Change Your Life with the USB from the Future!

Episode 164: The Jewel Merchant (3)

A semi-basement studio with no light coming in. In that deep and dark place where only cats who have come into the alley to escape the rain sometimes pay attention.

Tick ​​Tack Tack Tack-

Muldiman There was a man who had a dream and was constantly tapping the keyboard.

His name is Joo-Yong Kim.

A 27-year-old convenience store night-time student who has been living in a semi-basement room for a year already. He is a screenwriter from the Department of Film and Video at a four-year university in Seoul.

what the last two years.

[2020 Hansung Ilbo New Year's Literature Scenario]

[The 2nd Dexter Studio Scenario Contest]

[The 7th Charles Creative Contest]

.

.

In the contest called the contest, all of them were rejected, so the word 'aspirant' was added after the word 'writer'.

"Phew… .”

Kim Joo-yong sighed.

After the part-time job was over, I was tapping the keyboard non-stop for 5 hours, but every word I wrote.

‘Is this garbage?’

‘Ha, your breathing is not right.’

'Damn it. I have to change everything.’

He didn't like it.

Because of this, he honed the writing he had written with the heart of a potter breaking pottery, and devoted himself to each sentence.

Tick ​​Tack Tack Tack-

It was a tiring job, but it was a job that I couldn't give up. For him, a movie with his 'name' in it someday. Because I had a dream of making a scenario that will stick in people's minds.

However.

rumbling-

The dream was far away, and the reality was awfully near.

“Ugh.”

A throbbing sensation in the stomach. Kim Joo-yong hurriedly bent his back due to the sudden hunger.

He knew from experience that the more he bent, the less hunger he was.

But.

Knuckle- Knuckle- Knuckle-

Today, his stomach demanded something from him quite fiercely.

Well, since last night until now, the only thing I had in my stomach was a convenience store sandwich the size of my palm, so it was understandable that my stomach was screaming like crazy.

The sandwich I ate at that time was not only a meal, but also a snack, which was very modest.

When he had no choice but to lift his hand from the keyboard, Kim Joo-yong got up and went to the refrigerator.

There might be some food left in the refrigerator, so I thought I'd put out a quick fire with that.

‘Yeah, I just have to hold on until I get home from work.’

But.

"what's this… Do you only have this?”

Contrary to his expectations that something would remain...

'You must have bought eggs last time, didn't you? Have you eaten it all already?’

The only thing left in the refrigerator was a bottle of sparkling water and a pickle that a customer once gave me as a 1+1.

For a moment, he panicked and opened the door of the cupboard next to the refrigerator.

“… … .”

All I see is a few instant coffee sticks. There was not a single can of tuna or a bag of ramen left in the cupboard.

Kim Joo-yong shook his head with a disappointed expression. It was because he remembered that it had been a long time since he had been shopping since most of his meals had been made up of discarded convenience stores.

"how will we do it… .”

He started to worry. He hadn't finished writing today's manuscript yet, so he would have written the manuscript while he was hungry.

rumbling-

I was really, really hungry today.

In the current state, even Strindberg, Chekhov, and Brechtra in the world would shake their heads saying that there was no way.

because he‘Hey, I should buy some ramen.’

I got up from my seat with the intention of going shopping after a long time. Fortunately, there was a huge amount of 30,000 won left in his account.

But.

The moment he was about to pay for a bag of ramen at the supermarket in front of his house.

“Bachelor, doesn’t this scratch your card?”

"Yes? Can't it be?"

"no. I've been scratching this over and over and it doesn't scratch. Check it out.”

Embarrassed by the aunt's eyes looking at him as if pathetic, he looked down at the card with blank eyes.

'Did you check that 30,000 won was in there the day before yesterday? no way?

He checked his bankbook just in case.

OK.

[Deferred transportation card 13,500 won]

[Direct debit KEPCO 5,400 won]

[Direct transfer Samchully city gas 3,400 won]

.

.

[Balance of 350 won]

“… … .”

The money he should have had disappeared somewhere, and only the traces of a lot of 'spreading songs' and the shriveled balance greeted him.

"ha… Damn utility bills.”

It seems that it was a failure that I did not check because the bank text notification fee was a waste. If you had set up text notifications, you would have known at least how much is coming in and going out.

But he did not despair.

‘Yeah, because tomorrow is payday anyway, so you can hold on until tomorrow. one chicken... Even if it's not a franchise, let's buy local chicken.'

Now that there is not much left until payday, if I endure a little longer, I can buy something to eat, even if I am not rich.

But.

Ding Dong-

Why doesn't misfortune come alone?

[boss]

"what? Do you want me to tinker again?”

The moment he checked the text from the boss.

[Jooyong-ah, I'm sorry, but can't I give it to you a week after the paycheck? I'll pay you another 50,000 won later]

His hopes were shattered.

Kim Joo-yong, who checked the president's text message, looked down at the phone with a hardened face.

“What kind of bullshit is this… .”

Of course, at other times, while swearing inwardly, I would say that I know for now. I couldn't do that today.

‘If it continues like this, I will die of starvation.’

In fact, modern cities are like huge deserts. He had to fight for survival as he couldn't even taste a sip of water or a slice of bread in it unless he had money.

"I… You don't think it's the boss?"

So he immediately called and turned down the boss's offer.

of course.

[okay? But I guess it can't be helped? I really want to give it to you, but I don't have the money.]

It was an unavoidable resistance.

Apparently, the boss was going to reject his refusal.

In an instant, Joo-Yong Kim felt a deep anger rising up. However, as long as the strength and weakness were clear, he could not reveal his inner feelings.

“Sir, I don’t have a penny in my real bank account. Please take a look.”

So all he could do was explain the situation in the softest tone possible.

‘If he were a man, he would give up.’

But in a capitalist society, compassion was only a luxury.

[That's why you save some money. Anyway, I'll add 30,000 won to 50,000 won and add 80,000 won, so please take a look this time, okay?]

On the contrary, the boss called the conti and gave him life advice.

Moment.

“Oh, boss, I really don’t… .”

Kim Joo-yong felt tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

It was because she couldn't stand the heat rising in her chest as soon as she heard the boss's words.

But before he could let the heat out.

[Yes, thank you. After all, there is only you. Don't be late for the part-time job today, come and hang up.]

drip-

The boss hung up the phone without asking or questioning.

And that moment.

“Boss, boss, you bastard!”

Kim Joo-yong's patience ran out.

Let's curse the boss for such a long time.

rumbling-

My stomach started crying louder than ever. But there was nothing to soothe the stomach. He couldn't buy a piece of gum with the 350 won he had left.

Moment.

“Hey, are you going to give up on everything?”

He was gripped by a deep sense of defeat.

A life that came out despite the opposition of his mother and father. He rejected the normal life and lived the life he chose.

But he couldn't see the way and the situation was only getting worse.

‘Yeah, if you haven’t done it in two years, you don’t have talent in the first place. Let’s stop at this point and prepare for the civil service exam.’

So when he was reflecting on the time of the past two years and regretting it.

Ding Dong-

Another message has arrived.

Taking a deep breath, Kim Joo-yong checked his cell phone with a helpless gesture.

OK.

[02-3233-XXXX]

An unfamiliar number caught his eye.

'what? Is it spam?'

If it's spam, I'm sick of it. It felt like his cell phone was going to explode with dozens of loan texts, card opening texts, and insurance-related text messages every day.

Because he was just about to erase the text.

[Hello. Artist Jooyong Kim, we are the Hermit Crab Art Center… ]

The word ‘author’ caught my eye.

'Writer'

A title that he has not wanted for the past two years. But the more I tried to get closer, the more distant the words. And now it was a name I was about to give up.

'under… Would you like one click?’

Kim Joo-yong clicked the text message just in case.

OK.

[…] Our Hermit Crab Art Center welcomes artists with outstanding qualities such as Kim Joo-yong. If you are interested, feel free to contact me at this number!]

A message to invite him.

‘A pleasant writing environment.’

‘A nutritious meal.’

‘Care by professionals’

‘Creative Support’

.

.

If he accepted this invitation, the benefits that the Hermit Crab Art Center would offer him caught my eye.

Moment.

gulp-

His neck was shaken violently.

‘Is this enough for me to go?’

The word ‘public official exam’ that had been floating around in his head was erased in an instant.

‘As long as the environment is supported, I can climb the ladder too!’

The moment when he was so captivated by the text message that he was about to press the call button.

‘Hey, did you hear that?’'what?'

Something suddenly flashed through his mind.

That's right.

‘I mean, writers are disappearing these days.’

'Is this the first time I've heard of it? Writers going missing?’

‘Oh, not only well-known writers, but only unknown writers or aspiring writers. So be careful, man. Because you too are aspiring writers.’

It was a story about the disappearance of a writer that I heard from a friend.

‘Hey, say something that makes sense. Where in today's world is there such a thing? Those are all ghost stories.”

‘I really don’t know that humans are scary in the world. Anyway, all the missing people got a text message and then packed their bags and left, so you should know that too. Don't be fooled by fishing.'

At the time, I thought it was nonsense... … .

Kim Joo-yong looked at his phone.

Once he began to doubt, he felt suspicious of everything that seemed so insignificant.

'no wonder… It just doesn't make sense to give me this kind of resource. I almost would have been dragged without even knowing it was fishing.’

He smiled bitterly and moved his hand to erase the text.

But then.

rumbling-

His stomach grabbed his hand.

Moment.

“You get fished, but you die of starvation like this, so it’s no big deal.”

A flame began to bloom in his chest.

‘Because there is no guarantee that the text message is 100% fraudulent.’

Having made his decision, he pressed the call button without hesitation.

Then soon.

"Yes! Hermit crab... No, my name is Erin Lee from the Hermit Crab Art Center! Writer Kim Joo-yong, right?”

After the rain came from over the receiver, a voice as fresh as a leaf of grass was heard.

But to him, the voice of the caller didn't matter at all. It wasn't.

The important thing is right.

“Everything in the text. Is it true?”

Because these were the benefits that could be given to him.

However?

"I'm sorry… .”

Aren't the voices over the handset a bit unreliable?

‘Well then… .'

In an instant, the burning heart of Kim Joo-yong cooled down.

But at least he didn't seem like a scam. If he had been a scam, he would have said all the benefits he texted were true.

'It doesn't matter as long as I can fill my stomach... .'

So he opened his mouth slowly, leaving his disappointment behind.

“Then what are the benefits?”

"Yes? What do you mean?”

“No, he said that not all of the benefits sent by text message are provided… .”

"Yes?"

"is not it?"

“Yes, of course! The benefits in the text message we sent are actually only basic benefits among the benefits we provide.”

Kim Joo-yong's expression hardened at the unexpected answer.

'that is… Basic things?’

He couldn't believe it. Even the benefits written in the text were enormous.

“… … .”

Kim Joo-yong looked around him without saying a word.

Then it was the space he had been living in for the past two years. The view of the shady studio room without a single light caught his eye.

‘I’m tired of it now.’

In an instant, he opened his mouth with a determined expression.

“Let’s go right now.”

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