Nikita Adliew: Hehe maybe, maybe not. I promise you that everything will make sense in the end and get cleared up ;)
KuraiNezumichan: Thank you so much *_* I'm glad you're enjoying yourself and I'm happy that I managed to bring depth to the characters. And you're seriously making me blush, I'm glad you like my writing style.
werecrazybesties4lyf: Thanks for your reviews! I hope you'll like this chapter too :D
Tangerine Daydreams: Ahh thank you, but I'm happy with what I get :) I'd be a lot more frustrated though, if I wasn't posting this on Ao3 as well. I'm glad you came out of your silent reader cave, thank you so much. It's great that you like their chemistry and that you ship them. Your review in general made me really happy.
OfMiragesandOtherFalseTruths: Thank you so much, I'm glad you like my story and that it feels fresh despite there being so many fanfics. I'm relieved to hear that you enjoy my version of the MC. There will definitely be more interactions with her and her workplace later. Actually, it's gonna happen in the chapter I'm writing right now. Thanks for the input, it's good to know that you're interested in these things because I always worry about focusing on Mei too much. Oh dang, thanks for pointing that out. I'll definitely go and correct it. As for your question: If she's invested in something, she dedicates a lot of time and effort into it. She isn't a genius in the strict sense, but a really hard worker. It's almost impossible to get your MD this early either way and I haven't fleshed it out yet, but in my mind, she convinced some profs and teachers to help her get through faster.
Chapter Eight
Aquatic Creatures and Weddings in Space
Darkness enveloped the bunker, clinging to the corners and creeping up behind the artificial light from his monitors. Papers, soda cans and empty bags of instant food were haphazardly scattered around him, forming intricate patterns as though an occultist made a spell circle to summon him.
Seven used to be a tidy person—bordering on OCD—but at some point he had turned into the opposite.
He simply didn't care enough about the state of his bunker to clean up after himself, but even he knew this was extreme for his standards. Vanderwood would throw a fit and get the taser out once he returned to this mess from his latest field mission, yet he damned the consequences and continued to sit in his chair, unmoving, starting blankly at the wall past his computer.
Seven didn't know how much time had passed.
It could've been hours or a few minutes since he had lapsed into this blank state of lethargy. Today happened, or did it really? He honestly couldn't tell because he hadn't payed attention. Days tended to blend together in a monotonous and continuous cycle that never stopped for anyone or anything, and the daily grind became even more noticeable when working in a profession like his, where hours were only more meaningless numbers.
If time consisted of numbers, maybe he could decode the fabric of reality and mess with it.
Seven flexed his fingers absentmindedly, noting that the cramps were still there.
It was a natural consequence of working a job that should've taken him ten hours to finish, but had taken twenty-four because he hadn't been able to keep his mind from wandering. He could narrow down multiple reasons for his lack of concentration; the party was in two days, V was MIA again, he hadn't caught the mysterious hacker yet, the agency was piling work on him and the silence in his bunker was making him claustrophobic for the first time in years.
Nevertheless, the secondary reasons were overshadowed by one primary reason. One person was to blame, it all boiled down to her.
Mei.
She had become even more of a distraction ever since he met her.
Vibrant scenes from their adventures outside replayed in his head, over and over, like a record stuck on repeat. Images of sunlight shimmering in her hair, the blush on her cheeks when she pouted, the shining blue eyes when he had caught her in his arms and the stunning smile when she had thanked him for everything flooded his conscious. He wasn't entirely sure it really happened because the contrast between the vivid memories and the darkness surrounding him was too great.
Maybe, he had stumbled into a wonderful parallel universe.
However, he wasn't supposed to leave evidence in the world.
When he had attended university in America under the alias Chilyoung Choi, he had erased every piece of evidence that he had ever been enrolled, starting from the admission records. It didn't matter that his classmates had testified that he lived in their dorm or that he checked his GPA through the university's official student website. It didn't even matter that the police had investigated his room with a forensic team because he had made sure not to leave a single fingerprint or lock of hair.
He wasn't supposed to exist, yet he was starting to sabotage himself because of her.
Concentration was slipping through his fingers, which had made typing endless strings of code more torturous that usual. He had lost count of the times he had to correct a line because he had accidentally typed her name or an emoji. Apparently, his lack of sleep had made his brain confuse the code with the messenger app, blurring everything together like a fever dream.
However, his uncharacteristic behavior hadn't stopped there.
Seven had been glued to the CCTV feed of the apartment complex, watching the hallways like a hawk. He told himself it was a precaution against the hacker, but deep down he knew that was only half of it. He often found himself clicking on her profile in the messenger in the short breaks he got, checking if there were any updates. She rarely changed her picture, but wrote a new status message every day. It was either a riddle or a pun.
What do you call a reptilian detective that wears a sleeveless shirt and just can't let something go?
He wasn't sure whether the other RFA members responded to her questions, but he was always the first to send her a text and liked to think that she posted them for him.
707: An InVESTed Gator *。 ﾟ* ヾ( ゝз・)ノ
Nevertheless, it hadn't been easy to juggle his responsibilities when his mind was scattered across time and space, pulling him in different directions. Vanderwood had brought him more work yesterday and left with the stern warning to 'set his damn priorities straight', but not before threatening to tase him as a parting gift.
Deadlines were called deadlines in his line of work because he would be dead if he missed them.
He was the self-proclaimed master of multitasking, but his worry for her safety had remained at the forefront of his mind even while working. He had been typing for roughly six hours, not checking the CCTV once, and it had only served to make him antsy. He had developed a headache, his eyes burned and his heart was hammering in his chest from the caffeine overdose, and now he was sitting there, staring blankly at the wall.
Seven needed a break, traitorous fingers already reaching into the pocket of his hoodie for the cellphone. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the cool metal under his skin, grounding him in reality. Maybe if he talked to her for a couple of minutes, he'd be able to focus again.
[A new chatroom has opened. About the party; MC, 707]
707: I want to cool my head in space.
MC: God Seven is here ヾ(´▽｀*)ﾉ
707: Miss Detective! ヾ( ▽ )
MC: I highly advise against cooling your head in space lol
MC: Wouldn't it swell up really badly and then freeze solid in the vacuum?
707: Yeah lol
707: I have 90 seconds until I suffocate and 15 seconds before I pass out.15 seconds of floating in space without a suit!
707: Exciting, right? (ﾉ≧ڡ≦)
MC: I'll beam you up once 15 seconds have passed, so you won't suffocate (￣^￣)ゞ
707: Thanks, Scotty.
707: (･◡･๑)
707: Anyways ...
707: Whazzup?
Seven relaxed in his leather chair as though a curse had been lifted from his shoulders.
707: Questions about the party?
MC: Yeah, I thought I could talk to V about some organisational stuff, but he isn't here.
MC: Maybe he'll read the chat later and see it?
707: His phone is out of range, he's probably travelling again.
MC: I figured.
MC: I didn't want to bother him when everything was so hectic already, but I'm glad Jumin is feeling better.
MC: V's words must've gotten through to him.
After their confrontation a couple of days ago, everything moved along like a well-oiled machine.
Jumin finally had a heart-to-heart with his father and convinced him to go to court against Glam and Sarah Choi as a united front. Originally, they had planned to expose their lies to the public at the party, but changed their mind on the basis that the charity event shouldn't suffer from scandals caused by gold-diggers. After one long press conference, the media had the latest tea and had clamored to publish articles, similar to starved piranhas that had gotten a fresh pile of meat.
707: V is the only one who can scold Jumin like that lolol
707: It's the power of childhood friends ╮(─▽─)╭
707: Do you have a childhood friend?
While he was waiting for her answer, Seven quickly checked the security footage to see whether she was at the apartment. He swallowed the lump of disappointment when he didn't spot her, tapping his index finger on the table in a steady rhythm. It was easier to gauge her reactions when he could read her body language, at least, that was how he justified his abnormal emotional reaction to her absence with.
When did he get so used to her presence?
MC: Yeah and you might know her.
MC: If you were thorough enough with your background check that is ^^
707: Ohoho? (ㆆᴗㆆ)
707: Do I have to hack into your brain to get an answer?
MC: Not my brain.
MC: I give up ＿ﾉ乙(､ﾝ､)＿
MC: I've known my partner from the agency, Kyung Hyeon, since kindergarden. It's the only reason I allow her to yell at me lolol
MC: Not many people know this though, so psssst~
707: Secret information obtained.
707: Hacking your brain was a success.
707: Ba-thump.
707: Ba-thump.
707: Ba-thump.
707: Maybe I'm already in your heart?
MC: ( ´艸`)
MC: Who knows? I gotta keep some secrets~
A familiar warm feeling spread inside his chest, cheeks flushing slightly behind his glasses. She was probably smiling at her phone with mischief glowing in her royal blue eyes, or at least he hoped so. He really wished he could see her face, not knowing was making him restless.
MC: Do you have a childhood friend?
707: Gaaah. I don't. I'm so jealous (_ _|||)
707: I have my neighbourhood friend Tom though.
MC: Should I start nagging you like a childhood friend then?
707: Bring it on! I'll take all your nagging (ﾉ≧∀≦)ﾉ
707: I can't believe I have a BFF now!
MC: Yes, I'm your BFF to the moon and back! *ヾ(-∀・*)*+
It was very odd, Seven noted, how her excitement about calling him a friend made him feel disheartened. They were joking around like usual, however, he could've done without sudden excursion to the friendzone, even if he had encouraged it himself. It didn't sound quite right to label their relationship as friendship.
Seven sighed and ran a hand over his face.
He shouldn't be thinking about it as a relationship in the first place. Secret agents weren't allowed to have friends or any other form of social connection that wasn't related to work. It had been ingrained in his subconscious to keep people at arm's length, but lately it was getting more difficult to ignore his attachment to the RFA and the detective.
MC: I have to warn you though, my nagging game is strong.
707: I know no fear.
707: God Seven is ready to receive the nagging ᕙ(◡)ᕗ
MC: Go eat some real food for once, stretch your muscles and go to bed. If you don't, I'm gonna come over and make you (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻
707: Gah! You even flipped a table! So scared! I take it all back!
707: I don't wanna be your BFF anymore. Your nagging game is too strong (((･Α･川)))
MC: Told you so (~￣▽￣)~
[V has entered the chatroom]
Seven wasn't sure whether he should be glad or annoyed by the interruption. Of course, he was always happy to talk to V, but he was still a little salty about the lack of response to his calls and messages. He knew that the photographer was suffering in silence, but with everything that had been going on lately he had expected him to stick around until normalcy returned.
Jumin had been right to complain.
It wouldn't hurt V to give them a sign that he was alive every once in a while and it was uncharacteristic of him to be unavailable when his friends needed him. V used to be the first person to offer a helping hand, but in the past year it had become more common to see him apologize for his unexplained absences. Rika's death must've changed him more than Seven had previously thought.
V: Ah, Mei, just the person I was looking for ✧(◠‿◠)~✧
MC: Awesome timing! I've wanted to talk to you tooヾ(＾-＾)ノ
707: Yo!
V: How are your arms? Do they still hurt?
MC: Not at all. They've healed up nicely.
707: Never underestimate scratches. No physical work allowed. You should take it easy for a while~
MC: You are such a worrier (๑•́ ₃ •̀๑) Why were you looking for me, V?
V: It's about the party. I wanted to ask how the guest list is coming along?
MC: Aye, aye sir (￣▽￣)ゞ
MC: I'm still waiting on a few replies, but around eighty people confirmed that they'd come.
MC: Adding the ones who haven't decided yet, we should have roughly 100 people on the list.
707: Wow. So many (ﾉ≧∀≦)ﾉ
V: Thank you for your hard work!
V: I honestly feel bad for pushing all of this on you, especially in such a short time frame.
V: And after everything that happened with Jumin, I'm worried that we rely on you too heavily.
MC: No, no. It's fine. I'm glad I could help (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
MC: Oh, and I wanted to tell you that your photographer friend is coming.
V: Thank you. I can't wait to meet him again ✧(◠‿◠)~✧
707: Didn't you have questions for V about the party?
MC: Thanks for reminding me! It's super important!
707: Ooooh~ suspense! (人⊙ꇴ⊙)
MC: Well, we're organising the party to raise money for charity, right? What are we even funding?
MC: The guests will want to know what cause they're donating to;;
MC: It's not like Rika left any pointers for me and I'm not allowed near the drawers so … help?
Seven gasped quietly, shocked that he had never even thought about that.
Everyone had always trusted Rika to manage the funds and hadn't questioned where they were going. She had been excellent at dealing with people, had worked with many charity organizations over the years and had had a good eye for projects that would help the most amount of people. It was only natural that they needed to support Mei, who didn't have experience with planning fundraisers. They had been so excited about throwing another party in Rika's memory that they had entirely forgotten the reason they were hosting them in the first place.
He shook his head in frustration.
Who should they collect donations for? Seven would've liked to suggest one of the projects they had supported in the past, but the RFA had held so many fundraisers that the projects kind of blurred together.
V: Oh … I'm not sure either. Rika always searched for good causes to support.
707: I think we funded a school building project in Africa last time, but I'm not sure.
MC: Wohaa, that sounds amazing (´⌣`ʃƪ)
V: I'm not sure what to do since the party is already in two days. Do you have suggestions?
MC: How about helping the local children's hospital?
MC: I've heard their oncology ward could use every penny they can get to keep their cancer research going. Also, there are many families who can't afford chemotherapy or the surgeries that are required.
MC: One of my fellow students from university works there, so I know the funds will be in good hands.
V: That's a lovely idea ✧(◠‿◠)~✧
707: Cancer may have started the fight with these children, but we will help them finish it! (⌐▨◡▨ )ﻭ✧
V: I'm glad that our dontations will potentially save their lifes!
Seven smiled fondly at his phone. Mei must've predicted that Rika had been the one who managed the funds and searched for a good cause beforehand. However, she would never make decisions on their behalf, so she had asked for their opinions first.
V: That's settled then.
V: I won't be able to come online again before the party, so we'll see each other there.
V: However, I wanted to say that I'm glad you joined us, Mei.
707: Right? Right? It's soooo much livelier~
MC: As strange as it sounds, I'm also kinda glad my phone got hacked (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
707: I know it's tempting, but please don't click on weird links in emails anymore, okay?
707: It's dangerous.
MC: Okay (ノ﹏ヽ)
V: Oh and thanks for always devoting yourself to the RFA, Luciel.
V: We are only able to host these events because you protect the information of our guests!
707: No problemo (⌐▨◡▨ )
[V has left the chatroom.]
MC: What happened? (ﾟ□ﾟ*川
707: ┐(´～｀)┌
707: He probably had bad reception to begin with.
After their leader made another abrupt exit since cellphone service providers apparently couldn't provide internet access in the mountains, Seven suggested long cat as a guest for the party. He had expected her to decline because the party date was really close, but as per usual she totally got his sense of humor and seemed really excited by the idea. They would have to remind Zen to take his allergy medicine though.
[Jumin Han has entered the chatroom.]
[Yoosung has entered the chatroom.]
Jumin Han: Oh. I missed V.
Yoosung: Who cares about him? (¬_¬)
Yoosung: If we invite long cat, why don't we invite other animals?
MC: He's right. We shouldn't limit ourselves to cats. There are so many fascinating creatures on planet earth.
707: Beyond our imagination! No such thing as stereotypes!ヾ(-∀・*)
Yoosung: Like turtles and snails and lobsters and penguins!
MC: and alligators, piranhas and arctic whales!
707: and moooooore cats! ฅ(≚ᄌ≚)
Jumin Han: Cross out the water-bound organisms.
Jumin Han: And I doubt the turtles and snails could make it before the party starts. They are awfully slow animals.
MC: Does that mean I can confirm the penguins and mooooooore cats?
Jumin Han: Yes, I don't see a problem.
It's been a while since he laughed this hard, but the combination of sleep-deprivation and everyone joining in on the silly conversation was a tough opponent.
707: The aquatic creatures should come too, otherwise we commit speciescism.
MC: We could get them to the location with a cab and prepare a huge aquarium at the party (๑°⌓°๑)
Yoosung: How are marine animals and invertebrates supposed to take a taxi?
707: Hello?! Portable mini-aquariums?!
707: Are you really an upcoming veterinarian? (ー∀ー；)
Yoosung: Of course, but it's dangerous to transport them in glass tanks.
Yoosung: They might break before they arrive and then they die;;
Yoosung: Is speciescism even a thing?
Jumin Han: It is a term often used by animal rights advocates that are against treating one member of a species as morally more important that one of another species even when their interests are equivalent.
Jumin Han: Philosophers have come up with a variation of utilitarianism that incorporates animal interests.
Jumin Han: I'm surprised that Luciel knew about it.
707: Hey, rude. I am an avid supporter of animal rights~
Jumin Han: I suspect ulterior motives (¬_¬)
Jumin Han: It seems like you would familiarize yourself with animal rights for the sole purpose of justifying your treatment of Elizabeth the 3rd.
707: I don't know what you're talking about. I'm innocent ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭*
Yoosung: It's an interesting topic for a termpaper though.
MC: Speaking of termpapers, shouldn't you be at university?
Yoosung: Yeah ...
Yoosung: I stayed up really late last night and when I finally fell asleep I had a nightmare.
Yoosung: I don't think I could've concentrated even if I went.
Yoosung: (ಥ﹏ಥ)
707: One step forward, two steps back~
Jumin Han: Your lifestyle is not healthy and you shouldn't neglect your education, Yoosung.
[Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom.]
Jaehee Kang: Sometimes I confuse this chatroom with a strange fever dream (≖͞_≖̥)
Jaehee Kang: Can we please invite humans?!
Jaehee Kang: And I argree with Mr. Han, Yoosung.
Yoosung: (ಥ﹏ಥ)
707: I've got another idea for a party guest.
Jaehee Kang: Is it a human?
707: It's human-ish.
Jaehee Kang: No.
707: It's called the fairy of cleaning and is supposedly super famous (｡･ｏ･｡)
Jumin Han: Since when did we have fairies living on our planet?
707: Looks like you've never been to Ireland my friend. As the atmosphere has not been adapted for humans to clean, we need the fae folk to help.
MC: Space debris that orbits the Earth and greenhouse gases are a real problem!
Jumin Han: That's logical.
Jaehee Kang: It's not (눈_눈)
Jaehee Kang: Are we planning a party or the opening of a zoo?
MC: Why can't it be both? _(┐「ε:)_
Jaehee Kang: I'm just going to dismiss this entire conversation, but I like that we are donating to the hospital for children.
Jumin Han: It's a good cause and donations are likely to increase if we appeal to people's hearts.
Yoosung: You're making it sound like a marketing scam to get more money;;
Jumin Han: Scam is a strong word. It's a wise business strategy.
Jumin Han: One of the many instances where emotions can be abused to maximise profits.
MC: (´∀｀；)
MC: Well, I'm glad there are no objections and we all agree on one charity project.
Yoosung: I can't wait for the party (ﾉ≧∀≦)ﾉ
707: And I can't wait to see all the aquatic and exotic creatures, but I'll have to finish work and catch that annoying hacker schmacker before that (⌐▨◡▨)
MC: Good luck (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
Yoosung: Talk to you later, Seven!
Jumin Han: Goodbye.
Jaehee Kang: Best of luck, Luciel.
707: Laterz.
[707 has left the chatroom.]
Seven knew his priority should be catching the mysterious hacker or finishing work for the agency, but he was still troubled by the conspiracy theory the detective had cooked up during their conversation in the car. He couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that she had been onto something. It might sound unlikely that a third party was involved in the catnapping, however, it was just as unlikely that all of the strange incidents that were connected to the RFA lately were coincidences.
It couldn't hurt to double check, especially with the party date approaching.
He usually wasn't the type to act on impulse, yet he couldn't stop himself and hacked C&R's servers, pulling up the stored video material in order to see if someone had tempered with the cameras after all. He had only looked at the CCTV footage on the sixteenth floor during the investigation. When he reviewed the recordings from the entrance hall, his breath hitched and the unsettling foreboding feeling intensified as he paused the video.
Foyer Camera 4, Ground Floor, 09:55PM.
Six minutes after the second camera on the sixteenth floor picked up Elly's escape from the penthouse, a suspicious man in a janitor uniform left the elevator with a bag meant for cleaning supplies slung over his shoulder. It was large enough to comfortably smuggle a cat out of the front door like they did with the money from the casino in Ocean's 11.
Seven zoomed in on the frame in an attempt to identify the man.
Unfortunately, he could only see pale skin from the nose downward and an overly-friendly smile since the blue baseball cap on their head protected the rest of his features. His hair was brown, but it was falling in a way that made him suspect a wig. He unfroze the video, hoping to find a better frame to analyze, but the wanna-be janitor had been skilled enough to conceal his face until he was out of the building.
Mei had been right.
Something strange was going on.
Ignoring the cold anxiety that spread through his chest, Seven made quick work of the public health servers, searching for the veterinary clinic Jumin frequented to check whether they were involved. It took five minutes for his program to destroy the firewall, but it felt like hours.
Bingo.
Seok Nam, 42 years old, had been running his own veterinary clinic since 199X. The name rang a bell and after some research, he realized that the man had been a regularly invited guest at previous RFA parties, which was probably the reason Jumin became his customer in the first place. Why would a doctor that Rika held in high regard be involved in kidnapping the cat of one of his clients?
It didn't make sense.
However, the video footage he found that documented the examination left no room for doubt. Mr. Nam had purposefully taken a vial labeled adrenaline, instead of the vaccine he was supposed to give her, filled up his syringe and injected the hormone into the unsuspecting victim. It was a dangerous move that put his professional license on the line and he doubted the veterinarian would risk losing his credibility without proper motivation.
Had he been bribed or blackmailed?
It was obvious that Mr. Nam had been working together with the fake janitor, but the question of the nature of their relationship was quickly overshadowed by the question about their motives for the catnapping. Seven could think of a plethora of reasons; the most straight-forward answer would boil down to squeezing money out of one of the richest men in South Korea, yet nobody had made any demands.
Pale hands froze above the keyboard, golden eyes widening with cold realization.
It was also a possibility that the catnapper tag team worked under the command of the hacker. While it might be far-fetched since the incidents were so different in nature, they had a commonality in their target: the RFA. If that was the case, then they weren't dealing with a cyberspace cockroach, but possibly an entire organization.
Seven sighed and buried his head in his hands.
Mirthless laughter escaped his lips as he realized how far the young detective had connected the pieces of the puzzle, while only having so little information to go off. He was incredibly impressed while simultaneously wishing that her conspiracy theory would've remained a conspiracy. He'd rather have aliens break out of Area 51 tomorrow than an increase to the danger everyone was in.
It was half past two, almost three hours since the last chatroom.
Mei was probably on her way to the apartment to finish the last preparations for the party. She was the only person without a bodyguard and after his recent discovery, he was even less than thrilled at the idea of her wandering around the city by herself. If Unknown was really involved with the catnappers, there was no guarantee that she couldn't get kidnapped right under his nose.
Seven gritted his teeth and tapped his thumb against the mouse in a nervous rhythm.
There were only three living people, aside from the hacker, who knew the location of the apartment. He wished he could protect her in person, but couldn't leave his bunker. Vanderwood was coming to check on him later and there was a terabyte of work he hadn't even touched yet. It wouldn't be the first time he cursed his job at the agency, yet it was starting to become a more frequent pattern.
Maybe he could built a bodyguard robot for her and sent it to the apartment to protect her in his stead.
Seven saved the idea for later and opened the files that contained his most recent assignment, while simultaneously pulling up the security footage of the apartment. He really tried to focus this time, but kept glancing at the CCTV every 2.34 seconds. It didn't help that the detective was unusually late today, especially considering she was a very punctual person. Panic coursed through his veins, making his thoughts race with different scenarios that could've delayed her arrival, one worse than the other.
He drummed his fingers on the desk next to his keyboard, fighting to keep his rationality.
Movement in the entrance hall caught his attention and he was incredibly relieved when the automatic doors opened to reveal the detective. Mei was in a good mood, smiling brightly at the camera and greeting him with an energetic wave like she always did. Involuntarily, he found himself smiling back before he shook his head at his silly reaction.
She was fine.
Seven watched as she made her way through the hallway, cringing at his own over-protective behavior. He wanted to give her the privacy she deserved, but didn't want to take risks with the hacker on the loose. Safety trumped privacy. It was a rule that had saved the secret agent on multiple occasions and considering that an organization might be after them, it was understandable, right?
He wondered whether he should tell her about his recent discoveries, which catapulted him straight into the next internal conflict.
One the one hand, it was her deduction, so she deserved to know the truth. On the other hand, V hadn't been wrong when he said that they relied on her too much, selfishly pushing their issues on her plate without a second thought. Mei was wrapped up in planning the party and he didn't want to add to her current stress level either. She was supposed to be on vacation anyways. It was probably for the best if he kept it to himself until after the party and gathered more information first, yet the familiar feeling of guilt accompanied the decision. He wondered how much more he could burden his already beaten up conscience.
While he was guilt tripping himself, Mei sat down on the sofa and glanced at her cat-eared phone with a curious expression. He looked at his own phone and was surprised to find a new chatroom with an incredibly dramatic title.
[A new chatroom has opened. JUMIN!T-T; Yoosung , MC, 707]
707: What's going on?（ꉺᗜꉺ）
Yoosung: JUMIN HAN! ლಠ益ಠ)ლ
Yoosung: GET JUMIN HAN RIGHT NOW!
Yoosung: afdgdfrkhczizeviuveuh
Yoosung: WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME (ಥ﹏ಥ)
MC: What did he do?
Yoosung: He called my mother and now she's coming to visit me.
MC: Isn't that a good thing?
MC: Sure, Jumin is meddling, but it might be nice to spend time with your mom (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
707: lololol
Yoosung: hahahahaHAHA
Yoosung: Good?! ( ﾟ,_ゝﾟ)
MC: (ﾟ□ﾟ*川
707: Jumin broke Yoosung lol
Yoosung: Juuuuuuumin!
Yoosung: Take it back! Call my mom again and tell her not to come and that I'm doing fine!
707: Are you though? (ಠ◡ಠ)
707: You're having a conversation with someone who isn't even in the chatroom.
Seven grinned at the screen. It had always been entertaining to tease Yoosung and he treasured the sweet moments he had managed to make him rage quit the messenger, which happened mostly after he stole his throne in the LOLOL universe. Nevertheless, the gamer could actually get a little scary once you've crossed the line and Jumin was getting dangerously close to it.
Yoosung: What the hell did he say that made her suddenly want to invade my room?!
Yoosung: This is more fatal then when I nearly died in LOLOL after getting a super rare item.
MC: It can't be that bad（；￣︶￣）
Yoosung: Do you know what kind of person my mother is?
Yoosung: She was a home economics teacher in a public school for 24 years. She has certificates in cooking food, is a realtor and holds soap making classes.
MC: Wow, she's a power woman! (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و
MC: And soap making sounds super cool. They make nice Christmas presents, right?
707: His mom is diligent af (￣▽￣)ゞ
Yoosung: Right? Her resume is super long and impressive.
Yoosung: She'll clean, make soap and start her never ending lectures once she's here^^
MC: Sounds like a typical mom to me ┐(´∀｀)┌
Yoosung: I don't want to be lectured for ten hours straight, but the worst part is that ...
Yoosung: I won't be able to play LOLOL anymore. She'll totally ban me from the computer unless I'm using it for university.
Yoosung: My freedom is slowly fading away (╥_╥)
707: It's time to say good bye to your gaming pc and to get used to cellphone games~
707: Welcome to micro transaction hell and ads after every level!
707: You need to be careful about downloading games in the app store though or you'll end up like Mei and join a group of strangers by accident lol
MC: (๑‾᷅~‾᷄๑)੭ु⁾⁾˞͛ ༘ؓ ︠³
Yoosung: No, she'll definitely catch me if I play on my phone.
MC: How about doing it outside? Pokémon GO exists. It's so much fun and you get some fresh air while playing it.
MC: They have raids, legendaries, research quests and weather specific pokemon now (*≧▽≦)
Yoosung: It's not the same though. I wanna go on raids with my guild in LOLOL.
707: Oh, oh, oh. We should really talk business now!
Yoosung: Yes, please. I need to talk to Jumin.
707: Which team are you on? (･◡･๑)
Yoosung: …
MC: TEAM MYSTIC IS THE BEST! ( •̀◡• ́)ﻭ✧
707: (ﾟ□ﾟ*川
707: le gasp
707: How could you do this to me?!
MC: No, don't tell me …
707: TEAM VALOR FOR VICTORY! (╯ಠ‿ಠ)╯
MC: No.
MC: From this day onward, you're my enemy.
MC: Yoosung. Are you with me on my quest to defeat the red plague or against me?
Yoosung: I'm Team Instinct though.
Yoosung: Wait ... that's not what's important right now.
MC: What could be more important?!
MC: We can't just sit around while Professor Willow is building his army of transfer Pokémon, even if we're on different teams.
707: lolol (*≧▽≦)ﾉｼ))
707: You've done great to uncover his true intentions.
707: We shall unite our banners and prepare for battle.
Yoosung: Seriously, guys.
Yoosung: I'm angry and having a conversation with the two class clowns of the group isn't helping.
Yoosung: I don't want to be stuck between your weirdo sandwich todayヾ(￣o￣;)
MC: So ... it's fine on any other day? (ʃƪ¬‿¬)
Yoosung: No.
707: Weirdo sandwich lolol
707: Being reborn as a weirdo sandwich was my dream ever since you mentioned it.
707: Subway is quaking.
MC: Since we are the bread, what kind of topping is Yoosung? Pineapple?
707: No, he's way too salty today.
707: We are two pieces of toast with salt from a small angery boi as topping.
Yoosung: All offense intended, but I don't think that sounds very good.
Yoosung: Can we get back to my problems now?!
707: Right, sorry.
707: I hereby summon Jumin Han.
707: Abracadabra! (∩｀-´)⊃━ ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ
[Jumin Han has entered the chatroom.]
It was a little tricky to get the business heir to open the messenger app and log in. He was currently on a plane back to Seoul, after spending a couple of days on the wine farm he likes to visit. Luckily, they allowed cellphones to be turned on during most of the flight, aside from starting and landing. Seven only had to activate the vibration function of the phone, so that Jumin would pick it up and see the chatroom notification.
MC: Omg, you're a wizard, Seven (๑°⌓°๑)
707: Me? B-but I can't be a wizard.
707: I-I'm Seven.
707: Just Seven.
Yoosung: Guys!? What did I say? This is not the time to quote Harry Potter (ʘдʘ╬)
707: -10 Points from Slytherin.
MC: There is always time to quote Harry Potter.
707: +50 Points to Gryfindor (≧∀≦ゞ
Yoosung: Can you be more serious about this?
707: Sure. I'm serious.
707: Sirius Black!
Jumin Han: What have I stumbled into?
Yoosung: JUMIN!
Yoosung: why
Yoosung: did
Yoosung: you
Yoosung: call my mom?
707: lolol
Jumin Han: Don't ask questions you already know the answer to.
Jumin Han: You continously complain about your life without taking actions to change anything for the better and it's getting tiring.
Jumin Han: I though that if you aren't taking our advice, you might take it from your parents.
Jumin Han: Good luck (ฅ'ㅅ'ฅ)
[Jumin Han has left the chatroom.]
Jumin had turned being mercilessly to the point into an art form, which often rendered his opponents in debates speechless. It was an incredibly useful skill when it came to making business deals, however, it could be intimidating in every day situations. His bluntness was like a double edged sword, whether one was used to it or not, and the reason he was often misunderstood. Moreover, Jumin didn't enjoy being indebted to people, so trying to help Yoosung was likely an attempt to thank them for their support.
Seven sighed and shook his head.
While he generally agreed that the youngest of their group could use the reality check, there was definitely room for improvement when it came to the trustfund kid's weird roundabout methods. Jumin had overstepped boundaries when he called Mrs. Kim, but he supposed that the man was still on the learning curve when it came to people. Nevertheless, it might actually do the gamer some good because whether he wanted to admit it or not, Yoosung had fallen into a depression ever since Rika committed suicide.
It was the reason he had introduced him to the magical world of LOLOL in the first place.
However, Seven had known that the game could only serve as a temporary distraction from the pain of loss. It worked like an escape hatch from reality, or a really backwards life hack, which wouldn't solve his problems in the long run. And if he didn't rediscover his interest in the real world, the problems were bound to multiply.
Yoosung: I know he's just trying to help, but this is seriously stressing me out.
Yoosung: And my mom coming over is not helping.
MC: It might be a nice change of pace.
Yoosung: Urg. I wish.
Yoosung: My parents have been worried about me lately, mom especially. They won't listen if I tell them I'm fine living on my own and I actually like how things are right now.
707: I guess that's normal parent behavior, right?
It wasn't like he would know though and he'd rather not think about his only reference.
Yoosung: What about your parents, Mei? Aren't you living on your own with your sister too?
Yoosung: How did you convince them that it was okay?
MC: Ahh well …
Seven winced, startled and concerned by the sudden turn of the conversation. He searched for the detective through the security cameras and found her sitting on the old couch with a steaming cup of tea in front of her. Mei was frowning at her phone, biting her pink lips in contemplation and looking uncomfortable overall.
MC: I didn't.
Yoosung: What do you mean you didn't? You talked to them, right?（・□・；）
MC: No, I didn't.
Yoosung: What?! Did you run away from home like Zen?!
707: …
God. Yoosung needed to learn how to read between the lines. Of course, he couldn't know about her circumstances and was bound to get curious with her being their newest member, but her reluctance to answer was obvious through her vague responses.
Seven observed her, paying close attention to every detail, and his heart twisted painfully in his chest when he saw her somber expression. She looked lonely, lost almost, as she stared off into space with the phone in her hands. He could tell her mind was elsewhere when she typed up an explanation.
MC: It's not like that. I didn't have the chance to convince them since living without them was never a choice.
MC: They died when I was thirteen.
Yoosung: Omg I'm so sorry!
MC: No, don't be. It's not like you could've known.
Yoosung: How did they die?
707: You don't ask people that directly, Yoosung;;
Yoosung: Gaaah you don't have to answer! Just forget I ever said anything!
MC: It's okay. I don't mind talking about it.
MC: They died in a car accident eight years ago.
Yoosung: ( •᷄⌓•᷅ )
707: (T⌓T)
MC: Another car crashed into ours. It was a hit-and-run, but the police caught the driver and later found out that he had been drinking.
Yoosung: People who drunk-drive seriously make me angry (ʘ言ʘ╬)
Yoosung: It's so irresponsible!
Seven completely agreed with Yoosung, but there was something else that caught his attention.
707: Wait, you were in the car?!
Yoosung: !
MC: Yeah. I saw the license plate, which was why the police caught the driver afterwards.
707: You ... you saw them die right in front of you?
MC: I don't remember much. Everything happened super fast.
It was a lie. He could tell from the way her body reacted, the slight tremble in her hands as she flinched in response to an old memory. Watery blue eyes were glazed over, carrying sadness and pain in their depths.
Mei remembered everything, but she didn't want to worry them.
As though she sensed his concern, her head snapped up to the camera and she threw him a weak smile, soft brown hair bouncing with the sudden motion. It was intended to reassure him, but only made his heart ache more. Seven wanted nothing more than to wrap her up in a fuzzy blanket, build a pillow fort and tell her stories about space to turn that sorry excuse of a smile into a real one. He would do anything to make her smile.
Yoosung: I'm so sorry.
707: Are you okay?
MC: I am now. Back then … not so much? (；´∀｀)
MC: It's super cliché, but terrible experiences like that really make you realize that life is precious and that it's important to spend time with the people you love.
MC: I don't want to waste mine, so I decided to live as happily as I can.
Yoosung: It's amazing how you can be so positive! (*´ー`)
MC: It took me a while to get there, but I think my parents would've wanted that for me and my sister.
707: So strong! I'm glad you're okay now! Your parents in heaven can be very proud!
MC: Thanks (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)
Yoosung: I don't think I could be so positive after that (_)
Yoosung wasn't talking about her parents anymore, he was talking about his beloved cousin. While the loss ran deep and the feelings would probably never fade away completely, Seven hoped that the gamer would give his life another chance one day and move on. Rika would've wanted that for Yoosung. She would've wanted him to live happily as well.
MC: Of course you can! It just takes time … and therapy lol
Yoosung: I feel so bad for complaining about my mom now (。_。)
MC: Sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel bad.
MC: (つ﹏⊂)
707: Don't apologize for that!
Yoosung: Nooo, it's not your fault omg (ﾟ□ﾟ*川
Yoosung: I'm the one who asked!
Yoosung: It's just ... I feel bad for whining when you've had it so much worse than me.
MC: Yoosung, this is going to sound like I quoted it from a pseudo-philosophical postcard, but you can't compare suffering.
MC: There is no such thing as the suffering Olympics ᕙ(_)ᕗ
707: Yeah, your feelings aren't invalid because of someone else's pain. How you feel is how you feel, ya know? ┐(´∀｀)┌
Yoosung: Thanks, guys!
707: I've been wordering though ...
707: How did you manage to avoid the foster care system? You were only thirteen when they died, right?
Yoosung: Oh, right!
Yoosung: Rika had to live in an orphanage before my aunt and uncle adopted her.
MC: We didn't have any close relatives, so I had to convince one of my dad's friends to take over legal guardianship.
Yoosung: How did you do it?
MC: Lots of promises, hard work and luck!
MC: I've made a detailed plan of my future goals and explained how I would achieve them lol
707: Such a determined young girl!
Yoosung: I though this might give me an idea how to convince my mom, but there is no way I can do something like that.
MC: Give her a big hugヾ(-∀・*)
MC: She just wants the best for you, even if it doesn't seem that way lol
707: lolol because she's gonna take away his rights to the PC
Yoosung: Thanks for reminding me, Seven (눈_눈)
Yoosung: And thanks for the advice, Mei (･◡･๑)
707: Why am I the only one getting a sarcastic thanks?
Yoosung: She's coming rn so I gotta go bye
[Yoosung has left the chatroom.]
Behind striped glasses, golden eyes narrowed suspiciously at the monitor as he watched the detective take another sip from her tea. Seven had observed her behavior throughout the conversation, which left him feeling frustrated. He simply didn't know whether she was pretending to be okay because she knew that he was watching her or whether she was actually okay.
As an expert in the art of pretending, he should be able to tell, but apparently Mei was an exception to that as well.
Switching from the group chat to private messaging—since he assumed she'd be more comfortable talking there—he asked the question that weighted on his heart.
707: Are you really okay?
707: Talking about them must've been hard for you.
Her head snapped up in surprise to meet his eyes through the camera. They had a silent staring competition that seemed to last forever, reminding him of the time when they were in his car together and he tricked her into opening up about her concerns. After another forever or two, Mei relaxed against the couch and closed her eyes, quietly giving into his persistence with a wry smile on her lips.
MC: Yeah, it is.
MC: But not taking about them is even harder in a way? If that makes sense ...
707: It does!
MC: I'm surprised the accident didn't come up during the background check though.
707: Well, I knew they were deceased, but didn't research the cause.
707: I was too busy
707: Collecting every picture of you that exists lol
707: God that sounded creepy;;
707: It was to make sure you are a real person!
MC: Don't worry. I figured it was something like that.
MC: I highly doubt you got every picture though (ㆆᴗㆆ)
707: What?! You doubt me?! (ﾟ□ﾟ*川
707: I am shook, shooketh even!
MC: Well, you probably got everything starting from high school, but nothing from the time before that, right?
MC: My mom was really into analog photography and the home videos we have are on VHS.
MC: Unless you break into my apartment, you'll only ever get to see childhood pictures if I allow it lol
707: Don't tempt me!
MC: Curious? (¬‿¬)
707: Like you wouldn't even know.
707: Ahem!
707: V is also really into analog photography. He always says that the colours are more vibrant, but I don't know much about art.
707: ┐(￣ヘ￣)┌
MC: He's right and I'm grateful that I have those old pictures of my parents.
MC: I miss them everyday.
MC: It's been so long that I can barely remember their faces sometimes and that's the worst. I'm afaid of forgetting them, but looking at the pictures helps me remember.
707: Mei … I'm so sorry.
She shook her head with a watery smile, smushing her silky hair against the backrest of the red sofa. It looked like she felt a little better when she stopped fiddling with the phone in her hands and locked eyes with the camera as though she was searching for something. He wished he could be by her side instead of having to hide behind a wall of technology.
MC: Wow, okay. I didn't mean for this to get so dark.
MC: I'm fine, really.
MC: Honestly, I'm more worried that Yoosung's problems got overshadowed by my circumstances.
707: Yoosung will be fine. I think it's good that he took a look at his situation from another perspective.
MC: Still … I don't want him to feel bad.
707: He can be dramatic, but he's tougher than he looks and his mom coming over will be really good for him.
707: Anyways, if you ever need to talk or anything, I'm always here to listen (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
707: Sharing is caring lmao
707: I heard it's supposed to work wonders when dealing with emotions … never tried tho
MC: Thanks, Seven. Same goes for you, tooヾ(･◡･๑*)*
707: It's too dangerous for me to talk about my life lolol
707: But you already know that, don't you?
MC: Well then, feel free to tell me what you can. I'm happy to listen to anything you have to say.
707: Thanks, Mei (⌐▨◡▨)
A sense of peace washed over him and soothed the bitter aftertaste that recent discoveries had left behind.
Mei was smiling gratefully at her phone, eyes soft, and every trace of wistfulness was erased from her features as though it had never been there in the first place. Chest swelling with pride, Seven felt accomplished in his secret mission to make her smile again. It took more trial and error than he was used to, but he was finally starting to understand her better.
Sometimes, it even felt as though they've known each other for years, not just twelve days.
Maybe he clicked with her because she was a detective with a good memory and observation skills, which allowed her to pick up on his habits and mannerisms quicker than others. She saw right through him when nobody else would, but it couldn't be all there was to it. It was like she got him without him having to put it into words. Mei was like a bright light in a sea of endless darkness—as cliché as that sounded—and while he was longing for that light, he was also afraid of what it would find in the dark.
707: Talking to you like this makes me want to take you to the spacestation.
MC: And what are we gonna do up there, Space Commander Seven?
707: Since being BFF's is off the table …
707: that leaves only one option, my dear alien girl.
707: Let's get married at the spacestation *ヾ(-∀・*)*+
MC: Aye, aye sir (｡•̀ᴗ-)
707: (๑ 3 ๑)
MC: But I'll only marry you under two conditions.
707: Two?
707: So demanding already and we aren't even married yet~
707: Let's hear it then (￣▽￣)ゞ
MC: Elly has to be the ringbearer (≖‿≖)
707: Oh. My. God.
707: Yeeeess!
707: Imagine her in a little space suit.
MC: (๑ ⌓ ๑)
MC: And the second condition is a wedding cake made out of ice cream.
707: Every layer a different flavour?
MC: Ahh, you know me so well (´⌣`ʃƪ)
Seven couldn't fight the involuntary smile that sneaked past his defenses and onto his lips. Ice cream always made him nostalgic. He used to eat it all the time when he was a kid and it'd be nice to have someone to share it with again.
MC: How am I going to pull off a wedding dress in zero gravity though?
MC: I don't wanna turn into a poofy marshmallow and accidentally flash everyone lolol
707: Yum~ Sweet delicious marshmallow~
MC: o(≧o≦)o
707: You'll look like a floating white jellyfish!
707: So cute~
707: We should definitely invite all the aquatic creatures too.
707: At least they won't get sick in zero gravity like the rest of the guests since they are used to floating in water lol
MC: We still need aquariums though and seatbelts for the others.
707: Best wedding ever!
MC: Seconded (*≧▽≦)ﾉｼ))
Seven grinned from ear to ear as he watched Mei hold her stomach, shaking from an intense laughing fit. He regretted not installing microphones in the apartment. When he saw her slip from the couch and land on her butt after a particularly hard shake of her shoulders, he couldn't contain his own laughter anymore.
It took a while until her giggles ebbed away, much like when heavy rain calms into a light drizzle.
Her chocolate hair stuck up in weird angles, her cheeks were flushed, her shirt was wrinkled and her skirt didn't look any better. If he hadn't seen her when she entered the apartment, he would think she had been stuck on a roller coaster all day. His heart was singing at the sight of her happiness, thumping steadily in his chest.
If he were next to her right now, Seven would tease her for her disheveled state and see whether he could make her blush even more ... but he wasn't next to her.
MC: I feel like I'm stuck on repeat and I hope the words haven't lost their meaning yet, but ...
MC: Thanks for cheering me up, Seven.
Seven gasped when he looked at the open window on his desktop.
Mei was smiling gently at the camera, emotions burning beneath her blue eyes as she looked at him like he'd just hung the moon in the sky. Familiar warmth crept into his cheeks and traveled all the way up to his ears, spreading and heating up every cell in his body. Her hair was still messy and her clothes were wrinkled, but she was glowing and more beautiful than ever. She was the only one who could completely derail his train of thought with the simple upturn of her lips.
It might've been selfish, but he allowed himself to bask in the moment for a little while.
MC: It feels like I'm relying on you a lot lately haha
Until everything came crashing back down on him.
Seven didn't deserve her gratitude. He was failing to protect her every second he didn't spent on catching the hacker. Moreover, he had probably triggered unpleasant memories of the car accident with his reckless driving, which would explain her bad mood afterwards. She had been afraid and he hadn't noticed. A fresh wave of self-loathing made him grip the arms of his chair, knuckles turning white as his fingers dug into the leather.
However, the list of his crimes was longer.
He had been lying to her about the situation at the apartment from the beginning, putting her life in danger for a bunch of classified documents every time she stepped through the door. It would only take one skilled hacker to alter the code, or one curious detective trying to open the wrong drawer, and the building would go up flames, leaving only a tall mushroom cloud behind. He should've never installed the bomb as a security measure, yet he still kept quiet about it as well as the possible connection between the hacker and the catnappers.
Secrets. Secrets everywhere.
Seven had found keeping secrets exciting when he was younger—the church he had visited, the ice cream he had shared with his brother, the computer science book he had smuggled into the house—but nowadays they started to become tiring and made him feel as though heavy shackles had been put around his ankles. Sure, most of his decisions had good reasons behind them, some he could even blame V or Rika for if he wanted to, but that didn't erase the guilt or the sense of responsibility.
Nevertheless, he only had himself to blame for his worst crime.
He shouldn't have given into his desire to meet her, call her, hear her voice, chat with her and make her laugh. It was another secret, one he had to keep from the agency at all cost because if they ever found out, she would be in even more danger than she was right now. If something happened to her, it would be his fault. Nothing good came out of being involved with him.
Seven wasn't a good person. Her light was wasted on him.
707: Don't mention it …
707: I'm glad you're feeling better ヾ(＾-＾)ノ
Yet, he couldn't help but long for that wonderful parallel universe, which began with cats and ended with spacestations.
To Be Continued ...