Editor-in-Chief Gae-sik Hwang looked at the two who had cried out together, and spoke to Paeng-seop Park.

"What is it? Don't you want to write it? If you don't want to write it, shall I put someone else on it?"

"No, sir!"

Paeng-seop Park had his denial out before Gae-sik Hwang had finished speaking.

And he spoke to Gae-sik Hwang, meaning every word of it.

"If you will only give it to me, I will write it well. Truly."

"You had better. This one may well be a chance that never comes to you again in your life."

"Yes. I will not miss the chance. Thank you."

Paeng-seop Park bobbed a bow to Editor-in-Chief Gae-sik Hwang.

Seeing it, Gae-sik Hwang turned to the Social Affairs Department Head, whose lip was thrust out, and to the Economics Department Head, who was watching his junior with a look at once pleased and envious, and said,

"In any case, this one is not a matter that ends with that fellow's single story. It needs follow-up reporting and further reporting. So never mind which department anyone belongs to — all of you get onto it and report it out. Understood? What I'm saying is, don't go weighing up what's mine and what's yours."

With the two department heads in front of him, Gae-sik Hwang laid down clearly who was to do what.

"The first story belongs to the fellow who brought it in, but the next one has no owner. I mean to hand the page to whoever brings me the best story, so bear that in mind."

"Yes. Understood."

The two of them answered together that they understood.

And, delighted that a chance had come to them as well, they struggled to keep from smiling.

Having settled Paeng-seop Park and the two department heads, Editor-in-Chief Gae-sik Hwang at last turned his head and looked at the Managing Editor.

The Managing Editor, who had been wearing the expression of a man with a great deal to say, opened his mouth at last.

"Editor-in-Chief. Do you really mean to run it?"

"So the Managing Editor…