Water poured into the laundromat.
Gurgle, gurgle.
I stepped back to avoid the water seeping through the gaps in the glass door.
But there was no place to hide in the unmanned laundromat. Only a few washing machines were running on all sides.
‘Damn it.’
“This way, sir!”
I immediately stepped up onto a washing machine. At the same time, Section Chief Lee Jaheon climbed onto the one next to it.
But that was it.
‘Where do we go now?’
♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪
“……”
A faint, resounding melody echoed in my ears as the sound of rushing water filled the room.
I recognized the tune.
It was the theme song for the Cheerful Theme Park.
♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪
The water that filled the laundromat coalesced into a massive form.
A dragon in the park mascot costume.
Found you.
Suddenly, a voice emanated from the seemingly mindless water mass before me, sounding like it came from the other end of a phone line.
The vibrations traveled through the water…
Found you.
Cold sweat dripped down my back as I stared at the black streams and masses of water occupying the laundromat.
‘How did it recognize me?’
I had taken off my mask and was wearing a hat and a face mask…
Kidnapper.
‘…It recognized Section Chief Lee Jaheon!’
The black water mass raised a forelimb and pointed at the lizard standing on the washing machine beside me.
“I am not.”
Kidnapper.
“I am not.”
Are you guys just gonna do this forever or what…!
No, that might be a relief. Honestly, it wouldn’t have been surprising if this water mass suddenly unleashed some creepypasta ability!
I still hadn’t forgotten the torrent that had surged and swallowed the alley, sweeping away my phone in its madness.
‘…I’m not even sure if brute force exorcism would work on water.’
“……”
Huu.
If words could get through, at least.
B a d . . .
“I am not a kidnapper.”
I took off my face mask and put on my deer mask again.
Then, I rolled up my sleeve to reveal the tattoo.
: Socius :
Trying to appear as calm as possible, I met the water lump dragon’s gaze.
“Mr. Mascot, were you looking for me by any chance?”
The water mass wavered.
And then—
G o o d c h i l d !
Its voice became clearer.
“Yes, it’s good to meet you too…”
I gestured to Section Chief Lee Jaheon not to come down, then carefully climbed down from the top of the washing machine myself.
‘Ugh.’
The water sloshed around my feet, but aside from the theme park melody becoming a little clearer, no other bizarre symptoms appeared.
‘Alright.’
I can do this.
I approached the water mass…
L e t ’ s g o
A vibration emanated from my tattoo. It seemed to resonate with the figure before me.
The dragon’s forelimb moved closer…
P l a y m o r e
I held my breath.
“I’m sorry.”
Then gently pushed its forelimb away.
“I’m not a child anymore, so I can’t stay in the theme park. I have work to do.”
Silence.
‘I’m fucking terrified, fuck.’
But I endured and calmly spoke while meeting the dragon’s gaze.
“Even so, when I want to have fun or spend time at a great waterpark, I’ll make sure to visit you.”
I raised my wrist to show the tattoo.
“That’s why you gave me this, right? So I can come whenever I want.”
The water mass nodded slowly.
“Thank you. …But, um, I’m not sure I know how to get to the Cheerful Theme Park.”
At work, the method to enter the theme park involved a board game, and the structure of the park varied with each game.
‘If I could avoid that, it might actually be safer.’
It would be better to revisit a place I’d already been.
“What if I accidentally end up at a different theme park without you? Is there a way to prevent that?”
I t ’ s o k a y
“…Even if I go to another theme park, it’s fine?”
I t ’ s o k a y
“……”
Strange.
‘Would replaying that board game change anything?’
Well, if that was the case…
P r o m i s e
Hoo.
I suppressed my trembling and extended my hand to the water mass.
“Yes. I promise.”
I hooked my pinky around the water’s.
The clammy sensation sent shivers down my spine, but nothing else happened…
……
After releasing our pinky-lock, the water mass pressed a claw to my tattoo.
It seemed to be checking its attachment, and soon, satisfied, it withdrew its forelimb.
At that moment—
Fwik.
The laundromat door burst open under water pressure, and something flew in, landing atop the water mass’s forelimb.
A small, black, rectangular object.
My broken phone.
I t ’ s y o u r s .
“……”
With trembling hands, I picked up my phone.
“…Thank you. I was worried I’d lost it.”
G o o d c h i l d
The water mass’s form crumbled.
P r o m i s e
The water receded.
And, as if the video were being rewound, it flowed back out through the gaps in the laundromat…
Srrrrrk.
The water receded from the alley in reverse.
In no time, the alley became eerily quiet, with no traces of water left behind.
Inside the laundromat, where black water had once filled the space, only a few chocolate bars, printed with my likeness, were left scattered like golden flakes.
“……”
I survived.
“Huuuuu…”
I collapsed onto the spot.
– Good heavens, Friend! Did you really promise to visit that second-rate theme park again?
‘Yes.’
Honestly, I couldn’t even imagine what might have happened if I’d refused to promise.
‘They might have ripped out my organs and hired me as the second version of the Blue Dragon mascot.’
At least I avoided that.
With a membership, I’d be treated as a guest there. That was better than being dragged there or dealing with unpredictable outcomes.
My mind raced.
‘Should I talk to the company and schedule a board game run?’
Judging by the interval… I’d probably have to go within six months.
‘In the meantime, I’ll prepare items and gear.’
Alright.
What mattered was that I got through this ordeal. I got up on shaky legs, stifling a sigh.
‘If I knew this was gonna happen, I wouldn’t have run earlier…!’