Chapter 222

We didn’t have much conversation during the meal. It was noisy around us, but that was fine. In fact, it would prevent our talk from spreading to others. However, it was uncertain whether someone would eavesdrop through the barrier of that loud noise.

Talking about anything here would be risky, but at least I had to skip over topics that were blatantly dangerous, like the scandal named Seol-guk.

“Speaking of which, who’s the person that helped you?”

So, the choice was not about the information itself but rather the provider of that information, something that wasn’t particularly important, at least for himself. However, I found something suspicious about Seol-guk’s subsequent reaction.

“Ah, umm… you wouldn’t know even if I told you. I only found out through my professor’s connections.”

He didn’t seem to be lying, but it was clear he was hiding something. The old Seol-guk wasn’t one to lie or deceive in the first place, but now, even if he tried, it seemed too obvious to miss.

However, as for the professor’s connections… I didn’t want to bow my head to that jerk Seo Jehak again, so I decided to hold off for now.

“Is that person still helping you?”

“I’m not really sure, but even if I look for information, there’s not much coming out. It seems like it’ll be tough from here on.”

“Are you going to be okay?”

“Of course, I’m fine. I’ve shaken off all that stuff by now.”

Yeah, it seemed like he was managing to hide that side of him. If he wasn’t hiding it, it would have been better.

“Anyway, I won’t be able to eat in a place like this again, right? You’ve become quite the star.”

“Star? It’s all because of the aggro.”

He wasn’t a star, not a celebrity, but he was well-known. Yet, Seol-guk’s distinctive white hair caught attention wherever he went. That was why when we usually met, we met at his home.

“Next time, if we’re going to eat out, let’s choose a better place. Somewhere we can talk without pressure.”

“Yeah, sorry about that—my bad.”

“Stop talking nonsense and eat your food.”

Seol-guk probably didn’t realize the impact he had when he showed up in that outfit. It wasn’t intentional, but I couldn’t say anything. I felt uncomfortable, not because of the gazes, but because Seol-guk seemed to be aware of them.

What was I even thinking?

Han-bom, that girl had given me a reason to leave with a lie, and she hadn’t even given me a heads-up like this?

Objectively, Seol-guk was so noticeable that walking down the street would lead to dozens of photos being taken. It was even more so because of how different he looked now.

If he was to be sent out looking like this, he should have at least been briefed on the basic precautions.

“I keep talking about myself, so how about you share too? How was it going to America? Do you think it will go well?”

“There’s the hopeful perspective and the realistic perspective. Pick one.”

“Reality.”

“Realistically, it’ll get buried. No matter how much recognition Korea has gained, it’s still a peripheral country in the Eastern world. For my book to make a mark in that colossal publishing industry? If it were that easy, Korea would have already won a Nobel Prize in Literature.”

“What about the hopeful perspective?”

“I’d become the first Nobel Prize laureate.”

“Stop joking around.”

Hearing such absurd statements made me see a bit of the old Seol-guk again. Personally, I preferred this level of distance. It felt more comfortable. Right now, it felt heavy, teetering on the edge.

“Well, I guess… since I’ve come this far, I’ve done all I can. At least I have no regrets. If I fail, I’ll just inherit the company, and if not, I don’t know what’ll happen.”

“That sounds unlucky.”

He said with a chuckle. Yes, this was the banter I liked.

“But if you succeed… what happens with the engagement?”

This was getting a bit deeper.

“For me, I’ve gotten somewhat close, but she’s still not my type. We’ll probably break up. I honestly don’t know how she would react, but my father will handle it. It’s a promise after all.”

Every word seemed to change Seol-guk’s reaction, and it was burdensome in many ways. Regardless, the reason I could say this so calmly was that his reaction was somewhat amusing.

My fiancée, Chloe Yoo.

The look on Seol-rin’s face, when I said she wasn’t really my type, showed two emotions coexisting. Relief and anxiety. When I mentioned the probable breakup, the former emotion grew stronger. But when I said my father would handle it, the opposite was true.

Well, Seol-guk didn’t know my father. He hadn’t met him. Imagining based on what he heard from me, it wouldn’t be strange to conclude he was a personality wreck. In fact, that wasn’t entirely wrong either.

Even if my engagement relationship broke now, it wouldn’t particularly make things worse. Seol-rin, she seemed to have no special feelings for me yet. I hadn’t said anything special to Seol-guk about it, but she wasn’t a normal girl either.

Thanks to Seol-rin’s father, who exemplified the ideal father figure, she didn’t seem to have a distorted personality, but she had a vibe that was quite different from regular people. A character in the engineering field writing Jesus-inspired poetry was probably one of a kind in the world. It was surprising that she still held onto some innocence.

It was convenient. I don’t know if saying it that way might sound strange, but she reminded me of Seol-guk. The old Seol-guk, the current Seol-guk, a scent that wasn’t fully one or the other.

A bit unusual but ingenious, pleasant but rational, ordinary yet extraordinary—like…

No, such thoughts were rude to anyone. I should stop. It was only sullying my mood.

In any case, to her, I still seemed like a curious older brother from next door. Or maybe a strange monkey? At least that was how it felt now. Regardless of how this engagement would end, I didn’t think she would develop romantic feelings for me.

If that were to happen, it would be quite troublesome.

“What are you thinking?”

“About Seol-rin.”

“What? Talking about another girl in front of a girl—how bold.”

If she really thought so, her trembling voice should be addressed. It was an embarrassing line for herself to say, but the tremor felt like it was for other reasons. By the way, now she referred to herself as a girl. Although her voice was a bit shaky.

“I wasn’t thinking much. I just have the feeling that even if the engagement ends, she wouldn’t think much of it.”

“How could that be?”

“How would I know what a nerd girl thinks?”

Don’t mutter like you can’t believe it. You know I’m not the perfect guy either.

“Still… success is probably not easy, right?”

“What did you think I meant by what I said earlier?”

Honestly, it was close to impossible. Even for me, it was something I did to completely cut off my last bit of attachment. I didn’t not want success, but the expectation for success felt too hard to hold.

The American publishing industry wasn’t kind to an unnamed, yet unpublished writer who hadn’t released even a single book.

But was this the answer they wanted? I could visibly see Seol-guk’s shoulders slumping. Why do you show me such a reaction when you know?

“You’re still writing that web novel, right?”

Then we’ll need some emergency measures. He always rambled when it came to writing.

It’s not like I didn’t know. I mentioned it before, but didn’t tell him that time. After that, I had heard a bit through the grapevine, and I had seen some reactions to it as well. Recognizing what he had written wasn’t that hard. But until he told me directly, I didn’t want to pretend like I knew.

“I’m just writing it casually since it’s not for making money.”

“What’s the title? Come on, tell me this time.”

“…Why would you want to know that?”

Why is he showing such aversion to this? He used to insist that a writer should expose their bare nakedness.

He had already refused to answer once before, but I thought it was because he was considering my situation then. Was there a reason he didn’t want to say? Meanwhile, hiding that aversion was just silly.

“I’ll go check it out. And then I’ll mock you hard.”

“How do you even know how I wrote it? I only said it sounds like a fairytale.”

“Of course, you’d throw some weird literary theory into the genre and congratulate yourself for writing it well.”

“Ah, that’s not true!”

“Then why are you hiding it?”

“You didn’t show me your debut work either!”

Ah, was that it? Well, that was… unavoidable. It was my issue of insecurity. I wanted to show this guy, who was ahead of me in every aspect, that I had achieved something. So, I never let him read it before it was finished, and it was a work I had written solely based on my strength. I wanted him to read it in the most perfect form.

“Now that you put it that way, I have nothing to say.”

My thoughts haven’t changed since then.

“…I’ll let you know later.”

“Okay, tell me when you’re ready.”

I still don’t quite understand what is so embarrassing.

When we finished our meal and went outside, the night had finally started to darken a bit. Naturally, I wasn’t thinking of ending things here. The concept of a second round didn’t exist for us, and I normally kept going until I was completely drunk, but today wasn’t that day.

In the end, it was just walking along the beach, but on asphalt, not sand.

“Has the fishy smell gone yet?”

“It’s still pretty strong.”

Seol-guk chuckled softly. That laugh felt a bit unfamiliar.

“It’s salty and sour wind.”

I agreed.

“Oh, but there are fewer people here. It was really awkward earlier.”

“I thought you were oblivious to it.”

“You’d figure it out if you lived here for a year.”

“Isn’t it still not a year? Was it ten months?”

“Is that so… Right about the time a baby is born?”

“Are you pregnant?”

Ah, even so, was that too much of an out-of-bounds joke? Seol-guk’s shoulders twitched for a moment, then he glared and turned his head away. He even started walking ahead.

“Hey, are you sulking? It was a joke.”

“Sure.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Then you buy dessert.”

“I paid for the meal too, man. What do you want to eat?”

“Hmm… Maybe the wind?”

Pfft.

“Don’t pretend to be poetic. It sounds lame.”

“That’s harsh. My poetry isn’t that bad, you know?”

“I still remember your evaluations from the poetry creation class. What was it again? ‘Please don’t write poetry for the next ten years’?”

“Hey! You still remember that?!”

“How could I forget? I can’t remember how you managed to get a C with that review.”

“Through persistent effort.”

“Was it out of pity?”

“Shut up.”

The wind blowing from the sea still carried salt and fishy scents. Still, it was directed toward us.

“Let’s go have some dessert. Somewhere we can eat quietly.”

“A café?”

“I found a decent one while searching. Well, next time we’ll find a similar place for the meal too.”

“Yeah, next time let’s pick somewhere better.”

Sure, I got it. That’s obvious. It’s not like I’m a complete fool; anyone would think that way.

Today was probably a really unexpected day for Seol-guk, but was it just my feeling? The face of Seol-guk, commanding me with pride, seemed to have a slight smile.