Chapter 32: Mastery

Loony tilted his head at the sudden call.

The name of his former subordinate was on the screen.

Mijeong calling me first?

This was a first.

They occasionally talked, but Loony always initiated.

Pausing his work, he picked up the phone.

“Hello?”

-Loony, it’s Mijeong.

“Hey! Mijeong! What’s up?”

-Nothing big, just something about Yongsu.

“Yongsu? Oh, you mean Author Adele Louis.”

Using his real name felt odd since they usually used his pen name.

Why bring up Adele Louis all of a sudden?

“Did something happen to him…?”

-Sigh…

Mijeong’s sigh made Loony’s heart sink.

Glancing around, he hurried to a quiet spot where no one could overhear.

Reaching the rooftop, he resumed the call.

“What happened?”

-He fainted.

“Fainted…? Again?”

-Yeah, again. Sigh…

Her sigh told him the gist.

Mijeong often sighed over work-related issues.

“He fainted because of writing, right?”

-Yes. He was writing like crazy from dawn yesterday.

A chronic issue for inspiration-driven writers.

You never know when inspiration strikes, and controlling it is impossible.

Adele Louis suffered this worse than most—sometimes to a life-threatening degree.

“Hoo…”

Unable to hold back, Loony lit a cigarette.

The rooftop’s cold wind whipped around, but he couldn’t stand the frustration.

Damn it! I was saving these…

Cigarettes in Canada cost two to three times more than in Korea.

Prices varied by region, but they were expensive, so he rationed them.

Yet he couldn’t resist now.

“Was it the work he sent last time?”

-No, I don’t think so.

“Not that?”

This was new.

Adele Louis wasn’t one for multitasking.

He didn’t need to—his works already generated massive revenue.

“What the hell happened…?”

Exhaling smoke, Loony recalled Adele Louis’s works.

Specifically, the ones he poured his all into, enough to faint.

Virus.

His debut, history-making work.

Later, Loony learned Yongsu fainted multiple times while writing it.

Leech.

His third work, Leech.

A satire on human society’s clinging nature, it won the UK’s Booker Prize.

Chameleon.

His ninth work, Chameleon.

Titled after the animal, it depicted humanity’s pitiful need to adapt, earning France’s Goncourt Prize.

Terrarium.

His fourteenth work, Terrarium.

Named for a sealed ecosystem, it showed humans were no different, highly acclaimed for its artistry.

All masterpieces…

These works made Adele Louis a legend and Bear Bookstore’s cornerstone.

Each time he fainted, a world-shaking masterpiece emerged.

-Hey, Loony? You’re not thinking something weird, are you?

Mijeong’s voice jolted him, nearly dropping his cigarette.

“W-Weird thoughts? Come on, Mijeong, I’m just worried as his editor!”

-Really? Feels like you’re excited about a new Adele Louis work.

“Ahem.”

As an editor, he naturally worried about his writer’s health.

Especially Bear Bookstore’s star, a bestselling author.

A golden goose might pause, but it still laid golden eggs.

But…

He couldn’t help the excitement.

Yongsu’s overwhelming talent when inspired stunned the world.

As a fan, not being thrilled would make him a scarecrow.

-Anyway, adjust the meeting schedule. He won’t be out of bed for days.

“Yeah… makes sense.”

The work and meetings mattered, but the writer’s health came first.

Desire for new work could wait.

“Take care, then.”

-Take care? Whatever. You work hard too, Loony.

Click.

The call ended, and Loony stubbed out his cigarette.

A new work…

His heart raced.

He thought Adele Louis had peaked.

But no.

He’s stepping into new territory.

What would this new work bring?

Anticipating the future, Loony returned to the office.

Waking from a nap, the porridge beside me was gone.

The kids must’ve cleared it while I slept.

Damp.

The towel on my forehead was wet.

They must’ve replaced it while I was out.

“Ugh…”

I moved my body slightly.

Unlike the leaden weight earlier, it felt lighter now.

I couldn’t move before, but now I could manage.

No need for medicine.

I wasn’t great, but it wasn’t unbearable.

I slowly sat up.

“Hoo… feeling better.”

In my earlier daze, I hadn’t noticed, but the room was spotless.

Clothes I’d lazily tossed on the floor or bed were neatly organized.

Not the kids’ doing.

Probably Ryan and Mijeong.

I glanced around for my phone.

Not here? In the jacket?

It wasn’t on the desk.

Checking the jacket I wore yesterday, I found it.

Dead battery.

I hadn’t charged it, so it was drained.

Any messages?

I plugged it into the charger.

It wouldn’t turn on immediately, so I left it.

What are the kids up to?

Glancing at the clock, it was already 2 p.m.

I’d slept the longest since moving to Saskatchewan.

-Creak…

I carefully opened the door and stepped out.

In the living room, the kids were gathered.

“Oh, Uncle, you okay?”

“Uncle? Feeling better?”

“Uncle!”

Spotting me, they hurried over.

Jiyu tried to run to me.

“No, Jiyu. Uncle’s still sick.”

“Ugh?”

Hye-yeon held her back.

Jiyu, stopped mid-run, stared at her.

“Uncle’s fine! He’s standing!”

“Jiyu, that doesn’t mean he’s healed. Hidden pain can linger.”

“Ugh…”

Hugging Jiyu, Hye-yeon and Yuri approached me.

“You feeling okay?”

“Yeah, better now. Sorry for worrying you…”

“It’s fine. Glad you’re okay. Want to eat?”

I noticed a small pot in the living room.

“Oh, I’m hungry. I’ll handle it.”

“No, I’ll heat it up.”

“It’s fine. I can manage.”

Writing or strenuous activity was too much, but this was doable.

“What were you doing?”

“Studying.”

“Studying?”

On the table were books—not the ones from home, but the ones I bought after the date.

“Oh, you got them out?”

“Uncle Ryan got them.”

Ryan must’ve used my car keys to fetch them.

“I asked him to,” Yuri said.

She wanted to learn English fast.

Good grades aside, she couldn’t speak fluently.

Feeling limited, she asked Ryan to grab the books.

Hye-yeon must’ve mentioned last night’s talk, and Ryan got them for me.

“Is it okay?”

I’d chosen easier ones, but I wasn’t sure if they’d suit.

“It’s fine for now, but we’ll see.”

“Don’t worry too much. Hearing English or French around will help you pick it up.”

No need to stress.

They were smart kids, and constant exposure would make them fluent in under a year.

“I’ll eat. Keep studying.”

“Enjoy your meal.”

“Oh, did you all eat?”

It was well past lunch.

They nodded.

“Yeah, we ate.”

“Uncle Ryan brought bread and stuff earlier.”

“Jiyu ate it all!”

“Nice.”

Mijeong was used to my episodes, but Ryan wasn’t.

Big as a bear, he must’ve been worried sick.

I’ll call him later.

Deciding to contact him soon, I put the pot on the stove.

Then—

-Beep! Beep! Beep!

An alert sounded from my room.

The phone must’ve powered on after charging.

Who’s that?

Lowering the flame, I went to check.

[@Nicole1512: Author, did you get home safe?]

[@Nicole1512: I’m in Vancouver now!]

[@Nicole1512: Just got home! You?]

[@Nicole1512: The food was so good! I’ll treat next time!]

[@Nicole1512: …Author?]

[@Nicole1512: Did I do something wrong?]

[@Nicole1512: Please reply…]

“Oh…”

I forgot to respond.