005 – What Magicians Do # 2
005 - What Magicians Do # 2
005 - What Magicians Do # 2
[Urgent/Same-day Payment] Overnight Building Security Eosureum-class Daily wage 220,000 won.
Location - Construction site near Sanmun University
Job Description
-Access control, patrol
-22:30 to 06:30 the next day
Night snack, Eosureum-class site manual provided
I clicked on it as if possessed.
A daily wage of 220,000 won?
Even though the minimum wage keeps rising, it's rare to find a part-time job around here that pays over 200,000 won a day.
It's probably because there are so many college students.
College students devour the sweet part-time jobs near the university like termites eating through a wooden pillar.
But there was something in the job description that bothered me.
The word Eosureum-class was mentioned repeatedly.
Is it slang in the security world?
「Eosureum: A pure Korean word meaning 'a slightly dark state' or 'the time when the day is ending'」
That's what I found on the internet.
Since it's a word meaning a dark state, evening, or nighttime, it might be a term for 'night security'.
More importantly, if I don't call quickly, I might lose the job to college students hungry for money.
I quickly called the number written in the job posting.
# # #
"You're Ha Yuseong-ssi, right? College students these days are a pain because they quit and run away whenever they don't like the work. The last student even talked big and then wouldn't even answer my calls."
Container office.
A middle-aged man wearing a black vest mixed a cup of instant coffee in a paper cup and handed it to me.
It was iced coffee with ice cubes floating in it.
"The daily wage is paid in cash at the end of the shift in the morning, okay? If you run away in the middle, you won't get paid, so you have to work diligently."
"Yes."
"I like your prompt answer. Did you do any sports? You have a good physique."
I sipped the iced coffee and answered appropriately.
"I just do some home training as a hobby."
"Home training... like push-ups and stuff? Back in my day, I used to go to Gyeryu Mountain over there and do pull-ups. Now that I'm older, my joints hurt, so it's just—."
He looked like he was about to say something else, but then he looked at the clock hanging on the office wall.
He smacked his lips as if to shake off the sweet aftertaste of the instant coffee, then handed me a leather-covered file folder.
"There are some simple rules written in here, so take a look. My shift is almost over, so I'm heading out. There's nothing difficult, so just stay comfortable. Comfortable."
The man took off the vest that had been draped over his shoulders.
And he changed his shoes into comfortable slippers.
He's getting off work now, while I'm just starting.
I hadn't even started my job yet, but I was already envious of him.
I opened the file folder to steady my mind.
Words were written on A4 paper that was a bit crumpled and discolored, as if it were old.
「Dori Building Security Rules」
1. Control access of outsiders and homeless people
Keep the site fully closed, and if unauthorized intruders (MeTubers, homeless people, etc.) are found, evict them immediately.
2. Prevent safety accidents and inspect materials
Inspect risk areas for falling objects and internal puddles, and patrol to prevent theft of remaining materials.
3. Strictly prohibit access to the basement
After 22:00, completely close the basement entrance and strengthen patrols. If the basement door is open, offer a sacrifice to the altar in the basement.
3-1. Sacrifice management instructions
A generous amount of sacrifices is placed in the storage box inside the basement
4. Survival tips when encountering Wagijagi-nim in the basement
Remove everything that has your name written on it.
If you make eye contact, you must say "Komori."
If you encounter body parts like legs or arms, offer the clothing worn on that body part.
5.━─━─━───.
Odd numbers must become even, and even numbers must become odd.
Wagijagi-nim, Wagiwagi-jagijagi─.
Whoa, what is this?
Up to the second item, the security rules were roughly what I expected.
It started getting a bit weird from number 3, and from number 4, it was full of incomprehensible content.
As for item 5, the letters themselves were hard to read, as if someone had scratched them out with their fingernails.
"Excuse me, sir. I'd like to ask about the basement in number 3 here."
I asked the predecessor security guard who was about to get off work.
The man, who had been combing his hair that was matted from wearing a hat for a long time, raised his eyebrows.
"Item 3? What are you talking about? And there's no such thing as a basement in this building."
"Yes? There isn't one?"
"See that? The lien execution banner. We built up to the 4th floor, and while working on the parking lot construction in the basement, the architect went bankrupt, so the construction was cut short."
Banners fluttered past the windows of the container office.
「Lien in effect」
「Unauthorized entry/property damage/defacement of postings may be punished according to relevant laws. - Dori General Construction」
The building that stopped being built was wrapped in construction fabric.
Watching the steel frames and concrete covered in fabric, shining in the moonlight, it was eerie because the building looked just like a 'mummy'.
As I stood there slightly frozen, the man opened the office door and said,
"It's nothing special. Sometimes punks calling themselves MeTubers or whatever will come and try to get into the building. You just have to stop that. If you're sleepy, just sleep."
A night part-time job where you can sleep if you're sleepy?
A daily wage of 220,000 won?
This is a total piece of cake─.
I wanted to say that.
But I couldn't.
3. Strictly prohibit access to the basement
3-1. Sacrifice management instructions
4. Survival tips when encountering Wagijagi-nim in the basement
5.━─━─━───.
**Letters trapped in markings.
I felt like I knew what that meant.
Perhaps this was something invisible to others, something that only I could see.
In a way, it's like 'Boribori'.
Something not ordinary.
Just as I reached that conclusion, the security guard slammed the door shut and left.
Shwaaaaaa-.
The container office where an old wall-mounted fan was spinning.
I was left alone in that place where the light was flickering.
No, two, if you include Boribori, who was curled up in the corner.
Boribori kept looking at the water purifier where the sticks were placed, wondering about the instant coffee.
"Sigh, I'll make you one, so you have to stay quiet today."
Salang-salang-.
Boribori's tail, which was raised upward, swayed like a reed.
# # #
** marked rules that only I can see.
I said that, but actually, I think a correction is needed.
Because someone wrote these rules.
Someone other than me must have been able to see this too.
That means─.
There are others who have seen and experienced strange things besides me?
I hadn't even had time to think about it until now, but I thought it was entirely possible.
Pibibibic, pibibibibic-.
"Eumat!"
I was startled by the sudden sound.
When I had a spasm, Boribori was also surprised and jumped about 5cm into the air.
"......!"
And then it glared at me.
It felt like it was scolding me, saying, "You scared me because of that!"
I rubbed my chin with a sheepish feeling and calmed my startled heart.
"Seeing the alarm go off, it must be patrol time."
I picked up the red plastic flashlight and left the office.
In front of me, the building with fabric fluttering in the wind.
Go-oooooo-.
It was a building I had seen passing by while walking around the neighborhood.
I hadn't thought much of it back then.
Now, it felt like a strange experience that I had to patrol such a place.
To be honest, I'm a little scared too.
Tat-tat-tat-.
If there's any consolation, it's that Boribori came out of the office and is following behind me, right?
Chased by a demon─.
In some ways, that might be more dangerous and scary than exploring an abandoned building.
But for some reason, I feel reassured by that.
'Yeah, what could happen?'
With that feeling, I was circling the building, when I discovered a group shining their phone lights here and there on the building.
"Ah, shit, it's security! Oppa, what do we do?"
"Hey, be quiet!"
"Everyone shut up. I'll handle it."
One man and two women.
Young. College students? I was finishing that thought when a man wearing a black short-sleeved t-shirt approached me. His physique is similar to mine.
"Excuse me, I'm Jang Geunbeom, who runs the MeTube 'Ghost Story Tiger Channel'."
The man introducing himself.
He was a man with a fairly muscular build, highlighted by a tight-fitting short-sleeved t-shirt.
His face was slightly dinosaur-like.
The corners of his mouth, twisted loosely, were full of the bluff and swagger typical of a man standing in front of women.
"Huh?"
He approached, saw my face, and his expression suddenly changed.
"Are you Yuseong? Ha Yuseong! Sanmun Middle School!"
Uh-? How does he know my name?
There was no name tag on the security uniform I was wearing. So when I felt puzzled, the man hit my back with a thud.
They say men usually hit each other's shoulders or backs when they feel glad to see each other, but this touch was mixed with unpleasantness rather than such affection.
And that unpleasantness stirred up my old memories.
When I was in middle school, there was one guy who went around hitting people's backs with his fist.
He was a guy who was rumored to be one of the 'so-called popular types' who, while still in middle school, met high school girls and college girls and did this and that with them─.
Of course, he was good at fighting, and because he had a good physique, no one could challenge him, so even though he went around hitting people's backs, everyone couldn't say a word.
His name was Jang Geunbeom.
"Hey, Yuseong-ah. It's really nice to see you."
That Jang Geunbeom was pretending to know me.
A guy I hadn't even greeted once during my 3 years of middle school.
But somehow, the women read the atmosphere and cheered.
"Geunbeom-oppa, do you know the security ahjussi?"
"Kya! That's great! That's great!"
Women in tank tops and dolphin shorts that exposed their legs.
They were women who flaunted their youth to the fullest.
Their hair colors were also colorful, pink and yellow.
But why am I a security 'ahjussi', and Jang Geunbeom is 'oppa'?
As I was thinking that, the corners of Jang Geunbeom's mouth curled up.
"We're friends from middle school. Yuseong-ah, we're trying to film a MeTube video here. Just let us into the basement. It won't even take an hour."
The self-proclaimed MeTuber Jang Geunbeom, who was putting his arm around my shoulder.
I could feel the smell of perfume and the physical strength containing some kind of will.
But so what?
I am security.
It means I shouldn't let anyone in here if I want to get paid.
"Just go, for today."
I hit his back.
Jjak-.
"Argh!"
Jang Geunbeom's face, which had been spouting teeth while pretending to be close until just a moment ago, crumpled instantly.
I just gave back exactly what I received, so why is he overreacting?
"Ah, you fucking bastard─."
It didn't even take 3 seconds for his true colors to show.
To express the 10 years spent after graduating middle school with one curse word, he really has a talent.
"Hey. Is it really not possible? I had a hard time scraping the kids together to film here today. The kids over there are also MeTubers, so if it ends here, my face will really be ruined."
"What's not allowed is not allowed. And in the first place, there is no 'basement' in this building."
I don't know what the basement here is, but it's a place you shouldn't know about, and even more so, a place you shouldn't enter.
So, by saying it 'doesn't exist'.
I don't know, but I'm saving you guys, you know?
"......."
MeTuber Jang Geunbeom glared at me.
If it had been middle school, when I was in the front row by height, I might have been intimidated here.
But I'm 25 now.
I have no intention of playing along with the bully, thug games.
Perhaps feeling my will, Jang Geunbeom spat on the floor and backed away.
"Ha Yuseong, I'll remember this."
It feels like he's backing down too easily.
It's clear he's going to turn around and cause some trouble.
Just in case, I searched the area around the building even more thoroughly.
Then, behind the building, I found a heavy iron lid that seemed to be connected to the basement.
Deolkeong-deolkeong.
After checking the tightly locked chain and padlock, I took a water-based pen out of my pocket.
Recalling my memory, I pressed down and drew the 'sealing' pattern I had learned a while ago.
If I've done this much, even a mouse wouldn't be able to get through.
Kkuuuuuu-Boribori's stomach growled loudly.
I should boil the cup ramen I received as a snack and give it to him.
Like that.
Time passed.
Before I knew it, it was around 2 AM.
Just when I was thinking I was bored to death, I felt a vibration under my feet, Kuuuung-.
"......!"
Boribori, who was curled up and resting in the corner, reacted immediately.
Boribori stared at the ground with its tail held high like an antenna and said,
"...Wagi-jagi!"