𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐖𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐊 ✎ 𝐠𝐲𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐠 『zerobaseone』

T E N

It has been a few weeks since Gyuvin and Ricky went on a date, and they have been spending a lot of time together in the past week. However, recently they haven't been able to do so because Ricky has been occupied with his club activities.

On this particular day, Gyuvin found himself in a pizza place, filled with the mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked pizzas. With each passing minute, his anticipation grew as he eagerly awaited the arrival of his dear friend Matthew. Despite knowing that Matthew was often occupied with his own commitments, Gyuvin mustered up the courage to extend an invitation to spend some quality time together. It wasn't an easy task for Gyuvin, as he noticed that Matthew initially hesitated and contemplated declining the offer. However, Gyuvin persisted and managed to convince him to set aside some precious moments for their long-awaited hangout.

'When is he coming?' Gyuvin thought as he patiently sat in the cozy pizza parlor, his eyes attentively scanning the crowd, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement coursing through his veins. The minutes ticked by, and just when Gyuvin was beginning to doubt whether Matthew would show up at all, he caught a glimpse of a familiar silhouette making its way towards him.

Gyuvin's face lit up with excitement as he called out the name "Matthew!" , he rushed forward to hug the confused boy.

"Did you miss me that bad?" Matthew chuckled as he sat down in front of the brown-haired boy, who was surprisingly enthusiastic. "What's with the sudden invitation?" he asked once the pizza was served.

"I have good news!" Gyuvin smiled broadly, thanked the waiter, and started cutting the pizza.

"What? Ricky and Jiwoong are dating?" Matthew guessed.

"I wish," Gyuvin mocked, earning a laugh from the shorter.

'I'M THE ONE DATING ONE OF THEM!'

Matthew asked, "What's the news?" while he took a bite from his pizza.

"Well..." Gyuvin trailed off as he took a deep breath.

Matthew playfully rolled his eyes, "the suspense is starting to get annoying", he said.

"A publishing company contacted me and wanted to create a physical copy of my comics!" Gyuvin said with his eyes glimmering in joy.

Matthew couldn't believe what he said, causing him to stand up in shock and cover his mouth with his hand. "FOR REAL?!" he asked.

"For. Real." Gyuvin replied.

"I'm so happy for you!" Matthew said, sitting down and holding Gyuvin's hand. "It's like a big step into the community," he added.

"Exactly, I couldn't believe it either. Like, SHIT- REALLY - ME? THAT STORY? FOR REAL?" Gyuvin said, trying to control his overwhelming excitement and disbelief.

"I knew you would make it," Matthew said as he smiled at the brown-haired boy. "When will you meet the company?" he asked.

"Later, it was supposed to be yesterday, but I had an exam so I asked them to reschedule it." said Gyuvin.

"Bitch, then instead of eating pizza with me, you should get ready," Matthew panicked.

"Man, calm down, I was born ready for this moment," Gyuvin laughed playfully tapped his chest.

"I was wondering why you hadn't posted anything over the last few weeks, and then suddenly I had this bombshell information thrown at me," Matthew laughed. "That cliffhanger was killing me," he said, playfully crossing his hands on his chest and faking a pained expression. "Like, will Kyungmin accept the confession or not? He'd better not!" Matthew shouted, while the other laughed at him.

'haha, fuck I did' Gyuvin laughed to himself.

The two friends continued their conversation for approximately two hours until Gyuvin eventually bid farewell. He traveled to the publishing company's office and, upon arrival, he was guided to a meeting room. Displaying patience, he waited for approximately 30 minutes as he had arrived a little earlier than the agreed upon time. Eventually, a tall young man, who appeared to be of a similar age, entered the room.

The man with a warm smile approached Gyuvin, extending a friendly greeting. "Good Morning, Mr. Kim!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "I am Zhang Hao, and I will be the one to discuss everything with you," he said as he extended out his hand.

Gyuvin extended his hand and responded, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Zhang." As they settled into their seats, the two delved into a comprehensive conversation regarding the details and anticipated schedule for the publishing of Gyuvin's comic, entitled "Love, Maybe?".

"Since there will be a comic book convention next month, we want to complete the entire process a week before the convention. So that you can attend the convention and promote your comic much better." Mr. Zhang discussed. "Since you already have a large following, promoting your comic on your platform really helps with sales and everything. During the printing process, you will need to proofread them to ensure that the quality has not changed. Oh and also what day are you free? So we know when to contact you," he added.

Gyuvin responded, "I'm free mostly every Sunday and Thursday.".

"Great! I will take note of that." They continued to deepen the conversation, taking turns voicing their concerns. They eventually decided to complete the entire publication process within three weeks. Then they concluded their discussion and contract signing."This is all. Is there anything else bothering you, Mr. Kim?" Mr. Zhang asked.

"None at all." Gyuvin said, "It was nice meeting you, Mr. Zhang," as he stood up from his seat, preparing to go.

"Nice to meet you too, I'll make sure your comic will be popular - in fact it's already very popular." Mr. Zhang chuckled, eliciting a shy smile from the brown-haired boy. "I'm glad I stumbled upon it, and good luck with your studies and stories anyway!" Mr. Zhang bowed one last time as they said goodbye to each other.

Gyuvin couldn't contain his gratitude, so he enthusiastically said, "Thank you!" The moment his words reached Mr. Zhang's ears, the man turned around, his face plastered with a warm smile, and he gracefully bowed to acknowledge Gyuvin's appreciation.

After leaving the building, Gyuvin's heart was filled with joy as he walked through the busy streets of the city. He decided to visit a comic shop and immerse himself in the world of comics. He eagerly entered the shop, filled wide variety of comics. As Gyuvin skimmed the shelves, his eyes danced with anticipation, eagerly scanning the colorful covers and intriguing titles. He couldn't resist the temptation to delve into different genres, flipping through pages that transported him to worlds of romance, action, and thrilling suspense. After buying a few comics, Gyuvin left the shop and decided to buy a cake as a way of celebrating. His feet led him towards a bakery, with its inviting aroma filling the air. As he approached the bakery, Gyuvin's eyes caught sight of a familiar silhouette across the street. It was none other than, Jiwoong.

"Is that Jiwoong?" And who is next to him?" Gyuvin mumbled as he tried to identify the boy beside his friend.

Standing next to Jiwoong was none other than Ricky, Gyuvin's boyfriend, who informed him that he had a jam-packed schedule and couldn't spend time together today.

Gyuvin's felt a slight pang on his chest upon seeing the two together. "I thought he was busy?" He mumbled as his face slowly darkened.

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to be continued...