When I discovered the shoes at the entrance, at first, I thought, ‘Baek Saheon, that guy, has finally returned to the company residence.’

‘Did he finally gather the courage after a few days?’

Or did he hear the rumor that I didn’t return from today’s urban legend and hurried back?

‘But I just got off work now.’

So I was wondering how to respond to the guy who is in the room now.

“– Oh dear, Roe, after hearing your story, there seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding!"

Misunderstanding?

“– Those shoes were always in the same spot every evening, my friend.”

“……!”

What?

No. Even when I went out on the first day, there was nothing at this entrance…

‘…Wait a moment.’

Suddenly, I remembered the last time I saw Baek Saheon.

At New Light Technical High School.

He was causing chaos between the Disaster Management Bureau and the Field Exploration Team during their standoff and ran away with the item.

And the effect of the pen-shaped item that he was holding was….

‘Brainwashing.’

“…….”

I looked down at my hand.

Silver ring.

The mental defense item I bought today.

‘…Aha.’

So that’s what it was.

Baek Saheon hadn’t been leaving earlier and coming back later than me, nor was he commuting from somewhere else entirely.

He had been returning to the company residence all along.

He had just cast a suggestion on me.

So that I couldn’t recognize him.

‘But it doesn’t work on me now.’

Thanks to the silver ring that protects my mind, I ‘saw’ Baek Saheon’s shoes for the first time in days.

“…Ha.”

Oh, come on.

I’m already feeling unwell and exhausted to death, and now I have to deal with this kind of thing at home….

“ – Ah, what a deduction that fit perfectly and pleasantly like a puzzle!”

“ – But… isn’t paying the price a traditional and moralistic plot for those who try to deceive others?”

There is a sinister pleasure in Braun’s voice.

Normally, I would have been startled….

Hmm.

‘Braun.’

“ – Why is that, my friend?”

‘I’m thinking of doing something fun from now on. How about it?’

Even with my throbbing head, I smirked.

‘It’ll suit your taste.’

“ –…!!”

***

‘Phew.’

As soon as the noise from the entrance subsided, Baek Saheon carefully got up from the bed.

‘Why on earth didn’t that guy quickly go back to his room?’

It has already been a few days since he left New Light High School.

He had been living an extremely quiet and reclusive life at the company residence.

To avoid being discovered by Kim Sol-eum!

‘…At first, I just thought I was screwed and used it.’

Imagine the situation where a psychopath in the next room is holding a grudge and waiting for me the moment I opened my eyes in the morning!

With the thought of not knowing what might happen if I were to face Kim Sol-eum, he made it so his traces or presence couldn’t be detected.

‘It really was a good item, wasn’t it?’

That psychopath didn’t notice at all!

He thought about trying a stronger brainwashing or suggestion, but the fear of the potential consequences of failure stopped him.

Still, you know.

‘…Shouldn’t I try something stronger, gradually?’

For days now, the suggestion has been maintained successfully. He was quietly entertaining the thought that maybe it’s worth taking a risk at this point.

Like making them risk themselves to save him if things go wrong at the company, or bringing good items and handing them over to him while thinking they lost them….

‘Hmm.’

Moreover, from what he heard, the darkness Kim Soleum entered this time was said to be an alley where various equipment and items could be obtained.

It was news he heard from Jang Heo-un on the same team.

‘…Jealous.’

Baek Saheon, recalling the teammate from the Residual Team who joined his group, briefly clenched his fist.

He needed opportunities to obtain items as well. More opportunities…!

He thought he might stealthily take his colleagues’ items by casting suggestions on them….

‘That can’t be done right now!’

With the pen, he could only cast a suggestion on one person at a time.

As it was being fully used on Kim Sol-eum, it was impossible to use it on someone else.

He felt restless.

‘As expected, I need to get more out of Kim Sol-eum.’

Now was exactly the right timing.

‘Let’s make a plan.’

First, when Kim Sol-eum falls asleep today, using the pen….

While drawing a picture in his head, he opened the door to drink some water.

And he was startled.

“…!”

In the dark kitchen, Kim Sol-eum was there.

He was sitting at the table, laying out some kinds of snacks and looking at their packaging.

And in the center of the table, there was a fluffy stuffed doll placed on a cushion.

‘The creepy rabbit-shaped doll that Kim Soleum always carries around and calls ‘Braun.’

“What? That it looks cheap?”

Flinch.

“That’s right. To some extent, it’s probably that kind of concept snack since it was from a stationery store.”

‘That crazy bastard.’

He’s talking with the doll again.

‘Why isn’t he going back to his room and still out here doing that nonsense…!’

Baek Saheon shuddered and tried to go back to his room, but he hesitated.

Could encountering him naturally rather be an opportunity?

Without having to make a separate attempt, it seemed like the perfect timing to strengthen the suggestion.

“…….”

Baek Saheon made up his mind and took out the pen.

And he quietly stepped forward.

“That’s right. But even this kind of item has its own effect.”

Toward Kim Sol-eum’s back.

Going right behind that psychopath, who was talking to himself, with the pen….

“Like the pen of the roommate passing behind me right now.”

“…….”

Ah.

Baek Saheon froze as if his blood had turned cold.

“Brauaun, do you know that my roommate tried to brainwash and control me?”

“…….”

“That’s right. I even prepared a gift to repay my debt….”

Kim Sol-eum spoke slowly and continued.

Because he thought speaking quickly might make him cough up blood again, his voice, lowered by burning pain and fatigue, carried a bloody scent.

All of that sounds more threatening and meaningful.

“Isn’t that impolite?”

Kim Sol-eum placed the snack on the table and turned his head.

“And doesn’t a person without manners… not deserve to be a roommate?”

“…!!”

Their eyes met.

‘Damn, damn, damn…!’

He got caught.

How did he know? No, that wasn’t important right now. This was being caught. Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely!

“I-I’ll leave!”

Baek Saheon shouted in a trembling voice, without thinking.

“Supervisor! It seems I really don’t deserve it! I’ll leave right away! I’ll leave immediately and never come back!”

Kim Sol-eum frowned.

“It’s making my head ring. Don’t you know etiquette? Why are you shouting in a shared house at night?”

Damn it…!

Baek Saheon, muttering all kinds of curses inwardly, hated himself for automatically keeping his mouth shut.

“Braun.”

In the meantime, Kim Sol-eum was once again talking to the rabbit doll.

“It’s noisy, but hearing him go that far… I feel like I should give him a chance even if he doesn’t deserve to live here.”

What?!

“Don’t need….”

“That you don’t need it?”

Kim Sol-eum swiftly turned his head.

“The chance to live here, you don’t need it?”

“…….”

Why does that sound like ‘you don’t need the chance to survive here’?

Baek Saheon swallowed his saliva and replied.

“I need it.”

“Right?”

“Yes….”

“Good. Then hand over the item.”

“……!”

“The pen you were using. It’s an item where if you write a phrase on a Post-it and stick it, the phrase becomes a suggestion exactly as written.”

“…….”

“Because you might do something strange again, I’ll have to keep it somewhere else for a while.”

How on earth do you know that?

Baek Saheon, even in the fear of climbing up the back of his neck, gritted his teeth.

“I… can’t give it.”

“…….”

“Please think about it carefully, supervisor. Honestly, my actions haven’t really caused you any trouble, have they?”

He said hurriedly and desperately.

“It’s something I need. I absolutely can’t give it to anyone. I’ll never use it on you again, so please….”

“Hmm.”

Kim Sol-eum responded with a blank expression.

“Why do you think I’ll believe that?”

“…!”

“Just… reflect on yourself.”

Kim Soleum pointed at Baek Saheon.

“I told you the confirmed method to enter that New Light Technical High School where you got the item, and even though you tried to kill me in there, I didn’t even get mad….”

It was a plain fact.

“But what came back was brainwashing, wasn’t it? There’s no reason to trust you.”

“…….”

That, that….

It might… be true.

The supervisor in front of me might be a crazy bastard, but he was very competent, and holding this much hostility might actually mean I’m the one doing something crazy.

‘What is this? What is this?’

Did I make a wrong choice?

Baek Saheon’s mind was spinning fast, as weak guilt, self-reproach, and strong fear mixed under the name of reason and fiercely clashed.

And at that moment.

“But anyway, it’s true that you secured the item, so… should I place a reward?”

Huh?

Kim Sol-eum took out something he had placed on the kitchen chair.

That, wrapped in transparent packaging….

“It’s a left eye.”

Damn it!!

Baek Saheon, seeing the black circle moving around a purple iris, held back a scream.

But….

“This isn’t just an eye. It’s biological equipment.”

“…!”

“If you ask what kind of ability this equipment has….”

Kim Soleum explained the ability of the ‘eye.’

As the explanation continued, Baek Saheon’s expression gradually changed.

“…….”

“Do you need it?”

Baek Saheon gritted his teeth.

He absolutely couldn’t believe it.

“…Yes.”

He voluntarily returned the pen.

And with trembling hands, filled with anticipation and confusion, he received the biological equipment Kim Sol-eum handed over.

***

‘Phew.’

I’m breaking into a cold sweat.

After finally ending the conversation with Baek Saheon, I sat on my bed in my room while suffering from a headache and coughing up blood.

It was admirable that I endured without showing any sign of pain.

‘Still, I didn’t lose momentum, right?’

Wow, when he rolled his eyes and charged at me in the middle, I almost flinched.

My body is in pain, too. Why do I have to deal with this? I feel a sense of futility.

But I had to address it properly right away.

I couldn’t leave a sociopath with a brainwashing item around me while I would be sick for three days.

‘I think I used the carrot and stick well.’

I recalled the purple eye that left my hands.

It wasn’t threatening to me, but it was something with functions that could help Baek Saheon.

Well, it was a left eye, so he could use it without extraction.

Anyway, somehow I ended up as roommates with that guy….

No, now that I think about it, Go Yeongeun and Jang Heo-un were special cases, and Baek Saheon was just the average personality in the company.

In this neighborhood, there are so many sociopaths that you could trip over them!

‘The more I think about things like this, the more depressing it gets, so let’s just think of something nice….’

For example… something like the upcoming gift-giving ceremony.

“Braun.”

I got up and took out the item I had carefully kept in the tattoo.

The ribbon hair tie that I boldly bought instead of receiving change right from the boutique.

“It’s a gift.”

“ – …!”

“Is it okay? Actually, I thought you might have guessed it beforehand.”

If it doesn’t fit his aesthetic perspective, I might have to nervously find another offering.

But what came from Braun was a joyful voice.

“ – Ah, it was such an obvious situation, wasn’t it?”

“ – If I hadn’t guessed, that would be unacceptable as a show host, but acting like I figured it all out would also be unacceptable as an entertainer.”

“ – Now then, even this cotton-filled body can finally tidy up its appearance.”

It was a slightly trembling tone filled with rare anticipation.

‘That’s a relief.’

Smiling, I adjusted the hair tie I took out from the envelope and tied it neatly and stylishly on the fluffy rabbit doll.

“Thank you for everything so far, Braun.”

The rabbit’s button-like round eyes stared into the void, and the moment I looked away, it returned a cheerful host’s response.

“– As a friend, it was only natural to do so, Roe Deer.”

Perhaps that ribbon hair tie might only have the effect of looking very luxurious and plausible.

But Braun’s voice, wearing the bow tie around its neck, was full of joy.

“ – Tidy appearance is also an essential courtesy for those who stand before an audience, isn’t it?”

Braun accepted it with great delight and joy as I adjusted the bow tie several times to find the right angle.

But at the same time, it also urged me to go to bed.

“ – Roe Deer, maintaining condition is a basic skill for professionals, isn’t it? Rest is also important, so it’s better to go to dreamland quickly today!”

“Okay.”

A gift-giving ceremony for a good friend. This, at least, is one of the rewarding things that happened today….

Normally, I would’ve read the wiki one more time, but neither my sick self nor my broken smartphone seemed to have the energy for that.

‘As soon as the day breaks tomorrow, I’ll either buy a new phone or get it repaired….’

As long as the memorial grip tok is intact anyway, changing the phone won’t affect viewing the wiki at all.

I lay comfortably on the bed.

And then, first, I separated the grip tok from the broken smartphone….

“…….”

“ – Friend?”

I hastily turned over the smartphone.

There was a crack on the grip tok.