Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Again, Writer
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Woo Ji-hyun strode confidently into the rundown pork belly joint.
He'd been there a few times before, so entering felt natural.
"Hey, you made it?"
"What? You already ordered drinks by yourself?"
"I just poured it. Didn't drink any. The meat was already on the grill too."
"What if I'd been late?"
Woo Ji-hyun stared at the samgyeopsal already sizzling golden-brown on the grill, his face a mix of disbelief.
But Ye Seong-pil, the one who'd called him out, was utterly unapologetic.
"Then I would've eaten it all myself."
"You thug."
"You want me to let it burn? That's an insult to the pork belly."
"You didn't already down one bottle and pour a fresh one, right? The side dishes look a bit picked over."
Woo Ji-hyun's eyes quickly scanned the soju bottle.
By the amount left, it looked like he'd only poured two shots.
But considering Ye Seong-pil's usual tolerance, he could've easily finished a whole bottle first without batting an eye.
The guy showed no flush from a single bottle of soju.
"Whoa! What do you take me for? Even if I can hold my liquor, I have principles."
"Good to know."
Woo Ji-hyun chuckled at Ye Seong-pil's vehement denial and took a seat.
That kind of reaction meant he definitely hadn't touched it.
"I ate the sides 'cause I was starving. This is my first meal of the day."
"...What time is it?"
Woo Ji-hyun instinctively glanced at his watch.
His Emporio Armani pointed to 6 p.m.
"For me, it's morning. I'm a nocturnal writer. Not everyone's like you."
"Fair enough."
He couldn't judge everyone by his own standards.
Woo Ji-hyun apologized readily.
"Come on, have some meat. I grilled it to perfection."
"Let's see."
He wrapped a piece of samgyeopsal in perilla leaf that Ye Seong-pil handed him with tongs and popped it in his mouth.
The pork's rich flavor exploded, harmonizing perfectly with the ssamjang and roasted garlic.
"Kills it, right?"
"Pork always does."
"Whoa! Listen to that killer line. Writer through and through."
"Occupational hazard. Can't shake it."
Woo Ji-hyun grinned and raised his pre-poured shot of soju.
Ye Seong-pil grinned back and they clinked glasses heartily.
"Ahh!"
"Gulp! Hits the spot!"
They downed their shots in unison, letting out satisfied grunts before chasing with water.
Then they refilled each other's glasses.
"You seem like you've got something on your mind. Spit it out now, before the booze makes it ramble."
"That obvious?"
"If it wasn't, that'd be weird. You hit me up out of the blue for drinks today. Just the two of us."
"True. It does feel off, doesn't it?"
Ye Seong-pil snickered.
Even he knew the call was random as hell.
But that's why he appreciated it.
Despite the sudden invite, Woo Ji-hyun had shown up without hesitation.
"A little off? It's screaming weird. We've never had drinks just the two of us before."
"Now I feel kinda bad about it. Enough to crave booze."
"But I came, didn't I? Means you're a decent guy."
"You're gonna make me tear up."
Ye Seong-pil cackled and knocked back his soju.
Woo Ji-hyun, though, held off.
Matching his pace would end the night after one round, sending him straight home.
"Take it slow. What's the rush?"
"It's urgent. You're soaring, and I'm sliding backwards."
"Hmm."
Woo Ji-hyun didn't press.
But staying silent was as good as agreement.
Compared to him, Ye Seong-pil really hadn't grown much.
Even though he'd debuted before Woo Ji-hyun.
"I told you before, right? The market's dying. No answers. Done for. The honey-dripping bus already left, leaving just the sticky road behind."
"Yeo Woo-jin hyung said that too. Bus is gone—why'd you get on? What good's it gonna do you?"
"Heh!"
Ye Seong-pil laughed quietly, having heard it himself.
But he hadn't left because he loved writing.
Loved reading and writing enough to stick around a crumbling market.
"But even if the sky falls, there's a way out. Paths still exist."
"Right. And you're the only one who's climbed back up."
"Not just me. Plenty if you look."
"But you're the top dog in visible results."
Woo Ji-hyun chuckled.
Couldn't deny that.
"People misunderstand a lot, but it's not luck."
"No kidding. I've seen your insane output. That's why folks wanna meet you. Ask how you write so fast."
"There's no secret. Just shut up and write."
"Not everyone can do that."
Ye Seong-pil wrapped another samgyeopsal ssam, his face self-mocking again.
Woo Ji-hyun was relieved he was still eating and grabbed a piece himself.
"Quitting before trying means you fail at stuff you could've nailed."
"I know. Gotta start. But sitting down? Brain goes blank. Can't tell if I'm writing right, if it's any good. If I think it's fun, feels like it's only fun for me."
"My writing sucks syndrome?"
"What the hell kinda cheesy name is that? But damn, it sticks."
Ye Seong-pil muttered to himself.
First time hearing it, but it latched right on.
Burned into his brain instantly.
"Every writer gets it. Pros, amateurs, no exceptions. Me too."
"You?"
"Yeah. You think I don't doubt? I just write first, revise later. Edit to death. Geniuses spew masterpieces effortlessly. I'm not there."
Woo Ji-hyun spoke like he was in the same boat.
Playful tone, but he hadn't escaped it either.
Worst part? It was incurable.
"Still, that quality, that speed."
"That's my edge. Like you said."
"Hmm."
Ye Seong-pil flinched.
Even as friends, this hit sensitive spots.
But Woo Ji-hyun didn't seem bothered.
Agreed, even.
"So don't tiptoe. Big bear like you."
"Yeah, topics like this are touchy."
"True, but it doesn't faze me."
"...Wish my mentality was steel like yours. Mine's glass."
"But how long you gonna play sidekick?"
Woo Ji-hyun spoke up while the empty samgyeopsal plate was cleared and fresh soju ordered.
Ye Seong-pil looked startled.
"You knew?"
"Look in a mirror. Your face screams 'when do I get to the point?'"
"No way. I was stone-faced."
"If you're just venting, fine. Not bad."
Sizzle!
Two more servings of samgyeopsal arrived, and Woo Ji-hyun slapped them on the grill.
Ye Seong-pil grilled the first round; this was his turn.
He had confidence in his grilling skills too.
'Cooking's all fire control.'
Seasoning mattered most, but fire control was right up there for grilled dishes.
Bad seasoning? Still edible. Burnt? Trash.
Woo Ji-hyun figured fire control was as crucial as seasoning.
"You know I'm contracted to your bros' company, right?"
"Yeah. My book's there too. Rest are exclusives, so couldn't share."
"Heard that. They were bummed. Anyway, next work's contracted too. Lucky timing or spot opened up—I'm serializing on Kakao Page."
"Nice. Terms sound solid."
Woo Ji-hyun congratulated him sincerely.
Conditions varied by writer, payouts differed, but still beat print royalties.
He really thought it was great.
'A bit earlier than I remember, but prep stage? Manuscripts need to be ready.'
Reviews took time.
Plus debugging the platform.
All in, timeline matched up.
"Yeah. Overkill, even. Growth potential's huge. Honestly, I think Kakao Page will outpace Naver. They got stubborn ways."
"Know it well. That's why I'm not eyeing them. Welfare's top-tier, sure."
"Turning publishers into corner stores."
"Oof."
Woo Ji-hyun's envy was genuine.
But that's where it ended.
Envy, no desire to join Naver.
"Anyway, joined Kakao Page, writing a baseball novel."
"Solid pick. I dig sports stuff too. High potential."
"But clashing hard with my editor. They want safe, no risks. I wanna try something unique. Fantasy or modern doesn't fit me. Bigger issue: editor doesn't get baseball. Thinks it's boring."
"You hash it out well? Editor clashes are par for the course."
Woo Ji-hyun treaded carefully.
Third-party view made bluntness tricky.
But Ye Seong-pil's face darkened.
"Möbius strip. Or 'you're set up to lose.' Problem is, I'm not sure I'm right. Get their side too. Sure, bruised my pride some."
"What'd they say?"
"'Write like you.' Fast and fun. They don't know we're buds. New hire."
"That psycho. Real editor? Said that to their own writer?"
Woo Ji-hyun's eyes flashed fierce.
Disagreements happen.
But some lines you don't cross.
That editor just trampled Ye Seong-pil.
"Couldn't call them out. You know my last works tanked."
"Doesn't mean take it lying down. Wrong is wrong. Trashed your pride. Your bros know?"
"Probably not. Just me and them in the meeting. And it's not wrong, so I'm torn. Pissed me off too. But true, so I swallowed it."
"Seong-pil."