YY Special Extra

Special Extra

Special Interview

‘This is the photo you bring me…?’

Somewhere, in a seventh-floor office with a distant view of the Yanghwa Bridge, a photographer had just been told the last thing he wanted to hear from his editor-in-chief.

The editor-in-chief flicked through the images displayed on the tablet screen before lifting his gaze. His eyes locked with those of Choi Jungwoo, the photographer standing before the desk. Choi Jungwoo averted his eyes and replied, ‘…That was the best I could do.’

‘Photographer Choi, what’s the name of our magazine?’

‘Buds of Hope…’

‘Tell me, do you see any buds of hope in this picture? Because all I see are buds of the devil?’

The editor-in-chief turned the tablet around for Choi Jungwoo to see. The image depicted Lee Juwon, the CEO of the hunter service company December, standing next to their top hunter, Kang Inheon.

Unlike Kang Inheon, who wore a bright and refreshing smile, Lee Juwon’s face was cold and stiff, as if he were demonstrating what rigour mortis looked like.

‘…That’s…’

Choi Jungwoo couldn’t help but sigh as he was forced to look at his own work once again. He had known from the moment he snapped the picture that it wasn’t suitable for a children’s magazine, but he really had tried his best.

He had been so determined to capture a picture of their bright smiles, even going so far as to demonstrate one himself. He had even made sure to crack his best jokes, but what could he do about the fact that Lee Juwon’s character bled right through the lens?

‘…But at least Hunter Kang-nim’s photo turned out well, right?’

A meagre attempt at a protest had been made, but in the end, it fell flat.

‘Photographer Choi, how long have you been doing this? Harmony and composition are key—what good is it if only one person looks good?! And more importantly, why aren’t there any photos with the youth press corps? You do know that was supposed to be the main feature, right?’

Choi Jungwoo squeezed his eyes shut, recalling the sight of Lee Juwon taking off without even bothering to take a picture with the youth press corps.

Since the interview with Kang Inheon was the most popular article of the year, Choi Jungwoo ended up getting chewed out by the editor-in-chief for another thirty minutes. After returning to his desk, Choi Jungwoo slumped into his chair, drained and defeated. Then, he impulsively applied for a job as a photojournalist with an overseas medical service corps on the intranet.

He never actually expected to get selected, though…

 

 

 

And so, Choi Jungwoo spent the last two years in a remote area with barely any phone service, let alone access to the internet.

It was winter when he gleefully returned to Korea with a sun-darkened face but a heart purified by his long years away from the secular world.

The moment he stepped back into the head office, however, he was met with a bombshell.

“…Kang Inheon got married?”

“Well, technically, it’s a civil union.”

“And you’re telling me it’s to a man?”

Seo Soojung, the coordinator of the medical foundation’s youth press corps, nodded.

Choi Jungwoo liked to think of himself as a free-spirited photographer and, as such, wasn’t narrow-minded. He thought it was perfectly fine for people of the same sex to get married if they were in love. However…

“With Lee Juwon, of all people? That bastard who’s got nothing going for him except for his face?”

That part was truly shocking. Kang Inheon was the kindest, most thoughtful, and most courteous celebrity he had ever met. That sunshine-like man had decided to… to marry that sinister Lee Juwon of all people?!

Unexpectedly, Seo Soojung jumped to Lee Juwon’s defence.

“He’s not the same CEO Lee from before. After tying the knot, he’s completely changed. The company’s welfare benefits have improved leaps and bounds, he’s made tons of donations, and thanks to his transparent disclosure of information, the death rates from dungeon accidents have…”

“No! Ms. Seo, you’re too naive for this world. It’s all just image marketing. Do you really think that people can change so easily?”

“But he really has gotten nicer…”

“Ha, at least he was honest before. Now he’s even putting on an act?”

“No, he really has changed…”

Seo Soojung’s words barely registered in Choi Jungwoo’s ears. His first task after returning to Korea after two years abroad was…

When Choi Jungwoo let out a deep sigh, Seo Soojung said with a bit of incredulity, “Don’t you know how difficult it is to get an interview with Inhunter-nim? He doesn’t usually do these sorts of things, but he’s going through all this trouble to make time for us. You know, it’s not easy to donate billions every year and be interviewed by the kids.”

“I didn’t even say anything…”

“Oh, and by the way, CEO Lee is out on a business trip, so he won’t be there.”

“Let’s go.”

Well, in that case, there was no need to hesitate, was there? Choi Jungwoo jumped up from his seat, and Seo Soojung followed with a smile on her face.

 

***

 

The first thing to greet the children as they entered the lobby of December’s main headquarters was a large and colourful Christmas tree.

“Wow! It’s huge!”

“It’s even cooler than the one at Dileyland!”

A secretary, who had been waiting at the front, led the press corps up to a meeting room on the second floor. There, a large table awaited them, filled with an assortment of cute little snacks and drinks, perfect for the kids.

Kang Inheon, who was already there, greeted them with his usual refreshing smile. “You’re here.”

The children’s shouts when they saw Kang Inheon were even louder than when they saw the tree. Choi Jungwoo figured it was only natural. Kang Inheon’s smile shimmered as brightly as the star on top of the tree, and when he stood up, his stature was almost comparable to that of the door.

Somehow, he seemed to have gotten even more fit… As Choi Jungwoo marvelled at this, the children swarmed over to Kang Inheon.

“Inhunter-nim!”

The youth press corps, who had become familiar with Kang Inheon from seeing him every year, surrounded him with hugs. The press corps ranged from younger to middle elementary school students, so the children surrounding Kang Inheon varied not only in height but also in the pitch of their voices.

“How have you all been?”

“We missed you so much!”

“I missed you too. You’ve all grown so much since I last saw you.”

“Inhunter-nim, you’ve grown taller too!”

“Huh? But I’m already long past my growth period…?”

“Then you’ve just gotten cooler!”

Last year, Kang Inheon was stuck in New York for the entire New Year due to the worsening weather conditions, so their interview had to be held online. Perhaps that was why they seemed even happier to see each other now.

The warm and friendly atmosphere brought an involuntary smile to Choi Jungwoo’s face. However, that smile quickly faded.

Creak-.

The large chair at the head of the conference table, which had been facing away, creaked as it turned around. Everyone’s attention shifted towards it.

“Gasp…!” Choi Jungwoo inhaled sharply. There, sitting cross-legged with his body tilted to the side, was none other than Lee Juwon.

“Y-you said he was out on a business trip…” Choi Jungwoo nudged Seo Soojung, who was standing next to him, and mouthed his whispers to her. Seo Soojung tilted her head. “That’s what they told us…?”

The secretary standing by the door stepped over with a smile and said, “He postponed his business trip to attend when he heard the kids were coming.”

Choi Jungwoo wanted to shout “Oh, come on!” but had to hold himself back.

Under Seo Soojung’s guidance, the children hesitantly greeted Lee Juwon.

“Hello.”

“No need for greetings.”

The kids exchanged confused glances, thrown off by his unexpected response to their greeting. Lee Juwon then went on to say, “Why are you randomly going up to people and hugging them?”

“We didn’t hug you, though…?”

There was a considerable distance between them at that moment… As the children stood far away, confused, Lee Juwon pointed to Kang Inheon.

Only then did the press corps realise who they had hugged, and a flurry of chatter began.

“I didn’t realise I had…”

“Since it’s been so long…”

“I was just so happy…”

“And if you’re that happy to see him another two times, you’ll end up giving him a kiss?”

Lee Juwon’s comment made a young boy in a jacket tilt his head. “Can’t we?”

“No, you can’t.”

“…Why?”

“Because he’s mine.”

“……”

Both the children and the adults were speechless for a moment. Then, as if on cue, they all turned their attention to Kang Inheon.

Kang Inheon chuckled and nodded. “Yes, I belong to the CEO…”

“……”

As Kang Inheon chimed in, a hush fell over the spacious meeting room.

All they could do was blink, a dazed expression taking over their faces, when a little girl with pigtails jutted her lips and pouted. “…Hey, you can’t just say he’s yours and not let us touch him. That’s not fair.”

“Yeah, that’s so cheap!”

“Super cheap!”

Sure enough, the elementary students were full of passion and energy. Complaints erupted from all corners of the room.

Honestly speaking, she did think him a little cheap, but in any case, Seo Soojung tried to calm the children down. But the public outcry was not so easily stilled.

“It’s childish and lame to talk about ‘mine’ and ‘yours’ just because you’re dating. Being cool about it is the trend these days,” a little girl with glasses said, her tone sharp and clear. Lee Juwon, on the other hand, just huffed.

“No, love is hot, so how can you be cool about it? Besides, we’re not dating. We’re married, you know?”

“…Even if you’re married…”

“Officially, on paper, and legally, he’s mine, got it?”

The little girl, struggling to come up with a retort, suddenly exploded. “I-I’m going to marry Inhunter-nim too!”

“Me too!”

“I’m going to marry him too!”

The other girls, as well as the boys, pitched in. However, Lee Juwon just clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Sorry, but you’re too late. Our country only allows monogamy, and I’m never letting him go.”

Listening to the bizarre exchange between the youth press corps and Lee Juwon, Choi Jungwoo lowered his voice and whispered to Seo Soojung, “Didn’t you say he got nicer? Does that expression and tone seem nice to you?”

Seo Soojung scratched her head and murmured, “Haha… isn’t he just messing around with the kids…?”

“No, actually, I think he’s being dead serious?”

The secretary behind them donned a warm smile and joined in on the whispering. “Regardless, he’s in love, you know.”

“……?”

“Discovering love is quite the achievement.”

 

***

 

After Lee Juwon suggested that they serve the guests first, the youth press corps made their way to the cafeteria. Like the kids, Choi Jungwoo couldn’t help but take in his surroundings—the company atmosphere felt very different from his last visit.

Before, the employees had trudged through the corridors with a look of death on their faces, so Choi Jungwoo could sympathise, feeling a sort of shared sorrow between employees. Now, however, they were the ones taking the initiative to greet the group, their faces beaming with energy.

Then there was the secretary’s speech—it was hard to tell whether it was an introduction to the company or just a long-winded boast. The children showed a particularly explosive reaction at the mention of a four-day workweek with no cuts to the annual salary.

“I wish the school week was only four days too!”

“Monday to Friday is too long…”

“And we still have academies to attend after!”

“But at least you guys get vacations…” Seo Soojung said, her voice choking with envy. The secretary simply shrugged.

“We get vacations too. Summer’s too hot, and winter’s too cold, so we take ours in the spring and fall.”

“Wooow! I want to work at December too!”

“Me too! Me too!”

The children’s hands shot up in the air. Choi Jungwoo and Seo Soojung also felt the urge to join in, but they just barely managed to hold back, clinging to their dignity as adults.

When they reached the cafeteria, however, it was impossible not to be impressed. Their eyes widened in awe.

“…Is this heaven?”

Delicious food filled every corner of the bright and spacious cafeteria, like a hotel buffet.

“Wow, and I thought our school’s cafeteria food was the best…”

“But… at least ours has malatang!”

Kang Inheon marvelled at the child’s words. “Really? We don’t have that here.”

“Hm, looks like I lost this round.” Lee Juwon nodded in assent.

“It’s okay! Even without malatang, we can eat other stuff too!”

Lee Juwon chuckled as the child triumphantly straightened their shoulders, gently patting their head.

Oh, so that’s what his smile looks like…

Choi Jungwoo couldn’t help but stare. He’d always wanted to capture a proper picture of Lee Juwon’s smile, but this was the first time he had actually seen it in person.

The way his eyes crinkled when he smiled held Choi Jungwoo’s gaze for a long time. It was the kind of smile that reminded him of the bright sunlight that had tanned him for the past two years but also brought clarity to his mind.

Without even realising it himself, Choi Jungwoo gripped his camera, which he always carried like an extension of himself. He had become a photographer to capture beauty, after all.

However, a wall of blue suddenly blocked his vision.

Choi Jungwoo had to blink a few times before realising that Kang Inheon was standing in front of him. He was so tall that when he stood nearby, people had to tilt their heads just to look up at him. For a second, the light blue of his shirt felt like an actual wall.

“You should eat too, Mr. Photographer,” Kang Inheon said in a low voice, looking down at him. The sound of his voice snapped Choi Jungwoo back to reality. The kids had already scattered to grab the food they wanted.

“Oh, right…” Choi Jungwoo scratched his neck as he picked up a plate.

It wasn’t until he sat down with his meal that Choi Jungwoo realised just how intently he had been staring at Lee Juwon.

Lee Juwon wouldn’t let anyone touch Kang Inheon because he was his husband, and Kang Inheon wouldn’t let anyone look at Lee Juwon for the same reason. Now, Choi Jungwoo felt like he finally understood why the two had gotten married.

What was that old saying? The husband sings, and the wife follows? Those two really were alike… Whether they were alike because they loved each other or whether they loved each other because they were alike, at this point, they really were a match made in heaven.

Realising that the saying that one person always loses out in a relationship was meaningless, Choi Jungwoo took a spoonful of food.

Also, the food was damn good. Was December’s PR team really not looking for a new photojournalist…?

Just then, Lee Juwon’s secretary appeared behind him and whispered to his boss, “Sir, it’s time…”

Lee Juwon glanced at his wristwatch and nodded. Then, looking around, he said, “Well then, I hope you all enjoy your meal and slowly…”

“W-wait…”

“……?”

“Can’t we take one quick picture before you go…?”

Choi Jungwoo shot up from his seat, camera in hand. It didn’t matter if he took the photo, since the editor-in-chief was still under the impression that Lee Juwon was absent, but Choi Jungwoo wanted to capture him. This time, he was determined to get a shot of Lee Juwon smiling.

Lee Juwon glanced over to Kang Inheon, who nodded. Choi Jungwoo swept his chest with relief and quickly raised his camera.

“Alright, I’m going to take it now. Show me a bright smile, please…”

Lee Juwon’s expression was much more relaxed than before, but Choi Jungwoo wanted to see a more natural and radiant smile.

“How about you smile like a couple instead of single^[1] this time? Since you’re an actual couple now, haha!”

Though this joke had fallen flat two years ago, wasn’t humour all about timing? But despite Choi Jungwoo’s efforts, silence settled over the cafeteria.

Shortly after, small sighs could be heard from here and there. The only ones laughing were a few soft-hearted kids, offering hesitant “haha…”s out of consideration for the ahjussi.

“Photographer Choi…”

Seo Soojung, sensing the secondhand embarrassment of her colleague, placed a hand on Choi Jungwoo’s shoulder.

As Lee Juwon shook his head from side to side, Choi Jungwoo felt a rush of emotions. Seriously? After flaunting their relationship for the whole world to see, he couldn’t even laugh at a couple joke?!

In the solemn atmosphere, Kang Inheon stepped up beside Lee Juwon and, with a refreshing smile, said, “What’s wrong? Don’t you like these kinds of jokes?”

Kang Inheon squeezed both sides of Lee Juwon’s cheeks with his index fingers, as if to form dimples, and pulled his cheeks up. Lee Juwon, who had been staring up at him in disbelief, finally relented and allowed the corners of his mouth to lift into a faint smile.

Snap.

Choi Jungwoo instinctively pressed the shutter. The photo looked straight out of a wedding shoot, with honey dripping from their gazes and fingertips. It probably wouldn’t make it into the article, but…

Taking advantage of the softened atmosphere, Seo Soojung quickly suggested, “Shall we take a picture with the press corps too?”

“Yes!”

The children, who had, at some point, grown much more comfortable with them, eagerly swarmed around Kang Inheon and Lee Juwon.

“One, two, three! Everyone, say che—ese!”

The picture of the youth press corps and the two men smiling brightly together was unanimously chosen by the editorial team as the next Buds of Hope cover.

A smaller shot of the two gazing at each other also made it into the article, generating an explosive reaction with its widespread circulation on social media.

The magazine, which was usually distributed in limited quantities to supporters of the medical foundation, experienced unprecedented demand, resulting in the largest print run since its inception.

 

***

 

<Buds of Hope Special Interview>

- A Special Christmas Message from Hunter Kang Inheon to the Children

Hello, friends! This year, once again, we've had the privilege of meeting Korea's strongest hunter, Kang Inheon, who has been voted the number one role model for teenagers.

Not only has Hunter Kang Inheon risked his life countless times to protect the world during dungeon crises, but he also donates 1.2 billion won every Christmas to support children battling incurable diseases.

A powerful physique paired with a warm heart! Shall we take a look at what the universe's strongest, Hunter Kang Inheon-nim, has to say?

▷Buds of Hope> This year, we've specially gathered questions from children all across the country. Inhunter-nim, please pick a question from the box! What will the much-anticipated first question be? Drumroll, please!

Q. What did you eat to become that cool? I want to become as cool as you, hunter-nim, but I don't know what to eat! (Chungnam, Sankyung Elementary, 1st grade, Lee Jimin)

▶Kang Inheon> Haha, thank you for thinking I'm cool. There's no special diet. Like everyone else, I eat plenty of meat, but I also make sure to eat fruits and vegetables. The secret is to have a balanced and healthy diet.

Q. How do you usually spend Christmas? (Seoul, Cheong-an Elementary, 5th grade, Kang Jiyoon)

▶Kang Inheon> I used to work during Christmas, but starting last year, I've been spending it with my family. I especially love it when it snows on Christmas, but since a white Christmas often means traffic jams, we usually stay indoors.

Q. What was the toughest monster you ever fought? (Sejong, Songseon Elementary, 2nd grade, Shin Yi-joon.)

▶Kang Inheon> The toughest monster I've fought so far is hesitation. The longer you hesitate, the more cluttered your mind becomes and the more you start to lose confidence. There was a time when I couldn't beat this monster, but… our CEO defeated it for me. Since then, I've learned to fight it myself.

Huh? A real monster…? Um… There aren't any monsters stronger than me, though…?

Q. Why do you always donate and share? (Gyeonggi, Nam-myeong Elementary, 5th grade, Lee Sumin)

▶Kang Inheon> When I was younger, I used to take things that didn't belong to me. I knew it was wrong, but at the time, I felt like I didn't have another choice. Then a friend intervened and told me to stop. They said it didn't suit me and that I should strive to repay everything I owed to the world later on… So now, I'm doing my best to pay it all back.

Q. What was your scariest moment? Like, a moment that made you think, "It's over!"? (Seoul, Saebong Elementary, 5th grade, Kang Chanhee)

▶Kang Inheon> There was a time when I almost lost someone dear to me. Back then, I was so scared that I couldn't even breathe. Miraculously, we were able to rescue them in the end, but even now, just thinking about it sends chills down my spine.

Q. My dream is to be a hunter, but I'm small and thin. Can I still become a hunter? (Ulsan, Okcheon Elementary, 6th grade, Kim Seojung)

▶Kang Inheon> I was also quite small when I was younger. I remember having a hard time during P.E. because I was too short to keep up with my friend during a folk dance. Seojung, you're still young, so you have time to grow, but more importantly, size doesn't determine whether you can be a good hunter. In fact, the ability to move silently and swiftly can be an advantage for you. Hunters need to be strategic and able to make quick decisions on the fly. If you believe in yourself and play to your strengths, you can definitely become a good hunter.

Q. Are there any moments that you regret? If you could go back in time, like in a drama, what would you do? (Gangwon, Chundong Elementary, 5th grade, Bok Yumin)

▶Kang Inheon> Of course, there are moments I regret, but… someone once told me you can't just take out the bad parts and only keep the good. Every moment has led to us meeting now. That's why I don't want to go back in time. There's someone I have to meet, so I wouldn't risk changing the future.

Q. Hunter-nim, do you sometimes ever just lie on the couch and watch TV? (Jeju, Seokyung Elementary, 4th grade, Kim Sarang)

▶Kang Inheon> Not sometimes, often. Lazing around with my family is the happiest and most enjoyable time for me.

That concludes this year's interview with Hunter Kang Inheon-nim, who has, yet again, offered us his precious time.

A true hero isn't just someone who's strong. It's someone who laughs like you and me and loves their friends, a person who is kind and bright like sunshine, right?

We hope that all Buds of Sprout subscribers grow up to be true heroes, and we look forward to seeing you again next year!

 

 

 

<The End>

t/n:

A round of applause for everyone who has made it this far!! Back when I first translated this novel, I didn't expect so many to read or enjoy it, but I'm glad it touched as many hearts as it did mine. It's also my first ever attempt at a translation, so it's pretty rough around the edges as I was still trying to get a grip on how everything worked. Sentences being too literal, slight mistakes here and there, word choices I certainly wouldn't use now... but I'm glad Yess & Yes was the novel that helped me learn. Please consider purchasing the raws in order to support the author (and check out their other novels as well!)

I'm not posting any other novel to this site at the moment, but I am available elsewhere! Please do check out Parc Ferme if you enjoy F1 or PWCB if you want to see toxic gamers curse each other out for chapters on end. 

1. (lit. 싱글싱글말고 커플커플 웃으실까요?) 싱글싱글 means a bright/broad smile, and it’s read like singeulsingeul, which, as you know, sounds like single. Photographer Choi asks them to smile like couple couple instead of single single… No wonder everyone fell silent hearing this.^↩

 

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