Fallen

Legend:

. [System Speech]

. [System Speech in flashback mode of Host]

. ′Mind talking’

. Thoughts

. “Speech”

. "Speech in Surveillance"

ARC 1: ALLEN REID

Chapter One

[You only have one job. Make the couples work.]

That was the only thing Calvin knew from the system that suddenly attached itself to him for no particular reason.

He died a decade ago and for the past ten years, he had been with his handsome yet robotic system in a bubble-like, cloud-filled space being tutored by said system on what to expect in each world he travels.

His main job was to, apparently, ‘make the couples work’. Only, he won’t be able to know their name, their faces or their habits. He won’t have access to any store of the system in mid-missions. There won’t be any notification missions to be given or plots to be told. The only help he’d be given by the system is knowing who the couples he would be working on by the red strings they have connected into their ring finger, his surveillance, the fact that the person he’d be transmigrating as has or will have connections to his targets and the memories of the person he will become.

Everything had to be done by his own efforts literally. Troublesome.

Calvin has always been a lazy person. He likes not doing things as he deems it as trouble. No stimulus means peace. His few friends and family always says that he’s the very definition of sloth. He did not even know how he died. So this current job he got is really annoying.

At least after his job is done, he get to leave immediately.

He sighed. He did not even know WHY exactly he got bounded by a system.

This one is currently his first world. He’s currently holding flowers in his hand and was about to give said flowers to a customer.

Wait. Looking at the attire, this person in front of his isn’t a customer but an employee based on the uniform he is wearing. A second later, a soft stream of memories flowed inside his mind, making him know about the life of the person he is occupying.

[You can’t go out-of-character.]

He remembered one of the rules his system told him. He really has to ask that system what his name is and make sure that he answers, not just give him silence.

Allen Reid is a florist who lives a pretty normal life. Coming from an average family, graduated elementary up to his university years with average grades, neither standing out nor failing. Managed to save up money enough to be able to have this small, flower business. Now alone as his parents just died three years ago and he isn’t fond of being in a relationship. He’s a man of few words.

He’s not really concerned about his current identity’s past. He’s more focused on his personality and he thinks it’s okay to follow this man’s character. Though he’s not fond of flowers, Allen is and he got infected by his likes, not to mention that Allen being a man of few words just sits right with him. He doesn’t like talking much.

Allen gave the bouquet of roses to his employee, Carlos Delante after a couple seconds of pause as he got used to the new memories he got but his employee seems to be absent-minded.

“Carl,” he called out. Said man jerked up to look at him upon hearing his voice. Seeing him with his hand full of roses outstretched, he blushed in embarrassment.

“Sorry, boss,” he apologized as he took the flowers from his hands.

Carlos, or Carl as he calls him, looked o be troubled and Allen has enough humanity in him to be concerned, especially as in his memories, his employee is a cheerful person.

“Trouble?”

Carl gave him a wide eyed look before he gave a nervous chuckle.

“Nothing, boss. There’s no trouble,” he denied. It’s obvious that’s a lie but he’s too lazy to point that out. Not to mention that Carl seemed to not want to talk about it.

He let the other leave his shop so that the delivery won’t be delayed. As he was now left alone inside, he tended to the various flowers displayed since he doesn’t have any customers. Only visitors who window shopped. He just carefully watched them while taking care of the delicate flowers, not saying anything.

After two hours, he was surprised to see that upon Carl’s return, his hand now have a red string connected on his ring finger.

It was just earlier that he saw Carl’s hand clean. How did he return back having a red string? More importantly, the man now looked even more depressed than earlier. Since they are alone, he asked again.

“Trouble?” Allen could literally feel how this body did not want to speak but out of his curiosity and the body’s concern, he opened his mouth.

So I could be influenced by the body I occupy...

“Ah! Boss!”

He did not want to say anything again and just expectantly looked at his employee’s eye. Carl’s newfound energy sapped quickly.

“Boss, please don’t make me deliver flowers to him again,” Carl begged with a sad face. Allen could not help but frown for a bit. He did not understand what he is talking about.

“Him?”

“Him!” He could hear the annoyance in his employee’s voice. “Him boss! The one named Evan Vermillion!”

The person they were supposed to deliver flowers?

[A red string will only appear on the person if he or she has finally conversed with their soulmate.] He remembered his system telling him back when he’s still being tutored.

[If a red string appeared, they are the ones you have to work on.]

Ah... Carlos is my target, and that Evan guy is his partner.

Male to male. Although he doesn’t really care much about the match-up, he can’t help but be intrigued at the same sex coupling. He’s never cared about romance before, but he’s not so sheltered and lazy as to not know about it. He also knows about sex between people and how it happens.

But he has never been familiar about the process. How do people fall in love anyway? Whenever he spared a thought to wonder when he was still alive before, he always found it a pain.

Love seems like a troublesome emotion, and he’d never been interested in it. Now though, it seems he has to pay attention.

Judging from Carlos’ annoyance, he could already tell that this employee of his already developed a dislike towards his destined partner. What did that Evan guy do to make this cheerful person annoyed just on first meeting?

There are still some flower delivery for that very guy. He remembered as he specifically set aside this order to be done for the entire week, one bouquet flowers a day just like what was requested. What a persistent pursuer.

He remembered the person who requested their services. It’s an elegant woman and she seemed to be a gentle person. Her eyes though held a calculating look that just made him shake his head and further think that relationship will not grace his presence.

“You’re my employee.”

This shop is small but popular for some strange reason. Deliveries are a thing they do depending on his mood if he ever accepts. That one week delivery with large bouquet of roses amused him so he accepted.

Today is only monday and there are still six days to go. Moreover, only the two of them works in this very shop. He’s lazy so he won’t ever delivery so that work falls upon the shoulder of his only employee.

Carl’s entire demeanor deflated as he remembered that very fact.

“Boss...” he pitifully cried. Allen just ignored him.

This delivery might be an opportune time for this pair to be finished.

′System, surveillance on that Evan guy,′ he said in his mind. He could hear the whirring sound of his system waking up.

[Entire name of subject?]

... What was it again? Evan...

“Customer’s name?” he asked Carl. His employee looked like he had been given christmas bonus as he lit up in delight.

“Evan Vermillion boss!”

′Surveillance on Evan Vermillion.′

[Think of the subject’s name and see.]

He’s not about to do it now as he remembered his system telling him before that he will only act as a 24/7 surveillance camera. It’s up to him to look and scan through the files. He doesn’t want to be distracted.

He looked at Carl’s brightening and expectant face - as if he was about to let him not do the deliveries - and narrowed his eyes.

“No.”

He could visibly see how the other deflated like a balloon.

TBC.