Chapter 2

A Day in the Life of an Anonymous Intern (1)

Ding!

A loud ringing echoed through the narrow semi-basement studio.

Jihun, half-asleep, fumbled for his phone and turned off the alarm. He was about to lie down again but managed to get up to prepare for work.

'What day is it today... It can't possibly be Monday, right?'

Fortunately, today was Friday.

His mood instantly brightened.

Just one more day to endure, and an exciting weekend awaited, a weekend to sleep all day.

Just before entering the bathroom, Jihun habitually turned on his phone and checked if there were any comments on the novel he had posted.

'As expected.'

The views and likes were pitiful, but there was one comment.

He knew who it was without even looking.

ID: AlcohoFairy.

This person had commented on every single chapter of his 150-part serialized novel. Without this reader, he might have given up long ago.

'Are you not tired yet? It should be getting boring by now.'

Jihun touched the screen to read the comment.

AlcohoFairy: It seems like it's coming to an end. I'm going to miss it. Can't you write a bit more? 😢

He felt both grateful and apologetic.

'I want to write more too, but it's not easy. I have to eat and live, you know?'

He had agonized countless times over whether to end the novel. There had been a few critical moments, but he decided not to because of this reader named AlcohoFairy.

He had published a few genre novels, but his performance was average. For someone like him, a dedicated reader was crucial.

He was worried that if he ended the novel, the reader might be disappointed and leave.

So, he decided to finish it, even if it was just a short conclusion.

'It's okay. I'll just write a good next work. I need to get to work! I can't be late.'

Jihun turned off the Dalsegye app and started getting ready for work.

The fact that it was Friday made his steps lighter on the way to work. However, he didn't waste any time. He thought about the day's writing and work.

Buzz!

His phone vibrated.

The screen showed Moon Hyun-soo, an employee at Fantasy Culture, who was also his contact at the publishing company.

'A call this early in the morning. It doesn't feel good.'

Jihun pressed the call button.

"Yes, sir. What's the matter so early in the morning?"

— I'm sorry for contacting you so early.

"No, it's fine. I'm on my way to work. What is it?"

— Well... about 'The Lord's Dignity.' It's become difficult to publish it as a paper book. That's why I'm calling.

His bad feeling was right.

'The Lord's Dignity' was the title of the novel Jihun was currently serializing on a web novel platform. It was a rare traditional fantasy novel.

Fantasy Culture, which he had contracted with out of loyalty, had been delaying the paper book publication, and now they were saying they wouldn't publish it at all.

This wasn't what he had signed up for.

"Ha."

A sigh escaped him. They had verbally agreed on a guaranteed royalty.

The guaranteed royalty meant a certain amount per book. He was supposed to receive 1.5 million won per book, and he had planned to save this to cover his living expenses.

What should he do? He felt a bit dizzy.

— I'm really sorry, Mr. Jihun. There's nothing I can do about it...

He could feel the employee's frustration.

Still, this was the person who had handled three of his works. He didn't want to criticize the person who had worked hard editing his mediocre manuscripts.

A good word in return for a good word.

"No, it's fine. I kind of expected it. The performance wasn't good, after all."

— I really appreciate your understanding! I tried to convince the team leader, but it didn't work out... By the way, it seems like your work is almost finished. I'll try to sell it as an e-book.

Publishing an e-book is less risky. There's no cost for materials, and there's no storage fee if it doesn't sell.

"Sure. I'll finish it soon. Please publish it all at once when it's done."

— Understood, Mr. Jihun. Have a good day!

"Wait, sir?"

A thought suddenly came to him, and he asked.

"Are you not AlcohoFairy on Dalsegye?"

— I use a different nickname. Why do you ask? Alcoho... what did you say?

"No, it's nothing. Just wondering."

He decided not to sign another contract. If the contact person didn't know AlcohoFairy, it meant they hadn't read his work.

"Take care."

He ended the call casually and put his phone in his pocket.

Just then, he entered a familiar path.

Jihun stopped for a moment and turned his gaze to the right. A closed secondhand bookstore caught his eye. The sign read:

'Mystery Archive'

The only inheritance from his grandfather, a secondhand bookstore. It wasn't doing well, and he couldn't even afford to hire staff, so it was left abandoned.

'Right, tomorrow. Renovation. I need to contact Tae-wan in advance.'

With that thought, Jihun was about to pass by. But today, he felt like taking a look inside.

He checked the time.

8:10 AM. With a 9:30 AM start time, he didn't think he would be late if he took a quick look.

'Did I bring the key?'

Fortunately, the key to the lock was in his bag. Jihun opened the door and went inside.

The smell of old books hit him.

There were so many books. Hundreds, thousands of books were piled up, regardless of genre.

In the narrow space, countless books were stacked haphazardly. Jihun carefully walked past the shelves, being careful not to knock any over.

'In the past, I used to have so much fun reading books here. These days, I don't even have time to read one.'

Jihun pulled out an old book from the shelf and flipped through the pages, lost in old memories.

People often suggested he sell the secondhand bookstore. But he couldn't sell a place filled with memories of his grandfather.

His parents and younger brother also suggested selling it, but he always refused.

There was a special reason.

Jihun was raised by his grandfather. He loved books, partly because of his difficult childhood. He had more memories of his grandfather than of his parents.

'Selling this place would give me some money. Not a lot, but it would make life a bit easier. But...'

He didn't want to live that way. The memories with his grandfather were too precious.

After finishing the book, Jihun put it back on the shelf.

'It's okay. I can do this!'

Thinking positively, Jihun locked the door of the secondhand bookstore and headed to work.

Click.

The moment the door closed.

An unbelievable event began in the empty secondhand bookstore.

Thud.

A book fell to the floor.

It was the book Jihun had just flipped through. He had put it back properly, but it fell on its own.

The unbelievable event didn't end there.

Rustle!

Without anyone touching it, the pages of the floating book began to turn on their own.

Flash!

Suddenly, a mysterious light emitted from the book.

**

Jihun's workplace, Seorim Publishing, was a well-known mid-sized publishing company in the industry. It wasn't a major player, but it was a reputable name in the field.

Their main focus was general literature, but they were also actively publishing non-fiction and children's books, as practical books sold better than novels.

Jihun entered the planning and editing section.

As an intern, he didn't have a specific area of responsibility. He mainly handled miscellaneous tasks and simple proofreading.

"Good morning."

"Intern?"

Kim Jae-hwan, the team leader, never greeted Jihun well. He called out, wiggling his fingers.

"Yes, sir."

"Why are you so late? You should come in earlier. What time is it now?"

"8:55 AM."

Kim Jae-hwan clicked his tongue, crossed his arms, and looked at Jihun askance.

"Interns should act like interns. You should come in early to prepare for work. Arriving five minutes before work starts is not acceptable. A simple apology would suffice, but why are you arguing about the time?"

"I'm sorry. I'll come in earlier from now on."

He wondered if he should have skipped the secondhand bookstore. If he had come straight here, he would have arrived even earlier. Despite feeling a bit wronged, Jihun bowed slightly.

"By the way, Intern. Did you finish the task I gave you yesterday?"

"Yes."

Jihun handed the USB in his pocket to Kim Jae-hwan. The team leader looked at him disapprovingly.

"You finished this so quickly? The ePub production list has thousands of entries."

"I did it a few times in college. Once you get used to Excel, it's quick."

"Did Yoon Daeri help you?"

"No, sir."

With a doubtful expression, Kim Jae-hwan connected the USB to the computer and opened the Excel file Jihun had organized.

Soon, he nodded.

"Hmm. Not bad, better than I expected."

"Thank you. By the way, is Yoon Daeri not coming today?"

Jihun looked at the empty desk. Yoon Eun-sil's desk was unoccupied. Kim Jae-hwan waved his hand dismissively.

"I don't know. Get ready for work. It's going to be a busy day, you know?"

"Yes, sir."

Jihun returned to his seat.

'My name is Jihun, not Intern. Can't you call me by my name?'

Would there ever be a day when he could say this to Kim Jae-hwan as a regular employee?

'Sigh. Forget it. I need to work.'

Just then, a woman entered with the sound of heels. She had a slender figure and a beautiful face. She was very popular in college.

'Senior Eun-sil.'

Jihun bowed from his seat. Yoon Eun-sil nodded and returned to her desk.

In fact, Jihun had joined Seorim Publishing through Yoon Eun-sil's recommendation, his senior in college.

With good grades and a relevant degree, he had no trouble getting the job.

They were very close, like siblings, in private, but Jihun was always careful because he had joined the company as a favor. Misunderstandings could make work life difficult.

Their eyes met when Yoon Eun-sil turned her head.

"Why?"

"No, nothing."

Jihun laughed awkwardly and turned on his computer. Just then,

"Who did this? Who did this terrible job?"

The sudden loud voice silenced the office. Typing stopped.

Everyone's attention turned to the source of the noise. The culprit was Editor-in-Chief Jang Tae-yeon.

His face was red with anger. He approached, his belly jiggling, and placed his hands on his hips.

Everyone held their breath.

In a publishing company, the editor-in-chief is a symbol of power. They decide contracts, publication schedules, and the frequency and methods of book promotions, controlling the livelihoods of authors. As a result, authors, who are the owners of the content, often can't stand up to them.

The same applied to employees. Kim Jae-hwan, startled, stood up.

"Editor-in-Chief. What's the matter?"

"Devil's Temptation! The barcodes for Volume 1 and Volume 2 have changed. How many times do I have to tell you to check before printing? Who did this? Huh?"

The eyes of everyone in the planning and editing team gradually turned to a specific person. The person receiving all the attention was Jihun.

Startled, Jihun jumped up.

"Ah, I did it. I'm sorry."

"You did?"

You're in for it today.

Editor-in-Chief Jang Tae-yeon had that exact look on his face.