Chapter 314: Who’s There?
At this point, the Branch Chief probably sees us as a reasonably useful isolation-object assessment team, right?
Lost in thought after seeing the Ppang Hammer, Yu Daon picked it up.
"I wonder what it is this time?"
"I'm already getting a bad feeling."
"..."
Jang Chae-yeon and Song A-rin stared uneasily at Yu Daon holding the Ppang Hammer.
"Team Leader, perhaps this... ...Team Leader?"
And the Team Leader, who had vanished without a trace. It was complete chaos.
"I'll read the instructions."
As if completely ignoring our concerns, Yu Daon began reading the manual.
"Ahem, ahem. 'Rock-Paper-Scissors, the Joyful Ppang Hammer.'"
Just the name is worrying.
"Is there a rule or something?"
"Yes. I'll read it to you."
Yu Daon cleared her throat and began reading the instructions again.
"If you hit someone on the head with this Ppang Hammer, they will immediately speak their current thoughts out loud."
"Put that back right now. It's a dangerous isolation object."
"What in the world are you thinking that makes you call it dangerous, A-rin?"
"Shut up. I don't want other people reading my thoughts."
"You read other people's thoughts."
"If you don't shut up right now, I'll make you dance tap dance for the rest of your life, so shut up, White-Hair."
Song A-rin and Jang Chae-yeon growled at each other. Watching them, I turned my gaze to Yu Daon.
"Maybe you should stop reading there for now, just in case, Daon-ssi?"
Hearing me, Yu Daon muttered in a bewildered voice and continued reading the manual.
"Well, I guess you could say it's reading itself against my will..."
"This is insane."
Song A-rin sighed, and Jang Chae-yeon also began to loosen up her hands. Even though it's called a 'Funny Box,' we all felt like we were preparing for war.
"In order to hit a person's head with this Ppang Hammer, you must first play Rock-Paper-Scissors. Only the winner has the right to strike the opponent's head."
"..."
Jang Chae-yeon looked at me and the others with an expression of disbelief. Song A-rin and Park Ye-eun also shared an awkward glance.
"The person who wins the most Rock-Paper-Scissors games will receive a small prize provided by the Ppang Hammer. If you're unlucky, you might get candy, but if you're lucky, you could receive the right to participate in new product demonstrations hosted by our company."
"The right?"
"Um... Let me see. It says 'Stationery Store'?"
Stationery Store? Isn't that the place that made that game before? The one where I got that garbage job like Casanova or something that seriously damaged my dignity.
Yu Daon, who had been stumbling over the words, continued reading the manual.
"And since reading this manual usually makes people reluctant to play the game, we grant the holder the authority to forcibly initiate the game with those around them."
"..."
"The game starts with the person holding the Ppang Hammer. Uh, uhh...!"
At the same time, Yu Daon looked at Jang Chae-yeon beside her and thrust out her hand.
"Rock-Paper-Scissors...!"
"...Paper..."
Jang Chae-yeon reached out her hand to respond to Yu Daon's game, and the result came out.
Yu Daon: Rock. Jang Chae-yeon: Paper.
Jang Chae-yeon had won.
As if she had expected it, Jang Chae-yeon snatched the Ppang Hammer and hit Yu Daon on the head.
-Thwack!
With a cute sound, Yu Daon covered her head and bowed it.
"Does it hurt?"
"..."
"Daon-ssi?"
"I, I didn't hit her hard."
Jang Chae-yeon replied in a flustered voice, and soon Yu Daon raised her eyes and looked at Jang Chae-yeon.
"..."
She said nothing.
She just stared at Jang Chae-yeon with a gaze full of irritation.
Faced with this expression of hers that we were seeing for the first time, none of us could say anything.
Me, Song A-rin, and Park Ye-eun were all the same.
It was a far cry from the smile Yu Daon always showed.
Jang Chae-yeon, who received that gaze, looked at Yu Daon in confusion for a moment. Then Yu Daon, who had been staring at her irritably without a word, hastily slapped her own cheeks and bowed her head before raising it again.
"Sorry, sorry! I think I got a little irritated from getting hit on the head! Chae-yeon-ssi! I'm really sorry!"
"..."
Hearing Yu Daon's apology, Jang Chae-yeon looked at her with a complicated expression and shook her head.
"No, don't worry about it."
"Sorry..."
"It's fine."
Jang Chae-yeon shook her head again. Yu Daon made an awkward face, scratched her cheek, and handed the Ppang Hammer to Jang Chae-yeon.
"Here you go."
"...Why are you giving this to me?"
"The Ppang Hammer said the winner uses it."
"...The Ppang Hammer told you?"
"Uhm, you'll understand when you get hit later."
Jang Chae-yeon, with a confused expression, took the Ppang Hammer from Yu Daon and looked around.
She looked at Park Ye-eun, at me, then at Song A-rin, and finally approached me.
"You."
"...Me?"
"Yeah. You."
I thought she'd pick Song A-rin, but why did she specifically choose me?
"Let's do it. Rock-Paper-Scissors."
"Uh..."
Before my thoughts could even finish, Jang Chae-yeon initiated Rock-Paper-Scissors. Flustered, I also raised my hand in time with her rhythm.
Jang Chae-yeon: Paper. Me: Scissors.
I won.
Jang Chae-yeon let out a small sigh, handed me the Ppang Hammer, and slightly bowed her head.
"Hit me."
Looking at her round head, I felt a strange sense of sadism. Why is that?
Stop having weird thoughts and just swing the Ppang Hammer.
Holding the Ppang Hammer, I swung it lightly at Jang Chae-yeon's head.
-Thwack!
With a sound like air escaping, Jang Chae-yeon covered her head.
I didn't hit her hard.
"..."
"..."
Looking around, Yu Daon and Song A-rin were staring at Jang Chae-yeon with extremely tense expressions.
Why are they so nervous? Do they think Jang Chae-yeon is going to attack them or something?
My thoughts were cut short as Jang Chae-yeon suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me.
"Chae-yeon-ssi?"
Then she hugged me tightly.
A citrus scent wafted momentarily, and she hugged me even tighter.
I could feel her breath against my ear, and she held me so tightly that I could feel our heartbeats. Burying her face in my shoulder, she held on.
"Ch-Ch-Ch-Chae-yeon-ssi...?"
Suppressing my trembling voice, I called her name as calmly as possible.
I was beyond flustered; it felt like I couldn't process what was happening.
"..."
Without a word, Jang Chae-yeon continued to hold me. Just as I thought my face might explode from embarrassment, Song A-rin shouted irritably and intervened between us.
"Hey! That's enough! That's enough! What are you doing hugging all day! And you, why are you just standing there looking so happy!"
So, does that mean I should push her away?
I looked at Song A-rin with an expression of injustice, but she snorted and separated Jang Chae-yeon and me.
"...S-Sorry."
Jang Chae-yeon bowed her head, unable to look me in the face. I also couldn't properly look at her face as I accepted her apology.
"No, it's... um. It happens."
"..."
"..."
The silence continued. Song A-rin looked at me irritably.
"Hey, what are you doing? You won, so quickly pick the next person."
"Ah, yes. Understood."
Still, I was grateful to Song A-rin for breaking the awkward atmosphere.
Letting out a small sigh, I lifted the hammer.
Who should I hit?
"..."
I had to choose between Park Ye-eun, Yu Daon, and Song A-rin.
I glanced at Song A-rin.
She was staring straight at me as if expecting something.
I turned my gaze to someone else.
Park Ye-eun was watching us with apparent enjoyment.
For the youngest one, she always takes a step back in situations like this and just observes.
Was it a feeling of pity, or was it a thought that I couldn't be the only one to suffer?
"Park Ye-eun, come here."
"...Me?"
"Yeah, you."
At my words, Park Ye-eun hesitated and came over.
"No, why me and not the others..."
"Because you're just watching too much."
"...I don't need any consideration."
"Listen to the kid talking about receiving consideration or not. Just quietly play Rock-Paper-Scissors."
"...Okay."
I could feel Song A-rin's intense gaze from behind, but I ignored it and raised my hand.
"Rock... Paper... Scissors...!"
"Rock-Paper-Scissors!"
Our hands crossed.
I had Rock. Park Ye-eun had Paper.
"I won!"
Park Ye-eun raised both hands, shouted joyfully, and started hopping around.
She ran around a few times, then reached out and took the Ppang Hammer from me.
"Then I'll hit you with this?"
"Sure."
Then, Park Ye-eun swung the Ppang Hammer and hit my head.
"Yah!"
-Thwock!
The Ppang Hammer touched my head,
and instantly, with a slight headache, my eyes closed.
Thoughts connected.
The thoughts I was having passed by me like a movie.
Song A-rin, the Manual, this and that.
Will Song A-rin be okay? Is Yu Daon getting stressed because of her ability? Did Jang Chae-yeon really resolve things properly with the Observer?
And most of all,
the image of the child holding my hand and crying came to mind.
I wonder if they recovered properly.
"...ji..."
The moment I opened my eyes, I was uttering the last word.
"..."
I looked around.
The others were staring at me with bewildered expressions.
"Uh, so... what did I say?"
"...Your worries."
Jang Chae-yeon, who had been quiet until then, spoke.
I had talked about my worries for me, Yu Daon, and Song A-rin.
"..."
Covering my mouth with one hand, I looked at the three of them.
All three were staring intently at me.
Why? Are my worries something worth staring at so intently?
Just as a feeling of bewilderment was beginning to rise, Yu Daon gave an awkward laugh, scratched her cheek, and looked at me.
"Jae-heon-ssi, well, about that..."
"Yes, Daon-ssi."
"Um... that child...? Who is it...? You said it in such a heartbreaking way just now..."
"..."
I didn't know what to say.