Novelist Running Through Time

TL: KSD

In the variety show studio office of PD Park Young-tae, shimmering trophies filled the walls. Not only from the three major terrestrial broadcasters but also a plethora of awards from comprehensive programming channels.

While there were enough trophies to serve as bowling pins, there’s an easily forgotten fact blinded by their sparkle.

Somewhere in this world, there are people who burn decades of their life dreaming of just one golden trophy.

“Yes, that must be it……”

Fortunately, PD Park Young-tae had not forgotten that fact.

To survive in this world, one must not lose their initial resolve.

What world does he live in?

Gold, honor, love, worship.

The entertainment industry, where every conceivable human desire swirls in a vortex, and those who stir up these desires as their profession gather.

A world of tempting demons, the demon world.

And in this wicked demon world, where malicious energy swirls, merely breathing fills one with a peculiar madness.

The inner demon whispers.

「Romance rumor…Blow it up.」

「It’s a piece of cake.」

「Securing the number one spot in viewership is as good as done.」

The demon existed within him. Therefore, it knew him very well.

The demon’s temptation poked and stimulated the desires that were hidden deep in his heart, too shameful to reveal.

「Those young and popular kids who don’t amount to much are now in your grasp. You saw them, right? Playing footsie at the beach? It’s not like they have no feelings for each other, right? Don’t you agree?」

「Isn’t it time to show something to those losers who talk about being washed up because you haven’t had a hit in years? Don’t you want to make those bastards who couldn’t wait and pulled their investments from the studio to writhe in pain?」

「Is this really something to agonize over? It’s not just for your own benefit. Popularity is everything anyway. Once they become famous, it’s beneficial for everyone. And what could possibly happen just because a scandal breaks among those who are merely at the age of eating school meals?」

「And Kim Byul is completely sharp. An individual who’s lasted 10 years in this industry surely knew about the cameras all around. So, if you just turn a blind eye once and let it explode……」

A malicious heart in itself becomes a poison that destroys humans.

Numerous humans living in the entertainment industry have turned into monsters, caught in this madness.

Perhaps, an inevitable fall might find its way to PD Park Young-tae too.

Young, beautiful, and talented individuals groveling for a chance to be featured, in this demon world where only those who can best stimulate the desires of the masses survive, one might eventually fall for the whispers of inner madness.

But it wasn’t today.

“No……!”

A virtuous inner strength expelled the malicious intent gnawing at his spirit. Park Young-tae, having escaped from the temptation, regained his sanity.

This could be the noble victory of PD Park Young-tae’s conscience, or perhaps the inner demon’s temptation was simply not persuasive enough, or maybe, just maybe, it was due to the exorcising and demon-dispelling energy from the business card of Baek ssi stuck in his wallet.

Regardless of the reason, PD Park Young-tae succeeded in treating people not as means, but as ends in themselves. Thus, the <Love Love Peaceful Uninhabited Island> plan was scrapped.

Using the ‘devil’s editing’ to inject viewers with a lethal dose of sweetness might secure insane viewership rates, but Moon In-seop and Kim Byul would suffer significant invasions of their privacy.

Especially for a female celebrity like Kim Byul, the impact is more severe. People say celebrities are not objects of para-social relationships, yet criticize them for lacking professionalism when a relationship is revealed. People claim the era of enforcing Confucian gender roles is over, yet rebuke them for being “too forward” when a relationship comes to light.

That’s just how it is. Whether they sing, dance, or act, celebrities are someone’s idol. It’s not unreasonable to demand perfection from an idol. Especially when money is involved.

However, someone had to treat them not as idols but as humans and protect them.

And that “someone” should probably include the profession of a PD.

Thinking this, PD Park Young-tae decided on the direction of the editing.

It could be said to be the experience of a responsible 21-year veteran variety show PD.

“Sigh……”

And this responsible 21-year veteran variety show PD had not only a righteous mindset but also exceptional talent. The wall full of trophies was proof of that.

He had given up walking the treacherous path of nefarious shortcuts, but he still possessed the ability to captivate millions of viewers on screen.

The right path is difficult, but since he chose it himself, he must endure through sheer willpower, what else is there to do?

PD Park Young-tae thought so and called his staff.

It was time to properly stir things up.

EP 6 – The Show Must Go On

“Ooh……”

A low murmur of admiration leaked out.

It was when Moon In-seop found the perfect fishing spot.

“Ooh……!”

A heightened murmur of admiration leaked out.

It was when Moon In-seop felt a bite and sprinkled krill shrimp.

“Ooh-!”

An exclamation burst out.

It was when three mackerels were simultaneously caught on the sabiki rig.

Actor Bae Seong-won, who succeeded in fishing with Moon In-seop’s help, exclaimed happily on the TV screen, looking as if he owned the world.

[It’s a big catch!]

Gu Hak-jun, sitting on the sofa, also nodded in satisfaction and chimed in.

“Yeah… That’s right. That’s right.”

“……”

“Switching to mackerel when the bucket was empty and setting it up was brilliant, but how did he know mackerels would be swimming around at exactly that time? A genius is really different……”

Whether there is any correlation between a literary genius and a fishing genius is uncertain, but since literary genius Gu Hak-jun said so, Gu Yu-na simply went along with it.

Gu Yu-na glanced at her dad.

Gu Hak-jun was sitting on the sofa but not leaning against it. He was hunched over in a turtle-like posture as if he was going to be sucked into the TV, just like a 5-year-old watching Pororo.

The difference between him and a 5-year-old child, however, was that there was no one to smack his back and warn him, “You’ll ruin your eyes doing that.”

It’s not that Gu Hak-jun’s authority as a father was so strong that no one dared to intervene, but rather that Min Chae-won was away on a business trip.

If anyone could vigorously reprimand Gu Hak-jun and correct his posture, it was Gu Yu-bin, but she hardly ever came out of her room.

She has been like that since the day she met Moon In-seop. She doesn’t come out of her room. The reason is simple.

Gu Yu-bin is currently writing a novel.

It’s important, so I’ll say it again.

Gu Yu-bin is currently writing a novel.

Why is this fact important?

Gu Yu-bin is a senior in high school.

And it’s currently the summer vacation season.

Meaning, the college entrance exam is just half a year away.

-Aaaahhhh!

A high school girl who writes novels instead of studying, with only half a year left until the college entrance exam, is like a ghost story about Sadako crawling eerily out of the TV.

That’s why Min Chae-won screamed as if she saw a ghost, foaming at the mouth.

And having witnessed her daughter’s deviation, Min Chae-won’s thought process had reached the third stage of ‘that mechanism’.

-My daughter can’t be like this!

Denial.

-Yu-bin, how could you do this to me!

Anger.

-Maybe you could write novels after getting into college…? Then, mom will get you a fancy studio! Let’s write then!

Negotiation.

That’s how it went to the third stage.

Of course, the pressure from the venomous businesswoman Min Chae-won was not light. Ever since Gu Yu-bin started writing her novel, the house was always a battlefield. It’s to the extent that Min Chae-won once tore up Yu-bin’s notebook right in front of her.

But Gu Yu-bin, proving she was indeed Min Chae-won’s daughter, stubbornly held her ground. Leaving behind gems of quotes like, <If not now, I may never write.>, <I can feel my heart beating.>, <I must repay the faith of those who believed in me.> was just a bonus.

And surprisingly, instead of moving to the fourth stage of frustration, Min Chae-won neatly grasped the severity of the situation and called for a family meeting.

Where ordinary people get frustrated, Min Chae-won takes action. It could be said to be the risk management ability worthy of a first-class businesswoman.

But as the saying goes, humans plan and heaven decides.

And heaven had abandoned Min Chae-won. Because family is a bond formed by heaven.

-Does, does this make any sense?! How can this be reasonable!

As a result of the family meeting, Min Chae-won lost.

The reason was simple.

When asked, <Is writing novels more important than the college entrance exam?> the vote was 3 in favor and 1 against.

Of course, it was a secret ballot, so who voted for what was unknown.

But to summarize the discussion at the time:

-Writing novels being more important than the college entrance exam… that’s just ‘common sense’, isn’t it?

-Agreed.

-Agreed.

The irrational tyranny of unanimous agreement truly frustrated Min Chae-won. The house was simply full of (literature) lunatics.

Afterward, Min Chae-won even went as far as to boldly suggest that voting rights should be distributed based on wealth, but that was dismissed as too bourgeois of a claim.

Eventually, Min Chae-won, much like the repertoire of those beaten in elections regardless of party, vented about the “voters are bastards” and left the house (for an overseas business trip).

Surprisingly, Min Chae-won had resigned.

Thus, Gu Yu-na’s family entered the post-Min Chae-won era.

However, just because Min Chae-won lost her regime, it didn’t mean someone else had taken control. As is often the case when the mother is away, the household entered a post-apocalyptic time of each for their own.

With the college entrance exam half a year away, Gu Yu-bin became a mad artist, writing novels in her room, and Gu Hak-jun, who said he’d cut down on drinking, began to drink as if he was going to set up a bar at home.

Look.

Even now, he’s sipping beer while watching a variety show.

If he’s going to drink beer, he might as well order some chicken so someone could snatch a drumstick from him. Drinking alone seemed pitiful.

So, impulsively, Gu Yu-na stretched her leg and jabbed her father’s side with her big toe.

“Ack!”

The sudden violence overwhelmed Gu Hak-jun.

Gu Hak-jun painfully collapsed next to the sofa.

“Yu, Yu-na, why……”

“Hmph.”

Satisfying the rising murderous intent within her through impulsive and merciless assault on her kin, Gu Yu-na regained her senses and focused back on the TV variety show.

But something was off.

The flow of the variety show was changing.

Whether it was <Peaceful Uninhabited Island> or <Fishing King Moon In-seop>, the show had suddenly intensified with serious tension.

And Moon In-seop was the protagonist of that situation.

Gu Yu-na’s gaze was fixed on the large wall-mounted TV.

-Excuse me, Author Moon? Do you not need manuscript paper?

-Ah…

Right after the staff’s question, Moon In-seop’s face was zoomed in on.

A boy with a cold gaze wrapped in a blanket hardens his expression.

And the camera highlighted the tip of the boy’s fingers.

‘That is…’

Moon In-seop’s fingertips were trembling.

Gu Yu-na’s heart skipped a beat.

Was there some problem?

Eventually, Moon In-seop refused the manuscript paper. Gu Yu-na was certain there was really a problem. The boy she knew would never give up writing, no matter when or where.

-……I’m sorry.

But Moon In-seop declined the manuscript paper, and the PD, with a bewildered expression, hastily waved it off.

-Oh, no! I’m sorry for disturbing you. Please, take your rest, Author!

Gu Yu-na held back her murderous intent towards the PD who thoughtlessly offered manuscript paper to Moon In-seop and focused on the broadcast.

The tightly edited variety show smoothly explained Moon In-seop’s unusual behavior.

Lim ssi, the dedicated editor for author Moon In-seop, appeared on the screen in an official capacity.

-Actually, our Author Moon is experiencing a slump.

-The reason? There are a few factors, but although I can’t speak about it in detail, the change in environment due to recently switching agencies has been tough on him.

-Actually, he’s incredibly mature and intelligent, but he’s still a child at heart. Naturally, the high expectations he’s receiving must be burdensome.

-The head of our division who discovered Author Moon also insists on providing as much comfortable care as possible… But, given that art is inherently a lonely field, there’s a burden he must face alone. It’s always heartbreaking to see him struggle.

“Oh dear…”

Gu Hak-jun voiced his concern from beside her.

However, Gu Yu-na’s heart felt differently.

It was more ‘shock’ than ‘sympathy.’

Moon In-seop is in a slump?

That Moon In-seop…?

Moon In-seop is Gu Yu-na’s friend, mentor, and utopia.

Gu Yu-na wanted to become a novelist like Moon In-seop.

Why? Because Moon In-seop was perfect.

Moon In-seop was the one who steadied her when times were tough, introduced her to the genre of mystery novels, and taught her everything from writing programs to industry norms.

Moon In-seop’s advice paralleled that of other novelists who had been writing for decades, and Gu Yu-na marveled day by day at such a genius’s vision from up close.

Though she didn’t show it on her face, how could she not admire someone who, as if reading her heart, advised her not to idolize him but to pursue her own literature?

Ironically, it was only now that Gu Yu-na realized how much she had been admiring Moon In-seop all along.

But the Moon In-seop on TV was struggling.

The genius author who should be perfect couldn’t write.

That shouldn’t be happening.

“It shouldn’t be like this…”

“Huh? What did you say?”

Gu Yu-na, too anxious to even notice Gu Hak-jun’s question, nervously bit her nails. Unbeknownst to her, her emotions mirrored the obsession of a fan looking at their idol.

Idols must remain perfect idols forever. Otherwise, it would mean that her admiration for him was flawed.

‘Idol worship’ is a warm act that can fill the void in one’s heart with devotion, but conversely, it means entrusting a part of one’s self to another.

If that breaks, one’s heart breaks as well.

That’s why fans wish for their idol’s perfection.

But Gu Yu-na was watching her idol become imperfect on TV.

The variety show portrayed Author Moon as an object of sympathy, not of admiration.

Searching the internet in desperation, she found it filled with pitying views towards Moon In-seop.

Gu Yu-na, still not fully understanding her feelings, endured the inexplicable irritation and continued watching the broadcast.

And her emotions peaked at ‘that scene’.

Darkness had descended on the remote island.

Only the grasshoppers and mountain birds sang in the dawn at the beach.

Moon In-seop, unable to sleep, came out to the sand.

He slowly walked towards the sea.

As if he might enter the water at any moment.

“…”

Then, someone tiptoes from behind.

It’s a familiar face to Gu Yu-na. Kim Byul, the senior who treats her like some comfort doll, approaches.

They meet at the beach, looking at each other and stopping in their tracks.

Then, a gentle piano melody underlaid the scene.

The music, like a thin drizzle at dawn turned into sound, transformed the variety show into a drama.

The genre of the drama is youth. The boy and the girl sit on the beach, endlessly watching the sea.

They talk with just the movement of their lips from afar, splash water with their feet, and continue their long conversation until sunrise.

And the next day.

Moon In-seop, having overcome his slump, searches for manuscript paper.

The members of <Peaceful Uninhabited Island> look at Moon In-seop with warm eyes, and the episode ends.

“How touching…”

Gu Hak-jun was suddenly shedding tears. He didn’t even know where to start crying. Could it be that Dad was just a middle-aged man going through a mid-life crisis, crying senselessly just because some fitting piano background music was playing?

What exactly is touching about this! From one to ten, nothing makes sense! First off, Moon In-seop being in a slump is already an error, and it’s strange that advice from a senior who knows nothing about novels solved that issue.

In summary, it’s a case of <My Moon In-seop would never do this.> Although it sounds a bit like a phrase you’d find among Japanese otakus, it’s a syndrome commonly found in idol fandoms. It’s especially apparent among those who suddenly suffer acute conditions when their favorite idol starts dating.

But if Gu Yu-na had the capacity to calmly introspect her inner self, she might have easily made friends at school.

Gu Yu-na is not wrong.

Then, the mistake lies in that broadcast!

“This.”

“……?”

“This isn’t right!”

*****

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