The Great Storyteller

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

“Oh! I forgot about getting my photos developed today!” Yun Seo said with a clap.

“What photos?” Juho asked.

The answer came from Joon Soo instead, “We took some pictures with Mrs. Baek recently using her old film camera.”

“A film camera?”

“That’s right. I’ve been using it for years now,” Yun Seo affirmed proudly. “I’ve been taking pictures with my pupils ever since I first started taking them in. I made an album too. Would you like to see it?”

Juho nodded. Knowing its location, Geun Woo rose from his seat and returned with a hefty looking album. The four sat around it.

“We’re probably in here somewhere too. Now, where were we…”

The photos were well-maintained. As Joon Soo flipped the pages, faces unknown to Juho rushed passed his eyes one by one. Everyone in the pictures had been an aspiring author and loved writing, and they had come to learn under Yun Seo.

“That’s me right there,” Geun Woo said, pointing to a young man with long hair. He gave off a much sharper image than the one in the present.

“Wow! When was this?”

“It couldn’t have been that long after I came here, so… I must’ve been in my twenties.”

“You look tacky as heck!” Joon Soo said playfully, acting unlike usual. Unfortunately, Joon Soo was right.

“You’re one to talk. You’re not exactly stylish either, Mr. Bong,” Geun Woo said, pointing at another photo. It was Joon Soo’s. Though his appearance didn’t look different, he was wearing a blue denim jacket and pants.

“That was the hottest fashion trend then,” said Joon Soo.

“I think you guys are both on the same level, more or less.”

“What’d you say!?” Geun Woo exclaimed.

Ignoring him, Juho turned his eyes to the album. On the next page, there was a picture of Geun Woo and Joon Soo standing together in the front of Yun Seo’s timeless house.

“This is actually pretty fun!”

“Oh! Do you remember this, Joon Soo?”

“Ah! It’s when we first seeded the garden.”

Listening to the two people conversing, Juho was able to picture what the house had looked like in the past. While Joon Soo took out one of the photos and kept on with the conversation, Juho looked through at the pages of the album slowly. Time had passed and the seasons had changed. The album held the past of those who were in the pictures, and getting a peek at that was a rather fun experience.

“Huh?”

By reflex, Juho let out. There was a familiar face that he would never have imagined to find. He took a closer look. ‘It is him!’ No matter how many times he looked, it was the person Juho knew.

“What is it?” Geun Woo asked.

“I just saw someone I wasn’t expecting to see in the album,” Juho said with his eyes still on the picture.

“Eh? Who? Is there someone you know?”

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Stopping Joon Soo from getting up, Yun Seo walked toward the door herself. Juho couldn’t afford the time to look away from the picture because he would have never imagined to see that person in the picture. On the other hand, after seeing that familiar face in that album, Juho began to make sense of the man’s puzzling attitude.

“So, who is it?”

“Here, this person,” Juho pointed to a man in one of the pictures. At one point, the man had dreamed of being a genius writer, and he was the one who first mentioned the idea of being a “great storyteller.” Everything began to make sense.

“Oh my goodness! It’s been so long!” Yun Seo exclaimed cheerfully. Only then did Juho look away from the album and turned toward the door.

“Who’s here?”

“Probably another guest. We always have guests,” Geun Woo said to Joon Soo. Juho nodded in agreement. Yun Seo’s house was always filled with guests.

“Come in, come in!”

A series of footsteps followed Yun Seo’s voice, and the three looked in the direction of the sound. Then…

“Oh! It’s that man in the picture!” Geun Woo said as the guest simultaneously locked eyes with Juho.

“Juho Woo?!” the man said, looking confused. Holding bags of gifts in his hands, Juho was well-acquainted with him. The man seemed slightly older than himself in the picture.

“Why are you here?!” he asked. As Juho rose from his seat, Geun Woo and Joon Soo’s eyes followed. Instead of an answer, Juho addressed the man by his name.

“Hello, Mr. Moon.”

Silence.

“Mr. Moon?”

“Who’s the teacher here?”

The room became filled with confusion.

“You two know each other?” Joon Soo asked. He seemed to know Mr. Moon.

“He’s my student,” said Mr. Moon.

“… What??” Joon Soo asked, dumbfounded. Juho nodded quietly.

“He’s a teacher,” said Juho.

“Wait, what’s going on? Who’s a teacher?” Then, he asked Juho in a whisper, “Yun Woo’s or Juho’s?”

“What’s your teacher doing in Mrs. Baek’s house?”

Rather than answering Geun Woo’s question, Juho looked at the album on the floor.

“That’s because I was her pupil once.”

Mr. Moon had been one of Yun Seo’s pupils. Now, he was a teacher himself, teaching students of his own. There were similarities in the way they taught. For example, they never directly told their students that they were wrong.

“Haha! This is interesting. I’ll bring out some tea, and you guys talk and catch up.”

Meanwhile, Yun Seo headed for the kitchen with the gifts Mr. Moon had brought. Everyone exchanged awkward looks, and Joon Soo spoke up first to break the ice.

“He came here around the same time as me. He was the best writer here, then.”

“Really??” Geun Woo said, impressed. It was hard to believe that there was a better writer than Joon Soo.

“He left before you came in.”

“I teach at a school now. I’m also this kid’s homeroom teacher,” said Mr. Moon, pointing at Juho. It was a rather confusing occasion where a teacher came together with his teacher and her students.

“So, remind me why you’re here?” he asked again.

Knowing that they wouldn’t be able to explain, Joon Soo and Geun Woo remained quiet. Mr. Moon waited for an answer patiently.

“So…”

Juho realized that the moment he knew would come had finally caught up to him without warning. The time had come. He couldn’t help but chuckle from how sudden and unexpected the situation was. On the other hand, he also found it to be funny. For those reasons, he decided not to avoid facing the reality of it.

“I wrote a book.”

“A book?”

“Yes. I naturally came to know different people as I wrote.”

Mr. Moon gave him a delayed response, “So, you were learning from Mrs. Baek? That’s why you said you weren’t formally trained or going to a private institute! Right, it makes sense now.”

“Not exactly.”

“No?”

“M-hm.”

Mr. Moon’s eyes narrowed.

“Then, what is it?”

Juho slowly parted his lips in order to bring up a name he was well-acquainted with, yet unfamiliar with at the same time. In a rather low voice, he answered, “I’m Yun Woo.”

Silence filled the room yet again. Nobody moved a muscle while Mr. Moon stood in the middle of it. He showed no response, like a statue.

“Did you all have a good time?” Yun Seo asked as she walked into the room from behind them. “What’s the matter? Why do you look shocked?” she asked, studying Mr. Moon’s expressions.

He seemed to freeze up when taken aback by something. Observing the awkward situation quietly, Yun Seo spoke up to shatter the silence, “Why don’t we all sit down and have ourselves a cup of tea?”

Then, the tension began to dissipate.

Juho picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. A pleasant warmth traveled down his stomach. After that, he quietly set his tea back down on the table. Mr. Moon’s face became visible over the lonely cup.

“So, you?”

“Yes.”

“You’re Yun Woo?”

“Yes.”

“C’mon.”

“I’m serious.”

“You’re killing me.”

Mr. Moon was aware that Juho wouldn’t lie in such a situation. However, it was hard not to question the fact that Juho was Yun Woo considering how he had been doing in the Literature Club so far. Juho had been rather meticulous in concealing his identity.

Yun Seo and her two pupils were observing quietly. While rubbing his face, Mr. Moon let out a sigh and said, “OK, it did cross my mind at one point.”

“I’m sure.”

“After all, you’re a good writer yourself. It’s to the point where it’s hard to believe that you’re still a student. Think about it. Who comes to mind when you combine a high school student with the skill of a seasoned, veteran writer? Yun Woo.”

“Thank you.”

“… You never denied it once. Yeah, that’s right. You never did. Then, how was I so firm in believing that you were not Yun Woo?” said Mr. Moon, flicking his tea cup. “It was because of your writing,” he added, letting out yet another sigh. “It never occured to me that you were Yun Woo because I read your writing.”

He seemed to be quite confused, and Juho understood his position. Juho had been writing in a style that Yun Woo would never think of adopting. He had been writing as his own style instead of Yun Woo’s, resulting in a completely different feel and structure.

“How should I understand this situation?”

“It’s simple,” Juho said as he moved aside the cup. “I’m both Juho Woo and Yun Woo.”

“Meaning?”

“I can write as Juho and Yun Woo.”

Mr. Moon burst into laughter. It wasn’t clear whether he was in awe or disbelief. At that moment, Joon Soo stopped Geun Woo as he prepared to speak. However, Joon Soo was curious himself as to why Mr. Moon couldn’t believe that Juho was Yun Woo. Considering the fact that he had been looking at his writing longer than anybody else, he should have been the first one to catch on.

“Why are you having such a hard time believing it? From what I’ve gathered so far, it seems like it wouldn’t be strange if you were the first person to notice,” Yun Seo spoke up.

A relieved look spread across Geun Woo and Joon Soo’s faces. She had scratched the itch. Then, Geun Woo took the opportunity speak up, “That’s what I’m thinking. Am I the only person who’s having trouble understanding the point of this conversation?”

“Speaking of which, have you been a victim of fraud of sorts, Song Hak? Why can’t you believe the words of your own student?” Joon Soo added.

“Fraud? That’s a little harsh, isn’t it?”

Mr. Moon looked at Juho and let out yet another sigh.

“Juho Woo,” he called his name. Juho knew exactly what to expect. He always addressed him by his full name when he demanded an explanation.

“I’m good at keeping secrets.”

“The fact that you’re Yun Woo?” asked Geun Woo.

“Yes,” Juho answered. At his answer, Joon Soo’s forehead scrunched up into a scowl.

“Now that I think about it, it’s odd. How were you able to stay hidden in a Literature Club? You have such a distinct style.”

“Is there a trick of sorts?”

There wasn’t anything complicated. Rather, it had been a rather simple challenge.

“I know how to write in different styles.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. I can write in a style apart from that of Yun Woo’s.”

“… So what does that mean?”

Confused, Joon Soo remained silent. Surrounded by people drowning in confusion, Mr. Moon added, “He’s referring to a different style.”

“Huh?”

“He writes something completely different. In fact, it’s so different that I’ve been reading his writing all these times and never suspected him once.”

“… Eh??” Geun Woo’s forehead also scrunched up into a scowl.

“Like modifying his original style? Is that what you’re talking about? Like taking out the conjunctions or using less verbs or something?”

“No,” Mr. Moon said firmly. All eyes were on Joon Soo. “You know my skills, Joon Soo. Do you really think I’d fall for tricks like that?”

“Wow. Did he just say that with his own lips?” Geun Woo murmured.

Joon Soo admitted quietly, “Of course, I know. That’s why I’m so confused.”

“Then what is it? Are you saying that Juho writes in two different styles or what? That sounds like something out of a fairytale!” Geun Woo said light-heartedly.

“You guessed it right,” Mr. Moon answered heavily. “That’s exactly what my student is saying.”