Paring — ᨳଓ . cyber Jisung x cyber f character
Summary — ᨳଓ . Han Jisung who makes and sells drug simulation chips in the worst section of the city called the under-grid, meets the daughter of the main architect for the city who is obsessed with learning new things. And Jisung lives a whole different life she knew nothing about.
Warnings — ᨳଓ . Alcohol/drug usage and possibly addiction, language/cussing, uhhh let me know if I missed anything
AU note — ᨳଓ . This is my first time writing or posting ff. it doesn't even have a title yet. This is just a teaser of the first chapter. I didn’t have anyone read this to give me feedback so if you have any, please feel free to give me any!!
There might be spelling mistakes and grammar errors.
"Kid, get the hell out of the way!”
The streets were full of people and noise. Families were walking around, trying to enjoy what was left of the day, while people working at markets stood outside trying to advertise whatever it is they sold.
Mid-city was at its peak of activity during this time of year with the big festival happening soon, and with the city being overpopulated as it is, didn't make this time of year easier.
The little boy in the street picked up a piece of metal scrap off the floor before he moved out the street looking back at the officer who yelled at him to get out of the way. The boy was a mess and looked really out of place around this nicer, clean environment, with bandaids and scrapes all over him. He couldn’t have been more than ten years old. His hair was dark and messy, starting to over grow and get into his eyes.
He looked up at the officer who yelled at him with a dirty look and stuck his middle finger out sticking his tongue out at him. The officer was on a cart that was moving a giant float that needed to get to the center of the city for a festival coming up.
officers were trying to clear the roads to transport fancy floats that were gonna be in the big mid-city festival in six days to the center of the city. The officer didn't do anything but scoff at the boy, shaking his head before looking forward and moving on. The boy laughed before throwing the scrap he picked up from the street, into an old pillow case he was using as a sack to hold the rest of what he had collected throughout the day.
He walked the opposite way of the officers. He knew they were headed to the center of the city. That’s always where the festival started every year, and that’s the exact opposite way of where he was going. He opened the pillowcase, looking in to see all the scraps he had collected today.
"He better make me something out of all of this.”
He closed it and tossed it on his shoulder to carry it as he continued walking to the other side of town.
As he reached the calmer quieter parts of the city he took a moment to look around him. He noticed the buildings were higher, way way higher, more clean, taken care of, and secure then where he lived. He’s seen the buildings in mid-city before but it didn’t make him feel any better about his own part of the island.
The real hard part was looking up to see the upper levels. To him, it was an untouchable city in the sky. It was huge, had clean air, and above everything. They got fresh rain. Not rain from gutters that dropped down to where he lived. He always wondered if the kids living up there got scraps and scars like him too. He’s never dared sneaking into the upper levels, so this view from below was the only thing he’s gotten to seeing it.
By the time he made it to the edge of the city, the sun had started to set. The boy stopped in front of an abandoned garbage shoot, and looked around making sure no one was looking before tying the pillowcase shut, opening the shoot, and throwing the bag down. He looked around one last time before jumping into the shoot and shutting the lid behind him.
When the boy came out the other end of the shoot, he held his head in pain from hitting it on the metal tube on the way down. He rubbed it hard before getting up and grabbing the pillow case. There was a mattress and soft things like used clothes and old pillows under the shoot. They were clearly placed there under the shoot on purpose for a softer fall.
He got off the mattress and started walking, throwing the pillow case over his shoulder again. This part of the island was what he was used to. A long time ago it was the only section of the island, but as tech got more advanced and the island grew, this part it was just built over. People started calling it an under-grid of the upper levels, and it soon became its name.
The Under-Grid was dark all times of day from the buildings overhead blocking the sun out making people sick constantly, people living on the streets drunk or high on drugs, It didn’t matter what kind. People begging for money, food, anything to help their family. The boy walked past all the people, hopping over garbage piles too big to walk over. He learned avoiding eye contact, and staying to himself worked best when walking around.
As he got closer to his section of the under-grid he lived in, he started looking down dark alleys like he was searching for something. It was hard to tell what was down the alleys because the only thing that lit this section of the under-grid was neon lights and market signs.
He searched and searched, but was getting annoyed he couldn’t find what he was looking for. He figured he would try one last place, thinking surely he would be there.
When the boy turned the corner to the ramen shop, he found what he was looking for sitting on the stools just about done with his food. This part of town was more lit up with lights and was way lighter than the alleyways.
The closer you were to the center, the lighter. The farther you were from the center, the darker.
Jisung looked up seeing the boy rushing over with a dirty old pillowcase that was clanking as he walked. Han looked at the bag concerned with the sound as the boy sat down at the stool next to him.
“I told you to stop calling me that!”
Han scoffed a smile at his reaction and brought his hand to wolf’s hair and ruffled it.
“Your name is Wolfe. There’s not much I’m taking away.”
Wolf pushed Hans hand away from his head. Han just laughs, cleaning his area up, and getting up handing changbin the bowl.
Changbin takes the dish from Han’s hand, giving a smile and a nod before moving his attention to another customer. Han tapped the side of his head right where his temple was, and a projection screen with his bill popped up. Han transferred the credits to changbin, and closed the screen entirely before he walked away.
Wolf got up fast after realizing Han was already leaving, and followed behind him opening the pillow case and started looking through it.
The sound of metal clinking together in the pillowcase every time wolf walked was a bit concerning to Han, and brought Jisung's focus back on the pillowcase bag. Han slowed down walking and looked at wolf behind him who was busy looking through the bag.
Wolf looked up at Han and pulled out a piece of metal scrap that was in his hand. “Scrap.”
Han raised an eyebrow confused as to why he would have a bunch of it. Han could pull together that wolf probably found it lying around somewhere because the thought of wolf buying anything was never a possibility in Hans mind.
“Please tell me you didn’t steal that?”
Wolf shook his head offended.
“What? I didn’t steal it? I just found it while looking around.”
Han blinked a few times before reaching his arm out for the bag. Wolf easily handed it to him.
Han stopped walking to go through the bag. Everything was fucked up, dirty, or definitely broken off of something, but it was still useable. Han looked to the bottom of the bag and found a tech chip. It was broken but could be salvaged. Han took a closer look and saw an engraved label saying Mid-City in metal. Han looked back up at Wolf with an eyebrow slighting raised.
“Where did you find all this?”
Wolf shrugged looking away from Han fidgeting with a bandaid that was wrapped around his thumb, hesitating to speak.
Hans' face turns slightly disappointed but not surprised.
“Yeah right, like scrap is just laying around down here. You went to Mid-City again.”
Wolf groans, drops his shoulders, and rolls his eyes.
Han rolls his eyes back, tossing the chip back in the bag and closing the top. He started walking again looking back at Wolfe.
“You know if officers up there start questioning you, and find out how you’ve been illegally going up and down, they're gonna send you to juvy.”
Wolf sped up to catch up with Jisung, now walking beside him and looked up at him
“You say that every time and I’ve been fine! Why are you so scared of Mid-City anyway? You won’t go even though you could! You just have to get a travel pass, And legally you can!”
Han’s face turned to a confused one and looked down at Wolf.
“One, I’m not scared of Mid-City. Two, once you can legally go up there without your mom or someone over 18, then I will stop bothering you about it.”
“Are you scared because of your job?”
Han just looked more confused and blinked a few times.
“I don’t see how working at a bar would make me scared of Mid-City-“
Wolf shook his head and cut Jisung off at the end.
“No, not the bar job. Your second one. You told me you have a second job.”
Han took a second to think before speaking.
Wolf looked up at Han in disbelief.
“Are you serious? You literally said, your second job surrounds you “by not so good people.” And that we should watch out for them. You said that to all of us when you bought us food that one time!”
Wolf sped up in front of Han to make him look down at him again.
“My friends from school!”
Han made a face of realization before clapping his hands together and pointing down at Wolf.
“Oh! At the ramen shop! Well, I was probably lying to sound cool-“
Wolf shook his head knowing Han was trying to brush the topic off.
“Speaking of my job at the bar, Chris probably needs some help so-“
“You should let me help then!”
Han went slightly more serious rolling his eyes and looked forward.
Wolf threw his hands in the air and let them fall to his sides.
“Come on! At least let me inside.”
Han threw the pillow case of scrap he was still holding onto on his shoulder to carry it. He looked down at Wolf who had his arms crossed and was slightly pouting.
“No. You’re under 21, and I’m not breaking rules for you.”
“Chris broke the rules for you! You started working there when you were eighteen!”
Han whispered under his breath. “Yeah, in the back maybe-“
“And he lets you live in the bar attic! That’s breaking plenty!”
Han scoffed a slight smile seeing how worked up Wolf got over this topic.
“Chris is also the owner of the bar, so he’s allowed to break and bend whatever rules he wants.”
“Then tell him I want to work there.”
Han shakes his head like that was a stupid question.
“You’re still a minor, I was at least eighteen when he let me start working, and there’s no reason for you to be hanging around at a bar anyway.”
Han blinked a few times making a fake confused face before looking down at Wolf.
Wolf was clearly annoyed, and frustrated. He scoffed looking up at Han who just laughed.
Han rolled his eyes, still smiling. “Fine, I'll ask him again.” There was a pause of silence before Han looked down at him.
“He's meaner than you think he is.”
As they got deeper into the walk, things around them started to look more lively. Near the center on the Under-Grid, people were getting ready for their own festival. It was majority, kids and parents walking around, looking at all the cool neon lights people put out for decoration.
Wolf and Han stopped talking for a moment looking around at the lights. It was hard to ignore them when they were the only thing lighting up the Under-Grid most of the time.
The center of the under-grid was the closest thing to a plaza or market place down here, so it was always full of kids and families talking, hanging out, playing together, and marriages. Whatever it was, this was the only spot the under-grid had. It was big enough for everyone.
Wolf looked up at Han who was busy looking up at the lights. His face was lit up blues and reds, defining the features of his face.
“…you still won’t tell me how you met Chris?”
Han looked down at Wolf a bit caught off guard before he scoffed another smile and shook his head.
As they walked out of the center of the city, they got quiet. The lights died down and it went back to just the old city lights lighting up their way. The noise from earlier dies down too, bringing back attention to the clinking of the metal in the bag on hands shoulder.
“Why did you go and collect a bunch of scrap anyway?” Han expected an answer of him defending himself, planning to bicker back, or saying something like he was going to sell it. But it didn’t come. Nothing did.
Han looked down at Wolf who was looking the opposite way. He could feel Jisung's eyes on him so he spoke up not able to think of an alibi in time.
“…it’s for your birthday.”
Han wasn’t expecting him to say anything like that. Han didn’t even know what to say back. He wasn’t used to people doing nice things for him like this. Especially to some kid who risked getting caught for him.
“… my birthday isn’t until next week though-“
“I know! but when I asked Felix what I should get you, he said you like making things out of scraps. He wouldn’t tell me what you like making, but he said it would be a good gift. And I wanted you to have time to make something before your birthday so… there.” Wolf gestured to the bag on Hans' shoulder with a nod.
Han blinked a few times, genuinely shocked. Still at a loss for words.
“Don’t say it so sarcastically!”
Wolf finally looked up at Han seeing him smiling.
“But, do me one more favor?”
“Stop asking Felix questions. Actually, stop talking to him in general. He can’t keep his mouth shut.”
Wolf crossed his arms again
“Well for your information he doesn’t tell me anything about you.”
Han smirked and looked over at him. Wolf saw the area they were in and knew Han was walking to the bar.
“Good. cause I told him not to spread my business around.”
“He will tell me things about other people though! And when I told Felix I was thinking about what to get you for your birthday, that’s all he told me.”
As Han and Wolf got closer to the bar, they could hear the music playing from outside. It was Friday night, meaning it was a busy.
“Well good. I thought I was gonna have to blackmail him more.”
Wolf decided not to drag the blackmail thing while Han opened a door to the bar allowing the sound to travel to the outside without a wall in the way. Han walked in looking back at Wolf, creaking the door just enough so he could look at him without showing him much of the inside.
Wolf scoffs and looked up at Hans smug face. “You’re gonna ask him right?”
Han rolled his eyes playfully. “The answers not gonna change.”
“I just got you a birthday gift!” Wolf said pointing to the bag over his shoulder. Han looked at the bag and sighed in defeat looking back at Chris working behind the bar.
“Chris! Wolf is asking if-"
A faint no was heard in the background of the music playing. Han looked back at Wolf, more surprised than smug now.
“Damn. I didn’t even get to finish this time.”
Wolf just groaned, throwing his head back and started walking backwards.
“Fine. Bye Jisung! I’ll come by tomorrow!”
Wolf waved with a smile as he ran off. Han just waved with a smile and sighed under his breath stepping inside and closing the door.
NOTE — ᨳଓ . thank you for reading this. Again this is my first time writing ff so I don't know how confusing it might be to read this. if you have any feedback please let me know.
