Your New Home (3)
I stepped out of the office.
Department Head Jo glanced at me sideways, then pulled a nameplate from his pocket and shook it.
It read as follows.
Follow-up Special Duty Division
"Check this every time you enter the office. It's the only safe way. If something else is posted instead, check inside and get anyone there out."
Safe? That word grated on me intensely.
"Safe, sir?"
Department Head Jo nodded.
"In this company, there's only one team with the Follow-up Special Duty name. The rest are relics from the past. Remember that. No Follow-up Special Duty Division 1 or 2—at least not in our company right now."
"Relics from the past...?"
Department Head Jo muttered cynically.
"Waste from bygone days. Don't worry about it. They keep trying to come back, but they stay stuck in that room."
It was too unsettling and creepy to just brush off.
'Trying to come back? What the hell does that mean!'
Stress was piling up. My head started throbbing as I screamed internally.
Department Head Jo snorted at me and swapped out the nameplate.
"Don't be a space cadet. Just check the plate every time you come in. I got back quick and wrapped it up easy, but screw up and you won't come back at all."
Won't come back?
Why the hell was something like that wandering around the company?
I felt dazed. Department Head Jo scratched his belly.
"I don't like space cadets. Useless when alive, and can't even stay that way."
He glanced at me once more and headed back inside.
'I really hate this...'
I dragged my leaden feet and followed behind him.
The office looked completely different now.
If before it had screamed '90s office full of stereotypes, now it was just like any other modern space in Mirae Co., Ltd. Head Office.
'They called it a demotion, but the setup's the same. ...Well, yeah, it should be.'
I was too drained to be surprised. My thoughts stayed flat.
'Still no one else here, though.'
That was when it happened.
"What're you spacing out for?"
"Pardon?"
Department Head Jo handed me the nameplate he'd just swapped in.
"Shred it."
"...We can just shred it?"
"Yeah. Shred it and report back."
It felt off, but I didn't show it.
'It's a work order, after all. No harm in showing a good attitude.'
The moment I took the nameplate from him.
My Office Work trait activated.
'This is...'
FILE:Records Storage
T-57 Safety Rules
(Alias: 'Follow-up Special Duty Division 1')
This rule set was drafted after field testing confirmed the anomalous properties of T-57 and its utility in conversing with past figures.
All Follow-up Special Duty Division personnel must adhere to the following:
1. Personnel using Anomalous Phenomenon T-57 (alias 'Follow-up Special Duty Division 1') must report usage to superiors immediately.
1-1. 'Usage' includes all actions within T-57, such as utilizing objects therein.
1-2. Prohibit T-57 use by non-Follow-up Special Duty personnel.
1-3. As of December 1992, prohibit unreported use by Assistant Manager rank and below.
* Jun-sik, this means you. No more using anomalies for 'nostalgia trips.' —Han Hee-jung.
> Senior, scribbling where Assistant Manager Jo can see isn't cool. —Kim Jun-sik.
> You watch yourself.
2. Personnel conversing with past figures in T-57 must undergo contamination evaluation via E-12 ('Killer Question').
2-1. As of October 1994, prohibit T-57 use for 6 months regardless of rank if lover, family, or friend has died.
2-2. Exception: Those using memory erasure agents within 3 months post-death.
* Leaving note in case someone needs memory erasure approval. T-57 is an anomaly; those inside aren't people. Remember what happened to Assistant Manager Han Hee-jung. —Division Head Song Il-gwan, Follow-up Special Duty Division 1.
3. Report all above items to Mirae Co., Ltd. Field Headquarters Board within 1 week of occurrence.
> Gil-taek, even you don't need to log bathroom breaks. Manager Moon freaked. —Assistant Manager Kim Jun-sik.
> Gotta log it. —Han Hee-jung.
Division Head Song Il-gwan
Feel free to add helpful notes beyond safety rules. Rules-related above; other stuff here.
Addition: Sharing with Division 2/3 heads and team leads, so keep it non-personal.
Rank preserved inside. Confirmed on 1st regular entry.
Manager Moon Ha-yang
Found restroom on 5th regular entry. Same location. Will enter on 6th.
Assistant Manager Jo, what nerve to enter the restroom? What if it's like the break room? —Moon Ha-yang.
> Manager, don't scare the newbie. He's from Training Division, why pick on him? —Kim Jun-sik.
> You need scaring. How many times do I have to chew you out?
Assistant Manager Han Hee-jung
Found break room on 2nd regular entry. Doesn't exist in reality; will enter later.
> Senior, nice handwriting? —Kim Jun-sik.
> Don't write nonsense.
Don't go to break room. Almost didn't come back. Ask directly what happened.
> So this was it. Didn't make it back after all.
> Who wrote this? Don't ruin the mood. —Moon Ha-yang.
Encountered individual claiming to be Assistant Manager Park■■ on 11th regular entry. Cross-checked personnel records; confirmed deceased.
> Junior to me; will have him fetch coffee next time.
Re-encountered Assistant Manager Park■■ during personal entry.
Handed over T-57-1 byproduct (coffee-shaped) to Research Department.
> That coffee from earlier? You tried feeding me anomaly produce??? —Kim Jun-sik.
> You didn't drink it, so fine.
> High utility on that coffee. Congrats on performance bonus. —Division Head Song Il-gwan.
Assistant Manager Kim Jun-sik
Office sometimes turns bright red. Just leave if so.
> Turns red? What? —Moon Ha-yang.
> Went in with him; thought I'd have a heart attack. —Jo Gil-taek.
> Assistant Manager Kim Jun-sik: Report immediately on return from field duty. —Division Head Song Il-gwan.
Assistant Manager Jo Gil-taek
Restroom fine. Confirmed on personal entry.
> You went? —Kim Jun-sik.
> Can't just soil pants. —Jo Gil-taek.
> Bidet?
> No.
Encountered Assistant Manager Han Hee-jung on 28th regular entry. Attempt recruitment next encounter?
> That's not Assistant Manager Han Hee-jung. —Moon Ha-yang.
Encountered Assistant Manager Han Hee-jung during personal entry. Recruitment failed.
> Told you not to.
Update this? —Assistant Manager Ham Seo-yoon.
> Don't. We're done with this. —Deputy Jo Gil-taek.
Due to Follow-up Special Duty Division consolidation, downgrade T-57 from Twilight (T) to Evening (E) class, renumber to 89.
All above 'rules' are hereby discarded.
See attachment for rationale.
A profoundly eerie chill washed over me.
'What if I'd been dragged to the break room?'
I wouldn't have come back. Whatever that meant.
Shivers ran down my spine.
Probably from handling anomaly-related stuff.
I quickly found the shredder and fed in the nameplate.
Vrrr—.
Shredding was slow. Slow enough to leisurely mull over the names in those safety rules.
'Some familiar names...'
Three stood out.
Manager Moon Ha-yang.
Assistant Manager Kim Jun-sik.
Assistant Manager Jo Gil-taek.
Manager Moon Ha-yang was from the aptitude evaluation.
The one who wrote the report that got me out. Mention of Training Division origin confirmed it was the same person.
'Maybe that's why she helped...'
The name felt oddly friendly. Like seeing an old friend?
'She was in Follow-up Special Duty Division. Manager back then. Promoted?'
...Wait, promoted?
How much time separated this rule's writing from now?
And.
If Manager Moon Ha-yang survived, where was she now?
'At least Department Head, maybe higher...'
Suddenly, it got creepy. The name lost its warmth.
'Stop. Don't think more. Next, Assistant Manager Kim Jun-sik...'
The Kim Jun-sik I met was a Department Head. Big time gap, common name—probably coincidence.
'And Assistant Manager Jo Gil-taek.'
I glanced at Department Head Jo. Arms crossed, frowning at his monitor.
'Obviously him. But why the obsession with the restroom...'
Felt like I'd learned something I shouldn't. I shut my mouth and waited for shredding to finish.
It did. I reported to Department Head Jo.
He turned with a "Hm," then blurted:
"Got good news and bad news. Which first?"
Neither. But couldn't say that.
"Good one first, if possible."
"Just got orders. Slot opened in the team, so you'll handle Exploration Department work for a bit."
Unexpected. Actually good news.
Didn't Kang Mi-young say Follow-up Special Duty was a death sentence?
Regular Exploration gigs meant lower death risk.
'Hope the bad news isn't too bad.'
I opened my mouth.
"And the bad news...?"
"The slot opened because your two seniors died."
That explained no one else around. Dead.
His deadpan delivery kept me from shock.
'Company treats lives like flies...'
Right then.
"You just thought lives are like flies here, didn't you?"
...!
I jolted. Department Head Jo cackled.
"What can ya do? It's this place. Aw, poor kid. How'd you end up here? Yeah? Mirae hires elites, right?"
Twisted humor.
Twisted!
"But you think you're better? I've got nearly 20 years here. Yeah? Got hit by a ghost story, went bald, aged to shit."
No time to dwell on the bald-from-ghost-story bit.
"And now not just seniority bullshit, but babysitting too. Yeah? Oh Junior Oh, right? Pitiful life, huh?"
Choose words carefully. Mess up with this boss, and it'd hurt.
Couldn't play naive.
That type punishes faked innocence hard.
Try diligent act?
"...I'll do my best."
His face twisted. Wrong answer.
"Hey, Oh Junior."
"Yes, sir!"
I snapped to attention. He looked at me like I was nuts.
"Do your best? For real? Here? You hear the rumors?"
How to respond? No cursing, no negativity.
Screw it!
"Heard it's the elite of elites!"
"..."
Ah.
Wrong again.
Then he snickered.
"Total blockhead. New junior in a place like this? Figures..."
He giggled forever. I was so scared I wanted to collapse and wail.
"Don't do your best. Slack off. Pray nothing happens during probation. No god? Pray your luck."
"No! I'll do my best!"
"Cut the crap. Oh Junior, you'll bolt post-probation anyway?"
"..."
"Who'd take a discarded kite...?"
He waved me off.
"Get to work. No incidents today, just desk stuff. Dig through handover files. Figure it out yourself. Don't ask—annoying."
Back to my seat. Booted the PC, checked handovers.
Then it hit me.
'Did I just banter casually with a Department Head?'
That was weird.
'Seriously, Sung-jin? Elite of elites to a Department Head? That's sarcasm!'
No normal for a platoon leader to buddy up with the battalion commander!
Not my usual judgment.
Meaning this was it.
'The trait...!'
I turned to Department Head Jo. He felt oddly approachable.
'Can't let my guard down.'
Miserable. Wanna go home.
For real.