Alone.
It was alone the man stood, enraptured by the feed that flickered in the center screen. The entire room was thrown in darkness, shadows though still found a way to dance behind this man's figure as an array of computer screens built a wall. Keeping the creature contently trapped in his own world.
His transcendent silver hair flicked in strands between his features, tracing over his icy skin. Blue eyes beaming through the codes that scraped passed. Something about they way he held himself felt unnatural, as if he were just an afterimage from the computerized room.
He watched the woman on the center screen, her movements mirroring his memories as he couldn't tear away. "Everything is starting just as before," he made noises, but, nothing was human about it. Speaking words with no voice. The tone was just too monstrous. He seemed to be talking to the woman on the other side of the live tape. One wonders if he actually understood that she couldn't hear him. "The RFA's party is a fake. All that man, V, plans is just hypocritical trickery. How- how do you constantly fall for this with a brain as beautiful as yours? It's been corrupted. It must have been. My savior said to be especially careful. My savior doesn't know how many times I've tried..."
The woman took no notices to the cockroach crawling on her wall, recording her every movement. She just carelessly bound around the apartment, occasionally slicking her fingers through her stream of chestnut hair. The woman was so naive to her situation. Naive to the truth.
Naive to everything.
A cynic's smile split across the voyeur's face as she flopped onto a large bed, whipping out her phone. Most likely reading into a chat that just opened up.
He knew because a monitor just diagonally right broke into the hacker's vision, RFA notification of a new chat. He began to shutter, his fingers paling further than what was almost humanly possible as the misty-eyed man read the chat members, the messages starting to carefully roll across the screen.
"New Chat room: Answer me!
Chat room Participants: 707, Era"
707: So dayum tired
an emoji flitted across the screen, just pissing the unsuspected unknown off further.
707: Anyone here?
707: Respond
707: Mayday Maday!
Era: asdkasdl;fjoijf!
707: Oooh
707: A survivor!
Era: What's up meow? Over.
The chat continued on, just the two of them. From the center focused screen, the observed woman grinned so wide that the gritted film could make it out in every pixel. The bug didn't need to have a microphone to express the laughter that lifted the air of the apartment. Her legs would kick up as she surged with her happiness at times. Like she had to express it past her words.
The anger. This hatred. It was so cold within the man behind the screen. The frost spread through his blood from his heart, burning all of his senses from the sheer ice. He clawed at the leather chokers that bound at his neck.
The two idiots were talking about how the traitor had a crush on some cat named Elly. Then at some point, 707's "maid", then his cars... Then back to cats. The hacker watching this exchange both hated and was baffled by how imbecilic it was.
707: Sound of car engine = cat purring
707: Although I don't have a cat
707: I'm happy with my babes
707: no extra cost
707: But with all the fun.
Era: Lololol
Era: Good! Two birds with one stone!
707: Wow!
707: U totally get me!
707: So cool!
He smiled from behind the world of computers. It amused the voyeur. Everything was following how it once was. His darkness broiled in the pit of his stomach, rising up in small crackles. "That traitor is making this too easy for me for me shatter him." His eyes glazed with something primal, "Love truly does turn anyone into a fool."
The chat finally closed, Era relaxed on her bed. Almost sinking from her joy as she rested her phone onto her collar bone. She didn't unravel her fingers from the little thing, her eyes staying pasted onto the ceiling above her. The woman's legs formed a horizontal 4 on the bed, unmoving for quite the period of time.
At some point, she did rise again. Vanishing from the hacker's view into what he knew was the kitchen. He watched for a few moments, his face lapsing into apathy as smoke began to fill the rest of the apartment. Era scrambling out, covering her face with a dishrag as she scavenged the apartment for a fire extinguisher. It was off screen, dragging it to shoot frothing white suds at what seemed to rage in the kitchen.
It was funnier the first time.
Now, it was tiring to see each and every rewind.
She stayed wary of the kitchen after that, mostly tending to things on her phone. Most likely checking emails or scrolling Tumblred. The man resumed to his code breaking, ripping at each code of the apartment's security that he had broken down onto several screens.
Time never seemed to pass in his steel box, barely any light seeping in from under his door. His watch was Era and when she followed her routine he had watched for fifty-five days. Fifty-six. Fifty-seven.
His, eyes shadowed in smudgy bags, pulled to look over at the heart of it all. Era was wrapped in her hair, swaying with an absent exhaustion as she made her way over to the apartment's bed. She, not-so-elegantly, flipped the covers open, body flopping onto the mattress. Her legs retracted in, close to her chest before Era jerked the blankets back over. Era burrowed further into the little nest with a small shiver, chilled.
It must have been quite late if she was finally turning in.
Stretching out, the voyeur knew he needed to continue on. But he felt the need to speak more to the ever-so-naive woman he had led like a sheep. A smirk raised at the crook of his mouth, peeling back a feral expression.
"Exmaethenex," He enunciated everything perfectly, X-mee-then-X, "I must invite you to the real party. All of you. And we will get rid of those traitors, just as my savior predicted. I am the only messenger, and you are our answer. Have fun preparing RFA's last party. It is the invitation to our party of paradise."
Era shuttered in her dreams, her face contorting with a sickness, a fear. Carefully, the silver-haired man slipped his finger over a button, raising some sort of levels on one of the many monitors. Waves began to spike, Era squirming and tossing.
"It would be quite a shame if you denied our invitation."
Era's terror intensified, the vision of the bug staring from a shadowed corner couldn't properly capture this feeling that ripped her apart. It pulled at each and every fiber of her. Tearing, biting, bleeding her out at every angle as she cried. Tears still managed to leak from her eyes that were too afraid to open, so tightly shut that her face seemed too old.
Her entire body flew upwards, but she still wasn't awake. Era became as ridged as a board as she pulled the sheets closer to her. Her mouth falling as she shrieked out, arms rolling up to wrap around her head.
She continued to scream in her slumber, upright, and trapped.
At some point, the stomach-curdling roars reached her own ears, she couldn't even process them right.
When her eyes finally broke open, gold light brightened the room just subtly as she continued to cry. Her voice fell as a tear burned down her rosy face, a breath caught in stutter.
A silence wrapped the night with a bow, the ever-still darkness still the only thing glaring back at the petrified woman.
Someone was screaming! That's what she acknowledged, her break of slumber throwing her into a world of confusion. Is there someone in the apartment?
She had no clue. Her mind reached and reached for the dread that had stricken her muscles, the dream threading farther and farther away as it forgot the cause. Era became only further panicked, paranoid that someone had made it into the apartment. It was all she could think about.
Era had barely control of her legs as she attempted to scramble from bed, only finding herself back on the floor, knees sinking into the wood floors. A few blankets that were tangled with her came like a mudslide along with her, still hugging her tightly. Her fingers prowled for something, anything she could fight with. She managed to drag the dusted, watery pillow down into her grasp.
She held it out as if she could pillow pummel an intruder to death.
Once the nothingness assured she was alone, Era let go of the breath she barely realized she had been holding.
Her back was still stretched and wound, but Era's arms carefully drew to relax. She pulled the pillow close as she curled into a fetal position against the bedframe. The pillow was buried deep within Era, her nose nudging against the silk casing. Blankets still swaddled the woman as she could only stare at the glass door ahead.
It lead out to a small balcony to look out at the brightly lit city that slashed through the darkness of the room. It dappled night where only shadows lurked, casting a glare half across Era's sinking face.
For maybe half an hour, she was wide awake. Darting her gaze in an attempt to cover each square inch of her new trapping.
Thirty minutes after that, she found herself in a new battle. Her lids fluttered softly as she would begin to lose all control of her limbs, falling into a beckoning sleep. She'd though jolt right back up, feigning alertness as strands of hair would trickle across her face. Carefully, Era nuzzled her cheek against the waterfall of blankets.
Maybe... Maybe it was just a dream, Era battled to keep her eyes open. The apartment becoming hard to keep in focus as she nodded further and further off. It must have been... Her entire body tightened around the pillow, shoulders raising as she made herself even smaller, just a terrible nightmare...
What was it about, again?
Before she could wonder further, Era was lost again. Slumber swallowing her up as she still was curled against her bed frame in a fallen mess of sheets.
Hours of a dreamless existences slipped through her fingers, time still pulling past as the sun moved the shadows that cast away in the apartment. Though the light didn't bother Era as she remained dormant. Cities never slept, but they sure knew how to wake up. The veering of engines rose above the chatter of the pedestrians who made their way in hordes down the sidewalks.
Morning dew clung to the jade green shrubbery that bordered her balcony, slipping down as gravity always won. Each drop that fought for its place would refract rainbows of light in their little spheres.
Once more that night, Era was briskly awakened by a loud noise. Her ringtone reverberating through the room, "I just got your messages!" the cute retro-swing music jazzing up the room as Era's eyes shooting open and her entire body thrown into fight mode. The pillow was once again extended out as a weapon of mass destruction, "Every morning I wake up to the same sweet sound. Picking up my cellphone that's been ring-ringing,"
Era dropped her feathery filled club with an exasperated sigh, "Jesus Christ..."
"Wondering what's new, what have I missed, I was off-line!" The woman shuttered from her cocoon, tearing softly away at the blankets as she tried to find her phone. "Anyways... I end up hearing your story..."
"How are you doing today?
Same questions every single day.
Please know that I'm not good at asking you."
The phone had fallen some time during the night freak out. Era struggled as she began to tear apart the bed covers that were still attached.
"Your face lights up from the jokes I've made,
you'd never guess that I was suspicious.
Tick, tock, time is running out,
what are you doing now?"
"Where is the little thing," Era muttered to herself as she lifted the mattress from the framing, incase it had fallen and gotten stuck in the cracks. It had happened occasionally back at her apartment.
"I don't know where you are,
don't even know your name.
They think I'm crazy.
My heartbeat goes up.
Words can not express my love for you!"
She internally kicked herself as she was forced to listen to her entire ringtone. It was quite the catchy song and she loved it ever since she came out, but it was embarrassing to be stuck listening to for so long. She made a note to herself so that she'd change it later; don't want anyone else really hearing it.
"Did you get mysterious messages?
It's a... Piece of... the puzzle!
The letters are the only clues to solving hidden mysteries.
Did you get mysterious messages? I
f you can feel the trace, that is me.
Call me out,"
She locked her eyes on the pulsing phone under the nightstand. She didn't really wonder how it ended up there, just prayed its screen wasn't cracked as she overextended her hand for it.
"I've been watching you from the start..."
Finally, Era saw snatched the little bugger up, didn't even bother checking the caller ID when she hit the answer button. She rested it between her shoulder and ear casually, "Hello?"
"Meow, meow!" a voice mewed on the other side, triggering Era to let out the lightest chuckle. She sunk her forehead against her palm as she knew who exactly it was. Her heartbeat still thundered through her fingertips from all the excitement, but she was able to relax her back against the wall as she breathed.
"Meow!" She purred back, "What's up, God 7-0-7?"
His voice was raw from what seemed like a long night but she could still make out his beam, "Good morning, God Era. Meow! I just had a really strange dream where I was a real cat."
Era settled herself, tugging a blanket over as she listened to the hacker gush about his cat fantasies.
"Meow! But mommy cat didn't give me food so brother kitty and I escaped." The listener slightly flinched. That was far from where she saw the story going, "We passed through walls, rivers, mountains, oceans and then we landed in a pirate ship! That's when I woke up, meow! I woke up to find my hands curled just like cats, meow!"
"That is so cute," Era mused as she imagined someone she had never seen before with curled up cat paws. Well, more like, she imagined a redheaded person with actual cat paws, and ears. And a little ginger tail flicking in the back. The daze brought her to suddenly picturing Kit, the way her black little kitten would curl up in the sun patches, his flank rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm as he soaked in the light. Kit always was what seemed right with the world. Era felt so protective over the little baby, as if she were a mommy cat. "I'm your mother, meow!"
She said it unconsciously, more focusing on her little Kit than the man she was on the phone with. Seven though had an immediate reaction, "Heeeek! Why is mommy cat here? Well, since you're here, I need to pick a bone with you. Why didn't you feed me? I was starving to death? Why didn't you feed me?! Well, I guess that let me go on all these adventures but... Huh? I just realized I stopped meowing now. It felt as if I had on magic glass slippers. But... Uh.. Why am I telling you this over then phone? Maybe because the dream felt so real? ugh!"
Era laughed, crowed, as she listened to him. She hiccupped slightly as Seven talked. Though something did pick against her heartstrings that Seven had said. The mommy cat not feeding her babies. She curled up slightly as she thought about Kit, "It's been three days. My little Kit hasn't gotten fed or fresh drinking water. I wonder if he misses me..." She was speaking aloud, not really to anyone but herself as she looked up, "I feel like a terrible mommy to him right now. He's probably angry, and peed on my couch. I wouldn't doubt it."
"You're not a bad mommy!" The man on the other line was quick to jump, suddenly choking down a bit, "You feel bad right? but it's not your fault that you're stuck in Rika's apartment... If I could send you home safe and sound right now, I would."
There was a heavy silence stitched between the phones for awhile, neither of them really knowing where to go from there. One person could hang up right then and there, but it seemed like too much of an effort to do that.
"Tell me about Kit," Seven finally announced, shoving some chips into his mouth that filled the receiver with static.
Her eyes brightened as her kitten was brought up, "Ah! My little Kit, I adopted him a little bit back. I was at the pet store picking up some stuff for my neighbor Lynn, she moved from our complex two weeks ago but she had a dog. Anyways, I was passing by this cage filled with cats that could be adopted and then, bam! There he was, staring at me all cutely between the bars." Era was grinning ear to ear as she recalled about her most precious, "I asked a worker there about him, and I was told he had a bad temper with people and kept getting returned back. But he was a complete angel with me, so I just had to adopt him!"
"Did he remind you of your past?"
The question froze everything around, the brunette's smiles stiffened while her shoulders hunched further. "How did- hacker. So you looked up my past, eh?" Seven was hushed, waiting for her answer. "Yeah, little too familiar for my taste. I wasn't going to let him go through what I lived. No one should be forever labeled the 'bad child' for one incident." He had to look into her past, make sure she was safe. It was his job. She was safe, she wouldn't hurt anyone else. Era snapped her jaw shut, she didn't want to talk about it anymore. She didn't want to remember. With her eyes shut, it was one breath at a time. She needed to change the subject, no matter how strained it would sound, "Anyways! Kit was just a little piece of bliss. Never did he scratch me or bite! Oh, but I had this date one night and I took him home and Kit just mauled the guy-"
"Date?" There was sudden choking on the other line, their food probably spewing across the area. Her past was suddenly in the dust, "And you took him back to the apartment? He could have been a creeper!"
A smug little expression crept across Era's face, "Hm? It was just a date. Don't expect a pretty, young woman like me to have a few guys here and there chasing after her? Well, then you'd be mistaken."
The hacker was left a bit speechless. He knew he had to breathe at some point, "I should get back to work. It'll probably never end... Taking a break will just create a taller pile. I have to get rid of this villain called work... Hey, I have to go take care of my hellish tasks. Bye... I will try to spend the rest of my day as a happy slave! Sayonara!" He spoke in a single breath.
"Bye-" Before Era could even finish, the line was already emitting it's end tones. There were a few chats with Yoosung, talking about video games that morning. Yet somehow, 707 opened a chat room just less than an hour after.
So much for work.
707: Pulled
707: An
707: All
707: Nighter
707: T_T
707: I only got a small nap.
Era: I can relate ;;;
Era: Are you okay?
707: Nope, not okay at all T_T
707: Still have my eyes open!
707: Soooo Tireddddd!
707: I have so much work these days.
707: Why are there more people asking hackers to do background checks on others?
Era: Feel like people trust other less and less these days
Era: T_T Such a cruel world!
707: Ya. Agreed.
707:What's happening to this world ;;;
707: But you can trust me _
707: U can trust Seven! I'm sure the world is only getting more chaotic!
Era: I trust you, Seven! Meow!
707: In this putrid world, RFA party remains as the sole emblem of elegance, beauty and charity. When will it be...
707: It's already been three days since u entered the group
707: But V hasn't set the date. I'm getting frustrated...
707: I should talk to V...
Era: Seems like you two talk often.
Era: He must really trust you.
707: Well, we are close. LOL But to be honest,
707: Luciel=V's slave
The woman had to pause and think about what he just wrote. She was just kind of exhausted, she nearly forgot that Luciel was Seven's baptismal name. They spoke about V and the party for a little while. But soon it calmed back to them.
707: Even if we don't get to hold the party...
707: It's enough for me to just chat with you like this again!
707: *lololol not 'again'!
707: Autocorrect is weird
Era: Lololol
Era: Don't get me started on my autocorrect fails!
Era: It's so funny when they fit the context too!
Era: But I wanna hang out with you too!
Era: Life is hard T_T
707: I'd like to too
707: But I have so much work T_T
707: I wanna play!
707: In my next life, I wanna be born as a cat...
Era: Same
707: Making a living with my sibling cats
707: and just live a happy life
707: Without getting help from mother cat! lol
Era: Can I be one of your sibling cats?!
Era: Pleaseee~
707: of course!
707: And we will rule the world of cats!
707: Meow!
Era: Meow!
Before Era really knew it, she was curled against the apartment couch. The TV ran with some anime she had turned on a bit ago, but it seemed like nonsense as she just grinned down at her phone.
707: Man~
707: It's so fun talking to you .
707: Every time I long into messenger,
as he wrote these words, he curled his toes back. He wondered what possessed him to text this. He knew it would be better if he just stopped now. I knew what would happen if it continued. But maybe she'd be the only to push him away. Maybe that's what he was looking for.
707: my heart races a bit.
707: I wanna get to know u better
707: lololol
he just hid behind the LOL's. They defused any sense of seriousness, right? That's how everyone saw it. Anyone who texted before knew Lol can be laughing or hiding, it was just the difficulty of seeing which it was today.
The woman blinked at her screen, the phone conversation creeping up in the back of her mind as she began to click the keypad.
Era: Don't you already know everything about me?
707: Ya.
707: ...
707: I mean, no. Nope.
707: ...
707: GAh! Don't as me things like that!
707: Whenever the chatroom's open,
why am I writing this? he still asked as he typed. It was selfish of him. But he just wanted to be selfish , just for a few more seconds.
707: I get excited, think about whether or not u'll be there lol
707: lol
707: What should I compare this feeling to? lol
707: Probably the combination of PhD. Pepper and Honey Buddha Chips. lol
Era: Why compare it with those? lol I'm a human
707: It's a comparison.
707: A comparison...
707: A... comparison... T_T
He needed to change the subject.
707: yum yum
707: YUM!
The hacker forwarded a photo to the chat room. It was a selfie of himself, his tomato hair a curly mess as he tried to stare past the camera. In his hand he held up a golden bag of Honey Buddha hips, little leaves and potatoes decorating it with a red ribbon logo. His goofy black and yellow striped glasses were starting to slide down the bridge of his nose as Seven rushed the photo.
close enough to a subject change.
707: yum
707: Yum lol
Era: I wanna have honey Buddha chops and PhD. Pepper for breakfast too! lol
707: It's true that they're good,
707: But nope
707: U should eat good things. I'm already kind of ruined
Era: Dude
Era: I survive on Ramen and PhD. Pepper
Era: I've been ruined. For awhile.
707: Well that's not good!
707: You're in Rika's apartment now!
707: Go make yourself a BLT sandwich!
Era: ;;;
Era: I tried yesterday...
Era: I kind of- might have- did set the kitchen on fire.
707: ...
707: That was the alarm I got...
707: Anyways, if you eat honey Buddha chips
707: Don't ever try to save them, like Yoosung,
707: U should get boxes of it.
707: I have tons of boxes at my house. lolol
Era: What?!
Era: But They're so rare!
Era: Boxes?!
Era: Wow! So Jelly!
707: lolololol
707: Really?
707: I'd like to give you a box
707: But I can't.
707: Since it's top secret where u are.
707: Now that I've had my breakfast
707: I'm gonna take another nap.
707: Zzz...
Era: Sleep tight ^^
707: You too!
707: You can dream about me XD
707: Special guest 707 as the main lead _
707: Laterz
-707 left the chat room-
-Era left the chat room-
She casually glanced back at the plasma screen where her anime threw about. It was a cute little anime she felt like rewatching. She was only on episode one, it was called Beyond the Boundary. There was something very alluring about the art style.
Era furled her toes while watching the show further. Now and then she'd check her phone for a new chat room, but usually she was just answering emails for party guests. She had two definite guests coming so far. Yoosung and Jaehee began to itch about the party, wondering when it would be.
Era would be lying if she wasn't curious to. She was the party coordinator too.
It was quite boring being locked up though. She depended on the chat rooms for entertainment. It's not like working as a neurologist's assistant was fun, but it gave her something to do. And when she came home, she always had Kit to snuggle with her.
God, she missed Kit so much.
Her mind slowly drifted from her show, painting a scene of what it will be like when this RFA party is done. She'll go home, unlock the door to her apartment and there... The little onyx furred Kit will be sitting on the edge of the welcome mat, sleeping. Era would bend down and ruffle his fur, whispering that she was home.
Kit would open his little eyes, gold light pouring towards her as he leaps onto her knee. They'd spend the entire night on her tacky red couch, with a bag of potato chips.
Her phone beside her vibrated, sending Era's skin crawling as the little daydream was shaken from her mind. Era looked around the room, slightly paranoid before she realized a new chat room had opened.
"New chat room: About the party!
Participants: V, Jumin Han"
V!
she immediately opened up the app, prepared to write anything to catch the elusive RFA leader.
V: Era, you were here.
V: I was worried no one would be here.
Era: Hello V!
V: Yes, hello.
V: I hope you've been well?
V: I'm glad that you seem to be doing well here.
V: I heard that some members were starting to get worried about the party so I had to come.
Jumin Han: V?
Era: Hey, Jumin.
Jumin Han: You were up late, Era.
Jumin Han: What are you ding here so late, V?
V: Oh, Luciel called me.
V: He told me to come look at the messages so I took the time to come.
Jumin Han: Yoosung is getting worried.
V: Yes.
V: I came to say that we are definitely holding the party and I'm still working on setting the date. It's going to be confirmed soon so I hope everyone waits until then.
V: I'm sure it mustn't be easy for you, but please understand, Era.
Era: I'm sure you'll take care of it.
Era: Seven seems to be working hard too.
V: Yes, you're right.
V: Luciel has been helping me greatly. I'm always thankful...
V: Of course, I'm thankful to all RFA members, including you, Era.
V: I'll have to do my best not to let everyone down.
Jumin Han: That's good to hear.
Jumin Han: I'm sure if you just explain why it's taking so long, everyone will understand.
Jumin Han: If anything's been found concerning how Era ended up in Rika's apartment, I hope you'll share it.
Era: I'd like to know too ;;;
V: Luciel is looking into it.
V: I'll tell you if we find anything. Just trust me for now.
Jumin Han: I always do.
V: Okay
Era: You only talk to Seven though...
V: Because Seven is in charge of handling classified information. I'm not especially attached to Luciel or anything ^^;
Jumin Han: Why do I feel like that cat abusing freak is only serious in front of you?
V: Hmm... I don't think Luciel conciders me his friend.
Jumin Han: Then?
V: More like a mentor I feel...
Jumin Han: ...
V: Are you jealous?
Era could barely get in a word between the two users. A sweat drop rolled down her forehead as she recalled what Jaehee, Jumin Han's assistant, had mentioned a bit ago. Apparently Jumin and V grew up together as children. It felt like trying to cross into another universe would be easier than trying to cut in with them.
It was their own little universe.
Jumin Han: Not at all.
Jumin Han: So nothing's been confirmed about the party?
The party coordinator saw her fraction of a chance!
Era: We have two confirmed guests that will be attending!
Era: Bics Pens and Catshelter representatives!
Jumin Han: Fine guests to have attending
Jumin Han: But I meant on V's side.
Era: Oh.
Jumin Han: I have faith in your skills, Era.
Era: Ah! Thank you, Mr. Trust Fund Kid!
Jumin Han: ...
Jumin Han: Anyways...
Jumin Han: V, don't go silent.
V: Oh... I was just about to say anyway, nothing's been set but...
V: I don't think we can have a long time to prepare for it.
V: Era's not used to this job yet and a big scale party would probably be too much for her.
Jumin Han: Yeah. Do whatever you think is right.
Jumin Han: We should just be thankful that we can have a party again.
V: Thanks for thinking that way.
V: What do you think Era, do you feel too pressured? Has everyone been nice ever since you joined the RFA?
Era: Not pressured by the party at all!
Era: Little weird staying in a dead person's apartment but...
Era: To be honest, I love talking to Seven!
V: Really? I'm glad you're getting along with Luciel.
V: I don't think he can really get along with Jaehee, though.
Jumin Han: I never wanted to be close to Luciel as well.
V: Haha.
V: Well, he's a bit of a hit or miss, Luciel.
V: Anyways, Jumin, how are you doing? I see you're usual with your father. How's his health?
The two began to chatter about their lives so far, boring Era from the chat. Her anime playing in the background became quite more interesting. Era would try and write something now and then to show she was still there, but she really was bored from actually reading most of their texts. She learned more directly from the two of them how they were childhood friends. Boasting about one another's skills. Money. Power.
Boring.
Something about Jumin's dad having a lot of girlfriends was a momentary topic, but it faded. Then something about how Jumin should try dating women, and him saying that they won't understand him. Something Seven had said awhile ago sprung to mind, Era barely realized she was typing it.
Era: Does Jumin Han is Gay?
Jumin Han: ...
Jumin Han: Not you too ;;
Era: Oops, sorry
Era: I didn't mean to type that.
Era: Just thinking it.
V: ... I'm sure someone in this world understands who you really are.
Jumin Han: I don't know about that.
V: Sometimes I feel like you're so against making new friends.
Jumin Han: Haven't been given friendly advice from you in awhile
Jumin Han: But if you're nagging me, then I refuse.
V: haha, right.
Jumin Han: One thing
And then they started talking about sounding old and diamond encrusted pens. Rich people... Era might have only known how to cook Ramen, but that was also what she could barely afford. The chat wrapped up with a few thank you's for running the party and V shooting a possible party guest Era's way before it had ended. There were a few last exchanges between Jumin and Era revolving around the gap between he and V, but it was momentary before Jumin had to leave.
His chefs had prepared dinner for him.
To repeat, rich people...
Era though saw it as motivation to get something cooking for herself. She had padded into the kitchen, chrome lining every inch of it. The floor was smooth, marble tiles that reflected a chess board. It was cool on her against her bare feet that slipped and slid as she skated over to the fridge.
It wasn't really full, a few preservables.
When she had come to the apartment, one of her first things to do was clean out all the spoilt food. It took three hours since there was still a steak marinating from one year ago, when Rika committed suicide.
Who marinates a steak when they knew they were going to die?
Era shrugged softly, pushing a lock of hair back. she never knew Rika, there was no way to possible guess.
She had messaged the group if she was allowed to go and grab food from the nearby supermarket and they told her as long as she came straight back, it would be fine. So she had picked up a few necessities.
You know, Soda, Ice ream, pre-made sushi.
She also had sandwich making materials and soup cans, but she still wasn't brave enough to start up another project that night. So she snagged one of the California roll boxes and chopsticks before shutting the fridge. Era didn't bother walking out into the living space, just rested her elbow onto the countertop and popped the sushi into her mouth piece by piece. A couple rice grains stuck to the corner of her mouth, but she'd snatch them up with a flick of her tongue before she was done.
That night, she laid as a soldier in bed. She refused to shut her eyes while locking looks with the ceiling. The darkness dragged in the last time she tried to sleep in that bed.
Screams.
Could there be an intruder?
Could everything have been a dream?
What did she dream about?
Would she dream it again.
The very concept sent chills through her spine, her heart picking faster and faster through its cycle. Nothing could pull her from this cyclical run of thoughts.
"I just got your messages!"
She never changed the ringtone as the phone blared right beside her ear, sending Era up from where she was laying. Her limps splayed out in panic, being on edge feeling as if an arrow just shot through her heart. Era grappled the phone in a trembled motion, scanning the caller: 707.
Quickly, mostly to shut up her ringtone, she answered instantly.
"Oh! You picked up!" The man was slightly stuttering on the other line, giving a forced little laugh, "I just tried to remember your voice while working and I couldn't..." His voice softly drifted as his tone became like air. He turned to mumbling as a small bit of happiness crept across his expression, "It was super weird since I have super good memory so I called you. It's back in my brain now that I've heard it... Why couldn't I remember it before? Is it because of all the PhD. Pepper I drank? Ugh... Bud I didn't interrupt your sleep, did I?"
Era flashed a little grin, the paranoia slipping away as his voice came to replace it, "No. I was bored anyways. I'm glad I'm talking with you." She really was.
"Oh! Such a good answer!" Seven snickered, "How was your day? What did you do? Did you eat?"
"So many questions. Ask me slowly one by one," Era reached her hand out as they conversed. She shrunk her fingers against the air, grabbing at nothing.
"Okay, well it's kind of hard to just pick one," he began to sputter out small ideas that she could barely make out above grumbling, but he seemed to settle on something. He whispered to himself about it being distant enough, "Oh, snacks. Do you have any type of snacks you like?"
Era knew her answer immediately, "Honey Buddha chips all the way! Woot woot! I remember when I was... Eight! I snuck it from a pantry and ate the entire bag in one sitting. They were so delicious! The scolding I got after was completely worth it."
"Aww yeah! You're the best!" her friend exclaimed without really realizing he had said it. Quickly, he cupped his mouth as Era just laughed at him.
She shrugged slightly, shuffling herself against the head rail, "I wanna be the very best. Like no one ever was."
Seven knew where to go, "To catch them is my real test..."
In unison they broke into their childhood, "To train them is my cau-u-u-se, Pokémon!"
The two of them erupted into a storm of snorts and shrieks, squeaking out as much laughter as they could. Era was falling back into her bed, twisting her toes underneath the sheets as she attempted to catch her breath again. It felt so warm just to talk to Seven.
"How did we even end up getting to that?" Era roared between breaths.
"Hey, you started it! Now... What were we talking about?"
Era tapped her chin, genuinely having to recall it as her hair knotted against her pillow, "Oh, the majesty of Honey Buddha chips!"
The man finally settled down, taking a couple gasps of air, "Oh yeah, I have a lot of honey Buddha chips at home."
"Could you not brag about your little heaven?"
My little heaven is just talking with you, He choked softly as he listened to her. the RFA hacker couldn't let himself say it. Why can't he draw these lines like he used to? It nearly slipped from his lips. Era doesn't remember, she's not the same from before. He just has to tell himself that, "I'd like to bring you some Honey Buddha chips... But reality won't let me... That's sad."
Era still was able to smile as she listened to how his voice fell, "That's okay, the fact that you would if you could is what matters. Thank you."
On the other side of the line, the man coughed, heat prickling at his cheeks, "Next time, I should participate in developing teleporting technology. Hmm... Well, I'll save some for you now so remind me later, okay? I'll make sure to give you some."
"I'll hold you to that! I haven't had Honey Buddha Chips in an entire era."
There was a brief silence.
"Seven?"
"God, you are too cute." How the hell is he supposed to stay strong when she makes stupid puns like that? "Something strange happened when I was calling you before... My hands were pressing your number automatically. It was almost like a trance. I woke up when I heard the signal and thought about hanging up, but I'm glad I didn't."
Already, Era was dozing into a state of slumber. Her fingers barely holding her phone to her face as she fell asleep to the sound of his voice. It was rough, but comforting for her to hear. A little bit of joy snuck onto her lips, "I'm glad you didn't either."
There was an expanse of absence, neither making a sound. Maybe he assumed Era had entered a world of dreams. He simpered a broken smile as her steady respiration kissed through the speakers, "Hearing your voice makes me want to take you to the space station."
Era though, was still stuck in the spider web of reality, slowly falling but not yet gone. She gave a small hum of curiosity in response before curling up.
Seven only started to laugh under his breath, "Oh, I have lots of work to do so I need to hang up... Uhm... Thanks for talking with me. Then good bye... Have a good night!" He was turning the shade of his hair, though Era wouldn't ever tell.
"Good night," she mewed, the call ending as she pulled her phone from her ear. Before she knew it, she was lost in a dream. Nothing fearsome lunging its fangs to create nightmares. No one prowling the apartment.
A small smile prickled at her to the corners of her lips.
It was just like last time.