Taeyeon gathered every Nexple Plus employee and said,
“Everyone, you’ve worked hard. Starting tomorrow you get three days of vacation, so don’t think about work. Rest up well at home and come back.”
Cheers erupted at what followed.
“Today’s work ends right here. What are you waiting for? Clock out, quick!”
In the blink of an eye, the Nexple Plus workplace was empty.
“They sure move fast at times like this.”
Murmuring that, Taeyeon headed for the Nexple Entertainment dev floor.
The Universe team, making Pantheon, and the Project D team were each hard at work in their own spaces.
The work never stops.
Seated, skipping lunch, Taeyeon pushed through tasks until exactly three o’clock, when Deputy Jo Seon-ah called and he moved to the auditorium.
There, fully three-digit numbers of students were seated in orderly rows, facing the empty stage.
They were field-trip visitors from Cheongyeon University of Cultural Industries.
Introduced by Deputy Jo, Taeyeon stepped naturally to the podium, took the mic, and said with a smile,
“Hello. I’m game developer Yoo Taeyeon. We sincerely welcome you to Nexple.”
Five p.m. After finishing the visitor lecture, Taeyeon was reviewing the portfolios they had sent and giving feedback when Director Son Yeong-sang summoned him.
Director Son, looking worried, studied Taeyeon’s face.
“At this rate you’ll keel over. I hear you’ve been pulling all-nighters till dawn every day. Why not take a break?”
“I’d like to, but circumstances don’t allow it. Still, since the CBT just ended, things have eased a bit.”
Director Son shook his head.
“Thanks to your recent exploits, tour requests are flooding in. I’ll handle those for a while, so rest. You need some breathing room.”
Taeyeon started to reply, then closed his mouth.
Son’s gaze was firm.
“Take at least tomorrow off. Go on a date or something.”
“I don’t have any women I’m close to…”
“You’ve got Deputy Jo.”
“She’s just a coworker.”
“What if someone snatches her away? You’ll regret it.”
“There really isn’t anything between us, and I don’t have special feelings. Besides, Deputy Jo is already seeing someone.”
“Yeah? Who?”
“I can’t say. That’s private.”
When Taeyeon grinned cheekily, Son gave a small laugh and changed the subject.
“Anyway, rest. No overtime tonight. Leave on time and go home. I’ll be checking.”
“Okay. I will.”
As it happened, he had no special plans this evening.
He had turned down dinner invitations. Lately his health felt poor and recovery was slow; he meant to take medicine and sleep early.
Leaving Director Son’s office and heading back toward the Nexple Entertainment desks, Taeyeon caught an interesting sight in the cafeteria.
CEO Kim Myeong-uk and Deputy Jo Seon-ah sat facing each other by the window, drinking coffee and talking.
The atmosphere and their smiles were out of the ordinary.
They suit each other.
Taeyeon remembered their first meeting, when CEO Kim had been introduced without warning. Even then he had sensed there was something between them he did not know; learning afterward what a decent man Kim was, he had set aside any lingering feelings. That was why he could truthfully tell Director Son there was nothing between him and Jo.
Just get married already.
Where is my own match?
A sudden loneliness washed over him. He had thought romance premature, yet lately children looked adorable and only couples caught his eye.
…Maybe I should at least give it a try?
A face came suddenly to mind.
Seated, Taeyeon hesitated a moment, then sent a text.
[If you’re free this evening, how about dinner together?]
What answer would come?
Will she even reply?
Wasn’t she far too dazzling for him to reach?
Before he could finish the thought, a reply arrived.
[What time and where shall we meet?]
Taeyeon’s expression lit up. His fingers flew as he typed the next message.
Having no car, he walked to the luxury residential district of Seopan-gyo. From nearby, he texted that he’d arrived. Shortly after, Kim Yuna appeared wearing a black cap and mask, jeans, and a zip-up hoodie.
Approaching, Taeyeon smiled awkwardly.
“I reserved a Japanese place nearby. Let’s go.”
“All right.”
Though retired, she was still a world-class sports star and idol of countless fans. He had taken every precaution in route and restaurant selection.
Keeping a modest distance, Taeyeon guided the conversation as they headed to their first destination.
Kim Yuna, as reported, was reserved by nature.
She spoke little and her reactions were not large, yet she listened intently to Taeyeon’s words and sometimes smiled at amusing parts.
Just as I felt before, her temperament is truly calm.
Even the way she ate seemed full of grace. Taeyeon felt himself drawn ever deeper.
At the café they moved to after dinner, Taeyeon asked casually,
“Do you like watching movies?”
“Yes. Mostly I watch alone at home on IPTV.”
Taeyeon nodded knowingly.
“You tend to avoid theaters? Too many people recognize you…”
“It’s not that. I just have no one to go with.”
Embarrassed, she trailed off, and Taeyeon lost his words for a moment. Soon he regained composure.
“When’s the last time you went?”
“I’m not sure… I can’t remember.”
“Then how about going with me tomorrow?”
She looked at him, surprised. Taeyeon, striving to appear calm, went on.
“I’m taking annual leave tomorrow. If you buy the coffee, I’ll treat you to the movie and dinner.”
Kim Yuna hesitated.
Is she refusing?
In spite of himself, disappointment showed, and he asked,
“Don’t like the idea?”
“N-no. It’s just…”
The reason lay elsewhere.
“Will it really be all right? If people find out we’re together, you might get in trouble…”
She was worrying for him instead.
Brightening again, Taeyeon answered confidently.
“It’s not like I have a criminal record. I’ve nothing to be ashamed of. If you’re fine with it, it doesn’t bother me.”
“Then…”
With a shy nod she accepted, and Taeyeon cheered inwardly. He could scarcely hide the flush in his cheeks and ears.
In thirty years of single life, his first spring had arrived.
Kim Yuna, elite athlete that she was, remained exceedingly diligent. Even a year after retirement, nothing had changed.
She rose early and worked out with Han Seol-a.
Returning home, she showered, dressed, and was about to leave when her mother, preparing breakfast, asked,
“Have at least some breakfast. Do you have a commercial shoot?”
“Mm, no. Just an appointment.”
An appointment this early? Both she and her father, Professor Kim Hyowon of S University Law School, who was reading news on a tablet, lifted their heads.
Seeing their startled faces, Kim Yuna said hastily,
“What? I can have appointments.”
“A child with no friends… Don’t tell me you’re meeting a man?”
“…”
Hit dead on, Kim Yuna was flustered into silence. Her mother clapped in surprise.
“So it is a man! Heavens, sit down here. Who is he? What does he do? When and how did you meet?”
“It’s not like that. I’m going!”
Emergency escape was her choice.
Watching their daughter hurry out, her mother laughed happily.
“Our girl is finally dating! Now, Seol-a should know what kind of man he is.”
She called Han Seol-a at once.
Moments later, laughter and a name came up. The middle-aged professor, still seated, entered the name into his tablet’s search. At once a flood of related articles appeared. It was quite a volume.
Meaning considerable fame!
After a brief start, he skimmed headlines swiftly and tapped the most striking one:
Hot Issue: Today’s Person! We Talk about Nexple Entertainment’s Young Chief Producer Yoo Taeyeon.
The eyes of Professor Kim Hyowon, father of the world-renowned queen of rhythmic gymnastics Kim Yuna, flashed keenly as he began reading more intently than ever.
These days that’s all my eyes catch.
Taeyeon saw Baek Young-hun and Bae Su-hyeon sitting close, sharing one monitor and chatting happily.
Both were scenario writers. He’d paired them to teach and learn from each other, and, being young, good-natured, and similar, they had grown close quickly.
Good news might come or perhaps they were hiding it.
Such scenes appeared elsewhere too: a male planner with a female artist; the bachelor programmer from the Pantheon team with a female storyboard writer, and so on.
The most conspicuous was still new hire Seong Tae-hee. She was explosively popular among every male employee at Nexple Entertainment.
Small wonder.
An elite concept artist from S University’s fine-arts college.
With stylish short hair, figure, and fashion sense, she looked less like a game dev than a model or an idol-group center.
On Nexple’s private Cattail Grove board, some posts even worshipped her like a goddess.
The problem: she showed zero interest in dating. She was kind to everyone, worked her hardest, and her output improved daily, making her an ideal employee yet in romance she erected iron walls.
According to AD Lee Yeong-ae, the number rejected after confessing already topped double digits, including staff from other studios and elite members of Finance.
Taeyeon had not the slightest romantic interest in her, yet he didn’t ignore it. Interpersonal issues, especially romance, accounted for an unexpectedly large fraction of resignations.
He had seen many talented, pleasant people act out over love troubles. It wasn’t a matter he could dismiss as private. Even now, a few employees fretted over her. Managing that atmosphere was part of his job.
Maybe I should ask her to lunch and talk.
Clicking his tongue softly at those pining youths, Taeyeon forgot that only a few days earlier he himself had been no different.
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