Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Sound Director (1)
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Enson Korea's president's office, the parent company of Enson GT.
Through the window, the Seoul cityscape sprawled out at a glance, and inside the office, Jo Suyeon stood with a tense expression.
It was because her father, who had summoned her to headquarters, had given her an order. But the man himself was just sitting on the sofa, reading the newspaper.
Pretending to be uninterested, acting like he didn't care.
Even knowing it was a common tactic her father used to pressure people, Suyeon couldn't relax.
The actions she had taken this time were completely independent, against her father's wishes entirely.
"I heard you recruited a new director from outside?"
At her father's question, Suyeon bit her lip.
She felt like she had to do something to stop her body from trembling.
She had thrown tantrums a few times before, but she'd never openly defied her father's orders and done things her own way like this.
"The fact that you ignored my words and acted on your own must mean you have that much confidence."
Her father's cold voice crushed Jo Suyeon's heart.
"Go."
With that eviction order, declaring he wouldn't hear more and would only look at the results, Suyeon just bowed her head slightly and left the president's office.
'I really screwed up...'
Her heart was still pounding fiercely, but surprisingly, her mind felt relieved.
Maybe because it felt like she'd taken one step closer to liberation from the father she'd always dreamed of escaping... or so she wasn't sure.
Jo Suyeon got into the elevator to return to the Enson GT building and prayed fervently.
'Please let my choice not be wrong...'
*
The day after the mobile game development team's first meeting ended.
I called Yerin and Seol to the meeting room as soon as I arrived at work.
"Di... no, Director? You called for us?"
"What's... the matter?"
"Oh, you both came? Sorry to call you so early in the morning. I have something urgent to tell you two today."
I handed out photocopied sheets of paper, one to each of them as they entered the meeting room and sat at the table.
"Subculture mobile games require planning and art to be one body. So for the time being, I'd like you to work together... Is that okay?"
"Ah, sure... No reason not to."
"If it's the director's request... that's fine."
"Thanks. I have to go out on fieldwork today, so first, Yerin, prioritize finishing the designs for the three main characters and the mascot character. Seol, please handle the rough for the key visual illustration and the background settings."
As they checked the sheets I'd given them while I spoke, I continued.
"I've uploaded the framework for the key visuals and background settings to the intranet, so use that as reference to create them."
"Ah... Got it!"
"No need to finish today, so focus on quality over speed. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Yes!"
The distance between them seemed much shorter than expected; they were even exchanging opinions now. I slipped out of the meeting room, leaving them behind.
'Alright, now then...'
"Yumi?"
"Eek, y-yes? Yes...?!"
Yumi jumped in surprise, as if she'd been looking at something.
"Were you watching something?"
"N-nooo...?"
"Then why'd you jump like that?"
"Th-that's... um..."
"Whatever, come with me. Fieldwork."
"Fieldwork?"
"Yeah."
Yumi, who had been anxious about getting caught slacking off, smiled at the word fieldwork and followed me out of the office.
"Fieldwork on the first day of the project... What's going on?"
"We need to pick up the last piece of our project puzzle."
"Puzzle piece?"
"Yeah... it's..."
While chatting with Yumi on the way down to the first floor, the elevator dinged, and the doors opened on the fifth floor.
"...Hello?"
"Hello."
Glancing at the ID badge around their neck, they seemed to be the team leader and a team member from the PC game development team on the fifth floor.
'I expected it to some extent, but this is more blatant than I thought.'
They scanned me and Yumi up and down, and their feelings toward our team didn't look positive at all.
"You're the team leader of the sixth-floor mobile game development team, right?"
"Yes, that's me."
"I heard you started yesterday but couldn't greet you. Sorry, schedule got backed up..."
"No helping it. It's fine."
"I heard you're in charge of mobile now?"
"That's right."
"I heard you only did PC game development at your previous job. Must be disappointing."
'Well, look at this...'
Their attitude was openly mocking under the pretense of concern, and I almost burst out laughing inside.
Yumi had picked up on the elevator's atmosphere too; she looked awkward, just glancing between me and the PC Dev Team 2 leader.
"Why would I be disappointed? You never know how life will flow."
"Pardon?"
"Who knows? In a few years, PC and mobile statuses might switch."
"No, that's..."
The PC Dev Team 2 leader looked like he thought it was nonsense and was about to retort when—
Ding—
The elevator arrived at the first floor, and the doors opened.
"Well, we'll be going first. Busy schedule."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "What was that with that team leader?"
"Huh?"
"Your smile hasn't left your face since we left the office."
Yumi hurriedly schooled her expression at my words and spoke.
"This is just between you and me, Team Leader... That team leader's a total old-school jerk. I bet half the business team hates his guts?"
"That bad?"
"Yeah. Promotions are the business team's call, but he'd whine why his game wasn't included, accuse them of favoritism, claim he knows monetization better... Once you deal with him, he just drains you."
"I... see..."
'She had more pent-up stuff than I thought...'
Seeing Yumi, who always radiated positive energy, unload like this, it seemed like it had built up over more than a day or two.
"Anyway, Director, where are we headed now?"
"Didn't I say earlier? To find the last puzzle piece for our project."
"So what's this puzzle piece?!"
"Sound Director."
"Oh."
"Turns out our company outsources all sound work."
"Yeah, we don't do projects big enough to need a dedicated sound director."
"That's why we're going to recruit one. Luckily, I know someone."
Yumi tilted her head at my explanation.
"Then why not just headhunt like you did?"
"That person's... pretty unique."
"...?"
"Better to see in person than hear a hundred explanations here."
"Ah..."
Yumi quieted down, realizing she wouldn't get more answers, and we arrived at SBC broadcasting station, a terrestrial broadcaster.
"Here...?"
"That's where the person is working as music director right now."
"If they're music director at a terrestrial station, would they even come to a game company...?"
"Who knows... We'll find out when we ask."
We parked in a suitable spot and entered the station with Yumi. A reception desk staff greeted us.
"How can I help?"
"We have an appointment... with Music Director Han Chaeyoung."
"One moment..."
The staff checked something briefly and handed us two temporary visitor badges.
"Go straight, take the elevator on the right to the eighth floor."
"Thank you."
We hung the badges around our necks and went up to the eighth floor as instructed, emerging into an unfamiliar space.
Recording studios like those from dramas or movies were clustered together, but I had no idea which way to go.
'Should've asked for the exact room number...'
I glanced at Yumi hopefully, but she was just looking around curiously.
As I pondered what to do—
"Ah, why's the director acting up today? The recording went fine."
"The division head chewed him out for low workload, so now he's taking it out on us. Makes sense?"
'Lucky break.'
"Excuse me."
"Ah, yes. What is it?"
"We're here to see Music Director Han Chaeyoung. Which way?"
They glanced at us briefly, noticed our external visitor badges, and became noticeably friendlier, pointing one way.
"Straight down there, you'll see a door with the music director plaque. Go in there."
"Ah, thank you."
We thanked them for the directions and approached the door with Yumi.
"Should I knock?"
"No."
I stopped Yumi from knocking and rapped on the door myself. A familiar voice came from inside.
"Come in."
Opening the door, I saw a familiar figure writing something in the back of the recording studio.
Tall for a woman, early 170s cm, with ash-blue dyed hair tied up in a unique style.
The free-spirited vibe typical of arts and entertainment, and a youthful beauty that belied her age.
Chaeyoung looked exactly the same as the last time we'd met.
"Did you forget something? The scores are over there, take them and—"
When we didn't react, she sensed something off, lifted her head, and our eyes met.
"Long time no see, Chaeyoung Senior."