Chapter 1

I am a writer 001

Chapter 1: Prologue

“No, Mr. President. Isn’t this a bit much?”

It really was.

My name is Jun-kyung Lee, and I’m already thirty-seven.

At this age, I’m still a section chief.

Sure, I could be a section chief at this age.

But I’ve been a section chief for ten years now.

After being discharged from the military, I signed a contract as a writer at the publishing company, Blue Forest, but ended up getting married after a blind date and had to take on the role of an editor to support my family.

I signed a contract as a writer at the age of twenty-two but messed it up that year. I returned to being an editor two years later, at the age of twenty-four, after becoming a manager.

After becoming a manager, around three years later, many editors couldn’t bear the harsh working conditions and left. When my senior, Sung-yong, who was originally a section chief, became a department head, I became a section chief.

Sung-yong stayed in that position for ten years, so I held the position of section chief for ten years. Recently, Sung-yong left to start his own management company, so I naturally thought the department head position would be mine.

But the president suddenly decided to put his son in that position.

His excuse was,

“Section Chief Lee, please understand our situation. You know how tough things are for the company, right?”

What a load of nonsense.

If things are that tough, he should sell his building and his luxury car.

Why block someone else’s promotion?

“Then at least give me a raise.”

If putting his son in the department head position was to reduce labor costs, I thought he could at least give me a raise, considering my contributions, even if I remained a section chief.

After all, with the rising cost of living, it was becoming increasingly difficult to support my family as a "goose father" with my current salary.

I even had several loans.

Supporting my wife and daughter living overseas with an editor's salary felt like my back was about to break.

I had to tighten my belt so much.

But the president, knowing my situation, only cared about his money.

“Section Chief Lee, what did you just hear? With the company in such a tough spot, do you think I have the means to give you a raise?”

“Isn’t that a bit too much?”

I said it again, emphasizing how unfair it was.

The president then burst into anger.

“Too much? If you think it’s too much, why don’t you leave like Hong Sung-yong and start your own company?”

I felt a deep sense of self-loathing.

I had dedicated fifteen years to Blue Forest Publishing.

And now he was telling me to leave.

At times like this, I often think,

What if I had continued being a writer back then?

If I hadn’t gotten into an accident and remained single, I might have been able to make a living as a writer without any issues.

At least based on the market I’ve seen.

I looked at the president with a mix of resentment and regret.

“Is that what you should be saying, Mr. President?”

He should have tried to console me, but he just kept getting angry.

“What can’t you do? Honestly, what have you done? Hong Sung-yong did everything.”

When he said this, I knew he was just trying to provoke me.

My patience was wearing thin.

I looked at him with a look of disbelief.

“What did you say?”

“Honestly, what your son can do, I can do. If you were capable, I wouldn’t have a reason to not promote you. Hong, he’s going to be a department head, and you’ll eventually leave.”

The president’s constant comparison to Sung-yong and his provocation finally broke my patience.

“I understand how you see me, Mr. President.”

I clenched my teeth and picked up a business card and a pen from the president’s desk.

When I suddenly picked up my business card and pen, the president asked,

“Hey, what are you doing?”

Without answering, I started writing on the business card with the pen.

Scratch, scratch.

After a few strokes, three characters were complete.

Resignation letter.

I threw the resignation letter at the president.

The thin business card fluttered in the air.

As it fell in front of the president’s eyes, I said,

“It’s a resignation letter. Please give me my severance pay. I want to see if I can start a company like Sung-yong and show you what I can do.”

The president, seeing the word “resignation letter” on the falling business card, flew into a rage.

“What the hell. Do you think I’ll let you get a foothold in this industry if you leave like this?”

“You said I’m not capable, right? Anyway, just give me my severance pay on time. This is my last act of respect for the long time I’ve worked at Blue Forest. If I don’t get my severance pay, I’ll report it to the labor office, so you better take care of it.”

With that, I left the president’s office.

As I grabbed the doorknob, I heard the president jump up and shout,

“Hey, aren’t you stopping?!”

I ignored him and slammed the door shut.

Bang!

Standing in front of the door, I muttered,

“Damn, did I work here for so long just to be treated like this? I should have left when Sung-yong suggested it.”

Since I had already submitted my resignation letter,

I decided to go and pack up my things.

“Hey, Section Chief Jun?”

“Yeah? Chun-bok?”

“Section Chief, please call me by my real name.”

“Why, I feel closer this way.”

“Well, I guess you’re the only editor who treats me like a client.”

“Hey, now that I’m not an editor anymore, I can treat you like a client.”

“What do you mean?”

“Want to smoke a cigarette?”

* * *

“Huh, why is Mr. Kim doing this? You’ve worked so hard, and with Sung-yong gone, you should have been promoted to department head.”

Chun-bok, now known as Baek, said after exhaling a puff of cigarette smoke.

Baek.

When I was just an editor, I contacted him, and he has been a martial arts writer who has adapted to the changing market for over ten years.

I was glad he recognized my efforts.

But it was hard to laugh joyfully, given that I had to leave the company where I had worked for so long.

I just smiled bitterly, took a puff of my cigarette, and replied,

“At least you recognize my efforts, and I appreciate that.”

I lightly patted Baek’s back with my free hand.

Baek smiled awkwardly.

“Well, of course, you should recognize me. You made me who I am today.”

“You write well, not because of me.”

“But didn’t you always catch me when I missed deadlines and dragged me to eat canned food to keep me writing consistently? If it weren’t for you, I might still be working on my debut novel.”

“Yeah, it was tough. I felt responsible for making sure you met your deadlines since I was the one who contacted you.”

Baek was truly remarkable.

It’s hard to believe how prolific he was, consistently writing in the paid serial market.

By today’s standards, he wrote about ten episodes a month.

It took him two to three months to complete a book, and seeing how he adapted to the market, he was truly impressive.

What was even more impressive was that he always went to the same bars, knowing I would come to catch him.

Thanks to that, I always caught him.

Once, I even had to carry him to the publishing company after he passed out drunk, as his colleague called me.

“Huh.”

“What’s so funny?”

“Just thinking about that time.”

“What time?”

I told him about the time I carried him to the publishing company.

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“Well, that was a real nightmare. I woke up after drinking and found myself at the publishing company. Do you know how shocked I was?”

“Hey, you should cut down on drinking.”

It was funny to scold a man in his thirties, but for his health, Baek needed to cut down.

He usually drank five bottles of soju in one sitting.

When I scolded him, Baek waved his hand.

“Well, these days, my body isn’t what it used to be, so I drink moderately.”

I asked, spreading my index and middle fingers,

“Two bottles of soju?”

He laughed and added his ring finger.

“Well, how can anyone survive on just two bottles of soju? I need at least three.”

“Sigh.”

Shaking my head.

You’re really a heavy drinker, Baek.

Anyway, as we talked, Baek also got nostalgic.

“Thinking about those times, I miss them. Even though I wasn’t a popular writer back then, you bought me sundae stew and boiled meat with your own money.”

“At the time, there was no corporate card, and the president limited the meal allowance to 5,000 won per person, so I had to buy it myself.”

The president’s stinginess was really frustrating.

Anyway, Baek raised his thumb while talking.

“That’s why I like you. I can’t forget the taste of that boiled meat.”

“Yeah, talking about it makes me want to have some sundae stew and soju.”

“Since we’re on the topic, how about a drink?”

I was already feeling frustrated and had a drink, but not today.

“No, let’s do it later. Today, I need to pack up my things and check my flight tickets.”

“Why do you need flight tickets?”

“I haven’t seen my wife and daughter in so long. Since I’m taking a break, I want to see them before I start working again.”

“Oh, then I’ll see you when you get back.”

Baek realized it wasn’t a day for drinking and said goodbye.

I smiled mischievously and said,

“Sure, bring your seal when you come back.”

“Huh? Why do I need my seal?”

“Just in case you can give me a new work.”

Baek’s eyes widened at the request for a new work.

“Are you planning to start a management company?”

“Since things are like this, I might as well try.”

But then he suddenly mentioned a long-lost dream of mine.

“Why don’t you become a writer?”

“What, me? I’ve been a beta for fifteen years.”

In contracts, the writer is the client, and the company is the beta.

And the actual beta is the editor.

But Baek waved his hand, disagreeing.

“Well, is the writer really the client?”

“At least in the contract, the writer is the client, and I don’t get treated like a beta by writers or the president.”

“Well, that’s true. Let’s talk about it over drinks when you get back.”

“Sure, no pressure.”

I said it was just a suggestion, and Baek replied,

“Actually, I’m a fan of Jun-kyung Lee, the writer, and I wanted to read your works. It’s a shame. Anyway, if you need a new work, I’ll give you one. I owe you so much.”

Jun-kyung Lee, the writer.

That’s the name I wanted to hear more than “Section Chief Lee” or “Editor Lee.”

It felt a bit embarrassing to hear it from him.

“Fan? I’m just a writer who finished a five-volume series and can’t even hand out business cards.”

“Well, I found it interesting. Plus, you wrote two more books while being an editor and finished them neatly. You even spent two years in the military writing a setting book and two more books. That’s really impressive.”

“Thanks, man.”

I smiled at the excessive praise and put out my almost finished cigarette.

I crushed the cigarette butt in the ashtray and said goodbye to Baek.

“I’m leaving now.”

“Sure, let me know when you get back.”

“Sure!”

With that, I packed up my things at the company, booked a flight ticket, and left for Canada.

To see my lovely daughter and wife after a long time.

Not knowing if this would be the last time in my life.