Big Life

Chapter 25

“Welcome, Writer Ha Jaegun . ”

Somii handed her greetings happily .

Many writers at the mention of the name Ha Jaegun shook their heads They had also been in this floor for a long time writing . However, it was a name that they had never heard of before .

“Ha Jaegun? Do you know him?”

‘No, I don’t know him . Does he have a pen name?”

Myunghoon, who was sitting on the long table on the center and chatting,  slitted his eyes .

a faint smirk appeared in his mouth, which disappeared as soon as it came .

‘He came . ’

Myunghoon guessed that Jaegun would be here . Therefore, he had no plans of attending, but he purposely changed to join .

He had enough reason to be there . One of Myung Hoon’s work was published through StarBooks Romance label .

“You’re hungry, right? Since you came a bit late, the only empty spot is that corner over there . ”

Somii said nonplussed and looked around the place that she pointed to .

Jaegun’s eyes were not on the seat but on the plate that were on Somii’s plate . This was a restaurant with employees, but it was a wonder why an editor would be doing something like this .

“Go inside after you take off your shoes . ”

“Yes . Thank you . ”

Jaegun didn’t say anything more for now and took off his shoes like he was asked to .

He looked around but he couldn’t see Tewon anywhere

‘He is a chief editor so he’s probably busy on a day like this . ’

Jaegun thought to not look and went to the corner . To the late Jaegun, there wasn’t any writers that payed a lot of attention to him . All of them were busy talking to the writers around them .

Only one person .

Myunghoon was paying attention to him while he was talking .

It felt like Jaegun didn’t see his presence . His pride didn’t allow him to go first and greet him so Myunghoon stayed put .

“Excuse me . ”

Jaegun, with a seat in front of him, asked carefully to the writer around .

His age was about early 30s, with a small stature and a dark complexion, the man seemed to give off a gloomy feeling .

“Can I seat here?”

“Ah, yes yes, sit, sit . ”

The man pushed himself more to the corner to make space . Jageun politely nodded to him and sat down .

“You’re a … writer, right?”

The man asked as if he was feeling him out .

Jaegun looked towards him and nodded his head .

“Yes, you’re a writer, too?”

“Haha, yes, I am right . To be called a writer is…”

Jaegun with a calm smile picked up a piece of a fried food . He wasn’t the type to press for an answer .

It was better to wait for the other person to say a word . But he tried to soothe the other person so he/she could easily say things .

‘Don’t know what writer or what project he’s written . ’

Jaegun thought about his past self .

If he was a writer that didn’t sell well enough to struggle in live, he would have been tired if he’d gotten a question about what project did he write .

“Wow, this is great . ”

Jaegun chewed on the fried food and said with a bit of overdramatics . Then the man on the side also laughed and pulled food that Jaegun couldn’t reach toward Jaegun .

“Have a taste of this . I don’t know what herbs are these, but it’s good . ”

“Thank you for helping me . I’ll eat well . ”

“Do you drink?”

“Ahah, yes, give it to me . I’m sorry . I should have poured you a drink first . Give me the bottle . ”

“No it’s fine . I’ll give it first . ”

The man and Jaegun both got a drink .

The soft and cold soju went down the throat and into the body .

Jaegun who drank a drink refreshingly breathed deeply . Maybe it was because of the success he’s been having, it was a long time since soju tasted this good .

“Is it the first time in these writer meetings?”

The man picked up the bottle and asked .

Jaegun politely with two hands took the drink and answered .

“I came here a long time ago once . ”

“I see . This is my first . But, if it’s a long time ago, then it’s been awhile since your debut?”

“Hm, yes, that’s right . ”

Jaegun and the man both a drink for the second time . Jaegun could feel his body heating up because of drinking 2 cups on an empty stomach .

The conversation dried up for a second .

Since the bottle was passed around for a few drinks, the environment and the mood became louder and more elated .

“Ah sorry, the introductions were late, but I’m called Kang Minho . ”

In the loudness, the man said his name with a determined face .

Then finally Jaegun also straightened up and answered .

“I’m sorry too . I’m called Ha Jaegun?”

“Hm, yes . Do you use a pen name . ”

Minho asked as they were shaking hands .

Jaegun smiled embarrassedly and nodded his head . Then Minho said

“Ah I see . I use my own name . ”

“Ahah, …yes . ”

On Jaegun’s face, a string of troubleness passed by

He had no memory of a name called Kang Minho .

Minho as if understanding Jaegun waved as if it was ok .

“It’s fine . There’s not many people who know because it was discontinued early with 6 books . And that’s the only project . ”

“Excuse me but the project name was?”

“I wrote a fantasy . It’s called the King of the Devil of a barbaric land…”

Minho said unconfidently . He thought obviously Jaegun wouldn’t know it so he was deeply embarrassed .

But Jaegun was already widening his eyes and asking back .

“The king of the Devil of a barbaric land? That book with a devil from a fantasy land comes to the present and works at a convenience store and then earns money and makes a building company?”

“You, you read it?”

“Of course . I’ve read it very well . Since the devil who ruled the fantasyland can’t speak any korean, the scene where the he had to beg to barely survive was so funny . ”

Jaegun had read most of any genre book published in StarBooks .

It was to study to be a writer who can read popular fads .

He might have forgotten the name Kang Minho, but he remembered the name perfectly .

“Oh, this is, embarassing, have a drink . ”

Minho, feeling a great feeling rising in his heart, offered Jaegun another drink . Jaegun didn’t refuse and took a drink . Then he also gave Minho a drink . ”

“Then Writer Ha Jaegun’s pen name is?”

“Ahah, yes . I’m called Poong Cheon Yu . ”

As he said that .

The noise in the surroundings stopped suddenly

In the far places, there was still noise . However, the writers in the close places all as one closed their mouth and looked towards Jaegun .

“Poong Cheon Yu…?” The writer of the Modern Series, Poong Cheon Yu?”

Minho with a bewildered face asked again for confirmation .

Jaegun, feeling the other people’s gazes that suddenly surrounded him, answered .

“Yes, that’s right . ”

As soon as Jaegun answered, many writers all brought a bottle and came closer to him and started to offer him drinks .

“You’re writer Poong Cheon Yu . Nice to meet you . I’m using pen name Mister H . ”

“Ah, yes, the soccer novel Genie Scouter’s writer? I’m reading it well . ”

“Take my drink as well . My pen name is Deserter…”

“Ah, Ground Zero’s writer? Both of you are writing sports fantasies . I don’t have the background knowledge to write something like that so it was hard . Nice to meet you . ”

The environment immediately changed .

A unknown strong presence was focused on Jaegun .

One person, two person, three person… the writers of fantasy novels used this time to go to Jaegun and greet him .

“The Modern Series was so fun to read . It’s been awhile since you debuted so I thought you were older, but you’re really handsome and young . ”

“It was fun even from the point of view of a writer . What method do you use when you write? Do you have the ending all planned out?”

“Ah, my method of writing . It is…”

Jaegun was sweating trying to answer all the writers that were surrounding him .

It made him happy and thankful, but he was extremely surprised . He didn’t think he would get this much greetings from between the writers as well .

“Why is everyone around him? What did he write?”

On the opposite of Jaegun’s table .

Myunghoon and the female writers were also beginning to take notice to that side . Myunghoon who was speaking triumphantly about his ways of creation felt extreme disgust as his words were cut .

“Writer Lee Young Ah, where was I?”

Myunghoon hid the disgust and said .

The writer with the name Lee Young Ah took her gaze off Jaegun and ballooned her cheeks and tilted her head .

“Yes? Ah… . yes . Where were you? I don’t remember very well . ”

It was obvious that she was listening very carelessly . Letting the story come out of one ear, she was busy gazing at Jaegun .

Myung Hoon’s forehead’s veins tingled .

He was barely keeping his composure, but he was close to exploding . Even he couldn’t tell if he could stop it .

In front of that Myunghoon, two female writers were getting up .

“I’m sorry but I’m be going over there for a second . I also have an interest in fantasy . ”

“Me too, I want to write a romance with fantasy so I’ll be back after I get some advice .

“Haha, yes, go ahead .

Myunghoon barely kept his anger in check and sent them away with a smile . And when no one was looking, he inhaled the cup full of soju in one shot . This feeling of explosion felt like a few drinks wasn’t enough to make him drunk .

‘wow , Writer Ha is famous . ’

Somii smiled unknowingly to others looking at the surrounded Jaegun from far away . Since a writer that she was responsible for, her mind was feeling great .

“Jung Somii, what are you doing standing there? The writers on this side don’t have any drinks . ”

Assistant Manager Go said as he was quibbling .

“Ah, sorry . I’ll go get it now .

Somii was completely surprised and went to the refrigerator . Since the few employees went on vacation, even a editor like her was helping the serving .

“What are you doing?”

As she was opening the refrigerator and taking out the drink, a voice came from behind Somii back . Somii couldn’t hear it because the surroundings were so loud .

“What are you doing?”

When she finally heard the voice, Somii looked backwards . Then her two eyes became wide .

“Wri, writer Ha?”

Jaegun was standing there with a stone hard face .

Jaegun, who from a minute ago was covered up by the writers, was behind her as if protecting her .