Written in Love

Chapter 25: Shadows of the Past

February 9, Friday
Aerish Manga Studio
9:53 a.m.

The holiday of Chinese New Year had brought a temporary halt to the usual work routine at SteelCore, allowing Kjin, Quila, and Sean Garren to venture to Aerish Manga Studio in pursuit of the source of a troubling plagiarism issue.

Just as the group began to reconvene, a sudden ping broke the silence, drawing everyone's attention to Kjin's laptop. His expression shifted, a mixture of surprise and urgency crossing his features as he scanned the message that had just arrived.

"Guys, we've got a lead," Kjin announced, his voice tinged with excitement. "But we'll need to act fast if we want to catch them before they disappear into the digital abyss."

The group leaned in, anticipation hanging heavy in the air, as Kjin began to lay out his plan. "The truth is within reach. I will expose the tangled web of deceit that has cast doubt on your manga."

With each word, the sense of determination in the room grew stronger, fueled by the shared mission to uncover the truth and protect Aerish's legacy.

"Kjin, let's start talking about your plan," Aerish said, her expression serious as Titus and Mildred joined the discussion.

Kjin took a deep breath before beginning, "First of all, I want to introduce the individuals involved in this issue." He paused for a moment, organizing his thoughts.

"First and foremost, we have Aerish, the accused creator of 'The Cutest Couple.' Then there's Eduardo, claiming to be the original author of a similar manga. And we have Red Mountain Publishing, led by President Ronwaldo, who serialized Eduardo's manga. Lastly, their accomplices, the two notorious computer geeks-not hackers, but exceptionally skilled in their craft," Kjin continued.

Yufie, quick to jump to conclusions, "I knew it! Eduardo is the root of the problem," she remarked confidently.

"Yufie, it's too early to jump to conclusions. It's crucial to gather all the facts before pointing fingers," Kisses cautioned.

Trish, unfamiliar with Eduardo, added, "I don't know who Eduardo is, but he must be quite talented to mimic Aerish-sensei's work."

Charlotte nodded in agreement, "Indeed, Aerish-sensei's manga has a national following, yet Eduardo still manages to garner sympathy from readers."

"And Red Mountain Publishing is an unknown entity in the industry," Krisha remarked.

"Kjin, please continue," Titus urged.

"Let's move on to the evidence. Examination of metadata from files uploaded to the dummy account reveals timestamps and IP addresses linked to individuals associated with Red Mountain Publishing, confirming their role in uploading plagiarized content," Kjin explained.

Mildred sought clarification, "These individuals associated with Red Mountain Publishing are the two geeks, right?"

Kjin nodded, "Exactly. Next, I conducted a side-by-side comparison of Aerish's manga panels and Eduardo's work, revealing striking similarities in background designs, panel composition, and dialogue. This provides concrete evidence of plagiarism."

Quila raised a valid point, "But Kjin, the connection between the geeks and Red Mountain Publishing isn't clear."

"To address that, I uncovered emails exchanged between Ronwaldo and the geeks, discussing the creation of the dummy account and instructions to upload the plagiarized content. This establishes a direct link between the parties involved and their awareness of the wrongdoing," Kjin clarified.

Sean Garren chimed in optimistically, "Great work, Kjin! We can make them pay for what they've done to Aerish's manga."

Kjin glanced at Sean Garren, his expression a mix of determination and concern, and cautioned against premature celebrations.

"It's not that easy, Sean Garren," Kjin began, his voice calm yet firm. "Because in order to do that, we need the testimonies from Red Mountain Publishing employees or collaborators attesting to Eduardo's knowledge of the plagiarism scheme orchestrated by Ronwaldo. It would provide further insight into the motive and collaboration behind the act," he explained, his eyes focused on Sean Garren, searching for a sign of agreement or doubt.

"I suggest, Mr. Titus, that this matter will be better handled by your company," Kjin added, his tone respectful yet assertive, implying the gravity of the situation and the need for prompt action.

Titus nodded thoughtfully, absorbing Kjin's words. "I understand," he responded, his voice reflecting a sense of responsibility. "Can you provide me a copy of all that?" he inquired, his gaze shifting between Kjin and Sean Garren, evaluating the next steps to be taken.

"No problem, that's all for now," Kjin assured Titus, a hint of determination in his voice. "I will continue to search for another evidence," he stated, his mind already strategizing the next move, determined to uncover the truth and bring justice to light.