Welcome to Sinus Candy Shop!
Welcome to Sinus Candy Shop!
Hua. Yesterday was another tiring day.
As soon as I laid down to get some sleep, I lost consciousness right then and there as if a switch had been turned off.
Eye exercises done after waking up in the morning are good for your health.
I blinked once upward and twice downward.
Yep. As expected, I can see clearly.
Inhaling deeply with a seueup, the scent of flowers filled my lungs completely.
Back in my previous world, the only smell I ever inhaled was car exhaust, haha.
" Then shall we start the day in a good mood today as well! "
:: That's a good attitude! ::
Receiving encouragement like that from Tinkerbell—affectionately nicknamed Bell—I commuted to work at the shop in a good mood today as well.
Well. Truth be told, commuting just means walking a few steps from the staff break room out to the display counter.
As I mentioned before, this shop doesn't have a very good location.
Aside from regulars, hardly any customers come, and even they don't show up every day, so the number of customers coming in a day can be counted on one hand. On some days, no one comes at all.
Because of that, flies are literally buzzing around inside the shop, and chasing them away is most of what I do.
It's not that much work. Honestly, it's pretty sweet.
Ttal-lang.
Ah. No sooner had I said it than a customer arrived.
A toy wearing a spacesuit. Must be an astronaut doll.
None of the few regulars' faces matched this one. It seems they just happened to stop by.
Wearing my business smile and preparing to give the customer greeting of welcome—
"Kyaaaak—!"
Uh-oh.
Suddenly, the customer screams in absolute terror.
Because of the helmet, their facial expression can't be seen, but it's a scream like someone encountering a murderer on a dark night.
Something that doesn't fit the astronaut theme at all, and I don't know why they're holding it—
Dropping even a bread knife dripping with jam from their hand, they are letting out a shrill scream.
" What's wrong, customer-nim...? "
"Wh-Wh-What are you?!"
" Are you alright? "
Ah. Could the saw I'm holding be the problem?
As I tried to raise both hands to calm them down, a realization suddenly struck me.
Since I've been using it continuously after working here, and the regulars here never reacted to it, I had overlooked that it could look threatening.
" Now, now, calm down. "
I carefully set the double-edged saw down onto the cutting board.
Even so, the customer remained in a state of panic.
I mobilized knowledge from my previous job.
Raising both hands up to show I meant no harm, I slowly approached.
"D-Don't come any closer!!"
" It's alright, seonsaeng-nim. Nobody here is going to hurt you. "
"Uaaaaaaah!!!!"
Deolkeong-deolkeong.
The customer grabbed the door and shook it violently.
However, the firmly closed door didn't open, as if it were locked.
:: What's going on? ::
" A customer came while you were away. "
Pyong.
Tinkerbell reappeared after playing around somewhere again.
Although she's a perk attached by Angel-nim, I am the only one who signed the part-time contract.
Thinking she didn't need to be tied down together with me, whenever she said she'd go outside for a bit, I guarded the shop by myself.
" Is it broken? Could you step aside for a moment? "
Stepping the customer aside briefly, I open the shop's door.
Pulling it gently, the door opened without any issue.
Did they fail to distinguish between pulling and pushing because they were in a panic?
" Now, as you can see, it opens without a problem. Whenever seonsaeng-nim wishes—. "
"Uaaaah!!!"
Ah. They ran out.
I meant to show that the door could be opened anytime so they could leave and calm down, though.
I never dreamed they would dash out immediately like this.
A panicked person, a toy.
This could be dangerous to people walking around nearby, as well as to themselves.
Should I chase after them?
:: But we still have working hours left. ::
:: Store Owner-nim is still sleeping. Leaving the shop completely empty would be problematic. ::
Mmm. That's true.
Screaming so suddenly, too...
Though I think the possibility is slim, drawing me out—the sole employee—and...
'The fact that it didn't feel like acting bothers me, though. But since the opponent is a toy, it's hard to be certain.'
And in that brief moment while I was distracted by deliberation, the astronaut's scream was no longer heard.
I looked outside the store door, but their figure wasn't visible either.
" That's strange. Can a person disappear this quickly? "
:: Then maybe they teleported or something? ::
:: It's a fairytale world, after all. A Wonderland where magic actually exists! ::
Tinkerbell emphasized, spreading her wings wide with a hwaak.
Pink fairy dust scattered around.
Come to think of it, that's true.
I thought it was an astronaut, but maybe it was actually an alien doll.
Boarding a UFO, disappearing with a pyong like cattle mutilation.
Even if it's in the distant past now, despite how I look, I used to push my body pretty hard at my previous job.
But even someone like me wouldn't have the confidence to escape this alleyway this quickly.
The sound disappearing at a certain moment was strange too.
But if they used teleportation, it makes sense in its own way.
" Makes sense. "
:: Right? ::
Agreeing, I stood back at the display counter.
Maintaining the blade of the double-edged saw, I prepared to spend another energetic day today.
:: Something's on your mouth. ::
" Ah, thanks. "
:: Honestly, so reckless. What would you do without me? ::
" Ey, I would've survived somehow without you anyway. "
:: .... ::
" ...Don't tell me you're pouting? "
Mmm. I prepared to spend an energetic day, but...
In the end, it became pointless.
The rest of the day ended up being spent soothing a sulking Tinkerbell.
### :: Meanwhile. :: ###
### :: At the Management Bureau. :: ###
"This is the location where we will be deployed tomorrow. Everyone, read the documents placed in front of you."
Anomaly Management Bureau, Conference Room 4.
It was an order from Team Leader Jeong Yeong of Field Investigation Team 2.
One by one, the gathered members of Team 2 picked up the printed documents in front of them.
========
Classification Code: QNSFB-1587
Anomaly Name: Sinus Candy Prison Break Incident (Provisional)
Comprehensive Hazard Grade: Unclassified (Investigation Required)
Overview:
- Mass disappearance occurred in the cells of Hanhyun Prison.
- Confirmed missing persons: 1st disappearance 6 people, 2nd disappearance 5 people, 3rd disappearance 6 people, total of 17 people.
- No signs of prison break, including damage to walls or floors inside the scene, were discovered.
=========
"More than 10 people disappeared, yet it amazingly wasn't publicized. During the 1st disappearance, even if no traces were left behind, they could have suspected a mass prison break."
"I heard a big shot from political circles was involved among the first missing persons. Fearing the fallout if the disappearances became known, while concealing and investigating it, the second disappearance incident occurred."
"Aha. So they suspected an anomaly from then on and handed it over to us?"
"...That is a part included in the distributed documents. Are you asking after reading it all?"
"Ah. Not yet. While reading, a curious part came up, so I asked first before I forgot."
=========
- Identified inmates sharing the same cell as the 1st missing persons who were moved to solitary confinement around the time of the disappearance.
- The reason for moving to solitary confinement was an altercation with cellmates; an investigation was conducted suspecting a connection to the disappearance, but it was confirmed to be a coincidence. Additionally, the inmate denied any possibility of the original inmates planning a prison break.
- As a result of reviewing the CCTV footage from the three disappearance incidents, a screen stutter of approximately 3-second intervals before and after the disappearances was confirmed. No unusual behavior was observed in the inmates' appearances before and after the screen stuttered.
=========
"Now I really finished reading it all."
"That's printed double-sided."
"Ah, you're right. There was a back page."
"Keep your wits about you. You should set an example in front of the newcomer."
========================
Special Remarks:
- Wrapped candies and chocolates were found at the scene of the 2nd disappearance incident. (Hereinafter referred to as snacks.)
- What came out upon unwrapping the snacks was a portion of the body parts of the 1st missing persons.
- Afterwards, the classification was changed from a simple prison break incident to an anomaly, and the agency in charge was transferred to the Management Bureau.
========================
"Aha. So this is it. The reason it was suspected to be an anomaly rather than a prison break."
"Indeed. Has everyone read it?"
"Yeeep." "Yep."
"What about our newcomer?"
At Team Leader Jeong Yeong's words, the gazes of the people in the conference room directed toward one person.
Was that gaze burdensome?
The new newcomer to the management team, Intern Cha Jiyoung, shrank back completely.
"Y-Yes. I read it all."
"There's no need to be so nervous."
The corners of Team Leader Jeong Yeong's eyes softened gently.
Ttubeok-ttubeok.
Approaching the newcomer's side, she lightly placed her hand on the newcomer's shoulder.
"Our Intern Cha, this is your first field deployment, right? It's only natural to be nervous. But there's no need to worry. All the personnel being deployed to the phenomenon are local death row inmates and inmates serving life sentences."
The hand resting on her shoulder massaged it as it was, gently loosening up her tense muscles.
Feeling a small sense of relief, Cha Jiyoung asked.
"Th-Then, what is our job?"
"What we are doing this time is field monitoring. Observing the surroundings until the phenomenon occurs, analyzing the omens of the anomaly or the characteristics of the missing persons omitted from the report."
"So it's an indirect investigation? Hwiyu. What a relief."
One of the team members whistled.
"By the way, getting approval to use prisoners for ghost stories isn't easy at all. How did it manage to get approved?"
"Given the special nature of the location being a prison, and the fact that among the missing persons that occurred there are no correctional officers but only prisoners, I raised the possibility that committing a crime itself might be a condition for the anomaly. In the end, it was effective."
"Kyaah, as expected of our Team Leader. Right, newcomer? Isn't she super reliable?"
"Y-Yes.... She is reliable...!"
Thus, one day before Field Investigation Team 2 went on field duty to Hanhyun Prison.
The team's atmosphere was extremely warm and friendly, and...
"Huh? Your voice is small, though? You're not answering under pressure, are you?"
"Intern Cha. There's no need to respond to every single remark like that."
"Y-Yes...!"
"Oh? Her voice got loud again."
And the next day.
At the exact same time.
"Jiyoung! Where did Jiyoung go?"
"She's not in the restroom!"
"I just tried calling her... but it says out of service area..."
"Damn it, of all times, right when the newcomer came to the field for the first time!"
The intern from Field Investigation Team 2, who had been dispatched to Hanhyun Prison, went missing.