That day unfolded exactly as they had planned.
Yoon began making calls early, one by one, reaching out to every name on the candidate list. When Min-woo's phone rang, he almost didn't believe it at first. Seeing the name of a major publishing company—the one he had dreamed about for years—made his breath catch in his throat.
When Yoon explained the opportunity, Min-woo's heart raced.
He was genuinely happy—no, thrilled—at the thought of working with such a huge publishing company for his upcoming webtoon. It felt unreal, like something that only happened to other people. People with degrees. People with connections. People who hadn't had their lives derailed so early.
During the call, Yoon asked calmly, professionally,
"Do you already have scripts prepared for your next webtoon?"
Min-woo hesitated, then answered honestly.
"No. Not yet."
He explained that he was still in the final stages of completing his current webtoon, and once it ended, his contract would also come to a close. He hadn't wanted to rush into the next project without fully finishing what he'd started.
Yoon didn't sound disappointed at all.
"That's fine," he said easily. "Why don't you come to our office with a few synopses—just ideas. We'll sit down, discuss them, and see if something clicks."
Min-woo nearly dropped his phone.
This wasn't a rejection.
This wasn't a brush-off.
This was a chance.
After the call ended, Min-woo stood still for a long moment, his phone still pressed to his ear, his mind struggling to catch up with what had just happened. A slow smile spread across his face—small at first, then wider, brighter, until his eyes shone.
He was delighted.
For someone like him, this kind of opportunity didn't come easily.
Min-woo hadn't even graduated high school. After the incident, after the humiliation and fear, continuing his education had felt impossible. Finding work had been hard. Convincing people to take him seriously had been harder. He had started from scratch, teaching himself, drawing late into the night, posting anonymously, failing quietly over and over again.
And now—
Now his dream publishing company had called him.
A place where people graduated from major universities in Korea and abroad. Where editors spoke in polished language and carried themselves with confidence. Where he had once believed he would never belong.
The contrast made his chest ache with emotion.
I have to get selected, he told himself firmly.
No matter what.
Min-woo wasn't well-off. Money had always been something he had to think about carefully. His recent webtoon gaining popularity had finally allowed him to breathe a little—enough to save, enough to plan. With that income, he had bought a car, something he needed more than he wanted.
But his apartment was still far from Seoul. The commute was long and exhausting, eating away hours of his day. As he prepared his synopses late into the night, he caught himself thinking—
If I land a good job… maybe I can move closer.
Maybe I won't have to spend so much time traveling anymore.
Maybe life can get a little easier.
The thought alone filled him with quiet determination.
On the day of the interview, Min-woo woke up early.
The sky was still pale when he left his apartment. He dressed carefully, choosing a crisp white shirt and beige pants, clean and simple. Nothing flashy. Nothing forced. Just neat, confident, professional.
He looked at himself in the mirror once before leaving.
He looked… good.
Handsome, even.
As he locked his door and headed toward his car, nerves fluttered in his stomach—but beneath them was something stronger.
Hope.
And Min-woo drove toward Seoul, toward his dream, unaware that the past he thought he had left behind was waiting quietly on the other side of that door.
Finally, Min-woo arrived at the publishing office.