From a logical standpoint, that's strange.
"... Not even one?"
"Yes."
"You know, there are famous racing gas and shooting gas. You haven't tried any of those?"
"No, my brother likes them, but I've never been interested, so I haven't tried."
Typically, people who enter the gaming industry have so knowledge about gas, or at the very least, they've played gas before.
This holds true for the art field as well. Actually, it's even more so for art.
Design-related fields, with their wide range of career options, generally don't attract those without an interest in the field.
That's why most art majors who apply to the ga industry have a deep passion for gas.
So, there was a natural question that arose.
'Then why did Seorim beco an art director in the first place?'
Was her interest in gaming a future endeavour?
Amid my bewildernt, Seorim shrugged her shoulders.
"I was busy studying and preparing for college entrance exams. Anyway, if you're done talking, I'll be on my way."
Seorim turned to leave.
In that instant, my body moved before my mind could catch up.
Thunk!
I grabbed Seorim's wrist.
"... What's this?"
Annoyance was evident on her face.
I realized I'd overstepped, but there was no turning back now.
I had to go all in.
"Just 30 minutes."
It was a gamble.
"Please give just 30 minutes of your ti. It's the ti I need to persuade you. If you're not interested here, I promise I won't bother you with this again."
"Hmm..."
Seorim hesitated, her brow furrowed in thought.
Eventually, she let out a sigh and responded.
"Alright, 20 minutes, and it better not just be idle talk. I have a real lecture to attend."
"That's more than enough."
"Fine then, follow . Let's talk in our study room."
Seorim gestured inward.
I followed her into the room.
In the study room, there were two female students.
When Seorim and I entered, they both looked at us like rabbits, their expressions suggesting they were up for sothing annoying.
"I'm trying to have a conversation with this senior. Can you please make so space?"
"Yeah! Sure thing! We absolutely have to!"
"How long should we be gone? An hour? Two hours?"
"Two hours is too long for him..."
"20 minutes should do, so could you leave?"
Seorim's voice was tinged with irritation.
With gleeful laughter, the two of them left the room, making sounds like 'hehehe' and 'hahaha'.
In that brief mont, our eyes t, and a shiver ran down my spine.
Thump—!
The door closed.
Seorim let out a deep breath.
"Let's focus and get started. Have a seat here."
"Sure."
Though they were young people full of energy, seeing Seorim right in front of made think otherwise.
It must be a difference in personality.
Anyway, that's not the important part.
The hastily arranged 20 minutes felt more like a presentation for a recruitnt offer.
I handed her the proposal docunt.
"Could you start by taking a look at this?"
"What's this?"
"It's the ga proposal for the ga I'm developing."
Seorim accepted the proposal and quickly skimd through it with her eyes.
"There's no title?"
"It's still in the planning stages."
"Survival horror action?"
"Yes, that's the genre of the ga."
I modulated my voice.
Now was the ti to start the real conversation.
"As stated in the proposal, the genre is horror. The background will be set in Hell. As such, we need designs that give a unique impression. Horror relies on visual shock to be complete. That's why I chose you, Han Seorim. Your style is distinctive."
"Didn't you think of drawing it yourself?"
"My drawing skills are terrible."
"You're being honest."
"Objectivity in creating sothing is important, isn't it?"
"That's true."
"That's why I'm asking for your help."
I'm not foolish enough to ask for favours without offering sothing in return.
In order to pique Seorim's interest in my proposal, I needed to appeal to her.
"You may not know much about gas, but I'll skip any related topics and focus solely on the art aspect. What I need from you is to bring the ideas in my head to life. The major tasks include illustrations, pixel art, and UI design. Once you create this world, it will be unveiled to the world in the form of a living, breathing entity."
"Are you trying to ignite my desire for approval?"
"If you don't want to, you're free to look the other way. Getting a job in the design field relies heavily on your portfolio. This could beco your best portfolio piece. If you can say I did the ga design, everyone will acknowledge it."
"Nothing's confird yet."
"... You're right."
She touched a sore spot.
This was the issue. Promises from inexperienced planners couldn't be trusted.
I had to admit it.
Silence hung in the air.
It was a cold, yet firm silence, tinged with the determination of a steadfast youth.
It was Seorim's sigh that finally broke it.
"I get the general idea of what you're trying to say. I know this isn't so trivial project. But... I'm struggling to understand. Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"What exactly is this ga?"
"Umm... what do you an?"
"You know, it's odd. You went to the extent of finding soone, soone who might not even agree to help, to ask them for this. What is this ga that you're going through all this trouble for? I'm just curious."
Seorim raised an eyebrow.
In that mont, I felt a bit dazed.
What is a ga, really?
The question was indeed piercing at the very essence of things.
I asked first.
"Is it important?"
"Well, sowhat?"
She shrugged casually.
Her poker face was rock-solid, making it hard to discern anything from her expression.
I couldn't imdiately figure out what was going on in her mind.
But it didn't seem like she was joking around either.
So, I took a mont to reflect.
It was an important question.
Perhaps the answer to this question could move Seorim's heart.
That's why it required thorough consideration.
After organizing my thoughts to so extent, I was finally able to respond.
"... A ga is a form of play."
"I didn't ask about that."
"A finished product that is rich in play as a form of play. In essence, that's correct. However, I don't think you were looking for such a simple answer. Are you wondering if the ga is really worth going to such lengths for? Is that what you want to know?"
Seorim nodded.
I answered.
"At least to , it's remarkable."
"What do you an by that?"
"The fact that it can captivate people. The fact that it can employ countless ans to achieve that."
A comprehensive art dium.
In the near future, "gaming" is the na by which the world will be defined.
Gas utilize art, music, physical activity, literature, and every other ans possible.
All for the sake of "fun."
To make humans play as humans.
Additionally, there was a derived concept.
"To add a bit more, this question of yours leads to the question of how we define 'gaplay.' Since this is the criterion by which we judge what makes a good ga."
"What's the criterion for defining gaplay?"
"It can't really be defined."
"... What does that an?"
"In truth, it's like that."
Seorim furrowed her brow, and unfortunately, this was one topic that really didn't have a clear answer.
If there were a hundred people, all one hundred would likely have different opinions on what defines gaplay.
There's a famous saying.
The developer of the legendary 20th-century ga "Doom" once said:
"'Story in a ga is like the story in a porno.'"
"Okay. I have a general idea of what a ga is."
"Well, then..."
"I have one more question."
I froze.
Seorim spoke directly.
"I understand that you think highly of gas. But, Senior, why are you going to such lengths? I heard that you're really good at studying, so shouldn't you be focusing on your grades?"
This question was much easier to answer.
I felt more at ease responding to this question than the previous one.
"Um, why, indeed."
It's funny to even consider pondering this.
Why am I doing this?
I could live a new life, but why am I returning to the sa path, even with my youth regained?
The answer had been predetermined.
"Just... because."
Because even though I died in my past life, even though I achieved what I aid for, the thirst still swelled within .
Also, because the scenes I witnessed couldn't be erased from my mind.
And because I wanted to do it so badly that I felt like I might go crazy.
"... Because I feel like I might die if I don't."
That was the only reason for .
***
That evening, Seorim lay on her bed and reflected on the events of the day.
Or more precisely, she thought about Cheon Yeonho's words.
‘I feel like I might die if I don't do this.’
He was a peculiar person.
His attitude was too sharp to be just an attempt to grab attention.
Seorim was soone who could discern that level of distinction.
She didn't imdiately provide an answer.
Because she felt that this required so contemplation.
'I feel like I might die if I don't do this.'
Recalling his words, a sudden doubt erged.
'Did I ever have such a feeling?'
Was there sothing she yearned for so desperately that she felt like she might die if she didn't do it?
Was there sothing she wanted to pursue even to the point of abandoning a stable future?
She turned her head.
At the corner of her gaze was her display shelf.
One side of Seorim's room was filled with trophies she had received in her life.
'... I didn't.'
There wasn't a single thing she had yearned for that desperately.
Her family was well-off. Her parents were understanding, and her relationships with her peers weren't bad.
The sa held true for her achievents.
Seorim excelled in everything from a young age.
She quickly grasped anything she learned and grew tired of it just as quickly.
That was also the reason she chose art.
Rather than repetitive tasks, she thought she could engage in creative work for a longer ti if she didn't get bored.
That's why Cheon Yeonho seed strange.
And she was curious.
‘I'm going to make a ga.’
Why was he going to such lengths to make a ga?
Did he possess so sort of power that could drive him to the point of madness if he didn't do it?
At that mont, her thoughts turned to the proposal she had stuffed into her bag.
She imdiately pulled it out and started skimming through it.
Hell, emotion, illustrations, pixel art, UI.
Was it fun to create sothing like that?
She felt a deep sense of contemplation.
In that mont, a soft beep sounded.
The sound of the door lock unlocking.
The irregular rhythm made it obvious who it was.
Seorm awoke from her thoughts and walked out of her room, her brows furrowed.
"Drinking again, huh?"
"Oh, my little girl!"
Han Jinkyung, her older brother, staggered in, chuckling as he took off his shoes.
Then he suddenly tumbled over.
"Ugh!"
"Ugh, you reek of alcohol."
This guy, in his fifth yea, had apparently gulped down alcohol until he got drunk again, under the pretence of celebrating his fifth year.
What a nonsensical reason to celebrate.
Shouldn't he be reflecting rather than celebrating?
At least he should be feigning self-pity. What's with this situation?
'... Sigh, what am I even thinking?'
It's his life; he can handle it.
Guiding him to the sofa in the living room, I made him lie down, and I took a seat across from him, chin in hand.
Seeing Han Jin Jinkyung face, which was crumpled like a mudfish, a thought occurred to .
'... Co to think of it, that guy, Cheon Yeonho's is his underclassman.'
Cheon Yeonho was Han Jinkyung’s junior from the sa departnt.
I raised my hand and gave Han Jinkyung’s cheek a firm pat! pat!
"Hey, hey, wake up."
"Ugh..."
"I'm going to ask you sothing."
"Hmm...?"
"You have a guy nad Cheon Yeonho in your departnt, right?"
"Ah..."
Han Jinkyung, who had been muttering, burst into laughter.
"Our junior who doesn't know how to have fun!"
"Doesn't know how to have fun?"
"Ah, that kid's a top student for sure. He doesn't touch alcohol and focuses on studying!"
The Cheon Yeonho that Seorim had t wasn't that kind of person.
Rather than a top student, he seed more like an eccentric.
It was a strange situation.
Han Jinkyung chuckled heartily and replied, "Hmm..."
'Did this guy pick up on him?'
'... Hm, maybe I should give it a shot.'
Honestly, I wasn't all that interested in gas themselves.
Portfolio? It's useless unless I'm planning to enter the gaming industry.
I was just curious.
How is soone who desperately wants to do sothing different from ?
By spending ti with that person, would I co to understand that pursuit myself?
Standing up from my seat, I said, "Sleep well."
"Make sure you sleep well too..."
A small smile graced Seorim's lips as she headed back to her room.
Interest had been sparked.
I didn't know how far it would take , but...
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