Chapter 32
Chapter 32
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Finishing Strong (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey, sis, it's me, Hyunsoo. Are you busy?"
The person I called was my sister, who runs a guesthouse in Danyang.
It was 2:10 PM, a time when she should have been done cleaning the guest rooms and enjoying a cup of coffee.
<<No, I'm good. What's up? It's unusual for you to call at this hour.>>
"Just wanted to hear your voice."
<<Cut the flattery. What do you really want?>>
"You know how I said I might get promoted? I think it's going to happen."
<<Wow, really? Oh my god... That's amazing!>>
I could hear my sister's cheers, almost like a scream, from the other end of the line.
It seemed like she was genuinely happy for my accomplishment.
<<Have you told Mom and Dad?>>
"The official appointment hasn't been made yet. I'll tell them once it's confirmed. You're the first person I'm telling. I was just too antsy to keep it to myself."
<<Alright, alright, congratulations, little brother. You're buying next time you come down, right?>>
"Yes, yes, I'll treat you to a full-course meal."
I replied with a good-natured laugh and asked how she was doing.
She said that while running the guesthouse was hard work, she was making a good living, so I shouldn't worry.
<<Well, we've both settled down now, so all that's left is to make sure Mom and Dad have a comfortable retirement.>>
"Right, they're almost sixty..."
The conversation naturally shifted to our parents.
Coming back to reality for a moment, we talked about our parents' retirement funds and allowance.
I hadn't been able to bring up this kind of topic before because things were always so hectic, but now I had the financial stability to do so.
For my dream to go far and last long, my foundation in reality must be solid.
I thought it was about time I started paying attention to the real-life matters concerning my family.
"Oh, sis, and I just sent two million won to your account. Give it to Mom and Dad as pocket money and tell them it's from you."
<<Hey, you're the one giving it, why should I say it's from me? That hurts my pride.>>
"I'm just in a good mood. If you really don't want to, then just say we pitched in half and half."
<<Sigh, fine. I know you'll just be stubborn about it even if I say no.>>
"You know me too well."
<<What do you think being the older sister is for?>>
My sister reluctantly accepted my offer.
"Alright, take care, and call me if anything comes up, sis."
<<You got it, PD Jo. Hurry up and make it big so you can help your sister get married.>>
She replied playfully before hanging up.
"Phew..."
As I neared Pangyo Station, I turned my head to look at the forest of magnificent buildings rising in the distance.
People holding coffee cups bustled between the buildings, but most of their faces looked dark and weary, a stark contrast to the bright, sunny day.
Everyone comes to Pangyo in search of a dream, but not everyone achieves it.
I gave a wry smile and reached my hand out toward the empty air.
Then, slowly and firmly, I clenched my fist.
'I will... seize this dream.'
****
"Good morning."
I returned to the office for the first time in nearly two weeks.
It had been so long, it almost felt like I was starting a new job.
There were still fifteen minutes until the official start time, but most people were already at their desks.
'The atmosphere is good.'
Perhaps because the game was doing well, everyone looked bright, and the mood was full of fighting spirit.
A good sign.
"Ah, Gwajang-nim, you're here. It's been a long time!"
As I walked to my desk, Daeri Son Seokjin greeted me with a bright face.
Considering the time he took off for vacation, it had been nearly three weeks, so it was no wonder he was happy to see me.
"Anything happen while I was gone?"
"Ah, no, sir. There were no major issues with the Thai version, and we've already requested and finished corrections for the minor problems with the localization team."
"You're handling things well on your own now. You'll do fine even without me."
"Oh, don't say that."
I smiled faintly and continued.
"Want to grab a coffee at the company cafe?"
"Yes, sir."
Sipping coffee leisurely at the basement cafe, I listened to Daeri Son tell me what had happened in my absence.
He said that while I was away, the soft launch in Thailand performed so well that the domestic launch was confirmed without any major changes.
There were a few minor fix requests, but considering it was common to have to overhaul a game from the ground up after a soft launch, this was a very good sign.
"Daeri Son, you know I'll be leaving this team soon, right?"
"Ah, so it's finally been confirmed."
"Yes, I think I'll be gone within a week at the latest."
"Sigh... I'm worried. I don't know if I can handle things properly after you leave, Gwajang-nim..."
"You'll do just fine. You've been doing great so far, haven't you? Besides, it's not like I'm going to another company... If you get stuck, just come visit me for coffee."
"Got it."
Daeri Son's face was an open book of disappointment.
After our conversation, we went back up to the office.
I immediately sent a file to Daeri Son.
[Me: Season2_Plot.pptx]
[Me: This is a rough outline of the Season 2 story I put together while you were on vacation, Daeri Son. Feel free to use it as a reference if you need it.]
[Daeri Son: Gasp, thank you!]
[Me: You're the main person in charge of Phoenix from now on, Daeri Son, so you can scrap it if you don't like it.]
[Daeri Son: No, no, there's no way! Not if you made it, Gwajang-nim Hyunsoo.]
This was the last gift I could give him.
The flood of scenario and concept work to come, along with the pressure from Pateujang Go Yeongmi, were trials he would have to overcome on his own.
It was then.
[Department Head/PD Oh Gwangseok: Gwajang Jo Hyunsoo, if you have a moment, let's have a chat in the conference room.]
[Me: Ah, yes, sir. That's fine.]
Summoned by PD Oh Gwangseok, I entered the four-person conference room.
PD Gwangseok, who was already there, greeted me with a relaxed smile.
"I heard from the Bonbujang-nim. It's confirmed that you're becoming a PD, right?"
"It's all thanks to you, PD-nim."
"What are you talking about? Gwajang Hyunsoo did almost all the work; I just tagged along for the ride."
Oh Gwangseok acknowledged that my role had been significant and scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
"You worked hard all this time under an incompetent PD. Without you, Gwajang Jo Hyunsoo, our project would have really struggled."
"I appreciate you saying that."
"So, about that... would it be okay to ask you a few things about the project? I'm afraid your absence will leave a pretty big void..."
"Ah, yes, of course. Please ask."
"Our Korean launch is scheduled for two months from now. The business department saw how great the response to the Season 1 scenario was, so they're suggesting we add the Season 2 scenario within sixty days of the launch. So, I was wondering if you, Gwajang Hyunsoo, could perhaps..."
Ah, he was asking me to do the Season 2 scenario as well.
I cut him off with a firm voice.
"Daeri Son will do a great job with that. I guarantee it."
"Hmm... Is Daeri Son that capable?"
"I trained him intensely for three months. Daeri Son is naturally quick on the uptake. As long as you mediate well so he doesn't clash with Pateujang Go Yeongmi, Season 2 will be on par with what I did... He might even do a better job."
"Hmm, well, if you put it that way, Gwajang Jo, I have no choice. I'll have to trust him with it."
"You won't regret it."
I said everything I could to support Daeri Son until the very end.
Most of it was true, and I knew saying this would make his future at the company at least a little less painful.
"Sigh... Honestly, I feel like grabbing you by the ankle and not letting you go, Gwajang Jo Hyunsoo, but that wouldn't do any good, would it?"
To see Oh Gwangseok, with whom I'd had such a bad relationship, be this blatant was, in a way, shameless, and in another, quite remarkable.
Well... it's a given that PDs will do whatever it takes to make their projects succeed, so it wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
"No, it wouldn't."
I drew a clear line with a firm reply and a small smile.
"Alright, I guess I'll just have to trust Daeri Son."
"He's a smart guy. You won't be disappointed."
After that conversation ended, Oh Gwangseok finally got to the main point.
"Actually, Bonbujang-nim Shin Chihwan contacted me earlier. He asked me to coordinate with you, Gwajang Hyunsoo, about when you'll be moving offices. He wants you to determine how much time you'll need to properly complete the handover for the Phoenix project."
In other words, he wanted me to set a precise timeline for the handover to ensure there were no setbacks for the successful Phoenix project.
Well... I had anticipated this, so I was prepared.
"The handover is already complete. I've also passed on the work I did for Season 2 to Daeri Son."
"Oh... that's a relief."
Oh Gwangseok seemed to let out a sigh of relief.
"Then I'll report to the Bonbujang-nim that everything is ready. So you can move as soon as possible."
"Thank you."
Once the report went in stating that I was no longer needed for Phoenix and that the handover was complete, it would truly be the end.
'Phoenix... I guess this is goodbye.'
It had been a rocky road, but the thought of leaving a project I'd been with for several years left me feeling a little bittersweet.
"You've worked hard."
"Thank you. And thank you for introducing me to Jeong Yosep."
"Haha, if you're that grateful, don't pretend you don't know me after you become a PD, alright?"
Oh Gwangseok extended his hand, and I took it, shaking it lightly.
There was a time I hated Oh Gwangseok enough to want him dead, but in this moment, I didn't resent him.
The administrative procedures that followed were handled swiftly.
PD Oh Gwangseok informed the Bonbujang and the HR team that the handover was complete.
After that, someone from HR came down, and we renewed my contract under the assumption I would become a PD.
"You can move your desk this Friday at the end of the workday."
In the end, it wasn't long before I received the notice to move my desk.
The time for farewells was approaching.
And then, Friday evening...
"Gwajang-nim, I'll help you move your things."
"Ah, thank you."
Daeri Son volunteered to help me move my belongings to another floor.
Even using the freight elevator, it was quite a hassle since I had accumulated a lot of stuff.
The fact that he was helping me on a Friday evening, a time usually spent with friends, made me even more grateful.
"Phew... This is really goodbye now."
My desk was set up alone at the far end of the empty office.
Soon, the empty spaces in this office would be filled by my team members.
"It's a shame my desk won't be here."
Watching this, Daeri Son must have felt something strange too, as he spoke with a bittersweet smile.
"You have to protect Phoenix, Daeri Son."
"Haha, I suppose so, right?"
He scratched his head, then suddenly pulled out a small paper bag from somewhere and handed it to me.
"What's this?"
"It's a farewell gift for my mentor, Gwajang-nim. Thank you for everything."
I took the gift and looked inside the bag.
It was filled with all sorts of things, like nutritional supplements, a stretching tool for the office, and a hand gripper.
"Now that you're a PD, you have to take good care of your health."
"...Thank you."
I replied in a calm voice, the corners of my mouth turning up in a slight smile.
I felt a warmth spreading in my chest.
I was glad...
I was glad that I chose to make games, and glad that I saw the Phoenix project through to the end.
<<Your understanding of Daeri Son Seokjin has increased from C+ to B!>>
<<New information has been updated! Would you like to open the understanding window for Daeri Son Seokjin?>>
Just then, God Game Maker notified me that new information about Son Seokjin had been added.
However, I shook my head slightly and didn't open the status window.
'I don't need it right now. I think... I already know what's in his heart.'