Business block, Zithen family complex, State Zhyphrese, Draconian continent Voldage, and the Year 2041, Planet Grimoire.
Unlike the dressing room, the corridors were utilitarian and barren as Tae-Jun and Cilin walked briskly to the next room. Well, at least this reminded him of what he'd glimpsed of building blocks of offices in the big cities. There were no decorations.
Tae-Jun was unnerved as he watched the staff that roamed the corridors. Why do I feel they're soldiers or warriors, not regular workers? Something about their mien made Tae-Jun think of security officers rather than regular office workers.
Ugh, I'd prefer not to focus on something that gives me bad memories of my past life. Tae-Jun shook his head mentally and put his attention elsewhere. No, it would be better to think about something positive that would further his goals in a way that was to his advantage.
Right now, it occurred to Tae-Jun that he lagged behind everyone else. Hmmm, what was the concept for this shoot again? I'd better focus on that right now. It occurred to him that he'd wound up at a disadvantage due to the previous owner.
Tae-Jun frowned a little in confusion and concern. Why had he landed in that forest? He'd sensed the place was incredibly dangerous, not just because of the apparent threats from predators. That guide's warning had been backed up when Cilin expressed concern earlier upon finding him out there.
Tae-Jun frowned in consternation. Had the previous Tae-Jun done something stupid like commit suicide while in that forest? It certainly fits what Tae-Jun has glimpsed of those fragmented memories. He'd been a coward in that case.
For now, he ran through all the different requirements Tae-Jun could recall from the briefing he'd received in the dressing room. Satisfied that he'd remembered the essentials, Tae-Jun contemplated what he should do about the central concept.
While they walked, Tae-Jun noticed that Cilin was absorbed in his thoughts. There was no point in bothering him. The atmosphere around Cilin was distinctly tense and irritable, not the greatest for trying to make small talk right now.
Tae-Jun shook his head in frustration. He shifted his mind back to what he was supposed to be doing. Oh, right, we have to be seductive and sexy for the concept. Tae-Jun grimaced because that was not something he could really conceive of. Nor did he have anything to use as a role model besides what he recalled from his past life. Half of those fools were nothing but a facade that eventually got busted for scandal. That was not what he was going for at all.
Immediately, Tae-Jun dismissed the mental images as worthless. Who else could he use as a role model? He glanced sideways at Cilin and immediately rejected that notion. Nope, that's different from what Tae-Jun was going for.
Others might think of him as sexy, but he didn't quite match Tae-Jun's idea of a role model in that scenario.
He wasn't even Tae-Jun's type, for that matter. That could be a good thing. He'd gotten some weird vibes from Cilin earlier when he emphasized their relationship.
It hadn't missed Tae-Jun's attention that Cilin wore peculiar ornaments that reminded him of engagement or wedding rings. He needed to get a handle on this society's traditions regarding marriage. Not knowing anything sucked and could get him into big trouble in the future. Tae-Jun sighed in aggravation, making Cilin turn his head and frown at him before resuming his thoughtful silence.
However, that didn't fit Tae-Jun's fractured memories of either ritual or bonding practices. He would have to find time to let all the new information coalesce into a cohesive system where he could pull information. Otherwise, he'd be in so much trouble it wasn't funny. His thoughts circled right back to where they were headed now.
The first photoshoot required him to assume a sexy and seductive persona, which made Tae-Jun grimace when he thought of his outfit. This is why I'm wearing this get-up, which barely stays on now. Satisfied that he understood his requirements, Tae-Jun focused on his surroundings.
Wow, I hadn't noticed all the different colors decorating the ceilings and baseboards. What's up with that? They may know how the trainees won't get lost in the future. If that was the case, it would be helpful for Tae-Jun in the future. Therefore, he observed the various colors of the baseboards and ceiling cornices.
At last, Tae-Jun caught a pattern that he had memorized. It matched the dressing room's decor, which included baseboards and ceiling cornices. The connection clicked for Tae-Jun, and he sighed in relief. "Well, I think I'll be able to follow the routes using the colors." He muttered to himself.
Cilin grunted but didn't respond.
Oh, right, Tae-Jun winced. I meant to stay quiet that entire time. Oops, my mistake. After that, he confined his comments to his thoughts. Ah, hah, the photo shoot locations were based on the dressing room chosen then.
That made things easier for Tae-Jun, who discovered that landmarks and colors were more accessible to track when finding his way around this labyrinthine complex.
He kept quiet rather than bother Cilin right then. Instead, he kept a steady eye on everything that was happening. As they moved closer to the targeted studio, not just a regular room for conferences. His ears detected muttered conversations going on beyond closed doors.
Right then Cilin blinked at Tae-Jun. "Oh dear, I think we passed where we were supposed to go." He looked around in consternation. "We've come to the official administration block."
For the first time, Tae-Jun witnessed Cilin appear worried and frightened. "All right, so where should we go?" Tae-Jun tried to redirect Cilin's attention to something more positive, which Tae-Jun noticed included the other's memories.
Cilin shook his head. "That is the opposite direction of where we should've gone." He looked around and then checked a directory Tae-Jun hadn't noticed before. It was well-concealed behind some plants. If he didn't know anything better, that was done intentionally and that aggravated Tae-Jun to no end because it was unnecessarily obstructive.