Ch.6Columbarium

Silence.

Though only one person has died, the entire floor feels empty. That college student who was the previous owner of the apartment I just moved into. What kind of person were they?

Feeling a vague melancholy, I headed toward the storage room at the end of the hallway.

Tok tok. Todok dok.

A dry, cool breeze blows in. Storage room. A place to pile things brought from outside. Corpses are no exception.

Tok. Tok.

The familiar typing sound. At this rate, I’d believe she really is a ghost bound to this place.

In the corner, Choi Serim was typing on her laptop, still in that same uncomfortable posture that looked perfect for ruining her back.

“You’re still here?”

“I was just about to leave. Over there.”

Choi Serim raised her hand, pointing to the far side of the storage room.

“Ah…”

“I thought I should stay with you.”

There’s the scent of incense.

The columbarium I noticed earlier while organizing the storage room. It’s hidden behind a partition curtain, a place you wouldn’t notice unless you were specifically looking for it.

Drrrk-

“Wait. Hold on. Do you know what that place is?”

Ignoring Choi Serim’s attempt to stop me, I partially folded the partition and carefully stepped inside.

Metal shelves and black boxes. Park Sungjin stood in front of them with his back turned.

“Um, hello.”

Dozens of candles lit in each compartment. The flames flicker with even the slightest movement.

“…Are you new?”

“Yes. Today.”

“Where from?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking where you lived before moving in.”

According to Park Sungjin, there are identical apartments like this across the country. He says it’s strange that they don’t become a hot topic.

But isn’t that more accurate? There weren’t any rumors about getting trapped once you enter.

“You should be careful. You’re still a student. You must have seen that student in the hallway too—if you wander around alone, you’ll end up dead.”

“Yes.”

Park Sungjin lets out a heavy sigh.

“Did you come to pray too?”

“Oh, well… yes.”

“That’s kind of you.”

That wasn’t my original purpose. But I do feel sorry for the college student who died trapped in this apartment. Since they were the previous owner of my unit, they’re not completely unrelated to me. Right? I followed Park Sungjin’s lead, taking out a candle and lighting it.

After spending a moment in remembrance, I returned to the center of the storage room.

“Excuse me, you’ve explored this apartment quite a bit, haven’t you?”

“Yes.”

“It seems like you go out exploring regularly. Is that right?”

“How else would we find an exit? It’s not like I plan to live here forever.”

“Ah. Then I’d like to—”

“Kids should stay home.”

“What?”

Before I could finish speaking, my back was firmly pushed. This was exactly what I came to talk about. Why is this guy so strong?

“Wait! Just wait!”

“What?”

“Even though I look like this now, I’m actually a man!”

“What nonsense.”

“I woke up looking like this, and I want to go back to being a man quickly.”

“…Still no.”

“Oh, come on!”

I know it’s dangerous outside, but I can’t stay cooped up inside forever. That’s how I’ve always lived. I don’t want to give up.

Even my seemingly hopeless dream of becoming a webtoon artist—I never gave up on it, even at the cost of ruining my body. I’m just pretending to quit because of my brother. Actually, that tablet he said I threw away? It’s hidden among my moving boxes. I was planning to secretly practice while working at the company my brother introduced me to.

What about my life? My normal life outside? Waiting for someone else to find an escape route is something I just can’t do.

Of course I’m a bit scared, but I still have to try…

“Then I’ll go outside by myself.”

“Looking at your tantrum, that appearance suits you perfectly.”

“What?”

“It doesn’t make sense that only your gender would change while keeping a normal appearance. Usually, people lose an arm or their head gets messed up. From what I can tell, you’re lying. Want me to tell you why? You left some not-so-important ‘important item’ at your original place. And now you want to find it.”

That’s right. The tablet! I do need to find that…

No, that’s not it.

“That’s not true! I really want to find the exit! And even though I look like this now, I was originally a 24-year-old man!”

“Military service number.”

“What?”

“Recite the military code of conduct.”

“I had back problems. Public service worker.”

“Stop talking nonsense. It’s annoying.”

Park Sungjin turns his head away in irritation.

Todok. Tok.

Choi Serim continues typing on her laptop.

“You’re going to destroy your back.”

“Wow. Dabin said the exact same thing.”

“Is that Dabin?”

“Yes. Lim Dabin.”

“Her back looks fine.”

“I guess it got fixed when my body changed.”

He turns back toward me. Park Sungjin offers a handshake.

“I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Park Sungjin.”

“I’m Lim Dabin.”

“I’m starting to think you might be telling the truth. But it’s still a no. Even college students are young. Like that one.”

Behind me, beyond the partition. The candlelight shines through.

Time for my next card. While shaking his hand with one hand, I pulled out something from my pocket with the other.

“What’s this? Where did you get this?”

“When I went to the 11th floor with Daju.”

To be precise, inside the elevator.

I felt something strange and checked my pocket, and this was inside.

A black mass emitting wisps of smoke in my palm.

“So you can see this. Right?”

“If I can see it, I can take it out, can’t I?”

“You seem to have picked up quite a bit of information.”

“Anomalous observation.”

“Yes. That’s right. How did you get it?”

“When I went to the 11th floor, I met something that looked like a black beast. At first, I was just trying to buy time. But there was gasoline and butane gas nearby, so I used an explosion.”

“You’re very lucky?”

“I have good reflexes.”

“You’re quite the talker.”

“So can I go outside with you?”

Park Sungjin seems to be lost in thought for a moment.

“I know not many people can see this. Even fewer women.”

“Who told you all this?”

“Yoon Daju.”

It happened the last time I was here in the storage room. When I took out what was in my pocket and mocked her for not being able to see what was right in front of her, she defensively rattled off:

– Almost no women can see this, you know?

– And not being able to see this doesn’t cause any problems moving around.

– You think you’ve won because you’re mocking me now? Just wait and see.

“You gather information well, even false information. And you seem to have some brains. Alright. I have one priority goal right now, and after that’s done, you can come along or not. How about that?”

“What’s the goal?”

“Internet connection. You know how electricity works here too, right?”

“Yes. I heard you found some mysterious generator.”

“It’s the same this time. If we find an internet device and bring it here, we can contact the outside. Then we can expect help from outside.”

“Internet… I can believe there’s electricity, but is there really something like that for internet?”

“It’s similar enough. I found a promising space during my last outing.”

Then he continues muttering to himself. He seems absorbed in his own plan.

-If I say I’m leaving now, Choi Jun-gi will try to stop me. So I need to leave secretly. And the sooner the better, so if I’m going to do it, I should do it now…

About a day has passed since I was trapped in this strange apartment.

The people trapped here stay on the safe 7th floor, and explore outside to find food, supplies, necessary items, and ultimately, an exit.

“Lim Dabin!!!”

“Yes?”

“We’re leaving right now. I’ll give you 5 minutes to pack whatever you need in your bag and come out.”

Going to the 11th floor doesn’t count since I didn’t know anything then.

This very moment marked the beginning of my first exploration.