Chapter 5: Web Novel Creation Workshop
06:50. ♬ I still can't let you go, naaah~ ♬
"Ughhh…."
The alarm's so damn loud… ♬ The regrets of those slender nights I spent alone—.
……Wh-what? ……I-I didn't turn it off.
Whatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhatwhat?! Intensity…? Or… a stalker?! M-maybe a m-murderer?!?!
"You're awake, huh."
……Th-that's Park Jiyong's voice. ……N-not right next to me, but coming from that corner over there?
…W-wait a sec?
(A sudden flash through his mind—)
"Hng. Haaaang. Kkuuuhk. M-more, more intense ♡"
"M-more, haa, more f-fierce grrrk ♡"
"F-fierce, hng, haaaang! Haek, f-fiercely…!"
"N-no, ah, ha, nooo… more ♡"
"G-gonna, hk ♡ G-gonna, me, me, c-cumming, cuuuuuming ♡"
(—last night's euhuhu lewd moans^^)
Ah, nooo!!
You fucking speedy Kim Yejeong, you crazy bitch…! Save me! I'm too embarrassed to even open my eyes! And this skin sensation against the blanket… I'm totally naked right now.
Oh, right! Come to think of it!
S-so, what happened with the bet…?! Shit, of all things, the most important part's a total blank…
M-maybe I won??
No matter how I think about it, if I made noises like that!!
"Uh… anyway, I-I won… right…?"
R-right…? Yeah…
"Mumbling like that under the covers, I can't hear a thing."
Ughhh… okay, let's just ignore that part…
"?!"
Wh-what. This is a new blanket?? And why is she— queng… quong… she looks exhausted as fuck…! She's even got a canned coffee lid in her mouth!
But why's she on the laptop?? D-don't tell me she broke our promise and submitted the dropout application!!?
"Th-the bet… I w-won… right…?"
No… why's she making that 'crazy bitch' face…
"…Check the trash can later."
"Wh-why the trash can…?"
"Aigoo."
A-aigoo…? What, what is it, tell me too!
"P-Park Jiyong…"
"Saw you wake up, so I'm out."
Wa-waitwaitwait. Leaving it this awkward?!
"Y-you! Last night was… good?"
Ugh… why bring it up again… she's looking at me like I'm a crazy bitch…
"We didn't even finish."
Wh-wh-wh-what?!?!
"Th-that's a l-lie…"
"If you have any conscience, don't talk to me at school either."
No no, don't gooo… aaah, don't leave meee…
Clunk. Roll. Clunk.
…She's gone.
"Fuuuuck."
Shwaaa—
Not Kim Yejeong's place, but my own studio apartment bathroom. I surrender my whole body to the cold stream from the showerhead.
"Ha…"
The mention from her in the coin laundry chat. 'Why'd I open the laptop there.'
I got possessed and wrote feedback like crazy. And out of conscience, I prepped for the other members too.
At this rate, I can at least make it to class today….
"She said she hated how my feedback made things run late…"
Words I'd heard since freshman year before enlistment. Even my mentor told me, if you're gonna go that long, shorten it in class and send the full file privately later.
'But since getting too close personally was a burden, I cut back on feedback length after…'
…Though mine was still pretty long.
'So there were those subtle side-eyes judging me as picky.'
Of course, I think being thorough is the right way, but everyone's standards for "right" differ. Passion levels are personal too.
'But Ryu Seowon's message…'
Felt like my stuff actually had value acknowledged. …Something like that.
'On the other hand, Kim Yejeong's [Just] drop out…'
No recognition there. Maybe as a human being, but that won't justify me sticking around this uni, taking tuition, rent, and living expenses from Dad.
'But this could be… a reason… maybe…'
If Ryu Seowon was a total newbie, it'd be different. But she's the star of Webchangsil, sweeping up the most positive feedback every time.
'And she wants my feedback.'
Now, let's look at my web content prof and mentor, So Chuseung. He's an educator who matches my style perfectly. No fluffy praise to motivate aspiring writers—that polarizes people—but he rips feedback to shreds and torments you till you rewrite.
(My long feedback in critique sessions is straight-up copying his style;)
'Key point: I've never gotten anything close to praise from him.'
But he praises Ryu Seowon plenty, and she specifically asks for my feedback. That's professor-level validation…
"…right?"
Aaah, I'm going crazy, fucking crazy.
'Miss today's deadline, and the tuition refund changes.'
Ughhhhhaaah! No, don't do it! Don't! Don't!
"Don't…"
Just don't miss today, right?
Drip. Drip. Drrrip.
"Ugh, gross."
I chug cheap coffee. And at 8:30, the classroom's empty except for me.
'I ignored Ryu Seowon's "you watching?" message…'
But right now, I'm reviewing and tweaking the feedback I wrote earlier to meet her expectations.
…Ha, so indecisive, it's insane.
Does this change anything? Even if I'm some feedback genius… I wouldn't go into editing, PD, or whatever.
'Doesn't suit me, and I probably couldn't hack it.'
I'm the type who survives by writing my own stuff. Kinda funny calling it "skill" or "conviction" at my level.
Anyway, that's how I'm living now.
'Suppose I stick around 'cause I'm good at feedback~'
Then I'd milk all the financial aid, tank my grades and portfolio, graduate as a one-trick feedback pony doing favors for others?
Clunk.
"What're you doing?"
That shrill high tone matching his personality. Shining skinhead and sturdy build in a checkered shirt.
"Why're you here so early when you didn't even upload anything?"
So Chuseung. Name sounds like he owns small things. Full-time professor in Bonye Art University's Web Content department.
"Real smart move, huh~?"
Yeah yeah~
"Feedback."
"…I prepared it."
"Postponing Retirement of a Hopeless Failure."
Referring to the one I fully deleted from the trash two days ago.
"…Deleted it."
"Yeah, I thought it was boring too."
Straight-talk is his specialty.
"Aiyu~ I'm dying of exhaustion here~"
His hefty frame stretches, checkered shirt straining against his gut. Thank god clothes aren't sentient. Otherwise, daily torture.
"Should I ditch the morning seminar to our pi-pye Ji-yong and crash hard~?"
Why I'm Pi-pye Ji-yong: Wrote nothing but bleak shit since freshman year.
"…I wanna rest too."
"Rest? You didn't even write."
Agh, just punch that fat belly once…
"But Ryu Seowon called you out in the group chat, right?"
"…Saw it."
"So."
"What."
"You prep her feedback?"
Why ask? Even if I did, you won't let me today.
"Well~ you did, right?"
"…."
Why's your look getting sleazy?
"Why'd Ryu Seowon do it in the group chat instead of DM~? Huh~? Specifically picking Park Ji-yong~?"
"…She figured I'd prepared."
"Exactly~ then DM would've worked~?"
What kinda talk is that.
"Others might prep too—"
"Anyway, you two grabbing food after? Euhuhu~"
…A full professor euhuhu-ing.
"Well, I support it~"
"…Support what."
"If you date, maybe you'll write something besides bleak shit. Our mo-sol Ji-yong, euhuhu~"
Aw, that euhuhu pisses me off…
"Anyway, I'm out~ See ya~"
"Yep."
Couldn't bring up dropout after all.
09:25. Five or six people.
They shuffle in like exhaustion-zombies.
And the most wiped out among them—
"Hello."
Ryu Seowon nods at me. Black hair like Kim Yejeong's, but bob cut.
I nod back awkwardly.
"Hello…."
Hm, first one-on-one greeting, I think. Most Webchangsil students are introverts anyway. Just attend and go our separate ways.
"Did you see the group chat?"
Her voice is unusually calm. Like the cool beauty duke in her romance fantasy.
Hard to believe this character pulled that targeted ask in group chat, drawing aggro.
"…Yeah, I saw."
"Did you see it right when it went up?"
Ugh… here it comes.
"Y-yeah, pretty much."
"Aha."
"B-but I didn't reply because…"
"It's fine. Anyway, the feedback…?"
"I prepared it."
Dunno if you'll like it.
"Thank you."
"Send it via chat?"
"Is that easier for you?"
Uh… didn't think that far.
"Not easier, but… otherwise, how…?"
"We could do it in person."
"Aha."
"If you're okay, after class—"
Clap clap clap clap~~!!!
"Eung~ Wake up, everyone~ Time for class, kids~?"
Euhuhu-joza's here.
*
"The isekai hook at the end of chapter 1 is too late. Before that, the protagonist's backstory is just 'I did this, then that, did whatever'—repetitive diary-style dumps."
"Since he works at a company in reality, show a specific day there to weave in the exposition naturally? Might make the character breathe."
"And his cheat in isekai is 'emotion reading,' so maybe in the reality part, show him struggling 'cause he sucks at reading emotions? Creates contrast at least."
I fire off the prepped feedback, start to finish. Skipping some to read the room.
Just… business as usual.
"As expected, ripping others' work is so satisfying."
Add mentor's scratching moment, and it's peak everyday Webchangsil.
"Okay. For 00, I gave separate feedback yesterday, so wrap here~ Before next… break time? Cool?"
Guy's itching for a smoke.
Introverts, no response as expected.
"Okey, 11:05. Nah, 10 min~?"
Drizzle— patter—
Not a smoker, but stepped out for air… and unforecast rain falls beyond the rooftop door.
And right next to me now…
"I'd prefer in person, if possible."
Ryu Seowon stands beside me.
"…Got it."
"Can you?"
"Sure. After class, say 20 min…?"
Could do more if needed…
…But why no reply. What's up. Problem?
"So just this assignment's feedback, then."
What else would it be…
"Since you're doing it, I was hoping for overall impressions, character analysis too."
Th-that'd be super long…?
"That'd need full prep."
"No need. That'd be a hassle."
True.
"I meant casually over a meal, chat about stuff."
"Aha."
"No prep needed—just your thoughts on my questions during."
…Aha. She's actually asking to eat.
"…Sorry, that's a bit much…"
Whoa, not your average tough nut.
Ryu Seowon blinks calmly, silently.
Stares more than expected.
"Just once…"
Ha… that once is intimidating too…
"I could treat you to something nice."
Even "treat" comes out.
"No, no need, just—"
"Just one meal."
…Hiss, she's stubborn too. Kim Yejeong from yesterday overlaps—imagination?
"Prof So Chuseung always says camaraderie matters most."
No… hey…
'We're not classmates… you're a junior, 3rd year…'
Aaaah. What do. Eat? Dropout? Eat? Dropout?
'Dunno…'
Whatever, it'll probably be my last anyway. One detour won't hurt.
"Yeah, lunch then—"
"—Dinner instead? If possible."
"Uh… I'd prefer…"
"Evening plans?"
"…."
'No' gets swallowed in this bind.
Sudden footsteps up the rooftop stairs.
And the familiar voice—
"Wh-wha…?!"
Aaah.
'Kim Yejeong, why're you here…'