You were sitting in your car, chowing down on the rice ball that you bought as you practically park your car in the middle of the road since the traffic has come to a complete stop. Your phone lets out a random and loud alarm noise and springs to life.
"Please set a username" Pops up on your previously locked phone. You reach to close your phone, thinking one of your apps must have updated and you just don't have the time to deal with it right now. But your phone refuses to shut off. "Damn phone. I know you're old, but that doesn't mean you don't have to do your job. You're supposed to lock when I click this button, right? Come on! You have ONE job, button!" You exasperatedly shout at your phone, throwing it down in the passenger seat. You sigh and figure you'll deal with it when you get back to your apartment because it would be just your luck to try and fix it while behind the wheel of your car and a police officer would see you and flag you down. That's literally the last thing you could possibly need at the moment.
Your phone vibrates and you see the screen behind the option to choose a username start moving.
[Unknown : ….Hello….?]
"Holy shit. What?" You grab your phone again, first checking that the traffic still wasn't moving, and hold it below the steering wheel as you quickly set your username. You just set it as your first name because it's not like anyone would be able to trace who you are from only a first name on a random messenger app.
You aren't quite sure how to respond to this Unknown character, so you just send a quick question mark. Hell, it works.
[Unknown : Oh, thank the gods! I've finally reached someone! I've been sending messages on this app but I haven't received a response in hours. I found a phone at the subway station… Sadly there weren't any contacts or anything aside from this messenger app. Do you think you could help me contact the owner? I found an address in the notes with a random stream of numbers. I think it's too short to be a phone number, though. ]
Okay, this is kind of weird. You don't remember downloading anything that looked remotely similar to this app. Did you accidentally click on it when you were perusing the different apps the other night while you were almost asleep? Yeah, that must be it. You glance up at the traffic and see that it's finally moving, so you place the phone back down in the seat. You decide your safest bet would be to pull over so that you can figure out what's going on with your phone.
[Unknown : …Uhm, hello? I know it's weird getting a text from a stranger, but to be honest, I'm flustered myself. Please don't tell me you're ignoring me?]
You pull over into a parking lot of a gas station that you found and check to see several missed messages from Unknown.
[: Omg. I was driving. Chill out. It's not like it said I left the chat room so you can calm down a bit.]
[ Unknown : Oh! You're right! My bad.]
[: So, how can I be of assistance? ]
[ Unknown : So formal! Anyway, I'd like for you to go to the address that is saved on the phone, if that's ok. I already searched up the address on Google street view and it's a nice, developed apartment complex downtown with a gate. ]
[: Erm, I'm not sure about that, sorry. It makes me pretty uncomfortable going to a random place that a stranger on a random app told me about. ]
[ Unknown : ….I guess that could be kind of off-putting….I'm sorry that I didn't mention it before, but I'm really religious. The reason why I'm trying so desperately to get this phone back to the owner, is that it's part of my religion to always pay kindness forward to people. In this case, I'd really like to return the phone to the owner. It looks pretty expensive. The neighborhood seems to be a safe place. But if you feel unsafe, you can turn around. Please? ]
[: …..I guess it's not that far away…but I'm leaving right away if it feels sketchy. ]
[ Unknown : Omg, thank you! ]
You enter the address that he sent you into your maps and see that the apartment is only a fifteen minute drive from your work. Which is, of course, in the opposite direction of where you were driving.
[: It's going to take me a bit to get there because of traffic. I'll check back in when I arrive, ok? ]
[ Unknown : Okay! Please don't forget about me. ]
You chuckled softly and pulled off into the never ending line of traffic.
Your phone announced that you were close to your destination right before you pulled up in front of a rather fancy looking apartment complex. The whole complex was kind of small, only a few tall buildings, but it was a well lit and gated community so you figured it couldn't hurt to at least pull in and take a look around.
You pull up the messenger app again and look to see which floor you were supposed to go to. As you stepped out of the elevator, the apartment was almost immediately in front of the elevator. 'Well that would make bringing shopping bags home a breeze.' you thought, slightly in a bitter tone, as you thought about your own apartment that didn't have the luxury of an elevator. Just then, you felt your phone spring back to life.
[ Unknown : Are you there?^^ See. Nothing strange, right? I'm assuming that there's a password lock on the door since there is a line of numbers here with the address. ]
[: Kinda weird how you knew that I was here… ]
[ Unknown : Oh! Don't think too much into it haha. I guess I just have really good timing! Here are the digits. Why don't you enter them to see if it works? ]
[: ….Shouldn't I ring the doorbell first? ]
[ Unknown : Quite right! Sorry, I was getting ahead of myself. I got caught up in the moment of finally getting to return this phone. ]
You shake your head and proceed to ring the doorbell. There's no answer even after a minute or two so you decide to ring the doorbell a few more times in case they didn't hear you. Still no answer. 'Hmm. Guess no one is home?' You think as you decide to knock just in case the doorbell is broken. But since no one answered, you decided to respond to this Unknown person.
[: Well, no one responded. What do you want me to do? I have a piece of paper in my purse that I can write a note on and leave in their mail box if you want. ]
[ Unknown : Hmm. That could work. I just think it'd be better for you to at least try the passcode and maybe leave it on their counter or desk or something. Don't you think they'd find it faster than they would in a mail box? Plus it could slip out when the mailman is delivering mail or something. Here, just enter this and see if it works and we'll go from there. ]
Unknown sends you a string of numbers that you decide to enter into the number pad on the door. May as well so you can just get this over with and head home, already.
[: Yeah, that's fine. I'm leaving directly after, though. I've had a long day and I'm ready to go home. ]
[ Unknown : TH A NK Y OU! ]
Right as you enter the apartment and close the door behind you, your phone starts to freak out again. The same loud, annoying alarm comes from it and it is suddenly filled with a bunch of random green letters and numbers.
-Y/N has entered the chatroom-
[ Yoosung : I failed my midterms! FML T_T
707 : Cuz u played games all night lol.
Jumin : You need to raise your GPA if you plan on working for me.
Zen : You realize that's nepotism, right?
Jumin : No. It's recruitment.
Zen : It's giving him a free pass just because you know him instead of actually training someone who deserves the job.
Jumin : Whatever. I really don't care what you think.
707 : Aren't they the same? O_O
Jumin : Nepotism is if you recruit someone you know and they aren't capable of handling the job.
707 : WAIT! Think someone enter the chatroom;;
Jumin : Y/N….?
Yoosung : Hacker!? Therae's a hacker in heer! Sevnee do somethign about it!
Zen : Watch your typos.
Jumin : Who are you, Y/N? Assistant Kang, are you here?
Jeahee : I am. Nothing in particular was happening so I was just watching the chat. However, I see something has just occurred.
Jumin : Why is a stranger in our chatroom if it is a private app?
Yoosung : I thought Seven only let us download it.
Zen : Maybe one of us downloaded the app on another phone? ]
'What in the world is even happening?' You think as you read the strange conversation streaming across your phone. You see a computer desk in the apartment and decide to sit down in the chair and start to scribble a note to the owner about the phone after setting your purse down. After writing the note and setting it in the middle of the desk, you go back to your phone and figure you may as well respond to the group so they can stop freaking out and jumping to conclusions.
[: Hello…. ]
[ Zen : So it isn't two phones.
Jumin : Then who is it?
Yoosung : Seven! Find out what it is!
Jaehee : How did you find this app? Where did you download it? ]
[: I don't even remember downloading this, tbh. I was randomly contacted by a person called 'Unknown' through this app. I'm guessing you guys might know him? He said he found a phone and was too far away from the address to see if the owner of the device was home so he asked that I deliver a message about it for him. ]
[ Zen : You went to an address from a random person on an app you didn't even downloaded? lol cute.
Yoosung : You shouldn't listen to strangers~ …Even though we're strangers right now, too.
707 : Oh…^^ I found something weird. I traced the IP and it's coming from Rika's apartment. I guess someone broke inter her apt and it auto connected her from there.
Yoosung : So it is a hacker? Gahh~ So scared right now! I thought the apartment had a password lock!
Jaehee : I assume it was a break in. Username "Y/N" I recommend that you confess.
Jumin : Y/N…Who are you? Reveal to us. If you don't, you will pay.
Zen : lololol Stranger you will pay? Lmfao. So scary~ It might be a girl.
707 : If it doesn't say something, I'll just hack it to find out.
Zen : Anyway. Hi, I'm Zen! I'm a 24 yr old musical actor. ]
A photo of a handsome, white haired, pale faced man with red eyes pops up on your screen. 'Wait…didn't I…Just see him? Huh. Small world…' You think back to the convenience store. You're quite sure there couldn't be that many people who looked like him. 'I wonder if it's too late to walk out of here and just turn my phone off….?'
[ Yoosung : Oh! So brave~ I'm Yoosung Kim! 21 year old college student. My hobbies are playing LOLOL! ]
Another picture pops up on your screen of an innocent looking boy with yellow hair. 'Wow, these people are eager, huh?'
[: Uhm. That's nice but you said hobbies. As in plural. Yet, you only named one thing. Anyway. I'm really flustered right now and I just want to go home so if you guys don't mind. I've come here to do what I first intended… ]
[ 707 : lol. You were phished. The person who lived in that apartment is no longer living and hasn't been for quite some time now. Whoever sent you there did so for some reason or another, but it must have been intentional. I'm calling V.
Zen : V is too busy. He won't come.
Jaehee : V should know that Y/N is here so let's just wait. I'm sure he'll log on after talking to Seven. I'm still ready to call the police.
Yoosung : Jaehee is scary! T_T
707 : Youcantalkaboutit. Vsaidit'sok. Sorrytypingwithonehand. Lookedintotheownerofthedevice. She'scutelol. Sawherfbpage. ]
You were officially creeped out. He saw your Facebook page? You hardly used it, sure, but it's still perturbing.
[: You're hacking my info? Really? I'm the victim here! I was led here by a random person for who knows what reason and now I'm having a background check run on me just because I did as I was asked? Nice. ]
[ 707 : Sorry. Imahackerit'smyjob.
Jumin : So it's really a girl?
Zen : i want to see a pic! ]
-V has entered the chatroom-
"Oh great. Another one. When can I get out of this….?" You mutter to yourself, rubbing your hand over your tired eyes. You glance at the digital clock sitting on the desk next to you and see that you've already been off of work for over an hour.
[ V : I heard about the situation. Since Y/N was led there, Luciel and I have decided to see if she will take over Rika's work in the organization. She already knows too much just being there since only Luciel and myself know the address. Y/N, that apartment holds sensitive information about an organization that we have formed a few years ago with my late girlfriend, Rika. We are officially called the RFA, Rika's Fundraising Association. We hold parties every few months where Rika would only invite people who would benefit other members who were joining. For example, a lot of representatives of Arts organizations would come to the parties. It would be a large fundraising event, after which we would donate the money we earned to places and people in need.
Yoosung : I can't imagine anyone taking over her work.
Zen : But if we continue on the way we have been, then there's no reason for the organization to continue since we haven't been hosting parties. If Y/N accepts then we can host the parties again, right, V?
Jumin : Aren't you just excited because it turned out that she's a girl?
V : Everyone, I realize that this is confusing, but I believe that Y/N may have been led there by someone Rika chose to take over her works if she ever found herself unable to do so. Please trust my decision for now. I'm really busy and must take my leave, so if there's nothing else, I will be leaving for now.
707 : Yeah, this app isn't just a simple messenger. All of the party related emails that are on Rika's computer will be transferred to your phone through the app, Y/N. U will auto receive guests' info and be able to call and send private messages to the members in here as well. ]
-V has left the chatroom-
You stare at your phone and don't even bother answering. You reach down and pinch your thigh a few times, sure that it'll leave a bruise in the future. You'd rather have a bruise then actually believe that this situation was really happening. You're being asked to join this organization of strangers just because you are in this dead person's apartment? What is wrong with these people?
[: Okay, look. Maybe I didn't make myself clear earlier. This sounds lovely and all, don't get me wrong. I'm glad that there's people out there who are trying to do some good in the world. However, I'm really busy with my work. I don't have time for something like this. Between trying to get a promotion at work and my super busy personal life, I just don't have time for something like this. ]
[ 707 : lolololololol lmfao busy personal life. Didn't u turn down going out with friends tonight because you wanted to be alone? How is that busy? ]
At that, you throw down your phone onto the desk and scoot the chair back on instinct. How did he know that? You haven't even posted anything about that on your social media, or anywhere, for that matter.
[ 707 : Oh, sorry. I bet that was creepy. Your friend, Xavier, made a post complaining about it. Anyway. Let's do what V said. Y/N, u can log into this chatroom from time to time to chat with us. That's not that difficult. We will recommend party guests to you and you just have to email them. You can do that on your time off. That's all you'll have to do. Not that time consuming. Plus, we're a lot of fun~
Zen : Stalker, much? Y/N, if you join the organization, we'll be able to talk more. Not every day that we get to talk to a pretty girl~
707 : How do you know she's pretty? I never sent a photo.
Zen : Oh! Send one! I want to see!
707 : No. I've already invaded her privacy. If she wants you to know what she looks like, she can send one. ]
[: I'm not sending one… ]
[ Jumin : Men will be men, Y/N. Don't listen to their bantering.
707 : Oh yeah, I heard somewhere that Jumin is gay.
Zen : Gross! Go away.
Jumin : Will you stop shitting around? Y/N, will you join RFA? ]
[: Sigh. I guess I could give it a go if it means I get to go home. ]
[ 707 : Good, because I've already registered you as a member. It's a verbal contract, so you're bound to it.
Yoosung : lol you collected all the info so she can't run away, right?
707 : Anyway, that's all I need. I'm going to work. Welcome!
Jumin : We'll see how you do.
707 : By the way, you can stay in that apartment if you want until you get used to doing this. It's closer to your work than your place, anyway. Feel free to stay there. Just don't turn on the computer or open any of the drawers on the desk or an alarm will sound. Toodles! ]
Suddenly, everyone left the chatroom and you found yourself there alone. Stay….here? I mean it was a better place than where you were currently staying…but what about your cat? Plus it's just weird to stay somewhere that is not your own. 'I guess I could bring a few things tomorrow since it's Saturday.' You sigh and gather your purse and phone off of the desk and head back out of the apartment, ensuring the lights are off and the door locked. You head back down to your car and drive home, anxiously awaiting the full bottle of wine in your fridge and a hot bubble bath.