Chapter 6: Unemployed Shut-In. Becomes a Writer? (6)
“Really?”
As Kim Ji-hyun leaned closer with her question, Kim Si-woo’s heart raced.
‘Damn… what’s happening?’
‘This is amazing! Writers rule! Scripts rule! Revenger rules!’
Kim Si-woo, who had always envied celebrities while browsing the internet from his room, was overwhelmed with excitement. When else would an ordinary guy like him get to talk with a beautiful actress? Those annoying couple YouTubers or BJs drinking with pretty women every day?
‘Now I’ve got nothing to be jealous of!’
“Uh… yeah.”
But in reality, all he managed was a curt response.
‘Ugh… I wasn’t like this a few years ago.’
The pandemic and repeated job rejections had confined him to his room, leaving his personality a bit rough around the edges—a personal side effect.
“Also, if there’s anything in the script you don’t understand, ask him. He explains things in detail,” Shim Ji-young chimed in.
“Really?” Kim Ji-hyun replied.
Noticing Kim Si-woo’s tension, Shim Ji-young steered the conversation toward acting to ease the awkwardness. Conveniently, Kim Ji-hyun had questions and quickly pulled out her tattered script, asking about marked sections.
“This part—I’m not sure if it’s pity or affection.”
“Oh, that part?”
Kim Ji-hyun was referring to the scene where Park Min-hye first tries to stop Choi Do-hyun’s revenge. As a police academy student, Park Min-hye had been rescued from a kidnapper by a police officer, inspiring her dream to become one. That officer was none other than Choi Do-hyun’s father, Choi Sung-chan. Admiring Choi Sung-chan, she believes there’s a misunderstanding and urges Choi Do-hyun to abandon his revenge and find happiness with her. Kim Ji-hyun was curious about Park Min-hye’s emotions in this moment.
“It’s pity. Unlike her, who was saved by a police officer, Choi Do-hyun was abandoned by his father, a cop, in a completely opposite situation. She feels sorry for him. Though… later, that pity gradually turns into affection. If we’re being specific, it’s almost like maternal love.”
“I see… maternal love…” Kim Ji-hyun said, quickly jotting notes in her script.
She continued asking questions with enthusiasm, and after a few exchanges, Shim Ji-young pressed a cold glass of soju to her cheek.
“Hey, ask questions over a drink. Let the writer enjoy the dinner too.”
“Oh, sorry. I got carried away,” Kim Ji-hyun said.
Shim Ji-young, her buzz slightly fading, apologized to Kim Si-woo as well.
“Sorry, Writer. You should enjoy the dinner too.”
“No, no, I’m having the best time right now.”
“Um… if it’s okay, could I get your number? In case I have more questions…”
At Kim Ji-hyun’s request to exchange numbers, Kim Si-woo handed over his phone before she even finished speaking.
“Of course, no problem.”
“Me too!” Shim Ji-young added.
He saved her contact as “Lovely Ji-young Noona.” With numbers exchanged, Kim Si-woo’s happiness meter hit its peak.
“Kim, you’re quite popular with the actresses, huh? I’m jealous,” Kim Dong-su teased.
“Team Leader Kim, you’re still here? Won’t your wife be waiting?” Shim Ji-young shot back with a fact-based jab.
“Ahem…” Kim Dong-su cleared his throat awkwardly and took a sip of soju.
“Why start trouble if you can’t handle it? Hahaha,” Shim Ji-young laughed.
The joyful dinner ended, and Kim Si-woo returned home, collapsing onto his bed, still buzzing from the drinks.
Zzzzzt.
His phone vibrated with a new message.
[Get home safely, Writer. I’ll work hard to live up to the opportunity you gave me.]
Kim Ji-hyun’s message brought a smile to his face. For the first time in his 28 years, Kim Si-woo felt he’d found his calling.
“Yeah! I’m a capable guy now!”
His thoughts drifted to his ex-girlfriend from three years ago. Though it had been a bitter breakup, the resentment made her linger in his mind. They’d met while working at a bar near the university, but when the pandemic shut it down, she abruptly ended things, claiming distance had driven them apart.
It was nonsense.
The day after the breakup, he saw her post a cozy photo with another guy. He’d wanted to confront her but stopped himself—it would only make him look pathetic, and he’d already lost all attachment. Later, he learned she’d been secretly seeing someone else while they were together.
“Damn it… just you wait. I, Kim Si-woo, will become a success and make you regret it.”
***
“Ugh… my head. How much did I drink with Ji-young noona last night…?”
The next morning, Kim Si-woo woke up clutching his pounding head.
“Good morning, Writer,” his mother teased.
“Ugh… yeah…”
Stumbling into the living room, still hungover, he ran into his mother, ready for work.
“There’s pollock soup on the stove. I’m off to work.”
“Okay…”
Kim Si-woo shuffled to the kitchen, reheated the pollock soup, and nursed his hangover.
“Ahh… nothing beats pollock soup for a hangover.”
Refreshed, he sat at his computer to write his daily quota, stretching and twisting his body.
“Was it 66 days? The time it takes to form a habit? I’ve been writing for over 66 days, so why don’t I ever want to write?”
Despite his complaints, once his fingers hit the keyboard, he found himself immersed in his work. The biggest lesson he’d learned was the difference between writing and reading.
Ten episodes of a web novel.
To readers, it was fleeting entertainment. To him, it was ten days of effort.
“Wait, did I reply to that message last night?”
Halfway through writing, Kim Si-woo remembered his phone buzzing repeatedly after checking Kim Ji-hyun’s message. He hadn’t responded, having passed out drunk.
Kim Si-woo hurriedly powered on his phone, still plugged in by the bed, to find 50 unread messages and 20 missed calls.
“Ugh… Kim Si-woo, when did you become so weak? At least I didn’t cause any trouble, right?”
He cursed his weakened body and mind, now even susceptible to alcohol. Taking a deep breath, he opened the messages.
[Writer?]
[Writer? Are you asleep?]
[Writer… you read it but didn’t reply.]
[You got home okay, right?]
[Please let me know when you wake up in the morning…]
“Sigh…”
Kim Si-woo quickly sent an apology.
[Sorry, I passed out last night and couldn’t reply. I got home fine, so don’t worry. Thanks for checking in.]
Zzzzzt.
Barely a second after sending, Kim Ji-hyun replied.
[Glad to hear that. Rest well.]
‘Huh? That was fast. She didn’t stay up all night, did she?’
Surprised by her quick response, he replied to Shim Ji-young’s messages as well before returning to his web novel. A week after the team dinner, he received word that Revenger’s filming had officially begun.
- Why don’t you come check out the set?
“I’ll let you know when I can visit,” Kim Si-woo replied, brushing off Kim Dong-su’s invitation.
Truthfully, he wanted to see the film set, but his web novel left him no time to spare. Unlike a movie, a web novel required at least 175 to 200 episodes, demanding a long commitment. And now, at just episode 52, he’d hit a writer’s block.
“Ugh… damn it. Should I just quit?”
With monetization looming, abandoning it now felt like a waste. As he wrestled with the dilemma, his phone buzzed again, irritating him.
“Who is it now?”
[Kim Ji-hyun]
“Oh, crap, sorry!”
Seeing the caller, Kim Si-woo hurriedly answered.
“Hello, Ji-hyun.”
- Writer, aren’t you coming to the set?
“Huh?”
- Everyone wants to see you… including me.
“I’ll be there. Starting tomorrow.”
- Really? I’ll be waiting. Don’t disappoint me by not showing up.
‘Web novel? Screw it, indefinite hiatus.’
A beautiful actress wanted to see him, and with his story stuck, there was no hesitation in ditching the web novel. As he stood to pick out an outfit for tomorrow, his phone buzzed again.
“Is it Ji-hyun?”
Heart racing, he checked, only to see Shim Ji-young’s name.
“Oh… Ji-young noona.”
[Hey, you’re really playing favorites, huh? I’m disappointed. You come running when Ji-hyun calls, but ignored me?]
“What’s she talking about? She never asked me to come.”
Annoyed that it wasn’t Kim Ji-hyun, Kim Si-woo texted back calmly.
[You never asked me to come.]
[Oh, did I not? My bad. See you tomorrow.]
“What the…”
The next day, Kim Si-woo dressed neatly and arrived at the address Kim Ji-hyun sent.
“The set… looks busy.”
The morning shoot was in full swing, with staff bustling about handling setups, coordination, and crowd control.
“Hey, Kim!” Kim Dong-su spotted him and approached.
“What’s up? You said you weren’t coming yesterday.”
“Well…”
“Writer!” Another voice called out, and someone waved enthusiastically.
“What? Don’t tell me… you and her are a thing?” Kim Dong-su teased.
“No! It’s not like that.”
“Do your best, man. Guess you’re a real guy after all,” Kim Dong-su said with a sly grin before walking off.
Kim Ji-hyun arrived behind Kim Si-woo.
“You really came!”
“I said I would.”
“Sorry, but could you take a look at this scene we’re shooting today?”
“Huh?”
Right away, Kim Ji-hyun performed the scene, asking for feedback. Though sudden, Kim Si-woo watched closely for any awkwardness. But there was none—she embodied Park Min-hye perfectly.
“I think… you’re doing great.”
“Phew, good. So I can go with this?”
As they talked, a gruff voice interrupted.
“Hey! Stop getting in the way and get lost.”
It was Kim Min-ho, the actor playing the male lead, Choi Do-hyun. Unlike his kind TV persona, he was rough and abrasive. His popularity and influence meant staff and other actors either ignored his behavior or endured his complaints.
“Hey, you. I said get lost—you’re annoying.”
“Me?” Kim Si-woo asked.
“Yeah, you. If you’re a manager, wait outside.”
Kim Min-ho mistook Kim Si-woo for Kim Ji-hyun’s manager and picked a fight. But he had no idea who he was dealing with—or what this confrontation would lead to.
Looking at Kim Min-ho, Kim Si-woo thought, ‘This guy’s got no manners. I’m pretty sure he’s a year younger than me.’