NOVEL NEXT Chapter 62
It was as if Tae-yun had anticipated that I would bring up this topic; he asked with a bitter tone.
“Still, you also think that’s the right choice, don’t you?”
“Of course. We’ve already reached the point where it’s all about mind games now. It’s better to escape before we get stuck in the same rut.”
“Haa… I have no idea how it came to this.”
“Exactly.”
With that, the conversation paused briefly, and an uncomfortable silence fell.
Tae-yun seemed to be contemplating, as if the reality of his impending resignation was starting to sink in.
And I chose not to interfere with his thoughts, knowing well that his personality wasn’t one that appreciated consoling.
He’ll figure it out on his own once he’s done thinking.
With that thought in mind, I sipped on my half-melted iced Americano and waited. About ten minutes later, Tae-yun, looking somewhat calmer, finally spoke.
“Still, no matter how much I think about it, you’re right.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying. There’s nothing to gain by staying in that project until the end. It’ll only ruin your career.”
“Yeah… Thanks.”
“Thank me? I just gave you a little push.”
“Still, man.”
“So anyway, do you have any plans for what you’re going to do after you resign?”
At that question, Tae-yun shook his head dubiously.
He probably would have said something about starting a game company like before, wouldn’t he?
But his actual response was completely opposite from what I’d expected.
“Well… I’m not really sure.”
“Really? Didn’t you mention something about wanting to make games before? Right?”
“Yeah, that’s true. I still want to create a game based on my illustrations, but after working on this project, it feels like something inside me has been broken.”
There was a noticeable lack of confidence in Tae-yun’s expression as he spoke.
“If you’re so frustrated, why don’t you clearly explain what the problem is? That way, I might be able to offer some advice.”
“Here’s what happened…”
Tae-yun explained.
It all began when the project entered its second year from the first. That’s when the one-sided feedback started coming in.
Some of it was related to in-game content like sieges, but there was also a lot of feedback about the art.
Moreover, there were instances where the feedback on Tae-yun’s art style turned into gaslighting, especially when they pointed to issues like character exposure, gender balance, and even criticized his personal artistic style.
“Gaslighting is scary, isn’t it? I always had pride in my art; I thought it was something I excelled at. But after a year of them nitpicking my art style, I began to doubt if it was really as good as I thought.”
“Are you serious? Who says your art style is no good? That’s ridiculous.”
As Tae-yun continued his story, I realized how dire the situation had become.
Just looking at NDSoft’s main games, it’s clear that almost none of them are unaffected by Tae-yun’s contributions.
It seemed like this so-called ‘project feedback’ wasn’t just feedback but rather an attack on Tae-yun and subculture as a whole.
“Bro, can you show me some of the recent things you’ve worked on or drawn? Anything from the project should be confidential, so let’s exclude that.”
“Work samples? Give me a sec.”
Tae-yun rummaged through the bag he brought and handed me a tablet.
“Just look at the personal folder. The other folders are backups from the project work.”
Following Tae-yun’s advice, I opened the personal folder and several images appeared.
It was clear these were Tae-yun’s works; they carried all the trademarks that defined his style.
While examining these drawings, I stumbled upon unexpected materials.
They were GIFs that moved like images with attached joints, suggesting that Tae-yun was practicing Live 2D animation.
Live 2D—this was a notable feature of ‘Destiny Familiar,’ the game Tae-yun had made when he started his own company in his previous life.
Even though he said otherwise, these movements indicated Tae-yun was preparing for another game, just like before.
Though the quality was slightly lower compared to when the game officially launched, it didn’t pose a big problem.
After all, Tae-yun had already established his name with his illustrations and Live 2D animation in his previous life, dominating the market.
With time, funding, and workforce, he was certain to bring that same quality once again.
Looking at the entire situation, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
It was like finding a winning lottery ticket already claimed.
Besides, judging from his current state, Tae-yun didn’t seem inclined to start a company like he did in his previous life. That decided it for me—I would recruit him to our company.
Of course, knowing Tae-yun from his previous life, there were issues regarding operation and behavior, but they were something I could handle if I were around to guide him with feedback.
So, I asked him directly.
“Bro, since you haven’t made up your mind about what to do after resignation, how about joining our company?”
“Our company? As an AD?”
“No, not exactly an AD. Though we’d welcome you with open arms if you’d join as an AD, wouldn’t that feel awkward for you since you’d be working under Yerin?”
At this, Tae-yun frowned.
“Working under Yerin? That wouldn’t work.”
“Exactly. So how about coming in as the General Director and creating the game you’ve always wanted to make?”
“Wait, what?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected suggestion, Tae-yun stared blankly at me before I continued explaining.
“What’s the biggest issue with you right now? You want to create a game, but your self-esteem is low because of all that gaslighting, right?”
“That’s true.”
“So come to our company and make your game. Unlike NDSoft, our company operates in a studio system, meaning we can offer maximum autonomy on your projects.”
“Ah…”
It seemed Tae-yun finally understood my proposal and looked at me with complicated emotions.
“It’s really appreciated, but is it okay? I’ve never been a General Director before.”
“Who starts out as one? People get promoted after gaining experience and recommendations.”
“But what if the game I make fails?”
Even though I was joking, Tae-yun started laughing when I responded with my usual tone.
“Even if it fails, no one’s going to care, knowing how much I’ve contributed to the company so far.”
That made him smile.
“Regardless, I really appreciate it… Can I give you my answer a bit later? I want to discuss it with my wife.”
“Sure, just don’t take too long.”
“Yeah.”
***
One week later.
After receiving contact from Tae-yun, I visited Su-yeon’s office with the proposal he had sent over.
Since I had contacted her beforehand, Su-yeon was waiting in the reception area on the sofa instead of her desk.
“Ho-jin here?”
Su-yeon’s face lit up with curiosity when she greeted me.
It was as if a child had just spotted Santa Claus.
She was clearly eager to see what I had brought this time.
I handed her the proposal from Tae-yun, hoping to meet her expectations.
“Take a look.”
“Wait… you’re planning the next project so soon when we haven’t even opened the Korean server for a month?”
Confused, Su-yeon picked up the proposal and looked at me, waiting for an explanation.
Then it occurred to me that I had made a mistake.
“Oh, this proposal wasn’t written by me but a friend.”
“Why are you showing me this, then?”
“Give it a read first.”
Despite being unsure, Su-yeon began reading the proposal.
At first, she seemed unimpressed, but as she continued, her expression softened.
Of course, the contents of the proposal were from a game that had already proven to be a success.
The room was silent except for the sound of Su-yeon flipping through the pages.
The silence broke after she finished and put the proposal down.
She tapped her fingers on the armrest of the sofa, then looked at me with a question.
“Judging by your face, you want my opinion on this proposal, right?”
Smiling, I nodded.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Since you know I’m not very knowledgeable about games, I might not give you the answer you’re looking for… but it was interesting.”
She took a sip of water before continuing.
“The story wasn’t anything groundbreaking, but it was captivating enough to make me curious about what comes next. The character designs and in-game content samples with images were also intriguing.”
“Clearly, the proposal impressed you. By your comments, I can tell.”
“Yes, if this had been brought in by you, I probably would’ve approved the project without hesitation.”
“Was it that good?”
“Yeah, it was good. So why did you show it to me?”
Now moving to the main point, I nodded and replied.
“I want to bring the person who wrote this into our company.”
“This person… Even if you just tell the HR team and recommend them as an experienced hire, they’d find them a position, right?”
“This person has experience in the industry but no experience as a General Director… and, especially, the company they currently work for…”
“Which company?”
“NDSoft.”
“Is that so?”
Su-yeon chuckled, seeming interested in the idea of poaching a key member from a competitor.
“Ho-jin, be honest. This person is unhappy with their current job, right?”
“They can’t say there’s nothing at all.”
“So bringing them here is because…”
“Not exactly.”
“Really?”
“Well, while that thought isn’t completely absent, more than anything, I have a strong feeling that this proposal will succeed.”
“So you have that gut feeling again, huh…”
After pondering for a while, Su-yeon nodded as if making a decision.
“Alright, I get it. Go ahead and leave now. Just give me their contact information before you go.”