Centers of Fate - Stray Kids

Chapter 3 - The Mistake

The previous year, September (New Summer):

I looked up at the building in front of me, and I wasn't scared. Some of my older friends weren't sure of their fates, but I was. I was in a good position to stay in the environment I was in and have the comforts I was used to having. Being a curious and caring young man has its advantages and disadvantages.

The sun was particularly bright today, and the building was blinding me. I shaded my eyes as I approached it, watching the bus depart behind me. I liked the bus a lot, despite it being a frowned upon form of transportation.

Entering the silver steel sculpture, I walked towards the front desk and checked myself in. I saw exactly two other boys, who looked my age, and were filling out clipboards as well. Both of them had an animal spirit vibe, and I had this ominous feeling we would meet again someday. Clearly, that was foolish thinking. Of course multiple people would have September birthdays. Parents get cold during the winter and want to heat things up literally and figuratively. It made more sense before climate change made winter significantly colder than before, but the violent winter storms made those nights as plausible as any other era in history. States across the country cut their snow budget, so towns were nearly paralyzed when those storms happened. The well being of the citizens could be gambled in the name of the bottom dollar. It's been like that for decades now.

I couldn't help but kill my time by doing some silent and not obvious meditation to calm what little nerves I had. But soon enough, I was alone, and my name was called. I followed an older man with salt and pepper hair, hands folded behind his back, asking me about the weather. We stepped into his office, and I tried to hide how unimpressed I was with this entire process.

"Hello, I'm Mr. River. I will be doing your Final Evaluation today." He started looking through my file through his glasses, "Is there a class you are looking to enter into?"

Strange question, but okay. "I trust the process and its final decision."

"I see. Your wealth lineage and mental health are different. I always find these things interesting." He said the second part absentmindedly. I'm annoyed he's being so casual with a decision that's going to affect my future, even though it's basically set.

"How does the class system work anyway?" I asked. I mostly knew the answer, but maybe I could sweet talk my way into some perks.

"The class system" He carried on as if he was the expert of the universe, "was created to make sure...why are you interested in this?"

I decided to keep my answer simple, blinking innocently at him. "I love to learn and understand things around me." He shuffled through the pages in front of him, trying to find proof that my words were true.

"Yes, I see that here. Okay, young man." He sounded sus, but that was fine since my plan worked. "The class system was mainly created to help decrease crime and anarchy. The idea was if we tracked children early on in their lives, we could make things better for them. If we could keep families together and try to detect future problems in children, we would prevent future problems down the road."

"Couldn't they have done a pass/fail or just use the location access system with the mental health ratings? Why use genetic analysis to prevent crime?"

"We were trying to track mental health history."

"And somehow that leads to having an official attractiveness rating?" I gave him a confused look.

He shrugged. "I never understood that either, and no one gave me a good explanation for it."

He looked uncomfortable admitting that, making me unsure of whether or not he was supposed to tell me all of this. We sat in silence for a while, and when it was clear I wasn't going to say much, he looked back through my files.

"Your curious and stoic nature should be rewarded. Were you thinking of a certain career path?"

"I enjoy reading and learning about others."

"Ah, I enjoy reading as well." His eyes were bright with an old memory. I wished I was in a position to ask what it was. "Reading can expand the mind and give you new ideas. Kids your age don't understand that. Perhaps I should allow your mind to run wild. Let me make it easier for you to spread any ideas you get from curiosities you may gain from your love of acquiring knowledge." He handed me the now empty clipboard as he stood up. "Please take this back to the front desk."

I was shocked by the sudden ending. "That's it?"

"Yep, that's it! Find others in safe spaces and try to make a change!"

That was cryptic as fuck.

He opened the door and walked out, his brown eyes shining like someone half his age, waiting for me to leave. I stood up clumsily and patted down the dress pants I had worn like I saw my mom flatten out her work skirts in the morning. I'll have to ask her later what this all meant. I guess I'd see it soon enough the next time I scanned my card. I followed Mr. River down the hall back to the waiting area. I handed back the clipboard to the young man behind the desk. I walked outside the building into the scorching September sun.

That's when I started to panic.

The whole day felt so ominous. From the animal boys I saw, to the implied blessing of spreading knowledge? Is that what all that talk was? I was so overwhelmed that I started walking back home despite it being far. I just kept walking and walking. My skin started to heat up. I was wearing a dark blue button down top, one of my favorites when I needed to dress up. It reminds me of the darkest part of the sky on a clear blue day. I wanted to look professional to give myself a fighting chance of not dropping rank. Apparently that wasn't happening?

I quickened my pace, knowing I was close to my apartment building now. I didn't know how long I had been walking or how I found my way. I just kept thinking about how I was meant to find others and spread my knowledge. Spread my crazy ideas? How messed up was this system anyway? Was that code?

My mind was racing as I rushed towards the awning. What the fuck was this going to say? I hate panicking. This is not who I am, but the vagueness of it all was driving me crazy. I scanned my card and looked in anticipation.

[Kim, Seungmin (18, Average, BD: 22/09)]

[Access: Granted (No restrictions)]

I read the screen in shock.

If I'm meant to change the world, this will definitely help.

(A/N: I tried to make it vague so you didn't know it was Seungmin until the end. I don't know how I did, but it was fun to try and be vague.)

-Nicole