As dinner time neared, I recognized the need to find a new employment avenue. The role I had taken over from my predecessor was as a cashier at a store, but that place was currently undergoing renovations.
"Hey, store manager!" I contacted the store's head to keep him in the loop.
"Finn? What's going on?" He answered, curious about the reason for my call.
"I've decided to resign. You'll need to find a replacement once the store renovations are done." I informed him abruptly and then hung up.
[+15 Evil Points]
I imagined he must be reeling from the sudden news. I quickly blocked his number, hoping to avoid any further complications.
With no job in hand now, I began contemplating my next move. It became clear that a conventional job might not fulfill my aspirations in the long term.
A thought suddenly crossed my mind. Could I earn money by joining the underworld? This particular gang held significant sway in a section of the city, seemingly untouched by law enforcement.
Rumors on the street suggested that this gang, despite its illicit activities, had some backing from the powers within the government.
I wasn't sure about the exact process of joining their ranks, but having knowledge of their operations would certainly be an advantage.
Naturally, I anticipated that they wouldn't just let anyone in. Yet, with my determination and skills, I believed I could secure a spot, even if it were at the bottom of their hierarchy. The initial pay and respect might be meager, but I was confident that climbing the ranks wouldn't be an insurmountable challenge.
As I was preparing to head out, I noticed someone pressing my doorbell. It was a familiar face—Janette, a former colleague of mine.
"Holy shit... Finn, is that you?" Like the landlady, who was confused by my appearance. Janette was the same.
Much like the landlady had been earlier, Janette looked taken aback by my changed appearance.
"No," I replied, causing her eyes to narrow, clearly recognizing my blatant deceit.
[+2 Evil Points]
"How have you transformed so much?" She decided to overlook my previous statement, pressing me for answers about my evident change.
"Just hit a growth spurt." My reply was obviously not convincing, and I hadn't intended it to be.
"Why are you here?" I pondered if my old boss might have sent her to check up on me, but I figured I should ask directly. After all, she might have another reason for visiting.
"Boss got in touch, said you up and quit, and then blocked him. He asked me to see how you were. Given that I was already out and we live in the same complex, I thought I'd drop by," Janette explained, her presence making sense given our proximity.
"Alright, you've seen I'm okay. Can you step aside? I need to grab some dinner." Since she had accomplished her task of checking in on me, I saw no further need for our conversation to continue.
Moreover, she was obstructing the doorway, so I couldn't exit without her moving. I wished I had the influence to have everyone do as I wished.
"Dinner? Why don't we go together?" It struck me as odd; Janette didn't seem the type to be swayed by appearances. She probably wouldn't have given me a second glance if I were still my old self.
"Suit yourself." I was indifferent about her accompanying me. If she was willing to deal with any potential offhand remarks from me, then that was her choice to make.
Janette had a specific restaurant in mind, and since she took the initiative to choose, I felt it was only fair that she covered the bill.
To avoid any awkwardness, I ensured she had her wallet with her, ensuring she wouldn't suddenly expect me to foot the bill.
The spot she picked was a renowned family diner. It was bustling, nearly at full capacity. We might not have found a place to sit if we arrived a bit later.
I was particularly blunt during our meal. Every time Janette attempted to strike up a conversation, I curtailed it with minimal responses.
I sensed her frustration at my reluctance to engage. Still, any discomfort she felt might earn me some points, which was a bonus in my book.
Her restaurant choice was commendable, so I had no reason to give her a hard time. As we wrapped up our meal, it appeared Janette had something she wanted to discuss before we went our separate ways.
"Finn, I don't know how else to put this, but you've changed, and it's quite drastic. You seem like an entirely different individual now." I knew I had changed, but it wasn't something I wanted to delve into.
"What's your point?"
"I'm just... When I first met you, you came off as someone who might be an easy target for bullies or ridicule. Given your abrupt resignation, I had this unsettling feeling that you might... you know, harm yourself." She spoke with a sense of nostalgia and concern in her voice.
"..."
It was surprising to hear such sentiments from her. Based on the memories of my predecessor, our interactions were minimal and not exactly warm or friendly.
"I'm not sure what's gotten into you, but I hope you'll keep yourself safe. The thought of someone I know taking their own life... it would haunt me." She shivered at the thought and exaggerated her reaction with a dramatic pose.
"Before we split up, fancy hitting a bar?" Janette seemed to catch my intention to depart but appeared keen on extending our time together.
Initially, I had every intention of declining Janette's invitation. But then it occurred to me that a bar could be an ideal venue to gather intelligence. The quality of the information would vary based on the specific bar, but I decided to roll the dice.
"Alright, show me where." I allowed her to take the lead, considering it was approaching prime time for bars.
Interacting with drunk individuals could yield some easy points for me. However, it would only be a worthwhile endeavor if they were too impaired to fight back.