249 Who Is Yun Woo? 2 (2/2)
”Or would you rather stay anonymous?”
”I think that would bother me in the long run.”
”... So, it seems like it wouldn't help one bit if I were to suggest that you follow your heart.” Juho nodded at his statement, and Dong Baek added with the proper posture of a businessman, ”Well, here's my thought.”
”Please. That's why I brought this up in the first place,” Juho said.
'He's really mature for his age,' the president thought to himself. Then, he brought up the thought he had been having for a long time, ”I think you should reveal your ident.i.ty.”
He wanted the young author to come out to the world with his mask off.
”Why is that?” Juho asked.
To which, Dong Baek answered without even taking the time to breathe, ”Because it'll boost sales substantially.”
”Sales, huh.”
”Yes. If you were to reveal yourself, the books would sell even more.”
”But, my understanding is that my books are already selling well.”
”They'll sell even more,” the president emphasized. They'll sell even more. As the president of a publis.h.i.+ng company, Dong Baek was well aware that every author wished that their books would be read by more people.
”You seem to be certain of that. How would you know? It's very possible that people will be disappointed to learn that Yun Woo was nothing like the Yun Woo they had imagined.”
”You're incredibly charming, Mr. Woo,” Dong Baek said, and Juho looked away at the president's sudden, slightly uncomfortable compliment. Nonetheless, Dong Baek didn't let up. If anything, he pressed on, ”You have a mysterious side to you. For example, your calm, unfazed nature, as if you had poured all of your feelings into your work, and your maturity. You're strangely mature for your age, but I find us often speaking the same language, Mr. Woo. I see how you're able to write like that, and to understand is to accept.”
Dong Baek was certain.
”I still remember the day when I talked to you for the first time. As far as I'm aware, you'll be greeted with opened arms by your fans, Mr. Woo.”
Juho recalled the president showing similar confidence previously. It had happened when they first discussed 'Language of G.o.d.' His prediction had become a reality, and it showed that he had the ability to read the market and the readers. Charming. Shaking off the memories of the lowest point in his past life, Juho said, ”You're very convincing, Mr. Lee.”
As Juho picked up his water cup, the atmosphere eased up again.
”Anyway, those are my thoughts. Should you need a press conference, please don't hesitate to let us know, Mr. Woo. We'll take care of it.”
”I'm not sure if that'll be necessary.”
”Just so you're aware of the option,” Dong Baek said as he spun the Lazy Susan. ”There's still time, so think it over, Mr. Woo.”
It was the complete opposite of Seo Kw.a.n.g's opinion. Nevertheless, Juho nodded with a smile on his face.
---
”Should I reveal my ident.i.ty?”
Although Juho was murmuring to himself, it was still loud enough to be heard by those around him. Then, a pool cue came into Juho's view, and Seo Joong sprung up from his place, asking, ”What!? Are you serious!?”
”Say it louder, why don't you?” a voice said, criticizing Seo Joong and his behavior. It was Dong Gil.
”How can I be quiet!? Yun Woo's gonna reveal his ident.i.ty!”
”n.o.body's said anything about revealing anybody's ident.i.ty. It was a question.”
”Well, when people ask questions like that, they usually have an answer in their minds.” Then, looking toward the young author, Seo Joong said, ”Am I right?”
”Maybe?”
With that, Juho rose from his seat. Then, three of the b.a.l.l.s on the table sank into holes with a crisp sound that reverberated through the living room. One cue ball was moving the entire table. Buzzing through each other, the other b.a.l.l.s dodged or collided with the white cueball, either bouncing against the cus.h.i.+ons or sinking into a hole. When a ball started moving, it couldn't stop itself.
”Having trouble figuring out what you wanna do?” Dong Gil asked, and Juho said with a shrug, ”Just something every high school junior goes through.”
”Oh-ho! Man, you're a junior now, huh? I spent ages deciding on whether or not I should go to college.”
”That's different,” Dong Gil said with a disgruntled look on his face as if annoyed with Seo Joong for putting his own insignificant worries on par with Yun Woo's, and Seo Joong responded by taunting him, wiggling his b.u.t.t.
”Eh, how different can it be? Everybody feels like their bad decisions will make the world fall apart at one point. I mean, I was going through a living h.e.l.l when I was writing 'One Room,' but in hindsight, I realize that it was hardly any different from the time when I was trying to decide whether to go to college or not.”
Then, shoving his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants, he added, ”So, coming from somebody who wrestled with similar concerns, how about you give it about five years or so? You know, think long and hard.”
”Don't listen to him. It won't help at all,” Dong Gil said, giving Seo Joong a disgusted look. Then, he shared his thoughts unhurriedly, ”I've never been anonymous, let alone win the Nebula or the Hugo. I've never written anything like your pieces, either. I'm not sure what kind of advice I can offer.”
”Right.”
”What I do know is that it's impossible to stay hidden forever,” Dong Gil said, sharing his level-headed opinion. Just as he had said, considering the circ.u.mstances, it would be incredibly difficult to conceal his ident.i.ty, both impeccably and indefinitely.
Seo Joong interjected, ”All right, how about this? You wait it out as long as you can. That doesn't sound half bad, does it?”
It was an interesting opinion.
”Why, though?”
”If what Dong Gil said is true, then it means your ident.i.ty will come to light sooner or later. In that case, just enjoy yourself.”
Before the young author even had time to answer, Dong Gil said cold-heartedly, ”No, it'd be better to reveal it yourself in that case. It's your ident.i.ty, after all.”
”Do you have to exaggerate everything like that?”
”You tend to make light of the world around you.”
”And you're so rigid. Ugh, makes me feel like I'm choking.”
In between their conversation, Juho organized his thoughts.