Novelist Running Through Time

Chapter 79

TL: KSD

Artists lack manners.

Theres a common image.

Books, movies, dramas, etc., that depict prickly singers, eccentric painters, and irritable actors are the very proof of this.

The character of the rude artist is a popular stereotype that has been loved from ancient times. Originally, the fantasy of almost all humans is that a person who lacks manners only acts kindly towards me.

Then, why was this image formed?

Speaking as an artist, its because its a fact.

Artists lack manners.

And what is so-called manners is sociability. Its the ability to communicate with other people, the organization one belongs to, that is, the outside world.

However, artists are people who create their works by drawing inspiration not from the outside world but from their inner world.

As a result, they neglect communication with the outside world while focusing on the inner self, and thus, the <Theory of Artists with Zero Manners> is completed.

Of course, its just a personal opinion thats somewhat awkward to present as a theory anywhere, but I have recently come to think that my theory is quite credible.

Because the proof was walking around in front of me.

Hey, Yuna are you sure you want to skip club today?

Yuna?

Hmph.

Gu Yuna had lost her manners.

It was puberty.

Side EP-Princess Maker

The strange sign was felt from the moment Gu Yuna started eating alone.

Of course, Gu Yuna usually eats alone. Its not like she was being bullied like in the old days, but when the kids from the literature department sit in the cafeteria, laughing and chatting, they would create just one empty seat next to them and sit alone next to it.

Everyone wonders why she does that, but I know very well Gu Yunas psychology of I want to be friends with you guys but my pride hurts to approach first, so you sit next to me and start a conversation.

Of course, there arent really any friends who sit next to Gu Yuna.

What about the friends who went to eat with Gu Yuna after school last time?

They were there, but then they werent. The details are omitted.

Anyway, that empty seat always ended up being like my reserved seat, but at some point, when I sat next to Gu Yuna, she would take her tray and move one seat away, right?

Other abnormal behaviors observed include walking far away during moving classes, not picking up a dropped eraser, stealing side dishes, not attending the club, etc.

Of course, as an authority on Gu Yuna linguistics and Gu Yuna behavioral psychology, I havent failed to understand Gu Yunas way of thinking.

Well, she must have felt like her sister stole her friend.

It was probably that day when Gu Yubin cried without acting her age and without any dignity. Probably.

Gu Yuna, originally with zero sociability, and Gu Yubin, full of sociability, were sisters constantly compared to each other.

As Gu Yubin, known as a genius literary girl from a young age and appearing on TV, shone brighter, Gu Yuna, who inherently had a slightly lacking empathy ability, grew up feeling a complex.

Describing them as the light of Gu Yubin and the darkness of Gu Yuna might feel like some Japanese mobile game characters, but in fact, this is probably the most appropriate expression.

This dark and sticky inferiority complex is a credible testimony because I heard it directly from Gu Yuna in my memory.

After all, Ive been almost a professional psychological counselor, no, a garbage collector of emotions for Gu Yuna for nearly 10 years.

Anyway, its not for no reason that I claim to be an expert on Gu Yuna.

Of course, I also know the prescription to relieve Gu Yunas feeling of loss from being upset because it seems like her friend was stolen.

Its continuous and warm care and attention.

The continuous part is the most important.

Its not right to shock her by saying, Then eat alone, Yuna! Im going to hang out with your sister!.

Making her firmly realize that theres always someone on her side through time and patience.

That would be the correct answer to calmly manage the heart of precious, no, the golden-hearted Gu Yuna.

What the hell are you doing?

What is it.

Wow This is getting to the point of being creepy.

When I told Lim Yang-wook about everything that had happened at the noodle shop, he poured out criticisms that I absolutely couldnt agree with.

What does that friend do that you understand her so thoroughly? Are you, what, stalking her?

Stalking, what nonsense.

Of course, there was one time when Gu Yuna stalked me, but lets bury that incident in the sands of time.

What stalking I just naturally came to understand her personality from reading her novels.

Fortunately, Lim Yang-wook was knowledgeable enough to empathize with my words.

Well, you can see what kind of person a writer is from their writing.

Right?

But you were an exception. Man, I thought for sure you were some young dude whose spirit was crushed after getting rejected from literary awards dozens of times. Who would have known you were such a young kid? Haha!

Ahaha!

How did he know? Really like a ghost. No. Not a ghost, maybe a fortune-telling octopus

Lim Yang-wooks face turns red when hes drunk, and since it extended to his scalp, his entire head was red.

His appearance reminded me of some cephalopod with eight legs, but for privacy reasons, I wont specify which.

Lim Yang-wook took another gulp of highball, using the takoyaki that came with the udon as a side dish.

Kuuuuh

He let out a strange noise as he put down his glass, a shadow of darkness passing through his eyes, but I didnt pry. Whats the point of asking a young guy if company life is tough? I dont want to make someone whos already having a hard time lie.

Ah, right, hows the writing going?

Writing?

Yeah! Dont just look at Gu Yunas novels, try writing some yourself! Bring your next work quickly! Earn some money!

Are you rushing me now? Its so disgusting I cant handle it. Im changing jobs.

Sorry, my bad. Please, spare me.

Writing, huh

Its not going well.

Lim Yang-wook got it backwards. Its not that I couldnt write because I was looking at Gu Yunas novels, but rather, I looked at her novels because I couldnt write.

Of course, I was eager to see Gu Yunas talent bloom as soon as possible.

Unlike me, who is at the mercy of time, Gu Yuna has already made a name for herself in the world with her own writing.

Selling 300,000 copies of self-published books is no childs play.

Moreover, Gu Yuna wrote mystery novels. Mystery novels are, after all, genre literature. And in the Korean literary scene, not to mention the drama scene, genre literature is considered not the orthodox but the heterodox path. The moment she sold 300,000 copies as a minor genre with individual effort, Gu Yuna became the supernova of mystery literature, no, of the Korean literary world in her early twenties.

However, the act of bestowing the honor she rightfully deserves and passing on the skills.

This personal favor is not the sole reason Im helping Gu Yuna.

Its more like a habit.

We had this habit between us. When I hit a block in my writing, I would look at Gu Yunas writing, and when Gu Yuna hit a block, she would look at mine.

Then, the blockage would clear.

Its natural. We were each others halves.

Not just in an affectionate sense, but our literary worlds resembled each other. Looking at each others writings was like looking into a mirror where one could find themselves.

This wasnt a miracle that happened by meeting a fateful soulmate.

Its a perfectly natural occurrence that comes from being partners who grew up together from childhood, the most critical period for the formation of ones self.

Theres a saying that a persons character is the sum of all the people theyve met. If thats the case, half of my character belongs to Gu Yuna, and half of Gu Yunas belongs to me.

Soulmates.

Its a clich expression, but its the most fitting.

Even though we eventually parted ways.

Damn it!

Hey! Hey! You little!

Frustrated, I snatched a sip of Lim Yang-wooks highball. Leaving a shocked Lim Yang-wook behind, I felt a bit relieved as the buzz slowly crept up on me. Indeed, a young body is sensitive to alcohol

Anyway, helping Gu Yuna with her novel writing was certainly a proud task.

However, on the other hand, the stark realization that I couldnt find any trace of myself in Gu Yunas novels was felt.

There were no habits I corrected, no lessons we learned together.

My literary world and Gu Yunas literary world were completely different.

Then, from where could I draw any inspiration?

The partner has disappeared, and now only the image of a student I must teach remains.

Then, where should I find inspiration?

When the writing block happen Whom should I turn to?

How should I write?

Sigh.

Lets admit it.

Ive fallen into a slump.

* * *

My slump continued until the literature department kids began to glow with excitement as summer vacation approached and they started their countdown.

Lim Yang-wook consoled me, suggesting I take a break during this opportunity, but to me, literature is survival.

Writing is not an activity with active and rest periods for me, but a struggle to maintain my identity. That was my literature.

But what if the writing doesnt come out?

Its like saying the heart beats even without breathing.

Something is wrong.

Wasnt I a person who could only live by writing? Shouldnt I endure each day by encapsulating all my sufferings in books? Why cant I think of the next novel?

Then, one day, I realized.

Im not suffering.

Theres no stress to cram into my writing.

There are no emotional wounds to sublimate into literature.

Thats why the writing doesnt come out.

In other words

Youve gotten complacent, arent you?

Gotten complacent

No, no.

Hey, Ki-hoon hyung, isnt that a bit harsh!

I protested to Ma Ki-hoon, who was putting side dishes in the studio refrigerator, but what came back was a harsh critique.

Right. Youve gotten complacent. Youve become lazy because the royalties come in steadily and you dont have to worry about living expenses.

My manager talking back to me?

I have a girlfriend to support, so just spare my life.

Ma Ki-hoon, the lofty swordsman of New Light Spring Orphanage, shamefully saved his life. It seems true that a man becomes weaker when he has something to protect.

Determined, Ma Ki-hoon squatted down in front of me and began to advise.

Hey. Ive been thinking about your slump lately

Hyung?

I did some internet searches

Ma Ki-hoon skillfully changed his tone as he continued.

How about changing your environment?

The environment?

Or exercise might be good, or picking up a hobby, or maybe even going for a walk in the morning

Youre just listing things you found on the internet now, arent you.

Regain energy through sufficient rest, or go back to the basics, or dont whip yourself too hard, or fill your life with a positive mindset

Have you run out of things you memorized?

Yeah.

Ma Ki-hoon, who had scrambled to pull advice from the internet, was sadly chased out of the studio.

However, Ma Ki-hoons advice to try changing the environment would soon be put into action.

Of course, it wasnt by my own will.

* * *

Since ancient times, when a dynasty changed, the monarch would thoroughly dispose of the traces of the old dynasty.

If they didnt, those remnants would surely become rebels and kick them out again.

The same goes for the modern-day dynasties of chaebols.

The second son of the previous chairman, who seized the Kingdom of Baekhak Group, cleanly disposed of the old generations heavyweights.

However, in Baekhak Media Group, there has always been a powerful local regime untouched by the central powers

That is Baekhak Entertainment.

Baekhak Entertainment, founded from scratch by Baek Seung-won, a collateral family member, occupies a unique position within the Baekhak Group.

Singers, actors, etc.

While it is an important company that produces, manages, and supplies the human resources necessary for the comprehensive entertainment industry, the headquarters influence hardly reaches it.

Of course, Baekhak Groups headquarters can control more than 51% of Baekhak Entertainments shares using the circular shareholding structure.

However, the rules of capitalism cannot take precedence over the rules of governance, which have a history far too ancient to compare.

Its the logic that the president cant play emperor even if the National Pension owns more shares than most conglomerate chairmen.

Therefore, changing the head of an organization required a more delicate operation than one might think,

Typically, this involved putting someone who would stir up trouble from within at the forefront to erode the leaders control.

So, youll have to be the one dispatched there.

Me?!

The Booker International Longlist Nominee,

Baek Seol, won.

*****

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