Work Text:
The year off from work is coming to an end. Only a month left, not even a month in fact, only 25 days. All that time spent saving up, planning, deciding, and what do you have to show? A half finished manuscript in the left desk drawer. A almost-good-but-not-close-to-good-enough-for-publishing manuscript as that man from Reeds Publishing said. Soon you will be back behind the counter of the 24/7 convenience store at the end of your street. If they still want you back that is. There is enough money left for maybe another month after this one. Couldn't you just, make do one more month? Maybe it's not such a bad story? Maybe just the writing needs a little work.
- Excuse me? Miss?
Snapped out of your thought process you muffle out an excuse and open your wallet to pay for the eggs and ramen noodles you have been living on for the last week. The level of ambition had started to falter a few months ago but this last month had been a new low. The weather is warm and sunny as you step outside the shop, people seem cheerful. Maybe they have jobs? Maybe they are talented? Maybe their book would be published? It would probably be better to just call your old boss when you get back home. After all, this last year you've walked three blocks to do the shopping rather than just go to the one you used to work at. Sometimes, if it was someone friendly behind the counter, they'd let you have some of the almost expired pastries that didn't sell so well in the middle of the week. Life would be easier if you'd just... Gave up. You can feel your eyes getting wet and hurry your steps to make it home before its noticeable.
After a hot shower you sit down by your desk that has doubled as both a kitchen table and occasional bed these last months. Your hair is dripping on your clothes and the desk but all the papers are safely tucked away in the drawer and the clothes don't really matter. You don't have to go anywhere. The few friends from before have stopped calling, the people you used to work with have probably moved on, your family... Not like they would come and see you before so why would they now, when your failure has grown to this degree? With a sigh you reach over to the cellphone and stare a bit at the screen. Some visual novels you have already played through way too many times during the empty hours between three and five at night in the convenience store, and to be honest, multiple times this month. You browse for a new game, anything to keep your mind occupied for just a little longer. This one looks new, almost no-one seem to have downloaded it yet. Ah, the first person to finish this visual novel? What an accomplishment? Maybe they could put that on my grave stone? Maybe I'll end up in the world records? You chuckle a bit but then sink lower onto the desk. It's not really funny, is it?
What is that noise? A loud beeping? Did you download a virus or something? You fumble for your phone. The background looks like the phone crashed but still... There is a message on the screen. Unknown?
"...hello...?"
Where is the menu of this thing? Is this a guide? There is a white box at the bottom of the screen to type in and you press it. The keyboard comes up. Wow, can you really type anything in here? These games are getting advanced! You look around a bit, usually you'd be comfortably wrapped in a blanket – no matter the weather – with maybe a nice drink with the game but this seems too interesting. What is the story? Is it meant to look like your phone was hacked? Maybe you get to be a spy, or someone famous! Best be cautious. You reply with only a single question mark. You can't remember the last time you were this excited about a game before! There is even a little break before he answers. Not that you know that much about the inner workings of these games but that is a lot of detail, maybe it has to process what you have written? With your heart beating faster, it answers again.
"Can you see this?"
You decide to stay short and try to get as much information as possible;
"Yes I can."
Let's see, he is abroad but has found a phone in the subway that has this app on it, also it seems to be a business phone and it has numbers and an address. This is starting to feel a bit meta, should you play along, or maybe start asking questions? He'd like to go to the address to return the phone himself but can't, is it that important?
"What address?"
His response is faster now;
"A Korean address with a long number in it, I think it's a password. Do you mind going to the address?"
Me? He keeps writing and you read it all carefully looking for clues, mumbling to yourself;
- If I could help? Is this going to get me to the visual novel part then?
You decide to remain a little suspicious;
"Why should I help you?"
He starts writing again and you read it out loud to yourself.
- He wants to help people because he is religious? You wonder if he will be one of the characters you can pursue... Oh? I can leave when I want?
After considering it for a moment you decide that you can always restart the game if it goes bad and you agree to help him out.
"You trust me... Thank you. I'll send you the address."
A short moment pass and a link pop up on the screen. Hang on a moment, this looks real? You click it. It's an address to a apartment building in the eastern part of town! How does this app know where you live? Why is this a real place? You don't know what to reply. Maybe this app is just a big joke? Should you just delete it?
"How... Do you know where I live? I though this was just a game?"
You can hardly breathe as the phone is quiet for a moment. This can't be for real?
"Of course it's not a game?"
The words stare at you and you stare back at them. Unknown writes again;
"It's for real, and I did just found this phone. Do you not want to help?"
You can't answer. You go back and read the messages again, not pretending to be a character in a game. Your phone buzz in your hand again and scares you, but reminds you to breathe.
"I really want to help. It will make God happy."
Suddenly the words sound more serious. You start typing again;
"I will have to think a little..."
You put the phone on the table and go wash my face in the bathroom sink. That must be a very important phone to just use some strange app to message, and a lot of numbers and an address? It's like something out of a spy movie! But... You? Going there? Alone? You go back to the table and click the address link again. You have been to the area a few times before when you delivered food, and it is in a pretty good part of town. Maybe it's a wealthy business person who will reward you for trying to help?
"I trust you... To make... The right... decision..."
He must have sent those messages when you washed your face. It wouldn't hurt you to do something good for a stranger, would it? Your hands slightly shake as you type the answer;
"I will do it."
You throw on a jacket, stuff your bag with your wallet and keys and get out the door as quickly as you can, as to not change your mind. Your phone grasped tightly the entire way.
You found the right building and headed inside. Opening the messenger again and after once more doubting yourself, you message Unknown.
"I am here."
"Good! See, it's nothing strange. ^^ Go to the 3:rd floor. Is there a code lock on the door?"
His messages were faster now and he seemed pretty excited to be able to help the person who lost their phone. You wonder if they had brought it home with them during the day. Maybe, if you got connected to the owner, the phone could be mailed. You knock on the door. No-one there.
"It seems there is no one home. Maybe I should try tomorrow?"
"Try inputting this key code."
Wait, wouldn't this be breaking in? You doubt again and it seemed Unknown felt it;
"You can just leave a note... and then go back..."
You hold your breath, clench your phone and decide this is the point of no return. If something good was going to come of anything in your life, this is it. You press each number on the key pad. The door slide open and you stepped in.
////
The result was anti climatic. A sparsely decorated, although quite expensive looking apartment with a desk and a bed visible from the door. It smells pretty stale and there is a lot of dust both in the air and all over the floor. I lean forward a bit to peek around the corner.
- Hello?
I take another step in and my phone starts beeping. I jump a bit at the sound. Wait, where did Unknown go? The messenger changed? A group of people in a colorful looking chat room having a lively conversation. One, two, five people and now me as well, logged in. I gently let the door close behind me, not wanting to be seen by someone who might know I shouldn't be there. Maybe these people knew where I was, or what was going on?
A young man with blonde hair is talking about his failed midterm, his username is Yoosung with a little star icon after it. A slightly older guy with red hair and glasses responds by making fun of him for playing games, his username was only in numbers, 707. A dark-haired man in a suit with the name Jumin Han seemed to have offered the young one a job at his company. A beautiful man with silver hair and a smirk on his face with the name ZEN was acting slightly gloomy, and there was no sign of the last person, named Jaehee Kang, but the name was listed on top of the screen. The red haired 707 noticed me;
"I think someone entered the chatroom!"
Everyone seemed to panic and I started feeling shy and even rude. Not only was I intruding in this apartment, I was intruding in their private chat as well. The man called Jumin Han called for Jaehee Kang and a picture of a young woman with short brown hair and glasses responded;
"No one can enter this chatroom without installing the RFA Messenger app. Someone must have downloaded it."
They started discussing who could have done it and not wanting them to start a fight between each other, I wrote;
"Hello..."
I felt embarrassed as soon as I pressed send. I hadn't been moving for a while and my legs started to feel numb, even worse than that. I really, really had to pee. I started walking in a small circle trying to hold it in while they were talking. 707 spoke up again;
"I traced the IP. She's at Rikas apartment!"
The last part appeared in a little explosive bubble. So at least they knew the person living here, maybe they'd help me find them? Wait, where was Unknown? They didn't even give me a number? I couldn't hold it anymore and ran through the apartment, opening the first door I saw, a bathroom!
As I was washing my hands I read the messages they sent. The woman had written that this apartments location was classified information. How could that be? Unknown knew it? My username had somehow been set as my own name and I felt more and more uneasy about the situation. As I reached for the soap it was completely dried up and gray. I avoided touching it and grabbed some hand sanitizer from my bag instead. I went back to the hallway again, phone in hand. I decided I should probably introduce myself first, and then maybe they could help me. The sun had already set now, and I was not keen on paying for a taxi to get home at this hour. In fact, I could probably not afford it.
"I'm Lilly. Who are you all, and what is this app?"
After a little bickering on whether to introduce themselves or not, Zen introduced himself. 24 years old and a musical actor! Wow! Despite him saying not to I made a mental note to google it if everything went well after this. If. Zen posted a picture of himself out of the blue and I couldn't help but chuckle at how quickly he sent it. He may very well have been the most beautiful man I had ever seen, everything from the shape of his eyes to the length of his nose seemed to be perfection, no matter how much I looked at it, I couldn't find a single flaw on his face. 707 started introducing himself as well, giving Zens real name, Hyun Ryu, but wouldn't give his own. 22 years old and a hacker? A hacker and an actor, what are the others going to be? What kind of chat room have I ended up in? I looked around a bit and the cheerfulness of the chat room gave me the courage to pull out the computer chair and sit down. If this Rika came here, she would know these people, maybe things would be alright after all? The youngest introduced himself as Yoosung Kim, a 21 year old college student and he sent a picture as well. He looked cheerful and very sweet. His eyes seemed a strange color, nearly purple and his bright blonde hair was styled with bangs to one side. Jumin opposed the introductions but 707 explained that Jumin is the 27 year old heir of a famous corporation, and Jaehee his 26 year old assistant. The familiarity of the group of people made me feel strangely warm inside in a way I was not used to. I somehow felt... Included, even though I didn't even know what this group was about or how they knew each other. 707 kept going in spite of Jumins annoyance;
"Fyi, Jumin has a cute cat called Elizabeth 3rd."
"Why are we talking about Elizabeth 3rd to a stranger?"
The idea of the wealthy heir with a cat with such a unique name made me laugh out loud, and 707 sent a picture of both Jumin and the cat. Jumin seemed to carry himself in a way that showed wealth yet his gray eyes seemed somewhat soft and kind. They sent more pictures of everyone, Jaehee the assistant was beautiful with a slightly boyish haircut and a serious expression. The subject returned to me and 707 asked;
"How did you get the apartment password?"
I sighed and trying to write what had happened, I realized how incredibly naïve I sounded;
"I was connected to a stranger through a messenger app and they sent me this address..."
707 asked about the username and chat record and again my cheeks heated up as I sat to myself in this strangers apartment, in a different part of town, with only my phone, wallet and keys with me.
"It was 'Unknown' and I think the record was deleted. But... They seemed honest... They gave the the passcode for the door too..."
After talking for a while, Jaehee suggested they should contact V. When I asked about who he is, they said he should introduce himself and that they had to let him know. It felt more and more like some sort of secret organization.
"Looked into the owner of the device. She's cute lol"
707 said without warning. How would he find that? A background check? I started feeling a bit insecure. What information would there even be on me? Average grades? Bad job? Bad script in drawer? My heart sank slightly. This apartment felt like a different universe, these people talking to me, the excitement of being somewhere like this, all the drawers and cupboards and wardrobes belonging to someone else. A new person showed up in the chat room. V, the one they talked about. A man in sunglasses with mint colored hair. He hand a humble yet handsome appearance. He said the apartment was written in his name but something I hadn't realized until now was, why were they talking about this Rika in past tense? For some reason, only V and Luciel knew the location of the apartment, and explained that's 707s name. They kept talking about Rika, and maybe she wanted me to be here, and something about a party. I didn't understand. Finally they seemed to have come to the decision that they would explain everything properly. Rika and the RFA.
"Rika is... V's old girlfriend and she created this chatroom."
Zen began and Yoosung continued;
"Rika hosted parties regularly for a good cause and organized a group called RFA to manage and plan the party."
"Like a charity event?"
I felt a bit relieved that it was not something dangerous, but rather something good! They told me a bit about the parties before Zen once again explained;
"And Rika... is no longer here with us..."
I jumped out of the chair. Was I right now in a dead woman's apartment? Sitting in her chair? Did she die in here? Zen continued;
"She passed away a year and a half ago."
V stated that he thought Rika somehow chose me to continue the work, and then that I shouldn't touch anything in case the alarm rings but that I don't have to leave it now at this time in the evening. He started talking about that I could do her job, organize parties. My heart was still beating hard as V left the chatroom. They got excited, saying how I just needed to respond to mails and keep in touch with the group but my mind was blank. Jumin was the first one to ask what I thought;
"All we do is host parties, raise funds and things like that. The RFA had done a lot of good so far. You will not regret joining."
The group got slightly distracted again before Jumin asked again;
"Lilly, will you join the RFA?"
My fingers practically responded by themselves;
"If I can be of help I would love to!"
Everything went so fast and before long, one by one they had logged out and I was left alone in the apartment once again. I remembered that V had said he owned the apartment, and the only one who went here was Rika and she was gone. Should I stay? My brain was just a buzzing by now and I sat down on the bed, staring out the window. My eyes and head had began hurting and my stomach was growling. The phone buzzed a few times. Yoosung, Zen and 707 had all messaged me to welcome me. The warm fuzzy feeling in my body returned and I leaned back on the bed, letting myself slowly drift off into a dreamless sleep.