Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Even If I Fall into a Ghost Story, I Still Have to Go to Work
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The warm sunlight filtering into the Fox Counseling Room.
Another me, standing outside the window.
He's grabbing my arm and rummaging through the inside of the tattoo.
...
Huh?
That's not me?
Then I have to refuse. Did I break the rules? No. Right, this situation isn't right! Isn't right! Isn't right! Isn't right! I have to follow the rules because I'm a new teacher who has to follow the rules—
"All done, Teacher."
The hand that had been stirring inside my tattoo pulled out.
Thud.
Something in its grip came flying out with it.
From inside the tattoo that should have been empty...
"Looks like this was in there."
Under the garden light, a vivid red title emerged.
A brown document folder.
"You seem to recognize it. Do you remember what it is?"
Oh my God.
My mind cleared up instantly, like I'd been doused with cold water.
'That...!!'
And just like a dam bursting, fragments of the foggy memories from the past few weeks came flooding back crystal clear.
When I shoved the contaminated Foreman Park Minseong into my wrist at the kindergarten!
The space inside the tattoo swallowed him without issue... Ah, the manual touched it! I'd never do that on purpose.
The manual that the foreman had been holding got sucked into my tattoo all at once!
I'd suppressed the urge to handle it separately and shoved it all in at once. Probably planning to report it all to the security team together after rescuing the foreman.
But...
-If you have any equipment or items from the 'Hungry Hangman' darkness, please return them.
-Ah, nothing like that.
I didn't turn in the manual.
To be precise, every time I tried to recall what else was in the tattoo, I unconsciously felt a sense of rejection and stopped.
Suspicion goes against the rules!
And even the fact that I'd felt that rejection faded from memory before long. A teacher shouldn't feel rejection toward the rules... No. Don't think too deeply about this either!
What was certain was that I'd tried several times.
Attempts to let those around me know that something was wrong with my state.
-...Squad Leader.
-Yes.
-If you ever think I have some weird obsession with the rules, could you take a look at me...?
-Sure.
-...Ah. I just mentioned it because I've been too obsessed with work lately.
-I see.
I'd brought up the topic several times with Squad Leader Lee Jaheon. Though it always ended vaguely with the contaminated me questioning back.
'That was close.'
The manual inside the tattoo had started eroding my subconscious more and more, and eventually, I failed to notice all the eerie points, accepting them naturally...
'...At least I snapped out of it at Se-gwang Industrial High School!'
Thanks to consuming the Nostalgia Candy.
But the moment I woke from the dream, that was the end of it.
And yesterday's 'final conversation' with Squad Leader Lee Jaheon was the peak.
-Kim Sol-eum.
-Yes?
-Have you recently felt any bizarre pressure to follow the rules, or been gripped by impulses?
-Following the rules is just natural as a member of the company, Squad Leader!
-I see.
"......"
Wow, oh my God.
'I feel like I'm gonna puke.'
Was I acting like that??
I staggered over and leaned against the window.
'So that's why Squad Leader Lee Jaheon...'
Was so insistent on shoving me into the counseling room.
"...Ha."
Everything became clear.
Like taking off a poorly fitting tie, or cleaning smudged glasses.
A refreshing sense of liberation and exhaustion washed over my entire body.
And... anxiety too.
"......"
"What are you thinking right now?"
"......Tired... and refreshed."
"Does it feel like you've escaped some uncomfortable obsession?"
"......Yes."
The 'counselor teacher' standing outside the window, wearing my appearance, looked at me as if consoling.
"You did very well. The fact that you kept sitting here properly throughout the counseling shows your strong willpower, Teacher."
"......"
Then, he quietly set the manual down on the garden floor and fetched a shovel from somewhere to lightly dig the earth.
"It's distressing to be gripped by strong impulses or notions you didn't want."
Scrape, scrape. A small dirt pit formed in one corner of the outdoor garden by the hands of 'Kim Sol-eum' outside the window.
Thud.
The manual was tossed inside.
"Change isn't always bad, but if it's harming your body and mind, you should always be able to refuse it."
My counterpart outside neatly covered it with the dug-up soil, then brushed his hands clean.
"Teacher Sol-eum, do you see that small plant in the flowerpot over there?"
Flowerpot?
I turned my head, and sure enough, there was a small flowerpot on the table near the sofa.
A plant with tiny, unripe berries like peas.
"......"
I gently plucked one that was at least a bit ripe and handed it to 'me' beyond the window.
"You did really well."
The counselor teacher outside the window took my hand along with the berry.
Then.
"...!"
The berry in my hand ripened bright red.
As if it had absorbed full nutrients, plump and appetizing.
"Chew it thoroughly before you go."
"......"
I put the berry in my mouth.
The intense anxiety, rage, worries, irrational sadness, and pain slowly melted away with the berry...
Whew.
With a sigh, all the emotional residue scattered like grains of sand.
I became calm.
Just an ordinary office worker, mentally and physically tired.
My usual self.
I looked up at the counselor teacher by the window.
"Thank you. I feel much better now."
"I'm the one who's grateful, Teacher Kim Sol-eum!"
The counselor teacher's face lit up brightly.
For some reason, she no longer looked like she was mimicking me.
"Shall we talk a bit more then?"
After that, it was a perfectly ordinary psychiatric counseling session.
To be precise, it felt like spilling everything to a highly skilled and comforting counselor.
'Gotta admit this much.'
If I had to pick one thing that this hopeless profit-driven ghost story company, Daydream Corporation, did right, it was including this in employee welfare.
"If you ever feel overwhelmed by bad thoughts again, I'll give you a signboard so you can come to the Fox Counseling Room anytime."
On the way out, I received an item.
The exact same signboard as the one on the door I entered through.
"Hang that sign on a door and open it, and it'll connect to our counseling room."
"...Thank you."
I want to keep it, but I'll have to attach it to a door right away when I leave.
'The nameplate on the door I used must have vanished.'
Easier to think of it as a false accusation.
"Well, I'll be going then."
I started to stand from my seat.
The counselor teacher's reluctant voice came.
"Actually, it's best to schedule regular sessions, once a week or every two weeks..."
Aaaargh!
"Sorry, but I'm too busy... That won't work."
"I see. Everyone's like that these days..."
The 'counselor teacher' drooped her head a bit, then nodded.
But I can't fall for that look.
'Scheduling regular counseling... dramatically increases the chance of side effects kicking in...!'
'Counselor Teacher' strongly recommends regular counseling to the client. Client refuses, but 'Counselor Teacher' persistently persuades. After 1 hour 21 minutes, client accepts with a calm mind. Client subsequently goes missing.
※ Full record requires B-level security clearance.
Thankfully, the counselor teacher nodded with a smile instead of pushing further and let me go.
"Still, it's good that Teacher Kim Sol-eum has good acquaintances, family, and friends around."
"......"
Hold on.
Sure, even in this insane ghost story world, I do have decent acquaintances and 'good friends'...
"Family... you say?"
The counselor teacher reached out and tapped her wrist.
I looked down at my own wrist.
That spot...
"That person."
"...?!"
♬♩♪♬~♪♪♩~
"Ah, time's up. Take care going back, Teacher Kim Sol-eum."
I looked up.
No one was there.
The counselor who had been smiling by the window vanished like a lie, leaving only the sunlight pouring into the modest, charming outdoor garden...
♬♩♪♬~♪♪♩~
A light waltz melody signaling the end of counseling.
I thought I glimpsed a scarlet fox tail scampering away under the stone wall in the distance...
"......"
I stood from the sofa and headed to the changing room curtain.
On the lace tablecloth-covered table along the way to the curtain, an unknown cool beverage was prepared.
Have a great day today!
*^^*
"......"
I chugged the drink and gratefully set it down.
It was very nutty barley tea.
-Was the counseling helpful, friend?
"Yeah."
I picked up the 'good friend' plush doll.
......Now that my mind is clear, a few thoughts about this guy come to mind too...
'But that'll wait until after work.'
For now, there's someone I need to face first.
Creeak.
I opened the door and stepped out.
The white lizard head in a black suit, leaning against the opposite wall, turned to look at me.
"Did you get counseling?"
"Yes."
I probably look pretty sheepish saying that.
"Thank you, Squad Leader. Thanks to you, I escaped the contamination."
"No need."
The lizard squad leader is being modest...?!
"You're still contaminated, Kim Sol-eum. Get periodic counseling."
"......Yes."
Ah.
That's what he meant...
"Still, I feel much better than before. Don't you think so too, Squad Leader?"
"Yes."
The lizard squad leader eyed me as if appraising, then declared.
"You're good to see him now."
"See who...?"
"Foreman Park Minseong's message."
"...!!"
...Squad Leader Lee Jaheon pulled a small Post-it from his suit pocket and handed it to me.
"......"
I took a short deep breath.
"Is he recovering?"
"Depending on the criteria for recovery..."
"Can he communicate rationally?"
"Probabilistically, yes."
Phew...
'Means he's fluctuating.'
Anyway, recovering is good news.
And naturally, thoughts turned to another squad member.
"......Has Deputy Eun Ha-je contacted you separately at all...?"
"Yes."
"......"
Deputy Eun Ha-je's whereabouts cut off the moment she was processed for leave.
She reads texts or KakaoTalk occasionally, but no replies. Just read receipts.
'Maybe she wants some distance from this ghost story company.'
After all the mental contamination chaos, it felt like a wise stance...
Anyway, that wrapped up my morning schedule.
"Should I head back to the office then?"
"Yes."
"Thank you again, truly, Squad Leader."
"Yes."
Squad Leader Lee Jaheon left for his duties, and I killed time until lunch browsing the welfare mall in the office.
A luxury afforded by pulling an A-grade solution right before.
'Enjoying a sound mind makes it feel even better...'
I don't know. This company just scares me to death...
Knock knock.
"Hello."
Hm?
I turned from my monitor.
Someone who had entered the office unnoticed was lightly tapping my desk.
A young man in a gray suit.
'Don't recognize the face.'
From another team or department?
Looked about my age, the type you wouldn't want as a rival in an interview...
'Why come here instead of a normal big corp.'
I nearly pitied him for a second but straightened up.
"Hello. What brings you here?"
"Ah, just had something to ask."
He asked just as politely.
"How was the counseling, Sol-eum?"
"...!"
"You look much recovered, which makes me happy. Nice to meet you. I'm Ho Yuwon."
And he extended his hand as if for a handshake.
"I heard you got an interesting offer from Director Cheong recently."
"......"
Director Cheong.
Called without honorifics.
And the name.
Ho Yuwon.
......
...Director Ho!!
"I happened to have a proposal for you too. What a coincidence."