When I saw the shoes at the entrance, my first thought was that Baek Saheon had finally returned to the company housing.
'Took him days to muster the courage.'
Or perhaps he'd heard some rumor that I hadn't returned from today's ghost story and rushed back.
'But I'm back now.'
I was contemplating how to deal with whoever was currently in the room when—
– Oh dear, Mr. Roe Deer. There seems to be a slight misunderstanding in your recollection!
A misunderstanding?
– Those shoes have been in the same spot every evening, Friend.
"...!"
What?
No, I was sure there was nothing in the entrance when I left on the first day…
'…Wait a second.'
I recalled the last time I saw Baek Saheon.
At Sekwang Technical High School.
Amid the chaos between the Disaster Management Bureau and the Field Exploration Team, I'd seen him fleeing with an item in hand. And the effect of that pen-shaped item he was holding…
'Hypnosis.'
"..."
I looked down at my hand.
The silver ring.
The mental defense item I'd purchased today.
'…Aha.'
That explained it.
Baek Saheon hadn't been leaving earlier or returning later than me. He hadn't been commuting from elsewhere either.
He'd been returning to the dorm all along.
He'd simply placed a suggestion on me, ensuring I wouldn't notice him.
'But now it doesn't work on me.'
Thanks to the silver ring shielding my mind, I'd finally 'seen' his shoes after days of being oblivious to them.
"…Hah."
Seriously.
As if being sick and exhausted wasn't enough, now I had to deal with this nonsense at home…
– Oh, what a perfectly pieced-together deduction, like a beautiful puzzle!
– But… isn't it a traditional and moral lesson for deceivers to pay the price?
There was a hint of sly amusement in Braun's voice.
Normally, I'd have been horrified by that, but…
Hmm.
"Braun."
– Yes, Friend?
"How about we try something fun? You'll like it."
– ...!!
'Phew.'
The moment the noise from the entrance died down, Baek Saheon cautiously got out of bed.
'What the hell was he doing, taking so long to go to his room?'
It had been days since leaving Sekwang High. He'd been lying low in the company housing, keeping as quiet as possible.
All to avoid being noticed by Kim Soleum.
'…At first, I just thought I was already fucked.'
Waking up in the morning to realize a psychopath in the neighboring room bore a grudge against him?
To avoid any potential confrontation, he'd used the fountain pen to ensure Kim Soleum wouldn't notice his presence.
'It really is a great item.'
That psycho hadn't noticed a thing!
Still, Baek Saheon had been desperately avoiding any encounter, staying quiet even in his room to prevent the suggestion from wearing off. He'd considered applying a stronger hypnosis but feared the consequences if it failed…
Even so.
'…Maybe it's time to go for a more daring suggestion?'
The hypnosis had held up for days. He was starting to think it might be worth the risk.
Like making Kim Soleum protect him in a crisis or tricking him into handing over valuable items and believing he'd lost them…
'Hmm.'
Besides, he'd heard a few things from Jang Heo-un— that Kim Soleum's latest ghost story involved alleys filled with various equipment and items.
'…I'm jealous.'
Baek Saheon clenched his fist briefly, thinking of his fellow new hires at the Round-Off Team.
He needed his own chance to secure items. More chances…!
Maybe he could subtly hypnotize his colleagues and swipe their items…
'But I can't do that right now!'
The fountain pen could only apply hypnosis to one person at a time. Since it was currently being used on Kim Soleum, it couldn't affect anyone else. The situation was getting under his skin.
'I knew it, I'll need to squeeze more out of Kim Soleum.'
The timing felt perfect.
'Time to plan.'
Once Kim Soleum fell asleep tonight, he'd use the fountain pen to—
He was mid-thought when he opened his door to get a drink of water. And froze, horrified.
"...!"
Kim Soleum was sitting in the dark kitchen.
At the dining table, surrounded by what looked like snacks, he was examining their wrappers.
And in the center of the table sat a plush rabbit doll on a cushion…
The same creepy toy Kim Soleum always called 'Braun' and carried everywhere.
"What? Cheap-looking?"
Flinch.
"Yeah. I suppose that's part of the concept. It was a stationery store, after all."
'This godforsaken psycho.'
He was talking to the doll again.
'Why hasn't he gone back to his room? Why is he still out here doing this bullshit?!'
Baek Saheon shuddered and was about to retreat to his room but… paused. Wouldn't this natural encounter be a good opportunity?
Without needing to try anything specific, this seemed like the perfect moment to reinforce the hypnotic suggestion.
"..."
Baek Saheon made up his mind and pulled out the fountain pen. Then, he quietly stepped forward.
"Sure. But even items like this have their own effectiveness," Kim Soleum said.
Baek Saheon froze mid-step, the fountain pen in his hand. Kim Soleum continued speaking, his back turned, talking to himself like the lunatic he was.
"Like my roommate's fountain pen passing by behind me right now."
"..."
Ah.
Paralyzed, Baek Saheon felt his blood turn cold.
"Braun, did you know? My roommate tried to brainwash me and take control."
"..."
"Yeah. I even prepared a gift to repay the favor…"
Kim Soleum's voice was slow and deliberate. It wasn't because he was calm—it was because he felt like he'd cough up blood again if he spoke too quickly.
But the low, hoarse voice, tinged with the scent of blood and pain, only made his words sound more menacing and weighty.
"Don't you think that's rather rude?"
Kim Soleum set his snacks down on the table and turned his head.
"And someone that rude… doesn't deserve to be a roommate, don't you think?"
"...!!"
Their eyes met.
'Shit, shit, shit…!'
He'd been caught.
How? No, that didn't matter now. The fact was, he'd been caught. Absolutely, utterly caught!
"I-I'll leave!"
Without even thinking, Baek Saheon stammered in a trembling voice.
"Supervisor! You're right—I'm not fit to be your roommate! I'll leave immediately! I swear I won't come back!"
Kim Soleum frowned.
"Ugh, my head's pounding. Don't you know any etiquette? Why are you shouting in a shared building this late at night?"
Shit…!
Internally cursing up a storm, Baek Saheon begrudgingly shut his mouth, hating himself for doing so instinctively.
"Braun."
In the meantime, Kim Soleum turned back to the rabbit doll and spoke.
"Hearing someone beg so loudly makes me think… maybe I should give him one chance, even if he's not qualified to live here."
What?!
"I don't ne—"
"Don't need it?"
Kim Soleum turned his head sharply.
"You're saying you don't need the chance to live here?"
"..."
Why did that sound like 'You don't need a chance to continue living in this plane of existence'…?
Baek Saheon swallowed hard and answered,
"I need it."
"Really?"
"Yes…"
"Good. Then hand over the item."
"...!"
"The fountain pen you were using. The one where you write something on a sticky note, and it becomes a suggestion."
"..."
"I don't trust you not to pull another stunt, so I'll keep it somewhere safe for now."
How the hell does he know that?
Even as fear crept up his spine, Baek Saheon gritted his teeth.
"I… can't."
"..."
"T-Think about it, Supervisor, sir. Honestly, I haven't caused you any harm with my actions, have I?"
He spoke desperately, his voice full of urgency.
"I need this item. I absolutely can't give it to anyone. I swear I won't use it on you again, so please…"
"Hmm."
Kim Soleum responded flatly.
"Why would I believe that?"
"...!"
"Take a good look at yourself."
Kim Soleum pointed at him.
"I told you the confirmed entry method to get into Sekwang Technical High School. Even when you tried to kill me there, I didn't get mad…"
It was a simple fact.
"And yet you repay me with hypnosis? I have no reason to trust you."
"..."
That… that was…
He couldn't argue with that.
Even if the supervisor in front of him was a lunatic, he was a skilled one. And perhaps Baek Saheon was the crazy one for picking a fight with him.
'What's happening? Was I wrong?'
Baek Saheon's mind whirled, torn between faint guilt, self-loathing, and overwhelming fear, all tangled in a storm of rationalization. And then—
"But since it's still your item, hmm… Let me offer some compensation."
Huh?
Kim Soleum reached for something he'd placed on the kitchen table. It was transparently wrapped and…
"Your left eye."
What the fuck!!
Baek Saheon barely suppressed a scream as he stared at the small black sphere with a faint violet iris shifting within.
But…
"This isn't just an eye. It's bio-equipment."
"...!"
"A piece of equipment with certain abilities…"
Kim Soleum explained the capabilities of the 'eye'. As he continued, Baek Saheon's expression shifted dramatically.
"..."
"Do you want it?"
Baek Saheon clenched his teeth.
It was hard to believe, but…
"…Yes."
He willingly handed over the pen.
With trembling hands, a mix of anticipation and confusion, he accepted the bio-equipment Kim Soleum offered him.
'Huu…'
That's a shitton of cold sweat.
I finally ended my conversation with Baek Saheon and slumped onto my bed, battling headaches and coughing up blood.
It had been a struggle to mask my pain.
'I managed to maintain control, didn't I?'
At one point, he'd lunged over to nab the eye and I almost flinched. It was ridiculous to be dealing with this in my condition, but…
There was no time for self-pity.
I couldn't leave a sociopath with a brainwashing item lingering near me while I was sick for the next three days.
'I think I handled the carrot-and-stick approach well.'
I thought about the purple eye I'd handed over.
It wasn't a threat to me but had useful features for Baek Saheon. Well, it just so happened to be a left eye, so he could use it without needing an extraction.
Anyway, of all people, I ended up as roommates with that guy… Though, come to think of it, Go Yeongeun and Jang Heoun were the special cases, and Baek Saheon might just have the average company personality. In this place, it feels like you can't swing a stick without hitting a sociopath!
'The more I dwell on it, the more depressing it gets. Let's think of something positive…'
For example… the upcoming gift presentation ceremony.
"Braun."
I stood up and retrieved an item from my tattoo inventory. A ribbon hair tie, which I had bought in lieu of change at the boutique.
"A gift."
– ...!
"Do you like it? I had a feeling you might have guessed it's for you."
If it didn't suit his aesthetic, I'd probably end up sweating bullets trying to find another offering…
But Braun's response was cheerful.
– Ah, it was quite obvious, wasn't it?
– Not realizing it would've been unacceptable as a show host, but pretending not to notice is also part of an entertainer's job.
– At last, even this stuffed body can be properly dressed.
His tone carried a rare note of excitement.
'Thank goodness.'
Smiling, I adjusted the hair tie and neatly tied it around the plush bunny.
"Thanks for everything, Braun."
The bunny's round button eyes gazed into the air. When I looked away, his familiar, upbeat host's voice followed.
– As your friend, it was the natural thing to do, Mr. Roe Deer.
The ribbon might have been purely ornamental, but Braun's voice brimmed with joy as it was donned like a bowtie.
– A neat appearance is an essential courtesy for anyone performing in front of an audience, wouldn't you agree?
Braun seemed delighted as I repeatedly adjusted the bowtie for the perfect angle. At the same time, he urged me to rest.
– Mr. Roe Deer, maintaining your condition is a basic professional skill. Rest is essential, so it's best you head to dreamland promptly!
"Gotcha."
A gift presentation ceremony for a good friend—one of today's few rewarding moments…
Normally, I'd revisit the wiki for a read-through, but I doubted my broken phone or my ailing body could manage it tonight.
'I'll get a new phone or repair this one first thing tomorrow…'
As long as the Memorial Popsocket was intact, swapping phones wouldn't hinder my wiki access.
I lay back comfortably on my bed and prepared to remove the popsocket from the broken phone.
"..."
– Friend?
I quickly flipped the phone over.
The popsocket… had a crack.