The news spread faster than any of them could have imagined. It had barely been a week since the final presentation at Sungjin University, where Jin-ho, Hye-su, and Hae-won had unveiled the prototype for the NexaRealm device, and yet, everything had changed. The trio had walked away with top marks—not just from their professors but from the guest judges as well, who had been visibly fascinated by the possibilities their project had presented.
But the real surprise came shortly after.
What they didn't realize at the time was that someone in the audience—a student, a journalist, or maybe just an enthusiastic tech enthusiast—had secretly recorded the entire presentation, from Jin-ho's entrance to the demonstration of the Realm device. This person, whoever they were, had posted the video online. Within hours, it had spread like wildfire, first through local forums, then on international platforms.
NexaRealm, a humble university project, had become a global sensation.
At first, Hye-su, Jin-ho, and Hae-won thought nothing of it. They had no idea that their creation had begun attracting attention from all over the world. That is until the emails started flooding in.
It began innocently enough—an email here, another there, mostly from curious students or amateur developers asking for more information about NexaRealm. But within days, the situation spiralled out of control. Their inboxes were inundated with messages from game developers, tech companies, venture capitalists, researchers, and entrepreneurs. The sheer volume was overwhelming.
"Have you seen how many emails we've gotten?" Hye-su said, staring at her laptop screen, wide-eyed. She scrolled through the seemingly endless list of subject lines, all variations of the same thing: offers, demands, proposals. "This is insane. They just won't stop."
Hae-won, sitting next to her, was equally frazzled.
"It's like every major tech company in the world has contacted us. They all want a piece of NexaRealm."
Jin-ho, who had been lounging on the couch with his phone in hand, glanced up, a bemused smile on his face.
"I told you guys this would happen. Everyone wants to be part of the future."
Despite his casual demeanour, even Jin-ho was taken aback by the sheer magnitude of interest. It wasn't just emails anymore. Somehow, their phone numbers had been leaked, and their phones hadn't stopped ringing for days. Call after call came in from unknown numbers—some offering millions in investment, others demanding exclusive rights to their technology. It got to the point where they had to terminate their emails and buy new phone numbers just to escape the relentless wave of communication.
"I don't understand how they even got our phone numbers," Hae-won muttered, staring at her new phone as it sat silently on the table. "We barely gave them out to anyone."
"It doesn't matter how," Hye-su said, rubbing her temples in frustration. "What matters is that this has gotten way out of control. Sungjin University is trying to keep things under wraps, but clearly, they've failed."
Indeed, the university had made several attempts to control the situation. When the video first went viral, Sungjin tried to pull it from online platforms, claiming intellectual property rights and citing the project as part of their curriculum. They had sent cease-and-desist orders to numerous websites, but the damage was already done. The video was everywhere, reposted and reshared across social media, forums, and news outlets. It was impossible to stop.
NexaRealm had escaped the confines of their small university and entered the world stage.
"Have you seen the headlines?" Jin-ho said, holding up his phone. "They're calling us the 'future of gaming' and 'the next big disruptors.' It's crazy. Like 'my brain exploded' crazy."
Hye-su sighed, leaning back in her chair. She had always known Jin-ho's ideas were ambitious, but even she hadn't expected their project to gain this much attention, especially so quickly. It was one thing to develop a prototype in the safety of their university's lab; it was another to be thrust into the spotlight, with the entire world watching.
"They don't just want to work with us," Hae-won said, fidgeting nervously. "They want to own us. Every company is offering to buy us out, or they're trying to get us to sign contracts giving them exclusive rights. I don't even know how to respond to half of these people."
Jin-ho leaned forward, his casual smile fading as he saw the seriousness in both their faces.
"We're not signing anything yet. Not until we figure out what we want."
Hye-su looked at him, her expression tense.
"But what do we want, Jin-ho? We're just students. We can't possibly compete with these corporations, and we don't have the resources to turn NexaRealm into a fully-fledged product."
Jin-ho was quiet for a moment, his usual carefree demeanour replaced with an intense focus.
"You're right. We don't have the resources right now. But that's not the point. The point is, that we've created something revolutionary. We don't need to sell out or give up control. We have options. We just need to be smart about it."
Hye-su wasn't sure what that meant, but she trusted Jin-ho's instincts. He had led them this far, after all. But still, the magnitude of what they had done—what they had unleashed—was overwhelming.
"We've opened a door we can't close," Hye-su said softly, glancing between Jin-ho and Hae-won.
"And behind that door," Jin-ho replied, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Is the future."
Jin-ho's confidence seemed to reassure Hye-su and Hae-won, but the reality of the situation was still overwhelming. While Jin-ho was ready to face the chaos head-on, both women felt the weight of uncertainty pressing down on them. They hadn't expected their project—something that had started as a simple university assignment—to explode into a global sensation.
"Do you think Sungjin University will try to claim NexaRealm as their own?" Hae-won asked, her voice shaky. She was thinking about all the contracts they'd signed when they started the project. "I mean, they're already trying to take down the video, and they've been pretty silent about all this attention."
"They might. But even if they do, they can't just take everything we've worked for. We were the ones who designed it, tested it, and presented it. They only provided the resources," Hye-su bit her lip, unsure.
"It's a grey area," Jin-ho said, shaking his head. "Universities love to claim intellectual property when it becomes valuable, but we're the creators. The video going viral works in our favour because now everyone knows that NexaRealm came from us."
"But what if they sue us?" Hae-won pressed, clearly rattled. "They could claim ownership, right?"
"Let them try," Jin-ho said, with a smirk. "We'll figure it out. We're not alone in this. Trust me, companies and lawyers are going to line up to represent us. They'll want a piece of NexaRealm too, but at least we'll have options."
"We just need to be smart, like you said. We can't jump into anything too quickly. If we're going to navigate this mess, we have to make sure we don't end up losing everything," Hye-su sighed.
There was a pause as the three of them sat, processing the enormity of their situation. They were no longer just university students finishing a final project. They were at the forefront of a new technological revolution, and the world was watching their every move.
"Let's make one thing clear," Jin-ho said, his tone shifting to something more serious. "We're not letting anyone steal this from us. NexaRealm is ours, and we're going to build it, improve it, and launch it on our terms."
Both Hye-su and Hae-won nodded. The fear and uncertainty still lingered, but Jin-ho's determination had always been a source of strength for the group. He had a way of making the impossible seem achievable, and now, more than ever, they needed to believe in that.
"Okay," Hye-su said finally, standing up from her chair. "First things first, let's take control of the situation. We're going to need help—legal advice, business guidance, everything. But whatever we do, we stick together, like always."
"We've come this far. There's no turning back now," Hae-won smiled faintly.
"Exactly. And besides, I've already got some ideas for the next phase of NexaRealm," Jin-ho's grin returned, a little more mischievous this time.
"Of course, you do," Hye-su rolled her eyes, but there was a glint of excitement in her own.
As the three of them began discussing their next steps, it was clear that this was only the beginning. The path ahead was uncertain and full of challenges, but for the first time, they were facing it together—with the world at their feet and an idea that could change everything.
Their project had become more than just a presentation, more than just a grade. It was now a movement, and whether they were ready or not, NexaRealm was about to reshape the future. Sooner or later, they are forced to make a decision. A decision of a lifetime.
And the three of them—Jin-ho, Hye-su, and Hae-won—would be at the centre of it all.