Chapter Text
“Kim Soluem-ssi?”
“Yes?”
One of his seniors leaned over, offering him a glass of soju. The grill sizzled between them.
“Are you alright?”
Soluem blinked, realizing he’d been staring off, right this was a company dinner. He accepted the glass politely.
“Yes, thank you.” He took a sip.
“There you go! You’ve seemed a bit out of it lately.” The senior chuckled, turning the meat on the grill.
“I’m sorry… I might be more tired than usual.” Soluem scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. he was just spacing out not because he was tired but because the voices of his current coworkers were overlapping with the voices from a previous team he worked with.
It had been a year, yet sometimes the past bled into the present. For a moment, Soluem thought he heard Supervisor Park Minseong’s laugh. The smoke rising from the grill reminded him of Assistant Manager Eun Haje. He even half‑expected Section Chief Lizard’s curt reply to cut through the noise.
No, he should stop thinking about that
He forced his attention back to the dinner, joining in small talk. Bits of conversation slipped past him: a new supervisor transferring in, investors coming in, rumors drifting through the break room.
None of it seemed to matter right now.
Eventually, the plates emptied, the grill cooled, and the group began to scatter, some lingering for another round, others heading straight home. Soluem excused himself with a polite bow and stepped out into the night air.
By the time he reached his apartment, he was a little tipsy. He managed to get to his bedroom and sat down, rubbing his temples.
Better get ready for bed.
Thankfully, he managed to finish his nightly routine without passing out. The bath cleared his head, leaving him steadier. Back in his room, he picked up his phone before dropping onto the bed. His fingers hovered over the screen, and he shook his head, almost giving in to the urge to check the Wiki again.
Each night it was the same fight. A year had passed, and it still hadn’t gotten easier. Everything around him seemed to drag that world back: the supermarket aisles, the hum of elevators, flickering lights, even the sound of a broadcast could make him flinch.
He knew it had to be some kind of PTSD, but how could he explain it to anyone without sounding insane?
Better to handle it the way he always did.
Sleep it off.
.
.
.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Soluem looked down at the damp floor. He was here again, in that dream of an abandoned building. For the past few nights, he had wandered its halls. At first, he panicked, thinking he had somehow returned to that world, but waking always proved it was only a dream.
Still doesn’t make it less scary though.
He moved through the corridors. Usually, the dream was short; whether he walked or stayed still, he always ended up back where he started. The room resembled an office, it was bare except for a few desks and chairs. When he tried the hallway, it stretched into darkness, so he stayed inside.
He sat down, waiting for the dream to end. Sometimes he heard the faint ticking of a clock, though he never found it. Tonight, though, something different reached his ears.
The sound of bells.
This was new.
Kim Soluem rose to his feet and followed the sound of the bell. It seemed to draw him out of the room. He steadied his hand on the door, eased it open, and peeked into the hallway. The corridor was dark, the lights flickering, but the bell rang clearly from the far end followed by footsteps.
A silhouette appeared.
He froze. The figure froze too, as if mirroring him.
Huu…
For a moment the only sound that can be heard is the bell.
Then the shadow moved, so sudden and unnaturally fast. Soluem’s breath caught as he bolted, footsteps pounding behind him, the bell clanging louder, tangled with a garbled noise.
Why the hell is this thing chasing him!? Go away!
He rounded a corner just in time only to find nothing beneath him. His eyes widened as the floor vanished. He fell, and the last thing he felt was a shadowed hand reaching for him.
“Gh!”
Soluem jolted awake, his alarm blaring a second later. He frowned at the noise, reached to silence it, then sat up slowly, rubbing his head with a sigh.
That dream again but different this time. He could still feel the chill of being chased.
“Huu… let’s forget about that,” he muttered, pushing himself up from the bed. Better to distract himself, better to get ready for work.
After his routine, Soluem checked the mirror one last time, grabbed his bag and phone, and headed out. At the train station, his grip tightened around the briefcase. The sound and sight are reeling him back into several scary memories.
He shook his head and stepped inside, closing his eyes for a moment. It’s fine. Nothing strange will happen. This is his world now, no more ghost stories.
To distract himself, he pulled out his phone, scrolling through the news and the company group chat. Messages poured in too quickly to follow. Everyone seemed to be talking about the new supervisor.
[JM: Did anyone see this supervisor though?]
[PS: Nope, they said it was an external hire]
[HJ: Haha that’s probably why Manager Park was upset, that promotion is gone]
[JM: Serves him right though, he was awful… hey don’t screenshot that]
[KL: That’s digital print lol]
Soluem raised a brow. This particular group chat didn’t include higher management, just regular employees. It had become a kind of venting space, a place where frustrations spilled out under anonymous usernames. Sometimes it helped, sometimes it stirred up more trouble than it solved.
[HJ: Anyways, no one really knows?]
[KL: Heard their name was Lee something? I’m not sure haha!]
[MM: What do you think they will be? Hopefully not as lazy as the previous one]
[PS: Damn you really are roasting them?]
[JM: I think they deserved it hahah]
“Shouldn’t these guys be at work?” Soluem muttered under his breath. He glanced up at the approaching station, then back down at his phone. The chat had already moved on.
[KL: Maybe the new supervisor is cooler lolol]
[MM: And competent hopefully]
The train slowed to a stop. Soluem slipped his phone back into his pocket and stepped out, briefcase in hand. From here, it was only a short walk. Thankfully, the station sat close to his office building, just a few minutes and he’d be there.
He passed familiar faces heading inside, nodding politely to those he recognized. At the elevator, a female coworker held the door open, and he offered a quick thanks as he stepped in. The space was crowded, but he didn’t mind. In fact, he preferred it, he would rather have many people with him than to stay stuck alone.
Okay lets stop thinking about that
Ding.
Kim Soluem stepped out of the elevator and made his way to the 15th floor, where his department was. His coworkers were already settling in, and he greeted a few as he headed toward his desk.
“You’re early today, Roe.”
“What?” Soluem snapped his head to the side, startled. One of his seniors was standing nearby.
“I said you’re early today, Soluem‑ssi.”
Right… I must have misheard.
“Ah, Chun‑ssi. Yeah, I woke up earlier than I meant to. Everyone seems busy.” He glanced around at the others, moving briskly, tidying desks or grabbing last cups of coffee before the shift began.
“Yes, the new supervisor will be here, so we need to keep things neat.” Chun’s eyes flicked to his desk, and she gave a small nod, apparently satisfied with its order. “Anyway, we still have a few minutes. Just get ready, Soluem‑ssi.”
“Yes.”
Sigh.
Soluem set his briefcase down and powered on his computer, preparing for another day of documents and endless Excel sheets. Tiring but he was used to it. Once everything was ready, he leaned back, waiting for the clock‑in. Coffee crossed his mind, but maybe later.
“Alright, everyone, gather around!”
Soluem stood and joined the cluster of coworkers forming near the center. Chun Ari, the senior who had spoken to him earlier, was addressing the group. His eyes drifted across the room. Manager Park stood off to the side, his expression tight, lips pressed thin. The displeasure was obvious, he didn’t bother to hide it and no one seems to care either.
Office drama he would rather not get involved.
“This will just be a quick meet‑and‑greet, everyone, so let’s keep it brief and proper—ah, there he is.” Chun Ari stepped aside, smiling as she gestured toward the newcomer.
Soluem lowered his head in a polite bow, listening.
“Haha, how formal. Just relax, everyone~ and good morning.”
That chuckle.
That voice.
It was familiar.
“It’s nice to meet you all. I’m your new supervisor…”
Soluem’s breath caught, though he kept his expression neutral as he slowly lifted his head. The new supervisor stood before them in a neat three‑piece suit, brown hair, striking blue eyes, and a casual smile etched across a face he knew all too well.
There’s no way…
“Agent…” The word slipped out before he could stop himself.
“My name is Lee Kangheon, Let's all work hard!”