Yea looking at that non-elementary improper integral… I zone out.
Reaching into my pockets, I find a phone. Well something like a futuristic version of one!
A sleek seamless slab of dark glass with edges rounding off into itself. No buttons. No ports. The back had a matte finish, not soft nor rough, my fingers settled into it as if feeling anchored by a faint resistance.
The top had a glossy glass finish, perfectly polished, cool and liquid to the touch.
However a huge crack ran across the screen, a jagged fracture from the top left to the bottom right.
I stare at it.
…You're kidding me. So even in the future, phones still crack? Incredible. Humanity still can't make a screen that survives one bad day.
I turn it over in my hand and see a five sided star on the phone like a logo.
Lemme guess— same phone, new model every year? Slightly thinner, slightly faster, costs my soul and a kidney?
I tap the screen.
The glass warms. Something unseen sweeps across my face. I freeze.
That was a scan. Face ID? No, this feels way more invasive.
Before I can panic properly, the screen flares to life.
Two half-filled home screens. That's it. Barely any apps. No clutter. No endless folders of crap I never downloaded.
And at the bottom, a taskbar. Four apps. Just sitting there. Patient.
So the original owner of this body was a minimalist like myself. Same brand of existential exhaustion. Respect.
I swipe. Most of the apps are painfully normal. Tap one— yep, games. Another— food delivery. Because of course, even in the goddamn future, people still can't cook. Streaming services too. Different icons, same soul-sucking time vortex.
Wow, different century, same procrastination. Truly inspiring, humanity.
I zero in on the four apps on the bottom pinned to the taskbar, I mean they were almost demanding attention at this point.
[SIGNAL][STARLINK][HARMYX][SYSTEM]
Ok fancy names… but what's system? There was already a settings mixed in with the ones I checked earlier.
[SIGNAL]
I open it… a for you page? Endless scrolls of distraction. I swipe down… great! Thanks universe! A parade of girls showing off the same, filtered, perfect lives.
This reminds me of those 2035 girls. The chicks that walked around talking about being "innocent" and "wifey material", meanwhile they have 5 sugar daddies and 10 backup boyfriends they keep labeled as "gym buddies", "study buddy", and "Uber".
And the Linktrees? You open that thing and it's like stepping into the digital red-light district, subs, private pages, exclusive content, donation tiers, and wishlist. Meanwhile they're online talking about "I just want a man who matches my energy."
Yeah, their energy was $99.99 month, apparently.
Enough about that! I wasn't a simp in my past life and I won't be one in this one either!
I swipe left… ok more normal. Just messages. I don't seem to have a lot of people I talk to? Only 5 people.
I swipe right… back on the for you page. Nope swipe right. Okay a profile page… WAIT WHAT THE FUCK?
0 following. 96 followers! No post. No profile picture.
Did this bastard buy followers?
I exit the app! I memorize the the sleek black icon with a inverted WiFi signal on it and make a note to myself! That's one icon I won't ever click on again. Fuck social media!
[STARLINK]
The app opened up to a search bar? No logo? What should I look up…
Fuck it! I type 'Earth'.
!Restricted! !Requires Level 6 access!
Uh. What the hell! Forget the restricted part. If it's restricted that means they have information on it??
Ok fine I'll cross that bridge when I come across it. What should I look up now?
I decided to exit the app and investigate more later, after all I'm still in class and there's some things I would like to look up that aren't… ahem ahem… school appropriate.
I look up from my phone and notice the class is not as quiet anymore, the students are involved in discussions with the teacher to solve the problems on the holoboard.
Overachieving fucks. Seriously what kind of school am I in?
Thankfully the teacher doesn't seem to mind that I'm on my phone and not paying any attention. Some students around me seem to look over with curiosity, while others look with a hint of envy in their eyes.
Uh. Confusing. Shouldn't they look at me with distain? Like how dare he slack off while all of us are trying to not fail existence 101. Nope. Just mild curiosity and some jealousy. God this makes zero sense.
I turn my attention back to my new toy. Because, come on… give a boy a shiny piece of tech and what do you expect him to do, not poke it? We're biologically incapable of resisting new technology. Buttons get pressed. Menus get explored. Warnings get ignored. If it glows, hums, or promises "advanced features," our soul signs the waiver before our brain even shows up.
In fact he had already picked out two of the downloaded games he like the idea of and had made a mental note to check them out later. One was a gatcha village building game where you would build town halls and other buildings like barracks and medical ward. You could gather gold, silver, aether, and other precious materials. And finally train soldiers that you pull from the gatcha with star heros at the front and attack others!
Another was a game made by the same company where two kings would enter but one would leave. This one had over a 100 cards from the gatcha pulls that you could upgrade and build a deck with! Each with their own counters and advantages. Some cards acted like win conditions while others were defensive tanks and air counters… even spells!
Both games were made by the same company and had shared upgrades which made him even more excited to reach top ladder!
This reminds me of two specific games from back on Earth… they were also by the same company but the games ended up being pay to win after countless updates…
Putting all other thoughts aside he focused on the phone again and clicked the next app.
[HARMYX]
This one seems even more simple than the others! A music app with an in built studio that lets one make music.
I seem to have 4 playlist made… I'll have to check it out later. Priority number 1. My host body better have a good music taste.
This app didn't look like it belonged pinned to the all important task bar, must have been because the original owner was a lover of music just like myself.
Hmm. We seem to have a lot of similarities.
Whatever. It's time for the last app. By the way how long is this math class? It's been almost 2 hours by now! This is literally hell! Child abuse! Should be illegal!
[SYSTEM]
It opens to a stupidly simple screen. Clean. Minimal. Almost like an ID card. Black background. Basic info. And a photo of… Me.
Wait wtf. That's me?
I instinctively grab my chest. Phew. Flat. Still flat. Good. Good.
But, why the hell is this bastard so handsome?
It's an ID-style photo. Straight-on. No dramatic lighting. No tricks. Which honestly makes it worse. Straight obsidian-black hair falling just past the shoulders, smooth like it should be in a shampoo commercial. Skin pale as fresh snow, untouched by acne, stress, or whatever curse normal people carry. Rosy lips, sharp jaw, cheekbones like they were chiseled by Aphrodite herself on her best day.
He looks… I look optimized. Like I've been look-maxing since birth. To the point where your first instinct is—yeah, that's a girl. Soft. Elegant. Almost unfair.
Then you see the eyes.
Deep magenta. Amethyst-rose, glowing just enough to feel wrong. Not soft. Not gentle. The kind of eyes that stare back like they know more than they're letting on.
Great. I didn't just hijack a body. I got THE body. Wouldn't be surprised if this was some genetically engineered final-boss prototype cooked up by a secret organization.
Can I panic now? No. Panic later.