Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: The First Step Forward
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Let's just chalk up his bizarre memory of me to a one-off incident.
I expressed my interest in scouting Yang Gil-sang and showed him the contract.
It wasn't something to decide on the spot, so I gave him a few days. Then, I invited him to our new office and started the meeting.
A younger Yang Gil-sang sat before me, flipping through the contract.
Then, he spoke.
“No matter how many times I look at this, the terms you've offered are exceptionally good.”
“That’s because I value your skills quite highly, Mr. Gil-sang.”
“Mine? How would you know?”
“You were in the newspaper, weren't you? I vaguely remembered your face, and after moving our office to Pangyo, I found you and prepared this contract.”
The sequence of events was wrong, but the statement itself was plausible.
Yang Gil-sang had once shown me an old article saved on his smartphone, telling me he’d been in the paper.
That's what I was thinking of when I said it.
Wasn't it a pretty good way to erase his suspicions?
Indeed, Yang Gil-sang was letting his guard down.
But separate from that, he was a man who knew his way around money.
He wasn't going to agree to join the company so easily.
“Studio Rewind is, for all intents and purposes, a startup.”
He zeroed in on the weak point.
Yang Gil-sang’s eyes had suddenly become those of a businessman.
“I believe the company’s potential value is very high. As a user who has actually played your games, Director, I also rate the potential of your next work highly. It will probably grow without any major issues. Your decision to hire for a management position at this stage is also an excellent one. A company’s foundation needs to be solidified while it's still small, after all.”
Flipping through the contract again, Yang Gil-sang continued.
“Looking at it again, it's a great offer. To be honest, I have a lot of interest in this industry, so it is tempting.”
Despite his words, his expression was guarded.
I could tell because he had a different air about him than when we’d shared a meal.
“Hmm…”
Yang Gil-sang hummed, seeming to fall deeper into thought.
For my part, it was a moment where I couldn't help but feel tense.
‘I can’t offer him any better terms right now.’
Recruiting Yang Gil-sang was the best move I could make at this point in time.
As such, I had emphasized numerous benefits and conveniences throughout the contract, starting with the salary.
I’d even had a lawyer review it.
‘I only left in the safety measures.’
There was no way he wouldn't know that.
Aside from the clauses that served as a safety net to prevent a hostile takeover, I had removed everything that could be seen as a toxic clause.
I emphasized that point once more.
“It's true that we’re not yet a well-known company. However, we have an advantage that only we can offer.”
“Yes, the career opportunity.”
Yang Gil-sang smiled.
“A career built on growing a startup into a major corporation—that’s an S-tier resume point you could use anywhere in the future. And this company does seem to have that kind of potential.”
Why was he dragging this out?
He was full of praise, but he showed no sign of accepting.
A battle of wits at the negotiating table.
In that context, I was clearly at a disadvantage.
He and I were cut from different cloths.
‘Is there no other way?’
A direct approach was my only option here.
“Mr. Gil-sang.”
“Yes.”
“I’m not good at beating around the bush. Let me ask you directly. Is there something in the contract terms you don't like?”
“Wow, that’s incredibly blunt.”
“I’m a game developer, not a negotiator.”
“Refreshing. I like it. The clause that’s bothering me is this one.”
Tap. Yang Gil-sang’s index finger pointed to a section.
“The equity.”
It was one of the safety measures.
A clause regarding equity issues after the company went public.
Tension rose within me.
It's not uncommon for directors to lose their autonomy when the suits take over a company.
Was Yang Gil-sang aiming for a stake in the company?
The moment that thought crossed my mind, my decision was made.
‘Should I give up on him?’
I didn't need anyone threatening my creative freedom in my own company, no matter how talented they were.
It was a shame, but Yang Gil-sang…
“Director, this is dangerous. You need to lock this down more tightly.”
“?”
“Maybe you don’t know because you're young, but we suits can easily get around a clause like this. I myself can think of ten ways to bypass it.”
What was this?
“You have to hold the reins tighter here. If you don't want to get played for a fool trying to curry favor, you need to add terms right up to the edge of being toxic clauses.”
Twirling a ballpoint pen, Yang Gil-sang began to amend the contract.
He looked excited.
I didn't understand.
“Mr. Gil-sang?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t that disadvantageous to you?”
Why was he willingly doing something that would be bad for him?
When I asked, he replied.
His voice was tinged with amusement.
“Director, I believe that what builds trust between people isn’t goodwill, but constraints. You can only trust someone enough to turn your back on them when you both have a leash around the other’s neck. You know how accomplices work, right? It's like how people who share the same weakness can't easily betray each other.”
“…”
“I don’t really trust overt displays of goodwill. So, let’s just say we’ll each hold a knife to the other.”
Yang Gil-sang's sudden change in attitude was baffling.
However, I could see his intention.
“…Are you accepting the contract?”
“Hm? I told you from the beginning, didn’t I? That it was tempting.”
“You looked like you were hesitating.”
“The terms were so good that they actually made me suspicious. But it seems I don't need to be.”
“Why is that?”
“When you said you'd be direct, you looked incredibly weary. I’ve seen that look a few times. It’s especially common among people in the arts or entertainment industries. The kind of people who have to run a company to do what they want, but find running the company a chore.”
Yang Gil-sang smiled calmly as if reminiscing, then continued.
“There's little chance you'll backstab me, and if you tried, I’d see it coming a mile away. In other words, the risk of betrayal is low. And I also prefer not to create problems for myself outside of my own work.”
Was this the kind of person he was?
This was information I couldn't have known just from my past life.
Then again, how could I judge a person based on a few conversations over a meal?
Of course, I still couldn't help but be suspicious.
“…I know it’s strange for me to ask this.”
“Go ahead.”
“What’s your reason for deciding to join our company?”
“That is a very, very strange question coming from the person who scouted me. But, I get it. I am a bit peculiar.”
Yang Gil-sang held up three fingers.
He folded one down.
“First, as I said, there’s little risk of you backstabbing me.”
He folded another.
“Second, I like the Hellic series. I had a lot of fun playing it.”
And folding the last finger, Yang Gil-sang grinned mischievously.
“Lastly, I feel like I can trust anyone who enjoys my family’s bibimbap. It’s a special dish not everyone can appreciate. That’s it. Honestly, on the professional side, the terms were so good there’s nothing else to mention.”
With that, Yang Gil-sang extended his hand for a handshake.
“Let’s work well together. I’ll have the parts I marked reviewed one more time… and I can start work sometime next week after we finalize the contract. Oh, right, what will be our first order of business?”
I stared at his hand for a moment.
Finally, I grasped it and said.
“We need to hire some people. Quite a few.”
“Sounds good. Should we speak casually with each other?”
“Only I’ll speak casually. I’m the president, after all.”
“?”
It was the last bastion in my mind, a refusal to bow to a man in a suit.
Since I had hired someone I was bound to argue with, I had to establish the hierarchy clearly.
…Well, whatever the case, the recruitment seemed to be a success.
* * *
A week later, at the Studio Rewind office in Pangyo.
Gil-sang arrived at the place—three whole floors we had purchased, though the interior was still far from organized.
“This is the person who will be handling our internal affairs. Think of him as the company mom.”
At Yeon-ho's introduction, the team members clapped.
It was still an awkward atmosphere, as it always is when meeting someone new.
However, Gil-sang was someone with the ability to lighten such moods.
“Wow, you’re all so good-looking. I thought I’d walked into a celebrity agency, not a game development studio.”
Joking around, Gil-sang bowed his head.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Yang Gil-sang.”
He had already received their profiles from Yeon-ho.
Gil-sang went through them one by one.
‘Han Seo-rim.’
A founding member and the art director. She was clearly someone who would gain more authority as the company grew.
Given our respective fields, we would probably clash over budget issues with the art team often.
I’d need to get on her good side beforehand if I wanted to avoid any hurt feelings.
‘The two other art team members behind her… I won’t have to deal with them directly. A simple greeting should suffice.’
Next, the programmers.
‘Go Myeong-gyu.’
Programmers are expensive. Especially one like him, with a high level of education and practical experience.
As one of the initial developers, his authority would become immense in the future. I’ll have to coordinate well with him. This is where social skills come in handy.
Becoming friends shouldn't be too hard since we're the same age.
‘Next up…’
Jo A-yun.
A young-looking girl in a green tracksuit.
She had just turned twenty, I heard.
“You must be A-yun. Nice to meet you.”
Gil-sang extended his hand for a handshake.
The reason he was being particularly friendly was because he was a personal fan of A-yun.
When he played Hellic 2, he had especially loved the music box BGM in the ending.
Gil-sang liked that music so much that he had found the track separately and listened to it as he fell asleep.
A-yun flinched in surprise, then briefly clasped his index finger, shook it twice, and let go.
She went over to Seo-rim’s side and half-hid behind her, seeming to be very shy.
I’ll have to approach her cautiously to get closer…
“Whoa…”
A-yun’s eyes sparkled.
“Y-Your forehead is so wide…”
Gil-sang froze.
“…”?
How was he supposed to interpret that?
No, what was this feeling welling up inside him?
How should he describe this emotion?
For a moment, Gil-sang had to take some time to process an emotion he had never known before.
Fortunately, it didn't last long.
“…That’s enough introductions. Mr. Gil-sang, I need to see you for a moment. We have some urgent matters to discuss.”
Yeon-ho pulled Gil-sang away.
Gil-sang’s gaze remained fixed on A-yun.
The way she stared at his forehead with her bright, clear eyes.
He wasn't sure if this was the right way to put it, but,
‘She’s a demon.’
Gil-sang could glimpse a pure, untainted malice in A-yun.
He had a bad feeling about this.
…His first meeting with Jo A-yun was the absolute worst.
* * *
In the two months since Yang Gil-sang’s recruitment, the first order of business was to organize the management and administrative side and begin full-scale hiring.
Since it involved bringing in a large number of people at once, there were many hurdles, but Gil-sang handled them all cleanly.
His knack for getting things done was incredible.
“You’ve managed things well so far. We just need to plug a few holes. I’ll send the approval documents over separately, so please make sure to check them.”
He started by plugging all the miscellaneous leaks in the studio's operational budget.
Then he helped with expanding the workforce.
“You’re gathering programmers first? Ah, right, the console release. Okay, let’s start by hiring for that side. It’s a good thing we’re in Pangyo. It should be pretty easy to find people. You’ll be conducting the interviews yourself, right? I’ll organize the resumes and send them over.”
We began the urgent task of hiring programmers.
We hired four additional programmers, all of them young.
Since they lacked experience, Myeong-gyu personally directed and taught them, and it was here that I discovered a side of him I’d never seen before.
“Let’s all get along. Just call me Team Leader. If you don’t know something, just ask. We have to start the console port in two weeks. Until then, let’s focus on getting you all familiar with the work.”
“Yes, sir!”
He was better at managing people than I expected.
The difference was especially stark because I had only ever seen his flustered side.
Why hadn't I seen this side of him before?
I realized the reason the next day.
“Myeong-gyu, Myeong-gyu, oppa!”
“Ta-da! We brought cake!”
“Myeong-gyu, Myeong-gyu, oppa! Say ‘ahhh’!”
“Ah, ahh…!”
“Kya-ha-ha! You’re like a hamster!”
“Oppa, you’re so cute!”
Whenever the dramatic duo appeared, Myeong-gyu reverted to the Myeong-gyu I knew.
Trembling and blushing, he looked like a young girl.
A feeling of pity and something else I couldn’t name surged within me before quickly fading away.
Next was art, which was being delayed because Han Seo-rim was reviewing portfolios.
I had entrusted her with hiring the people she needed, and she set her standards incredibly high.
“I can tell just by looking at their art. What they usually draw, where we could use them. In that respect, this one’s out. They’re good, but their style just doesn’t match mine. Oh, right. Regarding motion capture, I’ll handle that separately…”
She was so good at her job that I didn't need to worry, which was reassuring.
As for sound, I didn't hire any additional staff.
There was no urgent need, but more importantly, Jo A-yun was too young to be put in charge of a team.
“A-yun, just focus on your studies. How’s university?”
“Yes…! It’s fun…!”
Having somehow gotten into a prestigious university’s applied music program, Jo A-yun was full of life these days.
I decided to leave things as they were for a while.
I finished organizing my thoughts and sat down.
Separate from the development staff, the administrative personnel hired by Yang Gil-sang sometimes came and went from the developers’ office, but we rarely crossed paths.
We used different floors, after all.
And so, it was back to my own work.
With the tedious tasks out of the way, my mind was much more at ease.
Separately, looking at the bigger office, the changing scenery, and the growing number of people, it really hit me how much things had changed since our indie days.
A wave of emotion washed over me, but I couldn't afford to dwell on it.
Stumbling right at the beginning was not an option.
I had to move forward.
‘It’s about time to begin.’
The immediate task was the console port for Hellic 2.
There wasn't much room for me to get involved in that.
It was a job that the programmers would have to work harder on, in any case.
So, was I just going to relax until it was done?
‘No.’
The studio was getting on track.
In other words, we had the capacity for more work.
That meant there was something else I could work on simultaneously.
‘Hellic 3.’
The time had finally come to plan a AAA title.
This was the dream I’d had in my heart ever since founding the studio. No, ever since before I regressed.
I opened a blank document.
This white space would become the framework of the game.
It was as thrilling as leaving the first footprint in a field of pure white snow.
I placed my hands on the keyboard and typed out the title for the first AAA game I had long envisioned.
[Hellic 3: Demon Sword]
In that moment, my memory flashed back to the past.
To the time when I was still wandering through Hell.
Hell of War