The Agent's Confession
Thinking back, it all started after my brother came to the university.
From that point on, the once-unbreakable bond between my younger sister, Harin, and me began to fray.
The full truth hadn't come to light yet, but her boyfriend's infidelity was part of the same pattern.
The vague suspicion I'd been nursing hardened into certainty, yet the video playing before my eyes demanded answers first.
"What… is this…?"
My voice trembled as I asked. My brother—no, the man who looked like my brother—kept that unfamiliar smile and replied without missing a beat.
"What do you think it is? That's your sister."
"Then… why do you have this video, Oppa? And why is Jiseo… filming something like this?"
"She said she wanted to make a cheering video for you, so I helped her record it. Look, she's doing her best to support you, isn't she?"
It was true that Jiseo in the video didn't appear to be acting under direct coercion. But that didn't make any of it normal.
[Sister—! You can do it—! Fightiiing—!!]
The grotesque cheering echoing from the screen sent a chill down my spine and conjured horrifying possibilities.
"Did Jiseo… spend the night with you last night?"
"That's right."
The immediate, unhesitating answer made my head spin. I felt my consciousness slipping, but I forced myself to hold on. This was not the time to lose it.
"I… I don't understand… Oppa… Why would Jiseo…? How does she even know you? Why would she film something so twisted? And why didn't you stop her? Did… did something happen with Harin too?"
Faced with my flood of questions, he smiled and answered.
"I brainwashed both Harin and Jiseo. The two of them have been following my orders these past few days—saying and doing those things to you. Harin hating you because of her boyfriend, spreading vicious rumors at the university to isolate you, your sister saying those hurtful words, even stealing your boyfriend's virginity… all of it was my plan."
The shocking words left me speechless for a long moment. Among the impossible claims, one word stood out first.
"Brain… wash…?"
"Yes, brainwashing. Controlling people exactly as I wish. Harin and Jiseo are both puppets now—my puppets. If I tell them to die, they'll die. If I tell them to kill someone, they'll do it without hesitation. They're nothing more than my devoted pets."
I stared blankly at him as he spread his hands with that same smile, casually uttering such dangerous words. Countless questions swirled in my mind, but one summed them all up.
"Why…?"
"It's my job."
Job?
The confusion only grew.
"…I don't understand what you're saying."
I shook my head slowly, my eyes demanding an explanation. He answered kindly—kindness laced with malice.
"I'm a salaryman. My assignment as an employee is to brainwash you. To do that, you need to be driven into a state of mental exhaustion first."
His words defied common sense, but I forced myself not to dwell on them too deeply so I could keep the conversation going. There would be time later to unpack the truth.
"So… that's why you used Harin and Jiseo to torment me? To complete your… company work?"
"At least you're not completely stupid."
Looking at his smirking face, I finally understood that every misfortune I'd suffered recently had been orchestrated by him. Which meant staying here any longer was dangerous. His ultimate goal was to brainwash me, and that goal hadn't been achieved yet.
"I-I'm going to report you to the police!!"
Realizing what I had to do, I shot to my feet and shouted, thrusting my phone forward like a weapon. He burst out laughing at the sight.
"Go ahead."
"…Huh?"
"Do it."
His relaxed posture—chin resting on his hand as he watched me—left me bewildered. The sight of his cheerful smile only fueled my anger. I clenched my teeth and started dialing the police number.
Glancing at him warily in case he lunged, I saw he hadn't moved an inch. His dismissive attitude made me even angrier, and I quickly unlocked my phone.
"Huh…?"
Something was wrong. I couldn't remember the police number. It was only three digits, yet my mind drew a blank. Panicking, I tried to think of anyone else who could help.
"Wh-what…?"
Nothing came to mind. I frantically tried calling random contacts, but every number appeared blurred, like a mosaic.
"Wh-what is this?"
I rubbed my eyes, but the effect remained. The inexplicable phenomenon pushed me past confusion into full panic.
"Why? I told you to report me."
His mocking voice taunted me. When I looked up, he was still lounging comfortably in his seat.
'…Ah.'
Staring at his silent gaze, the realization hit me.
"Don't tell me… me too?"
He smiled but gave no answer. That silence was answer enough.
'When…?'
My last clear memory was him holding an umbrella over me on the street. I couldn't recall how I'd arrived here. The blood drained from my face, and a scream tore from my throat on pure instinct.
"Help—! Mmph!? Mmmph—!?"
"Humans really do instinctively cry out for help when they're in danger. I've memorized the pattern; it's getting boring. By the way, don't even think about running. Your legs won't move even if you try."
He stood and walked over to me. His hands roamed over my frozen body, and I trembled violently. I was terrified—more frightened than I'd ever been in my life. At the same time, I felt wronged. What had I done to deserve this? I'd never harmed anyone. I couldn't even bring myself to curse, no matter how much others did it so easily. All I'd ever wanted was to live peacefully with my family, friends, and boyfriend. I had no other desires. Poverty didn't matter. Inconveniences didn't matter. Just being with the people I loved was enough to make life feel blessed.
As memories of my life flashed before me like a lantern, tears welled in my eyes. My body wouldn't move, so I shook my head inwardly. No. I couldn't keep acting spoiled. I couldn't run away either. There was no one left to protect me—and even if there were, it was my turn to protect them now.
This was the moment to be brave, no matter how scared I felt. I clenched my fists, lifted my head, and glared at him with wide eyes.
"What do you want?"
Surprised by my unexpected reaction, his expression shifted. The playful glint remained, but his demeanor turned noticeably more serious. I took a deep breath and forced my heart to calm. Remarkably, it steadied, and my mind cleared. I'd always been quiet and composed, but never had I faced a situation with such clarity. Hardship was supposed to make people stronger, yet I hadn't expected to steel my resolve so quickly. It was because there were things I needed to protect.
In the end, Harin, Jiseo, and my boyfriend hadn't truly come to hate me. They'd only been forced to act that way because of his brainwashing. That thought brought me comfort—and became the hope that I could get them back.
"You must want something, or you wouldn't be doing this. Tell me. I'm already brainwashed like you wanted, right? If you're still talking to me, there must be a reason."
"Still calling me 'Oppa' even now? How sweet… You're right, there is a reason I'm wasting time like this. But I'm not going to tell you what it is."
"Why not?"
"Do I have any reason to tell you?"
"If you want something—"
"You can't give it to me."
He cut me off sharply. His expression turned cold as he leaned in close.
"You know, you're pretty arrogant. Do you even understand your position right now? Ha, unbelievable."
A shiver ran through me at the sudden change in atmosphere, but I forced strength into my eyes, refusing to back down. Finding my defiance amusing, he chuckled and turned away.
"Follow me."
As he walked off, my body moved on its own, stumbling after him like a child following the Pied Piper. I tried to resist the strange compulsion, but it was useless. My will was strong, yet my body followed him helplessly.
"Do you recognize this place?"
"…Ah."
The room we entered was identical to the one Jiseo had been in during the video.
'This is where Jiseo…'
Now that I was aware of it, I could faintly smell her scent—twisted and strange.
"Haha! Thinking about your sister at a time like this? You've got some nerve. You'll be in the same situation soon enough."
He sneered as I looked around the room.
"Strip."
"Huh? Wh-what!? Kyah—!"
Once again, my body moved against my will. At his command, I tore off my clothes in an instant. The chill in the air grew sharper against my rain-soaked, naked skin. Shame flooded in too late, and I tried to cover myself, but my hands only twitched uselessly.
"You're still wearing clothes and can speak your mind, so you can afford to talk back. But right now—I'm going to make sure you understand exactly where you stand."
He sat on the bed and crossed his legs, looking as though he were about to enjoy a show.
"From now on, you're a sow. A filthy pig that can only grunt like an animal. So act like one—answer me."
Whoosh.
My knees buckled on their own, dropping me to the floor. I found myself on all fours like a beast, palms pressed to the ground before him. Startled, I opened my mouth—
"Oink—!!"
A bestial sound burst out.
