Chapter 207: Ch 207: A wish ticket
"Oh, right! Just send those to the team leader’s desk, Agent Mint."
"Yes...!"
Go Yeongeun carried the bundle of documents she had just organized over
to her superior’s desk.
It was information on the newly observed supernatural disaster.
She briefly reflected on how the term ’Disaster’ had now become more
familiar to her than ’Darkness’.
’Phew.’
Go Yeongeun sat down at her own desk.
Then, she could faintly hear the idle chatter of the other agents sharing the
office from the hallway.
"...so that’s what happened. Black-Tortoise Team 1..."
"But honestly, if I were that rookie, I think I’d have done the same..."
"..."
Her nerves instantly went on edge.
Just from that, she could tell who they were talking about.
For nearly two weeks, agents at the Supernatural Disaster Management
Bureau had been careful about bringing it up, but it was still the main topic
of conversation.
Agent Grapes.
Her fellow spy.
Whispers of Kim Soleum’s imprisonment, release, and subsequent
disappearance.
That’s right.
Go Yeongeun’s colleague had failed in his spy mission and had gone
missing.
...Maybe it was a relief he hadn’t been caught.
Given the circumstances, it seemed something had happened when Director
Ho’s binding was exposed, but with the hush-hush atmosphere, it was hard
to ask.
She’d heard that things had gotten serious during the imprisonment, but
then improved again.
And that even after the disappearance, the mood toward Kim Soleum
among the field agents wasn’t that bad.
...News from Black-Tortoise Team 1 had dwindled significantly.
That much was all that Go Yeongeun, as a rookie agent, could know for
certain.
Of course, it was difficult to find out anything more after Kim Soleum had
disappeared almost as soon as he got out of the Glass Prison.
’He really... ran away, didn’t he?’
Go Yeongeun would worry herself into a state of nerves, but always ended
her thoughts with a sigh.
She couldn’t risk leaking information while trying to track down Soleum’s
whereabouts.
If Kim Soleum had managed to escape successfully, poking around would
likely only cause trouble, and there was the risk her own identity might be
exposed as well.
It was bad for both of them.
Given she was somewhat acquainted with Kim Soleum, and that they were
both rookies, there was even more chance she was being monitored for
security reasons.
’...Feels like I’m under suspicion as a spy, too.’
She didn’t know.
The Disaster Management Bureau staff were certainly good people, but
they were also skilled at pretending to be nonchalant while probing, or
zeroing in on key issues as if it was nothing.
’Well, they are agents, after all.’
In any case, unlike her nerves-wracked state as a spy walking on thin ice,
there was no noticeable change in the other agents’ attitudes.
She hadn’t been dragged off to the Glass Prison herself, at least.
’That’s a relief, but...’
...Honestly, it felt hopeless.
Of the three who’d come in, one was quarantined due to contamination, and
one other had gone missing.
Only she was left, but for a rookie to steal a document on an annihilation-
sanctioned disaster was realistically close to impossible.
...If she were Director Ho, she’d have cut her losses by now.
’But I have to hang on.’
And she had to do her job.
Go Yeongeun forced herself to stay calm and calculated things to avoid
panicking.
’Calmly, one at a time.’
First, she needed to clean up any traces more thoroughly.
She’d only ever contacted Kim Soleum through a separate phone line
registered under a different name.
She decided she had to take care of that, too.
So, that evening, when she returned to her officetel after work, she searched
for the spare phone.
Rather than hiding it meticulously, she’d just tossed it in a drawer with
other old junk, like her previous phone. That way, it would be easier to
overlook.
And the moment she turned it on.
Spam messages, which she deliberately invited by giving out this number
everywhere, poured in.
Even contact from Director Ho disguised as counseling offers looked like
spam at first glance.
"Huu."
Go Yeongeun began clicking through and deleting the spam one by one.
[ Don’t just sit there serenely, please disembark
now! At this stop, ★Special Discount★ Gangnam
Station... ]
Her hand froze.
"...Wait a second."
Serenely, disembark, this stop...
"...!"
She couldn’t help but remember, like being struck by lightning.
The subway of Abyssal Transpo.
This was a hint only someone who’d shared that insane onboarding ghost
story would recognize. And at this moment, there was only one person who
would send such a message disguised as spam...
Only one.
Go Yeongeun immediately clicked on the message.
[ Don’t just sit there serenely, please disembark
now! At this stop, ★Special Discount★ Gangnam
Station Discount Phone Sales, only until 21:00 on
the 17th at the left counter (Unsubscribe) ]
"..."
A location and a time.
Go Yeongeun quickly searched the internet.
She looked up the discount phone store near Gangnam Station.
And an hour later.
Go Yeongeun found herself standing in front of a storage locker near the
discount phone store at Gangnam Station.
"..."
At first, she wondered if she was supposed to meet at the storefront, but
even after the designated time of 21:00 passed, no one appeared.
Then, when she focused on the ’left counter’ mentioned in the text, she
immediately noticed a passage leading to the storage lockers on the left side
of the store.
’Is it here?’
She hesitated for a moment, then looked at the lockers.
There was locker number 17.
The number specified in the message.
"..."
If so.
When she entered the code, the same number sequence from the message,
1721, into the combination lock...
Bee-bee-beep.
"...!"
The locker opened.
Go Yeongeun hurriedly grabbed the card used to pay the locker fee and
looked inside.
There was a small paper envelope.
A memo was attached, written in awkward, unfamiliar handwriting on
purpose, the letters crooked.
Please open this at home
"..."
Go Yeongeun quickly took the envelope and went home.
Her heart was pounding.
’What is this?’
Given the circumstances, it was almost certain that the person who left this
was Kim Soleum.
But what on earth was being passed on?
Had the method of exchanging information for the spy work changed to
something like this? With these swirling thoughts, Go Yeongeun opened the
envelope at her dining table.
’Two boxes?’
There was a black box.
Feeling puzzled, she opened one of the boxes...
A dazzling, multicolored light shone out.
"...!!"
The Daydream Inc. employee quickly shut the box in alarm.
’W, Wish Ticket!’
That crazy potion with the holographic aurora-like glow— There was no
doubt it was a Wish Ticket!
’Kim Soleum-ssi!’
Did he actually complete the spy mission by himself and bring back Wish
Tickets? No, but how? Is this real? Is it really real? There’s a Wish Ticket in
a subway locker... Wait.
’...There are two boxes.’
Her heart pounded in her chest.
She reached for the other box and opened it...
Once again, brilliant light spilled out.
’Oh my god.’
And then, a small note fluttered down.
"...!"
She quickly picked it up.
Yeongeun-ssi.
Our work is finished.
Do as you wish.
You don’t need to come back.
"..."
She was so shocked her mind went blank.
But the note wasn’t finished yet.
P.S. If possible, please deliver the other box to its intended recipient. If not,
please keep it safe until then.
"No way...!"
How could someone just hand over two bottles of Wish Ticket potions with
only a note like this, as if it wouldn’t matter if she just took both for herself!
...but even as she thought this, that kind, clever spy knew.
That she would keep her word.
"..."
A swirl of gratitude, obligation, joy, and pressure spun in her mind.
So...
Go Yeongeun made up her mind about something else.
And grabbing something, she ran out of her house.
’It was delivered safely.’
I looked at the empty bottom of my drink at the café.
This was a café in the underground shopping mall at Gangnam Station.
It had already been an hour and a half since I watched Go Yeongeun pick up
the phone from the subway locker.
Nothing unusual had happened in the meantime, so I figured it was about
time to leave.
’That should do it.’
...If it’s Go Yeongeun, she’ll return the Wish Ticket to its rightful owner
without pocketing it for herself.
And since she’s still working at the Disaster Management Bureau, she’ll
have more chances to deliver it than I would.
’...She also seems better suited for the Disaster Management Bureau.’
Now that the spy mission itself was over, she could continue working there
if she wanted to.
Fortunately, there hadn’t been any tailing by bureau agents.
...It seemed things had wrapped up well.
Now, there was only one Wish Ticket potion left for me.
’Then, once I drink it too...’
Just as I thought that—
I saw a familiar figure run back toward the lockers.
"...!"
...It’s Go Yeongeun-ssi.
Did something go wrong?
But she calmly reopened locker 17, the one that had held the Wish Tickets,
put something inside, and shut it tight again as if nothing had happened.
"..."
What did she put in the locker?
’Don’t tell me... she put back Jang Heowoon-ssi’s Wish Ticket.’
That’s possible. If I were her... I’d also have trouble carrying out a request
to deliver a Wish Ticket to someone who’s been isolated and who knows
when he’ll be seen again.
’Yeah.’
It was an unreasonable request in the first place.
After making sure Go Yeongeun was completely gone and there was no
tailing, I quietly left the café and headed to the locker.
I opened locker 17.
...Just as I expected, there was a box inside.
’It can’t be helped.’
I picked it up.
But... oddly, the weight was different.
"...?"
I quickly went into the restroom, carefully opened the box inside a stall.
But instead of that iridescent glow, a soft green glimmer appeared.
The light green hue of a new sprout.
It was a C-grade regeneration potion.
"..."
I stared at it in a daze.
Inside the box was a note attached, just like the one I had written.
I’ll try my very best.
Thank you.
Take care.
An indescribable feeling welled up inside me.
She must have barely bought one bottle with her points.
She gave it to me probably thinking that, because I had lost my arm and had
now left the Disaster Management Bureau, getting access to a dokkaebi
flame as a prosthetic would be difficult now.
’...Thank you.’
I carefully packed up the box and held it close.
That night.
I drank the regeneration potion.
And with my now restored hand, I left my farewells.
Scheduled messages.
Set for the next morning.
To my former superiors in the D-squad, and... a few people to whom I
owed debts of gratitude.
’Let’s send one more to the sergeant, too.’
Mostly to say not to worry, that I’d managed to resign safely.
Writing a text to Section Chief Lee Jaheon during this process made me
break out in a cold sweat.
’That monthly installment plan at the Alien Shop...’
I’m really sorry. I had to run away in the night just after starting the
payment plan.
Instead, I put all the equipment I had into a subway locker and sent Section
Chief Lee Jaheon the location and password. I hope this will cover it...
"Huu."
With that, everything was finally settled.
All that remained was... the dokkaebi flame.
I raised my regenerated arm to the small blue flame that had been circling
me, watching what I did with interest.
"It’s okay now. See? I’ve got my arm back. You can go home."
But the dokkaebi flame flickered as if refusing, and sat down in front of my
desk.
It was a bit troublesome...but it didn’t feel bad.
"Then, let’s stay together just a little longer. ...If I disappear, you go back to
the Bureau, okay?"
The dokkaebi flame drooped a little, as if nodding.
Now, there was truly only one thing left.
The last.
I took out the small, fluffy, pink rabbit plush doll.
"..."
Taking a breath, I set the ’Good Friend’ doll at the foot of the bed, shining
the lamp to cast its shadow.
So that we could speak even in the real world.
– Oh, Friend!
The talk show host’s cheerful voice.
By now, I was used to that captivating tone and smooth delivery.
– Tonight’s hotel is not bad at all. This small, cozy space reminds me of the
room you used to stay in, Mr. Roe Deer. Is this the night you celebrate your
wish coming true?
"Something like that."
No need to save money anymore.
And...
"..."
– Friend?
"Are you okay?"
– About what?
"I mean about me using the Wish Ticket."
A question that had weighed on my mind, but I’d been afraid to ask in case
the answer was too much to handle.
"You know what my wish is."
The host already knows.
If he can see into my thoughts and knowledge to any degree, he would have
realized, at least by the time I was talking with the sergeant, that my wish
was to leave this world.
"But you never asked."
I continued, looking at the plush doll’s big shadow.
"It felt strange."
– Oh...
"I wondered if maybe you were thinking that I’ll fail, and that you’re now
just waiting quietly for catharsis."
– Heavens.
– Once again, Friend, I do not wish for your failure... I simply do not
intervene inappropriately and ruin the flow and scene!
– And as for now...
A sound like tapping gloves.
– It’s such a clear situation, there’s no need for questions.
– You want to go home, don’t you, Friend? But you refused this Braun’s
offer to introduce you to a better, new home...
A chill ran down my spine.
But the host’s tone remained calm and cheerful.
– So, as a host, it’s only right to watch and see where your choice takes this
show.
"..."
– Do as you wish, Friend.
– You’ve worked so hard for this, now it’s time to see the result.
The rabbit doll’s shadow flickered, as if pointing at something with a hand.
The Wish Ticket potion on the table.
"...Huu."
– Let’s go. To the finale and ending!
I picked up the Wish Ticket.