Chapter 77: The artist was just being an artist

The system message that had appeared before her eyes vanished.

A darkness deeper than darkness arrived.

The screen turned off, signifying the end of the game.

“…”

Summer, without even taking off the VR headset, blinked blankly.

With numb fingertips, she fumbled, touching the floor.

She couldn’t tell if this was reality or still the virtual world.

Her mind had returned, for the most part, but her heart remained bound in the middle of the sanctuary.

The place where Yoo Da-hee disappeared.

The devastating memory from there.

Her final smiling eyes, melting away without a trace in the light, vividly lingered in her mind.

“…Ah.”

Summer tilted her head back, leaning her body fully against the chair’s backrest.

She felt completely drained of strength.

The VR headset slipped down her head, hanging ludicrously, but she couldn’t even bring herself to take it off right now.

Her breaths came in ragged gasps.

The white halo of light that filled her vision just moments ago, Yoo Da-hee’s final smile, still swirled in her head.

That final moment, when the short but deep connection vanished into the light, was too vivid.

The thought that it was over weighed down her chest.

…That was all.

Summer didn’t want to say anything.

In the VR space where the camera screen had gone black, it switched to the studio space where Summer’s avatar stood.

Only then did the chat window come into view.

Normally, it would have been filled with playful teasing, but this time, the atmosphere was different.

[-Summer… are you okay?]

[-It ends like this…?]

[-The immersion was insane, seriously…]

[-Felt like watching a 10-hour movie]

[-Where should the editing point even be for this? There are no throwaway scenes??]

[-No, so what about Yoo Da-hee??]

Emotion and sadness. Or emptiness.

No one dared to throw a joke carelessly.

Skimming through the chat window, Summer squeezed her eyes shut.

Slumped in her chair, she just quietly caught her breath for a while.

After some time like that, ding- a notification sound, and a message popped up on the half-removed VR headset.

[ChaTRPG_Rozy: Summer-nim, you really went through a lot.]

[ChaTRPG_Rozy: I knew you were good at games, but I didn’t expect you to clear it on the first try.]

“Rosy… ChatRPG… Wait, ChatRPG?!”

Summer abruptly shot up from her seat.

The chair tipped over, making a loud udangtang- noise.

“You… you’re the developer, right…?!”

Summer muttered in a trembling voice.

“Tell me. Is there a hidden ending, yes or no? There’s a way to save Yoo Da-hee, right? It’s because I’m stupid, because I’m a b*tch who sucks at games, that I couldn’t find the way, right? Huh?”

Wheezing anger tinged her voice.

Her agitated state was being broadcast live, but the current Summer had no capacity to care about such things.

“…Fine. I’ll start the second playthrough right away. This time, the goal is absolutely to save Yoo Da-hee, that overly kind girl.”

‘Even if I die, I’ll be the one to die.’

With that determined heart, just as she was about to connect to the game again, a message popped up before Summer’s eyes.

[ChaTRPG_Rozy: Second playthrough, you don’t have to do it. There is no hidden ending.]

[ChaTRPG_Rozy: This game, no matter how you play it, is set up so Yoo Da-hee dies at the end.]

“What… What does that mean?!”

The moment she saw Rosy’s message, Summer grew even more heated and raised her voice.

“This, the game title is ‘Saving Yoo Da-hee’, isn’t it? Besides, you said this has infinite freedom. But… But it doesn’t make sense that I can’t save her?!”

[ChaTRPG_Rozy: In the official release version, we will definitely reflect Summer’s feedback.]

[ChaTRPG_Rozy: And Summer-nim’s play log, I’ve backed it up separately.]

[ChaTRPG_Rozy: Someday, surely… you’ll be able to meet again.]

For a moment, Summer was speechless again.

She was so angry, yet felt trapped in helpless powerlessness.

“Ah… Come to think of it, this is the test version…”

The fact that it was much more polished than expected, that she had become too immersed, hit her belatedly.

[ChaTRPG_Rozy: Really… I’m really sorry.]

[ChaTRPG_Rozy: And thank you for illuminating the world we created so vibrantly. I watched while crying my eyes out too.]

Only then did her whole body turn cold.

The VR headset, half-perched on her head, finally slipped off and rolled onto the floor.

Feeling empty for no reason, haaah- a deep breath escaped.

The chat window, which had been submerged in tears, also began to slowly lighten up.

[-Upvote if you think today’s events will be immortalized as Summer’s dark history LOL]

[-But it really felt incredibly realistic]

[-Was f*cking fun fr]

[-Over-immersion? YeoTube!]

The chat window was chaotic in many ways, but Summer just stared blankly at the ceiling with a stupefied expression.

The microphone, the camera, not even anything else in the room registered in her eyes.

How many minutes passed like that?

In her mind, emptied after pouring out all her emotions.

Inspiration, melodies, crashed like waves.

Her breath caught thuk-.

Her whole body was drenched in sweat.

Her body floated, as if submerged deep underwater.

Summer blankly lowered her gaze, then pulled the fallen chair upright.

Then she sat down and moved the mouse as if possessed by something.

Where Summer’s mouse headed was.

None other than the composition program.

[-???]

[-What’s Summer doing?]

[-Did she just open the composition program?]

[-Didn’t she forget to end the stream?]

[-Broadcasting accident??]

Summer, without any response, opened an empty score file.

Trembling fingertips began to tap out notes one by one.

A melody close to noise, crackling white noise follows.

The noise becomes pitch, becomes melody.

The smartphone placed next to the keyboard vibrated at length.

The words ‘Youngjun Manager’ displayed on the screen.

But for Summer, completely immersed in composition, Youngjun’s silent shout had no way of reaching her.

A few more minutes passed like that.

Summer’s broadcast was forcibly terminated by Youngjun.

However, Summer, no, Hwimin, paid no heed and continued working with bloodshot eyes.

As if firmly possessed by something, she tapped out notes and more notes with her melted consciousness.

The melody created like that was cheerful like Hwimin’s usual self, but.

Within it, emptiness, sadness, and a strange hope were mixed.

---

Jina stared blankly at the streetlight beams flashing past the taxi window.

The inside of the moving car was quiet, but her mind was noisy with the phone conversation she just had with Daon.

[Jina, could you go check on Summer?]

[I don’t think there’s a major problem… but still, I thought it would be good if someone kept an eye on her.]

Daon’s worried voice echoed in her ears.

[What do you mean there’s no problem, President! Didn’t you watch the broadcast?!]

[Right now… Right now we need to call 119…!!]

Youngjun’s urgent shouts overlapping afterwards were also vivid.

[It’s not that serious, so just stay put, Jjun.]

[An artist is just doing artist things, why are you getting so worked up?]

[Are you trying to ruin everything while the kid’s in the zone working?]

Usually, Daon would get excited and run wild, and Youngjun would calmly tell him to calm down.

But during the phone call, their roles were reversed.

‘Looking at this, President Daon isn’t the president for nothing.’

That’s not to say Daon wasn’t worried about Summer.

[I know Jina-ssi is very busy too… but there’s no one else I can ask.]

[Can you make sure Summer can focus on her work, but also take care that she doesn’t overexert herself? I’ll compensate you generously.]

The work with Rosy was finished, and Jina didn’t have any particularly urgent tasks, so she casually agreed.

Half of it was loyalty, but half was curiosity.

Actually, the song Summer sang live a cappella in the game had been incredibly impressive.

She was very curious about what kind of moving resonance it would produce when completed.

Enough to want to hear it before anyone else.

Getting out of the taxi, Jina bought porridge and ion drinks and headed to the officetel where Summer lived.

Standing in front of the entrance, Jina took out a memo from her pocket.

When she entered the number Daon told her on the keypad, ddirik- an electronic sound, and the door opened.

A blast of hot air hit her face.

The stuffy air peculiar to a room unaired for a long time and a slight smell of sweat hit the tip of her nose tuk-.

“Familiar air.”

Jina took off her shoes and stepped inside.

The living room slash workshop lights were off.

However, a couple of monitor screens emitted a hazy light.

The scene inside the room revealed by the light was nothing short of a battlefield.

Seeing crumpled papers and snack bags rolling around on the floor, desk, and bed, Jina let out a low sigh.

‘…Why do I feel like I understand Hyoin’s feelings?’

Jina resolved to clean up immediately upon returning, and treat Hyoin to some drinks in her room for the first time in a while.

Mirror therapy, properly done.

Summer, no, Hwimin.

Was staring blankly at the two monitors with half-lidded eyes.

A complete contrast to her usual coltish energy.

Even though Jina stood right behind her, Hwimin seemed completely unaware.

It was because all her nerves were focused on her work.

As a creator, it was a very desirable state, but… from the perspective of someone watching nearby, one couldn’t help but worry.

‘Still, I at least worked while chugging coffee and eating energy bars…’

Hwimin seemed to have completely cut off food and was immersed in her work.

Jina sighed and quietly walked towards the kitchen.

She poured the ion drink into a cup, transferred the porridge into a separate bowl, placed them on a tray, and headed towards Hwimin.

“Summer-nim. Sorry to disturb, but eat this while you work.”

Fortunately, Jina’s voice penetrated the headphones and reached Hwimin’s ears.

“Ah, it’s fine.”

…It only reached her.

Hwimin waved her hand dismissively and added a word.

“Leave it, I’ll take care of it later, Mom.”

“…?”

Jina’s expression hardened instantly, having suddenly gained a grown daughter.