Chapter 32 – Contract
“Would you two like something to drink? We have green tea, mixed coffee, or orange juice.”
“I’ll have… the mixed coffee, please.”
“I’ll take the juice.”
After the usual exchange of pleasantries, the four people sit down at the meeting table.
On one side: Mrs. Hong Mi-seon and Kang Min-hyuk.
Directly opposite them: Manager Song Mi-hyeon and Go Gwang-jin.
Min-hyuk lightly licks his lips as he scans the faces of the others.
‘Mrs. Hong Mi-seon… She’s nervous.’
She’s trying to look relaxed with a smile, but it’s obvious to anyone paying attention.
On the other hand…
‘This person… you could stab her with a needle and not get a single drop of blood.’
Manager Song Mi-hyeon adjusts her glasses and stares straight at them with an utterly expressionless face.
Normally, even the slightest hint of what someone thinks of you shows in their expression… but here, nothing comes through at all.
It’s the kind of gaze that actually makes the person being stared at feel awkward instead.
And besides…
‘She really is an incredible person.’
In Min-hyuk’s childhood memories, the woman who handled the localization and licensing of Fade Away—responsible for turning it into a major hit—was this very editor.
She was the one who came up with the localized names Kim Baek-ho and Jang Tae-woong—names now considered iconic examples of successful Korean localization.
A pillar of Jangsan Publishing House, with deep connections throughout the Japanese manga publishing industry.
Even in the 2024 that Min-hyuk originally came from, he remembered that Song Mi-hyeon had eventually become the CEO of Jangsan Publishing.
A living relic of the old era who survived even into the age of webtoons.
There’s no way someone like her is just an ordinary, easygoing person.
“Gwang-jin, the contract.”
“Ah, yes.”
At her command, the tough-looking Assistant Manager Go Gwang-jin moves like a blade, smoothly sliding the contract across the table.
“This is Kang Min-hyuk’s contract. Since his mother is here as his guardian, it would be best if you read it first.”
“Ah, yes!”
“Please take your time and read it carefully. If there’s anything you’re curious about or anything that seems problematic, feel free to point it out at any time.”
“…Yes.”
Flip, flip, flip.
Mrs. Hong Mi-seon slowly turns the pages of the contract, reading carefully, while Min-hyuk quietly leans in beside her to read along.
‘Conditions… not bad at all.’
Guaranteed payment per episode: 800,000 won.
Profit share on physical volume sales: 10%.
Considering he’s still a rookie… this is practically top-tier treatment.
But just as Min-hyuk’s lips were about to curl into a satisfied smirk—
Mrs. Hong Mi-seon cautiously raised her hand.
“Um… here, what does ‘exclusive publishing rights’ mean? I’m not sure exactly how ‘exclusive’ is being used in this context.”
“…It means that the work will be supplied exclusively to our publishing house and not to any other. It’s a very common phrase in contracts, so there’s no need to worry.”
“Ahhh… just a moment, please.”
After Song Mi-hyeon’s calm explanation, Mrs. Mi-seon carefully jots it down in the small notebook she brought with her.
Then she continues reading and raises another question.
“About this section here regarding disputes between the parties… the location of the court. Does it have to be somewhere close to the company?”
“Ah, if you prefer, we can change that part.”
“I’d appreciate it if you could.”
From then on, whenever there was something in the contract she wanted adjusted, Mrs. Hong Mi-seon politely but firmly pointed it out item by item and requested changes.
“And since he’s attending school while working on the manuscript at the same time… what happens if, by any chance, he misses a deadline or has to take a break?”
“It would be best if you notify us at least one week in advance so we can prepare. In the case of a hiatus, payment for that week’s episode would simply be deferred to the next payment cycle.”
“Ah, I see…”
She meticulously checked every possible situation that could arise from school life interfering with work.
Watching her, Min-hyuk scratched the bridge of his nose.
‘Our lady really put a lot of effort into this.’
At first he thought she was just being cautious because it was a contract.
But after sitting beside her and listening the whole time, he realized:
Mrs. Hong Mi-seon had actually studied up and prepared for this meeting.
‘So that’s why she’s been going to bed so late lately.’
Of course, since she wasn’t a professional, there were parts where she worried a little too much or asked overly cautious questions, but still…
‘Honestly… it doesn’t feel bad at all.’
A prickling warmth stung the tip of Min-hyuk’s nose.
After the discussion continued for a while longer—
“So… if I stamp here, that’s it?”
“Yes, please stamp or sign on all the marked sections. Either is fine.”
“I’ll… use my stamp.”
Mrs. Hong Mi-seon presses ink onto her personal seal and lifts it.
Then she looks straight at Min-hyuk and asks,
“Are you really sure it’s okay to sign this, Min-hyuk?”
A complicated, subtle expression.
In that face, you could feel every ounce of what Mrs. Hong Mi-seon wanted to say.
In response, Min-hyuk squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening them again and answering.
“Yes. It’s okay, Mom.”
Thump! Thump! Thump!
After the legal guardian, Mrs. Hong Mi-seon, finished stamping her seal,
Now it was the turn of the actual creator who would hold the copyright to the work.
Min-hyuk picked up his personal seal with the bold characters “Kang Min-hyuk” engraved on it.
‘So the day has really come… when I get to do published comics too.’
Thump! Thump! Thump!
He stamped the contract one by one.
He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but the moment the seal touched the paper felt strangely light and crisp.
Once all the stamping was finished, Manager Song Mi-hyeon slipped one copy of the contract into an envelope and handed it over.
“That concludes the contract. From now on, Assistant Manager Go Gwang-jin will handle manuscript delivery and support.”
“So we can head out now?”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
Almost in unison, the four of them stood up and crossed the office.
He could feel the eyes of the New Chance editorial staff staring straight at them.
For some reason, they all looked like they were gazing at some rare, exotic animal.
Min-hyuk gave a slight bow of his head as he left the office. The moment he was out of sight, they exchanged glances… and finally opened their tightly shut mouths.
“Wow, he really is in middle school third year?”
“No way… That kid drew that kind of comic?”
“Haha… The world is wide, and geniuses are everywhere.”
“I’m so jealous, Assistant Manager Go. You found a real gem—a total jackpot gem.”
A short while later, in front of the Jangsan Publishing House building.
Manager Song Mi-hyeon extended her hand toward Mrs. Hong Mi-seon.
“Thank you so much for allowing your son to sign with us, ma’am. We’ll do our absolute best to support him so he can become an outstanding comic artist.”
“Ah, yes! Please take good care of him.”
The usually stern Mi-hyeon offered a gentle smile and waved her hand. Mi-seon gripped it firmly and bowed deeply in return.
And then…
“To you as well, artist-nim—please take good care of the work going forward. We have very high expectations for Brave King. We’re hoping this title can match—or even surpass—the success of Aureka. Assistant Manager Go made such a fuss insisting we had to serialize it.”
She extended her hand toward Min-hyuk as she spoke.
‘Wow… she really isn’t ordinary.’
A single sentence delivered with a smile, seemingly full of encouragement.
But to Min-hyuk, those words didn’t ring completely genuine.
The real meaning behind them was probably…
‘This is a special opportunity we’re giving you. So you’d better perform at least on the level of Aureka.’
And most likely, depending on his results, it would have a huge impact on Assistant Manager Go Gwang-jin’s future as well.
He finally understood what people meant when they said “putting pressure on someone’s shoulders with words.”
Min-hyuk squeezed his eyes shut once more, then opened them.
“Yes. I’ll show you… a truly proper work.”
From the very beginning, this comic…
Had been started with the intention of achieving at least as much as Aureka.
No—perhaps even more.
Min-hyuk smiled faintly and shook her hand with real strength.
***
A little while later, inside the elevator of Jangsan Publishing House.
Go Gwang-jin and Manager Song Mi-hyeon stood side by side on their way back to the office.
While Gwang-jin kept stealing glances at her, Song Mi-hyeon crossed her arms and spoke.
“He’s the real deal.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Kang Min-hyuk, the artist. Just a third-year middle school kid… I was putting constant pressure on him the whole time, and he didn’t flinch even once. It’s not just that he draws well. That kid… he’s the real thing.”
“…Really?”
Was there something I didn’t notice during the contract signing?
Gwang-jin tilted his head in confusion.
<<Ding! Fourth floor.>>
The elevator doors opened.
Tap tap.
Song Mi-hyeon patted Gwang-jin on the shoulder.
“Manage him well so the work comes out properly. Don’t let that artist get snatched away by someone else just because you handled him carelessly.”
With those cold parting words, she stepped out of the elevator.
***
A short while later, inside a modest Korean set-meal restaurant not far from Min-hyuk’s house.
“Auntie, two servings here, please. And one bottle of cider too.”
“Yes, coming right up.”
Mrs. Hong Mi-seon placed the order, then immediately took the glass of cider that arrived and gulped it down in big swallows.
“Huuuuaaah……”
A brief silence.
Mi-seon and Min-hyuk kept stealing glances at each other, both awkwardly staring at the TV mounted on the wall.
Then—
“Um…”
“Min-hyuk.”
The two of them spoke at almost exactly the same time.
“You go first.”
“No, Mom, you first.”
A mutual concession standoff.
In the end, Mrs. Hong Mi-seon let out a sharp exhale through her nose, pursed her lips, and spoke first.
“Here… take a look at this.”
“Hm?”
Mrs. Mi-seon pulled a bankbook out of her bag and placed it on the table.
“What’s this?”
“You’ll see when you open it.”
Min-hyuk tilted his head and flipped to the first page.
Account holder: Kang Min-hyuk, Man-guk Bank.
From the product name, it looked like a savings account opened in his name.
He turned another page, and there it was—a line with the following entry:
[2005-08-28 / Korea Animation High School Prize Money / 4,800,000 won]
So the prize money from the competition had been deposited into this account.
“Why are you showing me this?”
“Min-hyuk, from now on… let’s put the manuscript fees you receive into this savings account.”
“Huh?”
“I know it feels weird to lock away the money you earn right now, but let’s save it up steadily here. When you become an adult, I’ll give it all to you.”
“…”
Min-hyuk scratched his head, looking puzzled, and replied,
“Why put it in savings? We already agreed this money would go toward Animation High tuition and dorm fees.”
That had been the plan from the very beginning, and Min-hyuk had fully intended to follow through.
The prize money from the competition, the earnings from serialization—everything would cover Animation High tuition and other related expenses.
That alone would be more than enough.
But if they dumped it all into a savings account instead, then what?
“…Mom can figure that part out.”
“No way. Just add it to living expenses if anything. Why savings in our current situation?”
“It’s fine. Just listen to Mom.”
Mrs. Mi-seon spoke with a firm, hardened expression.
Min-hyuk let out a long sigh and scratched his head again.
‘There it is—our lady’s stubborn side coming out.’
Once Hong Mi-seon dug her heels in, no one could budge her. She would push through no matter what.
If it were for someone else’s sake, maybe it’d be different—but she always did it by grinding herself down in the process.
The one silver lining… was that the current Kang Min-hyuk wasn’t young or naïve enough to just go along with it anymore.
“Mom, I know you’ve been working late.”
“Hm? How do you…?”
“Last time I went to the store, the lady there told me. She said you’ve been staying late to make more money.”
“What—why would she say something like that…?”
As a troubled look crossed Mrs. Mi-seon’s face, Min-hyuk refilled his cider glass and downed it in one go before continuing.
“I was the one who insisted on going to Animation High. I was the one who said I wanted to become a comic artist. So why should you be the one suffering for it?”
“Min-hyuk, that’s…”
“I don’t want to see you overworking yourself and getting sick because of me. This comic—I started it because I love it. If it ends up making things harder for you… I might even start hating comics.”
Min-hyuk fixed her with a serious, steady gaze.
Mrs. Mi-seon looked uncomfortable and subtly averted her eyes.
“I’m not saying this to blame you. I know you’re doing all this so I can live comfortably, without having to envy anyone else. I get it. But you don’t have to go this far.”
“Still…”
“Mom.”
“I’m already doing everything I want to do. Thanks to you. Right?”
“…”
Mrs. Mi-seon couldn’t continue.
She took a deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut, and finally let the words out.
“…Okay. I’m sorry, Min-hyuk. I’ll do it your way.”