It Seems I Must Go to Work Even After Falling into a Horror Story 097

When I discovered the shoes at the entrance, my first thought was that Baek Sa-heon had finally returned to the staff quarters.

‘Has he mustered the courage after several days?’

Or perhaps he rushed in after hearing the rumors that I wouldn’t return from the horror story today.

‘But I just got home from work,’ I thought, pondering how to deal with the guy who must be in my room now.

-Oh dear, Doe! Listening to your story makes me think there’s a slight misunderstanding here!

Misunderstanding?

-Those shoes have always been in the same spot every evening, friend.

“……!”

What did he just say?

No way! I’m sure when I left on the first day, there was nothing in this entrance…

‘…Wait a minute.’

Suddenly, I recalled the last time I saw Baek Sa-heon.

Seokwang Technical High School.

The chaos between the Disaster Management Bureau and the Field Exploration Team, where he was causing commotion running away with some item.

And the effect of that fountain pen-shaped item he had…

‘Mind control.’

“……”

I looked down at my hand.

A silver ring.

The mental defense item I bought today.

‘…Aha.’

So that’s what it was.

Baek Sa-heon hadn’t been going in and out before me or commuting elsewhere at all.

He had been sneaking back to the staff quarters the whole time.

He had just cast an implication on me.

To make himself unrecognizable to me.

‘But that’s not working on me now.’

Thanks to the mental defense from the silver ring, I had finally “witnessed” Baek Sa-heon’s shoes for the first time in days.

“…Ha.”

My goodness.

As if my body wasn’t suffering enough already, now I had to care about this nonsense at home…

-Oh, what a perfectly fitting deduction, like a puzzle!

-But… those who try to deceive someone usually pay a price, don’t they? That’s a traditional and moral tale, isn’t it?

There’s a sinister joy in Brown’s voice.

Under normal circumstances, I would’ve been frightened, but…

Hmm.

‘Brown.’

-What’s wrong, friend?

‘How about I do something interesting from now on?’

I managed to grin despite the headache.

‘It’s going to be to your liking.’

-…!!

‘Phew.’

The moment the noise from the entrance subsided, Baek Sa-heon cautiously lifted himself from the bed.

‘What the hell was that guy doing not going to his room?’

It had already been several days since he left Seokwang Technical High School. He was quietly hiding in the staff quarters.

To avoid being discovered by Kim Sol-eum!

‘…At first, I just thought it was game over.’

Imagine waking up in the morning, thinking that a psychopath was waiting in the next room harboring grudges against him!

The thought of what might happen if he faced Kim Sol-eum had made him obscure his traces or any presence.

‘That really was a useful item.’

That psychopath hadn’t suspected a thing!

Yet, in case the implication would suddenly wear off, he was desperately avoiding detection in the staff quarters, making sure not to give off any unnecessary presence even in his own room.

He contemplated whether to try a stronger mind control or implication, but the fear of what might happen if he failed kept him from doing so…

Still,

‘…Isn’t it about time to try something stronger?’

Since the suggestion had been successfully maintained for several days, a thought crept up that it was about time to take a risk.

Well, if things went south at work, he could always throw himself into danger to save face. Or perhaps find a good item and trick himself into thinking it was lost…

‘Hmm.’

Moreover, he heard that the darkness Kim Sol-eum had entered was an alley where one could obtain various equipment and items.

It was news he had heard from Jang Heo-woon in the same group.

‘…I’m envious.’

Baek Sa-heon clenched his fist briefly, recalling his colleagues who formed the finishing team in his group.

He needed an opportunity to acquire items too. More chances…!

He wondered if he could imply things to his colleagues in the company, sneakily swiping their items…

‘But that’s not possible right now!’

A fountain pen could only imply to one person at a time. Since it was completely used on Kim Sol-eum, it was impossible to use it on anyone else.

He felt a bit itchy.

‘I really need to extract more from Kim Sol-eum.’

Now was exactly that timing.

‘Let’s make a plan.’

First, when Kim Sol-eum fell asleep tonight, he would use the fountain pen…

He opened the door to get some water while sketching plans in his head.

And then he was jolted in surprise.

“…!”

In the dimly lit kitchen was Kim Sol-eum.

He was sitting at the table, examining some sort of snacks spread out in front of him.

And in the center of the table, there was a fluffy stuffed animal resting on a cushion.

The creepy rabbit-shaped doll that Kim Sol-eum always carried, named “Brown.”

“What? Does it look cheap to you?”

He flinched.

“Yeah. It is a kind of snack that fits that concept, since it used to be a stationery item.”

‘That crazy bastard.’

He was talking with the doll again.

‘Why is he still out here instead of going to his room…?!’

Baek Sa-heon shuddered but then considered it.

Wasn’t this a perfect opportunity after all?

Instead of trying any separate attempts, the timing seemed just right to strengthen the suggestion.

“…….”

Baek Sa-heon made up his mind and pulled out the fountain pen.

He quietly moved his feet.

“Yeah. But this item has its own effects, too.”

From behind Kim Sol-eum.

He approached silently behind that babbling psychopath and brought out the fountain pen…

“Just like my roommate’s fountain pen passing right behind me.”

“…….”

Ah.

Baek Sa-heon felt his blood run cold.

“Brown, you know? My roommate tried to brainwash me to control me.”

“…….”

“Yeah. I even brought a gift to pay back my debts…”

Kim Sol-eum slowly continued.

He spoke slowly because if he rushed it, he might regurgitate blood again, but as the heat and blood rushed, his voice grew low and menacing…

All of it sounded more threatening and significant.

“Isn’t that rude?”

Kim Sol-eum put the snacks down on the table and turned his head.

“And someone who is rude… doesn’t deserve to be a roommate, do they?”

“…!!”

Their eyes met.

‘Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…!’

He was caught.

How did he find out? No, that wasn’t important now. He was caught. For sure, for sure, for sure!

“I-I’m leaving!”

Baek Sa-heon shouted in a trembling voice without thinking.

“Chief! It seems I’m indeed unqualified! I’ll leave right now! I’m going out and won’t come back ever again!”

Kim Sol-eum frowned.

“Did you just make noise? Don’t you know etiquette? Why are you yelling in a shared apartment at night?”

Oh crap…!

Baek Sa-heon cursed frantically in his mind, blaming himself for automatically shutting his mouth.

“Brown.”

In the meantime, Kim Sol-eum was talking to the rabbit doll again.

“It’s noisy, but hearing him say that much… even if you don’t deserve to live here, I should at least give you a chance.”

What?!

“Not needed…”

“Not needed?”

Kim Sol-eum whipped his head around.

“You mean you don’t need the opportunity to live here?”

“…….”

Why did that sound like “I don’t need the chance to survive here…?”

Baek Sa-heon swallowed and replied.

“I need it.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes…”

“Good. Then hand over the item.”

“……!”

“Your fountain pen. Just write a note on a sticky note and stick it to it, and it’ll be an item for the implication.”

“…….”

“Just in case you do something strange again, I think I need to keep it somewhere else for a while.”

Just how does he know that?

Despite the fear rising along the back of his neck, Baek Sa-heon gritted his teeth.

“I can’t… give it.”

“…….”

“P-please think about it, Chief. To be honest, my actions haven’t harmed you.”

He pleaded desperately.

“It’s a necessary item. I simply cannot give it to anyone else. I’ll never use it on you again, so please…”

“Hmm.”

Kim Sol-eum replied flatly.

“Why would I believe that?”

“…!”

“Think for a moment.”

Kim Sol-eum pointed at Baek Sa-heon.

“I told you how to ensure your entry into Seokwang Technical High School where you got the item, yet you even attempted to kill me inside…”

It was a simple truth.

“But what you returned was brainwashing, right? I have no reason to trust you.”

“…….”

That was… that was…

Perhaps the truth.

The chief before him might be a crazy bastard, but he was remarkably competent, and to treat him this way… it seemed I was the one doing something insane.

‘What? What’s happening?’

Did I make a wrong choice?

Baek Sa-heon’s mind began to spin intensely, a weak sense of guilt and self-loathing mixing with strong fear, battling under the guise of reason…

And then, at that moment,

“But anyway, the item you obtained is rightfully yours, so… how about I offer a reward?”

Huh?

Kim Sol-eum retrieved something from the kitchen table chair.

Encased in transparent wrapping, it was….

“My left eye.”

What the hell!!

Baek Sa-heon bit back a scream when he saw the black circle with a violet iris moving about.

But….

“This isn’t just an eye. It’s a biometric device.”

“…!”

“What kind of abilities does it hold…?”

As Kim Sol-eum explained the powers of the “eye,” Baek Sa-heon’s expression gradually changed.

“……”

“Do you need it?”

Baek Sa-heon gritted his teeth.

It was utterly unbelievable, but…

“…Yes.”

He willingly returned the fountain pen.

And quivering with anticipation and confusion, he received the biometric device that Kim Sol-eum offered.

‘Phew.’

I’m sweating bullets.

Finally concluding my conversation with Baek Sa-heon, I sat on my bed in my room, suffering from a headache and a cough of blood.

It was a miracle I didn’t show any signs of my pain.

‘But I didn’t back down, did I?’

Wow, I almost flinched when he was rolling his eyes and charging at me in the middle of the conversation. With my body in pain, I also questioned why I had to endure this…

But I had to get this sorted immediately.

I couldn’t leave a sociopath with a mind control item lingering around me for three whole days.

‘It seems I did well with the carrot and stick approach.’

I recalled the purple eye that had departed my hand.

It wasn’t a threat to me but would be a helpful item for Baek Sa-heon.

Well, since it was just the left eye, I could use it without having to remove mine.

In any case, it was unfortunate that I got linked with that guy… But thinking about it, Ko Yeong-eun and Jang Heo-woon were special cases, and Baek Sa-heon just seemed to embody average company character traits.

There seemed to be a plethora of sociopaths in this neighborhood!

‘The more I think about it, the more it depresses me, so let’s just focus on something good…’

For instance… the upcoming gift presentation event.

“Brown.”

I got up and retrieved the item that I had safely stored within my tattoo.

It was the ribbon hair tie I impulsively bought instead of change at the boutique.

“It’s a gift.”

-…!

“Are you okay? I kind of figured you might have anticipated it.”

If my aesthetic sense didn’t align with expectations, I might have to sweat bullets and desperately seek alternatives…

But the response from Brown overflowed with joy.

-Oh, how certain I was in my suspicion!

-If I hadn’t figured it out, that wouldn’t have been acceptable as a show host, but … pretending to notice all along isn’t something an entertainer should do either.

-Now, with this fluffy body, I can finally be neatly presented.

There was a rare tremor of anticipation in their voice.

‘Thank goodness.’

I smiled as I carefully adjusted the hair tie I took out of the bag and stylishly tied it around the fluffy rabbit doll.

“Thank you for everything so far, Brown.”

The round, button-like eyes of the rabbit gazed into the void, and the moment I turned away, I received a cheerful response from the delightful host.

-Of course, it was something I did as a friend, Doe.

Perhaps that ribbon hair tie had no effect beyond looking luxuriously beautiful.

But the voice of Brown wearing a bowtie brimmed with joy.

-The neat appearance is the essential cultural quality of someone who stands before an audience, isn’t it?

Brown accepted with great delight as I adjusted the bowtie several times to find just the right angle.

But at the same time, he urged me to get some sleep.

-Doe, maintaining your condition is a professional’s basic asset. Rest is important too, so it’s best if you head off to dreamland early tonight!

“Alright.”

A gift presentation to my good friend. This counted as one of the rewarding things that happened today…

Normally, I would have read the wiki one more time, but I didn’t have the energy to do that with my battered body and broken smartphone.

‘Tomorrow, I’ll either buy a new phone or get it repaired…’

As long as the Memorial Grip Talk is intact, switching phones won’t hinder my ability to browse the wiki.

I comfortably lay down on the bed.

And then at last, I detached the grip talk from the broken smartphone…

“……”

–Friend?

I hurriedly flipped over the smartphone.

The grip talk had cracked.