Years had passed since that night on the helipad when Jin-ho's departure left a void in the heart of NexaCorp. What had once been a sharp, aching memory gradually dulled into a distant echo, one that Hye-su and Hae-won had learned to lock away in the deepest corners of their hearts? Time, as it always does, moved forward. Responsibilities grew, and their careers demanded more from them, leaving no room for emotional setbacks. They had a company to lead, a team of creatives to inspire, and a global audience to entertain.
The world of NexaCorp evolved beyond its humble beginnings. Despite Jin-ho's absence, the remaining leaders, including Hye-su, Hae-won, and the four entrepreneurs, managed to carry on with the vision for NexaRealm. They had decided to proceed with the competition Jin-ho had initially opposed, and while it proved to be a monumental task—laden with regulations, logistical nightmares, and industry pressure—they pulled it off. The first-ever World NexaRealm Championship was born. To keep things simple, as the competition was new, they agreed on starting with a basic Team Deathmatch format, keeping the complexity at bay while they gauged the audience's response.
The initial competition was a success, drawing players from across the globe. The United Kingdom took home the first championship trophy, and soon after, France dominated, winning both the second and third titles in back-to-back victories. Each year, NexaRealm grew, with more countries joining the fray, sending their best players to compete on the world stage.
Now, with the fourth World NexaRealm Championship on the horizon, the time had finally come to evolve the format. After years of steady growth and player engagement, they were ready to introduce new game modes that would add depth and complexity to the competition. It was no longer just about simple battles—the world was ready for something bigger, more engaging, more strategic. The excitement in the air was palpable.
But as they planned this new phase for NexaRealm, an unexpected name surfaced: Jin-ho.
Hye-su and Hae-won found themselves seated in a sleek meeting room at NexaCorp Korea University. The two had been there to discuss new recruitment strategies and opportunities to foster young talent within the university's gaming community. One such student, Joon-ho, had just revealed that he had crossed paths with Jin-ho—the very same man who had vanished all those years ago. According to Joon-ho, Jin-ho had somehow breached the NexaRealm servers, his presence nothing more than a whisper in the shadows, leaving behind a trail of questions.
The revelation hit them hard, though neither of them showed it outwardly. Hye-su, in particular, felt a chill run down her spine. It had been so long, so many years of wondering what had happened to him, of pushing that memory away to focus on the work in front of them. And now, after all this time, he reappeared like a ghost from the past. Why now? Why breach NexaRealm of all things?
Hye-su exchanged a look with Hae-won, the same silent understanding passing between them. The past had come back to haunt them, and it seemed Jin-ho's story wasn't over. Not yet.
As the years drifted by, Hye-su and Hae-won had done their best to move on from the events that left a scar on NexaCorp's history. Outwardly, they appeared strong and resilient, carrying the weight of their responsibilities with grace. But behind closed doors, there was always one unresolved thread: Jin-ho.
Even after his sudden departure, the two had privately orchestrated a search for him. Resources were quietly allocated, and a team was sent to track down any trace of the man who had seemingly vanished off the face of the earth. For four years, however, there had been nothing but dead ends. Jin-ho had gone completely off the radar, leaving no trail, no whispers, and no signs of where he might be. It was as though he had ceased to exist.
But now, suddenly, his name resurfaced.
Joon-ho, the young student sitting across from them, was their only connection to Jin-ho. He had unwittingly walked right into the centre of their years-long mystery by revealing that he had encountered the elusive figure. Hye-su's mind raced as she replayed the details: Jin-ho, somehow, had infiltrated NexaRealm's servers, breaching a system designed to be impenetrable. It wasn't just a coincidence—it was intentional. And the fact that Joon-ho had this connection meant that this was no ordinary encounter.
But there was another complication. Joon-ho, along with his teammate Min-jae, had recently been involved in a heated altercation that jeopardized their standing. Their team, Team 2, had been set to represent Korea in the upcoming World NexaRealm Championship, but the fight had thrown everything into disarray. Under normal circumstances, Hye-su would have had no choice but to retract their participation from the tournament.
Yet, now everything was different. Joon-ho had come to them with a request—save his team, allow them to compete, and in return, perhaps unlock more information about Jin-ho's whereabouts. He hadn't said it outright, but his implication was clear: he could be their key to finding Jin-ho. And for Hye-su, that made him far more valuable than just another competitive player.
In truth, Hye-su had already made up her mind to forgive Joon-ho and Min-jae. She knew the fight was, in part, her fault. She had pushed the team too hard, overestimated their composure, and the pressure had gotten the best of them. It wasn't fair to let a single incident ruin their careers. But now, this situation required more than just forgiveness—it demanded strategy.
As she sat in the meeting room, Hye-su weighed her options. She knew Jin-ho wasn't careless. He was quick, cunning, and slippery. If he was back in the picture, it wasn't just a fleeting moment—he had a plan. And this time, Hye-su wasn't about to let him slip through her fingers like before. She needed answers, an apology, and perhaps more than anything, accountability. Jin-ho had left her to pick up the pieces of NexaCorp, to bear the weight of his sudden departure, and she wasn't about to let him off the hook without facing what he had done.
Joon-ho's request had put Hye-su in a unique position. She had to think carefully—how could she use this opportunity not only to salvage the team's chances but to finally confront Jin-ho? He had outmanoeuvred them once, but this time, she wouldn't let him run. Not again.
Both women were deep in thought, the mention of Jin-ho's name echoing in their minds like a ghost from the past. It had been four long years since they last saw him, and yet, it felt like only yesterday that he had walked out of their lives without warning, leaving behind a gaping hole and an avalanche of unanswered questions.
Hye-su leaned back in her chair, her fingers lightly drumming on the table as she stared blankly at the polished surface.
"Jin-ho," she muttered, almost as if testing the sound of the name after all this time. "I can't believe it."
Hae-won, who had been quiet since Joon-ho's departure, finally broke her silence.
"Do you think it's him? I mean... after all this time?"
Hye-su sighed heavily, turning her gaze to her friend.
"It has to be. We've been looking for him for four years, and he never once surfaced. And now, suddenly, he does—by breaking into NexaRealm no less? That's no coincidence."
"I thought I'd buried this," Hae-won admitted, her voice soft but strained. "Moved on, accepted that we wouldn't find him. But now... he's back. And he's playing games."
Hye-su nodded.
"That's exactly what it is. A game. And you know how he is. He's not dumb. He wouldn't have shown up unless he had a reason. But we can't let him toy with us again. Not this time."
The determination in her voice was clear, and Hae-won nodded in agreement.
"So, what's the plan? We can't just let this slip by."
Hye-su exhaled sharply and tapped her fingers against the table.
"First, we need to get Joon-ho back in here. He's the only connection we have right now, and we need to find out exactly how much he knows."
"You think he'll talk?" Hae-won asked, tilting her head thoughtfully. "He seemed pretty shaken up when he mentioned Jin-ho."
"He will," Hye-su said firmly. "He has no choice if he wants his team to compete. I'm willing to make a deal with him, but we need leverage. And the biggest leverage we have right now is his team. If Joon-ho wants any hope of being in that tournament, he's going to have to tell us everything he knows."
Hae-won leaned forward, her brow furrowing in concern.
"But what if that's not enough? What if Jin-ho is just testing the waters? We can't risk losing him again."
"I know," Hye-su admitted, a hint of frustration creeping into her voice. "We need a way to track him, to make sure he doesn't slip through our fingers this time."
Hae-won thought for a moment before responding.
"There's got to be something in the system—some trace, some digital footprint from when he broke in. I'll have the tech team go through everything, every log and firewall breach, anything that might give us a clue."
"Do it," Hye-su agreed. "But we need more than that. We need to cover all our bases. This isn't just about tracking Jin-ho. We have to anticipate his next move."
"You think he'll try to contact us again?"
Hye-su frowned.
"I don't know. Jin-ho was always unpredictable. He might reach out, or he might just disappear again. Either way, we can't let ourselves get caught off guard."
Hae-won nodded, the gears in her mind already turning.
"So, we need to get Joon-ho back here, strike a deal, and get every bit of information out of him. At the same time, I'll have the team track Jin-ho's digital trail. But what if this doesn't work, Hye-su? What if we lose him again?"
"We won't. Not this time," Hye-su's expression hardened.
There was a heavy silence between them, both of them fully grasping the gravity of the situation. The thought of Jin-ho reappearing after so long had stirred up old wounds, but there was no room for hesitation. They had to move quickly, and decisively, and they had to be prepared for whatever Jin-ho had planned.
"We're not the same people we were when he left," Hye-su continued after a moment. "We've grown. The company has grown. We won't let him manipulate us like before. This time, we're going to be the ones in control."
Hae-won glanced at her friend, nodding slowly.
"You're right. We've come too far to let him tear it all down again."
"And we need to remember that," Hye-su said, her voice firm. "No matter what happens next, we have to stay ahead of him. We can't afford to let this slip."
With a final nod between them, they knew what had to be done. It was time to bring Joon-ho back into the room and get the answers they needed. But first, they had to make sure they could track Jin-ho down and keep him in their sights.
As Hye-su stood from her chair, her mind was already working through the next steps. This wasn't just about finding Jin-ho—it was about making sure they didn't lose everything they had built over the past four years. They couldn't afford to let him slip through their grasp again.
The weight of the moment settled on both women as they prepared for the next stage of the game. And this time, they weren't going to lose.