“…..”
Finally reaching the exit, I walked out of the door and felt several pairs of eyes directed my way.
It was silent as they all looked at me.
‘Is there something on my face?’
Their gazes felt somewhat uncomfortable. But then, I suddenly recalled something and handed over the laptop to the Section Chief.
“I took this by accident. Who do I hand this over to?”
I had been worrying about this ever since I came out of the weird place. Though it wasn’t a pricy model, it still looked somewhat expensive.
I didn’t want to get charged for it. I couldn’t afford it.
“…Oh, yes.”
The Section Chief retrieved the laptop and placed it on the desk.
He nodded his head while mumbling, ‘How kind of you. To hand the laptop back. It’s very kind. Very…’
His expression quickly shifted before he slammed his hand against the table.
Bang!
“That’s not the point!”
I flinched, turning my attention towards the Section Chief, who stood up abruptly.
“How did you manage to clear the trial? What did you do?!”
His face was filled with shock.
“This is the fastest I’ve ever seen someone clear this trial. How does this make sense?”
“What…?”
I looked at the Section Chief, confused.
He didn’t see?
“How did you get out of the trial so fast?”
“…I used the computer,” I replied, pausing briefly as my eyes drifted toward the monitors.
But then I froze. The monitors… they didn’t display any footage belonging to the trial. If anything, it contained all sorts of different metrics that seemed completely unrelated to the trial.
As if understanding my thoughts, the Section Chief clicked his tongue.
“I wouldn’t be asking if I saw, would I?”
“That makes sense…”
“So?”
“Like I said, I used the computer.”
I reached for the laptop and flipped the lid open. Without wasting a second, I launched the program I had coded, the screen flickering on and off.
Turning the laptop slightly, I angled it toward the Section Chief.
“Since whatever that thing inside was scared of light, I just created a program that would make the laptop flicker on and off, essentially trapping it. After that, it was rather easy.”
For obvious reasons, I omitted certain information, but it wasn’t like the method I was currently describing was wrong. In that sense, I didn’t have to worry about them finding any loopholes in my story.
“I’m not saying it’s perfect, but this was the best I could do with my current abilities.”
I finished there and waited for the Section Chief to speak. Instead, I was just met with silence as the eyes of everyone present locked in my direction.
“…..”
The silence felt uncomfortable.
Until—
“Wow, holy shit… You can do it this way?”
Zoey’s voice cut through the silence as she found herself unable to hold her tongue.
Her words snapped the Section Chief out of his thoughts as he sat back down on his seat and analyzed the program on the computer.
“Why didn’t I think about this before?”
He looked at a complete loss before suddenly looking back at me. Seeing his gaze, I stepped back.
I suddenly started to have a bad premonition.
“Say, are you sure you want to just be an observer?”
He closed the laptop and moved closer to me.
I took another step back.
“Look, you’re clearly quite talented. The fact that you were able to come up with a way that we hadn’t even thought of before shows that you’re talented. It would be a waste if you didn’t join us.”
“About that…”
I looked at Kyle for help, but instead, all I received was a baffled and shocked expression from him.
“The benefits we provide are quite high. Our signing bonuses are quite high. You’ll be given an adequate strategy and—”
“I’m thankful for your offer, but no.”
Seeing that no one was going to help me, I directly cut the director off.
“I’m rather scared of horror stuff.”
“…..”
The Section Chief gave me a face, his expression seeming to say, ‘What sort of bullshit are you spouting?’
I coughed.
“It’s true.”
He still didn’t seem to believe me.
“…I also like my job.”
The system made it so I had to develop games. If I joined the Guild, then I knew it would be impossible for me to have time to develop the games.
“….Perhaps in the future, but for now, no.”
“Alright.”
The Section Chief looked like he had more to say, but eventually accepted my stance and just nodded.
“Since you don’t want to join, I can’t force you. It’s a pity, though. I think you really do have some talent.”
“Thank you.”
In the end, the Section Chief didn’t pursue the matter any longer, and I quietly walked back towards Kyle, leaning back on the wall and sliding down.
“Haa…”
That was when I let out a long breath and finally relaxed.
‘I really thought I was going to die.”
Every second within the trial felt agonizing. I wasn’t sure what came over me then, but looking back at it now, I really must’ve lost it.
‘…I don’t want to have anything to do with horror for the next week or so.’
This was a big wish of mine, but thinking about the monster that was still haunting me, my stomach churned.
So much that I felt the urge to go to the bathroom.
I was just about to when a certain voice reached my ears.
“Why didn’t you accept the offer?”
The voice belonged to none other than Zoey, standing with her arms crossed and her back casually pressed against the wall, eyes fixed on me with a subtle frown.
“The Section Chief rarely praises people. You should be grateful and take the opportunity. Many people would be dying for the very same opportunity.”
I frowned, listening to her words. What sort of argument was this…? Indeed, she was just like the game settings. Quite blunt and sheltered. A princess of sorts.
‘Then again, after what she went through, I’m rather surprised she still acts like this.’
“Is that so?”
I just gave her a casual reply, hoping she’d leave me alone, but that only seemed to annoy her more.
Knowing just how quickly things could spiral, I rose to my feet, cutting her off before she could utter a single word.
“Let me be. I don’t have the luxury of a choice, unlike you.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
I gave her a quick glance before mumbling, “I don’t get to rely on my rich parents when things don’t go my way.”
If I did, I wouldn’t be worrying about some stupid medicine.
Furthermore, the system prevented me from having such a choice.
“Wha… What did you say?”
Her entire body seemed to stiffen at my words. I probably hit the mark with my comment, but it wasn’t like I was lying.
And more than anything, I really needed to go to the bathroom.
“Say it again. Say—”
“If you don’t mind.”
I side-stepped and moved past Kyle as he looked at me with a weird expression. He looked a little stiff, too, alternating his gaze between me and her.
Was he still shocked by my performance?
Probably.
‘Whatever the case is, I really need to go.’
***
Shaa—
The cold water ran down the sink as I washed my face.
“Kh…!”
A groan suddenly slipped from my mouth.
Slowly lifting my head and staring at my own features, my teeth clenched as I held onto the sides of the sink, keeping my body upright as my hands started to tremble.
I…. was having another episode.
“D-damn it.”
It wasn’t a serious one, but it was still there.
I had to keep myself steady in order to keep myself from falling. The pain lingered at the back of my mind while my arms continued to shudder.
It wasn’t anything serious, but it made it hard for me to keep steady.
“Haa… Haa…”
As my chest heaved up and down repeatedly, I swallowed in silence.
‘As expected… I really do hate horror.’
The attacks had become even more frequent than before. All due to the anxiety and fear that I had experienced recently.
“This d—”
Creak!
The soft creak of the door opening pulled me from my thoughts.
I turned my head slowly, my chest slowly calming down—
—and then I saw him.
Myles. Walking in with no expression.
He felt a little different than usual.
However, the moment he caught sight of me, his expression changed, and dimples appeared on his face.
“Oh, you were here.”
He strolled to the sink beside me, casually pumping soap into his hands.
“…I heard you came out first in the trials.”
“Oh, yes.”
I gave a short nod, trying to steady my breath.
“That’s impressive.”
“Thank you, what about you?”
“Second. I got second.”
“Oh.”
A thin, fleeting silence settled over us.
It held for a beat too long—until Myles broke it again.
“I thought you weren’t going to participate.”
“Right…”
I licked my lips, shaking my head.
“…It just happened like that.”
“It just happened? Can something like that just happen?”
“Hm, what?”
“Never mind. It’s good that you did well.”
He smiled again, turning on the tap and washing his hands with calm, rhythmic motions.
“….”
I stood in silence, the previous conversation lingering in my mind.
Something felt off.
I glanced sideways at him, searching. But nothing stood out—he just calmly dried his hands with a pair of tissues.
Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling gnawing at me.
‘Myles… Myles… Myles…’
From the moment I met him, something about him had unsettled me.
And I still couldn’t place it.
“I’ll be leaving now.”
He flashed that same gentle smile, dimples and all, then reached for the door.
Just as he pulled it open—
“Hey…”
“Hm?”
He paused and turned back toward me.
“What is it?”
“About…”
I hesitated, then finally asked, “I forgot to ask you before. What’s your last name?”
“My last name?”
He blinked, confused for a moment.
Then, with one hand on the door, he answered—
“Holms.”
Clank!
The door clicked shut behind him, and the bathroom returned to stillness.
I remained where I stood, eyes closed, as the name echoed through my mind.
“I… see.”
Suddenly, it all clicked.
The strange sense of recognition. The unease. The familiarity.
Myles…
He was another game character that appeared in one of the games I had previously worked on.