008. Tribulations (6)
The inner office of Railroad Software was a scene of utter desolation. With just ten days until the open beta, the employees were utterly absorbed in their work. It wasn't just because their tasks had piled up. It was because they'd dropped the most monumental screw-up in company history.
'Catfight (physical) between employees at the event venue? Really.'
Last Friday, Yoon Se-hee—the flyweight [underdog] who usually kept a low profile—and Kim A-ram, the bantamweight powerhouse [killer], had grappled it out at the Gwanggyo indie game festival. Word had spread like wildfire through industry circles.
'This is getting serious.'
Like dogs that pissed themselves at the drop of a hat, they couldn't control their outbursts regardless of time or place. Had they skipped potty training along with basic upbringing? A fleeting, gender-war thought crossed his mind: Send people like that to the army, and maybe they'd shape up. But Im Seong-u quickly dismissed it. Saying that out loud would get him flamed.
"Kim A-ram!"
Han Yu-ra strode into the office, shoulders squared, looking five levels stronger than yesterday. Red ponytail hair. Crisp suit. Her cool, brown eyes gleamed with righteous conviction. She glared down at Kim A-ram with haughty authority, dropping the formalities.
*Gulp.* Kim A-ram's swallow was audible from across the room.
'Aigoo, you bitch...'
Truth be told, Im Seong-u didn't want Kim A-ram fired. There were still so many sights he wanted to show her before they parted ways. The sunrise viewed after an all-nighter, chugging Americano. The floor littered with hair like a sewer grate after tearing at your scalp over an unsolved bug. Desks buried in empty cola cans and cigarette butts that screamed burnout. Those were the "precious moments of life" he yearned to share with her.
But when she thrashed around begging to be cut loose like this, even he had no grounds to save her.
'Just... fuck it once, A-ram. What can you do? 'Do your best and leave the rest to heaven' doesn't apply to types like you.'
Han Yu-ra's gaze was ice-cold. Her intensity was so lethal, it wouldn't have been out of place with boss BGM blaring and a health bar at the bottom of his vision. Finally, she declared:
"We think we've given you plenty of chances, A-ram. Do you know who defended you when you first deleted the server files?"
"..."
"Seong-u."
Kim A-ram shot him a startled glance.
"You weren't the only one who believed in you, A-ram. I did too, and so did the other employees, probably. But what did you do? You killed Yoon Se-hee's parents!"
"...Ah, my parents still aren't... dead yet..."
"You rolled around on the floor fighting with Se-hee...! Do you even realize open beta is ten days away? Angel Ventures hasn't been paying close attention, but if they had, what do you think would've happened? Huh?"
Kim A-ram rolled her eyes desperately, hunting for an escape. It was infuriating. Speaking of holes, any man who fell for that slut's looks and chased her hole would see his whole family line crumble—lust was the root of all evil.
"A-ram."
Anyway, Han Yu-ra continued. Her words dropped like a guillotine made of language onto Kim A-ram's head.
"You're fired."
You're fired!
'Whoa... now that's a CEO.'
A massive rush of satisfaction hit him, like watching pro wrestling. Honestly, he hadn't wanted Kim A-ram to leave the company. But hearing "You're fired" for real delivered a corresponding thrill.
"Ugh... Se-hee hit me first."
People didn't change easily, and Kim A-ram proved it to the bitter end.
'You're one tough bitch.'
Kim A-ram. Where the hell did you come from? You were so unlike other women that you'd etched yourself deep into his memory. He'd never forget her his whole life...
'In every way, you were the first woman like this in my life. Probably the last I'll ever meet.'
No. Not "probably the last."
'God, I hope I never meet another like you. Please...'
Anyway, it was time for them to part. The memories between him and Kim A-ram should flow beyond the event horizon of incidents, never to return. Ever.
"...Ah."
"My decision stands."
Cruel verdict. Kim A-ram bowed her head.
"Hic..."
Was this an explosion of pent-up emotions? Or did even she feel regret? She started sniffling softly.
'Let's see what melodrama she's pulling.'
As Kim A-ram sobbed, Han Yu-ra faltered slightly, looking flustered. Tears like jade beads rolled from Kim A-ram's eyes. She said:
"Unnie..."
"..."
The two shared a long history. Though he hadn't been part of their circle.
"Making games with unnie... hic. It was... fun, though."
Im Su-yeon watched with a dumbfounded stare before looking away, while Yoon Se-hee gaped wide enough for flies to enter.
Kim A-ram continued:
"Unnie, I'm sorry. I was always causing trouble... hic... Unnie, when did we become like this?"
"..."
"I wanted to do well... unnie."
Finally, Kim A-ram said:
"Thanks for everything... up till now."
"You..."
Han Yu-ra replied. Her eyes softened slightly, the sharp edge dulled, her final words laced with regret...
"Quit the bullshit and get the fuck out, A-ram."
...or not. Having leveled up as a businesswoman, Han Yu-ra didn't fall for cheap Korean melodrama. She just said what needed saying.
Kim A-ram halted her chicken-shit tears on a dime and turned to him.
'...'
"..."
For a second, they stared deep into each other's eyes.
'What a retard.'
Kim A-ram stopped sniffling, grabbed her bag.
"Shit..."
"..."
"It didn't work..."
The tiger dies leaving its pelt, as they say? Hearing that, his disgust turned to awe. If this were Japan, Kim A-ram might've been sealed in a shrine.
'A-ram... maybe my greed went too far. Regret, ruin, obsession—moderation is key...'
In the end, she left behind only legend and departed the company. Kim A-ram—living proof of innate evil, icon of abolishing looks-based society—exited Railroad Software.
Han Yu-ra sat down and addressed the other employees.
…
'It was a doomed company anyway.'
Kim A-ram stepped out feeling relieved. Surprisingly, she wasn't a psychopath. She felt a twinge of guilt toward Han Yu-ra. A strange heaviness in her chest. But she didn't want to dwell on it.
'Feeling guilty gains me nothing. Sigh... Firing a genius planner who took double crowns at the game startup contest.'
Kim A-ram had suspected it for a while.
'Im Seong-u. There was definitely a backup. No backup, and he wouldn't have played it so cool. He was slacking off visibly... Even maxing the damage estimate, it's just a few mil. I can earn that back.'
She smiled wryly.
'Plenty of people will love me anyway.'
Tears flowing again, she called her eternal devotee, grad student Yoon Ji-ho.
"...Hic."
"What's up, A-ram."
"Oppa, got time to talk?"
Grad student Yoon Ji-ho should have been busy. But having never massaged his parents' shoulders, he always had time for a cute junior girl.
"What's going on?"
"Hic... I got fired from the company..."
And so the sob story began, history repeating itself.
'Yeah, whatever~ Just get hired elsewhere~'
But Kim A-ram's path couldn't always be bright. Though the world resembled a poorly balanced trash game, sometimes it adjusted karma like it had a conscience. Misfortune burrowed ahead of her like a lurker.
…
"Hey, you know that?"
"What."
"The game festival in Gwanggyo recently."
"Yeah."
"What? More bizarre than you playing games?"
Who plays a game made to kill you for 10 hours straight with their feet to see the ending? What could be weirder than that pervert? Was there still spectacle left in the world?
The YouTuber's friend eyed him with interest.
"One of the employees was collapsed crying, then two others started fighting—saw it live."
"Whoa. Crazy. Railroad Software, right? No way?"
"What? It's already blown up that far?"
"Yeah. No biggie, just rumors. Anyway, the CEO emailed me. Begged me not to mention it."
"...Whoa. Didn't sell out for views."
"Course not, dude. Gotta have some class for the long haul."
DarkSoulsColaLoverMarineSir said.
"Here's the real deal... They assigned flyer duty to an employee with social anxiety. Guess she wanted to overcome it."
"Impressive. But why hire someone with social anxiety?"
"Probably disability quota. Hire one, get tax breaks."
"Ah."
Han Yu-ra had never used "disability preference" phrasing. She wasn't Kim A-ram. But others assumed.
"So the employee's crying, and this planner—Kim A-ram?—lies that her parents are dead."
"No... insane."
"So she's getting disciplined... fired."
"Why'd the CEO hire her?"
"Starting with club buddies—what'd you expect? Obvious."
"Fair. Lasting a year with her is the real feat."
They wrapped up drinks. But not everyone was tight-lipped like DarkSoulsColaLoverMarineSir.
His drinking buddy, Yoon something, tilted his head on the way home.
'Anonymize the name... Post this on DC, could go viral.'
His hobby was community sites. Started for "planning inspiration," but he loved them: Shitpost, DCInside, Ruliweb, Blind, etc.
'How to spin this. Anonymize Kim A-ram. Skip Railroad Software... No issues.'
He posted to the community site, agonizing over the title:
Fortunately, invitees to Gwanggyo were few, so netizens couldn't ID Kim A-ram. Insiders were different.
Next day, his phone blew up with calls from contacts.
"Hey... that woman from Gwanggyo. The one who bullied the social anxiety employee. You know her name, right?"
"...No."
He loved attention, barely suppressing a grin.
Sudden calls would've annoyed most, but attention-whore Yoon relished it, beaming proudly.
"Come on, you know. Why play dumb."
Caller was S Group's game HR.
Yoon chuckled, feigning ignorance.
"Dunno. And it's personal info."
"Ugh, seriously. Dude, you know we have blacklists?"
Big corp HR shared unofficial blacklists. Couldn't watch everyone, but uni rape or major crimes? Word spread.
Yoon smacked his lips.
"Still can't say. Private info..."
"Acting pricey again. Hey... free this weekend?"
"..."
"Drinks on me. Come out."
Images flashed: This guy's rich kid. Last time, room salon on him.
No need to resist temptation. His conscience was a worn rag long ago.
"...Expensive stuff?"
"Yeah, asshole. Spill the tea."
And so Kim A-ram broadcast her emergency shelter far and wide.