As Zeno entered Doha’s unit, the usual playful atmosphere was replaced by a feeling of… apprehension. Eli, Minji, and Doha appeared to be on their toes, moving in a robotic manner.
Along with that, the table was filled with a spread of his favorite food, which was unusual for breakfast. “What’s this?” he asked before he sat.
Doha chuckled awkwardly as he removed his apron. “What do you mean? It’s breakfast.”
“Is it anyone’s birthday?”
Minji sat and nudged his side. “What are you talking about? This is our usual breakfast!”
Zeno narrowed his eyes in suspicion. It most definitely was not.
However, he wasn’t going to complain. With that, he also sat and began chowing on the good food, not minding that the three were acting like they were on the edge of a cliff.
“The food is nice, right?” Eli chuckled in the middle of their meal.
“Yeah, it’s always been nice,” Zeno chimed.
The table was filled with loud laughter, making Zeno even more confused. Why were they acting like they were under hostage?
“The food has always been nice,” Minji muttered. “Yeah, we always have variety. Although the units are small, you have your friends here that cook you good food.”
“And although the walls are thin…,” Doha continued before leaning closer to Minji. “I can’t think of a redeeming factor for it.”
Eli cleared his throat to divert Zeno’s attention. “The huge flight of stairs might be tiring, but it’s good for your health.”
Zeno didn’t understand why they were listing such things, but he nodded. “The rent’s cheap, too,” he added.
That caused all three to freeze, and Minji bit her lip in nervousness.
“Anyway, I have someone to meet today,” Zeno said, getting up from his seat with an empty plate.
“Who?” Minji asked before she could stop herself.
Zeno hesitated, making them even more nervous. Then, he shrugged.
“Just someone,” he said before going to the kitchen, washing his plate, and leaving Doha’s unit with a small wave.
As soon as he was gone, Doha, Minji, and Eli slumped on the table.
“He’s… really going to meet with Natty and leave us?” Doha asked, verbalizing the one thing they dreaded to acknowledge.
Meanwhile, Zeno grabbed a bus in his usual slouchy clothes and arrived in Hannam, where he agreed to meet with this person.
The cafe was empty except for a barista, who appeared like he wanted to leave at any second.
Zeno took a seat at the corner and texted the person he would be meeting.
‘I’m here.’
A few seconds later, someone came out of the staff room wearing a uniform similar to that of the barista.
He looked around for a moment before he spotted Zeno, smiling the moment they made eye contact.
“Zeno,” he greeted with a slight bow. “I didn’t think you would call back this early.”
Zeno nodded. He didn’t expect it, either. However, after meeting someone from the original Zeno’s past, he had a feeling that his mission wasn’t about that.
Instead… it might be referring to someone from HIS past.
“I’m glad you agreed to meet me here,” Devon said. “Don’t worry. No one ever comes here during the dull hours because the coffee tastes really bad.”
Zeno’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Do you own this place?”
Devon smiled and shook his head. “Of course not. I work here.”
“Aren’t you the assistant director of this show?” I asked, pertaining to The Ninth Circle.
He scratched the back of his neck.
“Well, yes. However, my income for the first season was pretty low, considering we didn’t know whether it would turn into a success. It just ended up like this.”
“But it turned out to be a huge success,” Zeno said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “The director didn’t give you a good cut?”
Devon chuckled. “Let’s just say that the terms are better this time around. Back then, the production cost was higher than ever, so other salaries had to be sacrificed. However, do not worry. You are not affected by this,” he disclaimed.
Zeno shook his head in mild amusement. “So, what kind of offer do you have for me?”
Devon’s eyes brightened again, and it seemed he was relieved that Zeno moved on to another topic.
“Let me give you a general premise of the second season.”
“After seeing the success of Desperate #41 after the Ninth Circle games, a lot more individuals wanted to enter. The desperation of the people is at an all-time high, and with the even more unfair distribution of goods, the citizens think this is their only way of climbing the ladder—even if it costs their life,” he said with such fondness that Zeno began to feel suspicious.
“You seem to really understand the nuances of the story,” Zeno noted, grabbing the coffee that the barista served and taking a small sip.
He immediately grimaced. It had a sour taste that lingered in your mouth. Now he knew why the cafe didn’t have any customers.
Devon scratched the back of his ear. “You could say I’m quite passionate about it,” he muttered. “I like the storyline very much.”
Zeno noted such expressions. “Anyway, continue,” he said.
Devon cleared his throat. “You will be playing the role of a young man from Busan—a breadwinner who wants to change the lives of his siblings for the better. He is foul-mouthed and lived under abusive parents, which had toughened his exterior.”
“He works illegal jobs in order to keep his two younger siblings afloat, all while paying the debt of his parents, who had overdosed together. With that, he is recruited into the Ninth Circle, and he agrees right away in hopes of getting rid of his debt and uplifting his siblings’ lives.”
Zeno looked through the general premise of the story and nodded to himself. His character seemed to be something he could play. After all, he wasn’t a stranger to the bitter reality of life on Earth.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Devon chuckled, capturing his attention once more. “Your character will be named Andre…”
“… a.k.a Player #25.”