Chapter 7

#7. I'll pay double for my mistakes.

"Congratulations, you're number one, author."

"···!"

"Your work hasn't fully taken off yet."

Seobeum stared at the screen intently.

She understood what PD Moon was saying.

"Maybe with a promotion, it could stay at the top for a longer time."

"···A promotion would certainly help."

"Well, to be honest, you've already climbed this high without any help, so we're just giving you a slight, very slight push."

PD Moon Yubin, holding the contract, stood up from her seat.

"Since we've signed the contract, shall we go for a meal?"

"Meal?"

PD Moon waved a card.

"Team leader gave me a bribe to bring you on board."

***

'I'm so full I could die.'

Maybe it's because it's been so long since I've had a full, well-prepared meal.

Seobeum's eyes were half-closed after finishing the meal and signing the contract.

'When you're warm and full, even a young body gets drowsy.'

- This sushi place is a hidden gem I discovered. The taste is guaranteed, author.

As PD Moon Yubin said, the sushi restaurant was indeed very good, so much so that even Seobeum, whose palate had been trained by various high-end foods in the past, praised it.

- Please try it.

- 'It's really good, isn't it?'

I didn't expect it to be that good, but the sushi looked impressive from the start.

'I should come here often.'

When I have money, I'll bring the kids.

By next year, when I turn an adult, it would be nice to have a drink here alone.

'But will the kids like it?'

I couldn't go empty-handed. I couldn't eat such delicious food alone.

Seobeum lifted the plastic bag in her hand to check its contents.

- Is there any food the kids might like?

The packaged food was beef sushi. Seobeum sighed softly.

'Over budget.'

···There will be many expenses in the future, so I should avoid impulsive purchases like today.

Seobeum placed the bag neatly on her lap.

'But soon it will be monetized, so I just need to hold on a little longer.'

The monetization date discussed with PD Moon Yubin was about a week away.

- Then, it would be good to get readers excited about the protagonist's first work, [Moonlight], and then monetize it.

- Yes. First, succeed as a mystery/thriller author, and then move on to other genres.

Although the characters in the story were based on Seobeum, Nara, Heechan, and Dali, the details were different. The protagonist of [The Genius Author of the Moonlight Neighborhood] started with genre literature, not web novels.

- By the way, the story within the story is interesting. It feels like it could be a novel itself, which makes it even more engaging. If you put more effort into it, it could become the core of the work.

Is it because it can't be ignored?

She remembers many people who loved and supported her work in the past.

- And, though it might be premature to say this... you should also consider entering a writing contest.

Winning a contest and monetization.

These two advantages will certainly bring many changes to her daily life.

"First, let's list what I'll do when I earn money."

Thinking about her rabbit-like siblings waiting for her, Seobeum opened her notebook on the subway ride back.

'First, send Dali to kindergarten. Buy Heechan a new school bag.'

Heechan already carries a lot of textbooks for review, and his bag is about to tear.

And Nara...

'Should I re-enroll her in art school?'

Nara has a talent for drawing.

Looking back, Nara has been winning art competitions since elementary school.

'And in the good old days when we were close, we used to say things like this to each other.'

- Big brother, did you win another award?

- Yes, a writing contest in school. Isn't it cool?

- I want to win an award too, like you... a cool award!

- Then you should write more.

- No, big brother. I...

'···'

A faint smile appeared on Seobeum's lips as she remembered what Nara said.

- I want to draw, big brother. I want to win a drawing contest. I love drawing.

***

That night.

The readers were thrilled by Seobeum's announcement.

It seemed that the readers loved [The Genius Author of the Moonlight Neighborhood] more than she thought.

'I thought it was a bit boring, but I focused on the stability and the titles I could achieve due to the genre change.'

She had also aimed for the writing contest, and while she expected monetization, the response was overwhelming.

Seobeum recalled a story she had heard in the past.

- Our author Yoo's writing strangely penetrates people's hearts. It's not like it has some special sentences, but it deeply resonates. In a word, atmosphere! Emotion! That's what it has.

This was a praise given by a director who read Seobeum's script in her younger days, while drunk.

"Emotion... "

Emotion can't be trained.

It's a personal writing style, a 'sense' one is born with.

- It's amazing. You write everything well. Mystery, horror, suspense, romance... from screenplays to novels... but when you read it, you know it's Yoo Seobeum's writing. It's unmistakable.

- It's ordinary writing, but it has a certain atmosphere. It's really amazing. Is this what people call talent?

Her colleagues and junior authors also said this.

'The style they talk about.'

Seobeum knew. The unique, indescribable 'style' that her writing exuded was her strength and talent.

So, in her past life, she just wrote. Although she wasn't the type to write carelessly, she always went through a lot of struggles, but the results were always good.

'That's why there are such comments in the replies.'

'Indeed.'

When she hears such comments, she feels an overwhelming urge to write, fingers and wrists aching to type.

Her heart beats so fast it feels strange.

'I can't tell if the writing is pulling me or if I'm writing it, it's so dizzying.'

Her creative desire and an unknown motivation surge to the top of her head, exploding in a flood of sentences.

'I was born to write.'

In the past, she only took responsibility for herself, but now there are a few more people she needs to take full responsibility for.

'···I haven't done much with my siblings yet.'

Yoo Seobeum knew herself well.

Originally, she was a novelist with a 'core' full of desires and ambitions.

So, she chased it to the death and eventually achieved it.

Success.

'It won't be hard to do it again.'

***

Monetization D-Day.

Writing contest D+20.

Seobeum, who woke up earlier than her siblings and washed up, opened her laptop with a determined heart.

'Will the banner help?'

In the dimly lit living room, the laptop screen brightly illuminated Seobeum's face.

"Phew..."

Still number one.

Seobeum's eyes moved downward.

'New author.'

While [The Genius Author of the Moonlight Neighborhood] by Goo Hwedo was heating up the Utopia site as a banner, [My Status Window 100,000] in the fantasy genre was also enjoying tremendous popularity.

Unlike Seobeum, who posted in the morning, it was a night serial, so the time it held the top spot was neck and neck.

"Even among established authors, this is an established one."

With seven previous works, all of which were hits, this mad author showed incredible stability.

'Honestly, I'm not aiming for the top of the writing contest... '

He is a hidden genius who shows incredible stability, hitting home runs with all his future works.

'My goal is realistically the second place in the writing contest.'

A prize of 70 million won.

It would be good for long-term financial stability to earn a large sum of money at once.

But there was a more effective way to earn a large sum of money than to beg for a writing contest win.

It was the 10 consecutive updates for monetization.

- Author, are you really going to do 10 consecutive updates?

- Yes, that's the only thing I can do right now.

- Don't overdo it. Your health is the most important.

'PD Moon said not to overdo it, but I'm curious.'

How far can this story go?

The number of favorites for [The Genius Author of the Moonlight Neighborhood], which had firmly established its position with a banner, was approaching 20,000.

Seobeum wanted to show a number even higher than what readers expected.

"So, what I need to do today is..."

She shook her wrist.

"10 consecutive updates."

I don't know how much money I need, but I know I need a lot. The 10 episodes are already prepared, so I just need to do a quick proofread and revision before posting.

However.

"First thing in the morning~."

Seobeum, who had been wearing a well-cooked, nicely colored apron for a few days, started making egg rolls with determination.

"Ah, damn!"

It burst again. Seobeum broke a sweat cleaning up the burst egg.

She had noticed something while cooking steadily for a few days.

She could make it edible, but it was hard to make it look nice.

'This is for my siblings, and I don't want to make it look strange... '

Dali once said this.

- Big brother, this looks weird! It looks tasteless!

- Dali, this isn't weird...

- The color is weird!

"It might not look good, but it tastes good."

There's nothing I can do.

Just as Seobeum put the ruined egg roll in her mouth.

"Big brother, what are you doing?"

Nara, who was tying her school tie, quietly approached Seobeum from behind.

Seobeum pointed to the table set on the floor.

"Making egg rolls. Go sit down."

"Can I try?"

"···"

Seobeum glanced at Nara and subtly handed her the pan.

Nara carefully took the pan and, with determination, tied the apron Seobeum was wearing and took her place in front of the stove.

"···"

Let me watch how she does it.

Seobeum crossed her arms and watched Nara's hands with hawk-like eyes.

Sizzle!

Nara poured the egg mixture into the pan, waited for the bottom to cook, and then rolled it with chopsticks.

"Huh?"

Seobeum's eyes widened.

Amid the sizzling sound, the egg mixture was poured again.

Nara moved the wooden chopsticks to make a perfectly round, appetizing egg roll with ease.

"···Is this good enough?"

I knew Nara could cook, but to this extent?

I didn't notice because I didn't pay close attention.

"Yoonara, did you secretly enter an egg roll contest?"

"Haha, what are you talking about?"

Nara laughed and said as if she had forgotten.

"···I used to make the meals, big brother."

"Huh?"

Thinking about it, while she was out earning money, Nara was taking care of the kids at home.

'I must have seemed strange to her, running around excitedly after coming back.'

Now, Seobeum, who had just pieced together the awkwardness, was hit by Nara's counterpunch.

"Actually, big brother, when you do the dishes, something always gets stuck on the plates..."

"Choke."

Nara's punch made the egg Seobeum had just eaten get stuck in her throat.

"···Cough. I'll be more careful from now on."

"No, big brother. You don't have to do the dishes. I can do it."

After coughing for a moment, Seobeum asked Nara.

"Cough, you."

"Uh?"

"By the way, are you thinking about doing art again?"

Nara's eyes widened, surprised by the unexpected question.

Seobeum continued.

'Actually... Nara isn't just talented in drawing.'

She seemed to have a knack for crafts in general.

When Dali showed off the drawing Nara had drawn for her or the origami Nara had folded, Seobeum paid close attention.

'She has a good knack for crafts.'

Art school is just one thing.

Seobeum made a bigger proposal to Nara.

'I'll pay double for my mistakes, Nara.'

She planned to fully support Nara to develop her greater talent.

"Or do you want to go to a specialized high school for arts?"

Oh.