Chapter 300 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Facing Each Other – 2 "The reunion is sending a carriage for us. It'll be here soon, so just wait." The next morning, Im HaYeon opened the office door. "I'm all set. Hmm? Hmmmmmm?" What is this? Did I see it wrong? Even after rubbing my eyes, it was clear I was seeing correctly. "Wh-why?" As I looked at her with a perplexed expression, Im HaYeon twisted her body sheepishly. "Are you going to a wedding?" Dressed as if attending her ex-boyfriend’s wedding, Im HaYeon was certainly putting on a grand display. She's a beautiful woman even in ordinary times, but today, she seemed to radiate light so brightly that I was startled at first glance, despite frequently seeing her. "And you don't know where we're going today?" Im HaYeon lifted her chin like a model, speaking with a slightly displeased tone. "We're going to the branch office of the Daseogak. Ah, I see..." Today, we were to meet with Jegal Hyang and the people of the ManGeum Trading House. Representing our administrative position meant dressing up to give a strong impression rather than appearing too casual. I nodded as I looked at Im HaYeon. "Then, put on something fitting and come out." She flashed a smile and skipped out the door. "Sister-in-law, did you catch a cold? H-hey!" "Why are you so suddenly surprised? Huh? Sister-in-law! Are you going somewhere nice with the guild master?" "Oh, no!" Is there really a need to dress up that much, though? --- "Master Kang, you've arrived." Upon arriving at the branch office of Daseogak, I saw Jeon UnYeop and a few individuals from the ManGeum Trading House already waiting. Although he always said he was busy, I guess his curiosity about my demands brought him out. "Ah, so the ManGeum Trading House was also waiting. What about Miss Jegal SoJeo?" "She'll be here shortly. B-but who is the lady beside you?" Jeon UnYeop asked, surprised, seeing Im HaYeon standing cautiously behind me. "Oh, she works under me." "A staff member?" Jeon UnYeop glanced up and down at Im HaYeon in disbelief. Even I, who see her every day, am amazed. She certainly looked effective dressed up. It seemed like any man would nod and agree to unreasonable requests. Perhaps I should formally introduce them. "HaYeon SoJeo?" Where is she looking? Im HaYeon was glancing around, as if searching for someone. "Why?" "Why are you so restless?" "There's a reason." Who is she looking for? Following her line of sight, I too turned my gaze and saw a carriage in the distance. "She's coming!" Finally arrived. A majestic carriage came to a stop in front of Daseogak. Anyone could see it was a top-tier carriage, reserved for someone of high standing. Even the horse drawing the carriage had a gleaming mane, enough for an untrained eye to recognize it as a prized steed. When the door of the carriage opened, a woman with silver hair stepped down from it. A woman who could make even the highest quality carriage seem like mere wrapping. The youngest daughter of the Jegal family. Jegal Hyang. "Why is such a woman..." A familiar voice behind me swallowed hard. All eyes were on the silver-haired, blue-eyed woman, with the surrounding crowd falling silent as they observed her. "Master Kangggg! Ugh!" Jegal Hyang had started to run towards me, only to trip and fall. "..." An awkward silence fell over the area. "Miss Jegal SoJeo! Are you alright?" I should move. I quickly hurried over. "Heh. I'm fine. My clothes are comfortable, so it doesn’t matter if my legs get a bit dirty." No, I meant if your body was alright. "Thank goodness you're not hurt." "Yes, Master Kangggg. Oh?" Jegal Hyang, who had been inching closer to me, suddenly halted with a surprised expression. Because— "Hello." Im HaYeon intercepted the space between me and Jegal Hyang with a smiling face. Wow. Such an incredible business smile. A smile so devoid of personal feelings it seemed as though stripping it off would reveal a bundle of resentment inside. Jegal Hyang could not meet Im HaYeon's eyes and instead sent a pleading glance my way. "This is Im HaYeon SoJeo, a staff member of Yichang Daseogak and someone who assists with my business. HaYeon SoJeo, this is Jegal Hyang SoJeo, my prospective partner." "..." "HaYeon SoJeo?" Im HaYeon pursed her lips, turning her head so only I could see. What's with the dissatisfaction? "Hello, I'm Im HaYeon." Im HaYeon quickly adjusted her expression, once again greeting Jegal Hyang with her business smile. Had it not been hidden by two carriages, passersby would have gathered in surprise at the sight. Hubei's most renowned beauty, Im HaYeon, and the equally alluring Jegal Hyang standing side by side was a sight like a painting. "Ah, um, that is..." "..." Though the picture appeared more like a mixed martial arts poster than a serene landscape, that was the problem. Im HaYeon watched Jegal Hyang with a vaguely dissatisfied look. Meanwhile, Jegal Hyang seemed flustered, unable to bear Im HaYeon's gaze, and her eyes eventually dropped to the ground. It was like watching a hamster bask blissfully in sunflower seeds, only to face a pretentious cat who had just finished grooming itself. "Ugh! I-I-I'm Jegal Hyang. I-I apologize!" In the end, unable to hold the gaze, Jegal Hyang self-destructed. "...Right?" Im HaYeon asked in bewilderment, her eyes widening. "Haha. HaYeon SoJeo, Miss Jegal SoJeo is just a bit shy with new people. Miss Jegal SoJeo?" "Ah, yes!" "HaYeon SoJeo tends to be a bit aloof and apathetic when meeting someone for the first time, so please don't take it to heart." "When did I ever—" From the first time we met? "Oh... alright." Realizing she hadn't done anything wrong, Jegal Hyang finally let out a sigh of relief. "Let's head inside then. Hmm?" Who's grabbing me? When I turned around, I saw Jegal Hyang holding onto my sleeve. Im HaYeon seemed like she was about to say something but before she could, Jegal Hyang spoke first. "I-I have the keys with me." "Ah, let's go together then." "Heh. Yes!" The reason I called Jegal Hyang was for the keys. I had forgotten. Together, she and I opened the branch's door. Im HaYeon, why aren't you following us? She watched us open the door together with a peculiar expression before finally moving herself. "…Ah! Let's go together!" ——————————– "There’s a threshold from the book storeroom to the display area. Since we need to move carts around, we should get rid of it." "When goods arrive from Yichang, we'll store them there. To avoid customers, wouldn’t it be better to have a separate delivery path to the storeroom?" "When we have many customers, the display area will be crowded. Let’s make provisions for installing a temporary queue system." That's Im HaYeon for you. At first, she seemed momentarily speechless upon entering the branch, probably seeing the struggle ahead given its size. She watched me converse with Jegal Hyang and glanced around the branch, quietly sighed, and quickly focused on the task at hand. "The books should be arranged by subject, similar to Daseogak." "That was my intention." "Even if books are arranged by subject, we'll need to educate the staff in advance to guide customers." "The staff will be selected by ManGeum Trading House. Let's choose them quickly and train them." "Then that's settled. There's nothing more to criticize—what seems to be the issue?" Hearing a presence, Im HaYeon turned back, speaking sharply to the approaching woman. "Ah, um..." It was Jegal Hyang. She timidly approached me, having probably grown bored sitting aside as I'd suggested. "Do you have anything to say, Miss Jegal SoJeo?" "The... the bookshelf on the wall seems too high." Jegal Hyang pointed at the bookshelf, her head lowered and arm raised. "Hmm? Isn’t it fine?" "Well, if Master Kang thinks it's fine, then it's fineee." She agreed immediately when I said otherwise. Her voice suggested dissatisfaction. With such personalities, it's better to grasp their intention than to press the issue. I looked at the bookshelf on the wall. It seemed fine in height, but why... Ah. I suddenly grasped the reason. "It does look slightly high for women to comfortably reach." When I glanced over, I caught a fleeting expression of concern on Im HaYeon's face. "Yes, yes. Even wanting to read a book, if it's too high, it's too hard to reachhh." Im HaYeon and I, both being tall for women and skilled in light-footedness, had nearly overlooked an important point. "Since replacing all the furniture takes time, we should procure sturdy and lightweight stools. To prevent accidents, we’ll put up notices encouraging customers to ask staff for help." "Yes, that would be greattt." "I'd only been considering things from my perspective, missed this concern entirely. Miss Jegal SoJeo, it’s truly fortunate you joined us." For Jegal Hyang to directly approach and share her opinions must have taken considerable courage. It's only right to commend her in this situation. "Heh heh. Yeeesss." That smile almost makes you want to pat her head. "Oh. There's more. Come with me!" There wasn't earlier, though. Grabbing my sleeve, Im HaYeon led me to another area. ******************* "No matter how you look at it, the equipment is good but the space is awkward." "Isn’t the equipment layout decent? It’s almost identical to Yichang." "The branch is larger than Yichang. If more customers come, there’ll be more staff, potentially making this space insufficient." "I hadn’t considered that." "The second floor is spacious, so how about allocating more for a kitchen area?" "I'll gather these ideas and discuss them with Miss Jegal SoJeo." "…Yes. Let’s do that then." Jegal Hyang silently watched Kang YunHo and a pink-haired woman chatting animatedly in the distance. ‘I don’t really know much about running a bookstore…’ For some reason, she felt somewhat left out. Although she'd imagined it’d be a delightful branch outing with Master Kang YunHo, her role had been limited to that of a gatekeeper. Even though she mustered up the courage to voice a suggestion, after receiving a compliment, her potential romantic interest was whisked away by an unfamiliar woman. ‘You haven’t forgotten about me, have youuuu?’ Feeling a peculiar tightness in her chest, Jegal Hyang gazed at the two of them. "Let’s enjoy a refreshing cup of tea while we work. Would you like one too, Miss Jegal SoJeo?" Kang YunHo approached Jegal Hyang with his usual warm smile, signaling the end of some task. "Heh. Yesss." Of course, he hadn't forgotten. Jegal Hyang’s heart floated with joy as she replied. "Let me make you a cup first, Miss Jegal SoJeo. Should I make it for you today?" Kang YunHo stepped into the counter and tinkered with the equipment before addressing Jegal Hyang. Is he being considerate, worried I might mess up? There's no need for that. Jegal Hyang confidently approached the counter. How much she had practiced— She took a small breath to calm her fluttering heart as she stood before Kang YunHo, ready to place her order. Today, she would be Master Kang’s first customer againnn. "Oh." A faintly surprised voice came from somewhere, but Jegal Hyang, focused on placing her order, paid it no mind. "Ah… An Americano. Not the short size, but tall, with an extra shot and iced, pleaseee." "Haha. Got it." Kang YunHo raised his eyebrows, amused by her unexpectedly competent order, and then he laughed as he accepted it. "Heh heh." I did ittt. No longer would she show the same embarrassing side. Inside, Jegal Hyang spun with joy, performing a fan dance for her heart. "If only… It seems the staff used up all the ice." That is, until the order was invalidated. "Ah…" "Miss Jegal SoJeo. Could you please wait a moment? I'll send someone to get ice." "Yes, of course." "Is that really necessary?" One's failure is another's opportunity. A pink-haired cat, who had been watching for a chance, slipped into the counter with skilled grace. "HaYeon SoJeo?" "Everyone seems a bit parched, so why not take a break and enjoy a cup of tea? We can have another once the ice arrives." It's not as if people can't enjoy hot tea in the summer. With familiar ease, Im HaYeon placed the kettle on the burner. "Alright, then let's do that. Miss Jegal—" "You should sit down and take a rest yourself. This is part of my job, after all." "But still—" "Manager Kang YunHo, you can step out and attend to any outside matters." Clearly, she had no intention of letting him stay. With a guise of consideration, Im HaYeon firmly ushered Kang YunHo out of the counter area. "What would you like to have?" Wearing a victorious smile masked as her business grin, Im HaYeon turned to Jegal Hyang. "Pardon?" "Without ice, the iced Americano is not an option. Would you like to choose something else?" Why does this feel like a trial run? Jegal Hyang pondered, glancing at the imposing smile on Im HaYeon's face. Should I just decline? With a sideways glance, she observed Kang YunHo’s concerned expression. ‘No, I can't be pigeonholed as someone who can't even order a coffee.’ Gathering her resolve, Jegal Hyang shifted her gaze to the menu. "Well, then I'll have something else. A caramel macchi—oh, wait, um..." Not that she hadn't anticipated various scenarios, but dealing with coffee, the mysterious brew, always altered plans. According to her research, there were demands like added syrups, decaf options, and extra chocolate chips. Given her lack of conversational prowess and reserved nature, rather than navigating a myriad of obstacles to place an order, reducing simple errors seemed wise. Thus, an iced Americano was her go-to choice. Surely a classic teahouse wouldn't lack iced Americano. ‘What on earth should I order?’ The menu was becoming a dizzying blur as Jegal Hyang's vision glittered with uncertainty. "There are others waiting for drinks too, so please make your choice quickly." "Eek! Uh, um, I, it's just, uh..." Feeling all eyes on her caused Jegal Hyang to lose her composure entirely. She didn’t want to show such a flustered side to Master Kang. Other people were watching, and there's a time limit too. ‘What should I doooo?’ Overloaded with pressure, Jegal Hyang finally blurted out a choice that was all too familiar, yet slightly nonsensical. "I'll have an iced Americano… but, um, hot, please."