Chapter 74
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Monster Tale Specialist Office: The Invisible Person (9)
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“What the hell have you been doing all day?”
Boyoung said with a fed-up look on her face.
“You keep coming by during every break. What’s your deal right now?”
She could only put up with it so many times. The moment lunchtime hit, Boyoung laid into Woli. Sure, Seol was sitting right there with them since it was lunch, but Boyoung had spotted Woli during every single break before that.
“...You knew?”
“How could I not? Your stares are all warm and fuzzy—it’s creeping me out. Did I do something wrong or what?”
Watching her act like that all day was starting to wear on her. With Woli still not answering, Boyoung crossed her arms and asked.
“Why are you even here?”
Boyoung grilled Woli. She knew there had to be a reason since this was out of character, but it was a problem when she wouldn’t just spit it out.
From Woli’s perspective, though, she didn’t have any clever options.
The reason Woli was doing this was to protect Boyoung.
The issue was she couldn’t tell her that.
No way could she say there was an invisible enemy lurking in the school. Boyoung was technically on the same side hunting the invisible person, but she still didn’t believe in invisible people. So Woli just brushed it off vaguely.
“Uh... just wanted to see you?”
Even Woli thought it sounded ridiculous as she said it, but she played it off shamelessly.
“You’ve been showing up since morning, and now you’re spouting nonsense.”
Boyoung could only gape in disbelief.
“Don’t you have any other friends? Is that why you’ve gone nuts?”
“That’s harsh.”
Seol, who’d been listening to their exchange, gave an awkward smile. Boyoung let out a sigh at the sight and said.
“Fine, you’ve got Seol at least. Anyway, quit with the creepy crap and just talk. What are you trying to say by keeping this up?”
“Uh... well...”
Woli finally pulled a note from her pocket.
“Truth is, this was in my shoe locker.”
She didn’t need to explain what it was. It was the exact thing Boyoung had been waiting for.
“What? A reply came?! Where was it?”
“I told you. Inside my shoe locker. Found it right after you ran off.”
“Shoe locker?”
Boyoung’s expression turned serious.
The fact that it went to Woli specifically, not someone else, was crystal clear.
“You’re saying they know who left it.”
“Exactly.”
That’s why Woli had overreacted a bit.
“It means they saw me put it up.”
Even Boyoung hadn’t known exactly how it was done until she heard it firsthand.
No one else could’ve guessed Woli was the one who posted it.
Neither teachers nor students knew. Who did it was a total mystery with zero clues to speculate on.
“...Yeah. Gotta think that way.”
Woli hadn’t posted the flyer in some ordinary, obvious way.
Yet this note had come to her anyway, meaning the other side knew exactly who was behind it.
“How the hell...?”
“I told you. There was definitely someone invisible at school that day.”
“...I want to say no, but there’s no evidence to deny it right now.”
Boyoung clicked her tongue.
It was true. Woli hadn’t left a shred of evidence and wasn’t under any suspicion.
Of course, no one was even trying to track down who posted the flyer, which made it even more impossible to know.
In that situation, the only way to pinpoint the culprit was to witness it firsthand.
“So. The person we’re after was in the school... at that time...”
Boyoung looked incredulous.
“That means someone’s been hiding out in the school.”
If she accepted the facts, that’s what it boiled down to. It sounded insane, but it made more sense than the alternatives. What a nightmare.
“That’s... yeah.”
Boyoung grinned.
“Tricky.”
“You don’t look bothered at all.”
Woli stared at her in disbelief.
“Of course not. Even if this goes south, it’s no big deal.”
So even if it got more complicated, it’d just be more fun. No real trouble.
There was another reason she felt motivated. With the enemy’s existence confirmed, she could pull out more options.
“Anyway, it also means they got the message.”
The other side understood it. That’s why they’d replied to Woli.
“Yeah.”
“So in a way, that’s convenient.”
They could understand words, at least, and using a note meant they were playing along with the method to some degree.
“No need to brainstorm other ways to reach out.”
“But I don’t know what to say...”
Seol said awkwardly. Woli nodded along.
“What do we even write now? They’re telling us to leave them alone.”
“First off, one question: You two quitting?”
Boyoung asked them. They both shook their heads.
It went without saying. If they were gonna quit, they wouldn’t have started. Same for Boyoung. But keep forcing unwanted contact, and that was a problem too.
“We’re not quitting.”
Reasons varied. Too risky to back out now knowing some mystery person existed. Couldn’t ignore someone who might need help. Or just for kicks.
But the conclusion was the same.
“So we keep at it like before. Go for less aggressive contact. It did feel kinda sudden.”
Seol nodded at Boyoung’s decision.
“Then... how about this?”
Seol pulled out a blank sheet of paper and wrote:
[What’s your favorite flower?]
“That’s got nothing in it.”
Woli eyed the sentence, skeptical of its point. Boyoung, on the other hand, nodded like it wasn’t bad.
“Nah, I like it. Might even be better with nothing.”
Starting light with someone on guard wasn’t bad. Building rapport took exactly these pointless chats.
“Plus, it’s a message in itself. Shows we mean no harm.”
Woli had been doubtful at first, but it started sounding okay, so she nodded and let them handle it.
“Yeah, whatever. You two figure it out. You’re better at that stuff.”
Their judgment on this was way sharper than hers. Better than clumsily poking the bear.
“Cool, let’s go with this then.”
The three waited for interest in the flyer to die down, then stuck the small paper in the corner.
“They’ll see it, right?”
“A person who spots hidden messages... probably?”
“Gotta be a person.”
With the task done, they had some time. Woli brought up yesterday.
“Oh yeah. I got a hot dog from that stand in front of the school last night.”
“Oh, that grandma? She stays open pretty late.”
“You know without me explaining.”
Boyoung nodded like it was obvious who she meant. Saved time on descriptions.
“Anyway, she asked me to help find someone. A student from our school—something to return.”
“Huh? Really? Weird. What year?”
“Same tie color as us, so same year. Didn’t know the name, and her memory of the face was fuzzy. Let’s go later and help ID them. Figured you’d know.”
Boyoung agreed without complaint.
“Yeah, sounds easy. Let’s head over soon. Might grab one myself—been a while. Those hot dogs are good.”
* * *
The grandma’s food stall was empty.
“Why’s no one here?”
Food’s good, so the lack of customers was odd. Boyoung had the answer.
“Usually self-study kids come after it ends.”
“Ah.”
Made sense why she stayed open so late. Woli got it and headed over.
“Hello.”
Woli greeted first. The grandma recognized her and welcomed her warmly.
“Oh my, you really came. Early today?”
“Told you yesterday! This is her.”
“Hello, Grandma. You remember me?”
Boyoung grinned. The grandma blanked for a sec, then placed her.
“Knew I’d seen you somewhere. That kid who used to come all the time! So glad to see you. Where you been?”
“Aw, just busy these days.”
Boyoung flashed a cheeky grin. The grandma didn’t pry and tossed three hot dogs into the oil.
“Yeah, makes sense for a student. You fit the bill perfectly, personality or whatever!”
The grandma sounded brighter, hopeful about finding the student. Boyoung laughed cheerfully in response.
Boyoung handled the convo naturally. The other two hung back, sniffing the hot dog aroma.
“Aw, I’m the best at this stuff. Anything else you remember about that kid?”
“Yeah, duh, my brain. Should’ve started there. Hair was kinda long. Covered the eyes almost. And uh... can’t recall... Just remembers not super clean clothes.”
“Grandma, that’s not enough to go on.”
Boyoung smacked her forehead. The grandma looked sheepish and thought harder.
“Yeah, been too long...”
“So, when did this happen?”
“When was it? Year ago? Two?”
“Huh?”
Boyoung was baffled.
“Yeah, about a year. Last winter, bought some.”
“Uh, Grandma. Sorry, but last winter’s too far back, no? That’s from our first year.”
Boyoung looked awkward.
“Can’t find ’em with that.”
She’d asked for the timing precisely because the description was hopeless, but now it sounded even more absurd.
“Why not just let it go?”
The grandma shook her head, though.
“Debt’s debt, years or not. Borrow from banks or wherever, never seen one pay up proper.”
“Okay, I get that, but...”
Issue was finding a guy from a year ago with long hair and a dirty uniform.
Sure, parade every student, maybe, but impossible.
Seol, listening quietly, spoke up.
“Last winter—how specific?”
“Huh? What?”
Woli tilted her head. Seol repeated.
“Well, January’s winter, December too. Both last year, but we’re second-years now. Might not be same grade. January means pre-enrollment.”
The grandma counted on her fingers.
“Oh, right! January last year.”
“Pre-enrollment then. Graduated already?”
Boyoung threw up her hands—even her connections didn’t reach grads.
“Can’t find them then.”
“Yeah, probably graduated by now, Grandma.”
The grandma looked genuinely bummed. Boyoung got it—not getting paid, just wanting to return it. Still, seemed pointless.
“Hmm, January last year... why come to school then?”
“Dunno. Graduation stuff?”
Seol asked Woli curiously. Woli couldn’t give a straight answer, so she mumbled vaguely. Boyoung, overhearing, perked up with a thought.
“What time was it?”
“Dunno exactly. Just late. Near closing, so evening-ish, but varies daily.”
Hearing that, Boyoung wondered why a uniformed grad would hit the school at night.
“Kinda weird.”
Grad visits during day? Sure, paperwork or whatever. Current students out at night? Possible.
But a January grad in uniform at night? No sense.
Boyoung had an idea.
“Maybe... just maybe.”
“Hm?”
The grandma eyed her, dejected. Boyoung, though, lit up like she’d figured something.
“We might actually find them.”