Chapter 75 – The News Spreads ###
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
Juho had been curious what the club members had been up to throughout the summer break.
"I've been going to school. I applied for after school classes," said Sun Hwa. There was a backpack behind her.
"Is that where you were earlier?"
"Yep. I go everyday except the weekends."
"It must be tiring."
"I don't have to get up as early, so it's not too bad," said Bom. There was a backpack behind her as well.
"You've been going too, huh?"
"We're in different classes though. Sun Hwa's in intensive classes, but I can't keep up."
There was no trace of cowardice in her expression. She knew her limits, and she had found her place accordingly.
"You guys have been going to the same private institute, right?" Sun Hwa asked Baron and Seo Kwang. Seo Kwang had been studying English while Baron had been taking art lessons since the sketching contest. They both had made their decisions accordingly after deciding on a career path.
"How have the art lessons been? Are they fun?"
"My arm kind of hurts sometimes, but it's fun."
"Do you draw statues like Venus or Agrippa?"
"Of course!" Baron answered the freshmen as they questioned him curiously about his lessons.
At that moment, Juho's drink made its way to the table. The taste of peach spread in his mouth as he took a sip.
"What have you been up to?" Baron asked. All eyes were on him.
"I've been writing," he answered indifferently.
"Hehe! We have a true Literature Club member right here," said Seo Kwang with exaggeration.
"I'm sure you guys have been too," answered Juho with a smile.
As a club member himself, he had been watching the club members write, and they had enjoyed every bit of it. They wouldn't have stopped writing altogether just because they were on summer break.
"You know, he scares me sometimes," Sun Hwa said as if she was trying to prove his point.
"He can be like that," agreed Bom quietly. Seo Kwang shook his head as if he were used to it while Baron shrugged nonchalantly.
"What did you write about?" Juho asked Sun Hwa.
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"I've been transcribing! I'm almost done with the second book. Time for 'nother round of candy," she said proudly as if she'd been waiting for the question.
"I started working on my third book," said Bom as she quietly raised her hand.
Seo Kwang added with a scoff, "Well, I'm almost done with my second book too."
"Huh, you've done quite a bit. I remember you were pretty slow, both you and Juho."
"It's a proof that I haven't been lazy."
Sun Hwa scrunched her forehead. She didn't like the fact that Seo Kwang had caught up to her. By contrast, having caught her, Seo Kwang taunted her all the more.
'And that's how you get punched in the face,' Juho thought.
"How about you Juho, how far did you get?" Bom asked.
"Me?"
"Yeah."
"I'm still on my first book," he answered as he thought about the copy of his manuscript buried somewhere in his room.
"Eh?"
Ignoring the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, Juho took another sip of his iced tea. The scent of peach was rather pleasant.
"Didn't you say you've been writing?"
"He must have been working on something else," muttered Seo Kwang.
"I didn't ask you."
"Oh, I'm sorry. It was so obvious that I couldn't help myself. What are you goin' to do?"
While Sun Hwa and Seo Kwang quarreled, Bom interjected, "Mr. Moon did say that transcription isn't about speed."
"Still, the difference is so jarring. He could finish it in no time," said Sun Hwa as she looked at Juho with baffled eyes.
"I've been doing other stuff," Juho answered calmly.
"Other stuff?"
Juho felt slightly uncomfortable with being the center of attention.
"Like relationship counseling."
"Cough!"
Somebody coughed loudly, and it was obvious who it was. Both of the girls' eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Dating!?"
"Who?"
Even Baron seemed to be interested. Juho felt someone staring daggers at him from the side.
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"It's a real tear-jerker. I'd hate to make you guys cry," said Juho with a smile.
'Including Seo Kwang,' he thought.
As expected, Seo Kwang took the initiative to calm the grumbling club members.
"Yeah, where's the fun in listening to another person's dating life? Why don't we talk about books? Have you guys heard the news?"
"What the, hey, move! I have to hear this!"
"He said it's a tear-jerker. I don't want to cry when I don't have to."
"Since when are you the emotional type?"
To counter Sun Hwa resisting his effort to change subject, he took a more forceful approach.
"Yun Woo's new book is coming out!" he blurted out.
Juho felt Sun Hwa looking away from him and turning to Seo Kwang. 'I suppose that's one way to change the subject,' he thought.
"Already? It hasn't even been that long since 'The Trace of a Bird.'"
"It's been less than a year, hasn't it?" Bom said as she retraced her memory.
Seo Kwang nodded.
"That's what makes it even more amazing. The genius that shook the entire country is making a comeback with a new book within a year!"
"Is that for sure?"
"He's the most searched person on the internet right now. I saw an article this morning. You guys are probably the only ones who didn't know."
Before anybody else, Baron quietly took out his phone and looked for the article. It didn't take long at all. 'Seventeen-Year-Old Author Yun Woo Writing Next Book.'
"Wow, it's true," murmured Sun Hwa as she took Baron's phone from his hand. Juho had been expecting an article to come out around that day. The publishing company had told him that they were planning on starting the promotion early.
"Apparently, the publishing company is figuring out a release date. I didn't think it'd happen this soon," said Baron as he read the article.
Juho quietly looked at him and asked, "Why is that?"
"Huh?"
"Why did you think that you'd have to wait longer?"
"Well, a big burden tends to follow after a big success. People have been calling him things like genius, so he probably wouldn't be able to act so quickly," he answered as if the answer had been obvious. On the screen, the word 'genius' actually appeared multiple times throughout the article. It was also a commonly-found word in articles regarding Yun Woo.
"I didn't realize how difficult writing was until I actually started writing myself," said Baron.
In the Literature Club, Juho had been the only person who had gotten a writing sample from him. It had been the only piece of writing Baron had ever done since joining the club.
"Honestly, I thought writing wouldn't take all that long. Well, I'm not saying that I actually thought that, but that's the feeling it carries. I thought I'd be able to pick it up quickly after some practice. I've written plenty of book reports."
"But?"
"It was completely different from writing book reports."
Writing a novel was different from writing a book report for school. The ability to write wasn't necessarily equivalent to the ability to write an original story. Baron thought about the first composition he had ever submitted. Even the thought of it was embarrassing. He had been inexperienced then. Writing a story in his head had been as difficult as writing a song with a melody in his head.
"The embarrassment is a plus. It almost felt like I was standing butt naked in the middle of a crowd. You don't really feel that when you're writing a book report. I don't know why I felt so exposed," said Baron with an awkward face.
"All in all, what I'm saying is that Yun Woo is incredible. I admire him for pushing through that painfully embarrassing process."
"But he's a genius," Juho said after a brief time thinking.
"They're people too. They might be several times more sensitive than us, which means they feel pain several times more intense than ours."
"That's an interesting thought."
"Is that right?"
"Don't you think the word 'crisis' isn't applicable to a genius? They just do things with such ease. That's why people want to be like them."
"That's true, but I don't get that from Yun Woo for some reason. There's a sense of urgency in his writing. Maybe that has something to do with it."
Juho had no choice but to change the subject, "You're fanboying pretty hard there."
"What's wrong with that?"
"Yeah!" Seo Kwang interfered.
"Yun Woo is a gifted author. You should work hard so you don't fall behind. You don't have time to be doing other stuff. You should be writing!"
"Oh, yeah? Whose dating life were we talking about just now?"
"Ah!"
"Juho Woo! Quit keeping us on our toes! Who is it? Is it somebody I know?"
"Oh, hey! Here's another article."
"Hey! Move!"
Seo Kwang had somehow managed to bring the subject back to Yun Woo, and Juho quietly sipped his iced tea as he watched the commotion.
*
"I love my work."
There was another person who was filled with joy at the news of Yun Woo's next book, and that was none other than Nabi Baek, the publishing agent.
She was humming cheerfully on the inside from the fact that she would be able to read yet another book from her favorite author.
She had heard the news that the new book was set to reach marketplaces before the end of the summer. Before the end of that scorching summer, she would be able to get her hands on Yun Woo's new book. She couldn't help but hum cheerfully. She couldn't contain her excitement.
Besides, 'The Trace of a Bird' was doing rather well in the US market. She thought about the day when she first introduced the book to Molley. He had read through the sample she'd brought in one breath.
"My God," he said.
A veteran agent had exclaimed that, and she felt the suppressed excitement behind those two words. Behind the eyes that sparkled, there was the overwhelming joy of an agent meeting a new author.
With the heart of a proud parent, she added, "He is sixteen."
"Incredible."
"You're right. The entirety of South Korea is going through a Yun Woo fever. I want to spread that fever to the world."
"... We'll get on it as soon as possible," he said as he dialed his agency on his phone. Now, the story of Yun Woo would be made known to the world. Nabi was certain. Other agents who would hear from Molley would read the sample, and they too would be astonished. She wanted to distribute the book throughout the world, like a nabi, a butterfly.
In the end, Nabi's prediction had been accurate. The book was an enormous hit across Japan, China, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Germany, and many more.
Finally, she'd received a long-awaited offer from an American publishing company. It hadn't been from an ordinary publishing company either. It had been from a world-renowned company that represented the US – 'Fernand,' and Nabi had screamed for joy.
Enhance your reading experience by removing ads for as low as $1!Chapter 76 – The Title ###
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
Fernand was one of the most iconic publishing companies among literature lovers. Having celebrated their 100th anniversary not too long ago, Fernand was a company of tradition. It had been that very company who had expressed interest in publishing Yun Woo's book.
Since the articles regarding his book entering the American market, many publishing agents had disregarded Yun Woo because of his age. Now, with the news of Fernand taking interest in his book, those agents began to take interest themselves. Many countries across the globe had focused their attention on the appearance of a new author. So far, Nabi was putting everything she had into the project. 'Have I ever worked this hard on a project?' she thought.
Her seeds of effort had bore more than enough fruit. She was overcome with a sense of accomplishment. On top of that, Yun Woo was making a comeback with his new book. She couldn't have been happier. She didn't resist her joy as she read through the emails that were coming in from all over the world. She felt her coworkers giving her an odd look, but she didn't mind one bit. Including the US and UK, there were offers from a whopping twenty-two countries. Yun Woo's book would spread the Korean wave in literature throughout the world. The fact that she had been behind it brought her unimaginable joy.
"Hehe."
Nabi thought back to her meeting with a senior editor at Fernand. She remembered the distinct scent of cologne Adam had worn. It was a luxurious brand that he was known to wear. His elegant appearance had left quite an impression on Nabi. Though he was known to be rough around the edges, he'd been rather friendly with her. While trying to stay relaxed, she focused the subject of Yun Woo's book along with Molley, the veteran agent.
"It seems like the author is just as interesting as his writing."
"There hasn't been anybody like him."
Yun Woo as an author had shocked the many, and Adam nodded.
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"Including myself, the anticipation is apparent even within the company. Of course, there are some necessary adjustments that need to be made, but the translation is top notch, and most of all, it was beautifully written. From the moment I started reading, I didn't even think about his age or where he's from."
"It sounds like I brought you quite a catch."
"I knew I can count on Mr. Molley," he said confidently. His company pride was rather apparent in his face even in the midst of discussing Yun Woo. The fact that he had picked such an amazing book contributed to his pride. Seeing his confident attitude, Nabi felt like his confidence was rubbing off on her.
"Yun Woo will soar up to the sky. We, Fernand, will do whatever it takes to present his book in every corner of the Earth."
Yun Woo's success. The rise of 'The Trace of a Bird.' Nabi's heart pounded with excitement. She felt overwhelmed that she had gotten to be part of such a moment in the history of literature. In order to remain calm, she had to forcefully clench down on her teeth.
*
Juho was sitting in front of his desk with his phone in front of him. He thought of Nabi. "We did it," she said with a shaky voice. She had sounded like she was suppressing her emotions. Having already seen the article, Juho immediately knew what she'd meant, an offer from a famous American publishing company, and 200,000 copies of the first edition being exported to twenty-two countries.
The entire world was focusing on his book.
With her news, he felt the corners of his mouth turning up. The result was different from the past. It was much better. He felt relieved in that moment at least. With his chin resting on his hand, he let out a silly smile. He was happy and he didn't try to resist it. After indulging himself for a little while, he remembered the reason he was sitting in front of his desk.
He had been contemplating a title for the new book. Every author had a different approach to naming their books. In Juho's case, the name didn't matter all that much. Regardless of whether he thought of a name before, during, or after writing, he was content. No matter who came up with it, he was content. He didn't insist on anything. It was his impulsive character coming out.
Some time prior, he met with Nam Kyung to discuss the title for the book. "So, how are you planning on naming your book?" Being aware of the significance of the title of a book, the publishing company had wrestled with the matter until moments before publishing.
According to Nam Kyung, there had been several ideas that had come up during the meeting. People from all departments had come together for a discussion. The conclusion had been that "The Mother" as a working title didn't have enough impact, and Juho agreed. It had been a working title after all. He had named it as such for the sake of convenience.
"Hm."
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There would have to be a different name.'What would be good?' he thought. There was nothing. 'Title, title, title,' the word floated around in his head. It was a sign that his mind was empty. He had burnt out when he was one step away from having his manuscript finalized.
His mind was no longer functioning. As he stared at the ceiling in a daze, he sat up and looked around at his surroundings for any potential ideas. Books, manuscript paper, pen, computer, bed, chair, desk. Nothing offered what he was looking for.
'I have to send the manuscript over to Nam Kyung soon...' He couldn't think of anything. 'Title, title.'
"Name," Juho said out loud. The word had been nothing more than its meaning. 'I need something that can embrace the book, something that will give it a face...' That time, he tried to write out his thoughts.
"Mother, son, clown, audience, father, owner, lover, baby."
The son was the narrator. The mother was the protagonist. Together, they led a life that was both destructive and twisted. Then, the baby. At the end of it all, there were regrets.
'Regrets... How does one act when they have regrets?"
'Caw!' The cry of a bird sounded, and Juho looked out of the window. He thought of a bird that he had included in his new book. It had died once, but it had been revived somehow. The mother told the story about the bird that she had seen. Juho didn't write about the significance of the bird that had revived in detail. Some would see freedom whereas others would see reality. There were infinite possibilities for what the bird signified. What mattered was that freedom was amid that infinity. He didn't want to discourage the readers from discovering that.
"The Sound of Wailing," he read out loud as he wrote it out. It embodied the sounds of crying that couldn't be heard from within the book. 'Maybe it could work as a title,' he thought.
While he stared at the paper he was writing on, he put down his pen and looked intently at his palm. There had been an wound around it somewhere. He remembered bleeding from his hand when he had heard the cry of the baby for the first time. He tried revisiting what he had felt at that time, when he sighed of relief when he saw that the baby was OK. The cry of the baby was both evidence and signal. It was crying out for something, and Juho hoped that the baby wouldn't stop crying in its effort to seeking after something. He rubbed where the wound had been.
Soon, he picked up his phone and sent Nam Kyung a message.
"I've decided on the title for the book. 'The Sound of Wailing."
A few minutes later, Nam Kyung sent an affirming response. Juho stretched.
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*
"Yawn!" Nam Kyung yawned loudly as he shook his head as hard as he could to keep himself awake. He had been flooded with work as of late because he had been focusing on the publication of Yun Woo's next book, 'The Sound of Wailing.' In that rush of work, Nam Kyung still couldn't believe the fact that he was working on Yun Woo's new book before the year had passed. 'Who would have thought that he would write a new book so soon?' To be frank, Nam Kyung had been concerned. Though he had been called a genius, he was still young. He had only written one book aside from the most recent, and Nam Kyung knew countless no-name authors who had left the literary world after their debut titles. Most of them were praised for their talent and were regarded as promising aspirants. However, before they even had the chance to write their next book, they vanished from the literary world. All they had to do was to simply write one more time. Yet, they couldn't carry it out. It was evidence that being a writer took more than just talent.
He was afraid that Yun Woo would meet the same fate. His debut title, 'The Trace of a Bird' had been a steady sell, and it had held its place as the number one bestseller.
'If I were Yun Woo, I would've worked on the next book around the time the fever started to die down, very slowly,' he thought. There was no apparent reason other than that it would have been burdensome. Even to that day, the name Yun Woo could be seen frequently on the internet. People were showing tremendous interest with news of his new book. Nam Kyung didn't have the confidence to surpass those expectations. At that moment, a phone rang beside him.
Mr. Maeng answered, "Zelkova Publishing Company."
As he answered the call, his expression grew somewhat darker, and Nam Kyung knew immediately.
"Yes, right. Yun Woo did write it himself. Yes, the new book is coming out."
It was an anonymous reader. The publishing company would receive a number of calls like that throughout the day. Yun Woo's popularity in the literary world matched that of a celebrity. Seventeen years old. A freshman in high school. Now, he was about to make a comeback with a new book. He had submitted his manuscript while looking all the more at peace. Nam Kyung couldn't help but laugh out of astonishment. Juho was a rather interesting character. Part of his job was dealing with authors like him, so being an editor wasn't such a bad thing.
He got up from his seat and said to his coworker, "I'm making a stop at the design department. I'll be back."
He had decided to request for the cover design himself. A young, fearless author had brought in a new book that he had written. Now, there was nothing he could do other than to try his very best to make that book reach as many people as possible and for it to be made in the most beautiful way possible. He had to make sure that the cover got designed by the best designer around.
"You've come to the right place."
She had a low voice for a woman. Considering how tired she sounded, her department must have been just as busy as Nam Kyung's. Though he felt bad, he explained his purpose, "I wanted to request for a cover design."
She was a rather skilled book designer. Her works were easily found in bookstores, and she excelled in interpreting the author's intentions and portraying them clearly through her illustrations. At Nam Kyung's words, her voice quickly changed.
"Is this what I think it is?"
"You've heard the news, right?"
A high pitched laughter echoed in the room. She had been somewhat of a workaholic. Even if it weren't for that fact, she had been certain that Nam Kyung would've come looking for her.
"You asked me to bring you the book after 'The Trace of a Bird.' I'm here to keep that promise."
While she was a skilled designer, she was also a fan of Yun Woo. Without hesitation, she took out a calendar and adjusted her schedule in a hurry. Soon, a trustworthy response came back.
"I'll take the manuscript now."