Chapter 18
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Team Building
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"So you're telling me to paint the entire building?"
Yoo Jin-seong looked at Go Ye-jin and let out a disbelieving snicker.
A joke, right?
"You said you'd show your full loyalty, didn't you? I've already bought the paint, and we have mops, brushes, and ladders too."
"Fine for the first floor, but what about the third?"
"Didn't you say you were in search and rescue? Can't handle that much? Didn't they teach you to rappel down?"
"Hey, is rappelling the same as that?"
"Ha, Jin-seong. Is this really all you've got? And this is for our writer's company. I'm disappointed in you, Jin-seong."
"...You done talking? You think I can't handle a little painting? You have any idea how much of this shit we did in the army?"
"Exactly. So do it right and proper. Ideally, finish before the typhoon hits."
"Ha! You're really getting under my skin."
"I'm scratching hard."
In the goshiwon, Go Ye-jin understood Yoo Jin-seong better than anyone.
'He's a natural with physical labor.'
Cooking fell into the same category, really.
"You! What do I get if I do all this?"
"I'll call you Executive Director then."
"Ooooh! For real? Lie and you'll get hairy shit."
"Soldier, do you not know time marches on even now?"
"Yes, sir! I'll get right to it!"
As Yoo Jin-seong dashed off, Go Ye-jin smiled and eyed the signboard.
'That thing's been bugging me.'
It doubled as Memento Mori Studio's building, so a proper sign would be nice.
She searched online.
"Ugh, expensive."
How could signs cost so much? Decent ones started at three million won.
One man approached her then.
"Miss."
"Yes?"
Turning, she saw a man in his fifties. She'd bumped into him a few times before.
"Got any manual labor gigs? I'm in 104."
"Ah! Nice to meet you! I'm Go Ye-jin, the new general manager of Happiness Goshiwon!"
"Oh, really?"
Memento Mori executive director, webtoon team leader, and Happiness Goshiwon general manager. But no staff yet.
"Heard you're looking for someone who knows spelling. I can't do that, but I've got twenty years of day labor under my belt. No work these days. Don't just hang with the young folks—let an old timer join in."
They decided to call him Hwang Dal-su, or Mr. Hwang.
"Sure!"
Money was money, so even if she left the painting to Yoo Jin-seong, securing manpower for other tasks anytime was key.
'All this for my liege!'
The broader the influence, the better everything went.
'To grow the household, the steward's role is paramount.'
Possessed by Je-gal Ye-jin, she began scrutinizing every inch of the building meticulously.
A week passed.
"You were at Wonsan Publishing?"
"Yes, and a few other places before that for hands-on experience."
Wonsan was one of Korea's big three publishers. They'd built their rep monopolizing hot Japanese manga, and topped charts in bookstore editions and kids' foreign novel translations—elite across the board.
'Best of today's interviewees.'
They needed someone to oversee editing and distribution. Couldn't do it solo, but knowledge and experience were vital to train others.
"Why switch jobs, if I may ask?"
"Wrong side of the politics."
"Politics?"
"You know, office intrigue."
He gave a wistful smile.
"With your resume, bigger companies would snap you up."
"Place is close. Ten-minute walk."
Some backstory there?
"Got it. We'll be in touch."
Six more interviews left, so they wrapped with him.
"Whew..."
"Interviews are no joke."
Jeong Hyun-woo and Yoo Jin-seong were wiped out. Against expectations, twenty-one applicants meant no lunch break.
"I'd pick from these three."
The only fresh-faced Go Ye-jin handed over three resumes.
'That guy who backed the wrong horse is here too.'
As they scanned them, she explained.
"Cha Do-hyun has long experience at Wonsan, the publishing giant. He'll be a huge help. Salary ask isn't bad. And super close to home—saving commute time is a big win. One downside: age."
The other two were younger but short on experience: three and five years. Relatively speaking—some applicants had only six months and knew zilch about distribution or editing.
Plenty seemed clueless why they applied, making these three top picks.
"Cha Do-hyun first, then? Three-month contract with regular hire option."
Go Ye-jin beamed.
"Right. You gotta see how they work."
Yoo Jin-seong had no strong opinion.
"Man, hope it doesn't rain today."
Yesterday's rain had stalled painting, clearly bugging him.
"Ye-jin, contact Cha Do-hyun about start date."
Two goshiwon residents had applied for editing/distribution roles meantime.
"Sync schedules with them too."
The goshiwon's biggest room—the Saintly Lady's old one—now fit four desks after clearing furniture.
Jeong Hyun-woo didn't mind sticking to his old room.
"But, President."
"Yeah?"
"As staff grows, we can't all cram in the goshiwon. Knocking down walls helps, but renting out pays better."
Jeong Hyun-woo had mulled this too.
"How about renting a nearby office? You don't need to commute, but staff need space. And for client meetings, goshiwon gives the wrong vibe."
Spot on.
"Been agonizing over the signboard, but new office means decorating there. Keep this as dorm and cafeteria. Rooftop company dinners now and then."
"Anything nearby?"
Go Ye-jin pointed.
"Tons of multi-households zoned for offices. Expand to the bus stop, and old commercial spots are cheap."
Bank debt done in two months, so office rent was feasible.
"Good, check it out."
"Yes!"
She grinned wide.
"Oh, and the webtoon 'Prologue' final draft's done!"
"No way!"
"Hey, lemme see!"
Go Ye-jin opened her laptop and clicked the file.
Kunlun Return webtoon! Jeong Hyun-woo's first adaptation of his own work—he couldn't help tensing up.
"...Whoa."
"...It's good!"
Yoo Jin-seong and Jeong Hyun-woo dove right in, hooked instantly.
Go Ye-jin chuckled.
"Tweaked twenty-one cuts for original tone and clean coloring. Nine revisions for better adaptation and direction focus. Thirty-three for character fixes in art. Rest, I'll handle."
Yoo Jin-seong gaped.
"Won't they all quit?"
Go Ye-jin crossed her arms and glared.
"Even if they do, I won't tolerate half-assed work."
Whoa, Team Leader's intense. No wonder the prologue's flawless.
Jeong Hyun-woo had seen webtoon teams brawl during his confinement days.
"If they bail, I'll scour the planet for better."
That extreme?
He turned to Yoo Jin-seong.
"Pantry expansion update?"
"Knock out partition, fits one more table. More's impossible. Rooftop new build, maybe."
"...Possible?"
Yoo Jin-seong's hearty side dishes drew crowds, even lines now.
Go Ye-jin said,
"I'll check building records. Floor-area ratio and coverage might allow partition parking lot extension."
"Oh..."
His curiosity peaked; her face hardened.
"But do we need to? Food costs are high already; construction's pricey."
"Ye-jin."
"Yes, President."
"I'll write harder."
"...But..."
"That settles it."
"...Understood."
Not playing philanthropist. Just ten years of food struggles left scars.
He wanted everyone here—and future authors—eating hearty.
"As expected from big bro. Pure romance."
Yoo Jin-seong stretched and stood.
"Guess I'll hustle too!"
Clouds parted; sun beamed down. Go Ye-jin stared blankly at Jeong Hyun-woo's face, then whipped away.
'After all that crap, if he acts just like that bastard, I'm no human.'
July 15th.
'Almost paid off.'
Bank debt under 100 million now. Dumped all but essentials into today's settlement.
'Next month, done.'
Go Ye-jin insisted her debt was affordable, no rush. But Jeong Hyun-woo hated owing. Origin unknown—just hated it.
"President, you're here."
"Huh? Why're you out?"
Team Leader Cha Do-hyun was smoking. Usually did it on the roof.
"Needed air."
"Hang tight. Office move soon."
"Haha! Not the space. Just..."
Cha was sharp. Jeong Hyun-woo still puzzled why such talent joined their startup.
Sat beside him.
"Something bothering you?"
"Same old worries. Nothing special."
"Everyone's differ. Easy for some, despair for others."
"Writers do talk better."
He laughed, exhaled smoke, then said,
"Daughter's in middle school second year."
Ah, the female black dragon...
"Buried in work, ignored her. Now she won't talk to me."
"That's why..."
"Yeah. Politics soured work; switched nearby for daughter time. But home early, still holed up."
"Summer break soon. Family trip?"
"Suggested it. Hates the idea."
Divorced when she was little. Grandma-raised, distant from dad; growing up, mom's absence made her pricklier.
"My karma. Young, chased every penny—overtime hell. Looking back, why so ruthless?"
Classic dad life.
"Turbulent age. It'll pass. Not forever."
"Hope so."
Tears welled in his eyes.
'Midlife and puberty clashing.'
No mom buffer—they'd never mix.
"Hm..."
Updated staff info, entered his room.
Sitting felt nostalgic. Stockpiled enough; series not ending. But today, Kunlun Return concludes on his platform.