Chapter 13: I’m Glad I Became a Writer. (2)
‘Up until I got one over on Kim Min-ho, I thought being a writer was the best choice ever… but now, I’m not so sure.’
Kim Si-woo, sitting between two actresses, was so nervous he could barely tell if the food was going in his mouth or his nose.
“Urk!”
Startled as he accidentally brought a piece of sushi to his nose, Kim Si-woo let out a strange noise.
“Sigh… Ji-hyun, let’s stop. Si-woo’s going to choke,” Shim Ji-young said, exasperated.
“Okay, sunbaenim,” Kim Ji-hyun replied, agreeing to a truce in their subtle rivalry.
“Who’s going first?” Shim Ji-young asked.
“I’ll go. I did barge in late,” Kim Ji-hyun said.
As Kim Ji-hyun leaned in with a request, Kim Si-woo turned to face her. Her intense gaze made him uneasy, and he averted his eyes.
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked.
“No! It’s not that… I mean, could I maybe get a role in the movie you’re preparing, sunbaenim?” she asked Shim Ji-young.
Kim Si-woo glanced at Shim Ji-young, who shrugged as if to say she had no say in it. Scratching his head, he hesitated before responding.
“Uh… that’s kind of hard to answer right now.”
“What?” Kim Ji-hyun looked flustered.
She’d assumed their rapport would secure her a spot, so his vague response caught her off guard. Quickly masking her surprise, she leaned closer, her voice laced with aegyo.
“But… you’ll think about it, right, Writer?”
“Uh… yeah,” Kim Si-woo mumbled, feeling increasingly uncomfortable.
‘I think I’m actually going to choke…’
Struggling through the meal, Kim Si-woo had no moment to rest.
“Sunbaenim, didn’t you have something to say too?” Kim Ji-hyun prompted.
“Oh, right. Si-woo, what happened in the restroom?” Shim Ji-young asked.
The sudden mention of the restroom brought Kim Min-ho to mind, worsening his already upset stomach. Kim Si-woo recounted how he’d given Kim Min-ho a piece of his mind and walked out, but Shim Ji-young’s face darkened.
“Did I mess up?” he asked.
“Sigh… just watch out for the haters.”
By targeting Kim Min-ho at the press screening, he’d not only provoked the actor but also his fans. And there were always rabid fans out there.
‘Haters? Guess I’ll have to deal with another mess. Like actor, like fans.’
After the tense meal, Kim Ji-hyun, seemingly upset by the rejection, excused herself to head home. Kim Si-woo, still queasy, looked visibly unwell.
“Hey, you okay? If your stomach’s upset, you didn’t have to finish everything,” Shim Ji-young said.
“No way, it’s expensive food. Plus, I’m used to indigestion—it’ll pass if I massage my hand,” Kim Si-woo replied, pressing the area between his thumb and index finger casually.
“Wait here,” Shim Ji-young said, stepping away.
“Huh?”
She returned with a bottle of antacid, handing it to him with a warning.
“Be careful with Kim Ji-hyun too.”
“What?”
“I noticed today—she’s not ordinary. I knew she wasn’t, but I didn’t expect this. Bold… or maybe just shameless.”
“…”
Pondering her advice, Kim Si-woo gave a sheepish grin, unsure how to respond.
“Maybe she just likes me? Hehe.”
“Ugh… how did I end up friends with a guy like you?”
“Because I write well.”
“Argh! You always have to have the last word!” Shim Ji-young groaned, exasperated.
Meanwhile, Kim Ji-hyun, heading home, was deep in thought.
‘Am I not his type? No, his face keeps turning red, so that’s not it.’
‘I got praise for my acting this time too.’
‘It’s not about my skills.’
‘I need to contact him more often.’
‘Of all people, why did Shim Ji-young have to set her sights on him?’
Women’s intuition told her Kim Si-woo was someone not to let slip away. It was that gut feeling actresses often talked about. He might be a rookie writer now, but once Revenger hit theaters, his value would skyrocket beyond imagination.
The silver lining was that he didn’t seem to care about fame. He’d never asked celebrities for autographs or photos, nor had he ever suggested meeting up privately.
“He’s not… impotent, is he? Or does he like older women?” Kim Ji-hyun wondered, rubbing her temples.
“No, once Revenger succeeds, I won’t even need to chase him.”
Everyone was certain of Revenger’s success. For lesser-known rookies like Kim Ji-hyun or has-been actors, this was a chance to become rising stars or reclaim their prime. Some, however, believed the success was due to themselves, not the script.
Like Kim Min-ho, drinking at home.
“Argh!”
Crash!
Furious, Kim Min-ho hurled his glass against the wall, spewing curses.
“That damn journalist couldn’t even rattle old hag Shim Ji-young, and that rookie writer went nuts! Who the hell does this movie owe its success to?!”
Unable to contain his anger, he made a frantic call.
“Hey! Where are you?”
- Yo, hyung, I’m just working at the club.
Over the blaring music coming through Kim Min-ho’s phone, a deep, gravelly voice responded.
“There’s a guy I need taken care of soon.”
- Got it. Just say the word, and I’ll bring the boys to handle it quick.
“As expected, you’re the only one I can trust. I’ll bring him to the club soon, so let’s meet there.”
- Yes, hyungnim. Just let me know.
Kim Min-ho hung up and immediately called his manager.
“Hey, get me Kim Si-woo’s phone number.”
- Huh? Why all of a sudden?
“Just get it when I tell you to!”
- Yes, sir.
The manager scrambled, contacting other managers and industry connections to track down Kim Si-woo’s number. By the next day, it was saved in Kim Min-ho’s phone.
***
The following day, YouTube and online articles were flooded with Revenger coverage. Most were glowing reviews, with critics’ one-liners and analyses largely positive. However, malicious articles about Kim Min-ho and Kim Si-woo, the writer, occasionally surfaced. The disparity in the number of toxic comments was stark.
“Noona was right,” Kim Si-woo muttered. “They’re only coming after me. Well, I’m not just gonna sit here now that I’ve got money.”
Dressing lightly, Kim Si-woo headed to a law firm—not the biggest in Korea, but the second largest: Blue Law Firm. He chose it for a reason. He’d heard rumors that Blue Law Firm had a reputation for making their opponents’ faces turn blue with fear.
“Hello,” Kim Si-woo greeted, approaching the reception desk.
“Yes, how may I help you?” the receptionist asked.
“I’d like to file a lawsuit. Can I meet with a lawyer?”
“Uh… do you have an appointment with a lawyer? Or a reservation?”
“No. Do I need one to meet someone?”
“Not exactly… please wait a moment.”
The receptionist, flustered by his lack of an appointment, quickly made a call.
“Yes, yes. Understood. I’ll send him up right away.”
Smiling as if the issue was resolved, she turned to Kim Si-woo.
“You’re in luck, sir. A lawyer is available. Please go to the 8th floor and ask for Attorney Lee Hae-soo.”
“Thank you,” Kim Si-woo replied.
“We’d appreciate it if you could make an appointment by phone or online next time. Sometimes people come without one and have to leave because all the lawyers are booked.”
“Got it…”
Realizing he’d nearly missed out on a meeting and would’ve had to hunt for another firm, Kim Si-woo felt a chill. He hated trolls, but he hated hassle even more.
“Well, good thing it worked out…”
Following the receptionist’s directions, he reached the 8th floor, where numerous private offices lined the hall. Stopping at the one labeled “Lee Hae-soo,” he knocked.
Knock, knock, knock.
No response. Feeling awkward, Kim Si-woo stood there, glancing around.
‘What? Is no one here? Did I get played?’
Just then, a disheveled woman approached, adjusting her glasses. She didn’t look like a lawyer at all.
‘No way that’s her… right?’
Though Kim Si-woo wasn’t exactly dressed sharply himself, she looked more like a random passerby than a professional. As she got closer, she noticed him, her eyes widening as she rushed over.
“Oh, sorry! Are you the client?”
She glanced at her own outfit, adding a questioning lilt as if unsure herself. Kim Si-woo hesitated, wondering if she was trustworthy, but the thought of finding another lawyer was too much hassle.
“Yes… I want to file a lawsuit.”
“Yes, yes! Lawsuits are my specialty. Come in.”
Her tone felt more like a street vendor than a lawyer, but since she was with Blue Law Firm, he figured it’d be fine and followed her inside.
“Sorry, I’m a bit scattered. Have a seat.”
“Okay…”
Her office was a chaotic mess of documents, barely enough space for the two of them.
“So, you want to file a lawsuit? Can you tell me what’s going on?” Lee Hae-soo asked.
“I’ve been getting a lot of hate comments online today. I want to sue them all. I’ll decide on leniency or settlements depending on the person.”
As Kim Si-woo explained, showing her the articles with malicious comments, Lee Hae-soo turned on her computer and scanned them.
“Oh… you’re a writer.”
“Yes.”
“Hold on, these comments are really aggressive… some are outright personal attacks.”
She rapidly typed, then grabbed her phone and made a call.
“Yes, yes. Review the materials I just sent and round up every single one of them. Get additional evidence too.”
Click.
Hanging up, Lee Hae-soo smiled at Kim Si-woo.
“Done! The lawsuit should take about a week to prepare. In roughly two weeks, you’ll likely hear from the perpetrators. We’ll meet again then. You can pay at the first-floor desk. Oh, and here’s my card.”
“Thank you… I’ll bring my card next time,” Kim Si-woo replied, stunned by her efficiency.
‘Is she some kind of superstar lawyer?’
‘If so…’
‘Haha! They’re all screwed now.’
‘Kim Min-ho fans? Starting today, you’re criminals.’