Electric City

Cupbearer Arc I: Society

"Rules are meant to police disorientation. But once an enforcer acts upon it with unjust violence, it's tyranny."

***

Characters are judged through actions. Whether they do good or bad, other people will still be able to say something about them.

This is something that Kim Jungeun, a 19-year-old digital art vocational student, has been accustomed to. Yet sometimes, it gets worse more than just about the character.

Jungeun also works as a delivery girl, using a scooter as her vehicle, and now she is set to deliver ramen in an apartment. Passing through the neighborhoods in Chuo Ward, Jungeun seems having a busy day as usual in the city of Kumamoto.

She arrives in an apartment, climbing to the upper floors through an elevator, and finally reaches the fourth floor. Jungeun walks in both discreet and nimbleness, and finds Room 411, where the address of the delivery.

Jungeun presses the doorbell and then leans to the speaker.

"Moshi, moshi, Mugiwara Delivery!" Jungeun says. She leans back a bit, fidgeting in her feet. She is holding the delivery box in her right hand, and due to boredom, she looks at her fingernails in the other.

Oof.

She forms her lips into a thin line.

"Well, what to expect," She murmurs.

The door suddenly opens. Jungeun poses her cheerful demeanor again, looking at her possible customer. Apparently, it is a man who looks young, with disheveled and unruly hair. He bows his head a bit as greeting, as Jungeun raises the delivery food box at him.

"Good afternoon, mister," Jungeun greets, "Here's your ramen. 550 yen in total."

The man looks at him and gives her the pay, "Arigato."

Jungeun takes it. She is about to speak again when the door closes.

She blinks.

That's rude.

***

Jungeun arrives in the shop, going straight to the kitchen. She puts her helmet down on the pane and walks to the staff room. She still has a class in afternoon, and she has to hurry up.

Yonaga Yuka, the manager of the shop, sees her.

"Oh, you're gonna leave already?" Yuka asks, as Jungeun looks at her.

Junguen nods, "Yes."

"I see, be careful on the road," Yuka says, "There have been news about missing people lately."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for the concern, Yonaga-san."

Jungeun enters the staff room completely.

I guess I'll have to be alert then.

***

Togata Media and Technology College—or previously and more commonly known as Togata Tech School—is somewhere located in the southern ward of the city, and also where Jungeun studies. She cannot afford to get into universities, yet Jungeun has found an opportunity of a slightly better future with this vocational school, also in hopes in able to pay a pile of debt.

It is currently breaktime, and she is currently reviewing her notes under the tree in the school grounds. While on her trance, someone sits beside her.

"Ah sure the weather is fine today."

Jungeun glances to the side, seeing a 2nd year—technically her senior—Jung Haerim, or more known as Elly. Haerim likes to be called as Elly, as it is her aspiration to become a newscaster one day.