273 That Authors Home 8 (1/2)
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
”Then, what does Coin think of you?” the interviewer asked as if agreed prior to the interview. Nevertheless, it was a question that Juho was well acquainted with, and he recalled being asked a similar question before. When reminded of that, Juho knew exactly what to say.
”Phone call.”
”What was that?”
”Should we give him a ring?”
Despite the unexpected suggestion, the interviewer didn't ask Juho for an explanation because he was also aware of how Yun Woo's voice first came out to the world. Seeing the interviewer busy trying to think of an answer, Juho said, ”It's probably best to hear from the person directly involved, don't you think?”
”I have no problem with that,” the interviewer said, his eyes sparkling with delight. He seemed to be welcoming the situation with open arms.
”It's gotta be late there. You don't think it'd be an issue, do you?” the reporter asked. However, it was merely a courteous concern, and the fact that he didn't try to talk the young author out of it was proof of that.
”When he called, he woke me up in the middle of the night,” Juho said indifferently, and the interviewer said without hesitation, ”Then, let's give it a go.”
There was no need to make a long trip or spend time preparing thoroughly. All Juho had to do was take the phone, which he had switched off for the interview, out of his pocket and switch it back on. As the interview took an unexpected turn, the filming crew was in a state of confusion, while Nabi and Nam Kyung appeared to be discussing something. Though they didn't seem like they were against the idea of calling the infamous author, they seemed concerned about how Coin would respond.
”What do you think he'll say?” the interviewer asked. Would he compliment or criticize the young author, or share his honest feelings? Would he lie? The young author tried to picture Coin in his head. Then, a convincing image of the author rose to his mind.
”Maybe he'll just hang up.”
”That definitely sounds like something he'd do,” the interviewer said with a bitter smile on his face, and with that, Juho called the infamous author. The signal came from the receiver when he brought his phone up to his ear and, as the voice repeated the same words over and over again, the cameraman started moving busily.
”No one's ever had the guts to call the guy,” the interviewer murmured with his hand on his forehead. The crowd waiting for Coin to answer the phone kept growing bigger. At that moment, a click came from the receiver of the young author's phone, and the recorded message that had been looping stopped abruptly.
”h.e.l.lo?” Juho said into the phone. Meanwhile, the air sank into silence, and the interviewer looked piercingly at the young author. Then...
”What do you want?” an irritable voice came from the phone's receiver. Coin was on the other end of the line.
”How've you been?”
”I was fine til you called.”
It was quite funny to hear the infamous author criticizing the young author without the slightest hesitation. Nevertheless, it didn't seem like he had just woken up.
”You weren't sleeping, huh?”
”I was reading,” Coin said. It was common for him to read well into the night. Although Juho wasn't exactly proud of interrupting Coin's alone time, he decided to get to the point without delay while he was at it.
”Guess what I'm doing.”
”Not in the mood.”
”I'm in an interview.”
”... with?”
When Juho brought up the name of the magazine, a sipping sound came from the receiver, followed by Coin's voice saying, ”I was interviewed by them once.”
”Yep.”
”As in, I was interviewed by them FIRST.”
”Heard you loud and clear.”
There was stubbornness in Coin's voice. However, since Juho was well acquainted with that, he was able to remain unfased.
”So, what are calling me for?” Coin asked despite having grasped the situation already.
”Why, I had some questions to ask you.”
”About what?”
”What do you think of me?”
It was the same question that Coin had asked Juho at one point, and instead of an answer, Coin said, ”Your interviewer must be asking some pretty boring questions.”
”It wasn't my first time getting asked that question, I'm not gonna lie.”
”And you're asking me for an answer because?”
”I've learned. What can I say?”
Then, a noise that sounded like a tongue clicking came from the receiver, and after some contemplation, he ordered the young author, ”Put me on speaker.”
”Got it.”
Juho complied without resisting. Getting a grasp of what he was about to say, Juho sighed and moved the phone away from his ear, and catching on to the situation immediately, the interviewer focused on the voice coming from the receiver.
”You asked what I think of you?” Coin said, his voice echoing through the entire house. There was antic.i.p.ation in the air. However, being the only person reading in between the lines, Juho remained calm.
”I'm gonna say this once, so you listen carefully.”
”All right,” Juho said, feeling like everyone was sticking their necks out closer to the phone. Then, Coin's voice came from the device in Juho's hand, saying, ”Don't waste my time with useless questions like that.”
With that, a thumping noise came from the receiver, and the call ended abruptly, leaving the tension he had built up completely unresolved. As the interviewer stood in his place in a daze, Juho said, ”Told you.”
After a brief silence, only his awkward laughter lingered in the air.
”That's Kelley Coin, all right.”
”Haha.”
”It seemed like he was conscious of you though, almost as if wary of you,” the interviewer said, adding that he heard Coin's murmur before he hung up.
”You think so?”
Then, as if struck by a question, the interviewer said, ”Speaking of which, you ran into a journalist in the States before you revealed your ident.i.ty, right? Although, you probably met him as a groom-to-be rather than a journalist.”
”Ah. Yes, I did,” Juho said as the memory of his red hat rushed across his mind.
”It just so happens that I know the guy. This was when the news of you wearing a red hat really started getting around. It was right after the Hugo Award Ceremony, I believe.”
”That's right.”
”So, you really were the boy in a red hat!”