The effect was clear

A restaurant the next day.

I was sitting at one of those tables, looking at the restaurant entrance with my phone to my ear.

“Yeah. Just keep coming. It’s across from the karaoke room, right?”

A few minutes later, Ha-eun, who was holding her phone to her ear like me, opened the door and came in.

“Ha Eun-ah.”

“Brother!”

She came running in excitement and sat down across from me.

“Did you come right after class?”

“Yes. It was the first time my brother called me, so I came running!”

Somehow, he started panting when he told me his location over the phone.

I smiled at Ha-eun, who was also smiling brightly, and handed her the menu.

“Order whatever you want to eat. I’ll pay.”

“Really?”

He chooses the menu with a very serious face as if he had never been smiling before.

After finishing the order, it was time to tell her why I had called her.

“Ha-eun, did you bring that?”

“Yes. Just a moment.”

The hand that had been rummaging through the bag pulled a notebook out onto the table.

As soon as I opened the note and looked at its contents, exclamations escaped my lips.

” and… .”

What was inside were drawings by Ha-eun.

It’s a complex and powerful drawing of a giant robot that looks like it came out of an anime like Gundam.

“Did you draw all of this yourself?”

“Yes!”

It’s too detailed and neat to be considered a hobby.

In addition to standing poses that would appear in a setting picture, there were also various compositions and scenes of swinging weapons.

There was even a drawing of two robots fighting, and unlike the others that were just drawn with black pen lines, it was colored in.

“You draw really well. Is this the fruit?”

“Although I’m in the cartoon department, I don’t draw and I only learn theory all day long. These are things I drew as a hobby by looking them up on the internet.”

“This is awesome… .”

“Oppa, am I really good at drawing? I’m so nervous because it’s my first time showing it to someone else.”

“Oh, you really draw so well.”

“Really?!”

When Ha-eun sent me these pictures taken with her phone yesterday, I was truly surprised.

Because it felt like I was watching a professional piece of work that I would only see on the internet.

Then I thought, why don’t you have her draw the cover or illustrations for my novel?

“Can you create something without copying?”

“Yes! This and this and this are what I imagined and drew!”

Ha-eun’s hands, excited by the compliments, quickly turn the pages of her notebook.

And I became more confident in my thoughts.

“Ha-eun, I’m actually on leave from school and serializing a novel on the internet. It’s a mecha novel.”

“Wow, a novel? Can you show me?”

“Yeah, I’ll show you. And the reason I called you today is because I wanted to ask Ha-eun to do a novel cover.”

Currently, my novel is gaining popularity and is getting enough views to earn me more than I would from my regular weekday job.

It’s such a great achievement for a first serial.

But if there is one thing that is regrettable, it is that there has been no cover, let alone illustrations, until now.

The reason was purely my taste.

I don’t know if it’s because I have high standards or if I just don’t know how to draw, but I haven’t seen any artists who draw robot illustrations that I’m satisfied with.

I thought about leaving it to someone else to gather readers even though I wasn’t satisfied with it, but since it was a work I had affection for, I didn’t want to do it carelessly.

So, after putting it off and putting it off, I met the talent right in front of me.

“Really? I’m fine as long as you’re okay! Oh, that’s why you’re buying me dinner today!”

No, there’s no way I could eat a picture like this for a meal.

I guess he really doesn’t know how great his own drawings are.

“No, I’m trying to formally outsource it.”

“Outsourcing? You’re giving me money?”

He nodded without hesitation.

This was my way of helping her.

Since I don’t have the ability to change my parents’ minds, I just help them with Ha-eun’s meager living expenses.

Of course, it was a win-win situation because I was able to get a painting I liked.

“Hey. It’s okay, oppa. You usually play with me. I’ll draw this in return! “

As he was waving his hands, I waved my hands louder and spoke.

“No. Since you are officially transferring the copyright, you have to pay money.”

Originally, commercial use was possible with only the artist’s permission, but the other party, unaware of this, nodded blankly.

“Ah, gkkunaa… . I can really just do it.”

“Drawing isn’t easy, so you should get paid for it. So, you’ll draw it for me, right?”

“Yes! What should I draw?”

With my meager skills, I drew the composition I had in mind in the blank space of my notebook.

While I was explaining it in as much detail as possible so that it was easy to understand, Ha-eun listened with shining eyes.

“And here, we set up a cannon like this. What do you think?”

“Yes, I think I can do it.”

“Okay. When I get home, I’ll send you some reference images. It’ll be easier to understand when you see them.”

“Yes, oppa. How long do I have to draw it?”

“Don’t worry, do whatever you want. Oh, by the way, is there an amount you would like to receive for a picture like this?”

“How much? Hmm… .”

Ha-eun pouts her lips and looks lost in thought.

He had an expression on his face that said he really didn’t need the money, but he was forcing himself to think about it.

And after a while, he carefully spread out five fingers.

“Oh, fifty thousand won?”

It was only for a moment that I said that.

Perhaps because he thought it was too much for his standards, he looked around and folded two fingers.

“Thirty thousand won… ?”

I spoke firmly because I felt like he would cut it down even more if I left it alone.

“I’ll give you six hundred thousand won.”

“Huh?! You don’t need that much!”

I shake my head in surprise, but my thoughts remain the same.

To begin with, professional writers often receive at least fifty dollars for one character and background.

However, Ha-eun deserved to receive more since she had to draw more complex robots than people.

“I’ll give you 600,000 won first, and I’ll give you more if the number of views increases.”

“It’s really okay. Six hundred thousand won is too much, oppa.”

“No. It’s worth it.”

I meant what I said.

Although I wanted to help Ha-eun, her skills were only good enough to receive that much money.

Even if it was just my imagination and others saw it differently, it didn’t matter because I was satisfied.

“If I’m satisfied with the cover, I’d like to continue to ask for illustrations or new covers in the future. To do that, I have to be thorough from the beginning.”

“But there are still too many… .”

“It’s okay, don’t worry about me. You’ll draw it, right?”

“… Yes.”

At that moment, the food I ordered came out.

Ha-eun had cheese donkatsu, and I had buckwheat noodles.

She, who had been unable to hide her regret until just now, brightened up again as soon as she saw the food.

“I’ll eat well, oppa!”

As we continued our meal and chatted, something occurred to me, so I asked.

“Oh, but isn’t it exam period now? Can you draw me a picture or something?”

“It doesn’t matter. The professors are easygoing and I’m satisfied with just getting a B.”

I feel like if I show them the pictures, I’ll get an A right away.

“I need to buy a new ballpoint pen to draw. Let’s eat this and go together, Oppa!”

I was about to reply that I understood, but then stopped.

Now that I think about it, I forgot the most important thing.

“Ha-eun, do you have a tablet?”

“What is that?”

“It’s a tool that lets you draw on your computer, but it’s better than drawing on a notebook with a pen.”

“Ah, this is the first time I’ve heard of it.”

“Do you have a laptop?”

“Yes. I bought it when I moved into the dorm.”

“I see. Okay, I understand.”

After finishing our meal, we headed to an offline tablet store, not a stationery store.

“You’re buying it for me? No! This is so expensive. It’s over a hundred thousand won!”

“Just take it because it’s a kind of investment. And this is the cheapest model.”

He forced the tablet into Ha-eun’s hand, who repeatedly refused, and sent her away.

And then one night, while I was still in frequent contact with her like I always did, I got a phone call.

“Yeah, Ha-eun.”

-Oppa! I finished drawing it!

“Already? It’s only been a week.”

-Hehe, I drew it diligently whenever I had time. I’ll send it to you now!

I immediately checked the image I received.

…wow.

The results exceeded expectations.

A robot that was as cool as I had imagined, or even cooler, was striking a lively pose.

Moreover, perhaps because she has similar tastes as I do, she has captured the points that robot nerds would like very well.

When I saw with my own eyes the world I had only imagined in my head, I was overcome with a strange emotion.

You drew this in a week?

Not only is it exam period, but you must have been busy with your part-time job on the weekends.

It must have taken some time to get used to using a tablet after only drawing with a pen, but you have an amazing talent.

“Ha-eun-ah. You are really the best… .”

-Are you okay? That’s great! I was really nervous!

“It’s not just good. It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I’ll send you the money right away.”

-No. If it makes you happy, then that’s fine.

“What are you talking about? You promised.”

I sent him away right away so he couldn’t say anything else.

-…Thank you, brother.

“I’m grateful. Ha-eun worked hard to receive it, so don’t feel too burdened.”

-My heart feels so full. I feel like I can do something. I didn’t feel this way when I was getting my part-time job. Thank you, oppa.

I also felt proud when I heard the voice full of sincerity.

“You can be confident because you draw really well.”

-Really? Thank you! By the way, oppa, do you want to meet up next week and play with me? I’ll buy you some in return!

“Okay? Okay, when can I see you?”

The appointment was set for next Monday.

Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow are the weekend, so Ha-eun will be busy with her part-time job, and Monday is also her part-time job payday.

Today, Friday, was just the end of my exams, so it was good timing in many ways.

“See you then.”

-Yes, brother!

As soon as I finished the call, I ran straight to the computer.

With a pounding heart, I registered the image I received from Ha-eun as the cover.

And two days later, on Sunday night.

I cheered silently in front of my computer screen.

…nice!

The effect of the cover was clear.

Yesterday, the day after I registered, the number of views increased noticeably, and today, the second day, the number of daily views has nearly doubled compared to before.

It was thanks to the high-quality cover that not only people who would have just passed by the book because there was no cover but also readers who were not usually interested in mecha stuff were drawn in.

… I should give Ha-eun more money. And I should continue to ask her for help in the future.

I’m lying in bed, but I’m so excited that I can’t sleep.

Still, tomorrow is the day I plan to meet her.

I forced myself to sleep so I could deliver this good news in person.