°Can you hand me that box over there?¡±

    ¡°This one?¡±

    ¡°The one next to it.¡±

    Taking arge cardboard box, Juho handed it to Geun Woo, who proceeded to tape the bottom of it. The tape made a loud noise as Geun Woo pulled it away from the roll.

    ¡°Gotta throw everything out.¡±

    Geun Woo had already thrown out most of his old manuscripts. Although there were some he would stare at intently, as if reminiscing to the time when he wrote what was on the pages, he started picking them up by the bunches shortly after and putting them in the cardboard box, almost as if finding them cumbersome.

    ¡°What if you lose an important piece of data?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I keep them separate from the manuscripts,¡± Geun Woo said confidently,ying on the floor again.

    ¡°Are you done? It hasn¡¯t even been that long.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s not worry about cleaning for now. Besides, I shouldn¡¯t be cleaning when I have a guest.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a decent excuse,¡± Juho said, sitting on the doorway while watching the dust particles sparkling in the sun and escaping through the open window.

    ¡°Lazy day?¡±

    ¡°I just feel like I¡¯ve used up everything I had.¡±

    A breeze blew into the room through the window, blowing on Geun Woo¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Did you read it?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    After a brief pause, Geun Woo asked, ¡°What did you think?¡±

    Looking at the bottle of wine he had brought, Juho replied, ¡°Good enough to make me crave a drink.¡±

    As if checking to see if the young author was telling the truth, Geun Woo looked toward the doorway at Juho, looking livelier than ever.

    ¡°You? Drink?¡±

    ¡°I only had one though.¡±

    ¡°One as in one can of beer?¡±

    ¡°No, as in one ss. A ss of soju.¡±

    ¡°What? Who drinks like that?¡± Geun Woo said, chuckling. However, he didn¡¯t seem particrly offended. Looking at his chest moving up and down, Juho asked, ¡°That was me, huh?¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°The one with the iron stomach.¡±

    ¡°Haha! Did you recognize yourself?¡±

    There were a variety of characters in Geun Woo¡¯s novel: an idiot, a maniac, a romantic, a white supremacist, an enthusiast, and a genius.

    ¡°C¡¯mon! A genius with an iron stomach? Really?¡±

    Not only was the character the most peculiar, but he was also the most absurd, the most riveting, and the most colorful.

    ¡°But he¡¯s a genius, isn¡¯t he? Everybody wants to be like him.¡±

    ¡°He dies! From all the toxins that¡¯d been building up in his body!¡± Juho said, Then, in a somewhat confrontational tone, he asked, ¡°You held feelings against me, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Geun Woo admitted quickly, saying, ¡°Because you snatched my award right out of my hand! If it hadn¡¯t been for you, I could¡¯ve been the one presenting on that stage! Geun Woo Yoo, the winner of this year¡¯s Rookie of the Year Award.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not my fault.¡±

    ¡°... Prick.¡±

    The genius with the iron stomach eventually died in Geun Woo¡¯s new novel. Being inherently different from those around him, he believed that he was entirely made of steel. Falling on his face or running into something did nothing to him, allowing him to jump into a fire without a care in the world. Despite the extreme heat, he didn¡¯t melt away. If anything, he remained solid. Simply put, he was invincible.

    ¡°How are you able to move on to another piece so soon?¡± Geun Woo asked out of nowhere, looking toward the ceiling and slurring slightly from lying t on the floor.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m about to fall apart after writing just one eight-hundred-page book. But you, you don¡¯t have that problem. Even as we¡¯re speaking. It¡¯s only been what? A few months since your most recent full-length novel? Not only that, but you wrote in front of a massive audience. Yet, you still have the energy to move around. When you said that manuscript was iplete, I thought you¡¯d lost your mind. I can¡¯t believe you revealed a first draft to your readers!¡± Geun Woo said, shuddering at the thought of finding himself in Juho¡¯s position.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you have a stomach made of iron. No wonder you¡¯re so resilient, unlike me, who is squishy and weak. Man, I¡¯m getting sleepy,¡± he added, letting out a big yawn, acting as if he didn¡¯t have what it took to ovee hisziness, like somebody who had either just woken up or was about to fall asleep. At that moment...

    ¡°What are you talkin¡¯ about? We¡¯ve even eaten together at a restaurant.¡±

    Another voice came from behind Juho. When he looked up, the person to whom the voice belonged looked down and locked eyes with him. It was Joon Soo, looking as kind as ever.

    ¡°He¡¯s been cleaning his room for a week now,¡± Joon Soo said, letting out a small sigh. ¡°Mrs. Baek keeps saying that I should leave him be and let him rest since he¡¯s worked long and hard, but...¡± he paused, looking slightly troubled. ¡°You gotta clean your room at some point!¡±

    ¡°Please, Joon Soo. Let me be.¡±

    Paying no attention to Geun Woo¡¯s plea, Joon Soo tapped the stack of boxes next to him with his foot, which came toppling over, vomiting its contents. However, Geun Woo didn¡¯t move a muscle, and Joon Soo stared intently at him.

    ¡°Long breaks aren¡¯t necessarily bad. Say... Thirty years? He wouldn¡¯t have to sleep another day in his life. Just imagine how much writing he could get done with all that time in his hands.¡±

    As Geun Woo snorted, his body also moved up and down.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly now.¡±

 Chapter 317 - The Genius with an Iron Stomach (2)

    <h4>Chapter 317: The Genius with an Iron Stomach (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho saw Geun Woo lifting his head as if looking down at his belly button.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never felt thiszy, have you?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m human, you know.¡±

    Geun Woo rxed his neck shortly after and said, ¡°You know what though? I feel somewhat relieved.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because I can still be like Yun Woo, even if I¡¯m dilly dallying in my room like this.¡±

    Juho looked at Joon Soo, who let out a small sigh. Leaving Geun Woo on the floor, he said to the young author, ¡°I came to congratte Geun Woo, but I wasn¡¯t expecting him to be like that. I¡¯m sorry you had to see that.¡±

    ¡°Not a problem.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I watched you writing onstage during the exhibition event.¡±

    ¡°Ah, there are some videos of it floating around the inte, I believe.¡±

    There were videos of the presentation recorded by fans floating around the inte. Despite the significant length, the number of views on each of them was growing.

    ¡°That ending was really somethin¡¯,¡± Geun Woo interjected, keeping his eyes closed.

    ¡°Was it fun?¡±

    ¡°What was?¡±

    ¡°Writing on a stage.¡±

    ¡°In some ways.¡±

    ¡°Seemed like there was a lot to see. Especially that heavy metal girl,¡± Joon Soo said, leaning against the doorpost. ¡°But your writing process was not exactly what I expected.¡±

    The young author¡¯s writing process looked entirely different from the image Joon Soo had had in mind. Shrugging, Juho replied, ¡°I was just typing away on that keyboard. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Actually, there was something about it that kind of reminded me of the genius in Geun Woo¡¯s novel.¡±

    ¡°... As in, I looked like I was about to die?¡±

    Chuckling, Joon Soo denied it, saying, ¡°No, no. I wouldn¡¯t say anything about your stamina in front of Geun Woo, who¡¯d do anything to have stamina like yours. I¡¯m talking about how the geniuses to start eating metal.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s hungry.¡±

    With that extremely obvious reason, the genius in Geun Woo¡¯s novel started eating metal. Nodding, Joon Soo added, ¡°Right. Mrs. Baek was saying that you looked famished.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°She suggested having a barbecue when you got here.¡±

    ¡°... I did skip breakfast that day,¡± Juho said, chuckling and looking away. Since Joon Soo didn¡¯t speak any further on the matter, the subject moved on to something else naturally.

    ¡°Speaking of which, any word on the contract?¡± Juho asked Geun Woo, who caught on to what the young author was referring to immediately.

    ¡°Oh. The movie rights?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Since his debut title started catching on, Geun Woo had received a call from a movie studio. The fast pace and provocative subject of the novel made it feasible for a film adaptation.

    ¡°Yep. I think they¡¯re about to have a meeting soon,¡± Geun Woo said, sounding slightly more energetic that time, as if he were stoke about the movie offer.

    ¡°Once a book gets made into a movie, the sales are bound to go up, no matter how good or bad the movie is. Besides, thepany that approached me is pretty big. Everyone around me seems to think that I should go for it.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Ju said the same thing,¡± Juho said.

    ording to Geun Woo¡¯s request, Juho had recently talked to Sang Young Ju on the phone in order to ask about thepany that had approached Geun Woo with the movie offer. Thankfully, it was apany that the director recognized. Just before hanging up, Sang Young had asked the young author:

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    When Juho looked toward where the voice hade from, Geun Woo was looking toward him. Despite knowing what he¡¯d meant, Juho asked, ¡°What about me?¡±

    At which, Geun Woo asked again in a slightly louder tone, ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna do a film adaptation?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    Furrowing his brow, Geun Woo said, ¡°Hey, we all know that there¡¯s a film adaptation that we¡¯re all dying to see. Although, I feel kind of bad for Mr. Ju.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s talking about ¡®Language of God,¡¯ you know,¡± Joon Soo added.

    ¡®Langauge of God¡¯ was one of the most widely talked about novel series of all time. Film adaptations, sequels, TV series. Since it had brought the young author two of the most widely recognized literary awards in the world, it was inevitable that it received significantly more attention than his other books. Although the poprity seemed to have died down over time, the series had started rising to poprity due to the recent mention of it at the popr TV show. Although disappointing his fans was something Juho never wanted to do willingly, he hadn¡¯t been getting any new ideas for the series. Meanwhile, looking as though he was bringing up old news, Geun Woo said, ¡°You turned down all of the movie offers from all of those famous movie studios overseas, remember? Thepetition for the film rights was probably insane. You have no idea how much your fans looked forward to seeing their favorite story getting made into a Hollywood movie, do you? That includes me.¡±

    ¡°I just didn¡¯t find any of them all that appealing.¡±

    ¡°As you always do!¡± Geun Woo said, calling out Juho¡¯s impulsive tendencies. Although he appeared to be calcting on the outside, he was never concerned about those around him, only about himself, which forced him to make up an excuse.

    ¡°I was busy, you know. I had no time for anything.¡±

    ¡°Then, what about now? You have time. Does that mean you¡¯d take up on an offer if it came your way?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get tons of money from the film rights alone. You¡¯d make millions from the export advance alone. If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t think twice about it. Besides, what do you have to lose?¡±

    Although Juho was fully aware of where Geun Woo wasing from, he brushed his hand across the back of his neck, hesitating.

    ¡°I just can¡¯t think of a reason to do another movie adaptation,¡± he said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need anything fancy. Your readers want it.¡±

    ¡°Well, my opinions are important too, aren¡¯t they?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Think about all the profit you¡¯d make. Wealth. Fame.¡±

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ has been more than popr and profitable for me, even without getting made into a movie.¡±

    ¡°Prick.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s harsh,¡± Juho said, shrugging. At which point, Geun Woo turned his body toward the young author, staring straight into Juho¡¯s eyes, which made him feel ufortable.

    ¡°You just don¡¯t seem to have the drive when ites to things like money and fame. Aren¡¯t they things you can never have enough of? Most people would do anything for them, especially if they¡¯d tasted them once, like me and Joon Soo.¡±

    At that, Joon Soo chuckled and added, ¡°Juho was exactly the same when he did his first film adaptation. I saw it in the interview. ¡®A film adaptation that surpasses the original novel.¡¯ That was your condition for the director, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°That sounds right,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t get you.¡±

    ¡°What are you all doing here?¡±

    At Yun Seo¡¯s sudden appearance, everyone looked toward the doorway. Walking into the untidy room, she stared intently at Geun Woo, who sprung back up to his feet from lying on the floor. However, Yun Seo didn¡¯t make a big deal out of his seeminglyzy behavior.

    ¡°The meat won¡¯t cook itself, you know,¡± she said, and the three left the room at the same time.

    (TL¡¯s Note: In Korean culture, it¡¯s considered impolite and rude to be lying down in front of older people, hence Geun Woo¡¯s behavior when Yun Seo steps into the room.)

    ¡ª

    ¡°Any word from the publisher?¡±

    ¡°No, not yet.¡±

    Nabi had been looking into a certain author¡¯s copyright after receiving an inquiry from a client. Although having a substantial fan base overseas, the author was far from popr in Korea. After discussing it with another agency, with which she had been in contact, Nabi reached out to the publisher of the author. When she opened her email again, her inbox was filled to the brim with emails from all across the globe, which were mostly about an international book fair that was being held in Germany that year. Since Kelley Coin was known to participate, the fair drew quite the attention.

    One of the responsibilities of an agency was to introduce authors who they found to be promising. As for Nabi, she was thinking about bringing up Geun Woo Yoo, who was quickly rising to fame as ofte. His debut title seemed like it would be well received by international readers.

    His new novel had been quite interesting in how it depicted the inner beings of the characters in great detail. Every single one of them carried a sense of inferiority and defeat, which enabled them to understand each other while having nothing else inmon. Geun Woo¡¯s unique style of writing was quite effective when it came to bringing the most out of the material. One of the most prominent characters was the metal-eating genius, who added an interesting twist to the novel. Although being the most powerful and practically invincible, the character met his demise before any other character within the book. Aside from the tragic ending, the character had a lot inmon with Yun Woo.

    ¡°Hey, Nabi. Do you know which question I get the most since I started working here?¡± her coworker, whose desk was right next to her, asked.

    Havinge from anotherpany, she was quite the curious type, striking up conversations at every opportunity. Reading an email from a partner, Nabi replied haphazardly, ¡°Don¡¯t know. Don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about Yun Woo.¡±

    At the mention of the young author¡¯s name, Nabi, while pretending not to listen to her, kept her ears open.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it soon enough.¡±

    ¡°I get questions about him all the time. Even from my parents! I haven¡¯t even met the guy.¡±

    Then, studying Nabi¡¯s expression cautiously, the coworker asked, ¡°Speaking of which...¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to know. So, there¡¯s a rumor...¡±

    ¡°A rumor?¡±

    Yun Woo had always been surrounded by all sorts of rumors. As a number of them crossed Nabi¡¯s mind, the coworker added, ¡°... that he absolutely hates visual media. Is that true?¡±

    ¡®Oh. Right,¡¯ Nabi thought, chuckling.

    ¡°Not at all. He appeared on TV not too long ago, remember?¡±

    ¡°But he hardly ever makes TV appearances though.¡±

    At that, Nabi let out a small sigh and exined, ¡°He¡¯s just focused on writing. You know the type. Like San Jung Youn, who lives in the mountains, or Mr. Lim, who refuses to write testimonials for other authors.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but I think Mr. Woo¡¯s particrly worse.¡±

    ¡°Just get back to work,¡± Nabi said. However, her warning did little to stop the coworker from speaking.

    ¡°OK. This is what I¡¯ve been REALLY wanting to know. If he doesn¡¯t hate visual media, does that mean there¡¯s a chance that ¡®Language of God¡¯ will get made into a movie? ¡®Cause I love that series.¡±

    ¡°A-ha...¡±

    The coworker wasn¡¯t the only fan of ¡®Language of God,¡¯ and rumors of a film adaptation had been circting for a number of years by that point. In actuality, Nabi and her agency had been receiving offers from movie studios from all across the globe. Having prepared for a fiercepetition over movie rights back then, Nabi had tried to convince the young author into selling the rights to apany offering the best conditions and price. However, he hadn¡¯t sold the rights to anybody. No matter how many scripts or how much money they offered, nothing had changed his mind.

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Nabi replied to her coworker, smacking her lips.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°You said it yourself. His case is worse, even among authors. He even turned down an offer from a Hollywood director recently, you know this.¡±

    ¡°... Can¡¯t hurt to hope.¡±

    ¡°Well, I doubt it¡¯s gonna happen anytime soon,¡± Nabi said, and her coworker sighed deeply. With that, Nabi redirected her attention to her emails. At that moment, she heard her coworker, mumbling, ¡°Mr. Woo has toe out more often, you know. He has to make himself known to the world. Isn¡¯t that what an agency is for?¡±

    ¡°Just go back to work.¡±

    ¡°If he were to be at the book fair in Germany this year, the Korean booth would be booming with people. Is he really not going? The Korean wave shouldn¡¯t be limited to just music and TV, don¡¯t you think? Why shouldn¡¯t the publishing industry be part of that wave? Korean literature has just started catching on, and Mr. Woo would be in the center of it if he were to be there.¡±

    Germany. Nabi stopped midway while reading through her email. Roughly eight-thousandpanies from about a hundred countries were going to be part of the book fair in Germany, which was also one of the three most prominent book fairs in the world. Not only were there going to be celebrity authors, but there were bound to be countless other publishing agents sharing information with each other. Since there was going to be a booth set up for each of the countries, the fair was bound to get crowded. Then, cutting her coworker off, who was murmuring about how desperately thepany wanted to take Yun Woo to the fair, Nabi said, ¡°He declined the conference right off the bat.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s quite over yet,¡± Nabi added, resting her chin on her hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± the coworker said,ing closer to Nabi. A subtle smile spread across her face.

    ¡°It means authors don¡¯t go to the fair just on official business. Whether it¡¯s on vacation or whatnot, as long an author gets there, they get to meet all the important people in the industry.¡±

    There was much to be gained from an encounter with such figures, and Nabi fully intended on dragging Yun Woo with her to Germany.

    ¡°Besides, Mr. Woo isn¡¯t anonymous anymore. Making public appearances isn¡¯t an issue anymore.¡±

    The young author¡¯s face was widely known, which made the rumors surrounding him a natural thing, along with the anticipation of seeing him from the fans. At Nabi¡¯s remark, the coworker¡¯s face lit up.

    ¡°So, how are you nning on convincing him?¡±

    ¡°You see, that¡¯s the issue.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, really? You looked so confident, so I thought you had something in mind!¡± the coworker grumbled. At which, Nabi said quietly and menacingly, ¡°I¡¯m gonna put you with Kelley Coin if you don¡¯t stop talking.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Since she started working with Yun Woo, Nabi hade to learn a few things about the young author. One of them being that he wasn¡¯t afraid to travel long distances as long as there was something he wanted at the destination. Although she had no clue as to what Yun Woo would want or when or where, that much was clear. In other words, she needed some kind of bait.

    ¡°What could it be?¡± Nabi asked herself, redirecting her attention to the screen of her monitor.

 Chapter 318 - An Encounter in Germany (1)

    <h4>Chapter 318: An Encounter in Germany (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯ve you been, Ms. Hong?¡±

    They were at an Italian restaurant known for their pasta, where Jang Mi ate regrly. Following her suggestion, Juho ced his order ordingly.

    ¡°I loved your presentation.¡±

    The editor seemed to view the exhibition event in a positive light. As the two caught up casually, their food starteding out. The pasta dish with tomato sauce was quite delectable.

    ¡°So, did you give it some thought?¡±

    Juho stopped midway and looked at Jang Mi while twirling the noodles with his fork. There was another reason she had invited him out to a meal, and it had nothing to do with the presentation or with catching up with the young author.

    ¡°You mean about a ¡®Language of God¡¯ sequel?¡±

    Looking at the young author with determined eyes, she was earnestly waiting for a sequel. Taking the noodles wrapped around his fork, Juho brought them up to his mouth and started chewing, washing them down with some water afterward.

    ¡°I have a general sense of direction.¡±

    ¡°You said you wanted to write about the past, right? As in, the root and the foundation of the world within the story? I¡¯m fully on board with that. Readers are curious about that too.¡±

    Juho had been hearing about the series a lot as ofte, and it had to be because he had brought it up first on TV.

    ¡°Since the show aired, the office has been getting several times more calls from readers asking about the sequel.¡±

    Readers weed the fact that there was another story even remotely rted to the series in the young author¡¯s mind. Nevertheless, Juho fiddled with the pasta on his te.

    ¡°If you have something in mind, maybe it wouldn¡¯t be such a bad idea to see where it takes you,¡± Jang Mi said. She was right. Putting down his fork, which still had the noodles wrapped around it, Juho said, ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been thinking that too.¡±

    At that, the editor¡¯s face lit up almost instantly.

    ¡°The thing is...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I feel cautious.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    Resting his chin on his hand, the young author replied, ¡°There is a war in the series.¡±

    ¡®Language of God¡¯ held a myriad of information as it was. Culture, life, people, andnguage. The young author¡¯s depiction of war would be quite realistic, which meant it needed to be approached with caution. Meanwhile, Jang Mi noticed thepetitive spirit stirring up within his eyes.

    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll start writing now?¡± she asked, doing her best to remainposed. After a brief pause, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯d like to think about it some more.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo...¡±

    At that moment, Juho¡¯s phone started vibrating in his pocket. After asking to be excused, he took the phone out of his pocket and answered. It was Nabi.

    ¡°Would you mind if I take this?¡±

    ¡°Not a problem. Feel free to answer it where you¡¯re at.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Slightly turning his torso away from the editor, Juho answered the phone.

    ¡°Mr. Woo, let¡¯s go to Germany.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Juho asked inadvertently. However, he was well aware of what the agent was referring to. She had already reached out to the young author a number of times by that point. Feeling Jang Mi¡¯s gaze, Juho replied on the phone, ¡°I thought we already discussed this...¡±

    ¡°Yes we did, and I¡¯m aware that you¡¯ve turned it down. I¡¯m merely suggesting a vacation. That¡¯s all,¡± Nabi said, changing her strategy.

    Then, she proceeded to exin to Juho why he should go to the book fair. Korean literature, interaction with people from around the globe, being an official and meaningful asion, a public appearance, meeting different people in the industry from other countries, career activity, reputation... etc. None of those reasons were attractive enough to draw the young author in.

    ¡°Think about it, Mr. Woo. We¡¯re talking about four hundred thousand different books. Doesn¡¯t that sound fun?¡±

    ¡°It sure does.¡±

    ¡°There will be plenty more to experience there. You said the sequel to ¡®Language of God¡¯ would be in the past, didn¡¯t you? Who knows? You might get something out of the trip.¡±

    Juho chuckled quietly. Both Nabi and Jang Mi were well aware of Juho¡¯s priorities. The way they were going about convincing him was proof of that.

    ¡°That did cross my mind,¡± Juho said, contemting for a brief moment. Juho didn¡¯t think that his appearance at the book fair would be smooth. It was very likely that it would quickly turn into a massive meet & greet session. However, as long as he wasn¡¯t forced to give a spontaneous lecture in front of a massive audience, it was a risk he was willing to take. Upon being reminded of that, the trip to Germany didn¡¯t sound like such a bad idea.

    ¡°Germany, huh?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Germany was a country with a history that left it in need of redemption. The apprehension that came from losing the First World War and the following economic crisis had led them to desire a powerful leader, which had ultimately led to the birth of dictatorship.

    ¡°Germany, Italy, Japan... I was hoping to start from the country closest to home,¡± Juho said, looking toward Jang Mi. War was an inevitable part of the setting that he wanted to write about. It was a violent standoff between countries, which had yielded unspeakable events in history. It was an act to suppress the opponent¡¯s will by force, and in order to handle it properly, one needed to properly educate themselves. However, that had little to do with the book fair. In fact, it would be better to go somewhere quiet. At that moment...

    ¡°Oh, did I tell you? Coin¡¯s gonna be there!¡±

    ... Nabi¡¯s voice interrupted Juho¡¯s thought process.

    ¡°Coin? As in Kelley Coin?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You heard it right. Didn¡¯t see thating, did you? The German publisher must¡¯ve made a special request.¡±

    Coin was a person whose presence itself carried enough hostility. What would an unorganized, inconsistent conflict look like? It wasn¡¯t rare toe across an interpersonal conflict, which often arose from one party trying to superimpose their will on the other. A wave of thoughts started washing over the young author, slowly filling up his mind. Feeling like meeting Coin all of a sudden, Juho said, ¡°I think I can make this sequel happen.¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡± Jang Mi asked, taken aback despite having an idea of what Juho¡¯s phone call was about.

    ¡°At least in the emotional state I¡¯m in at the moment. I don¡¯t have anything to back it up with though, which is slightly troublesome,¡± Juho said. Then, he raised his hand and gestured to the editor to give him some time to think. Shortly after, he said to Nabi on the phone, ¡°OK. I¡¯ll go.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea how desperate I was to hear that answer,¡± Nabi said, making Juho swear by his decision before hanging up. Meanwhile, Jang Mi was looking at him as though puzzled and delighted all at the same time.

    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m going to Germany.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like it! May I ask what that call was about? Although, I have a slight idea,¡± Jang Mi asked, trying to suppress her excitement.

    ¡°It was about a book fair in Frankfurt, Germany.¡±

    Being an editor, there was no way that Jang Mi didn¡¯t know about one of the most widely recognized book fairs in the world.

    ¡°You mean in the South Korean booth? Are you giving a lecture, too? I mean, writing in front of an audience?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just going on a vacation/learning experience. It¡¯s nothing official,¡± Juho said and added, ¡°I¡¯ll bring back some research data.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Yun Woo, the genius author.¡±

    Sitting at a park where ake was visible, a man murmured with his mouth filled by a sandwich. Pedestrians gave him a weird look for his bizarre behavior, which involved ranting and smiling repeatedly. Then, somebody who recognized the man stopped in his tracks, taken aback by his presence.

    ¡°Jenkins!?¡±

    At the mention of his name, the man looked up, removing the serious look that had been on his face. Having originally been an actor, he was quite handsome, features that were only further entuated in the Sun.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± the man asked.

    After apologizing to the man for disrupting his personal time, the pedestrian brushed their hand down their face in disbelief and asked cautiously, ¡°You¡¯re Zara Jenkins, right? The director?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s me. Who else would look like this?¡±

    ¡°Oh. My. Goodness.¡±

    The doubtful, scolding looks from the pedestrian slowly changed into those of interest and favor. If the man on the bench was really Zara Jenkins, the pedestrian would be more than willing to overlook his behavior, no matter how bizarre.

    ¡°I¡¯m a big fan! Would you take a picture with me?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Here. Let¡¯s take one with theke in the background. It¡¯ll make it even more memorable,¡± the director said, wiping the sauce off his mouth and putting his arm around the pedestrians¡¯ shoulder.

    ¡°Hm. Think we can bring out the blue in my eyes some more. Let¡¯s take another one.¡±

    Then, after checking the photo one more time, the director took a picture himself.

    ¡°I love your movies. You¡¯re a genius!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ttered! How¡¯s that look?¡± the director asked, tossing the phone back to the pedestrian and sitting back down on the bench. After obtaining pictures that would give him major bragging rights, the pedestrians disappeared into the distance before long. With that, the director took another bite of his sandwich and retreated back to his mind.

    ¡°I wanna turn it into a movie,¡± he said, putting thest bit of the sandwich into his mouth, not minding the sauce dripping from between the bread. He reached over for the book that he had been reading, which he had set aside, trying to rub the sauce off of its page. Although he only smeared it, he didn¡¯t mind that either.

    ¡°I really like the background. I can just tell that this guy wanted things to look a certain way.¡±

    Checking the year the book had been published, the director realized that it had been a few years since its release. However, he was reading ¡®Language of God¡¯ for the first time that year, which made him realize why all the other directors around him were so desperate for that book.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to make this into a movie.¡±

    The viges, thenguages, the lifestyles, the protagonist, the adventure and its story, God, the mythology. Everything about the book was so embellished that the director felt a strong urge to make it into a movie. Every sentence he read painted such vivid pictures, making his heart beat faster. Epic music, detailed props, quality filming equipment, a script written around the visuals, carefully chosen actors and actresses, andstly, himself, who would be directing everything. He had a reputation that would bring him nearly endless support, which would enable him to focus on the production of the movie.

    ¡°Why is this guy still holding the rights? Tsk.¡±

    The only issue was that the owner of the rights, in this case, the author, was refusing to sell them. Although he had approached Yun Woo with confidence, he, too, had been t out rejected by the young author.

    Yun Woo seemed to have no interest in movies whatsoever. Although the director had tried to find out more about him in many different ways, there was hardly any information known about him. Even watching every single interview and TV show that the young author had been on simply didn¡¯t give the director enough information, forcing him to judge the author solely based on his work. From then on, he had bought and read every single book written by Yun Woo that had been published in the US. After which, he had made up his mind to make ¡®Language of God¡¯ into a movie at all costs.

    ¡°Nothing beats meeting in person, especially at a time like this.¡±

    Jenkins was confident that he had what it took to be able to convince the young author. However, meeting him was proving to be a challenge. Even after calling Fernand or writing emails to the Korean publisher working with the author, his attempts to learn more about the author had gone in vain, including his efforts to meet him in person. By that point, Yun Woo had already made his stance known to both publishers: to turn down any requests regarding the filming rights.

    ¡°Maybe I should fly to Korea,¡± Jenkins said to himself, thinking about flying there and hoping for the best, willing to sleep on the street if that was what it took to meet with the young author. Actually, the one director who had sessfully earned the filming rights from the author had done something simr in order to meet with him.

    ¡°Or maybe I could try Coin.¡±

    Coin was one of Yun Woo¡¯s most widely known acquaintances.

    ¡°I mighte back with a broken nose, but that won¡¯t take away from my good looks.¡±

    Taking the phone in his hand, Jenkins looked up Kelley Coin on an online search engine, which yielded out a slew of information about the author, including his email address. Unlike Yun Woo, everything about Coin was significantly more essible. At that moment, an article jumped out at him that said that Coin was participating in the Frankfurt Book Fair.

    ¡°Coin? At Frankfurt Book Fair? That¡¯s something you don¡¯t hear every day.¡±

    One of the things that made Coin¡¯s interviews fun to watch was listening to how the author had single-handedly ruined an official event. At that moment, the phone in Jenkins¡¯ hand started vibrating. It was the call he had been expecting.

    ¡°So? Anything?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Unfortunately, the answer was an utter disappointment.

    ¡°I mean, how does one go about finding out Yun Woo¡¯s official schedule? I told you, you can¡¯t find something that doesn¡¯t exist.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this.¡±

    Despite working for arge studio, the friend couldn¡¯t figure out a way to know Yun Woo¡¯s whereabouts.

    ¡°You there? I¡¯m not done.¡±

    ¡°Then, get on with it.¡±

    ¡°Do you know the agent who works with him?¡± the friend said, mentioning the name of the agency, which Jenkins had never heard of.

    ¡°It¡¯s a Korean agency. It turns out that they arranged a meeting at the book fair.¡±

    ¡°Well, duh! They¡¯re probably there to buy or sell copyrights!¡±

    ¡°Hold your horses! I¡¯m not done yet.¡±

    There was something strange about his friend¡¯s voice, which gave Jenkins a good feeling.

    ¡°So, this is something that cost me an arm and a leg to find out.¡±

    ¡°OK! All right! What is it?¡±

    ¡°I think he¡¯s gonna be at the fair.¡±

    There could only be one person to whom his friend was referring: Yun Woo. But for what? At that moment, the name Kelley Coin rushed past the director¡¯s mind. The reason wasn¡¯t important. Yun Woo was going to be at the fair, and that was the only useful information. In a calm tone of voice, Jenkins asked, ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°The first day.¡±

    The unhesitant words from his friend couldn¡¯t sound more beautiful to the director¡¯s ears.

    ¡°Get me a ticket to the fair, will ya?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem.¡±

    While the call was still ongoing, Jenkins put his brain to work.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s giving it away for free. I hope he shows some flexibility. I went through hellst year trying to get consent from this dead author¡¯s family, but who would¡¯ve thought that it was about to get worse?.... Hello?¡±

    Although his friend was bombarding him withints, none of it registered in the director¡¯s mind.

 Chapter 319 - An Encounter in Germany (2)

    <h4>Chapter 319: An Encounter in Germany (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Man, flying for twelve hours straight is no joke,¡± Juho said, stretching his body. He wasn¡¯t used to flying long distances. Nabi, who seemed to be well acquainted with being on a ne for an extended period of time, chuckled quietly as Juho let out a small moan. She didn¡¯t let her time go to waste, even on the ne.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have a lot of fun at the Messe. It¡¯s a business day, so you might not be able to buy anything, but it should be much easier to get around. On public days is when things get really crazy. There are cosyers and people carrying backpacks or traveling carriers, hunting for books. The Forum and the 3.0 Hall are the most popr attractions in the entire fair, andtely, K-Pop¡¯s been getting really big.¡±

    On their way to the hotel, Nabi told the young author about the area of the fair in detail. Held over five days, three of those days were reserved as the business days, which focused the entire fair on the business aspect of things. Civilians were not allowed to enter the fair during those days. With buying and selling of different copyrights from booths, there was quite an array of things to experience, including lectures from the participating authors. Nabi was well acquainted with the environment that was the book fair. She would fly to Germany every October on business. Of course, that alone didn¡¯t make her special in any way, as countless copyrights were bought and sold at the fair.

    ¡°Would you like to take the rest of the day off, or would you like to look around a little bit?¡±

    ¡°I do wanna see the Main River.¡±

    ¡°Ah! The ducks there are adorable!¡±

    Juho looked at the foreign surroundings attentively. Pointy roofs, streets that seemed like they had been around since the medieval age, skyscrapers that blended with the history around them, downtown, and the graffitis that decorated the walls. It seemed like a view straight out of the movies. After unloading at the hotel, the two went out to look around.

    ¡°Make sure to keep your hat on. People WILL recognize you.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re in Germany.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re Yun Woo.¡±

    Since the Sun was quite hot, Juho put his hat on withoutint. Although there were quite a few people on the streets, there was something calm and peaceful about Frankfurt. The weather was quite hot for October.

    ¡°I see some sausage links hanging over there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the first thing you¡¯ll see as soon as you walk into any market: sausages. They are really good. Speaking of which, how¡¯s that for dinner?¡±

    ¡°Works for me. Oh! Isn¡¯t that gto over there?¡±

    ¡°I rmend mango. You know what? Why don¡¯t we each get one right now? The weather¡¯s just right.¡±

    In order to see how much money he had, Juho checked the wallet in his pocket and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get it. I exchanged some money before I left Korea.¡±

    With that, he walked toward the shop, which was quite small. Standing behind the ss counter, Juho looked through the variety of gto in the shop, from banana to lemon, kiwi, mint, and coconut. After some contemtion, he decided to go with Nabi¡¯s rmendation.

    ¡°Two mangos, please.¡±

    ¡°Both of them?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Taking the money from Juho nonchntly, the owner scooped the gto out and put the scoops on two ice cream cones. As he took the cones from her, he felt the owner looking at him intently. Pretending not to notice, Juho asked, ¡°Something wrong?¡±

    At that, the shop owner shook her head with a brusque expression on her face, looking away from Juho nonchntly. Although it was different from the attitude Juho was used to, he was thankful that the owner didn¡¯t make a big deal out of his presence, which allowed him to walk out of the shop safely and soundly. When he had first noticed the shop owner¡¯s gaze, Juho had tensed up, thinking that she had recognized him. Thankfully, she hadn¡¯t seemed confident. Perhaps, she simply wasn¡¯t a fan of the young author.

    ¡°This is good.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    With the cones of gto in their hands, the two made their way toward the Main River. One of the first things that came into view were the joggers. On a bridge that had been built centuries ago, there were countless padlocks all across the fences to either side. There were ducks in the dark water, swimming about peacefully.

    ¡°You seem to speak German pretty fluently. You¡¯ve never been to Germany before, have you, Mr. Woo?¡± Nabi asked while they were watching the ducks and swans that were swimming in the river. The gto in Juho¡¯s hand was long gone, leaving only the cone. The young author looked around at the people speaking in the foreignnguage. Although it wasn¡¯t his nativenguage, it was definitely anguage that he was familiar with, and one which he was able to understand.

    ¡°Nope, this is my first time here. I hadn¡¯t seen the cathedral in person until today.¡±

    ¡°The buildings here are really pretty, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°They are. It¡¯s interesting how the medieval scenery blends with the modern,mercial buildings.¡±

    ¡°The city¡¯s been restored from the ground up, essentially.¡±

    Frankfurt hadin in ruins during World War II. The historical aspect of the city was mostly the results of skillful restorations. As the two walked about along the riverbank, they saw a ferry on the water, which carried a crowd that appeared to be made mostly of tourists, who were busy posing before cameras set up on tripods. There were also some enjoying some beer amid thefortable atmosphere. As if she had decided they had done enough sightseeing, the agent asked Juho, ¡°Should we mosey on over to the square? There¡¯s food there. Oh! There¡¯s the Goethe House, too. Although, I doubt we¡¯ll be able to see it today.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I wanted to look at the water for a little while longer,¡± Juho replied after brief contemtion. Nabi respected his decision withoutint.

    ¡°You seem to like rivers.¡±

    ¡°Not particrly.¡±

    Stopping in his tracks on the bridge, Juho held on to the safety rail and peeked down into the water. The dark water made it hard to see what was beneath it. The wave broke restlessly. It wasn¡¯t such a bad sight.

    ¡°Careful, Mr. Woo.¡±

    At the agent¡¯s warning, Juho pulled away from the rail.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to save you if you fall into the water.¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    After a short walk across the river, Juho and Nabi made their way back.

    ¡°¡®Scuse me, Mr. Woo. I need to make a phone call.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    With that, Nabi left the scene with her phone in her hand. Meanwhile, Juho strolled around the ce. Even when he approached the ducks, they didn¡¯t seem to find Juho¡¯s presence frightening. They also seemed to be quite familiar with getting fed by people. Even when Juho was squatting right next to them, the ducks didn¡¯t make a sound. At that moment...

    ¡°Wow! Duck!¡±

    The peaceful silence was broken by a child who started charging toward the unsuspecting birds without hesitation. No matter howfortable or at ease they might have been, it only made sense that they would be startled by a presence charging at them, and they expressed that by pping their wings. The child started chasing after a duck that hadnded nearest to him, going into the water unhurriedly.

    ¡°Check this out!¡±

    The child said in English. He had to be on a trip with his parents, who were walking toward him in the distance unhurriedly, their eyes fixed on their child. Meanwhile, Juho stared at the ducks without saying a word.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡±

    A man wearing a beret said to the child in German.

    ¡°You¡¯re scaring them.¡±

    Needless to say, the child couldn¡¯t understand a word the man was saying to him. However, what was clear was the emotion behind his words, at which, the child¡¯s eyes widened. At the seemingly unweing tone and voice, the child ran to his parents, leaving only Juho and the man wearing the beret by the riverbank. Meanwhile, the ducks floated about in the water.

    ¡°Kids,¡± he murmured, probably thinking that the young author wouldn¡¯t understand him. ¡°I swear, they¡¯re the bane of my existence. And don¡¯t even get me started on old people. They can¡¯t do anything aside from what they already know. They don¡¯t even have their own pair of wings, yet they make fun of the ducks floating in the water.¡±

    After staring intently at him for a little while, Juho replied, ¡°They¡¯ll learn. Both young and old.¡±

    As the man wearing the beret was walking away, he stopped and turned slightly toward the young author. Although it wasn¡¯t visible on his face, he seemed to be taken aback by Juho replying in German. Scratching his mustache with his blunt fingers, he asked, ¡°Where are you from?¡±

    ¡°South Korea.¡±

    ¡°Did you live here growing up?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m on a trip. So, this is what the air is like in Germany, huh?¡±

    Although the man narrowed his eyes, he didn¡¯t question the young author.

    ¡°South Korea... Isn¡¯t that where Cha¡¯s from?¡±

    ¡°... Oh, you mean the ser yer,¡± Juho said, understanding what the man had meant in a dy.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought!¡±

    Contrary to his view on the children or the elderly, the man wearing the beret seemed to be an avid ser fan. As he started raving on about the subject, which was mostlypliments toward the South Korean ser yer, Juho listened to him haphazardly, taking note of how talkative he was. At that moment...

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    The man started staring intently at Juho out of nowhere.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did something get on my face?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°You look familiar.¡±

    Juho was caught off guard by the man¡¯s observation. Meanwhile, the ducks sat on thewn after having made their way out of the water.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever met before.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you that novelist?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Left with no choice, Juho nodded subtly.

    ¡°I do write for a living.¡±

    At that, the man took off his beret and said, ¡°You¡¯re Yun Woo, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡®Dang it,¡¯ Juho thought to himself, looking around. Thankfully, there were no other people listening aside from the ducks. At that moment, he saw Nabi walking toward him in the distance, studying the situation.

    ¡°Are you really Yun Woo?¡± the man in a beret asked again.

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Could I get a handshake?¡± the man said, reaching his hand out. As Juho approached him, a subtle whiff of duck feed came up to the young author¡¯s nose.

    ¡°Are you in Frankfurt for the book fair? The newspapers write about authors for a week straight whenever that fair is being held.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on a vacation. Thought I could learn a thing or two during the trip.¡±

    ¡°... Huh. Does that mean you¡¯re not gonna be in the newspaper?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Well, in any case, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d run into Yun Woo here. Today must be my lucky day,¡± the man said, looking through his pockets and pulling out his phone. During which, Nabi approached the young author and asked, ¡°You got caught, huh?¡±

    ¡°Would you take a picture for us?¡±

    ¡°Sure, no problem,¡± Nabi said, taking the phone from the man as he stood shoulder to shoulder with the young author.

    ¡°What othernguages do you speak aside from German?¡± the man asked casually after the picture. As if giving the young author the liberty to answer, he fixed his eyes on the peaceful water.

    ¡°A little bit of everything.¡±

    Despite Juho¡¯s ambiguous answer, the man smiled with satisfaction and asked no further questions. At that moment, Nabi said, sounding bothered ¡°I keep getting calls from this one movie studio.¡± Judging from the look on her face, she was clearly tired, which made Juho think that they should start heading back to the hotel.

    ¡°Well, we better get going,¡± he said, waving at the man in a beret, who also waved back. Turning around, Juho and Nabi went back the way they came from. On the way, Juho saw a familiar looking child, the one who had been chasing after the ducks by the riverbank. While the child was being held in his father¡¯s arms, the shop owner was standing behind the counter with a grumpy look on her face. At that moment, as Juho was walking past the shop, the child looked in his direction, whispering, ¡°I know him.¡±

    Although subtly, Juho was able to hear the child¡¯s words clearly.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    The child was bragging to their father. Ducks must not have been the only thing the child had been paying attention to. After listening to the child next to her and her husband, the mother also looked in Juho¡¯s direction, locking eyes with the young author. Juho saw her blue eyes getting bigger and bigger. The family had to know the author before their eyes. Simrly, the shop owner also looked toward Juho.

    ¡°Oh. My. Gosh.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re that...¡±

    ¡°Uh... What are you talking about?¡± Juho said, ying coy, ncing toward Nabi, who shrugged carelessly.

    ¡°You¡¯re Yun Woo, aren¡¯t you?¡± the father said, putting the child down and reaching out for a handshake. Juho also grabbed his hand with a pleasant smile on his face.

    ¡°I have every single one of your books in my study! My whole family¡¯s in love with your novels.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m honored.¡±

    ¡°Gosh, I can¡¯t believe we met you here!¡±

    Meanwhile, with a look of pride on his face, the child looked up at his father.

    ¡°What brings you to Germany?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on vacation.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Well, I hope I¡¯m not bothering you.¡±

    ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s not a problem.¡±

    ¡°Great! In that case, may I ask for your autograph? I should have some paper on me...¡±

    Enthralled by the young author¡¯s presence, the parents werepletely neglecting their child. At that moment, without saying anything, the shop owner pulled out four sheets of paper. Three for each of the family members, and one for herself.

 Chapter 320 - An Encounter in Germany (3)

    <h4>Chapter 320: An Encounter in Germany (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The day after arriving in Germany, Juho spent the entire day going on walks, visiting the library and the museum nearby. First, Juho decided to start with the ces that Nabi had rmended. The agent knew her way around the city. Thinking about the uing schedule in passing, Juho sat at the desk in the room and tried writing down the words that came to him.

    ¡°Ducks, child, gto.¡±

    As usual, the story that came out of them was far from satisfactory, which kind of made the young author worried about the long-anticipated sequel to ¡®Language of God.¡¯

    ¡°Gettin¡¯ hungry.¡±

    After a two-hour nap, hunger was the first thing that came to his mind. Despite feeling half asleep from the jeg, Juho got out of bed to order room service, thinking that he¡¯d go out again after eating, perhaps see the city at night. At that moment, while Juho was looking through the room service menu, the once peaceful evening quickly turned into chaos.

    The doorbell started ringing and his phone started vibrating shortly after, followed by the knocking sounding from the door. In order to grasp the situation, Juho reached for his phone first. Upon seeing the name on its screen, he felt wide awake all of a sudden. ¡®Is he really here?¡¯ he thought, rising from his seat.

    ¡°That took forever.¡±

    Of course. Kelley Coin appeared as Juho opened the door, holding his phone on one hand while clenching his other hand into a fist. While Juho was d to see him, it was simply too sudden.

    ¡°I thought there was a fire or something,¡± Juho said, rubbing his face.

    ¡°Did you just get out of bed?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did. It¡¯d be nice if you could let me know ahead of time from now on.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    At that, Juho checked his phone, which showed a text from Nabi and a few missed calls, including the call from Coin. It was the very call that Juho got while Coin was banging on the door. As Juho was writing a reply to Nabi on his phone, he said to Coin, ¡°I¡¯d prefer if you called a little sooner.¡±

    Although Juho hadn¡¯t seen him in a long time, Coin was just as impatient as thest time they met. Opening the refrigerator, Coin took out a bottle of iced coffee and started drinking it. Then, he sat on the couch, looking at the interior of the room in an arrogant manner.

    ¡°What brings you here? I wasn¡¯t expecting you¡¯de here,¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°What are you talking about? I got to Frankfurt before you did.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking, you know.¡±

    ¡°I heard you were in town, so I thought we should grab some dinner together.¡±

    After Staring intently at him, Juho stated, ¡°You¡¯re bored.¡±

    ... Which he didn¡¯t deny.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t a whole lot to see here, either. It¡¯s just as boring as the States.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not nning on saying that at the fair, are you?¡± Juho asked, realizing what it must be like for Isabe, who had to deal with Coin¡¯s infamous temper on a regr basis. Drinking the water he had bought from a store outside the hotel, Juho sat across from Coin.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be onstage, right? The theme is... ¡®Meet the Author,¡¯ isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. What a hassle,¡± Coin replied, his face twisting into a scowl almost immediately. The Frankfurt Book Fair was a massive fair with over a hundred participating countries every year. That year, there were over eight thousandpanies participating in the fair, and suffice to say, the local newspaper wrote about the fair on a daily basis. It was in that very fair that Coin was participating. Assuming that he¡¯d be busy, Juho hadn¡¯t reached out to Coin on purpose. However, to his surprise, Coin turned up in front of his door.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be preparing?¡±

    ¡°I have enough time,¡± Coin said, resting his chin on his hand. Then, he asked, ¡°What about you?¡±

    Being well aware of what he was referring to, Juho replied with a mellow smile, ¡°I got nothing to prepare for.¡±

    ¡°No interviews? Nothing?¡±

    ¡°Nope. I didn¡¯t make any ns whatsoever.¡±

    ¡°So, you have all the time in the world to dilly dally, huh?¡± Coin said, clicking his tongue, envious of the young author¡¯sx schedule. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Korean publishers would¡¯ve loved to have you promote for them. The Asian section is nowhere near as popr. Why aren¡¯t you participating? You might have been able to turn things around for the booths in the Asian section, especially the South Korean booth.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I could¡¯ve helped in any way. Besides, I wasn¡¯t even nning oning at first.¡±

    ¡°As boring as usual. Then what changed your mind?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the fair, I¡¯ll tell you that much,¡± Juho said, subtly changing the subject. Although slightly annoyed by it, Coin drank his coffee withoutining.

    ¡°I do NOT wanna go to this thing,¡± Coin said genuinely.

    ¡°You should be telling that to Isabe.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be here if she listened.¡±

    Juho shrugged nonchntly and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a pretty big segment, though? Created for the one and only Kelley Coin?¡±

    ¡°Please. Feel free to take over if you like it that much.¡±

    ¡°You know what? I¡¯m famished. You¡¯re buying, right?¡± Juho asked, remembering how hungry he was getting. After ncing at the menu on the table, Coin said, ¡°What do you want?¡± And after some thought, Juho replied, ¡°Sausages.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Kelley Coin?¡±

    Being conscious of his surroundings, Juho cut the sausage on his te. People in the restaurant were, one by one, starting to recognize Kelley Coin¡¯s presence. Although the two were sitting at the innermost table of the restaurant, that did hardly anything to keep them from the eyes of the public. Not only was the restaurant quite small, but the tables were spread out uniformly.

    ¡°I feel like it gets a lot harder to stay unrecognized whenever we¡¯re together.¡±

    People around them were speaking in German. Although Coin didn¡¯t speak it, he had an idea of what they might be talking about.

    ¡°By tomorrow, I¡¯m sure the world will know that you had sausages for dinner today.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s so interesting about meing to Germany on vacation?¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s how you find out that there are people flying to Germany just to see you.¡±

    Juho chuckled, doubting anybody would have that kind of time.

    ¡°Germany¡¯s a big country, you know.¡±

    ¡°If people find out that you¡¯re in Frankfurt, wouldn¡¯t they make the connection that you¡¯re here for the book fair? You know how one-dimensional these people can be.¡±

    ¡°And the fair is massive.¡±

    Shrugging, Coin looked around and said, ¡°Well, they won¡¯t bother us while we¡¯re eating. Assuming their thoughts can get that far.¡±

    It was a warning of sorts. Of course, nobody in their right mind would dare to interrupt Coin during a meal.

    ¡°Damn it, I¡¯d kill for a beer right about now,¡± Coin said, taking a big bite of his Schweinshaxe. By that point, Juho had lost count of how many times he had heard Coin say those very words. However, he did understand where Coin wasing from. In actuality, almost everyone in the restaurant was enjoying a ss of beer with their food, fitting to the reputation of the country.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Schweinshaxe is a roasted pork hock, a dish traditional to Germany.)

    ¡°I saw an array of them at the grocery store. It was impressive.¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me to get one?¡±

    Juho remembered the conversation they had had some time ago when Coin had shared his personal experience with alcoholism.

    ¡°You said it yourself, you¡¯d be back in hell the moment you let alcohol touch your lips.¡±

    ¡°Ugh. I hate myself. Why did I have to drink myself to near death? I can¡¯t even enjoy myself a drink anymore.¡±

    ¡°Well, what can you do?¡±

    ¡°I hate myself,¡± Coin said, fiercely chewing his meat.

    ¡°You¡¯re really hard on yourself. Although, you¡¯re under a lot of criticism even as we speak,¡± Juho said, avoiding the gazes directed toward them.

    ¡°You know, this would be the perfect time for you to tell me something along the lines of ¡®Oh, you gotta love yourself more. Don¡¯t give up, even if everyone else around you does.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t into that kind of stuff?¡±

    ¡°And feel free to add something like, ¡®What harm is there in having a drink or two every now and then?¡¯¡±

    ¡°... Haha,¡± Juho let out, catching on with some dy that Coin was cracking a joke. The serious look on Coin¡¯s face made it nearly impossible to distinguish if he was joking or being serious.

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, then, so be it. Love yourself, but properly. That way, you don¡¯t have to drown yourself in alcohol,¡± Juho said, brushing his hand across the hat on his head. Words tended to carry different meanings depending on the person delivering them. In that case, who would be in a better position to say what he had said to Coin? Yun Woo¡¯s sessful self, or his wretched self?

    ¡°Acknowledge that you need help. You said that was the first step to recovering from alcoholism, right?¡±

    ¡°I did. Most alcoholics are in denial that they¡¯re addicts. Yet, they keep pouring alcohol down their throats. Nobody can think when their brain is pickled in alcohol,¡± Coin said, agreeing with Juho.

    ¡°And what¡¯s at the end of that road?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re dead. What else is there?¡±

    Looking intently at him, Juho said, ¡°So, in this case, to neglect is to die.¡±

    As if he were stating the obvious, Coin tilted his head, saying, ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Even two-year-olds would know that much. Do not lie. Isn¡¯t that one of the first things you learn about survival when growing up? There¡¯s a reason why that¡¯smon knowledge. One can tell themselves that they¡¯re OK all they want, but does that really change anything at the end of the day? That¡¯s just negligence. I almost died back then.¡±

    The conversation stopped briefly as Juho brought a piece of sausage up to his mouth. Then, he briefly immersed himself in thought.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s Yun Woo sitting with Coin.¡±

    As the air sank into silence, Juho heard the whispers around him and Coin. Meanwhile, Coin guzzled down on his water, as if he would a beer. Then, he asked Juho, ¡°Wait, what brought you to Germany?¡±

    Juho looked up at Coin¡¯s question, thinking, ¡®I guess he didn¡¯t forget.¡¯ Meanwhile, Coin was busy eating the meat off the bone, a sight that looked quite threatening for no apparent reason.

    ¡°What did youe here for?¡± Coin repeated himself.

    ¡°I got an offer.¡±

    ¡°An offer? What offer?¡±

    Juho looked around, locking eyes with a few people. Although most people pretended not to look in their direction, Juho was well aware that they were keeping their eyes on him and Coin, which made it a less-than-ideal setting to tell Coin the truth behind his visit: to write a sequel to ¡®Language of God.¡¯

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something I can bring up in here,¡± Juho said. At that, Coin put the bone down and reached into his pocket for a pen with the same hand he had been holding the bone. Then, along with a piece of tissue, he pushed it toward to the young author. ¡®Huh, didn¡¯t think he would bother,¡¯ Juho thought to himself, impressed by Coin¡¯s eagerness to hear him.

    ¡°Is this really necessary? We¡¯re still eating.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand being curious.¡±

    After putting a piece of sausage into his mouth, Juho picked up the pen and wrote: Materials for the sequel of ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Writing in progress. Upon reading the message written on the tissue, Coin took it and blew his nose with it, which echoed through the entire restaurant.

    ¡°Speaking of ¡®Destroy after Reading.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to flush it down the toilet.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t go out of his way to add that Coin was one of the reasons that had brought him to Germany. After reying the words that had been written on the tissue, Coin murmured, ¡°Yun Woo, writing a sequel.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re doing it, aren¡¯t you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°That¡¯d be nice,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°Well, this just got interesting.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still kind of lost, though.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re gonna make it happen, eventually.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡±

    ¡°Whatever it is, do it well, and go to the award ceremony yourself,¡± Coin said. At which, Juho chuckled quietly.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we getting ahead of ourselves here? I haven¡¯t written a single word yet.¡±

    ¡°It means I¡¯m not going to another ceremony for your ass. I thought it¡¯d probably be better to warn you now thanter.¡±

    Of course. There was no way that Coin would offer words of encouragement without a catch. After finishing their meal, the two authors left the restaurant, Coin turning down every autograph and photo request. Juho, on the other hand, stayed behind briefly to take some pictures with a few people, which made him have to rush to catch up to Coin. After sunset, the streets of Frankfurt were just as exotic as they had been during the day.

    ¡°There are a lot of people out even after sundown.¡±

    Coin answered indifferently, as if he had no interest in the people whatsoever. Of course, Juho was well acquainted with that attitude by that point.

    ¡°Oh! I saw this manual traffic light on the way. That¡¯s something you don¡¯t see every day where I¡¯m from.¡±

    ¡°Really? You¡¯re getting excited over a traffic light?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t see things like that anymore these days, especially when everything¡¯s automated. Sometimes, it¡¯s more efficient to keep things manual.¡±

    ¡°That is true, I guess.¡±

    At that moment, just as Coin was about to ask the young author for the location of the hotel he was staying in, a loudmotion came out of nowhere. When Juho turned in the direction it hade from, he saw two people about to get into a fight at any given minute. Judging from their faces, which burned red, both of them seemed to be drunk.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯ll find drunk people anywhere in this world.¡±

    ¡°Drunk people fighting, I might add.¡±

    Things were only getting tenser, and neither party looked like they were about to back down, drawing the attention of those around them. Without getting involved themselves, the pedestrians simply watched the quarrel from a distance. As the two drunkards held each other by the cor of their shirts, Coin asked the young author, ¡°What are they saying?¡±

 Chapter 321 - An Encounter in Germany (4)

    <h4>Chapter 321: An Encounter in Germany (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The two drunkards were arguing with each other in German. Navigating through their speech, which was both hastened and slurred from the alcohol, Juho studied the situation. In the end, the two were quarreling over a rather simple matter.

    ¡°One of them owes the other money.¡±

    One had borrowed money from the other, adding an additional dimension to their friendship: that of a debtor and a creditor.

    ¡°Who¡¯s the debtor?¡±

    ¡°The guy in red.¡±

    ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°Two hundred euros.¡±

    ¡°Just that? That¡¯s pathetic.¡±

    It was about 225 US dors worth of money. However, judging from the intensity of the situation alone, one could easily assume that there would be thousands of dors worth of money involved.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s entirely about money. There must have been a lot of pent up resentment.¡±

    As a response to Juho¡¯s observation, Coin let out a small chuckle. Meanwhile, the pedestrians who had been watching the quarrel started going on about their way around the two drunkards. With his eyes fixed on the two still in a fierce argument, Juho imagined how the situation woulde to an end. The happiest ending would be for the debtor to pay the creditor back in full. Since there was no way to know the details behind their situation, the young author started with the most visible factor, the one on the outermost surface.

    ¡°I think it¡¯ll be over once the guy pays back his friend,¡± Juho said.

    At which point, Coin sneered as if he found Juho¡¯s ending to the story silly and said, ¡°I¡¯d end it with the debtor never paying back his debt.¡±

    ¡°There are a lot of different ways to go about that, you know.¡±

    Unless somebody let up, the quarrel would go on. At that moment, Coin brought up a thought that urred to him, ¡°What if you take one of them out?¡±

    Put in a dilemma, Juho thought to himself that he¡¯d rather see the man in red meet his demise, saying, ¡°I think I¡¯d want to write a story about the debt he died with. I wonder what kind of purpose it serves in the otherworld.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d keep him alive. He¡¯d probably stab his friend just so he didn¡¯t have to pay him back.¡±

    ¡°Stab him? Where?¡±

    ¡°His eyes.¡±

    ¡°Yikes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one that brought up the otherworld.¡±

    Once the debtormitted something he could never undo, the two hundred euro he owed his friend would suddenly lose all substance. Perhaps, it would even be cruel. At that moment, the debtor shoved the guy in red.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not just think about this subtractively. Why don¡¯t we try adding to it? We can always have a third person get involved. Since they¡¯re both directly involved in the situation, neither of them will be able to put an end to their quarrel.¡±

    ¡°All right. Who?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Whoever, really. Family, the next table, a waiter, the bar owner, a street cat, the cigarette stand owner...¡±

    Anybody would fit, even an author watching a fight in Germany.

    ¡°Then, who¡¯s the most interesting one?¡±

    ¡°That would be...¡±

    Instead of finishing his sentence, Juho looked toward Coin. At that moment, Juho realized that Coin was thinking the same thing as him. At which point, he brought both of his hands up to his mouth and shouted in German, putting an end to the quarrel, ¡°It¡¯s Kelley Coin!¡±

    It had been a while since Juho had shouted in public sober. Fortunately, the two stopped fighting and looked toward the young author.

    ¡°You prick.¡±

    It had been a means of self-defense. Besides, there was the added benefit of having stopped a fight before it got any worse. Although he regretted nothing, Juho ran toward the two friends and stood in between them. Meanwhile, the pedestrians around were all looking toward the young author, still clueless as to what happened. Although sticking his nose into other people¡¯s business was thest thing he wanted to do, Juho took hold of the opportunity.

    ¡°Coin?¡± the two said, looking around. Although they both looked quite worked up, it was nowhere near like they once had.

    ¡°If you guys go on, things will get a lot worse than they need to. Alcohol has that effect, trust me. Why don¡¯t we call it a night for the time being and pick it back up where we left off another day?¡± Juho asked the two.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, just some tourist who happened to be passing by. I gotta say, Germany looks beautiful at night.¡±

    ¡°... Where are you from?¡±

    ¡°South Korea. That person over there, on the other hand...¡± Juho said, pointing toward where he and Coin had been standing. However, Coin was no longer there. He had run off. Resisting his urge to chuckle, the young author said, ¡°Well, I guess he¡¯s not there anymore. In any case, if you wanna know more about the guy, look up Kelley Coin on the inte.¡±

    ¡°Coin?¡±

    ¡°Did I make myself clear? No more fighting!¡±

    ¡°... Coin?¡±

    The two didn¡¯t seem like they wanted to fight in front of a tourist, either. Besides, the atmosphere made it awkward for them to keep going. Feeling at ease, Juho rushed out of that ce. Coin was nowhere to be found still. As he was running, the phone in his pocket started vibrating. Upon checking the message, the young author was forced to stop in his tracks.

    ¡°Uh-oh.¡±

    ¡®I¡¯ll see you at the fair.¡¯

    Coin¡¯s exit was just as unexpected as his appearance. Chuckling, Juho walked through the buildings unhurriedly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that guy somewhere,¡± one of the two said. However, it wasn¡¯t until the next afternoon that they came to realize who the two tourists had been: Yun Woo and Kelley Coin.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hello, Germany!¡± Zara Jenkins, the genius Hollywood director, murmured, breathing in the air. Massaging his tense shoulders, the director unwound himself. He couldn¡¯t remember thest time he¡¯d been to Germany. The most recent trip had been during his college years, which had also been spontaneous.

    ¡°I wonder if anything¡¯s changed since?¡±

    Pulling his bag, Zara got on the subway, getting off at the Frankfurt Central Station, and walked out to the square. He was nning to look around the Main River. Simultaneously, the director was thinking about the rumor that Yun Woo had been spotted in Germany. Since he knew exactly where to expect the young author to be, there was no need to rush. Still, he caught himself having to slow down. Stopping in his tracks, he said, ¡°Think I¡¯ll get me some gto.¡±

    ¡°One mango, please,¡± the director said after walking into the gto shop. As the shop owner pointed toward the mango gto with a brusque expression on her face, the director nodded in affirmation. Taking the cup from her hand, the director took a bite and shook his head at the refreshing vor of the gto. ¡®That¡¯s the stuff.¡¯ Since there was a table set up just outside the shop, Jenkin decided to stick around a little longer. The director felt the owner looking intently in his direction, as if she knew who he was.

    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°... Nevermind.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before the truth was revealed. After which, the shop owner looked away without hesitation. Meanwhile, Jenkins took his phone out while quietly eating his gto. At that moment, two more guests walked into the shop. Appearing to be middle aged, one of them was wearing a red top. A potent whiff of alcohol wafted from the two.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take a banana.¡±

    ¡°Blueberry for me.¡±

    Then, one of the men said to the other, ¡°So, you have enough to afford a gto, huh?¡±

    ¡°Really? Are we doing this again?¡±

    ¡°I keep telling you. This will all be over once you pay me back.¡±

    Although Jenkins couldn¡¯t understand a word of what they were saying, he was able to grasp that there was something ufortable between the two. Refraining from speaking his mind, the man in red, who seemed to be at a disadvantage, paid for the two gtos.

    ¡°Oh! We ran into a celebrity yesterday!¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± the shop owner asked, wearing the same brusque expression on her face.

    The man in red seemed ufortable about the particr subject at hand.

    ¡°You know Yun Woo, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do. I even got his autograph.¡±

    ¡°What!? Did you see Coin too?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the shop owner said as if she had no interest in their business, cutting the conversation short. At that moment, Jenkins called to the man in red. He had been eavesdropping on the conversation that had been taking ce inside the store.

    ¡°Wait, did you say Yun Woo?¡± the director asked.

    ¡°What the... Who are you?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo? That¡¯s what you said, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s it to you?¡±

    ¡°Where did you see him?¡±

    ¡°At a bar.¡±

    ¡°Which bar?¡±

    While Jenkins didn¡¯t know a word of German, the man in red seemed to be somewhat fluent in English. However, he appeared to be in no mood to be interacting with the director since his friend kept bringing up his debt at every opportunity.

    ¡°I¡¯m busy, so if you¡¯re lost, ask the shop owner over here.¡±

    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m not lost.¡±

    ¡°Just where do you think you¡¯re going? You¡¯re not going anywhere until you pay what you owe me.¡±

    ¡°I will! Will you stop pestering me about that!?¡±

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be having this issue if you would just pay me back!¡±

    As the two started raising their voices at each other, Jenkins couldn¡¯t bring himself to get in between them. Instead, he looked toward the shop owner and asked, ¡°Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I even got his autograph,¡± she said, repeating what she had told the two a moment before. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t seem like she was in much of a mood to talk either. Instead, she lifted her hand and pointed in a certain direction. When Jenkins looked toward it, he saw a piece of paper on the wall with the young author¡¯s signature on it.

    ¡°That¡¯s Yun Woo¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s his autograph.¡±

    For the director, the gto melting away in his hand was hardly a concern. He looked down at his phone, which showed when Coin was going to be onstage.

    ¡ª

    ¡°This is massive.¡±

    Not only was it massive, but the ce was unbelievably spacious. That was the first thought Juho had when he stepped into the exhibition center. It was enormous, more than big enough to aodate the eight thousandpanies participating in the fair. The ce seemed big enough to fit a number of buildings into it, and the directory alone was indicative of how massive of a exhibition center the ce was. By that point, Nabi had already taken part in the preceding events, including a number of meetings.

    ¡°Did you catch the prime minister¡¯s speech?¡± Juho asked the agent as they made their way into the building.

    ¡°Of course! I also saw the king of Nethends. They¡¯re guests of honor this year,¡± Nabi said.

    ¡°This is one ginormous event.¡±

    ¡°I mean, there are even shuttles bringing and taking people out of the ce. Once the public day starts, that¡¯s when all hell breaks loose.¡±

    ¡°Children¡¯s literature andic books have always been popr. Are we going to the Asian section first?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we are. It¡¯s on the fourth floor,¡± Nabi said, showing the young author around. There were countless booths set up, and within them, were people who were waiting for their meetings to start. Dressed in professional attire, the presenters were exining the data they had prepared for those who hade to meet them. While some conversed casually, others appeared noticeably nervous. In addition, there were also those who were waiting for people who were yet to arrive. On the booths set up byrger, more well-knownpanies, there were pictures of their most iconic authors.

    ¡°Everyone seems to be busy.¡±

    ¡°Of course! People are busy arranging meetings with as many clients as possible. I¡¯ve had twenty daily meetings at one point. Everyone¡¯s just gunning for that one copyright they¡¯ve been eying,¡± Nabi said, chuckling quietly. When she arrived at the South Korean booth with the young author, they saw there were a number of meetings that were ongoing simultaneously. Juho looked toward the books that were being disyed on the wall. Simr to the rtively small booth, there were rtively fewer books avable. Nevertheless, everyone there was hard at work. Meanwhile, after locking eyes with someone, Nabi started walking past the booth. Noticing the look he was getting, Juho bowed subtly before catching up to Nabi, who was making her way toward the Chinese booth. Although it was a given being that they were at a book fair, it dawned on Juho just how many books there were around the world.

    ¡°Seo Kwang would be stoked,¡± Juho said to himself, imagining the look on his friend¡¯s face if they had been at the fair together. Then, a science fiction story written by a famous Chinese author came into view. ¡°So, this is the original,¡± the young author said, skimming through the pages. The difference in the feel it carriedpared to the tranted version was quite noticeable. At that moment...

    ¡°Hello,¡± somebody said, walking toward Juho. Seeing thenyard hanging from his neck, the young author grasped that the person was a staff member. After exchanging a brief greeting with Nabi as if knowing her, the staff member looked intently at the young author.

    ¡°You must be Yun Woo,¡± he said, reaching out for a handshake. Juho grabbed his hand and replied, ¡°Yes, pleasure to meet you. I see a lot of interesting books here.¡±

    With that, the staff member proceeded to introduce the publishingpany to the young author, which happened to be the publisher responsible for publishing Juho¡¯s books in China.

    ¡°We finally meet! This feels strange.¡±

    ¡°Likewise.¡±

    There were countless people involved in the process of turning the young author¡¯s manuscripts into books. Seeing Yun Woo in person was quite intriguing. While Juho and the staff member were chatting, another voice came from behind Juho.

    ¡°Ah! Molley!¡± Nabi said, greeting the older gentleman dly. He seemed to be a publishing agent like Nabi, and the staff member from the Chinese booth also seemed to know the older gentleman.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you sincest year. How¡¯ve you been?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I alwayse across all these lovely people whenever I¡¯m at the fair.¡±

    At that moment, Juho locked eyes with the gentleman, who offered him a hand to shake first, with a gentle smile on his face.

    ¡°Hello. John Molley,¡± the gentleman said, adding the name of a big agency after his name. It was apany that had worked with a number of big-name authors. From what Juho had heard from Nabi, Molley was the person who had been of tremendous help to her when she had worked on getting the young author¡¯s book exported for the first time. Grabbing his hand, Juho replied, ¡°Yun Woo. Pleasure to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Why, of course! The pleasure¡¯s mine, Mr. Woo. I¡¯ve been dying to meet you!¡±

 Chapter 322 - An Encounter in Germany (5)

    <h4>Chapter 322: An Encounter in Germany (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I gotta say, you look slightly different from the pictures or the videos.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Very much so. Cameras wouldn¡¯t bother to focus on the calluses on your hands,¡± Molley said, looking at the hand he had shaken just a moment ago, which had a particrly rough spot on the middle finger.

    ¡°What do you think? Are you enjoying yourself, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Knowing that there are this many books in this world really puts me in good spirits.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a festival if you will.¡±

    Just as Molley had said, the book fair was a festival for book lovers. There was nothing at the fair that exuded more presence than books, and the crowd gathering around them was proof of that.

    ¡°This takes me back to our first meeting,¡± Molley said, brushing his hand under his chin, looking as though reminiscing to the past, and added, ¡°I was very taken aback when I read ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ for the first time. And what I read had been a sample! I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an exaggeration to say that it was the fruit of your talent. The next book carried an entirely different feel and structure from that of its predecessor. I remember being worried and hopeful all at the same time when it came out sooner than I had expected. Let me tell you, Mr. Woo. Working with your books is a joy of mine.¡±

    He seemed genuine, and Juho found hispliments quite pleasant.

    ¡°I was at the award ceremonies for both the Neb and the Hugo. Part of me was really hoping that I could meet you there. Speaking of which, I believe congrattions are in order.¡±

    It was a congrattion that hade a long way around the world. As Juho responded with an awkward nod, the staff member of the Chinese booth said, ¡°There are some rumors circting about a sequel to one of your books.¡±

    ¡°You mean, ¡®Language of God?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes. What¡¯s your standpoint, Mr. Woo? Is it happening?¡±

    Juho covered his mouth with his hand. It was far too early to say anything. Catching on to the young author¡¯s gesture, the staff member let up almost immediately.

    ¡°The entire world knows how good you are at keeping secrets. I suppose I¡¯ll just have to hope that it turns out the way I hope it does.¡±

    ¡°What about a movie? Are you still against it?¡±

    At that moment, an unfamiliar voice called to the young author, saying, ¡°Hello, Mr. Woo.¡± When Juho turned around, he saw a person who he had never met before. Recognizing the person immediately, Nabi introduced him to the young author, ¡°Mr. Woo, this is the editor in charge of your books in Japan.¡±

    Starting with the Japanese editor, more and more people started talking to Juho, including industry buyers and agents from all across the world, naturally creating a space for those people to interact with each other. Nabi was mostly talking to people from the US, the UK, and Germany.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking forward to this since the meeting with Nabi. I was told that Mr. Woo would be at the fair today.¡±

    ¡°Where was the meeting?¡±

    ¡°Oh! I saw that director around that area. Itpletely caught me off guard.¡±

    ¡°Has Mr. Woo written a new book?¡±

    ¡°Any good catches? The how-to books seem quite promising this year.¡±

    ¡°The US hasn¡¯t been very active as ofte.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s Coin at least, so that¡¯s something.¡±

    A group of twenty or so people were each talking about their own subjects seemlessly.

    ¡°You had no idea of how crazy things would get when Mr. Woo revealed himself.¡±

    Before long, the subject moved on to the young author¡¯s first profile picture. Meanwhile, Molley described the scene at a bookstore on the release day of the young author¡¯s book. No matter where in the world, it seemed like things had looked more or less the same as long as there was a bookstore around.

    ¡°I was more taken aback by Coin in that picture,¡± one of the Chinese officials said.

    ¡°Whenever I read their books back to back, I find myself getting even more confused than I was before I started reading. I just don¡¯t understand how the two grew close.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re just the opposite of each other.¡±

    ¡°And reading their books only makes it even more puzzling.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it has something to do with both of them being prolific writers?¡±

    ¡°Personally, I find myself leaning toward Mr. Woo¡¯s writing style.¡±

    At that moment, one of the people there looked around in an exaggerated manner and said, ¡°Just to make sure Coin wasn¡¯t around.¡±

    After chuckling awkwardly, Juho subtly changed the subject. As they conversed, Juho found himself losing track of time. At which point, Nabi said to him quietly, ¡°We better get to Mr. Coin¡¯s lecture. It¡¯s almost time.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right.¡±

    Juho was quite looking forward to that segment of the fair. Catching on to where the young author was headed, the others said, ¡°Well, I hate to say goodbye, but I better look around some more.¡±

    ¡°The author I¡¯m working with is having a conference today.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t wanna call it a night just yet, so why don¡¯t we all meet againter outside the fair? I know a ce.¡±

    Everyone seemed to already be aware that Juho was nning on spending his time during his stay in Germany unhurried. With the exception of those who had other matters to attend to, the only people left who were going to Coin¡¯s lecture were Nabi, Molley, the Chinese official, and the Japanese editor. With that, the five, including the young author, walked out of the Asian section.

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s packed.¡±

    Coin¡¯s segment appeared to be quite popr. By the time Juho arrived, Coin was already onstage, in the middle of a Q&A session. Standing in front of a red background, the color suited him quite well. Meanwhile, since all the seats were filled up, Juho stood behind the backmost seat. Thankfully, Coin was still plenty visible from where Juho was because of the monitors set up in between the seats. There were cameras aimed toward the author onstage, and there were dozens of monitors showing what the camera was capturing in real time. The scale was impressive. Looking at Coin in the monitors, he seemed somewhat bored despite the sheer number of people he was surrounded by.

    ¡°I write all sorts of things. Not only have I been part of writing for a movie and a show, but I¡¯ve also written a number of nonfiction and travel books. I¡¯ve written for science and cooking magazines too, actually. In other words, I don¡¯t discriminate the opportunities thate my way.¡±

    The host, who was wearing a suit that looked like it hade straight out of an eighties¡¯ Hollywood movie and a pair of thick, horn-rimmed sses, looked intently at the author until he had finished. His belt was looking quite fragile from his belly bulging out.

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°To me, that¡¯s the ideal image of an author.¡±

    Juho looked at the audience, whose members were sitting on square chairs around the author onstage. It felt like he had walked into a bubble. Although the busyness of the fair was only a step away, the crowd was listening intently to the author onstage.

    ¡°No author in this world decides that they only wanna focus on one subject. Sure, they look at, feel, observe, and study it, but it¡¯s never limited to one particr thing. Although, there might be scientists who approach research in that manner, an author has to be flexible.¡±

    ¡°But aren¡¯t there tons of authors who prefer to focus on a single subject?¡±

    At that, Coin¡¯s brow furrowed, disgruntled that his point wasn¡¯t getting across. He wasn¡¯t afraid to express himself despite being in front of an audience.

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that an author shouldn¡¯t write the same thing twice. For example, let¡¯s say an author decides to use the same characters, settings, and values on another piece of writing,¡± Coin said, speaking openly on his thoughts. Although there was aggression in his tone, it wasn¡¯t all that different from the usual tone in which he spoke. While some took pictures of him with their phones, others jotted down notes.

    ¡°In that case, what about an author¡¯s individuality? Authors tend to be greedy when ites to things that set them apart. For example, if I were to read one of your books without being told who it had been written by, I¡¯d still know that it was your book. But ording to your logic, wouldn¡¯t an author¡¯s pursuit of flexibility mean giving up their freedom in some sense?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. At the end of the day, I am me. It doesn¡¯t matter how hard I try to change that. I don¡¯t have to worry about my past vanishing into thin air or my potential future bing another person¡¯s. It¡¯s a limit in some sense, but there are also endless possibilities.¡±

    Juho nced at the audience to either side. They were all listening intently to Coin.

    ¡°If one finds that they¡¯re no longer themselves at the end of their pursuit of freedom, then what¡¯s the point of that pursuit? Who would want that?¡±

    Pulling up his sses, the host in the eighties-style suit asked, ¡°In that case, what¡¯s your take on Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Molley let out quietly, looking toward the young author and locking eyes with him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see thating,¡± Juho whispered.

    ¡°Your name tends toe up quite often, especially when ites to a topic like this,¡± the Japanese editor whispered, and the Chinese official nodded in agreement. Juho looked intently at Coin on the screen.

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yes. One of the things he¡¯s known for is having multiple writing styles. It¡¯s fascinating, really. I believe there¡¯s even research happening as we speak on it. What are your thoughts, Mr. Coin? Do you think Yun Woo would be the freest author you know?¡±

    Freest. Juho denied it internally. If anything, his writing styles held him back. They were shackles on both of his feet.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. His writing is ever changing. It¡¯s almost as if a child I saw one day became an adult the next, only to be a child all over again the following day,¡± Coin said.

    ¡°His writing is unbelievable. He¡¯s extremely well-trained for his age. He leaves no room for his readers to think that he could grow and learn from his mistakes. I mean, how many teenagers do you know who are capable of something like that? If he really did have a split personality, his alternate self would probably be my age. At which point, the world wouldugh at him for not acting his age when he fell on his face,¡± the host said. Meanwhile, Coin was resting his face on his chin. Although it was incredibly rude for him to do so, nobody pointed it out.

    ¡°I suppose one could identify him as being sinful.¡±

    ¡°Sinful, you say?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Reversing the flow of this world just so he can move forward on his own. It¡¯s inexcusable, really... but I suppose I¡¯m already judging him by a certain standard the moment I deem him sinful. Actually, the fact that we¡¯re even talking about him and judging him already shows how far removed we are from freedom.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to have that kind of power,¡± Juho said, lifting his hat up slightly and brushing his hair back with his hand. At that, a subtle smile appeared on Nabi¡¯s face. Meanwhile, Coin seemed to be looking for somebody in the audience. He had to be looking for the young author.

    ¡°I just got a call from Isabe. What do you wanna do, Mr. Woo? Would you like to stick around a little longer?¡±

    ¡°Yes, if that¡¯s OK. I¡¯ll go see her once this is over,¡± Juho said, nodding at Nabi.

    ¡°All right, then. If you¡¯ll excuse me, Mr. Woo.¡±

    After following her with his eyes for a brief moment, Juho redirected his attention to the stage. At that moment...

    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±

    Juho noticed something out of ce. The audience was all listening to Coin intently and earnestly. Whether they were sitting or standing, there was a sense of dignity in their quiet behavior. However, there was one person who stood out. He was paying no attention to the author onstage.

    He was particrly tall. While everyone concentrated intensely on the author, the man was looking around as if he had lost something. He wasn¡¯t taking pictures with his phone, either. He seemed to have no interest in Coin whatsoever. In that case, why was he there? Juho became puzzled by the man¡¯s presence and his odd behavior.

    ¡°If you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you,¡± Coin said in a voice sounding much lower and heavier than usual.

    It was a quote from a philosophy book written by Friedrich Nietzsche, which stated that one needed to think beyond what was good or evil. As Juho turned his head to look to the monitor, he noticed a pair of blue eyes looking at him.

    The man had also recognized the young author from the distance. The bright stage light reflected from the man¡¯s eyes, entuating the blue in his eyes even further. Despite the distance between them, there was something about his appearance that stuck out to the young author. While Juho kept his eyes on the man from the corner of his eyes, he noticed that the man¡¯s expression started to change. His eyes and mouth were started to widen, and soon, his hand was on his cheek. At that moment, the man started cheering out loud as if he had finally found that something or that someone he had been looking for, which caught Juho off guard.

    ¡°I think he saw you, Mr. Woo,¡± Molley said to the young author.

 Chapter 323 - An Encounter in Germany (6)

    <h4>Chapter 323: An Encounter in Germany (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What!?¡± the Chinese official said, looking around, taken aback. At that, the tall man desperately waved his hands, trying tomunicate something. However, Juho couldn¡¯t understand the message.

    ¡°I think he¡¯s a fan.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Just look at his eyes.¡±

    ¡®Does he want a picture? Or an autograph, maybe?¡¯ Juho asked himself, thinking about a spot where he would be able to provide that for his fan. However, the time and ce were less than ideal in every sense. When Juho made an X with his hands, the man stopped what he was doing. Upon looking down slightly, Juho saw the man¡¯s expression hardening as if noticing the young author was about to leave at any given minute. Nevertheless, Juho had no choice. If the man was one of the officials from a publishingpany, he would understand the situation soon enough. Finding himself in somewhat of an ufortable situation, Juho decided to give Nabi a call and meet up with Isabe.

    ¡°Would you excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    As Juho made his way through the crowd, he looked back and saw that he wasn¡¯t being followed. After that, he walked off to the side and toward the stage, past the monitors that were installed on every pir, locking eyes with several clones of Kelley Coin. Then, Juho called Nabi and asked, ¡°Where are you? I¡¯lle to you.¡±

    ¡°To me?¡± she said, adding, ¡°I¡¯m behind the stage. Meet me there.¡±

    ¡°OK, I¡¯m on my...¡±

    At that moment, Juho stopped in his tracks by reflex. A hand had kept him from going any further. Following up the arm with his eyes, Juho was met with the familiar blue eyes.

    ¡°I came from the States just so I could meet you,¡± the man said, sounding like he already knew who the young author was. Juho couldn¡¯t make sense of the situation in any way.

    ¡°I made a perilous journey here, holding on to the slightest possibility of meeting you. And finally, here we are. Face to face. I was so happy!... Until you shut me down, that is. I¡¯m not gonna lie. It hurt a lot more the second time around,¡± the man said, his shoulders drooping weakly. Juho was bothered by the fact that it wasn¡¯t the man¡¯s first time interacting with him. Upon observing the man, the young author concluded that he wasn¡¯t merely a fan who was especially enthusiastic.

    ¡°Is everything OK, Mr. Woo?¡± Nabi asked. Although Juho opened his mouth in an attempt to exin the situation to her, he simply couldn¡¯t put it into words.

    ¡°There¡¯s a person from the States who came to see me.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Do you not know who I am?¡± the man asked. His eyes made Juho quite ufortable. No matter how hard he tried to remember, Juho simply didn¡¯t know the man, which forced him to say... ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°No!?¡± the man said, his nostrils ring.

    ¡°Do YOU know me?¡± Juho asked that time.

    ¡°Yun Woo!¡± the man shouted with impressive volume, which was loud enough to echo through the building. At that, Juho shook his head in a hurry, ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. And you don¡¯t have to be so lou...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Yun Woo! Yun Woo! Yun Woo! Yun Woo!¡± the man said, opening up his chest and shouting at the sky.

    ¡°Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡°... Mr. Woo?¡± Nabi asked nervously.

    ¡°Nevermind. I think somebody forgot their medication,¡± Juho said, looking around and locking eyes with the Kelley Coin clones on the screens. When he turned toward the stage slowly, Juho saw that the audience, the host and Coin were all looking in his direction. The boredom that had been visible on Coin¡¯s face was nowhere to be found. At that moment, an evil look appeared on his face, and Coin said, ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡±

    The best thing Juho could do in that situation was to make sure his that hat was on properly. Needless to say, a disturbance arose in the audience. Meanwhile, the tall man with blue eyes was ring intently at the young author, as if he couldn¡¯t hear anything.

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s here!?¡±

    ¡°Where!?¡±

    ¡°I did hear he was in Germany.¡±

    ¡°Is it him?¡±

    ¡®What do I do?¡¯ Juho asked himself. It was a sticky situation. Then, as the young author was searching for a way out, Coin, whose face shone from the spotlight, rose from his seat, walked toward Juho and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the two geniuses knew each other. Please,e on up to the stage.¡±

    ¡®Two geniuses?¡¯ Juho thought to himself and turned toward the tall man. Only then, was there something familiar about him. ¡®Who is he?¡¯

    ¡°Remind me of your name again?¡± Juho asked. To which, the man answered in a loud, confident voice, ¡°Zara Jenkins.¡±

    ¡®That must be what makes this our second interaction,¡¯ Juho thought to himself. He definitely remembered hearing the name from Nabi at some point. Jenkins was one of the directors who were after the movie rights, and whose offer and request to meet, Juho remembered turning down. The young author had no intention of doing another film adaptation. Not only had he experienced it already, but he also concluded that there was nothing to gain from it.

    ¡°You mean, you came all the way to Germany just to see me?¡± Juho asked upon discovering the man¡¯s identity.

    ¡°You went to a local gto shop recently, didn¡¯t you?¡± Jenkins asked, smiling confidently.

    ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡±

    ¡°I came across a trace of you byplete coincidence. The shop owner had your autograph on the wall.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°Besides, getting a hold of your pictures has gotten significantly easier than before.¡±

    ¡°I thought they didn¡¯t let civilians in during business days?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Mr. Woo. I¡¯m a former actor turned screenwriter/director. It¡¯s hardly a challenge to gain ess to the fair.¡±

    ¡°Could I have you two gentlemene up to the stage? The audience is waiting,¡± the host in the eighties-style suit said, his face burning bright red from excitement. Before Juho had realized, the cameras that had been aimed at Coin at one point and the stage crew were all looking toward him, Nabi, and Isabe.

    ¡°I suppose damage control is in order,¡± Juho said, slightly irritated. However, Jenkins replied cheerfully, as ifpletely oblivious to the emotions behind the young author¡¯s words, ¡°Well, what are we waiting for? I love being onstage!¡±

    As the director went up to the stage, Juho followed him. At which point, the faces in the audience became clearly visible, including those of the people he had left behind. Everyone¡¯s mouths were parted open. Soon, the audience erupted into cheers and apuse, whistling loudly.

    ¡°Oh, my goodness! I would¡¯ve never known that I¡¯d see you here!¡± the host said.

    ¡°Likewise,¡± Juho murmured. Then, the host wearing the tacky suit asked, still sounding excited, ¡°Howe you two are together?¡±

    The host started with a difficult question right off the bat. As the young author hesitated, Jenkins replied confidently, ¡°Aren¡¯t we all here for one reason? To see Kelley Coin, of course.¡±

    Then, walking right past Juho and the host, Jenkins reached over to Coin and offered a handshake. After shaking hands with the director against his will, Coin wiped his hand on his pants, looking disgruntled. Having Jenkins return to where he was suppose to be, as if trying to keep everyone in line, the host asked him and the young author, ¡°So, what was happening earlier? What did we see?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it was nothing. Call it a small surprise that makes life just a little more interesting. You know, something God would do if He had a sense of humor,¡± Jenkins said as if rambling random thoughts. Moving on from the director, the host looked toward Juho, appearing as though having trouble making up his mind on what to ask first.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna be honest. I don¡¯t know what to ask first. Were you watching Mr. Coin this entire time?¡±

    ¡°I was.¡±

    ¡°That means you heard us mention your name too, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±

    ¡°We have a lot of people in the audience here, and I¡¯m sure everyone was really looking forward to meeting you. If we can hear it directly from you, Mr. Woo, that¡¯d be an honor.¡±

    In actuality, the eyes within the audience were quite piercing. Finding himself being thrown in the middle of a publishers¡¯ festival, Juho swallowed the urge to sigh.

    ¡°We were in the middle of discussing freedom. Do you consider yourself as being free?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no. There are times when I feel like nothing¡¯s holding me back. Other times, I feel like I¡¯mpletely tied up. It happens to everyone. I¡¯m sure everyone understands what I¡¯m talking about,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°What do you think of yourself, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a tough one,¡± Juho said, smiling despite the ufortable attention he was getting. He was feeling the piercing gazes from all directions getting fixed on him like arrows, which almost made them painful. As soon as he answered a question to the best of his ability, another question followed.

    ¡°Is this your first time at the fair?¡±

    ¡°Yes. This is my first time.¡±

    ¡°How is it so far?¡±

    ¡°I like that I get to experience the publishing market in person.¡±

    ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, you¡¯re a polyglot, am I right? Has that helped you at all?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it has. There are all sorts of books from all across the world in this ce. I actually got to meet people who have been working hard to get my books published. It was a lot of fun. Although, that isn¡¯t to say that that happened solely because I¡¯m speaking English. There is plenty to see around here, whether you speak thenguage or not.¡±

    As if satisfied with the young author¡¯s answers, the host maintained a cheerful smile on his face the entire time Juho spoke.

    ¡°Well, since we weren¡¯t quite expecting you here today, I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t take too much of your time away unfortunately. I¡¯ll give one lucky audience member a chance to ask you any question they might have. Is that OK?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°May I be part of this?¡± Jenkins said, interfering with the young author and the host, who assumed he was joking. Then, the host handed the microphone to ady sitting in the frontmost row. She was a buyer from Spain.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask a question since we have a renowned Hollywood director here with us.¡±

    Juho sensed that things were starting to take an unfavorable turn.

    ¡°Could you tell us what you know about the long-anticipated film adaptation of ¡®Language of God?¡¯ Should the fans be expecting it sometime in the near future?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a great question! I¡¯ve been wanting to know about that as well.¡±

    Thinking about the cameras aimed toward him and his clones upying the monitors¡¯ screens, Juho replied, ¡°At this point, I can¡¯t really say much. You see, I have no intention of doing another film adaptation.¡±

    ¡°Is that because you have a negative perspective of novels getting made into movies?¡± the host asked. Meanwhile, the Spanish buyer stared up at the young author, clenching her lips tightly.

    ¡°Not necessarily. It seems like there are some misconceptions about that. If I really didn¡¯t have a positive opinion on novels getting adapted into films, the ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ movie would¡¯ve never happened.¡±

    When Juho nced at Jenkins, he saw the director was ring intently at him, as if watching his every move. Juho was able to imagine how the director came to decide to fly all the way to Germany just to see him. At which point, he had to suppress his urge to chuckle.

    ¡°Although, I can¡¯t tell you how I¡¯ll feel in the future. Just as I have the freedom to feel as I wish in the future, I¡¯d like to add that everyone here is free to hope as they wish.¡±

    At that moment, another audience member shouted, ¡°One more question!¡±

    ¡°OK, then. Should we have one more?¡± the host said, pointing to a French agent who was sitting in the middle of the crowd.

    ¡°The friendship between Mr. Coin and Mr. Woo leaves a lot of people puzzled,¡± he said, and a quiet chuckle spread across the audience. Meanwhile, Coin was looking at the agent with a harsh expression on his face. ¡°I was wondering if you two consider each other rivals. There have been rivalries in the literary world that are particrly well known. Do you two n on following in your predecessors¡¯ footsteps?¡±

    Juho looked at Coin, who replied to the French agent without even giving the young author a nce, ¡°I have no intention of being part of such stupidity. Yun Woo still has a long way to go to get to my level. He¡¯d probably have to be born again.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one scary answer,¡± Jenkins murmured. Hearing the audience responding in unison, Juho cleared his throat.

    ¡°What about you, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°I respect Coin¡¯s decision. There¡¯s no doubt that he¡¯s a talented writer. I often find myself getting impressed whenever I¡¯m reading his books. On the other hand, I still fall short in many ways.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already in a bad mood as is. I suggest you don¡¯t make it worse ande up with a better answer,¡± Coin said quietly, which Juho shrugged off.

    ¡°The thing is, he doesn¡¯t seem to know that I¡¯ve already died once. That¡¯s my sin. I¡¯ve caught up to him.¡±

    At that, Coin furrowed his brow, saying, ¡°When I told you not toe up with a better answer, I didn¡¯t mean for you to go off the deep end.¡±

    ¡°It is better than the one I gave earlier though, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Then, shes started going off from the audience. Judging from the size of the crowd in the back, which was still growing, word had to have gotten out that Yun Woo was onstage with Kelley Coin. Unfortunately, the young author was about to wrap up his spontaneous interview session. The host closed the segment reluctantly, and after saying goodbye to the audience, Juho made his exit.

    ¡°Keep at it,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just take over?¡± Coin said sarcastically.

    ¡°Nah.¡±

    After ncing at Jenkins, Coin looked away shortly after. As Juho came down from the stage, he was greeted by Nabi, who seemed short-winded.

    ¡°Why are Jenkins, Coin, and Yun Woo together!? No, wait, what¡¯s Jenkins even doing here?? What¡¯s going on??¡±

    Looking at Jenkins, who was following the young author in a hurry, Juho said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure he has a thing or two to tell us.¡±

    Meanwhile, the director was looking intently at Juho, unshaken.

 Chapter 324 - An Encounter in Germany (7)

    <h4>Chapter 324: An Encounter in Germany (7)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Debuted with a short film. Invited to over one-hundred movie festivals across the globe. Nominated for one of the most widely recognized movie awards in the world. Winner of Best Director for his recent feature film. Winner of Best Actor. Nominated in forty-five categories.¡±

    ¡°People don¡¯t call me a genius director for no reason.¡±

    Juho took the phone from Jenkin¡¯s hand and looked at the search results for the director¡¯s name, which the director had typed in himself. With an acting background, Jenkins was a director highly praised for his work. When Juho looked at his filmography, he saw a handful of titles that were also popr in Korea. ¡®So, he¡¯s the one that directed these movies,¡¯ Juho thought to himself while telling the director the words that he wanted to hear, ¡°Seems like you know what you¡¯re doing, Mr. Jenkins.¡±

    Folding his arms together, Jenkins¡¯ eyes sparkled with confidence as Juho raised his tea mug up to his mouth. They were in the young author¡¯s hotel room.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point. I¡¯d like to turn your book into a movie. Trust me, Mr. Woo. You won¡¯t be disappointed.¡±

    After brushing his hair back with his hand, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know that I¡¯ve received offers from an an array of directors, and that I¡¯ve turned down every single one of them. And, it had nothing to do with their skills, I might add.¡±

    ¡°All of Hollywood knows about your standards, Mr. Woo,¡± the director replied, shaking his tea mug.

    Juho also shook his tea mug and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have no intention of doing another film adaptation,¡± sipping the tea. As the tea warmed up the inside of his mouth, he swallowed it.

    Then, Jenkins showed the young author his palms.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not go there just yet. Hear me out first, will ya? It¡¯s just too soon to say no. BUT, I am curious as to why. Why don¡¯t you wanna do another film adaptation?¡± the director asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already seen what it¡¯s like. I¡¯ve experienced it myself,¡± Juho said in monotone.

    ¡°You mean ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Closing his eyes, Jenkins shook head and said, ¡°My movie¡¯s gonna be different. I¡¯m going to create something that will blow the world away. You¡¯ll have nothing to lose. Trust me.¡±

    Then, he proceeded to exin the benefits a film adaptation could bring to the creator of the original.

    ¡°Everything¡¯s already in ce. Do you know the studio you¡¯d be working with? Would you like to know the filming sites or the cast? How about the CGpany? Are you into wizards or transforming cars? Lightsabers? I¡¯m sure you know whichpany I¡¯m talking about by now. It¡¯s THE BEST visual effectspany in all of Hollywood. You¡¯ll have the best of the best working in your story,¡± Jenkins said, raving on about all the widely-known names in the industry, all without a single mention of failure. It was a strategy biggerpanies tended to resort to when trying to draw someone in. In simple terms, it was a means to guarantee safety.

    ¡°If I were to make this happen, it would make it even easier for you toe up with that sequel.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m looking for,¡± Juho said, his eyes half closed. However, Jenkins didn¡¯t let up. Since the young author seemed much more resistant than he had anticipated, the director decided to approach things from a slightly different angle.

    ¡°OK, how about this?¡± he asked, leaning toward Juho and locking eyes with him. ¡°I¡¯ll make a movie that surpasses your novel series.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you wanted to hear, isn¡¯t it? Wasn¡¯t that why you gave the director of ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ the OK? I can do this. I WILL put your book to shame.¡±

    Juho looked intently at the director. And, instead of giving him an answer, he asked a question, ¡°May I ask why you¡¯re so obsessed with this? What¡¯s ¡®Language of God¡¯ to you, anyway?¡±

    At that, the director furrowed his brow slightly and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Your books are impossible to put down.¡±

    Then, he reached into his backpack and took a book out.

    ¡°... That book¡¯s seen better days.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve grown attached to it. Isn¡¯t she lovely?¡±

    Despite seeing a red sauce of mysterious origin on one of the pages, Juho didn¡¯t say anything about it. Then, opening to the back of the book, the director said, ¡°God dies.¡±

    In the novel, god eventually came to his demise. Nothingsted forever in that world, and God definitely wasn¡¯t an exception.

    ¡°Along with people¡¯s faith on God and thenguage He uses. Thepanions lose the purpose of their journey. That scoundrel of a protagonist actually matures. The rtionship between thepanions changes eventually, along with their social standings. Life is ever-changing, yet there¡¯s only so much time.¡±

    Then, mming his hand down on the book, he said, ¡°This book depicts that principle in the most efficient way. The characters experience it firsthand, and so do the readers.¡±

    Jenkins¡¯ eyes were sparkling with dangerous determination as he expressed how thoroughly, cautiously, and professionally he had studied the book, which was the kind of persuasion Juho preferred.

    ¡°You sound like you¡¯ve actually died once, struggling desperately to change. Not only is it multidimensional, but it¡¯s also incredibly realistic. The way this world ends is almost fantasy-like, and I wanna try something simr. I wanna make it into a movie.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°I noticed that you look like you¡¯re wondering why all these bothersome things keep happening to you. Do you get it now, Mr. Woo? The answer is in your writing.¡±

    The answer was in his writing. Feeling the sentence resonate deep within his heart, Juho licked his lips. Meanwhile, Jenkins kept on unhindered, ¡°Leave it to me, Mr. Woo. I¡¯ll surprise you. I¡¯ll upset you so much that you won¡¯t sleep at night. You might end up itching to write something even better for a while, but in the end, you¡¯ll feel proud and aplished. After all, you¡¯re the creator of the original. My sess will lead to yours.¡±

    ¡°And if you fail?¡± the young author asked.

    ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡±

    ¡°I admire your confidence.¡±

    ¡°I have the skill and the achievements to back that up. Not to mention the talent. On top of that, I¡¯m notzy. If anything, I¡¯m burning with passion.¡±

    The situation in which they found themselves backed up the director¡¯s im even further. Fiddling with the handle of his tea mug, Juho replied, ¡°I don¡¯t doubt one bit that you¡¯re a skilled director. They say that humans are fickle creatures, and I gotta admit, it seems like there¡¯s some wisdom in that. This is starting to sound more and more tempting, Mr. Jenkins.¡±

    At that, Jenkins narrowed his eyes, taking turns to look at the young author and his raggedy book. Just like that, time passed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem all that tempted to me, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Nothingsted forever. Simrly, the author had also changed.

    ¡°Do you not want the same thing anymore?¡± Jenkins asked, and Juho gave no response, which told the director that he had guessed the right answer. ¡°Do you not want a movie that surpasses your writing anymore?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. What do you think?¡± Juho asked, taking his hand off the tea mug. Although he gave an ambiguous answer, Jenkins didn¡¯t find the author¡¯s answer upsetting because he knew that Juho was preparing to give him a proper an answer. Juho took some time to organize his thoughts. It didn¡¯t feel right to send someone away, especially when they were so earnest.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always been aware of how well the movie would turn out and how unlikely it was to fail. I¡¯m also aware that you¡¯re not only talented but also passionate. And I¡¯m sure all of your movies are special in some way, am I right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. In fact, it¡¯ll be undeniably special. I¡¯ll make a movie that no one else can.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s precisely it.¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry, did I miss something? What¡¯s precisely it?¡±

    ¡°The reason why I¡¯m not all that interested in doing another film adaptation.¡±

    Jenkins blinked rapidly, confused by Juho¡¯s answer.

    ¡°I¡¯ve learned something from my past experience,¡± the author said.

    Sang Young had made a great movie, and Juho had also been quite satisfied by it after watching it in the theater with other viewers. Thest scene, in particr, was still vivid in his mind. The birds that were flying up to the sunny sky were not only more embellished, but more beautiful than his sentences could ever be. While a part of him had been somewhat upset, another part of him had been inspired, making his palm itch.

    ¡°I used to think that my writing wasn¡¯t half bad, good enough that my readers would be satisfied with it. I had no concerns. I used to tell myself that ¡®Trace of a Bird,¡¯ if any book, was the one decent book I¡¯d written.¡±

    ¡°And that still holds true today.¡±

    Upon returning home from the movies, Juho had taken out ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ and opened it. However, it hadn¡¯t been long before he¡¯d closed it back. He simply hadn¡¯t been able to like the sentences within it, leaving him confused as to why his readers had been so obsessed with the book. He hadn¡¯t been able to like the story he had written himself. He hadn¡¯t been able to like himself, and the sense of relief he had had was no longer, only to be reced by anxiety and insecurity. Only then, had the young author realized that he had been hoping in vain.

    ¡°I eventually came to realize that a book is a book, and a movie, a movie. My novel, his movie. No matter how hard I try, I just can¡¯t ovee that limit. Now, I believe it¡¯s a line that must be respected at all times. Although one would argue that they¡¯re the same piece from a certain standpoint, what I had looked for hadn¡¯t been in the movie.¡±

    It had been as if searching for the sea in the middle of a desert, expecting the vor of an apple while biting into a mango, or asking for a sausage at a gto shop. It had been a form of denial.

    ¡°In which case, it would make logical sense to go where I think I would find what I¡¯m looking for. And now, here I am, in Frankfurt, Germany. I hate to disappoint you Mr. Jenkins, but our encounter has nothing to with why I¡¯m here.¡±

    The director remained silent, realizing that he didn¡¯t have what the author was looking for. He had understood that much from Juho¡¯s roundabout exnation. However, he still didn¡¯t let up. He didn¡¯t ept it. The room sank into silence, leaving only the sound of their breathing. After holding his breath for a brief moment, Juho breathed out slowly. At that moment, Jenkins dropped his head all of a sudden, and the author looked intently at his sudden behavior.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± the director murmured.

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read every single one of your books because I wanted to know what kind of person Yun Woo was. You¡¯re somebody who tries to face his readers through his writing. But, the yous within your novels were so extremely different that I just couldn¡¯t get a grasp of what you were really like. Nevertheless, that¡¯s what brought me all the way here to Germany.¡±

    ¡°Well, is there something you learned?¡±

    ¡°Yes. You¡¯re more defensive than I¡¯d thought.¡±

    Aside from blinking, Juho showed no response. After which, the director murmured the same words as he had a moment before, ¡°Interesting.¡±

    ¡°On top of that, you¡¯re very proficient.¡±

    With that, he started talking even faster.

    ¡°Not only do you write a lot, but you write fast. I have screenwriting experience, so I know how writing can be. What you¡¯re doing is just unthinkable. Sometimes, it makes me wonder if you¡¯re a robot, but as we both know, there is no such thing. At which point, the next most logical exnation is that the author is really, really brave. Although having already achieved sess, he keeps going around acting like a curious rookie. He doesn¡¯t y hard to get or try to store anything up. He just writes and writes, which seems to me like he¡¯s much more desperate for an opportunity than he¡¯s fearful of running dry. Yet, he¡¯s Yun Woo. It just doesn¡¯t add up,¡± the director said, resting his chin on his hand. Then, one corner of his mouth turned up.

    ¡°And it seems like you¡¯re still doing the same thing here. I saw the video of you writing onstage. You were writing as if standing on the edge of a cliff, as if it¡¯s yourst story. Yet, now, you¡¯re casually talking about your experiences because you¡¯re not writing. Who knows? You said it yourself that books and movies were inherently different. Shouldn¡¯t you be trying to do everything within your power rather than backing down after a single failure? You¡¯re a young author. You can afford to face challenges head on,¡± Jenkins said restlessly and desperately.

    ¡°It appears to me that you¡¯re only brave as an author.¡±

    Juho and the director locked eyes with each other. Jenkins was provoking the author in a way that was different from Coin. Juho felt the director¡¯s presence from the sole of his feet, traveling up his legs. It was as if he were standing in a swamp.

    Then, opening his mouth, Juho replied in a gentle tone of voice, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Jenkins let out, no longer looking piercingly at Juho.

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. I¡¯m a big coward. I¡¯m so terrified of the water that I can¡¯t even think about going into it. Sometimes, I even imagine a dead body floating on the surface of a body of water and I get caught up with worrying, which is the first thing I try to get rid of the second I pick up a pen. You said you have screenwriting experience, so you¡¯ll know what I¡¯m talking about. If I don¡¯t do something about that fear, I can¡¯t write. Fear brings even more fear.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°As far as I can tell, it appears to me that I¡¯ve seeded.¡±

    At that, Jenkins let out a deep sigh. The taunting approach had been hardly effective. In the end, he resorted to the easiest, most effective and efficient method of approaching those living in a capitalist society, which was equally as ineffective against Yun Woo.

    ¡°If you have a certain amount of money in mind, we¡¯ll do our best to...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to politely ask you to leave.¡±

 Chapter 325 - Pulling the Trigger (1)

    <h4>Chapter 325: Chapter 325 ¨C Pulling the Trigger (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho rose from his seat. Although the young author was clearly driving his guest out, Jenkins looked up at him and waved both of his hands in a hurry.

    ¡°Hey, hey! I was just messin¡¯ with ya! All right. How about this? Do you have a favorite actor? Hollywood actor, that is. Counting directors.¡±

    ¡°This has been a long day for me, Mr. Jenkins.¡±

    ¡°Hold on! This is so unfair! You gave that Korean director a chance! Why can¡¯t you give me one!?¡±

    ¡°You can shout all you want outside.¡±

    With that, Juho kicked the director out of his room. Even while being dragged out, Jenkins kept trying to convince the young author. After getting pushed out the door to the hallway, Jenkins desperately wedged his arm between the door and the frame and said, ¡°Onest thing!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s more?¡±

    ¡°I have one more question.¡±

    ¡°... Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a question that you¡¯ve avoided answering in every interview, a questions about your future to be precise. How would you like to be remembered in the future? What¡¯s your goal in life?¡± Jenkins said in a hurry, dreading the possibility of the door closing on his arm.

    ¡°Who wants to know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a fan. I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you that all along. What is it that you¡¯re trying to earn through your writing?¡±

    Since there was no one but Juho on the floor, the hallway was dead quiet. The young author had the entire floor to himself, which eliminated any possibility of another person overhearing their conversation. Seeing that the director was getting clingier, Juho decided to give him what he wanted and close the door after. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t all that difficult of a question to answer.

    ¡°I wanna be great.¡±

    At that, Jenkins pulled his hand away from the door. As the young author closed the door, Juho saw a subtle smile spread on the director¡¯s face, which seemed like neither a sneer nor a chuckle. Rather, it was the look of a person who had finally gotten his hands on a long-awaited piece of clue. In those eyes, Juho saw a reflection of himself holding his breath and wondering, ¡®What¡¯s he thinking?¡¯ Finally, the door closed, and the air sank into silence, devoid of even the footsteps of the unwee guest, or his pleas to open the door.

    ¡°I¡¯lle back, Mr. Woo. This isn¡¯t over yet.¡±

    As Juho remained silent, the director disappeared down the hallway. Left alone, the room felt even quieter than usual. Throwing himself on to the bed, Juho let out a deep sigh.

    In some ways, Jenkins was even more of a challenge to deal with than Coin. Although appearing to be scatterbrained and a man who stayed true to his instincts, there was no doubt that the director had a broad perspective on things.

    ¡°I¡¯m beat,¡± Juho let out and closed his eyes, the director¡¯s words still lingering in his mind. Juho had what the director wanted, but the director couldn¡¯t provide Juho with what he wanted. The deal was a no-go. Having trouble falling asleep, Juho opened his eyes, his head filled with thoughts, such as:

    ¡®Shouldn¡¯t you be trying to do everything within your power rather than backing down after a single failure?¡¯

    ¡®Who knows?¡¯

    ¡®Your books are impossible to put down.¡¯

    ¡®I wanna try something simr. I wanna make it into a movie.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll make a movie that no one else can make.¡¯

    Juho sat up on his bed. Wrapped up in nket, his feet felt heavier than usual. He felt as though he was caught in a swamp that kept him from moving forward. Letting out a small sigh, Juho opened hisptop and searched for Jenkins¡¯ movies.

    ¡°Zara Jenkins!? What are you doing calling me!? It¡¯s not every day that you get the opportunity to work with a director like him!¡±

    As Sang Young¡¯s voice sted from the receiver, Juho turned the volume on his phone down. Sang Young seemed to have a good knowledge of how Jenkins came to reach his current directorial position. In short, he was saying that...

    ¡°He¡¯s a genius.¡±

    Sensing a bicycleing toward him, Juho stepped aside. At that moment, he heard the faint sound of street performers in the distance; one of them sounded like a violin. After ncing in the direction of the sounds, Juho continued on his way.

    ¡°He started off strong with his first movie, even though it wasn¡¯t untilter that it came out in Korea. But from what I¡¯m gathering from how you¡¯re describing him, he¡¯s quite the character. He flew all the way to Germany just so he could see you? He must be out of his mind.¡±

    ¡®You¡¯re one to talk.¡¯

    As Juho swallowed the words that came all the way up to his throat, Sang Young raised his voice even more, saying, ¡°You¡¯re doing this, right? You have to! He¡¯s the director with the fastest-rising acim in all of Hollywood. I¡¯m sure he knows your book inside out by this point. When you watch his movies, you can tell just how much he understands the subject. Everything he touches bes multi-dimensional almost instantly. Personally, I think I have an idea as to why he wants to do a film adaptation of the novel. He¡¯s probably confident, both in his interpretation of it and his skills.¡±

    Juho agreed. After watching one of Jenkins¡¯ movies, he had realized just how talented of a director Jenkins was.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he is.¡±

    ¡°Man, I would like to see that movie made!¡±

    At that, Juho looked down and said hesitantly, ¡°... I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Or you could always let me do it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that either.¡±

    ¡°That was quick.¡±

    Juho chuckled at Sang Young¡¯s yful remark. However, the moment was short lived because he heard a familiar voice upon arriving on his floor.

    ¡°Yun Woo!¡± Jenkins shouted, springing up from the floor in front of Juho¡¯s hotel room.

    ¡°I gotta go. Jenkins is here.¡±

    ¡°What? Now!? In front of you!? You don¡¯t think you could let me talk to...¡±

    Before Sang Young got to finish his sentence, Juho hung up and put his phone in his pocket. After which, Jenkins approached the young author swiftly.

    ¡°You were speaking in Korean just now, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    The director nodded his head as if thinking about something. Observing him for a brief moment, Juho said, ¡°You¡¯re really here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a man of my word.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it¡¯d been a promise.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how most promises are kept.¡±

    Walking past him, Juho reached for the handle of the door to his room.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did you forget your key or somethin¡¯?¡± Jenkins asked upon seeing the young author hesitate in front of the door, anxious to go inside. Tilting his head, Juho asked, ¡°Do you think this is some sort of battle?¡±

    ¡°Is that supposed to be a riddle? Like that of the Sphinx? A rite of passage perhaps? Are you gonna let me in if I answer your question?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna jump off the window if I get it right, are you?¡±

    Thinking of the tales of the Sphinx and the creatures¡¯ death, Juho smiled and reassured the director, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not taking my own life.¡±

    ¡°As you said, this is a battle,¡± Jenkins said with his hands on his sides. Then, clearing his throat, he asked, ¡°What is the creature that has one voice, walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three in the evening?¡± as if imitating the arrogant voice of the Sphinx. As Juho remained silent, the director spread his arms open and said, ¡°Man.¡±

    That had been the answer Oedipus had given to the riddle asked by the Sphinx, which ultimately had saved his life from the mythical creature. Ovee by anger and humiliation, the Sphinx had taken its own life. Meanwhile, Juho stoodpletely still in front of the door.

    ¡°Personally, I think Oedipus depicts the most fundamental aspects of mankind. More specifically, the root of tragedy. Just look at the man¡¯s life. He¡¯s a hero who defeated a monster on one hand, but he¡¯s also an incestuous, murderous criminal who killed his own father. He¡¯s done unspeakable things to the very people who birthed him into the world. As he moves up in society, his appearance also changes. He crawls with his limbs, walks on his feet and, eventually, with a cane at various points in his life. Yet, he lives just like how it was predicted. It¡¯s just as interesting as your writing.¡±

    It was well-known myth. In the end, the hero became blind after stabbing his own eyes out willingly, causing him to wander aimlessly, without a ce to settle.

    ¡°Your point?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re no different from Oedipus. We¡¯re both human, Mr. Woo, always finding ourselves at crossroads, trying to find our identities, letting things define us, and constantly wrestling with ambiguity. But what makes us different, are the things that you and I are looking for. Think of this as a conflict necessary in order to reach a mutual understanding. A perilous tug-o-war, if you will.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I follow.¡±

    ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that I¡¯ll never give up trying, even if I don¡¯t get the movie rights from you. I¡¯m not Oedipus himself, so I¡¯m sure things will turn out slightly better for me.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t follow,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Let me rephrase this.¡±

    By that point, It was clear that Jenkins was a man of confidence. Shaking his head, Juho turned the door handle.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe in?¡±

    Since Juho couldn¡¯t eat the director alive for giving the wrong answer, like the Sphinx would have, he felt the need for a conversation. Bringing out a loaf of rye bread he had bought on his way to the hotel, the young author asked, ¡°Do you like bread? I got some milk if you¡¯d like.¡±

    Juho turned around in order to see the response from the director. However, instead of a response, he was greeted by a gun. At which point, a wave of information about the director¡¯s country came rushing through the young author¡¯s mind. Juho blinked, but everything around him remained unchanged. The buttstock, the barrel, the iron sights, the slide, the magazine. Scanning the structure of the pistol in the director¡¯s hand, Juho wondered, ¡®Where did he get that?¡¯

    ¡°Are you gonna shoot me?¡± he asked the director, who held the pistol in his hands aimed precisely at the young author¡¯s chest.

    ¡°You gotta let me make this movie. I really want to turn your book into a film, even if it means you not finding what you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    Juho walked toward the gun unhesitantly. Simrly, Jenkins remained unfazed. He didn¡¯t back up either. Then, grabbing the gun by the cold barrel, the young author moved it up to his head.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve thought about this quite a bit. Is this one of the ideas you came up with?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You see, I found a hint from our conversationst night.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what it seems. You even remembered that I hate water.¡±

    At that moment, the director pulled the trigger. When Juho stepped aside, a weak stream of water came shooting out of the barrel of the gun, wetting the sofa.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to follow you around with this thing everywhere you go, all day long.¡±

    ¡°Very original, Mr. Jenkins. I¡¯ll give you that,¡± Juho said, taking the gun from the director and shooting it toward the ceiling. It was an borately-made water gun.

    ¡°Where did you get this anyway?¡±

    ¡°There are all sorts of movie props, Mr. Woo. You¡¯d be surprised. In any case, it was all just a silly joke.¡±

    ¡°It was pretty funny. But, you¡¯re not in Germany just to crack jokes with me, are you?¡± Juho asked, looking at Jenkins, who was sitting away from the wet spots on the couch. The lengths at which the director was willing to go were far beyond what was sensible. So much so, that they made the young author doubt whether Jenkins really was looking to convince him about the movie rights. If Juho hadn¡¯t seen his movies ahead of time, he would¡¯ve definitelye to that conclusion.

    ¡°Are you mimicking your own movie?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Ah! You¡¯ve seen it, huh?¡±

    ¡°I have. It was about a fugitive.¡±

    There was a particr scene in the movie that involved two characters pointing guns at each other, having a dialogue thatsted five minutes. Despite the seemingly insignificant length, it was often considered one of the most iconic scenes in the movie.

    ¡°Do you prefer milk or beer?¡±

    ¡°Beer, please.¡±

    Taking a bottle of beer from the refrigerator, Juho handed it to the director, who proceeded to open and drink it without hesitation.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna have one?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No, thanks,¡± Juho replied, and the director didn¡¯t ask any further about the subject, as if already aware of the author¡¯s attitude toward alcohol. With that, Jenkins brought the bottle up to his mouth and guzzled down the liquid, looking at thebel on the bottle afterward as if he¡¯d liked the taste. Meanwhile, Juho sat across from him and looked attentively at the director.

    ¡°I saw your movie,¡± Juho said, and Jenkins looked up at him at the sound of his voice.

    ¡°All of them?¡±

    ¡°Just one,¡± Juho said, ying coy.

    ¡°It seems that people think your most recent movie does an incredible job depicting your inner being,¡± Juho said, bringing up the mostmon review of his movie. ¡°The way you portrayed a person¡¯s inner being in the movie was inherently different from a novel.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a given, isn¡¯t it? We¡¯re talking about a movie, after all.¡±

    ¡°I liked it. I found myself getting lost in it.¡±

    At that, Jenkins smiled brightly, his eyes filled with a sense of aplishment. He wasn¡¯t ashamed to express himself. At that moment, Juho remembered what Sang Young had told him about actors at one point: It¡¯s all in the eyes.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d love to hear more about it, but it¡¯ll have to wait. I¡¯m not here to getpliments after all,¡± Jenkins said. Then, sping his fingers together, he kept on, ¡°Let¡¯s start from the beginning, shall we? The conditions haven¡¯t changed one bit. BUT, why don¡¯t we add one more thing to the list?¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± Juho said, remembering the smile that had been on the director¡¯s face before he¡¯d closed the door.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make you the greatest storyteller there is.¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡± Juho let out, unable to hold back hisughter. Jenkins was insisting that he could offer Juho what he wanted. If it meant that he got to make Juho¡¯s book into a movie, he wasn¡¯t afraid to contradict himself. In an attempt to involve himself in the young author¡¯s life, he had gone as far as epting Juho¡¯s discrepancies. Although it was charming, Juho couldn¡¯t help but notice the one, major w in the director¡¯s offer.

    ¡°My goal isn¡¯t something that can be reached by another person.¡±

    ¡°No, I disagree,¡± Jenkins said, still refusing to bring up failures in their conversation. ¡°It¡¯s very much possible, as long as you let me do this.¡±

    He was starting to sound like a con artist by that point. However, having no interest in how well or badly the movie did, Juho was finding that their conversation was getting more interesting.

 Chapter 326 - Pulling the Trigger (2)

    <h4>Chapter 326: Pulling the Trigger (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    After guzzling down his beer, Jenkins wiped his mouth and said, ¡°Now, I¡¯m aware that you¡¯ve been avoiding public appearances as much as possible. I remember that all the interviewers kept trying to get you to be more specific, but you kept telling them the same thing, that you don¡¯t want to beg your readers to buy your books.¡±

    Juho also remembered saying that during a certain interview that had taken ce while his apartment had been filled with pages of manuscript paper. Then, raising his chin, Jenkins added, ¡°The second I heard that, I realized that your goal was something that could be purchased by another person.¡±

    ¡°It was just an analogy.¡±

    ¡°But what if I told you that it was actually possible? Greatness. I can give you just that.¡±

    Juho tapped his finger on the desk as the director kept on, ¡°I have experience, Mr. Woo. All of the actors and actresses with whom I worked rose to fame after appearing in my movies, and they each found their own unique identity. A romantic, a hero, a viin, a leader, an eloquent speaker. You might think that there¡¯s more to reality, but let me tell you, there isn¡¯t. Companies investrge sums of money just so they can maintain a positive image, and this is precisely what a country does. Think about the images thate to mind when you think of countries like Germany or the US. You get pretty simr pictures, don¡¯t you think? The rich are full of themselves, while the poor remain ignorant. We dress in expensive clothes, but for what? Just so we don¡¯t get looked down on. On the flipside, we dress like bums when traveling to ces that aren¡¯t as safe. Everybody has a certain image of how they want to be perceived by others, whether it¡¯s looking appealing to others or wanting others to stay away.¡±

    Jenkins seemed to be well-versed in the realities of modern society. Handling, creating, sculpting, and destroying images were all big parts of his job as a director.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s think about the subjects that we often like to put the word ¡®great¡¯ in front of. Nature, mothers. Personally, Mr. Woo, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re very far off. Yun Woo, the Great Storyteller.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to achieve my goal through my writing,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°And this is exactly what you¡¯re getting through your writing. Why do you think I came all the way to Germany?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m certain that it¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°No. It appears that you don¡¯t really know yourself, Mr. Woo. If you did, you¡¯d be more conceited and far less cautious. You wouldn¡¯t have thought twice about epting my offer. Do you know what the single most important thing is when ites to having a certain image, Mr. Woo? It¡¯s the ground upon which you build that image. Companies donate exorbitant amounts just so they can be seen as ¡®good.¡¯ You, Mr. Woo, have more than what it takes to be great. You just happen to be hindered by preconceived notions about your age and your reputation as a genius.¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me that you, a movie director, will make me great?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Besides, I¡¯m not you, so I can say all this without having to bear any of the burdens thate with it. On top of that, I can also make it sound objective.¡±

    Juho quietly observed the director. He was clearly trying to direct the conversation in a way favorable to him. However, Jenkins wasn¡¯t afraid to look directly into Juho¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Well, doesn¡¯t sound like you¡¯re trying to rip me off. That¡¯s definitely something you can give me,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Right?¡±

    When books won widely recognized awards, the rate at which they sold increased. Books that bore famous names also carried that effect. It was alsomon for books to be bestsellers almost immediately after a mention in other media. Simrly, the titles and covers of books also yed a major role in their sales. As for people, things like their level of education, the family in which they were born, and their upation tended to determine their image on the surface. The most tangible aspects of a person became their most representative aspects, which gave others the power to determine what that person looked like.

    ¡°But it won¡¯te to readers as a surprise until after they actually open my book, don¡¯t you think? Finding how different it actually is inparison to what they imagined?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. We¡¯re talking about making something that is already good to look at even better. A prodigy turned genius. It makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not a product.¡±

    ¡°It was just an analogy,¡± the director said, licking his lips. ¡°All that to say that, in the end, everyone will look up to you even more than they already do. The King of Pop, the God of Basketball, they all had to start somewhere until others started calling them as such. That¡¯s why you haven¡¯t talked about your goal on official asions, right?¡±

    Juho wasn¡¯t going to let being valued as a person determine who he was. He didn¡¯t think of himself as amodity.

    ¡°Did it sound like I was looking for a title?¡±

    ¡°It definitely doesn¡¯t sound as impressive when you put it that way,¡± Jenkins said, unfazed by Juho¡¯s appearance. Then, as if knowing the true value of having a title, he added with a greedy look on his face, ¡°Not just any title. The world will call you the one and only Great Storyteller.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t quite sound like the greatness I¡¯m looking for.¡±

    ¡°Well, what is it that you¡¯re looking for?¡± the director asked, sticking his tongue out like a snake hiding in a swamp. He was quite crafty. Letting out a small sigh, Juho thought unhurriedly about how he defined greatness, which was a dream forfeited by some.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to write for a long time,¡± Juho said, reminiscing to his past. Although he had risen to the top in no time, his life had fallen apart just as quickly. He was fully aware that he was far from being the Great Storyteller. However, after receiving a second chance, that had be an earnest desire.

    ¡°Is that what makes an author great? An author with asting career? That¡¯s too vague. Not everyone dies at the same age,¡± the director said.

    ¡°Sales have nothing to do with greatness, whether things sell a lot or a little.¡±

    ¡°But if it doesn¡¯t sell at all, then there won¡¯t be anything left to discuss. A book only has meaning when it¡¯s read. What I know for certain is that your book will be even more famous through my movie,¡± Jenkins said in a hurry, his shoulders looking somewhat tense. Meanwhile, Juho sat up.

    ¡°There are two reasons for why it¡¯s pointless for us to discuss that. One, my books are already selling plentifully. Two, every book gets at least one reader the second ites into existence: the author. Though, not the most objective one if I might add.¡±

    ¡°The minority gets neglected all the time. If nobody recognizes you, then what¡¯s the point? Keeping something to yourself is no different. A name that never gets called loses its purpose.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t want to be remembered as a genius. In fact, he wanted his life to end in a way different from his past. He wanted to be remembered as the Great Storyteller, and the moment he said it out loud, he realized his thoughts started untangling themselves. He had a past that nobody else new about. Yet, unlike Jenkins¡¯ logic, that past was very much real. It was still leaving traces in Juho¡¯s life, and its presence tended to grow whenever the young author wrote. While it was painful, it was a relief at the same time.

    ¡°The world might call me the Great Storyteller, but if I don¡¯t see myself as such, then there¡¯s no meaning,¡± Juho said. The expression on the director¡¯s face started to harden slowly.

    ¡°It¡¯s just as meaningless to keep that knowledge to yourself.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. They¡¯re NOT the same. Would you take your own life just because you were told to?¡±

    ¡°... Of course not. I¡¯d tell ¡¯em to go to hell,¡± Jenkins said and dropped his head, his blue eyes also hiding from Juho¡¯s sight. Then, repeating the process of clenching his hand into a fist and releasing it, he added, ¡°... You might as well ask me to get you an absurd amount of money. There was an author like that, and things fell through in the end.¡±

    Juho stared intently at his lowered head. Not only had he watched every single one of Jenkins¡¯ movies, but he had also read every single interview the director had taken part in. On top of that, he had also seen him receiving an award at a ceremony. With that, Juho picked up the prop gun, which Jenkins had brought. The water inside it made it cold to the touch.

    ¡°A movie that¡¯s better than my writing. Is that what you want, Mr. Jenkins?¡± Juho asked. ¡®I¡¯ll make a movie that surpasses your series.¡¯ That had been the cause behind the director¡¯s desire to make a movie based on ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Although genuine, it had proven to be self-centered in the end. Frankly, there was something that had been bothering Juho since their first encounter. It had been the director¡¯s blue eyes, which had an uncanny resemnce to another pair of eyes the young author had seen recently. Those blue eyes had been filled with apetitive spirit. At that moment, the director smiled and told Juho, ¡°I¡¯ve written a number of scripts.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡±

    ¡°And writing a script is apletely different beast from writing a novel. When youpare them side by side, it almost feels like you¡¯d have to hold your pen differently. A half-sibling, if you will. I mean, it¡¯s just so visible how different they are when you look at their respective results. Moving images and text.¡±

    The difference between the two were quite stark. So much so that there was no need to convince anyone.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to nag your kids to watch more movies. They already like them. There are less and less people reading books, and there¡¯s no greaterpliment than: ¡®It reads like you¡¯re watching a movie.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Your point?¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that I think that there¡¯s nothing more entertaining than a movie,¡± Jenkins said, his eyes filled with genuine passion, and added, ¡°I¡¯m noting from a ce of looking down upon literature. In fact, I¡¯m often inspired by literature. But, the first time I came across a movie, I immediately fell in love, and that is something a book has never been able to do.¡±

    The director seemed to think his emotional experience was the realization of an objective truth. As talented as he was, all the time and work he had put into honing his skill had only reinforced his misunderstanding. It didn¡¯t help that the world had been affirming his belief. Sniffling, the genius director said, ¡°You¡¯re already great, Mr. Woo.¡±

    As Juho remained silent, he nced at the young author and scratched his chin, saying, ¡°Guess you¡¯re not buying that either, huh?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately. It wasn¡¯t bad though.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess I really don¡¯t have a choice, then. It seems like I¡¯ll just have to do my best to outlive you and buy the rights off someone else,¡± Jenkins said weakly, putting his interlocking fingers behind his head.

    ¡°As you said, Mr. Woo, that I couldn¡¯t give you what you were looking for. Even if I were to give that to you, it wouldn¡¯t be in the form you want it in. What can I do when you¡¯re not looking for it in other people? The real tragedy here, though, is that YOU have what I¡¯m looking for, which makes our rtionship less than equal, as most rtionships tend to be,¡± he said to the young author. Then, with another smile on his face, he added, ¡°But that isn¡¯t to say that you¡¯repletely against making the movie, am I right?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Jenkins lowered his head as if in anguish. There was truth to what he had said. If Juho had really been intending on turning it down, then he would have already done it. Besides, Jenkins was far too interesting of a person. When the young author watched his movies for the first time, he found them just as interesting and charming as their creator. Although things had been marked by bitterness the first time around, there was a sense of satisfaction the second time around. However, he still hadn¡¯t been able to find what he was looking for. Currently, Juho had no lingering attachment to doing a film adaptation, and no amount of money nor a script written by the best screenwriters would be able to change his mind. The director had said that the young author had what he was looking for.

    Then, taking the prop gun, Juho aimed it at the director¡¯s head and pulled the trigger.

    ¡°Ah! Cold!¡± Jenkins let out, his entire body shaking as water dripped down his head.

    ¡°The thing is, Mr. Jenkins, I would have said this sooner if it weren¡¯t for this gun.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± the director let out, letting the water dripping from his head flow into his mouth.

    ¡°You see, I¡¯m notpletely against doing a film adaptation,¡± Juho said. Seeing the director¡¯s face starting to light up, Juho smiled. ¡°I can be defensive at times. I just froze up at the sight of that gun.¡±

    ¡°Wha-?¡±

    ¡°At the same time, it¡¯s just not in my nature to be cruel, either. On top of that, nothing in this worldsts forever.¡±

    Although the gun was as rigid as a real one, it was merely a water gun. At the sight of the stream of water, which was aimed away from him, Jenkins asked, ¡°Wait, what are you trying to say? Can you be more clear?¡±

    While they talked, Juho noticed a rather simple desire welling up in his heart, which had started taking roots after he had finished watching all of Jenkins¡¯ movies. Wondering how far he¡¯d be willing to go, Juho had observed the director, and as expected, their conversation had not only been fun, but also informative. In the end, Juho decided to grant the director¡¯s wish.

    ¡°With all the spiel about greatness and whatnot, I want to see your movie, Mr. Jenkins,¡± Juho said, brushing his hair back with his hand. There was one more thing left to do.

    ¡°Now, why don¡¯t we discuss the contract?¡± Juho said.

    Then, raising his chest and throwing his arms up in the air, the director cheered with joy.

 Chapter 327 - Pulling the Trigger (3)

    <h4>Chapter 327: Pulling the Trigger (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡®¡±Language of God,¡± the Movie! Is It Finally Happening? Contract for the Movie Rights Reported Being in Discussion. Fans Getting Fired Up with Excitement!¡¯

    ¡®Zara Jenkins Reported to Direct the Long Sought After ¡°Language of God¡± movie.¡¯

    ¡®Negotiations in Progress? What Does Yun Woo Have to Say About This? How Much Will the Movie Rights Go For?¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo, Reported being in Germany, Remains Silent about the Film Adaptation of ¡°Language of God.¡± Did He Know It Was Going to Happen?¡¯

    ¡®Who is Zara Jenkins? A Handsome Former Actor Turned Director. The Genius Behind Some of the Most Recognized Movies.¡¯

    ¡®The Dramatic Encounter of Zara Jenkins and Yun Woo at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The Riddle Has Been Solved! How Will Their Story End?¡¯

    ¡®The Meeting of the Two Geniuses. What Will the New Film Adaptation of Yun Woo¡¯s Most Beloved Series, ¡°Language of God,¡± Look Like? Will It Follow in the Footsteps of ¡°Trace of a Bird?¡±¡®

    ¡®Christmas Came Early This Year! The Long Awaited ¡°Language of God¡± Movie Is Finally Happening! Will the Publisher Give an Update on the Sequel?¡¯

    ¡®Next Stop, Hollywood! How Far Will It Go? The Influence of Yun Woo¡¯s Books.¡¯

    ¡®Hollywood Meets ¡®Language of God!¡¯ What Should We Expect from the Movie?¡¯

    ¡®The Recent Announcement of the ¡®Language of God¡¯ Movie Leaves Fans on the Edge of Their Seats. Fans React.¡¯

    ¡®An Interview with Sang Young Ju. What Does It Mean to Turn a Novel into a Movie?¡¯

    ¡°Film Adaptation? Did they just say film adaptation?¡±

    ¡°Zara Jenkins is the director? This is insane. Now, I HAVE to go see it.¡±

    ¡°Finally! I thought it¡¯d be awesome to see the book get made into a movie when it first came out. I¡¯ve been waiting for so long!¡±

    ¡°Good. I was starting to get ticked off with all the waiting. I was wondering why the studios weren¡¯t getting on this sooner! Then, all of a sudden, Zara Jenkins. All this waiting is finally paying off!¡±

    ¡°Zara and Yun Woo, huh? I wonder how he¡¯ll go about turning ¡®Language of God¡¯ into a blockbuster movie. I sure hope he doesn¡¯t go overboard with CGI.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll do fine. Zara Jenkins is one of the best directors out there. Considering the nature of the series though, I think it¡¯s really important that they capture how the characters grow and mature. In which case, I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s better suited for the job than Jenkins.¡±

    ¡°Wonder what the movie will be like! I hope it doesn¡¯t reflect badly on the original in any way, though.¡±

    ¡°I mean, given that Zara Jenkins is directing it, we probably won¡¯t have to worry about him screwing it up. I do think that they¡¯ll make changes here and there, as with most film adaptations.¡±

    ¡°I think that¡¯s inevitable. People are bound topare the film adaptation to its original counterpart. I wonder if the movie will surpass the original, though?¡±

    ¡°Probably not? That¡¯s a tall order.¡±

    ¡°Zara Jenkins might be able to pull it off.¡±

    ¡°I feel like movies based on novels are really hit-or-miss.¡±

    ¡°I agree, but I am looking forward to seeing real-life actors speaking thosenguages!¡±

    ¡°Thosenguages were so realistic! He even described how the words were pronounced. I think that¡¯s what really makes ¡®Language of God¡¯ so charming and special. I¡¯m sure Jenkins will do well.¡±

    ¡°Wonder where they¡¯re shooting. I¡¯m so excited that I get to see those locations with my own eyes.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they have to work with the author on that?¡±

    ¡°But wasn¡¯t Yun Woo really hands-off with the ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ movie?¡±

    ¡°He was! I wonder if he¡¯ll be the same this time.¡±

    ¡°Personally, I just want the sequel.¡±

    ¡°Ditto.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so curious. Whatever the story¡¯s like, I¡¯m getting it.¡±

    ¡°As long as it takes ce in that same world, I¡¯m on board.¡±

    ¡°He did say that he wanted to write about the past.¡±

    ¡°When is iting out? Anybody know?¡±

    ¡°I was expecting the sequel toe out first since it¡¯s so popr all across the globe, but surprise, surprise.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s the movie or the sequel. I want them all!¡±

    ...

    ¡ª

    ¡°Ah! I didn¡¯t even get to say hi to you back then!¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Coin asked, looking at Jenkins, who was opening the door for him. His understanding was that the room belonged to another person.

    ¡°Hey, there,¡± Juho said,ing out of the bedroom unhurriedly. Observing him, Coin replied, ¡°I guess I¡¯m in the right ce.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve been staying in this hotel this entire time.¡±

    As Coin stepped inside, his face twisted into a scowl at the sight of the state of the room. There were empty ss bottles on the table and rolling around the floor. Clicking his tongue, he asked, ¡°How much did you have to drink?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the person you¡¯re looking for, I believe,¡± Jenkins said, throwing his hand up in the air, looking somewhat proud.

    Looking up and down at him, Coin replied, ¡°You seem fine considering how much you¡¯ve had to drink.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I was so hungover yesterday that I could hardly get out of bed all day. Except for when I had to go throw up, that is. Isn¡¯t that how one should drink, though? It¡¯s like the thorn of a rose if you will. Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get why he doesn¡¯t drink in his own hotel room,¡± Juho murmured. Jenkins had been visiting the young author¡¯s room constantly, and the reason was obvious. However, Juho, who had things to do, couldn¡¯t afford to spend the entire day solely on amodating the director. In the end, he had let the director stay in the living room while he, himself, went into a room and concentrated on his research. That same night, after making an excuse that he was much too drunk to go back to his hotel room, Jenkins spent the night at the young author¡¯s hotel room. On top of that, he had ended up spending yet another day in the hotel room¡¯s living room, hung over. Since the director actually hadn¡¯t looked that good, Juho had had no choice but allow him to stay.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins is a very interesting person. Especially when he¡¯s drunk,¡± the young author said.

    When drunk, Jenkins tended to get even more talkative. While Juho had been researching in the room, he had heard the director rambling on about something for hours on end, which made the young author forget that Jenkins was actually drinking by himself. However, once reaching a certain point, the situation took an unexpected turn. Having realized that it waspletely silent in the living room, Juho walked out of the bedroom to see if the director had fallen asleep. However, to his surprise, he had found Jenkins trying to crawl into tight spaces under the desk or inside the closet, as if his memories of being in his mother¡¯s womb were still intact.

    ¡°Although, not the most dignifying sight.¡±

    Juho had watched the director ram his head against the couch repeatedly for some time. While he told the story, Jenkins cackled.

    ¡°Well, at least I¡¯m not going around picking fights with people, or anything like that. My drinking habit isn¡¯t so bad, don¡¯t you think? Clothes can always be washed.¡±

    Coin shoved his hands in his pockets. Offering him a seat, Juho asked, ¡°Coffee?¡±

    ¡°I brought mine,¡± Coin said, pushing the empty bottles off the table in order to make room for his thermos. The sharp clinking sound echoed through the room.

    ¡°Huh! You carry coffee with you, huh?¡± Jenkins asked, staring intently at the thermos. Without giving an answer, Coin opened the lid of his thermos irritably and poured the hot liquid into his mouth.

    ¡°You make it seem like you¡¯re having a drink. May I have a cup, please?¡±

    At that, Coin red fiercely at Jenkins, and the director immediately backed down, saying, ¡°On second thought...¡±

    ¡°I thought you two knew each other.¡± Juho said after watching their interaction.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen him around at events. I saw him up close for the first time at the book fair,¡± Coin replied.

    ¡°You know, I was going to write you an email,¡± Jenkins said.

    ¡°An email?¡±

    ¡°To ask you to introduce me to Yun Woo. Oh! I wanted to talk to you too, of course.¡±

    While Jenkins rambled on, Coin listened to him with a nk expression on his face, mming his hand on the table from time to time. Seeing that, Juho sat slightly further away from him.

    ¡°You¡¯re quite the loquacious type, Mr. Jenkins,¡± Coin said.

    ¡°I get that a lot, actually! Makes my day every time!¡¯

    Then, Coin asked the young author, ¡°Are you really gonna leave this guy in charge of your movie?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Juho replied, and Coin gave him a disgruntled look. Then, Jenkins objected to his question, saying, ¡°Everyone was excited to hear about the movie! For those who know me... Wait a minute, have you not seen my movies?¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t,¡± Coin said.

    ¡°Not a movie person, I see.¡±

    ¡°Just not yours.¡±

    ¡°Yet, how can you dislike my movies when you haven¡¯t even seen them?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand unicorns either. I don¡¯t have to have seen something to not like it, do I?¡±

    Jenkins blinked awkwardly with his mouth agape, but said shortly after, ¡°You hate what?! How can anyone possibly hate unicorns!?¡±

    Juho looked at the door to the bedroom, which was parted open slightly. Although the bedroom itself was far from being tidy, it seemed like the most peaceful spot in the that hotel room.

    ¡°So, any progress?¡± Coin asked, and Juho turned toward his voice. Coin was looking away from Jenkins on purpose.

    ¡°Some. Things are definitely bing clearer as I gather more information. I still have a long way to go, though.¡±

    ¡°For how much longer are you nning on staying in Germany?¡±

    ¡°Until I find everything I¡¯m looking for. I¡¯m not in a hurry.¡±

    Then, Juho asked Coin the same question, asking how long he was nning on staying in the country.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna take some time to go around the country,¡± Coin replied.

    Then, the director interjected, saying, ¡°Try F¨¹ssen. You won¡¯t be disappointed. Especially the Alps and thekes.¡±

    ¡°... That¡¯s where the castle is, right?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Are you nning on visiting other countries too?¡± Coin asked the young author without even bothering to look at Jenkins.

    At that, Juho smiled awkwardly and answered, ¡°No. I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°Why not? If you¡¯re doing research on war, you could visit the States at some point. Didn¡¯t we talk about this?¡± Coin asked.

    ¡°We did,¡± Juho replied. Although that had been his idea initially, he had changed his mind since then.

    ¡°After spending some time here, I came to realize that I didn¡¯t have to travel that far.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Korea,¡± Jenkins let out, interjecting yet again while nodding. Lately, Juho had been studying anything and everything even remotely rted to war. The more he learned about Germany¡¯s history with war, the more he realized how relevant it was to Korea, which was also a country with its fair share of wars.

    ¡°I suppose that would be more convenient for you. It¡¯d be easier to find inspiration, too.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Then, Juho brought up something he had been meaning to do since the moment he hade back from the dead: ¡°I¡¯m going into the military.¡±

    As the air sank into silence, Juho felt the empty gazes of those in the room on him.

    ¡°... What?¡±

    ¡°The military. I¡¯ve been meaning to serve early and get it out of the way. I figured now was a perfect time to do that.¡±

    Furrowing his brow, Coin asked, ¡°Is Korea under a conscription system?¡±

    ¡°It is. I have a feeling that I¡¯ll end up touching upon drafting and recruiting.¡±

    The director screamed at the unexpected news, stammering, and Coin gave him a pitiful look.

    ¡°But what about the movie!? There¡¯ll be times when I¡¯ll need your opinions! The settings, the depictions, and ESPECIALLY thenguage! I¡¯m not some linguistics magician like you!¡± Jenkins said, bringing up both the script and casting in addition to his arguments.

    ¡°The book should have all the information you need, including all the pronunciations. Besides, there¡¯s the offshoot volume.¡±

    ¡°But I want to be as detailed as possible when ites to thenguages!¡±

    ¡°You know how uninvolved I was with thest movie, don¡¯t you, Mr. Jenkins?¡±

    ¡°But this is different! I thought you said you weren¡¯t looking for significance in movies anymore!?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. It is a different situation. I¡¯m going into the military.¡±

    Jenkins threw his head back while sping it and protested, ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on!? The military!? This is absurd!¡±

    Never in his directing career had Jenkinse across an author who went into the military. However, Juho had no choice. He was legally obligated to do so. If anything, it was better to go sooner thanter. ¡®Can¡¯t believe I¡¯m doing this again,¡¯ Juho thought to himself, bitterness lingering in his mouth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go. I beg you,¡± Jenkins said desperately.

    ¡°It¡¯s a duty every Korean man has to carry out,¡± Juho said, staring into the air.

    ¡°A duty?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a basic obligation. It has to be done.¡±

    Although it made things easier if one was more willing to go into the military, that was hardly the case. Simrly, Juho wasn¡¯t particrly fond of the military. The strict ranking system was simply not attractive to the young author because it was a system in which there would always be people who suffered, which was the case with mostmunities, unfortunately.

    ¡°When are you going? Which month? Day? Time?¡± Coin asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say before I get a written notice.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not gonna be tomorrow, is it?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it.¡±

    Then, Juho saw the director rubbing his hands together anxiously, determined to make the most out of the little time he had with the young author. Despite the nonchnt answer he had given to the director, Juho was also well aware of the nature of his novel series. On top of that, he was also intending to cooperate to some extent. Rubbing his mouth, Coin asked, ¡°How long do you have to serve for? What¡¯s the structure like there? Are there any more details? You said every male has to go.¡±

    Juho answered him to the best of his knowledge. It was understandable that Coin would be so curious. The system was quite different from the one used in the States.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like Korea¡¯s at war. I find it odd that they follow a conscription system.¡±

    ¡°The US switched to a volunteering system after the Vietnam War, right?¡±

    ¡°Israel follows a conscription system, too.¡±

    ¡°Because they¡¯re always in conflict with Palestine.¡±

    Naturally, the conversation that had initially started with the subject of war changed to one about peace. Nobody wanted war. In fact, everyone wanted to live in evesting peace, in a world free of war or any sort of conflict. Then, whistling as if reaching a realization, Jenkins said, ¡°So, does that mean Yun Woo¡¯s going on hiatus?¡±

 Chapter 328 - Language of God and the Violinist (1)

    <h4>Chapter 328: Language of God and the Violinist (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Most likely,¡± Juho said. It was unrealistic to publish a book while serving in the military. That meant that Juho had to go on an unintended hiatus, and he had been preparing himself for it.

    ¡°Was it at least two years? This is gonna take some adjustment,¡± Jenkins said as if putting himself in the young author¡¯s shoes. Then, he asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you nervous?¡±

    ¡°What is there to be nervous about?¡± Juho asked, shrugging.

    ¡°This is your first hiatus, ever,¡± the director replied, looking straight at Juho as though he was well aware of how fiercely the young author had been working.

    ¡°Hard to say,¡± Juho said, thinking about the even longer hiatus he had had in the past, which the director knew nothing about. Then, Jenkins came closer to Juho and said, ¡°I read in some column that authors lose their self-esteem almost instantly as soon as they finish a book.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡± Juho asked nonchntly, turning at Coin to pass the question on to him. At which point, Coin waved his hands irritably, as he would against a fly, and said, ¡°Who gives? I would never stop writing if I were you. Two years? I¡¯ll make sure that you get forgotten from the face of the Earth.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s disconcerting. But you see, I¡¯m not exactly going on a vacation, either.¡±

    ¡°You know what? This one actor I worked with ended up with the role of a ballerino, so he spent four months with an actual professional ballet group, living with them and getting trained by them. He definitely learned a lot by the time we started filming. And now, there¡¯s an author in front of me who¡¯s about to go serve in the military just so he can write.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m kind of obligated to, actually.¡±

    ¡°You should dy it as much as possible,¡± Jenkins said, clinging to the young author desperately. With a swallowed sigh, Juho asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±

    That day, the three spoke well into the night about various subjects.

    ¡ª

    ¡°You¡¯re going into the military?!¡±

    At three in the morning, or ten in the morning in Korea, Juho received a call. Because he¡¯d been reading well into the night, he was able to answer the phone without trouble. It was Seo Kwang checking in with the young author as his stay in Germany went longer than expected. Seo Kwang¡¯s voice shook at the unexpected news.

    ¡°Yep. The military,¡± Juho said, repeating himself for the sake of his friend.

    ¡°What the heck...¡±

    Juho exined his situation to his friend. Meanwhile, Seo Kwang sounded as though he was facing the reality that he had been avoiding thus far.

    ¡°What about you? When are YOU nning on going?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not go there,¡± Seo Kwang said anxiously.

    To which, Juho replied light-heartedly, saying, ¡°You¡¯re gonna be fine! They let you read in the military, you know.¡±

    ¡°If they didn¡¯t, I¡¯d havee up with some sort of n not to go.¡±

    For some reason, Seo Kwang¡¯s joke sounded more like the truth. Then, sighing deeply, he added, ¡°Baron told me that he¡¯s been thinking about it too. And now, you.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we met up yesterday to have a drink, actually. I think he¡¯s nning on taking some time off from school.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should just go with you,¡± Seo Kwang said, clearly out of impulse.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine with that, but you gotta think about what you¡¯re gonna do about school too.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, man. I just don¡¯t wanna think about it. I heard March is the best time to go. You¡¯re not gonna volunteer to the Marines or something, are you? Wait... knowing you, you might,¡± Seo Kwang said, frightened by the possibility of ending up at the most intense branch of the military.

    ¡°Should I? You wanna join me? Although, they say that the Marines are at the frontline when war breaks out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna take some time to think about this, actually. Can¡¯t hurt to be careful, you know?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s do it.¡±

    ¡°No, thanks,¡± Seo Kwang said emphatically, grumbling. ¡°Man, when is this whole spiel with North Korea gonna end? Do you think it¡¯ll be soon? I thought they¡¯d have shaken hands and made up before I finished elementary school.¡±

    Hearing Seo Kwang¡¯sint through the receiver, Juho redirected his attention to the book he had been reading, which was aption of records of battles that had taken ce across the globe. He had been finding himself going back to it whenever he wanted to take a breather.

    ¡°Oh! I liked that book you told me about,¡± Juho said, referring to a book he hade across while visiting Seo Kwang¡¯s blog.

    ¡°It¡¯s good, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    When Juho asked the blog¡¯s owner for more details on it, he proceeded to rave about its informative nature for an hour straight.

    ¡°Jenkins seems to find it interesting. He was looking for an English copy for himself too.¡±

    ¡°Yeah... Wait, Jenkins? As in Zara Jenkins!?¡± Seo Kwang asked, his voice shaking for a different reason that time. Then, he asked, ¡°Did you tell him about me at all?¡±

    ¡°Nope. He was drunk out of his mind and just happened to reach for that book.¡±

    ¡°... So, it was just a drinking habit?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily. He still had it together, somewhat.¡±

    ¡°Man, you got my hopes up!¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang asked Juho further questions about Jenkins, which Juho answered using only the pieces of information he knew for sure.

    ¡°What if you have to attend an audition for a role or something? Why don¡¯t you dy it? The movie would turn out so much better if you were there.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know that. Having too many chefs in the kitchen could spoil the soup. They might be better off without me.¡±

    Then, rising from his seat, Juho picked up the cup of water on the desk, revealing the sunsses Jenkins had left behind. It wasmon for the young author to find the director¡¯s belongings in his hotel room, such as his jacket and the lid of his pen, which made Juho worried that the director might show up at his door with all of his belongings, looking to move in.

    ¡°Besides, I wanna see his movie as just a member of the audience.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were a fan!¡±

    ¡°I watched every single one of his movies. Think that means something.¡±

    ¡°Huh, what do you know! Well, when are youing back to Korea?¡± Seo Kwang asked. Looking at his research data scattered about on the desk, the young author replied, ¡°It won¡¯t be for a while,¡± feeling the need to dig deeper into his research.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Whew,¡± Juho let out, sitting on the bench nearby as he slowed down. The trail that ran alongside the river was the perfect ce for a run. On top of that, there were hardly any people around that time. Feeling his body cooling from the sweat, Juho rose from his seat and started stretching. At that moment...

    ¡°Came out for a run, I see?¡± an older man, who appeared with the ducks, asked, sitting where Juho had been sitting up to a moment ago. ¡°Lucky for that gto shopdy. She even gets to go on a trip because of you,¡± the man said yfully.

    At which, Juho snorted and asked, ¡°It¡¯s the autograph, isn¡¯t it? Tellin¡¯ you, that name Yun Woo sure carries a lot of power.¡±

    ¡°Heard getting that mango vor is near impossible these days,¡± the man said exaggeratedly.

    Juho had heard him say that multiple times by that point. Having noticed the look of disgust on the young author¡¯s face when he brought up that subject the first time, the man had been bringing up the mango gto and its rarity every time they met since.

    ¡°Bread?¡± the man said, offering a bag with a loaf of rye bread from a bakery he had also introduced Juho to. Their bread was exceptionally tasty. Since he was starting to get hungry, Juho took the bread from the man¡¯s hand willingly and gratefully. At that moment, realizing that there was food, the ducks started surrounding the young author and the man, and Juho took a big bite off the bread, as if showing off to the ducks.

    ¡°Could you trante this for me?¡± the man asked, pulling out a Latin Bible as the price for the bread. Since they first met, the man¡¯s goal had been to read the entire Bible written in Latin.

    ¡°When I was young and learning Latin, that was the happiest time of my life,¡± he had said. But now, he had forgotten nearly all of it, from the vocabry to the grammar. Reading with a dictionary was hardly efficient or convenient. It was then that the man came across a trantor who made his life significantly easier. Telling the young author about the geography of the ce, the stores in the area and any other information pertaining to the city as payment for Juho¡¯s service, the man had been leaving the trantion to the young author. Since their meetings were never nned, their every encounter up to that point had been by coincidence, which enabled them to talk to each other candidly and in an unforced manner. The information the man provided Juho was not only useful, but it was also technical. Having lived in the city for years on end, the man had acquired his copious knowledge through experience.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you learn this wordst time?¡±

    ¡°You just wait till you¡¯re my age. You forget what you had for breakfast as soon as the Sun sets.¡±

    All Juho had to do was read the Bible to the man, one page at a time. Although the man¡¯s memory could definitely be better, he was quick to understand. Besides, Juho had been finding it quite fun to exin the text to him. His trantion experience was definitely proving itself useful.

    ¡°OK. Let¡¯s stop here,¡± the man said, raising his hand. Then, looking at the trantion written by Juho, he reyed the words in his mind, memorizing the entire thing.

    ¡°How¡¯s research going?¡± he asked, and Juho shrugged. As the young author learned more about the subject, the scenes for the novel within his mind started taking shape, giving him a clearer idea as to how he should go about writing the story.

    ¡°It¡¯s going well.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re going back soon?¡±

    ¡°That, I¡¯m not sure. Although, I¡¯m pretty sure I won¡¯t be here forever.¡±

    ¡°Well, let me know before you do. I¡¯d like to buy you some bread if it¡¯s thest thing I do.¡±

    Although it felt like it hadn¡¯t been that long since he¡¯d firste to Germany, it felt strange knowing that there was somebody he had to inform ahead of time prior to leaving. The characters within ¡®Language of God¡¯ must have felt simrly. Juho thought about the protagonist of the new book, whom he had met before. The character had also appeared in ¡®Language of God¡¯ and yed an important role in enabling One to meet the creator of the myth. It was the life of that character that Juho wanted to write about in the sequel of the series.

    ¡°Do you know anybody... weird and unusual?¡±

    ¡°You?¡± the man said light-heartedly. Then, the man rose from his seat, startling the ducks. ¡°Well, I¡¯m gonna get going now,¡± he said.

    ¡°Take care.¡±

    Just like that, their brief meeting came to an end. Juho had no idea of where the man was headed, but it didn¡¯t matter. Left alone by the riverbank, Juho stared at the peaceful water of the Main River and started organizing his thoughts about the new protagonist. There were bits and pieces of information about him floating around in the young author¡¯s mind. Within ¡®Language of God,¡¯ there existed a myth written in anguage that couldn¡¯t be read by mankind, which contained the story of mankind being ostracized by animals, and of a traitor who had betrayed its fellow animals because of a favor it had received from mankind. The sequel was going to be about the person behind the recording of mankind¡¯s entire history. At that moment...

    ¡°Meow,¡± a cat let out.

    When Juho bent down at the waist to look under the bench, he saw a cat crouching, moving its ears with its eyes closed. Juho felt the blood rushing to his head. At one point in their history, humans in ¡®Language of God¡¯ had massacred cats, and the protagonist in the sequel was bound to hold resentment toward them for their actions. Having deified the traitor of the animals, the new protagonist was in a ce of influence.

    Having written the myth, which was also exceptional literature, the protagonist was an author. In that case, he had to have written something else prior to the myth, which would exin how he had been able to write such an outstanding book.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Agh!¡±

    Upon feeling an impact on his back, Juho looked up, moaning inadvertently while feeling the blood rush back down from his head. Although fuzzy, Juho was able to tell that somebody was giving him a pitiful look. Then, squatting, Coin looked underneath the bench.

    ¡°You were doing that just so you could look at some cat?¡± he asked

    ¡°Good cirction is crucial to good health.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you walk with your hands while you¡¯re at it?¡±

    ¡°Should I try it?¡± Juho replied, rising from the bench. At that moment, the cat came out from underneath the bench and leapt onto the very spot Juho had sat on.

    ¡°It must¡¯ve heard us.¡±

    Although moving up and down in dull movements, the cat seemed to be quite clever. While Juho was looking intently at a spot on its snout, Coin said, ¡°Your research must be picking up, seeing how you¡¯re trying anything and everything.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Once the story started taking shape, Juho often found his excitement getting out of control, making him look even more frantically for things to give the story even more shape somehow.

    ¡°What? You¡¯re gonna write about somebody doing a handstand?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about a certain character, actually.¡±

    ¡°Oh. You mean the traitor?¡±

    Juho remembered having talked to Coin about the traitor at one point. Back then, Coin had said that he¡¯d disliked the character because of his cruelty toward cats. Coin had even gone as far as suggesting that Juho should drive mankind to extinction.

    ¡°No, the author.¡±

    The new protagonist was going to be an incredibly influential figure in the future. It wasmon in epic narratives to include elements that hinted at a future like that to the readers, which involved an unusual birth.

    ¡°What do you think about having him hatch out of an egg?¡±

    ¡°An egg?¡± Coin asked, his brow furrowing. ¡°Are you nning on making your new protagonist a helpless chick? You like birds a tad too much, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°But if I really made the protagonist a chick, then it would be vulnerable to cats.¡±

 Chapter 329 - Language of God and a Violinist (2)

    <h4>Chapter 329: Language of God and a Violinist (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho stared intently at the cat. Although it seemed to pay no attention to the people around it, its ears, which were pointed toward the young author, moved every time Juho spoke. It was a cautious predator.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get outta here.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Juho replied. Checking the time, he asked, ¡°Jenkins should¡¯ve arrived yesterday, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Although, I don¡¯t know what business he has here. He needs to stick to making movies,¡± Coin said, clicking his tongue irritably. Juho agreed silently. Jenkins had been in the States for about a month. While Juho had been enjoying his peaceful daily life in the director¡¯s absence, Jenkins had informed the young author that he had arrived from the States just yesterday. Looking at the time, he had to be sleeping at the moment.

    ¡°Speaking of which, for how much longer are you staying in Germany?¡±

    ¡°For as long as I want to.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Lately, Coin had been traveling around the country. D¨¹sseldorf, Hamburg, Bremen, N¨¹rnberg, Stuttgart, Berlin, Dresden, Bonn, Mannheim, Potsdam. Those were some of the ces Coin had visited up to that point. Though, it wasn¡¯t clear what he was doing in those cities.

    ¡°Are you going to Mallorca too?¡±

    ¡°No. That¡¯s not Germany,¡± Coin said, not ying along with the young author¡¯s joke. Although considered a Spanish territory, it was a popr vacation spot for Germans. ¡°The piano recital at Bonn wasn¡¯t half bad,¡± he added.

    Despite the rare asion that was Coinplimenting something, Juho listened to him indifferently.

    ¡°That¡¯s where Beethoven was born, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. He was born in Germany.¡±

    Then, Juho listed every single German musician he knew.

    ¡°Bach, Hendel, Schumann, Brahms, Hofmann, Mendelssohn... Who else is there?¡±

    ¡°Seems like you listen to a lot of ssical music,¡± Coin posited, raising his eyebrows.

    ¡°Not really. I don¡¯t know too much about it. It¡¯s just that they¡¯re all well known.¡±

    Juho barely knew thoseposer¡¯s life stories in detail.

    Then, Coin asked out of nowhere, ¡°Where¡¯s Mozart from?¡±

    ¡°Austria,¡± Juho replied at once.

    ¡°What about Vivaldi?¡±

    ¡°Italy, right?¡±

    ¡°Fr¨¦d¨¦ric Chopin?¡±

    ¡°I believe he¡¯s Polish.¡±

    ¡°OK? What about Nics Chopin?¡±

    ¡°France.¡±

    ¡°Remind me again of how you know this?¡± Coin asked. To which, Juho scratched his chin and replied, ¡°I¡¯ve been working on a novel that spans quite a few borders.¡±

    ¡°And what does that have anything to do with this?¡±

    ¡°I tend to take interest in subjects relevant to the countries that appear in my novel.¡±

    Then, Coin asked another question, as if trying to catch the young author off guard, ¡°Who wrote ¡®Die Forelle?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Uh... Robert Schumann?¡±

    ¡°Wrong. It¡¯s Franz Schubert.¡±

    ¡°Ah! So close,¡± Juho replied, trying his hardest to remember the melody of the piece. Then, he heard musicing from the distance. Being lost in his thoughts about music, Juho briefly thought that he was hearing things.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that...¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a violin,¡± Coin said. Although it wasn¡¯t the particr piece they were talking about, it was still quite riveting.

    ¡°Shall we?¡± Coin asked and started walking toward the sound without even waiting for Juho¡¯s response. There was a crowd gathered around the source of the sound. The closer Juho got to the source, the clearer the notes became. It was a street performance. Looking at the old man ying the violin, Juho was able to tell his philosophy and the depth of his rtionship with the instrument from the furrowed brows, thick eyebrows, and tightly clenched lips.

    ¡°Very nice,¡± Coin murmured. Meanwhile, Juho looked around at the audience. While some were carrying groceries in their hands, others were holding purses and/or coffee. Regardless of what they had in their hands, they had stopped deliberately at the sound of the violin, willingly spending time listening to the performance. Their eyes were fixed on the old performer, just like the young author¡¯s. He had set aside all of his thoughts in order to listen to the music.

    ¡°This is ¡®Carmen,¡¯ isn¡¯t it?¡± Juho asked Coin, and he nodded in confirmation. As the violinist bowed his violin cheerfully, a few strands of loose hair flowed about in the air. Although the hands that were ying the instrument were blunt, it moved freely and unhindered on the neck of the violin.

    While the music was heavy and somewhat sorrowful, it also felt as though the performer was calmly walking on his toes. Then, the violinist gave one of the strings a couple of plucks with his finger, changing the atmosphere out of nowhere. There had to be a name for that technique. He yed his instrument skillfully and with impable technique, and an image of Carmen dressed in red welled up into the young author¡¯s mind.

    As the performance came to an end, the audience apuded briefly, and the performer readjusted the shoulder rest of his violin, positioning himself for another piece. Then, Juho made his way through the crowd toward the violinist and ced a bill in the violin case. Looking up, he locked eyes with the performer, whose mustache started twitching as if he recognized the young author¡¯s face. Then, showing off his jawline, the performer started off with another piece, one widely-known as ¡®Gypsy Airs.¡¯

    ¡°Wow!¡±

    It was colorful and embellished, as though the performer were trying to prove his skill through his performance. The rich tone created by the fingers of the violinist evoked an emotional inspiration within the young author, which was tangible enough that he could almost touch it. At that moment...

    ¡°For the love of God.¡±

    It was Coin. The sound of his voice snapped the young author right out of the performance. When he looked back at him, Coin was bending at the waist, reaching for his thermos on the ground.

    ¡°So sorry,¡± the pedestrian who had run into him apologized profusely. Looking at the coffee spilling out from his thermos, Coin grumbled irritably. His pants had a massive coffee stain on it, and upon seeing that, the pedestrian apologized all the more. Taking a deep breath, Coin waved his hand at him, gesturing not to worry. Although the author looked quite menacing, he didn¡¯t go as far as raising his voice in public.

    ¡°Go on. It¡¯s fine,¡± Coin said, picking up his thermos, which gave off the smell of coffee.

    Thinking that the smell went well with the sound of the violin, Juho asked, ¡°You OK?¡±

    ¡°Do I look OK?¡±

    ¡°I thought you said you were fine.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Coin said angrily, his eyes burning furiously.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Thankfully, Coin didn¡¯t seem to have suffered any burns.

    ¡°I need to use your bathroom. NOW,¡± Coin said. Since the hotel Juho had been staying in was closer than Coin¡¯s, Juho took him to his hotel room willingly, listening intently to the sound of the violin slowly fading into the distance.

    ¡°Gown.¡±

    ¡°Here.¡±

    Coin scowled with difort. Thankfully, his favorite coffee shop wasn¡¯t too far away from them, which meant that he would be able to refill his thermos with ease. However, the disgruntled look on his face didn¡¯t change, as if the present difort were greater than the reward in the immediate future.

    After going into the bathroom, Coin mmed the door shut. Thinking about buying a new pair of pants and some coffee before he came out, Juho went into another room within his hotel room, which was in a state of disarray from all the research data written in German. Despite seeing the wallet right before his eyes, Juho simply couldn¡¯t bring himself to reach for it. Looking up at the ceiling, he said to himself, ¡°I¡¯ll just organize it really quick before I go.¡±

    Pushing all the books, notes, notebooks and pages of manuscript paper to one side, Juho ced hisptop on the desk. It was showing a cursor blinking on a nk page. He thought about the protagonist, who goes on to aplish great things in the future. His writing remained relevant even centuries after his lifetime, getting passed down by hands and word of mouth. The sound of the violin still lingered in Juho¡¯s ears, the same notes ying over and over in his head, something so tangible and real that he could almost touch it. At that moment, he heard the sound of the shower going, making him hesitate. However, that didn¡¯tst long. Closing his eyes, he listed a set of words in his mind.

    ¡°War. Myth. Past. Music. Language of God. Sin. Betrayal. Record.¡±

    Trouts swam against the flow of water. The further one went back to the past, the more colorless the world grew, until eventually, it was left with ck and white. Juho heard the sound of water. The trout finally reached its home, which had a piece of red cloth hanging from it as if marking the end of the trail. Looking raggedy from the dust and the stains, it was stiff to the touch. At that moment, Juho saw a silhouette behind it. Breathing slowly, he pulled up the red cloth by its corner. A familiar, yet long-awaited, face greeted him. Juho took a step forward, feeling the corners of his mouth turning up while his hands covered his face. Barely reaching up to his waist, the figure behind the red cloth was quite short and much younger than the young author had anticipated. Covering himself with the red cloth, Juho fixed his eyes on the figure.

    ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡± Juho asked. There was a stench in the air, which wasing from the child. There were piles of bird droppings on one side, and there were ragged spots on its clothes, as if it had been gnawed on by rats. At that moment, Juho felt the cloth he was wrapped in starting to get wet. The ceiling was leaking. There was a hole big enough to stick a finger into it, revealing the sky through it. It was nighttime.

    Instead of lying on the cloth, the child looked around its surroundings, from where there were rats and insects also watching the child. Although locking eyes with them, the child kept looking around unhindered. Then, as if revealing their hidden secret, it walked over to the wooden nk on the ground, which hid something quite expensive. The young author wrapped in red cloth was visible over the child¡¯s shoulders. Then, the child took the object out from underneath the nk. It was a violin. Holding it against its chest, the child headed for the cave, where no one would follow it. Aside from Juho and a lone sheep, there was not a single person around. As the child went into the cave, Juho wandered around the entrance. In the end, he decided to speak to the child through the sheep, which was the ugliest and the fattest in town.

    ¡°Where¡¯d you get that?¡±

    Despite the bizarre sight of the animal speaking humannguage, the child, as if hypnotized, didn¡¯t seem to notice anything strange.

    ¡°I found it. There¡¯s a wealthy family who moved away recently while saying that a war had broken out and that it wouldn¡¯t be long until it spread to our vige. They left a lot of stuff behind.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be really upset when they find out you took that from them.¡±

    ¡°Then, I just gotta make sure I don¡¯t get caught.¡±

    In order to avoid being nagged at, the child changed the subject, saying, ¡°Well, I wanna y it now, so stop pestering me.¡±

    With that, the child rose from its seat and ced the shiny instrument on its shoulder, looking quite natural. The sheep bleated quietly.

    ¡°Listen to this.¡±

    The child started bowing across the thinnest string on the violin. Although it was as simple as a string rubbing against another string, the sound that came out of it couldn¡¯t be more beautiful. The sheep followed the child¡¯s movement with its ck eyes.

    ¡°Where¡¯d you learn to y?¡±

    ¡°Humans cry naturally after they¡¯re born.¡±

    The sound of music reverberated through the cave. ¡®Gypsy Airs.¡¯ The sorrow of an outsider masked by the cheerful, yet, violent sound of the violin. As the sheep eximed, impressed, the child puffed itself up.

    ¡°I have really good ears. I can tell when you¡¯re bleating, even when you¡¯re with all the other sheep.¡±

    ¡°Can you read, though?¡± the sheep asked directly, and the child clenched its lips tightly, as if disgruntled that its personal time was being interrupted.

    ¡°Can you?¡± the child asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m a sheep. Animals don¡¯t have a writtennguage.¡±

    ¡°I wish I¡¯d been born a sheep,¡± the child said, ying sorrowfully. Like a true artist, it seemed quite skillful in expressing its emotions. The child¡¯s performance exuded an unmistakable presence in the otherwise dark and quiet cave. The notesing from the instrument were its words and emotions. A violinist.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the sheet music?¡± the sheep asked, interrupting the music. Turning toward it, the child asked, ¡°Sheet music?¡±

    ¡°The record.¡±

    ¡°What record?¡±

    ¡°Musicians usually perform with sheet music in front of them. It¡¯s music recorded onto a sheet of paper so that other people can learn and remember it.¡±

    The child immersed itself in thought for a brief time. Then, sneering, it said, ¡°I can y just fine without it.¡±

    ¡°What you yed today will eventually get lost in your memory.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The air sank into silence. Taking its hands off the violin, the child looked at the sheep furiously. Then, stamping its feet, the child shouted, ¡°Underwear!¡±

    Juho stopped his hands, his ears ringing from the shout. When Juho looked back, he was greeted with a pair of blue eyes.

 Chapter 330 - Language of God and a Violinist (3)

    <h4>Chapter 330: Language of God and a Violinist (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As Juho closed hisptop, the blue eyes followed the young author¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± the young author asked.

    ¡°I said I wasing. We were grabbing dinner, remember?

    Juho checked the time. About thirty minutes had past.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear the door.¡±

    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t ring the bell. Coin let me in.¡±

    Then, Juho looked at Coin, who was leaning against the door frame with a cup of coffee from a certain coffee shop, fully dressed. At that, Juho made sense of the situation.

    ¡°Underwear, huh?¡±

    ¡°I got you some while I was out getting mine. Look,¡± Coin said, showing Juho the underwear with zebra stripes. At that, Juho nced at Coin¡¯s waist.

    ¡°What are you lookin¡¯ at?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°He knew exactly what he was looking for. It¡¯s not entirely zebra-like, but it¡¯ll have to do,¡± Jenkins said. Coin seemed to prefer a certain brand of underwear. Taking the white underwear with ck lines running across it, Juho waved it and said, ¡°It¡¯s not a sheep.¡±

    ¡°A sheep?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. You¡¯re early.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to sleep in for a little longer, but it turns out getting out of bed a little earlier isn¡¯t all that bad.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not super early.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, I¡¯m starving! Let¡¯s go get some food!¡± Jenkins rushed the young author, ncing at hisptop.

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of early for lunch, but sure,¡± Juho said as he rose from his seat to go to another room. Left alone, Jenkins and Coin didn¡¯t say anything for a little while. Then, Jenkins took the sunsses from his head and set them on the desk.

    ¡°Well, what do you think?¡± Coin asked. At which, the director lightly tapped theptop with his fingers and said, ¡°Seems like they just barely missed Mr. Woo in that video.¡±

    The door had opened before the director had even rung the bell. Coin had been acting differently from usual. The room had been strangely quiet, and the host had been nowhere to be seen. Jenkins had started making sense of the situation as he stepped into the hotel room. Yun Woo had been writing, and the room had been dead silent. ¡®Is this how he writes?¡¯ he¡¯d wondered. He had never been so upset that he couldn¡¯t read Korean. Then, out of nowhere, he thought of the young author¡¯s short story, ¡®River,¡¯ which had left him guessing where it hade from or where it was going. Licking his parched lips, Jenkins asked, ¡°Well, what about you? Are you anxious at all?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, now,¡± Coin said, immersing himself in thought. The cup of coffee Jenkins had brought him was already half empty. Meanwhile, Jenkins walked around the author idly.

    ¡°A violin, huh,¡± Coin said.

    ¡°A violin?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Do you know Korean?¡±

    ¡°I know a few words.¡±

    Thinking about the word written in Korean, Coin said, ¡°Though it seems like he was seeing somethingpletely different.¡±

    Yun Woo¡¯s writing process often involved seeing things that shouldn¡¯t be seen. It was almost his fantasy was a paranormal experience.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready. Shall we?¡±

    At the young author¡¯s voice, the two made their way out of the hotel room.

    ¡°This is some good stuff!¡± Jenkins shouted, raising his ss while looking at the drink with affection. Between the three people who were eating at the round table, the director was the only person drinking.

    ¡°I¡¯m lovin¡¯ this!¡±

    Jenkins had been making quite the scene with each and every sip. Although Juho didn¡¯t mind it at all, the other person didn¡¯t seem too happy about it.

    ¡°The Gift of God to us all.¡±

    ¡°Will you shut up!?¡± Coin let out irritably, ring at the director as if ready to hurt him at any given minute.

    ¡°Is it that good?¡± Juho asked in order to interject.

    ¡°Very! Would you like one for yourself?¡±

    ¡°No, thanks.¡±

    Without imposing on the young author, Jenkins drank his wine quietly. However, because of his expressive nature, the silence didn¡¯tst long.

    ¡°I gotta eat here more often. The food is amazing!¡±

    ¡°Coin¡¯s rmendation.¡±

    ¡°I should¡¯ve kept my mouth shut,¡± Coin grumbled, cutting himself a big piece of beef and bringing it up to his mouth. The b of meat poured out what looked like blood at every slice of his knife, which reminded the young author that Coin was eating what used to be a living being. As Juho quietly ate his asparagus, Jenkins put the ss down and asked, ¡°That was the sequel you were working on in the room, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Do you have fond memories of things rted to violins?¡±

    At that, Juho looked up at the two. At which point, Jenkins waved his knife in denial and said, ¡°It just seemed like it had something to do with the man behind the myth, is all. I¡¯d love to know more about anything that has to do with that man¡¯s life.¡±

    ¡®Language of God¡¯ contained the end of the character, which involved the man creating a myth that got passed down for generation after generation. Perhaps, the director was thinking about mentioning the character in the movie.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you anything on the kind of life he¡¯d lead, unfortunately,¡± Juho said, fiddling around with his fork. Jenkins waited patiently for the young author to finish. ¡°But, what I CAN tell you is what makes him such an important character.¡±

    At that, Juho saw Jenkins¡¯ lips twitch.

    ¡°The piece of writing that he leaves behind will probably outlive God.¡±

    Within the novel, God¡¯s lifespan was three-hundred years. Nothingsted forever in that world. However, there were moments where things felt like they wouldst forever.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯ll be around forever. Who knows?¡± Juho said, revealing the mindset with which he had been writing, and added, ¡°Do you think he¡¯d like to know that?¡±

    Would he wee the his creation outlived its creator? Juho thought about the spirit of the character witnessing the result of his creation after his death. What would the expression on his face look like then?

    ¡°I¡¯d say he would, at least a little,¡± Juho added. That was as much about the character he could share with the director. Although smacking his lips, clearly wanting to hear more, Jenkins didn¡¯t cling to the young author and beg. Instead, he decided to approach things from a different angle.

    ¡°So, about Bird in ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Bird?¡± Coin said, retracing his memory of the novel. ¡°You mean God?¡± he said, remembering the character Jenkins was referring to.

    ¡°Yes, him!¡±

    Bird had been one of the characters who had lived in the same neighborhood as the protagonist, who eventually left on a journey in search of God. However, the truth was that God had been, was, and would always be nearby.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been wrestling with the character for some time,¡± the director said.

    While the series was still ongoing, Bird had served as an element of surprise. The fans had been ecstatic when the character¡¯s identity had been revealed. Unfortunately for the director, that dynamic was no different from a magic trick that everyone already knew.

    ¡°But I still want to utilize him somehow. I want him to be special.¡±

    ¡°Do what you want. The script is different from the novel anyway,¡± Juho said with a piece of chicken in his mouth.

    ¡°But birds have special meanings in your books, Mr. Woo,¡± Jenkins said, trying desperately to get the young author to tell him more.

    ¡°There are birds in your other books too, and at this point, it¡¯s practically your signature. Besides, I really like Bird in ¡®Language of God.¡¯ I wanna have a deeper understanding of the character.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no corrtion between my novels and what I think of birds. If you wanna know more about the character, then I suggest you read my novels.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Mr. Woo. You know what I¡¯m talking about,¡± Jenkins replied, sighing and adding, ¡°At first, I was gonna ask you to take over the adaptation.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± Coin said, sneering. Meanwhile, Juho ate his food quietly. Pouring himself another ss of wine, Jenkins said, ¡°Well, we do have some of the best authors in the world taking part in the process, myself included.¡±

    No matter how good or bad the result turned out, the director was confident that he would be content in the end.

    ¡°As for the cast, I¡¯m nning on giving the role to an actor who packs a punch.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°But I won¡¯t say who.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°This is confidential, all right?¡±

    Although nobody had asked him to, Jenkins kept offering pieces of information to the young author, as if Juho would reciprocate the effort eventually. After some thought, Juho said, ¡°So, the thing about Bird is...¡±

    ¡°Yes!?¡±

    ¡°... He can¡¯t fly.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°His name¡¯s Bird for crying out loud. Yet, he can¡¯t fly. Tragic, really.¡±

    ¡°But Bird is a person! More precisely, God! Isn¡¯t it obvious that he wouldn¡¯t fly!?¡± Jenkins said with his fingers on his temple. Then, his expression started to change slowly.

    ¡°Yet, you thought that was strange somehow? Sad, maybe? A bird that can¡¯t fly. A character with which its creator empathizes. Is Bird yearning for freedom? Vertical sort of... No, that can¡¯t be it. It has to be something dirtier...¡± the director said, thinking out loud. Then, he took his raggedy copy of ¡®Language of God¡¯ out and opened it.

    ¡°What a mess,¡± Coin said, abhorred by the state of the book, guzzling down his sparkling water as if letting his anger out on it.

    ¡°... But the actor was just so full of himself! He was just the opposite of the image he projected. Although he¡¯s pretty infamous in Hollywood, a lot of people were against bringing him in. But, what could I do? I wanted him to take the role regardless, which meant having to y mind games with the guy throughout the entire filming process.¡±

    As the meal went on, Jenkins, who was flushing bright red and reeking of alcohol, was starting to be more and more talkative. Unfortunately for Juho, that meant having to listen to his drunken rant against his will.

    ¡°So, how did you sort things out with him?¡±

    ¡°Why, I let him have it, of course!¡± Jenkins said, throwing his hands in the air.

    ¡°I pointed out all of his ws in front of people. I could¡¯ve beat around the bush a little bit, but I didn¡¯t, so I could give the guy a taste of his own medicine. In the end, he stormed out of the set, and our staff members barely managed to convince him to do one more take. I¡¯m telling you, that day was a mess. Voices were raised, fingers were pointed, people were cursing up a storm... Oh, I stayed out of all that, of course. It¡¯s undignifying.¡±

    When Juho looked to Coin, he was flipping the director off, waving his middle finger in front of him. At which point, Jenkins started cackling while holding his sides.

    ¡°OK. Frankly, I don¡¯t dislike actors and actresses who are full of themselves. Whenever they act out, that gives me a reason to treat them the same way.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it get stressful?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it does! I often find myself asking why I¡¯m doing this. But, in the end, I alwayse back to the same answer: As long as the movie turns out OK, as long as they can deliver the performance I¡¯m looking for, as long as my choice of casting them pays off somehow in the end. If anything, it¡¯s the actors the higher-ups are trying to force into the movies that bother me. There¡¯s nothing more annoying than that. Trust me.¡±

    ¡°Why waste timeparing them? They¡¯re all garbage for all I care,¡± Coin said, his nostrils ring as he added, ¡°I hate ¡¯em all, from people trying to take shortcuts to the cocky ones. I can¡¯t stand thetter in particr.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t just hate people in general?¡± Jenkins asked, clearly drunk but stating the truth nevertheless. At which point, Juho chuckled quietly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t like you either, you know,¡± Coin told the young author poignantly.

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Right! You flew all the way to Korea just to see him!¡± Jenkins said, staring into the air and nodding. Just like he had said, Coin had definitely been upset at Juho back then, to say the least. Although Coin and Jenkins had a noticeably different attitude toward the young author, something told Juho that they might have a lot more inmon with each other than they realized.

    ¡°You were outranked by Yun Woo back then, right? Yes, I remember reading about it. I think I remember his books doing even better than yours too. Is that why you went all the way to Korea? That¡¯s some dedication.¡±

    At that, Juho rolled his eyes and looked away, ying coy, and Coin sneered and replied, ¡°Hmph! This is why I can¡¯t hold a conversation with people who only focus on details. This kid and I? Our positions are a worlds apart. Ask anybody, and I guarantee you that they¡¯ll agree. Every single one of them.¡±

    ¡°So, you do acknowledge that you lost, partly? Well, good for you, Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand the proper time to talk about that subject.¡±

    ¡°You mean now? Mm, that¡¯s some good wine.¡±

    At that moment, as Jenkins put his sses down, Coin reached over and held the director by the cor at a frightening speed. Juho blinked, both taken aback and impressed at the same time. However, it didn¡¯t seem like the best time to admire how fast Coin was. Then, the author raised his fist as if ready to punch the director in the face at any given minute, and Jenkins¡¯ eyes widened.

    ¡°Hold on, hold on.¡±

    ¡°Now that I got a good look at you, I know your kind. It was some animal... ah. Human.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re choki¨Cng-¡±

    ¡°So, going back to what I said about the proper time, let me remind you of when that is. That would be now.¡±

    ¡°OK! I surrender!¡± Jenkins shouted desperately. Coin had a strength that matched his intimidating appearance. Although the director was confident that a broken nose couldn¡¯t take away from his good looks, that didn¡¯t necessarily mean that he wanted to have a broken nose. Before that became a reality, Juho held Coin by his arm.

    ¡°Wuss.¡±

    Thankfully, Coin didn¡¯t seem like he intended on going any further. As Jenkins opened his eyes, which he had closed by reflex, Juho breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°I¡¯ve said this before, but I¡¯m gonna say it again: Couldn¡¯t you look less serious when you¡¯re pretending to hit someone? It¡¯s hard to tell if someone¡¯s joking when they¡¯re waving their fist around like that, especially if that person¡¯s Kelley Coin.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what makes it fun, isn¡¯t it? Ah! Would you look at that? He stopped running his mouth!¡±

    ¡°Are you OK?¡± Juho asked Jenkins, who was covering his face, which was flushing an even brighter red than before, with both of his hands.

    ¡°That was exhrating,¡± the director said, sounding as thoughughing awkwardly or drunk. Relieved, Juho went back to his seat.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us more about that pickpocket gang you hung out with?¡± Jenkins asked fearlessly as soon as he felt more at ease. Meanwhile, Juho ate his pretzel quietly.

 Chapter 331 - Language of God and a Violinist (4)

    <h4>Chapter 331: Language of God and a Violinist (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Huh. It¡¯s already dark out.¡±

    ¡°Whew! I am WASTED!¡±

    Juho looked intently at Jenkins, who was staggering from the effects of alcohol, struggling to stand still. As if having no intention of helping him, Coin walked ahead, leaving the young author to help the director walk.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Mr. Jenkins. Get it together.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? I feel fine! In fact, I feel great! Not only am I a genius, but I got the good looks. On top of that, I¡¯ve managed to buy the movie rights from Yun Woo himself!¡±

    At that, Coin sneered loudly in the distance. Nevertheless, Juho was relieved that the director was still talkative. Otherwise, Jenkins would have made Juho¡¯s life much harder by trying to squeeze into a tight space. Unfortunately, there was little Juho could do about Coin¡¯s irritable mood.

    ¡°A drunk in an otherwise beautiful street,¡± Coin said, trying to get the director to shut up yet again. At which point, Juho stepped in in order to stop him, ¡°Let¡¯s leave him be. Maybe it¡¯ll help him sober up if we let him talk.¡±

    When the arrived at the riverbank, there was hardly anybody around. Even the ducks were nowhere to be found. There was nobody out for a walk, riding a bicycle, jogging, or sitting on the bench. The night sky shone brightly with stars. Simrly, all of the buildings and the bridge shone brightly with street lights, which were being reflected by the water. Standing still for a brief moment, Juho stared intently into the water.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s that thing you¡¯re afraid of,¡± Jenkins said. At which point, Coin turned toward him. Then, walking closer to the water, Juho said, ¡°Who knows what could be lurking underneath?¡±

    ¡°What? Are you afraid that there could be a corpse floating in the water?¡±

    ¡°Yep. That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m worried about,¡± Juho said, still staring into the water. He couldn¡¯t see anything aside from the reflection of the surroundings. It was as though the water was trying to hide its thoughts.

    ¡°You know, it has a lot inmon with you,¡± Jenkins said, sniffling.

    ¡°In what sense?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°The way it keeps flowing.¡±

    ¡°Now, he¡¯s just speaking gibberish,¡± Coin said, and Juho agreed. By that point, Jenkins was practically thinking out loud, blurting out every thought that came to mind.

    ¡°Actually, the river doesn¡¯t look too terrible at night,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Is that something somebody who¡¯s deathly afraid of the water would say?¡± Coin asked, and Juho chuckled quietly. After staring at the water for a brief moment, Coin said, ¡°You¡¯re gonna be writing while you¡¯re training, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d assume so.¡±

    ¡°I mean the sequel.¡±

    After some thought, Juho replied, ¡°Most likely? Whenever I can find the time.¡±

    Just like always, Juho¡¯s story woulde topletion as he repeated the process of writing and revising.

    ¡°Me, I¡¯m making a movie,¡± Jenkins interjected, throwing his arm into the air, toward the sky, still staggering. Then, looking up at the sky, he asked, ¡°But, what if it doesn¡¯t turn out well?¡±

    Being a genius also came with its own set of concerns.

    ¡°I fought so hard for it, but what if it turns out to be the quickest and surest way of killing my career? What if all this effort was for nothing?¡±

    At that, Coin yawned and answered his question, ¡°Then, you kiss your directing career goodbye. If I were God, I¡¯d make it a priority of mine to make that happen.¡±

    ¡°But, why?¡±

    ¡°¡®Cause you¡¯re annoying as hell. That¡¯s why.¡±

    When the director looked at Juho for help, the young author shrugged and said, ¡°You never know what the future holds. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°That also means the movie could flop!¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    At that moment, Jenkins raised his chin toward the sky and shouted from the top of his lungs, ¡°Then, I better enjoy this moment while itsts!¡± spinning in ce and gagging. At which point, Juho took a step back in order to distance himself.

    ¡°This guy needs to pull it together,¡± Coin murmured while shoving his hands in his pockets, which made the young author chuckle. At that moment, a cold breeze blew against his hair, reminding him that it would no longer be there in the near future. Brushing his hair back, Juho walked on, followed by Coin and Jenkins.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Come again?¡±

    ¡°He really went.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°Into the military.¡±

    ¡°Who did?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    ¡°OK, let¡¯s go back a little,¡± Myung Sil said, swallowing nervously. ¡°Now, tell me again.¡±

    At that, her coworker sighed impatiently and said, ¡°Yun Woo! He went into the military!¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo did?¡±

    At the news that Yun Woo, the genius author, had gone into the military, all hell broke loose in her office. People in all directions started talking about the young author. He had disappeared. Now. Of all times. Out of the blue. Without telling anybody.

    ¡°You mean he¡¯s nning on it?¡±

    ¡°No. He¡¯s already at basic training.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s already there!?¡± Myung Sil let out, picturing the young author sporting a short hairdo inadvertently.

    ¡°I¡¯m tellin¡¯ ya. This guy¡¯s like a spy,¡± the supervisor said, gnashing his teeth and scratching his head irritably, sending the dandruff kes on his scalp flying in the air.

    ¡°All right, let¡¯s send a team over. Youe up with an article. Give the publisher a ring.¡±

    Taken aback, Myung Sil still couldn¡¯t make sense of the situation, unable to answer the question: ¡°Why now of all times?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a movieing out? He¡¯d have so much to do in Hollywood! Yet, he¡¯s gone into the military at a time like this?¡±

    Everyone had been ecstatic to hear that the movie rights to Yun Woo¡¯s ultra-sessful novel series had been sold to Hollywood. Not only was the director one of the most prominent figures in the industry, but the studio behind it was also a massive one. Every show on TV that had anything to do with books, movies, or thetest trends was mentioning the young author¡¯s name.

    ¡°I thought he¡¯d do another interview soon.¡±

    Yet, Yun Woo¡¯s decision had caught many people off guard.

    ¡°He¡¯s really something else,¡± Myung Sil said, chuckling, clueless.

    ¡°Do you think Jenkins knew?¡±

    ¡°How am I supposed to know? It would have made our jobs so much easier if only he wasn¡¯t so sneaky,¡± the supervisor said irritably. However, Myung Sil didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°Jenkins probably knew, don¡¯t you think? Do you think Mr. Woo told his friends, family, and colleagues? If anybody, I have a feeling that Jenkins knew.¡±

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s possible.¡±

    ¡°I thought him being at the Frankfurt book fair was him sending a message that he was gonna start being more active with the public? Wait a minute... Does this mean that there won¡¯t be any new Yun Woo books for the next two years...!?¡± Myung Sil said, her expression growing darker.

    ¡°This can¡¯t be happening,¡± she said, sping her head, her shoulders trembling at the realization of having to wait two years without any new books from the young author. To fans like her, the young author¡¯s decision had been quite cruel. At that moment, the supervisor shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Get a move on!¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m gonna pay Dong Baek publishing a visit.¡±

    ¡°OK. Good idea. You do that.¡±

    With that, the reporter sprung up from her seat, eager for an exnation.

    ¡ª

    ¡°We were caught off guard just as much you,¡± Jang Mi said with a pleasant smile, which looked as though somebody had drawn on to her face.

    ¡°Did you now know about this as well?¡± Myung Sil asked.

    ¡°I did know,¡± the editor replied while maintaining the same expression on her face, which was hiding the emotions that were still raw from the day she had firste across the news.

    ¡°I really appreciated him telling me as soon as he came back from Germany.¡±

    ¡°When did hee back?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see... about four months ago, I believe?¡± Jang Mi said, staring into the air as she retraced her memory. Expecting a sequel, she had been ecstatic by the news of the young author¡¯s return. She had thought that Juho hade back with most of the story mapped out after intensive research. With all of what he had gone through in Germany, he had to have gotten a lot out of his time in the country. When he had visited her office, Jang Mi had taken him to the conference room and asked, ¡°So, did you learn a lot?¡±

    As usual, the young author had had a mellow look on his face, and Jang Mi had stared intently at it.

    ¡°I sure did. I¡¯m at a ce where I have enough details to work with.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be able to win anything this time around?¡±

    At that, an awkward look had appeared on the young author¡¯s face. Although knowing that he would have responded affirmatively, Jang Mi hadn¡¯t been able to help herself. She had been ecstatic.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡±

    Jang Mi¡¯s impression of Juho was that he was modest. Even as the hype of ¡®Language of God¡¯ started dying down, never had the young author raised his voice or stomped his feet. Whenever they would talk on the phone, he would always respond in a calm, unhurried tone. Most authors she knew who were five years into their writing careers were still delighted to see even a picture of their books being sold at a bookstore, ecstatic when their books went up to a higher rank, and anxious once their books became a bestseller. Modesty would always take a back seat, only to peek its head when they were at the peak of their sess. However, it was just the opposite for Yun Woo.

    ¡°So, have you decided on the name of the protagonist?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Violinist.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s his name?¡± Jang Mi asked, her eyes wide.

    ¡°He¡¯s an author, isn¡¯t he?¡± she asked.

    ¡°He ys the violin, hence the name.¡±

    Jang Mi focused on listening to the young author¡¯s thoughts. The more she heard, the more her hands shook. Soon, she was about to discover how the golden goose had been killed. She was anxious to see the product. Hearing the summary of the plot, the editor nodded affirmatively.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s really a tragic story,¡± she said.

    ¡°I mean, just think about what¡¯s surrounding the character. Sense of defeat, depression, greed, self-centeredness... They¡¯re everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Which are emotions you seem to represent quite often.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    Jang Mi inhaled deeply. The answer became apparent just from the story the young author had presented on the stage of the exhibition event alone. With the future knowledge of a book that hadn¡¯t even been announced, Jang Mi couldn¡¯t hide her excitement. Hiding behind the genre of fantasy novel, the young author was about to speak his mind on the convoluted reality of modern society, poignantly calling the issues within that society out through his uniquely crafted world within the novel. The hope of the protagonist bing the hero behind the myth would allow readers to enjoy the tragic past of that world without the emotional burdens.

    ¡°One started digging into the myth in order to meet God. The traitor was very, very briefly mentioned, yet it¡¯s one of the most popr characters within the novel. Readers have been curious about who was behind the myth too.¡±

    Mankind had started a never-ending war in the past, which had led to an eversting massacre. The animals that lived during that time had witnessed the cruelty of humans, killing each other for the most trivial reasons. In order to survive, the animals hade up with a n to ostracise mankind by creating a writtennguage that couldn¡¯t be read by humans. However, the traitor betrayed its fellow animals, saving mankind from their imminent destruction in order to repay a favor it had once received. Meanwhile, Jang Mi was curious as to how the new characters would be simr or different from what the characters within ¡®Language of God¡¯ had discovered about them.

    ¡°The myth isn¡¯t the protagonist¡¯s first piece of writing. Writing a myth requires training. He¡¯ll exin the reason he was chosen by the traitor as the writer,¡± Juho said relentlessly, and Jang Mi fixed her eyes on his lips, which were moving restlessly.

    ¡°The first piece written by Violinist will be a war story.¡±

    War was a popr subject among the people living in the world within the novel. Winning a war also came with a slew of benefits, such as wealth, abundant life, and reigning supreme over all the other countries. In that world, only the strong survived, and the weak were quickly wiped out. With the weak gone, the world became a slightly better ce to live for the strong. The author, Violinist, posed a question about the pattern his fellow humans follow: fighting, winning, and keeping everything to themselves. Writing was the means that allowed him to do so.

    ¡°... Writing about the wretched spectacle of war that he experienced firsthand. He¡¯ll be an author who writes something realistic, heavily emphasizing experience.¡±

    ¡°That reminds me of a certain author,¡± Jang Mi said, and Juho chuckled.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be a while until his writing starts to pick up. Till then, it gets neglected and forgotten. But that¡¯s when the traitores across Violinist¡¯s writing, which ultimately leads to more readers.¡±

    The protagonist was a figure who influenced the world both knowingly and unintentionally. Being musically illiterate, he barely manages to learn to write and proceeds to write a book. Unfortunately, the book turns out to be a massive failure. Yet, moving forward one step at a time, he doesn¡¯t give up despite being tantly looked down upon by those around him. Afterward, Jang Mi also heard about God, the uing war, and the newnguages Juho was nning to introduce. At which point, she couldn¡¯t help but apud.

    ¡°So, when are you gonna start writing?¡±

    At that moment, the expression on the young author¡¯s face changed all of a sudden, and the editor, who couldn¡¯t contain her excitement, didn¡¯t catch it.

    ¡°We can give you as long as you need.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Then, I¡¯d like at least two years.¡±

    Despite the joke being incredibly dull, Jang Miughed. Then,ughing along with her, the young author added, ¡°I¡¯m going into the military.¡±

 Chapter 332 - Language of God and a Violinist (5)

    <h4>Chapter 332: Language of God and a Violinist (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°You mean for research purposes?¡± Jang Mi had asked after a long pause.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Wait, who?¡±

    ¡°Me.¡±

    The wave of emotions she had felt back then were still vivid in the editor¡¯s mind to that day. Looking at Myung Sil sitting in front of her, Jang Mi said, ¡°I¡¯m tellin¡¯ you, I¡¯ve yet toe across anybody as interesting as Mr. Woo.¡±

    The young author had gone into the military quietly, which was something he had been meaning to do for some time. As his editor, Jang Mi had respected his decision and cooperated. Myung Sil asked her about the smallest of details, and Jang Mi gave her prenned answers.

    ¡°What¡¯s the publisher¡¯s standpoint on the Mr. Woo¡¯s hiatus?¡± the reporter asked in a low voice. Letting out a small sigh, Jang Mi answered, ¡°It happens to every author, but I won¡¯t deny that I feel rather sad about it. We, as both the publisher and readers, were one of the greatest beneficiaries.¡±

    Leaning back onto the couch¡¯s backrest, Myung Sil said, ¡°Personally, I felt like I had sent my own son off into the military.¡±

    ¡°Well, you know the saying: hunger¡¯s the best seasoning there is. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be worth the wait,¡± Jang Mi said, chuckling quietly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it could be this agonizing to wait on an empty stomach,¡± Myung Sil said, and Jang Mi agreed silently. Then, the reporter rose from her seat.

    ¡°Are you heading back?¡± Jang Mi asked.

    ¡°Oh, no. I better go around and get some more information.¡±

    Then, checking the email that had just arrived, the reporter added, ¡°I¡¯m meeting with other authors.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡®Yun Woo, the Genius Author, Goes into the Military, Leaving Fans and Publishers Shocked.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo Reported to Have Already Gone into the Military.¡±

    ¡®The Web in a State of Mass Confusion. Yun Woo? In the Military? News Climbing Up the ¡®Most Searched¡¯ Rankings.¡¯

    ¡®How Old Is Yun Woo? His Recent Enlistment Catches Fans Off Guard. ¡°I Will Do My Part as a Citizen.¡±¡®

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Recent Enlistment Leaves the Globe in Shock. Fans Overseas React. Military? Conscription? When Can We Expect from Yun Woo¡¯s New Book?¡¯

    ¡®The Riveting News of Yun Woo¡¯s Enlistment Catches the Attention of the International Media.¡¯

    ¡®The Enlistment of a World ss Author and What He¡¯s about to Experience in the Military. Who Are Some of the Authors with Military Backgrounds? A World War II Veteran Author Shares His Story.¡¯

    ¡®What Would Yun Woo¡¯s Life in the Military Be Like?¡¯

    ¡®¡±That Was Quick.¡± An Unhesitant Decision from the Young Author. Why is the Web Rooting for Yun Woo?¡¯

    ¡®The Beauty of a Dutiful Citizen. Compliments from Fans to Yun Woo Pour Out.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s New Look? The Perfection That Is Yun Woo.¡¯

    ¡®Who are Some of the Celebrities Burdened by Military Duty? What Makes Yun Woo¡¯s Decision to Enlist Unique?¡¯

    ¡®The Publishers Speak on Yun Woo¡¯s Recent Enlistment: ¡°We Already Knew.¡±¡®

    ¡®Two Years Without Yun Woo. ¡°We¡¯ll Be Waiting.¡±¡®

    ¡®Fans and Critics Alike Apud Yun Woo¡¯s Recent Decision to Go Into the Military.¡¯

    ¡®How Will Things Change without Yun Woo for the Next Two Years? The Absence of the Genius Felt by Many.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Fellow Authors Speak on his Enlistment: ¡°He Didn¡¯t Say Much. He Didn¡¯t Seem Nervous Either.¡±¡®

    ¡®Comments: 1523.¡¯

    ...

    ¡ª

    ¡°How dare he just disappear like that?¡± Seo Joong asked as he put the pool cue down. He had just gotten off an urgent phone interview. Since the news of Yun Woo¡¯s enlistment had finally gotten out, Seo Joong was relieved that he no longer needed to keep it a secret that he had been asked about it by the young author. As always, Dong Gil gave him a look of disdain.

    ¡°They called you yesterday. You just happened to miss it.¡±

    ¡°I was sleeping!¡±

    ¡°Till six in the evening?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? I didn¡¯t go to bed until 10:00 a.m that day!¡± Seo Joong said confidently and added, ¡°Because I was writing.¡±

    Of course, instead of giving an answer, Dong Gil flipped the page of the book he had been reading. Looking at hisptop on the pool table, Seo Joong said, ¡°People seem to have taken it well.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing to get offended about.¡±

    ¡°Good for him. I was really taken aback. Sometimes, I get a feeling that he acts without thinking.¡±

    ¡°Coming from you, that¡¯s rich.¡±

    ¡°Think about it! He¡¯s doing so well and he just disappears and goes into the military! If I were in his position, I¡¯d stall as long as I could. Remember how miserable we were when we had to go?¡±

    ¡°It was like being dragged to the ughterhouse.¡±

    ¡°OK, that¡¯s a little dramatic.¡±

    The two authors had dreaded going into the military. Unfortunately, it was one of the things that needed to be done regardless of one¡¯s preference, which had made them even sadder.

    ¡°I wonder if he¡¯s afraid he¡¯ll be forgotten?¡± Seo Joong said, swinging the pool cue in the air.

    ¡°He¡¯s never been gone for that long. Yet, he joined the military willingly. That kid¡¯s a mystery.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    ¡°But, what makes Yun Woo tick is actually pretty simple,¡± Seo Joong said as his pool cue came to a halt, pointing toward the cold man reading a book by Hemingway.

    ¡°Maybe he was looking for something. Kind of like when I went to Russia,¡± Dong Gil said. As Seo Joong picked up a ball from the table, Dong Gil closed the book.

    ¡°So? Did he tell you anything?¡± Seo Joong asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s writing a sequel, apparently.¡±

    ¡°A sequel?¡±

    ¡°To ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    At that, Seo Joong¡¯s eyes were filled with life.

    ¡°This is gonna be about the past, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably going to be about war.¡±

    ¡°Hence, the military?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d figure so.¡±

    Then, Seo Joongid himself on the pool table, and a ball came rolling out from under his buttocks. The Sun shone directly on his face, changing the color of his eyes.

    ¡°Interesting.¡±

    Dong Gil was well acquainted with his friend¡¯s attitude.

    ¡°Well, what about you? Any good catch? You even went all the way to Russia.¡±

    ¡°You could say that,¡± Dong Gil said. In reality, he was quite satisfied with the product.

    ¡°You¡¯re actually really happy with how it turned out, huh?¡±

    ¡°... I won¡¯t deny it.¡±

    Then, Dong Gil took out a plethora of data he had been keeping for a long time. If he hadn¡¯t been satisfied by it, then he would have never taken it out willingly. Meanwhile, Seo Joong saw an ominous smile on his friend¡¯s face. Dong Gil¡¯s new spy novel would surely be a masterpiece. On top of that, the timing was just right.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think people will forget about Juho when your bookes out, do you?¡±

    That time, rather than making a judgmental remark as he normally would, Dong Gil replied, ¡°That would be interesting.¡±

    There was a subtle sense of yfulness in his cold, low voice Meawhile, Seo Joong spun the cue ball on the table and made a shot.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Why am I not surprised?¡±

    At that moment, a thunderous roar came from Seo Joong¡¯s stomach. While Dong Gil¡¯s face twisted into a scowl, Seo Joong cackled and said, ¡°I¡¯m gettin¡¯ hungry. Maybe we should¡¯ve just gone to the outing.¡±

    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t feel like going out. Besides, it¡¯s alreadyte.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s get delivery.¡±

    ¡°You do that. I¡¯m going out.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon! I¡¯m buying!¡±

    In the end, the two ended up eating muchter into the evening after an unnecessarily long quarrel.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hoo, yeah!¡± Mideum eximed. Gesturing for her to wipe the beer foam off her lips, Dae Soo said, ¡°Would¡¯ve been nice to eat together onest time,¡± referring to the young author who had left suddenly.

    Stomping her feet, Mideum also agreed, ¡°I know! I wanted to ask him about a few things too.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°Like how he was feeling, his mindset; what he¡¯s most afraid of; IF he¡¯s afraid; how did hee to enlist... etc.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were a reporter?¡± Geun Woo murmured quietly and Joon Soo added, ¡°Well, I do understand. It¡¯s just that it was so sudden.¡±

    ¡°We did get to eat together before he left though.¡±

    Before disappearing with the wind, the young author had visited Yun Seo at her house and stayed well into the night.

    ¡°What did you guys talk about?¡± a voice asked quietly from across the table. It was San Jung, dressed entirely in ck. After a long period of research in Taiwan, she had returned to Korea just a few months back. Wincing at her question, Geun Woo replied, ¡°That, we don¡¯t really know either. He was talking with Mrs. Baek for the most part.¡±

    The young author was probably paying her a visit out of respect. Although Yun Seo had invited Hyun Do to join them for dinner that evening, he hadn¡¯t shown up.

    ¡°He looked like his usual self while we were eating, wearing that silly smile of his, without a care in the world,¡± Geun Woo said as if grumbling. At which point, Joon Soo added, ¡°Geun Woo was trying so hard to scare him.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon! He¡¯s still young.¡±

    ¡°So? Was Juho intimidated?¡± Mideum asked, leaning toward Joon Soo, who shook his finger sideways exactly three times.

    ¡°Not one bit, which is why this guy looks disgruntled.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Dae Soo said, resting her chin on her hand. The image of the young author being fazed or intimidated only existed in people¡¯s imagination. People describing his age as being preceded by his demeanor had long turned boring. By that point, the young author was closer to reaching the tranquility of Buddha.

    ¡°It was so boring! He knew everything there was to know about being in the military! And this is his first time going into it!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say! How¡¯s that possible? Does he know anybody?¡± Mideum asked.

    ¡°No, but it seemed like he¡¯d been studying, though,¡± Geun Woo said, shaking his head.

    ¡°Studying? For what?¡± San Jung asked quickly, and Joon Soo replied on Geun Woo¡¯s behalf, ¡°It seemed like he was working on something war-rted.¡±

    As the utensils clinked against the tes on the table, the authors locked eyes with each other.

    ¡°How brave of him,¡± San Jung said, staring intently at her ss of red wine. War was made of flesh and blood, which meant the young author would have to face stomach-churning images repeatedly. Within imagination, it was possible to see even the most explicit details. Why do humans kill each other? What makes them desire or reject war? What does it mean to win or lose? What starts wars and what makes peace? Where¡¯s humanity headed? The young author would be able to bring up such lofty questions to his heart¡¯s content, and readers would search for answers within the book. It was a sequel to ¡®Language of God,¡¯ which meant it was bound to appeal to the masses. The sessy in how much Yun Woo could raise the quality of it.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t ever get tired, does he? That already sounds like a headache and a half,¡± Dae Soo said quietly.

    ¡°I¡¯m tellin¡¯ ya. He feeds on metal.¡±

    ¡°Is that why he went into the military? That¡¯s some dedication right there,¡± Mideum said, her mouth parted open as if in disbelief, revealing the chewed up food within it. Then, offering her a ss of water, Joon Soo said, ¡°I know he doesn¡¯t act like it, but Dong Gil seems pretty confident in his new novel. He already submitted the manuscript to the publisher, apparently.¡±

    ¡°Must¡¯ve had something to do with his trip to Russia?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s writing a story that¡¯s been on his mind for years. I can only imagine how happy he¡¯ll be. Besides, Yun Woo¡¯s not around either.¡±

    Dae Soo and Joon Soo locked eyes with each other. Dong Gil was about to reveal the story that he had always wanted to write. The subject, the story, and everything else.

    ¡°His spy novel does sound riveting, though,¡± Dae Soo said, and San Jung nodded quietly in agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it too.¡±

    ¡°Good for him,¡± Mideum said, pouty-lipped.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to yours too. You write some good detective novels,¡± San Jung said, chuckling quietly.

    ¡°I appreciate the lip service.¡±

    At that moment, the door to the room they were dining in flung open, revealing thest member to join the rest of the crew that evening. It was Sang Choi, and he was standing confidently with his chin raised high. Seeing that, Mideum¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Lip service? San Jung doesn¡¯t do lip service!¡± Sang Choi said, walking into the room confidently, indicative of the conviction behind his words.

    ¡°You¡¯rete,¡± Dae Soo said. However, the romance writer remained unfazed.

    ¡°Work is more important than eating. I was really in the zone today, so I went on a tad bit longer than usual.¡±

    ¡°Come, sit here,¡± Joon Soo said, showing him to his seat. ncing at the faces of the authors sitting around the table, Sang Choi said, ¡°I don¡¯t see Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Dong Gil and Seo Joong aren¡¯t here either,¡± Geun Woo said. At which point, the smile on the romance writer¡¯s face turned upside down.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we all know what I¡¯m talking about?¡± he added, referring to the young author¡¯s enlistment while crossing his legs.

    ¡°... My bad,¡± Geun Woo replied, apologizing reluctantly.

 Chapter 333 - Two Years without Yun Woo (1)

    <h4>Chapter 333: Two Years without Yun Woo (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Heard your movie¡¯sing out?¡± Sang Choi asked Geun Woo, almost as if picking a fight and in a way that would¡¯ve been offensive to those who didn¡¯t know the romance writer. Of course, Geun Woo was fully aware that Sang Choi wasn¡¯ting from a ce of ill-intent.

    ¡°Ah, right. I sold the movie rights.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo went to Hollywood, you know.¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m aware,¡± Geun Woo replied, feeling something well up from within. Despite the effect his words had on the author, Sang Choi became distracted by the menu. At which point, Geun Woo found himself getting confused as to whether there really was no ill-intent behind the romance writer¡¯s words.

    ¡°Well, congrattions. But you still have a ways to go as an author, though. You know this, right? There were about fifteen ces that I didn¡¯t like in your new book.¡±

    ¡°Riiiight,¡± Geun Woo said, dragging his response and wondering, ¡®Couldn¡¯t he be any less excited?¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s fifteen!¡± Sang Choi said, emphasizing his remark even further. When Geun Woo looked at Dae Soo, she nodded and said, ¡°He¡¯s keeping you in check.¡±

    ¡°... But I started out sote.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Sang Choi asked.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: In Korea, people with more experience aremonly expected to be treated with respect by those who are newer and less experienced in life/job field. Simultaneously, those who are more experienced are supposed to be looking out for those who are less experienced. However, this culture is often abused by those who are older. In this case, Sang Choi, being a self-centered person that he is, is more concerned with his own career than looking out for Geun Woo, who is less experienced than he is.)

    While Geun Woo was dealing with Sang Choi, Joon Soo talked with San Jung about Yun Woo.

    ¡°He looks good with short hair. Although, it did take some getting used to.¡±

    ¡°Really? I gotta see it now. Do you have a picture?¡±

    ¡°Of course! How can I not?¡±

    Joon Soo took his phone out of his pocket and showed San Jung a picture of the young author. At which point, all of the other authors gathered around him to see it.

    ¡°Huh!¡± San Jung eximed upon seeing the picture of Juho looking straight into the camera, sporting the subtle smile with which she was well acquainted.

    ¡°Not too bad! He looks cold though.¡±

    ¡°The reporters must be anxious to get their hands on this picture.¡±

    ¡°That takes me right back to when I was in the military.¡±

    As the waiter came into the room in timely fashion, Sang Choi ced an order for food. After the waiter stepped out, Joon Soo said to his fellow authors, ¡°I¡¯m about to start working on another book.¡±

    ¡°Are you now?¡±

    ¡°What kind?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a full length novel. I was nning on publishing it through my blog initially, but I got an offer from the publisher.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Nobody seemed to be caught off-guard by the news. Writing was an author¡¯s primary job description, and that remained unchanged with or without Yun Woo around. Joon Soo thought back to the day when he had taken pictures with the young author.

    ¡°What¡¯s with your hair? It looks good.¡±

    When Joon Soo had opened the door, he had been greeted by Yun Woo and his new hairdo. While Joon Soo had been thinking about the young author¡¯s noticeably shorter hair, Juho had said, ¡°I¡¯m enlisting.¡±

    Their brief conversation had brought a significant change for the next two years of Joon Soo¡¯s life. Two years without Yun Woo. The absence of the young author gave what would otherwise be just a number a name. Juho¡¯s time in the military meant his absence was guaranteed. Noticing that his hand had started shaking subtly, Joon Soo hid it behind his other hand.

    ¡°Do you think Juho¡¯s anxious right now?¡± Mideum asked, emptying her ss of beer. At which point, Joon Soo looked up and looked at her. ¡°It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t seem to make peace with it for some reason. I wonder how he¡¯s feeling.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s probably not thinking about it all that much,¡± Juho said. Juho had always moved forward while the rest of the world around him waited on halt. By that point, the young author had gone ahead of the world by a considerable distance.

    ¡°Does he even have things to worry about?¡±

    ¡°He looked like he was already about to get discharged,¡± Geun Woo said, looking depressed as usual. At the same time, everyone imagined the young author in their own way. Some pictured him struggling to adapt, constantly shing with the senior officer, getting punished, and ending up in the guardhouse. However, Joon Soo pictured Yun Woo in his uniform, carrying a notepad issued by the military, which would contain his ideas. There had to be a number of awe-inspiring sentences in it. After being disciplined as a soldier, what kind of stories would Yun Woo write?

    ¡°Well, I got my own things to worry about.¡±

    ¡°Same here,¡± San Jung said, agreeing to Joon Soo¡¯s murmur. Whether consciously or not, everyone in the room had to be thinking about the same thing: ¡°What do I do while Yun Woo¡¯s gone?¡±

    ¡°You know, our club¡¯s changed quite a bit since Yun Woo came along.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even remember what it was like before,¡± Dae Soo said, chuckling. That day, the atmosphere of the outing took a slightly more serious turn.

    ¡ª

    From cars spewing out pollution, to skyscrapers, to a street bar selling snacks, and pedestrians wearing various types of clothes, walking toward their respective destinations in various paces, Juho looked at everything attentively for a little while. As he inhaled, he felt cold air rushing into his nostrils.

    ¡°Greasy food,¡± Juho said, reading one of the words from the list of food items he had written down on his notepad.

    ¡°A soldier!¡± a child said, pointing toward the young author. However, its guardian merely repeated after the child without even looking toward Juho, ¡°Right. A soldier. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°A soldier!¡±

    ¡°Yes, a soldier.¡±

    Holding the child by its hand, the two crossed the street in a hurry. Brushing his hand down his face, Juho made his way home.

    ¡°Is that you, Juho?¡± Juho¡¯s father asked at the sound of the door opening.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The mouth-watering aroma had been tempting the young author since before he had reached the door, reminding him of how hungry he was. Upon arriving, he was greeted with an impressive array of freshly-made food in the living room. As delighted as he was, there was a question that he had to ask.

    ¡°Is today New Year¡¯s Day?¡±

    From Japchae to various skewers, pan-fried cakes, and rice cakes, the table seemed set like a New Year¡¯s Day meal.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Japchae is a traditional Korean side dish typically eaten on New Years. It usually contains pork or beef, a variety of vegetables, and ss noodles, seasoned and stir-fried together. The ingredients for the skewers could also vary from household to household.)

    ¡°You said you were craving New Years¡¯ Day food, that¡¯s why,¡± his father said, ecstatic to see his son home. Meanwhile, Juho looked at the array of food, noticing the grilled mackerel resting precariously on the edge of the table.

    ¡°It feels like News Year¡¯s all over again, doesn¡¯t it? We couldn¡¯t spend it together.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have some barbecue for dinner,¡± Juho¡¯s mother said as she came out of the kitchen. As long as it was greasy, Juho was ready to eat anything. Then, just as he was about to sit, his mother stopped him, saying ¡°Go get changed first.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m starving.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna wash it soon, so just set it aside somewhere.¡±

    Standing back up, Juho went to his room to get changed. When he came back out, his mother asked, ¡°The food isn¡¯t all that great at camp, huh?¡±

    Needless to say, it was iparable to the delicacies spread about before his eyes.

    After sitting down, Juho took the grilled mackerel and split it in half down the middle. The meat was soft and buttery, while the skin was crispy.

    ¡°The skewers are really good.¡±

    ¡°Here, have some Japchae.¡±

    ¡°Did you make this yourself?¡±

    ¡°You can find just about anything in the market these days.¡±

    ¡°Mm! This ce knows their Japchae,¡± Juho¡¯s father said after tasting the dish.

    ¡°Right?¡±

    Meanwhile, Juho picked up another skewer for himself, which had slices of imitation crab, ham, and green onions. When he pulled them out of the skewer, the egg coating around them came loose and hung untidily.

    ¡°How¡¯s life at the base?¡± his father asked, which was a question he tended to ask every time Juho woulde home on vacation.

    ¡°I think it suits me,¡± Juho said confidently.

    ¡°Ever considered it as a career?¡±

    ¡°I have. Didn¡¯t seem like it¡¯d be a bad idea.¡±

    Looking proudly at his son, the father asked, ¡°It¡¯s still hard even after you adapt to the environment, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°A little.¡±

    ¡°You did well it seems.¡±

    ¡°They let me out of the base on vacation from time to time, so it¡¯s not too bad.¡±

    ¡°Have some short ribs. They¡¯re good,¡± his mother said, putting a piece of short rib on the young author¡¯s te. At the end of the meal, he felt his stomach was noticeably warmer than it had been.

    ¡°Think I¡¯ll go out for a walk. Want me to get you anything?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Be safe, now.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    Feeling bloated, Juho put on some clothes haphazardly and went out for a walk, meandering around the neighborhood. He had no destination in mind. Although he was walking quietly, he moved his eyes busily, looking around.

    ¡°Maybe I should try the bookstore for the old times¡¯ sake,¡± Juho said to himself impulsively. Although he hesitated upon reaching the crossroads, he didn¡¯t change his mind. Once he left the neighborhood, there were significantly more people on the streets, of whom the young author soon became a part. Nobody was talking to him or causing a ruckus. It had been twelve months since Yun Woo had gone into the military, and the media had long stopped writing about it. Being conscious of the people walking past him, Juho kept walking forward, eventually arriving at the bookstore without trouble.

    ¡°There it is.¡±

    Finding Dong Gil¡¯s new book wasn¡¯t hard at all. Feeling a warm, stuffy air underneath his nose, Juho rubbed it.

    ¡°¡®Frigid Winter.¡¯¡±

    The title seemed to suit its creator well. The book had already sold more than a hundred thousand copies by that point, and suffice to say, Dong Gil¡¯s career had been flourishing since the book had been published. For a brief moment, Juho looked intently at Dong Gil¡¯s picture in the paper band wrapped around the book. At that moment...

    ¡°¡®Scuse me,¡± a voice said to the young author from behind him, and Juho stepped aside to let the person through.

    Then, reaching for the book Juho had been looking at, the person grabbed it and walked away. While he was at it, Juho looked around the store. Of course, he was bound toe across names with which he was familiar.

    Dae Soo had also put out a new book about six months ago. It was a novel about a story that took ce in the corporate world. Being the master of horror novels that she was, Dae Soo¡¯s new book contained an element of horror that was unique to her, despite it being pure literature. As an author who was often criticized for being excessively grotesque in her writing, her new book was a meaningful attempt at something different, which made the young author feel a subtle pressure.

    ¡°I think Joon Soo said that he wasing out with a book soon.¡±

    Juho walked further into the store, where there was an even greater variety of books, stopping in front of the name Hyun Do Lim. Before joining the military, Juho had visited Yun Seo at her house in order to let her know about his enlistment. Although Yun Seo had invited Hyun Do, he had nevere, saying that he had been in the middle of writing. Juho still remembered thest time he had talked with the literary great on the phone.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re enlisting?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯m nning on going as quietly as possible,¡± Juho had said.

    ¡°Right,¡± Hyun Do had said, sounding uninterested. Even as they were talking, never once had he wished him good luck or safety. It was as though the young author was on his own. However, by the time their conversation was nearing its end, Hyun Do said, ¡°You might not like what you see when you get out. Your friends will be soaring up to the sky while you¡¯re gone.¡±

    Juho brushed his hand down the cover of ¡®Frigid Winter.¡¯ Just as Hyun Do had predicted, Juho had started to feelpetitive. Instead of picking up a rifle, he wanted to pick up a pen and write even while on nightwatch duty. He wanted to write all day if he could. There were pent up emotions that needed to be released somehow.

    ¡°Whew...¡±

    Juho breathed slowly. Thankfully, there was another way for him to deal with the emotions pent up within him. Juho turned back, thinking about his ongoing piece, which had been progressing slower than his previous books.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Let¡¯s meet up,¡± Seo Kwang said on the phone. Upon arriving home, Juho had started writing almost immediately. Until he had been interrupted by a phone call from his friend, that is.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you since you first came out on vacation, you know that? The only way for me to hear about you is through news articles.¡±

    During the twelve months he had been serving in the military, Juho had met up with Seo Kwang only once. Aside from that time, he had been investing every minute of his vacation time into the piece in front of his eyes.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve been working.¡±

    ¡°And I am happy to hear that as a reader,¡± Seo Kwang said, implying that he wasn¡¯t as happy as a friend. Juho wasn¡¯t sure of what to say.

    ¡°Well, if my author friend says he¡¯s busy, then he¡¯s busy. I¡¯ll manage.¡±

    ¡°Are you free tomorrow?¡± Juho asked. He also wanted to catch up with his friend. Starting with the trip to Germany, to the military, and even now, writing the manuscript had been quite a time consuming task. There was a need to be intentional about maintaining a bnce in his life. A sprint was an entirely different race from a marathon. Thankfully, Seo Kwang had reached out to the young author at just the right time.

    Going to bed and waking up at the same time every night and morning, Juho looked over his manuscript while waiting for his friends unhurriedly.

    ¡°Gosh, it¡¯s like I¡¯m trying to meet the president or something,¡± having arrived first, Seo Kwang grumbled. Upon finding Juho¡¯s uniform on one side of the wall, his expression changed almost immediately. When walking toward it, he shuddered and stepped away from it.

    ¡°Egh! That smells like a soldier¡¯s uniform, all right.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be wearing that too one of these days.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t wanna hear it!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not too terrible there, you know.¡±

    ¡°Uh, huh. Yeah, right. Couldn¡¯t you put it somewhere out of sight!?¡± Seo Kwang said, raising his voice irritably.

    ¡°There¡¯s no ce with better venttion, though.¡±

    ¡°For goodness sake, man. I don¡¯t even wanna look at it,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    The rest were on their way to Juho¡¯s house. Then, staring intently at the young author¡¯s hair, Seo Kwang said, ¡°That hairdo¡¯s gonna take me some getting used to.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Yep. Well, how¡¯s life at the base?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not bad. It¡¯s not the mostfortable either.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang became teary-eyed, like a deer terrified for its life.

    ¡°You get used to it though, as with most things.¡±

    ¡°It still scares me.¡±

    Seeing the frightened expression on his friend¡¯s face, Juho chuckled quietly, thinking of a certain author who had tried desperately to scare him before he went off to basic training. The look on Seo Kwang¡¯s face at the moment was probably what Geun Woo had hoped to see from Juho back then.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. It¡¯s just this once,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡®Speak for yourself,¡¯ Juho thought to himself, patting his friend on the shoulder.

 Chapter 334 - Two Years without Yun Woo (2)

    <h4>Chapter 334: Two Years without Yun Woo (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Seo Kwang looked up at Juho as though he didn¡¯t feel any better. After ying along for some time, Juho greeted his friends, who started arriving one by one. Seeing them for the first time in a long time, Sun Hwa and Bom seemed much more mature to him.

    ¡°Long time, no see, buddy! I¡¯m tellin¡¯ ya, this is what happens when you have friends who are sessful,¡± Sun Hwa said, patting the young author on the back. Her hands were as relentless as ever. As Juho smiled awkwardly, she took a pack of beer she had brought and handed it to him.

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift!¡±

    The pack was quite heavy. Meanwhile, Bom took the bag of strawberries she had brought and waved it in front of Juho. Seo Kwang took it from her and buried his nose in the bag as if trying tofort himself. While Bom looked at Juho¡¯s uniform on the wall, Juho put the pack in the refrigerator and said, ¡°This is a great gift you got me. Too bad I don¡¯t drink, though.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will! Gotta get drunk while you¡¯re young and free!¡±

    ¡°You must have a pretty high tolerance,¡± Juho asked. At which, Sun Hwa ced her hands on her sides, looking proud of her drinking prowess.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re at that age, all right.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon! Act your age! Enjoy yourself!¡±

    ¡°Should we order some food, then? What do you guys want?¡±

    Sun Hwa shook her head. However, respecting the majority opinion, which asked for pizza, Juho called the pizza shop nearby and ced an order. It was the long-awaited reunion of the old Literature Club members. Although, they were missing a person.

    ¡°We¡¯re missing Baron,¡± Bom said, sounding bummed out and like she had read Juho¡¯s mind.

    ¡°He¡¯s serving in the military too.¡±

    ¡°You too, Baron!?¡± Seo Kwang cried out, sping his head. Juho was able to rte to his desperate behavior, at least to a certain extent. At that moment, the doorbell rang, and Juho walked over to the door, opening it dly. It was a man wearing a brusque expression on his face. It was Sung Pil.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯rete!¡±

    ¡°Come on in!¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± Sung Pil said, ying along with Bom. Although Juho had heard of how close he and Bom had gotten, the young author couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback once he actually witnessed it in person.

    ¡°You two got really close, huh?¡±

    ¡°Bom kept dragging me out to drink. There¡¯s nothing like alcohol to get close to someone.¡±

    ¡°So, does that mean everyone there got drunk?¡± Juho asked, picturing Sung Pil and Bom speaking gibberish to each other.

    However, Bom waved her hand in denial, adding, ¡°Sung Pil didn¡¯t have any.¡±

    ¡°Like somebody he knows.¡±

    Knowing how Sung Pil could get when drunk, Juho looked intently at his friend, who avoided making eye contact with the young author, keeping the brusque expression on his face as usual.

    ¡°I just thought I needed to get my life together. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    At that moment, Seo Kwang came out from between Juho and Bom, cing his hand on Sung Pil¡¯s shoulder, and said, ¡°Sung Pil! Loved your new book!¡± Sung Pil stared quietly at him, without moving his hand away.

    ¡°Which book?¡± Juho asked, and Seo Kwang said, ¡°He recently wrote a short story for a literary magazine that I subscribe to.¡±

    Seo Kwang was referring to a literary magazine that was published by a massive publisher. Then, Seo Kwang added unhindered, ¡°Sung Pil¡¯s really good at establishing a connection with readers. Maybe it¡¯s more urate to say that he encourages building the connection? Anyway, no matter which character you look at, you¡¯re bound to grow attached to it. It¡¯s just so ironic that he¡¯s such a rigid person in real life. I¡¯m tellin¡¯ ya, he keeps improving day by day. It makes it easier that Yun Woo¡¯s not in the picture, doesn¡¯t it? You¡¯re arguably one of the most sessful rookie authors.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily.¡±

    ¡°I gotta hand it to ya. I really appreciate your go-getter spirit, reaching for the sky as though there were no limit. It¡¯s simply radiant. At this rate, you might even surpass Yun Woo! You know what? You should just go for it while you¡¯re at it! Bring him down!¡±

    Sung Pil spoke no further on that regard. At which point, Seo Kwang patted him on the back as if he liked the rookie author even more. Of course, Sun Hwa was about to let her bookworm friend have it.

    ¡°Stop babbling and get on with setting up the table!¡±

    ¡°OK! All right! There¡¯s hardly anything to put there... ¡± Seo Kwang said, making his way to the kitchen reluctantly. Juho nced at Sung Pil. Thankfully, the rookie author seemed quitefortable. With a smile on his face, Juho asked his author friend, ¡°So, a short story, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yep. It was a request. I¡¯m very grateful.¡±

    ¡°I had no idea.¡±

    ¡°So...¡± Sung Pil dragged on, looking for something to talk about. Instead of questioning him further, Juho murmured, ¡°I wanna see it.¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯ll go get it,¡± Sung Pil said as if ready to bolt out of the apartment at any given minute. At that, Juho raised his hand in order to prevent him from doing so.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d ask! Which is why I brought it with me,¡± Seo Kwang interjected with the bag of strawberries still in his hands.

    ¡°You did?¡± Sung Pil asked, looking as though caught off guard, which only encouraged Seo Kwang further. Reaching for his bag, Seo Kwang pulled a magazine with a purple cover out. It looked quite intriguing.

    Looking at her bookworm friend as though in disbelief, Sun Hwa said, ¡°He¡¯s a walking bookstore, that one.¡±

    Taking the magazine from Seo Kwang, Juho said, ¡°I look forward to reading it.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Pizza¡¯s here! Somebody get the door!¡±

    At that, Sung Pil moved without hesitation. Meanwhile, after staring intently at the magazine, Juho set it down elsewhere.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna read it?¡±

    ¡°I wanna take my time and savor itter.¡±

    ¡°I know exactly what you mean,¡± Seo Kwang said, crossing his arms and nodding in agreement.

    ¡°Come get your drinks.¡±

    The party started as everyone gathered in the living room, each with a slice of pizza in one hand and a can of beer on the other. Although Juho had taken a can, Sung Pil didn¡¯t seem to have taken one for himself. Resting his chin on his hand, the young author asked, ¡°Are you not drinking anymore?¡±

    Sung Pil¡¯s eyebrows winced at Juho¡¯s yful question.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Juho chuckled quietly. Witnessing a change in a colleague¡¯s lifestyle was strangely entertaining. Meanwhile, the old Literature Club members started pouring out their hearts to each other, which mostly consisted ofints about college life: professors, ssmates, upperssmen, registering for sses, GPAs, job searches, the uing future, the meaningless past, the uncertain present, doubts directed toward each other, the distrust toward society.

    ¡°Life sucks.¡±

    ¡°My money.¡±

    ¡°Why did I choose this major?¡±

    As the atmosphere kept sinking, Seo Kwang stepped in to change the subject. He was the person most capable to speak with joy.

    ¡°Have you read Dong Gil Uhm¡¯s new book?¡± he asked. As Juho brought the can up to his mouth, he felt Sung Pil¡¯s gaze following the can in his hand. Tasting alcohol for the first time in a long time, it was refreshing but bitter, and unpleasant.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang threw both of his hands up toward the ceiling before anyone else.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it incredible? It was the essence of what a hard-boiled novel should be like! ¡®Frigid Winter.¡¯ A snowy winter night,pletely engulfed in darkness, and the merciless cold that freezes your hands and feet right off. I think this is definitely going to be the turning point in his career.¡±

    ¡°How was it?¡± Sung Pil asked Juho. Sitting up, he replied, ¡°I know I still have some time left in the military, but I think it was one of the most memorable books I read at the base.¡±

    ¡°I thought so!¡± Seo Kwang eximed, clenching his hands into fists.

    ¡°He¡¯s definitely stepped up his game. His depictions were so realistic. I could really tell that he did his research. The violent emotions and the touching story hidden behind that distinct writing style. I find myself literally craving his book.¡±

    Sung Pil gave Seo Kwang, who was wiping his eyes as though crying, a confused look. Meanwhile, Sun Hwa clicked her tongue and said, ¡°Always so dramatic.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to express your inner thoughts to others.¡±

    ¡°Not when you¡¯re drunk.¡±

    ¡°Art starts with expression. The honest feeling of a deeply moved reader. This is a beautiful melodying from the bottom of one¡¯s heart.¡±

    ¡°More like noise.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang narrowed his eyes at Sun Hwa, who sneered and drank her beer.

    ¡°Two authors, one aspiring writer, one bookworm, and one former Literature Club member. I guess there¡¯s no getting around talking about books,¡± Sun Hwa said with a bright smile on her face. ¡°Personally, I liked Dae Soo Na¡¯s book a lot more.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s also a really good one,¡± Seo Kwang said, weighing in with Sun Hwa.

    Bom also chimed in, saying, ¡°It was terrifying, though.¡±

    ¡°But, it¡¯s a little light for a novel written by Dae Soo Na.¡±

    ¡°She always crosses the line on purpose. I like that about her.¡±

    Juho brought his beer up to his mouth again, feeling Sung Pil¡¯s eyes following his hand yet again. After looking off into the air for a brief moment, Juho said to his author friend, ¡°You could have one, you know.¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m thinking about it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not working on anything. It can¡¯t hurt to have a drink or two as long as you¡¯re responsible about it.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon! Have some!¡± Sun Hwa said dly, opening a can of beer and offering it to Sung Pil. People seemed to be having a good time, and it made sense that Sung Pil would want to drink. Besides, he was in a ce where he could afford to have a drink or two. Taking the drink from Sun Hwa, Juho handed it to Sung Pil and said, ¡°Cheers.¡± The cans made a dull sound as they bumped against each other. At that, the others joined in with their nearly-empty cans.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Well, this is awkward.¡±

    There were times when people tended to be recklessly brave: when they had just be used to something. Having gotten used to drinking, Juho¡¯s friends weren¡¯t afraid of getting drunk. Seeing his friends sprawled all across his apartment, the young author sighed deeply.

    ¡°This room is way too small for this,¡± Juho said, putting down his can of beer, which he had hardly drunk. He had been taking very small sips the entire time. After moving all the empty cans aside, he sat on the couch, looking around his quiet house, and picked up the magazine containing the short story written by Sung Pil.

    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s see,¡± Juho said, looking at the cover of the magazine. That particr issue was on tradition and innovation, which gave the young author an idea as to what his author friend might have written. Regardless of the field, there were progressives and conservatives. Juho opened the magazine and found Sung Pil¡¯s short story toward the middle. The words printed on the pages put him in a good mood almost instantly. At that moment, a bird flew past the window, cawing.

    ¡°Eh? What are you up to?¡± Seo Kwang said, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. Juho remained silent. After pouring himself a cup of water and drinking it, Seo Kwang walked toward the young author and looked at the pages over his shoulders. Despite his friend standing right behind him, Juho didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°You can see it too, can¡¯t you? He¡¯s gonna make it big,¡± Seo Kwang said. When it came to books and authors, his words tended to carry significant weight. The sheer number of books he had read was beyond anybody¡¯s imagination, and they had given him a sharp eye.

    ¡°It¡¯s only been a year since he started writing.¡±

    Meanwhile, Seo Kwang stared intently at Juho from behind.

    ¡°Jealous?¡±

    ¡°A little bit.¡±

    From Seo Kwang¡¯s point of view, Juho¡¯s attitude didn¡¯t make a lot of sense. However, it wasn¡¯t a new development. Because of that, Seo Kwang felt that the young author had gone crazy at times. Crazy about writing. Crazy about sentences.

    ¡°Well, fret not, friend,¡± Seo Kwang said calmly. Sung Pil was unbelievable. His skill definitely set him apart from all the other rookie authors. He was growing at an explosive rate. However, that wasn¡¯t to say that he had caught up to Yun Woo. In reality, Sung Pil still had a ways to go until he caught up to the other authors in Juho¡¯s literary magazine. Nevertheless, that didn¡¯t change the fact that Sung Pil had something unique to offer as an author, which would give readers a reason to read his book. Staring intently at the reflection of his friend¡¯s face, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°You¡¯re not actually anxious, are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very anxious.¡±

    At that, a corner of Seo Kwang¡¯s mouth started twitching. If what the young author had said was true...

    ¡°You really don¡¯t know yourself.¡±

    Only then, did Juho look up. Streams of light poured into the apartment through the window. ¡®Of course,¡¯ Seo Kwang murmured to himself internally. Juho didn¡¯t seem shaken in any way. Not one bit. Envy, sense of urgency, fear, anger. Nothing.

    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be very Yun Woo-like,¡± Seo Kwang said, chugging the remaining water in his cup. There was something refreshing about his swallowing sound.

    ¡°The really anxious ones are probably all the other authors around you.¡±

 Chapter 335 - Two Years without Yun Woo (3)

    <h4>Chapter 335: Two Years without Yun Woo (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Other authors, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, ¡¯cause you¡¯re gonna be out of the military in a year,¡± Seo Kwang said, and added, ¡°Which means that¡¯s how long they have to catch up to you. But, as we¡¯re both aware, you don¡¯t just be a better writer overnight. Though, we probably couldn¡¯t say the same about you since you got to the top in almost no time.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say you¡¯re wrong,¡± Juho said with a mysterious smile.

    At which point, Seo Kwang winced and said, ¡°... They¡¯re not Yun Woo, so they can¡¯t catch up that quickly at the end of the day.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    Juho brushed his hand down the book he was holding, while Seo Kwang stared at it. Juho was at the halfway point of his military service. In one more year, the monster that was being held captive would be set free. At which point, his fellow authors would probably wish that there was more time.

    ¡°He makes it big.¡±

    Although caught off guard by the young author¡¯s remark initially, Seo Kwang caught on to the meaning of it shortly after. Juho was referring to Sung Pil. Although he sounded oddly certain of the rookie author¡¯s future to Seo Kwang, he shrugged it off and said, ¡°I think he will as well, but who knows what could really happen?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll happen sooner than you think.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Seo Kwang couldn¡¯t make sense of where Juho wasing from. The first. The youngest. First edition starting at one million copies. Yun Woo was a one-of-a-kind figure who wrapped himself in all sorts of dazzling adjectives. He was a dominant figure in the industry, and his life was undoubtedly sessful. If anyone were to be offered to live the young author¡¯s life on his behalf, nobody would think twice about epting the offer. From time to time, Seo Kwang would be unbearably curious as to how the young author saw the world. What did he see that Seo Kwang didn¡¯t? At that moment...

    ¡°It¡¯s not good to talk about someone behind their back, you know,¡± Sung Pil said as he opened his eyes. He had been lying so still on the floor that he had looked almost lifeless.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Seo Kwang screamed out, grasping his chest.

    However, Juho merely turned his head toward his author friend and said, ¡°I thought we were pretty explicit.¡±

    Then, Sung Pil sat up and said out of nowhere, ¡°Can you lend me a razor?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    At his random remark, Juho clenched his lips tightly, and Seo Kwang gave him a puzzled look.

    ¡°What do you need a razor for?¡± Seo Kwang asked, looking at Sung Pil¡¯s chin. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t the ce the rookie author was thinking about shaving.

    ¡°It¡¯s for my eyebrows.¡±

    ¡°... Eyebrows? As in, a touch-up?¡±

    ¡°No. I need to shave them.¡±

    ¡°Shave them?!¡± Seo Kwang asked, even more confused. When he looked toward Juho expecting an exnation, the young author¡¯s lips had narrowed, as if he was holding backughter. Sung Pil was the only one serious.

    ¡°So, do you think I can borrow one?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°¡®Cause I¡¯m gonna end up thinking about your eyebrows every time I go to the bathroom,¡± Juho said, shaking his head emphatically. Rather than clinging to him and begging some more, Sung Pil nodded with understanding, smacking his lips. Then, hey back on the floor.

    ¡°Did he just say that he wants to shave his eyebrows off?! What the heck was that about?¡± Seo Kwang asked, thoroughly confused. However, seeing that things had already moved on, he gave up and waved his hand. At that moment...

    ¡°Can somebody make me some honey water?¡± Bom asked. The Sun was about to set by the time Juho¡¯s drunken friends started sobering up, looking for honey water. Upon checking the time, the young author was reminded that it was almost time for his other guests to arrive.

    ¡°Let¡¯s clean up a little. This is embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°What? It ain¡¯t that bad,¡± Seo Kwang said, waving and looking hassled. Walking over to the window, Juho opened it in order to ventte the apartment, making everyone shiver with the cold air that came rushing into the living room. Paying no attention to them, Juho looked out the window and saw a familiar face in the distance, one who seemed to be headed for his apartment. At which point, Juho walked over to the front door in preparation to greet his guests. Then, as he opened the door, a voice came from the entrance.

    ¡°Some example you guys are.¡±

    It was the younger members of the Literature Club: Bo Suk and the twins. Looking at their forebears drunk and sprawled about in broad daylight, the younger club members gave them somewhat pitiful looks. At the same time, they were d to finally see their old clubmates.

    ¡°Been a while, Juho!¡± Gong Il said. Her once long, sharp eyes were now curving stylishly.

    ¡°It¡¯s near impossible to see you in person these days,¡± Gong Pal added. Although looking quite simr to his twin sister, he was noticeably taller than her. He had been going through a growth spurt since bing a junior.

    ¡°Here! We brought you a gift!¡± Bo Suk said, offering something in a stic bag. It was a box of fried chicken.

    ¡°Is it food?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. We figured you don¡¯t get to eat fried chicken at the base,¡± Bo Suk said, greeting her old clubmates behind Juho in a friendly manner, including Sung Pil, who she seemed to have met prior to that day. Meanwhile, the twins were busy pushing each other¡¯s backs.

    ¡°Did you drink with Bo Suk too?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Sung Pil said, looking intently at the twins, who were quietly arguing about who should introduce themselves first. Growing impatient, Seo Kwang took the initiative on their behalf, saying, ¡°Gong Pal Kong. Gong Il Kong.¡±

    Sung Pil tilted his head at the strange-sounding names.

    ¡°Your names?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we were born on the eighteenth of the same month and year. For the record, I beat her to it by one minute.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯d been born on the seventeenth...¡± Sung Pil said, quickly changing the subject shortly after.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Last nameses before first names in Korea, which would make the name ¡°Gong Chil Gong (or Kong),¡± ¡°Gong Gong Chil,¡± which means 007 in Korean.)

    ¡°Sung Pil. Or Pil Sung. Call me whichever you feel like.¡±

    The twins nodded emphatically. Then, raising their hands, they took turns to ask, ¡°We have a question.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about something we¡¯ve been wanting to know.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah. Sure.¡±

    ¡°How did youe to use Sung Pil as your alias?¡±

    Sung Pil looked at Juho by reflex. The author had a chicken wing in his mouth.

    ¡°It was a nickname.¡±

    ¡°From childhood?¡±

    ¡°Who gave it to you?¡±

    ¡°That guy,¡± Sung Pil said honestly.

    From then on, the twins clung to the young author and started bombarding him with questions. At that moment, the young author was saved in the nick of time when Sun Hwa¡¯s dying voice interjected, groaning, ¡°I smell chicken.¡±

    After calming the twins down, Juho took a seat. As the apartment became filled with people, the air became filled with their voices.

    ¡°We have thirty-one members now.¡±

    ¡°Whoa! The club¡¯s massive now!¡±

    Bo Suk and Gong Il had been the heads of the club during theirst years. Although the position had hardly ever been a prominent one, that reality hade to change as the club grew bigger.

    ¡°People know our school as the school Yun Woo went to, so the school¡¯s been supporting the Literature Club in major ways. Things got crazy after you guys graduated! People came to us willingly before we even started promoting the club!¡±

    ¡°Everyone was trying to see your short stories. It was chaos.¡±

    ¡°Which created a world of problems.¡±

    ¡°It was so upsetting. It still is whenever I think about that time. I can¡¯t remember how many times I found myself missing the old times, when things were quieter and more peaceful,¡± Bo Suk said. She clearly missed the club experience with her old clubmates.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s all in the past now,¡± she added. At which point, Juho brought up a certain person that came to mind, saying, ¡°I¡¯m surprised Mr. Moon is still teaching.¡±

    Agreeing with Juho¡¯s remark at once, Bo Suk said, ¡°He was NOT happy about what became of the club, though. He was pretty upset actually, saying that what was meant to be an outlet had be part of work. I thought he would quit teaching after that, but he didn¡¯t. He said that there were bills to be paid.¡±

    ¡°That sound about right,¡± Juho said. That was the kind of person Mr. Moon was. After listening quietly, Sung Pil said, ¡°The almighty Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Well, things have calmed down since,¡± Juho said, shrugging it off.

    The name Yun Woo was bound to be forgotten at some point in the future, and there was no way to prevent it... even if it was Yun Woo.

    ¡°Calm?¡±

    ¡°Juho!¡± Bo Suk called to the young author, overpowering Sung Pil¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Tell us what happened since thest time we met! You haven¡¯t hung out with us sinceing back from Germany. You kept saying that you were writing! You didn¡¯t even hang out with us when you came out on breaks after you went off to the military!¡± she eximed with a beer in her hand. Sucking on her greasy fingers, she said, ¡°Also, can I touch your hair?¡±

    In the end, the hangoutsted well into the night, and Seo Kwang and Sung Pil even spent the night at the young author¡¯s apartment. The three-day vacation went by in the blink of an eye. After following Juho to the subway station to send him off, the two friends said goodbye to the young author.

    ¡°Take care,¡± Sung Pil said, and Seo Kwang added, ¡°Enjoy yourst year at the base.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    With that, Juho waved at his two friends and went down the stairs into the station. Standing by the entrance, the two watched their friend disappear into the underground.

    ¡°The uniform suits him,¡± Seo Kwang said, thinking back to the uniform that had been hanging from the wall in Juho¡¯s apartment.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be wearing that soon too.¡±

    ¡°... Don¡¯t go there, Sung Pil.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Seo Kwang let out a small sigh at Sung Pil¡¯s oblivious attitude. Having be part of the crowd, Juho slowly faded into the distance. Unlike when he hade out as a celebrity author and while he was a civilian, nobody in the crowd seemed to recognize him, shout or ask for an autograph upon seeing him. Nobody was calling out to him. To Seo Kwang, it all looked too foreign and awkward.

    ¡°They can¡¯t have forgotten about Yun Woo in just a year.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    Seo Kwang waved as Juho looked back at his friends onest time, waving back and disappearing into the underground subway station. Yun Woo was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°It is so quiet,¡± Seo Kwang said quietly. When Sung Pil stared intently at him, he added, almost as an excuse, ¡°I mean, I thought it would look and sound a lot more chaotic.¡±

    Shoving his hands in his pocket, he added, ¡°Maybe people forget about each other more often than we think.¡±

    Sung Pil wondered if the longevity of Yun Woo¡¯s poprity had something to do with the pace at which the young author had progressed. Perhaps, that had been why Juho had joked about being forgotten so nonchntly.

    ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true,¡± Sung Pil said emphatically, and Seo Kwang looked at him. At his soon-to-be-shaved-off eyebrows, to be exact.

    ¡°Look.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Seo Kwang let out, looking in the direction Sung Pil was pointing. There were two peopleing up the stairs, looking ecstatic about something, their fingers tapping frantically against the screen of their phones. As they came up to the surface and walked past Seo Kwang and Sung Pil, their conversation became audible.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I call a coincidence!¡±

    ¡°We should¡¯ve tried talking to him.¡±

    ¡°He was in his uniform, though.¡±

    ¡°Oh, man! My heart¡¯s racing!¡±

    Meanwhile, Sung Pil stood quietly in his ce, realizing that he had been worrying over nothing. Then, rubbing his stomach, Seo Kwang suggested, ¡°Can we go get somethin¡¯ to eat?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe over to my ce if you¡¯re free? My parents own a bookstore.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡±

    With that, the two went on their way, blending into the crowd.

    ¡°Maybe I need to speed things up a little,¡± Juho murmured in the subway. The thunderous roar of the train overpowered everything. Time flew by like the train, moving at a frightening speed.

    ¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s almost Christmas.¡±

    Nam Kyung nodded in confirmation to Ms. Song¡¯s remark. He was in the middle of looking through the edits of a recently imported book¡¯s manuscript.

    ¡°Mr. Woo¡¯s book should being out soon, right?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Nam Kyung said briefly.

    At his seemingly indifferent attitude, Ms. Song looked toward him and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you excited?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I am.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem like it,¡± she said, sipping the coffee that she had bought on her way back to the office. ¡°Personally, I was really sad that he was gone at first, but time flew by as I kept working and reading other books by different authors. Then, when I remembered that his new book wasing out and the release date was just around the corner, I found myself getting really stoked. I¡¯ve been on a Yun-Woo marathon for a week now.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung burst intoughter and said, ¡°Yeah. Bummer that he¡¯s gonna start with another publisher after he gets discharged.¡±

    He had already been informed of the sequel to ¡®Language of God¡¯ by the young author.

    ¡°Oh! You mean the sequel? There¡¯s a rumor circting about it right now.¡±

    The rumor of the sequel was widespread in the publishing industry. Knowing that, Nam Kyung nodded affirmatively.

    ¡°Is it true though?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Who knows? I¡¯d say it is.¡±

    ¡°Did you not hear anything from Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s very busy.¡±

    At that, a look of utter disappointment appeared on Ms. Song¡¯s face.

    ¡°Well, I hope ites out soon,¡± she said, genuinely and earnestly.

 Chapter 336 - Jenkins, Full of Surprises (1)

    <h4>Chapter 336: Jenkins, Full of Surprises (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s a bummer that such a massive series is getting published by anotherpany, but as a reader myself, I really hope that ites out soon.¡±

    ¡°What she said.¡±

    Nam Kyung looked at the person who interjected in his conversation with Ms. Song. It was Mr. Maeng. Next to him, was Sung Pil, who was visiting thepany, whom Nam Kyung greeted briefly, still having trouble getting used to the author¡¯sck of eyebrows. When the editor had seen it for the first time, it had left him utterly confused. Since the Mona Lisa, Nam Kyung had nevere across someone without eyebrows.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± Ms. Song asked. Tilting his head, Sung Pil replied, ¡°I¡¯m quite warm. Thanks for asking.¡±

    ¡°Right...¡±

    With that, Ms. Song reverted the subject of the conversation back to Yun Woo, and Mr. Maeng, being the fantasy novel fanatic that he was, actively forced himself into the conversation. He had to be the most enthusiastic ¡®Language of God¡¯ fan in the entire office by far.

    ¡°The fanmunity seems to suspect the possibility of a sequel series to ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Although, there have always been rumors.¡±

    ¡°The publisher made it seem like they were about to announce something big. It makes sense,¡± Ms. Song said, and Nam Kyung nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Sung Pil sat and listened to their conversation quietly. At that moment, Mr. Maeng looked toward Nam Kyung, giving him the same, familiar look that the editor had been getting throughout his career. When Nam Kyung shook his head, Mr. Maeng looked at another person.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know, either,¡± Sung Pil said.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°I think he¡¯s quite busy,¡± the rookie writer answered briefly and added, ¡°... writing.¡±

    At that one word, all the editors thought of the same book. Covering her mouth, Ms. Song said, ¡°You mean...¡±

    As much as she wanted to say it, she had to control herself. Then, noticing the awkward tension in the air, Mr. Maeng changed the subject, ¡°There¡¯s that, but guess what else ising out next year? The ¡®Language of God¡¯ movie!¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah!¡±

    Although Mr. Maeng tried to keep a calm look on his face, he simply couldn¡¯t resist the excitement, ¡°The cast members are made of top actors and actresses, not to mention who¡¯s directing it. Man, am I stoked!¡±

    Nodding her head enthusiastically, Ms. Song said, ¡°It feels like everything we¡¯ve been waiting for ising out all at once. Kind of like payday.¡±

    Pushing his sses up, Nam Kyung took a nce at the calendar on his desk.

    ¡°Yun Woo is finallying back.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°And nobody came out!¡±

    An actor said, andughter sounded from the crowd of reporters.

    ¡°Anyway, it was definitely one of the more interesting projects I¡¯ve ever been part of. I also had the most fun. What made it particrly challenging, though, was studying the script, which was quite unique, to say the least.¡±

    Jenkins looked through the dozens of reporters sitting before his eyes. There was a press conference that day for the ¡®Language of God¡¯ movie, and Jenkins¡¯ appearance wasparable to those of the actors.

    ¡°I have a question for Mr. Jenkins.¡±

    At that, the actors sitting to either side of the director looked at him simultaneously. Since it was just after the screening, there was excitement in the reporters¡¯ voices. They all had watched the film adaptation of ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Sensing the excitement in the air, Jenkins raised his chin and said, ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about Yun Woo, the creator of the original.¡±

    The name Yun Woo came up just as he expected. Jenkins locked eyes with the reporter, whose cheekbones stood out quite a bit.

    ¡°He recently resumed his career after finishing his service in the Korean military. But, for some reason, he hasn¡¯t made any public appearances, even though it¡¯s been months since his discharge.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware. I haven¡¯t seen him yet,¡± Jenkins said, cutting the reporter off mid-sentence. At which point, the reporter asked back by reflex, ¡°You haven¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°You see, he doesn¡¯t treat me any different just because I¡¯m a movie director in Hollywood. Actually, I¡¯m scheduled to visit Korea soon. I think I¡¯ll pay him a visit. Although, I don¡¯t really know where he lives,¡± Jenkins said, clicking his tongue. The sound of fingers tapping on keyboards filled the room as the reporters typed out everything that the director was telling them, including his jokes.

    ¡°Uh... right. I actually had a different question in mind. How do you think Yun Woo will react to the movie? What do you think he will have to say?¡±

    Although he felt the corner of his mouth turning up, Jenkins didn¡¯t bother hiding it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be more than satisfied. And maybe, just maybe, he might even acknowledge that letting me direct his movie was the best decision he ever made.¡±

    ¡°Does Yun Woo call you Zara?¡± one of the actors interjected. Jenkins waved in denial and replied, ¡°He¡¯s very polite. Unlike somebody I know.¡±

    Questions started pouring out after the name of the young author came up. The reporters were desperate to hear more about the author after his two-year hiatus. Although unsure as to why he had to be the one to quench their curiosity, Jenkins responded as sincerely as possible.

    ¡°How much have you two talked? Could you tell us more about his input in the production of the movie?¡±

    ¡°Not since he went into the military, unfortunately. As for the advice regarding thenguages within the novel, he gave me that while we were in Germany. I also got some help from Mr. Sanders, the trantor of the novel series.¡±

    ¡°Was there anything in particr that he insisted you left unchanged?¡±

    Reminiscing to the time he had spent with the young author in Germany, Jenkins replied, ¡°No. He gave me full creative freedom.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think he hasn¡¯t made any announcements yet?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± the director replied. In actuality, he had no clue as to where the young author even was.

    ¡°There have been rumors circting among fans about a sequel to ¡®Language of God.¡¯ Have you heard anything about that?¡±

    ¡°Look. This is press conference for the MOVIE ¡®Language of God.¡¯ You can take that question to the author yourself,¡± the host said, correcting the trajectory of the conference. Then, he pointed to another reporter, who was sitting to the left side of the room. Jenkins looked toward them.

    ¡°It¡¯s a widely-known fact that you flew all the way to Germany just to see the author. In one of his interviews, Yun Woo stated that his first impression of you was simr to that of an intimidating boss at work,¡± the reporter said, bringing up one of the young author¡¯s answers from an interview given prior to that day.

    ¡°He did say that. The second he saw me, he gave me an ¡®X.¡¯ It almost felt like I was getting fired.¡±

    ¡°So...¡±

    Of course, the next question was also about Yun Woo. After answering it haphazardly, Jenkins decided to draw the line in order to prevent any further questions about the young author. He was disgruntled as well that Juho didn¡¯t even bother to give him a call since his discharge from the military.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯d appreciate it if you all could refrain from asking any further questions about Yun Woo after I answer one more.¡±

    At that, nearly every reporter raised their hands simultaneously. The turn went to somebody who introduced themselves as a blogger. Before Jenkins even spotted him in the crowd, the blogger asked, ¡°What do you think of Yun Woo as an author?¡±

    ¡°As an author?¡± Jenkins said, pausing for a brief moment. Then, the blogger added, ¡°Yes. If you were to use an adjective in front of his name, what would it be?¡±

    Deep in thought, the director looked down. His mind was urging him to blurt out the very word that was in his mind. ¡®Is this the devil or the angel whispering?¡¯ It was neither. In fact, it was merely his desire to speak his thoughts. Although it was slightly ill-natured and resentful, it was also genuine.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins?¡±

    Everyone in the room was waiting for the director¡¯s reply. By the time the actor sitting by the edge of the corner peeked his head to look over in his direction, Jenkins opened his mouth and said, ¡°He¡¯s not a genius as he¡¯s colloquially known.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°At first, I thought we were under the same category: a modern-day genius,plete with talent AND effort. Then, I noticed something different about him by the time I read his book about fifty times,¡± Jenkins said with a bright smile on his face.

    ¡®Was it a w of sorts?¡¯ the reporters thought to themselves, hoping for the author¡¯s misfortune. At which point, Jenkins added, looking directly at the reporter, ¡°... That he¡¯s quite rational. There¡¯s not one bit of conceit in him and there¡¯s not a single indication that he¡¯s the type to follow his instincts. If he really was a genius, then it wouldn¡¯t add up that hecks so many things, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    The director remembered Juho. Juho¡¯s novel wasn¡¯t the only ce where Jenkins had noticed the young author¡¯s rational side. After spending some time with him, the director hade to learn a few things about the young author. First, Yun Woo was quite defensive and was inclined to hide within himself. At the same time, the young author seemed to understand when not to hide, which had to havee from experience. It was the only thing that enabled one to act on their knowledge.

    ¡°What¡¯s even more baffling is that he doesn¡¯t have a single wrinkle in his body.¡±

    Leaning back on the chair¡¯s backrest, Jenkins spoke about the young author to his heart¡¯s content, unhindered, exaggerating slightly while adding a touch of false information. Creating an image and giving one a role and a name was the director¡¯s specialty.

    ¡°... And that was his answer. Isn¡¯t that incredible?¡±

    Using anecdotes, Jenkins hid things about the young author that could be interpreted as ws. The room was in an uproar, and Jenkins massaged his temple as if he had a headache.

    ¡°So, going back to the question, if I were to use an adjective before his name, it would have to be this one. Genius just doesn¡¯t cut it. Yeah... OK, I got one,¡± the director said. Just like that, he spoke his thoughts. His hand shook from the excitement. The expressions on the reporters¡¯ faces started to change. Staring at his fingers, which were wiggling like a spider, Jenkins said, ¡°OK, then. Why don¡¯t we move on to the next question?¡±

    ¡°Wait! Hold on! Just one more!¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so,¡± Jenkins said, shutting down the reporter¡¯s desperate request. After that day, most of the reporters who had been present at the conference gave the movie a high rating and positive reviews. However, what really drew the most attention was the article about Yun Woo, who still didn¡¯t make a public appearance, even after it was printed. The hollow shouts from the fans waiting desperately for his return echoed through the media.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Achoo!¡±

    Endless greenwn, the sound of a fountain spurting in the distance, and people speaking differentnguages with their shirts off, bathing in sunlight. Away from it all, was a person who was sniffling under the shade,ying on his stomach. It was Yun Woo, the author who was desperately waited for by the people. Although the Sun was quite warm in March, the air was still cold.

    ¡°It¡¯s been too long.¡±

    Juho sprawled across thewn, rxed to the point of feelingzy. It had been quite a while since hisst vacation.

    ¡°Jenkins must be in Korea by now.¡±

    The director had scheduled a visit to Korea right around the time of the movie¡¯s release there. Meanwhile, Juho was well aware of all the atrocity for which he was responsible. Thanks to the massive bomb he¡¯d dropped, what should have remained a quiet life had be hectic and vibrant all over again.

    As the phone started vibrating, Juho took it out of his pocket and looked at it. It was an email, the twenty-eighth email, to be precise. Upon checking it, Juho put the phone back in his pocket. At that moment, a pigeon that hadnded next to him came into the young author¡¯s view, bobbing its head. While Juho was staring dazedly at it, he sensed a shadow cast over him. A man in light sportswear was looking down. Seeing as though his chest was moving up and down, he had to have run up until he stopped. Nevertheless, the man¡¯s face was filled with astonishment.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re Yun Woo, aren¡¯t you?¡± the man asked, catching his breath.

    Staring into the blue sky over his shoulders, Juho said, ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    As the young author rose from the ground, the man asked in a hurry, ¡°Could you take a picture with me?¡±

    Picking up the hat, which he had ced next to him on thewn, and brushing off the des of grass on it, Juho said, ¡°Of course,¡± willingly getting in front of the lens with the man. The man seemed ecstatic that he had run into Juho.

    ¡°What have you been up to?¡±

    ¡°Nothing much. Just killing time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a fan! I own every single one of your books!¡± At that moment, the man called the young author by a peculiar nickname, ¡°Mr. Great Storyteller.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Juho looked up at the sunlit sky. Since Jenkins¡¯ had made a certain statement, the young author had beening across the nickname on the news, no matter the country he was in or where he was in that country. When presented in such a manner, even his greatest dream was reduced to a repulsive and hollow-sounding set of words.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t me he was talking about,¡± Juho said, putting on the hat and walking away. The water drops in the grass tickled his calves pleasantly. At that moment, his phone started vibrating in his pocket yet again. That time, it was a call.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Did you see it?¡±

    Even without the specified subject of his question, Juho was able to understand him thoroughly.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, you asked me the same thing just ten minutes ago. Do you realize how long your movie is?¡±

    ¡°Good. DO NOT watch it.¡±

    ¡°OK, I heard you the first time,¡± Juho said. At which, the director warned him sternly, ¡°DO NOT watch that movie. Not until I¡¯m there.¡±

 Chapter 337 - Jenkins, Full of Surprises (2)

    <h4>Chapter 337: Jenkins, Full of Surprises (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I have to see you getting impressed in person,¡± Jenkins said. He wanted desperately to see Juho watching his movie in person. Meanwhile, Juho stopped in his tracks and squatted in front of a nameless nt.

    ¡°Seems like you still refuse to say anything about failure.¡±

    ¡°I made the movie while you were gone. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find plenty of inspiration,¡± Jenkins said confidently, probably with his chin raised high.

    ¡°You sound very confident, Mr. Jenkins.¡±

    ¡°I very much am.¡±

    ¡°Well, that makes me look forward to the movie even more,¡± Juho said, fiddling about with the leaves of the nameless nt.

    At that, Jenkins stopped running his mouth all of a sudden.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving Korea tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°You see, Mr. Jenkins, I¡¯m kind of in the middle of a vacation.¡±

    ¡°Please, Mr. Woo. Is there a way we can make this work?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a problem waiting a little longer,¡± Juho said, chuckling, and Jenkins gnashed his teeth irritably.

    ¡°Why did you decide to go to the States of all ces when I¡¯m in Korea!?¡± Jenkins asked, pointing out inadvertently the precise reason for Juho to be in the States.

    ¡°I was afraid you might show up at my door without any notice.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Mr. Woo! Isn¡¯t it a bit excessive for you to fly out of your country like that?¡±

    ¡°I find that reaction difficult to take seriously whening from you, Mr. Jenkins.¡±

    ¡°... In any case, DO NOT watch that movie without me there! All right? BY ANY MEANS!¡±

    On one hand, Juho wanted to run to the nearest movie theater and watch the movie. However, after some thought, the young author nodded and said, ¡°You know, it¡¯s beautiful out, so I think I¡¯ll enjoy the Sun while itsts.¡±

    ¡°Promise?¡±

    ¡°You got it.¡±

    Then, like he had promised, Juho made his way to a movie theater just after dark.

    ¡°Been a while since I¡¯ve watched ate-night movie.¡±

    It was the result of adjusting his schedule to the director¡¯s. When Juho looked around, Jenkins was still nowhere to be found. The young author was aware that Jenkins had alreadynded in the States. Since he was early, Juho decided to wait for the director peacefully, standing a slight distance from the theater entrance and watching moviegoers going into the theater. Then, Juho checked the time.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s runningte.¡±

    Jenkins was still nowhere to be found, ten, even twenty minutester. When Juho checked the time again, it was officially after the time when they had agreed to meet. At that moment, his phone started vibrating in his hand.

    ¡°Where are you?¡± Juho asked. However, instead of a response, coarse breathing came from the receiver. Leaning against the building, Juho asked, ¡°Runningte?¡±

    ¡°Wait just a little... Huff... longer! The jetg... whew ... I¡¯m a hot mess.¡±

    He had to have slept through his rm. However, considering the intensity of his schedule recently, it made sense.

    ¡°Should we meet tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°No! Whew... I¡¯m on my way.¡±

    ¡°The movie¡¯s about to start. You sure you¡¯re gonna be able to make it in time?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Jenkins said, sounding even more desperate than usual. At which point, Juho looked back.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get us the tickets.¡±

    ¡°You do that. Huff... Huff..¡±

    Juho bought a ticket from the ticket office. After some thought, he decided to go to the snack bar and get Jenkins a drink. The movie theaters in the States didn¡¯t seem all that different from the ones in Korea. Lingering around in front of an empty arcade, Juho checked the time. Since there weremercials and previews before the actual movie, there was still time.

    ¡°Whew!¡±

    Upon hearing a breathing sound, Juho felt a strong impact on his shoulder. It was Jenkins, who seemed quite distressed.

    ¡°Hey, there,¡± Juho said. Instead of giving him an answer, Jenkins stretched out his neck and coughed noisily, holding his sides.

    ¡°You made it.¡±

    ¡°I told you. I fell asleep... before I knew it... when I saw the time... Oh, man. Whew!¡±

    ¡°Here,¡± Juho said, offering the drink to the director, who took it and guzzled it without question. At that moment, a group of people walked past them, staring in their direction. At which point, Juho pulled down his hat in order to conceal his identity.

    ¡°Burp!¡± Jenkins let out. He looked noticeably better.

    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna pass out during the movie, are you?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s day or night, but I¡¯ll be OK. To this day, I¡¯ve never passed out watching a movie.¡±

    Although there was no way to confirm that, Juho nodded.

    ¡°Well, we better go in now. Though, I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll find any good seats.¡±

    At that, Jenkins let out a small sigh and said, ¡°I wanted to show it to you in the best possible environment. Not in some janky neighborhood movie theater.¡±

    Making his way into the theater, Juho replied, ¡°I like it here.¡±

    ¡°... All right, then. Well, my movie will stand out on its own, no matter where it¡¯s being yed.¡±

    Then, he snatched the tickets from the young author¡¯s hand and walked on ahead.

    ¡°Let¡¯s sit here.¡±

    After entering the theater, the two found a reasonable spot. Although there were quite a few people in the theater, there was no one else sitting on the row Juho and Jenkins were sitting on. The two had to be thest people to get in. While Juho was staring dazedly at themercial being yed on the screen, a chuckle came from the director.

    ¡°I¡¯m having trouble staying calm.¡±

    Juho looked at Jenkins, whose face was dyed blue from the screen light.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for two years.¡±

    Without replying, Juho looked toward the screen. However, Jenkins still had his eyes fixed on the young author.

    ¡°You can¡¯t give me what I¡¯m looking for,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°No. I cannot.¡±

    Jenkins couldn¡¯t give the young author what he was looking for. No matter how much others tried to convince Juho otherwise, that didn¡¯t change the fact that the director didn¡¯t have what he was looking for.

    ¡°Which also means it could be somethingpletely unexpected,¡± Juho said.

    At that, a big grin appeared on the director¡¯s face.

    ¡°Precisely. I¡¯m confident in my product,¡± he said.

    At that moment, the screen went dark. Then, a bright light illuminated the silent theater. The movie started.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Coin murmured with his eyes fixed on the screen. He hade to the movie theater by himself.

    Then, he thought of Jenkins. He was one of the most widely recognized directors in Hollywood, and his colorful resume and history were proof of that. Even those who knew nothing about movies or movie festivals knew who Jenkins was. However, Coin, who hadn¡¯t seen any of Jenkins¡¯ movies, was simply uninterested. He didn¡¯t care either.

    From the time the movie started, Coin hadn¡¯t done anything aside from looking at the screen, captivated by the very first scene of the movie. From the start, Jenkins depicted the world within the novel effectively. Feeling his pulse responding to the flow of the movie, Coin realized that he waspletely immersed in it.

    ¡®The actors don¡¯t seem like actors. The movie doesn¡¯t seem like a movie. The makeup. CGI. Performance. A tribe made of people who have six fingers. A tribe thatmunicates through motions. Everything¡¯s fake. None of it actually exists.¡¯

    The movie was more than riveting enough to silence those thoughts.

    Along with the epic background music, thenguages became audible. Completely captivated by the visuals, Coin found himself more emotional than rational, which made for a good movie experience. He was able to focus on the movie without holding back, and that was the kind of effect Jenkins¡¯ movies had on their viewers.

    The characters spoke in foreignnguages, and the trantions appeared as subtitles on the bottom of the screen. That was anguage that Yun Woo had created. Tapping on the armrest of his seat, Coin wondered what thenguages in the movie would sound like to its creator. How satisfied would he be? Watching the movie had to be a different experience for him, one unlike that of Coin, who was just another spectator.

    ¡°This water exists so that we can cross it.¡±

    Coin was aware that Yun Woo was in the States. However, he didn¡¯t go out of his way to reach out to him. ¡®Maybe I should¡¯ve watched it with him,¡¯ Coin thought to himself, rubbing under his nose, realizing that he had missed a sight to behold. At which point, he genuinely wished he had called the young author ahead of time.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hahaha,¡± Juho let out along with the rest of the audience. At which point, Jenkins flinched. Juho fixed his eyes on the screen. Then, a member of the six-fingered tribe said, ¡°God is all-knowing.¡±

    Upon hearing those words, Juho heard a sound in his head. Click.

    ¡°God is dead.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t recall being delighted to hear that statement. The intriguing, yet strange and foreign ability had nevere to him as pure joy. Juho sped his hands together, naturally focusing on One, resonating with everything the character saw, read, and tranted.

    ¡°It is foolish to mock God.¡±

    Juho and One were strangers to each other. Having first met in the young author¡¯s fantasy, the two had parted ways without ever bing friends. Just as every person in Juho¡¯s world was different, everyone in One¡¯s world was also different. However, the movie gave Juho the illusion that he had be one with the character on the screen.

    ¡°This water exists so that we can cross it. It¡¯s a way for us to see something greater,¡± One said.

    Then, along with thend, the sea stretching into the endless horizon appeared on the screen, which was far wider than the span of Juho¡¯s arm, and far longer than he could ever reach. A world so big that it overwhelmed those who saw it. That was precisely what the young author had envisioned. Licking his lips, Juho murmured, ¡°Very nice.¡± At which point, Jenkins swallowed nervously.

    After what felt like thirty minutes, the three-hour-long movie finally came to its end. When the movie ended, it took Juho a little while to adapt to the silence. While Juho was massaging his brow, Jenkins asked as they were left alone in the theater, ¡°What did you think?¡±

    ¡°You were tantly observing me, weren¡¯t you? What do you think I was thinking?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± the director said, crossing his arms.

    ¡°You can¡¯t say?¡±

    ¡°I was too nervous.¡±

    When Juho looked at Jenkins, he had a stiff smile on his face. He looked like he had held his breath for thest three hours. Juho unclenched his hands. He had been just as nervous

    ¡°A beer would¡¯ve been nice right about now,¡± Juho said, drinking the Coke that had gone t. Then, breathing slowly as though savoring the drink in his mouth, Juho rxed on the seat. When he locked eyes with the director, there was excitement and the lingering effect of the movie in the young author¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°To say that letting you direct this movie was the best decision I ever made...¡±

    At that, a look of delight spread on Jenkins¡¯ face.

    Then, the young author added, ¡°... would be a slight overstatement.¡±

    At which point, the look on the director¡¯s face quickly turned into that of perplexity. Juho wasn¡¯tfortable with being transparent with his emotions in front of Jenkins. By the time the director reached the limit of his patience, Juho shared his honest thoughts, saying, ¡°I really enjoyed the movie. I learned a lot from it.¡±

    At the young author¡¯s genuine response, Jenkins¡¯ blue eyes started shaking. When Juho had seen those eyes for the first time, he hadn¡¯t been able to picture them being so vulnerable.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna cry,¡± Jenkins said, teary-eyed and covering his mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    Upon seeing the director having an emotional moment, Juho straightened up, confused as to whether he was acting or genuinely happy.

    Then, springing up from his seat, the director shouted, ¡°THIS IS THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE!¡±

    Whatever that meant, it made the young author quite ufortable.

    ¡ª

    ¡®The ¡®Language of God¡¯ Movie Wins Over the Critics! Jenkins Does It Again!¡¯

    ¡®The ¡®Language of God¡¯ Movie Reaches Five Million Viewers Six Days after Its Release.¡¯

    ¡®Will Yun Woo¡¯s ¡®Language of God¡¯ Be Able to Top Its Predecessor?¡¯

    ¡®The ¡®Language of God¡¯ Movie Rakes in Six Hundred and Twenty Million Dors in North America Alone. A Major Box Office Hit across the Globe!¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s Behind the Sess of ¡®Language of God?¡¯ The Secret Behind Jenkins¡¯ Approach to Bringing the Most Out of the Original.¡¯

    ¡®Every Detail Matters! ¡®Language of God¡¯ Said to Follow the Book to a Tee.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s and Jenkins¡¯ Obsession and Their Synergistic Effect.¡¯

    ¡±Language of God¡¯ Sets the New Standard for Film Adaptations. The Jenkins¡¯ Approach.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Potential Shines in Hollywood. Sets the Example for Utilizing a Character.¡¯

    ¡®Actors and Actresses of ¡®Language of God¡¯ Reported to Have Spent Three Months in Verbal Training. ¡°It¡¯s One of the Most Interesting Projects I¡¯ve Ever Been a Part of.¡±¡®

    ¡®What Did Yun Woo Think of the Movie?¡¯

    ¡®Written by One Genius and Produced by Another. Fans and Viewers Rave with Excitement!¡¯

 Chapter 338 - Jenkins, Full of Surprises (3)

    <h4>Chapter 338: Jenkins, Full of Surprises (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Hm,¡± Juho let out, unable to read on any further. Closing the book, he pushed it aside. The epic background music, dazzling visuals, performances, and directing were all still lingering in the young author¡¯s mind. The movie had been epic, stylish, and most of all, a great movie. Seeing his writing made into another form of art was always a joy, and it came with a sense of aplishment. However, that was about the extent of the experience.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you reading it? It¡¯s your book, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    When Juho looked up, the student abroad came into view. It had already been years since they had presented onstage. Juho had reached out to him upon arriving in the States. He looked exactly the same as he had when Juho hadst seen him in Korea. As he gave the young author a puzzled look, Juho replied, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since west saw each other. Thought we should spend some time talking instead.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m OK either way,¡± the student abroad said, ncing at the book and biting into his hamburger. He had been eating when the young author had arrived at his house. After a failed attempt to revisit ¡®Language of God,¡¯ Juho put the book back on the shelf, where every single one of Juho¡¯s books could be found. Although he had heard countless readers tell him that they owned all of his books, seeing the collection with his own eyes made for a strange experience. As if avoiding them, Juho started to look around the room, which was quite indicative of the student abroad¡¯s personality: well organized. Upon spotting collection of LPs, Juho asked, ¡°Not a fan of rock, I see?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± the student abroad replied emphatically. The ce belonged to his older sister and her husband, whom she had met when she hade to the States as a student abroad. Her husband was American and deeply in love with her.

    ¡°Anyway, I was so touched when you called,¡± the student abroad said.

    ¡°You were?¡±

    Chewing the lettuce in his hamburger, the student abroad replied, ¡°You¡¯re staying on the downlow after getting discharged from the military. You haven¡¯t made a single public appearance, even after the movie was released. Frankly, I was starting to get curious about you. Hearing it through Jenkins is just not convincing.¡±

    ¡°You could¡¯ve called,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°...¡±

    Juho saw the student abroad moving his dry eyes busily.

    ¡°I tend to be an overthinker. I wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯d remember me after bing the Great Storyteller.¡±

    Chuckling quietly, Juho took the book he had received from the student abroad, saying, ¡°Or, it could be that you were really busy.¡±

    It was the novel he had published in Korea. The first edition had started at five thousand copies, the second edition had gone into print almost immediately since it was a steady seller.

    ¡°Not the most impressive figure in front of Yun Woo, really,¡± the student abroad said, sounding almost sarcastic. That was exactly why bringing numbers into a conversation with an author tended to make things ufortable.

    ¡°I thought I should try to make the most out of your absence, but it seems like it got buried by your movie. My sister and brother-inw went out to see it, actually. It takes her a month to finish reading my books.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because it¡¯s directed by Jenkins.¡±

    ¡°Quite the opposite, actually. The novel came first, which means he wouldn¡¯t have been able to make a movie like this if it weren¡¯t for you.¡±

    Juho shrugged light-heartedly. Then, he opened his mouth wide and ate what was left of the hamburger, crumpling the wrapping paper afterward.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about movies, but he seems to have done one heck of a job with the adaptation. Good enough for the fans of the original series.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he did. I enjoyed the movie myself.¡±

    Sitting back down, the student abroad asked, ¡°If you had said that to a reporter, the movie would be making double the money it¡¯s making.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s already doing well enough as is,¡± Juho said, and the student abroad didn¡¯t deny it.

    ¡°What have you been up to?¡± the student abroad asked out of nowhere. However, the young author answered without hesitation, ¡°Why, I was in the military.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°And then I wrote.¡±

    ¡°I thought so,¡± the student abroad said, nodding. Yun Woo wrote no matter where he was. To the student abroad, Yun Woo was an author who would choose to pick up a pen rather than a rifle in a battlefield in an attempt to tell as many people as possible about the pain of war. At which point, the student abroad thought that he¡¯d like to see the young author release a war story in the future.

    ¡°Honestly, there was a piece that I¡¯d been meaning to write since before I went into the military.¡±

    After thinking quietly for some time, the student abroad narrowed his eyes. The time of the young author¡¯s enlistment crossed his mind.

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not telling me that you went into the military to write, are you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of it.¡±

    ¡°... You really know how to keep someone on their toes,¡± the student abroad said. The ambiguity in the young author¡¯s response was bound to stir up curiosity. Rubbing his hands together anxiously, the student abroad asked determinedly, ¡°If I were to ask which piece it was, would you tell me?¡±

    At which, Juho replied nonchntly, ¡°¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    From Juho¡¯s standpoint, he had no reason to hide that there was a new work in progress. The final draft had already been sent to the publisher and was probably in the middle of a trantion process.

    ¡°¡®Language of God?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yes, the sequel.¡±

    However, things looked very different from the student abroad¡¯s standpoint. It was the long-awaited sequel to ¡®Language of God,¡¯ which was about toe out to the world in the near future.

    ¡°You mean there¡¯s going to be a new series!? You¡¯re working on it!?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s already finished.¡±

    The student abroad found himself at loss for words. Unlike his usual self, he seemed to have trouble maintaining a calm look on his face.

    ¡°Kind of cruel, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I thought I¡¯d be able to take it slow during those two years you were gone. First, the movie. And now, a whole new series? Why don¡¯t you just take over the world while you¡¯re at it?¡±

    Juho blinked awkwardly. The student abroad¡¯s face was flushing bright red, the corner of his mouth twitching.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can tell, but I¡¯ve been on a frenzy since the movie was released, which was some quality work to say the least. Before I knew it, I picked up ¡®Language of God¡¯ and I¡¯ve been on a marathon ever since. And now, you¡¯re telling me that there¡¯s going to be a sequel? That there¡¯s going to be yet an entirely new series that will inspire me all over again? Do you understand where I¡¯ming from, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Uh... sure.¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t. So, when is iting out?¡±

    ¡°There should be articles turning up soon, but I can¡¯t say for certain.¡±

    ¡°The new ¡®Language of God.¡¯ A whole new series. I can¡¯t believe it!¡±

    At that moment, they heard somebody approaching the house from the outside.

    ¡°Your sister must be back.¡±

    Although looking slightly disgruntled, the student abroad sprung up from his seat and rushed down the stairs. Juho followed him.

    ¡°Hey! Get down here and ask me about the movie!¡± the sister shouted as if she had a desperate need to talk about the movie with someone. ¡°Get your butt downstairs! You have NO idea how anxious I was that Jenkins might crap all over the novel!¡±

    ¡°All right! You don¡¯t have to shout!¡± the student abroad said. Then, noticing an unusual smile on her brother¡¯s face, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s with your face? You¡¯re freakin¡¯ me out.¡±

    ¡°What about my face?¡±

    ¡°That smile of yours! What did you do by yourself while I was gone?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not alone.¡±

    ¡°You know, if you have a date, you better take that outs...¡±

    When Juho walked down the stairs, the first thing that came into view was a shopping bag that was taking up about half the couch. Then, locking eyes with ady sporting a tight ponytail, Juho rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Wait, am I seeing things?¡±

    ¡°I told you I was having a guest over.¡±

    At that, the sister punched her brother in the stomach, saying, ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything about the guest being Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡°Honey, you forgot somet... Oh, my!¡±

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    The husband, who came in through the door while spinning his car keys on his finger, responded simrly to his wife. Wiping his mouth, he asked, ¡°Can anybody exin to me why Yun Woo¡¯s here?¡±

    ¡°I was graciously invited by your brother-inw.¡±

    ¡°Uh... right. I mean, wee! So good to have you at our home!¡±

    ¡°Here I was thinking that he was gonna be some loser who read books all day. And what does he do? Brings Yun Woo over out of nowhere,¡± the wife murmured. Then, pping her brother on the shoulder, she added, ¡°Not too bad. Not too bad at all!¡±

    Juho shook hands with her husband, who had a firm grip. Since the sister and her husband had turned up, everyone spoke to each other in English.

    ¡°Can we all take a picture first?¡± she asked, and Juho nodded affirmatively.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Did you see the movie?¡± the sister asked while putting a b of meat on to the grill. Insisting on treating the young author to some food, she had put together a small barbecue party in the backyard. Although Juho had declined repeatedly, she had insisted even more emphatically, saying, ¡°It¡¯s OK! We do this often. Don¡¯t be shy!¡±

    Her husband nodded in agreement. Along withmb chops, drumsticks, steak, and short ribs, there was also some Kimchi and slices of Halloumi cheese on the grill, sizzling and looking incredibly appetizing. On top of that, there was an array of vegetables and a sd.

    ¡°This is a lot of food,¡± Juho said, and the student abroad replied nonchntly, ¡°Nah, this looks about right.¡±

    ¡°Of all the characters in ¡®Language of God,¡¯ I like One the most. I¡¯m obsessed with him! When you see how he changes from his childhood, before and after he leaves on that journey, and just how he changes throughout the book, it makes me feel like I¡¯m watching my own child growing up,¡± the sister said, waving the tongs in her hand. As she cut the b of meat into smaller pieces, her husband stepped in to finish the rest.

    ¡°Are you a wine person?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not much of a drinker.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Would you like some Coke instead, then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please.¡±

    Then, she looked at her brother, gesturing for him to go to the kitchen and bring out the mentioned items. Clicking his tongue irritably, the student abroad rose from his seat.

    ¡°Make sure to bring out some tes too!¡± she said, kicking her brother in the buttocks.

    ¡°So, going back to the book, I went into the theater with a certain image in mind. Of course, it didn¡¯t exactly match what I saw in the movie, but the movie was so well-made that I found the image in my head starting to change. Especially the six-fingered tribe member ying the violin. It was so much better than what I had pictured.¡±

    Juho listened to her quietly. Meanwhile, her husband moved all the pieces of meat on to a te, putting one into his own mouth while he was at it.

    ¡°Apparently, they filmed in New Zend. What did you think? Was it simr to the image you had in mind when you wrote the book?¡±

    Staring into the air, Juho reminisced about the movie and said, ¡°I actually met with Mr. Jenkins beforeing here. We watched the movie together.¡±

    Jenkins was now in another country because of a prior engagement. Before he left, Juho saw the delight on the director¡¯s face with his own eyes.

    ¡°Yes! I heard him bragging in an interview.¡±

    ¡°He seemed like he was really proud of his work. Is it true that you were shedding tears of joy afterward?¡±

    Jenkins seemed to have added his own twist to his statement yet again. With a sigh, Juho shook his head.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t cry, but it was quite a moving experience.¡±

    After the movie, Jenkins had followed the young author all the way to his hotel and drunk to his heart¡¯s content. It had been a celebration of sorts. Despite having scheduled events for the next day, he hadn¡¯t been afraid to get drunk.

    ¡°If you were to give it a rating, what would it be?¡± the student abroad asked while carrying a bottle of wine, some Coke and tes.

    ¡°Way to rain on my parade,¡± the sister said, giving her brother a disgruntled look. However, the student abroad didn¡¯t let up, acting as though he had the right to know.

    ¡°A rating?¡±

    ¡°Yes. In a number. I wanna know how satisfied you were with the movie.¡±

    ¡°Hm. I didn¡¯t even do this in front of Mr. Jenkins.¡±

    ¡°And that makes me wanna hear it more,¡± the student abroad said.

    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to talk about stuff like this behind someone¡¯s back,¡± he added, giving off an ill-natured vibe. After some contemtion, Juho replied, ¡°You know what, I don¡¯t think I can do it.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. Don¡¯t be like that. Is that another way of saying that it wasn¡¯t perfect?¡±

    ¡°I think the meats done,¡± the brother-inw said, cutting off the student abroad while he was clinging to the young author, bringing several tefuls of grilled meat to the table. Inparison, there was significantly more meat than vegetables, and needless to say, everything was quite tasty. While Juho was tasting everything one by one, the student abroad¡¯s sister asked out of nowhere while pouring herself a ss of wine, ¡°So, Mr. Woo, how good of a writer is my brother?¡±

    Feeling like a teacher meeting a parent, Juho barely managed to swallow the piece of meat in his mouth.

 Chapter 339 - Violinistéˆ¥æªš Impressive Hearing (1)

    <h4>Chapter 339: Violinist¡¯s Impressive Hearing (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Juho said, looking into the distance.

    Springing up from his seat, the student abroad, with his face twisted into a scowl, said, ¡°I think I¡¯d prefer you say that I still have a ways go rather than some ambiguous answer like that. What did you mean by you¡¯re not sure?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have said anything,¡± the sister said light-heartedly.

    However, the student abroad didn¡¯t let up. Having no intention of starting an argument in front of delicious food, Juho exined himself calmly, ¡°I¡¯m not sure because I don¡¯t really know you yet.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know me?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t read your book yet. That¡¯s why you gave me one as a gift, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Although the student abroad still looked quite upset, he sat back down willingly. At that, Juho shrugged and added, ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve been busy too. Not to mention the environment I was living in never really alloted me a whole lot of freedom. There are actually a lot of books I haven¡¯t been able to read.¡±

    Which included the one written by the student abroad. Still sounding disgruntled, the student abroad asked, ¡°Then, what about now? You¡¯re staying on the downlow. I can¡¯t imagine you¡¯re all that busy.¡±

    ¡°Of course, your presentation was outstanding. I assume that¡¯s why it got made into a book, right?¡±

    Then, Juho looked around at the student abroad¡¯s family to study their expressions. Sitting quietly, the student abroad still had the same disgruntled look.

    ¡°Good for you, kid. You know what? Let¡¯s make a toast. Pick up your sses!¡±

    Thankfully, the subject changed quickly. Everyone there were quite tactful. At one point, a neighbor¡¯s dog came into the backyard after smelling the meat, causing a ruckus. Although the amount of food had been quite intimidating at first, every bit of it had been eaten without much trouble. The family seemed to have quite the appetite. By sunset, they started cleaning up after themselves. As the sister and her husband went inside, Juho picked up the tes. At that moment, the student abroad approached him and asked quietly, ¡°All right, can you just be honest and tell me?¡±

    ¡°Tell you what?¡± Juho asked, giving him a puzzled look.

    ¡°Now that my family isn¡¯t around, you don¡¯t have to worry about making me look bad in front of them.¡±

    ¡°I told you. It was outstanding. Did you want a number or something?¡±

    ¡°Judging others is one of the easiest things to do, don¡¯t you think? Don¡¯t be such a prude now. You¡¯re Yun Woo! If this is about your age, don¡¯t you worry. I won¡¯t go around telling people that you¡¯re full of yourself.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with you all of a sudden?¡±

    After some thought, the student abroad replied in a calm tone of voice, ¡°It¡¯s not sudden. A pretender like me tends to be curious about how a genius sees the world, including himself.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t consider myself better than others.¡±

    ¡°I think that¡¯s being too modest.¡±

    ¡°Are you looking for criticism? Is that what this is about?¡±

    ¡°Have you everpared yourself with me?¡± Stopping midway while picking up the tes, Juho looked at the student abroad, who asked, ¡°Or do you not have an answer to this question?¡±

    ¡°Was that why you were so riled up back there?¡± Juho asked, making sense of why the student abroad hadn¡¯t contacted him first. Before he knew it, Juho had acknowledged that the difference between an author who sold one million copies and another who sold five thousand copies had to do with their skills.

    ¡°You really are an overthinker.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you showed up out of nowhere. You have no idea how anxious I¡¯ve been thest two years. I wrote with everything I had and I¡¯ve managed to sell five thousand copies. And then, you show up and put that number to shame. It¡¯s just demoralizing.¡±

    Unfazed, Juho, who kept stacking the tes, said, ¡°You really know how to keep someone on their toes.¡±

    That time, the student abroad¡¯s came to a halt.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re good with long sentences, aren¡¯t you? And you¡¯re still rtively young, which only goes to show how talented you are as a writer. You have a very exotic, sophisticated style of writing, which I don¡¯t have. So, when you tell me that you poured everything into your book, how can I not look forward to reading it?¡±

    At that, the student abroad¡¯s head lowered slightly.

    ¡°I know it sounds funnying from me, but don¡¯t obsess over how many copies you sell. It¡¯s a waste of your talent,¡± Juho said. Then, locking eyes with him, he added, ¡°If your book hadn¡¯t even been on my mind, I wouldn¡¯t have bothereding all the way here.¡±

    At that moment, as the young author went inside the house, a dog started barking outside. It seemed to be barking at a certain person, who happened to beughing. Coming out of the kitchen, the sister yelled, ¡°What the hell¡¯s happening outside? Hey! Pipe down!¡±

    However, the dog barked even louder. Meanwhile, Juho soaked the dishes in the water in the sink.

    ¡ª

    ¡°You could stay for the night, you know.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I couldn¡¯t do that. I¡¯m grateful that I¡¯m even getting a ride,¡± Juho said in front of the car, in which the student abroad was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Come again sometime,¡± the sister said, reluctant to say goodbye.

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    Watching the young author getting into the car, the student abroad said, ¡°Let me know when you discover the release date.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°The release date? For what?¡± the sister asked, puzzled. Then, the car started shaking as the student abroad started it.

    ¡°I have a new booking out,¡± Juho said nonchntly.

    ¡°A new book...? Which one?¡±

    Grabbing the car door, the young author replied, ¡°¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    At that moment, just as he was about to close the door, a foot jumped out and prevented him from doing so. At which point, Juho was forced to tell her the exact same thing he had told the student abroad.

    ¡°Is that what brought you to the States? Did you have a secret meeting with your publisher or something?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± Juho said, remembering the actual reason for why he hade to the States for. ¡°I have to talk to someone about tranting my new book.¡±

    At that, the sister looked around cautiously and said, ¡°We won¡¯t tell anybody.¡±

    Then, the student abroad started the car again.

    ¡ª

    ¡°All right, Mr. Sanders. Thanks for your time.¡±

    ¡°Thanks foring,¡± Sanders said to an employee from a certain publisher, who had visited the trantor in order to retrieve the requested project. Although it had been long past due, the dy had been the result of an unforeseen circumstance on the publisher¡¯s end, which led them to send someone to visit the trantor at his home in order to apologize in person. Chugging the remaining tea in his cup, the employee rose from his seat and said, ¡°Seems like there¡¯s something good happening in your life, Mr. Sanders.¡±

    Also rising from his seat, Sanders asked, ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°You look like you¡¯re in good spirits,¡± the employee said, seeing the persistent smile on the trantor¡¯s face. Although Sanders had always been a kind person, he was especially generous that day, and it was especially apparent with all the high-end cookies, the tea set, and the ck tea that he had offered his guest.

    ¡°Do I now?¡± Sanders asked, caressing his beard. In actuality, he had been itching to tell the world about the good news he hade across. ¡°I¡¯m expecting a guest.¡±

    ¡°A guest? Who?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t say,¡± the trantor said. Although an ambiguous look appeared on the employee¡¯s face, it did hardly anything to affect the trantor¡¯s mood.

    ¡°Haha! Well, that definitely doesn¡¯t happen every day. But really, who¡¯s visiting?¡± the employee asked.

    ¡°How was the tea?¡±

    ¡°The tea? It was delicate as always.¡±

    ¡°Right? I only bring it out on special asions.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re expecting, but I am privileged to have tasted such fine tea.¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s your lucky day.¡±

    Chuckling quietly, the employee asked, ¡°Are you expecting somebody like Yun Woo?¡±

    At that, Sanders let out a heartyughter, just like Santa us would.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hello, there! Been a while.¡±

    Juho arrived at Sanders¡¯ office in a timely manner. Upon going upstairs, the trantor opened the door and greeted the young author before he even had a chance to knock. Sanders¡¯ office was brimming with all sorts of information. Meanwhile, looking intently at Juho¡¯s short hairdo, Sanders tried to get used to the young author¡¯s look.

    ¡°Do you like ck tea?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°I got some tea as a gift recently. It¡¯s exquisite. Give me one moment,¡± Sanders said, walking over to the kitchen, which was connected to the office, in order to boil some water and prepare the tea. He seemed to be quite adept at what he was doing, which told the young author that he was an avid tea drinker. While the trantor was preparing the tea, Juho looked around the interior of the office, which gave off a warm feel. Then, as he noticed a peculiar tree, Sanders said, ¡°Bengal rubber tree. It¡¯s from India.¡±

    Although it was an exotic-sounding name, the tree itself looked quite familiar to Juho.

    ¡°They¡¯re quite popr in Korea too, actually.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re very low maintenance.¡±

    Resistant to cold, the tree required hardly any watering. On top of that, it came with the added benefit of purifying the air around it, which made it even more desirable in modern society. Its branches were strong and its leaves, glossy. It seemed well taken care of.

    ¡°You must like nts.¡±

    ¡°Yes. They make me feel at home.¡±

    ¡°Feel at home?¡±

    ¡°I used to live with my grandmother as a child. Raising nts was a big part of her life, so naturally, I grew up around a lot of nts.¡±

    Then, Sanders brought the tea out, which was in tea set made by a famous manufacturer. Meanwhile, Juho pictured what the trantor¡¯s grandmother would have looked like surrounded by nts while drinking tea peacefully.

    ¡°The environment one grows up in has a profound impact in their life. Language being one of those things, of course.¡±

    It was quite an interesting thought.

    ¡°Which is why I find your books so enticing,¡± Sanders added, raising his tea mug. ¡®Language of God¡¯ was filled with characters whose values were shaped by the things they grew up seeing, which they came to ept and reject.

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of like Oedipus, don¡¯t you think? Resisting his destiny.¡±

    ¡°You seem to know enough, Mr. Sanders. I¡¯m not sure if there¡¯s even anything left for me to help you with,¡± Juho replied, chuckling quietly.

    ¡°The thing is tranting your workes with serious challenges,¡± Sanders said, caressing his beard again. In order to minimize mistrantions, Sanders had asked for quite a bit of additional information. When the trantor had suggested the young author visit him, Juho had replied affirmatively without hesitation.

    Looking at Juho, who had traveled a long way from home, the trantor shared his thoughts on the young author¡¯s manuscript, ¡°After reading it, degeneration was the first word that came to mind. But, that isn¡¯t to say that that has to do with the setting being in the past.¡±

    As Juho listened to him quietly, Sanders ced his hands on his chest and added, ¡°I also thought that I couldn¡¯t dare let my trantion ruin such a well-written piece.¡±

    ¡°Please, feel free to do as you please, Mr. Sanders.¡±

    ¡°No, no. I wouldn¡¯t dare. Aside from my pride as a trantor, I¡¯d be facing the wrath of the public,¡± the trantor said, shaking as though terrified by the thought of that happening. Everything about ¡®Language of God¡¯ was grand and massive. Should Sanders decide to make a move, the reaction would be as equally as great.

    ¡°The writtennguages were astounding,¡± the trantor said, chuckling quietly, his eyes sparkling with interest. By that point, Juho had already handed all the data, which included trantions, of thosenguages to Sanders.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit messy this time, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sanders asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be.¡±

    Being far less refined than their future counterparts, not only were the writtennguages uncouth, but they were also quite cumbersome. Languages tended to rise and fade away with time, and the newnguages Juho hade up with were bound to face the same destiny.

    ¡°Did your time in the military y into this at all?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that it didn¡¯t.¡±

    At that, Sanders replied, nodding, ¡°The fact that it¡¯s a piece that you wrote at the base already makes it riveting.¡±

    ¡°You know, my editor said the exact same thing.¡±

    The phrase practically advertised itself. When Juho had met with Jang Mi prior to flying to the States, she hadn¡¯t been afraid to show her excitement.

    ¡°So, these are some of the questions I had,¡± Sanders said, taking a stack of papers from a table. They were handwritten notes.

    ¡°First of all, this part here,¡± Sanders said, pointing at a certain ce on one of the pages. Juho read along.

    ¡°The war from Violinist¡¯s point of view.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Sanders said, nodding with a serious expression on his face. Then, he pointed to another spot and said, ¡°But his thought process is not exined here.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Juho had left out the protagonist¡¯s thought process intentionally in order to leave room for reader interpretation. However, things changed if the reader happened to be a trantor. Sanders had to know the intent with which the author had written certain sentences.

    ¡°I just wanted to make sure. What¡¯s the protagonist thinking and feeling here?¡±

 Chapter 340 - Violinistéˆ¥æªš Impressive Hearing (2)

    <h4>Chapter 340: Violinist¡¯s Impressive Hearing (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho took a cookie from the table in front of him. The pleasant sweetness went quite well with tea. Although there was nothing special about its shape, the taste was just the opposite.

    While Juho was breaking the cookie in half, Sanders asked, ¡°Is he angry?¡±

    Violinist had witnessed the war in person. He was neither a ruler of a nation nor did he have a sense of justice that drove him to do what he could to save his nation. A war-fanatic, a dictator, neither of those things defined who he was. He was merely an individual. The scene in which Violist witnessed the war showed readers what kind of era the protagonist was living in. When the protagonist came face to face with the brutality of war, there had to be a storm of emotions within him.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Juho said, locking eyes with the trantor, who nodded in confirmation. ¡®I wonder if this is what it¡¯s like to be interviewed by Santa us,¡¯ Juho thought to himself. Hearing Sanders use such a strong word like angry was quite strange. Maybe it was because it wasn¡¯t very Santa us-like.

    ¡°Sense of void, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Overwhelmed?¡±

    ¡°He was.¡±

    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll grieve what he saw?¡±

    ¡°Not immediately.¡±

    ¡°Does he find himself afraid?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    There was no time to grieve. The fear was simply too great. Yet, Violist didn¡¯t sumb to it.

    ¡°Does he ever grow numb or indifferent toward it?¡±

    ¡°A littleter into the story, actually. He gets used to longersting wars.¡±

    ¡°Seems like he¡¯s quite the emotional type.¡±

    ¡°He is. He¡¯s easily influenced. When another person gets upset, he¡¯ll join them in getting upset as well. When they¡¯re calm, he¡¯s also calm.¡±

    While Sanders jotted everything down on his notebook, Juho brought the cookie up to his mouth.

    ¡°What¡¯s the strongest emotion he¡¯s experiencing? What should I be emphasizing?¡±

    There was no way the young author could list all the emotions the protagonist was feeling. The character was very much alive in Juho¡¯s mind, and he felt various emotions at once. Describing the character required some decision-making, which involved having to leave certain things out while emphasizing others.

    ¡°Why?¡± Sanders murmured, quoting one of Violinist¡¯s lines from the novel. Standing before a mountain of corpses, the protagonist lets out, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Anger, a sense of emptiness and being overwhelmed, fear, and assimtion. He obviously bes used to seeing war at some point. So, what¡¯s Violinist thinking and feeling when he says that line?¡±

    The protagonist leaves a myth behind, which will be passed down through word of mouth for years on end. The first thing that Violinistes to ask himself is: Why does conflict happen?

    ¡°You see, Violinist...¡± Juho said, brushing the cookie crumbs off of his hands. Sanders listened intently. ¡°... wasn¡¯t exactly born under a lucky star.¡±

    At that, Juho saw the trantor¡¯s head tilt.

    ¡°He¡¯s the epitome of bad luck. Starting with the time in which he was born. Maybe even the fact that he was born human. Or even that he¡¯s the protagonist of my story.¡±

    The protagonist had been born with talents that he could hardly make use of. Despite his grandiose name, the character never lived up to it and became a violinist.

    ¡°He¡¯s a hero, yet he didn¡¯t hatch from an egg. He wasn¡¯t born a prince either. He¡¯s just an average joe. Yet, he¡¯s burdened with the task of preventing war without even knowing it. It¡¯s a serious responsibility, really. There tend to be those who make the mess and those who clean it up. And, of course, Violinist gets the short end of the stick,¡± Juho said, looking down at the reddish liquid in his cup.

    (TL¡¯s Note: Juho is referring to a Korean folklore, specifically about Park Hyeokgeose, who had hatched from an egg ording to the legend.)

    ¡°He leads a life that looks nothing like the one that his name suggests.¡±

    ¡°That can also mean that he escapes his fate and carves his own path in life, can¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you could say that,¡± Juho said. If anything, he had made it seem as though the character had escaped his fate.

    ¡°Actually, I never saw Violinist as a victim of bad luck. If anything, I thought it was the opposite,¡± Sanders said, looking at the notes in his hands.

    ¡°He might have been born in wartime, but he survived. He might be poor, but he¡¯s talented. He might not have be a violinist as his name suggests, but he knows the joy of music. He changes people and how they see things through his writing. It¡¯s an achievement. I¡¯m sure it takes more than luck to turn a tragic existence around,¡± the trantor said, posing an interpretation contrary to Juho¡¯s. In the end, it was a matter of perspective. Juho had been well aware of that even before he had started writing the sequel. In which case, the question became: Which side is right? Juho decided to let the character answer that question, saying, ¡°What matters is how the character thinks and how he makes of his own life.¡±

    ¡°Which means you¡¯d be right in the moment he thinks he¡¯s miserable,¡± Sanders replied. While he was busy thinking about what the protagonist would have made of his life, Juho took another cookie and split it in half.

    ¡°You see, I met him while I was serving in the military.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right,¡± Sanders said, catching on to where Juho wasing from. He had a general idea of the young author¡¯s writing process.

    ¡°When and where was this? What kind of scene were you thinking about?¡± The trantor asked.

    ¡°It was during a march.¡±

    ¡°A march?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s basically running a twenty-five-mile marathon while carrying fifty-five pounds of military equipment.¡±

    ¡°... That sounds like about the right time for it.¡±

    Juho recalled aching all over that time. The protagonist had appeared with different expressions on his face. He would stare dazedly at the marching soldiers, either hiding from them or lingering in front of Juho¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Must¡¯ve been exhausting.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t. I found myself gritting my teeth at one point. Haha,¡± Juho said. However, Juho hadn¡¯t been the only person under distress. In fact, Violinist had been in a simr state, following him until the end while clearly looking hostile. Then, Juho moved on to talking about the war in the novel rather than his training experience.

    ¡°The soldiers must have seemed like they were marching across the border to him,¡± Sanders said. Violinist came to pick up a pen for the first time as a young man.

    ¡°He tried to be mindful of his responsibility and recorded history, but he didn¡¯t exactly look like the writing type,¡± Juho said. If anything, the protagonist had looked quite vicious, with clenched teeth and the veins on his neck bulging out.

    ¡°Was he influenced by what he saw?¡±

    ¡°Not quite. But, he does have an impressive hearing. The sounds of the battlefield were probably clear as day to him,¡± the young author said. In the end, the protagonist gives up trying to write and lets his emotions take over, breaking everything around him. Although he kept trying to resume the writing process, it wasn¡¯t long until he gave into his emotions. He couldn¡¯t help himself. At which point, he murmurs...

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°So, bloodthirsty?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I saw on his face.¡±

    Violinist had developed a thirst for blood after witnessing war for the first time. With a firm grip on his pen, the trantor wrote down the young author¡¯s answer. The story was starting to change, from the nuances to the overall shape. The change brought about a sense of fulfillment to Sanders, which was his favorite part of his work.

    ¡°All right, then. Next question.¡±

    ¡°... Do you have a lot more?¡± Juho asked with a cookie in his mouth.

    ¡°At this rate, we¡¯ll get through it in no time,¡± Sanders said, pulling up closer to the young author. Realizing that there was a lot more talking to do, Juho quietly drank his tea.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Ah! Crap.¡±

    A certain forty-five-year-old Korean man living in Paris was having a particrly bad day, which had been off to a terrible start. Upon leaving the house, he had discovered that his bicycle had been stolen. Then, after getting pickpocketed on his way to the store, he had discovered that the clerk hadn¡¯t given him the proper amount of change, leading him to miss the bus, which meant beingte for work and having to be scolded by his boss. On top of that, he had gotten into an argument with a coworker and missed an appointment with his significant other. Unfortunately, his day wasn¡¯t about to look up anytime soon. Upon arriving home, he discovered that somebody had coated the doorknob with glue. At which point, he lost control of himself and started kicking the door frantically, but thendlord caught him in the act. And now, after he finally managed to get into his home, he took a beer from the refrigerator in order to lift his spirits, which proceeded to spill all over the rug.

    ¡°Sorry, Bok Ja,¡± the man said, apologizing to the only member of his family that was around, a six-year-old cat. As he wiped the beer off the rug, the cat moved its tail up and down. ¡®Just when I thought it couldn¡¯t get any worse,¡¯ the man thought, sighing and rolling up the rug.

    It was already dark out when he looked out the window. The day was nearing its end, but it didn¡¯t look like it was going to get better. ¡®What a crappy day.¡¯ Sitting still, he decided not to do anything and let the day pass by, hoping that his luck would turn the next day. That day had been simply much too eventful as it was.

    ¡°Any good news?¡±

    Finding himself getting bored after about three minutes, the man looked around his house looking for a cigarette, but gave up shortly after. After brief contemtion, he picked up his phone, expecting a phone call. However, there was no sound, and his cat rolled itself up, getting ready to sleep. The man red angrily at the rug, which had absorbed every drop of his beer. Needless to say, the re didn¡¯t change anything. His body and mind were exhausted. ¡®Why is this happening to me? Why?¡¯

    ¡°Damn it,¡± the man let out, realizing that his phone wasn¡¯t going to ring anytime soon.

    ¡°What the hell did I do to deserve this?¡± he asked his cat, which moved its tail about instead of giving him an answer.

    ¡°That prick who stole my bicycle is probably having the time of his life. At least better than mine, anyway.¡±

    At that moment, his phone started vibrating, and the man sprung to check the caller. It was a friend from Korea. Thinking about the time in his home country, the man answered the phone, ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Did you hear??¡± the friend asked as ifpletely oblivious to the man¡¯s indifferent tone.

    At which point, the man decided that he just about had it and replied, ¡°What? About the scoundrel who stole my bicycle?¡±

    ¡°Wha? You got your bicycle stolen?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even get me started. I had one hell of a day.¡±

    Then, the man recounted his day to his friend, which felt much more refreshing than a beer or a cigarette ever could. However, after listening to him for some time, the friend cut him off subtly. Of course, the man was well aware of his friends¡¯ tendency. The friend preferred talking over listening.

    ¡°Well, my friend, I¡¯ve got just the thing for you.¡±

    ¡°This better be good,¡± the man said. The friend had rarely been able to make him feel better. However, that was about to change.

    ¡°Well, let me finish. It¡¯s about Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°... What about him?¡± the man asked, wincing at the mention of his favorite author. Yun Woo had been off the radar for some time now. Thinking of it, the man realized that things had started going wrong when the young author had gone into the military two years prior. Unlike his expectation that the author woulde out with a new book upon his discharge from the military, Yun Woo had been nowhere to be seen months after his service. Instead of the author, there were constant mentions of a director called Zara Jenkins, who was known for his movies. Upon watching his recent movie, the man came to realize that the director lived up to his reputation. The first thing he did after watching the movie was go back to the original novel. While reading the story with which he was already familiar, the man had wished that his favorite author woulde back soon, and preferably, with a new book.

    ¡°What? Is he releasing a new book?¡± the man asked, sneering.

    ¡°His new book ising out.¡±

    The two different tones of voices ovepped, making it difficult to make out the sentences. After a brief silence, the man sprung up from his seat as the words said by his friend registered in his mind. Caught off guard by its owner¡¯s sudden movement, the cat looked up.

    ¡°It is!?¡±

    ¡°It sure is,¡± the friend said. Although the man wasn¡¯t fond of the tone in his friend¡¯s voice, he decided to let it slide.

    ¡°When? Who told you that? Is this only in Korea? Which Book?¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey! One at a time!¡±

    ¡°Spill it!¡± the man said impatiently, ncing at the clock on the wall. It was midnight. The new day had arrived, and it was off to a great start. The man felt strength welling up from within him. Then, he walked over to the desk and got hisptop.

    ¡°The inte¡¯s going crazy right now. Go see for yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already looking at myptop,¡± the man replied. As soon as the man typed the young author¡¯s name, a series of words came into view, which were Yun Woo, New Title, and ¡®Language of God.¡¯

    ¡°¡®Language of God?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Yep. The sequel!¡±

    ¡°Oh, my!¡±

    Without hesitation, the man logged into a Korean news website. Upon seeing an endless list of articles that included the name Yun Woo, the man shouted with joy.

 Chapter 341 - The Glory of Traitor (1)

    <h4>Chapter 341: The Glory of Traitor (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡®The Sequel to ¡®Language of God¡¯ Finally Announced! Yun Woo Is Coming Back!¡¯

    ¡®The End of His Long Hiatus. Yun Woo¡¯s Comeback Entices the Globe.¡¯

    ¡®Dong Baek Announces the Long-Awaited Sequel to ¡®Language of God!¡±

    ¡®The Story of the Second Installment of ¡®Language of God,¡¯ Reported to Take ce in the Past.¡¯

    ¡®The Publisher Speaks about the Long-Anticipated Sequel: ¡°This Will be the Most Depressing Installment of the Series By Far. You¡¯re in for a Shock.¡±¡®

    ¡®Who is Violinist from ¡®Language of God?¡¯ Fans Enticed by the Story Alone. ¡°The Story Might Be Received Differently Depending on the Reader.¡±¡®

    ¡®When Did Yun Woo Start Writing the Sequel? A Clip from a Previous Interview Included.¡¯

    ¡®Dong Bake Publishing Speaks on the New ¡®Language of God¡¯ Book: ¡°The Protagonist Will Be a Character from the Past. All the Familiar Faces Will also Make a Comeback.¡±¡®

    ¡®The Reason We Should Look Forward to the Sequel: Yun Woo¡¯s First New Book in Two Years. The Wait Is Over!¡¯

    ¡®What Did the Preparation Process Look Like for the Second Series of ¡®Language of God?¡±

    ¡®The Focus of the World within the Sequel to ¡®Language of God.¡¯ A Closer Look at the Story.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo Invites Readers to the Colossal World within ¡®Language of God.¡±

    ¡®The End of a Long March. The Comeback of the Great Storyteller!¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo, the Great Storyteller, Comes Back with a New Book after the Movie.¡¯

    ¡ª

    ¡°Finally! It¡¯s happening!¡±

    ¡°New ¡®Language of God?¡¯ Why, yes, please!¡±

    ¡°It seems like it¡¯s gonna be about war. I wonder what a war story would be like when told by Yun Woo. Every nation¡¯s had a golden age at some point in history, even the ones that aren¡¯t around anymore. At the same time, I¡¯m sure there are even those that used to lie in ruins at one point in history that rose up to be one of the most prominent countries around. Anyway, can¡¯t wait to find out!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s finally getting to the traitor! I¡¯ve been really curious about One¡¯s interpretation of the myth. Hope Yun Woo talks about how the traitor came to betray its own kind!¡±

    ¡°Another ¡®Language of God?¡¯ Take my money! If Yun Woo¡¯s stretching out an already-massive world timewise, sign me up.¡±

    ¡°Heard he¡¯s made some subtle changes to thenguages from the previous series. Languages do change over time, but he goes back in time instead of moving forward into the future. For example, there are certain expressions and names of certain objects that tend to get lost over time. The pronunciation evolves, too. It may be subtle, but it definitely happens. The details are what makes ¡®Language of God¡¯ what it is. I can¡¯t wait to find out what thenguages were like in the past!¡±

    ¡°I heard he talks about fascism? There must be a reference to World War II.¡±

    ¡°It sounded like he touches upon religious wars and autocracies too. Wonder if the book¡¯s gonna be violent.¡±

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ wasn¡¯t exactly the most cheerful book either. Going by the things that have been mentioned so far, I doubt that¡¯s gonna change.¡±

    ¡°I mean, the character¡¯s name is Traitor, so that says a lot. ¡®Language of God¡¯ has always been massive and epic in every sense possible.¡±

    ¡°He even went to the military. I¡¯m sure he knows a thing or two about wars now. Besides, you can¡¯t go wrong with Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°¡®Language of God¡¯ is such a good book, whether as a casual read or a book to geek out on.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t even read the book yet, but I¡¯m already having a great time!¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Mr. Moon?¡±

    With all the teachers in their respective clubs, the staff room was quiet. The only teachers who were in the room were those who were excluded from leading a club. In other words, Mr. Moon, who had be popr a few years back, more precisely, when Yun Woo went public, wasn¡¯t supposed to be there. Looking for their homeroom teacher, who was nowhere to be found even after the club activities period had started, one of the freshmen had entered the staff room.

    ¡°Mr. Moon,¡± the freshman called to the teacher.

    ¡°What?¡± he replied, barely managing to part his lips, which had been tightly clenched. He looked rather serious, as if he had gotten some bad news. Nevertheless, he kept his eyes fixed on one spot. Seeing as though the teacher didn¡¯t seem very happy, the freshman said, studying his expression, ¡°The bell rang, and we were wondering if you wereing up. It¡¯s a raucous, and everyone¡¯s doing their own thing.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡± Mr. Moon said, sounding hassled.

    ¡°The club leader told me to go find you,¡± the freshman said, hoping that the teacher would move to action. However, Mr. Moon remainedpletely still in his seat, quietly turning the page of the book in his hands after some time.

    ¡°What are we doing today?¡± the freshman asked. At which point, the teacher flipped back to the page he had just moved on from, tantly gesturing to his student that he was being bothered.

    ¡°What do you think you guys should be doing?¡±

    ¡°... Writing?¡±

    ¡°You should be doing whatever the heck you want. Just like I am,¡± Mr. Moon said, paying no attention to the freshman, who was desperately trying to think of an answer.

    At that moment, the dryughter of the freshman lingered in the staffroom. The student seemed to think that Mr. Moon was joking, thinking that he¡¯d get up and head to the ssroom eventually. However, he didn¡¯t move a muscle.

    ¡°Mr. Moon?¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t youing?¡±

    ¡°I told you, you guys can do whatever you want. What do you need me for?¡±

    At that, the freshman rubbed their hands together anxiously, saying, ¡°... As in, study?¡±

    ¡°As in, do what Literature Club members should be doing,¡± the teacher said. Then, after a brief pause, he added, ¡°Just like I am.¡±

    The freshman moved his eyes, hopelessly confused and unsure of whether they were even allowed to leave or not. In the end, the freshman decided to walk into the room rather than standing by the door, appearing as if protesting in some way. Meanwhile, Mr. Moon flipped another page of his book. And another.

    ¡°Scary,¡± a voice said while the freshman was standing in the staffroom awkwardly, breaking out in cold sweat and looking anxiously at the teachers walking by.

    ¡°That¡¯s Yun Woo¡¯s new book, right? ¡®Language of God: The Glory of Traitor?¡¯¡± the freshman asked, alluding to the thick red book in the teacher¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Yep. Written by a former pupil of mine.¡±

    The freshman was also well acquainted with the book. After all, it had been that story that had brought them to join the Literature Club.

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand the subheading. Traitor? Glory? I can¡¯t stand that those two words are next to each other. What about the victims of the betrayal? At the very least, he could¡¯ve gone with something like ¡®The Betrayal of Glory.¡¯ That would¡¯ve been more reasonable.¡±

    The betrayal by a certain animal had allowed mankind to survive. To them, Traitor was a hero.

    ¡°It is a bit mind-boggling from mankind¡¯s standpoint.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s probably what the author wants his readers to think.¡±

    ¡°My ssmates are borrowing each other¡¯s copies all the time.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°... What¡¯s Yun Woo like as a person?¡± the freshman asked, unable to resist their curiosity. Perhaps part of it was their attempt to escape the situation. Thankfully, the freshman¡¯s attempt proved sessful, and the teacher finally looked away from the book.

    ¡°That¡¯s a surprisingly difficult question.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± the freshman asked, imitating the teacher inadvertently.

    ¡°Well, to answer your question... He¡¯s quite arrogant in my eyes. Not only did he tell me about his enlistment the day before he went off to the basic training, but he didn¡¯t tell me anything about his new booking out. He does call me from time to time, but he leaves out all of the important information. Yet, he knows how much I like his writing. What¡¯s worse is that he never tells me what he¡¯s working on while he¡¯s writing. Though, he does send me a copy every time he releases a book. That cheap shot.¡±

    While the freshman was thinking that that wasn¡¯t the answer they had anticipated, the teacher asked, ¡°Well, what do you think of him?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s Yun Woo like as a person in your eyes?¡±

    Looking at the blood-red cover of the book in the teacher¡¯s hands, the freshman replied without much hesitation, ¡°He¡¯s the Great Storyteller.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The freshman tensed up upon seeing the expression on Mr. Moon¡¯s face.

    ¡°Mr. Moon...?¡±

    ¡°Right... I see,¡± the teacher murmured, fumbling with his earlobe and nodding repeatedly. Then, he asked out of nowhere, ¡°Candy?¡±

    Without hesitation, the freshman took the candy from the teacher. It was peppermint. Then, just as they unwrapped it and put it into their mouth, Mr. Moon asked, ¡°Have you read this book?¡±

    ¡°I have,¡± the freshman replied. Unlike Mr. Moon, who was constantly swamped with work, the freshman had all the time in the world. Since their parents weren¡¯t the type to obsess over their child¡¯s grades either, the freshman was one of the lucky few who could actually afford the time to do other things outside of school.

    ¡°Tell me what you thought,¡± Mr. Moon asked. At which point, the freshman realized that they hadn¡¯t just been making small talk. Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t such a difficult question to answer.

    ¡°It felt like I had received a signal,¡± the freshman said. Then, as Mr. Moon gestured for them to keep going with his eyes, the student added, ¡°... That he was back.¡±

    The new book felt as though the author was running toward his fans at full speed, blowing off fireworks that exploded into bright red mes. It was as if he was saying: ¡®Here I am! Alive and well. Sorry to have kept you all waiting. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make it worthwhile with my new book. Now, shut up, read, and praise me, the Great Storyteller.¡±

    ¡°I felt terrible for Violinist for having to witness such awful sight. On the other hand, I was on my toes, not knowing when the traitor would make its move. Of course, I already knew what happened. The traitor turned hero. A poor man turned the Great Storyteller. I was put off by the way the titles evolved. Personally, I was nervous to know that the world had been saved by those two people. The book really kept me on my toes. I knew it wasn¡¯t going to happen, but there was a part of me that made me feel like everything would fall apart.¡±

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°And by the time I start wishing that the world would just fall apart and put me out of my misery, a new character turns up and makes me wanna root for them. Sometimes, I found myself getting disillusioned by the atrocitymitted by humans. Nobody seems to understand that their peace came at the cost of countless lives. Whenever Violinist got angry, I got angry. People were just so... oblivious. Way too oblivious.¡±

    ¡°Huh...!¡±

    ¡°What happens when a person kills another person? The poption decreases. The book made me much more aware of that principle. It shows the process of the world¡¯s poption getting reduced to a tenth of what it used to be. The poption of fifty-million decreases to five-million within a century and a half. That means ny percent of the poption was sacrificed! And who was responsible for that? Mankind. The hundred-eyed tribe went extinct, bleeding out from their eyes at the awful state the world was in. Where was God in all that!?¡±

    ording to the novel, nothingsted forever, which was a truth that brought both hope and despair. As the freshman caught their breath after sharing their thoughts on the book, the room sank back into silence. At which point, the student realized that they had talked way too much. However, Mr. Moon turned toward the book as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go back to reading now.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moon?¡±

    Despite his student calling to him, Mr. Moon opened the book. However, that wasn¡¯t to say that he was ignoring the freshman altogether.

    ¡°Yun Woo, Peppermint, Poption Decrease. Tell everyone to start writing.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    With that, the freshman left the room without hesitation. As soon as the door shut, Mr. Moon put the book down and murmured, ¡°The Great Storyteller, huh.¡±

    The teacher reminisced to his youth, but he stopped shortly after starting, remembering that everyone had their own path.

    ¡°Life can be intriguing at times,¡± Mr. Moon said, his first time having that thought at school.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s crowded. I saw an article earlier. People were already starting to line up before the store even opened.¡±

    During lunchtime, Juho went to the city with Jenkins. ¡®Language of God: the Glory of Traitor¡¯ had been released in the States. Showing up at the young author¡¯s door without notice, Jenkins urged Juho toe out. Because he had been sleeping in, Juho listened to the director still half asleep.

    ¡°You, me, bookstore. Now.¡±

    Although Juho declined repeatedly, the director didn¡¯t let up. Although Juho had been meaning to visit the bookstore at some point, Jenkins was thest person he wanted to do that with. As Juho resisted, Jenkins said, ¡°We need to see things from the opposite side.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean opposite?¡±

    ¡°As in, opposite of our perspectives in the movie theater.¡±

    Brushing his hair back, Juho replied, ¡°Then, you can go to the bookstore and get the book yourself. You can just read it in front of me.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that? Buying the book is the beginning of the reading experience.¡±

    From then on, the director quibbled his way through attempts to convince the young author while knowing that Juho was already nning on going to the bookstore. In the end, Juho found himself in a situation that he didn¡¯t particrly want to be in. The bookstore Jenkins took him to wasn¡¯t too far from the hotel.

    ¡°Ie here often,¡± Jenkins said. Meanwhile, Juho let out a big yawn.

 Chapter 342 - The Glory of Traitor (2)

    <h4>Chapter 342: The Glory of Traitor (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Clearly fond of the store, Jenkins made quite a fuss when telling the young author about it.

    ¡°You see, there¡¯s this person who works there, and he¡¯s quite the character. Some say that he gave up the right to manage somepany and chose to work at that bookstore instead. Others say that he¡¯s a member in Mensa and holds a number of degrees. I don¡¯t have a way to confirm any of that, but I know that he¡¯s a book lover. He¡¯s fun to talk to, too.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t usual for a bookstore worker to have a reputation like that. Seeing the astonishment on Juho¡¯s face, the director added, ¡°The thing is that the owner of that store is... how should I put it... a pathological liar.¡±

    Upon discovering that the rumors had been started by the mythomaniac bookstore owner, Juho was able to make light of the impressive things about the certain bookstore worker. At the same time, he felt that the owner of the bookstore knew how to leverage his employees¡¯ images as a means of promoting the store.

    ¡°I actually heard the rumors muchter. As in, after I met the worker.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°I think the rumors might be true.¡±

    Whether the rumors were true or not, Jenkins seemed to think that the certain bookstore worker was quite smart. Testimonies tended to give rumors weight. Knowing that, Juho nodded.

    ¡°I wonder if he¡¯s working today,¡± Jenkins murmured. Then, turning toward the young author, he added, ¡°Otherwise, he¡¯ll be missing out big time. One could have the brain, but they won¡¯t get far without luck.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a good thing if he has the day off when the store¡¯s busy?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but he would also be missing out by taking off the one day Yun Woo visits the store.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy being popr,¡± Juho said, putting his hands in his pockets.

    ¡°You know, Mr. Woo, I hope you understand that I contributed to that poprity.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not exactly what I meant.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now,¡± Jenkins said, walking ahead. Juho followed him unhurriedly. Soon, the bookstore came into view.

    ¡°It¡¯s crowded today.¡±

    ¡°Guess today¡¯s that one day when everyone decides to go to the bookstore.¡±

    Although it wasn¡¯t exactly booming with people as the article Juho had read in the morning had described, the store was still quite busy. Thankfully, even as he went into the store with Jenkins, nobody seemed to pay attention to their presence. Everyone was busy either looking up or down at books, and Juho was quite fond of that sight for some reason.

    ¡°Here it is,¡± Jenkins said. However, when Juho looked at where the director was pointing, he saw a sign that read ¡®This Item Is Out of Stock at the Moment.¡¯

    ¡°Guess we¡¯re toote.¡±

    ¡°Not even one, though?¡± Jenkins said, looking around the store as though looking for an employee to talk to. Before Juho even had a chance to tell him that he could give him the copy that he owned, the director turned toward an employee nearby and asked, ¡°Are there none left? Not even one?¡±

    ¡°No. We¡¯re out of stock at the moment. Sorry, sir,¡± the employee said with a nk expression on his face. At which point, Jenkins furrowed his brow.

    Then, another employee came into Juho¡¯s view over the director¡¯s shoulders. He was already interacting with another customer, who was an older man.

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s that in your hands?¡± the customer asked, pointing to the book with the blood-red cover in the employee¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Oh. This is mine,¡± the employee said proudly. Then, with a confident smile, they added, ¡°We get breaks too, believe it or not. I bought this copy so I could read it during break time.¡±

    Clicking his tongue irritably, the customer said, ¡°If I were the owner, you would¡¯ve been the first one to go.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯ mon, now. There¡¯s no need to be harsh. There are more on the way, so how about youe back in about a week? I¡¯ll set one aside for you.¡±

    ¡°Tsk. All right,¡± the customer said. As the man walked away, the employee opened his book without even looking back.

    ¡°Are there really none left?¡± Jenkins asked. Upon looking up, the employee¡¯s face changed when he saw the director¡¯s face.

    ¡°Long time no see, Mr. Jenkins.¡±

    ¡°Guess you are lucky after all.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I follow.¡±

    ¡°Look over there.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    Juho had been standing idly when the employee looked in the direction Jenkins was pointing toward. When they locked eyes, Juho saw the employee¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple move up and down, his eyes darting back and forth between him and the red book.

    ¡°Hello,¡± the employee greeted Juho. Leaving Jenkins giggling, Juho greeted the employee back. The employee asked, ¡°Looking for anything in particr?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. But if you could keep that man busy for a little while, I¡¯d appreciate it,¡± Juho replied, waving in denial and turning around in order to look around the store.

    ¡°H-hold on!¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°This way,¡± the employee said, leading the young author in a certain direction. When Juho gave him a puzzled look, the employee exined his intent, ¡°We gotta keep you out of other customers¡¯ sight. I have no intention of taking advantage of your name for the sake of the store, either. Besides, the sequel¡¯s already sold out.¡±

    Then, looking toward ady by the counter, who seemed to be the owner and was also looking in the employee¡¯s direction, the employee made a signal. At which point, she brought something out from under the counter and led them to the resting area. It was a small space that was connected to a kitchen, and aside from a few pieces of cleaning equipment and a small table, there wasn¡¯t much else to the ce.

    ¡°This ce¡¯s hardly changed.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    Jenkins seemed to be familiar with the ce. Handing a sheet of paper and a pen to the employee, the owner reached out her hand to the young author for a handshake. When Juho shook hands with her, he felt a weing warmth from her hand. The silent owner and her mythomaniac husband. An employee with an impressive reputation. Juho started to make sense of why Jenkins came to that store often.

    ¡°Would you mind giving us something to remember you by?¡± the employee said, asking for an autograph.

    ¡°Sure. I don¡¯t see why not.¡±

    ¡°Would you like mine too?¡± Jenkins asked.

    ¡°The more, the merrier.¡±

    When Juho took the paper from the employee¡¯s hand, the young author realized that the employee was shaking from excitement. After signing his autograph quickly and skillfully, Jenkins handed the paper back to the employee.

    ¡°But seriously, you have none left?¡± the director asked, looking at the employee, who looked at the young author.

    ¡°Nope. Why did youe to a bookstore when you have the author of the book next to you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a firm believer that buying a book is part of the reading experience.¡±

    ¡°Never heard of that,¡± Juho said, and the employee replied, ¡°Me neither,¡± his eyes sparkling with interest.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been working since early in the morning. Today has been especially busy since morning. As soon as we put the books on disy, they came rushing into the store like a swarm of bees.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re calling your customers that? That¡¯s not very nice,¡± Jenkins said.

    However, unfazed, the employee replied, ¡°Bees are one of my favorite insects. They have a very, very logical way of life. Also, there are over a hundred thousand species of them across the globe.¡±

    Then, the owner shook her head subtly. At which point, the employee stopped talking any further about bees.

    ¡°Would you like some coffee?¡± the employee asked. Although they weren¡¯t exactly at a book cafe, the employee was offering to make them coffee. Feeling slightly awkward, Juho nced over at Jenkins. Meanwhile, the employee called to a trainee, who was lingering around, and sent them to the kitchen.

    ¡°When I first started working at this store part-time, I fell in love with the coffee here. It¡¯s probably what kept me here all this time,¡± the employee said calmly. Soon, the trainee brought a couple of steaming mugs with pictures of cats on them. As the employee took one for himself, Juho noticed that his hands were still shaking. It was subtle, but noticeable. Juho drank his coffee.

    ¡°Did something get on my face?¡± Juho asked, noticing the employee¡¯s burning gaze. At which point, the employee jumped from his seat and said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. This is my first time seeing Yun Woo in person.¡±

    ¡°Riveting, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jenkins interjected.

    ¡°I think it feels even more surreal because I was reading your book up to a moment ago. You really are Yun Woo, right?¡±

    ¡®Are you really Yun Woo?¡¯ Juho couldn¡¯t remember thest time somebody had asked him that question. Licking his lips, he replied, ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna be honest with you. I¡¯m itching to go back to my book right now because I¡¯m almost at the end: the climax.¡±

    Then, letting out a strange exmation, Jenkins interjected, ¡°You mean it¡¯s so good that it makes you forget that Yun Woo¡¯s sitting right in front your eyes?¡±

    ¡°Let me tell you. This is the real deal,¡± the employee said with a corner of his mouth turning up.

    Narrowing his eyes, the director red intently at the book. Having yet to have read the book, Jenkins couldn¡¯t rte to the employee, and the employee was well aware of that. At which point, he looked toward the young author and said, ¡°If I were the writer, I think I would¡¯ve turnedpletely insane by the time I finished writing a book like this.¡±

    Instead of giving an answer, Juho put on an ambiguous smile. He remembered the moment when he had first finished the first draft at the base. It hadn¡¯t been special in any way.

    ¡°It¡¯s always exciting to see a world taking shape, but there¡¯s something special about your book,¡± the employee said, cing his hand on his chest and adding, ¡°I almost cried in the middle of my shift.¡±

    ¡°So, there are sad parts too, huh.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely on the depressing side, I¡¯ll tell you that. I mean, the book talks about some heavy stuff, too. You¡¯ll find yourself getting terrified in no time. This is not your typical novel. If you¡¯re a casual reader, you¡¯re in for a surprise.¡±

    ¡°Does anybody die?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind telling you if you want.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding.¡±

    The more Jenkins talked to the employee, the higher his expectation got. There was a stark contrast between someone who had and someone who hadn¡¯t read the book. Meanwhile, Juho listened intently to the sounds that wereing from the outside of the resting area, including the customers talking to each other.

    ¡°So, I actually have a question,¡± the employee asked cautiously, unlike his confident demeanor up to that point. Juho nodded and gave him permission to ask, saying, ¡°As long as it¡¯s something I can answer.¡±

    ¡°Personally, I really like Traitor as a character. It could feel so different depending on how you look at them.¡±

    Juho nodded in agreement. Traitor was one of the most prizing characters among readers. Being a symbol for both hope and despair, mankind wouldn¡¯t have been able to avoid extinction if it hadn¡¯t been for the character. At the same time, if it hadn¡¯t been for Traitor, no lifeforms would be suffering under the reign of mankind. What the character did was integral to the existence of Language of God and the journey of thepanions. In a bigger scale, their world existed because of Traitor¡¯s betrayal.

    ¡°What¡¯s your take on the character as the author? Is it a hero, or a traitor like its name suggests? Is it God in the myth, or a fool who¡¯s inclined to make foolish decisions?¡±

    Juho looked up. There was a dust particle floating around, which disappeared shortly after.

    ¡°There¡¯s a certain person thates to my mind whenever I think of the character,¡± the young author said.

    ¡°Who? A friend, perhaps?¡± Jenkins interjected, but Juho shook his head and replied, ¡°A reader who passed away.¡±

    The room sank into silence for a brief moment. Juho knew of a certain reader who had passed away from leukemia before he got to read the ending of his favorite series. The reader had liked Traitor in particr and couldn¡¯t stand his favorite character being called by such a name.

    ¡°Is that why it bes a hero in the end?¡± the employee asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. Juho shook his head and replied, ¡°No. It dies.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    While the employee froze in ce, Juho said cheerfully, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? He¡¯s part of the myth, and the book takes ce in the past. You knew that it died.¡±

    ¡°As a reader who¡¯s hopelessly lost in the story, the story is very much in the present. You should know, Mr. Woo. You¡¯re the one who wrote such a nerve-racking story.¡±

    Inhaling slowly, Juho replied, ¡°I believe that readers have the freedom to judge the dead. Hence, I decided to leave the interpretation up to my readers.¡±

    ¡°... I see,¡± the employee said calmly while thinking that the dead reader had had an influence on the author¡¯s writing process, leading him to write a story filled with death. Perhaps that was why Yun Woo excelled at the subject of death.

    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±

    While the employee was preupied with analyzing the young author, Jenkins sprung up from his seat, which rocked the table and everything on it. He seemed to have already finished his coffee.

    ¡°How much do you want for it?¡± the director asked emphatically, his hand sping the employee¡¯s shoulder tightly. While the employee looked up at Jenkins, looking unusually caught off guard, Juho drank his coffee peacefully.

 Chapter 343 - The Glory of Traitor (3)

    <h4>Chapter 343: The Glory of Traitor (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°How much do you want for it?¡±

    Juho looked up at Jenkins, who seemed quite stirred up, behaving like Coin after a cup of coffee.

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°The book! How much?¡±

    ¡°... It¡¯s not for sale,¡± the employee said with a look of greed on his face, determined to hold on to it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you fifty books worth.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°OK. I¡¯ll give you ten times that.¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯re just making me ufortable.¡±

    ¡°So, you do have a price in mind, huh?¡±

    Shrugging, the employee looked at the young author, concerned abouting across as shallow to his favorite author. Although Juho was watching him and the director haggling while resting his chin on his hand indifferently, Jenkins caught on to the employee¡¯s intention almost immediately.

    ¡°Good. I like the way you think. Very rational. With that, let¡¯s discuss the price. The way I see it, I think it¡¯s a fair amount, especially considering the name that¡¯s on the book.¡±

    ¡°There are things in this world you can¡¯t buy with money. For example, this book.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯ mon, now. Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You work at a bookstore for crying out loud! All right, fine! I¡¯ll give you double the amount I suggested earlier.¡±

    ¡°... No can do. Not this copy, at least.¡±

    ¡°THIS copy, huh?¡± Jenkins said, smiling, and adding, ¡°I should¡¯ve known. You buy three copies at a time when you buy a book! Enough talk. Sell me a used one.¡±

    ¡®Now, I get it,¡¯ Juho thought to himself. Jenkins had already taken into ount that the book had been sold out on that particr store. On top of that, he had been thinking of getting the book through a certain employee at the store. At that moment, things started heating up between the employee and the director. Just as Juho was about to step in to break them up, the owner beat the young author to it. cing her hand on the employee¡¯s shoulder, she gently put pressure on her hand.

    ¡°But...¡±

    At his hesitation, the owner applied even more pressure on her hand. At which point, the employee let up, saying, ¡°... All right,¡± closing his mouth and sighing. The owner looked at him as though he needed to work on self-control.

    ¡°I was just having some fun. I¡¯ll give you a copy. Think of it as a gift for allowing me to meet Yun Woo in person.¡±

    ¡°How thoughtful of you,¡± the director said without hesitation. At which point, Juho gave him a slightly disgusted look. He seemed to be the type who had to have what he wanted. Meanwhile, having been forced to give up his book, the employee smacked his lips. From his point of view, each of the three copies he owned served a distinct purpose, and letting even one of them go had to be rather heartwrenching. Pushing through the heartache, the employee went to his cab and brought out a book.

    ¡°Come again,¡± the employee said, ring at the director fiercely. Despite his passive resentment, Juho nodded affirmatively, d to have discovered a good bookstore. Juho and Jenkins walked out of the store. Although nobody saw the young author, his picture and autograph was proof that he had been at the store at one point.

    ¡°Can you slow down?¡± Juho asked Jenkins, who was walking ahead in a hurry. However, instead of slowing his pace, the director replied, ¡°Let¡¯s go to your hotel room. I¡¯m reading this book right now.¡±

    Juho followed the director unhurriedly, wondering what he would think of the book.

    ¡ª

    ¡°This is the worst!¡±

    Ignoring the voiceing from behind him, Juho moved his hand busily. He had just passed the halfway point of the paper he¡¯d been writing. He was doing a writing exercise where he took a word chosen at random, came up with five different stories rted to the topic and connected them all together. That day, the topic was ¡®lid.¡¯

    ¡°I CANNOT stand this human.¡±

    Juho wrote away.

    ¡°If I were the traitor, this would be the one I¡¯d sink my fangs into. Your patience is admirable.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    Juho looked back and saw the director, who was rxing on the couch with a book in his hand. He was talkative even while reading.

    ¡°I think this paragraph sums up everything there is to know about Traitor. Listen to this. Ahem! ¡®Traitor took both of his hands...¡¯¡±

    ¡°I think that¡¯s quite enough, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    At that, Jenkins stopped mid-sentence and looked up, asking, ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°How many times have you read that book now? How many weeks has it been?¡± Juho asked, brushing his hair back with his hand. He wasing to realize that he had been underestimating the director. ¡®He had to have known that movies and books were inherently different from each other.¡±

    ¡°A month,¡± Jenkins replied. Since getting his hands on the book, the director hadn¡¯t put it down in a month. It was iparable to a three-hour movie.

    ¡°And how much longer are you nning on reading it for?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you read a different book?¡±

    ¡°What if I get tired of it?¡±

    The same set of questions had been repeating themselves over and over again up to that point. Chuckling, Juho asked, ¡°What is with you and that book? What makes it so special that you haven¡¯t put it down even once?¡±

    Narrowing his eyes, Jenkins replied, ¡°This is a form of selfpliment, isn¡¯t it? I know what you¡¯re doing. I ask myself a simr question all the time. Who do these good looks belong to?¡±

    ¡°This is not a library, you know.¡±

    ¡°You can read anywhere. There¡¯s a sense of freedom in that.¡±

    With that, Juho turned around and resumed writing. However, his peace was short lived as the director started talking again.

    ¡°You know, I love the process of the protagonist getting more and more used to war. Do you think it¡¯s human nature, or is he merely adapting to his environment?¡±

    Juho thought of Coin, who wouldn¡¯t have thought twice about calling the cops and filing a restraining order against the director. He would have done it multiple times if necessary.

    ¡°OK, hear me out.¡± In the end, realizing that Jenkins wasn¡¯t ready to stop talking any time soon, Juho opened his mouth and said, ¡°You know who we haven¡¯t seen in a while? Coin.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Coin! What about him?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing. It¡¯s just that I find myself missing him whenever I¡¯m around you.¡±

    With the talkative director in front of his eyes, Juho started missing Coin, who knew exactly how to shut Jenkins up. Juho hadn¡¯t met with or contacted Coin since his discharge from the military. However, that wasn¡¯t to say that the young author had severed his rtionship with Coin. If anything, it had been normal behavior. Besides, they had never seen each other all that often.

    ¡°Me not seeing him for two years is one thing, but I was surprised to hear that you two haven¡¯t met up once,¡± Juho said, quoting what he had heard from Jenkins about Coin. Apparently, the two had never met during the young author¡¯s service in the military.

    ¡°We were both busy with our own works. I was busy with my movie, and Coin was busy with his book. He was doing very well while you were gone. Which reminds me, he really is a man of his word.¡±

    ¡°He never called you? Even after the movie came out?¡±

    ¡°Nope. He must have loved it so much that it didn¡¯t even ur to him.¡±

    ¡°Is that what you think?¡± Juho asked. However, the director seemed convinced that Coin was fond of the movie.

    Then, waving, Jenkins added, ¡°All right, forget about that for a second. Have you read his new nonfiction? It is SO good! I wasn¡¯t able to read it once filming started, but people just wouldn¡¯t stop talking about them, and I couldn¡¯t get away from it. Oh! Did you hear that he sued this one magazine or a newspaperpany not too long ago? Wonder how that went.¡±

    Recently, Juho had been binge reading Coin¡¯s books. During which time, he was reminded of just how great of an author Coin really was. Known as an entric problem child in the industry, not only was Coin a four-time Neb and Hugo winner, but he had also won a number of other literary awards. On top of that, he was a prolific writer who wrote in just about any genre, from a scripts to nonfiction, short stories, novels, pure literature, genre novels, and children¡¯s literature. Both his infamous reputation as an author and his talent had remained unchanged during the young author¡¯s absence.

    ¡°If anything, he almost seemed reckless and frantic. I rememberughing at just how desperate he seemed.¡±

    ¡®You¡¯re one to talk,¡¯ Juho said internally, barely managing to swallow the words that came all the way up to his throat. Then, after looking up for a little while, Jenkins reached into his pocket and took out his phone, saying, ¡°Should we give him a call?¡± calling the infamous author before Juho even had a chance to reply. The two stared at the phone as the ringing echoed throughout the peaceful room. However, after ringing for some time, the phone stopped.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t he answering?¡± Jenkins said and called Coin once again, only to receive the same result. Just like that, their first attempts at trying to reach Coin for the first time in two years came to a disappointing end.

    ¡°Maybe he deleted my number?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very likely.¡±

    Jenkins started tapping away on the screen of his phone, so Juho assumed that he was sending a text to Coin and went back to writing. From then on, Jenkins also remained silent for a period,pletely immersed in the book. Juho knew the director¡¯s favorite part of the book: the climax. Jenkins tended to be quiet whenever he was at the favorite part. By that point and after a month-long observation, it had be quite obvious to Juho.

    Juho stopped writing for a brief moment and thought back to the time when Jenkins had read the book for the first time. Juho had also been writing back then while the director had been reading. It had been so quiet that Juho had been even able to hear the sound his arm brushing against a sheet of paper, much like now.

    After putting the finished manuscript into a box, Juho opened hisptop, wondering if Coin had read his new book. He had to have done it. If what the director had told him had been true, the fact that Coin hadn¡¯t tried to reach out to him might be proof that the author had really enjoyed the book. At that moment, Juho hesitated as he pulled up a web browser.

    ¡°Hm?¡±

    Juho looked closely at the screen of hisptop and read through the article slowly.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Jenkins asked, walking up to the young author. Without looking back, Juho replied, ¡°I think I know why he didn¡¯t answer the phone.¡±

    ¡°Well, do tell. Was he bashing me in an interview or something?¡±

    Moving his eyes busily, Juho said, ¡°He¡¯s releasing a new book.¡±

    Noticing Jenkins moving around behind him, Juho read the synopsis of the book. It was a full-length novel inspired by the Old Testament of the Bible, taking ce in a dystopian future where everything had been created anew after the Apocalypse. Upon reading the description, Juho felt his heart jump.

    ¡°This is very interesting,¡± Jenkins said and added, ¡°It¡¯s just the opposite of your book.¡±

    Then, Jenkins pulled Juho¡¯sptop toward himself, and Juho followed it with his eyes.

    ¡°Whose book do you think would be better?¡±

    Instead of giving him an answer, Juho checked the release date. ¡®Now I get why we couldn¡¯t reach him,¡¯ Juho thought to himself while picturing Coin wearing acent smile.

    ¡ª

    ¡°C¡¯ mon. Can¡¯t a guy get some sleep?¡± Juho murmured as he got out of bed. His phone was was about to explode with text messages arriving from various people, which prevented him from sleeping any longer. Seo Kwang, Bom, Sun Hwa, Bo Suk, the twins, Mr. Moon, Seo Joong, Mideum, Sang Choi, the two editors, Sung Pil, the student abroad, etc. There were at least twenty nearly identical messages.

    ¡°Coin.¡±

    Something simr had happened when the ¡®Language of God: The Glory of Traitor¡¯ had been released. Everyone had written long texts to the young author, telling him about what they had thought about the book after reading it. Of course, there had been congrattory messages as well. This time, everyone was expressing how excited they were about Coin¡¯s new book, all at the same time, and seeing as though the phone wasn¡¯t going to stop ringing, Juho massaged his neck and sighed. Before replying to all the messages, Juho reached for the water cup by his bed. When he drank some of the lukewarm water, he felt somewhat more awake. ¡®Why do I have to go through all this trouble when Coin¡¯s the one who released a new book?¡¯ Juho muttered to himself with Coin¡¯s new book in his hands.

    ¡°This is why.¡±

    At that moment, his phone started vibrating. That time, it was a call. After checking the name on the screen, Juho answered the phone.

    ¡°The man himself.¡±

    ¡°The hell are you talkin¡¯ about?¡±

    Juho recognized the irritable tone almost immediately. Clearing his throat, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just that there have been so many people asking me about you.¡±

    ¡°This is nothing like the time when you were anonymous. Were you sleeping?¡± Coin asked.

    ¡°Yep. Just got out of bed, actually. I was starting to wonder if you were still alive.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t state the obvious.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins was sad that you weren¡¯t answering his calls, you know.¡±

    ¡°Why does he keep pestering me!? Do you have any idea how many times I had to rece my phone because of him!?¡±

    ¡°Rece your phone?¡±

    ¡°I chucked it every time he called.¡±

    At that, Juho remembered all the mugs Coin had broken in the past.

    ¡°In case you¡¯re wondering, Mr. Jenkins is doing just fine.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask.¡±

    As the two authors caught up with each other briefly, Juho told Coin the name of the hotel where he was staying. At which point, Coin sneered and said, ¡°Are you nning on spending the rest of your life in hotels?¡±

    ¡°I am in another country, you know.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. That exins why you have a pest like Jenkins hanging around.¡±

    ¡°Well, at least I don¡¯t have to worry about getting bored.¡±

    ¡®Though, he does get pretty distracting,¡¯ Juho thought, swallowing the words. Then, Juho brushed his hand down his face as the air sank into an awkward silence. Although they both had things they wanted to say, neither of them acted on their urges. While Juho was staring at the clock, Coin asked, ¡°Well, unless you have a thing for hotels, how about you stay at my ce?¡±

    ¡°At your ce?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here. You know what it¡¯s like.¡±

    It was a lone, white vi in the middle of a cornfield. That was where Coin lived. Since Juho had stayed up nearly the entire night, there was no reason to decline.

    ¡°How¡¯s Susan? Is she well?¡±

    ¡°Too well.¡±

    ¡°When should I be there?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind youing right this moment.¡±

    ¡°Good. Well, let me get some shuteye before I leave, then.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be more grateful?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m tired. You sit tight,¡± Juho said, chuckling quietly and getting ready to leave.

 Chapter 344 - The Glory of Traitor (4)

    <h4>Chapter 344: The Glory of Traitor (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°This ce¡¯s hardly changed,¡± Juho said, surrounded by low buildings while looking at a pedestrian walking past him. There weren¡¯t that many people around, and it didn¡¯t seem like there were all that many tourists either. There were hardly any stores open. Meanwhile, Juho stood on a corner of the street, waiting for his ride. Soon, Coin would be there to pick the young author up.

    ¡°Are you there?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±

    The phone in Juho¡¯s hand was starting to feel quite hot, the same went to the voice that sounded from the receiver.

    ¡°Do you have any idea how taken aback I was when I found your hotel room empty?!¡±

    ¡°Well, if you had themon sense to let me know beforehand that you wereing, that wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±

    ¡°I thought we had already agreed on this! Nonverbally.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my first time hearing that.¡±

    As the sound of the director¡¯s loud grumbling sounded from the receiver, Juho moved aside in order to make room for a person unloading his truck. Juho fixed his hat. Nobody was looking at him.

    ¡°So, has Coin picked you up yet?¡± Jenkins asked.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to his house, right? The white vi?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Juho replied haphazardly while checking the time. It was almost time. He looked at the cars passing by in front of him, which there weren¡¯t that many of.

    ¡°Heard you¡¯re guesting on a talk show? Hope you¡¯re ready,¡± Juho said to the director.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry. Talking is what I do.¡±

    At that moment, Juho saw a certain car approaching his location. Realizing that it was the car he had been waiting for, Juho walked toward it. As the car stopped right in front of him, Juho hurriedly cut the director off in mid-sentence, saying, ¡°Uh-huh. Right. I gotta go.¡±

    ¡°What? Wait! Hold on...¡±

    As Juho hung up the phone without hesitation, he saw the driver of the car in front of him getting out of the driver¡¯s seat. He looked irritated. It was Coin. Although Juho was seeing him for the first time in two years, Coin seemed to be off to a bad start. First, Juho greeted him.

    ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡±

    ¡°Wait here. I gotta go get some coffee.¡±

    At that, Juho made sense of why the author was in such a bad mood. After staring dazedly at him running toward a coffee shop in a hurry, Juho started loading his bags into Coin¡¯s car. At that moment, Juho spotted a familiar-looking book with a blood-red cover in the trunk.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    The book hung precariously from the edge of the trunk, as if about to fall off at any given minute. As he pushed the book back into the trunk, Juho opened it cautiously and smiled at what he saw. The pages were filled with notes and underlined sentences. Then, just as he was about to get a closer look at the book, a voice came out of nowhere and startled the young author.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± ady said with a peculiar ent. With the truck that had been unloading gone, the view was much more open.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Do you know how to get to this ce?¡±

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t really know the area myself. You might be better off asking somebody in one of these shops,¡± Juho said. However, she stood there quietly, blinking awkwardly, as if she hadn¡¯t understood a word of what the young author had said. After looking around, Juho asked, ¡°Where are you from?¡±

    ¡°Spain.¡±

    Nodding, Juho asked, ¡°Could you tell me where you¡¯re headed?¡±

    At that moment, her eyes widened upon hearing her native tongue at an unexpected ce. Realizing that the young author spoke Spanish, the rest of her party joined in and exined where they were going, which turned out to be the park Coin had told him about at one point. Although he had never been there himself, Juho knew where it was. Just to make sure, Juho went into a nearby shop and asked in English, ¡°¡®Scuse me, is this how you get to the park?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯ll take you about half an hour, though. You might get there quicker if you take this route instead,¡± the shop owner replied, correcting the young author. When Juho ryed the same information to the tourists from Spain, they seemed to realize when they had started losing track of where they were going. At which point, looks of confidence appeared on their faces.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Enjoy your trip.¡±

    By the time Juho returned to Coin¡¯s car, Coin was already waiting for him, standing by the driver¡¯s side. He seemed to have had a cup of coffee already, which exined his calmer attitude.

    ¡°What were doing?¡±

    ¡°Somebody was asking for directions.¡±

    ¡°You hardly know the area.¡±

    ¡°It just so happened that they were headed to one of the few ces I knew around here.¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s not too out of ordinary. There aren¡¯t that many things to see or do around here.¡±

    ¡°I even went into a shop nearby to make sure I was showing them the right direction,¡± Juho added, confident that the information he had given the tourists was urate. At that moment, just as he was about to catch up with Coin, he heard somebody asking in Spanish, ¡°Was that Yun Woo?¡±

    It wasing from the same tourists who had asked Juho for directions to the park. They were starting to slow down.

    ¡°Get in,¡± Coin said, holding the steering wheel. Juho got into the car.

    ¡°¡®Scuse me?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Juho replied, and the tourists started walking toward him. At which point, Coin started the car without hesitation. At the sudden roar of the engine, the tourists hesitated, and Coin took the opportunity to escape the scene. Looking at them in the mirror, Juho asked, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. I just didn¡¯t feel like dealing with them,¡± Coin replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a way to treat your readers.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just too bad. I have way too many readers out there. There¡¯s no way I can interact with them one at a time.¡±

    Coin seemed to be set on not letting anybody get in the way of his day. Instead of speaking any further about it, Juho looked out the window at the scenery rushing past. Soon, a cornfield appeared. Seeing it for the first time in years, Juho couldn¡¯t be more pleased.

    ¡°This ces looks exactly the same asst time.¡±

    At that, Coin snorted and replied, ¡°None of that corn was there when you visitedst time.¡±

    All the corn Juho had seen during hisst visit was long gone. Looking out the window quietly, Juho asked, ¡°Do you think the corn would say the same about me?¡± and reached for the blood-red book in the back seat. Coin followed the young author¡¯s hand with his eyes, almost as if ring at it.

    ¡°This cover makes the book stand out like a sore thumb,¡± Juho said, and Coin sneered.

    ¡°How as it?¡± the young author asked.

    ¡°Have you read mine?¡± Coin asked back. Looking at the book in his hands for a brief moment, Juho yed along with him.

    ¡°I have.¡±

    The book in Juho¡¯s hands looked slightly different from the tranted version that he owned. Meanwhile, Coin sped up.

    ¡°Intimidating, wasn¡¯t it? Seeing somebody better than you.¡±

    ¡°No way.¡±

    ¡°I saw it,¡± Coin said in a low voice, barely audible over the surrounding noise. Juho closed the window in order to listen to Coin.

    ¡°I saw the anxiety in your writing. You might have looked like you were on a two-year hiatus, but we both know that there¡¯s a beast living deep within us. There was no way that you could¡¯ve written in peace. Even authors tend to get excited when working on subjects like flesh and blood.¡±

    ¡°A beast, huh? A bit much, don¡¯t you think?¡± Juho asked, flipping the book around.

    ¡°You lost this one. Admit it.¡±

    Coin pressed even harder on the gas pedal. There was nothing getting in their way. Remembering Coin¡¯s book, Juho said, ¡°The future. The birth of new humans. A nk te history where everything is in its original state.¡±

    That was the description of the world Coin had showcased through his new novel. It was in a world like that that the two brothers were born.

    ¡°A world untainted by murder.¡±

    Like the rest of humanity, the brothers didn¡¯t understand the concept of murder.

    ¡°I stayed up nights reading. Over and over.¡±

    Coin¡¯s world was different from Juho¡¯s, where death was a regr urrence. It was astounding and impressive. Juho had been so lost in the book that he had almost forgotten to breathe. Finding himself in a good mood, Juho looked at Coin. His Adam¡¯s apple was moving up and down.

    ¡°I did notice something, though. I got a feeling that you were quite anxious during the two years I was gone.¡±

    At that moment, the car jerked, slowing down all of a sudden. At which point, Juho raised a corner of his mouth.

    ¡°Anxietyes from certainty. The moment you believe that pain is caused by cancer, the moment you believe that a person is a burr, the moment you believe that this world ising to an end, that¡¯s when anxiety starts to creep in, robbing one of hope, causing them to fight a cancer that might not even be there, running away from somebody who might not even be a burr, praying to God in desperation,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Get to the point.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a pain in the neck that those who see the beast within us are guaranteed to be set free?¡±

    Being well aware of what the young author was about to say next, Coin clicked his tongue internally.

    ¡°I saw the same thing in your writing. The anxiety.¡±

    ¡°Damn it,¡± Coin let out, looking at the book in Juho¡¯s hands. The young author¡¯s book had been astounding and impressive. Breathtakingly so. The book had been filled to the brim with sin, which had left a bad taste in his mouth.

    ¡°It felt like I had blood on my hands,¡± Coin said with a hardened expression on his face. ¡°There¡¯s always been a sense of moderation in your writing. But not this time.¡±

    Then, Coin raised his voice all of a sudden and Juho pulled back.

    ¡°You purposely made it so that there were no corpses lying around in the castle. There are wars and massacres surrounding the people just outside the walls, but those who grew up behind the walls had never seen a dead body in their whole lives. To them, there was not a single thing wrong with their world. It was peaceful. There was no war. Violinist was the only character who understood that reality.¡±

    It was quite unlucky to be granted the ability to see things that no one else could.

    ¡°Do you know what you offered your readers? A world so wretched that it drove the Hundred-Eyed Tribe extinct, making them bleed to death from their eyes. That¡¯s what you gave your readers. There¡¯s not one speck of hope. You can tell that the end is near, and you can just feel it in the air. Everyone deserves to die there. In the end, a writtennguage came about that only humans couldn¡¯t read.¡±

    That was when Traitor appeared. With it, Violinist had to change the course of the future of mankind. They had to deliver the news of imminent danger, change mankind¡¯s hearts and values. That was the only way to survive.

    ¡°If the two were to save mankind, they didn¡¯t have a choice but toe face to face with the greatest sin of the very beings they were trying to save.¡±

    Violinist and Traitor had had no choice but to face the atrocities outside the safety of the castle walls. In order to raise awareness to the reality to those living behind the walls, the two had to understand the real state their world was in. Readers had to connect with the two and go through their pain together. Whenever the gs would blow in the wind, Violinist would be reminded of the perilous reality he was living, that there was a chance that he wouldn¡¯t make it back alive, and that his body would be nowhere to be found.

    ¡°It¡¯s a downright dreadful story and your anxiety only brings that out more,¡± Coin said and asked, ¡°You knew that, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    At that, Juho rubbed his forehead and replied, ¡°What can I say? I had an unbearable itch on my foot.¡±

    ¡°Your foot?¡±

    ¡°I had a blister on my foot, and it popped while I was writing.¡±

    It had been a blister from thebat boots, which weren¡¯t made forfort. Because they were made forbat, they tended to be heavy and rigid, which made them hard to wear, let alone walk for an extended period of time, damaging the very part of the body they were made to protect. Juho recalled having to change socks dozens of times, using a softer innersole, and making sure theces were tightly tied so that his feet wouldn¡¯t rub against the walls of the boots. Unfortunately, those things had done little to alleviate the young author¡¯s pain. Violinist was trying to free his people from pain and constraint simr to being inbat boots for hours on end.

    At that point, Juho became curious about what Violinist would think of the life of the two brothers in Coin¡¯s novel.

    ¡°Your story wasn¡¯t exactly the happiest either,¡± Juho said. As the car changed direction, Juho brought up Coin¡¯s novel, ¡°Murder happens eventually.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way around it. The story takes ce in a world before the very first murder in the history of mankind. It was bound to happen. The older brother kills the younger brother.¡±

    ¡°I stared at thest page of the novel for a good while.¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t the most important part of the book,¡± Coin said. What he had emphasized in his novel had been the time before the first murder had urred.

    ¡°I know, but I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk. You killed Traitor.¡±

    ¡°The story takes ce in the past. Everybody dies in the end.¡±

    One was a story of redemption from sin, and the other a story of those headed toward sin. Although they seemed to be the pr opposite of each other, the two stories were strangely simr but different at the same time. The two authors had written ording to the directions they had each decided to take. At that moment, Coin¡¯s white vi came into view in the distance. It seemed quite peaceful.

    ¡°Guess it¡¯s a draw this time.¡±

    As the car came to a halt, Juho got out of it and set his foot on the ground.

 Chapter 345 - The Glory of Traitor (5)

    <h4>Chapter 345: The Glory of Traitor (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Susan.¡±

    ¡°Wee! You look well. You¡¯ve grown a lot in thest two years,¡± Susan said, greeting the young author from the living room. Much like the vi, she had hardly changed. Seeing as though there was a tea set on the table, she had to have been drinking tea up up to the moment that Juho showed up.

    ¡°I apologize foring so suddenly.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to walk on eggshells around me. Make yourself at home. There are plenty of rooms, so feel free to pick one,¡± she said, pointing toward upstairs with her chin just like Coin did. Juho went upstairs with his belongings. Walking past the door to Coin¡¯s room, which was tightly shut, Juho went into the same room in which he had stayed during hisst visit.

    ¡°Come in once you¡¯re done unpacking,¡± Coin said, pointing to his room and going into it without even waiting for the young author¡¯s answer.

    ¡°You could at least give me time to hydrate myself,¡± Juho murmured.

    ¡°This room looks just like it didst time too,¡± Juho said. When he went into Coin¡¯s room with a ss of water in his hand, he was greeted by the familiar interior. Looking around unhurriedly, Juho spotted the things that had changed since then.

    ¡°Got yourself a new chair, I see?¡± Juho asked, pointing at the chair Coin was sitting on. It seemed different from the one Juho remembered. Coin looked like he couldn¡¯t remember when he had bought the chair, but he patted it and said, ¡°It broke, so I got a new one.¡±

    ¡°How did that happen?¡±

    ¡°You really wanna know?¡±

    After staring at a dent on the wall for a brief moment, Juho shook his head and said, ¡°I think I¡¯ll manage.¡±

    The young author started to make sense of how many nights Coin had stayed up writing. At that moment, a phone started ringing. However, it didn¡¯t sound like Juho¡¯s. ncing at his phone on the desk, Coin tapped the decline button on the screen.

    ¡°Who was that?¡±

    ¡°Jenkins.¡±

    ¡°That was cold,¡± Juho said. Then, his own phone started vibrating in his pocket. By that point, it was obvious who was calling. In the end, Juho answered the phone, and Jenkins asked about the young author¡¯s current situation in his usual, unhurried cadence, adding that he still couldn¡¯t get a hold of Coin.

    ¡°Why do you think he¡¯s avoiding me?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Juho said, ncing over at Coin. At that, Coin narrowed his eyes and reached his hand to Juho, gesturing for his phone.

    ¡°Here¡¯s Coin,¡± Juho said, handing the phone over to the author, who proceeded to hang up upon taking the phone from the young author¡¯s hand. Then, he tossed it over to Juho, who barely managed to catch it.

    ¡°You gotta be gentle with these things. They¡¯re not cheap, you know,¡± Juho said, letting out a sigh of relief.

    ¡°What? You¡¯re loaded. Besides, you don¡¯t think I can afford to get you a new one?¡±

    ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that we should take good care of our things,¡± Juho said, looking intently at the cracked screen of Coin¡¯s phone. Of course, Coin ignored him tantly. Then, Juho redirected his attention to the books on the shelves, which he didn¡¯t recognize aside from the names Cain and Abel.

    ¡°If those two were to meet Violinist...¡± Juho said to himself, thinking, ¡®What would happen?¡¯ Then, as Coin raised his eyebrows, the door opened nearly at the same time.

    ¡°You guys hungry?¡±

    It was Susan. Before Coin and Juho even had time to respond, she said, ¡°I am. Should I start cooking?¡±

    Rising from his seat, Juho replied, ¡°Sure. What can I do to help?¡±

    ¡°You like fish, right?¡±

    Remembering the dish she had made him during hisst visit, Juho nodded.

    ¡°Well,e on down, you two,¡± she said, turning back and heading downstairs without dy. Juho followed. His eyes darting back and forth between where his mother had been standing and where Juho had been sitting, Coin, too, rose from his seat.

    ¡°I am stuffed,¡± Juho said, looking up at the night sky. The ce tended to get noticeably colder after sundown. There was a unique taste to Susan¡¯s cooking, which was quite pleasant. As a means of getting some exercise, Juho walked around the vi in a big circle. Standing conspicuously in the middle of a cornfield, Coin¡¯s vi looked quite different at night. Looking at the dusky surroundings, Juho reyed the conversation he had had with Coin earlier that day.

    ¡°Cain and Abel.¡±

    The very first recorded murder in human history had urred between the two brothers in the Bible. While God had rejected Cain¡¯s offering, He had epted Abel¡¯s offering, which stirred up Cain¡¯s jealousy toward his younger brother. Picturing their lives before the rtionship between the two brothers had turned sour, Coin had added his own imagination to the widely-known story. The result was one that took ce in a distant future, when and where a new type of human, including the two brothers from the original story. Coin had emphasized the aspect of offerings in his new novel. While the older sibling had been a farmer, the younger had been a shepherd. Although their upations had differed, they had both worshipped the same deity.

    The two brothers had always worn the same clothes, woken up at the same time, bathed themselves at the same ce, and made offerings, which signified their identity, to their deity at the same time. Although the two brothers had been quite close to each other, the reality was that they hadn¡¯t been able to unite since the god they worshipped didn¡¯t love them equally.

    The two had never fought or harbored resentment toward each other from the day they had been born. They had grown up seeing only the most beautiful things while doing only what they were supposed to do. It had been a peaceful life. Coin pinpointed the reasons behind their peaceful lives one by one, without which, the brothers started to change slowly.

    Juho wondered how the story might have changed if God had been a vegetarian. Would the other sibling be the one tomit the murder? Would there have been a murder at all? In that case, humanity would have never grasped the idea of war, massacre, or death.

    ¡°In some ways, my novel seems more like it takes ce in the future.¡±

    The very first murder in the history of mankind followed by a war. Did peacee first, or conflict? It was quite confusing. Coin¡¯s distinct style of writing had been an integral part of the novel. Unlike his wild, atrocious personality, his writing couldn¡¯t be more gentle and beautiful. Juho thought of the blue me, where, in the novel, the offerings were made.

    Then, he started running in ce. Although everything shook, he reminded himself that Coin wasn¡¯t too far off.

    ¡°Violinist,¡± Juho said, calling out for the protagonist of his novel. How would he react if he were to see the peaceful world with his own eyes? How would hee across in a world where people didn¡¯t have the concept of murder? Would Violinist leave them in their blissful ignorance, or would he go out his way to teach them? How would characters that live inpletely different worlds interact with each other upon meeting?

    ¡°Maybe I should try bringing them together,¡± Juho said, closing his eyes. About five minutester, Coin came out of the house looking for Juho. Then, upon finding him by the house, Coin leaned against the doorframe and stared intently at the back of the young author¡¯s head. Although it was quite obvious that Coin was behind him, Juho didn¡¯t move a muscle. In the end, with a cup of coffee in his hand, he called out to the young author, ¡°Hey.¡±

    There was no response. Disgruntled, Coin walked over to Juho and called out to him again, ¡°Hey,¡± raising his eyebrows. When Juho locked eyes with him, Coin had rather unpleasant look on his face.

    ¡°Are you tryin¡¯ to pick a fight?¡±

    ¡°... A fight? Who is?¡± Juho asked, blinking awkwardly.

    At which point, the disgruntled look disappeared from Coin¡¯s face. Then, furrowing his brow, Coin asked, ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡±

    ¡°I saw something unpleasant,¡± Juho replied with a dyed response.

    ¡°You saw what? It¡¯s dark out,¡± Coin said, looking around, and Juho took the opportunity to catch his breath in order to calm himself down.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s better to keep them separate.¡±

    ¡°Keep what separate?¡±

    ¡°Everything.¡±

    In the end, the three characters had been ruined beyond recovery when they came together. Then, bending at the knee, Juho squatted in his ce. Coin followed the young author¡¯s movements with his eyes.

    ¡°Did you go for a run?¡±

    ¡°I ran in ce if that counts.¡±

    ¡°At this hour?¡±

    ¡°For digestion.¡±

    At that, Coin drank his coffee, slurping loudly on purpose. At which, Juho shook his head in disapproval.

    ¡°So, I did some thinking.¡±

    ¡°About?¡±

    ¡°Your book.¡±

    ¡°Was it nerve-racking?¡±

    Without giving him an answer, Coin chewed on chunks of ice. Unlike his usual preference, he seemed to be drinking iced coffee.

    ¡°I hate to admit, but it¡¯s a draw.¡±

    At that, Juho couldn¡¯t help butugh. Although he had wanted to win, a draw meant that he hadn¡¯t won. However, the news didn¡¯te with discouragement. Coin was quite the formidable opponent, and he probably thought simrly of the young author. At the moment, a draw was the fairer assessment.

    ¡°A draw against the entric problem child of the industry? That¡¯s an honor. You might have a reputation, but you are one of the most representative authors this country has to offer,¡± Juho said, reminiscing to the time when he hadn¡¯t even been able to afford a book. Everything about Coin¡¯s achievements, including his awards and recognition, was impressive. Coin had been at the top even up until the moment of Juho¡¯s death. Though, he had often been in the spotlight for his demeanor instead of his books.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you say what you mean?¡± Coin said, calling the young author out as if already aware of Juho¡¯s intention.

    ¡°You¡¯re already thinking about your next book,¡± Coin added, urately pointing out Juho¡¯s thoughts. However, the clues were quite obvious.

    ¡°You¡¯re the same way, aren¡¯t you?¡± Juho asked. Coin had always maintained his position in the literary world. He had never grown weary as an author.

    ¡°Guess there¡¯s no hiding it. Though, I have thisme and boring eventing up.¡±

    ¡°Good luck with that.¡±

    ¡°The worst is yet toe. You just wait.¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true. I do have to start showing my face around,¡± Juho said, stretching his neck from side to side. The thought of it alone was exhausting. Then, as Juho looked into the dark inadvertently, he saw somethingpletely unexpected,

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Juho said, referring to a pair of lights approaching them.

    ¡°There are cars around here at this hour?¡± Coin added, furrowing his brow and ring at the headlights. The car was rushing toward them at a frightening speed.

    ¡°Are you expecting another guest?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°A reporter, maybe?¡±

    ¡°Were you telling people where you were going beforeing here?¡±

    ¡°No way.¡±

    As the car approached, Juho heard what sounded like a funeral march yed on a violin. It was gloomy. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s a hearse?¡¯ Juho thought to himself, rising from the ground as the te of the car became visible. Then, as the car came to a halt in front of them, the door opened from the driver¡¯s side. While Juho took a step back, Coin walked toward the car, which Juho remembered seeing somewhere.

    ¡°Ta-da!¡±

    ¡°I knew it.¡±

    It was Jenkins. The genius Hollywood director was visiting Coin at his residence. Upon recognizing the director¡¯s face, Coin stopped in his tracks. Coming forth toward the author, Jenkins said, ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± as if he had been invited. Wondering if Coin had talked to Jenkins on the phone while he had been outside, Juho nced over at Coin. At which point, it became obvious that they hadn¡¯t talked to each other. Simrly to the time when he had visited the young author at his hotel room, Jenkins charged toward Juho.

    ¡°Been a while, Mr. Woo! Guess what I brought! A sixty-six-year-old wine!¡±

    Fully aware that Jenkins was behaving that way on purpose, Juho said, ¡°Our host doesn¡¯t drink, remember?¡±

    ¡°Ah! Right. Well, more for me!¡±

    Juho chuckled at the director¡¯s nonchnt attitude.

    ¡°By the way, I was very moved by your new book. I came running here as soon as I finished reading it. I loved it so much! Oh! How was my movie? It was unbelievable, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Jenkins asked, looking all over the house. He was bouncing off the walls.

    ¡°So, this is the Vi! It¡¯s kind of hard to see it at night, though. You see, I was very excited to see the cornfield, but it was toote by the time I got here. Such a bummer. I had some business to attend to, so I couldn¡¯t leave any earlier. Man! Am I BEAT! All these hours behind the wheel... Let¡¯s go inside, shall we?¡±

    ¡®How did he even get here? What was he thinkinging here? Why is he here?¡¯ Juho thought, smacking his lips at the thoughts rushing into his mind all at once. However, unlike Juho, Coin was much more emphatic.

    ¡°GET! LOST!¡± Coin said, turning around without hesitation, going inside and mming the door.

    ¡°Wha-? Seriously? He¡¯s kidding, right? Is this about the wine? I brought other gifts too.¡±

    The door remained tightly shut.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if that door¡¯s gonna open anytime soon,¡± Juho said, and Jenkins scratched his head, feeling slightly awkward.

    ¡°Well, this is not what I had in mind.¡±

    He kept bbering until Susan came outside. In the end, he took a room next to Juho¡¯s.

 Chapter 346 - Bet on Coin and Yun Woo (1)

    <h4>Chapter 346: Bet on Coin and Yun Woo (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I thought I¡¯d have to sleep in my car! So, this is the world-famous bacon cooked by Kelley Coin himself.¡±

    When Juho came downstairs in the morning, the first thing that he saw was the disgruntled look on Coin¡¯s face and Jenkins making a fuss about Coin¡¯s cooking. Instead of joining them, Juho walked over to the living room to join Susan. Having already eaten, she was enjoying herself a cup of tea on the couch.

    ¡°How¡¯d you sleep?¡± she asked peacefully.

    ¡°Slept like a baby,¡± Juho replied, walking over to Coin, whose voice was starting to get louder. ¡°I¡¯d like some too, please.¡±

    ¡°Good morning!¡± Jenkins greeted the young author, and Juho nodded haphazardly. ¡°So, I had dinner with a friend of mine, and he kept talking about boring stuff like film festivals. He just made it so obvious that he¡¯s got a fat paycheck. That¡¯s why eating with someone else in the industry gets tiring really quick,¡± the director said, biting into a tomato. As its red juice flowed down his wrist, Jenkins pulled out his tongue and pulled his hand up to his mouth, licking it.

    ¡°That¡¯s disgusting.¡±

    ¡°What? It¡¯s my hand.¡±

    At that moment, a drop of hot oil from the pan sshed on Jenkins, making him jerk. However, Coin seemed indifferent about what had happened.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go get the bread,¡± Juho said, removing himself from the situation so as not to get dragged into it.

    ¡°So, this is your writing space.¡±

    After breakfast, Jenkins peeked his head in just as Coin went into his room. However, Coin didn¡¯t even consider Jenkins a hindrance. Walking over to the door, the author started pushing the door close while Jenkins was still peeking his head in, choking the director. In the end, Juho stepped in to help Jenkins pull his head out of the door. A director who recklessly peeks his head into a closing door in the same ce as an author who¡¯s strong and ruthless could only mean one thing: Trouble.

    ¡°This ce is filled to the brim with things,¡± Jenkins said, looking around the room, the coffee stains, the torn-up wallpaper and Coin¡¯s untidy desk.

    ¡°Yet, I don¡¯t see your next work,¡± the director said, smacking his lips and sitting on Coin¡¯s bed. ¡°You two have a lot inmon,¡± he added, repeatedly tossing something up into the air and catching it.

    Juho watched him quietly.

    ¡°Although, I could probably get a lot more information out of Mr. Woo here.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll be four hundred dors,¡± Coin said.

    ¡°Four hundred!? You mean this baseball!?¡±

    Rolling the baseball around in his hands, Jenkins thought about the stark contrast between the two authors in front of his eyes. The director had been visiting the young author in his hotel room. Whenever Jenkins had visited, Juho had been writing either on aptop or on manuscript paper. Writing was just about the only thing the director recalled Juho ever doing in his hotel room. Simrly, the director was also aware of Coin¡¯s prolific character. However, there were also other things in his room, things that had nothing to do with writing, such as the baseball. By contrast, Juho seemed like someone who was investing his entire life into his writing, and Jenkins simply couldn¡¯t understand that.

    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your worth?¡± the director asked Coin, wondering if the difference came from their wealth.

    ¡°What!?¡±

    Looking at Coin, who was tantly expressing his difort, Jenkins was reminded that Yun Woo couldn¡¯t possibly be poor. Pointing at Juho, the director asked, ¡°You don¡¯t wear any designer clothing, do you? That T-shirt of yours is made by some budget, casual clothing store, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Looking down at the clothes he was wearing, Juho nodded.

    ¡°You don¡¯t wear a watch or any sort of essories, or own a car. On top of that, the hotel you were staying in isn¡¯t exactly the best either. You don¡¯t even collect anything, right? Shoes, toys, puzzles, bags, wallets, art pieces, medals, insects, etc. You don¡¯t spend a penny on a hobby, if you even have one, that is.¡±

    ¡°Are people around you into collecting things like that, Mr. Jenkins?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a hobby, do you?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Juho said, putting his brain to work in order to think of an answer. ¡°I watch sports on TV, and I exercise regrly. I also enjoy reading and listening to music.¡±

    ¡°Do you gamble?¡±

    ¡°I do not.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a business?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you do with your money? Maybe you don¡¯t know what to do with it. In which case, I can teach you all about it!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with you all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried for you, Mr. Woo! I didn¡¯t realize there were authors like you!¡±

    With that, Jenkinsypletely t on Coin¡¯s bed, repeatedly throwing the baseball right above his face and catching it. Catching the ball mid-air, Juho said, ¡°I spend over ny-percent of my yearly earnings, so don¡¯t you worry.¡±

    ¡°Make sure you have enough saved up to get by until you¡¯re done writing your next book. You can¡¯t write anything if you¡¯re homeless.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Juho said, fully aware of what Coin was talking about.

    Seeing the young author calm and unfazed, Jenkins interjected in a hurry, ¡°Hold on! That¡¯s important information! Do you guys even have a way of confirming any of this? Where are you guys investing!? Stock, perhaps? In that case, I¡¯d be much obliged if you shared some information about them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not investing in anything. I got nothing to tell you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re up to something shady, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You have a very active imagination, Mr. Jenkins.¡±

    At that, Jenkins pulled back, narrowing his eyes and ring up at the ceiling.

    ¡®What¡¯s he thinking now?¡¯ Juho thought to himself, tossing the ball into the air just like Jenkins had done.

    ¡°Do you donate?¡±

    At that moment, Juho dropped the ball, staring at it as it rolled on the floor.

    ¡°You do, don¡¯t you!?¡± Jenkins asked with an unpleasant smile.

    Standing awkwardly, Juho replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Now, I get it.¡±

    In the end, Juho sighed, realizing that the director had discovered what he did with his money. Meanwhile, Jenkins had his chin raised up high with confidence. However, it wasn¡¯t long before that confident look turned into a puzzled one.

    ¡°That is admirable! Why didn¡¯t I know about it?¡± Jenkins asked.

    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t tell anyone about it.¡±

    ¡°Why not? What is there to hide?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just never been brought up. Until today.¡±

    ¡°No, no. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about. A celebrity like you HAS to be open about this so that other people can join in.¡±

    That was very different from telling friends or acquaintances, however, and with an ambivalent look on his face, Juho replied, ¡°I don¡¯t wanna make a scene.¡±

    ¡°Even after doing something so admirable?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just not looking forpliments. Anyway, it¡¯s just something I decided for myself,¡± Juho said, picking up the baseball from the floor and putting it back where it had been originally. Meanwhile, Jenkins watched the young author.

    ¡°And how much longer do you think it¡¯ll stay a secret?¡±

    ¡°What? Are you gonna go around telling people?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s nothing like that. It¡¯s just... You¡¯re impossible to read.¡±

    ¡°You took the words right out of my mouth, Mr. Jenkins.¡±

    Having been visiting the young author on a nearly daily basis, Jenkins giggled and said, ¡°I just couldn¡¯t resist! I was so curious about what kind of mind games you two were ying!¡±

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve been visiting me almost every day?¡± Juho asked Jenkins, ncing over at Coin.

    ¡°Well, I know what I¡¯m doing for the next month,¡± the director said, referring to Coin¡¯s new book.

    At which point, feeling liberated, Juho asked, ¡°So, does that mean my book fell out of favor with you?¡±

    That time, Jenkins looked toward Coin while waving his finger from side to side. ¡°Oh, no, no. This is simply a matter of when the books came out. Coin¡¯s came outter.¡±

    ¡°So what? You don¡¯t think I want something from you, do you? If you do, you¡¯re making a big mistake.¡±

    Despite Coin¡¯s seemingly threatening remark, Jenkins didn¡¯t stop talking.

    ¡°If both books hade out at the same time, which book do you think I¡¯d have held on to longer?¡±

    ¡°Who gives? Whichever one it is, it¡¯s gotta be better than that third-ss movie of yours.¡±

    ¡°OK, now, you just sound crazy. My movie? Third-ss? That¡¯s impossible!¡± Jenkins said. Then, he sprung up from the bed and shouted, ¡°If you¡¯d really thought my movie had done the original a disservice, you wouldn¡¯t have sat there and not done anything about it. Oh, no. You¡¯d have called and confronted me as soon as you watched the movie. In other words, I would have been the one hanging up on YOU!¡±

    ¡°It was trash. I¡¯d rather eat rotten cabbage.¡±

    Neither Jenkins nor Coin was letting up. The bickering went on until Juho went downstairs to get a cup of water and saw Susan out. Catching his breath, Jenkins said, ¡°You know what? I admit. How long I take reading the same book doesn¡¯t matter, whether a month or three months.¡±

    Juho nodded. At which point, Juho saw a corner Jenkins¡¯ mouth turn up.

    ¡°You two are about topete for a literary award.¡±

    ¡°A literary award?¡± Juho asked, and the smile on the director¡¯s face grew even bigger.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ll probably both end up getting nominated for the Neb award this year. It¡¯s always been one or the other up to this point, but this year, I can just feel it happening. Besides, there¡¯s no way that you two WON¡¯T get nominated, don¡¯t you think?¡± Jenkins said, his eyes sparkling with interest. Juho scratched his head awkwardly. None of that felt real because the two authors had already reached a consensus. It had been a draw. Yet, now, there was suddenly a literary award involved.

    ¡°What¡¯s with your faces? It¡¯s been a hot topic among your readers,¡± Jenkins said, rubbing his hands together and adding, ¡°This is a sight to behold. Coin vs. Yun Woo. The match of the century.¡±

    Without saying a word, Juho looked toward Coin, who murmured, ¡°I thought we already...¡±

    ¡°... Talked about this.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Jenkins asked, looking at the two authors in turn. Then, as if he caught on to the situation, he rubbed his chin while looking at them with slight disdain.

    ¡°What good is it that you two agree on who the winner is? Do you two have any idea how many readers you have across the globe? The winner is whoever gets the award. What could be more convincing than that?¡±

    ¡°Whatever happened to film festivals?¡± Coin asked, mocking the director.

    Putting his hand in his pockets, Jenkins said, ¡°Don¡¯t y coy with me now. You swept every major literary award out there yourself. Think about it. How can you not wanna win when the award is sitting right in front of your eyes? Well? What do you think?¡±

    Jenkins darted back and forth between the two authors with a look of anticipation. Coin, meanwhile, remained unfazed.

    ¡°I guess that is true.¡±

    ¡°I thought so. You¡¯re an honest man, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Then, after looking intently at the director for a brief moment, Juho said, ¡°Remind me of why you¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°What kind of question is that? I thought we were over this.¡±

    ¡°If the winner gets determined at the award ceremony, then you could have gone there instead. Whye here? What¡¯s there to see?¡±

    Jenkins remained silent for a good while. Then, tilting his head, he replied, ¡°I guess I knew where the real match was?¡±

    ¡°Well, whoever ends up being the winner, it¡¯s already been decided. I hate to break it to you, Mr. Jenkins, but you¡¯re a tad toote,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°But I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t stay between you two. So? What happened? Who lost?¡±

    ¡°Enough talk. You owe me four hundred dors,¡± Coin said.

    ¡°You meant that?!¡±

    ¡®The award ceremony, huh,¡± Juho thought to himself, looking out the window at the Sun.

    ¡ª

    ¡°They¡¯re getting nominated,¡± Nabi said, looking at the nominees for the Neb Award, who had been decided a month before. In that list, were Coin and Yun Woo. Although they were both preliminary nominees at the moment, everyone knew that it was highly unlikely that either of the authors would be eliminated. The two were practically the final nominees,peting for the same award in the end. Both fans and people in the industry alike, everyone was already starting to ce their bets.

    ¡°I vote Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s up against Kelley Coin.¡±

    Nabi looked at her coworkers, who were clearly talking about the award. To be frank, Nabi thought that the young author had nothing to lose even if he were to lose. After all, the opponent was none other than Kelley Coin. Their rivalry wasn¡¯t something that had been formed overnight. Readers had been keeping their eyes on the two authors¡¯ mysterious friendship and rivalry. ¡®This is a chance,¡¯ Nabi thought to herself while looking at the document on the screen of herptop. After doing some calctions, she picked up her phone in order to ask the person directly involved in thepetition.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Woo. Are you free today by any chance?¡±

 Chapter 347 - Bet on Coin and Yun Woo (2)

    <h4>Chapter 347: Bet on Coin and Yun Woo (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho was visiting central Manhattan, which was always booming with people. Standing in his ce, he watched the pedestrians walking past a memorial not too far from him. At that moment...

    ¡°Mr. Woo,¡± a voice called to the young author. When Juho turned around, he saw Nabi disying her usual intellectual smile. Leading Juho toward her car, which she had parked nearby, she took the young author to a restaurant she had made a reservation to ahead of time.

    ¡°I knew things were about to get busier, and boy was I right?!¡± she said as she updated Juho on the things that had urred recently. Juho realized that was his second time driving across the streets of Manhattan in Nabi¡¯s car. The first time, Nam Kyung had also been there.

    ¡°Back then, I was here to watch the award ceremony on TV.¡±

    ¡°And now, you¡¯re going to one in person,¡± she said, adding that both the people at her work and her clients were waiting anxiously for the ceremony. Nabi wasn¡¯t afraid to show her excitement. Coin and Yun Woo, the long-awaited battle between the two authors was finally happening.

    ¡°Are you confident?¡±

    ¡°About?¡±

    ¡°Beating Coin.¡±

    Looking at the traffic ahead, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°OK, let¡¯s be honest for a second here. You want that award, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°Then, I guess you gotta win.¡±

    Juho chuckled at Nabi¡¯s remark. At which point, she lowered her voice and added, ¡°Frankly, it feels surreal that we¡¯re talking about winning an award with Kelley Coin as one of thepeting nominees. This will take some getting used to.¡±

    Despite the nervous tone, she looked quite confident. Observing her expression, Juho asked, ¡°Who do you think will get the award?¡±

    ¡°Why, you, of course!¡± Nabi said sincerely and without hesitation. Shrugging, Juho replied, ¡°That kind of puts pressure on me.¡±

    Although she didn¡¯t buy what Juho had said, she said, ¡°Well, we¡¯re not the ones giving the award. Don¡¯t worry about it too much.¡±

    Then, recognizing the inconsistency in her statement, she added, ¡°As in, we should be cautiously optmistic.¡±

    ¡°Right. Well, the ceremony¡¯s still far away, anyway.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    The anticipation was starting to boil over. However, Nabi didn¡¯t go out of her way to bring it up to Juho.

    ¡°Well, what did you wanna talk about today?¡±

    She swallowed nervously at Juho¡¯s question. Then, trying to sound as light-hearted as possible, she said, ¡°There¡¯s a TV show that wants to cast you.¡±

    At that, Juho¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Where¡¯s Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°How the hell should I know?¡±

    Coin was at a high-end hotel restaurant as one of eleven invitees, every one of which were bestselling authors whose books had sold millions. Because Coin tended to be left out of social gatherings between authors by default, his presence was an unusual one. Of course, he had been invited to the gathering only because the inviters had been under the assumption that he would¡¯ve brought Yun Woo along.

    ¡°I might as well be chewing a rubber tire,¡± Coin said, spitting the meat out on a napkin. Amid the ufortable silence, a daring soul spoke up. Two of the authors on the table had gotten into an intense argument with Coin, nearly leading to a legal dispute.

    ¡°Seems like the food isn¡¯t to your liking,¡± Kings said. Being the oldest of the eleven authors at the table, Coin remembered him having held a party in Germany in order to celebrate having sold a hundred million copies.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t feel likeing here, but I couldn¡¯t stand that these people were trying to use me to their own benefit, so I thought I should stop by. I couldn¡¯t tell whether they were just trying to piss me off or invite Yun Woo,¡± Coin said, putting the knife down almost as if throwing it and chugging the sparkling water in the winess. Then, another author sitting next to Kings said, ¡°I was looking forward to meeting Yun Woo, honestly.¡±

    ¡°I know. Which is exactly why I¡¯m here,¡± Coin said. The only reason he had bothered to show up at the gathering had been to see the disappointment on the authors¡¯ faces. At Coin¡¯s edgy remark, the author clenched their lips tightly, appearing disgusted. Every author on the table, with the exception of Coin, knew better than to start a conflict with the infamous author. If necessary, Coin wasn¡¯t afraid to sling mud, even against somebody of higher social standing. However, Coin¡¯s prominence had often prevented others from retaliating. While wealthy, Coin acted as though he had nothing to lose. To be more precise, he wasn¡¯t afraid to lose all he had, which made him an opponent to be avoided at all costs. Although he seemed to be rtively well-behaved as ofte, it wasn¡¯t long before the authors found out that he had hardly changed, especially the two who had picked a fight with him.

    ¡°I told you not to start anything with him. He even filed awsuit against a presspany not too long ago. Tamed? Well behaved? Yeah, right.¡±

    While half of the authors on the table focused on eating their food while avoiding eye contact with Coin, the rest of them were intimidated by his presence. Only Kings had a weing smile on his face.

    ¡°There¡¯s always next time. Seems to me that Mr. Coin here seems to think there was an ulterior motive for our invitation. Though, I am d to have such an unusual guest. In any case, please, let¡¯s be respectful to one another.¡±

    The table grew silent. Meanwhile, with an oblivious look on his face, Kings said to Coin, ¡°I heard you¡¯re close friends with Yun Woo! It¡¯s always fun to be able to connect with the younger generations.¡±

    ¡°What do you know?¡± Coin said. He was the only author in the literary world who dared to speak to Kings in such a manner. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen any new books from youtely. Are you nning on retiring soon?¡± Coin asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say, but I appreciate that you¡¯re waiting.¡±

    ¡°This conversation is going nowhere. I doubt you¡¯d be able to connect with younger folks,¡± Coin said, drinking from his thermos. Then, locking eyes with another author, who gave him a strange look, Coin asked, ¡°What are you lookin¡¯ at? You have something you wanna ask?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. Uh... Actually...¡± the timid author said, hesitating while rubbing his scruffy chin.

    ¡°Well, spill it.¡±

    Being significantly younger than Coin by more than ten years, the author had a medical school background, which he had utilized in his sessful debut title. Since its release, his book had been a steady bestseller. With the recent news that stood out to him lingering in his mind, the author said, ¡°I was wondering if you¡¯re nning on attending the award ceremony.¡±

    At the mention of the award ceremony, somebody stepped on the timid author¡¯s foot, and Coin clicked his tongue at the subject that was far from interesting to him. As though untactful and oblivious, the author kept on, ¡°You were nominated for the same category as Yun Woo. Do you think you¡¯ll win?¡±

    ¡°What are you? A reporter?¡±

    ¡°No, an author, actually.¡±

    ¡°An interviewer, maybe?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an author.¡±

    ¡°Which magazine do you work for?¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m a writer.¡±

    It took the timid author a while to realize that Coin was tantly looking down on him, refusing to answer his question. Then, other authors started to chime in as they barely managed to muster up enough courage to speak up.

    ¡°Well, this should be interesting. This is Coin¡¯s first nomination in five years. Though, he did go to the award ceremony on somebody else¡¯s behalf.¡±

    ¡°I was there too! I felt so lucky that I got to witness the youngest winner of the award getting announced.¡±

    ¡°You were up for a short story, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Along with another author sitting at the table next to us...¡±

    As the conversation naturally moved on to the award ceremony, Coin was also having a chat with Kings.

    ¡°I¡¯m betting on Yun Woo.¡±

    Coin calmly sought out the person to whom the voice belonged, who turned out to be the author who sitting next to him, the one who had a background in journalism. Writing mostly for a science magazine, he had sold over thirty million copies.

    ¡°Yun Woo had never invested this much time into a book before. Of course, time and result aren¡¯t always proportionate to each other, but the story about the traitor was exceptional.¡±

    At that moment, the author with the medical school background raised his hand and said, ¡°Personally, I read Mr. Coin¡¯s book many times. It was great! A world untainted by murder, just before the first murder in human history took ce. I thought it was incredibly charming.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a Coin fan by default, though?¡±

    ¡°I guess I am,¡± the timid author said, looking at Coin with an awkward smile. Then, another author, who had a nk expression on his face, added, ¡°Regardless of who wins, both books were outstanding.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s impossible to take authors out of the picturepletely. People already view the ceremony in a certain way. To them, it¡¯s a showdown of sorts. I guess I should be thankful that I¡¯m not one of the judges who have to endure the pain of having to choose one over the other.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of judges, have you heard anything new?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said no, but...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not rooting for anybody in particr, but I do have somebody in mind that I wish would get eliminated.¡±

    At that moment, the table sank into an awkward silence, and Coin rolled his eyes to look at the author across the table. Being a familiar face, Coin was well acquainted with the author¡¯s scowl.

    ¡°It¡¯s always entertaining to watch the idiots who think that pr bears live in the South Pole.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°It means Yun Woo and I already came to a consensus, and nobody has time to listen to your crap,¡± Coin said, rising from his seat. Meanwhile, the author sitting across the table turned slightly away from Coin with his arms crossed. Then, walking over to him, Coin grabbed the chair the author was sitting on.

    ¡°I did kick some serious ass, though.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I know. I¡¯m not the easiest person to be condescending to,¡± Coin said, eating a shrimp off of the author¡¯s te and wiping his hand on the tablecloth. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Watch your teeth, Mr. Kings. They tend to overcook their meat here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a call sometime.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡±

    Then, as Coin left the hotel without even looking back, his phone started ringing immediately after he switched silent mode off.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer the phone?¡±

    ¡°I was busy,¡± Coin replied, wondering if Isabe had already found out. Thankfully, it was about another subject. Instead of scolding the author, the editor said, ¡°Somebody wants you on their show. Now, keep listening before you hang up.¡±

    With his hand in his pocket, Coin waited for his editor impatiently.

    ¡°How would you like to appear on TV with Yun Woo?¡± she asked. Having been waiting with his mouth parted open, Coin said, ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡ª

    After a short jog, Juho stared at theke in front of his eyes, where Coin had brought him at one point. Catching his breath, he made his way toward a bench.

    ¡°You were pretending to run, weren¡¯t you?¡± Coin asked, examining the young author.

    ¡°What? You want me to sprint around theke?¡±

    ¡°That works too.¡±

    ¡°No, thanks,¡± Juho said, stretching instead of sitting on the bench. The park was still as quiet and unupied as ever. There was a big zelkova tree that created some shade.

    ¡°Have you decided?¡± Coin asked. Needless to say, he wasn¡¯t there to watch the young author exercise.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡±

    Simr to Coin at the authors¡¯ gathering, Juho had heard only one thing from Nabi.

    ¡°What do you think would happen if we were to appear on the show together?¡±

    The two authors had been asked to appear on a certain TV show, one on which Coin had already appeared. Going to great lengths to amodate their guests, the show tended to invite authors to interviews often, not to mention that they also tended to pay their guests quite well. Picturing them sitting shoulder to shoulder on the set, Juho scratched his cheek.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d be appearing with Kelley Coin himself, so I don¡¯t intend to make light of this.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means I would NOT want to get involved in some ident.¡±

    To that day, there had never been an author who had appeared on TV alongside Coin. Nobody had been willing to appear on TV with a walking time bomb, and Nabi had also been quite concerned about that.

    ¡°So, are you turning it down?¡± Coin asked.

 Chapter 348 - Bet on Coin and Yun Woo (3)

    <h4>Chapter 348: Bet on Coin and Yun Woo (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    A breeze came along and blew against the peaceful, unsuspectingke, causing it to waver. Standing in his ce, Juho stretched his wrists and ankles.

    ¡°What about you? Would you want to go on TV with me?¡±

    ¡°I hate interviews.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you do.¡±

    ¡°Even if I were to decide to appear on the show, the kind of questions they would ask are obvious,¡± Coin said with his legs crossed, yawning. Seeing that Coin was responding in the way that he had expected, Juho chuckled quietly.

    ¡°All of my friends seem to think I should go,¡± Juho said, feeling the tension on his inner thighs as he stretched his legs. Seo Kwang had called the night before. When Juho had asked about the TV show in passing, his bookworm friend had said emphatically, ¡°BY ALL MEANS! Whatever they end up capturing on that camera will be precious data for the future generation.¡±

    Juho hadn¡¯t found that argument all that convincing however. Meanwhile, Coin sneered and said, ¡°I know my interviews are popr, and I don¡¯t need some surveys to prove that.¡±

    ¡°Jenkins was saying that I should go for it too.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever bring up that name.¡±

    Unlike Juho, who had been staying in Coin¡¯s residence, Jenkins had been leaving anding repeatedly, all without notice. It was simr to when he would visit the young author in his hotel room.

    ¡°Though, I¡¯d hate to miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.¡±

    ¡°You mean it would be the perfect opportunity for me to humiliate you?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should just go for it. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Everyone around me seems to want me to.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly now.¡±

    ¡°Well, what about you?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    What made the decision difficult was the fact that Juho felt ambivalent toward it. Part of him wanted to appear on TV with Coin while another part of him didn¡¯t, which meant that he had reason to both decline and ept.

    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be anything within the fine print, right?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°It¡¯d be too easy otherwise, don¡¯t you think? If you¡¯re not feeling certain, then try to negotiate something with the producer.¡±

    ¡°Are you gonna do it, though?¡±

    ¡°Are you?¡±

    Their conversation wasn¡¯t going anywhere. Then, as Juho remained quiet, Coin made a suggestion out of nowhere, ¡°Maybe we should let coincidence guide us.¡±

    ¡°You mean me?¡± Juho said, looking up at him. Then, Coin reached into his pocket and took a coin out. At which point, Juho immediately understood what he was going to do.

    ¡°That¡¯s making the coin do all the work.¡±

    ¡°Call it.¡±

    ¡°Tails.¡±

    After deciding on tails being that they would appear on TV together and heads being that they would decline, Coin nodded, pulled out his hand, and started counting down.

    ¡°Three.¡±

    Squatting, Juho looked up at his hand.

    ¡°Two.¡±

    Coin ced the coin on top of his thumb. At which point, Juho swallowed nervously, wondering what it would mean if the coin fell and got stuck in a groove somewhere. ¡®Would it be the direction it was tilting at that point?¡¯

    ¡°One.¡±

    As Coin flicked his thumb, the coin shot up into the air, spinning quickly. As the sunlight reflected off of it, Juho covered his eyes. Then, upon hearing a dull sound, Juho moved his hand away from his eyes and saw that Coin was sitting on the ground. The numbers became visible on the coin.

    ¡°Tails,¡± Juho said, locking eyes with Coin.

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    Just like that, the decision was made between Coin and Yun Woo.

    ¡ª

    ¡®Yun Woo and Coin Reported to Appear in an American TV Interview Together.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s Official! Yun Woo and Coin Said to Appear Together on TV. Taping Schedule Set. ¡°We¡¯re Looking Forward to Working with Them.¡±¡®

    ¡®Renowned American TV Show Live Streaming on the Inte. Yun Woo and Coin Said to Appear Together. Fans Fired Up with Excitement. Taping Said to Start on the Eighteenth.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Agency Speaks on the Author¡¯s Decision to Appear on TV. ¡®His First Public Appearance since the End of His Service in the Military.¡±

    ¡®Coin and Yun Woo¡¯s Appearance Draws Massive Attention. What Will They Talk About?¡¯

    ¡®The Web Responds to Yun Woo and Coin¡¯s Appearance on a TV Interview. How and When to Watch the Interview.¡¯

    ¡®Coin and Yun Woo Said to be Interviewed by a Renowned TV Host. Fans in America Getting Fired Up! Who Were Some of the Guests in the Past? Pictures Included.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo, the Heartbreaker of the Broadcasting Industry? Why Did Choose to Appear on American TV?¡¯

    ¡®The Award Ceremony Approaches. Will a Miracle Happen Again? What Would Yun Woo Say?¡¯

    ¡®The entric Problem Child of the Literary World Reported to Appear on TV with Another Author. The Head-Scratching Friendship between Yun Woo and Coin.¡¯

    ¡®One Hundred Million Copies Sold Combined? The Two World-ss Authors Join Forces. How Did the Producer Bring the Two Most Elusive Authors in the World Together? A Closer Look.¡¯

    ¡®How did Yun Woo and Coin Come to Decide to Appear on TV Together?¡¯

    ¡°The day has finallye!¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this their first time appearing on TV together?¡±

    ¡°Man, I remember when Yun Woo first revealed his voice! Coin had called him out of nowhere. My heart skipped a beat back then! Yun Woo was essentially forced to reveal his voice!¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t get how those two could be friends.¡±

    ¡°I heard a story about the book fair in Germany. They must know each other.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen them talking about each other, but never as guests on a TV show, let alone together.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s staying at Coin¡¯s ce as far as I know.¡±

    ¡°This makes me think that Yun Woo has been heavily influenced by English literature. There are times I feel like I¡¯m reading ssic literature when I¡¯m reading his books.¡±

    ¡°I heard he read a lot of Korean literature too.¡±

    ¡°I think he was just influenced by a lot of different people.¡±

    ¡°I feel like he would have grown up reading Yun Seo Baek, Wol Kang or Hyun Do Lim. Maybe he¡¯s from a different generation? He¡¯s actually close to Yun Seo Baek and Hyun Do Lim, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo reminds me of Wol Kang. Granted, Yun Woo is much younger. People used to call Wol Kang a genius back in the day too.¡±

    ¡°Hope this interview goes on air soon! I¡¯m sure there¡¯s going to be a trantion at some point.¡±

    ¡°Considering how many blogs out there are about Yun Woo, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll take long at all.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can trust Coin. Hope he doesn¡¯t cross the line somehow.¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling that he¡¯ll cause some sort of trouble too.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they ying mind games with each other right now? Heard they¡¯re nominated for a literary award in the same category. It¡¯s by vote too, so you can usually tell from the preliminary results. Most people seem to think that Coin and Yun Woo will be the final nominees.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s still some time, though. You never know. There might be another author who¡¯s better than Coin OR Yun Woo. Maybe they might even break Yun Woo¡¯s record.¡±

    ¡°I heard there¡¯s this Chinese author who¡¯s looking really promising? Apparently, that market started expanding like crazy a few years back.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Yun Woo¡¯s ¡®youngest¡¯ title will be broken anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°I doubt he¡¯ll be able to beat Coin, though. He might be a jerkwad, but he sweeps every major literary award there is.¡±

    ¡°Personally, I hope Yun Woo wins.¡±

    ¡°People seem to really like Coin¡¯s new book too, and I honestly agree with them.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Yun Woo technically the challenger, though? Coin¡¯s already won a number of literary awards, every single one of which is recognized worldwide. As far as science fiction awards, he¡¯s won EIGHT so far.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s been around longer. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a fairparison.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if anything¡¯s changed now? Eh, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°What we should be mindful of here is that Yun Woo isn¡¯t just another author. I was in awe when I read the sequel. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been following him since he was a teenager, but that book definitely felt like it had been written by an adult.¡±

    ¡°He wrote that book during his two-year military service. I think he definitely has a shot at winning.¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling that Yun Woo will win.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s up against Coin, though.¡±

    ¡°I vote Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Same here.¡±

    ¡°I vote Coin. I still remember Yun Woo¡¯s trantion of his book.¡±

    ¡°Dang, that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Rooting for you, Yun Woo!¡±

    ¡°Wonder what they make of the situation themselves.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°PLEASE, don¡¯t do anything out of line.¡±

    As the car rocked up and down, Juho sat up in his seat.

    ¡°Mr. Woo¡¯s here too, so don¡¯t you make any unnecessaryments. You know how sharp these people on staff can be, right? Remember how they got youst time? Even the thought of that article makes me grit my teeth.¡±

    ¡°I heard you.¡±

    ¡°As in, I don¡¯t want any phone callsining about you.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get all ticked off just because there¡¯s no coffee around.¡±

    ¡°I brought my own.¡±

    ¡°Make sure not to say anything bad about other authors.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything false.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t pick fights with critics either.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility. Don¡¯t you worry.¡±

    ¡°I worry about how your books do whenever we get written usations against you.¡±

    ¡°I won against ¡¯em all. What¡¯s there to worry about?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what we¡¯re talking about, you know.¡±

    Meanwhile, Juho let out a small yawn. Isabe and Coin had been arguing for quite some time now.

    ¡°You¡¯re not nervous at all, are you, Mr. Woo?¡± Nabi asked, and Juho nodded affirmatively.

    ¡°You have a heart of steel,¡± she said, smiling confidently as though she already knew the young author wasn¡¯t fazed.

    ¡°Call it an inclination,¡± Juho said, thinking of Nam Kyung, with whom he had talked to on the phone the night before. Despite being back in Korea, the editor had made all kinds of a fuss.

    ¡°Make sure to watch what you say.¡±

    ¡°What is there to watch?¡±

    ¡°Stay calm and don¡¯t get too excited just because you have Coin next to you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we just met.¡±

    ¡°If they keep asking you a question you can¡¯t answer, don¡¯t give in, even if they keep pestering you.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    Despite having watched the young author be interviewed a number of times already, Nam Kyung had sounded like he was anxious. He had to be expecting the worst: the young author¡¯s mistake leading to the downfall of his career and putting Zelkova¡¯s reputation at stake.

    ¡°Though, part of me does feel kind of nervous today,¡± Juho told Nabi, ncing over at Coin, who gestured as if to poke his eyes out. At which point, Nabi chuckled awkwardly. Coin looked quite annoyed. Then, as the car stopped at a red light, Isabe said while looking toward Juho, ¡°I was surprised. I was certain that you¡¯d turn me down.¡±

    Nabi nodded in agreement. Although Juho understood where they wereing from, Juho had had little choice in the matter.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get tails either.¡±

    ¡°I was at loss for words when I heard that you and Coin decided to appear on TV after a game of heads or tails,¡± Isabe said, bringing her hand up to her forehead as if imagining the possibility of the coin showing heads:

    ¡°I guess we¡¯re not doing this after all,¡± Yun Woo says. To which, Coin replies, ¡°Yep. It seems that way.¡±

    It would have been quite the disappointing result. After thinking of the producer, who had reached out to her with all sorts of aodations in order to interview the two authors, Isabe gave up. Seeing as though her expression was getting darker and darker, Juho quickly changed the subject.

    ¡°So, I was told that there was going to be a mini-game after the interview?¡±

    The show was known to y a brief mini-game, which tended to change depending on the guest, after interviews. It was to amodate the viewers.

    ¡°What kind of questions should I be expecting?¡± Juho asked. The game he had been told to expect ahead of time had been a quiz. Althoughpeting against Coin, there was no risk of the game getting overlypetitive. On top of that, it was simple and had a promising result.

    ¡°People in mass media love to pull pranks on other people.¡±

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be harder than the title of each other¡¯s books or the year they came out, right?¡± Coin asked nonchntly, picking his ear.

    ¡°That puts me at a disadvantage.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Well, think about the number of books you¡¯ve published.¡±

    ¡°Pff. Come on. How strict would they really be?¡± Coin asked, still sounding uninterested.

    ¡°Well, you said you were up for it, so I¡¯m gonna give it my best. Don¡¯t get mad at meter for losing.¡±

    ¡°Oh?! You wanna bet?¡±

    ¡°What do you get if you win?¡±

    ¡°You get ready to walk around Manhattan... buck naked.¡±

    ¡°If YOU lose...!¡±

    As things started to get heated, Isabe interjected and said, ¡°Before we get to that, I¡¯d appreciate it if you both focused on the interview.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Juho replied. Meanwhile, Coin turned toward the window and looked out. Their destination appeared in the distance.

 Chapter 349 - Bet on Coin and Yun Woo (4)

    <h4>Chapter 349: Bet on Coin and Yun Woo (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Are they reallying?¡±

    Having gotten her admission ticket, Amanda simply couldn¡¯t hold back her excitement, which made her ask her friend the same question repeatedly on their way to the broadcasting station. Were Kelley Coin and Yun Woo reallying to the set? Would she really get to see the taping?

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Chris replied, also struggling to hold back a smile, much like all other audience members. His heart had been thumping even on the subway ride to the station. Having met online, Chris and Amanda would get together for concerts and various stage presentations at least once bimonthly. Upon discovering that they spoke simrnguages and shared simr hobbies, they bonded quickly, and Chris harbored feelings for Amanda.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think Coin will storm out in the middle, do you?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Honestly, though, I think it¡¯s worth seeing it at least once.¡±

    ¡°No! That means the taping will stop!¡±

    ¡°Well, what can we do? Nothing¡¯s free in life,¡± Chris said, putting his hands in his pocket.

    Then, elbowing him on the side, Amanda said, ¡°What do you think Yun Woo will be like? Exemry? Mature? Innocent?¡±

    ¡°Whatever he¡¯ll be, he¡¯ll be anything but boring. That¡¯s for sure. At least, he was in the magazine, anyway. I wonder what he¡¯ll be like in real life, though.¡±

    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s nervous? He¡¯s never been on TV in the States, and it¡¯s his first TV appearance in a long time. On top of that, he¡¯ll have Coin by his side.¡±

    ¡°It is remarkable, I¡¯ll tell you that much,¡± Chris said. Although he initially wondered what it would be like to be in Yun Woo¡¯s position, that didn¡¯tst long as he was struck by a suffocating fear of being away in another country.

    ¡°It¡¯s a scary thought, really,¡± she said. At which point, Chris felt somewhat validated by her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯d bother me at all,¡± Chris said proudly and confidently for no apparent reason.

    However, looking indifferent, Amanda said, ¡°You know what? I just can¡¯t picture Yun Woo getting nervous. I¡¯d love to see it one of these days though.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon enough,¡± Chris replied, coughing awkwardly.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna scream from the top of my lungs as soon as theye out. What if we make eye contact?¡±

    ¡°Well, there go your virgin eyes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so anxious to meet Coin and Yun Woo!¡±

    Since he was also looking forward to the asion, Chris agreed with her silently, enjoying the fact that they were sharing that excitement together.

    ¡ª

    The audience erupted into cheers. Juho couldn¡¯t remember thest time he had heard it. Perhaps, that was why he was so caught off guard. Meanwhile, looking impatiently at Juho, Coin walked ahead. Following him, Juho recognized the green sofa on the set, which he had only seen on TV.

    ¡°This is crazy.¡±

    The audience was shouting from the top of their lungs as the two authors appeared on set. Then, the host, who had been preparing for the taping, walked toward them, pretending to be taken aback by the explosive cheers.

    ¡°People love you guys!¡± the host said to them. Of course, his voice was being buried by the thunderous apuse from the audience. A man with well-defined facial features, there was no awkwardness between him and the two authors since they had met prior to the taping.

    ¡°This is normal,¡± Coin said arrogantly. The host smiled naturally, but there was something about his smile that gave off an exaggerated feel.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it is,¡± Juho said. To which, Coin replied, ¡°I¡¯ll make it a goal of mine to expose that mundane life of yours.¡±

    ¡°Mundane? I worked hard to get here.¡±

    ¡°Looking forward to it, you two,¡± the host said. Looking intently at the young author, who was talking to Coin, the audience was anxious to know what the three were talking about.

    ¡°Ready?¡±

    Juho turned his head and looked toward the person to whom the voice belonged. It was the host, who had been hosting the show for over a decade. Juho recalled having seen him on TV, hosting a film festival.

    ¡°Good to go.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem nervous, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m alone.¡±

    At that, the host narrowed his eyes and looked toward Coin, who was standing next to Juho. Coin¡¯s presence wasn¡¯t exactly the mostforting.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing. I¡¯m just really looking forward to this interview.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m bored out of my mind already.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Kelley. You have Mr. Woo here by your side.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like he can make the cameras in front of me disappear.¡±

    ¡°No. There would be even more cameras around with Mr. Woo on set. In fact, that¡¯s exactly what happened.¡±

    Juho listened to the quick exchange of words between Coin and the host, both of whom remained unfazed, as if they were talking casually. As time drew closer to the taping, the host looked toward the young author and said, ¡°We should be starting soon. Break a leg.¡±

    ¡°Likewise.¡±

    Then, the host started the show off with opening remarks in an adjacent set, and the audience responded enthusiastically. Meanwhile, sitting with his legs crossed, Coin looked toward the audience in a manner contrary to his usually defiant attitude. The host had to have known that Coin would still follow through despite his nopliant demeanor, which exined how he was able to joke around with the author earlier. Picking up his mug, Juho drank the liquid that was in it. The lukewarm water going down his throat reminded him of how dry the set felt.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we have two incredible guests joining us tonight!¡±

    At that moment, the band started ying out of nowhere, and the lights started shing. As the host walked over to the set where the two authors were sitting, the atmosphere changed to something that resembled a show. Then, when Juho and Coin appeared within the camera¡¯s frame, the audience erupted into an even louder cheers. When the host covered his ears as if overwhelmed by the volume of audience¡¯s shouts, the cheers started to die down.

    ¡°Kelley Coin and Yun Woo! The dynamic duo of the literary world! It¡¯s a real pleasure to have you both!¡± the host said, staying true to the script. ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯m actually a big fan of detective novels. So, I¡¯ll make sure to find out everything there is to know between you two.¡±

    ¡°Good luck,¡± Coin said with narrowed lips.

    Then, the host looked toward the young author and said, ¡°Wee, Mr. Woo. Thank you so much for joining us tonight. I have so many things I wanna ask that it¡¯s not even funny.¡±

    The audience responded. They would pipe down whenever the host signaled for them, but they also expressed their excitement to their hearts¡¯ content when allowed. Looking toward his fans, who weed him, Juho smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m privileged to be here with Coin as well.¡±

    The host moved on to asking questions without hesitation: how the two came to hear about and meet each other, their pictures, their respective homes, Juho¡¯s spontaneous phone interview, Juho sending Coin to the award ceremonies on his behalf, etc. Coin remained well behaved up to that point. While answering the questions, Juho was reminded of how the public looked at him.

    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t experience anything unusual during childhood?¡±

    ¡°No. It was just as ordinary as the next person,¡± Juho replied.

    The host nodded a few times, asking, ¡°Who¡¯s Kelley Coin to you?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a good colleague.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, why don¡¯t we talk about your rtionship?¡± the host asked, looking at Coin, who crossed his legs in another direction and said, ¡°I don¡¯t find it necessary to make such a big deal out of a casual rtionship.¡±

    ¡°When you say casual rtionship, do you mean that your friendship with Yun Woo needs no description?¡±

    ¡°Now, where did you hear that nonsense?¡± Coin said calmly. At which point, the audienceughed at the funny look that appeared on the host¡¯s face.

    ¡°OK, honestly, I find it really surprising that you two are still friends. You guys are just the opposite of each other in terms of personality and writing styles.¡±

    Then, pointing toward Coin, the host said, ¡°I consider myself a veteran, but whenever Coines out, I always make a reservation to a Thai massage parlor the day before we start shooting. I just get so tense, you know? It¡¯s so bad that my neck looks like this.¡±

    The host pulled his shoulders up, looking like a turtle. Then, he asked the young author, ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of him?¡±

    Meanwhile, Coin sat quietly as the host remained within the line which the producer and the author had agreed to prior to shooting. Looking toward Coin, Juho said, ¡°If I were, I wouldn¡¯t have thought twice about being here. Coin is actually pretty rational, so I don¡¯t really feel like I¡¯m facing a hungry lion or anything like that.¡±

    ¡°Have you two ever gotten into a fist fight?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve known him since I was a teenager. He might be rough around the edges, but he would never go as far as swinging his fist at a minor,¡± Juho said, shaking his head.

    At which point, the host smiled as if he had been joking and looked at Coin cautiously, yet yfully.

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s he like as an author? People tend topare themselves to other people in the same field. OK, you know what? Let¡¯s stay on the positive side for now. What are your favorite books written by each other?¡±

    At that, a mysterious smile appeared on Juho¡¯s face. Meanwhile, Coin looked up into the air and rubbed his temple. Of course, being the seasoned show host that he was, the host didn¡¯t miss the stark contrast in their reactions.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we start with Mr. Woo?¡± the host asked, ncing at his script. It being a question that he had previously been asked, Juho replied willingly, ¡°I¡¯m a fan of Coin¡¯s debut title.¡±

    ¡°Out of all of his books? So, you¡¯re referring to ¡®Witch Hunt,¡¯ right?¡± the host said, his eyes widened. Coin had written roughly forty full-length novels and two hundred short stories. ¡®Witch Hunt¡¯ was considered Coin¡¯s worst book and was often mentioned by people when mocking the author. Looking and talking about the book, people frequentlyforted themselves, reminding themselves that even Kelley Coin had to start somewhere before reaching the position he was in currently.

    ¡°Are you telling the truth, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m dead serious,¡± Juho replied. Unlike the popr perception, ¡®Witch Hunt¡¯ was Juho¡¯s favorite book written by Coin to that day.

    ¡°Did you hear that, Kelley?¡± the host asked, looking toward Coin and genuinely observing his expression that time. It was an unspoken rule to never bring up ¡®Witch Hunt¡¯ in front of Coin. Considering that the book was often associated with his assault charge, it was a rather sensitive matter. Even interviewers tended to avoid mentioning that book at all costs. Yet, Yun Woo had broken that rule with great nonchnce in front of the cameras. ¡®He¡¯s done it!¡¯ the host thought to himself, clenching his hand into a fist in secret while sensing imminent sess.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t heard of that book in a while,¡± Coin said indifferently. At which point, Juho chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s the story of a liar who makes up stories about Santa us and a grand journey. The protagonist understands how harmful words can be, so he does everything he can to avoid hurting others verbally. Personally, I thought it was interesting that people were hurling insults at that book.¡±

    In Juho¡¯s eyes, ¡®Witch Hunt¡¯ was a sess.

    ¡°Prick.¡±

    ¡°So, it seems to me that you two have already talked about this before?¡± the host asked, interjecting. Looking at his vivid eyes, Juho nodded and replied, ¡°Yes. We went to a bookstore together while he was visiting Korea. That¡¯s when it came up.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m happy to see that you¡¯re still alive.¡±

    ¡°I was lucky.¡±

    Then, the host took the opportunity to ask Coin, ¡°Then, what¡¯s your favorite Yun Woo book, Kelley?¡±

    Coin wasn¡¯t smiling when Juho locked eyes with him. He simply looked back at the young author, almost as if ring. Juho waited for his answer patiently, but Coin seemed to already have an answer in mind.

    ¡°Well, anything?¡± the host asked, and Juho sped his hands together anxiously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time asking questions like that.¡±

 Chapter 350 - Bet on Coin and Yun Woo (5)

    <h4>Chapter 350: Bet on Coin and Yun Woo (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time asking questions like that,¡± Coin said emphatically and with dazzling confidence. The host hesitated at the author¡¯s tant refusal to answer the question. Then, a couple of audience members beat the host to it, yelling, ¡°C¡¯mon!¡±

    ¡°Tell us!¡± ady shouted from the audience. After which, a man who appeared to be her friend covered her mouth in a hurry. Although the host calmed them down with a smile, Coin remainedpletely unfazed.

    ¡°Nobody can force me to answer a question. This is not a court.¡±

    At that, Juho covered his mouth, resisting a chuckle. Although it was unfortunate that he wouldn¡¯t find out which one of his books Coin liked the most, Coin was also staying true to himself in the way he had answered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a favorite. He still has a ways to go until I can even consider which one of his books I like the most.¡±

    ¡°Is it because you like them all? Is that why you¡¯re having trouble deciding?¡±

    ¡°I never said that.¡±

    While the host was looking at Coin, trying to think of an angle from which to approach him, Coin said added, ¡°But...¡±

    ¡°But?¡±

    ¡°... Since we¡¯re talking about our debut titles, I do have something to say in that regard.¡±

    ¡°What would that be?¡± Juho asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Whether people love it or hate it, authors tend to have certain elements that they carry from the very beginning of their writing careers. It doesn¡¯t matter what they do to cover it up. They¡¯re bound to show somehow. For example, I¡¯ve written about lies a number of times, and it shows up in other stories that are aboutpletely different things because it has found a way to infuse itself in other areas in my writing. But ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ is... How should I put it? It¡¯s unique.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± the host interjected. At which point, Coin looked at him as though he was asking an obvious question.

    ¡°You people rave about it all the time. Split personality this and that.¡±

    People were referring to the different writing styles Juho possessed. However, Coin had noticed the difference long before everyone else. After some contemtion, an irritated look appeared on Coin¡¯s face.

    ¡°Does that mean you have questions for Yun Woo? From one author to another?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we move on?¡±

    To Juho, ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ was the connecting piece between his past and present. Whether when he had been homeless in the past or after remaining an author in the present, the book had kept its ce. Juho looked at Coin, who was growing increasingly irritable. Soon, the interview moved on to another subject.

    ¡°Frankly, I can¡¯t really remember what things were like before Yun Woo anymore. That¡¯s how big of a presence he is in the literary world. You two are known for being prolific writers, but you, Mr. Woo, just came back from a two-year hiatus.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°I heard you kept writing even after you were discharged from the military?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°And I also heard that you were nning the sequel for quite some time?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go as far as calling it nning, but I did have a vague image in mind.¡±

    ¡°So, this was probably about six years ago.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t actually start writing until I got to Germany.¡±

    ¡°You mean at the bookfair, right? Kelley was on the stage back then.¡±

    ¡°What happened back then waspletely unexpected.¡±

    ¡°You signed a contract with Zara Jenkins, right? I remember jumping up and down when I found out that ¡®Language of God¡¯ was getting made into a movie. As far as I¡¯m aware, you were pretty firm about not doing another film adaptation. What made you want to work with Zara Jenkins?¡±

    At that, Juho answered ording to the script. As the audience listened to him intently and with interest, the screen on the set showed the host dressed like one of the characters from the movie.

    ¡°So, I heard that the three of you got together at one point? As in Kelley, you, and Zara?¡± the host asked Coin, who proceeded to share a few things that had urred while they had been in Germany.

    ¡°When Yun Woo was about to fly back to Korea, I ended up having to send him off somehow. At the same time, there was Jenkins, who was hungover like no other, throwing up left and right. Probably, at least six times on our way to the airport.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you could tell us more about that? Did you all drink together?¡±

    ¡°No, he drank on his own. I didn¡¯t wanna throw up in the ne. If I were to let everyone in on a secret, Mr. Jenkins has a peculiar drinking habit of wanting to squeeze himself into tight spaces when drunk. Of course, that day wasn¡¯t any different, and he seemed to be really fond of the restroom that day. I remember being exhausted from trying to pull him out of there all day.¡±

    Then, the host dug deeper into their time in Germany, from pubs to restaurants, bookstores, libraries, museums, and other tourist attractions. When the conversation started to feel like it was dragging on, the host asked, ¡°So, Kelley, how was it spending two years of your life without Yun Woo?¡±

    To which, Coin replied without hesitation, ¡°It was very good.¡±

    ¡°Did it give you some room to breathe?¡±

    ¡°The world was my oyster back then, but that isn¡¯t to say that his absence affected my life in any way. Yun Woo didn¡¯t have any impact on my life.¡±

    ¡°But there had to be some... OK, I hear you. You wrote a book back then that did really well. I believe it was nonfiction? How did that make you feel, Mr. Woo? Did Coin¡¯s sess make you anxious at all?¡±

    After some contemtion, Juho replied, ¡°A little bit, but he was in apletely different situation from mine, and I wasn¡¯t exactly cking off either. I did like that there were a lot of books around to read.¡±

    ¡°Great! Now, let¡¯s change things up a little, shall we?¡± the host said with a satisfied look on his face. Then, with a silly look on his face, he shoved himself under the desk and pulled out a box.

    ¡°In here, we have different topics that have been chosen by our amazing audience. But, I have to warn you, you might end up with something that makes you ufortable. Say, first love.¡±

    Then, looking toward Juho, the host asked, ¡°Do you have a girlfriend at the moment, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Why not? I¡¯m sure there are plenty ofdies out there who want to date you. So, do you think you can let us in your private life a little bit?¡±

    At that, Juho groaned and shook his head, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but I¡¯m pretty sure that it¡¯ll look nothing like the picture you have in mind.¡±

    ¡°How are they different?¡±

    As Juho zipped his mouth, the host asked no further. Nabi was standing behind the cameras with her arms crossed and an intimidating look on her face.

    ¡°All right. Not a problem. But, should youe across a paper that asks about your private life, there won¡¯t be a way out,¡± the host said, handing the box over to Coin, who reached into it indifferently and pulled out a piece of paper. Upon checking what was written on it, an ambiguous look appeared on the host¡¯s face.

    ¡°OK. Back to the basics. I can appreciate that,¡± he said, flipping the paper around, which read: ¡®The reason why you were born.¡¯

    For the first time since the taping had started, Juho agreed with the host. The audience apuded as if jeering the question.

    ¡°You go first,¡± Coin told Juho. Although he needed more time to think about the question, Juho was left with no choice. In the end, sighing, Juho replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. What do you think? To write?¡±

    Coin sneered at Juho thinking out loud. Since Juho had already expected him to behave that way, he didn¡¯t take it personally.

    ¡°Well, what about you, Kelley? What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Sperm fuses with ovum, leading to fertilization, which then proceeds to grow into a fetus. Birth of a human being.¡±

    ¡°Wow! I thought I was in science ss for a minute there!¡± the host said as if encouraging the author. Knowing that Yun Woo was the only person who wasn¡¯t intimidated by Coin, the host wanted to expose the nature of their rtionship to the fans. The two authors were on equal footing, which meant that they would be able to hold a discussion on an even level.

    ¡°What about making up for my past mistakes?¡± Juho said.

    ¡°That¡¯s not even funny.¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that, Mr. Woo?¡±

    Although Coin had an arrogant look about him, he still seemed to take interest in the young author¡¯s answer to some extent.

    ¡°What? We¡¯re bringing past lives into this, now? Making up for mistakes? That¡¯s what idiots do.¡±

    ¡°Do I sound like one?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you do. Humans go their entire lives doing nothing but making mistakes. As for myself, I¡¯m the prime example of that. My entire life is defined by mistakes. Yet, to say that you were born again just so you could try to make up for that? That¡¯s absurd.¡±

    ¡°Hm,¡± Juho let out. After some contemtion, Juho approached the subject from another angle, ¡°OK. How about this? Not repeating the mistakes I made in the past.¡±

    Coin pouted his lips as if Juho¡¯s answer had improved only slightly.

    ¡°You can do that without being born again.¡±

    ¡°... Sure, assuming that you stay alive,¡± Juho said, adding after looking around at all the cameras, ¡°I guess what I¡¯m trying to say is that I shouldn¡¯t be the one to take my own life.¡±

    After the bizarre conclusion, Coin looked at the host, who asked quickly, ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    ¡°You know, I just don¡¯t like this subject. The reason why I was born? Why would anybody wanna know that?¡± Coin said.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they? Doesn¡¯t everybody think about that at some point? Mostly when their hormones are raging during their teenage years,¡± the host replied.

    ¡°I thought it was an interesting subject,¡± Juho added.

    ¡°Right!?¡±

    ¡°But I also get where Coin¡¯sing from,¡± Juho said, and the host looked toward him. Sitting up on his seat, Juho added, ¡°We¡¯re not objects, after all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡±

    ¡°As in, we¡¯re not born with set values,¡± Juho said, picking up his cup from the table. ¡°Like this cup. It¡¯s made to be used a certain way. But, that¡¯s not so with humans. It¡¯s not that simple for us.¡±

    One¡¯s search for the significance of their birth could also mean that they were searching for their purpose in life. It was simr to looking for warnings or the ingredientbels of products.

    ¡°When we¡¯re lost and confused in life, we all wish that we were born to do one certain thing, like this cup. For example: when we¡¯re deciding on a career path. We also have the ability to adapt to different situations. Say I¡¯m thirsty, but I don¡¯t have a cup on me. In that moment, I would drink out of my hands like I would out of a cup.¡±

    However, at the end of the day, a cup could never be human, not by any circumstance.

    ¡°Actually, Coin talked about something simr in one of his novels,¡± Juho said. That had been why he had expected Coin to sneer at him.

    ¡°What do you know?¡± Coin said in his usual tone of voice.

    ¡°Or not.¡±

    If Juho had been wrong, Coin wouldn¡¯t have bothered to wait for him until he had finished talking. Meanwhile, the host made it so that the two talked to each other more candidly.

    ¡°Are there things that you guys don¡¯t like about each other? Like just now, when you guys didn¡¯t see eye to eye. Why don¡¯t we start with you, Mr. Woo?¡±

    Juho put his brain to work. Meanwhile, Coin red fiercely at him. Then, just as the the silence was about to get ufortable, Juho said, ¡°You need to stop breaking your cups.¡±

    ¡°Cups?¡± Coin and the host asked simultaneously.

    ¡°You see, Coin has a habit of breaking his mugs on a regr basis. I really wish he¡¯d be more careful. I feel really bad for all the mugs that get reced. Whenever I¡¯m at his house, I always see pieces of what used be mugs.¡±

    ¡°Hmph,¡± Coin let out, looking at Juho as though it was none of his concern.

    ¡°Anything else? Do tell more! You¡¯re surrounded by cameras, so you¡¯re safe. Besides, it¡¯s not every day you get to do this.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, we low-key trash talk each other on a regr basis. Though, I¡¯m having a hard time thinking of an example now that I¡¯m actually trying.¡±

    ¡°What about you, Kelley?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand his very existence.¡±

    The host smacked his lips. However, he still had cards left to y, and they were bound to incite the two guests.

    ¡°So, my understanding is that you were both nominated for the Neb Award.¡±

    At the mention of the award, which Juho had been expecting, he sat up on the sofa.

    ¡°And you two have a special connection to that award ceremony. I remember when Coin received the awards on Mr. Woo¡¯s behalf. Are you nning on attending the ceremony yourself this year, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Juho replied. He wasn¡¯t going to send somebody to the ceremony to represent him.

    ¡°Which means you two will be sitting next to each other at the ceremony,¡± the host said, looking delighted.

    ¡°First, I¡¯d like to ask Kelley: What¡¯s it like to have such a young rival? Do you get pressured by it?¡±

    Then, Coin opened his mouth and said...

 Chapter 351 - Bet on Coin and Yun Woo (6)

    <h4>Chapter 351: Bet on Coin and Yun Woo (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Not at all. It doesn¡¯t bother me,¡± Coin said with a sneer, confidently and nonchntly.

    Seeing as the author wasn¡¯t giving the answer that he was looking for, the host urged him even more, ¡°If you don¡¯t end up getting that award, that would mean that you lost to another author, one significantly younger...¡±

    Mouthing words silently, the host pointed in a random direction as if quoting a statement made by another person. While the audience broke out intoughter, Juho remained quiet in his seat.

    ¡°You ever worry about hearing stuff like that?¡±

    ¡°Never,¡± Coin replied briefly.

    Seeing as though he wasn¡¯t falling for it, the host moved on to Juho and asked the same question, ¡°How does it feel to be considered a rival of Kelley Coin?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor, really. I¡¯m well aware of his fame.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any thoughts on the uing award ceremony?¡±

    Juho turned his eyes and looked toward the audience, among which, were eyes sparkling with interest. They seemed to firmly believe that whoever got the trophy was the winner.

    ¡°So, who do you think will get the trophy?¡± the host asked once again. If what the audience thought was right, then the result had already been decided.

    ¡°I think both of us will,¡± Juho said. At which point, the audience jeered at him. However, it didn¡¯t feel like genuine disapproval. Feeling slightly awkward, Juho rubbed the back of his neck.

    ¡°You have to pick one,¡± the host said with his eyes and nostrils widened

    ¡°Why? That¡¯s always possible, though. I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s happened before.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just not the answer I¡¯m looking for.¡±

    After looking at the host¡¯srge mouth, he said, ¡°Then, I¡¯d say Coin.¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    ¡°I was deeply moved by his book.¡±

    ¡°Blech!¡± Coin let out, interrupting Juho¡¯s flow, and added, ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna puke.¡±

    Then, the host chuckled and rephrased his question, making it more provocative, as if leveraging Coin¡¯s attitude, ¡°Then, does that mean you¡¯re not confident that you could beat Coin?¡±

    Rather than taking it personally, Juho picked up his mug and drank from it. Meanwhile, the host waited patiently for his answer.

    ¡°As long as I¡¯m alive, I¡¯m sure the day wille when I can eventually beat him,¡± Juho said, looking straight at the host. Then, upon checking the script and time, the host brought up a certain brand, which was a sponsor of the show.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be back soon! Don¡¯t you go anywhere!¡±

    Then, the taping session came to a pause, and the host¡¯s face became expressionless. Remaining seated on the silent set, Juho looked at the audience, who seemed to be getting a kick out of it all.

    ¡ª

    ¡°All right! Now, let¡¯s begin.¡±

    As Coin red fiercely at therge game board, which had been brought out by the staff during the break, the host quickly exined the rules of the game, which raised the audience¡¯s excitement.

    ¡°If you call one of the numbers you see on the board, I¡¯ll ask you a question that¡¯s consistent with the number you picked. Should you know the answer, all you gotta do is raise your hand.¡±

    While Coin didn¡¯t seem interested in the game whatsoever, Juho replied affirmatively.

    ¡°OK, then! Who¡¯d like to go first?¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Juho said, raising his hand, and Coin also signaled with his chin for Juho to go on.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with number four.¡±

    ¡°Oho-ho! Seems like we¡¯re not off to such a good start,¡± the host said with an ominous smile, which Juho found disconcerting. Then, the host read the question out loud from the script: ¡°List three or more symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no.¡±

    The audience groaned andughed at the same time. Meanwhile, Coin remained calmly in his seat. After looking at him, Juho raised his hand. Although caught off guard initially, the host gave the young author permission to speak.

    ¡°Do you know the answer, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡°Well, then.¡±

    ¡°The leading examples are: hand tremors, insomnia, hyperactive autonomic nervous system, vomiting, anxiety, and seizures.¡±

    At that, the host¡¯s looked through the script with widened eyes and said, ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°How do you know all that?¡± the host asked.

    ¡°I did some research for a book at one point.¡±

    ¡°And how do you know all those words in English?¡±

    ¡°I am Yun Woo, after all,¡± Juho said nonchntly. At which point, Coin gave him a suspicious look.

    ¡°OK. There¡¯s one more question on the same subject. Kelley, I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d participate in this one.¡±

    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t get too giddy.¡±

    At that, a facetious look appeared on the host¡¯s face.

    ¡°The amount one drinks in a day determines whether they¡¯re an alcoholic or not. True or false?¡±

    That time, both Juho and Coin raised their hands. After some contemtion, the host gave Coin the right to speak.

    ¡°The amount doesn¡¯t necessarily make somebody an alcoholic.¡±

    ¡°Correct! Seems like your experience is really shining, Kelley.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just ticked off that this guy beat me to the punch with the first question,¡± Coin said, crossing his legs.

    Looking at Juho, the host asked, ¡°I¡¯m not surprised that Coin knew the answer, but I saw your hand go up too, Mr. Woo. I didn¡¯t think that you¡¯d know! Did you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Though, there¡¯s no way to confirm that now.¡±

    ¡°Not so fast. Would you mind exining the answer to this question?¡± the host asked. Juho remembered every single question the doctors had asked him in the past.

    ¡°Do you not feel drunk even after you had a certain amount of alcohol? Has alcohol ever hindered your performance at work? Meal, or hobby... So, does getting your fix of alcohole before other responsibilities? Does your hand shake? Are there any symptoms of withdrawal?¡±

    ¡°Tolerance, withdrawal,pulsion, and obsession,¡± Coin said, summarizing Juho¡¯s answer. Ambiguous apuse came from the audience. However, the host seemed entertained by the situation.

    ¡°If I knew that these questions would be too easy for you guys, we should¡¯vee up with at least ten questions for every subject.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize we were raising awareness for alcoholism?¡±

    ¡°Of course, not. Let¡¯s move on, shall we?¡±

    From then on, Juho and Coin took turns calling numbers and answered two questions for every subject, which added to ten questions. When Juho counted their respective scores, they each had scored five points.

    ¡°It seems like we have a tie,¡± the host said after checking the questions that were still left.

    ¡°This calls for a tie-breaker!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re on,¡± Coin said, immediately calling out a number. After answering various questions about the Earth, physics, history, arts, and politics, Juho thought about the other subjects that were left. At that moment, the host opened his mouth and said a sentence in a mysteriousnguage. Upon hearing it, Juho sat up as the words triggered thenguage acquisition device within him. It was an ancientnguage.

    ¡°The Rosetta Stone allowed scientists and experts to interpret the hieroglyphs of ancient Egypt. Recently, there¡¯s been news that a simr artifact has been discovered, which enabled linguists to interpret the writtennguages of fifth-century nomadic tribes,¡± the host said. Juho had also heard the news while he had been in the military.

    ¡°How the hell am I supposed to know that?¡± Coin said irritably. At which point, the host raised his hand in order to reassure the author, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s going to be multiple choice. So, which one of these is the proper interpretation of...¡± and repeated the sentence in the same mysteriousnguage.

    ¡°Do you not know this?¡± Coin asked. After a brief thought, Juho replied, ¡°I might¡¯vee across it once while I was doing some research for a book.¡±

    ¡°So, you should know the answer, right?¡±

    ¡®Sure, but...¡¯ Juho hesitated. He couldn¡¯t t out say that he had read an ancient text that had been decoded just recently.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I know this one,¡± the young author said. However, Coin remained suspicious of Juho. Then, the host went through the choices on the answering sheet.

    ¡°A: Steps to performing a ceremony. B: Instructions on training an apprentice. C: Instructions on electing a leader. D: Instructions on raising a warrior.¡±

    After listening carefully, Juho looked up and asked, ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±

    Then, Juho looked at Coin and then at the audience. Nobody seemed to notice anything strange, unlike Juho, who was slightly flustered. None of the four choices were correct, which made the young author think that the real answer might be to deny that the text had ever been decoded.

    ¡°And all the information we¡¯ve been given up to this point was urate?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. We have a staff member who majored in physics back in college. He even went through several essays beforeing up with this question,¡± the host said proudly. However, he seemed to bepletely oblivious that something had gone wrong in the process of formting the question. As Juho clenched his lips tightly, the host asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. It just feels like none of the answers are speaking to me.¡±

    ¡°So, this is pure luck?¡± Coin asked.

    ¡°Luck is a skill too,¡± Juho replied. Looking like he¡¯d had it, Coin made a C with his hand, indicating his choice of answer.

    ¡°So, there¡¯s no hidden answer? Say... None of the above?¡±

    ¡°No. One of these choices is definitely the answer.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Juho said, forcing himself to ept the situation. The true nature of the question was to guess the actual trantion that had been reported by the linguistic circle, which Juho had no clue as to what it was. As Juho was lost in thought, Coin kicked him in the shin, saying, ¡°Get a move on. We¡¯re putting an end to this with the next question.¡±

    ¡°And if I say that there is no answer?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to consider it as forfeiting.¡±

    ¡°And one of those four choices IS the right answer, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the host said, checking the script out of courtesy, but puzzled.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with D, then.¡±

    ¡°D, it is! All right, believe it or not, one of you actually got it right!¡± the host said. Juho stayed in his seat, feeling like aplete idiot. Then, moving his hands in an exaggerated manner, the host announced the winner, ¡°And the answer is... C: Instructions on electing a leader! Kelley Coin wins!¡±

    As Juho apuded Coin, Coin told the host, ¡°Next question.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I told this guy earlier that we would decide who the winner was with the next question. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go,¡± Coin said insistently. Of course, it was a weing change for the staff, and the host epted his demand without question. The audience seemed quite excited about the new development as well. In the end, the final question came up, and after beating Juho to answering it, Coin finally obtained his victory. Juho genuinely congratted his opponent¡¯s victory.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Juho! You need to see this!¡±

    At the sound of Susan¡¯s voice calling to him, Juho opened his eyes. The vi had be a second home to him. Looking at the book in his hand, he assumed that he had dozed off while reading. Getting out of bed, Juho made his way downstairs. Two months had passed since appearing on a certain TV show with Coin, and needless to say, the show had been well received. There had been a review, which had been written by a certain fan in the States, floating around the inte. It had gained enough poprity to make reporters visit Coin at his residence. Of course, Juho¡¯s phone had been constantly hot from ringing nonstop.

    People were quite fond of seeing Yun Woo stand alongside Coin, making the two highly recognizable. Meanwhile, Coin was on the verge of snapping as his life became even more troublesome than before. In order to avoid people who recognized him, he had been refraining from going out.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Juho asked, sitting across from her. When he went downstairs, he saw Susan looking at a newspaper with a serious look on her face. Examining the young author¡¯s face, she asked, ¡°Did you just wake up?¡±

    ¡°Kind of.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t wake you up, did I?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no.¡±

    Nodding haphazardly, she put the newspaper down on the table. At which point, Juho also looked at it. Just from ncing at it, he was able to piece the puzzle together. As he picked up the newspaper slowly, Coin came downstairs and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Seems like a scandal has broken out,¡± Juho said calmly, his eyes fixed on the newspaper.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s nothing new, is it? Let¡¯s see it.¡±

    Fabrication. Fraud. Results. Essay. Research Team.

    ¡°That was one of the questions you solved,¡± Susan said, adding, ¡°There was no answer, apparently.¡±

    The mother and son fixed their eyes on the same spot. Upon reading the article over Juho¡¯s shoulder, Coin grasped the situation almost immediately. His face twisted into a scowl.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a draw!?¡±

    Juho sensed a threatening presence behind him. At which point, he buried his face in the newspaper.

 Chapter 352 - The Showdown (1)

    <h4>Chapter 352: The Showdown (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Damn it,¡± Coin murmured, looking as though he was about to rip the newspaper in front of him in half at any given minute.

    ¡°You were so happy that you beat me,¡± Juho said with a smile. At that moment, Coin raised his hand, catching Juho off guard. However, instead ofnding a blow on the young author¡¯s face, he reached for the newspaper and snatched it from Juho.

    ¡°Easy!¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡±

    Juho sped his hands together. Meanwhile, Coin ripped the part of the newspaper that had the article on it and tossed the rest on the table. It looked like a corpse with all the important organs missing.

    ¡°So, they pulled a fast one on us, huh?¡±

    ¡°It appears so.¡±

    ¡°I knew it,¡± Coin said, retracing his memory. Then, looking at Juho, he asked, ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡±

    ¡°Know what?¡± Juho asked, ying coy.

    ¡°You¡¯re not telling me it was a coincidence, are you?¡±

    ¡°Why, of course, it was!¡±

    Then, the air sank into suffocating silence.

    ¡°Spill it before I put on your videos on TV all day long.¡±

    Susan was also staring intently at the young author, which reminded Juho that Coin really was rted to her.

    ¡°I just... felt like something was wrong,¡± Juho said, putting both of his hands up.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°You see, I tend to be rather sensitive when ites tonguage...¡±

    ¡°Cut the crap and get to the point.¡±

    ¡°I just got the feeling that there was no right answer.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s that supposed to be like?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to put into words.¡±

    ¡°What? Would you rather write me a paper on it?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve already done that. In ¡®Language of God,¡¯¡± Juho said, unintimidated. Looking disgusted, Coin asked, ¡°What are you? A linguist?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±

    ¡°Then, what the hell is this about?¡± Coin asked, scanning Juho with piercing eyes, as if looking at a freak of nature. Shrugging, Juho replied, ¡°Well, they figured out the trick, so it couldn¡¯t have been anything too borate. Which could also mean that I wasn¡¯t the only one who felt like something was wrong.¡±

    Looking intently at Juho, Susan said, ¡°Well, who would¡¯ve thought?! I¡¯m intrigued.¡±

    Theck of inflection in her tone made it difficult to make out whether she was being genuine or not.

    ¡°Intriguing, indeed.¡±

    At that moment, Juho¡¯s phone lit up. It was a text from Korea. More specifically, from Mideum, who was scrutinizing the young author if he really had been part of the research team that interpreted the ancient text. Upon seeing it, Juho couldn¡¯t help butugh. Although the detective writer was correct to assume that Juho already knew the answer, there were simply too many ws in her allegation. With that, Juho wrote her a reply: ¡®d you¡¯re an author and not a detective.¡¯ At that moment, the screen changed as a call came in from Jenkins. When Juho looked at Susan, she made a signal for him to answer the phone.

    Upon bringing the phone up to his ear, the director¡¯s flippant voice came from the receiver, ¡°How¡¯d you know!?¡±

    ¡°Know what?¡±

    ¡°That there was no answer!¡± Jenkins asked. Then, he added before Juho even had time to answer, ¡°You already knew thatnguage, didn¡¯t you? You said you¡¯d seen it before. Maybe you interpreted it before the linguists?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just silly,¡± Juho said in a dyed response.

    ¡°Then, what is it?! Don¡¯t you give me an excuse by saying that it was because you¡¯re Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°But I am.¡±

    ¡°Lies! Tell me! Before Ie over and shake it out of you!¡±

    Looking at Coin, who was also looking in Juho¡¯s direction, Juho replied, ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like Coin, there. You gotta trust me.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°What did you say, punk?¡± Coin asked.

    ¡°I gotta go. I¡¯m going out for a walk.¡±

    ¡°You stop right there!¡± Coin shouted as Juho sprung up from his seat in a hurry. Following Juho with his eyes and a furrowed brow, Coin redirected his attention to the newspaper as Juho went upstairs. At the same time, Susan¡¯s eyes darted back and forth between her son and the newspaper before she went into her room. Then, as Juho came back downstairs and was about to leave, Coin said to the young author, ¡°I felt something my ass! It was just some nobody who decided to drop the bomb because they didn¡¯t get their paycheck!¡±

    After all, money had been at the center of that scandal. By the time Coin tried to grab Juho, Juho was already outside. Clicking his tongue irritably, Coin crumpled the newspaper up.

    ¡°You just wait,¡± Coin said, determined to get to the bottom of the young author¡¯s mysterious ability, which Coin himself didn¡¯t possess.

    ¡ª

    ¡®The Essay Proven to Be Fake? How¡¯s Yun Woo Associated?¡¯

    ¡®Did Yun Woo Already Know? A Head-Scratching Episode.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s True Language Skill? ¡®Language of God¡¯ Rising to Poprity All Over Again. The Process of Creating a Whole New Language?¡¯

    ¡®¡±It¡¯s a Draw.¡± The Showdown Between Coin and Yun Woo Ends in a Draw. Video Included.¡¯

    ¡ª

    ¡®The Neb Award Ceremony is Right Around the Corner! Will the Two Leading Nominees Turn Up at the Ceremony?¡¯

    ¡®This Year¡¯s Ceremony Said to Take ce in Chicago, Illinois.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Second Go at the Award with ¡®Language of God.¡±

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s First Appearance at the Ceremony? Will the Young Author Turn Up?¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo Reported to Be in Korea? ¡°He¡¯s Not Attending the Ceremony.¡± Rumors re Up.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo Appearing at the Ceremony Alongside Coin. Who Will Be the Winner? Both Authors Said to be Nominated for the Full-Length Category. Kings, the Legend of the American Literary Industry Said to Present the Awards This Year.¡¯

    ¡®A Chinese Author Said to Be at This Year¡¯s Ceremony. A New Asian Invasion?¡¯

    ¡®Who Will Get That Trophy? Find Out on April Sixteenth!¡¯

    ¡®The Possibility of Yun Woo Winning the Neb ording to Reporters.¡¯

    ¡®Who¡¯s the Author Competing with Yun Woo? Possibility of Yun Woo Winning the Award?¡¯

    ¡®The Significance of the Literary Award. A Closer Look at Its Half-Century History. Who Are the Judges? The Origin Story? What Makes Yun Woo so Impressive?¡¯

    ¡®The ck and White of the Literary Award. What Were Some of the Scandals That Broke Out in the Past? How Is It Still Prominent? Yun Woo¡¯s Presence Raises Fan¡¯s Awareness of the Award.¡¯

    ¡®Why We Shouldn¡¯t be Quick to Criticize Yun Woo Even If He Doesn¡¯t Win. The Ratio of the Past Winners.¡¯

    ¡ª

    ¡°Who¡¯ll win? Coin Or Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo, for sure. Even Coin can¡¯t stand up to the sequel.¡±

    ¡°Coin¡¯s book is doing really well, though. I thought it was actually really good. It reminded me of why he¡¯s at the top.¡±

    ¡°Who has the advantage? I¡¯m rooting for Yun Woo, personally.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Coin has the upper hand since the ceremony is taking ce in his home country. All the judges are English speakers too.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you know Coin as well as you think, my friend. There¡¯s a rumor circting that he¡¯s gotten on the bad side of some important people in the literary world.¡±

    ¡°In terms of skills, though, I think this is gonna be a close match.¡±

    ¡°If we¡¯re speaking experience, Coin. All the way.¡±

    ¡°But look at Yun Woo¡¯s achievements, though. They surpass Coin by a margin.¡±

    ¡°Coin has fans all across the globe. In terms of cumtive figures, Yun Woo still has a lot of catching up to do.¡±

    ¡°Really? You¡¯re bringing numbers into this?¡±

    ¡°Just look at the difference in their experiences. Numbers don¡¯te up for no reason. I think it¡¯s fairer to judge between all other nominated books.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo, for sure. Nobody can possibly think otherwise after reading the new ¡®Language of God.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Somebody hasn¡¯t read Coin¡¯s new book.¡±

    ¡°I read both, but I¡¯m still on Team Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Comparing the two is tons of fun. Their personalities are pr opposites, and so are their writing styles. I just can¡¯t tell who¡¯s better, though. I think they both have something that¡¯s unique to their own.¡±

    ¡°What will the judges think?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? I think people are split over who¡¯s going to win. Even in American websites.¡±

    ¡°With the kinds of books they wrote, they both deserve to get that trophy!¡±

    ¡°They both qualify, for sure.¡±

    ¡°Well, somebody¡¯s gotta win, though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just how awards work. They¡¯re both leading nominees for a reason.¡±

    ¡°People are debating over this all over the inte.¡±

    ¡°My friends and I are cing bets, too. Who¡¯ll win?¡±

    ¡°Whoever does, I hope they announce it soon. Are they gonna go on TV again anytime soon?¡±

    ¡°I was so intrigued by Yun Woo! I thought he was joking when he kept saying that there was no right answer. And two monthster... Bam!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still in awe about that! I don¡¯t know if it has to do with hisnguage skills, but I have a feeling that his brain¡¯s developed to an unusual capacity.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of author that wrote ¡®Language of God.¡¯ If Yun Woo doesn¡¯t get it, then who would?¡±

    ¡°Coin is definitely a formidable opponent, though.¡±

    ¡°I find it hrious that Yun Woo¡¯s staying over at Coin¡¯s ce. I wonder if they talk to each other and stuff.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯lle out on top?¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Uh... That¡¯s mine.¡±

    ¡°We share this refrigerator. What¡¯s the point in distinguishing who drinks what?¡±

    ¡°You already had yours,¡± Juho said, smacking his lips as Coin robbed him of his drink right before his eyes and just before leaving for Chicago.

    ¡°I bought you a new suit.¡±

    ¡°You do know that you¡¯ve been using that as an excuse for a week now, right? It¡¯s not like I only buy those drinks for myself, and you can¡¯t even leave one for me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for the suit.¡±

    ¡°I should¡¯ve known better,¡± Juho said, sighing and drinking regr water instead. Coin had bought him a new suit to wear to the ceremony, calling it a ¡°gift.¡± However, it turned out that it came with all sorts of unspoken conditions, which reminded the young author that nothing was free in life.

    ¡°Are you guys leaving now?¡± Susan asked as she came out of her room. Although it was the day of the ceremony, neither Coin nor Juho seemed nervous.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°All right. Have fun, you two.¡±

    After greeting Susan in turn, the two authors went out the door and got in the car. Upon getting in, Juho nced toward the back seat. Of course, the blood-red cover was nowhere to be seen. Then, as Coin got into the driver¡¯s seat and put the seatbelt on, Juho asked, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible to share an award?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. As far as I¡¯m aware, it happened once sometime in the sixties.¡±

    ¡°Sixties, huh,¡± Juho said, chuckling.

    ¡°Which means, I¡¯ll probably end up winning,¡± Coin added calmly.

    Whenever Coin spoke, Juho got a whiff of the drink Coin had taken away from him. Feeling slightly bothered, Juho rolled down the window, and the car started moving forward gently. Neither of them said anything. Then, by the time the cornfield appeared in front of their eyes, a phone started ringing.

    ¡°Your phone¡¯s ringing,¡± Juho said, looking at Coin¡¯s phone.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Kings?¡± Juho said, reading the name on the screen out loud and turning to Coin, wondering if it was the same Kings he was thinking about. Clicking his tongue irritably, Coin signaled for Juho to answer the phone. At which point, Juho put the phone on speaker.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Coin asked, sounding annoyed for no apparent reason.

    ¡°I¡¯m just calling to check in.¡±

    Juho recognized the voiceing from the receiver of the phone, which made him realize that it really was the same person he had had in mind.

    ¡°You¡¯re calling to check in? You¡¯ll see me at the hotel whether you want to or not.¡±

    ¡°Well, knowing your tendencies, I had to be sure,¡± Kings said, and Juho nodded. As Coin grumbled annoyedly, Kings chuckled.

    ¡°Is Yun Woo with you?¡±

    ¡°Who wants to know?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here,¡± Juho replied. After ncing over at him, Coin clenched his lips.

    ¡°Well, pleasure to talk to you! I was sad that we couldn¡¯t meetst time.¡±

    ¡°Likewise. It just kind of happened.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet this time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it, Mr. Kings.¡±

    ¡°Take care of Coin, will ya?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    At that moment, the phone grew silent. As Juho stared dazedly at the device, Kings said all of a sudden, ¡°Enjoy it while itsts.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Juho asked as the formless voice lingered in the car like a ghost.

    ¡°Seems like something big is about to happen this year.¡±

    Juho looked toward Coin, assuming that he would know what Kings was referring to. However, Coin was also furrowing his brow, looking just as confused.

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? What did you hear?¡±

    ¡°I hear all sorts of things on a daily basis. Though, I¡¯m sure you two will be fine. Well, I¡¯ll see you two in Chicago. Seems like you¡¯re on the road, so I¡¯ll let you go,¡± Kings said, hanging up the phone.

    ¡°Hello? Ugh! I swear. The old man hangs up on me every time,¡¯ Coin murmured. He remained himself even when talking to a legendary writer. Meanwhile, Juho looked out the window. The car was moving faster than before, and Juho was anxious to reunite with the people he was supposed to see in Chicago.

 Chapter 353 - The Showdown (2)

    <h4>Chapter 353: The Showdown (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Mr. Woo.¡±

    Upon reuniting with Nabi, Jang Mi, and Dong Baek in the hotel lobby, Juho greeted each person. There were also other publishing agents, who were apanying them, there.

    ¡°It sure feels different with you around, Mr. Woo,¡± Nabi said, nodding, and Juho chuckled awkwardly. She had been to the award ceremonies that Coin had attended as Juho¡¯s representative. The interior of the hotel was decorated mostly in gold, including the walls, furniture, and the fabrics, which gave it a luxurious look.

    ¡°It¡¯s already getting crowded around here.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy,¡± Juho said, looking around. Then, Coin sneered at him, saying, ¡°Mind blown?¡±

    ¡°Yep. It¡¯s my first time here. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a feeling that you¡¯ve long forgotten.¡±

    ¡°You make it sound like I¡¯ve been around too long.¡±

    ¡°Whoever said anything like that?¡±

    Juho kept looking around the hotel. Isabe was already interacting with other people, which included Nabi. They seemed to be introducing each other to other people.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m gonna go rx,¡± Coin said out of nowhere, walking off on his own. His professional acquaintances, who were attending the ceremony with him, followed the author.

    Standing in his ce, Juho asked Jang Mi, who was standing next to him, ¡°Can I go up to my room too?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but you might as well try talking to a person or two while you¡¯re here. It¡¯ll be a good experience.¡±

    After staring at an elevator, which was already on its way up, Juho turned around upon hearing Nabi, who was talking to a group of people, calling for him.

    ¡°Ah! Mr. Woo!¡± somebody said, greeting the young author dly. Every single person in the group was a department manager or in higher within their respectivepanies. As Juho approached, Isabe stepped aside to let Juho through. Everyone looked at him with friendly eyes.

    ¡°I loved your new book! It was superb!¡±

    Juho thanked them.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± a person standing next to Nabi asked. The long eyess chain stood out quite a bit.

    ¡°How do I feel?¡± Juho asked, looking at the man¡¯s chain, which moved with him.

    ¡°This is your first time at an award ceremony, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯m still getting used to it.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? It didn¡¯t seem like it! Have you been to Chicago before?¡±

    ¡°No, this is also my first time in Chicago.¡±

    ¡°You know, Mr. Woo, I stayed up all nightst night because I was that nervous,¡± the man said, impressed.

    ¡°Howe?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Why? Because this is the ceremony for the Neb Award, of course! It¡¯s the moment of truth, if you will. It¡¯s one of thergest, most prominent literary awards in the world. Personally, I¡¯m looking forward to a book getting the recognition it deserves, so I always attend these ceremonies with a thumping heart.¡±

    Juho nodded haphazardly, pretending to understand him.

    ¡°Besides, there¡¯s something special about this year¡¯s ceremony,¡± the man with sses said with a big smile, his eyes fixed on one particr person.

    ¡°The showdown between you and Coin is finally happening!¡±

    At the mention of the showdown, everyone else chimed in, as if they had been waiting for someone to bring it up first.

    ¡°It¡¯s the highlight of the ceremony, really.¡±

    ¡°I heard the Authors¡¯ Association found themselves in a sticky situation. They are quite conscious of the press, after all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been so curious as to who will win! Whoever it is, I¡¯m ready to apud them at a moment¡¯s notice,¡± somebody, who introduced himself as a former editor, said, adding that the author he had worked with in the past was not a high-ranking official in the Authors¡¯ Association.

    ¡°I saw you two walk into the lobby together. Did you guyse together?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we did.¡±

    ¡°If I were in your shoes, I would be much too scared to be in the same car as him.¡±

    ¡°Are you ready to win?¡±

    Juho remembered Coin, who had walked off to his hotel room. It was very Coin-like not to give Juho a single warning ahead of time. Feeling people¡¯s gazes, Juho replied, ¡°What about you guys?¡± avoiding answering a difficult question by replying with another question.

    ¡°Who do you think has more potential to win?¡± Juho asked, assuming that they had already ced bets by that point. ¡°You all seem to have sharp eyes. So, who do you think will win?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not in a position to make that guess, really.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ve read both of our books, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    As they shook their heads, Juho added light-heartedly, ¡°That¡¯s exactly how I¡¯m feeling.¡±

    ¡°I see. That gives us an idea.¡±

    They broke out intoughter, lightening the atmosphere.

    ¡°You should consider working with us next time, Mr. Woo,¡± a balding man said, reaching his hand to the young author for a handshake. Juho saw the high-end watch on the man¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to, as long I get the opportunity,¡± Juho replied politely. At which point, the manughed out loud as if having heard a good joke. His demeanor exuded confidence.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure finding an opportunity is rarely a challenge for you, Mr. Woo. You are the Great Storyteller, after all.¡±

    After staring intently at his watch, Juho replied, ¡°You have a point there. Then, I¡¯ll contact you when I feel like it.¡±

    At that moment, Nabi subtly plugged herself into the conversation by asking, ¡°You worked with Mr. Kings at one point, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Several times, in fact,¡± the man replied, proceeding to list the different products from hispany, as well as thepany¡¯s philosophy on books. From his description alone, thepany sounded as though there were no other publishingpanies in the world that could stand up to it. Wondering where the man¡¯s confidence came from, Juho darted back and forth between the man¡¯srge forehead and his luxurious watch. At that moment...

    ¡°Mr. Woo?¡±

    Dong Baek called for the young author.

    ¡°Would you excuse me?¡± Juho said to the group of people he had been talking to. After staring intently at the man with the luxurious watch, Juho said, ¡°It was a pleasure talking to you, sir.¡±

    ¡°Likewise. I sincerely hope we run into each other again.¡±

    ¡°Should we run into each other again in the hotel, don¡¯t hesitate to talk to me,¡± Juho said and turned around without hesitation, following Dong Baek down the hallway.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Juho asked.

    Taking a deep breath, Dong Baek murmured, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because you were in the military or because you spent too much time around Coin...¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve be quite bold and unreserved, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I was out of line,¡± Juho said indifferently.

    ¡°Good to know that you were aware of your boundaries. I was on my toes the entire time.¡±

    ¡°You were waiting for the right time to call me, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You caught me.¡±

    Dong Baek seemed to be under the impression that the young author had been about to get himself into some sort of trouble should he have kept talking to those people any longer. Nevertheless, Juho still appreciated Dong Baek for getting him out of the conversation.

    ¡°Would you excuse me?¡± Juho said, making his way up to his room. When he went over to Coin¡¯s room, he discovered that Coin wasn¡¯t there. Finding it boring to stay in his room and not do anything, Juho decided to go out for a walk around the hotel, which was when he ran into Coin.

    ¡°There you are! Isabe was looking for you,¡± Juho said. However, Coin remained silent, walking away from the hotel. After looking back and realizing that there was a camera aimed at them on the other side of the street, Juho followed him. Coin walked quite a distance away from the hotel before stopping at a kebab truck.

    ¡°One kebab,¡± Coin said.

    Without saying anything, Juho observed him. ¡®What¡¯s he thinking getting a kebab before the ceremony?¡¯

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°... Uh, the basic.¡±

    ¡°What sauce?¡±

    ¡°Same as yours.¡±

    In no time, the owner of the food truck whipped up two kebabs for the two authors and handed it to them. He was so fast that it was hard to tell whether he was making the food haphazardly or simply skillfully. Taking the kebab from the owner, Juho brought it up to his mouth inadvertently. The two authors ate quietly. Although the kebab was nd in the parts that didn¡¯t have any sauce, it didn¡¯t taste all that bad. When Juho looked in Coin¡¯s direction, he thought he was quite skilled at eating kebabs, seeing as he hadn¡¯t dropped anything. Leaning against a wall dazedly, Juho asked, ¡°What do you think people will make of us eating kebabs on the street together?¡±

    ¡°That we¡¯re hungry.¡±

    ¡°What about the reporters?¡±

    ¡°Who gives?¡± Coin replied.

    Licking a piece of lettuce off his lip, Juho said, ¡°Thanks for leaving me with strangers on my own. I had a great time getting to know them.¡±

    ¡°And I got plenty of rest.¡±

    At that moment, the owner of the food truck locked up the truck and put up a sign that read: ¡®Closed,¡¯ leaving only Coin and Juho on the street.

    ¡°Do you like kebabs?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then, whye all the way here?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°What kind of fancy reason do you need to get a kebab? Because I was hungry!¡±

    At that moment...

    ¡°Is that Yun Woo?¡±

    Juho heard a voice that didn¡¯t belong to him. When Juho looked up, sensing trouble, he saw two men in suits, each withnyards hanging from their necks.

    ¡°AND Kelley Coin?!¡±

    ¡°Good job attracting the reporters all on your own,¡± Coin said, ming the young author and shoving what was left of the kebab into his mouth. However, having more than half of a kebab still uneaten, Juho stood in his ce.

    ¡°Long time no see, Kelley.¡±

    ¡°Ditto,¡± Coin said, shaking hands with one of them.

    ¡°David. Pleasure to meet you,¡± one of the men with anyard said, adding the name of thepany he worked for, one which Juho had also heard of. It was a presspany that mostly handled heavier subjects, such aswsuits and investigations. It made sense that they would know Coin.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡± Coin asked.

    ¡°Why, I¡¯m here for the award ceremony, of course. I¡¯m actually writing a book at the moment. Could you rmend me a publishingpany?¡±

    ¡°How the hell should I know?¡±

    Laughing cheerfully, David looked toward the young author and asked, ¡°If I were to go to Korea, would you show me to a good publishingpany, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Sure, as long as you get there.¡±

    ¡°The thing is, I¡¯m not a linguistic genius like you, which would make things slightly more difficult on my end,¡± David said. Although it was their first time meeting, he seemed to be quite friendly in his attitude with Juho.

    Biting into his kebab, Juho asked, ¡°OK, let¡¯s be honest. How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I follow?¡±

    ¡°You know... ¡®There is no right answer,¡¯¡± Juho rified.

    ¡°It was just a coincidence,¡± David said, smiling, which Juho found rather convincing.

    ¡°So, Yun Woo¡¯s a coincidence. How clever.¡±

    ¡°Are you up to something fishy?¡± Coin asked, observing David intently. Waving his hands in denial, David said, ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t dare get in between you two.¡±

    However, staring intently and quietly at the reporter, Coin remained suspicious of David.

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to cover the ceremony, so don¡¯t you worry. ¡±

    ¡°Then, don¡¯t let me get in your way,¡± Coin said bitterly, moving aside.

    At which point, scratching his head, David said, ¡°But now that I saw you two eating kebabs together, I don¡¯t know if I can just go on my way as if I hadn¡¯t seen anything. As far as I can tell, you two aren¡¯t even that close. You guys dopare yourselves to each other, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to get at?¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that people who want to see you twopeting against each other aren¡¯t necessarily stupid. Which, I might add, makes them even scarier,¡± David said.

    There was a set of emotions that were bound toe withparing oneself to another.

    ¡°It¡¯s not everyday that you have kebabs with someone you¡¯repeting against. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to know more about this mysterious rtionship between you two,¡± David said.

    With a tant look of disdain, Coin pointed toward a certain direction with his chin and said, ¡°Get lost.¡±

    Despite the author¡¯s hostile attitude, David shoved his hands into his pockets, whistling.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be enjoying my time here. As for the winner between you two, my sincere congrattions to you.¡±

    Looking at David disappearing into the distance, Juho reminded himself to make sure to avoid getting interviewed by him in the future.

 Chapter 354 - The Showdown (3)

    <h4>Chapter 354: The Showdown (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I feel kind of bad that we didn¡¯t bring anybody else out with us to eat,¡± Juho said on his way into the hotel.

    ¡°They can take care of themselves,¡± Coin added, snorting.

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised. People tend to hold grudges, especially when there¡¯s food involved.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a kebab.¡±

    Shrugging, Juho went into the hotel with Coin. Upon entering the lobby, they ran into Isabe, who was waiting for them.

    ¡°I can see that you took your time,¡± she said.

    ¡°We¡¯re notte.¡±

    ¡°Do me a favor, Kelley. Do NOT bete for the ceremony.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±

    Standing behind Coin, Juho wiped his mouth to make sure that it was clean. After ncing at Coin, Isabe asked, ¡°Did you guys eat something?¡±

    ¡®How did she know?¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°Kebabs,¡± Coin said, and a dumbfounded look appeared on the editor¡¯s face. She seemed to be bbergasted that Coin would go out for a kebab just before an award ceremony that was taking ce at a five-star hotel. Looking toward Juho, she asked, ¡°You too, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°We were gonna bring you some, but the truck left us before we had the chance.¡±

    Isabeughed cheerfully at the young author¡¯s reply, which was something Coin would never say. Seeing as she was alone, Juho asked, ¡°Where are the others?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯reing. Ah! There they are.¡±

    Juho saw Jang Mi walking toward them with Nabi and Dong Baek in the distance. However, something didn¡¯t seem right. They all looked somewhat tense. To be more precise, they all looked quite serious. When Juho saw that there was another person walking toward him with the three, the look on their faces started to make sense. Recognizing the person, Juho poked Coin on the side. Although appearing irritated initially, Coin hesitated upon recognizing the certain person in the distance.

    ¡°It¡¯s that old man,¡± Coin said, clicking his tongue irritably.

    ¡°Mr. Kings,¡± Isabe murmured. Kings was attending the ceremony as the presenter of the award. Meanwhile, spotting Juho in the distance, Nabi let out a sigh of relief. As the four drew closer, Juho stared at Kings dazedly.

    ¡°There you are.¡±

    Kings seemed much more clear-cut than in the picture in his books. Juho had only seen pictures of him while the author had been on trips. Seeing him in his suit in an urban setting made Kings seem more like a businessman than an author. It was astonishing how much impact the surrounding environment had on a person¡¯s appearance. Then, Juho became curious as to how he would appear to Kings.

    ¡°We finally meet, Mr. Woo,¡± Kings said, initiating a handshake. Juho grabbed his hand by reflex. Kings had quite a grip. ¡°My, you¡¯re even better looking in person!¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I enjoyed your new book.¡±

    Juho had had conversations simr to that a number of times by that point. However, now that he was talking to another author, it felt like apletely different conversation.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem nervous at all, Mr. Woo,¡± Kings said, and Juho smiled for no apparent reason. Kings seemed to know what had happened between Juho and Coin prior to the ceremony.

    ¡°I believe you and Coin reached a consensus a while ago?¡±

    As Juho stared at him quietly, Kings added, standing straight, ¡°I also happen to have a simr experience. What really matters, though, is in the heart, don¡¯t you agree? The moment I read my opponent¡¯s work, that¡¯s when I realized that I¡¯d lost.¡±

    ¡°And who did you lose to?¡± Juho asked.

    As Kings smiled at the young author¡¯s question, Coin burst intoughter, holding his side.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid there are too many to name,¡± Kings said. Then, stepping back, he asked Coin, ¡°How¡¯ve you been, Coin?¡±

    ¡°How many times is that now?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that I have a feeling that you¡¯ll get yourself into some serious trouble one of these days. So, I might as well hear you say that you¡¯re well while I still can.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s riching from you. You do realize that you don¡¯t have much time left on this, right?¡±

    At that moment, Isabe pinched Coin in the back. Despite Coin¡¯s remark being extremely rude, Kings didn¡¯t seem to take offense to it whatsoever. It was almost as if he were used to it.

    ¡°Your recent work was quite interesting,¡± Kings said.

    ¡°I write nothing but interesting books.¡±

    ¡°Sure, assuming that you don¡¯t include your debut title.¡±

    As Coin¡¯s face twisted into a scowl, Kings reverted back to the subject he had been meaning to talk about all along, ¡°You know, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about your book when I came here.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Why? What do you mean why? Oh, is it because Yun Woo¡¯s here?¡±

    ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡±

    Then, narrowing his eyes, Kings asked, ¡°Do you know anything about jealousy?¡±

    Although the author was looking toward Coin, Juho realized that the question wasn¡¯t directed to the same person. After a brief pause, Juho replied, ¡°It¡¯s when you¡¯re envious of another person.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how many people I met today that were feeling that way?¡±

    Instead of giving an answer, Juho looked around. There were pockets of people spread about the lobby, talking casually with one another, enjoying the moment. However, Juho had a strange feeling that all of them weren¡¯t being entirely genuine. Perhaps, it was the gold interior of the lobby. People ying mind games with each other with piles of gold before their eyes, scheming to take it all for themselves.

    ¡°Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Envy and jealousy might have a lot inmon, but they¡¯re inherently different,¡± King said emphatically, looking at Juho now and observing him with eyes filled with interest.

    ¡°When do you think one experiences those two emotions?¡±

    ¡°Mostly when another person has something that they don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Such as...nguage skills?¡±

    ¡°Geniuses often tend to be the target of those two emotions,¡± Juho replied, remaining unfazed.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been in that position yourself, right?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to get at, old man?¡± Coin said annoyedly, and Kings replied, ¡°It was Cain¡¯s jealousy that killed Abel.¡±

    Mankind¡¯s first murder was the result of jealousy, and Coin¡¯s new book tantly exposed that. At that moment, Juho locked eyes with Coin.

    ¡°So, what? Are you begging him to be jealous of you? Are you that desperate for younger friends?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. Don¡¯t get me wrong. I was just wondering if any of that applied to your rtionship. You two are close, aren¡¯t you? The closer you are to someone, the stronger your feelings tend to be.¡±

    Whether it was envy or jealousy, one had to know the other first, and Coin and Juho knew each other quite well. Kings kept on, ¡°You ever thought to yourself that you could let go of your fear of defeat if you could just get that trophy? You ever thought about that?¡±

    What if not winning the trophy rendered one¡¯s sense of victory meaningless?

    The excitement in the air was more than enough to stir up such questions. The air sank into silence as the three authors observed each other quietly. They knew each other¡¯s writing. They knew each other¡¯s preferred subjects and the style with which they depicted characters. At that moment...

    ¡°No,¡± Juho said unhurriedly.

    ¡°No?¡± Kings said, his cheek twitching ever so slightly as if caught off guard by the younger author¡¯s answer.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Juho rified.

    Isabe looked toward the young author with widened eyes, and Dong Baek, Jang Mi, and Nabi looked at each other as if wondering if they should intervene. Without hesitation, Juho added, ¡°I don¡¯t intend to ignore anything or act as though nothing happened. Coin and I made our decision beforeing here through a game of heads or tails.¡±

    ¡°Heads or tails?¡±

    Both Yun Woo and Coin hade willingly to the hotel filled with golden glory. There was no reason to be swayed by anybody else, and Kings waspletely oblivious to that. At that moment, Juho heard people around him whisper to each other, ncing in his direction. They had to be wondering what Kings, Coin, and Yun Woo were talking about. Seeing Juho standing there awkwardly, Kings let out a heartyughter.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯m d to hear that. I was just worried that you two might get overlypetitive over the award. I can see that the younger generation these days has really wisened up! They¡¯re smart.¡±

    ¡®Right...¡¯ Juho murmured internally. Then, Kings pulled his sleeve up slightly and checked the time on his watch, which seemed like a thing hikers would find useful when stranded.

    ¡°Well, I better get going. I don¡¯t know which one of you will end up on stage, but I¡¯ll see youter.¡±

    With that, Kings walked down the golden hallway without hesitation, and Juho stared at him fading into the distance. Nobody dared to speak up. While Nabi seemed exhausted, Isabe seemed to be lost in thought.

    ¡°Have you wanted to kill me, by any chance?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Took you long enough to realize that,¡± Coin said in a serious tone.

    ¡°What about the award?¡±

    ¡°How many times do I have to repeat myself? It¡¯s mine. Period.¡±

    At that, Juho clenched his hands into fists. Coin had something that he didn¡¯t.

    ¡°You¡¯re probably gonna be writing for a while, right?¡±

    ¡°Duh,¡± Coin replied without hesitation. Just like he had said, Juho knew that Coin would live out that answer.

    ¡°Which means you¡¯ll have plenty of opportunities to win awards.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Coin said, snorting like usual.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not saying that I¡¯m gonna do anything about it.¡±

    Then, Juho asked to be excused to his room, leaving only Coin and Isabe. Looking toward the elevator going up, Coin clicked his tongue and said, ¡°That prick.¡±

    ¡°Are you envious of Yun Woo?¡± Isabe asked.

    ¡°Pff. What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Coin said, breathing unhurriedly and adding, ¡°I clearly have the upperhand,¡± and walked down the hallway.

    ¡°So, they didpare themselves to each other at one point,¡± Isabe murmured. The two authors shared a truly unique rtionship, and the fact that they would go out for a kebab together only entuated that further.

    ¡ª

    Juho saw a trophy shining in the spotlight.

    ¡°It is truly an honor,¡± somebody said on stage, sounding emotional. The audience was looking intently at the author who was delivering the speech. Sitting with five other authors, one of which was yet to be known in Korea, Juho¡¯s table was right toward the center, neither too close nor too far from the stage. Juho looked around the hall, which was also covered in gold, much like the lobby. Although the stage was quite dark around the spotlight, it still shone brightly.

    ¡°I would like to think of this award as a reminder to push myself even harder,¡± the winning author on stage said. Although Juho hadn¡¯t read his book, the young author fully intended on apuding him on his way down from the stage. Seeing as the author on stage was genuinely happy about winning, Juho also felt happy for him.

    Drinking the water in the winess in front of him, Juho looked toward Nabi, who made an ¡®X¡¯ with her fingers. Coin hadn¡¯t arrived yet. ¡®What is he up to? Sleeping? Lost? Did he get into an ident? Maybe he ran off?¡¯ Juho thought to himself.

    ¡°All right. We¡¯ll move on to the next nominee.¡±

    ¡®What if he really did run off in search of his own path, away from me or the award?¡¯ Juho thought. If what he had thought was true, then Juho would fully support Coin¡¯s journey. There were countless other things that were more important than a mere award. At that moment...

    ¡°Why are these people in such a hurry?¡±

    Juho heard a door open. Even without looking back, it was obvious who it was: Kelley Coin. As he walked unhurriedly toward Juho¡¯s table and sat next to the young author, some let out a sigh, while others clicked their tongues bitterly or red at him piercingly. Then, with an awkward tension in the air, the person on stage resumed hosting the ceremony.

    ¡°I was starting to think that you¡¯d run off,¡± Juho whispered.

    ¡°Dramatic much?¡±

    Holding back hisughter desperately, Juho handed Coin a cup of water. Coin took it withoutint and drank from it.

    ¡°What were you doing?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡±

    ¡°Zip it.¡±

    Seeing as Coin was getting dangerously close to chucking the cup at him, Juho stopped pestering him. At that moment...

    ¡°Good evening,dies and gentlemen.¡±

    A familiar voice came from the stage. When Juho looked toward it inadvertently, he saw Kings up on there.

 Chapter 355 - The Showdown (4)

    <h4>Chapter 355: The Showdown (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Everyone stopped what they were doing as Kings, whose presence seemed to have the effect of restoring the ceremony to its original state, grand and sophisticated, appeared on stage. While all eyes were on the veteran author, Coin crossed his arms.

    ¡°This sure takes me back,¡± Kings said in a calm tone of voice, adding a brief anecdote about standing on the stage as the presenter, as well as the significance behind the award. Although speaking while looking directly ahead, he didn¡¯t seem to make eye contact with the audience members.

    ¡°This year¡¯s ceremony is a special one.¡±

    Kings listed the novels that had been nominated in the full-length category of the award, which included Yun Woo¡¯s and Coin¡¯s.

    ¡°What the hell is that guy looking at?¡± Coin murmured, and Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s looking at the people standing by the door.¡±

    ¡°Nah. He probably has to go to the restroom.¡±

    At Coin¡¯s absurd remark, Juho looked around to make sure that nobody else had heard it. Fortunately, everyone was listening intently to the presenter¡¯s speech.

    ¡°Now, I don¡¯t have to remind you all that every single one of these books is a gem. Which is also why that we¡¯re all dying to know who the winner is, right?¡±

    While some breathed slowly, a person in front of Juho took their phone out. The winner was about to be announced. Then, waving the envelope in his hand, Kings said, ¡°Whose name will we find in this envelope?¡±

    The audience groaned and cheered at the same time. Kings seemed to be quite skilled at being a presenter. He neither dragged on for too long nor talked excessively. Juho saw some of the people in his party holding hands while looking desperate. At which point, Juho¡¯s heart also started thumping.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a look, shall we?¡± the presenter said, untying the ribbon on the envelope and opening it quickly. As Kings took out the card and looked down for the first time, Juho saw Coin clenching his hands into fists from the corner of his eyes.

    ¡°The winner of the full-length category is...¡±

    The anticipation kept everyone on their toes. Then, as Juho locked eyes with Kings for a split second, the presenter said, ¡°Yun Woo!¡±

    As the winner was announced, the authors around Juho patted him on the shoulders and/or reached out for a handshake, pushing him up to the stage like a wave.

    ¡°Congrattions!¡±

    Before Juho realized it, he found himself on the stage, standing under the bright, scorching spotlight. As Juho blinked, a clear, yet sparkling trophy appeared in front of his eyes. It felt unlike anything he had ever experienced before. The trophy also lookedpletely different from his previous one. Juho swallowed nervously.

    ¡°Incredible,¡± Kings said, patting the young author on the shoulder.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Juho said, sounding much calmer than people had expected. There were still cheers and apuseing from the audience. At that moment, Kings came closer and whispered, ¡°Feels good, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel bad. That¡¯s for sure,¡± Juho said honestly.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡±

    ¡°It sure is.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy being up here at your age, Mr. Woo. Well done.¡±

    Then, upon locking eyes with the presenter, Kings said, ¡°Look,¡± pointing toward a certain direction. The audience members were sitting in the dark in a much lower ce, and it was nearly impossible to see them from where Juho was. The stage felt like apletely different ce, separated from the rest of the world.

    ¡°Congrattions!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Feeling his heart thumping, Juho looked toward the audience, thinking that perhaps he was there to see something that he hadn¡¯t been able to before. ¡®What¡¯s in the dark?¡¯ As his eyes adjusted to the dark, Juho heard a voice call for him: ¡°Juho!¡±

    What finally came into view were the familiar faces covering their mouths, throwing their hands into the air, crying. When Juho saw that Coin was still crossing his arms, he couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    ¡°With all due respect, Mr. Kings, I¡¯m not falling for it again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good look you have there,¡± Kings said, nodding.

    With that, Juho stepped forward, delivered a short speech, and walked down from the stage feeling blissful.

    ¡°Please! Get a grip of yourself!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo! I... I...¡± Dong Baek said, wailing, unable to finish his sentence. Seeing the people passing by nce over in the president¡¯s direction, Juho genuinely hoped that he would get a hold of himself. While Jang Mi covered her mouth in disbelief, Nabi had her hands up in the air, still looking ecstatic. At that moment...

    ¡°Mr. Woo! Mr. Woo!¡±

    A voice called out to the young author. Wide open doors, quiet conference hall, empty chairs, rowdy hallways. The winners of the awards wereing together for pictures, giving interviews with their trophies in hand, or talking to their acquaintances.

    ¡°Could you spare some time for an interview?¡±

    Leaving Dong Baek behind, who was still sniffling, Juho nodded affirmatively.

    ¡°Could you pick up your trophy?¡± a cameraman asked the young author, and Juho picked up his trophy from where he had left it.

    ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Woo,¡± the interviewer said. After giving a short debrief of the situation to the camera, he asked the young author, ¡°How was it going up on that stage for the first time?¡±

    ¡°It was very, very bright.¡±

    ¡°Were you nervous at all?¡±

    ¡°My heart was racing, so that¡¯s probably saying something.¡±

    The reporter seemed quite fond of the author.

    ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like to say to the people who voted for you? For example...¡± the reporter brought up other authors whom he had interviewed prior to Juho, using their answers as examples.

    ¡°I¡¯m always thankful to my readers.¡±

    ¡°I heard the audience went crazy when your name got called. What was it like being on the receiving end of all of those cheers and apuse from your colleagues?¡±

    ¡°I felt like I didn¡¯t deserve it. I wished that the light would shine on the audience too. It was hard to see from the stage.¡±

    ¡°Did you talk to Coin after winning?¡± the reporter asked, his eyes sparkling ufortably.

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°What did you two talk about?¡±

    ¡°He congratted me. Of course, he didn¡¯t forget to badmouth the trophy andin about the ceremony.¡±

    Although the reporter seemed to want more information, Juho drew the line and spoke no further.

    ¡°So, this is about another award that¡¯s essentially a sibling-counterpart to the Neb. The ceremony for the Hugo Award ising up soon. Are you confident that you can beat Coin?¡±

    ¡°Seems like you didn¡¯t hear my speech just now,¡± Juho said, chuckling.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I said that I don¡¯t believe that I¡¯ve beaten Coin.¡±

    The reporter hesitated briefly. Then, in a confident voice, he exined, ¡°Let me rify. I meant to point out that you won the award over Coin. You did want that trophy, didn¡¯t you? I presume that¡¯s why you¡¯re here?¡±

    Fiddling with the trophy in his hand, Juho reyed one of the questions Kings had asked him: ¡°You ever thought to yourself that you could let go of your fear of defeat if you could just get that trophy?¡± Upon receiving the trophy, Juho realized that the award didn¡¯t have the power to invalidate the consensus between him and Coin. With a mischievous smile on his face, Juho replied, ¡°Which is why I¡¯m not nning on attending that ceremony.¡±

    The air sank into silence. Blinking rapidly, the reporter asked, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you just say that you¡¯re not attending the Hugo ceremony?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯re going to send a representative instead?¡±

    ¡°No. As in, I decline my nomination.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    From the cameraman to the staff lining people up and those who happened to be passing by, everyone froze in ce and stared at the young author. Juho awkwardly scratched his cheek.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, why?¡±

    Puffing his chest out, Juho replied, ¡°Coin and I have already reached a consensus.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°No. As in, I decline my nomination.¡±

    David stopped on his way out the door and looked back, his jaw dropping. Yun Woo had just announced that he wouldn¡¯t be attending the Hugo ceremony.

    ¡°Does he not know the position he¡¯s in?¡±

    The young author could very well aim for the Double Crown, especially considering that the Hugo Award tended to stress poprity. Although he was bound to win, Yun Woo was refusing to attend the ceremony.

    ¡°Who does he think he is?¡±

    David had always thought that there was no other author more interesting than Yun Woo. In a world full of authority, victory, tenacity, and jealousy, Yun Woo tended to stick out like a sore thumb, being so cocky as to refuse to attend the ceremony, insisting that his goal was elsewhere. Yun Woo was clearly looking in a direction most authors weren¡¯t. David massaged the back of his neck. Despite the author¡¯s bizarre tendencies, David found Yun Woo¡¯s character charming.

    ¡°Hello? Are you listening?¡± a voice came from the receiver of his phone.

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s not gonna be at the Hugo ceremony,¡± David said into the phone.

    ¡°What!?¡± the voice let out. David knew exactly why the person was astonished into seriousness.

    ¡°Do you think somebody spilled the beans?¡±

    ¡°I doubt that.¡±

    ¡°But, how can he decline his nomination in such a timely manner?¡±

    David was a reporter who sought after scandals. The winner of the Hugo Award was decided by voting between members of a certain fandom, whose president held an extremely biased set of values. They also had a history of causing trouble, and it seemed like they were definitely nning to stir the pot at the ceremony that year.

    ¡°Poll-results fabrication.¡±

    David put his hands in his pocket. The fandom was a small body of people, and since voting happened multiple times, it was possible to estimate the number of votes for one¡¯s most and least favorite authors. The president had different methods at his disposal to remove the gap between the nominees. There were many standards by which one chose an author over another. Race, gender, nationality, appearance, background, etc. The list went on. Being one of the most internationally-recognized literary awards, the Hugo ceremony tended to be filled with bliss and excitement. However, behind it all was great darkness.

    ¡°Knowing how shady they can be at times, it¡¯s hard to say that whoever gets the trophy is the winner,¡± the voice said on the phone.

    ¡°Well, you still can¡¯t beat getting that trophy. The money alone makes it worth it, even when you¡¯re a nominee,¡± David replied, looking around the golden interior of the hotel.

    Then, the voice rebutted the reporter immediately, ¡°Sure, but I doubt Yun Woo doesn¡¯t know that.¡±

    David looked toward the young author in the distance. Yun Woo had to be the youngest person in the entire hotel.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because he¡¯s young and he doesn¡¯t know better. He just hasn¡¯t been tainted yet.¡±

    ¡°No, no. Somebody must have told him. You said you even saw him talking to Kings. Wait, maybe it was Kings?¡±

    ¡°Knowing him, that¡¯s always possible.¡±

    Then, Yun Woo thanked the interviewer with a cheerful look on his face and returned to his party. While the young author remained calm and unfazed, his party seemed anything but, crying and in shock. Was it really his age?

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just a coincidence,¡± David said into the phone.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably just a coincidence.¡±

    A coincidence. With that, David went out the door without hesitation.

    ¡ª

    ¡®The Fandom within the Hugo Award Remains Silent about Their Poll-Results Fabrication.¡¯

    ¡®¡±Why even Vote?¡± The Hugo Ceremony, the Festival of Readers, Tainted by Corruption?¡¯

    ¡®¡±This Wasn¡¯t the Result We Had in Mind.¡± Members of the Fandom Comin.¡¯

    ¡®A Former Nominee Deliberately Ruled Out by the Fandom Speaks Up.¡¯

    ¡®Authors and Members Declining Nominations and Refusing to Vote. The True Meaning of the Literary Award?¡¯

    ¡®Why Did Yun Woo Decline His Nomination? The Reality Too Grim for the Young Author.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo Declines Nomination for the Hugo Award. Seeking After the True Value of a Book.¡¯

    ¡±The Reason Behind Yun Woo Declining His Nomination? The Long-Hidden Truths Come Out.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Brave Decision. The Web Roots for the Author.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo Gives Up on the Double Crown Voluntarily! His Message Regarding the Reality of the Award.¡¯

    ¡®Nominated Works Selling at Increasing Rates! South Korea Greets A New Hugo-Winning Author.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°I think Yun Woo made a wise decision. I still regret getting angry when I first found out that Yun Woo had declined his nomination for the Hugo Award.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo does everything for a reason.¡±

    ¡°But did he really turn it down knowingly? Did other authors already know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they did. Coin is one of Yun Woo¡¯s closest friends, and he¡¯s the one that sweeps all the major literary awards. I think it¡¯s more than likely that they heard something.¡±

    ¡°Every author has the right to decline their nomination.¡±

    ¡°Now, everything makes sense! He¡¯s boycotting for a reason.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, though, Yun Woo could¡¯ve definitely achieved the Double Crown. The fact that ¡®The Glory of Traitor¡¯ brought him an award over Coin proves just how great of a book it is. But, to say that the ¡®Language of God¡¯ series isn¡¯t as popr as Coin¡¯s new book? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s very likely.¡±

    ¡°I doubt Yun Woo doesn¡¯t know that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m kind of bummed out that he¡¯s not going for the Double Crown, but he¡¯s still amazing.¡±

    ¡°On top of that, it¡¯s an international award. It couldn¡¯t have been an easy decision to give it up.¡±

    ¡°I think the international media thinks that he did the right thing too.¡±

    ¡°Sure, we can say that we support Yun Woo in his decisions, but I think buying his books is THE best way to support him.¡±

 Chapter 356 - The Truth Behind One Billion Dollars (1)

    <h4>Chapter 356: The Truth Behind One Billion Dors (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Great job on the interview! You¡¯re a great speaker, Mr. Woo,¡± the reporter said, reaching for a handshake. Shaking his hand, Juho was reminded of how exhausting interviews could be. ¡®Would¡¯ve been nice if he had been this friendly while he was asking questions,¡¯ Juho thought, regretting having chosen that reporter for the interview in Korea, something he hadn¡¯t done in a long time. Stressing that he refused to write anything that wasn¡¯t said by his interviewee, the reporter tended to ask very inquisitive questions.

    ¡°Congrattions on winning the Neb again.¡±

    Juho had been hearing the same congrattions for months by that point. Then, informing the young author that the interview would be included in the next issue, the reporter added, ¡°So, this is a personal question...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Although the staff were moving busily behind him, he didn¡¯t mind them one bit, his eyes fixed on Juho.

    ¡°Did you know about the scandal before it broke out?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already ask that question in an official capacity?¡± Juho said. The interviewer had asked the same question during the interview.

    ¡°I was thinking that you might tell me something if things were off the record,¡± the interviewer said nonchntly. At which point, Juho responded simrly to before, saying, ¡°It was just coincidence.¡±

    ¡°Is that a joke?¡± the interviewer asked, puzzled.

    Juho rose from his seat, shrugging, and the interviewer did the same.

    ¡°Can I go now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course. Let me show you out.¡±

    The office was on the sixth floor of the building, which meant having to take the elevator down to the ground floor. Even on the way down, the reporter kept asking questions at every opportunity.

    ¡°What was Kings like in person? Was he a natural man?¡±

    ¡°No. Not my first impression of him, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Then? What was he like?¡±

    ¡°He was... someone who blends in well with his surrounding,¡± Juho replied while staring at the numbers counting down. However, the interviewer didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sad that you decided not to go for the Double Crown.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I would have won, anyway.¡±

    ¡°But this is ¡®Language of God¡¯ we¡¯re talking about. I think you had a shot,¡± the reporter said, looking as if he already knew everything there was to know.

    Juho shook his head and said, ¡°Coin was there too.¡±

    ¡°Personally, I think you have the upper hand this time, Mr. Woo,¡± the reporter said, as though implying that Juho¡¯s victory of the Neb Award proved his statement.

    At which point, Juho gave up trying to argue with the interviewer and said, ¡°Why, I¡¯m ttered.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m ttered. Getting an interview with you is near-impossible these days. As far as I know, you haven¡¯t made any statements since returning to Korea.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been kind of busy.¡±

    ¡°Oh. You mean...¡± the reporter said, mock-writing in the air.

    Avoiding eye contact, Juho said, ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡±

    ¡°But, it¡¯s just the two of us.¡±

    ¡°The fact that you¡¯re a reporter doesn¡¯t make it any easier for me to speak openly.¡±

    The interviewer let out a heartyughter. As the elevator arrived on the first floor, the door opened.

    ¡°I hope we can meet again, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Would you do me a favor and go easier on me next time?¡±

    With that, Juho walked out of the building. Although it was fall, the Sun was still quite hot. In the end, Juho decided to take the cab. Upon getting out of the cab, Juho put on his hat and walked unhurriedly to his home.

    ¡°Home sweet home.¡±

    It was peaceful. Juho had returned to Korea a few days after winning the Neb. While watching the Hugo Award ceremony on TV, Juho saw Coin in the audience, who had gone on to win the award, make his way up to the stage and hurl harsh criticism on the recent scandal surrounding the award. As the audience erupted into explosive apuse, Coin came down from the stage leisurely. Coin had made a choice, and he had followed through with it. Upon checking that the mailbox was empty, Juho went back into his apartment.

    ¡°... I recognize that silhouette,¡± Juho murmured while walking down the hallway. There was an unexpected guest, who seemed to be looking toward the young author, drawing closer to him.

    ¡°Too slow,¡± a disgruntled voice said.

    Chuckling, Juho asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Then, the figure raised something up to Juho¡¯s eyes in a threatening manner.

    ¡°This brings us to a tie, yet again.¡±

    Staring at the metal trophy, Juho said, ¡°It appears so.¡±

    Then, Juho went into his apartment, and Coin followed nonchntly. Throwing the trophy on the couch, Coin started going into the rooms.

    ¡°So, did youe all the way to Korea to show off your trophy?¡± Juho asked, fiddling with it.

    ¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons.¡±

    cing the trophy on the table, Juho went into the kitchen.

    ¡°I was about to eat something. Would you like some?¡±

    ¡°What you got?¡±

    When Juho showed Coin the red broth in the pot, Coin shook his head. As the broth started boiling, Juho gave the kimchi stew a stir and brought it to the table. Of course, he didn¡¯t forget to order a hamburger for delivery for the unexpected guest. Looking at the red stew with a furrowed brow, Coin said, ¡°That is RED.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good, though.¡±

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯d be vomiting blood after I ate a spoonful.¡±

    ¡°It might be a little too spicy for your taste, I¡¯ll be honest,¡± Juho said with a smile, picking up a piece of fry in front of Coin. Juho tended to crave foods that he was familiar with after staying in another country for an extended period of time. For that reason, Juho had been eating nothing but Korean food since returning to Korea. On the other hand, Coin expressed that Korean food wasn¡¯t exactly his favorite.

    ¡°Then, what if you try to make it yourself at home? You know, change the recipe up to your liking?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go out of my way to do that either.¡±

    Scooping out the spicy broth along with a soft piece of well-cooked pork, Juho brought it up to his mouth. The vors went quite well with white rice.

    ¡°Now that I think about it, I didn¡¯t hear youining about the food at my ce?¡± Coin asked.

    Swallowing, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯m not very picky. Besides, Susan¡¯s a good cook.¡±

    Nodding haphazardly, Coin took a bite off his hamburger, drinking coffee instead of a soda. Then, he started bringing up things that had taken ce at the Hugo Award ceremony one by one.

    ¡°Things got pretty messy back then.¡±

    ¡°I did have to prepare myself,¡± Juho said, appearing unfazed.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know things would y out like this either.¡±

    There was no promise that fans would support Juho¡¯s decision to decline his nomination for the Hugo Award, which meant Juho would have to risk everything he had. Then, when the scandal had broken out a monthter, Coin couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to take that with you,¡± Juho said, looking at the long trophy lying across the table. The trophy reminded the young author that his choice to turn down the nomination hadn¡¯t been such a bad idea after all, especially if it meant theirpetition ending in a draw.

    ¡°Though, it is funny seeing people changing their attitudes.¡±

    After the scandal had broken out, those who had viewed the young author¡¯s choice negatively had started to take on a different view. Shrugging, Juho said, ¡°Well, they learned something they didn¡¯t know. So, that could always happen.¡±

    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that? If this was about somebody else, then I wouldn¡¯t have felt this way. They just have to involve the press and make things even moreplicated than they have to be. It makes them look crafty.¡±

    Juho remembered people¡¯s responses when he had first announced his decision about the nomination. Everyone had been against it, saying:

    ¡°The Double Crown is just within your reach!¡±

    ¡°You won against Coin! What is there to be afraid of?¡±

    ¡°Considering the nature of ¡®Language of God,¡¯ you¡¯ll have the upper hand, especially when ites to poprity.¡±

    ¡®Why would you wanna stop now!?¡±

    Etc.

    ¡°I thought this would be your downfall,¡± Coin said.

    Chuckling, Juho replied, ¡°What? Are you sad it didn¡¯t happen?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Coin said, clicking his tongue irritably as if being genuine.

    Picking up his phone, Juho said, ¡°You know what? I have just the thing.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Looking into the screen of Juho¡¯s phone, Coin furrowed his brow.

    ¡°What does it say?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It says: ¡®Yun Woo is presumptuous.¡¯¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything wrong with that statement.¡±

    ¡°It also says that I¡¯m a narcissist.¡±

    ¡°A-ha! So, it¡¯s THAT kind of website,¡± Coin said. He was also acquainted with the website, which had turned up after Juho had declined his nomination. It had been the perfect opportunity for those who weren¡¯t fond of the young author.

    ¡°It turns out that they decided to take a different approach. Before, they would use me of hiring a ghostwriter.¡±

    ¡°Well, ain¡¯t that something?¡± Coin asked. Then, staring into the young author¡¯s phone, Coin started fumbling with it.

    Meanwhile, Juho resumed his meal, remembering the recent phone call with Nam Kyung:

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Nam Kyung had checked in with the young author in his usual tone of voice when Juho had answered the phone that day. After making small talk for a little while, the editor brought up a subject that he had been meaning to mention.

    ¡°Have you been on the intetely?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nevermind, then. Don¡¯t look up your name either,¡± Nam Kyung said.

    But, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already seen it.¡±

    That had been when the editor had lost control of himself. Nam Kyung had been expecting the worst.

    ¡°I¡¯m OK, really. I¡¯ve been through worse.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be swimming in a sea of manuscript paper, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°That was ages ago!¡±

    Nam Kyung had been referring to when Juho had read Hyun Do¡¯s book, which was quite different from Juho¡¯s. However, Nam Kyung had been quite emphatic.

    As Coin stared into the screen of the young author¡¯s phone, Juho said, ¡°You wanna go for a walk? I know a good trail. We won¡¯t have to worry about running into anybody.¡±

    At that, Coin looked up at Juho. The hamburger was long gone. Chugging what was left of the coffee, Coin rose from his seat.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Yun Woo made a poor choice,¡± Coin said, reading a text out loud.

    In that clear, peaceful day, there was a cicada buzzing under a tree in the distance. Imagining Coin wearing sunsses, Juho looked toward him, who was holding a phone in his hand with a spiteful look about him.

    ¡°Yun Woo is presumptuous and of questionable character. A self-absorbed genius. His confidencees from the wealth he raked up in the early days of his career.¡±

    ¡°What are you reading?¡± Juho asked Coin, who was undoing Nam Kyung¡¯s desperate effort to keep the young author from seeing the malicious posts about him online even further.

    ¡°I¡¯m reading a crap post, that¡¯s what I¡¯m reading.¡±

    Juho stared at a stray dog in front of him lingering around the riverbank. Aside from Juho, Coin, and the stray dog, there was no one else around the Han River.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find even more of themter,¡± Coin said.

    ¡°Crap post, huh?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Pulling his sunsses down slightly, Coin said, ¡°You¡¯ve been too clean.¡±

    ¡°Is that supposed to be apliment?¡± Juho asked, locking eyes with Coin.

    ¡°You¡¯ve always been wless. To a fault, really. Though nowhere near the level I am, you are pretty sessful. You are special and unique. But, just like for every celebrity out there, there are bound to be haters. You turning down your nomination gave those people a reason to be open about their hatred toward you.¡±

    There had been countless people who had wanted for Coin and Yun Woo topete. Needless to say, the young author¡¯s decision had to be disappointing to them, to say the least. Looking down, Juho saw a spot on his white shirt. He had no clue of what it was or from where it hade. All he knew was that he wouldn¡¯t have noticed it if he had been wearing a ck shirt.

    ¡°That¡¯s just how it is. Nobody gives a crap when an ex-con guts somebody alive. However, make that a seven-year-old child, and the world flips upside-down all of a sudden.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a little too intense for an analogy, don¡¯t you think?¡± Juho said. Then, looking at the stray dog shaking something off, he asked Coin quietly, ¡°Do you think I could¡¯ve let myself go a little bit?¡±

    ¡°Do you cover yourself in shit just so you can avoid getting any on you?¡±

    ¡°Well, if you wanna hide a tree, there¡¯s no ce better than a forest.¡±

    ¡°You must be having trouble distinguishing a garbage dump from a forest.¡±

    Juho shrugged without saying anything. Coin was very well aware that Juho hadn¡¯t meant what he had said. Then, after sniffing the ground, the dog looked around and hid behind a tree.¡±

    ¡°Did that dog just...¡±

    ¡°It appears so.¡±

    Clicking his tongue irritably and shoving his phone back in his pocket, Coin said, ¡°This ce is full of fecal matter. Let¡¯s head back. It¡¯s getting warm out.¡±

    Juho followed.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this infuriating!?¡± Somang asked the boy who was two years older than her. They were sitting next to each other in a ssroom in amunity welfare center. Looking away from the book he had been reading, he asked, ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°This! These people ripping on Yun Woo for no reason!¡± Somang said. Then, she read the text from her phone out loud.

    ¡°¡®Yun Woo is presumptuous and of questionable character. A self-absorbed genius, his confidencees from the wealth he raked up in the early days of his career.¡¯ These people make it sound like they actually met him!¡±

    As the boy chuckled, the book shook ever so slightly.

    ¡°Beats me,¡± he said briefly, and Somang gave him a disgruntled look. Then, after looking around, she said quietly but with apparent excitement, ¡°But we have, am I right?¡±

 Chapter 357 - The Truth Behind One Billion Dollars (2)

    <h4>Chapter 357: The Truth Behind One Billion Dors (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    The two had seen Yun Woo in person, and Somang still had vivid memories of that day. Seeing a subtle smile growing on the boy¡¯s face, the middle schooler also smiled. At that moment...

    ¡°You guys have seen Yun Woo?¡±

    ¡°Ah! You scared me!¡±

    ... A high-pitched voice came out of nowhere. In order to identify the owner of the voice, Somang leaned her head back as far as she could. It was one of her ssmates, who was going through a major growth spurt. Despite being the same age as Somang, the ssmate was significantly taller. On top of that, hernky appearance made her look like a broomstick. Since she was someone with whom Somang shared secrets, Somang included her in the conversation.

    ¡°Do you remember when Yun Woo was talking to our teacher?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± the ssmate said, nodding. In order to retrieve Somang¡¯s phone, which she had forgotten, the three had gone to themunity welfare center. Sobbing uncontrobly all the way to the welfare center, the middle schooler had been on the verge of losing her mind. Staying by her side in order tofort her, the boy and the ssmate had willingly gone into the building with Somang.

    ¡°I found it!¡± Somang eximed with tears still falling down her face, picking up the phone from a locker and lifting it up toward the ceiling. A sense of relief washed over her. Simultaneously, an even greater wave of shame came after as her misery concluded anticlimactically.

    ¡°Watch your belongings from now on, OK?¡± the ssmate said, patting Somang on her shoulder.

    Nodding in agreement, the boy said, ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡±

    At that moment, as an unexpected sound came out of nowhere, the three hid in the ssroom by reflex. While they were holding their breaths, waiting anxiously for the moment to pass, they heard the voice of one of their teachers.

    ¡°It is such a pleasure to have you.¡±

    ¡°Well, you kind of threatened to talk to the reporters otherwise, so...¡± another voice answered.

    ¡°Haha! That was just a joke! In any case, I¡¯m a firm believer that good deeds like this must be known to the public, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡®Mr. Woo?¡¯ the three wondered simultaneously, their eyes darting back and forth to each other, only to shake their heads in confusion. Meanwhile, the voice got closer and closer to the ssroom they were hiding in.

    ¡°Thanks to your generosity, the school was able to provide our students with better quality desks and redo the flooring. We were also able to afford a new paint job for our buildings, including the dormitory buildings for our students! Once again, it¡¯s all thanks to you, Mr. Woo. The school has be a much better environment for our students.¡±

    The three heard the voices drawing even closer as the door to the ssroom next door opened. Their lips were parched.

    ¡°You could¡¯ve sent me a picture of the ce,¡± somebody by the name of Mr. Woo said, and the teacher let out a heartyughter. It was clear from theughter alone that the teacher was quite fond of Mr. Woo.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not the same as seeing it in person. If you being Yun Woo kept you from visiting us during the day, then all I have to do is show you around the moonlit ssrooms.¡±

    ¡°I see that you have a way with words. I can see how you used to be a poet at one point.¡±

    ¡°You tter me, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Feeling the urge to scream, Somang covered her mouth with both of her hands. When the ssmate and the boy looked up, feeling that Somang was breathing slowly, they saw that the middle schooler¡¯s jaw had dropped open. She was an avid Yun Woo fan and was never without the young author¡¯s books. Just like the author¡¯s alias, their encounter was quite the coincidence. Fiddling with her phone, Somang asked under her breath, ¡°Yun Woo has been making donations?¡±

    Yun Woo was in the hallway of that same building. Somang stared intently at the door of the ssroom they were hiding in. While a part of her wanted the young author to walk through it, another part of her wanted him and the teacher to walk past it. As the image of the young author¡¯s face came up to the surface of her mind, her heart started thumping as if it would jump out of her chest.

    ¡°Oh! If you look that way toward the restroom...¡±

    As the teacher¡¯s voice started to fade into the distance, Somang breathed out, feeling relieved. Then, the boy tapped her on the shoulder and pointed toward the door, gesturing for her to leave the ssroom. Just like that, the three bolted out of the building. Somang couldn¡¯t forget the look on the boy¡¯s face that day. Tapping on his hand, she asked, ¡°So, are we not gonna do anything about this?¡±

    ¡°Do anything about what?¡±

    ¡°We know something nobody else does!¡± she said, forcing her face in between the boy¡¯s face and the book he was reading. At which point, he shuddered.

    ¡°That¡¯s a Yun Woo book you¡¯re reading, you know. Are you really not gonna do anything about this?¡±

    ¡°Well, what can we do?¡±

    ¡°What everyone else can!¡±

    ¡°Then, buy me a house.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to give me about thirty years.¡±

    Then, Somang moved on to her ssmate, who appeared to be thinking the same thing as her.

    ¡°I agree that there¡¯s a lot we can do. Especially in this day and age.¡±

    As the boy looked up quietly, the ssmate waved Somang¡¯s phone and said, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like these people are doing anything important.¡±

    The hate post that Somang had been reading up to a moment ago shook along with the phone in the ssmate¡¯s hand.

    ¡°So, are you suggesting that we write a post?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a good writer.¡±

    The boy was the best writer in his ss, and the teacher would oftenpliment him. As he clenched his lips, Somang crossed her legs and said, ¡°Honestly, since that night, I¡¯ve been thinking that I wanted to tell others what we heard and I have a feeling that I¡¯m not the only one thinking about this.¡±

    Letting out a small sigh, the boy replied, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    Furrowing his brow slightly, the boy said, ¡°What do you mean where? Theputer room! I have an idea in mind.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Somang eximed, balling her hand into a fist and following her ssmate, who was already thinking about which website would maximize their efforts.

    ¡°There should be sheets of paper around here somewhere.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep a lookout,¡± Somang said, looking out the window of theputer room. The three swiftly carried their n out into reality.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be on our way by now?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s still time,¡± Coin said confidently without even checking the time. Because he knew that Coin could take care of himself, Juho didn¡¯t say anything else on it.

    ¡°Maybe I should¡¯ve shown you around more.¡±

    ¡°I saw enough.¡±

    ¡°What about a gift for Susan?¡±

    ¡°I took care of it,¡± Coin said, looking hassled. Then, lying on the sofa like he did at his ce, Coin said, ¡°You really need a hobby.¡±

    ¡°That was out of the blue.¡±

    ¡°Look at this ce. There¡¯s nothing here,¡± Coin said, looking up at the ceiling.

    Chuckling, Juho replied, ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like Mr. Jenkins.¡±

    ¡°He might be an asshole, but he does bring up a good point once in a blue moon,¡± Coin said.

    ¡°He would have really appreciated that if he were here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly now.¡±

    ¡°So, what are you gonna do when you¡¯re back home?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about starting on a script. I¡¯ve been getting screeny requests for a while now.¡±

    ¡°What would it be about?¡±

    ¡°Love.¡±

    Considering Coin¡¯s personality and tendencies, it was a rather curious subject for him.

    ¡°It¡¯ll look nothing like your version of love. Ugh! Reading that was like chewing on a piece of already-chewed-up gum.¡±

    ¡°Chewed-up gum as in...?¡± Juho asked. Coin was referring to ¡®An Insect Leaves No Trace.¡¯

    ¡°That¡¯s right. An old, forgotten love that¡¯s long lost its meaning.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean first love isn¡¯t an actually love?¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s a memory.¡±

    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t people call it first memory?¡±

    The two had a lengthy conversation on the subject until Coin rose from his seat and loaded his belongings into the cab.

    ¡°We¡¯re not done. Get in,¡± he said, forcing Juho to get in the cab with him. Sighing, Juho got in and sat next to him.

    ¡°This is why you get stupid questions like: ¡®Do you have a girlfriend?¡¯¡±

    ¡°What kind of logic is that? I get questions like that because people n to ask them ahead of time.¡±

    The airport was quite busy. Walking across the terminal, Coin walked up to the check-in counter. Having talked for a lot longer than usual, Juho walked over to the vending machine. While he was contemting his choice between a Coke and coffee, a person struck up a conversation with him.

    ¡°¡®Scuse me. Aren¡¯t you Yun Woo?¡±

    After checking where Coin was, Juho hesitated for a brief moment before saying quietly, ¡°Yes, I am. Hello.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my!¡±

    The person with the pair of sses on their head looked at the young author, thrilled to see him. Meanwhile, Juho identally chose a pineapple drink.

    ¡°Uh... Would you mind if I ask...¡±

    Although Juho couldn¡¯t really make out what they were saying, he nodded as he got the gist of the question.

    ¡°Did you really donate a billion dors?¡±

    ¡°A billion dors?¡± Juho asked, having trouble believing his ears.

    ¡°Yes, a billion dors.¡±

    Juho was caught off guard by her genuine respect and admiration. He didn¡¯t consider himself worthy of such attention.

    ¡°Why did you think of donating all that money? That¡¯s unbelievable!¡±

    ¡°Uh... What?¡±

    ¡°Seems like you do a lot of good deeds. And you¡¯re still young! If only my son were half the person you are...¡±

    Juho found himself at loss for words. The number billion lingered in his head, leaving his thoughts in disarray. He couldn¡¯t make sense of the situation. Subconsciously, Juho reached into his pockets. They were empty. He had left his phone at home. In the end, he had to resort to what he could do best at the moment.

    ¡°Would you like a picture?¡±

    ¡°That would be an honor! Gives me something to brag about to my son!¡±

    Bringing himself into the frame, Juho took a picture with thedy. Then, when they parted ways, Juho saw Coin talking on the phone. At which point, Juho rushed toward him and asked, ¡°Do you know what I just heard?¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Coin said, raising his hand and focusing on the phone call. Seeing as Coin was scanning him up and down, Juho started to sense trouble. Then, with the phone still next to his ear, Coin asked, ¡°Did you make a billion-dor donation?¡±

    Juho simply couldn¡¯t make sense of the situation.

    ¡ª

    ¡®Yun Woo Donates a Total of One Billion Dors? Reports Flooding in. ¡®Yun Woo Helped Us.¡±

    ¡®Yun Woo Makes a Whopping One-Billion-Dor Donation! Evidence Turning Up. The Author¡¯s Past Interview Draw Massive Attention.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Net Worth? His Ranking as an International Author?¡¯

    ¡®A British Author Was Reported to Have Donated 1.8 Billion Dors. Will Yun Woo Follow in His Footsteps?¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Massive Donation. Partnered with Fernand, One of Yun Woo¡¯s Recent Books Was Known to Have a Million Copies of Its First Edition...¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo Contributes to Finding Cures to Major Diseases? Yun Woo¡¯s Profit Up to This Point? The Winner of the Neb Award, ¡®Language of God¡¯ Has Been Exported to Roughly Forty Countries...¡¯

    ¡®War, Poverty, Homelessness, Single Mothers, the List Goes On! Evidence of Yun Woo¡¯s Good Deeds Coming to Light.¡¯

    ¡±The Glory of Traitor?¡¯ More like, ¡®The Glory of Yun Woo!¡¯ His Massive Donations. What¡¯s His Net Worth? The Admirable Life Choices of the Twenty-Three-Year-Old Author.¡¯

    ¡®How Did Yun Woo¡¯s Donation Come to Light? ¡°It All Started with a Community Welfare Center.¡±¡®

    ¡®Yun Woo Suffering From Malicious Comments on the Inte? ¡°We Can¡¯t Let That Happen!¡± Yun Woo¡¯s Heart-Warming Secret.¡¯

    ¡®The Controversy Surrounding Yun Woo¡¯s Hugo Nomination. The Web Targets the Author. The Students Who Wrote about the Author Speak Up: ¡®We Just Couldn¡¯t Keep It to Ourselves.¡¯ Yun Woo¡¯s Secret Revealed.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Past Interviews Go Viral Again. The Filming Crew Taken Aback by the Author¡¯s Humble Lifestyle. Is His Humility the Secret to His Writing?¡¯

    ¡®Every Donation Reported Having Been Made under Juho Woo. Will Yun Woo Be One of the Highest Grossing Authors in the World?¡¯

    ¡®What is Yun Woo Donating to? The Globe Focuses on the Author¡¯s Generous Deeds. Fans Apud the Great Storyteller.¡¯

    ¡®¡±Yun Woo Declining His Nomination to the Hugo Award Was a Wise Decision.¡± Pyung Jin Lee Speaks on the Recent Scandal Surrounding the Literary Award.¡¯

    ¡®Yun Woo¡¯s Officials Speak Up Regarding the Donation. ¡®We¡¯re in the Process of Correcting Any Inurate Information Floating Around.¡¯ Yun Woo Confirmed to Have Donated Large Sums of Money. ¡®We Ask Fans to Refrain from Making Any Unfounded Assumptions.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°One billion? ONE BILLION!?¡±

    ¡°What I would do to live his life.¡±

    ¡°I wanna live like him.¡±

    ¡°How much does he make anyway??¡±

    ¡°Seems like there are all sorts of rumors floating around. Did he really donate one billion dors, though?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, this is Yun Woo we¡¯re talking about. One billion should be nothing to him.¡±

    ¡°Those kids who stood against the haters! Whoever you are, I salute you!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure those haters are not very happy to hear all the good news about the author.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re the ones who kept calling him fake to start with.¡±

    ¡°The kid who wrote that post is in middle school, apparently. But, man, he really is a good writer.¡±

    ¡°I saw the three on TV! Seems like Yun Woo¡¯s been donating to a lot of different ces. Apparently, the director of the welfare center used to be a poet.¡±

    ¡°For the haters out there: don¡¯t waste your time.¡±

    ¡°If I made that much money at that age, I would have bought everything I ever wanted. House, cars, video game consoles, desktops...¡±

    ¡°I think most people would. You gotta spend it while you have the money.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo spends it on donations, though.¡±

    ¡°No wonder he¡¯s never got in trouble. There¡¯s a cause to every effect.¡±

    ¡°Feel free to make some donation to me too, Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°If I made enough to be able to donate a billion dors, I would NOT work. Why does he even write?¡±

    ¡°Seriously. He even went into the military. Why does he live so modestly?¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s art?¡±

    ¡°I saw an article saying that he donates 90 percent of his profits. As for the one-billion-dor donation, I don¡¯t know what to make of that.¡±

    ¡°It probably adds up to about the same amount.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s discussed it with an expert for a while, apparently. From what I heard, he¡¯s working with a trustworthy organization.¡±

    ¡°He makes and donates a lot.¡±

    ¡°Why does he even write when he makes that much money?¡±

    ¡°If I were him, I¡¯d buy a building somewhere and live off of the tenants¡¯ rent alone.¡±

    ¡°If I were Yun Woo, I¡¯d go on a long vacation, twenty years at least. In any case, I wouldn¡¯t live the way he lives.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s kind of what makes him so trustworthy, though. He writes while he has the money, so it makes me think that he¡¯d continue to write even if he were broke.¡±

 Chapter 358 - The Truth Behind One Billion Dollars (3)

    <h4>Chapter 358: The Truth Behind One Billion Dors (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What the heck is going on?¡±

    Putting a printout of all thements online down, Juho ced his hand on his forehead,pletely taken by surprise. Meanwhile, Nabi had a bright smile on her face.

    ¡°This is a good thing!¡± she said in a bright voice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I agree with that.¡±

    ¡°This was bound to happen the moment you made your first donation under the name Juho Woo. I¡¯m very proud of you, Mr. Woo.¡±

    As ifpletely oblivious to Juho¡¯s state of mind, Nabi had been ecstatic for some time. Leaning back, Juho murmured, ¡°It was just for self-gratification...¡±

    The fact that he had donated under his real name had been proof of that. Juho had wanted to make up for his pathetic self in the past somehow.

    ¡°I just wanted to spend my money without guilt,¡± Juho said.

    Although she tilted her head at the word guilt, she raised her thumb and said, ¡°Well, you did the right thing, Mr. Woo. Bravo!¡±

    ¡°It just feels so strange to get that much public praise.¡±

    ¡°Enjoy it! All of your good deeds up to this point are finally paying off! I¡¯m telling ya, what goes aroundes around. Thanks for the reminder, Mr. Woo,¡± Nabi said light-heartedly, checking the response of the fans in real-time.

    ¡°That¡¯ll show the haters,¡± she said,ughing cheerfully and sounding like she wasplimenting somebody.

    Realizing that the situation had already gotten out of hand, Juho said weakly, almost as if having given up, ¡°The kids were adorable, I¡¯ll give you that.¡±

    At that, Nabi agreed emphatically, almost as though she had been waiting for Juho to say that.

    ¡°I know! I loved the intention behind what they did too! Wanting to give you something back for helping them out. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll make it big in lifeter.¡±

    Picturing the three students, who had to have listened in on his conversation with the teacher, Juho murmured, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have thought in my dreams that they were listening in on us. I knew I shouldn¡¯t have gone there that day.¡±

    ¡°No, Mr. Woo. You made the right decision to go there.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I would¡¯ve been better off suing the people who put up thosements. Then, those kids wouldn¡¯t have had to get themselves involved in all this.¡±

    ¡°As I said, Mr. Woo, it was bound to happen at some point.¡±

    Juho sighed deeply. When he had met with the three students, they had apologized profusely, as if they had gotten into serious trouble with their teacher. However, their eyes had been sparkling with a sense of justice. I had been clear that they were proud of what they had done, and Juho fully understood their intention behind it. Besides, Juho had never taken offense to them.

    ¡°He¡¯s an adult,¡± the student in the middle, named Somang, had said. At which point, her friends to her either side of her had poked her on the side. The three had worked together as a team in standing up against the unfounded hatred toward the young author on the inte.

    ¡°Where did you guys get the number one billion from?¡± Juho had asked them. Being used to the process of either gettingplimented or scolded by adults, the students had stared at the young author with widened eyes.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t do it,¡± the boy had said, and nodding, Juho replied, ¡°I know. I read the post myself.¡±

    Juho had asked out of pure curiosity. The boy¡¯s bangs had covered his eyes ever so slightly, moving with him.

    ¡°You wrote it, huh?¡± Juho had asked him.

    ¡°How did you know?¡± the boy had asked, his eyes filled with anticipation as if the young author had some sort of special skill. However, Juho had replied nonchntly, ¡°I guessed.¡±

    At that, looks of disappointment had appeared on the students¡¯ faces. At which, Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. At the same time, he was reminded that the things that surrounded him were far too excessive for his own good. While grand and beautiful, it didn¡¯t change the fact that they were too much. However, Nabi seemed to interpret that as being sessful.

    ¡°You¡¯re a good writer,¡± Juho had said to the boy, whose lips had been clenched tightly and eyes teary for some reason. He seemed to have a lot of things he had wanted to say. Although Juho had been curious about how the boy viewed him, he had chosen not to ask.

    ¡°Our teacher alwayspliments him on his writing,¡± Somang had said on the boy¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°He reads the most in our ss.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Especially your books. He¡¯s read every single one of them.¡±

    ¡°Well, I really appreciate that.¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± the boy had said in an attempt to stop Somang from talking. At that moment, as the tallest student raised her hand, Juho locked eyes with her. Juho had been aware that she had been staring at him for some time.

    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°Go for it.¡±

    After ncing over at their teacher, who had been sitting next to her, and Nabi, who had been sitting next to the young author, she had asked, ¡°Are you mad at us?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That we wrote that without your permission?¡±

    Tilting his head, Juho had replied, ¡°Not really.¡±

    However, the student¡¯s eyes had kept moving anxiously, observing Juho¡¯s expression as if she still hadn¡¯t been at ease.

    ¡°We just couldn¡¯t let those people run their mouths when they don¡¯t even know you,¡± she had exined, and Juho had nodded.

    Encouraged by her friend speaking up her mind, Somang had also chimed in, ¡°They¡¯re always saying things that are far from the truth, and it drives me up the wall whenever I read what they have to say about you on the inte. They just keep insisting that they¡¯re right when they¡¯re not, so that¡¯s why we... we did what we did: to show them who Yun Woo really is.¡±

    Without saying a word, the teacher listened to them quietly. Then, Juho had asked them gently, ¡°Did we meet back then?¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t think I met you guys before today.¡±

    At that, the three faces had turned bright red. They had wanted to help their favorite author. They had known that Yun Woo was a great person, and to them, that had been more than enough reason to write on the inte. However, at the young author¡¯s question, their conviction had started to waver. They had started to question their intention for the first time. ¡®Maybe what we did wasn¡¯t all that different from the people we were writing against after all.¡¯

    ¡°We... we still didn¡¯t say anything bad about you,¡± the tallest student had said, feeling pricked in the heart.

    Looking at her with a smile, Juho replied, ¡°I know.¡±

    If anything, Juho had wanted to ease their minds rather thanpliment or criticize their efforts.

    ¡°I read the post. I told you.¡±

    The boy¡¯s head had dropped, and his hair had covered his eyes.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Juho had asked, wondering if he was crying. Thankfully, his voice hadn¡¯t sounded all that emotional.

    ¡°I¡¯m terribly embarrassed.¡±

    ¡°Embarrassed? Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m unbearably embarrassed about my writing,¡± the boy had said confidently. Up to a moment before, he had acted with firm belief, as though he hadn¡¯t regretted or questioned anything. However, things had taken a sudden turn. Although the boy had written for Yun Woo, believing that he had been helping his favorite writer, the young author hadn¡¯t seemed delighted by his effort at all, which had made the boy wonder if he had been too proud in his decision to write about the author on the inte. Although the boy had believed that the author wouldpliment him, that hadn¡¯t been further from the truth.

    ¡°I did something simr once,¡± Juho had said, and the boy had looked up slightly.

    ¡°... Really?¡±

    ¡°Ipletely rewrote an ending to a book once. It was when I was writing on stage. Oh! You know that I presented on stage before, right?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the presentation at the exhibition event, right? I really wanted to go.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! We spent hours in theputer room trying to get a ticket but no luck,¡± Somang had said, interjecting. Agreeing with the students, Juho had carried the conversation on. Then, as their embarrassment subsided, Somang had brought up a question that hade to her. She had started to understand that they were neither beingplimented nor criticized for what they did.

    ¡°Why are we meeting today?¡±

    Juho had looked toward Nabi, who had been talking to the teacher in the distance. The asion had been arranged by her, who believed that it would be best for Juho to show some kind of response to the situation. Although there hadn¡¯t really been a reason for Juho to meet with the students, the young author had chosen his words carefully. Then, shortly after, he had replied, ¡°Because you guys wrote.¡±

    After that, Juho and Nabi had taken everyone out to eat. Although the students had said that they would be more than happy with eating at a snack shop, the young author had insisted on taking them to a restaurant. In the end, they had all eaten to their hearts¡¯ content.

    ¡°Mr. Woo?¡± Nabi called to Juho, who was reminiscing to the time when he met the three students.

    ¡°You talked to those students before we left, right? What did you talk about?¡±

    Juho reminisced to theirst moment:

    ¡°Thanks a lot.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡±

    That had been it. Scratching his chin, Juho looked toward Nabi and replied, ¡°We were just saying goodbye to each other.¡±

    Then, with a curious look, she asked, ¡°Even though there were a billion dors involved?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Juho replied, looking away from the onlinements that had been printed out. The world grew silent the moment he turned his eyes away from them. While the young author stared out the window in a daze, Nabi spoke further. She seemed like she still had things to say.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re working on taking down false articles, so you can rest easy, Mr. Woo. Your publisher is also working hard to rectify the situation.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°One more thing,¡± Nabi said, closing herptop. Sitting up, Juho listened to her. ¡°Remember the manuscript you submitted to Fernand not too long ago?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±

    Fernand had made an offer to the young author not too long after the Neb Award ceremony...

    ¡°It was in English, I believe.¡±

    ... that the young author write a novel in English.

    ¡°I remember talking to the senior editor on the phone.¡±

    At that moment, Juho¡¯s phone started to vibrate on his desk, amplified by the rigid surface. As Nabi gave the young author a nod, Juho checked the screen on the device and said, ¡°Well, speak of the devil.¡±

    ¡°Answer it.¡±

    After clearing his throat, Juho answered the phone, and Nabi looked intently at him.

    ¡°Mr. Woo! We got the manuscript,¡± the voice in the receiver said. Juho was starting to get better acquainted with Adam¡¯s voice. ¡°I also heard the news. Very admirable, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Juho said,ughing.

    Then, Adam¡¯s voice took on a serious tone all of a sudden, ¡°I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re not from an English-speaking country.¡±

    Hearing the senior editor¡¯s voice gave Juho the illusion that he could smell the cologne that Adam was known to wear. There was an uncanny resemnce to his tone and the cologne that he wore.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±

    ¡°This is gonna be a lot of fun,¡± Adam said,ughing. ¡°It gave me a good idea of what it¡¯s like to read your writing in its untranted state,¡± he added. Then, in a low voice, he said, ¡°It was entirely different from your stories I¡¯ve read thus far.¡±

    Leaning back on his chair¡¯s backrest, Juho asked, ¡°Well, which one do you prefer?¡±

    ¡°I like them equally as much, but... I¡¯m gonna have to go with the current one,¡± the senior editor replied.

    ¡°Would you mind telling me why?¡±

    ¡°It feels more like Yun Woo.¡±

    At that, Juho remained silent for a brief moment.

    ¡°Do you think I should¡¯ve included writing in multiple styles?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t have been a bad idea. Though, it would¡¯ve be incredibly experimental.¡±

    ¡°I could make the changes now if you want.¡±

    ¡°Maybe next time, Mr. Woo,¡± Adams said, naturally nning for the future. Juho yed along. When the young author had first visited Adam at his office, Juho distinctly remembered the confidence exuded by the senior editor.

    Upon meeting the young author, Adam had asked without hesitation, ¡°Have you ever written in English, Mr. Woo?¡±

    Since Juho had been preupied with identifying where the potent scent of cologne had beening from, he had answered in a dyed response, ¡°Not really, no.¡±

    The herbal tea that had been brought out by the secretary had also had a strong scent, which had given Juho the impression that the senior editor preferred strong-scented things. Picking up the mug, Juho had inhaled deeply. There had still been a whiff of cologne in the air.

    ¡°Would you like to give it a try?¡±

    Juho had looked up at Adam, who had proceeded to lock eyes with the young author and start to exin his n for the project.

    ¡°If I were to put it in simple terms, I¡¯d like to ask you to write a novel in English.¡±

    ¡°May I ask why?¡±

    To which, the senior editor had replied in a calm tone of voice, ¡°I want to read your book in its most unadulterated state, untranted.¡±

 Chapter 359 - Yun Wooéˆ¥æªš Translator (1)

    <h4>Chapter 359: Yun Woo¡¯s Trantor (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I believe that Mr. Sanders is one of the finest trantors out there.¡±

    ¡°I agree, but trantions will always be trantions. They¡¯ll always be different from the original in some way. I presumed that you¡¯d know this better than anyone else.¡± Adam had said firmly, and Juho had remained quiet for a brief moment. Juho had seen the Sun shine into the office through therge window. When he¡¯d looked away from it, the senior editor had said, ¡°Your English-speaking readers are waiting for you, Mr. Woo.¡±

    As Juho had chuckled quietly, Adam had added softly, ¡°That isn¡¯t to say that you have to give me an answer right this moment, of course.¡±

    ¡°Have you been reading my stories?¡±

    ¡°I sure have. Though, I¡¯ve only read the tranted versions.¡±

    Although the senior editor knew the young author quite well, he hade to know Yun Woo only through the English versions of his books, which had happened out of necessity.

    ¡°Trantions are a process. At the end of the process is the result, which inevitably changes the product. The difference will be apparent to speakers of the originalnguage. Yes, Taylor¡¯s been doing a fantastic job in that regard, and I have nothing toin about his work, but I wanna experience your writing from an even closer proximity, Mr. Woo,¡± Adam had said. Then, with sophisticated hand gestures, he had asked, ¡°Have you ever felt that way? That you wanna get closer to as many people possible?¡± There had been nothing about the senior editor that had given off an insincere impression, and it had made his demeanor stand out even more. Juho had stared at Adam¡¯s fingertips as they had moved about busily.

    ¡°If you have, then you might not find a better opportunity than this one,¡± Adam had said.

    ¡°But I have no intention of writing a book in everynguage that exists on Earth just for that reason.¡±

    ¡°English is a uniquenguage,¡± Adam had said in English.

    ¡°Let¡¯s forget about structure, history, and efficiency for a minute. Yes, it is one of the most widely-spokennguages in the world, and I personally prefer French over English. BUT, I have to admit that it carries power.¡±

    Juho had remained silent, and Adam had added, ¡°You don¡¯t have to focus solely on English. If I were Italian, then I would¡¯ve raved about what made Italian so great. My objective here is actually quite simple. Besides, you¡¯re more than capable of writing in anothernguage, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± Juho had replied, adding honestly, ¡°... though, it¡¯s not necessarily something I prefer doing.¡±

    Thenguage acquisition in his head was functioning.

    To that, Adam had made an enticing offer in a gentle tone of voice, ¡°We could probably release it in the States and Korea on the same day. From what I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯re an adventurous soul. In which case, I think this is right up your alley. What do you think? Doesn¡¯t it sound fun?¡±

    When Juho had thought about possible reasons to turn down the offer, he had realized that there weren¡¯t any. Frankly, he had been more willing to give it a shot. Writing a novel in English was something he had never done before. After a brief pause, Juho had said, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    The next day, Juho had sent Adam an affirmative email.

    ¡°Mr. Woo?¡±

    Hearing Adam¡¯s voiceing from the receiver of his phone, Juho locked eyes with Nabi and answered it.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m calling you because...¡±

    Then, the senior editor got right to the point and gave Juho a detailed update on the progress. Juho listened carefully.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been swarmed with worktely, so I was wondering if you could find a trantor that you can trust? Your story is way too interesting for it to be ruined by a bad trantion.¡±

    As Adam hung up the phone shortly after, Nabi, who had been listening in on the conversation, said, ¡°So, the new book is getting tranted into Korean, huh?¡±

    In Korea, Zelkova was preparing to release the book. Nabi stared intently at the young author. Juho knew exactly what she wanted to know.

    ¡°Are you not going to do the trantion yourself?¡±

    At that, Juho shook his head.

    ¡°As far as I know, Fernand¡¯s made several offers on that point.¡±

    ¡°I agreed not to get involved in tranting it directly. I¡¯ll be cooperating with them, though,¡± Juho said, sitting up. Then, he added, ¡°So... There¡¯s something I wanted to talk to you about.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Nabi replied with a serious look on her face.

    ¡°It¡¯s about the trantion.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh...¡±

    ¡°Would it be OK if I made a suggestion to the publisher?¡±

    ¡°What exactly are you looking for?¡±

    ¡°So...¡±

    Juho brought up an idea that he had had in mind since he had first been asked by Adam to write a novel in English.

    ¡ª

    ¡°We decided to hold a trantion contest,¡± Nam Kyung said, looking at Juho, who was sitting across from him and was listening to the editor serenely. Remembering the young author¡¯s unexpected suggestion, Nam Kyung added, ¡°In respect to your opinion.¡±

    Unfazed, Juho replied, ¡°Seems like we both want a skilled trantor.¡±

    At that, Nam Kyung burst into heartyughter and said, ¡°At first, we were going to pick somebody from the World Literature Comption team since it has a lot of the seasoned trantors. A lot of them are actually tranting for other really famous authors.¡±

    Then, the editor asked light-heartedly, ¡°Were you not satisfied with any of them?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. If that had been the case, I would¡¯ve tranted it myself,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°That would¡¯ve been ideal. We had hoped that you would¡¯ve taken over the trantion.¡±

    ¡°Yes, about that. From what I heard from Nabi...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°... I was told that a lot of people will want to trante my book.¡±

    ¡°... She¡¯s probably right. We¡¯re preparing ourselves.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think that I¡¯m giving the experienced trantors special treatment, do you?¡± Juho asked, looking at the editor and adding, ¡°I say we base our decisions solely on skill.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to, whether we want to or not,¡± Nam Kyung replied. Then, moving his eyes, he added, ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t make thepany look bad in any way. Besides, it¡¯s bound to draw some attention, which means it¡¯ll practically promote itself. Should wee across a hidden talent, then that¡¯s always preferable. We¡¯re the ones making the decisions, so we could always prepare for the unexpected. Trantions have always been a popr topic among people within thepany, and there were actually those who were against us holding the contest.¡±

    Until recently, the decision to hold a contest had been getting pushed back. Then, leaning back on his chair¡¯s backrest, the editor said, ¡°You¡¯ve pulled the trigger at just the right time, Mr. Woo.¡±

    When it came to starting something big, there was nothing more efficient than using the name Yun Woo.

    ¡°All there is left to do is wait and hope that we¡¯ll find some talented people.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we will. One way or another,¡± Juho said with mysterious confidence.

    ¡ª

    ¡°One billion, though?¡±

    ¡°He lives alone, so I guess it¡¯s not entirely impossible.¡±

    ¡°What would you do with one billion dors in your hands?¡±

    Seo Kwang looked away from his book and in the direction of the voices. Two of his ssmates were preupied with chatting with each other. Then, as the two walked past Seo Kwang, he heard one of them say, ¡°I wanna be like Yun Woo.¡±

    As the two walked past him, Seo Kwang turned around and stared in their direction. At that moment, a younger ssmate called to him. Redirecting his attention to the book in his hand, Seo Kwang followed the younger ssmate, whose hands were filled with books.

    ¡°Seo Kwang, you¡¯re a genius!¡± the underssman said out of nowhere.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I said you¡¯re a genius. Whatever book I bring up, you always say that you¡¯ve read it.¡±

    Chuckling, Seo Kwang flipped to the next page on his book.

    ¡°What does that have to do with being a genius? It just means that the person likes to read.¡±

    ¡°No, no, you don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ve never met anybody like you,¡± the underssman said, looking at Seo Kwang almost as if disgusted. ¡°You put yourself through this crazy challenge when the semester ended, didn¡¯t you? Reading eight books a day for three months? That¡¯s seven hundred and twenty books, give or take! I remember seeing pictures on social media when you were doing that. We used to ce bets on it among ourselves too.¡±

    ¡°I took it easy once I threw up, though.¡±

    Although it hadn¡¯t been an advisable reading method, Seo Kwang had had only one thing in mind: toe across as many sentences as possible.

    ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve seen somebody challenge themselves to drink eight bottles of soju, but you¡¯re the first to try to do that with books.¡±

    ¡°Eight bottles!? Jeez! Was he trying to kill himself!?¡±

    ¡°From what I heard, you did it!¡±

    ¡°Where did you hear that nonsense?!¡± Seo Kwang asked, reminiscing to the time in question and shaking his head in disapproval.

    ¡°I think three books per day is just right for me. More sustainable down the line.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯d be grateful if I could read three pages a day.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not always a good thing to read a lot. If you¡¯re interested, I can lend you a book on how to maximize your reading.¡±

    ¡°No, thanks,¡± the underssman said, adding exaggeratedly, ¡°I¡¯m telling ya, you¡¯re a specimen!¡±

    Looking at the underssmen taking their books to the library Seo Kwang said, ¡°You¡¯re saying that because you haven¡¯t met a real specimen.¡±

    ¡°But, I¡¯m looking at one right now.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang shook his head emphatically. The friend with whom he had spent his entire high school career was the epitome of a specimen.

    ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll ever meet anybody like him.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s this friend of mine who wants to be great.¡±

    Then, narrowing their eyes, the underssman asked, ¡°They wanna be great? That¡¯s a lofty goal.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true, though,¡± Seo Kwang replied. The friend he was referring to was actually about halfway to achieving that goal. There were truly all sorts of people in the world.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost as if he¡¯s got a flu shot for himself.¡±

    ¡°A flu shot?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that nothing fazes him, and he¡¯s practically immune to every situation thates his way. He¡¯s the type who wants to fix humanity all the while pursuing greatness.¡±

    Then, snorting, he added, ¡°He¡¯s not the arrogant type, though.¡±

    Taking the book he had been reading, Seo Kwang ced it on top of the stack of books in the underssman¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Are you done with that one already?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I read what I wanted to. Tell ¡¯em I said thanks.¡±

    ¡°Wow. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually make me do all the work,¡± the underssman said, opening the door and going into the library. Seo Kwang went back the way he came.

    ¡°Wonder how he¡¯s doing.¡±

    When Seo Kwang called his friend, the friend answered the phone quickly. Lately, the friend had been quick to answer his phone, almost as if he had finished a big project.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    Yun Woo¡¯s voice came from the receiver of Seo Kwang¡¯s phone. Although it sounded calmer than usual, Seo Kwang ignored that and said, ¡°Ah! The Great Storyteller himself!¡±

    ¡°O... kay?¡± with a chuckle, Yun Woo replied with a serene tone of voice. Then, he added, ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you wouldn¡¯t contribute to false rumors like that.¡±

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t mention your name anywhere.¡±

    A sigh came from the receiver of Seo Kwang¡¯s phone. Noticing that his friend was hesitating, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°Do you have something you want to tell me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then, what is it?¡± Seo Kwang asked. However, the friend became silent yet again.

    ¡°It¡¯s just dawning on me that the news hasn¡¯t spread as quickly as I thought.¡±

    ¡°What news? Did you win some award? Oh, did you make another billion-dor donation?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°I thought you called because you had heard the news.¡±

    At that point, Seo Kwang stopped in his tracks and asked, ¡°Well, spill it! What is it?¡±

    The air sank back into silence. Following a series of ttering noises, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to find out on your own, without me telling you.¡±

    ¡°Or, you could just tell me direc... Hello? Ugh!¡±

    After ring into his phone, Seo Kwang moved his hands. At that moment, before he had even finished typing the name Yun Woo on the search bar, another search word appeared on his screen, and it read: ¡°Yun Woo Trantion?¡±

    Seo Kwang read the details within the article.

    ¡®Fernand Publishing. Yun Woo. English. Trantion Contest. Qualification: Anyone who makes a submission.¡±

    ¡°You could¡¯ve just told me,¡± Seo Kwang said and bolted away.

 Chapter 360 - Yun Wooéˆ¥æªš Translator (2)

    <h4>Chapter 360: Yun Woo¡¯s Trantor (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°All done?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho replied, putting his phone back in his pocket. With his eyes fixed on the phone, Nam Kyung asked light-heartedly, ¡°A friend?¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Juho said, nodding.

    ¡°Is this the same person who wants to be a trantor?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡±

    ¡°Is he going topete in the contest?¡±

    ¡°It appears so.¡±

    Although they were the only people in the apartment, the editor looked around the living room and asked, ¡°Did you make that suggestion with this friend in mind?¡±

    Chuckling quietly, Juho replied, ¡°If I had, then I would¡¯ve brought up his name. I would¡¯ve volunteered to be one of the judges too.¡±

    ¡°And the contest definitely would¡¯ve looked a lot different,¡± Nam Kyung said, waving the project¡¯s data in his hand.

    The contest was open to anyone who made a submission through email, which would be a trantion of a short English sample written by Juho. There were going to be ten contestants for the judging panel, and the judges would choose the winners based on the trantions submitted to the publisher.

    ¡°I hope we get a lot of participants.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have to worry about that, Mr. Woo,¡± Nam Kyung said, chuckling and lifting the data in his hand.

    ¡°This is your trantion of the online sample, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Juho had made the sample and tranted it.

    ¡°If we get a submission thates even remotely close to this, I wouldn¡¯t think twice about choosing that person,¡± Nam Kyung said, groaning.

    ¡°We might get something even better. You never know.¡±

    ¡°No, this is THE most ideal trantion. I¡¯m certain of it,¡± the editor said, darting back and forth between the original and the tranted copy. He seemed genuinely impressed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you do it, but you keep impressing me over and over again! What do you think about giving tranting one more shot?¡±

    ¡°No, thanks.¡±

    ¡°Or, maybe you could make a submission yourself?¡±

    ¡°That does sound like a fun idea, but if I win, I¡¯m gonna have to do the trantion myself.¡±

    ¡°So, you ARE confident that you¡¯d win, huh?¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t deny it. Meanwhile, Nam Kyung was still staring at the two samples.

    ¡°Are you looking for somebody who could do an even better job than this?¡± the editor asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should just do it yourself. It¡¯s still not toote, you know.¡±

    ¡°I respectfully decline.¡±

    Then, as Nam Kyung ced the two samples on the table, Juho followed them with his eyes.

    ¡°I suppose it would be best if we looked for something that stayed true to the original, huh?¡±

    After some thought, Juho replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I find myself impressed whenever Ie across a good liberal trantion.¡±

    Nam Kyung seemed to understand the young author. As long asnguages and cultures were different, liberal trantions were a necessity.

    ¡°I think I still prefer trantions that stay true to the original. Especially with your books. As a reader myself, I¡¯d want what I¡¯m reading to be as close to the original as possible,¡± the editor said emphatically, as if he disagreed with the young author. Juho remembered Seo Kwang¡¯s trantion. When the author had seen it for the first time, it had felt like his trantion had stayed true to the original on one hand, while reading like it had been tranted liberally on the other. Seo Kwang had been nurturing his trantion skill at a truly frightening rate, and when Juho remembered that, he stopped thinking about it, as it felt no longer necessary. If Seo Kwang had been developing when Juho had first seen his trantion, then he had to be even better now.

    ¡°This is exciting,¡± Juho said genuinely.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s sample,¡± Juho murmured the title of the article and clicked on it. There were already a myriad of poorly-tranted samples floating around the inte. Given that people had grown curious about the short sample written by Yun Woo, it wasn¡¯t surprising. Every blog that had anything to do with the author contained a slew of its members¡¯ attempts at tranting the sample.

    ¡°What would Hong Sam have to say?¡±

    Juho logged into Hong Sam¡¯s blog. Although a university student, Seo Kwang was still pretending to be an office worker in his blog. The most recent post was a month old, and the blogger had written about a certain Neb-winning author, along with the recent scandal surrounding the Hugo award.

    ¡°He really is a good writer.¡±

    What Seo Kwangcked were creativity and the stamina that would sustain him when writing for an extended period of time. His personal preference of reading-over-writing also seemed to y a role in his struggle as a writer. Nevertheless, Seo Kwang was an outstanding writer. On top of that, his vocabry andprehension were also quite impressive. Given that he tended to invest most of his time on reading, it made sense. While the blog introduced a slew of different books, it also came with the blogger¡¯s own opinions and interpretations. Starting from the most recent one, Juho read through them one by one. Every single one of them was meticulous and sincere, making it clear that the blogger had read the books prior to reviewing them. It was very Seo Kwang-like. Then, shortly after, Juho came across his name on the blog.

    ¡°¡®Language of God: The Glory of Traitor.¡¯¡±

    Aside from the title, the first thing that stood out was the five-star rating next to it. Clicking into it, Juho scrolled down to the bottom, where Seo Kwang¡¯s thoughts on the book tended to be. It wasn¡¯t too different from what he had told Juho in person. However, there was a name there that Juho hadn¡¯t expected to came across.

    ¡°Jenkins¡¯ role.¡±

    Seo Kwang¡¯s opinion was as follow: ¡°If Jenkins hadn¡¯t been there...? I couldn¡¯t help but ask myself that question. There is no arguing that Jenkins¡¯ recent movie was a massive sess and that it lived well up to its reputation. Not only is Jenkins a skilled director, but he¡¯s also a genius. On top of that, I am confident that he¡¯s a reader who understands books through a clear set of standards. I have actuallye across a number of people (who refused to read ¡®Language of God¡¯ because it was a book) who told me that watching Jenkins¡¯ film adaptation actually made them fall in love with the original novel series. What if Jenkins hadn¡¯t been there? Would ¡®The Glory of Traitor¡¯ have been as popr as it is now? Would ¡®Language of God¡¯ look any different? Would the series be on apletely different path?¡±

    ¡°If Jenkins hadn¡¯t addressed Yun Woo as the Great Storyteller, would that have meant that the author wouldn¡¯t have been great?¡±

    ¡°Personally, I have trouble keeping myself from associating his name with a snapping turtle. Have you ever asked yourself why those animals exist?¡¯¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: When pronounced in Korean, Jenkins¡¯ first name, Zara, has the same sound as the Korean word for snapping turtle/Chinese softshell turtle: Jara.)

    ¡°... What the heck are you saying, man?¡±

    Then, while Juho was preupied with interpreting a seemingly out of ce exposition, a text message notification sounded from his phone. It was Nam Kyung saying that there were over eight hundred submissions thus far. ¡®I wonder if Seo Kwang¡¯s is one of them,¡¯ Juho wondered, hoping that it would be. At that moment, his phone started ringing.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    It was Baron, whose voice made it sound like he was in good spirits.

    ¡°Did you hear about Seo Kwang?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Juho hadn¡¯t heard from Seo Kwang, and since Juho didn¡¯t want to disrupt his aspiring trantor friend, he didn¡¯t go out of his way to reach out to him either.

    ¡°He¡¯s bouncing off the walls right now.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s making it seem like he¡¯s about to dedicate his life to tranting your book.¡±

    Juho still couldn¡¯t make sense of what Baron was saying.

    ¡°Did he make a submission to the publisher?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s actually not even close to having anything to submit,¡± Baron replied, sounding like he was holding backughter. ¡°He¡¯s been working on the opening statement for a month straight.¡±

    ¡°... You mean he¡¯s in the middle of revision?¡±

    ¡°No. As in, he hasn¡¯t even finished his first draft.¡±

    ¡°Well, that was unexpected,¡± Juho said, leaning back on his chair and murmuring, ¡°Maybe he won¡¯t finish in time.¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°This isn¡¯t it!¡± Seo Kwang eximed, covering his face with his hands, sobbing. ¡°This isn¡¯t me!¡±

    ¡°I thought I told you to stop being a nuisance and go upstairs!¡± his mother said, looking at her son. As his shoulders moved up and down, his untidy desk also moved up and down with him.

    ¡°Mom! Your son is in anguish right now!¡±

    ¡°You took the words right out of my mouth. My son is scaring the customers away.¡±

    ¡°My whole life depends on this!¡±

    At that, his mother burst intoughter, and Seo Kwang wiped the tears off his face.

    ¡°Maybe I was adopted,¡± Seo Kwang said. He was in crisis. Leading up to that point, he had been tranting countless types ofpositions, from business data to movies. Needless to say, he had also tranted his fair share of literature. He had been excelling in tranting, and the fact that he would even trante books written by some of the most notorious authors in the literary world with rtive ease had given him confidence. Never had he struggled with the first sentence.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me? This is the opportunity of a lifetime! Was my skill expendable? Did I use it all up!?¡±

    ¡°Quit yapping and go read some books! You would always go out with a book in your hand whenever you were feeling down.¡±

    ¡°Go away, mom. You don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°What did you say!?¡±

    While Seo Kwang was taking a beating on his back from his mother, the bell on the door rang, indicating a customer walking into the store. As Seo Kwang proceeded to bury his face in his arms, she made her way to the counter.

    ¡°Long time, no see!¡±

    ¡°How¡¯ve you been, Mrs. Kim?¡±

    At that moment, Seo Kwang looked up all of a sudden, saying, ¡°What the... You¡¯re not Juho.¡±

    To his disappointment, the customer was just one of the neighborhood regrs. Realizing that he was desperate for Juho¡¯s presence, Seo Kwang buried his head on the table yet again.

    ¡°Make sure to clean up after yourself,¡± his mother said, and Seo Kwang nodded. It was dark out. Since the cafe was closing earlier than usual that day, Seo Kwang decided to try tranting in the store, where he could concentrate. Soon, Seo Kwang was left alone in the store filled with the scent of coffee and books.

    ¡°A fish without gills.¡±

    It was a part of the English sample written by Yun Woo for the trantion contest. A fish without gills. Since it didn¡¯t breathe with its lungs or skin, the creature was bound to meet its demise within thirty seconds. A fish without gills woulde to its end in the only environment that it could survive in: water.

    ¡°If this is what the sample looks like...¡±

    Yun Woo¡¯s new English novel was going to be about a person. The young author had created and tranted the sample for the sole purpose of testing and seeking out a skilled trantor to work with. However, it was nowhere near enough to satiate Seo Kwang¡¯s desire to read Yun Woo¡¯s new story.

    ¡°I believe it¡¯s getting released in the States with ¡®River.¡¯¡±

    Seo Kwang scanned the sentences. Not only were they well-written, but they were sophisticated. It was almost impossible to think that Yun Woo was an author from a non-English-speaking country. Yun Woo¡¯s writing in English was just as tasteful as his Korean counterpart.

    The young author¡¯s dazzling sentences gave their readers the sense that he had been trained for years on end. Although the author kept things ambiguous for mischievous reasons at times, his depictions were as clear as day.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Yun Woo won¡¯t have trouble describing what mncholy is like.¡±

    Reading Yun Woo¡¯s writing only made Seo Kwang more certain that the author would be able to do that with ease. Hindered by a certain desire in his heart, Seo Kwang sped his head.

    ¡°Fantasy!¡±

    He recalled having asked Juho about how he went about writing. At which point, Juho had replied that...

    ¡°... I see fantasies where my characters have personalities and free will.¡±

    Even the author didn¡¯t know how the characters would lead their lives. Although Juho had exined that to his friend using various examples, Seo Kwang simply hadn¡¯t been able to rte to or understand the young author.

    ¡°He had to have seen something while he was writing this. What could that be?¡±

    Since Seo Kwang had never fantasized to that day, he still didn¡¯t have a clear way to define it. The extent of his understanding was that it was something dream-like. For the first time in his life, Seo Kwang found himself wanting to see it for himself. Something kept telling him that he would find something that would help him make a breakthrough. Licking his parched lips, Seo Kwang murmured to himself, ¡°First, close your eyes.¡±

    Juho had told him that the first step to seeing fantasies was to close your eyes. Upon closing his eyes, Seo Kwang heard a car zooming past the store and the whir of the motor within the refrigerator in the kitchen. At that moment, his stomach growled, and he opened his eyes.

    ¡°Gettin¡¯ hungry.¡±

    Clicking his tongue, Seo Kwang took a piece of candy from the counter and put it in his mouth. The sweetness helped appease his hunger. There was no time to look for food. Rolling the candy around in his mouth, Seo Kwang looked into the air. A fish without gills. That time, he tried holding his breath. However, it wasn¡¯t long before he exhaled sharply, spitting all over the ce.

    ¡°Maybe I need to take this more seriously.¡±

    From what he had heard, there had been more than eight hundred submissions by that point, and there had to be trantors who were seasoned and trained.

    ¡°C¡¯mon... I don¡¯t care what I see. Even if it¡¯s just one second.¡±

    At that moment, Seo Kwang looked toward the whirring refrigerator in the kitchen, which was filled with food and drinks.

    ¡°Alcohol,¡± Seo Kwang said as he rose from his seat.

 Chapter 361 - Yun Wooéˆ¥æªš Translator (3)

    <h4>Chapter 361: Yun Woo¡¯s Trantor (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡®Should I?¡¯ Seo Kwang asked himself. After ring at the bottle of soju for ten minutes, he reached into the refrigerator with shaky hands and grasped the cold, rigid surface of the bottle. He couldn¡¯t remember thest time he had been that nervous before drinking. When he¡¯d been invited to his first official outing as a college student, Seo Kwang remembered having to take care of his naive ssmates after they had passed out from having had too much to drink at once. The res of the upperssmen from back then were still vivid in Seo Kwang¡¯s memory. Then, as Seo Kwang made up his mind and picked up the bottle, his phone started ringing.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    It was a text from Sun Hwa inviting him to a gathering with their old Literature Club members, which, needless to say, involved alcohol. Since Seo Kwang had turned it down once, she seemed to be expecting the same response from him that time.

    ¡°You¡¯re preparing for that trantion contest, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Why ask if you already know?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know. Just out of courtesy.¡±

    Then, another message came from Sun Hwa, which turned out to be a picture message that time: a picture of all of their former Literature Club members enjoying themselves, with Baron sitting in the middle. It looked nothing like where Seo Kwang was, where it was filled with loneliness. Feeling provoked, Seo Kwang wrote an angry reply:

    ¡°I¡¯m drinking too!¡±

    Breathing slowly, Seo Kwang opened the bottle and gently ced it in front of himself, sniffing it. It wasn¡¯t exactly the most pleasant smell. The sound of the third hand of the clock was the only thing keeping the ce from sinking intoplete silence. Just like that, thirty seconds had passed. Then, while his heart was still thumping, Seo Kwang took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and took a big gulp from the bottle. His neck moved unnaturally, and his throat felt cold initially, but that feeling was soon followed by a burning sensation. Fifteen seconds and half a bottleter, Seo Kwang exhaled, spreading his arms out sideways to try to bnce himself.

    ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t do anything stupid. Wait, I¡¯m not crossing the point of no return, am I?¡±

    An empty page on the screen of hisptop came into view, which showed the progress of his application for the trantion contest. He couldn¡¯t afford to waste any more time. Breathing in, he guzzled down what was left of the liquid in the bottle and mmed it down on the table. The bottle made a loud nging sound as the bottom hit the surface of the table. After initially considering going for a second bottle, Seo Kwang quickly gave up on the idea as he was terrified of the possible consequences.

    ¡°There¡¯s no going back now. C¡¯mon, anytime now. Let¡¯s see it. Just show me something.¡±

    The third hand kept moving. After sitting down for a little while, Seo Kwang rose from his seat and started roaming around the store, hoping that walking around would help him see something. However, no matter how many times he walked around the store, nothing happened.

    ¡°This is getting boring.¡±

    In the end, Seo Kwang picked up his phone and dialed the number of a certain person, who answered almost immediately and with a calm tone of voice, ¡°Yeah?¡±

    For some reason, Seo Kwang burst intoughter at the sound of his friend¡¯s serene voice.

    ¡°Did you drink?¡± Juho asked, catching on to Seo Kwang¡¯s state almost instantly. Although not a drinker, Juho seemed to have the nose of one.

    ¡°I sure did.¡±

    ¡°Are you with Sun Hwa?¡±

    ¡°Nope! I¡¯m all by myself.¡±

    ¡°You sound miserable.¡±

    ¡°I just can¡¯t seem to make any progress on the trantion!¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s why you got drunk? I thought you¡¯d know better,¡± Juho said, sounding as if he found Seo Kwang¡¯s logic absurd. By contrast, Seo Kwang was in high spirits. When he proudly told Juho how much he had had to drink, Juho replied, ¡°You mean you drank the entire bottle in thirty seconds!?¡±

    ted by Juho¡¯s bbergasted remark, Seo Kwang said, ¡°Now, I¡¯m a fish without gills.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re drunk.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I swear,¡± Seo Kwang said, feeling as though nothing had changed. ¡°I feel perfectly normal. I don¡¯t see no fantasy. I¡¯m tellin ya¡¯, alcohol is always the culprit! At this rate, I can probably drink another seven bottles.¡±

    ¡°You do realize that you¡¯re speaking English, right?¡±

    Ignoring Juho¡¯s remark, Seo Kwang looked around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He didn¡¯t see a single fish, let alone bubbles or a fish bowl. He was sitting at a table with an empty bottle in an empty bookstore. Meanwhile, the page on theptop screen remained empty.

    ¡°Well, I guess I drank for no reason. I might as well go back to tranting.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re drunk. How can you possibly trante anything? Go to bed.¡±

    ¡°Man, I told you! I¡¯m not drunk!¡±

    Then, tossing his phone to one side, Seo Kwang made himselffortable, still in high spirits, remembering how fun tranting was and how privileged he was that he got to trante Yun Woo¡¯s writing.

    ¡°I fear nothing! Nothing scares me! I¡¯m invincible!¡±

    ¡°Alcohol will do that to ya.¡±

    ¡°Yun Woo? Pff. What¡¯s so great about him?¡±

    The air grew silent. At which point, Seo Kwang started to feel lonely.

    ¡°What do you think it means to trante something?¡± Seo Kwang asked, changing the subject.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m tranting your writing, does that mean I¡¯m you at that moment?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily.¡±

    The responseing from the receiver was of little importance. Completely ignoring Juho¡¯s replies, Seo Kwang kept on, ¡°If I became Yun Woo and wrote, don¡¯t you think I¡¯d be able toe up with THE best trantion? But nooo. That wouldn¡¯t be possible. At the end of the day, I am me, and that¡¯ll never change. Oh, wait. You can, though, can¡¯t you? You can trante your own work, right? Why aren¡¯t you? I don¡¯t get you sometimes. Wait, what should I be doing, then?¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang leaned back on the chair. As he loosened up his neck, his head fell back. His eyes were hurting from looking directly at the fluorescent light on the ceiling, Seo Kwang closed his eyes. Although the white beam of light was still visible, there was still no fish. He was also able to breathe normally, which reminded him that he wasn¡¯t in water.

    ¡°I wonder what you¡¯re seeing right now. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s just for one second, I¡¯d love to see it for myself,¡± he said. Although rare, there had been times when Seo Kwang had felt as though he had be one with the author while tranting. It became especially more apparent when working on a book written by an author who was no longer around. While a part of him felt shameless, another part of him felt like he had borrowed or stolen from another person, especially when he found himself thinking: ¡®I wrote this.¡¯

    ¡°A fish without gills. It dies. It can¡¯t live in the water anymore. The protagonist struggles in the river as they drown slowly. A story about death, and Yun Woo,¡± Seo Kwang murmured.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    As Juho¡¯s voice started fading into the distance, Seo Kwang felt something clogging up his nose, forcing him to have to breathe through his mouth. Whenever he breathed in and out, he felt his lungs expand and shrink. When he exhaled deeply, something started choking him.

    ¡°Hey! Are you OK?¡±

    At that moment, Seo Kwang vomited out what seemed like a white pearl. When he picked it up, it was sticky to the touch.

    ¡°It¡¯s an eye.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your eyeball.¡±

    Looking at an eye that he knew very well, Seo Kwang became curious as to how that eye would see him. He listed all of the books written by his friend, which took about thirty seconds. After that, the air sank into silence yet again.

    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t know anymore,¡± Seo Kwang said, putting what looked like an eyeball into his mouth. It tasted sweet. ¡°All I know is that you¡¯re alive,¡± he added. When he bit into it with force, the ball shattered into pieces. ¡°So, what does it mean to trante? Eh, who cares? I¡¯m just gonna do it. You just wait. I¡¯ming right now.¡±

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    With that and before Seo Kwang realized it, darkness engulfed the aspiring trantor.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Ugh! You just drive me crazy sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Mom, please. My head is ringing.¡±

    Looking unwell, Seo Kwang drank his honey water. Because he was drinking it right after waking up, it seemed forced. Feeling queasy, he felt as though the entire world was spinning. At that moment...

    ¡°Better?¡±

    ... a voice asked Seo Kwang. When he looked toward where it hade from, a familiar face came into view.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    It was Yun Woo. Yun Woo was in his room. Seeing as though he looked clean, he seemed to have just washed up. Chuckling at the dumbfounded look on Seo Kwang¡¯s face, Juho massaged his own shoulder and said, ¡°Thank meter.¡±

    The night prior, hearing Seo Kwang snoring on the phone, Juho had made haste to the book cafe. When the young author had arrived, he had been greeted by Seo Kwang¡¯s mother, who had weed him with an embarrassed look on her face. Because it had beente, Juho had spent the night at Seo Kwang¡¯s house, trying to sleep through Seo Kwang, who had kept trying to wake Juho up, moaning.

    ¡°Do you remember anything?¡±

    ¡°No, nothing,¡± Seo Kwang said in a hopelessly cracked voice, sping his head. Then, upon checking his phone, he asked, ¡°Did I call you?¡±

    ¡°You did.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°¡®Cause you were drunk.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang let out a deep sigh and said, ¡°I feel like throwing up.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you get for drinking so much. You gotta take care of your health while you still have it.¡±

    ¡°Can you lower your voice? My head is ringing,¡± Seo Kwang said in a serious tone of voice. However, Juho couldn¡¯t resist his urge to chuckle at the sight of his hungover friend.

    ¡°What did I sayst night?¡± Seo Kwang asked cautiously. Looking down at him, Juho replied, ¡°What do you think you said?¡±

    ¡°Did I beg for a hint?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Did I beg you to pick me?¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°Or did I cry for help?¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    ¡°Man! Say something! I¡¯ll throw up on you. I¡¯m gonna do it!¡± Seo Kwang said, threatening Juho only to gag and cover his mouth.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything like that.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    ¡°You listed every single one of my books from A to Z.¡±

    ¡°... Why?¡±

    After a brief thought, Juho replied, ¡°Who knows.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang let out a deep sigh yet again and said, ¡°I¡¯ll never drink again,¡± rubbing his stomach while looking deathly pale.

    Looking at her son, Seo Kwang¡¯s mother clicked her tongue and said, ¡°You just had to learn the hard way. I¡¯m making some soup, so you two wait here. You should join us for breakfast, Juho.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Meanwhile, Seo Kwang remained silent, admitting to his folly.

    ¡°I wanted to finish tranting that sample today.¡±

    ¡°In the state you¡¯re in? Good luck.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can look at anything right now, let alone words.¡±

    ¡°Alcohol is such a powerful thing, ain¡¯t it? It even seems to cure the most severe case of book addiction.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. I can¡¯t see anything,¡± Seo Kwang murmured, adding, ¡°I¡¯m never doing this again. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be an animal.¡± Then, he sped his head, fell backward and said, ¡°But I do feel kind of relieved.¡±

    ¡°And your stomach?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s filled with vomit, thanks for asking.¡±

    In the end, Seo Kwang spent the entire day not doing anything. There was no progress made that day.

    ¡°Alcohol definitely isn¡¯t the way to go.¡±

    The next day, once Seo Kwang situated himself in the corner of the cafe, he was forced to greet the unwee guest yet again.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Hello,¡± the guest said, walking toward Seo Kwang.

    ¡°You still alive there? You do seem a little better,¡± the guest said, looking serene.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I came for some coffee.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the only cafe in Korea, you know.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it is! This is the only cafe that carries Mrs. Kim¡¯s coffee.¡±

    At that, cheerfulughter came from the distance. However, Seo Kwang had no time to waste. As he closed hisptop in a hurry, Juho turned around, paying no attention to it.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Seo Kwang asked, and Juho answered, puzzled, ¡°To look at books.¡±

    Then, Juho looked through the books carefully. Staring intently at him, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°You¡¯re here to make fun of me, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    Seo Kwang smacked his lips and cautiously opened hisptop again, though it wouldn¡¯t be visible to Juho. When Seo Kwang nced toward Juho, his author friend seemed to take no interest in what Seo Kwang was up to.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to hang out with you today,¡± Seo Kwang said for no apparent reason.

    ¡°I never asked you to.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me, all right? This is payback for you being a pain in the butt when we were in the Literature Club.¡±

    ¡°Now, when did I ever do that?¡±

    Without even bothering to give an answer, Seo Kwang buried his head in hisptop. Although his hands moved busily, both Seo Kwang and Juho were fully aware that it was just for show. Meanwhile, Juho quietly opened a book and immersed himself in it.

    ¡°... Hey.¡±

    As Juho remained quiet, Seo Kwang kicked him in the shin and called to him once again.

    ¡°Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What should I do?¡±

    Redirecting his attention to his book, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯m holding that contest so that I can find a good trantor with whom I can work.¡±

    In other words, Juho was saying that he wasn¡¯t going to offer any help to his friend.

    ¡°Man, then, what are you doing here!? You¡¯re just making me uneasy!¡±

    ¡°I mean, I cane as a customer whenever I want, right?¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang quickly realized that his author friend was visiting just to poke fun at him. With a smile, Juho asked, ¡°Need some help?¡±

    Gritting his teeth, Seo Kwang said irritably, ¡°Man, get outta here!¡±

    As Juho smiled provokingly, Seo Kwang red piercingly into the screen of hisptop for no apparent reason. Just like that, an hour passed, and Seo Kwang dropped his head on the table.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Juho asked, and Seo Kwang answered weakly, ¡°I¡¯m taking a break.¡±

    ¡°OK,¡± Juho replied nonchntly, flipping to the next page on his book.

    Then, a moan came out of nowhere. Looking toward his friend, Juho asked, ¡°You want me to guess what you¡¯re thinking right now?¡±

    ¡°Since when are you a psychic?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re afraid that you¡¯ll fail.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang jumped from his seat.

 Chapter 362 - Yun Wooéˆ¥æªš Translator (4)

    <h4>Chapter 362: Yun Woo¡¯s Trantor (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°It¡¯s not every day you get an opportunity like this, you know,¡± Seo Kwang said weakly, clearly exhausted and discouraged. However, Juho paid no attention to him, focused on reading instead.

    ¡°You¡¯re a trantor, and I¡¯m a writer. I think it could happen again.¡±

    Hearing Juho turn the page on his book indifferently, Seo Kwang said, ¡°... Life isn¡¯t that simple.¡±

    ¡°You make it sound like you know from experience.¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Seo Kwang said, looking away. Nevertheless, Juho was still looking in his direction. ¡°I really wanna do this. I really want to be your trantor. I can¡¯t just sit here and wait for an opportunity that might or might note,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°Well, then. I guess you gotta get on that trantion.¡±

    The next step was simple, and theptop in front of Seo Kwang was reminding its owner of that fact, which remained true even as he was lost and confused.

    ¡°I told you. It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Seo Kwang said, repeating himself andughing. By the time hisughter started to die down, he asked Juho, ¡°Are you one of the judges?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°I guess that makes sense. You wouldn¡¯t be here otherwise.¡±

    ¡°But I did trante it, though.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± Seo Kwang eximed, looking up and rocking the table. Juho stared at the cup of coffee on the same table, which wavered as if it was about to spill over at any given minute. Thankfully, every drop of the coffee remained in the cup. Then, paying no attention to the state of Juho¡¯s coffee, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°You mean the sample?¡±

    ¡°Yep. I tried tranting it while I was writing it.¡±

    Seo Kwang seemed to have a lot of things he wanted to say. After several attempts to verbalize his thoughts, Seo Kwang said, ¡°... Huh! What do you know,¡± and let out a heavy sigh. Lately, Seo Kwang had been realizing just how much of a gap there was between him and Yun Woo. The author was far ahead of the aspiring trantor. Yun Woo and Juho were twopletely different people. Yun Woo was impable, rational,petent, and widely recognized by everyone. If Seo Kwang were to stand by the author¡¯s side, there would still be a ways to go.

    ¡°You even have the power to make directors like Jenkins mere extras.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Juho asked, and fumbling with hisptop, Seo Kwang replied, ¡°That mad genius of a movie director. After reading your book, I asked myself if Yun Woo would be in the position he was in now if Jenkins hadn¡¯t turned up. In my opinion, yes. Yes, he would. You would be in the same exact position, and ¡®The Glory of Traitor¡¯ would be just as sessful as it is now, with or without Jenkins, whether he made a massively sessful film adaptation of your book or not.

    ¡°Even if that genius of a director hadn¡¯t called you the Great Storyteller, you would¡¯ve achieved that on your own. Whether Jenkins is part of your life or not ispletely irrelevant. All he¡¯s doing is making things more confusing for everyone. Turtles might have survived the ice age when it wiped out the dinosaurs onnd, but in front of you, that holds no significance.¡±

    (TL¡¯s Note: Remember, Jenkins¡¯ first name, Zara, in Korean, sounds the same as the Korean word for snapping turtle/Chinese softshell turtle: Jara.)

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Apparently, you can eat every part of a turtle, except its shell and ws. Have you had turtle soup before?¡±

    As if a turtle retracting its head and ws into its shell, Seo Kwang swallowed his words. If Yun Woo¡¯s presence was capable of diminishing a world-renowned, Hollywood director¡¯s presence, then what would Seo Kwang look like next to him?

    Putting the book down, Juho leaned back and asked, ¡°Do you really think I would be in the same position if Jenkins hadn¡¯t turned up?¡±

    As far as Seo Kwang could tell, Juho wasn¡¯t pretending to be modest.

    ¡°Actually, I think things would have turned out entirely different,¡± Juho said, as if he knew something Seo Kwang didn¡¯t. Well acquainted with the shameless look on Juho¡¯s face, Seo Kwang looked at his friend with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t hidden my identity at school, what do you think would¡¯ve happened?¡± Juho asked, changing the subject all of a sudden.

    ¡°Your identity?¡±

    ¡°If I had gone through my entire high school career as Yun Woo, how do you think that would¡¯ve turned out?¡±

    It had been quite a while ago. After some thought, Seo Kwang replied, ¡°I¡¯m sure you would have had an easygoing school life. You know, being a celebrity and all.¡±

    ¡°Do you think we would have met?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think so. They say that some people are destined to meet.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it. You¡¯re kind of in,¡± Juho replied, chuckling.

    ¡°Oh, I see. You are picking a fight.¡±

    ¡°Just sayin¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Just saying what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saying that¡¯s as useful as those thoughts can be: starting fights, which I assume is what you want to do with Jenkins.¡±

    Seo Kwang tried to think of an answer. However, he gave up and murmured, ¡°Seriously, I wonder how you see this world,¡± thinking, ¡®How does he know how to get on my nerves so well? He just knows me too well. Man, the things I would do to give him a taste of his own medicine.¡¯

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving? I have stuff to do, you know,¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    ¡°Right. Good luck with that,¡± Juho said nonchntly, rising from his seat. Badmouthing the young author under his breath, Seo Kwang started typing away. Just like that, a week went by, and Juho received a call from Seo Kwang saying, ¡°I finished it.¡± He sounded confident for some reason.

    ¡°Well? Are you satisfied with how it turned out?¡±

    ¡°I sure am,¡± Seo Kwang replied. He didn¡¯t sound drunk either.

    Nodding, Juho said nonchntly, ¡°OK,¡± ever so slightly envious of Seo Kwang¡¯s confidence.

    ¡ª

    ¡°I hate Yun Woo,¡± ¡®A¡¯ grumbled with Yun Woo¡¯s sample in their hand. Although short and in English, there was profound beauty in the text, which reminded ¡®A¡¯ of what made Yun Woo such a great author. Of those who understood the meaning of the sentence, who wouldn¡¯t be impressed? Yun Woo, as an author, was incredibly charming, and ¡®A¡¯ was very fond of the author and his writing, rejoicing with him when he got the Neb trophy.

    ¡°But as a trantor, that¡¯s apletely different story.¡±

    ¡®A¡¯ had read the book Yun Woo had tranted, at which point, they couldn¡¯t stop wondering how the author had been able to trante at the capacity he had. Whenever reading the author¡¯s work, ¡®A¡¯ was reminded that the author¡¯s talent, skill, and ability in tranting was not something that could be taught.

    ¡°If I weren¡¯t a trantor, then I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about dealing with these negative feelings toward him.¡±

    ¡®A¡¯ felt depressed in knowing that they couldn¡¯t like the author wholeheartedly, all while the desire to trante the author¡¯s work existed within their heart. There was little they could do. Upon hearing the news about the trantion contest, there had been only one thought in ¡®A¡¯s¡¯ mind: ¡®I have to do this.¡¯

    ¡°Even dating isn¡¯t this agonizing.¡±

    ¡®A¡¯ sighed deeply as they attached the final draft of the trantion to the email. Envy and jealousy manifested only when one who harbored those emotions knew the subject of those emotions. After sending the email, ¡®A¡¯ put their trantion of Yun Woo¡¯s sample down to one side. They had lost count of how many times they had read it up to that point.

    ¡°I might not be at Yun Woo¡¯s level, but I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    After checking that the email had been sent to the right recipient, ¡®A¡¯y on the floor, where all the previous versions of their trantion were scattered.

    ¡°I wonder how Yun Woo would¡¯ve tranted it,¡± they murmured.

    ¡ª

    ¡°This one¡¯s not bad at all,¡± Mr. Maeng murmured after skimming through one of the submissions.

    ¡°Bummer that it didn¡¯t make it.¡±

    ¡°There are a lot of those,¡± Ms. Song said. Then, Mr. Maeng looked to the stack of submissions on his desk. The results by the judging panel wereing out that day, and he assumed that the judges were busy discussing the winners.

    ¡°Wha-?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo¡¯s here, apparently,¡± Ms. Song said, looking at her phone. Locking eyes with each other, the two made their way to the lounge.

    ¡°Mr. Woo.¡±

    After being brought to the lounge by one of the employees, Juho looked up at the voice calling to him. There was already a cup of coffee in the author¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Juho greeted them, putting his phone in his pocket.

    ¡°We weren¡¯t expecting you toe all the way here,¡± Mr. Maeng said, seeing Nam Kyung¡¯s name on the screen of the author¡¯s phone in passing.

    ¡°I was curious about the results.¡±

    ¡°We could¡¯ve let you know,¡± Mr. Maeng said.

    ¡°I was already out, so I thought I should pay a visit. Would you like some coffee?¡±

    ¡°Please.¡±

    As Juho pressed the button on the vending machine, a dark-brown liquid trickled down into the cup.

    ¡°The judges have finished their evaluations, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The results should be out soon,¡± Mr. Maeng said.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the end of the first round. There were so many submissions.¡±

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have had this many participants if it hadn¡¯t been for you, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Juho said, chuckling. Then, as the vending machine finished making the coffee, Juho handed a cup to each of the two editors. The lounge was filled with the pleasant scent of coffee.

    ¡°I think we ended up choosing a lot more people than we had initially nned on. About twenty people.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense considering the number of participants,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Though, there will be only one winner in the end.¡±

    ¡°Were there any hidden talents?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Of course! There were so many talented people. Frankly, people tend tond jobs in trantion through connections most of the times, so this is definitely an unusual opportunity. On top of that, these are people who are passionate about your books, so thepetition has been really fierce.¡±

    ¡°We also got a lot of submissions from seasoned trantors. Though, we don¡¯t exactly know who they are.¡±

    ¡°There were a lot of people who work inpletely irrelevant fields too. Reading their trantions is actually pretty fun.¡±

    Then, the two editors looked at the author simultaneously and said, ¡°Though, we did want to see you trante it yourself.¡±

    ¡°Kind of sad that it didn¡¯t happen.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. We already have twenty peoplepeting for the next round,¡± Juho said, shaking his head.

    Although chuckling, Mr. Maeng smacked his lips. However, Ms. Song still seemed to have trouble moving on.

    ¡°I saw your trantion. The moment I saw it, I found myself thinking: ¡®This is it!¡¯¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Since when have you had such a developed sense ofnguage, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t born with it, I¡¯ll tell you that.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the secret?¡± Ms. Song asked. Then, as if remembering something, she lifted her fingers and said, ¡°I heard they¡¯re showing your trantion to the contestants during the second round interviews!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± Juho asked. There was no way to know what kind of questions would be asked during those interviews. Then, just as Ms. Song was about to speak, Mr. Maeng said, ¡°Therees the Chief.¡±

    When Juho looked in the direction Mr. Maeng was looking, he saw Nam Kyung, who made haste upon seeing Juho.

    ¡°There you are! You¡¯re early,¡± Nam Kyung said.

    ¡°The wait wasn¡¯t too bad though, thanks to these two fine editors.¡±

    Nam Kyung seemed exhausted for some reason, but that also made sense when considering he had been in the conference room up to a moment ago. Then, Juho reached his hand out.

    ¡°What are you asking for?¡±

    ¡°The results.¡±

    A smile appeared on Nam Kyung¡¯s face.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you making it too obvious to me, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°The winner of the contest will be tranting my book. I think it¡¯s only polite to greet them in person.¡±

    Without further questions, Nam Kyung handed him a stack of paper, which contained the numbers of the twenty contestants who were moving up to the second round. When Juho flipped to the next page, he saw the personal information of the twenty contestants, which Juho skimmed quickly. Meanwhile, the three editors watched the author anxiously.

    ¡°So, these are the lucky twenty,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    After remaining quiet for a brief moment, Juho returned the stack of papers to Nam Kyung.

    ¡°How are you doing?¡± Mr. Maeng asked. Instead of giving an answer, Juho shrugged, and the editor scratched his cheek awkwardly at the author¡¯s ambiguous attitude.

    ¡°Well, I better get going,¡± Juho said. At that moment, Nam Kyung stopped him.

    ¡°How about you and I go out for a meal? I have something to tell you regarding the contest.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Since Juho didn¡¯t have any ns, he epted Nam Kyung¡¯s request willingly. Upon arriving at the restaurant, the two ced an order, and when the food came out, the editor started eating in a hurry. He seemed famished. Juho was told a myriad of information about the contest, among which were the dates and the ce where they would hold the interviews with the twenty contestants. Eating his tofu soup, Juho organized his thought.

    ¡°You seem to be in a good mood. Did something good happen?¡± Nam Kyung asked.

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Juho asked back, his hand holding the spoon still in the air.

    ¡°I noticed that you¡¯ve been smiling.¡±

    Rubbing his nose, Juho replied, ¡°Maybe.¡±

 Chapter 363 - Yun Wooéˆ¥æªš Translator (5)

    <h4>Chapter 363: Yun Woo¡¯s Trantor (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Sitting in the backmost seat of a moving bus, Seo Kwang was preupied with talking on the phone. Although his phone was starting to get quite hot, he didn¡¯t mind it one bit.

    ¡°And then...¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°What was that? You wanna read it too?¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang stopped talking all of a sudden as a loud sigh came from the receiver.

    ¡°You¡¯re really pushing it.¡±

    It was Sun Hwa, who seemed to have gotten homete from her part-time job. Her voice was starting to grow more and more tired and irritable. Initially, Seo Kwang had called her to beg her to listen to him, saying that it was OK even if she were to fall asleep. However, upon reaching the one-hour mark, she found herself at her limit.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Seo Kwang asked, ying coy.

    ¡°I said call Bom!¡±

    ¡°I mean... of course, I¡¯ve tried that! She shut me down by saying that she was in the middle of writing. She was probably inspired by me,¡± Seo Kwang said. However, before he had time to continue, Sun Hwa cut him off mid-sentence and said, ¡°Then, try Baron.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s busy with a contest as well.¡±

    ¡°Then, Bo Suk.¡±

    ¡°She had too many questions.¡±

    ¡°What about the twins?¡±

    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t know about that. I should be an example to them, especially before an interview.¡±

    ¡°So, you do have some self-respect.¡±

    Unable to think of an answer, Seo Kwang chuckled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have any friends?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one, friend.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hanging up,¡± Sun Hwa said, hanging up after giving some haphazard encouragement. With the warm phone in his hand, Seo Kwang looked out the window at the scenery rushing past. As the bus drew near to his destination, Seo Kwang pressed the stop button and ced his hand on his chest, murmuring, ¡°It¡¯s OK. You got this. It¡¯s just an interview. All you gotta do is prove yourself. I can answer any question they throw at me. All the books I¡¯ve read all these years have to count for something. Besides, we used to do this all the time back in the Literature Club with our self-introductions.¡±

    Standing in front of Zelkova¡¯s building, Seo Kwang took a deep breath, remembering how ecstatic he had been when he had passed the first round while being reminded of how intimidating the second round was. Should he get eliminated, there would be no second chance.

    ¡°Well, I might as well enjoy myself while I¡¯m here. Let¡¯s not get too nervous. I¡¯m confident that I have what it takes as a trantor. Though, this is an interview... Eh, how different could it be from the college admissions interview? All interviews are the same.¡±

    At that moment, Seo Kwang realized that he was talking a lot more than usual. At which point, he remembered what Juho had told him: ¡°You be more talkative when you¡¯re nervous, don¡¯t you?¡± Unfortunately, Juho had been right. Seo Kwang was clearly nervous.

    ¡°Are you here for the interview?¡± an employee asked. At which point, Seo Kwang stopped talking to himself and replied, ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    The employee pointed toward a stairway, adding that he¡¯d find map printouts on the wall showing him where to go. At the end of a long hallway, was the waiting room, and there was a restroom nearby. Going into the restroom, Seo Kwang washed his hands for no apparent reason before entering the waiting room. When he opened the door cautiously, he saw that there were a few people who had arrived before him. Nobody said anything to each other. Then, as Seo Kwang sat down, he heard somebody talking behind him. Two people seemed to know each other.

    ¡°I¡¯ve neverpeted in a contest before.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty fun, actually.¡±

    Judging from their conversation, one of them seemed to have experiencepeting. Trying to keep his legs from shaking, Seo Kwang took out his phone. Although he didn¡¯t necessarily have anything to do or look at, he felt the need to help himself get through the ufortable silence. On the other hand, there were some contestants who seemed to be doing some research prior to the interview. While Seo Kwang was moving his fingers idly, somebody sat next to him and greeted him.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    Appearing to be around thirty, he smelled of cigarettes. After observing the man briefly, Seo Kwang gave him a nod and said, ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°So, you made it through the first round, huh?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how old are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-four.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re young!¡±

    Seo Kwang chuckled quietly. There was no use trying to appear and sound ambitious at that moment.

    ¡°Do you like Yun Woo?¡± the man asked. He seemed to be quite bored. He had to have found Seo Kwang while looking for someone to talk to. In response, Seo Kwang decided to wee the situation to stave off his anxiety.

    ¡°I better, right? I mean, I might be tranting for him,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good answer.¡±

    ¡°Well, what about you?¡±

    ¡°Not as good of a question, though.¡±

    At the man¡¯s seemingly provocative remark, Seo Kwang suppressed his urge to not act on his emotions. After a brief pause, the man replied, ¡°Noment. Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said it wasn¡¯t as good a question?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but we gotta consider our surroundings too.¡±

    Seo Kwang couldn¡¯t make sense of what the man had meant. After thinking for some time, Seo Kwang said, ¡°Are you, by any chance...¡±

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°... Nevermind.¡±

    ¡®There¡¯s no way that he wouldn¡¯t like Yun Woo when he¡¯s made it through the first round,¡¯ Seo Kwang thought to himself, shaking his head.

    ¡°You must have done a pretty good job tranting that sample.¡± the man said.

    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s why I¡¯m here,¡± Seo Kwang replied.

    ¡°Then, do you think you could tell me this one thing?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Why would a fish have no gills?¡±

    The man was asking for an interpretation, which was Seo Kwang¡¯s specialty. However, just as Seo Kwang opened his mouth to speak, the man raised his hand and interjected, ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s ambivalent,¡± answering his own question.

    ¡°It¡¯s an analogy for describing a person who can¡¯t fit in anywhere. A fish without gills is bound to die sooner orter, and frankly, humans aren¡¯t all that different when they¡¯re alone. You see, Yun Woo tends to use characters like that a lot.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Whenever I read a scene that reflects that though, I find myself bing curious.¡±

    Giving the man a disgruntled look, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°About?¡±

    ¡°Where Yun Woo thinks he belongs. A young, anonymous genius author. A celebrity loved by the media. The Great Storyteller with a massively sessful career. Oh, let¡¯s not forget trantor. Now, he¡¯s an adult. Yun Woo. Won Yi Young. Juho Woo. What do you think?¡± the man asked, waiting for Seo Kwang¡¯s answer that time.

    Looking into the distance, Seo Kwang replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know what he sees.¡±

    ¡°He seems like he¡¯s looking at himself, but at the same time, something tells me that he¡¯s not,¡± he added.

    ¡°That¡¯s a boring answer,¡± the man replied.

    However, Seo Kwang paid no attention to his reply and kept on, ¡°What dawned on me while I was tranting was that Yun Woo didn¡¯t make the sample for the sake of testing purposes. Everyone knows that Yun Woo excels when ites to the subject of death. The way I see, I¡¯m sure that he wrote that story about the fish withplete honesty.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°So, maybe...¡± Seo Kwang blurted out the first thought that urred to him, ¡°... He¡¯s actually died once.¡±

    The man snorted at Seo Kwang¡¯s response.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. What sense does that make?¡±

    ¡°Right?¡± Seo Kwang said, ying along reluctantly and looking away. Before he realized it, the waiting room had already gotten half-full. When he checked the time, there were about thirty minutes left until the interview.

    ¡°Have you ever met Yun Woo?¡± the man asked when Seo Kwang came back to his seat with a cup of green tea. Although he wasn¡¯t really thirsty, Seo Kwang needed something in his hands.

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Just curious. I haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°Huh. Where?¡±

    ¡°... At the signing event.¡±

    Of course, Seo Kwang wasn¡¯t referring to the official signing event the author had held at the bookstore. Rather, Seo Kwang was referring to the time when he had gotten the young author¡¯s autograph while they had still been in high school. At Seo Kwang¡¯s reply, the corner of the man¡¯s mouth twitched.

    ¡°You really like Yun Woo, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I believe that¡¯s the first step to being a trantor: loving the author.¡±

    Clicking his tongue, the man said, ¡°You mean their work.¡±

    ¡°So, you do like Yun Woo¡¯s work.¡±

    ¡°I sure do. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be here,¡± the man replied. After staring intently at him, Seo Kwang nodded.

    At that moment...

    ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that Yun Woo?¡±

    ... The two people who had been conversing behind Seo Kwang were lingering around the waiting room door.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the president?¡±

    Everyone listened intently from their ces, cautious not to make any sudden movements. Meanwhile, Seo Kwang walked toward the author and the president and looked out the door.

    ¡°It is him!¡±

    There were about five to six people standing on the stairway, obviously the higher-ups of thepany. Among them, was Juho, who was interacting with people much older than him while wearing his usual look: calm and serene. Seo Kwang stared long and hard at his friend. At that moment...

    ¡°What is this? A zoo?¡± the man murmured, and Seo Kwang looked up.

    Though everyone stared at the man, that was about the extent of their reactions. Seo Kwang slowly made his way back to his seat. Seeing his author friend at a publishingpany felt quite strange. It felt like there was a distance between them. Nevertheless, Seo Kwang wasn¡¯t put off by it. If anything, he felt determined.

    ¡®One day, I¡¯m gonna be part of that group. You just wait, Yun Woo.¡¯

    ¡°They¡¯reing this way!¡±

    ¡°Eh?!¡±

    As the footsteps started to grow louder, everyone in the waiting room started straightening their clothes. Seo Kwang, on the other hand, was in a daze, his mouth agape. Eventually, the door opened and somebody came into the room.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Yun Woo greeted the contestants with the same look he had used to interact with the higher-ups just a moment ago. Nobody dared to answer. After looking around the room, Juho asked, ¡°This is the waiting room for the interview, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± the man replied in a natural tone of voice... at least for somebody as critical as him.

    ¡°What brings you here?¡± the man asked. Although it sounded calm, there was something about his voice that also felt edgy. Although Seo Kwang and Juho locked eyes with each other, Juho replied as though he hadn¡¯t seen his friend.

    ¡°I just had a feeling that we saw each other in the hallway. I was just gonna mosey past the room at first though... I¡¯m not interrupting anybody, am I?¡± Juho asked, pulling down his hat.

    ¡®You¡¯ll have to do better than a hat if you wanna cover your face,¡¯ Seo Kwang murmured internally.

    ¡°Not at all! I¡¯ve been wanting to meet you!¡±

    At that, Yun Woo took a step back, ready to leave at any given minute. Seo Kwang felt his heart thumping. Then, before he knew it...

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ... He greeted the author. At which point, Yun Woo stopped in his tracks.

    ¡°Yes, hello,¡± Yun Woo said, greeting Seo Kwang back politely.

    ¡°Are you going to be at the interview, Mr. Woo? To spectate, perhaps?¡± Seo Kwang asked, blurting out whatever words that came to mind.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m actually here on work-rted business. I won¡¯t be at the interview.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a real bummer,¡± the man sitting next to Seo Kwang said, interjecting. Seo Kwang stared at him.

    ¡°Why?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I was hoping to hear your thoughts on my trantion.¡±

    Juho chuckled quietly.

    ¡°That definitely sounds doable.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± the man asked as the corner of his mouth twitched.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read everyone¡¯s first-round submissions. I gotta say, they were all rather impressive,¡± Juho said, adding a few morepliments to the contestants.

    ¡°You don¡¯t say,¡± the man said, looking dissatisfied. He had to be thinking that the author was putting on a show. However, Seo Kwang thought differently. He was well aware that Juho had genuine respect for every contestant in the room.

    ¡°I¡¯ve also read your Coin trantion, Mr. Woo,¡± the man said, his eyes ring intensely. Unfazed, Juho locked eyes with him.

    ¡°I really hope that we can work together,¡± the man said, reaching for a handshake. With a gentle smile, Juho grabbed his hand and said, ¡°Right.¡±

    At the author¡¯s brief answer, Seo Kwang shoved his hands into his pockets.

    ¡°Mr. Woo! There you are.¡±

    The new editor-in-chief, who was also the editor in charge of Yun Woo, said while sticking his head into the waiting room. Turning around, Juho said, ¡°Take care, now.¡±

    Just like when he came in, everyone remained silent that time as well. Yun Woo left the room as quickly as he had appeared. When the author left the room, the contestants in the room broke out into a briefmotion, only to return to silence shortly after. Seo Kwang let out a deep sigh. When he left, Yun Woo stirred up a strange sense of excitement,petitive spirit and joy within the contestants. ncing over to the man sitting next to him, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°How was it meeting Yun Woo in person?¡±

    At that, the man responded as if forcing the words out of his mouth, ¡°He¡¯s all right.¡±

    Chuckling quietly, Seo Kwang closed his eyes. Soon, an employee came into the room and notified them that the interview would be starting soon.

 Chapter 364 - Yun Wooéˆ¥æªš Translator (6)

    <h4>Chapter 364: Yun Woo¡¯s Trantor (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    When the contestant walked into the interview room, the first thing that came into view was a sign that read: Row C. Upon sitting down, ¡®C¡¯ looked at the other two contestants who were next to them: the person sitting in row A, and another sitting in the middle, who still seemed young, fresh, and nervous. ¡®C¡¯ was slightly relieved by it. At the same time, they wondered how the young contestant had made it through the first round. Leading up to that point, a lot of the contestants ¡®C¡¯ hade across had been seasoned trantors. ¡®A,¡¯ in particr, was rtively well known in the trantion world.

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    As one of the interviewers let out a cough, ¡®C¡¯ redirected their attention to the interview. Shortly after, the interview started with short, personal questions. Whenever ¡®C¡¯ would answer their question, for better or worse, the interviewers would nod and jot something down.

    ¡°Have you read the tranted version of ¡®Trace of a Bird?¡¯¡±

    To which, all three contestants answered, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Great. Do any of you know where the book states the birds are from?¡±

    ¡®C¡¯ found themselves getting bbergasted by the unexpected question. ¡®Did it ever mention where the birds came from?¡¯ The more the contestant tried to remember, the sweatier they became.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Kim.¡±

    At that, ¡®C¡¯ looked to their side, at the young contestant. At the same time, ¡®A¡¯ brought his hand down while the corner of his mouth twitched.

    ¡°The birds are from the same ce as the protagonist. There is a scene where the two brothers witness a bird hatching from an egg. Although the original doesn¡¯t specify that they¡¯re home, there is direct mention of it in the tranted version because the origins of the birds needed to be rified for thest scene: when the flock flies away.¡±

    The interviewers nodded affirmatively. ¡®C¡¯ nced at the young contestant, whose name was Seo Kwang. Although he looked quite nervous, his lips were moving unhesitantly. ¡®Who is this kid?¡¯

    ¡°Would anybody else like to add anything?¡±

    The other two contestants remained silent. At which point, the interviewer moved on to the next question.

    ¡°¡®Language of God: The Glory of Traitor.¡¯ I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all read it at least once.¡±

    At the mention of the book, ¡®C¡¯ clenched their hands into tight fists. They had read it a number of times. ¡®The Glory of Traitor¡¯ had been Yun Woo¡¯s first book after his return from a two-year hiatus. It had also brought him a second Neb Award.

    ¡°When Violinist is recording the war, what do you think is the most prominent emotion he¡¯s feeling?¡±

    ¡®C¡¯ raised their hand almost immediately. They felt the two other contestants gaze at them. As one of the interviewers pointed at ¡®C,¡¯ they replied confidently, ¡°It¡¯s sadness.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Violinist is a character who understands the irrationality of war better than anyone in his world. When people were dying away and the fact that some of those deaths would eventually be forgotten, I¡¯m sure he felt great sadness. There¡¯s also a scene in the book where he expresses his sadness to Traitor.¡±

    The interviewers nodded affirmatively at the contestant¡¯s response.

    ¡°Would anybody else like to add anything?¡±

    At that moment, the two remaining contestants threw their hands into the air at the same time, and ¡®C¡¯s¡¯ hand started shaking. That time, the right to speak went to ¡®A.¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s bloodthirst.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°As previously mentioned, Violinist tried to get as close to war as he could. In fact, he joins the war. When war breaks out, it tends to make every single person involved in it a murderer. Killing bes justified in many different ways, and this is where Yun Woo was really clever in the way he depicts that aspect of war. If I were the protagonist, I would¡¯ve lost it and cried like a baby,pletely incapable of doing anything about the situation at hand. Of course, Violinist isn¡¯t exactly a sissy.¡±

    ¡®A¡¯ wasn¡¯t exactly the most graceful with his words. On top of that, the contestant didn¡¯t even bother to look toward row C. ¡®C¡¯ reminded themselves that they were just aspetent. The contestant wasn¡¯t about to go down without a fight, nor lose the privilege of tranting for Yun Woo to the cocky trantor or the youngen. From then on, ¡®C¡¯ participated in the interview with fierce determination.

    ¡°Now, finally... ¡±

    ¡®C¡¯ breathed quietly. Their lips were getting parched.

    ¡°Would you like to take a look at Yun Woo¡¯s trantion?¡± the interviewer in the middle asked, giving the contestants a choice. At the unexpected turn of event, ¡®C¡¯ looked toward the other two contestants, who were looking straight ahead. Catching on to how the two were going to respond, ¡®C¡¯ opened their mouth and said, ¡°Yes.¡±

    As the three answered simultaneously, the interviewer walked out to the front and handed each contestant a copy of the trantion, which felt warm to the touch, almost as if it were alive. The air sank into silence as the contestants immersed themselves in the text in their hands. There were no questions nor answers.

    ¡°This...¡± ¡®A¡¯ let out.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Seo Kwang said. Meanwhile, ¡®C¡¯ clenched their teeth, teary-eyed.

    ¡°That concludes the interview.¡±

    With that, ¡®C¡¯ walked out of the room with their head hanging low, their mind full of questions and anger toward Yun Woo and his trantion.

    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t he just do it himself!?¡±

    The contestant¡¯s voice echoed through the hallway. At that moment, a series of footsteps came from behind them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you, Yun Woo,¡± Seo Kwang murmured.

    ¡°Not if I can help it!¡± ¡®A¡¯ said, bumping into ¡®C¡¯s¡¯ shoulder on purpose while walking past them.

    After staring at the two contestants, ¡®C¡¯ straightened the crumpled up trantion in their hand.

    ¡ª

    After getting a call from Seo Kwang for the first time in a long time, Juho made his way to the cafe. The author was well aware of why his friend had called him. The winner of the contest was being announced that day, and Juho thought Seo Kwang must have received the results. With a sense of anticipation, Juho opened the door to the cafe. At which point, Seo Kwang¡¯s voice could be heard saying, ¡°Let me tell you, mom. I realized just how many talented people were out there! It was such an awesome experience! You know what, though? It turns out that I wasn¡¯t exactly shabby either! I kicked some serious butt. The interviewers just couldn¡¯t take their eyes off of me. You know it, mom. Your son is pretty up there in terms of looks. I was super articte with my answers too. But thest question kind of bothered me. The other two I waspeting against were decent trantors too.¡±

    Looking at her son, the mother threw a wet towel on Seo Kwang¡¯s face, saying, ¡°Quit yapping ande wipe the table! I swear, you¡¯re so cocky!¡±

    ¡°Being too modest isn¡¯t a good thing either, you know. It¡¯s better to be confident,¡± Seo Kwang said, gritting his teeth while remembering Yun Woo¡¯s trantion. Meanwhile, Juho had been standing by the door with his hand still on the handle. It wasn¡¯t until he shook the door that the bell attached to it went off, and the mother and son looked toward the author.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Seo Kwang said, wiping the table. Juho greeted Seo Kwang¡¯s mother first.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make you some coffee. I¡¯ll be right back,¡± the mother said, going into the kitchen to bring out the fresh coffee beans, leaving only Seo Kwang and Juho in the cafe. Juho walked toward his friend, who seemed to be rolling something around in his mouth. It was most likely candy.

    ¡°The results are out.¡±

    ¡°Did I not make it?¡± Seo Kwang asked, his cheeks shaking.

    However, Juho threw his hands up in the air and said, ¡°You did it!¡±

    At that moment, the doorbell rang, indicating a customer walking into the store, and Juho quickly put his hat on, only to be floored by Seo Kwang jumping on him.

    ¡°I made it to the top three! I¡¯m a trantor now!¡±

    Seo Kwang had officially debuted as a trantor.

    ¡°Congrattions,¡± Juho said sincerely.

    ¡°Only one of them gets to trante for you, but it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s all luck at this point, and I¡¯ve proved myself!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Even if I don¡¯t turn up at the top, we¡¯re still young, so we should have plenty of opportunities to work together, right? Besides, I¡¯ve got my foot in the door!¡±

    ¡°Good job.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of myself! Go me! You killed it!¡± Seo Kwang said, kissing his own hands while Juho rose from the ground.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Mr. Woo.¡±

    A few dayster, Juho went to the publishingpany in order to meet the final winner. Then, noticing a figure standing in front of him, Juho looked up at the familiar face. The man was putting a pack of cigarette back into his pocket.

    ¡°We met in the waiting room, right?¡± Juho asked.

    As if impressed that the author remembered him, the man eximed and reached out for a handshake, saying, ¡°Are you here to see me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re the winner? Congrattions.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± the man said, the corner of his mouth twitching, and added, ¡°Though, I won¡¯t be tranting your book. I¡¯ll be joining the World Literature Comption team.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bummer. I was looking forward to reading your trantion.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be all that difficult. Please, feel free to give me a call whenever you want,¡± the man said with a nod, walking away, down the hall. While Juho stared at the man disappearing into the hallway, Nam Kyung called to the author, ¡°Ah! Mr. Woo. This way.¡±

    When brought to the conference room, the author asked the editor, ¡°Is this where my trantor is?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Juho nervously opened the door. There was no bell.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Seo Kwang said, greeting the author first. That was the moment the two friends met as writer and trantor.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Mr. Woo.¡±

    Humans were adaptable creatures. Although they couldn¡¯t have been more pleasing to the ears at first, the words no longer carried any impact now.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ... In fact, Juho was starting to want to avoid the voice calling for him. It called for him constantly throughout the day. In order to resist the urge to sigh, Juho drank his coffee.

    ¡°Hey, you! Writer!¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Say something about these twins!¡± Seo Kwang said, waving the manuscript in his hand. On his other hand was Juho¡¯s new English novel, which Seo Kwang was deeply impressed by, unafraid to show his feelings. Unlike the sample, which had been created for the test, the book was an actual novel.

    ¡°I¡¯m already having trouble keeping it from Gong Il and Gong Pal as is. I¡¯d really appreciate your cooperation, Mr. Woo. Besides, YOU wrote the book!¡±

    Seo Kwang had been telling Juho repeatedly that the Kong twins would be ecstatic to know that the author had written about them. Although Juho kept telling the trantor that the twins in the novel hadn¡¯t been based on the Kong twins, Seo Kwang didn¡¯t retract his statement.

    ¡°One of them dies, though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I need you to exin to me.¡±

    Unable to breathe after birth, one of the twinses to his unfortunate demise in the novel, and the surviving twin remembers his sibling¡¯sst moments vividly. Having witnessed the death of a person who looked exactly like him, the death of his twin brother affects the surviving sibling in various profound ways.

    ¡°This scene, here. Where one of them is drowning...¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Would you say that this scene is depicting suicide?¡±

    At that, Juho put the cup of coffee he was about to drink down. Seo Kwang kept on, ¡°They go into the ocean. Yes, the older brother is pushing the protagonist from behind, but wouldn¡¯t this be suicide in emotional terms? Besides, the older brother gives off the impression that he¡¯s not real, almost like an illusion.¡±

    ¡°Is the older brother like an illusion to the protagonist?¡±

    ¡°... No,¡± Seo Kwang replied, jotting something down. ¡°If anything, the older brother is scolding the protagonist.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°In that case, could one interpret that the protagonist goes into the ocean because of things he has no power to resist? Some sort of power, authority, or hierarchy, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°You could say that.¡±

    Furrowing his brow at the author¡¯s ambiguous answer, Seo Kwang said, ¡°Could you be a little more specific?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s best if we keep it ambiguous.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I think I should know. I have to know what your thought process was like when you wrote this scene.¡±

    ¡°I was also ambivalent when I wrote that scene.¡±

    ¡°For the love of...¡±

    Juho looked out into the distance. Then, he brought up a thought that urred to him.

    ¡°If I were to tell you one thing...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling that the protagonist wanted to live.¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang stopped his hand, tilting his head. Juho stared intently at the trantor.

    ¡°I feel like I heard that somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Heard what?¡±

    After ring into the air with narrowed eyes, Seo Kwang shook his head, ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m probably just imagining things,¡± and drank his coffee, no longer looking bothered.

    As Juho remained quiet, Seo Kwang chuckled for no apparent reason, saying, ¡°You just wait.¡±

    Seo Kwang had been chuckling often as ofte.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you the best trantion there is.¡±

    Looking at the determined look on his friend¡¯s face, Juho also smiled and said, ¡°Suit yourself.¡±

 Chapter 365 - Yun Wooéˆ¥æªš Translator (7)

    <h4>Chapter 365: Yun Woo¡¯s Trantor (7)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    From then on, Seo Kwang had been barraging the author with questions through every possible means: texts, phone calls, emails, etc., no matter where Juho was or what he was doing.

    ¡°How¡¯s the tone here? Do you think it needs to be more aggressive?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°Could you send me some data on gynecologist/obstetrician clinics in the US?¡±

    ¡°Sure thing.¡±

    Then, Juho¡¯s phone started to go off as soon as he picked it up.

    ¡°That took you long enough! So, it¡¯s about the scene of the character getting admitted into a psych facility.¡±

    The trantor wasn¡¯t even afraid to ask the most trivial of questions, which Juho apuded.

    ¡°You¡¯re a brave soul.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Asking questions takes a lot of courage.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the first time somebody told me that,¡± Seo Kwang said,ughing. Although it was quite a hassle, Juho liked that Seo Kwang had a lot of questions. Not only was the trantor incredibly fond of the book, he also had the skill to back it up. Looking at the book, Seo Kwang tranted it while trying to understand the author¡¯s intent, wrestling with how to deliver that to the readers. Whenever Juho would get a question from Seo Kwang, the author would have a feeling that the trantion would turn out OK. Imagining how the trantion would turn out was also quite fun.

    ¡°It¡¯s done¡±

    It took about two months until Juho was notified that the trantion had beenpleted.

    ¡°I¡¯m confident in my work,¡± Seo Kwang said, appearing unfazed. When Juho locked eyes with him, a bright smile appeared on Seo Kwang¡¯s face, which brought a sense of peace to the author¡¯s heart, something Juho didn¡¯t recall ever feeling before. By the time the tranted version of the book was released, it was a snowy winter.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Good job!¡± Mr. Moon said, showering him with praise, patting the author on the back. Juho couldn¡¯t stand still because of the impact.

    ¡°Well done. Well done.¡±

    Juho was the center of attention. People wereughing, and shutters were going off. When Juho looked to Seo Kwang for help, his trantor friend giggled, joining those who wereughing. In the end, Juho said, ¡°Mr. Moon, please. Get a hold of yourself. I haven¡¯t been to school in a while and I don¡¯t wanna throw up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very, very proud of you,¡± Mr. Moon said still deeply emotional.

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Mr. Moon!¡± Seo Kwang said, only to fan the mes. In the presence of the students looking into the staffroom from outside and his fellow teachers who were taking pictures of the three: him, Juho, and Seo Kwang, Mr. Moon hugged his two pupils. The tranted version of Juho¡¯s novel was on the teacher¡¯s desk.

    It had been Seo Kwang who had suggested that Juho deliver the book to the teacher in person, to which Juho had agreed willingly. The author had also been curious about how the school had changed after he graduated. If only he had known that he would be the center of attention.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already bought the book. Why didn¡¯t youe sooner?¡± Mr. Moon had said upon reuniting with his former pupils.

    ¡°You know... I¡¯ve been busy.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s made my life better. You did a fantastic job!¡±

    Then, Juho¡¯s line of sight started to shake vigorously. Juho had never seen Mr. Moon get so excited, and seeing him in such a state was a rather new experience. Catching his breath, the teacher said, ¡°The trantion was really good,¡± looking toward Seo Kwang. At which point, a proud smile appeared on the trantor¡¯s face.

    ¡°Right? I couldn¡¯t believe that I did all that either.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times I cried reading it.¡±

    ¡°You cried?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no doubt that that book was written by Yun Woo.¡±

    At that, Juho saw Seo Kwang¡¯s shoulders drop with relief.

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±

    The process had been exhausting. At that moment, a hand came up and patted the trantor on the back.

    ¡°It was so hard,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it was.¡±

    Bearing Yun Woo¡¯s name was anything but easy. Then, looking toward Juho, Seo Kwang said, ¡°I¡¯ll do even better next time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my student!¡± Mr. Moon said. Starting to get emotional again, he shouted, ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you both!¡±

    From then on, the three took their conversation to a different room, which had been provided by another teacher.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have thought in my dreams that I¡¯d see you on TV.¡±

    ¡°I was just third wheeling.¡±

    ¡°It was funny seeing how nervous you were.¡±

    ¡°Oh! C¡¯mon, Mr. Moon!¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°Yun Woo,¡± Mr. Moon said.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Everyone else has visited me at least once, bringing snacks to the kids in the Literature Club when they did. What took you so long?¡±

    ¡°You know the position I¡¯m in, Mr. Moon.¡±

    ¡°You could¡¯ve juste and see me,¡± Mr. Moon said stubbornly, something Juho was more used to. As Juho chuckled, Seo Kwang said, ¡°Well, I brought him! Betterte than ever, right?¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡±

    ¡°Otherwise, he probably would¡¯ve never shown, even up until you retired.¡±

    Although Juho denied it initially, it did sound like something he would¡¯ve done. Since he had been running into Mr. Moon at Yun Seo¡¯s house from time to time, he hadn¡¯t really felt the need to go visit the teacher at school. Because Mr. Moon seemed to think otherwise, Juho realized that deciding to visit the teacher at school that day had been a wise choice.

    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t leave without seeing the Literature Club, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    Since he was also curious about how the Literature Club had changed since he had graduated, Juho nodded. It had been for that very reason that he and Seo Kwang had decided to visit their old school while it was still in session.

    ¡°Hope they¡¯re excited to see us.¡±

    ¡°They sure are. They¡¯ve been waiting for you guys,¡± Mr. Moon said, adding that he had been telling the new club members about their predecessors visiting him at school.

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t stop asking me when you guys wereing. It¡¯s almost like you guys owe them something.¡±

    ¡°I would have been the same way if Yun Woo had gone to my school.¡±

    Juho rubbed the back of his neck. The idea of standing in front of students as their predecessor was foreign to him.

    ¡°We did hear a lot about the club. Heard it got a lot bigger.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Now, it¡¯s the biggest club in the entire school. It¡¯s a hassle, really.¡±

    Juho followed Mr. Moon down the hallway. Then, noticing that they were walking away from the science room, he looked back and asked, ¡°What happened to the science room?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s gone back to being a storage space. They even lock it up now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing. It means the new club members get to write in a more spacious environment,¡± Juho said with a bitter smile.

    ¡°Here we are,¡± Mr. Moon said, opening the door. Stepping aside, he pointed toward the room. At which point, Juho smiled embarrassedly and went inside, bing the center of attention almost instantly.

    ¡°There are so many.¡±

    The club looked nothing like before, when there had only been five members. At that moment, the club members erupted into shouts.

    ¡°It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡±

    Having followed after Juho, Seo Kwang elbowed the author on the side. In response, Juho secretly stepped on Seo Kwang¡¯s foot. Meanwhile, raising both of his hands, Mr. Moon calmed the club members down. They moaned as they stared at the celebrity author in front of their eyes.

    ¡°These are your predecessors. I¡¯m sure everyone here knows who this is. It¡¯s Yun Woo,¡± Mr. Moon said, looking toward Juho.

    With a subtle bow, the author introduced himself, ¡°Hello, Yun Woo.¡±

    At that, the club members erupted into cheers and apuse yet again. Then, Seo Kwang raised his hand and introduced himself briskly, very unlike the attitude he had during the interview.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m his trantor.¡±

    The same cheers and apuse went to Seo Kwang. Ecstatic that they were meeting Juho and Seo Kwang in person, the students whispered their names to each other as if seeing celebrities. Then, having Juho and Seo Kwang stand behind the podium, Mr. Moon sat on hisfortable-looking chair and said, ¡°If you have any questions for them, now would be the time to ask.¡±

    After ncing at the familiar-looking chair, Juho looked ahead. The new club members were staring at each other awkwardly, uncertain of what to ask first. The author looked around the new ssroom, which was significantly more spacious than the old science room. Not only was it clean, but the chairs and the desks all seemedpletely different. The walls were decorated with a variety of English writing, adding to the weing feel of the ssroom. At that moment...

    ¡°Me!¡±

    A hand went up in the air along a series of quiet chuckles. That had to be the most popr student in the club. With a weing smile, Seo Kwang pointed at the student and asked, ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You two have been friends since high school, right?¡±

    By that point, Yun Woo¡¯s rtionship with his trantor had already been packaged as an encounter of fate.

    ¡°I read an article recently, and there was a critic who thought that your rtionship seemed to contribute to the trantion. What are your thoughts? Do you think your rtionship with your trantor actually had an effect on how the trantion turned out?¡± The student asked.

    At which point, Juho gave Seo Kwang the floor. Without a moment of hesitation, the trantor replied, ¡°I¡¯m sure the product was good enough for that to make sense, right?¡±

    The students nodded emphatically.

    ¡°Understanding the author before tranting their work is a necessary step. Now, since we were already friends, I¡¯ll say that that process came easy to me. You see, by the time we started working together, I already knew him pretty well, from how he usually talks to his book preferences, his favorite walking trails, and food. On top of that, we went through high school together.¡±

    As the students responded with envy, the trantor urged them on even more, ¡°You know what, though? I know what Yun Woo was like when he used to be anonymous.¡±

    At that, the students erupted into cheers, and Juho took a step back from Seo Kwang. Cackling, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°Anything else?¡±

    That time, quite a few hands went up in the air. When Seo Kwang chose a certain student, they nced at the author before fixing their eyes on the trantor and asked, ¡°So, I remember reading that even the publisher didn¡¯t know that you two were friends, and Mr. Woo didn¡¯t know who had won the contest either, and that he was surprised to see you at the end. How did you feel back then?¡±

    As Seo Kwang nced over at Juho, the author came out to the front and gave them an answer, which was the same answer he had given at an interview once, ¡°A lot of things. I don¡¯t think I can just pinpoint what I was feeling back then. Initially, though, I was d to see him. He¡¯d always brag about tranting my books, even when we were part of the club.¡±

    At that, the students¡¯ faces lit up. They whispered to each other, deeply inspired. To the students who were curious about what a trantor did, Seo Kwang gave a brief summary of his work. Simrly, Juho also shared some tips on bing an author.

    ¡°Was Mr. Woo¡¯s book hard to trante?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything like ¡®Language of God,¡¯ but this book introduces sentences in differentnguages. You¡¯ll know what I¡¯m talking about if you read the book, but the protagonist¡¯s older brother is a polyglot. Sometimes, he would insist that he was from Israel, or a mathematician from the UK. Writing about topics like that often requires the author to do some research, which means I had to do something simr as well.¡±

    ¡°So, the trantor is the one responsible for all those things?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Yun Woo¡¯s writing tends to be unpredictable. Even the simplest, most unsophisticated piece of writing will quickly turn into something incrediblyplex in his hands. Yun Woo¡¯s an author who actually excels at writing about two opposing ideas. He¡¯s been that way since we were in the Literature Club. In fact, he does it on purpose. This might be my first time working as a trantor, but something tells me that I won¡¯t have to ask other authors as many questions as I asked Yun Woo.¡±

    The students seemed to understand what Seo Kwang was saying. They were essentially learning how the book came to be.

    ¡°Are you satisfied with how everything turned out, Mr. Woo?¡±

    After staring into the air for a brief moment, Juho replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I knew it,¡± somebody murmured.

    The student who had asked the question seemed to be expecting the same answer. Then, seeing Seo Kwang filled with confidence, Juho burst outughing.

 Chapter 366 - An Authoréˆ¥æªš Greed, and An Unexpected Offer (1)

    <h4>Chapter 366: An Author¡¯s Greed, and An Unexpected Offer (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What¡¯s the secret to bing a better writer?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the secret to speaking better English?¡±

    ¡°How did you guys invest in yourselves to reach where you are?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it like to be popr?¡±

    ¡°How many cups of coffee does Kelley Coin drink in a day?¡±

    ¡°What are the award ceremonies like in the US?¡±

    ¡°Have you met a lot of celebrities? Were any of them Hollywood actors?¡±

    ¡°Tell us more about Jenkins!¡±

    ¡°Howe you¡¯re not a fan of doing movie adaptations?¡±

    ¡°Did you really donate a billion dors?¡±

    Juho and Seo Kwang each answered an array of questions. As time passed and the students opened up more, the number of questions also started to grow. It was a ratherfortable atmosphere, and there was frequentughter throughout the Q&A session.

    ¡°Was it fun being part of the Literature Club?¡±

    At that, Seo Kwang answered without hesitation, ¡°It¡¯s what made school fun.¡±

    Juho nodded in agreement. At which point, the students got even more excited and said, ¡°We saw Juho¡¯s short story in the literary magazine! Everyone else¡¯s were really good too!¡±

    ¡°Man, that was ages ago! I didn¡¯t know it was still being read,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°Do you guys keep in touch with your old clubmates?¡±

    ¡°Yep! We had a drink together not too long ago.¡±

    ¡°Were you ever jealous of Juho¡¯s writing?¡±

    Rubbing his chin, Seo Kwang answered, ¡°You know, I used to wanna be a writer at one point.¡±

    ¡°Really!?¡±

    ¡°But I gave up because of Yun Woo, though.¡±

    ¡°Egh!¡±

    Seo Kwang was clearly getting a kick out of the students¡¯ reactions. In order to remind him of that, Juho tapped him on the leg. However, the trantor didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°I mean, he was already a professional writer by that point, right? But he was still super serious, even against amateurs like me! I don¡¯t know about you guys, but no amateur in their right mind would wanna be up against Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°All right, then. Suit yourself,¡± Juho murmured, taking a step back. Then, a shout came from the back.

    ¡°But Mr. Woo¡¯s a good trantor too! Were you at all intimidated by that?¡±

    At which, Seo Kwang put on acent smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m not backing down twice.¡±

    If Sun Hwa had been there, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to scold him for his pretentious attitude. At that moment, another student raised their hand, and Juho locked eyes with them. Their eyes were filled with curiosity.

    ¡°What is it like to achieve your dream?¡± the student asked, firmly believing that the two had achieved their respective dreams.

    As Juho hesitated, Seo Kwang nced over at the author and said, ¡°It¡¯s nice! It feels good. I also feel relieved.¡±

    Juho chuckled, indicating that he agreed with Seo Kwang.

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t stop pursuing your dreams until you dropped dead.¡±

    At that moment...

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ... Mr. Moon interjected, rising from his chair. Although the students groaned, reluctant to part ways with Juho and Seo Kwang, they simply couldn¡¯t keep them any longer. After all, the two were the center of attention in their respective fields. In the end, Juho said goodbye to the students with Seo Kwang¡¯s remark still lingering in his head.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Mr. Moon said. While waiting until the club activities period was over, Juho and Seo Kwang sat under the same tree they used to sit under, drinking coffee and taking pictures with the students, or signing autographs for them. Then, as the two got into Mr. Moon¡¯s car, the students in the schoolyard eximed, impressed.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°To eat.¡±

    Mr. Moon¡¯s car was filled with books. Scanning through them, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°Have you ever given your students a ride?¡±

    ¡°A few times when I was a homeroom teacher.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°There was a student who just stopped showing up to school, so I had to visit their home with another teacher. Ha! I was seriously on the verge of quitting back then,¡± Mr. Moon said with a cheerful smile on his face.

    Then, Juho asked as he opened the window, ¡°What are we eating?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go for some barbecue? Call everyone else.¡±

    ¡°Already on it! Are you buying, Mr. Moon?¡±

    ¡°You little... You¡¯re both better off than I am.¡±

    ¡°Apparently, Yun Woo¡¯s dirt poor after making that billion-dor donation.¡±

    ¡°Enough with the rumors already!¡±

    Seo Kwang tapped on the screen of his phone busily as the car came out of the schoolyard and passed through the gate. Juho looked at the school building as it faded into the distance. Although a lot of things had changed, there were still traditions being upheld to that day. That evening, the entire group of former Literature Club members got together over barbecue.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Eat more.¡±

    ¡°That was quite enough.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re such a wimp sometimes,¡± Yun Seo said as Hyun Do rinsed his mouth with water. Looking at him putting his chopsticks down, Yun Seo stuffed her mouth with meat and vegetables. Since the weather had started to get warm, eating outside of the house was no longer an issue. Should the weather have been colder, it would¡¯ve been unthinkable. A pleasantly warm breeze came along.

    ¡°Juho seems to be doing well. He was here with Song Hak not too long ago. Oh, have you met Song Hak?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s one of your former pupils. He teaches at a high school, doesn¡¯t he? You wouldn¡¯t stop talking about him at one point,¡± Hyun Do said, and Yun Seo started giggling.

    ¡°Have you read Juho¡¯s English novel, yet?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think that he¡¯s actually afraid of water, not birds.¡±

    As Hyun Do looked toward her, Yun Seo put on a mischievous look and said, ¡°Did you get that impression at all? I kept getting the same impression while reading ¡®River¡¯ too.¡±

    A story of a person drowning and a story about a protagonist who suffocates to death, there were definitelymonalities between the two novels.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask the author yourself?¡±

    ¡°Should I?¡± Then, remembering something all of a sudden, she changed the subject, ¡°Oh! Didn¡¯t you say you had started working on something? Any progress on that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did. Nothing major, though.¡±

    There were countless readers waiting for Hyun Do¡¯s new book. Yun Seo had heard that the author had received an offer from a publisher recently.

    ¡°I thought you were done with writing the plot? You¡¯re taking your sweet time,¡± Yun Seo said, resting her chin on her hand.

    Nodding, Hyun Do replied, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been thinking about.¡±

    At that, Yun Seo stopped moving her chopsticks and asked, ¡°Which is?¡±

    ¡°A person, actually.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    Raising his cup, Hyun Do said, ¡°A pupil.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a real head scratcher.¡±

    Hyun Do was known for refusing to write testimonials for other authors. Simrly, he had never judged contests or taught aspiring writers like Yun Seo did. He took no interest in lecture offers either, no matter thepensation for them. On top of that, he wasn¡¯t fond of giving advice to other authors. It was simply his natural inclination.

    ¡°I mean, you could always give it a shot? I¡¯m sure authors would line up to learn from you.¡±

    ¡°Should I?¡± Hyun Do replied, flicking on the surface of the cup, which resonated with a clear sound.

    ¡°Eh?!¡± Yun Seo let out while looking at Hyun Do with widened eyes.

    ¡°You seem surprised.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that I was expecting a different answer, I guess.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m actually willing this time.¡±

    ¡°Willing to take in a pupil?!¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily.¡±

    ¡°Then, what are you saying? Do you wanna try teaching one of my sses?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Hyun Do said, adding, ¡°When are you seeing Juho again?¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hey, you. Been a while,¡± Juho said, patting the dog on the head. The dog started wagging its tail upon seeing Juho. It had been a while since Juho had been to the neighborhood. Yun Seo still seemed to be healthy and Joon Soo and Geun Woo were still wrestling with their manuscripts as usual. Geun Woo, in particr, seemed quite depressed, which made Juho think that he was in a rut. Joon Soo was still delivering lectures at university campuses. Serving multiple purposes, Yun Seo¡¯s house was a ssroom on one hand and a studio on the another. At that moment, the dog, which had been lying on the ground indifferently while Juho was patting it, sprung up all of a sudden and started wagging its tail again.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Juho asked, looking around and wondering if its owner was returning home. Then, he saw a person walking up the steep hill. At which point, Juho also sprung up.

    ¡°Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°I see that you two have met.¡±

    It was Hyun Do. Having no recollection of being informed that he was visiting, Juho was genuinely caught off guard by his appearance. Thinking back on it, Yun Seo had seemed somewhat brighter than usual.

    ¡°How¡¯ve you been?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been well. How about you?¡±

    ¡°Same,¡± Hyun Do replied nonchntly, kneeling in front of the dog, which started nuzzling him and panting excitedly. It was behaving in apletely different way from just a moment prior, when it had been alone with Juho.

    ¡°You seem really close to the dog,¡± Juho said bitterly.

    ¡°We¡¯vee to know each other over time.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it knew so many tricks.¡±

    The dog was now standing on its hind paws. Even while greeting the dog, Hyun Do¡¯s back was straight. Then, after staring at his back for a little while, Juho caught on to what Hyun Do had really meant.

    ¡°Do you like to travel?¡±

    Blinking in confusion for a brief moment, Juho replied in a hurry, ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    Hyun Do nodded, and the air sank into silence. The dog¡¯s tail looked almost like a propeller by that point.

    ¡°So, Yun Seo thinks that...¡±

    Juho listened to him intently.

    ¡°... There are a lot of authors who are curious about my writing process.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are,¡± Juho said genuinely and yfully. ¡°I¡¯m one of those people.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Turning away from the dog without hesitation, Hyun Do went down the hill. Staring at him disappearing into the distance, Juho sat next to the dog, which moved away from him. Only then, did Juho realize that Hyun Do had been investigating him.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Why Juho...?¡± Geun Woo murmured, burying his head. By that point after dinner, Hyun Do had already left. Juho was looking up at the dimming sky.

    ¡°Howe only Juho gets to visit Mr. Lim¡¯s studio!?¡± Geun Woo shouted. While Juho tried tofort him with an awkward smile on his face, Yun Seo calmly drank her tea.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to go to bed, Geun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Why you?¡± Geun Woo let out, sounding almost resentful by that point. ¡°Why not me?¡±

    ¡°Beats me,¡± Juho replied haphazardly. At which point, Geun Woo started shaking.

    ¡°Well, good for you! I¡¯ll probably never see his writing space in my lifetime, but don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m just a nobody. Ugh! I feel like I¡¯m having indigestion just thinking about it.¡±

    ¡°You probably ate too much,¡± Juho said, shrugging and adding, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll learn enough for the both of us.¡±

    ¡°You prick!¡± Geun Woo said, his eyes changing all of a sudden. ¡°Life¡¯s been good for you, huh? Being in the spotlight with your trantor, making some billion-dor donation... Well, I hope you learn through this experience that there¡¯s always going to be somebody better than you.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Geun Woo. How old are you now?¡± Joon Soo said, letting out a small sigh.

    Nevertheless, Juho nodded slowly and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m nning on it.¡±

    ¡°Ugh! You¡¯re SO annoying!¡± Geun Woo said, picking up his phone irritably and calling somebody.

    ¡°Hello? Choi?¡±

    ¡°Wow, Geun Woo. You¡¯re really something else,¡± Joon Soo said, shaking his head with a disgusted look on his face as Geun Woo spread rumors in front of Juho. Sang Choi was even more narrow-minded than Geun Woo was. Then, Geun Woo handed the phone to Juho, who took it from him.

    ¡°What about me?¡± Sang Choi asked as soon as Juho brought the phone up to his ear. Resisting the urge to chuckle, Juho dealt with the romance writer haphazardly and hung up the phone. Thankfully, Sang didn¡¯t call back, most likely because he was calling other authors.

    Looking at her pupils, Yun Seo asked, ¡°Should I talk to Hyun Do and ask him to take you guys too?¡±

    Then, Geun Woo dropped his head and became bashful all of a sudden, ¡°I feel kind of shy...¡±

    Contrary to Geun Woo, Joon Soo said calmly, ¡°If I don¡¯t earn the opportunity myself, then how meaningful would that be? Right, Mrs. Baek?¡±

    At that, Yun Seo waved her hand in denial, as if she had expected her pupils¡¯ answers.

    ¡°Then, you two better focus on writing rather than wasting your energy elsewhere. Didn¡¯t you miss a deadline not too long ago, Geun Woo?¡±

    At that moment, Geun Woo quietly let up. Meanwhile, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere, Juho thought to himself, ¡®I wonder what Mr. Lim¡¯s studio is like?¡¯

 Chapter 367 - An Authoréˆ¥æªš Greed, and an Unexpected Offer (2)

    <h4>Chapter 367: An Author¡¯s Greed, and an Unexpected Offer (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°There¡¯s the ocean,¡± Juho said, looking out into the ocean in the distance. Then, after dropping the author off at a certain stop, the bus went on its way. Because the bus had been very small, the ride there had been quite the bumpy one. Remembering the look on the driver¡¯s face as he got off the bus, Juho plunked down on his luggage.

    ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m going to boot camp or something.¡±

    If it had been boot camp, it would have been a very remarkable one given that it was at Hyun Do Lim¡¯s residence. Juho thought back to the conversation he had had with Hyun Do. The young author had been quite bbergasted by Hyun Do¡¯s unexpected offer.

    ¡°You can alwayse with me to my ce, ore at your own pace, and I can meet you elsewhere. If you choose toe alone, that is. What¡¯s it gonna be?¡± Hyun Do had asked, and Juho had answered without hesitation, ¡°If you could give me your address...¡±

    ¡°Not a problem.¡±

    Following the GPS on his phone, Juho made his way toward the destination through the dirt road. The grains of sand were getting in the author¡¯s shoes somehow. Then, walking past a construction zone, a neighborhood grocery market came into view as he turned to the right. It had a sign that read: ¡°Lodging.¡± There was a pile of steamed corn in front of the store, of which Juho bought a bag. All the surrounding buildings seemed to have glossy walls, which meant they were either newly built or renovated. There was also a resort nearby. Walking past everything, Juho went into an alleyway that brought him closer to the mountains that were facing the ocean.

    (TL¡¯s Note: In Korea, it¡¯smon for ordinary stores to provide lodging on the side for the travelers/visitors in rural areas further away from the cities.)

    ¡°Is it here?¡±

    Standing in ce, Juho stared at the GPS in confusion as it gave him an ambiguous direction. Still feeling unsure, Juho walked toward another alleyway surrounded by stone walls. Then, when a thick bamboo forest appeared on the other side of the walls, Juho felt the air cool down. Sniffing the damp and grassy scent in the air, Juho walked through shadows of the bamboo trees. At the end of the trail was a house, which made Juho certain that he hade to the right ce. As he walked across a small front yard, the door opened.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    It was Hyun Do, whose hair was almost entirely white by that point.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Lim,¡± Juho replied, looking up at the author¡¯s white hair.

    ¡°Did you get the corn from the grocery store?¡± Hyun Do asked, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°They looked good, so I thought I should pick some up on the way,¡± Juho said, almost as if making an excuse for his behavior.

    ¡°You could¡¯ve had some on the way.¡±

    ¡°I bought enough for us to share.¡±

    ¡°Well,e on in,¡± Hyun Do said in a serene voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡±

    Dragging his luggage, Juho went into the house, which was quite tidy. On the other hand...

    ¡°Very neutral looking, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ... The entire house was gray, from the wallpapers to the door, the shelves, and furniture. Including the refrigerator, which made Juho¡¯s red hat stand out even more. Taking off his hat slowly, Juho followed Hyun Do.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be on the second floor.¡±

    The second floor didn¡¯t look any different. Then, as Juho was looking around the rooms, he was enticed by a certain picture in a heavily-decorated golden frame.

    ¡°I see that you have a painting of the moon.¡±

    ¡°Yun Seo gave it to me. She thought the ce looked too bleak,¡± Hyun Do said, leaning against the door frame. Then, as Juho ced his luggage to one side, Hyun Do said ¡°It must have been a long trip, so get some rest if you want. Should you feel so inclined to find a book you wanna read downstairs, feel free.¡±

    Although Juho was started to feel tired, it wasn¡¯t enough to keep him from moving around, so he followed Hyun Do downstairs. When Hyun Do pointed to a door, the young author opened it, and a study filled with books appeared in front of him.

    ¡®Seo Kwang would have wept with joy.¡¯

    ¡°How many books are there?¡±

    ¡°I never counted them myself, but I¡¯d guess around two thousand?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It looks like a lot more than that.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s another room where I keep older books. So, if you¡¯re interested, feel free to look around. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t imagine you having trouble reading any of them.¡±

    ¡°Will do, Mr. Lim.¡±

    Chuckling quietly, Hyun Do turned around and walked away. Juho looked at the books that were filling every corner of the room until Hyun Do called for him for tea. Then, deciding to share the moment with his friend, Juho took a picture of the room and sent it to Seo Kwang, who, as expected, nearly lost his mind upon seeing it. After writing a short reply to him, Juho put the phone back into his pocket. Then, seeing one of his own books on the shelf, Juho smiled.

    ¡°Is this where you write?¡± Juho asked, sitting at the living room with Hyun Do.

    ¡°Only when I need to focus,¡± Hyun Do said, shaking his head. There was an astringent taste to the tea he had brought out, which meant the tea leaves had been brewed with incredibly hot water for an extended period of time. Nevertheless, Juho remained unaffected by it, respecting Hyun Do¡¯s personal taste. When Hyun Do asked him about Juho¡¯s preference in tea, Juho replied, ¡°This is fine as is.¡±

    ¡°So... What do you want me to do?¡± Juho asked cautiously. Looking away from the window, Hyun Do replied, ¡°Just stick around.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±

    As Juho swirled his teacup, the liquid within it also moved.

    ¡°Am I the real-life counterpart of the pupil in your new work-in-progress?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t find you reliable enough for such a big role.¡±

    At that, Juho scratched the back of his neck, feeling slightly awkward.

    ¡°Then, are you the teacher in the novel?¡± Juho asked, redirecting his question.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m fit for that role either.¡±

    ¡°I think you are.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s worse than an animal. I don¡¯t consider myself that terrible of a person.¡±

    The story was about a teacher whose status fell below that of an animal and their student who was dignified and respectable. Juho tilted his head. It all sounded too familiar.

    ¡°Is this going to be simr to ¡®The Full Moon?¡¯¡±

    After some thought, Hyun Do replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s going to be different. I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be that cold and cruel.¡±

    There was certainty in his voice, which told Juho that he had a certain image in mind. Suppressing the excitement welling up from within, Juho asked, ¡°So, how do you go about writing?¡±

    ¡°Nothing special. I just write.¡±

    ¡°There are some authors who act out their stories as they write.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not for me,¡± Hyun Do said, looking toward Juho and adding, ¡°Though, there are authors simr to you. Rare, but they¡¯re definitely out there.¡±

    There were plenty of authors who described their writing process as seeing ghosts or fantasies, having dreams, or hearing phantom voices. Remembering the painting he had seen in one of the rooms upstairs, Juho asked, ¡°What was Mr. Kang¡¯s writing process like?¡±

    At that, Hyun Do¡¯s hair moved ever so slightly as he answered, ¡°He wrote almost as if forcing his feelings into his writing. I can¡¯t help but chuckle whenever I hear people calling him a genius.¡±

    Then, Hyun Do rose from his seat, gesturing for Juho to remain seated as the young author stood up with him.

    (TL¡¯s Note: In Korea, it¡¯smon etiquette for younger people to stand when an elderly stands.)

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry? I have to treat my guest.¡±

    ¡°How can I help?¡±

    ¡°Forget it. Go look around the area or something.¡±

    Hyun Do¡¯s reply was closer to rejection than a decline. At which point, Juho let up without question, feeling somewhat like he was being driven out of the house. It waspletely different from visiting either Yun Seo¡¯s or San Jung¡¯s house. As Hyun Do had suggested to him, Juho meandered around the area. Upon returning to the house, Juho noticed an appetizing smell in the air. When he went into the kitchen, Hyun Do said without turning back, ¡°You¡¯re back just in time.¡±

    Feeling proud, Juho set up the table as Hyun Do finished making the fish stew.

    ¡°You¡¯re a great cook, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an essential skill to have when you live alone, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    The stew was quite delectable, which made Juho eat faster than normal inadvertently. Then, noticing that Hyun Do was eating calmly and unhurriedly, Juho slowed down to his pace. When he came out to the living room after doing the dishes, the Sun had already gone down. It was starting to gette to do anything. As Juho was wandering around the study, Hyun Do said, ¡°I go to bed at ten.¡±

    Juho checked the time. There wasn¡¯t much time left.

    ¡°If you get hungry at night, feel free to eat what¡¯s in the refrigerator.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°If you wanna write, I have plenty of manuscript paper, so feel free to ask.¡±

    ¡°Will do, Mr. Lim. Have a good night.¡±

    With that, Hyun Do turned around and went into his room. Left alone in the living room, Juho rubbed his arms, feeling slightly chilly. Then, after wandering around the living room for a little while, he also went to bed early.

    ¡°Where¡¯d he go?¡±

    Although it wasn¡¯t all thatte, Juho found the house empty when he woke up the next day. Then, as Juho was checking the refrigerator in the kitchen downstairs, he heard the sound of watering from outside. It was Hyun Do washing his feet by the water faucet outside.

    ¡°Did you go fishing, Mr. Lim?¡±

    Hyun Do nodded quietly. Looking at his belongings and noticing that there was nothing to contain the fish, Juho asked, ¡°Did you not catch any?¡± Then, closing the faucet, Hyun Do said, ¡°We had fish stewst night.¡±

    ¡°Did you let them go after catching them?¡±

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see any tub for the fish or anything.¡±

    It was likely that Hyun Do hadn¡¯t gone fishing in order to catch fish. Instead of telling the truth, Hyun Do asked, ¡°Would you like to go see the beach?¡±

    ¡°The ocean?¡± Juho asked inadvertently. At which, Hyun Do smiled and asked, ¡°Do you not like

    the water?¡±

    ¡°No, not necessarily,¡± Juho said confidently, as if ready to go at any given minute. Then, Hyun Do picked up all of his belongings and went inside, past the young author. Juho followed him quietly. There wererge chunks of clouds in the sky.

    ¡°It¡¯s crowded.¡±

    Laughter sounded from the distance. There were already people ying in the water. Although it was nowhere near as hectic as during the vacation season, the colorful tubes floating in the water were quite eye-catching. Then, the wind blew, carrying the fishy smell of the ocean with it.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going in?¡± Hyun Do asked. Staring out at the horizon, Juho replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m particrly in the mood.¡±

    ¡°Do you not know how to swim?¡±

    ¡°No. And you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I do. If my body remembers it, that is.¡±

    A seagull came into view. It was strolling through the beach umbres, away from the rest of its flock by the stone statue. Seeing as though the statue was covered in droppings, it had to be a popr spot for seagulls. Picking at its feathers, one of the seagulls observed the people enjoying their time at the beach. On the other hand, the lone seagull at the beach kept pecking at something and pping its wings.

    ¡°Is that a crow?¡± Juho murmured at the sight of an unexpected bird.

    ¡°There¡¯s something you don¡¯t see every day,¡± Hyun Do said.

    ¡°It does look kind of strange next to the seagulls.¡±

    Although the crow stood out like a sore thumb, the seagulls didn¡¯t seem to mind its presence one bit. Juho stared at the lone seagull on the beach, which clearly wasn¡¯t fond of the crow. After staring at the crow, which shamelessly stood its ground and refused to move, Juho looked away.

    ¡°Is this what your day is like usually?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I usually spend more time alone,¡± Hyun Do replied, snorting quietly. With a guest staying at his home, his day was bound to look different from usual. Realizing that Hyun Do wasn¡¯t in the habit of inviting people over to his house, Juho chuckled quietly.

    ¡°Does anybodye over?¡± the young author asked curiously, expecting Yun Seo to be one of, if not the only person.

    ¡°Two people.¡±

    ¡°Who are they?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s Yun Seo.¡±

    Juho nodded at Hyun Do¡¯s answer. Then, Hyun Do brought up another name that caught Juho off guard.

    ¡°And Wol.¡±

    Juho¡¯s lips parted, and he remembered the exterior of Hyun Do¡¯s residence.

    ¡°So, that ce is older than it looks.¡±

    ¡°It was renovated at one point. It looks nothing like how it did before,¡± Hyun Do said. Then, stepping forward, he said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go dip your feet in the water or something?¡±

    Juho shook his head, looking away from the people ying in the water and saying, ¡°I don¡¯t even have a vest on me.¡±

    ¡°I can buy you one.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±

    Seeing as though Juho was refusing to go into the water, Hyun Do didn¡¯t force the subject. As the wave came rushing toward the shore in the distance, breaking and foaming, Juho stared intently at the seaweed that had washed up the shore, washing back into the water as it got tossed around by the people walking on the shore.

 Chapter 368 - An Authoréˆ¥æªš Greed, and an Unexpected Offer (3)

    <h4>Chapter 368: An Author¡¯s Greed, and an Unexpected Offer (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Where is he?¡±

    Juho wandered around the quiet house. Hyun Do was nowhere to be found, even when he checked the study, or peeked his head out through the living room or the patio window. Then, seeing that the watering pot and the hose were wet, Juho walked out to the front yard and smelled the wet grass. However, Hyun Do was still nowhere to be found. He had to have gone out somewhere.

    ¡°He¡¯s really quiet.¡±

    Coming back inside, Juho wandered around the kitchen for no apparent reason, left alone yet again. Then, he walked toward the innermost room on the first floor, slowly and cautiously. It was Hyun Do¡¯s writing space. The door was cracked open slightly. Although the young author was tempted to go in, he simply couldn¡¯t dare to set foot in the room. Instead, he looked through the crack. Aside, were a floor chair, arge desk, aptop, and well-organized research data. There was nothing in the room. It was so tidy that the desk almost looked lonely.

    ¡°Just like its owner,¡± Juho said, wondering if writing in a room like that would help an author focus more. Comparing it to his own writing space, Juho tilted his head, thinking that it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to give it a try himself. There was definitely nothing distracting in the room. At that moment, something underneath the floor chair caught Juho¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    It was a sheet of paper. Squatting, Juho stretched out his neck as much as possible in order to get a better look at the writing on it. Upon reading it, Juho realized that it was a story about a teacher and their pupil. ¡®Is it the plot for the new book? Maybe it¡¯s an old idea that he decided not to use,¡¯ Juho thought. There were traces of Hyun Do having wrestled with his thoughts. Then, before Juho realized it, he leaned forward and reached for the sheet of paper under the floor chair. A dust particle floating around sparkled brightly with the sunlight.

    ¡°Is this...?¡± Juho let out, realizing why Hyun Do¡¯s description of his new work-in-progress had sounded so familiar. Backing away from the room, Juho rushed to the second floor, nearly tripping on his way.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read that book!¡±

    It was a story Juho had read in his past life as a homeless man, when he had wandered with nothing in his possession. After acquiring the book through desperate means, Juho had read it over and over again. Hyun Do had been just aspetent as when the younger author had been on the rise. Hyun Do had never stopped writing. His books had never be stagnant. In fact, they had always been new and original, which had also made him one of the most respected authors in the literary world. The very book that had ced the literary great at the top was in front of Juho¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Why now, though?¡±

    The book wouldn¡¯t be released until muchter, when Juho also was much older. ¡®Maybe this is when he starts writing it? Or did something change? Did Mr. Lim improve his writing even further somehow?¡¯ A wave of thoughts rushed into Juho¡¯s mind. Then, the young author looked at the painting in one of the rooms upstairs. Upon realizing that he could read the book once again, a smile grew on Juho¡¯s face. The fact that he could be part of the birth of such a legendary book blew Juho¡¯s mind. Then, hearing Hyun Doing into the house, Juho straightened himself and went downstairs to greet him.

    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±

    Staring intently at Juho¡¯s face, he asked, ¡°Did something good happen?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Juho asked, ying coy. Raising an eyebrow, Hyun Do said, ¡°You¡¯re smiling.¡±

    At which point, Juho decided to tell the truth, ¡°Well... Maybe,¡± smiling. Even while Hyun Do talked about the cloudy weather, Juho was in high spirits.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to write? I¡¯ve never seen you write,¡± Juho asked the next day.

    ¡°There¡¯s no rush,¡± Hyun Do replied.

    ¡°Right.¡±

    Juho was well aware that not all authors wrote as fast as he did. Rubbing his hands together anxiously, Juho asked, ¡°Do you think I could borrow some manuscript paper, Mr. Lim?¡± itching to write. Hyun Do nodded affirmatively.

    ¡°Take as many as you¡¯d like,¡± he said, pointing to a corner in his writing space, where the stack of manuscript paper was being kept. Taking the sheet of manuscript paper at the very top, Juho hurried out of the room.

    ¡°Going somewhere?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    Hyun Do pointed in a certain direction. As Juho stared at Hyun Do¡¯s fingertip, he felt his back growing damp with cold sweat.

    ¡°You mean here?¡±

    ¡°Do you not want to?¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t know what to say. He didn¡¯t really have a reason not to stay in the house either. He still remembered why he hade to Hyun Do¡¯s house in the first ce. On the other hand, Hyun Do had a mischievous smile on his face. Juho nced at the sheet of manuscript paper under the floor chair, which was still at the same ce. ¡®I guess that¡¯s where it belongs,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°I figured that it¡¯d be more convenient for you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do,¡± Juho said, sitting on the floor chair. Since there was nothing on the desk, there was plenty of space. Juho grabbed a pen. ¡®I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be writing in front of him,¡± Juho thought. He wasn¡¯t expecting that he¡¯d be writing in the presence of the literary great before seeing his writing process.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mind me sticking around, do you?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Juho said. However, he was actually quite nervous. Wavering and unsure. After brushing his hand down the manuscript paper, Juho said, ¡°Here goes nothing.¡±

    ¡°All right.¡±

    Unlike his usual posture, Juho buried his head, almost as if diving into the paper. He moved his hand without thinking of a story to write. ¡®I have to think about this.¡¯ However, he couldn¡¯t stop his hand from moving for some reason. Hyun Do remained silent amid the sound of the friction between pen and paper reverberating through the room. For the first time, the silence felt heavy and ufortable to Juho. As Hyun Do watched every single word the young author was writing, Juho¡¯s hand started to grow ice cold. Idle thoughts started taking over his mind. By the time the young author had started to have a bad feeling, it was toote. In the end, for the first time in a long time, he had made a rookie mistake.

    ¡°Is it about a crow?¡± Hyun Do asked as Juho put the pen down and looked up.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho replied, feeling pricked in the heart. The story was about the crow he had seen at the beach the day before, cawing frivolously. Believe it or not, crows were intelligent animals.

    ¡°Do you think you did well?¡±

    Looking down at his writing, Juho replied, ¡°I think it¡¯s a failure.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Hyun Do asked calmly, which made it even more painful to hear.

    sping his head, Juho let out, ¡°A crow turning into a squid? Seriously?¡±

    It waspletely incoherent, even in Juho¡¯s eyes. There was no substance or meaning. Juho observed the expression on Hyun Do¡¯s face, which seemed calm and unfazed. Despite having read Juho¡¯s manuscript, the literary great remained silent.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you¡¯re not saying anything.¡±

    As Hyun Do gave him a puzzled look, Juho exined using an example he knew well, ¡°Mr. Moon wouldugh, get mad at me, or beg me to do better.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if any of those things would help in this case.¡±

    Juho looked at him, unsure of what he meant. At which point, Hyun Do opened his mouth and said, ¡°If I said that I didn¡¯t like it, would you change it?¡±

    Juho rubbed the back of his neck, reluctant to do so. However, there was only one reason why he would make changes to his writing.

    ¡°I would because I¡¯m not satisfied with it.¡±

    Then, Juho grabbed the pen and started writing again. ¡®So, is this a lesson?¡¯ he asked himself. However, writing with such a mindset was bound to yield poor results. ¡®This might take a while.¡¯

    ¡°Mind if I take a look?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    It had been a week since Juho had started getting his writing checked by Hyun Do. The young author was quite used to the process by that point. Upon finishing hisst sentence, Juho handed the paper over to Hyun Do, who read the sentences unhurriedly. However, that moment was still just as nerve-racking as the first time, even more so than when an editor was reading through his manuscript. Trying to remain calm, Juho waited anxiously.

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    Considering how anxiety-provoking the wait was, Hyun Do¡¯s response was far from informative or intuitive. At which point, Juho took the manuscript from Hyun Do with an awkward smile. That time, it was a story about a narrator who thinks of different ways to drive the crow away.

    ¡°How is it?¡±

    ¡°How is what?¡±

    ¡°Should I work on it some more?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s entirely up to you,¡± Hyun Do replied, looking as if Juho were stating the obvious.

    So far, Hyun Do hadn¡¯t offered a single piece of advice to the young author. He had never taught anything explicitly either. Instead, he seemed to be focused entirely on finishing his daily tasks, so Juho had no choice but to y along tactfully. Thinking about his observation of Hyun Do¡¯s lifestyle up to that point, Juho said, ¡°You seem to follow a very strict routine, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve been going to bed quitete.¡±

    Caught off guard, Juho remained silent. ¡®How does he know?¡¯

    ¡°Is there a secret to your lifestyle?¡±

    ¡°I make an effort to maintain it.¡±

    ¡°So, that¡¯s the secret, huh?¡±

    ¡°Does it look easy?¡±

    ¡°You make it look easy, though.¡±

    ¡°There are days when I feel like going to bedte and sleeping in the next day. Actually, I¡¯m forced to do that sometimes.¡±

    ¡°And what do you do in those cases?¡±

    ¡°I either resist it or ept it.¡±

    During his stay, Juho had never seen him failing to go into his room at the appointed time. As Hyun Do took a sip of his tea, Juho did the same. It still tasted astringent.

    ¡°I want to work on this story some more.¡±

    ¡°Your reason being?¡±

    ¡°... Just because.¡±

    Hyun Do stared intently at the young author for a while. Then, as he looked away, Juho murmured the words that he had barely managed to swallow internally, ¡®Because it¡¯s the pr opposite of your story.¡¯ Hyun Do¡¯s story was about a teacher who was fading away. The teacher left their pupil, all without giving them time to prepare to say goodbye. On the other hand, Juho¡¯s story was about a person who tried to drive away a crow that had made itself at home. While Hyun Do¡¯s story was about pursuit, Juho¡¯s story was about expulsion.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to finish it during my stay.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Hyun Do said with a brief nod. Although Juho had said it confidently, the story wasn¡¯t making much progress. It had to be greed. The fact that he was writing it to show Hyun Do made him tense up. Hoping that he could see the literary great¡¯s writing process, Juho let out a quick sigh.

    ¡°No, not yet,¡± Juho said, sighing at Geun Woo¡¯s delighted voice, who seemed to get a kick out of the young author¡¯s misery.

    ¡°You don¡¯t wanna be a burden, do you? You gotta make yourself useful!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, now. It¡¯s not like you to be so timid,¡± Geun Woo said, clearly delighted by Juho¡¯s struggle.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t help that Mr. Lim doesn¡¯t make it explicit,¡± Juho said, sounding slightly disgusted.

    ¡°That sounds about right. You¡¯re quick to catch on, though, aren¡¯t you? Do you really not know what he wants?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, no.¡±

    Hyun Do hadn¡¯t made anyints or demands, which made it hard for Juho to discern if he was doing well or poorly. On top of that, not only was the young author in a rut with his story, but he still hadn¡¯t seen Hyun Do¡¯s writing process.

    ¡°You¡¯d be an idiot toe back empty-handed from there.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit excessive? I¡¯m still learning, you know.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right.¡±

    Then, Juho heard some noise in the background. Joon Soo must have gotten back. Upon the author¡¯s arrival, Geun Woo busied himself with trying to defend himself.

    ¡°So, did you keep your deadline this time?¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    After hanging up, Juho leaned back, checking the time. Hyun Do had to be asleep by now. Hoping for a change of pace, Juho tried writing in his room, but it didn¡¯t seem to help. In the end, he walked downstairs and stretched. The cloudy night sky became visible through the window. It had been cloudy thest several days. Feeling a decline in mood for no apparent reason, Juho guzzled down on some cold water. The coldness cooled his stomach. At that moment...

    ¡°Hm?¡± Juho let out upon hearing a sound, which sounded like a person moving.

    Wiping his mouth, Juho walked toward where the sound hade from. There was nobody in the study. Then, Juho slowly made his way to the innermost room, giving his eyes some time to adjust to the dark. Then, he heard the sound yet again. Although subtle, it was clearly audible. Realizing that it wasing from Hyun Do¡¯s writing space, Juho walked toward it. A light shone through the door crack, which gave it apletely different feel from how it looked during the day. The moon was the only light source in the achromatic house. Standing in front of the door crack, Juho peeked through it and saw Hyun Do¡¯s white hair. At that moment, a light shed out of nowhere, followed by an explosive sound shortly after. As the thunder roared, Juho felt his shoulders tense up.

 Chapter 369 - An Authoréˆ¥æªš Greed, and an Unexpected Offer (4)

    <h4>Chapter 369: An Author¡¯s Greed, and an Unexpected Offer (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho swallowed nervously upon seeing Hyun Do, who was sitting with a straight back and rxed shoulders, from the side. He was intensely focused. Then, lightning shed, dying his white hair ck. Despite the intimidating roar, Hyun Do remained unfazed. ¡®So, this is what it¡¯s like to watch another person write,¡¯ Juho murmured under the sound of the thunder. The young author simply couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of Hyun Do. Feeling stifled, Juho bit down on his lip.

    Then, as Hyun Do¡¯s hand moved over to one side, parts of the sentences on the manuscript paper became visible.

    ¡®The student valued his time. Setting aside a certain amount of time to go out and look for their teacher, they didn¡¯t let the missing teacher eat away at their private life. It was a strict routine. Despite being devastated to discover their teacher¡¯s disappearance, the student never went out to look for the teacher outside of their appointed time.¡¯

    Then, lightning shed yet again, and Juho plugged his ears in preparation for the thunder. A bolt of lightning had fallen not too far from where the house was. Unsurprisingly, it did so with an intimidating roar.

    Still, Hyun Do remained unfazed. Juho remembered looking at his hair and thinking that it had looked like snow falling silently from the sky, covering the world without making a sound. However, Juho realized that had been far from the truth. Hyun Do was closer to being a light, the silent sh of lightning that made everyone tense up moments before the thunder. The lightning shed again, followed by another heart-piercing roar of thunder. Even with the tip of his pencil broken, Hyun Do didn¡¯t stop writing.

    ¡®The student was left alone, baffled by the teacher who had left without warning. They felt like a victim who had been wronged.¡¯

    Looking at the sentences on the manuscript paper, Juho resonated with the student¡¯s state of mind. At least, that was the illusion the story gave. Then, as a series of lightning bolts shed, Hyun Do looked back. By that point, there was nobody in the hallway.

    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Juho replied with a smile, and Hyun Do nodded calmly. As usual, upon finishing their meal, Hyun Do asked, ¡°Would you like to go see the beach?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    There was no reason to say no. Then, Hyun Do asked cautiously, ¡°Are you still not going into the water?¡±

    ¡°Maybe if the weather¡¯s right,¡± Juho said, remembering the thunderstorm the night before. Hyun Do chuckled quietly. Like the young author had expected, the weather wasn¡¯t all that pleasant that day. Not only was it cloudy out, but it was also rather windy.

    ¡°Seems like people are still having fun.¡±

    Just as Hyun Do had said, there were people in the water despite the high waves. One family in particr, who was ying with a small flotation tube, seemed to enjoy being in the water very much. Appearing to be a married couple, they were holding their child by its arms from either side, dipping it into the water and pulling it back up. The childughed as if it were having the time of its life.

    ¡°The waves seem bigger than usual,¡± Hyun Do said.

    Whenever a wave broke, the adults in the water also wavered. Having made a legitimate excuse not to go into the water, Juho smiled proudly. Looking at the lively beach, Juho breathed in deeply. Then, seeing an olddy walking around the beach umbres, Juho asked Hyun Do, ¡°I think I¡¯d like some boiled ms more than a life vest. Is that OK?¡±

    Quietly reaching into his pocket, Hyun Do took out a bill and handed it to the young author. Taking the money, Juho walked toward the olddy, who seemed to be hard of hearing. No matter how many times he called to her, she didn¡¯t slow down. In the end, Juho had to run up to her. At which point, she finally stopped.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you some extra, young man,¡± the olddy said, scooping out the boiled ms. The shells made a series of clicking sound as they bumped into each other. Thanking her, Juho rose from his seat and ate one of the ms. The meat popped out of the shell and into his mouth, filling it with a fresh, briny vor. It was rather delectable.

    ¡°Ugh. So much sand,¡± Juho said, shaking the sand out of his shoes, which had somehow been filled with sand as he ran back. Then, Hyun Do¡¯s back came into view, with wind blowing against his white hair. Remember what he had seen the night before, Juho found himself slowing down inadvertently. When he looked around in search of the crow, Juho realized that there were no birds around, not even seagulls. Nevertheless, the stone statue was still covered in bird droppings. There were people taking pictures in front of it.

    ¡°Here you go, Mr. Lim,¡± Juho said, handing the bag of ms to Hyun Do.

    ¡°Mr. Lim?¡±

    Looking out into the distant water, Hyun Do remained silent. Seeing that, Juho also looked out into the horizon. Something didn¡¯t feel right.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that person too far out in the water?¡±

    There was a white duck-shaped flotation tube in the distance. However, it wasn¡¯t just a random object drifting in the water. Not too far from it, was a person precariously holding on to the tube.

    ¡°There¡¯s another person.¡±

    Visible between the waves, the person seemed to be struggling toe up to the surface of the water. However, the distance made it hard to distinguish the situation. Juho took a step forward. The waves were quite strong by that point. At that moment, the person in the water disappeared.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Juho murmured inadvertently. Judging from the distance, there was no way that the person could swim back to the shore on their own.

    ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste,¡± Hyun Do said, making a phone call to make a report. What was once a joy-filled ce was now overtaken by fear. Then, a voice called for Juho from behind, and he bolted. As he stepped into the water, Juho realized that the water wasn¡¯t as cold as he had thought. The blue tinge in the water gave off the impression that it would be ice cold. Then, Juho noticed that he was slowing down the further he ran. ¡®I¡¯m faster than this.¡¯ The young author was growing frustrated, realizing that there was something keeping him from running faster. An unpleasant sensation brushed past his ankles. At that moment...

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    ... Juho felt somebody grab him by the shoulder. The water was already up to his waist by that point. It was hard to stand still against the wave as it kept sweeping the sand toward the shore. It was as though he was standing on ice. No matter which direction Juho wanted to take, he found himself getting pushed back against his will. Eventually, he could no longer tell where he was standing.

    ¡°We have to do something!¡±

    ¡°Look.¡±

    At Hyun Do¡¯s simplemand, Juho looked around inadvertently. The child who had been ying with its parents was stillughing, as ifpletely oblivious to the situation. Meanwhile, the parents and those who had been taking pictures were all looking at a certain direction from where they were. There was a jet ski in the water with a logo that read: ¡®Rescue Team.¡¯

    ¡°They¡¯re already on it.¡±

    Relieved, Juho gazed intently at the jet ski in the distance.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Hyun Do said firmly. Catching his breath, Juho backed away slowly toward the beach. His shoes were filled with sand, and his clothes soaking wet, weighing him down. The duck-shaped tube was drifting further away into the ocean.

    ¡°Is that person OK?¡± Juho asked. However, simrly as on the beach, Hyun Do remained silent. Juho looked out into the distance and observed the situation. The jet ski was on hold, wavering in the water because of the waves. The white duck-shaped tube was floating in the ocean all on its own.

    ¡°You must be cold. Let¡¯s get you inside,¡± Hyun Do said. Juho bit down on his trembling lips. Although the Sun was high up, it didn¡¯t feel warm at all. Looking down at his empty hand, the young author followed Hyun Do out of the water.

    ¡°They didn¡¯t make it.¡±

    That evening, Juho heard the unfortunate conclusion to the incident from a local corn vendor.

    ¡°It was on the news. They were so young...¡±

    Clicking their tongue, the vendor picked up a bag of steaming corn that wafted a pleasant smell. Holding the bag of steamed corn in his arms, Juho returned to the house.

    ¡°This is good,¡± Juho said, eating the corn with Hyun Do. After Sunset, Hyun Do went into his room without fail, and Juho went into his room in order to write. The young author looked down at the manuscript of the story, which he simply wasn¡¯t satisfied with no matter how many revisions he made. He had yet toe up with an ending to the story. Checking the time, Juho went down to Hyun Do¡¯s writing space. A stream of light lit the hallway. However, unlike the day before, the door to the room was open halfway. Aside from that, everything else seemed to be the same, including the author in the room writing with the same posture as the night before.

    ¡°Mr. Lim,¡± Juho called to Hyun Do when he realized that Hyun Do was already aware of his presence.

    ¡°I was waiting for you,¡± Hyun Do said calmly.

    ¡°I would¡¯vee sooner if you had told me,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°I would have if that had been part of the story.¡±

    Hyun Do seemed to have found what he had been looking for.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been of great help,¡± Hyun Do said, which lifted the young author¡¯s spirit.

    ¡°What if I had stayed in my room instead of wandering around?¡±

    ¡°That would¡¯ve been unfortunate, but I¡¯d have gotten over it.¡±

    ¡°You must be feeling pretty greedy this time, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°I am. Enough to have you here.¡±

    At that, Juho clenched his hands into tight fists, his knuckles turning pale.

    ¡°They died, apparently. The two that were drowning earlier.¡±

    ¡°How tragic,¡± Hyun Do said without putting his pencil down, unfazed as if he had already known or expected that.

    ¡°Who do you think about when you write?¡± Juho asked. As Hyun Do remained silent, Juho kept on, ¡°You¡¯re the student, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m me.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the teacher Mr. Kang?¡±

    Juho remembered having read Hyun Do¡¯s current work-in-progress in his past life. The image of the teacher leaving their student behind lingered before the young author¡¯s eyes. Then, Hyun Do moved from his position. Having been in the water that day, Juho was feeling quite chilly.

    ¡°Is the teacher dead?¡±

    ¡°He is.¡±

    ¡°How did he die?¡±

    ¡°In a way worse than an animal¡¯s death,¡± Hyun Do replied. Then, brushing his hand down the manuscript paper, he asked, ¡°When you think of water, is death the first thing thates to mind?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Juho replied after some time.

    ¡°I had a feeling.¡±

    Although Juho wanted to avoid answering the question, it seemed like there was no way around it that time. Hyun Do was giving him the impression that he wasn¡¯t going to force the young author to give him an answer. After some contemtion, Juho answered, struggling to get the words out of his mouth, ¡°I drowned once.¡±

    ¡°When?¡± Hyun Do asked, which was a rather difficult question for Juho. Looking around for some time while thinking, Juho replied, ¡°A while ago.¡±

    ¡°When you were young?¡±

    Rather, Juho had been middle-aged.

    ¡°Something like that...¡± Juho said, mumbling.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, I still have a vivid memory of what it was like. Suffocating, the temperature dropping, the impact when I sank to the bottom, everything. It somehow finds a way into my writing, and I can¡¯t seem to prevent it.¡±

    Without asking further, Hyun Do nodded.

    ¡°Did you have a simr experience?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I did,¡± Hyun Do answered nonchntly. Juho remembered Hyun Do¡¯s depiction of death. It had been quite debilitating, to the point of leaving the young authorpletely incapable of writing.

    ¡°Does it have anything to do with Mr. Kang¡¯s death?¡±

    Wol Kang¡¯s death had impacted many people in the literary world. Being one of the people who had been closest to thete author, along with Yun Seo, Wol¡¯s death had to have had an impact on Hyun Do in some way. Back then, the three had been the rising stars of the literary world.

    ¡°Mrs. Baek killed him off in one of her books. A horse kicks him to death, to be more specific.¡±

    ¡°I remember that. Do you know what he said? ¡®I¡¯d rather get kicked to death by a horse than suffer through tuberculosis.¡¯ Pathetic,¡± Hyun Do said, chuckling.

    Then, rising from his seat, Hyun Do opened the window in order to ventte the room. As he stared out the window, Juho looked intently at his white hair. The two didn¡¯t say a word to each other for a while.

    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte.¡±

    ¡°When do you usually sleep, Mr. Lim?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always different.¡± Then, Hyun Do added in a slight dy, ¡°I try to be consistent about my bedtime. I have trouble sleeping, but I try anyway.¡±

    Looking through his manuscript, Hyun Do said, ¡°There¡¯s a scene in my story where the teacher has a conversation simr to ours with their student before disappearing. I may need to make some changes.¡±

    ¡°So, it seems like your story is about fading away.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Looking down at where he had once sat, Juho replied, ¡°I think I¡¯m just now starting to get an idea for my story.¡±

 Chapter 370 - An Elusive Moon (1)

    <h4>Chapter 370: An Elusive Moon (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho tried to put himself in a rational mindset, which proved to be harder than usual. After looking up at the painting above his head, he looked back down and let out a quick sigh.

    In the silent room, the young author was fighting against the sound of the rain and the thunder roaring constantly. The image of Hyun Do writing kept lingering before his eyes, and within that was the crow.

    Firmly believing that there would be peace in their life without the crow, the narrator fought the bird to the death. To them, the crow was the very essence of evil in the world they lived in.

    Juho had been wrestling with what to do about the crow, debating about who should win the battle. Now that he had a better idea of the direction he wanted to take, Juho typed away on the keyboard of hisptop unhesitantly. As the sentences appeared on the screen, the pent up emotions within him also flowed out through his hands, being digested.

    In the end, the crow met its demise in the hands of the narrator. At that moment, the narrator asked themselves if the death of the crow was what they had really wanted all along. However, it was simply toote for self-reflection by that point.

    ¡°The dead never return.¡±

    Not only was that the truth, but it was also thew of nature. Being just andpliant with thatw were the first steps for obtaining peace. Excited, Juho started to breathe faster, and his heart thumped. Anxious to put the stories welling up within him into writing, Juho bit down on his lower lip. The sounds from the keyboard grew louder and louder and in the end, as Juho rushed to wrap up the story.

    ¡°That¡¯s done... for now.¡±

    Feeling satisfied, Juho leaned back on his chair. Then, upon checking the time, he rose from his seat in a hurry. It was well past lunchtime. Although it wouldn¡¯t have been a problem if he had been at his apartment, the young author was at Hyun Do¡¯s residence. When he rushed downstairs, he saw Hyun Do calmly drinking his tea. From the looks of it, it seemed like he had already eaten. Rubbing the back of his neck, Juho greeted Hyun Do, ¡°Good afternoon.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯rete.¡±

    Juho chuckled awkwardly. However, with a nonchnt look on his face, Hyun Do asked, ¡°Do you always write like that?¡±

    ¡®Did he see me writing?¡¯ Juho wondered.

    ¡°Like that as in...?¡±

    ¡°Out of impulse.¡±

    Then, Juho remembered he had given into his emotions just a moment ago.

    ¡°If I had been you, I wouldn¡¯t havested.¡±

    ¡°I doubt it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what it¡¯s like to let your emotions take over. It¡¯s impossible to control.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s how I¡¯d put it.¡±

    ¡°Would you bring me your manuscript?¡±

    Then, Juho hesitated and said, ¡°On second thought, maybe you were right, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°No? Do you not want to?¡±

    Clenching his lips, Juho turned around. Then, he stopped halfway up the stairs and asked, ¡°When were you in my room?¡±

    Instead of giving him an answer, Hyun Do lightly pat the young author on the shoulder. He had to havee up to tell Juho that lunch had been ready. Then, after going up to his room, Juho brought hisptop downstairs.

    ¡°Have some tea while I read,¡± Hyun Do said.

    Even as he was boiling the water, Juho couldn¡¯t help but look toward Hyun Do, who was meticulously reading every single sentence. Awestruck, Juho found himself at a loss. Despite having stayed with Hyun Do for quite some time, he simply couldn¡¯t get used to that moment.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve forced your feelings into your words.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s overflowing.¡±

    Juho rubbed his eyebrows. After a brief moment of silence, Hyun Do asked, ¡°Are you the protagonist here?¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t answer readily. Lowering his head slightly, he said, ¡°I¡¯m not exactly the violent type.¡±

    ¡°Then, are you the crow?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that grouchy either.¡±

    Hyun Do chuckled quietly at the young author¡¯s response. He was well aware that Juho was telling the truth.

    ¡°Seems to me like the two characters share the same root. Am I right?¡±

    Otherwise, Juho wouldn¡¯t have felt so exposed by Hyun Do¡¯s question. In the end, resisting the urge to sigh, Juho admitted, ¡°Yes, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°We all have something that we wish weren¡¯t true.¡±

    Then, Hyun Do¡¯s eyes skimmed across the sentences on the screen of Juho¡¯sptop. Seeing as though he was moving his hands, Hyun Do seemed to be at the end of the story.

    ¡°The dead never return.¡±

    ¡°Do you think the narrator was foolish?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they were wise, that¡¯s for certain.¡±

    ¡°But, they be the hero of the vige for driving out the crow.¡±

    ¡°That is true,¡± Hyun Do replied. Then, putting theptop aside, he added, ¡°Though, it makes me wonder if all that pain makes it worth it.¡±

    ¡°But the narrator hates the crow, just like everyone else in the vige,¡± Juho said.

    Brushing his hair up, Hyun Do replied, ¡°That¡¯s what makes this such an interesting story, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    At that unexpected response, Juho found himself at a loss for words, the corner of his mouth twitching in response.

    ¡°Well done,¡± Hyun Do said. As he rose from the seat unhurriedly, Juho asked by reflex, ¡°Are you gonna write, Mr. Lim?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Hyun Do replied calmly. There was no longer a need to write at night. Juho followed Hyun Do to his writing space.

    ¡°Did you have something to say?¡± Hyun Do asked, raising his eyebrow. After a brief pause and a deep breath, the young author replied, ¡°I¡¯d like to read it.¡±

    ¡°Read what?¡± Hyun Do asked knowingly.

    Nevertheless, the young author rified his statement, ¡°Your manuscript.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not finished yet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware. I still wanna read it.¡±

    Chuckling quietly, Hyun Do said, ¡°All right, then.¡±

    Caught off guard by the permission, Juho asked, ¡°Wait, really?¡±

    ¡°You asked.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that... I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d say yes that quickly.¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s something you wanna read, then you gotta read it. That way, I don¡¯t have to worry about you sneaking in here.¡±

    At that, Juho felt pricked in the heart. As Hyun Do handed the stack of paper to the young author, Juho carefully took it from his hands. Hyun Do¡¯s handwriting was tidy and well-trimmed. Swallowing nervously, Juho started reading.

    ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± Juho murmured. They were the same sentences that he had read in his past life. Although still unrefined, there was no doubt that it was the same story. The missing teacher and the wandering student who had been left behind. The same questions Juho had asked as a homeless man were still very much alive in those sentences: Why couldn¡¯t people be born, live, or die together?

    ¡°I wanted to hear every word he had to say.¡±

    That was the student¡¯s monologue in the story.

    ¡°Seems like the student is listening to the teacher¡¯s will,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°The student was modeled after you, so I didn¡¯t want to be cruel,¡± Hyun Do replied indifferently, adding, ¡°... but I think I can change that.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I found a w in my writing, thanks to you.¡±

    Juho was clueless as to what he was talking about. As far as the young author could tell, there was no w in Hyun Do¡¯s writing. Then, before Juho had time to say anything further, Hyun Do snatched the manuscript from the young author¡¯s hand and drew a line across a certain scene.

    ¡®That¡¯s such a waste!¡¯ Juho said to himself.

    ¡°Voil¨¤,¡± Hyun Do said in a serene voice. Now, the student could no longer hear what their teacher had to say. The dead never returned, and there was no way to reunite with them.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t let my emotions get the best of me,¡± Hyun Do said as if reminding himself. The sunlight shone on his hair, making it seem even whiter.

    At which point, Juho couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Did you hear what Mr. Kang had to say before he passed away?¡±

    ¡°I noticed you¡¯ve been asking awful lot about him.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s one of the authors I look up to.¡±

    ¡°As with most authors,¡± Hyun Do replied, adding, ¡°I did.¡±

    At that, Juho realized who the two characters in Hyun Do¡¯s story represented. Then, as the young author opened his mouth to speak, Hyun Do beat him to it, saying, ¡°But, I won¡¯t tell you.¡±

    His eyes sank quietly as if iming ownership of Wol Kang¡¯sst words. At which point, the young author let up without question. At the same time, certain that he would find out eventually through Hyun Do¡¯s future books, Juho decided to wait patiently.

    ¡°It¡¯s cloudy out today too.¡±

    Juho went downstairster than usual that day. Of course, Hyun Do was already in his writing space. When Juho walked down the hallway toward the room, the door was open halfway, and Hyun Do was writing unhesitantly with his usual straight posture. As Hyun Do wrote away, Juho stared at him quietly, wondering what he would look like writing at Hyun Do¡¯s age. It was impossible for authors to see themselves with their own eyes. Even in front of a mirror, their eyes were bound to wander off to their sentences. ¡®When I¡¯m his age, will I be that pure and passionate when I write?¡¯ Juho wondered, hoping that he would write as if it was part of him and his everyday life. Hyun Do¡¯s straight posture told Juho that he waspletely immersed in writing, without distraction or greed, and that was the kind of author Juho wanted to be.

    ¡°Back again?¡± Hyun Do asked, looking toward Juho.

    ¡°Yes. May I?¡± Juho asked confidently. About two months had passed by the time Hyun Do finished the first draft of his story.

    ¡°So many informative books in here,¡± Juho said as he ced a book back into the shelf. Since Hyun Do had a wide variety of collections due to his indiscriminate taste, choosing a book from his study was quite fun. Juho looked through the well-maintained books on the shelf, imagining Hyun Do having bought them one by one over the years.

    ¡°I remember him saying that he keeps older stuff in here.¡±

    Curious about the oldest book in Hyun Do¡¯s collection, Juho made his way toward the inner room. Because of the sheer number of books in the study, it took the young author a while to reach the room since he kept looking through them one by one. Then, upon reaching the room, Juho opened the door. Filled with intimidating-looking books, the room felt colder than the study.

    ¡°It even smells different in here.¡±

    Then, upon finding a certain book, Juho squatted in front of the bookshelf.

    ¡°This must be the first edition.¡±

    Juho cautiously pulled out the book from the shelf. It was the first edition of a novel that was still in print to that day. Everything looked different from the version that he had read, from the cover to the trantion, the publisher and the materials. Upon flipping the page, a slew of obsolete words came into view, which gave all the dialogues and monologues a tactful feel. It was as if watching an actor¡¯s poor performance, which was also quite refreshing. Like the book, Seo Kwang¡¯s trantion, which had been well received by fans and critics alike, would be obsolete. Juho¡¯s trantion was probably no different. Books were inanimate objects, which meant they couldn¡¯t change or evolve on their own.

    ¡°And they¡¯ll keep making improvements...¡±

    ... whether that was what the author wanted or not. After scanning through the pages, Juho closed the book and ced it back on the shelf. Then, spotting a familiar name, Juho let out, ¡°Hm?¡±

    It was a book written by Yun Seo.

    ¡°Is this a first edition too? He has three copies.¡±

    It was her debut title. Although it was no longer in print, it was a book that allowed her to have a sessful debut. It had also brought her a first ce award in a literary contest. Right off the bat, there was ament from one of the judges of the contest, which Juho read with interest.

    ¡°The birth of a rare rookie. There is determination behind her firm sentences. Personally, I sincerely hope that she keeps it up. It¡¯s a shame that there¡¯s an edge to her writing, but I firmly believe that this author has a promising future ahead. Her writing shares an uncanny resemnce to a rose: covered in thorns, yet it exudes an irresistible charm.¡±

    Knowing Yun Seo as an author who excelled at writing stories that made readersfortable and at home, a description like that was hard to imagine. The books were organized in alphabetical order. Then, while Juho was scanning through short stories that he had never heard of, a book at the very end of the shelf caught his eyes.

    ¡°Is that a book?¡±

    There was something about the book that didn¡¯t seem quite right. There was no title nor the name of the author anywhere, which made it seem like it hadn¡¯t been officially released. If anything, it seemed like more a school project. As Juho opened it, the sentences within it came into view.

    ¡°It¡¯s a novel.¡±

    Following the description of the protagonist in the novel, Juho tried to picture the character in his mind, which had an uncanny resemnce to another person he knew. Then, after flipping through a few more pages, Juho stopped all of a sudden as he realized how he recognized the writing style.

    ¡°Is this...¡±

    When Juho looked up, the name ¡®Wol Kang¡¯ appeared on the shelf. Next to Yun Seo¡¯s book was Wol¡¯s book. At which point, Juho¡¯s hand tensed up. He was reading Wol¡¯s writing. Since the author had passed away at a rtively young age, his bibliography was quite short. Although Juho had thought that he had read every single book written by Wol, the mysterious book in his hand was telling him otherwise.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never read anything like this.¡±

 Chapter 371 - An Elusive Moon (2)

    <h4>Chapter 371: An Elusive Moon (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Feeling thirsty for more, Juho licked his lips while wondering if he was allowed to read the book in his hand. However, despite his desperation to read the next sentence and find out the next segment of the story, he simply couldn¡¯t get his hands to flip to the next page. ¡®Mr. Kang¡¯s unreleased novel...¡¯ It was as though Wol hade back from the dead. At that moment, as Juho slowly brought his hand to the page of the book with a racing heart, a loud thud came out of nowhere. At which point, Juho jumped and looked behind himself. A book had fallen on the floor.

    ¡°Did I not put push it all the way in?¡±

    Trying to calm down, Juho picked up the book and ced it back on the shelf, feeling as though he was doing something wrong. Then, staring at the dimly-lit hallway, Juho put Wol¡¯s book down reluctantly and backed away from the shelf quietly. There was no way he could have an enjoyable reading experience in a setting like that. That night, the young author stayed up nearly the entire night, unable to fall asleep.

    ¡°Which book are you reading these days?¡± Hyun Do asked as Juho walked down to the living room early in the morning.

    ¡°The Vige,¡± Juho replied, showing Hyun Do the cover of the book that had been written by Wol.

    Hyun Do stared at the book for slightly longer than usual and said, ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve gone into the inner room.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have. Lots of interesting reads there,¡± Juho said, chuckling.

    ¡°When are you nning on heading back to Seoul?¡± Hyun Do asked. Having just finished the first draft, his story was still far frompletion, and Juho still wasn¡¯t sure about how his presence had helped Hyun Do in his writing process. Although Juho was well aware that the duration of his stay depended on the host, the young author had a reason to stay longer. Fiddling with the book in his hand, Juho asked, ¡°Do you want me to leave?¡±

    ¡°A little bit,¡± Hyun Do replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s cold.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just that there¡¯s nothing to do around here.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m learning so much from you.¡±

    Hyun Do stared intently at the young author. Juho didn¡¯t look away.

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to leave. Rather, I¡¯m saying that you don¡¯t have to force yourself to stay here.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    With that, Hyun Do turned around and went back to his writing space. Having lost his chance to ask Hyun Do a question, Juho murmured, ¡°How should I do it?¡±

    As his mind started to be cluttered with thoughts, Juho went into the study. ¡®The Vige,¡¯ had been one of Wol¡¯s gship books. Although it had been quite prizing when it had firste out, ¡®The Vige¡¯ was one of the books that would alwayse up when discussing Wol Kang now. Whenever Juho would read that book, he always found himself thinking, ¡®What I wouldn¡¯t do to meet him...¡¯

    ¡°... Even if it was in my dreams,¡± Juho said. Reminding himself that there was no way to reunite with the dead, Juho made his way to his room upstairs in order to go to bed early.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    Despite standing in the snow, Juho didn¡¯t feel cold at all. It wasn¡¯t long before the young author realized that he was dreaming. The people around him were all dressed in thick winter clothes.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    Although Juho had never been to the ce, it felt all too familiar. ¡®I wonder if it¡¯s because I¡¯m imagining it,¡¯ Juho wondered. Being in a dream was a different experience from that of being in his fantasy world while writing.

    ¡°I wanna fly,¡± Juho said. From what he had heard, it was possible to fly in dreams.

    ¡°Hey! Hyun Do!¡±

    When Juho looked in the direction of the voice, he saw a person sporting a long, untidy hairdo facing away from the young author and calling for Hyun Do.

    ¡°Would you look up from that book for one second and look at me!?¡±

    Then, over the man¡¯s shoulders, a familiar face came into Juho¡¯s view.

    ¡°I¡¯m reading your new short story. Shouldn¡¯t you be thanking me instead of interrupting my reading experience?¡± Hyun Do fired back, his ck hair blowing in the wind.

    At that, the man with long hair shook his head and said frivolously, ¡°What¡¯s that have to do with anything? I¡¯m me, and a novel¡¯s a novel. So, you can get all the thanks you want from my book.¡±

    Juho stared intently at Hyun Do, whose brow furrowed with his friend¡¯s remark.

    ¡°The critics seemed to think that you can do better. You probably shouldn¡¯t be dilly-dallying.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself now. I¡¯m me, and a novel¡¯s a novel. It¡¯s the novel that¡¯s getting a bad rap, not me.¡±

    ¡°You do realize that you¡¯re the writer of that novel, right? Pathetic...¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter!¡± the man said. At that moment, Wol¡¯s face became visible to the young author. It seemed quite simr to the description in a certain nameless book that Juho had read.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that terrible of a person.¡±

    ¡°What does that even mean?¡± Hyun Do asked irritably.

    ¡°Life is long. I couldn¡¯t possibly go about living my entire life as some pathetic writer. So, let¡¯s not get too caught up in the moment! We better get going. Yun Seo¡¯s waiting for us,¡± Wol said with a smile, striding ahead of Hyun Do, who sighed and said, ¡°You need to be more mindful of the present, my friend,¡± and followed him unhurriedly. Although Juho was following them tantly, the two didn¡¯t seem to notice the young author¡¯s presence. By the time Juho realized that, he was somewhere that appeared to be the inside of a house. Brushing the snow off of their heads, Hyun Do and Wol opened the sliding door.

    ¡°You¡¯rete,¡± Yun Seo said, ring at them.

    ¡°Sorry, honey,¡± Wol said. However, the look of displeasure remained unchanged on his wife¡¯s face.

    ¡°Do you know what it means to keep a promise?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do!¡±

    ¡°Yet, you¡¯rete?¡±

    ¡°Hm, maybe I don¡¯t, then.¡±

    At that moment, a dull sound came out of nowhere as a fist punched Wol on the shoulder. As the author writhed in pain, Yun Seo said to Hyun Do, ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy,¡± Hyun Do replied, sighing and taking a seat, his nose slightly red from the cold. Meanwhile, Juho watched the three quietly as they sat around a small table and had a drink together. The sliding door rattled with the gusting wind outside.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Hyun Do asked, drinking the rice wine out of his bowl. When Juho looked into it, he saw it was about half-empty.

    (TL¡¯s Note: in Korea, there are certain rice wines that are typically drunk in bowls.)

    ¡°Hm?¡± Yun Seo let out, looking toward Wol, who was staring intently at a certain spot in the room. Then, waving his hand, Wol said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°Is there a rat or something?¡±

    At that, Wol burst intoughter, his shoulders moving up and down as heughed.

    ¡°Definitely bigger than a rat,¡± he said.

    Remaining unfazed, Yun Seo filled her empty bowl with rice wine. The three were quite the drinkers. Yet, they didn¡¯t seem to rush it. ¡®I guess that¡¯s how they usually drink,¡¯ Juho thought. At that moment, Wol sprung up from his seat and walked in the direction he had been staring, which was also where Juho was standing. Juho backed away, only to bump on to the wall behind him. ¡®I definitely should¡¯ve chosen a better spot,¡¯ Juho thought to himself nervously.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Hyun Do asked, and opening the sliding door, Wol replied, ¡°A crow.¡±

    Then, as Yun Seo scolded him about the gust of wind that blew into the room, Wol went back to his seat, saying, ¡°It¡¯ll leave eventually.¡±

    ¡°Are you drunk already?¡± Yun Seo asked, stroking Wol¡¯s face.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Wol replied, letting his wife stroke his face. At the sight of the snow outside, Yun Seo put on a jacket instead of closing the door.

    ¡°Again?¡± Hyun Do asked annoyedly. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, ¡°What the heck is it, anyway?¡±

    Emptying his bowl of rice wine, Wol replied, ¡°Let¡¯s just say that it¡¯s a part of me.¡±

    ¡°Whatever happened to ¡®I¡¯m me, and a novel¡¯s a novel?¡¯¡± Hyun Do asked sarcastically.

    ¡°Humans are hypocritical by nature.¡±

    ¡°But you contradict yourself all the time.¡±

    ¡°We all have something that we wish weren¡¯t true. I¡¯m no different.¡±

    ¡°A genius writer like you? No different from us normal humans? How humbling.¡±

    ¡°No need to be sarcastic now,¡± Wol said, patting Hyun Do on the back forcefully. As Hyun Do moved his hand away from him irritably, Wol cackled, coughing in between.

    ¡°Did you catch a cold?¡± Hyun Do asked nonchntly. To which, Wol replied, also in a nonchnt manner, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s cold out.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you get for leaving the door open in the middle of winter.¡±

    ¡°I just felt bad that it was stuck here.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing there. We¡¯re the only ones ¡®stuck¡¯ here, freezing.¡±

    Then, looking concerned, Yun Seo said, ¡°Maybe, you haven¡¯t been eating well?¡±

    ¡°Should I eat something?¡±

    ¡°Just drink some more and sleep it off,¡± Hyun Do said, and Wol brushed it off.

    ¡°So, I heard something interesting while I was at the vige.¡±

    ¡°The vige?¡± Juho murmured inadvertently,

    ¡°That¡¯s right, the vige,¡± Wol replied. Juho looked at him with a furrowed brow. Wol had been giving off the impression that he could see Juho. Then, he started telling the story of what he had heard, and Hyun Do listened to him with eyes filled with interest.

    ¡°So, there¡¯s this dog that belongs to a certain family that killed a horse that belonged to another family. You know horses aren¡¯t exactly cheap, so the dog¡¯s owner yed coy, saying that it wasn¡¯t their dog that had killed the horse. It seemed like reimbursement was already out of the picture.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too bad for the horse¡¯s owner.¡±

    ¡°Instead, they chose to do something about the dog.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°They decided to kill it.¡±

    Upon killing the dog, the situation hade to an end. Rubbing his chin, Wol added, ¡°A dog kills a horse, and a person kills that same dog. Who do you think is the worst in this scenario?¡±

    ¡°The dog¡¯s owner,¡± Yun Seo said without hesitation. Smiling with satisfaction, Wol said, ¡°That goes without saying. That guy was cowardly and irresponsible. He was below an animal.¡±

    ¡°I get that the horse is the real victim here,¡± Hyun Do said, raising his eyebrows, and Wol nodded in agreement.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Yun Seo asked.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s the horse¡¯s owner.¡±

    ¡°The reason being?¡±

    ¡°He killed with clear intent,¡± Wol replied and added, ¡°The dog¡¯s owner is, so to speak, a bystander. Dogs and horses are animals, so we can understand their actions to that extent, but the horse¡¯s owner? They killed a living being out of anger. I don¡¯t know about you two, but in my book, the horse¡¯s owner is the evil one.¡±

    Then, as Yun Seo was about to speak up, Wol raised his hand gently and kept on, ¡°But when I heard the horse¡¯s owner¡¯s side of the story, things kind of changed.¡±

    ¡°Did you go talk to them?¡±

    ¡°I sure did.¡±

    ¡°What did they tell you?¡±

    ¡°Apparently, the horse had been like their child. Now, think about it this way: the horse¡¯s owner lost their child in an unfortunate incident.¡±

    Then, Wol proceeded to exin the dramatic encounter between the horse and its owner in great length, which turned out to be a heart-achingly beautiful story. Juho actually apuded it.

    ¡°Think about it. Losing your child overnight. Dead. Wouldn¡¯t you go crazy after something like that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure killing a dog won¡¯t do,¡± Juho and Hyun Do said.

    ¡°Exactly. What do you think will happen next?¡± Wol said, snapping his fingers. Raising her bowl, Yun Seo said, ¡°Is that the plot of your new book?¡±

    ¡°Was it obvious?¡± Wol asked, his eyes filled with innocent curiosity. The two friends were staring at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious about how the dog came to kill that horse. I¡¯m sure it had a reason, but how could I find out when the dog is already dead?¡±

    Scoffing, Hyun Do asked, ¡°Is it people or animals that you wanna write about?¡±

    ¡°The horse¡¯s owner is pretty much like an animal. Their child walks on four limbs. Wouldn¡¯t that mean its parents would do the same?¡±

    ¡°Humans walk on four limbs in the morning too, you know.¡±

    ¡°Which is exactly what makes us animals.¡±

    ¡°So, it is about humans, then?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what a novelist does,¡± Juho added. At that moment, Wol suddenly turned his head toward the young author, making Juho flinch. However, Wol simply stared at him without doing anything.

    ¡°What came in this time?¡± Yun Seo asked, looking entertained. Shaking his head, Wol replied, ¡°It just doesn¡¯t seem like it wants to leave. I guess I left the door open for no reason. I¡¯m tellin ya¡¯, this one¡¯s kind of slow.¡±

    Smacking his lips, Juho sat down.

    ¡°It¡¯s persistent too. I wonder what it¡¯s looking for.¡±

    ¡°You,¡± Juho said.

    Then, emptying his bowl, Wol said, ¡°Well, life is long. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t stay there forever.¡±

    With that, the young author opened his eyes. His room was well lit. Realizing that he had slept in, Juho rushed out of his room.

 Chapter 372 - An Elusive Moon (3)

    <h4>Chapter 372: An Elusive Moon (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As usual, Juho was looking down at a nk sheet of manuscript paper while thinking of what to write next. His stories had be shortertely, and Juho hadn¡¯t been satisfied with any of them. Contrary to him, Hyun Do had been writing steadily and unhindered. After ncing at him from behind, Juho looked down at his own manuscript. There was a noticeable difference between Hyun Do¡¯s current appearance and the author¡¯s younger version in Juho¡¯s dream. With his sharp nose, Hyun Do had been strikingly handsome when he had been younger. While Juho was spinning his pen, Hyun Do asked, ¡°Did you have a question?¡±

    Looking under his manuscript for no apparent reason, Juho asked, ¡°Not really. Why do you ask, Mr. Lim?¡±

    ¡°All right, then.¡±

    Then, right as Hyun Do was about to go back to writing, Juho brought up what he had been meaning to talk about with Hyun Do, ¡°So, I had an unsettling dreamst night.¡±

    At that, Hyun Do stopped what he was doing, turned toward the young author and gave Juho his full attention. At which point, Juho wondered if he was taking Hyun Do¡¯s time. However, Hyun Do seemed rather interested in what Juho had to say, so backing out was no longer an option. In the end, Juho ended up giving Hyun Do a brief summary of his dream.

    ¡°So, Wol was in your dream, huh?¡± Hyun Do asked, sounding delighted for some reason.

    ¡°I read one of his books in the study before going bed. It must¡¯ve stayed with me.¡±

    ¡°Which book?¡±

    ¡°This and that. I read one of Mrs. Baek¡¯s books too. I also came across some first editions that I hadn¡¯t seen before.¡±

    Hyun Do seemed to remember where he kept his books for the most part. Crossing his arms, Hyun Do asked, ¡°What else did you read?¡±

    ¡°The white book,¡± Juho replied honestly. Although he had described it as a book, it was closer to being a manuscript. Then, without hesitation, Juho proceeded to ask, ¡°Mr. Kang wrote that one, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°So, you recognize it, huh?¡±

    ¡°His style is rather unique.¡±

    ¡°Did you read all of it?¡± Hyun Do asked calmly.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°I felt like I needed to get your permission.¡±

    At that, Hyun Do chuckled quietly and said, ¡°Do you not remember what I said when you first came here?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°You already have my permission.¡±

    Then, clenching his hands into fists, Juho asked, ¡°When I found the book and realized that it had been written by Mr. Kang, I just couldn¡¯t read on. Besides, I wanted to read it under a better state of mind.¡±

    Then, the young author brought up the question that had been burning in his mind, and Hyun Do waited for Juho to finish calmly and patiently.

    ¡°Howe Mr. Kang couldn¡¯t finish writing that book?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Because he ran out of time,¡± Hyun Do said briefly. Just as the young author had expected, the white book was Wol Kang¡¯sst work, which was yet to have been released to the public. Juho wouldn¡¯t dare treat it lightly.

    ¡°How is it that you have it, Mr. Lim?¡±

    ¡°It was given to me. I was asked to finish it on Wol¡¯s behalf.¡±

    ¡°By whom?¡±

    ¡°Yun Seo.¡±

    ¡°Did she not want to write it herself?¡±

    ¡°It makes her sad,¡± Hyun Do said, rubbing his temple.

    ¡°Did you not finish it for the same reason?¡±

    Hyun Do remained silent that time. While Juho was able to understand, the young author couldn¡¯t empathize with Hyun Do. Lowering his hand, Hyun Do asked, ¡°If you were in my shoes, would you have done it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I would have.¡±

    ¡°¡®I¡¯m me, and a novel is a novel.¡¯ He used to say that all the time. He would¡¯ve led a happy life even if he hadn¡¯t been a writer, but I can¡¯t say the same for myself.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Juho asked. Seeing the manuscript in front of Hyun Do, and his nk sheet of manuscript paper after that, Juho felt small.

    ¡°It means that without my writing, I was nobody. Without work, there¡¯s no way to get recognized. At which point, one would be reduced to a pathetic human being. The thought of losing my work makes me feel dreadful because I don¡¯t have any other ce where I belong. I wouldn¡¯t have a way to prove myself.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Juho said. He knew for certain that Hyun Do was different from him, which was why he looked up to Hyun Do so much.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I used to tell myself.¡±

    The fact that Hyun Do hadn¡¯t finished Wol¡¯s book was proof of that. Knowing that, Juho clenched his lips. After the death of his friend, Hyun Do had started to prioritize his own emotions and make them the source of all his actions. In doing so, Hyun Do was able to abandon the moniker of fellow author and remain Wol¡¯s friend.

    ¡°But, you would have written it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I would have,¡± Juho said, repeating the same answer.

    As Hyun Do looked at the empty sheet of manuscript paper in front of Juho, the young author did the same.

    ¡°Do you wanna give it a try?¡± Hyun Do asked. At that, Juho lowered his head slowly and shook it, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think I have what it takes.¡±

    ¡°Something tells me you do.¡±

    ¡°You tter me, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°If Wol had actually finished it, what do you think the book would¡¯ve looked like?¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t answer that question. He had never met or spoken to Wol, let alone read his book until the end.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly know that, Mr. Lim. Especially when you don¡¯t know the answer yourself.¡±

    Hyun Do remained silent for a little while. Then, when he opened his mouth to speak, the subject took a sudden, different turn.

    ¡°I did try,¡± Hyun Do said, looking out in the distance. ¡°I tried to finish writing the book, but I couldn¡¯t. I was even more inexperienced back then. I didn¡¯t know how to fight the wave of emotions that came over me.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you could now.¡±

    ¡°But, I won¡¯t,¡± Hyun Do said, his now white hair blowing in the breeze. Locking eyes with Hyun Do, Juho bit down on his lip.

    ¡°I need some time to think.¡±

    To which, Hyun Do nodded and said, ¡°Would you let me know before you leave this ce?¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    When the house was engulfed in darkness, Juho made his way into the study. That time, it was much easier to take hold of the white book. Taking a deep breath, the young author opened the book, asking himself when thest time he had felt so nervous about reading a book was.

    ¡°Mr. Kang¡¯sst book.¡±

    By default, Wol¡¯s books tended to contain hopeful messages. Almost all of his stories had a happy ending, even a gritty book like ¡®The Vige¡¯ turned into the most humorous and satirical story. Wol¡¯s depiction of poverty had little to do withck of wealth, and that was what had set him apart as an author.

    ¡°Destroyer.¡±

    He was the very first character to appear in the novel. With an appearance simr to Wol¡¯s, the character suffered from aspermia. Often depressed, timid, and struggling with hispulsive personality, Destroyer tended to be hands-off when it came to interpersonal rtionships. Even the most trivial things would often be sources of worry and anxiety. On top of that, the character had a wish that he could never share openly with another person, something closer to an impulse.

    ¡°I want to do something that I can never undo.¡±

    The character made a living altering and repairing leather items. During his two-decade career, there had never been a single item the character hadn¡¯t been able to repair. However, Destroyer belittled his career. In his mind, things that could be undone or reversed were unstimting. Simrly, he was turned off by anything of dubious quality. To Destroyer, being unable to distinguish when something was real or not was less than charming. Juho swallowed nervously as the story brought in yet another character. Suffering from a terminal illness, the character came into the shop with a request for a repair. With their encounter, the character caught on to Destroyer¡¯s unspeakable desire.

    ¡°Do you know what euthanasia is?¡±

    The protagonist received an irresistible offer, and that was where the story came to an end. Desperate to know what came next and how the story ended, Juho sped his head. At that moment...

    ¡°Makes you desperate, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ... A voice came from behind him. When Juho looked up and back, he saw Hyun Do standing by the door with his arms crossed. He said, ¡°He died a week after writing that sentence.¡±

    Juho quietly brushed his hand across thest sentence of the book, feeling as though he needed to continue writing immediately. Wol had to have had the next scene in mind before he died.

    ¡°I remember asking him how the story ended,¡± Hyun Do said, approaching the young author and reading the book over his shoulders. ¡°But, he never told me.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°He probably wanted to tease me.¡±

    Juho¡¯s mouth parted open at the unfortunate development. Seeing the look on the young author¡¯s face, Hyun Do chuckled.

    ¡°Do you think Mrs. Baek would know?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°He wanted to tease her too.¡±

    Seeing that Juho clearly had a lot to say, Hyun Do nodded and said, ¡°He¡¯s a character.¡±

    As Juho looked up at Hyun Do, a thought urred to the young author: ¡®What if this is a form of lingering attachment?¡¯ The reason Hyun Do had turned the iplete manuscript into a book had to be because he wanted to see it get made into a book. A book only became a book when it was wanted by another person, and as the only person aside from Yun Seo who knew about the existence of the white book, Hyun Do had to have wanted that manuscript to get made into a proper book at one point. Rather than bringing up his thoughts, Juho remained quiet.

    ¡°So, what did you think?¡± Hyun Do asked, sounding somewhat excited.

    Rubbing his eyebrows, Juho replied, ¡°I thought the intro was very unlike him.¡±

    ¡°It is rather heavy.¡±

    Among Wol¡¯s bibliography, there was no other book that was as dark as the white book. Yet, upon reading it, Juho couldn¡¯t contain his excitement in experiencing Wol Kang¡¯s unreleased book.

    ¡°I thought I¡¯d never get to meet him, but something makes me feel like he¡¯s back from the dead.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯d be able to do it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not gonna lie, it is intimidating,¡± Juho said honestly. Every sentence was exuding with Wol¡¯s presence, and picking up where the novel had left off on his behalf was bound to introduce inconsistencies. It seemed impossible to be one with his writing, and the sentences also gave off the impression that it didn¡¯t want to be tampered with. On top of that, Juho couldn¡¯t get a grasp of the direction of the story. No matter from which angle he looked at it, it seemed to him like Hyun Do or Yun Seo would be the only people capable of finishing the book.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do it,¡± Juho said. However, pretending not to have heard it, Hyun Do turned around and said, ¡°There¡¯s time, so think through it some more. One tends to be their most emotional self immediately after reading a book.¡±

    Left alone in the study, Juho remained there, not moving a muscle for quite a while.

    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said that I¡¯m not tempted.¡±

    Then, setting the white book aside, Juho took out every single book that bore the name Wol Kang on it.

    ¡°Are you nning on going back to the study?¡± Hyun Do asked after calling him out.

    To which, Juho responded with an awkward smile, ¡°Probably. I had the sudden urge to read through Mr. Kang¡¯s entire bibliography.¡±

    With a nonchnt look on his face, Hyun Do revised his manuscript while the young author immersed himself in reading. Reading both Wol¡¯s writing and Hyun Do¡¯s writing, which was close topletion by that point, Juho was awash by a wave of irresistible emotions.

    ¡°This is no joke,¡± Juho said, looking out into the ocean at night and sighing deeply. As the sound of waves breaking in the distance, he felt his feet sinking deeper into the sand. The water waspletely engulfed by the dark by that point, which had an uncanny resemnce to the white book. After getting out of the water, Juho shook the sand out of his shoes. Breathing in the night air, Juho felt slightly more at ease. Smelling roasted ms in the air, he sat on the safety rail and looked out into the ocean.

    ¡°There you are.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°I was looking for you.¡±

    When Juho checked the time, he realized that it was quitete. Then, remembering that he had walked out without telling Hyun Do, a look of regret appeared on the young author¡¯s face. Catching on to that, Hyun Do said, ¡°Sometimes, Ie out to the beach at night too.¡±

    Engulfed by the dark, the water waspletely ck. Juho looked at the people walking on the beach while enjoying the unique atmosphere of the beach at night. Sighing, Juho said, ¡°Whenever I see you write, I also find myself getting anxious to write.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you did?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still not enough. My hands are still itching to write, and I just can¡¯t seem to feel satisfied by what I write.¡±

    Chuckling quietly, Hyun Do sad, ¡°You know, Wol had that exact same look on his face.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you suggested I pick up where he left off?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°No, not necessarily,¡± Hyun Do replied.

    ¡°Then, what was your reason?¡±

    Leaning against the safety rail, Hyun Do said, ¡°You were running toward the water.¡±

    <h4>Comments (10)</h4>

 Chapter 373 - An Elusive Moon (4)

    <h4>Chapter 373: An Elusive Moon (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Juho asked, caught off guard by Hyun Do¡¯s remark.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t really want to go in the water, did you?¡± Hyun Do asked.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°When I saw you dropping the ms in your hands to jump in that water, you reminded me of Wol. I remember him doing just that.¡±

    Blinking awkwardly, Juho stared at Hyun Do.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I suggested it to you.¡±

    Then, the sound of fireworks rang in the distance and a musty whiff of gunpowder followed. As Juho remained silent, Hyun Do made the suggestion once again, ¡°Give it a try,¡± just like when they had been at the beach. Resisting the urge to say yes, Juho gathered his breath and said, ¡°Frankly, I want to say yes. As soon as I started reading that book, I felt that I needed to finish it.¡±

    However, the young author hadn¡¯t acted on his impulse.

    ¡°... But, something told me that it isn¡¯t that simple.¡±

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you think, then so be it. So, have you made up your mind?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have,¡± Juho said, brushing his hair up. There were no certainties. His mind was still in disarray, even when he opened his mouth speak. Nevertheless, the young author forced himself to give the answer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    ¡°Your reason being?¡±

    ¡°Because I want to.¡±

    Hyun Do chuckled at the young author¡¯s rather unremarkable answer. The next day, Hyun Do packed his bag and made his way to Seoul for the first time in a long time. Looking at the road filled with cars, Juho walked with Hyun Do, who whispered to him, ¡°You might wanna look forward when you walk.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re selling steamed corn over there,¡± Juho said, looking toward an olddy who was setting up her cart. Remaining unfazed, Hyun Do went ahead. When Juho walked past the olddy, he realized that the pile of steaming corn smelled somewhat different from the one in front of the grocery store near Hyun Do¡¯s house.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting nervous.¡±

    ¡°About?¡±

    ¡°You know, Mr. Lim.¡±

    After Hyun Do had promised the young author that he would show Juho the handwritten manuscript of the white book, Juho headed to Hyun Do¡¯s office in Seoul in order to receive the manuscript from him. Although Juho was carrying arge bag along, the thought of seeing Wol¡¯s handwritten manuscript made Juho forget all about the inconvenience of having to drag it around.

    ¡°You might not wanna get your hopes up.¡±

    ¡°How can I not?¡±

    As Hyun Do walked with his hands behind his back, Juho asked while following him quietly, ¡°Can I really go there, though?¡±

    ¡°Do you not want the manuscript?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s nothing like that.¡±

    Juho remembered Hyun Do¡¯s phone call with his editor prior toing up to Seoul. They had made ns, which meant that the young author would most likely run into the editor if he were to go with Hyun Do.

    ¡°I hope I¡¯m not intruding on anyone,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°You¡¯re not. Besides, you won¡¯t be staying for that long.¡±

    ¡°That is true.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. My editor wants to meet you too.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    Hyun Do¡¯s editor was the editor-in-chief of one of Zelkova¡¯spetitors. Juho still remembered the disappointed look on Nam Kyung¡¯s face after losing a contract to apetingpany. For the time being, as Hyun Do calmly led Juho through the building, Juho followed him without question.

    ¡°Is it here?¡±

    The office looked quite different from his residence at the beach. However, the atmosphere was nearly identical: achromatic. At that moment...

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you!¡±

    ... A voice greeted the young author as Juho stepped into the office. When he looked toward the voice greeting him, he saw a man sporting a peculiar-looking mustache. As the editor handed the young author a business card, Juho nced at it and put it in his pocket. With a big smile on his face, the editor said, ¡°I¡¯ve tried to get a hold of you a number of times, even when I didn¡¯t know what you looked like.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I remember turning down all manuscript requests back then,¡± Juho said. He still recalled being bombarded with manuscript requests when he had just debuted as an author. Of course, he had had various reasons to turn them all down.

    ¡°It was like going through a breakup,¡± the editor said.

    ¡°Come grab a seat, you two.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until Hyun Do offered the two a sit that Juho was able to set his luggage aside. Puzzled by the luggage, the editor asked, ¡°Are youing back from a trip?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho said, trying to be deliberate with his words.

    Then, the editor said in a friendly manner, ¡°You must like to travel! I was in Siberia, getting a train tour of the ce. It was amazing!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡±

    ¡°Where did you go, Mr. Woo?¡±

    Juho looked toward Hyun Do as though seeking advice on how to answer that question. However, Hyun Do looked at the young author as though it didn¡¯t matter.

    ¡°I stayed with Mr. Lim for a little while,¡± Juho said hesitantly.

    ¡°...¡±

    Juho noticed the editor¡¯s mustache changing shape.

    ¡°You mean at Mr. Lim¡¯s residence?¡± the editor asked.

    ¡°Yes...?¡± Juho said, hoping that they were thinking of the same ce. Then, looking betrayed, the editor called out to Hyun Do, ¡°Mr. Lim! I thought you didn¡¯t take visitors?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t concentrate when you¡¯re around.¡±

    ¡°I told you! I make a great assistant!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need an assistant.¡±

    As Juho chuckled quietly, the editor asked as his eyes sparkled with interest, ¡°What made you go all the way there, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Just because.¡±

    ¡°Just because?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Juho said confidently, and the editor rubbed his mustache, puzzled. He didn¡¯t seem to buy the young author¡¯s answer entirely.

    ¡°Seeing as you even took luggage, you seem to have stayed with Mr. Lim for quite a while.¡±

    ¡°I wrote a book while I was there.¡±

    ¡°May I ask what it is about?¡±

    ¡°So, I saw this crow when I went to the beach with Mr. Lim.¡±

    Then, Juho proceeded to give the editor a brief summary of the story, and the editor listened intently to the young author, maintaining a straight face throughout. Every time he nodded, Juho was able to imagine what he would looked like when reading a manuscript.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to see it,¡± the editor said, and Juho chuckled it off. However, the editor seemed serious.

    ¡°You know, Mr. Woo, we¡¯ve been meaning to have you here for a while now.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that.¡±

    ¡°Do you happen to have the manuscript on you?¡±

    ¡°I was under the impression that you were here to meet with Mr. Lim?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was hoping to meet you too.¡±

    ¡°Have some tea, you two,¡± Hyun Do said as he poured some tea for the editor and the young author. Of course, it had been brewed quite strong. Sitting on a tilted chair, Hyun Do said, ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. Take your time.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°It might not be such a terrible idea to get all the discussion out of the way today.¡±

    Looking embarrassed, the editor scratched his head. However, before long, he looked at Juho with greedy eyes and asked, ¡°The crow wasn¡¯t the only thing you saw there, was it?

    As the editor added once again that he wanted see the manuscript, Juho replied after some brief hesitation, ¡°I can show it to you, but I have no intention of publishing it.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± the editor said briefly. Then, Juho took manuscript out of his bag and handed it over to the editor, who started reading without hesitation. Having an editor, let alone the editor-in-chief of a publishingpany, read their manuscript was a nerve-racking experience to which no author was immune. Rubbing the back of his neck, Juho said to Hyun Do, ¡°I guess I¡¯m going first.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have all day,¡± Hyun Do said, drinking his tea unhurriedly. In order to mask his anxiety, Juho also drank his tea, trying to remain as quiet as possible as the editor read through the manuscript. The silence continued for quite some time, and the editor¡¯s mustache stayed hidden behind his hand. Then, looking up from the manuscript, the editor asked, ¡°Have you ever considered working with...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have no interest in releasing that story.¡±

    ¡°May I ask why?¡±

    ¡°I have another story to write.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good news! Could you tell me what it¡¯s going to be about?¡±

    Again, Juho looked toward Hyun Do, and he gave the young author the same look he had given him a moment before, as if saying he trusted Juho.

    ¡°So...¡± Juho hesitated, struggling to get the words out of his mouth.

    ¡°So?¡±

    Taking a deep breath, Juho mustered up the courage to speak.

    ¡°I took on the task of finishing Mr. Kang¡¯s manuscript. Hisst book before he passed away.¡±

    At the young author¡¯s unexpected response, the editor¡¯s jaw dropped open, and his eyes widened. Getting ufortably close to Juho, he said, ¡°Hisst book? Iplete?¡±

    The editor¡¯s cluelessness was fully justified because the white book had never seen the light of day. At that moment, the editor reached over to Juho and grabbed his arm with a look of determination, ¡°We... We have to talk.¡±

    At that, Juho realized that it would be a while longer before he got his hands on Wol¡¯s manuscript.

    ¡ª

    ¡°All done?¡± Hyun Do asked as he came in through the door.

    Leaning back on his chair at the same time, Juho said, ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s it, then.¡±

    Judging from the editor¡¯s rolled up sleeves, the conversation between him and the young author seemed to have been quite fierce. As Juho wrapped his warm neck with his hands, the editor wore a big smile on his face.

    ¡°We¡¯ll settle for ¡®The Crow.¡¯¡±

    In the end, the editor couldn¡¯t convince the young author to work with thepany. But, only for the project of finishing Wol¡¯s work. Impressed by the editor¡¯s go-getter attitude, Juho had given up on another point.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Woo,¡± the editor said, smiling while frowning slightly as though he had hoped for a better result.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Juho replied. Thepany was more than willing to work with the young author and make tempting offers. Although Juho had had no intention of releasing ¡®The Crow¡¯ initially, as they talked, he eventually came to realize that he wanted to work with the editor. Since Juho already had enough on his te, he agreed to publish ¡®The Crow¡¯ instead of the white book through thepany. After making ns to meet again in the near future, Juho left the office.

    ¡°Thank you for waiting, Mr. Lim,¡± the editor said with a big smile, bowing to Hyun Do.

    ¡°Seems like you two had a lot to discuss,¡± Hyun Do said, nodding. Then, he called to Juho, and the young author sprung up from his seat, realizing that he was about to finally get his hands on a certain manuscript. After going into another room, Hyun Do brought out the document envelope that contained Wol Kang¡¯s handwritten manuscript of the white book.

    ¡°It¡¯s actually a copy. Yun Seo has the original.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more than I could ask for, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡±

    Using both of his hands, Juho took the envelope from Hyun Do politely. Meanwhile, the editor looked at the envelope as though he had an idea of what was in it. With the envelope in his hands, Juho became anxious to get out of the office, itching to read the manuscript.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m gonna get going now.¡±

    ¡°Take care.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when I get back.¡±

    As Hyun Do nodded haphazardly, the editor reached out for a handshake and said, ¡°We¡¯ll meet again, Mr. Woo.¡±

    After shaking hands with the editor, Juho left the office without hesitation.

    ¡ª

    ¡°So, you gave it to Juho, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    For the first time in a long time, Yun Seo brought out a bottle of whiskey. Although she picked up the bottle up herself initially, she handed it over to Hyun Do instead and picked up her ss.

    ¡°I had already handed that manuscript over to you, so I don¡¯t have anything to say.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Hyun Do replied, adding, ¡°... but, I thought you should know.¡±

    After rolling the whiskey around in her mouth, Yun Seo swallowed it.

    ¡°So, Juho¡¯s taking over it, huh,¡± Yun Seo said, almost as if murmuring. Herte husband hadn¡¯t been able to finish the book he had started writing, and reminiscing to the time when he had been alive, Yun Seo drank her whiskey. ¡°He never told me how that story ended. I asked him so desperately.¡±

    ¡°He was one of a kind.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I loved him.¡±

    ¡°Well, what can I say?¡±

    Yun Seo cackled at Hyun Do¡¯s response. Then, she stared intently at Hyun Do. They had be used to seeing each other¡¯s old, wrinkled faces, and their white hairs were proof of how much time had passed since Wol¡¯s death.

    ¡°I thought you would take over that manuscript,¡± Yun Seo said.

    ¡°I told you I wasn¡¯t going to,¡± Hyun Do replied.

    ¡°I thought you were just ying hard to get.¡±

    Yun Seo was well aware that Hyun Do had mixed feelings for Wol. While Wol had been alive, the three had alwayspeted against each other. However, none of them had been able to win, and in the end, they had all grown from that.

    ¡°I wanted to be great,¡± Hyun Do said. The friend who had been walking ahead had suddenly stopped in his tracks. Now, Wol¡¯s books were not only great, but permanently branded as being the works of a genius. More specifically, of a genius who had passed away much too early. That was how thete author was remembered by the world.

    ¡°Honestly...¡± Yun Seo started off, and Hyun Do looked at her, who was looking out the window.

    ¡°I¡¯ve tried a number of times,¡± she said as the image of Yun Woo¡¯s face rushed past her mind.

 Chapter 374 - An Elusive Moon (5)

    <h4>Chapter 374: An Elusive Moon (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°That¡¯s my first time hearing of it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I never told anyone,¡± Yun Seo said, swishing the whiskey around in her ss for no apparent reason, reminiscing to the time when she would drink with her husband and Hyun Do. When Wol had been alive, he had had a habit of bragging confidently as though he feared nothing, like a child who knew nothing about failure. However, life had taken a sudden turn, and he had been diagnosed with tuberculosis. To that day, Yun Seo still had vivid memories of the wave of emotions from that time.

    ¡°But... I just couldn¡¯t do it.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°I miss him too much.¡±

    Hyun Do smiled at Yun Seo¡¯s response. Then, she looked down at the original copy of herte husband¡¯s manuscript, which she had brought out for the first time in a long time. No matter how hard she had tried, she simply hadn¡¯t been able to make progress with the story. Perhaps it had something to do with the description of the protagonist and his appearance or the dark, heavy introduction that was out of Wol¡¯s character.

    ¡°I kept finding myself wanting to write a different story. Whenever I would try to work on the manuscript, I would catch myself getting distracted by another story written by another person. So, I just gave up altogether,¡± Yun Seo said cheerfully.

    ¡°That rascal... He had to have already known,¡± Hyun Do said. Then, as Yun Seo quietly drank her whiskey, he added, ¡°That¡¯s why he never told you how the story ended, to keep you guessing for the rest of your life.¡±

    ¡°What a jerk.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±

    Putting a rock of ice in her ss, Yun Seo poured herself another ss of whiskey. As she rotated the ss in her hand, the ice ttered against the wall of the ss. When Hyun Do nced at it, Yun Seo stopped moving her hand and said, ¡°But, something tells me that I would¡¯ve never figured it out.¡±

    Hyun Do looked at Yun Seo while resting his temple on his fingers.

    ¡°He had to have thought that one of us would finish the story for him. He probably didn¡¯t say anything because he wanted to see another person¡¯s touch alongside his sentences.¡±

    ¡°Then, I suppose he failed miserably.¡±

    ¡°I guess so. Seems like we liked Wol a lot more than he thought,¡± Yun Seo said, and Hyun Do shook his head emphatically, appearing disgusted. Yun Seoughed cheerfully. She was starting to look drunk.

    ¡°I wee the fact that he failed, but I can¡¯t agree with you on that,¡± Hyun Do said.

    ¡°C¡¯mon. Let¡¯s be honest here. We¡¯ve already had a drink or two,¡± Yun Seo replied.

    ¡°You mean YOU had a drink.¡±

    With that, Hyun Do rxed his body. As his head lowered, his hair also came down.

    ¡°I wonder how Yun Woo will go about this,¡± Hyun Do said.

    ¡°What are you expecting from him? That¡¯s a big burden,¡± Yun Seo asked, bringing up the question she had been meaning to ask.

    ¡°Nothing. I did it out of impulse,¡± Hyun Do said nonchntly.

    ¡°Out of impulse? You?¡±

    Brushing his hair back, Hyun Do gave Yun Seo a brief summary of what had happened at the beach. With lips trembling and nearly blue from being soaking wet, Juho had looked quite pitiful. However, the young author hadn¡¯t hesitated for a moment to jump in the water. Watching him run toward the water in an attempt to save the drowning people, Hyun Do had thought that...

    ¡°I felt like I could forgive him, no matter what he wrote.¡±

    That had been the same feeling Hyun Do had felt when he had met Wol as a young author. As if Hyun Do hade across old music on the street, the young author tended to provoke a sense of nostalgia within Hyun Do.

    ¡°So, I don¡¯t regret my decision. I won¡¯t have to,¡± Hyun Do said, looking relieved. However, sounding slightly bitter, Yun Seo replied, ¡°Well, this is Juho we¡¯re talking about here, so he might just figure out the answer to the riddle that we would have had to wrestle with for our entire lives.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think about that, but that sounds like a plus to me,¡± Hyun Do said, brushing his hand down the manuscript on the table. At that moment, thendline started to ring, and Yun Seo rose from her seat and answered it. At the same time, Hyun Do sat up on his chair.

    ¡°An interview?¡±

    At that, Hyun Do looked toward Yun Seo, raising his eyebrow. Simrly, Yun Seo looked at him with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°About... Wol Kang?¡±

    Yun Seo slowly moved her eyes at the mention of herte husband¡¯s name.

    ¡°... and hisst book?¡±

    Hyun Do rubbed his chin. He had expected interview requests to start pouring in at some point. Then, shortly after the question, Yun Seo swiftly turned down the interview. Meanwhile, Hyun Do thought of Juho, the author who would be following in Wol¡¯s footsteps.

    ¡°This won¡¯t be easy,¡± Hyun Do murmured as if the matter was out of his hands.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t see thising,¡± Juho said while looking down at the manuscript, which turned out to be in terrible condition. ¡°I can¡¯t read a single word.¡±

    Wol Kang turned out to have atrocious handwriting. It was so bad that Juho couldn¡¯t tell if it was Hangul, which even triggered thenguage acquisition device. There seemed to be an urgent need for interpretation. Before he knew it, the young author found himself referring to the white book for that purpose.

    ¡®How did Mr. Lim and Mrs. Baek even read any of this?¡¯ Juho thought, sighing. ¡°Well, it¡¯s still worth it.¡±

    Despite the manuscript beingpletely illegible, Juho had found satisfaction in the fact that he was given the chance to work with Wol¡¯s manuscript, which held thete author¡¯s concentrated feelings within it. Even the awful handwriting seemed to contribute to that idea by conveying the author¡¯s pain.

    ¡®What I wouldn¡¯t do to meet him... Even if he was on his deathbed,¡¯ Juho thought to himself once again. As time passed, his mind became filled with even more questions. Then, without hesitation, Juho closed his eyes. The house had be quite dusty during his absence, which made the air very stuffy. The clock was off, its third-hand pointing at the same spot, still ticking. It sounded very annoying.

    ¡°Where is he?¡± Juho said as he opened his eyes, bbergasted. Although he had waited for Wol at the same spot in his dream, thete author had been nowhere to be found. There was only one possible exnation for that...

    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna make this any easier for me, are you, Mr. Kang?¡±

    ... Wol had to have wanted it that way. Although Juho had been wrestling with the manuscript for quite some time by that point, there had been no progress. In the end, Juho went to bed that night, still feeling confused. Then, when morning came, Juho was awakened by the sound of the doorbell. Having slept for quite a while, Juho got out of bed, feeling well rested. When he opened the door, an unexpected guest appeared on the other side of it.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Juho asked, still rubbing his eyes. Meanwhile, the guest was ring fiercely at Juho, who was still half asleep after having gone to bedte the night before.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer your phone?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    ¡°You called? I didn¡¯t know. Maybe it shut off,¡± Juho said, remembering that he hadn¡¯t charged his phone in a while. Ignoring Seo Kwang, who was facepalming at Juho¡¯sck of awareness, Juho moved aside and said, ¡°Come in.¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Juho said with a cracked voice.

    ¡°Where is it!?¡± Seo Kwang asked, shaking Juho by the shoulders as if the young author owed him something.

    ¡°Cut it out! You¡¯re making my head spin! I just woke up! What are you looking for? Did you leave something here?¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Seo Kwang said in a suppressed voice, breathing in deeply, but appearing to have trouble calming down.

    ¡®What¡¯s with him? He wasn¡¯t this crazy when he was tranting my book,¡¯ Juho asked himself.

    At that moment, Seo Kwang shouted all of a sudden, ¡°Where are you keeping Mr. Kang¡¯sst book!?¡±

    Suddenly feeling wide awake, Juho asked, ¡°How do you know about that?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s not aware!¡± Seo Kwang said, growing impatient. Then, he took his phone out and showed it to Juho, pushing the screen up against the young author¡¯s nose. In order to get a better look, Juho pulled away from it.

    ¡°Everyone knows that you stayed with Mr. Lim.¡±

    At that, Juho snatched the phone out of Seo Kwang¡¯s hand. Just as the trantor had said, there were articles being published in real time. Brushing his hair back, Juho handed the phone back to its owner and asked, ¡°You hungry?¡±

    ¡°How can you think about eating at a time like this!?¡±

    ¡°OK, then. More for me,¡± Juho said nonchntly, making his way into the kitchen. There was no use crying over spilled milk, and that being the case, Juho thought he might as well eat something.

    ¡°Oh, right. My phone,¡± he said, remembering to charge it to let Hyun Do know that he had gotten home safely as he had promised.

    Then, as Juho made his way into the kitchen after sending Hyun Do the brief text, Seo Kwang suddenly got on his knees and begged, ¡°Please, Mr. Woo! I¡¯ll do anything!¡±

    Juho had a vague idea of what the trantor wanted. Looking down at him, the young author replied, ¡°No.¡±

    Juho wasn¡¯t afraid to let Seo Kwang know that he wasn¡¯t looking to share. At which point, Seo Kwang, with his mouth agape, stared at Juho and proceeded to grab on to the young author¡¯s pants, begging even more. When Juho still didn¡¯t budge, Seo Kwangy in the middle of the living room, threatening that he wouldn¡¯t leave until he got what he wanted. However, quickly realizing that threat wasn¡¯t all that effective, Seo Kwang ran out of the apartment and brought back a small gift with which to bribe the young author. Of course, Juho still didn¡¯t budge. However, in the end, growing tired of him bbering, Juho caved in and yelled, ¡°OK! All right!¡±

    However, when Seo Kwang received the manuscript from Juho, the trantor was met with shocking disappointment.

    ¡°... What is this?¡± he asked, sounding appalled, his hands shaking ever so slightly. As the trantor rubbed his eyes and blinked repeatedly, Juho drank the coffee Seo Kwang had brought him as bribe and said, ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Kang¡¯s handwritten manuscript.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t read a single word!¡± Seo Kwang eximed. Although the look on his face was quite funny to Juho, the trantor seemed to be devastated.

    ¡°I seriously can¡¯t read any of this! Is it in a differentnguage? Did Mr. Kang do this on purpose? Is it encrypted or something? Oh! Maybe I need to look through a mirror.¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    Despite being fully aware that a mirror would be of little help, Seo Kwang seemed to have trouble moving on. Eventually, he came to terms with the fact that the manuscript waspletely illegible. Although he grumbled with his brow furrowed, the trantor still treated the manuscript with care and respect. He was also aware that the manuscript was a copy.

    ¡°Happy?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Seo Kwang replied, squinting his eyes and staring piercingly at the manuscript in an attempt to interpret it. Juho looked intently at his friend, who seemed to have forgotten to breathe.

    ¡°Anything?¡±

    ¡°No...¡± Seo Kwang said, turning his head and exhaling sharply. Then, putting the manuscript down, he buried his face on it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve humiliated myself for this? Oh! This cruel fate of mine,¡± Seo Kwang said. As Juho patted him on the shoulder in an attempt tofort him, Seo Kwang moved Juho¡¯s hand away from him harshly, asking, ¡°How are you gonna read this?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t read it either,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you lie to me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±

    Then, looking as if in deep despair, Seo Kwang said, ¡°You know, I feel like an idiot right now.¡±

    ¡°I have a reference copy.¡±

    ¡°You little...!¡±

    At that moment, Seo Kwang changed his attitude and charged toward the young author. Juho swiftly dodged his tackle.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°You know what? You can be really stingy sometimes!¡±

    ¡°This is Mr. Kang¡¯s manuscript we¡¯re talking about. Sorry, but I¡¯m not showing it to you.¡±

    Unable to think of a response, Seo Kwang grumbled. Wol Kang¡¯s writing tended to bring out the possessive nature of its readers. Everyone wanted to know the author for themselves. However, Wol Kang was a well-renowned author in Korea, and people were somewhat disgruntled by that. They were probably unhappy that the author had left his fans too early. The emotions within his books tended to be unrefined and raw, and his fans also tended to behave that way. In the end, Seo Kwang gave up and plunked down on the floor.

    ¡°Heard you wrote a new book too...¡± he asked.

    ¡°Oh, at Mr. Lims?¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°Yeah, that. Heard you¡¯re gonna release it soon...¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on it at first, but yeah. It kind of happened.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Mr. Lim also working on a new book?¡±

    ¡°He is. We were writing around the same time.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what it¡¯s about?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I saw his writing process in person.¡±

    ¡°Then, tell me.¡±

    ¡°You go buy the book when ites out and find out for yourself.¡±

    ¡°I swear... There¡¯s nothing good about having an author for a friend,¡± Seo Kwang murmured as if disgruntled by Juho¡¯s haphazard attitude.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your n?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    ¡°For what?¡±

    ¡°I heard you¡¯re finishing Mr. Kang¡¯s book. Are you sure you can do it?¡±

    Rubbing the back of his neck, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯m already stuck, actually.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± Seo Kwang eximed, giving Juho a judgmental look. As Juho shrugged it off, Seo Kwang threw the rice puff, which he had bought for himself, at his author friend.

    ¡°You gotta do better than that! You don¡¯t wanna make Mr. Kang look bad, do you!?¡±

    ¡°No, I do not,¡± Juho replied. Should the young author fail, the consequences were bound to be brutal. After imagining an uncertain future for a brief moment, Juho stopped as he realized what he needed to do about the character that didn¡¯t exist within his fantasy world.

    ¡°How do you think I can meet him?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Kang.¡±

    ¡°OK, how are you nning on meeting somebody who¡¯s already dead?¡± Seo Kwang asked as if he had heard something absurd.

    Then, looking at Seo Kwang, Juho said, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll be able to see him if I die.¡±

 Chapter 375 - An Elusive Moon (6)

    <h4>Chapter 375: An Elusive Moon (6)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As the conversation started to steer in an unexpected direction, Seo Kwang felt a sense of crisis. On the other hand, Juho lookedpletely unfazed, drinking from the straw peacefully as ifpletely unaware of what he had just said. Feeling burdened by what he had just heard, Seo Kwang looked at Juho with narrowed eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you do anything stupid after you¡¯re done with that manuscript!¡±

    ¡°Stupid? Like what?¡± Juho scoffed asked nonchntly. However, Seo Kwang remained serious.

    ¡°Whenever I see you, I get the feeling that you¡¯ll die early.¡±

    ¡°OK, that¡¯s just a-whole-nother level of trash talk.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not trash talk. It¡¯s a legitimate thought. You tend to rush things, you know.¡±

    Seo Kwang had often felt like Juho wouldn¡¯t live as long as the others, something that caused him significant anxiety. Anything rushed tended to yield a simrly precarious emotional experience. Then, seeing that Juho had stopped talking, Seo Kwang rubbed his eyes and corrected himself in a hurry, ¡°As in... like a dog.¡±

    ¡°A dog?¡±

    ¡°You know, they grow really fast!¡± Seo Kwang said, feeling relief when Juho chuckled. Then, leaning back on his chair, Seo Kwang tossed the rice puff up into the air and caught it with his mouth. ncing over at Juho, the trantor said, ¡°Well, since you¡¯ve alreadymitted to it, you might as well give it all you got.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Then, Seo Kwang took the rice puff in his hand and crushed is, the snapping sound fading into the air.

    ¡°It¡¯s already hard enough as is to wait.¡±

    Given that the white book would be a coboration between Wol Kang and Yun Woo, almost all of their fans would feel like Seo Kwang. Juho rubbed his chin. He was well aware of the expectations that would be put on him when he agreed to finish Wol¡¯s book.

    ¡°You mean you can¡¯t wait to find out if I¡¯ll make a fool out of Wol Kang or not.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of it,¡± Seo Kwang said. Curiosity of that was bound to exist when taking up a task that had been left unfinished by another person.

    Massaging his shoulder, Juho replied, ¡°I wonder if you¡¯ll be the first one to show up at my door to beat me up for doing Mr. Kang a disservice.¡±

    ¡°Me? Beat up Yun Woo? Nah, I doubt that. I¡¯ll just keep it at cursing you out.¡±

    Juho imagined the disappointed look on his friend¡¯s face, something with which he was well acquainted. In his past life, Juho had learned for the first time that disappointing someone could hurt significantly more than getting beat up.

    ¡°I gotta see him, no matter what,¡± Juho murmured, resting his chin on his hand. Meanwhile, Seo Kwang stared at Juho with a slightly disconcerted look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything extreme, my friend.¡±

    Although it was better to stay alive, Wol Kang was still nowhere to be found. Juho remembered having heard about Wol from Yun Seo at one point. ording to her, he had been incredibly stubborn and tended to do whatever he pleased. Apparently, he had also tended to be rather unpredictable, which meant that he would only show up when he felt like it.

    ¡°Sigh...¡±

    Juho was tempted to draw him out somehow, but the young author¡¯s position didn¡¯t allow him to focus solely on Wol either. Between thete author and Juho, there existed a crow.

    ¡°Is everything OK?¡±

    When Juho looked up, he saw his editor¡¯s shiny head.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Juho replied and asked, ¡°How¡¯s the manuscript?¡±

    ¡°I think we can keep it as is.¡±

    Juho was paired up with a new editor, someone assigned by the editor-in-chief. Looking quite nervous, the new editor took the manuscript from the young author. Due to the nature of the work, most editors tended to be quite sociable. Those who weren¡¯t so tended to work hard to improve that aspect of themselves. The editor in front of the young author seemed to fall under thetter category. Staring at his balding head, Juho asked, ¡°Are you hot?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± the editor asked, looking up, his face glistening.

    ¡°You seem to be sweating a lot,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine. Thank you for your concern.¡±

    The new editor¡¯s attitude was somewhat rigid. Remembering the editor-in-chief, whom he had met at one point, Juho nodded. The editor-in-chief had been confident in the editor¡¯s skills, and Juho hadn¡¯t gotten a bad impression from the editor either. Besides, in Juho¡¯s mind, it was more interesting that there were editors as diverse as authors.

    ¡°This part here...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Juho replied, looking at the spot his editor was pointing. It was the part where Juho had lost control of his emotions while writing. Then, cing the final draft next to the first draft, the editor started his exnation, rushing slightly to get the words out of his mouth.

    ¡°So, this book is definitely on the darker side of things.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡± Juho asked, tilting his head. Although the young author hadn¡¯t intended for the novel to be heavy, he was also aware that it wasn¡¯t light-hearted either.

    Seeing the look on the young author¡¯s face, the editor added in a hurry, ¡°Not that it¡¯s a bad thing. The struggle between the crow and the protagonist ispletely justified.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Juho replied calmly.

    Then, clearing his throat, the editor added, ¡°It almost feels as though the two characters have dedicated their lives to fighting, but at the same time, it doesn¡¯t make you wonder if it¡¯s really necessary to fight that hard, which only happens because the narrator specified what the crow is to him. There¡¯s something very convincing about their struggle.¡±

    Juho listened intently to his editor and his feedback. As far Juho could tell, the editor was speaking very cautiously.

    ¡°But, things get a little less straightforward toward the end of the story.¡±

    ¡°Less straightforward... Right,¡± Juho said, nodding in agreement. By then, the editor seemed to be much more at ease.

    ¡°The crow bes much too metaphysical toward the end, which, in turn, makes the narrator look like he¡¯s losing his mind. Of course, that isn¡¯t to say that it¡¯s wrong in any way! The narrator definitely has issues that he needs to deal with. Personally, I was hoping that the story would stay a bit more rational,¡± the editor said, wiping the sweat off of his forehead with a handkerchief.

    ¡°I understand. It¡¯s something we¡¯ve already discussed,¡± Juho said.

    Just as he had said, the editor had suggested that the author take a slightly less ambiguous approach toward the end. Since Juho had been thinking something simr, the author had been able to take up his editor¡¯s suggestion. On the other hand, Juho tended to go overboard with the abstract, and Nam Kyung had often pointed that out to him. In actuality, it had been a habit that hade with age. As Juho grew older, his stamina also naturally diminished. Therefore, when he wrote, he left things ambiguous rather than being deliberate. The contrast wasparable to the difference between a sinking beer bottle and a professional swimmer diving into the water. Then, pushing the edited version toward the editor, Juho said, ¡°So, I made some changes ordingly.¡±

    ¡°The ending is what makes this book what it is! You never fail to impress me, Mr. Woo,¡± the editor said, holding the edited version of the manuscript in his hands with a bright smile. Having a feeble appearance to begin with, the smile on his face made him look even more innocent.

    Staring intently at his face, Juho said, ¡°All thanks to you.¡± At which point, the editor¡¯s cheeks flushed bright red.

    ¡°Your writing never ceases to amaze me, Mr. Woo. It¡¯s truly an honor to be working with you,¡± the editor said. Juho remembered hearing the same remark when they had first met. As they were being introduced to each other, the editor-in-chief had said, ¡°He reads your books the most out of the entire editing department. Eventually, he¡¯ll follow in my footsteps as editor-in-chief.¡±

    Back then, the editor had sweated profusely. Although appearing calm, the sweat had indicated to the young author that the editor had been trying as hard as he could to remain that way.

    ¡°I¡¯ve read ¡®The Crow.¡¯¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°I was... overwhelmed,¡± the editor had said, covering his mouth. At which, Juho had chuckled awkwardly. Then, after exining the strength and charm of the book bashfully, the editor had asked, ¡°I assume that there are some changes you¡¯d like to make?¡±

    From then on, the two had gotten into a heated debate, which had been very exhausting. It had been as if the editor had learned from the editor-in-chief himself. Because of that, Juho had found himself having no time to work on the white book. Having finished revising the manuscript for ¡®The Crow,¡¯ Juho let out a deep sigh. ¡®NOW, I can focus on Mr. Kang.¡¯ At that moment...

    ¡°So, are you nning on going back to Mr. Kang¡¯s manuscript?¡± the editor asked out of nowhere. However, Juho remained unfazed, as it wasn¡¯t entirely unusual for the editor to bring up that subject. The fact that Juho was working on Wol¡¯s unfinished book was already widespread news. As the young author nodded, the editor said, ¡°Well, if you need any help, please don¡¯t hesitate to call me.¡±

    ¡°Actually, the chief asked me personally to show him the manuscript once it¡¯s finished,¡± Juho replied with a smile.

    Then, looking toward Juho with sincerity, the editor wiped the sweat off his upper lip and said bashfully, ¡°I just don¡¯t have the guts to ask for a favor like that. So, are you nning on showing it to the chief?¡±

    ¡°No. I haven¡¯t even started on it yet. I can¡¯t make any promises just yet.¡±

    At that, as if the answer had left him wanting more, the editor rubbed the back of his neck and said, ¡°Break a leg, Mr. Woo.¡±

    With that, as Juho rose from his seat, the editor offered to give him a ride, which Juho epted. Juho waited for his editor in the underground parking lot. As several cars went past him, Juho stood with his arms crossed, lost in thoughts about the white book. Then, noticing the moon in the still-blue sky, Juho stared at it dazedly. At that moment, a car came to an abrupt stop nearby. When Juho looked ahead, he saw somebody familiar getting out of the car in a hurry.

    ¡°Mr. Woo?¡±

    He was a reporter who had interviewed Juho at one point. Remembering getting bombarded with questions by him, Juho sensed trouble, sighing internally and thinking, ¡®Of all people...¡¯

    ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here on work-rted business,¡± Juho replied briefly. Nevertheless, the reporter still seemed happy to see the young author. Naturally updating Juho on how his life had been, the reporter started to investigate. At which point, the author realized that it was toote to run.

    ¡°That reminds me! I was shocked when I heard about Mr. Wol¡¯s unfinished book! I didn¡¯t even know such a thing existed.¡±

    ¡°Me neither,¡± Juho said. Whenever he would take a step back, the reporter would follow him even closer.

    ¡°When I heard that you were working on it, though, I just couldn¡¯t contain myself.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Juho said, trying to be sparing with his words, waiting desperately for his editor¡¯s car to arrive.

    ¡°Are you working on it right now?¡±

    ¡°No, not yet.¡±

    ¡°Have you always been a fan of Wol Kang?¡±

    ¡°How can one not be?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that you¡¯ve never mentioned his name before.¡±

    Juho forced himself to answer the reporter, resisting the urge to sigh. However, the reporter didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°How was it staying with Mr. Lim? I¡¯ve been very curious about that.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not much to be curious about. He invited me, and I went.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯ mon, Mr. Woo. Every reporter knows how Mr. Lim can be. He¡¯s notorious for not taking visitors.¡±

    ¡°I think you might be better off asking Mr. Lim himself,¡± Juho said in an attempt to deflect the reporter¡¯s attention away from him. However, the reporter didn¡¯t budge, determined to focus on Juho.

    ¡°How¡¯d you feel when you were invited?¡±

    ¡°... I was d. Wait, is this an interview? In that case, I¡¯d much rather meet in an official capacity.¡±

    ¡°Well, not necessarily. But, are you saying yes to a potential interview?¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily. As you¡¯re already aware, I have work to do.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be just a minute, Mr. Woo. I won¡¯t publish anything.¡±

    ¡°As it should be. Especially if you wanna interview me in the future,¡± Juho said with a smile, and the reporter smiled as well, asking, ¡°I assume that you¡¯ve already read the book?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Suddenly, the reporter asked desperately, ¡°Could you please tell me what it¡¯s about? I¡¯m a huge fan of Wol Kang. He was my hero growing up.¡±

    With the corner of his mouth turned up, Juho replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    At that moment, a car arrived, and Juho turned toward it. As Juho started walking toward it, he felt a hand sp his shoulder, which was followed by a voice that said, ¡°Onest thing, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a lot of pressure?¡±

    ¡°What is?¡± Juho asked, ying coy, and the reporter rified himself, ¡°Finishing the job left behind by a dead author.¡±

    Then, as if having caught on to the situation, the driver started to honk, which reverberated through the parking lot. Looking into the air for a brief moment, Juho replied, ¡°Well, I had the urge to do it. What can I do?¡±

    With a brief goodbye, Juho got in the car and left. Meanwhile, standing in ce, the reporter stared at where the author had been standing.

 Chapter 376 - An Elusive Moon (7)

    <h4>Chapter 376: An Elusive Moon (7)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Upon arriving home, Juho went straight to his room. There were scribbled notes about Wol¡¯s manuscript scattered about the desk.

    ¡°Little messy around here.¡±

    After spending quite some time at Hyun Do¡¯s residence writing, Juho felt the need to clean up his room, which was filled with boxes of various sizes and shapes and stacks of manuscript paper. ¡®Maybe I should move the bed to the living room and make more room in here,¡¯ Juho thought, shaking his head shortly in after.

    ¡°It¡¯s not bad as is.¡±

    Then, sitting down, Juho immersed himself in thinking about Wol. The years he had been born and died, his debut title, experiences, appearance, personality, rtionships, things he liked and disliked, where he was from, his writing style, his go-to subject, and his frequently used vocabry. Given that Wol had already died, getting a hold of information like that was hardly a challenge. Understanding Wol¡¯s life would help Juho interpret his book. Feeling the need to better understand the author, Juho opened hisptop to start writing.

    ¡°Snow? Again?¡± Juho murmured, looking up at the sky in a dream with which he was well acquainted by that point. Seeing as nobody was around, it seemed like Juho would have to wake up empty-handed, which left a bitter taste in his mouth. After looking around, Juho went into the building in front of him, entering a room through a sliding door, which was half-way open. There were traces of three people having sat at the table.

    ¡°Back so soon?¡±

    That time, there was only one person in the room. Juho stared dazedly at the silhouette sitting against the wall, which was waving their foot instead of their hand to greet him.

    ¡°Typical.¡±

    If Hyun Do had been around, that would have been the word that would¡¯vee out of his mouth. In the end, Wol finally showed himself to the young author. Laughing frivolously, Wol asked, ¡°Drink?¡± waving the bowl of rice wine. Staring at the milky liquid sloshing precariously in the bowl, Juho shook his head. Despite Wol¡¯s careless movements, the wine didn¡¯t spill over.

    ¡°I don¡¯t drink.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right.¡±

    Juho stared at Wol, who was chewing on a dried squid leg without a care in the world. Sighing internally, Juho observed the author carefully.

    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I read your book,¡± Wol said, cackling. Judging from his confident attitude, he seemed to know who Juho was, which made the young author wonder if Wol knew his secret. Nevertheless, Juho asked nonchntly, ¡°What did you think?¡±

    ¡°It was all right,¡± Wol replied unhesitantly. A profound sense of disappointment washed over Juho. However,pletely unfazed, Wol looked intently toward the young author, who rubbed his hands together and said, ¡°You must be pretty upset that I¡¯m working on your book, then.¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Wol said, his chest puffing up and shrinking as he emptied the bowl unhesitantly. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Wol said, ¡°You see, I trust my friend¡¯s decision.¡±

    ¡°... and I don¡¯t have the same credibility,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing fine.¡±

    Juho didn¡¯t find those wordsforting at all. Wol seemed both warm and cold at the same time, and Juho was starting to understand why: he could no longer write and he hadn¡¯t been able to for a very long time.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem well, Mr. Kang,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Is that so? It must be the wine.¡±

    ¡°Is your stomach upset at all?¡± Juho asked, and Wol remained silent, drinking his rice wine. ¡°You¡¯ve been having indigestion, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    At that, as if he heard something of interest, Wol¡¯s face changed all of a sudden.

    ¡°Huh! Are you a doctor or something?¡±

    ¡°An author, actually. Would it have been better if I were a doctor, though?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Wol replied emphatically, pointing at Juho and saying, ¡°You know exactly how I died. Yet, you give me that nonsense?¡±

    However, Wol didn¡¯t seem angry. Rather, he seemed lively. Juho carried the conversation on cautiously, ¡°Mr. Lim told me once that I¡¯m simr to you and that I should always be careful not to have indigestion.¡±

    ¡°Is that right? So, you know what this life is like, which means you should be able to finish my book just fine!¡±

    ¡°I wanted to hear your side of the story.¡±

    Sittingpletely still, Wol remained silent.

    ¡°How were you going to end the story?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Getting right to the point, are we?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand, Mr. Kang. There¡¯s nothing more anxiety-inducing than a story that cuts off in the middle.¡±

    ¡°Oh, trust me, I know. My writing tends to charm people,¡± Wol replied. Although cunning with his words, his attitude remained yful and light-hearted.

    ¡°What happens to the protagonist?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Wol replied.

    ¡°Does he take the customer¡¯s offer? Does he actually kill someone?¡±

    ¡°The answer should be in my writing. Don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°In what ways are you simr to the protagonist?¡±

    ¡°Me? Simr? I¡¯m me, and a novel¡¯s a novel. You shouldn¡¯t treat the two the same,¡± Wol said, rising from his seat with a bowlful of rice wine. Then, walking over to the sliding door, he threw it out, staining his shoes.

    ¡°I appreciate you pestering me. I was starting to get bored,¡± Wol said with a mischievous smile. Then, licking the rice wine off of his hand, he said, ¡°Ask Yun Seo or something. She¡¯ll know,¡± sounding as though getting ready to leave. At which point, Juho hurriedly bombarded Wol with questions, ¡°What was your mindset when you wrote that book? What were you trying to say? What kind of story were you writing? What does the protagonist want? What kind of choices does he make?¡±

    Instead of giving him an answer, Wol nodded slightly. Despite the amount of rice wine he had had to drink, he didn¡¯t seem drunk at all. In fact, he had the look of an innocent child on his face, simr to the one Juho had seen on Yun Seo¡¯s face.

    ¡°Look up,¡± Wol said and Juho did just that. There was a bright light, which gave Juho a bad feeling.

    ¡°It¡¯s morning...¡±

    Upon opening his eyes and rubbing them, Juho sat up on his bed still feeling groggy from the dream¡¯s lingering effect. The room was quite bright.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± Juho let out, sighing. Sittingpletely still on his bed, he immersed himself in thought.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Oh-ho-ho! You look like crap!¡± Geun Woo said, sounding amused. Letting out a big yawn, Juho replied, ¡°Thanks. You look like you¡¯re in a good mood.¡±

    ¡°Is it obvious?¡± Geun Woo said, clearly not intending to hide it. Sitting next to him, Joon Soo sighed as if worried that his colleague would never grow up. Wearing his usual weing smile, Joon Soo asked, ¡°Did you not sleep wellst night?¡±

    ¡°No. I had a rough night,¡± Juho said, drinking the tea Joon Soo had brought out, which tasted kind of nd. Juho had gotten used to drinking stronger tea during his stay at Hyun Do¡¯s residence. Smacking his lips, Juho put the mug down. Catching on to his reaction immediately, Joon Soo asked, ¡°Is the tea not to your liking?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s been a while.¡±

    Then, fiddling with the mug, Juho asked, ¡°When¡¯s Mrs. Baeking back?¡±

    ¡°She went out for a walk, so it won¡¯t be long now.¡±

    ¡°That reminds me. We had no clue that Mr. Kang had an unfinished book,¡± Geun Woo said, resting his chin on his hand while grumbling.

    ¡°My jaw dropped open when I heard it! I kept asking Mrs. Baek what it was about, but she wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡±

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°She said that you were working on it and that I should wait till it was released,¡± Geun Woo said. Then, ring fiercely at Juho, he added, ¡°If you ruin that book, I¡¯ll make sure you never write another book again.¡±

    ¡°How intimidating,¡± Joon Soo said mockingly.

    ¡°Joon Soo! Seriously!?¡± Geun Woo eximed.

    However, Joon Soo deftly ignored his remark and changed the subject, ¡°Personally, I couldn¡¯t be happier about this situation.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Baek¡¯s been very, very passionate as ofte,¡± Joon Soo said, putting his hand on his chest while appearing deeply impressed.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Mr. Kang¡¯s unreleased book? Getting released after all these years?¡± Geun Woo said as if Juho was asking an obvious question.

    ¡°It makes her thrilled.¡±

    ¡°She, Mr. Kang and Mr. Lim used to be rivals.¡±

    Then, the room sank into silence, which indicated to Juho that they were all thinking the same thing: Mourning Wol¡¯s death and the past while waiting for the three rivals to reunite in another form. At that moment, looking up as if remembering something, Joon Soo said, ¡°Wait a minute! Do you even have time to be out here with us?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Geun Woo asked gruffly.

    To which, Joon Soo replied in a calm tone of voice, ¡°You said that you missed another deadline recently.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my! Did you HAVE TO bring that up in front of Juho!?¡±

    Looking at Geun Woo, Juho asked, ¡°Did you miss another deadline?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that...¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Yet, he keeps doing things that he¡¯ll regret,¡± Joon Soo said.

    Rolling his eyes as he tried to think of an excuse, Geun Woo sumbed to his anger, saying, ¡°I had a lot on my te, OK!? I¡¯ve been getting a lot of work from different cestely!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all the more reason to build credibility.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can do it.¡±

    ¡°I mean, you can tell me that all day...¡±

    ¡°I got scolded by Mrs. Baek too the other day.¡±

    Then, raising his eyebrow, Juho asked, ¡°Has anyone told you that you¡¯ve gotten kind of cocky?¡±

    ¡°Who do you think I am? I¡¯m not you, you know.¡±

    ¡°Well, have you?¡±

    ¡°OK! I have! What do you think Mrs. Baek scolded me for!?¡± Geun Woo barked back, scruffing his hair and adding, ¡°I¡¯m NOT missing another deadline. I swear! I¡¯ll bet my right hand on it!¡±

    At that moment...

    ¡°I don¡¯t think your hand is worth that much.¡±

    ... A voice came from the door, and the three rose from their seats simultaneously in order to greet Yun Seo. Looking toward Juho, she said, ¡°Hey, Juho.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Baek,¡± Juho replied, sounding slightly more nervous than usual.

    Handing the bagfuls of fruit to her pupils, she asked, ¡°You¡¯re not just here for dinner, are you?¡±

    ¡°I had something I wanted to ask you, actually,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°... Come with me.¡±

    After locking eyes with Joon Soo and Geun Woo briefly, Juho followed Yun Seo.

    ¡°How was it staying with Hyun Do?¡± she asked light-heartedly.

    ¡°Oh! It was very good,¡± Juho replied with a slight dy and after looking around her room, which was where Yun Seo would usually talk privately with her pupils, including Geun Woo. Although Juho had visited the house more times than he could count, the young author had never been to Yun Seo¡¯s room prior to that day. Since he wasn¡¯t a pupil of hers, he had had no reason to be there. Contrary to Hyun Do¡¯s residence, which had been dull and achromatic, Yun Seo¡¯s room had a much moreforting atmosphere, and the green sofa only served to entuate that.

    ¡°It¡¯s bleak there, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked.

    ¡°A little.¡±

    ¡°He has a stubborn side to him, so he has to do what he wants. It doesn¡¯t matter how many times I talk to him. It wasn¡¯t any different when he was renovating the ce either.¡±

    Then, remembering the painting in the room he had stayed at Hyun Do¡¯s residence, Juho said, ¡°There was a painting in the room I used.¡±

    ¡°I had to force him to take it,¡± she said, seemingly curious about what had happened during his stay. Juho answered her questions one at a time.

    ¡°Did you learn a lot?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°Did you see him write?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    As Yun Seo nodded, Juho clenched his hands into fists and said, ¡°I read Mr. Kang¡¯s manuscript too.¡±

    ¡°Yes, so I¡¯ve heard. I was told that he handed it over to you,¡± Yun Seo said, chuckling quietly. ¡°Heard you read all of my husband¡¯s books. I¡¯m guessing that you had already made up your mind the moment you started reading that white book. Am I right? I mean, it is tempting.¡±

    At that, Juho fessed up. Then, studying Yun Seo¡¯s expression, he asked in passing, ¡°Is it OK that I finish it?¡±

    ¡°Well, the press is already raving about it. You wouldn¡¯t wanna stop now and make a fool of yourself.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what the press thinks.¡±

    ¡°If I were you tell you to stop, do you think you would listen to me?¡± Yun Seo asked, sounding slightly mischievous, which felt very simr to Wol.

    ¡°Probably not...¡± Juho said.

    ¡°I know. You can be stubborn too.¡±

    At that, Juho lowered his head. There was yet another reason for why he couldn¡¯t stop.

    ¡°Honestly... I¡¯ve met someone.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Kang.¡± Yun Seo remained silent at the unexpected response. Fumbling with his fingers, Juho added, ¡°I asked him how the story ended, but he never told me.¡±

 Chapter 377 - The Spirit of Wol Kang (1)

    <h4>Chapter 377: The Spirit of Wol Kang (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Yun Seoughed cheerfully. She seemed happy to hear that Wol hadn¡¯t changed one bit, even if in one¡¯s dream.

    ¡°I guess some people never change.¡± Then, looking down slightly, she murmured, ¡°So, you CAN see him...¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°As an author, Wol is a frightening opponent,¡± Yun Seo said out of nowhere. However, it wasn¡¯t hard to understand her words. ¡°I remember all the emotions I felt back when we used to write together. He¡ªhow should I put it¡ªseemed like somebody who had a bit more time in his hands.¡±

    Juho remained quiet. Then, catching on to what Juho was thinking, she asked, ¡°Funny that he was the first to go, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°A little bit.¡±

    ¡°Now that I think about it, maybe he knew. Maybe he was trying to write as much as possible at thest minute,¡± she said, reflecting on everything. Then, studying the look on Juho¡¯s face, she asked, ¡°Should we talk about something else? I have a feeling that a genius like you wouldn¡¯t find a subject like this all thatfortable.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m OK, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°... You are different. At the same time, you are kind of simr to him. Well, thanks to you, I knew that a day like this woulde eventually.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have known that this day woulde, even if I were to be born again,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to this very much, Juho.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am...¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re doing something neither Hyun Do nor I could,¡± she said, smiling as she stared intently at Juho. Juho had never seen Yun Seo sopetitive before.

    ¡°So... I wanted to ask you about Mr. Kang¡¯s life,¡± Juho said in a serious tone.

    ¡°Ask away. I¡¯ll tell you everything I know,¡± Yun Seo replied affirmatively.

    Nodding, Juho brought up a thought, though his mind was still in disarray, ¡°Mr. Kang had an internal disease.¡±

    ¡°Because he couldn¡¯t write?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°He was still good at what he did, wasn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°When he was writing the white book, was he in a lot of pain?¡±

    At that, Yun Seo breathed in, sighed heavily, and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± which was surprisingly ambiguous.

    ¡°When I first found out about the book, he was already at a point where he couldn¡¯t even move on his own. I got to experience how frightening the disease can be in person and how miserable it makes a person struggling with it. Sometimes, I would help him write while he dictated the words to me and, every time, I asked how the story ended,¡± Yun Seo said, her lips moving a little awkwardly, which told Juho that she was talking about something she hadn¡¯t in a long time. A slightly rusty piece of decoration came into the young author¡¯s view. It seemed to be an antique.

    ¡°Back then, I liked that Wol didn¡¯t tell me the ending to the story because it made it seems like a promise that he wasn¡¯t going to die.¡±

    Juho looked intently at Yun Seo¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°What was Mr. Kang¡¯s take on death?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t speak for him, but he did seem to wrestle with life and death from time to time,¡± Yun Seo replied.

    ¡°Was he afraid?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he was, at least a little bit, but he never showed it.¡±

    ¡°Was he ever in despair?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he was at one point. As far as I know of him, he probably came to ept it.¡±

    ¡°How was he in hisst moment?¡±

    ¡°He went in peace.¡±

    At Yun Seo¡¯s answer, Juho thought back to his ownst moment. Death was a subject he excelled in.

    ¡°Do you think Mr. Kang knew when he was going to die?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an odd question. Nobody knows when they¡¯ll die.¡±

    ¡°Even by premonition?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. He was so passionate when he was writing that book. Yes, he was a confident person by default, but it was especially more apparent when he was writing that book. I remember him saying that it would be his favorite book to have ever written.¡±

    ¡°Favorite, huh?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Unfortunately, the author had passed away before he could finish writing the book. Juho clenched his hands into fists and said, ¡°Now, I really don¡¯t wanna die.¡±

    Yun Seo chuckled quietly. However, her eyes seemed rather somber. Nevertheless, her voice remained calm as she talked about herte husband.

    ¡°He had no interest in the afterlife. In fact, he was the type to focus more on the present than the future. I remember he always avoided talking about that subject, saying... What did he say? Oh! Saying, ¡®We¡¯ll find out when we¡¯re dead.¡¯ Well, because of that, Hyun Do and I spent a good amount of time talking about that subject.¡±

    Then, sounding as if she was testing Juho, she asked, ¡°Do you believe in spirits?¡±

    ¡°Spirits?¡±

    Juho sped his hands together. It was a rather thought-provoking subject. Meanwhile, Yun Seo watched the young author¡¯s reaction quietly.

    ¡°What if I told you that I saw his spirit? Would you tell me that I was seeing things?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d believe you.¡±

    ¡°That was quick.¡±

    ¡°I mean, it would help me a lot more to believe you. I¡¯d believe anything you say, Mrs. Baek. Please, do tell more.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing fancy, but seeing as you¡¯re willing to listen, I¡¯ll oblige. Let me tell you, it was a beautiful experience. So much so, I wanted to brag about it.¡±

    With that, Yun Seo established the premise of her story. She would tell nothing but the truth. Juho leaned forward. The spirit of Wol Kang. As a fellow author, there was no other subject that was more interesting than that. Then, as Yun Seo started telling the story in a whisper, the room started to grow dark. The clouds started covering the sky.

    ¡°The moment he stopped breathing, I saw this billow of smoke rise out of nowhere.¡±

    ¡°Smoke?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t have a humidifier or burn incense or anything, but this billow of clean, white smoke came up from Wol, and it formed a cloud about the size of my fist. Then, it floated past between me and Hyun Do. When I saw that, I knew exactly what it was: hisst farewell,¡± Yun Seo said, her eyes sparkling. Hearing the story, Juho also found himself genuinely wishing that he had been there to witness it in person.

    ¡°What did it want?¡± Juho asked, and Yun Seo burst intoughter, as if having heard a good joke.

    ¡°What could a cloud possibly want? It just floated away. That¡¯s all.¡±

    As pieces of information from Yun Seo¡¯s story and Wol¡¯s iplete manuscript came together, Juho started to get a better idea of what Wol had been trying to say in his story. ¡®Maybe that¡¯s what happens to the protagonist and the customer.¡¯ In a slight daze, Juho thanked her, ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Should you have any questions, feel free toe over anytime.¡±

    Then, after asking one final question, Juho walked out of her room.

    ¡°What did you guys talk about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Hey!¡±

    Leaving Joon Soo and Geun Woo behind, Juho rushed out of the house and headed straight home. Upon arriving, Juho opened the door, entered his room, grabbed some manuscript paper, and wrote well into the night, unhindered.

    ¡°Did I fall asleep?¡± Juho murmured, exhaling. Then, realizing that he was in a dream shortly after, Juho started walking aimlessly while thinking back on the story he had been writing up to a moment before. Soon, Juho arrived at a beach. Although the wind was quite fierce, he didn¡¯t feel cold at all. At that moment, he ran into Wol, whose hair was blowing all over the ce with the wind.

    ¡°What are you doing, Mr. Kang?¡± Juho asked,

    Without even bothering to look toward Juho, Wol said, ¡°Thinking.¡±

    Although it was slightly amusinging from a dead person, Juho resisted the urge to chuckle and asked, ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°How to get on your nerves.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯ mon, Mr. Kang. Can¡¯t you go easy on me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you the ending,¡± Wol said yfully and mischievously.

    ¡°If you keep bringing me boring stuff to talk about, you won¡¯t be seeing me for much longer.¡±

    ¡°How is this boring? It¡¯s part of the story that you left unfinished.¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯ve finished writing it.¡±

    At the unexpected response, Juho¡¯s eyes widened. bbergasted, he asked, ¡°What do you mean you finished writing it?¡±

    ¡°And, I buried it somewhere,¡± Wol said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s turned into a fossil by now.¡±

    ¡°Is this all true, Mr. Kang?¡±

    At that moment, Wol turned around and observed the young author¡¯s expression. Then, he burst intoughter, holding his sides.

    ¡°I mean, you could try digging the cabbage patch.¡±

    Looking at Wol cackling, Juho started to make sense of Hyun Do¡¯s attitude toward the author. At which point, Juho chuckled quietly. Plunking down on the sand, Wol started to grumble about how cold the ground was.

    ¡°We could just go inside, you know.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m out here for a reason.¡±

    ¡°And what would that be?¡±

    ¡°To get some air.¡±

    It was wasn¡¯t a very interesting reason. Sighing, Juho walked up to him, and standing next to him, he said, ¡°I went to see Mrs. Baek today.¡±

    Remaining silent, Wol stared into the ocean.

    ¡°She told me that she saw your spirit.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Wol¡¯sst moment had been rather quiet and uneventful. Juho looked at Wol, who was exuding joy.

    ¡°That was me, all right,¡± Wol said. Then, before Juho had time to speak, he added, ¡°I made sure that she knew I was saying goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Did you see yourself?¡± Juho asked, and Wol looked at the young author with sharp eyes.

    ¡°Did you see what your spirit looked like?¡± Juho asked again.

    ¡°You really know how to ask the right questions, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Is that apliment?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Wol replied light-heartedly. Then, he said something he had never said up to that point, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    As Juho opened his mouth to speak, Wol interjected yet again, saying, ¡°... That¡¯s what you wanna hear, right? You¡¯re just trying to get me to say something, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°But, you don¡¯t really know, do you?¡±

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re dead.¡±

    Laughing frivolously, Wol said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a rude one.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I like you, kid,¡± Wol said, lying t on the sand under the fierce wind. Seeing the wave drawing near, Juho warned the unsuspecting author. However, Wol didn¡¯t move a muscle. Drowning in weather like that was bound to be lethal. It wouldn¡¯t be weird if one had a series of heart attacks back to back. At that moment...

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Wol confessed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I looked like in Yun Seo¡¯s eyes because I was dead. I lost the one and only opportunity to see what my spirit looks like. It¡¯s a bummer, really.¡±

    Since being diagnosed with tuberculosis, Wol had known that he hadn¡¯t had much time left. He knew what it felt like to get eaten away from within by the disease.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you started writing that book, right?¡±

    ¡°I wrote in a hurry too.¡±

    ¡°But you couldn¡¯t finish it.¡±

    ¡°Well, that was me,¡± Wol said, his hair blowing in all directions. ¡°That story was left iplete on purpose because it best represents who I am. I¡¯m a free soul. I can end my story however I want. On top of that, I get to experience it myself because life is long. Think about it: a story with a predetermined ending. Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡±

    Then, a certain thought urred to Juho, which he brought up promptly, ¡°Were you by any chance...¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m some moron who can¡¯t even finish writing a book within a week, do you?¡± Wol asked with both of his hands behind his head. The tips of his fingers were turning pale. ¡°Although, I wouldn¡¯t have thought in my dreams that I¡¯d die a weekter. Man, thinking back to that moment still terrifies me. My body still remembers what it feels like to suffocate in its own blood. Maybe that¡¯s why I have trouble sleeping at night.¡±

    ¡°You go to sleep at night?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m a person, and a person¡¯s gotta sleep.¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t tell where Wol was being serious and where he wasn¡¯t. At which point, Juho felt a strong urge to sigh. However, it wasn¡¯t long before that urge turned toughter.

    ¡°Mr. Lim seems to have trouble sleeping at night as well.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s way too sensitive.¡±

    With the exception of the wave breaking in the distance, the beach sank into silence. Juho looked down at Wol and said, ¡°The protagonist is going to kill his customer.¡±

    ¡°Grim, isn¡¯t it?¡± Wol said. Then, unfazed, he asked, ¡°What makes you think that?¡±

    ¡°What really needs to happen is that he needs to see a spirit so that he realizes that he did something that he can never undo. Only then, will a foolish person realize their own folly.¡±

    Juho had been made certain of that during his conversation with Yun Seo. There had to be a reason why Wol had made the protagonistpletely devoid of morality, and Juho had shared his thought on that with Yun Seo as he exited her room. Juho observed Wol¡¯s demeanor, waiting for his reaction. Then...

    ¡°It¡¯s getting cold here,¡± Wol said.

    ¡°Cold?¡±

    At that moment, to the young author¡¯s shock, he noticed Wol¡¯s feet werepletely wet.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re already dead and all, but this can¡¯t be good! Are you OK, Mr. Kang!?¡±

    ¡°Do I sound OK?¡±

    ¡°Well, what are you doing lying down, then!? Get up!¡±

    At that, Wol stood up reluctantly. Then, looking up at the sky, he said, ¡°Huh! I didn¡¯t realize howte it was! You¡¯re fun to talk to kid, I¡¯ll give you that.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯ve died once.¡±

    At that moment, the beach became engulfed by the dark. The Sun had gone down. It was night, and an enormous moon was in the sky.

    ¡°Was the water cold?¡± Wol asked.

    ¡°Cold enough to kill me,¡± Juho replied after some time. Wol let out a dry chuckle.

 Chapter 378 - The Spirit of Wol Kang (2)

    <h4>Chapter 378: The Spirit of Wol Kang (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°If you go in there again, I just might tell you,¡± Wol said calmly, pointing toward the ck water while sounding as if sending Juho out on an errand.

    After some contemtion, Juho asked, ¡°You mean it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Or would you rather me go in the water and call out for help? Would youe to get me then?¡±

    ¡°Remind me again why you wanna see me drown?¡±

    ¡°Well, because it¡¯s interesting,¡± Wol replied with an innocent smile, his hair blowing all over the ce and covering half of his face. ¡°So, you were given a second chance, huh? Well, lucky you! It reminds me of the leather goods that went through the protagonist¡¯s hands.¡±

    Wol¡¯s face looked quite haggard. Hiding the truth by lying and bluffing, the author was tantly making a fool out of Juho. When Juho looked at him with narrowed eyes, Wol responded by turning up the corner of his mouth, which gave the young author a bad feeling. Wol¡¯s smile tended to mean trouble. The more Juho became cautious and wary, the happier Wol seemed.

    ¡°You know what? You¡¯re not too bad.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°Hyun Do sure knows what he¡¯s doing. He¡¯s got sharp eyes,¡± Wol said, sounding genuine that time, as if his attitude had done aplete one-eighty. Then, he patted the young author on the shoulder with force. Juho felt no impact.

    ¡°So, are you gonna tell me how the story ends?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Actually, why don¡¯t we call it a night?¡±

    ¡°Already?¡±

    ¡°Hello? It¡¯s dark out? Besides, I¡¯m freezing,¡± Wol said, rubbing his arms and shaking in an exaggerated manner. Contrary to Hyun Do and Yun Seo, there was no weight or dignity to his demeanor.

    As Wol started sniffling, Juho said, ¡°Well, that¡¯s what you get for getting yourself wet in the middle of winter.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Whew! It¡¯s freezing!¡± Wol said, turning around and walking away.

    ¡°Mr. Kang! Wait!¡±

    It was a rather sudden farewell. As Juho reached out his hand to grab him, he woke up. When he checked the time, it was just past 8:00 p.m. As reality came rushing back, Juho let out a deep sigh, rubbing his face. The dream had been nowhere near as helpful as he had hoped.

    ¡°I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡±

    Then, Juho drew the curtains and closed his eyes in the dark room. ¡®I can do this,¡¯ Juho thought to himself, breathing slowly. However, there was little to be done about his ears, which were even more sensitive than usual. The whirring refrigerator in the kitchen could be heard. On top of that, his feet started to itch, and his pillow became ufortable. In the end, Juho kicked the nket off, tossing to and fro on the bed. After what felt like an eternity, Juho checked the time once again and realized that only ten minutes had passed. Wide awake, Juho stared at the ceiling. Theck of venttion made the room very stuffy.

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    Feeling wide awake, Juho gave up trying to go back to sleep and dragged himself out of bed.

    ¡°The protagonist decided to kill his client.¡±

    Underneath the sentence, was the plot of the story that Juho had organized. The protagonist had the ability to restore any goods to their pristine state, making them look like they had never been used before. Although he had never had a ¡®client¡¯ in his life, that client was also the person who would leave a w in the protagonist¡¯s life that could never be erased. Upon killing his client, the protagonist witnessed their spirit floating away from the body. At which point, the protagonist came to realize what he had done. Juho imagined the life ahead of him.

    ¡°Will I be able to measure up to Mr. Kang?¡±

    Then, Juho started writing. At the end of the narration, was a homeless man. The narrator was a young man who happened to be crossing the bridge at the time. Uponing across the homeless man, the narrator started asking him questions, as if interviewing for a job. The narrator was in the habit of using coined terms. Being the young man that he was, he sported a waxy, spiky hairdo. Aside from being skilled at handling machines, he was well informed in current events, a university student and didn¡¯t consider homeless people to be part of society.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you work?¡± the narrator asked, and the homeless man hung his head. ¡°I said, why don¡¯t you work? How is that you¡¯re able to survive without even working?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a sinner.¡±

    ¡°... People like you don¡¯t deserve to be lucky.¡±

    The homeless man remained silent, as if agreeing with the young man.

    ¡°Do you admit your wrongdoing?¡± the narrator asked light-heartedly.

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    Then, the narrator stooped down and took some change from the homeless man¡¯s stic bowl, putting it in his own pocket. At which point, the homeless man picked up the bowl and held it tightly against his chest.

    ¡°Tell me about your life,¡± the narrator said, genuinely curious. ¡°I wanna know how I can be like you.¡±

    Then, the homeless man looked up, revealed his rotten teeth, and said, ¡°I killed a man.¡±

    At that, the narrator backed away from the homeless man. They were on a bridge that stretched across the river. More specifically, on the sidewalk of the bridge, from where the water was visible to either side.

    At that moment, Juho looked up, rested his chin on his hand, and immersed himself in thinking about:

    ¡°Will I be able to measure up to Mr. Kang?¡±

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hello, Juho.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Long time, no see.¡±

    Upon walking into the office, Juho saw that Hyun Do was sitting next to the editor-in-chief, who sported a peculiar mustache. However, having been informed ahead of time that the editor-in-chief would be there, Juho wasn¡¯t surprised to see him. He had a friendly smile that never seemed to leave his face.

    ¡°Indeed! Wish you could¡¯ve joined us for lunch,¡± the editor-in-chief said, stroking his mustache.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy,¡± Juho said, staring at the mustache on the editor-in-chief¡¯s face and adding, ¡°Once I¡¯m done with this project, I¡¯ll let you know. I promise.¡±

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re just thankful that we got to work with such a talented writer like you, Mr. Woo,¡± the editor-in-chief replied, telling Juho about how well ¡®The Crow¡¯ was being received by the employees in thepany, and Juho responded by chuckling awkwardly. All the while, Hyun Do drank his tea quietly.

    ¡°You know, Mr. Woo, I was reminded of just how good your reputation is when we had a reportere to interview us recently.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes! How could a reportere to us for an interview and not ask us about you?¡± the editor-in-chief asked, winking at Juho, who looked away awkwardly. Then, the editor-in-chief proceeded to tell Juho about the interview. While pretending to listen, Juho couldn¡¯t help but focus on Hyun Do.

    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m not intruding on you two, am I? Seems like you have something to discuss with Mr. Lim, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing like that.¡±

    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Hyun Do said. Juho looked at him, and he put his mug down and said, ¡°You tend to get dangerously close to overstaying your wee.¡±

    ¡°I apologize, Mr. Lim. It¡¯s just that I enjoy talking to Mr. Woo so much that I lose track of time. Well, I better get going, then. Remember what we discussed, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, Mr. Woo,¡± the editor-in-chief said.

    ¡°What? Oh, right...¡±

    Winking at the young author again, the editor-in-chief left the office in no time, leaving the two authors alone. Then, Hyun Do started off, ¡°So, what did he say?¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Wol.¡±

    Chuckling quietly, Juho replied, ¡°He said that the manuscript was alreadyplete, and that he wasn¡¯t a moron.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°He said that he buried it in a cabbage patch?¡±

    ¡°Those are some helpful words, Wol,¡± Hyun Do said sarcastically, clicking his tongue. However, he didn¡¯t necessarily look annoyed. In fact, he was smiling. Juho looked intently at him.

    ¡°So, what did you decide to do?¡± Hyun Do asked, looking toward Juho, who got straight to the point.

    ¡°I decided not to kill the protagonist,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°And the client?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll probably end up killing him off.¡±

    ¡°And why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because I need the character if I am to push the protagonist to cross the point of no return.¡±

    ¡°Why must you do that?¡±

    ¡°Because I wanna see the protagonist survive the crippling predicament.¡±

    ¡°How far did you get with the story?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve started on the protagonist¡¯s future.¡±

    Then, Hyun Do nodded, saying, ¡°Seems like things are going a lot smoother than I thought.¡±

    ¡°I got some help from Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°You mean you drew it out of her.¡±

    Nevertheless, the fact that Juho had received help from Yun Seo remained true.

    ¡°You said you¡¯ve tried to finish the manuscript before, right, Mr. Lim?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Hyun Do replied.

    ¡°What was your story like?¡±

    ¡°What are you gonna do with the information?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be reference.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    At that moment, Juho saw Wol¡¯s face rush past, above Hyun Do. The stress from the dream seemed to have had an impact on the young author¡¯s perception of reality. As Juho furrowed his brow, Hyun Do said, ¡°You gotta write your own story.¡±

    After remaining quiet for a little while, Juho asked, ¡°Is it because it¡¯s not finished? Is that why you¡¯ll never show me the manuscript?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of it.¡±

    ¡°Seems to me that you¡¯re not exactly in the position to give Mr. Kang a hard time, Mr. Lim,¡± Juho said, and Hyun Do chuckled quietly. Juho moved on to another question, ¡°How did Mr. Kange to ept that his life wasing to an end?¡±

    After looking into the air for a brief moment, Hyun Do replied haphazardly, ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°How would I?¡± Hyun Do said, locking eyes with Juho. At which point, Juho realized that Hyun Do had misunderstood the question, much like Yun Seo had.

    ¡°How did youe to ept Mr. Kang¡¯s death, Mr. Lim?¡± Juho asked.

    Picking up his mug, Hyun Do replied without drinking from it, ¡°Up to the moment of his death, I tried to turn hisst hours into writing, killing him off in all sorts of ways, be it meaninglessly, heroically, meaningfully, silently, agonizingly, or peacefully. Wol clung on to me with all kinds of looks on his face.¡±

    Death tended to stir up negative, unhealthy thoughts, and an author¡¯s thoughts were bound to turn into writing.

    ¡°But after he died, I couldn¡¯t write a single word.¡±

    ¡°Because your imagination hade true?¡±

    ¡°No. I realized that I was exhausted. So, I took some time away from writing, and soon, I was able to get back on my feet and write,¡± Hyun Do said, murmuring, ¡°I still can¡¯t forget the moment when his spirit left him.¡±

    At that, Juho looked up. With the exception of the unreleased manuscript, there had been no mention of spirits in Wol¡¯s books.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure Mrs. Baek did something simr,¡¯ Juho thought to himself while imagining her writing.

    ¡°That was my first time seeing a person die in front of me, but I gotta admit, it wasn¡¯t all that special. Though, I had a hard time epting it as reality back then.¡±

    Hyun Do had been slowly epting his friend¡¯s death over the years. Although life was long, the moments within it were short-lived. Juho imagined Wol standing on the beach and looking out into the ocean as if he was frozen in ce.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go for a walk?¡± Hyun Do asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I need to get some air.¡±

    Initially opening his mouth as if he were about to say something, Juho rose from his seat instead of speaking a word. After walking around the office for some time, the two made a stop at a convenience store in order to buy some water.

    ¡°...¡±

    Noticing the employee ncing over in Juho¡¯s direction, Juho pulled his hat down. The employee seemed quitezy, taking no interest in helping out his customers, his eyes fixed on the screen of his phone. As a faint swear came from the speaker of the phone, the employee burst intoughter out of nowhere. Juho studied the look on Hyun Do¡¯s face as the older author calmly paid for the water.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need a bag,¡± Hyun Do said as the employee was about to put the water bottle into a stic bag.

    To which, the employee mumbled, ¡°M¡¯kay,¡± not even bothering to enunciate his words.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Hyun Do said, turning around.

    ¡°Yep,¡± the employee said haphazardly.

    As Juho stood in a daze, Hyun Do asked, ¡°Did you wanna get something? If you¡¯re hungry, pick something. I¡¯ll buy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s OK.¡±

    Although Juho wasn¡¯t all that hungry, bringing business to a store whose employee was less than willing to help his customers was simply not appealing to the young author. Nodding calmly, Hyun Do opened the door, ringing the bell attached to it, which sounded louder than usual for some reason.

    ¡°What do you think he was talking about on the phone?¡±

    ¡°He was probably talking to a friend.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s working, though.¡±

    ¡°He clearly doesn¡¯t want to be.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled and said, ¡°Well, as long as he keeps that up in front of his boss, he¡¯ll get what he wants in no time.¡±

    ¡°Society is what ruins the individual,¡± Hyun Do said, opening the water bottle, which sshed all over the ce and wet Hyun Do¡¯s hands. ¡°See? You can¡¯t get water unless somebody sells it to you. In a manner of speaking, we give things value.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a water fountain there.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t get it,¡± Hyun Do said with a dry chuckle, which diffused the tension. As Juho followed Hyun Do, who was walking ahead, he saw a homeless man sitting in front of arge billboard sign, begging.

    ¡°Look at him... He¡¯s such a fake...¡± somebody walking past him said. With a hooking out of a sleeve, the homeless man seemed to be missing his hands. Although having heard theintsing from behind him, Juho didn¡¯t feel a thing. In fact, he thought likewise. Once rush hour passed, the homeless man would probably pull his hands out of his sleeves and go back home in an imported car. For that reason, there was no reason to be generous to him.

    ¡°Do people like that even deserve to live?¡±

 Chapter 379 - The Spirit of Wol Kang (3)

    <h4>Chapter 379: The Spirit of Wol Kang (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Aughing voice said from behind them. There was not one bit of guilt in it. Nodding inadvertently, Juho locked eyes with Hyun Do. As the young author looked away awkwardly, Hyun Do asked calmly, ¡°You heard that?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    Hyun Do didn¡¯t sound like he was calling the young author out. After that, the two made their way into the underground subway station. The further they went down the stairs, the stuffier the air became.

    ¡°Nobody deserves to die.¡±

    ¡°Because life is precious, and we¡¯re all equal?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the only way society can function,¡± Hyun Do said, putting his hands in his pocket.

    ¡°¡®I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°Think about it. You¡¯ve written about war. You would know. If there was such a thing as people who were deemed unnecessary to society, society would copse on itself as soon as they were born. At which point, all individuals would lose the ability to function properly in the society they were living in. This is what makes murder a crime.¡±

    Then, Hyun Do took out a bill from his wallet and gave it to the homeless man, who nodded while avoiding Hyun Do¡¯s eyes, not even bothering to look at the generous giver.

    ¡°Good luck,¡± Juho said while thinking about the convenience store employee. At that point, a peculiar look appeared on the homeless man¡¯s face. Walking past the homeless man, Hyun Do went farther into the subway station, and told Juho, who was catching up to him, ¡°Everyone¡¯s contributing to society somehow. Even if they¡¯re doing nothing but breathing, existing. We¡¯re all part of something greater. We¡¯re all serving a purpose.¡±

    It was a remark that almost sounded like something Wol would say. Remembering that he had just met Wol himself, Juho chuckled. Meanwhile, throngs of people walked up and down the stairs.

    ¡°If you tell that to people who actually work hard, they won¡¯t appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°By saying what?¡± Hyun Do asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°That you shouldn¡¯t put them on equal footing with homeless people. That they¡¯re different.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not wrong. They¡¯ve led different lives. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be fair to treat the two the same way.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Did you watch the news yesterday? There was a homeless man who was wanted for murder.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Not everyone¡¯s equal.¡±

    Juho looked back at the homeless man on the ground. Filthy. Ugly. Sympathy was thest thing that came to mind when looking at the man. No matter how Juho looked at him, the harder it became to like him. However, the young author decided not to treat the man like a murderer. Frankly, Juho was well aware of what Hyun Do was saying. At that moment...

    ¡°Did you see that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather kill myself.¡±

    ... A group of people walking past the young author said. Juho looked toward Hyun Do, who started walking ahead without firing back.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Juho let out, stopping in his tracks. Although his sudden behavior caught the people who were behind him off guard and forced them to go around him, Juho didn¡¯t care one bit. He felt that he couldn¡¯t afford the attention nor the time.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured it out.¡±

    ¡°Figure out what?¡±

    ¡°Your version of the white book.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Did you kill the protagonist, by any chance?¡±

    Then, turning toward Juho, Hyun Do asked, ¡°What makes you think that?¡±

    ¡°You told me that you wrote about Mr. Kang¡¯s death in different ways. Meaninglessly, heroically, meaningfully, silently, agonizingly, and peacefully.¡±

    Juho distinctly remembered Hyun Do having said: ¡°Wol clung to me with all kinds of looks on his face.¡±

    When Juho looked at Hyun Do, he dropped his head, shrugging and saying, ¡°... You should go write that story.¡±

    Then, inhaling deeply, Juho said, ¡°I think I just realized what I needed to change all along.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, Mr. Lim.¡±

    Turning around, Juho left the subway station. Upon arriving home, the first thing he did was erase everything he had written.

    ¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s night again.¡±

    ¡°The dark will always find a way.¡±

    Wol was sitting on the roof with a shameless look on his face. Next to him, was a tall pile of broken ceiling tiles.

    ¡°So, this happened today,¡± Juho said, giving Wol an update on what had happened with Hyun Do the previous day. Wol seemed delighted to hear about Hyun Do or Yun Seo through Juho, as if intrigued to hear about how they were doing.

    ¡°Well, seems like they both aged gracefully.¡±

    ¡°I realized something though.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°... that I¡¯ve been doing it all wrong.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Wol said, looking out into the distance. It was obvious that he wasn¡¯t going to offer any help. Ignoring that, Juho kept on, ¡°I¡¯m going to remove the narrator and the homeless man altogether.¡±

    ¡°Why? It wasn¡¯t that bad. Hyun Do must have really left an impression on you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of it, but it doesn¡¯t justify my decision as a whole.¡±

    ¡°Well, what else is there?¡± Wol asked, picking his ear.

    Looking down at him, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯m going to make the most out of the characters that you made.¡±

    ¡°Pff! You already turned him into a bum. Now, you¡¯re changing your mind?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and that was my mistake. I realized that I was actually running away from the task by turning your story into a shback.¡±

    The protagonist who became homeless, and a client whose body had long decayed. Characters once full of life had suddenly be lifeless as the young author forced them into the past. ¡®Yet, here I was, thinking that I was being bold,¡¯ Juho thought to himself. The young author was starting to realize that he couldn¡¯t make the story take ce in the future. In fact, he realized that he had to be a part of the story that Wol had written.

    ¡°I wanna pick up where you left off,¡± the young author said, determined not to make Wol¡¯s story a mere backstory. That wasn¡¯t what Juho wanted. In fact, the characters and the background Wol had created needed to remain intact, just as they were.

    ¡°So, are you not gonna kill the client?¡± Wol asked haphazardly. That time, Juho knew better than to fall for his trick question.

    ¡°The protagonist kills the protagonist. I¡¯ll show you what that looks like,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°You seem confident in your ability to convey death.¡±

    ¡°I mean, you have no interest in the afterlife, right?¡±

    At that, Wol chuckled, shaking in an exaggerated manner as the wind blew.

    ¡°Making the protagonist homeless just doesn¡¯t make sense to begin with. If onemitted murder, then they would need to pay the price. There¡¯s a reason for why murder is a crime. He doesn¡¯t even deserve homelessness,¡± Juho said. Wol stared at the young author calmly, but with eyes filled with life.

    ¡°Do you even know what death means?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    Lying on his back while using one of the tiles as a pillow, Wol said, ¡°The way you depict death resonates with a lot of people. You did get a lot of good feedback, didn¡¯t you? And it was actually decent.¡±

    Then, Wol proceeded to list some of the reviews the young author¡¯s books that focused on death had received.

    ¡°Seriously, when ites to the subject of death, you just can¡¯t beat someone who has actually experienced it firsthand.¡±

    ¡°Is that sarcasm?¡±

    ¡°Forget that. Let me ask you something.¡±

    ¡°Ask away.¡±

    ¡°How are you alive?¡± Wol asked, rolling his eyes toward Juho. Although Wol was far toote in asking that question, Juho answered calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but who knows why they were born? Nobody knows what makes them who they are. Yes, people justify it in different ways, but at the end of the day, there is no right answer, and I think I can say the same about my luck too.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡± Wol said in a mischievous tone, which often meant trouble. ¡°Did you say that you were going to kill the client?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±

    ¡°Are you doubting me?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m concerned,¡± Wol replied, crossing his legs while moving them to and fro, adding, ¡°From the sound of it, you didn¡¯t even die properly, so I¡¯m wondering if you really have what it takes.¡±

    Clenching his hand into fists and curling his lip, Juho asked, ¡°Sounds to me like you want me to do a bad job.¡±

    ¡°You heard it right.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s your book, Mr. Kang.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one writing it,¡± Wol said, his legs moving rhythmically. ¡°I just thought it wouldn¡¯t be that bad to hear you say that my books are better left untampered.¡±

    ¡°I hate to disappoint you, Mr. Kang, but you¡¯ll never hear that from me.¡±

    ¡°Well, I still get to walk away with something, so...¡±

    ¡°Seems like you have two conflicting thoughts.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the beauty of self-contradiction,¡± Wol said,ughing frivolously.

    Resisting the urge to sigh, Juho asked, ¡°Am I going in the right direction this time?¡±

    That time, Wol nodded ambiguously. He was still impossible to read.

    ¡°Not too bad.¡±

    Deciding to sound him out, Juho put his hands in his pockets and asked, ¡°You were going to kill the client too, weren¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you made that character to begin with, am I right?¡±

    ¡°You got me,¡± Wol said, still wearing the same mischievous smile.

    Swallowing nervously, Juho kept on, ¡°How does he kill the client?¡±

    ¡°Look over there,¡± Wol said, pointing down at something. Juho looked down, but it was too dark to make anything out.

    ¡°And... Off he goes,¡± Wol said, pushing the young author¡¯s shoulder. Grabbing Wol by the wrist, Juho asked, ¡°I¡¯m serious, Mr. Kang.¡±

    ¡°Was it obvious?¡± Wol asked.

    ¡°Can we take this a little more seriously?¡±

    ¡°Well, where¡¯s the fun in that?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not looking for fun here,¡± Juho replied, and suddenly, the mischievous smile faded from Wol¡¯s face.

    ¡°Would you like to know what it means to die?¡± he asked. That time, feeling as though there would be an irreversible consequence, Juho couldn¡¯t answer as willingly. Knowing the answer to that question would mean that he was no longer alive. Nobody who was still alive knew the answer.

    ¡°See? It takes the fun right out of it,¡± Wol said, turning around as if getting ready to leave. However, Juho didn¡¯t let go of his wrist. Hesitating, Wol asked, ¡°What is this about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not done yet.¡±

    ¡°Well, well! Look at you all smarted up! I guess picking people¡¯s brains did pay off somehow, huh?¡±

    ¡°He buries the client alive, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    At that moment, Wol¡¯s eyebrow twitched. When he had pointed toward the ground, that had been the truth.

    ¡°It¡¯s a person who gets buried in the cabbage patch, not the manuscript, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    At that moment, a gust of wind came along. Juho couldn¡¯t keep his eyes open.

    ¡°Do you think you have what it takes?¡±

    With that, Juho woke up, Wol¡¯s voice still lingering in his ears.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Mr. Woo? Mr. Woo!¡±

    Nam Kyung¡¯s voice sounded off from the receiver. Having dozed off, Juho sprung up, startled by the editor¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Did you just pass out?¡±

    ¡°No way. I had a visitor.¡±

    ¡°... Please, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Letting out a big yawn and clearing his throat, Juho put the phone on speaker mode. Nam Kyung¡¯s voice reverberated through the room.

    ¡°Where were we?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I asked about your progress.¡±

    ¡°I started writing.¡±

    At the young author¡¯s response, Nam Kyung let out a long exmation. Catching on to the editor¡¯s ambition, Juho chuckled quietly and started to exin himself in an attempt to lower the editor¡¯s expectation.

    ¡°I JUST started it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mr. Woo. You tend to write a lot faster than most people.¡±

    ¡°But this is different. I never had to finish another author¡¯s book for them.¡±

    ¡°And that author is Wol Kang, right?¡±

    Then, Juho started to grumble about his situation, which amused the editor.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have much add since I don¡¯t know what kind of story Mr. Kang left behind, but break a leg, Mr. Woo. Also, remember to let me read it once you¡¯re done writing it,¡± the editor said.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk when I¡¯m finished.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I really hope we can work together again on your next book!¡± Nam Kyung said, sounding like an insurance agent. Replying haphazardly, Juho moved his hands to the keyboard. Then, as if hearing the sound of the keys, Nam Kyung¡¯s voice tensed up slightly, and he asked, ¡°... I¡¯m not interrupting, am I?¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°I am in the middle of writing. You know, the story Wol Kang left behind?¡±

    ¡°... Should I hang up?¡±

    Having learned from Hyun Do, Juho had reached the point of being able to write while talking on the phone.

    ¡°It¡¯s OK. I can multitask.¡±

    ¡°So... Do you think you can let me in on what you¡¯re writing, Mr. Woo?¡± Nam Kyung asked desperately.

    To which, Juho replied, ¡°... As long as it¡¯s a snippet.¡±

    ¡°Really!?¡±

    Then, Juho read from the manuscript of his story about the homeless man and the young narrator, which he had erased from the main manuscript.

    ¡°The narrator asked,¡± Juho said, closing his eyes. Thankfully, Wol was nowhere to be seen. Hisst words still lingered in Juho¡¯s ears: ¡°Do you think you have what it takes to write about death?¡± At that moment, a dog barked in the distance.

    ¡°What¡¯s their rtionship? Hello?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡± Having forgotten that he was on the phone, Juho replied with a slight dy, ¡°There isn¡¯t a whole lot to it, really. Well, you heard enough, right? I¡¯m hanging up now. I have a lot of work to do.¡±

    ¡°Hold on! Don¡¯t forget to call me when you finish the manuscript, all right!? Otherwise, I¡¯ll assume that you failed. Well, seems like Mr. Kang¡¯s capable of intimidating even an author like...¡±

    At that moment, Juho hung up without hesitation, switched his phone off, and started typing away.

 Chapter 380 - The Crow Never Dies (1)

    <h4>Chapter 380: The Crow Never Dies (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    After a morning exercise and a shower, Juho felt light and refreshed. Lately, he had been able to sleep very well, sleeping through just about anything, from the rm to the phone ringing. Even if somebody were to break in and kidnap him, Juho would have slept right through it,pletely oblivious to the situation. Now, the problem was that he was sleeping too well. Meanwhile, concerned about looking for a job, Seo Kwang was going through a miserable time. When Juho was talking to him on the phone while eating breakfast, Seo Kwang sounded quite discouraged.

    ¡°I¡¯m begging you, Juho. You¡¯re my only hope. Is there any way you can finish writing that book soon?¡± Seo Kwang asked, and Juhoughed it off. In the end, irritated by Juho¡¯s nonchnt attitude, Seo Kwang hung up the phone.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s think about how the clientes to visit the protagonist,¡± Juho murmured as he cleaned and organized the desk. Research data, manuscripts, coffee cups, a te of leftover delivery food, a notepad, the book. Wol Kang¡¯s sentences. Categorizing them was hardly a daunting task.

    ¡°Was death what he wanted? Did he regret anything in hisst moments?¡± Juho said to himself, closing his eyes, waiting for Wol Kang. However, Wol was nowhere to be found. In the end, sitting on the chair, Juho answered the questions himself, ¡°No, and no.¡±

    Juho was feeling clear-headed that day. As if the fog in his mind had been lifted, Juho was alert and aware. With his arms crossed, Juho spun himself on the chair. When he stopped spinning, he came face to face with the manuscript on the desk. Tapping on the letters with his finger, he said, ¡°During his twenty-year career, the protagonist had never failed at his job. Not once. He had always lived with murderous intent in his heart, but he had kept himself busy, restoring things to the state they were in before they started wearing out.¡±

    That was about the extent of information the client had about the protagonist. The protagonist had bloodthirst hidden deep within him. At the same time, he had the ability to restore things to their original state. Uncrossing his arms, Juho started typing on hisptop.

    ¡°Anybody would kneel if they were standing before God.¡±

    That would be especially true for those who were terminally ill. At that moment, Juho couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. To the client, the protagonist was God. Desperate to live, the client wanted to be restored to his healthy self, like the leather goods that had been restored by the protagonist. However, they couldn¡¯t have both life and God.

    ¡°Even the goods that had been restored by the protagonist were bound to wear out eventually.¡±

    As the shortage of oxygen became more and more apparent after getting buried alive, the client¡¯s regret also started to grow, reminding the client of the consequence of their decision. Soon, a spirit appeared.

    ¡°Death.¡±

    The room became filled with vicious typing noise. When Juho looked away from the screen to checked the time, he realized that he had been typing for ten minutes nonstop, and the throbbing pain in his fingers¡¯ joints was proof of that. Taking a short break, Juho thought, ¡°I wonder what Mr. Kang would do.¡±

    Looking at the protagonist and the client in the manuscript, Juho leaned his head back, feeling good.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Thanks for making time, Mr. Woo. I understand you¡¯re busy.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say no to free food,¡± Juho said to Dong Baek and Jang Mi, whom he hadn¡¯t seen in a while.

    ¡°Please. Feel free to choose anything you want, Mr. Woo,¡± Dong Baek said, putting the menu in front of Juho. Meanwhile, the server waited to take their orders. Upon doing so, the server walked away, leaving the three on their own. At which point, Jang Mi asked anxiously, ¡°I heard things are going very smoothly. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing what I can.¡±

    Looking at the expression on Juho¡¯s face, Jang Mi narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°Modesty is only a virtue when practiced in moderation, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°But, I¡¯m serious,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°Well, you do look like you¡¯re in a good mood.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    At that, Dong Baek and Jang Mi¡¯s faces lit up simultaneously. As the president signaled the editor with his eyes, she responded with a subtle nod and asked, ¡°How much longer do you think it¡¯ll be until it¡¯s finished, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡±

    ¡°You are nning on releasing it, right? Otherwise, you just might make me cry.¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°C¡¯ mon! Tell us! How was it staying at Mr. Lim¡¯s residence?¡± Jang Mi said, changing the subject. After Juho gave a brief summary of the experience, she let out a long sigh, saddened by the reminder of Wol¡¯s death.

    ¡°I wonder why he had to leave us so soon.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a tragedy,¡± Dong Baek said, brushing his hand down his face. It was clear that he was genuinely mourning the death of the talented writer as a fan rather than a businessman.

    ¡°You seem to be a fan.¡± Juho posited.

    ¡°I¡¯m a huge fan,¡± Dong Baek replied almost instantly. As Jang Mi reminded him to get a hold of himself, the president coughed and added, ¡°I used to dream of bing a writer while reading his books. Mr. Kang taught me how fun reading can be and how powerful writing can be. If he hadn¡¯t been an author, I wouldn¡¯t be here now,¡± he said, sniffling. There was a deep sadness in him. ¡°I got very emotional when I found out that he passed away.¡±

    ¡°Did you cry?¡±

    ¡°How could I not? I wailed.¡±

    Juho looked toward Jang Mi, who nodded quietly. Seeing as she looked slightly disgusted, it seemed like Dong Baek wasn¡¯t afraid of expressing his affection for Wol Kang.

    ¡°He always talks about Mr. Kang when he¡¯s drunk. He cries his eyes out too.¡±

    Juho nodded, remembering the president¡¯s excessively emotional reaction at the Neb Award ceremony. Dong Baek tended to be sentimental by nature. Then, almost as if cracking a joke, Juho asked, ¡°Something tells me you¡¯d be very upset if I were to ruin his book somehow.¡±

    ¡°Even if it was you, I would never forgive you, Mr. Woo,¡± Dong Baek said with a serious expression on his face. At which point, Juho sat slightly further back.

    ¡°I¡¯m joking,¡± the president said with a smile.

    ¡°That was one scary joke.¡±

    ¡°Haha. Maybe I would¡¯ve been better off not saying it.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure a lot of people are still looking forward to the book.¡±

    ¡°Of course. You could just tell from the articles.¡±

    Juho was working on Wol¡¯sst book, which had been left unfinished by the author. There was no way that readers wouldn¡¯t be excited. On top of that, Juho had been putting off all interview requests he had received.

    ¡°I was even threatened to write it well once,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Who did that!? Who would dare do such a thing?¡±

    When Juho brought up the name of his friend, the two waved their hands as if making sense of the situation.

    ¡°So, you two really ARE close. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what made the trantion what it is.¡±

    ¡°You seem to hang out with him often.¡±

    The two seemed to be quite fond of the trantor. Of course, a skilled trantor was well loved within the industry.

    ¡°I heard he reads a ridiculous amount of books on a regr basis. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°His parents own a bookstore, so I¡¯m sure that ys into his reading habit,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°Personally, I thought your first encounter was quite interesting. He had no idea that you were Yun Woo back then.¡±

    ¡°We met under a simr situation, Ms. Hong.¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s the official asion, and there¡¯s the private. We had simply thought we hade across a hidden talent.¡±

    ¡°¡®Scuse me.¡±

    At that moment, the door opened, and the waiter started to bring the food in, filling the table with it.

    ¡°It¡¯s good.¡±

    ¡°Right? I¡¯m a regr here,¡± Jang Mi said confidently, as if she had chosen that restaurant for a reason. Since the food was actually good, Juho ate in a hurry.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s it like to follow in Mr. Kang¡¯s footsteps?¡± she asked.

    Swallowing the food in his mouth, Juho replied, ¡°It¡¯s a big responsibility.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s interesting. I thought it might make it easier in some sense. There¡¯s nothing exciting about walking through a dirty, crowded road, but walking through the snow where nobody has? That¡¯s exciting.¡±

    ¡°Actually, it might be a slightly different concept,¡± Juho said and added, ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s closer to drawing in eyebrows on the Mona Lisa.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡± Jang Mi said, rubbing her arm. Juho shrugged.

    ¡°Sounds like the manuscript was already in decent shape to begin with,¡± Dong Baek said.

    Licking his lips, Juho chose his words carefully.

    ¡°In terms of quantity, no. But...¡±

    ¡°But?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Mr. Kang had a certain ending in mind. He had to have had the entire story mapped out in his head.¡±

    ¡°Is that visible in his writing?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°So, you know how it ends...¡± Dong Baek said, rubbing his chin. Yun Woo had always exceeded the president¡¯s expectations, and every single one of the young author¡¯s decisions had been outside of Dong Baek¡¯s imagination. At Juho¡¯s response, Dong Baek nodded and reiterated the young author¡¯s answer, ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that you¡¯re working with the characters made by Mr. Kang. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Right. In essence, I think that¡¯s what it means to pick up where he left off.¡±

    ¡°Now that you put it that way, that is kind of intimidating. It¡¯s almost suffocating, really.¡±

    ¡°It could be. But, it turned out to be a lot more fun than I thought.¡±

    Juho had been drawing himself closer to the characters created by Wol. Continuing in his footsteps bypleting the lives of his characters was an exciting thought.

    ¡°Killing off Mr. Kang¡¯s characters is surprisingly nerve-racking.¡±

    ¡°... Wait, as in...¡±

    ¡°Pretend you didn¡¯t hear anything.¡±

    Having the urge to be part of the project, which was more intense than anything she had felt before, Jang Mi covered her mouth. She wanted to be the editor behind turning that manuscript into a book. Considering the rapid growth of thepany, making a quality product was more than possible. In fact, she was confident that she could get as close to ideal quality as possible. Jang Mi looked toward Dong Baek. He also seemed to share that thought, and his tightly clenched lips were proof of that.

    ¡°Have you been getting calls from other publishers, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have. I¡¯ve been turning all of them down,¡± Juho replied with a gentle smile. Dong Baek¡¯s eyes were sparkling with interest, and they were quite reminiscent of Hyun Do¡¯s editor.

    ¡°You have my number, right? If you need any help, please don¡¯t hesitate to call. As a huge fan of Wol Kang, I¡¯ll do everything within my power to help. At no cost.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been working with a lot of talented writerstely. Oh! Did you see our new mystery literary magazine? It¡¯s been doing quite well!¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. I¡¯ve seen it.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re also in talks to release a book with Ms. Youn. You¡¯re close with her, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. San Jung.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re quickly bing known as a publisher capable of catching two birds with one stone.¡±

    As Juho smiled, the two also smiled. Although the meal turned out to be a fierce mind game, Dong Baek publishing couldn¡¯t win the young author over in the end. When the meal came to an end, Juho rose from his seat in order to go to the restroom.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be taking care of the bill. What do you say we have some tea over at our office, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    Drying his hands, Juho walked out of the restroom to the hallway while thinking about the protagonist¡¯s next victim. If the protagonist were to end up on death row, many more people would have to die by his hands, which meant he would have to see more souls leave his victims¡¯ lifeless bodies. At that moment, as Juho was humming and making his way back to the table, a person jumped out of nowhere. Although the young author barely managed to avoid running into the man, Juho had to hold his breath at the pungent scent of alcohol wafting from the man.

    ¡°I... SO sorry!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±

    The man seemed to be staggering his way toward the restroom. Although it was still light out, he seemed to have had quite a bit to drink. Then, as Juho was about to walk past him, the man said, ¡°Hold on.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I saw you somewhere?!¡±

    At that, Juho looked around to see if there were any waiters nearby. Thankfully, there was one at the end of the hallway, who seemed to be returning to the kitchen with dishes and bowls. At that moment, the man grabbed Juho by the shoulder and turned the young author toward him by force. The excessive strength told Juho that the man¡¯s senses had been dulled by the alcohol.

    ¡°You¡¯re Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Juho replied, moving the man¡¯s hand off of his shoulders.

    Then, flinging his tie over his shoulder, the man red intently at the young author, clearly ill-intentioned.

    ¡°¡®Scuse me,¡± Juho called to the waiter, who looked around in the young author¡¯s direction, obviously confused. It wasn¡¯t until Juho waved exaggeratedly that the waiter started walking toward him.

    Then, as Juho was about to walk away with a sigh, the young author stopped in his tracks at the provocative words that came from the drunkard: ¡°There is no such thing as coincidence.¡±

 Chapter 381 - The Crow Never Dies (2)

    <h4>Chapter 381: The Crow Never Dies (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Juho asked, looking at the man¡¯s face, which was flushing bright red. Whenever the man opened his mouth, a pungent stench of alcohol came wafting out.

    ¡°... What did I say?¡± the man said to himself in a slur. Seeing no point in carrying on the conversation, Juho turned away. However, the young author was stopped yet again by the drunkard.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were writing that one book? Oh, yeah! I remember now.¡±

    While the waiter was still rushing to get to them, the man said, ¡°Tell me the truth. You¡¯re paying someone to write for you, aren¡¯t you? That¡¯s what you¡¯ve been doing this entire time, huh? You¡¯re living a life that belongs to another person, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not a big fan of Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°Obviously!¡± the man said, pushing Juho against the wall. Then, when the man raised his hand as if getting ready to hit Juho, the young author grabbed him by his tie, which had been bothering Juho quite a bit. With the tie in Juho¡¯s hand, the man stopped staggering.

    ¡°You clearly don¡¯t like me. Why?¡± Juho asked.

    Laughing exaggeratedly and spitting all over the ce, the man replied, ¡°I CANNOT stand spoiled brats like you who have it easy growing up. You think you¡¯re better than everyone?¡±

    ¡°You make it sound like you know me.¡±

    ¡°I know what you think of homeless people. I¡¯ve read your books. You made them seem like they don¡¯t deserve to live, and I¡¯m sure that¡¯s exactly how you see me. You think you¡¯re above failures? You think life will be peachy?¡±

    ¡°Just because I give my readers the freedom to interpret my books doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯ll let you insult me.¡±

    ¡°Oh-ho-ho! Is that right? Prick! I can¡¯t stand those fanboys and fangirls who are obsessed with you. What¡¯s so special about being a good writer?¡±

    Instead of responding to his insults, Juho chuckled. At that moment, the waiter arrived and interjected, ¡°Sir, we¡¯re gonna have to ask you to leave.¡±

    At that, Juho let go of the man¡¯s tie. Sensingmotion, the customers started looking in the young author¡¯s direction. At which point, Juho looked away from them.

    ¡°You just wait. Life can¡¯t always be good, and YOU of all people need to know what it¡¯s like to hit rock bottom. Your time ising.¡±

    ¡°No. You¡¯re wrong. I¡¯m doing this and I¡¯m gonna do it well,¡± Juho replied, looking away from the drunkard to see Jang Mi and Dong Baek.

    ring fiercely at the man, the editor said, ¡°Mr. Woo¡¯s new book will move the hearts of many. Except yours.¡±

    Provoked by Jang Mi¡¯s remark, the man opened his mouth to fire back. At that moment, Dong Baek stepped in to interject, ¡°I am terribly sorry, sir. Please, forgive her. She can be quick to speak at times.¡±

    ¡°Sir...¡± Jang Mi let out.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love it too,¡± the president said, and Jang Mi¡¯s face lit up almost instantly.

    Chuckling, Juho said, ¡°I thought I was the writer. Did you call me out here to pressure me, Mr. Lee?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! If anything, our job is to alleviate that pressure. Well, give us a call, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very thorough. I¡¯m impressed.¡±

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not done with you, prick!¡± the drunkard shouted.

    Quietly brushing his shoulders, Juho replied, ¡°I won¡¯t sue. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Leaving the infuriated drunkard behind, Juho left the restaurant with Dong Baek and Jang Mi, who offered to drive the young author back home. While Juho was getting out of the car, the president said, ¡°Give us a call, Mr. Woo!¡±

    ¡°Will do,¡± Juho said, waving at the car until it faded into the distancepletely. As soon as he stepped in through the front door, Juho realized how exhausted he was.

    ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t good,¡± he said while looking at the screen of hisputer, which was filled with news articles about what had happened at the restaurant the day before. Some even imed that the young author had gotten into a fistfight. Seeing them, Juho sighed deeply.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Uh-huh. OK,¡± Juho said to his agent on the phone. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll do the interview. It¡¯s gonna be short, right?¡±

    Then, after answering a few more question, Juho hung up, sighed, and tossed the phone on the bed. Since the incident at the restaurant, dying interview requests became no longer possible. Although Juho much preferred to wait until after he had finished writing the book, reality left him no choice.

    ¡°Sigh.¡±

    Calming himself down, Juho started typing away on hisptop.

    ¡®In order to see his true self, Destroyer wanted to see his own spirit, which could only be seen within death. Well aware of that, he decided to put an end to himself. Unfortunately, the realization that he had started on the wrong foot came to him a tad toote.¡¯

    ¡°Maybe the ocean,¡± Juho murmured.

    ¡®Swallowed whole by the waves, even the simplest task, such as breathing, became the mostborious endeavor. The waves kept sweeping the sand under his feet, making it impossible for him to distinguish where he was.¡¯

    Juho¡¯s hand came to an abrupt halt, but after rxing his aching shoulders, he kept on.

    ¡°You can do this, Juho.¡±

    Despite the crow cawing outside, Juho kept typing away, unhindered, exposing the characters¡¯ faults and shorings. Although he had gone into the icy water, the protagonist came out alive, and Juho continued to write in order to keep him that way. Then, as Juho introduced another character, who would go into the water instead of the protagonist, darkness swallowed the young author.

    ¡°... The Crow.¡±

    Its sharp ws dug into the back of Juho¡¯s hand, scratching it. Although it was painful, there were no marks. Locking eyes with the crow, Juho wondered, ¡®What if this is my spirit?¡¯

    ¡°Not now,¡± Juho said, waving annoyedly.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Are you OK, Mr. Woo?¡± Nabi asked while driving.

    Looking out the window at the scenery rushing past, Juho replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°You seem pale.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really OK. I probably just didn¡¯t sleep well,¡± Juho said, almost as if making an excuse for his condition.

    Unconvinced, Nabi asked the young author, ¡°Do you have indigestion?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten anything, so there is nothing to digest,¡± Juho said, waving his hand in denial.

    ¡°But, it¡¯s way past lunchtime.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡±

    After a brief pause, she furrowed her brow and asked, ¡°Are you gonna be OK during the interview?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I keep my promises,¡± Juho said, turning toward her and pouting. However, Nabi still didn¡¯t seem convinced.

    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we get you a sandwich or something? There¡¯s a bakery over there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, though.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how embarrassing it is when your stomach growls in the middle of an interview. The more you talk, the hungrier you get, Mr. Woo.¡±

    In the end, she went into the bakery and brought back two bagfuls of bread. Picking one at random, Juho forced himself to eat.

    ¡°This is good bread.¡±

    ¡°Good to hear.¡±

    As Juho focused on eating the bread, Nabi asked, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to work with Mr. Kang¡¯s writing, huh?¡±

    Drinking from a carton of milk that Nabi had brought back along with the bread, Juho nodded.

    ¡°Definitely not.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s natural. If you were zing through it, I would¡¯ve thought that something was wrong. You¡¯re picking up what another writer left behind, so you can take your time, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m almost at the end.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised,¡± Nabi said. Then, ncing over at Juho, she asked, ¡°Wait, when you say that you¡¯re almost at the end...?¡±

    ¡°Exactly what it means. I¡¯m almost at the end of the story.¡±

    Counting how many days Juho had been working on the project, Nabi said, ¡°No wonder you¡¯re so tired. You¡¯re not overexerting yourself, are you?¡±

    Instead of giving her an answer, Juho crossed his legs, looked out the window and asked, ¡°Do we have time?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We left early. Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Do you think you could stop the car?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    Nabi looked toward Juho and examined his face. He was covering his mouth.

    ¡°Could you stop the car?¡± Juho said, mumbling.

    ¡°Oh, no! It must be the milk!¡±

    As the car came to a stop, Juho jumped out of it and rushed into a nearby cafe in order to use the restroom. Concerned, Nabi watched him go.

    ¡°What kind of story has he been writing?¡±

    Feeling both anxious and excited for the new book, Nabi waited patiently for Juho¡¯s return.

    Upon arriving at the studio, Juho went into the waiting room in order to rest until the interview. At that moment, a reporter came knocking.

    ¡°Been a while, Mr. Woo. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually ept my interview request. I suppose we are meant to see each other around,¡± the reporter said in a friendly manner

    ¡°I guess so. Good to see you,¡± Juho replied, nodding.

    ¡°Life has been eventful for youtely, huh, Mr. Woo?¡± the reporter asked. Seeing that Juho was chuckling, the reporter waved his hand in denial. However, the more he tried to sound serious, the more he sounded like he was joking to Juho¡¯s ears.

    ¡°There¡¯s even a rumor circting that you knocked that guy out with a single punch. Some people seem to think that¡¯s why you and Coin became friends. People are making all sorts of assumptions out there.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s troublesome.¡±

    ¡°Well, fret not! For the most part, the press seems to take a positive stance on the matter. Besides, this is Yun Woo we¡¯re talking about! I understand that I might be overstepping my bounds here by saying this, but I think you could be a little quicker to act, Mr. Woo. Why aren¡¯t you doing anything about it this time? You spoke up almost immediately when the news got out that you had made a billion-dor donation. Are you just gonna let these people walk all over you?¡±

    Instead of giving the reporter an answer, Juho shrugged indifferently. Baffled, the reporter asked, ¡°Do you... like being insulted, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Who likes being insulted?¡±

    Smacking his lips, the reporter said, ¡°There are only two types of people in this world: Those who deserve to be insulted, and those who don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°... Is everything OK?¡± Juho asked, blinking awkwardly.

    Scratching his eyebrows, the reporter replied, ¡°You see, I recently caught up with a friend who works in the government beat and let me tell you, he had A LOT to say. BUT, we can save that for dinnerter.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Really, Mr. Woo? You¡¯re not gonna be there!? You¡¯re gonna miss out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy. Still am.¡±

    Although reluctant to move on, the reporter nodded and said, ¡°Well, everyone in this country knows how busy you are, but something tells me that you don¡¯t wanna take too long. Unfortunately, I¡¯m one of those readers waiting anxiously. So, as a fan, I ask that you finish that book as soon as you can.¡±

    ¡°Not a problem,¡± Juho replied with a smile.

    At that moment, a voice came out of nowhere, ¡°There you are!¡±

    At the sound of a person walking into the room, both Juho and the reporter looked toward the door. It was San Jung, who was going to be joining Juho on the interview, dressed in ck from head to toe as usual. Greeting her dly, Juho remarked, ¡°You look a little tan.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I guess I stayed a little longer than I expected in Taiwan. You know how hot the Sun getstely,¡± she said, pulling up her sleeve to show Juho her wrist, which was a different shade from the rest of her arm due to having worn a wristwatch while in the Sun.

    ¡°My ankles are the same way. You wanna see them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m OK.¡±

    ¡°I want to! Why don¡¯t we take some picturester? These are badges that you should be proud of!¡±

    At the reporter¡¯s remark, a vivid smile appeared on San Jung¡¯s face.

    ¡°So, how¡¯s the new booking along?¡± Juho asked cautiously.

    ¡°I think it¡¯ll turn out well. Really well.¡±

    ¡°Wow! You sound confident!¡± the reporter interjected frivolously. However, Juho was able to rte to the reporter¡¯s response.

    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna go out and win some major award, are you?¡±

    ¡°And do another interview with us on a simr topic?¡± the reporter asked. The interview that day was about authors who were internationally famous. Although rare, both Juho and San Jung were popr overseas, and San Jung, in particr, had been making a name for herself in the global market after winning a prestigious literary award.

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lie, Ms. Youn. Waiting for your new book is really hard, especially when I have to wait years at a time. Of course, it¡¯s natural for authors to take their time, especially when ites to literature, but with Mr. Woo¡¯s existence, I can¡¯t help but wish that I didn¡¯t have to wait so long for your books.¡±

    At the reporter¡¯s remark, San Jung nodded, smiling. Meanwhile, Juho rubbed his thighs.

    ¡°I tend to focus on full-length novels, so it makes sense that you would feel that way. Besides, I am a really slow writer.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Ms. Youn. That¡¯s hardly an issue when you write nothing but gold.¡±

    Although San Jung tended to invest a lot of time into writing, every single one of her books evoked deep emotional experiences. Darting back and forth between Juho and San Jung, the reporter smiled cheerfully and asked, ¡°How did you feel when you heard that Mr. Woo was finishing Mr. Kang¡¯s unfinished book? By the way, this is off the record, so you can just be honest.¡± He was clearly asking out of personal curiosity.

    However, San Jung replied nonchntly, ¡°I mean, I doubt my answer would be any different in front of a camera. I¡¯m sure there are a bunch of questions simr to that one, am I right? Particrly about Yun Woo¡¯s achievements?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m envious of Yun Woo,¡± San Jung said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Juho let out while looking at San Jung, who crossed her arms and added in her distinctly dry tone of voice, ¡°I wish that I could be working on Mr. Kang¡¯s book too. From the moment I found out about the unfinished book, I haven¡¯t stopped asking myself about the story, the subject, what kind of emotions are contained within it, what kind of novel it will be, and how it will change me after I read it,¡± San Jung said. Turning toward Juho, which made him nervous, she added,¡±... Wondering if I could be like you.¡±

 Chapter 382 - The Crow Never Dies (3)

    <h4>Chapter 382: The Crow Never Dies (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Wol Kang is an amazing writer. From I¡¯ve heard, he wasn¡¯t as attached to his own writing as his fans were. Besides, you¡¯re doing a very exciting thing,¡± San Jung said, patting Juho on the shoulder and adding, ¡°I guess it¡¯s blessing AND a curse. Kind of like signing a contract with the devil.¡±

    Just like she had said, Wol tended to be notoriously free-spirited.

    ¡°As an author, I think it¡¯s worth signing your life away,¡± San Jung said. Although her ck clothes made the room feel mournful, there was life in the way she talked about death. Death tended to take onpletely different meanings depending on whether it was described by a living or dead person.

    Breathing in, Juho smiled and replied, ¡°Worth it indeed.¡±

    As the reporter¡¯sughter echoed through the room, San Jung rose from her seat in order to prepare for the interview, which was about to start soon. Before leaving the room, she said to Juho, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything extreme, though.¡±

    At which, Juho shrugged.

    ¡ª

    ¡°So, you were eating with people from Dong Baek Publishing?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The reporter nodded, writing down every word that came out Juho¡¯s mouth, which would eventually turn into sentences. Juho stared intently at the reporter¡¯s busy hands typing rapidly on the keyboard of hisptop. Yun Seo had previously told Juho that she had helped Wol write while he had been on his deathbed. ¡®What did she feel back then? Did she write like this reporter?¡¯ Juho wondered. Then, Wol Kang¡¯s voice echoed in his ears: ¡°Do you think you have what it takes?¡± All of a sudden, Juho couldn¡¯t remember how he had depicted death in his own writing, which made him question if his understanding of death was nothing but a hollow shell.

    ¡°Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°So, what happened with that man at the restaurant?¡±

    Seeing Nabi sigh, Juho sat up and focused on the interview.

    ¡°The folks from Dong Baek were very professional in the way they handled the situation.¡±

    ¡°Was that your first timeing across someone who actively disliked you?¡±

    ¡°Sure, I guess so.¡±

    ¡°You must have been pretty bbergasted by the situation. BUT, from what I heard, you handled the situation calmly and without getting physical.¡±

    ¡°I would have gotten in big trouble if I had acted differently. That man was older than me.¡±

    ¡°I heard he was drunk?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Seeing as how he waspletely intoxicated in broad daylight, I assumed he was celebrating something.¡±

    Nodding, the reporter asked, ¡°So, did that incident affect your view of the project you¡¯re currently working on in any way? Did it motivate you to do even better to prove the man at the restaurant wrong?¡±

    ¡°No. Not really. I¡¯m just trying as hard as I can like I always have,¡± Juho replied, bringing up the first thought that came to him.

    Then, sitting up on his chair, the reporter brought up the subject that he had been wanting to talk about all along, ¡°So, you¡¯re picking up where Mr. Kang left off in hisst book, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, which is a tremendous honor.¡±

    ¡°You see, I happen to be a big Wol Kang fan. I can confidently say that nobody could possibly hate his writing. He was an incredible author.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    ¡°On that note, what do you think of Wol Kang?¡±

    After a brief pause, Juho replied, ¡°Not only is he an exceptional author, but he¡¯s also one of my role models. I would¡¯ve loved to meet him if he was still around.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still in the process of writing, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the progress on that? Did you find yourself getting stuck at any point?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m always hesitating on something.¡±

    Then, with a brief chuckle, the reporter asked, ¡°You¡¯re known for being a fast writer, but it seems like you¡¯re taking your time with this particr project. Would you agree?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna lie. It turned out to be a lot harder than I originally thought. I never had to finish writing another author¡¯s book, let alone Mr. Kang¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a daunting challenge even for Yun Woo,¡± the reporter said, his nostrils ring. He seemed to be in a good mood. ¡°I can only imagine how pressured you feel.¡±

    ¡°Yes, very.¡±

    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a chance that you won¡¯t finish? Say you just stop in the middle? Authors tend to write over a number of years when they¡¯re not under contractual deadlines.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not entirely impossible.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d fall under a lot of criticism.¡±

    ¡°Well, if I can¡¯t do it, then I can¡¯t do it.¡± As the reporter opened his mouth to speak, Juho beat him to it, saying, ¡°But, that hasn¡¯t happened to me to this day.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. OK, why don¡¯t we talk about Hyun Do Lim a little bit?¡±

    From then on, the reporter raved on and on about Yun Seo, Hyun Do, and Wol for nearly thirty minutes. As Nabi signaled to him that his time was almost up, the reporter reluctantly said, ¡°OK, this is thest question of the day.¡±

    Trying not to appear exhausted, Juho nodded.

    ¡°If you found yourself in the same situation as Wol Kang, what do you think you¡¯d do?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°What if you found yourself in crisis all of a sudden, while you¡¯re writing?¡±

    Juho looked around by reflex. Every staff member there was looking at him. Clenching his lips tightly, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯d pour everything I have left into my writing.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you¡¯d finish it no matter what?¡±

    Whatever he might be writing at the time, leaving an unfinished story behind was something Juho refused to do.

    ¡°Death can wait.¡±

    As the interview came to an end, apuse echoed from the staff. Juho rose from the seat. Since he had already expressed that he wasn¡¯t going to be at the dinner, Juho was able to leave without much trouble. Later, while he was waiting for Nabi, the reporter came looking for the young author. Although Juho tried to look away, the reporter was quick to catch on. Getting ufortably close to Juho, the reporter asked, ¡°So, how are thingsing along?¡±

    ¡°What exactly?¡±

    Studying Juho¡¯s face, the reporter asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t just start writing, did you?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very persistent, you know that?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m curious. I can prepare myself if I know when to expect from it.¡±

    Pushing the reporter away, Juho replied, ¡°It¡¯s confidential.¡±

    Clicking his tongue annoyedly, the reporter put his hands in his pockets and said, ¡°Well, take all the time you need, Mr. Woo. You¡¯re still young! You gotta live up a little. Go clubbing or watch a baseball game. Go out and y with your friends. Something.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very different from your peers, Mr. Woo, and it¡¯s apparent even in the way you speak. Whenever I talk to you, it makes me think I¡¯m talking to a really prominent author, especially today.¡±

    Scoffing, Juho replied, ¡°I was having digestion troubles.¡±

    ¡°Do you have indigestion?¡± the reporter asked, and Juho shook his head.

    Seeing Nabi walking toward him, Juho said goodbye to the reporter, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you around.¡±

    ¡°Break a leg, Mr. Woo. Oh! The sooner, the better!¡±

    ¡®Didn¡¯t he just tell me to take my time?¡¯ Juho thought to himself, smiling and turning away.

    ¡ª

    ¡°This isn¡¯t it,¡± Juho said, scruffing his face. In front of him, was the firstpleted draft.

    Unhappy with the result, Juho bit his nail. After killing the client, the protagonist came to face the spirit of the client, which was something that he had never experienced in his twenty-year-long leather repairing/altering career. The spirit was unforgettably beautiful. Then, upon seeing the cloud of smoke, which was about the size of his fist, the protagonist came to realize that he hadmitted a crime. There was yet another desire in ce of the desire that had been satisfied by his client. Now, he wanted to see a spirit. More urately, his own spirit. The only reason Destroyer had been able to see his client¡¯s spirit had been because he had been alive at the time of the killing. With that knowledge, the protagonist sought out a way to see his spirit while he, himself, stayed alive,ing up with all sorts of theories and testing them.

    ¡°Out-of-body experiences. Cults. Photos and videos. Mirrors. Can one identify a spirit through hearing? How long can a spirit maintain its shape? Is there a way to preserve it? Does the way in which the person dies impact the shape of the soul? Can one eat the spirit? Can I stitch it with a needle and thread? Can I repair it as I would a leather good? Where is it headed? Why do people die? Why must there be an end to life?¡±

    Flipping through the pages, Juho rubbed his eyes.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t there be a resemnce between the souls of the parents and that of their child?¡±

    Destroyer nervously sought out a subject with which to test his theories. The first victim that caught the protagonist¡¯s eyes was his coworker, with whom he had been working for the entire duration of his career. The coworker had a son and maintained a good, healthy, father-and-son rtionship with him. From the moment the son was born, they had never been apart from each other and the result was that they both had beautiful spirits that looked quite simr to each other. Destroyer despaired that his parents were no longer with him and that he, himself, wasn¡¯t capable of producing a child. In the end, the protagonist came to a single conclusion: ¡°Nobody has to know that I did it.¡±

    The moment the protagonist reached that conclusion, he went down the path of bing a death row inmate in no time. Then, flipping through the manuscript, Juho chose a sentence at random and read it.

    ¡°After a very long time, he returned to his old work in leather repair.¡±

    However, Destroyer failed at his job for the first time. Having be used to killing, his hands were no longer capable of carrying out the tasks of his old job. In other words, they had changed permanently.

    ¡°By this point, things like spirits actually seem like good things,¡± Juho murmured, resting his chin on his hand. Juho had written a story about a protagonist who changedpletely. With the biggest challenge out of the way, everything else was bound to fall into ce on its own. With only a limited time left in his life, Destroyer could no longer escape the present, whether he saw another spirit or not.

    ¡°Will I be able to measure up to Mr. Kang?¡±

    Resisting the urge to yawn, Juho immersed himself in thought. ¡®Is this going to be good enough?¡¯ The more Juho read his writing, the less apparent the answer to that question became. With countless deaths taking ce, Juho couldn¡¯t tell whether he had done a good job or not. Leaning back on his chair, he let his head drop back and felt his consciousness fade away, his hands losing strength. As he closed his eyes, he heard a crow outside the window. It cawed.

    ¡°I almost fell asleep there.¡±

    Cawing obnoxiously, the crow sounded quite angry. There was no way he could have a pleasant dream while listening to that harsh sound. Besides, meeting Wol was thest thing he wanted to do.

    ¡°Hey, there.¡±

    ¡°Damn it.¡±

    Juho realized that he was standing on the safety rail of a bridge. When he looked to the side, he saw Wol lying t and precariously on the rail somehow. Even the slightest breeze was bound to tip him over the edge.

    ¡°I knew it.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before Juho realized that he was having a nightmare. Under the bridge, was a river, and one misstep was more than enough to plunge the young author into the water. Meanwhile, Wol stared at the river.

    ¡°What are you doing here? It¡¯s not safe.¡±

    ¡°Why, I¡¯m enjoying the suspense, of course.¡±

    ¡°You might regret it.¡±

    ¡°Eh, I¡¯ve learned that that¡¯s not entirely true.¡±

    ¡°I mean it. We need to get down,¡± Juho said in a serious tone, sighing. Even looking down made his heart feel like it was sinking.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Kang.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a certain view that you can¡¯t see from anywhere else. Though, that would only be true if I were alive.¡±

    ¡°OK. All the more reason to get down, then. I¡¯ll go first, all right?¡± Juho asked, looking down at the river¡¯s intimidating current.

    Scoffing, Wol said, ¡°Seems like you didn¡¯t sleep too well. You look like crap.¡±

    ¡°... Thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°No, no. You shouldn¡¯t be ming other people for your problems.¡± As Juho remained quiet, Wol said in a nasal voice, ¡°Serves you right.¡±

    ¡°I still managed to finish it,¡± Juho replied

    ¡°Pff. You mean the first draft.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the only person who¡¯s gotten this far, you know.¡±

    ¡°I feel, very, very bad for you, kid,¡± Wol said, cackling.

    ¡°Well, do me a favor and just let me be for now,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t half bad.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Juho asked, clearing his throat for no apparent reason.

    Then, as if he didn¡¯t care at all, Wol said nonchntly while moving his foot up and down, ¡°I liked that the protagonist starts to look more and more like his client as the story progresses.¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t tell if Wol wasplimenting him. Then, the young author realized that he still had more questions left to ask Wol.

    ¡°Society remains intact because the protagonist ends up on death row. Should he have been left unpunished and the world be filled with death, he probably wouldn¡¯t havested much longer either. It¡¯s a good thing. Besides, he never actually dies, anyway. Sure, he¡¯s on ¡®death row,¡¯ but the society he lives in stopped executing people long ago.¡±

    Standing awkwardly on the rail, Juho asked, ¡°What kind of spirit do you think he has?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡±

    ¡°The client had a beautiful spirit. So much so, that it changed the protagonist¡¯s life forever.¡±

    ¡°M-hm,¡± Wol replied, snickering.

    Then, looking straight at him, Juho said, ¡°You were also going to make him see his client¡¯s death, weren¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 383 - The Crow Never Dies (4)

    <h4>Chapter 383: The Crow Never Dies (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I could use a drink right about now. Go get me some, will ya?¡± Wol said out of nowhere.

    After remaining quiet for a moment, Juho replied, ¡°We can¡¯t even get to the ground, and you want me to go bring you a drink? We could both fall at any given minute, you know.¡±

    ¡°Like I said earlier, I¡¯ll tell you if you go in the water.¡±

    At that moment, a gust of wind came along, and snowkes started to flutter down from the sky. Upon touching the surface of the water, the snowkes melted away without a trace. When Juho looked toward Wol, he saw the author pointing down at the water.

    ¡°Do you want me to die, Mr. Kang?¡±

    Wolughed frivolously instead of giving him an answer. However, Juho didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°Do you want to see someone die in front of you? Is that what you want?¡±

    Suddenly, Wol rose to his feet swiftly, standing on the narrow safety rail. As his long hair blew in the wind, he also teetered precariously, making Juho nervous.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to beat around the bush like that. You know why? Because I¡¯m gonna tell you how you can find satisfaction in the story you wrote.¡±

    ¡°... How?¡±

    ¡°You need to face it, young man.¡±

    ¡°Face what? Who?¡±

    ¡°Yourself.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled. There was something about Wol¡¯s eyes that made the young author ufortable.

    ¡°I¡¯m different from the protagonist. I don¡¯t waste my time and energy trying to be someone I¡¯m not,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Think back to your old self,¡± Wol replied in a warm-but-dry tone of voice. The moon was the only thing keeping the darkness from swallowing the two authors.

    ¡°You¡¯ve change,¡± Wol added.

    ¡°And how¡¯s that a bad thing? I went from being homeless to being a decent author. Now, people call me great, and that idiot who used to brag over his so-called talent is no longer part of me. I believe this is what you¡¯d call growth. I¡¯m an adult now. I¡¯ve matured,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re different.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not.¡±

    ¡°Then, why is it that you can¡¯t read your own story?¡±

    Juho furrowed his brow, clenching his teeth tightly as his patience started to fail him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see how this is relevant, Mr. Kang.¡±

    ¡°How is it that you can see the crow? How do you exin that?¡±

    ¡°That has nothing to do with what we were talking about.¡±

    ¡°Why did you separate yourself, and why the ck beast of all things? Why can¡¯t you just ept it? Why can¡¯t you let your past be part of your writing?¡±

    Looking away, Juho let out a sigh and said, ¡°I should¡¯ve known when that bird turned up. I should¡¯ve just gone to bed.¡±

    ¡°You wish that none of your past had happened.¡±

    It was impossible to get Wol to stop talking. Knowing that, Juho pped himself on the cheek forcefully. However, he couldn¡¯t feel a thing since he was in a world created by Wol, which was inherently different from Juho¡¯s fantasy. At that moment, Wol raised his finger and poked Juho in the chest. Juho felt a slight pain.

    ¡°You talk down to yourself on purpose,¡± Wol said. As Juho moved his hand irritably, Wol kept on, ¡°People calling you great doesn¡¯t make you happy at all because you can never admit it.¡±

    Then, Juho fessed up, saying, ¡°C¡¯mon, Mr. Kang! Think about it! Me? Great? Isn¡¯t that ridiculous!? I lived like a total moron and I eventually became useless, losing my ability to write. When I came back, I just couldn¡¯t understand what I had done to deserve such luck. Not only had I been an addict, but I had also been homeless, with NO money. I had stunk, and I had had no ce to live. There are so many people in this world who are more deserving of being called great. Why me? Why was I given a second chance!?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Wol said nonchntly, shrugging. Frustrated with Wol¡¯s indifference, Juho cleared his throat.

    ¡°Seems like you grow more anxious the further your current life and your past grow apart. I wonder what kind of mess you¡¯ll be in the future.¡±

    ¡°You mind exining why you¡¯re bringing this up, Mr. Kang?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s interesting. To see Yun Woo make that kind of face is a real treat.¡±

    ¡°Can we please stop messing around?¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°Why?¡± Wol asked.

    ¡°Enough with the questions already!¡± Juho shouted, covering his mouth in a hurry immediately after. However, his angry voice echoed throughout the area.

    ¡°If you¡¯re dead, then stay dead! Do you have any idea of the kind of ruckus your writing is causing in my head? Do you know just how ON EDGE I¡¯ve been since I¡¯ve started working on your book!? All these people keeping to me, asking about my progress, trying to give me advice! Just shut the hell up already and let me do my damn job!¡±

    At that moment, Juho realized that he couldn¡¯t see or feel anything under his feet. He couldn¡¯t distinguish where he was standing.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know how you wanted to end that story either. What did I expected from someone who¡¯s dead? You couldn¡¯t even finish your own damn book! You¡¯ve been lying to me all along, haven¡¯t you? You couldn¡¯t finish that book because you didn¡¯t know how. You didn¡¯t know what would happen after you died back then.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Wol replied, looking fiercely at the young author.

    At which point, Juho was struck by the unmistakable realization that...

    ¡°... You¡¯re dead.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do a thing, even when I¡¯m speaking so harshly.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a damn shame, isn¡¯t it? But don¡¯t you go and wish you were in my shoes,¡± Wol said, clicking his tongue, his chest puffing up.

    ¡°So, this is my story now.¡±

    The air felt hot, burning the young author¡¯s throat whenever he breathed in. When Juho brushed his hair up, a smiling moon came into view.

    (TL¡¯s Note: The name ¡®Wol¡¯ is the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese word for the moon.)

    ¡°This was my story all along. It never was your story to begin with,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a rude one,¡± Wol replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I like you, kid.¡±

    Before Juho realized it, Wol¡¯s voice came from behind him. When Juho turned back, he fell from the safety rail, locking eyes with Wol, who seemed to be mouthing words as if trying to tell Juho something onest time. Then, feeling a strong impact against his back, Juho screamed.

    ¡°What the...?!¡±

    The legs of his swivel chair were spinning on the ground, reminding him that he was back in his room. Feeling drained, Juho stayed lying on the floor, staring dazedly at the ceiling.

    ¡°Ugh... My back.¡±

    At that moment, Juho felt something on the tips of his finger, which turned out to be a pen. He chuckled, remembering what Wol had told him to do: to write his own story. That was what Wol had been trying to tell the young author all along, and Juho had been slow to catch on.

    ¡°This was my story all along.¡±

    Then, Juho picked up the chair, sat down and started reading through the manuscript. At which point, he realized the areas he needed to improve almost immediately. ¡®And I was telling Mr. Kang that it was his story.¡¯ Biting down on his lower lip, Juho started typing away, writing a story about a lunatic who came back from the dead.

    ¡ª

    ¡°So, this is the final draft,¡± Nam Kyung said, pushing his sses up and organizing the stack of paper with reverence. Seeing as though the editor was shaking, Juho asked, ¡°Are you cold?¡±

    ¡°No, the contrary,¡± Nam Kyung replied in a suppressed voice, struggling to contain his excitement. ¡°We have to release this as soon as possible. It needs to be read by every single person on this.¡±

    While remaining quiet, Juho listened to the editor¡¯s thoughts on the story. After raving for some time, Nam Kyung tilted his head and asked, ¡°You¡¯re oddly quiet today, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡±

    ¡°You agree that it¡¯s good, don¡¯t you!? I knew it. I knew this was good enough to make you proud as an author.¡±

    As Juho tried to chuckle it off, Nam Kyung sprung up from his seat and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get this story made into a book as soon as I can. Things are about to get a whole lot busier around here.¡±

    Then, just as he was about to leave the apartment, Nam Kyung turned around and bowed to the young author, saying, ¡°Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m counting on you, Mr. Park.¡±

    As Nam Kyung left the apartment with the manuscript in his hands, Juho sank into his chair, let out a long sigh and dialed a certain number. The person answered almost immediately.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Hyun Do replied in a calm tone of voice.

    ¡°I did it, Mr. Lim,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°And the manuscript?¡±

    ¡°I handed it over to my editor.¡±

    ¡°So, is it done?¡±

    ¡°Well, it still needs to be revised. Where are you, Mr. Lim?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m at my office, writing.¡±

    ¡°Huh?! I thought you¡¯d be at home.¡±

    For some reason, the young author had been assuming that Hyun Do would be writing peacefully at his home when the time came to deliver the news to him.

    ¡°Well, even if you had been home, I wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to go down there to show you the manuscript. Even if it had been snowing out.¡±

    ¡°Well, good thing it¡¯s summer,¡± Hyun Do said, chuckling. Then, he asked, ¡°Question is: do you even have the energy to go out?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m so tired that I can¡¯t move a muscle.¡±

    ¡°Seems like you need to work on your stamina, young man.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Mr. Lim. You have to cut me some ck. This wasn¡¯t just some ordinary story. It was tricky to say the least.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    The conversation came to an abrupt halt, and Juho waited for Hyun Do patiently.

    ¡°Wol...¡± Hyun Do said.

    ¡°Uh-huh?¡±

    ¡°... will probably never bother you again.¡±

    ¡°... What makes you say that, Mr. Lim?¡±

    ¡°You learned everything you needed to.¡±

    ¡°But, I still have so many questions I wanted to ask him!¡±

    ¡°So did I,¡± Hyun Do said calmly. Juho clenched his hand into a fist. Being left in the dark all over again was not something Juho was willing to ept.

    ¡°I¡¯ll force him to, if that¡¯s what it takes.¡±

    ¡°Is that what he told you to do?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Mr. Kang told me the same thing you did: to write my own story. Then, he flipped everything upside down. His standards, the order, everything. Even if you were to have something to say, there would be nothing I could do about it now,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Is that so? Well, I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± Hyun Do replied. As he hung up, Juho sat in ce for a little while, exhaled, and chuckled.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s it, then,¡± he murmured, looking down at his empty hands. Yawning, hey down on the couch while feeling as if he¡¯d fall into a deep sleep, with no idea that he would be having another dream...

    ¡°Mr. Kang??¡±

    ... A shocking one, at that. Noticing a white mound in front of him, Juho realized that it was Wol lying still under the white sheet,pletely silent. The sheet was even covering his face.

    ¡°Never seen a dead body before.¡±

    At that moment, Juho remembered something he had been forgetting. Wol had passed away in a snowy winter.

    ¡°Mr. Kang?¡±

    Wol remained still. When Juho pulled the sheet off, the dust on it tickled the inside of his nose. Being the only source of sound in the environment, Juho sat down next to Wol.

    ¡°So, what is death?¡± Juho asked. He had been afraid to hear the answer when Wol had promised to tell him what death meant if Juho were to go in the water.

    ¡°Why does death exist?¡± Juho asked Wol, whoy almost lifelessly, but peacefully.

    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you a thing,¡± Wol said. Juho was still looking down at him.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m dead?¡± Wol replied in his usual, light-hearted voice. His ck, unkempt hair reminded Juho that Wol had died much too young.

    ¡°Lucky bastard,¡± Wol said yfully.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Juho said by reflex.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to act like you¡¯vemitted a crime, you know. Don¡¯t be like that. Nobody¡¯s a victim here.¡±

    ¡°But...¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t ept that soon, you¡¯ll die.¡±

    Juho clenched his lips.

    ¡°I never epted that I was sick. At least, for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Can we stay on track here?¡±

    ¡°If an alcoholic denies that they¡¯re addicted to alcohol, they can never stop drinking.¡±

    Juho listened quietly, his trembling hands still holding on to the white cloth.

    ¡°Since you came back from the dead, you have to experience death all over again,¡± Wol said, rubbing his stomach.

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna die,¡± Juho said, terrified by the author¡¯s stiff movement.

    ¡°Me neither,¡± Wol said like a child. Soon, returning to his adult voice, he added, ¡°Think about how you got so lucky.¡±

    ¡°I was trying to write,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°That, you did.¡±

    ¡°... At the cost of selling myself.¡±

    ¡°You mean your shameful past?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I was trying to write.¡±

    ¡°You did the right thing,¡± Wol said, his lips parched. The air was quite dry. ¡°Maybe there is no such a thing as coincidence after all.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I wonder if God gave you a second chance because of your name.¡±

    ¡°But, my name isn¡¯t actually Yun Woo.¡±

    ¡°What did I just tell you? To look away from the truth is to die.¡±

    Feeling pricked in the heart, Juho dropped his head and asked, ¡°What must I do?¡±

    There was a concern that Juho had been living with ever since he¡¯de back from the dead. It had been like a ticking time bomb hidden deep within him, and there was no way for him to free himself from it.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll die on the same day as the first time?¡±

 Chapter 384 - The Crow Never Dies (5)

    <h4>Chapter 384: The Crow Never Dies (5)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho still remembered hisst moments vividly, and his body still remembered what it had been like to struggle in the water. Sinceing back from the dead, there had always been a deep-seated question in his heart: ¡°Will I die the same way?¡± Needless to say, the young author wanted to avoid that fate at all costs, feeling a desperate need to change from his old self. However, before he knew it, that fear had dressed itself as negligence and hid in his subconscious. It had been his dream to be something even greater than a genius: the Great Storyteller. Juho wanted to change desperately.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re asking the wrong person here,¡± Wol said, cackling frivolously. When struck by the realization that Wol had died in a simr manner, Juho found himself feeling slightly better.

    ¡°I wish I was in your position, Mr. Kang.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± Wol said, clicking his tongue irritably. Juho brushed his face down with his hand. It was true that there was no reason to be envious of someone who had died.

    ¡°Do you read minds now?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what being dead will do to a person.¡±

    At that moment, sensing a presence behind him, Juho turned around. A crow was peeking its head in through the sliding door. Upon seeing the bird, Juho felt a strange coldness travel from the floor, up his leg, giving him goosebumps. ¡®It can¡¯t be here,¡¯ Juho thought to himself as he rose from his seat and started stomping his feet on the ground. ¡®I wanna kill it.¡¯

    ¡°Enough,¡± Wol said firmly. To Juho¡¯s surprise, Wol was looking at the crow and smiling. Confused, Juho furrowed his brow.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be heartless now. Let the bird in. It¡¯s cold out,¡± Wol said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s much better in here,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°Well, just leave it be. That bird is smarter than you think.¡±

    Juho clenched his lips reluctantly and watched the crow as it walked in through the door and headed toward a corner of the room, remembering that he had never seen it fly.

    ¡°Who knows? That bird might know when you¡¯re gonna die,¡± Wol said.

    ¡°... It¡¯s an animal, Mr. Kang.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s still funny,¡± Wol said, closing his eyes. Juho tapped on his shoulder, which felt hard to the touch.

    ¡°Mr. Kang, I don¡¯t think you should sleep in the cold like this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I finished it,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°I know,¡± Wol replied.

    Swallowing nervously, Juho asked desperately, ¡°What did you think?¡±

    ¡°So much for yelling at me. I thought it was your story?¡±

    ¡°Which is why I¡¯m asking. Last time we talked, you said that it wasn¡¯t half bad. How did I do this time?¡±

    ¡°Eh. At least you didn¡¯t make a fool out of me.¡±

    ¡°That goes without saying.¡±

    When Wol remained silent, Juho shouted his name. At which point, a mischievous smile appeared on Wol¡¯s face.

    ¡°You did well.¡±

    ¡°... I did?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I liked it. I would¡¯ve kept it simple toward the end, but nevertheless, it was still interesting. Oh! Personally, writing about lunatics isn¡¯t my thing. I would¡¯ve never done that,¡± Wol said. The hand with which he was rubbing his stomach started slowing down, eventually stopping.

    ¡°Mr. Lim told me that you¡¯ll probably never show yourself to me again.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°Where are you headed now?¡±

    ¡°Beats me.¡±

    So far, talking to Wol had been mostly infuriating. It was clear that Wol was trying to provoke the young author. Otherwise, Juho wouldn¡¯t have been so high strung.

    ¡°Then, what do you know?¡± Juho asked with a sigh.

    To which, Wol answered, moving only his lips, ¡°One day, you¡¯ll repeat the same mistake you made in the past.¡±

    Looking down at him, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯ll never make that mistake again.¡±

    ¡°Life is long. You just wait.¡±

    While Juho was at a loss for words, Wol rolled his eyes and looked toward the young author, saying, ¡°It happens. Just don¡¯t me yourself too much. You¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°... Very helpful, Mr. Kang.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, there¡¯s no need to be so tense all the time. At the end of the day, you are you, and a novel is a novel. You¡¯re contributing to society somehow. Even if you¡¯re doing nothing but breathing and existing.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re dead.¡±

    ¡°... Always hitting where it hurts most,¡± Wol said, his eyes closed half-way.

    ¡°Life is long, so you just keep writing until you feel confident. It¡¯s your story, so feel free to do as you wish.¡±

    At that moment, the wind came along, blowing against Wol¡¯s lifeless hair. No matter how many times Juho called out to him, Wol didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°So, this is what it¡¯s like to die twice,¡± Wol said with a grin on his face, his eyes filled with life for a brief moment. ¡°Not bad. Not bad at all.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, Mr. Kang!¡± Juho eximed, grabbing Wol. Still with questions left to ask, the young author wasn¡¯t ready to let Wol go just yet.

    Then, raising his finger, Wol pointed up at the sky and said, ¡°It¡¯s morning.¡±

    With that, Juho opened his eyes and jumped out of his bed. The shadow cast throughout the apartment was telling Juho that it was about to be evening. Realizing that Wol had lied up to the veryst moment, Juho chuckled. At that moment...

    ¡°What are you smiling about?¡±

    Juho looked back, startled by the voiceing from behind him.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± the voice asked.

    ¡°Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°You might wanna lock your door. Otherwise, you might end up dying quicker than you anticipated.¡±

    Rubbing his tired eyes, Juho said, ¡°I don¡¯t wanna die.¡±

    ¡°Then, you better lock your door.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Juho said, still chuckling. He couldn¡¯t help himself for some reason.

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re in a good mood,¡± Hyun Do said.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°I suppose it makes sense, especially with Wol out of your hair.¡±

    ¡°Are you here to read the manuscript, Mr. Lim?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about what you said about the manuscript, so I had toe. If you don¡¯t feelfortable showing it to me, that is perfectly fine.¡±

    ¡°Not at all. One moment.¡±

    With that, Juho went into his room and brought out the manuscript.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Apparently, Hyun Do Lim cried after reading it.¡±

    Ignoring the voicesing from behind him, Seo Kwang blew his nose. The sound reverberated through the entire cafe, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. However, with his eyes fixed on the book in front of him, Seo Kwang paid no attention to them. Every sentence of the book was heart-wrenching, and the cold, cruel reality made him teary-eyed. Seo Kwang simply couldn¡¯t stop crying while reading the book, which was about an evil protagonist and the surrounding characters. However, the owner of the cafe burst intoughter at the sight, holding her sides.

    ¡°Oh, my. I guess my son still has a lot more growing to do.¡±

    ¡°Leave me alone, mom!¡± Seo Kwang said, pulling away from the book in order to prevent his tears from falling on the pages, unsure of how to stop the tears flowing down his cheeks. ¡°What beautiful souls,¡± he murmured as the snot flowed into his mouth.

    At which point, his mother warned him, ¡°You better keep it down. You¡¯re not the only person in here, you know.¡±

    ¡°Man, what do you know, mom!?¡±

    ¡°I read the book too, you know.¡±

    ¡°Wol Kang is a GENIUS!¡± Seo Kwang said.

    At that moment, another voice interjected and said, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    It was Baron, who was staring at him in disbelief. Rubbing his red nose, Seo Kwang waved at the unexpected guest. However, Baron backed away and asked, ¡°Are you crying?¡±

    ¡°You read it too, right?¡±

    As if at a loss for words, Baron chuckled and nodded.

    ¡°Did you cry?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    They were referring to Wol Kang¡¯sst, unfinished book, which had been released recently. Needless to say, the book had been met with tremendous acim. In actuality, Baron had cried for the first time in a long time while reading Yun Woo¡¯s book. Picking up Seo Kwang¡¯s book, Baron said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because the author wrote it while he was on his deathbed, but it felt very different from his other books.¡±

    ¡°I agree. Wol Kang¡¯s books aren¡¯t usually this depressing,¡± Seo Kwang said, pulling tissues out of the box.

    ¡°If he had actually finished it before he passed away, the book wouldn¡¯t have been the same.¡±

    ¡°I was caught off guard by how easily Juho killed off the client.¡±

    ¡°I know, right!?¡± Seo Kwang eximed, agreeing emphatically. The client¡¯s death scene was arguably one of the most discussed parts of the book. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s bold or if he¡¯s lost his mind, but if I were in his shoes, I wouldn¡¯t have dared change anything. If anything, I¡¯d keep it as it was for the rest of my life!¡±

    ¡°Then, what¡¯s the point in picking up where the author left off? Why bother instead of releasing it unfinished?¡±

    ¡°Think about it, Baron. Why do you think nobody knew about this book? Because there are a lot of people out there who think the same way I do,¡± Seo Kwang said. Then, adding in a whisper, ¡°Frankly, Juho appeared in agony too.¡±

    ¡°Did he?¡±

    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve read the book, I can see why. I mean, that prologue is just way too intense. Wol Kang established such a strong framework that it¡¯s almost impossible to ignore. It almost made me wish that Juho would have left it intact,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Juho thought the same.¡±

    ¡°Yet, this is the product he puts out. You know, I don¡¯t think I mind seeing that agonized look on Juho¡¯s face for a while longer,¡± Seo Kwang said half-jokingly, clenching his hands into fists.

    ¡°Poor guy.¡±

    ¡°I gotta admit it, though. It gave me the most satisfying reading experience in a long time,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    ¡°I still can¡¯t get over the transition between Wol Kang¡¯s and Yun Woo¡¯s writing. I got goosebumps the moment I realized that it really was a coboration between the two authors.¡±

    Listening to Seo Kwang raving, Baron looked around the store. Then, spotting a noticeably empty spot in the shelf, he said, ¡°I think I can guess which book was on that shelf.¡±

    ¡°Well, there isn¡¯t much of a point in saying it, is there?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been in the mood for more Wol Kangtely. Do you carry his books?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Seo Kwang said, getting a book from another shelf, which was also quite empty, and Baron was made certain that there would be a Wol-Kang wave all over again in the near future. The fact that Yun Woo had brought Wol Kang back only reinforced that prediction.

    ¡°How intriguing,¡± Baron murmured. Although the author was no longer around, his stories still remained relevant and in print, and that was most likely going to stay that way even after Baron and Yun Woo died.

    ¡°I felt like getting myself a pair of leather gloves after reading that book.¡±

    ¡°Genuine leather is expensive. Maintenance is a pain in the neck too.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve already done the research, huh?¡± Baron asked.

    ¡°Seriously, Yun Woo really knows how to write about death,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°But, there was something slightly different about this book, don¡¯t you think?¡± Baron asked.

    ¡°So, you felt that too, huh?¡±

    Those who had been reading Yun Woo¡¯s books were bound to have noticed an uncanny difference in his recent book. The young author had showcased a different side of himself through the new book. Although Seo Kwang and Baron had assumed that it had something to do with the author finishing a book that the original author had left unfinished, that assumption was bing less and less convincing.

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s portrayal of death always felt like it was being told from a first-person perspective,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    ¡°But this time, it almost felt like you were watching somebody else die,¡± Baron replied.

    ¡°Though, I¡¯m sure the protagonist being a murderer ys a part in that.¡±

    ¡°You mean the depiction of the character, right?¡±

    Yun Woo had always pursued change and brought back something new and original. In Baron¡¯s mind, the snot hanging from Seo Kwang¡¯s nose was proof that the young author had seeded. A massive one, at that.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s grown up too.¡±

    ¡°Well, people don¡¯t call him the Great Storyteller for no reason. I guess he¡¯s living up to his reputation,¡± Baron said.

    Rubbing his nose, Seo Kwang added, ¡°So... After reading that book, I imagined Juho dying...¡±

    ¡°And?¡± Baron asked, furrowing his brow slightly.

    ¡°He fell from above.¡±

    ¡°From above?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, plummeting down.¡±

    Baron blinked awkwardly at Seo Kwang¡¯s bizarre remark, thinking, ¡®That¡¯s a weird way of putting it.¡¯

    ¡°You mean... Murdered?¡±

    ¡°Probably suicide.¡±

    ¡°What about the body?¡±

    ¡°It was nowhere to be found,¡± Seo Kwang said. As Baron crossed his arms, Seo Kwang exined, ¡°It had already drifted away in the water.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re getting into a lot of really ufortable details, you know that?¡±

    ¡°It helps with tranting.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more helpful to expand your vocabry?¡± Baron asked.

    ¡°If I were to prioritize my mental health, yes,¡± Seo Kwang replied. However, Baron scoffed and didn¡¯t take Seo Kwang¡¯s answer seriously. It was absurd to think that the young author wouldmit suicide. Nevertheless, it was still fun to talk about it.

    ¡°How old do you think Juho will be when he dies?¡± Seo Kwang asked, bringing up the question that woulde to mind from time to time when looking at the young author. Wincing at the question initially, Baron concluded that no one was capable of answering it.

    ¡°How am I supposed to know? Who do you think I am, God?¡±

    ¡°Well, I hope he sticks around,¡± Seo Kwang said.

    To which, Baron curled his lips and said, ¡°I hope he keeps writing. For as long as he can.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Seo Kwang said, still sniffling, and added, ¡°I wish we could all live long lives, preferably together.¡±

    ¡°What in the world are you guys talking about?¡± Seo Kwang¡¯s mother asked, tossing her son a towel, and added, ¡°Go wash your face!¡±

 Chapter 385 - Repeating the Past Mistakes (1)

    <h4>Chapter 385: Repeating the Past Mistakes (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°How much is it?¡±

    On his way to Yun Seo¡¯s house, Juho made a stop at a fruit stand nearby in order to buy some fruit. In response, the vendor quietly pointed toward a wooden board that indicated the price. At which point, Juho took out his wallet in order to pay. Made of genuine, high quality leather, the wallet was a recently-given gift from San Jung, who had included a brief thought on the young author¡¯s new book in the form of a letter. It was clear that she had chosen it carefully. However, because Juho tended to pay no attention to his outer appearance, a genuine leather wallet stuck out like a sore thumb. After putting it in the back pocket of his pants, Juho started walking up the hill.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    Geun Woo greeted Juho with a sullen look on his face. After looking up and down at the young author, he stepped aside to let Juho in.

    ¡°What?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°You look like you have something to say. You¡¯ve read my book, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Geun Woo let out ambiguously, as if chuckling. ¡°So, you¡¯re t out saying that it¡¯s your book now instead of Mr. Kang¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°I wrote it, so...¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re just gutsy or confident,¡± Geun Woo said, rubbing his earlobe. Then, pointing toward the door to Yun Seo¡¯s room, he added, ¡°Mrs. Baek thinks you might have actually met Mr. Kang. She¡¯s waiting for you.¡±

    When Geun Woo went out the door sniffling, Juho asked where he was going. To which, he replied, ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ out for a walk,¡± waving his hand and walking down the hill. With that, Juho stood in front of Yun Seo¡¯s room, somewhere he had been in previously.

    Upon knocking, Yun Seo¡¯s voice came from the inside, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Juho opened the door. The air was noticeably different from the living room. When Juho saw Yun Seo, she had a book in her hands, more precisely, a book written by Wol Kang.

    ¡°I¡¯m revisiting it,¡± she said.

    ¡°I can see that.¡±

    ¡°I found myself thinking about him after reading your book.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    With that, Yun Seo offered the young author a seat, and Juho sat on the exact same seat he used during his previous visit. Locking eyes with her, Juho started off by saying, ¡°I did it.¡±

    Remaining silent, Yun Seo stared intently at him.

    ¡°I did something neither you nor Mr. Lim could.¡±

    ¡°It appears so.¡±

    ¡°What did you think?¡±

    ¡°What did I think...¡± Yun Seo said, smiling. Having prepared himself ahead of time, Juho looked intently at Yun Seo, ready to ept any kind of thought or feedback. ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked.

    ¡°About?¡±

    ¡°Did you like how it turned out?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    Juho couldn¡¯t answer readily. Noticing that the room had be darker, he said, ¡°I think I did my best.¡±

    ¡°And?¡± Yun Seo asked.

    ¡°... And for what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m trying to be satisfied with it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re trying to be?¡±

    ¡°... As in, I¡¯m very satisfied.¡±

    Yun Seo rested her chin on her hand and stayed silent.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t write alone this time, and I¡¯m confident that it was for the better.¡±

    ¡°Did my husband give you any insights at all?¡±

    ¡°No. Just a lot of trash talking.¡±

    Then, a look of interest appeared on Yun Seo¡¯s face. Nodding, she said, ¡°I was very satisfied with the book. So much so, that I was d that I wasn¡¯t able to write it myself. You did a wonderful job,¡± she said, gently grabbing Juho¡¯s hands. Then, smiling mischievously, she asked, ¡°You know, I wanted topliment you publicly, but I¡¯ve been holding myself back since I thought it¡¯d be better to do that in person first. Now that we got that out of the way, you wouldn¡¯t mind me talking about you in interviews, would you?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Mrs. Baek. It would be an honor.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Wol¡¯s thinking the same thing.¡±

    Feeling relieved, Juho said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard, but there¡¯s a rumor circting that Mr. Lim cried after reading my new book. Do you think it¡¯s true?¡±

    ¡°Who knows? I doubt he¡¯ll tell me though, even if I ask. Well, I¡¯m not ashamed to admit that I cried,¡± Yun Seo said with a cheerful smile.

    ¡°You did?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I was constantly sniffling as I was reading.¡±

    Upon hearing that his book had made another person tearful, Juho felt a strange sense of aplishment. Then, rising from her seat, Yun Seo walked toward the bookshelf, which was filled with books, every single one of them written by Wol Kang, clearly old and worn out. At which point, Juho was reminded that Yun Seo was no longer as young as she had been in his dream. Giving into his impulses, Juho asked, ¡°How did you ept Mr. Kang¡¯s death?¡±

    ¡°I did nothing,¡± she said, staring at the name Wol Kang. ¡°And just like that, I got old.¡±

    Time hadn¡¯t waited for her to move on from her husband¡¯s death. Rubbing her arm, Yun Seo said, ¡°When I came to my senses, I found myself trying to survive. When my husband died, I wanted to die with him. But you get hungry, so you gotta eat, and because you gotta eat, you gotta work. And naturally, you discover things that you want to do in the process, ande across things that you wanna write about. That¡¯s how I got to where I am now.¡±

    At that moment, Juho sensed a presence behind him. When he looked back, there was a crow peeking its head through the door crack. Juho looked toward Yun Seo, who didn¡¯t seem to notice the crow.

    ¡°You said you see the crow too, right?¡±

    Juho nodded quietly.

    ¡°Wol was like that too. Do you know what he told me just before he died? ¡®I¡¯m sad to see the little guy go.¡¯¡±

    Wol and the crow had been one, and Wol¡¯s death had meant that the crow would also die. After a brief pause, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I follow.¡±

    ¡°Me neither, but one day, I¡¯m sure I will. After all, life is long,¡± Yun Seo said, walking past Juho. When the young author followed her with his eyes, he saw her open the door. A refreshing breeze followed.

    ¡°We buried him,¡± she said. Juho realized that the thought of visiting Wol¡¯s grave had never urred to him. ¡°Would you like toe with?¡±

    Juho nodded willingly. Then, rolling up her sleeves, she said, ¡°Well, we should eat first. Geun Woo went out to buy some meat, so he should be back any minute now.¡±

    With that, Juho followed Yun Seo out of the room. When he looked back, he saw the crow sitting on the same spot he had been sitting on, nodding. After staring at it for a brief moment, Juho looked away.

    ¡°Look,¡± Yun Seo said, pointing toward the blue sky and at the crow flying toward the moon.

    ¡ª

    ¡°When do you think you¡¯ll die?¡± Juho asked the crow sitting on the gravestone. It was busy picking at its feathers. Clicking his tongue, Juho said, ¡°You might not wanna stay there if you don¡¯t want trouble.¡±

    At that, the crow started to caw fiercely. Sighing, Juho reached into his chest pocket and took out a cigarette, lighting it and taking a deep drag off of it. After smoking some more, Juho put the still-lit cigarette on the gravestone, breathing out the smoke.

    ¡°Long time no see, Mr. Kang,¡± Juho said, stroking the round gravestone. The grave seemed well maintained. That day, Juho hade to visit the grave on his own. With his eyes fixed on the burning cigarette, he said, ¡°As you can tell, I¡¯m still having trouble getting along with the crow.¡±

    Juho dropped his head. His white hair covered his eyes. After pouring some rice wine in a paper cup, Juho ced the cup in front of the gravestone.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll die this year?¡±

    Having turned forty-seven that year, twenty years had passed since Juho had first met Wol. Now, Juho had reached the age with which he had died in his past life. Juho still remembered the conversation with Wol vividly. It was still fresh in his mind. Since thatst dream, Wol had never shown himself to Juho again, neither in dream nor fantasy. It had been as if Wol had decided that he no longer had anything to do with Juho. Although Juho couldn¡¯t really remember what Wol looked like, the memories of his sentences were still very much intact.

    ¡°I had thought I would die if I stayed a genius,¡± Juho said. When he had firste back from the dead, that had been his belief. ¡°So, I tried to be great. To live.¡±

    Then, the ash fell from the cigarette, making it look like it was nodding or growing impatient.

    ¡°Now, people call me the Great Storyteller.¡±

    At that moment, the crow let out a long caw, as if trying to interrupt Juho.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll live?¡±

    There was no response. At the whiff of the burning cigarette, Juho closed his eyes for a brief moment, opened them and kept on, ¡°Mrs. Baek and Mr. Lim are doing well. Mrs. Baek¡¯s released an essay about her younger self recently, and it¡¯s blowing up. Oh, you¡¯re in the essay too. Mr. Lim released a new full-length novel not too long ago, and let me tell you, it¡¯s a piece of art. I still have a lot of growing to do.¡±

    Then, Juho reached to his back pocket and took out his wallet, chuckling.

    ¡°Look at this. I can¡¯t remember how many times I¡¯ve had this thing repaired, but I think it¡¯s at its end now.¡±

    Fiddling with it in his hand, Juho said, ¡°You know, Mr. Kang, back then, I really wanted to understand where you wereing from. I wanted to understand what it was like to die and leave a book unfinished. I pictured all sorts of things.¡±

    Then rising to his feet, Juho pulled out the weeds around the grave and said, ¡°I¡¯m terrified, Mr. Kang.¡±

    With that, Juho left quietly, leaving the crow behind to walk around the grave by itself, cawing obnoxiously.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Mr. Woo!¡±

    Upon arriving home, Juho looked back at a voice calling out to him. He saw a man who looked quite frazzled, as if he had been waiting for Juho¡¯s arrival. His young face was filled with life.

    ¡°Where are youing from?¡±

    ¡°I had to meet up with an acquaintance. What is it?¡±

    ¡°You know exactly what, Mr. Woo. I was supposed to get your manuscript!¡±

    ¡°Ah, right,¡± Juho said, massaging his shoulder and adding, ¡°It¡¯s... not finished.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Woo!¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t funny! You did so wellst time!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. This year has been a little slow.¡±

    ¡°Again, not funny, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Shrugging nonchntly, Juho invited the man in as he pushed his sses up.

    ¡°Are you a tea drinker, Young Do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll drink it dly.¡±

    After working for various publishers, Young Do had started working for Zelkova a few years back and had be the editor in charge of Juho. When drunk, the editor had the habit of raving about his university life, which had mostly consisted of three things: alcohol, fights, and Yun Woo. In the end, after struggling between reality and expectations during his youth, he chose a career as an editor.

    ¡°Still drinking the healthy stuff, I see.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m at that age, you know?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Mr. Woo. You¡¯re still full of energy!¡±

    ¡°All the more reason to take care of my health.¡±

    Juho prepared some green tea for the young editor, who didn¡¯t seem fond of the subtle and bitter scent.

    ¡°So, how¡¯s your progress on that manuscript, Mr. Woo?¡± Young Do asked, getting straight to the point.

    Leaning back on his chair, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯d say... halfway?¡±

    ¡°Still!?¡± the young editor let out inadvertently, covering his mouth, which made Juho grin.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, this has been a slow year. I¡¯m not in trouble, am I?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, no. We can always extend the deadline. It¡¯s just that we¡¯ve hardly ever had to do that with your previous books.¡±

    Juho chuckled almost like a sigh, and Young Do picked up a faint whiff of cigarette in the author¡¯s breath.

    ¡°... Didn¡¯t you say you quit smoking, Mr. Woo?¡± the editor asked cautiously.

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    ¡°But what is this I¡¯m smelling...?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one smoking.¡±

    Relieved, Young Do nodded. Compared to when he had first started working with Yun Woo, which had been four years prior, Juho was quite stable now. Back then, the author had reeked of alcohol and had always had a cigarette in his mouth.

    ¡°You don¡¯t gamble, do you?¡±

    ¡°No, but I do meet up with my friends for ol¡¯ times¡¯ sake on asion, though.¡±

    ¡°... You¡¯re serious?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m joking,¡± Juho said with a mischievous smile and added, ¡°I still remember the disappointment on your face back then.¡±

    At which point, Young Do defended himself desperately, ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t have been!? Think about it! The first author you get to work with is Yun Woo, and he reeks of alcohol! Wouldn¡¯t that throw you off!?¡±

    ¡°I was in the middle of an experiment back then,¡± Juho said, pouting. In the end, he had repeated his past mistakes.

 Chapter 386 - Repeating the Past Mistakes (2)

    <h4>Chapter 386: Repeating the Past Mistakes (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Experiment? What kind?¡± Young Do asked. Remembering having exined every bit of it to the young editor, Juho blinked awkwardly. The author even remembered the look on his editor¡¯s face.

    ¡°Did I not tell you?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Well, I remember you beating around the bush the entire time, saying things like, ¡®I had to in order to survive,¡¯ or ¡®The crow told me to do it. I had no choice.¡¯ I don¡¯t know Mr. Woo, I didn¡¯t know how to make sense of the things you were telling me,¡± Young Do said, and Juho nodded light-heartedly. Young Do had long grown tired of Juho¡¯s absurd stories. Although Juho had worked fiercely back then, there was no getting around the anxiety as the time of his past death drew closer and closer. When anxious, people tended to make mistakes.

    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna tell me, are you?¡± the editor asked, furrowing his brow. As Juho snickered at the look on his editor¡¯s face, Young Do let out a small sigh and said, ¡°I guess even Yun Woo isn¡¯t immune to growing old.¡±

    ¡°I thought that was pretty obvious.¡±

    ¡°A genius boy turned genius middle-aged man.¡±

    ¡°People call me great, you know,¡± Juho said, furrowing his brow yfully.

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like that nickname, Mr, Woo...¡±

    ¡°Humans can be fickle like that, you know?¡±

    Juho looked out the window. There was a crow resting on the branch of a big tree. Although high enough off the ground, the bird remained still on the branch, without flying off. Disgruntled by that, Juho rested his chin on his hand.

    ¡°I see that the tree is sprouting.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a big tree.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it already heavy enough?¡±

    ¡°You must be going through a lot if you¡¯re that worried about a nt.¡±

    ¡°You know, Mr. Woo, if you keep me on the edge of my seat any longer after having written such an amazing intro, I just might die.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t die that easily,¡± Juho said.

    Chuckling, Young Do scratched his temple and asked, ¡°Do you think I can take a look at the manuscript?¡±

    ¡°Sure thing.¡±

    After going into the room, Juho brought out the manuscript. With his eyes fixed on it, the editor said, ¡°Don¡¯t you just love the feel of a handwritten manuscript?¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled quietly. Taking the manuscript from the author carefully, Young Do started to read through it. Juho¡¯s clean, well-trimmed handwriting made for an easy reading experience. Although Young Do noticed the author¡¯s penmanship deteriorate as the story progressed, he didn¡¯t go out of his way to point that out.

    ¡°This story reminds of ¡®The Great Gatsby.¡¯¡±

    A wealthy partier, Gatsby was a character who wrestled with his hypocritical inner self. As he had done as a young author, Juho had blended two distinctive writing styles into a single story, which enabled him to depict the inner thoughts of the protagonist more effectively. However, despite the tremendous potential for sess, the story was yet to bepleted. At the thought of the story collecting dust in the corner of a storage room, Young Do clenched the manuscript tightly in his hands.

    ¡°Of all ces...¡± Young Do murmured as if sighing, but covered his mouth in a hurry.

    Smiling, Juho said, ¡°You know, I really like that you¡¯re an honest man.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Woo. I¡¯ll be more careful.¡±

    Shrugging, Juho asked, ¡°Well, what did you think?¡±

    After staring at the words on the manuscript quietly and briefly, the young editor cautiously studied Juho¡¯s expression. In response, Juho nodded, as if giving him permission to speak his mind.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re being a bit of a perfectionist here. I mean, it¡¯s still the first draft.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Juho said, admitting it willingly and catching the young editor off guard. Walking toward the refrigerator, he asked, ¡°Drink?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still light out, Mr. Woo. Besides, I have nster. Wait, do you really have alcohol in your refrigerator?¡±

    ¡°I kept a bottle for a certain asion.¡± When Young Do looked back to check whether Juho really had alcohol in his refrigerator, he saw Juho grabbing a bottle of water. Returning to his seat, the author added, ¡°I want this story to be better than any other story that I¡¯ve written. Those are my honest feelings.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Young Do asked.

    ¡°Think of it as the grand finale.¡±

    At that, an rmed look appeared on the young editor¡¯s face.

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not retiring, are you, Mr. Woo!?¡±

    ¡°Me? Retire? That¡¯d be absurd. I¡¯m at the peak of my career.¡±

    ¡°Well, there are authors who say that they want to retire when they¡¯re at the height of their writing careers.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can tell you right now that¡¯s not gonna be me. I¡¯m not going anywhere, even if people say that I¡¯m too old to write.¡±

    ¡°Then, what did you mean by grand finale?¡±

    Instead of giving him an answer, Juho rubbed his chin and asked, ¡°... Have you ever felt like you knew when you were gonna die?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°Did you ever have a premonition that you¡¯d die soon?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know... I mean, sure, I ask myself what would happen after I died, but... I¡¯m still thirty.¡±

    ¡°Young and free.¡±

    ¡°So... On that note,¡± Young Do said nervously, and Juho waved his hand to reassure his editor.

    ¡°What I mean to say is that I always write like it¡¯s going to be myst story.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. That makes sense,¡± the young editor said, nodding and adding, ¡°That¡¯s very admirable of you, Mr. Woo. The better the book, the better for the publisher.¡±

    There was no need to rave on any longer when the author himself was well aware of the problematic areas in the manuscript.

    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you, Mr. Woo. We¡¯ll push back that deadline for now, but I hope you can finish it in time this time,¡± Young Do said, and Juho shrugged nonchntly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s that. Oh! Have you given it some thought?¡±

    ¡°About?¡±

    ¡°... C¡¯ mon, Mr. Woo. You said you¡¯d consider it when we talked about itst time, remember? Judging?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that. I decided not to.¡±

    At that, Young Do dropped his head. His face was filled with disappointment. At the same time, he seemed to have expected Juho to turn him down.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m surprised,¡± Young Do said.

    ¡°I think you should just tell ¡¯em to give up. I¡¯m not the only person qualified to judge, you know,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°But, you¡¯re the only Yun Woo there is.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, there are plenty of people who qualify to be judges,¡± Juho said. Then, looking toward his editor, the author said, ¡°Let me ask you something. Why are you so insistent on convincing me? I don¡¯t intend on being a judge for any asion.¡±

    ¡°... I don¡¯t think you realize your talent, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°My talent?¡± Juho said, chuckling. However, the young editor seemed serious.

    Going through his bag in a hurry, Young Do took out a certain manuscript and said, ¡°This is the manuscript that you likedst time we met. It went into print just yesterday. The president seemed happy with it too. If it hadn¡¯t been for you, that one rookie author fromst year would¡¯ve never seen the light of day. The year before that, you liked a manuscript that I hadn¡¯t even gotten to yet. Now, that author is one of the leading figures of the literary world.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because he is a good writer himself,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°One can¡¯t be a star on their own. If people can¡¯t appreciate their talent, then what¡¯s the point? You have sharp eyes, Mr. Woo. Even if you had been an editor, you would¡¯ve had a massively sessful career,¡± Young Do said, handing a portion of a manuscript to Juho.

    ¡°On that note, do you think you could give this one a read?¡±

    When Juho gave him a disgruntled look, Young Do avoided eye contact with the author, pushing the manuscript toward Juho. Although reading a rookie author¡¯s manuscript was always a delight, a great learning experience, and a motivator, Juho simply couldn¡¯t afford the time to read those as often as his editor asked him to. After some contemtion, Juho said, ¡°On the off chance that there¡¯s a problem, I¡¯m taking no responsibility.¡±

    ¡°I know I¡¯m asking a lot, but please take a look, Mr. Woo. It¡¯s one of the submissions fromst month. Apparently, the writer is a working doctor.¡±

    As Juho scanned through the manuscript unhurriedly, Young Do joined in. Reading the first page was more than enough to distinguish a rookie from a seasoned writer.

    ¡°Not bad.¡±

    Because Young Do was capable of distinguishing the subtle nuances in the author¡¯s tone, the editor was able to catch on to the real meaning behind Juho¡¯s response. ¡®That¡¯s a no go.¡¯ Upon realizing that the author was having the same thought as him, Young Do had to suppress his excitement.

    ¡°Is there an issue, Mr. Woo? Others seem to think that it¡¯s pretty good,¡± Young Do said, ying coy.

    ¡°I don¡¯t recall saying that there¡¯s an issue,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°OK. Then, what do you like about it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very persistent, you know that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it to myself.¡±

    Rubbing his chin, Juho flipped through the pages of the manuscript unhurriedly.

    ¡°I have a feeling that this is the first piece the writer has everpleted.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Young Do asked, caught off guard by Juho¡¯s answer.

    Paying no attention to him, Juho said, ¡°It¡¯s not bad though.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make him a genius? Especially if this is the first draft?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. What do you think?¡± Juho asked.

    Since Young Do already had an answer in mind, he was able to give it readily, ¡°I mean, sure, it reads like it was written by an amateur, but that¡¯s nothing a bit of revision can¡¯t fix. Personally, I liked the idea of the story.¡±

    ¡°Hm.¡±

    ¡°I had no idea that it might be his first novel, but his sentences are incredible.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Juho said, looking at the editor and urging him to speak more on the matter. If the editor had already made up his mind to work with the author, he wouldn¡¯t have brought it to Juho in the first ce.

    Realizing that Juho had already caught on to his excitement, Young Do, looking like he¡¯d been pricked in the heart, exined, ¡°Though, it does kind of seem made up.¡±

    It had been the only, yet fatal, w of the manuscript. As Young Do smacked his lips, Juho put the manuscript down.

    ¡°Well, everyone has their own standards, right? I think this will definitely sell. Personally, I¡¯d like to read this writer¡¯s other stories.¡±

    ¡°You know, Mr. Woo, it would make my life so much easier if you were more straightforward.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your decision,¡± Juho said, drinking his tea, and Young Do stared intently at the author as he drank the bitter liquid.

    ¡°Do you think you can write a testimonial for someone, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asking a lot of favors today.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping that you could think of it as the cost for the deadline extension.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize we were negotiating.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just joking, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Yun Woo¡¯s testimonial was highly sought after. The phrase ¡®Rmended by Yun Woo¡¯ alone had the power to multiply a book¡¯s sales severalfold.

    ¡°For whom, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±

    Fortunately, Juho wasn¡¯t exactly like Hyun Do, who was infamous for refusing to write testimonial for anybody. However, once Juho said no on a matter, nothing would change his mind, not even an acquaintance or one of the higher-ups of a publishingpany.

    ¡°The author debutedst year. I don¡¯t know if you remember, but he drew a lot of attention. He¡¯s actually releasing a new book this year. Here¡¯s the manuscript.¡±

    Juho picked up yet another manuscript and scanned through it for a simr duration. After which, the answer became clear.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°... May I ask why?¡± Young Do asked while internallyining about Juho¡¯s convoluted nature.

    Rolling his eyes, Juho looked toward the young editor and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s the editor in charge of the author?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a coworker of mine who¡¯s been around longer than me.¡±

    ¡°I have a favor to ask you. Make sure that editor and I don¡¯t end up working together, even if it means you having to work for another publisher.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t happen... Is it really that bad, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not bad necessarily.¡±

    ¡®Here we go again,¡¯ Young Do thought to himself, fed up with the author beating around the bush. Without even bothering to ask, the young editor nodded. Although he had nothing to with the author of the manuscript, Young Do had to take on the burden in order to grant a coworker¡¯s request. Naturally, the manuscript was not one of the young editor¡¯s priorities.

    ¡°OK. Well, let¡¯s get back to your manuscript, then, shall we? So, toward the end here...¡±

    Young Do listened to the author¡¯s thoughts quietly. By the author¡¯s exnations, it sounded like the manuscript was wless. In fact, the young editor believed firmly that any manuscript that went through Yun Woo¡¯s hands came out significantly better. Then, noticing that something seemed off with the author, Young Do studied Juho¡¯s expression. Juho didn¡¯t necessarily appear to be in difort. In fact, he looked more at peace. After some brief contemtion, Young Do nodded and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you next time, Mr. Woo. If you need any help, please let me know.¡±

    The house became silent after the young editor left. At which point, Juho rose from his seat and went into his room, where countless sheets of manuscript paper were scattered across the floor. Walking over them, Juhoy himself down on the bed. The windows werepletely covered by the towering stacks of paper, making the room dark. After closing his eyes deliberately, Juho woke up from his nap about an hourter, yawning and murmuring, ¡°Still no sign of him.¡±

 Chapter 387 - Repeating the Past Mistakes (3)

    <h4>Chapter 387: Repeating the Past Mistakes (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°I guess this is it,¡± Juho said, putting the pen down, brushing his hair up, and massaging his wrist. Despite spending his entire morning on it, Juho had only written four sentences in total, which brought him a sense of crisis. The situation was a lot worse than he had thought. Realizing how restless and uneasy he was bing, Juho chuckled.

    ¡°Was it this bad back then too?¡±

    Juho rose from his seat and stretched. He hadn¡¯t been able to write in his past life either, and when he had been around his current age, holding a pen had been the only thing he had been able to do. The author looked toward the window, which was blocked by the stacks of manuscripts. He recalled being able to see a tree from his room, where the crow would rest while looking down at Juho.

    ¡°Hindered by my own legacy,¡± Juho murmured, tapping against one of the stacks of paper, which looked as if it would topple over at any moment.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that.¡±

    Rubbing his face, Juho picked up his pen, erased everything and started over. The room was anything but peaceful, making it impossible for the author to concentrate. To make matters worse, Juho was feeling very uneasy. He wanted to be able to concentrate on his work. He desperately wanted something so tangible that he could almost touch it, something that would make him forget all about his current struggle. However, the room was filled by a cruel silence. The battle against the unseen tended to feel empty and futile. Then, checking the time, Juho rose from his seat.

    ¡°They should be here any minute now.¡±

    Closing the door on the way out of his room, Juho went to the kitchen and took some meat out of the refrigerator in order to cook it before his guests arrived. Then, a series of knocking sounds came from the front door just in the nick of time.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Juho said, greeting his guest.

    ¡°Mm, I smell meat,¡± Seo Kwang murmured as he took his shoes off. ¡°I need to lose weight, though...¡±

    ¡°More for me, then.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t let you eat alone,¡± Seo Kwang said, putting his bag down and sitting down. At the sight of the books peaking through the opening in his bag, Juho chuckled.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it heavy?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Not at all.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been working with Coin, right? How¡¯s that been?¡±

    As if he had been waiting for Juho to ask, Seo Kwang unfastened the top button of his shirt.

    ¡°I am DYING. I just can¡¯t seem to figure out a way to preserve the unique feel in his writing. I¡¯ve been using your old work as reference, but I don¡¯t know. How the heck did you do it?! Let alone twenty years ago?!¡±

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re stuck because you¡¯re using my work as reference,¡± Juho said, trying tough it off.

    ¡°You tranted six of his books! Help me out here!¡±

    When Juho brought out the meat, Seo Kwang started eating voraciously and unhesitantly.

    ¡°Did you forget to eat?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I did today.¡±

    ¡°But you still have plenty of time until your deadline, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I have two projects stacked on top of each other, so there¡¯s barely enough time. I¡¯m telling you, having a sessful career is exhausting.¡±

    ¡°Are you gonna be OK?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t handle.¡±

    Looking at Seo Kwang, who was busy eating with his head down, Juho said, ¡°You¡¯re getting old.¡±

    ¡°Are you tryin¡¯ to start a fight?¡±

    ¡°Your hair¡¯s thinning.¡±

    To that, Seo Kwang replied defensively, ¡°Hey man, I don¡¯t need you to remind me of any of that! My dad¡¯s already been bugging me about getting married!¡±

    Then, waving his chopsticks, the trantor added, ¡°He just will NOT give up! I¡¯ve already dedicated my life to books. I¡¯m gonna live the rest of my life surrounded by them. I don¡¯t know why he keeps pestering me so much when he already knows all that.¡±

    ¡°Reminds me of your first love,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°... Bring out some sauce, will ya? I need something to cut through the grease.¡±

    At that moment, even more guests arrived: Sun Hwa, Bom and Baron. With her nostrils ring, Sun Hwa walked in unhesitantly and said, ¡°You started without us!?¡±

    While Bom greeted Juho and Seo Kwang dly, Baron handed Juho a gift.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a painting. It came out nicely this time, and I figured it would suit your taste.¡±

    When Juho tore the wrapping paper, he saw the painting. From time to time, Baron would send Juho a painting as a gift. After looking at the oil painting for a little while, Juho put it in his room.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. These kids are terrified of me.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s probably because you¡¯re in charge of an entire grade. Remember how scared we were of those teachers?¡±

    ¡°I thought the Chinese teacher was the scariest,¡± Sun Hwa said, chewing her food. Then, she proceeded to grumble about her work, ¡°I tried to get some advice from Mr. Moon, but he¡¯s anything but helpful. He keeps telling me things like how to write a good resignation letter... ¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moon... I thought he¡¯d retired from teaching.¡±

    ¡°He did look a lot happier after he stopped teaching.¡±

    Juho nodded in agreement. After years of reluctantly continuing his teaching career, Mr. Moon had finally called it quits, and among the number of jobs he had tried after that, writing had been one of them. In the end, the teacher had debuted as an author fairlyte.

    ¡°His debut title was pretty good. Though, I wasn¡¯t all that impressed after that.¡±

    ¡°I guess he was the talented type after all,¡± Seo Kwang said nonchntly, drinking the beer Bom had brought. If Mr. Moon had been there, the trantor would¡¯ve quickly found himself in trouble. As Juho stared intently at him, Seo Kwang asked, ¡°Are you gonna have some?¡±

    At that moment, silence took over the room.

    ¡°No thanks. It tastes terrible,¡± Juho replied, shaking his head.¡±

    ¡°Right. That¡¯s the Juho Woo I know.¡±

    ¡°I thought you had lost your mind back then.¡±

    At one point, Juho had taken up alcohol, smoking, and gambling, and all of that had started with a thought: ¡®... Maybe I¡¯ll be able toe up with something after a drink or two.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a drink. What¡¯s the big deal?¡±

    ¡°The fact that you were acting like you were still a teenager.¡±

    ¡°Seriously! Do you know what it means to do things in moderation?¡±

    ¡°There was definitely a lot going on for all of us back then. That¡¯s the year you got divorced, right Sun Hwa?¡± Seo Kwang asked Sun Hwa, pointing toward her.

    At which point, she bent his finger and replied proudly, ¡°Single life is the way to go,¡± guzzling down on her beer.

    ¡°You don¡¯t say,¡± Baron replied.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you, you know,¡± Sun Hwa replied to the father of two, who was drinking quietly. There was a gold ring on his left ring finger.

    ¡°How¡¯s your younger child doing?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s doing well. Too well if you ask me. I¡¯m telling you, nothing makes me prouder than looking at him.¡±

    ¡°Is he a troublemaker?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said he wasn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring your wife?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s over at her parents¡¯.¡±

    Baron no longer had any personal time. However, as if he wasn¡¯t bothered by that reality, Baron ate with a look of satisfaction on his face. Pouring himself a cup of juice, Juho said to Bom, ¡°I rewatched that drama you wrote.¡±

    ¡°Did you now?¡±

    ¡°It was just as good the second time around.¡±

    ¡°It already feels outdated. I don¡¯t know what to do with myself whenever I see it on the TV,¡± Bom said, shaking her head. ¡°Good times,¡± she added, staring into the air.

    It had already been a decade since the drama she had written hade out. Now, Bom was working as an ountant, and seeing as she hadn¡¯t switched jobs, she seemed happy with it.

    ¡°It was so popr back then.¡±

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be a star screenwriter.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t sustainable to say the least. I couldn¡¯t handle it, so I just dropped it. I felt like I was taking a leap of faith, but I guess it¡¯s all in the past now,¡± Bom said, chuckling as if she had already moved on.

    ¡°Man, I wish I could quit,¡± Sun Hwa said, dropping her head. In an attempt tofort her, Bom patted her on the back. When Bom had decided to quit screenwriting, the decision had called for tremendous courage and determination.

    ¡°We have a Mr. Moon 2.0 here.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Seo Kwang.¡±

    While quietly listening to his friends talk, Juho swished the liquid around in his cup. Having been friends with them for decades, the author was able to tell what his friends were thinking about just by looking at their faces.

    ¡°What about you? How¡¯s writing?¡± Seo Kwang asked.

    ¡°I recently asked for an extension,¡± Juho said, rubbing his nose.

    ¡°Ha! Serves you right,¡± Seo Kwang said, seemingly delighted by the author¡¯s struggle, and Sun Hwa responded by kicking him.

    ¡°What seems to be the issue?¡± Baron asked calmly.

    Crossing his arms, Juho replied after some contemtion, ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I wanna do better, but I¡¯m not sure of which direction to take?¡±

    As Baron crossed his arms quietly, Juho said light-heartedly, ¡°My editor thinks the intro isn¡¯t too bad.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s the ending of the story that¡¯s giving you trouble.¡±

    ¡°I just can¡¯t seem to make any progress,¡± Juho said and looked toward Bom, who, after some contemtion, asked, ¡°What if you talk to Mr. Lim about it? Isn¡¯t he your go-to person for advice?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡±

    ¡°You know plenty of other authors too, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna bother them for something like this.¡±

    ¡°See? That¡¯s the issue!¡± Sun Hwa said, clicking her tongue.

    To which, Juho tilted his head and asked, ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°You just don¡¯t know yourself!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    With that, Sun Hwa started preaching to Juho. After listening to her intently, Juho nced toward Seo Kwang, who was resting his chin on his hand and murmuring, ¡°No wonder the kids don¡¯t like you.¡±

    ¡°Who!? Who doesn¡¯t like me!?¡±

    From then on, the atmosphere rose quickly.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s been really nice outtely!¡± Bom said excitedly.

    ¡°Let go see the flowers!¡± Sun Hwa said.

    To which, Seo Kwang scoffed and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little soon for that?¡±

    ¡°Last year was pretty fun, though,¡± Baron said, wiping his mouth while reminiscing about the past. However, taking in consideration how dry the air felt, Juho had a feeling that they wouldn¡¯t be seeing any flowers any time soon that year.

    ¡ª

    ¡°What now?¡±

    Juho had gone out for a morning walk. If it hadn¡¯t been for the crow blocking the way, his day would¡¯ve been off to a refreshing start. As Juho gave it a disgruntled look, the crow cawed all the more. Lately, the bird had been appearing more frequently.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even drink anymore. Why are you still here?¡±

    Instead of giving him an answer, the crow hopped in ce.

    ¡®OK, then. I don¡¯t have to tell you anything either,¡¯ Juho thought to himself, walking right past the bird. At that moment...

    ¡°Juho!¡±

    ... The author heard two voices call for him simultaneously. After looking around briefly, Juho saw the twins on the other side of the street waving at him. Their eyes were just as long and thin as they had been in high school. Standing in ce, Juho waited for them to cross over to him.

    ¡°What a coincidence!¡±

    ¡°Is that a pun?¡± Juho asked, and Gong Pal grinned. There was a thin scar running down his cheek.

    ¡°My brother clearly thinks he¡¯s funnier than he really is,¡± Gong Il murmured. Although the two had looked nearly identical at one point, they were noticeably different now, and the scar on Gong Pal¡¯s face definitely contributed to that.

    ¡°I think your scar¡¯s fading,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Is it? I can¡¯t really tell. I never really pay attention to it.¡±

    The scar on Gong Pal¡¯s face hade from a business trip sixteen years prior. Having been near the scene of a bombing, Gong Pal had been seriously wounded by the debris from the explosion.

    ¡°Remember what happened back then? It was so weird!¡± Gong Il said, chuckling light-heartedly. Although she had had no clue that her brother had been injured, Gong Il had felt a sharp pain on her left cheek around the time of Gong Pal¡¯s ident. Thinking that her teeth were hurting, she had gone to a dentist rmended by Sun Hwa. Although the dentist had suggested that Gong Il get her wisdom teeth removed, the actual source of the pain remained a mystery to that day, and Juho remembered having written a full-length novel about terrorism after that.

    ¡°What brings you guys here? I can¡¯t remember thest time I ran into you two together.¡±

    ¡°I was visiting my sister-inw. She packed us some food,¡± Gong Il said, waving the bag in her hand.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Would you like some? Our family makes really good kimchi.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have plenty of the food my parents sent me at home.¡±

    ¡°Then... Would you mind sharing some with us?¡±

    While cracking jokes with the twins, Juho looked around. The crow was sitting on a tree nearby while looking down at him. Upon locking eyes with the author, the bird started moving around.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Gong Pal asked.

    Shaking his head, Juho replied, ¡°Nothing.¡±

 Chapter 388 - The Crowéˆ¥æªš Whereabouts (1)

    <h4>Chapter 388: The Crow¡¯s Whereabouts (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Upon arriving at his apartment, Juho saw an unexpected guest waiting for him by the door. Walking unhurriedly toward the guest, Juho greeted the person dly, ¡°What brings you here, Mr. Park?¡±

    ¡°Why?! To see you, of course!¡± Nam Kyung said, pushing his sses up.

    ¡°Seems like you still go on walks?¡± the editor added as he sat on the couch, and Juho nodded. ¡°You seem well.¡±

    ¡°So, what did you want to know?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°I heard you pushed your deadline back, and...¡±

    ¡®Did he you reallye all the way here for that?¡¯ Juho thought to himself.

    ¡°... I just wanted to make sure that you¡¯re doing OK. You¡¯re not in a slump or anything, are you?¡± Nam Kyung asked in a serious tone. sping his hands together, the editor added, ¡°What seems to be the issue?¡±

    ¡°Beats me,¡± Juho replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡±

    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±

    Shaking his leg, Nam Kyung replied, ¡°It¡¯s not in your nature to be that calm when there¡¯s something you don¡¯t know.¡±

    Juho nodded, agreeing with the editor¡¯s assumption. The author knew very well the cause of his slump. Staring intently at Juho¡¯s face, Nam Kyung said, ¡°Well, at least your apartment looks nice and tidy. Remember when you¡¯d trash the whole ce with manuscript paper?¡±

    ¡°... That was ages ago,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Wait! You didn¡¯t read Mr. Lim¡¯s book again, did you? Is that what happened?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that,¡± Juho said calmly. Having just returned from a walk, he was feeling quite tired.

    As Juhoy on his back on the couch, Nam Kyung said, ¡°Hey...¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Juho replied, staring at the ceiling.

    ¡°You do know how significant this year¡¯s award is, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Juho said in a humdrum manner. The author was at an age that winning a prestigious award no longer came as a shock to readers. He was old enough to tread into the conservative world, and that wasn¡¯t exactly the most weing change for Juho.

    ¡°Your books are still in high demand. Remember that.¡± As Juho chuckled, Nam Kyung pushed his sses up and said, ¡°So, try to keep writing.¡±

    ¡°Are you not gonna let me take a break?¡±

    ¡°Who are you trying to fool? I know you. You have to write to process your emotions.¡±

    Then, Juho brought up a thought that hade to him, ¡°Am I starting to sound like Mr. Kang?¡±

    ¡°Not even close,¡± Nam Kyung replied, chuckling.

    ¡°I¡¯m older than he was when he passes away, though.¡±

    ¡°... Don¡¯t you even think about following in his footsteps.¡±

    At that, Juho remained silent, and Nam Kyung rested his chin on his hand, staring intently at something. The window shook as the dusty wind came blowing against it.

    ¡°You¡¯ve avoided writing about death since you finished Mr. Kang¡¯s book.¡±

    After Juho finished Wol¡¯s book, he no longer wrote about death. Wol and his writing had influenced Juho, one of the results being fear of death. Juho was terrified of death now.

    ¡°When I asked you why you stopped, you said, ¡®I got tired of it.¡¯ Remember?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°Which turned out to be a lie.¡±

    ¡°I remember that too,¡± Juho said, admitting to it willingly, and Nam Kyung asked nothing further.

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not sure about what to write about next, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea to try writing about death again.¡±

    Scratching his eyebrow, Juho thought of an excuse.

    ¡°I have a deadline to meet, though.¡±

    ¡°We can always push it back. Don¡¯t worry. Just forget about meeting the deadline and try to focus on writing whatever you want to your heart¡¯s content.¡±

    ¡°So, that¡¯s why you¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Call it management.¡±

    Juho sat up on the couch, brushed his hair back, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too experimental, though.¡±

    ¡°I wish. My body just can¡¯t handle the abuse anymore.¡±

    ¡°What you came up with back then was good, but it wasn¡¯t very Yun Woo-like.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Most people don¡¯t question their identity at that age, you know?¡±

    Bursting intoughter, Juho said, ¡°I guess that¡¯s true.¡±

    Juho had started drinking when the memories of his past life had started to fade away. During that time, the author had often written books more experimental in nature: mixing two different writing styles, distorting them, or experimenting with inconsistencies. That had also been the time when his books went through the most number of revisions in his entire writing career. Back then, Nam Kyung had been strict about distinguishing what was salvageable and unusable.

    The author¡¯sst day was drawing near, and there was no way for Juho to know if he would live more or less than what he had in the past. Perhaps, his lifespan had been predetermined all along. Ignorance often triggered imagination, and Juho grew increasingly depressed as his future became more and more certain in his head, which was getting filled with paranoia and delusions. Traces of those emotions were present in the books he had written in thest several years.

    ¡°Is there a crow around here?¡± Nam Kyung asked upon hearing a caw. The crow was still lingering around Juho¡¯s apartment.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good-looking bird. I think it was born here somewhere. It kind of grew on me, actually.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡± Nam Kyung said with disinterest. Then, after having dinner with the author, Nam Kyung went on his way.

    ¡ª

    ¡°So, that¡¯s what he said.¡±

    ¡°I can see that you haven¡¯t changed one bit,¡± Yun Seo said. She was sitting on a rocking chair while listening to Juho tell her about the conversation between him and Nam Kyung, which had taken ce months prior by that point.

    ¡°It troubles me that I¡¯m still not sure of what to do.¡±

    The Sun was quite bright that day, and the sounds of cicadas reverberated in the air.

    ¡°Have some fruit.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Baek, but I¡¯m very full.¡±

    The house was quiet, and there was no one else aside from Yun Seo and Juho there. Yun Seo no longer taught or took in pupils. Instead, she focused only on writing. When Juho had asked her if she had grown tired of it, she had shaken her head and said that she felt that the time was right.

    ¡°That crow hasn¡¯t been around muchtely.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Juho said, looking in the same direction as Yun Seo. The crow was nowhere to be found, simrly to the one that would normally linger around Juho¡¯s apartment. On the other hand, the bird tended to be unpredictable, so it wasn¡¯t all that surprising to the author. Juho watched Yun Seo pick up a cookie and put it into her mouth.

    ¡°What would you do if it came back to life?¡±

    ¡°You mean the cookie?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Chuckling quietly, she said, ¡°I¡¯d probably eat it again.¡±

    ¡°Right...¡± Juho said, feeling slightly depressed.

    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re trying to write about?¡± Yun Seo asked with interest.

    Scratching his chin, Juho replied, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll follow through with it. Do you have any suggestions for what I should write about next, Mrs. Baek?¡± Leaning back and staring up at the ceiling, he murmured, ¡°Can¡¯t believe I¡¯m still thinking about this at this age.¡±

    Resting her chin on her hand, Yun Seo said, ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re still writing at that age.¡±

    Juho looked toward her, wondering if she had the same concerns. However, he chose not to ask.

    ¡°I just feel so distractedtely. I want to focus on writing, but I just can¡¯t seem to make it happen,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°That happens. It would be nice if you had someone who inspired you,¡± Yun Seo replied.

    ¡°Tell me about it.¡±

    ¡°What if you take a few months off from it? You like to travel, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a terrible idea.¡±

    At that moment, the faint sound of a bird came from the distance. Although it was barely audible because of the cicadas, it definitely sounded like a bird to Juho.

    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Hear what?¡±

    ¡°... Nevermind. Maybe I¡¯m hearing things.¡±

    ¡°You could stay the night if you¡¯re tired.¡±

    Then, Juhoughed out loud.

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯d die in peace knowing that you¡¯re leaving a book unfinished?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Yun Seo replied, sounding more confident than ever. ¡°But it did take a load off of me when I read what you did with Wol¡¯s story.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°The idea of having another person finish my story on my behalf isn¡¯t offensive to me.¡±

    After a brief pause, Juho said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I feel the same way, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s perfectly fine.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d do everything I could to make sure that I finish what I started before I died.¡±

    As Yun Seo nodded quietly, a warm breeze blew into the room.

    ¡°I used to think that way before I started teaching. I thought I would never change.¡±

    ¡°Something tells me that the day I can understand that will nevere,¡± Juho said. He had no intention of teaching anybody. At that moment, a series of knocks came from the front door, followed by the whimpers of the dogs living on the hill.

    ¡°I¡¯m not expecting any guests,¡± Yun Seo said, tilting her head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go check,¡± Juho replied as he rose from his seat. The knocking didn¡¯t stop even as he was walking toward the front door.

    ¡°Coming.¡±

    As Juho opened the door, the sound of the outside world became vivid.

    ¡°Do I know you?¡± Juho asked as he saw the young man at the door, who was dark-skinned and dressed in ragged clothes.

    ¡°Yun Woo??¡± the man let out, his mouth agape, which made him look silly.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡±

    ¡°Uh... Right. Um....¡±

    The man moved his lips desperately in order to fight the stutter and get the words out of his mouth.

    ¡°Is this Mrs. Baek¡¯s residence?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±

    Seeing how nervous the man was, it was clear that the man had shown up without prior notice. At that moment, the man shouted from the top of his lungs out of nowhere, ¡°I... I wanted to be taught by her!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not taking pupils anymore.¡±

    ¡°I know, but I just couldn¡¯t give up! I didn¡¯t know what to do with myself because I was so upset!¡±

    ¡°Upset?¡± Juho asked, furrowing his brow in confusion. At that moment...

    ¡°Come in,¡± Yun Seo said from behind him. Juho looked toward her with a concerned look. However, to his surprise, she was smiling while nodding at him to say that it was OK. At the sight of Yun Seo, the dark-skinned man took a deep breath.

    ¡°Where are you from?¡±

    ¡°Uh... I... found a ce in the area nearby. If you¡¯re asking where I¡¯m from...¡±

    ¡°Well,e on in for now.¡±

    As Juho stepped aside to let the man through, the man bowed and shouted, ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Baek!¡±

    The bark of a dog came from the distance along with a breeze, followed by a whiff of sweat. Seeing that the man was drenched in sweat, Yun Seo brought out a cup of cold water. Staring at his back, which was soaking wet from the sweat, Juho said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m gonna get going.¡±

    ¡°Already?¡±

    Then, as Juho tried to tactfully remove himself from the situation, Yun Seo narrowed her eyes and asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t even finished your tea yet. Besides, you haven¡¯t visited in such a long time... I¡¯d be sad to see you leave so soon.¡±

    ¡°But you have a guest.¡±

    ¡°I insist,¡± she said emphatically. Although Juho wasn¡¯t sure about her intentions, saying no was clearly not an option. In the end, scratching his nose, Juho sat back down. Meanwhile, the man, frozen like a statue in his seat in the living room, kept ncing over in their direction. He was quite easy to read.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that you¡¯d actually let me in. This is such an honor, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t mind if I ask you to getfortable, will you?¡±

    ¡°I... Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±

    ¡®Maybe I can stick around for just a little longer,¡± Juho thought to himself.

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s hear your story.¡±

    After hesitating for a little while, the man started talking timidly, as if aware that his story wasn¡¯t exactly the most rtable. However, he sounded genuine.

    ¡°I was bothered by the fact that there were authors who learned from you before me... I couldn¡¯t stand knowing that I missed out on the opportunity just because I was born a tad toote.¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Juho let out, chuckling. The man was clearly upset at the rest of the world.

    ¡°Seems like there are a lot of things about this world that upset you.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Yes, there are.¡±

    ¡°I can kind of see why you write.¡±

    ¡°Is it obvious?¡± the man asked with a serious look on his face. Studying him, Juho became curious as to what kind of stories he wrote. There were countless people missing out on countless opportunities solely because they were born toote.

    ¡°People fill their heads with should¡¯ve beens and could¡¯ve beens, be it being born under a wealthy family, being a gifted athlete, having courage, knowing the future, being a hero... The list goes on. It never ends. The reality, though, is that none of those are opportunities,¡± Juho said, drinking his tea, adding, ¡°They¡¯re delusions.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    There was no guarantee that the man would have learned under Yun Seo, even if he were to have been born earlier.

    ¡°I know that, but I just couldn¡¯t get over myself, which is why I¡¯m here,¡± the man said, looking down.

    Realizing that he might havee across a bit stronger than he had intended, Juho added, ¡°Of course, that isn¡¯t to say your feelings are a bad thing. To an extent, that dissatisfaction is necessary for every author.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°As long as you can keep it under control so that it turns into imagination and not delusion,¡± Juho said, coughing and looking toward Yun Seo, signaling for her to take over. However, she seemed deep in thought.

    ¡®Maybe this guy will be herst pupil,¡¯ Juho thought to himself. Knowing her personality, Juho was certain that Yun Seo wouldn¡¯t send the man away empty-handed. If anything, she would at least send him to learn under Geun Woo.

    ¡°You¡¯re an aspiring writer, I assume?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    At that, a mischievous smile appeared on Yun Seo¡¯s face. When Juho locked eyes with her, she said, ¡°Have you ever thought about begging to Juho?¡±

 Chapter 389 - The Crowéˆ¥æªš Whereabouts (2)

    <h4>Chapter 389: The Crow¡¯s Whereabouts (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Tilting his head, the man gave Yun Seo a confused look.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    Ignoring Juho, who was appalled by Yun Seo¡¯s suggestion and the man¡¯s dimwittedness, Yun Seo kept going, ¡°I¡¯ve already retired from teaching, but we have somebody who has never taught before. So, I think you might have a better shot with Juho here.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean I can learn from Mr. Woo...?¡±

    ¡°If everything pans out, yes.¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait,¡± Juho said, springing up from his seat and shaking his head. ¡°What are you talking about, Mrs. Baek!? I can¡¯t teach anybody!? I have enough on my te as it is!¡±

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon now. I know you have what it takes.¡±

    ¡°You know my situation, Mrs. Baek.¡±

    ¡°I do. What you need is inspiration. The way I see it, I¡¯m sure you two will be able to help each other out.¡±

    ¡°Please, Mrs. Baek. Would you give it some more thought?¡±

    ¡°Everyone lives with a fear of death. I think I¡¯d feel more at peace knowing that someone else would take over after me.¡±

    ¡°... But...¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a first time for everything, right? Besides, you like this kind of stuff.¡±

    Although Juho couldn¡¯t think of a response, he found himself thinking of the worst-case scenario. However, looking toward the man, who was blinking awkwardly at the author, Juho was quickly reminded that teaching was not an option.

    ¡°No. I think we¡¯re getting ahead of ourselves here. Shouldn¡¯t we ask him first? I believe he said he came here to see you, Mrs. Baek. I don¡¯t think he¡¯d be interested in attaching himself to somebody like me,¡± Juho said. Then, looking toward the man, he asked emphatically, ¡°Am I right?¡±

    Juho thought that he couldn¡¯t have made it more obvious for the man that he wasn¡¯t interested in teaching. However, the thoughtlessness on the man¡¯s eyes was telling Juho otherwise. Sure enough, the man looked toward Juho, bowed, and said, ¡°Mr. Woo, please take me in as your pupil.¡±

    Then, prevented by Juho¡¯s hand from bowing any lower, the man looked up at the author, who said emphatically, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not taking in pupils,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re Yun Woo. Why can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just not in my nature to pass things down to other people, let alone an opportunist like you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not as lighthearted as I seem, Mr. Woo,¡± the man said, and added passionately, ¡°Please, Mr. Woo, allow me to exin.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there is anything to exin.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what my nickname was growing up?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Juho answered briefly. The author didn¡¯t even know the man¡¯s name, let alone his nickname.

    Then, the man said in a hurry, ¡°Crow.¡±

    At that, Juho froze in ce. The bird that had disappeared without a trace was standing in front of him as a person.

    ¡°Crow, huh?¡± Yun Seo murmured as if entertained by the situation.

    ¡°It¡¯s because of my dark skin. I constantly got picked on growing up. ¡®White Heron, do not venture into the valley where crows fight.¡¯(1) I couldn¡¯t stand that poem. I remember crying a lot when I was in elementary school because I hated myself so much.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡®What¡¯s that have to do with anything?¡¯ Juho thought, purposely drinking his tea slower than usual.

    ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is that I look up to you as much as I look to Mrs. Baek, Mr. Woo. There¡¯s a crow in one of your novels, and as far as I¡¯m aware, you like birds. Thanks to you, I learned how to love myself. Do you understand where I¡¯ming from now?¡±

    ¡®No, not really,¡¯ Juho said to himself. Fighting the urge to sigh, Juho smiled.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not insisting that you take me in without even proving myself to you. If you decide that I don¡¯t have potential, then I¡¯ll get out of your hair. So, please, let me show you what I¡¯m capable of.¡±

    ¡°... OK? Where¡¯s your manuscript?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°... I don¡¯t have it. I... didn¡¯t think I would get this far,¡± the man replied.

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you curious?¡± Yun Seo asked Juho.

    ¡®Is this why you haven¡¯t been around? To show up in front of me like this?¡¯ Juho thought to himself, chuckling. Since he was curious about the Crow¡¯s ability as a writer, Juho finally made up his mind and said, ¡°Very well.¡±

    After Juho¡¯s affirmation, the Crow¡¯s eyes widened. Rubbing the back of his neck, Juho said, ¡°As for the topic and genre, I¡¯ll leave those entirely up to you. Write something with which you¡¯ll be most confident.¡±

    ¡°Great. How much time do I get? Where do I write?¡±

    ¡°How about a week?¡± Juho said out of impulse.

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re OK with a shorter piece.¡±

    ¡°You cane see me at my studio when you¡¯re done.¡±

    At that, the Crow¡¯s vision shook.

    ¡°Can I reallye?¡± the Crow asked timidly.

    To which, Juho replied nonchntly, ¡°As long as you¡¯re not nning on robbing my ce.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°If you are, I¡¯ll give it to you. Be it money or manuscript. Just don¡¯t stab me, all right? I n on sticking around a while longer.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Mr. Woo...¡± the Crow said awkwardly.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Woo.¡±

    When Juho opened the door, he saw the crow standing there nervously.

    ¡°You¡¯re right on time,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°I thought runningte was not an option, and I¡¯d be bothering you if I¡¯d gotten here early, so I waited by the door.¡±

    Uponing in, the Crow looked around the apartment, enthralled by the fact that he was in Yun Woo¡¯s living space. After bringing out some tea, Juho asked, ¡°Will this do?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it will.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a healthy tea.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Woo,¡± the Crow said, slowly drinking the tea. Smacking his lips, he said calmly, ¡°Well, they say that bitter things are good for you.¡±

    Looking at the Crow¡¯s bag, Juho asked, ¡°Your manuscript?¡±

    ¡°I have it with me.¡±

    ¡°Great. Let¡¯s see it.¡±

    ¡°Just...¡± the Crow hesitated, sweating nervously.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°... Don¡¯t expect too much,¡± the Crow said, and Juho chuckled inadvertently. Juho hadn¡¯t been expecting much from the Crow from the start. Nevertheless, the aspiring writer¡¯s affection for Juho was visible.

    Nodding, Juho said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t criticize you.¡±

    Juho took the manuscript from the Crow¡¯s hands. The dark, slightly oversized letters told Juho that the aspiring writer had written it with care and effort.

    ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about death.¡±

    ¡°Death, huh? I like that,¡± Juho said, rubbing his mouth. Then, sitting up straight, Juho started reading through the manuscript. Staring fiercely at Juho, it was clear just how nervous the Crow was bing. The more Juho flipped through the pages, the more nervous the Crow grew. It was a short story, which was told from a first-person perspective, about a protagonist who was murdered by his significant other. She confessed that she¡¯d been in love with someone else all along at the time of the protagonist¡¯s death. After reaching the halfway point of the manuscript, Juho asked without interest, ¡°Are you the cheater or the cheated?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°You heard me.¡±

    ¡°... Thetter.¡±

    The biographical nature of the story was very apparent. The characters were described with great detail and originality. At the same time, the writingcked tension. Paying no attention to the Crow, who moved busily on his seat, Juho lowered the manuscript and saw the stiff look on the aspiring writer¡¯s face. Breathing in quickly, Juho said, ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡±

    ¡°Really!?¡± the Crow eximed, genuinely happy that he had Yun Woo¡¯s approval. However, that excitement was short lived, as Yun Woo massaged his shoulder and said, ¡°... But, I¡¯m not taking you in.¡±

    At which point, the expression on the Crow¡¯s face hardened almost immediately.

    ¡°Could you tell me why?¡±

    ¡°You have talent.¡±

    ¡°Eh?!¡± the Crow let out with a silly look on his face, both happy and in despair.

    ¡°So, I don¡¯t think you need to learn from me. If you keep trying, I¡¯m sure somebody will pick it up eventually. As far as I can tell, I think you have what it takes to be an author.¡±

    ¡°Wait, am I really that good?!¡±

    ¡°Yes. Your sentences could use some work, but that¡¯s something that improves over time as you build experience. Otherwise, you¡¯re a fantastic writer,¡± Juho said, scratching his chin and adding, ¡°Seems like you¡¯re the genius type.¡±

    As the Crow remained silent, Juho rose from his seat without hesitation and said, ¡°You can stick around until you finish your tea.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Mr. Woo!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Juho asked, looking down at the Crow, who swallowed nervously and asked, ¡°I still want to learn from you.¡±

    ¡°Did you not hear what I said?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°No, I did, but I was never trained professionally and I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m supposed to do as an author. On top of that, I¡¯ve never been to this city. Not to mention I¡¯m broke...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not your sponsor, you know.¡±

    ¡°No, no. I can always figure out my financial situation, and... Well, I guess I can figure everything out on my own. I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Woo. It just came out wrong. What I¡¯m really trying to say is that you¡¯re Yun Woo.¡±

    As Juho tilted his head, the Crow started talking even faster.

    ¡°... And that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I wouldn¡¯t have met you if I hadn¡¯t decided to visit Mrs. Baek at her house that day. It¡¯s almost like a coincident... No pun intended.¡±

    ¡°Your point?¡±

    ¡°Please reconsider, Mr. Woo,¡± the aspiring writer said, reluctant to let go of an opportunity of a lifetime. Knowing the Crow, Juho was well aware that he wasn¡¯t going to let up any time soon.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t a good enough reason to change Juho¡¯s mind. At which point, the Crow dropped his head, rubbed his hands together, chugged what was left of the tea and said, ¡°... I understand.¡±

    After the Crow left, Juho exhaled slowly while looking at the empty mug and the chair.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have made it more obvious,¡± Juho said, picking up the manuscript on the table. His hands shook ever so subtly as he flipped through the pages. It was an excellent story. Then, Juho went into his room, sat in front of his desk, picked up a pen, and started to write on his own sheet of manuscript paper. ¡®About what am I most confident writing?¡¯

    ¡°Damn it,¡± Juho let out, dropping his head, chucking his pen, and sinking onto the desk. Then, opening a drawer, he took out an old notepad. After looking at it with hesitation, Juho looked away.

    ¡°What am I supposed to write about?¡±

    The Crow didn¡¯t cry.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Woo. I¡¯m here to pick up my manuscript,¡± the Crow said as he ran into the author at the door the next day.

    ¡°I¡¯m going out for a walk,¡± Juho said, slowly studying the aspiring writer.

    ¡°Can Ie with you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. You wait here. I¡¯ll bring it out.¡±

    ¡°Are you not gonna let me in?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like you have other business being here,¡± Juho said, turning around.

    At which point, the aspiring writer fessed up, ¡°Mr. Woo! Please! I wanna learn from you! I confess! I left the manuscript on your table on purpose!¡±

    ¡°Go ask Mrs. Baek,¡± Juho said, closing the door without even bothering to hear what the Crow had to say. When Juho came back out with the manuscript, he saw that the Crow was standing on the exact same spot. After returning the manuscript to him, Juho said, ¡°Well, bye now.¡±

    ¡°Did you read it more than once?¡± the Crow asked with the manuscript in his hands.

    ¡°No,¡± Juho said nonchntly while making his way toward his usual trail. ¡°Why are you following me?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°You know why, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°No means no.¡±

    ¡°But, sir...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather you not call me that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read every single one of your books, including the ones you wrote when you were young. When I finished reading all of those books, do you know what I thought?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I care enough to know.¡±

    ¡°How is this person still alive?¡±

    Walking forward without even bothering to look back, Juho replied, ¡°Are you looking for a fight, young man?¡±

    ¡°If I were the one writing those stories, I would¡¯ve died long ago, dried up like a mummy. You are like a well that never runs dry, and I¡¯m like a thirsty passerby who¡¯s desperate for a drink of water. So, Mr. Woo. Would you please give me the opportunity to drink from your well, just this once?¡±

    ¡°You seem to think that the well owns itself. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be asking the well for permission to drink from it.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s an analogy...¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t covet a well that already belongs to another person, you know. Water is life.¡±

    At that, the Crow turned silent. However, he didn¡¯t stop following Juho. Although well aware of this, Juho didn¡¯t say anything about it since he was used to walking around with a crow by his side.

    ¡®If... IF I took him in, maybe things would change,¡± Juho thought to himself.

    ¡ª

    Citation:

    1 ¨C Kim, Jaihiun. ssical Korean Poetry: More Than 600 Verses Since the 12th Century. 1994. pp. 7

 Chapter 390 - The Crowéˆ¥æªš Whereabouts (3)

    <h4>Chapter 390: The Crow¡¯s Whereabouts (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    After giving Crow, who was behind him, a nce, Juho went inside. Although appearing to be bbergasted, the aspiring writer followed the author into the shop. When Juho greeted a young employee, she greeted him back with a friendly smile.

    ¡°Mr. Woo! Been a while!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡±

    ¡°The usual?¡±

    ¡°Make that two, please.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a table further in. Please, help yourselves.¡±

    Walking past the walls of books and through a space that wasn¡¯t visible from the outside, Juho and Crow made their way to the table. They were at a store that had been passed down to Seo Kwang by his parents. As the aspiring writer looked around confused, Juho said, ¡°You can stick around until you finish your tea.¡±

    Sitting across from him, Crow said, ¡°You know, Mr. Woo, you can be kind of...¡±

    ¡°Friendly?¡± Juho interjected, smiling and sitting down. The colorful couch and pillows gave the space apletely different feel from the rest of the store. Looking around intrigued, the Crow said, ¡°You must be a regr here. It seems like this ce has been around for a while.¡±

    ¡°My friend owns it.¡±

    ¡°There are so many books here. It¡¯s almost like a bookstore.¡±

    ¡°He does read quite a bit.¡±

    Nodding haphazardly, Crow pulled out a book at random and skimmed through it. When the tea arrived at their table, the aspiring writer picked up his cup thoughtlessly and drank it, only to discover its horrid taste. Frowning, Crow put the cup down and said, ¡°Good stuff.¡±

    It seemed like he had meant just the opposite.

    ¡°Do youe here whenever you go out for a walk?¡±

    ¡°When I feel like it.¡±

    ¡°Like today?¡±

    Lowering his cup, Juho warned the aspiring writer, ¡°If you¡¯re thinking about camping out here and waiting for me to turn up, I¡¯d suggest you think of a different n. I don¡¯te here on a regr basis.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Crow said. As the air sank into silence, Juho opened the book he had picked out from the shelf.

    Fumbling with the manuscript in his hands, Crow asked, ¡°Are you gonna write here, Mr. Woo?¡±

    Without taking his eyes off of the book, Juho replied, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°After you leave.¡±

    At that, Crow let out a long groan and said, ¡°You can just pretend I¡¯m not here, you know.¡±

    ¡°Guess you have a point,¡± Juho said nonchntly, and the aspiring writer dropped his head. However, instead of letting up, Crow started to talk even more. ¡°What have you been working on, Mr. Woo? Is iting out soon? I loved your bookst year. It was almost like drinking that healthy tea you like so much. Bitter, but good for you.¡±

    Chuckling quietly, Juho asked, ¡°Which one of my books do you like the most?¡±

    ¡°¡®Trace of a Bird!¡¯¡± Crow replied without hesitation, which caught Juho off guard. Juho had written a number of books that had been better received than his debut title by that point. Needless to say, Crow¡¯s ravings about the book were less than interesting to the author since he had heard those samepliments countless times over the years.

    Studying the aspiring writer, Juho asked himself, ¡®What are the odds of somebody nicknamed ¡®crow¡¯ing to me and asking to be my student? Is this a coincidence?¡¯

    At that moment...

    ¡°Huh! What do you know?! It¡¯s Yun Woo!¡±

    ... A head peeked in through the bookshelf.

    ¡°Mr. Ahn!?¡± Crow let out, startled by Seo Joong¡¯s presence in a way that made him seem like a crow pping its wings.

    Staring at the aspiring author, who was blinking awkwardly, unable to think of a way to introduce himself, Seo Joong asked Juho, ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Just some aspiring writer who followed me here while begging me to teach him,¡± Juho said nonchntly.

    ¡°You? Teach? You¡¯ve got guts, young man,¡± Seo Joon said, smiling. Then, looking back, he called out to someone who seemed to havee with him.

    ¡°Mr. Uhm!?¡± Crow murmured.

    Darting back and forth between Seo Joong and Dong Gil, Juho asked, ¡°What brings you two here?¡±

    ¡°Why, we¡¯re out for some tea, of course. We¡¯ve beening here pretty often as ofte. Seems like Seo Kwang isn¡¯t around today?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s busy with work from what I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right. Wait a minute... You don¡¯t think he¡¯s getting ahead of you in life, do you?¡±

    ¡°I think he is.¡±

    While Juho and Seo Joong were chatting, Dong Gil red at Juho piercingly and asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re taking in a pupil?¡±

    Juho shook his head; Dong Gil smacked his lips; and Seo Joong nodded and said, ¡°So what if he¡¯s taking in a pupil? Can¡¯t hurt to try.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s easier said than done.¡±

    Sitting at Juho¡¯s table without hesitation, Seo Joong said, ¡°There isn¡¯t much to it. You just have to make sure that you don¡¯t burden yourself with it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you need to grow up,¡± Dong Gil said.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t take pupils either. You say it¡¯s a hassle,¡± Juho said, and Seo Joong crossed his legs. There were what seemed like clumps of mud on the hems of his pants.

    ¡°It¡¯s true, though. There¡¯s no bigger hassle than teaching someone.¡±

    ¡°Are you for it or against it? Pick one,¡± Dong Gil told Seo Joong irritably, shaking his head. After all those years, the two hadn¡¯t changed one bit. Meanwhile, Juho looked toward the aspiring writer, who was enthralled by the presence of the two authors.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you read their books a lot too?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Yes, I do. I look up to them both,¡± Crow said unhesitantly, which was just the answer Juho had been looking for.

    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you try asking one of them to be your teacher? I don¡¯t know about Seo Joong here, but Dong Gil has a lot of teaching experience from the lectures he gave when he was younger. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s a much better teacher than I am,¡± Juho said.

    However, Crow scoffed and said, ¡°I¡¯m not as fickle as I seem, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°Think about where we first met.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t repeat myself,¡± the aspiring writer said emphatically, oblivious to the look on Seo Joong¡¯s and Dong Gil¡¯s faces.

    ¡°Did we just get rejected?¡± Seo Joong asked.

    ¡°I... didn¡¯t think this through,¡± Crow said awkwardly. However, Juho drank his tea, paying no attention to him.

    ¡°Just so you know, Yun Woo HATES your type,¡± Seo Joong said bitterly. Then, putting his arms on the table, he ced his chin on his hands, blocking Juho¡¯s view. ¡°You see, opposites attract, but as far as I can tell, you¡¯re a little too fickle. It¡¯s a bit much, really. You¡¯re young and full of vigor. Something tells me that you¡¯re gonna do something big. Do you know what Yun Woo was like when he was young? He was just the opposite of you,¡± Seo Joong said.

    ¡°Quit yapping and sit up,¡± Dong Gil said. However, Seo Joong didn¡¯t let up.

    ¡°The way I see it, I don¡¯t think you have what it takes,¡± he said. At which point, Crow became pouty-lipped, his emotions tantly showing on his face. Seeing that, Seo Joong puffed up his chest confidently.

    Just as the aspiring writer was about to retort, Dong Gil said, ¡°He gets worse the more you react. Just brush it off.¡±

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon! Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡±

    Then, Dong Gil looked toward Juho in a way as if asking: ¡®Are you really not interested?¡¯

    ¡°Well, how¡¯ve you two been?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°Same ol¡¯.¡±

    From the sound of it, the two friends seemed well. When Juho asked them about their current projects, Seo Joong said, ¡°You know, young authors these days really know how to write. They have so much vigor and energy. It¡¯s nice.¡±

    There was a sense of pride in his voice, as if he wasn¡¯t about to let the young bloods in the literary world surpass him. Dong Gil remained silent in that regard.

    ¡°That reminds me, you took some time away from writing, right, Dong Gil? I remember Seo Joong writing all these really strong books at the time.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Good times,¡± Dong Gil said. He preferred to infuse his personal experience into his writing. Because of that, he tended to emphasize how tangible an experience was and how much of it he was getting. During his eight-year hiatus, Dong Gil had traveled to various countries. At that time, Seo Joong had taken the opportunity to write stories that were vivid and full of life on a regr basis.

    ¡°I really showed those people who used to say my ups and downs were too drastic.¡±

    Seo Joong was well aware of his reputation. At one point, his clubmates had even ced bets on how consistent the author¡¯s book releases would be. As Seo Joong thought back to the amount of money he had made during that time, Dong Gil said quietly, ¡°Dae Soo wanted to know when you were free.¡±

    ¡°Is she thinking about publishing another magazine?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s about that time, don¡¯t you think? Thest issue was five years ago.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s still going. I remember asking myself how long that wouldst.¡±

    ¡°Eh... I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll stop when one of us drops dead,¡± Seo Joong said vigorously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know... I have a deadline to meet. I¡¯ll do my best to make time, though,¡± Juho said, rubbing the back of his neck.

    ¡°Everyone else is busy too, so I understand if you can¡¯t. In any case, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to release it by the end of this year. There¡¯s still time.¡±

    ¡°We need to go out for a meal one of these days,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    At that moment...

    ¡°That must be nice.¡±

    ... Crow interjected, and everyone fixed their eyes on the aspiring writer, which caught him by surprise.

    ¡°Well, I was just thinking that I wanted to be there too.¡±

    ¡°What makes you so special?¡± Seo Joong asked.

    However, Crow didn¡¯t let up, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to one of these days, once I be Mr. Woo¡¯s pupil.¡±

    ¡°I told you, you don¡¯t have what it takes!¡±

    At that, Crow tightened his lips. Locking eyes with him, Juho said calmly, ¡°I just don¡¯t understand you,¡± and put his cup down forcefully. While the two other authors remained silent, Crow was bbergasted.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so desperate to learn from me, which is why I can¡¯t think of a reason why I should take you in, let alone have a desire to do so.¡±

    ¡°If I were to tell you why, would you ept me as your pupil?¡±

    ¡°Try me.¡±

    Then, Crow gave him an answer as to why he was still around, ¡°Because you¡¯re a genius.¡±

    Unfortunately, it was less than convincing.

    ¡°How can I not cling to a genius and ask him to teach me when I see one sitting right in front of my eyes? I read your books growing up, Mr. Woo, and your books always resonated with my heart. They changed me. I wanna be just like you, Mr. Woo. I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°... A genius, huh? Haven¡¯t heard that in a while.¡±

    ¡°I doubt that¡¯s true. There¡¯s no one like you, even among geniuses.¡±

    At that, Juho chuckled, and Crow chuckled along with him. However...

    ¡°You know, I still don¡¯t think I¡¯ll take you in.¡±

    ¡°But why!?¡± Crow asked in a hurry, realizing that he had blown his chance. ¡°Was it something I said or did?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Juho replied nonchntly.

    ¡°What did I say?¡±

    ¡°Why are you asking me?¡±

    After ncing over at Seo Joong to ask, Crow redirected his attention to Juho, who was already getting ready to leave.

    ¡°Please, Mr. Woo. Tell me,¡± Crow said desperately, rising from his seat.

    ¡°Tell you what?¡±

    ¡°Why you¡¯re not taking me in and why you can¡¯t understand me. Tell me what I must do. I know for a fact that you¡¯re notpletely uninterested. I¡¯m not stupid,¡± Crow said, ring fiercely at Juho.

    ¡°I have no interest in teaching whatsoever,¡± Juho said calmly.

    ¡°No. I know for certain that you do.¡±

    ¡°Do you know why people die?¡± Juho asked, looking out the window and up at the cloudy sky. It seemed like it would rain at any moment.

    ¡°Because...¡±

    ¡°There is no reason. They just do.¡±

    ¡°... No, there has to be an answer somewhere...¡±

    Without even bothering to wait for Crow to finish his sentence, Juho said, ¡°Personally, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad thing that there is no reason for our death. If there were, then it¡¯d make us wanna think, like death row inmates do: Is my death right or wrong?¡±

    Ignoring the aspiring writer, Juho said goodbye to the two authors, ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    ¡°Be safe.¡±

    The two waved at Juho calmly as he left the store. After that, the ce became silent again. Going back the way he came, Juho felt something well up from within him, and his palm started to itch.

    ¡°Am I upset?¡± Juho murmured as if sighing. ¡®I wanna show that Crow what I¡¯m really capable of. I wanna bring that bird to its knees and make it admit that I¡¯m great. A genius? You¡¯re gonna have to do better than that. What you should¡¯ve called me was the Great Storyteller.¡¯

    Juho clenched his teeth, making a grinding sound. At that moment, a single drop of water fell from the sky.

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    ¡°I thought I told you not to call me that,¡± Juho said calmly, but coldly. Realizing that, Crow clung on to the author even more. Looking at him, Juho said, ¡°I have some writing to do.¡±

    ¡°... Very well, then,¡± Crow said.

    Then, just as he was about to walk away, Juho turned around and asked, ¡°You said you wanted to see me write, right?¡±

    When Juho looked at the aspiring writer, it was clear to him that Crow had been caught off guard by the author¡¯s question, which made him look even more like a rookie, something that Juho couldn¡¯t stand the sight of.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m confident that I¡¯ll learn something from it,¡± Crow said confidently.

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Unfortunately, there was nothing obvious in this world.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we make a bet? I bet that you won¡¯t learn a thing.¡±

    ¡°... And if I win?¡±

    At that moment, Juho rubbed his nose. Another drop of water had fallen andnded on it.

    ¡°If I win, you give up writing,¡± Juho said, ignoring Crow¡¯s question.

 Chapter 391 - The Crowéˆ¥æªš Whereabouts (4)

    <h4>Chapter 391: The Crow¡¯s Whereabouts (4)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    As Crow remained silent, Juho asked, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking?¡±

    ¡°And if I win?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna jump.¡±

    At that, Crow blinked rapidly, his eyes filled with stubbornness and pretentiousness.

    ¡°I¡¯m not backing off, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re dumber than I thought.¡±

    At that moment, a shout came out of nowhere. It seemed like there was a problem on the other side of the street. ncing in that direction, Juho asked, ¡°What do you have to gain from this bet anyway?¡±

    If Crow lost, he would have to give up writing. If he won, his teacher would die. Then, as Juho started cackling out of nowhere, Crow¡¯s face flushed bright red. When the author started walking, the aspiring writer followed him.

    ¡°Were you joking?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean any of it, I can tell you that.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t either.¡±

    ¡°... Right.¡±

    Crow remained quiet as he followed Juho, looking down. However, his face lit up the moment he set foot in Juho¡¯s house.

    ¡°Yun Woo¡¯s writing space,¡± Crow murmured, his mouth agape as he looked around the room. Because there was no light, the room had a cold atmosphere. It was filled with mountains of manuscript paper. ¡°So, this is how much you¡¯ve written, huh?¡±

    ¡°Anybody can do it. I¡¯m throwing it all out once it reaches the ceiling.¡±

    ¡°Such a waste...¡±

    ¡°You mean trash.¡±

    Juho had been repeating the pattern of stacking and throwing out his manuscripts for years. He sat on his chair with no intention of telling the aspiring writer what to do. As long as Crow didn¡¯t try to choke him from behind, Juho couldn¡¯t care less about what the aspiring writer did. Since Juho was antsier than he was letting on, he picked up his pen and pulled out a sheet of manuscript paper.

    ¡°Oh, shoot! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Crow said anxiously after stepping on a piece of manuscript paper on the floor.

    Juho remained silent, thinking, ¡®Been a while since I¡¯ve felt this way.¡¯

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to get to work.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right.¡±

    As Crow remained still, the room became silent, just like when Juho would write on his own.

    ¡°What kind of story are you writing?¡±

    The only difference was that there was a crow in the room.

    ¡°It¡¯s about death,¡± Juho said briefly. When the aspiring writer didn¡¯t say anything else, Juho pulled out another sheet of manuscript paper and added, ¡°I¡¯m nning on killing three people.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather you find out yourself.¡±

    A rude, cocky teenager. A middle-aged addict. A cowardly failure. The threemit suicide at the same time.

    ¡°If I remember correctly, you wrote an autobiographical story, right?¡± Juho asked while moving his hand busily.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The people in Juho¡¯s story were living in constant fear of the sky copsing on them. Fighting futile battles against the unseen, they were living with the unbearable fear of imminent death. They didn¡¯t know how to stop it, and in the end, they decided to run away, making a poor choice like they always did. Thirty minutes had passed by the time Juho finished writing. Then, when Juho looked toward Crow, he was caught off guard by what he saw.

    ¡°Are you crying...?¡±

    The aspiring writer was covered in snot.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t even read it yet.¡±

    ¡°Please, Mr. Woo. I beg you. Take me in as your pupil,¡± Crow said, spitting all over the ce.

    ¡°No.¡±

    At Juho¡¯s refusal, Crow started weeping. His tears looked like drops of sweat for some reason.

    ¡°Mr. Woo, you¡¯re... truly...¡± Crow dragged on in a suppressed voice, desperate to get the words out of his mouth. While he struggled with his stutter, Juho waited for him patiently, staring leisurely at his face covered in tears and snot.

    ¡°... A genius!¡±

    With that, Crow started raving about the story, giving his thoughts on it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never felt this way before! I¡¯m so humbled by the way you write: calm and humble, yet fast and precise. I almost forgot to breathe there!¡± Crow said with his hand on his chest. ¡°I¡¯d never seen anything like it.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Juho asked, smiling.

    ¡°Yes. You¡¯re incredible, Mr. Woo. I wanna be just like you.¡±

    Then, walking right past him, Juho went out of the room and into the kitchen. That time, Crow didn¡¯t follow him out. When Juho went into the room with a couple of cups of tea, he saw Crow reading his manuscript with his face still covered in tears and snot. However, Crow didn¡¯t seem to mind it one bit.

    ¡°Oh, thank you,¡± Crow said, looking at the author with respect.

    ¡°Well, this wasn¡¯t exactly the picture I had in mind,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°You can stick around until you finish your tea.¡±

    Then, turning around, Juho walked out of the room and sat down on the couch in the living room. Shortly after, Crow came out of the room with a bunch of things in his hands.

    ¡°What are these?¡± he asked with an old notepad in his hand.

    Staring intently but briefly at it, Juho said, ¡°Real-life stories.¡±

    ¡°Did you actually go out and do the research yourself?¡±

    ¡°Something to that effect. It¡¯s about a person whoes back from the dead.¡±

    At that, Crow¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Wait... Are you telling me that the character from ¡®The Spirit of Moon,¡¯ was based on a real person!?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°May I?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Crow opened the notepad anxiously, yet cautiously. However, his expression started to sink as he read on.

    ¡°... This is a diary.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s written by that man himself.¡±

    ¡°It seems like he died around your age.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the first thing he wrote after he came back from the dead, apparently. I think he never wanted to relive his past life again. It only took him a few hours to write down the previous three decades of his life.¡±

    ¡°It gets harder and harder to read, though.¡±

    ¡°Seems like he was in a hurry when he wrote it, doesn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t you think it adds to the realism?¡±

    ¡°... It¡¯s all about his failures.¡±

    ¡°It makes sense that he¡¯d be so desperate for a second chance.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I would want my life to look like this.¡±

    ¡°Me neither.¡±

    ¡°So, where is this person now?¡±

    Rubbing his mouth, Juho said, ¡°Who knows?¡±

    After saying goodbye to the author, Crow left the apartment. When Juho was left alone, he made sure to put his manuscript in the storage. ¡®You¡¯re gonna have to do better than that, young man,¡¯ Juho thought to himself, sinking into his chair. There was an old notepad on the desk. It contained all of his past mistakes.

    ¡°I wrote so much when I realized that I¡¯de back from the dead. It¡¯s a miracle that my wrist is still intact.¡±

    Although Juho had lived his entire life desperate not to repeat his past mistakes, some things in life were simply inevitable, and his current situation was proof of that. If he really was going to die that year at the same exact spot, Juho felt the need to write a certain story before his demise.

    ¡°Life can be so damn boring.¡±

    It was a story Juho had been putting off writing, assuming that it¡¯d be boring. He didn¡¯t want to write a story that was subpar at the cost of his career and life. Knowing that even he couldn¡¯t love the story, Juho was confident that it wouldn¡¯t sell and that it wouldn¡¯t appeal to his readers. As an author, it wasmon sense to write a story that everyone could enjoy, and Juho didn¡¯t want to write anything without literary value or that wouldn¡¯t appeal to the masses. Whenever Juho would try to write out of lingering attachment, his past would always find a way contaminate the story, making it unreadable.

    ¡°Mr. Kang said that I should face it.¡±

    Staring at the notepad, Juho rose from his seat, walked toward his bookshelf, which was filled with all of the books he had released up to that point, and started pulling them out one by one. Before long, they made up a towering stack.

    ¡°So, ¡®Trace of a Bird¡¯ is your favorite, huh?¡± Juho said as he pulled out the book.

    ¡°... What was I thinking writing this?¡±

    Juho closed the book without hesitation. He still couldn¡¯t stand it. If anything, it was so embarrassing that it made him want to hide. In the end, the books he had pulled out of the shelf with confidence did nothing to change his perspective toward his own books.

    ¡°What am I doing at this age?¡± Juho said, chucking the book. Upon hitting the floor, the book made a dull sound, sliding across the floor until it stopped in a ridiculous manner. As Juhoy on the couch, time passed, and death drew near. At that moment, a loud noise reverberated out of nowhere, startling the author.

    ¡°Jeez!¡± Juho let out as he sprung from the couch. Somebody was knocking on the door. ¡®Who could it possibly be? Is it Crow? If it is, he really needs to learn to be tactful,¡¯ Juho thought. However, to his surprise, when he flung the door open, he saw somebodypletely unexpected.

    ¡°You seem agitated.¡±

    ¡°... Mr. Lim?¡±

    Raising an eyebrow, Hyun Do said, ¡°Crow must be giving you a hard time.¡±

    Juho stared intently at the fedora on Hyun Do¡¯s head, which was covering his white hair.

    ¡°Are you gonna let me in?¡±

    At that, Juho stepped aside in a hurry, realizing that his apartment was a mess. However, without saying anything about the state of it, Hyun Do walked over the books, sat across the table from Juho and took off his hat. At which point, Juho started picking up the books from the floor.

    ¡°Were you reading them?¡±

    ¡°Uh...¡±

    ¡°I can see that you didn¡¯t get very far.¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    Leaning back on the chair, Hyun Do asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try having a drink or two?¡±

    ¡°Not funny, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°Well, the more you try to force something to happen, the more things will go wrong.¡±

    ¡°Good point.¡±

    Sitting on a chair deliberately, Juho asked, ¡°What brings you here, Mr. Lim?¡±

    ¡°I heard from Yun Seo.¡±

    ¡®Of course,¡¯ Juho thought to himself, resting his chin on his hand.

    ¡°He¡¯s a tenacious one, that one.¡±

    ¡°Did you let him watch you write as well?¡±

    When Juho rolled his eyes without saying anything, Hyun Do pointed toward the room. The door was still cracked open.

    ¡°You¡¯re quick, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the secret to a long life.¡±

    ¡°Being quick?¡±

    ¡°People don¡¯t die in a particr order. Some might die sooner than others, but that doesn¡¯t mean their lives be irrelevant sooner.¡±

    Hyun Do tended to tell people what they needed to hear most. Smiling, Juho said, ¡°If I had a choice, I¡¯d rather take my time.¡±

    ¡°Again, there¡¯s no guarantee that you¡¯ll get thereter,¡± Hyun Do said, staring at the books. ¡°It¡¯s good that things aren¡¯t predetermined.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Juho said, looking down.

    ¡°You seem down.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    Crossing his legs, Hyun Do asked, ¡°Is it because you don¡¯t have anyone who could take over after you?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t beat around the bush, do you, Mr. Lim?¡±

    ¡°I told you that I heard from Yun Seo.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t n on dying early.¡±

    ¡°So you say,¡± Hyun Do said calmly. ¡°Unfortunately, death is something out of our control.¡±

    Running out of things to say, Juho threw his head back and asked, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you take over for me, Mr. Lim?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°If I die before I finish this book, I¡¯d like for you to pick up where I left off.¡±

    Feeling Hyun Do¡¯s piercing gaze, Juho looked away.

    ¡°Why me?¡±

    ¡°Because I have no control over when I die.¡±

    After a brief pause, Hyun Do said, ¡°Just don¡¯t kill yourself. Even the thought of it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. If you do, don¡¯t expect me to do you any favors.¡±

    ¡°So, you will as long as I don¡¯t take my own life?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°It would be too sad.¡±

    Just as he couldn¡¯t finish writing his friend¡¯s unfinished book, Hyun Do wouldn¡¯t be able to finish an unfinished book left behind by another author. Instead, he would focus on writing his own stories. Scruffing his hair, Juho said, ¡°You¡¯re embarrassing me, Mr. Lim.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s natural to be sad when a person dies.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true...¡±

    ¡°So, where¡¯s that manuscript that you¡¯re having trouble with?¡± When Juho remained quiet and fiddled with his nose, Hyun Do smiled and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t even started, have you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah... About that...¡±

    ¡°You also made it sound like you¡¯re going to die soon.¡±

    ¡°I sure did.¡±

    ¡°Well, you can think about those things after you die.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like something Mr. Kang would say.¡±

    ¡°... There¡¯s something Wol used to say like a habit,¡± Hyun Do said, looking up and reminiscing about those words. ¡°On his deathbed, whenever I asked him if he was sad, he¡¯d always tell me: ¡®If I¡¯m not dead, then I have to keep going.¡¯ He would have this silly grin on his face while saying that he¡¯d finally figured out a sentence that was wless and consistent. His mouth was the only part of his body he could move, so he talked quite a bit.¡±

    As Juho rubbed his stomach, Hyun Do looked toward him and smiled, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m debating whether I should write that story or not.¡±

    ¡°Well, what¡¯s keeping you?¡±

    ¡°Something tells me that it¡¯s going to be remembered as the worst book in the history of literature.¡±

    ¡°You can worry about that after you¡¯ve written it.¡± Then, rising from the seat, Hyun Do added, ¡°After all, life is long.¡±

 Chapter 392 - Here Comes the Great Storyteller (1)

    <h4>Chapter 392: Here Comes the Great Storyteller (1)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Juho looked at the open notepad at the center of the table. Its pages were filled with scribbles, and it was clear even at a nce that it had been written in a hurry, which didn¡¯t make it any easier for Juho to look at it. No matter how many times he forced himself to get used to being around it, he simply couldn¡¯t ustom himself to it. The windows rattled from the gusts of the fall wind.

    The writing process was quite different this time around. It almost felt as though the author was transcribing rather than writing a story. ¡®When will this end?¡¯ Juho asked himself, ready to give up at any moment, his mouth filled with a bitter taste. The towering stacks of manuscript paper in his room did little to help him feel better.

    ¡®Is there another story as boring as this one?¡¯ Juho thought to himself while still writing. In Juho¡¯s eyes, the manuscript was filled with nothing but his embarrassing past. In the end, Juho drew a thick line across the page. When he lowered his pen five hourster, he heard the voice of a person who shouldn¡¯t have been there.

    ¡°Mr. Woo?¡±

    Since he had forgotten to lock the door, Crow had entered the apartment.

    ¡°If you¡¯re gonna sneak in, you might not wanna make it so obvious.¡±

    ¡°Do you see what¡¯s in my hand?¡±

    When Juho looked back haphazardly, he saw a sharp-looking knife in the aspiring writer¡¯s hand. At which point, Juho blinked slowly.

    ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous thing you have there.¡±

    ¡°I will stab you.¡±

    Looking down at the manuscript in his hands, Juho asked, ¡°You mind exining what you¡¯re thinking?¡±

    ¡°You said it yourself, Mr. Woo: convince me,¡± Crow said, bringing up what Juho had told him recently in order to drive him out of the apartment. ¡°So, I¡¯m doing just that.¡±

    After staring at him briefly, Juho said, ¡°There¡¯s a leaf on your head.¡±

    Crow shook his head violently, and the leaf fell from his head. Seeing that he was dressed in thicker clothes and that his lips were chapped and crusty, Juho was reminded of how dry the weather was, which also meant they were in a season when people tended to be more emotional. Crow, in particr, had grown increasingly sentimental at the tail end of fall. Watching the leaf flutter down, Juho said, ¡°Pick it up and put it in the trash can.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve tried hard enough, Mr. Woo. The more time I spend trying to convince you, the more anxious I be. I only have so much time left and I can¡¯t do this forever.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s none of my concern.¡±

    ¡°I will stab you if I have to.¡±

    As Juho sighed, Crow came a step closer to the author, still wielding the knife, which looked quite borate. Then, Juho sprung up from his seat, reached for the knife and grabbed it by its de. However, with an ice-cold expression on his face, which made Juho feel like he was looking into a mirror, Crow remained unfazed. As Juho applied pressure into the hand with which he was grabbing the knife, he felt a dull pain through it.

    ¡°Must be from Jenkins.¡±

    ¡°Look,¡± Crow said, pushing the tip of the knife into the handle, hiding the de. Although it was a prop, it looked nearly indistinguishable from a real one.

    ¡°It¡¯s still fake,¡± Juho said. Then, taking a stack of papers in his arms, Crow handed the manuscript over to the author with the prop knife.

    ¡°Would you take a look at this, Mr. Woo? I wrote about life this time.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡±

    In response, Crow pretended to stab himself in the heart and fall to the floor. Although it was childish, Juho gave him a pitying smile. Then, after leaving the room, the aspiring write came back with a letter and a package, which was filled with all kinds of things. Whoever the sender was, they had sent things that Juho had never asked for. Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t feel bad to receive unexpected gifts.

    ¡°It¡¯s from Mr. Coin.¡±

    Juho opened the envelope and took out Coin¡¯s letter.

    ¡°You piece of shit.¡±

    As Crow¡¯s eyes widened, Juho exined, ¡°That¡¯s how he started the letter.¡±

    ¡°I mean, I heard the rumors, but wow.¡±

    Juho read through the letter, which was filled with harsh, blunt words. After infiltrating into a religious cult in order to learn more about it, Coin released his first full-length novel in five years, which had ced him at yet another peak in his career. The content and quality of the novel made his fanspletely forget about the author¡¯s hiatus. What Coin was saying through the letter was quite simple: he was urging Juho to keep in touch. When Crow asked Juho about it, the author said, ¡°He says he¡¯ll punch the living hell out of me otherwise.¡±

    ¡°You might wanna watch your nose, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Reminded that Coin could show up at his door without warning, Juho nodded quietly. While Crow was squatting and looking through the package, Juho warned him, ¡°That reminds me. I don¡¯t feelfortable with you barging into my apartment just because the door isn¡¯t locked.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Mr. Woo. We both know that you don¡¯t lock the door on purpose. Besides, I even did your chores. Cut me some ck! Oh, it¡¯d be nice if you could take a look at my manuscript while you¡¯re at it.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°I¡¯m tactful. I can be quick to catch on.¡±

    ¡°Well, doesn¡¯t mean much if you don¡¯t listen to me, does it?¡±

    The two had had that same conversation multiple times prior to that day. Crow refused to leave Juho alone, much like his bird counterpart. However, since the aspiring writer had helped Juho write in some ways, the author hadn¡¯t kicked him out of the house. When looking at Crow, who was the pr opposite of him, Juho was reminded of his past life even more, and of when he had been a rookie author. Crows were smart and quick. Simrly, the aspiring writer had to have realized that Juho wasn¡¯t going to drive him out.

    ¡°This is from Mr. Jenkins.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Juho asked as he took the box from Crow. Inside the paper wrapping, was a book.

    ¡°A biography?¡±

    It was a biography written by Jenkins, which caught Juho by surprise since he hadn¡¯t heard anything about it. Opening the book, Juho skimmed through it. The book contained the director¡¯s childhood, how he came to dream of bing a movie director, the turning points in his life, his failures and moments of bravery, stories about the film industry, the secret to his work, his values, stories about actors and actresses, interviews, his dreams and goals.

    ¡°The Life of a Master? I forgot how thick-skinned he was,¡± Juho said, chuckling.

    In the back of the book, were a series of testimonials from various celebrities, and to Juho¡¯s surprise, there was also a testimonial by Coin, which read: ¡®The biggest waste of my time. I couldn¡¯t fall asleep to this book even if I wanted to. A book that¡¯s just like its author.¡¯

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a testimonial...?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great! May I?¡±

    Although the book was written in English, Juho handed it to Crow. Crows were quite smart. By the time Juho finished his meal, Crow peeked his head out from the study and asked, ¡°Do you think I could borrow this, Mr. Woo?¡±

    Without even bothering to look at the book in Crow¡¯s hand, Juho said, ¡°I told you, you can take it. I don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t possibly do that. These are your books!¡±

    ¡®So much for threatening me with a knife,¡¯ Juho thought. ncing at the room, which was quite messy, Juho looked away.

    ¡°That¡¯s Coin¡¯s book.¡±

    ¡°Yep! The one thatpeted with your book,¡± Crow said, pointing toward a trophy. It was the novel about the very first murder in the history of mankind, written in its originalnguage.

    ¡°I¡¯d never seen a first edition copy of this book!¡± Crow said excitedly. ¡°I love that your study¡¯s full of rare books, Mr. Woo. It¡¯s like a treasure trove in here!¡±

    ¡°There is some research data that I used to refer to when I wrote my stories. Feel free to look at them.¡±

    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s what those boxes are?¡±

    ¡°The ones in that room, yes.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to take good care of them, Mr. Woo. You could sell a lot of these for an exorbitant amount of money!¡± Crow said. However, Juho didn¡¯t bother to respond.

    ¡°Are you nning on cleaning the ce sometime? I¡¯d like to help!¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done much cleaning while living here and I haven¡¯t had any problems,¡± Juho said with disinterest. There was something else that he needed to do. Checking the time, he added, ¡°You can stick around. Show yourself out when you leave.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll be sure to stay quiet.¡±

    ¡°Make sure to answer my phone whenever it rings.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    Juho hurried into his room. The sense of anxiety lingered even as he was writing. Taking a deep breath, Juho picked up his pen and looked down at the old, worn out notepad, which contained all of his past failures. Juho fully intended on making the protagonist of his story go through the same exact troubles, which also meant that the author knew the pain and despair of the character better than anyone.

    Then, Juho started writing without hesitation. His hands were writing the narrative on their own, even without their owner thinking about what he was writing. There was a shift in the writing style. The hands of a child were different from those of an adult. The two types moved autonomously, staying within their boundaries, which theypeted to expand. At times, Juho would find himself getting confused as to who was writing what. At some point, the moment of realization that had once drawn near faded away in no time. Juho swallowed nervously.

    At that moment, Juho sensed a presence behind him, which felt quite familiar. It was Crow, peeking through the door crack like usual. Paying no attention to him, Juho moved his hands even faster, his mind filled with scenes he wanted to write. Depicting the inner thoughts of the protagonist made the author emotional. The character¡¯s tragedy was directly corrted with that of the author. The more Juho wrote about the protagonist¡¯s life, the more things became clear. He found himself getting closer to the truth that he had been trying to distance himself from. However, instead of a sense of reward or pride, there was nothing but pain, which left the author vulnerable to his cravings for alcohol, cigarettes, and gambling.

    Looking out the window, Juho pictured a dark, night sky. He was looking more and more like his past self, and the desires he had killed were slowlying back. As time passed and the closer the story came to itspletion, the more anxious the author grew. It was going to be winter soon. Wol had passed away on a snowy winter day. Simrly, Juho found himself sinking, falling deeper into the abyss. At that moment...

    ¡°What the!?¡±

    ... Juho stopped writing upon hearing a thud. It was Crow.

    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry,¡± the aspiring writer said, bbergasted.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Juho asked calmly.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just that... I lost bnce as I kept leaning forward.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said you were gonna stay quiet?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mr. Woo.¡±

    Seeing Crow tense up, Juho put the pen down.

    ¡°I¡¯m so very sorry,¡± the Crow said, apologizing profusely. Without saying anything, Juho rubbed his mouth, bothered by the aspiring writer¡¯s apology for an unknown reason.

    ¡°You¡¯re Crow, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that was my nickname growing up.¡±

    ¡°And you said that I like birds, right?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing. I don¡¯t recall ever telling you that.¡±

    Apart from Crow¡¯s nervous breathing, the room became silent.

    ¡°What¡¯s one thing that you hate the most in this world?¡± Juho asked.

    ¡°... My skin.¡±

    ¡°Mine are crows,¡± Juho said, sitting up on his chair, which made a squeaking noise.

    ¡°May I ask why?¡±

    ¡°No, you may not,¡± Juho replied, rising from his seat and taking his worn out leather wallet out of his pocket.

    ¡°Do me a favor.¡±

    ¡°... Of course.¡±

    ¡°I need you to leave me alone for the next six hours. If you don¡¯t want to, you¡¯re more than wee to go home, so make sure to take your belongings with you.¡±

    The aspiring writer left the room quietly, closing the front door cautiously on his way out. Left alone, Juho picked up his pen once again. Although there was nobody around to distract him, Juho simply couldn¡¯t make any progress. No matter what he wrote, he simply wasn¡¯t happy with it. Thinking that he was wasting his time, Juho started to feel a weight in his stomach. The Sun had set long ago.

    ¡°Maybe I should eat something.¡±

    As Juho wasing out of his room, he felt something on his foot, followed by a sharp sound and a wet sensation. When he looked down, he saw a cup of water and a simple meal prepared for him on the floor. There was only one person who would do something like that. Picking up the cup that was rolling around the floor, Juho let out a small sigh.

    ¡°So, you¡¯reing back, huh?¡±

    Scooping the chunk of food on the te, which had long turned cold, Juho put it in his mouth and ate it in a hurry. After which, he went back to his chair, thinking, ¡®I might be having trouble epting this story as my own, but I¡¯m NOT letting anybody do my job for me. I¡¯m getting this done before I die, no matter what.¡¯

    Getting past the crisis, the story proceeded to the climax.

 Chapter 393 - Here Comes the Great Storyteller (2)

    <h4>Chapter 393: Here Comes the Great Storyteller (2)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    ¡°Well, this is awkward,¡± Juho said as he brushed his hair up. The story was on the verge ofpletion.

    ¡°How do I end this?¡± Juho asked himself, but he simply couldn¡¯t reach an answer. The character was either going to die or live, and there was nothing hypocritical about that.

    ¡°I¡¯m the real hypocrite here,¡± the author said, massaging his thigh, his feet numb from the cold. Time was running out, and Juho was anxious to finish the story. Then, Juho chucked the pen. A dull sound reverberated through the room as it hit something, which was more than enough to bother Juho. Without moving a muscle, the author wrestled with himself. At that moment...

    ¡°Mr. Woo?¡± a cautious voice called for him.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°May I suggest you go out for a walk? It¡¯s warmer out than it was yesterday.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Crow studied the author cautiously. The window shook violently. Although the weather might have been warmer than the day before, it was still winter. After some contemtion, Juho rose from his seat and picked up his jacket.

    ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way. I found the perfect ce to jog recently,¡± Crow said excitedly. He was in the habit of exercising both in the morning and the evening. Although it was nothing more than running around the neighborhood, the aspiring writer seemed to enjoy it quite a bit. On the other hand, Juho had been spending more time walking than runningtely.

    ¡°Should we have a race?¡± Juho asked as he put his shoes on. Chuckling, Crow replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mr. Woo. It¡¯s pretty obvious who is gonna be the winner.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t go easy on you.¡±

    Walking past the aspiring writer, who was anxious to start running, Juho said, ¡°Forget it. You wouldn¡¯t want to break a bone or something. It¡¯ll hinder your work.¡±

    When they got outside, their breaths became visible. It was dark out. Then, following Crow¡¯s lead, Juho made his way to the trail. Walking definitely helped him calm his mind.

    ¡°Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°You said you hate crows, right?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Was that a roundabout way of saying that you don¡¯t like me?¡±

    ¡°What if it was?¡± Juho asked, chuckling.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯d like to apologize. Please forgive me,¡± Crow said in a serious tone.

    Rubbing his cold nose, the author asked, ¡°Were you still thinking about that?¡±

    ¡°How could I not?¡±

    Juho had no time to spare for the aspiring writer. He had been so preupied with his own problems that the thought of looking at his surroundings hadn¡¯t even crossed his mind. As if the anxiety was finally catching up to him, Juho felt his shoulders tense up. Looking toward the aspiring writer, Juho thought about what to tell him. The surrounding scenery came into view.

    ¡°This ce...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nice, isn¡¯t it? We¡¯ll get there any minute now.¡±

    Juho looked around the trail they were on, which felt very familiar. He had been on it previously. Meanwhile, Crow led the way unhesitantly. Juho couldn¡¯t feel his feet. The streetlights kept the two from being swallowed by the dark.

    ¡°How far is the ce?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± Crow said, picking up the pace.

    ¡°Here we are.¡±

    The sweat on Juho¡¯s palms started to cool off. Whenever he breathed out, his breath became visible. A river flowed through there. As Juho backed away from the safety rail, the aspiring writer asked, ¡°You like the river, right, Mr. Woo? What do you think of the ce?¡±

    Juho looked down at the water, which shone brightly with the moonlight. It had been at that very spot that Juho had drowned in his past life. Walking toward the author, who appeared to be frozen in ce, Crow called to him, ¡°Mr. Woo?¡±

    At which point, Juho forced himself to move his legs. His cheeks were frozen, making it hard to move his mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty windy today. It¡¯s probably because we¡¯re by the river.¡±

    ¡°Right. Why don¡¯t we head back?¡±

    ¡°Already? Let¡¯s go a little further while we¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°... All right,¡± Juho said, struggling to move his legs. As ifpletely oblivious to the state Juho was in, Crow walked ahead with excitement. In the end, feeling his hands trembling out of control in his pockets, Juho called for the aspiring writer, ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°... Is that how you¡¯re calling me now, Mr. Woo?¡± Crow asked with a look of disappointment. Over his shoulders, Juho saw the safety rails stretching through the trail. It had been on one of those rails that Juho had fallen in the water.

    ¡°You do know my name at least, right? Now that I think about it... you¡¯ve never called me by my name!¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡±

    Juho only knew him as Crow, which was the aspiring writer¡¯s nickname. Since he had turned up, Juho had noticed that the bird had been nowhere to be seen. Then, remembering Wol telling him to face the crow, Juho let out a sigh.

    ¡°Mr. Woo.¡±

    The bird had never addressed Juho respectfully. Since Juho remained unresponsive, Crow started to walk on ahead. When the author called out to him, the aspiring writer looked back.

    ¡°I think we should head back.¡±

    ¡°Is everything OK?¡±

    ¡°... If I were to pick up where we left off...¡±

    ¡°Were we in the middle of something?¡±

    ¡°I genuinely hate crows,¡± Juho said, locking eyes with Crow. However, that hadn¡¯t necessarily been directed at the aspiring writer. ¡°When I don¡¯t like someone, I¡¯m not afraid to let them know. To rify, there¡¯s only one particr crow in this entire world that I can¡¯t stand. Aside from that, I have nothing against the rest of the species.¡±

    Then, the gust of howling wind blew, snapping a tree branch in the distance. ¡®Been a while since I heard this sound,¡¯ Juho thought.

    ¡°What did that bird do to get on your bad side?¡±

    ¡°It ruined my life.¡±

    Ignoring the confused look on the aspiring writer¡¯s face, Juho lifted his hand and pointed toward the sky.

    ¡°Look up at the moon.¡±

    ¡°Ah, full moon.¡±

    Crow did as Juho said. Then, when Juho looked down after staring up at the moon with his mouth slightly parted, he saw a crow sitting on the safety rail. Juho walked toward the bird slowly. Despite being close to the author, the bird didn¡¯t fly away. When Juho reached for the bird, the crow suddenly puffed up its body.

    At that moment, Juho heard what sounded like a loud burp. When he turned toward it, he saw somebody wrapped inyers of clothes covered in holes. As if mesmerized, Juho walked toward the person. Juho thought of the faces of the novelists who had taken their own lives. He wouldn¡¯t say who they were out of respect. Among those authors, were an artist who couldn¡¯t ovee his desire for destruction and an exceptional novelist. Their books had no business in grieving the deaths of their masters, and they continued to sell, unlike Juho¡¯s.

    Then, the homeless man leaned against the handrail, staring at the river. Juho had wished that he could be born as a river in his next life. Flowing aimlessly, not bound by destination or starting point. From the look of it, it appeared that Juho had failed at his life yet again. His will to live was so desperate that he wanted to die. At that moment, the homeless man reached his hand out precariously toward the river.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± a young man shouted urgently. The homeless man was falling into the water head first, and after Juho grabbed him by the ankle, he also got dragged into the water. A scream, ice-cold wind, and the coolness against his scalp were telling him that he was falling.

    Feeling a strong impact, Juho screamed, ¡°Help!¡±

    And then, Juho opened his eyes and found himself back in his room. At the sight of his chair spinning in ce, Juho felt instant relief. Falling back on his bed, Juho stared at the ceiling. Looking at the pen on the floor, he let out a chuckle. At that moment...

    ¡°Wait, my back doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    ... The author was struck by the realization that it wasn¡¯t real. The sliding door was proof of that. Juho knew for certain that there were no sliding doors in his apartment.

    ¡°This looks different. Not exactly what I¡¯d imagined the other world would look like.¡±

    ¡°Hey, there!¡±

    A familiar voice greeted the author. When Juho looked in the direction of the voice, he was met by a man sporting a mischievous smile.

    ¡°Mr. Kang.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten old.¡±

    Getting out of his bed, Juho looked around and asked, ¡°Am I dead?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Still having trouble grasping the situation, Juho chuckled.

    ¡°It seems like you grew more anxious the further your current life and your past grew apart. I was curious about what kind of mess you¡¯d get yourself into in the future, but this?! Interesting.¡±

    ¡°Good to see you too, Mr. Kang.¡±

    ¡°I mean, I can always stay dead if that¡¯s what you want.¡±

    ¡°No, I insist. Keep going.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear. Besides, I have something I want to tell you,¡± Wol said, getting close to Juho as if he was about to whisper something into his ears. ¡°Serves you right.¡±

    As Juho furrowed his brow, Wol burst intoughter, holding his sides.

    ¡°How does it feel now that you¡¯re in my shoes? You don¡¯t feel so cocky now, do you?¡±

    After Wol¡¯s less-than-helpful remark, Juho rubbed his face. However, he couldn¡¯t feel a thing, which made him wonder if he had repeated the mistake of taking his own life. Meanwhile, Wol was standing still with his hands in his pockets.

    ¡°I heard you shouting for help.¡±

    ¡°So, you heard.¡± Although Wol had heard Juho¡¯s cry for help, he hadn¡¯t done anything. Clearing his throat, Juho asked, ¡°Do you think I cried out for help in my past life too?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have been given a second chance otherwise, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I still remember that I had a story I wanted to write. It was the first thing I wrote once I came back from the dead: my failures.¡±

    Before he knew it, Juho had buried his past failures and their records deep within the drawer of his desk, ignoring them altogether. At the same time, they had been constantly in the back of his mind. At that moment, Juho remembered the manuscript he had been working on, which had remained unfinished.

    ¡°I have a story that I didn¡¯t get to finish,¡± Juho said, overwhelmed by a sense of emptiness. ¡°Well, I guess there¡¯s nothing I can do about it now.¡±

    As Wol stared at him with a nk expression, Juho defended himself, ¡°I mean, what can I possibly do at this point? I¡¯m dead. I think I¡¯ve done enough. I¡¯m sure that self-proimed pupil of mine will pick up where I left off. You can¡¯t live life doing only the things that you want to. Besides, living was hard enough as it was.¡±

    ¡°You caught the guy by the ankle.¡±

    At that moment, Juho remembered the safety rail by the riverbank, followed by dizziness.

    ¡°You caught somebody who was falling in the water.¡±

    ¡°What about that?¡±

    ¡°That crow that you hated so much? What you did was exactly what that bird would have done.¡±

    Juho¡¯s choice to try to rescue someone hade at the cost of his own life. Then, a drop of water fell on Juho¡¯s nose. When Juho looked up, there was a massive crack across the sky, and water was leaking through it.

    ¡°To look away from the truth is to die,¡± Wol said, still sporting the same nk expression.

    ¡°I made sure to leave a lot of traces of myself. There are people who will grieve my death. Personally, I think that¡¯s an aplishment.¡±

    ¡°Where will you be once this ce falls apart? What will you be known as then? Yun Woo, the Great Storyteller? Yun Woo, the Fallen Genius?¡±

    ¡°... I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Remember. It doesn¡¯t matter how famous you were. If you don¡¯t believe it, none of it matters. It¡¯s a fantasy at best. It¡¯ll be as if none of it ever happened, including me,¡± Wol said, rubbing his stomach. The back of his hand was split open like cracked earth in a drought, and the drops of water falling from the sky seemed to do little to help that.

    Realizing how far he hade, a chill ran down Juho¡¯s spine. ¡®I can¡¯t let that happen. I can¡¯t lose everything I have. I don¡¯t want to repeat my past mistakes.¡¯

    At that moment, Wol whispered in a dry voice, ¡°Just don¡¯t me yourself too much.¡±

    Juho clenched his hands into tight fists. No matter how much pressure he put into his hands, he couldn¡¯t feel his nails digging into his palms.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the crow?¡±

    ¡°Who wants to know?¡±

    ¡°Where is it?¡±

    ¡°Good idea. We should bring it in. It¡¯s freezing out.¡±

    At that moment, a gust of wind came blowing in, and Wol returned to where he hade from: the ground. When Juho looked toward where Wol had been standing, he saw a ck figure in the corner.

    ¡°Do you not like me, Mr. Woo?¡± the crow asked. His voice made Juho anxious. It made the author want to scold the aspiring writer. ¡°You do know my name at least, right? Now that I think about it... you¡¯ve never called me by my name!¡±

    ¡°Get to the point,¡± Juho said.

    ¡°I won¡¯t repeat myself.¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    As the bird remained quiet, the air became silent.

    ¡°Where have you been?¡±

    As if ignoring Juho¡¯s question, the crow remained silent. At which point, Juho walked toward it, kicked it, and said, ¡°Tell me! Where have you been!?¡±

    Panicking, the bird looked desperately for a ce to hide. Then, upon seeing a painting of the moon on the wall, the bird crawled into it.

    ¡°Youe out right now!¡±

    However, hiding in the painting, the bird remained silent. Juho felt nothing but the rigid surface of a in picture frame in his hands.

    ¡°You did this,¡± Juho said, picking up a bowl and chucking it against the wall, which turned out be a mirror. Shattered pieces of the mirror spread about the floor, every one of them showing a reflection of the bird.

    ¡°Where have you been? Why did you disappear?¡± Juho asked the mirror. However, the crow remained unresponsive. Then, Juho answered instead of the crow, ¡°You thought I wouldn¡¯t have to see you if you put your image on that young man.¡±

    At that moment, the crack on the wall became even wider, and debris started to fall from the ceiling. The ce was about to copse. Water started to gush in, and before Juho realized it, the water was up to his ankle.

    ¡°Come out.¡±

    The crow still remained unresponsive. Instead, it pped its wings about as if it had an itch somewhere. At the sight of its wings, Juho was reminded that it would be able to escape.

    ¡°Fly away from here! Don¡¯t let the past hold you back,¡± Juho said. Shaking his head, he turned around and added, ¡°... you have to live. I have a story to write.¡±

    The crow yawned. The crow wasn¡¯t going toe out unless its prey was near. Even when Juho punched the wall, the crow didn¡¯t retaliate. It was no use, no matter how much Juho threatened it toe out.

    ¡°What do I do?¡± Juho asked, looking at the painting of the moon and dropping his head. ¡°What am I even looking for? I said I have a story to write. I have to write because...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m me, and a novel is a novel,¡± the crow said in Wol¡¯s voice, adding, ¡°If you have aint, take it up with your novel.¡±

    As if a parrot, the bird kept mimicking other people¡¯s voices.

    ¡°That¡¯s me, all right,¡± Juho said. By that point, the water was up to Juho¡¯s thighs. Time passed, and death drew nearer. A violent wave started to break, and Juho lost track of where he was standing.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Juho called to the bird, which blinked indifferently. When Juho spat at the bird, he smelled a whiff of alcohol. His white hair was covering his eyes, making it hard to see.

    ¡°Say something, asshole!¡±

 Chapter 394 - Here Comes the Great Storyteller (3)

    <h4>Chapter 394: Here Comes the Great Storyteller (3)</h4>

    Tranted by: ShawnSuh

    Edited by: SootyOwl

    Right as the crow opened its beak, Juho felt a strong impact against his head. When the wall burst, the water started flooding the area from all directions. Drowning, Juho closed his eyes tightly. When he felt his body float, he realized that he waspletely submerged in water. Frozen by ice-cold water, Juho couldn¡¯t move a muscle. No matter how hard he tried to move his limbs, he kept sinking to the bottom. Juho felt a burning sensation in his nose as water entered it. It wasn¡¯t until the water calmed down that Juho barely managed to open his eyes. Although It was quite dark in the water, Juho was still able to see that the pair of ck eyes in front of him wasn¡¯t a fish¡¯s. The bird looked at the author as if ming him. Everything was ck, and there was no emotion on the face with no eyes and nose. At that moment, Juho was on the verge of death.

    ¡°This water exists so that we can cross it.¡±

    Juho reminisced to his past. A list of books that he hadn¡¯t been able to read shed across his mind. Then, he heard a voice. The crow had its beaks open.

    ¡°You see, I have really good hearing.¡±

    It was a line from a character in one of Juho¡¯s novels.

    ¡°Don¡¯t write about me.¡±

    Juho tried desperately to remember as many things from his life as possible.

    ¡°Once, when I was very young...¡±

    ¡°Uh, a bug went into your camera...¡±

    ¡°I killed a man...¡±

    ¡°Would you like a picture?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a fire!¡±

    ¡°The fuck!?¡±

    Then, Juho¡¯s ears started to ring, and his eyes burned. His head was starting to hurt, and he couldn¡¯t move his limbs. Meanwhile, the crow kept looking at the author with bitter, resentful eyes. It was a mirror, reflecting the very look on the author¡¯s face.

    ¡°Fuck!¡±

    At that moment, the crow asked, ¡°Would you like to know how you can stay afloat?¡±

    When Juho nodded, the bird said, ¡°... Loosen up.¡±

    At that, Juho clenched his teeth tightly. He tried to remember the plot of the story he had been working on before he fell in the water. However, as Juho¡¯s body started to reach its limit, he simply couldn¡¯t. Death was at hand, and his senses started to return. Before he realized it, Juho was overwhelmed with terror.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is how I die! I can¡¯t die like this!¡±

    The more he spoke, the harder it was to breathe. As he ran out of oxygen, his voice started to shake. At that moment...

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to write.¡±

    ... Juho¡¯s mouth started to move on its own. There was no time to think.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if I get my hands cut off, if I be mute, orpletely forget about the ending of my own story. Hell, I don¡¯t even care if I be an alcoholic all over again. I¡¯ll let the crow follow me around for the rest of my life. Money. Fame. You can take it all. I don¡¯t have to be great. Just... let me live.¡±

    At that moment, Juho realized the true desire within his heart. The unfinished story was the least of his concerns. The only thing Juho wanted at that moment was to live. He wanted to live even more than being a novelist.

    ¡°As long as I¡¯m alive, I can go anywhere.¡±

    At that moment, upon finding the prey it had been waiting for, the crow opened its wings and flew toward Juho. At which point, Juho realized why the crow hadn¡¯t flown until then. The bird had nowhere tond. Then, he felt an impact against his back, followed by a dull pain and a sound of wailing. It felt like he was bleeding. Juho was crying, and his body went limp inadvertently. Juho felt hazy. Although his vision was fuzzy, everything seemed quite bright, which told the author that it was morning. Then, Juho felt somebody pulling him up by the ankle. As the ck sky came into view, Juho heard the waves of voices from those who came together to rescue him.

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    As Juho took his first breath, tears started to flow from his eyes. From then on, everything felt hazy. When the author opened his eyes, he found himself in a room. It wasn¡¯t until he saw a man sniffling by his side that he was able to adjust to his surroundings. Juho remembered having met the man before, and he still remembered the voice that had cared for him in the distance. When they had first met, neither of them had had the luxury of introducing themselves to each other.

    ¡°Baek Han,¡± Juho called to the aspiring writer.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°You said you¡¯re broke, right? I think I¡¯m gonna need a helping hand.¡±

    At that, Baek broke down and said, ¡°I thought I¡¯d never see you again! I was starting to think that I wouldn¡¯t forgive you for scaring me like that!¡±

    Looking down at his head, Juho said, ¡°Compliment me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°I saidpliment me.¡±

    Although caught off guard by Juho¡¯s seemingly random request, Baek answered wholeheartedly, ¡°You¡¯re a genius, Mr. Woo.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Juho said emphatically. ¡°From now on, I want you to address me as the Great Storyteller.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±

    ¡°A genius just won¡¯t do.¡±

    Blinking awkwardly in confusion, Baek asked, ¡°How... are they different?¡±

    At that, a sense of emptiness washed over Juho. ¡®Maybe I talked this guy up too much to the bird,¡¯ Juho thought. The crow was a much cleverer creature. Juho grabbed Baek by the hair, and as the aspiring writer moaned in pain, the author said, ¡°You¡¯ll find out.¡±

    With that, Juho closed his eyes, and for the first time in a long time, he fell sound asleep.

    ¡ª

    ¡°Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What would you like for lunch?¡±

    ¡°Anything¡¯s fine,¡± Juho said from his bed.

    Several weeks had passed since Juho had returned home.

    ¡°Why am I not surprised? I¡¯ll make sure to bring something you¡¯d like,¡± Baek said. As an affirmative gesture, Juho waved his hand.

    ¡°You like the book, Mr. Woo?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Juho said as he turned the page. While recovering on bedrest, Juho had been spending most of his time reading.

    ¡°You must really like reading your own books,¡± Baek said, intrigued, and Juho nodded.

    ¡°They¡¯re good books.¡±

    ¡°Do you get impressed by your own writing?¡±

    ¡°If you read my books, you know. I¡¯m the Great Storyteller.¡±

    Unable to think of a response, Baek smacked his lips.

    ¡°Do you evere across anything you wish you could change?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Yet, you still like reading them? That doesn¡¯t bother you?¡±

    ¡°Being able to see something that you were blind to at one point is a wonderful thing.¡±

    Impressed, Baek let out a long exmation. Checking the title of the book in Juho¡¯s hands, the aspiring writer asked, ¡°Oh! ¡®Treasure Trove!¡¯ You released it five years ago! That¡¯s a good one.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Juho replied

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that one of the characters was based on a real person? Who was it...¡±

    ¡°Somebody from my old school.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes! You said you named the book after her, right?¡± Baek asked. Then, scratching his head, he added, ¡°Honestly, once I put myself in her shoes and I thought I would¡¯ve been offended by the title.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s such a depressing book. A trove storing the treasures of the dead. I¡¯ve always thought that gems were meant to shine. I didn¡¯t realize there was a way to make one seem like that much of a depressing object.¡±

    Smiling, Juho nodded. When he had visited Bo Suk in order to ask for her permission to name the book after her name, she had asked, ¡°... Did I do something wrong?¡±

    ¡°She let me name the book after her, but she had one condition.¡±

    ¡°What condition?¡±

    ¡°That she¡¯d get all of my belongings if I died within five years of the book¡¯s release.¡±

    Baek¡¯s jaw dropped open.

    ¡°What!?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Juho asked nonchntly.

    ¡°I mean, what about your family?¡±

    ¡°I have no wife nor kids, and my parents always tell me that my manuscripts are thest things they want. If anybody were to take them, I figured she would be just the right person. I still have the stories that I wrote when I was in high school.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s it?¡± Baek asked as if at a loss for words.

    ¡°Something told me that if I gave my manuscripts to Bo Suk, that would bail me out of trouble in the future.¡±

    ¡°What kind of analogy is that? Have you done anything illegal, Mr. Woo?¡±

    Juho burst intoughter. Death was far from illegal.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m alive and well, so that¡¯s good, right?¡±

    At that moment, the sound of knocking came from the door. Lately, there had been waves of visitorsing in and out of the house. Well acquainted with those visitors, Baek rose from his seat and walked out of the room in order to open the door. Meanwhile, Juho remained in bed, reading. Soon, a confident set of footsteps could be heard approaching.

    ¡°Juho.¡±

    As Bo Suk walked into the room, Juho sat up on his bed. The bag on her shoulder looked quite hefty.

    ¡°Been a while.¡±

    ¡°Whew! Traveling to another country is always exhausting. I flew in as soon as I heard about you,¡± she said with an innocent smile. She was now a seasoned reporter with a significant number of subordinates.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Not too bad. Gives me an excuse to bezy.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not young anymore, so don¡¯t do anything too extreme, all right?¡±

    ¡°idents don¡¯te with warning signs.¡±

    ¡°Was it really an ident?¡± Bo Suk asked with a sad look.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Juho. For how many years have we known each other now? You¡¯re not exactly the most daring type.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize we were having an interview?¡±

    ¡°Of course, not! Besides, I¡¯m in the politics department, so I have no business writing about you.¡±

    Smiling, Juho looked up at the ceiling and said, ¡°Remember what you said to me when you let me name that book after you?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s been five years since then, and I¡¯m still here. So...¡±

    As Bo Suk stared at Juho quietly, Baek came in with a couple of cups of teas. Clicking her tongue, Bo Suk said, ¡°Ugh, I hate these.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even ask him to bring anything. He¡¯s an interesting one, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can always drink it,¡± Baek said, unfazed, drinking her tea. With dark liquid around his lips, the aspiring writer asked, ¡°So, what would you like?¡±

    ¡°... Green tea, please.¡±

    ¡°All right. I boiled a lot of water, so it¡¯ll only be a minute.¡±

    After Baek left the room, Bo Suk asked, ¡°Is he really your pupil?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s more like a hired hand.¡±

    ¡°You might wanna find somebody who actually knows what they¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a pretty decent writer,¡± Juho said, tossing about in his bed in order to sit up straight and drink the tea. Although it was much more bitter than he remembered, it wasn¡¯t too terrible.

    ¡°So, about the ident you were in recently. Are you sure it wasn¡¯t...¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a suicide attempt. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Then, what was it?¡±

    ¡®I came back from the dead, but I couldn¡¯t ept that I was given a second chance, so I was brought to the brink of death. I tried to undo my past.¡¯ If Juho were to tell her any of those things, he would end locked up in a hospital all over again. Rubbing his stomach, Juho said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you after I die.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s a story I finished recently by the skin of my teeth. I think it turned pretty OK.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    After a brief pause, Bo Suk gave Juho a surprised look and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d ever heard you say that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m confident in my work.¡±

    Hearing that, Bo Suk¡¯s jaw dropped open, a reaction with which Juho was well acquainted.

    ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡± Bo Suk asked without hesitation.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather you find out yourself. Read it when ites out.¡±

    ¡°Is it recent?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then?¡±

    Spreading three of his fingers, Juho said, ¡°Try thirty years.¡±

    While Bo Suk blinked in confusion, the author added, ¡°I worked on it for three decades.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s...¡±

    ¡°It even made me wonder if my life turned out the way it did just so that I could write this book. Sure, it¡¯s still not as valuable as my own life, but I¡¯m confident that it¡¯s going to be my masterpiece.¡±

    At that moment, Bo Suk reached into her bag and took out a pen and a piece of paper.

    ¡°Tell me more.¡±

    ¡°I thought you covered politics?¡±

    ¡°There are plenty of people I can talk to.¡±

    Juho had no reason not to tell her.

    ¡°I think this is the most lovable story I¡¯ve ever written, by far.¡±

    Then, it was night. Bo Suk had left after dinner, and Baek was sleeping in the room across from Juho¡¯s. Changing out of his inside clothes and into his outside clothes, Juho went out. There was a full moon lighting the snowy night sky. The air felt quite cold.

    There was no sound, no people, nor birds around, not even the crow that had followed him around. Juho remembered the story that he had recently finished. Although everyone else around him had been against him going back to writing so soon, writing an ending had hardly been a challenge after the ident. Young Do and Baek had also been impressed by how the story had turned out.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll change thest sentence.¡±

    Juho took out a pen and a ragged piece of paper, leaned against the safety rail, and started writing. After staring intently at the sentence he had written, Juho put the paper back in his pocket and returned home unhurriedly. The snow had covered the footprints he had made on his way there, so they were no longer visible, which made it difficult for him to remember from which direction Juho hade. However, that was the least of the author¡¯s concerns. As long as he was alive, he had the choice to go anywhere.

    ¡°What should I write next?¡±

    The sky was still dark, and Juho couldn¡¯t think of what to write about next.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure it¡¯lle to me eventually.¡¯

    Life was long, and morning was bound toe. Taking a deep breath, Juho shouted out the sentence he had just written on the piece of paper, ¡°Herees the Great Storyteller!¡±

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!