Chapter Text
Kim Soleum was living a normal life. It has been 6 months since he left the world of <DER>. Soleum was going home from work, he approached his apartment door and saw a package lying at his door.
'That's strange. I didn't order anything'
His mind was already remembering every ghost story that started of like that.
'Nope. Let's cut that train of thought, I'm not in a world where ghost stories exist'
He picked up the package and went inside his apartment. Kim Soleum carefully opened the package and inside he saw a ticket just lying there. It looked like an old cinema ticket, but looking closer it had his name written there.
'What the hell!?'
Kim Soleum immediately threw the package across the room, but it was already to late. The space around him distorted and he instinctively closed his eyes.
***
Agent Bronze and Agent Choi finished reading Kim Soleum's resignation letter. The subdued eyes of the 2 Black-Tortoise Ream 1 agents met each other. If he had just vanished, there was a good chance he hadn't left this place.
They dashed out of the lounge, when they saw 2 tickets appear right in front of them and space around the 2 agents distorted.
'Shit this isn't the time for a disaster'
When they opened there eyes, they were lying on the floor of a … cinema?
“Bronze – ie, looks like we're in a disaster and there's a chance that Grapes-ie got dropped here with us”
'When we got dragged here Grapes-ie was probably near us. He couldn't have gotten far'
“Let's look around first and search for Agent Grapes”
***
Eun Haje was in a bad mood. Park Minseong was standing next to her fidgeting. They were waiting for Kim Soleum to arrive and then they had to go into a Darkness where one of the 13 people had to die.
“Let's grab some coffe when we get out” - Park Minseong suggested. Thou he knew that one of them might get chosen as the hangman. He prayed that it wouldn't be one of them.
At that moment 2 tickets appeared in front of them. One landed onto Eun Haje hand.
'Huh'
“Why is my name written on it?”
When she said that the space around them distorted and they lost consciousness.
Falcon propped herself up and saw Badger also getting up.
'Huh. This looks like a cinema.'
They were lying in the 3-rd row.
“Looks like we got dragged into a cinema-like Darkness” - said Eun Haje while putting on her mask.
Park Minseong did the same. Falcon completely got up and looked around.
***
“Shall we try look around?”
Baek Saheon was sitting in his office at Namhae Branch thinking about what he had just learned.
'This branch recycles people through a Darkness'
He was in deep thought about the stickers, the recycling, Kim Soleum and a lot more. So he noticed the ticket that appeared on his desk a bit to late when the space started distorting.
All he managed to think before losing consciousness was. 'What the hell, a darkness. I really don't get paid enough with all of this going on … '
When he regained his consciousness Baek Saheon hurriedly put on his goat mask and looked around.
'A cinema? I don't remember a Darkness like this. Can I get some items from here?'
'Shit. Disaster Management Bureau' - Baek Saheon recognized one of the agents. It was if he remembered correctly the agent from the serial killer lodge.
'To think it has been almost 3 years'
The agents were far enough not to see him immediately so Baek Saheon planned to quietly leave before the agents saw him.
***
Eun Haje and Park Minseong walked around when they saw Chief Lizard
“Section Chief!”
“Section Chief!”
Falcon and Badger ran toward Chief Lizard.
“Section Chief did you also end up here because of a strange ticket?”- asked Eun Haje.
“Yes”
“Do you perhaps recognize this Darkness?”- said Park Minseong.
“Yes”
“Can you please elaborate on that?”An unfamiliar voice was heard from the right.
Two people in Bureau issued jackets approached. One had a large scar on his neck and had a bright smile while the other was looking at them fiercely.
Prologue: meeting each other
“Hello. You can call me Agent Choi~ ” - said the man with large scar on his neck.
Falcon tensed up.
“Don't look so alarmed. We only want to know where we are. Oh and he is Agent Bronze.”
Though the agent was smiling, the smile didn't reach his eyes.
Agent Choi recognized the tall man with white hair. 'Grapes – ie seemed to trust him enough with the children we saved from the < Sparkle Sparkle Ocean Palace >.' They still haven't found Soleum, so the chances that he hadn't been dropped into this Disaster at all were getting higher. And that meant that they were loosing precious time to find their hubae.
Agent Choi continued “We don't want to get into a fight here. I personaly think that we should team up temporarily~ ”
“Yes”
“What!?” - Falcon couldn't contain her shock.
“To clear this Darkness we need their cooperation” - said Chief Lizard as emotionless as ever.
“Can you please elaborate Section Chief?” - added Badger.
“Yes. This Darkness chooses a person with an interesting 'story' and summons them and people closely related to them through tickets to watch the chosen persons 'story' and react to it. It is observed that the people summoned can be from different timelines”
“Hm~ and how can we learn who the chosen person is? It's obviously not anyone among us since we're meeting each other for the first time~”
'The chosen person is probably Grapes - ie, since his former colleague is also here, but there is a possibility that the Grapes - ie that got summoned here is not from our timeline or is from a timeline where he hasn't met us yet.' Choi glanced at Bronze who was thinking the same thing.
That's right. Agent Choi and Bronze noticed Baek Saheon's presence, but decided to leave him be in favor of finding Grapes-ie.
“The owner of this cinema will tell us when the time to watch comes, but it is also possible to guess.”- said Lee Jaheon
“I see. Thank you for the information. Oh, and shouldn't you all introduce yourself~ “
“You can call me Badger” - said Park Minseong while thinking who the chosen person might be.
“I'm Falcon.”
“Lizard.”
“By the way Section Chief, you mentioned that the summoned people might be from different timelines so what date is it for you. Me and Falcon came in together and for us it's xx/xx/20xx.”
“xx/xx/20xx” - answered Lee Jaheon.
“Oh. So you're from the future Section Chief, and what about you?”
“xx/xx/20xx for us” - answered Agent Bronze.
“Looks like we are from the farthest future.” - added Agent Choi.
*
Lee Jaheon told the others the rules of this Darkness. They went something like this:
-
Don't damage the cinema.
-
Don't fight among each other.
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Watch the chosen person's story and react.^^
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Small and mild spoilers are allowed, but you shouldn't test your luck.
-
Food and drinks will be provided and are safe to eat.)
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When you return, no time will pass in reality.
-
Most memories of the cinema will fade away as if everything was just a dream.
“Hm~ so this Darkness is pretty easy to clear”- said Assistant Manager Eun Haje while they were heading down to the first row.
Who they didn't expect to meet was Baek Saheon talking to Director Ho?! and J3 sitting next to them eating donuts. What is this nightmare lineup?XD
Choi almost attacked Director Ho on the spot with the only the rules stopping him.
Turns out after Baek Saheon quietly left, he went to to the front row where he met Ho. Obviously he didn't let this opportunity go to waste.
'Ha. So he didn't die or whatever happened to him. Well, this is a good opportunity to find out more about Namhae.'
While Ho Yuwon had similar plans. He knew about this Darkness, so the moment he met Baek Saheon who looked older when he last saw him, he guessed that Baek Saheon was from the future. It didn't matter much to Ho, but when he mentioned Segwan...
But when they got to important part something unexpected happened. Two Agents, members of D – squad with a uncontaminated Park Minseong.
'Looks like he's from a past timeline. Jugging from the people gathered here the chosen person must be Kim Soleum, but why an I here though? I am not close him. So the only option is that we got close enough in the future. Huh'-thought Ho Yuwon.
Baek Saheon was irritated and confused because he still didn't know what Darkness he was in and then the 2 agents he avoided for a reason and the D – squad was also with them.
'Wasn't Park Minseong contaminated?' And then it hit him. 'This Darkness messes with time probably.'
***
Section Chief Lee Jahaen explained to Baek Saheon the rules of the Darkness. After that everyone decided to sit down while Agent Choi was still glaring Ho. The moment everyone sat down the screen lit up and letters appeared on it.
[Welcome to 'Cheerful Cinema'. You may ask any question^^]
“So it waited until we all sat down” - said Eun Haje.
“Section Chief is it safe to ask questions?” - asked Park Minseong.
“Yes”
“Then. Whose 'story' are we going to watch and where are they?” - asked Park Minseong the screen.
[My apologies. It has been quite a while since I invited so many people to my cinema and I had to go through a lot of trouble to invite the main character, BUT I COULDN'T PASS SUCH AN EXCITING STORY!!!
^^]
“Ok. Thank you for your answer”
[Ah. And the main character should arrive...
RIGHT NOW!]