Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Again, Writer
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“Come in.”
No sooner had they knocked than a low, gravelly voice came from inside the president’s office.
At the sound of that voice, Jo Jin-gu took a quiet, deep breath and opened the door to the president’s office.
“Good morning, President.”
“Good morning, Director Jo.”
“Hello, President.”
“Come on in, A-rang.”
The president warmly greeted the two as they greeted him in turn, then rose from his desk where he’d been working and approached them.
He gestured toward the guest chairs before taking his seat at the head of the table.
“I figured you hadn’t had coffee yet, so I brought some.”
“Thank you.”
As if to demonstrate his years of social experience, Jo Jin-gu set down the tray he’d brought and placed a cup of coffee in front of the president.
He then placed one in front of Min A-rang before grabbing his own.
“Here’s the report, President.”
No sooner had the president taken a sip of the coffee Jo Jin-gu handed him than Min A-rang, quick on the uptake, passed over the report she’d brought.
It was the report detailing the discussions from last Friday about contracting with Woo Ji-hyun.
But upon seeing something in it, the president’s eyebrow twitched faintly.
“Where’s the receipt?”
“Pardon?”
“Did you give her the company card?”
The president glanced at Min A-rang, who looked back in bewilderment, then turned to Jo Jin-gu.
Jo Jin-gu flinched this time.
He’d remembered the meeting with Woo Ji-hyun but had completely forgotten about the company card.
“W-Well...”
“You didn’t give her the company card, did you?”
“...I’m sorry. It slipped my mind.”
Jo Jin-gu apologized quickly.
No matter how busy and hectic things had been, it was undeniably his mistake.
Now Min A-rang looked flustered.
She suddenly remembered that they hadn’t paid when leaving the barbecue place that day.
“So you paid with a personal card?”
“Uh, well...”
This time, Min A-rang stammered.
She’d only just realized her own mistake, so the words wouldn’t come out right.
But she couldn’t skip the report, so she squeezed her eyes shut.
“It’s fine. Just tell me.”
“We ended up getting treated by Writer Woo Ji-hyun.”
“‘Ended up’? Either you got treated or you didn’t.”
The president made a face like it was absurd.
Yet there was a smile playing at his lips.
Like he was watching a friend’s daughter make a silly mistake.
“I didn’t pay when we left the restaurant.”
“Then Writer Woo Ji-hyun must have covered it.”
“Y-Yeah.”
The fact that an editor from a publishing house—let alone in charge of the writer—had gotten fed and liquored up by her assigned author made Min A-rang want to crawl into a hole and hide.
Her boss had definitely told her before clocking out to just use the personal card and keep the receipt.
That way, the amount would get added to her salary, so no worries.
‘You idiot! How could you forget that!’
Min A-rang squeezed her eyes shut again as her sister’s words came back to her too late.
If they hadn’t been in the president’s office, if the president and Jo Jin-gu hadn’t been there, she probably would have smacked her own head.
“Heh heh heh.”
Meanwhile, as Jo Jin-gu froze in tension over the unexpected bombshell, the president burst into hearty laughter.
The situation just struck him as funny somehow.
And it made him think about this writer Woo Ji-hyun once more.
“I’m s-so sorry!”
“It’s okay. It’s not like this never happens. And you’re still a newbie, right? You learn from mistakes. Still, it’s surprising. Most writers won’t budge until we offer to pay first. Maybe because he’s young?”
As far as the president knew, Woo Ji-hyun was twenty-four, just a year older than Min A-rang.
So he wondered if it was because the guy hadn’t been hardened by the world yet.
At twenty-four, most guys had finished military service and were in university.
“It’s not that. He may be young, but he’s not like other guys. He thinks deeply too. To me, Writer Woo Ji-hyun doesn’t seem his age at all.”
“He’s like an old soul.”
Min A-rang chimed in after Jo Jin-gu’s words.
She said it in a slightly grumpy tone, as if she’d never been shocked at all.
The president looked surprised at that.
From what the two were saying, he didn’t sound like an ordinary person.
“And it ended after the first round?”
“Yes, I got too drunk...”
“For someone that drunk, this report is remarkably well-organized.”
“Writer Woo Ji-hyun suggested we talk before I got wasted, so we outlined it beforehand.”
“Heh heh heh.”
The president chuckled again.
From what Min A-rang said, it seemed Woo Ji-hyun had anticipated she’d get drunk.
Min A-rang, meanwhile, couldn’t lift her face from embarrassment.
“He’s definitely no ordinary writer.”
“Seems that way. And not overly greedy either. Have you read it?”
“Not yet.”
“Take a look.”
The president handed Min A-rang’s report to Jo Jin-gu.
Jo Jin-gu quickly skimmed the not-too-long report and looked genuinely surprised.
Compared to Woo Ji-hyun’s current performance, the contract terms weren’t all that high.
“He really said that?”
“Yes, I wrote down everything we discussed exactly. He even took current market conditions into account. And he added that taking too much would be embarrassing if it flops. Though I don’t think that’s likely.”
“With his current results, unless it’s a total disaster, it’ll sell decently. And he proved that himself.”
“Right.”
Jo Jin-gu shook his head.
From Woo Ji-hyun’s writing skill so far, he might hit a slump, but regression? No way.
Writers who procrastinated deadlines and played around were the ones who declined. Not Woo Ji-hyun.
‘If anything, I worry he’ll collapse from overwork.’
Honestly, Jo Jin-gu was grateful but worried about Woo Ji-hyun.
Churning out writing like a madman was, in a way, detrimental to his health.
He said he took one full rest day a week—Sundays—but Jo Jin-gu still worried.
He feared burnout.
‘He’s been running nonstop since Heavenly Thunder Sword Hero.’
He hadn’t told anyone, but he was on pins and needles.
Worst case, Woo Ji-hyun could burn out at any moment.
“With terms like these, he should be begging to sign.”
“We have to get that stamp.”
“You know other places are sniffing around, right?”
“Of course.”
Jo Jin-gu had nearly ten years in the industry now.
He had wide connections and heard plenty.
“I’d love to sign tomorrow if possible. He’s run hard so far, so there’s a risk of burnout midway, but I think a proper rest will lead to even better work. Didn’t he say he aims to go full-time?”
“I agree with you, President. And as a person, everyone needs a break now and then. He’s got stockpiles overflowing already. Even with a hiatus, no one would notice.”
“That makes sense.”
The president let out a wry chuckle.
On second thought, a hiatus wouldn’t show much.
They could adjust the publication schedule back to three weeks or a month anyway.
“I’ll head to Writer Woo Ji-hyun’s place tomorrow. Bring a housewarming gift too.”
“He moved?”
“Yes, he escaped monthly rent after a year, from what I heard. It’s May now, so a bit late, but still worth celebrating.”
“Impressive. Securing a jeonse deposit at twenty-four on his own.”
The president was impressed again.
Writing was impressive enough, but renting a full jeonse place on his own? Incredible.
Most guys that age blew money on fun.
But a jeonse meant he’d saved diligently.
“And he earned it by writing hard. Heavenly Thunder Sword Hero and Asura Sword Emperor did well too.”
“Both contracted by you, Director Jo.”
“Hahaha.”
Jo Jin-gu laughed awkwardly.
He had some recognition in the industry as a planner, but it had nothing to do with Woo Ji-hyun.
Woo Ji-hyun handled everything himself, no advice needed.
Same with the new Solar Chronicle.
“If possible, let’s snag two. We can sweeten the terms.”
“I’ll do my best.”
He knew Woo Ji-hyun usually contracted one at a time, but Jo Jin-gu agreed for now.
Better to at least bring it up with Woo Ji-hyun than refuse here.
“Then let’s wrap up the meeting.”
“Got it.”
“Oh, and give A-rang the company card from next time. First time’s forgivable as a mistake, but not twice.”
“I’ll definitely keep the receipt.”
Min A-rang, who’d been sitting quietly listening, replied with a crestfallen face.
But even at that, the president just smiled.
“That’s a given.”
“Yes!”
“So do your best today too.”
“Yes.”
Jo Jin-gu led the deflated Min A-rang out of the office with a grin.
The president watched them until the door closed.
“No matter how I look at it, something’s off. A woman drinking that much alone with a guy...”
The president stroked his chin with a serious expression.
Even when he’d dated, he’d come home late but never gotten blackout drunk.
So he furrowed his brow and kept muttering to himself incomprehensibly.
* * *
Woo Ji-hyun got out of the taxi in front of Namdong Police Station, next to Namdong Tax Office.
He unfolded the foldable hand cart he’d prepared in advance and loaded the boxes of complaints onto it.
There were so many that without the cart, moving them would’ve been impossible. Good thing he’d prepared.
“Been a while here too.”
If he’d had a car, he’d have driven, but he didn’t.
He’d passed both the written and practical driving tests on the first try, but hadn’t bought one.
No real need.
He spent most of his time at home anyway.
“Should’ve grabbed drinks, but no convenience store building here back then?”
Having gotten out of the taxi briskly, Woo Ji-hyun looked around nostalgically—then puzzled.
The convenience store that should’ve been there, or at least its building, was gone.
“Heh heh heh. Don’t tell me I have to go up that hill.”
The cart helped, but it still had weight.
Plus, he had to keep the boxes from spilling, so hills were best avoided.
But the situation forced his hand.
“...No choice.”