Big Life

Chapter 32

Chapter 32


Chapter 32 – What is Important


[ The Winner]


A Dumb Woman – Se Gunwoo


Tejin looked at the name Se Gunwoo .


It was definitely not an unfamiliar name, a name that just by looking at it, he shivered . He didn’t know that he would see that name on a Literary Contest that his son entered .


‘It’s not an uncommon name . ’


Tejin got discomforted and turned away from the monitor . But then, he opened his eyes and touched the mouse .


‘Maybe his son used his father’s pen name . ’


Se Gunwoo had a son . He was an old writer but after he made a huge mistake, he gave up writing and went up . His thoughts went over to this .


The news had all the contestant’s pictures .


Tejin looked at the Digital Literary Contest photo news and looked for Se Gunwoo’s name . He could find a person in their 20s, with his family and friends .


‘No, yeah, there’s no way . ’


Now more comforted, Tejin had the thought to contact his son . When he called, Myunghoon answered quickly .


“Yes, father . ”


“Good job . ”


“…Yes?”


“Why didn’t you tell me earlier . If you told me, then the entire family could have gone and congratulated you . ”


“But it’s not the grand prize…”


“Come home early, eat dinner . ”


“Yes . ”


As he cut off, with a knock, Myungsuk came in . In his hands were samples from a SF writer that the company had planned .


“This is the samples that I told you in the morning . ”


“Put in there . But did you know?”


“Yes? What did I know?”


“That Myunghoon entered the Digital Literary Contest or whatever . ”


“No… I didn’t know . ”


Myungsuk scratched his head and answered unconfidently . Tejin’s two eyes didn’t miss that .


“He won the runner up . ”


“Runner up?”


“The name is Lonely Man of Seoul . ”


“Ahah … yes . ”


“You knew . ”


Tejin’s two eyes glared .


Myungsuk, surprised, almost dropped the samples he was holding .


“I didn’t know that he was entering the Digital Literary Contest . But I knew that he was writing a story called Lonely Man of Seoul . He asked me to look over it, but I read it once . ”


“Did you end it with just reading it?”


“Yes?”


“Is this something that Myunghoon written on his own . ”


“Ye, yes . Father . ”


“You’re sure?”


Tejin didn’t back away and asked again . Myungsuk fixed his gla.s.ses, coughed, and nodded his head .


“It was Myunghoon’s solo piece . He won runner up, we should congratulate him . ”


“I get it, leave . ”


Myungsuk left the office . Tejin was standing, looking out the window with a complicated expression .



“It’s cold . ”


“That’s because you wore a t-shirt, you idiot . ”


“I didn’t know it would be this cold . Here, I’ll take it,”


“It’s not heavy . ”


“Just give it . ”


Jaegun took the basket from Jaeyn’s hands . It held today’s dinner ingredients . Today’s main course was bossam .


“But maybe we bought too much meat . ”


“We can eat it . ”


It was one week since the ceremony .


Jaegun and Jaeyn were walking through the road, colored with autumn .


“Have you decided the cover?”


“Yeah, I told them a general outline . Since they are pros, they’ll get it done . ”


“When’s the paper book coming out?”


“Maybe about a month?”


It was about the ‘A Dumb Woman . ’


Only the grand winner from the contest could get their book into a paper book . All the others were only made for electronic books in the online market .


“You got your wish, brother . You wanted to make a book into a paper book that much . ”


Jaegun grinned instead of answering .


There were reasons why he looked for paper books, even though they were costly most of the time . But was the writer’s dream . A touchable, openable paper book is more intimate than a figureless electronic book .


But there was a bigger reason .


He wanted to show to his dad, who was an old person .


His dad who was far from computers and phones .


Even now, his dad went to bookstores and bought paper books .


From that, he was dreaming of the day that he would find his son’s book in the new section and be moved .


“Wow, why did you buy so much meat? We’re only 4 people with your dad, who’s gonna eat this all?”


Myungja said the same thing when they went home . Jaegun answered as he put the basket down .


“You eat it today, you make other foods with it, you fry it, you make it into a stew and this will all disappear quickly . ”


“But still, how much is this? You need to spend this where you need to…”


“Mom . ”


Jaegun pushed his arm sleeves back and turned towards his mom .


“Don’t worry about money, your son got his place . This is only going shopping for food so why worry . ”


“Ok, ok, wow, Acting strong because you won a grand prize . You’re gonna with the n.o.bel prize next year?”


Myungja wrinkled her nose and Jaeyn laughed .


When they cleaned up the basket, Jaegun looked around the house and continued .


“Don’t renew the contract . ”


“What?”


“Go buy a house and move . ”


He was thinking for a long time .


If he got money left, he was going to buy a house for his family and move .


It wasn’t a house that needed fixing a few laces . Suffering from noises from other places, this family lived in this old house for a very long time .


“From the 30,000 dollars from last time, with the runner up and the grand prize winnings that will be after taxes, 23,000 dollars . Not sure if there will be more money . But just this much, you can get a pretty decent house in this neighborhood .


“JAegun…”


“No, not a villa actually . Just wait a year . In one year, let’s go to a house with a garden . Mom likes the garden, and since we’re living alone, there won’t be any noise . ”


Jaegun was putting down words alone .


Myungja and Jaeyn was worried . It felt that Jaegun was self inflicting damage to himself . Jaegun was repeating many words as if he wanted to shove them in his brain .


“It’s the genre side that gets money . So I’ll release another series, so you get it? Don’t renew the contract . We’re going out . ”


The door opened with a beep sounds . It was dad Ha Sukjae . Looking at his wife and his two sons and daughters, he blinked .


“Honey, Jaegun bought us meat for dinner today . Go clean up and come out quickly . ”


“I already ate . ”


Sukjae went to his room after he took off his coat .


Jaegun was looking at the kitchen’s microwave, smiling bitterly .


“Don’t worry, I’ll take him out . ”


Myungja with her elbow hit Jaegun’s waist and whispered .


Jaeyn pulled out a table in the living room . There were so many dishes with a meat dish, vegetables, and other side dishes and beer . Sukjae was just coming out after cleaning up .


“Honey, come over here and eat something .


“You and the kids can eat . ”


“Don’t be like that and sit down . The meat is really good?”


Sukjae ignored her . WIth a emotionless face, he opened the refrigerator and poured himself some tea . After he drank, he immediately turned to go to his room


Just them,


“What’s so displeasing?”


Jaegun said subduedly with his eyes pointed down .


Sukjae was slowly turning around .


“What is so displeasing . Do you hate your son that much that you would even avoid the dinner table?”


“I told you I ate . ”


“No, your shift ended 30 minutes ago so where would you have eaten in that time while walking home? Just answer truthfully . Just say that you can’t stand your son’s face to the point that it would make you suffering from indigestion .


“This guy is…?”


“Ja, Jaegun, what are you doing?”


Jaeyn’s cries did nothing .


Jaegun stood up and looked at Sukjae .


“I won a Literary award for the first time . It’s not the biggest but I won the grand prize and the runner up . Couldn’t you congratulate me as your son? Can you not forgive me because I’m being a writer that you hate so much?”


“Sigh… ok, I get it . Congratulations . ”


Sukjae waved his hand as if he was tired and turned around . Jaegun walked over and blocked his path and continued .


“Do you know how much I’ve earned so far . We can move away from this old house now . Do you still hate me because I’m a writer . I began to earn well . Father, son is going to do well .


With this, Sukjae’s face turned red . But he still managed to close his lips that were going to open many times . With no words, he went into his room and closed the door .


“Jaegun, come here . ”


Jaeyn went over and took his arm . Myungja was sighing looking at a pot on the veranda . He knew that they would collide once like this .


“I’ve ate . ”


Jaegun finished his dinner with no words . Myungja and Jaeyn both offered him drinks but he didn’t drink any . He couldn’t write if he did .


“I’ll go . ”


“It’s only 9, sleep here . ”


“No, I have things to write . I’ll come back . Sleep early mom, you too sister .


“I’ll escort you for a little . ”


Jaeyn put on a cardigan and followed .


In the dark, there were many streetlights in the street . Jaeyn spoke as she took Jaegun’s arm and walked with him .


“Dad is worried . ”


“For what . ”


“I’ve heard him talk to your mom . Maybe it’s a good idea learning publishing work for later . ”


“Why work at a publishing company?”


“Need a place if something goes wrong . It’s best to have a constant salary . Your dad worked like that as a worker . You have to understand . ”


“I know . ”


Jaegun answered in a small voice . His dad still didn’t believe him as a writer . But the answer could only be…!


A taxi that was pa.s.sing blew its horn .


Jaegun, coming out of his thoughts, caught the taxi and said to Jaeyn .


“I’ll take a taxi and take the subway . ”


“Ok, be careful and call . ”


“Ok . ”


Jaegun called Jung Somii’s number after he got on the taxi . After a ring, Somii’s energetic voice came on .


“Ah, h.e.l.lo, Writer HA . ”


“Yes, Somii, did you leave work?”


“No, I have work left so I think I’ll have to work till 11 . ”


“You’re busy, then I’ll call you later . ”


“No! No! You can tell me right now!”


“I want to release a sequel because I rested for awhile . ”


Jaegun spoke while looking out the window . Immediately, Somii’s voice answered .


“It’s so good, writer! I thought you would be tired after the Digital Literary Contest so I was just waiting nervously without calling myself! Should we meet? I’ll call you after I call the editor .


“Ok . Good work . ”


“You too, sir!”


As he cut off, Jaegun threw away the dream for paper books . He thought he did enough for his dad now . Comfortably resting, Jaegun looked for the pros and cons of the biggest selling methods in recent genres .