NOVEL NEXT Chapter 214
As Soon as Song Ah-Rin opened her eyes, she found herself sitting in front of the audience area of an old stage.
“That’s just gross, seriously.”
Just as she sighed and was about to get up, the curtains opened and the puppet show began.
In the center stood a puppet with purple hair, resembling Song Ah-Rin closely, while other puppets danced around her, suspended by strings.
Laughter echoed.
“What’s with her? Those creepy eyes and that bad attitude.”
A seemingly ordinary puppet spoke up.
Song Ah-Rin remembered those words.
It was the first story she had ever heard.
Well, to be precise, it was the story she heard after entering the Management Agency and living in the Nursery with other children.
If it were the current Song Ah-Rin, she would have charged at the girl sitting next to her without hesitation or simply headbutted her to resolve the situation, but back then, she was too busy crying in sorrow.
“Wah…”
The puppet of young Song Ah-Rin cried out loud.
Why can’t I be loved?
Why am I rejected by others?
Looking at the crying puppet, the now-adult Song Ah-Rin sighed.
Because it’s only natural.
No one can be loved by everyone.
There will always be people who match her well and others who won’t get along with her at all.
Besides, she wasn’t exactly the most likable person; she was just someone who stumbled in.
If anything, she was more likely to receive disdain than love.
Before she knew it, night had arrived, and the puppet lay on the bed, closing its eyes.
“God…”
Yes. She earnestly wished.
With her pillow soaked in tears, she prayed constantly.
“Please let the other kids like me tomorrow.”
She longed to be loved; she prayed fervently.
And a few days later.
“Ah-Rin! Come play with me!”
“No! Ah-Rin is playing with me!”
“Me!”
Her dream came true.
She was loved by everyone and received kindness from all.
The puppets that used to tease her were now laughing and playing with her.
Until one day, a man wearing sunglasses appeared and took her away.
As the stage changed, the puppet with sunglasses gazed at Song Ah-Rin’s puppet.
“You can control people’s hearts, you know.”
“Huh…?”
“Yes. You might be surprised. But—”
“Then.”
Cutting off the man’s words, Song Ah-Rin asked one question.
“Those kids aren’t being controlled by me, right?”
“…”
The man did not respond.
As Song Ah-Rin looked on with a grim expression, she clearly remembered the feeling she had felt then.
Despair.
That love she had longed for was nothing but an event triggered because she wished for it.
It wasn’t magic; those kids had to pretend to like her while actually disliking her.
In the end, she had never been truly loved.
“…”
She got up from the decrepit chair.
With a creak, the old spring released its sound.
She had to go.
Once she waved her hand, a few threads shot out and closed the curtain.
“…Right now, that’s not what’s important.”
At this moment, saving the man was her top priority.
Ignoring the ongoing puppet show, she moved ahead.
What she had to do wasn’t this.
– Swish!
Just as she was about to take a step, the familiar sound of a page turning made her turn to the side.
[Manual for Office Staff]
It was a manual.
Why is this here?
She picked up the manual with a puzzled expression as she looked around.
“…Ugh.”
As always, a sharp pain shot through her temple.
The manual unfurled.
[Manual for Office Staff]
[PLK – When navigating through darkness.]
2. Open the manual and concentrate. It will be nauseating. That’s just how the Management Agency’s manuals are.
3. But endure it. To find what you desire, it is something you must bear.
4. Move forward.
– Swish!
As the manual opened, a bright light burst forth.
“What on earth is this manual?”
With a headache stronger than usual, Song Ah-Rin squinted and picked up the manual.
The bright light drove away the darkness that obscured her vision ahead.
“…Alright. I’ll make use of you.”
Muttering to herself, Song Ah-Rin continued on her path.
“You better do well too.”
Of course, the manual, being a book, didn’t answer, but it felt as if it were saying, just do your part.
Song Ah-Rin’s figure faded into the darkness.
*
She looked around the pitch-black backstage.
She had thought escaping from home would yield some benefits, but instead, all that lay before her was a stage devoid of anything special.
If puppets were still being controlled from behind, what had happened that now there were no puppets?
Slowly searching for a way out.
A shabby set.
But then again, it was just that.
“If there’s an entrance, there must be an exit.”
If there’s an entryway, there must be an exit.
Otherwise, no one could get in.
If there’s an entrance, there will be an exit.
Based on that logic, she scanned her surroundings.
However, despite searching, she saw nothing.
“…Damn it.”
There wasn’t even a door to enter another room.
How long had she wandered around?
“…”
A door that definitely hadn’t existed before stood solidly in the center.
She had never seen anything like this.
A door marked [EXIT].
The wooden door appeared in front of her before she knew it.
“…”
She hurriedly reached for the door but then froze.
While I was looking around here just moments ago, that door had certainly not been visible.
The appearance of the door meant—
In a hurry, she dashed into the corner as if diving into the audience.
-Creak…
The door opened, and she heard someone coming in.
“…”
Not that she was breathless, but she instinctively covered her mouth with one hand and looked up.
There stood Song Ah-Rin.
No, it wasn’t Song Ah-Rin.
The Theater Company Chief was there.
Adjusting her hat, which had slipped down, she looked ahead.
“…As expected.”
Muttering while looking at the broken screen.
“I thought someone would escape the moment I stepped away.”
-Swish!
As she waved her hand, the host puppet that had just been lying down sprang to life.
“…”
She stared intently at the host puppet.
“…”
“Speak.”
“…”
“I’ll grant you the freedom to speak.”
“Please, help me!”
Before the Theater Company Chief could finish speaking, the host shouted in terror, looking up at her.
“What did you see?”
“Uh, n-no?”
“Nothing?”
The Theater Company Chief tilted her head, looking at the puppet.
“I told you to keep a good watch.”
“…Eek…”
“You weren’t watching properly, were you?”
With a cold voice, the Theater Company Chief muttered, and the host shrieked once more in terror.
“Please, let me go! The pain is too much, I can’t take it anymore…!”
-Crack!
Before the puppet could finish speaking, the Theater Company Chief turned her hand.
In that instant, threads shot out, snapping the puppet’s neck, leaving it limp.
“Useless.”
Muttering to herself as she walked away, the puppet fell with a thud.
As the Theater Company Chief scanned her surroundings, she muttered, “What has come.”
And as she walked away, the hem of her clothes fluttered, and the door opened, disappearing completely.
Just before the door closed, she quickly ran and wedged her hand in the closing crack.
-Ouch!
With a small sound, her wooden finger was crushed, but she managed to stop the door from closing.
“…”
Sighing in relief, she glanced to the side.
Now, the host was truly nothing but a puppet with cut strings.
Had he had been alive before? What of the pain?
Full of unknowns, but for now, she had to move on.
-Creak…
Slowly opening the door.
Before her lay a dimly lit corridor of the theater.
Only the emergency exit lights were occasionally lit.
Next to her was a popcorn machine that had gone dark, and the popcorn bin was covered in dust, indicating that this place hadn’t been used for a long time.
However, it wasn’t too dirty either, as if someone had been cleaning here consistently.
Next to it, a poster was affixed.
It was a puppet show poster.
The titles read [The Life of Happiness], [Methods to Overcome Sadness].
“…Damn it…”
Was my body starting to fall apart now?
My arms are barely able to move at all.
Fortunately, I hadn’t used my legs excessively, anticipating such a situation.
Dragging my limp arms, I started moving.
As I walked through the darkened theater corridor, I peered outside.
The window revealed nothing but a pitch-black scenery as if blocked by something.
As I continued walking slowly, a bright light began to shine from afar.
“…”
-Swish!
The familiar sound of a page turning.
“Stop opening pages, it’s giving me a headache.”
And a blunt voice followed.
Even though it was the same voice, I knew it was different.
I hurried toward that direction.
Song Ah-Rin was holding a manual.
A manual glowing with a bright light like a flashlight.
“Ah-Rin!”
Before I could act, the bright light suddenly turned red, shining on my body.
Simultaneously, strength drained from my body, and I collapsed to the ground without a moment to react.
“Wait—”
“Hey! That’s the guy!”
Song Ah-Rin, who had been stiff at the sight of me, threw away the manual and rushed over.
“Hey, you. W-what happened to you?”
“Ah-Rin.”
“This, a puppet…? Wait a minute…”
As Song Ah-Rin mumbled, she supported me.
“You’re light.”
“Because I’m made of wood.”
“Isn’t wood heavy?”
She looked at the manual that had fallen on the floor.
[Manual for Office Staff]
[SRY – Recommendations]
1. The manual has no eyes.
2. It has no nose.
3. It judges situations by feel.
4. It is not meant to harm you. It merely acts instinctively.
5. I’m sorry.
“Ah-Rin, can you pick up the manual? My arms are completely wrecked.”
“Sure.”
Song Ah-Rin picked up the manual and looked at me.
“At least I’m glad. …I thought you had completely vanished.”
“So did I.”
“…So, what do we do now?”
“…First, should we look for the main body?”
Running away now would be pointless since my body was a puppet’s.
“That’s only natural. But do we have a way?”
Song Ah-Rin looked at me curiously.
I recalled the host’s words.
Pain, and movement.
“…Yes. I think I understand.”
A feeling surged within me.