I pressed further, desperate.
‘Can you at least confirm one thing for me? Just based on what you see, what’s your gut feeling? I trust you.’
– ……! If that’s the case, I’d be happy to answer, Friend!
‘Thank you. So…’
I took a deep breath.
‘Is the person in front of me, in every mental and physical aspect… human?’
– Ah, now that’s a question I can answer definitively.
Braun’s voice turned confident as he declared cheerfully,
– Yes, indeed!
‘So, she is human.’
This is driving me nuts.
It would’ve been easier if Braun had said the person wasn’t human. That would’ve settled it once and for all.
…That this wasn’t Assistant Manager Eun Haje.
But the familiar figure in front of me continued speaking in a voice just as familiar.
“I’d prefer to take my time convincing you properly, but there’s not much time, kiddos.”
Her complexion seemed a bit pale.
“The Security Team will be here soon to assess the situation. If I want to get out of here, I have to leave before they arrive.”
“……”
“I’m not asking for much. I’ll just hide for a bit. When the door opens, let me slip out.”
I admitted to myself,
‘I can’t figure it out just by looking.’
That left me with no choice but to take a slight risk.
I turned to Supervisor Park and spoke directly.
“Supervisor.”
“Y-Yeah?”
“Don’t you think encountering the Assistant Manager on leave in the Security Team’s isolation area is an impossible scenario?”
“That’s… true, yeah?”
“Oh. Indirect dialogue—interesting approach, Roe.”
Assistant Manager Eun Haje chuckled softly before muttering quickly under her breath.
“They probably stuck me here, telling me to think it over until I changed my mind about resigning. In hindsight, trusting this goddamn company was my mistake. Fuck.”
“Supervisor, if someone escapes the isolation corridor, wouldn’t they be captured almost immediately?”
“I’m not an idiot, you know? I’ve got an item ready. The problem is time. There’s no time. The Security Team is probably on their way right now. I can’t even confirm anything—this is driving me crazy…”
Confirmation.
‘…Wait!’
I remembered what was in my back pocket.
‘The walkie-talkie.’
Pressing my back against the door, I carefully reached behind me, grabbing the walkie-talkie from my pocket without making it visible. Slowly, I turned up the volume just a notch…
Bee-bee-beep.
[Currently in lockdown…]
Damn it!
‘The Security Sergeant has been trying to contact us all this time!’
I immediately turned the sound off, but it was too late.
“I just heard a walkie-talkie.”
“……!”
“Well, whoever has it can use it as they like, but I’m curious…”
Curious?
“They don’t give walkie-talkies to cleaning staff, do they?”
“……”
A chill ran down my spine.
“Did someone give it to you especially? That’s… odd. Cleaning staff usually just scan in and read the manual on automated devices. The system is designed so they don’t need to meet anyone else.”
Eun Haje’s voice carried a mix of suspicion and tension.
“That thing… are you sure it actually connects to the Security Team?”
“……”
“Roe, who exactly did you meet?”
Sweat soaked my palms. This was the first time I’d ever been in a situation like this.
‘I have no idea what to believe anymore.’
There were no hints, no clear answers. Even if this was really Assistant Manager Eun Haje, how could she possibly help us? Could she truly hide from the Security Team? Was that even possible?
‘If I want to figure out the situation even a little more…’
Oh!
I remembered what I’d originally planned to check—the second sheet of tips.
‘If I read all the remaining tips, maybe I can piece together the truth.’
I quickly pulled out the sheet and scanned the next number.
12- If you notice a strange smell or something starts seeping from under a door, run immediately.
That’s always a warning sign before a door opens. Conversely, if you don’t notice anything, it’s usually safe.
Exceptions to this will be explained in the next section. It’s recommended to take a break before reading further.
I moved on to the next point without hesitation.
13- Oh? The door’s open?
Kekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekekeke
Reflexively, I crumpled the paper in my hands.
My pulse pounded in my fingertips as if the paper itself were alive.
“Roe, are you okay?”
Calm down. Stay calm…
“Let’s just think rationally. The Security Team is on their way, so now’s the time to figure out the best course of action.”
Supervisor Park Minseong patted my back, but as he did so, I felt him tracing something on my back with his finger.
N
O
T
H
E
R
……
It’s not her.
I froze and slowly lifted my head.
“Wow.”
Eun Haje—or rather, the thing wearing her face—tilted its head toward us.
“How’d you figure it out?”
How’d you figure it out? How’d you figure it out? How’d you figure it out? How’d you figure it out? How’d you figure it out? How’d you figure it out? How’d you figure it out?
HOW DID YOU FIGURE IT OUT?
Heeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehee!!
Thud.
Eun Haje’s head dropped to the floor.
And then… it stood upside down.
Two legs and arms pointed stiffly to the sky as they turned to face us.
Hiya!!!
Do you believe in Ireum-niiiiiiiimmmmmm??
Right then and there.
I…
…fainted.
“Roe.”
“……”
“Roe?”
Ah.
I lifted my head.
“You must be really tired. Why don’t you rest for a bit? I’ll take over.”
Supervisor Park Minseong, holding a mop handle, looked at me with worried eyes.
I glanced around. The isolation corridor looked normal, with all the doors firmly shut.
“Ha…”
I grabbed the mop handle and lowered my head.
“Are… are you okay?”
“Yes… I’m sorry.”
Was it a nightmare?
‘The whole thing didn’t make any sense anyway.’
The isolation room doors suddenly opening, Eun Haje turning into some kind of ghost… It was all absurd.
I rubbed my temples.
“…I’m sorry. I must have dozed off for a moment.”
“You don’t need to apologize! It’s fine. You were working during the day too—of course you’re tired.”
Supervisor Park Minseong gave my back a reassuring pat.
“Let’s hang in there just a little longer. We only have two days left.”
“……”
Two days?
Not three?
“Supervisor, what day is it today?”
“Uh… it’s past midnight now, so it’s the 30th. December 30th.”
“……”
Not the 29th.
The 30th.
“Since yesterday’s cleaning went smoothly, let’s finish today’s as well without any problems.”
“……”
“Oh, here’s a new tip sheet! They told us to read this on the second day. It’s for you… Roe? Roe!”