Reboot Program || 전정국

03: PHASE ZERO II

[ edited by @Btsaddictlol ]

_______________

HYESEOL steps into the empty, dark room, illuminated only by a flickering light bulb. The somber atmosphere soars within the fuel dump. She roams around, looking at the unusual interior design; a set of two vacant dark wooden tables occupied both her sides, each with a miniature bottle shaped ceramic vase holding a single red rose. The walls were decorated with several pieces of art. The shop seemed empty and had a 'restaurant in the middle of the desert' vibe.

"Starry Night," she mumbles to no one in particular . From Hyeseol's thin knowledge about the painting, she could easily point out one of the arts that replicate the famous Vincent Van Gogh on the wall behind the isolated island bar in the middle of the shop with exactly six wooden stools arranged neatly.

"Hello, is anyone here?" she asks as she circles the small bar. Hyeseol's eyes dart to the rustic wall opposite her, mounted rack full with bottles of different juices and soft drinks. The yellow bulb placed aligned with the rack helped her to read the labels.

"Jung Hoseok?" she whispers, feeling spooked. Hyeseol could feel the eeriness creeping at the back of her neck when she had received a null answer. Plus, her voice resonates on the wall and bounces back to her. Nonsense, she shrugged off the creepy thought. Her eyes dart back up to the drinks before her and she bites her lower lips as her favourite drink also on display on the rack.

"Fanta, coca-cola, pepsi - well, it's free anyway," she thinks as she eyes the various drinks on the racks. Her love for soft drink was really testing her patience with this website game. 

"Duh! What now? Something's going to pop-up out of nowhere?" she murmurs to herself while fiddling with the white Fanta cap. Soon, a fizzing sound of gases escaping the bottle greets her ears.

Not bothering to brush her butt on the dusty chair, Hyeseol gobbles down the drink to quench her thirst. Unaffected by the cold rain pattering against the window, she drinks the Fanta bottoms up until the last drop of the drink is drained from the bottle.

"No one can resist a free drink, right Hyeseol-ssi?"

Hyeseol chokes upon hearing voice. After coughing uncontrollably, she manages to gulp down the liquid stuck in her throat.

"I'm Jung Hoseok. Nice to meet you, Hyeseol-ssi," a charming man in a black suit greets her with a small bow, his face showcasing small dimples when his mouth forms a beautiful smile.

"Well...the picture was a lie," Hyeseol thought as she tilted her head a little to admire his unique features before greeting him back.