glitch || csc & hjs
event starter for @ea-jisoo
Everything was moving too fast for Seungcheol to comprehend.
It had been a tough day at school and then an even longer day at work where Seungcheol was worked to the core by one of his fitness-crazy Fern clients. He had planned on taking a long relaxing bath when he reached home, scarf down the leftover macaroni his mother had left him just a few days ago and fall asleep to reruns of High Skies Life – the reality show for HS Entertainment trainees.
But the moment he stepped into his apartment his notifications started blaring off, signalling that something was wrong, very wrong. One glance at his screen and his heart was falling from his chest.
1.750.
1.750 stars in less than a second.
It was funny how the first thing that came mind was a passing quote from a literature class he had taken as an elective a year ago: “Fame is a fickle food upon a shifting plate.”
The second thing he felt was fear, followed very closely by shame.
It didn’t help that there were men at the door either, forcibly evicting him from his home.
“Open the door Mr Choi!” someone yelled from the other side, “Things will go much faster if you cooperate with us!”
Seungcheol was a shaking mess. He was beyond terrified and had no idea what to do with himself with such a low rating.
How could something like this happen? Did he do something wrong? Who did he anger? How could he suddenly lose two whole stars?
“Mr Choi!”
“Coming, coming!” Seungcheol shouted back, trying to hide the tremor in his voice. When he finally came to the door, two of the three men were looking at him with little more than disgust while the third merely read over his notes, paying Seungcheol no attention at all.
“Mr Choi Seungcheol,” the one with the clipboard read, “You are hereby sent to live in Field due to insufficient ratings and must surrender the keys to your Grass home immediately to avoid penalty and further point docking.”
“No!” Seungcheol surprised himself with his bravery. “T-there must be some kind of mistake! I’m – was – a 3.750! I can’t have lost so many stars so quickly!”
The ma looked at him fiercely. “The system makes no mistakes Mr Choi.”
“B-but–”
The man didn’t wait for him to continue. With a subtle nod the other two came from behind the man and pulled Seungcheol from the doorway, barging into his home without his permission.
“Wait, no!” Seungcheol cried, but they were already rummaging around the drawers, presumably searching for the key card and anything else that had to be confiscated from Seungcheol due to his drop in ratings.
“Wait please!” Seungcheol turned to the man in charge. “At least let me get my things. I-I won’t cause any trouble, just let me grab some clothes and my belongings.”
At Seungcheol’s words the two men in the house paused, looking to the one outside for instructions. The man nodded again.
“Thank you,” Seungcheol whispered. He scrambled back into the house, avoiding all eye contact. He grabbed a duffel bag from his closet and hastily stuffed clothes, underwear, a toothbrush and other things he may need inside. He grabbed several microchips too, which contained his school notes and other important documents.
It was funny how his whole life could seemingly fit into one bag.
“Are you ready?” a gruff voice called from behind him. Seungcheol was overcome by a sudden empty feeling when he looked back at his home one last time.
“We’ll leave your things the way they are until you find a new permanent address in Field,” the man was saying. “It will stay untouched up for a month after which, if the status of your ratings does not change and you have not yet moved your belongings, all will be collected and disposed of by The Central Waste Management Facility.”
Seungcheol nodded numbly, hearing but not really listening.
The men escorted him out the door. Seungcheol took one last glance over his shoulder. The men watched him back just as sternly. Slowly, Seungcheol turned back around and trudged away from what was once his home.
Whatever courage that had possessed him to walk away from the men and not beg at their feet to let him stay was lost the moment he stepped onto the city streets of Grass. It was close to midnight but there were still people about and they looked at him oddly, whispering amongst each other and some even pointing rudely at him.
Seungcheol felt more ashamed than ever.
He couldn’t even go to his parents knowing he might jeopardize their rating and bring shame to his family. Besides, he wouldn’t want to hear the disappointment in their voices despite how supportive he was sure they would be.
He didn’t want to hurt them like that.
Seungcheol ducked his head, walking fast. There was only one way to Field in any case and Seungcheol would just have to figure things out when he got there.
Nervousness and fear gnawed away at him. It wasn’t the first time he would be getting on a train to Field, but it would be first time he went there because he belonged.
Questions raced through his mind. What was he going to do? Where would he live? How would he survive? Would his Fern clients still want him as their personal trainer? Would people still want to watch his vlogs?
1.750. That was nothing. A class above criminals. The people with no homes and no food. It was the people he had been trying to help through his volunteer work.
And now he was one of them.
Seungcheol felt the tears before he registered he was crying. The fear was so loud.
He would have nowhere to live. Nothing at all.
He was suddenly so lonely.
Seungcheol was in the midst of a total breakdown surrounded by strangers who did nothing but stare at him. They’re probably giving me low ratings even now, Seungcheol thought, reflecting on how ugly and undesirable he must look, sobbing on the train platform like this.
But then, amongst the judgemental crowd, a familiar face.
A kind face; one that bore no disgust or malice, just the same sad eyes and neutral expression.
Seungcheol didn’t realize how much he loved and craved that face until now.
His feet were moving forward before he even realized it.
“Jisoo,” he whispered, when he reached the boy. The other just smiled softly back. A quick look at his screen told Seungcheol that Jisoo had dropped in ratings too.
It is because of me? Seungcheol suddenly panicked.
But Jisoo remained composed which made him calm down too.
“Jisoo,” Seungcheol repeated, even softer and more vulnerable than before. “I… I don’t know what to do.”