ALL NOVEL Chapter 29
It felt like I was submerged in deep water.
Like being in a dark place where I couldn’t swim up alone.
Just as I thought I might not be able to get up if I stayed like this—
“…Me!”
“…It’s me!!”
“Hey!”
“Ugh!”
I was jolted awake by a vigorous shaking on my shoulders.
Song Ah Rin was desperately gripping my shoulders and shaking me.
I met her anxious gaze as she looked at me with a worried expression.
“What are you causing such a ruckus for? You know it wouldn’t matter if you died once.”
“Then why did you ask if I was okay when I woke up?”
“I didn’t shake your shoulders.”
“Seriously, you can’t let a single word slip, can you?”
“No, just so you know, I’m older here.”
“Ugh.”
With an annoyed look, Song Ah Rin smacked my shoulder.
“What about the others?”
“…Try not to startle them.”
As if surprised by my annoyed expression, she flashed a cheerful smile at me.
“Nobody died.”
“Oh!”
So our efforts actually paid off.
I raised my hand for a high five, and she slapped my hand with hers.
The sound echoed through the quiet theater.
Soon realizing what she had done, she coughed awkwardly and turned her head the other way.
Then, she glanced back at me and asked, “…Are you okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you hurt or anything?”
“I’m fine.”
I thought of the Red Lady.
Of course, I couldn’t remember anything.
But I distinctly remembered what I had done.
I pulled out the manual from my pocket.
Let’s see, Red Lady… Red Lady…
The manual opened as if it wanted to show me what I was looking for, and soon a new page started to appear.
[Manual for Office Staff]
[PRV – Containment Object ‘Red Lady’ – Human Resources Team Kim Jae Heon’s Record]
[This object is one of the characters from the musical ‘Red Lady’ and cannot be resolved through normal means. However, due to the nature of the musical, the Red Lady can be neutralized by changing the genre.]
[This object is a musical-type object and be cautious as it is likely a containment object released by the emerging organization ‘Theater Company’!]
[First Discoverer – Human Resources Team Kim Jae Heon]
Below was a sketch of the Red Lady’s face.
Am I the first discoverer?
Is there any luck worse than this?
I looked for additional information, but nothing further appeared.
Essentially, because I was the first discoverer, all I had was a bit of commentary attached to what I wrote.
I wonder who added that commentary.
Just recalling the face is already something to be grateful for.
“…”
I wonder if there might be a back page.
‘Don’t forget, this manual is the experience and data that your seniors have diligently collected.’
Perhaps I could find useful information from the data on other containment objects.
Seniors, if you’re watching, give me strength!
With a prayer to a senior whose face I didn’t even know, I flipped to the next page, but instead of information, there was just one sentence written on the blank page.
[Due to the Management Agency’s security, access to containment object information is restricted when it’s not necessary.]
My seniors certainly put in effort, but it didn’t seem to help me much.
“Hey, how did you write that?”
Song Ah Rin, who had been peeking at the manual beside me, looked at me in shock.
“This? Just a feeling? Instinct?”
I wasn’t sure how to explain it, but that was really the perfect way to put it.
It was like I just knew I had to write it down at that moment. There wasn’t any other explanation for it.
In contrast, upon hearing my words, Song Ah Rin’s expression turned serious as she suddenly blurted out.
“You have a talent.”
“What?”
“Writing it down is not something just anyone can do.”
Well, if not just anyone, then who does write it down?
Noticing my expression, she sighed and began to explain.
“All employees of the Management Agency can access the manual’s information, as long as certain conditions are met.”
“Okay.”
“But writing it down is not something just anyone can do.”
“…Okay.”
I feel uneasy.
“Writing it down requires the Management Agency’s… um… well. …You know, some kind of acknowledgment. Only then can you write.”
“…Is that acknowledgment usually done by the Isolation Team?”
“Oh, how did you know? It’s not always the case, but generally, if someone is a specialized talent for the Management Agency, they’d likely be from the Isolation Team, so most Isolation Team members have the talent for writing.”
I knew it would come to this.
At this rate, I might really get transferred to the Isolation Team.
“Please keep this a secret.”
“Why? Are you scared someone will come after you?”
“You know me too well. Please be quiet.”
“Normally, I wouldn’t help you out.”
With a sigh, Song Ah Rin crossed her arms.
“Since I owe you my life, I’ll let it slide.”
“So, A-Rin, can you do this too?”
“I can’t.”
She answered as if it were obvious.
“Why not?”
“I just can’t.”
So confident.
“Anyway, you probably have some decent idea, right?”
“I do.”
I answered assertively at her question.
“You mentioned changing the genre, so how do you plan to change it?”
“All of them.”
“What?”
“I’m going to try everything.”
Song Ah Rin wrinkled her face.
“Hey, isn’t that just deviating from the genre? It’ll turn into a mess.”
“Exactly.”
That’s exactly my goal.
What’s the problem with horror?
Everything mixes well together.
Romance? A couple sharing their love and then dying is as cliché as it gets.
Action? Slicing someone up with a chainsaw is also action.
Comedy? Honestly, I’m not confident about this one.
Ultimately, to overturn the script, a genre change is essential.
But do I really need to try only one of romance, action, or comedy?
I can do them all.
“What if the Red Lady ends up being terrifying and scares you?”
“If the atmosphere ruins it, then horror or anything else doesn’t matter at all.”
At that moment, I recalled a movie I found while searching the internet that had an absurd premise for a horror film.
It was a horror movie about tomatoes harboring a murderous intent against humans.
A person screaming with a tomato placed on their chest made no sense to me emotionally.
“…”
Song Ah Rin stared at me for a moment before she sighed.
“Alright. It doesn’t seem wrong, so I’ll hear you out this time.”
“If you have a better idea, please share it quickly.”
I’m always ready to follow a better idea.
“I don’t have one.”
“Then let’s go.”
<2 minutes left until break time ends.>
Song Ah Rin seemed tense as she gripped the armrest and then looked at me.
“But if we can face the Red Lady directly, how do we kill her? We can’t bring a gun.”
“Well, I have some methods.”
I looked at the translucent window that displayed [Critical: 1].
There are plenty of ways.
<1 minute left until break time ends.>
“…Hey.”
“Yes?”
After a brief silence, Song Ah Rin looked at me again.
With a tense expression, she opened her mouth.
“I believe in you.”
“Yes, please do.”
[Break time is ending.]
My vision went dark.
*
I opened my eyes in the ruined city.
“Damn, dust.”
Next to me, Song Ah Rin grumbled as she dusted off her clothes.
Gray powder fell from her body.
“So, what do we do now?”
“First, come over here.”
Hearing my words, Song Ah Rin hurried to my side.
It’s nice when she listens this well.
I wrapped my arms around her.
Her body stiffened.
“W-What are you doing?”
“Romance.”
“D-Do we really need to start with romance…?”
“If you want to start with action, comedy, or philosophy, just say so. Just throw in a topic quickly.”
“…”
Song Ah Rin pressed her lips together and crossed her arms tightly.
“Think it over, so just walk.”
“You can’t just walk. We need to talk.”
“What kind of talk? Love-filled talk?”
“If we do that, it’ll really turn into romance. Let’s exchange words that are far from romance.”
“You’re really crazy.”
“Why can’t immortal and regenerative types break down alcohol quickly?”
“That’s probably pretending to be drunk. Did you find someone whining about wanting to be taken home?”
“I threw up on my clothes.”
“Eww.”
While walking with my arms wrapped around Song Ah Rin, we chatted away.
“It seems to me that that girl with the white hair can’t drink at all. Do girls that look like that really not drink?”
“I’ve seen a person who can down five bottles of soju and not change color at all.”
“…The HR team is kinda weird.”
The scene changes.
This time it was a night park.
People walked by, glancing at me and Song Ah Rin.
It was a different vibe from before.
I released my arm around Song Ah Rin and jumped in place.
Punching the air, making sound effects with my mouth.
“…What’s this about?”
“Romance action.”
“Ugh, I really dislike this.”
Song Ah Rin followed along, evidently annoyed, as she jumped in place as well.
Whoosh, whoosh, she too jabbed at the air.
I stretched out my hand, palm open, placing it in front of her’s.
Just like boxers practice with their coaches.
“Do you have a favorite food?”
“Sundae soup.”
“Are you an uncle?”
“And you?”
“Pizza.”
“Are you a kid?”
Song Ah Rin hit my fist as she answered.
Thud, thud. As Song Ah Rin punched my fist, I kept throwing her further questions.
“What’s your ideal type?”
“A guy who communicates well. What about you?”
“Um.”
“What? Is it a secret?”
Thud!
Song Ah Rin hit my hand hard.
“It hurts! No, that’s not… um… a pretty girl?”
“Superficial.”
“Don’t you dislike handsome guys?”
“I do, but I wouldn’t say it out loud.”
Thud, thud!
Song Ah Rin kept hitting my hand.
Now, numerous people in the park were staring at us.
I’d read somewhere that if I say ‘this is a dream’ in a dream, all those people would look at me.
Among the characters of this play, we are already irregulars.
“…Am I doing this correctly?”
“Yes.”
As Song Ah Rin stopped punching my hand nervously, she asked me in an anxious tone, and I quietly replied.
People continued to stare at us, and the background changed again.
This time it was in the middle of a bustling city.
From the beginning, all the city’s people were looking at Song Ah Rin and me.
“…What’s next?”
Song Ah Rin looked at me with an uneasy expression.
“Next…”
Thud, thud.
Footsteps echoed.
I took Song Ah Rin’s hands and locked eyes with her.
“Think of something good for the finale.”
“Huh, huh?”
“What would be the best ending?”
“Ending?”
Action romance, romantic comedy.
It felt like I just needed one more thing.
“This last thing we need.”
Song Ah Rin rolled her eyes.
Thud, thud.
What should I do? Philosophy? Management Agency?
Let’s think about the genre.
“Damn it… just let it happen, just do it!”
Suddenly, Song Ah Rin shouted, rose on her toes, pressed her lips against my cheek, and then pulled away.
“…?”
Song Ah Rin shouted with a flushed face.
“Isn’t this what you wanted?!”
I didn’t want exactly this.
Turning my gaze to where the footsteps were coming from, I saw—
A red dress, a brightly smiling mouth.
And still, the upper part obscured from view.
A translucent window appeared before me.
[Name: Red Lady]
[Age: Manufactured 3 months ago]
[Special Skill: -]
[Talent: Reality Interference]
[Background: This object is part of a play but is also the most crucial part of it. Depending on your response, this can either become an immortal being or the sacrificial lamb of a heroic tale.]
[Weakness: You already know the weakness.]
I turned my body to confront it.
“Honestly, I didn’t want this, but the outcome is spot on.”
“…”
Leaving Song Ah Rin, who was left speechless, I clenched my fist.
It’s really time to go home now.