WETRIED TRANSLATIONS

The Legendary Newbie of the Ghost Story Labyrinth

[Translator – Aren]

Chapter 31 - Manager's Office (2)

A chill crawled down Park Minho’s spine.

'Is she a ghost…?'

That was the most natural conclusion. But he quickly shook his head.

‘No, she felt too real for that.'

He knew, because he had carried her himself. Yumi had been frozen in fear because of the Cleaning Supervisor and couldn’t even walk properly, so Park Minho had ended up carrying her on his back.

The labored breathing against his back, her body heat, and her weight he had felt all proved that there was no way that she was a ghost.

Even their first meeting confirmed that.

'If she were a ghost, why bother opening a vent? She could’ve just walked through the wall.’

So, if she wasn’t an anomalous entity and not a ghost either, then what was Lee Yumi?

"Hmm......."

After thinking for a while, Park Minho recalled two strange inconsistencies.

The first was at the vending machine.

Lee Yumi had pressed the button multiple times to get a gun.

However, the machine never responded, so Park Minho had to press it for her.

'At the time, I thought she just didn’t press hard enough…’

But what if the machine had simply refused to sell to someone who wasn’t qualified?

The second was the Cleaning Supervisor’s reaction.

When it saw Yumi, its eyes glowed red, and it immediately tried to eliminate her.

‘It even called her a contaminant.'

Park Minho had barely stopped it by invoking the Manager’s authority, but now that he thought about it, the Cleaning Supervisor’s reaction had been a bit extreme.

Normally, it ignored people like Park Minho and Seol Suyeon entirely. It wasn’t an aggressive entity.

Sure, they were registered occupants, but even then, it didn’t make sense.

'Even the Manager doesn’t kill trespassers immediately. It checks if they can pay first.’

But the Cleaning Supervisor? It tried to kill her on sight. That just didn’t line up.

Especially since the Cleaning Supervisor clearly ranked below the Manager, considering that it obeyed Park Minho when he invoked that entity’s authority.

‘Putting those two incidents together, it seems like Lee Yumi is something the Goshiwon Backrooms itself rejects and is trying to erase.'

Then what exactly is she?

After pondering for a long time, Park Minho muttered uncertainly.

"A bug......?"

* * *

Park Minho quickly returned to Room 303. He needed help figuring this out.

He explained everything on the forum and asked what Lee Yumi might be. But even the veteran users, who usually knew everything, were divided.

ㄴIsn’t she just a ghost?

ㄴ(LostHassan) Idiot, how is that a ghost?

ㄴThen what is she?

ㄴ(Chiavelli) Maybe some kind of doppelgänger entity?

ㄴThat actually sounds plausible…

ㄴ(LostHassan) The scanner didn’t react, dumbass. Did you forget the post already, you goldfish brain???

The discussion went nowhere with nothing but pointless arguing back and forth.

Then a new user with a name appeared.

ㄴ(NCEInstaReject) Sounds like I know what that is. I’ve experienced something similar.

The username was suspicious as hell, but it was still worth hearing them out.

ㄴ(Cheezza) What do you think she is?

ㄴ(NCEInstaReject) Based on my experience, that Yumi you met is basically bugged residual data. Let’s call it a ‘ghost record.’

ㄴ(Cheezza) Ghost record??

ㄴ(NCEInstaReject) Yeah. Data that bugged out and wasn’t properly deleted, just left behind like garbage.

According to him, the real Lee Yumi had definitely died four months ago.

ㄴ(NCEInstaReject) The problem is, something went seriously wrong during the Manager’s check-out process. That’s what created a bugged ghost record.

ㄴ(Cheezza) Something went wrong during the checkout? How does that even happen?

ㄴ(NCEInstaReject) Dunno about her case exactly, but mine happened during a shutdown.

Apparently, the Backrooms periodically underwent ‘shutdowns’ to restore systems and fix errors.

If that happened during a checkout, it could leave behind corrupted data like this.

ㄴ(NCEInstaReject) You know how Windows tells you not to turn off your PC during updates? A shutdown is like pulling the plug mid-update. That’s how something like her gets created.

ㄴ(Cheezza) So the Lee Yumi I met isn’t the real one from four months ago?

ㄴ(NCEInstaReject) Yehyeh. She’s like an echo, a shadow, a snapshot left behind. Just a theory, though. If you talk to her the way I tell you, you can confirm it.

Park Minho had to meet Lee Yumi anyway to pay her. After asking a few more questions, he decided to verify it himself.

* * *

"Mister!"

Lee Yumi showed up at Good Stay Goshiwon. Park Minho had called her over to eat together. She came swinging the gun he bought her, looking noticeably brighter.

"Yumi, come in. This is Seol Suyeon. She’s been traveling with me.”

Park Minho introduced Seol Suyeon, who was standing next to him, to her.

“Nice to meet you, Unni! Are you feeling better?”

"Nice to meet you, Yumi. I heard you helped Oppa get to the vending machine. Thank you so much.”

Lee Yumi looked genuinely happy to meet someone around her age. Meanwhile, Seol Suyeon seemed a bit tense.

She knew that Yumi was a ghost record. And she didn’t know how to treat her because of it.

Honestly, Park Minho felt the same way.

But in the end he decided to treat Lee Yumi as she appeared and felt.

Even if she were a ghost record, she wasn’t anything dangerous after all. NCEInstaReject had said as much at least.

ㄴ(Cheezza) Is she dangerous?

ㄴ(NCEInstaReject) Nah. More like pitiful. She’s wandering around without even knowing she’s not real.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Let’s head into Room 303 first.”

“But what are we eating, Mister? Ramen?”

"Do you always just eat ramen here?”

“Yeah, I mean, I’m grateful there’s food, but…honestly, I’m sick of it. Still, eating with you guys makes it better.”

“Get ready. Today’s menu’s different.”

"Huh? What is it?”

Inside Room 303, Park Minho laid out what he had prepared.

"Tada! Military rations.”

"Oh? Isn’t that what soldiers eat? I saw it on YouTube! I’ve always wanted to try it!”

From Lee Yumi’s perspective, it was fascinating. She picked up the box with a handle, eyes sparkling.

"What’s this pull-tab thing?”

“If you pull that, it heats up the food.”

"Ooooooh!”

The mood during the meal turned out to be much better than expected. Whatever she really was, Lee Yumi was simply Lee Yumi.

Maybe Seol Suyeon felt that too, because she relaxed and became much friendlier.

“Want to try pulling it? If you can’t, I’ll do it for you.”

"Ah! I’ll try! Woooaaah! It’s steaming!"

Lee Yumi was amazed by how many different items came in the military ration.

"Fried rice, sausage, pound cake, even juice? No way!”

For someone who had been living off instant ramen, this was basically a whole new world.

"Mister! Can I try some of yours too? Unni, wanna trade with me?”

Park Minho and Seol Suyeon ended up giving Lee Yumi even their desserts, and after tasting something sweet for the first time in a while, she stuffed her cheeks like a hamster.

"Hehe, this is so good.”

“Yumi, you’re spilling, you’re spilling.”

The rare, happy mealtime passed by in the blink of an eye.

Park Minho felt a weight settle in his chest, but he realized it was time to ask what that gallery user had told him to.

ㄴ(NCEInstaReject) That thing isn’t the real Lee Yumi. Ask her about her memories. She’ll only know vague stuff.

So Park Minho asked.

“Yumi, what was your life like before you came to the Backrooms?”

At that, Lee Yumi gave an awkward smile before answering.

“Well, I don’t really know. I can’t remember clearly.”

"......."

“I know I’m Lee Yumi. I know I went to school and that I had a family. I had friends, went to cram school, and all that…but everything’s blurry. I can’t really remember it properly.”

Lee Yumi looked confused.

"Sometimes it feels weird. Like… Why am I even here? Maybe coming to the Backrooms shocked me so much I got amnesia or something. But I think I'll remember again someday.”

She forced a bright smile and tapped the gun in her arms.

"Still, having this makes me feel safe for some reason. And this might sound weird, but it’s like the prickly feeling in my back is gone? Hehe. Anyway, thank you, Mister.”

For a moment, Park Minho’s expression froze as the entry record flashed through his mind.

[Occupant: Lee Yumi]

[Note: Deceased due to gunshot wound]

Lee Yumi hesitated for a second, then asked as if she’d made up her mind.

"Erm, Mister......”

"Yeah?”

“Can I leave this place too? If it’s okay with you, I’d like to go to another level with you two.”

“...”

“If I get out, maybe I’ll get my memories back. My mom, my dad, our dog…Yeah! I’m sure we had a white dog! If I leave, I’ll remember everything, right?”

The face she made as she asked was completely innocent. Seeing that, Park Minho recalled what the gallery user had said.

ㄴ(NCEInstaReject) Ghost records can’t leave the level they’re tied to. They’re bound to it. They just wander around endlessly, basically like ghosts, without even knowing why.

Lee Yumi fidgeted with her hands as she made her request.

"I’m really sorry for asking this, but…could you take me with you? I’ll practice shooting! I’ll work really hard! I’m actually really quick, you know? I think I’d be a good teammate. What do you think…?”

"Yumi..."

"I didn't have the courage before. I was too scared to go to another floor. But if I just keep hiding like this…I’ll never get out, and I’ll never get my memories back, right? My mom and dad are probably waiting for me…and our dog too…”

As she said that, Lee Yumi suddenly smiled, as if she’d just remembered something.

"If we get out, will you and Unni come eat tteokbokki with me? There’s a really good place right in front of my school. I’ll treat you!”

She said it like she was introducing them to somewhere truly special. In her mind, she was already filled with thoughts of what she’d do with Park Minho and Seol Suyeon outside.

"Yumi..."

In the end, unable to hold back any longer, Seol Suyeon pulled Yumi into a tight hug. She had read the gallery comments too, so she knew everything.

Seol Suyeon thought Yumi felt so very small. And through her school uniform shirt, she could clearly feel the trace of something that had pierced straight through her.

She couldn’t bring herself to let go and instead held Yumi even tighter.

"Huh? Unni? What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

Lee Yumi sounded flustered, but maybe she liked the warmth, seeing her let out a small laugh. Still hugging Seol Suyeon, she turned her head toward Park Minho.

"Seeing you, Mister, gave me courage. You don’t have to give me that gold! If you just take me with you, I’ll work hard. I won’t be a burden! I promise!”

In the Goshiwon Backrooms, the way to move to the next floor was by using the elevator. You could ride it by buying a pass or using the Manager’s master key.

The problem was, from what Park Minho had heard, ghost records couldn’t use the elevator. Park Minho recalled the last part of his conversation with the gallery user.

ㄴ(Cheezza) If she really is a ghost record, then what?

ㄴ(NCEInstaReject) Just leave her. She’ll disappear during the next shutdown anyway.

A being that wandered endlessly, not knowing if it was fake, only to vanish during the next shutdown.

"Mister. So, what do you think?”

Lee Yumi looked at him, hesitant in case she’d be rejected, but still holding onto hope.

'Ah…Damn it.'

Park Minho bit down on his lip as something surged up inside him.

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