Disclaimer: I do not own Mystic Messenger

it was a Saturday afternoon. Alice is working part time at a coffee shop as usual, near her university. Every guy who comes to the coffee shop likes to stare at her longingly. Some even muster their courage to ask her out, but she just smile and decline politely. It's not like she didn't want to have a relationship, but more like she didn't dare with her current situation. She is an orphan, never knew who her real parents are. Her adoptive parents are kind to her, but passed away few months back during a car accident. With no family to turn to, she must work part time for allowance. Luckily, her adoptive parents leave an apartment and some money, which is enough to cover for her studies and a few years to come.

She doesn't want to cause a burden to others. If she were to have a boyfriend, she might not have the time to spend with him, since most of her time is spent on classes, studies and working.

Even her name Alice White is given by her adoptive parents. She doesn't know her birth name, since her birth mother practically dump her in front of an orphanage right after she was born. Many people ask her why her name is unique and not local at all, and she always have to explain to them that White is her adoptive father's family name.

She has hazel eyes, which changes color every time the lightings change. She has her brown hair dyed silver, since its currently a trend among youngsters nowadays. Her left arm has some old cut scars, which she used to cut when she got depression few years back during her rebellious phase. Even though the Alice White her classmates knows is a positive girl, deep inside she knows she is not happy with her life.

Then one fateful day, she found a phone, which someone left at the coffee shop.

Alice's POV

Is this a phone?

I look around and saw no one. I can't remember who was the last customer who sit at this particular table. I think I should keep at the counter and inform the manager about this. After closing hours, when I asked what should we do, my manager just ask me to hand in to the police.

"Alice, maybe you can turn in to the police, so the one who lost it might be able to find it when they went to search with the police station."

I just sigh and agree. I don't like going there, since the last time when I went there to help a car accident victim to report as a witness, the police officer at the counter there keeps trying to flirt with me. Maybe I will drop the phone immediately if that officer is not in sight.

I changed to my normal clothes and starts to walk to the station. The night is not that chilly, which I am grateful for. While waiting for the crosswalk, I take out my phone to check the time.

Before I put it back to my pocket, my phone starts to act up and a strange message pops out. The ID shows unknown, which means my phone's operator service cannot trace that number. So without further ado, I read the message to see what's wrong.

Unknown: Hello. I believe that you have found a lost phone in the coffee shop earlier, right?

Me: how did you know? And how do you know my number?

Unknown: Ah, it was me who lost it. I'm not the real owner of the phone as well. I was hoping I can find the owner by today, but it seems I have forgotten it and left it earlier when I grab a cup of coffee.

Unknown: will you help to find the owner? I have to be on flight later.

Me: how do I find if I don't have any details? Shouldn't it be okay if I pass this to the police station?

Unknown: Please don't. The phone consists of confidential information. I do know the owner's address actually, so please proceed to this address.

Unknown: *address*

Should I follow?

Well, the address looks like a normal residential area. So, I can just get some help from security guards if there's anything, right? I mean, the area is not isolated as well. And to return a lost item to the rightful owner, it's the correct thing to do, right?

Me: okay.

I change my course from the police station to the residential area. Luckily, its nearby so I don't need a taxi or subway to travel there. Once I reached the area, and with the guidance of the security guard, I reach the entrance of the apartment.

I ring the doorbell, and waited. No one answers.

Me: no one is answering.

Unknown: I know the passcode. So just enter it and enter the house. You can just put down the lost phone and go.

Unknown: please, this is urgent.

Unknown: *passcode*

I really hope nothing scary will pop out. Sucking in my breath, I enter the passcode and the door is unlocked. Peeking inside the place, I enter cautiously, trying not to disturb anyone if there's one. There are documents scattered around the place, and the place is quite unkempt. Then the door locked itself, making me jump for a bit.

Strangely enough, messages pop out at my phone. I was wondering is it that unknown person keeps spamming me, but it seems it's not. An unfamiliar app icon keeps on flashing, which I don't remember installing it. Opening the app, I can see RFA at the main screen, and there's some interface that I never laid eyes on before.

There are plenty of people in the chatroom, and it seems they are talking randomly.

707: someone else entered the chatroom.

Jumin: what do you mean?

Jaehee: I'm sure no one else besides us can access to this app.

707: hacker, explain yourself!

Yoosung: aren't you a hacker as well? Lol

Who are all these? I guess I should explain myself.

Alice: I don't know. I just got this app all in a sudden.

707: Hold on, are you the one who entered Rika's apartment just now?

Yoosung: *shocked*

Jaehee: how could it be, when no one knows where she previously lives?

707: wait, let me check on it.

Zen: Alice? What a cute name. Is she a cute girl?

Jumin: no matter how cute she is, she cannot exceed the cuteness of my Elizabeth the 3rd.

Jumin: *pic*

Zen: no! I will have my allergies acting up!

Seven's POV

She is cute.

This is not like me at all. Normally no matter how lovely or handsome someone is, I will do the usual background check without being bias. But for some reason, when I look at her through the CCTV feed, I can feel my heart skip a beat. Why is that?

I start to search for this girl through the internet, to see any results coming out. While searching, I make a quick call to V, making sure it's not him who send her here.

No, I didn't send anyone to Rika's apartment. I guess you should make a quick investigation on this person.

Okay, looks like V doesn't know anything as well, so I continue my search. Finally, bingo!

Alice White, 21 years old. A student in TY University studying major in interior design. Her social media looks normal, since she didn't really have any suspicious activities. I checked into the TY University's database, and it seems she didn't have anything strange on her profile as well. Then I saw her resume in a popular part time website. I guess she is working part time.

Her parents died in a car crash a few months ago, and she dyed her brown hair silver. Her face features are quite good, and can be considered pretty in today's beauty standard.

I should hear her part of the story.

707: so what business do you have at that apartment?

Alice: someone texted me to return a lost phone at this place? Saying he knows the owner and the owner is here.

Zen: cute~~

Jumin: too naïve. What if it's a trap?

707: show the lost phone to the CCTV at the door entrance.

I can see in the feed that she grabs a phone from the table, open the door, looks left and right and finally landing her eyes on the CCTV, and shows the phone. The phone is not locked with a password, so she slides it to unlock the screen for me. I can recognize it as Rika's phone…

How did she got her hands on this?

707: where did you get this?

Alice: at the coffee shop I work at. Someone left it behind.

707: remember that person's face or looks?

Alice: sadly, no.

Yoosung: hey seven tell us what's happening, I don't get it.

Zen: is your brain full of games and no common sense?

Zen: *sigh*

707: okay, it seems that the phone Alice found is Rika's.

Yoosung: wait, what?!

Jumin: how could it be possible? Rika's not here anymore.

Jaehee: remember that we didn't found her phone, and not even her body is found.

Jumin: have you told V about this?

707: I have drop a simple text to him, and he's coming.

V is online

V: Seven told me about the situation.

V: and he shared all the information on Alice.

V: Alice, I think its best you stay put in Rika's apartment first.

V: Seven, please secure Alice's safety. I think the one leading her to the apartment has ulterior motive.

V: everyone, for the time being, please trust Alice. I think she is totally innocent in this incident.

Jumin: Since V said so, I think we can trust her for the time being.

Alice: I can't follow.

Jumin: Assistant Kang, please explain.

Jaehee: *sigh*

Jaehee: We are the RFA, where we organize charity parties, inviting all kinds of people from all kinds of classes. Since the previous party planner, Rika died a year and a half ago, we never organize anymore parties.

Zen: I'm Zen. I'm a handsome musical actor. Do not search me online, it's embarrassing.

707: Drum roll please!

707: I'm God Seven! My real name is a secret. By the way, Zen's real name is Hyun Ryu.

Zen: why is your name a secret while mine is not?

Zen: *angry*

Yoosung: I'm Yoosung Kim! I'm a 21 year old student, nice to know you!

Jumin: I'm Jumin Han. And this is my assistant Jaehee Kang.

Jaehee: nice to meet you, Alice.

707: Welcome to the organization! I will call you later regarding some arrangement.

I call Alice immediately. For some reason, my heart is thumping hard while waiting her to accept my call. Once she picks up and says hello, I can feel the time instantly stop.

No, get a grip Luciel!

I muster my courage and change my persona to the cheerful and joker type, to hide my nervousness.

"Heiya, Alice! God Seven speaking here."

"Are you busy? You didn't say anything for some time when I take the call."

"Haha, you caught me. Anyway, I need you to promise that you will never reveal the apartment's address to the other members, except V and I only knows the address."

"Sure. But can I go to classes and part time as usual? And I need to get some of my belongings from my house…"

"Before we can make sure no one's hunting you, you cannot go out as you please. So please bear with this for a few days before we give you the green light."

"Oh…"

"if you need any necessities for the time being, I will send some stuffs over. You can count on me, the defender of justice!"

"Hehe…"

"So, I need to go back to work. See ya!"

I ended the call before she can say anything else. This must be the most heart wreaking call I ever made. Not even able to be compared to the first secret mission I have assigned to.

I think I should pray first before any sinful thoughts revolving this girl invade my genius brain…

Alice's POV

What just happened?

I think I got myself into a huge mess. I really shouldn't listen to strangers, and enter a stranger's place. And the worst case scenario, my phone was hacked.

What's their purpose? My head starts to ache when I think too much. I think I should lie down and collect my thoughts. I hope after a little rest; my mind will feel much better.