12
ch 12 ### A Surprise Gift for My Daughter (3)
Some time later.
Inside MoonStory's office.
"It's finally today."
Shin Mijeong's eyes sparkled.
She had been struggling with mood swings recently, but now she had completely regained the enthusiasm she had when she first joined the company.
"The serialization of Only 10 Seconds as a Genius Idol begins today!"
Han Gyeongseon nodded.
"Yeah. It's been a long time since every single day felt this long."
The two of them had already read the entire manuscript.
At last, they could reveal this novel to the world.
Their hearts pounded as if they were about to publish a story they had written themselves.
"By the way... about Mr. Siwoo's father's pen name."
After signing the contract, they had asked Yoon Seongjun what pen name he wanted to use.
In web novels, using a pen name was practically mandatory.
"I'll think about it and let you know."
That was what Seongjun had said.
The next day, he sent them a single word.
"Shuppa... What does that even mean?"
"No idea."
The pen name "Shuppa."
After meeting Seongjun in person, neither of them could connect such a cute pen name with someone like him.
Which meant...
They would probably never learn the truth.
"Dad, I'll choose your pen name! It'll be Shuppa!"
"...Shuppa?"
"Yep! I was going to use Siwoo's Dad, but that's too plain. So I'll take 'Shu' from my nickname and 'ppa' from the last syllable of 'Appa'! Shuppa! Doesn't it sound cool? Kind of like 'super' too!"
"If my daughter picked it, then that's what I'll use."
That adorable pen name...
Had been born entirely because of Yoon Siwoo.
"But... do you think it'll be okay?"
"What do you mean?"
"I just remembered something the author told us."
Before signing the contract, Yoon Seongjun had said—
"My highest priority is giving Siwoo joy. Even if I sign a contract, that won't change. Is that acceptable?"
Even if tens of thousands of readers loved his work...
If Siwoo said it wasn't fun...
It would mean nothing to him.
He intended to keep writing for his daughter above all else.
"Now that he's under contract, shouldn't he be writing to satisfy the public? But he still says he'll keep writing for his daughter..."
"No, Senior."
"I think that's even better."
Shin Mijeong answered without hesitation.
"There are plenty of writers who don't even know who they're writing for. But Mr. Siwoo's father has a perfectly clear target audience. That'll keep the story from losing its direction."
"Hmm."
"And more importantly, writing for his daughter seems to be his greatest motivation. You've read the entire manuscript, haven't you? The quality never drops. It's consistently entertaining. If he suddenly changes course and starts writing just to satisfy the masses, he might lose what makes the story special."
They had only met Seongjun twice.
Even so...
Mijeong could clearly tell how deeply he loved his daughter.
"You've got a point."
"You've really grown as an editor."
"Not long ago you kept complaining about your slump."
"I was not complaining!"
"Ahem."
"Anyway... I'm the one managing the author from now on, right?"
Mijeong's eyes widened.
"Senior, are you crazy?"
"Watch your mouth when you're talking to your senior."
"Obviously I'm managing him!"
"I've been receiving all of his manuscripts."
"Hey, I'm the one who convinced the department head and secured the advance payment. Without me, there wouldn't even be a signed contract."
"And if it weren't for me, you wouldn't even know this novel existed! You're trying to steal your junior's achievement?"
"Fine."
"I'll be generous."
"You can manage this one."
"But his next series belongs to me."
"Didn't you say you already have dozens of authors and can't handle more? Why are you saying this now?"
Just as the two continued bickering...
"You two sure have plenty of energy."
A woman approached them.
The moment they saw her...
They immediately stopped arguing.
"M-Manager!"
It was Kim Sunhye...
The head of MoonStory's Fantasy Web Novel Department.
"It's been a long time since I've seen editors get this excited over a single novel."
She wasn't wrong.
MoonStory managed dozens...
No, hundreds of writers.
Editors becoming this excited over a series that hadn't even begun serialization was incredibly rare.
"Gyeongseon."
"You're confident, aren't you?"
"Absolutely, Manager!"
"But remember."
"As Mijeong has already learned..."
"In this industry, there's no such thing as certainty."
Even veteran authors who had earned tens of millions of dollars could release a new series that completely failed.
"Giving a four-figure advance payment to a complete rookie..."
"I think this is the first time our company has ever done something like that."
Thinking about it...
It really was unbelievable.
The company had willingly taken on a huge risk.
"But, Manager..."
"The fact that you approved my proposal means..."
"You're expecting great things from Only 10 Seconds as a Genius Idol too, aren't you?"
Kim Sunhye simply smiled.
She had also read the manuscript.
And all three people standing there...
Were veterans of the web novel industry.
Every one of them believed the same thing.
This novel was destined to succeed.
"Looks like it's about to begin."
"The serialization of what may become a historic masterpiece."
At that very moment...
MoonStory officially released rookie author Shuppa's novel—
Only 10 Seconds as a Genius Idol.
---
Weekends flew by like arrows.
Mondays crawled to a halt.
I was no exception.
"I want to go home."
"Time moves way too slowly on Mondays."
Yongsu looked deeply moved.
"So you really are human after all!"
"Empathy!"
"I finally found proof!"
He really had believed I was some kind of machine.
"Phew."
Normally, Mondays didn't bother me this much.
My entire life revolved around routines.
Monday was simply another part of that cycle.
But today...
I wanted to get home as quickly as possible.
I wanted to see Siwoo.
And I wanted to continue writing Only 10 Seconds as a Genius Idol.
"Alright."
"If everyone's done, let's head home."
Manager Go finally spoke up.
When your boss encouraged everyone to leave on time...
There was nothing to complain about.
"Yes, sir!"
Yongsu even started humming happily.
Just as everyone was getting ready to leave...
"Oh, right."
"Author Yoon."
"...Why are you suddenly calling me Author Yoon?"
"I used to call you junior."
"But after reading your play..."
"I changed my mind."
"Calling you junior doesn't feel right anymore."
"But calling you senior hurts my pride."
"I've got more experience than you."
"So 'Author Yoon' feels like the perfect distance between us."
Was he acknowledging me...
Or keeping me at arm's length?
He really did whatever he wanted.
"Anyway."
"Author Yoon."
"Did you submit Message yet?"
"Not yet."
"Still not?"
"Why?"
"I think there are still a few things to polish."
My first play...
Message.
I'd finished the draft some time ago.
Now I was in the revision stage.
"...There's still something to revise?"
Yongsu stared at me in disbelief.
The version he'd read had only been the first draft.
The main plot hadn't changed much.
But I'd refined countless small details.
"Are you seriously telling me this is your first play?"
"So you've given up calling me Author Yoon?"
"...Author Yoon."
He really was impossible.
"It is my first."
"Why would I lie?"
"Life really is unfair."
"If someone handsome..."
"Good at his job..."
"And talented at writing exists..."
"How am I supposed to live?"
"You seem to be living just fine."
"I mean..."
"...Forget it."
He scratched his head.
"I hate saying this, but..."
"Submit it already."
"I'm telling you."
"It'll absolutely get accepted."
"If they reject this..."
"They've got no eye for theater."
"And at the very least, the people at Romantic Theater know what a good play looks like."
"I was planning to send it tonight."
"I'll submit it after I get home."
I had finished revising it yesterday.
No matter what I wrote...
There would always be something I wished I'd done better.
But holding onto it forever wasn't healthy either.
Sometimes endless revisions only buried the work's true potential.
"Dad..."
"I think the version before the revisions was better..."
Siwoo had once proven that.
After listening to one tiny piece of feedback from her...
I spent forever revising a story.
She had only meant it as a small suggestion.
But as both a writer and a father...
I couldn't ignore it.
The result?
The revised version was worse.
"Send it now."
"Why?"
"If this wins..."
"I'll be able to say I witnessed history."
"You're getting ahead of yourself."
"I'm not."
Yongsu looked at me seriously.
"As someone who used to work in directing..."
"When I read a script..."
"I automatically imagine how it'd look on stage."
"But your play..."
"...Wow."
"It's incredible."
"It actually makes me want to go back into theater."
"It lights a fire inside my theater-loving heart."
He'd completely changed after reading Message.
At first, he'd looked down on it.
Now he couldn't stop praising it.
I appreciated the confidence.
But it didn't make me arrogant.
This was still my first play.
No matter the result...
It would simply become another valuable experience.
Sender: Yoon Seongjun
Recipient: Romantic Theater
Subject: Keyword Project Submission
Play Submission
Well...
Winning would be nice.
Siwoo had recently fallen in love with theater.
It would make the perfect surprise gift for my daughter.
After sending the email...
Yongsu patted me on the shoulder.
"Alright."
"The moment you hear the results..."
"Call me."
"We're celebrating with drinks."
He was getting so excited...
That even if I really won...
I probably wouldn't tell him.
I'd rather quietly celebrate at home with Siwoo.
"Now then..."
"Let's head home, Author Yoon."
"Sure."
"Theater Man."
Just as I was about to leave...
"Assistant Manager Yoon!"
Someone called out to me.
I turned around.
"...President."
"Good evening."
"Haha."
"You're handsome every time I see you."
"One of our company's greatest talents."
"How's your daughter doing?"
"Thanks to you, she's doing well."
"Thanks to me?"
"Hahaha!"
Whenever the company president personally came looking for me...
There was always a reason.
"Assistant Manager Yoon."
"That promotional video storyboard you made before..."
"It was excellent."
"We even received compliments from outside the company."
"Thank you."
"So..."
"I've decided we're starting a YouTube channel."
"You know, it's the YouTube era now."
"I had the channel created today."
The YouTube era had arrived years ago.
But now...
The company had suddenly decided to launch one.
Well...
That was life in a small company.
One word from the president...
And the company's direction changed overnight.
"So I'd like you to plan the videos."
"You're good at this kind of thing, aren't you?"
A brand-new assignment.
Right before quitting time.
Since there was no marketing department...
Tasks like this regularly ended up in Accounting.
It wasn't even the first time.
"Of course."
"I'll do my best."
"Hahaha!"
"That's our Assistant Manager Yoon."
The other employees quietly shook their heads.
Some looked at me with sympathy.
Everyone knew these extra assignments only meant more work.
Sure, there was some extra pay.
But it was little more than pocket change.
"I want everything finished today."
"The faster we upload, the better."
"Don't you agree?"
He slapped me on the back before walking away.
"Seriously..."
"He keeps creating pointless work."
Yongsu muttered under his breath.
"You look tired."
"Want me to help?"
"No."
"I'll finish it quickly."
I'd written over seventy thousand characters in a single day.
Planning a promotional YouTube video wouldn't take long.
The annoying part...
Was that my trip home had just been delayed.
I'd wanted to go home and write.
But...
I didn't have much choice.
I'd never gone to college.
I didn't have impressive certifications.
I was only a high school graduate.
If I lost this job...
Siwoo would suffer.
I could always search for another one.
But the gap between jobs would hurt her.
"Don't you ever want to quit?"
"Why keep making useless work like this?"
"It's not like a few YouTube videos will suddenly promote the company."
"I don't know."
"If they tell me to do it..."
"I do it."
Well...
Unless Only 10 Seconds as a Genius Idol became an overwhelming success...
There was no way I could quit my job.
Come to think of it...
The ten-million-won advance had already arrived in my bank account.
I'd use that money for Siwoo's tuition.
And a gift for her.
Even now...
I still couldn't understand it.
Was my writing really worth ten million won?
A web novel chapter only cost one hundred won.
After revenue sharing and taxes...
I'd only earn a few dozen won per purchase.
How many people would have to read my novel before I earned ten million?
"...I have no idea."
Might as well get back to work.
I sat back down.
Just then—
Buzz.
Buzz.
Buzz.
My phone vibrated repeatedly.
It was a CocoaTalk message from Siwoo.
If I got home late...
I wouldn't even be able to make her dinner.
"...Maybe I should tell her to order delivery."
Thinking that...
I checked my phone.
My Beloved Daughter:
Dad, this is amazing!!
My Beloved Daughter:
The serialization finally started!
My Beloved Daughter:
It's so weird seeing people actually leaving comments on your novel!
Oh.
Right.
MoonStory had started serializing Only 10 Seconds as a Genius Idol a few days ago.
I hadn't checked it even once.
"...Is this the view count?"
The PD had attached a screenshot.
It listed every chapter title...
Along with the number of comments, views, and recommendations.
Ten chapters had been released so far.
The prologue...
Already had—
"What?"
"Five thousand people have read my novel?"
I had never imagined...
That thousands of people would be reading something I'd written.
Then I noticed another number beside it.
One I'd never seen before.
"...Retention rate..."
"Ninety-five percent?"
"...Is that good?"