SMNTCERR, Chapter 33 Cyan #6.

   Daily Log <Observation Log of Chu Sangwoo>.

   (1.)

   Tuesday, April 8th, Day 5 of the office takeover.

   Room entry time: 18:31 / Room exit time: 22:00.

•                                                 Significant event: Choi Yoona vs. Chu Sangwoo.

   “Here, Chu Sangchu.”

   “Please do not change the nickname of others according to your whims.”

   “Why do you always act confused whenever I play a song, but when

   Jaeyoung plays, you don’t say anything?” Yoona started the scene with a fierce attack.

   “Because my senior, Jaeyoung, takes an average of 9 minutes during break time to make sure he takes his break. So I tolerate it. It’s different from some people who play songs for twenty-four hours straight, right? When I go back home, I turn off the sound sometimes. I feel sorry for the headset.”

   “…”

   Chu Sangwoo-Shield-Strike and Miss Choi Yoona Lost-Knockout.

•    Notable points: Resolving differences willingly, calling names, “speaking names”.
•    Opinion: Nothing abnormal or exceptional.

   (2.)

   Wednesday, April 9th, Day 6 of the office takeover.

   Room entry time: 18:31 / Room exit time: 22:00.

•    Significant event: When Chu Sangwoo was most angry.

   “If it keeps spinning like this, I might actually throw the computer screen out the window.”

   “I think you should seek treatment for your anger management issues a little bit, hyung.”

   Sangwoo struggles to distinguish between playfulness and reality.

   “Since when have you been the angriest? Try telling me three things.”

   Jaeyoung sensed that break time was about to end, so he deliberately brought up a new topic because if Sangwoo was asked, he would have to give a definite answer, as expected. The other party stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought.

   “Um… When you invited me to watch a movie.”

   “Would you say that was the angriest moment of your life?”

   This life has never been in crisis, right? Otherwise, just watching a movie would affect your mind that much, huh?

   “Yes. As for the second point… It’s about washing my face in the bathroom during the first break of the “Embedded System” class this semester.”

   Oh, both the first and second ranks, huh? Jaeyoung stayed quiet, thinking that he was digging his own grave.

   “The third point is about the swimming competition in sixth grade.”

   “Why? Because it wasn’t there in the first place?”

   “It was in first place.”

   “Then why?”

   “I hate myself for only remembering up to 622. After that, I tried to remember until 1024, sir, but if I try to remember more than that, it feels like a waste of time, so I stopped.”

   “You’re not ordinary either. Seriously.”

•    Notable observation: Confirm once again that he accurately remembers negative memories of the opposing faction.
•    Opinion: There’s nothing unusually special.

   (3.)

   Thursday, April 10th, Day 7 of occupying the office.

   Entered the room at 18:31 / Left the room at 20:25.

•    Significant event: Platinum and Diamond.

   At that time, the UI, characters, items, effects, maps, and the game world were all completed. Although there were still many pages and UI elements to work on, it was a normal thing to want a break from the exhaustion and to enjoy a sense of relief after completing a major project. Whether it succeeds or not. Jaeyoung was still exhausted.

   “Let’s investigate the data.”

   “Please explain in plain terms.”

   “It’s about inviting you to experience the movement in games and the feeling of playing games from other successful companies, analyzing the pros and cons. Then we can discuss, draw inspiration in terms of art, and explore the success in popularity from players. At the same time, it’s a way to strengthen relationships within the team and relieve stress.”

   Sangwoo sat there quietly, seeming not to understand what Jaeyoung was saying.

   “Are you inviting me to play games?”

   ‘This kid, he understands quickly now.’

   “Go for about two hours and then come back, the postponed work, tomorrow will make it all complete, promise.”

   “Do you believe me?”

   “Of course, I don’t believe you.”

   When exhausted and irritated, Sangwoo began to believe that data exploration was necessary… but in reality, Jaeyoung had a hidden intention. He was used to being the one carrying the game because he excelled at almost every game. Everyone wanted to be on the same team as Jaeyoung, so he was quite proud. Another thing is that this is an opportunity to use gaming skills to gain respect from Chu Sangwoo, who is not easily impressed by skateboards.

   They went to the internet cafe where Sangwoo worked. The owner of the cafe was delighted to see Sangwoo as a customer for the first time and offered them free drinks.

   “What should we play?”

   “Play the game that you want to play. I can play any online game released in the market.”

   “What have you been playing a lot lately… PUBG? OW? LOL? Which game are you best at?”

   “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and Overwatch. That’s fine. As for

   League of Legends, I’m not that good. I haven’t played it in a while.”  “Then let’s play that game.”

   Jaeyoung teased, but Sangwoo happily replied, “Let’s do this” And doubleclicked to enter the game.

   Jaeyoung chose a stealth assassin character who could continuously attack and had strong offensive power, while Sangwoo chose a support tank character with utility benefits despite its unimpressive appearance.

   While waiting for the game to start, Sangwoo accessed the game’s information website to view detailed skill sets of various characters and item details. Meanwhile, Jaeyoung was so engrossed in reading webtoons that he was startled when the game loading window popped up.

   “You said you’re not good, but you made it to the Grandmaster rank?”

   That meant Sangwoo was a high-level player in the top 1-2% of the previous season… Jaeyoung was even sweating.

   The villainous plot emerged in the game. While Jaeyoung relied on the spirit of animals and the physical abilities of his character, Sangwoo meticulously calculated the enemy’s movements to secure victory.

   “Can’t you calculate the damage of the skills [2]?”

   “Can’t you calculate the cooldown of the opposing team’s skills [3]?”

   “When I tell the gang [4], we have to trade [5 ]and reduce the enemy’s movements.”

   “Why is CS [6] like that in the middle of the game?”

   “If it’s not time to kill, just collect the flesh and keep it for a while.”

   In those two hours, Sangwoo didn’t scold even once. He only used a calm tone to reprimand Jaeyoung. The excellent gameplay that Jaeyoung usually demonstrated to everyone turned into mere fumbling when faced with Sangwoo. The gameplay that had been based on instinct seemed to transform into a helpless experience without calculation. Finally, going outside to change the atmosphere had no meaning. The atmosphere remained the same as when they were in the office room.

   It is not advisable to approach Chu Sangwoo with “PUBG.” “OW.” “LOL.” or “StarCraft.” Jaeyoung kept this note in mind.

   “What the heck, why would you invite me to play KartRider [7.]?”

•    Notable observation: Chu Sangwoo is a genius at playing games.
•    Opinion: There’s nothing unusually special.

   (4.)

   Friday, April 11th, Day 8 of occupying the office.

   Entered the room at 18:31 / Left the room at 22:02.

•    Significant event: A kiss?

   At that time, it was around 3:30 AM after finishing the status window, inventory, and skill window. Jaeyoung was completely exhausted. He told Sangwoo that he would take a 15-minute break. Then he lay down on the folding bed and fell asleep for a moment.

   “Hyung, it’s time for me to go back.”

   Then he was awakened by Sangwoo’s voice, but because he was still drowsy, he intentionally pretended to be asleep. Jaeyoung felt too weak to bid farewell to Sangwoo and ask him to go home. After a while, he heard the sound of items being collected from the table.

   “Wake up. Will you finish the roulette and title today?”

   That voice came from afar. Even though the tone was harsh, he enjoyed listening to it.

   “Are you still sleeping?”

   The other side asked, but Jaeyoung didn’t answer.

   “Hyung, are you sleeping?”

   It was still the same question, but the voice sounded slightly closer.

   “Sleeping… Are you really sleeping?”

   The voice came closer. What is it? Is he going to write on my face again? In order to startle Sangwoo, Jaeyoung decided to pretend to continue sleeping.

   “Are you really asleep, hyungnim?”

   Hyungnim… 

   That word made Jaeyoung think that he could not let go of his previous intention to tease the other side. It was like being attacked by a skill that immobilized in all forms, turning into hints, stunned, slowed down, transformed into stone, stopped time, causing confusion. Jaeyoung felt that Sangwoo, who was right in front of him, had closed his eyes tightly and carefully examined his own face.

   “Are you for real?”

   The voice was faint, barely reaching the tip of the nose. Sangwoo’s hot breath fogged up his glasses, and the tip of his fingers grazed his forehead and slid through his hair. What was this situation? Jaeyoung breathed faster but still pretended to be asleep, continuing the drama with a calm heart.

   The difficult and enduring phase continued. Jaeyoung thought that if he had to endure more than this, his face would have stiffened and twitched, so he decided to turn over and lie on his side. At that moment, there was something soft touching the corner of his mouth.

   He endured without opening his eyes, maintaining his composure beyond human limits.

   Then, something slipped away. When he opened his eyes, Chu Sangwoo’s back had disappeared behind the door silently.

•    Noteworthy point: Fskhdfaskfhasf, are we going to kill each other?
•    Comment: *Clearly detected signs of abnormalities*.

   ⌘W.

   ________________________________________.

[1]      Tank. A character with high health or skills that can absorb attacks for teammates, likened to a frontline fortress, suitable for opening combat scenes for the team.

[2]      Skill damage. The amount of damage caused by using a skill.

[3]      Cooldown. In the game, it refers to one of the game’s mechanics, a period of time that players have to wait to use the same skill again.

[4]      Gank. The act of one or more players sneaking up and attacking another player in a different lane. This term is often used for players in the jungle position “the position that focuses on killing monsters to earn money for item purchases in the jungle” because players in this position are responsible for helping manage players on their team in each lane to give an advantage to their own team.

[5]      Trade. An exchange of attacks to prevent being at a disadvantage by being continuously attacked by only one side. It is often used in engagements where different sides attack each other, like gun duels in cowboy movies.

[6]      CS “Creep Score”. The number of creeps killed by each player. It has a significant impact on the in-game economy, and a higher CS gives the team a better chance of winning, especially for the carry position, which is the main offensive force of the team. Note that creeps include both monsters and minions in the game.

   KartRider, or its full name, CrazyRacing, KartRider, is an online racing game from South Korea.

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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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