Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Even If I Fall into a Ghost Story, I Still Have to Go to Work
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I decided to use the blood bath on Brown one more time.
-If I rejuvenate a bit more, it'll be much easier to hang around with you, Mr. Deer!
I'd accepted Brown's argument.
The stuffed doll might get a little bigger... hmm, one more time should be fine. It was still keychain-sized for now.
But he got serious about the idea of casually using my blood as bathwater.
-Good lord! I politely decline. Good grief, with intelligent lifeforms' bodily fluids scattered all around us, why does my friend keep wanting to see his own blood?
It seemed like the time I'd deliberately scared him was still affecting him.
'Well, I wasn't planning to spill that much this time anyway...'
I felt a bit sorry, thinking maybe I'd gone too far.
Anyway, if that's how he felt, we agreed to procure blood some other way.
-Alright, alright... let's find a suitable bath additive, friend!
Sure.
It was actually better that something came up to distract me from the office politics right in the middle of it all...
'Already proving useful.'
I sighed as I headed to work.
For the record, Baek Saheon hadn't come back to the company dorms at all yesterday. I wondered how long he could hold out like that.
Anyway, I didn't know how long Director Cheong would wait, so I needed to make a decision soon too...
"Sol-eum...!"
Huh?
I turned my head while waiting for the elevator, and a colleague holding a bison mask walked in.
'Mr. Jang Heo-un!'
The employee I'd met at Sekwang Industrial High School last night and traveled with briefly amid a whirlwind of chaos.
"You're safe!"
"Yeah. Looks like you escaped safely too, Heo-un."
"Y-Yes! Thank you. I cleared it fine..."
Yesterday had been such a shock with one thing after another that I hadn't even thought to check on others, but it was nice to run into him like this.
Plus, Jang Heo-un surprisingly had a good impression of the agent, and he answered brightly when the topic came up.
"Um, he was nicer than I expected. He didn't use me as bait or anything... And at the end, he even explained about the bureau."
Isn't your bar set a bit low...?
Anyway, that guy had seemed to have a lot of grudges against Daydream Corporation, so maybe traveling with a decent employee had changed his mind a bit.
No major issues for him, so his complexion looked good.
'Maybe I can sell ghost story snacks to him next time.'
A sliver of hope for some side income.
"And... that agent seemed worried about you until the end. I didn't tell him I gave you the name tag!"
Ah, the name tag!
"I made good use of the name tag you gave me. Thanks."
I did have ways to get one after borrowing the uniform, but thanks to him, I'd gotten it quickly and used it well.
"It must've been precious to you too, Heo-un, but you gave it to me out of worry. I won't forget that."
"Ah, no... It was nothing. Compared to what you did for me."
"...?"
Me?
At that moment, Jang Heo-un clenched his fist with a joyful expression and opened his mouth.
"Sol-eum. I got assigned to a general team...!"
"...!"
"They really switched me after I held out for three months. Really, truly... thank you. I think I survived thanks to you!"
Ooh!
There'd been so many incidents during the regular assignment season that I hadn't checked others' squads, but this was great news.
I asked happily.
"Congratulations! Which squad?"
"I got assigned to F Squad...!"
"......"
Damn.
"Same squad as Mr. Baek Saheon."
"Yes! He was so kind."
"......"
This guy must've had his standards for "good people" lowered infinitely after dealing with the cleanup team...
'No wonder they were together in that last ghost story.'
Not just running into each other—they were on the same squad.
I smiled and said,
"What a funny coincidence. I share the dorms with him. ...Next time, us rookies should grab dinner together."
"Ah, thank you... Yes!"
And at that point, another unexpected encounter happened in front of the elevator.
"Good morning, Manager Lee Jaheon!"
"Yes. Good morning."
We ran into Manager Lee Jaheon on his way to work.
He responded to Jang Heo-un's bow, then got straight to the point.
He was talking to me.
"Sol-eum, you're summoned."
Again??
"To the office...? Or should I just head straight there?"
"Yes."
Feeling like I had neurosis from all the summons, I pressed the 25th floor button as he said instead of 13.
'Out of the Field Exploration Team floor again...'
Please let it be nothing serious.
"Have a good day, Sol-eum!"
"Yeah. You too, Heo-un."
After seeing Jang Heo-un off, I got off on the 25th floor with Manager Lee Jaheon.
Ding.
"Follow me."
"Yes."
I followed the manager down the hall.
'Feels farther than I thought.'
After turning several corners, a door appeared instead of a meeting room.
A wooden nameplate with a warm color hung there...
Fox Counseling Room
"......"
Wait.
"Squad Leader, this place..."
Thud.
At that moment.
I was pinned to the wall by Manager Lee Jaheon.
...?!
"Kim Sol-eum. Answer the following questions immediately without hesitation."
-Oh dear! Do you need my help in this situation, friend?
'No, wait...!'
The atmosphere was off.
I looked at the lizard.
His red vertical pupils were staring straight through me.
"Do you remember the conversation we had yesterday?"
I swallowed.
"...Yes."
"What topic did our conversation end on?"
"D Squad might become an elite team,"
"That's not the last topic. Answer again."
What?
"That was the last topic!"
"No. We talked about another topic after."
No!
We probably did. But it was just chit-chat, not...
"Don't hesitate."
"...!"
"Answer."
Damn it!
"I don't remember well!"
"......"
"It was just chit-chat... chit-chat, right?"
A heavy silence and pressure followed.
And then...
Slither.
"I see."
Manager Lee Jaheon released me from the wall.
Whatever it was, at least for now, it was a relief...
"Kim Sol-eum."
"Yes."
"You are contaminated."
"......"
Huh?
But that...
"...Well, during explorations, some degree of..."
But I couldn't finish.
Thwack.
Lee Jaheon kicked the counseling room door open in one go and threw me inside by the collar.
"...!"
"You can't leave until the session is over. I'll wait outside."
Bang.
And the door closed.
"......"
No.
No!!
-How dare he be so rude to my friend!!
Wait, calm down too...
'It's okay. Seems like a misunderstanding.'
I held back a sigh and looked up.
I didn't really want to, but...
'Just one counseling session. Good for mental health.'
Side effects... let's not think about them. The odds are low anyway.
-Hmm... If that's Mr. Deer's opinion!
Phew.
Decided.
I dragged my feet unenthusiastically...
First, there was a space that looked like a changing room.
A floral sign on the lockers.
Welcome, dear client!
Change into the gown and come in^^
Hospital gowns in various sizes with green floral patterns lined up neatly. Health check-up outfit...? -If clothing only pursued comfort, we'd all go naked. -In that sense, this is worse than nothing. No utility beyond covering the body. Got it. 'Still gotta wear it.' A lizard who physically destroys ghost stories was guarding outside. I had to do the session and get out. I changed. 'That curtain must lead to the counseling space.' As I went to part the curtain that seemed like the exit. A sign.
Only clients allowed from here^^
Friends, family, guardians stop here!
'Ah.' Even if it's welfare or whatever, it's a ghost story, so better not break the rules. "Brown, can you wait a bit?" -Of course I'd worry, but in this case, I must respect Mr. Deer's privacy! Okay. I carefully placed Brown near the vase on the locker room table and parted the curtain. Jingle... Sunlight poured down on my head. "...!" A small, cozy space appeared before me. A warm midday room that soothed the mind.
Definitely... a nice atmosphere.
-I hope it's a useful session, friend!
I hope so.
I redrew the curtain properly and walked into the room.
Another guide sign.
Sit comfortably on the sofa
and enjoy the outside view!
I sat on the sofa as instructed. And crossed my arms. Well, nice vibe, but... 'I already know exactly what's gonna happen.'
"It's amazing. It helped me regain my lost motivation and remember things I'd forgotten..."
-Lee Jeong-eun (Assistant Manager) post-counseling interview
Someone shows up outside the window for counseling. Customized per person. Anyway, high chance it shows a trauma-related person or object, stages a resolution, and lets you watch for catharsis. Deeply immersed people get emotional healing, leaving in tears or peacefully—that's the cliché in the 'Fox Counseling Room' ghost story usage records. 'I already know all that. Wonder if it'll work.' Thinking about it now, even that's dubious. I crossed my arms, gazing at the huge window showing a sunlit beautiful garden... And at that moment. Someone appeared beside the garden.
"...!!"
It was... Me. A tired, dark-faced 'me' stood in the sunlit garden, then turned to look at me inside. And waved.
"...!"
I reflexively raised my hand... then lowered it. 'What the hell.' Not even a doppelganger. A feeling of unease and repulsion rose. But the 'Kim Sol-eum' outside didn't stop there. He looked around, grabbed a nearby chair, and sat right in front of the window. Then grinned at me.
"......" 'Should I just stand up?' The door opens after an hour, but I could probably just camp out by it... As the seat grew increasingly uncomfortable.
"Teacher Kim Sol-eum."
"...!!"
"Thank you so much for coming for counseling today. I'm your counselor."
The thing outside wearing my face started talking.
"You seem very tired today. How have you been sleeping lately? How many hours?"
I gritted my teeth.
"......So-so."
"I see... Could you be more specific? Over five hours?"
"......Sometimes."
"I see. Sometimes... sleeping little, is that related to work being tough?"
Wow! 'This is insane.' I barely answered.
"I don't want to answer. Seeing you say that in my form just repulses me."
"Why do you feel repulsion, Teacher Kim Sol-eum?"
"Don't people naturally feel threatened by someone identical to themselves?"
"But... I'm a distinct being from Teacher Kim Sol-eum."
What?
"Want to find the differences? See any?"
I absentmindedly scanned him. Eyes, nose, mouth, body, clothes.
"......Identical."
"Then let's compare better with a mirror?" Rumble. Suddenly, the bookshelf next to my sofa moved, revealing a full-length mirror. I absentmindedly looked in. Tired office worker.
"......"
"Shall we compare?"
Compare or not, completely identi...
"......"
"How is it?"
"......Mine," I looked in the mirror.
"Seems... my complexion is worse......"
Imagination... or not?
"I see."
But the one outside nodded.
"Why the difference?"
"No idea."
"Let's observe more. Might see something else."
I alternated between the one outside and the mirror me. Eyes, nose, mouth, shoulders, arms... Wrist.
"Tattoo."
I muttered entranced.
"That one doesn't have a tattoo."
The one from the theme park was there. But... :恩主: This was missing. The tattoo that served as my inventory.
"What tattoo? Ah, that one!"
"Yes."
"There must be a reason for that tattoo. What effect did it have?"
"I can store items inside."
"I see. Do you have stuff in it now?"
"Yes."
"Can you show? Or if you're shy, place them where I can't see."
"......Sure."
I pulled items from the tattoo. Items, gear, coins... All familiar.
"All out."
Why make me do this? What's different from the one outside?
"Teacher Kim Sol-eum."
"Yes?"
"I think something's still left in the tattoo."
Quiet!
"Try reaching into mine?"
I don't want to know "No. You want to know, and you can."
"......"
I stood from the sofa. Approached the window... And reached out my hand.
"You've worked so hard."
The one outside grabbed my hand. And. Thrust his hand into my tattoo.