Joon-ho stepped out of the main building once again, the crisp midday air brushing against his skin as he took a deep breath. This time, there was no call pulling him back, no sudden requests from Director Hye-su. The meeting was done, the plan was set, and all that awaited him now was the uncertain road ahead. He glanced around, watching as students milled about the campus grounds, many of them walking in small groups or sitting on the grass, enjoying the break before their next classes. It was almost noon, the busiest time of the day at NexaCorp Korea University.
As he scanned the faces of those around him, Joon-ho couldn't help but feel a strange pang of guilt. Some of these students had trained hard, pouring countless hours into NexaRealm only to fall short during the selection process. He recognized a few who had been eliminated early on, their dreams of representing Korea shattered. And now, here he was—about to join them in that sea of disappointment. Team 2 had been on the verge of being withdrawn after the fight with Min-jae. The rift between them had nearly cost them their spot in the upcoming World NexaRealm Championship.
He thought back to the altercation, to how it all spiralled out of control so quickly. The arguments, the tension, the frustration—it had been building for weeks. Min-jae was headstrong, always pushing his agenda, and Joon-ho wasn't exactly the type to back down either. It had been a clash of egos, and they both knew it. The fight had seemed inevitable, but the fallout was worse than Joon-ho had anticipated. Team 2 was going to be dropped.
But now... now they had a second chance.
Technically, it wasn't Joon-ho's doing. As much as he wanted to believe he had played some role in saving his team, the reality was different. Director Hye-su had never planned on completely removing them, even after the incident. She knew the talent that Team 2 possessed and wasn't willing to throw that away so easily. Still, Joon-ho hadn't known that at the time. He had panicked, and fate—or perhaps something more—had placed him in the path of Jin-ho, the one man who could alter the course of everything.
Jin-ho. The name sent a ripple of unease through Joon-ho as he walked past the groups of students. That strange encounter had changed everything. All of a sudden, Joon-ho wasn't just a team leader fighting to get his group back into the competition; he was now part of a bigger scheme, something he didn't fully understand but was completely caught up in. Jin-ho's name had been given to Director Hye-su, and now things were escalating faster than he could have ever imagined.
Joon-ho was no fool—he knew he was being used. He had handed over Jin-ho's identity to save his team, but now, he was deeper than he had anticipated. He wasn't just giving a name; he was about to join Director Hye-su and Hae-won in a hunt for Jin-ho himself. It wasn't just about NexaRealm anymore—it was about something bigger, something personal. Director Hye-su wanted answers. She wanted closure. And she wanted Jin-ho to take responsibility for the past.
Joon-ho exhaled, his mind heavy with the weight of it all. As much as he disliked the position he was in, he had no choice but to go along with it. Team 2's future rested on this, and even though the task ahead was daunting, he had to follow through. But still, deep down, there was a nagging question that lingered—what would happen when they finally found Jin-ho?
As he walked through the campus, surrounded by students lost in their conversations and distractions, Joon-ho felt like he was walking a different path entirely. A path that none of them could see or even begin to understand. The road ahead was uncertain, filled with questions he wasn't sure he wanted the answers to, but one thing was clear—there was no turning back now.
Joon-ho walked slowly across the campus grounds, his mind racing with conflicting thoughts. There was no trace of the initial relief he had felt about getting Team 2 back into the World NexaRealm Championship. Instead, a growing sense of unease clouded his mind. He didn't want to betray Jin-ho, not after everything the man had done to help him out of the mess with his team. But things had spiralled beyond his control, and now he found himself entangled in a situation that could easily turn ugly.
The plan was set to go down tonight. Director Hye-su and Hae-won would exploit their admin privileges to track Jin-ho in NexaRealm, using Joon-ho's in-game recordings to pinpoint the moment Jin-ho logged in. They would then confront him in the virtual world, catching him off guard. It was simple in concept, but the more Joon-ho thought about it, the more he realized how flawed the plan was.
Jin-ho's log-ins were random. Joon-ho had learned that much during their brief exchanges. Jin-ho had designed his appearances in NexaRealm to be unpredictable, even to the system itself. It was how he stayed hidden for so long—by making himself a ghost, slipping in and out at odd times with no pattern. That was the whole point of his strategy. If Jin-ho didn't log in tonight, Hye-su and Hae-won's ambush would be for nothing. And if Joon-ho was being honest with himself, part of him hoped that was exactly what would happen. If Jin-ho stayed offline, the ambush would fail.
Joon-ho could play dumb then. He could pretend he didn't know why Jin-ho didn't show up, shrugging it off as something beyond his control. After all, it wasn't like he could force Jin-ho to log in. If this first attempt failed, maybe Director Hye-su would give up, seeing how unpredictable the whole situation was. But there was something else gnawing at the back of his mind—Hye-su wasn't naive. She had to know Jin-ho's log-ins were random. So what if tonight wasn't just a one-off? What if this wasn't a single ambush but the start of a drawn-out hunt?
Joon-ho grimaced at the thought. Director Hye-su wasn't someone who gave up easily. She was sharp, determined, and resourceful. If Jin-ho didn't show up tonight, there would be other nights. They could keep doing this, night after night, until eventually, Jin-ho slipped up and logged in when they were ready. It wasn't just about NexaRealm anymore—it was about tracking down someone who had left their world behind, someone who was hiding for a reason.
The weight of the situation pressed down on Joon-ho, making his steps feel heavier. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being pulled into something much larger than he had anticipated. What started as a way to get his team back into the competition had now turned into a game of cat and mouse, with Jin-ho on one side and Director Hye-su on the other. And Joon-ho was stuck in the middle, trying to navigate his way through the chaos.
His thoughts spiralled, each possibility worse than the last. What if Jin-ho found out Joon-ho had been the one to give him up? What if this entire plan backfired, and he ended up losing everything—his team, his future in NexaRealm, and any trust he might've had with Jin-ho? He clenched his fists in frustration. The happiness of securing Team 2's participation was long gone, replaced by a sense of dread and uncertainty.
As much as he hated to admit it, Joon-ho knew he didn't have many options. For now, he had to play along. He had to follow Director Hye-su's plan and hope for the best. But deep down, he was already preparing himself for the possibility that things wouldn't go as smoothly as anyone hoped. Tonight would be the first step in a much longer game—one that he wasn't sure he was ready to play.
Joon-ho let out a sigh, his gaze falling to the ground as he walked. Whatever happened tonight, he would have to be smart, stay sharp, and most importantly, keep his wits about him. He wasn't just playing a game anymore; this was real life, and the stakes were higher than ever.
Joon-ho's mind churned as he reached the edge of campus, the weight of everything pressing heavier on his shoulders. He knew he had to tread carefully from now on. Every decision he made, every step he took, could have serious consequences, not just for himself, but for everyone involved—his team, Hye-su, Hae-won, and especially Jin-ho. The thought of betraying Jin-ho still didn't sit right with him, but he was stuck. There was no clear way out without making enemies on one side or the other.
He needed to play his cards wisely, not give away too much, and not show all his thoughts. If he rushed or made a misstep, it could all come crashing down, leaving him with nothing. But if he was careful, if he kept his head down and acted strategically, he might just be able to navigate this without burning bridges. Tonight would be the first test—a delicate balance between keeping his team's future intact and not completely turning his back on Jin-ho.
Joon-ho swallowed hard, his hands tightening around the straps of his bag. One thing was clear: from here on, every move had to be calculated. There was no room for mistakes.