Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work

Next to the underground parking lot, there was a small space that seemed to embody a landlord’s desperate attempt to squeeze in one more rental shop for extra income.

That small space was occupied by the little shop I had planned to visit today:

A special tattoo shop.

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Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story

[Moonlight Tattoo Shop]

: A ghost story featured in <Dark Exploration Records>

: Daydream Inc. identification code – N/A

The only official record from Daydream Inc. about this location is a one-off entry titled ‘It Is Empty (Qterw-C-818)’.

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Does the note about ‘credibility not guaranteed’ mean it’s dangerous?

No.

The foundational story of ‘It Is Empty’ is a satire of humanity’s tendency to twist benevolence into something sinister by looking for hidden negative reasons.

Contextually, this place has to be a ‘good’ location that aligns with civilian interview accounts.

– Are you going in?

Yup.

I pressed the button next to the frosted glass door.

Srrrk—

The door slid open, revealing the interior of the tattoo shop.

At a glance, it looked like an ordinary, modest shop. The facilities were slightly shabby but clean and well-maintained. A notice on the counter stated that they only performed one-on-one procedures.

However, light streamed down onto the central tattoo chair.

It was moonlight.

Curiously, the ceiling above the chair featured a transparent LED panel that allowed the moon to be visible, creating artificial moonlight that poured down in a focused beam.

‘Just as described.’

“Is anyone here?”

When I called out, the shop owner emerged from behind the counter.

It was a woman with dense Korean-script tattoos on her neck, wearing a sleeveless shirt. Her tied-back curly hair and confident demeanor immediately evoked the impression of a skilled technician or artist.

“I’d like to have a tattoo consultation. Is that possible?”

Nod.

“Could you let me know the price range?”

The tattooist pointed at the wall behind the counter with a somewhat unassuming expression.

[We only accept payments in kind.]

Indeed.

This shop didn’t accept cash. Instead, payment was made with items that the owner found appealing, with a particular preference.

[Special Condition : Items related to the sea.]

Because of this, civilians who happened to meet this condition often had rare and extraordinary experiences.

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Document #818-15623

Civilian : Honestly, I just took a wrong turn. I was trying to find a tattoo shop near ■■ Station, but somehow, I ended up in this area full of empty spaces.

Then I found the tattoo shop in the basement.

When I saw they accepted items related to the sea, I thought it was really unique. So, just to try it out, I showed them a sand timer keychain I happened to have. They accepted it!

Afterward, they directed me to the central tattoo chair.

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So, I had prepared for this ‘special condition’ in advance.

“Would this be acceptable?”

I opened the velvet-covered rectangular box I had brought in my briefcase.

Inside, shimmering beads of light reflected brilliantly.

“These are pearl beads.”

These were extremely expensive marine pearls.

Perfectly spherical Akoya white-green pearls, 10mm in size, with a pink aurora sheen that gave them a near-holographic appearance. It was a top-class item.

‘Technically, there are more expensive sea-related items, but…’

According to the civilian’s account, the shop owner seemed particularly drawn to items influenced by the passage of time.

Pearls, being organic and composed of protein, were inherently shaped by time.

‘Besides, I managed to pick these up during a quick lunch break at a wholesaler in Jongno.’

I had even excluded South Sea pearls, which were less affected by time, in favor of these Akoya pearls.

“How about this?”

Nod, nod, nod, nod, nod.

The reaction was overwhelmingly positive.

The tattooist stared in awe at the gleaming pearls before carefully accepting the box I offered. For a brief moment, joy flickered in her otherwise modest eyes.

‘What could she possibly use them for?’

I had no idea.

In any case, after organizing the box with incredible speed behind the counter, the tattooist politely gestured for me to proceed to the central chair, bathed in moonlight.

“Thank you.”

The tattooist soon brought over a large lemon drink and a thick booklet.

So far, everything was as described in the accounts.

They brought me a lemon drink and a booklet, which seemed like a collection of tattoo designs. One was labeled ‘Basic Design #3’.

I chose a tiny dolphin silhouette the size of a fingernail and got it done. During the process, they told me to close my eyes, and strangely, I felt no pain.

I glanced at the cover of the booklet.

If the person who gave a mother-of-pearl keychain received ‘Basic Design #3’, what could I expect after offering pearls worth millions of won?

Granted, this might be an overly materialistic way of thinking.

‘This is a small tattoo shop in a ghost story. A mystical shop owner might not respond to material offerings…’

[Royal Special Premium #1 (Customizable)]

Well, that worked.

“Thank you.”

Money wins, once again.

Anyway, the designs here seemed to reflect what my offering could earn me.

‘Hmm.’

I turned the pages of the booklet.

Designs included constellations drawn with water droplets, a fusion of polar bear claws and Inuit patterns, and a wistful pastel-toned seascape at sunset.

The collection was stunning.

If I’d come here for the express purpose of getting a meaningful tattoo, I’d be poring over these designs with awe.

But that wasn’t my primary concern.

The tattoo disappears the next day anyway.

To be more precise…

It would feel like you had dreamed it. You clearly got a tattoo, but it would be completely gone the next morning.

But do you know what’s stranger?

The tattoo received here is ‘absorbed’ into the person.

I suddenly became great at swimming in the ocean.

Just like the dolphin I had tattooed.

In other words, these tattoos grant special abilities based on the design!