The Extraordinary Lurking in the Everyday (3)

I dazedly looked around. The scenery was utterly ordinary. It was a bit late, so there weren't many people passing by, but I could still see a convenience store with its lights on and a drunkard slouched on a bench.

"You're back."

Just moments ago, ghosts in the fog had been swarming me nonstop. I'd picked up a grimoire, performed a summoning ritual, and called forth a massive monster. After all that otherworldly chaos, seeing this everyday sight made it feel like a dream.

"...."

Of course, I knew better than anyone that it hadn't been a dream. I stroked the worn grimoire clutched in my hand. If it had all been a dream, this book wouldn't be here with me.

"Still can't see it."

I flipped through the book again, but nothing. Not even the page with the Punisher summoning method. I probably couldn't read it now because that earlier moment had been some exceptional circumstance.

"My head hurts. Ugh...."

Even if I could read it, I had no desire to summon it again. The headache from the summoning aftereffects was still pounding away. My body had gotten tougher since the change—hangovers were nothing now—but this was apparently an exception.

"Time to go home...."

I tucked the grimoire into my coat and hurried toward home. I was exhausted, and more than that, Shin-nim had drilled it into me: no sleepovers allowed. It was almost midnight—any later, and it'd count as one.

"I'm home."

Once back, I greeted the stone slab first thing, stripped off my clothes, and showered. I changed into pajamas and collapsed onto the bed.

"Ughhh...."

My body felt no physical fatigue, but my mind was wrecked—like I'd run a marathon. Add in the lingering headache, and I needed sleep, stat. I closed my eyes, and that night, instead of sinking into the deep sea, I dreamed of cuddling a squishy shark and slept like a rock.

Unless the world ended, the morning sun rose, and no matter what happened the night before, the office didn't care.

Beep beep beep— beep beep beep—

"...Damn it."

Right on cue, it was time to head to work, and I started my routine without fail.

"Want some?"

"Yeah, even I think that was brain-dead."

I scarfed down a light breakfast while chitchatting with the stone slab on the chair across from me. Chitchat meaning I did all the talking, but considering it was Shin-nim's thing, there was a 99% chance something special was hidden in it. It probably understood me just fine.

"Alright, time to head out."

"Watch the house good."

Anyway, I finished getting ready and headed to work again. My monstrous body meant no physical tiredness, but the mental fatigue lingered. Not just the usual "don't wanna go to work" kind—this was the tension of a soldier back from the front lines with PTSD, on edge everywhere.

"Such is my fate...."

Meeting Shin-nim was inevitable, but going to Hope Bridge yesterday? No clue why. The nagging doubt that more of the same might happen had me seriously stressed.

Ring ring.

"Hm?"

While waiting for the bus, my phone rang. I tensed—ghost call urban legend?—but seeing Yeon Dae-ri on the screen, I relaxed and answered.

"Me? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠At the bus stop?"

But Yeon Dae-ri's voice sounded off—like calling a friend after a car crash, laced with worry and tension. What the hell? Why's she acting like this all of a sudden?

"You called me and now you ask that? What's up with you?"

She mumbled something incoherent a few times, then said see you later and hung up. Staring blankly at my darkened phone, I rubbed the back of my neck.

"What was that."

I'd always seen her as a normal junior, but apparently, she had some secret she couldn't share.

Anyway, after the call with Yeon Dae-ri, I made it to the office without issue and started work as usual. A new project came down from above, so I buckled down harder than normal. Lost in the grind, lunch time snuck up.

"Section Chief, what'll you have for lunch?"

"My wife's packing me a lunchbox today. You guys go ahead."

"I'll pass too! I'm on a diet lately."

Nam Bu-jang and Yeon Dae-ri skipped lunch for their own reasons, so Kim Gwa-jang and I headed out to eat.

"What'll you have?"

"....Pork cutlet."

"Auntie! Two ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pork cutlets here!"

We went into an old-school diner with a full menu and ordered one of the guy's top three foods: pork cutlet. Auntie took the order and vanished into the kitchen. Kim Gwa-jang and I zoned out in silence.

He's so damn quiet.

From day one, I'd noticed Kim Gwa-jang barely spoke. Even when he did, it was a whisper. Communication was tough at first. We'd adapted now, but alone like this, the awkwardness was unbearable.

"...Lately, that's been making noise."

"Hm? What'd you say?"

I'd been staring out the window when Kim Gwa-jang spoke up first for once. His voice was so soft I missed it, so I asked again. He quietly pointed at the TV.

The set in the corner was on the noon news.

The news was about recent murders nearby. Fourth victim already, no trace of the perp—cops were catching hell. I'd seen it a few days back.

"But why bring it up?"

"...Heard something interesting about that case lately."

I asked why he mentioned it, and Kim Gwa-jang gave a small smile before spilling. And it was way more intriguing than I'd expected.

"Rumor has it the real killer... isn't human."

"All victims killed in one blow, no signs of struggle, and looks like they were taken down by someone bigger than them."

"One victim was 184cm, an athlete... Doesn't that seem off?"

He shut up after that. I mulled it over.

Of course, it might just be conspiracy talk—no hard evidence. But after yesterday's anomaly dive, I couldn't help suspecting.

"That's... weird, yeah."

"Right? Blew my mind looking into it."

Right then, Auntie brought the pork cutlets. We dug in, and that wrapped our chat about the shady killer.

Back at the office after lunch, I dove into work. Thanks to the monster body? No post-meal slump or fatigue—full steam ahead, typing twice as fast. Might wrap up today.

"Time to clock out~"

"What."

Deep in the zone, quitting time hit. Nam Bu-jang slung on his coat and left; Kim Gwa-jang had vanished earlier. I scrambled to pack up.

Then Yeon Dae-ri called my name again.

"Um... Deputy Manager Lee."

"What is it, Dae-ri? Need help?"

I wondered if it was extra work. Not that I'd do it—I'd grab her coffee and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bail.

Get home late, and who knows what Shin-nim'll do.

Overtime leading to a sleepover? The house wouldn't just flood—it might straight-up submerge. Maybe not, but I wasn't testing it.

"Not that. Here..."

"...What's this?"

She shook her head at my question and shyly handed me something. Looking down, it was a talisman? In her palm.

Giving this to me? Out of nowhere?

"No big meaning! Just thought you'd like it."

"....Huh."

I gave her a quizzical look, and she rushed excuses: nothing special, you look worn out lately, giving to others too. Sounded MLM-ish, but I smiled and took it.

"Thanks for looking out. I'll carry it."

"Ah! Sure!"

After a year with her, I knew she wasn't bad. Even if she was hiding something, not maliciously.

I'm hiding stuff too.

Everyone has secrets. I tucked the lucky talisman in my wallet, said bye, and left the office.

Exactly 30 minutes later.

"Isn't this a lucky talisman?"

In an alley near home, I faced off against a mysterious 2-meter monster.