The Great Storyteller

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

“Great job on the interview! You’re a great speaker, Mr. Woo,” the reporter said, reaching for a handshake. Shaking his hand, Juho was reminded of how exhausting interviews could be. ‘Would’ve been nice if he had been this friendly while he was asking questions,’ Juho thought, regretting having chosen that reporter for the interview in Korea, something he hadn’t done in a long time. Stressing that he refused to write anything that wasn’t said by his interviewee, the reporter tended to ask very inquisitive questions.

“Congratulations on winning the Nebula again.”

Juho had been hearing the same congratulations for months by that point. Then, informing the young author that the interview would be included in the next issue, the reporter added, “So, this is a personal question…”

“Yes?”

Although the staff were moving busily behind him, he didn’t mind them one bit, his eyes fixed on Juho.

“Did you know about the scandal before it broke out?”

“Didn’t you already ask that question in an official capacity?” Juho said. The interviewer had asked the same question during the interview.

“I was thinking that you might tell me something if things were off the record,” the interviewer said nonchalantly. At which point, Juho responded similarly to before, saying, “It was just coincidence.”

“Is that a joke?” the interviewer asked, puzzled.

Juho rose from his seat, shrugging, and the interviewer did the same.

“Can I go now?”

“Yes, of course. Let me show you out.”

The office was on the sixth floor of the building, which meant having to take the elevator down to the ground floor. Even on the way down, the reporter kept asking questions at every opportunity.

“What was Kings like in person? Was he a natural man?”

“No. Not my first impression of him, anyway.”

“Then? What was he like?”

“He was… someone who blends in well with his surrounding,” Juho replied while staring at the numbers counting down. However, the interviewer didn’t let up.

“I’m really sad that you decided not to go for the Double Crown.”

“I don’t think I would have won, anyway.”

“But this is ‘Language of God’ we’re talking about. I think you had a shot,” the reporter said, looking as if he already knew everything there was to know.

Juho shook his head and said, “Coin was there too.”

“Personally, I think you have the upper hand this time, Mr. Woo,” the reporter said, as though implying that Juho’s victory of the Nebula Award proved his statement.

At which point, Juho gave up trying to argue with the interviewer and said, “Why, I’m flattered.”

“Oh, no. I’m flattered. Getting an interview with you is near-impossible these days. As far as I know, you haven’t made any statements since returning to Korea.”

“I’ve been kind of busy.”

“Oh. You mean…” the reporter said, mock-writing in the air.

Avoiding eye contact, Juho said, “I can’t say.”

“But, it’s just the two of us.”

“The fact that you’re a reporter doesn’t make it any easier for me to speak openly.”

The interviewer let out a hearty laughter. As the elevator arrived on the first floor, the door opened.

“I hope we can meet again, Mr. Woo.”

“Would you do me a favor and go easier on me next time?”

With that, Juho walked out of the building. Although it was fall, the Sun was still quite hot. In the end, Juho decided to take the cab. Upon getting out of the cab, Juho put on his hat and walked unhurriedly to his home.

“Home sweet home.”

It was peaceful. Juho had returned to Korea a few days after winning the Nebula. While watching the Hugo Award ceremony on TV, Juho saw Coin in the audience, who had gone on to win the award, make his way up to the stage and hurl harsh criticism on the recent scandal surrounding the award. As the audience erupted into explosive applause, Coin came down from the stage leisurely. Coin had made a choice, and he had followed through with it. Upon checking that the mailbox was empty, Juho went back into his apartment.

“… I recognize that silhouette,” Juho murmured while walking down the hallway. There was an unexpected guest, who seemed to be looking toward the young author, drawing closer to him.

“Too slow,” a disgruntled voice said.

Chuckling, Juho asked, “What are you doing here?”

Then, the figure raised something up to Juho’s eyes in a threatening manner.

“This brings us to a tie, yet again.”

Staring at the metal trophy, Juho said, “It appears so.”

Then, Juho went into his apartment, and Coin followed nonchalantly. Throwing the trophy on the couch, Coin started going into the rooms.

“So, did you come all the way to Korea to show off your trophy?” Juho asked, fiddling with it.

“That’s one of the reasons.”

Placing the trophy on the table, Juho went into the kitchen.

“I was about to eat something. Would you like some?”

“What you got?”

When Juho showed Coin the red broth in the pot, Coin shook his head. As the broth started boiling, Juho gave the kimchi stew a stir and brought it to the table. Of course, he didn’t forget to order a hamburger for delivery for the unexpected guest. Looking at the red stew with a furrowed brow, Coin said, “That is RED.”

“It’s good, though.”

“I feel like I’d be vomiting blood after I ate a spoonful.”

“It might be a little too spicy for your taste, I’ll be honest,” Juho said with a smile, picking up a piece of fry in front of Coin. Juho tended to crave foods that he was familiar with after staying in another country for an extended period of time. For that reason, Juho had been eating nothing but Korean food since returning to Korea. On the other hand, Coin expressed that Korean food wasn’t exactly his favorite.

“Then, what if you try to make it yourself at home? You know, change the recipe up to your liking?”

“I wouldn’t go out of my way to do that either.”

Scooping out the spicy broth along with a soft piece of well-cooked pork, Juho brought it up to his mouth. The flavors went quite well with white rice.

“Now that I think about it, I didn’t hear you complaining about the food at my place?” Coin asked.

Swallowing, Juho replied, “I’m not very picky. Besides, Susan’s a good cook.”

Nodding haphazardly, Coin took a bite off his hamburger, drinking coffee instead of a soda. Then, he started bringing up things that had taken place at the Hugo Award ceremony one by one.

“Things got pretty messy back then.”

“I did have to prepare myself,” Juho said, appearing unfazed.

“You didn’t know things would play out like this either.”

There was no promise that fans would support Juho’s decision to decline his nomination for the Hugo Award, which meant Juho would have to risk everything he had. Then, when the scandal had broken out a month later, Coin couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Don’t forget to take that with you,” Juho said, looking at the long trophy lying across the table. The trophy reminded the young author that his choice to turn down the nomination hadn’t been such a bad idea after all, especially if it meant their competition ending in a draw.

“Though, it is funny seeing people changing their attitudes.”

After the scandal had broken out, those who had viewed the young author’s choice negatively had started to take on a different view. Shrugging, Juho said, “Well, they learned something they didn’t know. So, that could always happen.”

“You think I don’t know that? If this was about somebody else, then I wouldn’t have felt this way. They just have to involve the press and make things even more complicated than they have to be. It makes them look crafty.”

Juho remembered people’s responses when he had first announced his decision about the nomination. Everyone had been against it, saying:

“The Double Crown is just within your reach!”

“You won against Coin! What is there to be afraid of?”

“Considering the nature of ‘Language of God,’ you’ll have the upper hand, especially when it comes to popularity.”

‘Why would you wanna stop now!?”

Etc.

“I thought this would be your downfall,” Coin said.

Chuckling, Juho replied, “What? Are you sad it didn’t happen?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” Coin said, clicking his tongue irritably as if being genuine.

Picking up his phone, Juho said, “You know what? I have just the thing.”

“What?”

Looking into the screen of Juho’s phone, Coin furrowed his brow.

“What does it say?” he asked.

“It says: ‘Yun Woo is presumptuous.'”

“I don’t see anything wrong with that statement.”

“It also says that I’m a narcissist.”

“A-ha! So, it’s THAT kind of website,” Coin said. He was also acquainted with the website, which had turned up after Juho had declined his nomination. It had been the perfect opportunity for those who weren’t fond of the young author.

“It turns out that they decided to take a different approach. Before, they would accuse me of hiring a ghostwriter.”

“Well, ain’t that something?” Coin asked. Then, staring into the young author’s phone, Coin started fumbling with it.

Meanwhile, Juho resumed his meal, remembering the recent phone call with Nam Kyung:

“Hello?”

Nam Kyung had checked in with the young author in his usual tone of voice when Juho had answered the phone that day. After making small talk for a little while, the editor brought up a subject that he had been meaning to mention.

“Have you been on the internet lately?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Oh, nevermind, then. Don’t look up your name either,” Nam Kyung said.

But, Juho replied, “I’ve already seen it.”

That had been when the editor had lost control of himself. Nam Kyung had been expecting the worst.

“I’m OK, really. I’ve been through worse.”

“You’re gonna be swimming in a sea of manuscript paper, aren’t you?”

“That was ages ago!”

Nam Kyung had been referring to when Juho had read Hyun Do’s book, which was quite different from Juho’s. However, Nam Kyung had been quite emphatic.

As Coin stared into the screen of the young author’s phone, Juho said, “You wanna go for a walk? I know a good trail. We won’t have to worry about running into anybody.”

At that, Coin looked up at Juho. The hamburger was long gone. Chugging what was left of the coffee, Coin rose from his seat.

—

“Yun Woo made a poor choice,” Coin said, reading a text out loud.

In that clear, peaceful day, there was a cicada buzzing under a tree in the distance. Imagining Coin wearing sunglasses, Juho looked toward him, who was holding a phone in his hand with a spiteful look about him.

“Yun Woo is presumptuous and of questionable character. A self-absorbed genius. His confidence comes from the wealth he raked up in the early days of his career.”

“What are you reading?” Juho asked Coin, who was undoing Nam Kyung’s desperate effort to keep the young author from seeing the malicious posts about him online even further.

“I’m reading a crap post, that’s what I’m reading.”

Juho stared at a stray dog in front of him lingering around the riverbank. Aside from Juho, Coin, and the stray dog, there was no one else around the Han River.

“You’ll find even more of them later,” Coin said.

“Crap post, huh?”

“That’s right.”

“Why?”

Pulling his sunglasses down slightly, Coin said, “You’ve been too clean.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” Juho asked, locking eyes with Coin.

“You’ve always been flawless. To a fault, really. Though nowhere near the level I am, you are pretty successful. You are special and unique. But, just like for every celebrity out there, there are bound to be haters. You turning down your nomination gave those people a reason to be open about their hatred toward you.”

There had been countless people who had wanted for Coin and Yun Woo to compete. Needless to say, the young author’s decision had to be disappointing to them, to say the least. Looking down, Juho saw a spot on his white shirt. He had no clue of what it was or from where it had come. All he knew was that he wouldn’t have noticed it if he had been wearing a black shirt.

“That’s just how it is. Nobody gives a crap when an ex-con guts somebody alive. However, make that a seven-year-old child, and the world flips upside-down all of a sudden.”

“That’s a little too intense for an analogy, don’t you think?” Juho said. Then, looking at the stray dog shaking something off, he asked Coin quietly, “Do you think I could’ve let myself go a little bit?”

“Do you cover yourself in shit just so you can avoid getting any on you?”

“Well, if you wanna hide a tree, there’s no place better than a forest.”

“You must be having trouble distinguishing a garbage dump from a forest.”

Juho shrugged without saying anything. Coin was very well aware that Juho hadn’t meant what he had said. Then, after sniffing the ground, the dog looked around and hid behind a tree.”

“Did that dog just…”

“It appears so.”

Clicking his tongue irritably and shoving his phone back in his pocket, Coin said, “This place is full of fecal matter. Let’s head back. It’s getting warm out.”

Juho followed.

—

“Isn’t this infuriating!?” Somang asked the boy who was two years older than her. They were sitting next to each other in a classroom in a community welfare center. Looking away from the book he had been reading, he asked, “What is?”

“This! These people ripping on Yun Woo for no reason!” Somang said. Then, she read the text from her phone out loud.

“‘Yun Woo is presumptuous and of questionable character. A self-absorbed genius, his confidence comes from the wealth he raked up in the early days of his career.’ These people make it sound like they actually met him!”

As the boy chuckled, the book shook ever so slightly.

“Beats me,” he said briefly, and Somang gave him a disgruntled look. Then, after looking around, she said quietly but with apparent excitement, “But we have, am I right?”