The living room was quiet that afternoon.
Park Song-hu lounged on the sofa, typing on his laptop.
The next chapter of <The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate Family Doesn't Hide His Power>.
The protagonist was taking control of one of the group's affiliates, and Park Song-hu was deciding when to deliver the soda-fresh burst of satisfaction.
‘If I hold back once during the board meeting scene, then let it burst in the final sentence…….’
Just then, a white front paw landed squarely on the keyboard.
“Mrow.”
It was Louie.
The cat had climbed onto the table without Park Song-hu noticing and settled there as if the table belonged to Louie.
“Move. I'm working.”
“Mroooow.”
“……All right, all right.”
Park Song-hu took a tube of squeeze-up cat treat from a drawer.
Several things had changed as he spent more time at home, and one of them was how good he had become at squeezing out the cat treat.
He could work the tube all the way to the end so Louie could lick up the very last drop.
Changing the water in Louie's bowl every morning and brushing Louie had somehow become Park Song-hu's responsibility, too.
There was one more thing he did after treat time.
Refresh.
He checked how many new comments had appeared on the latest chapter in the last few minutes.
‘Now I understand how Park Song-min feels.’
Each new comment gave him a dopamine rush.
If it was a nasty one, on the other hand, his blood boiled.
CLICK―
The lock on the front door sounded.
Park Song-min spoke in a voice so faint it seemed to creep inside.
“I'm back…….”
“Did you pick your comeback project?”
“……<The Weight of Ash>.”
His fingers froze over the keyboard.
“What? Jung Jae-seung's project?”
Park Song-hu sprang up from the sofa.
Startled, Louie let out an indignant MRAOW.
“Have you been hiding some ambition from me?”
“……What ambition?”
“Ambition for good projects. For acting. For becoming a celebrity.”
“……! I-I only chose it because it has the shortest shoot!”
“Why do you think the shoot is short? Because that director wrings people dry. Jung Jae-seung is famous for running the same scene until sunrise if the take isn't approved.”
Park Song-min covered his face with both hands.
He felt like crying.
“Honestly, you're incredible. You had no idea and just picked it because it had the thinnest script.”
Who would have imagined someone choosing a master director's three-year-old project based on the thickness of its script?
“You'll have to audition for that director, too, won't you?”
“They said they'd contact me once the date is set. Haa…….”
“What, are you already worried you won't get the part?”
“I'm worried I will.”
“You lunatic.”
Park Song-hu let out a disbelieving laugh before he realized it.
“Look at the confidence on my little brother. Worrying he'll actually get the part.”
“……My manager said that today, too. What on earth makes you think I've grown more confident? Haaa…….”
Park Song-min asked cautiously.
“Oh, right. Now that I've agreed to act, about your promise…….”
“I know. I'll do it.”
“!”
Color returned to his face.
That evening, they established a new rule for the house.
It began with Park Song-hu's announcement.
“I'm going out for a run.”
“You're going out?!”
“Only when you're home. On days you go out, I'll stay here.”
“Ah…….”
“Think of it as passing the baton.”
In practice, there was no problem at all.
Park Song-min never went out on days when he had no schedule anyway.
“Well, I…… I like being at home.”
“Right. For the first time in your life, those shut-in tendencies of yours are useful.”
“……That was a compliment, right?”
“Yep. I'm praising you~”
Park Song-hu returned from a run along the Han River at ten that night, looking refreshed.
Back home, he cornered Park Song-min and boasted that two passersby had turned to look at him even though he had been wearing a hat and mask. Clearly, he still had his looks.
After all, his long-limbed figure was not something he could hide.
And the next day, a box as tall as a grown man appeared at the front door.
“W-what is this?”
“A cat wheel.”
Park Song-hu calmly produced a box cutter.
A premium wooden cat wheel.
Park Song-min looked up the price and counted the digits on the screen three times.
“O-one million two hundred thousand won……? For a cat wheel?”
“Louie's put on weight lately.”
“Even so! Think how many bags of food you could buy with that!”
Assembling the 1.2-million-won cat wheel took two hours.
A top star wrestled with the instructions while a web novel writer stood beside him, holding screws at the ready.
And when the wheel was finally complete, Louie……
Climbed into the box and sat down.
“Mrow.”
“…….”
“…….”
Apparently, the box appealed more.
From that day on, the cat wheel was a 1.2-million-won sculpture.
Meanwhile, Park Song-hu decided to handle all communication with Aces Media.
“It's my work, so I'll handle the contract myself.”
“B-but the Mini Song name belongs to me…….”
“What would you write back if I left it to you?”
“……It's an honor. I'll gladly sign?”
“That's why I'm doing it.”
Park Song-hu chose the format of the meeting, too.
Aces proposed an in-person meeting, but after he explained that the writer could not manage appointments outside the house for personal reasons, they agreed to sign electronically.
That was common in the web novel world.
Plenty of writers there never revealed their faces.
And in their case, the circumstances made it especially necessary.
The most famous face in Korea could hardly show up and announce, “I'm Mini Song.”
That night.
[Hello, Writer Mini Song. Attached is a summary of the contract terms we discussed.]
He opened the attached terms.
Park Song-hu's gaze slid from top to bottom.
Revenue split: writer 7, agency 3.
Advance: one million won.
Contract term: five years, with automatic renewal.
“…….”
He had once had his bank account emptied by a contractual penalty, so he knew how to read the fine print.
He had also searched writer communities thoroughly to learn the usual contract percentages.
‘Right on the industry average.’
Of course, he understood.
This was Mini Song's first hit, so the other side was bound to be cautious.
There was no guarantee the series would keep soaring as more chapters came out.
In the web novel industry, one bad chapter could make revenue plunge.
But Park Song-hu, looking only at the current success of <The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate Family Doesn't Hide His Power>, did not care about any of that. He had no intention of meekly accepting such an ordinary contract.
“……Time to negotiate.”
***
Aces Media's headquarters.
In the content business division, a metrics dashboard glowed on every monitor.
In the middle of it all, the team's junior associate rolled a chair over to Gu Tae-seong, the head of Content Business Team 3.
“Team Leader, <The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate Family Doesn't Hide His Power> is number one again today. Have you seen the latest chapter?”
“I read it as soon as it went up.”
“……?”
“Ahem. It's part of my job.”
Gu Tae-seong pulled up Mini Song's author page on the monitor.
Views by chapter, growth in favorites, the intensity of the comments.
Judging by the numbers, there was no question that the work was a winner.
“It's been two days since we sent the terms. Still no reply?”
“None.”
“Don't they usually reply within a day? Starting with a thank-you, at that.”
“The writer must be busy. The series is ongoing.”
Gu's reply was leisurely, but there was a hint of tension in the finger pressing Refresh.
“……But Team Leader, were our terms good enough? A seven-to-three split and a one-million-won advance. With numbers like these, other agencies must have reached out.”
“I'm sure they have.”
Gu Tae-seong switched screens.
A list of Mini Song's previous works appeared.
“<The Dungeon That Never Sleeps>, subscribers in the three hundreds. The two works before it never even reached paid serialization.”
“That's true, but…….”
“All that's been proven is the early momentum of this one series. The writer has never carried a work through to completion. You remember what happened to <The Regressed Sword God> last year.”
The associate's shoulders jerked.
“……We offered a huge advance based only on the early numbers, and reader retention collapsed at Chapter 50.”
“Exactly. We need to be cautious.”
Gu Tae-seong folded down one finger at a time.
“The standard split for a new writer is seven to three. We calculate the advance based on previous sales. Both are company rules. Without even having paid-conversion data yet, we could never get approval to go higher.”
“……Right. The series is still free to read.”
“I would like to offer more, too, but I cannot. Nothing else has been proven yet.”
The associate nodded, then suddenly reached for the mouse.
“Oh, come to think of it, didn't this writer submit something to us before?”
A search for Mini Song in the submissions inbox turned up three messages.
“……Three submissions.”
“So it seems.”
Gu Tae-seong opened the most recent one.
A familiar name stood in the sender field of the rejection reply.
Gu Tae-seong, Content Business Team 3.
“You rejected the writer, Team Leader?”
“…….”
Only now did Gu realize it.
Gu had rejected Mini Song back then and was now the one who had reached out.
‘……Surely the writer isn't holding a grudge? Come on. Aces is the number-one agency in the industry.’
Gu closed the window with the bitter taste of that discovery still lingering.
“……We had better treat the writer well this time.”
Just then, the desk phone rang.
It was the reception desk.
-Team Leader, someone who says they're Writer Mini Song would like to speak with you directly.
“Why?”
-I don't know the details, but it sounds like there are some contract terms the writer wants to discuss.
It was rare for a writer, especially a new one, to call personally about contract terms.
Most asked by email, and cautiously at that.
“Put the call through.”
Gu Tae-seong cleared their throat.
Gu picked up the receiver and spoke as brightly as possible.
“Hello, Writer Mini Song! A pleasure to speak with you. I'm Gu Tae-seong, the leader of Content Business Team 3.”
-Hello. This is Mini Song.
“…….”
For a moment, Gu Tae-seong readjusted their grip on the receiver.
There was something different about the very texture of the voice coming through the phone's speaker.
It was low, and the enunciation was clear.
It sounded almost…… like the trained voice of an actor.
‘How does a writer have a voice like that?’
-I have read the terms you sent.
“Ah, yes, yes. We think very highly of your work.”
-Yes. So I have a few questions.
“Please, ask me anything.”
-Of the revenue split, the three parts you have allocated to the agency: what services, specifically, do they guarantee?
“Ah, we offer comprehensive support, from editorial assistance and promotion to intellectual property commercialization…….”
-Will the assigned editor work exclusively on my series or handle others as well?
“……They would handle others, but our editorial team's capabilities in this industry…….”
-Are the number and scale of promotions specified in the contract?
“That varies according to internal circumstances.”
‘What's this?’
Gu Tae-seong was momentarily flustered.
The questions were so precise that Gu felt the negotiation slipping away and, before realizing it, said,
“……Still, we will do our utmost to support you. I can make sure you are included in a promotion at least once every three months…….”
-Understood. Then could you put the support you just promised into the contract as binding terms?
“…….”
The writer spoke like someone with tremendous self-confidence.
There was not a trace of hesitation in that voice.
-The term is five years with an automatic renewal clause, too. Please change renewal to mutual agreement.
“Ah, yes…… Of course we can adjust that.”
-Good. Next.
There was more?
“W-writer, please do not misunderstand. If our offer seems a little meager, that is because we have internal criteria based on the results of your previous work…….”
-I understand. With that data, I would have made the same calculation.
“R-right? I'm glad you understand…….”
-But are you trying to contract my previous work, or <The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate Family Doesn't Hide His Power>?
“Well…… <The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate Family Doesn't Hide His Power>, of course.”
-Then assess it based on <The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate Family Doesn't Hide His Power> instead.
The associate, who had been listening in beside Gu, had begun to break out in a cold sweat, too.
-And there is one more thing I should tell you.
“……Yes?”
-I have offers from eleven management agencies at the moment. I am already discussing terms with one of them.
“…….”
-The leading digit of their proposed advance is different from yours.
Gu's grip on the receiver tightened.
-I prefer Aces. Your record in intellectual property commercialization is the best, and…… you are my favorite agency, too. If you send revised terms by Friday, I will consider them first.
The words “Wait a moment” rose to Gu Tae-seong's throat.
But Gu, overwhelmed by the other man's momentum, stumbled over the response.
“Ah, yes! Thank you.”
‘……Did I just say thank you? To a writer who's still a newcomer?’
-I know you are busy. Thank you for taking the time.
Click.
The call ended.
Gu Tae-seong remained there for a while, still holding the receiver.
“……Team Leader?”
“Huh? Oh.”
“How did it go?”
“…….”
Gu replayed the call.
To be honest, because Mini Song had previously submitted work to the agency, Gu had gone into the call feeling a little superior. One phone call had made it perfectly clear who held the upper hand.
‘……That Mini Song is formidable.’
“……The submission email sounded so timid, though. It said thank you several times.”
“S-so?”
“It is like talking to a completely different person.”
Gu Tae-seong rubbed the back of their neck.
“……Draft new terms. An eight-to-two split. A fifty-million-won advance.”
“What?!”
The associate's voice rose, and several heads popped up over the partitions.
“W-what about approval? You said the rules would not allow anything higher…….”
“I will take it to the division head myself. This is the number-one work on Free Best, and they are already talking to a competitor.”
Gu had felt one thing during that call.
“There is no guarantee Writer Mini Song will sign with us. If we stick to the rules and lose this work…… that would be the real disaster.”
“Y-yes, sir!”
The associate was typing when a question came to mind.
“But Team Leader, was Writer Mini Song always like this? The writer seemed so desperate in those submissions. Could someone be this calm at the negotiating table?”
Gu Tae-seong glared at the terms on the monitor before answering.
“……I don't know. Maybe the person changed in the meantime. The writing did, and so did the personality.”
“Could it be a twin?”
“……Stop talking crazy and do your work.”
“Yes, sir!”
***
The revised terms arrived.
Revenue split: writer 8, agency 2.
Advance: fifty million won.
Secondary rights: negotiated separately for each use.
Only after reading every clause did Park Song-hu close the laptop.
‘That does it.’
The bedroom door opened at one in the afternoon, and a head of tousled hair emerged.
“Well, aren't you up early.”
“I know. I woke up a little early today.”
What a lunatic.
“Aces sent the contract terms.”
“……!”
His half-asleep face brightened instantly.
“H-how did they come back? Are the terms good? No, what do the terms matter? It's Aces……. But I do want to know what they offered…….”
The terms were a measure of how the company valued the writer, after all.
“Sit down first.”
Park Song-hu turned the laptop to show him the screen.
Park Song-min's eyes widened as he read down the terms.
“Eight to two……?”
“Yeah.”
“The advance is…… f-fifty million……?”
“Looks like Aces thinks pretty highly of Mini Song.”
Park Song-hu said it casually.
Even his wooden acting was good enough for a performance this simple.
“Th-they think that highly of me…….”
“You're that happy?”
Park Song-min's eyes grew moist.
“Hey, why are you crying?”
“I'm not crying.”
Then he broke into a brilliant smile, picked Louie up, and spun around.
“Louie! Mini Song got recognized! By Aces!”
“MRAAAOW!”
Park Song-hu watched with his chin resting on his hand.
He had no intention of telling his brother about the first set of terms.
Well, whatever.
If he was happy, that was what mattered.
‘This feels pretty good.’
Park Song-min hummed as he went into the bathroom.
The laptop remained open on the dining table.
“Mrow.”
Just then, Louie leaped lightly up, walked across the space in front of the laptop, and pressed a paw firmly onto the touchpad.
The screen changed.
The Soseol Joa serialization page.
The comments on <The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate Family Doesn't Hide His Power>.
The logged-in username appeared at the top right of the screen.
[Clear-Eyed Novel Critic]
In the comments, one post after another bore a [My Comment] label.
-I admit the pacing is fast. But fast isn't everything. This writer's previous work, <The Dungeon That Never Sleeps>, moved slowly, but even one line of dialogue could linger with you. It's a shame today's readers don't appreciate that.
└I went to check out the previous work because of this comment. Dropped it after Chapter 2.
-Everyone's going on about Chairman Choi's charisma, but if you know Se-rin, the heroine from the previous work, Chairman Choi is average at best. Check the writer's page if you're curious. I recommend reading the whole thing.
└I fell for this. Fuck.
-I'm giving this chapter four out of five stars. The twist was fun. A little. Personally, I still like this writer's previous work better.
└Don't read it. It's one dry-sweet-potato slog after another.
That bastard…….
“……Hey, get out here.”