My Lovely Writer (BossNoeul AU)

🌪Chapter 1🌧

🌪🌧

“It's boring,” said the man sitting in front of him as he tossed the thick stack of papers on the desk.

“Wha-!” Hearing that, Noeul was immediately about to complain, but
squeezing his fists on his lap and grinding his teeth, he refrained from shouting at his companion.

Calm down! Listen to what he has to say first......

He decided to hold back for now. There would be time to argue later.

Noeul gulped down the water placed before him in one go and waited for Boss's - the editor in charge of him - explanation. Noeul's pen name was Rain. He was a top-notch shoujo manga artist. He started drawing manga since he was a student, and now the 28 year old was popular.

After Boss glared at Noeul, he tapped at the storyboard with his finger and
spat out, “Were you writing this thinking it was good? What the hell is this? It's obvious you thought that anything would pass since 'The storyboard of the great manga artist
Rain sold one million copies.' Don't be arrogant, you idiot.”

“….,” Noeul was silent. He was furious at these words. He wrote the
storyboard with so much earnestness, only to have it heavily criticized.

There is no manga artist who would not have his pride shattered in such situations. Noeul jumped up from
his chair with a clatter and confronted Boss, shouting. “When was I arrogant?! When did I do my work thinking it was good? Besides,
even if you are my childhood friend, you're talking back to an author when you're just an editor. How can you speak to me that way?!”

But Boss continued to reply coolly, “Talking back to an author? Speaking to you that way? Ha! There's your arrogance.”

Noeul swallowed hard, realizing he had said too much. He became quiet, at a loss for words, as he sadly sat back down in his seat. This was a dispute which would have attracted attention, but fortunately, it's not that he always used this cafe for business
meetings at this time, rather he felt that usually few customers were here, just as there was no one but the part-time clerk and the shop manager at the moment.

Since both the manager and the young part-time clerk have gotten completely used to the bickering coming from Noeul and his companion, the quarrel did not
disturb the air in the cafe and the men remained absorbed in their work.

It's boring...?

He couldn't deny that this time even he, himself, had little confidence in the storyboard. However, while he was pondering on it, it slowly began to make no sense to him, but the deadline had come and before long the storyboard was due.

Where is it bad? I'll quickly fix it for now, and then make him say it's interesting.

Noeul was burning partially with a desire for revenge and looked over the storyboard again.

Then after some time, Boss spoke, ”The theme isn't bad. But, there's too much detail.”

“Huh?”

“I understand there are many things you want to draw. But are you thinking of the readers when you're drawing?”

“......Oh......”

Now that he mentioned it, Noeul thought Boss was probably right. He wanted to include this and that in his drawings, so it ended up being messy.

Noeul seized this opportunity to work out the tangled story, and continued to be absorbed in fixing the storyboard. While he was fixing the storyboard, Noeul stole a glance at Boss.

Boss was sipping coffee while looking over the manuscript with a frown. Even though he was an editor, Boss wore a suit and necktie. Nouel thought it seemed as if he was displaying a serious character. Boss did not have a dashing appearance, but he was good-looking due to his double eyelids and clear-cut features. If he didn't furrow his brows, he would be quite a handsome man.

While Noeul was gazing at Boss' troublesome face, he was complaining to himself in his head.

I mean, just because we're childhood friends and don't need to be on polite terms, isn't he speaking a little bit more superior to me?

Despite thinking that, Noeul couldn't bring himself to say it. He was certain that if he said anything he would be returned with words several times as harsh. WheneverBoss faced Noeul, he was cruel and gave out strict orders.

Did Boss also do this to other writers?

Certainly Boss' pointers were correct and it was true that the storyboard became interesting when he took Boss' advice. The strange thing was that Noeul was grateful for it, without a doubt.

But...couldn't he at least be a little bit nicer to me? Even if he thought that, he expected to be told 'Don't act like a spoiled brat', so in the end he didn't plan on saying it.

“This scene is important. But what are you doing getting rid of it by inserting a gag?”

“Ah...I see. That's right...Here?”

Sure enough, as if Boss' single advice had cleared up the fog, the solution
became clear for him.

His guesses are almost like he reads my mind – as if he knew I was worried just now. How does he always know?

“What's wrong? You still don't get it?” Boss called out to Noeul, because
Noeul's hand had stopped moving and he was gazing off into space.

“Shut up! I get it!”

After Noeul raised his voice and glared at Boss, he remembered the
storyboard - which he had to do somehow - was above everything else and he quickly set about making corrections on paper.

While he was working on it and wrecking his head in frustration, Boss said tohim with a manner like he just remembered something - “That reminds me, you have another offer for an autograph session from a bookstore. As usual, I'm going to refuse it, but I thought I'd tell you just in case. You don't want to do it, right? The autograph session.”

“Yeah, thanks. Apologize to the bookstore for me.”

TBC