novelnext Chapter 329: Stay Strong (2)
Chapter 329: Stay Strong (2)
Chapter 329: Stay Strong (2)
"So when I first heard about being cast for One Hours, I was over the moon."
Setting the right tone at the beginning of the Game of Truth was crucial, even though we weren't technically playing it just yet. Opening up on a positive note made it super tough for anyone to follow up with negativity.
"It’s a game that has brought me a lot of comfort. I’ve always wished it would remain loved for a longer time." I glanced around at the members of Newbie Crew. "It was all so daunting at the start, but thanks to everyone’s effort, we have gotten this far."
On Jeong-Woo chimed in, his fingers absentmindedly playing with his soju glass. "Yeah, you always raved about it. Your deep attachment shows."
I nodded. "But that's not all. You guys have been seriously hustling to beat this, meeting up even on your days off to practice. I’ve seen all that."
There were playful scoffs and embarrassed chuckles responding to my comment from all directions. "Ah, that was nothing."
"I really love this game, and I hope our hard work pays off in a big way."
I, the youngest, was overflowing with gratitude toward my elders. So, how could anyone even think of criticizing me right here in the heat of the moment?
"Exactly. I also want to finally finish this raid and get the reward I’ve been slogging away for. Speaking of which, our CEO—"
On Jeong-Woo smoothly transitioned the conversation to Lee Mi-Hyang, the CEO of One Hours. He seemed to think it was unseemly to jump straight to the question I had intended for Seong-Jin, who was obviously brimming with complaints. "How has it been for you, playing with us these past few weeks? It must be kind of frustrating playing with us newbies instead of the pros, huh? Haha."
"No... not really." Despite On Jeong-Woo's lighthearted tone, CEO Lee Mi-Hyang responded with earnest seriousness. Everyone just gave a superficial nod to my previous remarks, but Lee Mi-Hyang seemed genuinely moved. "...Umm, it’s just...."
She paused, her eyes dropping to her glass. She pondered deeply before finally finding her words. "Your perseverance alone means the world to me. Honestly, even though people might say this game is past its prime or a flop, I believe it has so much potential. I might be biased because this is our game."
As I flipped the sizzling meat on the grill, I caught Seong-Jin’s disgruntled expression out of the corner of my eye. He was clearly not happy with the cheerful vibe.
Of course, Seong-Jin’s time to express his grievances would come. However, he was not one to bite his tongue just because the mood was light. He was a keen observer, especially when he wasn’t playing the game, and he’d try to tone down his words.
"As new games emerge and the big titles change hands, we've had to make many changes. But, at the end of the day, it remains a game for dedicated players. Seeing you all enjoy it really reminds me how fun our game still is."
The person who had poured her heart into the game was tirelessly working to revive it. Though the CEO's monologue was becoming as lengthy as a never-ending school assembly speech by the principal, the sincerity behind her words was palpable.
A trace of melancholy finally tinged the expressions of the cast. "Although it's now known as a niche game, getting back together and playing after all this time, failing repeatedly, and even arguing at times really took me back to the old days."
The CEO’s long-winded speech concluded on a hopeful note, "We can do it."
"Absolutely. We've put in too much effort not to succeed."
"We are going to complete our goal! We’ve made so much progress already!"
"Getting together to practice has definitely paid off!"
"Enjoy the meal, everyone. We are wrapping up the shoot here!"
As the filming concluded and the cameras were packed away, Min-Jae and Sang-Hyun finally had a chance for an honest chat with Seong-Jin.
Time slipped by, and after we polished off all the pre-ordered meat, the dinner finally wound down.
***
On the ride back to the dorm, Tae-Seong glanced at me through the rearview mirror. "Are you feeling tired?"
"This shoot was kind of a drain, mentally speaking." I sank deeper into the seat, slightly shaking my head. The shoot had only lasted about seven hours, which was short for a variety show.
However, the mental toll had been substantial. Just dealing with the game was stressful enough, let alone managing all the different personalities of my team members.
"Here, have this." Tae-Seong suddenly handed me a peach drink.
"How did you know I liked this?"
"Yoo-Joon mentioned a few days back that you prefer sugar over caffeine when you’re tired."
It was a typical Goh Yoo-Joon thing to say as he was always eager to show off how well he knew the team. I accepted the drink and turned on my phone. "...Uh."
What’s this? As soon as it turned on, a flood of missed calls scrolled across the screen. Joo-Han and Goh Yoo-Joon had been calling back and forth, leaving dozens of messages.
"What's all this about?" The team knew I'd head back after shooting. They'd usually leave a text if I didn’t pick up, assuming I was still busy. But this many calls?
"..."
What was this uneasy feeling? When the members behaved out of the ordinary, it usually meant trouble.
"Did something happen...?" I muttered, scrolling through the new messages. There were notes from Ji-Hyuk, whom I’d just been filming with. And right below, there was a message from Goh Yoo-Joon.
- I’m sorry
What on earth? I hurriedly opened the messenger app to reply when Tae-Seong spoke up in response to my muttering. "Something’s definitely up. I didn’t want to disturb you during the shoot."
"What happened?" A barrage of missed calls. A cryptic message from Goh Yoo-Joon. "Is this about Goh Yoo-Joon?"
"Yes. I wanted to explain calmly once we were back, but since you seem to have caught on, here's the situation—"
A chill ran through me. Tae-Seong once again met my eyes through the rearview mirror. "Yoo-Joon's dad posted something quite provocative online, and Su-Hwan had to rush to the company because of it."