Part I
SatanSatan, the foe of God and man, the master of witches and, the tempter of sinners. The arch-nemesis of the devout worshippers and the biggest sinner herself for daring to defy God’s order. Offers lucrative deal to the fame chaser and in return, the 27 will be the age of death.
Lately, Eunbi was busy with many settlements need to be done as at the other end of binding contract asked to extend their age beyond 27. Eunbi knew how these pests acted, secure the deal and be damned with the consequences. Since social media is becoming more popular, the clout chasers non-stop ringing her to offer their impure souls to be famous in return.
Her phone beeped indicating a text message just been received.
[From Mr Slenderman]
Mam, I just finished up my last job. Is there any other new task I need to complete? If not I would like to apply for annual leave. Might want to catch up with La Llorona in Mexico. The sun will do great for my pale skin 😊
[From Satan]
It's okay, you can rest for now. Krampus will take over with remaining tasks. Enjoy your vacation. Send my regards to La Llorona.
[From Mr Slenderman]
Thank you, boss. Will reporting after two weeks.
Eunbi looked around in her home. Nothing seems amiss despite situated under seven layers of molten core deep inside of the Earth that no man has explored. She stood up to rehydrate her parched throat. Living in the hell literally its too hot for any human to handle but Eunbi is much more concerned if the mischievous Poltergeist steals her remote tv again. She really wants to watch 9pm news to catch up with the human world. Sensing she’s looking for the tv remote, her pet, cute Cerberus who had shrunk to normal dog size, brought it to her while waggling their tail and Eunbi patted each head affectionately thanking their small effort.
She sat down on the sofa and pressed the red button on the remote. Less than a few seconds the television is blaring with plastic surgery advertisement signalling the tv had switched on. She rolled her eyes mocking the advertisement intention. If she defiled the temple for disobeying God’s order to bow to the first man, shouldn’t the human who dared to alter their appearance that been bestowed by God himself is the biggest sinner instead?
At exactly 9 pm, the news started with listing out the positive Covid19 cases in the country while some old man in a prim suit trying to appeal to the public to keep calm and stop panic buying. Eunbi smirked at human’s stupidity. They never learn from history, aren’t they? In the 13th century, the bubonic plague or infamously known as the Black Plague killed at least 75 million humans reducing the world population substantially yet the humans blamed the rats. A ing rat. What an abomination to the rats' species especially Eunbi’s favourite cartoon, the Ratatouille. Eunbi shooked her head and remembered the cause of the Black Plague was due to human’s moronic routine. It’s a common practice for the 13th-century folks to shower twice a year, never bother to wash their hands and all the rivers are full of human’s faeces. It's a no brainer the virus will thrive in such a dirty environment and infect anyone in contact much faster as personal hygiene is disregard.
A voice interrupted her thoughts. She can hear someone chanting her name again. Must be those pubescent teen stupid challenge daring each other to call her and yet have the audacity to ask her to go back when she appeared.
The melodious voice still chanting her name. But this time it's not in a normal human language, it’s in the dead man language, Latin.
Fortuna hossana dioblus,legionus ab tenebris
Fortuna, fortuna equis
Ad Pugnatories in mendacium
Timidis, Timidis
In ex dominium
Obumbrate, et velata
Michi quoque niteris,
Sors salutis
Et virtutis
Semper in angaria
Mecum omnes plangite!
Fortune plango vulnera
Stillantibu ocellis
Quod sua michi munera
Subtrahit rebellis
O dioublus, O dioublus,
Hossana deus
Eunbi checked the time on her phone and its way past her bedtime. She can hear the voice is steadily chanting again and again. It's obvious she wouldn’t get her beauty sleep soon not with the voice is slowly rising her volume level.
She sighed again for the umpteenth time and walked to her bedroom straight to the wardrobe to change into her work uniform. After satisfied with her appearance, she’s ready to apparate in front of the owner of the melodious, sweet voice.
==
Sakura was not ready to shoulder such a huge responsibility from her family. It’s a burden to her. The big burden for a young Miyawaki, who just turned to 22 years old today. To escape a crushing reality, she went to Shibuya street to find a new game that can provide a bliss distraction for her even for a minute. It's suffocating for her whenever the topic appeared. She wished she can run away to the end of the world and enjoy herself without any guilt. To be free from the world and just be herself.
She spotted her favourite game shop and it must be her lucky day. They’re having a clearance stock with 80% discount. Thank you to the Higher Being, Sakura whispered silently and bowed to show her gratitude to the Higher Being in the sky for giving her best present so far for her birthday.
“Oh, Sakura-san, nice to see you here. Any games you would like to buy?” The store clerk greeted Sakura cheerfully.
“Yes, I want to play some unpopular games,” Sakura grinned at the young store clerk.
“Ehh, but tomorrow is the day Animal Crossing is released.”
“I know but it's tomorrow. So today I just want to buy some new game that no one heard of. It must be really exciting to explore new games. Plus today is my birthday, I can apply for the birthday discount, right?”
“Yes, and happy birthday. You know which aisle to go right?”
“Yes, I won't be lost. Thank you and I’ll head my way now,” Sakura ended the small convo with a bow to the store clerk and received the same gesture from her.
Sakura roamed from aisle to aisle checking any interesting obscure game. She would like to try something new and not the fantasy genre or medieval theme which no longer popular. A game like Death Stranding is totally 'catchy' and something along the line. Like Sims where she can play the alter ego of herself and empower to decide on her own without any intrusive decision from her parents.
Her eyes didn’t stop searching from shelves to shelves until she accidentally bumped into another customer.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Sakura bowed to apologize for her clumsiness.
“It's okay, I’m fine. Are you okay?” The customer revealed her handsome young face when Sakura looked up at him. Her face is really charming and her aura exudes a calm but confident persona.
“I’m fine, thank you for asking,” Sakura smiled shyly looking at an intense gaze from the handsome man.
“Is it okay if I ask you what kind of games you’re looking for? I saw you passing by each row,” The man smiled politely after seeing blush appeared making Sakura’s cheek redder than usual.
“I’m looking for Sims game. I mean not like sims, but like an alter ego kind of game,” Sakura smiled sheepishly trying to deliver a coherent sentence to the handsome customer.
“Oh, I have this game,” the man drew out the said game from his shopping basket and gave to Saku
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