Chapter 12 : Real Sword vs. Wooden Sword (1)
Real Sword vs. Wooden Sword (1)
"We need a clear concept."
Choi Hyena and Kim Junho both looked at me with eyes full of expectation.
It was already past 10 p.m. They must be tired from the extra work, but here they were, radiating such bright eyes.
"A beautiful moment that will never come again. That's the concept for this promotion."
For a split second, Choi Hyena's face scrunched up severely. She was a person with quick reactions.
"How is enlistment a beautiful moment? Isn't it not 'a moment that will never come again' but 'a moment you hope never comes again'? No, wait. 'A moment that you hope never came at all' is more like it."
Kim Junho didn't make quite as dramatic a face as Choi Hyena. But he nodded in agreement.
"Don't you ever have dreams about your days as a new recruit, division director? Ugh! Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up."
Yeah, I have those dreams. My father probably still has them, too.
"Both of you, think about the age range of the trainees."
"I enlisted at exactly twenty."
"My friends all went by twenty-two at the latest."
"When you look at kids that age now, what do you think?"
Suddenly, Choi Hyena went to her desk and took out a mirror. She fixed up her hair.
"Oh dear, Hyena, you've aged a lot. Twenty-year-old Hyena was just pretty. Now my expression is all worn out. Back then, what was so good that I was always laughing?"
Kim Junho folded his arms and thought for a while.
"I was a gloomy person...."
Suddenly, Choi Hyena brought him a piece of chocolate.
Maybe she felt sorry for him.
"Thank you. Unlike me, my friends were always super excited. Is that why? Just meeting up made us happy, even if we didn't have anything special going on."
I nodded.
"That slice of youth you both just described. Doesn't it fit perfectly with the essence of the 'theme park of happiness'? Our plan is to connect that pure, shining image to the warm experience of the theme park."
Choi Hyena still didn't seem to want to smooth out her grimace.
"Maybe it's because I have a younger brother, but I always feel bad for guys having to go to the army. But no matter how much I stretch my imagination—whether trainee, or soldier—I just can't connect the image of youth or happiness to that."
"Let me just explain first."
"It's not that I'm saying I won't listen...."
"That beautiful time is like a limited-time event. There are activities you can only do during that time. They end up as memories. If those memories were truly beautiful, and the place was Next Planet, what do you think?"
Kim Junho opened his mouth. His expression was stiff, too.
"I like the intention. But haven't I mentioned it earlier? The promotion where we tried to create memories for trainees was our biggest failure."
"Have you ever considered the possibility that we failed because we limited the target to just the trainees and their families?"
"What do you mean by that...?"
"Our target may look like the trainees, but actually, that's not the true target."
I told the two who our real audience would be. And I explained the direction I wanted to take.
Both of them looked flustered. Mouths half-open, they looked at each other.
"Junho, I'm confused. It's a risky idea. It totally is. But I think it'll work. No, not just work—a total jackpot."
"I don't know either. In a way, it's like we're just using the trainees. There are bound to be things people dislike about that. But with this idea...."
He clenched his fist.
"We have to try, no holding back."
The reason I could come up with this idea.
In 〈Super Theme Park Tycoon〉, the park I made with the concept of 'a beautiful moment that will never come again' was one of the most special theme parks ever.
I planted a lot of trees. I wanted the park to feel like it was held in a forest. The only tree I used was the cherry blossom.
So during cherry blossom season, the whole theme park was awash in pink. The swirling petals decorated the entire park.
After three years, all the cherry blossom trees were removed. Replaced with other trees. Not a single cherry blossom remained.
Women users especially loved this park.
[I only play for the first 3 years. When year 4 comes, I start over again—I can't even count how many times I've done it. It feels like I'm going back to the most beautiful period of my life, it makes me cry. I'm truly grateful to the person who made this theme park. Thank you for sending me, even for a little while, back to those times I miss so much.]
Posts like this would go up. And there'd be tons of comments resonating with it.
I spoke.
"Can you both bring a concrete execution plan to the meeting with the marketing and PR team?"
When Choi Hyena looked at Kim Junho, he pounded his chest with his fist.
"I'll get it done, even if it costs my life."
"I'm not willing to risk my life, but... this is the first step of the Reform Division. We have to succeed. I've braced myself for a week of all-nighters."
"Let's give it our all."
Kim Junho looked worried.
"But promotions for trainees are the biggest failure in the marketing and PR team's record... If we bring this up, there's going to be a lot of backlash."
"Turning the biggest failure into a success—that's exactly why it's meaningful, isn't it?"
Choi Hyena grinned devilishly.
"I really like how you put that, division director. So with this, we'll sweep the marketing and PR team away."
"That's not what I meant...."
***
"Junho... How could you do this? I cherished you so much. You weren't even qualified, but I was the one who let you join the marketing and PR team."
The marketing and PR team had always been so friendly.
Everyone was getting ready to leave work, when suddenly team leader Lee Jimyung exploded in anger.
Lee Jimyung's nickname was The Buddha. No matter how angry he got, he'd just laugh it off.
And when team members made mistakes, he'd let it go and encourage them—he truly was the model of a caring boss.
He picked up the phone on his desk. It looked like he was about to throw it, but maybe because of his gentle nature, he just put it down softly.
Feeling that wasn't impactful enough, he picked it up again and put it down with a 'clunk.'
Kim Junho ran over and bowed his head.
"I'm sorry, team leader."
Lee Jimyung loosened his tie and pressed his forehead with his hand.
"Junho, I'm fifty. If you do this, my blood pressure goes through the roof. Haaa... Why did you do it?"
The marketing and PR team staff began to murmur.
"Why? What happened?"
"Did Junho screw up? What kind of screw-up makes even The Buddha so mad?"
"Whoa! Check the intranet announcement."
The team couldn't understand Kim Junho's actions at all.
This is corporate life. Even if you pour your heart and soul into it, the company doesn't notice. You just work decently, get paid, that's all.
There's no need to ruin your quality of life by getting stressed over company business.
The marketing and PR team all got along well, and didn't nitpick over unnecessary things. Even mistakes on the job would be overlooked.
In that way, Next Planet's marketing and PR team was the best.
That's what the team thought, which is why they all tried to warn Kim Junho.
"Junho, you're just young so the Reform Division director seems cool. He won't last."
"We had it good. Home after work on time, enjoying our own lives. The pay wasn't even bad. That's living life right."
"Junho... sigh... Hurry up and apologize to the team leader. Spill everything about what that Reform Division director is up to. He's The Buddha, you know. He'll just laugh it off like always."
But Kim Junho didn't back down.
Now, none of the team would eat with him anymore.
Kim Junho remembered his school days. That time when he was always alone.
'This is rough....'
Still, he didn't resent the other team members. Their behavior was only natural.
He sat hunched over eating his lunch box alone on a bench tucked away in a corner of the theme park.
'Am I really doing the right thing? Am I just a piece of garbage making trouble in the team?'
As he started to blame himself—
Suddenly, a can of coffee appeared in his line of sight.
When he looked up—
"Mi... Miyoung nunim."
"What are you bowing your head for when you haven't done anything wrong? Hold your head up with pride."
At her warm words, Kim Junho's eyes welled up.
"Junho, I think there's something wrong with our team—no, our company too. But I can't help you. Sorry, but I hope you understand. I have two kids to feed. My husband alone can't handle it."
"You don't have to apologize."
"I'll support you in this small way. Stay strong."
"Thank you."
After she left, he looked out at the theme park.
'Yeah, I'm not wrong. I want to stay with Next Planet. I'll bring more people here. I want them to have happy moments.'
The incident with the marketing and PR team sent shockwaves through the company.
Director Lee Hyunmin of the Reform Division taking Choi Hyena from the business strategy team was only a minor issue. Choi Hyena was already pretty much an outsider.
So most people just laughed it off.
But this time was different.
It was the famously close-knit marketing and PR team—but now a supporter of Lee Hyunmin had appeared from within. What's more, he'd even gone so far as to criticize the marketing and PR team.
So the eyes of the entire Next Planet staff were on this incident.
Kim Sangho, the executive vice president who most strongly disapproved of Lee Hyunmin, called his close team leaders—Event & Performance Team's Kim Cheol-jin and Business Strategy Team's Lee Siwon.
"What a mess because of a single mudfish. Now discord in this peaceful Next Planet. I wonder what the chairman is thinking... Don't just stand there—keep your teams in line. We can't have any more traitors."
Executive vice president Kim Sangho went to see the finance team leader, Kang Sangsu.
"Team leader, finance team is all good these days, right?"
"What could happen in the finance team?"
"Please keep it that way. I'm counting on you not to let the finance team get caught up in anything unnecessary. I know you'll keep things steady."
"Yes, of course..."
The finance team leader bowed politely, as always.
'Director Lee Hyunmin, I can't help you, but I'll be rooting for you. Stay strong...'
***
Today is the day of an event everyone in Next Planet is watching.
"Let's go."
At my words, both Choi Hyena and Kim Junho nodded.
They'd worked their hardest preparing materials for today. Honestly, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they'd practically lived at the office.
Except for sleeping, there hadn't been any chance to be at home.
Especially Kim Junho, who must have nearly killed himself juggling his own work while helping us.
When we entered the meeting room, the other six members of the marketing and PR team were already there.
There was one unexpected figure—executive vice president Kim Sangho.
That wasn't someone especially passionate about work.
And even more surprising, was Park Operations Division director Oh Kangil. He had graying hair but sported a sturdy build.
He was the oldest at Next Planet, and was known for having no interest whatsoever in internal power struggles.
I'd heard he rarely even expressed opinions, so why was he here today?
Division director Oh Kangil, unlike the executive vice president who chatted warmly with everyone, sat with a hard expression, staring straight ahead.
Marketing and PR team leader Lee Jimyung greeted us with his usual friendly smile.
"Director Lee Hyunmin, please, take this seat. And you too, Junho..."
At those words, as if on cue, every single member of the marketing and PR team shot Kim Junho a look of obvious displeasure.
Not at me... it was at Kim Junho.
He looked miserable.
I patted his back.
Choi Hyena handed him a small chocolate.
Here?
"All right! Before we start today's marketing and PR team meeting, I have something to say."
Team leader Lee Jimyung glanced back and forth between executive vice president Kim Sangho and division director Oh Kangil.
"I agree with the Reform Division's point that we haven't been very innovative. So, the marketing and PR team has also come up with a new strategy, and I'd like to introduce it before we begin our discussion. Is that all right with you? It might take a little while."
I whispered to Kim Junho.
"A new strategy?"
"I don't know either."
"Well, you didn't even get to join team meetings, and told me you had to eat lunch alone."
When executive vice president Kim Sangho and division director Oh Kangil said it was all right, Lee Jimyung's face lit up.
"For now, we're sticking to our existing marketing and PR strategy, but we'll be adding some new measures on top. Building upon the old with something new. Here, take a look at this."
A cute, adorable character popped up on the screen.
"This is 'Talesmon,' a new game being launched by headquarters. It's completely different from something like 'Battle Fire'. This is a casual game targeting elementary school kids. Just look at the design! Kids will love it. We're aiming for a second Heartpang."
The launch of Talesmon had not yet been announced to the press. That meant he'd reached out to headquarters and succeeded in getting their cooperation.
As far as I knew, three years ago, headquarters decided not to run joint promotions with Next Planet anymore.
The reason was that Next Planet is already an independent corporate entity, and working with Next Planet was a waste of headquarters' time and personnel.
Team leader Lee Jimyung and executive vice president Kim Sangho exchanged tender glances. Like lovers.
So Kim Sangho had helped.
"We'll use the Talesmon IP at Next Planet and push aggressive promotion. We'll run campaigns where elementary school kids who visit can get Talesmon items—let me give you more details."
Team leader Lee Jimyung looked at me, full of confidence.
Right. The best defense is a good offense. They've brought an offensive card too.
Now it'll be a showdown to see whose idea is the real sword, and whose is the practice sword.
I have no intention of losing. Even a single loss means game over for us.