Chapter Text
It started as a normal say at the Bureau. The hiring process was currently happening only the aptitude test was left. Everyone that failed would be returned home without their memories while the rest would be welcomed as new agents.
Lee Jiho, also known as Agent Quartz, was one of the Agents that were currently conducting the test behind the one-way-mirror. The nervous but determined faces of the candidtates took him back to his own aptitude test. Additionally, it also took him back to the absolute shook he felt when he found out they were reading his thoughts the entire time.
Lee Jiho was beyond thankful that he wasn't thinking anything embarrassing at the time.
"Group Da 1 through 3 please step forward." The announcement was called and four people stepped forward.
Lee Jiho blinked perplexed. Did one of them misunderstand?
The three candidates Lee Jiho remembers from the previous test were standing there like expected but side eying the fourth candidate on the far left.
A young man in what appeared to be his early twenties with black hair and eyes. His eyes however felt ominous and like they were staring through the one-way.mirror.
A shiver went down Lee Jihos back.
This man had not been part of the previous test he is sure. However like everything else had been a lie Lee Jiho finds a file among the others. It felt like he simply oversaw it but that couldn't possibly be.
Name: Kim Soleum
Looking at the other information gave Lee Jiho a headache so he quickly lifted his head looking at the strange entity instead.
"…"
"Did we…overlook an entire person this whole time…?" Park Minseok, aka Agent Mango, muttered.
"That can't be right…" Kim Yujin , aka Agent Nexus, immediately denied the idea. She started to stand up reaching for her gun.
"Be careful this could be a disaster."
"A disaster that is looking for a job?"
"You need to stop spending time with Agent Choi."
Lee Jihos attention was still on this new guest and while they are still unguarded the candidates in the room resumed their previous actions like the additional candidate was not strange in the slightest.
"What should we do, Quartz-ie???" Agent Mango should really stop hanging out with Agent Choi.
"It doesn't appear to be causing trouble and could be a potentially cooperative spirit so we should try to gauge its danger and detain it." The suggestion came from Agent Nexus who got flipped off by Agent Mango.
"wasn't asking you!"
"You damn brat…"
"Maybe we should continue the test."
"Seriously!?" Both Agents immediately stopped bickering instead turning their attention to Lee Jiho.
"Well it seems to want to take the test otherwise it wouldn't have appeared here. It hasn't caused harm and alarming the candidates could cause panic." That was a logical conclusion to reach and would avoid unnecessary danger.
"…"
"And in case you actually somehow overlooked a candidate you wouldn't cause unnecessary panic or embarrass yourself." Agent Nexus had a shit eating grin on her face.
"Sit down."
"Yes Sir!" Lee Jiho ignored the laughs that were eating at his dignity and instead focused on the candidates. He noticed how they appeared more fearful than they had previously.
*BROADCASTING ANNOUNCEMENT*
"Candidates 1,2,3… and 4. Attach the oxygen respirators in front of you in order."
What was that weird pause?
Kim Soleum would like to note that he did not want to be here nor work for the disaster management bureau. However at this point he had no other choice.
Should he fail the aptitude test he would lose his memories and that could carry too many risk. If they erase everything he knows about ghost stories he might as well plan his funeral right now.
Being a coward in a world full of ghost stories is bad enough and his knowledge won't be a big help since he will be too busy shaking to actually do anything. But not even being able to mentally prepare for the chance of entering a ghost story seems like a recipe for disaster and erase very chance he has of returning home.
So with shaking hands he takes the oxygen respirators and puts it on. Kim Soleum has to pass this test and join the bureau if he wishes to keep his memories.
*BROADCASTING ANNOUNCEMENT*
"These oxygen respirators originate from a supernatural phenomenon and misuse will have consequences. Should you tell a lie the tanks will supply something other than oxygen."
The other candidates and Kim Soleum flinch in fear.
*BROADCASTING ANNOUNCEMENT*
"Testify only the truth from now on. The questioning will now begin."
Kim Soleum wants to cry. What should he do? How should he act? Why is he here?
One second he was at the pop-up store and won a Agent badge and the next he is here.
Kim Soleum prepares himself for what he knows what will come. But despite the announcement saying that the questions will now begin there is a longer pause causing everyone to become uncomfortable.
Kim Soleum very much empathizes and can feel his own palms getting sweaty.
"…"
"Should we really ask this question?" Agent Mango asked fearfully. Why does he look like he is about to cry?
"What if the entity takes the question literally and kills one of the candidates???"
"…"
"It's too late to call for backup. they will kill us for not calling them earlier and potentially risking innocents but they will also kill us for abandoning a plan we made specifically to avoid harm mid-way through." Agent Nexus shrugs before taking the microphone from Agent Quartz.
"I got this now stop looking so distraught, Mango, you are getting tears on our documents."
*BROADCASTING ANNOUNCEMENT*
"HYPOTHETICALLY, if you had to kill one of the Candidates with you right now who would you kill. That is a measure to terminate a hypocritical disaster. Tell us whom you would kill."
"Oh wow."
They saw the Entity and other candidates give them incredulous looks.
"It acts pretty normal…"
"I would say it acts how it thinks a human would." Agent Nexus observes. "That could be useful and depending on what the test reveals it could prove to be very useful."
"Or prove to be a human!"
"Don't even joke about that. If we three actually overlooked a candidate…" Agent Quartz wanted to burry his head in his hands at the pure embarrassment he feels from the thought alone.
"He is kinda cute-"
"Mango!"
"I mean look at him like a Fawn that doesn't know what he is doing. If you look past his scary, cold face you can see how he is kind of copying." Mango was gushing and smiling like an idiot at the potential entity.
"I think you are projecting because of what Agent Nexus said."
"I am not! So mean, Quartz-ie~" Mango started to pout. "You too, Nexus-ie!"
"I didn't even do anything…"