Chapter 1: The scary world and moe Baek Saheon
Chapter Text
Have you ever had an experience where you became totally engrossed in something?
I’m not just talking about thinking, ‘Oh, this is fun,’ but being so deeply impressed that you ended up spending extra time and money on it.
There must be something like that, right?
If it’s a movie, watching the director’s cut. If it’s a game, buying the artbook. If it’s a webtoon, paying for early access. If it’s a singer, going to their concert…
Even when your interest can be more obscure than what the media showed, making the interest of people smaller to the point you make your own content, making your present known but never at the center, letting the people taste the drip before making them consume to your interest and so on…
And one of those interests can be about shipping your favorite characters.
“Thank you for purchasing my book, customer!”
“Your works are so inspiring especially with Agent Choi and The Viper in that scene, Deer-nim!
“Excuse me, can I have this book and this merch sealed with bubble wrapper? Don't worry I provide the wrapper here.”
“Right away!”
‘Finally it's almost closing time for the convention, thankfully it's on the weekend so I can rest tomorrow.’ I pulled down my mask and drank the water bottle inside separated by my table booth to the outside, setting the mini fan up to the highest point after the sudden influx of customers buying all the items he makes, even more so he goes into the convention wearing his signature mask and a simple maid cosplay making the heat inside his body more of a bother.
‘At least they enjoy my work and I get money to make more..’
“DeeFriendr-ssi, good work for today!” Popcorn jumped out of her booth that was next to mine and gave me a piece of mint gum I accepted. She is one of the acquaintances that I know through social media and bonded over our love over characters we love and making their life miserable inside of our works.
“Ah, popcorn-ssi, good work to you as well, I can't wait to look at my haul when I go home.”
“Haha, I am even more excited to see your works, even more with your collaboration with Alien-unnie with the section chief and the ghost story from Church of Luminous Unknown I get some intel on.” she giggled looking at the bags she kept behind her booth table with glimmering greed as she cleaned up the floor from any dust.
“Well aren't you unfair…”
“Yes, yes, said what you wanted, this unnie is rotten to the core, and with my workload getting double, I am desperate for my fulfillment in my heart, damnit!” she popped out a bottle of still cooled soju from her bag and drank it.
“AH! Ae-An-enyiwaae-”
“I will not bail you out when the security catches you.” I gladly interrupted her, which gave me a headache later on if I got involved with the convention security for hours.
“How rude! I was about to talk to you about the popout store in the department store.” she sobered up with a twitch in her eyes with my insult. “Since we noticed many people looking into Dark Exploration Records related products, I looked it up on the discussion board and found out DER will have a popout store for a whole 7 days! A long week! I'm thinking of going to the department store tomorrow, want to join?”
“No thanks, today makes me miss my bed.”
“Even if we invited HorseFace-ssi too?”
“As if he had any time to go out of his house with many projects he's been working on for weeks, excluding his job.” I counter, I spoke to him (over a DM) yesterday and he is not here already proven enough.
“DeerFriend-ssi, I wish I could sew those rude mouths of yours.”
I kept my mouth shut after that and the conversation went to the side. We talked for a while as we packed our stuff, asking about our next works that will be planned out for the next convention and updating our friends' lives without any of our business involved, even at the recent news booming on the internet.
Dark Exploration Records, huh…
‘It's been awhile since I checked on the new entries when I was busy working on my books, maybe I should look into it later and plan my schedule.’ he thought for a moment until the convention was closed and said goodbyes to his rotten comrades after having a dinner in private dine restaurant (double secure for black transaction).
‘Maybe I should go to the department store when I am in a more bearable mood.’ Making up his mind, he put down the remainder on his phone.
‘Who knows, maybe I will get lucky and get a grand prize- heh, just kidding.’
FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKINGSHITFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK
‘I jinxed myself.’
It was supposed to be an easy grabbing haul, going inside the popout store for DER merch, checking in the line, joining in some legal Roulette event for a grand prize and getting it! AFTER THAT I SHOULD GO HOME AND DISPLAY IT ALONG WITH MY OTHER MERCHS LIKE ANY NORMAL DAY!
But noooooooooo, the staff became off putting and suddenly I am now stuck inside Dark Exploration Records, on the first day of orientation as a new recruit in Daydream Inc..
Isn't there supposed to be people who are in charge of checking on the new recruits for falsely entering the work environment?!?
Even more, I already saw some of the employees already taking off to the Euphoria Station, and turned into gold as the train moved once more…
And then there was the named character, the one character profile I knew very well (thanks memorial popsocket), his description in Dark Exploration Records vaguely mentioned about his face that looks innocent as he suck up on the higher ups and bully anyone who is beneath him.
“My name is Baek Saheon.” he extended his hand to mine as I absent mindendly accepted his hand for a shake.
Baek Saheon, nicknamed Viper.
‘I remember you.’
I looked at my phone with all Baek Saheon information displayed on the screen, making sure my eyes are not deceiving me, and one screen pop out with different display from Dark Exploration Records website I known, instead, its a website where I used to post my fanfictions for people who knows their taste can see it. Even my friends who I met online regularly check in to see any fan works.
One work displayed for me to see, one scene that made my brain think differently to the Viper character, for the better.
"Chi-Chief Leader, this is not what I want this to happen, I swear!” Viper stammered between his teeth, his back is on the wall with no way out of the room, not when Section Chief from D-Squad with his arms blocking him from the exit door, forcing Viper to look him in his ruby eyes with his other hand grabbing his chin.
“Maybe if you follow my instructions, this major loss won't happen.” the chief replied, his lizard mask and stained blood vest adored his face beautifully, it made Viper's face turn rosy red for even imagining it, not while in a secluded room.
As if, as if…
“You need to be punished, Viper.” the chief whispered on his ear as his lips began to swallow my tongue amd his hand slipped inside his shir-
‘NOOOOOOO- NOT RIGHT NOW, I NEED TO FOCUS! I WILL READ IT LATER BUT NOT RIGHT NOW!’ I quickly put my screen into the pocket and focus on staying alive inside this ghost story. Me, Baek Sahen and Go Yeongeun were having a discussion and let the other new recruits listen to it as we discussed how to get out of here by following the announcements.
It was then when the announcement told us about the missing passenger item.
Left eye of a type-A male in his twenties.
Playing it out from what I see inside the train, everyone discussed who has the same description of a male in his twenties with blood type A.
I lied when I answered my blood type.
Only one person fit into the description of the lost item, and Baek Saheon took the bait. Throwing his fist into the poor recruit and gouging his eyes using the edge of his smartphone and successfully taking out one eye like popping out a candy.
‘He looks so cool,’ is what I thought in my mind, a perfect image of a viper who ruthlessly kills anyone for his own survival and climbs the ladder for any opportunity gain.
‘Poor guy didn't have time to scream.’ I looked at the man who was just laying on the floor, I help him steady on his feet with Go Yeongeun as Baek Saheon mocked everyone on the train before departing on the next station.
Of course, he knew he is fucked the moment I took out a transparant case with an eyeball inside it.
The banging on the sliding door ringing inside his ear so hauntingly, as another scream coming from the now far away station like a music background for the silent train.
I exhale my breath that I've been holding on.
‘I should write this idea down so I can work on it when its over, Baek Saheon from stranger to enemies to friends and finally lovers with that one eye recruit, or Baek Saheon having a loving fell in love at first sight with train employee from Abyss Transpo, I can use the lost item as the plot point…’ I type down what I can muster up in that situation with all the basic ideas to calm my shaky hands and the cold sweat I feel at the back of my neck.
Why am I calmly writing about a person who uses other people to be kissed on the neck by ghost stories?
That is a complicated question when people question it to me as if I am a crazy person to think about it.
But the answer to this question is very simple, adding with no shame for bonus point
Do you ever feel like love is everything to pull you in even when it's just a tiny like? At least you feel those experiences once, and cling into it like a puppy before it bursts into something more.
When you love something, you may also want to contribute to making something for it, whatever is small or big, and people will either look at you in disgust or admiration to step forward for having no shame inside your soul.
You look at it, you want it, you dream about it, you analyze everything you need to know about it, building on into it using all the information you scraped by, working on a new entertainment for only those who would love it and appreciate it.
It doesn't really matter if the characters become too out of character inside the universe we created inside our head that break the rules or existing logic, because at the end of the day, they were never real in the first place.
Just like Baek Sahen in front of me, he is, in my mind, just a character I come to enjoy playing around with.
It happened to me, it happened to my friends too!
But I wont share it even to my closest ones.
Why?
‘Right, I am that kind of person.’ I lamented in my mind, remembering how this world is not the home I used to be, one where all the nightmares I want to stay away are within my vision, not something inside a screen on my phone with only paragraphs of texts is the only thing I can handle on a horror theme.
As the Serene Station came to a stop, me and the other recruits (thanks for Go Yeongeun persuasive and encouraging words to pull out those wary people) take off toward the exit, we finally exit The Abyss Transpo with a congratulations sign welcoming us.
I was proclaimed to be a top scorer for the probation period, and given a shitty prize.
People who passed the test without any contribution, or what they called freeloaders are melting on their chairs.
But I didn't care.
My mind is already out of the head where it can comprehend what I imagine and make it into a form of what I wanted.
Right now, I'm replaying my imagination of an Abyss Transpo employee holding Baek Saheon tenderly as it takes out one of his eyes as a sign of love with bitterness on the air, knowing they will parted away, the story is almost at the end when my eyes caught on Baek Saheon who glared at me.
I only give him a small smile in return. My mind is already filled with many thoughts, one of them is directed for Baek Saheon, a sentence of encouragement.
‘I hope someone wreck you, in here or in my mind, Baek Saheon ♡’
Remember when I said a complicated question can be answered with a simple line?
Because the answer to those question is always this:
I Love BL.
Chapter 2: Crash out and Temporary Assistant
Summary:
‘Aigoo.’
I can hear the ghost almost sound like it's crying, can a ghost cry?
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The development i got after the orientation is a company housing for employee, a very fitting gift for someone like me who are not from this world and doesn't have anything aside of my work bag that filled with papers I save for future works (other kind of work), a phone that erased all the information from my real world including all of my social media, contacts, and work history (thanks memorial popsocket for keeping all of DER wikis and all of my favorites fan works, its cost half of my saving, thank god), and my e-wallet I saved up for shopping spree (for fan works too).
Seems like I have to waste more money on necessities rather than buying books and figurines…
It was surprisingly easy how I acquired company housing from Daydream employee benefits even after a crisp hour, or I stole from someone who actually needed the housing but did not pass the probation period so Daydream made a quick call for anyone who was alive and needed it, like me.
Either way, it worked out better than my initial plan to stay in a motel, an officetel with two bedrooms, separate bathroom, a kitchen connected with the living room and dinner room, a washing machine, and equipment with full furniture so no need to spend a dime on a microwave.
Even more, I get to share the housing with Baek Saheon!
Though I didn't get a chance to talk to him as he got inside his room when I walked in, maybe he had a hard time adjusting with one eye from what I see on a glimpse, he wearing an eyepatch over one eye made him look more like The Viper I knew.
‘I wish we can be friends later on, maybe a gift and an invite for a coffee can be a start.’ I mused, even still fangirling over him when I already saw him gouge someone's eye with no regard.
Maybe because I already knew him before getting here, or I'm just biased.
Walking inside the opposite bedroom, I took off my suit and bag to the nearest study desk and plopped into the bed, not caring for how dirty I felt after an ordeal of today.
First to get a box a merch that suddenly turned to be a something-something transmigration into a horror wiki open source like those trashy predictable romance fantasy comics he was reading but instead of becoming a princess, he became a new employee of a corporation that uses ghost stories for profit.
‘God, remembering all that shit makes me want to tear down my hair.’ I sat up and went to my study desk where I placed my bag and took out a stack of paper and tabbed it a couple of times on the table.
‘At a time like this, I should clear my head from today and decided to treat myself reviewing my recent work, a comic featuring my favorite characters that are in opposite side but have a feeling with each other when stuck inside a ghost story, im very proud of how I draw Choi nipp-’ I opened the papers to the middle and what I saw its something I would never let myself dream again.
…
huh.
Huh?
I flip another page, and another page, go back to the first page, and flip again.
HUH?!
My appalledness gets so strong I have to lay down on the floor, ignoring a sudden flying message about unlocking a new merch, it can go to hell.
This is truly hell.
My inner soul is crying, god damn it!
I take the papers off from my table and my pencil as I start sketching.
I wake up on the floor with a headache and a sore stiffness on my neck, making me lean on my right slowly so as not to make it worse. I can't even sleep properly because the nightmare from The Abyss Transpo reminds me of all the people who died in a gruesome filth that keeps me awake and I sleep for two hours from exhaustion.
I washed up and dressed for my first day of work, going out of my bedroom for a glass of coffee when I noticed Baek Saheon standing in front of the tv (even though we have a couch he can perfectly sit on) in his casual outfit, I just realize its still early from the clock and the tv on with late night show runs.
I thought of making some sandwiches when I noticed a shadow beside me, and a voice I wish I had the recorder on to keep it for myself.
“Hey, you must enjoy watching while I had to gouge out a perfectly good eye because of that damn lost item, huh?” His words don't have any more politeness in his tone, and he asking like that almost implies that I'm to blame for his lost eye as if he isn't the one who gouged that poor employee as an opportunity to take off first.
Fitting for The Viper himself, justifying his action and twisting the narrative for his gains, like the pin post on the wiki discussion forum, “the guard dog that didn't get leashed.” or what will people in my office call him as those ‘annoying edgy boy’ from Viper haters, its almost the same as the situation when dealing with clients with nothing else to do other than complaint to his face that everyone in the office called them 'Creativist complainers'.
I almost want to admire him again, almost.
If not for my damning mood.
So I laugh, not even looking at him as I stared at my empty glass, responding his accusation need to be handled with care if I want to maintain a bond with him, but I also don't want to be a meat shield he can use for convenience (I don't want to lose my body parts yet).
But I don't want to play chummy with him.
‘Who is willing to lecture me about handling someone like Baek Saheon like a dog? At least I know how to leash a dog.’
So I choose the third secret option, and blame it on my emotional crash out.
“Oh yes, and it's very amusing. I was bummed out when you gouged the eye so cleanly, like a doctor.”
I will act like a psychopath, more crazy than what Baek Saheon showed me.
I looked at him with my wide open eyes, my head still hanging on the side as my hand gripped his arms tightly, making sure he couldn't run from me.
“Wha-”
I smiled, “I have had a great time working with you before, I hope we can work more often so you can show me a lot of good things! I heard kicking your employee to save yourself or taking off their arms with valuable items are common in Daydream.”
I continued, "I'm sure we can work together later, so I hope we can be close friends from now on.”
Tapping on his shoulder to make him lean onto me, I whisper, “just like you, I also stole something from someone but it's just a face like im wearing right now.” that caused a reaction of Baek Saheon yanking my arms from him and step back guarded.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING, YOU BASTARD?!”
I put pressure on my neck once more and looked at him with a grin so wide it hurt. “Baek Saheon… DO YOU NOT LIKE THE FACE I'M WEARING?”
Just like that, Baek Saheon bolted and went inside his room. I can hear him locking on his door from the click and door shut inside his bedroom, probably going for a shower.
I stared at the door for a second, and then messaged my neck and went to the fridge for cold water.
My mood didn't feel better after that.
‘I should at least ask for his autograph before crashing out in front of him.’
I blame my emotional damage, I need compensation before I snap.
But how?
My question is answered by my first job in Daydream, meeting my squad and field experience.
After the morning accident, I went to the company like any normal person would when they needed money. I didn't see Baek Saheon when I left the housing. Go Yeongun greeted me as we went together to our assigned squad.
I was assigned to the D-Squad, I was introduced to my seniors, assistant manager Eun Haje and contractual supervisor Park Minseong.
Of course, as the company works, they put me on the field experience like a nice saturday morning as if I wont pissed myself in front of them.
A.
L.
O.
N.
E.
ALONE!!!
Shouldn't their seniors come along to see if their new junior does their job well enough?? Or even some minor harassment like I see on drama?!
‘But then again this is Daydream…’ I lamented as I got the briefing from Eun Haje about the darkness I will enter using a suspicious link.
Apparently it's an internet post about a choice where you can have 20 million dollars in exchange for being chased by a ghost or murderer for a lengthy amount of time or go on with your life.
If I get to choose I will simply choose to go on with my life and forget it.
BUT NO! I DOESN'T EVEN HAVE ANY CHOICE BUT TO GO IN AND CHASED LIKE RAT! IS THIS THE ILLUSION OF CHOICE I SEE AROUND MY FEED?? THE GHOST FOREHEAD IS UGLY AS SHIIIII-
Right now along with my seniors goes to the floor where they escorted me to my death, ‘Huuuuuu….. Calm down, Kim Soleum, you need to keep your head cool- remember Choi, or Lizard, J3 my beautiful doggo, or even Viper…' I inhale and exhale my breath a couple of times, pretending to straighten up my suit using my phone as a mirror. I didn't straighten my suit, I looked at the wiki about this darkness posing like a selfie.
Because I just realized something crucial when you live inside the world where everything is convenient.
‘Inside the wiki, the name of this darkness is [Make a Choice] about choosing between a reward for a prize or none, but in here, it's specifically said about [Do this and get 20 million won VS just live your life] where its already stated your prize if you accept it.
‘20 million won…’ my lips become dry when seeing the numbers.
Considering my situation, it is not much when I need to invest for my survival here, maybe a couple of necessities and be frugal for years.
But, I can do many things using that money to buy all the merch that I left behind in my real world! I can use it to heal my soul! I need posters, books, arts, pillows, dolls, and many more!
surely I can go back in the darkness to get another 20 million won?
That is if I play fair, didnt it say to get inside this darkness you need to fully see this post to get dragged inside of it? Any posts related to this darkness?
So does that mean I can go inside the darkness again?
right??
…
‘Maybe it is time for me to be a gambler once more. I'm sure my addiction to invest my money on playable characters will bring me to fruition.’
I got in.
I got out of the darkness as fast as I could after finding a loophole in expired perishable food, pocketing 20 million won.
that was a bad idea, that was a really really bad idea.
GOD, I RATHER DIE THAN LOOKING AT THAT FACE AGAIN!
That grinned when that ghost spotted me made me shiver, that grip when it touched my neck made me need to go back to the starting point, and that forehead, THOSE UGLY FOREHEAD LIKE A SWOLLEN BUM!
Calm down Kim Soleum, imagine that ghost with a six-pack and biceps that can kill you.
‘I really don't want to go back there again…’
But I need to go back again, this time making my presence more obvious to the ghost. Two times before I can call it quit.
Fortunately, Eun Haje and Park Miseong didn't realize I had already done my field experience this early (wonder what are they talking about over there, they look cute together) so I quickly hid somewhere and looked out on my phone for the same link.
I click on the link and go back into the darkness.
Of course, since I won from the last game of tag from being chased by a ghost, should I be the one who chases the ghost now?
Chasing a ghost is fun!
While the ghost was delighted when it saw me again for another round of tag, an actual game of tag you're it where I hid somewhere obvious to the ghost as it tried to chase me when I got found out, but I kept my distance so it wont even touch my hair.
Climbing to the roof, hanging on a tree, balancing on a branch, because of the ghost drowned body mass that while it can run fast, it doesn't go well when it tries climbing when those big forehead hinders it.
When the time is up, it's my turn to chase it.
The ghost finally realized when it promised to play along in our first round game is just a trap.
Hi, let's play tag. You chased me and caught me, you won. I chased you and caught you, I won. Promise? PAY FOR THE WINNER.” is what I wrote on the wet ground in front of the convenience store when I first came here.
It doesn't specify what the winner will do but I'm sure that ghost wants me trapped in here forever.
Who said I am willing myself to lose when the prize is in front of me?
4 hours into chasing those slimy ghosts came into heed when I finally broke the aisle I was working on using the staff tools before and pushed it to the ghost, trapping it like sardines inside a can.
I touch its forehead as a sign of win.
I will wash my hand 3 times after this.
The ghost crawls out of the domino aisles and seems keen on following me to the registration where I sit on the staff chair and pull out something from my bag.
A stack of papers, that stupid stack of papers that make me want to cry and quit my job on my first day.
That stack of papers was full of my manuscript for a whole volume that was almost ready to be sent to the publishing company, keyword: was.
You know why? YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY IT MAKES ME CRY INSIDE EVERYTIME I SEE IT?!
Because it's clean, no sketch, no line art, not even a speck of color inside the manuscript as if I delete my work on my computer by rebooting it.
IT'S FULLY ILLUSTRATE PAPERS GODDAMNIT WHY IT'S EMPTY ALL OF A SUDDEN????
Either way, I have to redo everything.
So how can I redo everything without breaking my fingers?
By having an assistant!
I placed 50 pages of papers in front of the ghost and gave it a lineart pen, the papers are already fully sketches from my late night rush drawing as I gave it a sweet smile I can muster up. “This might be sudden, so please line art all the papers here using my sketch as a guide, okay? Your time is 30 minutes before I give you another 50 pages.” I can only say those wrecked commands with my cheerful voice as I start sketching on the empty pages, I can only see the lines from the registration machine light glow without disturbing my now ghost assistant.
‘Aigoo.’ I can hear the ghost almost sound like it's crying, can a ghost cry?
It's fine, a promise is a promise and you need to pay for it AND it will get a partial credit after we are done.
Good luck, my temporary assistant!
Its was only 5 hours later when I come back into the office with a filled (why its looked it its been unopened to throw out overfilled essence? they don't need to know) dream essence collector on my hand, I can tell from Eun Haje questioned look from my face looking glowing with a smile as I handed it to my seniors as they worked together on the report immediately.
My bag looks like it's been loaded with papers with a few strand of it peek out, and some spot that look like its wet from a drip of water.
Strangely, the link for [Do this and get 20 million won VS just live your life] doesn't come up for two weeks later.
that a shame, I wish I could meet that ghost again when I need help...
(they don't need to know he goes back inside the darkness for a very different reason other than work, it would be outrageous to hear a newbie get out of a darkness for 1 hour and 24 minutes right?)
Right now, inside of my room, laughing at myself proudly of my now fully illustrated manuscript and 40 million won I pocketed thanks to my generous seniors who told me to keep it.
I will use it well.
now, which merch should I buy to decorate my gloomy room?
Notes:
~omake~
Random employee 1: huh, why does this dream essence said about 1 hour 24 minutes when the report said 5 hours completion?
Random employee 2: must be an error, put 1 hour and 24 minutes anyway since we cant change the essence information
Random employee 1: true, this newbie must be a good one-
Ugly forehead ghost, crying: —and that human force me to work on his papers that filled with drawings of men kissing for 30 minutes and make me do it again for hour later!
Ghost!Therapist: im sorry to heard that, maybe its time for you to seek restraining order on human-
BSH: sir, may I lend your paper-
BSH, see KSE room full of BL posters around his room: ... close the door
Chapter 3: Join the Darkside, Kim Soleum~
Summary:
Screw you, RainbowZebra-ssi, no wonder you are the richest among us.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The next day is the day when a revelation came to me on a silver platter.
Something that should have been the truth from the start, yet I am blind to see it.
Manager Eun Haje told me about their squad who handle a few ghost stories regularly that mostly around f to d class category, ghost stories with manual how to clear it, just like a normal check up diagnostic if you think about it with a patient with a mild symptoms, a treatable even for a civilian and more so when you are a doctor.
‘I am no doctor but I do have some knowledge I can use when it comes to ghost stories.’ I thought when looking at the manual filled with predictable questions related to this particular ghost story.
Do I know this ghost story? Not as a whole, but using the reference in my head about all the fics and fanarts (and many many media that I can't say it here) I can point out some of the characteristics that may be related to this ghost story.
The name itself is already given away.
[Tuesday Quiz Show]
I searched on my phone about ‘quiz shows’ and got the result on DER web.
As predicted, I am fucked.
Hiks
Why does it have to be me and my squad?
While it looks like a predictable darkness without any hassle, there is a reason DER got popular with children and teenagers, I am an outliner and do not count, of course I can create more input on horror theme web.
But those tiny goblins?
Those tiny pieces of shit are vicious little demons.
Especially on the twist at the season 100th where everything changes into madness of screaming blood of what I would call - the calm before the storm, giving the reader of DER web a whiplash on how DER world would still be dangerous even when glistening in gold.
While it's not the main point, people drawn more so on the host and the conductor, since the web main focused on text based description, people who are inside the fandom speculate their design on creative sites and share what would the host and the conductor design if they were real (with a sprinkle of abs and very sexy vein glove hand, thanks uh… animated cartoon mouse from 1928).
So in a way, I recognize this one without even a glance, regretfully.
How? When you have your meow meow, you will have hype fixation on your meow meow. (my wise friend said this, not me.)
Because I have a friend who loves this type of character design, particularly a humanoid with an inanimate object head. Her name is… she doesn't want people to know her name so I called her by the name RainbowZebra-ssi.
She wants his ideal man to have a head of a refrigerator.
♥♥♥
“So what do you think about this doujinshi I uploaded on my site?” It was raining when we got to talk about hobbies after a bad particular meeting on a collaboration product that afternoon, taking a sip of my coffee as I listened to her rambling on about her thoughts while making the doujin from start to finish.
“- while this one doesn't really tie with DER rules, I think I make a good point of this ghost story showing ghost stories connected with one and another, just like on earth who we can connect everywhere with WIFI, it's kind of hard when I try to write this particular scene about the social aspect inside a ghost story using [Chorus of the Sacrificial Lambs] even more on the support scene of it, since I'm more interesting in the quiz show before it get cancelled.” she explained, opened her doujin pages she printed out for him and pointed to Mr. Host broke down as the conductor comforted him like shattered glass panel drawing before they did the deed.
(that doujin is the only one on earth and he will put this in his precious collection, as his birthday gift, I am forever grateful for RainbowZebra-ssi.)
“Mr. Host definitely loves his show but due to the pressure of keeping up the view score and the trouble of declining rating, I can see why he would pull out a half baked segment to appease viewers and maybe his creator? Huh, that's an interesting take on DER world building… I can see why you like to write -underrated- ghost stories such as this.” I picked up the book and scanned the drawing, it was well made considering she made it for 4 days total.
She swirled her coffee in her hand, took a sip before continuing. “For me, it's a waste of talent if he would bow down to a higher management, in this case- his creator to make an engaging show while not considering his love to be on the stage in his own show, he did it for so long and let his ass get folded?”
I nodded, knowing the implication behind her words and this book she created.
But what got me curious is her preference, her work is mainly around those ghost stories and characters that mostly can be counted as background support, or even pointless.
"Though… aren't you already giving me three doujinshi about this Mr. Host?”
I got a can of coffee smacked to the table as the responded.
“You don't get it, DeerFriend-ssi! If you were me, you would know how gorgeous they are! TV head? Handsome energetic showman! Cow head? Grumpy handsome old man with those huge arms! Paper crane head? Sickly pretty man on his death bed!” she exhales those words like a gospel.
“Ill have your head on my feet three times when you admitted you are wrong and they are very much desirable!” Those promises are the last time I can remember our conversation.
♥♥♥
“Roe deer?”
I closed the manual and answer sheet I already memorized, “im ready.”
“Let's get started.” Manager Eun Haje gave me a postcard from another department, which must be a medium to enter the ghost story just like how I entered the ghost convenience store using a phishing link.
I followed my seniors writing our animal name into the application on the postcard as my vision blank into the darkness, sucking my body into the postcard like a cursed artifact
My eyes blinded to the harsh lighting flashing through the stage where I am standing, on a podium along with my seniors on different places like a family feud style I remember watching before out of curiosity, more of an old timed vintage theme with countless audiences that looked like blurred newspaper photos but I cant said for sure with my eyes and the flashing light obscure the viewer view.
A hand extended toward me, and my breath was taken for a few moments.
In front of me is a man, not with a human head, but a television head greeted me with a smiling face emoji.
[😃]
I accepted his handshake, feeling the gloves he wearing and how big his hand compare to mine for a mere second before he let go and spun around to the audience,
I was stunned.
The way the host stands out from everyone on the stage, the way his hands sway professionally to make everyone open to the talks how (it's not working for the seasoned seniors of mine, but it works for me!) and dragged the opening enough for a small talk and continued smoothly to the game!
That is... THAT!
THAT IS THE EPITONE OF A MUSE!
I DONT EVEN NEED TO COMMENT ON HIS BODY THAT LOOK LIKE IT CRAFTED BY USING THE SAME STONE AS GREEK MYTHOLOGY VEINS!
THAT ASS DONT LIE!
THAT ARMS THAT CAN KILL ME!
THOSE ARCH WHEN HE POPPED THOSE JOINT!
‘This is bad, this is really really bad…’ My face is composed as ever while my heart beats crazy from all of my imagination swirling inside my mind, a hivemind of the revelation I just discovered.
‘I need to draw him, I need to survive this so I can draw him, the sooner this is over, the sooner I can draw!’ it's the only objection I can muster up to be alive today.
Thankfully, it was the 99th streak, not the doomed 100th!
So I will be alive after this! Those words inside my head I chanted multiple times motivate me to follow along with the show.
I breathe in and exhale, slowly feeling it inside my lungs.
[Now Mr. Roe Deer!
“Yes?”
[Are you nervous?]
“Yes, this is the first time I participated in a quiz show, especially my favorite show.”
[Oh my! This is your favorite show? Well I am swayed, Very good! Let's start with an easy question.]
…
The show proceeded smoothly.
With a cheerful and happy atmosphere inside the broadcast, I can certainly blend with the flow by making myself feel like a first timer, hesitating on particularly difficult questions, double checking and being nervous as The Host reveals the answers before I make a relief sound.
Maybe a bit too enthusiastic with the fact that manager Eun Haje looked at me like she was raising an eyebrow inside her mask.
Please understand, manager! I need him to look at me so I can memorize those curves- ehem, I meant appearance by burning it inside my retinas and using it for my reference! My shameless reasoning is used as a barrier between my seniors who look at me as I drag my answers as if really thinking it.
It's all about sensation and how you can engrossed into this situation.
As the show came to the end, I was chosen as the MVP taking the prize home when another squad got onto the podium, looking confused too as they watched the show already at the end of the stick.
‘Shit! Why are you here?!’ I ran through the possibilities but I also needed to act fast before the flame ignited us.
“W-wow, thank you so much for the prize, I never thought of getting it in my first try!” I said to the host, who was still holding out the prize in front of me as I picked it up with a cheerful tone, “I always dream of participating here in my favorite show!”
[OH! Are you perhaps interested in being a regular contestant?] knowing Mr. Host professionalism, he is now focused toward me along with other staff, flashlight and colorful small papers still lingering on my vision.
“All of a sudden? I might need a lot of time to think about how to accept this invitation!” my voice is louder, noticing the employee with a zebra mask almost spoke asking to another employee beside him.
Dont break dont break dont break dont break dont break dont break- im gambling my life now! FUCK!
[Your participation will be well received! But for now, let us say goodbye for our dearest audience. We will see you tomorrow with a more exciting show.] the confetti blew up to the air and the cheerful applause came in with the last guitar riff…
[Good Night!]
The light turned off.
The show ended.
I'm still alive.
…
‘Fuck, why are we still here, just to suffer…’ we did not go back to our company like I wished, we are still standing here as the faceless staffs cleaning up the confetti and equipments.
[Mr. Roe Deer! That's a nice save, you save the live performance from being ruined! You are a natural on this stage!]
“Thank you.”
[say, how about you and me have some talk over you though on today's show? Oh wait, I still have other participants I need to take care of.]
“Yes, I will be waiting for our talk.” I finish talking to the host without cussing him out. He goes to the other contestants on their later arrival and dismisses their concern on accidentally ruining the show, even telling everyone here that they can join in on live by the next week which means they can leave.
Right, they can leave now…
I see a staff rushing over to the Mr. Host and whispering on his TV antenna.
Right????
And then he announced the cancellation of [Tuesday Quiz Show] and a new segment appeared, a segment more advanced than the Tuesday quiz show everyone knew, too confused on the now different scenario inside this darkness, except for me.
A pre-recorder show, automated audience sound from the speaker, fewer staff working on the stage, fewer people inside this show as if everything was done in a rush, appeasing the walking time.
Next thing I know, a new entity emerged from the backstage, the band from before has been cut (or better yet, incinerated) to half of it, to accommodate the guest talent of managing a choir within the stage, yet no musician?
Yep, this is the [Chorus of the Sacrificial Lambs] I know and now hate for every fiber of my being.
Even worse, the entity, the conductor of the purgatory choir, IS HOT TOO!
ITS NOT FAIR! FIRST IS THE HOST AND NOW THE CONDUCTOR TOO?! BOTH HAVE GLOVED HANDS AND FORMAL ATTIRE FITTING FOR THEIR JOB??? While The conductor body shape leans into pear type, it does compliment with Mr. Host apple body shaped type! OH MY GOD I CAN SEE IT- a classic story started in america in the 90s where Mr. Host is a young show man who want to build his own show but doesn't have a fund for it and make due by performing on a street and The Conductor see him on random sunny day and decided his talent shouldn't be waste, make him join his choir and they get close as time went one but Mr. Host dream make him want to quit the choir, they fight and KISS–
FUCK I NEED TO BE ALIVE TO WRITE IT ALL.
I looked out of the bright stage to see we already have someone's head on the silver tray from my delusional thought, an employee wearing a mole mask.
A body still laying on the floor, I feel like I can hear its heart still beating despite the detached head.
Someone who couldn't handle seeing their teammate already gone, straying from the script and thus meeting its end, incinerated. It seems like that person is from the same batch as me.
Another contestant, next in line, shouted, “I don't know the answer.” as if it will help him get out of this situation from the old manual, it didn't.
His fate greeted him with a spark of fire cracker, and his head exploded with a shower of confetti, the confetti is getting overused.
Three people gone, that already half of the people here and we might be next.
Even the zebra mask employee that I stopped from acting out seems like resigning with his fate, his teammates are dead, or he doesn't think we will be alive any minute.
Fuck, is there any way we can escape this show?
Mr. Badger is next, and I will be too.
I can't even write my will first, should I just write it now and wait for the inevitable?
Can we even get a break??!
…
WAIT- A BREAK TIME!
Since this is a pre recorder show, it should be fine for staff and contestants to get some break time between games. I rummaged through my pocket and found the items, that one thing I forgot because I caught up in a moment.
Smiley sticker and can bottle from the Alice from wonderland kit.
And finally, my shameless acting skills from middle school!
PLEASE WORK OH, DARK EXPLORATION RECORD WIKI, I BELIEVE IN YOUR CREATIVITY! I took a chance when the camera was more focused on Mr. Badger and Mr. Host, and my position gave an advantage to stretch my arms to stick the sticker into Mr. Host TV head, and I didn't get incinerated.
PLEASE BE WORK, I NEED TO BE ALIV- eh
“Um, Mr. Host, I- ah!”
‘Shit, my feet slipped.’ I didn't pay attention to my footing and may have stepped on the air as I try stretching to Mr. Host's head and now I will be falling head to floor or getting burned like charcoal chicken, whichever came first.
Then, an arm wrapped around my waist, it saved me from facing the floor and made me stand up straight again.
[Goodness Mr. Roe Deer! Is the passion of the broadcast too much for you?]
The way Mr. Host said it feels like he is the male lead from an otome game with excessive roses at every corner of screen and sparkles that might as well blind every player who plays the game, his attire is already perfect for a forbidden romance between a teacher relationship from a different department that has always been enemies, I even think his TV head can be forgiven for a good visual gallery if he ever got paired with older student too.
And GOD, THOSE ARMS–
Oh, Mr. Host is so perfect, I want to disassemble every part of his being until I can mapped out all of him inside my blueprint.
𝓂𝒶𝓎𝒷𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓀𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒻𝑒𝒸𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒽𝒾𝓂– STOP THINKING, MY HEAD, FOCUS BROTHER!
“I'm sorry for interrupting, I didn't wish to be a burden but my head started getting dizzy and I…” I tried to sound like wanting to cry from doing something wrong in front of an adult figure and expected punishment, even shedding some crocodile tears and wipe it with my sleeve for sold the act.
Assistant Manager Eun Haje, please don't look at me like that.
[Oh no! You need to rest so you can bring out the best of you on the stage, and I remember you eager to talk to me since you are my fan.]
[😉]
[Well then, let's take a short break, and Mr. Roe Deer!]
“Yes?”
[ill be joining you in the break room, but first- make up!] His attention goes to the blurry staff holding a makeup kit, criticizing some changes in his face.
…the smiley sticker works a bit too well.
A staff approach me and guide me to somewhere to the backstage, I follow them and reach to my other teammates podium where Eun Haje slipped something to my hand (I can't really ask more for Mr. Host to let other contestants have a break time with me, can I? I won't push my luck.), I can vaguely shape the item from my hand as a cube with a button on top of it and keep it hidden inside my pocket.
I hope it will be the answer to our salvation, it has to be.
It was a salvation.
Even more, a handsome voice of salvation.
IT WAS THE LIZARD, EMPLOYEE D, ONE OF MY FAVORITE NAMED CHARACTERS IS IN D-SQUAD, SAME AS ME.
Ok, now I feel stupid not realizing it sooner that Employee D in D-squad, shut up.
I am lucky, so so lucky.
‘Thank god I didn't upload Viper x Chief Lizard fanfic to the internet yet, I didn't even have my social media anymore, should I make one? I don't even have relevant documents, should I even proceed with that first?’ My mind whirling with nonsense thought as I took a sip from a glass of water I was given by the staff, my throat must be sore from talking with the section chief and… many things happened today.
Unfortunately, I need to hold off for another 55 minutes to save everyone here, to make my plan work after sharing my thoughts with The Lizard.
“Haah.” I placed the water bottle I was holding onto the table, my mind became dizzy with each passing time and the staff working in front of my eyes like clockwork, going on different places simultaneously.
Should I give up on the rescue and do something on my own?
How can I hold off the show for almost 1 hour?
Should I mush up to Mr. Host? There was no telling if my head would explode or not.
Either way, I need to time it right.
Mr. Host came inside the backstage talking of one of his staff before spotting an empty seat beside me and plopped right in.
[Mr. Roe Deer, I hope your rest is comfortable here, I'm sure hope after this, you will deliver the best participant comeback on the broadcast!] he said, fanning on the papers he was holding in his hand.
“I feel better than before, thank you for the hospitality.”
[oh, would you like to come back to the stage now?]
“I choose to wait until the break time is over, I need to be in the best shape for the broadcast.”
[That's the spirit, Mr. Roe Deer! A better body is better than a sick body so I'm sure you will perform the most, our 99th MPV!]
“Hearing my performance is good enough in your eyes makes me happy, Mr. Host. I appreciate it." I hope I am blushing right now from the compliments, hiding my face with my arms and taking a sip from my bottle out of nervousness.
…
“My friend really loves your show, Mr. Host. We always watch it together when it's on air.” I stated, it was a lie, a white lie in a way, we don't really have a Tuesday quiz show but we made some possible questions around it before for our works, ehem, creative works.
[Really? Such an honor to have long lasting fans.]
“I'm sure she is watching the livestream broadcast, she loves how you openly communicate with the audience and engage the contestant to answer the quizz.” I continue with my believable story. “I would love to see her face when she saw me on the broadcast, I would be even surprised to hear her though on the new segment later.”
[OH, I can feel that she would love this new and even more thrilling show!]
“I… hope so.”
[You sound unsure, Mr. Roe Deer.]
“Well, would it be such a shock when my friend sees it? Even more so to the audience who always watch the live stream to see a new format? I notice the new format, in a way, seems very… rushed.” I explained my nervousness to the host. “I mean- I don't say it was not good! It's just… sudden.”
[Do tell… why are you so sure your friend and the audience won't love this new format?]
His face doesn't show much of an emoticon, shit.
But I pressed further, “everything seems to be… halved, the band, the staff, even you did it one pre-recorded which is not what you did for the last show I saw for years.”
“... is it because all the budget goes to book the guest?”
His screen is now erratic with more static but returned with his signature smiling emoticon, [That is not the contestant's concern.]
“I apologize.” I quickly blurred it out, I don't want to be burned yet, please spare me.
“It just… it reminded me of when I was starting to work on my own projects with my friends, and together we tell our stories for people who would listen to it.” I rambled on, something I didn't want to share to a stranger, even more to something that is not human, a TV head that only wants entertainment for his show and enjoyed by the audience who watched it.
I, too, was frustrated by this.
In a way, Mr. Host almost looks like me. When I start out on interacting with people with the same interest, and discover how many people won't even accept human beings with different interests without spouting hateful comments, bravely on my face or doing behind my back, it even got worsen when those hatred began seeping to my comfort space, out of public where they know my place and threatened me with cursed words and letters.
Discrimination, bullying, or even destroying property I've been working on for so long… and for what? 4 likes on my social account?
Its not even me who affected by this, my friends who only curious to try get harassed repeatedly until she deleted everything, my comrades who bravely show their artworks never mention how their life become more secluded from stalkers, even content creators I love got erased so major companies will get the profit, leaving the show to be a tasteless film for money maker.
I change too, make my works more tame for the people and let them handle my works… making me do all of their requests, until I realize I never love the works I've been working on when I see it hanging on the winning trophy.
(did I also change my clothes into more feminine so people who supported me aren't scared to interact with me? But I do love it later on so it's not that of a big deal…)
You want everyone to love you but they only want you when it's carted around them, now that's just stupid, but it makes sense.
“I remember I have to listen to everyone's request that while it gets me to a great path of career, it is not something I wish to do again when I realize I hate everything I make.” I continued on with my baseless talk, Mr. Host didn't respond, either he didn't listen or dozed off, I don't know.
“I watch your show and it makes me realize that everything I did should be something I love, not an obligation or a guilt inside my mind for not doing it for everyone.”
[...]
[I am in awe of your sob story, but… show business is ruthless.]
His screen turned black.
[If the viewer prefers this format, then as the entertainer, it's my job to adapt quickly to what they want…]
You also hate this new format.
“I see, then let my ramble as a way to spend my break time as someone who fail on entertainment business, and I thank Mr. Host for letting me talk like this, letting out everything about the change.” I smiled at the first sentence I said, like I truly did have a failure to join a showbitz business in the past.
[Oh! Look at the time, we must resume to our biggest moment of the new segment.] he looked at the watch wrapped around his hand and stood up, his gloved hand offered toward me as I accepted it to stand up from the couch.
[Any last words before we start the show?]
“... I had a lot of fun earlier during the live broadcast, thanks to you who directed the quiz show wholeheartedly, and I hope whichever you do, it is something you love.” I take the water bottle and go up to the stage.
I meant those words, as a fellow who also loves artistic choices on personal works.
‘This should be enough for reinforcement to arrive, I hope this enough to disturb the show and cancelled it.’
Coming back to the stage, I can see how my squad members and zebra mask employees are faring with the first stage choir that has been replay for the duration of the break time and more so later when the show resumes.
Go back to my podium, and Mr. Host came back to the stage behind me cheerfully as he counted down numbers to start the show.
Strangely, I feel calm despite the gamble I took on saving everyone here and getting out of this place.
Maybe Park Minseong's look on my face seemed off as I mouthed the word to answer correctly for his answer, choosing a gruesome death rather than a clean charcoal dust.
And then, a postcard dropped.
A small AAA battery wrapped around the postcard, shoots out fast to the silver tray that should be the place where Park Minseong's head will be, piercing through the tray unusable.
‘Wow, a small battery can look so cool.’ I lament the thought of the single use battery, it will be useful but I can't really use it.
The Choir conductor look… dishelved, jaw dislocated unnaturally that it make its flesh tore apart and fell off to the floor with disgusting noise, its look crazed at his now ruined silver tray
In a way, the conductor's reaction on his instrument is valid. Who would not get angry when you perform and your instrument couldn't make a sound at that exact time?
The conductor has pride, that also the case for Mr. Host.
[Mr. Conductor, please welcome him to the choir!] His sound is even more terrifying as he orders the guest to do his job, the audience applause sound turns into a confusion of whisper and shout, the staff frantically run to distract the technical error using any sound effect they can make, even the band start shouting to stand out.
The head on a silver tray screams, I didn't realize how exhausting to hold on while listening to that horrible choir.
Drip, drip.
Oh, this is a mess.
Drip.
A beautiful mess, it's like I'm waiting for a fight to happen.
But there was no fight.
I stand look away at Mr. Host hand goes up lazily and flicker its fingers once,
[You, do not respect my show.]
The conductor, the grand guest who was in the middle of the stage, burst into flames.
‘NOOOO THE HANDSOME CONDUCTOR I DIDNT WRITE ABOUT YOU YET!!!!’ my heart screams to see a pile of ashes left on the stage, it didn't even stop there, all the staff, equipment he can see, and even the audience goes up to flames, leaving everything barred.
‘Isn't it… out of the proposition than I wanted it? Can he even do that??
I can't even focus on Mr. Host's monologue about his show to be true at its core, how the creators should not meddle on his show since he is the one who created it, and having a new vision??
Not gonna lie, that sounds gimmicky.
Then I feel it, a hand cupped my face to make me look up from where I stand, his glove tickled as his finger swipe gently on my upper lips, I can taste the blood slipped to my tongue yet I can only focus on Mr. Host who still raised his other arm to somewhere where the audience should be, now just empty seats.
[Mr. Roe Deer! Thanks to you, I can see the vision for my show, my OWN show! I will show you the show you will love just like you said, truly, the greatest show, you will see!]
Can you take your hand from me?
[You have the talent, a talent to make a show just like me, you just misguided and lost that you lost passion for it. But! I will fix you, sooner or later.]
Please fix the conductor first so I can fantazine more about you with the conductor in a romance otome game once more.
[It's a pity the show became a mess, but I'm sure we will meet again in the next show!]
[😃]
As my vision began to blurred, I realized my body were guided to fall back and was cradled by Mr. Host, it seems like I want to say something but what…
And then,
I blinked, and I was met with the office I was once left in, I can still taste the blood on my lips.
Eun Haje and Park Minseong are with me. Inside the office, we are safe.
I'M ALIVE, I LIVE TO MAKE MORE STORIES!
Even more so when Park Minseong rummages in my pocket to see we get an A Class dream essence collector.
Holy shit, what the fuck.
Is it because we got that Butcher as our guest and not the usual quiz show? Or because that Host killed that handsome filthy butcher?
Ugh, I don't want to know.
Thankfully, we were able to go to the infirmary for emergency medication while we were informed about the waiting decision from the higher ups by Eun Haje, the potion does its job well. I can breathe after taking it and my nosebleeds stop in a second.
Hooray for shady potion from a shady company, I don't know what you put inside but it works very well!
A tranquil atmosphere surrounded me as we talked about the worst thing that happened 55 minutes ago, Park Minseong thanking me and Eun Haje complaining about the lack of assertiveness from our section chief for my rapid promotion, which I'm thankful I didn't get.
It didn't last long, Eun Haje told us that the meeting is over and the section chief is coming to the infirmary.
Finally…
FINALLY…
EMPLOYEE D WITH THE NICKNAME LIZARD WILL BE IN FRONT OF MY EYES!
SECTION CHIEF LEE JAHEON IM ALWAYS YOUR FAN SINCE I START WRITING FANFICTION.
Especially when it comes to pairing with Daydream Employees, Employee D always comes into my mind to be the dominant male lead.
When I want to make human x darkness pairing, EMPLOYEE D COME FIRST INTO MY MIND AFTER AGENT CHOI, THE EARLY HUMAN CHARACTER, my first choice is still The Viper though! Of course, I can say this with confidence because people who enjoy DER also agree Employee D is no ordinary employee, skill or facial features to woo ladies.
So please! please.
Knock, knock, knock.
“The door is open. Come in, squad leader!”
The door is open and– Oh, my, God.
I wont complain when I see his tall posture and well maintained body, 10/10.
But his face- no, his whole head… its not even on mask hallucination, brain playing tricks on me, its not even coming close to what I see…
He has a lizard head. Lizard, the scales that decorated his face from where I can see is beautifully arranged in a way that it make me want to touch it to feel its rough sensation slipped on my fingers.
… this changes everything, it's not fair.
IT'S NOT FAIR! FIRST IS MR. HOST, AND THEN THE NOW DESEACED BUTCHER CHOIR, AND I SEE THIS HANDSOME LIZARD ON THE SECOND DAY I AM HERE??!!
'I think I need to kowtow to RainbowZebra-ssi later on her fanart I will draw as compensation for doubting her.
“Ah, this over here is Roe Deer, sir. And Roe, this is Section Chief Lee Jaheon. Go ahead and introduce yourself.”
“Wow, Roe looks like he’s shocked by how handsome the Section Chief is! Haha! Like he doesn’t even look like he’s the same species as us!”
I looked down, I don't want everyone to see my red face and get teased later. “Yeah, Section Chief makes me speechless.” in many ways.
I didn't focus on the conversation as my mind began to wander through all the possibilities I could write with this newfound information, Viper x Lizard in literal sense, Lizard getting grilled by some fire- elemented darkness, or even a forbidden love between outer beings…
…
Shit, I can't even deny myself, I join the dark side.
Screw you, RainbowZebra-ssi, no wonder you are the richest among us.
Notes:
~omake~
Eun Haje: wow Kim Soleum didnt waver after an unexpected A-Class Darkness, now he even start writing on his report after healed.
Park Minseong: he very serious writing it too
Lee Jaheon: ...meanwhile, Kim Soluem: log in postype
Mr. Host who been reviewing the now newly made stage, look at his dirtied gloves that has smear of blood still clinging on it, his screen reflected a [🙂] as he remember about the particular contestant, who show him a smile, a very shaky smile toward him as if the contestant relief with his show, a show that stay true with his core more than anyone, not even the ⬛️ didn't believe in him yet...
his hand goes upward, closes to his screen as he kiss his glove that left traced of the blood into his screen.
it taste delicious.
Chapter 4: my ugly twink, Kwak
Summary:
“We escape.” and everyone silently cheered, catching up to their breath.
Well, almost everyone.
“Such an immersive fallout! The Red Zone appeared to be more dangerous from any zone that has been recorded from the inquiry! Seems like Roe Deer– that is your mask name, right?--I don't really care, you hit the nail with your theory and…”
‘Fuck, Kwak still look cute and energic after running from that, I wish I have that optimism when doing this job.’ I lament and admire his rambling, looking at him while seeing at the back of his head, Manager Jin glaring at him.
(aka, Kwak join the team!)
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The flowers bloom alongside of the road, decorating the perfect morning assembling with the blue skies along the lake, the ancient tree stood tall hovering the people as they anticipate the official of the newlywed.
Today, Sunday Inc. employees who get the invitation come to the wedding of their beloved team leader nicknamed Lizard and the now turned leaf chief, Bo Suheon, or as everyone feared him, nicknamed Viper. Bound by the contract of a Z - Class monster dungeon tying their heart to each other, pain shared by one another, forced to be each other's comfort, relying on their support and soon they finalize it on their wedding ring.
That is what the newlyweds want them to believe, or Viper who planned this out.
He is, true to his core, never has a pure intention on loving someone.
Not even for his now husband, Lizard.
This was supposed to be a sacrifice for the monster dungeon underground, perfectly placed under the ancient tree.
With an outsider's blood soaking the dungeon, Bo Suheon can finally save his first love trapped inside that wrecked dungeon and leave everything behind!
…
Would… Will everything be worth it? Would his first love remember him after years trapping inside the dungeon alone? What about everyone who been helping his wish, the people who took care of him at his lowest-
What would happen… when he spilled his husband's blood, Lee Joon Ho?
The knife inside his white suit feels heavy, confined inside a small room waiting for the ceremony to get started, the crown he wears by his nagging parent stuck on his head like a torn and his shoes clicking the tile floor already sound like his own heartbeats.
His cousin, who was in charge of being his bride's maid, opened the door slightly ajar got him to hear her whisper, “it's time.”
… he takes the bouquet, flowers of red tulips on his both hands as he walks alongside with his cousin to the altar, where he knows his husband and sacrifice waiting to be offered up.
The knife masked by the flowers make him smile, and for the first time, it's not the happy smile he been practiced for hours, for this momen||
I quickly close the document I've been writing my fanfic and show the tab that I finished an hour ago as Eun Haje goes behind my chair to see my progress.
I save the file deep into a folder disguised as mechanical computer data that only I can access, I learned my lesson to always be vigilant in every moment, it has become a second nature to me.
“Manager, I'm done with my report.” I said, scooting my chair to the side so she can look at my computer screen.
“Oh, as expected of our rookie monster, let me see and approve it quickly so we can all have lunch together in the cafeteria.”
“Of course.” I answered as I knew they would do after the group work we barely survived from one month ago.
Huh, it's been a month since I started working at Daydream Inc.
Work has been… manageable?!! In this black company???? In this economy with this company I worked that terrorized me with ghost stories I cant even handle and always stuck in fear??
‘Okay, well that's exaggerated. For the points I accumulate and the work balance I archive for my work and hobbies? This is not so bad.’ I thought of remembering what I did in the last couple of days, except for how much darkness I have to go into to complete daily work everyday from Monday to Saturday is still hell, even with the help of children cartoons I watch to make me sleep…
… and of course, my hobbies to read BL help me, A lot.
I even started (again) on creating original stories I can share on media socials with my old username, @DeerFriend. Some of the works I've been working on have already been uploaded as a teaser and gaining momentum to seek people of the same interest (BL) like me, like this person with the username @_ShinexFly, always leaving polite comments in my posts!
Seeing Baek Saheon creeping inside the housing and hiding from someone when I know where he is also heals my soul too. (I wish I could put cameras inside this building so I can watch Baek Saheon like those idol videos, but I need to respect someone's privacy… maybe one small tiny camera is fine right? No, that is immoral, but I won't do anything… maybe a TINY–)
And most importantly, I can't skip work because there are many office romances I see passing by other departments when I have free time, especially those who work desk jobs. Since other than Field Investigation, those departments are relatively peaceful, so many things can happen such as building a companionship by working on a presentation or even helping sorting out riles~
I know for sure deep inside my guts the head of HR and the assistant of administration have a thing after work hours.
Ehem.
All in all, a good consistent schedule of a man in his twenties working in a totally normal company.
after [Tuesday Quiz Show], D Squad become whole again with team leader, Lee Jaheon (omg his name is so cool, so perfect with his face too, his looks can rival any cool duke of the north like ▇▇▇▇▇▇ and ▇▇▇ and other characters I can't list) and a surprise come at use when our squad assigned in new role: entering darkness with incomplete manual, like a first beta tester on a work in progress game.
Well, it isn't really a challenge to me as I know most of the darkness I have encountered and finish it quickly. Even more so when I also meet many people inside Daydream Inc., including from other departments that didn't mention inside the wiki with lack of involvement or importances like HR and administration, though security guards can be considered as important here as well.
(maybe I should sneak in to take a peek, just for a moment to see my majestic people that been wrapped by darkness, the angst will be so good to see, hicks- LET ME IN PLEASE I WANT TO SEE–)
But this? Oh, this one is more important after the field investigation department.
The researcher, the one where they give us some task of the day while lounging around writing numbers about how many people die inside a darkness.
Particularly that person who was in charge assigned my squad who I am so familiar with his name and his mad hatter character.
Oh I remember clearly how I agonizing how to design his appearance closely to the wiki description, the hair, his clothes, his body parts, many poses when he cried, his tacky voice when grinning seeing employees died entering the darkness with no regard, obsesses with darkness that he might as well married to a darkness rather than a human (couple of that ideas has been realize in my past fics too!) , a quirky mad scientist.
Kwak Jaekang, my ugly researcher, I still love you though.
As much I want see his smile, I– ugh
I cannot meet him in the eyes every time I see him. If not for my roe deer mask, he would know I always look at his messy hair.
(if I have a scissor and a permission, I would cut his head and keep it on my desk, or can I at least take his hair instead?)
… it's just so embarrassing every time I see him, it reminds me about those comments.
Those comments? Oh its not a bad thing, always with encouraging words, complementing my works, analyzing the interaction I purposely hidden to make it fun and praise me for thorough research, even a simple row of emojis gave me a heart attack when it resurfaced to my consciousness.
Because…
BECAUSE, GOD, REMEMBERING IT IS ALREADY MAKE ME WANT TO DIG A HOLE AND BURY MYSELF IN IT!!!
MY FIRST EVER MATURE WORK… FURY FURRY FLUIDS! INVOLVING WITH KWAK JAEKANG WITH SEVERAL DARKNESS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH ANIMAL FEATURES, BECOME TOO POPULAR I GET RECOGNIZE AS THAT FAMOUS KWAK AUTHOR EVERYTIME IM IN A CON, EVEN AFTER I WORKED ON MANY CHARACTERS, MY LEGACY TIED WITH HIM!!!!
I KNOW, BECAUSE IT MAKES MONEY WHEN I TURNED IT INTO ILLUSTRATION COMIC AND SOME NEWER FANS CALL ME TRIPLE F AUTHOR!!!
F (URY)! F(FURRY)! F(LUID)! TRIPLE F!!!
WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY???? THAT'S A CRINGY NAME FOR A TITLE, BLAME MY 19 YEARS OLD ME!!!
‘Calm down, look at his face for a second, a face only a mother (and fan like me) would love.’ I focused on the briefing in front of me in a crowded space inside the researcher floor about a darkness that needs certain numbers of people to enter it, some people I recognize from the gold lining on their mask as the elite squad descriptive in the wiki, others…
‘That person is on the Y squad, huh.’ I observed the gloomy air around the squad who the company labeled as finishing team, the bison mask is the one who I familiar with as the same batch mate and that unlucky man who get his eye gouged by Baek Saheon, and the fact I also put his name in one of my work make him stood out among others.
I nodded along with Eun Haje's explanation that I already expected, counting the number of heads inside my mind. What I need to know the most is the darkness everyone here participates in.
a board game about a theme family park, no record of completion other than civilian inquiry, 4 survived yet 7 people dead and 1 person missing.
1, 2, 3, 4…
This kind of theme park doesn't bond well with a good time of happy time with your family!
A theme park darkness, with a survival rate of 2%...
…5, 6, 7…
[A Fun Theme Park!] is such a misleading name yet so fitting for a darkness made by The Cheerful Institution.
8, 9, 10, and 11?… aw, Kwak is really such a cutie, already planning to kill everyone except the elite team ♥. I bite the inside of my cheek, trying to straighten my face and not smiling when seeing Kwak Jaekang pulling out the box of the board game, and taking out a small capsule where each member shook the capsule to get a horse toy with different color, a color sorted group.
His actions are so endearing to me I want to bash his head to inspect how his brain worked for even calculating it.
I got red, the same as the bison mask person and an elite team with butterfly masks (MY COOL AND BEAUTIFUL DAYDREAM EMPLOYEE JIN NANSOL!!! MY STRONG GIRL! OMG I LOVE HER NAILS, I wonder where she gets it done?)
Of course, after I get my color, I need to prepare to get inside the darkness, right? So it won't be so suspicious when I have to go down to tie my shoes…
Tossing a 500 coin yen is purely a coincidence, I do not have malicious intention, it could be my habit that I subconsciously did it. Out. of. Habit.
Is it really my fault when the transparent glove moves silently behind kwak when I didn't really order it to do it?
When my squad leader, Lee Jaheon unfolded the game board, when they realized they needed one extra person to start the darkness.
11 people, 1 more person.
“Wait, the people who will enter the darkness aren't even?”
“The red team only has three members.”
“Four members in blue, four members in yellow…”
“Who will be the filler?”
Kwak, in his natural action, already prepare for this variable of dragging someone other than the field investigation members inside the theme park, already about to toss the capsule to a researcher–
THUD.
The red horse already fell to the ground, Kwak still holding the capsule despite the loud smack on the dented capsule.
“Eh?”
SCOOOOOOOOOR EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The heart inside me leaped up in joy seeing the swirling dark around me begin to warp everyone surrounding me from the gameboard. Thanks, transparent glove item!
Thank you, thank you so much for being born and letting me (and my color matched team members) to go on a date (it's a job) inside a theme park (a darkness that may or may not kill us).
…
I feel like a delusional bastard for justifying my actions, dragging my poor Kwak-sunbae rather than a stranger researcher that most likely acts like a civilian….
… eh, I'm sure it will be fine, at least its Kwak, he has bones that wont break easily!
Sources? My fics and my embarrassingly popular Triple F.
…
Well, I have a very different view after that attraction.
For starters, he imagined at least some coordination with two capable people from an elite team, Manager Jin and Kwak Jaekang, a researcher that wasn't supposed to be here. So with a combination from those people with two normal employees, they should be more cautious– well shit.
This is Daydream, everything is profit and anything else is a number including employee death.
Manager Jin already barked orders to the Y Employee, who introduce to me as Jang Heoun before getting ordered to step back and almost strangulating him when we aparted. Kwak, the ever curious scientist that dashed to the nearest parade, analyzed how all the red bloody organs flew out of the red wand with glee like seeing a circus performance.
And then there was me, hi! And with Jang Heoun (thank GOD someone who is also scared like me, I am not alone) with a scientist and a senior with very high maintenance.
‘I can't really complain when Manager Jin is also quick to adapt and try to be cooperative, even if it's not in line with her vision, Jang Heoun listens and quick on his feet, and Kwak….’
HE HOLD MY HAND, YIPEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
Actually, me and Jang Heoun (mostly him, I just want to hold Kwak hand) got ordered to keep an idiot from breaking apart by Manager Jin as the two of us discussed a better approach to escape the darkness, following the wristband with attraction entry and previous info from the boardgame package, everyone goes with the first entry of ride of the dark.
Mistake no. 1, knowing the dark ride will guarantee death and accelerate the ride, the speaker told me and the others about how the magic kingdom was made.
A blue dragon, a golden flower and a red bunny were friends before they did not like each other and fought. A common backstory you can see even in a fairytale book.
And red bunny, wanting to be different than any other mascots, decided he KILL EVERYONE AND MAKE EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM.
AND NOW THAT BUNNY WANT TO KILL US BECAUSE WE ARE BORING?! BRINGING ALL THE BULLY WEARING BUNNY COSTUME TO CHASE US??? CHASING US LIKE CRIMINALS????
BRO, I JUST FINISHED ONE ATTRACTION!!!
Thank god for Employee D (I love you.) for giving me a communication device, even for a short moment before giving a direction before everything becomes much worse for everyone here.
So here we are, running with all our might, with hordes of bunny mascots chasing us, revealing grotesque innards full of teeth from the bunny mouth, lurching us from its ears and arms reaching out of us, predators sighting a couple lost herds. The cheerful music heavily darkened the situation and every laughter mocking us for even running to escape.
FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFU- I cant even focus where they come from, I can't even be scared right now– I need to survive this!
My feet doesn't stop, not when Jang Heoun and I use my item to help him run again, not when I saw how Kwak pushed Manager Jin to the horde and see her face melted from the black with shimmering red ooze as I scream to make her reach out her nail, stabbing my palm to get her toward me, out of the horde, I can't feel my hands, or it is too much that it become numb?
All the coins are already gone… I should probably take more after this… I really need to take care of my hands better than this, maybe I should go to the saloon…
We went down to the archway of the westside gate, and the horde, only staring at us blankly, the nagging voice of the bunny mascot slowly became hassier. Finally, it was gone. Slowly from our sight like it's a cruel imagination, the wristband doesn't have the color red anymore.
"oh." is what I said, finally focused on what in front of me.
“We escape.” and everyone silently cheered, catching up to their breath.
Well, almost everyone.
“Such an immersive fallout! The Red Zone appeared to be more dangerous from any zone that has been recorded from the inquiry! Seems like Roe Deer– that is your mask name, right?--I don't really care, you hit the nail with your theory and…”
‘Fuck, Kwak still look cute and energic after running from that, I wish I have that optimism when doing this job.’ I lament and admire his rambling, looking at him while seeing at the back of his head, Manager Jin glaring at him.
‘Manager Jin looks so cool even with the melting wound on her face and thanking me, I want to immortalize it inside my mind how she is a good leader.’ Manager Jin helped me stand up after I felt better and gave me her thanks for rescuing her, while snarking at Kwak.
‘And Jang Heoun…’ looking at him helping tear the wall down with his good hand making my heart thump, the way of scraping those walls like a pitiful bison, holding off his pain on his shoulder, and his hair that somehow still swaying beautifully–
I instantly feel better seeing his face, I can't help it wanting to hug him so tightly and crush his head on my hands. I didn't act upon it knowing it was just my mind having cute aggression.
Oh, I get it!.
JANG HEOUN BECOME MY FAVORITE!!! MY WIPPY BISON IS SOOOO CUTEEEEE! OH YOU DEFINITELY A MAIN CHARACTER VIBE (in a specific genre) THAT I WILL PUT INSIDE MY BOOK!! Ok time up, time to calm down and put the delusion back inside my brain.
It was a good call after all, when the wall finally collapsed, they saw an entirely different zone that is much more safe than the red zone full of children laughing playing on water attractions, as expected from the dominant blue color.
What makes it even less expected is that all the squad D are still alive, Employee D holding on to a person with a teal duck mask I recognize as A-Squad leader and…
Dear Lord, are those dead bodies crammed inside a tube like a horror science western comic? I can see some of the body parts are not in great shape.
‘I want to puke.’ I bit my inside of my cheek instead as Eun Haje explained the blue zone, a blue dragon mascot with a life jacket who very much doesn't like violence, she told me about its own strict rules that even one of the members (inside the tube) got its ire and almost dragged another one for saving him.
“As long as you enjoy the ride, don't mess around, and treat your teammate well, you will go out just fine.” is her advice, she didn't tell me any details.
… isn't that a good deal, from my perspective who has been in the insane magic bunny mascot zone, this darkness at least respects people who want to be alive, and maybe my standard is lower about kindness that I consider it an angel.
All of the red zone teams who need to fill out the rest of the attraction come further inside the blue zone, where we meet the mascot.
[Hello]
‘Oh, that one is a the blue dragon mascot, the only kind darkness I encounter to this day…’ I slightly bow to see it holding a welcome sign to return the gesture, it makes me smile how it's so different from the magic bunny.
All the attractions are related to water so it was to be expected for all my team to get damped after completing all the requirements.
That is…
“Cmon Bison-ssi! I want to know if you drink the water here, would you get contaminated or not? Surely you heard your teammates' wishes~” Kwak almost submerged Bison head into the kiddie pool before taking his head out of the water and helping Jang Heoun get up, a very quick switch off action that perfectly fit the theme vibe of positive actions yet slipping a hint of malice.
Kwak didn't even stop from that as he pestered Jang Heoun until the wristband ticket filled up, nudging him to the slide, tripping him to the rough terrain decoration, even making him swim in a deep pool.
either he is smart enough to escape with a loophole and data research on this B-Class Darkness, or he naively thought he can get away with it.
The mascot's blank eyes told me it was the latter.
I have a bad feeling, yet I wanted to see it to the end.
‘It's not the highest offence that our dear Kwak will guarantee a death to the mascot, yet Kwak also bended the theme park rules and mess around with fellow teammates using passive aggressive remarks to Jang Heoun, he already sees the dead bodies inside the tube from the other group too from *misbehaving. Will he died like what Eun Haje told me?’
Kwak death…
… I don't want to see my favorite character died yet.
‘Should I help him, as a precaution? Should I tell him or…’
All the team are now at the front of the admission ticket gate scanner, the same mascot now dressed formally, gestures to us to the scanner so we make a line to scan the completed wristband, from the squad leaders on front and the rookies on the middle, Kwak is on the middle of the line.
The same mascot who greeted us with a welcome sign was also there. The entrance and the exit seem to be closer in distance than when they went here to look at us for the last time.
It was also my chance to speak up, as a snitch.
I sigh, not loud for people in front of the line to hear it but enough so the mascot who can sense something wrong can see me, Jang Heoun's head looks behind me as if he heard it right but I didn't say anything. “My friend with the white cloak is more… excited to come to this park that I can't keep up with him.”
[...]
“I hope he can rest his legs after this, I don't want him to slow down for me and my other friends sake yet…” I muttered gibberish at the end, it doesn't matter as long as my point is received for the mascot.
[...]
“? um, mascot, what are you–” I heard Kwak's voice at the front of the gate.
Behave
CRACK
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!” Kwak screams as his hand that has a wristband crumbles, and the mascot is holding on to his legs and starts again, its hand crushing all the bones inside Kwak's body like a lightstick, it was meticulous from the the feet and soon followed to his ankle and then goes up to the lower legs.
The wristband is still attached to his arm, he survive.
‘Blue dragon mascot is a very kind mascot, afterall.’ Everyone can only focus on Kwak screaming and laughing as his bones get crushed that they didn't hear the clicking sound of my phone, capturing this beautiful moment.
Click
‘Kwak's face is very pretty here.’ I put my phone back in my pocket.
CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK
Thud
Kwak cant even sit up with how his legs already crushed finely that only leave the meat hanging on his upper body.
His face, he is still smiling even when its look strained in pain after the grueling breaking bones, and honestly, more ugly than usual that it make me fall in love more for his crazy character.
…
“Bison-ssi, can you help our friend?” I asked Jang Heoun who was in front of me.
He didn't say a word, maybe too surprised or puzzled when I regard Kwak as a friend, but he nodded and picked Kwak up bridal style and smoothly went to the scanner gate, he escaped like a prince on a white horse saving his princess (I ship it).
One by one, the remaining people get out after filling up the scanner.
I was the last one who was left on the line after giving up for Bison, now together with the mascot, its blank eyes looked at me for a while now.
Time to smooth things out with a small talk and quickly get out of here! “Thank you for listening to my request, I can rest easy knowing my friend won't go too far now that his legs are useless– as in, he can rest his legs and not push himself.”
…
‘Did I worded it wrong?’ I lamented, I still keep smiling at it when his hand come forward in front of me, I instinctively close my eyes
Good Child
The mascot petted my head.
Am I a good child?
…
Am I???
Did I do something good here? Maybe I rescue my teammates more than once so it judges me as a good child before entering the blue zone?
I don't think a good child should draw and write about men kissing each other passionately and I HOPE the mascot doesn't know about it, surely it doesn't have some cynical power of reading my mind, right? RIGHT????
Fuck, what should I said after that?
“Thank you.” I nodded, that the only word in my mind can come up in 5 seconds.
Then, its hand politely held on my wrist where the wristband, its costume hand covered it that I didn't realize it had become slightly warm.
A good child gets a gift.
[◎(Cheerful) Fantasyland Membership◎]
The wristband change when he release it, what the fuck? It even looks expensive with the decoration and the material, I know! I knew how material can elevate merchandise and this one on my wrist is a good deal!
A membership???
It's claw now on my wrist too, seems like it's getting touchy now.
cough
One thing for a membership, and now I'm coughing blood because I am worthy of something something??? Did I see it right or do I need to wear my glasses again?
Is being a good child here really a big deal?
The mascot now blocked my path after I insisted on walking toward the gate, gave me a snack and patted me toward another attraction on my back, even as far as turning off the gate making its point across.
Play more
‘This good child wanted to take a rest you stupid shiiiii–’ but I didn't voice aloud, walking toward the park without any destination like a lost child, with blue churros in my hand and an empty mind on how to get out of here.
‘Maybe riding one attraction will count as play more and it will let me get out of here right? Lets try it…’ this is a blue zone, and not a red zone, I can leisurely look around and have the mascot tell me about the park safely without any looming death.
…
Okay, the rollercoaster in the open air with the splashing water is actually nice, I can try go to the gate now.
...
Its still closed, the mascot is still watching me, it wont even turn it on.
Maybe I need to ride more attractions? Lets go for casual rides and sight-seeing.
…
Lets do one more attraction, I want to see fishes…
… oh, that cute cupcake, I want to try it and then…
…I heard the mascot will show a magic trick with the dolphi- WHAT AM I DOING RIGHT NOW?!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me, with assorted junk I have been given to me freely by the mascots who see me as I enjoyed playing around, street foods and drink with main color of blue I–
Shit, this whole damned job and many heart attacks I endure make me want to have some fun here to ease my nerves for a moment, even when its actually a darkness disguise as family park, haaaaaaaaaah.
I miss my puppy Baek Saheon, I miss my handsome lizard Lee Jaheon, I miss my D Squad, I miss my ugly twink Kwak… I need to get out of here to see them.
I still need to write a red bunny x blue dragon fics from today's inspiration! And the one before I went inside this darkness too, and I can add with the webnovel with Lee Jaheon and Park Minseong working as dentist, and–
…………………………… …………… ………………………………..
Wait, I feel my chest heavy, unconscious of my debt that has been piling up that I just realize only now.
I think I accumulate many WIPs after the orientation day, and the next day and the day after that, don't even start with re-working on past works that I finished years ago before coming here.
How many works in progress I already make inside my account that I already publish? 1,2,3,4… 15– no,it should be 19 right now…
I lost count.
How much work, fics, webcomic, heck even webnovel, did I finish here, inside this bizarre world of DER?
1, only fucking 1 work, and it just a oneshot.
‘Kim Soleum, your greed is sickening me.’ I murmured to myself.
To make it worse for my fanboy heart, there are still many more if I don't count some works that I flagged as mature, fan merchandise that I'm still working on the alternation design, I probably have to redraw and rewrite some of the works later before even uploading it to my social media, and if I can, I also want to attend more convention and cosplay too!!!
‘Oh, how I miss my rotten comrades who always keep me in check becoming a part time writer and artist and a BL lover and sometime cosplayer so I don't drop dead in the middle of a sun, doting on me and giving me free food…’ I miss my friends.
A light flickering above my head, and then I saw it.
A black notepad that I knew well, another merch means I get another item to help me.
– New Merch Unlocked! (!)
‘Please, help me with this impending doom of my (non-existent, just inflicting to himself) debt, and escape from here so I can make more debt (same thing as before)!’ my finger pressed the notepad.
Thud
An item dropped into my hand, it was small that it fit on my palm, wrapped in plastic with no real weight and quite cute to look at.
It's a small plush that can fit snuggly inside my suit pocket.
“Oh, a good friend!” right, I forgot that I am alone in this world and that I can't share all of my thoughts to anyone.
… this merch probably mock me for talking to myself for hours about the agonizing fighting scene between my Choi and my Lee Jaheon in one of my work, oh well I am unmistakably a loner now.
I have no friend, someone to share or someone who would help me when I needed it, someone who looked at me as if I mattered in their life as we spent our time together in this wrecked world– damn, that was quite dramatic,scratched that.
Actually, what I want is someone who wont run away!
PLEASE, SOMEONE OUT THERE BE MY ETERNAL FRIEND!
either that or I'll make you my permanent assistant.
Notes:
somewhere in a particular showroom, A host flicked at his TV antenna in confusion.
(edit 06/08/2025: I forgot to mention some tiny bits that yall might want to know for funsie, KSE BL works hiding his settings environment for obvious reasons aka getting sue or people would know he write real people that is technically fictional people in his real world
ya might already know, who knows, the list in chapter 4
- Sunday Inc. is Daydream
- Bo Suheon is Baek Saheon
- when I reread it, I didnt actually use Lee Jaheon fake name, which is Lee Joo Hoanyway, peace, drink water, and have fun)
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