Editor’s Survival Guide - Chapter 27

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Editor’s Survival Rules Episode 27

ep6. XIII(3)

“You don’t have a girlfriend, right?”

I don’t.

This question had no context, no consideration.

So I pondered for a while before asking back.

“What did I do wrong?”

“Ah, was that too out of the blue? Haha, it’s not that you did anything wrong…”

It was when Kwon Mu-seop was waving his hands dismissively.

Slam-!

Suddenly the door opened and Kim Woo-in burst in.

“Why are you keeping the patient for so long?”

“We’re almost finished.”

“Not almost, just finish it now. What’s so important about whether he has a girlfriend or not?”

Kim Woo-in immediately retorted to Cha Si-eon’s response.

It seemed he had been listening to everything from outside.

Sensing a patient’s crisis and rushing in – he’s truly a real doctor.

“Get up now. Stop bothering the patient and get out.”

Kim Woo-in walked over sluggishly and smacked Kwon Mu-seop’s shoulder with the back of his hand.

As expected, Section Chief Kwon Mu-seop seems to be everyone’s punching bag too.

“No, I’m not bothering him, I think it might be necessary for Do-un.”

Kwon Mu-seop said while enduring Kim Woo-in’s harsh treatment.

So I had the same question again.

What did I do wrong?

As I fell into contemplation, Kwon Mu-seop asked me.

“Do-un, you said your goal was to survive, right?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the reason?”

“Because I want to live…?”

“That’s a feeling, I mean the reason.”

“I don’t quite understand the point of the question.”

“I’m asking if you have a compelling reason to keep yourself alive.”

Wait, do you really need a reason to preserve your own life?

When I made a puzzled face, Kwon Mu-seop casually added.

“If it doesn’t come to mind immediately, then you don’t have one, and if you don’t have one, it’s good to create one.”

“With a girlfriend?”

“A lover becomes a powerful motivation.”

Nod nod-

Kwon Mu-seop said while even nodding his head.

But I thought it wasn’t a very good approach.

Kim Woo-in seemed to think similarly to me and muttered coldly.

“You should take care of your own body yourself, why look to others for reasons to preserve your body?”

Right, this is correct.

Whether it’s reasons or motivations, it’s something you should handle yourself.

Using innocent people for my own circumstances isn’t proper etiquette.

When Kim Woo-in and I became allies and showed discomfort, Kwon Mu-seop quickly explained.

“Of course it’s best to handle things well on your own. But Do-un already has a colorful track record.”

Track record?

At Kwon Mu-seop’s cryptic words, Kim Woo-in looked at me.

Then he suddenly sided with Section Chief Kwon Mu-seop and started nodding together.

“Some people do need assistance.”

“Right?”

“I was going to give you permission to go out anyway, so once your back heals, go out for a bit.”

“That works out well. Do-un, go get some fresh air.”

“Meet some people too.”

These people, why are they really doing this to me?

Is my romantic status something that even requires a doctor’s intervention?

I couldn’t understand at all, so I looked at Kwon Mu-seop’s hands.

Then Kwon Mu-seop showed his palm and said.

“I don’t have one.”

True to his words, there was no ring on those scar-covered fingers.

Unexpected.

He looked like someone who would marry early and live under his wife’s thumb.

I unconsciously turned my gaze toward Cha Si-eon too.

Then Kwon Mu-seop answered on his own again this time.

“Si-eon doesn’t have one either.”

This is as it should be.

Thinking of some woman’s life and our next generation.

Anyway, not having a girlfriend is the same for everyone here.

“But why only me…”

“We’re people for whom this is everything anyway, but you’re not.”

“Pardon?”

“Besides, Do-un, you’re surprisingly bold too.”

I don’t know what he means.

When I stared blankly at Kwon Mu-seop, he chuckled and elaborated.

“When you handed the ticket to Sol at the railroad station.”

Ah.

“When you took off your mask at the hospital, and during the warehouse-style mart incident too. Honestly, you were bold, weren’t you?”

Kwon Mu-seop listed my history, and I had no choice but to nod.

So this was it, my so-called colorful track record.

“Besides, those weren’t impulsive actions either. They were all conclusions you reached after thinking and judging. Of course, I’m not saying they were wrong. Rather, your decisions themselves are admirable. But if you ask whether they align with your goal, well, in my opinion, not at all.”

I had to acknowledge this too.

Because it wasn’t wrong at all.

“Of course your goal to survive is sincere. And in normal situations, you wouldn’t need to attach reasons to it. Survival is a natural instinct.”

When I agreed with silence, Kwon Mu-seop continued.

“But your current situation is special, and you’ve already made choices contrary to instinct several times. So I’d like you to have a brake. A reason that would make you hesitate before you give up your ticket or take off your mask.”

Yes, I had similar thoughts too.

Right after I handed the ticket to Lee Sol.

If I had family, I wouldn’t have given my ticket to some kid I barely knew.

But still, even so.

“So you’re telling me to get a girlfriend?”

“It doesn’t have to be a girlfriend.”

“I’d hate a boyfriend even more…”

“No, I meant it doesn’t have to be a romantic partner… Hmm, as expected, like someone who made books, you have open-minded thoughts…”

Kwon Mu-seop muttered as if flustered.

Then he collected himself and spoke again.

“Anyway, whether it’s a person or an object, anything is fine, so try creating one. A reason why you absolutely must keep yourself alive.”

* * *

A week later.

When my body had mostly healed, I really did go out.

Section Chief Kwon Mu-seop, who came out to see me off on my first outing, nodded meaningfully toward me.

But even with that kind of pressure.

The place I was going on my outing was the publishing company.

My former workplace, where I still hadn’t packed my things after expressing my intention to resign over the phone.

“Assistant Manager Seo! I heard the news, how are you doing?”

“Assistant Manager Seo, how have you been? Are you feeling alright?”

The company people rushed over to see me, appearing for the first time in a whole 3 weeks.

But….

“Oh, you brought your cousin along too?”

“Nice to meet you, cousin!”

But why were my former workplace colleagues welcoming Kwak Jae-gyeom, who came with me, so warmly?

“Hello! You’ve all been well, right?”

And why was Kwak Jae-gyeom so energetic, like he was visiting relatives…?

Even the editor-in-chief patted Kwak Jae-gyeom’s shoulder and said.

“I didn’t know Assistant Manager Seo had such a handsome cousin. If you have a younger brother like this, you should have bragged about him earlier.”

“Hey, how can you say you didn’t know? Looking at my hyung, of course I’d be handsome.”

“Haha, this guy speaks well too.”

What?

What the hell is this unnecessary harmonious atmosphere?

And Kwak Jae-gyeom, you should at least wet your lips before lying.

Forget fourth cousins, even going beyond sixteenth cousins, there’s no Kwak family in my family tree.

As I was confused by the scene before me, the supervisor next to me whispered.

“Oh, did you not hear about it?”

“About what?”

“Last month, the company computers got hit with ransomware and it was chaos. But your cousin came with your documents and completely solved the ransomware encryption.”

“…?”

No, I know Kwak Jae-gyeom came to the company in my place.

Because I had to submit various documents to the company for resignation processing.

But ransomware on the company PCs?

And Kwak Jae-gyeom solved it?

…That ransomware wasn’t spread by those Management Bureau guys, was it?

The situation was quite coincidental, but anyway, through that incident, Kwak Jae-gyeom had become something like a hero, savior, and IT god of our publishing company without my knowledge.

Up to this point, it’s fine.

“But Assistant Manager Seo, we heard. You’re completely a young master, right?”

“Really. Wow, you’ve been cosplaying as a commoner all this time….”

“Hey, it’s not cosplaying. Living alone after turning your back on your family couldn’t have been easy.”

“That’s true. Your cousin was very worried about you, Assistant Manager Seo. It would be good if you go back home and live well this time. Don’t forget us….”

“Right, Assistant Manager Seo’s illness should be seen by your family’s personal doctor. Go home and get proper treatment. Don’t ever forget us….”

“….”

What the hell did you do….

I stared at Kwak Jae-gyeom with my mouth shut.

But Kwak Jae-gyeom absolutely wouldn’t look at me.

Just like that team leader bastard did before, he was desperately avoiding my gaze.

* * *

Anyway, we left the company with smiling faces.

And when we got in the car and closed the door, Kwak Jae-gyeom spoke first, seriously.

“Please give me a chance to explain, hyung.”

“Go ahead.”

“It was a battle between spear and shield.”

Kwak Jae-gyeom gripped the steering wheel and started talking.

“When I came before, suddenly your boss said he’d process a leave of absence for you.”

“So?”

“I couldn’t just refuse outright, so I said hyung had an incurable disease that required long-term treatment.”

“…And then?”

“The boss said it might be a misdiagnosis and offered to introduce a doctor he knew. So I said we’d already been to several big hospitals.”

“Then.”

“He fact-checked how we could have already gotten treatment when big hospital appointments aren’t easy to get, so I blurted out that our grandfather was actually a quasi-chaebol level entrepreneur… and somehow a situation was created where your family was estranged from grandfather… leading to a dramatic family reconciliation due to your critical condition….”

“Hah….”

“I’m sorry, hyung. I thought I should stop in the middle too, but stopping ambiguously seemed like it would make things worse….”

Right, I understand your efforts were admirable.

I also understand that you thoroughly destroyed the place I could return to.

Did you really have to go this far…?

As I sighed deeply, Kwak Jae-gyeom said cautiously.

“Um, do you have any thoughts of rejoining here later?”

“Our industry is small….”

“Ah. Um, then just say your cousin is sick! That he has some delusions. The company people all seemed nice, they might understand this much…?”

At Kwak Jae-gyeom’s pathetic suggestion, I sighed again.

Then I said to the guy who was still watching my reaction and hadn’t even started the car yet.

“Forget it, just drive.”

“Where should we go?”

“Our house.”

“What about after that?”

“Pack up and go back to the Management Bureau.”

“Really? No one else to meet?”

“No.”

“Really no one? The section chief told me to let you have enough fun?”

“…What am I, a dog on a walk?”

When I said I’d just go back, Kwak Jae-gyeom started glancing at me and whining.

We can’t go like this.

The section chief gave me a task.

I don’t want to go back yet either.

…That’s what his eyes seemed to be saying.

From that non-verbal expression, I belatedly realized.

This guy was taking himself for a walk, not me.

But I really have nowhere to stop by.

Besides, wandering around for a few more hours wouldn’t solve the assignment Section Chief Kwon Mu-seop gave me.

He told me to create ‘a reason why I must save myself.’

I agree with the necessity of that request too.

I’ve actually been thinking about it for the past week.

So what’s the conclusion?

I haven’t made one yet.

Honestly, I wonder if I really need to….

Buzz-

“Hyung, something seems to be coming?”

What?

I unconsciously checked my phone.

“Is it an ad or a personal message?”

Kwak Jae-gyeom asked with an expectant voice.

…I don’t particularly want to fulfill this guy’s expectations.

Unfortunately, what just came wasn’t an advertising text.

-Author Nabbit

It was a private message I couldn’t bring myself to ignore.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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