Chapter Text
“The f*ck is this…?”
Baek Saheon was crouched under the gift shop’s counter when he found a fallen package.
A small and adorable pink bunny doll keychain in plastic.
“...!?” This was that psycho’s stupid creepy doll, right? Was it mass-produced in Darknesses or something?
Good Friend
Is this an item? It has to be one, since the psycho always brought it around, right?
Then again, Baek Saheon didn’t doubt that he would carry an ordinary doll with him, just to mess with people.
But Baek Saheon was seriously trapped in this god-forsaken Darkness.
Painted Smiles (Identification Code Qterw-B-1830)
: A Daydream-sanctioned Darkness which takes place in a museum with detailed porcelain statues of fun mascots and real people from all over the world. Each room has a different theme. Take a look around and enjoy, and don’t forget to check out the gift shop!
The statues would move at sonic speeds if you didn’t see them—and even if you did see them, they’d be at a swift pace—and the lights would sometimes flicker off because the museum was always closed, so Baek Saheon kept having to power the lights back on while avoiding the moving statues with those ridiculously creepy smiles. It somewhat reminded him of Kim Soleum.
Why did he keep thinking of Kim Soleum?
He had suddenly disappeared again. He had already left him, what, two times by now?
Baek Saheon had no intention to trust that psychopathic man who kept leaving.
Fine, he would try this creepy doll out.
Baek Saheon unwrapped it as quietly as possible, before he found an instruction manual.
- Dip your finger into water on a smooth surface and draw the six-pointed star following the enclosed pattern.
- Place the Good Friend in the center of the six-pointed star.
- Place the coin on top of the Good Friend's stomach. There should be no water left on your fingers.
- Put a spoonful of salt in your mouth and burn something related to your friend.
- When your Good Friend starts talking, swallow some salt and say hello in return!
If the coin disappears, you have succeeded! You have found a reliable friend. Always be with him and take care of him!
※ If the salt is not swallowed or has a strange taste
If the doll turn to ashes or bleed
Run away.
Creepy. Totally creepy.
Wait, then this meant the psycho’s Braun doll was actually a Darkness?
Had he been sleeping next to a room with a Darkness all this time!?
That must be why he always talked to the doll.
Whatever. Baek Saheon had no salt or water on him at that moment, so he had to find some. There was probably a kitchen here since there was a small cafe in the museum.
He slowly crept out from below the counter. Thank the lack of existence of God, there was nobody there.
Baek Saheon stood up, straightening as his back cracked a bit from being huddled on the floor for a while. Hopefully none of the statues heard that.
Statues weren’t able to hear—so you’d expect them to be blind and unmoving too, but obviously logic was thrown out the window in a Darkness.
Baek Saheon carefully stepped around to find the café.
SCREEEEEEECH
Oh no.
Baek Saheon hurriedly ducked and wedged himself between two narrow pillars. Thankfully, the statue didn’t see him.
That statue’s color kept changing, drawn eyes shifting every so often, base looking like it was about to break. But one thing remained the same—its smile. It was too wide, spreading to the tips of the ears. And Baek Saheon had experienced it first-hand when it opened its mouth to show it's something you shouldn’t see why are you looking the truth of this universe don’t you want to know it too i’m sure you do
Ugh. Baek Saheon felt like he was contaminated, and maybe he really was…
The statue passed by and moved into another room. Baek Saheon sprinted for the kitchen door with the words STAFF ONLY printed on it.
It was dark and he couldn’t see anything. Baek Saheon gulped and turned the light on. It flickered to reveal…
…an ordinary kitchen! Hooray!
There was no statue here, so Baek Saheon quickly shut the door behind him and looked for salt.
Found it, Baek Saheon thought in satisfaction as he grabbed the bottle of salt. He found some matches in a cabinet too. He turned on the sink to get some water on his finger.
Then he crouched to draw the six-pointed star. How did that look like again? Good thing he was a decent artist…
He placed the small doll in the center of the star. Why did it feel so cold all of a sudden?
Now he needed a coin. Where the hell would a coin be? Baek Saheon prayed fervently to nobody in particular as he checked his pockets to see if he had brought his wallet.
Thankfully, he had, so he took out a coin and placed it on the doll’s stomach. He inserted the salt into his own mouth—oh, seriously, that was salty… Baek Saheon made a face at the extreme taste on his tongue.
Burn something—what should I burn? I have that paper boat with me… no, no.
Baek Saheon slipped his tie off his neck and lit a match, before hesitantly lighting it on fire. Swallow the salt, swallow the salt, swallow the salt…!
Baek Saheon choked for a moment before the salt finally went down his throat.
The plush doll’s mouth began to open.
BEHOLD! I am the owner of many masks, the lord of chaos, the pinnacle of madness, the dream of pleasure and amusement, the instigator of war, the parent of science, the lowly quadrupedal beast, the desire of those who crawl, the lord of the stars, the abyss of fantasy, the mouth of wisdom, the roar of impulse, the far side of the moon…
It was loud. It was too loud. Had Baek Saheon done something wrong? He should run away, right? Right? Right!?
But he was frozen in place while the plush doll convulsed as the coin slowly burned away, and it felt like it was boring into his brain in agonising pain, before–
> Friend?
“...!”
> Uh. Friend?
“Y-yes,” he finally responded once he regained his bearings. “Then it was a success…”
Baek Saheon sighed in relief.
Hold on. That voice.
Wasn’t it just too… familiar?
“Wait.” He suddenly spoke. “The Jisan agent?”
> …!!!
> I think– …
> Yes, I think so…?
“You think?” Baek Saheon repeated suspiciously. “Where the hell did you go off to?”
> I’m not sure how I got here… or there, for that matter.
> But it’s good to talk to you again.
“...Right.” Baek Saheon mumbled, cheeks flushing slightly at the last line. “So, I summoned you? I thought this was for entities and whatnot. Wait—are you technically one then…?”
The doll moved upright, wobbling on shaky plush legs.
> Yes. I can think clearly here though.
> It’s hard to control this body.
The plush fell back down, faceplanting into the ground.
Baek Saheon stifled a laugh as he picked the doll up. “So, am I supposed to just bring you around? Is this all this item does—bind a person to an entity?”
> A Good Friend always helps their friend out.
The voice was almost proud. He sounds contaminated, Baek Saheon thought.
“Well, okay then. Help out now, will you?”
> So could you explain the situation right now?
Baek Saheon briefly gave an explanation.
> So you’re in a museum with living statues.
After a long awkward silence, the doll spoke again.
> …I understand. You need to check the computers in the staff room to open the museum. Once it’s open, the statues will return to their original positions and you can leave through the front door.
“That’s… it sounds too easy?” Baek Saheon mumbled. “Where’s the staff room anyway?”
> How far are you from the front door?
“I’m pretty far from it, the café is in the middle of the museum.”
> You have to go all the way to the front, to the very first STAFF ONLY door.
“Sh*t. Wait, how do you know this anyway?”
> Deduction. I saw some files in the Bureau as well…
Right…
Baek Saheon bit back a scream as he blindly sprinted for the fuse box. The lights had gone out and there was a statue chasing after him like crazy. His legs felt like it was about to give out, and the doll in his front pocket was hanging out from the sheer amount of panicked speed.
> Calm down. To your left.
Baek Saheon’s head snapped to the left and there the fuse box was.
He hurriedly slammed it open and turned the switch back on. The statue slowed, but it was still on the chase.
> When you turn the corner, duck down and slip under the mini stage. It’s a curtain covering the empty space below.
“The hell do you know this…” Baek Saheon muttered under his breath as he complied anyway, sliding under the stage, behind the small curtain. He withheld the urge to cough from the dust underneath.
> Good, now just wait for the statue to leave.
Why was he following this bastard’s orders in the first place…?
> Why are you so quiet?
“Because I’m gonna get caught,” he grumbled quietly.
> But they’re deaf. You know that, don’t you?
…
He made a really good point.
“I forgot…” Baek Saheon sighed.
> You can also speak to me by thinking with the will to communicate.
“No, really, how do you even know these things?” Baek Saheon tried again.
> I’m your Good Friend, so I would know these things.
“...Right…”
Baek Saheon closed his eyes to think.
‘Can you hear me?’
> Yes.
> I think the statue is gone now.
‘Alright then.’
Baek Saheon carefully lifted the curtain to look out. Nothing was there, so he climbed out from below the small stage.
‘So, what have you been doing all this time? Are you still in the Bureau?’
> No… I resigned.
‘Why did you resign?’ Baek Saheon asked as he walked down the hallway cautiously.
The doll didn’t say anything.
‘Well, fine, keep your secrets to yourself.’
Baek Saheon was relieved to find the staff room without being caught by any of the statues again.
“Finally.” Baek Saheon sighed as he pushed the door open.
> Good work.
He found the computer and it had a password.
“...What now?” Baek Saheon asked the doll in hopes of it knowing.
> Try checking under the keyboard.
Baek Saheon lifted the keyboard up to find a sticky note with the password on it. “...You’re really good at this thing.”
He entered the password and found a little control module where he clicked the OPEN button.
“The Living Smiles Museum is now open for guests to enjoy.” A speaker blared. “The front entrance will now be opened.”
Baek Saheon could hear the sound of porcelain scraping against concrete floors. The statues were returning to their places.
“It opened. So I can leave now, right?”
> Yes, you can leave through the front door.
Baek Saheon waited for the creepy scraping sounds to stop before leaving the staff room. He found the front door that had been previously locked tight now open.
“...Thanks.” he muttered as he stepped out.
Everything faded.
Baek Saheon inhaled sharply as he found himself back in the office of Daydream Inc.
‘Finally, I’m back. I was stuck in that place for ages because it had no manual…’
‘...Agent?’ He tried again when there was no response.
Did the agent leave again?
The agent always saved him. Then he would disappear without notice.
And Baek Saheon felt a wave of panic wash over him.