Chapter 308
Chapter 308
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Chapter 308 - 308. 말할 수 없는 비밀
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Translator: crow
Chapter 308: Unspeakable Secret
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"Get a grip, Arin."
"You need to get a grip yourself."
Song Arin and I were walking along, chatting idly.
My ears were still ringing with a cacophony like wailing ghosts, but even worse was...
'Jaeheon! Over here! Please!'
'Here. Help me.'
'Jaeheon! Where are you!'
People's voices were calling out, and I forced my furrowed brow to relax as I glanced at Song Arin.
...
Song Arin was walking in silence, her brow furrowed just like mine.
What sounds was she hearing?
"Arin."
"What."
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
She nodded in response to my question.
"Got it."
...
Silence fell again.
We kept walking.
...Sigh...
Song Arin let out a deep sigh as we walked and turned to look at me.
"Honestly, no."
"Figured as much."
Otherwise, she wouldn't look so deathly pale.
...
She glared at me for a moment before slowly speaking.
"I hear voices."
"What kind?"
"People calling my name."
People calling her.
Who could be calling her?
A bitter expression flickered across her face for a moment before returning.
"Anyway, they don't confuse me, but they do get on my nerves."
"If it's too much, let me know."
"Why? We can't exactly take a break."
"I can at least listen, and talking about it might help."
...
She closed her eyes for a moment at my words, then opened them.
"Yeah. I do have things to say, but now's not the best time."
"Then let's hurry."
"What are you hearing?"
I closed and opened my eyes just like she had.
'Jaeheon!'
'Oppa!'
'Help me!'
Voices of people I knew kept echoing.
"Not anything pleasant."
"...What?"
"Should I tell you when you share yours?"
"You're such a jerk."
She pouted and muttered, but followed behind me anyway.
I walked briskly, scanning our surroundings.
Projection room. No. Memories of All Things. No. Dissection room. No.
Emergency treatment room.
"...Found it."
I muttered, staring at the door. Song Arin looked up at the sign too.
"No such thing as dying in a place like this."
"Even if an hour passed, she wouldn't have died."
"How can you be so sure?"
"She would've made it somehow. We can take Arin out alive."
Whether using Critical, threatening the manual for an incomplete entry, or whatever else—she would've survived no matter what.
...
Song Arin stared at me, let out a small sigh, and grabbed the door handle.
"Don't say stuff like that."
"Like what?"
"Just... don't. It's fine if you say it to me, but not to others."
"No, like what?"
"Ugh, forget it. Let's not talk."
Why's she annoyed again?
She muttered something incomprehensible and opened the door. An acrid medicinal smell hit us instantly.
"Ugh..."
We both grimaced. I pulled out the manual from my pocket, and Song Arin scooted right up beside me to peer at it.
"What does it say?"
"Hold on."
The manual opened to a new entry.
[Office Manual for Desk Jockeys - Emergency Treatment Room]
1. Congratulations if you've made it to the emergency treatment room within an hour. You won't die in the hallway, at least.
2. But you're not out of the woods yet. Follow the instructions carefully from here on.
3. First, find the first-aid kit.
"Wait."
Before I could say anything, Song Arin jumped up and trotted off in search of the first-aid kit. I headed in the opposite direction to do the same.
First-aid kit... first-aid kit...
Soon, a small box with a green cross caught my eye. I sighed in relief, grabbed it, and called out to her.
"Arin!"
No response.
"Arin?"
What happened in the meantime?
Anxiety surged, and I hurried toward her, calling out.
"What? Did you find it?"
She appeared before me, her voice thick with exhaustion. I stared at her for a moment before speaking.
"You didn't answer, so I thought something big happened."
"I got confused. It's not like it's the first time you've called me."
What does that mean?
I'd only called her once.
I stared at Song Arin, and she seemed to realize something, shaking her head with a sigh.
"No, I was talking nonsense. Forget it."
"...Okay."
I pushed aside thoughts of what her hallucinations had said about me, gripped the first-aid kit, and she trotted up beside me.
"What's next?"
"Hold on."
I checked the manual again.
[Office Manual for Desk Jockeys - Emergency Treatment Room]
4. With the kit in hand, find the injured one. When you do, hand it the kit and say, 'I'm looking for the exit.'
5. It will demand the kit first, but never give it over prematurely. Even if it's not human, the mindset of something in pain differs from when it's not—keep that in mind.
6. And even if it tells you the way out, do not hand over the kit first. Leave with it in hand, or pretend to. There's a high chance it's lying to you.
7. If it seems to be telling the truth, then give it the kit. If you withhold it until the end and it dies, the staff will hold you responsible. And those endings are rarely good.
It requires a lot.
Tsk. I clicked my tongue and looked at Song Arin. She was pressing her fingers to her brow like she had a headache and glanced at me.
"This is headache-inducing no matter how many times I read it."
"How bad?"
"More dizziness than headache, honestly."
Does it make other people dizzy?
I looked at the manual with a puzzled expression, and Song Arin turned to me.
"You're so lucky sometimes."
"Why?"
"Just... being able to look at what you want, endure it. Satisfy your curiosity on your terms."
"And yet plenty of people die chasing one bit of curiosity."
"And you're one who handles it better than most."
I suppressed an involuntary smile at her words and looked at the kit.
"Anyway, let's find the injured one first. Then we can negotiate or whatever."
"Why does being with you mean so much blackmailing and deception?"
"No choice."
"I didn't say I hated it."
She gave a small smile.
What am I supposed to do with that?
I kept a straight face as Song Arin started walking and scanning the area.
"Hmm, nothing stands out."
"It's not human, remember? Let's look."
"Okay, I'll go this way—"
"No. Just in case something happens if we split up, let's stick together."
"...If that's what you want."
It sounded oddly like my own speech pattern.
She muttered under her breath and stood by my side. We walked together.
...
...
As we wandered the eerily vast space, Song Arin suddenly spoke up.
"So, what voices are you hearing?"
...
No reason not to tell her.
I paused, then slowly explained.
"People calling me."
"Who?"
"Daon, Chaeyeon, Team Leader, family..."
"What did they say?"
...
I fell silent for a moment, and she glanced at me, gauging my reaction.
"Don't say if you don't want to."
"No, it's fine. Hallucinations are just that."
No real reason not to. I'd just hesitated.
"They asked for help."
"For help?"
"Yeah. Save me, spare me—basically, help, a lot."
"...Me?"
"Hm?"
Is that what matters?
"Did I ask for help?"
"...Yeah. You didn't, Arin."
Maybe because she was right beside me?
I nodded, and unlike before, she looked satisfied.
"Good."
"Why?"
"...Means I'm tough and resilient, right?"
"...Maybe."
No need to say, 'I don't think so.'
"...Yeah, that's it. Of course..."
She muttered to herself, looking pleased. I decided to ask the question that had been nagging me.
"What about you, Arin? What voices?"
She instantly fell silent, glancing at me.
She knew it wouldn't be fair if she didn't share.
"...Family."
After a brief silence, she spoke.
"Family?"
"Yeah. Mom, Dad... neighborhood grandma... people who were kind to me."
"And?"
...
She hesitated at my question.
...
"No need if you don't want to."
I echoed her words back.
No point pressing if she didn't want to say.
Let's go. Time to prepare for escape.
"Then let's—"
"Your voice."
Before I could finish, she murmured softly.
"You kept talking to me."
"Me?"
"Yeah."
"What did I say?"
"...Something. I don't remember well."
How do you not remember? Did I babble or something?
I stared at her. She met my eyes, then looked away.
"Anyway."
"Got it."
I nodded and started to walk when—
"Ughhh..."
A groan-like sound came from somewhere.
Song Arin and I exchanged glances and headed toward it in unison.
Something resembling a human lay there.
But it had only one arm, one leg, one eye, one ear.
It breathed raggedly, looked at us, then at the kit we held.
"F-First-aid... kit...!"
It cried out desperately, then turned its gaze to us.
"G-Give it here!"
Song Arin and I exchanged looks.
"Can't just hand it over."
I spoke first,
"Right."
and she nodded as if we'd rehearsed it.
I don't know for sure, but we were both probably smiling.