Novelist Running Through Time - Chapter 184



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The Novelist Who Leapt Through Time Episode 184

There is a sad legend in Baekhak Library.

“Oh, I’m going crazy… … .”

It is the legend of a bald man who suffered injustice and was exiled, but returned after becoming an SSS-level novelist, took revenge, and continued to win.

If you ask why it’s sad when it has a happy ending, the answer is simple.

This is because the ‘legend’ himself is in a state of ‘sadness’.

“Why on earth are you doing this to me?” … !”

‘The Sad Legend of Baekhak Bookstore’ was lying face down on the desk of the head of the publishing management department at the headquarters.

The sparkling crystal nameplate had the words ‘Director Lim Yang-wook’ written on it.

Yes.

Yangwook Lim has become a legend.

A legend is an unrealistic and great story, like a fairy tale. And it is truly a story worthy of a fairy tale for a person who graduated from a local government college to be promoted to an executive position. Lim Yang-wook became a legend among Baekhak Bookstore salarymen from a ghost story in Baekhak Entertainment’s underground parking lot.

However, it is a legend, a ghost story, and a story, and the legend is that the situation we are in now is a legend.

“Is this true? Damn, ah… … ”

The writer who won the Hugo Award ran.

Lim Yang-wook had been feeling SSS-level sadness for half a year.

EP 11-All kinds

You can’t cover the sky with your palm.

As time passed, the truth naturally emerged.

so.

Heaven knows, the earth knows, Baekhak Library knows, and the organizers of ‘World Con’, the world science fiction competition, know what modifications Lim Yang-wook did to win the Hugo Award.

– This is a rigged election! It’s a rigged election! Ugh! Eup!

– Get him out! Get it out now!

– You Cuckin’ Raceist!

At the time of the incident, everyone worked together to seal the mouth of ‘Simon Publisher’, who was causing trouble at the banquet hall, but when the truth surfaced, everyone’s expressions became strange.

In particular, the facial expressions on the ‘World Con’ side were the strangest.

Because it was a loophole that no one expected.

Realizing that , ‘Worldcon’ slightly tweaked the Hugo Award award process when public opinion calmed down.

The method was to block modifications like this one by increasing the weight of the judging panel and expanding the range of voters.

In this way, the expression on the face of ‘World Cone’, which repairs the barn after losing the cow, can be said to be an uncomfortable, tearful expression.

But if there are people who cry, there are also people who laugh.

Baekhak Library laughed.

– Lim Yang-wook… ! He is God!

Lim Yang-wook, who succeeded in advancing into the United States, which was the company’s long-awaited goal, and also received a Hugo Award, became the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. At Baekhak Bookstore, there was a widespread cult that worshiped Lim Yang-wook as a wise man.

Just as Go players review the game against the country, the editors of Baekhak Bookstore examined Lim Yang-wook’s landing operation in the United States one by one.

From the issue dribbling exchanged with Kyosensha and Collins Press, to the media play targeting the Hugo Award election, where Asian writers were strong, like tweezers.

It was truly a perfect match.

– This… I have no choice but to admit it.

Now, no one talks about Jijabdae in front of Lim Yang-wook.

Lim Yang-wook finally brought down the arrogant elites of Baekhak Book High School with his skills.

– Lim Yang-wook, you are now on the same level as us or better!

– Welcome to Baekhak Library!

– I acknowledge the victory. I won’t make a fuss about being promoted to director!

Yangwook Lim also felt the changed atmosphere at the company.

– iced coffee… . is it… … .

It didn’t feel particularly good.

– Crazy bastards… I didn’t know you would still be this damned because I didn’t get into a prestigious university… … .

In this way, Lim Yang-wook was able to atone for the sin of failing to study for three years in high school only after he was in his 30s.

However, Lim Yang-wook knows that there is something wrong with the reality that not graduating from a prestigious university is a crime.

And I know that the moment Lim Yang-wook is upset, the first thing that will come out of his repertoire is Jijabdae and blah.

Therefore, Lim Yang-wook did not pay much attention to the praise public opinion within the company.

There is something else he cares about the most.

… … After doing this, he was a guy from the door who dived.

“Hey, hey, this isn’t it… … !”

While the writer was escaping reality in the corner of his room, feeling the faint (not) nostalgia of his past life, Lim Yang-wook had to deal with the terrible aftereffects of reality.

What’s scary about it? This can be seen just by looking at the exploding email inbox.

A terrifying tsunami of invitations came.

Not only Korea’s most famous entertainment show, but also the TV show that almost all Americans watch also visited literary figures.

People like geniuses, the younger the genius, the more they like them, and they are fascinated by the word ‘youngest’.

It is an instinctive desire for beauty.

Such a primal desire poured into one person.

That in itself makes a person great.

You can get money, fame, anything!

However, seeing the boy who had given up all of that and locked himself in the corner of the room, Lim Yang-wook could not help but experience the extreme emotion of ‘trepidation’.

One fortunate thing was that a strange misunderstanding spread among Baekhak Bookstore employees.

“Despite this growing popularity… “Don’t you urge the writer?”

“Does that mean you trust writers that much…?” !”

“Indeed, one must have this level of courage to be considered a vessel capable of holding a phoenix in one’s arms.”

“If it were me, I would have made them stand in front of the camera, either by scolding them or begging them… “I guess real geniuses think differently from us.”

People admired Lim Yang-wook’s resolute attitude as he calmly accepted the writer’s seclusion.

A genius who doesn’t care about popularity and an editor who believes in that genius!

How beautiful is this?

“… … .”

But Lim Yang-wook never stayed still.

actually… .

I tried it all.

– Inseop… ? Are you feeling better today?

– hey! Do you really want to do this? This is not it, you bastard!

– Writer Moon! No, writer Moon! I wish this person all the best!

Whether it’s cheering, threats, or pleading.

Lim Yang-wook tried harder than people could imagine to end the writer’s seclusion.

But the cub didn’t crawl out of the house.

But what can you do?

They say the writer won’t come out of the house… … .

What can I do? ?

there’s nothing.

So, Lim Yang-wook sucked his fingers while working at the company. That’s the whole story of what happened over the past few months.

So, I couldn’t help but feel annoyance at Team Leader Kim Ga-ryung’s excited voice.

“What should I do to make a bird that doesn’t cry cry?”

Garryung Kim sat down three new employees who came in as the department was expanding and told them a famous Japanese proverb.

“Oda Nobunaga threatened with a sword, Toyotomi Hideyoshi made jokes, and Tokugawa Ieyasu waited until he cried. In the end, the world was unified by the Tokugawa. Director Lim Yang-wook’s method is like this. How can a sparrow understand the meaning of a phoenix? In the end, the strong trust between the writer and editor is-”

Bah!

A paper calendar was placed vertically on the top of Team Leader Kim Ga-ryung’s head.

Behind Kim Ga-ryung, who collapsed in pain, Lim Yang-wook, with a tired complexion, clicked his tongue.

“Be very armed with ideology, be armed with ideology. Do you want to hold on to new recruits? “Is it the Communist Party?”

However, in the end, it was Lim Yang-wook, not Kim Gar-ryung, who made the newcomers most nervous.

The new recruits who were nervously sitting in front of Kim Ga-ryung all stood up at the sudden appearance of the director.

“Oh, hello! “Director!”

“This is not an army. Take it easy. Yes.”

“yes! “I will stay comfortably!”

Yangwook Lim quickly disappeared to make the newcomers really comfortable.

And as soon as I was left alone in the executive office, I sighed in vain.

“Ugh… … .”

What do you do if you are successful at your company?

There are no writers… … .

“It’s late… Writer… … .”

While waiting for a writer, I ended up becoming a grandfather.

Every day without writers is an empty, colorless world.

It may seem like a thought that only a person with a somewhat sane mind would think, but surprisingly, Lim Yang-wook was sane.

You can’t solve the problem if you only focus on attitude. To understand this frustration of Lim Yang-wook, you have to look at the core. And Lim Yang-wook is a publisher.

The publishing business is more profitable than you think.

It’s not that the Korean publishing industry is ruined, it’s that the publishing industry isn’t making money.

You can tell just by looking at Gu Yubin. As a celebrity, Koo Yu-bin is a B-level celebrity, but her earnings are like A-level. This is because her popularity is directly linked to book sales.

Therefore, in the publishing industry, ‘popularity’ is linked to ‘profit’.

In other words, a writer who was spending a period of enormous popularity in a corner of his room was like blowing a huge amount of money.

The bundle of money is burning brightly.

I don’t know, and even if I knew, I wouldn’t care, but Lim Yang-wook can’t do that.

Because it is visible.

The numbers.

“ah… … .”

Even though we did not row when the book gained enormous popularity, an incredible amount of publishing profits are being deposited.

So what if the writer had rowed when the water came in?

He must have made unimaginable amounts of money.

“Whew… … .”

But the opportunity has already passed.

There is nothing Lim Yang-wook can do now.

You have to wait for the next opportunity.

But I was able to think like this.

“really… What should I do with him… … .”

Lim Yang-wook never tried to control writers.

Actually, I couldn’t do it.

Contrary to popular misunderstanding, the writer was not a lonely genius boy who only knew about art.

The social intelligence of writers was clearly comparable to that of adult men, and Lim Yang-wook was the first to notice this fact.

So I gave that much trust.

People think that Moonin is Lim Yang-wook’s puppet, but the two were truly equal partners. Sometimes, Lim Yang-wook is swayed by writers.

That was the case this time.

Lim Yang-wook could not take any action even though the writer had been secluded for almost half a year.

Gu Yuna’s refusal, which seems the most unreasonable, is actually reasonable. She is Gu Yuna. She is a temperamental girl who is reluctant to use the media, and she is under the protection of a tycoon named Gu Hak-jun, so Baekhak Mungo cannot dare to force her to appear on TV. This is logically reasonable.

On the other hand, a seemingly logical writer cannot see one inch ahead.

The guy who won the Hugo Award fell into depression and went into hiding. Lim Yang-wook also went into emergency mode and searched around. So Lim Yang-wook also learned the inside story. He was confessed to by Yuna, who said he dumped her.

At first glance, he looks like an adolescent suffering from dating problems.

However, Lim Yang-wook knows that this boy is not a child suffering from puberty fever. Because we are close. Because he’s been seeing it for a long time. Because he looked at the literary man from the nearest place… … .

So Lim Yang-wook knew that there was a strange darkness in the mind of a writer that could never be seen through.

Lim Yang-wook vaguely thought that the identity of the darkness was a complex trauma toward his parents that all orphanage students were bound to experience.

Then, you can understand the incomprehensible actions that writers sometimes show.

But that wasn’t the case this time.

The writer rejected Gu Yuna’s confession, and then suddenly turned into someone suffering from depression.

He then visited a youth rental house somewhere in Seoul, gave the tenant a large sum of money, and began living in the house himself.

This is not the behavior of a normal person, but of a madman.

If you are a child who is mentally difficult, Lim Yang-wook can work hard to open your heart. Why are you doing this? You might ask.

However, a writer is already a mentally mature person, and it is absolutely impossible to look into the mind of such a person.

Children ask for help, but adults hide their hurts.

Lim Yang-wook has no expectations that some kind of childish magic of friendship will arise between the writer and himself, leading to a heart-to-heart connection.

That belief is as strong as Lim Yang-wook’s belief in the mental maturity of writers.

Writers are not children.

He is a mature, temperamental, eccentric and picky genius novelist who has a closed mind and a darkness beyond which he can never be understood.

Until now, he had just overlooked it, but after enduring a huge business loss on this occasion, Lim Yang-wook felt an eerie feeling that he had never felt before.

‘If a writer tomorrow were to cancel his contract with Baekhak Bookstore… ‘Is there anything I can do?’

There wasn’t.

‘The writer will continue to cooperate in the future… ‘Can you believe it?’

I believed it, but this time I saw blood.

‘Then, how to control the writers… … .’

‘Should I make it…? ?’

I don’t know.

Reason says it’s true, but emotion says it’s not.

As the director of Baekhak Bookstore, this is true, but as editor Lim Yang-wook, it is not.

One ironic fact was that the fact that he could not control writers was itself evidence that Lim Yang-wook treated writers specially.

Baekhak Bookstore and Baekhak Group are by no means an easy company.

Media power is power. White Crane is a company that deals with power, not money, and therefore its behavior is closer to that of a political party or military rather than a business entity.

Therefore, Baekhak Bookstore is ready to blow the hateful guys off the floor at any time. In fact, he became the dominant player in the industry in that way.

Then, Baekhak Library.

Lim Yang-wook, director of Baekhak Library.

Isn’t it right to wear the most powerful weapon, a literary man’s leash?

“… … .”

Lim Yang-wook thinks about that often these days.

So, little by little, it is drying out and becoming distorted.

Every day without writers is an empty, colorless world.

Then one day.

Team leader Kim Ga-ryung opened the office door without even knocking.

“A literary person went to school!”

Yangwook Lim had no choice but to utter a line similar to Mr. Park, a new teacher at Baekhak Arts High School.

“Are you out?! A man of letters!”

* * *

Sometimes in life, moments of mental breakdown come.

That’s what I experienced this time.

The confession I received from Guy Yuna… … .

Really… … .

It was hard to bear.

Even when I think about it now, it still feels like that.

So, pathetically, I lived in my old house and escaped reality for a long time, feeling like I wasn’t traveling back in time.

Shit. If I sum it up in one word, my ugliness becomes clear. It is embarrassing.

Anyway, I chose literature as a way to fight against time, and I think I coped with the mentally debilitating situation quite well.

I isolated myself from the world and confined myself to literature. Thanks to that, I kept myself at a certain distance from a world that could disappear at any moment.

Because the world is not eternal, literature is eternal.

However, what I overlooked is that literature is a study based on ‘me’, and ‘me’ changes little by little under the influence of others.

Therefore, literature cannot forever isolate me from this world.

I must accept this world that can disappear at any time.

When I open my eyes tomorrow morning, everything may disappear and I may be back in time 10 years ago… … .

Nevertheless, we have to step into this world little by little.

Even if you are afraid, have courage.

Only then can I continue my literature.

That was the lesson I learned from this mental breakdown.

“therefore… that… … .”

Using that lesson as a stepping stone, I carefully chose the answer I would give to Yangwook Lim.

This world is no longer second place.

It is not a second priority that can be sacrificed for literature, which is the first priority.

Therefore, the words that should be returned to Lim Yang-wook are-

1. Heck, it can happen when you write. Please understand.

2. We regret Baekhak Bookstore’s business loss. In the future, we will take more mature measures so as not to cause any inconvenience to the company.

It was number 2.

“sorry… … .”

Lim Yang-wook did not accept the apology obediently.

“Why are you so sorry?”

“As soon as you received the Hugo Award, you disappeared and caused trouble to the company… … .”

“damage? under! Do you think I’m doing this for money? Do you want to make me a narrow-minded person?”

“You’re doing this for money, right… … .”

“Useup… “You know me well.”

Lim Yang-wook, who was defending the apology like a picky girlfriend, revealed his vicious intentions.

“Yeah, man! Anyway, what if I dive right after winning the Hugo Award? Do you know how much damage the company has suffered?”

“Are you avoiding me?”

“Of course, no damage was done! Still, it’s a loss that I didn’t make the money I could have made! My stomach hurts! My stomach!”

I nodded, agreeing with Lim Yang-wook’s complaint of stomach pain.

Of course, I didn’t really understand it, but what can I do with the patient talking?

“We are not a publishing company that sells books if you just hand over a manuscript, we are publishing management! Management! “Don’t you remember that we decided to conquer America and conquer the world together?”

“Me?”

“Of course I never did that! “But if you pretend, you have to pretend and understand with all your heart!”

‘I feel like I have no intention of apologizing.’

Lim Yang-wook knew how to use an amazing conversation method that completely erases the feelings of regret of the person who came to apologize.

But actually, that wasn’t the part I was truly sorry about.

When Lim Yang-wook stopped his playful tone and took a deep breath, his heart started pounding.

“Ugh… “I was worried, man.”

“I’m sorry… … .”

“If it’s hard, shouldn’t you tell me what’s hard?”

I didn’t really have anything to refute, so I kept expressing my apologies.

But I can’t help it.

Is there anyone else in this world other than me who can understand why I am suffering?

And I hate to say it, but if I say it, will you believe me?

I was too young to be detached from the suffering of the world, but I was also too old to reveal my suffering to anyone.

Because I know that wounds can become weaknesses.

Therefore, I have no choice but to endure my worries by embracing them alone.

But at least the words were spoken nicely.

“yes… From now on, I will try to get some counseling or something.”

“Wow, it’s like gold… … .”

Fortunately, Lim Yang-wook changed the topic at this point.

“Well, I didn’t come here to ask for an apology, so let’s stop talking about that. And I was promoted thanks to you, so am I in a position to receive an apology? “Even if I just say thank you, it’s not enough.”

For all that, I didn’t necessarily say that I felt like I received the apology too hard.

“ruler! Anyway, our writer Moon has finally gone to work! “I will hand over the list of casting calls that Lim Yang-wook has carefully compiled over the years!”

“Recruitment? Are you still accepting invitations?”

“Then you won’t come in? “Your popularity hasn’t died yet.”

Yangwook Lim handed me neatly organized documents. For example, a list of requests.

There are requests to appear on entertainment shows, and there are also requests to film commercials.

Some unusual requests include requests to wear a specific brand of clothing, and requests to eat just one lunch in exchange for money.

“How amazing. I heard that lunch tickets with Warren Buffett were sold at auction… “Does this have any meaning?”

“Are you looking down on people who pay hundreds of thousands of won to attend fan meetings?”

“Oh, no, that’s not it… … .”

“Fan meetings sell for hundreds of thousands of won, so what’s the deal with lunch? You can even exchange phone numbers and become friends while eating lunch, as long as you brush your teeth well. That’s what it means. “If you meet me once and you think I look good, ask me to become your acquaintance.”

“ah.”

In addition to this, Lim Yang-wook introduced me to numerous large and small jobs.

And among them, there was one that was definitely recommended to the point where it was almost a strong recommendation.

“You must go to this entertainment show!”

“What is it?”

“It’s a liberal arts broadcast with Professor Hakjun Koo as a regular guest… “Can’t you see it?”

“TV is an idiot box.”

I ended the meeting that day by promising to go on an entertainment show recommended by Lim Yang-wook.

But that promise was never implemented smoothly.

It is not because something is wrong with me, but because something is wrong with Gu Hak-Jun.

* * *

Novelist Koo Hak-jun.

He was nominated for the Booker International.