SMNTCERR, Chapter 32 Cyan #5.

   On the first day, Sangwoo was calm and quiet. He returned within an hour, leaving abruptly without getting a chance to react.

   But from the second day onwards, Sangwoo switched to demon mode and made decisions. After finishing dinner, Sangwoo took out the notebook that

   Jaeyoung had organized and started laying it out on the frame[1] he created. Jaeyoung was working on the map after creating characters, weapons, and effects, so he thought of taking a break for a while, but every time he did that, he would be scolded.

   ‘If you want to work with me, you have to keep up with the speed.’

   ‘Like a professional, right? Can you work with a mindset like that?’

   ‘Stop shaking your leg, please.’

   ‘Get up and sit properly.”

   ‘Do you see how much work has been done? Are you still looking for more?’

   ‘I’ve given it some thought. Why didn’t you say from the beginning that you wouldn’t do it?’

   Besides his impressive graphic design skills, it seemed like Sangwoo didn’t like anything about Jaeyoung. He had been picking on him for the past three days. Now, no matter what he heard, Jaeyoung reached a point where he didn’t care anymore.

   ‘Of course. I will do as President Chu wishes.’

   ‘Oh, my lord, should I dare to challenge you?’

   ‘You’re no different from a delinquent, just without the knife.’

   ‘Let’s see… Ministry of Labor’s phone number…’

   ‘If this computer breaks down tomorrow, I’ll know it’s because of you.’

   ‘This is the Aoji coal mine [2], isn’t it?’

   Avoiding conflict was inevitable because they had a lot of work to do according to Sangwoo’s schedule. Even though he promised to keep up, the other side seemed skeptical. If they started arguing, Yoona would curse once and put on her headphones, but Jaeyoung didn’t mind bringing Sangwoo into the workspace. Even though the other side murmured discontentedly, in reality, he seemed to enjoy it even more.

   “Let’s rest for fifteen minutes.”

   After placing the mouse carelessly and lazily, Jaeyoung encountered Sangwoo again on Monday after the Saturday-Sunday break.

   During the weekend, he had a basketball game and went out for drinks.  After finishing the game, he left the post-game gathering before anyone else, which earned him the nickname “Cinderella.” As for the drinking appointment, he couldn’t make it because he was busy, so he got scolded when he returned. Even though he corrected the mistakes and sent complete maps of all five locations, he still asked for a fifteen-minute break. But Sangwoo still didn’t seem satisfied.

   “Okay, then.”

   After agreeing, Sangwoo would wait for exactly fifteen minutes and then order him to go back to work. Jaeyoung immediately went to the folding bed located on one side of the workspace as soon as he received permission and moved Yoona’s clothes from there to the floor before lying down.

   Sangwoo sat upright and stared at the computer screen filled with text, tapping the keyboard. Now he was somewhat used to seeing the other side in the workspace during the evening.

   “You should also take a break.”

   “I have a lot of work to do.”

   “I didn’t mean that, I meant take a break, do something else.”

   “With so much work, how can I take a break?”

   “If we keep talking, we won’t be able to concentrate, so I am considering it a break.”

   “In England in the 1850s, trees became infected and turned dark, causing a decrease in the population of gray moths. Meanwhile, the population of black moths increased.”

   “…What are you trying to say?”

   “Living organisms adapt to external threats, my friend.”

   “Oh, I see. So I’m the pollution, and you’re the pitiful gray moth? Well, I’m changing my wing color too. I’ll be an inspiration.”

   “You don’t need to inspire me with words, just keep your mouth shut and that might help me.”

   Chu Sangwoo was like an automated vending machine that only sold accurate words. Jaeyoung avoided losing arguments right from the start and picked up his phone, responding to a few text messages before opening a music video by his favorite band. When he was with Yoona or Seo-jin, they would always play their music loudly while working, but ever since Sangwoo came, they never played music again. Yoona herself protested a couple of times, but after losing every argument boldly, she would sigh and put on her headphones when Sangwoo arrived. But today, she left quickly, so such an event didn’t occur.

   The sound of synthesizers [3] that seemed dream-like, the deep bass drum beats that made the ground tremble, the guitar that resonated with the heart, and the singing voice that invited dreams. Jaeyoung closed his eyes and drowned in the music. In his other mind, he waited for the words, “Turn off the song.” When he peeked up with forgotten eyes, he realized that Sangwoo was still sitting there working.

   “Looks like you’re a fan of this band.”

   “Not really. It’s not a big deal.”

   “This band is called…”

   “Psychedelic. I know them.”

   “The name of the song is…”

   “Magnetic Field, Philadelphian, Track 8. On their 5th album, Electric City. I already knew that. Just stay quiet.”

   Jaeyoung was so surprised that he dropped his headphones. The artist he liked wasn’t well-known in a country of this size, let alone knowing the song titles, but here he knew even the album name and track order. He pretended not to care, but he actually knew everything like this, appearing as a knowledgeable listener. While Jaeyoung was still amazed, the playlist shifted to the next song, this time an indie band from a country not widely recognized.

   “‘Napalsu’, Album 2, Track 12, ‘I Will Chase the President and Kick Out the

   Company’.”

   Jaeyoung stared at the black cap for a minute.

   ‘Does Chu Sangwoo have the same taste as me?’

   Unbelievable. Jaeyoung moved on to the next song with an excited heartbeat.

   “‘Jochiwon Band’, Album 1, ‘Red and Black’, Track 7, ‘Red Star.’“

   “Hmm… Hey, you and I have very similar tastes, huh? I am feeling all goosey-bumpey.”

   “Not at all, don’t talk like that.”

   Judging from the dissatisfaction, the other party probably didn’t lie. He must have listened enough to know the song’s sequence. Jaeyoung was so excited that he kept skipping songs, and there wasn’t a single song that Sangwoo didn’t know. Whether it’s artists from the country or abroad. No matter what genre. There’s no need to tell Sangwoo, he knows, and he’s more accurate than using a voice search app repeatedly.

   Jaeyoung skipped songs randomly. Then he accidentally touched an unfamiliar song that jumped up to be the number one hit on the weekly chart, which the other party mentioned within the first ten seconds of playing the song, but this time it was quietly skipped.

   “Don’t know this song.”

   “How can I?”

   These days, if someone doesn’t know this song, they can be called truly clueless. Jaeyoung felt a little conflicted in his heart and was confused.

   “Hyung, don’t worry about the hand grenade. Fix that first and then watch the corn again. Also, it’s been fifteen minutes already. Go back and sit there, please.”

   ‘Hey, I’ll kick you.’

   Jaeyoung sat still for five seconds before getting up. When he reluctantly sat back down on the chair, Sangwoo glanced at him briefly. Then he shifted his gaze back to his own notebook.

   ‘Cute, but not cute at all.’

   Jaeyoung reached out his hand, intending to pinch the other party’s cheek forcefully before remembering the ban and retracting his hand. Sangwoo raised an eyebrow and glanced at Jaeyoung’s hand. Jaeyoung awkwardly waved his hand and clapped in the air.

   “Huh? There’s a mosquito here…”

   “It’s April, how can there be mosquitoes?”

   “There it is here.”

   “Where did the mosquito come from? Did you catch it?”

   “Huh? Missed it.”

   Sangwoo went back and tapped the keyboard again with a reluctant expression. While staring at the computer screen filled with unreadable text, he looked around, knowing everything. Jaeyoung, on the other hand, looked back at Sangwoo without doing anything for a moment.

   “Why are you making a game?”

   After blurting out that question, he realized it was too late, it was a question that should have been asked from the beginning.

   Why does Chu Sangwoo try to create games? Especially when he doesn’t understand anything about the actual content. On the other hand, he’s only good at programming, but it seems like he has no sense of graphics or sound at all. Furthermore, someone who is unsuitable for teamwork and doesn’t enjoy working as a team is making a game that requires designers or planners.

   “Because I like it.”

   The answer that came out made Jaeyoung slightly shocked, judging from the other person’s strong and determined expression. Jaeyoung thought he probably didn’t have any hobbies or things he liked.

   “I have a game company that I want to work for. When I was fifteen, I tried playing a game released by that company for the first time, and it was so much fun that it enlightened me for the first time. Since then, my dream has changed. I want to make a game similar to that game with my own hands, so I studied English and studied more about games.”

   When Sangwoo saw Jaeyoung’s face, he said, “Oh, I didn’t ask, sir.” and turned back to look at the computer screen. Jaeyoung laughed and patted his face.

   “No, you just looked cooler all of a sudden earlier. So, what game are you talking about?” “StarCraft 1.”

   If he goes to an internet cafe with Chu Sangwoo, playing “StarCraft” is a must. Jaeyoung kept it in mind.

   “What did you want to be before becoming a game developer?”

   “A backhoe driver.”

   “…”

   Today, he learned many things. Chu Sangwoo was not just a robot immersed in work, but a human being who liked music and had dreams. Yes, for the first time, he saw Sangwoo’s eyes filled with desire.

   “I plan to use the success of Veggie Venturer to apply for a job at the company in the second half of next year.”

   “You said that it’s a portfolio for me like this, in the end, it’s your own portfolio, isn’t it?”

   “Well, it’s good for both of us, isn’t it?”

   Jaeyoung felt as if the game they started working on together had already achieved success through their busy schedule that seemed never-ending. But he didn’t know why he felt that it was more than confidence, more than Chu Sangwoo’s dream. It may not be easy, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

   When the feeling was unbearable, Jaeyoung wanted to create something.

   “Here.”

   “Yes.”

   “Give me one more minute, please.”

   “…”

   Sangwoo remained silent for a moment, and the fact that the other party didn’t refuse immediately surprised him. Jaeyoung had been waiting patiently, but there was still no answer.

   “If you don’t like it, forget it.”

   When he spoke, Sangwoo cleared his throat.

   “I don’t really dislike anything so much. I just prefer to be informed in advance.”

   Compared to before, the other party seemed softer and more gentle. Jaeyoung felt the urge to reach out and touch that black cap right now.

   “You should prepare yourself first.”

   “I have to prepare myself. I don’t like things that are unprepared.”

   “If you’re studying and suddenly your grandmother calls to say she misses you, so you come here and wait in front of the house. What would you do?”

   “I don’t use my phone while studying, and both my grandma and grandpa have passed away.”

   “‘Sorry. If that’s the case, let me give you another example… If you’re cooking ramen but don’t have any seasoning?”

   “Before cooking, I would check if all the ingredients listed in the recipe are available because there’s no way to make it without those.”

   “So you’re good at cooking ramen, huh?”

   “How could I not cook ramen? Anyone can do it as long as they have two hands and enough common sense to read the recipe.”

   “Well, even if that’s the case, there are many people who can’t cook it deliciously… Oh, it’s time.”

   Jaeyoung reached out his hand confidently and lightly touched Sangwoo’s cap. After going through the additional step of giving advance notice, he gently rubbed the other party’s head and felt a sense of satisfaction, almost wanting to rub his shoulder, but for now, it was enough.

   “I’ll support your sports dream myself and help you reach the other side.”

   The whispered words didn’t come out smoothly, perhaps because they were too heartfelt. The voice was faint and almost disappeared.

   “I feel like I want to do better.”

   Sangwoo sat there blinking as if he didn’t hear anything, and two seconds later the other party shook his head and waved Jaeyoung’s hand.

   “That’s enough.”

   Suddenly, Sangwoo folded his notebook and packed up in a hurry. He had seen the side of the other person’s face for about three minutes and thought that the other side probably wouldn’t turn around to show his face. When he looked at the time, he realized it was only half-past three.

   ‘Yesterday I came back at four o’clock…’

   Sangwoo put everything in his bag before quickly getting up and walking away, making it seem like there was no one in the room. Sangwoo stopped at the door and spoke without turning back.

   “I’m leaving. See you at the meeting next time.”

   ‘The meeting next time… I already said that you can just say it’s tomorrow.’

   “Uh… Take care.”

   Jaeyoung stared at the back of Sangwoo’s head, and after a moment, he heard the sound of the iron door closing, bang.

   Jaeyoung rubbed his face with his hand before letting his gaze wander up to the ceiling. Ah, what else did he do for the benefit of someone who doesn’t  like skins? Does he have to do it like that? But even so, there are strange

   points in Sangwoo’s reactions.

   “I feel like smoking.”

   The conflicting feeling that couldn’t be explained overwhelmed Jaeyoung’s mind. He thought he had to pay more attention to Sangwoo.

   ⌘W.

   ________________________________________.

[1]                   Resource: Programs, data, or equipment that can be used. In this case, it refers to the image files that Jaeyoung made.

[2]                   Aoji Coal Mine: Located in the region of Aoji in North Korea.

[3]                   Synthesizer: Sound synthesizing device.

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