Chapter Text
The introductory sentence for a novel should set the tone for the overall story. But instead of starting his story with universally acknowledged truths or a confused color set by the loss of a mother, or any other iconic quote to the literary world…
Kim Dokja would start his story like the following:
AITA for pretending to be a book editor to a progamer?
Throwaway account. English is not my first language, so apologies in advance. I will be censoring some things like my home country for privacy.
I (28M) am a normal office worker for a tech company. Or was. Problem is, a coworker of mine told me I will be let go soon as the company is suffering from many internal issues and “they do not have the capacity to keep paying for unnecessary work.” This news obviously made me upset, I am just a dude trying to make a living on my own, and family is not really in the picture (I am low to no contact with them), so it is just the Id, Ego and Super-Ego to fend for myself. After receiving this news, I started to wonder what I could do in order to not starve to death, but I had honestly half given up on my professional career at this point, because despite really trying, I have never been the successful type. So, there I was, 7:00 p.m., just after my shift ended, sitting in a family restaurant all by myself, looking for easy part time jobs. Enjoying the last meal of my corporate life, maybe. I would have kept being there, weeping all by myself and wondering how my life turned that way, wasn't it for some sunfish asshole that kept glaring at me. He was really persistent, so I thought he must have been into some cult shit. Not today, buddy, you are seeing my last pennies in this cheap meal , I thought to myself, you would have to pay me to join some weird cult. And see, I might have been wrong about it, but cults are a real issue nowadays. Anyway, point is said man actually approached me, and I tried to talk him out of his scam, but as the convo went on, I thought maybe I had it all wrong, and this big intimidating man was actually part of the mafia. There had been many reports about encounters like that in the city lately, and I really did not want to fall under a statistic, and him talking about his team no longer being in the picture really made things worse.
Reflecting back on it, I may be going overboard with all of my deductions, but I tend to assume the worst of every situation. Seeing the handsome man in a distressed state, I decided against my better judgment to listen to him. It may have been because I felt a little compelled by what seemed like a moment of weakness, no other real reason. I regretted it immediately, because this man actually gave me a big amount of money on an envelope, and then I started to panic. Like actually panicking. It was not a sum I would get with my salaryman job, and neither something I could pay off pocket money. So I was contemplating my options again, when all of a sudden he said: “OP, become my book editor.” A question mark could be seen above my head at this point. What was this man even talking about? The way I was staring at him must have been that of a dead squid, because he started giving me a whole discourse about why I should take him as a client. Imagine a good-looking stoic man saying something like It has to be you, you were carefully selected by an expert, you should be aware of my situation, I need the best on the field for this- yada, yada, yada. At that point I was mostly dissociating from reality, trying to make sense out of anything this man was trying to say. A progamer, actually, from what I could recall. He explained how he was a progamer that needed help writing a book, because his company had greatly screwed him up by releasing some buffoonery, an acute lack of discernment on his management’s part. Paraphrasing, not to expose a lot, it would be a title akin to “How To Become a Progamer in Just Ten Days With the Help of Your Favorite Sunfish Streamer If You Are a Ten Year Old Kid, Definitely Not a Ghost-Written Book That Is A Market Scam!!! By Progamer Sunfish!!! Did I Just Say Progamer Sunfish??? PROGAMER STREAMER SUNFISH.” Hopefully I did a good job summarizing how good of a job these guys did.
Now, I am a passionate reader. It is basically my life to read books, and I know a thing or two about how these scams work. I have done my fair share of research thanks to an author friend for whom I beta read sometimes, but it is nothing serious, just a webnovel thing. So honestly, I felt a little sympathetic for the guy, because I can only imagine such a pathetic attempt at money grabbing being published in your name. He seemed really upset at this, and I’ll spare some of the details, but it did not sit well with him. And I want you to try to picture this man again, who is like… Batman, but a progamer, a really serious individual. I could not see such a dignified person writing that type of bullshit. But he must have some loose screw or two, because he started explaining how he announced he would never publish such a thing, and instead of leaving the matter like that, like a funny anecdote, he confidently said he himself would prove how better of a writer he could be. I will write and publish a book myself. Like that, like it is not such a feat. My writer friend would end this man in a heartbeat if she could. And honestly, at this point I was ready to leave again, but he said he knew he could do it. With some revisions. With a little help. And I was and I am doubtful of such a statement. So I told him, you know, I do not think writing a book is as easy as you say, you should take this matter seriously, stories are meant to convey meaning. He did not look fazed by this, and he started to describe some of the materials he already had prepared. At this point I had forgotten, honestly, that he was asking me to be his editor, and got really hooked on the details.
The more I listened, the more interested I was, so I kept asking questions for like two hours or so, immersed in what he had to say. This was wrong on my end, I should have clarified the situation there, and end this whole charade. I do not know why this guy would think I am a renowned book editor when I am clearly a normal Q&A employee, but I was enjoying this situation more than usual. Even though the descriptions were a little rough, there was potential. I have enjoyed some rough works myself, so I am no stranger to this kind of narratives. For a second I really thought this fine man could be a vulgar impersonator trying to show off skills that he did not have, but he was clearly someone with good ideas that needed some help to bring them to life. So I felt really bad when I had to decline and tell him I could not possibly take him as my client, unable to explain how I was not actually a book editor. The Sunfish actually seemed disappointed in that, and insisted on me taking the job, even raising the pay. That did affect me, reminding me of how painfully unemployed I was about to be. Still, I have morals, so I was about to decline for the fifth time when he hit me with it:
Please.
I glitched. I have to give credit where credit is due, and this striking guy saying “Please” actually had an effect on me I was not expecting. I am not usually this charitable, so it came as a surprise to me too when I found myself nodding and telling him we could discuss terms later after I contemplated the offer to see if it can fit in my schedule. I went home, and I have not been able to sleep properly, so now I am here asking for advice. Should I just tell him the truth and embarrass myself, but have a clear conscience? I honestly don’t know what to do. Without my current job I also don’t know how far I can make it unemployed, so I am in a very dire situation right now. That is about it, I apparently scammed my way into getting a book editor job for which I am definitely not qualified and could be overpaid for. So, AITA?
> Comments (49)
@dlsldmn: yta bro there are way too many unnecessary details to this story pls make it shorter next time. i think you should get that bag lol. there is no actual degree or anything you need to be a book editor
@BallsBalling: maybe he is the one getting scammed and not the other way around!! i don’t think he should do something like that, a stable job would do him better
@dlsldmn: either way he is unemployed, so whatever atp
@uriuri: This is a really nice story! It seems like you guys really got along, and you actually do have experience in the field, even if you say it is just a small gig. Throughout history, risk takers are the ones who make it the biggest, and you may be in front of your new dream job! Especially if it is such a big figure, you would be giving yourself a good name in the industry. Moreover, you are interested in the story this guy has in store, so it would be a shame to not see it to the end, don’t you think? You may be too harsh on yourself by saying you are scamming this guy. Surely you could be a little more honest by telling him you are not really a renowned editor, but maybe test the waters first, and establish some ground rules, like a period trial. If you think the pressure is too much on you, or things are not working, end the relationship in the healthiest way possible. If it does work, then it is nothing but a win-win situation! And inconveniences could happen with any regular book editor too, so do not beat yourself up if some things do not go your way at first. NTA!
@throwawayreader9158: This is a really insightful comment, thank you.
@uriuri: Please update us!!! I am really intrigued by the possible developments of this story~
@calendarguy: I honestly have no words for this story. Dude, I think someone must be playing with you, because this seems almost like a scam, maybe you should reconsider your first theories because it just sounds made up. The guy sounds terrifying, maybe he is actually trying to shift all the work on you. If I were in your shoes, I would just ghost him
@throwawayreader9158: I don't think he is that kind of person. Even though he was a little rude, he looked like a good guy.
@calendarguy: Still, you say he is serious about this, but you are just meeting him for the first time, he could turn out to be totally different from what you imagine. I would still advise against taking such a job, a relationship based on lies could not possibly end well
@XxCrazeeDragonxX: was it rlly necessary to mention how good looking dude is like 7 times in the post XD
@shineeeturtle: bar is in hell, you could not possibly give up just because some dude asked pretty please
@warfaregen: bro is kinda…
@SunEmperor: If I was the progamer I would be so mad like there’s no way I am getting scammed TWICE. yta
@uriuri: but OP actually wants to help!!! It is not the same
@spspspsp: Annoying guy. Deserves to get scammed.
@SunEmperor: Damn. Maybe you are right
Extra: Family restaurant
“First of all, I am not into weird cult stuff.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Kim Dokja looked across the table of the family restaurant. He had been given dirty looks all his life, but there is something about the bastard in front of him that makes him lose it a little. Staring for too long with that serial killer look before deciding he looked like the potential victim of a cultist scam. On a normal day, Dokja would just dismiss him with a polite smile on his face, but today is definitely a day in which his temperament decided to snap. He found out he was getting fired any time soon, and that not being enough, scammed ? No way in hell.
“I do not have interest in your weird stories, man. I am broke, you would have to pay me. You better recruit someone else.”
“I am Yoo Joonghyuk”, the voice came out cold, matching the murderous aura he had been getting for the last minute.
“...So?”
The potential cultist -Yoo Joonghyuk, Dokja had to remind himself- clenched his jaw and examined his face for several seconds before letting out a sound nothing short of annoyance. He took an envelope from his bag and threw it on the table, looking at him expectantly.
At that moment, Kim Dokja started to consider this may be more serious than he thought, and contemplated the option of just running like a madman through the door. He was a young worker, he didn’t even go partying in college, never had a girlfriend to take on dates, scarcely enjoyed the good moments in life, always shutted in himself. His life was too short, and it was not a good one to consider just wasting it in jail or dying at the hands of what did not seem to be a cult anymore, but the mafia. There had been cases like this, of people being abducted to try new drugs the mafia was trying to circulate, or being framed as a scapegoat for their illegal activities. Sweat broke through his temple, his mind racing to find a solution to his situation. He could not even finish the trashy webnovel he was reading last night, that was enough to wear him down emotionally.
Try to cool down your head, Kim Dokja. Act wisely.
Breathing deeply, he tried to straighten his back and look as serious as possible, “do you know who you are talking to?”
He took the worst possible route.
“I do. Are you taking it or not?”
The man is insistent.
“No, with that attitude of yours I am not.”
“I thought you had already agreed upon it, I have a deadline already established.”
He is confusing me with someone else, then. I need more information.
“So, you are in a hurry. Why is that?”
Yoo Joonghyuk frowned upon hearing the words, “You should know what my team did the last time behind my back. I will not allow mistakes like that on me, I need someone reliable now for this, they are no longer in the picture.”
This is worse than I thought. I need to get out of here quickly.
“I am not sure we are understanding each other here, Yoo Joong… mister.”
“You are the most reliable person out there to help me with this. You were recommended carefully by an expert. It has to be you.”
"No, I actually…”, Dokja was starting to get up when a hand blocked his way. He is too nervous now, knowing that this dangerous man is capable of getting rid of people. The hand on his working bag was holding on for dear life, considering how they are going to find his organs in the black market by next week.
“This is the first payment”, he slid the envelope across the table again, this time being a little more careful with it. For the first time since they started talking, Dokja decided to look at his face for more than a second. Were it not for this nerve wracking situation, he probably would have thought he had a protagonist halo. It kind of reminded him of the main character of a novel he once read, but he could not pinpoint it at the moment. He also looked quite… tired. Like a man who had been through many lives of hardships. Maybe that is why Dokja got right back on the chair, a little shocked, and less scared. He took the envelope, and the amount of money startled him again, making his eyes appear bigger.
“Could you please introduce yourself officially?”, the suspicious looking man asked.
“... Kim Dokja.”
Why would you do that.
“Kim Dokja. Become my book editor.”
“Excuse me?”
(…)
With a new job, Kim Dokja does not sleep a wink that night.