Joon-ho walked down the corridors of the NexaCorp building with a growing sense of unease. The conversation he had just had with Director Hye-su was weighing heavily on his mind. She had promised to give his team a second chance, but the way she had dismissed him so abruptly left him uncertain. There was something in the way her expression had hardened, the way she had avoided eye contact just before telling him to leave, that made Joon-ho question if she meant what she said. Was it a dismissal of his hope? Or was there more to it?
He replayed the last few moments of the meeting in his mind, trying to gauge if he'd said anything wrong. He had done exactly as Jin-ho had instructed. Revealing the information about Jin-ho's involvement had been a risky move, but it was the only card he had to play. Jin-ho had permitted him to drop his name, and Joon-ho had hoped that would be enough to secure a deal, to save his team from being disqualified after the fight with Min-jae. But now, as he stepped out of the main building, the morning air hit him with a crisp reminder of the uncertainty still looming.
His thoughts were interrupted by the familiar buzz of his phone in his pocket. He pulled it out, and his eyes immediately caught the notification banner flashing across the screen: a message from the NCK app. Curious, he unlocked the phone and swiped to open the app. His heart skipped a beat when he saw who the message was from—Director Hye-su herself.
The message was simple, almost too casual considering the weight of the situation: Return to the meeting room. Now.
Joon-ho stared at the screen, feeling a surge of confusion and cautious optimism. Had she made her decision already? He had just been told to leave, so why was he being called back? Still, it wasn't like he had anything else planned for the morning, and he wasn't one to leave something unresolved if there was a chance to fix it. His team's future hung in the balance, and if there was any possibility of redeeming that chance, he wasn't going to hesitate.
Taking a deep breath, Joon-ho pivoted and began making his way back to the meeting room. His footsteps were quick but heavy with nervous energy. His mind raced with questions. What could she want now? Was this a good sign? Or was it something else entirely?
Joon-ho stood outside the meeting room, heart pounding as he raised his hand to knock on the door. His knuckles barely grazed the wood before it swung open slightly, enough to let him slip inside. The room was the same as he had left it—Hye-su and Hae-won were still seated in their chairs, their expressions unreadable, as though they hadn't moved a muscle since he was dismissed.
It felt strange to be back so soon. Joon-ho hesitated, his eyes shifting between the two women. The intensity in the room was palpable, their silence weighing heavily on him. It made him wonder why they hadn't spoken the first time around. He swallowed his nerves and took a seat, suddenly feeling the strangeness of the situation. From being kicked out to being called back within minutes—it was unsettling.
Hae-won was the first to break the silence.
"Thank you for coming back on such short notice, Joon-ho." Her voice was calm but tinged with a seriousness that made his skin prickle.
Joon-ho opened his mouth to respond, but before he could get a word out, Director Hye-su cut in, her tone firm and direct.
"Let's get straight to it. You will act as the lead."
Joon-ho blinked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Lead? Lead what?"
Hye-su folded her arms, leaning forward slightly, her gaze piercing through him.
"You're going to lead us to Jin-ho."
His heart dropped at the sound of that name. Jin-ho. This was exactly what he had feared.
"I... I can't do that," Joon-ho stammered, trying to gather his thoughts. "I don't know where Jin-ho is. I already told you everything I know."
Hye-su's eyes narrowed, her voice cold as she reminded him of his precarious position.
"Joon-ho, I think you're forgetting what's at stake here. You want Team 2 to represent Korea in the championship, don't you? Well, this is part of the deal. If you want to see your team back in the competition, you'll follow our orders."
Joon-ho's chest tightened, anger bubbling up inside him.
"You promised!" he argued, voice trembling with frustration. "You said you'd let Team 2 represent. That was the deal."
Hye-su's lips curved into a knowing smile, a dangerous edge to it.
"And where's the evidence of that? Did I put it in writing? Do you have any witnesses?" She paused, letting the silence punctuate her point. "No, Joon-ho, you're alone here. A lone student with no power. So, be a good boy and do as you're told."
His fists clenched beneath the table, knuckles turning white. He wanted to argue, to shout back, but the truth of her words sank in like a heavy weight on his chest. He was alone. He had no leverage. No evidence. And with his team's future on the line, he couldn't afford to fight her. Not now.
Joon-ho swallowed hard, biting down the bitter taste of defeat.
"Fine," he muttered through gritted teeth, his voice low. "I'll do it."
But as he sat there, the weight of his decision settled in. This wasn't just about giving Jin-ho's name anymore. This was about betraying the man who had trusted him, the man who had given him this opportunity. What would Jin-ho think of him? Would he be furious? Would he see this as the ultimate betrayal?
Joon-ho hoped Jin-ho would understand. But deep down, he feared he wouldn't.
Director Hye-su leaned back in her chair, her eyes fixed on Joon-ho as the tension in the room thickened.
"Let me explain the plan," she said, her voice sharp and to the point. "It's not as complicated as you might think."
Joon-ho shifted uneasily in his seat, unsure if he should brace for something far worse or feel relieved by her casual tone. His mind raced, trying to piece together where this was going.
"You've already told us that the way to contact Jin-ho is through NexaRealm," she continued, her gaze unwavering. "We're going to use that to our advantage. Hae-won here will use her admin privileges to bypass the system's restrictions. We'll access the live feed of your game recordings and wait for the moment Jin-ho makes his appearance."
Joon-ho's eyes widened.
"You're going to watch my game?"
"Precisely," Hae-won chimed in, her tone gentle but firm. "We have full access to everything happening in NexaRealm. We can monitor your every move and every interaction. When Jin-ho contacts you again, we'll be ready."
Joon-ho felt a pit form in his stomach. He wasn't just being forced to lead them to Jin-ho; they were going to invade his world, his space, watching everything he did, waiting for their opportunity. It felt intrusive like they were stripping him of any privacy or control.
"And when that moment comes," Hye-su continued, her voice smooth. "We'll take things a step further. Using those same admin privileges, Hae-won and I will enter the game. We'll spawn directly where you are, using the authority of NexaRealm's system to override any usual limitations. Then, we'll confront Jin-ho together."
Joon-ho's heart skipped a beat.
"You're... you're going to join the game?"
Hye-su's smile was thin, a mixture of satisfaction and control.
"Yes. This is the only way to ensure he doesn't slip away like before. Once we're in the game, we'll have him cornered. We will bypass his system as well. So he can't log out, he can't hide. We'll have a confrontation, and he'll be forced to face us."
"But... what if he tries to escape?" Joon-ho asked, his mind scrambling for any possible flaws in their plan.
"That's exactly why we're using the admin privileges," Hae-won replied. "We'll be able to track his movements and restrict his actions if necessary. He won't be able to pull any tricks this time. Trust me, we've thought this through."
Joon-ho sat there, feeling the weight of their plan pressing down on him. He had no choice but to comply, and yet, the whole thing felt wrong. He was betraying Jin-ho, leading him into a trap. But what choice did he have?
Hye-su leaned forward, her eyes locking onto his. "You'll do as we've asked, and in return, Team 2 will get its second chance. Your team will be reinstated, and you'll get to represent Korea in the World NexaRealm Championship. It's a simple exchange, Joon-ho. Do your part, and we'll do ours."
Joon-ho clenched his fists under the table, feeling a mix of frustration and resignation. He didn't like it, but he had no leverage. He had to play their game.
"Now," Hye-su continued. "You're dismissed for real this time. The plan will commence tonight, so be ready. We'll contact you when it's time."
Joon-ho nodded silently, swallowing the lump in his throat as he stood up. His legs felt heavy as he walked to the door, the weight of the situation pressing harder with each step. He turned the handle, glancing back one last time at the two women still seated in their positions, their eyes watching him leave.
The door clicked shut behind him, and for the first time, Joon-ho realized just how deeply he was entangled in this web. Tonight, the plan would unfold, and there was no turning back.