Big Life

11 - Not alone (3)

“Then I'll go in first. ”

Somi returned to her seat and greeted the office staff with her clothes and bags. Lee Kyungwook, the editor who was checking stock market prices in his position, lifted his face to the side of the monitor and asked.

“Mr. Somi, what is it? ”

“Yes? What do you mean? ”

“It's only 5: 00, and you're off? ”

“Oh, I told you yesterday. Today is the final date for the reconstruction of the webtoon. I go to Comic KT, finish my work and go straight to work there.... ”

“Well, was it? ”

I muttered with an unworthy tone somewhere.

He leans against the back of a chair and twists his legs, making a fussy horse.

“Ha, don't use company cards on writers. Do you understand?”

“Yes……. ”

Somi nods with a slightly damp face.

The face of this surrogate, hidden in the partition, was crumpled. Spreading her lips, she was saying, "little cub."

“I'm not just talking to Somi. Listen up, everybody. You're a salesman these days. You meet writers, you're Bob. You're wasting your money. Bring me results. Are we food trucks? I don't know what happened to the former editor of Kwon Tae-won, but I simply don't get over it. Do you understand?”

“ ……. ”

“ ……. ”

No one answered.

I stood up and raised my voice.

“Got it?! ”

“Yes, yes. ”

“I understand.”

Unexpected answers came back from all over the office.

His cheeks puffed up with a loud sigh and sat on the road. I felt uneasy. He glanced at his two eyes, pointing his finger at Somi.

“Mr. Somi, when you're done with Comic KT, come back to the company. ”

“Yes? Today? ”

“Put up the contract and go home. ”

This surrogate raises her head without even knowing it.

I didn't think she would insist on being so inflexible.

“…… Yes, I understand. ”

Somi replied with a gloomy face.

Comic KT is located in Gangnam. It takes an hour and a half to get back to the office, even if you are in a hurry.

Today was supposed to be reconstruction and dinner. Maybe I should give up.

“What's wrong with your face? Am I asking too much? Let's end this today. Don't delay for the next day. ”

“Very well, I will return as soon as the contract is concluded. ”

Somi bows and turns away.

This surrogate, who noticed for a moment, stood up and followed Somi.

“Mr. Somi, are you okay? ”

“I'm fine.”

“What's wrong with him, really? I'll be back at the office by 8: 00 if I finish early. What the hell happened to you? You're so mean and angry. It's really annoying. ”

Somi smiled bitterly.

I was thankful for this surrogate who was more angry than usual to console himself.

“Come on, Mr. Somi. You look beautiful today."

This surrogate smiles, fixing Somi's messed up head. The elevator behind the back was opening with a beep. Somi stepped back into the elevator.

“See you tomorrow, then, Daryl. ”

“Mr. Somi suffers too. ”

Somi hurried down the elevator to the subway station through a corridor connected to the building.

As soon as I arrived at the platform, I was fortunate to arrive on the subway. It was just before the actual commute time, so there were not many passengers. Somi stands with a grim face holding the doorknob beside the door.

‘I'll tell you what, we'll postpone it. ’

Somi was looking at her faint reflection through the window of the entrance door.

It was the first time I wore a new coat that I bought at the end of my mind for winter. The bottom was a skirt, not a comfortable pair of jeans.

This proxy was right.

It was true that I was concerned when I came to work this morning.

But now it was fine. The rehabilitation dinner flew into thin air.

I was dumbfounded, and I arrived at the station where I had to get off.

After the door opened and more time passed, Somi was furious and shocked with her bag on her shoulder.

“I'm sorry, I'll get off. I'm sorry."

Somehow, Somi hurried through the increasing number of passengers and got close to getting off.

“Phew. I barely got off. ”

I sighed for relief and looked at the clock, and there was still about 20 minutes left until the time of my appointment.

‘When will I get used to the subway? ’

Heading to the rendezvous point, Somi recalled the secluded scenery of her hometown East Sea. Everywhere I looked, her life was full of people but lonely in Seoul.

I wanted to see my family and the sea.

The building with the comic KT office is not far from the station. Somi arrived quickly and sat down in a chair on the first floor. We were supposed to meet here for reconstruction.

"Paint a picture. ’

Somi picked up pens and doodling notes from her bag as well as killing time.

Thinking about what to draw, I began to draw the two main characters of 'The Bress’, which I was reading most recently. Knights and dragons of cute second-rate characters were quickly contouring themselves.

"Hehe, is the dragon too infantile? ’

Somi laughed and was passionate about painting.

I've loved painting since middle school. For a long time, I cast a shadow on myself and did not even realize the existence of standing reconstruction.

“Wow, you draw well. ”

“Huh? Ha, ha, Writer?! ”

Somi looks up, startled.

Reconstruction was looking at her painting, bowing with an admirable look on her back.

“You're very talented. How hard do you have to draw to get this much? ”

“Oh, no. I'm just doodling, sir. ”

Somi hurriedly tries to cover the note with her face.

But a step faster than that, the hand of the reconstruction grabbed the notebook.

“Huh? Isn't this my novel? ”

“Ugh…! ”

“Right? The Bress, right? ”

Reconstruction smiled and asked again.

Somi was ashamed and blushed. I've been asking her for another drink of reconstruction.

“Give me this picture. ”

“Yes? What are you going to use this for? ”

“You're playing The Bress. I'll put it in an illustration.”

“N-no. It sucks.”

“Not bad at all. You'll give it to me, right? ”

I couldn't say no to the request for reconstruction, shining both eyes.

Finally, Somi replied with a single face.

“Then after completing it.... ”

“It's okay this way. ”

“I really can't do that. I'll give you that when I'm done. We'll get it to you as soon as we can, so please be patient. ”

Reconstruction smiles and nods.

It was funny that she and the writer, who were editors at the moment, changed their minds.

Somi quickly steps up from her seat with her notebook and pen in her bag.

“Well, do you want to go straight up? ”

“Yes, let's go. ”

Somi stepped forward in a daze.

Because I was ashamed, I walked quickly without even knowing it.

Reconstruction widened its footprint and followed her with questions.

“Have you ever painted? ”

“Ah, Writer. Don't ask me, I'm embarrassed to talk about it. ”

“What's embarrassing? You drew really well. ”

The words of reconstruction were sincere. I had never studied painting professionally, but it was a good drawing at first sight. He was also a little excited because he saw the unexpected side of Somi.

“Just... as a hobby. ”

“I don't think you're a hobby and a horse. ”

The elevator arrived and the two of them lifted up.

Somi pressed the 8th floor button, turned her head away and replied.

“I appreciate the gesture... but I'm not very good at it. Illustrations are hard because they lack personality, comics are hard because they don't perform. I gave up when I was in college. ”

“Hmmm, yeah…. ”

That's why I became an editor, and I was just reconstructing myself. I thought it might be a sensitive topic if I told more stories, so I decided to save my words for now.

* * *

The contract ended quickly.

Since they had already completed the coordination in advance, all they had to do was look at the completed contract and stamp it.

Reconstruction and Somi got up in less than 10 minutes after the contract was concluded.

“Then I'll take good care of it. ”

“Of course, Writer. The original is so good that storytellers don't have any trouble getting used to it. We'll send it out as soon as we can. ”

“Yes, well done. ”

Reconstruction and Somi left Comic KT's office side by side with an employee escort. As he moved to the elevator, the reconstruction took out his cell phone.

“It's not even 6: 30. You've got time.”

“Ah……. ”

Somi opened her lips in an awkward tone.

I was so busy that I forgot to draw a picture because I had been caught.

“What would you like to eat? Anywhere in Seoul is fine. ”

“Hey, Writer Ha. I'm sorry."

Somi stands up, holding her hands together and raising her eyes. Reconstruction looked down at him as if to ask why.

“I'm really sorry, but I have to go into the office. I have to put up the contract today. I was going to tell you, but I forgot. ”

Somi quickly spoke, afraid of what the reconstruction might say.

“Or I'm really sorry, but if you just wait here a little longer, I could go and come back, but then you'll have to wait here again, and I'm so sorry, and...! I'm so sorry to break my promise with you like this... ”

Somi couldn't get enough of what she was saying to herself.

Then the door of the elevator that arrived opened.

Reconstruction was riding up with Somi and holding down the button on the ground floor rather than the first floor.

“Come with me. ”

Somi looks at her with surprised eyes.

Reconstruction was not always a big deal.

“You said all you had to do was post a contract. I'll wait downstairs. ”

“Ah… Writer, that was so……. ”

“The Gangnam side is busy eating anyway. Mr. Somi, can I go to Noryangjin's house or the company? ”

When the door opened, Somi dropped out of the elevator with a curious look along the reconstruction.

“It's that way.”

Reconstruction reaches out to one side with the hand on the remote control.

A black car parked in the corner was illuminating.

“Ha Writer, did you have a car? ”

“I bought it because I needed it. I have to use it sometimes with my family. ”

“Oh, yes. Nice clean car. ”

“Thank you. Hop in. ”

Reconstruction opened the passenger seat door by itself.

“Hang in there. Heater won't be long. ”

“No, Writer. I'm fine.”

Somi pulls the end of the dried skirt down with her slippery finger and straps on her seat belt.

Reconstruction grabs the handle and treads on Axel. The car that slipped out of the parking lot began to run on the road.

“I'm so sorry, Writer. I made a promise and something like this happened. ”

“What are you talking about? Work is more important. And it'll be over soon. Think of it as a drive.”

“Yes……. ”

Somi looks out the window as she listens to the music coming from the radio. I feel completely different from what I saw in Tae-won's car passenger seat.

The city at night, where the lights were shining, was always exciting.

Over time, I arrived in the parking lot of the Starbooks office building.

Somi quickly picks up her bag, opens the car door, and gets off.

“I'll be right down, Writer. ”

“Come slowly. ”

All the way up to the office, Somi was so excited that she wanted to jump. Now I can finish my work neatly and have a reconstructive and comfortable dinner.

“You're back now? ”

“Ah? Is the editor here? ”

Somi entered the office, her face slightly stiffened.

I was supposed to stay late and didn't see a surrogate. Usually, Kyungwook was just sitting alone when he left work before 6 o'clock.

“I brought the contract. ”

“Well, yes. Give it to me."

Somi respectfully reached out to the contract with both hands.

Whenever she accepted the contract, she jumped up and said.

“You haven't had dinner yet, have you? Come eat with me. ”

Somi lost her words at the moment of her unexpected offer.

But he soon regained his senses and replied.

“Oh, Editor…… I'm sorry, but I have an appointment today. ”

Usually, we are left to the word "promises."

Somi thought of course.

However, Kyungwook hung on without turning back at once.

“Really? I've been working, and it's time for Mr. Somi to come over, and I've been waiting for him to get hungry for dinner. What's the big deal? ”

“Yes, a little……. ”

He sat back in his seat, tasting his appetite again as if he had regretted his pain.

“I can't help it. Let's do it another time. Where are you going? I'll give you a ride if you're on your way. ”

“No, I can go on my own. I'll be going, then. You be careful in there, too. ”

I walked out of the office as I walked away from Somi.

The dog chasing the chicken looks up at the roof.

Is there a man? Oh, he's just a friend. ’

I turned off the game I was playing while dragging my tongue.

I wish I had asked you if you had an appointment.

Now he has no use for regrets, and he's keeping his outfit.

< 11 - Not Alone (3) > End

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