Before the story begins, Genright was known as Happy City....Charles was standing talking to Professor Keylor and the new members of the scientific research team. He always seemed to be in a state of excitement. His hands swung as if he wanted to pull thoughts from his head. His gray-blue eyes flickered like they were smiling. His way of talking was as eloquent as that of an orator. He was always full of confidence. Although most people couldn’t fully understand what he was saying – It was too academic – the atmosphere he created was strangely convincing.That’s what Jenny thought as she sat at the table by the window watching him, her chin on her hand. When his gray-blue eyes turned in this direction, Jenny pretended to look out the large window of the scientific room to see the smiley face on the famous tower in the distance – it’s the symbol of Genright City. But when she turned her face inside, she met Charles’s gaze once more. His slightly curly front hair fell to eye level, de
Alex dropped in while Jenny was writing her essay in the library. After classes, if she didn’t go to the science room, she often went to the library to sit until evening to plan contents for the media channels – it was for the research team. The quiet space here made her more focused. Partly because she hated the sight of Charles surrounded by female members. He seemed nice to everyone.“Charles asked me why you left this morning,” Alex whispered to Jenny because they were not allowed to make noise in the library. There was also a time when he had spoken so loud. The librarian had got angry and had told him to go out.Jenny looked at Alex pulling out his iPad and his stylus to edit the sketch and suddenly felt a little strange. He didn’t like quiet places like libraries, especially after getting kicked out by the librarian. The over 6’ tall, smoky hair, and well-groomed style always made Alex stand out and be easily recognized.“Then what did you answer?” Jenny whispered back.Alex sh
“Jenny didn’t come again?” Professor Keylor asked Charles as he was walking around looking at the camera on the stand.Without looking up at the professor, he spoke through the mask, “No sir. Humans need to build social relationships. They can’t stay stuck in a lab like me.”Everyone in the lab laughed aloud at his joke. Laughing the loudest was the newly joined blonde girl, named Emma he guessed. Charles wasn’t sure if they were laughing because his words were funny or if they meant something else. Because he always laughed at himself in such a sarcastic way like that.“It’s good to keep yourself in a lab. I like guys who are passionate about research,” Emma said. She continued to laugh loudly as if she wanted to let everyone know how full of energy and fun she was.If she was infected with some kind of virus, the virus would spread throughout this room and would attack everybody even though they were wearing thick blouses, gloves and glasses, and masks and all. Sometimes Charles oft
Charles thought he understood what Alex meant yesterday.He stood in the corridor in front of the science room, looking down at the yard, where a girl with lavender hair was walking and talking with two other girls, perhaps about buying something. Jenny was always the type of person to give her all. Once she had her heart set on anything, she would spend every moment. In addition to managing the team’s media channels, applying for grants, and being in charge of selling apps on Scistore*, she was the one to attract more members to join the research team. There were times Charles saw her hanging out with the thugs-looking seniors in the university. It sounded a bit funny, but he thought she was like the brokers in Genright Harbor, where merchants gathered to trade in the old days. Genright was known as a happy and generous city because of its diversity of markets and diverse cultures. Immigrants were always welcomed, and they had many job opportunities for economic development.Anyways,
“Hey, hey… Are you practicing or are you revenging it for something?”Jason said as he grabbed Jenny by the shoulder and pulled her away from the punching bag. Ever since she put the gloves on, she’d punched it repeatedly. Whenever Jenny was stressed, Jenny often visited the boxing club’s gym to relieve herself, even though she was not a member. But she still often came here to practice because her relationship with Jason was quite good. Jason was 21 years old, and a former member of the scientific research team. Because he was already a senior, he no longer had time to participate in doing research. Before Charles arrived, Jason had been the leader, taking the team to enter many contests. Later, he switched to playing boxing to improve his health.“I don’t know. I’ve been crazy lately Jason. Haha,” Jenny said, pulling the towel around her neck to wipe the sweat from her forehead while laughing.It had been three days since saying about left the scientific research team. Jenny felt as
“I can't believe how crazy they are,” Jason exclaimed. He was following Jenny to the front door of the lab. “You're like VIPs now, completely different from us before.”“Because there are many expensive things that are easy to steal. Professor Keylor is a worried person,” Jenny said as she searched her bag for the key card and opened the door, not really in the mood to explain.“I think he should be worried about something else, like some crazy guys selling drugs in here,” he said.Then the door opened. In front of them was Charles, who was cleaning up broken glass pieces and liquid on the floor with a broom. It seemed like he just broke a test jar or something.“Hi, long time no see,” he said, smiling through his mask. He was surprised. “Jason, do you come here to play with me too?”“Yeah, I heard someone was holding a party, so I come and join!” Jason joked with a serious face.“Party? Yeah, that’s right. Come in here. There are free sulfuric acid cocktails,” Charles said. “Just kid
“God, Charles, what are you doing?” Jenny exclaimed in surprise. In front of her eyes at this moment was Anna - the new member of the team - lying on the laboratory table. Her hands and feet are tied with wires, and the wires were secured around the pole next to the table. She slightly raised her head to look at Jenny with bloodshot eyes. Her face looked very lifeless as if the blood was completely drained from her body. Her stringy frizzy hair made her look like a madwoman.A few minutes ago, Jenny thought she was just too nervous, but now it turned out she was right. Earlier, she had pretended to believe Charles and went home with Jason. Then when Jason turned the other way, she turned back to college.“What are you doing here?” Charles asked her in a displeased tone. But then, he tossed his sweaty hair and lowered his voice, “Sorry, my bad. I made a mistake and failed.”Still holding her hand over her face in shock, Jenny stepped closer to Anna. "Will she be okay?", she asked him.