Pen and Paper Translations

“Ah, yes. Of course, President.”

At my answer, President Yang Jingyeom said with a satisfied smile.

“In the figure business, what is the most important focus?”

It was not a question I had already prepared for.

Because I was not a businessman, I was a film director.

But for me, who knew information from the future, the answer was so easy there was no need to rack my brain.

“How you transplant the character’s charm into the figure.”

“Yes?”

Junseong’s words, “Respect comes from position.”

Thinking that I needed to get a bit arrogant here, I spoke with an expression proud of myself.

“The characters I made have charm that is overflowing.”

“Kheuk…”

I heard Junseong’s short, thick laugh, but I forced myself to ignore it and continued.

“Ryu Seongmin, Nix Road, Kor 2138. Just these characters, as figures, will naturally create immersion for people.”

“Immersion…”

“Yes. The most important role of a figure is to call back the immersion that was created. The emotions you felt after watching the movie, it lets you feel those emotions again through the figure.”

President Yang Jingyeom nodded.

“And to not ruin that immersion, what matters most is a high-quality figure. If you fail to make the figure properly, the people who own that figure will come to dislike even the original work.”

A poor-quality figure.

A figure of such miserable quality that you cannot even tell which character it was made from would only leave consumers with bad feelings.

If it is going to be like that, it would be better not to make it at all.

But Sion Prime’s technical ability was trustworthy.

Their dark history.

They had technical skill built on their experience making pirated Japanese animation plastic models.

“Hm… You’re certainly impressive. If someone saw you, they would think you’re not a film director, but a figure specialist businessman. Haha.”

President Yang Jingyeom said with a satisfied smile.

“Thank you, President.”

“Not at all. I’m the one who should be grateful that you made this proposal.”

Looking at the executives beside President Yang Jingyeom, they seemed completely persuaded by my words.

“It seems the decision is already made, but we should discuss it among ourselves again. Haha. I will contact you soon.”

I bowed in greeting, then left the conference room with Junseong.

The moment we stepped outside the conference room, Junseong applauded.

“Did you put a motor on your tongue? Geez. My kid, you talk so well.”

“Gross. Get lost. You’re the kid who drove me to the edge.”

“I told you to pick up that 5 billion at the edge. Hehe.”

Junseong, as if refreshed, let out a deep breath.

“‘The characters I made have charm that is overflowing.’”

Junseong repeated my line and grinned beside me.

“Was that something you’d been thinking up all along? Wow, I almost got completely sucked in.”

“You said respect comes from position, so I used it once. Why.”

“Because it was such a good choice. You should’ve seen the executives’ blank faces up close. Keu…”

Junseong pushed his face in close, uncomfortably.

“Should I give you a kiss or something?”

“Dirty. Get lost.”

(T/N: Don’t give me ideas bruh)

“They say one word pays back a thousand nyang of debt. Whew, with one word you earned 5 billion.”

He even opened the passenger door, then bent at the waist and gestured toward the passenger seat.

“President Gyeong Chanhyeon. I am Lee Junseong, the driver who will specially serve you today. Please sleep comfortably in the passenger seat. Shall I take you home?”

“No. MILM.”

At my words, Junseong, as if the concept instantly broke, tilted his head and said,

“What? Hey, rest today. You can. You did a big thing today.”

“Do I not want to rest? When money comes in, the amount of things to do increases by that much again.”

At my words, Junseong clicked his tongue.

“You’re a workaholic all by yourself. You’ll die like that, punk.”

“Even if I die, I’ll finish Space Vagabond perfectly…”

“You mean that?”

“Do you think I mean that?”

“I’m saying it because your eyes look like you mean it.”

Junseong looked at me and shook his head.

“Geez, I won’t talk nonsense. Just crash and sleep.”

---

President Yang Jingyeom summoned the executives the very next day.

“If we’re going to decide anyway, I think it’s better to wrap it up quickly. Is there anyone still opposed to collaborating with Seonghyeon Production.”

“…”

No one answered.

Seeing that, Yang Jingyeom could not help admiring Gyeong Chanhyeon inwardly.

Even if it was a reasonable decision, it had been a business with divided opinions.

But at yesterday’s words from Gyeong Chanhyeon, everyone seemed persuaded, only keeping silent.

“If there’s no one opposed, it would be best to proceed with the contract quickly.”

Yang Jingyeom said as he looked over the printouts Gyeong Chanhyeon had distributed yesterday.

“Looking at the contract yesterday, it said that on the premise of receiving the investment, the film will be completed within six months.”

Six months.

Changing the entire production line within that would certainly be difficult.

But thinking they had to do it, Yang Jingyeom continued in a strong voice.

“If designers and the production line all focus on producing Space Vagabond figures, is it possible within six months?”

“Six months is…”

“Is it difficult?”

“Yes, it’s just that…… design and everything, the time is too tight.”

Yang Jingyeom stared straight at the head of production management.

Then he asked the deputy manager beside him.

“Deputy Manager Park. Clearly. Is it difficult?”

“President!”

The head of production management opened his eyes wide, flustered, and spoke toward Yang Jingyeom.

But Yang Jingyeom replied in a cold voice, as if he did not care at all.

“You’d better answer properly. Deputy Manager Park.”

Then Deputy Manager Park, sweating coldly, glanced at the head of production management who was gritting his teeth, squeezed his eyes shut, and said,

“If staffing is properly filled. Six months is enough.”

“Deputy Manager Park! Are you joking right now? Do you even know the company’s situation and say that kind of…”

“Did I tell you to consider the company’s situation?”

Yang Jingyeom spoke coldly as he looked at the manager, whose under eyes were twitching.

“President. Look at reality. We’re not gambling while even going into debt!”

“Reality. Yes. I’ve seen plenty. The contracts we’ve blown until now. Are those not reality?”

“……”

“Think of this as the real last chance. We’ll change everything within six months. From now on, at the company level, Space Vagabond will become new driving power.”

He could no longer remain a figurehead.

He could not remain a president who was swayed by the executives forever.

With that thought, Yang Jingyeom pressed the vice president once more.

“But President. The late president’s…”

“What?”

At the vice president’s words, Yang Jingyeom frowned.

“If you look back at the late president’s business philosophy…”

“Are you talking about being conservative in business expansion? Or are you talking about the development of science?”

“From the beginning, our company does not suit that kind of business, does it?”

At the vice president’s words, Yang Jingyeom said with eyes blazing.

“Then did you make pirated Japanese animation to make a profit?”

“That is…”

“At least, this time it’s certain. I have no intention of being swayed anymore.”

Sion Prime started from a science teacher.

But now, it needed to break out of that limit.

It could not remain inside that limit forever.

With that thought, Yang Jingyeom pushed the vice president again.

“Do you achieve the development of science with only rubber band powered planes? Rather, a science fiction movie might stimulate students’ imagination. You all watched Space Vagabond, didn’t you. Isn’t that right?”

Executives who normally should have taken the vice president’s side and pointed fingers at him.

But this time, they said nothing.

“…”

The vice president, flustered by Yang Jingyeom’s drive that he had never seen before, lost his words.

“Now, we will focus entirely on the Space Vagabond figure business. Just as Director Gyeong Chanhyeon said, if we combine our technology with Director Gyeong Chanhyeon’s mass appeal. Exporting won’t be difficult either.”

As Yang Jingyeom’s eyes flashed, a few of the executives around nodded.

This time even the vice president, as if he had raised both hands and feet, only stared at the desk with a stunned expression, without saying a word.

---

A few days later.

Lee Junseong opened his eyes refreshingly. Perhaps because as of yesterday, the contract between Seonghyeon Production and Sion Prime had been finalized, it was a morning far more clear than usual.

“Keung…”

As he stretched and got up, he heard knocking on the door.

“Mom’s son. She says eat.”

It was the voice of his younger sister, who had not been back long from studying abroad.

“To your older brother, what kind of way of speaking is that.”

“What are you saying. Just hurry and wake up. A person called the CEO… sleeping in.”

“Because I’m the CEO, I sleep in too.”

Outside the door, he heard the snappish voice of Lee Yeji, Lee Junseong’s younger sister.

“Once this movie releases, I’ll live on my own somehow…….”

In the first place, after filming <Jawol> ended, he had planned to start a luxurious life living alone with the money he saved, but because he invested all his assets into <Space Vagabond>, that plan went up in smoke.

“I should’ve skimmed some off and lived on my own with that…”

Lee Junseong let out a meaningless sigh, then roughly got dressed and headed to the kitchen to eat.

Then Lee Jeongho, who was at the table, smiled toward Lee Junseong.

“You pulled off another one.”

“Pardon? Ah… yes. Haha.”

“This time too, did you do a joint work with Director Gyeong?”

Lee Jeongho bombarded Lee Junseong, who had not even sat down at the table, with questions.

“May I sit down first?”

“Ah, yes. Haha, sorry. Sit.”

When Lee Junseong sat, Lee Jeongho looked like he had a mountain of curiosity.

“Sion Prime is a toy company. It’s not even that big. But holding hands with a place like that, what are you plotting now.”

“We’re going to do a figure business too.”

“Figure…?”

Lee Junseong summarized the contents of Gyeong Chanhyeon’s presentation and explained it to Lee Jeongho.

Then Lee Jeongho nodded with an interested expression.

“Hm… So you’ll receive investment with that, and at the same time aim for secondary profits.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Lee Jeongho seemed to feel great interest in the side of Gyeong Chanhyeon not as a film director in this country, but as a businessman as well.

“Right. Having a friend like that is a great blessing.”

“Yes?”

At his father Lee Jeongho’s words, Lee Junseong asked as if flustered.

Four years ago. When he had come to see him separately, just before graduating university, it was completely different.

Lee Jeongho had been the one to say, “In front of money, the title of friend is a luxury.”

But now, instead, seeing him praise Gyeong Chanhyeon by calling him a blessing, the feeling was new.

“Chanhyeon. If you just keep pushing him forward, he’s a friend who can become much bigger. He’s not someone who will only work in Korea, he’s someone who should play with the whole world as his target.”

“Hm. Isn’t it still a bit early to judge that far?”

At Lee Jeongho’s answer, Lee Junseong shook his head.

“Even you will think differently once you watch Space Vagabond. Now we’ll receive investment and speed up more. It’ll be finished soon.”

At Lee Junseong’s confident answer, a smile spread at the corner of Lee Jeongho’s mouth.

“You’re that certain…”

Normally, he would have hesitated to answer, but Lee Junseong did not.

If it was together with Gyeong Chanhyeon.

And even just looking at what had already been made of <Space Vagabond>.

It was on a different level from the movies that had come out until now.