261 The Reason That Author Never Won 2 (1/2)
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
Juho was able to understand the absence of courage in the boy on the screen, who answered the reporter's questions while cautiously studying his expressions. The boy's behavior was closer to basic courtesy and bore a close resemblance to pretense.
”How did it feel when you found out that the cla.s.smate next to you was Yun Woo all along?”
”I was taken aback.”
”Had you noticed anything strange before?”
”Yes, I had.”
”Then, how would you like to leave a message for Yun Woo?”
A troubled look appeared on the boy's face, and the camera was capturing every moment of it.
”Hey. So, you were Yun Woo all along, huh?”
He was unbearably awkward, and Juho heard the students in the background looking and laughing at him. At that moment, Juho had the liberty to watch the interview whenever he felt like.
”Did you know that Yun Woo was a part of the Literature Club at his school? We will now take some time to meet his clubmates, who were active in the club with Yun Woo, also known as Juho Woo.”
”Finally,” Juho let out. He had been waiting anxiously for his clubmates to appear on the screen. However, something was odd. The camera showed the crew heading in a completely different direction from the one Juho had in mind. They were headed for the English cla.s.s. Yet, the crew kept on as if nothing was wrong. As they arrived in front of the cla.s.sroom and opened the door, Juho let out, ”What the...”
The screen showed his clubmates sitting shoulder to shoulder in the English cla.s.s, tense and frozen. The atmosphere was noticeably different from that of the science room, which was run down, yet welcoming. Juho started to get a feel for the situation. The camera focused on his clubmates' faces, one by one. They looked quite funny.
”Could you guys introduce yourselves briefly?” the reporter asked. Knowing that his clubmates were capable of fulfilling the request, Juho was able to relax. Seeing his friends on the TV screen was quite a strange experience, but an entertaining nonetheless.
”What??”
However, as the self-introductions dragged on, Juho noticed the segment had been cut short by adding strange visual effects along with their names and grades in subt.i.tles. It was clear that the interviewer was interested in Yun Woo and Yun Woo only. The interviewer asked the club members the same ol' questions, and the entire interview lost its charm at once. The interviewer kept asking questions the club members had no way of answering. Yet, they were answering them to the best of their abilities.
”... You mean, Yun Woo never won an award in an essay contest?”
As the interviewer let out, a sound effect came from the TV speakers, and the screen quickly transitioned to a different scene. It was the part of the science room where they used to keep Bom's trophy. In other words, it was completely void of Yun Woo's awards. It was a scene that was included to emphasize that Yun Woo had never won an award at an essay contest. It was unexpected, shocking, and intriguing all at the same time. Then, after raving on about his thoughts in the matter, the screen transitioned to yet another scene. Mr. Moon was nowhere to be seen for the entire show.
”They must've cut him out completely,” Juho said, wondering what the teacher might have said.
---
'Yun Woo. What Kind of Student Was He? We Visited His School in Search of the Answer.'
'We Find Out Just How Popular Yun Woo Is. The School Puts Up a Banner with His Name on It: ”A Proud Author.”'
'Yun Woo's Real Name Reported to be Juho Woo. An Ordinary Member of a Literature Club was Actually Yun Woo!'
'Anecdotes Relating to Yun Woo. The Writing That Shocked His Peers.'
'Juho Woo, the Proud Pupil. His Teachers Speak Up. ”There was Something Extraordinary About Him.”'
'The Student That Stood out for Some Reason. Juho Woo, a Teacher's Pet?'
'Yun Woo was a Model Student. Remembered to be Well Behaved.'
'The Pride of the Undercla.s.smen. Yun Woo According to the Younger Members of the Literature Club.'
'Viewers Respond to the Interview. Highest Viewer Rating at the Time. The Show Marks the Highest Viewer Rating in History. The Interview of the Literature Club. The Best One Minute?'
'Did Yun Woo's Friends Know About Yun Woo's Ident.i.ty? ”It Was Hard to Keep the Secret.”'
'Yun Woo Was NOT in School During the Hugo Award Ceremony! All the Pieces Come Together!'
'What was Yun Woo's Response After Winning the Nebula? Reported to Be Calm and Unfazed. ”I Didn't Notice Anything Different.”'
'A Closer Look at His Peers' View on Yun Woo as Juho Woo, and His Ordinary Daily Life.'
'Yun Woo Really is Nineteen? What Makes It Shocking When We Already Knew It? The Reason He's Drawing So Much Attention.'
'An Unexpected Truth Revealed During Interview. ”Yun Woo Never Won an Award in an Essay Contest!”'
'To Yun Woo is to Double Crown? 'Juho Woo Had No Part in It?' A Suspicious Truth Discovered.'
'What Were Some of the Contests That Didn't Give Yun Woo an Award? Controversy Rises.'
'The Web in Confusion. ”There's Not Enough Room for a World-Renowned Author in This Country?”'
'An Author That n.o.body Recognized. Why Did the Essay Contests Neglect Him?'
'Who Won the Awards That Yun Woo Couldn't Win? Inquiry In Progress.'
'What Are the Criteria in Essay Contests? Varies Per Contest. ”There's More than a Possibility That Yun Woo Couldn't Win.”'
'Yun Woo Reported Having Separate Ma.n.u.script for Contest. ”It's Not the Same As Writing a Book.”'
'Why Couldn't Yun Woo Win? Questions Grow.'
…
---
”Questions?” Nabi let out with a chuckle. The so-called questions were a mere product of the media. Despite the interview containing noticeable edits, the reporters were spewing out articles that caused confusion among fans.
”These morons,” Nabi said internally. Yun Woo was an author of international recognition. In other words, it wouldn't be long before the video of the interview spread to other countries. Yun Woo was essentially the face of Korea at that point. Yet, the broadcasting industry was preoccupied with its own benefits, all the while making a fool of itself.
”Not a chance,” she said while looking at the data on her ongoing projects. She was in the process of reviewing the various requests flooding in from overseas. The press started coming for the young author as soon as he revealed himself, and Yun Woo also seemed to have accepted that reality, as if he had been expecting it. He was quite trustworthy, and as his agent, Nabi had been giving her best in every regard.
What she wanted wasn't just another interview for the sake of damage control for the recent so-called interview, which was of embarra.s.sing quality. She believed that people needed to have a long-term perspective since Yun Woo would continue to write for a long time. Therefore, his fans needed a deeper understanding of the young author, and Yun Woo's activities had to work in conjunction with that. Looking at the renowned companies that wanted Yun Woo, Nabi comforted herself.
”Yun Woo doesn't have to hold back anymore.”
The theories and a.s.sumptions running rampant in the media would no longer be true.
---
”Is it time?” Juho said, checking the time and rising from his seat. In order to avoid being recognized, he had been wearing a hat whenever he had to go out lately. And just as a precautionary measure, he put a mask in his pocket. At that moment, he received a text on his phone. It was from Nam Kyung, saying that he had arrived at the front of his house. As the young author stepped out, he saw a car, and as he soon as he got into the car through the pa.s.senger's side, the editor said with a determined look on his face, ”Today's the day.”