Chapter 109
Chapter 109
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 109
Chapter Title: Youth Magazine Scout
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Right before the start of the semester, at a café in front of the school.
Kang Hyun was savoring some long-overdue leisure time, organizing his upcoming student council duties, when someone suddenly approached and greeted him.
“Hello.”
“…Who are you?”
The man immediately held out a business card.
“…?”
He was an ordinary-looking guy with a common face, but a quick glance at the card suggested he worked for some magazine.
Since this was someone completely unrelated to Kang Hyun’s world, he tilted his head and asked,
“What’s this about?”
“I’m a reporter for ‘Youth,’ published by J.W. Company. Mind if we chat for a bit?”
“About what?”
“We’re putting out a special issue for our fifth anniversary. It’ll focus on connecting with college students. I happened to pass by, and you’ve got great style and a good vibe… but… um…”
The man’s face, as he explained enthusiastically, shifted in an instant from vague recognition to outright surprise.
“Gasp! You’re Kang Hyun from Korea University, aren’t you?”
Kang Hyun hesitated for a second, wondering if he should just deny it, then gave a slight nod.
The man’s face lit up with a huge grin.
“Wow! It really is you! Do you know Reporter Jeong Eun-seong by any chance?”
“Jeong Eun-seong from Seoul Ilbo?”
“Yes, yes!”
Kang Hyun knew Jeong Eun-seong well—he’d gone out of his way to help with various matters and had built a solid rapport.
Sensing they had common ground, the man’s expression brightened further. He gestured with his eyes, asking if he could sit across from him.
Kang Hyun nodded, and the man plopped down into the seat, continuing,
“Hyung’s moved on to a bigger gig now!”
“Ah, I haven’t been in touch lately.”
“He’s at TBS News Bureau these days, in the current affairs news division. He’s swamped with his recent promotion—word is, becoming bureau chief is a done deal!”
Kang Hyun made a subtle face as the man rattled on, prompting him to clear his throat and dial it back.
“Ahem. Don’t you remember me? Back in early last year, I interviewed you about your paper—Lee Chan-woong. I told you I was a huge fan…”
“Oh! Lee Chan-woong, the rookie reporter who came with Jeong Eun-seong?”
Only then did it click for Kang Hyun, and he greeted him warmly.
The memory surfaced faintly: the nervous newbie fumbling through the interview.
“Great to see you’re doing well. Sorry for not recognizing you—your style’s changed a lot…”
“Haha, no worries! I have changed quite a bit. Now that I’m at a magazine, the dress code’s more relaxed.”
Kang Hyun, pleasantly surprised to run into someone he actually knew, looked at him fondly.
Lee Chan-woong, the reporter.
Memories of their brief interview came flooding back. Of course, they’d been buried under other events soon after.
“Long time no see.”
“Thanks for remembering!”
Delighted that Kang Hyun finally recognized him, Lee Chan-woong stuck out his hand enthusiastically.
Kang Hyun extended his naturally, and the reporter clasped it with an emotional expression.
“Congrats on the job switch. Sounds like things are going well?”
“Yeah, it’s a dream come true, so definitely. It’s busy season now, so I’m out in the field a lot, but it’s manageable.”
Only then did Kang Hyun relax and take a proper look at him.
Back during the student council incident, Lee Chan-woong’s article on Kang Hyun’s paper had sadly gotten buried.
But seeing him now, he’d clearly gained experience and grown—more poised, with fluid gestures instead of stiff movements. That’s why Kang Hyun hadn’t recognized him at first.
Kang Hyun nodded and glanced back at the business card.
J.W. Company ‘Youth’ Magazine Reporter: Lee Chan-woong.
“Feels like fate, running into you again! But you seem different too, Kang Hyun—more mature?”
“Huh? You think so?”
“Yeah, more grown-up, I guess? You always had that aura, but now it’s even stronger. Hope that’s not rude?”
“I’ll take it as a compliment.”
“Ah, since we’ve crossed paths like this, mind if I explain that thing I mentioned earlier?”
“Sure, go ahead. You can’t just say hi and leave.”
With Kang Hyun’s go-ahead, he launched back in with fervent energy.
As far as Kang Hyun knew, J.W. Company was a major player with real influence. ‘Youth’ was one of their flagship magazines, famous for targeting young readers with annual concepts and collaborations across fields.
“…So, this time our concept is ‘Vision, Hip Freshness.’ We’re doing pictorials and interviews with young folks. Meeting you like this feels like fate—would you be up for joining us?”
The pitch hit hard at the end of his explanation. Naturally, Kang Hyun was put on the spot.
“Me?”
“We’ve already reached out officially to Korea University for student recruits, and good news is coming. Adding you for an exclusive pictorial and interview? It’d be a massive hit. Great exposure for you too—our magazine has a solid rep!”
“Uh… the semester’s starting soon, though…”
“We can work around your schedule! We’ll squeeze it in before classes, maybe a weekend day, two days max. It’s not a full production since it’s everyday people. I swear it won’t mess with your plans!”
Kang Hyun scratched his head as the man pushed hard.
‘A pictorial, huh…’
It sounded fun and intriguing, but he wasn’t sure he could pull it off, so he hesitated.
“No hassle at all. We’ll even compensate you for your time.”
He pitched confidently.
“Hmm…”
It wasn’t big money, but it was like a part-time gig.
And above all…
‘Would Yoon Haneul like it?’
She popped into his mind.
Last year, when she’d been picked as a model for Korea University and worked hard on shoots.
Her cover photo, beaming brightly and taking up prime space, always tickled his heart.
He hadn’t told anyone, but he still had that picture.
“Reporter.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t have much photo experience—sure that’s okay?”
“Of course! The pros will handle everything.”
“Alright then. I’ll do it.”
“Awesome! Thank you! Here’s the concept mockup and schedule.”
He was already prepared for the next step, spreading materials across the table.
Photos of models striking charismatic poses, props, backgrounds—all piled up. Kang Hyun nodded along, his eyes darting to follow.
“The editor in charge will reach out! I’ll email the details and pre-meeting schedule!”
“Got it.”
“Our J.W. magazine is taking a big role in this youth initiative project…”
The explanation flowed seamlessly, Kang Hyun’s eyes mesmerized.
When he snapped out of it, the pre-meeting day had arrived, and he found himself blankly sitting on his bed.
‘Oops.’
Ding.
The phone buzzed with a KakaoTalk from Yoon Haneul.
-Mom sent some mantis shrimp. Want some?
-Mantis shrimp? The salt-grilled kind?
-Yeah.
Yoon Haneul was evolving into an ace solo liver: not just eating well, but leveling up her cooking game.
She’d dabbled in high school, but it had gone from quick meals to something more sophisticated.
-If there’s leftovers, hook me up.
-Sure.
They’d only met occasionally while he was in Incheon, but they texted more often now, even sharing the little things.
Still, he hadn’t mustered the courage to mention the pictorial, and now the day was here.
-See you for dinner? Got plans for lunch.
-What plans?
-Meeting someone.
-Who?
-Jeong Eun-seong’s junior reporter.
-Got it. Dinner then.
He set the phone down with a clack and sighed.
“Ugh. Did I bite off more than I can chew?”
Kang Hyun stretched on the bed, then hopped up and got ready to head out quickly.
Destination: Gangnam.
“Huh?”
“What are you doing here?”
Inside the J.W. Company building’s meeting room.
The person he ran into was Yoon Haneul—the same one he’d just been texting.
Dressed neatly, she stared at him with wide eyes.
“How’d you know to come here?”
“Uh, I had a meeting here too…”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah…”
The people in the room seemed intrigued by the scene. A staffer next to Yoon Haneul gasped and said to Kang Hyun,
“Oh? You two know each other? Ah… makes sense, same school.”
She shot up and told the staffer,
“Be right back—need to talk.”
“Ah, sure, go ahead.”
She grabbed Kang Hyun’s arm and dragged him out of the room. Her eyes were still round as saucers.
He didn’t come to his senses until she’d pulled him outside the building.
Vroom.
Cars whizzed by on the road a few times. She stared at him in shock until she finally snapped out of it with a jolt.
“Was… Jeong Eun-seong’s reporter friend J.W.’s Ha Min-young, the editor?”
“No, it was Reporter Lee Chan-woong…”
“Oh.”
Once she pieced it together, she clicked her heels and tugged his arm.
“You’re doing a pictorial?”
“It just kinda happened.”
Suddenly, she balled up the hand on his arm and poked his side.
“Ow, that hurts…”
“You didn’t tell me!”
“Well, you seemed busy, so…”
“So you don’t tell me anything?”
“It was… kinda embarrassing.”
“That’s too much. I told you everything…”
“Huh? Oh…”
A memory flashed in Kang Hyun’s blank mind: her schedule she’d shared.
Exactly last Monday.
Yoon Haneul had mentioned getting scouted for a pictorial by the school.
‘Ah, damn…’
What good were hundreds of law codes in his head?
Kang Hyun looked apologetic.
“Sorry. It felt awkward, so I couldn’t say… And I never imagined it’d overlap with yours. No excuses—really…”
She shot him a sharp glare. Of course, it was more cute than scary.
“But why’d you say yes this time? You hate getting photographed.”
Forgetting the secrecy for a moment, Yoon Haneul seemed genuinely baffled he was even there.
She knew full well this wasn’t his style.
“Well…”
Only then did Kang Hyun meet her eyes.
Yoon Haneul looked even prettier today.
The makeup for the shoot, maybe? At school, her beauty had an intellectual, studious edge. Here, she was just stunning.
She’d turned down fitting model offers left and right before.
Kang Hyun felt small before her and ventured carefully,
“I saw your pictorial last time… You looked so gorgeous. Thought maybe I could get one good photo of my own…”
“Really?”
Her eyes sparkled wide.
“Yeah, really.”
Suddenly, she patted his head proudly, ruffling his hair.
Even as it got messed up, the embarrassment kept him from stopping her.
“Good call.”
“But… can I actually pull it off?”
“Of course.”
She gazed at him sparklingly, then hooked her arm in his.
“Still mad, though.”
She pouted cutely, but her irrepressible smile lingered.
Her words had a bite, but stumbling into the same shoot with him—from surprise to delight—filled her with joy.
“Let’s head in. And relax—that’s how you get good shots.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. But you’re the one who said the schedule was tight…”
She headed up ahead, muttering something uncharacteristically.
She’d heard there was one other guy in the shoot, but it being Kang Hyun had her buzzing.
Her little habit when excited.
She was thrilled.