Ninelives (Sugarcube)

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<<if settings.achievements>><<notify 3s>>Achievements active!<</notify>><</if>>Ultrices in iaculis nunc sed augue lacus. Duis ultricies lacus sed turpis tincidunt id. Amet dictum sit amet justo donec enim diam. Sodales ut eu sem integer vitae justo eget magna. Amet justo donec enim diam vulputate. Turpis egestas sed tempus urna et. Erat imperdiet sed euismod nisi porta lorem mollis aliquam. Quis varius quam quisque id diam. Ultricies mi eget mauris pharetra et ultrices. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis tellus in metus. Accumsan sit amet nulla facilisi. Libero nunc consequat interdum varius sit. Sit amet tellus cras adipiscing enim. Urna et pharetra pharetra massa. Libero justo laoreet sit amet cursus sit. Mattis aliquam faucibus purus in massa tempor nec. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et. In nisl nisi scelerisque eu ultrices vitae auctor eu.

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<<link "Journal">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Journal"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Journal").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> <<link "Credits">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Credits"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("credits").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>>

<<if $prog is "0">>This page will unlock once you have completed Chapter 1. <<else>> <div class="header">Profile</div> <b>Name:</b> $pc_name <b>Pronouns:</b> $pc_pronouns <b>Appearance:</b> You have $pc_eyecolor eyes. Your hair is $pc_haircolor and $pc_haircurl, and you keep it <<if $pc_hairlength is "shaved">>shaved down to your scalp.<<elseif $pc_hairlength is "trimmed">>trimmed very short.<<elseif $pc_hairlength is "short">>short around your ears.<<elseif $pc_hairlength is "medium">>shoulder-length.<<elseif $pc_hairlength is "long">>long past your shoulders.<<elseif $pc_hairlength is "braided">>in tight braids.<<elseif $pc_hairlength is "afro">>in an afro.<<else>>loc'd.<</if>> <<link "The Story So Far">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("The Story So Far"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("The Story So Far").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> <<link "Characters">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Characters"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Characters").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> <</if>>

By D. Elaine

<img src="https://i.ibb.co/NtCHWQ5/lmlogo.png" id="lm-logo">\ <img src="https://i.ibb.co/PZcxvW1/dmlogo.png" id="dm-logo">\

<<set $prog to "0">> <<set $savetitle to "">>  <<set $pc_name to "">>\ <<set $pc_chosenname to false>>\ <<set $pc_transnb to false>>\ <<set $pc_pronouns to "">>\ <<set $pc_he to "">>\ <<set $pc_him to "">>\ <<set $pc_his_s to "">>\ <<set $pc_his_p to "">>\ <<set $pc_himself to "">>\ <<set $pc_brother to "">>\ <<set $pc_son to "">>\ <<set $pc_plural to "">>\ <<set $pc_eyecolor to "">>\ <<set $pc_hairlength to "">>\ <<set $pc_haircolor to "">>\ <<set $pc_haircurl to "">>\ <<set $pc_transnb to false>>\ <<set $pc_height to "">>\ <<set $cameout to "">>\ <<set $aceflag to "none">>\ <<set $drinkfave to "">>\ <<set $pc_dislikes_nicknames to false>>\ <<set $pc_oldjob to "">>\ <<set $pc_leftjob to "">>\ <<set $pc_started_job to false>>\ <<set $timid to 0>>\ <<set $assertive to 0>>\ <<set $taciturn to 0>>\ <<set $friendly to 0>>\ <<set $flippant to 0>>\ <<set $skeptical to 0>>\ <<set $mainstatval to 0>>\ <<set $bold to 0>>\  <<set $shy to 0>>\  <<set $unaware to 0>>\  <<set $corporis to 100>>\ <<set $mentis to 50>>\  <<set $honesty to 50>>\  <<set $outlook to 50>>\  <<set $arthurdyn to "">>\   <<set $athletics to 0>>\ <<set $technology to 0>>\ <<set $persuasion to 0>>\ <<set $highestskillval to 0>>\ <<set $mainskill to "">>\  <<set $willpower to 0>>\  <<set $intuition to 0>>\  <<set $perception to 0>>\   <<set $sungjae to 0>>\ <<set $sungjae_childhood_friends to false>>\ <<set $pc_sungjae_nickname to "">>\ <<set $snickname to false>>\ <<set $pc_sname to "">>\   <<set $alex to 0>>\ <<set $alex_romance to 0>>\ <<set $alex_past_crush to false>>\ <<set $alex_long_crush to false>>\ <<set $alex_firstmeeting to "">>\  <<set $cherry to 0>>\ <<set $cherry_romance to 0>>\  <<set $teagan to 0>>\ <<set $teagan_romance to 0>>\  <<set $lucia to 0>>\ <<set $lucia_romance to 0>>\  <<set $ch1_dinner to "">>\  <<set $ch1_outcome to "">>\  <<set $ch1_sungjae to "">>\  <<set $yhobby to "">>\  <<set $promphoto to false>>\  <<set $mposters to false>>\  <<set $pmed to false>>\   <<set $pc_height_set to false>>\  <<set $pc_met_alex to false>>\  <<set $pc_met_ansel to false>>\  <<set $pc_met_lucia to false>>\  <<set $store_intro_positive to 0>>\  <<set $store_intro_negative to 0>>\ <<set $mood_cherry to "">>\  <<set $mood_lucia to "">>\  <<set $shug to "">>\ > <<set $wip to true>>\

<<widget "snick">>\ <<if $snickname is true>>\ <<set $pc_sname to $pc_sungjae_nickname>>\ <<else>>\ <<set $pc_sname to $pc_name>>\ <</if>>\ <</widget>>\ <<widget "setpronouns">>\ <<if $pc_pronouns is "he/him">>\ <<set $pc_he to "he">>\ <<set $pc_him to "him">>\ <<set $pc_his_s to "his">>\ <<set $pc_his_p to "his">>\ <<set $pc_himself to "himself">>\ <<set $pc_plural to false>>\ <<elseif $pc_pronouns is "she/her">>\ <<set $pc_he to "she">>\ <<set $pc_him to "her">>\ <<set $pc_his_s to "her">>\ <<set $pc_his_p to "hers">>\ <<set $pc_himself to "herself">>\ <<set $pc_plural to false>>\ <<elseif $pc_pronouns is "they/them">>\ <<set $pc_he to "they">>\ <<set $pc_him to "them">>\ <<set $pc_his_s to "their">>\ <<set $pc_his_p to "theirs">>\ <<set $pc_himself to "themselves">>\ <<set $pc_plural to true>>\ <<elseif $pc_pronouns is "ze">>\ <<set $pc_he to "ze">>\ <<set $pc_him to "zir">>\ <<set $pc_his_s to "zir">>\ <<set $pc_his_p to "zirs">>\ <<set $pc_himself to "zirself">>\ <<set $pc_plural to false>>\ <<else>>\ <<set $pc_he to "xe">>\ <<set $pc_him to "xem">>\ <<set $pc_his_s to "xyr">>\ <<set $pc_his_p to "xyrself">>\ <<set $pc_himself to "xemself">>\ <<set $pc_plural to false>>\ <</if>>\ <</widget>>\ <<widget "setchild">>\ <<if $pc_brother is "brother">>\ <<set $pc_son to "son">>\ <<elseif $pc_brother is "sister">>\ <<set $pc_son to "daughter">>\ <<else>>\ <<set $pc_son to "child">>\ <</if>>\ <</widget>>\ <<widget "calcmainstat">>\ <<if $timid gt $mainstatval>>\ <<set $mainstat to "timid">>\ <<set $mainstatval to $timid>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $assertive gt $mainstatval>>\ <<set $mainstat to "assertive">>\ <<set $mainstatval to $assertive>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $taciturn gt $mainstatval>>\ <<set $mainstat to "taciturn">>\ <<set $mainstatval to $taciturn>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $friendly gt $mainstatval>>\ <<set $mainstat to "friendly">>\ <<set $mainstatval to $friendly>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $flippant gt $mainstatval>>\ <<set $mainstat to "flippant">>\ <<set $mainstatval to $flippant>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $skeptical gt $mainstatval>>\ <<set $mainstat to "skeptical">>\ <<set $mainstatval to $skeptical>>\ <</if>>\ <</widget>>\  <<widget "highestskill">>\ <<if $technology gt $highestskillval>>\ <<set $mainskill to "technology">>\ <<set $highestskillval to $technology>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $persuasion gt $highestskillval>>\ <<set $mainskill to "persuasion">>\ <<set $highestskillval to $persuasion>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $athletics gt $highestskillval>>\ <<set $mainskill to "athletics">>\ <<set $highestskillval to $athletics>>\ <</if>>\ <</widget>>\  <<widget "willup">>\ <<set $willpower to $willpower +5>>\ <<if $mainstat is "friendly" or "assertive">>\ <<set $willpower to $willpower +1>>\ <</if>>\ <</widget>>\ <<widget "willupup">>\ <<set $willpower to $willpower +10>>\ <<if $mainstat is "friendly" or "assertive">>\ <<set $willpower to $willpower +2>>\ <</if>>\ <</widget>>\ <<widget "intuup">>\ <<set $intuition to $intuition +5>>\ <<if $mainstat is "skeptical" or "flippant">>\ <<set $intuition to $intuition +1>>\ <</if>>\ <</widget>>\ <<widget "intuupup">>\ <<set $intuition to $intuition +10>>\ <<if $mainstat is "skeptical" or "flippant">>\ <<set $wintuition to $intuition +2>>\ <</if>>\ <</widget>>\ <<widget "perup">>\ <<set $perception to $perception +5>>\ <<if $mainstat is "timid" or "taciturn">>\ <<set $perception to $perception +1>>\ <</if>>\ <</widget>>\ <<widget "perupup">>\ <<set $perception to $perception +10>>\ <<if $mainstat is "timid" or "taciturn">>\ <<set $perception to $perception +2>>\ <</if>>\ <</widget>>\

<<liveblock>>$they <<are>> happy. $they <<were>> sad. $they run<<s>> down the road. <</liveblock>> <div class="choice"><<link "She/her Pronouns">><<set $they to "she">><<set $plural to false>><<update>><</link>></div> <div class="choice"><<link "He/him Pronouns">><<set $they to "he">><<set $plural to false>><<update>><</link>></div> <div class="choice"><<link "Xe/xem Pronouns">><<set $they to "xe">><<set $plural to false>><<update>><</link>></div> <div class="choice"><<link "They/them Pronouns">><<set $they to "they">><<set $plural to true>><<update>><</link>></div> <<print $pc_he [0].toUpperCase() + $pc_he .slice(1)>> <span id="viz">🔻</span> <span id="hint">🗯</span> <span id="hint">💪🏽</span> <span id="hint">💻</span> <span id="hint">(assertive)</span> <span id="hint">(timid)</span> <span id="hint">(taciturn)</span> <span id="hint">(friendly)</span> <span id="hint">(skeptical)</span> <span id="hint">(flippant)</span>

\

<a href="https://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/2/docs/">Sugarcube 2 Documentation</a> <a href="https://github.com/ChapelR/custom-macros-for-sugarcube-2">Chapel - custom macros collection</a> <a href="https://github.com/cyrusfirheir/cycy-wrote-custom-macros">Cycy's custom macros</a> <a href="https://unsplash.com/">Unsplash</a> for sidebar images (<a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/4CpyhNQ-LdU">light mode</a> and <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/1L71sPT5XKc">dark mode</a>)

<h3>StoryInterface</h3> The StoryInterface special passage, used by creating a special passage titled StoryInterface, allows you to override the default UI layout of Sugarcube. At its most basic, it consists of a div with the id "passages" that displays the data from your passages on the screen, as shown in example 1. You can add more complex layouts by adding more elements to this passage, such as menu bars, splash screens, headers and footers, as shown in example 2. Defining these divs is as simple as adding the necessary HTML to the StoryInterface passage; however, note that if a div is assigned a "data-passage" property, you should not add content to it within the StoryInterface passage. This property assigns a passage to that div. In example 2, the div with the id "ui-bar" has the data-passage property "UIBar", meaning it pulls its content data from a passage with the same name. These designations are case-sensitive. If you're just starting out with Twine/Sugarcube, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the language and the UI before working with StoryInterface. ''Example 1'' {{{<div id="passages"></div>}}} ''Example 2'' {{{<div id="ui-bar" data-passage="UIBar"></div>}}} {{{<div id="passages"></div>}}} {{{<div id="footer" data-passage="Footer"></div>}}} This will create a layout with three basic elements: the UI bar, the passage, and the footer. Content for the UI bar is found in the UIBar passage; likewise with the Footer passage & div. <h3>Accessing the UI functions</h3> Using StoryInterface by nature removes the built-in UI bar and the links contained within (Saves, Settings, Restart etc); these can all be replaced using their relevant APIs. The most common & useful of these are listed below. These commands can be placed inside links or buttons. {{{UI.saves() - opens the save UI}}} {{{UI.settings() - opens the settings UI}}} {{{UI.restart() - restarts the game}}} {{{Engine.backward()/Engine.forward() - undoes the previous action and returns the player to the previous passage/moves the player forward one action}}} Similarly to the above, you can use {{{<<back>>}}} to create a button that automatically undoes the last action, or {{{<<return>>}}} to return to the previous passage without undoing any variable changes made. <h3>Dialog functions</h3> You can set up dialog options to pop up upon clicking a link or button, which allows you to share information with the player without adding a new passage to the player's history or changing the state of the game. In order to do this, you need to set up the Dialog box, tell it what passage contains the content you want to display, and optionally, add a title. {{{Dialog.setup("Dialog Box Title");}}} {{{Dialog.wiki(Story.get("PassageName").processText());}}} {{{Dialog.open();}}} Any of these commands can be used in the default layout as well as StoryInterface - if you want extra save buttons, back buttons etc. <<back "Return">> <<link "Settings">><<script>>UI.settings();<</script>><</link>> <<button "Saves">><<script>>UI.saves();<</script>><</button>>

<<set $savetitle to "Chapter 1 - The Dinner">>\ <div class="header">Chapter 1</div> <div class="subheader">The Dinner</div> You splash your face with water and listen to the drone of speech that comes from somewhere else within the house. It's the day of the Erickson family's monthly dinner, and with that comes a wave of tiredness you're doing an increasingly terrible job of hiding. You fled to the bathroom only a few minutes after you arrived. Your father, mother, and brother are all downstairs talking, their conversation a muffled backdrop to your steadily dwindling willpower. They're talking about you. They always talk about you when they think you can't hear them. Your brother has attempted to change the conversation multiple times to no avail. Your mother has barely said anything at all. But your father's voice carries through the house clearly, so you know that you are the subject of conversation. You may not be the favorite child, but you are most certainly the favorite topic. Sometimes even right in your face. There was a time when you never would have expected to be the main subject of family gossip, and you doubt anyone would believe you if you told them you were. You're vain, they would say. Delusional. Paranoid. But your family proves it even now with the name that echoes through the house. <<textbox "$pc_name" "Please enter your first name.">> <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|ch1p2]]</div>

Your name, to be exact. $pc_name. Echoing through empty halls filled with expensive geometric rugs, fake house plants, and your mother's paintings. Your father speaks your name like an accusation. You can feel it float up the stairs and weigh you down. <i>Be better. Be more. Be someone he can be proud of. Be someone you can be proud of.</i> There can be a lot of power in a name, in the way it's said, and in who says it. A name given at birth, spoken by excited new parents. A family nickname, given on a memorable occasion or on a whim. A name whispered fondly by your friends and hissed by your enemies. A name you choose for yourself to declare who you are. Your name is... <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[...my given name.|transnbflag][$pc_chosenname to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[...my chosen name.|transnbflag][$pc_chosenname to true]]</div>\

My gender is <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$pc_transnb" autoselect>> <<option "the same one I was assigned at birth" false>> <<option "different than the one I was assigned at birth" true>> <</cycle>> and my pronouns are <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$pc_pronouns" autoselect>> <<option "he/him">> <<option "she/her">> <<option "they/them">> <<option "xe/xem">> <<option "ze/zir">> <</cycle>>. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Appearance]]</div>

<<setpronouns>>\ <<if $pc_chosenname is true>>Your name is not the one that was given to you at birth, but that doesn't change the weight that it carries when your family gossips about you. You suppose you should be glad that your family respects your name, but it's hard to see silver linings when your family is talking shit about you.<</if>><<if $pc_chosenname is false>>You doubt most people really think about how something as simple as the way a name is spoken can alter a relationship, but you have. You've not only thought about it; you've lived it. After all, you remember the fondness with which your name was spoken when you were a child, and you recognize the stark contrast with which it's said now.<</if>> You wonder if your father meant for you to hear him, if your name on his lips was just a carefully planned lure to set fire to your ears from across the house. An indirect callout, if you had to guess. A way of saying, "We wouldn't be gossiping about you if you weren't such a failure." You remember him being a lot kinder, but that changed like so many other things after you were nine years old. Now his preferred method of communication involves passive-aggressive remarks said in passing. Or sometimes directly. You haven't even had dinner yet, and already his disapproval is bleeding through the walls. You stare at yourself in the mirror. Put the mask back on. You only have to do this once a month. Just one night and it will be over and done with for another four weeks. The face that stares back at you questions your sanity for putting up with this. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Appearance 2]]</div>

As you continue staring at yourself in the mirror, you realize there are tired circles forming under your <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$pc_eyecolor" autoselect>> <<option "green">> <<option "blue">> <<option "brown">> <<option "hazel">> <<option "gray">> <<option "amber">> <</cycle>> eyes. The last thing you need is anyone calling you out on your unwillingness to be here based on your appearance alone, so you splash your face with water in the hopes of removing any trace of exhaustion. You also take a moment to make sure your clothes aren't disheveled, maybe even to put on a smile. No, forget the smile. Best to stick to the possible; taking time to straighten up is easy, but hiding in the bathroom isn't a miracle cure for a bad mood. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I take a deep breath and run my hand over my bald head.|end of bathroom][$pc_hairlength to "bald"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I take a deep breath and run my hand over my hair.|hair select]]</div>\

Once you're satisfied that you're presentable for dinner, you take a long, deep breath. Maybe you shouldn't have come tonight. Hell, maybe you should leave while everyone is preoccupied with their favorite gossip topic (you). But the fact is that the only thing worse than being here would be leaving early. You would never hear the end of it, least of all from your brother, Sungjae. Both you and Sungjae were adopted several years apart, so you look nothing alike, but no one could ever mistake the relationship between the two of you. Sungjae is the kind of person who always tries to maintain an air of optimism, no matter how bad things get, and he's always waiting for opportunities to uplift the people around him, but especially you. He always does what he can to ease your discomfort, even if the only thing he can do for you is smile. A bright ray of sunshine. He knows it, too, which is why he fancies himself the mediator in the family, and he's not entirely wrong. Without him, you aren't sure that you and your parents would be able to make it through dinner. He constantly makes an effort to ease the tension. His behavior might be bleedover from his job as a psychologist, but Sungjae is also just that kind of person. He always has been. If you don't make at least as much of an effort as he does, he'll give you that sad, disappointed look that he seems to save specially for you. And then he'll find a way to corner you and have a heart-to-heart later, even if that heart-to-heart feels more like he's secretly psychoanalyzing you. Sungjae is protective of you, that much is clear to anyone. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[We've always been close; I feel the same about him.|sungjae at the door][$sungjae_childhood_friends to true,$sungjae to 95]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[We didn't always used to be close, but we are now, and I care about him a lot.|sungjae at the door][$sungjae_childhood_friends to false,$sungjae to 75]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[We used to be close, but his overbearing attitude is driving a wedge between us.|sungjae at the door][$sungjae_childhood_friends to true,$sungjae to 45]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[We've never been close. He needs to back off and let me handle my own problems.|sungjae at the door][$sungjae_childhood_friends to false,$sungjae to 25]]</div>\

Your hair is <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$pc_haircolor" autoselect>> <<option "black">> <<option "brown">> <<option "blond">> <<option "auburn">> <<option "red">> <<option "dyed">> <</cycle>>, <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$pc_haircurl" autoselect>> <<option "straight">> <<option "wavy">> <<option "curly">> <<option "coiled">> <</cycle>>, and you keep it <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$pc_hairlength" autoselect>> <<option "shaved down to your scalp" shaved>> <<option "trimmed very short" trimmed>> <<option "short around your ears" short>> <<option "about shoulder-length" medium>> <<option "long past your shoulders" long>> <<option "in tight braids" braided>> <<option "in an afro" afro>> <<option "loc'd" locked>> <</cycle>>. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|end of bathroom]]</div>

Regardless of how you feel about Sungjae, he has always been there for you, more so since that time you almost drowned when you were nine. <<if $sungjae eq 50 or $sungjae gt 50>>Sure, that might make him overprotective, but he shows that mostly through physical affection and conversation, so you suppose it could be a lot worse.<</if>><<if $sungjae lt 50>>He's definitely overprotective, and he shows that mostly through physical affection and conversation. You've always figured that it could be worse, but not by much.<</if>> Still, making it through dinner will save you the trouble of dealing with him later. Hopefully. A knock at the door startles you, and it's only then you even notice that the conversation downstairs has grown silent. You can only hear your own exasperated breaths, the steady drip from the faucet, and your brother's voice on the other side of the door. What does your brother call you? <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Kiddo|sungjae talks][$snickname to true,$pc_sungjae_nickname to "kiddo"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Shrimp|sungjae talks][$snickname to true,$pc_sungjae_nickname to "shrimp"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Buttercup|sungjae talks][$snickname to true,$pc_sungjae_nickname to "buttercup"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Squirt|sungjae talks][$snickname to true,$pc_sungjae_nickname to "squirt"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Runt|sungjae talks][$snickname to true,$pc_sungjae_nickname to "runt"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Munchkin|sungjae talks][$snickname to true,$pc_sungjae_nickname to "munchkin"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[He calls me something else.|enter nickname][$snickname to true]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[He calls me by my name.|sungjae talks][$snickname to false]]</div>\

<<snick>>\ <<if $snickname is true>>"Is everything okay in there, $pc_sungjae_nickname?" Sungjae says. Sungjae always speaks your nickname with a soft fondness. He's used that nickname for you for as long as you can remember. It's so comfortable on his tongue that you sometimes wonder if that's how he refers to you when you aren't around. It has a completely different power over you than when your father spoke your name minutes ago, a power you're familiar with after many long years of being his <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$pc_brother" autoselect>> <<option "brother">> <<option "sister">> <<option "sibling">> <</cycle>>. Your response is almost instant. <<if $sungjae gte 50>><div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I like the nickname, so I respond fondly. "Yes, I'm okay, Sungjae," I say.|pnickname][$sungjae to $sungjae +10,$pc_dislikes_nicknames to false]] <span id="hint">(🤝🏽➕)</span></div><</if>>\ <<if $sungjae gte 50>><div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I don't really like nicknames, but it's okay since he's my brother, so I don't mention that. "I'm okay, Sungjae," I say.|pnickname][$sungjae to $sungjae +5,$pc_dislikes_nicknames to true]] <span id="hint">(🤝🏽➕)</span></div><</if>>\ <<if $sungjae lt 50>><div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Despite the fact that our relationship isn't very good, I actually like the nickname. I find myself responding more fondly than I mean to. "Yes, I'm okay, Sungjae," I say.|pnickname][$sungjae to $sungjae +10,$pc_dislikes_nicknames to false]] <span id="hint">(🤝🏽➕)</span></div><</if>>\ <<if $sungjae lt 50>><div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I don't like nicknames, but for some reason it doesn't bother me when Sungjae uses them, so there's no reason to snap at him. "I'm okay, Sungjae," I say.|pnickname][$sungjae to $sungjae +5,$pc_dislikes_nicknames to true]] <span id="hint">(🤝🏽➕)</span></div><</if>>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I don't particularly mind nicknames once way or the other. Sungjae can (and will) call me whatever he wants. "I'm fine," I say.|pnickname][$pc_dislikes_nicknames to false]]</div>\ <<if $sungjae eq 50 or $sungjae gt 50>><div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I hate nicknames. Just because he's my brother doesn't mean he gets a free pass to use them. "Do you really have to keep calling me that?" I say.|nnickname][$sungjae to $sungjae -10,$pc_dislikes_nicknames to true]] <span id="hint">(🤝🏽➖)</span></div><</if>>\ <<if $sungjae gte 50>><div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I have nothing against nicknames, but coming from him it makes me sound like a little kid. "You know I hate it when you call me that," I say.|nnickname][$sungjae to $sungjae -5,$pc_dislikes_nicknames to false]] <span id="hint">(🤝🏽➖)</span></div><</if>>\ <<if $sungjae lt 50>><div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I hate nicknames, and I hate that he refuses to catch on to that fact. "How many times have I asked you to stop calling me that?" I say.|nnickname][$sungjae to $sungjae -10,$pc_dislikes_nicknames to true]] <span id="hint">(🤝🏽➖)</span></div><</if>>\ <<if $sungjae lt 50>><div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I have nothing against nicknames, but the fact that he keeps calling me by one is just another of the many annoying things he does. "You know I hate it when you call me that," I say.|nnickname][$sungjae to $sungjae -5,$pc_dislikes_nicknames to false]] <span id="hint">(🤝🏽➖)</span></div><</if>>\ <</if>>\ <<if $snickname is false>>"Is everything okay in there, $pc_name?" Sungjae says. He sounds genuinely worried, something that doesn't surprise you. You have half a mind to stay silent, but it's not as if you can pretend that you aren't here. Your problems won't just disappear, as much as you wish they would. If you don't respond to him soon, it's possible he might try breaking the door down to make sure you haven't done anything crazy. It's not like you're doing anything you don't want him to see, but you'd rather this moment doesn't add to your brain's treasure trove of unpleasant memories. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[A fond sigh escapes me. I'm a little touched that he's checking on me. "Yes, I'm okay, Sungjae," I say.|pnickname][$sungjae to $sungjae +10]] <span id="hint">(🤝🏽➕)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I school my tone into something at least resembling cheerful so that he doesn't worry as much. "I'm okay, Sungjae," I say.|pnickname][$sungjae to $sungjae +5]] <span id="hint">(🤝🏽➕)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I don't bother dressing up my tone one way or another. Let him think what he wants about my mood. "I'm fine," I say.|pnickname]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Yeah, fine," I say, my voice a little more curt than I intended.|nnickname][$sungjae to $sungjae -5]] <span id="hint">(🤝🏽➖)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Go away," I say, letting him hear my frustration.|nnickname][$sungjae to $sungjae -10]] <span id="hint">(🤝🏽➖)</span></div>\ <</if>>\

What nickname does Sungjae use for you? <<textbox "$pc_sungjae_nickname" "Please enter your nickname.">> <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|sungjae talks]]</div>

You turn off the sink and wipe your hands on the off-white hand towel that's more decorative than functional. Sungjae doesn't respond immediately, but you know he's waiting for you on the other side of the door. <<if $sungjae gte 70>>You open it to find him leaning against the wall with a fond smile on his face. <<elseif $sungjae lt 30>>You open it to find his eyebrows slightly raised in surprise, as if he expected a more volatile reaction from you. <<else>>You open it to find him leaning against the wall with his trademark smile.<</if>> "Mom and Dad are waiting," he says. He looks as if he knows exactly what you're thinking, but you say it anyway. "Happily continuing their gossip, I bet." Sungjae winces. "They really shouldn't talk about you behind your back like that. But you know it's just because they care about you, right?" You raise a brow at him. "Do I know that?" "Of course you do," Sungjae says, but you're not so sure he believes it either. Your father is impossible to please these days and only cares insofar as to be frustrated or annoyed with you. And your mother? Well, you're not sure that your mother cares <i>at all</i>. "Let's just get this over with," you say, eager to be done with dinner and back in the comfortable confines of your apartment. Sungjae grimaces but nods and leaves ahead of you down the stairs. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|hallway]]</div>

You turn off the sink and wipe your hands on the off-white hand towel that's more decorative than functional. <<if $sungjae lt 50>> You can hear Sungjae's sigh from the other side of the door. Whether or not he meant you to, you can't be sure. "Mom and Dad are waiting," he says through the door. "Happily continuing their gossip, I bet," you say. Sungjae sighs again, and this time you're sure that he meant for you to hear it. "Come on, $pc_name. At least try to get through this dinner without fighting with them."<</if>> <<if $sungjae gte 50>>Sungjae doesn't say anything right away, but you can practically hear his brows furrow in worry at your bad mood. Eventually, he says, "Mom and Dad are waiting." "Happily continuing their gossip, I bet," you say. "It'll be okay. Let's just try to get through this dinner without a fight breaking out, okay?"<</if>> "That will be entirely up to them," you say. "I'll do my best to help, but you still need to come out of there eventually." "Fine. I'll be there in a second." Sungjae mumbles an affirmation from the other side of the door, but you wait until he's gone before you leave the bathroom. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|hallway]]</div>

Dad doesn't look up when he speaks to you. He merely gestures at the seat in front of him, the open chair next to Sungjae. You take the seat, not wanting to drag this out any longer than necessary, while Mom begins dishing out her homemade carnitas. No one speaks for a while, the only sound the clanking of silverware against the plates on the table. Your father opens his mouth to speak, but Mom gets there first. "I'm glad you could make it tonight. It's nice to see you both," she says. Neither you nor Sunjae know what to say to that; it's been a while since either one of you had to cancel on the family dinner. Sungjae smiles anyway. He thinks she's trying to diffuse the tension, but you're not so sure. It doesn't stop Dad from making his comment. "Considering $pc_he lost $pc_his_s job, I imagine $pc_he <<if $pc_plural is true>>need<</if>><<if $pc_plural is false>>needs<</if>> help with food." "Dad!" Sungjae says immediately. Mom, smile still on her face, says nothing as she turns her focus to her food. Dad barely seems to notice Sungjae's interjection as he organizes the food on his plate. "Am I wrong?" He doesn't wait for an answer before he takes a bite and chews with angry haste. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Don't talk about me like I'm not sitting right here," I say in a challenge.|the dinner 3-assertive][$assertive to $assertive +1]]<span id="hint"> (assertive) </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I look down at my hands in my lap and shift uncomfortably. Speaking now would only make things worse.|the dinner 3-timid][$timid to $timid +1]]<span id="hint"> (timid) </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Lest I be on the brink of starvation," I say in a dramatic tone.|the dinner 3-flippant][$flippant to $flippant +1]]<span id="hint"> (flippant) </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I'm not going to dignify that with a response. Besides, I doubt he would listen anyway.|the dinner 3-taciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1]]<span id="hint"> (taciturn) </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["It's fine, Sungjae. It was just a joke," I say in an attempt to calm things down.|the dinner 3-friendly][$friendly to $friendly +1]]<span id="hint"> (friendly) </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I say nothing and instead watch Dad's face and try to figure out his motive for bringing it up.|the dinner 3-skeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1]]<span id="hint"> (skeptical) </span></div>\

Dad looks up at you, his eyebrows almost imperceptibly raised. This is the first time he's looked at you since you got here. Sungjae looks at you too, his lips now in a flat line. Mom, on the other hand, is looking at Dad as if waiting for his response. Her expression is still unreadable. "I assume these family dinners are helpful to you, considering you no longer have an income to pay for groceries," he says. The same statement, but repeated now to your face with an even sharper tone. Your challenging response doesn't seem to cut through his unfair judgments. "Dad, please stop. We've barely started eating," Sungjae says. "I can speak for myself, Sungjae," you say before turning back to your father. "I have some money saved up. I don't need your help." Your father hums in response as he chews another bite of food. "Can you blame me for thinking otherwise under the circumstances? It's not as if I expect you to make as much money as Sungjae. Anything is better than being unemployed." No matter what he says, he must have brought that up for the express purpose of comparing the two of you. Sungjae makes a pretty penny working as an onsite psychologist for some fancy company. He's independently wealthy, thanks to landing that job. Not to mention he works in the field he always wanted, whereas you... <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I worked in a warehouse for a furniture company where I did my fair share of heavy lifting.|warehouse][$athletics to $athletics +10,$pc_oldjob to "warehouse"]] <span id="hint">💪🏽</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was a cashier at a local corner store where I spent a lot of time interacting with people.|convenience][$persuasion to $persuasion +10,$pc_oldjob to "convenience"]] <span id="hint">🗯</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I did tech support work for an office company where I spent most of my time fixing computer problems.|IT][$technology to $technology +10,$pc_oldjob to "tech"]] <span id="hint">💻</span></div>\

Your father continues eating as if he's said nothing wrong. Sungjae, who has yet to touch the food on his plate, glances over at you in concern. Then he looks back at Dad with furrowed brows. "Dad, we've barely started eating. Please try to keep it civil," Sungjae says. He reaches down to finally take a bite of his own food, but not before he adds, "If you want to talk about $pc_name's job situation, at least have the decency to speak to $pc_him directly." "I have some money saved up," you say in a quiet voice. You don't know if Dad ignores you or just doesn't hear you. It could honestly be either one. Dad hums in reply to Sungjae as he chews another bite of food. He looks up at you for the first time this evening. "Can you blame me for wondering considering $pc_he quit his job without having another lined up?" "Dad, come on," Sungjae pleads again. Your father doesn't stop. He keeps speaking as if standing on a podium, and he continues to avoid looking at you. "I'm hardly expecting $pc_him to make the amount that you do. Anything is better than being unemployed." No matter what he says, he must have brought that up for the express purpose of comparing the two of you. Sungjae makes a pretty penny working as an onsite psychologist for some fancy company. He's independently wealthy, thanks to landing that job. Not to mention he works in the field he always wanted, whereas you... <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I worked in a warehouse for a furniture company where I did my fair share of heavy lifting.|warehouse][$athletics to $athletics +10,$pc_oldjob to "warehouse"]] <span id="hint">💪🏽</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was a cashier at a local corner store where I spent a lot of time interacting with people.|convenience][$persuasion to $persuasion +10,$pc_oldjob to "convenience"]] <span id="hint">🗯</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I did tech support work for an office company where I spent most of my time fixing computer problems.|IT][$technology to $technology +10,$pc_oldjob to "tech"]] <span id="hint">💻</span></div>\

"It's a wonder you got the job in the first place, considering you can't ever take anything seriously," Dad says, and you can hear the scowl in his voice without needing to look at him. "Dad, please stop. We've barely started eating," Sungjae says. He looks over at you. "You too. Stop escalating." "I'm not escalating," you say with a shrug. "Can't any of you take a joke?" Your father grumbles something and sighs. His voice grows more stern. "You think far too highly of yourself. Being careless is not the same as having a sense of humor." "Unclench, Dad," you say. "I have money saved up." There's another harumph before he says, "Can you blame me for wondering, considering the circumstances? It's not as if I expect you to make as much money as Sungjae. Anything is better than being unemployed." No matter what he says, he must have brought that up for the express purpose of comparing the two of you. Sungjae makes a pretty penny working as an onsite psychologist for some fancy company. He's independently wealthy, thanks to landing that job. Not to mention he works in the field he always wanted, whereas you... <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I worked in a warehouse for a furniture company where I did my fair share of heavy lifting.|warehouse][$athletics to $athletics +10,$pc_oldjob to "warehouse"]] <span id="hint">💪🏽</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was a cashier at a local corner store where I spent a lot of time interacting with people.|convenience][$persuasion to $persuasion +10,$pc_oldjob to "convenience"]] <span id="hint">🗯</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I did tech support work for an office company where I spent most of my time fixing computer problems.|IT][$technology to $technology +10,$pc_oldjob to "tech"]] <span id="hint">💻</span></div>\

You spare your father a quick stare. As if he can feel your eyes on him, he glares back at you. For the first time this evening, you realize. There's unspoken tension between the two of you, and you can tell by his hard stare that your father is just daring you to say something. "Dad, please stop. We've barely started eating," Sungjae says, speaking where he knew you wouldn't. <<if $pc_plural is true>>"<<print $pc_he [0].toUpperCase() + $pc_he .slice(1)>> are not denying it, are $pc_he?<</if>><<if $pc_plural is false>>"<<print $pc_he [0].toUpperCase() + $pc_he .slice(1)>> is not denying it, is $pc_he?<</if>> Should I prepare myself for the request of a loan later this evening?" Dad doesn't break his stare with you as he speaks. "$pc_name wouldn't do that, Dad," Sungjae says, and you don't know whether to be pleased or annoyed that he's so sure of that. "Besides, are you saying you wouldn't help $pc_him if $pc_he needed it?" "I have money saved up," you say as you look back at your plate, finally breaking the staring contest. Your father looks back to his own food and hums as he chews another bite. "Can you blame me for wondering, considering the circumstances? It's not as if I expect you to make as much money as Sungjae. Anything is better than being unemployed." No matter what he says, he must have brought that up for the express purpose of comparing the two of you. Sungjae makes a pretty penny working as an onsite psychologist for some fancy company. He's independently wealthy, thanks to landing that job. Not to mention he works in the field he always wanted, whereas you... <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I worked in a warehouse for a furniture company where I did my fair share of heavy lifting.|warehouse][$athletics to $athletics +10,$pc_oldjob to "warehouse"]] <span id="hint">💪🏽</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was a cashier at a local corner store where I spent a lot of time interacting with people.|convenience][$persuasion to $persuasion +10,$pc_oldjob to "convenience"]] <span id="hint">🗯</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I did tech support work for an office company where I spent most of my time fixing computer problems.|IT][$technology to $technology +10,$pc_oldjob to "tech"]] <span id="hint">💻</span></div>\

"It's not fine," Sungjae says, as you knew he would. Complacency is not resolution, he would probably say. "At least have the decency to talk to $pc_name directly." "Really, Sungjae, it's okay," you say with a smile, trying to mediate the mediator. "I have money saved up. I'll be okay until I find another job." Your father looks at you for the first time this evening. You try to smile at him too, but you can only spare a glance before you look back to your plate. Your father hums in response as he chews another bite of his food. "Can you blame me for wondering otherwise, considering the circumstances? It's not as if I expect you to make as much money as Sungjae. Anything is better than being unemployed." No matter what he says, he must have brought that up for the express purpose of comparing the two of you. Sungjae makes a pretty penny working as an onsite psychologist for some fancy company. He's independently wealthy, thanks to landing that job. Not to mention he works in the field he always wanted, whereas you... <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I worked in a warehouse for a furniture company where I did my fair share of heavy lifting.|warehouse][$athletics to $athletics +10,$pc_oldjob to "warehouse"]] <span id="hint">💪🏽</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was a cashier at a local corner store where I spent a lot of time interacting with people.|convenience][$persuasion to $persuasion +10,$pc_oldjob to "convenience"]] <span id="hint">🗯</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I did tech support work for an office company where I spent most of my time fixing computer problems.|IT][$technology to $technology +10,$pc_oldjob to "tech"]] <span id="hint">💻</span></div>\

Your father's perpetual scowl doesn't break, even now when you have your eyes locked on him. Then he suddenly looks up at you, as if he can feel you staring. You realize it's the first time he's looked at you all evening. And that his expression changes ever so slightly as he does. Your father and mother are two very different people, but in that moment you can't help but find something similar about them. Is there more behind your father's scowl than just disdain? You wish you could tell. You barely catch the tail-end of Sungjae's firm defense of you. "Besides, I'm sure $pc_name has some money saved up," he says. The sound of your name snaps you back into the conversation, and you say, "I do have some money saved." Your father looks away from you then. He hums in response as he chews another bite of food. "Can you blame me for wondering, considering the circumstances? It's not as if I expect $pc_him to make as much money as you. Anything is better than being unemployed." No matter what he says, he must have brought that up for the express purpose of comparing the two of you. Sungjae makes a pretty penny working as an onsite psychologist for some fancy company. He's independently wealthy, thanks to landing that job. Not to mention he works in the field he always wanted, whereas you... <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I worked in a warehouse for a furniture company where I did my fair share of heavy lifting.|warehouse][$athletics to $athletics +10,$pc_oldjob to "warehouse"]] <span id="hint">💪🏽</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was a cashier at a local corner store where I spent a lot of time interacting with people.|convenience][$persuasion to $persuasion +10,$pc_oldjob to "convenience"]] <span id="hint">🗯</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I did tech support work for an office company where I spent most of my time fixing computer problems.|IT][$technology to $technology +10,$pc_oldjob to "tech"]] <span id="hint">💻</span></div>\

The warehouse that you worked at was on the other side of town, too far to walk. <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$pc_drive" autoselect>> <<option "You can drive, but you don't have a car" can>> <<option "You can't drive" cannot>> <</cycle>>, so taking the bus was your only option. That's a morning commute that you won't miss. You spent long days loading, unloading, and rearranging products in a warehouse. Sure, a lot of the heavy lifting was with a forklift, but you had to lift with your knees just as much. It was physically demanding, and you always went home exhausted, but it was a job. Not a career. Not glamorous or something to brag about. Not like what Sungjae has. It's not as if you ever expected to go anywhere at that job. You were just focused on putting food on the table and keeping a roof over your head. Kind of like now, really. Your father thinks you quit your job, but the reason you're in the position you are now is because... <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[He's right. I couldn't stand being at that job anymore, so I quit.|job aftermath][$pc_leftjob to "quit"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was most valuable to that company as a budget cut. I got laid off.|job aftermath][$pc_leftjob to "laid off"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was fired for "having problems with authority." That's a fancy way of saying that my boss and I didn't get along.|job aftermath][$pc_leftjob to "fired"]]</div>\

You used to work at the corner store that was a few blocks down from your apartment. You could pretty much always walk to work, which was pretty damn convenient. <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$pc_drive" autoselect>> <<option "You can drive, but you don't have a car" can>> <<option "You can't drive" cannot>> <</cycle>>, so walking is always the best option. The schedule generally sucked, you worked long hours, and the corner store was always busy, but it was a job. Not a career. Not glamorous or something to brag about. Not like what Sungjae has. It's not as if you ever expected to go anywhere at that job. You were just focused on putting food on the table and keeping a roof over your head. Kind of like now, really. Your father thinks you quit your job, but the reason you're in the position you are now is because... <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[He's right. I couldn't stand being at that job anymore, so I quit.|job aftermath][$pc_leftjob to "quit"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was most valuable to that company as a budget cut. I got laid off.|job aftermath][$pc_leftjob to "laid off"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was fired for "having problems with authority." That's a fancy way of saying that my boss and I didn't get along.|job aftermath][$pc_leftjob to "fired"]]</div>\

The office building where you worked wasn't too far from your apartment. Some days you could even walk if you didn't mind taking the extra time to get to work. <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$pc_drive" autoselect>> <<option "You can drive, but you don't have a car" can>> <<option "You can't drive" cannot>> <</cycle>>, so walking or taking the bus were your only options. You spent most of your days interfacing with computers. Nothing complex; mostly just solving simple problems for those who weren't too familiar with computers. The hours weren't bad, and you made decent money, but most importantly it was a job. Not a career. Not glamorous or something to brag about. Not like what Sungjae has. It's not as if you ever expected to go anywhere at that job. You were just focused on putting food on the table and keeping a roof over your head. Kind of like now, really. Your father thinks you quit your job, but the reason you're in the position you are now is because... <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[He's right. I couldn't stand being at that job anymore, so I quit.|job aftermath][$pc_leftjob to "quit"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was most valuable to that company as a budget cut. I got laid off.|job aftermath][$pc_leftjob to "laid off"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was fired for "having problems with authority." That's a fancy way of saying that my boss and I didn't get along.|job aftermath][$pc_leftjob to "fired"]]</div>\

<<if $pc_leftjob is "laid off">>You had a little time to prepare for the layoff, but not much. You're just lucky that you were already saving money before it happened.<</if>><<if $pc_leftjob is "quit">>Some might say that it was shortsighted of you to quit your job before you had another lined up, but you've been saving up money for a while. It was a calculated risk.<</if>><<if $pc_leftjob is "fired">>The termination hadn't exactly been a surprise; things were tense between you and your boss for a while. It's a good thing that you were already saving up money before it happened.<</if>> <<if $pc_oldjob is "convenience">>If nothing else, you mastered the Customer Service Voice while you were there. Maybe one day that will count for something.<</if>> <<if $pc_oldjob is "warehouse">>If nothing else, you were pretty fit as a result of working there. Though, you're not sure how long that will stick now that you don't.<</if>> <<if $pc_oldjob is "tech">>If nothing else, you gained some tech knowledge while working there. Maybe that will come in handy some day.<</if>> "I hope you've started looking for another job," Dad says. He assumes you haven't, that much is clear. "Enough. You always do this. You need to stop criticizing everything $pc_name does and let $pc_him handle $pc_his_s own life," Sungjae replies. <<if $sungjae lt 50>>You almost laugh at the irony of the statement, considering how involved in your life Sungjae always tries to be. If only he knew what a bother he is. <<elseif $sungjae gte 70>>You wonder if Sungjae has room to talk, considering how involved in your life he always tries to be. But you and Sungjae are actually close, so it's not that strange. <<else>>You wonder if Sungjae has room to talk, considering how involved in your life he always tries to be. But you don't have a tense relationship with Sungjae like the one you have with your father.<</if>> Your father only offers a simple grunt in response before he goes back to clearing his plate, which is half-done. Sungjae, having spent most of these first minutes trying to mediate the conversation, has only just started on his food. You haven't even taken a bite. Your mother is the only one at the table who is almost done eating. She's also the only one who hasn't said a word since the meal began. You look over at her and try to discern her thoughts, but, like so many times before, it's impossible to tell what she thinks or how she feels. Your relationship with your mother is a very different kind of problem than the one with your father. She never openly criticizes you. No, she just doesn't say anything, especially when it matters most. Sometimes that's worse than how your father acts. You can remember a time when you thought the world of your parents. They were kind, loving, and open with you. They didn't feel the need to hide things. Like the fact that you and Sungjae were adopted and your biological parents died when you were a baby. They were supportive of the challenges that kids can face growing up. <<if $pc_transnb is true>>Like when you started to discover your gender identity and struggled with how to present yourself.<</if>><<if $pc_transnb is false>>Like when you hit puberty and some of the changes to your body were uncomfortable and confusing.<</if>> Maybe they are still those same parents somewhere deep down, but you haven't seen them in a long time. Your relationship with them is as much cursed as your father's sense of expression. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|job aftermath 2]]</div>

"$pc_name..." Sungjae's voice is so soft you almost don't hear it, but it still startles you out of your thoughts. When you look over at him, you see him staring between you and your untouched plate. You can't tell if he's imploring you to eat or worried that you've lost your appetite. <<if $sungjae_childhood_friends is true,$sungjae gte 70>>Your close relationship with Sungjae means he has always watched out for you, but you know that would be true even if you weren't close.<<elseif $sungjae_childhood_friends is false,$sungjae gte 70>>Your close relationship with Sungjae means he always watches out for you, but that was true even when you weren't close.<<elseif $sungjae_childhood_friends is true,$sungjae lt 50>>Sungjae always watched out for you back when you were close, but that hasn't changed despite you growing apart.<<elseif $sungjae_childhood_friends is false,$sungjae lt 50>>Sungjae always watches over you despite the fact that you aren't close and never have been.<<else>>Sungjae always watches over you regardless of the kind of relationship you have with him.<</if>> That only makes things harder. You're sitting across from a father who cares too much in all of the wrong ways and a mother who seems to not care at all. <<if $sungjae gte 50>>For all the ways Sungjae tries to make these dinners bearable for you, he can't mitigate the wave of negative emotions brought on by your mother and father. <<elseif $sungjae lt 30>>Sungjae's such a fool that he doesn't even realize his attempts to mitigate the negativity between you and your parents are in vain. <<else>>No matter what Sungjea does, he can't mitigate the wave of negative emotions brought on by your mother and father.<</if>> The atmosphere is almost oppressive. None of them can feel it, but you do. You want to leave. You've wanted to leave since the moment you got here. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I'll try to bow out quietly. I'm uncomfortable here, and I don't see it getting any better.|dinnerL-timid][$timid to $timid +1,$outlook to 45,$ch1_dinner to "leaves"]]<span id="hint"> (timid) </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I'm staying anyway. I'd rather push through and try to make it work than just give up.|dinnerS-assertive][$assertive to $assertive +1,$outlook to 55,$ch1_dinner to "stays"]]<span id="hint"> (assertive) </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I'll leave without saying anything. After all, there's nothing left to say.|dinnerL-taciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1,$outlook to 45,$ch1_dinner to "leaves"]]<span id="hint"> (taciturn) </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I'll stick around and try to be as friendly as I can. This has to get better eventually.|dinnerS-friendly][$friendly to $friendly +1,$outlook to 55,$ch1_dinner to "stays"]]<span id="hint"> (friendly) </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I'll stay and try to lighten things up with some jokes.|dinnerS-flippant][$flippant to $flippant +1,$outlook to 55,$ch1_dinner to "stays"]]<span id="hint"> (flippant) </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I'm leaving. I don't trust my parents to make a real effort, so why should I?|dinnerL-skeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1,$outlook to 45,$ch1_dinner to "leaves"]]<span id="hint"> (skeptical) </span></div>\

You know you won't be able to leave without anyone noticing, but you don't really care. Dad starts talking about recent staffing changes at his job, but you tune him out and take your chance to leave. You slip your jacket off the shoulder of your chair and mumble some excuse about forgetting to wash your hands. You're sure nobody at the table believes you, but your father and mother don't make any indication that they care. Sungjae, however, stands just as you do, his face awash with concern. You don't give him the chance to speak the interjection you know is hovering at the tip of his tongue. You just shuffle for the door, holding your jacket over your arm as you walk. No point in looking back. Your parents are either disappointed, indifferent, or glad that you're leaving. You're not sure which would be worse, and you don't want to find out. Right now, the front door is your salvation. All you care about is getting away from your parents and getting out of here. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Sungjae tries to stop you.|sungjae-l][$ch1_outcome to "leave timid"]]</div>

You can't speak for your father, but you try your hardest to stay civil and make it through the rest of the meal. Of course, you and your father butt heads more than once, so most of the night is filled with Sungjae's very loud attempts to keep the peace between all of you. Your family dinners are never what you would call comfortable, and this one is certainly no exception, but you make it through your meal. Once dinner is done, you help clean the dishes and clear away the table. It's only then that you try to make your exit. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Sungjae tries to stop you.|sungjae-s][$ch1_outcome to "stay assertive"]]</div>

You stand, grab your jacket from the back of your chair, and try to tune out the blatherings of your father as he talks about staffing changes at his job. He seems to ignore you just as much, talking louder to drown out the sound of you bumping the table and knocking your silverware to the ground. If your mother notices you leaving, she doesn't react. You might as well be invisible to both of them. You are not, however, invisible to Sungjae. He stands just as you do, unspoken words hovering just at the tip of his tongue. You don't give him the chance to say them before you sling your jacket over your arm and plow toward the front door. No point in looking back. Your parents are either disappointed, indifferent, or glad that you're leaving. You're not sure which would be worse, and you don't want to find out. Right now, the front door is your salvation. All you care about is getting away from your parents and getting out of here. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Sungjae tries to stop you.|sungjae-l][$ch1_outcome to "leave taciturn"]]</div>

You put on the brightest of smiles and remind yourself that this is your family. Between you and Sungjae instigating cheerful conversation, your father has little room for biting remarks, and dinner passes as well as it can. There's still tension floating just beneath the surface, but your mother is as quiet as always and your father at the very least manages to hold his tongue for most of the rest of the night. Your family dinners are never what you would call comfortable, and this one is no exception, but you make it through your meal. Once dinner is done, you help clean the dishes and clear away the table. It's only then that you try to make your exit. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Sungjae tries to stop you.|sungjae-s][$ch1_outcome to "stay friendly"]]</div>

After every biting remark and during every empty silence, you pull out joking or sarcastic remarks in the hopes of keeping the mood light. This, naturally, annoys your father, so it ends up doing nothing to dissipate the tension, which is sharp enough for anyone to cut themselves on. Well, anyone except for your mother, who acts blissfully unaware that her family is in more pieces than shattered glass. Your family dinners are never what you would call comfortable, and this one is certainly no exception, but you make it through your meal. Once dinner is done, you help clean the dishes and clear away the table. It's only then that you try to make your exit. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Sungjae tries to stop you.|sungjae-s][$ch1_outcome to "stay flippant"]]</div>

For all you know, these monthly dinners are just another way to make you feel unwelcome in the Erickson family. Maybe your father has been trying to push you into leaving the whole time. You take a look at his face one last time, as if something there will reveal his motives for his behavior, but nothing does. He's apparently more interested in talking about staffing changes at his job than building a relationship with you. So you stand, grab your jacket from the back of your chair, and start to leave. Your father, practically in confirmation that he doesn't want you here, pays you no mind as you move to leave. Your mother, too, just sips at her glass of wine and stares at her empty plate with that vacant smile on her face. Apparently it makes no difference to them whether you're here or not. Sungjae, however, does care. He stands just as you do, unspoken words hovering just at the tip of his tongue. You don't give him the chance to say them before you sling your jacket over your arm and plow toward the front door. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Sungjae tries to stop you.|sungjae-l][$ch1_outcome to "leave skeptical"]]</div>

Sungjae, barely a step behind you, follows you to the front door and slides in front of it before you can make your escape. "Hey, $pc_sname, you okay?" You don't want to have this conversation. Not here. Not now. You try to squeeze around him, but he moves in tandem with you. Short of physically pushing him out of the way, you aren't going to get past him unless you give him an answer. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["No, but I don't want to talk about it right now," I say.|sungjae-lv1][$honesty to $honesty +5,$ch1_sungjae to "not fine",$mentis to $mentis +5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["I'll be fine," I say honestly. "I just don't want to be here anymore."|sungjae-lv2][$honesty to $honesty +5,$ch1_sungjae to "fine",$mentis to $mentis +5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["I'm fine," I say, even though it's a lie. "I just want to leave."|sungjae-lv3][$honesty to $honesty -5,$ch1_sungjae to "lying",$mentis to $mentis -5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Get out of my way, Sungjae," I say with a hard stare.|sungjae-lv4][$ch1_sungjae to "insistent",$mentis to $mentis -5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[He's not entitled to an answer. I push him out of the way.|sungjae-lv5][$ch1_sungjae to "physical",$sungjae to $sungjae -5,$mentis to $mentis -5]]<span id="hint">🤝🏽➖</span></div>\

Sungjae's face softens at your words. You can see a war behind his eyes, the psychologist and the brother in him fighting for control over his response. Eventually he blinks and looks down. Sungjae is the kind of person who wears his heart on his sleeve, and you can tell now that he's ashamed. He steps aside, giving you access to the front door, and says, "I'm sorry, $pc_sname. We don't have to talk about it now. Just promise me we'll talk soon, okay?" He gives you a sheepish smile. You don't have the spoons for more drama or arguing, and there's only one reply that will get your brother off your back for now. "Okay," you say. Then you open the door and leave. You keep your eyes fixed in front of you, but you know from the light spilling onto the pavement at your feet that Sungjae remains in the door watching you until you turn onto the sidewalk. It's only after he closes the door that you turn and look at your parents' house, the fancy, suburban, cookie-cutter monstrosity that reminds you of all the worst things in your life. It's a relief when you're finally on the bus and on the way back to your apartment. Still, there's a stray thought that pops into your head, and not for the first time: Maybe the curse on your family is you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next Chapter|Chapter 2 - First Meetings]]</div>

Sungjae's face softens at your words. "I know, $pc_sname. I'm sorry," he says. He steps aside then. Sungjae is the type of person who wears his heart on his sleeve, and it's easy to tell that he doesn't want to leave things here. Still, he doesn't push for anything more. Instead, he says, "Let's talk about it some other time, okay? Have a safe trip home." He doesn't give you the time to argue about that first bit, but you wouldn't want to anyway. You just want to leave, so you settle for the answer that will placate him. "Okay," you say. Then you open the door and leave. You keep your eyes fixed in front of you, but you know from the light spilling onto the pavement at your feet that Sungjae remains in the door watching you until you turn onto the sidewalk. It's only after he closes the door that you turn and look at your parents' house, the fancy, suburban, cookie-cutter monstrosity that reminds you of all the worst things in your life. It's a relief when you're finally on the bus and on the way back to your apartment. Still, there's a stray thought that pops into your head, and not for the first time: Maybe the curse on your family is you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next Chapter|Chapter 2 - First Meetings]]</div>

Sungjae furrows his brows at your response. He's the type of person to wear his heart on his sleeve, so it's easy to see that he doesn't believe you. "Really, $pc_sname, I think we should talk about it," he says as he crosses his arms. "There's nothing to talk about," you say, and it's as much the truth as it is a lie. Sure, you could sit here and spill your feelings to him, but what would be the point? It wouldn't change anything, so instead you stare Sungjae down, imploring him to step aside with but a look. You can see a war in Sungjae's eyes, the psychologist and the brother in him fighting for control over what to do. With a sigh, one of them wins out, and Sungjae steps aside and clears the path to the door. "Let's talk some other time, okay? Have a safe trip home," he says. He doesn't give you the time to argue about that first bit, but you wouldn't want to anyway. You just want to leave, so you settle for the answer that will placate him. "Okay," you say. Then you open the door and leave. You keep your eyes fixed in front of you, but you know from the light spilling onto the pavement at your feet that Sungjae remains in the door watching you until you turn onto the sidewalk. It's only after he closes the door that you turn and look at your parents' house, the fancy, suburban, cookie-cutter monstrosity that reminds you of all the worst things in your life. It's a relief when you're finally on the bus and on the way back to your apartment. Still, there's a stray thought that pops into your head, and not for the first time: Maybe the curse on your family is you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next Chapter|Chapter 2 - First Meetings]]</div>

Sungjae furrows his brows at your response. "Not until you talk to me, $pc_sname," he says. "I'm not having this conversation with you in our parents' foyer," you say. "Just let me go." Sungjae looks over your shoulder in the direction of the dining room. You can see a war in his eyes, the psychologist and the brother in him fighting for control over what to do. With a sigh, one of them wins out, and Sungjae steps aside and clears the path to the door. "You're right. I'm sorry. Just promise me we'll talk later, okay?" You don't have the spoons for more drama or arguing, and there's only one reply that will get your brother off your back for now. "Okay," you say. Then you open the door and leave. You keep your eyes fixed in front of you, but you know from the light spilling onto the pavement at your feet that Sungjae remains in the door watching you until you turn onto the sidewalk. It's only after he closes the door that you turn and look at your parents' house, the fancy, suburban, cookie-cutter monstrosity that reminds you of all the worst things in your life. It's a relief when you're finally on the bus and on the way back to your apartment. Still, there's a stray thought that pops into your head, and not for the first time: Maybe the curse on your family is you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next Chapter|Chapter 2 - First Meetings]]</div>

You reach for the door handle and get ready to shoulder Sungjae aside, whether he likes it or not. Sungjae is the kind of person to wear his heart on his sleeve, so it's easy to see that his reaction is more concerned than it is offended. He's also not prone to aggression, so it's not hard to push him out of the way. As soon as your shoulder makes contact with him, he stumbles aside and says, "I'm just worried about you, $pc_sname. Please talk to me." You don't say a word in response. You simply open the door and cross through the threshold. Sungjae doesn't follow you, but you know from the light spilling onto the pavement at your feet that he watches you as you go. "We'll talk another time, okay?" he says to your back. As soon as you turn onto the sidewalk, you spare a glance back at your parents' house, the fancy, suburban, cookie-cutter monstrosity that reminds you of all the worst things in your life. Sungjae is still watching you, so you look away again. You imagine he doesn't close the door until you're completely out of sight. It's a relief when you're finally on the bus and on the way back to your apartment. Still, there's a stray thought that pops into your head, and not for the first time: Maybe the curse on your family is you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next Chapter|Chapter 2 - First Meetings]]</div>

<<calcmainstat>>\ <<set $prog to "ch1">>\ <<set $savetitle to "Chapter 2 - First Meetings">>\ <<notify>>The game has been autosaved You can now view the Journal<</notify>>\ <div class="header">Chapter 2</div> <div class="subheader">First Meetings</div> <<if $mentis lt 50 and $outlook lt 50>>The weather is bright and sunny a couple of days later, though you are having trouble enjoying it. <<elseif $mentis gt 50 and $outlook gt 50>>The weather is bright and sunny a couple of days later, as if rallying you to keep your spirits up despite what happened at dinner with your family. <<else>>The weather is bright and sunny a couple of days later with spring finally here in full-force.<</if>> The city of Hansboro, Michigan, though not quite as large as Detroit, is bustling with the activity of people coming outside to enjoy the nice weather. The strip mall a few blocks from your apartment is busier than normal; you think there might be some kind of farmer's market somewhere nearby. It's hard to tell with all of the hustle and bustle, people headed every which way up and down the street. Your oldest and maybe only friend, Alex, offered to treat you to brunch today. Well, if you can call bagels and drinks from a food cart a proper brunch. Most people are too busy walking the street and going about their business, so the small food cart isn't very busy. Alex takes the liberty of ordering, coffee for them, <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$drinkfave" autoselect>> <<option "coffee">> <<option "tea">> <<option "juice">> <<option "sparkling water">> <</cycle>> for you, and a couple of breakfast bagels between you. The fact that they get your order right brings a smile to your face, though it doesn't surprise you. After all, it's been over ten years now that you've been friends. You met because... <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[We attended the same school when I was in the seventh grade.|alexclassmates][$alex_firstmeeting to "school"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[We were both with our parents at an art exhibit when I was 14.|alexexhibit][$alex_firstmeeting to "exhibit"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[We met at a playground when I was 7.|alexplayground][$alex_firstmeeting to "playground"]]</div>\

You yell a quick "goodbye" as you make for the front door, but Sungjae is suddenly there standing before you, blocking the way out. "Leaving so soon?" he says with a smile on his face. "Just like I usually do when dinner is over," you say, trying to match his levity. His smile turns sheepish then. "I just wanted to make sure that you're okay, $pc_sname." Of course he does, but this isn't a conversation that you want to have right now. He's standing in your way, but it probably won't be hard to get him to move. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["I don't want to talk about it right now," I say.|sungjae-sv1][$honesty to $honesty +5,$ch1_sungjae to "not fine",$mentis to $mentis +5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["I'll be fine," I say honestly. "I'm just ready to head home."|sungjae-sv2][$honesty to $honesty +5,$ch1_sungjae to "fine",$mentis to $mentis +5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["I'm fine," I say, even though it's a lie. "I'm just ready to go home."|sungjae-sv3][$honesty to $honesty -5,$ch1_sungjae to "lying",$mentis to $mentis -5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Can you please move so that I can leave?" I ask with a hard stare.|sungjae-sv4][$ch1_sungjae to "insistent",$mentis to $mentis -5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[He's not entitled to an answer. I try to push past him.|sungjae-sv5][$ch1_sungjae to "physical",$sungjae to $sungjae -5,$mentis to $mentis -5]]<span id="hint">🤝🏽➖</span></div>\

Sungjae's smile drops at your response, just as you knew it would. You can see a war behind his eyes, the psychologist and the brother in him fighting for control over his reply. Eventually, he blinks and looks down. He's the kind of person to wear his heart on his sleeve, so it's easy to see that he's saddened by your remark, but he doesn't make a big thing of it. When he steps out of the way and looks up at you, the smile is back on his face. "Sure, we don't have to talk now. Have a safe trip home, okay?" he says. "I will," you say, to placate him more than anything else. Then you open the door and leave. You keep your eyes fixed in front of you, eager to finally get home. But you know from the light spilling onto the pavement at your feet that Sungjae remains in the door watching you until you turn onto the sidewalk. It's only after he closes the door that you turn and look at your parents' house, the fancy, suburban, cookie-cutter monstrosity that reminds you of all the worst things in your life. It's a relief when you're finally on the bus and on the way back to your apartment. Still, there's a stray thought that pops into your head, and not for the first time: Maybe the curse on your family is you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next Chapter|Chapter 2 - First Meetings]]</div>

"Yeah, of course," Sungjae says. "Then I'll get out of your hair, $pc_sname. Can we catch up some other time?" He steps out of your way then, but he's staring at you expectantly. He wants an answer, so you give him one. To placate him, if nothing else. "Okay," you say. His smile widens and he nods. Then you open the door and leave. You keep your eyes fixed in front of you, eager to finally get home. But you know from the light spilling onto the pavement at your feet that Sungjae remains in the door watching you until you turn onto the sidewalk. It's only after he closes the door that you turn and look at your parents' house, the fancy, suburban, cookie-cutter monstrosity that reminds you of all the worst things in your life. It's a relief when you're finally on the bus and on the way back to your apartment. Still, there's a stray thought that pops into your head, and not for the first time: Maybe the curse on your family is you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next Chapter|Chapter 2 - First Meetings]]</div>

Sungjae furrows his brows at your response. He's the type of person to wear his heart on his sleeve, so it's easy to see that he doesn't believe you. "If something's wrong, $pc_sname, you can talk to me about it," he says as he crosses his arms. "There's nothing to talk about," you say, and it's as much the truth as it is a lie. Sure, you could sit here and spill your feelings to him, but what would be the point? It wouldn't change anything, so instead you stare Sungjae down, imploring him to step aside with but a look. You can see a war in Sungjae's eyes, the psychologist and the brother in him fighting for control over what to do. With a sigh, one of them wins out, and Sungjae steps aside and clears the path to the door. "Let's talk some other time, okay? Have a safe trip home," he says. He doesn't give you the time to comment on that first bit, but you wouldn't want to anyway. You just want to leave, so you settle for the answer that will placate him. "Okay," you say. Then you open the door and leave. You keep your eyes fixed in front of you, eager to finally get home. But you know from the light spilling onto the pavement at your feet that Sungjae remains in the door watching you until you turn onto the sidewalk. It's only after he closes the door that you turn and look at your parents' house, the fancy, suburban, cookie-cutter monstrosity that reminds you of all the worst things in your life. It's a relief when you're finally on the bus and on the way back to your apartment. Still, there's a stray thought that pops into your head, and not for the first time: Maybe the curse on your family is you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next Chapter|Chapter 2 - First Meetings]]</div>

Sungjae furrows his brows at your response. "If something's wrong, you can talk to me about it," he says. "I just want to go home already," you say. "Move." Sungjae doesn't react immediately. You can see a war in Sungjae's eyes, the psychologist and the brother in him fighting for control over what to do. With a sigh, one of them wins out, and Sungjae steps aside and clears the path to the door. "Okay. Have a safe trip home?" he says. He steps out of your way then, but he's staring at you expectantly. He wants an answer, so you give him one. To placate him, if nothing else. "Okay," you say. Then you open the door and leave. You keep your eyes fixed in front of you, eager to finally get home. But you know from the light spilling onto the pavement at your feet that Sungjae remains in the door watching you until you turn onto the sidewalk. It's only after he closes the door that you turn and look at your parents' house, the fancy, suburban, cookie-cutter monstrosity that reminds you of all the worst things in your life. It's a relief when you're finally on the bus and on the way back to your apartment. Still, there's a stray thought that pops into your head, and not for the first time: Maybe the curse on your family is you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next Chapter|Chapter 2 - First Meetings]]</div>

You reach for the door handle and get ready to shoulder Sungjae aside, whether he likes it or not. Sungjae's inclination to stop you is as soft as butter. He moves out of the way easily at the merest touch of your shoulders, but it's impossible to miss the worry on his face. "I'm worried about you, $pc_sname. Please talk to me," he says You don't say a word in response. You simply open the door and cross through the threshold. Sungjae doesn't follow you, but you know from the light spilling onto the pavement at your feet that he watches you as you go. "We'll talk another time, okay?" he says to your back. You keep your eyes fixed in front of you, eager to finally get home. But you know from the light spilling onto the pavement at your feet that Sungjae remains in the door watching you until you turn onto the sidewalk. It's only after he closes the door that you turn and look at your parents' house, the fancy, suburban, cookie-cutter monstrosity that reminds you of all the worst things in your life. It's a relief when you're finally on the bus and on the way back to your apartment. Still, there's a stray thought that pops into your head, and not for the first time: Maybe the curse on your family is you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next Chapter|Chapter 2 - First Meetings]]</div>

<div class="header">Welcome to <i>Ninelives</i>!</div> <i>Your life is complicated. You've recently lost your job, you have parents who may or may not hate you for reasons you're not clear on, and your brother refuses to leave you alone no matter how you feel about it. But things could be worse. And, oh, do they get worse when you learn you have a special ability that's not all it's cracked up to be. What's more is, the wrong people find out about it. Now you have to figure out how to get them before they get you.</i> <i>Ninelives</i> is an interactive fiction where you get to customize your character and direct the flow of the story. <i>Ninelives</i> has settings allowing for choice hints, easier choice visibility, light and dark modes, and different fonts. These settings can be changed at any time while you read. The game autosaves at the beginning of each chapter. Be sure to make manual saves if you are doing multiple playthroughs and don't want your games saved over. <i>Ninelives</i> is currently still in development, meaning constant changes and improvements are being made to both the interface and the story, which is still in the process of being written! I am always interested in hearing feedback. Accessibility functions are especially important to me as I want everyone to be able to experience the story with ease. If you have any constructive criticism, whether about the interface or choices you would like to see in the story or beyond, or if you simply want to comment on something you really love, I am most active on my tumblr page, where you may send me an ask. You may also send me an email. If you do so, please write in the subject "Ninelives: Feedback". Tumblr: <a href="https://springsaladgaming.tumblr.com">Spring Salad Gaming</a> Email: <a href="mailto:springsaladgaming@gmail.com">springsaladgaming@gmail.com</a> Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy! <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Begin the Story|Chapter 1 - The Dinner]]</div>

You attended a 7-12 school, and it was your first year among the "older kids." Most kids came into the seventh grade surrounded by all of their friends and with the easy ability to make new ones. You weren't most kids. Thanks to your almost-drowning when you were nine and the series of events that followed, you didn't have many friends. Or any, really, outside of people you might have talked to in class or during extracurriculars. You spent a lot of your time alone until Alex came along. Alex was two years ahead of you and everything most school kids wanted to be: cool, popular, and outgoing. Alex was the kind of person who had friends in all the cliques, was always the center of someone's attention, knew everyone. But they didn't know <i>you</i>. Maybe that was why they decided to talk to you in the first place: you were a mystery, an unknown, an exciting new element. Of course, that could be said of any of the kids coming into the seventh grade. To this day, you aren't sure what made you different. The only thing you know is that you were sitting in the lunchroom, eating alone, when a tall person with tawny-beige skin and dark brown hair approached you with an easy smile on their face. They greeted you like you were old friends and sat down without asking permission. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Jokes make the best icebreakers, and that's how I responded.|masflippant][$flippant to $flippant +1]]<span id="hint"> (flippant)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I gave them an easy smile in return, and we hit it off right away.|mafriendly][$friendly to $friendly +1]]<span id="hint"> (friendly)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I kept trying to figure out what they had to gain from talking to me, so I responded in plain confusion.|masskeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1]]<span id="hint"> (skeptical)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Their sudden attention made me nervous, and my reply was a stammered mess.|mastimid][$timid to $timid +1]]<span id="hint"> (timid)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I wasn't sure how to respond, so I made a simple greeting and let them lead the conversation.|mastaciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1]]<span id="hint"> (taciturn)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I wasn't afraid to ask them why they were suddenly sitting with me.|masassertive][$assertive to $assertive +1]]<span id="hint"> (assertive)</span></div>\

Your mother being a painter meant you attended quite a few art exhibits with your family throughout your childhood. A few of them even featured your mother's paintings, but the one where you and Alex met was an exhibit dedicated to a collection of abstract paintings by some artist you'd never heard of before. Most kids would have been spending that Friday night out with their friends, eating fast food and going to movies, but you weren't most kids. Thanks to your almost-drowning when you were nine and the series of events that followed, you didn't have many friends. So there you were, spending a Friday night in the middle of summer attending an art exhibit with your parents, whether you wanted to or not. And then along came Alex. Alex had also been dragged along with their parents. Or maybe they volunteered to go. At the very least, they looked about as excited as you to be there, which was to say not at all. To this day, you aren't sure why Alex decided to walk up and talk to you, some random stranger staring at a painting. Maybe they were just looking for a distraction from the boredom of the exhibit while their parents wandered around with genuine interest. The only thing you know is that you were staring at a painting with nine different-colored squares, trying to feel the same spark that everyone else seemed to, when a tall person with tawny-beige skin and dark brown hair approached you with an easy smile on their face. They jokingly commented on the painting, their disinterest plain in their voice, and then looked to you for a response. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I joked right back with them, glad to have someone else who felt as out of place there as I did.|maeflippant][$flippant to $flippant +1]]<span id="hint"> (flippant)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I laughed but tried to say something polite about the painting anyway.|maefriendly][$friendly to $friendly +1]]<span id="hint"> (friendly)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I eyed them with a raised brow as I tried to figure out why they were talking to me.|maeskeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1]]<span id="hint"> (skeptical)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I instantly clammed up under the attention and could scarcely manage a response.|maetimid][$timid to $timid +1]]<span id="hint"> (timid)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I didn't have much to say about the painting myself, so I just agreed with them bluntly.|maetaciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1]]<span id="hint"> (taciturn)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I immediately and unapologetically expressed my own distaste for being there.|maeassertive][$assertive to $assertive +1]]<span id="hint"> (assertive)</span></div>\

Before your family ties devolved into threads weak enough to be blown apart by a breeze, you actually went to the park a lot. Usually it was your mother who took you, though sometimes your father or brother would as well. On rare occasions, it was a family outing, even though Sungjae was much too old by that age to enjoy the playground, or so he claimed. There were always kids there, some your age, some older, some younger. Some were even your classmates from school from time to time. It's hard to remember smiling that much, playing so hard to the point of later exhaustion. Harder to remember what it was like playing with the other children when the years that followed grew so empty. You think it was your mother who took you to the park on the day you met Alex. You don't remember much from that day, but you do remember running, tripping, falling into the gravel surrounding the playground, and skinning your knee. The other children were either too busy caught up in their fun to notice your blunder or assumed that you weren't seriously hurt and decided you didn't need their help. It was Alex, wearing the same grin you've come to know them for, who approached you. Their tawny-beige skin was darkened by a lot of time playing in the sun, and their dark brown hair fell in wavy strands around their face and ears. They offered you a hand up, and you had no inklings that this encounter would evolve into a friendship. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I took their hand and made a joke about the situation.|mapflippant][$flippant to $flippant +1]]<span id="hint"> (flippant)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I accepted their help up and thanked them.|mapfriendly][$friendly to $friendly +1]]<span id="hint"> (friendly)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I thought it was weird that they tried to help me up when no one else did.|mapskeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1]]<span id="hint"> (skeptical)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was embarrassed that they offered and ended up standing on my own.|maptimid][$timid to $timid +5]]<span id="hint"> (timid)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I accepted their help up without a word.|maptaciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1]]<span id="hint"> (taciturn)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was offended that they thought I needed help at all.|mapassertive][$assertive to $assertive +1]]<span id="hint"> (assertive)</span></div>\

<<if $prog is "ch1">>You have just attended your family's monthly dinner. As usual, your mother and father couldn't have cared less that you were there. <<if $pc_leftjob is "quit">>You recently quit your job, a fact that your father is none too happy about. You spent a good chunk of dinner listening to your parents criticize your poor life decisions. <<elseif $pc_leftjob is "fired">>You were recently fired from your job, a fact that your father is none too happy about. You spent a good chunk of dinner being accused of making poor life decisions. <<else>>You were recently laid off from your job, a fact that your father is none too happy about. You spent a good chunk of dinner listening to your father criticize your lack of preparedness.<</if>> <<if $ch1_dinner is "leaves">>You made a point to get out of there as soon as possible, regardless of whether the meal was finished. Your brother, Sungjae, was worried about you leaving, but he allowed you to in the end. <<else>>You stuck out the meal, despite your discomfort. Your brother, Sungjae, was glad that you stayed as long as you did, but that didn't stop his worry upon your departure.<</if>> Right now, the biggest thing on your mind is finding a new job. <</if>>\ <<link "Back to Journal">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Journal"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Journal").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>>

You don't remember exactly what you said, but you do remember Alex's immediate return banter and the crystal-clear laughter that followed. They smiled at you, introduced themselves, and spent the rest of lunch chatting with you about the mundane things that teenagers always chat about, spinkling in jokes here and there to keep you both laughing and smiling. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>Later that same year, Alex came out to you as nonbinary. You, before anyone else. Maybe they chose you because they felt you wouldn't judge them, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite Alex's apparent popularity, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted the most. Your friendship, which began with a throwaway joke, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\<</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>Later that same year, Alex came out to you as nonbinary. You, before anyone else, as if they trusted you more than anyone else in their life. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[If I'd known them when I came out, I would have told them first too.|tnbr.v1][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I would learn how that felt when I came out to them, before anyone else, a few years later.|tnbr.v2][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>\

Between both of your very approachable demeanors, the two of you flew into conversation so vigorous that neither of you had time to finish your food. It wasn't even until lunch was over that you both realized you had skipped over introductions entirely, and that was when you learned each other's names. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>Later that same year, Alex came out to you as nonbinary. You, before anyone else. Maybe they chose you because they felt you wouldn't judge them, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite Alex's apparent popularity, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted the most. Your friendship, even built on the backs of your outgoing natures, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\<</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>Later that same year, Alex came out to you as nonbinary. You, before anyone else, as if they trusted you more than anyone else in their life. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[If I'd known them when I came out, I would have told them first too.|tnbr.v1][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I would learn how that felt when I came out to them, before anyone else, a few years later.|tnbr.v2][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>\

Alex made clear their intention to be friends with someone who wasn't "another one of those bootlicking vultures," which, they also suggested, might come across as bootlicking in and of itself. Their honesty was refreshing. Looking back, you think maybe they saw right through your skepticism and adjusted their introduction accordingly. It worked; the two of you ended up introducing yourselves and talking for the rest of lunch. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>Later that same year, Alex came out to you as nonbinary. You, before anyone else. Maybe they chose you because they felt you wouldn't judge them, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite Alex's apparent popularity, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted the most. Your friendship, which you intially feared to have some ulterior motive, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\<</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>Later that same year, Alex came out to you as nonbinary. You, before anyone else, as if they trusted you more than anyone else in their life. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[If I'd known them when I came out, I would have told them first too.|tnbr.v1][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I would learn how that felt when I came out to them, before anyone else, a few years later.|tnbr.v2][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>\

You're pretty sure you invented a couple of new letters to the English alphabet when you tried to greet them, but Alex never made fun of you for it. They introduced themselves, never minding that you had yet to do the same, and spent the rest of lunch gently getting to know you until your initial nervousness retreated to the back of your mind. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>Later that same year, Alex came out to you as nonbinary. You, before anyone else. Maybe they chose you because they felt you wouldn't judge them, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite Alex's apparent popularity, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted the most. Your friendship, which began only due to their tenacity, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\<</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>Later that same year, Alex came out to you as nonbinary. You, before anyone else, as if they trusted you more than anyone else in their life. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[If I'd known them when I came out, I would have told them first too.|tnbr.v1][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I would learn how that felt when I came out to them, before anyone else, a few years later.|tnbr.v2][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>\

Alex didn't seem to mind your blunt greeting. They erupted into a string of mostly one-sided conversation, giving room for you to speak when you wanted to. Before you knew it, lunch was over, and you saw fit to at least introduce yourselves before getting back to class. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>Later that same year, Alex came out to you as nonbinary. You, before anyone else. Maybe they chose you because they felt you wouldn't judge them, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite Alex's apparent popularity, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted the most. Your friendship, which began only due to their tenacity, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\<</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>Later that same year, Alex came out to you as nonbinary. You, before anyone else, as if they trusted you more than anyone else in their life. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[If I'd known them when I came out, I would have told them first too.|tnbr.v1][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I would learn how that felt when I came out to them, before anyone else, a few years later.|tnbr.v2][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>\

Your question only seemed to amuse Alex, and they insisted that you were only asking because you were afraid to get to know them. It was a blatant challenge, and you weren't about to back down from a challenge. Before you knew it, lunch was over, and you both had made introductions that implied you meant to hang out again. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>Later that same year, Alex came out to you as nonbinary. You, before anyone else. Maybe they chose you because they felt you wouldn't judge them, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite Alex's apparent popularity, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted the most. Your friendship, which began with Alex's forced company, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\<</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>Later that same year, Alex came out to you as nonbinary. You, before anyone else, as if they trusted you more than anyone else in their life. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[If I'd known them when I came out, I would have told them first too.|tnbr.v1][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I would learn how that felt when I came out to them, before anyone else, a few years later.|tnbr.v2][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>\

You haven't had many friends who decided to stick around throughout the years, but Alex has always been there. It would take a cataclysmic event to tear the two of you apart. Even then, you're not sure the separation would stick. Alex in particular is nothing if not persistent. Once Alex finishes grabbing your orders, the two of you look around for an open seat. There's always a decent amount of foot traffic along this strip mall, but today is particularly busy, and the atmosphere is filled with the constant buzz of conversation. You and Alex spot an available spot at the same time, and you know you'll have to push through a small cluster of people to get to it. Alex wastes no time, crossing the busy street corner in long strides, thanks to their tall height. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I am tall as well, so I have no trouble keeping up. (6’ and taller)|coffeeseated][$pc_height to "tall",$pc_height_set to true]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I am about average height, so I can still keep up just fine. (6’ and shorter)|coffeeseated][$pc_height to "average",$pc_height_set to true]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I am short, so I have to walk fast to keep up. (5’5” and shorter)|coffeeseated][$pc_height to "short",$pc_height_set to true]]</div>\

Not that there's ever been anything between the two of you. <<if $alex_firstmeeting is "playground">>Even when you were kids, Alex was popular. Their natural confidence drew in admirers aplenty, especially going on your teenage years when everyone had dating on the brain.<<elseif $alex_firstmeeting is "school">>Alex has always been popular. Even before you officially met them, you heard all the school gossip surrounding their love life.<<else>>After meeting them at that exhibit, it didn't take you long to figure out how popular they were. They always drew <i>someone's</i> attention.<</if>> And Alex flirted with pretty much anyone who flirted with them. Never any serious relationships, but you figure it would have come out by now if they had any interest in <i>you</i>, so why ruin a good thing? Not that you're always successful at hiding it, but you don't think Alex has ever noticed. Once Alex finishes grabbing your orders, the two of you look around for an open seat. There's always a decent amount of foot traffic along this strip mall, but today is particularly busy, and the atmosphere is filled with the constant buzz of conversation. You and Alex spot an available spot at the same time, and you know you'll have to push through a small cluster of people to get to it. Alex wastes no time, crossing the busy street corner in long strides, thanks to their tall height. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I am tall as well, so I have no trouble keeping up. (6’ and taller)|coffeeseated][$pc_height to "tall",$pc_height_set to true]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I am about average height, so I can still keep up just fine. (6’ and shorter)|coffeeseated][$pc_height to "average",$pc_height_set to true]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I am short, so I have to walk fast to keep up. (5’5” and shorter)|coffeeseated][$pc_height to "short",$pc_height_set to true]]</div>\

Alex has a natural confidence and loves to tease people. You reasoned out long ago that <i>everyone</i> who knows Alex has had a little bit of a crush on them at one point or another. For you, that crush is long behind you, but the friendship is forever. It would take a cataclysmic event to tear the two of you apart. Even then, you're not sure the separation would stick. Alex in particular is nothing if not persistent. Once Alex finishes grabbing your orders, the two of you look around for an open seat. There's always a decent amount of foot traffic along this strip mall, but today is particularly busy, and the atmosphere is filled with the constant buzz of conversation. You and Alex spot an available spot at the same time, and you know you'll have to push through a small cluster of people to get to it. Alex wastes no time, crossing the busy street corner in long strides, thanks to their tall height. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I am tall as well, so I have no trouble keeping up. (6’ and taller)|coffeeseated][$pc_height to "tall",$pc_height_set to true]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I am about average height, so I can still keep up just fine. (6’ and shorter)|coffeeseated][$pc_height to "average",$pc_height_set to true]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I am short, so I have to walk fast to keep up. (5’5” and shorter)|coffeeseated][$pc_height to "short",$pc_height_set to true]]</div>\

You don't remember the exact words that you said, but Alex laughed easily at whatever joke you'd come up with. They responded immediately with another joke of their own, a half-hearted attempt to guess at the intention behind the painting. Introductions followed, and the two of you ended up walking around the exhibit together, cracking jokes the entire time. Eventually your parents came and found you when it was time to leave, but you and Alex exchanged numbers so you could stay in contact. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>You had only ever known Alex as nonbinary, but you remember them saying once not long after you met that they wished you'd been friends when they came out. Maybe they felt that way because they knew you wouldn't have been judgmental where perhaps others had been, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite how outgoing and self-assured Alex was, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted the most. Your friendship, which began with meaningless art jokes, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\ <</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>You had only ever known Alex as nonbinary, but you remember them saying once not long after you met that they wished you'd been friends when they came out. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I felt the same way they did, having come out before I met them.|tnbr.v3][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was lucky to have them as a friend when I came out not long after.|tnbr.v4][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>

Someone had worked hard on it, after all, and it didn't seem very nice to make fun of it, even if you didn't mean it. Alex smiled wide at your kind words, even if they didn't apologize for their own, and introduced themselves. You both jumped into conversation easily and ended up talking the rest of the night. Eventually your parents came and found you when the exhibit was over, but you and Alex exchanged numbers so you could stay in contact. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>You had only ever known Alex as nonbinary, but you remember them saying once not long after you met that they wished you'd been friends when they came out. Maybe they felt that way because they knew you wouldn't have been judgmental where perhaps others had been, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite how outgoing and self-assured Alex was, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted the most. Your friendship, even built on the backs of your outgoing natures, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\ <</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>You had only ever known Alex as nonbinary, but you remember them saying once not long after you met that they wished you'd been friends when they came out. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I felt the same way they did, having come out before I met them.|tnbr.v3][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was lucky to have them as a friend when I came out not long after.|tnbr.v4][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>

Your confusion and hesitance didn't deter Alex. They immediately made it known that they were hoping to talk to someone about something <i>other</i> than these paintings. According to them, you looked just as bored, as if "watching the paint dry would have been more interesting than trying to glean meaning from it." A bit strange, perhaps, considering their icebreaker was to joke about the very thing they didn't want to talk about, and they admitted as much. The honesty was refreshing. Looking back, you think maybe they saw right through your skepticism and adjusted their introduction accordingly. It worked; the two of you ended up exchanging numbers at the end of the night so you could stay in contact. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>You had only ever known Alex as nonbinary, but you remember them saying once not long after you met that they wished you'd been friends when they came out. Maybe they felt that way because they knew you wouldn't have been judgmental where perhaps others had been, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite how outgoing and self-assured Alex was, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted the most. Your friendship, which was initially a distraction from boredom at best, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\ <</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>You had only ever known Alex as nonbinary, but you remember them saying once not long after you met that they wished you'd been friends when they came out. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I felt the same way they did, having come out before I met them.|tnbr.v3][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was lucky to have them as a friend when I came out not long after.|tnbr.v4][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>

When you opened your mouth to speak and silence followed, you desperately hoped that Alex would go talk to someone else. Or at least not make fun of your failed attempt at a reply. Which they didn't. They just kept talking to you, as politely as they could manage, and left room for you to speak when you felt comfortable. Before the night was over, they gave you their number and told you to text if you ever wanted to hang out. One day, you did. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>You had only ever known Alex as nonbinary, but you remember them saying once not long after you met that they wished you'd been friends when they came out. Maybe they felt that way because they knew you wouldn't have been judgmental where perhaps others had been, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite how outgoing and self-assured Alex was, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted the most. Your friendship, though it had shaky beginnings, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\ <</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>You had only ever known Alex as nonbinary, but you remember them saying once not long after you met that they wished you'd been friends when they came out. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I felt the same way they did, having come out before I met them.|tnbr.v3][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was lucky to have them as a friend when I came out not long after.|tnbr.v4][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>

Despite your bluntness, Alex proceeded to talk to you in a mostly one-sided conversation. Maybe they figured that, since you didn't ask them to go away, you didn't mind the company. To be fair, you didn't. It was nice to have someone close to your own age to hang out with, even if you didn't have much to contribute to the conversation. At the end of the night, they gave you their number and told you to text if you ever wanted to chat or hang out. One day, you did. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>You had only ever known Alex as nonbinary, but you remember them saying once not long after you met that they wished you'd been friends when they came out. Maybe they felt that way because they knew you wouldn't have been judgmental where perhaps others had been, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite how outgoing and self-assured Alex was, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted the most. Your friendship, which you owe completely to Alex's tenacity, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\ <</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>You had only ever known Alex as nonbinary, but you remember them saying once not long after you met that they wished you'd been friends when they came out. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I felt the same way they did, having come out before I met them.|tnbr.v3][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was lucky to have them as a friend when I came out not long after.|tnbr.v4][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>

Alex laughed at your response. Although anyone else at the exhibit probably wouldn't have appreciated your comment, Alex seemed to love it. Nothing breaks the ice quite like pointing out the elephant in the room, and you would say your introduction could have split Neptune in half. The two of you got to talking, no pretenses between you, and you exchanged numbers to stay in touch before the night was over. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>You had only ever known Alex as nonbinary, but you remember them saying once not long after you met that they wished you'd been friends when they came out. Maybe they felt that way because they knew you wouldn't have been judgmental where perhaps others had been, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite how outgoing and self-assured Alex was, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted the most. Your friendship, which blossomed over a shared dislike for being brought along to your parents' functions, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\ <</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>You had only ever known Alex as nonbinary, but you remember them saying once not long after you met that they wished you'd been friends when they came out. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I felt the same way they did, having come out before I met them.|tnbr.v3][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I was lucky to have them as a friend when I came out not long after.|tnbr.v4][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>

There has always been something easy about being friends with Alex. You learned very quickly that their accepting nature was a huge part of that. Around them, it's like you can do no wrong. That was especially important to you in your formative years when your parents, your father in particular, grew more judgmental of your activities and choices. Sungjae, though always supportive, was your family. It meant more that Alex was always there for you even though they didn't have to be. Being misgendered by your family would have taken its toll if given the chance, which is one of the reasons why you came out to them first. The other, of course, was because there really was no one else. Not that your family wasn't respectful and supportive when you took the leap, but you would have loved to have known Alex at the time. There's always been something deep about your relationship. Something genuine and special. Your friendship, which began as classmates, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\

There has always been something easy about being friends with Alex. You learned very quickly that their accepting nature was a huge part of that. Around them, it's like you can do no wrong. That was especially important to you in your formative years when your parents, your father in particular, grew more judgmental of your activities and choices. Sungjae, though always supportive, was your family. It meant more that Alex was always there for you even though they didn't have to be. Your family was one thing; you came out to them to avoid the toll of being constantly misgendered at home. They were respectful and supportive too, which was a blessing. But coming out to Alex first was the obvious choice. Not only did they understand, but there was always something deep about your relationship. Something genuine and special. Your friendship, which began as classmates, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\

There has always been something easy about being friends with Alex. You learned very quickly that their accepting nature was a huge part of that. Around them, it’s like you can do no wrong. It had been a long time since you had that, considering how judgmental your parents, your father in particular, had been of your activities and choices throughout the years. Sungjae, though always supportive, was your family. It meant more that Alex was always there for you even though they didn’t have to be. Being misgendered by your family would have taken its toll if given the chance, which is one of the reasons why you came out to them first. The other, of course, was because there was really no one else to come out to. Not that your family wasn't respectful and supportive when you took the leap, but you would have loved to have known Alex at the time. There’s always been something deep about your relationship. Something genuine and special. Your friendship, which began as acquaintances at an art exhibit, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\

There has always been something easy about being friends with Alex. You learned very quickly that their accepting nature was a huge part of that. Around them, it’s like you can do no wrong. It had been a long time since you had that, considering how judgmental your parents, your father in particular, had been of your activities and choices throughout the years. Sungjae, though always supportive, was your family. It meant more that Alex was always there for you even though they didn’t have to be. Your family was one thing; you came out to them to avoid the toll of being constantly misgendered at home. They were respectful and supportive too, which was a blessing. But coming out to Alex first was the obvious choice. Not only did they understand, but there was always something deep about your relationship. Something genuine and special. Your friendship, which began as acquaintances at an art exhibit, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\

You don't remember exactly what you said; kids laugh at all kinds of things at that age. And, boy, did Alex laugh. Not only that, but they responded with a joke of their own, and your first meeting quickly evolved into a round of sharing the best jokes the two of you had cooked up in your brief years of life. You spent the rest of that outing running and playing with them, and your parents were all too happy to trade information so the two of you could continue meeting up for playdates. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>Many years later, Alex came out as nonbinary, and you were the first one they told. Maybe they felt they could trust you because they knew you wouldn't have been judgmental where perhaps others had been, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite how outgoing and self-assured Alex was, despite how many people you'd seen them interact with over many years, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted above everyone else. Your friendship, which began with skinned knees and silly kid jokes, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\ <</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>Many years later, Alex came out as nonbinary, and you were the first one they told, the first one they trusted. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I came out a little bit before they did, and they were the first one I told too.|tnbr.v5][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[They were the first one I told when I came out a little after they did.|tnbr.v6][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>

You had a naturally friendly and likable demeanor, which is not true of all kids at that age, and you and Alex hit it off fast. They were eager to meet and play with a new friend, and you were happy to oblige. It wasn't long before the two of you had tired yourselves out running and playing together. When the outing came to a close, your parents were all too happy to trade information so the two of you could continue meeting up for playdates. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>Many years later, Alex came out as nonbinary, and you were the first one they told. Maybe they felt they could trust you because they knew you wouldn't have been judgmental where perhaps others had been, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite how outgoing and self-assured Alex was, despite how many people you'd seen them interact with over many years, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted above everyone else. Your friendship, as easy as it had been, still grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\ <</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>Many years later, Alex came out as nonbinary, and you were the first one they told, the first one they trusted. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I came out a little bit before they did, and they were the first one I told too.|tnbr.v5][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[They were the first one I told when I came out a little after they did.|tnbr.v6][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>

You were a little skeptic of a seven year old, and you couldn't help but wonder if they wanted something from you. It turned out they did: a friend to play with. Even your suspicious reaction didn't stop you from obliging. Against all odds, you ended up running and playing with them until your legs were jelly. At the end of the outing, your parents were all too happy to trade information so the two of you could continue meeting up for playdates. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>Many years later, Alex came out as nonbinary, and you were the first one they told. Maybe they felt they could trust you because they knew you wouldn't have been judgmental where perhaps others had been, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite how outgoing and self-assured Alex was, despite how many people you'd seen them interact with over many years, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted above everyone else. Your friendship, which you initially feared to have some ulterior motive, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\ <</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>Many years later, Alex came out as nonbinary, and you were the first one they told, the first one they trusted. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I came out a little bit before they did, and they were the first one I told too.|tnbr.v5][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[They were the first one I told when I came out a little after they did.|tnbr.v6][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>

It was a sudden concern of yours that <i>all</i> of the other kids had seen you trip and fall, but Alex was quick to reassure you, and they weren't deterred by your reluctance to speak with them. Rather than subject you to unwanted conversation, they urged you to go back to playing and made clear their intentions to join you. Before you knew it, you were laughing and having fun with them, even though you struggled to carry any sort of conversation with them. Your parents were all too happy to trade information so the two of you could continue meeting up for playdates. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>Many years later, Alex came out as nonbinary, and you were the first one they told. Maybe they felt they could trust you because they knew you wouldn't have been judgmental where perhaps others had been, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite how outgoing and self-assured Alex was, despite how many people you'd seen them interact with over many years, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted above everyone else. Your friendship, which began only due to their understanding and tenacity, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\ <</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>Many years later, Alex came out as nonbinary, and you were the first one they told, the first one they trusted. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I came out a little bit before they did, and they were the first one I told too.|tnbr.v5][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[They were the first one I told when I came out a little after they did.|tnbr.v6][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>

Alex didn't seem bothered or perturbed by your lack of greeting. They chatted at you happily, though briefly, before suggesting you play together. You didn't particularly mind the company and went along with what they said. Before you knew it, time had flown by, and you'd spent hours playing together. At the end of the outing, your parents were all too happy to trade information so the two of you could continue meeting up for playdates. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>Many years later, Alex came out as nonbinary, and you were the first one they told. Maybe they felt they could trust you because they knew you wouldn't have been judgmental where perhaps others had been, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite how outgoing and self-assured Alex was, despite how many people you'd seen them interact with over many years, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted above everyone else. Your friendship, which you owe completely to Alex's tenacity, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\ <</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>Many years later, Alex came out as nonbinary, and you were the first one they told, the first one they trusted. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I came out a little bit before they did, and they were the first one I told too.|tnbr.v5][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[They were the first one I told when I came out a little after they did.|tnbr.v6][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>

You batted their hand away and scrambled to your feet, sure to give them a defiant look as you did so. Where others might have been put off or offended, Alex seemed amused by the response. They challenged you a few laps across the monkey bars, which you of course had to accept. Before you knew it, you were laughing and having fun with them until it got dark. At the end of the outing, your parents were all too happy to trade information so the two of you could continue meeting up for playdates. And, just like that, you had a friend, even if you didn't know why. <<if $pc_transnb is false>>Many years later, Alex came out as nonbinary, and you were the first one they told. Maybe they felt they could trust you because they knew you wouldn't have been judgmental where perhaps others had been, but you also knew there was something deeper there. Something genuine and special about your relationship. That was when you realized that, despite how outgoing and self-assured Alex was, despite how many people you'd seen them interact with over many years, you were their only real friend, the one they most loved to hang out with, the one they trusted above everyone else. Your friendship, which began with childlike competition, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\ <</if>><<if $pc_transnb is true>>Many years later, Alex came out as nonbinary, and you were the first one they told, the first one they trusted. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I came out a little bit before they did, and they were the first one I told too.|tnbr.v5][$cameout to "earlier"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[They were the first one I told when I came out a little after they did.|tnbr.v6][$cameout to "later"]]</div>\<</if>>

There has always been something easy about being friends with Alex. You learned very quickly that their accepting nature was a huge part of that. Around them, it’s like you can do no wrong. That became especially important only a few years after you met them, when your parents, your father in particular, grew judgmental about your activities and choices. Sungjae, though always supportive, was your family. It meant more that Alex was always there for you even though they didn’t have to be. You figured out your identity a couple of years before Alex did, and it was an obvious choice to tell them before anyone else. Maybe the reason they chose you was the same as the reason you chose them. There was always something deep about your relationship. Something genuine and special. Your friendship, which began as playground buddies, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\

There has always been something easy about being friends with Alex. You learned very quickly that their accepting nature was a huge part of that. Around them, it’s like you can do no wrong. That became especially important only a few years after you met them, when your parents, your father in particular, grew judgmental about your activities and choices. Sungjae, though always supportive, was your family. It meant more that Alex was always there for you even though they didn’t have to be. You figured out your identity a year or two after Alex did, and it was an obvious choice to tell them before anyone else. Maybe the reason they chose you was the same as the reason you chose them. There was always something deep about your relationship. Something genuine and special. Your friendship, which began as playground buddies, grew into something bigger than you think either of you were expecting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Best friends for life takes a very deep and literal meaning for us.|backtocoffeev1][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to false]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[In my case, it grew into a huge crush that I've never been able to kick.|backtocoffeev2][$alex to 95,$alex_romance to 1,$alex_long_crush to true]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[At one point, I even had a crush on them. That's in the past, but they are still my best friend.|backtocoffeev3][$alex to 95,$alex_past_crush to true]]</div>\

personality stat 3 max $alex 95

It’s been a few weeks since you and Alex last saw each other. Even in that short time, it seems like their dark brown hair has gotten longer. Hard to tell when it’s always pulled up in a sloppy bun, but you think the bun might be bigger than last time. “Why not just cut it?” You lean heavily on the table and scroll through job postings on your phone as you speak. Alex holds your drink out to you rather than just setting it on the table. If you want it, you’ll have to take it. Judging by their crooked half-smile, they are being pesky on purpose. The little shit. "I like it like this," they say. "I let it down every once in a while." "I have literally never seen you with your hair down." It's not quite far from the truth. You've known Alex long enough to see them with their hair down a few times, but it only happens on rare occasions. Alex shrugs. "It gets in the way at work." Then, with a waggle of their brows, they add, "I let it down in the shower." <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Is that an invitation?" I ask with a waggle of my own brows.|coffee.1.boldflirt][$alex_romance to $alex_romance +1, $bold to $bold +1]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[The mere thought of the suggestion behind Alex's words makes my cheeks heat up, and I can only hope they don't notice.|coffee.1.shyflirt][$alex_romance to $alex_romance +1,$shy to $shy +1]] 💕</div>\ <<if $alex_long_crush is "false">><div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[My thoughts linger on the suggestion behind their words, even though I'm not sure why.|coffee.1.unawareflirt][$alex_romance to $alex_romance +1,$unaware to $unaware +1]] 💕</div><</if>>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I can't help but flush a little under their words. The suggestion doesn't necessarily interest me, but the fact that they're flirting with me does.|coffee.1.aceflirt][$alex_romance to $alex_romance +1]] 💜</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Is that an invitation?" I ask jokingly.|coffee.1.flippant][$flippant to $flippant +5]] <span id="hint">(flippant)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[The mere thought of the suggestion behind their words makes me embarrassed, and I can't look them in the eye.|coffee.1.timid][$timid to $timid +1]] <span id="hint">(timid)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I roll my eyes at them, though I can't help smiling at their playful tone.|coffee.1.taciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1]] <span id="hint">(taciturn)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"If you're trying to fluster me, it's not going to work.\""|coffee.1.assertive][$assertive to $assertive +1]] <span id="hint">(assertive)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[It's hard not to smile at their tone, but I can't help but wonder if cheering me up is the true goal behind their banter.|coffee.1.skeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1]] <span id="hint">(skeptical)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I let the suggestion behind their joke breeze right past me and just smile at the familiar company.|coffee.1.friendly][$friendly to $friendly +1]] <span id="hint">(friendly)</span></div>\

These are the characters you have met throughout the story so far. <<link "Sungjae Erickson">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Sungjae Erickson"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Sungjae Erickson").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> <<link "Arthur Erickson">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Arthur Erickson"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Arthur Erickson").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> <<link "Miranda Erickson Aguilar">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Miranda Erickson Aguilar"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Miranda Erickson Aguilar").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> <<if $pc_met_alex is true>> <<link "Alex Roben">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Alex Roben"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Alex Roben").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>><</if>> <<if $pc_met_ansel is true>> <<link "Ansel">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Ansel"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Ansel").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>><</if>> <<link "Back to Journal">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Journal"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Journal").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>>

<b>Name:</b> Sungjae Erickson <b>Gender & Pronouns:</b> Male & he/him <b>Description:</b> Your older brother by 9 years. He is 34 years old. He is 6'1", lithe with light-beige skin, and has black hair and brown eyes. Sungjae works as an in-house psychologist for a private company. <b>Relationship:</b> <<if $sungjae gte 90>>Sungjae thinks the world of you.<</if>><<if $sungjae gte 70 and $sungjae lt 90>>There are few people, if any, that Sungjae cares about as much as he cares about you.<</if>><<if $sungjae gte 50 and $sungjae lt 70>>Sungjae wishes your relationship could be better, but that doesn't stop him from caring about you.<</if>><<if $sungjae gte 30 and $sungjae lt 50>>Sungjae doesn't understand why the two of you aren't close, but he tries to give you space. Even if he fails at it most of the time.<</if>><<if $sungjae lt 30>>Sungjae doesn't understand how the two of you grew so distant, but he tries to give you space. Even if he fails at it most of the time.<</if>> <<link "Back to Characters">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Characters"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Characters").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>>

<b>Name:</b> Alex Roben <b>Gender & Pronouns:</b> Nonbinary & they/them <b>Description:</b> <<if $alex_firstmeeting is "school">>Your friend ever since meeting them in the 7th grade.<</if>><<if $alex_firstmeeting is "exhibit">>Your friend ever since meeting them at an art exhibit at the age of 14.<</if>><<if $alex_firstmeeting is "playground">>Your friend ever since meeting them at a playground at the age of 7.<</if>> Alex is 27 years old. They are 6'2", broad and chubby, with tawny-beige skin. They have dark brown long hair, brown eyes, and a light dusting of brown freckles across their nose. They work as an administrative assistant at <i>The Hansboro Post</i>. <b>Relationship:</b><<if $alex gte 90 and $alex_romance is 0>> Alex is outgoing and charismatic and probably has a lot of friends besides you. Still, they like hanging out with you most of all.<</if>><<if $alex gte 70 and $alex lt 90 and $alex_romance is 0>> Alex will always be there for you, through thick and thin.<</if>><<if $alex lt 70 and $alex_romance is 0>> Alex has chosen you as a lifelong friend, come hell or high water.<</if>><<if $alex_past_crush is true and $alex_romance is 0>> You had a crush on them in the past.<</if>><<if $alex_long_crush is true>> You've had a crush on them for a long time.<</if>><<if $alex_romance gte 1 and $alex_romance lt 3>> You may have flirted with them a few times, but nothing has really come of it.<</if>><<if $alex_romance gte 3>> Lately, you've noticed Alex, who never seems to get embarrassed about anything, gets embarrassed around you.<</if>> <<link "Back to Characters">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Characters"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Characters").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>>

<b>Name:</b> Arthur Erickson <b>Gender & Pronouns:</b> Male & he/him <b>Description:</b> Your father. Tall with white skin and salt-and-pepper hair. Despite being 52 years old and aside from his graying hair, he looks to be in his early 40s. He is the editor-in-chief at <i>The Hansboro Post</i>, one of the larger newspaper publications in Hansboro. <b>Relationship:</b> Your father criticizes almost everything you do and doesn't seem to like you much anymore. <<link "Back to Characters">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Characters"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Characters").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>>

<b>Name:</b> Miranda Erickson Aguilar <b>Gender & Pronouns:</b> Female & she/her <b>Description:</b> Your mother. Average height with light brown skin and long black hair. She is 56 years old, though the recent wrinkles forming on her face make her look over 60. She is a well-known abstract painter. <b>Relationship:</b> If you disappeared from her life entirely, you're not sure your mother would notice you were gone. <<link "Back to Characters">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Characters"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Characters").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>>

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<b>Name:</b> Ansel <b>Gender & Pronouns:</b> Male & he/him <b>Description:</b> <<if $pc_started_job is false>>The very odd and somewhat eccentric owner of a small combination café and bookshop called Under-Cover. Ansel looks to be in his mid-thirties. He is 6'5" and slim with white skin and golden-blond hair. He has heterochromia and his eyes are brown and blue.<</if>><<if pc_started_job is true>>Your boss at the combination café and bookshop called Under-Cover. Ansel looks to be in his mid-thirties. He is 6'5" and slim with white skin and golden-blond hair. He has heterochromia and his eyes are brown and blue.<</if>> <b>Relationship:</b> Ansel is approachable and seems to get along with most people. <<if $ansel gte 90>>When it comes to you, you get the sense that he genuinely trusts you, maybe more than anyone else.<</if>><<if $ansel lt 90 and $ansel gte 70>>When it comes to you, you're one of the few in his close circle.<</if>><<if $ansel lt 70 and $ansel gte 50 and $ansel_romance is 0>>When it comes to you, it seems like he respects you. More than that, he seems to like you. You didn't necessarily expect to become friends with him, but maybe you don't have a choice in the matter.<</if>><<if $ansel lt 50 and $ansel gte 30 and $ansel_romance is 0>>As for you, it seems like Ansel respects you. It also seems like he wants to help you, even if you're not sure why.<</if>><<if $ansel lt 30 and $ansel_romance is 0>>The same is true for you so far. He acts very friendly toward you, even though you don't know each other that well.<</if>><<if $ansel_romance lt 3 and $ansel_romance gte 1>>You get along with him too, though it seems like more than that. You have to admit, you're interested in him in a less-than-platonic way, but you have no idea if he feels the same.<</if>><<if $ansel_romance lt 7 and $ansel_romance gte 3>>In your case, to say you "get along" would be a big understatement. There's definitely a romantic spark between you, and you're pretty sure he feels the same way.<</if>> <<link "Back to Characters">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Characters"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Characters").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>>

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<<setchild>>\ As you step across the abstract runner outside of the bathroom door, your eyes land on the door of your childhood bedroom, which sits at the far end of the perpendicular hallway opposite you. The door is closed, maybe even locked, and you take a brief moment to wonder if your parents have let a layer of dust settle in the room, your belongings hidden away and untouched for years. You spend barely a moment pondering before you decide to find out for yourself, stalling heading down to dinner for just a bit longer in favor of exploring your childhood home. After a few strides, you reach the door and lay your hand on the doorknob, pausing for just a moment to brace yourself for what you'll find within. You don't think you've been inside this room since the day you moved out several years ago. Anything left behind were things you didn't really need or that you didn't have the space to keep. Things you told yourself you wanted but ultimately let slip from your mind with the passage of time. When you open the door, those very things are there to greet you, lined up like a parade to your adolescence. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[There are some awards and participation certificates on the shelves from taking part in coding camps, and the walls have some pictures commemorating one of the Game Jams I competed in.|bedroomv1][$technology to $technology +20,$yhobby to "code"]] <span id="hint">💻</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[The shelves are still filled with extra parts and pieces of the builds I made as part of the robotics club when I was in school, along with a few awards from competitions.|bedroomv2][$technology to $technology +20,$yhobby to "robot"]] <span id="hint">💻</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[There is a long shadow box filled with awards and lapel pins from my participation in the debate club. Behind it is a collection of competitive debate books that I used to read from front to back.|bedroomv3][$persuasion to $persuasion +20,$yhobby to "debate"]] <span id="hint">🗯</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Some costume parts are displayed on the wall from plays and musicals I acted in throughout my school years. The shelves are occupied by small framed cast photos taken after some of the productions.|bedroomv4][$persuasion to $persuasion +20,$yhobby to "theatre"]] <span id="hint">🗯</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[There are trophies scattered on the shelves from playing a variety of sports when I was in school. A couple of my team jerseys are still hanging up on the wall.|bedroomv5][$athletics to $athletics +20,$yhobby to "sports"]] <span id="hint">💪🏽</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[There are some certificates on the walls from completing self-defense courses and a number of other close-quarters combat courses in my teens.|bedroomv6][$athletics to $athletics +20,$yhobby to "combat"]] <span id="hint">💪🏽</span></div>\

You spent a large majority of your youth learning everything you could about computers. Surprisingly, your father had been the one who encouraged you to take part in competitions and had even signed you up for some supplemental classes after school. He was good with computers himself, which might have been a driving factor in his support, but mostly you think he was just eager to find a way to keep you busy. The proof of your hard work still decorates your childhood room to this day. Aside from the evidence of your past hobbies and one of your mother's abstract paintings on the far wall, the room is sparse. There's a bed that's different from the one you grew up with and covered with basic sheets and a comforter. By the looks of things, they've turned your old bedroom into a guest room, which may be the only reason the shelves have been dusted off. Perhaps these pieces of your childhood are only here to make the room feel less empty, because you can't imagine either of your parents taking the time to brag about the achievements of your youth to any of their guests. You step back through the threshold of the door and shut it quietly before turning back to the hallway of your parents' second floor. On either side of you are various rooms currently or at one point used by your family. Speaking of your family, they're still expecting you to come down to dinner, but you might be able to get away with snooping around just a little bit longer if you want. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to see Sungjae's old room, the one to the left of mine. There's not likely to be much left to see, but he still uses it on the rare occasion that he stays the night at our parents' house.|Sungjae's Room]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to take a look at my dad's office, the room on my right. He won't like me going in there, which is all the more reason why I'd like to see it.|Arthur's Office]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to check out my mother's studio, the room at the end of the hall just before the bathroom. I'm interested to see what she's been working on lately since she never talks to me about it.|Miranda's Studio]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Better to head downstairs now. I shouldn't keep my family waiting any longer than I already have.|the dinnerv1]]</div>\

Before you were even ten years old, your parents had caught you more than once having taken apart the TV remote just to see how it all worked. It became commonplace for them to pass on any old electronics to you rather than discard them for fear that their shiny new toys would fall victim to your interests. They were beyond relieved when they learned that your high school had the perfect outlet for you in the form of a robotics club. Apparently they never got rid of the scraps you kept lying around your room. Aside from the evidence of your past hobbies and one of your mother's abstract paintings on the far wall, the room is sparse. There's a bed that's different from the one you grew up with and covered with basic sheets and a comforter. By the looks of things, they've turned your old bedroom into a guest room, which may be the only reason the shelves have been dusted off. Perhaps these pieces of your childhood are only here to make the room feel less empty, because you can't imagine either of your parents taking the time to brag about the achievements of your youth to any of their guests. You step back through the threshold of the door and shut it quietly before turning back to the hallway of your parents' second floor. On either side of you are various rooms currently or at one point used by your family. Speaking of your family, they're still expecting you to come down to dinner, but you might be able to get away with snooping around just a little bit longer if you want. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to see Sungjae's old room, the one to the left of mine. There's not likely to be much left to see, but he still uses it on the rare occasion that he stays the night at our parents' house.|Sungjae's Room]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to take a look at my dad's office, the room on my right. He won't like me going in there, which is all the more reason why I'd like to see it.|Arthur's Office]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to check out my mother's studio, the room at the end of the hall just before the bathroom. I'm interested to see what she's been working on lately since she never talks to me about it.|Miranda's Studio]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Better to head downstairs now. I shouldn't keep my family waiting any longer than I already have.|the dinnerv1]]</div>\

Sungjae nudged you to join the debate club, insisting that you had a talent for influential speaking already, though your decision ultimately had little to do with his input. The interest was already there, and your parents wanted you to take part in some sort of extracurricular anyway. Your public speaking and knowledge of common debate topics improved, you were out of their hair for a few extra hours every day after school, and the books and awards left behind were the result. Aside from the evidence of your past hobbies and one of your mother's abstract paintings on the far wall, the room is sparse. There's a bed that's different from the one you grew up with and covered with basic sheets and a comforter. By the looks of things, they've turned your old bedroom into a guest room, which may be the only reason the shelves have been dusted off. Perhaps these pieces of your childhood are only here to make the room feel less empty, because you can't imagine either of your parents taking the time to brag about the achievements of your youth to any of their guests. You step back through the threshold of the door and shut it quietly before turning back to the hallway of your parents' second floor. On either side of you are various rooms currently or at one point used by your family. Speaking of your family, they're still expecting you to come down to dinner, but you might be able to get away with snooping around just a little bit longer if you want. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to see Sungjae's old room, the one to the left of mine. There's not likely to be much left to see, but he still uses it on the rare occasion that he stays the night at our parents' house.|Sungjae's Room]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to take a look at my dad's office, the room on my right. He won't like me going in there, which is all the more reason why I'd like to see it.|Arthur's Office]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to check out my mother's studio, the room at the end of the hall just before the bathroom. I'm interested to see what she's been working on lately since she never talks to me about it.|Miranda's Studio]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Better to head downstairs now. I shouldn't keep my family waiting any longer than I already have.|the dinnerv1]]</div>\

As a professional painter, your mother was ecstatic when you first showed interest in fine arts. She influenced you to try out for all of your school plays and musicals, even though she didn't need to. Though you suspect the desire to get you out of the house was one of her motivating factors. You spent a lot of time playing various roles and getting accustomed to public performance throughout the years. The costumes and pictures are keepsakes of time spent partaking in the hobby. Aside from the evidence of your past hobbies and one of your mother's abstract paintings on the far wall, the room is sparse. There's a bed that's different from the one you grew up with and covered with basic sheets and a comforter. By the looks of things, they've turned your old bedroom into a guest room, which may be the only reason the shelves have been dusted off. Perhaps these pieces of your childhood are only here to make the room feel less empty, because you can't imagine either of your parents taking the time to brag about the achievements of your youth to any of their guests. You step back through the threshold of the door and shut it quietly before turning back to the hallway of your parents' second floor. On either side of you are various rooms currently or at one point used by your family. Speaking of your family, they're still expecting you to come down to dinner, but you might be able to get away with snooping around just a little bit longer if you want. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to see Sungjae's old room, the one to the left of mine. There's not likely to be much left to see, but he still uses it on the rare occasion that he stays the night at our parents' house.|Sungjae's Room]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to take a look at my dad's office, the room on my right. He won't like me going in there, which is all the more reason why I'd like to see it.|Arthur's Office]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to check out my mother's studio, the room at the end of the hall just before the bathroom. I'm interested to see what she's been working on lately since she never talks to me about it.|Miranda's Studio]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Better to head downstairs now. I shouldn't keep my family waiting any longer than I already have.|the dinnerv1]]</div>\

Besides the bit of track that your father did during his teens, no one in your family is especially inclined towards sports. You were the first, and so Sungjae of course was enthusiastic in his support of all your athletic ventures. It gave you a way to keep busy after school, that much was true, but it was also a great way to keep in shape. Plus, you were actually pretty good. The awards feel like things of the distant past now, but you'd like to think you're still in pretty good shape despite the years that have passed since then. Aside from the evidence of your past hobbies and one of your mother's abstract paintings on the far wall, the room is sparse. There's a bed that's different from the one you grew up with and covered with basic sheets and a comforter. By the looks of things, they've turned your old bedroom into a guest room, which may be the only reason the shelves have been dusted off. Perhaps these pieces of your childhood are only here to make the room feel less empty, because you can't imagine either of your parents taking the time to brag about the achievements of your youth to any of their guests. You step back through the threshold of the door and shut it quietly before turning back to the hallway of your parents' second floor. On either side of you are various rooms currently or at one point used by your family. Speaking of your family, they're still expecting you to come down to dinner, but you might be able to get away with snooping around just a little bit longer if you want. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to see Sungjae's old room, the one to the left of mine. There's not likely to be much left to see, but he still uses it on the rare occasion that he stays the night at our parents' house.|Sungjae's Room]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to take a look at my dad's office, the room on my right. He won't like me going in there, which is all the more reason why I'd like to see it.|Arthur's Office]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to check out my mother's studio, the room at the end of the hall just before the bathroom. I'm interested to see what she's been working on lately since she never talks to me about it.|Miranda's Studio]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Better to head downstairs now. I shouldn't keep my family waiting any longer than I already have.|the dinnerv1]]</div>\

There came a time during your youth when spending long hours at home after school was unbearable, and you were desperate for some way to spend your time away from it. Self-defense classes were the middle-ground between your interests and your parents' desire to see you take part in "acceptable" activities. You learned a lot from those classes, and you consider yourself pretty capable. The skills you took away from it are more useful than the certificates that you earned. Aside from the evidence of your past hobbies and one of your mother's abstract paintings on the far wall, the room is sparse. There's a bed that's different from the one you grew up with and covered with basic sheets and a comforter. By the looks of things, they've turned your old bedroom into a guest room, which may be the only reason the shelves have been dusted off. Perhaps these pieces of your childhood are only here to make the room feel less empty, because you can't imagine either of your parents taking the time to brag about the achievements of your youth to any of their guests. You step back through the threshold of the door and shut it quietly before turning back to the hallway of your parents' second floor. On either side of you are various rooms currently or at one point used by your family. Speaking of your family, they're still expecting you to come down to dinner, but you might be able to get away with snooping around just a little bit longer if you want. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to see Sungjae's old room, the one to the left of mine. There's not likely to be much left to see, but he still uses it on the rare occasion that he stays the night at our parents' house.|Sungjae's Room]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to take a look at my dad's office, the room on my right. He won't like me going in there, which is all the more reason why I'd like to see it.|Arthur's Office]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to check out my mother's studio, the room at the end of the hall just before the bathroom. I'm interested to see what she's been working on lately since she never talks to me about it.|Miranda's Studio]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Better to head downstairs now. I shouldn't keep my family waiting any longer than I already have.|the dinnerv1]]</div>\

Sungjae's old room looks more lived-in than yours, despite the fact that he moved out over a decade ago now. The bed, like yours, is newer and set up for guests to stay the night, but the large metal corner desk that Sungjae grew up using is still there. There's evidence on the side of a torn sticker, one from those old quarter machines, that was ultimately impossible to get off. The desk shelves are stuffed to the brim with journals and newspaper clippings, likely overflow from your father's collection. Aside from Sungjae's high school graduation cap and cords in the shadow box on the wall, the only other decor in the room seems to be the picture frame propped on the corner of the desk. The only problem is that the picture frame is empty, filled only with the blank white back of the stock photo that came with it. It's been years since you've seen it, but you remember what was in the frame better than anything else that used to be in your brother's room. You were practically still a toddler when Sungjae snapped at you for messing with it that first time. For a while, he kept it on the highest shelf, far out of a young child's reach, until a couple of years later when he didn't need to hide it from you anymore. It wasn't that Sungjae thought you would break his things. He just didn't want to be the one to explain that you'd both been adopted. The frame held a photo of Sungjae and his biological mother. You're not sure where the photo was taken, perhaps at a park or zoo. In it, Sungjae smiled from goofy ear to goofy ear, dimples on his cheeks perfectly mimicking the ones on his mother. She was a beautiful woman with bobbed black hair, kind brown eyes, and wearing a flowery sundress that complemented her own vibrancy. You're pretty sure Sungjae couldn't have been older than four or five when the photo was taken, buth he's always been reluctant to talk about it. All you know for sure is that it was the only photo he had of his mother. Sungjae took the photo with him when he moved out. You're not sure why he left the frame behind. You're also not sure why neither of your parents have bothered to remove it or fill it with something else. Why leave a frame sitting empty on a desk for a decade? <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Take a closer look.|Sungjaerv1][$promphoto to true]]</div>\ <div class ="choice"><span id ="viz">🔻</span>[[I've wasted too much time. I need to go downstairs.|Sungjaerv2]]</div>\

Your father's office looks nearly untouched, hardly used. The room features a large executive desk, made from dark walnut, and an upholstered green office chair, both of which probably cost more than the monthly rent you pay for your apartment. <<if $tech gt 10>>He has a fairly impressive computer setup with a pricey ultrawide monitor and a clear computer case that shows off his liquid cooling rig. It's not so much necessary as it is his hobby, and you imagine a stranger might confuse him for an IT professional rather than an editor-in-chief. <</if>><<if $tech lt 10>>He has a computer setup that you would consider lavish, although you don't really know enough about computers to say. The only thing you know for sure is that his monitor is wide enough to use as a paddle.<</if>> He has bookshelves and displays along all four walls that are filled to the brim with newspaper clippings, journals, magazines, and anything else your father might consider relevant to the news. Everything is arranged so neatly that his office could pass for a showroom at a furniture store. It almost wouldn't surprise you to pull a collection of magazines off the shelf only to find they're made of cardboard. The stack of papers waiting neatly on his desk are the only evidence that he works here at all, everything so immaculately clean that a forensic expert probably couldn't dig up so much as a single fingerprint. After a quick glance out into the hallway to make sure no one is coming up the stairs, you step over to the desk, pick up the stack of papers, and start flipping through them as quietly as you can. Some of them look unimportant, documents that may have been useful at one point or another but that ultimately graduated into scrap paper for your dad's notes. At the bottom of the stack, you find a collection of missing persons posters. Some look like they were printed from a machine that was clearly running out of ink, perhaps crafted by family members too poor or too distraught to worry about how readable or professional their posters were. Others are crisp and clear, maybe even recent judging by how few folds and wrinkles they have. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Take a closer look.|Arthurv1][$mposters to true]]</div>\ <div class ="choice"><span id ="viz">🔻</span>[[I've wasted too much time. I need to go downstairs.|Arthurv2]]</div>\

Your mother's studio is one of the largest rooms on the second floor, but it doesn't feel that way when each corner is filled with canvases, old and new, and various painting supplies that she has worked with throughout the years. The windows in here are large and gaping, all the better to welcome in the natural light necessary for her work, though right now they are covered with thick curtains meant for insulation against the cold. The easel in the center of the room is empty of any canvases, meaning your mom is either between projects or getting ready to begin a new one. The new canvases on the left side of the room come in all manner of sizes, and they're arranged in such a way that you think she may have been flipping through them, deciding which to use. The used canvases, either from works-in-progress or complete projects, are on the right side of the room, most carefully covered to avoid any sun damage. Your mother is often selling paintings or presenting them in galleries and shows, so these works don't typically stay here for long. You step over and gently flip through them, curious about her latest works. Her usual style is in geometric abstracts, whether inspired by things she sees or imaginings from her own mind, and the majority of the paintings you find here reflect that. Though she isn't known for it, she's quite talented at lifelike portraits as well. A few portraits hang in different areas of the house, and there's one in her stack here as well. It's you, by the looks of it, though it's difficult to tell how recent this painting is. Hard to believe she would be painting you, of all people, when your relationship with her can best be described as indifferent, but it wouldn't be the first time. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Take a closer look.|Mirandav1][$pmed to true]]</div>\ <div class ="choice"><span id ="viz">🔻</span>[[I've wasted too much time. I need to go downstairs.|Mirandav2]]</div>\

You feel eyes on you as soon as you enter the dining room. There's Sungjae, of course. The glaring open book who can't hide his discomfort even behind his sunny disposition. His hard stare is pleading with you to stay calm and pleasant while his smile is an effort to brighten up the room. But you've known Sungjae your entire life, and he is very easy to read. Your mother, on the other hand, is not. Recently she has started looking older than she really is. Her hair is still a long and lovely black, no gray hairs to speak of, although you're pretty sure she started dyeing it. But she has more wrinkles now, especially at the corners of her small brown eyes. Most of them show when she smiles. You suppose to most people that's a good thing, the signs of having lived a life full of joy. But your mother is either very good at hiding her true feelings or seems not to have them at all, her smiles little more than a mask to hide her impassivity. Her wrinkles have a way of softening her expression and making her look truly happy, but you know better. Her true smiles were for your childhood and ran out years ago. Your father, in contrast to your mother, makes his disapproval immediately apparent by looking anywhere <i>but</i> you. He's already started on his wine, which is pretty typical at dinners that involve you. Unlike your mother, your father looks a little younger than his age despite his salt-and-pepper hair. He doesn't have many wrinkles. The few he does have accentuate only his frowns, of which he has plenty. He had all other expressions stripped away from him by a curse when you were nine years old. At least, that joke is better than the truth. Then there's the painting on the wall that overlooks the dining table, the one your mother painted of you and your brother when you were kids. The two of you are leaning into each other and smiling, various colors outlining your forms like little magic auras, and your eyes seem to follow whoever is in the room. Does your smile still look like that, all bright and carefree and hopeful? Did it ever? Sometimes you wonder who those kids are, who your mother saw when she painted them, and who she sees now. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"Well? Sit down.\""|the dinner 2][$pc_met_parents to true]]</div>

Ignoring the fact that your family is waiting for you (or perhaps knowing that your father will be impatient with you either way), you step over to the desk and take the picture frame in hand. Unlike the desk around it, the frame is covered in a thin layer of dust that suggests it hasn't been so much as touched for quite some time. Upon closer inspection, the blank white sheet inside seems too thick to be the stock photo that came with the frame. You flip the frame over and begin peeling back the flimsy pieces of metal that hold the back on. The frame is cheap, as if bought on clearance with the pocket change of a jobless high school student. The back doesn't quite fit properly, and it almost goes clattering to the ground before you catch it in your hand. Back free of the frame, you can now see the photo that's still inside, flipped around so that the back is facing the glass. The photo is slightly too large for the frame, not so much that it bends, but it's wedged in there well enough that you don't want to risk bending it to pry it out. It features three people standing against a fancy backdrop. The person in the middle you recognize easily: your brother, maybe seventeen or eighteen years old. He had the same haircut then as he does now, hair clipped just short enough that his slight curls won't get too out of control. He's wearing a crisp black tux with a purple bowtie and smiling in just the right way to be considered charming. There is a young woman on his right standing just a bit shorter than Sungjae. Her skin is beige and unblemished, and she has wavy black hair flowing past her shoulders. The dress she's wearing is long and lacey and matches her mostly-black makeup. She has one arm snaked around Sungjae's shoulders while her other holds the small silver handbag tucked underneath it. Her smile is not quite what you would describe as charming; her eyes seem to reject the camera as she is so obviously uncomfortable in its lens. On Sungjae's right is a young man standing a few inches taller than him. He has white skin and golden-blond hair that's cut short around his ears. He's wearing black slacks, and his button-up collared shirt matches the purple on Sungjae's bowtie. One of his hands is placed gently on Sungjae's shoulder while the other stays slack at his side. Though the man is wearing glasses, he's squinting in a way that you can only assume is meant to hide a grimace. Unlike the woman, you're not certain that his displeasure is due to the camera. Rather, you think it may be due to the company. It looks like his arm near Sungjae's shoulders is propped in just the right way to avoid physical contact with the woman. You remember the day this was taken; Sungjae had kicked up quite a fuss about finding his bowtie. "It has to match," he'd said, and you didn't really understand why that was so important. As far as you knew, he was going to prom by himself. You know better now. You're not sure if he was trying to protect you or was embarrassed of you, but Sungjae kept you away from his friends the same way a parent keeps a toddler away from traffic. You'd only ever seen them from afar, and even then those sightings were few and far between. A prom photo, taken with his friends. Or maybe one of them was more than that? Sungjae never talked about his love life and still doesn't. More importantly, why was the photo flipped around? Plus, he left it behind. You wonder if he had some kind of falling out with one or both of the people in the picture. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae2v1]]</div>\

There is as little left of Sungjae in his old room as there is of you left in yours, except that Sungjae keeps a change of clothes here and you don't. The bedsheets are more vibrant than the ones kept in your old room, and the curtains are drawn as if to let the light in. You wonder if your father works here sometimes. You cross the room to close the curtains on instinct. You can feel the cold leaking in from outside as the sun rapidly goes down. Sungjae's room has an almost perfect view of the back of the neighborhood, a picturesque collection of white fences and well-cared-for yards. One of the windows sits over the veranda at the back of the house. If you look hard enough, you can see slight scuff marks on the windowsill, evidence of Sungjae's clandestine comings and goings from sneaking around as a teenager. For a split second, you consider whether or not to climb down yourself and avoid dinner altogether. <<if $athletics gt 10>>Climbing down the side of the house would be a piece of cake for you, but it would also involve leaving behind your jacket, which is hanging over the chair at the dining table downstairs, so you think better of it. <</if>><<if $athletics lt 10>>You're not certain that you could climb down the side of the house without some sort of mishap. Ultimately, you decide the risk of a broken neck isn't worth it. Not yet, anyway. <</if>> You finish closing the curtains, turn off the light, and head downstairs to dinner before your family sees fit to come after you for a second time. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|the dinnerv2]]</div>\

After putting it back together, you place the frame on the desk and take another look around the room. There is as little left of Sungjae in his old room as there is of you left in yours, except that Sungjae keeps a change of clothes here and you don't. The bedsheets are more vibrant than the ones kept in your old room, and the curtains are drawn as if to let the light in. You wonder if your father works here sometimes. You cross the room to close the curtains on instinct. You can feel the cold leaking in from outside as the sun rapidly goes down. Sungjae's room has an almost perfect view of the back of the neighborhood, a picturesque collection of white fences and well-cared-for yards. One of the windows sits over the veranda at the back of the house. If you look hard enough, you can see slight scuff marks on the windowsill, evidence of Sungjae's clandestine comings and goings from sneaking around as a teenager. For a split second, you consider whether or not to climb down yourself and avoid dinner altogether. <<if $athletics gt 10>>Climbing down the side of the house would be a piece of cake for you, but it would also involve leaving behind your jacket, which is hanging over the chair at the dining table downstairs, so you think better of it. <</if>><<if $athletics lt 10>>You're not certain that you could climb down the side of the house without some sort of mishap. Ultimately, you decide the risk of a broken neck isn't worth it. Not yet, anyway. <</if>> Before you can even finalize your decision, you hear your name being called in a clipped manner from downstairs. Your father, running short on his patience. You quickly shut the curtains, turn off the light, and head downstairs before he comes to drag you out by the ear. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|the dinnerv3]]</div>\

Sungjae is halfway out of his seat by the time you enter the dining room. There's a question in his eyes, one that's easy to read considering you've known him your entire life. He's wondering where you've been. He must have been getting ready to go get you once more; he sits down again once he sees you. His aren't the only pair of eyes on you, but your mother's eyes are not so easy to read. Recently, she has started looking older than she really is. Her hair is still a long and lovely black, no gray hairs to speak of, although you're pretty sure she started dyeing it. But she has more wrinkles now, especially at the corners of her small brown eyes. Most of them show when she smiles. You suppose to most people that's a good thing, the signs of having lived a life full of joy. But your mother is either very good at hiding her true feelings or seems not to have them at all, her smiles little more than a mask to hide her impassivity. Her wrinkles have a way of softening her expression and making her look truly happy, but you know better. Her true smiles were for your childhood and ran out years ago. Your father, in contrast to your mother, makes his disapproval immediately apparent by looking anywhere <i>but</i> you. He's already started on his wine, which is pretty typical at dinners that involve you. Unlike your mother, your father looks a little younger than his age despite his salt-and-pepper hair. He doesn't have many wrinkles. The few he does have accentuate only his frowns, of which he has plenty. He had all other expressions stripped away from him by a curse when you were nine years old. At least, that joke is better than the truth. Then there's the painting on the wall that overlooks the dining table, the one your mother painted of you and your brother when you were kids. The two of you are leaning into each other and smiling, various colors outlining your forms like little magic auras, and your eyes seem to follow whoever is in the room. Does your smile still look like that, all bright and carefree and hopeful? Did it ever? Sometimes you wonder who those kids are, who your mother saw when she painted them, and who she sees now. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"You certainly took your time. Sit down.\""|the dinner 2][$pc_met_parents to true]]</div>\

Sungjae's voice echoes from the dining room even before you reach it, and you stop just before the threshold to catch their conversation before butting in. "You don't think they might have been runaways?" "That's what most people assume," your father says, his voice deep and commanding even as he speaks barely above a mutter. "Most of these missing cases are people with few local ties, and all of them are adults. It's difficult to pursue foul play when there's no prior evidence of conflict." "Why pursue it at all, then?" Sungjae says. You can't tell if the interest in his tone is genuine or not. The silence is just barely too long to be comfortable, but eventually your father responds. "Call it journalistic instinct," he says. "So it interests you." You can practically see the shit-eating grin on Sungjae's face. "It's a cursory interest," your father says, his tone clipped. "Missing people aren't unique to Hansboro, after all, and there may be no other facts to report on. It's not my main focus right now." Silence creeps into the room. You can't be sure if that's the end of their conversation, not without seeing their faces. But the silence stretches on, and eventually you decide that now is as good a time as any to finally make your appearance. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|the dinner 2v2]]</div>\

Eyes fall on you as soon as you pass the threshold. There's Sungjae's, of course. The glaring open book who can't hide his discomfort even behind his sunny disposition. There's a question behind his eyes; no doubt he's wondering what took you so long to come down, even after he went up after you. You've known Sungjae your entire life, and he is very easy to read. Your mother, on the other hand, is not. Recently, she has started looking older than she really is. Her hair is still a long and lovely black, no gray hairs to speak of, although you're pretty sure she started dyeing it. But she has more wrinkles now, especially at the corners of her small brown eyes. Most of them show when she smiles. You suppose to most people that's a good thing, the signs of having lived a life full of joy. But your mother is either very good at hiding her true feelings or seems not to have them at all, her smiles little more than a mask to hide her impassivity. Her wrinkles have a way of softening her expression and making her look truly happy, but you know better. Her true smiles were for your childhood and ran out years ago. Your father, in contrast to your mother, makes his disapproval immediately apparent by looking anywhere <i>but</i> you. He's already started on his wine, which is pretty typical at dinners that involve you. Unlike your mother, your father looks a little younger than his age despite his salt-and-pepper hair. He doesn't have many wrinkles. The few he does have accentuate only his frowns, of which he has plenty. He had all other expressions stripped away from him by a curse when you were nine years old. At least, that joke is better than the truth. Then there's the painting on the wall that overlooks the dining table, the one your mother painted of you and your brother when you were kids. The two of you are leaning into each other and smiling, various colors outlining your forms like little magic auras, and your eyes seem to follow whoever is in the room. Does your smile still look like that, all bright and carefree and hopeful? Did it ever? Sometimes you wonder who those kids are, who your mother saw when she painted them, and who she sees now. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"Well? Sit Down.\""|the dinner 2][$pc_met_parents to true]]</div>\

The posters make up a decent chunk of the stack. Some of them are sun-bleached and date back so many years that you can't help but wonder how long your dad has been working on this particular interest. You look over the three most recent postings in the stack, hoping they can offer you some insight into his current research. The most recent posting is of a young man named Dominic Sharp who went missing about three months ago. The picture of him looks like a copy of something taken for a work ID. It's a very plain photo of his face from the shoulders up while he wears his best customer service smile. The man himself looks very plain as well, you have to admit. He has white skin, light brown hair, and no identifying features besides. You could have met him before in passing and never known it. The next posting before that is a young woman named Madeleine Michel who was last seen just over a year ago. Her picture looks as though it came from a group photo; you can tell that she has both of her arms around people standing next to her, but they've been cropped out so that only her face is shown. She has dark brown skin, black coiled hair, and a bright smile on her face. The photo looks like it was taken at a bar or a restaurant. There's some kind of celebratory hat over her head and strapped under her chin, but you can't tell if the occasion was a birthday or some other kind of party. The posting before that dates back over two years and has a middle-aged woman on it by the name of Elena Gonzalez. The person who took the picture was standing too far away, so the details on the woman's face aren't great, but you can see well enough to make out her light brown skin and short black hair. Considering the age of the posting, you can't help but wonder how much older the picture is and whether or not it still reflects how she looks now. Looking at these posters, it's impossible to say whether or not they are related. Each of them were last seen at vastly different places, and there's not enough information about them besides that to draw a reasonable conclusion. But you figure your dad must be looking at them all for a reason. He may be an editor-in-chief now, but he got his start in investigative journalism. Maybe he knows something about them that you don't. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Arthur2v1]]</div>\

It's not hard to imagine why your dad would have something like this. Clearly he must be doing research for an article. As for the nature of the article, you can only guess. Criticism of law enforcement? Commentary on city safety? Report on some sort of crime involving the people pictured here? Any are possible. Without any other clues lying around, the only thing you can do is put the papers back in order and place them back on the desk. You're careful to put the stack as close as possible to where you found it, knowing that your father is exactly the type of person to notice when something is even a hair out of place. It's only as you step away from the desk that you notice the distinct lack of personal items in the room. Well, an expensive fountain pen could be considered a personal item, you suppose, but there aren't any photos or pictures on the walls. Not even one of your mom's paintings has made its way into this room. You try not to imagine what your dad feels knowing he can walk into this office and pretend like his family doesn't exist. You try not to, but you imagine it anyway. A noise startles you out of your thoughts. You're already out of the room before you have the chance to realize it was the house creaking and not someone coming up the stairs. You shrug to yourself, deciding maybe it's better to quit while you're ahead anyway. The last thing you need is your dad jumping down your throat for snooping around his workspace. It's about time you rejoined them downstairs anyhow, before someone else comes up to find you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|the dinnerv2]]</div>\

It's not hard to imagine why your dad would have something like this. Clearly he must be doing research for an article. As for the nature of the article, you can only guess. Criticism of law enforcement? Commentary on city safety? Report on some sort of crime involving the people pictured here? Any are possible. Without any other clues lying around, the only thing you can do is put the papers back in order and place them back on the desk. You're careful to put the stack as close as possible to where you found it, knowing that your father is exactly the type of person to notice when something is even a hair out of place. It's only as you step away from the desk that you notice the distinct lack of personal items in the room. Well, an expensive fountain pen could be considered a personal item, you suppose, but there aren't any photos or pictures on the walls. Not even one of your mom's paintings has made its way into this room. You try not to imagine what your dad feels knowing he can walk into this office and pretend like his family doesn't exist. You try not to, but you imagine it anyway. The sound of your name being called, loud and clipped, startles you out of your thoughts. You hurry out of the room, shutting off the light and closing the door behind you as quietly as possible in the hopes that your father will be none the wiser about your snooping. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|the dinnerv3]]</div>\

You slip the painting out from the stack and lean it against the others so you can get a good look at it. It reflects how you look currently, and you know your mother must have an amazing visual memory considering she wouldn't have any recent photos to reference. Like so many paintings featuring you and your brother, this one has a background that is best described as an ombre of various colors. She has a particular way with her color blending that gives the impression of light and makes you look as though you were glowing. The painting is mostly complete, though it looks as though she started painting your shoulders before she stopped. Considering the painting was tucked away behind a few others, it may have been a while since she last worked on it. Since the galleries she presents at are interested in her abstract art, you have no reason to believe that she'll be finishing this painting any time soon. You go to slip the painting back where you found it, looking between the stack to make sure nothing shifted and there's still sufficient space. There's something between the paintings that stops you. It's barely audible where it rolls along the wood floor as you shift the canvases back and forth, but it's easy enough to see now that you're looking. You prop the leaning stack of canvases against your leg as you bend down to grab the object. The object in question turns out to be a prescription bottle, and you turn it over in your fingers to get a better look at the label. The prescription is for a drug called paliperidone, for the patient Miranda Erickson Aguilar. Your mother. The bottle is empty and the refill date is from over a year ago. You have no idea how it ended up on the floor of your mother's studio, but it's likely it rolled behind this and was forgotten about. That your mother is on any prescription drugs is news to you. Then again, neither of your parents have ever been very forthcoming about their medical status. Since both you and your brother were adopted, it was never relevant for the sake of your medical histories either. Still, you can't remember seeing your mother take anything other than over-the-counter medication. Not a single time in over twenty years. You wonder when she started taking this one. And if she still does. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Miranda2v1]]</div>\

You set aside your mother's paintings, placing them just as you found them, and take one last look around the room. Your mother's studio hardly looks any different from when you were a kid; she's been working in this room as long as you can remember. The walls themselves have murals of all kinds of different things, started because of the time you painted a picture while you were playing with her paints as a child. If it had been any other room in the house, your dad might have been furious. You still remember his disappointed tone and expression when he caught you in the act. It was your mom who placated him, reminding him that the room <i>is</i> an art studio. You inadvertently started a tradition that day. Now there's a painting somewhere in here from everyone, even your father. A reminder of happier times. You shake those thoughts from your mind and head for the door. You've been stalling for long enough. It's time to rejoin your family for dinner before someone comes once again to collect you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|the dinnerv2]]</div>\

Perhaps against your better judgment, you drop the empty bottle back behind the canvases, not wanting to rock the boat. Then you slip the portrait of you back between them and take one last look around the room. Your mother's studio hardly looks any different from when you were a kid; she's been working in this room as long as you can remember. The walls themselves have murals of all kinds of different things, started because of the time you painted a picture while you were playing with her paints as a child. If it had been any other room in the house, your dad might have been furious. You still remember his disappointed tone and expression when he caught you in the act. It was your mom who placated him, reminding him that the room <i>is</i> an art studio. You inadvertently started a tradition that day. Now there's a painting somewhere in here from everyone, even your father. A reminder of happier times. The sound of your name being called, loud and clipped, blows those thoughts from your mind. You hurry to shut off the light and close the door behind you before rushing downstairs. Take any longer, and your father is liable to come upstairs and drag you down by the ear. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|the dinnerv3]]</div>\

"Maybe," Alex says, their eyebrow waggle never stopping. Then, in a mock southern accent, they say, "Oh, but I couldn't possibly! What would my parents think? I'd send them to an early grave." You chuckle and return their joking in kind. "Alas, I suppose we'll have to wait until marriage." This prompts a rather unglamorous snort from Alex before they turn their attention to their food and drink. You do the same, looking back to the list of jobs on your phone as you dig in. "I guess you haven't found a new job yet, huh?" Alex takes a sip of their drink and immediately follows it up with a grimace. "It's been less than a week. What do you think?" "I think if people weren't constantly up this early, it might have saved us from coffee ever being invented," they say. You can't help the chuckle that elicits from you. "You could have ordered something else. Besides, it's almost noon." "Just promise me something," Alex says. For a moment, they sound serious. As soon as you look up at them and see their wicked grin, however, you know they're not. You bite anyway. "What?" "That you won't get an early-bird job. How will we hang out on my days off?" "You just want me to go to the bar with you." You take another drink and go back to scrolling through jobs. There's a lot posted. Too many, really, and more than half that you know won't bother to call you back if you apply. "I can't really afford to be choosy, Alex. I have bills to pay." "Yeah, but you have money saved up, right? Come on, you can afford to be <i>a little</i> choosy." Alex pouts their lips momentarily, then the smirk returns. "You could always sell out like me. It's a guaranteed job, after all." [[You can't help but grimace at the thought.|coffee.2]]

Alex's playful smile grows wider, but they hold their hand in front of their face in mock surprise. "Scandelous! You'll get tongues wagging with talk like that!" "Let them talk," you say, returning Alex's joking tone. You can't help but be a little disappointed that Alex responds with the same flirtatious banter they use on everyone. Have the two of you known each other so long that they would never take your flirting seriously? That thought stings a little, and you focus back on the list of jobs on your phone to push it from your mind. "I guess you haven't found a new job yet, huh?" Alex takes a sip of their drink and immediately follows it up with a grimace. "It's been less than a week. What do you think?" "I think if people weren't constantly up this early, it might have saved us from coffee ever being invented," they say. You can't help the chuckle that elicits from you, despite your momentary disappointment. "You could have ordered something else. Besides, it's almost noon." "Just promise me something," Alex says. For a moment, they sound serious. As soon as you look up at them and see their wicked grin, however, you know they're not. You bite anyway. "What?" "That you won't get an early-bird job. How will we hang out on my days off?" "You just want me to go to the bar with you." You take another drink and go back to scrolling through jobs. There's a lot posted. Too many, really, and more than half that you know won't bother to call you back if you apply. "I can't really afford to be choosy, Alex. I have bills to pay." "Yeah, but you have money saved up, right? Come on, you can afford to be <i>a little</i> choosy." Alex pouts their lips momentarily, then the smirk returns. "You could always sell out like me. It's a guaranteed job, after all." [[You can't help but grimace at the thought.|coffee.2]]

"Sorry, sorry," Alex says, despite their growing smile. "Not trying to embarrass you, I swear. I just can't stop myself sometimes." You smile just a little at that and say, "I know a little what that's like." You've known Alex long enough that their not-so-subtle inneundo shouldn't embrrass you anymore, but somehow it still does. Thankfully, Alex moves on and turns their focus to their food and drink. You do the same, glad to shake off the awkwardness, and look through the list of jobs still waiting on your phone as you dig in. "I guess you haven't found a new job yet, huh?" Alex takes a sip of their drink and immediately follows it up with a grimace. "It's been less than a week. What do you think?" "I think if people weren't constantly up this early, it might have saved us from coffee ever being invented," they say. You can't help the chuckle that elicits from you. "You could have ordered something else. Besides, it's almost noon." "Just promise me something," Alex says. For a moment, they sound serious. As soon as you look up at them and see their wicked grin, however, you know they're not. You bite anyway. "What?" "That you won't get an early-bird job. How will we hang out on my days off?" "You just want me to go to the bar with you." You take another drink and go back to scrolling through jobs. There's a lot posted. Too many, really, and more than half that you know won't bother to call you back if you apply. "I can't really afford to be choosy, Alex. I have bills to pay." "Yeah, but you have money saved up, right? Come on, you can afford to be <i>a little</i> choosy." Alex pouts their lips momentarily, then the smirk returns. "You could always sell out like me. It's a guaranteed job, after all." [[You can't help but grimace at the thought.|coffee.2]]

As soon as you spot Alex's growing smile, you know they <i>have</i> noticed and are delighting in your suffering. "Oh my, I've made you nervous. Please, forgive my shamelessness. It was a mere joke. Think nothin' of it, darlin'," Alex says in a mock southern accent. That only serves to make your face hotter, and it's all you can do to shrink between your shoulders and try to hide behind the small face of your phone. You can't decide if it would have been worse for them to take your embarrassment seriously or not. The fact that they brushed it off as a joke stings a little, and you try to push the feeling away by focusing back on your job hunt. "I guess you haven't found a new job yet, huh?" Alex takes a sip of their drink and immediately follows it up with a grimace. "It's been less than a week. What do you think?" "I think if people weren't constantly up this early, it might have saved us from coffee ever being invented," they say. You can't help the chuckle that elicits from you, thankfully helping you move on from the awkward moment. "You could have ordered something else. Besides, it's almost noon." "Just promise me something," Alex says. For a moment, they sound serious. As soon as you look up at them and see their wicked grin, however, you know they're not. You bite anyway. "What?" "That you won't get an early-bird job. How will we hang out on my days off?" "You just want me to go to the bar with you." You take another drink and go back to scrolling through jobs. There's a lot posted. Too many, really, and more than half that you know won't bother to call you back if you apply. "I can't really afford to be choosy, Alex. I have bills to pay." "Yeah, but you have money saved up, right? Come on, you can afford to be <i>a little</i> choosy." Alex pouts their lips momentarily, then the smirk returns. "You could always sell out like me. It's a guaranteed job, after all." [[You can't help but grimace at the thought.|coffee.2]]

Alex flirts with everyone. That's a fact, one very few people have been an exception to. But it catches you off-guard when they do it with you. It's like going over an unexpected speed bump—a mixture of surprise, excitement, fear, and confusion as your brain makes sense of the event. It leaves you in a suspended state of emotion until you realize you've been staring at Alex's hands with no idea why they caught your focus in the first place. "Hey, where did you go?" Alex says, and there's a gentle smile on their face when you look up at them. "Something on your mind?" "Nothing." You shake the thoughts from your head and focus back on the moment by looking down at your phone, a list of jobs still staring back at you. "I guess you haven't found a new job yet, huh?" Alex takes a sip of their drink and immediately follows it up with a grimace. "It's been less than a week. What do you think?" "I think if people weren't constantly up this early, it might have saved us from coffee ever being invented," they say. You can't help the chuckle that elicits from you, your momentary confusion forgotten. "You could have ordered something else. Besides, it's almost noon." "Just promise me something," Alex says. For a moment, they sound serious. As soon as you look up at them and see their wicked grin, however, you know they're not. You bite anyway. "What?" "That you won't get an early-bird job. How will we hang out on my days off?" "You just want me to go to the bar with you." You take another drink and go back to scrolling through jobs. There's a lot posted. Too many, really, and more than half that you know won't bother to call you back if you apply. "I can't really afford to be choosy, Alex. I have bills to pay." "Yeah, but you have money saved up, right? Come on, you can afford to be <i>a little</i> choosy." Alex pouts their lips momentarily, then the smirk returns. "You could always sell out like me. It's a guaranteed job, after all." [[You can't help but grimace at the thought.|coffee.2]]

"Yes, yes, there Alex goes again, looking for innuendo wherever they can," they say in a mocking tone that you think is supposed to sound like you. They aren't quite being innaccurate either, their words more or less reflecting the thoughts going through your mind. That doesn't stop you from rolling yours eyes again, to which Alex snorts in response. "Roll your eyes all you want, you know you love me." That much is true, or you wouldn't be sitting here with them. The way they take your stoicism in stride, you know they feel the same. The silence between you is comfortable as you both turn your attention back to your food and drink. You look back at your phone as you dig in, a list of jobs still plastered across your screen. "I guess you haven't found a new job yet, huh?" Alex takes a sip of their drink and immediately follows it up with a grimace. "It's been less than a week. What do you think?" "I think if people weren't constantly up this early, it might have saved us from coffee every being invented," they say. You can't help the chuckle that elicits from you. "You could have ordered something else. Besides, it's almost noon." "Just promise me something," Alex says. For a moment, they sound serious. As soon as you look up at them and see their wicked grin, however, you know they're not. You bite anyway. "What?" "That you won't get an early-bird job. How will we hang out on my days off?" "You just want me to go to the bar with you." You take another drink and go back to scrolling through jobs. There's a lot posted. Too many, really, and more than half that you know won't bother to call you back if you apply. "I can't really afford to be choosy, Alex. I have bills to pay." "Yeah, but you have money saved up, right? Come on, you can afford to be <i>a little</i> choosy." Alex pouts their lips momentarily, then the smirk returns. "You could always sell out like me. It's a guaranteed job, after all." [[You can't help but grimace at the thought.|coffee.2]]

"Oh, please. I know better than to try and fluster you," Alex says with a grin. You can't help but snort at that. "And I know that innuendo is just your natural setting," you say. "It sounds to me like we're too used to each other. Maybe we should both give up on finding 'the one' and just move in together." Alex laughs at their own joke, and you join them with a chuckle. Then they turn their attention to their food and drink. You do the same, looking over at the list of jobs still on your phone as you dig in. "I guess you haven't found a new job yet, huh?" Alex takes a sip of their drink and immediately follows it up with a grimace. "It's been less than a week. What do you think?" "I think if people weren't constantly up this early, it might have saved us from coffee ever being invented," they say. You can't help the chuckle that elicits from you. "You could have ordered something else. Besides, it's almost noon." "Just promise me something," Alex says. For a moment, they sound serious. As soon as you look up at them and see their wicked grin, however, you know they're not. You bite anyway. "What?" "That you won't get an early-bird job. How will we hang out on my days off?" "You just want me to go to the bar with you." You take another drink and go back to scrolling through jobs. There's a lot posted. Too many, really, and more than half that you know won't bother to call you back if you apply. "I can't really afford to be choosy, Alex. I have bills to pay." "Yeah, but you have money saved up, right? Come on, you can afford to be <i>a little</i> choosy." Alex pouts their lips momentarily, then the smirk returns. "You could always sell out like me. It's a guaranteed job, after all." [[You can't help but grimace at the thought.|coffee.2]]

"Don't look at me like that," Alex says, and it's not until that moment you realize you were staring. "Look at you like what?" "Like you're trying to figure me out. Innuendo is practically my default setting. There's no ploy here, don't worry," they say with a knowing smile. You've known Alex far to long too be embarrassed that they saw through you so easily, but you still have the decency to be a little contrite. "Sorry," you say with a shrug. "It's fine," they say with a laugh. Alex turns their attention to their food and drink. You do the same, looking back at your phone as you do so. A list of job postings is still staring back at you, so you continue swiping through them. "I guess you haven't found a new job yet, huh?" Alex takes a sip of their drink and immediately follows it up with a grimace. "It's been less than a week. What do you think?" "I think if people weren't constantly up this early, it might have saved us from coffee every being invented," they say. You can't help the chuckle that elicits from you. "You could have ordered something else. Besides, it's almost noon." "Just promise me something," Alex says. For a moment, they sound serious. As soon as you look up at them and see their wicked grin, however, you know they're not. You bite anyway. "What?" "That you won't get an early-bird job. How will we hang out on my days off?" "You just want me to go to the bar with you." You take another drink and go back to scrolling through jobs. There's a lot posted. Too many, really, and more than half that you know won't bother to call you back if you apply. "I can't really afford to be choosy, Alex. I have bills to pay." "Yeah, but you have money saved up, right? Come on, you can afford to be <i>a little</i> choosy." Alex pouts their lips momentarily, then the smirk returns. "You could always sell out like me. It's a guaranteed job, after all." [[You can't help but grimace at the thought.|coffee.2]]

It's classic Alex to joke with not-so-subtle innuendo, practically second nature to them. Their familiar company is a breath of fresh air, especially after the monthly family dinner. You can't help but bask in the comfort. Alex smiles back at you like they know exactly what you're thinking. "I'm glad we decided to get together this morning," they say, and then they turn their attention to their food and drink. "Me too," you say before you do the same. As you dig in, you look back at your phone where a list of jobs still waits for you. "I guess you haven't found a new job yet, huh?" Alex takes a sip of their drink and immediately follows it up with a grimace. "It's been less than a week. What do you think?" "I think if people weren't constantly up this early, it might have saved us from coffee ever being invented," they say. You can't help the chuckle that elicits from you. "You could have ordered something else. Besides, it's almost noon." "Just promise me something," Alex says. For a moment, they sound serious. As soon as you look up at them and see their wicked grin, however, you know they're not. You bite anyway. "What?" "That you won't get an early-bird job. How will we hang out on my days off?" "You just want me to go to the bar with you." You take another drink and go back to scrolling through jobs. There's a lot posted. Too many, really, and more than half that you know won't bother to call you back if you apply. "I can't really afford to be choosy, Alex. I have bills to pay." "Yeah, but you have money saved up, right? Come on, you can afford to be <i>a little</i> choosy." Alex pouts their lips momentarily, then the smirk returns. "You could always sell out like me. It's a guaranteed job, after all." [[You can't help but grimace at the thought.|coffee.2]]

<<highestskill>>\ Alex works as an administrative assistant at <i>The Hansboro Post</i>, the very same place where your father is the editor-in-chief. The pay is pretty good, decent enough for them to afford a one-bedroom apartment downtown and still have money enough left over to go out on the town on a regular basis. Good benefits, steady schedule, quiet workplace, and, as Alex puts it, a guaranteed job. Alex knows your family pretty well and has no qualms with nepotism. When they needed a job, asking your dad was more or less the first thing they did. Of course, you know your father well enough to know that he wouldn't hire Alex if he didn't think them hard-working. Still, the connection was convenient on Alex's part, and they've found the job an easy way to earn their living. At least for the time being. You, on the other hand, think that you might rather drink battery acid than work under your father, much less in the same building as him. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"Sure, I can ask Dad for a job, and then next thing you know we'll be braiding each other's hair.\""|coffee.3.flippant][$flippant to $flippant +1]] <span id="hint">(flippant)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I look down and fiddle with my cup, unsure what to say to their suggestion.|coffee.3.timid][$timid to $timid +1]] <span id="hint">(timid)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I don't say anything. My dad, or anything related to him, is the last thing I want to talk about right now.|coffee.3.taciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1]] <span id="hint">(taciturn)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["I'll figure something out," I say with a smile.|coffee.3.friendly][$friendly to $friendly +1]] <span id="hint">(friendly)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"Why even bother suggesting that?\""|coffee.3.skeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1]] <span id="hint">(skeptical)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"I'd ask him if I had no other choice, but it won't come to that.\""|coffee.3.assertive][$assertive to $assertive +1]] <span id="hint">(assertive)</span></div>\

"I would honestly pay to see that," Alex says with a snicker. You roll your eyes. "Of course you would." A devilish smile lights up Alex's face. "You know, it's never too late to become a circus artist. If you really wanna stick it to your dad." Your face twists into an expression of half-joking-half-seriousness. "Please. What would I even do?" Alex tilts their head back as if seriously considering the prospect.<<if $mainskill is "technology">> "Everyone has need of a techie these days." "Techie, not circus artist," I correct with a grin.<</if>><<if $mainskill is "persuasion">> "I'm sure you could talk your way into just about any job." "I'd be outed as a fraud on my first day," you say with a chuckle.<</if>><<if $mainskill is "athletics">> "You're athletic. You could be an acrobat!" You give Alex an incredulous look. "Have you ever been to a circus? Those performers work seriously hard."<</if>>\ "And? My point is, you're gonna find something, and you don't have to give a single shit what your dad thinks about it." Alex leans forward and holds out their hand expectantly, eyeing your phone. "What?" you say with a chuckle, even as you give in to their silent demand and hand them the phone. "Shush and eat your bagel. I've got this." <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|coffee.4]]</div>\

"Hey, I'm sorry," Alex says, picking up on your discomfort. "It was just a joke. A bad one." You smile wryly and avoid looking at Alex. "You aren't wrong. He'd probably be ecstatic, too." Well, as ecstatic as your father can get, anyway. Maybe he'd stop complaining about you for one whole day. Maybe. "No. You have other options, all of which involve not giving a single shit about what he thinks." You hate to ask the question because you already know that Alex will have an answer prepared, but you can't help saying, "Like what?" "Like something that you're good at and actually care about?<<if $mainskill is "technology">> There's no shortage of companies that need techies these days.<</if>><<if $mainskill is "persuasion">> You're super likeable, and you're persuasive when you want to be. That goes a long way everywhere.<</if>><<if $mainskill is "athletics">> You don't have to become a professional sports player to make use of your athleticism. There's something good waiting out there for you.<</if>>" You look up at Alex to find them softly smiling at you. Knowing that they're trying to make you feel better, you can't help but answer them with a smile of your own. It's always heartwarming to know they care. The moment is broken when Alex leans forward and holds their hand out, looking expectantly at your phone. "What?" you ask, even as you tentatively hand the phone over. "Shush and eat your bagel. I've got this." <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|coffee.4]]</div>\

Alex recognizes the discomfort behind your silence immediately and keeps talking, saving you from the burden of a response. "As long as you're job hunting, you might as well take your dream job into consideration." You raise an amused brow at them. "Dream job?" <<if $mainskill is "technology">>"Yeah! Like, you could be the CEO of Google one day or something," Alex says, a small huff of laughter betraying the serious look on their face. You roll your eyes in response, leaving Alex to wonder about what dream job you actually have in mind. "I'm not going to find CEO of Google while browsing job postings on the internet," you point out.<</if>><<if $mainskill is "persuasion">>"Yeah! Like becoming the world's greatest talk show host?" Alex barely holds back a smile, betraying the serious look on their face. You roll your eyes in response, leaving Alex to wonder about what dream job you actually have in mind. "I'm not going to become a talk show host from browsing job postings on the internet," you point out.<</if>><<if $mainskill is "athletics">>"Yeah! Like becoming an Olympic athlete," Alex says, shrugging in a way that betrays the serious look on their face. You roll your eyes in response, leaving Alex to wonder about what dream job you actually have in mind. "I might be a little past my prime to see that dream come to fruition," you point out.<</if>> "That's not the point," Alex manages to say amidst laughter. You give Alex a look, waiting for them to elaborate on what the point actually is. Once their fit of laughter is through, they say, "You have options. Options that don't involve giving a single shit what anyone else thinks." Your father specifically, but they don't have to say that for either of you to think it. Alex leans forward then and holds out their hand, expectantly eyeing your phone. You tilt your head in the form of a question, even as you have them the phone. "Shush and eat your bagel. I've got this." <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|coffee.4]]</div>\

"I know you will. The world is at your fingertips, as they say." You laugh. "I'm not sure about the world, but I'm sure I can make due with Hansboro." <<if $mainskill is "technology">>"Hey, you could decide to go work for NASA, and there's nothing that can stop you."<</if>><<if $mainskill is "persuasion">>"Hey, you could decide you want to win an Oscar one day, and there's nothing that can stop you."<</if>><<if $mainskill is "athletics">>"Hey, you could decide to become a world-class athlete, and there's nothing that can stop you."<</if>> You don't know about that—there are plenty of obstacles that have nothing to do with personal drive—but you beam at Alex just the same. "Thanks. For trying to make me feel better," you say. "Sorry about bringing up your dad. It was a stupid joke," Alex says with a soft smile. You're not sure what prompted Alex to apologize. It takes you a moment to push through the surprise and shake your head. "It's okay. Really." "No, it's not. Just know that, no matter where you go from here, you don't have to give a single shit about what he thinks." Alex leans forward then and holds out their hand, giving an expectant look at your phone. "What?" you say with a confused tilt of your head, even as you give in to their silent demand and hand them the phone. "Shush and eat your bagel. I've got this." <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|coffee.4]]</div>\

The look of regret on Alex's face is immediate. "Sorry. I didn't mean it. It was just a stupid joke," they say quickly. You raise a brow at them, not entirely sure if you believe that. "I'm serious," Alex says, hands out in front of them in an imploring gesture. "You could <<if $mainskill is "technology">>be building supercomputers or taking out someone's garbage for the rest of your life.<</if>><<if $mainskill is "persuasion">>become the world's most popular influencer or take out someone's garbage for the rest of your life.<</if><<if $mainskill is "athletics">>go out there and set an Olympic record or take out someone's garbage for the rest of your life.<</if>> Either way, you don't have to give a single shit about what he thinks. Or anyone else, for that matter." Their show of support warms your heart, even if they almost bungled the moment with a shitty joke. You don't let up on your scrunity, but you soften your voice a little. "You could have just said that." "You know that sometimes I speak before I think," Alex says with a grin. "Just like you sometimes read into things when there's nothing to find." You would be offended if it was anyone but Alex saying that. As it is, you can only shrug and nod, conceding their point. You give them a half-smile, just to let them know there's no hard feelings. Alex leans forward across the table then, hand extended and glancing at your phone with an expectant look. "What is it now?" you ask, a single brow raised, even as you hand them the phone. "Shush and eat your bagel. I've got this." <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|coffee.4]]</div>\

Alex chuckles then, the sound light and airy. You raise a brow, question plain on your face, but Alex says nothing, so you speak up. "Something funny?" "Well, it <i>was</i> supposed to be a joke," they say with a toothy grin. "I was trying to cheer you up." "If <i>that</i> was your idea of a joke, you're lucky I didn't need cheering up to begin with," you say with a smirk. "Granted. But I had this whole follow-up speech prepared about dreaming big and <<if $mainskill is "technology">>inventing virtual reality or something<</if>><<if $mainskill is "persuasion">>convincing the rich to solve world hunger or something<</if>><<if $mainskill is "athletics">>becoming the greatest athlete in the world or something<</if>>. Turns out, I didn't need to worry. You'll figure things out." You can't help but smile at their unconditional support. "Thanks anyway. It means a lot that you care," you say. "Don't sweat it. Just remember, no matter what comes next, that you don't have to give a shit about what anyone else thinks. Especially not your dad." You nod gratefully, even if they are telling you something that you already know. Alex leans forward and holds out a hand then, glancing at your phone expectantly. "What are you scheming?" you say with a grin, even as you give in to their silent demand and hand over the phone. "Shush and eat your bagel. I've got this." <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|coffee.4]]</div>\

Alex flirts with everyone. That's a fact, one very few people have been an exception to. Does it mean anything when they flirt with you? If it does, would things even work between you? Alex's brand of intimacy is usually very physical, but you? Well, <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$aceflag" autoselect>> <<option "it takes you a while before you feel that close with someone." ace1>> <<option "physical intimacy has never been a priority for you." ace2>> <<option "physical intimacy doesn't interest you at all." ace3>> <</cycle>> Would that be a deal breaker for Alex? Maybe you're jumping the gun by even considering it. "Hey, where did you go?" Alex says, and there's a gentle smile on their face when you look up at them. "Something on your mind?" "Nothing." You shake the thoughts from your head and focus back on the moment by looking down at your phone, a list of jobs still staring back at you. "I guess you haven't found a new job yet, huh?" Alex takes a sip of their drink and immediately follows it up with a grimace. "It's been less than a week. What do you think?" "I think if people weren't constantly up this early, it might have saved us from coffee ever being invented," they say. You can't help the chuckle that elicits from you, your momentary internal conflict forgotten. "You could have ordered something else. Besides, it's almost noon." "Just promise me something," Alex says. For a moment, they sound serious. As soon as you look up at them and see their wicked grin, however, you know they're not. You bite anyway. "What?" "That you won't get an early-bird job. How will we hang out on my days off?" "You just want me to go to the bar with you." You take another drink and go back to scrolling through jobs. There's a lot posted. Too many, really, and more than half that you know won't bother to call you back if you apply. "I can't really afford to be choosy, Alex. I have bills to pay." "Yeah, but you have money saved up, right? Come on, you can afford to be <i>a little</i> choosy." Alex pouts their lips momentarily, then the smirk returns. "You could always sell out like me. It's a guaranteed job, after all." [[You can't help but grimace at the thought.|coffee.2]]

You turn your attention to your partially-eaten food while Alex scrolls through your phone. With a contented sigh, you bite into the rest of your brunch. The bagel itself is pretty mediocre, but it's nice to have an excuse to take a break from the job hunting. Maybe that's what Alex intended: to give you an out from something potentially stress-inducing. But you doubt they would ever admit to it if it was true, so you don't bring it up. "Garbage, garbage, scam, garbage," Alex mutters. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find a few gems." "How do you know what the real gems are?" Alex shrugs. "A hunch." You can't help but laugh. "Alex, you skipped job hunting to go work for my dad. You have no basis for a hunch." "Are you questioning my instincts? I thought we were friends," they joke. "Used car salseperson?" "In what universe do you see me selling used cars?" "Not this one, I guess." Alex snorts. "What about this one? Nope, never mind. Definitely a pyramid scheme." "I thought you said you had good instincts?" "Finish your brunch, you gremlin. Here, this one. Flexible hours, decent benefits." You finish off the last of you bagel and give them a dubious look. "What's the job, exactly?" "A bookstore." "Seriously, Alex?" you say. "Seriously. You might actually like it. If not, at least it's a decent job to tide you over until you find something better." Alex wiggles your phone out in front of you to get your attention and then hands it back to you. You give the job now on your screen a cursory look, noting that you wouldn't be making quite as much as at your last job. But it's close enough to where you live to be in walking distance, at least on a nice day. You save the posting, just in case, but then you pocket your phone, ready to put the lid on this subject. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["You just can't help but stick your nose into my business," I tease, heat rising to my cheeks. "I guess you must find me irresistable."|coffee.5.boldflirt][$alex_romance to $alex_romance +1,$bold to $bold +1]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["I appreciate you looking out for me." I look down and feel the heat rise to my cheeks and hope my reaction isn't obvious.|coffee.5.shyflirt][$alex_romance to $alex_romance +1,$shy to $shy +1]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Thanks, Alex. It's nice to have someone who cares so much." I'm not sure why the thought makes my stomach flutter, but it's a nice feeling.|coffee.5.unawareflirt][$alex_romance to $alex_romance +1,$unaware to $unaware +1]] 💕</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Thanks, but you can't want to talk about my job prospects all day. There has to be something more interesting to gossip about," I say with a grin.|coffee.5.flippant][$flippant to $flippant +1]] <span id="hint">(flippant)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Um... Thank you. For looking out for me," I say, wanting to make sure they know how much their support means.|coffee.5.timid][$timid to $timid +1]] <span id="hint">(timid)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[We sit in silence for a moment before I realize I don't want to leave them hanging. "...Thanks."|coffee.5.taciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1]] <span id="hint">(taciturn)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["It's been a rough few days. It means a lot that you're trying to help," I say with a bright smile.|coffee.5.friendly][$friendly to $friendly +1]] <span id="hint">(friendly)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Why are you so worried anyway?" Most people have a motive beyond being a good ear.|coffee.5.skeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1]] <span id="hint">(skeptical)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["I'll figure it out," I say with finality. "But thank you."|coffee.5.assertive][$assertive to $assertive +1]] <span id="hint">(assertive)</span></div>\

Alex leans toward you a little, one hand resting on the table while the other is propped under their chin. Their voice goes low and quiet, as if sharing a secret. "Oh, you are many things, $pc_name. I'm sure irresistable is on my list somewhere." You give them the sweetest smile you can muster before you say, "You have a list?" "A long one," they say with a smirk. "Sadly, I've already said too much." They take one hand an mimic a zipper motion across their lips. Their free hand is right there, on the table between the two of you. The urge to reach out and lay your hand on theirs is strong with only one thing holding you back: uncertainty. With no idea whether or not Alex's flirting is genuine, you can't be sure how they would react. It could be a risk worth taking. Your friendship wouldn't be ruined over a misunderstanding, right? Alex pulls their hands back into their lap before you can decide, and the chance is lost. "Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help," Alex says. "Seriously." You lean back and smile at them. "Short of coming to my job interviews to act as my cheerleader, I'm not sure what else you can do." Alex leans back as well, content in sharing in your company a while longer despite the fact that you're both finished with your brunch. "Get the right amount of drinks in me, and I make a great cheerleader," they say, and you believe it. "Thanks, but hard pass," you say with a laugh. Alex returns the laughter. Then they look at you with that sly grin of theirs. "Consider it incentive. If you don't at least go check out that bookstore, I've got a few cheerleading routines in mind already." "I can't believe you're threatening to literally cheerlead while I'm job hunting," you say with feigned incredulity. "Will it work?" <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercover.1]]</div>\

"You're my best friend. I'll always look out for you." With a small glance, you can see the kind of gentle smile on Alex's face that should fill you will butterflies. Your stomach only clenches instead, your thoughts locked on the words damning your relationship from growing beyond what it is. Even if your brain <i>wasn't</i> dead-set on turning you into a flustered mess all the time, you aren't sure you'd ever have the courage to risk your friendship on seeking anything more, not when you have no clue how they feel about you. When you eventually look up at Alex, you catch something like a frown on their face, but the expression is gone as soon as you catch their eyes. Their gentle smile returns, and it does nothing to help the heat you're desperately trying to fight out of your cheeks. "Seriously, don't worry about it," they say. But you do worry about it, because the fact that Alex cares so much gives you reason to hope that they might actually reciprocate your feelings. You very nearly find the courage to say something right then and there. Then the usual smirk returns to Alex's face, and the moment is lost, your bravery dwindling. "Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help," Alex says. You lean back and do your best to smile at them. "Short of coming to my job interviews to act as my cheerleader, I'm not sure what else you can do." Alex leans back as well, content in sharing in your company a while longer despite the fact that you're both finished with your brunch. "Get the right amount of drinks in me, and I make a great cheerleader," they say, and you believe it. "Thanks, but that's okay," you say with a squeek that was supposed to be a laugh. The thought of them actually following through is terrifying. Alex returns the laughter, though theirs is a bit more genuine. Then they look at you with that sly grin of theirs. "Consider it incentive. If you don't at least go check out that bookstore, I've got a few cheerleading routines in mind already." "I can't believe you're threatening to literally cheerlead while I'm job hunting," you say with incredulity. "Will it work?" <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercover.1]]</div>\

"Yeah, you're welcome," Alex says, their voice barely above a whisper. "Always." They give you a nod. Despite the smile on their face, you think for a moment that you see something else. A hint of melancholy or sign of far-away thoughts taking over as they glance down at the table. You follow their eyes to their target and see only the remains of their finished brunch, an empty coffee cup and a paper napkin covered in crumbs. Your brunch meeting is coming to an end. Even though you see each other all the time, it's always a little hard to say goodbye. That's the thought that comes to your mind, and you wonder if they're feeling the same. "I still have time to hang out if you do," you say, looking back up at them. Alex looks back at you, a more familiar grin on their face. They clear their throat and then say, "Of course. You know how hard it is to get rid of me. Just let me know if there's anything else I can do to help. Y'know, in the job department." You lean back and smile at them. "Short of coming to my job interviews to act as my cheerleader, I'm not sure what else you can do." Alex leans back as well, content in sharing in your company a while longer. "Get the right amount of drinks in me, and I make a great cheerleader," they say, and you believe it. "Thanks, but hard pass," you say with a laugh. Alex returns the laughter. Then they look at you with that sly grin of theirs. "Consider it incentive. If you don't at least go check out that bookstore, I've got a few cheerleading routines in mind already." "I can't believe you're threatening to literally cheerlead while I'm job hunting," you say with feigned incredulity. "Will it work?" <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercover.1]]</div>\

Alex sighs dramatically. "There's nothing. No office scandals, nothing new with my parents, and no secret bae to fantasize about while I talk vaguely about my feelings." "Wait, you'd keep it a secret from me if you were in a relationship with someone?" You can't help but chuckle at the thought, especially considering Alex has never been shy about details in the past. "Only for the sitcom drama," Alex says, giving you a toothy grin. "It could be like a game to see how long it takes you to figure out." You waggle your brows. "Will there be a prize?" "Maybe." Alex laughs. "Seriously, though, let me know if there's anything else I can do to help in the job department." You lean back and smile at them. "Short of coming to my job interviews to act as my cheerleader, I'm not sure what else you can do." Alex leans back as well, content in sharing in your company a while longer despite the fact that you're both finished with your brunch. "Get the right amount of drinks in me, and I make a great cheerleader," they say, and you believe it. "Thanks, but hard pass," you say with a laugh. Alex returns the laughter. Then they look at you with that sly grin of theirs. "Consider it incentive. If you don't at least go check out that bookstore, I've got a few cheerleading routines in mind already." "I can't believe you're threatening to literally cheerlead while I'm job hunting," you say with feigned incredulity. "Will it work?" <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercover.1]]</div>\

"$pc_name," Alex says in a way that forces you look at them. "We've known each other for how many years now? I'm always gonna be there for you. You don't have to thank me for that." The fact that it's Alex sitting here chastising you does nothing to stop you from feeling embarrassed, but the feeling is heartwarming rather than mortifying. "All the same," you start, though you don't repeat your thanks and instead give them a smile. "Yeah, yeah," Alex says, waving their hand to dismiss you taking this any further. "Seriously, though, let me know if there's anything else I can help with in the job department." You lean back and smile at them. "Short of coming to my job interviews to act as my cheerleader, I'm not sure what else you can do." Alex leans back as well, content in sharing in your company a while longer despite the fact that you're both finished with your brunch. "Get the right amount of drinks in me, and I make a great cheerleader," they say, and you believe it. "Thanks, but that's okay," you say with a squeek that was supposed to be a laugh. The thought of them actually following through is terrifying. Alex returns the laughter, though theirs is a bit more genuine. Then they look at you with that sly grin of theirs. "Consider it incentive. If you don't at least go check out that bookstore, I've got a few cheerleading routines in mind already." "I can't believe you're threatening to literally cheerlead while I'm job hunting," you say with incredulity. "Will it work?" <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercover.1]]</div>\

Alex leans back in their chair with a hand across their chest as they make a face of mock surprise. "A 'thank you?' From the one and only $pc_name? And here I was ready to sit in silence for the next couple of minutes until one of us, probably me, came up with a new topic of conversation." You roll your eyes at them and sigh. "I can take it back." "You could, but would you?" They give you their best puppy dog face until it forces you both to crack a smile. "Seriously, though, let me know if there's anything else I can do to help with the job thing." You lean back and shrug at them. "Short of coming to my job interviews to act as my cheerleader, I'm not sure what else you can do." Alex leans back as well, content in sharing in your company a while longer despite the fact that you're both finished with your brunch. "Get the right amount of drinks in me, and I make a great cheerleader," they say, and you believe it. "Thanks, but hard pass," you say with a chuckle. Alex returns the laughter. Then they look at you with that sly grin of theirs. "Consider it incentive. If you don't at least go check out that bookstore, I've got a few cheerleading routines in mind already." "I can't believe you're threatening to literally cheerlead while I'm job hunting," you say with a deadpan voice. "Will it work?" <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercover.1]]</div>\

"$pc_name," Alex says. "We've known each other for how many years now? I'm always gonna be there for you. You don't have to thank me for that." You shake your head at them, though your smile never drops. "I really do," you say. Alex scoffs. "Of course you do. You're too nice. I hope you aren't that nice to everyone, because not everyone deserves it." "What makes you think you deserve it," you say, your sweet smile still in place. "That is cold. I take it back. You're just the right amount of nice." Alex rolls their eyes before both of you break out in light laughter. "Seriously, though, let me know if there's anything else I can do to help with the job thing." You lean back and smile at them. "Short of coming to my job interviews to act as my cheerleader, I'm not sure what else you can do." Alex leans back as well, content in sharing in your company a while longer despite the fact that you're both finished with your brunch. "Get the right amount of drinks in me, and I make a great cheerleader," they say, and you believe it. "While I'm sure you'd do wonderful," you say with a laugh, "please, no." Alex returns the laughter. Then they look at you with that sly grin of theirs. "Consider it incentive. If you don't at least go check out that bookstore, I've got a few cheerleading routines in mind already." "I can't believe you're threatening to literally cheerlead while I'm job hunting," you say with feigned incredulity. "Will it work?" <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercover.1]]</div>\

"There you go again," Alex says. "Tell me, what nefarious plot I could have in mind by worrying about my best friend?" You shrug, too busy coming up with theories to feel contrite. "You tell me. Just seems like you're laying it on a little thick, doesn't it?" "You're incorrigible," Alex says with a snort, though the grin on their face tells you they are more amused that annoyed by your suspicion. "While you're trying to figure out my master plan, just let me know if there's anything else I can help with in the job department." You lean back and shrug at them. "Short of coming to my job interviews to act as my cheerleader, I'm not sure what else you can do." Alex leans back as well, content in sharing in your company a while longer despite the fact that you're both finished with your brunch. "Get the right amount of drinks in me, and I make a great cheerleader," they say, and you believe it. "Thanks, but hard pass," you say, and you can't help but laugh. Alex returns the laughter. Then they look at you with that sly grin of theirs. "Consider it incentive. If you don't at least go check out that bookstore, I've got a few cheerleading routines in mind already." "I can't believe you're threatening to literally cheerlead while I'm job hunting," you say. "Will it work?" <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercover.1]]</div>\

Alex laughs at your words, and you can't tell if they're laughing out of humor or something else. "What's funny?" "Nothing," they say, the last of their laughter dying down to intermittent chuckles. "Just that it seems like I have no reason to worry about you. You're tackling this with the force of a freight train." "Did you expect anything less?" You can't help but grin as you say the words, your face exuding every ounce of confidence that you feel. "I guess not," Alex says. "You're nothing if not determined. Still, let me know if there's anything else I can do to help." You lean back. "Short of coming to my job interviews to act as my cheerleader, I'm not sure what else you can do." Alex leans back as well, content in sharing in your company a while longer despite the fact that you're both finished with your brunch. "Get the right amount of drinks in me, and I make a great cheerleader," they say, and you believe it. "Thanks, but hard pass," you say with a laugh. Alex returns the laughter. Then they look at you with that sly grin of theirs. "Consider it incentive. If you don't at least go check out that bookstore, I've got a few cheerleading routines in mind already." "I can't believe you're threatening to literally cheerlead while I'm job hunting," you say with feigned incredulity. "Will it work?" <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercover.1]]</div>\

<<set $pc_met_alex to true>>\ <<notify>>A new character has been added to your journal.<</notify>>\ It does work. Not because you think Alex will show up behind you one day in a cheerleading uniform with a pompom in each hand, but because sitting around feeling down about the situation seems like such a waste in the face of their unabashed support. That's how you end up in front of the very bookstore that Alex hand-picked from those job postings. After taking a closer look at the posting, you couldn't decide if you were curious or put-off. The job description was unnecessarily long-winded but possessed almost no real substance. The bulk of the posting consisted of puns that would have made a suburban dad cringe, along with book references so obscure that <span id="viz">🔻</span><<cycle "$i_reading" autoselect>> <<option "you had to look them up to understand" no>> <<option "anyone but you probably wouldn't have understood" yes>> <</cycle>>. In the end, the posting didn't even accept online applicants. And so here you are, equal parts curious and wary, standing across the street from a brick townhouse that's jammed between two buildings tighter than sausage in synthetic casing. You think you might have even been down this road in the past, and you've certainly never noticed it before. The entrance to the shop itself is down the stairs that lead to the sub-level, a clandestine little place that would probably bring in no customers at all if not for the quaint sign next to the sidewalk outside. As it is, there must be some reason why this little shop stays in business. And you don't think it's the silly pun of a name, Under-Cover. You promised Alex you would check the place out. That doesn't mean you have to go inside. You could easily take a look from out here and leave if it doesn't look like your thing. Or you could take a leap and go in. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Suck it up and go inside.|undercoverA1]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Screw that, I'll just scope it out.|undercoverB1]]</div>\

Decision made, you cross the street before you in several quick strides and head to the door of the book shop. There's a little bell above the door that rings as you enter. It's bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside, and you quickly learn that this isn't just a book shop. It's more a cafe than anything else, though it hardly possesses the kind of presence found at so many well-known chain coffee shops, having a smaller selection and less modern equipment. There's a small selection of office supplies, namely for writing and journaling, along with replacement parts from old manual typewriters. The walls are otherwise lined with packed bookshelves that, when combined with the dark colors of the carpet and wallpaper, make the store's name seem very appropriate. There are various places to sit, complete with tables, sofas, loungeres, and broken-in bean-bag chairs. Currently, there's only a single customer, who is absorbed in whatever he is working on. The place certainly has a cozy, if dark, atmosphere, and you can see how it would appeal to certain people. Now that you're here, you feel... <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Relaxed and comfortable. Brunch with Alex brought up my spirits, and this place feels pretty at-home.|undercoverA2][$store_intro_positive to $store_intro_positive +1,$mood_cherry to "relaxed",$cherry to $cherry +5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[A little creeped out. This place takes "hole-in-the-wall" a little too far.|undercoverA2][$store_intro_negative to $store_intro_negative +1,$mood_cherry to "creeped"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Tense. Even though it's quiet here, I'm not really comfortable meeting new people.|undercoverA2][$store_intro_negative to $store_intro_negative +1,$mood_cherry to "tense",$cherry to $cherry +5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Excited. I love cafes, and I'm curious about the person who owns this place.|undercoverA2][$store_intro_positive to $store_intro_positive +1,$mood_cherry to "excited"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Gloomy. Now that my meetup with Alex is over, I can't stop thinking about dinner the other night. What else is waiting to go wrong?|undercoverA2][$store_intro_negative to $store_intro_negative +1,$mood_cherry to "gloomy",$cherry to $cherry +5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Indifferent. I'm just here to cross this place off the list.|undercoverA2][$mood_cherry to "indifferent"]]</div>\

You stand near a street light at the corner and pull out your phone, doing your best to make it look like you're idly browsing the internet rather than loitering around and watching that building. The results are even more boring than you could have expected. Aside from a pedestrian that you see passing by on a cross-street and a few cars that pass down the road, there doesn't seem to be anything noteworthy or interesting about the place. Not a single customer comes in or out in the ten minutes you stand there. It occurs to you then that maybe the place is closed, but then the door opens up just as you resolve to get closer. A young man steps out, a laptop bag with frayed corners, faded-blue in color, tucked under his arm. There are noise-canceling headphones covering his ears. There's not much noteworthy about him; his bleached and dyed hair might make him stand out at certain venues, but he here looks like any ordinary person going about their day. He doesn't even spare a glance to where you stand across the road. You'd hoped anyone coming and going would give you some idea as to what Under-Cover was like, but you can hardly draw conclusions from a sample size of one. You dare to get closer, maybe take a peek inside the doors to see who else is in there or what the place is like, so you take a tenuous step across the road, quickly checking for passing traffic beforehand. The front door is glass with the operation hours neatly printed on the front. Beyond it, the store seems full of dark colors and warm lighting, inspiring a relaxing and comfortable mood. You can't see much in the way of customers from where you stand just at the top of the short staircase leading into the shop. There are bookshelves, of course, covering just about every wall that you can see from your vantage point. An array of comfortable seating is scattered about the room, but there's no one inside. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"You're not going inside?\""|undercoverB2]]</div>\

You approach the person at the counter to the right of the entrance who seems to double as a cashier and barista. She's a short and chubby young woman who looks about your age, perhaps a little younger. She has green eyes and ginger-red short hair that's wiry and wild in direct contrast to her seemingly mellow demeanor. She's marked by red freckles from head to toe. You imagine she would have made a perfect Pippi Longstocking as a child, assuming her hair was longer and could ever be tamed into pigtails. As you get close to her, you realize <<if $mood_cherry is "relaxed">>that her demeanor is more tense than mellow, though she seems to relax a little as you get closer.<</if>><<if $mood_cherry is "creeped">>that her demeanor is more tense than mellow, and she seems to get a little more uncomfortable as you draw near.<</if>><<if $mood_cherry is "tense">>that her demeanor is just as tense as yours, though she hides it well. You feel a little better knowing you aren't the only one who's uncomfortable, and you get the sense she feels the same.<</if>><<if $mood_cherry is "excited">>that her demeanor is more tense than mellow, and it only becomes more so as you approach the counter.<</if>><<if $mood_cherry is "gloomy">>that her demeanor is more tense than mellow. She seems to soften as you get closer, and you feel some inexplicable similarity to her. You get the sense that she feels the same.<</if>><<if $mood_cherry is "indifferent">>that her demeanor is more tense than mellow. She's seems especially attentive to you as you approach, as if efficiency is her top priority.<</if>> There's a brief moment where neither of you speak, and then you see the smallest hint of surprise on her face, as if she realized she somehow breached the social contract. "Welcome to Under-Cover. What can I help you with?" Her voice is quiet, light, and airy, and you get the immediate impression that she's not an outgoing person. "Hi. My name is $pc_name. I'm here about a job posting?" You phrase it as a question because some part of you still has a hard time believing the posting was real. It's not the woman that responds. Instead, the customer who is sitting on one of the sofas nearby, the one who you assumed was absorbed in his work, speaks up. "He's not going to hire you, so you might as well leave." The woman at the counter gives him an almost imperceptible glance. "Don't listen to him. He just wants the quiet back." The way she says it is so reflexive and nonchalant that you can only assume the man is either another employee or a regular. "So there is a job opening?" you say. The woman tilts her head, as if deep in thought about what to say. Eventually, she gives a slight nod. "There is, though the owner <i>is</i> kind of picky about who he hires." A kinder way of saying the same thing the man did. Almost as if picking up on your thoughts, the woman adds, "Maybe you're who he's looking for, though. I'll let him know you're here. He'll want to speak with you." She doesn't wait for your reply before she disappears behind the closed door that's nestled behind the counter. The young man is suddenly next to you, leaning loosely against the counter. You didn't even hear him move. You didn't pay him much mind before, but now he doesn't give you much choice; you can't help but take in his appearance when he's standing right in your face. The man is of average height with pale skin that would almost look sickly if he were any whiter. His short, feathered hair is mostly bleached with just a few green strands on either side of his face, though his eyebrows tell you his natural hair color is likely a shade of blond or light-brown. He wears street-style clothing that mostly hides his figure, though he seems more on the lean side. The looks he's sporting is completed with a set of modestly-sized gauges in his earlobes. The young man probably would have stood out in a crowd. As it is, he's the only person here, so there's no precedent to compare him to. Not unless you count the young woman that you just met. Compared to her, the two almost seem like polar opposites, especially in the way he regards you. <<if $pc_height is "average">>He looks directly at you, as if searching for something in your eyes that might betray your character.<</if>><<if $pc_height is "short">>He looks down at you, as if sizing you up, before his gaze falls straight on yours.<</if>><<if $pc_height is "tall">>He looks up at you with a challenging stare, unperturbed by the fact that you're taller than him.<</if>> <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I'm not about to let this guy intimidate me. I glare back at him.|undercoverA3.assertive][$assertive to $assertive +1,$teagan to $teagan +10]]<span id="hint"> (assertive)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I take a step back, uncomfortable with how close he is. "...Yes?"|undercoverA3.timid][$timid to $timid +1,$teagan to $teagan +5]]<span id="hint"> (timid)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I grin at him. "Careful, or your face will get stuck that way. At least, that's what they say."|undercoverA3.flippant][$flippant to $flippant +1,$teagan to $teagan +5]]<span id="hint"> (flippant)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I smile at him and attempt to clear the tension. "Hi, I'm $pc_name. Nice to meet you."|undercoverA3.friendly][$friendly to $friendly +1,$teagan to $teagan +10]]<span id="hint"> (friendly)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I ignore him and say nothing as I wait for the woman to return.|undercoverA3.taciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1]]<span id="hint"> (taciturn)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I get straight to the point. "What do you want?"|undercoverA3.skeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1]]<span id="hint"> (skeptical)</span></div>\

Awkward silence stretches between the two of you, both of you locked in a staring contest that you're unwilling to lose. Though the man's expression as he looks at you remains largely unchanged, his brows seem to move with his thoughts, conveying a mixture of emotions that you aren't able to identify. After what feels like an eternity, he stands up straight and sighs, putting an end to the standoff. "What exactly are you doing?" he asks as he crosses his arms. You can't help but scoff at his question. The nerve of this guy. You still can't tell if he's a customer himself or not. Not that it really matters. His attitude leaves something to be desired, and you aren't afraid to tell him as much. "You must drive a lot of customers away with that attitude," you say. "You're not a customer," he says plainly, tilting his head in the direction of the door where the young woman disappeared to. "Are <i>you</i> a customer? If so, I'm not sure that it's any of your business what I'm doing," you shoot back. The man scowls for the briefest moment before his face contorts into confusion, as if he's not sure whether to be annoyed or impressed that you aren't letting him walk all over you. Eventually, he shrugs and starts moving back toward the sofa he was previously sitting on. "Suit yourself. I hope you keep that confidence in your interview." "I'm not necessarily interviewing yet," you say, your eyes following him as he steps away. "Tell that to Ansel when he comes to talk to you," he says. "Ansel?" you can't help but echo. Not exactly a common name. "The owner," the man says as he sits back down, his back to you. He dives back in to whatever he was doing on his computer and says nothing else, and you get the feeling the conversation with him is over, so you turn back to the counter and wait expectantly for the woman to return. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercoverA4]]</div>\

The young man never takes his eyes off of you, and his intense scrutiny becomes uncomfortable enough that you find yourself practically squirming in place, looking for something to do with your hands or for anywhere to look but him. He takes this in too, and something crosses his features that you don't have time to decipher before he stands up straight and inches slightly away from you. "I'm just trying to figure out what you're doing here," he says, finally answering your question. By now your phone has found its way into your hand–something to fiddle with to cope with your nerves–and you hold it up slightly to him as you speak. "There was a job posting," you say. He continues to stare at you. For a moment, you're unsure if you spoke loud enough for him to hear until he raises a quizzical brow and says, "You sure you're up to it?" You can't figure out if he's mocking you or not. His tone is very matter-of-fact, but you're not sure how else you're supposed to take that statement, how you're supposed to respond. You settle for a tentative shrug. "I need a job." After giving you a thoughtful look, he shrugs and nods. "Been there. But you aren't gonna last long in this job if you can't handle meeting strangers." He shrugs and begins moving back toward the sofa he was previously sitting on. "Whatever. Guess that's Ansel's problem." "Ansel?" you can't help but echo. Not exactly a common name. "The owner," the man says as he sits back down, his back to you. He dives back in to whatever he was doing on his computer and says nothing else, and you get the feeling the conversation with him is over, so you turn back to the counter and wait expectantly for the woman to return. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercoverA4]]</div>\

The young man smirks in response, though you're enough of an expert on the expression to see that he's doing it more out of spite rather than any amount of amusement. Of course, while he may not be amused, you certainly are, and you have no qualms about poking a little bit further. "Yes, working those facial muscles will counteract the problem," you say with a toothy smirk of your own. "Well done. Keep at it." The young man frowns then and rolls his eyes. "Something tells me the two of you are going to get along," he mutters as he heads back toward his seat. "Oh, people just love me," you say, knowing you annoy as many people as you amuse. "But who specifically are you referring to." The man snorts as he settles back on the sofa with his laptop in front of him. "Ansel," he says without looking at you. "Ah, yes, Ansel. Because I know exactly who that is." After an exasperated sigh, the man says, "The owner. Y'know, the guy who's going to interview you?" He grumbles as he turns back to whatever he was doing, and you get the feeling that's the end of the conversation between the two of you. But an interview? You weren't necessarily expecting to just straight into that just yet, but you suppose that's fine. You turn back to the counter and wait expectantly for the woman to return. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercoverA4]]</div>\

The man frowns and raises a single brow at your introduction, the look punctuated with a ineloquent, "What?" "Sorry, I just figured you worked here, so I thought I should introduce myself." You, of course, still have no idea whether or not he works here, but you would rather get on his good side by being polite. The apology only serves to make him more confused, as if he's unacustomed to such forthright and friendly interaction. "I'm just trying to figure you out," he says. You note that he avoids saying whether or not he's an employee. "Well, you know my name. Is there something specific you were curious about?" You continue smiling at him, eager to convey that you're friendly and have good intentions. The man doesn't seem to know what to do with that. He furrows his brows, and a movement close to a shrug passed through his shoulders. "I was wondering why you'd want to work here," he says. "But I guess it's not much of a mystery." "What do you mean?" The man heads back toward his seat as he replies. "You're nice, almost sickeningly so. Ansel is probably gonna like you." "Ansel?" you can't help but echo. Not exactly a common name. "The owner," the man says as he sits back down, his back to you. He dives back in to whatever he was doing on his computer and says nothing else, and you get the feeling the conversation with him is over, so you turn back to the counter and wait expectantly for the woman to return. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercoverA4]]</div>\

It's hard to guess what the man thinks of you brushing him off without giving him your attention, but you can still see his brows furrow in your periphery as he continues to stare at you. "What is your problem?" he says. His tone borders on flat, as if he means to hide his frustration, but he does a poor job. Having been directly addressed, you finally look at him, and you imagine your expression matches his. "You're the one who approached me," you remind him. "Do you normally not say anything when someone approaches you?" "Do you normally not say anything when you approach someone?" you shoot back. There's a short silence between the two of you as you stare each other down. Then the man scoffs and heads back toward his seat on the sofa. "Have fun with your interview. I'm sure Ansel will love you," he says, no small amount of sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Ansel?" you can't help but echo. Not exactly a common name. "The owner," the man says as he sits back down, his back to you. He dives back in to whatever he was doing on his computer and says nothing else, and you get the feeling the conversation with him is over, so you turn back to the counter and wait expectantly for the woman to return. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercoverA4]]</div>\

The man inches back at your question, and you don't know if it's the question itself or your directness that surprises him more. He crosses his arms and says, "Just trying to figure out what your deal is." "For what reason? Unless you work here, I don't see how my presence should matter." You say it a little harsher than you mean to. You realize that you aren't making a good first impression, which would be bad if he <i>does</i> work here, but you can't bring yourself to feel bad about it. Not when his scrutinizing stare makes you so uncomfortable. The man scowls for the briefest moment before hhe raises his brows toughtfully, as if he's seriously considering your point. Eventually, he shrugs and starts moving back toward the sofa he was previously sitting on. "Point taken. Good luck in your interview." "I'm not necessarily interviewing yet," you say, your eyes following him as he steps away. "Tell that to Ansel when he comes to talk to you," he says. "Ansel?" you can't help but echo. Not exactly a common name. "The owner," the man says as he sits back down, his back to you. He dives back in to whatever he was doing on his computer and says nothing else, and you get the feeling the conversation with him is over, so you turn back to the counter and wait expectantly for the woman to return. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercoverA4]]</div>\

The door behind the counter opens back up a few seconds later. The familiar woman is the first to step through. A man, whom you assume to be Ansel, follows behind her. <<if $pc_height is "tall">>He's extremely tall and has a rigid posture that only makes him feel taller, even though you're around the same height.<</if>><<if $pc_height is "average">>He's quite a bit taller than you and has a rigid posture that only makes him feel taller.<</if>><<if $pc_height is "short">>He practically towers over you and has a rigid posture that only makes him feel taller.<</if>> He wears a light yellow, long-sleeved button-up shirt that's tucked into a black pair of slacks with some patterned suspenders. His eyes are mostly hidden behind the dark rectangular glasses that sit on his nose, and you can't tell if they're meant to be sunglasses or transition lenses. Most of his long golden-blond hair is tied back in a ponytail, but his fringe half-covers his eyes as well. Without a clear view of his face, it's hard to tell if the smile he wears is pleasant or calculated. "$pc_name, is it?" He hums, though you aren't sure if it's in thought or approval. Meeting the owner of this shop wasn't exactly something you planned for when you came here. Now that you're in front of him, and he's entirely not what you expected, you're at a bit of a loss for words. <<if $promphoto is true>>You keep thinking that you know him from somewhere, but you can't place where.<</if>> It takes you a moment to remember yourself and answer his question. "Yes, that's right. Nice to meet you," you say. You extend a hand and only hope that your brief moment of silence didn't give a bad impression. He doesn't break eye contact with you as he shakes your hand, nor does the smile ever drop from his face. Normally that wouldn't require special notice, but his gaze is unsettling, as if he's looking directly into your soul. "I'm Ansel. Please, come into my office." He beckons you with a hand and turns back to the door he just emerged from. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I stay where I am, a little uncertain about following him back there.|undercoverA5.1][$store_intro_negative to $store_intro_negative +1]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I follow behind him, curious to see where this whole thing goes.|undercoverA5.2][$store_intro_positive to $store_intro_positive +1]]</div>\

Ansel seems to sense that you aren't following and turns to check on you. Or maybe it was just coincidence. Either way, he still has a smile on his face, and you think there might be a little kindness behind it, though it's hard to tell. "I promise I don't bite," he says. You feel a little embarrassed that he felt the need to say that. Despite that, you take a deep breath, steeling yourself for whatever is ahead, and follow behind him. Maybe you only came here to placate Alex, but there <i>could</i> be a job in it for you. You can't afford to be picky, right? The office Ansel brings you to has the same dark color scheme as the rest of the cafe, only there's no entryway or windows to bring natural light into the room. There are several lamps with stained-glass shades sitting in various corners that keep the room fairly well-lit. The walls have bookshelves built into them, and many of the books lining the shelves seem to be old prints. In one corner of the room, there's a small staircase that must lead up into the home above. At the center is a Carlton House desk made from the same dark wood as the bookshelves. There are two wooden chairs in front of it along with one upholstered chair behind it which the man takes a seat in. In general, the whole room seems to be going for an antique style. This man, though a bit older than you, still seems too young to belong here. You take a seat in one of the two chairs across from him. "So, about your job posting," you mutter. Ansel crosses his legs and leans forward on his desk. He still has an indiscernable smile plastered to his face. "It's yours if you want it," he says. That definitely wasn't what you were expecting to hear, and you have trouble for a moment forming a coherent reply. "What? Just like that?" Ansel sighs and place a hand across his chest dramatically. "Of course, how stupid of me. I didn't tell you what the job is. It must have slipped my mind. You'd be organizing the shelves, keeping the store clean, and occasionally managing the register. I know Cherry would appreciate the help up there." The job is easy enough, but you're still dumbfounded. "I mean, you aren't going to ask me for a resume? Ask me any questions?" "Are there any specific questions you're hoping to answer?" Ansel tents his fingers on the desk in front of him and narrows his eyes. For a moment, you wonder if he really means for you to reply. The door chime sounding distantly through the building breaks the silence, and he speaks again. "Let's skip that whole farce, shall we? You're looking for work. I happen to have a position available. It seems like a perfect match, doesn't it?" <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"But why me? It seems a little too good to be true.\""|undercoverA6.skeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (skeptical)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Sure," I say with a grin. "We match just like book ends, sans the plethora of words between us."|undercoverA6.flippant][$flippant to $flippant +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (flippant)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"Hey, I'm not complaining, and I can do the job. It's just weird, is all.\""|undercoverA6.assertive][$assertive to $assertive +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (assertive)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["I guess," I say with a shrug, not sure I want to waste my breath arguing.|undercoverA6.taciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (taciturn)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"It's kind of you to make this so easy, but it is a little odd.\""|undercoverA6.friendly][$friendly to $friendly +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (friendly)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Well, it's just..." I stammer a little, unsure how to convey my thoughts.|undercoverA6.timid][$timid to $timid +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (timid)</span></div>\

Ansel checks over his shoulder as you walk, as if to make sure you're following behind. His eyes narrow with a pleased glint, more kind than self-satisfied. Were you full of doubts, it might be enough to erase them. As it stands, you can only think of satisfying your curiosity and finding whether or not this is truly the job that will help solve your problems. The office Ansel brings you to has the same dark color scheme as the rest of the cafe, only there's no entryway or windows to bring natural light into the room. There are several lamps with stained-glass shades sitting in various corners that keep the room fairly well-lit. The walls have bookshelves built into them, and many of the books lining the shelves seem to be old prints. In one corner of the room, there's a small staircase that must lead up into the home above. At the center is a Carlton House desk made from the same dark wood as the bookshelves. There are two wooden chairs in front of it along with one upholstered chair behind it which the man takes a seat in. In general, the whole room seems to be going for an antique style. This man, though a bit older than you, still seems too young to belong here. You take a seat in one of the two chairs across from him. "So, about your job posting," you mutter. Ansel crosses his legs and leans forward on his desk. He still has an indiscernable smile plastered to his face. "It's yours if you want it," he says. That definitely wasn't what you were expecting to hear, and you have trouble for a moment forming a coherent reply. "What? Just like that?" Ansel sighs and place a hand across his chest dramatically. "of course, how stupid of me. I didn't tell you what the job is. I must have slipped my mind. You'd be organizing the shelves, keeping the store clean, and occasionally managing the register. I know Cherry would appreciate the help up there." The job is easy enough, but you're still dumbfounded. "I mean, you aren't going to ask me for a resume? Ask me any questions?" "Are there any specific questions you're hoping to answer?" Ansel tents his fingers on the desk in front of him and narrows his eyes. For a moment, you wonder if he really means for you to reply. The door chime sounding distantly through the building breaks the silence, and he speaks again. "Let's skip that whole farce, shall we? You're looking for work. I happen to have a position available. It seems like a perfect match, doesn't it?" <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"But why me? It seems a little too good to be true.\""|undercoverA6.skeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (skeptical)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Sure," I say with a grin. "We match just like book ends, sans the plethora of words between us."|undercoverA6.flippant][$flippant to $flippant +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (flippant)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"Hey, I'm not complaining, and I can do the job. It's just weird, is all.\""|undercoverA6.assertive][$assertive to $assertive +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (assertive)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["I guess," I say with a shrug, not sure I want to waste my breath arguing.|undercoverA6.taciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (taciturn)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"It's kind of you to make this so easy, but it is a little odd.\""|undercoverA6.friendly][$friendly to $friendly +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (friendly)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Well, it's just..." I stammer a little, unsure how to convey my thoughts.|undercoverA6.timid][$timid to $timid +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (timid)</span></div>\

"Why not you? Can you think of some reason why you're not the right person for this job?" Ansel laughs. "That's something most employers ask, isn't it? You seem not to trust me, so I'll be completely honest with you. I don't care much about any of that. I only care that you seem to have found just the place you need when you need it. It's up to you if you want to follow that through." Ansel stands up and sighs then. His smile is never completely gone, but his expression transforms into one slightly more serious. He slides the glasses off of his face. You see his eyes clearly for the first time, two different colors staring back at you, one blue and one brown. "It's not my intention to pressure you into a decision," he says. "But I meant what I said. The job is yours if you want it. Why not take some time to consider it and come back in a few days? There's no rush." It's impossible not to wonder about his motives, regardless of how he tries to ease your suspicion. If anything, you're left feeling more suspicious than before after his somewhat flowery speech. In your opinion, if "ulterior motives" had a name and face, both would be Ansel. You get the feeling from the way he looks at you, the steady stare and unflinching smile, that he knows exactly how much you don't trust him. He knows, and he doesn't care. "How about I just leave," you say, and it's not a question, but Ansel responds anyway. "I won't stop you. You think this is a trap or some kind of scheme, but it's not. It's just a door, one tha topens both ways." He crosses his arms. Everything about his demeanor seems like he's daring you to do something, but you aren't sure what. Then he says, "If we don't meet again, I wish you luck." You stand, grateful for the out, and walk out the door you came in, sparing Ansel one last curious glance before you go. He's watching you intently, smile held firm on his face, but brows furrowed in a way that suggests curiosity. That strikes you as odd considering he had the chance to ask you questions and chose not to, but he doesn't say anything else before you leave, and you don't either. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercoverA7]]</div>\

Ansel shows teeth with his return green, and they're as straight as his posture when he's standing. "More words wouldn't change my mind about hiring you. Would they change your mind about considering the job?" Ansel stands up and sighs then. His smile is never completely gone, but his expression transforms into one slightly more serious. He slides the glasses off of his face. You see his eyes clearly for the first time, two different colors staring back at you, one blue and one brown. "It's not my intention to pressure you into a decision," he says. "But I meant what I said. The job is yours if you want it. Why not take some time to consider it and come back in a few days? There's no rush." "I don't know about that," you say with a smirk. "If you're this easy with everyone who applies, you'll have people lining up out the door to fill the position." Ansel's smile grows long and sly at that. "You're assuming I offer the job to anyone who walks through the door." You scoff. It's hard to believe considering how this "interview" has gone so far. What makes you different? You doubt you'd get a straight answer if you asked, so you don't bother. "Looks like you really rolled out the red carpet for me then," you say. "I should leave before I wear it out." "By all means," Ansel says, gesturing openly toward the door. "I look forward to seeing what you decide." With that comment, you decide it's time to make your leave. You stand and go back through the door you came in, sparing Ansel one last curious glance before you go. He's watching you intently, smile held firm on his face, but brows furrowed in a way that suggests curiosity. That strikes you as odd considering he had the chance to ask you questions and chose not to, but he doesn't say anything else before you leave, and you don't either. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercoverA7]]</div>\

"Weird?" Ansel repeats. A chuckle escapes his lips. "Yes, I've been called weird more than once." "I wasn't talking about you," you say with no other words to offer in defense. You can't bring yourself to directly deny that maybe he is a little weird. "At this point in my life, I consider it a compliment," he says with a wicked smile. "Okay, then maybe you are a little weird." Even if you were to feel bad about the statement, which you don't, it doesn't bother Ansel. It only makes him laugh more, as if to a joke that no one else is aware of. Once the air between you has settled, Ansel stands up and sighs. His smile is never completely gone, but his expression transforms into one slightly more serious. He slides the glasses off of his face. You see his eyes clearly for the first time, two different colors staring back at you, one blue and one brown. "It's not my intention to pressure you into a decision," he says. "But I meant what I said. The job is yours if you want it. Why not take some time to consider it and come back in a few days? There's no rush." "You couldn't pressure me into a decision if you tried," you say, your tone sharp and straightforward. "Good to hear," Ansel says, leaning on his desk slightly. "I look forward to your decision." He gestures politely toward the door, and you take that as your cue to leave. You spare Ansel one last curious glance before you go. He's watching you intently, smile held firm on his face, but brows furrowed in a way that suggests curiosity. That strikes you as odd considering he had the chance to ask you questions and chose not to, but he doesn't say anything else before you leave, and you don't either. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercoverA7]]</div>\

Ansel's smile grows wider, as if relishing in a secret only he knows. "It sounds like you've decided not to worry about it. Good. I'm sure there are more important things to think about. Why waste time on a masquerade?" Ansel stands up and sighs then. His smile is never completely gone, but his expression transforms into one slightly more serious. He slides the glasses off of his face. You see his eyes clearly for the first time, two different colors staring back at you, one blue and one brown. "It's not my intention to pressure you into a decision," he says. "But I meant what I said. The job is yours if you want it. Why not take some time to consider it and come back in a few days? There's no rush." You shrug once again, unsure of how else to respond. "Sure, I'll do that," you say. "It's been a genuine pleasure," he says. You're too aware of how you normally come across to believe that for a second, but you nod amicably anyway. "I hope you return soon with a favorable reply." The smile Ansel gives you then is odd, as if he thinks you'll say yes, but he doesn't wait for you to make up your mind right now. Instead, he politely gestures toward the door, and you take that as your cue to leave, sparing Ansel one last curious glance before you go. He's watching you intently, smile held firm on his face, but brows furrowed in a way that suggests curiosity. That strikes you as odd considering he had the chance to ask you questions and chose not to, but he doesn't say anything else before you leave, and you don't either. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercoverA7]]</div>\

Ansel's smile seems to turn a bit soft then, and he answers an unspoken question. "I know that you're more than you seem to be, and I know that you came here for an odd job posting that you could have just ignored. You either think this is the right job for you or you're curious. Neither of those are bad things." Ansel stands up and sighs then. His smile is never completely gone, but his expression transforms into one slightly more serious. He slides the glasses off of his face. You see his eyes clearly for the first time, two different colors staring back at you, one blue and one brown. "It's not my intention to pressure you into a decision," he says. "But I meant what I said. The job is yours if you want it. Why not take some time to consider it and come back in a few days? There's no rush." "I'm still not sure that I understand," you say with a tentative smile, "but I'll give it some thought." "Even if you don't accept the offer, you're always welcome to return as a customer," Ansel says. "Perhaps that will satisfy your curiosity." He gestures politely toward the door, and you take that as your cue to leave. You spare Ansel one last curious glance before you go. He's watching you intently, smile held firm on his face, but brows furrowed in a way that suggests curiosity. That strikes you as odd considering he had the chance to ask you questions and chose not to, but he doesn't say anything else before you leave, and you don't either. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercoverA7]]</div>\

Ansel's expression grows softer at your fumbled words, and he seems to understand the question that you wanted to ask. "I'm not in the habit of torturing people with inane interview questions and false niceties," he explains. "I would much rather just see if you can do the work." He stands up and sighs then. His smile is never completely gone, but his expression transforms into one more serious. He slides the glasses off of his face. You see his eyes clearly for the first time, two different colors staring back at you, one blue and one brown. "It's not my intention to pressure you into a decision," he says. "But I meant what I said. The job is yours if you want it. Why not take some time to consider it and come back in a few days? There's no rush." It may not be his intention to pressure you, but you feel pressured all the same, especially with the way Ansel seems so sure of himself. His confidence makes you feel small, and it's all you can do not to shrink in the chair before him. "Okay," you say, your voice barely loud enough to carry, "I'll think about it." Ansel sits back down slowly and carefully, as if he's trying not to scare you. "It's been a pleasure meeting you, $pc_name. I'm glad you stopped by," he says. Then he gestures toward the door. The sincerity of his words helps to calm your nerves a bit, and you manage a nod. "It was nice to meet you too." With that, you stand and head for the door, spearing Ansel one last curious glance before you go. He's watching you intently, smile held firm on his face, but brows furrowed in a way that suggests curiosity. That strikes you as odd considering he had the chance to ask you questions and chose not to, but he doesn't say anything else before you leave, and you don't either. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|undercoverA7]]</div>\

<<set $pc_met_ansel to true>>\ <<notify>>A new character has been added to your journal.<</notify>>\ You catch the young woman at the counter staring as you return. Her eyes must have been on the door, but they snap to yours as you open it, and she immediately looks down. She speaks in such a quiet voice that you almost don't hear her. "I hope everything went okay." <<if $store_intro_negative gt $store_intro_positive>>You hesitate to answer, knowing this perhaps impulsive venture hasn't been your favorite so far. But you know she's trying to be polite, so you nod and say, "I don't know if I'm coming back though."<<elseif $store_intro_positive gt $store_intro_negative>>"I think so," you say, thinking back on your conversation with Ansel. He was odd, no doubt about it, but overall you don't think your time spent here has been bad. "I might come back in a few days."<<else>>You shrug. "I guess so. I mean, I don't know if I'm taking the job yet."<</if>> She looks up at you, this time not shying away. "I understand. It's not an easy decision to make, but I hope you do. I know Ansel seems odd, but he's kind and he means well. I think you should give him a chance." She adds a shrug at the last second, as if she doesn't find her argument very convincing. "I'm Cherry, by the way. In case you do come back." Her introduction is less than enthusiastic, but you're not so sure you're the reason for that. You consider extending your hand for a shake, but you aren't so sure she would take it, so you settle for words. "I'm $pc_name. It was nice to meet you." "You too," she says with a small nod. With that, you head for the exit. The door opens nearly at the same time you reach it, and you almost end up running into someone on the way out. As it is, the little bell above the door serves as your warning, and you sidestep out of the way just in time. "Whoops! Sorry about that, hon!" The fashionable woman standing before you gives you an apologetic smile. She reaches out a hand, as if to touch your shoulder and steady you, though she stops just short of actually touching you. Just the same, there's no real harm done. Before you can reply, however, she shimmies past you to speak with Cherry. It's not until that moment you notice the young man is gone, but, rather than ponder over your weird encounter with him any further, you turn away and head out the door, ready to put the place behind you for now. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae1]]</div>\

The voice startles you away from your focus, and it's only in that moment you realize there is someone standing behind you. You turn to face the person and are greeted by a woman who is standing much closer than you expect. You take an instinctive step back, and something about that action makes her grin, though she says nothing about it. The young woman <<if $pc_height is "tall">>is a bit shorter than you, though not by much.<<elseif $pc_height is "short">>has quite a bit of height on you, being on the taller side of average.<<else>>is around the same height as you, perhaps on the taller side of average.<</if>> She has an athletic build and prominent features in the form of her sharp cheekbones and strong jaw. Her eyes and skin are both a rich dark brown, along with her hair, which is sitting in a braided updo atop her head. Her smile is nearly as bright as her wardrobe, which consists of many different patterns and colors that combine into a very fashionable ensemble, complete with some modern accessories. If you ever needed fashion advice, she seems like she'd be a good person to know. You manage to just catch yourself from gaping like a fish and looking like a fool in your surprised silence, but the quiet between you is still long enough that she feels the need to speak again. "It's open. You can go inside," she says, as if you can't read the hours printed on the door right in front of you. Before you can even retort as much, she continues, "Unless you need help? Or maybe you're looking for someone?" The smile on her face makes it difficult to tell whether or not she's teasing. Either way, she waits expectantly for a response. She's entirely too pleased, your presence clearly more interesting to her than whatever business she had before she ran into you. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["I'm conducting a social experiment. To see who passes by and who talks to me," I say with a grin of my own.|undercoverB3.flippant][$flippant to $flippant +1,$lucia to $lucia +10,$mood_lucia to "amused but wary"]]<span id="hint"> (flippant)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I want to know what her deal if, even if I come across as rude. "Why are you talking to me?"|undercoverB3.skeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1,$lucia to $lucia +5,$mood_lucia to "respectful but wary"]]<span id="hint"> (skeptical)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[She probably just wants through the door. I say nothing and step aside.|undercoverB3.taciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1,$mood_lucia to "indifferent but wary"]]<span id="hint"> (taciturn)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I assume she's being sincere and give her a sincere response as I clear the way for her. "I'm okay. Thank you, though."|undercoverB3.friendly][$friendly to $friendly +1,$lucia to $lucia +5,$mood_lucia to "indifferent but trusting"]]<span id="hint"> (friendly)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Don't need help, and I'm not looking for anyone. I'm just checking the place out." Why lie about that?|undercoverB3.assertive][$assertive to $assertive +1,$mood_lucia to "respectful but wary"]]<span id="hint"> (assertive)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I shrink in on myself and move from in front of the doorway. "Sorry."|undercoverB3.timid][$timid to $timid +1,$lucia to $lucia +5,$mood_lucia to "pitying and trusting"]]<span id="hint"> (timid)</span></div>\

Your words are met with genuine laughter that lights up her face and makes her eyes squint with delight. Now that you have something to compare it to, her previous smile was closer to friendly skepticism than anything else. This one is full of amusement and colors her whole demeanor. You can't help but return her laughter. "What are the results so far?" she asks. "Seeing as you're the only one who has passed by... Inconclusive." The woman hisses in sympathy. "Sounds like you've got a long afternoon ahead of you." The grimace on her face makes you realize she might actually be taking you seriously. "It's an interesting idea," you say with a grin, "but I'm not actually conducting a social experiment." "Obviously." The skeptical smile returns to her face again as though it never left. She was playing the game with you, but now the game is over and her curiosity has returned. "So what <i>are</i> you doing?" You decide against sharing every detail of your day with a complete stranger and settle for a white lie. "There was an ad for this place. I was just coming to check it out." "I'm sure it looks better from the inside," she says. "I'm here looking into a job opening myself. You seem harmless, hon, but I've been wrong about people before. In case I end up working here and you end up being some kind of creep, just know that I can and will kick your ass if I have to." The words are cheerful without a hint of aggression or malice, and that makes her threat all the more believable. The thought crosses your mind to tell her the truth—that you're also here looking into a job opening—but that opens a whole other can of worms. 'But why did you lie? But did you only say that because you really <i>are</i> some kind of creep? But why are you explaining yourself to a total stranger anyway?' However it swings, it sounds like an annoying situation you'd rather not deal with. So you smile at her and say, "Consider me thoroughly warned. For now, how about I just get out of your way?" You step to the side, giving her unimpeded access to the store. She seems satisfied with your answer, at least enough to give a playful little shrug of her shoulders. "Thanks?" she says as she moves past you. "I'd say it was nice to meet you, but, well, it wasn't really much of an introduction." Clearly a proper introduction is the last thing on her mind; she heads down the stairs, small bell ringing as she slips behind the glass door and disappears into the shop. You're left standing there alone in the wake of the strange meeting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[So much for good impressions.|undercoverB4a][$outlook to $outlook -5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Well, that could have gone worse.|undercoverB4b]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I think that went pretty well, all things considered.|undercoverB4c][$outlook to $outlook +5]]</div>\

A chuckle escapes her, though it's more mocking than anything else. "Well, you <i>are</i> the one just standing here." "Minding my own business," you say. "Maybe you should try it." She laughs again, though this time she seems genuinely amused, maybe even a little impressed. "You have me there," she says. "But I think it is my business if there's a potential creep loitering around a place that I plan to frequent." Random stranger: 1. You: 0. "I see your point," you concede, though you don't drop the pensive frown on your face. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to make anyone uncomfortable." "Then what were you doing?" You decide against sharing every detail of your day with a complete stranger and settle for a white lie. "There was an ad for this place. I was just coming to check it out." "I'm sure it looks better from the inside," she says. "I'm here looking into a job opening myself. You seem harmless, hon, but I've been wrong about people before. In case I end up working here and you have ill intentions, just know that I can and will kick your ass if I have to." The words are cheerful without a hint of aggression or malice, and that makes her threat all the more believable. The thought crosses your mind to tell her the truth—that you're also here looking into a job opening—but that opens a whole other can of worms. 'But why did you lie? But did you only say that because you really <i>are</i> some kind of creep? But why are you explaining yourself to a total stranger anyway?' However it swings, it sounds like an annoying situation you'd rather not deal with. So you nod at her and say, "Consider me thoroughly warned. For now, how about I just get out of your way?" You step to the side, giving her unimpeded access to the store. She seems satisfied with your answer, at least enough to give a playful little shrug of her shoulders. "Thanks?" she says as she moves past you. "I'd say it was nice to meet you, but, well, it wasn't really much of an introduction." Clearly a proper introduction is the last thing on her mind; she heads down the stairs, small bell ringing as she slips behind the glass door and disappears into the shop. You're left standing there alone in the wake of the strange meeting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[So much for good impressions.|undercoverB4a][$outlook to $outlook -5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Well, that could have gone worse.|undercoverB4b]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I think that went pretty well, all things considered.|undercoverB4c][$outlook to $outlook +5]]</div>\

She raises a brow at your movement, obviously not sure what to make of you. "Thanks?" she says. "But I didn't say something because I want you to move. Well, not <i>only</i> that anyway." You raise your own brow back at her. "I'm not really looking for idle conversation with a total stranger. No offense." That makes her laugh, and her expression softens a bit. "Thanks for clearing that up," she jokes. "I wouldn't have normally bothered you, but the way you were just kind of hanging out in front of the door... It was a little weird." You glance away from her and hum. "Sorry that I blocked your way. I was just thinking." "About?" You can't help but look back up at her at the rather nosy question, but she seems completely unconcerned that she might be overstepping. You decide against sharing every detail of your day with a complete stranger and settle for a white lie. "There was an ad for this place. I was just coming to check it out." "I'm sure it looks better from the inside," she says. "I'm here looking into a job opening myself. You seem harmless, hon, but I've been wrong about people before. In case I end up working here and you have ill intentions, just know that I can and will kick your ass if I have to." The words are cheerful without a hint of aggression or malice, and that makes her threat all the more believable. The thought crosses your mind to tell her the truth—that you're also here looking into a job opening—but that opens a whole other can of worms. 'But why did you lie? But did you only say that because you really <i>are</i> some kind of creep? But why are you explaining yourself to a total stranger anyway?' However it swings, it sounds like an annoying situation you'd rather not deal with. So you nod at her and say, "Noted. I'm not here to cause problems. I was just leaving anyway." She seems satisfied with your answer, at least enough to give a playful little shrug of her shoulders. "I'd say it was nice to meet you, but, well, it wasn't really much of an introduction." Clearly a proper introduction is the last thing on her mind; she heads down the stairs, small bell ringing as she slips behind the glass door and disappears into the shop. You're left standing there alone in the wake of the strange meeting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[So much for good impressions.|undercoverB4a][$outlook to $outlook -5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Well, that could have gone worse.|undercoverB4b]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I think that went pretty well, all things considered.|undercoverB4c][$outlook to $outlook +5]]</div>\

The woman laughs a little at this, as though she thinks you might be joking. When she realizes you aren't, her expression straightens out a bit. "I appreciate your bluntness, but it still doesn't exactly put me at ease about the fact that you're creeping around outside." "I'm not 'creeping around,'" you complain. "Then what would you call it?" She tilts her head and seems more amused by the situation than concerned. "I was just scoping the place out," you say. Realizing that doesn't sound much better, you add, "There was an advertisement for this place. I was just looking." "I'm sure it looks better from the inside," she says. "I'm here looking into a job opening myself. You seem harmless, hon, but I've been wrong about people before. In case I end up working here and you have ill intentions, just know that I can and will kick your ass if I have to." The words are cheerful without a hint of aggression or malice, and that makes her threat all the more believable. The thought crosses your mind to tell her the truth—that you're also here looking into a job opening—but that opens a whole other can of worms. 'But why did you lie? But did you only say that because you really <i>are</i> some kind of creep? But why are you explaining yourself to a total stranger anyway?' However it swings, it sounds like an annoying situation you'd rather not deal with. So you nod at her and say, "I can see where I was in the wrong here. Why don't I just get on my way and let you pass." You step aside and angle yourself to leave. She seems satisfied with your answer, at least enough to give a playful little shrug of her shoulders. "Thanks?" she says as she moves past you. "I'd say it was nice to meet you, but, well, it wasn't really much of an introduction." Clearly a proper introduction is the last thing on her mind; she heads down the stairs, small bell ringing as she slips behind the glass door and disappears into the shop. You're left standing there alone in the wake of the strange meeting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[So much for good impressions.|undercoverB4a][$outlook to $outlook -5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Well, that could have gone worse.|undercoverB4b]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I think that went pretty well, all things considered.|undercoverB4c][$outlook to $outlook +5]]</div>\

Despite her attempts to maintain a neutral façade, concern flashes on the woman's face. She chuckles suddenly as though to cover it up and says, "Hey, you don't have to be sorry. It's not like you were doing anything wrong... were you?" You aren't surprised by the question. If you saw someone loitering outside a place you were about to walk into, you might be wary too. It's obvious she feels bad for startling you but doesn't want to risk completely letting her guard down with a stranger. "Sorry," you say again. "I was just looking." "I'm sure it looks better from the inside," she says. "I'm here looking into a job opening myself. You seem harmless, hon, but I've been wrong about people before. In case I end up working here and you have ill intentions, just know that I can and will kick your ass if I have to." The words are cheerful without a hint of aggression or malice, and that makes her threat all the more believable. The thought crosses your mind to tell her the truth—that you're also here looking into a job opening—but that opens a whole other can of worms. 'But why did you lie? But did you only say that because you really <i>are</i> some kind of creep? But why are you explaining yourself to a total stranger anyway?' However it swings, it sounds like an annoying situation you'd rather not deal with. So you nod at her and say, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. Please, go ahead. Sorry again." She seems satisfied with your answer, at least enough to shrug her shoulders and begin moving past you. She says, "You apologized three times in less than thirty seconds. If you weren't doing anything wrong, try not to worry so much." She gives you a quick wink before she heads down the stairs, small bell ringing as she slips behind the glass door and disappears into the shop. You're left standing there alone in the wake of the strange meeting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[So much for good impressions.|undercoverB4a][$outlook to $outlook -5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Well, that could have gone worse.|undercoverB4b]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I think that went pretty well, all things considered.|undercoverB4c][$outlook to $outlook +5]]</div>\

She smiles politely in response, though she remains standing where she is. "You sure?" she says. "You seemed pretty lost in thought for a second there." "Yeah. I was just looking," you say. Then as a quick white lie you add, "I saw an ad for this place. I was just checking it out." "I'm sure it looks better from the inside," she says. "I'm here looking into a job opening myself. You seem harmless, hon, but I've been wrong about people before. In case I end up working here and you have ill intentions, just know that I can and will kick your ass if I have to." The words are cheerful without a hint of aggression or malice, and that makes her threat all the more believable. The thought crosses your mind to tell her the truth—that you're also here looking into a job opening—but that opens a whole other can of worms. 'But why did you lie? But did you only say that because you really <i>are</i> some kind of creep? But why are you explaining yourself to a total stranger anyway?' However it swings, it sounds like an annoying situation you'd rather not deal with. So you nod at her and say, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make anyone uncomfortable. Please, go ahead." She seems satisfied with your answer, at least enough to give a playful little shrug of her shoulders. "Thanks?" she says as she moves past you. "I'd say it was nice to meet you, but, well, it wasn't really much of an introduction." Clearly a proper introduction is the last thing on her mind; she heads down the stairs, small bell ringing as she slips behind the glass door and disappears into the shop. You're left standing there alone in the wake of the strange meeting. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[So much for good impressions.|undercoverB4a][$outlook to $outlook -5]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Well, that could have gone worse.|undercoverB4b]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I think that went pretty well, all things considered.|undercoverB4c][$outlook to $outlook +5]]</div>\

If your goal was to leave a good impression on anyone you ran into today, you've thoroughly failed. Regardless of your feelings about the admittedly small amount you've seen of Under-Cover, attempting to get a job here is starting to seem like a bad idea. Especially if your newest acquaintance ends up working there as well. You linger outside the shop for a few precious seconds, mulling over the awkward encounter before deciding that you really should leave before you draw the wrong kind of attention. Maybe you'll come back another time, or maybe you won't come back at all. The only thing for sure is that your reconaissance was a bust, and there's nothing left for you here. You turn on your heel to leave, but you only make it a few steps before the shop's bell rings once again. Caught between the decision to turn around or keep going, you end up frozen in place. It's a decision, of a sort, one to do nothing and see what happens. There's no guarantee that the person leaving the shop is approaching you, after all. But the steps up the stairs are slow and deliberate, and you get the feeling that whoever is climbing the steps is here precisely for you. That feeling is validated less than a second later when a smooth voice greets your eardrums. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"Leaving so soon?\""|undercoverB5]]</div>\

As far as you can tell, that woman remains wary of you. Still, her smiles and laughter seemed more genuine than polite, so at the very least you didn't completely butcher your first impression with her. Any attempts to press the matter might backfire, though, so following her inside would be a bad idea. Perhaps it's best that the conversation ended there. You linger outside the shop for a few precious seconds, mulling over the awkward encounter before deciding that you really should leave before you draw the wrong kind of attention. Maybe you'll come back another time, or maybe you won't come back at all. The only thing for sure is that your reconaissance was a bust, and there's nothing left for you here. You turn on your heel to leave, but you only make it a few steps before the shop's bell rings once again. Caught between the decision to turn around or keep going, you end up frozen in place. It's a decision, of a sort, one to do nothing and see what happens. There's no guarantee that the person leaving the shop is approaching you, after all. But the steps up the stairs are slow and deliberate, and you get the feeling that whoever is climbing the steps is here precisely for you. That feeling is validated less than a second later when a smooth voice greets your eardrums. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"Leaving so soon?\""|undercoverB5]]</div>\

There are a million different ways loitering around outside this shop could have gone bad. A total stranger questioning you with a healthy amount of suspicion and then going about her business is probably one of the better things that could have happened. Still, it might be better to leave now while luck is still on your side. You linger outside the shop for a few precious seconds, mulling over the awkward encounter. Then you make good on your choice to leave before you draw the wrong kind of attention. Maybe you'll come back another time, or maybe you won't come back at all. The only thing for sure is that your reconaissance was a bust, and there's nothing left for you here. You turn on your heel to leave, but you only make it a few steps before the shop's bell rings once again. Caught between the decision to turn around or keep going, you end up frozen in place. It's a decision, of a sort, one to do nothing and see what happens. There's no guarantee that the person leaving the shop is approaching you, after all. But the steps up the stairs are slow and deliberate, and you get the feeling that whoever is climbing the steps is here precisely for you. That feeling is validated less than a second later when a smooth voice greets your eardrums. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"Leaving so soon?\""|undercoverB5]]</div>\

You turn to see a man, having just come out of the shop, standing behind you. <<if $pc_height is "tall">>He's extremely tall and has a rigid posture that only makes him feel taller, even though you're around the same height.<</if>><<if $pc_height is "average">>He's quite a bit taller than you and has a rigid posture that only makes him feel taller.<</if>><<if $pc_height is "short">>He practically towers over you and has a rigid posture that only makes him feel taller.<</if>> He wears a light yellow, long-sleeved button-up shirt that's tucked into a black pair of slacks with some patterned suspenders. His eyes are mostly hidden behind the dark rectangular glasses that sit on his nose, and it's even harder to see them as the transition lenses adjust to the outdoor light. Most of his long golden-blond hair is tied back in a ponytail, but his fringe half-covers his eyes as well. He wears a smile that seems both pleasant and calculated. To say you feel awkward getting stopped by whoever this man is would be a massive understatement, but there's a serenity about his demeanor that helps qualm some of your anxiety—at least enough to answer his question. "I was just passing by," you say, gesturing vaguely along the path of the sidewalk. "You've been standing out here for a while," he notes, though the statement seems factual rather than judgmental. You give him a confused stare, and he answers before you have to ask the question. "Cameras," he says, smiling a bit wider. Of course cameras. You're not sure what you expected—maybe that a little hole-in-the-wall place like this wouldn't have exterior cameras or something. You don't see any with a quick glance, though, so they must be well-hidden. "Right," you say, suppressing a mortified groan. "I was just debating whether or not to go inside." "And decided against it?" You're not sure why he looks so amused when he asks that, but it bristles you. "I just have somewhere else to be," you say, and it's not a total lie considering the plans to meet with your brother later. "Of course," he says with a nod, though from his smug smile you can tell he's not buying it. "Are you sure you don't want to pop in? I could offer you a coffee or tea, on the house." Great, as if getting caught standing outside by a possible future employee wasn't embarrassing enough already, now you've been caught by someone in charge. Or at least someone high enough on the ladder to offer you something for free. You hunch your shoulders, but it's not like there's anywhere to hide, so you have no choice but to bear the discomfort—which, by the way, is only getting worse the longer you don't say anything. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I'm pretty sure he's trying to get rid of me. No reason I shouldn't comply.|undercoverb6.skeptical][$skeptical to $skeptical +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (skeptical)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[When in doubt, deflect. "I go in for a free drink and next thing you know I'm buying a bunch of books. I'll pass," I say with a grin.|undercoverb6.flippant][$flippant to $flippant +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (flippant)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[A firm denial is best here. "I really do have somewhere to be. I will not be coming in."|undercoverb6.assertive][$assertive to $assertive +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (assertive)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["No thanks," I say, not wanting to drag this out any further. "I'll just go."|undercoverb6.taciturn][$taciturn to $taciturn +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (taciturn)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[The only thing worse than saying something would be saying nothing at all. "No thank you," I mumble.|undercoverb6.timid][$timid to $timid +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (timid)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Meeting kindness with kindness hasn't steered me wrong so far. I smile and say, "That's okay, but thanks for the offer."|undercoverb6.friendly][$friendly to $friendly +1,$ansel to $ansel +10]]<span id="hint"> (friendly)</span></div>\

<<calcmainstat>>\ <<set $prog to "ch2">>\ <<set $savetitle to "Chapter 3 - Sungjae">>\ <<notify>>The game has been autosaved.<</notify>>\ <div class="header">Chapter 3</div> <div class="subheader">Sungjae</div> You've never known Sungjae to be late for anything. He's always disturbingly on time, down to the very second, as if he has to carefully slot in every activity, errand, meeting, or meal into his day. That may not be far from the truth considering how busy his job keeps him—it's no wonder he doesn't like to spend his free time talking about work. <<if $sungjae lt 50>>Despite not being very close, he still somehow makes time to fit you in.<<else>>It's difficult for him to fit even you in, though he always finds a way.<</if>> The regular family dinners seem to be the only time he has extra minutes to spare. You agreed to meet him at the park. He offered to treat you to a late lunch, but you didn't want him driving you anywhere. <<if $sungjae gte 70>>You love your brother, but you want to be able to walk away from the conversation if it becomes too much.<<elseif $sungjae lt 50>>No sense in letting your overbearing brother trap you in a situation you don't want to be in.<<else>>You want to be able to walk away from the conversation if it doesn't go well.<</if>> You agreed to him picking up food instead—he wouldn't take no for an answer. He spots you before you spot him where he's standing, probably because he'd been pacing and checking his watch. He's wearing a blue button-down shirt with a jacket, black chinos, and loafers—a telltale outfit indicating he either came from the office or is planning to go there after your meeting. As you approach, his face lights up, and he moves closer instantly with his arms spread wide for a hug. <<if $sungjae gt 50>> <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I give him a hug, of course. An extra tight one for good measure.|Sungjae2][$sungjae to $sungjae +10,$shug to "1"]]<span id="hint"> 🤝🏽➕➕ </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Typical Sungjae. Hugs are his natural form of greeting. I give him what he wants.|Sungjae2][$sungjae to $sungjae +5,$shug to "2"]]<span id="hint"> 🤝🏽➕ </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I give him a small wave and a smile—I don't feel like a hug right now.|Sungjae2][$shug to "4"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I lean into him with a one-armed hug, mostly to appease him, but I'm not comfortable.|Sungjae2][$sungjae to $sungjae -5,$shug to "3"]]<span id="hint"> 🤝🏽➖ </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I cross my arms to clearly state my denial.|Sungjae2][$sungjae to $sungjae -10,$shug to "5"]]<span id="hint"> 🤝🏽➖ </span></div>\<</if>> <<if $sungjae lte 50>><div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I give him a hug and find myself holding on tighter than I expected.|Sungjae2][$sungjae to $sungjae +10,$shug to "1"]]<span id="hint"> 🤝🏽➕ </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Typical Sungjae. Hugs are his natural form of greeting. I give him what he wants.|Sungjae2][$sungjae to $sungjae +5,$shug to "2"]]<span id="hint"> 🤝🏽➕ </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I lean into him with a one-armed hug, mostly to appease him, but I'm not comfortable.|Sungjae2][$sungjae to $sungjae +5,$shug to "3"]]<span id="hint"> 🤝🏽➕ </span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I give him a small wave as a peace offering, but I don't feel like a hug right now.|Sungjae2][$shug to "4"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I cross my arms to clearly state my denial.|Sungjae2][$sungjae to $sungjae -5,$shug to "5"]]<span id="hint"> 🤝🏽➖ </span></div>\<</if>>

Shoplifting is best deterred by a smile—you remember that's a tactic used by a lot of retail stores. You're not here to shoplift, but this guy doesn't know that. His approach to your apparent loitering is much different from the woman you met a few minutes ago, but you get the sense that the goal is the same: to get you to leave. It's not a hard decision to make since that's what you were planning to do anyway. "No thanks," you say, playing along with him. "I was just leaving." The pleasant smile stays on his face, but he seems neither disappointed nor triumphant by your refusal. In fact, you can't read anything behind that smile at all. If this is the man's poker face, it's a damn good one. "As you wish," the man says as he crosses his arms in front of his chest. "You're welcome back any time." This, too, you suspect is a generic customer service statement. He's likely hoping you won't come back, and you have no problem complying with that. After not one, but <i>two</i> awkward encounters right outside the store, you see no reason why you'd want to. The man dips his head politely at you as you turn to leave, though you don't hear the bell ring as a telltale sign that he went back inside until you're much further down the street. Before you round the corner of the block, you turn back to look, just in case, and find that he's gone. Just as well, you're more than happy to pretend none of this ever happened and put this place behind you for now. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae1]]</div>\

The man's smile grows to an almost Cheshire grin. "I find people who want books hardly need to be convinced to buy them with cheap sales tactics like free drinks," he says. "Oh really? Then why offer the free drink at all?" "Perhaps it is a tactic to mask my interest in your lingering presence. Much like your humor is a tactic to mask your embarrassment at being caught out here." His smile never drops as he speaks, and you feel like you might have fallen into a game without meaning to. "The only thing my humor is masking is my desire to leave, I assure you," you mutter back as you turn to leave. "So I see," the man says. "Feel free to come back any time." You pause halfway turned around and peer at him over your shoulder. It almost sounds like he <i>wants</i> you to come back, but what reason could he have for that? The question burns inside of you, but you're not sure you're prepared for the mental gymnastics of having a quip-off with this man. He can have this round. The man dips his head politely as you turn your back on him, though you don't hear the bell ring as a telltale sign that he went back inside until you're much further down the street. Before you round the corner of the block, you turn back to look, just in case, and find that he's gone. Just as well, you're more than happy to pretend none of this ever happened and put this place behind you for now. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae1]]</div>\

You watch his face carefully, hoping that you've given the right impression—that there's nothing for you here and you want nothing from him. His pleasant smile remains in place, though, and you're not able to get a read on him at all. If this is his poker face, it's a damn good one. There's a few seconds of silence, during which you decide that, since he plans on saying nothing else, it's a good time to leave. You turn with the intention of finally leaving, and that's when he speaks again. "Not today," he says, "but I hope you'll consider coming back in the future. You're welcome here." You pause halfway turned around and peer at him over your shoulder. It almost sounds like he <i>wants</i> you to come back, but what reason could he have for that? You almost turn to ask the question, but you have no desire to prolong this conversation, so you resist the urge. The man dips his head politely as you turn your back on him, though you don't hear the bell ring as a telltale sign that he went back inside until you're much further down the street. Before you round the corner of the block, you turn back to look, just in case, and find that he's gone. Just as well, you're more than happy to pretend none of this ever happened and put this place behind you for now. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae1]]</div>\

First a passerby, and now an <i>actual</i> employee. Your plan to avoid people by not going inside the building has failed miserably, and you're not exactly eager to get stuck having another conversation with <i>another</i> person you don't know. Best to cut things short quickly and efficiently. If the man is bothered by your blunt response, he doesn't show it. A pleasant smile still sits on his face, though that doesn't betray his thoughts either. If this is the man's poker face, it's a damn good one. "You don't have to leave," the man says, "but I won't stop you. You're welcome back any time." You pause halfway turned around and peer at him over your shoulder. It almost sounds like he wants you to stay, but what reason could he have for that? The question burns inside of you, but not hot enough to prolong this encounter. You simply shake your head and keep walking. The man dips his head politely as you turn your back on him, though you don't hear the bell ring as a telltale sign that he went back inside until you're much further down the street. Before you round the corner of the block, you turn back to look, just in case, and find that he's gone. Just as well, you're more than happy to pretend none of this ever happened and put this place behind you for now. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae1]]</div>\

The man's eyes narrow at your quiet words to the point that you're not sure he even heard you. But you don't want to repeat yourself, so you look at the pavement, point down the path behind you and say, "Um... I'm just gonna go." "You don't have to leave," the man says. The softness in his tone draws your attention back up to him, and he smiles more genuinely when your eyes meet. "But I'm not going to stop you. Just know that you're welcome here any time." You're not sure what to say to that, so you just nod to acknowledge that you heard him before you turn to go. You spare a glance at him as you walk away, though. It sounds like he <i>wants</i> you to come back, but you're not sure why. But you're also not sure that you are brave enough to broach that question, so you push it back down. The man dips his head politely as you turn your back on him, though you don't hear the bell ring as a telltale sign that he went back inside until you're much further down the street. Before you round the corner of the block, you turn back to look, just in case, and find that he's gone. Just as well, you're more than happy to pretend none of this ever happened and put this place behind you for now. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae1]]</div>\

The man smiles more genuinely at your friendly tone. "If you ever change your mind," he says, "the offer stands." "The free drink or popping inside?" He laughs softly. "Sure, why not both? You're welcome here any time. If you stop by again, I will have a free drink waiting for you." "I'll hold you to that," you say with a smile, though you don't necessarily have any intention of coming back to collect. You give him a polite nod, and he does the same as you turn to leave, though you don't hear the bell ring as a telltale sign that he went back inside until you're much further down the street. Before you round the corner of the block, you turn back to look, just in case, and find that he's gone. Just as well, you're more than happy to pretend none of this ever happened and put this place behind you for now. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae1]]</div>\

<<if $shug is "1">>He laughs and squeezes you back just as tightly. It doesn't matter if it's only been a few days since you last saw each other. He still rocks you both back and forth like it's been years. His smile is wide and beaming when he lets you go.<</if>><<if $shug is "2" and $sungjae lte 50>>The hug is rigid at first, as if he didn't quite expect it, even though he was the one asking for it. He loosens up just before he releases you, giving your arms a small squeeze before he lets go. You think you catch a flash of sadness in his eyes, despite his wide smile.<</if>><<if $shug is "2" and $sungjae gt 50>>He lingers in the hug maybe a little longer than he needs to, but then he lets you go with a beaming wide smile on his face.<</if>><<if $shug is "3" and $sungjae lte 50>>The quiet little "oh" that escapes his lips tells you that was more than he expected, even though he was the one looking for a hug. He doesn't make you suffer too long and lets you go with a soft smile on his face.<</if>><<if $shug is "3" and $sungjae gt 50>>He leans into the hug more than you do, but he lets you go promptly. He still wears a wide smile when you part, but you don't miss the confused curl of his brows.<</if>><<if $shug is "4">>Sungjae drops his arms, his smile turning a little sad, but there's understanding in his eyes. He doesn't mention it further.<</if>><<if $shug is "5">>Sungjae is undoubtedly hurt by the gesture, but he drops his arms and smiles at you anyway.<</if>> "Hey there, $pc_sungjae_nickname," he says. "Hi, Sungjae." Greeting made, the two of you sit down on an iron bench just off the path. He doesn't look half as concerned as you expected him too, but there's something else there, a barely-visible tension just beneath the surface. It's uncharacteristic of him, which is the main reason you notice it, but he doesn't let silence linger long enough for you to figure out its source. "How's your day been?" he asks. "It's been fine," you say, managing to suppress the curious quirk in your brow. Thinking back to your earlier escapade, you can't help but add, "A little weird maybe, but okay." You aren't exactly sure you want to elaborate, but luckily he doesn't ask you to. "That's good. I would have liked to sit down at a restaurant to eat, but you must have other things you're doing later. I understand," he says. He leans against the back of the bench and gazes around the park. The action seems absentminded at first, but you wonder if he's deliberately avoiding eye contact with you. "Why are you being so weird?" Sungjae presses his lips together and still doesn't look at you. "I'm not being weird." "You are. You're trying to act like nothing is bothering you and failing. And weren't you bringing us both lunch?" Sungjae finally looks at you. "I was a little worried about you after last night, but..." "But?" "Alex said you seemed to be okay and that I shouldn't worry too much." <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["\"Are you using them to spy on me?\""|Sungjae3.1][$skeptical to $skeptical +1]]<span id="hint"> (skeptical)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Well, Alex was right. I'm fine," I lie.|Sungjae3.2][$taciturn to $taciturn +1,$honesty to $honesty -5]]<span id="hint"> (taciturn)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Well, Alex was right. I'm fine," I say truthfully.|Sungjae3.3][$sincere to $sincere +1,$honesty to $honesty +5]]<span id="hint"> (sincere)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["Oh, sure. I'm fantastic," I say with a smirk, though I can't hide the scoff.|Sungjae3.4][$flippant to $flippant +1]]<span id="hint"> (flippant)</span></div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[["I wouldn't exactly say that I'm okay. Dad was being shitty. But when isn't he?" I say.|Sungjae3.5][$honesty to $honesty +5]]</div>\

"Not spy on you," Sungjae says indignantly. "Just... my eye on the inside, that's all." "How is that different from spying?" you say, tone flat. "I know you and Alex get along, but they're *my* friend. It's shitty of you to use them to go behind my back." Sungjae smiles wryly and hunches his shoulders, as if to look contrite, but something about it feels performative. "I thought it was warranted at the time. And Alex gets you, you know? So I didn't need to explain why I was asking. <<if $ch1_outcome is "leave timid">>You left right in the middle of dinner. I know how uncomfortable you must have been to do that." More like mortified. Just remembering how that felt has you twisting your hands together nervously in your lap. Sungjae notices but doesn't call attention to it. "Do you want to talk about it?" "Not really," you mumble. "I'm here if you do."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "leave taciturn">>You left right in the middle of dinner. I couldn't really tell how upset you were, how concerned I needed to be." "You don't think Alex has the same problem?" "Good point," Sungjae says with a deep sigh. "I'll just ask then. Are you upset?"<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay friendly">>Last night... you really tried your best with Mom and Dad, and I appreciate that, but it couldn't have been comfortable sitting there dealing with them all night." "It got better." "Not by much, $pc_name. You're allowed to be mad."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay flippant">>You left right in the middle of dinner. I was concerned, and honestly it seemed like you were trying to make things worse. I'm not saying that they didn't deserve it, especially Dad, but couldn't you have kept a lid on the attitude?" You roll your eyes. "I thought you were concerned." "I am. There's a thin line between sarcasm and deliberately trying to get a rise out of someone. You were walking that line like someone failing a sobriety test, $pc_sungjae_nickname. Are you really okay?"<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay assertive">>Last night... You and Dad were butting heads all night. More than usual." "You'd prefer it if I let him walk all over me?" "No, that's not what I mean. I just want to know if you're really okay."<<else>>Last night... I don't know why Dad is always so hard on you—" "That's something I'd love to figure out." "—and I don't blame you for leaving," Sungjae continues, ignoring your interjection. "But are you really okay?"<</if>> "It's not your job to be a therapist for your own family, you know," you say. "You can't fix everything." "I feel like I have to," he says. "It's my fault things are like this between all of us." "No it isn't." <<if $sungjae gt 50>>It annoys you that he blames himself, but trying to convince him to stop has been a life-long endeavor.<<else>>As much as you might want to blame him sometimes, you can't. Not when he's the only one in your family you can rely on, as hard as that is to admit.<</if>> "You can deny it all you want. It's the truth," he says, just as you knew he would. "You can claim it all you want, it's <i>not</i> true." An old argument between you with no clear winner. After all, maybe no one knows exactly where to point the finger, but you <i>can</i> point to the pivotal time when everything changed. That one summer, the lake house trip, the time you almost drowned. That's when everything changed. You almost died while in your brother's care. After that, one would think your father would have turned his ire on Sungjae, but instead you were the target—always scolded for doing things you shouldn't do, saying things you shouldn't say, being expected to live up to an unknowable and thus unattainable standard. Arthur Erickson had always been a taskmaster, but that event pushed him to an extreme that no one could have predicted. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Even his presence became intimidating. I spent the rest of my childhood hiding from my father whenever I could.|Sungjae4.1][$arthurdyn to "fearful"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[It felt like everything I did displeased him. It didn't take long before I mostly stopped talking to him.|Sungjae4.2][$arthurdyn to "distant"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I tried to be what he wanted, do things that would gain his approval, but it was never enough.|Sungjae4.3][$arthurdyn to "appeasing"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I couldn't stand the way he treated me; we fought often and loudly.|Sungjae4.4][$arthurdyn to "argumentative"]]</div>\

Sungjae nods and gives you a soft smile, though there's something sad behind his eyes. "I'm not really sure whether to believe you," he says, trailing off like he has more to say. You don't give him the chance. "If you're going to imagine how I feel, why even bother asking me?" Sungjae stares at you in the silence that follows, eyebrows raised in a way that practically concedes your point. "I didn't mean it like that," he says. "Then how did you mean it?" "I just hope you aren't trying to lie your way out of this conversation," he says, then he shakes his head, though you get the sense that he's the source of his own disappointment. "I'm not trying pressure you. <<if $ch1_outcome is "leave timid">>It's just... you left right in the middle of dinner. I know how uncomfortable you must have been to do that." More like mortified. Just remembering how that felt has you twisting your hands together nervously in your lap. Sungjae notices but doesn't call attention to it. "Do you want to talk about it?" "Not really," you mumble. "I'm here if you do."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "leave taciturn">>It's just... you left right in the middle of dinner, and I honestly can't tell sometimes whether or not you're hiding how you really feel." "What makes you think my answer will change if you keep asking?" "Maybe it won't," Sungjae says with a deep sigh. "I'll just ask one last time then. Are you upset?"<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay friendly">>Last night... you really tried your best with Mom and Dad, and I appreciate that, but it couldn't have been comfortable sitting there dealing with them all night." "It got better." "Not by much, $pc_name. You're allowed to be mad."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay flippant">>It's just... you left right in the middle of dinner. I was concerned, and honestly it seemed like you were trying to make things worse. I'm not saying that they didn't deserve it, especially Dad, but couldn't you have kept a lid on the attitude?" You roll your eyes. "I thought you were concerned." "I am. There's a thin line between sarcasm and deliberately trying to get a rise out of someone. You were walking that line like someone failing a sobriety test, $pc_sungjae_nickname. Are you really okay?"<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay assertive">>Last night... You and Dad were butting heads all night. More than usual." "You'd prefer it if I let him walk all over me?" "No, that's not what I mean. I just want to know if you're really okay."<<else>>Last night... I don't know why Dad is always so hard on you—" "That's something I'd love to figure out." "—and I don't blame you for leaving," Sungjae continues, ignoring your interjection. "But are you really okay?"<</if>> "It's not your job to be a therapist for your own family, you know," you say. "You can't fix everything." "I feel like I have to," he says. "It's my fault things are like this between all of us." "No it isn't." <<if $sungjae gt 50>>It annoys you that he blames himself, but trying to convince him to stop has been a life-long endeavor.<<else>>As much as you might want to blame him sometimes, you can't. Not when he's the only one in your family you can rely on, as hard as that is to admit.<</if>> "You can deny it all you want. It's the truth," he says, just as you knew he would. "You can claim it all you want, it's <i>not</i> true." An old argument between you with no clear winner. After all, maybe no one knows exactly where to point the finger, but you <i>can</i> point to the pivotal time when everything changed. That one summer, the lake house trip, the time you almost drowned. That's when everything changed. You almost died while in your brother's care. After that, one would think your father would have turned his ire on Sungjae, but instead you were the target—always scolded for doing things you shouldn't do, saying things you shouldn't say, being expected to live up to an unknowable and thus unattainable standard. Arthur Erickson had always been a taskmaster, but that event pushed him to an extreme that no one could have predicted. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Even his presence became intimidating. I spent the rest of my childhood hiding from my father whenever I could.|Sungjae4.1][$arthurdyn to "fearful"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[It felt like everything I did displeased him. It didn't take long before I mostly stopped talking to him.|Sungjae4.2][$arthurdyn to "distant"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I tried to be what he wanted, do things that would gain his approval, but it was never enough.|Sungjae4.3][$arthurdyn to "appeasing"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I couldn't stand the way he treated me; we fought often and loudly.|Sungjae4.4][$arthurdyn to "argumentative"]]</div>\

"Seriously?" Sungjae mutters. He looks skeptical, and you can't help but nod and gesture vaguely to yourself, hoping that it will help get the point across. He watches you for a moment, no doubt looking for any crack in your claim, but he smiles when he finds nothing. "Maybe I've been worried for nothing. <<if $ch1_outcome is "leave timid">>It's just... you didn't seem very okay last night. You left right in the middle of dinner. I know how uncomfortable you must have been to do that." More like mortified. Just remembering how that felt has you twisting your hands together nervously in your lap. Sungjae notices. "Maybe not as okay as you think? Do you want to talk about it?" You shake the feeling off. That was then, this is now. "No, I really am fine." "I'm here if you do."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "leave taciturn">>It's just... you didn't seem very okay last night. You left right in the middle of dinner, and I honestly can't tell sometimes whether or not you're hiding how you really feel." "Maybe that's the point," you say with an exasperated sigh. "But I'm not hiding anything right now. Promise." Sungjae sighs in response, equally as exasperated. "I hope so."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay friendly">>Last night... you really tried your best with Mom and Dad. I thought it was just a mask, but if they really didn't bother you—" "I wouldn't say they didn't bother me, but I'm not falling apart over it or anything. Life goes on, right?" "You're allowed to be mad, you know."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay flippant">>It's just... you didn't seem very okay last night. I know Dad was being, well, Dad, but it seemed like you were trying to make things worse." You roll your eyes. "I thought you were concerned." "I am. There's a thin line between sarcasm and deliberately trying to get a rise out of someone. You were walking that line like someone failing a sobriety test, $pc_sungjae_nickname. How can I believe you're fine after that?"<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay assertive">>Last night... You and Dad were butting heads all night. More than usual." "You'd prefer it if I let him walk all over me?" "No, that's not what I mean. I just want to know if you're really okay."<<else>>Last night... I don't know why Dad is always so hard on you—" "A question for the ages." "—and I don't blame you for leaving," Sungjae continues, ignoring your interjection. "But are you really okay?"<</if>> "It's not your job to be a therapist for your own family, you know," you say. "You can't fix everything." "I feel like I have to," he says. "It's my fault things are like this between all of us." "No it isn't." <<if $sungjae gt 50>>It annoys you that he blames himself, but trying to convince him to stop has been a life-long endeavor.<<else>>As much as you might want to blame him sometimes, you can't. Not when he's the only one in your family you can rely on, as hard as that is to admit.<</if>> "You can deny it all you want. It's the truth," he says, just as you knew he would. "You can claim it all you want, it's <i>not</i> true." An old argument between you with no clear winner. After all, maybe no one knows exactly where to point the finger, but you <i>can</i> point to the pivotal time when everything changed. That one summer, the lake house trip, the time you almost drowned. That's when everything changed. You almost died while in your brother's care. After that, one would think your father would have turned his ire on Sungjae, but instead you were the target—always scolded for doing things you shouldn't do, saying things you shouldn't say, being expected to live up to an unknowable and thus unattainable standard. Arthur Erickson had always been a taskmaster, but that event pushed him to an extreme that no one could have predicted. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Even his presence became intimidating. I spent the rest of my childhood hiding from my father whenever I could.|Sungjae4.1][$arthurdyn to "fearful"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[It felt like everything I did displeased him. It didn't take long before I mostly stopped talking to him.|Sungjae4.2][$arthurdyn to "distant"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I tried to be what he wanted, do things that would gain his approval, but it was never enough.|Sungjae4.3][$arthurdyn to "appeasing"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I couldn't stand the way he treated me; we fought often and loudly.|Sungjae4.4][$arthurdyn to "argumentative"]]</div>\

Sungjae sighs deeply, reading more into your statement than is really there. Or maybe just more than you want him to. "You have every right to be pissed off. Dad was way out of line." "Please," you snort. "Dad couldn't find the line even if it smacked him right in the face." "I know. You're right. <<if $ch1_outcome is "leave timid">>I'm guessing that's why you left right in the middle of dinner. I know how uncomfortable you must have been to do that." More like mortified. Just remembering how that felt has you twisting your hands together nervously in your lap. Sungjae notices but doesn't call direct attention to it. "Do you want to talk about it?" "Not really," you mumble. "I'm here if you do."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "leave taciturn">>I know you're not always in the habit of sharing, but that's kind of the problem sometimes. It's hard to tell when you're actually upset." "And you thought questioning me less than a day later would make a difference?" you say, barely containing a smirk. "Good point," Sungjae says with a nervous chuckle. "But I still wanted to check in."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay friendly">>You really tried your best with Mom and Dad, and I appreciate that, but it couldn't have been comfortable sitting there dealing with them all night." "It got better." "Not by much, $pc_name. You're allowed to be mad."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay flippant">>I'm not saying he didn't deserve how you were treating him, but your attitude may have only made things worse." You roll your eyes. "<i>My</i> attitude? I hope you gave dear old Dad the same lecture." "I'm not trying to lecture you, only to make sure that you're okay."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay assertive">>But you two were butting heads all night. More than usual." "Next time, I'll be sure to let him walk all over me." "I didn't mean it that way. I'm just trying to make sure you're really okay."<<else>>I don't know why he's always so hard on you—" "I'm sure it's just 'tough love,'" you drawl. "—and I don't blame you for leaving," Sungjae continues, ignoring your interjection. "Do you want to talk about it?"<</if>> "It's not your job to be a therapist for your own family, you know," you say. "You can't fix everything." "I feel like I have to," he says. "It's my fault things are like this between all of us." "No it isn't." <<if $sungjae gt 50>>It annoys you that he blames himself, but trying to convince him to stop has been a life-long endeavor.<<else>>As much as you might want to blame him sometimes, you can't. Not when he's the only one in your family you can rely on, as hard as that is to admit.<</if>> "You can deny it all you want. It's the truth," he says, just as you knew he would. "You can claim it all you want, it's <i>not</i> true." An old argument between you with no clear winner. After all, maybe no one knows exactly where to point the finger, but you <i>can</i> point to the pivotal time when everything changed. That one summer, the lake house trip, the time you almost drowned. That's when everything changed. You almost died while in your brother's care. After that, one would think your father would have turned his ire on Sungjae, but instead you were the target—always scolded for doing things you shouldn't do, saying things you shouldn't say, being expected to live up to an unknowable and thus unattainable standard. Arthur Erickson had always been a taskmaster, but that event pushed him to an extreme that no one could have predicted. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Even his presence became intimidating. I spent the rest of my childhood hiding from my father whenever I could.|Sungjae4.1][$arthurdyn to "fearful"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[It felt like everything I did displeased him. It didn't take long before I mostly stopped talking to him.|Sungjae4.2][$arthurdyn to "distant"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I tried to be what he wanted, do things that would gain his approval, but it was never enough.|Sungjae4.3][$arthurdyn to "appeasing"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I couldn't stand the way he treated me; we fought often and loudly.|Sungjae4.4][$arthurdyn to "argumentative"]]</div>\

"Yeah," Sungjae says with a nod, though he leaves room for you to keep speaking your mind. "And Mom just sat there acting like nothing was happening, as usual." "Mom is..." He shakes his head, aborting the thought. "Not exactly parents of the year, are they? It's just the way they are, but that's no excuse. <<if $ch1_outcome is "leave timid">>I don't blame you for leaving. I know how uncomfortable you must have been." More like mortified. Just remembering how that felt has you twisting your hands together nervously in your lap. Sungjae notices but doesn't call direct attention to it. "Do you want to talk about it?" "Not really," you mumble. "I'm here if you do."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "leave taciturn">>But you left without saying much of anything. I wasn't sure what to think." "I just couldn't deal with them anymore." "Okay, I get that. Do you want to talk about it more?"<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay friendly">>I know you made an effort to stay positive, and that must've been hard. It couldn't have been comfortable sitting there dealing with them all night." "No, but it could have been a lot worse." "Sure, but that doesn't mean it was okay, and that doesn't mean you have to be."<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay flippant">>All the more reason for concern, though. It seemed like you were trying to add fuel to the flames." "I guess I <i>was</i> being a little passive-aggressive." "A lot passive-aggressive, $pc_sungjae_nickname. If you want to talk about it—"<<elseif $ch1_outcome is "stay assertive">>I'm glad that you stood up for yourself, but it's hard watching you two butt heads like that." "I know. And I appreciate you trying to mediate, but..." "But?"<<else>>I wish I know why Dad is always so hard on you." "You and me both." He nods gravely. "Maybe ducking out early was the right thing to do. I've just been worried."<</if>> "It's not your job to be a therapist for your own family, you know," you say. "You can't fix everything." "I feel like I have to," he says. "It's my fault things are like this between all of us." "No it isn't." <<if $sungjae gt 50>>It annoys you that he blames himself, but trying to convince him to stop has been a life-long endeavor.<<else>>As much as you might want to blame him sometimes, you can't. Not when he's the only one in your family you can rely on, as hard as that is to admit.<</if>> "You can deny it all you want. It's the truth," he says, just as you knew he would. "You can claim it all you want, it's <i>not</i> true." An old argument between you with no clear winner. After all, maybe no one knows exactly where to point the finger, but you <i>can</i> point to the pivotal time when everything changed. That one summer, the lake house trip, the time you almost drowned. That's when everything changed. You almost died while in your brother's care. After that, one would think your father would have turned his ire on Sungjae, but instead you were the target—always scolded for doing things you shouldn't do, saying things you shouldn't say, being expected to live up to an unknowable and thus unattainable standard. Arthur Erickson had always been a taskmaster, but that event pushed him to an extreme that no one could have predicted. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Even his presence became intimidating. I spent the rest of my childhood hiding from my father whenever I could.|Sungjae4.1][$arthurdyn to "fearful"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[It felt like everything I did displeased him. It didn't take long before I mostly stopped talking to him.|Sungjae4.2][$arthurdyn to "distant"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I tried to be what he wanted, do things that would gain his approval, but it was never enough.|Sungjae4.3][$arthurdyn to "appeasing"]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I couldn't stand the way he treated me; we fought often and loudly.|Sungjae4.4][$arthurdyn to "argumentative"]]</div>\

Arthur Erickson rarely ever yells. No, he's more the type to raise his voice with domineering certainty. Just his tone is enough to set you on edge sometimes, but you know you're really in trouble when he adds volume to it. Many an interaction with your father ended with you hiding away in your room. Of course, there was no lock on the door, so it was only a stop-gap measure, but at the very least he tended to respect that boundary. If ever he didn't, there was always the bathroom just down the hallway. That's probably the original reason why you've gotten so used to hiding away in there during any family gatherings. Moving out of your parents' house was a much-needed step in your emotional safety and security, but you still remember what it was like to hear the sound of his voice and feel the overwhelming need to escape it. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae5]]</div>

Arthur Erickson has always been a very severe man. Oh, you remember small moments during your childhood when he would drop the mask and crack a smile, even laugh at a funny moment or two, but those were few and far between even before your near-drowning. Afterwards, it was frowns, frowns, and more frowns. Is there anything that doesn't displease him? You still don't know. But every time he turned his disappointment toward you was a palpable crushing weight. You failed him in everything that you did. The only way to escape that feeling was to escape him, so you avoided him as much as possible. He took no countermeasures, and so the distance between you only grew. You don't know how to talk to him anymore, so it's no wonder that every interaction now is an impossible hurdle. Even just being in the same room with him makes you feel tense and awkward. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae5]]</div>

Arthur Erickson, as near as you can tell, is a man determined to be unhappy. You can't remember the last time you saw him pleased with anything, if you ever have. You spent a large portion of your adolescence doing anything you could to make him proud or at least to lessen his dislike. Getting good grades, following the rules, being polite and presentable at all times—you weren't always perfect, not by a long shot. More importantly, though, you <i>could</i> have been and it wouldn't have mattered. You can't be sure if it's the world that fails to meet his expectations or just you. You stopped trying as hard once you moved out of your parents' house, but the need still lingers. Sometimes, when you're in the same room as him, you still long to gain his approval. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae5]]</div>

Arthur Erickson never used to be the yelling type, but that changed during your adolescence. His cold disappointment turned to hot anger whenever you were involved, and you gave as good as you got. He was strict, overbearing, distant, even rude with you in a way that he wasn't with Sungjae. The way you saw it, you had two choices: One, endure the treatment in silence. Two, make sure he knew the way he treated you wasn't okay. You chose the latter, and though you don't regret it, you can at least acknowledge that your assertion for respect made things between you more volatile than ever. No doubt everyone was thankful when you moved out of your parents' house, but tension still burns hots between you whenever you're in the same room. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae5]]</div>

So when you see your father walking up behind Sungjae, a few to-go boxes in his hands, it's no wonder that you tense up, practically ready to bolt. He doesn't notice you at first, his eyes locked in judgment on a group of rowdy kids running and screaming on a nearby grassy knoll. He's dressed in his work ensemble—black slacks with a simple white button-down shirt and some expensive laced shoes—and has his rectangular reading glasses perched near the end of his nose. Just getting off work or perhaps on a late lunch, you assume. Neither is unusual for him. With a touch of disdain, he says, "When you left me to collect our food, you didn't mention you ordered this much." As soon as he turns his head and meets your eyes, his own eyes narrow, and he stops in his tracks. Before either one of you has the chance to say anything, Sungjae slaps a hand on each of your shoulders and says, "Great. Now we can all eat together." Sungjae's guilty demeanor when you first arrived makes sense now, and it's all you can do to contain a sneer. It's tempting to call him out, right here right now, before anyone has the chance to say anything else. But you'd rather not make a scene in such a public space. Your father, it seems, has the same idea. He looks around, eyeing the nearby park attendees as he takes a deep breath and slowly exhales. He's the first among the three of you to take a seat, but not before he plucks his own food from the stack in his hands and shoves the rest into Sungjae's arms, removing their physical contact in the process. "I wasn't aware that you would be here," Arthur says. "I suppose now that you're unemployed you have more free time to spend with your brother." He speaks without looking at you, his eyes fixed on his meal—a Philly cheese steak that he proceeds to eat with a fork and knife. Sungjae passes over the box containing your food as the two of you sit down, your brother in the middle and you on the opposite end from Arthur. "Trust me, I would rather be working right now," you mutter. Arthur gives no sign that he heard you, but Sungjae winces and tries to cover it up with a smile. "Until $pc_name finds another job, why not take the moments when we can?" Sungjae says. "And have you?" Arthur says, all but ignoring Sungjae's attempt to lighten the subject. "Been looking for another job?" "Didn't we go over this last night?" Sungjae mutters nervously. "A resourceful person can make a lot of progress in a single day," he says. Right. A resourceful person, meaning not you. "I have a prospect, yeah," you say, and it's not a total lie considering your earlier venture. "But I'm not in such dire straits that I need to grab the first thing that comes along." That part is a little bit of a lie; you don't have much in savings and can't afford to be out of the job for too long. "Must we talk about work all the time?" Sungjae interrupts. Though it could just be another attempt to change the subject, his exasperation seems genuine. "It seems prudent considering it's the only reason I agreed to share a meal with you today," Arthur says. "Oh, so you mean this wasn't just an attempt to get us talking?" you say. "We have a work function later," Sungjae admits. "I was going to head home with him after a late lunch so we could prepare and head there together." "It's a networking event between members of management from several different companies. The kind of event that would secure further career prospects for an individual had they any decent career prospects to begin with," Arthur says. Not even a subtle dig this time—how can he be doing anything but trying to provoke you? <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I ignore his bait and speak to Sungjae instead.|Sungjae6.1]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I take the bait and argue with him.|Sungjae6.2]]</div>\

Sungjae rarely ever shares details about his work with you—the product of being an onsite therapist bound by HIPAA you suppose—so even this small amount of information intrigues you. "What you do, can you even consider that management?" you ask. Sungjae shrugs and lets out the same familiar nervous chuckle he always does right before trying to skirt around talking too in-depth about his job. "Sure," he says. "I do manage employees, in a manner of speaking. Besides, I have a good rapport with the higher-ups in my company, so I get invited to these events from time to time." "Building a good reputation with upper management is a valuable skill. You could learn something from your brother," says Arthur, not content to be forgotten from the conversation. "Dad," Sungjae chides, "saying that kind of stuff isn't helpful." Arthur scoffs in response, a rare sound coming from him. "Forgive me for wanting my child to be financially secure and successful." <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[That's a load of crap that would almost be sweet if he wasn't so mean to me.|Sungjae7.1]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I can't help but be taken aback by the sentiment|Sungjae7.2]]</div>\

"Seeing as I don't live under your roof anymore, <i>Arthur</i>, I don't see how my career prospects are any of your business," you bite back. Sungjae opens his mouth to interrupt you before things escalate further, but Arthur gets there first. "If you can't afford your cost of living and end up back under my roof, then it will be my business." You can't help the scoff that leaves you. "Why even bother with the security blanket if it's such an annoyance?" "Come on, you two, stop fighting," Sungjae mutters, placing his hands out in front of himself as if to physically separate you even though he already sits between you. Arthur is talking over your brother's plea before he's even finished speaking. "I won't see any child of mine living on the streets," he says. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[That's a load of crap that would almost be sweet if he wasn't so mean to me.|Sungjae7.1]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I can't help but be taken aback by the sentiment|Sungjae7.2]]</div>\

You aren't keen to let this go no matter what Arthur says. Any fatherly feelings he has toward you are no doubt out of simple obligation. What would he say to his peers if it ever became known that he wasn't taking care of the children that he adopted out of the kindness of his heart? You still remember the day he told you that you'd been adopted. You were four years old and bright-eyed, soaking up information from the world around you like a sponge. Your mother didn't want to tell you yet; she thought you were too young, that you might take the information the wrong way. Arthur didn't see any reason to keep it from you. You remember him saying that you were smart enough to start noticing that you, Sungjae, and your parents didn't look alike, so you were smart enough to listen to and process the facts. He wouldn't have volunteered the information except that you started asking. Sometimes you wish he still respected your intelligence as much now as he did back then. "Don't pretend you care," you snap at Arthur. "You just don't want anything that you perceive as negative about my life to reflect poorly back on you." An odd wrinkle forms on Arthur's nose as his frown intensifies. "As if I could be embarrassed by a child with so few connections in this city that they have never met any of my peers to begin with," he snaps back. Then, slightly calmer but still with frustration in his tone, he adds, "But maybe you should." "Maybe I should what?" you say, an echo filling your ears as Sungjae asks nearly the same question. Arthur sets his barely-touched meal aside, pulls out his phone, and begins typing with the efficiency of a man who uses the device frequently for his work. "Come to the networking event; prove that you are as capable as you're pretending to be. Perhaps, if you make a good impression on the right people, you'll solve your unemployment problem. At the very least, maybe you'll learn a thing or two about how to behave in the professional world." Before he has finished speaking, your phone buzzes with a notification. It's a text message—the first one between the two of you in months—with an address, presumably where this event is taking place. 'Prove you're capable'—a challenge from daddy dearest himself. The frown on his face is as hard as ever, but he seems less frustrated and more confident. Confident in what, you aren't sure. Probably that you'll fail his challenge or perhaps simply decline it, proving that you are exactly what he's trying to accuse you of being without ever saying the words directly: a failure. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae8.1]]</div>\

Your father's statement stops the argument in its tracks as you take in the words. Arthur has never been the most affectionate person, even with your mother, so hearing him make such a protective statement, especially in the midst of an argument like this one, is jarring. It brings to mind a memory of the day he told you that you'd been adopted. You were four years old and bright-eyed, soaking up information from the world around you like a sponge. Your mother didn't want to tell you yet; she thought you were too young, that you might take the information the wrong way. Arthur didn't want to keep it from you. You remember him saying that you were going to find out eventually and that it was important for them to be honest and supportive about the subject rather than cagey and deceitful. However you took the information, they would be there for you. You felt the care in those words, and you feel something similar now despite the argument and the rather horrible way he always treats you. "I didn't know you cared," you mutter, and there's a little bite in it from the lingering emotions still running hot, but you think you manage to convey your genuine confusion too. An odd wrinkle forms on Arthur's nose as his frown intensifies. "Of course I care. I'm worried about you, not about whether or not you would embarrass me in front of peers that you've never even met," he snaps, though there's not much anger it. Then, calmer, he adds, "But maybe you should." "Maybe I should what?" you say, an echo filling your ears as Sungjae asks nearly the same question. Arthur sets his barely-touched meal aside, pulls out his phone, and begins typing with the efficiency of a man who uses the device frequently for his work. "Come to the networking event; make some connections and give yourself more options. Perhaps, if you make a good impression on the right people, you'll solve your unemployment problem. At the very least, you'll gain some skill in conversing in the professional world." Before he has finished speaking, your phone buzzes with a notification. It's a text message—the first one between the two of you in months—with an address, presumably where this event is taking place. 'Give yourself more options.' The frown on Arthur's face is as hard as ever, but there's something else peeking through as the hard line of his brow softens a bit. He's trying to help in his own way, even if he took the path of most resistance to get there. Despite anything else, he wants you to succeed. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae8.2]]</div>

Any stare-down between the two of you is interrupted by Sungjae standing from his seat. The movement does more to disrupt the bout between you than any verbal interjection, though he makes that too. "Hold on, you want $pc_name to come to the event tonight? I don't think that's such a good idea," he says. "And why not," Arthur says with a huff. "Inviting family members along to this event is expected, and it's a good opportunity for your $pc_brother." Rather than arguing with your father, Sungjae turns to you and says, "Come on, $pc_name, you don't want to go to one of our work events. It'll be tedious. Besides, I'm sure you have something else to do this evening, right? Talk about no warning." <<if $sungjae gt 70>>Considering your good relationship with Sungjae, resistance to the idea of you going to this networking event isn't something you would have expected.<<elseif $sungjae lte 70 and gt 50>>You're not sure what you would have expected from Sungjae in this situation, but resistance was not it.<<else>>Despite your contentious relationship with your brother, you weren't expecting such resistance to the idea of you going to this networking event.<</if>> If anything, you thought he would jump at the chance for some family bonding time, even if, strictly speaking, you would be going to this party to bond with anyone <i>but</i> family. Still, the fact that Sungjae isn't viewing this situation as an olive branch between you and Arthur is odd, and you aren't the only one who thinks so. Arthur makes a noise that's dangerously close to a snort, though you have trouble imagining your father doing something he probably sees as undignified. "Here I thought you would be ecstatic at the suggestion," he says. "Though, I believe the final choice on whether or not to go lies with $pc_name." He looks at you, and you can feel the challenge once again rearing its head. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae9]]</div>

Arthur seems to be avoiding eye contact with you, but there isn't much time to address that fact as Sungjae stands from his seat. The movement does more to disrupt the conversation between you than any verbal interjection, though he makes that too. "Hold on, you want $pc_name to come to the event tonight? I don't think that's such a good idea," he says. "And why not," Arthur says with a huff. "Inviting family members along to this event is expected, and it's a good opportunity for your $pc_brother." Rather than arguing with your father, Sungjae turns to you and says, "Come on, $pc_name, you don't want to go to one of our work events. It'll be tedious. Besides, I'm sure you have something else to do this evening, right? Talk about no warning." <<if $sungjae gt 70>>Considering your good relationship with Sungjae, resistance to the idea of you going to this networking event isn't something you would have expected.<<elseif $sungjae lte 70 and gt 50>>You're not sure what you would have expected from Sungjae in this situation, but resistance was not it.<<else>>Despite your contentious relationship with your brother, you weren't expecting such resistance to the idea of you going to this networking event.<</if>> If anything, you thought he would jump at the chance for some family bonding time, even if, strictly speaking, you would be going to this party to bond with anyone <i>but</i> family. Still, the fact that Sungjae isn't viewing this situation as an olive branch between you and Arthur is odd, and you aren't the only one who thinks so. Arthur makes a noise that's dangerously close to a snort, though you have trouble imagining your father doing something he probably sees as undignified. "Here I thought you would be ecstatic at the suggestion," he says. "Though, I believe the final choice on whether or not to go lies with $pc_name." He looks at you, and you can feel a twinge of respect from him. He doesn't want to goad you into something that you don't want to do. <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Next|Sungjae9]]</div>

Arthur's gaze lingers on you for a time during the awkward silence between the three of you. He finally breaks away and stands as he collects his unfinished food and makes his leave. "I'm heading back now," he says. "Your mother may need help around the house before we leave her for the evening." That's a lie if you've ever heard one—not that your father wouldn't be willing to help out around the house, but it's obvious that he's looking for an excuse to end the conversation early. Sungjae must know it too, but he doesn't try to stop Arthur. Instead, he remains standing a bit awkwardly in front of the bench as he glances over at you. "You can go if you want," Sungjae says with a gentle sigh. The words stir something in you, a familiar feeling that you can't quite place, but you can tell how much he really <i>doesn't</i> want you to go to this event. "Why don't you want me to go?" "It's just a silly cocktail party between a bunch of entitled salary people," he says. "It really isn't worth your time." "It's seems like you're driving that point a little too hard," you mutter. Sungjae rubs the back of his neck with his left hand in what you recognize as a defensive gesture. "I just don't want you to feel like you have to go just cuz Dad told you to," he says. "Seriously, just go home and enjoy your night, okay?" He collects his own food, also unfinished, before giving you an apologetic wave and following behind Arthur. Perhaps his insistence against this shouldn't be strange. Sungjae has never liked to mix work and home, especially where it concerns you and your mother. Arthur, though, probably knows the most about Sungjae's professional life. Maybe that's why he's been able to maintain a relationship with Arthur. Maybe that's why he doesn't want you to go; he doesn't want you stepping in between something reserved for the two of them. But Arthur is right. The choice is yours, and you find that, for any other reservations you might have, a strong part of you <i>does</i> want to go <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[It sucks, but I do actually want to prove myself to Arthur.|Sungjae10.1]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Arthur is right; it's a good opportunity that I can't afford to pass up right now.|Sungjae10.2]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[I kind of want to go simply because Sungjae doesn't want me to.|Sungjae10.3]]</div>\ <div class="choice"><span id="viz">🔻</span>[[Mostly I want to go on the chance that I might learn more about Sungjae's work.|Sungjae10.4]]</div>\

If you go to this networking event and make a good impression on people—especially people your father might work closely with—maybe Arthur will start to change his opinion of you. It sucks. You shouldn't care what he thinks, but you do. Affection isn't what you're after so much as respect. Maybe you're a little envious of the relationship between Arthur and Sungjae, but is that so bad? You'll probably never have a particularly loving relationship with him, but you would settle for him treating you like a person. Treating you like you matter. Going to some party wasn't in your plans tonight at all, but it's been a day full of the unexpected. You finish eating what's left of your food, enjoying the sounds of the park around you now that Arthur and Sungjae are gone, a small respite before what's likely to be a stressful evening. Then you clean up and head straight home. You'll need to figure out what to wear. <i>{end of current demo}</i>

If you go to this networking event and make a good impression on people, you might pave some good stepping stones for finding a job. And maybe it doesn't hurt that your father and brother know people there too—Alex would be proud of you for being willing to entertain nepotism. It chafes a little bit that Arthur was the one to make the suggestion, but you can't argue with his logic. If you were willing to stoop low enough to ask, he would probably be able to get you a job at the paper, but this is a better option, a way of accepting help from him without throwing away your dignity. Going to some party wasn't in your plans tonight at all, but it's been a day full of the unexpected. You finish eating what's left of your food, enjoying the sounds of the park around you now that Arthur and Sungjae are gone, a small respite before what's likely to be a stressful evening. Then you clean up and head straight home. You'll need to figure out what to wear. <i>{end of current demo}</i>

During your teenage years, your brother had the attentiveness of a parent with the permissiveness of a brother. He wasn't the type to stop you from doing what you wanted to do so long as you could do it <i>safely</i>. Maybe it's a bit petulant to push back against him just because he finally wants to stop you from doing something, but you can't help the instinct. At least, that's what you'll tell yourself. He's probably not going to be happy when he sees you show up at this event, but you know he's also too polite to make a scene about it. You'll be safe from his complaints while at the party, at the very least. Going to some party wasn't in your plans tonight at all, but it's been a day full of the unexpected. You finish eating what's left of your food, enjoying the sounds of the park around you now that Arthur and Sungjae are gone, a small respite before what's likely to be a stressful evening. Then you clean up and head straight home. You'll need to figure out what to wear. <i>{end of current demo}</i>

If you go to this networking event, you might get to meet some of the people that Sungjae works with and get a glimpse of what he's like when he's not with family. It's a window you've never gotten to look through, and you can't resist your curiosity. You might also be just a little jealous that Arthur knows more about that side of Sungjae's life than you do. Maybe you shouldn't be since their relationship should have no bearing on your own, but you are. Here's hoping your curiosity will alleviate that. Going to some party wasn't in your plans tonight at all, but it's been a day full of the unexpected. You finish eating what's left of your food, enjoying the sounds of the park around you now that Arthur and Sungjae are gone, a small respite before what's likely to be a stressful evening. Then you clean up and head straight home. You'll need to figure out what to wear. <i>{end of current demo}</i>