(click to enlarge)
STORYLINE: Minjo waited by the cyber diner, her boot tapping against the tile. Jihoon was late, though that didn’t surprise her.
The late afternoon sunlight filtered through the synthetic leaves of the solar trees in the campus courtyard, casting moving shadows across the cement walkways. Heat shimmered pink on the pavement as students strolled past with leftover merch bags from the VIP event.
After the media storm Lisa Liemawr whipped up with that ridiculous impromptu pep rally livestream, Minjo half-expected he’d ghost her altogether. She was tired of waiting. Tired of being patient. She knew he had to pass this way to get home.
As a shadow crept across the courtyard, she spotted him—right on cue.
He came jogging around the corner, breathless. Not in his usual baseball uniform, but in sleek designer sportswear far too expensive for a student like him. Perfectly tailored to his uncanny new figure. The kind of outfit you wore when you wanted to be seen. It hugged him in all the wrong—no, right—ways. Too stylish. Too clean. Too perfect.
“Minjo! OMG, I’m so sorry,” he said, tugging at his collar. “I—I didn’t mean to miss lunch. I was—”
“At the red carpet,” she said flatly, arms crossed. “Smiling for a man who does not officially exist.”
He winced.
She pointed behind her. “Sit.”
Jihoon obeyed like a kid caught rerouting school servers for extra credits. He slouched onto the bench, fingers tugging at his sleeve to hide the exoskeleton arm.
Minjo sat across from him and flicked open her tablet. A paused livestream filled the screen: his photoshoot, side by side with Kyra draped all over him. Jihoon looked luminous. Too perfect. She glanced at him now, -- real, but only barely.
“You don’t even look like yourself anymore.”
He said nothing. The silence between them stretched, ...not peaceful, but the silence of something slipping away.
“Lisa is selling slippers with your face on them,” she added. “She trademarked ‘Lathandro.’ You’re trending.”
Jihoon buried his face in his hands.
“You don’t want to know what’s being done to you? You think you can just bury your head in the sand?”
His voice came out raw. “It’s not... I didn’t ask for this.”
“No. But you are letting it happen.”
Minjo reached into her hoodie pocket and pulled out a compact mirror. She didn’t ask permission. She just flipped it open, adjusted the angle, and tilted it. The dying sun caught its polished surface and bounced the beam directly into Jihoon’s face.
He screamed and recoiled like it was acid, knocking over the drink she had brought him. The LED on the glass flashed a warning as it fell, just before it shattered across the tile. Jihoon clutched his cheek, stumbling back from the bench, breath ragged, eyes wide.
“Frack! It burns!”
Minjo closed the mirror calmly. Slowly. Then stood.
“Now we’re getting somewhere.”
He stared at her like a cornered animal.
“You’re photosensitive. You’re being watched and manipulated. You’re mutating. I don’t know what it is—cybernetic, pharmaceutical, biohacking, metaphysical, whatever. But believe me, I will figure it out.”
Jihoon’s lips trembled. He was too stunned to speak.
“I’m coming to your dorm tonight,” she said, stepping forward, voice cool and commanding. “I’m bringing Scrappy, diagnostic kits, and every sensor I own. I need access to thoroughly search your dorm—and all that gear you definitely can’t afford.” She pointed to the exoskeleton on his batting arm. “Everything will be examined. No clue too small.”
Jihoon stared at her—afraid, helpless, but maybe, just maybe, also relieved.
“And Jihoon?”
He looked up.
“No more lying.”
She walked off, her boots crunching broken glass. Scrappy 2 padded after her, tail wagging.
Behind them, Jihoon collapsed against the wall, clutching the spot where the light had touched his cheek. It still throbbed.
He wasn’t fine.
He wasn’t okay.
And for the first time, he was finally ready to admit it.
Jinkies! Cyber Velma is not amused, look out King Cobra, she's gonna rip off that fancy mask. lol. ...There's lots to come, but it depends on my blog events.
....For this Androgyny Event post, I did something different, this time its for the girls to gender bend. The Harshbody Flight Jacket comes with fits for men and women, but I used the male fit for this image. The texture comes from Fatpack with black collar and cuffs with "No Future" on the back of the orange jacket. ... Some items that were in the CyberFair, I included too. It was just such a great event, I don't want to stop showing cool things. lol. ...Jihoon is wearing the JACK.EXE outfit from Gabriel. The Cybernetic arm is part of the clothing. You can see the full outfit in a bonus image below. ...The Cyber Headphones and Glasses are by Sintiklia and I love the style of it! They are now in the main store and you can buy them with the hair or separately. ...In the background is the cool Japanese Cyber Ramen shop by MAke a MArk. I love the robot waiters inside. Too fun. ...I hope you all are having a wonderful summer break.
On Him, Jihoon:
Jacket: Gabriel ::GB:: JACK.EXE (Legacy M.A) White [mesh]
Pants: Gabriel ::GB:: JACK.EXE Pants (Legacy) White [mesh]
Glasses, headphones: Sintiklia Cyber Headphones and Glasses [mesh](350L)
Hair: Exile Rory [mesh](390L)
On Him, Jihoon:
Jacket: Gabriel ::GB:: JACK.EXE (Legacy M.A) White [mesh]
Pants: Gabriel ::GB:: JACK.EXE Pants (Legacy) White [mesh]
Glasses, headphones: Sintiklia Cyber Headphones and Glasses [mesh](350L)
Hair: Exile Rory [mesh](390L)
Bodysuit: CURELESS[+] Incubus&Succubus, Diabolus Bodysuit, white [BOM](249L)
Shoes: Gabriel Double belt metal boots (LEGACY) White [mesh]
Collar: Cruel Sulfur Gorget, Legacy M [mesh](100L)
Head skin: outernaked Soo skin, EvoX, pale, wb [BOM]
Eyes: Poetic Colors Jaded Eyes - Jade [mesh](150L)
Head, piercings: LeLUTKA Kane Evolution [mesh](3990L)
Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)
Poses: Stiff POSE Couple Bento Poses GIFT #15 (1L)
On her, Minjo, Robotics prodigy:
Jacket: HARSHBOY Flight Jacket Crop, fatpack [mesh](Androgyny Event)(1500L)
Skirt: UNA Cyberlla Skirt, LaraX [mesh]
Goggles: ZEROICHI Ocean Goggle, gold [mesh]
Glasses: GRAAL STORE Elion Glasses [mesh](249L)
Makeup compact: Rowne Model, Compact [mesh]
Hair: Wasabi Pills Cleo Mesh Hair [mesh]
Boots: Phedora Banshee V2 Boots, LaraX [mesh]
Socks: Luxuria Thigh High Knit Socks - *white* [BOM]
Bodysuit: Sn@tch Full Knit Bodysuit, Black [BOM]
Head: LeLUTKA CAMILA [mesh](3990L)
Body: Maitreya Mesh Body Lara [mesh](2750L)
Body mod: Maitreya Mesh Body - LaraX FlatChest Add-on [mesh](499L)
Body mod: Maitreya Mesh Body - LaraX FlatChest Add-on [mesh](499L)
Setting:
Diner: MAke a MArk Japanese City Complex #27: cyber ramen shop [mesh](299L)
School: K&S Schoolyard. Backdrop [mesh]
Plants: CELESTE - Holographic Snake Plant, Monstera - Holo [mesh]
Big thanks for Akira for the help on the set!
BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky. (Note: Female jacket fit for Minjo)
