Chapter 214: Ch 214: Daydream’s Security Team
[Well then... Good morning once again, Special Division Registration
Number 130666. Are you all prepared for your shift?]
[My, my, looks like the support staff are running late~ Sergeant of Security
Unit 3, have you been playing janitor or guard for so long you forgot how to
go out at all? Those are more like forepaws than hands now, haha!]
[...]
[...Hey, are you listening?]
[Well, in any case, it seems the support staff are finally ready to safely
transfer you, Special Division Employee. Let me introduce today’s
worksite.]
[Badger over there probably knows already, and apparently the Security
Team has also been notified.]
[There’s been a suspicious request from the Sales Team.]
[As you know, our company is a rather special pharmaceutical company.
So, naturally, we also have some ’special clients’... Shall we say, important
people who are useful to society.]
[For those kinds of clients, Daydream Inc.’s sales representatives sometimes
make direct house calls to sell our products. When the bill is large,
sometimes there are regular deliveries too.]
[But just now, the Sales Team members making a regular potion delivery
have officially sent a request for help to Daydream Inc.... They claim to be
experiencing some strange phenomena.]
[And you know what, there’s a really fun— Or rather, a really nice, strong
scent of Darkness about this, isn’t there?]
[Because these salespeople aren’t asking to be rescued. They just keep
asking for the answer!]
[They say they’re being chased by something and trapped in a room, but
don’t know the answer. They’re rambling that they don’t know who to trust
or which choice to make.]
[And apparently, every time they’ve come to this house for regular
deliveries before, they’ve felt something strange, felt chills. Specifically...]
[On rainy days. Like today.]
* * *
Rain is pattering down outside the window.
Ruuumble.
Thunder rolls by, ringing in their ears.
On edge, the two office workers in suits had just entered this house on the
outskirts of Seoul and been shown to the sofa.
"If you’ll wait just a moment."
"Yes, thank you."
’Huu.’
People from the Sales Team of Daydream Inc. were commonly referred to
as ’delivery staff’, and Lee Jinyeong held the position of supervisor in said
team. He let out a sigh as he adjusted his tie.
The middle-aged woman who had let them in and was now heading
upstairs, saying she would inform the client of their visit, was already only
visible from behind.
She probably isn’t a family member of the client.
’She must be the housekeeper here.’
It didn’t seem likely that people important enough to have custom
pharmaceuticals developed and supplied just for them would do their own
cleaning and dishwashing.
’Still, it’s odd that they buy the medicine themselves.’
He glanced at the box his superior was holding.
They were here to introduce and sell a ’special’ potion.
It was only after joining the company that he learned Daydream Inc. didn’t
just develop anti-hair loss products but also sold more... unusual
medications.
And that the ingredients were... not exactly mainstream, something
special.
’It’s not, like, extracted from... human bodies or something... right?’
The hint of illegality was a bit unsettling, but really, what big modern
corporation isn’t skirting the line in some way? He figured he’d just keep
his head down and collect his paycheck.
...Still, it was a bit unpleasant.
’That’s just how sales jobs are, though...’
And this was his first time coming here for a regular delivery.
His superior had brought him along to cover for someone on vacation.
"Assistant Manager, are you okay?"
"Um. Not really."
The company worker, who apparently had a sensitive digestive system,
replied gloomily.
’I heard this isn’t a particularly difficult customer.’
...Maybe it’s the rain?
The supervisor thought back to the conversation before coming here, about
today’s regular delivery customer.
– They’re the kind of customers you’d have to put a little more effort in but
still manage to close a sale with. But... That house feels a little off,
especially when it rains.
– Feels off?
Is it really that bad?
’Maybe it’s just that he’s not feeling well today.’
Anyone would feel a bit out of sorts on a damp, gloomy, overcast day like
this.
’The house is nice, though.’
The supervisor shrugged to himself and glanced around the expensive
townhouse in Seoul.
It was upscale and spotless.
Definitely the kind of wealthy home where someone else does the cleaning.
The supervisor felt a twinge of deprivation as he looked at the dust-free
floor.
Then suddenly, he saw it.
’...Huh?’
There was something shabby under the sofa.
He absentmindedly reached out and picked it up...
A thin, smooth texture.
’...Sketchbook paper?’
– Yeah. You know... that feeling. Like when you’re somewhere with bad
energy? Like a tunnel where an accident happened, kinda?
– Umm... – That’s why I always bring a talisman, just in case.
It was the kind of thing a child would use. Without thinking, he flipped the
paper over...
hUngrY
The words, scrawled in what looked like a child’s handwriting, appeared.
Around the letters, clumsy stick figures made of circles and lines were
drawn in various colored crayons.
Did the kid draw the rest of the family?
"Hey, someone’s coming."
"Ah."
For now, the assistant manager set the paper beside the sofa and turned to
greet the clients who had come downstairs.
"Hello!"
"Yes, nice to meet you."
The couple spoke in unexpectedly gentle tones.
"Are you here for the delivery?"
"That’s right!"
And the assistant manager changed his expression and smoothly greeted the
clients.
"It’s your usual C-grade delivery."
He handed over a sealed box. The couple opened it, checked the bottle of
greenish liquid inside, and nodded in satisfaction.
’I wonder what that even is.’
The Daydream Inc. sales staff, who didn’t know much about the potion,
could only sneak a glance.
Does it make you young again, or something?
In any case, the payment for the special potion wasn’t made on the spot, and
rumor had it that what the clients paid with wasn’t even money.
’I heard it’s for helping the company out with something...’
Maybe they helped cover up illegal activities, or got involved in a rigged
bidding process... At least, that’s what the sales rep guessed.
Of course, he didn’t breathe a word of this out loud.
In any case, everything went as usual for a regular delivery after that.
Before leaving, you flatter the client and keep the mood pleasant, so they’ll
continue the contract.
And, as usual, the sales rep just tried to think up some light small talk.
"Oh, does your child like to draw?"
"...Pardon?"
"They left something here."
Remembering the drawing he’d seen earlier, he reached out and groped
around the sofa. He was sure it was right here...
"There was this cute crayon drawing saying ’Hungry’. It was..."
...Huh?
He blinked.
All he felt was the smooth leather of the sofa.
He turned his head quickly, but there was no sign of a drawing.
That’s strange. He was sure he’d left it on the sofa...
"What paper?"
"Oh."
As he turned to explain, the couple looked at him quizzically.
"Our eldest already moved out. College already."
"Is th...at so."
A reaction like that was no different from saying, ’What are you talking
about? There aren’t any kids here.’
Damn it!
The couple, now watching him with suspicion, soon stood up, saying they’d
put the potion away, and as soon as they left, the supervisor’s superior shot
him a look of disbelief.
"Are you insane?"
"I’m sorry."
But he felt wronged.
What the hell is going on?
"No, but it was really there. You saw it too, didn’t you, Assistant Manager?"
"What are you talking about."
"I mean, the drawing, like a page torn from a sketchbook. Looked like a kid
scribbled on it..."
Like that, over there.
"Oh!"
The sales rep got up and went over to something he spotted nearby.
Under the kitchen table, half-hidden beneath a carpet, was a piece of paper.
"Hey! What are you doing?"
"You see this, right? It was something like this."
He flipped the paper over. There was probably another child’s drawing or
writing on the back...
it hurts
im hungRy
iT huRts
i WAnT To leAvve
The paper was filled with those crooked words.
And all around the words were clumsy drawings of family members.
The adults were holding black sticks and nooses, and where their faces
should be were eerily red and black, distorted facial features.
As if staring out from the paper.
"..."
A chill crawled up his spine.
Something was off.
This was the kind of thing you’d expect to see from an abused child, the
sort of drawing brought to a psychologist...
"Um, Assistant Manager. I think we should at least check on this..."
"Hey."
His boss tapped him on the back.
"What’s the first saying they taught us in training?"
"..."
"Don’t you remember?"
"...Curiosity killed the cat."
– Do not try to find out about the client, or the performance of the products
you sell.
Ignorance.
It was training that went exactly against the usual professionalism expected
of sales positions.
That’s probably why they emphasized it first and foremost.
"Ah, right. You still don’t even know what kind of medicine we’re
delivering, do you?"
"..."
"The less you know, the better."
The same goes for the clients.
It’s better not to know.
"..."
i WAnT To leAvve
The sales rep looked down at the drawing and the words, then finally sighed
and nodded.
"Yes."
His boss patted him on the back. The sales rep bent down to fold the paper
and put it back on the floor.
"Alright. Let’s just be careful heading out..."
leAvve
Thuk.
"...!"
Suddenly, all the lights in the house went out.
In the pitch-black darkness, the two salesmen reached for each other in
confusion.
It was dark.
"Is this... a blackout?"
"Yes, I think so..."
It was strangely quiet.
Normally, when the lights go out suddenly, people would make noise or talk
to check what’s going on, right?
But in the oppressive darkness, only the sound of rain outside the window
filled the silence.
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter, pitter-patter...
"...Excuse me!"
No answer came back.
The outline of the house was just barely visible in the silence, as if it were
holding its breath...
A chill.
"..."
"...Let’s just go outside and take a look. See if it’s a blackout in the whole
neighborhood."
The two headed for the front door.
Because of the rain, it was dark, but not so dark that they couldn’t find their
way to the door.
But somehow... it felt wrong.
’...The smell of rain.’
There was the scent of damp earth.
It wasn’t a smell you’d expect in a well-maintained house. The supervisor
took a shallow breath, uncomfortable, and stepped forward.
Up ahead, his superior seemed to be fumbling for something in his pocket.
Was that his talisman?
"This lock... hold on."
He seemed to be struggling with the front door lock. Probably because it
was unfamiliar and dark.
"Should I try?"
"Sure. But..."
"Why are you still holding that piece of paper?"
He turned his head.
He saw the paper in his left hand.
Drip, drip— Water was falling from the paper...
’Ah.’
That smell of rain. It was coming from here...
Bee-beep.
Creeeak.
"..."
A sound.
The supervisor, stiff with tension, turned his head back forward.
The assistant manager who had been holding the door lock was looking
back at him.
No.
It was just his head that had turned.
Thunk.
His neck snapped the other way, and his lifeless body toppled like a toy.
"..."
He froze in shock.
A corpse.
From the assistant manager’s twisted face, fluid began to ooze from every
hole.
Tears, mucus, and spit dripped onto the floor.
Like rainwater.
"H-Hic, hiiic, hicc..."
Roll...
A small, round device fell from the dead man’s hand and rolled to the
employee’s feet.
Instinctively, he picked it up, even as he thought.
His empty mind buzzed with tinnitus.
What is this?
What... is happening right now?
At that moment.
"Oh my, I’m so sorry! You must have been startled by the sudden
blackout."
"Are you alright?"
The flustered voices of the couple came from above.
It was a bit muffled, as if they were calling from upstairs, but the important
thing was they were voices. Human voices.
"Ah...!"
Reality snapped back into place.
Relief, fear, shock, helpless confusion.
Unable to take his eyes off the dead assistant manager, he barely managed
to move his lips.
"I’m fine! It’s nothing..."
"Where are you? You’re okay, right?"
"Because this is a single-detached house, sometimes we get blackouts like
this... Goodness. That startled me."
The sales rep, barely managing to catch his breath, stood up. He lifted his
hand to throw away the paper he was holdi—
liar, Liar
The words on the paper had changed.
And then.
Something flashed through his mind.
"Are you still there??"
...
"Pardon me."
His mouth opened.
His voice was shaking.
"You definitely said it earlier. ’Our eldest already moved out.’"
"Huh? Well, yes. Why...?"
But.
"...The phrase ’eldest child’ is only used when there’s a ’younger child’."
...
"Then where is the younger one?"
A deathly silence.
"Pardon me?"
"Too late."
"It’s too late."
The sales rep began to run, desperately, in the opposite direction from the
staircase.
"Too late."
"It’s too late."
He felt his neck go numb from fear.
His survival instincts screamed.
Something’s wrong.
Need to hide.
But where?
With trembling hands, he unfolded the paper again. Thud. Mud and dust
wet from the rain dropped to the floor.
But before he could even flinch at that, the contents were revealed.
The words had changed again.
"..."
bAthROom tub
’Bathroom?’
He looked up and saw a door labeled ’Bathroom’ in English.
In a split second of hesitation, the sales rep finally opened the door next to
the bathroom, stepped inside, and locked it.
"Hiiek—"
The dark silhouette in the pantry looked terrifying, but for now, he tried to
steady his breath.
And held his breath.
...Because he heard something coming down from upstairs.
Step, step.
"Too late."
It was getting closer.
The footsteps grew louder and louder, closer and closer...
"It’s too late."
They were standing right outside the door.
The employee stifled both his sobs and his breath, but soon he heard the
doorknob turning...
Click.
"..."
"..."
The next moment.
He realized it.
The door hadn’t opened.
It’s just, it had been locked from the outside as well.
"Too late."
"It’s too late..."
What exactly is this?
What decision was he making right now?
What is this?
"Ah..."
"Please just rest now."
"There’s nothing to be done now."
What was he supposed to believe?
In his confusion, the sales rep tried to unfold the paper again with his
shaking hands. But then, he realized what was in his other hand.
’The manager’s talisman.’
With trembling hands, he checked it for the first time...
’...Pager?’
It was a pager.
A small, old electronic device called a ’pager’, which was widely used
decades ago.
On it, as if pre-set by his boss, ’505’ was entered.
That meant...
’...SOS!’
His desperate mind drew the connection.
’Where does this connect to?’
Maybe the ’talisman’ wasn’t a literal charm, but... a means of calling for
help?
Clutching at straws, the sales rep hurriedly pressed the button, hitting what
looked like a send button over and over.
"Please, please..."
And then.
[Processing your request.]
"...!"
A businesslike voice.
It echoed in his ear like a faint whisper.
[Would you like to call the Security Team? An additional fee will be
charged.]
"Y-Yes!!"
Whatever it was, he needed help. Help!! Please!
"W-Who should I trust, I mean, where should I go, pl-please tell me. I don’t
know what the answer is."
[Processing your request.]
The employee rambled incoherently, telling what had happened so far, This
strange house, the rainy day, the drawing, the lie.
The child!
"That child who drew this..."
"Is there a little one here in need of care?"
"AAAAAH!"
The sales rep fell backward.
The pager, which had spoken in that bizarre voice, dropped to the floor.
And from the shadow that formed where it landed, a black silhouette began
to rise.
[Process complete]
[Security Team assigned]
Employees clad in the uniform of Daydream Inc.’s Security Team.