Chapter 21

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Translator: ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Wjin

Chapter: 21

Chapter Title: A Spontaneous Getaway

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"It's so hot—why bother coming and going now! Come in fall! It'll be cool then!"

Mom laid into me...

'Why is she so flustered?'

A parent just knows ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠their kid.

'Could it be...'

A child's intuition kicks in too.

'She's dating someone?'

It didn't bother me or anything. If anything, I was glad.

I called her back.

"-What now?"

"Give me your bank account number."

"-What?"

"You're going on a trip, right?"

"-Oho hong hong hong!"

She let out this weird cackle.

"-Where'd you even get the money! Just use it yourself! Mom's busy—gotta hang up! I'll call you later!"

I'd always gotten money from Mom. Thinking back, I didn't even know her account number.

Mom, I'm a building owner now. Raking in 100 million a month...

I stared blankly at the ended call when Jin-seong spoke up.

"What's up?"

"...Looks like I don't need to go after all."

I'd pushed my schedule ahead by two whole days just to make it! Why had I been writing like a maniac!

I crouched down without thinking. I'd planned to take a day off after heading home. Ten years locked away writing nonstop, then from March in the goshiwon, pounding away day and night.

"Hyung."

"...Yeah."

"Wanna go have some fun?"

"Huh?"

"You finished it, right? So you can play now, yeah?"

Y-Yeah? That made sense, right? But...

'I've never actually played before.'

I'd written right up to the brink of death from exhaustion. What I'd done ten years ago was a foggy blur.

"Let's do it!"

Ye-jin crouched down next to me and shouted.

"Let's go out! We gotta throw a completion party!"

For me, parties meant meal vouchers and mukbangs in front of the monitor with other authors.

"Sweet! Let's roll!"

Jin-seong sprang to his feet. His energy got me up too, before I knew it.

"Where to?"

"No clue!"

She was so brazen, I didn't know what to say.

Ye-jin jumped up too.

"One night, two days! That was the original plan anyway! We'll grab some meat! And soju!"

I naturally glanced back.

"The goshiwon..."

Jin-seong latched onto me.

"One day—what's the big deal! This ain't a daycare!"

Fair point.

Ye-jin pulled out her smartphone.

"Somewhere close! Gyeonggi-do! Gapyeong! Yangpyeong! Pocheon!"

Jin-seong chimed in.

"Ooh! Ye-jin, you've got some playtime under your belt?"

"First time for me too! But I know the MT holy lands!"

They were all hyped up, chattering about Gapyeong this, Yangpyeong that, when a shadow loomed from behind.

"Heading out on vacation?"

Uncle Hwang approached, wiping sweat from his face with a towel.

Jin-seong beamed.

"You got it! Vacation! Summer vacay! Ooooh!"

"Kyaa—! Vacation!"

Ye-jin's usual icy demeanor had fully melted into a gooey puddle.

Uncle Hwang gave us a warm smile.

"If you're aiming for Gapyeong or Yangpyeong before sundown, you gotta leave now. Especially if you're stopping for meat on the way."

Ye-jin started bouncing in place.

"What do we need? Meat, soju, lettuce, soju, garlic... If we're doing volleyball, need a soccer ball? Oh, hwatu cards and soju..."

She wasn't right in the head either. The three of us playing volleyball? And soju made the list three times.

Uncle Hwang looked at her fondly, like she was adorable.

"But... you got a car?"

"......"

"......"

All of us, me included, turned to stone.

"Let's gooo! To the sea! Shake off everything!"

Jin-seong belted out some song at the top of his lungs.

You've got your limits too, huh? That's what keeps the world fair.

"Not the sea, idiot! A valley!"

Ye-jin hollered from the driver's seat. But her face was all smiles.

Yeah, we were off on a trip. In Uncle Hwang's beat-up old truck.

"Mart over there! This way to the mart!"

"Hey! Get your arm outta the way! Can't see the side mirror!"

Ye-jin had her license. Surprisingly, it was a standard Class 1.

But it had been ages since she drove, so she gripped the wheel white-knuckled, cold sweat dripping.

"Phewwwwwww."

She exhaled long and hard once parked at the mart lot. Her back was drenched.

Having a car is this nice, huh.

Ten years ago, taxis were a luxury I couldn't afford, so buses and subways were all I knew.

"Sorry. Must've been rough. I'm not used to the clutch..."

She looked apologetic as she turned to me.

"Nah. That was badass. For real."

I gave her a thumbs-up. Thanks to Uncle Hwang lending the truck, but without Ye-jin, it would've just been a pipe dream.

"I'll drive this one! Ye-jin, hop in!"

"Buzz off!"

Jin-seong claimed the shopping cart first. The mart at the edge of Gapyeong was already buzzing with people. Made sense—vacation season was just kicking off.

"Whoa! Shrimp! Squid too! Let's grill these!"

"Hey! Don't just toss 'em in!"

Ye-jin yanked the squid and shrimp out of the cart and smacked Jin-seong on the back.

If I left it to him, he'd empty out the whole store.

The mart was packed with young guys ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and girls. Groups of just girls, groups of just guys here and there.

Guess we're the only two dudes and one girl combo.

Odd group, sure, but whatever—as long as it's fun!

"Hee hee hee. Soju, soju, soju."

"Hey! Enough already! How many bottles of soju you planning?!"

This time, Jin-seong pulled some soju out of the cart.

Vacation, huh...

Authors weave their experiences into their stories. Especially mine—pure entertainment, no info dumps or preaching. So realism and natural details are key. On-site vibes matter most.

There's this much of the world I never knew.

I'd unwittingly been a frog in a well. I'd always relied on imagination, amped it up, and scored hits that way.

But the everyday stuff everyone else does? Never touched it.

"Hmm, what for breakfast tomorrow?"

"Curry!"

"Curry for hangover cure?"

"Dunno. Curry anyway!"

I just smiled watching Jin-seong toss in curry ingredients—he must've seen it somewhere.

What did it matter? It was such a great day.

Online communities were buzzing lately with talk of the Memento Mori author.

One guy dominating the #1 spot with two series straight? Bound to draw eyes.

The third one's doomed. No one's ever nailed three mega-hits in a row. Maybe he'll rest a year, stockpile. Debates raged on.

That one photo stirred up a storm. If he wasn't just an author but a company president, contracting meant getting closer, right?

They say believe just 1% of internet rumors, but aspiring writers couldn't help getting hyped.

A chance to learn from genre fiction's fastest-rising star? No other publisher could match that perk.

NovelWorld offices.

"Manager, check this out."

A staffer handed Manager Kim a stack of A4 pages—online buzz compiled.

"Hm?"

"Interest in Memento Mori's company is blowing up. Could turn into a major agency soon, right?"

He'd been mulling vitamins or omega-3s for the author. Executive Director covering half, so he'd widened to ginseng tonics.

Tap tap.

He drummed fingers on desk reading.

"Agency, huh... Thanks. Get back to it."

Couldn't play favorites with individuals—fairness issues. But a business partner? Different story.

"This could work."

At least slot a banner for Memento Mori Studio.

Popups, promos—all doable company-to-company.

Usually paid gigs, but if Memento Mori and his authors stuck to NovelWorld? Worth eating the cost.

Alright. Let's try it.

Report first. Everything went through reports.

Then a sudden thought.

Nah—if I prep all this and he bails, total waste!

He grabbed his phone, scrolled recent calls.

"-Yes, Manager? Hello."

"Author-nim, you free? Got something important. Gapyeong? Ah... You'll be beat tomorrow, so day after? Got it. I'll time it right!"

He'd earned the break.

Gapyeong, eh? Modest choice.

100 mil a month—he could've Hawaii'd it. At his age, prime playtime; could've owned Gangnam or Hongdae with his earnings.

Plenty of authors blew it all, next flop incoming.

Still, prep the report.

Might show the author as material.

We pounded booze last night. Jin-seong and I tapped out before two bottles each. No clue how long Ye-jin went, but scarfing down curry for breakfast? She's a tank.

"Drove great. Topped off the gas. Thanks so much."

Handed Uncle Hwang the keys with a deep bow.

"Aigoo, I'm the thankful one! Hahaha!"

Trip was for a mood reset, but two days sparked tons of thoughts. Inevitably circling back to my next work's direction.

"Hyung, coffee?"

"Nah."

Head buzzing—needed to dump it all out fast.

"Rest up. Dinner later."

"Got it! Rest easy, hyung!"

Back in my room. From wide-open nature to cramped goshiwon—could feel stuffy, but this felt cozier. Pure writing sanctuary!

"Rest, huh..."

Fired up the PC. Grinned.

I guess I've become an author who can't help himself.