352 The Showdown 1 (1/2)
Translated by: ShawnSuh
Edited by: SootyOwl
”Damn it,” Coin murmured, looking as though he was about to rip the newspaper in front of him in half at any given minute.
”You were so happy that you beat me,” Juho said with a smile. At that moment, Coin raised his hand, catching Juho off guard. However, instead of landing a blow on the young author's face, he reached for the newspaper and snatched it from Juho.
”Easy!”
”Whatever.”
Juho clasped his hands together. Meanwhile, Coin ripped the part of the newspaper that had the article on it and tossed the rest on the table. It looked like a corpse with all the important organs missing.
”So, they pulled a fast one on us, huh?”
”It appears so.”
”I knew it,” Coin said, retracing his memory. Then, looking at Juho, he asked, ”How'd you know?”
”Know what?” Juho asked, playing coy.
”You're not telling me it was a coincidence, are you?”
”Why, of course, it was!”
Then, the air sank into suffocating silence.
”Spill it before I put on your videos on TV all day long.”
Susan was also staring intently at the young author, which reminded Juho that Coin really was related to her.
”I just… felt like something was wrong,” Juho said, putting both of his hands up.
”What does that mean?”
”You see, I tend to be rather sensitive when it comes to language…”
”Cut the crap and get to the point.”
”I just got the feeling that there was no right answer.”
”And what's that supposed to be like?”
”It's hard to put into words.”
”What? Would you rather write me a paper on it?”
”Actually, I've already done that. In 'Language of God,'” Juho said, unintimidated. Looking disgusted, Coin asked, ”What are you? A linguist?”
”I didn't say that.”
”Then, what the hell is this about?” Coin asked, scanning Juho with piercing eyes, as if looking at a freak of nature. Shrugging, Juho replied, ”Well, they figured out the trick, so it couldn't have been anything too elaborate. Which could also mean that I wasn't the only one who felt like something was wrong.”
Looking intently at Juho, Susan said, ”Well, who would've thought?! I'm intrigued.”
The lack of inflection in her tone made it difficult to make out whether she was being genuine or not.
”Intriguing, indeed.”
At that moment, Juho's phone lit up. It was a text from Korea. More specifically, from Mideum, who was scrutinizing the young author if he really had been part of the research team that interpreted the ancient text. Upon seeing it, Juho couldn't help but laugh. Although the detective writer was correct to assume that Juho already knew the answer, there were simply too many flaws in her allegation. With that, Juho wrote her a reply: 'Glad you're an author and not a detective.' At that moment, the screen changed as a call came in from Jenkins. When Juho looked at Susan, she made a signal for him to answer the phone.
Upon bringing the phone up to his ear, the director's flippant voice came from the receiver, ”How'd you know!?”
”Know what?”
”That there was no answer!” Jenkins asked. Then, he added before Juho even had time to answer, ”You already knew that language, didn't you? You said you'd seen it before. Maybe you interpreted it before the linguists?”
”That's just silly,” Juho said in a delayed response.
”Then, what is it?! Don't you give me an excuse by saying that it was because you're Yun Woo.”
”But I am.”
”Lies! Tell me! Before I come over and shake it out of you!”
Looking at Coin, who was also looking in Juho's direction, Juho replied, ”You're starting to sound like Coin, there. You gotta trust me.”
”What did you say?”
”What did you say, punk?” Coin asked.
”I gotta go. I'm going out for a walk.”
”You stop right there!” Coin shouted as Juho sprung up from his seat in a hurry. Following Juho with his eyes and a furrowed brow, Coin redirected his attention to the newspaper as Juho went upstairs. At the same time, Susan's eyes darted back and forth between her son and the newspaper before she went into her room. Then, as Juho came back downstairs and was about to leave, Coin said to the young author, ”I felt something my ass! It was just some nobody who decided to drop the bomb because they didn't get their paycheck!”
After all, money had been at the center of that scandal. By the time Coin tried to grab Juho, Juho was already outside. Clicking his tongue irritably, Coin crumpled the newspaper up.
”You just wait,” Coin said, determined to get to the bottom of the young author's mysterious ability, which Coin himself didn't possess.
---
'The Essay Proven to Be Fake? How's Yun Woo Associated?'
'Did Yun Woo Already Know? A Head-Scratching Episode.'
'Yun Woo's True Language Skill? 'Language of God' Rising to Popularity All Over Again. The Process of Creating a Whole New Language?'
'”It's a Draw.” The Showdown Between Coin and Yun Woo Ends in a Draw. Video Included.'
---
'The Nebula Award Ceremony is Right Around the Corner! Will the Two Leading Nominees Turn Up at the Ceremony?'
'This Year's Ceremony Said to Take Place in Chicago, Illinois.'
'Yun Woo's Second Go at the Award with 'Language of God.''
'Yun Woo's First Appearance at the Ceremony? Will the Young Author Turn Up?'
'Yun Woo Reported to Be in Korea? ”He's Not Attending the Ceremony.” Rumors Flare Up.'
'Yun Woo Appearing at the Ceremony Alongside Coin. Who Will Be the Winner? Both Authors Said to be Nominated for the Full-Length Category. Kings, the Legend of the American Literary Industry Said to Present the Awards This Year.'
'A Chinese Author Said to Be at This Year's Ceremony. A New Asian Invasion?'
'Who Will Get That Trophy? Find Out on April Sixteenth!'
'The Possibility of Yun Woo Winning the Nebula According to Reporters.'
'Who's the Author Competing with Yun Woo? Possibility of Yun Woo Winning the Award?'
'The Significance of the Literary Award. A Closer Look at Its Half-Century History. Who Are the Judges? The Origin Story? What Makes Yun Woo so Impressive?'
'The Black and White of the Literary Award. What Were Some of the Scandals That Broke Out in the Past? How Is It Still Prominent? Yun Woo's Presence Raises Fan's Awareness of the Award.'
'Why We Shouldn't be Quick to Criticize Yun Woo Even If He Doesn't Win. The Ratio of the Past Winners.'
---
”Who'll win? Coin Or Yun Woo?”
”Yun Woo, for sure. Even Coin can't stand up to the sequel.”
”Coin's book is doing really well, though. I thought it was actually really good. It reminded me of why he's at the top.”