Chapter Text
Yoosung: Failed my midterms fml T_T
707: Cuz u played LOLOL all night lol.
You can almost imagine Seven's teasing grin. You almost tell him to knock it off and stop making Yoosung feel bad. Seriously, he did nothing but mope the entire day, and even now you can feel his sadness from outside the campus.
MC: I'm sure you'll be able to bring it up next sem!
Jumin Han: If you want to work for our company, you should take care of your GPA.
Yoosung: Thanks MC!! You're definitely right
Yoosung: I'm still on the list?! +_+
Jumin Han: Yes.
707: Nice~ Can't believe u get to work straight after college lol
707: In this day and age!
Unknown has entered the chat room.
ZEN: Lame. It's nepotism.
You snort. Anything Jumin says at all and Zen will appear right after to contradict.
Jumin Han: It's called recruitment, actually.
ZEN: It's giving a free pass instead of actually training a worker.
Jumin Han: Whatever. I couldn't care less what you say.
ZEN: What's the difference between recruitment and nepotism?
MC: lololol get a room you two
ZEN: MC!!
ZEN: How DARE you say that? I wouldn't even go near Jumin
ZEN: He spends so much time with his cat that I'd probably get an allergic reaction from him alone
ZEN: Besides
ZEN: Don't you know I have eyes for only you?
MC: I apologize~ Sorry, lovely Zen~
You laugh quietly to yourself, knowing Zen isn't capable of being mad at you. s you read through the banter quickly once again, you notice something that it seems no one else has either, until...
707: Wait!!
Yoosung: Why?
ZEN: ??
707: Think someone entered the chat room...
MC: I see them too!
Jumin Han: Unknown..?
ZEN: Wtf. How did it get in here?
MC: Strange username...
MC: Maybe it's a hacker?
707: Hacker!
707: JINX
MC: JINX
MC: DAMN IT
You can practically hear Seven's victorious laugh, but whatever, there are more pressing matters at hand. You watch the scene unfold as everyone panics in their own way, you trying to keep everyone as calm as possible. Jaehee is remaining rational. Yoosung is practically dying. Zen is confused, offering possible theories. Maybe someone downloaded the phone on two devices?
Unknown: Hello...
Yoosung: Gahhh!! It's talking!
Unknown: I'm sorry if I've frightened you. It's not everyday you get a text from the stranger.
Unknown: Maybe you can help me? I'm a bit flustered myself.
Unknown: I found a smartphone at the subway station, but all it had was this messenger app.
This "Unknown" continues to explain his story. He opened the phone because it was really nice, and he was hoping to find any evidence leading towards its owner so he could return it. ("I'm a religious person, so I try to do good things.") However, when he opened the phone all he found was an address and some important looking numbers saved in a note. Figuring that the owner lived at the apartment the address indicated, he went to the place with the intention of giving them the phone back.
When he knocked on the door, nobody answered, and he was a little bit wary of leaving the phone at the door in case it gets stolen. He saw a keypad next to the door, took a shot, and inputted the numbers into the keypad. The door opened and he went inside, meaning to leave the phone at the counter with a note, however when he set it down...
Unknown: Lines of code overtook the screen. It was kinda freaky.
Unknown: Then this chat room just opened...
MC: And now you're here
Unknown: Yes. Now I'm here.
Jaehee Kang: I'm still rather wary.
Jumin Han: Me, as well.
Jumin Han: We don't even know your proper name.
Jumin Han: Username "Unknown", reveal yourself.
Unknown: I think I have the right to be more suspicious...
Unknown: First, who are you?
They have a point, you guess. If you had been led to a mysterious apartment, only to end up in a chat room of people you don't know, you'd be a little suspicious of well, and in no hurry to reveal anything about yourself.
707: Oh... ^^; Wait.
707: Just found something. This is weird.
ZEN: What is it. Hurry and tell us.
707: I traced the IP.
707: It's from Rika's apartment.
Unknown: Rika..?
At this, you quite literally drop your phone. It lands on your chest since you were chatting in bed, and the little jolt of pain you get from it hitting your collarbone snaps you out of your reverie. Still, Rika's apartment? You sit up straight and lean against the headboard, head reeling. There's no way! You've never been to Rika's apartment in the short time you knew her, so that didn't count for much, but from what you know neither had Yoosung, or Seven, or Jumin, or anyone in the RFA for that matter.
Rika, you quickly pray, please help us find some sense in all this.
You quickly register that your phone's been vibrating nonstop and you see a string of texts from Seven. Why did you leave? What happened? Where are u?
You okay?! is the general gist, making you smile a bit despite the confusion. The hacker never fails to do that, and that's something you're immensely grateful for. You quickly unlock your phone and open the RFA app again.
MC has entered the chat room.
You see from the previous messages that they were in the middle of either panicking over where you could've possibly gone (Yoosung), introducing themselves to the new addition (Zen), showing pictures of Jumin's cat (Seven), or trying to maintain some semblance of order (Jaehee and Jumin). It kind of amazes you, the façade Seven is able to keep up. The difference between the worry in his texts and the humor in his messages is kind of hard to believe, especially since he was sending both at practically the same time.
Yoosung: MC!
707: There u are!
707: See Yoosung, told you she's fine
707: What happened?
MC: Dropped my phone lolol
MC: Sorry for making you worry;;
Jaehee Kang: It's fine
ZEN: Don't sweat it. As long as you're okay.
707: That's MC btw
707: She's
ZEN: Mine.
Yoosung: Amazing!!
707: I was going to say
707: A college student like Yoosung, 22 years old
707: but okay lololol
Jumin Han: MC is not an object to be owned, Zen.
ZEN: Just because she likes me better~
Jaehee Kang: Focus. We have more pressing matters at hand.
The usual chaos in the chat room is something you're used to, and the confusion this stranger must be experiencing, the feeling of not knowing anything at all, strikes you a little too hard and you feel a little bit bad.
MC: I'm sorry, Unknown
MC: This must be very weird;;
MC: Please, just ask any questions you might have about what's going on!!
MC: But I don't think any of us know who that phone belongs to
MC: Or why they had the code to Rika's apartment
Unknown: Thank you...
Unknown: You're very kind.
You feel your face redden a little bit at the compliment, though it's probably something that you should be used to, having been friends with Zen for over two years.
Unknown : First... Who is Rika?
MC: Rika was our friend
You're ready to type and explain, until –
Jaehee Kang: I appreciate your kindness, MC, but
Jaehee Kang: We still do not know who this stranger is.
Jaehee Kang: Perhaps we should call V first?
707: alreadyonit
707: sorrycallingvandtypingwithonehand
707: lookedintounknownsbackgroundbtw
707: heseemsalrightlol
MC: You're a guy?
Unknown: Yes. I'm in my final year of college, 23 years old.
Yoosung: We're not the only young ones anymore, MC!
V has entered the chat room.
You grin. This "Unknown" character seems to be pretty nice, though of course, you can't speak too soon. When V enters the chat room, you're not sure whether to smile wider or begin to frown. It ends up being the former. As annoyed as you are with V for not frequenting the chat more, you can't be mad at anyone in the RFA, what more its leader?
V: How is everyone? Jaehee, you've been well?
Yoosung: Hey, V
V: Hey
You're proud of Yoosung for staying calm, and happy that V is here to sort things out finally. He then proceeds to add to your confusion (he didn't have the password to Rika's apartment either?!) and at the same time help put everyone's minds at ease ("Maybe Rika wanted him to be here.")
Unknown is being unusually quiet as the seven (and then six, after V leaves, again) of you discuss him possibly joining and taking over Rika's job of inviting guests to parties.
Yoosung: Is he really becoming a member?
Jumin Han: Unknown
Jumin Han: All we are trying to do is host parties, raise funds, gather people... Things like that.
Jumin Han: Our organization has done a lot of good so far.
Jumin Han: You will never regret joining.
MC: He's right.
MC: I never did, not for a second.
You take a deep breath, trying to calm yourself and hopefully this potential new member. It would be wonderful to have the parties again. Maybe Rika really did send this person to help them become what they once were? To bring back t he parties and continue to bring good to others?
MC: I know it's a lot to ask, and you might be a little confused right now
MC: But it's worth it
MC: Didn't you say
MC: You believe in doing good things?
Jaehee Kang: Will you join the RFA?
There is a long pause, as everyone waits for the mysterious stranger's answer.
Unknown: It's a miracle we've connected.
Unknown: I don't know how it happened...
Unknown: But maybe this was meant to be?
MC: Maybe it was. ^^
Unknown: Alright,
Unknown: I'm in.
One by one you wish him well. He promises to text his real name to Seven, still uncomfortable sharing it with everyone in the chat. Seven registers him into the app, and slowly, each of you starts to leave.
MC: Thanks for joining!
MC: I'm excited to see what the future has in store!
Unknown: Me, as well.
ZEN: You know, I had a dream...
MC has left the chat room.
You put away your phone, a smile on your face. Perhaps this is the beginning of a brand new chapter for the RFA. How exciting!
You can't wait for it to start.
Saeran goes through the chat room after Zen leaves, smirking. This was much easier than he thought it would be. He laughs out loud when he reaches the bit wherein his damned brother accuses him of being a hacker. If only he knew! He can't believe they're trusting him this easily. He thought it would take much longer than fifteen minutes to get in, but he supposes that useless man, V, isn't entirely useless after all. They only started to trust him after he arrived, after all. The Savior would be pleased, indeed. He puts the phone down on the counter after texting his fake identity to that bastard hacker, taking in his surroundings. This was the Savior's apartment. Although she never lived in it, it still feels like holy ground he's stepping on.
He feels amazing. He hasn't been out of headquarters in so long, that this feels almost surreal. At the same time, revenge is so close. Just two weeks, and he'll emerge from this victorious.
Then, he'll finally get to go to paradise.
He chuckles to himself as his phone begins to ring. Walking over to it, he sees the caller ID. The Savior!
"You picked up right away, Saeran." she remarks, her melodious voice in his ear. "How did it go?"
"Very well." he says, "I'll have their trust in no time, I'm sure."
"That's good to know." she says, "Remember, take the medicine of salvation every morning, and don't hesitate to contact me if you feel something is going awry. Do not let them sway you from your purpose. Saeyoung – " He can't help but exhale sharply at the mention of that person's name. Luciel, they said his name is. What a liar. " – will pay soon enough."
"And the others?"
"We will show them Paradise." she replies, saccharine. That thought makes him smile. How considerate of Rika to allow them to join. "I'll be going now, Saeran."
"Of course, Savior. It was an honor to talk to you."
"Good luck."
The line goes dead and feels inspired, as if this task will be an easy feat.
The phone rings again and he wonders what else the Savior has to tell him, perhaps she had forgotten something during their short talk?
"H-hello?" a sweet voice talks, one he's never heard before. "Is this Unknown? Wow, it still feels kind of weird calling you that..."
"Yes?" he replies, sitting down on the bed, before putting two and two together. "Is this MC?"
"How'd you know it was me?" she says, "Oh! Yeah, sorry, sometimes I forget it's just me and Jaehee who are the girls in the RFA, and Jaehee would obviously be much more formal than this. Am I bothering you?"
"No, not at all." he says, "Why are you calling?"
"Ah, well, I couldn't sleep. Every time I try I end up thinking about today and what a whirlwind it's been. Then I imagined what it must be like for you, you're the one in Rika's apartment." she says, "So, I just wanted to check in. See how you're doing."
She's nice. Even in the chat room, she was very kind to him, and the other members seem to adore her as well. "I'm good. Thanks for the concern." he says.
"That's great to hear!" she says, "And thank you for joining. It's a really big help, what you're doing for us. I never thought we'd throw another party again after Rika... It'd be nice, seeing everyone so happy again."
"I'll do my best, then, to succeed." he replies earnestly, something making him feel as if he didn't want to disappoint the person on the other end of the line. He knew who she was exactly. He read her file. Hell, he made her file. Mi-Cha. MC is just a nickname. 22 years old. Goes to SKY University.
"That's the spirit!" she says, "I guess it's getting pretty late. I'll hang up now so you can get adjusted and rest."
"You don't have to." he finds himself saying.
"No, it's okay. I've got classes in the morning and I need to wake up on time. Bye, then! Remember to call or text me or whatever if you need any help. I'm online practically all the time, so it shouldn't be too hard to reach me."
"Thanks, MC."
"No problem!" she chirps back, "See you around!"
And with that, he ends the call. His phone hovers over her display picture. It's nothing extravagant like Zen's, which is obviously from one of his many photo shoots. It's just a selfie in what appears to be her dorm. She's smiling brightly and the warmth in her eyes is evident. Her hair isn't overdone or anything. It's obvious she didn't put much effort into taking this picture, she probably just took it at random and thought she looked nice. He thinks she looks nice.
She's kinda cute. Maybe he can take her as his assistant once this is all over.
But first...
Two weeks, Saeran tells himself, you can do this.