The inside of the refrigerator was surprisingly comfortable.
It seemed to have been clean originally, but thanks to the hungry Jellies causing a commotion, it appears to have become a mess.
The Jellies inside the refrigerator happily wiggled and passed me the leftover food, seeming to enjoy my presence here as well.
Though technically, it wasn’t the Jellies but Daesik, but whatever.
I wasn’t particularly hungry, but since it was being offered to me, I didn’t refuse and shoved it into my stomach.
I can taste the rawness of uncooked ingredients.
It seems whatever was prepared here has already been eaten.
…Truly, without someone managing them, I doubt anyone could handle these voracious appetites.
Anyway.
Because my body is soft, it felt unexpectedly cool and pleasant, and even though I had thought about opening the door and going out, I decided to stay inside.
Not long after, the light inside went off, and I could hear Kim Cheon-soo leaving with Yang Ha-na.
Now the only sounds reaching me are the refrigerator noises and the Jellies’ wriggling.
Small Sosik, already sprawled out inside the refrigerator, is like that, and the other Jellies don’t seem to have any intention of going outside either.
…Well, to them, there probably isn’t much difference between this and a bed, I suppose.
Sosik can sleep just fine even on the hard Sphere.
Regardless of that…
Being in such a confined space like this… gives me a sense of security.
When I passed through the vent, it only irritated me, so why does the refrigerator feel so comfortable?
Is it because I chose to confine myself here?
Or… Is it because, surrounded by inanimate objects, I feel my strange abilities won’t manifest?
…Though this stainless steel enclosure probably has little significance.
Should I test it?
I contemplated sending a signal to Kim Cheon-soo in the kitchen to come, but ultimately decided against it.
Even if Kim Cheon-soo is as mild-tempered as he seems, calling him twice in a day might push it.
Though really, there’s not much he can do anyway!
Still, I cozied up with the Jellies.
Though it looked like Big Eater and another Jelly sprawled out from being too full, it’s more or less sleeping together.
Eventually, my vision grew darker, and with the refreshing chill, my consciousness began to sink.
The moment my consciousness awakened was…
“Kyaaak!? Uh, uh? Why am I…? Uh… Hmm?”
A sharp voice brightened my vision.
In the brightened vision, Han Seori’s face appeared.
It’s the most bewildered expression I’ve ever seen on her.
She seemed even more bewildered than when she saw Yang Ha-na approach us earlier.
Simply seeing her flustered expression made me aware of my own current state, causing a slight warmth in my body.
On the other hand, it was comforting to see Han Seori flustered like this.
Soon, Han Seori composed her expression and extended her hand, slipping it beneath my armpits.
“You’re so cold… No, why on earth… are you in here?”
She seemed unable to consider that Kim Cheon-soo would put me in here.
…I mean, even I couldn’t believe a regular chef would shut me in a refrigerator, so how much more so for Han Seori?
Even so, Han Seori, holding my chilly Jelly form in her arms, seemed to offer her body heat by brushing her body against mine.
By that point, it felt slightly awkward, but the warmth felt comforting, so I didn’t say anything and let my Jelly form jiggle gently.
Instead, I extended tentacles inward to pull the other Jellies out of the refrigerator.
There was no need for Han Seori to take the other Jellies out.
I’ve become fairly accustomed to extending tentacles now, so it wasn’t that difficult.
After laying the Jellies outside and closing the door, the previously motionless Jellies started moving one by one.
Jung-sik floated up like a balloon, and despite Daesik being fine, it seemed Ellis had stiffened, making him creak.
Sosik… just lay sprawled there like a piece of meat freshly taken out of the refrigerator.
What’s his issue?
Is he just naturally like that?
At least his interest in the TV remains, so I could only hope to see it sooner.
But why can’t I watch TV even though some kind of communication link has been established?
I couldn’t get a reason from the two of them, but based on what I’ve seen so far, it feels like they’re trying to hide from someone.
…It’s not like they would involve Han Seori and Kim Cheon-soo in such situations.
Probably… it’s due to those middle-school-disease-smelling guys.
The thought made me feel immensely irritated.
Thanks to them, I’ve moved house unexpectedly, ended up in the belly of the whale, ate tasteless piles of meat, and even co-habited with a killing machine.
I can’t even watch TV anymore!
What happens if our Sosik turns into a hundred-percent unemployed person? Are they going to take responsibility?
…This is a joke, but I’m genuinely upset.
I mean, I wanted to be unemployed too, so what’s the problem?
While gently fidgeting in Han Seori’s arms,
“Uh… Why are you in the kitchen? Didn’t I say I would handle the cooking myself?”
Kim Cheon-soo entered, hastily tidying his rumpled hair after throwing on clothes.
Han Seori, who’d been patting my body, looked at Kim Cheon-soo and asked, with a hint of suspicion.
“Cheon-soo. Was 7496 – KR in the refrigerator? Do you know anything about it?”
“Uh, um… Was he in the refrigerator?”
“Yes. When I came in for a drink, I found him chilling inside.”
As Han Seori spoke on, Kim Cheon-soo’s face grew paler, as if he himself were trapped in the refrigerator.
“Isn’t it… Cheon-soo, you didn’t lock him in the refrigerator, did you?”
“It’s not like I… locked him in. It was… a joke. I figured the kid could easily open the door from the inside.”
“But he stayed inside until I pulled him out?”
“That… well…”
Han Seori tightened her embrace on my body and narrowed her eyebrows.
“Why exactly are you treating children this way? Did you yell at him so much that he couldn’t think of leaving and just stayed locked in?”
“Ah, no… I… could you hear me out for a moment?”
Suddenly, popcorn began to pop like crazy.
I hadn’t done anything, yet the popcorn machine started working, piling up a heap in front of me.
I will not forget the grudge for locking me in the refrigerator.
Han Seori wasn’t closed-minded, so she didn’t jump to conclusions without hearing Kim Cheon-soo’s explanation.
But there was no sign of Han Seori’s expression softening as she listened to his story.
“Well… I admit I was a little irritated because he called me when I was trying to sleep. But… I didn’t threaten him. Honestly.”
“Hmm…”
As Kim Cheon-soo said that, he looked at me with pleading eyes.
It was as if he was hoping I would vouch for his innocence.
Had he read something from my expression?
Kim Cheon-soo swallowed and continued.
“And 7496 – KR… opening the fridge door from the inside should be as easy as eating cold congee for him, right? Didn’t you see that video before?”
In his desperate defense, Han Seori, stroking her chin, questioned him again.
“Hmm… So Officer Kim, you’re saying that 7496 – KR stayed inside on purpose?”
“That’s correct… Though I don’t know the reason.”
Hmm.
The popcorn was slowly getting cold.
Buttered popcorn is always decent, but it lacked a bit of excitement.
Just as I was about to process the stale popcorn in my mind,
Han Seori looked down at me and carefully asked.
“Really? Were you inside the whole time because you were playing around?”
The stale popcorn was suddenly coated with caramel by Han Seori.
Even though I didn’t see her directly, I met her gaze and rolled my Jelly form, looking at Kim Cheon-soo for a moment.
Then, with a slight sense of embarrassment, I clung tightly to Han Seori’s embrace.
It was like…
A scolded child sulking against his scolder and running into his mom’s arms.
The caramel popcorn exploded again.
“Hmm… doesn’t seem like it. Really….”
“Oh, uh… Uhm, u-uh, that’s… Jelly? No, the name is uh… uh, argh, uh, um…”
Kim Cheon-soo’s flustered appearance pleased me.
It felt like the price Kim Cheon-soo paid for shutting the refrigerator door last night.
This was the price for shutting me in the refrigerator.
I watched amusedly as Kim Cheon-soo continued excusing himself and Han Seori gave him cold glares.
Just as I started feeling a bit sorry for Kim Cheon-soo,
I tapped Han Seori’s arm to grant him a pardon.
“Hm?”
When she looked at me questioningly, I pointed to the floor with my finger, and she set me down despite her confusion.
Once on the floor, I hesitantly shuffled towards Kim Cheon-soo and raised my arm.
…Since no action immediately granting him a pardon came to mind, it was an inevitable move.
Kim Cheon-soo seemed to realize this was a lifeline thrown to him and seemed determined to do his best.
“Ahh, of course I should hug him! F-fly him on a plane, maybe?”
Don’t overdo it, bro.
The shift in Han Seori’s address from “Cheon-soo” to “Officer” shocked him enough; clearly, he’s not in his right mind.
…Even my Jelly form heated up watching his ridiculous antics, and Han Seori, sensing the awkwardness, scratched her head with a sheepish expression.
I should’ve just not started this.
While gazing at Daesik now occupying Han Seori’s arms instead of me, I was dangling my Jelly form when suddenly…
A small head appeared from behind the kitchen door.
Its identity was… Yang Ha-na.
She carefully scanned the kitchen with a tense expression, then seeing Kim Cheon-soo and Han Seori, greeted them with a bright face.
“T-two of you!”
Smiling broadly as she entered, Yang Ha-na noticed Ellis (Daesik) in Han Seori’s arms.
With a loud scream, she latched onto Kim Cheon-soo’s back.
Kim Cheon-soo, startled, trembled and let out a voice.
“H-ha-na?”
“M-my, yes. So, it w-wasn’t a d-dream last night—”
Yang Ha-na, babbling incoherently against Kim Cheon-soo’s back, noticed me dangling from his shoulder.
She suddenly had a dazed look, as if hypnotized.
An unexpected silence descended on the noisy kitchen.
…What’s her problem?
Something… something feels unsettling.
