Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Again, Writer
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This is a work of fiction and has no relation to any real names, events, organizations, place names, or persons.
Chapter 3 wrap-up.
Even after signing with Barun Publishing, Woo Ji-hyun's daily routine didn't change.
Just like before, he got up early in the morning, worked, ate, worked, and repeated.
He was twenty-three, in the prime of his youth, but he devoted himself solely to writing.
He needed money to survive the tough times ahead.
"At the very least, I need enough to last two years without income. Of course, it won't be zero income."
Rental points were steadily declining and would soon drop below 1,000.
It wasn't there yet, but preparing ahead couldn't hurt.
On top of that, to dominate the paid serialization market, he needed to maximize his name value.
"This time, let's hit number one on the Golden Best!"
Woo Ji-hyun logged into Munpia and checked the Golden Best rankings.
Heavenly Thunder Sword Hero, which had shot up quickly, had already settled into the top 10.
It climbed one spot higher each day, and in the past, second place had been the limit.
But now, who knew.
With twenty years of experience poured into it, it might actually claim first place, unlike before.
"Comments? Well, hate comments are always there."
One hate comment stuck deeper than ten praises, but it didn't hurt him.
He knew from experience that no comments were harder to take than hate.
Especially the self-loathing when a hard-written piece got no views and he scrapped it—that never faded, no matter the experience.
So Woo Ji-hyun didn't pay much attention to the hate on every installment.
"Anyway, once I announce publishing and delete it, they won't see it even if they want to."
This was before ebooks took hold, let alone paid serialization, so when a publication date was set, he announced it and took down the serialized chapters.
Rental shops loved that.
Back then, rental shops held real power, so publishers had to cater to them.
Of course, that wouldn't last much longer.
"Hmm. Already July?"
Feeling the summer heat closing in, Woo Ji-hyun stretched.
His body ached from morning work, but one stretch eased it all.
"Young bodies are the best. This focus, this stamina."
Amazed at his changed physique, Woo Ji-hyun gazed out the studio apartment window.
It was a cheap place he'd grabbed to match his funds—not great, but he didn't mind.
He could move to bigger places as earnings grew.
"Youth."
Dense buildings limited the view.
Mostly just the road with cars, but occasionally people on the sidewalk.
Some were couples.
His eyes lingered on them.
"Jealous. I should date too."
Back when he was a full-time writer, if he could go back, dating topped the list.
The job didn't involve meeting many people, so his social circle was small.
Worse, his few friends didn't have many women around.
So he'd dated occasionally but never to excess.
"Good times only from now on. I'll save up tons of money and play properly. All those years I couldn't—forty years' worth, all at once."
Woo Ji-hyun's eyes gleamed.
As promised, he planned to do everything he wanted.
After buying a house and car, of course.
But to play freely, he needed success as a writer first, so he'd hold back now.
"Can't hold back too much, though. These good times won't come again. What's money if your body's too old to enjoy it?"
Bzzz!
As he ground his teeth recalling his regret-filled past life, his phone vibrated.
A text from someone he still wasn't used to.
"Oh, forgot to tell this guy."
Among his dwindling friends, this was the closest one. Woo Ji-hyun scratched his head.
He realized too late he'd ignored everyone while focusing on serializing.
"Right, it's Friday today. Burning Friday means Hongdae. This era's clubs would be a blast."
He smacked his lips while texting the friend.
In his past life, he'd first hit a club at twenty-four, after starting college.
It was a new world, total fun.
Though the first subway ride home was hell.
* * *
Having exceeded his word count goal, Woo Ji-hyun styled himself as neatly as possible and headed out.
Still, his expression wasn't great.
His scrawny frame aside, he had no good clothes.
He'd bought what seemed cheap but decent back then, but now they just looked cheap and tacky.
"No salvageable outfits."
No immediate dating plans, but he wouldn't block chances if they came.
Twenty-three was priceless in life.
Plus, military service—the biggest hurdle for men—was done.
"I'd toss it all and buy new if I could, but no money, and this body's trash."
Naturally narrow shoulders meant he'd hit the gym like mad in his past life.
Desperate to fix his frame.
It worked well.
Stamina improved too.
"Once money stabilizes, start then. Control eating too."
Nothing from head to toe pleased him, but he did his best styling.
It'd look average to others, but he'd given it his all.
"Yo, you made it?"
"Same place again? You guys don't get sick of it?"
Entering the stir-fry joint in Mansu 3 District's only food alley, Woo Ji-hyun clicked his tongue.
He met his friends' warm greetings with snark.
"What's wrong with this place? Comfy, cheap."
"That's why it's all ajusshis."
"Girls too. Bora's here."
"So what."
Woo Ji-hyun grumbled as he sat.
He scanned the friends hogging the biggest table.
Back then, gatherings hit seven or eight.
Similar enlistment meant similar discharge.
'Of these, only two stick till the end.'
Post-discharge, he'd buried himself in work, but came for these two.
They remained friends to the end, so he met them now at twenty-three.
The rest? Zero interest.
"Why's everyone early?"
"Yeah, usually thirty minutes late minimum to all show."
Soon, the two he'd waited for tossed cig butts in the entry trash and entered.
Back in time, they looked more young men than ajusshis.
Skin unbeatable even vs. forty-year-olds.
"Heh heh."
Their reborn, shed-old-skin looks made Woo Ji-hyun chuckle.
Seeing young friends lifted his mood.
"What's with you? So happy? Wouldn't even glance at Bora."
"Yeah, you liked Nam Bora."
Yoon Sung-hwan and Kim Seo-yong eyed him puzzled.
Something off since his end-of-service leave, now confirmed.
Especially Yoon Sung-hwan, same class as part-time Nam Bora here, tilted his head.
On leave, Woo Ji-hyun had given her his publisher business card as a note, crushing on her.
Now? Total indifference. Yoon frowned.
"I did back then."
"Not anymore?"
"Nope."
"Something happen? Met up? Or rejected? Heh!"
Stocky Yoon Sung-hwan grinned, poking his side.
Meant as friendly, but past Woo laughed it off—now, no.
He'd seen this guy's bare body near thirty, so Woo scowled.
"Shut up and drink. Don't pry."
"Tch. Fine, I'll play dumb. In-hu and Sang-min are here too—cheers. Rare full group, let's go wild."
"Yeah, yeah."
Under Yoon Sung-hwan's lead, glasses filled.
Then downed one after another.
Everyone followed his strong drinker's pace.
"Tsk tsk."
Weak drinkers Kim Seo-yong and Kim In-hu already flushed red.
Woo paced himself, not getting smashed.
Never weak anyway.
"Hey, chugging again?"
"Doesn't sit right today."
"Nothing doesn't sit. Just drink. Seo-yong's downing it."
"Don't force your pace. Drinking's not about forcing."
"What?"
Yoon Sung-hwan's face hardened.
Direct rebuke stung, especially from always-accommodating Woo.
Others paused drinking, watching.
"Let's just drink easy. You carrying drunks?"
"Of course! I always have!"
"You only save one anyway."
"……."
Yoon shut up.
Big and strong, but drunk bodies were extra heavy—one max.
"So drink if you want. Plus, it's bomb shots, so if I pace, you drink more soju—win for you."
"This about money?"
"Just saying."
Yoon smacked his lips at Woo's oddly convincing words.
Annoyed, but not wrong.
Stubborn pride kept him pushing.
"Studies going well? Heard you joined cram school."
"Dropped it. School's not for me. Gotta do what I want."
"Dropped after enrolling? What now?"
"Writing again."
Not just Yoon beside him—all friends gawked.
End-of-leave, he'd boldly declared college via studies—now quitting cram for writing? Shock.
"Didn't you quit writing?"
"Full-time risky, right? Barely earned before enlistment."
Kim In-hu and Kim Seo-yong looked worried.
Genre lit fans, they knew the market sucked.
"Hey, no writing. Market's dead. Can't eat off it. Hotel jobs or bust."