Chapter 17
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Happiness Goshiwon Announcement
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Now recruiting new hires for publishing editing, proofreading, corrections, distribution, and new talent scouting.
Preference given to those skilled with computers and grammar. Age and gender irrelevant.
I couldn't know everything about the lives of people living in a goshiwon where rent was just 200,000 won a month, but maybe because I was the building owner? It felt like it would be even better if we could all cheer each other on with a "Heave-ho! Heave-ho!"
One skilled professional was enough. I figured it wasn't impossible to teach the rest, so for the experienced novelist team leader, I posted a separate job listing online.
"Webtoons require technical skills, but novels aren't always like that. Cultivating an eye for what's fun is tough, but fixing typos and grammar? Anyone with the aptitude can do it."
Today was June 13th. In two days, another big chunk of cash would roll in. I'd use 100 million won to pay off the bank debt, but the rest could cover salaries for a few people.
"Oh, and Ye-jin."
"Yes?"
I pulled out the box I'd stashed under the pantry table.
"Happy birthday."
"...M-Me?"
Ye-jin stared at me like she'd faint from shock.
It felt like just yesterday that Jin-seong and I had eaten seaweed soup together on his birthday, but time had flown by already.
"H-How did you know?"
"It's all in the resident ledger."
"Oh..."
Wait a sec? I should've visited Mom at least once. I totally spaced. What a shitty, unfilial son!
I'll go once it's finished.
I'd been calling her now and then, and there was no way something huge had happened to her out of the blue. It was always me who was the problem. Me.
"Oh my god..."
Ye-jin tore open the wrapping and couldn't close her mouth.
That's when the lights went out.
"Happy birthday! Happy birthday!"
Jin-seong was creeping into the pantry with a cake, careful not to let the candles go out.
"...Euh-huh-huh-huk!"
"Hey! Why cry on a good day!"
"But..."
With reddened eyes, she clutched the laptop box I'd given her tight to her chest and couldn't continue.
Today, like always lately, Ye-jin was dressed neatly like an office worker. I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen her disheveled.
Her hard work was admirable and appreciated, so I'd gone with the latest model.
"Make a wish and blow. The wax is dripping everywhere!"
Urged by Jin-seong, Ye-jin huffed a breath with her tear- and snot-streaked face.
"Thank you. I never even dreamed of this."
I smiled warmly too.
"Glad you like it."
"Hey, I bought the cake."
"Thanks, Jin-seong."
They bickered all the time, but anyone could see they were best friends.
"Hang on a bit. The seaweed soup's almost done. I loaded it with beef too!"
"...Thanks. Huh-huk! Thank you..."
Choking up again, she bowed her head, and Jin-seong's hand approached the back of it.
These kids, so full of youth.
I thought he was going to comfort her. But no.
Splut!
Ye-jin's face smashed into the cake.
"..."
"..."
Whoa, didn't see that coming. Even I had a ways to go before max-level author status.
"Kyahaha! Kyahahaha!"
Jin-seong doubled over, clutching his belly in laughter.
"...You."
A chilling voice leaked out from between the cake and Ye-jin's face.
"...Fucking bastard..."
"Eek!"
Sensing something, Jin-seong bolted from the pantry, and Ye-jin sprang up too.
"You punk! Don't you run! I'm gonna kill youuuu! You know this is your funeral on my birthday?!"
Thirty minutes later.
Ye-jin returned to the pantry after a quick wash and change, while Jin-seong—face red from who-knows-how-many hits—trailed behind.
"I'll treasure it. Not sure if I deserve something this pricey, but I'll use it for ten years—no, a lifetime!"
Seeing her so happy made me proud.
"I'll get you an even better one later."
I had no idea how much strength her help with my work gave me.
"No way! I'll use this till I die! For real!"
The silver laptop suited Ye-jin perfectly.
"Hey, spill any soup on it and you're dead."
"Leave it in your room then!"
"What if someone steals it!"
"CCTV everywhere—who's gonna steal it!"
CCTV. So reassuring. Installed densely inside and out.
Try living kidnapped for ten years. I was at the point where I wanted a security team on-site.
We laughed and chatted as we emptied our bowls. It might seem modest to some, but to us, it was an incredibly lavish dinner.
But then.
"Excuse us."
A voice came from behind.
"M-Mom? Dad?"
Ye-jin shot up.
"...Why? H-How..."
I could instantly tell who she got her personality from.
"We came for your birthday! Have you been studying well? Why no call from you?"
Ye-jin's father silently glared at me and Jin-seong with displeasure.
Time to give them space?
"Hello. Nice to meet you."
Still, greetings were in order.
"..."
"..."
No response.
Then Ye-jin burst out.
"He's the goshiwon president! The building owner!"
"...This... man?"
"The president? Where's the lady owner? Oh, are you her son?"
I might look twenty-four, but inside I was thirty-four.
"I took over recently. Name's Jeong Hyun-woo."
"Ah, I see. Got some money at home, huh?"
Ye-jin's mother eyed me coldly and beckoned to her.
"Let's go. Time to eat."
"I just ate?"
"You the only one with a mouth?"
Leaving the smooshed cake behind, Ye-jin went out with them.
"...Whew, intense."
Jin-seong said.
"Yeah. Must be tough for Ye-jin."
"..."
"..."
The mood killed, we cleared out too.
Back in my room, I started scouting. This contracted author 'Watermelon' wasn't Number 7, but 'If I keep at it like this, maybe I'll run into a familiar face someday?' That hope was budding.
About two hours later?
Bang bang!
"Hyung!"
Jin-seong.
"You'll break it knocking like that."
I opened the door with a scold, but he yelled.
"Hurry! Come on!"
He looked urgent, so I followed him running.
It used to be a storage room, now packed with monitors: the CCTV control room.
"What is it?"
Some suspicious character show up?
"Ye-jin's already taken one hit."
What?
I sat in the chair Jin-seong offered and stared at one screen. The parking lot CCTV.
"Ha, that idiot, why'd she take the laptop out?"
Jin-seong muttered at the screen. No audio, but the situation looked dire.
-I want to live doing what I want too!
-What is this now, after putting up with it?
Was it because I was an author? Voices were dubbing in my head.
-Getting tangled with guys like that earlier will turn your life to shit in a flash!
-What do you know, Mom! They're such good people!
-Who're you snapping at like that?
-Hit her! Hit her!
-After how I raised you! Come on, if you won't study, quit it all!
-I'm not going! This is my home! I'm staying here!
"Trouble. Ugh..."
Jin-seong groaned like it pained him to watch. He fought with her daily but cared the most.
"Ugh! Hit again."
The mom callously said something as her daughter crumpled sideways, then walked to the waiting car with dad.
I rushed outside.
Vroom.
The car pulled away from the building. I ran to the parking lot and grabbed Ye-jin's shoulder.
"You okay?"
"...Uh-huh-huh-huk! President..."
Her cheek was swollen puffy. I didn't know the details, but treating your daughter like this on her birthday?
"...Huh-huk, what do I do."
Ye-jin bawled, thrusting out the laptop clutched like a baby.
"It's broken. Wahaaaaang!"
Looked like a scratch from the fall.
"We fix it! Fix it! You hurt?"
"Uheooeong! Haven't even turned it on yet! So sad I couldn't check!"
As she wailed, I lightly patted her back. Jin-seong, following, wiped his nose.
"Told you to leave it behind..."
"Wahaaaaang!"
Ye-jin crying this pitifully probably wasn't just about the laptop.
The warzone of a night passed, and morning came. Now Ye-jin naturally joined us for breakfast and dinner.
"They said they're cutting the goshiwon fee support."
Ye-jin spoke flatly while fiddling with the laptop, eyes puffy from crying all night. Those eyes would be top-tier in any world...
"What! Doesn't matter! We got food and rooms!"
Behind her plucky words, a deep shadow surely loomed. Quitting civil service exams—her whole life—and defying her parents wasn't easy.
"Ye-jin."
"Yes!"
"I'll give you 5% of the company shares."
"Wha—? Why?"
"So later, when we succeed, you can shove it in their faces! Boldly! Go see them."
"N-No, I can just help out."
"I'm not that shameless. Won't take long. Can you trust me?"
"...P-President..."
About to cry again.
"Hyung!"
Jin-seong tackled in.
"What about me?"
"You're catching spies, right."
"Th-That's that, but!"
"Get a job at NIS."
"You can't just do this with two? Me too! Together! I cook great! Fight great!"
We hadn't known each other long, but the unique goshiwon life probably bonded us closer.
Especially me, after ten years untreated like a person—I loved these straightforward kids.
I offered Ye-jin my hand.
"Executive Director Go Ye-jin, care to bet your life on me?"
Through tears, with her prettiest face, Ye-jin took my hand.
"I already have."
"Ehehehehe!"
The laptop worked fine. The scratches hurt every time I saw them, but since it functioned perfectly, I'd fix the case later when money flowed.
-Executive Director Go Ye-jin, care to bet your life on me?
Executive Director!
Was this how Guan Yu felt pledging to Liu Bei?
"Ppyabam-!"
Parents were never on great terms anyway, so this was decent.
"Likeaburoothu, now they're all deadaburoothu."
The 5% shares' future value didn't matter to her. Becoming a key executive at Memento Mori Studio was the pinnacle of her life.
"Any thieving bitches blocking our president, I'll smash 'em all."
Memento Mori Studio's core businesses: novels and webtoons. Just one novelist secured so far, but everything starts small, right?
Our author-nim bought this whole building in months. Almighty one.
-Hyung-nim! I pledge my loyalty!
Bowing his head, Jin-seong joined the family. His looks could make girls cry.
Have him manage female authors for some fun.
She wasn't romance material. She loved wuxia romance, shed tears for justice and brotherhood.
Give romance authors to Jin-seong.
Author-nim was busy writing, so she'd handle company details.
She opened the laptop. She was good at PPTs too.
This place is too shabby for authors coming and going. At least make it clean.
The 50-year-old building would cost a fortune for full remodel. Couldn't waste author-nim's hard-earned cash.
"...Uh-huh-huh."
She hammered the keys. Hands on the laptop, typing—this sensation was so good her body shivered.
"Ma! I was student council president back in the day!"
Her eyes blazed fiercely.