Well.. Actually.. 

I've never tried writing an ending before.

But at least in this world between the lines.

I can talk to you freely.

Or maybe not?.. Anyway.

This is not my story, but someone else's story.

The person who fought kings alone.

The person who loved stories the most.

And in the end he became.. □□.

* * *

With the sound of 'Tsu-ot' I closed my laptop and opened the window.

I took a quick look outside.

'Seoul' the capital of South Korea.

In novels, all kinds of disasters often happen in Seoul.

Once again, I realized..「This world isn't inside a novel.」

'Trr-n' isn't a lightning bolt or something..

Just my phone, yeah… This is something more dangerous than lightning bolts.

〔"Did you finish the ending, Writer-nim?"〕

This sounded like a manager who tortures his employees.

But it wasn't.

"Ah…"

Seriously? Is that all I could say?

〔"Don't tell me you're going to do it again!"〕

I can partially understand her anger, what I'm about to do is a 'disaster'.

〔"Writer-nim… Don't you see what you're going to do? This masterpiece you're about to ruin."〕

"I really don't know, Jin-ah…"

'Yoo-jin' my childhood friend, and also my editor who never gave up on me.

Umm... Well she was a 'perfectly successful person'.

Unlike me.

〔"Ha-joon-ah, please think again.."〕

I'm 'Kim Ha-joon' I don't know why I'm called that but, my parents probably wished for me to be 'creative'.

And.. I just became a failed writer.

Most of my works were very popular at the beginning, and once the recent events started.

I'm preparing for a 'terrible tragedy'

So.. some people called me the 'disaster recorder' I guess it fits me, right?

「"You have to consider how your characters feel"」

Why? They're just fictional characters.

Do they even feel? That's bullshit.

For some reason.. I spoke with a slight sadness.

"This is a story that started with a tragedy, so it makes sense that it would end with—"

〔"Stop! This work is different! Don't you think the protagonist needs some rest?"〕

Well… that's kind of true.

"How about making the ending 'open'?"

〔"Open…?"〕

As if she had never thought of it, I wanted to clarify.

"Instead of writing a tragedy, what if I made it an ending inspired by the reader?"

〔"That's because…"〕

The protagonist in this work is a 'reader' who loved stories more than anyone else.

And in the end, he became a part of his beloved story.

That's the fate of everyone who loved a story.

But I couldn't write an ending like that for the reader.

〔"That's a great idea, Writer-nim! But some people might hate it.. "〕

It's okay, if I write the ending I thought of.. they might really kill me.

"I think it's the most appropriate ending"

Instead of a truth that everyone rejects, a lie that will make them happy is better.

I know that the hero died and this is an irreversible choice.

This little hope might save the reader.

Maybe this will be compensation for what I did, sorry to you too Haneul.

〔"If this is what the writer wants.. By the way, did you finish it?"〕

The question I dodged at first.

"Not yet.. "

〔"Good luck."〕

The line was hung up.

And with it, all my thoughts were lost.

I opened my laptop and read the text over and over again.

「"The person who fought kings alone.

The person who loved stories the most.

And in the end, he became.. □□." 」

I thought carefully this time.

'Did the hero really deserve it?'

I deleted the entire ending.. everything I wrote.

Haneul doesn't deserve it.

As Yeo Jin said, this story is different.

It's not that I don't understand the characters' suffering, but..

It's just that this story started with a tragedy, so how can it have a happy ending? Such imagination doesn't exist.

I can't do anything except leave an empty space.

So that the reader can imagine his own ending.

* * *

I ran out of ideas for the ending.

'Won't there be something in the comments?'

Even at that moment, I rely on the reader.

I browsed the comments but there were no ideas.

Then..

*

Hyeon90: Didn't the writer delay in uploading? What happened to Dokja?

*

‹Hyeon90› A reader who followed my story with interest.

I was a little surprised that he used the name 'Dokja'

Another one..

*

Dokja□□: Writing the ending is definitely tiring; the writer-nim should rest and the ending will be better!

*

Dokja-ssi.. I was touched..

The kind reader who stayed with me until now and appreciated my efforts.

But Dokja-ssi.. If I delay any longer, I think I will ruin the story completely.

...

In Korea.. 'Dokja' refers to an only son or an independent person.

And 'Dokja' here means 'reader'.

At some point, I called the protagonist 'Haneul' 'Dokja'.

And then this little reader used the same name.

He used it even though it was weird? My respect for him has increased.

This is very touching Dokja-ssi..

At least if you are inside the novel you will quickly attract the attention of the stars.

*

.... In the end.

I didn't find any particularly exciting ideas, most of the comments were threatening me if I ruined this work as well.

- I was only going to kill Haneul and not his party so don't be afraid.

If I said that then I would be the one to die.

The best solution would be to go to sleep.

If I could meet Haneul and ask him what kind of ending he would prefer.

What would be the '□□' that he wanted, and not the one I wanted?

But why..

「"You're finally here, Hajoon?"」

Why is the main character inside my dream?..

***

Author note:

How am I supposed to know?