Novelist Running Through Time
Chapter 31

TL: KSD

(TL: Narrator’s POV)

Summer vacation had ended.

At this time of year, the hearts of middle school students are truly wondrous.

On the last day of vacation, they might seem as if they’re being dragged to prison, all droopy. But once they actually go to school and meet their friends again, they’re overjoyed, and smiles bloom on their faces.

That’s why the faces of the students in uniforms passing through the gates of Baekhak Arts Middle School weren’t too gloomy.

The joy of meeting friends they hadn’t seen in just a month was overwhelming; they hugged, screamed, and made a huge fuss.

This vibrant and lively energy didn’t fade until all the students had gathered in class, turning the teacher-less classroom into a bustling marketplace.

While the kids who preferred quiet covered their ears and lay down, most of the students chatted excitedly with bright expressions.

And, of course, the topic of conversation among the students of the literature and writing department was……

Moon In-seop.

“Hey! You’re talking about Moon In-seop, right?”

“Wow~ Really! That’s insane! Ah, damn! For real!”

“Really, for real?!”

First-year students in the literature and writing department gathered in small groups according to their usual cliques. However, the topic of conversation was the same for all. They talked about the prodigious young boy, who was one year younger than them, and some even of the same age because he was born early in the year.

“I read his latest novel and wanted to break my fingers. How can he write like that at his age?”

“Our academy teacher says that Author Moon’s a fraud…”

“No way, no way, my tutor met him in person. He said he’s a total genius. Absolutely!”

“Hmm. I read it but wasn’t particularly impressed? It just felt like something a primary school student would write.”

“Ah, it’s not that bad, he writes well, but I wonder if it’s worth all this popularity. Seems like it’s because of his age.”

“I spent all my part-time job money to buy his books. Don’t even talk if you haven’t bought them.”

“My mom bought them for me.”

“Jealous.”

“But if you write worse than Moon In-seop, you might as well quit being a novelist.”

“Not jealous.”

Students in the literature and creative writing department of Baekhak Arts Middle School are kids who dream of becoming poets and novelists. And being a writer was perceived as a surefire way to starve. At least, that has been the perception for decades. Parents sharing this perception wouldn’t send their children to the literature and writing department of an arts middle school (paying a hefty sum) for no reason.

In other words, the students in the literature and writing department were either children of literary figures, had shown literary talent from an early age, or had a firm dream and strongly insisted to their parents to send them to the literature and writing department.

They were all serious about literature. Thus, their admiration, jealousy, envy, and aspiration towards Moon In-seop were all genuine.

The nature of their conversation was different from kids who casually talk about idols. Moon In-seop was more than an idol; he was a role model and a competitor.

Into this whirlwind of dense emotions, a transfer student was thrown.

“Kids! Did you have a good vacation!”

The homeroom teacher, with an excited expression, opened the noisy classroom’s front door and appeared.

“Let’s start the new semester in a good mood, believing nothing special happened over the vacation!”

After a brief moral instruction from the podium, the teacher, with a nervous heart, focused the students.

“And! We have a transfer student in our literature and writing department!”

Come in! Following the teacher’s signal, a boy wrapped in a blanket timidly entered through the front door.

The transfer student seemed to have all his energy drained just by being at the school.

There was no one who didn’t know who he was.

“……Hello-”

“Wowwwwwww-!!!”

Before he could even finish his greeting, a storm of cheers erupted in the classroom.

He was the storm, the transfer student.

EP 3-Magic Sword~nim, please control me!

Writers are not necessarily a serene and gentle breed.

Being cooped up writing all the time can make a person a bit gloomy. The stereotype of the cranky and irritable artist isn’t without basis.

The ‘literary circle,’ a group of such writers, wasn’t known for its pleasant disposition either.

Just as something cannot be created from nothing, an organization filled with people of flawed character cannot be good.

Of course, there are exceptional people like Gu Hak-jun, but if you see someone normal among monsters, that person is often the scariest. This can be proved by the fact that cannibalism is a recurring theme in Gu Hak-jun’s novels.

In any case.

It was quite exceptional for Author Moon to be easily accepted into the literary circle.

It’s like a group that would kill off a brash young one from the get-go suddenly pretending to be nice.

The reason is simple.

It was partly due to the enthusiastic support of Gu Hak-jun, one of the heavyweights of the literary world, and the cost-benefit of Moon In-seop’s popularity to the entire literary circle but…

Crucially,

Moon In-seop’s writing was easy.

What was easy?

It was easy to recognize.

Recognize what?

Specifically, his ‘identity’.

-This person is orthodox.

Even the towering elders of the literary world have eyes and discernment.

It wasn’t difficult for them to recognize Moon In-seop’s identity.

-Though it seems challenging and innovative, it is fundamentally deep and virtuously skilled. How could such a genius grow under someone from the heterodox faction like Lim?

-It almost reminds me of Professor Gu’s younger days… I would believe it if you said he was a disciple!

-Such literature without a teacher!

From the mainstream perspective of the literary circle, Author Moon’s position was quite ‘special’.

A writer of a very classical style is revered by the younger generation!

Author Moon’s innovative, challenging, and youthful image was purely because of his age, not because of his writing.

He was not a reformer who wrote innovative works. Rather, he was a true ‘rising star’ who had consolidated the literary movements of the past.

This made the elders of the literary circle feel as though,

At the end of a long and ignored era of hardship,

Someone who had mastered their martial arts, no, their literature, had risen and astonished the world.

Getting 16 literary awards and exposing the practice of debut fees on the 9 o’clock news? Originally, buying one might be a trick, but buying 16 turns it into art.

-Upon reflection, it seems like a good idea.

-Yes! When you’re young, you should have that kind of boldness!

The past conflicts with Moon In-seop were completely forgotten. Although there were still a few scoundrels criticizing Moon, those people could now be considered dead to the community and disposed of.

-A child who grew up without a teacher writes such upright literature; indeed, the bright path of righteousness must resonate with the intrinsic talent harbored within humans.

-A young genius, like a blank canvas, writing literature similar to ours…! Perhaps the beginning and end of art connect to the same place!

-True art…!

Broadcast station PDs, sensitive to trends more than anyone, are contacting famous novelists to cast them in variety shows.

This is the most definitive proof that the current issue with Author Moon’s personal popularity isn’t ending with him alone but is leading to a broader popularity of the entire literary world.

As this happened, the expectations of the literary circle only grew.

However, as the light grows, so does the shadow.

Amidst the celebration, someone made this statement of conviction.

-But what happens if Moon In-seop goes off on a different path?

-What?

-I mean… Isn’t it too early to make a fuss? It’s not the first time geniuses in this field have drifted to dramas and movies, or gone off to write web novels. Isn’t it premature to be pleased? The current reading boom won’t last forever…

-Are you an enemy of literature?

It might seem abnormal to make such a fuss over one genius, but that’s the luxury of a mainstream culture overflowing with geniuses.

And frankly, while you can train idols to dance and sing, you can’t make a kid who writes well. Well, you can, but it would be a big problem if found out.

Moreover, it’s regrettable if a genius pianist who won an international competition at 13 quits music, but it’s an outrage if they switch to playing Kawaii Bass EDM.

Therefore, those truly sincere about the revival of the Korean literary world wanted to keep Moon In-seop tightly in this field.

And they succeeded.

-We have good news.

In the end, Gu Hak-jun, the most tenacious of the tenacious, announced his victory. After relentless stalking, he had finally managed to get Author Moon enrolled in Baekhak Arts Middle School.

Amid dozens of notifications flooding the group chat, Gu Hak-jun wrote his modest wish with a satisfied expression.

-Baekhak Arts Middle and High School is a continuous education system, so once you enter the literature and writing department, it won’t be easy to leave.

-I believed in you! Professor!

-I hope to meet Moon In-seop as an undergraduate soon.

* * *

“Well, that’s what happened, Kim Sunbae.”

“It doesn’t seem like something that can be explained with just ‘that’s what happened’…”

“I’ve already enrolled, so what’s the point in prying into it? Let’s leave my personal life at that.”

“Why do you talk like that…”

“Why?”

“You sound like an old man…”

“An old child, you mean?”

“No, just an old man…”

All the buildings of Baekhak Arts Middle School were designed by a famous architect and were stylish facilities, a fact proudly announced by a signboard placed beside them.

The canteen was no exception. Various products were neatly displayed, and in front of the canteen was a rest area for the mental health of the students.

However, what the architect had not considered was that this place was mostly used as a dining area.

The rest area, designed to feel nature in the middle of the city, was dirtied with ketchup from the canteen food, crumbs of snacks, and pieces of lettuce from instant hamburgers.

In conclusion, it ended up not being much different from the front of canteens at other schools.

There, Moon In-seop and Kim Byul were having a business meeting with pizza bread and Coolpis placed on the table. (TL: Coolpis = A Korean Beverage)

This “business” was about the scheduled promotion for the movie on a variety show next week.

“There’s something I need to consult about regarding that…”

“Hmm? What is it?”

The movie ‘Cause of Death’ was already nearing its premiere. The variety show to promote the movie needed to be filmed now to air in time for the movie’s release.

However, since ‘Cause of Death’ was at best a short film, the variety show wasn’t a famous talk show. It was a format akin to Radio Star, a variety show that pops up on cable channels and then disappears. (TL: Radio Star = Korean tv show)

But even if the ratings are low, it’s natural to be nervous before going on a variety show for the first time.

Kim Byul felt the same way.

So, Kim Byul roughly anticipated the questions Moon In-seop would ask. Probably about how to approach the broadcast.

However, Moon In-seop’s question was beyond her expectations.

“Going on the variety show… It feels a bit daunting.” Sᴇaʀᴄh the ɴøvᴇl_Firᴇ.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“…What?”

“To be precise, I’m hesitant about engaging in entertainment activities, including CFs and variety shows.” (TL: CFs = Ads)

Kim Byul was dumbfounded.

“…Is that something you ask an entertainer?”

“Then who else should I ask if not an entertainer?”

When put that way, there really wasn’t much she could say.

Kim Byul, already feeling a headache coming on, pressed down on her temples and proceeded with the consultation.

“Why don’t you want to?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to… It gets in the way of my writing.”

“What does going on a variety show have to do with writing?”

“Too many strange people flock to me.”

“Hmm…”

That was somewhat understandable.

Kim Byul sucked on her Coolpis and replied.

“Strange people like?”

“People who want to contract with me and become kings of the publishing world, those who say their parents are seriously ill and need hospital fees, those who want to adopt me, those who tell me to deposit 30 million won into their account…”

“And?”

“And honestly… Even the people who like me make me uncomfortable. I’m not that great, but they want to take photos with me, get my autograph, and follow me around…”

“That interferes with your writing?”

“It’s not just about writing, but it also makes life difficult. Being dragged here and there, swept up in bizarre rumors, my reputation changing due to things I can’t control, and the people around me getting involved too…”

“Okay. That’s enough.”

Kim Byul stopped Moon In-seop’s lament there.

An elongated finger stood firmly between the boy and the girl.

“Your worries… are too trivial to even bother with.”

“……!”

Kim Byul glared sharply at the boy.

“Do you perhaps… look down on popular culture?”

“Excuse me?!”

“Without engaging in broadcast activities, without stepping into the entertainment industry, you just want to devote yourself purely to creation?”

The boy started to protest but then stopped.

It seemed like she was right.

“It seems… that way.”

Kim Byul dismissed the time traveler’s complex psychology with simple words.

“Ha. Severe case of art disease. Pure art disease…”

“That sounds like quackery.”

“Half of our school suffers from pure art disease. Mostly the ones involved in classical instruments, ballet, painting. Especially those who write novels like you.”

Baekhak Arts Middle School was known for its intense conflicts among students.

The reason was directly connected to a core debate in the arts.

The gap between pure art and popular art.

“You’ve never spoken to anyone else about this concern, have you?”

“That’s right.”

“Good. If word got out that you said such things, the school would turn upside down several times over.”

“……Why?”

“Because the classical kids look down on the practical music kids, the dance department fights between pure dance and practical dance, and there was even a time when the chairman declared idols weren’t artists and had to publicly apologize.”

“I already want to drop out.”

“I’ve been putting up with it for three years, so you might as well too. What are you going to do, drop out on the first day of school……”

Kim Byul lamented with an expression of utter fed-up-ness.

“So, what specifically makes you feel reluctant about activities in the entertainment industry? It feels like it’s stealing your focus from art, doesn’t it?”

“That’s… right.”

“But I think this. Is there value in art that’s only for oneself? Is there value in art that excludes the public? Beauty isn’t the idea of a flower. It’s because someone observes the flower that they can appreciate its beauty.”

Kim Byul vented her hidden grievances as a popular artist. Apparently, there was an aspect of opening up more to a colleague with whom she had worked on a project than to a school friend.

“Of course, there could be art that’s beautiful in itself. But we live off the people who like us.

And those people want to see you as often as possible. Wouldn’t it then be your duty to continue communicating with the public, rather than just writing in a secluded room?”

“That’s a very… valid point.”

Moon In-seop nodded. Kim Byul felt a slight pride in having convinced the famous genius boy with her argument, though she didn’t show it outwardly.

But there was still something bothering the boy.

“But if I become more famous as an entertainer rather than a writer, wouldn’t more scammers cling to me? It’s already too much popularity to the point where I’m running around with manuscripts trying to write…”

Kim Byul shook her head in frustration.

“Scammers cling to you because you’re young and have money! It’s not because of your popularity! Those two things are completely separate. Even if your popularity wanes, as long as you don’t run out of money, weird people will continue to follow you. Just like weird people keep clinging to me because I’m young and pretty.”

“Hmm……”

“Of course, it’s not that pure art is wrong and popular art is right. The public isn’t always good. Just look at the comments on my photo book. It feels like I’m going crazy? Comments about my waist, legs, chest… Ah, those bastards……”

“Calm down.”

“Phew…… Still, I think if you’re going to do art, you have to keep stepping out in front of the public. Maybe it’s because I act, but it’s the same with books, isn’t it? It’s not just about writing. Someone has to read it.”

“That’s true……”

“So, you should become a writer who shows himself to the people who want to see you, not a reclusive artist who just publishes books. It’s not about doing broadcasts just for money and fame, but about giving back to the people who like you, communicating with them, and creating some warm empathy. Honestly, isn’t that also art?”

After listening intently for a while, Moon In-seop organized his thoughts.

“So, variety shows and commercials are not for personal money and fame, but for communication with fans and readers… So, from a broader perspective, that’s also an extension of art… Is that what you mean, Kim sunbae?”

“Yes!”

Kim Byul confidently smiled and nodded, and at that moment, Moon In-seop’s mindset changed.

Activities in the entertainment industry are not for personal wealth and fame but for communication with readers…

It’s not something to be casually dismissed, but a destined aspect that a pop artist must accept…

There’s no beauty in art without the public…

If someone like Professor Gu Hak-jun heard this, he might foam at the mouth in rebuttal and ultimately make Kim Byul cry, but Moon In-seop wasn’t so rigid in his thinking.

“I appreciate your words, Kim sunbae.”

“So, what do you think now?”

“I’ll give variety shows my best effort.”

“Good!”

Kim Byul heartily laughed and patted Moon In-seop’s shoulder.

Then, excitedly, she added a few more words.

“If you’re going to give up something for the sake of art, give up on school life. This school isn’t as good as you think. The teachers aren’t civil servants; they’re employees. Doesn’t that make you think something’s wrong?”

After saying it, Kim Byul wondered if she had gone too far, but fortunately, Moon In-seop simply nodded in agreement.

“I didn’t come here to focus on school life. I came because they said it was okay to skip school to write.”

Kim Byul. Child actor. 16 years old.

An age when meeting a like-minded friend can be incredibly exciting.

“That’s right! Welcome to the world of professionals. Don’t bother trying to make friends in school. It’s all pointless.”

“Ha! Friends… They’re shallow relationships measured by house size, wealth, and grades, right?”

“Right? Isn’t it? Knowing full well they talk behind your back, but you still have to smile in their faces?”

For once, school life seemed enjoyable for Kim Byul.

For the first time in a long while, she smiled an age-appropriate smile and kept patting the boy’s shoulder.

“Anyway, let’s do our best in the variety show next week! Us!”

* * *

I didn’t expect him to be this diligent…

“The reason I keep using honorifics with Kim sunbae is…”

“Kyaaaah! Stop! Stoooop!”

“When we first met, Kim sunbae looked at me…”

“Kyaaaah! Kyah! Kyaaaah-!”

“Thinking I was a child actor, she glared at me, crossed her legs, and then…”

“I’m sorry! I was wrong! I’m so sorry!”

“She said…”

“Kyaaaah-!”

****

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