Chapter 301 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Facing Each Other – 3 Silence fell upon our family, or rather more specifically, upon the halls of the Daseokake. The words from the lips of the silver-haired woman were as powerful as if they were a spell from another realm entirely. “For a moment, I thought she was joking,” I managed to gather myself quickly, offering drinks to the people from Mangumjeonjang before stepping away to the empty stall. Im Ha Yeon chuckled softly as she spoke to me, clearly taken aback by the odd situation. "It was already surprising enough that they truly intended to make a warm iced Americano." Im Ha Yeon, you weren't exactly straightforward yourself either. Boiling water while scraping down the remnants of ice—what were you trying to concoct? “I couldn’t let it defeat me,” she responded, sipping her coffee with a hint of embarrassment. What exactly couldn’t she lose to? “What do you mean by that?” “I thought maybe someone of Je Gal family status would drink something like that…” Kind of like imagining the youngest son of a conglomerate who doesn't eat yogurt but only the part under the lid. “I suppose you were flustered.” I briefly explained Je Gal Hyang’s personality to Im Ha Yeon. "Surely, you don't expect her to order for herself?” "She's a lady from a family where she never has to do such things herself.” Some live despite having to do what they dislike, compelled by circumstances, while others live without ever having such necessity. It makes you wonder, is she not the youngest daughter of the Je Gal family for nothing? Im Ha Yeon seemed unable to close her mouth in shock at my words. “Oh… Now I feel like I'm the bad woman here.” Im Ha Yeon bitterly smirked, seemingly troubled by something. “Weren't you?” “What was that?!” “Haha, I’ll personally bring Je Gal So Jeo her drink.” Time to flee quickly. I mumbled to myself, looking at the coffee that wasn't picked up, neither hot nor cold. “Sigh. Fine. I thought she had a cunning personality like a vixen…” There was undoubtedly a sense of frustration in Im Ha Yeon’s voice. It seemed she held some unseen resentment, making it difficult to view Je Gal Hyang favorably. “You know there’s no ill-intent,” Watching her vanish in a dejected state after failing to order must have undoubtedly changed Im Ha Yeon’s perception. I stepped out from the stall, starting my search for the illusive orderer who wouldn’t respond even when called. ———————– Finding Je Gal Hyang was not difficult. In a corner spot, where the sun barely reached and people were least likely to come, among some other such places... “...This is the end. Truly the end. H-how did I make such a glaring mistake…” I had only to find the speaking box. “Je Gal So Jeo.” “…No one’s hereeee.” Even when I gently opened the box, Je Gal Hyang refused to look my way. Was she ashamed to even lift her head? In that case, should I try teasing her a bit cheekily? “Your warm iced Americano is ready.” “Aaaaaagh!” Her gaze immediately shot to the coffee I held before it collided with mine, but she couldn’t withstand it and looked away, seemingly fragile like she might crumble at a touch. “Haha. It’s a mistake anyone could make. Don’t be too disheartened.” I sat down next to Je Gal Hyang on the floor, offering my consolation as I observed her. “…But you must be disappointed, right?” After a while of silence, she asked me in a voice barely above a whisper, crawling with hesitance. “No.” At times like these, firmness is key. “I-I’m just a girl who can’t even order on her own. It’s only right to be disappointed with me.” Was my firmness insufficient? Je Gal Hyang remained unable to lift her head, seemingly unable to shake off her embarrassment. At this rate, repeating self-blame after a mistake might morph into a trauma. Maybe I should take a moment to ease her distress. Let’s quickly devise a plan in my mind. A most consoling approach. Alright. Let’s proceed with this method. “The first time I tried to order tea, I couldn't even finish the order and ran out immediately.” Starting with shared experiences. “Really? Truly?” Je Gal Hyang seemed genuinely surprised by the unexpected revelation, her eyes widening as she looked at me. “Yes. While others ordered with ease, I couldn’t grasp anything. Felt like entering an entirely different world, and I just couldn’t endure it. For a while after that incident, I didn’t even venture near tea shops.” The truth’s slightly different, though. Back in college, I once walked into a franchise coffee shop craving just a cup of coffee, and upon seeing the prices, I dashed out in shock. Skipping two cafeteria meals just for a coffee? It was ridiculous. “I see…” “On the other hand, I was truly impressed by your actions.” With a foundation of shared understanding presumably built, it was time to restore Je Gal Hyang’s battered confidence. “Because I ordered so comically?” “No. Unlike me, you faced it head-on instead of fleeing.” “…” You completed the order, after all. With genuine admiration in my expression, I looked at Je Gal Hyang, who shyly averted her eyes. “No matter how much one tries, there are always things they can’t do well. Most people give up at that point. But how about Je Gal Hyang, eh? Didn’t you strive hard after your initial mishap?” It was clear to see effort had been made. Have some confidence in yourself. “Yes, that’s right.” “How could one paint a masterpiece with just a single stroke? It is through relentless effort that great art is created.” “Yes.” Endless positive affirmations seemed effective. Bit by bit, Je Gal Hyang’s face began to show a peculiar glow. Most people would feel sufficiently motivated by this point, but considering Je Gal Hyang’s unique personality, perhaps one more step was needed. “In that sense, may I drink the beverage Je Gal So Jeo ordered for me?” I gestured towards the coffee, artfully balancing yin and yang, and asked Je Gal Hyang. “Pardon?” “Even a mistake can be softened in memory if it was made for someone else.” Rather than a shameful error, let’s reframe it as a mistake made for another. That makes it less embarrassing, right? As if swallowing up her mistake with me, I took a sip from her beverage right before her eyes. “…” A peculiar flush colored Je Gal Hyang’s cheeks, unable to keep her mouth closed in astonishment at the sight. “Je Gal So Jeo should enjoy a caramel macchiato. It seemed like what you intended to order, so I took the liberty of preparing it myself.” I offered her the specially made drink, passing it to Je Gal Hyang. "Mr. Kang, you did this for me..." "If you gain more ordering experience with me, I'm sure Je Gal Hyang will become adept at it as well." Thinking of her as a comfortable friend and sharing fun experiences will surely help Je Gal Hyang a lot in her life going forward. Of course, once our contract relationship ends, we'll go our separate ways. "Together? Heehee." Je Gal Hyang covered her mouth with her coffee cup, smiling. Luckily, it seemed she'd fully recovered. With her shyly admitting the coffee I made was delicious, we shared a light-hearted chat for a moment. —————————– "What are you two talking about so intently?" As we chatted, Im Ha Yeon approached us with a pout. "Ha Yeon So Jeo, the coffee is excellent." I lifted the coffee cup made by Im Ha Yeon, welcoming her with a smile. "Huh? That’s…?" Im Ha Yeon furrowed her brows, looking back and forth between the cups held by Je Gal Hyang and me with surprise. "Since Je Gal So Jeo’s was cold, I gave her mine." "..." Why did the expression drop from her face? "Je Gal So Jeo, Ha Yeon So Jeo will be helping with the branch a lot in the future." This could easily turn awkward. I stood up with Je Gal Hyang and formally introduced her once more to Im Ha Yeon. "If running it gets burdensome, you don’t have to come all the way to Daseokake. Manager Kang and I can handle it just fine. Hmph." Im Ha Yeon declared to Je Gal Hyang with the demeanor of a model, elegant yet carrying an air of a formidable sister-in-law from a wealthy family. "Ha Yeon So Jeo," I interceded. It’s difficult if you say such things so openly. “What? Why?” Im Ha Yeon faltered a bit, seemingly slightly self-conscious. "Ah, um... Nice to meet you... Ha Yeon... unnie?" I guess I hadn't mentioned the ages. Je Gal Hyang tilted her head, looked at Im Ha Yeon's face, and cautiously addressed her. "I’m 19." Why did her expression stiffen instantly? Im Ha Yeon revealed her age, mildly displeased. "Ah! I thought so! I’ll call you Ha Yeon unnie then." "...What did you say?" "Hee! B-because you’re a year older than me." "Who are you calling unnie?" "Ah, uhm, that..." Faced with Im Ha Yeon’s displeased glare, Je Gal Hyang stood at a loss. The confidence I'd carefully nurtured in her started to crumble again. "Why are you being sulky?" "It's not sulkiness!" You really are an unnie, so why the indignant look? "I—I’m sorry. It’s, uh, because you look so mature and you’re a year older than me." Maybe she thought it was her fault. Je Gal Hyang added an apologetic comment to her earlier statement. "Mature? Oof!" Im Ha Yeon seemed struck speechless as if she’d taken a hit. "Je Gal So Jeo, Ha Yeon So Jeo can be a bit brusque," I said, attempting to advocate for her, a leader’s duty showing love for their staff. "Yes, I understand! Hee!" Je Gal Hyang nodded uncertainly, indicating she understood, but she clung to my sleeve again, startled by Im Ha Yeon’s gaze. "Manager Kang, why are you holding onto your sleeve? And why are you hiding behind it?" To prevent getting bitten by a fierce cat, I suppose. The two of them seemed as contrasting as a cat and a hamster. "Ha Yeon So Jeo, let’s get back to work." Best to separate them at times like this. "Eep! Whose side are you on?!" I'm on both your sides. With that, let’s wrap up coffee time here. I patted the grumbling Im Ha Yeon and finished our work at Daseokake. --- Our family, or rather, Daseokake, was enveloped in a profound silence. The incantation uttered by the silver-haired, blue-eyed woman was almost mesmerizing, as if it possessed a different kind of magic entirely. "For a moment, I thought she was teasing," I hastily managed the situation and handed a drink to everyone from Mangumjeonjang before stepping back to the empty stall. Im Ha Yeon chuckled softly, speaking to me as if the situation had been absurd. "It was surprising enough that they intended to make a warm iced Americano." Im Ha Yeon, you weren't so simple-minded yourself. Boiling water while scraping the remaining ice—what was your goal there? "I couldn't afford to lose," she retorted, sipping her coffee with a slight blush of embarrassment. Lose to what, exactly? "What do you mean by that?" "I thought someone from the Je Gal family might drink something like that..." Similar to imagining the youngest son of a conglomerate who doesn't eat yogurt but only eats the part on the lid. "It was likely due to fluster." I briefly explained Je Gal Hyang’s personality traits to Im Ha Yeon. "Still, isn’t it odd that she can't order?" "She’s a lady from a family where she never has to order herself." While some people live life doing things they dislike, compelled by circumstances, others lead a life where there's no such necessity. She wouldn’t be the youngest daughter of the Je Gal family for nothing. Im Ha Yeon appeared too astonished to close her mouth at my explanation. "Oh… Now I seem like the bad woman here." Im Ha Yeon gave a bitter smile, as if troubled by something. "Weren't you?" "What did you say?!" "Haha. I'll make sure Je Gal So Jeo gets her drink properly." Time to make a quick escape. I mumbled to myself, glancing at the coffee that wasn't hot nor cold which sat unattended. "Sigh. Fine, then. I thought she had a sly personality like a fox…” Frustration was evident in Im Ha Yeon’s voice. Not having an easy time viewing Je Gal Hyang in a flattering light, perhaps harboring some hidden malice. “You know there’s no ill-intention,” Witnessing her leave in a dejected state after failing to order would inevitably change perceptions. I stepped out from behind the stall, in search of the elusive customer who remained voiceless even when called. Finding Je Gal Hyang turned out to be quite simple. In a secluded spot with the least sunlight and seemingly the least traffic among several such spots… “…It’s over. Truly over. H-how could I have made such a blunder…” It only took finding the box from which words emerged. “Je Gal So Jeo.” "…No one's here-e-e." Even when I gently opened the box, Je Gal Hyang refused to look my way. Was she so embarrassed that she couldn't lift her head? Maybe I should tease her a little. "Your warm iced Americano is ready." "Aaaaaah!" Her gaze shot right to the coffee in my hand, but when it met mine, Je Gal Hyang couldn't maintain it. So fragile, like dust—why does it feel like she might crumble with just a touch? “Haha. It’s a mistake anyone could make. Don’t be too upset about it.” I sat down next to Je Gal Hyang on the floor, offering her some comfort. “…But you’re disappointed, right?” After a long silence, Je Gal Hyang asked me in a voice that crawled out like a whisper. “No.” I need to be firm at times like these. “A girl who can’t even order for herself... It’s only natural to be disappointed, right?” Was my firmness not enough? Je Gal Hyang seemed unable to shake off her embarrassment, still not daring to lift her head. At this rate, she might end up stuck in an endless cycle of self-reproach, turning this into a trauma. Perhaps I should try to console her for a moment. Let's quickly devise a plan in my mind—a method that offers the most reassurance. Alright. Let’s go with that approach. “When I first went to order tea, I couldn't even finish the order before I ran out of there.” I started by finding common ground. “What? Really?” Je Gal Hyang looked at me with wide eyes, seemingly surprised by this unexpected revelation. “Yes. Everyone else was ordering effortlessly, but I didn’t know anything. It felt like being in a completely different world, and I just couldn't handle it. After escaping, I was so conscious of it that I didn't set foot in tea shops for a while.” The reality was slightly different, though. Back in university, I walked into a franchise coffee shop for a cup of coffee and ran out in shock after seeing the prices. Skipping two cafeteria meals just for a coffee? It seemed ridiculous. “Oh…” “On the contrary, I was impressed by how Je Gal So Jeo handled it.” With some sense of camaraderie established, it was time to restore Je Gal Hyang’s shattered confidence. “Because I ordered so hilariously?” “No. Unlike me, Je Gal So Jeo didn’t run away; you faced the challenge head-on.” "..." Unlike me, she placed the order right away. As I looked at Je Gal Hyang with genuine admiration, she lowered her eyes with a hint of shyness. “Everyone has things they can’t do well, no matter how hard they try. Most give up at that point. But what about Je Gal Hyang? Didn’t you strive hard to make up for your previous mistake?” I could clearly see she had made efforts. Believe in yourself. “Yes, that's true.” “How could a masterpiece be painted with a single stroke? It is through countless efforts that a masterpiece emerges.” “Yes.” Indeed, infinite positivity works wonders. Did her confidence recover a bit? There was a curious flush of color returning to Je Gal Hyang’s cheeks. For most people, this would suffice, but given Je Gal Hyang’s unique personality, I needed to add just one more thing. “In that sense, may I drink the beverage Je Gal So Jeo ordered for me?” I asked while holding the coffee that struck a balance of yin and yang. “What?” “A mistake made for someone else tends to fade from memory.” Let’s reframe it from an embarrassing mistake to a mistake made for someone else. That makes it less embarrassing, doesn’t it? Symbolically consuming Je Gal Hyang’s mistake, I took a sip from her drink right in front of her. “…” Je Gal Hyang looked on with a peculiar flush on her face, unable to close her mouth. “Please enjoy your caramel macchiato, Je Gal So Jeo. It seemed to be what you initially tried to order, so I prepared it personally.” I handed her a specially made drink. "Mr. Kang, you did this for me..." “If we gain experience together, Je Gal Hyang will soon order with confidence.” Thinking of her as a comfortable friend and sharing entertaining experiences will undoubtedly aid her in the future. Though when our contract relationship ends, we'll eventually part ways. “Together? Heehee.” Je Gal Hyang hid her lips with the coffee cup, smiling. Thankfully, she seemed fully restored. We spent some time sharing light-hearted conversation, with her shyly praising the taste of the coffee I had made. —————————– “What are you two talking about so eagerly?” While we were having our chat, Im Ha Yeon approached with a sullen face. “Ha Yeon So Jeo, the coffee tastes great.” I held up the coffee made by Im Ha Yeon to welcome her. “Huh? That’s…?” Im Ha Yeon glanced back and forth with a surprised look between the mugs held by Je Gal Hyang and me, a frown on her brow. “Je Gal So Jeo’s seemed to have gone cold, so I gave her mine.” “…” Why does her expression seem to drain away? “Je Gal So Jeo, Ha Yeon So Jeo will be helping with the expansion a lot from now on.” If I’m not careful, this might become an awkward situation. I stood up with Je Gal Hyang to reintroduce her properly to Im Ha Yeon. "If managing becomes burdensome, you don't have to involve yourself with Daseokake. Manager Kang and I will handle things just fine. Hmph." Im Ha Yeon, with the poise of a model, stepped forward and spoke to Je Gal Hyang with a confident air, exuding the aura of a dignified yet strong-headed sister-in-law from a wealthy family. "Ha Yeon So Jeo." Being so upfront about it can be problematic. "What? What?" Im Ha Yeon seemed to be slightly taken aback herself, her words slightly fumbling. "Oh, um… Please take care of me… Ha Yeon… unnie?" I guess I forgot to mention her age. Je Gal Hyang tilted her head, looked at Im Ha Yeon closely, and then cautiously addressed her. “…I’m 19.” Why did her expression freeze suddenly? Im Ha Yeon, looking slightly incredulous, revealed her age. "Ah! I knew it! I’ll call you Ha Yeon unnie then." “…What did you say?” "Hee! B-because you're a year older than me." "Who are you calling unnie?" "Ah, um, that…" Caught in Im Ha Yeon's disapproving gaze, Je Gal Hyang floundered helplessly. The confidence I had painstakingly built in her started to crumble again. “Why are you being like this?” “It’s not that!” You're her unnie, why the troubled look? “I—I’m sorry. It’s, um, because you look so mature and you're a year older than me.” Perhaps she felt it was her fault. Je Gal Hyang added an apologetic note to her statement. Maybe she thought it was her mistake. In an apologetic tone, Je Gal Hyang added to her comment. “M-mature? Oof!” Im Ha Yeon seemed struck, as if something had hit her, leaving her momentarily speechless. "Je Gal So Jeo, Ha Yeon So Jeo tends to be a bit blunt." A leader's duty is to stand up for their staff. I decided to back Im Ha Yeon this time. “Yes, I understand! Hehe!” Je Gal Hyang nodded awkwardly, indicating she understood, but the moment she caught Im Ha Yeon's gaze, she got startled and clung to my sleeve. "Manager Kang, w-why are you holding your sleeve? And why are you hiding behind it?" It's to avoid getting scratched by the haughty cat. After giving it some thought, the two of them—one like a cat and the other like a hamster—did seem to be on different wavelengths. “Ha Yeon So Jeo, let's get back to work.” In situations like these, it's best to separate them. “Oof! Whose side are you on?!” I am on both of your sides. So, let’s end coffee time here. I comforted the disgruntled Im Ha Yeon while wrapping up the work at Daseokake.