Let's Not Write A Novel Recklessly - Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 – JUNIOR ENGAGED IN RETREAT IN ENLIGHTENMENT

It’s March, and spring is just beginning to bloom. The air was still chilly against the skin.

The students walking around campus seemed to have forgotten about the cold, and their cheerful voices and lively movements made Tae-ram’s heart sing. He was worried that he would stand out because he had just returned to school after being discharged from the army, but he was relieved to find that he was able to blend in with them without any awkwardness.

A breeze wafted by, carrying the fragrant scent of flowers, and grazed the tip of Tae-ram’s nose. Mmm, a nice scent. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth at the prospect of something good.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen Min-ah.”

Muttering softly, Tae-ram hummed to himself as he thought of the friend he would meet today.

Min-ah, a like-minded friend and cousin of the same age, was Tae-ram’s classmate in elementary, middle, and high school and went to college with him. Min-ah, who had fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an intern at a major publishing house, was a great mentor to Tae-ram, a budding author who was just beginning to make a name for himself.

If it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t have gotten started.

It was a book found in Min-ah’s room that introduced Tae-ram to the world of genre literature, specifically BL (Boy’s Love). Thinking it was a new edition of his favorite volleyball manga, he opened it to find the main character and his rival nakedly intertwined. At first, he was confused and embarrassed, but he gradually fell in love with the book.

Two people with non-negotiable goals are at odds with each other until they came to understand each other very well and eventually acknowledged one another. The strange attraction that happened along the way. The various crises that came with being in a same-sex relationship. Above all, he was impressed by the strong emotional lines.

Tae-ram read the book with more concentration than ever. 

‘Hey, why are you looking at that?’

Min-ah, who had caught up with Tae-ram, exclaimed in surprise. When Tae-ram finished reading, he looked at Min-ah and asked her earnestly.

‘Do you have the next book?’

‘…Huh? Wait, wait.’

After this incident, the two, who were originally close, became soul mates while enjoying BL together.

‘Why don’t you enter a contest? I don’t think it’s enough to just write fan fiction.’

One day, Min-ah gave Tae-ram a laptop and suggested that he enter a contest. Tae-ram, who had just started writing for fun, entered the contest with a lighthearted attitude and did quite well. Now, he’s a successful writer who’s thinking about pursuing a full-time career. None of this would have been possible without Min-ah’s support and encouragement.

It’s been two years since he’d seen her, and even though he was discharged from the army, he was writing his next book, so they only talked on the phone or messenger, so it’s like they’re online friends. He wants to see her soon, let’s hurry. Tae-ram shoved his cold hands into his pockets and picked up the pace.

He crossed the campus he’d passed so many times in the past and entered an old, grayish-brown building.

He quickly ascended the stairs and reached the lecture hall, but to his dismay, Min-ah was nowhere to be found.

Min-ah, you traitor. He can understand her skipping class because it’s the first week of classes, but not contacting him at all is a bit much, doesn’t she think? Saying they’ll take the class together, but then being like this…….

Tae-ram became as sullen as a hamster deprived of its food. He looked around to see if he recognized anyone, but there were no familiar faces, and everyone was sitting in groups of three, four, five, or six.

Tae-ram, who was left alone, felt sorry for himself. He didn’t dare to sit between them.

The class started while he was wandering around, and time passed slowly.

He wished he could shut the professor up who never stopped talking. He wished he could just go through orientation and be done with it, but the professor of his chosen course was a hard ass who had a reputation for filling the first week of classes to the brim.

After listening to the lecture with half-open eyes, the break finally came.

Tae-ram hesitated for a while but decided to skip class since he had already taken attendance. Since he had come to school, he decided to visit the club room for the first time in a long time.

The club he had been a member of before he enlisted in the army, the Literary and Creative Writing Club, was recommended to him by Min-ah, but it was actually a den of genre fiction enthusiasts. For some reason, only people who enjoyed BL for generations came in. He had a lot of questions about how many of them were left, and whether they still attend events.

* * *

When he opened the door to the club room, there were about six people gathered and drinking.

There were freshman with innocent face, schoolmates whose faces he vaguely remembered, and even senior whom he couldn’t fathom why was still in school, were already drunk and sprawled on the floor.

The survivors were Min-ah, whom he had been desperately looking for today, and Se-ho, the junior. The momentary joy at seeing Min-ah was soon dampened by Se-ho’s overtly cold gaze, leaving Tae-ram feeling quite upset. Tae-ram deliberately ignored Se-ho and approached Min-ah.

“Hey. Min-ah, if you’re going to drink after the lecture, you could have called me.” “Were you lonely without your sister? My Tae-ram is cute.”

“You’re not my sister. You have a later birthday than me.” 

“I’m in the top year. I’m in my fourth year. You’re in your third year.”

“Yeah, yeah. Hey, senior. How much did you drink? You’re all bleary-eyed.” 

“I don’t know. I don’t remember. If you’re here, just sit down!”

Tae-ram hesitated for a moment at the strong scent of alcohol in Min-ah’s voice, but he obediently sat down next to her and popped a snack into his mouth as soon as he was seated. Since Min-ah tended to keep offering drinks until the person next to her was drunk, it was safer to fill his stomach in advance.

“Let’s have a drink and get started!”

Predictably, the drinks were immediately poured. Tae-ram wasn’t much of a drinker, but it had been a while, so he agreed. Let’s drink a little. Tae-ram gulped down the soju Min-ah poured for him.

One glass, two glasses, three glasses.…

Bottles of soju piled up on the table. Tae-ram felt his vision spinning. Ugh…. he’s dizzy. The floor is spinning. In his drunken daze, he looked up and saw Se-ho sitting across from him. The side of Se-ho’s face is a perfect statue as he silently sips his drink.

Large, deep, jet-black eyes with no eyelids, a high bridge of the nose, and a sharp jawline. Overall, Se-ho was a handsome man with bold, straight lines. Tae-ram was a jerk, but he still thought Se-ho was handsome, and he couldn’t help but stare at him.

“It’s annoying that you’re handsome. I don’t even like the way you look…. but I can’t stop looking at you, you, mean junior. …No, your face is innocent, right? Your face is innocent. Guilty as charged. Life imprisonment. ….”

Drunkenly, Tae-ram muttered under his breath, slowly taking in Se-ho’s beauty.

“But you look like someone else….”

Suddenly, Tae-ram remembered the manuscript of his novel, “I Raised a Transmigrated Protagonist,” which he had handed over last week.

“You! You, asshole… You’re such a dork.”

That’s right. Se-ho’s slightly upturned, cold eyes were like those in Tae-ram’s novels. In Tae-ram’s imagination, Se-ho appeared in a hotel robe, sipping a bottle of Ebang in an elegant pose.

“EBang is expensive…. Do I have to bring 3D water to pay for it….”

Tae-ram’s ramblings continued. Finally, Se-ho turned his attention to Tae-ram. The two pairs of eyes met, and the next moment, a low bass voice penetrated Tae-ram’s ears.

“Mr. Han, stop staring at me, it’s unpleasant.”

Tae-ram felt his sobriety crack, and he frowned, remembering the days he’d fought with Se-ho before he’d enlisted.

* * *

It all started three years ago when Tae-ram and Min-ah were in the club room discussing the new members.

“What do you think of the new juniors?” 

“I like him.”

“Who?”

“You know, the most handsome guy in the first year.”

“Lee Se-ho?”

“I don’t know his name, but he’s got such a striking appearance, I’m sure it’s him.”

“You’re still the same clueless idiot. You only saw his face and didn’t hear his name, right?”

Tae-ram was momentarily embarrassed, but he tried to play it cool. 

“Anyway, he’s a good writer.”

“Yeah, the professors love it.”

Unlike his lightweight writing, Tae-ram found Se-ho’s heavy, weighty writing to be quite fascinating. A vast worldview, tightly woven like a spider’s web. A unique atmosphere with a strong sense of personality. Realistic, three-dimensional characters. He envied Se-ho for being able to write like that.

That’s why he was disappointed. In Tae-ram’s opinion, Se-ho stubbornly chose only ruined and cerebral material. It was far from popular.

“The themes are too limited, and the target audience is vague. If he doesn’t raise the level or intensity, his writing could come across as dull. And he keeps saying he never wins any writing contests? I heard he wants to be a writer, but with this approach, it’s going to be difficult to succeed.”

“I like his writing, though.”

“I’m not saying it’s bad, I’m just saying he should be more strategic.” 

“I’ve never seen you care so much about your juniors.”

“He has a lot of strengths that I don’t have, and I wish him well.”

“Is that it? You can be honest with me.”

Tae-ram was horrified by Min-ah’s sticky eyes and sinister expression and warned her not to use him as a model for her novel.

“Stop with the wild fantasies.” 

“…I never had any intention of doing that.”

“Look me in the eye and tell me.” 

“Guarantee my creative rights.” 

“Think about my human rights.” 

“You like Se-ho.”

“If anyone hears you, they’ll misunderstand. It’s more of a main ball style that I prefer.” 

“You mentioned before that you were interested in guys.”

“That! Honestly, I have a couple of BL novels I wrote… I mean, I can think about it, but that doesn’t mean I’m into it, and it would be disrespectful to Se-ho too.”

“I’ll take that back. But still, Tae-ram, there are more than eighty percent bisexuals on the planet.”

“I can’t say anything in front of you.”

Min-ah, who had been arguing with Tae-ram for a while, suddenly remembered something and grabbed her bag.

“What should I do? I had a paper due to the professor today. I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

“Okay, see you tomorrow.”

“I’m sorry. Please take care of the club room.” 

“It’s fine. I’ll be leaving soon anyway.”

After letting Min-ah go, Tae-ram picked up the trash in sight, emptied the trash can, and closed the half-open window. He turned off the light and was about to leave the club room. Someone suddenly appeared in front of him.

It was Se-ho.

“Ah! You scared me. Are you Lee Se-beom?”

“I’m Lee Se-ho. Did you say that without even knowing my name?” 

“No, that’s….”

“Don’t talk about me like that. It’s offensive.”

Tae-ram was flustered. He was surprised that Se-ho had come out of nowhere, but it was Se-ho’s displeased expression that bothered him the most. He realized that it was wrong to talk about someone behind their back. Though he didn’t use harsh language, he felt uneasy. He felt bad and decided to apologize.

“I apologize if I offended you. I’m sorry.”

Se-ho stared at Tae-ram for a moment, then turned away without saying anything. Tae-ram, who hadn’t thought much of it in the first place, felt a surge of irritation at being chewed up so neatly.

He grabbed Se-ho as he was about to walk away and shot him a cold glare.

“You don’t have to accept my apology, but you shouldn’t just ignore it, should you? At least give me a nod. That’s human decency.”

Se-ho remained silent and glared at Tae-ram. Tae-ram felt intimidated by Se-ho’s glare, who was both taller and stronger than him, but he continued as if nothing had happened.

“Is your mouth sealed shut? Why won’t you answer?”

Seeing Tae-ram like that, Se-ho stuck out his tongue in disbelief and punched Tae-ram in the shoulder. Tae-ram, who was thrown back by the blow, let out a small groan at the sharp pain that shot through his shoulder. Se-ho, who had heard the sound, turned his back on him coldly.

Tae-ram didn’t grab him this time. He rubbed his throbbing shoulder and tried to console himself that he hadn’t scared him.

From that point on, the conflict escalated as Tae-ram challenged Se-ho at every turn, and Se-ho responded by ignoring him.

The two were opposites.

Tae-ram, who was emotionally rich and prone to quick changes, would easily get heated in arguments but would cool down just as quickly. So, he thought he had settled things with Se-ho after talking it out a few times and let go of any lingering grudges. On the other hand, Se-ho was stoic and cautious, not easily getting heated, but once he did, it was hard to cool him down. He remembered every action of Tae-ram and persistently troubled him.

In the end, Tae-ram would get heated again, and the conflicts between them never ceased until Tae-ram enlisted in the military. Luckily, it never turned into a big fight, thanks to Min-ah’s mediation.

* * *

Back in the present, Min-ah is drinking herself into a stupor, and Tae-ram and Se-ho are in a full-blown argument.

“What, unpleasant, you haven’t changed at all.”

“You’re the one who hasn’t changed at all, senior.” 

“Writing those sticky and eerie novels.”

“Are you finished?”

“No. I’m not done. What’s the title of your latest novel, Fragments? What kind of pure literature is that?”

“It’s better than a childish sentence-type title. Your new work was titled I Raised a Transmigrated Protagonist, wasn’t it? I thought it was a light novel. I wonder how long some of them are going to be.”

“It reflects the reader’s need to grasp keywords and mood at a glance!” 

“Don’t yell at me, it hurts my ears.”

Se-ho touched his throbbing forehead.

At first, he’d thought Tae-ram was a pretty senior.

His pink-tinted curly hair was as soft as cotton candy. He had a cute little face with tiny eyes. Large light brown eyes with thick lashes. His slightly drooping eyes made him look even more gentle. Honestly, his looks matched Se-ho’s taste.

During middle school, Se-ho had become aware of his homosexuality. He was playing with a friend and their hands touched, his fingertips tingled and his heart raced. It was his first crush. He was confused and vaguely afraid, so he kept everything tightly hidden. He became reserved.

When he entered college, he met Min-ah, and thanks to her, he discovered BL novels.

He liked writing. It was the only way he could secretly reveal his sexuality, which he had always hidden, and it was also a mirror for him. As someone who hadn’t experienced sexual intimacy and was somewhat emotionally distant, he couldn’t naturally escalate the intimacy or create happy endings. It just wasn’t realistic.

Then he stumbled upon the fact that Tae-ram was a genre fiction writer, a hunky guy. He became more likable. He liked his writing because it was different from his own. Fresh and vibrant, bubbly prose. Se-ho wanted to learn everything—how Tae-ram skillfully combined popular themes and provided unexpected twists.

Se-ho regretted going up to the club room that day. He hadn’t heard all of the conversations from beyond the door, but Tae-ram had criticized his writing, calling it dull. At first, he was stunned, then a little sad. Later, he was angry. There was a part of him in his writing.

After that day, Se-ho tried everything to win over Tae-ram. He channeled his wounded emotions, his sense of humiliation and shame, and even the jealousy he had been unwilling to acknowledge. He wanted to reflect his raw emotions to Tae-ram.

But the reality was not so easy. Unlike Tae-ram, who had become a successful and popular writer, Se-ho’s progress was too mediocre. For Se-ho, Tae-ram became a tiresome senior whenever they met.

“Hey. Are you listening to me?”

Tae-ram’s voice snapped Se-ho out of his thoughts. 

“That’s enough, you’re annoying.”

“You want me to shut up because you don’t want to talk to me?”

“I never said that, don’t be paranoid or anything….” 

“You’re pissing me off.”

Gradually, Min-ah, who sobered up, poured cold water on their increasingly heated argument.

“You guys fighting again? Forget it. If you know of any good show or something, give me a recommendation. I’m too busy at work to find something good.”

Min-ah’s intervention defused the heat, and the conversation turned to other things. After a moment of thought, Tae-ram said with a twinkle in his eye.

“It’s a classic, but how about ‘No Money’? It’s guaranteed to be good.” 

“Where have I heard of it before?”

“It’s so famous! It’s my life’s work! I think it was in the club room…. I’ll find it!”

Tae-ram rummaged through the bookshelves in the corner of the club room and pulled out a novel with a gorgeous beautiful boy on the cover.

“Cute cover. It’s bright.”

“’ No Money’ starts with the main character being sold to the slave market due to the betrayal of a friend.”

“The plot sounds intense. What kind of character is the main lead?”

“He’s bought by a loan shark for 1.2 billion won and is used for sexual services every night, paying him 3 million won each time.”

“Sounds lighthearted.”

“If you want something a little more serious, ‘Cry and Struggle Underneath Me’ is fun.”

“What’s that one about?”

“The protagonist, who has the queen attribute, is a loan shark and takes over the failing shop of the main character, who ran a flower shop. He uses the main lead for sexual services, paying him 1 million won each time…”

“…There seem to be quite a few loan sharks in these stories.”

“That’s not the point, it’s the regret as the past is unraveled that’s so poignant.”

“A remorseful loan shark with the queen attribute. Interesting. Do we have that one in the club room too?”

“It’s at my place. I’ll lend it to you next time. For now, start with ‘No Money.'”

Tae-ram was about to hand over the novel to Min-ah. Se-ho snatched it from the middle. Tae-ram’s brow creased.

“What are you doing?”

“I think you’ll like this one better.”

The novel Se-ho handed to Min-ah had a bloodied man on the cover. A novel with many hidden fans, “Blood of the Defeated Dog” is about a protagonist who is framed for murder in a criminal city where life-and-death fighting games are popular. It’s a novel that’s gotten a lot of buzz for its frequent use of gross-out material, most notably viscera.

Tae-ram had once attempted to read the book but gave up on it. It had overly detailed descriptions, felt oppressively heavy, and portrayed a suffocating and tragic relationship. Nothing seemed to fit well.

“I don’t like that one because it’s complicated, it’s brutal, and the ending is so tragic. It’s too draining.”

“Don’t spoil it.” 

“Min-ah isn’t going to watch it anyway.” 

“Why do you get to decide that?”

“Why would you recommend such gore to a girl who’s already struggling at work? It’s better to read something light and easy like ‘No Money.'”

“‘No Money’ may be a light piece, but it’s not something everyone can understand.”

Tae-ram’s temper flared up again at Se-ho’s cheeky remark.

“You’re dismissing ‘No Money’? It’s far more popular than the bloody and violent ‘Blood of the Defeated Dog!'”

“Is it a good work as long as it sells? Don’t compare it to cheap and brainless stuff.”

“Don’t insult ‘No Money’, which has my life’s work.” 

“You insulted ‘Blood of the Defeated Dog’ first.” 

“You can’t help it if it’s not your favorite.”

Min-ah stepped in between the two people who were becoming increasingly argumentative.

“Stop fighting, I’m going to read it all.” 

“You’re the one who started the argument.” 

“When did I!”

“Both of you shut up and sit down.”

Min-ah forced Tae-ram and Se-ho to sit down. They turned their backs on each other and looked away. Min-ah sighed inwardly as she watched them, unable to understand why they couldn’t get along. She felt bad for being caught in the middle. She wishes they could get along… Ah! There was a way.

Leaving the two sitting awkwardly behind, Min-ah jumped to her feet and opened an old cabinet with a lock.

“Hey. You can’t be….”

Tae-ram became thoughtful as he realized Min-ah’s intention. The cabinet contained the publications of the club members.

“Found it. Han Tae-ram’s ?This Regression Is Failed?. The protagonist here was really cute. Didn’t he eventually give up and go back to farming after repeated regressions? Probably.”

“Kim Min-ah. Stop it….”

“I miss this one too. ?The Harem Construction of the Money-Obsessed Omega?. It was supposed to be a cider-fueled take on the Omegaverse.”

Tae-ram felt naked in the middle of the city. He was just so embarrassed. Min-ah didn’t stop the display of black history when she saw Tae-ram’s reddened face.

“No, no, no. Don’t take it out!” 

“No, I found it. “The Delicious Man.” 

“Have some decency as a human being and put that away.”

The Delicious Man was Tae-ram’s first novel. It was the sloppiest of his novels.

“We’ve all read it anyway.”

Min-ah’s bombshell comment made Tae-ram want to die. Did that jerk also read it?

“I remember it was hard to read because it was a pathetic work that only followed popular keywords.”

Se-ho smirked at Tae-ram, who blushed and glared at him.

“You. We’ll see. This asshole. Give me all of Se-ho’s work.” 

“Okay, here’s what the second years wrote.”

“Senior Min-ah! No!”

Se-ho’s face, which had remained calm the entire time, was colored with panic.

“Give me that.”

Tae-ram reached out to Min-ah. 

Sure. He can’t be the only one stripped. Tae-ram was just about to grab the book when Se-ho stopped him.

“No way.” 

“You’ve seen mine!”

“I didn’t look, I just threw away my eyes.” 

“I heard how great yours is, so let’s see it!”

Tae-ram struggled hard, but due to the size difference, he was no match for Se-ho.

“Step aside! Size isn’t everything!”

“A small size isn’t something to be proud of.”

“You’re so annoying!” 

“That’s typical of me.”

As the two bickered, Min-ah slipped Se-ho’s book into Tae-ram’s hand.

“I’m not taking sides, but let’s be fair here. Let’s critique Se-ho’s work too.”

“Do whatever you want.”

Se-ho lets go of Tae-ram in frustration. Tae-ram opened the book.

“Your pen name is SELFISH? Are you in middle school? It’s tacky. Creepy. Isn’t that embarrassing?” 

“It doesn’t seem appropriate for a person with the pen name ‘charming man’ to say that.”

Whether Se-ho grumbled or not, Tae-ram went through his work one by one.

Let’s see. ‘Flesh and Affection.’ Grotesque from the cover. A person dies in the first chapter! Scary. Pass! The next book is Thirst. The relationship is too heavy. Next! The last book is Curves. Three stalkers? Three stalkers fighting and then amputating limbs one by one? Ugh…. he can’t read this.

“What do you think? Se-ho’s writing has a nice natural flow to it.” 

Min-ah looked at Tae-ram expectantly. As far as Tae-ram was concerned, Se-ho indeed had a writing talent. There were hardly any typos or inscriptions, and the writing style was simple and neat. He’d read and admired some of his writing in class.

But it wasn’t a novel. Se-ho’s choice of subject matter and emotional arc were about 100 million light years away from Tae-ram’s tastes.

If I’m being honest, we’re going to have another fight, right? Exhausted, Tae-ram replied mechanically. 

“Yeah. I think he’s good at it. It’s interesting.”

At Tae-ram’s formal response, Se-ho glared at him, his eyes blazing, and Tae-ram’s response was immediate.

“You’re just bullshitting even if you praise me.”

“I know it’s empty, but I’m not happy about it at all.” 

“Why do you keep picking a fight?”

Min-ah finally snapped at the dodo-like situation.

“If you’re going to argue, why don’t you both just go home and I’ll clean up the mess.”

Tae-ram, who was about to argue with Se-ho, glanced at Min-ah and went to clear the table. Se-ho picked up the pieces.

When the mess was cleaned up, Tae-ram was waiting for the bus with Min-ah. 

“Se-ho is such a nice guy”

“You don’t know. Se-ho is an asshole. The first time we met, he chewed up all my words, hit me on the shoulder, and acted like a jerk.”

“I’m sure there was a misunderstanding. Maybe you can work it out later.” 

“I don’t know.”

Tae-ram pressed his lips together, expressing his dissatisfaction. Min-ah gently patted his head and spoke in a soothing tone.

“Both of you are rare guys in our club. Try to get along.”

“But we don’t match…”

“Well, your preferences are opposite. You like light stuff, and Se-ho likes heavy stuff. Anyway, you’ll be seeing each other a lot in the future, so try to become friends.”

“I don’t want to…”

“I won’t take no for an answer. By tomorrow, read all of these. Get familiar with Se-ho’s writing too.”

“Fine…”

Tae-ram reluctantly replied.

“Oh, about ‘The Delicious Man.’ Can I take it home to read?”

“What’s the point of asking when you’ve already brought it?”

“Is that a yes?”

“Do whatever you want.”

Tae-ram gathered all the novels written by Se-ho and headed home. Although he still felt annoyed with Se-ho, he thought he should make an effort, at least for Min-ah’s sake. Before going to sleep, he unfolded one of Se-ho’s works.

“Is this guy unhappy with his life? Why is everything so harsh? I’m not reading this! It’s annoying.”

Feeling frustrated, Tae-ram eventually closed the book and fell into a deep slumber. He had no idea what kind of chaos awaited him when he woke up.