Chapter 3
Fortunately, Ha Yan’s status abnormality had a time limit of one month. If he endured it, it would naturally end… but—
“People die if they don’t sleep…”
Was it even realistic to endure a full month without sleep?
As days passed with no rest and going to work, the words “just kill me instead” began to come to mind on their own.
“There’s no way an ordinary-looking person like her could fix something like this…”
Ha Yan glanced sideways at the woman.
“……”
Lee Cheomcheom, who claimed to be a counselor, sat silently without the slightest intention of easing the atmosphere.
“Um, could I hear your introduction at least?”
In the end, unable to bear the silence, Ha Yan spoke first.
“I’m Lee Cheomcheom, a student in the Department of Psychology at Gaon University.”
Lee Cheomcheom took out her student ID and showed it.
The face in the ID clearly matched her, with her distinctive three-character name written on it.
“Are you a professor?”
“As written, I’m just an undergraduate. A fourth-year student.”
“Do you have a counseling license…?”
“No.”
Gaon University was a well-known institution, but a student was still a student. She couldn’t call herself a counselor without even having a license.
In the end, she wasn’t a professional…
“If you have issues with the counseling, you can report it to the school or file a complaint. Conducting counseling as an undergraduate violates school regulations.”
“Huh?”
“You were suspicious, weren’t you? Thinking I’m either a quack or a madman.”
Do they teach mind-reading in the psychology department?
Ignoring Ha Yan’s flinch at having his thoughts hit so precisely, Lee Cheomcheom poured boiling water into a cup and brewed tea.
“It’s not entirely legitimate. But I’m not a quack.”
It sounded like she had eaten a meal but hadn’t actually dined properly.
“If you truly wanted proper counseling, you shouldn’t have come through this route in the first place.”
What followed, however, was a rather sharp remark.
“After the catastrophe, everyone developed mental issues, and psychology counseling became the biggest red ocean of the 21st century. Shouldn’t you have searched on Google and gone to a place with high ratings?”
“……”
“You contacted me because you knew ordinary counseling wouldn’t work, and you were grasping at straws, right?”
“Well, yes, but…”
“Then accept a bit of suspicion. If the person who introduced you had been a fraud or connected you to someone shady, you shouldn’t have contacted me in the first place.”
…It was brazen business talk, but not wrong.
Ha Yan, who had unexpectedly been handed a cup of mint tea, looked up at the banner hanging on the wall.
MENTAL ILLNESSES—WE WILL CURE THEM
…Ah… this really is way too suspicious…
His trust dropped sharply again.
“Um, just in case I’m asking, but…”
“We are not a cult, multi-level marketing, or insurance scam.”
“Ah.”
“If it turns out I belong to any of those, I will personally decapitate myself and place my head on the lightning rod of Namsan Tower.”
…That far?
While Ha Yan was overwhelmed by such boldness, Lee Cheomcheom popped a colorful candy into her mouth.
“Considering you even reached out through personal contacts, your issue isn’t a simple mental problem.”
Her professional gaze scanned Ha Yan.
“It’s a status abnormality related to insomnia, correct? It started about a week ago.”
Startled by her accurate diagnosis, Ha Yan widened his eyes.
“How did you—”
“You look like someone who hasn’t slept for about a week.”
“…Ah.”
“The curse’s classification should be C-rank or lower.”
“It’s actually D-rank… but how did you know that…?”
“Anything higher and people tend to lose their minds.”
“……”
“There was someone with a B-rank status abnormality who crawled here on all fours, dragged by a leash by a friend.”
…Oh.
Even though she was clearly guessing everything, his trust increased bit by bit. So this is why fortune-tellers stay in business.
“Please explain exactly what kind of abnormality it is.”
Ha Yan hesitated, but ultimately, as if resigning himself, he revealed his condition to Lee Cheomcheom.
After listening, Lee Cheomcheom thought for a moment before speaking.
“I cannot remove the status abnormality.”
…As expected.
“But I can make you fall asleep.”
…!
At his surprised expression, Lee Cheomcheom rolled the candy on her tongue.
“Just as a storm is useless against a solid rock, if you are stable, the status abnormality won’t affect you.”
“……”
“No matter how horrifying the vision, you should be able to ignore it and sleep.”
It felt strange. As if he were being subtly drawn in.
“There’s nothing to lose…”
Listening to her eerily clear voice, Ha Yan thought.
“Tell me.”
“……”
“What is it that makes you unstable?”
Since he had already come this far, he might as well try.
And the next day, Ha Yan found himself grateful for his previously reckless decision.
“I… slept.”
“Pardon?”
“I slept soundly for eight hours straight… Before the flashbacks even began, my consciousness just… faded away… I’m so moved I feel like crying…”
“Are you feeling alright, Mr. Ha Yan?”
After the counseling session, Ha Yan went home and immediately collapsed into sleep. The anxiety that had always lingered in his mind cleared like a cloudless sky.
Ah, that first full night’s sleep in a week was blissfully sweet.
“I’m truly sorry for doubting you.”
“Yes.”
After formally apologizing at the next session, his counseling with Lee Cheomcheom continued to this day.
“I’m not slacking off right now. I’m recording our session using SOAP note methodology.”
“Oh, yes!”
‘…I can clearly see her doodling penguins…’
Honestly, calling this “counseling” felt like an insult to the field of psychology.
“Tell me about your family relationships.”
“How did you survive the catastrophe?”
At the first session, Lee Cheomcheom had asked even questions that would be considered rude in this era, digging into Ha Yan’s background. After that, she stopped asking anything at all, as if she had already gathered everything she needed. Her attitude became almost apathetic.
No proper counseling had ever taken place, but Ha Yan didn’t mind.
‘Because I can sleep.’
When a rescue worker is saving your life, does it really matter whether they pull you out with a rope or a stick?
“What are you thinking about right now?”
Though the question seemed perfunctory, he didn’t mind.
“I’m grateful for the counseling you provide.”
When Lee Cheomcheom lifted her head, Ha Yan smiled softly.
“I honestly felt like I was going to die. Not just the insomnia—every time I lay in bed, I had to vividly relive the most horrifying moments of my life… I thought I was going crazy. I thought one month wouldn’t be that bad, but I realized I was weaker than I expected.”
Lee Cheomcheom’s pale, colorless eyes remained dry and unchanged, even as he poured out his worst memories.
Eyes that said: I may not empathize, but I am listening.
He didn’t know when that gaze had started to feel comforting.
“If this had continued any longer, I feel I wouldn’t have been able to return to normal life even after the curse ended. The fact that I can function now is all thanks to you.”
Whenever he was under that gaze, a strange sense of peace washed over him.
‘Honestly, it doesn’t make sense.’
He knew everything about this situation was suspicious, but in a world where monsters literally tore open space and emerged, people tended to be grateful for results rather than questioning causes.
“If it’s alright, may I request counseling even after the status abnormality ends?”
Ha Yan wanted to maintain this peace and ignore Lee Cheomcheom’s strangeness.
…Click.
After a brief silence, Lee Cheomcheom popped another candy into her mouth from a capsule.
Come to think of it, she ate candy every session. She must really like sweets… Maybe he should bring her some next time…
Unaware of Ha Yan’s thoughts, she spoke.
“If you continue working at that job, ongoing counseling would likely be necessary.”
“Ugh…”
Ha Yan groaned, having spent most of his sessions complaining about his boss.
“Have you considered quitting?”
“I always want to… but my younger sibling works there too, and it’s hard to find better conditions elsewhere.”
Earning money under someone else is never easy, but from what Lee Cheomcheom had heard so far, it sounded like Ha Yan was working under a tyrannical company boss. Even if his insomnia improved, counseling would still be necessary.
“Let’s schedule in advance. I’ll be busier starting next week.”
“Alright…”
As Ha Yan gloomily pulled out his phone to check his schedule—
Bzzzt—
At the perfect moment, his phone rang.
“…!!!”
His eyes darted as if reading something, then suddenly wavered.
When he lifted his head, his face had gone deathly pale.
“C-Counselor.”
“Yes.”
“I think I have to go right now.”
Bang!
Before Lee Cheomcheom could even respond, Ha Yan shot up from his seat.
“Sorry. I’ll see you next time…!”
He rushed out the door in a panic. The screen in his hand flickered.
[Dispatch: The A-rank trial clearance being handled near Gwanghwamun has been identified as a “Net.” All secretariat personnel are to be assembled.]
