Work Text:
From: [email protected]
Subject: Music commission for upcoming video game project
Hi Jihoon,
I’m reaching out to ask if you or your company do commissions for videogames?
I’m Jeon Wonwoo, an established indie-game developer. I’ve developed mainly horror and thriller role-playing games (also known as RPGs) which can be played across gaming devices, such as ‘Run away’ and the Indie Game Dev Fest 2024 Winner ‘Her desolate world’. They are on the psychological horror side, but I’m happy to send you a game-key if you want to explore these in your free time.
For my next project, titled ‘Maestro’, I’m looking at exploring the lives of a group of students at a music conservatory run by a toxic, abusive and overbearing ex-conductor. The game will look more like a choice-based visual novel – have you played ‘Slay the Princess’? It’s a lot like that. I can share the game bible with you, but the crux of the story revolves around the students realising they have to leave, before music loses all meaning to them, and they get reduced to numb, passionless, disillusioned husks. They’ll do this by basically defeating the conductor and his manipulative ways through strategising the correct options. It’ll be marginally shorter than my other projects, so the score can be pretty short!
I’m reaching out because your portfolio on LinkedIn did indicate that you like to do soundtracks for multi-media art forms, and quite frankly, the musical samples you’d shared were incredibly well-crafted, experimental and nuanced. More so because you have a background in classical music, and so you understand the value of classical music conventions and music theory, and you can blend this in with modern styles. Since this game is about music, I thought it’d be all the more important to do this with a composer who really engages with the art form in that level of depth.
I’m not sure if you’ve dabbled in game music before, but I can say with confidence that it’s one of the most loved and revered genres of OSTs out there, more so sometimes than even television and film – think about how many people can hum the Undertale theme or even the Mii channel theme!
I have set aside $500 per minute for music for this project – so if you’re interested in doing this project, and the quote sounds good, get back to me and we can get the ball rolling. I’m happy to negotiate and meet your price if you charge higher, usually – although I’d like to do that over a comprehensive meeting, if that’s okay with you.
If not, just let me know, and I’ll reach out to other composers in the meantime.
Sincerely,
Jeon Wonwoo
Founder and Lead Developer
GoGam3Bo1
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
“What are you smiling about?” Mingyu asks, staring at Jihoon while lying on their couch.
Jihoon mumbles something, all the way from the desk. Unintelligible.
“I can’t heeeeear you” Mingyu chuckles. “Tell me…who’s got my Jihoonie hyung blushing?”
“It’s a business e-mail, you fool.” Jihoon stares at him pointedly, “and stop calling me that, you twerp.”
Mingyu gets into a sitting position then, raising his hands as if surrendering. “Fine.”
“Remember that game I was recommending to you last week that you said you wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole?”
“The game where you get transported into a dark version of your present world, where all your friends turn into shadows and echoes of who they were, and hunt you down and kill you?”
“…Yeah.”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Well, the guy who made that wants me to do the music for his new game.” Jihoon states, as clearly and evenly as possible.
Mingyu laughs. “Your voice is trembling, hyung. Show me the e-mail.”
“Come here and see it yourself, you charlatan.”
“What…” Mingyu huffs and shakes his head at Jihoon’s word choice as he walks over. “Okay grandpa.”
Then, he motions at Jihoon to get up off his swivel chair.
“Why must I get up, when it’s my table and my laptop?”
“Take a walk, man. You’ve been sat for like 2 hours. Plus, if I bend down that much, I’ll sprain my neck?”
Jihoon grunts, unhappy, but relinquishes his seat, as Mingyu plops himself down on his chair ceremoniously.
“Hmm…wow…” Mingyu mumbles, “wow, well-crafted, experimental and nuanced…you’re like the perfect package, hyung. Well, don’t be too worried about fanboying over this Wonwoo guy, I’m sure he’s the same way about you.”
“Shut the fuck up.” Jihoon laughs, deadpan, “shouldn’t you be getting along, hmm…your Kwannie is waiting for you in HappyLemon.”
“He is…” Mingyu nods, “oh, I ironed my shirt for today, the one he said makes my chest look delicious,” he mutters, dreamily.
“Okay, I do not need to be hearing that. TMI, man, TMI.” Jihoon sighs, annoyed, but not particularly surprised.
“Well, don’t be too jealous, hyungie. The pay is insane, compared to that swindler Park’s ad-film…you should take it…and then seduce this Wonwoo. What does he look like? Is he hot or cute? …oh, is he both?”
“Leave.”
“Okay, okay.” Mingyu chuckles, “what is this? You can’t even joke around anymore.”
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
From: [email protected]
Re: Music commission for upcoming video game project
Hi Wonwoo,
Thank you for reaching out, and for the compliments, obviously.
The rate looks good, and acceptable for a project of this calibre, so I don’t necessarily need to negotiate at this point.
I have played ‘Her desolate world’ before. I enjoyed it, and I found it offered a rather sobering and refreshing view on the horrors of abandonment. I liked how it specifically veered away from a defeatist and nihilistic approach and opted for a more healing journey.
I do look forward to having a chat in-person or a phone call/online meet regardless, depending on where you are based. I am in Seoul, personally. I do not mind travelling short distances if you’re in a neighbouring city either.
Looking forward,
Lee Jihoon/Woozi
Musician, Composer and Producer
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
Wonwoo sits at HappyLemon, twiddling his thumbs, a glass of iced black tea in his hands. Chronically early as always.
It’s 3:45. About 15 minutes before his meeting with Jihoon – he feels a strange mixture of excitement and nerves bubble up, cascading right behind his diaphragm, suspending his breath. He has to remind himself to breathe, then, lest he sound as hoarse as an 80-year-old man.
Jihoon, who scored the short film, ‘Wistful’. Jihoon who performed at the 45th Film and TV Orchestra, sitting at the piano, beautifully playing expansive glissandos over the Interstellar score performance. It was so praised, Hans Zimmer had re-shared a clip on his story. Jihoon who went to Seoul National University at the same time as him – who ran into him across three house-parties where he was sure they had some eye-contact going. Jihoon who doesn’t remember him. Probably.
Probably not.
It’s 3:50 now, and the shop-door swings open, so suddenly, it phases Wonwoo. He recognises him right away – his petite frame, frameless glasses, kitten-like eyes. Kitten-like eyes?
Wonwoo looks down, but unfortunately, he’s met with a view of Jihoon’s biceps, which peek out from his short-sleeved fitted tee. His forearm is veiny, supple, firm. Muscly. What the fuck has this man been doing?
He shakes his head, and conjures up his best, most even, and stoic smile. This is no way to be when meeting a professional musician.
As Jihoon looks around the shop, he seems to spot Wonwoo, recognising him with a knowing nod. Wonwoo smiles at him, the lightest, most subtle quirk he can manage.
“I see you’re chronically punctual too.” Jihoon states, as he walks over and takes a seat, “so many times I’ve had to wait for like, half-an-hour.”
Odd way to start a conversation.
“Hi, yeah. I run about fifteen-twenty minutes early.”
“Me too, I think. Sorry, yeah, I’m Jihoon, and you must be Wonwoo.”
“Yes, that’s right.” Wonwoo nods, “nice place you chose, I come here a lot.”
Jihoon manages a soft smile, then. “It is my favourite place. They keep it simple, don’t overdo it with the flavours.”
Wonwoo hums in agreement, “what should I get you, then? Bubble tea? Iced-tea?”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’m happy to buy my own. You would’ve been out of pocket with the parking or…public transport or whatever, already, right?”
“Parking, yes, I mean –” Wonwoo’s breath hitches. He never knows what to do in moments like this. Should he insist, or is he overstepping his boundaries, being overbearing, too much, too heavy-handed and full of himself…or is the other person’s attempt to rebuke the offer at first just a kindness, a customary gesture, and deep-down they do want to be paid for.
He thinks he has Jihoon nailed down, though, so he decides to let up.
Nailed down. No.
“-sure,” he finishes.
“Great, I’ll get a Taro Milk Bubble Tea.” Jihoon purses his lips.
“Fun.” Wonwoo matches his expression, watching him as he walks up to the barista and places his order.
“If I’m not wrong –” Jihoon starts, as he returns, “we were both in SNU, right?”
Wonwoo feels his eyes widen, his brows furrow, and he hopes it’s subtle. He’s been told his expressions are hard to read, that he looks cold, and distant, and aloof. But really, he always feels like he’s exploding with something to say, to express.
“Yeah, I—we were. I think I saw you around in a few house parties, but I never stuck around long enough in those.”
“You were a designated driver, I remember.” Jihoon mumbles, his lips curving into an easy smile now. Wonwoo notices he has a small and soft cadence as he speaks, his voice almost melodic, his slight smile audible as he speaks. “You drove me home once.”
“Yeah, with Changkyun,” Wonwoo speaks before he thinks.
“Yeah, we used to live together.” Jihoon nods, “Soonyoung too…but he decided to stick around that night.”
“Yeah…so…erm…” Wonwoo mutters, as the barista walks over with Jihoon’s bubble-tea, the brown tapioca pearls bubbling beneath the creamy milk, which is a pale and subtle purple – real taro, not the powder, then. “Thanks for agreeing to help with my next game. Did you…have any thoughts…or…”
Jihoon pierces the drink’s lid with the straw. It’s a sudden motion, one which ensures the milk doesn’t spill out and make a mess on the table, one which gets the job done.
“I think it sounds great.” Jihoon says, as he sips his drink, a tapioca pearl shooting up the straw swiftly into his mouth, “people keep talking about how cool it is when I say I’ve been classically trained and everything, but, you know, it wasn’t easy.”
“Yeah,” Wonwoo nods, earnest. “I know.”
“Did you used to learn classically too?” Jihoon asks, as he presses on the bridge of his glasses, righting them.
“Violin. Eight years.” Wonwoo confides, “I quit when I was sixteen.”
“Yikes.” Jihoon smiles, it’s not sympathetic. Nor happy. Wonwoo tries to classify it. But fails.
“Yikes.” He mirrors, “that was a major inspiration for this, of course, and there are so many RPGs that revolve around more subtle and esoteric references. Undertale, for example.”
“Yeah,” Jihoon nods, “not a lot of characters that are modelled after fonts.”
“Are you an avid gamer, then?” Wonwoo asks, unable to hide his intrigue as it brims to the surface.
“Not really,” Jihoon shrugs, as he takes a tissue to wipe his upper lip. “But, I dabble.”
“I see…well, you seem familiar enough with the genre I’m going for, so I won’t bore you with the logistics. I brought my laptop here which has a demo – nothing too serious, just something I whipped up on RPG maker to get a feel of things.”
Jihoon moves his chair, as Wonwoo boots up his laptop, catching a whiff of his perfume, which smells tender, sweet, and woody, almost like cedar. He feels silly for the StrawberryCrush body mist he threw on in the morning, but reminds himself he needs to concentrate, when he enters ‘jihoon’ instead of his laptop password.
What the fuck am I doing? Wait…
Entering the right password, he shows Jihoon the demo, and he keenly plays around, nodding and humming as the protagonist traverses through the first location.
“This is very smooth so far for a demo, and I imagine you’re making this on a bigger engine? It almost doesn’t even feel like an RPG maker game.” Jihoon says appreciatively. “I see you’ve gone for the signature GoGam3Bo1 art-style too.”
Wonwoo nods, acquiescing. “Yeah, we’re going for an engine…about the art, that’s thanks to our resident artist, Wen Junhui.”
“Jun?” Jihoon raises his eyebrows, “from Soonyoung’s dance society?”
“The very same.”
“I knew the style looked familiar, I remember going to one of his exhibitions once.”
Wonwoo chuckles then, sitting back with a little ease now. “He’s got a signature style for sure. I couldn’t imagine making a game without him at this point.”
“So…” Jihoon clears his throat, going back to his original position, chair in tow. “How much music are you anticipating for this one?”
“Well…speaking from a completionist perspective, this is only a three-hour long game.”
“Only?”
Wonwoo smiles at him.
“Oh,” Jihoon nods, “yes, I forgot ‘Her desolate world’ was like 20 hours.”
“Yes, so, I’ve got a rough idea about how much music I think we’ll be needing,” Wonwoo says, as he zips open his backpack and draws out a folder. “We’ve got character-specific themes, location-specific-themes, battle-themes and of course, motivic themes that basically tell us of the character’s journey, and then many of these can be remixes, reprisals or variations on specific themes. In fact, people tend to appreciate those more than too many different sounds too, but yes, I’m looking for something with a more…romantic sound.”
“Like…?”
“I was thinking…Tchaikovsky, and Chopin.”
“That sounds pretty consistent with your game, yes. I think Tchaikovsky’s Ballet Suites do very well with motifs, and Chopin characterises more abstract negative emotions in a simplistic fashion…you’ve clearly put a lot of thought into this.”
Wonwoo doesn’t know how to respond, so he just nods.
They spend half an hour chatting before Wonwoo has to return to the office for a meeting with Junhui. The half-hour feels like five minutes, though, really. The awkwardness fades away, in time.
Wonwoo had his reservations, thought Jihoon may not be interested in trying games, wouldn’t remember him, but no. It was still the same Jihoon from university. Self-assured, honest, funny, cute. Except now he was exponentially more confident and, well, sculpted.
As Wonwoo waves a goodbye and sits down in his car, he shakes his head. So what if Jihoon had grown a little muscle and put on a nice perfume? He tells himself it’s just because it’s been a few months since he had any action. He supposes he should take Jeonghan up on his offer to go clubbing over the weekend.
He needs to get sloshed. And not think of a professional in a non-professional capacity.
Sighing, he starts his car and simultaneously gets a message from Jihoon.
Lee Jihoon Musician: drive safe, there’s a collision on the 5th intersection.
He types a hurried thanks, his face breaking out into a small smile. How considerate.
Great, his mind is back on Jihoon again. This wasn’t going to be conducive to a proper work-environment.
He quickly types another text message, this time to Jeonghan.
I’m down for clubbing this Friday. Help me with a nice outfit?
Jeonghan responds in record time.
Jeonghan Hyung: oh you wanna get laid??
No? You just always make fun of my fits.
you wanna get laid.
Whatever.
not a no
ok
i’ll have jisoo come over too. we’ll make sure u look fuckable <3
Ugh. Thanks, I guess.
ur so welcome xoxo
Wonwoo sighs, finally starting his car.
Because of this setback, he’d be two minutes late, unless he drives slightly faster to avoid the big red-light in time. Thankfully Junhui was always five minutes late.
It’s all Jihoon’s fault.
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
Jihoon shakes his head, as Wonwoo leaves HappyLemon. He feels a strange strain in his chest he can’t quite place, his face feeling heated, more so than usual. Sighing, he walks over to the till again.
“Can I get a burger to-go please?”
The man behind the counter smiles at him, “sure, spicy or not spicy.”
“Not spicy.”
“Okay…that’ll be $4.50. Cash or card?”
“Cash,” Jihoon mutter, fishing out some notes.
“Awfully short date, huh?”
Jihoon cranes his neck up at record speed, “date? That was a client.” He feels the heat rise up his chest again, this time burning his cheeks. He knows he’s all red now.
“Oh…” the man mumbles, “sorry, it’s just that…never mind.”
“What?” Jihoon questions as flatly as he can, “please do elaborate…” he squints to read the man’s nametag, “…Hansol-ssi.”
“You can speak casually to me, it’s fine.” Hansol shrugs, “I don’t know, you were all red. I’ve seen both of you around quite a bit and well, you both usually seem relaxed but…today…it felt different…” he trails off, as he begins frying the patty
Jihoon rolls his eyes. Wait a minute. Both?
“Do the days get so long that you end up having to analyse everyone’s body language, Hansol?”
Hansol smiles at that, buttering the buns and toasting them lightly on a pan, “well, yes. And I pride myself on those skills, actually. I’ll have you know that I was the one who helped Seungkwannie realise he likes your tall friend.”
“His name is Mingyu.” Jihoon corrects, now even more flustered, “besides, those two are way too obvious, anyway. Anyone could see that coming.”
“What makes you think you’re not? You’re blushing a lot even now, but that’s because you’re flustered, but there was nothing flustering about your business partner, was there? …Salad?”
“Lettuce, fried onion, no tomato, mayonnaise – but the Japanese one. If not, don’t bother.” Jihoon dodges the question and accepts the burger with a muffled thanks. Hansol nods at him.
“See you around.” Hansol calls out.
Well…shit.
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
“I don’t know…does that look good?” Wonwoo mutters, trying on a particularly slinky top, barely half-sleeved, and sticking to his chest, “it’s a bit…tight.”
“It’s your size,” Jeonghan shrugs, “plus, you said you’d trust me with this.”
“I never said that. I don’t know…red is just…”
“Red is your colour.” Jisoo speaks up, smiling at Wonwoo.
“Should I bother with contacts?”
“Probably not, you should go for an old-money look,” Jisoo muses, playing with his lips. “Do you have wide-leg jeans or bootcuts?”
“Yeah,” he nods, “that’s most of my wardrobe.”
“Great,” Jisoo whistles, “wear it with your Converse.”
“Converse sounds good,” Jeonghan agrees, “I was about to say Doc Martens.”
“I don’t…have Doc Martens.” Wonwoo raises his eyebrows, “do I need Doc Martens.”
“Whatever,” Jeonghan ignores him, “you have such good taste Jisoo, really, wow.”
Jisoo grins, “thanks, sweetie.”
“Stop.” Wonwoo groans.
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
They play club classics at the club.
Wonwoo dances.
People surround him, some not quite his type, some drop-dead gorgeous, some clearly spelling out trouble. He lets all of them down.
At the end of the night Jeonghan questions him and he shrugs.
“I guess I wasn’t feeling it.”
“Really? You said it’d been a while.”
“I just felt off. I thought it was about sex. Maybe this has nothing to do it.”
Jeonghan nods, “okay. Well, if you need help figuring it out, and don’t end up finding a therapist soon enough, feel free to…mull it over with me, I guess.”
He goes home alone that night. There’s an email from Jihoon.
Seeing his name makes his heart soar up to his throat.
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
From: [email protected]
Re: Music sample: Intro and main theme – melodic concept
Hi Wonwoo!
I went over the character concepts and plotlines in the game bible you sent across and tried to translate it into a rough melody that I believe can serve as the main theme for the game.
We were saying Romantic, but this is really inspired by Satie, especially the Gnosienne, which is…decidedly going towards more Modernist sounds, so I hope that also works.
Let me know your thoughts, and I can work on fleshing it out.”
attached: maestro-theme.wav
Thanks,
Jihoon.
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
“Exclamation mark?” Mingyu mutters, reading over Jihoon’s shoulder as he writes the e-mail.
Jihoon sharply looks at Mingyu, staring at him pointedly, as Mingyu’s lips twisted into a teasing smirk.
“Gyu, if you don’t…” Jihoon huffs. “Why is everyone obsessed with me finding love these days?”
“Everyone?” Mingyu’s cadence becomes yet more tinged with playfulness, much to Jihoon’s chagrin.
“That guy at HappyLemon. Hansol.”
“Oh Hansol! I love him.” Mingyu gushes, “you know, hyung, he’s the one who made me realise I like Seungkwannie.”
“Whatever.”
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
It becomes worse for Jihoon when they start talking it through over calls.
There’s a strange sense of intimacy to it, that only becomes obvious as time goes on.
It starts when he notices how scratchy Wonwoo sounds during the 9 am calls. At first he feels inclined to say they could call later if it was too early for comfort, but something stops him. He realises he likes the scratchiness. It sounds soothing, different and uncoordinated, less put-together and composed than he was usually. There was something special about it.
Sometimes, he imagines what it’d be like to witness the scratchiness first-hand. But he sends these thoughts away. He doesn’t have time for relationships right now. He has to focus on music.
The calls are to-the-point at first, but over time, Jihoon starts getting curious about how everything works. How the game branches into multiple paths, what a bottleneck is, how the turn-based combat system actually works.
Wonwoo is curious too, curious about how the different themes merge into one another, how Jihoon remixes the themes in different styles, adding a techno kick to it, how he equalises it, what samples he uses.
Soon, they both begin to ramble, talking for several minutes, and then an hour.
Once, after a two-hour long call, Mingyu eyes Jihoon as he hangs up with a beaming smile.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you like that, hyung.” Mingyu says.
Jihoon rolls his eyes, “not this again.”
Mingyu raises his hand in surrender, “it’s just nice to see you happy, you know? You seem less wound up and more…yourself. You’d been so frustrated the past few months. And I stalked Wonwoo-ssi’s Instagram and, well, he’s definitely a looker.”
Jihoon stares at Mingyu, hoping his gaze bores several layers deep, right into his soul.
“What? He’s hot. If I wasn’t with Seungkwan…”
“Shut up.”
“You sound jealous. Are you jealous?”
“Shut up.”
“You know, you only say one thing to me nowadays.”
“And why do you think that is?”
Mingyu grins, wide. “Because you just can’t handle the truth, hyungie.”
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
From: [email protected]
Subject: Overall progress
Hi Jihoon!
It’s been so great listening to your music and your score, from the beginning when it was in its planning stages, and now, when it’s its own fully-fledged soundtrack.
It’s been a joy working with you. You’ve been truly cooperative, consistent and most of all, you’ve created some great work here! The main-theme is iconic, but I’ve grown quite attached to “Fallin’ Flower” for the final battle theme.
It sneaks up on you, really. It starts so slow, almost sounding like spring – like flowers, you know? Calm and peaceful and tranquil, but then, it builds up, sudden but not abrupt. It crescendos in a way that I believe mimics the journey of our protagonist, of how difficult it can be to learn music, to be good at it, to be perfect at it.
It really speaks to the game and everything it stands for, in such a deep and nuanced way.
I’m honestly overjoyed at how far we’ve come.
Do you want a version for the game to beta-test it? We’re not handing out keys yet but feel free to come down to our headquarters if you can, and we can have a chat.
Looking forward,
Wonwoo.
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
“You’re pacing.” Junhui notices as he leans back on his chair, “what’s up?”
“Oh,” Wonwoo mutters, not attentive, “yeah, just beta-testing, I guess.”
“We’ve had many beta-testers, but you’ve usually been so confident this time around. You seem nervous.”
“Oh it’s just because Jihoon is coming over.” Jisoo pipes up, walking into the office.
“You’re late.” Wonwoo sings, “I’m trying to build a professional work environment here, you know?”
Joshua shrugs, “I’m your boss. Besides, I checked out a few office spaces since you’ve wanted to move. There’s one right across the street from HappyLemon, actually.”
Junhui grins, “oh, that sounds great! We barely have any good food around here, you know?”
They settle into a comfortable silence.
“Why are you nervous about Jihoon.” Junhui asks, as Wonwoo types away at his computer.
“Why do you think?” Jisoo mumbles, nudging Junhui. Both of them share a knowing smirk. “We took him to a club three months ago and he had the hottest fucking men grinding up against him and yet...”
“Wow, you’ve really been pining for months now, Wonwoo, haven’t you?”
“The long calls, remember?” Jisoo chuckles.
Junhui gasps, “those were all Jihoon?”
“You know, this really isn’t the kind of conversations we should be having at the workplace.” Wonwoo interrupts, “Now, Junhui, will you be so kind as to make your signature latte – I think Jihoon should be here in just about ten minutes.”
“Didn’t he say 11?” Junhui mumbles, getting up, and walking towards the coffee-bar.
“He usually runs fifteen minutes early.”
“You know him in and out.”
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
“Latté?” Wonwoo asks, as Jihoon takes the seat, toying with the joystick.
“Oh, thanks,” Jihoon feels himself smile, wider than usual, as Wonwoo sets it down on the table, at a safe distance from the computer, on a nondescript black coaster, “you remembered?”
“Remembered?” Wonwoo narrows his eyes. Jihoon slumps, ever-so-softly. Of course, Wonwoo didn’t purposely prepare a latté because he mentioned he liked them once. He fought the urge to shake his head and slap himself on the face. What stage of delusion was he even on?
“Oh, that I prefer joysticks when playing on the PC – I think I told you last night.”
“Oh yeah, of course!” Wonwoo beams, “ergonomics are really important to us after all. We’ll look at releasing this across as many platforms we can, really, as always.”
“Nice.” Jihoon plays with his bottom lip, and sips on the latté. “Wow, this is really good. Did you make it?”
Wonwoo shakes his head, “not me. Jun.”
As if on cue, Jun and another man, who looks vaguely familiar, step out of their office rooms right then, both sporting their lunch bags, making to leave.
“Early lunch?” Wonwoo asks.
“Yeah,” the man shrugs, and then directly looks at him, “oh you must be Jihoon!”
Jihoon purses his lips, “Hi, yes, nice to meet you.”
“I’m Jisoo, and this is—”
“We know each other,” Jun cuts Jisoo off, going to shake Jihoon’s hand, “it’s been a while Jihoon!”
“Well,” Jisoo smirks at him, “thanks for doing the music so excellently, we’d be gushing about it every time you’d send something over. Wonwoo, here, especially—”
“Weren’t you guys leaving?” Wonwoo finally speaks up.
Jun grins, but quickly covers his mouth with his fingers, as if to wipe it away somehow. “Yeah, we were, weren’t we Jisoo-hyung?”
“Yeah, enjoy playing the game Jihoon. We hope you like it.”
“Thanks.” Jihoon nods at them, unsure why both of them are so peachy. Might just be extra good-natured people. Then he steals a glance towards Wonwoo, who looks just about to exit his body.
Jihoon toys with the console, and as the intro screen loads up, he finally experiences the project as a whole. Jun’s art, Wonwoo and his programming team’s code, his music, all coming together, in this fully realised, beautiful marriage.
A ‘wow’ slips out of his mouth, subconsciously, but he doesn’t care. He doesn’t care because then Wonwoo looks down at him and smiles.
“It feels great, doesn’t it?” Wonwoo beams, as Jihoon starts a new save slot, triggering the first cutscene. A bereft girl, in a locked room, darkness all around her, as his music plays.
“It’s never felt this great,” Jihoon confesses, “I’ve done music for so many projects, but it’s never felt this…”
“…earned?”
“Yeah. Earned.”
“It’s a surreal feeling to get used to,” Wonwoo nods, “and it never gets less intense either. It was great working with you, you know? Your music did bring this to…a higher level.”
“It was my pleasure.” Jihoon grins, but then, it all washes over him.
This is it.
This is it. It’s the end of whatever this is, because he was only doing music for this game. Wonwoo and GoGam3Bo1 would move on to other projects, hire musicians more fitting for those, and he’d go back to freelancing for people who wanted corporate sounding demos within two-day deadlines.
He would go back to wondering what it’d be like to be so understood. To talk to someone for so long, unimaginably long, and not feel the usually perpetual nature of time pass him by. To not feel hollow, as if there was something missing in his guts, in his heart. It hits him, this torrid current, assaulting his brain, cascading down his body, settling into his abdomen, but he can’t let it up.
“What’s wrong?” he feels, more than hears Wonwoo ask. His voice is way too gentle for his liking, way too soft, the way it is when he calls at 10 pm after Jihoon tells him he’d had a musical epiphany.
“Huh?” Jihoon acts oblivious.
Wonwoo smiles, but this time, it hurts. “First time?”
Jihoon doesn’t know what to say, doesn’t know if Wonwoo understands all of it, but for some reason, it seems like he does so he just nods.
“It sounds depressing,” Jihoon relents, “but as much as I love having done this, it hurts that I’d have to forget this. It hurts that it’s over”
“What’s over?” Wonwoo asks.
“The project? What else?”
Wonwoo holds out his hand, and Jihoon’s breath hitches. All he does, though, is pat his shoulder. Three times, feather-light.
“The project is one thing, but the feeling of working together, on something that makes you feel seen, is another. We live in the same city. Plus, you really think I’d want anyone else to score my games after you?”
Jihoon feels that strange heat again, climbing up his cheeks. “Presumptuous of you to think I’d just work for you at the drop of a hat.”
“You wouldn’t work for me. You’d work with me,” Wonwoo corrects, “you’d work for Jisoo. He is the boss.”
“Right.” Jihoon takes another sip of the latté.
“Plus, I’d never invite you to work here if we’d have a power imbalance like that, you know.”
Jihoon splutters, almost spitting out his coffee. “What the fuck?”
“Well, one of us had to say it, and since we’re both introverts who don’t know how to properly work through our feelings, I thought of being the bigger person…this time around.”
Jihoon allows for a small smile to adorn his face, “thank you for your chivalry. I suppose the offer does sound good. Are you hungry?”
“Sure.”
“HappyLemon?” Jihoon asks.
“Sounds good.”
“And don’t think about paying for me this time. I always treat people on the first date.” Jihoon chuckles, as Wonwoo slips his slender hand in his. This time, he doesn’t fight the warmth that courses through his body. Warmth, despite Wonwoo’s ice-cold hands. It’s a strange sensation, but a welcome one too.
Ice-cream on a hot day. Hot cocoa during a blizzard.
No, he doesn’t fight it back, he lets it engulf him, lets himself feel giddy, lets himself feel.
“And Wonwoo…?”
“What?”
“I’m sorry it took this long but…I never forgot you.”
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
“Thank you for driving us home, Mr Designated Driver”, Jihoon slurs. “We’ve never talked before, but I see you around aaaaaall the time, you know.”
“Of course,” Is all Wonwoo can say.
“Ugh, I’m sorry, you probably wanted some space at the front but Changkyunnie, you know, he’s just—"
Jihoon shakes his head, glancing at Changkyun, sprawled across the backseat.
“Don’t worry about it.” Wonwoo smiles, as they turn a corner, “we’ll be home shortly. Plus, I like it when there’s someone at the front seat. I feel less like a cab driver and more like a…university student.”
“You know…” Jihoon mumbles, “You’re so cute and hot and you’re just my type and I always want to talk to you but something stops me.”
“What?”
“Like I think you’d get me too and I’ve heard around that you’re really, you know good, but I don’t know…it feels too stupid to try.”
“Why?”
“I dunno,” he whines, “wishful thinking. I like to be practical. We graduate in three months anyway, so—”
“So? You’d settle in Seoul anyway, right?”
“Duh.”
“Then?”
“You’re right. I’m stupid.”
“Don’t say that.”
“What if I forget this tomorrow?” Jihoon mutters, his voice getting softer.
“It doesn’t matter.” Wonwoo says, more to himself than to Jihoon. “If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen.”
Jihoon doesn’t respond to that, his breathing getting deeper, ragged, rhythmic. Wonwoo turns his eyes slightly to steal a glance.
Sure enough, he’s asleep.
So, he sighs.
“Sleep well, Jihoonie. Don’t forget me.”