18
ch 18**The Importance of Input (3)**
"Pfft!"
The moment Yoon Seongjun spat out his coffee, the entire Finance Department froze.
"Manager Yoon!"
"Are you okay?"
Everyone rushed over in shock.
Yoon Seongjun, known as the "machine of the Finance Department" because of how calm and expressionless he always was,
had never reacted like this before.
He hurriedly grabbed some tissues.
"I-I'm fine. Sorry."
His coworkers assumed he had choked.
But the real reason was much simpler.
'I can't believe people at my company are reading Only 10 Seconds to Become a Genius Idol.'
He knew they enjoyed web novels, but he had never imagined they would be reading his own.
And unlike the PDs or theater people, these were coworkers he'd spent ten years with.
They were sincerely discussing his novel without realizing he was Shuppa, its author.
That made the whole situation strangely embarrassing.
"Really, you should try reading it too," Team Leader Go said. "Your daughter likes idols, doesn't she?"
'Siwoo has already read over 170 chapters.'
Seongjun swallowed the answer.
The others enthusiastically continued recommending the novel, praising its comedy, misunderstandings, exciting
performances, and lovable protagonist.
One even admitted,
"It makes me want to work harder after reading it."
Jin Yongsu smiled.
"That's what good stories do. Whether it's a novel or a play, they give people energy."
Listening quietly, Seongjun felt an unfamiliar warmth.
His novel wasn't just making Siwoo happy anymore.
It was encouraging complete strangers.
It wasn't changing their lives dramatically, but it was brightening their day.
That alone made him proud.
Then another coworker added,
"And the author seems like such a generous person. Instead of rushing to monetize it, he kept releasing chapter after
chapter for free because readers wanted more. You can tell he genuinely cares about his readers."
Hearing people praise the author directly was too much.
His face turned bright red.
"I'll... be right back. I need to use the restroom."
After he left, the Finance Department exchanged worried looks.
"He keeps blushing."
"He suddenly took leave, spit out his coffee..."
"Is he sick?"
"Maybe that's why he took time off?"
Completely misunderstanding the situation, they began worrying about his health.
---
On his way home from work, Seongjun couldn't stop smiling awkwardly.
It was strange hearing his coworkers praise his novel without knowing he had written it.
For years, work had been nothing more than a place to earn a salary.
He had always kept his distance from everyone.
But today, after hearing them talk about his story, they somehow felt much closer.
When he arrived home, Siwoo greeted him.
"Dad! I'm home!"
She wasn't alone.
Behind her stood Choi Harim, nervously hiding behind Siwoo.
"H-Hello... I'm Choi Harim..."
Siwoo laughed.
"Why are you so nervous? He's just my dad."
"B-But... he's the author of Only 10 Seconds to Become a Genius Idol."
Harim gathered her courage.
"I really love your novel. I'm a huge fan of Jinwoo... I even draw fan art."
Seongjun smiled warmly.
"Thank you. Siwoo talks about you a lot too."
It was a touching moment.
For the first time, someone other than his daughter had become a genuine fan of his work.
Harim hesitantly held out a notebook.
"C-Could I get your autograph?"
Seongjun froze.
Autograph?
After a moment's thought, he simply wrote neatly:
Yoon Seongjun
Harim blinked at the plain signature.
Watching from beside them, Siwoo whispered,
"Dad... you seriously need to practice your autograph. What kind of author's signature is that?"
Even now, living up to Siwoo's expectations remained his hardest challenge.
---
Late that night, after Harim went home, Seongjun reflected on the day.
Everywhere he went, people had talked about Only 10 Seconds to Become a Genius Idol.
His coworkers.
Harim.
Siwoo.
The novel he had written solely for his daughter was now being loved by so many others.
Just then, Shin Mijeong messaged him.
The novel would soon receive a major banner promotion, and they should start preparing for premium serialization.
Despite it being nearly 11 p.m., she was still working because of his novel.
After thanking her, Seongjun browsed the latest comments.
Readers praised every chapter.
Some had even sent donations.
"So many people really like it."
His heart filled with gratitude.
He resolved to keep writing until the very end.
As he prepared to write three more chapters before sleeping, another popup caught his eye.
Moon Story SSS-Class Web Novel Contest
"The grand prize is... one hundred million won?"
He was stunned.
His advance payment had already seemed like a fortune.
A contest offering ten times that amount was beyond imagination.
After reading the details, a thought crossed his mind.
"Maybe... I should enter."
Not because he expected to win.
But because he wanted to know whether the success of Only 10 Seconds to Become a Genius Idol had been luck...
Or whether the other completed novels sitting on his laptop could also touch readers' hearts.
He decided to ask Siwoo first.
After all, those stories had been created together.
Just as he was about to start writing today's chapters, another message from Shin Mijeong arrived.
"Author!"
"Big news!"
"What happened?"
"Author Geulpok!"
"He just posted a recommendation for Only 10 Seconds to Become a Genius Idol!"
Seongjun blinked.
"Who is Author Geulpok?"