Ch.4Survivors

– 7th Floor.

Swoosh.

The elevator doors open, revealing the 7th floor where the survivors are said to be gathered.

“This floor looks normal.”

“Yes. Completely ordinary.”

As soon as we exit the elevator, something like a game window catches my eye.

– Reality Anchor: Maintains an ordinary space. Continuous supply of supernatural fuel is required to maintain effectiveness.

“Huh?”

“You can see that, right?”

“Yeah.”

“As you can see, this space was deliberately made to be ordinary. This is probably the safest place in the apartment.”

“It’s like a game. You can’t see that, right?”

“Don’t bother confirming it. I get around just fine without it, you know? If necessary, someone else can read it for me.”

“Alright…”

Beep-beep-

Daju enters the door lock password and opens the door to apartment 701.

“Sir! We’re here!”

“Stop being so loud and put down your stuff.”

“Yes~”

I looked around.

The layout is like a normal home, but the interior is unusual in many ways.

First, there are long tables and chairs filling the place. Plus, there are piles of paper documents on the floor. There are also traces of someone trying to make some kind of tool. Is that a map they were drawing? In short, it feels like a university department office. It seems they don’t actually live here but gather for important meetings.

Rustle rustle.

Meanwhile, the man doesn’t even glance at me as he examines the bag. He has a somewhat intimidating presence. He looks exactly like my high school disciplinary teacher.

“Wasn’t there any furniture?”

“I spotted some but it was too heavy to bring. I’m not sure if it’s still intact though.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“A monster appeared and gave us trouble. Had to set off some bombs too.”

“Why would it appear on the 11th floor?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it was bored and wanted to explore new places.”

“Sigh… Fine. Next time I’ll have to send you with weapons even to the 11th floor. We’ve been too careless until now. Going there whenever you’re bored like it’s some shopping trip.”

It seems the 11th floor was relatively safe. Also, it implies that other places are dangerous enough that you can’t move around without weapons. Makes sense. If you encounter creatures like the one asking to open the door last night or that black beast just now, you couldn’t survive by just running away.

From the way he speaks, this man seems to be the leader.

“I know, right? Everyone’s gone crazy.”

“You! You’re the worst! Are you going out for fun? Huh? And why are you dragging other people along? Do you have a death wish?”

“I get bored to death if I just stay in my room!”

“You can’t even observe anomalies properly, yet you’re going out? Wandering off alone? Are you insane? If you’re bored, just read books in your room, please. Please!!!”

“Are you a student? New here?”

“Huh?”

“Ah, um… yes.”

I was startled when he suddenly changed the subject after yelling.

“She’s not a student, she’s older than me,”

“Yoon Daju, don’t interrupt and stay quiet. How long have you been here, miss?”

“I moved in yesterday. Originally I was a man, but when I woke up, I was like this.”

“Hmph.”

“Please don’t laugh…”

“I’m not laughing, I’m just dumbfounded. This is serious.”

“Yoon Daju does.”

“This girl is crazy.”

When the man glares at her, Daju shrugs her shoulders while showing me her fist.

“Help me. I think I’ll develop neurosis if I stay near her.”

“Me too. But what can we do?”

“Maybe she’ll learn her lesson if she gets hurt badly once?”

“She only behaves in front of that person.”

“Hah…”

“Anyway, you’ve been through a lot. Surviving your first day with all these hardships. I’m Choi Jun-gi, somehow ended up being the leader here.”

“I’m Lim Dabin.”

I shook hands with Choi Jun-gi.

He seems like a big person, both in height and hand size. No, is this just because I’ve become smaller?

“I understand the situation now, so you should rest after finding a place to stay.”

“Yes…”

“Daju, please show her around.”

“What???”

I feel a chill down my spine.

“Yoon Daju. Stop bullying people and be quiet for once. Later, introduce this person to the others too.”

“Yes~”

“…I’m sorry.”

Right. Other people. If I just endure this once, I can be with other normal people. Just hang in there a little longer.

The 7th floor corridor looks like any normal apartment. I walked with Daju, each of us carrying a bag.

The hiking bag packed with supplies from the 11th floor. It’s been killing me with its weight.

“I should have just left this on the 11th floor. It really got in the way when I was running too.”

“What? I thought you were heroically trying to protect the bag with your life?”

“I just didn’t think to take it off and run. I was in a hurry.”

“Well, it worked out. You saved both your life and the bag.”

“I guess so.”

I seem to be the type who becomes stupid in crisis situations. Like when I was moving boxes on the first day.

“Apartment 704 is vacant now, so you can stay there.”

“There’s no monster asking to open the door at night here, right?”

“No, there isn’t.”

“Can you see it too?”

“What?”

“The monster. You couldn’t see it on the 11th floor.”

Yoon Daju, who’s always smiling, rarely furrows her brow.

“I heard something about not being able to observe anomalies. Is that related?”

“I just can’t see certain beings, I’m not visually impaired. I have absolutely! Absolutely no problem seeing things outside.”

“Can you explain more about this anomaly observation?”

“I don’t know much. Just that there are strange things some people can see and others can’t. That’s about it.”

“You’re not much better than me then.”

“Maybe I should have left you to die in the stairwell.”

“Sorry. That was harsh.”

“Anyway, if you want to learn more about this place, ask someone else. The boss is busy.”

“Was he drawing a map?”

“Yes. He’s looking for a way to escape, but it doesn’t seem to be going well.”

After chatting for a while, we stopped in front of a metal door at the end of the corridor.

“Here’s the storage room.”

“Apartments don’t usually have these, right?”

“Of course we made it. It would be inconvenient for people living together without something like this.”

Clank-

When Daju opens the metal door, a wide, dark space appears. A dry, cool breeze blows from inside.

“You can put your stuff down and organize it inside.”

“So this floor isn’t completely ordinary after all.”

It’s an impossibly large area at a glance.

It’s well-stocked with shelves for food, washing machines, refrigerators, and more.

“Canned goods and dried foods go over there. Perishables go in the refrigerator.”

“What about dishes and pots?”

“They go in those drawers down there.”

Looking around, everything is well-organized. This is nothing like a shared goshiwon refrigerator. That man… is he actually an excellent leader? This is truly impressive.

“By the way, how do you get electricity here? The power company wouldn’t reach this place.”

“You’ve been asking a lot of questions. You seemed annoyed when I was asking you questions earlier.”

“Isn’t that natural? I’m new here.”

“Saying ‘first time’ over and over sounds kind of dirty. Is it your first time, sister?”

“You crazy girl.”

“There are useful things here too, not just dangerous ones. Someone brought in something like a magic generator before. Since then, this floor has had electricity.”

“I see.”

“Just hurry up and organize your stuff. We’ll never finish if you keep asking questions.”

“Ah. Got it.”

I started emptying the bag and sorting everything.

Food in the refrigerator. Miscellaneous items in drawers. Trash in the trash can.

While looking around, I noticed a strange sound coming from somewhere.

I hope this isn’t something only I can hear.

Tok tok. Tap tap tap.

Tok. Tok.

Where is that sound coming from? Over there?

“Hello.”

“Huh!”

I almost screamed.

“Oh, hello.”

In a dark corner of the storage room, a woman is typing on a laptop.

Reddish-brown hair tied back, round glasses. Thin build, and a face so pale it looks like she never goes outside.

“……”

“……”

She has a mysterious impression, but it feels very awkward.

She seems neither interested nor disinterested in me. When I try to walk past, she stares at me.

“…?”

When I stand still, she focuses back on typing.

“Yes?”

“……”

Say something!!!

Having no choice, I spoke first.

“What are you doing here?”

“Writing.”

“You’re writing a novel?”

“The storage room helps me concentrate.”

Glance.

The woman briefly turns her gaze.

“Are you new here? You look like a student.”

“I’m not a student. I was originally a man, but when I woke up, I was like this.”

“Interesting.”

Back to focusing on her laptop.

She seems like a very peculiar person. Speaking casually from our first meeting and showing little interest, but strangely, it’s not unpleasant. Rather, it feels mysterious? Maybe it’s because of her appearance. Perhaps it’s because her voice is thin and calm.

“Well, I’ll be going then?”

“Wait, wait.”

“Yes.”

“What’s your name?”

“Lim Dabin.”

“I’m Choi Serim. How old are you?”

“Twenty-four.”

“Two years younger than me.”

So she’s twenty-six?

While examining Choi Serim, our eyes met over the laptop.

“Eep.”

Choi Serim hastily averts her gaze. Pretending to type quickly. She seems to be typing three times faster than when she was writing alone.

“I’ll go now.”

“Bye.”

Choi Serim waves her hand, still in the same position leaning against the wall.

Isn’t that extremely uncomfortable?

“You’ll ruin your back like I did.”

“?”

“Do some stretching now and then. I ruined my back sitting like that and had to go to the hospital.”

“…Okay.”

“I’m going!”

Now I’m really leaving.

“Thanks.”

“No need to thank me. I’m just sharing from experience.”

When I came back to the storage entrance, Daju was organizing the items.

“What were you doing?”

“I met someone. Choi Serim.”

“What? Who?”

“Choi Serim. Don’t you all know each other here?”

“Choi Serim!!!? Who on earth did you meet!!!?”

“Huh?”

“There’s no such person here!!!!!!”

As Daju screams and I start to get goosebumps…

“Yoon Daju, stop talking nonsense!!!”

Choi Serim’s voice came from the corner of the storage room.

“Hahaha! That sister’s voice is so funny when she yells.”

“So. You don’t just bully me.”

I wonder how she managed to provoke such a quiet person like that.

This is scary in a different way.

* * *

Apartment 704.

It used to be occupied by a male college student who didn’t return from an expedition two weeks ago, so it became vacant.

“Here you go. You can stay here. It should be comfortable since a man used to live here, right?”

“I suppose.”

It would have been more uncomfortable if they had me stay in a woman’s room just because I became one.

“I’ve brought all the clothes you’ll need, so don’t be shy and make yourself comfortable.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it.”

My response wasn’t what she expected, as Daju’s eyes widened.

“What? You’re not screaming?”

“No. I mean, I was a man before, so it would be awkward if I had to go get things like underwear myself…”

Squeeze.

“Cute.”

“I told you not to do that.”

“You’re so adorable.”

Squeeeeeze.

“Hey!!! Let go! That hurts!”

“Then I’ll be going!”

Daju quickly leaves the apartment. Once again, I’m left alone in an empty home.

Surprisingly, the bed and furniture are still here. No, wait. This was a normal apartment, so this is normal, right?

Swoosh-

The plumbing works fine too.

First, I wash my hands, then flop down on the bed.

Ugh. It smells.

They say women are more sensitive to smells. Maybe that’s why. I used to wonder why female teachers would make faces after gym class. Was this the reason?

No. No. I don’t want to understand this…

I should get some Febreze. I saw all kinds of items piled up in the storage room. There must be air fresheners or deodorizers. Plus, I need to bring my moving boxes, but that can wait. Going down to the 6th floor alone could be dangerous.

First, I quietly open the door-

Bang!!!

-Ugh. This damn apartment.

Just as I was about to head toward the storage room, I heard the elevator opening behind me.