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He sits on the sofa in the living room of the Daydream Inc. dormitory. It's quiet. The only sound is the buzz of TV; the only light is from its screen and ██ in the window.
On the TV, accompanied by typical royalty-free background music, a cartoon fox explains how important it is to control how much time a child spends on their phone and what they watch on the internet. The little fox calls it information hygiene, and it's very important.
The little fox asks:
how much time did your child spend on their phone today?
Kim Soleum mechanically shoves his hand into his pocket and opens the settings on his phone.
[Three hours and forty-eight minutes.]
Not much at all. When he wasn't practically living day and night in the Darkness, where electronics don't work, the number was much higher. It'd once reached a record-breaking twenty hours or so—but he'd pretty much prefer not to talk about that.
The little fox on the TV nods solemnly, accepting his answer.
Good. Very good.
The little fox asks:
what apps does your child use most often?
Kim Soleum frowns. Something's wrong. The total screen time shows three hours and forty-eight minutes, but if he adds up the usage time of all the apps individually, it doesn't even reach those eight minutes.
What was he doing for the other three and a half hours? Staring at the lock screen? It can't possibly be that interesting.
The little fox cocks its head quizzically to the side.
Kim Soleum must have taken too long to answer. It's not good to delay the cartoon premiere. He likes cartoons, he knows he shouldn't ruin the experience for others.
The little fox asks:
what apps does your child use most often?
Kim Soleum bites his lip.
The answer should be obvious. He spent almost four hours on his phone today, doing something; he must remember what he was doing. He probably did all the same things he usually does. The answer is right there, on the tip of his tongue.
So why can't it slip?
Frowning, the little fox extends its tiny paw toward the TV screen from the other side, as if asking for something. Kim Soleum obediently places his phone into it.
Maybe Mr. Fox will look himself and figure out where the three and a half hours of his life went.
Kim Soleum fidgets with his fingers, waiting for the verdict, sitting on the edge of the seat and forcing himself not to jiggle his leg. That would be a sign of nervousness, and nervousness is for cowards. He can't show that he's a coward, not while living under the same roof as Baek Saheon.
The little fox fumbles with his phone.
Ah, of course. It's probably difficult with paws instead of human hands, even if the phone is unlocked.
The little fox looks back into the camera, into the center of the screen, right at him.
The little fox asks:
do you monitor what your child watches on the internet?
Kim Soleum nods. Then, uncertain, he shakes his head.
He doesn't know. He doesn't remember. He can't.
The little fox waits patiently for an answer from its only viewer.
It doesn't rush him.
Until finally Kim Soleum remembers it can't be a 'yes'. Because as a child, he had a touch-tone for a long time. He didn't surf the internet for anyone to monitor.
The little fox nods, satisfied.
His head hurts.
The fact that his phone is still in someone else's hands—paws—is starting to unnerve him.
The little fox asks:
what shouldn't your child watch?
This is an easy question. Kim Soleum exhales in relief.
Of course, children shouldn't watch horror, because there's always a lot of cruelty, blood, and murder. It's not good for a fragile psyche. Children are impressionable; they easily succumb to contamination influence.
The little fox claps its paws happily.
Good child. Clever boy.
Kim Soleum wants to feel glad he answered correctly,
but he's too scared. The phone is still with the little fox.
The little fox asks:
what's this?
Its neatly trimmed claw stops on the phone case.
A popsocket.
An ordinary black popsocket with a gold «X» in the middle.
The DER merch he bought at the pop-up store on the employee orientation day.
And also...
┌
[Memorial Popsocket]
: C-Class item featured in <Dark Exploration Records>.
When attached to a smartphone, it displays the text you remember in a clear, organized page format.
A standard issue for ninth-level employees at the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau under the Ministry of Environment.
┘
Another simple question. Kim Soleum allows himself to relax.
His head still hurts. Maybe it's from lack of sleep. He hasn't been sleeping well because of nightmares lately; cartoons are the only thing that helps him relax.
The little fox smiles. A photo of a black popsocket with a gold cross appears on the TV screen. The little fox brings Kim Soleum's phone case with the identical popsocket closer to the camera.
help the little fox spot the difference!
Oh no.
Kim Soleum jinxed it. This question isn't easy at all.
They're the same!
They're supposed to be the same, it's DER merch, after all.
Bzzzz!
wrong!
His heart sinks.
Kim Soleum feels his palms sweating. He misses the comforting weight in his hands. More than anything, he wants to take the phone back, but he knows interfering with the broadcast is impolite.
Punishment will follow.
Only bad children do that.
The text on the screen shimmers in rainbow colors, demanding attention.
A drop of cold sweat trickles down his neck. Kim Soleum swallows a lump in his throat.
His popsocket... wasn't made by the Bureau?
Diiiiing!
bingo!
Kim Soleum exhales all the air from his lungs.
He did it.
The little fox asks:
would you let your child use a cheap replica of complex equipment?
This... is another easy question. Too easy.
Of course not, no good parent would.
It's dangerous.
The little fox asks:
what should you do with such a replica if you find it on your child?
Kim Soleum doesn't think for long.
Probably, the replica should be safely disposed of. There must be some kind of recycling centers for that, right?
Kim Soleum nods to himself. That sounds right.
Even though everything inside him is screaming against it.
But the little fox smiles. So, he is right.
The little fox extends the phone toward the screen, and Kim Soleum gratefully takes it back. His fingers tingle. With the phone in his hand, he feels much calmer.
He's not addicted to his phone or anything, God, no. It's just that the DER entries are stored there, and this world, unlike his own safe one, is full of Darkness. He must always be on guard and be informed.
You never know
where a ghost story might catch you.
it could be anything.
The little fox says:
good children don't watch horror online, because they are easily influenced.
The little fox says:
a good parent disposes of a dangerous replica of complex equipment if they find it on their child.
The little fox says—
the little fox says to hand over the m e mor i al p o p s oc k e t.
Kim Soleum can't move.
He opens and closes his mouth, but no sound comes out.
No.
No-no-no-no-nonononono.
No!
It's his popsocket.
He bought it with his own money.
It's one of the few things left from his original world.
Without it, Kim Soleum won't survive.
Without it, Kim Soleum won't be the top rookie clearing any Darkness in record time.
Without it, Kim Soleum won't be Kim Soleum.
The popsocket is his life.
The popsocket is Kim Soleum.
The popsocket i s ev e r y t hi n g.
But
a good parent disposes of a dangerous replica of complex equipment if they find it on their child.
Kim Soleum is a good child
and a good parent.
The little fox says:
good job.
Kim Soleum stares blankly at the phone in his hands. There's no popsocket on the case anymore.
When did he?..
The little fox says:
you did well.
His thumb automatically strokes the smooth surface of the phone case.
So empty...
Why is it so empty?
Something's missing.
Why does he feel so empty?
The little fox says:
the tastiest fruits—today on sale! free samples!
Kim Soleum reaches out his hand, and a small red fruit plops into his open palm.
Of course, you should try before you buy.
...It's sour.
Kim Soleum grimaces.
The pain eases
and memories flood into his mind.
...Oh.
"Thank you."
The little fox on the TV screen, Director Ho, consultant of the Fox Counseling Office, nods with his characteristic smile, one that doesn't quite reach his curved eyes.
come again!
♬♩♪♬~♪♪♩~
It's niche jazz that plays softly from the speakers this time.
"I will. Some other time."
First, Kim Soleum needs to process what he's just learned.
And that is—everything he believed in... his so-called safe homeworld without any ghost stories that he so desperately wanted to return to
turned out to be a lie,
made up by a creepypasta.
┌
[Do you remember?]
: Daydream Inc. identification code — Qterw-D-132
A ghost story that takes the form of a small object the victim regularly interacts with in daily life.
[Do you remember?] feeds on the victim's memories, replacing them with fragments of other victim's memories deemed less interesting, or repetitive.
Victims of the ghost story, along with altered memories, adopt a strong—in later stages manic—desire to conform to the imposed role, as well as to avoid any help that threatens to rid them of the [Do you remember?] contamination.
┘