-A spy. Ah, yes. A classic and popular identity that makes the audience’s heart race in any era.
-The catharsis of a plot twist where the mysterious and powerful identity of an extraordinary person is revealed!
-Isn’t it the perfect profession for my multi-talented friend?
Haha.
On my way to work, I entered the Disaster Management Bureau while listening to Braun's energetic commentary.
‘It’s a relief that the Disaster Management Bureau jumper has a front pocket.’
The plush doll’s ears were even covered by the top fabric that draped over the pocket, so at a glance, no one would notice.
I naturally crossed the main lobby of the Management Bureau, greeting the agents.
-A special method of entry through a hidden entrance. It’s a trope of special agents. It seems like an organization that knows quite a bit about romance.
-Shall we see where Mr. Roe Deer's workplace is? I’m looking forward to it!
The start was good. Braun gave the hidden exit of the Disaster Management Bureau a fairly good score, and he gave a decent score to the sight inside as well.
‘I’m glad you like it.’
I responded appropriately as I took the elevator, passed through the hallway, and opened the door.
And so, the waiting room of Hyunmoo Team 1 was revealed.
And….
-…….
‘Braun?’
-Oh, I see they’ve decorated a leftover makeshift space to look like a plausible breakroom.
-Haha. Mr. Roe Deer, it’s quite amusing to see that you’ve learned how to slack off while I wasn’t looking! Are you going to enjoy a secret short rest here before heading to your actual workplace?
‘This is it.’
-Hmm?
‘This is my workplace.’
There was no response from the Good Friend.
-Are you coaxing information out of those who visit this place? Using an unofficial rest area, what a wonderful skill….
No.
‘This really is my official workplace.’
-Friend, exactly what work do you do here?
‘I sit on the sofa.’
Again, there was no response from the Good Friend. He seemed dead….
-Oh. To think you would trick me.
Ack!
‘Then, when I get a call, I head out. To rescue people who are in various unique disaster situations.’
-Aha.
‘This is just the waiting room.’
-Hahaha. So the real work hasn’t even started yet.
-Oh, to think you would trick me! That was extremely entertaining, friend!
‘Right? Hahahaha….’
Cold sweat trickled down. Right, traveling with Braun always felt like this…… Phew.
Just then, my right hand in my pocket moved secretly.
It formed a thumb… and thrust it down forcefully.
“…….”
Yeah. I understand.
-Very well. In that case, this place doesn’t seem like the worst spot to rest alone!
‘It’s a waiting room that the whole team uses together.’
-…….
‘It’s okay. They’re all fun and good people.’
Braun seemed a bit shocked, but it couldn’t be helped. He was probably comparing it to the large pharmaceutical company that gave me a private office….
-…Fine. How many people in total work with you, Mr. Roe Deer?
‘Ah, there are three of us right now… but only two others come into the waiting room.’
I looked at the whiteboard in the waiting room.
The place where notes left by people who had passed through Hyunmoo Team 1 remained.
‘…I heard that originally, about seven people worked here.’
This was just knowledge I had.
In the <Dark Exploration Record>, the emergency rescue squads of the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau, especially the headquarters’ Hyunmoo teams, had been expanded to a total of seven teams.
However, after a certain incident, half of them died or went missing, and there was a time when they were consolidated into three teams.
‘That was a truly chilling ghost story.’
Anyway, because of that, there was a period when they were actively recruiting people… and it seemed like now was that time.
-That is a relief. Phew, seven people in such a worn-out room. It would be like a group of failing comedians.
“……Mm.”
I just gave a bitter smile.
And after some thought, I picked up a marker from the whiteboard and left a line myself.
People worthy of respect.
I left it while thinking of Hyunmoo Team 1 and the Disaster Management Bureau in the early days of the Wiki.
-Did you leave a message? Oh my! The traces of a spy… I’m curious. Could you bring me closer so I can see more clearly?
It wasn't anything grand.
“Sure.”
It wasn't difficult. I took the plush doll out of my front pocket, supported its body with both hands, and held it close to the whiteboard….
Click.
“Grapes, were you early today too? Did you sleep well last ni—”
Agent Choi, whose eyes met mine, looked at the doll in my hands.
Then he looked at my hands, which were politely holding the doll against the whiteboard.
Ah, ahhhh….
“G-Good morning, Agent Choi.”
“Yeah. Good morning, but, uh… are you donating a doll to our waiting room? That’s nice.”
“N-No. It’s not like that….”
-Ho-oh?
I hunched my shoulders and hurriedly grabbed Braun to put him back in my front pocket.
But Agent Choi stopped me.
The agent's eyes were scanning the sentence I wrote on the whiteboard.
“Huh? No, no, it’s fine. I heard kids these days take proof-shots with things like this.”
Agent Choi started saying things like whether Grapes used social media too, that photos inside our institution were classified so they couldn't be uploaded, and that I should think of it like the NIS… I hurriedly responded while trying to match my character.
“No. Th-this is just, um, a friend I always carry with me.”
-Nice to meet you! Oh, that scar on your neck is quite stylish. I’d love to hear the interesting story behind it sometime.
“…A friend?”
“Yes….”
At that moment, Agent Bronze also opened the waiting room door and entered.
“Hello—”
“Jaekwan, come here for a second. The rookie brought a doll!”
“A doll?”
Agent Choi hurriedly grabbed Agent Bronze and pulled him over.
This was burdensome.
-My goodness, isn't this the person who played the serial killer at the mountain cabin! …Aha! Perhaps you’ve infiltrated under the setting of having feigned ignorance to his persistent recruitment?
No. I was under suspicion because I looked suspicious….
-Anyway, not bad. Two sidekicks assisting you!
No. They are my superiors….
Meanwhile, my two superior agents were looking at Braun with curiosity.
“No, he says he always carries it with him, but why haven't we seen it? Jaekwan, have you seen it?”
Agent Bronze's expression became subtle.
He was definitely recalling the times he’d encountered me before, when Braun had been hanging outside my clothes or tucked into a pocket…!
‘But if he testifies, it means he’s known about it since before!’
I jumped in to reduce the agent's inner conflict.
“Ah, the friend I originally had got torn because of my mistake… so I recently remade it.”
“…….”
Agent Bronze's expression became even more peculiar.
Then, after muttering "friend" to himself a few times, he soon asked.
“Did you… perhaps make that ‘friend’ during your break?”
Surprisingly, it was the truth.
“Yes. That’s right! Ah, I didn’t make it myself, I just bought it at a store, but….”
“…….”
“Grapes, if you call a doll a friend, a ghost will attach itself to it—”
“Go get the paperwork.”
“Ack!”
Agent Bronze kicked Agent Choi in the butt and they left the waiting room together.
Then he looked back at me and spoke kindly.
“The New Investigation Unit has called for Agent Grapes. Any rescue signals will come through here, so don’t worry and go ahead.”
“Pardon? Yes.”
And the two of them vanished in an instant.
Thud.
‘Phew.’
I thought they would pry more, but thank goodness.
Otherwise, the moment I looked suspicious, Agent Choi would have shoved a ghost story discrimination device at me… mm. A dizzying situation could have unfolded.
Although Braun boasted that he could ‘make it so no one knows who I am, no matter what they use,’ there was no harm in being careful.
‘I thought it would be better to show it naturally from the start rather than getting caught while hiding it, though.’
I didn't expect it to happen like this.
Is this… good?
-Friend? What kind of place is the New Investigation Unit?
‘Ah, let’s go there now.’
In any case, since the New Investigation Unit called me, I should step out for a bit.
I moved with Braun through the Disaster Management Bureau's actual employee work areas—that is, the office hallways. And….
-My goodness, I’d rather this be a comedy skit…. To think my friend fell for a job scam.
“…….”
In the eyes of the Host of a ghost story from the era of flashy capitalist mass media, the 21st-century public service facilities were simply outdated and below standard….
Fortunately, another element soon appeared that would pique Braun's interest.
It was my fellow spy standing in front of the New Investigation Unit office.
Ms. Go Yeongeun.
“Agent Grapes!”
Ms. Go Yeongeun, who had been waving at me with a glad expression, saw the plush doll on my chest as I drew closer, and her expression became subtle.
“Are you… carrying that with you again?”
“……Yes.”
Now that I thought about it, Yeongeun had also seen Braun in his Good Friend form quite often.
Even in that exhibition ghost story, ‘Mansion of the Blind,’ she had seen me use Braun to set the mood for Baek Saheon… a few times in passing.
Anyway, it seemed she recognized him, as Braun apparently had more of a presence than I’d expected.
‘I-I didn’t think he’d stand out that much since he’s so small….’
In this ghost story world's crazy pharmaceutical company, didn't people carry around everything from rabbit feet to mummy bandages?
In the first place, since everyone was wearing bizarre animal masks, I thought a plush doll keychain would be fine.
Mm. It seemed I was wrong….
Still, Ms. Go Yeongeun was as kind as ever.
“Oh, it’s still cute! I think you picked a good one.”
-My, she’s someone with an eye for things. An audience member with good taste is always an entertainer’s delight.
At least everyone was satisfied, so that was a relief. I smiled and spoke.
“Thank you. By any chance, does Agent Peppermint have a similar doll….”
“Ah, I’m fine.”
“…….”
No, I was going to ask if she had one. A doll keychain….
I’m breaking into a cold sweat.
A-apparently, the rabbit doll is even more conspicuous than I anticipated.
‘This won’t do.’
After asking for Braun's understanding, I pulled the pocket's cover fabric down further to hide the doll's form as much as possible.
“Agent Grapes! Your statement over here… oh? That’s cute. Did your younger sibling give it to you?”
“Oh my, what’s that? A doll?”
But despite that, perhaps because its shape was revealed as I moved, it became a topic of small talk several times….
And the finale was when I returned to the Hyunmoo Team 1 waiting room after finishing a brief statement at the New Investigation Unit.
Click.
“Grapes!”
As I entered, the two agents who were already there jumped up.
And Agent Choi was grinning to a suspicious degree.
……?
“I’m sorry. I said some harsh things to Grapes’ friend earlier! Calling it a ghost. Right?”
-Hmm. Trying to be courteous now, are we? I shall accept it.
“I-It’s quite alright.”
What’s going on?
Anyway, now that I knew the plush doll stood out more than expected, I needed to manage the situation.
I sat quietly on the sofa and muttered.
“Um, I’ll make sure to carry it so it doesn’t stand out, so even if it’s inconvenient, please bear with me for a bit….”
“Hahaha, what are you talking about? Of course, our Grapes’ friend can stay in our waiting room.”
Suddenly, Agent Choi put his arm around my shoulders and showed me something.
“Here, here, this is our friend’s spot.”
On the plush armrest of the sofa in front of the window lay a well-folded handkerchief. It was the navy-colored handkerchief issued to agents….
‘…….’
No.
What is this? This atmosphere.
-Haha, I appreciate the kindness, but I must decline! I have my own handkerchief—wait, where did it go? Strangely, I can't see it!
I'll buy you one later, just wait!
“Th-thank you….”
In the end, unable to resist the atmosphere, I placed Braun on the handkerchief.
Agent Choi asked kindly, still with a smiling face.
“What’s our friend’s name?”
“It-it’s Braun.”
“…But it’s pink?”
“Pardon?”
“Hahaha, no! That could be the case! Uh, a person’s heart is free, isn’t it~”
“Yes… thank you.”
What on earth is this?
I looked back at Agent Bronze as if asking for help, but when Agent Bronze's eyes met mine, he only gave a strained smile.
It looked like he was trying hard to seem warm….
‘……??’
I was even more lost.
“Here, I’ll give you this too. It’s a diary strap, but it’ll be cute if you tie it to the ear.”
And so, Braun received even a cushion near the window and successfully blended into the Hyunmoo Team 1 waiting room without being suspected….
‘…??’
And the cause of this situation was revealed in the group chat.
[Don't say anything unnecessary even if the King of Destruction rookie carries a doll keychain, it's a precious friend.]
[?]
[Then it's not a supernatural phenomenon?]
[It's not that, and according to the testimony of an agent on the same team, he's been carrying it since before and seems to use it to calm his mind. Let's not pry into personal
matters unnecessarily.]
[Ah..]
[Confirmed]
[We all know that feeling]
[I'm the person who asked today if a younger sibling gave him that doll. If you're reading this, I'm sorry. Agent. ㅠㅠ]
“…….”
Agent Bronze…!!
-In that sense, this place… hmm. I’ll give it 39 points.
On my way home.
Listening to Braun's fairly generous score for the Disaster Management Bureau, I hurried my steps toward the motel.
Excluding a short dispatch for a low-grade supernatural disaster in the afternoon, it had been a mundane day shift, so my condition should have been fine, but….
‘I’m tired….’
So much had happened mentally, and to top it off, a character trait I hadn't planned for had been added to me….
‘Ugh.’
I want to rest.
‘…Should I stay somewhere a bit better just for today?’
As I walked along the sun-set road, I searched for other accommodations on my smartphone….
Vrrrrt.
A popup appeared on my phone along with a vibration.
A text message.
[J: I f-ound some info]
[J: A bit of]
“…!”
It’s the Sergeant.
It was the first time since I’d given him the smartphone.
But he got information?
[J: a problm]
[What do you mean?]
I hurriedly sent a reply.
But there was no response for several minutes.
“…….”
And a long time later.
[J: I’m coming out]
A chill ran down my spine.
I called him immediately. But the other party doesn’t pick up.
‘What is it.’
Why isn’t he answering the phone when it’s clearly ringing?
[Where are you?]
[Are you alright?]
The '1' in the text message disappears. It means he’s checking them.
‘Wait. He sent that… he was coming out?’
I hurriedly narrowed down the accommodation I was searching for to the area around the Daydream Company and booked a decent unmanned motel.
Then I put that address, room number, and password into a text.
[If you’ve come out, please come here (Link)]
Right after that, I ran back into the subway.
To head toward that unmanned motel near the company.
A short while later.
“…?!”
When I opened the door to the unmanned motel room and entered, I witnessed a scene I hadn't expected at all.
“Mmph!”
Kwak Jekang was lying face down on the floor, tied up.
Furthermore, the Sergeant was sitting on top of him, keeping him pinned down.
And….
“Ro-Roe.”
Supervisor Park Minseong, who was looking back at me while breaking into a cold sweat.
He was wearing a Security Team uniform.
“…….”
Wh-what kind of mess is this?
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