Work Text:
Since Kim Soleum suggested everyone to solve the Darkness on their own, he was truly alone now.
After reading the guide, he already had a pretty clear idea on what the Darkness was about. It wasn’t a particularly difficult one, people could practically watch a ‘walkthrough’ for it if it was a game.
Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story
[Fear Cleaner]
: A ghost story appearing in <Darkness Exploration Records>, Daydream Inc.’s identification code is Qterw-C-219.
A ghost story where you are hired by a special cleaning company to clean a building.
The building is often a multi-purpose facility at least 4 stories high, and while it is likely to be a mirror image of a building that exists in reality, sometimes places that do not exist in reality appear.
In every case, you will encounter bizarre anomalies while cleaning.
For detailed records regarding the anomalies experienced by explorers and cleaning rewards, refer here.
Kim Soleum had a goal in mind. He already had a perfect route in plan, geared with advertisement stickers and a mop handle. It seemed even his abnormal pacing attracted looks as other branch members did a quick glance over as they chatted and hanged out.
‘I guess I really do look like I’m strangely looking forward to this,’ Kim Soleum thought.
As soon as he opened the door, delicate chandeliers and golden halls met his eyes.
The.. Flower Golden Resort?
Kim Soleum gripped the mop handle tighter as his eyes shook. He wanted to sit and observe for a little longer but the need to complete the task overcame him.
“You’re already mopping? What are you working so diligent for?”
There was a fire in Kim Soleum’s eyes.
‘I’m going to really make sure they won’t be able to demote me! I’ll be more than just an expendable that gets recycled!’
» Keep up the good work!
P.S. How about cleaning the pillars instead of just the floors?
Whatever Kim soleum said about cleaning diligently.. He blankly stared at the contents inside the closet.
Along with a cloth hanging over the mop handle, there was an unusually clean and high-quality uniform hanging from the hanger. It looked new as if bought, and the fabric was definitely—not cheap.
Kim Soleum hesitantly glanced around.
‘Is this an anomaly? I don’t remember a uniform ever getting mentioned in the records.’
That—?
Upon closer examination, the uniform on the hanger wasn’t even the outfit that usual resort employees wore—at least back when Kim Soleum was the owner. There even seemed to be a box with extra accessories..?
‘Why is it a maid uniform?!’
It didn’t even seem like the usual maid outfit—those reeked professionalism and had the dress snake down to your ankles, fitted to a person’s figure to ensure modesty. In contrast, this dress was anything but modest.
“Uhm.. Is the outfit required?” Kim Soleum asked with uncertainty. It shouldn’t be. After all, just because extra items were added after cleaning a specific area, it didn’t mean you had to use them.
Kim Soleum closed the door and opened it again. More words formed.
» For improved ratings, please wear the uniform!
P.S. Specially tailored for you~
‘…..’
As if sensing his dedication to cleaning, the universe really prepared a cute maid outfit that looked more of a costume than anything. Actually, not even a mascot costume? The longer Kim Soleum stared, the more it really did seem official with how high quality it looked. Even after gaining thicker skin from going through Sekwang, this didn’t mean Kim Soleum couldn’t envision his reputation getting tarnished. Seriously, at the beginning of the cycle as well?
‘The improved ratings though..’
Kim Soleum wanted a perfect rating, didn’t he? After waiting long enough that Kim Soleum became worried that he wouldn’t get a good enough score, he touched the box and dress with trembling hands.
“Ah?”
It was truly just like magic. Kim Soleum’s vision blanked out and he opened his eyes to find yellow petals falling onto the ground from his clothes. He glanced to find the accessory box and hanger nowhere to be found as well.
‘Huh?’
Kim Soleum’s eyes turned strange as he felt an overwhelming urge to cover himself up, seeing his appearance had also changed. He had gloves now, convenient for cleaning but with the quality of it, seemed oddly suspicious for a cleaner like him to be wearing.
Using the dirty cloth from the closet, cleanliness of the rag contrasting with his gloves, Kim Soleum went and wiped a pillar down.
‘W-Wow.’
In the squeaky clean reflection of the marble pillar, Kim Soleum’s appearance was in full display. What would’ve been an orange jumper, stood a bouncy maid dress that cut short right above his thighs. There was short puffy sleeves, a golden bow, and thigh high socks.. Oh, you can’t forget the frilly headpiece as well.
The sliver of skin left bare from Kim Soleum’s legs tingled from the cold air conditioning. ‘Urk, isn’t this a little too much? What happened to the other uniforms?’
Was Kim Soleum still considered the owner or did the contract already expire? Didn’t this make the Mountain Lodge Keeper a total pervert if they exchanged the uniforms for this or made cleaners wear this? Ah, he’d be the only one wearing this too since everyone else was behind in progress.
‘With how out of place this outfit feels among the Namhae Branch, I feel like I’d have a chance of getting contaminated easily.’ Kim Soleum’s expression became tense for a brief moment as he contemplated deeply before springing back to life.
‘It’s fine. I’ll still get the highest grade.’
He couldn’t waste anymore time moping around in a Darkness. Kim Soleum was firm on maximizing that essence. ‘Even if it’s a little embarrassing..!’ Kim Soleum coughed.
At least these clothes were oddly movable and breathable compared to the suits for Daydream and the Branch uniforms. Was this the power of having a skirt, even with his legs covered by majority sock?
Kim Soleum diligently cleaned the pillars until they sparkled and placed advertisements with stickers on them kindly at the reception desk.
— Huh, isn’t that.. Is he seriously wearing a dress? A guy?
— Woah, they're really this dedicated to working?
— Kind of hot, look at those legs.
Kim Soleum ignored the unusual comments as he returned to the starting point in the lobby. One of them actually came up to ask him something as if he truly was a worker at the resort and not the same ringy cleaner like the rest of them. Kim Soleum thought that if other people did the same, they’d also get uniforms.
“Hey, did you steal those clothes?” Eyeing Kim Soleum down, the former top rookie shook his head politely. The person’s friend elbowed them as if it was a stupid question before asking another question themselves.
“Did you finish cleaning? We’re able to check out the rest of the resort as long as we’re still here, right?”
At Kim Soleum’s blank stare, they took it as a yes.
‘Huh, they're surprisingly fine with a guy wearing a skirt but can really make fun of others like the previous cycle.’
“Well, I think there’s a service elevator over there..” Kim Soleum trailed like a true resort employee, just a little more on the quieter side. He led them to a safer space.
“The guest elevators need a keycard but the service ones don’t need one.”
“Oh, it seems they also have ranks here. That’s really too bad,” the cleaners snickered as they headed to the elevator. Their gazes eventually turned bewildered though as they witnessed Kim Soleum cleaned the floors when moving alongside with them. Especially in such an outfit.
‘They’re surprisingly not saying more about the outfit. Did they take it as me being a dedicated employee? Crazy.’ Kim Soleum was glad nobody was making a bigger fuss about it though. He hoped the outfit would change back when he returned, otherwise the explanations Kim Soleum would end up having to do..
He shuddered.
The cleaners seemed to even remember this was a 100 million won job that they were handed, but instead they just stared, expressionless, before laughing awkwardly.
“You clean hard, okay? You were given the outfit by the company for a reason.”
“We will go.. watch.”
‘They really aren’t going to do anything, huh.’
Ignoring the unaccustomed sensation of air against Kim Soleum’s sliver of skin, he gripped his tools tighter and treaded carefully across the hallways. The rest of the people went ahead, fully lax in the paranormal space.
‘Is it just me? Was it always this creepy?’ Was this the feeling of being at the resort as a status of a worker and not a manager?
A door creaked open in Kim Soleum’s vision and he froze.
Out of a guest room.. Agent Haegeum?
“Agent—?” Kim Soleum subconsciously called out before the door slammed shut.
‘Damn.!’ Kim Soleum was worried, but it wasn’t rare for familiar faces to show up as bizarre anomalies. He walked over and stared at the door. What would he say?
“Excuse me,” Kim Soleum called from in front of the door. He felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned around.
Mascot.. It was Kim Soleum’s other self.
Horns protruded from its round body, dressed in a fairly formal resort uniform. The clothes on Kim Soleum and the ones on the Golden Resort Mascot weirdly matched despite the rank difference.
‘Huh. Actually, it shouldn’t be weird since they do have to keep up appearances.’ Kim Soleum really wanted to know why he was the one wearing this getup though. It felt like something reserved for promoting the resort, not something for daily cleaners.
“Hello..” At the moment, Kim Soleum found himself inexplicably shy for some reason and greeted back with a polite voice.
— Excuse me.
..! “Caretaker?”
— It is no longer appropriate to call me by that title.
Kim Soleum’s face turned strange. This was the Lodge Keeper, not his.. Ah, You really can’t trust any ghost story entities. “M-Manager then, why is the mascot in this state?”
— It’s hardly appropriate for a daily cleaner to be asking such matters about the resort. Just perform your duties diligently.
Kim Soleum gritted his teeth. There was no way. He shot back about the contract but it seemed his earlier speculation was right—the Mountain Lodge Keeper had taken over.
— Why would I leave my own resort?
— Why would a daily cleaner entrust their items to a resort?
— If you continue, I’m afraid I’ll have to call your company.
Very mocking. Before the mascot could leave, Kim Soleum grabbed its arm.
“Wait.! This isn't related to private matters regarding the resort. This.. I just wanted to know why the cleaner uniforms are like this.”
— …
— It looks good.
What?
— It’s specially tailored based on the previous manager’s measurements and will only be worn and required on those who fit them.
“Wait a minute-” Kim Soleum’s voice faltered, and the mascot zoomed off before he could probe further.
No way. Wait, was that how the Lodge Keeper could recognize him? Because the maid dress would only wear itself on specific people?
Kim Soleum’s face paled. ‘Not only did they steal the resort, the Mountain Lodge Keeper really is a pervert!’
Jin Nasol and Baek Saheon waited in a private room in silence for the third person.
“When do you think he's coming out?”
“I don’t know.”
“…”
The two fell into an underlying sense of awkwardness. Just as Baek Saheon was about to say something, a sudden loud commotion could be heard from the corridors.
‘They’re back.’
Although Baek Saheon couldn’t personally go over to see Kim Soleum due to his status as Section Chief, Jin Nasol could. Baek Saheon could only wait quietly as he was left alone, letting the conversations from outside carry itself over.
— C-crazy.! Why is he wearing that? Is he the only one who returned with such a ridiculous getup?
— I don’t know.. I thought it was kind of..
— I thought you were straight. I thought you liked hot women?
— Marry me marry me marry me
‘What is going on over there?’
Baek Saheon leaned over to peek through the crack of the doorway before quickly backing out. A stampede sounded right before him, making him puzzled.
‘Don’t tell me that idiot did something stupid again…’ Baek Saheon’s teeth knashed at the thought of it as he took another glance outside.
He could see Kim Soleum running towards—pass them?
A flash of joy quickly phased through Baek Saheon before it got overtaken by confusion.
‘Is that Kim Soleum in a maid dress?’ Baek Saheon squinted his eyes. A modified one at that, there was yellow flowers and bows on the other.
Jin Nasol snuck back into the room while everyone charged after Kim Soleum, gradually becoming out of sight once they reached the end of the hall where their hideout couldn’t see.
“So—” Baek Saheon started.
“Don’t.” Jin Nasol glared at the floor as if she witnessed something truly life-sucking.
A stray flyer flew onto her face from the crowd, blocking her vision. Jin Nasol slowly and painstakingly peeled it off, then glanced at it.
.. It was an advertisement for a resort. On front and center was the ex-top rookie, Kim Soleum, in a maid dress. The outfit looked specialized to fit the rest of the theming of the resort.
“…”
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Baek Saheon suddenly proclaimed with an unusual amount of passion and determination. “We have to go get him! He promised me compensation and items after all..!”