The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel-Chapter 228: Normal Operations - 7

There are moments when you feel like you've just been smacked in the back of the head by an unexpected truth—and can’t think straight.

Right now, that was exactly what Im Ha-yeon was experiencing.

“Kang Yun-ho, the manager, likes me?”

What the hell was this supposed to mean?

That vile merchant. The bookstore owner draining the blood of Storm of the Tang Clan fans with predatory marketing. The same bastard squeezing every drop of work out of the writer Ho-pil. Just thinking about him made her grind her teeth. And now they were saying Kang Yun-ho liked her?

Im Ha-yeon was so shocked her mouth hung open.

“Unni, you seriously didn’t know?”

“Didn’t know what?”

“Manager Kang Yun-ho sometimes stares at you real intently.”

Because he was afraid she might pull another stunt like joining the Main Wife War. That’s why Kang Yun-ho always kept an eye on her.

“It’s normal for a manager to monitor the staff.”

“Come on. Even during meals? Just now, too—he was totally staring at you. He looked like he had something important to say but was holding back.”

Like he was holding back a confession or something. Ha So-so flashed a flirty little smile like some kind of love guru.

In truth, Kang Yun-ho had just been debating whether or not to promote Im Ha-yeon into management.

“He probably had business to discuss.”

“And he keeps a distance from the others, but with you... it kinda feels like he’s being friendly.”

That one hit the mark.

“T-That’s... there’s another reason for that.”

Im Ha-yeon shrank her neck slightly, looking a bit guilty.

Because she was his sworn younger sister. He had done her more than a few favors. Im Ha-yeon had kept her cold attitude toward him, but she had no intention of criticizing a man who kept offering help.

“What reason?”

“It’s... hard to explain.”

She’d been selected as a staff member thanks to the fair evaluation by the literary society, sure—but if that man hadn’t helped with the application process, she wouldn’t have made it this far.

Im Ha-yeon couldn’t bring herself to be honest about her relationship with Kang Yun-ho. She looked down, avoiding the question.

Ha So-so must be mistaken. How could that man possibly like her? She rejected his help every time. She always spoke to him bluntly.

“Unni. Have you seriously never dated a guy before?”

“W-Why would you ask that?”

Bullseye.

The gisaeng house was basically a girls-only school. Like the path of all-boys middle school, all-boys high school, then engineering college. Im Ha-yeon had studied there as an apprentice gisaeng, a place where men weren’t allowed.

She trained for years to become an official gisaeng, and was even a candidate for the top spot—but in the end, she bolted. A runaway gisaeng.

The pride of the Usan gisaeng house. That was who Im Ha-yeon used to be.

Ha So-so, realizing her hunch was spot-on, clapped her hands quietly and grinned.

“Wow! So it’s true! Unni, I’m telling you, it’s obvious from the way the manager acts. He’s definitely fallen for you!”

Definitely. Ha So-so said it with full confidence.

“Even if that’s true, I’m not interested. That man is a crooked merchant.”

Im Ha-yeon responded with a pout and a grumpy tone.

“Huh? Crooked? You mean Manager Kang?”

Ha So-so tilted her head like she couldn’t believe what she just heard.

“Exactly. Everyone knows he’s infamous in Yichang for his ruthless business tactics.”

“Come on! Unni, you’ve clearly never seen a real crooked merchant. Manager Kang helps struggling writers with the money he earns, buys us lunch, even provides uniforms. Who else in Yichang—or even all of Hubei—does that? He’s just a competent merchant, that’s all.”

“That may be true... but still, this outfit is obviously a marketing ploy.”

Faced with such overwhelming logic, Im Ha-yeon weakly countered by fiddling with her qipao.

“So what if it is? Name one other manager who dresses their employees in silk! I mean it—my dream was to wear silk even just once, like for a wedding!”

Im Ha-yeon looked at Ha So-so’s happy smile as she stroked her qipao—and couldn’t say anything.

Was Kang Yun-ho really a crooked merchant?

Not long ago, she would’ve nodded without hesitation. But now... she couldn’t do that so easily.

What happened at Usan Harbor. How he helped her at the Yichang literary event. His efforts to support poor writers.

If he were truly a crooked merchant, he never would’ve done those things.

“...He’s a good man, just... maybe a good crooked merchant.”

She couldn’t completely deny it—not when poor Ho-pil was still being squeezed dry. And the fact that she was his sworn sister too.

Kang Yun-ho was a good man... but still a crooked merchant.

That was as far as Im Ha-yeon was willing to concede.

“Unni, you’re beautiful, so you can afford to play hard to get—but if you keep pushing him away, you might kick a blessing to the curb.”

“What blessing?”

“Manager Kang, of course! He’s at the perfect age for marriage. He manages the most successful bookstore on the biggest street in Yichang. Sure, being a black-haired orphan is a huge strike against him, but even with that, I bet there’s a line of marriage prospects!”

Marriages happened between families of similar standing. And being a black-haired barbarian and an orphan did count against him.

But that kind of disqualification only mattered to prestigious or well-off households. Even with his background, there’d definitely be demand for someone like him.

“Love isn’t about status. If you only love someone for their money, that’s not real love.”

Book-lover and gisaeng who’d never been in love—Im Ha-yeon replied sharply, not hiding her disdain.

Money isn’t everything. What, gisaengs are just supposed to fall in love with any rich client? No. Even if she was a gisaeng, the person she gave her heart to had to be different.

Someone like... someone like Tang Jeong from Storm of the Tang Clan...

“Unni. You really have never dated a guy, have you?”

Im Ha-yeon’s train of thought crashed into Ha So-so’s interruption.

“Ugh.”

She couldn’t deny it.

“And think about it—if a beauty like you dated Manager Kang, all those creeps tossing pick-up lines would back off real fast.”

“It’s just your imagination. There’s no way he likes me.”

She’d read enough romance novels to know how a man in love acts. She tried recalling how Kang Yun-ho usually behaved. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

“Agh, come on! Just think about it. Try imagining that he does like you.”

Could he really like her? Im Ha-yeon thought back on her interactions with Kang Yun-ho.

Was it really just because she was his sworn sister? If that were the case, shouldn’t he have stopped helping her when she rejected him?

Could the reason he kept helping her be because...

‘No way. Could he actually...?’

Ha So-so immediately noticed the change in her expression.

“See? You’ve got a hunch, don’t you?”

“T-That’s ridiculous.”

“Unni, just once—talk to him about what’s been bothering you. Who knows? He might listen. It might go well.”

I told you—it’s a misunderstanding. What do you mean ‘go well’? Im Ha-yeon couldn’t bring herself to respond.

Storm of the Tang Clan, Volume 3.

Maybe he didn’t actually like her. But... if she said she wanted to read Volume 3, wouldn’t he show it to her?

Maybe she didn’t have to steal it after all.

“I-I’ll think about it.”

The temptation of Volume 3 was just too strong for Im Ha-yeon.

*******

I got hungry.

Times like these, I really wish I were a freelancer who could just order premium cuts of meat, polish it all off with a pot of oolong tea, and drop over a hundred thousand won on a single meal without blinking.

But reality? I’ve got debts to pay again this month, vendor invoices to settle, and staff to take care of. I’m a small business owner.

So, after wrapping up a task, I grabbed a quick, cost-efficient late lunch.

“I’m telling you, it’s not like that.”

“It is like that, unni. So if it works out, please put in a good word for me with the next group of applicants!”

Familiar voices caught my ear. I turned and saw two women walking by, drawing stares thanks to their eye-catching outfits.

“Miss Ha-yeon?”

Heading home after lunch, huh? I’d already eaten after running one last errand.

“Ugh! What are you doing here?”

The moment Im Ha-yeon spotted me, she raised one hand and tried to cover her startled expression.

Come on, isn’t it about time she stopped acting like she couldn’t stand the sight of my face?

“Manager! I’m here too!”

Ha So-so waved cheerfully, her voice full of energy.

“Miss So-so.”

“Manager, do you only see Ha-yeon unni from a distance or something?”

She looked up at me with mock hurt in her voice.

“Haha, I just called out to whoever I saw first.”

“But you only called Ha-yeon unni by name.”

What was I supposed to say—“Miss So-so”? That sounds weird. Right, Im Ha-yeon?

What’s with her? Im Ha-yeon was trembling slightly, looking like she’d done something wrong.

“Miss Ha-yeon?”

“Unni, I told you I was right, didn’t I?”

Right about what? Ha So-so jabbed Ha-yeon in the side with her elbow, then looked at me with a smug grin.

“I’m telling you, it’s not true.”

“Miss Ha-yeon, I’ve got to stop by a few more places, so take this for dinner. You said you were sick of kimchi dumplings last time, so today it’s inari sushi.”

The kind of food that instantly makes you a superstar when everyone else only brings kimbap on a picnic. I held out the inari sushi—still tasty even cold—for Im Ha-yeon.

Or at least, I tried to—until Ha So-so piped up in surprise.

“Manager Kang gives Ha-yeon unni dinner, too?”

Damn. I hadn’t thought that through. I always gave her dinner without the other staff knowing.

“Aha. I provide food separately for staff who aren’t in a position to get dinner themselves.”

“And that staff member just happens to be Ha-yeon unni, huh?”

This is exactly why I hate sharp little brats.

“Haha. It might look like favoritism, so please keep it between us.”

I shrugged like it was no big deal and gave her a sly grin.

“Oh, I see. Hehehe.”

Apparently Ha So-so didn’t think it was no big deal. Still grinning, she looked between me and Im Ha-yeon.

Looks like she got the wrong idea.

“It’s not like that!”

Im Ha-yeon, catching on, rushed to deny it—but it was already too late.

“Manager, don’t worry. I won’t spread rumors. And unni, I guess I shouldn’t have said anything, huh?”

“I. Said. It’s. Not!”

Im Ha-yeon snapped, trying to correct the misunderstanding.

That tone of hers... way too familiar.

— “Hey, there goes your boyfriend.”

— “Yeah, your boyfriend.”

— “Screw you.”

Why the hell are you two fighting over who my girlfriend is? I’d like some input too, thanks. I have eyes, you know. You’re both disqualified.

“Miss Ha-yeon. Take it.”

Hey, don’t leave me hanging. I’m not getting dragged down alone. I offered her the inari sushi again.

“I-I don’t need it!”

Damn, she’s fast. She looked at the inari sushi like it was a live bomb, then made a face and bolted.

Too late now. She should’ve just taken it. That sushi’s good.

“Manager Kang! You got this! I’m cheering for you!”

Cheering for what, exactly?

-------------

Kang Yun-ho locks up with military precision.

It had been a long, exhausting day. After closing up Daseogak and checking all the security devices, I was about to head up to my room.

Until I heard someone muttering.

“Where is it? Seriously, why didn’t I put it where I normally do?”

From one corner of the second floor. An annoyed voice. What the hell? Everyone else already went home.

Could it be... a thief?

I knew this day would come. I grabbed a throwing knife from inside my coat.

Screw it. Let’s catch a thief, earn some local hero points, maybe even get an award from Yichang for public safety. Fame boost, here I come.

I crept toward the voice, silent.

Who was it? What bastard was it? But as I got closer, the silhouette looked awfully familiar.

“Miss Ha-yeon. What exactly are you doing here?”

The "thief" was Im Ha-yeon.

So this is how it ends. You’re really pulling a stunt after all. Here to swipe Storm of the Tang Clan, huh?

Hey, no matter how much I cover for you, I can’t let you cross the line.

When our eyes met, she muttered in defeat, her face drained of color.

“I... I just... I forgot to take my dinner...”

As I stepped closer, I saw the display case drawers open. It was the place I usually left her food when I was leaving for the day.

“Aha.”

So that’s what it was. If she were here to swipe Storm of the Tang Clan, she’d have gone for the printing room, not the second-floor displays.

“You didn’t tell me where you put it.”

You ran off before I could tell you. So I ate it.

“The door was locked. How’d you get in?”

“Well, that’s...”

CRASH!

Im Ha-yeon’s reply was cut off by a loud noise that echoed through Daseogak.

“That’s the security alarm! The printing room?! Don’t tell me—it is a real thief?!”

“What?!”

What the hell kind of day is this? I took off toward the printing room with Im Ha-yeon close behind.

------

We reached the printing room—only to see what should not have been there.

“Agh! A throwing knife?!”

“This place has security systems?! No wonder it was so hard to get in!”

“Hurry up and find Storm of the Tang Clan!”

“Thieves!”

With just one word, Im Ha-yeon took down a thief in seconds using grappling techniques.

Kicking in a qipao? Bold move. Her pale leg gleamed in the moonlight—damn, that was something.

“Run for it!”

There were three of them. One got knocked out cold, and the other two jumped back out the window they’d come through.

“Did those bastards steal Storm of the Tang Clan?!”

“The door to the printing room’s open.”

“I held back! And these idiots dared to mess with our security system?! They tried to steal Storm of the Tang Clan?! I WON’T FORGIVE THEM!”

“Hey—Miss Ha-yeon. Calm down.”

She looks like she’s about to kill someone.

“Calm down?! I’m going after them! Just wait there!”

Wait, what?! Before I could stop her, she bolted—showing off her footwork like the real Shadowless Phantom Thief.