AN: Thanks for the review :) If you like the story, I upload it on AO3 on a more regular basis. I'm just updating this here once in a while because fewer people read it :P Anyhow, enjoy~
Chapter One
Alien in the Spaceship
It was a cold summer evening, thanks to the army of air conditioners that prevented his equipment from overheating. The row of expensive computer screens displayed endless series of numbers and enveloped his bunker in dim artificial light. Empty soda cans were scattered across the floor and mountains of chip bags were gathering in the corners. Only the occasional notification of another successful breach of the enemy's security disturbed the deafening silence.
Halfheartedly, the man watched as his algorithms tore the opposing system apart.
Yet, Seven didn't feel anything.
Getting lost in the infinite depths of his mind, he wondered whether this was what floating in space felt like. He imagined himself orbiting the planet, blanketed by the eternal darkness of the void, far removed from the rest of humanity. He was a spectator, simply watching as the daily events unfolded without him. If a shooting star were to pass by him, he'd close his tired eyes and wish for a day where he could live his life freely.
A familiar ache in his chest brought him back to reality. The secret agent couldn't allow himself to think this way. In truth shooting stars were nothing romantic, they were merely meteors entering Earth's atmosphere. Even if it was a star that moved across the galaxy with unusually high velocities, he'd be burned to a crisp in a matter of seconds if he were to get close, erased from existance and never to be remembered.
Banishing the supermassive black hole that existential crisis left in his heart, the redhead set up another line of code and was finished in a matter of minutes. Being a perfectionist at heart, he scanned his code for possible mistakes and was pleased to find none.
Of course, he didn't find any errors. He was a genius, unparalleled in skill.
Nevertheless, the satisfaction didn't show in his features, emotions rarely ever did nowadays unless he was forcing them.
After taking a large gulp from his favorite carbonated drink—Dr. Pepper, the Lord and Savior of every sleep-deprived workaholic—Seven leaned back in his comfortable black-leather chair. Long fingers drummed impatiently on the armrest as he contemplated his options. He had some time to kill until he could extract the information the agency needed.
The hacker pulled out his smartphone and opened the messenger app that he so masterfully created. He used to welcome the distraction the RFA offered. The messenger had been his personal haven, his special sanctuary, where he was allowed to temporarily forget that he wasn't merely a miserable ghost living in the world of binary numbers.
However, everything had changed once Rika committed suicide.
Rika's Fundraising Association was slowly but surely crumbling like a spaceship that was navigating through a meteor field while already having crashed into several big boulders. The cracks in the ship's hull threatened to suck all of them into space, which would inevitably let them difrt apart from each other. What used to be an avalanche of daily chats turned into a few weekly arguments between members, often leading to one of them leaving the chat for a good amount of time.
It was the reason Seven was surprised to find every member online, currently chatting about another one of Yoosung's failed exams. He was glad for the irregularity, happy almost, yet it didn't show on his face. If there was no one to see him smile, why should he? Dropping a few comments here and there—only to tease the blond gamer and provoke a friendly fight between Zen and Jumin—the hacker scrolled through their previous conversation.
His eyes widened when he noticed an unfamiliar username. Clammy fingers of dread clutched his heart and send shivers down his spine, making him feel like someone dumped a bucket of ice water over his head. Seriously,The Ice Bucket Challenge was nothing in comparison. If this was one of his many enemies and they were targeting the RFA, he would never forgive himself.
707: WAIT!
707: Think someone entered the chatroom;;
Jumin Han: MC … ?
ZEN: Wtf. How did it get in here?
Seven wondered the same. This app was surrounded by walls of code that not even the most talented hackers could dream of breaking, they'd have to be a genius. He was worried and intrigued in equal amounts.
707: Hacker!
Yoosung: Hacker!? Therde's is a hacker in ouer room?! Sevnee do somethign!
ZEN: Hey, typos (¬_¬;;)
707: Wait a sec. I'm searching.
Jumin Han: Who are you? Reveal yourself.
Slightly shaken by the thought of a security breech, Seven needed approximately 3.78 seconds to come up with a counter plan. His fingers were flying across the regularly abused keyboard as he followed several leads simultaneously.
On the left screen a window displayed the messenger's coding and he ran several of his detection programs on it, hoping to find irregularities and strings of code that hadn't been there before. On his right screen, Seven traced the hacker's IP address, starting from the footprints they left on his server, in case it wasn't a robot but an actual person behind this.
His main screen remained reserved for agency work. Data was still being decrypted and Vanderwood would tase him if he stopped now. Deadlines were deadlines. Good thing he was a master at multitasking.
MC: Erm … hello? I don't know what's going on either (￣︶￣;)
Yoosung: Gahhhhh it's talking! (ﾟ□ﾟ*川
Interesting... they were a person after all. Overall, their reaction was odd for someone who hacked into sacred ground, but they could simply be pretending to be innocent. Yoosung's reaction, on the other hand, was hilarious.
Jaehee Kang: How did you find out about this place? Where did you download the application?
MC: Well … it's a long story (ー∀ー；)
ZEN: Long story?
707: Oh … ^^
707: Wait. Just found something. This is weird.
ZEN: What is it?
707: I traced the IP. It's from Rika's apartment.
Yoosung: Rika's apartment?
This wasn't good, far from it actually. That place was dangerous and not matter how much he wanted to send a colourful cocktail of viruses to the mysterious hacker, Seven worried for their safety. He had commited a plethora of crimes of illegal—in a way his very existence was illegal—but he didn't want to add a dead body to his list of sins. However, it was dificult to control the situation while keeping the RFA in the dark. V made him swear to never reveal the truth about the apartment and he never broke his promises.
Nibbling on his lower lip, he methodically repressed every and all signs of anxiety, covering it up with his cheerful persona.
707: Anyway, someone must have broken into the apt. It talked normally, so it must be a person (⌐▨◡▨)
Yoosung: So scared right now (((･Α･川)))
Yoosung: I thought the apartment has a passworh lobk?
ZEN: Typo!
Jaehee Kang: MC, I recommend that you confess.
Of course, nobody in their right mind would confess at this point, which made Jaehee's and Jumin's ridiculous demands pointless. Luckily Seven got the IP-address and used it to hack into the device MC used for their shenanigans. Numbers danced across the screen at an intense pace, blurring together and reflecting back on his glasses.
707: My hands r shaking as I hack.
It was as much a challenge as it was a warning. He was confident in his skill and it was only a matter of time until he found out who they were. In case he needed to call V, he pulled up the computer version of the chatroom that only he had access to.
ZEN: Maybe they're one of my fans?
Jumin Han: How arrogant can you get? (๑ᵕ⌓ᵕ̤)
MC: I'm Mei and who are you guys?
MC: And pls don't hack my phone again?! I mean, it's already hacked, isn't it?
MC: What's the point of doing it twice?
707: Twice?
MC: Stay away from my browser history (つ﹏。)
707: lol so awkward~
707: You saying that only makes me more curious lolol
707: browser history here I come (ʃƪ¬‿¬)
ZEN: They seem more normal than I thought.
Yoosung: Should we … introduce ourselves?
Jumin Han: Are you serious?
Jaehee Kang: I think it's a bit too early for that.
Despite their protests, Seven saw this as the perfect opportunity to stall for time and occupy the intruder while he hacked them. Yoosung and Zen didn't shy away from introducing themselves right away, but Jumin and Jaehee resisted—honestly the smarter decision—until Seven forced them to by supplying pictures. With the phone's data and aledged name in hand, he started working his magic. It was only a matter of seconds until he found them and all of their social media accounts.
Mei Cheon.
A pair of navy blue eyes stared back at him from behind long, black lashes. Plump lips were pulled into a cheeky smile as the woman in the picture played with a cute black cat that sat in front of her. The photo was taken in a park and rays of sunshine were lining her face, making it seem as though she was glowing. Silky looking strands of chocolate coloured hair shimmered in the sunlight and brushed lightly against her collarbones. There was something mesmerizing about the scene.
She looked so full of life that it simply took his breath away.
However, Seven couldn't let himself get distracted by a pretty face. It could be a fake account, so he went deeper into the rabbit hole, pulling up pictures and random conversations from her Twitter account. Her digital footprint was average for a woman her age, but a large amount of pictures were privatized, which showed that she had some awareness of the importance of protecting private information. Of course, this was no hurdle for the amazing 707.
Nothing could keep him out.
He actually had to suppress a chuckle when he found a recent picture that was dubbed 'the angry chicken disaster'; the incident was narrated by an animated conversation in the comments below. After more pictures of her cat, a flood of memes, an impressive collection of food porn, the occasional selfie with a friend and videos of successful office pranks, the secret agent came to the conclusion that she was real and not a siren-like alien send from outerspace to ruin him. Well, the latter was still to be determined.
Wait, what the hell was he thinking? Abort!
Arguing that he was doing this for safety reasons, he created folder and saved a couple of pictures. Maybe he'd need them in the future for leverage or blackmail. It was evidence of her existence, nothing more.
707: I looked into the owner of the device (･◡･๑)
707: She's cute lol
Clutching at his chest, Seven willed his heart beat to slow and fought the warmth that threatened to spread across his face. He hadn't met many people in the twenty-one years he'd spent on this planet, but the word 'cute' sounded like an understatement when he looked at her. Mei was beyond gorgeous, but the others didn't have to know that yet. She might still be their enemy.
Regardless, Seven was missing something and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Her name rang a bell ... if only he knew where he heard it before. Better safe than sorry, he made quick work of the local police data base. If she had a criminal record, he'd find it there. After adjusting his headphones slightly, he typed her name into the query that was usually reserved for suspects during criminal investigations.
Cheon, Mei (21 years old)
Nationality: South Korean
Occupation: Detective at Seoul's Independent Detective Agency (SIDA)
Specialization: Medical Consultant
Authorization: Level A
Affiliation: Seoul Police Department (SPD), South Korea's Federal Bureau of Investigations (SKFBI)
Family: Lee Cheon (deceased), Chloe Cheon (deceased), Hana Cheon (17 years old)
Degree of Education: Doctor of Medicine (SKY University)
S.I.D.A.? Seven stared at the letters until they were burned into the back of his retina. As far as he knew, they were a small group of talented individuals, who became rather famous for aiding police investigations with difficult cases in the last few years. The detective agency started as a project funded by the government before becoming its own independent organization. According to this entry, Mei graduated from Sky University in 20XX when she was just nineteen and with a degree in medicine no less. It wasn't entirely unthinkable, if you knew the right people and jumped a couple of years in highschool.
It was rare though and required hard work.
Seven wondered whether the death of her parents had anything to do with her rapid ascend to the working class. If she and her sister didn't have anyone to support them financially, it made sense for the woman to rush through her education in order to provide them. Of course, he could easily find the truth by digging deeper into her secrets but the thought suddenly made him feel dirty. The secret agent could sympathise with her situation and felt a strange connection forming between as he got absorbed in reading her file.
Spying on this woman who seemed so bright depite having the weight of the world on her shoulders made his insides twist with guilt. Seven was disgusted with himself, yet he knew V would demand to know every detail, leaving him no choice.
Hackers were the cockroaches of cyber space after all.
In the end, Mei never became a practicing doctor thanks to the chief of SIDA—Mr. Byung-woo Park—inviting her to work as their consulting medical expert only weeks after her graduation. Ever since then, she had been working on solving crimes with her partner—Kyung Hyeon—for two years. While all of this didn't explain why she was in Rika's apartment of all places, Seven knew one thing for sure.
She wasn't dangerous.
Yoosung: You did a background check on her? So Mei is definitely a girl?
MC: But I'm not a girl (๑•́ ₃ •̀๑)
707: Lmao nice try I saw all ur photos
MC: Nooooo~ my true form has been revealed (_ _|||)
707: lololol
Her laid-back attitude despite the situation calmed his nerves. Seven vowed to protect the secrets he uncovered about her. It was the least he could do after violating her privacy.
ZEN: Oh? A girl!
Yoosung: A girl that makes anime references? Is this a dream?
ZEN: Show me a photo.
707: Nope~
707: How dare you try violate someone's privacy like that!
MC: My hero ヾ(´▽｀*)ﾉ
707: Seven-Zero-Seven, Defender of Justice at your service, m'lady (⌐▨◡▨)ﻭ✧
Yoosung: You get to see her and we don't. That's unfair, Seven.
Of course, Yoosung had to get whiny about this. As the second perpetual single of the group—Zen being the first—it wasn't surprising that he was excited about meeting a girl. Although, it wasn't like he had much room to talk. He was married to the world of binary numbers, but totally cheated on them only moments ago and dedicated an entire folder to her.
Evidence, he kept reminding himself. Evidence!
MC: Well, since you introduced yourselves it's only fair if I do too. I'm Mei Cheon, 21 y/o. I'm supposed to be on vacation right now, but that didn't work out too well as you may have noticed (￣︶￣;)
Jumin Han: Obviously.
ZEN: No need to be rude, Jerkmin.
ZEN: How did you get into the apartment?
MC: It's kinda embarrassing actually. I was chatting with a stranger on a messenger app and they sent me this address ╮(─▽─)╭
Jumin Han: Chatting with a stranger … how naïve.
ZEN: So cute lol
ZEN: Went to an address from a chatting app lolol
Yoosung: Don't listen to strangers~ The world is dangerous.
Jaehee Kang: You need to be more careful.
Seven agreed 100%. It was reckless and stupid to go to an address a stranger gave to you. She may be a detective, but if she had suspected criminal activity, it was still way too dangerous for a young woman like her to deal with it by herself. Mei could've been kidnapped, assaulted or killed. He didn't want to think about it.
707: Do you have that person's username or chat record?
MC: The username was 'Unknown'.
707: Weird. I made it impossible to login without setting a username.
MC: I think 'Unknown' was their username. The chat record got deleted and the email is gone, but I took screenshots.
MC: I can send them to you if you want?
707: Yup, pls send them to me later.
707: Nothing's in the log either…
Minutes ticked by as this mess got more complicated. Seven pulled his headphones and reached for his phone, swiping a thumb over the glass. He took a few deep breaths before dialing V's number, praying that the man would know what to do about this. He was their leader after all.
707: Hey, did they tell you the password for the doorlock?
MC: Yeah. They said it was in the phone they found, but that was probably a lie.
Jumin Han: I see … so that 'Unknown' person dragged you into this.
Yoosung: But how did you end up chatting with that person?
MC: Oh~ you got the mindset of a detective. I approve.
Jaehee Kang: You are quite strange as well, Mei. Where did you download the app?
ZEN: Do you think she is a creep? No way.
MC: I got an invite via email & thought it looked fun. I downloaded it the appstore lol
Jumin Han: What a modern way of talking.
ZEN: So cute lol
707: Anyways. I should trace the person who distributed the app.
Jumin Han: If what she's saying is true, I'd be a good idea to contact V.
707: Alreddy on it lol
V picked up after the fifth ring and before he could even get a word out, Seven launched into a hurried explanation of the recent events.
Jaehee Kang: I am always ready to call the police.
MC: I'm glad.
Jaehee Kang: Why are you glad? You're the one who broke the law and into an apartment. No matter how I look at it, the only ones gaining from calling the police is us.
MC: True, but they'd help clear this misunderstanding up.
Seven was impressed by her level-headedness in what must look like a dangerous situation to her. If only Jaehee knew who she was talking to, maybe he should tell them Mei's occupation after all. Calling the police on the detective would make for a hilarious headline that would end up rather disadvantageous for the RFA's reputation and an awkward conversation with the defenders of the law.
Hello, officers. Yes, a wild detective appeared in our dead friend's apartment. No, we don't know how she got here, but we swear there is nothing illegal hidden in there. My job? Oh, it's nothing exciting really. I'm just a fellow productive member of this peaceful society, who hacks into your servers on a semi-regular basis. Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya.
Safe to say, Seven would prefer to keep the police out of this if possible.
[V has entered the chatroom]
ZEN: Finally, he's here.
V: Yeah, I guess I'm the last one to know about this. Luciel updated me on everything over the phone.
Jumin Han: Who disclosed the password for Rika's apartment?
V: Well. No one knew the password. I don't even know.
Yoosung: Tell us the address. I'll go there … I want to check who Mei is myself.
MC: Idk how I feel about meeting one of you rn.
Seven's heart tightened in his chest. He didn't even consider how she must be feeling right now. Luckily, his promise prevented him from giving the location out anyway.
707: Uhm. Sorry but I can't tell you the address.
Yoosung: I'm her surviving family!
If he felt guilty before, it was nothing compared to now. If he were Yoosung's position, he'd want to know what happened to his family too and nothing would stop him from finding out. It wasn't fair, but that's how the world worked. Unfairness made it go round and round like a merry-go-round.
V: Rika usually worked there.
V: I can't tell you the address because all the classified information about this organization is stored there.
Yoosung: You don't trust us enough to let us go, right?
Mei remained silent during their arguments and the hacker wondered what she made of all this. It would be interesting to get an outsider perspective on their interpersonal drama, however, he didn't want to burden her as tempting as it was. In an attempt to distract himself, Seven pulled up the security feed from the apartment complex. There might be clues in the CCTV footage that would help him find the hacker-roach.
V: Only Luciel and I know the location and I repeat, the information must be protected, so please don't try to find the apartment.
V: Don't ask Mei about it and Mei, please do not reveal the address.
MC: I don't like keeping secrets for strangers. I'm a seeker of truth after all.
MC: But fine it's your apt and your business ┐(´ー｀)┌
V: I'm sorry. Thank you, Mei.
V: Also, it's best not to touch anything in the apartment. It won't be good if the alarm rings.
MC: Alarm?! (ﾟ□ﾟ*川
Ah, she was a detective through and through. Seven prayed to God that her truth seeking mind didn't prompt her to open the drawers. If the failsafe got triggered, curiosity would literally kill the cat.
Jumin Han: It's a complete mystery how a stranger could end up in Rika's apartment.
V: If it's someone who knows the password, it might be someone that Rika trusted.
ZEN: (ﾟ□ﾟ*川
707: So then that 'Unknown' person knew Rika?! I can't believe she trusted someone more than V.
V: It's hard to believe myself, but we shouldn't assume we knew everything about Rika.
Rewinding the video footage until approximately fifteen minutes before Mei entered the chatroom, his breath caught in his throat when he spotted her. She had stepped into the building cautiously, much like a cat that was ready to flee at the first sight of danger. Her black leather jacket hugged her curves nicely as she glided towards the elevator, curious eyes never leaving her phone. She was frowning at the device as though it was possessed by the Devil, which was closer to the truth than she may have known at the time.
Seven continued watching the events unfold and came to the conclusion that her story checked out. There were only two mysteries left; the identity of Unknown and the reason they led Mei to the RFA.
V: If I'm right ... Mei being in her apartment now, Rika must've wanted that.
V: Maybe Rika wanted someone to do the work she did before. At the place she worked before.
Jaehee Kang: The work Rika did before … hosting parties?
It was a huge leap in reasoning and he wondered how V reached that conclusion. It's not like Rika's ghost could give them orders ... unless V had consulted a medium and performed a séance. He actually wouldn't put it past the photographer, the grief over his fiance's death only left a shell of the man behind. He didn't know much about the afterlife, but maybe it was worth looking into. If ghosts really existed, Seven would have take precautions against them—Ghost Buster style.
Yoosung: Do you really think Rika planned this? If she made that decision when she was alive …
V: That's just my guess since she didn't leave a will.
707: If that's what V thinks, I'm not opposing it.
707: Mei must be going crazy with how things are going rn
MC: Still holding up ;;´ ▽ ` )ﾉ
Seven checked the CCTV in the apartment to make sure she was telling the truth. He found the woman sitting on Rika's rotating office chair, legs stretched out as she pushed herself from left to right. There were none of the typical signs of stress or fear visible on her face, Mei only appeared to be deep in thought. Good. He took a deep breath and tried not to think about how relieved he was.
MC: Tbh I just came here to find the owner of the phone. I'm not sure whats going on and I've never heard of a Rika.
707: Owner of the phone? You were phished lol
MC: Really? You don't say（・_・）
707: ;;
Mei did a full rotation on the chair while she was reading his reply with a smile playing on her lips. It was small but the magnetic force behind it glued his golden eyes to the screen. It was probably one of her alien powers.
Jaehee Kang: I think before we decide anything, we must verify that what Mei said is true. For all we know, she could've simply made the entire story up.
V: Thank you for your opinion, Jaehee, but for now I'd appreciate it if you could trust me.
MC: She made a valid point though? Tbh I'd think the same, if it was the other way around.
MC: I'm not sure I can prove my innocence, but I'm willing to try?
Jaehee Kang: Thanks for your cooperation. I appreciate it.
ZEN: Mei sounds like a good person ✧(◠‿◠)~✧ I don't think she made the story up.
707: Seconded! Looked at the CCTV feed from the building earlier. She's telling the truth (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
Seven wasn't sure whether she had noticed the cameras when she entered the complex, but she deserved to know. He already felt dirty enough for invading her privacy earlier, he didn't want to feel guilty for spying on her as well. Mei didn't seem surprised, so she must've known about them after all. She stopped the momentum of her most recent spin, deep blue eyes scanned the room attentively.
Oh~ She was looking for him, wasn't she?
The hacker couldn't help the amused smirk when he saw an expression on her face that screamed Suspicious Detective™. She almost spotted the hidden camera a couple of times and everytime her eyes brushed over the lense his pulse quickened in response. Maybe it was the sugar high from the Dr. Pepper he had earlier, but it's been a while since he had been this excited.
Once she found the camera, the young detective raised one of her hands and waved tentatively. While he could suppress the urge to wave back, he couldn't suppress the heat that spread from his neck all the way up to his cheeks. Normally, the people he was observing weren't aware of his presence, which was how it should be, but this was a special case. Seven was almost disappointed when she turned her attention back to the chat.
707: Now then~ Shouldn't we explain to Mei about Rika and the RFA?
MC: Waaaait!
707: ?!
MC: RFA? I think I've heard of you before! Aren't you that fundraising organization?
Jumin Han: That is correct. Where did you get that information from?
MC: We've been invited to the last party. I couldn't attend because I was in the hospital at the time, but my boss went.
Yoosung: Well that makes things a lot easier if you already know (･◡･๑)
MC: Yeah. At least I'm now 80% sure you're decent people.
ZEN: What's with the remaining 20%?!
MC: That's for me to know and you to find out (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
707: Is that a challenge I hear? Lolol
MC: Shoo, shoo~ My brain is hack-proof.
Ohohoh, we'll see about that. Reading people and uncovering their deepest, darkest secrets was in the job description for secret agents and he had become a master of his trade. Seven could read people like the numbers on his screen, control their actions and predict their reactions. Once he figured out how the enemy's brain worked, it was game over for them.
ZEN: Anyways, Rika is V's old girlfriend and the one who founded the RFA.
707: Ya. The RFA was born 4 years ago and we've held two parties so far ヾ(´▽｀*)ﾉ
707: The six of us joined the organization and helped her out.
It always helped when you could put a face to a person, so he attached a picture of Rika after his message. Looking at the photograph still hurt. It reminded him of better times that they'd never be able to get back.
Yoosung: She was an amazing person. She always sparkled.
ZEN: And since a year and a half ago, Rika is no longer with us …
ZEN: Anyways, we still haven't gotten over that yet, so please just keep it to yourself.
MC: The death of a loved one … I don't think you can ever get over that.
MC: I'm so sorry for your loss.
ZEN: Mei … thank you.
Of course, she knew how it felt like. Her parents had died when she was only thirteen. Attentive golden eyes searched for her face but she had turned to the side, knees tucked up and curling into herself. It was a defensive reaction, an instinctual position to protect oneself from harm.
Jumin Han: I still can't believe that Rika knew she'd pass away and planned all this.
Yoosung: … I can't imagine someone else taking over what Rika did.
ZEN: But if we continue on like this, there is no need for the party or our organization to continue.
V: Everyone, I know this is confusing but maybe Mei was chosen by Rika.
V: 707 will look into that person called 'Unknown'. So for now believe in me and wait.
V: Mei, everything you have to do will be linked with this app installed on your phone.
MC: Meaning?
707: This app program is not just a simple messenger (･◡･๑)
707: You can answer party related emails, review guest information and message other members privately.
MC: Wow, that' so cool! You're a genius (๑°⌓°๑)
707: (｡ ‿ ｡)
V: Then there is no need for Mei to touch Rika's old things.
Seven wished V would shut up about the topic because the more he emphasized that point the more interested she would get. His hypothesis was that mystery and curiosity were two proportional variables that highly depended on each other. Confirming his theory, Mei cocked her head to the side and raised an inquisitive eyebrow. The Suspicious Detective™ face was back in business and as attention grabbing as ever.
V: It might be best if Mei stays in the apartment for now and works from there.
MC: lol wut? No way, I got two cats and a little sister to take care off.
MC: I'm not staying in a stranger's apartment.
MC: Nope.
V: It might be dangerous if the hacker is still after you.
MC: I can take care of myself, but thanks for worrying.
MC: I'm gonna be fine ( •̀◡• ́)ﻭ✧
ZEN: Idk Mei. V might be right. I don't want you to get hurt.
707: Ya, I agree. It's not safe (⊙﹏⊙)
Her stubbornness on the matter was aggravating. Just the thought of her wandering through the night without protection send a wave of dread over his entire being. The crime rate in Seoul was no laughing matter these days and as a detective, she should know best of all people. The streets were crawling with villains, waiting to ambush poor innocent maidens.
Nevermind, the fact that the person who hacked her phone probably figured out her address and could be waiting to ambush her.
MC: They already know where I am.
MC: So if they wanted to hurt me, don't you think they'd have already done it?
707: They might track you back to your home. Do u want a mysterious hacker to know where u live?
MC: A valid point but tbh I'd feel safer in a place I know where I'm not alone …
MC: than in an lonely apt on my own.
MC: Going home it is. Sorry.
V: Mei, please consider staying. Even if it's only for the time you're doing Rika's work.
707: They mails need to stay protected, the apt wifi is secure. You can't use a public hotspot or ur own wifi.
V: I'm sorry but I have to leave.
[V has left the chatroom]
Frowning at the notification, Seven wondered what could be more important than a hacker intruding on their privacy. Ever since Rika died, it was difficult to get a hold on V, but he thought the current situation would make him stay a little longer.
ZEN: What's he so busy with?
Jumin Han: None of your business.
707: Anyways, let's do what V said. Mei, u have time to log into this chatroom from time to time, right?
MC: Ya, I'm on vacation rn so I got all the time in the world.
707: So jealous, I want a vacation too (╥﹏╥)
Jaehee Kang: Seconded!
Her seemingly boundless optimism was infectious, almost as though it was a physical force of nature. Going by their conversation, Seven apparently wasn't the only one who felt it. It was a mystery how she could stay this positive after everything that happened.
707: Mei, do you mind answering Rika's emails? They'll be from party guests who want to attend.
ZEN: Yup and come and chat with us regularly (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
Jumin Han: Stop talking and let Assistant Kang invite her to the organization.
Jaehee Kang: Shouldn't we ask her opinion on the matter first? We can't force her into working for us.
MC: Thanks, Jaehee. Honestly, I'm not sure about this.
Jumin Han: Mei ... All we're trying to do is host parties, raise funds, gather people and things like that. Our organization has done a lot of good so far.
Jumin Han: You'll never regret joining.
MC: …
Seven could see the gears turning in her head and he drummed his restless fingers on the desk, waiting for her to flip the coin. The suspense almost killed him.
ZEN: If you join the organization, we'll be able to talk more. Not everyday we get to meet a pretty girl.
707: Uhm. How do you know she's pretty? I didn't even send the photo.
MC: I could be a fat bearded old man pretending to be a girl for all you know~
707: My eyes, I've been deceived. It was all a lie (ﾟ□ﾟ*川
MC: Victory. You shouldn't have activated my trap card (¬‿¬)
ZEN: Send the photo!
707: Nope.
ZEN: Damn.
Jumin Han: Men will be men.
ZEN: And you're not a man?
707: Heard somewhere Jumin's gay.
MC: Sexuality doen't change ur gender;;
The hacker knew she was stalling for time, yet it was too easy to play along with her light-hearted jokes. Clicking his tongue at Zen's insistence, Seven couldn't pinpoint why exactly he was defensive over her pictures, but chalked it up to a sudden unexpected appearance of his morality. Listen to Jiminy Cricket when he says doxing nice people is wrong, boys and girls.
Juming Han: Everyone stop messing around!
Jumin Han: I was talking?
Jumin Han: Mei, will you join RFA?
It felt as though time stopped in that moment, the entire universe coming to a stand-still.
MC: Alright. It looks fun. I'll give it a shot.
Yoosung: That's a fast decision.
Jumin Han: Ha. I like it.
Jahee Kang: I wonder if you have thought this through.
MC: Not really nope, but I'm a sucker for charity work and I'm free right now.
707: Could it be? Le gasp
707: Another defender of justice?
MC: Yes!
MC: Much defender.
MC: Very justice.
707: lolol
All hail the power of old memes, they were balm to his restless soul. Seven saw her giggle behind her hand. It wasn't fair that a person could be this adorable. He wondered what her voice sounded like, not knowing bordered on torture. He ran a hand over his face, muttering curses beneath his breath. Control yourself, this is unlike you.
ZEN: Welcome Mei. Oi, Seven. Register her info asap.
707: Ya. I have to register her before she changes her mind.
More work. Always more work.
Yoosung: Mei must be a positive person, seeing as she made the decision so fast.
Jaehee Kang: She may not be a careful person.
MC: True, but my job requires quick thinking so that's kinda how I roll. It must seem weird.
Jumin Han: Assistant Kang, is there something you do not like about her?
Jaehee Kang: It isn't that.
Yoosung: I'm glad we have a girl now. It was a hopeless sausage fest until now lol.
Yoosung: Mei! If you have any questions, I can answer them.
Yoosung: Ask anything you need. No need to worry~
Yoosung was making his non-existent dating experience glaringly obvious, and Seven flinched internally. The blonde gamer boy meant well and he hoped Mei would see that.
Earlier, he saw the flood of flirty messages she received from a notorious online dating website. From the few replies she sent and the threat towards the owner of the website that throned on her profile, the hacker gathered she was quite fed up with the male population of the planet at the moment.
MC: Jaehee is a girl though, right?;;
Jaehee Kang: You are correct ...
707: Good. I've registered her as a member now. Oh. We don't really need your signature.
Yoosung : You're going to collect all the info so she can't run away, right?
707: ^^ … Since it's a verbal contract.
MC: The regret is starting to settle in (¬_¬)
MC: Maybe I shoud've booked a flight to Hawai after all.
Despite her unamused comment, she turned towards the camera with a challenging look in her eyes that promised adventure. Seven rested his head in his hand and leaned to one side as he studied her reaction. Mei was quick enough to realize he had already collected everything on her and he was glad for the lack of resentment on her face. Instead, the young detective was challenging him to find the secrets he couldn't find in the world of binary numbers.
Challenge accepted, Miss Detective.
ZEN: Don't collect anything without her permission!
707: Ya.
MC: Thanks, Zen.
ZEN: Anything for you, princess~
Okay, Seven had more important things to do than watch his forever alone friends flirt with their new party coordinator. She had already consumed too much of his attention and he needed to focus.
707: I'm gonna peace out.
707: Anyways, welcome Mei.
The hacker ignored the following storm of messages and logged off. He had a lot of things on his plate; catching the mysterious hacker, finishing the assignment for his agency and make sure Mei was all set up to start working. Despite his stress levels having climbed towards the peak of Mt. Crisis in the past hour, Seven was grinning from ear to ear.
An alien had arrived inside their crumbling spaceship and maybe she had some alien technology that would fix the cracks in their hull.
To Be Continued ...