It Seems I Must Go to Work Even After Falling into a Horror Story 085

The warm sunlight streams into the Fox Consultation Room.

Another me stands outside the window.

He grabs my arm and stirs through my tattoo.

……

Huh?

Isn’t that someone else?

Then I must refuse. Did I break the rules? No. Yeah, this situation is not right! Not right! Not right! Not right! I must follow the rules because I am the new teacher who must uphold them!

“Everything’s ready, Teacher.”

The hand that was stirring inside my tattoo slipped out.

Thud.

An object, which should have been missing, is flung out with that hand.

The tattoo, which was certainly supposed to be empty…

“This was inside.”

Under the garden lights, a vivid red-lettered title emerges.

Brown File Folder.

“This seems familiar. How do you remember it?”

Oh my gosh.

I snapped back to awareness like I’d been splashed with cold water.

‘That…!!’

And like a dam bursting, fragments of memory from the past few weeks began to pour out clearly.

When I stuffed the tainted Chief Park Min-seong into my wrist at the kindergarten!

The space inside the tattoo had swallowed it without issue… Ah, the educational material got in! I definitely wouldn’t have packed it separately.

The educational material that Chief Park was holding must have entered my tattoo all at once!

I suppressed the impulse to separate it, thinking I’d report it all to the Security Team after rescuing the Chief.

But…

-If you have any supplies or items taken from the “Hungry Hangman,” please return them.

-Oh, I have nothing separate.

I didn’t return the educational material.

To be precise, whenever I tried to recall what else was in the tattoo, I unconsciously felt a sense of aversion and stopped.

Doubt goes against the rules!

And even the aversion I felt got blocked from my memory. Teachers shouldn’t feel aversion to the rules… No, let’s not overthink this!

What’s certain is that I’ve tried several times.

Attempts to show my strange condition to those around me.

-…Team Leader.

-Yes.

-If you think I might have some strange compulsion regarding the rules, I’d appreciate it if you could take a look…

-Yes.

-…Ah, I just wanted to mention that I think I’ve been too obsessed with work lately.

-I see.

I had casually brought up the topic to Manager Lee Ja-heon a few times. I responded with a skeptical stance, but the conversation ended ambiguously.

‘That was close.’

The educational material inside my tattoo began to consume my consciousness more and more, and eventually, I naturally accepted all the bizarre things without noticing them…

‘At least I was clear-headed at Seokwang Technical High School!’

Thanks to the Nostalgia Candy.

But the moment I woke up from the dream, that was over.

And in yesterday’s “final conversation” with Manager Lee, it reached its peak.

-Kim Sol-eum.

-Yes?

-Have you recently suffered from a peculiar pressure to follow the rules or been seized by impulses?

-I think it’s natural for a workplace member to maintain the rules, Team Leader!

-I see.

“……”

Oh wow.

‘I’m gonna throw up.’

I was acting like that?!

I staggered and leaned against the window.

‘So that’s why Manager Lee Ja-heon…’

Was trying to stuff me into the consultation room no matter what.

“……Hah.”

Everything becomes clear.

It feels like I was wearing a small turtleneck that didn’t fit and have finally taken it off, or cleaning off dirty glasses that reveal a clearer view.

A refreshing sense of liberation and a lack of energy enveloped my whole body.

And… anxiety too.

“……”

“What are you thinking right now?”

“……Tired and refreshed.”

“Do you feel like you’ve broken free from some uncomfortable compulsion?”

“……Yes.”

The “Counseling Teacher” standing outside the window, looking like me, gazed at me as if comforting me.

“You did superbly. Sitting here while continuing the consultation is a testament to your strong willpower.”

“……”

Then quietly placing the educational material on the garden floor, she fetched a shovel from somewhere and lightly dug the earth.

“When powerful impulses or ideas seize you, it can be very distressing.”

Scrape, scrape, a small patch of dirt formed in the corner of the outdoor garden from “Kim Sol-eum’s” hand.

Thud.

The educational material was thrown into it.

“Change isn’t always bad, but if your body and mind are suffering, you should always resist it.”

After neatly covering the dirt she dug, she brushed her hands off cheerfully.

“Sol-eum Teacher, do you see that small plant in the pot?”

Pot?

As I turned my head, there really was a small pot on the table near the couch.

A tiny plant with unripe fruits the size of peas.

“Could you bring me one of those fruits that looks appealing?”

“……”

I gently plucked one of the slightly ripened fruits and handed it to the “me” beyond the window.

“Very well done.”

The Counseling Teacher outside took my hand with the fruit.

Then.

“…!”

The fruit I was holding turned bright red.

Like it had soaked up lots of nutrients, it looked plump and appetizing.

“Make sure to chew it well.”

“……”

I put the fruit in my mouth.

Intense anxiety, anger, thoughts, and irrational sadness and pain slowly melted away along with the fruit…

Hah.

With a sigh, all my emotional residue scattered like grains of sand.

I felt calm.

Just a tired office worker, my body and mind weary.

As the usual me.

I lifted my head and looked at the Counseling Teacher standing by the window.

“Thank you. I feel much better thanks to you.”

“I should be the one to thank you, Kim Sol-eum Teacher!”

The Counseling Teacher’s face brightened.

Somehow, she looked less like a copy of me.

“Then shall we have a bit more of a conversation?”

After that, it turned into an ordinary psychological consultation.

To be precise, I met an exceptionally skillful and comforting Counseling Teacher and felt free to talk about various things.

‘I have to admit this.’

If I had to pick one thing that the Daydream Corporation, this clueless profit-chasing horror story of a company, did well, it was that they included this in employee welfare.

“When you feel overwhelmed by negative thoughts in the future, I’ll give you a sign so you can always come to the Fox Consultation Room.”

As I left, I received one more item.

Fox Consultation Room.

It was the same sign that was stuck on the door I had entered before.

“If you stick that sign on the door and open it, it will connect to our consultation room.”

“…Thank you.”

I want to keep it, but I’ll have to stick it on the door as soon as I leave.

All clients using the company’s welfare program must affix the sign they receive after the consultation ends on the same door they came through.

‘The nameplate hung on the door I used must have disappeared by now.’

Think of it as borrowing.

“Well, I’ll take my leave now.”

I tried to rise from my seat.

I heard the Counseling Teacher’s voice, tinged with regret.

“Um, actually, setting up a regular appointment and consistently coming for consultation every week or two is best…”

Uugh!

“I’m really sorry, but I’m too busy… That may be difficult.”

“I see. People these days are all like that…”

The “Counseling Teacher” nodded slightly and appeared a bit downcast.

But I must not be swayed by that expression.

‘If I set up a regular consultation… the chances of side effects skyrocketing…!’

Fortunately, instead of insisting again, the Counseling Teacher smiled and nodded, sending me off.

“At least you have good acquaintances, family, and friends around you, Kim Sol-eum Teacher.”

“……”

Wait a minute.

Sure, in this crazy horror story world, I have some good acquaintances and a ‘good friend’…

“Family… what do you mean?”

The Counseling Teacher reached out and tapped her wrist.

I looked down at my wrist.

The location is…

: Socius :

“That person.”

“…?!”

♬♩♪♬~♪♪♩~

“Oh, it’s time. Take care, Kim Sol-eum Teacher.”

I raised my head.

There was no one there.

The Counseling Teacher, who had been smiling by the window, vanished like a lie, leaving only the sunlight pouring in from the lovely garden…

♬♩♪♬~♪♪♩~

The light waltz melody signaling the end of the consultation.

In the distance, it seemed I caught a glimpse of a scarlet tail of a fox disappearing quickly beneath the garden’s stone wall…

“……”

I got up from the couch and headed towards the changing room curtain.

On the way to the curtain, there was a cool beverage prepared on a flower-patterned lace table.

You can do your best today too!

^^

“……”

I gulped down the drink and gratefully set it down.

It was a wonderfully nutty barley tea.

-Did the consultation prove beneficial, friend?

“Yeah.”

I gathered up the ‘good friend’ plush toy.

……Now that my mind is clear, I do have a few thoughts about this guy…

‘That’ll be for after work.’

For now, there’s someone I must face first.

Creak.

I opened the door and stepped out.

The white lizard head in a black suit leaning against the opposite wall turned to look at me.

“Did you receive counseling?”

“Yes.”

I wasn’t sure, but I must have had a rather awkward expression saying that.

“Thank you. Team Leader, thanks to you, I’ve escaped the contamination.”

“Not at all.”

The Lizard Team Leader… modest?!

“Kim Sol-eum, you are still in the contaminated state. Please continue to receive regular counseling.”

“…Yes.”

Ah.

That’s what it meant…

“Still, I feel like I’m much better than before. Do you think so too, Team Leader?”

“Yes.”

The Lizard Team Leader looked at me as if assessing and then declared.

“You’re okay to be seen now.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a message from Chief Park Min-seong.”

“…!!”

…Manager Lee pulled out a small post-it note from his suit pocket and handed it to me.

Doe, you’ve worked hard.

Thank you for getting me out.

“……”

I took a short, deep breath.

“Have you recovered?”

“What’s your definition of recovery…?”

“Are you able to communicate rationally?”

“Statistically probable.”

Hah…

‘Does that mean I’m still wavering?’

Anyway, it was good that recovery was underway.

And another group member came to mind naturally.

“…Has Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je contacted you separately, Team Leader?”

“Yes.”

“……”

Assistant Manager Eun Ha-je vanished right after going on a leave of absence.

I occasionally see her after sending a text or a message, but there are no replies. Just read receipts.

‘Perhaps she wants to distance herself from this horror company.’

Having experienced all sorts of chaos due to mental contamination felt like a wise stance…

Anyway, that wraps up my morning schedule.

“Should I head back to the office now?”

“Yes.”

“Thanks again, Team Leader.”

“Yes.”

Manager Lee Ja-heon left to attend to his work while I spent some time browsing the welfare mall at the office until lunch.

Thanks to the A-grade solution I obtained just prior, this was a nice luxury I could now enjoy.

‘Is it better to be clear-headed…?’

I don’t know. This company is really frightening…

Knock, knock.

“Hello.”

Huh?

I turned my gaze from the monitor.

Someone had quietly knocked on my desk as they entered the office.

It was a young man in a gray suit.

‘Don’t recognize him.’

Is he from another team or department?

He seemed about my age but had an impression that I definitely wouldn’t want to encounter as a competitor in an interview…

‘Why would he come to this place instead of another major corporation?’

I almost looked at him with pity for a moment but quickly adjusted my posture.

“Hello. What brings you here?”

“Oh, I have a question.”

The other person asked politely as well.

“Did your consultation go well, Sol-eum-ssi?”

“…!”

“I’m glad to see you’ve recovered so much. Nice to meet you. My name is Ho Yu-won.”

He extended his hand as if to shake.

“I heard you received an interesting proposal from Director Cheong recently.”

“……”

Director Cheong.

He didn’t use a title.

And the name.

Ho Yu-won.

…

…Director Ho!!

“Coincidentally, I also had something to propose, so it feels like a remarkable coincidence.”

Director Ho visited the Group D Office.