#Bridge Comma, Time for Preparation
There were other things he wanted to do as well.
"Hoo, no matter what I do, the story unfolds just as I write it..."
That was the result of two months of experiments.
If the scale got too big, he could just use points.
Average or Good would net him 2 points.
Anything higher seemed to add 1 point per rank.
"To make that happen..."
First, he needed to broaden his narrow worldview.
School sure as hell hadn't taught him any of this.
"Should've read some fantasy or sci-fi back then."
He tossed the cigarette butt into the metal can and started planning for the remaining cooldown time.
Maeng Soyul.
"..."
The sound of keyboards clacking in the quiet office kept drawing her nerves toward Nam Siu sitting next to her.
Ten days. Her memories of those ten days were extremely hazy.
Just fragmented images and recollections.
She clearly remembered receiving intern training, but the details were blurry.
It felt like a faint mist on the verge of scattering, yet she couldn't shake it off.
Still, those hazy memories didn't carry a bad vibe.
"What, need something?"
Nam Siu glanced at her, noticing her sidelong looks.
"No, the rough edit's done."
"Send it via email?"
"Yes."
She handled it naturally enough. Even so, she couldn't help wondering what those hazy memories were.
But the fuzzy emotion tugging at her heart made her dismiss it as just her imagination.
Do I really like Sunbae that much...?
She did have a favorable impression. For a long time now. But it hadn't stolen her gaze like this before.
"Time to head out~."
The guy who'd been pulling all-nighters every day suddenly stood up first.
"You've been staying late every night—what's up?"
"Caught up on the backlog~. Got something to drop by today anyway."
"Ooh~ Where to~?"
Nam Siu flashed a bright smile at Woo Da-young's question.
"Hitting a bookstore after ages. See if there's anything worth reading."
"Ehh? You?"
"What's with that face? Manage your expressions."
A twinge of something sour stirred in her as she watched them banter playfully. She couldn't pinpoint it exactly, but it felt like jealousy.
"You not heading out?"
Her mind blanked for a second at his question, bag slung over his shoulder.
"...I am."
She wanted to be as casually friendly as Woo Da-young, but her established personality made it hard.
"...Sunbae, can I come with you?"
"Huh? To the bookstore?"
"Yes."
"Got something you wanna buy? Yeah, let's go."
She relaxed at his straightforward reply.
His occasional Chungcheong dialect was kinda cute, making her smile inwardly as she followed him out.
"Whoa, chilly."
It was just before 6 PM outside, already dim with streetlights flickering on.
"Soyul, hold up."
"...?"
She stopped, wondering what it was, and he reached over to fix her hoodie.
"Your hood was flipped inside out."
"Oh. Thank you."
"No prob."
It was probably a casual gesture for him, but it could mean the world to the receiver.
They arrived at the bookstore, but she didn't have anything specific in mind.
She hadn't come for that in the first place.
"What book are you looking for, Sunbae?"
She asked as he browsed the novels.
"Ah~, nothing special. Just wanna expand my worldview a bit. Like viruses or monsters popping up outta nowhere."
"..."
The phrasing—reading books to broaden his worldview—was kinda hard to grasp.
Still, watching him seriously pick books from behind was surprisingly fun.
"What about you, Soyul? Looking for anything?"
"Me? Uh..., well..."
Flustered, she grabbed a random book from the messy display.
"..."
"..."
Only after picking it up did she check what it was.
"...Wanna learn cooking?"
"Yes."
She flinched at the title: 100 Housewife Recipes.
"I'll get it for you. Hand it over."
"Huh? No, no."
"It's for your siblings, right? Can't have your sunbae skimping on this. Gimme."
"Ah..."
He snatched it with a grin, added his own books, and headed to checkout.
Nam Siu's eyes widened at the total on his phone.
"Cookbooks are pricey..."
"Sorry... I'll pay you back."
"Nah, forget it. Just make me something later when you cook for your siblings. That'll cover it."
Unlike her flustered responses all day, this time she replied with conviction.
"Yes!"
Outside the bookstore at the bus stop, they huddled against the cold wind.
"Oh, bus is coming. Hop on quick."
"Yes, thank you."
"Take care~ Bye~."
He waved with a goofy expression as he crossed the crosswalk.
She watched him from the bus window until he was out of sight.
"Hee..."
Clutching the cookbook he'd bought like it was the world's greatest treasure, she shyly smiled and settled into the seat for the ride home.
She'd suddenly tagged along to the bookstore out of nowhere, but he let it slide.
What he really needed now was to find useful scenarios more than anything.
"Directing's one thing... but the scenario has to be fun at its core."
Too grand a scale, and he'd struggle to keep track of details himself.
What scenarios were simple yet engaging?
"Sigh, maybe I should've looked up some erotic stories."
After all, what he wanted leaned adult-oriented.
"Been ages since I cracked a book."
He showered roughly, slumped sideways on the sofa, and opened one.
Maeng Soyul.
Weekend.
With her first precious paycheck, she went grocery shopping after ages.
"Pick what you wanna eat."
The twins excitedly grabbed snacks with their tiny hands at her sister's words—no, her own urging.
She was the only one who could look after them, so she had to step up.
"All done? Let's go~."
Bags heavy, she climbed back home.
"Haa... so tiring..."
The steep stairs were exhausting no matter how often she climbed them.
At night, the similar-looking houses sometimes confused her.
She opened the iron gate, crossed the tiny cement yard, and entered to find lunch prepared by Grandmother, who'd gone to the community center.
"Kids, wash your hands before eating!"
She pried snacks from their eager hands and made them wash up.
"Waa, Unnie~, wanna eat now."
"After washing. You're starting elementary next year—friends'll tease you."
"Really? Okay, you too. Hurry."
Different genders, but the twins acted the same.
Always glued together.
Still, their scrubbing sounds brought a smile.
Sometimes she imagined having cute kids like them after marriage, but she always chided herself it was a luxury and gave up.
"..."
As gloomy thoughts crept in, Nam Siu's face popped into her mind for some reason.
She shook her head and opened snacks for them.
"Stay right here."
In the cramped living room-kitchen, she opened the book Sunbae had bought.
"Gotta practice cooking for him to cover the book price..."
Making excuses to herself, she practiced dishes to make for Sunbae.
"Urgh."
Weekend, yet he stayed in, lying or sitting to barely finish the books.
He read fast, so little stuck, but he got the gist.
"Hm..., world-ending stories are straight-up impossible."
No confidence in crafting an apocalypse scenario.
Needed too many details, and his hands wouldn't keep up.
"..."
If explaining his takeaways briefly to someone, he'd regret not picking romance or war instead.
Flip
He shoved the books aside and opened his doodle notebook.
It was filled with a chaotic mass of scenario ideas scribbled everywhere.
Scribble, scribble.
Flipping pages, scanning for usable ones, he shook his head at the dead ends.
Hated writing scenarios just for sex, and even then, Average was the ceiling.
Solution came unexpectedly days later.
A few days later.
Lunchtime, visitors at the office.
"Hng~, hi~."
Woo Da-hee waved as she entered.
Maeng Soyul was her usual shy self, but Won Yu-chan could chat lightly now.
"Hello, brother-in-law."
Woo Da-young greeted politely.
Choi Hyeok, Woo Da-hee's husband tagging along, still had that tanned, muscled build straining his clothes—daily workouts, no doubt.
Even the hoodie couldn't hide his solid frame.
"..."
Thinking how those muscles would crush him if caught banging his wife sent chills down his spine.
"Haven't eaten yet, right~? Have some~."
Idol fan gifts or shoots, whatever—packed lunches, hearty ones.
"These look fancy."
Woo Da-hee covered her mouth laughing at Won Yu-chan.
"Hehe~, of course~. Hubby and I made 'em~. Here, Siu~."
He quietly took two, passed one to Maeng Soyul.
At the central table, they planned the weekend trip.
"Hubby and I wanna head out early—cool?"
"Huh? Why? We said one car~."
Woo Da-young pouted at her sister's words.
"Ah~, Oppa finally got time off, so couple date first~."
"We don't have a car..."
"We'll pick you up when we arrive~. Sound good?"
He perked up at their talk.
Forgot they were going on that trip to brainstorm new scenarios.
Felt bad after tasting Woo Da-young, so he'd planned to let the sisters have this one.
His gaze drifted to Choi Hyeok beside Woo Da-hee.
"Hm..."
The idea that just hit him was so trashy it gave him goosebumps.