Overnight Proof
A single-line notice. "We're terminating the contract with the Han-cut editor." Min Seo-jin's voice dropped into the studio silence. None of the five people inside reacted immediately. Reina remained frozen a step back from where she'd retreated. Sohwa, hand on the back of her chair, slowly sat down again. I exhaled once inside my mask.
"When was this decided?"
"An hour ago. Right after the collab stream started."
"Right after the stream started."
"Yes."
I read the meaning instantly. Park Jin-woo had confirmed the collab stream began and made the call. He hadn't even checked if it was going well or not. He hadn't seen the results—just the fact that it had started. This decision had nothing to do with the collab's success. Park Jin-woo had scripted Han-cut's removal from the start, no matter how it ended. Today's collab meant nothing more to him than the "last product made right before cutting Han-cut."
"Manager Min."
"Yes."
"Does the CEO know?"
"......No."
"So it's Team Leader Park's solo decision."
"Yes."
"That means we have until tomorrow morning's statement goes up to stop it."
"......Yes."
"How much time?"
Min Seo-jin checked her phone again.
"The statement is scheduled for tomorrow at 8 a.m."
Current time: 9:40 p.m. Ten hours and twenty minutes.
"We have to decide within ten hours."
"Yes."
Reina stepped closer.
"Han-cut ssi."
"Yes."
"You're sure this is Park Jin-woo's solo call?"
"Manager Min said so."
"A team leader posting a contract termination statement alone is a procedural violation."
"I know."
"But deciding on it already means Park has confidence he won't be held accountable even if he breaks procedure."
"Yes."
"Did you check the CEO's line?"
"That's Manager Min's authority."
Reina looked at Min Seo-jin.
"Manager Min, can you report directly to the CEO?"
Min Seo-jin paused a beat.
"It's possible. But I can't predict how the CEO will judge after the report."
"How might the judgment go?"
"Two ways. First, acknowledge the team leader's procedural violation and block the statement. Second, acknowledge the violation but deem it aligned with company interests overall and overlook it."
"What's the CEO's tendency?"
"He's sensitive to procedure. But that's in routine cases—this kind of imminent external exposure might differ."
"......Then just reporting won't cut it."
"Yes."
Reina looked at me.
"Han-cut ssi, we need leverage to shake the CEO line directly."
"I know."
"What do we have?"
I paused a beat. Every gaze in the studio refocused on me. Sohwa stood from her chair. She approached but stopped a step away.
"Sohwa ssi."
"Yes."
"Where's the raw avatar software capture from today's collab?"
"On the studio PC."
"Can you send it to me now?"
"Yes."
"Reina ssi too."
"Yes."
"I need both raw captures within an hour."
"......"
"Manager Min."
"Yes."
"Can you report directly to the CEO within 30 minutes?"
"Yes."
"Add one thing to the report."
"Go ahead."
"'I'll complete the collab edit by dawn and send it directly to the CEO. Please judge the statement posting after viewing the edit.' Just that one line."
Min Seo-jin's expression stiffened a beat.
"Han-cut-nim, a collab edit normally takes three days."
"I know."
"From now until dawn is eight hours."
"I know."
"Can you do it?"
"I have to."
Reina stepped even closer.
"Han-cut ssi, hold on."
"Yes."
"Finishing the edit by dawn and sending it to the CEO means you're directly pressuring Park with your best work."
"Yes."
"But what if it doesn't work?"
"It will."
"How can you be sure?"
"The collab itself was clean. You both did great, and the gallery vibe was to judge based on the edit results. If the edit lands well, the gallery shifts favorable again. Once the CEO sees that favorable flow firsthand, Park's unilateral decision crumbles as 'company-beneficial.'"
"......Logical."
"That's editing. It speaks through results."
"Han-cut ssi."
"Yes."
"This is too big a risk for you. Betting your entire rep on one shot."
"Yes."
"You okay with that?"
"I have to be."
Reina paused a beat, then stepped closer still.
"Han-cut ssi, I can help too."
"How?"
"Through my agency's line, I can pressure Park from the side."
"......How?"
"Our marketing director went to the same industry meetups as Park. If I ask, he can leak an unofficial message through that channel: 'This statement could hurt industry rep.'"
"Reina ssi, that's burning one of your lines."
"Yes."
"Lines like that don't recharge."
"I know."
"Why burn it for me?"
Reina met my eyes head-on.
"If you go, I'm next. Companies with guys like Park cut one, then the next. I don't want to wait for my turn."
Reina's answer was purely self-interested. That made it more trustworthy. Promises from calculated people don't waver—emotions do.
"Reina ssi, use that line."
"Yes."
"When?"
"Now. One call."
"Thank you."
Reina took her phone and walked to a corner of the studio.
Sohwa stood rooted there.
"Han-cut-nim."
"Yes."
"What should I do?"
I swallowed once inside my mask. Saying "Nothing" wouldn't work here. If Sohwa once felt useless, that impression would gnaw at her for days.
"Sohwa ssi."
"Yes."
"Send me the collab raw capture first."
"Yes."
"Second."
"Yes."
"Don't post anywhere tonight. Not fan cafe, not anywhere. Stay quiet like always."
"......Why?"
"Any post from you tonight, Park twists it as 'Sohwa's shaken.' That justifies his statement."
"Got it."
"Third."
"Yes."
"Don't tell anyone what happened today. Not close colleagues, not other managers."
"Yes."
"That's how you help."
Sohwa paused a beat.
"Han-cut-nim."
"Yes."
"This is just me staying put."
"Yes."
"I'm bad at 'staying put.'"
"I know."
"......But tonight, I will."
"Thank you."
"Han-cut-nim, one request."
"Yes."
"After finishing the edit and sending to the CEO, message me once. That you sent it safe."
"Yes."
"That's all."
Min Seo-jin took her phone and stepped out of the studio. To call the CEO direct. Managers don't touch that line lightly. Using it now meant she was doing the biggest thing possible from her position.
Just me and Sohwa left inside. Reina was wrapping her call on the other side.
"Han-cut-nim."
Sohwa said softly.
"Yes."
"I thought you'd never leave."
"......Yes."
"But when you said 'I'll send the edit direct to the CEO' today, I knew you were seriously considering leaving."
I paused a beat. Sohwa had seen it exactly. After the collab ended, my planned response was "I'm stepping down." But as I opened my mouth, Min Seo-jin's phone rang with Park's notice. That flipped my decision. It wasn't me leaving anymore—Park forcing me out. Leaving now meant Park wins. Park winning means the next editor, and the one after, gets axed the same way. This wasn't my problem anymore. It was structural.
"Sohwa ssi."
"Yes."
"Yes, I planned to leave today."
"I know."
"But I can't now."
"......Why?"
"Me leaving here looks like Park wins. Then he does it again next time. Whoever's next crumbles the same."
"So you're not staying for me."
"......Yes."
Sohwa's expression hardened faintly.
"You're staying for the structure."
"Yes."
Sohwa paused a beat, then gave a small smile. Not laughter—just the barest lift of her lips. An expression she'd never show on stream.
"Han-cut-nim."
"Yes."
"That's better."
"......Pardon?"
"Staying for me would burden me. Staying for structure? I can stand beside that."
I swallowed again inside my mask. Sohwa's answer wasn't shrinking her desire. It was preserving it safest. "The spot beside without burden." No one rejects that seat. Sohwa had pinpointed the position minimizing rejection risk.
"Sohwa ssi."
"Yes."
"You're scary sometimes."
"I know."
"......You know that?"
"Yes."
"......"
"But it only works beside Han-cut-nim. Nowhere else."
Sohwa paused a beat and returned to her seat. She sat at the studio PC, organizing the collab raw. Her fingers flew. Hands trained over long hours on her work.
Min Seo-jin returned.
"Han-cut-nim."
"Yes."
"Reported to the CEO."
"Reaction?"
"He said 'I'll decide after seeing the edit.'"
I exhaled slowly.
"Then we deliver the edit to his hands by tomorrow morning."
"Yes. But one addendum."
"Go ahead."
"The CEO didn't instruct Park to hold the statement. The schedule's still live."
"......Yes."
"He'll decide right after viewing. Must beat Park's post."
"Targeting arrival by 6 a.m. Two hours early."
"Yes."
"Manager Min."
"Yes."
"This doesn't risk your position?"
Min Seo-jin paused a beat.
"Yes."
"......You know and do it anyway."
"Yes."
"May I ask why?"
Min Seo-jin looked at me straight for the first time. Her gaze outside screens was calm. The same dry calm from DMs.
"Because sending an edit direct to the CEO means exposing yourself in a way you've never done. I thought someone should stand beside a person making that choice."
"......Manager Min."
"Yes."
"That's not business judgment."
"Yes. Not business."
Min Seo-jin paused after that line, then returned to her calm tone.
"Han-cut-nim, from now I'm accompanying as manager. I'll go to your workshop and stay until the edit's done."
"......Manager Min."
"Yes."
"Managers accompanying freelance editors to workshops—procedurally allowed?"
"Yes. 'On-site for urgent content review.'"
"That's pretext."
"Yes. Pretext."
"......"
"Han-cut-nim, will you refuse?"
I paused a beat. I should refuse. It was right.
"......No. Come along."
Reina finished her call and returned.
"Han-cut ssi, line activated."
"Reaction?"
"Our marketing director sent Park the unofficial message. No direct reply, but intel says he picked up his phone and put it down 30 minutes after the call ended."
"What does that mean?"
"Park hesitated once."
"......Key intel."
"Yes."
"Reina ssi, can Han-cut use that card?"
"Not directly. If Park knows you know, our line exposes."
"......Got it. I'll play ignorant."
"Yes."
"Reina ssi, one more favor?"
"Go ahead."
"Can you monitor gallery mood post-collab?"
"Yes."
"Check posts around midnight and update me once. For edit tweaks."
"Yes. Report at midnight."
"Thank you."
"......Han-cut ssi."
"Yes."
"You're moving fast today."
"Yes."
"First time seeing this side."
"......Yes."
"Looks good."
Reina dropped that and returned to her seat.
We transferred the collab raws to USB in the studio. Sohwa raw, Reina raw, combined live footage. Forty minutes for all three files. 11 p.m. I readjusted mask and hood, left the studio. Min Seo-jin walked beside. Silent in the elevator. She held her bag in one hand, phone in the other. Screen showed "CEO" contact—prepped for any callback. Elevator hit first floor. Doors opened. Crossed lobby, out the building.
Cab to the workshop. First words from Min Seo-jin inside.
"Han-cut-nim."
"Yes."
"What length for the CEO edit?"
"One 15-minute piece."
"15 minutes."
"Yes."
"Collab was three hours."
"Trimming to 15 is hardest. Lengthening just takes time—cutting while keeping essence is judgment."
"Judgment."
"Yes."
"What kind?"
"This edit's theme isn't 'Reina and Sohwa's chemistry.'"
"Then?"
"'How the editor treats two VTubers equally.'"
Min Seo-jin paused a beat.
"......That's the real message for the CEO."
"Yes."
"Proving your distance between the two VTubers through the edit."
"Yes."
"Possible?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"Exact same cut ratios for Sohwa and Reina. Speech times matched to the minute. BGM dB levels identical—no favoritism. Camera close-ups equal counts."
"......That precise."
"Yes."
"Will the CEO catch those details?"
"Doesn't have to see himself. Whoever checks beside him reports 'This edit is highly fair.'"
"Who's beside the CEO?"
"Usually his direct editor team lead."
"......Han-cut-nim."
"Yes."
"You know the editor team lead too."
"Yes."
"Since when?"
"Three years ago."
Min Seo-jin paused a beat.
"......Does he know Han-cut-nim?"
"Knows the name. Never met. But knows what kind of editor I am."
"He recognizes your style."
"Yes. Han-cut's name isn't small in the industry."
"......"
"Manager Min, this edit will have details confirming 'Han-cut made this' the instant he sees. That's the second message."
"Second message."
"Yes. 'See for yourself who the editor Park wants to cut unilaterally.'"
Min Seo-jin fell silent briefly.
"Han-cut-nim."
"Yes."
"This isn't negotiation. It's a protest."
"......Protest, yes."
"Yes."
"Didn't expect 'protest' from a manager first."
"Business judgment."
"......Again."
Min Seo-jin gave her first short laugh. Real one. Not the DM kind.
"Yes, again."
Cab stopped at the workshop.
Door opened, I removed my mask. Min Seo-jin a step behind. Before pulling down hood and sitting, I turned to her.
"Manager Min."
"Yes."
"I don't wear the mask while working."
"Yes. I know."
"First time seeing my face."
"Yes."
"......"
"Han-cut-nim, I'm not here to see your face. Here to see you work. Don't mind me."
I paused a beat, sat. Min Seo-jin pulled a small chair from the side, sat a step away. Bag at her feet, phone on knee.
"Start, I won't disturb."
"Yes."
Plugged USB, opened Premiere Pro. Timeline empty. Loosened fingers once, began.
1 a.m. First cut on timeline. Sohwa's opening line. "This is my first time co-op gaming with a senior." 2.4 seconds. Next: Reina's response. "Make lots of mistakes, it's together." Exactly 2.4 seconds. Matching first lines' lengths: rule one.
2:30 a.m. Five minutes done. Looked away from monitor, glanced aside. Min Seo-jin on chair, eyes on her phone. Not looking here. As promised. Back to monitor.
3 a.m. DM alert. Reina.
4 a.m. Ten minutes done. Glanced at Min Seo-jin again. She sat eyes closed. Not asleep—breathing awake. Just resting eyes.
"Manager Min."
She opened her eyes.
"Yes."
"Coffee?"
"......Yes."
I stood, brewed two from the mini machine in the corner. Set one beside her, back to my seat.
"Thank you."
"Yes."
Min Seo-jin sipped, checked phone. I returned to monitor. Workshop air different from usual. Three years solo here. First time someone beside. Oddly, not distracting. Min Seo-jin was precisely "absent" in her spot. Manager training: beside without interfering. But "present" felt. That subtly sped my pace. Simple reason. Alone, I'd zone out from screen sometimes. Now, no. Someone there eliminated zoning. Three years, I hadn't known.
5:30 a.m. 15-minute edit complete. Set final fade-out to 0.3 seconds, played full from start. Min Seo-jin watched beside. Fifteen minutes passed. End. She spoke a beat late.
"......Han-cut-nim."
"Yes."
"Anyone seeing this won't agree with Park's statement."
"That's the goal."
"Yes."
"Sending now."
Started rendering. 4K, high-bitrate codec. Twenty minutes. While rendering, leaned back.
"Manager Min."
"Yes."
"CEO email."
"Yes."
Min Seo-jin noted it down. Render done. 5:57 a.m. Two hours three minutes before Park's post. Attached edit to email.
Hit send.
Send complete. Leaned back, stared at monitor long. Eight hours' work ended in one email. Editor's job: pass long labors to someone with one click.
"Han-cut-nim."
"Yes."
"Don't forget your promise to Sohwa."
"......Ah."
Sohwa's one request. "Message once you sent it safe."
Opened DM.
Sohwa's last line weighed oddly heavy. Me sleeping two hours relieving her meant she saw my condition as part hers. Editor condition isn't client's concern. But Sohwa's it was. Final form of her obsession: My sleep, meals, and rest were all converted into her sense of security. Couldn't refuse that seat.
"......Got it."
"Sweet dreams, Han-cut-nim."
DM closed.
Got up toward bed, paused. Min Seo-jin still on chair.
"Manager Min."
"Yes."
"Sleep two hours?"
"......Here?"
"Yes. Sofa there."
Min Seo-jin eyed the small sofa in corner.
"......One hour then."
"Yes."
She moved to sofa, bag as pillow, lay sideways. I lay on bed. Three steps between.
"Manager Min."
"Yes."
"How's manager accompanying editor workshop logged?"
"'On-site urgent content review.'"
"That's it?"
"Yes."
"......"
"Han-cut-nim, phone alarm set for two hours."
"......Yes."
"Rest."
Lights off, lay. Ceiling faintly lit by monitor standby. Three steps away, Min Seo-jin's breathing even. She'd sleep soon. I didn't.
6:45 a.m. Phone buzzed. Not alarm. DM. Picked up. "Agency_CEO_Direct". Heart skipped.
CEO himself DMing.
I paused a beat.
"CEO, I'm an editor. Most important for editors: prove position with results. This edit's my most honest proof."
"Intent sending this to me is to stop Park's statement?"
"......Yes."
"Saying it direct."
"Yes. No reason to lie."
Long no reply. Typing indicator flickered on-off. Then one line.
"Han-cut ssi, just now held Park's statement posting."
Fingers froze on bed.
"......Yes."
"But temporary hold. Afternoon discussion with Park again."
"Yes."
"Attend that, Han-cut ssi."
"......Me."
"Yes. In person."
"CEO, I don't do face reveals."
"I know. Mask fine."
"Yes."
"Today 3 p.m. Our agency CEO office."
"Understood."
"Han-cut ssi."
"Yes."
"Great edit."
"......Thank you."
DM closed.
Phone in hand, frozen long. Sofa stirred—Min Seo-jin sat up. No alarm. She hadn't slept either.
"Han-cut-nim."
"Yes."
"CEO?"
"Yes."
"What reply?"
"Statement on hold."
Min Seo-jin paused a beat.
"......You did it."
"Yes."
"Next?"
"3 p.m. CEO office. Face Park direct."
Min Seo-jin stood.
"Then up we go."
"Yes."
"Han-cut-nim."
"Yes."
"Choose clothes more carefully today."
"......Clothes?"
"CEO office higher stakes than morning meeting room. Mask stays, no hood."
"......Got it."
"And one more."
"Yes."
"You won't enter CEO office alone."
"......You coming too?"
"No."
"Then?"
Min Seo-jin picked up her phone.
"Reina ssi enters with you."