The corridors of Sungjin University bustled with the familiar energy of students finally free from the confines of their lecture halls. A sudden rush of footsteps echoed through the wide halls, students streaming out of their classrooms, eager to embrace the brief respite between classes. The cool autumn breeze from the open windows mingled with the murmur of conversations, creating an atmosphere of youthful exuberance.
Among the crowd, two young women walked side by side, their pace leisurely compared to the rush around them. Both were lost in thought, absorbing the content of the lecture they had just attended. Hye-su adjusted the strap of her messenger bag, her sharp eyes focused ahead as she processed the discussion they had just emerged from. Her hair, darker and less sleek than it would be in her future corporate years, framed her determined expression.
Beside her, Hae-won tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her brow furrowed with equal intensity, though her gaze was softer, more thoughtful. They were students of game development, two of the brightest minds in their cohort, and the subject matter they had just discussed left both of them deeply contemplative.
"That lecture was something, huh?" Hae-won said, breaking the silence as they strolled down the steps of the university building. "Game development and the future of virtual worlds... It's incredible to think how much will change in just a few years."
Hye-su nodded, though her mind was still turning over the ideas presented in class.
"Yeah, it's crazy to think about how far we've come already. AI, immersive environments, virtual reality—there's so much potential. I mean, what Professor Lee said about how games will evolve beyond just entertainment... he's right. This field could revolutionize how we think, how we live."
Hae-won glanced over, a small smile playing on her lips.
"It's why we're here, isn't it? We want to be part of that future. To build something that will make people rethink the way they interact with the world."
Hye-su's lips curved into a smile, though there was a certain edge to it.
"Yeah, and we're going to do it better than anyone else." There was a fire in her eyes, a fierce ambition that was already forming the foundation of the woman she would become—Director Hye-su, CEO of NexaRealm.
As they walked, their conversation shifted naturally between the technical aspects of game development and the larger philosophical questions their lecture had posed. The future of virtual worlds wasn't just about entertainment or graphics—it was about creating new ways for people to connect, to experience life in ways that weren't limited by reality.
"You know," Hye-su continued after a pause. "What I find fascinating is the idea that these worlds we build could eventually surpass the real world in importance. It's not just about escape anymore—people could end up spending more time in virtual spaces than in the physical world. And that opens up so many possibilities."
Hae-won chuckled softly.
"Possibilities, sure. But also risks. What happens when people prefer the digital version of life to the real thing? When reality feels like a second choice?"
Hye-su shrugged a glint of steel in her eyes.
"Then we make sure we're the ones in control of that world. If people are going to live in the systems we create, it's our responsibility to build them right. To make sure they're better than reality."
The two young women continued their walk across the campus, past the groups of other students still buzzing with post-lecture energy. In the distance, the university's towering game development building loomed like a symbol of their ambition, a place where ideas were forged into the cutting-edge technologies that would one day shape the world.
"I know we're still students," Hye-su said, her voice tinged with impatience. "But I can already see it. I can see the future we're going to create. We're not just studying this stuff for fun, Hae-won. We're going to be the ones leading it. Mark my words."
Hae-won gave her friend a sideways glance, her smile softening as she read the intensity in Hye-su's expression.
"I don't doubt it. But you know, Hye-su, sometimes it's okay to just… enjoy the process. We're not there yet. We've still got a lot to learn."
Hye-su gave a small, almost dismissive laugh.
"I'm not here to enjoy it. I'm here to get ahead. You and I both know we're already steps ahead of everyone else in our class."
Their steps slowed as they reached a bench beneath a row of cherry blossom trees, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. Hae-won sighed as she sat down, setting her bag beside her.
"Still, there's something to be said for taking your time. To make sure we get it right. Professor Lee said it himself—rushing into development without thinking about the long-term implications is how companies fail."
Hye-su didn't respond immediately. Instead, she sat beside Hae-won, her eyes scanning the campus grounds before finally turning back to her friend.
"You're right. But at the same time, we can't afford to wait too long. The world's changing fast, and if we don't keep up, someone else will. I just… I don't want to be left behind."
Hae-won looked at her for a moment, sensing the deeper fears beneath her friend's words.
"You won't be," she said softly. "We won't be."
And then, as they sat in the quiet of the campus, a figure emerged in the distance, walking toward them with purposeful strides. It was Jin-ho, another student in their cohort, though his demeanour always set him apart from the others. He was quiet, and reserved, but undeniably brilliant.
He approached with a slight smile, nodding at the two women.
"Hey," he said, his voice calm, almost detached.
"You two talking about Professor Lee's lecture?"
Hye-su straightened, her expression sharpening.
"Yeah, we were. What did you think?"
Jin-ho shrugged, his eyes glancing between them.
"It was interesting. But I think there's a lot more to this than what we're learning in class. Things are happening behind the scenes—things we haven't even scratched the surface of."
His words hung in the air, a cryptic message that both Hye-su and Hae-won would come to understand in time.
As the break between classes neared its end, Hye-su and Hae-won packed their bags and began heading towards their next lecture. The courtyard, which had been filled with students milling about, slowly started to empty as everyone made their way back to the various classrooms and lecture halls.
Hye-su glanced around, her gaze sweeping over the students walking ahead of her. Something—or rather, someone—was missing. It didn't take long for her to realize what it was. Jin-ho hadn't shown up for class, again.
She frowned slightly, though it wasn't out of concern. Jin-ho skipping class wasn't unusual. This was a regular occurrence. Despite his frequent absences, Jin-ho always managed to stay ahead of the material, often outscoring the rest of the class on tests and projects. He didn't need to attend lectures to understand the concepts; his brilliance allowed him to keep up, or even surpass his peers, without much effort.
But still, it bugged her. Jin-ho wasn't the type to waste time—he skipped class because he had something else he deemed more important to do. Hye-su had always been curious about where he went during those times, though she had her suspicions. She knew his hiding spot, a quiet corner on the roof of one of the older buildings on campus. He would sit there, isolated from the hustle and bustle of university life, lost in his world. Sometimes he'd be sketching out game ideas, other times he'd be working on some coding project that no one else in their class could comprehend.
As they entered the building for their next class, Hye-su's mind lingered on Jin-ho. She had always admired his carefree approach to life, though it frustrated her just as much. For someone with his level of talent, he could have easily been at the top of their class—if only he took things more seriously. Yet that was the paradox of Jin-ho: brilliant, yet unbothered.
"Hey, are you coming?" Hae-won's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Hae-won was already making her way into the lecture hall, glancing back at Hye-su with an amused smile. "You look like you're daydreaming."
Hye-su shook her head and followed her inside.
"Yeah, sorry. Just thinking about the assignment coming up."
As they settled into their seats, Hae-won remained blissfully unaware that Jin-ho was missing, her attention focused on their upcoming lecture. Hye-su, however, couldn't help but feel a little irritated. She already knew what she was going to do after this class ended—she was going to find Jin-ho and give him a piece of her mind. He couldn't just keep skipping class like this, even if he was smart enough to get away with it. Besides, their next project would require all three of them to be on the same page, and she wasn't about to let him coast through it.
She remembered how their strange friendship had come to be. It hadn't been a natural progression, at least not at first. Hye-su and Hae-won had bonded immediately when they first met, sitting next to each other in their introductory game development class. Conversation flowed easily between them, and they quickly discovered their shared ambition and vision for the future.
But Jin-ho? He had been a wildcard from the start. He was the quiet guy who sat in the back of the classroom, rarely engaging with anyone. It wasn't until the three of them were forced to work together on a group assignment that they had no real interaction with him. The professor had assigned them as a group of three, and at first, both Hye-su and Hae-won were sceptical. Jin-ho seemed detached, and distant, like he didn't care about the project—or them.
But that quickly changed once they began working together. Jin-ho's input was invaluable, and despite his laid-back demeanour, it was clear that he was incredibly skilled. What started as a forced partnership eventually evolved into an unlikely friendship. Hye-su had never expected to get along with someone like Jin-ho, yet here they were, years later, still working together, still friends—though sometimes she wondered how much longer that would last, given his tendency to disappear when he was needed.
As the class dragged on, Hye-su's thoughts kept drifting back to the roof of the old campus building. She made up her mind: after the lecture, she'd drag Hae-won along, and they'd find Jin-ho. He couldn't hide forever.