Chapter 49
Chapter 49- Follow Me If You Can
“Yes?”
Kyunguk’s smile froze in place .
Jaegun sipped his drink and added .
“I’m wondering what you liked about the new novel . ”
“Hm, yes, Well first, there was a good flow… hm, and the writing is clear and… really amazing . Yes, that’s right . ”
“I see . ”
Jaegun smiled slightly and nodded his head .
He had already known from Kyunguk’s expression that he hadn’t read Jaegun’s novel .
Kyunguk coughed purposely once or twice and opened his mouth .
“Yes, but about Writer Ha’s new novel . I want to say something before the contract . ”
“Could you talk to me about the webtoon first?”
“Webtoon…?”
“The webtoon that is going to be made by Comic KT . That’s first so I wish to talk about that . ”
“Ahah, yes . That’s going great . Right, Somii?”
Kyunguk, slightly surprised, pa.s.sed the baton to Somii .
He had no idea about anything going on at work or at the job, so Somii had to repeat the news that she gave Jaegun already .
“They are recruiting the drawer and the writer . It’ll take about a week or so . ”
Jaegun nodded his head as if he understood . Somii looked at Jaegun in her peripheral vision and wondered .
What would be the reason to ask about the Webtoon in a place like this .
‘What are you thinking, Writer Ha…’
Somii wondered why Jaegun was even here in the first place .
She said that Tewon had resigned .
She also knew that Jaegun would push back the appointment with StarBooks and contact Tewon first .
But that’s all Somii knew .
The question about the webtoons was meaningless .
The real reason was not because of himself, but for Jung Somii .
This was Jaegun’s last favor that he could do to Somii, a StarBooks employee .
He came out here to directly say to the editor that Somii, his personal editor, could not be damaged in any way .
Silence continued .
Kyunguk opened his mouth to try and earn some points with Jaegun .
“I personally support any of your projects . I will do anything to make sure you can continue your writing career . Not even with a writer contract . The previous editor was a bit strict right? You must have struggled . Uh, what was his name, Go?”
“It was Kwon Tewon . ”
“Yes, Kwon Tewon . He worked under my dad… I mean, a representative, for a long time . He intervened with many writers, I’ve heard? So how could writers like him? He didn’t have the skills . Now with me, your writing process will be a lot better . I will support you . Obviously, I will support you . ”
Somii was so embarra.s.sed that she felt like she wanted to make a fist .
It was a foolish attempt to gain points that he lost .
She didn’t understand the representative’s mind to put this person as the editor .
She worried for StarBook’s future, and dropped her head .
“…”
Jaegun was sipping water stolidly .
And then
He lifted his head and said calmly .
“It was because of Editor Tewon . ”
“…yes?”
Kyunguk tilted his head .
Jaegun continued as he pulled out his hand for his jacket .
“It was because of Kwan Tewon’s feedback that I’d got here . It wasn’t just because of me . ”
a.s.sistant Go’s face became pale .
Then Kyunguk’s face also became pale . Jaegun stood up from his seat .
“I don’t think I can eat anymore . I’m sorry but I’ll excuse myself . ”
“W, writer? Writer Ha? Wait . ”
Kyunguk and Go stood up after waking up from their shock .
Jaegun had already put on his shoes and left .
‘Writer Ha?’
Somii couldn’t be here now either .
She put on her shoes .
There was no reason for her to be stopped because StarBooks was a frequent visitor .
“What, where did he go?”
“He’s not picking up either, sir . ”
Kyunguk and Go was in the front of the building looking for him .
It wasn’t an easy thing to find Jaegun in the darkness .
“Go, did I do something wrong?”
“No, no . What could you have done . Writer Ha must have been in a bad mood today . You know how writers get irritated . ”
Somii stood in front of them .
She said to the two men .
“I’ll go to the subway . ”
“Yes, Somii, if you see him, persuade him to come back . What is this? Go, let’s go this way . ”
Kyunguk pulled off his tie and walked with Go .
When they were far way, Somii’s phone started vibrating .
“Writer Ha!”
“I’m sorry, you were a little surprised, right?”
“Not a little, but a lot . Where are you?”
“I’m on a taxi . I’m in a hurry . ”
Somii couldn’t say anything
She knew why he was in a hurry and where the taxi was going .
“Somii?”
“I’m listening writer, go ahead . ”
“Did I stress you?”
“No, nothing like that . And why are you worrying about me . You should worry about your work and yourself . ”
“I don’t need to . If you’re fine, I’m ok with that . ”
“What does that…?”
Somii stopped .
A thought in her head becoming clear .
‘Because of me…?’
A puzzle piece was finding its spot .
Jaegun’s actions made sense now .
And a new question came up .
Why would he be worrying about a simple regular editor .
“You were busy being my personal editor . Thank you . I’ll buy you dinner sometime . ”
Somii pushed the emotions away and smiled .
She did nothing to Jaegun . She never had any trouble with Jaegun . He was a good writer, and his works were almost perfect .
Now her work relationship with the writer named Jaegun closed .
Unless she stopped working at StarBooks, she would never edit his work again .
Somii lifted her head .
She breathed a few times and her energy came back . She said in her usual cheerful and energetic voice .
“I’m gonna eat a lot, so you have to do good . ”
“Of course . I’ll do better than the entire 3 Ranking series . ”
“I’ll be here . Be careful . ”
“You too . ”
Somii turned around as she hung up .
Her figure disappeared in the darkness .
Only then did Jaegun leave his hiding place near the building and catch a taxi .
***
– I’m sorry, Representative Tewon . The pay by part is a bit different from paper books so I don’t really have confidence . I’ll stop here .
– I really wanted to sign with the management you’re doing, but I have a relationship with my last company, I can’t . If I have another opportunity, I’ll call again . I’m sorry .
– I can’t . I said yesterday, but I don’t have the confidence in your management . I know your skill but it’s only beginning and I don’t have data to work with, so it’s kind of risky . I’ll have to pa.s.s the first start to another writer . ”
“Sigh… . !”
A sigh came out
Tewon who had slept for over 12 hours woke up and had no idea what to do .
He got rejected from 3 writers he trusted .
His body was completely fatigued as well .
“Is it not good?”
A girl who was sitting on a computer next to his asked .
It was his wife, Sin Dongmi .
“I think everyone’s afraid . I have no previous work so . ”
“Really though . You did so much for them . ”
“If you think like that, it’s harder . Forget the past . ”
Tewon comforted her .
She looked around her house with a complicated expression . . The two kids should be looked after by their mother .
“You know . ”
“Hm?”
“What about Writer Ha?”
Dongmi knew her husband’s personality so she had waited this long . But she couldn’t wait any longer and finally asked .
“You said he’s good? He’s good at writing and you complimented him so much . You said you wanted to go to the end with him . ”
Tewon’s couldn’t answer her .
The words that representative Jeguk said was still in his head .
-Don’t think about taking away any of our writers . Especially Ha Jaegun . I’m gonna find out if he uses a pen name and we need to earn too . I gave you 3 months of money with your resignation fee . Use it well and I hope you do well .
This was why he couldn’t ask Jaegun .
If Jaegun knew he resigned, he might not work for StarBooks anymore .
And this was a huge problem as well .
StarBook’s influence was huge for every subject . If Tewon did something to hurt them, there was no knowing what harm that they could do to him .
A management had to sell the writer’s works to the biggest market that it could .
This was what Tewon had to know from now . But if he lost his market before he could sell anything?
That was the end .
“Where are you going?”
Dongmi asked seeing Tewon taking his coat .
“I’m going to take a walk . ”
Tewon went down to the first floor with the elevator . .
He was holding a cigarette .
He was about to smoke one without his wife knowing .
Beep!
Then his phone vibrated in his pocket .
Tewon pulled in quickly hoping that one writer had changed his mind .
“… . !”
He froze when he saw the name Ha Jaegun .
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The vibration continued in his phone
But Tewon couldn’t answer .
What could he say to Jaegun at this time?
He had nothing to say and he couldn’t think of anything to say .
Just then…
“I guess it’s a vibrating machine instead of a phone . ”
Tewon froze .
The voice behind him was so familiar .