Day 4 - 11:09 AM

It was almost noon by the time Zai had gotten back from picking up her (mostly) new laptop. She propped it up on the kitchen counter and set about making herself an early lunch. As she was eating, she considered the next steps in her plan.

So far, she'd done a pretty good job in getting Jaehee to open up more about her feelings. She just had to make sure that Zen knew about those feelings. The very thought made her shoulders shake with laughter. As obvious as Jaehee was with her affections for Zen, he was almost completely oblivious. Or maybe he'd seen her as a fan for so long that he was confusing her desires to be closer to him with the regular fawning he usually received.

Sighing, Zai realized that she had a while to go before she could get these two together properly.

Opening the messenger app on her phone, Zai entered the latest chat and was bombarded by a slew of messages between Jumin, Jaehee, and Zen.

/ ZEN: You need to give her a break! It's no good having her working all the time! /

/ Jumin Han: I've already reduced her hours on weekends. I don't know what you're complaining about. /

/ ZEN: That might be true but you're still leaving your cat with her! /

/ Jumin Han: Yes, but I am paying her for that at well. /

/ ZEN: Money doesn't mean anything when you're working her to the bone! /

/ Jaehee Kang: Please... Mr. Han, Zen, there is no need to argue for my sake. /

/ Jumin Han: I'm not arguing with anyone. /

/ ZEN: Jaehee! You can't let this guy walk all over you! You deserve better than that! /

/ Jaehee Kang: It's alright, Zen. This would be bearable if were not for... the C-Hair. /

Zai has joined the chat room.

/ ZEN: Zai! You agree that Jaehee shouldn't have to work so much right? Mr. Trust Fund Kid keeps leaving his cat with her like she's running some sort of vacation kennel for rich people. /

/ Jumin Han: Assistant Kang is the only person I trust with Elizabeth the 3rd's continued safety. /

/ Zai: Why not leave her with Seven? At least he actually likes her. /

/ Jumin Han: Absolutely not. /

/ Jumin Han: He'll torture my sweet Elizabeth the 3rd. He's a cat abuser. /

/ Zai: I'm sure it can't be that bad... /

/ ZEN: It doesn't matter who looks after her as long as it isn't Jaehee! /

/ Jumin Han: In that case, why doesn't Zai look after her? /

What? Did he really just suggest that? She didn't know the first thing about looking after cats!

/ Zai: NO! /

/ Jumin Han: What? Surely you aren't biased towards cats as well, Zai? /

/ Zai: I, I mean, I don't know anything about taking care of cats! I'm more of a dog person. /

/ ZEN: You like dogs? A woman after my own heart! /

/ Jumin Han: I understand. I would not want to place Elizabeth the 3rd in the hands of someone inexperienced. It is better that Assistant Kang looks after her. /

/ Jaehee Kang: I see that there is no way out of this... Zen, Zai, I appreciate your help nonetheless. /

/ Zai: I'm sorry Jaehee! I wish I could help! /

/ Jumin Han: Why are you apologizing? It is a great honor to look after Elizabeth the 3rd. /

/ ZEN: That's up for debate. /

ZEN has left the chat room.

Jumin Han has left the chat room.

/ Zai: Jaehee, you know you don't have to work for him if you don't want to. There are always other options. /

/ Jaehee Kang: ...That may be true, but those options are far out of my reach. Thank you for your concern, Zai. I will be fine. /

Jaehee Kang has left the chat room.

Zai has left the chat room.

Zai frowned at her screen. It was really unfair how Jumin treated Jaehee. Especially considering just how much work she already had to put up with just doing her normal job, and adding looking after his cat on top of that? During her previous routes, Zai had tried and failed several times to free her from Jumin's controlling grasp. Perhaps this time, with Zen's help, he could finally convince her to leave her job and follow her own dreams for good.

Taking a breath to center herself and remember, no resets anymore, she pulled up Jumin's number and hit dial.

Day 4 - 02:00 PM

Standing in front of the door to Jaehee's apartment, Zai filled with trepidation. She never felt this anxious even when she went to visit Zen before, so why now?

Just knock on the door. Extend arm, reach out, then knock. It was simple. Easy. A child could do it. Children had done it! Why couldn't she do it?! Just knock! Knock!

Zai jumped back as the door opened to reveal a flustered Jaehee, with several strands of her silky brown hair sticking out of place, and cat hair patterning her once-neat black jacket.

"Ah!" Jaehee's eyes widened and she nearly dropped the litter tray she was carrying as she realized who the young woman standing in front of her was. "Zai!? What are you doing here?" She knelt down to set the tray aside and attempted to brush some of the dreaded c-hair off her clothes.

"I came to help you with Elizabeth!" This stunned Jaehee into silence.

"Help me...with Elizabeth?" Her confusion was audible and Zai rushed in to explain.

"I convinced Jumin that it'd be better if you have someone to help you looking after her! Also, I told him that you could teach me to look after her in case you need a break! I mean, what if you get sick or...something? You can't be the only person besides himself that he trusts with his cat." Jaehee still looked a little stunned. "He also said he'd pay you extra to teach me to take over looking after Elizabeth."

"Oh...well, um." The two locked eyes for a moment and subsequently turned to hide their matching blushes.

Jaehee held out her hand to invite Zai inside.

"Would you like some coffee?"

Unable to reel in the smile on her face, Zai placed her hand in Jaehee's and felt her fingers curl around her wrist.

"I'd love some, thanks."

Day 4 - 05:11 PM

POV: 707 Mode

Seven hadn't stopped bouncing his leg ever since he'd gotten the text from Jumin telling him that Driver Kim had successfully picked up Yoosung from his school and that they were currently en-route to his house. Sure he'd seen Yoosung just the other day after he showed up unannounced at the blond's house in the middle of the night, and he hadn't left until late yesterday which caused him to get behind on work, but it was all worth it if he got to see his cutie again!

Just the thought of having Yoosung around brought an earnest smile to his face, not the ones he wore when he was doing his best to hide his existential pain (don't let them see!) from the world, or when he was meticulously planning a prank, but a real genuine smile.

For someone who consistently spoke about all the faults of love and its side-effects, he sure did fall into it easily.

His thoughts ran circles in his head as he considered whether or not he really did love Yoosung, or if this was just him projecting all of his feelings of desire onto the other boy. They had been friends for a while, and if he were being honest with himself, many of the occasions where he'd pranked Yoosung were related to his need to both push him away and also as an attempt to draw him in closer with his bizarre sense of humor. He couldn't tell if the excited feeling he got whenever Yoosung was upset with him was caused by enjoyment over the jokes succeeding, or over getting his attention.

Taking his fingers off the keyboard, he spun around in his chair. It wasn't like he was getting any work done at this rate. Reaching over to grab another bag of chips, he was jolted out of his seat as the sound of someone knocking on his door startled him back into reality.

Unlocking and opening the entrance, Seven didn't even give Yoosung the chance to answer any of the security questions before he was dragging him through the entryway and re-locking it behind him. He waited until the disoriented expression on Yoosung's face was replaced with surprise and then delight, before once again launching himself at the younger boy and giving his waist a tight squeeze.

"Finally! My cutie has been delivered to me! I'd rather have you than pizza any day." He could feel the blush on Yoosung's face as the blond pressed his face into Seven's shoulder and wrapped his arms around his neck. They both started shaking with laughter, and Seven was suddenly glad that Jumin had taken his request seriously, and that Yoosung, for whatever reason, agreed to said request.

"You know, you're allowed to say you miss me, Seven." Yoosung pulled him down to press their foreheads together and Seven could feel himself getting redder but he just couldn't look away. So instead he picked up the shorter boy and spun them both around the room until they collapsed against the sofa, Yoosung's cries of happiness making him giddy with joy.

"Aahh~ You're so cute Yoosung! I could just eat you up like a bag of honey buddha chips!" Seven still had his arms wrapped around Yoosung's middle, and he laughed breathlessly at the tickling sensation that came from the other rubbing his face into Seven's chest.

"You wouldn't eat me! If you did no one else would cook you food. You can't just eat chips and soda, that isn't nutritious."

"Mmm, does that mean you'll cook for me?" Yoosung reached up to fold his arms across Seven's chest as he rested his chin on them.

"I just offered, didn't I? Though I bet you don't even have any groceries in your fridge." Seven stuck his tongue out.

"I do...They just might be slightly expired."

"Ew! I bet you have a whole ecosystem growing in there."

"So what? I'm cultivating new life forms to take into space with me, so I can colonize a new planet with species that no one has ever seen before!"

Seven rolled over and sandwiched Yoosung between the cushions of he couch and himself, effectively trapping the other boy. Yoosung made a slight noise of protest but opted for placing his arms around Seven's shoulders so he could tuck his head under his chin.

"Then if you're going into space, are you going to take me with you?" Seven pulled him in closer and hummed with pleasure as he thought about the weight of the boy in his arms and the feeling of Yoosung's hair tickling his throat.

"Of course I'd take you with me...Where else are we supposed to get married?"

The room was quiet for several seconds before Seven realized what he'd said and locked up completely. Why had he said that why had he said that why had he-

"You really want to marry me at the space station, Seven?" Quickly unraveling himself from Yoosung, Seven jumped away from the couch.

"It's not like that! I mean who wouldn't want to get married at a space station?! They're so cool and everything I was just thinking that if we were going to get married- NOT, that I think we'd get married because we're not even dating and I-!" He was startled out of his rambling by the sensation of soft hands wrapping around his and smooth lips pressing against his own and he was kissing Yoosung.

It felt as long as an infinity and yet still too short when they finally separated and Seven could see the deep purple of Yoosung's eyes and how had he not noticed how gorgeous they were before the younger boy was leaning back and having his own mini-meltdown over the kiss.

"A-ah! Seven I'm sorry! You looked like you were going to combust and I didn't know how else to make you stop- Seven?" He hadn't let go of Yoosung's hands and when he started to withdraw Seven just squeezed them tighter.

"Luciel."

"W-what?"

Looking up, Seven locked gazes with Yoosung once more and pulled him closer so he could press their foreheads together, noses touching.

"If we're going to date, then I want you to use my name. So call me Luciel."

For a second he worried he'd gone too far too soon but then there were arms around his chest and blond hair in his face as Yoosung cried out with delight.

"Really? Luciel? Does this mean we're official?" Seven nodded and felt the other pull back so they could see each other's faces. "Does that mean we can kiss again?" Words failed him as he simply nodded once more and dived in to get another taste of the bright shining star that was Yoosung.

Needless to say, Seven didn't get very much work done that evening.

Day 4 - 11:39 PM

It was late by the time Zai had gotten home from helping Jaehee, and even later after she had finished checking up on all the party guests that had been invited. There were a good amount of attendees on the list, and she felt like this might actually be the largest party she'd ever hosted through all of her time in the RFA.

Closing the laptop with a sigh, she reached over to her phone and unlocked it. If she was still going according to her plan, it would be the only party she'd ever missed. Part of her filled with remorse as she opened the RFA chat and realized that she'd never get to see the results of her hard work. Taking a fortifying breath, she joined the most recent chat and prepared herself for the conversation that she'd been waiting for.

Zai has joined the chat room.

/ Zai: Hello, V. /