VR - Virtual Reality [STRAY KIDS FF] ✔️

4. Fuckboy

The weather is warm and sunny. A slight breeze ruffles my hair but I'm patiently waiting for my date.

I throw a glance at my reflection in the shop window, satisfied with how I look in this soft dress and cute bolero. This will be my first date since graduating college.

Looking down at my wristwatch, I sigh - I came almost half an hour earlier than expected.

Five minutes until our agreed meeting time.

"Hey." I hear a male voice that mutters my name after his greeting.

Looking up, I see a blond male dressed casually - pants and a white t-shirt, with a dark dress jacket over it. His dimpled smile makes me smile in return.

"Hi. Yeah, that's me. And... You must be Chan." I offer my hand in greeting and he takes it, squeezing it gently in a handshake.

"Yeah. Glad to finally meet you."

"Same," a giggle escapes my mouth after I squeeze his hand back and shake it lightly.

He lets go first, nervously pulling air through his teeth while tucking his hands in his back pockets.

"So... you ready for our date?"

I nod. "Yup. Let's go."

And so it begins...

Chan takes me on a stroll through the nearby park, buying me popcorn from the vendor at the park entrance. We munch on the snack while he tells me more about himself - a college grad just like me whose dream is to produce songs for big names in the industry.

We engage in the college majors talk and he attentively listens to my boring story - fresh out of college lawyer who is still unemployed.

"Hey, don't worry. An opportunity will come eventually." Chan says, keeping his smile up the whole time. He throws a single popcorn in the air and successfully catches it in his mouth. I applaud.

"Impressive skill. I can't do that for the life of me." I admit.

"Try it." Chan encourages me but I'm too shy to do it.

Yet he doesn't give up and I eventually try the trick but the popcorn lands on my eye.

"Ow..." I hiss and laugh simultaneously, feeling some grains of salt prickling my eye.

"Are you okay?" He worries and I rub my eye, blinking the salt away.

"Ah, yeah, don't worry," I reassure him.

"Oh... okay. So..." he glances at his watch, "Shall we go? Our lunch reservation awaits."

"What? You reserved a table?" I gasp.

"Of course." Chan shrugs nonchalantly and motions with his hand for me to follow him out of the park and across the street where a small restaurant is located.

"Oh wow... this place is so cute. I've never been here," I can't help but be amazed at the decor and interior design of the restaurant.

"It's small but cozy. And I hope you'll love their food 'cause their lamb chops are to die for," Chan says as he leads me to the table assigned for us.

"I will take your word for it," I smile and let him pull the chair for me to sit.

When the waiter appears, I order a lemonade while Chan starts off with only mineral water. When our drinks arrive and the waiter asks us about food, I motion to Chan with my hand, letting him pick the food for us.

"A double serving of lamb chops, please," he tells the waiter, and the standing male nods, disappearing in the next moment.

Our conversation at the table flows naturally, with a lot of laughs and hand gesticulations. The food arrives and the taste of tender meat is really "to die for".

"Damn, Chan... this is really good," I cover my full mouth with my hand, my eyes wide.

Chan laughs. "Of course. I'd never lie about good food."

I nod in agreement but his words spark my next conversation starter.

"What do you lie about, then?" I ask and he chuckles, that dimple melting my heart.

"Ummm..." Chan looks away from me, staring out the window. He shrugs and returns his gaze back to me. "I don't know... about different stuff. But those are mostly innocent white lies."

"Hmm, yeah," I keep nodding and chewing, the meat juices setting off fireworks in my mouth. "Same for me - harmless little lies."

We laugh some more and our date comes to an end. Chan walks me back home and we agree on the second date fast. He plays a perfect gentleman, kissing the top of my hand instead of my lips and watching over me until I entered the house.

The next day, I rant to my best friend all about my date. We are at the local cafe, enjoying our daily routine - fresh coffee and pastry - until she audibly gasps at hearing Chan's name.

"Bang Chan? Are you sure??" she asks, drawing judgemental looks left and right.

I place my hand over hers in an attempt to calm her down. "Yeah... Why did you react like that? You're scaring me..."

My palms begin to sweat and she clicks her tongue and fishes her phone out of her purse. A couple of scrolling and taps later, she shoves her phone into my hands.

"This Bang Chan?" she asks, cocking her brow.

I look down at the screen, seeing a man with a black undercut but red hair on top. He looks like a character from the Angry Birds game.

The male in the photo is biting his lip seductively, having smoky-eye makeup, and colored contact lenses. He's wearing a black modern version of hanbok, traditional Korean wear, and a lot of jewelry. Swiping left I see another photo in the same sparkly outfit where he's looking at the camera as if he would pick a fight with the viewer, sitting on the black leather armchair.

His outfit, hair, and stern look on his face are different but there's no doubt that it's Chan.

I gulp and hand the girl next to me her phone. "Yeah... it's him... But, he's blond now."

My best friend scoffs and waves her hand as if she was swatting a fly.

"Big deal to change the hair color," she grabs my hand, "That boy went to the same college as me. Photography majors used to call him to be their model. That boy is trouble - he's a fuckboy!"

I blink, too shocked by her words, but then a laugh comes out of my mouth. "No way. He seemed so nice yesterday!"

"That's exactly his plan - playing a gentleman to lure you into his bed. Then he fucks you and never answers your calls or messages again. Trust me," she grips my hand tight, "Stay. Away. From. Chan. I'm serious."

I sigh and nod. "Thanks for telling me that. I trust you. I don't want to have any business with a fuckboy."

...

A familiar beeping sound and darkness before my eyes bring me back to reality. I sigh and take off the glasses.

Sitting up in my bed, I rub my eyes. This next VR scenario was with Chan again, but I wonder when it will bring the other Stray Kids members.

And, thinking about Chan... Did the app really pick up on my admiration for his blond hair to bring it back again? I also like the "In Life" concept of red-haired Chan but I never mentioned that...

"This is all so weird..."

I start to wonder if this application that my father made could read minds and feelings because, yet again, the experience felt real - I can still taste the lamb chops, hear Chan's laugh so clearly, and feel the disappointment after finding out his lie. I also never mentioned anywhere who my best friend is but the app brought her in.

My head hurts...

I sigh again and go to take a shower, complicated feelings enveloping me and squeezing my heart, not giving me peace until sunrise.