Chapter 94 – Hakyeoul
Click! Click!
“Hmm… Han Yu-ra did something like this?”
Kang Min-hyuk sat in front of the monitor with a serious expression, carefully examining Han Yu-ra’s manuscript.
What was surprising about this manuscript was…
“She’s gotten a lot brighter.”
The story was about a high school girl who visits an island—her parents’ hometown—during summer break…
And there, in an old temple, she meets a young ghost and becomes friends with it.
It had the style of something like ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ or ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ and through the process, the protagonist gradually healed her inner trauma.
The art style was warmer and more fairy-tale-like than her usual work. Especially in the final scene…
[Bang! Bang! Bang!]
[“Fireworks are beautiful because they don’t last forever. So… I hope you won’t forget this moment.”]
[“But!”]
As fireworks launched by someone on the island lit up the sky, the protagonist and the ghost said their goodbyes…
Overall, it felt…
‘Beautiful.’
It was a radiant comic that evoked blooming flowers—none of Han Yu-ra’s usual darkness could be felt at all.
After finishing the last page with a lingering afterglow…
Min-hyuk turned back to the chat room.
[Oh Dong-gyo: Kyaaaa, Yu-ra-san! What kind of comic is this?! The directing is insane!!!]
[Kim Rok-hee: Wait, this is really Yu-ra’s comic? It looks like someone else drew it.]
[Oh Seung-heon: I-I respect you, Yu-ra-nim!]
As expected, pure praise poured in.
Next…
[Kim Rok-hee: I’m done with everything too.]
[Kim Rok-hee: Goods.zip]
[Oh Dong-gyo: Me too!]
[Oh Dong-gyo: BeautifulGirls.zip]
[Kim Rok-hee: …The file name is BeautifulGirls…….]
[Oh Dong-gyo: I’m just stating facts.]
Two more sets of work files arrived in quick succession.
Rok-hee’s were, as expected from her, properly decorated “goods-worthy” goods.
Dong-gyo’s, on the other hand…
“…It’s dripping with desire.”
Full of illustrations of the beautiful-girl character types he usually loved.
One slightly impressive thing was—
‘Should I call it unexpectedly hip?’
It wasn’t just drawn in a typical moe style; he had put real thought into the coloring to make them suitable as goods,
And dressed them in something like street-style fashion.
It had quite a strong connection to the city-pop subculture aesthetic that became popular in the 2020s.
[Kim Rok-hee: Oh, for Dong-gyo, these drawings actually came out pretty nicely?]
[Oh Dong-gyo: The reaction feels lukewarm.]
[Kim Rok-hee: I mean they’re good lol]
Next up…
[Oh Seung-heon: I-I’m done too! It’s probably not that great and I’m kinda embarrassed, but… haha]
[Oh Seung-heon: Gag.zip]
Seung-heon’s doujinshi arrived.
Rough, sketchy art style with characters running completely wild with no restraint.
This time, the premise was a ghost who exorcises other ghosts…
‘The irony of the main character being an evil spirit while performing exorcisms is the point.’
Clearly, the curse’s source is the exorcist himself.
But the in-story characters don’t realize it at all and keep pointing fingers in the wrong direction, which becomes the gag punchline.
And naturally…
“Pfft!”
It was funny. Very funny.
[Han Yu-ra: Funny.]
[Oh Seung-heon: Really?]
[Oh Dong-gyo: Honestly it’s amusing, though not quite my taste.]
[Kim Rok-hee: lololololol the exorcist is cute]
Everyone gave positive reactions.
At this point, it felt like this style had firmly become Oh Seung-heon’s signature color.
Now that everyone’s work had been seen…
Only one person remained.
[Kim Rok-hee: Now then… what masterpiece has our genius Kang Min-hyuk prepared?]
[Han Yu-ra: Send it quickly.]
[Oh Dong-gyo: I’m really curious what character Min-hyuk-kun chose for his doujinshi.]
Everyone urged him.
He had never once revealed which character he would do secondary creation for, or what kind of story he would make.
So even though their levels of expectation varied, they were all curious about what kind of flavor and color he would bring to the doujinshi.
“Huuuh… this is kinda nerve-wracking.”
Thump, thump.
Why was his heart pounding so much…
It felt even more tense than when Brave King serialization first began.
Min-hyuk scratched his forehead, then dragged a file from his desktop and dropped it into the chat.
[Kang Min-hyuk: Narrator.zip]
[Oh Dong-gyo: Narrator?]
[Kang Min-hyuk: You know the character who explains things here and there in Headler? I made the doujinshi with that one.]
[Kim Rok-hee: Huh? Really?]
[Han Yu-ra: Niche choice.]
[Oh Seung-heon: Why that one of all things…]
While everyone was letting out sighs of disappointment, Min-hyuk added one line.
[Kang Min-hyuk: Just read it once.]
[Han Yu-ra: OK]
Min-hyuk stared at the monitor with a tense expression.
Then…
[Oh Seung-heon: Kang Min-hyuk, you…]
[Kang Min-hyuk: What, is it bad?]
[Oh Seung-heon: How did you even come up with this idea?]
[Han Yu-ra: Same here.]
[Kim Rok-hee: …This is shocking. In multiple ways.]
The corners of Min-hyuk’s mouth slowly lifted.
***
Early morning, outside SETEC (Convention Center) at Exit 1 of Hakyeoul Station.
“Ah, it’s hot. So hot.”
“Yeah, seriously.”
Under the shade of a ginkgo tree, Oh Seung-heon and Kang Min-hyuk stood blankly staring toward SETEC.
“How do those people dress like that in this weather? No—more importantly, where did they even change?”
“…Yeah, seriously.”
On the lawn in front of SETEC.
People in all kinds of cosplay were already milling around, taking photos.
The venue where changing was allowed hadn’t even opened yet, so they must have changed in the subway station restrooms.
‘Or maybe… they came all the way here already dressed.’
What could he say.
Kang Min-hyuk loved comics and was passionate about them too, but no matter how much he loved them, he didn’t think he could go that far.
That incredible passion made his own body heat up.
…Or maybe it was just the weather.
Anyway.
“It’s amazing. Really amazing.”
“…Isn’t that a Reietsu no Headler character?”
“Yeah.”
“That one over there looks like Edward Alliance, right?”
“Wow… they even made the armor.”
The two of them stood there, looking around with wide-eyed wonder like country mice who had just arrived in the big city.
“Heyy, long time no see!”
“Hm?”
At the voice coming from ahead, they turned their heads.
Two people were walking toward them.
It was Han Yu-ra and Oh Dong-gyo.
Han Yu-ra wore her signature baker boy cap and neat clothes.
“Ooooh… You’re here, Yu-ra-nim!”
Y-Yeah, she really is incredibly beautiful!
Oh Seung-heon stared openly, his face taking on an expression as if he were beholding a goddess.
And.
“You’re already here. How diligent can you get.”
Right beside her, Oh Dong-gyo waved as he approached.
Min-hyuk, who had been watching, narrowed his eyes.
“Min-hyuk-kun, why are you staring like that?”
“You… you dressed up unusually nice today?”
Oh Dong-gyo’s appearance was completely different from the usual him that Min-hyuk had seen.
Hair neatly slicked to the side—probably with some product.
The clothes had a surprisingly good fit and looked clean, nothing like the usual otaku image he gave off…
‘Hipster? Or maybe fashion industry worker?’
He looked like a very well-put-together person.
Dong-gyo snorted and furrowed his brow as he answered.
“Then what’s with your guys’ appearances?”
“Huh?”
“What do you mean?”
When Seung-heon and Min-hyuk blinked in confusion, Dong-gyo shook his head and pointed accusingly, suddenly raising his voice.
“What do I mean?! Today is the day we meet the ‘readers’! The people who will look at our work—don’t you think you should at least dress properly for them?!”
“…Uh, uh-huh…”
“Uh-huh nothing! Did you do it right or not?!”
“Sorry.”
In an instant, overwhelmed by the momentum, the two nodded quickly.
Well… what he said wasn’t wrong.
It was just shocking to hear it from Oh Dong-gyo.
“For a comic artist, the most important thing is the readers! You should be willing to give your life for them! How can you be this careless?! Right, Han Yu-ra?”
“…Well, to that extent, sure.”
“Hey!”
When Dong-gyo’s face turned bright red and he started making a fuss, Min-hyuk sighed and scratched his forehead.
‘He’s weirdly professional in the strangest areas.’
It was hard to believe this was the same guy who had screamed about hating furries just a little while ago during the Tu-ji-man-chang prep.
In the middle of the early morning chaos—
Vrrrrrrrm!
“Hm?”
Han Yu-ra picked up her phone and started talking to someone.
“Everyone’s lost their minds! Their heads are completely rotten!”
While Oh Dong-gyo was roaring—
Thwack!
Yu-ra hung up the phone, kicked Dong-gyo hard in the shin, and said,
“Shut up. Let’s all head over there.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Kim Rok-hee said she’s coming soon. With the stuff.”
“Ahh… okay.”
“Let’s go.”
The four of them hurried toward the drop-off area in front of SETEC.
A moment later.
Vroooom!
A Porter van slid in and stopped smoothly. Someone hopped out of the passenger seat with a light bounce.
“Everyone! Happy Comic Land~!”
It was Kim Rok-hee, wearing light, flowing clothes and carrying an enormous backpack almost as big as she was.
“Excuse me, student—should I take these over there?”
“Yes, yes—just drop them off over there, please.”
The driver hurriedly unloaded the boxes from the back compartment.
Then he drove off just as quickly.
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
“Wait a sec.”
Rok-hee disappeared somewhere for a moment.
Rattle! Rattle rattle!
She came back pushing a cart and said,
“Alright, let’s load everything up. We can head straight to the venue from here.”
“Okay.”
They stacked the boxes neatly on the cart and wheeled it toward the entrance.
“E-09 and 10. Kim Rok-hee.”
“Ah, yes—confirmed. Go ahead in.”
The event hadn’t officially started yet.
But as booth participants, they received special wristbands and were allowed inside immediately.
“Huuuuh… I’m getting nervous.”
As they entered SETEC, tension appeared on Dong-gyo’s face while he pulled the cart.
Min-hyuk tilted his head and asked,
“What’s making you so nervous?”
“We’re about to show our work to the public…”
“But we did that at Tu-ji-man-chang too. We showed our grade projects to other students.”
“That’s completely different…”
Was it really?
Since Min-hyuk had never been to Comic Land before, maybe he just didn’t get the feel of it…
While thinking that, the moment they passed through the doors at the end of the hallway—
Rok-hee threw both arms wide and shouted in an energetic voice.
“Alright—welcome to the venue!”
The instant they stepped inside.
Everyone’s mouths fell open.
“This is… the venue?”
“Huuuuh.”
It was vast. The ceiling, the length, the width.
The enormous hall was so big it couldn’t all be taken in at once. Countless people were already bustling around, pulling carts and setting up.
“Come on, park it here.”
“Okay.”
Everyone was busy decorating and setting up their booths—total chaos.
Even Min-hyuk, who hadn’t thought much about it before, felt something shift as he watched the scene.
‘My fighting spirit is igniting.’
Thump! Thump!
A faint tension mixed with excitement made his heart race.
Selling the doujinshi and goods he had worked so hard on here—it actually sounded like it would be fun.
“Alright, let’s head to E-line.”
Rattle! Rattle rattle!
They kept walking deeper inside until Rok-hee stopped at one spot.
“Here—two consecutive booths are ours.”
“Oh, nice location?”
It was roughly in the middle of the hall, at a corner where two booths connected along the aisle.
Close to the walkway—very visible.
Not bad at all.
While everyone was looking around—
Thud!
Rok-hee dropped the massive backpack from her shoulders onto the table.
She spread out tape, cutters, various booth-decorating materials, and cash across the surface.
Then…
With a completely serious expression, she said,
“Alright—everyone grab something. Let’s start setting up right now!”
“Ah, yeah.”
Tension settled over everyone’s faces.
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