Side Quest: Failed

Despite what fans and other think, being a competitively ranked Sm-g gamer was not enough to pay the bills (at least not for Jindeok). Jindeok was completely supporting herself, had been since she left her mother's side and though streaming her game play made her a decent chunk of change she still had to partake in part-time work. Her current job was actually with the apartment complex as a technical assistant. With all the older people living in the building and the recent digital upgrade it had gone through it brought up the occasional small issue like misaligned cables and fuzzy connection which the average maintenance man never bothered with.

Jindeok was working now, running from floor to floor answering requests of the confused elderly who just wanted to watch their afternoon dramas. Most were just loose wire connections, or lost remotes that she had to crawl around to find. She was on her way back down to the maintenance room to wait out the rest of her shift that was over in a little more than an hour, when her cell rang. Stopping just outside the elevators she pulled it out of her back pocket and answered the call.

“Yeah?”

“You have another request. Eighth floor apartment 204,” Mr. Kang, the maintenance man replied.

Jindeok huffed silently as she rolled her eyes and slumped her shoulders. “'Kay, on my way now.”

“Good, he sounded cranky.” Then Mr. Kang hung up and Jindeok pocketed her phone.

Pressing the call button she waited for the elevator. She adjusted the straps of her overalls and stretched her back so it released several satisfying cracks and pops. Once the elevator arrived she stepped inside and made her way to apartment 204. Somewhere in the back of her mind that number sounded familiar but Jindeok chalked it up to having helped the residence before.

Then she knocked on the door and the world shook under her again. A disheveled head of red dyed hair popped around the opening door with the scrunched up sour face of Byun Baekhyun, who was already spouting nonsense at her.

“Stupid wires won't stay in place when I place them, I need a second pair of hands,” he was ranting. He didn't seem to register who was in front of him as he opened the door wider for Jindeok to enter, which she did hesitantly while Baekhyun continued to complain about whatever wires he was dealing with. He was glancing down at a small booklet as he let the door swing shut, from the quick glimpse Jindeok got of it before he turned his back to her the booklet seemed to be a set of instructions or a user manual. “You can take your shoes off there the problem is in my office,” he added between his complaints before he marched further into the apartment. He didn't even peer back at her.

Jindeok, who had to remind herself she was working, took a deep breath before slipping her Vans off and followed after Baekhyun. Like most apartments above the fifth floor the Byun place was large and spacious, at least twice the size of Jindeok's one bedroom home. Though she knew of the size difference it didn't stop her from being surprised Baekhyun had an office, her office was her bedroom and sometimes her living room if she was dealing with a console game instead of PC. The office was passed two closed doors down a hall to the right with a spiderweb of wires and cords tangled about on the floor and half hanging off the soundproofing foam affixed to the walls.

She stopped in the doorway ogling his incredible setup. There was an L-desk in the opposite corner from the door with two HD monitors perched on top, a massive computer below and a white and black Racer gaming chair tucked into it. Along the same wall as the door was a TV that had to be at least seventy-two inches sitting on top of a black cabinet that Jindeok couldn't see what was in it, but assumed were games and merch alike. Across from the television was a comfortable looking royal blue sofa with branded throw pillows of some franchise she wasn't familiar with. It was a gamers haven.

“I'm trying to set up this stupid surround sound system, but I can't get the wires to stay on my – own,” Baekhyun trailed off as he turned around with a speaker in hand. Snapping out of her staring Jindeok looked to him to see he just realized who she was. His sour expression turned blank as he narrowed his gaze at her.

“Uh, I can send up Mr. Kang if you would prefer,” she stuttered nervously.

“You work here too?” Baekhyun questioned flatly.

Jindeok nodded.

“But your mom,” he began with a crease between his brows.

“I take care of myself,” she stated quickly. Jindeok didn't want to talk about her mom, or anything else, she was working and if Baekhyun didn't want her help she wouldn't argue like with some of the other tenants that thought she was incapable because of her age or gender (dumb, stubborn old men).

Baekhyun was quiet for a moment before he glance back down at his mess of speakers and wires. “I just need you to hold things in place as I tack up the wires,” he said moving to the back left corner of the room.

“Okay.”

Timidly Jindeok entered the room and followed after Baekhyun who was climbing up a stepladder to attach the speaker in his hand to the black metal arm joint sticking out from the ceiling in the corner. As he locked the speaker in place she picked up the wire that laid parallel to the wall and followed it with her eyes, the end laid below Baekhyun's ladder and the other stopped by the cabinet under the TV.

“I also still have to measure and cut the speaker wires properly,” Baekhyun grumbled as he released the speaker and held out his hand. Even without speaking Jindeok knew what he wanted and moved to hand him the end of the wire. “Thanks,” he muttered.

For the next ten minutes Jindeok helped hold the wire in place along the crease of the wall and ceiling while Baekhyun checked the length cut it then tacked it up. The process repeated with each corner of the room and the three that sit around the television until they ran the audio test. Two speakers weren't working after the first test, but after fiddling with them, all were working and Baekhyun cheered in victory and exhaustion.

“Finally! Now I can play Outlast,” he exclaimed bouncing on his feet.

Jindeok was glad her job was done, a small smile on her face. She glanced at Baekhyun, his hair an even wilder mess than when she arrived and his eyes bright as he stared longingly at his entertainment system.

“Outlast? You're playing with surround sound instead of headphones?” she inquired.

“It's way more immersive, at least I think so,” he replied. Wringing his hands together he stepped towards the TV grabbing a game controller and pressed a button turning on both the controller and Xbox One with a ding.

“I haven't had the chance to play the new Outlast game yet,” she commented. Baekhyun was plopping onto the sofa where the TV remote was, an eager grin on his face. “Been stalling 'cause I at horror games.”

Baekhyun chuckled. “Really? They're not that scary,” he teased.

Jindeok's eyed widened incredulously as she scoffed. “Did you not play the first Outlast? Chris Walker was a stubborn, terrifying and aggravating character,” she retorted.

Baekhyun snorted in amusement as he tucked a leg under him making himself more comfortable. He flicked on the television before tossing the remote aside while Jindeok slowly backed up to leave the room. Her job was done and she knew he probably wanted her gone. The internet was still on the both of them about Diamond-G Con and many were either not happy with Jindeok's win or were cheering for her rise and booing Baekhyun's throne (which Jindeok did not want).

“You're not wrong,” he chuckled, “Were you at least able to finish the first game?” he questioned.

Jindeok stopped in the doorway surprised that he was keeping t