Chapter 97

When I spotted the dress shoes in the entryway, my first thought was that the bastard Baek Saheon had finally come home from work.

'Finally worked up the courage after all these days?'

Or maybe he'd heard rumors that I hadn't returned from the ghost story today and hurried home.

'Too bad I'm home now.'

I was just considering how to deal with him, presumably holed up in his room, when—

"Oh, Mr. Roe Deer. From what you're saying, there seems to be a slight misunderstanding!"

A misunderstanding?

"Those shoes have been in that very same spot every evening, my friend."

"...!"

What?

No. There definitely hadn't been anything in the entryway when I'd left on the first day...

'... Wait.'

Suddenly, I remembered the last time I'd seen Baek Saheon.

Segwang Technical High School.

Him sowing confusion between the Disaster Management Bureau and the Field Exploration Team during their standoff, then running away with an item.

And the effect of that fountain-pen-shaped item he'd been carrying...

'Brainwashing.'

"..."

I looked down at my hand.

The silver ring.

The mental defense item I'd bought today.

'... Aha.'

So that was it.

Baek Saheon hadn't been leaving before me and coming home after me, or commuting from somewhere else entirely.

He'd been coming back to our company housing all along.

He'd simply placed a suggestion on me.

To keep me from noticing him.

'But it didn't work on me this time.'

Thanks to the silver ring protecting my mind, I'd finally “seen” Baek Saheon's shoes for the first time in days.

"... Ha."

Unbelievable.

I was already sick and exhausted enough to die, and now I had to deal with this shit at home too...

"Ah, a deduction that fits together as perfectly and satisfyingly as a puzzle!"

"But... isn't it a traditional, instructive plot for anyone who attempts to deceive another to pay the price?"

A sinister delight crept into Braun's voice.

Normally, that would have horrified me...

Hmm.

'Braun.'

"What is it, my friend?"

'I'm thinking of doing something fun. What do you say?'

Despite my pounding head, I grinned.

'It'll be right up your alley.'

"...!!"

* * *

'Whew.'

As soon as the noise in the entryway died down, Baek Saheon cautiously rose from his bed.

'What the hell was that bastard doing instead of just going straight to his room?'

Several days had already passed since he'd left Segwang High School. He'd been living in absolute silence, secluded in the company apartment.

All to avoid being discovered by Kim Soleum!

'... At first, I only used it because I thought I was fucked.'

Just imagine waking up in the morning with a psychopath waiting in the next room, nursing a grudge against you!

Afraid of what might happen if he ran into Kim Soleum, he'd made it impossible for Soleum to notice any sign or trace of him.

'It really was a good item.'

That psychopath hadn't noticed a thing!

Even so, afraid the suggestion might wear off, he'd desperately avoided Soleum around the apartment and made no unnecessary noise even inside his own room.

He'd considered trying stronger brainwashing or suggestions, but the possible consequences of failure had been too frightening...

Still.

'... Couldn't I try something a little stronger by now?'

The suggestion had held successfully for days. The thought that it might be safe to take a chance was beginning to creep into his mind.

Like making Soleum throw himself into danger to save him if something happened at work. Or making him hand over any good items he found, then believe he'd lost them...

'Hmm.'

Besides, he'd heard that the Darkness Kim Soleum had entered this time was an alley where all kinds of equipment and items could be acquired.

He'd heard it from Jang Heoun, who was on his team.

'... Lucky bastard.'

Baek Saheon briefly clenched his fist as he thought of the fellow recruit who'd joined his team after being on a Cleanup Team.

He needed opportunities to acquire items too. More opportunities...!

He could probably place suggestions on his fellow recruits and quietly siphon off their items...

'But I can't do that right now!'

The fountain pen could place suggestions on only one person at a time. As long as it was devoted entirely to Kim Soleum, using it on anyone else was out of reach.

He was getting restless.

'I really do need to squeeze something more out of Kim Soleum.'

Now was the perfect time.

'Let's make a plan.'

First, once Kim Soleum fell asleep tonight, he'd use the fountain pen to...

Sketching out the scenario in his mind, he opened his door to get some water.

And nearly jumped out of his skin.

"...!"

Kim Soleum was in the dark kitchen.

He was sitting at the table with some sort of snacks spread out before him, examining their wrappers.

And in the middle of the table, on a cushion, sat a fluffy stuffed toy.

That creepy rabbit doll Kim Soleum called “Braun” and carried around everywhere.

"What? They look cheap?"

Saheon flinched.

"Right. That's probably the idea, to a degree. It was a stationery store, after all."

'That crazy fuck.'

He was talking to the doll again.

'Why the hell is he still out here doing that shit instead of going to his room...!'

Shuddering, Baek Saheon started to retreat into his room... then paused.

Wasn't this chance encounter actually an opportunity?

It seemed like the perfect time to strengthen the suggestion without having to arrange anything.

"..."

Making up his mind, Baek Saheon took out the fountain pen.

Then he quietly approached.

"Yes. But even items like these have their own effects."

Toward Kim Soleum's back.

He would get right behind the psychopath talking to himself, then use the fountain pen...

"Like the fountain pen belonging to my roommate, who's passing behind me right now."

"..."

Ah.

Baek Saheon froze, feeling his blood run cold.

"Braun, did you know? My roommate tried to brainwash me into doing his bidding."

"..."

"Yes. And here I even brought him a gift to repay my debt..."

Kim Soleum continued slowly.

It was because he felt he would cough up blood again if he spoke quickly, but his voice, lowered by searing pain and exhaustion, combined with the smell of blood...

Made it all sound that much more threatening and loaded with meaning.

"Isn't that rude?"

Kim Soleum set the snack down on the table and turned his head.

"And someone with no manners... doesn't deserve to be my roommate, wouldn't you say?"

"...!!"

Their eyes met.

'Fuck, fuck, fuck...!'

He'd been caught.

How had Soleum known? No, that wasn't important right now. He'd been caught. Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely!

"I-I'll leave!"

The words bypassed Baek Saheon's brain and burst out in a trembling shout.

"Supervisor! You're right, I don't deserve it! I'll leave right away! I'll leave this instant and never come back!"

Kim Soleum frowned.

"You're making my head ring. Don't you know any etiquette? Why are you shouting in an apartment building in the middle of the night?"

Fuck...!

Even as he silently strung together every curse he knew, Baek Saheon hated himself for automatically shutting his mouth.

"Braun."

In the middle of all this, Kim Soleum was talking to the rabbit doll again.

"He's loud, but hearing him go that far... I think I should give him one chance, even if he doesn't deserve to live here."

What?!

"I don't need—"

"You don't need it?"

Kim Soleum whipped his head around.

"You don't need a chance to live here?"

"..."

Why did that sound like “You don't need a chance to survive this”...?

Baek Saheon swallowed before replying.

"I do."

"Right?"

"Yes..."

"Good. Then hand over the item."

"...!"

"That fountain pen you've been using. The item that turns whatever you write on a sticky note into a suggestion when you stick it on someone."

"..."

"You might pull something strange again, so I'll have to keep it somewhere else for a while."

How the hell did he know that?

Despite the fear crawling up the back of his neck, Baek Saheon gritted his teeth.

"I can't... give it to you."

"..."

"Th-think about it, Supervisor. Honestly, what I did hasn't caused you any trouble."

He spoke urgently, desperately.

"I need it. I can't possibly give it to anyone. I'll never use it on you again, Supervisor Kim, so please..."

"Hmm."

Kim Soleum answered expressionlessly.

"Why do you think I'd believe that?"

"...!"

"Take a moment... to reflect on yourself."

Kim Soleum pointed at Baek Saheon.

"I told you a guaranteed way into Segwang Technical High School, where you got that item. I didn't even get angry when you tried to kill me in there..."

Those were the plain facts.

"And you repay me with brainwashing? I have no reason to trust you."

"..."

That, that...

Might... be true.

The supervisor before him might be a crazy bastard, but he was extremely capable. Making an enemy of him to this extent... Maybe I was the one doing something crazy.

'What? What's going on?'

Had he made the wrong choice?

Baek Saheon's mind raced. Faint guilt and self-loathing mingled with powerful fear, battling fiercely under the guise of reason...

And then.

"But you did acquire that item yourself, so, hmm... How about I offer some compensation?"

Huh?

Kim Soleum picked up something he'd left on a chair at the kitchen table.

Inside the transparent packaging was...

"A left eye."

Holy fucking shit!!

Baek Saheon suppressed a scream at the sight of the black orb, its purple iris moving this way and that.

But...

"This isn't just an eye. It's biological equipment."

"...!"

"As for what it can do..."

Kim Soleum explained the “eye's” ability.

As he continued, Baek Saheon's expression gradually changed.

"..."

"Do you need it?"

Baek Saheon gritted his teeth.

He could hardly believe it, but...

"... Yes."

He willingly surrendered the fountain pen.

Then, with hands trembling with anticipation and confusion, he accepted the biological equipment Kim Soleum held out.

* * *

'Whew.'

That really had me sweating.

Finally finished talking with Baek Saheon, I sat on my bed, suffering from a headache and coughing up blood.

It was a miracle I'd managed to hold out without letting on that I was sick.

'Still, I didn't let him intimidate me, right?'

Wow, when he'd come at me with his eyes bulging partway through, I'd nearly flinched. I'd even had a moment of disillusionment, wondering why I had to deal with this while I was sick...

But I had to set things straight immediately.

I couldn't leave a sociopath with a brainwashing item loose around me while I was sick for three days.

'I think I used the carrot and stick pretty well.'

I thought of the purple eye I'd given away.

Its ability wasn't a threat to me, but it would be useful to Baek Saheon.

And, well, since it happened to be a left eye, he could use it without having an eye removed.

Anyway, of all people to get stuck with as a roommate... No, come to think of it, maybe Go Youngeun and Jang Heoun were the exceptions, and Baek Saheon's morals were just average for this company.

You couldn't take a step around here without tripping over a sociopath!

'The more I think about this, the more depressing it gets. Let's focus on something nice...'

Like... the gift presentation coming up.

"Braun."

I got up and took out the item I'd safely stored in my tattoo.

The ribbon hair tie I'd splurged on at the boutique instead of taking my change.

"It's a gift."

"...!"

"Do you like it? Honestly, I thought you might have guessed already."

If it didn't meet his aesthetic standards, I might have to break into a cold sweat hunting for another offering...

But Braun's voice was delighted.

"Ah, the circumstantial evidence was rather conclusive!"

"It would be unthinkable for a show host not to have guessed... but letting on that you've noticed everything is hardly becoming of an entertainer either."

"Now, at last, I can make even this stuffing-filled body look presentable."

Unusually for him, his voice trembled slightly with anticipation.

'Thank goodness.'

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

"Thank you for everything, Braun."

The rabbit's round, button-like eyes stared into space, and the moment I looked away, the cheerful Host replied.

"I merely did what any friend would do, Mr. Roe Deer."

Maybe that ribbon hair tie had no effect beyond looking very luxurious and impressive.

But with the bow tie around his neck, Braun's voice brimmed with joy.

"After all, isn't a neat appearance essential for anyone who stands before an audience?"

Braun happily and delightedly accepted my repeated adjustments to get his bow tie at just the right angle.

At the same time, though, he urged me to bed.

"Mr. Roe Deer, keeping oneself in good condition is fundamental to being a professional. Rest is important too, so you'd best be off to dreamland without delay tonight!"

"Right."

A gift presentation for my Good Friend. At least this was one worthwhile thing I'd done today...

Normally, I'd read through the wiki once more, but neither my sick self nor my broken smartphone seemed to have the energy.

'I'll get a new phone or have this one repaired as soon as it's light tomorrow...'

As long as the Memorial Griptok was intact, replacing the phone wouldn't interfere with reading the wiki at all.

I lay down comfortably in bed.

Then, first, I went to detach the Griptok from the broken smartphone...

"..."

"My friend?"

I hurriedly flipped the smartphone over.

There was a crack in the Griptok.