The virtual meeting ended with Matthieu's proposal left hanging in the air—a grand, ambitious vision that could define NexaRealm's future. But it wasn't something they could decide on a whim. They needed time to deliberate, to consider the implications, the opportunities, and the risks that would come with hosting the World NexaRealm Championship. With Hye-su leading the Korea branch, Matthieu steering the ship in France, Prince Tarif representing Saudi Arabia, Daniel in Canada, and Evie in Australia, they were all coming to grips with how much had changed and how far they'd come.
Hye-su clicked off her headset, letting out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. The silence of her office filled the void left by the absence of the call's buzz. She turned her head, and there, sitting quietly at the far end of the room, was Hae-won. A desk piled with documents sat in front of her, and her focused eyes never wavered from her laptop screen, typing away with the precision of someone who had mastered multitasking. She was there, even though she hadn't joined the call directly, providing the backbone of support that allowed Hye-su to keep moving forward.
"How did it go?" Hae-won asked, glancing up from her screen, her fingers pausing for just a moment.
Hye-su moved her chair closer to where Hae-won was seated, her expression contemplative.
"It went well, I think. Matthieu proposed this idea—an international competition to celebrate the anniversary. He called it the World NexaRealm Championship. It sounds promising, but…" she trailed off, looking at her friend, waiting for her response.
Hae-won leaned back in her chair, her eyes meeting Hye-su's.
"A competition, huh?" she said, a note of intrigue in her voice. "It could be a good move—something big that could bring the community together. The kind of thing people remember and want to be a part of."
Hye-su nodded.
"That's what I thought too. It's bold, ambitious, and honestly… it feels like it could be a defining moment for us. But," she paused, a hint of doubt creeping in. "I wanted to know what you think."
Hae-won was quiet for a moment, her gaze flickering toward the window. She watched as the sun bathed the Seoul skyline in warm afternoon light. Then she turned back to Hye-su, her voice soft but thoughtful.
"I think it's a good idea overall, but there's something I'm worried about."
Hye-su raised an eyebrow, a little surprised.
"Worried?"
"Yes," Hae-won said, her tone contemplative. "It's about Jin-ho."
Hye-su blinked, taken aback. Jin-ho hadn't come to mind at all during the meeting—not in the way Hae-won was implying.
"Jin-ho? Why would he have an issue with it?" she asked.
"You know how he is, Hye-su," Hae-won said, her expression a mix of fondness and seriousness. "Jin-ho values freedom above anything else. He hates anything that feels like a restriction. And this proposal… it's grand, sure, but it's also structured, and rigid. It's a competition that will require rules, boundaries, and organization. Jin-ho's never really been one to thrive in environments like that."
Hye-su frowned, realizing that she had indeed forgotten about that particular aspect of their friend. Jin-ho had always been a free spirit—someone who loved unpredictability and embraced the chaotic, creative side of development. He'd been the one to think outside the box, to challenge the norms, to push them all to do things differently.
"You're right," she said quietly, her gaze turning inward. "I didn't think about how he might feel about this. I was too caught up in the idea."
"It's a good idea, don't get me wrong," Hae-won said reassuringly. "But if we're moving forward with it, we need Jin-ho on board too. We need to make sure he doesn't feel suffocated by it. We need to give him space within this plan—find a way to align it with his vision of freedom."
Hye-su sighed, rubbing her temples thoughtfully.
"Sometimes I forget he's not like us," she admitted. "He's always been so different, but that difference is what made us who we are now. I can't afford to leave him behind, not on something this big."
She looked at Hae-won, determination returning to her eyes.
"I'm going to find Jin-ho. I need to talk to him and see what he thinks. If there's anyone whose insight we need on this, it's him."
Hae-won smiled, a gentle, encouraging look on her face.
"That's the Hye-su I know. Just make sure he knows that his freedom will never be compromised, no matter what we plan for NexaRealm. After all, it's his unpredictability that keeps us on our toes."
With those words, Hye-su stood, her resolve set. She grabbed her coat, ready to leave her office. She knew where Jin-ho was likely to be—probably somewhere unconventional, somewhere that gave him space to think. She would find him and make sure he understood what this was all about. They had come too far together to leave anyone behind now.
Hye-su navigated through the office corridors until she reached the room she was looking for—a room exclusively reserved for Jin-ho and his testing whims. She opened the door to find him, just as she had expected, slouched comfortably on the specialized gaming chair. His body was relaxed, almost limp, as if asleep, while his mind wandered freely through the expansive virtual landscape of NexaRealm. Beside him, the glowing monitor displayed Jin-ho's current activity in the game, his virtual avatar testing out a new weapon system that had just been added.
The screen showed Jin-ho with the newly installed gauntlet weapon, its metallic sheen catching the sunlight of NexaRealm's in-game world. He was taking swings at a practice dummy, watching for any animation glitches or inconsistencies. She could see him adjusting the grip, testing how the gauntlet felt when equipped in combination with different armour types. His dedication to perfecting the experience for the players, despite his aversion to structure, never ceased to impress her.
Hye-su paused, feeling the weight of her request. She didn't want to disturb him, but this discussion couldn't wait. She approached the screen and tapped a few buttons, sending a notification directly into the Realm.
"Hey, Jin-ho, I need you out here for a minute. It's important."
Moments later, the body lying in the chair stirred, and Jin-ho removed the Realm headset, blinking up at her with slightly disoriented eyes before his familiar grin appeared.
"What's up, boss?" he asked, voice laced with playful sarcasm.
She gestured for him to sit up, settling into the seat across from him as she began.
"I need to talk to you about something important. We had a meeting, you know, the kind of meeting you hate."
Jin-ho chuckled, rubbing his neck as he swung his legs to the floor.
"You mean the kind where people decide how I should spend my time?" he teased. His smile faded slightly as he took in her expression. "What's this about, Hye-su?"
She took a deep breath and began explaining.
"It's Matthieu's idea. He's proposing something big for the anniversary—a World NexaRealm Championship. It's ambitious, something he believes would put us on a different level altogether."
Jin-ho's playful grin disappeared, replaced by a slight frown. His brows drew together, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"A championship? You're talking about competitions, leaderboards, rankings, all that kind of stuff?"
Hye-su nodded, carefully observing his expression as she continued.
"Yes, and Matthieu has strong points to back it up—community engagement, skill showcases, dynamic events, you name it."
Jin-ho was silent for a moment, his gaze dropping to the floor as he absorbed what she was saying. Then he let out a sigh, shaking his head.
"I get why Matthieu thinks it's a good idea, but Hye-su, this isn't what NexaRealm is about. You know that, right?"
She could see the genuine frustration on his face and nodded, giving him space to express himself.
"NexaRealm was meant to be about freedom. It was supposed to be a place where you could be anyone you wanted—explore, create, and do whatever you felt like without being forced into any kind of competition. It was an open world, a world to escape from the structures and rules of real life, not to replicate them." He sighed, his fingers tapping restlessly on the armrest. "Adding something like a championship—it changes everything. Suddenly, there are winners and losers. Suddenly, there's a right way and a wrong way to play."
Hye-su nodded, her face softening.
"I know, Jin-ho. I know this isn't what you signed up for, and I don't want to push you into anything. But Matthieu had his arguments. He talked about bringing the community closer through team challenges, giving players a sense of accomplishment by climbing leaderboards, creating more dynamic gameplay..."
Jin-ho shook his head before she could finish.
"And those arguments are exactly why it won't work for me," he said. "This isn't about player engagement or excitement. It's about the spirit of NexaRealm. You start making everything about competition, and you risk alienating the people who just want to explore. Think about it, Hye-su—how many people will quit because they feel like they can't keep up? How many people will get discouraged when they see the rankings, realizing they're nowhere near the top?"
He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
"There's a delicate balance here. The last thing I want is for NexaRealm to become just another game where everyone is chasing the next big achievement, grinding to be the best, instead of enjoying the journey. And don't even get me started on the potential toxicity. You know as well as I do that competition brings out the worst in some people."
Hye-su could see his point clearly. She respected his perspective, especially because Jin-ho had always been the one to remind them why they started in the first place. While the others aimed for numbers, engagement metrics, and growth, Jin-ho had always been their compass, guiding them to maintain the heart of the game. She respected that, even when it clashed with practicality.
She let out a small sigh.
"I understand, Jin-ho. I really do. I think all of us want to avoid losing what made NexaRealm special in the first place," she met his gaze. "But maybe there's a way to do both. Something that preserves freedom but still allows for a competitive element for those who want it."
Jin-ho looked at her sceptically but didn't immediately dismiss the idea.
"I'm being honest, and I don't know, Hye-su. We'd need to be very careful with how we frame it. It can't be something that makes others feel lesser if they don't participate. And there have to be safeguards against toxic behaviour. Honestly, I'm not even sure if that's possible."
She nodded, a thoughtful look on her face.
"That's why I need your input, Jin-ho. I need you to help us figure this out, to make sure we don't lose sight of what's important. We don't have to rush this. Matthieu's just throwing ideas out there right now. Nothing is set in stone."
Jin-ho stared at her for a long moment before a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Alright, Hye-su. I'll think about it. But remember—I'm only going to support this if it's done right. And by right, I mean in a way that still lets NexaRealm be the place we all wanted it to be."
"That's all I'm asking for, Jin-ho. We'll figure it out together," she smiled, relieved.
They sat in silence for a moment, the tension slowly dissipating from the room. Jin-ho relaxed back into his chair, and Hye-su knew that no matter how challenging this new proposal might be, they had the right people to navigate through it—people like Jin-ho, who kept them grounded and true to their vision.