Chapter 20- Company Welfare (2)
Of all people.
Park Yeon-jeong, an excellent employee who got properly burned by capitalism through ghost stories, currently.
Step….
-Turn right 50M ahead.
“…Turn right here.”
Following the navigation app on the smartphone, heading somewhere.
The place his steps were heading to was based on the announcement guy’s words that he had even found a house nearby.
He was moving toward the house he had supposedly found.
Just 2 days after joining, receiving a large sum of 40 million won from the company.
A clean suit.
A fresh, newly-issued ID for illegal residents.
Even housing was provided.
A textbook example of a dream workplace.
Looking at these benefits alone, it’s nothing short of a dream job.
A company with enviable corporate welfare benefits.
When Park Yeon-jeong listed all these situations in one line.
Almost fell for the evil corporation’s deceptive marketing thinking ‘This looks good?’
No matter how good the welfare benefits.
Even if the salary is unimaginably high.
If I die, it’s over.
If I die, all those benefits become meaningless.
Considering the cruel work intensity, these might be benefits I naturally deserve.
…No.
Get it together, Park Yeon-jeong.
Actually, I might be the fortunate one.
Many don’t even provide this much.
Be grateful for what’s given.
Once again I thought it was fortunate that the announcement guy was somewhat humane.
Come to think of it, <Ghost Story Record Storage> is full of worse people than this announcer.
Compared to those who see me as a human being, this guy might really be decent.
‘For speaking out of turn… I apologize.’
And thank you.
Mr. Announcer.
While expressing gratitude to the announcement guy who wasn’t even present, who had treated them as a human being for a while.
-You have arrived at your destination.
Along with the voice announcing arrival at the destination.
Turning his gaze there.
There stood a detached house.
Park Yeon-jeong once dreamed of saving money to buy his own house.
In Particular, he had imagined living in a detached house with a yard.
…Yes, just imagined.
But now.
In this world, he could achieve that dream.
Of course.
Crack!
Thud!
The wooden pillar supporting the gate fell helplessly to the ground.
“……”
They never said the house was in good condition.
…Mr. Announcer.
I dislike you!
The other wooden pillar barely supporting the gate alone also wobbled precariously.
“…The inside must be okay.”
Unknowingly he uttered words like a curse.
But if he didn’t convince himself here, it felt like he couldn’t move forward.
Worried the pillar might collapse.
Park Yeon-jeong carefully passes through the gate.
…Squeeze… squeeze.
Is this… right?
The thought that instantly crossed his mind while struggling to squeeze through the gate gap was.
Escape room?
Reality hits hard.
After countless thoughts of whether to find another decent accommodation now.
‘…Finally, I made it in.’
Barely passing through that narrow gate.
…Well.
Might as well check the inside before turning back now.
Who knows?
The inside might be cleaner than expected?
Obviously I didn’t expect much.
Slowly stepping on the dried-up lawn approaching the front door. The interior view through the broken front door glass.
Thick dust and broken furniture.
Squeak, squeak!
…Even rats.
Should I really go back?
An ending that seems predictable without further inspection.
But.
I took out the key received from the announcement guy from my pocket and stared at it blankly for a moment.
‘…Still, it’s something he gave me.’
Might there be something different?
No longer expecting anything from the house.
Rather curious if he might have done something special to this key, he gave me
I inserted the key into the front door keyhole.
Click.
The front door opened too easily.
Flash.
Light.
Soft light seeping through the gap of the opened front door.
…Why?
I closed the front door again and checked the interior through the broken glass gap.
Dark and gloomy.
The thick layer of dust still catches my eye.
Slither.
…Agh!
Mr. Cockroach!!
Now even cockroaches were crawling around, absolutely no sign of light, the worst interior scene.
A structure where light absolutely couldn’t leak through.
It shouldn’t have such bright light leaking.
Click.
I grabbed the doorknob again to check.
Flash.
Indeed, with bright light streaming through beyond the front door. When fully opening the door to check inside.
The building’s interior showed a state fitting the description of a perfectly habitable house, as if someone was living there.
Not a speck of thick dust.
A very clean house structure where our Mr. Cockroach wouldn’t seem to crawl around.
Warm coziness transmitted through the soft light and numerous wooden furniture.
Even the nostalgic smell of soybean paste stew hitting the nose as soon as the front door opened.
…Step.
Park Yeon-jeong unconsciously stepped into the house.
Pause.
With a sudden thought of regret.
Stopped walking.
Growl.
But my stomach clock didn’t stop.
Was it because of the smell of soybean paste stew, my favorite food in the world?
‘…Just checking, just going to check.’
Should be fine, right?
Absolutely not saying I’m going to eat.
Just saying I’ll observe the current situation with a cool head.
Gulp.
Park Yeon-jeong barely swallowed the drool dripping from the corner of his mouth, and walked toward the kitchen with shoes still on, following the stimulating smell.
Peeking inside with just his head slightly extended.
No human figure or.
No shadow.
Slowly turning his gaze toward the dining table.
There were appetizingly prepared dishes and a bowl of steaming rice.
Simple side dishes laid out on the table.
However, there were no signs of cooking.
This must be what they call.
It was exactly like those ghost stories—food appearing out of nowhere.
“……”
Looks delicious.
But Park Yeon-jeong’s gaze had been focused on his favorite food, soybean paste stew, from the start.
He wanted to taste that soybean paste stew right away.
‘Still… this probably isn’t right?’
Think rationally.
In a situation where nothing can be properly determined yet, eating the food placed on that table. Is too hasty a judgment.
Though regrettable for now.
A tactical retreat was the best option.This isn’t the only day.
Taking time to observe the situation a bit more…
Bang!
“Wh-What!”
As I turned towards the sudden loud noise from behind.
The scene where the front door that was open just fine until now appears to have closed forcefully.
…It, it must be the wind?
But before turning my eyes to such evasive thinking.
I found a piece of paper on the floor that I don’t know when it fell.
I didn’t bother picking it up.
But the words written there were so clear. They entered my line of sight.
『Please eat.』
Words written huge on an A4 paper.
Announcement man?
No.
Usually, urban legends don’t exercise influence outside their territory.
‘…Why red of all colors.’
Park Yeon-jeong checked those words and turned his gaze back to the kitchen to check the table.
…You want me to eat that?
The appetizing food laid out on the table. How do you expect me to eat without knowing what’s in that food?
“…”
Gulp.
…It did look appetizing.
Was that all?
Grrrrowl.
The roar of the stomach clock echoing like thunder.
But… would it really, really be okay?
In front of Park Yeon-jeong, who was desperately trying not to let go of his rational thoughts until the end.
Flutter.
Another piece of paper fell.
It had just a few simple words written on it again.
『No poison.』
“…”
Grrrrrrowl.
If they say there isn’t any. It should be fine, right?
The thread of rationality I had been holding onto until now.
Was broken so easily by just a few words written on a single piece of paper.
The rich smell of soybean pastes stinging my nose. Along with the appetizing white rice cooked just right.
“…Thank you for the meal.”
The hungry man’s meal didn’t take as long as expected.
*****
Every dish.
Was delicious.
It was a satisfying meal I hadn’t had in a very long time.
Originally, I was planning to leave after finishing the meal.
More precisely.
I was planning to sleep at a nearby accommodation.
But after finishing the meal, when I moved towards the front door, what I found again was.
『Please take off your shoes indoors.』
Along with the message to take off shoes.
For some reason, the baseball bat placed next to the shoe rack caught my attention.
“…”
It was… originally there, right?
Right?
…Gulp.
That’s how I swallowed dry saliva.
And unexpectedly ended up being forced to sleep in a ghost story space whose name I didn’t even know.
After that, paper scraps were always attached where my eyes could see them at every path I took.
『Please clean your body thoroughly.』
Following those words, I washed my body.
Swoosh.
While showering, feeling an inexplicable gaze, I washed my body several times faster than usual.
『Change of clothes.』
Clothes placed on the bed where I would sleep.
The prepared clothes fit my body perfectly, which was strange.
“…”
…Let’s just sleep quickly.
Fall asleep quickly.
And leave this place as soon as the sun rises.
Flutter.
?
A piece of paper that softly fell above my blanket as I was trying to fall asleep.
The phrase written there was.
『Good night, Master.』
“……”
I fell asleep right away.
While someone was watching me sleep.
Desperately ignoring the gaze that seemed to be looking down at me from above.
I barely.
Just barely managed to fall asleep.
Flutter.
Flutter.
Flutter.
Flutter.
…Let me sleep.
*****
Bzzzz-
Vibration felt at my bedside.
It’s my wake-up alarm.
I stretched my arm towards where I felt the vibration while waving my arms around.
Tap.
The vibration stopped.
“…Ugh.”
Messy hair and dark circles under my eyes.
But besides that, there were numerous papers scattered on the floor of the bedroom where Park Yeon-jeong had slept.
The contents written on the papers were all the same.
『Master.』
『Master.』
『Master.』
『Master.』
『Master.』
.
.
.
A terrifying situation where papers with just this one word written.
Were scattered on the floor in tens, hundreds of sheets.
…Let’s get out quickly.
Dragging my stiff body up, as soon as I stood—
Hot breakfast was laid out on the dining table.
『Please eat.』
…Since they put in the effort to prepare it.
Park Yeon-jeong finished the breakfast that was more delicious than expected.
On the living room table.
A black suit given by the announcement man was neatly ironed.
Except for the uncomfortable sleep, this place left quite a good impression.
Of course.
Though I’m not sure if I’ll visit this place again.
Along with the neat black shoes prepared in the shoe rack.
Finally, at the moment I was about to leave this nameless ghost story.
-Master.
Along with a woman’s soft breath tickling my ear, a refined voice whispered.
-Take care.
Click.
With the sound of the front door closing.
…I left that house more hurriedly than ever before.
Moving my feet as if running away,Â
Took out my smartphone to check the current time.
07:00 A.M
“I have enough time.”
My next destination from this early morning is.
<The Ghost story General Store.>
‘I hope they won’t get excited like last time this time…’
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