Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Masterpiece (3)
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To sort things out, there was one person I had to talk to first.
[Me: Director Oh Hana, would it be okay to hold off on the Chapter 13 cinematic for a bit?]
Oh Hana. The talented student and future star director who would create the cinematic for Chapter 13, the grand finale of POD.
I sent the message and was slowly eating my meal when a reply came a few minutes later.
[Director Oh Hana: Ah, sorry, PD-nim! I was eating and saw this late. May I ask why?]
Oh Hana asked, sounding puzzled.
After all, I had already postponed the Chapter 13 work several times, saying I wanted to increase its quality, and I had just handed her the storyboard yesterday.
I’d already asked for her understanding multiple times, so this time, even though she was just a young student—or rather, precisely because of it—I needed to explain the situation properly to avoid any misunderstandings.
[Me: I’m planning to remake the music for the Chapter 13 highlight into something like a musical with vocals.]
[Director Oh Hana: Isn’t the current Chapter 13 BGM good enough? Do you really need to?]
Oh Hana had already received the music for Chapter 13.
This was because the BGM was scheduled to be used in the cinematic video as well.
[Me: Sample_Music_109.MP4]
[Me: This is a track the current music lead worked on before. She said she could deliver something of this quality, with added vocals. I was thinking it might be cool to produce the cinematic like a music video, tailored to the new song once it’s finished.]
A moment later, a reply came from Oh Hana.
[Director Oh Hana: Wow. Amazing. This music is incredible. I feel like if I put my visuals to a track like this, we could definitely create something special.]
Oh Hana sent a positive reply. I knew from the start she would react this way.
‘People who are ambitious about their work are always like this.’
Though their styles might differ slightly, both Oh Hana and Seo Eunhye Gwajang were workaholic types who enjoyed challenging themselves and pushing their limits.
If you presented such people with a reasonable vision that could become a true career highlight, it was obvious they would follow.
Having convinced Oh Hana, I ended the conversation.
“Phew. Feels like one thing just leads to another.”
I came to my senses and glanced at the clock. It was already 9 PM. I stretched and let out a short sigh.
Just then.
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[Hidden Quest / A Master's Touch]
- A cinematic video to be laid over the game, an OST, and one more piece.
The potential of a single work created by masters from different fields is infinite.
You have a duty to draw out that potential to its fullest and present it to others.
(1) Clear Condition: Clear Chapter 13 of Pass On Dream with a grade of S+ or higher.
(※ When you believe Chapter 13 is complete, press the completion button in this quest window. You only have one chance.)
(2) Clear Reward: ??
God Game Maker, which hadn't issued a quest in a while, displayed a quest window.
And it was a hidden quest, the likes of which I had never seen before.
The clear condition was more demanding than any I’d seen, and the reward wasn't clearly shown.
However, I felt like God Game Maker was sending me some kind of message through this quest window.
‘I know exactly what you’re saying.’
A message telling me to use this game, *Pass On Dream*, to deliver a solid blow to those rotten bastards at NB Soft and this entire industry.
I could feel it from this message window.
An S+ grade clear was an absurd condition, but it only fueled my fire.
I even felt a surge of confidence that if I ran with Oh Hana, Seo Eunhye Gwajang, and our Christian team, we could create something that reached an endlessly distant realm.
‘Alright, I’ll show them. The greatest masterpiece I can create.’
Like a madman, I smirked and tapped on my keyboard.
****
About ten working days later.
[Seo Eunhye Gwajang: The demo is ready, PD-nim. Please have a listen.]
[Me: Ah, yes. I’ll listen to it right away.]
Seo Eunhye Gwajang had sent the demo for the Chapter 13 OST.
For the past week, she often messaged me in the evenings to ask for my opinion, and since I was also working overtime, we exchanged ideas comfortably.
We even had dinner together a few times, constantly talking, trying to get on the same page in the shortest time possible.
Both Seo Eunhye Gwajang and I stayed and worked until dawn almost every day, and thanks to that, the demo was completed at an unbelievable speed.
‘Alright, let’s hear it.’
With a trembling heart, I pressed the play button.
I relaxed my entire body, put on my earphones, leaned back in my chair, and closed my eyes.
And in my mind, I pictured the process leading from Van Gogh's final painting to his death.
First, it began with Van Gogh, filled with regret for everything in his life, picking up a pencil and sketching fiercely.
The skeletal branches drawn with rough pencil lines, constructing a black-and-white world.
The melody of string instruments echoing in my ears initially expressed that emptiness with a calm sadness.
A strange sensation, as if dry pencil lines were being drawn across my heart.
‘It’s strange. I feel like I’m being pulled in.’
It was definitely different from the BGM I had heard before.
If the previous one felt like music thinly layered over the image of Chapter 13, this one was enchanting me, evoking some kind of emotion all on its own.
The moment the sketch was complete, gray oil paints were layered on top, and the melody shifted, becoming more ominous and unsettling.
I felt my body stir to the unpredictable, ever-changing melody.
Moreover.
‘Something... I think I can hear a voice.’
Even though vocals hadn't been added yet, it felt as if someone's voice was reaching me.
A very fine, thin, beautiful voice, as if screaming.
It felt as if it were dragging me into Van Gogh's state of mind, submerging me in a swamp.
After that, a silence fell, as if to announce the arrival of the moment of death.
Just as I thought the music was ending, at a certain moment.
‘It’s pouring out.’
All the instruments suddenly crescendoed, hammering every sound into my ears, pulling my sinking emotions upward.
As a chill ran down my spine from the dramatic change, I realized that Seo Eunhye Gwajang had interpreted Van Gogh’s death a little differently.
‘Could it be that death, which had been a constant descent, actually liberated Van Gogh and led him to another realm?’
I don't know Van Gogh's actual thoughts right before his death, and there's no way to find out.
That’s why the storytelling I had done so far was closer to focusing on his tragic end and death, interpreting the reasons in my own way.
But the overwhelming climax in the latter half of the music Seo Eunhye Gwajang presented seemed to be putting forward a radical opinion: that his death could have been its own form of liberation and the realization of a dream.
And so, the roughly three-minute piece of music ended.
‘Incredible.’
Feeling completely drained by the music, I sat lost in thought for a moment before tapping on my keyboard.
[Me: I listened to the demo. It was great, Gwajang-nim Seo Eunhye. Overall, the feel is fantastic, and I really liked it.]
[Seo Eunhye Gwajang: Ah, that’s a relief. It’s still a demo, so the quality will be much higher. You don’t have to worry.]
[Me: About the part in the latter half where the music builds and all the instruments pour in, around the 2:20 mark. Am I right to think that this is your own musical interpretation of Van Gogh's death?]
[Seo Eunhye Gwajang: Oh. How did you know?]
[Me: It just felt that way. The Chapter 13 I originally envisioned was about observing Van Gogh’s death and conveying a deep sadness in a quiet way, right? But this song feels like it took another step beyond that.]
[Seo Eunhye Gwajang: Did... Did the song’s feel deviate too much from what you intended, PD-nim? I can cut the latter half and make a new demo.]
Seo Eunhye Gwajang typed out her messages, sounding slightly flustered.
I replied immediately so she wouldn't misunderstand.
[Me: Would you be available for a quick meeting? You’re at the office now, right?]
[Seo Eunhye Gwajang: Ah, yes! I’ll head up right now.]
A short while later, I was face to face with Seo Eunhye Gwajang in the meeting room.
A look of nervousness lingered on her face.
It seemed she thought I was displeased with her personal interpretation and had called her to the meeting room because of it.
“Um. Is there some kind of problem with the music, PD-nim?”
Instead of answering Seo Eunhye’s question, I just shook my head and replied in a serious tone.
“The demo you sent was absolutely, perfectly wonderful. The only reason I booked a meeting room was because I was worried my words might be misunderstood.”
“Misunderstood?”
“Yes. I had a feeling that if I told you the music was good over messenger, you wouldn't take it at face value, Gwajang-nim.”
“Ah. I see.”
That’s the thing about communicating through text messages.
Most creators don’t simply believe it when someone says ‘it’s good’ or ‘it’s fine.’
This is especially true for someone like Seo Eunhye Gwajang, who has spent a long time habitually doing what others told her to do.
That’s why I felt it was necessary to meet face-to-face, to convey my feelings clearly through my expression, gestures, and tone of voice.
“And also, I wanted to express my gratitude.”
“Gratitude?”
“The song you wrote, I mentioned it was a bit different from my interpretation of Chapter 13, didn’t I?”
“Ah, yes. If that’s a problem, I can revise it anytime.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. It’s just that, even after planning out Chapter 13, I’d felt like something was missing, like it was 2% short. I asked many people for their thoughts and gathered a lot of input trying to find the answer. But it feels like you’ve given me that answer with your music, Gwajang-nim.”
“The answer?”
“Yes. The scene that will tie together all the themes and inspiration to adorn the finale of this work, *Pass On Dream*... that scene came to me thanks to this music.”
As I spoke with a smile, Seo Eunhye Gwajang blinked,
staring at me as if to ask what was happening.
In response, I bowed my head deeply and slowly uttered words filled with sincerity.
“Thank you. Truly, thank you so much, Gwajang-nim Seo Eunhye. The music you showed me gave me tremendous inspiration.”
“Oh. Yes. I-Is that so?”
The moment I said that.
A clear liquid began to well up in Seo Eunhye Gwajang’s eyes.
“Oh. Huh?”
Even she seemed confused by what was happening, but soon, tears were dripping onto the conference room table.
“I’m- I’m sorry, PD-nim. I don’t know why I’m suddenly like this.”
“It’s alright. I think I understand why. Please take a moment to compose yourself, and we can continue our conversation then.”
I handed her a few tissues and gave her a gentle smile.