Chapter Text
Park Minseong thinks that his life may have come to an end… way, way sooner than he thought was possible.
No… He thinks to himself, as agony tears through his very being, his body writhing on the floor. He can’t die yet…! He doesn’t want to die! He still— He still has his younger sibling to take care of. He still has to…!
He thought he’d gotten a good opportunity to work and receive good money for his sibling’s treatment expenses in the hospital, as he had gotten himself accepted in Daydream, Inc.
And yet…!
Why a ghost story?!
More and more people around him—all new recruits, all terrified and desperate, trying anything and everything to ensure they can get the correct answer and survive—are joining him on the floor, writhing as a book attaches itself on each of their faces, making pain bloom in their whole body burningburningburningitfeelslikeeveryarteryisBURNING and static in their heads as the lesson is quite literally burned into their minds.
Hangman. An innocent, fun game that school children often play with their friends, a game teachers start on the board to introduce new words for the kids. It takes a chilling turn in this ghost story, and it takes Minseong and the others quite some time to figure out what makes someone die and what can possibly help them to live.
They don’t know what will happen to the new recruit who is hanged. But as Minseong calms down from the dissipating pain as the book finishes its job, he holds back a pathetic sob and tries to think—
“Psst.”
Someone is crouching near his curled up body, whispering to his ear like a mischievous child.
“Psst. Pss—bzzzt. Psst.”
The voice is distinctively female. But when she whispers, there’s static in the middle, and Park Minseong snaps his eyes open in alarm. Is it one of the Teachers? Did he break a rule while trying to answer the questions in the game??!?!
However,
When he opens his eyes… What he sees is not one of the creepy Teachers, but rather a normal looking woman. She’s wearing a suit, just like all new recruits. With long, straight black hair that reaches over her middle back, cascading down her tilted head and nearly tickling Minseong’s cheek.
Her eyes, brown so dark they look near black, curve up as she smiles. Her aegyosal becomes more prominent and visible thanks to the gesture, and for a short moment, Park Minseong thinks that she is incredibly pretty, although eerily so.
“Hey,” the woman greets him, her voice smooth and friendly, as if the static he just heard is never there to begin with. “If you keep on guessing it wrong, you’ll die.”
“...!”
Park Minseong pales, cold sweat marring his skin. His trembling eyes look towards the woman who crouches next to him, smiling beautifully as if she’s not in the middle of a horror story, as if the people around them are not currently writhing and screaming on the floor.
Then, the woman tilts her head up, staring up at the sweating, hanged recruit who has lost three of his limbs. She looks playful, Park Minseong registers, a weird dread filling his chest as he pays attention to her movements.
It is right after he lets it seep in his mind that she seems to be a bit odd… that he realizes that she looks pale. Nearly stark white, just like a ghost—
“...!”
Park Minseong holds in a gasp, biting down on his lips as he stares at what could possibly be a ghost. A Teacher? No, she’s not wearing the same uniform or has the eerie wide smile and the instructions the Teachers like to give to the new recruits. In fact, she’s wearing something similar to the new recruits. Is she a new recruit then? But she’s way too calm in a situation like this, smiling and talking to him as if nothing is wrong.
For a split second, he cannot help but to wonder if she’s simply a psycho, heart hammering in his chest when she turns back around to face him once more. An eerily kind smile on her face, she bends down to whisper to his ear, the lack of warm air from her breath making him shiver.
“That guy looks like a bad guy, don’t you think?” She tells him, almost conspirationally so. Park Minseong makes a confused noise, his light brown eyes staring at the woman with confusion mixed with fear. The woman huffs in response, as if Park Minseong is being silly, which confuses him even further.
“Think about it. The question for alphabet O: Where did he share his most precious and most incriminating belonging? Online. Why is it precious, why is it incriminating?” She smiles, eyes narrowed as her eyes darken. “Isn’t it because it’s a crime?”
Park Minseong blinks. He stares at her, looming over her while crouching beside his curled up form, which reminds him to sit up, but she’s so close to him and what if she’s a ghost—
“Then the question for alphabet A: What is the crime that puts him in jail the first time around? Assault. He must’ve been there for more than one time, don’t you think? Though, why he’s hired by Daydream is another thing altogether, haha.”
She shrugs uncaringly, before continuing. “There’s no more vowels, right? You got the alphabet ‘I’ wrong. Now think about it,” she bends down lower, her lips—soft, yet cold, making Park Minseong stiffen—accidentally brushing ever so slightly against his clammy skin. “With the vowels revealed, what word can it possibly be, with this kind structure and pattern?”
_ _ E _ A _ O _
Structure… Pattern…?
“What’s the worst thing that he has ever done?” She repeats the question, her finger—cold, cold, coldcoldcoldcoldcold—tracing on his cheek. It takes him some time to realize she’s writing something on his cheek, in which his eyes widen and her eyes narrow pleasantly, her smile widening.
She repeats the strokes on his cheek, and Park Minseong mouths the syllables before his eyes widen.
“That…!”
Shock, disbelief, anger, realization. All of these feelings appear one by one within Park Minseong, his eyes meeting her dark, amused ones without fear of her for the first time.
“Why don’t you go forward and answer?”
Then, after saying that, the woman stands up. She walks to the very corner of the room, Park Minseong watching her from behind as he slowly lifts himself from the floor and stands up properly.
She settles there, leaning on the wall and blending into the shadows. Or the shadows have become her? Is she one of the shadows? Theresnoendbetweenherandtheshadowsandshesgrinningathimandwavingand
Park Minseong snaps himself out of it, looking away from her before he ends up losing himself in whatever static and head ringing thoughts that resurfaces whenever he looks into her oddities way too long.
He instead heads to the front, clenching his fists as he answers, hoping that the lady—the woman—the ghost—the shadows—did not trick him so he’d die.
And—
It’s correct.
“...!” Park Minseong breathes a sigh of relief, even as a grimace runs over his expression at the realization that the hanged person is really a piece of trash. Near instinctively, he turns his head to look at the corner of the room where the woman was, to see her reaction, to see if she has anything else to add—
—Only to find no one is there.
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And then, as he gets interrogated by the researchers, he finds out that there shouldn’t be a woman like that at all.
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“No, I… She didn’t do anything to me. Yes, yes, she touched me, but it didn’t do anything, at least I don’t think so… She was just… writing the answer to my cheek. It— It didn’t hurt, or anything. Just… cold. Unnaturally cold. She’s pale, too. Her eyes… they are dark, but she’s not angry, or upset. Just… amused. What? No, she didn’t say— She only talked about the guess words, yes, it seemed like she knew— I don’t know, I’ve never seen her— Yes. Yes. She was dressed like a new recruit. No, there didn’t seem to be any wound or blood. Is there a chance that she’s the hanged man’s victim? I don’t know—”
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INCIDENT REPORT
Qterw-F-272518
Anomalous entity detected during the new recruit probationary Darkness Exploration. Entity appeared in the [Hungry Hangman] dressed like a new recruit. The Entity appeared in human form: long black hair, dark brown eyes, pale and cold skin. Approximate height in the 160s. No one had seen the Entity until she showed herself up right next to new recruit [Park Minseong], now assigned “Badger”.
Entity seemed to be friendly, as she gave hints about the [Hungry Hangman] Darkness to Badger, and gave one of the answers to Badger, which saved his life. Entity seemed to disappear into the shadows after she watched Badger give his one answer correctly.
Badger was checked and considered free of any contamination.
Entity’s rank is tentative and may change depending on further observation, if she ever shows herself up again.
So far, any other entrance to [Hungry Hangman] has not delivered any similar results.
Will continue to monitor.
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The second time Park Minseong sees the woman again, it is when he’s on a Darkness Exploration with the D-squad. Team Leader Lee Jaheon is quiet but dependable, though the way he speaks takes some time to get used to. Supervisor Eun Haje is easy to get along with, and Park Minseong can appreciate her pragmatism when it comes to dealing with Darknesses. He’s still a rookie, as it is still only his first 6 months working for Daydream, and he’s learning a lot from both the team leader and the supervisor.
Although Darknesses are deadly, he has a goal he has to meet. For the sake of his sibling… Something he can buy from the employee welfare mall must be able to help him reach his goal. Maybe even the Wish Ticket… If only the points distribution and the price of the Wish Ticket aren’t so… Well. He knows he’d be here for more than a few years, at least.
Anyway, he digresses.
Truth to be told, he has put the strange meeting with the woman… the Entity, as they call her, out of his mind for quite some time. After all, it’s been months since he’s last seen her. Why should he think of her constantly? He’s seen way more horrific horrors in his 6 months within Daydream’s Field Exploration Team. A pale, cold woman who smiled while helping him survive his probation day is put at the back of his mind.
Until now.
The head of the woman, shorter than the team leader, peeks out from behind him, her expression curious and way too friendly, way too calm, considering as they are currently in a C-rank Darkness featuring tentacle monsters.
Eugh.
Still, it is him who recognizes her first, his eyes widening as he spots her figure behind the team leader—who is facing both him and Supervisor Eun Haje—and abruptly reminded of her existence.
“Team Leader, she—”
“?” The team leader turns around, blinking his red eyes when he spots the Entity. The Entity is dressed formally just like the first time he saw her, her hands clasped behind her back as she watches them curiously.
“Hi,” the Entity chirps, entirely too cheerful for someone—something? That is in a Darkness together with the Field Exploration Team. “We meet again,” her eyes curve upward pleasantly as she looks directly at Park Minseong, her dark eyes not reflecting any light from the nearby lamp.
Park Minseong shivers, and smiles, practiced and half genuine.
“Hello,” he says, jumping when Supervisor Eun Haje elbows him. He sends her a pleading look, signaling with his eyes that he is, lowkey, kinda, a little bit, familiar with the ghostly figure.
Supervisor Eun Haje narrows her eyes, her intelligent gaze sweeping between Park Minseong and the Entity, before a glint of an idea, perhaps even recognition, appears within her eyes.
Meanwhile, their Team Leader is silent, staring down at the Entity with nary a change in his expression. Park Minseong doesn’t know if he’s being cautious, suspicious, or just plain clueless.
“Hello,” Supervisor Eun Haje greets the Entity, her smile sharp as the Entity tilts her head at her. “You seem to know our little Badger,” it’s embarrassing to be called little when he’s an older brother, Supervisor! Park Minseong cries playfully in his mind. And he’s actually taller than Supervisor, you know! “Where did you first meet him? Is it… The [Hungry Hangman]?”
The Entity’s expression brightens, her close mouthed smile turning wider. Her dark eyes look like a pool of dark brown, almost black, goops, swirling shadows, aneternallynightskytheresnostarsnolightnonothingimdrowninginitimdrowningimdrowningimdrowning—
“...! Heuk…!” Park Minseong gasps, the pain from his forearm making him snap out of whatever that is. He turns his head to the side, finding the tight grip from Supervisor Eun Haje on his forearm, as well as the concerned and alarmed look on the Supervisor’s face.
“Haaa…” He uses his one hand to wipe his face, sweating profusely. “Thank you, Supervisor Falcon…”
“Don’t worry about it, rookie,” Supervisor Eun Haje says, before she faces the Entity once more. “Did she do anything to you?”
The Entity blinks, “I didn’t do anything.” She says, lifting her hands in a gesture that says she means no harm. A gesture that makes her seem human, if not for her too-pale skin and her eyes with shadows in them.
Park Minseong swallows, remembering the amusement in her eyes when she crouched before his prone figure, the cold of her finger when she traced the word ‘Rape’ on his cheek: the answer to one of the questions in the Hungry Hangman.
“She… helped me, before,” Park Minseong says, looking at Supervisor Eun Haje, then towards the Team Leader. “You know which one.”
“Yes,” Team Leader Lee Jaheon answers, already aware of the anomaly that happened during their newest recruit’s probation period.
“I just stared too hard, that’s all,” he says to Supervisor Eun Haje in an attempt to calm her, his smile stiffening when the Entity responds to it.
“Hm? Is staring too hard bad?” She says, her tone cheerful and genuinely curious. Her lips are curved upward, eyes wide in a way that is innocent if not for the dark pools of her eyes.
Silence, the entire squad pauses, the two of them visibly hesitating if answering will accidentally trigger the unknown Entity. It takes Supervisor Eun Haje gesturing to the Section Chief to ensure he doesn’t answer bluntly.
Unfortunately, it seems to set her off anyway, as she continues to ask, her tone unchanging. “Is staring bad? Hm? Is staring bad? Hm? Is staring bad? Hm? Is staring bad? Hm? Is staring bad? Hm?” Their ears seem to ring as she continues, and both Park Minseong and Supervisor Eun Haje wince, covering their ears with their palms.
“No,” Chief Lizard answers in lieu of staying silent, his expression calm. “It’s not."
"But it can be uncomfortable," Supervisor Eun Haje adds on hastily, when it looks like Chief Lizard will not elaborate.
The answer makes her stop, the ringing stopping alongside her paused speech, and she blinks up at the team leader, then at both Eun Haje and Park Minseong. “Oh,” she says, before she nods. The Entity becomes… seemingly normal once more, and the two others slowly lower their hands from their ears, bewildered.
Then, the Entity looks around. “What is this place?” She asks, and they blink, Supervisor Eun Haje taking over the conversation once more.
“Do you not know where you are?”
“No?” The Entity says, sounding genuinely confused. “If I knew, I wouldn’t ask, Falcon unnie.”
Supervisor Eun Haje’s shoulder twitches slightly at the honorifics, before she smirks slightly. “Unnie, huh?” She murmurs, before shrugging. “Fair enough. Then what are you doing here, Ms. Stranger?”
“I’m visiting,” the Entity answers, before she giggles, as if she finds something funny in her answer. The giggles ring like bells, and Park Minseong bites his lip to prevent himself from becoming distracted by it.
“Right,” he says, his tone a bit strangled. “Um… We are at work, Entity-nim. So if we can… excuse ourselves…”
“Oh?” The Entity blinks, bouncing on the tip of her toes as she says, “Well, okay!”
Both Park Minseong and Eun Haje blink.
…It’s that easy?
“Don’t die,” The Entity giggles again, and Park Minseong doesn’t know whether to smile or to stiffen. For a ghost(?) to say something like that is creepier than if someone normal is saying it.
“...Right, thank you very much,” once again, it is Supervisor Eun Haje who seems to have her wits with her, smiling towards the Entity. “May I know your name, Entity-nim?”
The Entity pauses. Opens her mouth. Pauses again, a considering look on her face.
The entire D-squad is silent, waiting to see if she will answer.
Does she even have a name…?
And then,
“Bunny,” the Entity says, a bright smile on her face. “Hmm. No one else in Daydream has that name. Right?”
Park Minseong and Eun Haje’s eyes widen at that blunt question, their bewilderment increasing when their squad leader simply replies.
“Yes.”
The Entity—Bunny? Bunny?!?!?—smiles brightly. “Yes! Then I’m Bunny.”
“...Shouldn’t it be Rabbit?” Eun Haje mumbles in a daze. Park Minseong sniffles slightly. Supervisor! Is that something you should wonder aloud about?!
“No. Bunny,” the Entity replies, having heard Eun Haje’s words. “I’m Bunny from now on.”
And then, as if responding to her words, a clear, tinkling sound can be heard.
And together with it, shadows squirm and form on her face, circling around her neck and extending to the middle of her chest. The two of them stiffen, preparing themselves to run in case something is to happen. Supervisor Eun Haje shoots a glance at Section Chief Lee Jaheon, finding him as calm as ever. Are they not in danger, then…?
Soon after, the shadows stop squirming, and from the remnants of it, the shape of a mask stays on her face.
They stare at her.
It’s… a Bunny mask. It looks like it can be distributed by Daydream, even. And hung around her neck, where the shadows once make a circle and a line— is now a Daydream, Inc. employee ID and lanyard.
…What even…?
The Entity smiles at them. “There, now I’m Bunny!”
No, what the hell…!
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INCIDENT REPORT
Qterw-F-272518
Anomalous Entity appeared within Darkness Qterw-C-■■■■■ where D-squad was sent off to. The Entity seemed to remember and recognize Badger, and was friendly towards them.
The Entity seemed to be able to move between other Darknesses however she pleased. Reports indicated abilities consisting of audiovisual hallucinations and shadow manipulation, including shape or appearance manipulation.
Entity called herself [Bunny] and proceeded to change her appearance to match the Field Exploration Team’s uniform. It is unclear if she is doing this mimicry for a specific reason.
After this anomaly, the entire D-squad’s collectors received C-rank Dream Essence, while Employee Badger, who reported a near contaminated state, received B-rank Dream Essence in lieu of the usual C-rank. This change is attributed to the interaction he had with the Entity.
Her abilities to manipulate shadows, change her appearance and potentially contaminate employees, as well as this Dream Essence rank change are put into consideration. If more incidents and discoveries were to happen, Entity may be put in the D rank classification.
Proposing new name: Shadow Bunny. Waiting for approval.
More research will be conducted to see if we can make the Entity appear. Based on previous incidents, the D-Squad and especially Employee Badger may have a higher chance of meeting this Entity. More monitoring will be done.
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The girl opens her eyes, nuzzling closer to her pillow as she lets herself be comfortable. Her bed is soft and the room is comfortably cold with the A.C on. Her plushies sitting at the corner of the bed, all soft and fluffy. One is hugged close to her chest, and she sighs softly through her nose as she lets her eyes flutter shut once more.
Another dream of GSGW… Though it’s as abstract as ever (tentacle monsters, really?), the fact that she dreamed about it twice is…
Have I been reading the novel too much…? But the webtoon really brought back the hype of the early chapters…!
Sighing once more, she nuzzles her plushie and drifts back to sleep, this time without any dream to accompany her.
Unaware of the true nature of those dreams.