Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Good Guy, Bad Guy, Weird Guy
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This is a work of fiction and has no relation to any real names, events, organizations, place names, or individuals.
Chapter 36 Good Guy, Bad Guy, Weird Guy
In the workshop set up in one corner of the office, Lee Ji-seong stretched her arms after working hard on background sketches alongside her oppa and the newly hired staff.
She had been so focused on the work with her body hunched over that her shoulders, neck, and everywhere else had stiffened up.
“Huuuuh!”
“You’re stretching awfully loud. Do it quietly so you don’t disturb the others.”
“Tch! Can’t I even stretch freely?”
“Stretching is fine, but it’s noisy.”
Lee Ji-seong pouted her lips at her oppa’s nagging.
It wasn’t even that loud, but it felt like he was always picking on her.
“I’m fine with it. What’s the big deal about stretching? If we worked at a cafe, we’d have to deal with all sorts of noise pollution.”
“Exactly. Compared to a cafe, this place is heaven. All the equipment is here, there’s a break room, and the space is properly divided.”
Following the Lee sisters, Lee Hye-seong and Lee Ji-seong, the two newly hired illustrators chimed in with smiles.
Both were 21 and 20 years old, a guy and a girl, and since they were the same age as the sisters, they got along casually even at the office.
Their start dates weren’t far apart either.
“Compared to a cafe, sure.”
“That’s right. So don’t nag your dongsaeng too much. We don’t have to be so uptight here.”
“But we shouldn’t bother others.”
“I said it’s fine.”
Ha Jong-su, who was the same age, nodded repeatedly, insisting it was okay.
Then Jang Yu-ri, who had been diligently working on the cover for Frontier Management’s new release nearby, joined in agreement.
“I’m really fine with it too. Honestly, I love this family-like atmosphere. I couldn’t say it before, but as a fresh graduate, I was really worried. I’d been working alone forever and suddenly had to adjust to office life, so I agonized over it a lot.”
“Same here. I got into this field because I love drawing, but without work, you’re basically unemployed. And there are so many scammers.”
“Exactly.”
Though only a year apart, Ha Jong-su spoke with a bitterness that made him seem nearly ten years older.
Even recognized artists didn’t get steady gigs, and for those who weren’t, it was one job a month if you were lucky.
That’s why Ha Jong-su loved his current life.
His income was stable at the very least.
“As long as the company doesn’t go under, it’ll be perfect.”
“From what I’ve seen, it doesn’t look like it’ll fold anytime soon. It might if it were dominating the market, but it’s pretty famous in genre fiction.”
“When they contacted me, it wasn’t this big yet. But it’s growing fast.”
“I hope it keeps growing like this. I’d love to get a proper title or something.”
“Military service?”
Lee Hye-seong blinked at Ha Jong-su’s words, which sounded like he wanted to stay at the company forever if he could.
At 21, he still had the huge ordeal of military service ahead.
She did too.
“I’m exempt. Had two heart surgeries. One as a kid, one in middle school year three. That’s why I don’t touch booze or smokes at all. Family history too. Got the exemption thanks to that.”
“Really? You’re okay now?”
“I’m fine, or I wouldn’t be working. Truth is, I joined partly to pay off my hospital bills faster. Dreams can wait till the debt’s gone.”
“Cool, oppa.”
Lee Ji-seong clasped her hands, gazing at Ha Jong-su with eyes full of admiration, just like Lee Hye-seong.
In that moment, he seemed like the coolest guy ever.
“This is probably the peak. I know exactly where your heart’s at.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”
Swish.
Ha Jong-su’s gaze shifted to the monitor she’d been working on.
More precisely, to the tablet PC next to it.
And there, the text of God of Martial Arts, Return was displayed.
“Chasing an impossible dream, I guess.”
“But dreams are fair to everyone. Sadly, they only stay dreams.”
“Yep.”
“......What are you two even talking about?”
Lee Ji-seong turned around, glaring at the pair exchanging cryptic words.
Her instincts told her sticking around wouldn’t end well.
Clack. Clack clack.
Confirming even Jang Yu-ri had quietly returned to her cover work, Lee Ji-seong pulled out her smartphone for the first time in ages.
She wanted a quick break and hopped on SNS.
But whatever she saw made her eyes go wide as saucers.
“What’s up? What’d you see that’s got you so shocked?”
“L-Look at this.”
“Huh? That’s Ji-hyun hyung. And next to him is Woo-hyung player. Wait, isn’t that Elder?!”
“What? Elder?”
“Who’s that?”
Lee Hye-seong’s tone rose exponentially with each word, drawing Ha Jong-su’s attention and even Jang Yu-ri’s.
Especially at the last bit—Jang Yu-ri practically flew over to Lee Ji-seong.
“It’s from Ji-hyun oppa’s Instagram. Doesn’t he look like Elder to you?”
“Yeah, total Elder oppa!”
“Whoa, awesome. Is he really hitting the upper crust now?”
“Guess that level of success means you can hang with celebs too.”
Unlike Jang Yu-ri’s excitement, Lee Hye-seong and Ha Jong-su were stunned seriously.
Lee Woo-hyung wasn’t a surprise since they knew he’d done a Kakao Page ad.
Their friendship was famous anyway.
But Elder was so out of left field that both gaped.
“Not everyone can pull that off. There are writers earning more than Ji-hyun oppa, sure.”
“Yeah.”
“Luck played a part too, I bet.”
“Still jealous. Drinking with Elder and Woo-hyung? Any girl idols? Female singers?”
At Lee Hye-seong’s words, Lee Ji-seong’s brow furrowed deeply.
Her oppa’s unexpected comment sharpened her eyes like a hawk’s.
Especially considering Elder was a top rapper—female celebs wouldn’t be weird.
Lee Woo-hyung was known for hanging out with them often too.
“Doesn’t look like it?”
“Maybe he met some but didn’t post? To avoid trouble?”
“Could be. But if they’re all together, it’s fine, right? People just think ‘they’re close.’”
“Gotta ask him. If he met any, hook us up.”
“Me too, me too!”
Lee Hye-seong and Ha Jong-su went wild, all primness forgotten.
Even if nothing came of it, just meeting them would be an unforgettable memory.
Slim chance, but maybe friends or oppa-dongsaeng vibes.
“Men.”
“Seriously. Any idol girl...”
“What’s going on?”
Lee Ji-seong and Jang Yu-ri shot the same glare at the two guys, faces flushed with who-knows-what fantasies, and turned toward the door.
Through the slightly ajar door, Min A-rang’s head peeked in.
“Oh, just this photo.”
“More precisely, Writer Woo Ji-hyun’s photo.”
Unlike Lee Ji-seong, who’d met Woo Ji-hyun offline, Jang Yu-ri smiled awkwardly as she spoke, since she hadn’t.
But at those words, Min A-rang burst into the workshop.
“Oppa’s photo?”
“Yeah, it’s on Instagram, but you haven’t seen it?”
“Nope.”
Though much older, he was from the company and they weren’t that close yet, so she used polite speech as she peeked in.
She’d been heading to the break room when the noise drew her, and unfortunately, she’d left her smartphone behind.
Lucky timing, with Lee Ji-seong looking at the pic.
“Here.”
“Huh? Isn’t that Elder?”
She recognized Woo Ji-hyun and Lee Woo-hyung instantly.
But Elder’s random appearance shocked even Min A-rang.
“Yep. Hashtag and all. Elder posted the same pic on his Insta too.”
“......Whoa. Elder, really.”
Not as much as the others, but Min A-rang was surprised too.
Elder was from a whole other world.
Currently the hottest celeb out there.
“And he didn’t even mention it.”
“Would he? Looks like they drank hard. Only Woo-hyung player seems sober.”
“Better call later? He’s probably sleeping now?”
“Maybe not alone in a hotel, but with two... Ack!”
Lee Hye-seong yelped from the ruthless pinch twisting her side flesh.
But no one asked if she was okay.
“Impressive. Cranking out manuscripts like clockwork.”
“Heard he started part two.”
“Yeah, writing volume one of part two now. Wrapped part one at twenty volumes.”
“Insane.”
Having felt his pace firsthand, Ha Jong-su looked queasy.
Even compared to other full-time writers, it was too much.
But what was crazier: writing that fast without sales tanking.
“He’s our company’s star. Expected. So step it up, everyone. Webtoons out faster means more revenue, and steady paychecks for you, Jong-su-ssi.”
“I’ll work my ass off!”
“Carry on.”
Having thoroughly motivated the webtoon team with Ha Jong-su at the helm, Min A-rang returned to her desk.
But her mind was filled with Elder and Woo Ji-hyun, not work.
She was a fan of Elder too.
‘Should I ask for an autograph? They looked super close in the pic. Old friends?’
As an Elder fan, Min A-rang knew Woo Ji-hyun was the same age.
And Lee Woo-hyung too.
She even strongly suspected Lee Woo-hyung set it up.
“......No girls, right?”
Clack. Clack clack.
Min A-rang muttered, glancing at her smartphone by the keyboard.
But her voice lacked conviction.
Asking directly would be awkward anyway.
“So frustrating.”
Min A-rang sighed.
So much she wanted to say, but almost nothing she could.
* * *
Basking in warm sunlight for the first time in a while, Woo Ji-hyun headed to Q&D Management’s office.
Before diving into the Genre Literature Creation Academy project, they needed to discuss the curriculum.
And foster camaraderie among instructors too.
“Excuse me.”
Arriving ten minutes early, Woo Ji-hyun knocked and entered.
The mild weather had the door open, so no hassle.
“Hello.”
“Come in, Writer-nim!”
The staff at their desks immediately focused on Woo Ji-hyun.
Most were strangers, but a few recognized and greeted him warmly.
“Where are Tae-jin hyung and Woo-jin hyung?”
“In the meeting room. This way.”
He’d signed with Q&D Management once but never visited the office.
No reason to, and Bucheon Station meets were always at bars or cafes, so the office felt foreign to Woo Ji-hyun.
The staff felt the same.
“You’re here?”
“Yeah.”
“This is Moon I-kyung, our romance instructor. Pen name Green Mama.”
“Hello. Moon I-kyung here.”