Chapter 155
Translator: uly
Chapter: 155
Chapter Title: Again, Writer
Ding-dong!
The elevator doors slid open with a cheerful chime.
A lavishly decorated lobby came into view between the parting doors.
Woo Ji-hyun couldn’t help letting out an admiring exclamation at the sight of the hall, which was lit up brilliantly and far more extravagant than he’d expected—not for nothing was it the venue for an open party.
“Welcome.”
“Oh, yes.”
Even staff members stood between the elevators to guide and explain things, widening Woo Ji-hyun’s eyes.
The scale was much grander than he’d anticipated.
“Ji-hyun, you’re here?”
“What’s with that weird tone?”
“Ahem! This is a formal occasion, so we have to keep up appearances, no matter how close we are. Besides, you represent the genre fiction market.”
“Ugh, seriously, what’s with you?”
Woo Ji-hyun wrinkled her nose at Yeo Woo-jin, who was dressed in a neat semi-formal suit, a far cry from his usual self.
His voice was different—so very different.
Even his gaze had a sleazy glint to it.
“What? I’m just grateful. You know how huge that promo video was with your and the kids’ help, right? It blew up on FaceNote and WittyTV alike. That’s why we’re throwing this open party here.”
“It does look expensive. The vibe is completely different from a regular buffet.”
“I wanted to do it at a hotel, but the dates didn’t line up. You know how our president is—pretty generous with the budget?”
Woo Ji-hyun nodded right away.
She knew Q&D Management’s president, Kwak Cha-won, was every bit as big-spending as anyone said.
“He’s not just generous.”
“Expect a ton of people today. Projected attendance is three hundred.”
“That many?”
“Just the management folks alone are plenty. We sent invites to pretty much every writer worth their salt. Game companies will show up in force, plus a bunch of reporters our president knows. Not major papers, though. Oh, and Tiramisu’s girls and Curve Entertainment people too.”
“I saw the kids’ debut.”
Tiramisu was the fresh girl group that had debuted just a month ago.
Their signature cute looks popped even more against the colorful outfits, earning solid reactions.
The song wasn’t half bad either.
“They look even prettier now. Must be all that camera massage paying off.”
“They’ve got real charm bursting out. Popularity’s building fast too.”
“Our promo video went viral, after all. Can’t deny that boost. Curve Entertainment’s president even called to say thanks—didn’t expect those view counts. So we’re talking Part 2 now.”
“Who decided that?”
“Huh?”
Yeo Woo-jin blinked blankly at Woo Ji-hyun’s words.
Only then did he realize he and the company had only considered Tiramisu’s schedule.
“I can’t this time. Too much on my plate, and schedules won’t align easily.”
“Wh-what?!”
Yeo Woo-jin’s yelp grew louder and longer.
That drew Kang Taek-jin, who’d been tending to early guests inside, peering out with a puzzled look.
“What’s going on?”
“Hi, hyung.”
“Long time no see, Ji-hyun. Kid, you’re flying high, huh? Dominating overseas markets like nobody’s business?”
“Just got lucky.”
Woo Ji-hyun grinned as Kang Taek-jin slapped her shoulders.
Of course, she layered on the humility.
“No one pulls off results like that on luck alone. Sure, luck played a part, but it takes skill to make it happen.”
“It’s not that big a deal.”
“It is an achievement—for now. No one else has done it.”
“Lately, too many people are putting me on planes.”
“You’re not sticking with Frontier Management forever, are you?”
Kang Taek-jin winked.
But Woo Ji-hyun just smiled.
The middle-aged man’s eye smile felt a bit much.
“Way too direct.”
“Aren’t roundabout words weirder between us?”
“Wait, wait! That’s not the point right now!”
Yeo Woo-jin, who’d zoned out, suddenly shouted.
Startled, people stepping off the elevator glanced their way.
Even the guiding staffer stared with wide, rabbit-like eyes.
“Oh, sorry.”
“What’s with you all of a sudden?”
“The promo video Part 2. We overlooked something huge—this guy.”
“Ji-hyun?”
Kang Taek-jin’s eyes widened as he echoed the question.
He’d just caught on to what Yeo Woo-jin meant.
“I’m swamped right now. Not an excuse, though—check with President Jo Jin-gu, and my schedule’s all there.”
“Ah.”
“But plenty of people can fill in for me, so no worries?”
Woo Ji-hyun spoke casually to Kang Taek-jin’s now-grave expression.
She figured replacements were a dime a dozen.
She’d heard applicants had flooded in last time.
“Can’t guarantee they’ll match your impact. And continuity-wise, keeping the same members is best. Chemistry matters. If one doesn’t gel and tanks it, we might have to scrap the whole shoot.”
“Or the four kids without me—me stepping down naturally due to scheduling.”
“Ji-hyun hyung, you betraying us?!”
“Is that for real?!”
A sharp yell cut through Woo Ji-hyun’s calm voice.
The younger guys from the Dream Note promo shoot had arrived—right thirty minutes before the party, manners in check.
All four in sharp suits, they surrounded Woo Ji-hyun in an instant.
“Betrayal? Where’s that coming from, Ji-hyun hyung?!”
“Aren’t we in this together? Ditching your comrades like this?”
“Quiet down. Other VIPs are here—keep yelling?”
“Uh, uh…….”
Lee Jang-hu and Park Seong-il, who’d shouted boldly, hunched their shoulders at Woo Ji-hyun’s low murmur.
Not just her—Kang Taek-jin and Yeo Woo-jin shook their heads with heavy looks too.
The funny part was the onlookers.
They chuckled as the young ones wailed about betrayal.
“You know people here—want the embarrassment?”
“It’s not that. We step off the elevator and hear hyung’s quitting, this and that.”
“Schedules clash sometimes. Freelancers or not, we’ve got commitments.”
“But schedules are made to match if you try.”
Lee Jang-hu pushed back undeterred.
To him, Woo Ji-hyun seemed to be bailing out of laziness.
“You’re right, but overseas gigs are locked in—hard to shift.”
“Overseas? Oh yeah, hyung just did a fansign in Taiwan?”
“Yeah, one hell of an experience.”
“Ooooh.”
Not in Korea, but Taiwan—and not company-hosted, but invited. Lee Jang-hu and the others gazed at Woo Ji-hyun with respect.
They were successful writers too, but Woo Ji-hyun overseas was another level.
Income went without saying.
“So Part 2’s tough for me.”
“No wiggle room at all?”
Lee Jang-hu eyed Yeo Woo-jin past Woo Ji-hyun.
As a Q&D exec, he might swing something with Frontier’s president.
“We’ll talk. President Jo Jin-gu’s on the attendee list today.”
“We’ll back you up too!”
“You want to reshoot that bad?”
Woo Ji-hyun clicked her tongue at Yeo Woo-jin and Lee Jang-hu’s seamless teamwork.
Their sparkling eyes burned with volcanic passion.
“Of course. They’re a debuted group now—opportunities like this don’t come twice.”
“Gotta see them often to build affection. They say familiarity breeds more than love, right?”
“I can wait three years easy. Even just the thrill’s fine. Won’t hit thirty by then.”
“Better that they’re not minors.”
The juniors dove into their own chatter.
Pouring kimchi soup before it was even served.
Woo Ji-hyun just shook her head.
“Let ’em dream. Hope’s a big life fuel, right? No dreams, no hope—what’s the point?”
“True that.”
“Now, let’s get photos.”
“Huh?”
Kang Taek-jin, who’d watched silently, grabbed Woo Ji-hyun’s arm and led her.
The spot had a modest photo zone set up.
A bespectacled middle-aged man who looked every bit the pro photographer snapped away busily.
“Name tags too. Prepared just in case—wear ’em till the party’s over.”
“Huh?”
Not just Woo Ji-hyun—the others got the same treatment.
Yeo Woo-jin’s thick arm dragged them after her to the photo zone.
“Ugh, meeting writer Woo Ji-hyun here! Read everything you’ve serialized. Huge fan!”
“Oh, thanks.”
“Ooh! And writer Lee Jang-hu too!”
Woo Ji-hyun smiled awkwardly in the impromptu photo op.
Same for the juniors.
No photo zone experience—writers, sure, but civilians otherwise—they lined up stiff-faced.
“Thanks for recognizing us.”
“No problem. But your expressions and poses are too rigid. It’s a party—formal, but planned free-spirited. Relax those faces. Natural gestures too. Heads up: these might hit online articles, so make ’em good.”
“You’d use them even if we said no?”
“I’m just a lowly shooter—no pull there. Haha! Tip: expect one goofy shot to leak.”
Snap snap!
Woo Ji-hyun fixed her face the second the photographer finished.
She eased into a relaxed pose, drawing on past experience.
It came off pretty convincingly.
“Er, um.”
“Ahem!”
The juniors, led by Lee Jang-hu, fidgeted with poses but couldn’t shake the awkwardness.
Even their fancy new suits screamed “brand new,” adding to the disconnect.
“Kids, stop. My eyes are watering.”
“Suits are sharp, faces not so much.”
“You stop too. They’re struggling enough.”
Kang Taek-jin reined in Yeo Woo-jin.
No need to push the suffering juniors off the cliff.
They knew their looks best, after all.
“Ahem! Was I too harsh?”
“Very.”
“Alright, let’s head in!”
Photos wrapped roughly, and Yeo Woo-jin grinned sheepishly, herding the group.
VIP arrivals were just ramping up—they had to hustle.