Hye-su paced the length of their shared room, phone in hand, biting her lower lip in thought. The weight of the decision they had made still lingered in the air like a heavy cloud, but she knew there was no point in delaying any further. Both she and Hae-won had reached the same conclusion—if they wanted to see the Realm device truly come to life, this was the best shot they had. Jin-ho would go along with whatever they chose. That much they were certain of. He always did.
"Are you ready?" Hae-won asked from the corner of the room, her voice calm but with an underlying current of anticipation.
Hye-su paused in her pacing, looking at her friend. Hae-won had been surprisingly sure of their decision, and while Hye-su still harboured her reservations, there was something comforting about knowing they were in this together. She nodded, more to reassure herself than anyone else, and dialled the number printed on the business card they had been given.
The phone rang twice before a familiar voice answered.
"Evie speaking," the woman's smooth, professional tone came through the line, carrying a sense of authority and control.
Hye-su took a deep breath.
"It's Hye-su. We've discussed your offer, and we're ready to move forward."
There was a brief pause on the other end, followed by a faint sound that could have been a smile.
"I'm glad to hear that. We've been expecting your call."
Of course, they had been expecting it. Hye-su figured they'd always known the students would come around, eventually. The truth was, as much as she hated to admit it, Evie and her group were right. There was no way they could take the Realm device to the next level without serious backing, and those four entrepreneurs offered them the resources they desperately needed.
"We'd like to meet and go over the terms in detail before signing anything," Hye-su added, her voice steady. "Where should we go?"
Evie responded without missing a beat. "I'll send you the location. It's a private venue, more appropriate for a formal agreement. You three will be expected. Shall we say, tomorrow afternoon?"
Hye-su exchanged a glance with Hae-won, who nodded in quiet agreement.
"That works. We'll be there."
"Wonderful. I'll forward the details shortly," Evie replied. Her tone was professional, but Hye-su could still hear a hint of satisfaction beneath it as if this was all part of a well-constructed plan. "I look forward to seeing you both. And what about Jin-ho? Will he be joining us?"
"Not sure yet. But Jin-ho will go along with our decision. We might not need to involve him in this," Hye-su hesitated briefly.
There was another brief silence on the line, but Evie didn't press the matter.
"Understood. We'll see you soon then. Take care."
With that, the call ended, leaving the room again in silence. The tension that had been mounting since their initial meeting now felt heavier, as if the gravity of what they were doing had fully set in.
Hye-su let out a slow breath, setting her phone on the desk.
"It's done."
"We're really doing this," Hae-won, who had been listening quietly the entire time, finally stood up.
"Yeah, we are," Hye-su nodded.
The reality of their decision loomed large, but there was no turning back now. They were stepping into a world they barely understood, with partners they couldn't fully trust. But if it meant the Realm device could become what they always dreamed it could be, then maybe the risk was worth it.
Tomorrow would be the first step toward that future.
Hye-su stood in the room for a moment after the call ended, the weight of their decision sinking deeper. She had spoken with confidence, leaving Jin-ho out of the picture because, in truth, they had come to expect him to just follow along. But now, as she replayed the conversation in her head, a faint guilt tugged at her. Jin-ho might seem carefree, detached even, but that didn't mean he deserved to be left out entirely.
"Maybe we should have told him," Hye-su muttered to herself, pacing again.
Hae-won, who had started organizing some papers at the small desk, looked up.
"I mean, he'll probably be fine with whatever we decide. He's... Jin-ho."
"Yeah, but that's the thing." Hye-su rubbed her temples. "He's always fine with whatever. And we just assume he doesn't care. But we didn't even ask him, not properly."
"We didn't leave him out to be mean. Besides, you know he's impossible to get ahold of. No phone, no texts—he lives in his world," Hae-won shrugged, clearly less concerned.
"Exactly. He doesn't live by anyone else's rules. If we're making a decision that could change all our lives, the least we can do is let him know. I'm going to find him," Hye-su frowned, her mind already made up.
"You sure? It's getting late," Hae-won raised an eyebrow but didn't argue.
"I know where he'll be," Hye-su said with a confidence born from years of knowing Jin-ho. She grabbed her jacket and headed for the door. "I'll be back."
Finding Jin-ho was never a straightforward task, but Hye-su had known him long enough to have a good sense of where to start. He wasn't the type to linger around crowded areas or engage in social activities. If anything, he thrived in solitude, where he could let his mind wander without distractions. And there was one place, in particular, where she knew he liked to disappear when he needed space.
The city park.
It was a sprawling green space nestled between the busy streets of Seoul, a strange pocket of peace amid the chaos. Jin-ho had always been drawn to the more secluded corners, where the trees were thick and the paths winding, where he could sit and think undisturbed.
Hye-su made her way there, her thoughts racing. She wondered if Jin-ho had already figured out what they'd decided, knowing him and his annoyingly perceptive nature. He might already be expecting her.
As she entered the park, the evening air felt cool against her skin. The paths were mostly empty at this time, save for the occasional jogger or couple walking their dog. The further she went, the quieter it became. Eventually, she reached the section of the park she knew Jin-ho favoured—an old, worn-out bench under a cluster of tall trees.
And, of course, there he was.
Jin-ho sat in his usual slouched posture, staring up at the darkening sky through the canopy of leaves. His hands were shoved into his hoodie pockets, and his face held that familiar half-amused, half-thoughtful expression he always wore.
"You came," he said, without even turning to look at her, as if he had been waiting all along.
"How do you always know?" Hye-su rolled her eyes but couldn't help a small smile.
"I just do." He finally glanced over at her, a lazy grin spreading across his face. "So? How'd it go with the entrepreneurs?"
Hye-su sat down next to him, leaning back against the bench.
"We accepted the offer."
"Figured you would. Makes sense," Jin-ho didn't look surprised.
"I feel kind of bad we didn't tell you sooner. We just... assumed you wouldn't care either way," she sighed, staring ahead.
"I don't mind. I trust you and Hae-won to make smart choices. Besides, I'm more interested in how this all plays out. No point in sweating over the details," Jin-ho shrugged.
"That's the thing, though," Hye-su said, her voice softening. "You're part of this, too. We're in this together. You should have a say."
Jin-ho was quiet for a moment, then smiled again, this time with a hint of warmth.
"You've always been the one to handle the tough decisions. I'm just here to see where this ride takes us. But thanks for coming to find me."
Hye-su smiled back, feeling the tension in her chest ease a little. Jin-ho's laid-back attitude could be frustrating at times, but it was also grounding. He had a way of making things feel less daunting.
"Well, we're meeting them again tomorrow to sign the agreement," Hye-su said. "You should probably come this time."
"Sure. I'll tag along," Jin-ho chuckled.
As they sat there in the quiet park, the weight of the decision didn't feel quite as heavy anymore. With Jin-ho in the loop, it felt like the team was whole again, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
Hye-su glanced over at Jin-ho, the dim light of the setting sun casting soft shadows across his face. For all the uncertainty that lay ahead, in that moment, with the three of them back on the same page, things felt a little more manageable. She took a deep breath, letting the calm of the park wash over her.
"Tomorrow, then," she said, standing up and dusting off her jeans. Jin-ho followed suit, stretching lazily as he stood.
"Yeah, tomorrow," he repeated, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Let's see what kind of chaos we're walking into this time."