Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Again, Writer
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Woo Ji-hyun showed up at the Frontier Management office carrying a large potted plant.
It was his first visit since Jo Jin-gu had opened shop, so he’d made a point of bringing a gift.
Even with the fairly sizable pot in his arms, though, Woo Ji-hyun didn’t look strained in the slightest.
Knock knock.
“Excuse me.”
He rapped on the door of the second-floor office and peeked his head inside.
The cozy little space came into view all at once.
“Oppa!”
“What’s this? We’re dropping formalities even in official settings now?”
No sooner had he stuck his head in than Min A-rang let out a shout, prompting Woo Ji-hyun to chuckle dryly and ask.
She’d always kept work and personal life separate before, but now it seemed she was doing whatever she pleased.
“This place really feels like family. And everyone already knows we’re close. Or do you want me calling you ‘Writer-nim’ all sweet and sultry?”
“No, just keep doing what you’ve been doing. Don’t make it weird. That voice is an eardrum assault.”
“Oh? I get compliments on my voice all the time. They say it’s great for falling asleep to.”
Woo Ji-hyun didn’t respond.
There was no point.
Instead, he stepped fully into the office and strode right up to Jo Jin-gu.
“Better late than never—congratulations on the opening, President.”
“Hahaha. Hearing ‘President’ from you feels strangely off, Writer Woo. Probably because I got called ‘Section Chief’ so much.”
“You’ll get used to it. Humans adapt to anything. And belated congrats on the promotion, Chief Yeom.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Woo Ji-hyun set the potted plant down in a suitable spot and exchanged greetings with Yeom Tae-seong as well.
Yeom bowed deeply in response.
After all, Woo Ji-hyun was undeniably the central writer at Frontier Management right now.
He was both the boss and the most reliable author they had.
“You’re being too formal.”
“Not at all. If anything, it’s not enough. You’re about to be the face of Kakao Page’s main ad campaign.”
“We haven’t even had the meeting yet.”
Woo Ji-hyun gave an awkward smile and glanced at Jo Jin-gu.
Truth be told, he’d only gotten a brief rundown from him—nothing detailed.
Which was why he’d come to the office in person.
“Right this way.”
“Oppa likes Americano, right?”
“Yeah, iced.”
“On it!”
The moment Woo Ji-hyun headed into the meeting room, Min A-rang dashed off to the kitchenette.
It was a level of agility she’d never shown before.
Yeom Tae-seong watched her go with an indescribable expression, smacking his lips.
“Have a seat.”
“Yes.”
“It must’ve been tough getting here. Weather’s getting hot.”
“Couldn’t show up empty-handed. First visit since the opening and all.”
Jo Jin-gu quickly scanned Woo Ji-hyun’s appearance.
No signs of fatigue anywhere.
The pot looked heavy, though.
“I’ll make sure it thrives—no wilting on my watch.”
“Appreciate that.”
Clink.
As they chatted, Min A-rang returned to the meeting room with two iced Americanos on a tray.
She set one in front of each man with a bright smile.
“Enjoy, Min Deputy.”
“Thanks.”
“Rice next time?”
She answered Jo Jin-gu with a smile, then hit Woo Ji-hyun up for a meal.
He snorted a laugh and nodded agreeably.
“When have you not gotten a free one?”
“Hey, you can’t say that. Anyway, it’s a promise?”
“Yeah.”
“I’d love to join, but I’ve got a ton of work. Catch you on the way out.”
Min A-rang made a pouty face and left the meeting room.
At Linus Publishing, she could’ve trusted the other staff and stuck around for chit-chat.
Not here.
She had a mountain of backlog.
So she swallowed her disappointment and returned to her desk.
“Min Deputy looks bummed.”
“Can’t slack off.”
“Hahaha. She works hard. Came in an hour early today.”
“A-rang did?”
Woo Ji-hyun’s eyes widened.
She was a good kid, sure, but diligent and hardworking weren’t words that fit her.
“Yeah. And she’s got real talent, too. Lightened our workloads a lot.”
“Guess she’s got some experience under her belt now.”
“Exactly. Oh, did you see that photo Lee Woo-hyung posted on SNS?”
“Yeah, another bombshell.”
Jo Jin-gu let out a hearty laugh at the ‘bomb’ comment.
From Woo Ji-hyun’s perspective, sure, it made sense.
But to him, it was nothing but good news.
That photo from Lee Woo-hyung had opened up a golden opportunity.
“Let me explain again from the top.”
“Yes.”
“Kakao Page wants you and Lee Woo-hyung to shoot the ad together. Not TV—not yet. It’s for their main page banner. But if it performs well, they’re thinking TV, probably cable first.”
“Woo-hyung’s influence is massive, alright. Rising sports star and all.”
“You two close or something?”
Jo Jin-gu blinked.
Their casual speech made it sound like they were tight.
“Yeah, same age, so we agreed to drop formalities. Kid’s got a straightforward personality.”
“What are the odds.”
“Right? But even if I say yes, Woo-hyung might have issues. His agent’s a total pro. And his schedule’s packed, from what I hear.”
Woo Ji-hyun took a sip of his iced Americano.
The offer had caught him off guard, but realistically, the odds of it happening seemed slim.
He was a freelancer with buffer chapters, so adjusting his schedule was easy.
Not so for Lee Woo-hyung.
“That worried me too, but I heard his side’s on board. One condition, though: only if you agree.”
“Really?”
Woo Ji-hyun tilted his head.
The guy who went out in the morning and came back at dawn had accepted an ad gig without much thought? Seemed odd.
“Yeah. Kakao Page is ready to set a meeting date the second you give the okay. So, what do you think?”
“Hmm.”
Even with Jo Jin-gu’s question, Woo Ji-hyun couldn’t answer right away.
It was a great opportunity, no doubt.
But the idea of his face getting out there worried him a bit.
He was a successful genre writer, sure, but no celebrity.
So he seriously pondered whether he had any value as an ad model.
“From what I can tell, they saw that SNS photo and jumped on it. They want to milk the fact that a hot sports star uses Kakao Page. And with your sales rankings in the top tier, it’s perfect.”
“Personally, I think Woo-hyung should do it solo.”
“Kakao Page pitched that, but he shot it down flat. Schedule aside, it’s not TV and just a one-off, so the pay wasn’t great.”
“He’s latching onto a friend, huh. Kinda wounds the pride.”
“Flip it around: take the help now, pay him back later. You know this is a huge chance, Writer Woo. I’ll respect whatever you decide, of course.”
Jo Jin-gu laid out his honest opinion.
He wanted Woo Ji-hyun to do it, but the guy’s feelings came first.
Still, personally, teaming up with Lee Woo-hyung would spike Woo Ji-hyun’s sales noticeably.
The catch: he’d get almost none of the direct benefits.
‘Linus Publishing and Q&D Management get the big wins, but it’s not bad for me. His next work’s with us.’
Jo Jin-gu’s eyes gleamed.
Short-term, those two profit.
Long-term, him.
Plus, having read the next manuscript, he was even more certain.
Unlike polarizing sports stories, this one was a hot raid genre.
“What about my contract terms?”
“Way lower than Lee Woo-hyung’s, from what I know.”
“Naturally. I’m just a regular guy.”
Jo Jin-gu slid the first draft proposal from Kakao Page across to Woo Ji-hyun.
Not finalized—room to negotiate—but likely close to final.
“Celebrities with big names blow this out of the water, but it’s on par with rookie models or actors. Rates vary wildly by tier, but from what I dug up, it’s not bad.”
“You went all out on an unexpected gig.”
“No big deal. Kinda fun, actually. Good experience.”
Jo Jin-gu smiled.
Daunting at first, but he’d enjoyed learning the ropes.
And for a management firm, this knowledge was gold.
“Ads. Advertising.”
“You haven’t decided yet.”
“Money says yes, but exposure worries me. Could end up a black mark on my history. Never even crossed my mind for that world.”
“Same here. Never dreamed my first gig post-opening would be lining up an ad shoot. Hahaha.”
It was an opportunity.
Not just the fee—his entire catalog would see sales bumps.
But one lingering worry held Woo Ji-hyun back.
‘Just close my eyes and go for it? It’ll fade with time anyway.’
The words ‘one-off ad’ floated in his mind.
Even shooting together, all eyes would be on Lee Woo-hyung.
So maybe the worry was pointless.
Bzzz!
As Woo Ji-hyun agonized carefully, the smartphone on the table vibrated.
The caller: none other than Lee Woo-hyung.
Speak of the devil.
“I’ll take this outside.”
“Sure, take your time.”
“Be right back.”
Woo Ji-hyun stood, swiping the green call icon.
Soon, Lee Woo-hyung’s voice came through the speaker.